DGG: Here's the next chapter, guys. I wanted to update before I go on my trip tomorrow! Woo! So I hope this tides you all over until I get back. Enjoy and review!

A few hours past before either of the two unconscious teens began to stir. Tucker, Sam, and Jazz had moved both teens so they were both lying a few feet away from one another behind the Amity Park sign. After that, the trio just waited. Eventually Danny's blue eyes fluttered open and he groaned as he began to come back into reality.

"Danny!" the three cried in relief.

"Are you all right?" asked his sister.

"Yeah," Danny rubbed his head. "I think so. What happened?"

"Valerie was chasing you and you took a crash landing," explained Tuck.

"Valerie?" the boy instantly felt alert. "Where is she?"

Sam pointed and Danny turned his head to his right to see that Valerie was still lying on the ground.

"What happened to her?"

"We're not really sure. She just saw us, freaked out, then passed out," said Sam. "It was really odd."

The fourteen year old processed the situation for a moment before continuing.

"Is she okay?"

"Well, she's still breathing," Sam shrugged.

The raven-haired boy shot her look.

"Hey, excuse me if I'm not too forthcoming to someone who was trying to attack you."

"So what happened while you were down there, man?" the tech-geek spoke up.

"You should have seen it. It's like everyone's in some weird trance or something. They're all just working silently with a bunch of ghosts keeping watch over them."

"Did you find our parents?" asked Jazz.

"Yeah. I found all our parents. They weren't too welcoming."

"No way!" exclaimed Tuck in disbelief.

"See, I was flying towards home to see if they were there when Valerie attacked me out of nowhere. She explained that she was a ghost hunter appointed by my parents and her mission was to bring me back to the lab because all our parents wanted to dissect me."

"Yikes," interrupted Tuck.

"Yeah," Danny agreed. "But they all think I kidnapped and killed the three of you."

"Well, that would explain why Valerie was so surprised to see us," Jazz planted a hand on her chin.

"I don't know, but I get the feeling that everyone is under some weird trance. The whole town has this creepy horror movie vibe to it."

"Well, maybe when Valerie wakes up we'll be able to force some info out of her," suggested Tucker.

"If she doesn't just get up and fly away first," pointed out Sam. "Or just get up and start attacking Danny."

"So we can restrain her with something," proposed Jazz. "There has to be something here we can use."

"Maybe," Danny transformed back into a white-haired ghost, "I can restrain her."

The halfa used his powers to create an ectoplasmic-like rope and tied it around the unconscious teen's torso, wrists, and ankles, making sure she couldn't move when she woke up.

"Good thinking," smiled Tuck. "But how are we going to get her to talk though? I highly doubt she'll be too willing."

"We'll think of something," said Danny.

For the next half hour the four teens just sat and waited. They watched the unconscious ghost hunter intently as though they expected her to just disappear any second. Finally, the female began to stir. As she slowly came to, she noticed that she couldn't move. Her eyes shot wide open as she realized that she was completely bound.

"Hey! What is this? What's going on?" she struggled frantically, clearly confused.

"We were hoping that's what you could tell us."

Valerie froze at the sound of Tucker's voice. She stopped moving and looked to her left.

"What is this? Why am I tied up?" she demanded.

"Sorry," apologized Danny. "We thought we might need to."

"Danny?" she spoke in shock. "Wait…you're back?"

The four teens exchanged glances with one another.

"You should know. You were the one attacking him!" shouted Sam.

"I was?"

"Yeah," said Tuck. "Don't you remember?"

The African American female looked down at her attire with a look of contemplation on her face. She looked back up and looked at the ditch Danny caused when he plowed into the ground earlier. Suddenly it looked like a light bulb went off in the girl's mind.

"Oh my gosh!" she cried while looking back at her fellow classmates. "I…I do remember. It's strange because I remember doing it, but it was like I wasn't doing it. Like I wasn't in control or something!"

"Not in control? What do you mean?" asked Jazz.

"I don't know. I can't really explain it. All I know is that it kinda feels like the past few days have been a dream or something."

"Valerie, what's been going on in Amity Park?" asked Danny in all seriousness.

"I don't know. I know that Vlad came back. He's sitting in the center of town right now actually. I also remember all your parents walking through town. I remember something not being right about them, especially your parents, Danny. Namely your mom. She seemed strangely upbeat and happy. And there was something wrong with…"

"Her eyes?" finished Danny.

"Yeah. And anyone that your any of your parents talked to suddenly became like them. It was sort of like they were turned into mindless zombies. My dad turned me. After that, I felt like I wasn't in control of my body. It was like I was doing somebody else's bidding."

"Probably Vlad's," suggested Jazz.

"Yeah. Vlad had all of us believing that you killed Sam, Jazz, and Tucker. Everyone's working to build up the defenses of the city as we speak."

"Do you know what Vlad's planning on doing?" asked Sam.

"He wants to take over the rest of the planet, but for now he was just preparing for your return, Danny."

"He was expecting me back?" Danny blinked.

"Apparently. Could you guys let me out of these?" asked Valerie, motioning towards her restraints.

"Oh, sorry. Sure," Danny moved towards her.

"Well, wait a minute. How do we know we can trust her?" asked the Goth.

"Do I look like I'm going to hurt you?" asked the popular girl.

Danny kneeled down beside her and looked at the girl's eyes. They didn't look like Tucker's and Sam's parents' eyes. And she was surprisingly non-hostile. He figured with the temper she'd had back in Amity Park that if she still felt the same way, she would have woken up and struggled profusely, yelling death threats the entire time. Danny sighed and released her from her ghostly hold.

"Thanks," she smiled.

Tucker, Sam, and Jazz looked worried.

"Don't worry, Guys," spoke Danny. "We can trust her now."

"You probably could have just trusted me all along if it weren't for Vlad showing back up and corrupting the town!"

"So…you never thought I was evil?" blinked Danny in surprise. "Or at least a menace?"

Valerie shook her head.

"No. I mean I don't think anyone did. That big fight you had with Vlad the first time was just really intense and no one really knew how to react. But I guess we forced you into exile. And you have to believe me when I tell you that I'm sorry for it."

"Thanks," the halfa gave her a small smile.

"Well, that's all well and good, but why is it that the spell over her was broken when she got out here? Does the spell not work outside of Amity Park or something?" the tech-geek wondered aloud.

"No, it works outside the city. I remember patrolling around the surrounding areas."

"So what did break her spell?" mused Jazz.

All five teens began to ponder that very question. But while they were all equally lost in thought, Danny instantly recalled something. While rushing to get out of the city with Valerie tailing him he remembered wanting to get to his friends as quickly as possible. He couldn't recall why at the time. But he believed that the answer to their question lied within that memory. The white-haired teen closed his eyes and thought as hard as he could. Suddenly Clockwork's words rang clear in his mind.

"The portals have been closed in order to keep you three trapped… Something about you three being the key…to repressed memories."

"Guys, do you remember what Clockwork said before we left?" Danny piped up. Everyone stared at him. "He said that you guys were the key to repressed memories. Think about it. Valerie went back to normal after seeing you."

"Hey, yeah!" smiled Tucker in excitement. "I forgot about that. But why would Plasmius bother making us the key?"

"Probably because he hypnotized the town into believing you were all dead. That 'fact' is what's fueling everyone's determination and rage to ghost-proof the town against Danny," said Valerie. "I mean, seeing you alive completely contradicts with what Vlad told us. So it would make sense that it would break the spell."

"Great! So all we have to do is show ourselves to the entire town!" smiled Tucker.

"By doing what?" snapped Sam. "By just walking down the streets?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Tuck, there are ghosts down there too! Don't you think they might intervene in that plan?"

"She has a point," agreed Jazz.

"What we need is to make a plan. We have to defeat Plasmius and get the town back to normal," said Danny. "Valerie, now that you're back to normal, are you still able to use your ghost-hunting equipment?"

"Sure. The training I went through was real."

"Good. Because I could use your help if you're willing."

"Count me in," she smiled.

"Good. Because tomorrow is when we attack."