Hello.
I am drawing a cover for this fic! I finished the actual drawing part and now colouring it in. I find it funny how I can draw it in a few hours but it'll take me days to give it colour. I'll probably make an account on Deviantart to post some other pics I made.
Thanks for your time!
Posted May 31, 2015
~Line Break~
Tucker was startled when he heard knocking from his closet door. He was sitting in his desk with his PDA fiddling around and hacking various programs from games to government files.
He walked over in front of his closet and put his hands into a prayer. "I have three guesses and I already know it's not the first two," Tucker put a hand on the knob, "please be a model, please be a model, please be a model!"
He opened to arms crossed human Danny who looked very amused and Tucker just pulled him into a hug.
"Dude! What's up!"
"Currently? GIW spotlights, helicopters, and agents with jetpacks." Danny said counting off with his fingers. "But seriously, I need help. Especially with this."
Danny uncrossed his arms and uncovered the Reality Gauntlet making Tucker's jaw drop and eyes wide open.
"Danny! Why do you have that!" And another glance to it. "And where are the gems?!"
"Shhh! Calm down!" The half ghost whispered out loudly.
"Why do you have that!" Tucker repeated with a sour look. "I'm pretty sure that Freakshow didn't have a spare."
"It's complicated," Danny gave an awkward smile when his best friend raised an eyebrow, "you want to listen?"
"Have all night long and school won't start until next week."
"Your parents?"
Tucker shrugged. "Should be in bed by now."
The two friends sat on the floor by the bed and Fenton recounted the story Phantom told Jazz. Fenton's inability to lie seemed to make the half-truth of a story more believable with his awkward smiles and guilty looks for not telling his long time friend that there is another voice inside his head. It seemed to give Tucker the impression that he was guilty for not telling him in the first place.
"Sorry man, but it does explain why you're taking this a whole lot smoother than I would have imagined."
"Still I'm sorry." Fenton looked down, And I still am...
Tucker slung his arm around Danny, "It's fine! And I can honestly see you go in denial, but a little heads up would be nice."
"I know, but you guys seemed to forgot about the gauntlet and I didn't want to think about what happened so I... pretended it never exsisted too."
"So you ran away."
Fenton stiffened and bit his lip. He had been running away ever since then, he knows that, but hearing it from a person that's close and neutral stung at his core.
"I know, but I accepted it when they couldn't accept me being half ghost." He took a deep breath. "The first time I cried my eyes out, hid within myself, and avoided them as much as I can to where the pain eventually dulled and then everything went back to normal more or less.
"But this time I felt so detached when they cornered me down in the lab, I was upset, angry yeah, but more upset than anything because I already somewhat expected it to go that way." He gave a weak laugh.
Tucker sat there beside his friend as he watched Danny bury his face into his knees. These heart to heart talks were usually angry rants of normal teenage angst or vents about the daily ghost fights. This was a first for Tucker so he did what he did best.
The techno-geek patted Danny on the back. "Cheer up man. Thinking about it won't help you or your situation so let's get to a topic that can help. Or D.O.O.M.! I found a new cheat code in the new update and I don't think Sam knows it yet."
Danny grinned at his friend's comment and his attempt to cheer him up. He's was so glad that Tucker was never changing and a for sure constant in his life.
"I don't think I'll be playing D.O.O.M. anytime soon, but I do need to find a way to go into the Ghost Zone."
Tucker grimaced at that. "That's going to be hard man. Your mom has been down in the lab forever now ever since your 'arguement', she's been frantic and trying to figure out a way to separate Fenton from Phantom." He pointed at the halfa. "And she's also been playing around with the Fenton Taser and Zapper, trying to make it more 'effective' she said."
Danny rubbed his arm at the memory of being electrocuted and immobile. He felt pain and then the feeling of immediate vulnerability and weakness. The fear that rose seeing his mother over him with an evil smile but along with the split realization that he had to do something or else the enemy will hurt him and his friends.
His mother was the enemy and she stood by the GIW who would do anything to eliminate ghosts at whatever cost.
Just like she told him before his powers, when he got his powers, and will continue to do so because that's what she lived for ever since during and maybe even far before her college days.
Danny sighed. "Well I need to get there to get away from Vlad and everything that's hunting me right now. Other than obvious reasons, Vlad's seen and is now interested in the Reality Gauntlet and even though he hasn't officially seen what it can do, it doesn't mean he hasn't done his research for it."
"Wait what?! How did Vlad found it? And why haven't you just phased it in a rock and throw it into the lake or, or destroyed it yet?"
Fenton took a mental deep breath. I blame you for putting me in this position.
Whatever.
"It did this weird pulse thing letting Vlad to track it because anything that can send out power like a massive ghost version of an EMP is bound to get him curious." He paused. "And I really didn't think about destroying it." He tried to keep his voice in control to keep it coming out like a question while smiling awkwardly. "I was thinking more of 'how the hell am I going to hide this fancy paperweight.'"
"Ha!" Tucker gave out a laugh. "That's so like you Danny. So where did you hide it?" He looked at the gauntlet again. "And where are the gems?"
Fenton gave a mental sigh of relief. "I hid it in the clock tower and I have the gems in my pocket." He pulled out the gems. "These things are better off in the Ghost Zone and I can feel another shit storm coming up and I want out of here when it hits."
Tucker blinked and stared at Danny as the ghost boy banged his head lightly on the wall. Danny was an honest person to fault and it showed in his speech. He never swore and used replacement words like 'Suffering Spooks!' or 'Fudge' that his dad uses to avoid saying them and the swear words even in battle and he's more willing to use was 'crap' or 'damn' for some reason or another.
In short, it's a very serious situation not to be taken lightly.
"Maybe we can get Sam and Jazz to help out in the morning when everything doesn't want to wake up."
Danny smiled. "Yeah."
~Line Break~
Sleeping in Tucker's closet was surprisingly comfortable. It was a small walk in closet with various boxes of electronics and clothes in the shelves. The enclosed space made him feel safe too because the GIW along with his parents have one way in and he had everywhere out.
Unless they were willing to destroy part of the house, which they won't unless they want bad public response.
But back to sleeping. He was at the top right shelf snuggled close to the wall to prevent falling over on the other side. All the stuff that was there were in the out-of-the-way corner so the space didn't look any different.
"You know, I know that Danny can sleep anywhere like a cat but this is just ridiculous."
The shelf the ghost boy was sleeping on was had just enough space to let him sleep on his side and was, again, barely long enough for a little leg room.
"Well Sam, we can only say that it's one of the many perks of being a half ghost. He does look comfortable up there." Tucker said.
The looks of expected disbelief as they looked at Danny's back who was still snoozing away. Tucker looked over to the newly moved boxes and starting digging through them. Old phones, PDAs, and other various tech that he collected since he was young.
Sam rolled her eyes and quickly grabbed an old flip phone and chucked it at Danny's head startling him into the ceiling.
He graoned in pain and curled tighter into a ball while rubbing his head. "Why?"
"You wouldn't wake up." The goth said simply. "I got here bright eyed and bushy tailed because you needed help, so get up and and out of this stuffy closet."
"Jazz said she'll be at the lake by the old boat shack. So wash up and meet us there." Tucker waved and followed Sam out the door.
Danny rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he rolled over the edge landing on his feet.
The ghost boy wasn't a stranger stumbling through his friend's room to clean and wash up. He couldn't always go home or to school with grass stains, blood, or dirt without raising suspicion of his activities.
A shower, fresh pair of clothes, and a brush later he felt great and ready to sneak about through the town again.
After stuffing his dirty clothes into a small box and grabbing the gauntlet, he headed out towards the lake avoiding the few patrols that were going to and from wherever they were going. He was so glad that he knew all the ins and outs of his home town or going to the lake would've been more of a pain than it needed to be with the hand shaped burden.
The lake in Amity Park was the place where ghosts least attacked because there was almost nobody there during the day whether it'd be for school or for work and the attacking ghosts prefer the urban areas where chaos is easier to ensue. Plus it helps that the old boat shack has been long abandoned and forgotten for a couple of years now.
He hopped a fence with the 'Private Property' sign and made way through the tall grass and bushes with his intangiblity with ease and saw the shack up ahead.
The place had a public road leading towards it when it was open for boat rides, but now it's overridden with undergrowth and the shack itself was taken over by vines and decay from neglect. Perfect place to hide.
He could hear whispers from his friends and and sister as he got close and knocked on the dusty cracked window smiling as he startled them phasing through the wall.
"Danny!" Jazz hugged her brother. "You definately look better than yesterday."
Danny snorted. "Gee, thanks, but all joking aside, I need to get into the Ghost Zone."
They all nodded. Tucker had already filled the two girls in about Danny's plan and the Reality Gauntlet. Sam had been angry that she was the last to know about it, but decided not to bring it up with Danny seeing their situation. She'll bring it up after this mess was over.
"Mom's been working nonstop in the lab Danny, and the GIW agents are constantly going in and out trying to get updates from her. She has only came out to yell at the agents after they blew something up." Jazz's voice fell into exasperation. "Dad's been the one making sure she eats and sleep."
Guilt crawled up hearing that. "Yeah, I heard from Tucker that she was working on the Tser and the Zapper."
Jazz shook her head. "She just finished those last night. Danny she's trying to find a way to 'save' you. This morning when I peeked into the lab, she's become delirious trying to find a way to separate you from Phantom."
She was obsessed in short, like she always was. Even though he felt slightly guilty, it's funny how the GIW and his parents are always commenting how it's the obsession of the ghosts that drives their afterlives and do whatever it takes to realize it to the rest of the world when they were no better alive.
It seems like hypocrites will always stay near the line that separates the good and evil.
"Then we need a distraction that will for sure drag her out of the lab," Sam said, "and the only way I can think of is to get Phantom to prance around her front door."
Fenton snickered as Phantom bristled. I do not prance around!
Jazz pulled a Fenton Thermos and grinned. "Or we can stuff him in here and release him like all the other ghosts."
Fenton put his hands up in front of him and backed up. He can still remember the small cramped space and the neutralization of his powers in that thing, but it was still a valid plan since that means no ghost detectors can detect him there.
We are not doing that if we can help it.
"But it's not like you can just waltz in there now with agents crawling at home." Fenton shrunk into his seat and he shot a glare at his two giggling friends at his expense.
"But we will save that as Plan B, if all else fails." Tucker said pointing at Danny biting down another giggle.
It was definately a long morning discussing plans and with the occasional joke, but it was almost noon and nothing viable came up that didn't rely on Danny risking getting captured by surprise.
"Wait a minute," a lightbulb went off in Tucker's head, "you have duplication."
Danny face palmed with a resounding smack. "Duh."
Jazz's eyes lit up. "That's right! You rarely use it in battle and when you do, you kinda disappear before surprise attacking them."
"Even if I make a duplicate, only the GIW would swarm out to try and catch me." Danny said. "I haven't seen even dad out on those patrols."
There was a long pause as everyone tried to think a way to incorporate Danny's duplication ability until Jazz spoke.
"I think I have a plan." Jazz put a hand on his shoulders. "But you need to think long and hard on it, because it may destroy whatever let there is between mom and dad."
~Line Break~
Vlad watched Danny run through the alley ways, jump fences, and take quick cover before he disappeared in the undergrowth in the thicker part of the shrubbery by the lake on the screens he had installed in the now repaired office. The area was big compared to Amity Park, and the dense foliage made him leave the area alone since nobody goes there anymore.
Much to his regret.
But that really didn't matter anymore since his little badger was nicely distracted by being hunted. He can now carry on with his plans and it seems as though the Far frozeners are getting comfortable again and this time the Infimap was in place for him to jump on.
"Mayor Master, there's an 'Agent E' here to see you." The intercom went off with his secretary's monotone voice.
He quickly pressed a button and the screens retracted into the desk and then pressed another. "Send him in."
In few moments the agent came in towering over Vlad. Despite hiding behind those glasses, his displeasure was evident.
"Mayor Masters." He drawled. "I have come to ask again to seize the land where Fenton Works is."
Vlad inwardly sighed. "And again, no. Just because the Fenton's refuse to share anything as of right now doesn't mean the government can throw a tantrum to get what they want." It was always like this with the GIW and it almost made him want to withdraw his sponsorship from them. After all anonymous donations work too.
The huffed through his nose. "My higher ups want a constant flow of information and as do I. The Fenton's have and are creating technology that are more advance than ours and it is critical that we get them now if we can catch the ghosts and the ghost boy."
"And as an upstanding mayor of this town, I cannot let the government seize a house because they couldn't get new toys!" Vlad yelled. "And I give generous amouts of money to your organization and I have yet to see technology that rival the Fenton's either! Yes you have jets, helicopters, and jetpacks, it's impressive and was effective for a little while, but the ghosts have gotten smarter and can trick you people into shooting eachother!
"It's embarrassing to say the lease and just because I'm your biggest and one of your only sponsors does not mean I will bend down because I need you for a pest problem. I will retract my sponsorship if this trend continues." He hissed out.
"Even at the exposure of your secret." Agent E said in a low tone.
Vlad scoffed. He had a bug when Danny revealed his and the older halfa's secrets, but unlike Danny, he had his status and money that kept him safe and Maddie didn't believe his little badger thinking Phantom over took her son's life.
"Please, your organization is the most look down upon out of any government branch, and it's not because just because you can't do your jobs but the fact that you brush off casualties that were made by you people.
"And even if your higher ups believe you, what can they do? I'm a well respected man that is charitable and giving and if I die, the whole world will be in an uproar. And besides, a living being becoming half ghost? You will be a laughing stock."
The agent growled loudly and clenched his fists. He already knew that and expected Masters to retaliate, but his bluff was eaten up and spitted out on him and his anger rose at that.
"Is that why you proctect the ghost boy so much? Because when we catch him, it will be over."
Vlad narrowed his eyes. "I find that laughable, after all, Daniel may be weaker than me but I unfortunately will admit that he is more clever than anyone would give credit for. Plus his potential is staggering from my latest observations, and besides, if you haven't caught him in the last two years, what makes you think you can catch him now?"
The agent imediately turned around. "I'll take my leave." And started walking towards the door.
"Very well," Masters turned his own back to him. "And by the way, that little mic only recorded static during the duration of our conversation," the agent froze in mid step, "but don't worry, it'll work fine in a few minutes."
Agent E cleched his fists once again and walked on.
~Line Break~
Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review! ~RavensChrome