The Ghost Zone hummed with both power as it surged with the energy of the ectoplasm, but also tension as a box was emptied of its contents before the one who took it grinned as he took flight, making his way to the place in mind, a castle that loomed in the dark parts of the Zone before reaching the end of the halls he went through, the room a tomb with a sarcophagus looming in the back while a blade was embedded in a pumpkin there with a skeleton statue holding a ring in hand as he mused. "Here we are. Pariah's Keep. Home of the Fright Knight-" He pulled out the ultimate skeleton key before put it into the nostrils of the skeleton, dissolving the orb on the ring as he continued. "-And before that, The Ghost King. And here I am, Vlad Plasmius, with all his power in the palm of my hand."
He raised it with a 'hah', but it puffed out smoke as he looked shocked before frowning with a turn, the icon on the sarcophagus telling him exactly what he was missing. "Ah, of course. The Ring of Rage only works when one wears the Crown of Fire. It is the conduit for the Crown's incredible power and a powerful relic of the Ghost Zone." He soared over as he lodged the key in, the tension boiling over as he continued in muse, the spectral birds outside taking flight as the tomb open to the body of the former King. "Separately, they're nothing, but together, They give you power unimaginable." His muse stopped as the single eye, unhidden by a eye-patch, flashed open in green as it shifted free and stomped out of the tome as he towered over Plasmius before bellowing, his attire that of old Scotland, a pair of horns protruding from the giant's skull as one was broken while the other was curved, and resting on his head was the Crown that contained all that power.
"Who dares?"
"Uh, hello. Plasmius, Vlad Plasmius, did I mention I'm a huge fan of your work?" He smiled nervously, but the King known as Pariah Dark didn't agree as Plasmius could only grimace. "I guess not." The castle shook to an explosion that launched Plasmius out of the castle before Pariah pulled free the Soul Shredder and the pumpkin erupted as the Fright Knight exclaimed to his freedom.
"The Fright Knight lives!" The blade embedded itself in the pillar beside the Knight as Pariah Dark commanded, making his presence WELL known.
"To serve me." The Fright Knight was shocked as he exclaimed.
"King Pariah! You're up!" He bowed as the titan spoke with a dark tone.
"And perhaps it's time to remind you- and that intruder- who RULES this place!" Plasmius shook himself awake as he grimaced.
"I've got to get out of here before he-" Too late as Pariah warped upward to the battered Vlad. "-Finds me!" Pariah grabbed Vlad in hand as he spoke.
"You have freed me from my sarcophagus, and thus woken me from the forever sleep." He shifted Vlad in hand before his eye narrowed at a truth. "You're not the one who woke me! YOU ARE A DUPLICATE!" Vlad dissolved into pink mist as the real one had the Ring of Rage on his finger as Pariah turned with a growl. "So, where…" He stopped again before growling once more as the real Vlad tried to get the fright Knight on his side as he chatted with the Knight as Fright Knight worked to pull the Soul Shredder free.
"But surely, you and I could work out some sort of deal." For asking that of a loyal spirit, it was a death sentence, but Fright Knight's reply was a curious inquire.
"A deal?" They didn't spend too much time on it before a beam of red ectoblast scorched the ground as Vlad wheeled in the air before exclaiming to the Knight, hand up in the standard 'call me' sign.
"Call me. We'll talk." He gave a half-salute before soaring out of there as Pariah fired another beam, Vlad gasping before he was launched, the Ring slipping off only for him to keep it in his hand as he soared with reverting back into Masters as, on the other side of the Portal he was heading for, Jack and Maddie were hard at work making a exo-suit for operation in the Zone, from the brief notions and contexts of Danny and his friends and their thus-far discoveries. Jack plugged in a cord and beamed before activating the lower torso made, it getting charged before activating and stomping as Jack exclaimed.
"Sweet! The Fenton Pants are charged and operational!" The power shut off as the pair walked back over to the lower torso as Jack explained. "I'm telling you, Maddie, once this Ecto-Skeleton is finished, it will be able to beat back any ghost, no matter how powerful!"
"Yeah, but the interface is still glitchy and dangerous, Jack." She voiced as she continued to get it done properly. "We need to work the bugs out before-" Anymore was lost when Vlad came soaring out of the Portal, looking worse for wear as he gripped his right, hiding the ring from sight as Maddie recovered to exclaimed. "Vlad Masters?" Slowly, Vlad held up his left as he plead to the pair that approached his fallen form.
"Jack, my fat old friend... Help me." He fainted to Jack terrified of how Vlad was flung out of the portal, but also what could have done this sort of damage to him, a halfa of some considerable power...
Outside Casper High, Danny leaned on a tree as he beamed as Tucker and Sam joined him, Cedric also coming along with Talia by his side, Topaz having gone back into the Zone as she wasn't fully situated in the Real World as Sam spoke. "You seem pretty happy today."
"Why shouldn't he be? Last night, he shoved some wannabe opera ghost AND Skulker back into the Ghost Zone." Tucker answered with gesturing behind him as Danny continued the train of thought.
"And I still had time to finish Lancer's totally lengthy book report." He leapt from the tree with hands on his hips as he continued. "Nothing could spoil this day." He really should have cooled it some before another voice spoke.
"Think fast, Fentoni!" Danny moved on reflex as a football came hurtling at him and he fumbled with the catch, but succeed in keeping the ball in hand as Dash and Kwan held up their thumbs as they walked over. "Nice catch, could use some work though." They just walked on as Danny stood there with the ball as Cedric spoke.
"Well, at least they are rather tame about it, I half-expected that nothing would have changed to your relationship with the football players."
"Yeah, Dash and Kwan have been the best, Paulina is still dreaming though, but thanks for making that delayed wish for me." Cedric had made a wish with Talia that removed the memory of those that couldn't keep the secret. As it turned that, most of the students couldn't as the only ones that could hold it in were Dash, Kwan, Paulina, and Star which was a surprise and Valerie was filled in with the details and even heard from Topaz that she... had forgotten that she promised some time with looking out for Youngblood as kid ghosts were considered both protected and worth helping.
"Now, let's go, we don't want to be late for class." They nodded before heading out, Danny lightly beaming as he did blast a STOP sign and tripped Wes Weston with the fallen sign, just grinning as he shot a glare at him as he got it in his mind that Danny was Phantom, which was true, but everyone else that didn't know Danny believed he was crazy and those that did just added the fuel to the fire of him being obsessed with some form of theory... or five as they headed to the lockers and Danny stored his books in his locker as Sam mused.
"You realize you're playing with fire." Danny turned to her as he answered.
"Well, sometimes I have to use my powers for the greater good. He has been making claims that I am Phantom and really, while the idea is good for me extending my circle, I would rather not expand it too much right." He pointed as Weston's locker erupted with toilet paper cascading him as Tucker chuckled with the action as he commented.
"And come on, how good was that?" Sam did answer with a sarcastic tone.
"Nice. Using your powers to stuff toilet paper into a locker. He's going to find out it's you."
"Have you seen his grades?"
"Never gonna happen." Tucker and Danny pointed at each other before Danny continued.
"Besides, I made sure that I grabbed the regular paper, no way did I mess up from the hall closet." Cedric raised a brow before he pointed at the Demi as he asked.
"Didn't you say that your dad switched the rolls with the lab's, due to a heavy slip of ectoplasm?" Horror donned on Danny's face as Wes' voice shouted, Jack's face on each square of the toilet paper.
"Hey! THIS IS FENTON WIPE!" He growled and, while Wes was not as big as Dash, there was a reason why he was captain of the basketball team, those hands were made for snatching and grabbing. Sam just beamed as she spoke.
"'Never' is Karma's doorbell. Ding-dong, It's for you."
"Blast, I forgot about that!" He dashed away as he quickly headed for a hiding place, he couldn't depend on the A-Listers' protection right now as he bolted for the cafeteria, busting in to see Mikey and one of the band members, the underneath of the table blocked from view by the trumpet and he made his choice as Wes barreled in.
"FENTON!" He found no sign of him before bolting elsewhere, Danny blinking from underneath the table before turning, finally noticing Valerie under there as well as he spoke in confusion.
"Val? What are you doing here, don't tell me you're hiding as well? The 'Under the Nerds Playing Nerd Poker' is my spot."
"Ease up, Fenton. You're not the only one who needs to hide, you know."
"Yeah right, nothing is scary than those basketball hands or Dash's fists when he feels like it." Sadly, his idea of fear didn't fit with Valerie's as a nerdy chubby guy came rushing over with a picture of her in his hand as he wailed.
"Valerie! WHERE ARE YOU?! It's only three years until Senior Prom! WHY WON'T YOU SAY YES?"
"Three years? We could be here a while if he is that desperate, also sorry for making mine seem more than yours."
"Wanna check over our book reports? Also, you are forgiven, I like to keep myself off the market, but somehow, people just hound me." He beamed back as they did so in checking it over and making an attempt to get it done and move on, but time was not on their side as they were soon booking it away in hiding, rounding the corner into an alleyway and behind a dumpster when they stopped to Sam hiding there as she pointed to them.
"Hiding from Dash." Danny answered, there was a slight incident that got Wes off his back for a time while Dash was part of a purple stockpile with him, as Sam switched targets.
"Hiding from Nathan." She glanced to Nathan running past without stopping as the huntress's went to Sam. "You?" She just pointed over and the pair looked to find Pamela Manson running past... with a frilly, lacy, ribbony dress of dress as she exclaimed.
"Sammy-kins! At least try it on!" She ran off as the trio popped up from behind the dumpster of cover before Danny spoke up with a plan.
"C'mon. Over there. We can all hide in my house." They headed out as Valerie spoke.
"By the way, you guys, thanks for saving my dad, though WHY in all of Amity Park must he be trim from being worked on a ghost ship!?"
"We really don't know, but if the ship was being powered by adult power on exercise machines, then that explains why there are now machines in the lab for my dad's 'buns of steel'." They shook as they made it without incident.
"Well, be careful, just in case. The last thing we'd all want to do is invite a rival into your own home."
"Hey!" Sam shrugged as they headed in and Danny gasped to Vlad Masters sitting on the couch with a towel over his ruined suit, playing chess with Jack, while Maddie had a teapot in hand, Jazz just reading a book with caution in her eyes as Vlad greeted him.
"Ah, hello, Daniel!" He mused as he moved a chess piece, Sam just commenting as the friends had long known about Vlad since the 'reunion', though Danny swayed on the notion that he deserves a chance to be himself, but two of them just didn't accept it as easily, one being the girl by Danny's side.
"Too late." Danny nodded before he shook his head and inquired.
"You!" He walked over as he spoke. "What are you doing here?" Maddie frowned as she poured the tea, into Vlad's lap as he howled in pain, Danny hissing in pain as well as Maddie spoke.
"Totally valid question."
"Still steaming?"
"You have no idea." Clearly, coming out of the Portal got her in a mood about Vlad as she stomped away, it didn't help that she also was dismayed with one of his 'employees' being swayed over by a ghost to take the lot of them as Vlad answered.
"I was just, you know, passing through." Danny glanced up and down as Vlad spoke in a joking tone. "And then I saw that MARVELOUS Battlesuit and thought, since I can't just destroy Jack and take it, I suppose I'll steal its secrets right out from under his nose!" Vlad beamed to Jack's look of worry before both started to laugh as the teens just blinked to the interaction as both wiped their eyes laughing as Vlad spoke again. "I swear, I am such a josher. More tea, please." Maddie poured again, this time on the head as he yelped. "Not there! Ooh!" He got up frowning as Maddie just walked away with a scowl as Danny spoke, Vlad cleaning himself up from the tea.
"I don't know what you're up to, Plasmius. Actually, I partially do. You had told me after that issue with the money. Are you okay?"
"You are correct!" Danny cocked a brow as Vlad continued. "And yes, but say a word and I'll share your secret with-" He stopped as he noticed Valerie and exclaimed. "Ah! The young Miss Gray!" He spoke with folded hands as Valerie questioned.
"You know me?" Both Danny and Sam glanced to each other with smirks as Cedric was correct and Valerie just needed time to know it too.
"Knew it." Suddenly, a bust of Jack, strange as it was, started to beep with red eyes as both parents rushed back into the room and Jack flipped the bust's head open to a button before it turned a picture of the family to a grid which was called the 'Ghost Zone Radar' and it was showing... a growing number of ghost pixel moving to one point as Jack exclaimed in surprise.
"Galloping goblets, it's the Ecto-Exodus Alarm!" The teens ran over as Sam, Danny, and Jazz exclaimed in confusion, NEVER hearing about this beforehand.
"The Ecto-whaty-what?" The trio questioned as Maddie exclaimed as well.
"The Ecto-Exodus Alarm! An alarm that only goes off when we're about to face a massive ghost invasion!"
"Walker's invasion wasn't big enough for the Exodus Alarm!?" Danny exclaimed before he spoke to Sam and Jazz. "Stall them, I am going to check it out!" He ran to do so as Jack tried to barrel his way to the Portal as well before Sam stuck out her leg on 'accident'.
"Umm... Oops!" Somehow, Sam tripped the big guy as Maddie also tried to Jazz 'dropping' her book.
"Whoops!" Maddie went sliding into the closet on the ground floor as Sam and Jazz exchanged looks before bumping fists before Valerie tried to grab her gear to prepare before realizing that somehow, it wasn't on her as a voice spoke up.
"Looking for your ghost hunting equipment?" Vlad towered over her with pack in hand as she exclaimed.
"Ghost hunting? How do you know about my ghost hunting equipment?" She paused before facepalming. "Of course, you would be the guy supplying the weapons, but what do you want from me?" Vlad dropped the pack into Valerie's hands and ushered her along as he spoke.
"Please, walk with me." They left the house as Danny rushed down with transforming before position himself in front of the Portal as he spoke.
"Okay, here we go..." The tension grew before a familiar popped out and exclaimed.
"Beware!" Danny stared before he questioned.
"Why are you the first one out?" Any more he could have said was lost as a blast of blue hit Danny and knocked him down to the floor before a boot stomped on him, glancing up to Skulker and his weapon as he exclaimed. "Skulker?" But the hunter didn't address him as he yelled to the Portal.
"I told you there was a way out through here." The fear that donned on the faces of Topaz, Walker, an ectopus, and Johnny's shadow told Danny that something was VERY wrong before a stream of ghosts poured out like a flood as Skulker yelled. "Go! Go! Go! Goooo!" They poured out in a pillars and into the sky of Amity before Danny gripped Skulker's ankle and hauled him out of there before tossing him into the air with a shout.
"What the heck is going on here, Skulker!?" He primed a fist as Skulker was one for the fight, but a dragon came between them as Sidney exclaimed atop the dragon ghost.
"I know this might sound a little fishy, but Skulker isn't the bully here!"
"Bully?" Danny exclaimed as he shouted the words to the crowd of ghosts that lingered to hear him. "What are you talking about? What are all of you running from?" The only ghost that spoke was his 'friend' Topaz as she spoke, the ghost white streak down the right side matching her robin-blue flames.
"His name is Pariah Dark, the King of All Ghosts." Danny grimaced as a number of the ghosts looked ready to tear him apart.
"And while we may be in a hurry... We'll always have time for this." They then started to beat him into bits before closing in like a tornado before launching him into the ground and disbanding, Topaz heading to the new place, while Sam rushed out and exclaimed to the reverted Danny.
"You okay?" Danny narrowed his eyes to her as she apologized. "Sorry, standard question." She helped him up before asking about what just went down. "What was that about?"
"I dunno. But I think Vlad Plasmius just became the least of my worries." Meanwhile, Vlad was cruising with Valerie on her hover board as he inquired to a number of details.
"So, the equipment is tuber-locking and it functions properly, does it?"
"Heck yeah!" Valerie exclaimed as they landed on a building as continued. "It's like you designed it just for me!" Vlad jumped off as the board returned to Valerie before she questioned it, removing her hood and disabling the ghost protection to the suit. "Why would you do that? I'm like, fourteen."
"You're also the most capable ghost hunter I've ever seen!" She beamed as Vlad spoke. "You're smart, you're fast, you're strong. And most of all - you're motivated."
"Really?"
"Of course! Why else would I say such a thing?" He then joked again about the very notion. "I would have to be some sort of, oh, diabolical villain, to manipulate you like that!" He leaned back to highlight his 'villainy' before both laughed about it as he wiped a tear away. "Ho ho, I kill me! Or Jack!" He gasped as Valerie looked to confused to the action before he spoke, reaching into the jacket. "And, my dear, it's the reason I can trust you with this." He pulled out the Ring of Rage and displayed it in hand as Valerie questioned.
"A ring?"
"Not just any ring. It's been passed down from ghost hunter to ghost hunter for generations." He was clearly lying through his teeth as he handed it to her as she pondered it with putting it on.
"I don't know what to say." For a brief second, it felt like her body shifted before Vlad ran over and took her hand in a shake.
"Don't say anything, dear. But please, let's keep it our secret, hm?" He finished the sentence before a ghostly moan echoed and Valerie turned in surprise as she exclaimed.
"What was that?" She slipped the hood back on as Vlad mused.
"Probably Jack, goofing up again." He looked down to her as he continued. "I believe you have a job to do." She quickly activated the hover board as she spoke to him, shooting a parting word to him.
"I won't let you down, Mr. Plasmius." He flinched and she beamed under the helm before taking off, he humming as he voiced.
"Oh, of that-" He changed into his ghost form with remarks. "-You can be sure. And young Daniel will be so busy protecting you, stealing that battle suit will be a snap." He kicked the head of a ornate stone dragon, causing it to crash into the ground as he let slip. "Oops, didn't think it was going to be brittle, I barely used my strength..." He stared out as he spoke. "I just hope young Daniel will have the strength to ousted this danger before long, this is going to be a fearsome battle for him, I can't be a champion, he has to learn how to face the most powerful ghost in existence on his own...
Back in the Ghost Zone, the ghosts have deserted the Infinite Realms, except for a few that have taken to hiding away from the peering gaze of Pariah Dark as Fright Knight exclaimed to the commanders of the Dark Army. "Your armies are amassed?" The skeletons grunted in salute as Fright Knight continued. "Then on my orders-" But he was cut off as Pariah Dark demanded from behind him.
"On MY orders!" Dark straightened as he commanded. "Go to that world. Bring the Ring to me. And to those who stand in your way - show no mercy." The four bowed before the dark ruler as he towered over the legions of mindless skeletons that were made to serve without question, their grunts resounding to his command as another face spoke, far away and in a realm where only those who need to know can find it, as the chime of clocks was heard as his shadowed face spoke with red gazing back to the dim glow, a scar trailing down his left side as he spoke, he bound to his home, but still carried a deep regret for not stopping this threat sooner.
"And so... it begins..."
Casper High saw the return of the party, with the yelps of one Topaz as Cedric was holding her ear with a frown on his face with Talia glaring the same before Tucker asked Danny. "Dude, are you okay?" Danny glanced to his friend as he apologized. "Sorry, standard question. Late night?" Danny answered as they went to get lunch, Topaz getting let off the hook, but the duo kept an eye on her.
"Of course it was a late night! Every ghost I know - and about a million I don't - ARE LOOSE!" No sooner did he say that then an Ectopus appearing beside him, stole the tray, and ran intangible before Danny groaned. "Not to mention, I couldn't really sleep because my arch-enemy was in the guest room next to me."
"My parents sleep in the bedroom next to me. It's not the same, but I can't sleep either!" She shrugged as Valerie walked over in greeting.
"Hey Danny." He turned and greeted her back.
"Hey Val."
"'Hey Val'? Isn't that the same Val that's usually on a jet-sled trying to paste Danny?"
"Yep, and apparently next week, we're having cookies with Skulker!" The pair joked before Valerie took on a look of worry as she spoke.
"You might wanna... bag lunch it outside. This isn't exactly the safest place for you right now."
"What makes you say that?" He blinked before he remembered. "Oh, right, Wes." Before long, a pair of basketball players arrived behind him as the big guy must have been Wes' aid as he exclaimed from the side of the brute.
"Hey Fenturd, no teachers around to protect you, no nerds around to hide you." Tucker got angry as he exclaimed.
"Hey! I resent that! I'm plenty nerd!" The brute just slammed Tucker's food into his face as Danny exclaimed.
"Wes, take a hike, will ya? I'm way too tired to put up with you. Besides, shouldn't you be failing a test, kicking a puppy, or beating up somebody weaker than you now?"
"Come to think of it, yeah!" Wes moved to punch, only to get Danny's chin to go ghost and whiff completely, both slightly surprise before Danny recovered to discreetly melt the soles of Wes' shoes and he missing completely before getting his balance lost to the melted soles to which Valerie quickly dropped her lunch and kicked it, Wes' face going in as the students cheered, quickly quieting as the brute made to tackle Danny, but all watched as Cedric dashed and landed a punch right in the middle of the forehead and the guy toppled as Cedric spoke.
"For Pete's sake, don't be morons in picking a fight around me, I WILL end you if you try that again on anyone!" The cheer rang out as Danny beamed to Valerie for the save and Cedric for the backup as Sam, Tucker, Talia, and Topaz joined them as Tucker exclaimed.
"Sweet!"
"Is it? I know Wes is really a jerk, but what if he saw something?" Danny dismissed it as Valerie did see the beam and was thankful that Wes didn't actually hit him in the first place.
"He's not gonna see something." His tone turned angry as he ranted. "Besides, I'm tired of getting kicked around all the time after such a short break. Maybe it's time I do a little kicking back!" The angry look on Sam's face turned to worried before Cedric rested a hand on Danny's shoulder and he grimaced at the grip.
"Danny, are you REALLY going to be a bully here?" He quickly shook his head as Cedric continued. "Then just leave it to either the teachers to clean this up or the A-Listers, they are your backup now as well, they may not be friends, but the least they can do now is provide some backup to keep you OUT of trouble, Wes shouldn't have been allowed to do that, the A-Listers are allowed, but he is not part of them, he's in the middle."
"R-Right... I keep forgetting that at times." Danny rubbed his neck while at Fentonworks, trouble was afoot as Jack worked on the upper torso of the suit and called out to his buddy.
"Vladdy, my man! Could you hand me that watchermajigit?" Vlad picked up the 'thing' from the distant table and handed to Jack as he spoke.
"Here you go, old chum." He stood back up and leaned on the suspended torso before asking. "Any idea when this suit might be finished?" Jack rolled out from under the armor as he exclaimed back to Vlad.
"Quit pushing me, V-man, I'm working on it as fast as I can!" He rolled back under before a loud sound erupted from the Portal, that of a horse as Vlad stammered.
"Can we... pick it up a little bit?"
"What was that?" Maddie exclaimed as she came barreling down the stairs to the sound before Jack replied, sure it was just him.
"Could be me." He slid up and jumped up to the side of the suit as he exclaimed. "I made huevos rancheros for breakfast!" The Portal shook as the trio turned before the door was busted off, Vlad stepping to the side as Jack caught the door as the older Demi exclaimed with a few seconds behind... on accident actually.
"Jack. Look out. The door." The invader to have busted into the Real Word was none other than the Fright Knight he waved his sword in command.
"Go, and find the King's ring." A scourge of skeletons surged out and went searching outside as Maddie rushed over to the pinned Jack as she exclaimed.
"Jack, we have to shut the portal!"
"Yeah, I'll get right on that." But Maddie didn't waste time as she made to shut the portal down and to cut off the surge of ghosts into their world, but she was snatched by the Fright Knight as Jack exclaimed. "Hey!" He tossed off the door to exclaim, finding that Vlad shouted as well with the same phrase.
"LET GO OF THE WOMAN I LOVE!" Jack glanced to Vlad as he spoke.
"Like a dear friend, much like you." He then ranted as he gestured to the suit. "Is any part of that suit operational?"
"Well, the pants part, but it's not calibrated yet. Using the suit could kill you."
"Well then, maybe you should try it first. It is your battle suit!" The Fright Knight fired a beam at them as Jack saved Vlad with a tackle as he spoke.
"That it is, V-man. It's time to kick a little butt. Also, sorry for the tackle." He leapt away and slammed into the pants as he spoke with activating the machine. "And these are just the pants to kick it in! Neural receptors engage..." The receptors surged down the spine before coiling out around Jack's mid with bindings around his arms before he jumped back into the fray as the Fright Knight tried to hit Jack, but he was WAY to fast as Vlad was surprised before Jack leapt with a bicycle kick flurry, freeing Maddie before he exclaimed with another kick.
"The kick is up-" The kick slammed hard as Fright Knight went flying and Jack cheered as it felt like he got it in the goal post. "AND IT'S GONE!" He laughed as he continued to praise the suit. "Nobody can touch me while I'm wearing the Fenton-" He trail off as the suit was pulled from him as he voiced the change. "And the... Ectoskeleton... weakening... me..." Maddie exclaimed in horror as she dashed over to keep Jack from falling.
"Jack! The suit's draining you like a battery! Vlad, help me get these pants off Jack!"
"Phrasing, Maddie, and it 'won't' shock me?"
"NO, it won't!"
"Okay, then let's get Jack out of those things fast!" The pair worked to deactivate the pants and pull Jack out of them before it was too late. Meanwhile, the skeletons tore through the town in search while the ghosts that had escaped, and Topaz, hid out as Poindexter commented.
"Those poor humans. They're being overrun by ghost bullies!" He exclaimed as Topaz shouted back with pointing it out, having gotten out to bide time.
"Oh, who cares about them? That is the Ghost King's crew. He's on his way here!"
"Which means we have to camouflage ourselves. And you hear that?" Skulker peered down to the panicking crowds as he mused. "That's confusion and panic. Which means it's the perfect time to find our hiding place." The ghosts beamed at the idea as each headed out, Toapz and Sidney pausing before Poindexter pointed out something.
"Why are you pretending to still be a full ghost, didn't Cedric give you a second chance at being human?"
"Yeah..." Topaz groaned as she answered. "...But I am on the bad side of him and Talia right now about trying to escape during Youngblood's pirate time, so I figured I would just hang out somewhere else before they try to catch me."
"Well, if anything, I may as well be the voice of reason for Skulker, his metal head is just filled with hunting."
"Tell me about it, I can't even believe I dated the guy, now Danny..." She flushed green before Sidney answered.
"Say no more..." Lunch Lady based herself in the Nasty Burger, Box Ghost took a Box Store for himself, and Topaz 'politely' scared the goers of a store, while Skulker found his lodgings in a hunting store as he exclaimed.
"Away, humans! This is Skulker's lair now!" The hunters quickly booked it away as Sidney floating up and voiced his grievances of what they were doing as he spoke to Skulker.
"This is not on the square, Skulker. We're pushing these people from their homes. We're no better than the Ghost King."
"No one lives here, it's a store." He fired a crossbow and pinned Poindexter to the wall as Sidney just huffed in utter disbelief.
"This seems oddly familiar."
The legion marched on Casper High, but Danny spoke to his friends as he swayed on the notion of trust. "Sam, please, tell Tucker he's nuts." Tucker retorted as he spoke.
"I don't feel like I'm nuts."
"And I don't think he is either." Sam lectured as the increased tension could be the next thing to a full-blown fight. "Valerie is one of your enemies, Danny, a rival sure, but still an enemy. Do you think it's smart to be letting her this close?" Danny dismissed it as he explained, Cedric and Talia by his side.
"I can handle it." He beamed as he rested his hands on his hips. "Besides, she's not so bad... once you get to know her." Said person replied as she thanked him.
"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself, Fenton." Both of them turned away as Valerie questioned. "What's up with them this time?"
"They're... Really good friends, and they're just being overprotective."
"Of what? It's not like we have anything more to hide between us." Danny shot a look to them as they frowned back before Danny's sense went off an he exclaimed.
"Woah! I gotta jet!" He rushed to get away, as is part of his usual plan before he slammed into a beef stick and yelped. "Shoot, the brute!" He glanced outside to the Skeletons that reminded him of the Fright Knight's bony legion. "Uh, look, this is really bad timing, can we reschedule?"
"Runt going nowhere, unless runt make me." Before Danny could, another came to his aid.
"He could, but I really wanted to do this!" Both looked to find Dash charge before slamming a fist into the player's face, knocking him out as Danny yelped.
"Dash! Thanks for the save."
"Anytime, Football and Basketball teams have been going at each other's throats for years, the way I hear it, it is usual for someone on different teams to knock out one of their rivals." The march echoed as Dash exclaimed. "Uh, weren't you going to do something, Fenton?"
"Yep, now get this guy out of here, I got some bones to rattle." Dash quickly pulled the guy away as Fenton turned into Phantom and he made to take off before another voice spoke.
"It feels good to use your powers on your enemies, doesn't it, Daniel?" Enraged, Danny blasted Vlad out of the building as he exclaimed with the power of the ectoblast slipping off.
"Actually, yeah, it does honestly." He flew after him as Valerie questioned, knowing the story, but decided to test the waters.
"Where's he running to all the time? Only guys I see running off like that have a job. Or a girlfriend." Sam turned angrily as Talia, Tucker, and Cedric backed up a bit as she countered.
"He doesn't have a girlfriend, Valerie."
"Mm hmm. Right."
"What are you talking about?"
"You like him."
"Uh, hello?" Sam waved her hands in the air as she commented in countering the statement. "He's my best friend."
"I'm sure he is. But if you like him- I mean, LIKE HIM like him, make a move." Sam looked worried as she already had one against her as Valerie continued, she WAS actually single still, even if Tucker tried desperately to be her boyfriend or something. "Because if you don't, somebody will." Talia's eyes popped as she raised a hand to her mouth, those were SHOTS FIRED! Before any of them could replied, the PDA in Tucker's hand went off and he looked at it as a news cast was made.
"This is Tiffany Snow, with Action News. And this is the Ghost Emergency Broadcasting System." The screen changed to the march of the skeletons as the news continued. "Amity Park is in the midst of a massive ghost attack. And now, here's Lance Thunder with the Ghost Weather!" The image changed again as the man known as Lance Thunder exclaimed to the changes.
"As you can see, we have random ghost activities in restaurants, malls, and this box store." He continued as the army marched in front of the box store shown in explanation. "If you look to the west, you can see a huge wave of ghost skeletons heading from the center of town towards Casper High." Maddie had managed to pulled Jack out of the Fenton Pants while Vlad had to address something going on, she was still glad that Vlad helped out Jack at least a bit as Jack stammered to get the kids.
"We have to... have to..."
"Jack, you're still wiped out from the Fenton Pants. I'll get Danny and Jazz." Maddie headed off as Jack exclaimed with hand to his head.
"That... works too." On the other side, at Axion, Damian Gray watched the news broadcast as Thunder lost his cool.
"All parents are advised to immediately pick up their children and RUN! RUN LIKE THE WIND!" Somehow the skeletons found the man as he yelped for mercy. "Not the hair! NOT THE HAIR!" The broadcast cut as Mr. Gray gasped, no way was he losing his baby girl to ghosts of all things.
Down on the football field, Danny and Vlad faced off before Danny charge, to only get choked with a hand as Vlad exclaimed.
"Calm down, Daniel! I didn't come here to fight you, I have other things to worry about!" He tossed Danny to the ground as a horse was heard as the legion and the Fright Knight charged before both dodged out of the way as the goal post was slashed off, cleanly, before Danny started to blast through the legions before one nearly caught him off-guard before Vlad fired, returning with energy in his hand as Danny exclaimed.
"You're helping me now?" Danny voiced as he continued to bust apart the skeletons around them. "Whaddya want, my mom's cell number?"
"No! But really, if you wanted to give me her number..."
"You dork, she doesn't have a phone, she doesn't believe in phones actually fighting ghosts, sorry for the sarcasm."
"No problem, and honestly, I thought everyone..." Any more was lost when a gauntlet hand snatched up Vlad and hoisted him high as the Fright Knight exclaimed.
"The king's prize. Return it!"
"I don't have it. But, if you join me, perhaps toge-" Both were blasted as the Fright Knight glanced up to Valerie soaring in as she exclaimed.
"Guess what, everybody! The best ghost hunter in Amity Park is here! And that means, you're about to get your BUTTS HANDED TO YOU!" Vlad dusted himself off as he spoke to Danny.
"She really is quite good at this."
"She also thinks we're part of the enemy."
"Good point." Valerie tossed some explosives as both dodged out of the way as the legions tried again to Talia and Cedric joining as well as Cedric yelled.
"Huntress, ease on those explosives, we are looking to bust skeletons, not damage public property!"
"Just let her have her fun, Exorcist." Talia lashed out as the ground surged in a wave and smashing her collection of bones. "We have some skulls to shatter here!"
"Peachy." The additional firepower started to turn the tide in their favor as the students watched it happen with Jazz pleading.
"Guys, please, be careful." No sooner did she say that, then nearly every parent in Amity drove right up to the crowd of students as Sam exclaimed at no real good cars.
"Doesn't anybody in this town drive a COMPACT CAR?" Damian charged out and spoke to the group as he pleaded.
"Kids! Have you seen Valerie?" Sam, Tucker, and Jazz glanced back before they exclaimed.
"She's with Danny." Maddie then rushed over from the GAV as she exclaimed.
"Kids, have you seen Danny?"
"He's with Valerie."
"Who's Valerie?" Valerie gripped Danny's collar as she exclaimed.
"Alright, Phantom, what's going on here?"
"That." Danny pointed as Fright Knight and several skeletons charged at them with the skeletons going for a frontal assault, only to be turned away by Vlad blasting them with duplicates and reverting back as Valerie voice, still not on the full page about him.
"Uhh... thanks?"
"You're welcome." He freed himself as he made to explain the issue with what limited knowledge he had. "Look, I know this is going to be hard to believe-" Vlad was tackled out of the air as Danny gestured to the Knight as he tried. "But that guy is the problem right now, and I could really use your help." Fright Knight got up with sword brandished to strike as Valerie spoke back, unsure of what they were suppose to be doing.
"I trust you, Danny, but I don't really trust Plamius, something else is going on here."
"I agree, but right now, you don't have to trust him..." He extended out a hand as he exclaimed. "...Just fight with me." Valerie glanced to the hands before shaking it, Danny beaming before the two charged, Fright Knight make to cut Vlad, but a blast from Danny sent an ectoblast into the ghost, followed up with a punch from Valerie as she hissed, her suit not suited to be giving any physical hits, especially to metal as Vlad got up and knock the Knight to the ground as Talia and Cedric cleared out the approaching skeletons behind them before the Fright Knight exclaimed with standing up.
"Fools! All I wanted to do was seize the Ring and return to Pariah's Keep. But now, you give me no choice." He towered before turning the sword upside down, its blade enveloped in fire. "By the authority vested in me by my Lord and Liege-" He slammed the blade into the ground and the skeleton came to a halt before the Fright Knight continued as the legions came to a stand still as the blade was engulfed in a column that seared into the sky..
"I claim this town now and forever under the banner of Lord Pariah - The King Of All Ghosts!" The pillar soared up before pluming across all of the town in a massive dome, all paralyzed as the dome soared out and cut Amity off form the Real World as the face of what was known as Pariah Dark adorned itself on the outside, claiming the town in that haunting green as Danny voiced.
"Valerie's right... there IS something more going on and we are going to have to face it before long." Talia and Cedric nodded as the battle and the war was not over yet, not one bit...
