Health and Wellbeing
Danny and Scratch were lost for words as Libby kept eye-balling them. Not only did she hear their most recent conversation, but judging from the tone of her voice, she was not best pleased with the pair. Libby kept looking from Danny to Scratch and back again, waiting for someone to speak.
"So, who wants to go first?" Libby half-asked, half-demanded.
"You're up, ghost boy," Scratch deflected while pushing Danny closer to Libby.
"Oh sure, throw me into the fire," Danny scoffed.
"You've dealt with worse than this!" Scratch argued.
"Right now, I'd take a thousand Skulkers over one angry Libby," Danny countered.
"You're half-ghost! You can just go intangible, same as me!" Scratch rebuffed.
"ENOUGH! Will one of you PLEASE just tell me what's going on?!" Libby repeated her demands. After some thinking, Danny stepped up.
"OK, fine, but you're not going to like what you're going to hear," Danny braced Libby for the bad news.
"I haven't liked a single thing I've heard out of your mouths since this conversation started. I think I can handle it," Libby dismissed.
"Well, for starters, I am a human/ghost hybrid from another world," Danny stated.
"Yeah, I figured that bit out for myself, what with you being a war hero and all," Libby replied.
"War hero?" Scratch inquired.
"Didn't he tell you, Scratch? Your friend Danny here fought in the Battle of Gravity Falls. I managed to deduce his identity from reading old news coverage of that incident. It wasn't hard to surmise that Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom were one and the same," Libby clarified.
"Woah, that makes you smarter than everyone in Amity Park combined," Danny remarked.
"Thanks, but what I don't know is what you're doing here, why you've partnered up with Scratch, and why you keep hanging around Molly everywhere she goes. If she's in any kind of danger, I warn you, I can make life very difficult for you here," Libby threatened.
"Easy, easy, I don't mean any ill will towards Molly, although I wish she'd tone down her 'advances' a little bit. Same with that Andrea girl. I do mean to tell them I'm, well, spoken for, but her hyperactivity keeps me from getting a word in," Danny assured.
"Yep, that does sound like Molly," Libby agreed.
"But to answer your concerns, Molly is in danger, just not from us. I came here to protect her, and Scratch has been helping me," Danny revealed.
"Then from who?" Libby pressed. Now, it was Scratch's turn to speak up.
"In case you haven't pieced it together yet, these calamities that have kept cropping up, the circus, the concert, they weren't accidents, they were assassination attempts. My bosses, the Ghost Council, have been sending assassins after Molly, and what you just heard was probably the motivation behind their actions," Scratch explained.
"You mean they think Molly's a…what was it again?" Libby replied.
"A light keeper, whatever that is," Scratch answered.
"Before you ask, no, I have no clue what the term means either, but I'll run this by some friends and allies of mine," Danny responded.
"I doubt Molly knows what a 'light keeper' is. Still, she has to know she has a target on her back," Libby insisted.
"No, wait, don't tell Molly, please. She needs this Spirit Week to take her mind off that frog-vasion in L.A. by that what's-his-name," Scratch countered.
"You mean Andrias," Libby observed.
"Yeah, him. Molly was so scared she'd lose Grandma Nin she couldn't sleep for days. If she finds out ghosts are trying to kill her, well, I don't want to think of what might happen," Scratch argued. Libby gave this some thought. If she knew Molly, the news that ghosts were out to kill her would send her into a spiral, one Libby might not be able to pull her out of. She had to admit, even she was a tad scared when news of Andrias' invasion hit the airwaves. Her parents had even begun building an emergency shelter with stockpiled food, water, and medical supplies. But, as her best friend, Libby couldn't lie to Molly, or keep vital information a secret. Libby was torn but came to a hard decision.
"Fine, I'll keep your secret, but you two had better give 110% to keeping Molly safe. If even one hair on that head comes to harm, I will spill the beans, then you, Danny, won't have to worry about Molly's 'advances' anymore. Clear?" Libby asserted.
"Crystal," Danny and Scratch replied simultaneously.
"One other thing; I want to be kept in the loop, about further attempts on Molly's life and the status of your investigation. I, too, am curious to know what a 'light keeper' is," Libby added.
"If anything happens, you'll be the first to know," Scratch agreed. Libby then walked away, satisfied with the terms of this arrangement, but she did look back at the pair.
"Don't make me regret this," Libby said curtly, then resumed her departure.
"Yikes. She is more brutal than half my rogues gallery," Danny remarked.
Elsewhere, Annie was holding and stroking her new feline friend. While she did want Molly to keep the kitten, she had to acknowledge that the McGees didn't have the cash flow to keep a pet as of right now. The best thing for the cat now was a loving home, and Annie could provide that in the Sanctum. There was just one thing left to resolve.
"Hmmmm, what to call you? Decisions, decisions. You're so cute, fluffy, and squishy, like a marshmallow," Annie cooed. Then, she had her light-bulb moment. "That's it! I dub thee Marshmallow. Together, we shall bring peace to the multi-verse. We just need to get you some treats first," Annie declared. She made to find Morgan and depart, only for Morgan to come rushing towards her, yelling "Annie!" over and over again. Morgan caught up to Annie, doubled over and gasping for breath.
"Morgan, what's gotten into you? Is there a bake sale on or something?" Annie inquired.
"Sanctum. Now!" Morgan urged.
"Yeah, I want to get this little guy settled in too, but we'll need to get him something to eat first," Annie responded.
"I'll make him something later. There isn't time!" Morgan pressed, then she got out her orb, a small green sphere with yellow bands on it, and transported them both to the Sanctum when no-one was looking. Annie and Morgan found themselves back in Annie's menagerie, where she kept all the animals she adopted while out on missions. After setting Marshmallow down, Annie turned to Morgan.
"There had better be a good reason why you risked someone seeing that, Morgan," Annie said sharply.
"There is. Gather all the sisters together. This is something everyone will want to hear," Morgan braced Annie for the bombshell. Intrigued and a little scared, Annie sent a message telling Zella, Amy, Sylvia, and Delilah to meet her and Morgan in the main room.
Back in the Ghost Realm, like Ember McClain, Lydia was not sent to the Flow for her failure but confined to the Ghost Zone until further notice. The Council was debating their next move, namely, which of the two remaining assassins they would send next. Lucretia wanted this over with so they could carry on as normal, but her suggestion was met with resistance.
"Are you sure you want to deploy…..them?" Sir Alister inquired.
"The methods they proposed did seem drastic," Grimbella protested.
"Not to mention the potential for collateral damage is a high-risk factor," Bartholomew added.
"We are running out of time. The longer Molly McGee remains alive, the more likely she'll discover her….hidden talents, then we're all in for it," Lucretia reminded.
"But are we even certain she's a light-keeper? What if we succeed and it turns out she isn't?" Sir Alister posed. The Chairman's shrill language echoed throughout the council chamber in response.
"The Chairman is right. How else could she put the concept of joy and, ugh, 'enhappification' into a ghost?" Grimbella reasoned.
"Molly McGee represents a serious threat to our entire way of afterlife. If she is not stopped soon, misery will continue to fall, not just in Brighton, but world-wide," Bartholomew asserted.
"Not to mention there are other reasons to snuff out that light before it shines too bright," Lucretia recalled.
"Ah yes, those reasons," Sir Alister scoffed. The Chairman spoke again in his indiscernible language, echoing as it always did.
"We realise these actions are distasteful, but for the survival of our Realm, this must be done," Lucretia consoled.
"Besides, we were caught by surprise once. It will not happen again," Bartholomew asserted.
"You've seen what's happening in that world and others, what events have been set in motion, what we must stop at ALL costs," Grimbella reminded.
"I know. 'His' return must not come to pass," Sir Alister conceded. The Chairman spoke again for the last time in this meeting, indicating that the council will adjourn and meet again the next day.
At the Sanctum, Annie had summoned all her sisters into the main room, along with Cavendish and Dakota. They were all anxious to hear Morgan's news. Once they were all together, Morgan wasted no time in telling everyone what she had overheard, about the Ghost Council's motivations for wanting Molly dead. Needless, to say, they were all shocked.
"Woah, woah, woah! You're saying the Chairman wants to kill Molly because he suspects she's a light-keeper?!" Delilah wondered.
"I heard Scratch translate that contract the Council gave Lydia. I even managed to swipe it before I left," Morgan replied. She produced the ghostly piece of paper. Zella took it and read the passage herself.
"Yep, this is ancient ghost writing, alright. Says right there, 'suspected light-keeper'," Zella confirmed.
"Key word; 'suspected'. Implying the Council doesn't even know for sure if she is or she isn't," Sylvia observed.
"From what I've seen of her, it wouldn't surprise me if she was," Annie stated.
"I say, this is something the Court definitely needs to hear," Cavendish suggested.
"Agreed. If she is, it's only a matter of time until the Malefic Order find out," Dakota pointed out.
"While that is important, we're all missing one big problem this brings up," Amy chimed in.
"Oh yeah, what's that?" Delilah asked.
"If the Chairman knows about light-keepers, what else does he know about? He could know about the dragons, our Realms, the Dark Master, maybe even about us," Amy posited. This got everyone very concerned. Everyone found themselves asking the same question in their heads; just how much did the Chairman know?
"Right, well, if there is even the faintest possibility that the Chairman knows about us Sentinels, then we cannot risk exposing ourselves any further. Zella, no more shadow-walking into the Ghost Realm until further notice. Cavendish, Dakota, you two are going back into the Ghost Realm, only this time, I'd like to know the full extent of the Chairman's knowledge. Amy, how soon can the speeder be ready for launch?" Annie instructed.
"I'm installing the upgraded software now. It should be ready to go by morning," Amy informed.
"I can provide remote support if you need it," Zella offered.
"I'll update the Court. Tomorrow, we resume the watch on Molly. Delilah, you'll be with me," Annie assigned.
"Hold on, why does she get to go? I went with you last time," Morgan protested.
"Mainly because she won't stare at Danny the whole time," Annie rebutted.
"I'm not promising anything, Chief," Delilah responded. Annie groaned and facepalmed at this blunt statement.
"This is going to be a long mission," Annie lamented.
Back in Brighton, Molly had returned home to a worried family. News had leaked of the chaos that ensued at the circus, and Sharon wasted no time in hugging Molly tightly as she came in. Pete was hyper-ventilating into a bag before seeing Molly and realising she was OK.
"You OK, Mols? We heard about the uproar. Did anything hurt you?" Sharon inquired.
"I'm fine, Scratch was there, as well as that cute ghost boy," Molly replied.
"Another boy?!" Pete exclaimed before screaming and running into the basement.
"Yeah, there's also this ghost boy…..person, I don't know what he is, but he saved me at the concert, and again at the circus. I hope he managed to save Danny as well," Molly clarified.
"Wait, so this Danny boy shows up out of nowhere, and then this ghost boy shows up as well. Looks like I need to activate detective mode," Darryl stated.
"Oh yeah, that same detective who spied on me and Danny at the circus, then got caught within the first five minutes. Tell me, mother, did you put him up to it?" Molly interrogated. Sharon looked nervous at this line of questioning.
"It was his idea!" Sharon pointed the finger at Darryl in a weak defence.
"You were just as curious as I was!" Darryl countered.
"OK, fine! I wanted to see if Danny was a good boy for you, Molly, and Darryl agreed to help, though something tells me he was going to spy on you anyway," Sharon argued.
"So, what do you think?" Molly shifted her tone.
"He seems…..alright, I guess. Never met him or saw him in passing," Sharon answered.
"Almost like he appeared out of nowhere. I'm telling you, there's something going on here," Darryl asserted.
"Yeah, I'm gonna leave the conspiracy theories to Libby and get to planning the next event for Spirit Week. Call me when dinner's ready," Molly dismissed and went up to her room.
"I thought we'd have more time before she got into the whole 'boy-obsessed, shut in her room' phase. Our Molly is growing up," Sharon commented.
The rest of the day passed without incident. Molly was late getting to bed, as she was in talks with the principal over the phone about the next Spirit Week event. Once everything had been sorted out, only then did Molly allow herself to retire for the night, but sleep was hard to find, as she was having the same nightmare that night. She was in L.A. with Grandma Nin. It was sunny and hot, as per usual, when all of a sudden, the sky seemed to split open, and from the breach poured forth legions of frog-like robots and a fleet of flying fortresses. They began their attack while their leader, some giant salamander in a mech suit, spoke to the world.
"Hello, Earth. Congratulations on being conquered," the salamander greeted maliciously. A super-laser fired from the lead fortress, turning the iconic Hollywood sign to rubble. The robots descended, and Molly and Nin ran for their lives, but Nin was too slow, and a falling piece of debris was just about to land on her when Molly awoke with a start. Molly did what she always did when she had this nightmare. She looked at her phone's text message history and found Nin's assurances to the family that she was alright. The timestamp stated that the messages were sent the day after the invasion. That is what Molly used to assure herself that Nin was in fact alive. She set her phone back down and tried to go back to sleep.
The next day, Cavendish and Dakota were taking the newly upgraded speeder into the Ghost Realm. Amy had managed to tweak the shielding to give the pair extra exploration time, and she also reinforced the radiation protection on their suits as well, in case they needed to go outside. They were driving around with the cloaking device online to avoid detection, with Amy and Zella guiding them through an earpiece.
"There should be an archive on your next right. We'll start there," Zella advised.
"Hold on, wouldn't it be more prudent to go straight to the source?" Cavendish wondered.
"If we are to determine the level of exposure, we must go to the public archives. They will hold knowledge that all ghosts possess. If we're lucky, the Chairman has kept the existence of light-keepers, dark-keepers, Dragons, and Sentinels, a closely guarded secret from the rest of the Realm," Amy explained.
"Makes sense, I guess," Dakota replied.
"What of the Court? Have they said anything about Molly's suspected light-keeper status?" Cavendish asked.
"To hear the Chief tell it, High Justice Red has taken great interest in this matter. He believes that if we can make a positive ID, it would put us one step above the Malefic Order, who have so far only ID'ed two out of the four. If we can ID a third, there is only one left to track down, and we can put in place defences against dark magic to protect Molly," Amy recounted.
"Any word from the Chief and Delilah?" Cavendish wondered.
"The Chief's ordered comm silence. She doesn't want to risk any more exposure. We have our job, they have theirs," Amy answered. Cavendish and Dakota arrived at the archive, parked up the speeder, donned their protective suits, and ventured outside. So far, no ghosts paid them any mind. Cavendish saw a few researching new scare tactics and others watching videos of misery seminars. Dakota caught a sight of one ghost that resembled a college student reading a book called 'Jump-scares for Dummies'. It seemed as if the two would never find the section they were looking for, when Cavendish spotted something out of place. A small human girl floated by, out of the corner of his eye. Turning to investigate, Cavendish heard her speaking to herself.
"….not a single reference to 'light-keepers' anywhere. Where did Danny even hear that term?" the girl spoke in a frustrated tone. She looked up to find Cavendish staring right at her. "Can I help you, old man?!" the girl jibed.
"Old man?! I'll show you 'old man'!" Cavendish spat back. Dakota, hearing this, held Cavendish back.
"Easy, partner, no need to start fights here," Dakota calmed.
"She mentioned 'light-keepers'. She must know something!" Cavendish asserted.
"Ugh, you two as well? First Danny calls me and asks me to look into this 'light-keeper' junk in here, and now I'm faced with two geezers who clearly aren't ghosts wandering around the Ghost Realm doing the exact same thing. What is going on here?!" the girl ranted.
"Wait a sec. That girl mentioned Danny, and if she can travel the Ghost Realm without protection, that might make her Dani, with an 'i'," Zella theorised.
"Excuse me, young miss, would your name happen to be Dani, with an 'i'?" Cavendish probed.
"It might? What's it to you?" Dani rebutted.
"She's another ghost/human hybrid, and an ally to Danny Phantom. I think she can be trusted," Amy interjected.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Dakota, this is Cavendish. Can we talk somewhere a little more private?" Dakota requested.
"OK, this promises to be interesting. What is it you're after?" Dani replied.
"We'll explain more once we get to our ride," Dakota assured.
"You have a vehicle? Goodie, I hated the prospect of flying back to Amity Park," Dani responded in a tone that resembled relief. They exited the archive and got into the speeder. Dani was amazed at the sight of it. This speeder seemed much more streamlined and top-of-the-range than the Fenton Speeder.
"Very impressive," Dani complimented.
"Yeah, wait until you see the inside," Dakota teased. He opened the speeder up, and Dani found that the interior matched the splendour of the exterior. Top level gadgetry and controls dominated the front, but still offering comfortable seating. Regardless, Dani was here on a mission.
"Alright, tell me everything," Dani stated.
"Where do we start?" Cavendish responded.
Back at Brighton Middle School, Molly, Libby, and Andrea, along with the rest of the school, were gathered in the assembly hall, waiting on Principal O'Connor to address them all. In truth, Molly knew what this gathering was all about. After all, she did organise it. The next event of Spirit Week would take place here, at the school, and Molly wanted it to be a surprise for everyone. Soon enough, Principal O'Connor emerged from stage left.
"Good morning, everyone. You may be wondering why you have all been summoned here today. Well, as most of you know, our very own Molly McGee has been persistently organising this Spirit Week, and I am pleased to announce that for today's event, we will be hosting an all-day physical and mental health seminar. Timetables for the day's activities have been emailed to you," O'Connor explained. Everyone checked their phones and found the itinerary for the day.
"Says here the morning will be filled with different classes taking one of three tests; the Harvard Step Test, the Beep Test, and the Vertical Jump," Libby outlined.
"Yep, should get the old ticker going," Molly confirmed.
"And the afternoon is spent undergoing social, emotional, and mental health assessments. Molly, why'd you come up with this?" Andrea wondered.
"Because our headspace is just as important as our bodies, and we need to look after both equally," Molly answered.
"Maybe they'll help with my anxiety," Libby posed.
"See, now you're getting into it," Molly encouraged.
"Before we get underway, I do have an update. Unfortunately, the coach and therapist we contracted to run this event with us both had to cancel at the last minute, due to unforeseen circumstances. However, some last-minute replacements have stepped up to fill their shoes. Please give a Brighton Middle School welcome to Dr. Bertrand and Penelope Spectra," O'Connor announced. On cue, Bertrand and Spectra emerged on stage.
"Welcome, everyone. We look forward to working with you, today. My associate, Dr. Bertrand, will be handling the physical health side of today's activities, while I prepare to assess each of your headspaces in turn this afternoon," Spectra summarised. Bertrand stepped forward.
"I will spend twenty minutes on each test, then we will rotate to the next. Bottled water will be provided in between tests to keep participants hydrated, and I will be monitoring you all throughout. Should I see any student struggling, they will be invited to withdraw, however, I expect full participation from everyone," Bertrand added.
"This is going to be…..fun," Molly remarked, but she failed to stifle a small yawn, which Libby noticed.
"Frog robot nightmares again?" Libby asked out of concern.
"It's nothing, I'm fine," Molly deflected.
"How many nights is this now, five?" Libby observed.
"More like seven. You should ask if you can skip to the therapy portion of the day, Molls," Scratch suggested.
"No. I can do this," Molly resolved. Bertrand and Spectra found Molly in the crowd and eyed their target, which they saw was exhausted. This, Spectra thought, would be easy. However, she also saw Scratch, who in turn, saw Spectra staring right at him.
"On second thought, maybe we should just go," Scratch urged.
"Come on. I know you hate exercise, but maybe this will be good for you," Molly pressed. Libby, however, was picking up what Scratch was laying down, but she couldn't say anything in front of Molly.
"Now then, let us begin with Mrs. Lightfoot's class. If you'll get into your gym gear, we can begin," Bertrand directed. This was Molly, Libby, and Andrea's group. Scratch shrunk down so she can whisper in Libby's ear without Molly noticing.
"You distract Molly, I'll swipe her phone and call Danny with it," Scratch stated. Libby gave a silent nod to affirm that she understood Scratch's instructions. She made sure Molly was distracted by small talk long enough for Scratch to borrow her phone and send a message to Danny, who was walking down the street. He was engaged in a phone conference with Sam, Tucker, and Skulker.
"Based on the info you got from Lydia, the Guys in White were able to track down Freakshow's rescue operation and shut it down. The overshadowed humans were picked up and returned home," Tucker informed.
"We were able to pick up the ghosts that the Chairman drafted into this scheme. They claim they never received the order to go ahead, most likely because Lydia failed to keep up her end of the bargain by eliminating Molly, but they won't say anything else, for fear of displeasing the Chairman." Skulker added.
"What about this 'light-keeper' stuff? Have we made any progress into what that means?" Danny inquired.
"Sadly, no. Not even Dani turned up any useful intel in the Ghost Realm," Sam answered.
"The term is irrelevant. It doesn't change the fact that the Chairman wants Molly dead for some reason or another. My advice would be to focus on her safety and worry about whether or not she's a 'light-keeper' another time," Tucker suggested.
"Come on, Tucks. Aren't you the least bit curious to find out what Molly may or may not be?" Sam asked.
"I am, but we have more pressing concerns right now," Tucker replied.
"He's right. Keeping Molly safe is our top priority," Skulker agreed. Danny then got a message from Molly. It read as follows:
'This is Scratch. No time to explain. Spectra and Bertrand at Brighton Middle School. Please assist ASAP'.
"Duty calls. Later, guys," Danny signed off, terminated the conference call and rushed to Brighton Middle School. One small problem; he didn't know where it was, so he transformed into his ghost self, turned invisible and took to the air. "How hard can it be to find a place where hope goes to die?" Danny commented, until he found the drab government building he was looking for.
In that same building's gym, Molly, Libby, and Andrea were hard at work on the Harvard Step Test, which involved stepping up and down off a 45cm bench for five minutes, taking heart rates one, two, and three minutes after the test, and calculating fitness based on the results. Once Bertrand had blown his whistle, everyone commenced with the test. Given Molly's exhaustion, Libby was worried about her chances of success, but she soldiered on like nothing was wrong. She made a point to sneak in glances at Molly while still focusing on her own test. About half-way through, she noticed Molly faltering slightly, but she managed a good many steps before the test concluded.
"Well done, everyone. Now, I will take your heart rates at the designated times, after which, you may help yourselves to bottled water and some rest before we move on to the next test," Bertrand offered. Molly took one bottle of water and drank from it, all the while panting for breath and slumping on a chair.
"I'm pretty sure the test wasn't THAT gruelling," Andrea stated.
"She's right. Sure, it was tough, but nothing we're not used to. You sure you're OK?" Libby asked with increasing concern.
"I told you, it's nothing. Quit fussing over me and just have fun," Molly dismissed, before taking another sip, getting up, then suddenly going into a coughing fit. When Libby and Andrea offered to help, Molly said something about the water going down the wrong way and carried on. After the heart rate readings had been taken, Bertrand moved on to the next test.
"The Vertical Jump Test, or Sargant Jump, will test your vertical jump height. When I call your name, you will jump upwards three times while touching the highest point on the wall as possible. I will record your best attempt and give you a score accordingly. First up, Molly McGee," Bertrand signalled. Molly stepped up to undergo the test. She jumped upwards on Bertrand's whistle. While her first attempt went as planned, Libby noticed that Molly struggled to regain her footing on the second attempt, and on the third, Molly fell to her knee and started coughing again.
"A valiant effort, but from what I just saw there, I don't think you should do the third test. It isn't healthy to push your body beyond its limits. I can let Spectra know you're coming early, if you like," Bertrand offered.
"I'd do it, Molly. You're not looking too good," Andrea noticed. Even Molly had to admit she was wiped out. Even though she organised this event, she knew when to quit.
"OK. I'll get out of my gym gear and go see Spectra," Molly accepted. Bertrand saw her off with a smile. He spoke into a radio to let Spectra know that Molly was coming while he administered the test to the others. Spectra, grinning wickedly, prepared her office for Molly's arrival. She prepared some incense and inspected a jar, which contained several insect-like creatures.
"Soon, my pretties, you shall feast," Spectra said menacingly.
In the Ghost Realm, Cavendish and Dakota were finished giving Dani the lowdown on everything from Sentinels to light-keepers and who they work for. After conferring with Amy and Zella, they all thought it best that Dani be told the truth. After all, she too fought at Gravity Falls, and the assessment of the Court and indeed the Sentinel family as a whole is that anyone who helped fight off Bill could be trusted with the truth. However, they would have to tell Annie later.
"That is a lot to take in all at once," Dani stated after all was said.
"Yeah, I know. It threw us for a loop as well," Dakota sympathised.
"Anyway, the Chief sent us here to determine just how much the Chairman knows about this secret world we've become a part of. Do you know of any place where that knowledge might be kept?" Cavendish wondered. Dani thought for a moment, then had an idea.
"I can only think of one place where knowledge like that would be kept, the Chairman's private study. That place is locked up tight. Nobody gets in there, except for the Chairman and the Council," Dani theorised.
"So, getting in won't be easy," Dakota responded.
"Difficult, yes. Impossible, no. Most ghosts aren't even aware the study exists. I only know of it because I've been sneaking around this place when Danny thinks I'm studying the Ghost Realm. Its main defence is secrecy, and because I'm a human/ghost hybrid, its other defences will be practically useless. In fact, I was considering going there when I bumped into you guys," Dani explained.
"Sounds like a solid lead, but a risky one," Cavendish cautioned.
"Eh, what's life, or afterlife, without a little risk? Come on, the gauges say we've got plenty of time and the Court needs this information," Dakota urged.
"I like this guy. Come on, let's do it," Dani pressed.
"Well, I suppose you'll just fly off and do it yourself if we object. Alright, but if the Chairman shows up, we hightail it out of there. Agreed?" Cavendish reasoned.
"Agreed," Dani and Dakota said simultaneously. With direction from Dani, they made it to the Chairman's study. It resembled the Ghost Council chamber, only there was a small building on this floating rock, and it was surrounded by a spectral energy barrier.
"No ghost can get through that without the Chairman letting them in. I'm hoping that, if I can time my transformations right, I can punch through," Dani guessed.
"That's a big 'if'," Dakota observed.
"I once helped the planet become intangible to save it from an asteroid strike. I'm used to steep odds," Dani calmed. She flew up to the barrier's edge. After ascending to a decent height, she descended at an incredible speed at the barrier. She was just able to transform into her human self mere seconds before impact and turn back into her ghost form once she had penetrated the barrier. "I'm through," Dani notified via earpiece.
"How did you do that?" Cavendish asked.
"In this Realm, humans are ghosts, but once he took over, the Chairman twisted the Realm so it emits spectral radiation harmful to human physiology. Hybrids like me and Danny are used to it, since we're practically made of spectral energy, so it doesn't harm us in the same way it would harm you. I barely even feel it. Now, let's see about getting this barrier down," Dani exposited. She looked around to find a switch the Chairman used to let the Council in and flipped it. The barrier came down, allowing Cavendish and Dakota to park up close to the entrance. Dani even took the liberty of phasing through the front door and unlocking it from the inside.
"Well, aren't you remarkable," Cavendish complimented.
"Yeah, I am pretty awesome," Dani bragged. The trio made their way inside until they came to the Chairman's library. It was stocked to the brim with literature, presumably from other worlds. Cavendish found one titled 'The Titan Wars: How a civilisation was built from the remains of giants'.
"What kind of people settle on a rotting carcass?" Cavendish remarked and put that book back where he found it. Dakota found a book titled 'The Rise and Fall of the Amphibian Empire'.
"A land of frog people? Pass," Dakota scoffed. Dani found a book that caught her eye. It was titled 'A History of the Dragon Realms'.
"Now this looks interesting," Dani called over Cavendish and Dakota, and they gave the tome a very detailed read. This book had everything, from the creation of the first Sentinels, to the Dark Master's rise and fall, and Dakota could even see that the book was still being written by floating quills as they read it, indicating that it was a work in progress.
"I think we have our answer," Cavendish resolved.
"Hold on, does it say who the light-keepers are?" Dakota inquired. Dani flicked ahead to the end, or near-abouts, and couldn't find names in reference to light-keepers. However, there were some lines being written about the activities of the dark-keepers. One finished line mentioned a test being administered to a potential light-keeper.
"This one seems more like a petty prank than anything sinister. Who has the time to sic fangirl mobs on this 'Milo' person?" Dani probed. Cavendish and Dakota did not want to relive that particular episode. They diverted the conversation to another finished passage about two dark-keepers in a world called Royal Woods.
"I would think giving a kid nightmares and making him deathly ill would count as sinister," Dakota added.
"Wait a sec, didn't you say this was the work of a group called the Malefic Order?" Dani recalled.
"Yeah, them," Dakota answered.
"By jove, that's what's got the Chairman and the Council so worried. This place documents events in other worlds as they've been taking place. The Council must've gotten wind of the Order's activities and put two and two together. They're just as scared of the Dark Master as the Sentinels are! That's why they're after Molly!" Cavendish summarised.
"In what universe is killing an innocent little girl ever an acceptable way to prevent the Dark Master's return?!" Dakota posed.
"None, but it tells us they're desperate. Whoever this 'Dark Master' is, he's apparently so strong even the Chairman can't stand against him. I wish we knew his name, every mention of it has been erased," Dani replied.
"Why not just go after the dark-keepers? I'm sure the Sentinels would be happy to see the end of the Order," Dakota wondered.
"Hello, they're spreading misery, that's the Chairman's whole deal. Maybe they think they can control the Order's actions. You know, have them spread chaos for the Chairman to feed on without ever having them accomplish their main objective," Dani hypothesised.
"Regardless, the plan doesn't change. This just adds urgency. We'd better get back to the Sanctum. I feel we've been here too long," Cavendish proposed.
"Yeah, let's get out of here," Dakota agreed, but before they could go anywhere, the candles lighting the room all went out at once, and an eerie ghost language permeated the walls. Cavendish and Dakota shivered on the spot.
"Tell me that's not…" Cavendish said, but before he could finish, the door burst open, and the Chairman appeared in all his frightening, towering majesty.
"It's him! Get to the upper floor!" Dani directed. She used her ice powers to create a giant ice wall between them and the Chairman. This bought Cavendish and Dakota enough time to get to the second floor of the study, where another door leading out could be found. They were half-way through a corridor leading to a veranda where they could bring the car up when a skeletal hand burst through the floor, narrowly missing them, then another, and then the Chairman floated up from those holes. Dani knew there was only one thing for it.
"Go! I'll be right behind you!" Dani urged as she barely held the Chairman back with ecto-blasts from her hands. The Chairman let out an ear-splitting shriek that had Dani, Cavendish and Dakota rooted to the spot, clasping their hands over their ears. With all her strength, Dani used one hand to freeze the Chairman's head, which diminished his shrill wail. This allowed Cavendish and Dakota to summon the vehicle, but Dani remained behind.
"Someone needs to hold this guy off until you get away. Don't worry about me, I've taken on worse than this," Dani resolved.
"We're not leaving you here!" Cavendish objected.
"Hate to break it to you, old-timers, but I'm not giving you a choice, and neither is he. I'll be fine. Now go!" Dani used her powers to force Cavendish and Dakota inside the vehicle. Once they were in, the on-board computer came to life.
"Shield levels low. Auto-pilot engaged," the computer announced. It sealed the doors and the vehicle flew of its own accord away from the study, past the barrier and summoned a portal back to the Sanctum. The Chairman broke past all of Dani's defences, grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall, knocking her cold. To keep her from transforming, the Chairman conjured some restraints on her wrists, neck, and ankles, and attached her to a slab he summoned out of thin air. The Council were right behind him.
"Good catch, sir. Shall we dispatch our forces to pursue the other intruders?" Grimbella congratulated. The Chairman spoke again in his ghost language.
"He's right. They're of no consequence. Besides, we now have a bargaining chip," Bartholomew translated.
"Agreed. The only question that remains is, what do we do with her in the meantime?" Lucretia wondered menacingly.
At Brighton Middle School, Molly made her way to Spectra's office as Bertrand instructed. She knocked twice, and Spectra opened the door to see Molly in her normal attire, looking very exhausted. Spectra had her human disguise on for this part. She needed to play the part of a visiting counsellor convincingly.
"Molly, please come in. Bertrand told me you'd be popping by, said you were too tuckered out to do the third test, and from what I can see, I have to agree," Spectra greeted. It was true that Molly's eyes were drooping and she could barely keep her head up. Molly entered the office and quickly took a seat on the couch.
"Thanks, councillor. I did want to take part. Really, I did, but my body had other ideas," Molly replied.
"There's no need to justify missing out with me, Molly. I have to ask; just how much sleep are you getting?" Spectra probed.
"Honestly, not much," Molly revealed.
"Oh? Tell me what's causing this lack of sleep," Spectra dug deeper. Molly paused for a moment. She was hesitant to tell Spectra about her nightmares, wanting to deal with it herself. She only told Libby because she kept asking why Molly was nodding off all the time. "Are you anxious about something? School worries, perhaps?" Spectra inquired.
"No, nothing like that," Molly denied. She sighed heavily and remembered her own words; that your headspace is just as important as your physical health, and Molly realised that by keeping all this hidden, that she was neglecting her own mental health. "I have a grandmother in L.A. and she was there when 'frog-vasion' happened. Almost every night, I have the same nightmare; that she didn't make it, and I also see the face of the leader of the invasion, hear his voice, gloating about how easy it was to walk all over us," Molly confided. She curled up into a ball more and more as she went on.
"That must've been such a traumatic thing to go through. I wasn't there, nor did I know anyone that was. I might have something that can help," Spectra consoled. She then showed Molly her incense. "I get this from a Japanese herbalist in another town. They say it helps ward away bad dreams and aids restful sleep. I could light a few sticks and let you rest here for an hour or two. I'll make sure no-one disturbs you," Spectra offered. Molly found her eyes shutting on their own and she didn't have the energy to keep them open, so she lay down on the couch. Molly would respond, but she soon nodded off right there and then. Spectra saw this as her opportunity. She put a blanket on top of Molly, turned out the lights and left the office. She then opened up her jar of insects and they crawled through the space between door and floor, climbed up onto Molly, found some skin to latch onto, and bit down, attaching themselves to her. Spectra then encased the door with a barrier of some kind.
"Sweet dreams, Molly McGee," Spectra joked to herself. Molly herself was dreaming not of frog robots, or salamander kings, or burning cities, but of puppies, kittens, and rainbows, all frolicking around in meadows of flowers bathed in warm sunshine. She truly felt like she could relax in this dream, blissfully unaware that, in the real world, the insects Spectra let loose were feeding off her.
In the gym, Bertrand was readying the Beep Test, where participants had until the space between beeps to run from one cone to the other, with the time shortening as the test went on. Libby hoped beyond hope that Danny got Scratch's message and was on his way here. When he could see Danny's head phase through the wall behind Bertrand, Libby's prayers had been answered, but Molly was still nowhere to be seen. Scratch shrunk and hovered into Libby's ear again.
"Danny's here, we're ready to- where's Molly?!" Scratch asked in distress.
"Spectra's office," Libby whispered so as not to draw attention. Scratch gave Danny a look that said 'hurry up and find Molly' and Danny instantly withdrew to look for his charge.
"Danny has no idea where her office is. We need to help him," Scratch suggested.
"A distraction would be nice," Libby hinted. Scratch took one look at the equipment and came up with an idea. He possessed the equipment and made it beep incessantly.
"OK, that's weird," Bertrand observed. When he went over to check and the other students were adequately distracted, Libby rushed out of the gym to search for Molly. Andrea, seeing this, raced after her.
"Libby, what has gotten into you? You never run out on class, not even History, which is a total snooze-fest," Andrea commented.
"No time. We need to get to the counsellor's office," Libby urged.
"Yeah, I'm sure you need help with your anxiety, but I don't think Molly would appreciate you jumping the queue. It'll be your turn in an hour or two," Andrea joked.
"I can't wait that long!" Libby retorted. Along the way, they ran into Danny. "There you are. I was hoping you'd get here. The counsellor's office should be down this hall," Libby directed.
"The sooner we extract Molly, the better. I can feel Spectra getting close," Danny pressed. They made it to the office door when Spectra intercepted them.
"Sorry, the room's occupied, and I don't remember seeing you on my list of appointments for today. You'll have to come back tomorrow," Spectra quipped.
"You know me, Spectra. I'm more of a drop-in sort of guy," Danny countered. Spectra then transformed into her ghost form.
"Such bad manners. I'll have to teach you proper form," Spectra menaced before lunging at Danny. Andrea had a look of sheer shock on her face.
"I have serious questions right now!" Andrea exclaimed.
"The answers will have to wait. I have to get this door open," Libby tried to force open the office door, but found it locked tight.
"Did….that thing lock Molly in there?" Andrea quizzed.
"Yes, and if we don't get her out of there, in an hour or two, she may be dead!" Libby snapped. This stunned Andrea into silence. She was having trouble processing Libby's last statement. Did Libby really just imply that Molly's life was in danger? If she didn't know Libby better, she'd think this was some sick joke.
"You're…..not kidding, aren't you?" Andrea asked.
"It'll take too long to explain," Libby replied.
"Maybe we can help," came a voice neither girl was familiar with. They turned to face the speaker, and were met with the sight of four strangers, along with Principal O'Connor. The strangers consisted of two teenage girls, one man, and one woman. One of the girls had long, brunette hair, and dressed all in blue. The other was blonde with her hair cut short and dressed in red and black. O'Connor stepped forward.
"Libby, Andrea, the two adults behind me are the actual coach and therapist that were supposed to oversee this event, and the two girls are the concerned citizens who brought them to me. It seems our school has been infiltrated. Now, what's this I heard about Molly McGee being locked inside that office?" O'Connor introduced.
"Bertrand sent her to Spectra early because she was too exhausted from the physical challenges," Libby answered.
"I don't have a key, I'm afraid," O'Connor lamented.
"I do. Move!" the blonde girl ordered.
"Delilah, I'm pretty sure Danny will get-" but before the brunette could finish, the girl she called Delilah had already kicked the door down. "…the key from Spectra," she finished. Annie instantly recognised the incense as a powerful sleeping agent, grabbed it off the shelf and tossed it out the window. Libby and Andrea rushed in to find Molly unconscious. Andrea saw that Molly was covered in ghostly bug creatures.
"What are those?!" Andrea shrieked in disgust. Libby inspected the creatures as if she were an aspiring entomologist.
"They look like ticks," Libby noted. Scratch tried to effect entry but was blocked by Spectra's barrier.
"Worse, they're joy-suckers," Scratch clarified.
"Errrrrr, what now?" Libby probed.
"They feed off joy. They act like Earth insects, biting any nearby sources of joy, feeding for a bit, then moving on. You know when you have those days where you're just sad for no reason? Yeah, blame those things. No-one notices because they're supposed to only take enough to sustain themselves," Scratch explained.
"I always thought creatures that feed off joy were gangly, floating, black-cloaked monstrosities like in those fantasy movies," Libby compared.
"Yeah, that and other inconsistencies are why J.K. Rowling is at the top of my 'To Haunt' list. Seriously, the number of things she gets wrong could fill the entire Ghost Realm," Scratch scoffed.
"Libby, who are you talking to?" Andrea wondered.
"Me, princess," Scratch revealed himself to Andrea, who screamed in fright.
"Andrea, Scratch. Scratch, Andrea, we don't have time for anything else, how do we get these off her?" Libby quizzed.
"You don't," came Bertrand's voice as he phased through the wall. "Do you like my creations? I took normal joy-suckers and tinkered with their genetic code. Not only do these specimens feed off joy, but also a person's life-force, and they're gorging themselves on your little friend like an all-you-can-eat joy buffet, growing more and more. They're 30% bigger already. Little did Molly know that she would fall asleep, never to wake up again," Bertrand ranted.
"Let Molly go NOW!" Andrea ordered.
"Sorry, but I don't work for your family, so I'm not obligated to follow your commands, rich girl. Molly is dying here, and there's nothing you sorry saps can do about it!" Bertrand said defiantly.
"OK, I've had enough of this guy," Delilah responded. She lunged at Bertrand and started pummelling him. Delilah subtly used her powers to keep Bertrand in her human form so, to anyone looking, it seemed as though one human was attacking another.
"Normally, I would break up such acts of violence in my school, but in this instance, I wouldn't complain if you physically threw him out of my institution," O'Connor allowed. Delilah was more than happy to comply. Once she had Bertrand subdued, Delilah led him out of the office.
"Would you kindly help me escort this piece of work out?" Delilah requested.
"With pleasure, miss," O'Connor replied. Together, O'Connor and Delilah walked a restrained Bertrand to the exit, Bertrand trying and failing to break free by transforming into his ghost form. Annie, Libby, and Andrea were free to try and help Molly out of her current state.
"Why would anyone want to kill Molly? She's loving. She's thoughtful….." Andrea listed off Molly's best traits while holding her hand and whispering in her ear to get her to wake up. Andrea then noticed something else about Molly, something more physical. "…..and she's warm," Andrea observed.
"All those things and more," Libby agreed.
"No, Libby, seriously, she's warm. More than that, she's on fire," Andrea clarified. Molly was warm to the touch and visibly sweating. Libby felt it too, and from that touch, the temperature was rising.
"She has to go to the nurse's office," Libby resolved.
"And tell them what, that ghost bugs are sucking her dry while she bakes? We'll be laughed out the door," Andrea argued. Scratch was confused by this.
"Wait a sec, that's not supposed to happen. Joy-sucker venom masks itself as normal human bodily fluids, so it isn't seen as a foreign agent by the immune system," Scratch explained.
"But somehow Molly's system can recognise it, which must mean there's something inside her that gives her body that information so it can activate the body's natural defences. After all, a fever is the go-to response to foreign invaders," Libby surmised. This intrigued Annie. She knew that joy-sucker venom could not be fought with natural anti-bodies. Only alchemical or magical assistance could help with it, such as the kind usually lent by light spirits. Could Molly be a light-keeper?
"First things first, we have to get these bugs off her. Ideas?" Annie asked.
"These things feed off joy, right? What if the answer is to make Molly sad?" Andrea suggested.
"That could work. Once a victim feels sad, normal joy-suckers detach themselves and find another feeding ground," Scratch confirmed.
"Which leaves one more question; how do you make the most optimistic person in town sad enough to save her life?" Libby posed.
In the hallways of the school, Danny and Spectra were continuing their scuffle. Spectra had the idea of using her telekinetic energy to encase Danny in locker doors which she ripped off their hinges, and then zap the metal cocoon with electricity. In response, Danny became intangible, allowing him to slip free. He then aimed an ecto-blast or two at Spectra, who shielded it with another locker door. Spectra then summoned her giant purple hand to slam Danny against the wall.
"Tsk tsk tsk. I have to wonder, why journey so far from home to defend this girl? Don't you already have a special someone back home?" Spectra taunted.
"I could ask you the same. Why come so far just to kill one girl? What is a light-keeper? Why does the Chairman think Molly is one?" Danny interrogated. This confused Spectra.
"Light-keeper? What is that, some new teenage fad? Hard pass," Spectra retorted. Danny then mustered enough strength to push free of Spectra's giant hand. He then used his ghostly wail to send Spectra flying backwards, and after she was pinned against the wall, Danny used his ice powers to freeze her in place, encasing all her ghost form, save for her head, in a frozen prison.
"OK, spill it. If you're not after Molly because she's a light-keeper, what is your reason?" Danny demanded to know.
"The Chairman and I have an arrangement. I get rid of Brighton's primary source of joy, he allows me to base myself here and have all the misery I could feed on. It's nothing personal, just good business," Spectra revealed.
"I hate to break it to you, but the Chairman isn't the sharing type. Once he gets what he wants, he's just going to get rid of you," Danny rebuffed.
"The Chairman feeds on all the world's misery. I think he can afford to part with Brighton as a fuel source," Spectra countered. She broke out of Danny's icy hold and renewed her assault. "You never answered my question; why are you protecting her?" Spectra added. She fired ecto-energy discs at Danny, but he just absorbed them and turned Spectra's own energy into a sword with which to swing at her. Spectra could only duck and weave out of the way until again, Danny had her pinned against the wall.
"You know us hero types, we like defending the innocent, and Molly is as innocent as they come," Danny answered.
"In half an hour, she'll be dead," Spectra taunted. Having had enough fun, Danny used the hilt of the energy sword to knock Spectra out before sealing her inside the thermos.
"Not if I can help it," Danny asserted and rushed back to Spectra's office. Danny found that Molly was still out-cold and covered in ghost bugs. Andrea then had an idea on how to make Molly sad.
"If I know Molly, her sense of empathy is more powerful than any ghost bug. To make her sad, we have to make her sympathise with someone else's sadness. My sadness. I can wake her up by telling her…..something that's been eating at me for a while. If only she could hear what I have to say," Andrea stated.
"I can go into her dream and wake her up, if only enough to let her hear you," Danny offered.
"You can do that?" Andrea wondered.
"Among my many other talents. Make it good," Danny replied. He went inside Molly's head. In Molly's dreamscape, she noticed that the meadow was getting warmer and warmer, and the animals were getting tired and lethargic, sweltering under the heat of the sun, which was glowing brighter and brighter. Out of nowhere, Danny came into existence.
"You're here too? Best dream ever!" Molly exclaimed.
"Sorry to interrupt….whatever this is, but you have to wake up. This heat you're feeling right now? It's because you're rocking a temperature in the real world, and someone there has something she wants you to hear," Danny updated. Just then, a ball of light descended, which confused both Molly and Danny. The light ball spoke to Molly.
"He speaks the truth. Please attend carefully," the light-ball advised. It then expanded and displayed an image of Andrea in the real world, leaning over at Molly.
"I'm going to tell you something no-one else knows. I know we made a friendship pact about Danny, but there's another person in my life, one I adore very much. They brought out the best in me and made me want to be better than what I was before. I love them so much, but it hurts, because they are also my dearest friend and I know they don't feel the same way I do about them. I don't want to lose them, so I've kept it all a secret, but being around them, wishing that I could be with them, destroys me on the inside. They are the best thing that ever happened to me," Andrea declared, slowly crying as she spoke. Molly heard her pour out her soul and teared up at the speech. She reached out to touch the image of Andrea, and as she did so, the meadow faded out of existence. In the real world, the joy-suckers loosened their vice-like grip on Molly. Danny returned to reality as well, to hoover up the bugs in the thermos.
"Come on, Molly, wake up," Libby urged. To the relief of everyone present, Molly slowly but surely opened her eyes to see Andrea looking down at her. Molly wasted no time in embracing her in a show of comfort and consolation. After they broke apart, Annie took something out of her satchel. It was a philter of some sort, the kind an alchemist would carry around.
"Here, this should help lower your temperature," Annie handed the philter to Molly, who drank it up. It tasted like Molly's favourite flavour of fruit juice. Principal O'Connor showed up, along with Delilah.
"I take it Spectra's long gone?" O'Connor surmised. Everyone nodded in confirmation.
"I gave Bertrand the boot, with great satisfaction, I might add," Delilah notified. Libby noted that Molly was still quite warm.
"Principal O'Connor, Molly's still unwell," Libby updated.
"I'll call the McGees, have her picked up. You two, make sure she gets home safely," O'Connor instructed. Annie and Delilah left the school, satisfied that Molly would not come to further harm. Danny, Libby and Andrea waited outside while Molly rested.
"I should get going, too. I don't want Molly to wake up and start asking questions," Danny said. He made to leave, but Andrea stopped him briefly.
"Before you go, I have a favour to ask you. Please, keep safe the girl I love," Andrea requested. Danny then took her hand.
"With everything I've got," Danny replied. He left for good this time. Libby had a question of her own.
"The girl you what?" Libby asked, dumbfounded.
Annie and Delilah arrived at the Sanctum after all was said and done, toasting themselves with a well-earned drink of Doonkelberry juice. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Cavendish and Dakota from their mission to the Ghost Realm, although Annie was bracing herself for the worst. If the Chairman knew about them, the Court would have to take measures. Sure enough, the speeder arrived with the two men in tow. To Annie's surprise, the both of them looked like they'd been through the ringer, with Cavendish carrying a large book.
"What happened in there?" Annie quizzed.
"You'll be pleased to know the Ghost Realm as a whole knows nothing about all of this," Dakota replied.
"And the Chairman himself? How much does he know?" Annie probed. Cavendish then showed Annie the book and the title told Annie what she needed, but didn't want, to know.
"Everything," Cavendish answered grimly.
Author's note: This chapter was harder to structure than I thought. Sorry it took so long. However, with my collab with Grace finally finished after nine whole months (yikes, someone somewhere probably had a child in the time it took for us to finish that) and work taking a break for the summer, I can divert more time to this story. Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way. As awesome as 'Molly vs the Ghost World' was, one downside was that we didn't see the Chairman show off his supposedly considerable power. You'd think someone as hyped up as he was would put up more of a fight than he did. So, now, this whole story is an AU where the Chairman wasn't vanquished at the end of Season 1. Plus, having it this way allows me to play with him some more, add my own take on his abilities. Make of that what you will. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. All properties belong to their respective owners. Enjoy.