Danny and Tuck stopped by the Nasty Burger, while Sam went next door to the Ultra-Recyclo-Vegetarian Store. Ember went in with her, but got nothing but a bottled water, which Sam paid for.
They went to the park, and Sam led them to a secluded spot in a grove of trees. "I come here now and then, when I want privacy to think and relax," she said. It was a rather pretty spot, with huge trees surrounding them, and some patches of flowers. The sounds of other people came faintly to their ears.
They settled down on a fallen log and ate, while Ember sipped her water.
"Ember, do ghosts eat regular food?" asked Tucker.
"Some can, but I'm not one of them," she answered, "Water restores lost ectoplasm for me."
"You know," said Danny, "I've met a lot of ghosts. But any talking has been nothing but banter or making battle plans. This is the first time I've actually sat and TALKED to a ghost."
Ember smiled. "This is new for me, too," she answered, "In the Ghost Zone, many ghosts are either evil, stupid, or obsessed with their unfinished business in the human world. So I never had any friends."
Sam paused between bites of her veggie plate. "You do now," she said. Danny and Tucker nodded.
Ember turned invisible, leaving the bottle of water floating in midair, and the paper visible.
"Uh, Ember?" asked Sam, looking at where she had been.
"Sorry," the ghost girl replied, slowly turning visible again, "I got embarassed."
"So, tell us what's going on," said Danny, quickly changing the subject.
"I was in the Ghost Zone, writing and practicing my music, when I was approached by someone who's a Halfa, like you," she said, pointing at Danny.
"Vlad Masters, a-k-a Vlad Plasmius?" Danny asked.
Ember was surprised. "You know him? He certainly knows you."
"Oh, yeah. Long story, tell you another time," answered Danny. "Go on."
Ember took the next hour telling them her story, ending with her enslavement by Masters, the threat of the iron box, and being sent to Amity Park to beat Danny.
"So, what about this spell?" asked Tucker.
Ember hesitated. "Well... okay. The Dairy King said I could trust Danny, so..." she pulled the paper from her boot, and handed it to Danny. She looked at Sam. "I already trust you."
"Thanks!" said Sam, stepping around to read over Danny's shoulder. Tucker took a spot over his other shoulder.
The three read the spell, then the notes the Dairy King had written about it.
"Ember, do you know what this says?" Sam asked, studying a particular paragraph.
"No, I never had a chance to read it," was the answer.
"I quote," said Sam, "'The ghost who is affected by this spell will become the property of the human who casts it. That way, you are safe from Vlad, as he can no longer hold you against the will of the human.'"
Ember looked stricken. "I'll be a slave again?" she asked quietly, and began thinking of how to get the spell away from them before...
Danny handed the paper back to Ember, and sat down again.
Ember returned the paper to its place in her boot. She was surprised. She had expected the humans to betray her and cast the spell at once. Many ghosts, seeing the chance for power, would have. Her trust seemed to be well-placed.
"Man, you can't OWN people," said Tucker, "That's bogus."
Ember looked at him seriously with her electric green eyes. "But I'm not a person," she said, "I'm a ghost."
Tucker grinned. "That's WHAT you are, not WHO you are," he said, "And as far as I'm concered, you're just as much a person as anyone else. Even more so, since I'm getting to know you."
Ember faded, but didn't quite disappear. "Thanks, Tucker," she said, "You've just joined the very short list of humans I trust."
Tucker blushed a bit. "Thanks," he said.
"I don't think this spell will be necessary," said Danny thoughtfully, "We should be able to protect her, working together." He looked at them. "But Plasmius is very tough. He's the only ghost I haven't been able to beat cleanly."
"I agree," said Sam, "We should only use it as a very last resort."
"Makes sense," said Tucker.
"It's starting to get late," said Danny, standing up. "What are we going to do about tonight?"
"Tonight?" asked Tucker.
"Where's Ember going to stay?" he explained, "She can't stay with me, since my parents are ghost hunters."
"You know I don't have any spare room," said Tucker, "Or she'd be welcome."
"I can spend the night drifting around the town," said Ember, "I promise to come back in the morning."
"That's too dangerous," said Danny, "My parents go on patrol at night, and they've got some equipment that can seriously hurt or destroy you."
"You can stay with me," said Sam, putting her hand on Ember's shoulder, "I've got a guest room you can use."
"Hey, a Goth and a Ghost together. Perfect," said Tucker.
Sam and Ember looked at each other, and grinned. "He's got a point," said Ember.
"Yeah," agreed Sam, "And for once it's not just the one on his head."
"HEY!" said Tucker.
They all laughed and left the grove.
They parted company at Sam's house, just as dark was falling.
Ember turned invisible and followed Sam inside. Sam motioned toward the stairs, and murmured "Third door on the left." She went into the dining room for dinner.
Afterwards, she got a bottled water from the refrigerator, and went upstairs to her room.
She found Ember at the computer, doing a web search about herself. Sam set the bottle down by her, and Ember looked up. "Thanks! I hope you don't mind," she said, gesturing at the computer, "I wanted to know what people thought about my last concert."
"It's fine," said Sam, and went to do her homework.
Afterwards, the two spent several hours sitting on Sam's bed, talking. Sam discovered that Ember's experiences in the human world had been limited to concert-related activities, and she had little idea of life beyond it. She had met and talked to very few humans; promoters and businessmen all. They had all been out for money and power, so much like the ghosts she had known. No wonder she didn't trust easily.
Finally, it was time for bed. "C'mon," said Sam, getting up, "I'll show you to your room."
Ember grabbed the bottle of water, and followed her to the next door down. Inside was a nice bedroom.
"Do you sleep?" asked Sam.
"No, but I do enjoy quiet and dark. It gives my mind a chance to rest," replied Ember, putting the bottle on the side table. "Sometimes it gives me inspiration for new songs." She opened the drawer, and put the paper with the spell in it. It was a relief not carrying around a material object. She had to remember it was there when she went intangible or invisible.
"Well, like Danny said, I wouldn't recommend you go outside tonight, because of his parents. But if you need me, I'm just the next room over," said Sam. "Good night."
She turned to go, but suddenly found Ember's arms around her, and felt Ember's chin on her shoulder. She stiffened. "Wha-" she said, thinking Ember was going to do something horrible to her. The necklace was in her pocket. If she could reach that...
"Thank you for freeing me, Sam," said Ember, softly, "I like you, and I trust you, and I've never had that before. It's a nice feeling, having friends."
Sam smiled and relaxed. "I like you, and I trust you too, don't forget," she said.
Ember tightened her grip for a second, then let go. "Good night, Sam. I'll try not to go all poltergeist on you."
Sam grinned. "That would be appreciated."
Sam left, closing the door behind her. Ember looked at her arms. The heat from the living girl had been wonderful. She could have basked in it forever.
Sam walked back to her room, thinking that Ember's cold had felt good. Her parents always kept the house too warm to suit her.
At three o'clock the next morning, a green cloud swirled in midair over Amity Park. The elder Fentons had long since finished patrol and gone home, so nobody saw it. Vlad Plasmius appeared, and looked around. Where was the one he had sent here?
He flew around town, next to every building, although he avoided the Fenton house. After an hour of searching, his ghost sense went off next to a house. He looked in each window until finally found who he had been searching for.
Ember was lying on a bed, eyes closed, and a small smile on her lips. She was obviously not wearing the necklace. But why was she here, instead of back in the Ghost Zone, or at the Fentons? He flew to the next window and looked in. Ah, that explained it. Samantha Manson, Daniel's good friend. Ember was being treated as a guest, which meant that everything was going according to plan.
He grinned evilly, and flew up into the night. The green swirling cloud reappeared, and he disappeared into it.