Happy 2005!

This chapter was really fun to write, because I introduced a new character – Tauron – who is from a TOTALLY different story, The Switch. It's an original story (not a fanfic) about two wolves and two cats. I won't bother explaining it.

On with Chapter 8!

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"So I found that abandoned house, 51 Main Street, and made it my home. It was hard adjusting to the life of a human, but I eventually got the hang of it," Charlotte said, finishing her story.

"Wow," Danny said. "But…wait…so Veclussier has been your enemy even when you were a ghost?"

"He works for Skulker, how can he not be my enemy?!" Charlotte said, saying "Skulker" with pure hatred.

"Well, I just thought it was something more personal," Danny said. "Just because you don't like Skulker doesn't mean he should track you down and try to kill you."

"Well, I kind of got on his bad side…I mean, I feel so bad for all those creatures he has locked up in his lair. So…I broke in one time trying to free them, and…well…he found me. I've also stopped him from catching things for his collection sometimes --"

"Like me."

"Yeah. So, since I interfere too much, he's been trying to kill me…or catch me, since you can't kill a ghost. And add me to his collection." Charlotte paused and sighed. "Skulker is the worst ghost imaginable."

"Oh, is he?" a voice said from the darkness.

"Veclussier!" Charlotte hissed. "Get out of here!"

"I can't believe it didn't occur to me sooner," Veclussier said, smirking. "I was so much after Danny – since he's a halfa. Yet it never occurred to me that you're a halfa too! Two halfas are better than one. Skulker will be so pleased…and possibly give me a promotion! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Before Danny and Charlotte could speak, a net came from Veclussier's gun and trapped them both.

"Let us out of here!" Danny screamed angrily.

"Never! I'm tired of being beaten and not getting what I want! MY TIME HAS COME! MUAHAHAHA!"

Charlotte tried to claw out of the net, but she couldn't. It seemed to be pretty strong. "LET US OUT OF HERE, YOU…YOU…IDIOT!"

"No one calls me idiot!" Veclussier said, his tone going from triumph to anger. He shot some type of ectoplasmic ball from his hand at her. She let out a cry and fell unconscious.

Danny screamed at him and tried to break free, but he soon realized could do nothing as Veclussier dragged them away to the Ghost Portal.

----

"Welcome to your new home," Veclussier said, shoving them into a huge cage. He locked the door. Charlotte was still unconscious, and Danny was trying to find a way out.

He could see Veclussier meet with Skulker in the doorway of the room they were in. "Very good, Veclussier," Skulker said. "You have proved to be a good apprentice – getting me not one halfa, but two. Is the halfa cage ready?"

"Almost, Skulker," Veclussier said. "It should be ready soon. Within two hours."

"Good," Skulker growled. "We'll move them then. Enjoy your new home, halfas," he said. They left the room.

"Charlotte! Wake up!" Danny said, shaking Charlotte. She wouldn't wake up, though – she was out cold. He would have to break out of the cage himself – before they moved him and Charlotte to the high-security cage.

"'Ello, mite," a voice said from the shadows of the cage. (A/N: He means "Hello, mate", but his accent makes him sound weird.)

Danny turned around suddenly, his blue eyes wide with fright. "Who's there?"

"Just me, mite. Finaully, someone to tawk to. I've been laucked up in thess cage alone laung enough." He had a thick Australian accent, and judging by his huge silhouette, he wasn't human.

"Uh…what are you?" Danny said uncertainly.

"An Awstralian Nightstaun, mite," the creature said.

"What's a Nightstone?"

"What I am," he said, stepping out of the shadows. Danny gasped. He looked like a huge gray panther, with weird markings on his body and huge white wings. "And what are yew, mite? A kid?"

"Uh…not exactly. I'm half ghost, and so is she," he said, pointing to Charlotte. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Tauron, mite," the cat said. "Tauron of Kiossa."

"I'm Danny Phantom," Danny said. "And that's Charlotte. Listen, we need to get out of here before Skulker comes and moves us to the high security cage. Do you think you could help us?"

"Sure, mite," Tauron said. "Be glaud to help."

"Have any ideas?"

Tauron thought for a second. "Auctually, yes. Yew said yew were half ghost?"

"Yeah."

"Can't yew use your powers to brauk us free?"

"I don't think so, but I'll try…" Danny went ghost and fired an ectoplasmic ball at the bars of the cage. "No. I can't. What about you? Aren't you from Kiossa? Does that mean you have some type of powers?"

Tauron smiled. "You're clever, mite. But they don't waurk here. I've been laucked up in thess cage for a month. I've tried everything."

Tauron and Danny sat in silence for a while. Then Danny got an idea. "I'm so stupid!" he said. "Tauron, you're not from the Ghost Zone, are you?"

"Do I look dead to yew?"

Danny chose to ignore that comment. "The solution's right in front of us! Tauron, in the Ghost Zone – we're the ghosts! Just run into the bars! You'll go right through!"

"Are yew sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

"YIPEE!" Tauron shouted. He ran into the bars – and with a loud SMACK collided with them.

"Or…maybe not," Danny said.

"Have any maure ideas, mite?" Tauron said, getting up.

Danny thought for a second. "Yes, in fact, I do."