Hi, I'm going to pretend that the episode Fright Night never happened so things are not repeated from the show. Thanks to my reviewers again. I warn you now, this is the longest chapter, but I hope you enjoy reading it.
Chapter Six
To Catch A Ghost
Danny stood at the edge at the edge of his parents' invention. It was now or never and it had to be now. He couldn't spend his entire life without Sam.
"Dude, chill out, you'll be fine. We've fought ghost in the ghost zone before," Tucker said. Danny hadn't told him the real reason why he was going in.
"Yeah, and both times were horrible. I only, you know got thrown in jail and was crushed beneath Kempler in below freezing temperature," Danny said, cringing. "Okay, you watch the web cam. I think I'll be alright. Get in the Specter Speeder if-"
"I know.....I know. We've done it before remember?" Tucker said.
Danny didn't say anything. He was thoroughly depressed. He'd had his ghost powers all of three months; he'd had Sam since kindergarten. And he was finally getting good at ghost hunting and fighting. But it wasn't worth it anymore. There were other ghost hunters in the country; one less wouldn't make a real big difference. If it won Sam's heart again, it was definitely worth it.
"Dude, Danny. It's okay, Sam's just upset. It won't last long," Tucker said. Danny was amazed at how well his best friend read him so well. He was also amazed at how for once, his words actually helped.
He smiled, pretending to be okay. "I'll see you." Danny waved to him and flew off into the ghost zone. Tucker began to close the door behind him, watching the visuals Danny's camera was giving him of the zone.
"Hey Tucker!"
Tucker yelled and flipped around. Jazz stood inches from him.
"Jazz....hi.....what are you doing here?" Tucker said, carefully hiding his PDA from her view.
"Came to see what you were doing down here. Where's Danny?" Jazz said.
"He had to go to the bathroom," Tucker lied.
"Oh, okay. Oh, wow! I've never seen the portal open before, I mean, open like that." She walked up to it and stood in front of it.
"We were messing around. I'll close it now. Just don't tell Danny's parent on us."
"I won't. As long as you leave it open," Jazz demanded.
"What?" Tucker asked.
"I want to see in the portal. I've never actually seen it before this clearly. I'll close it when I'm done," Jazz said, not tearing her eyes away.
"Okay," Tucker said uneasily. "I'll just go upstairs," he whispered, nearly running up the stairs.
Jazz sighed. She knew perfectly well that Danny wasn't in the bathroom. Which meant he was probably in the portal somewhere.
All day he had looked terrible. She could see exhaustion and sadness in his eyes and when he had gotten home, there had been a longing look there as well. She didn't know how to help him.
She stared hard into the portal filled with its creepy noises and spooks.
"Wherever you are, please be careful Danny."
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Danny floated slowly through the ghost zone. He hadn't a clue how he was supposed to get rid of his powers. Maybe Skulker could help him. He laughed at the thought. Skulker wouldn't help unless you thought trying to kill him was helping.
He'd never been this far into the ghost zone this deep before. It was darker compared to the bright zones behind him.
"Danny? Where are you?" Tucker asked, voicing his own thoughts.
"No idea," Danny replied.
"I had to go in your room. Jazz came downstairs. But I don't think she suspected anything."
Danny hoped not. It was all he needed was for his older sister to discover his secret. She would probably take Sam's view and never talk to him again.
He stopped flying as he heard a commotion about twenty feet away from him to his left. It looked like some kind of marketplace. Ghosts bustled around under tents shouting sales, while other ghosts walked around, looking at the items. Maybe he could find something here......He floated towards it.
"Sorry Tuck," he said quietly. He took the mic from his ear and flipped the off switch. He was on his own now.
There was no turning back.
He set his feet on the rock, beginning to walk. He passed a tent selling amulets, weapons, and ghost related technology he didn't even think Technes could compete with. Several auctions were going on and Danny frequently heard sale announcements through the whole market.
He froze when he heard a familiar voice.
"Listen to me dipstick or you'll end up living in a hell like the others."
Ember's voice was loud and cruel. She carried her guitar around, yelling at what reminded Danny of a mini Tucker ghost.
His mind swirled. How many other of his enemies were here? Had he misjudged the condition of the market?
He backed up and walked into an old woman ghost. The woman was extremely old and had white curly hair and shriveled skin and eyes that were filled with white smokiness.
"I'm sorry," Danny said hurriedly.
"I have the answer to what you seek," she said hoarsely.
Danny was surprised. "What?"
"Come with me and I'll help you with your problems," she said, turning to walk away.
He followed her, confused, but intrigued. She led him to a tent filled with herbs and parts that made Danny ill to look at.
"How did you know that I had a problem?" Danny asked.
She walked behind the table. "I am a very perceptive woman. Call me psychic if you wish. Now what do you need?"
"I thought you knew because you were psychic," Danny pointed out.
"Do you want help or not?" she asked, annoyed.
He nodded and sighed. "I have these powers. I'm half human, half ghost. But I'm tired of living that way. I want to be human and that's it," he said.
"To impress a girl," she suggested.
"That's not your business," Danny declared. He wanted all the help he could get, but she was asking too many personal questions.
"Very well, keep your secrets. I always wondered when I would meet the halfa," she said, staring at him creepily.
"Can you help me?" he asked desperately, ignoring her.
"The potion you ask for requires two hours to make. I'll make you a month's supply. You must drink it everyday, your powers will return if you don't. But this potion also requires a price...."she added.
"Name it," he said excitedly, but reluctantly.
"Fifteen dollars for every month. You come back in two hours with the money, and I'll have it ready," she said.
Danny felt like he was getting off too easily. Fifteen dollars wasn't a lot, yet he didn't have any change. But it wasn't like he couldn't borrow it. And how did he know he could trust her?
"Come back in two hours," she repeated.
He nodded and walked off, cheerful and morose at the same time if it was possible.
"Well, well. Look who we have here. It's the love sick halfa," said a voice.
Danny turned around.
"Hello, dipstick. Come back for more hunting?" Ember said, smiling. She looked behind him, her blue flamed hair swooshing. "What? No thermos? Surely you came prepared?"
He leapt up and dropkicked her, sending her reeling to the hard, rock ground.
She stood up angrily and grabbed her guitar from around her waist. It didn't light up like Danny had witnessed before and Ember disappeared.
He flew as fast as he could towards the market's exit, trying to turn back on the microphone in his ear.
"Tucker?" he yelled, zooming past.
"Danny, where are you?" Tucker asked, concerned. It was only a minute until he reached the edge of the ghost zone to his parents' portal.
"Of course he's fighting ghosts. I'm not surprised," said a voice.
"Sam?" Danny asked hopefully.
He yelled in pain as his brief moment of surprise ended, and something hard cut into his shoulder. The mic fell from his hands and into the void below him.
Ember laughed, hovering a few feet beside him. He fell freely, until he hit the hard ground of the pit of the ghost zone.
He looked at his shoulder. It was bleeding heavily, the gash deep. If he didn't hurry, he would probably change back to his normal self soon. He stood up and noticed Ember, still floating above him, and he could see his own blood splattered on the guitar.
He didn't want to fight or "chat" anymore. He went invisible and intangible and flew towards the exit.
And was greatly shocked when she didn't follow.
He sighed, relieved, and phased through his parents' portal.
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"Ow....ow!" Danny tried hard not to yell in pain. Tucker was helping wrap a bandage around Danny's shoulder, which was to his surprise, deeper than it looked. It hadn't stopped bleeding, and he was beginning to feel slightly dizzy, but didn't say anything. But the flow had slowed at least.
"Well, if you would hold still," Tucker said. "I'm almost done, and I'm still waiting for an explanation."
There was a knock on the door.
"Danny? Are you in there?" Maddie Fenton asked.
"Yes mom," Danny called back. Tucker remained silent.
"What are you doing?" she asked, concern in her voice.
"I'm just cleaning up mom," he replied.
"Sam's left," Maddie said.
"Okay." He sighed sadly. He had to wait one hour to go back into the ghost zone. One hour before he would be human, and Sam would accept him again.
"Have you seen Jazz?" Maddie asked.
"No," Danny replied, annoyed. Tucker finished wrapping him up and he put his bloodstained shirt back on quickly.
"Alright, Tucker will have to go home soon too, dinner's almost ready," she said. "And clean up after you're done in there."
"Okay," he said again. He heard her walk down the hall and he opened the door a little. If his mom saw his shirt, she would ask questions, and he couldn't handle that.
"She's gone," Danny said, opening the door fully.
They rushed to his room quietly and shut the door behind them.
"What happened Danny?" Tucker asked seriously.
Danny closed his eyes. His arm hurt like hell, along with a migraine that was forming. He looked down, preparing to answer.
"Come on, I know you man. This is something big, I can tell," Tucker said, standing in front of him.
"And how's that?" Danny joked.
"Because you only avoid my eyes when you're hiding something," he said. "Come on, tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing. Ember just got the best of me that's all," Danny half-lied.
"Ember?" Tucker asked.
"Yeah, I probably went into her lair or something," he said.
"Danny, I'm starting to wonder if Sam's right. Maybe ghost hunting is starting to get old. Maybe we need to focus on something that won't get us killed. Think about it okay?" Tucker said.
"Tucker, wait," Danny shouted as his friend opened the door.
"We've already waited too long Danny," he said. He left, slamming the door behind him.
"Well, you don't have to wait anymore."
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"Jazz?" He entered the room before she answered. She looked up, apparently found, from the book she was reading and stared at him expectantly.
"I don't have some spare change right now. Can I borrow fifteen dollars?" he asked, sweetly, closing the door behind him.
She nodded. "As long as you pay me back."
Danny stood frozen. What, no questions? Jazz questioned everything.
"It's over there," Jazz said, staring at him.
Again he didn't move.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, looking at him oddly.
"You don't care?" Danny asked.
"Have I ever?"
"Yes."
"Well now I don't. I just want to be paid back."
"Cool." He walked over to her dresser and opened her data bank. She watched, making sure he only took fifteen.
Then she asked the question.
"What do you need it for?"
He paused for a minute, thinking of an excuse. "It's kind of personal," he replied. He mentally slapped himself. That was the best thing he could think of?
She pursed her lips. "Okay....."
He closed the drawer. "Sorry Jazz, I really can't explain it," he said. He turned to face her, keeping his expression as calm as possible.
"One of these days I'm going to figure you out. At the moment you scare me sometimes. But okay," she said.
Danny didn't like the way that sounded, whatever it meant. He backed out of the room, leaving Jazz to her book.
He leaned up against the wall. What did Jazz mean? She didn't know his secret surely.
He had been careless one time. One time. But that time was when Spectra the ghost who had posed as the school's therapist who was feeding on the students she saw's miseries. He had been forced into sessions with her by Jazz and the principal, Mr. Lancer.
Spectra and her assistant, Bertrund, had plotted to kill Jazz and then leave Danny to blame, but he had captured both ghosts and saved Jazz with her help.
She hadn't acted like she knew.... He shook his head. He was being paranoid. Jazz didn't know his secret.
He focused and went ghost, phasing through the floor to the lab. He had told his parents he didn't feel good, so he was safe from them.
And now for the thing he was dreading.
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The psychic ghost handed him a vial out of a velvet lined box filled with fourteen others. He looked at it; it was an odd purple and red color.
He had been lucky so far. Ember hadn't showed up to meet him again, or any other of his past enemies. But he was still looking around for the musical powered girl.
"Take it everyday until they're gone. Then come back and I'll give you more," the ghost urged again. Her colorless eyes were starting to creep him out, and she looked at him oddly.
"How do I know this works?" he said, his eyes narrowed. He didn't like the way she was looking at him. He knew that smile. He was being tricked. She was going to let him take it home and rip him off, the potion didn't really work; but he could play that game. He would test it out first and see if it truly worked.
"You don't. I see your mind; an old woman such as myself does not play the trickster. Try it if you like, you won't be unhappy," she said, glaring at him.
"Don't mind if I do," he said, unscrewing the lid.
He took a drink and tried hard to keep it in his mouth. He couldn't describe the taste; all he knew was that it was disgusting. He swallowed roughly.
There was a flash of light, beginning from the top of his head that traveled all the way down to the ground. He could see his normal hand. Maybe he was paranoid. Not all ghosts were evil right?
"Well, sorry I accused you. Thanks," he said.
"You're a fool boy," she said.
She was no longer in front of him. He turned around, and she stood behind him, her pupiless eyes poring into him.
She smiled darkly and snapped her fingers. "Wouldn't you like to meet my servants?"
Two ghosts appeared beside her.
"We've been acquainted," Ember said. She and Desiree, the wish granting ghost stood behind her, smiling at him.
"And don't try anything funny this time," Desiree warned.
"Wait Desiree, he can't."
Danny backed up and something sharp poked into his back. He flipped around and the psychic woman was standing there, holding a knife up to him.
Ember continued speaking.
"Because his powers are gone."
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Okay, long chapter, I know. This story has two chapters left, and I like to give my readers a foreshadow, so their names are Sword Strike and Mending, coming sometime this month. Also please, please, please, check out my other stories, including the newest The Rebel.
Lateraina Wolf