Hello again! I know I seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth, but I am back with another chapter. A lot has happened in the series since I last updated, so I tried to incorporate some more of that. The show also seems to be getting a bit darker, and more mature, but hey, it's all good. I also have heard rumors of one or two hour-long DP episodes scheduled for next season, and more Jimmy/Timmy Power hour things. (Don't quote me though, I could be wrong).
Anyhoo, since I haven't written anything like this in a while, I may be a little rusty, and the style may be a bit choppier than it has been in the past. There is a lot of stuff I am trying to tie together and there is only so much I can do at once! It has also been hard to keep them all in character, so you can write me a nasty review if you feel the characters are not themselves. So, to cut to the chase, I hope you enjoy.
"I'll uh, be right back- heh heh," Danny muttered as he ran out the door, heading towards the ambulance where Hans had just been carried into. His parents still appeared a bit dazed as they looked at him. Maddie suddenly snapped back to reality.
"You wait one second young man!" she shouted sharply. "Just when were you going to tell us about all this?"
"Mom, no time! We have to go get Hans back NOW!" Danny exclaimed as he watched the ambulance pull away. "I'll explain later!"
"Yeah, Mrs. Fenton," Sam agreed. "If they do any tests on him they may find out what he really is."
"…or if they accidentally get scratched or come in contact with his blood, we could soon be dealing with more werewolves, even though he isn't one anymore," Tucker added.
"But he's…" Jack started.
"No longer dangerous… directly." Jazz interrupted. "Listen to them. They know what they are talking about. You saw it yourself- he's a really nice guy."
Maddie opened her mouth as if to protest, but nothing came out. Jack just looked on stupidly and in sheer confusion as she nodded her head. "You'd better be careful, Danny." She then turned to Jazz. "And you knew about all this?"
"Well the werewolf was a bit of a surprise, to say he least, mom."
Maddie hung her head and turned back to her son after a bright light flashed in her peripheral. She realized he was no longer there. Instead, Sam and Tucker were gazing out the door, following his now ghostly aura with their eyes as he raced after the ambulance, whose sirens were blaring faintly in the distance. A warm summer breeze rushed in through the open door and the sliver of a moon faintly lit the streets in addition to the streetlights, causing long, but faint shadows to appear.
"And you two knew too?" Maddie asked Sam and Tucker.
"Duh," Sam said blatantly. "We're his best friends." Tucker nodded and the two continued staring out the front door.
Jack broke the awkward silence that followed when he declared, "Well I guess he's going to need a place to stay until tomorrow. I'll go get the guest room ready."
Danny caught up with the ambulance fairly quickly, despite the fact that it was rushing down the street. Its bright flashing lights were somewhat blinding as he approached, and phased through the back door. He overheard one of the paramedics commenting that she was surprised the dog hadn't seemed to harm Hans physically- his clothes had only been torn, and he appeared to have just fainted.
"We'll still do some tests when we get to the hospital to make sure he is okay," another answered. "For all we know, he could have had a reaction to something he ate before the dog even got in."
Danny invisibly flew in and touched the semi-conscious Hans, turning him intangible. The boy vanished, much to the surprise of the ambulance crew, but before they could do a thing, Danny had flown his new friend out and back towards his house.
"This night keeps getting weirder," the female paramedic said to no one in particular as they gazed at the empty space where the strange boy had just been, pondering what they should do, and contemplating their sanity.
Danny flew Hans back into his house, turned visible, and set him down on the living room couch. Hans began to groan as the bright lights were blurring his vision and a pounding headache started to set in; a common side-effect of his transformation. He still seemed unable to speak, despite the fact that he appeared fully human.
"Oh good, you're back," Sam announced as she entered the room.
"What? They're back?" Maddie and Jack asked loudly from the kitchen. They had started cleaning up from the previous fiasco in the living room, and had stopped to make themselves and their guests some cold lemonade. Maddie quickly made her way to the living room again while Jack closed the dishwasher, then stopped and gazed at who they had once called 'Inviso-Bill,' floating above their werewolf houseguest.
"Hey Danny! I see you were able to get Hans back," Timmy said as he sipped his lemonade. He seemed completely at ease to Maddie despite the specter floating before him. His jacket and wristwatch blinked at the ghost-boy. She wondered just how many people had known about Danny and Hans.
"Yeah, but I think he should get some quiet until morning at least." Danny replied, his voice echoing a bit, as it always does when he is in his ghost form.
Jack came out from the kitchen and spat out his lemonade upon the sight of his son, still in ghost form. He automatically reached for his 'jack o' nine tails,' another of his devices which captures ghosts, but placed it back in his pocket when Danny jumped back in the air.
"Oh, right," Danny remembered and floated down from where he had been above the couch, and with a flash of light and two blue energy rings later, stood before his parents in his normal human form on the floor. Jack regained his composure.
"I uh, fixed up the guestroom so that Hans can stay the night."
"Thanks. I am sure he'll appreciate it." Danny replied while Jazz smiled at him. "I'll bring him upstairs."
"No, Danny," Maddie said. "Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and you with the pink hat can do that. Don' let him scratch you." She pointed at Timmy, and the other three teens before turning back to her son. "You are going to come and explain everything exactly as it happened. Let's go in the basement."
"Well, this is it," Tucker said as he, Sam, Jazz, and Timmy carried Hans upstairs and placed him on the bed in the guestroom.
Danny looked at his parents nervously as he followed them down into the basement lab. Maddie was holding some kind of scanning device, but was eyeing her son with nothing but loving eyes, as was Jack.
"So you being a ghost would explain why all our inventions go off when you walk by," Maddie said. "But I need to know how it happened and how long you have been like this."
Danny knew he shouldn't be afraid, but he had kept this secret for so long, it was difficult to tell even his parents, the most efficient ghost hunters he knew. He started trembling and covered his face.
"Oh honey, it's okay," Maddie comforted him and gave him a hug.
"Yes son," Jack said. "No matter what, you are still our Danny. Your mother and I will always love you."
"Thanks you guys," Danny felt a little more comfortable revealing his deepest secret. "Well, I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid of what you would do," the teen said. "This all started a few months ago; back when you were first working on the Fenton Portal. Remember how it all of a sudden started working?"
"Why yes," Jack said.
"Well, I had gone in to look at it because it was kind of interesting, but I somehow turned it on from the inside accidentally. There was a burst of energy that was so painful I blanked out, but when I woke up, I realized I had all the abilities of a ghost, but was still half human."
"So you're… half dead?" Jack asked.
"I don't really know, dad. I guess so."
"Fascinating," Maddie mumbled. "I bet your body somehow fused with the spectral energy from the Ghost Zone in the accident at the molecular or even subatomic level. I don't know how the process could have happened, but I may be able to work on an antidote, after I examine your friend Hans, of course. Thank goodness you weren't killed- uh completely."
"Antidote? Examine Hans?" Danny exclaimed.
"Well first we'll have to run some tests on you and your friend, but hopefully your mother and I can eventually find a cure for the both of you."
"But…but…" Danny was at a loss of words. "This is one of the reasons why I didn't tell you in the first place! I don't want to be experimented on. And who will send all the ghosts back to the Ghost Zone when they escape?"
"What are you talking about, son?" Jack asked.
"Well, I uh, also fight the evil ghosts that come into our world, and send them back through the portal with the Fenton Thermos."
"Really? So that's where the first one went. Wait, all this time you have been fighting ghosts? They are very dangerous!"
"No kidding, dad."
"Well good going son! That's so cool!"
"So why on earth did you attack us and the mayor at City Hall during that massive ghost invasion, Inviso-Bill?" Maddie asked.
"It was a set up. The mayor was possessed by a ghost who wants to ruin my life, so he made it look like I was the bad guy. I also thought you were overshadowed, and if you had been, my blast would have been harmless- it would have just rid your body of a ghost possessing it. I was wrong."
"Well, uh, thanks son. We are both very proud of you, and since you're a ghost, you can help us catch even more of them!" Jack said proudly.
"Dad, I catch more ghosts in one night than you and mom combined."
"Well you can't stay like this," Maddie said. "We have no idea of the long term effects. Who knows what toll it will take on you in say, twenty years."
"Umm- funny you should mention that-"
"Can't we use the 'Fenton Ghost Catcher' to separate his body and the ghost within it?" Jack asked his wife, referring to the dream-catcher like device.
"Well I suppose, but given that the spectral energy is fused with his very essence, I doubt he would be able to survive for long, separated from that energy. It seems to be completely part of him, and he is not possessed." Maddie said.
"Too bad- Danny, don't go near that thing."
"Been there, done that. You don't have to tell me twice."
"Well there is nothing we can do about 'your unique condition' now," Maddie said. "But I want you to know that we are very proud of you, and thank you for saving your sister. You two have been through quite a lot today, and I am just thankful that you are here with us right now. It must have taken a lot of guts for you to tell us all of this, especially after keeping it a secret for so long. Plus those powers of yours can come in handy to help me clean those cobwebs off the ceiling with the vacuum!"
"Uh, heh heh- I would have never thought of that, mom."
"And I can run some more tests to see everything you can do!" Jack exclaimed happily.
"Uh dad, take it easy. Listen, while I'm at it, I might as well tell you another deep, dark secret.
"What, are you a werewolf too?"
"No, no- it has to do with your old friend from college; you know, Vlad Masters?"
"Vlad? That creep?" Maddie said as she balled up her fists. "Though he does make good pancakes, come to think of it…"
"Uh yeah, him. Listen, I'm going to need your help because I think he's going to come here soon..."
"Well I am going to have to head back sooner or later," Timmy said.
"Yeah, us too," Tucker answered. "And mom is going to yell at me some more for the hole in our wall." His eyes lit up and he whispered, "Why didn't I think of this before? Hey Cosmo and Wanda, any chance you can um, help me out?"
"Well we'd love to Tucker, but Timmy has to wish it himself. It's all in 'Da Rulez,'" Wanda said.
"No problem. I wish Tucker's house was fixed so that he won't get in trouble," the boy whispered to his godparents. His watch and jacket whipped out their little wands and with a "poof" they assured Tucker that his house was repaired.
"Thanks, dude!" Tucker said as Sam winked and got up to leave.
"I am going to go say goodbye to Danny and thank the Fenton's for dinner," Timmy said.
"Yeah, I guess we all should do that," Sam agreed and followed the boy downstairs. He saw the three; Danny was sitting on a chair with a concerned look on his face, while Maddie and Jack seemed just as shocked as they had been before. Danny saw his friends, and patted his parents on the backs as he stood up.
"I'll just let all that all sink in, while I see everyone out."
"Well thanks for everything!" Timmy said to his new friends as they all headed their different ways for the night. They all nodded.
"Call us if anything happens, or if Skulker comes back!" Sam called to Danny.
"Will do," he called back. I just hope my parents aren't taking what I just told them too hardly, he thought.
As Timmy watched Sam and Tucker head away for the night, he turned back to Danny. "You know, if you think it would help you, I could wish myself to be half ghost like you to help you fight Skulker and this Plasmius dude."
Danny looked more surprised than his parents, but then walked over to the young boy, a warm smile on his face. "That is very generous of you Timmy, and I appreciate it, but I'd have to advise against it. Magic doesn't work on ghosts, and Cosmo and Wanda may not be able to change you back from being a hybrid."
"Oh that's okay. I could be your sidekick or something, it will be fun."
"I guess that would be cool, but being a ghost isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sure, you've got the cool new abilities, but you are well, kind of half dead. It takes a while to learn to control your abilities, and even I cannot fully do it yet. Also, when you are a ghost, your physical body vanishes. You can't feel much, unless you are hit with some kind of ghost weapon. You are merely an echo, or just a shadow of your life. I didn't ask for this, but is that really what you want? Weigh the options for yourself, but I'd say it isn't worth it. But I do thank you for considering it to help me. At least you have fairy godparents, which I would say is even better than being part ghost." Danny leaned towards Timmy's wristwatch and whispered, "Don't let him do anything foolish." Wanda winked and Danny then straightened up to look back at the young boy. "Now be careful when you cross the street. Those busses can be vicious," the teen said with a sly smirk as he headed back inside and shut the door before Timmy could respond.
"He has a point, you know," Cosmo said as Timmy headed for home, with his head hung low.
"That may have been the most intelligent thing you've said all day," his wife answered. Cosmo beamed, but then was distracted when he saw a nickel on the ground.
"Philip, you came back!" he cried. Timmy and Wanda rolled their eyes.
"Oh well. That was quite a day, eh, guys?" Timmy said after Cosmo had retrieved what he thought was his long lost nickel.
"Thank goodness we are all back in one piece," Wanda said.
"Well he isn't home yet. Vicky, Dash, and Tootie should be there now," Cosmo replied.
"Great," Timmy said aloud. He knew he could have just wished himself there and he'd save some time, but he really was too excited to go back, considering all that had happened that day. He also didn't want to confront those people who Cosmo had just mentioned. He secretly wished to himself that he could feed Vicky to Hans in his werewolf form, but knew his godparents wouldn't approve. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud car horn. He turned around to temporarily be blinded by bright headlights, but after shielding his eyes with his hands, he saw a shiny sports car driven by none other than his friend and pop-singing sensation Chip Skylark. The street lamps illuminated the car as it screeched to a halt.
"Yo Timmy! How are you doing dude? What are you up to here in Amity Park, little man?"
"Chip Skylark! I haven't seen you in like, forever! I'm fine, just visiting. How about you and your shiny teeth?"
"Can't complain. I got a new last-minute gig here for tomorrow evening. Kind of weird how it all worked out. Apparently the record company organized it without telling me- I guess they thought it would be good for publicity or something. I am supposed to be doing a series of duets with some woman I have never met before. I don't think she is too happy about it, but it's a one time thing."
"Well that should be fun for you," Timmy said. "And if you need any backup singers…"
"Aw thanks, little dude, but I think all that is taken care of already. This Ember McLane sure comes prepared."
"Ember McLane? Never heard of her."
"Neither have I, but I get paid either way (not much, but it's better than nothing). Well I gotta go, Timmy. It was nice to see you, and I hope you enjoy your visit. Hey- you should come to the concert if you get a chance. I've got back stage passes with your name on them."
"Well maybe I will come tomorrow if I get a chance. Bye!" Timmy said.
"Alright. Oh, do you need a ride anywhere? It's kind of late to be out alone."
"No thanks, I'm good. Take care Chip!" he called as the car's engine revved and Chip waved and sped down the street.
"Wow, Chip Skylark!" Wanda said. "That was such a nice surprise to see him again. I am surprised he remembered you."
"Well Timmy did find his teeth after all," Cosmo said.
"At least it was nice of him to have stopped to say hi," Timmy said. "But as much as I hate to admit it, I think we should get back before any more ghosts come out." He saw Dash's house and headed toward it, dreading making contact with anyone within it. Timmy crept up the front steps, and opened the door. He could hear Vicky's shrill voice talking excitedly about something, and Dash's own nasally voice accompanying it. He vaguely made out the word "football" before he headed back to where the guestroom was.
"TWERP!" he heard Vicky cry, then froze in his tracks expecting the worse.
"Ye… yes…" he stammered as he peeked from around the corner.
"You didn't join us for dinner. Do you want anything?"
"You… you're offering me food?" Timmy said aghast with amazement.
"You want to make something of it," she said as she balled her hand into a fist. "I'd come now, or it will be a knuckle sandwich instead of a cheeseburger. Oh by the way, your girlfriend has been looking for you all day."
Timmy groaned and wasn't hungry, but ran over, and sat opposite Vicky and Dash at the table. He figured he'd take advantage of Vicky's kindness while he could, and didn't want to make her angry. Hanging with Dash must have somehow softened her a bit even if they always seemed to be playing rough football games. Maybe she really was happier to have some friends. He looked around and realized the adults were all talking among themselves in the small back yard on the patio, which was illuminated by tea lights and a big blue bug zapper hanging above the patio. Timmy could hear their voices through the screen which led out to them.
"TIMMY!" Tootie cried suddenly as she ran down the hallway to the kitchen table upon seeing him there. Timmy turned around to face her. "You left me all alone! Did you go back to Danny's house before?"
"Uh yeah, Tootie."
"You have been spending a lot of time over there," Dash said. He then looked around and asked in a quieter voice, "Did you see any more ghosts?" He said the word "ghosts" even quieter than the others.
"Uh, no."
"So why are you still hanging with those losers? You should play football with us."
"WHAT? HIM?" Vicky asked.
"Why not?" Dash asked. "It will be fun to pulverize the kid."
"Now you're talking!" Vicky said and smiled cruelly at the boy.
"I prefer not to get pulverized, thank you," Timmy said quietly.
"Suit yourself, but I don't see why you want to hang with geeks like them over us."
Timmy was about to answer when Dash's father rushed in, excitedly. "Hey guess what kids? I just got off the phone with a good friend of mine who I haven't seen in years. He and some of our other old pals are all going to be in town tomorrow morning. He said he could stop by. Isn't that exciting?"
"I can barely contain my glee, dad," Dash said sarcastically. "Do I even know this guy?"
"No son, you have ever met him, but he is the one who gave me my nickname, Flash, back when I played on my college team." He pointed to his jersey which had those letters sewn on in green and gold.
"So he was on your team when you played football in college? Cool."
"Yup, and he even went on to play professionally. We called him "The Unstoppable" but I am sure he'd prefer if you called him by his real name, Ray. Oh and kids, be on your best behavior. I haven't seen him or the guys in years."
"Sure pops. Whatever." Dash said and ate a piece of cake for dessert. "Hey Vicky, maybe he'll give us a few pointers."
Danny headed back into the house as Timmy left, to find his parents once again right behind him. Jazz had come into the room because the talking had stopped, and she wanted to make sure they were all okay.
"Now Danny, are you sure you told us the truth?" Jack asked. "I find your story a bit odd, considering Vlad was my best friend back in college."
"You find that weirder than anything else that has happened today?" Maddie asked her husband. "In fact, the last time I saw him, he turned out to be quite a creep. He even asked me to leave you and stay with him."
"He did? You never told me that."
"Well I'm still here aren't I?"
"And no one is happier about that than I am, honey," Jack said, then rumpled his brow. "What a creep!"
"So the ghost that grabbed me and possessed your father at the college reunion was Vlad all along?" Maddie said. "I still can't believe he'd do such a thing, but now that I remember what happened with the prototype ghost portal and all that time he spent in the hospital-" she hung her head. "I can see why he'd be so bitter."
"Well mom-"
"And to think he wants to kill me!" Jack interrupted. "After all those years of being best chums…"
"Well times change and we won't let that happen, dear," Maddie reassured him. "And we won't let him get you either, Danny. Which reminds me- there are some tests I want to run on you…"
"Mom, enough already, PLEASE! We don't have time! Right now, another ghost named Skulker has been trying to kill me for months. Now he's working for Vlad though, doing his dirty work, and trying to catch me to bring to him. He was the one chasing us in Crocker's van, and he could appear at any moment."
"And Crocker thought he was a fairy," Jazz said as she entered the room.
"Well that's just ridiculous!" Jack said. "There are no such things as fairies." Danny rolled his eyes as Jack continued. "Well I can fix the house's ghost shield if I take your mother's anti-ghost belt apart and use those parts. It will take no time at all- I'll get to it right now."
"I'll give you a hand," Maddie said then turned back to Danny. "Don't you worry sweetie. Leave everything to us." Suddenly a knock was heard at the door.
"You get it Maddie," Jack said. "I'll go fix the shield and be right down." He ran off as Maddie answered the door.
"Harriet Chin?"
"Hi, Maddie," the pony-tailed reporter answered as she looked past Maddie and surveyed the house and kids from outside. "Uh, forgive me for showing up so late at night, but believe me, I don't want to be here either…"
"Oh not a problem, Harriet." Maddie assured her. "I must admit I am a little surprised to see you, especially after what happened at the reunion, but come on in. Can I offer you anything to eat or drink?"
"No thank you," she said as she walked in and took a seat on the couch.
"You remember Danny and Jazz from the reunion, right?"
"Oh yes yes. Good to see you again, kids."
"Hi Ms. Chin," Jazz and Danny said in unison as they left the room, but listened in from the kitchen.
"Now Maddie, I came here because of you and your husband's 'world renowned expertise' on all things relating to ghosts and paranormal activity."
Maddie nervously looked to the kitchen where she knew her kids were listening in, then glanced upstairs to where Hans was sleeping, but refocused her attention on her guest. "Um, what would you like to know?"
Harriet took out her voice recorder and pressed the record button. "I got some footage of a van that just vanished, then I have you guys on tape firing some kind of energy ray thing into the air. I want to know exactly what went on, and if that Inviso-Bill ghost kid had anything to do with this."
"Inviso-Bill?" Maddie asked slowly, her eyes wide.
"Yes, don't tell me you never heard of him. Rumors are spreading everywhere faster than wildfire. Please tell me what you know about any of this, or if it is at all related somehow. I am a believer in all this stuff after what I saw happen to you, and I know your kids saw something too. I have them on tape as well, getting out of the van. This could be the story of the century!"
"Well, I- uh," Maddie started as Jazz walked in.
"This is ridiculous!" the red-headed girl stormed. "Yes, Inviso-Bill was there, but he saved us from an evil ghost hunter who was using us as bait for him. The van would have crashed if he hadn't made it intangible."
"Now we're getting somewhere!" Harriet said happily. "So you say Inviso-Bill isn't evil?"
"No," Jazz said, eyeing her brother. "He's quite friendly."
"How would you know for sure, unless you talked to him?" she inquired as she looked at Danny and Jazz.
"Well he uh, didn't hurt us- " Jazz covered when Jack came clamoring down the stairs.
"Hey honey, the shield is working like a charm-" he stopped when he noticed his former classmate from the old college days. "Hey Harri! Harri Chin! Ha ha ha! What brings you here?"
"Ugh," Harriet groaned and muttered, "they never change."
"Harriet wants to know about our ghost fight earlier. She caught it on tape from the news helicopter." Maddie said.
"You did?" Jack asked nervously. Any other time, he would have happily gone on and on about his ghost hunting escapades, but today was different. "What else did you get on tape?"
"Oh nothing else of much importance, but I came here to ask you what you knew about it. I saw you and your family were there. I want a real story, something the news channel will believe, and I am not leaving until I get it. Now I have proof after being made a laughingstock at the Milwaukee Journal."
"Well Inviso-Bill saved us from a crazed kidnapper. That's all I know," Jazz said.
"Uh yeah," Danny added. "He's the coolest nicest ghost I know."
Jazz leaned over and whispered, "Nothing like tooting your own horn, Danny." Her brother just shrugged and winked.
"Of course," he whispered back.
"Wait wait, you know him?" Harriet asked.
"Uh…heh heh. Not on a personal basis." Danny lied. His family gave him a disappointed/worried look for practically blowing cover. "I uh… met him today when he saved us if that is what you mean." Harriet backed down and all four breathed a sigh of relief.
"Come now Harriet, the kids have had a long day. Let's lay off the questions, and let them get to bed," Maddie begged.
"YES!" Jazz said. "Let's all go to sleep. I am SO TIRED. Goodnight everyone. Come on Danny, NOW," she practically pulled her brother by the arm and dragged him upstairs.
"Bye Harriet," he called.
Once upstairs, Jazz turned to him. "Okay hotshot- that was too close. Thanks to your semi-gloating, Ms. Chin almost got on to something."
"Well I covered it up, at least. She doesn't know a thing."
"Well I guess that's all that matters, but be careful in the future."
"Alright Jazz, goodnight."
"Same to you, and try not to worry." His sister said as the headed down the hall, to their own rooms. They walked past where Hans was sleeping, and smiled. (He looked very comfortable, and his right foot was twitching slightly. He was snoring quietly as well, and the two figured that as a good sign.)
Danny watched his sister shut her door, then decided he'd make sure Harriet left fairly soon. He turned into his ghost form, turned invisible, and phased through the floor, hovering invisibly and silently above his parents and Harriet on the couch. It was clear she was bothering his parents, and they really wanted her to leave. Every time she asked another question, they groaned, and for the first time, tried to move away from the subject of ghosts. Finally Maddie could stand it no longer.
"Look, Harriet. It was lovely seeing you again, but it is getting late. I am sure something important must be happening somewhere else that you should be covering."
"Not at the moment. Besides, I am just getting started with the interview."
Danny saw the looks of disappointment on their faces, and thought he'd help out. He overshadowed her body; her eyes turning the same glowing green color his were, and he said in his most girly-voice he could muster, "Well you are right. I have outworn my welcome, and it was wrong of me to bust in on you like this." He (Harriet) got up and walked to the door. Maddie and Jack eyed her with uncertainty. "Mom, dad, it's me, Danny," he said through Harriet. His parents seemed anything but surprised- more relieved than anything.
"Well that's interesting," they both said.
"Just play along, guys," Danny said. His parents nodded and he opened the door. The glowing green ghost shield shone brightly outside. Danny couldn't pass through it himself, but he knew it wouldn't affect humans. "Bye you two," he said waving as Harriet.
"Bye Harriet," his parents said. Danny left her body, and invisibly floated back into the living room. "I know that is a very important story you just told us that you have to go cover now," Maddie said.
"Good luck with it," Jack added, practically pushing her out the door.
"What? How'd I get here? I don't remember getting up to leave," the confused journalist asked. "What story are you talking about?"
"Why you uh, just were telling us about a terrible earthquake in uh, Kenosha," Maddie said. "You'd better hurry or you'll miss your flight." She added.
"Oh, and just walk through the anti-ghost shield. It won't affect you," Jack said, quickly closing the door behind him trying to not appear rude.
"That was weird," Harriet said to herself. "I don't remember saying anything about going to Kenosha." She then looked back at the house behind the energy dome of a shield. "I don't know what's going on here, but I am going to find out." She turned to head back, when she was startled by a set of loud footsteps approaching. She whirled around to find none other than Chet Ubetcha. He saw her and chuckled.
"Why Harriet Chin, the famed reporter who fell from the top of her game to be practically shunned from modern society. Pleased to actually make your acquaintance." He reached out his hand to shake, but she didn't take it. "How funny I run into you right here."
"Oh yeah, why is that?" she replied angrily.
"Well my helicopter pilot is friends with your helicopter pilot, Pete. Pete told him about your story, and he told me. I figured I'd talk to the Fenton's, the most famous (or infamous, you be the judge) paranormal 'experts' I know of."
"Well you didn't beat me to the story. I already interviewed them, and they are probably going to sleep at this very moment."
"Is that so? Well in that case, I'd be willing to share what I know with you."
Harriet gave him an odd look. "You know stuff about the ghosts?"
"Why yes, that Inviso-Bill is quite a character."
"And what's my end of the deal then?"
"Why accompanying me for a breakfast date tomorrow morning."
"Whoa whoa- you're asking me out after you just insulted me?"
"What can I say? Guys often say dumb things when a beautiful woman graces them with her presence, or in my case, towers over. Perhaps I was intimidated by your determination, nose for news, and good looks. So whatdaya say?"
Harriet looked down at him in sheer confusion. "Well I guess that is kind of sweet, in an odd way," she said. "Sure, I'll meet you for breakfast tomorrow."
Next chapter: guest appearances by Wulf, the Box Ghost again, Vlad, Ray, and some new ghost powers may emerge. (It may take me a while, so don't expect it soon) If I get some reviews, maybe I'll work a bit harder to get it done sooner!