Yeah! The next chapter! Oh, and to confirm many of your suspicions this will be a Danny/Sam fic in later chapters, but you probably already knew that .
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
Flashbacks
Disclaimer: Don't own Danny Phantom, but I do own the original characters Morbid and Pallas Dark.
Chapter V
The ghost child moved; she was sure of it.
They had arrived the day before, Freak Show and his five ghost slaves, at their small trailer seeking refuge "until my current situation with the law blows over" was the explanation. Pallas Dark had been less than joyful at seeing her arrogant older brother again but truthfully had no say in the matter. Their home was his home.
Like Freak Show, Pallas Dark and Morbid were with a traveling circus, the original one their parents had set up before they passed away, so Circus Gothica was nothing more than a desperate attempt to escape the family ties that bound Freak Show to them. Pallas Dark could care less if he wanted to get away or not; but, as said before, she didn't have a say in the matter.
At the moment the ghosts had just came back from a raid with more stolen money and jewels. The youngest ghost had not moved since the raid nor since he came to their trailer (except to receive orders), his head always down so his flurry white bangs shielded his gaze. The others moved, following Morbid and her with their listless stares; their greenish glowing skins made her repulsed at their sight and she cringe whenever they limply watched at their 'master' Freak Show when he was shouting out orders.
Perhaps that why she like the snow haired one so much. Danny, wasn't it? At least that's what the police report said. He never acknowledged her like the others and his skin wasn't ghastly green like the other either. It was a nice fair color, and with the attire he was wearing, it was a breathtaking picture.
"Do you think he's hungry, Freak Show?" Pallas Dark asked turning to her older brother who was greedily counting his money.
"Huh? Who?"
"Danny."
Freak Show laughed. "My dear, naive sister," he shook his head in a superior sort of way, as if he was talking to a child much younger than she. "Why do you insist on calling it that? It's a ghost with no feelings, no will of it's own except to destroy. I probably saved a lot of people by taking this one. Who knows when he might have gone off on a haunting spree, or worse? Besides, I don't think ghosts eat. Their dead after all."
"He's just half," she retorted staring at the ghost child as if mesmerized.
Freak Show rolled his eyes. He should have known. Pallas Dark and the ghost boy were about the same age, and he did have to admit, the child was attractive.
"I don't want you disturbing it," Freak Show ordered.
"I just don't think--"
"That's right. You don't think. Our parents passed the staff down to me because I am the eldest. What you think holds little relevance to me," he snapped.
"You shouldn't talk to Pallas Dark like that," Morbid said from his position on the couch.
"Oh, so the quiet one speaks. Look, Morbid, I don't need you to defend Miss Concerned over here. Pallas Dark needs to learn to fend for herself."
"With a brother like you, that would be impossible," Morbid muttered.
"What did you say, dear little brother?" Freak Show asked through his teeth. Morbid didn't respond.
Pallas Dark tugged nervously at her twin purple pigtails and waited as the tension dropped in the trailer. She wasn't normally persistent, always having Morbid do the talking for her when she got in a difficult situation but she gulped and opened her mouth.
"Someone called you on your cell when you stepped outside to get the money and stuff," Pallas Dark informed Freak Show. "I answered it. I hope you don't mind."
"You should have come and got me!"
"What deal did you make with this person?" Pallas Dark pushed on.
"What'd he tell you?" Freak Show got up and grabbed his phone, scrolling through the list of recent callers.
"Just to give you his regards, check up on Dan-- I mean the new ghost you acquired and he wants to set up a time where you can meet him."
Freak Show cursed. "If he didn't pay so much..." He sighed and set down the phone.
"Aren't you going to call him?"
"I don't call him. He calls me."
"All this trouble over one ghost," Pallas Dark mused. "What does this guy want with him anyway?" Freak Show didn't answer.
Music blared, lights danced along with the sullen bodies mashed together in the night club. Sam, Tucker and Jazz glanced around; their eyes scanned over drunks laughing over drinks, girls dancing on tables, and couples making out in the back.
"Don't these people have a life?" Jazz asked, disgusted. She tugged on her mini skirt hoping that they would soon find their target and get out of there.
"Apparently not," Tucker said.
"Was it necessary to wear this?" Sam questioned gesturing to her black dress (which stopped at mid thigh), high healed shoes and heavy makeup.
"We snuck in here so we have to look the part if we don't want to get caught," Jazz said but she was also wondering if they went a little overboard on the outfits. Tucker was the only one who was somewhat comfortable in his garb: a green tank top, baggy blue jeans along with several chains that hung from his neck.
The trio shuffled through the crowd, avoiding eye contact and the stout Bouncer who was watching the waywardness from the front doors. "He's over there," Tucker said holding the Fenton Finder and leading the way to a secluded table where two beings sat intimately talking.
"Hello, Johnny," Jazz greeted. "Mind if we join you?" Johnny 13 looked up, surprised at seeing Jazz, Sam and Tucker. His girlfriend, Kitty, also looked startled but quickly recovered.
"You're the sister of that Danny kid, aren't you?" Kitty asked, moving closer to Johnny so the three could sit. "How is he, by the way?"
"We are hoping you would tell us," Sam said.
"We haven't seen him in a while," Johnny explained. "The last time was when he helped me get Kitty back."
"Is he in trouble?" Kitty asked.
Tucker suddenly nudged Sam who in turn elbowed Jazz and they ducked their heads when the bouncer walked past already dragging two underage teens to the front door. "Now, that was close," Tucker breathed.
"You guys snuck in here?" Kitty questioned.
"Yeah, we heard that you two were here and we had to talk to you," Sam told.
"I'm honored, doll," Johnny smirked.
"Anyway, back to what we were saying Danny's been missing for about a week," Jazz said. "You're the first ghosts we ran into who could possible tell us something."
"And how would you figure that?" Johnny asked.
"You go to the ghost zone, isn't there any news or rumors running around about Danny?"
"Just the normal stuff, you know. About how the halfa is rounding up ghosts and sending them back to the ghost zone." Kitty informed.
"However, there is talk about how that's stopped recently. I mean when ghosts appear in the real world they aren't caught right away-- sometimes never," Johnny said. "Many say that the halfa went to the ghost zone and was captured by Walker. Others think that he just gave up. Us? We don't know what to think. But it gives us more time to do the things we love."
Sam sighed. This was going no where, fast.Jazz, Tucker andsheknew where Danny went, with Freak Show. Sam had hoped Johnny and Kitty could tell them more, or even help them, but she knew that was a long shot. For all they knew Danny could be in trouble at that very moment.
"We know who took Danny. His name is Freak Show and he can control ghosts with his crystal staff! Now, do you have any information on that or not?" Sam asked, impatiently.
"Don't get your hair in a mess, dear," Kitty smiled, knowingly. "You're that one girl. That Sam girl that Danny likes so much. Yes? You like him too, don't you?"
"What? No...I, um... I'm just his friend."
Johnny chuckled hugging Kitty closer. "Young love... So anyway, as a matter of fact I heard about that. Not that Danny was under this guys control or anything like that but that there is a staff like that out there. I always thought it was a myth."
"Do you know anyone who would know more about this?" Jazz asked.
"Yeah. Go to a place called Zaira Bastion in the ghost zone. It's a library actually. The librarian should know more about this staff thing."
"Then I'll go," Sam volunteered before Jazz and Tucker could speak. "You can take me there, right?" She directed her question to the ghost duo.
"Right now?" Johnny whined.
"Come on, Johnny. You do owe it to Danny for getting us back together," Kitty said.
"More or less," Johnny muttered. Kitty glared at him. "Alright," Johnny grouched. "Let's go."
"We'll stay here and continue to look for Danny. Hopefully we will find out something else here," Jazz said. "Remember your Fenton Phone."
"Good luck, you guys," Sam called as she held Kitty's hand and became intangible to pass through the club wall, then leapt through the portal that Johnny opened.
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