"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
-Aesop
Chapter 2; Inhuman
"Danny!" Neris said, waving the boy over from where she stood in the lobby. "I've been waiting for you! I've already bought the tickets, see?"
"Great!" Danny said, grinning as he came up to her. His grin fell for a confused look as soon as he saw the tickets she was referring to, "Two? Where are Sam and Tuck's?" Neris looked annoyed for a moment, then she pouted light.
"Well it's just that I wasn't sure if they'd even show up. They didn't seem to like me very much. Especially Samantha…" Danny flinched, knowing that he couldn't defend Sam here because, in all honesty, she didn't like Neris.
"It's not that they don't like you…" Danny assured her, "It's just…"
"Danny!" Neris froze, her face contorting in displeasure at the new voice.
"Valerie!" Danny said in surprise. "Wow, what are you doing here?"
"Just watching a movie," Valerie answered with a bright smile. It took on a more devious edge when she noticed the way Neris was glaring at her. If looks could kill, Amity Park would be short one Ghost hunter right now. "Where're Sam and Tucker?"
"They should be here any second." Danny said, "This is Neris, by the way. She just moved here from France."
"We've met," Valerie said, her voice taking on a cooler tone only Neris picked up on. "So, hanging out tonight, huh? What movie are you guys going to see?"
"Bloody Kiss II," Neris responded at once.
"The vampire flick?" Valerie said, "What a coincidence, I'm seeing the same thing!" She held up her ticket as proof, smiling brightly at Neris' scowl.
"Wow, that is a coincidence," Danny said, a little more suspicious.
"Why don't we all sit together?" Valerie said innocently, "Movies are much more fun when you watch them in groups."
"Yeah, why not?" Danny said, his tone somewhere between bemused and exasperated. He'd finally caught on to Valerie's game.
"Danny!" Sam called as she and Tucker made there way over. Only Tucker looked stunned to see the ghost hunter there. "Oh hey, Valerie! What a surprise!"
"I bet," Danny muttered under his breath. "Well, Sam and Tuck showed. I'll go buy their tickets while you guys get the popcorn, alright?"
"Oh, I'll go with you, Danny!" Neris said sweetly, "And I'll buy their tickets. Tonight was supposed to be my treat, after all…"
"If you insist," Sam said in a sugary voice. Giving the two girls once last glare, Neris took Danny's arm and pulled him towards the ticket booth.
"Follow my lead." Valerie muttered softly to Sam as they headed for the Candy counter. Chuckling softly, she added, "If this girl's anything like Paulina, this'll be a piece of cake."
"Alright, we've got the tickets, you guys have everything else?" Danny asked as he and Neris returned. Neris had yet to de-latch herself from Danny's arm.
"I think so…" Valerie said, sharing a smirk with Sam as the stood next to a large pile of the junkiest foods imaginable, including popcorn that was more butter and salt that actual popcorn. "Think you two can give us a hand."
Valerie grinned in triumph at the look that passed Neris' face at the sight of all the fatty foods. She gave them an evil look at Danny and Tucker began gathering foods in their arms. After a moment, Neris seemed to come to a decision.
"Actually, I think I want something else-"
"Okay," Sam said before Neris could say anything else, "We'll go on ahead. I'm sure you can catch up when you're done picking out what you want," and, before Neris could raise a protest, Valerie and Sam were pushing Danny and Tucker off to their theatre.
"I can't wait to see this movie," Sam said as they settled down, taking the seat to the left of Danny, right by the isle. "The first was great, and they say this one's even better! Action, horror and romance!"
"Yeah," Danny said as he sat, "If you can call having the life sucked out of you by the living dead romantic…"
"Yeah, I liked the vampire hunters in the first one," Valerie said, taking the seat to the right of Danny. "Especially Dominatrix. She can kick anyone's butt! And all without messing up her hair."
"No way, Graystorm's the best character hands down." Tucker said from the right of Valerie. "Half vampire, half werewolf, all action!"
"You're both crazy," Sam said, "Gem was the greatest. She was the only one who could live through Arson's attacks, and the most powerful witch alive. And she had the coolest fashion tastes!"
"What do you think, Danny?" Valerie asked, "Who's your favorite?"
"Probably Drakkus." Danny answered. "The really powerful vampire who wanted to be mortal again."
"I didn't get that at all," Valerie complained, "I mean, he could live forever, and he was so strong, the usual vampire weaknesses didn't effect him, so why become mortal again?"
"Because, sometimes power and immortality isn't what you'd expect." Danny explained, "Sometimes, you just wanna be a normal person…" Sam gave him a concerned frown.
That sounded far too much like an admittance of his burden as Danny Phantom for her tastes. A shared look with Tucker said he thought the same thing. Sam made a mental note to ask him about that later.
"Sorry I took so long!" The good mood that had settled during the light argument was spoiled by the reappearance of Neris.
And while Sam was pleased with the irritated look on her face when she saw both girls had taken the seats closest to Danny, she still felt cheated somehow. Still, she shook the feeling off as the theatre dimmed and the forty minutes of opening credits began.
"That was great!" Tucker said as they left the theatre, throwing their trash away on the way out.
"I know. The fight scene between Dominatrix and Drakkus was awesome!" Danny said.
"She totally would've had him beat if Vladicus hadn't come busting in like that." Valerie complained.
"I'm still kinda bummed Drakkus died like that," Neris complained.
"Are you kidding? That was one of the greatest scenes!" Sam said, "It was totally dramatic. And at least he died mortal. That was what he always wanted, right?"
"That catfight between Dominatrix and Tiara was the funniest part," Danny said, grinning, "I always knew girls had their own secret language."
"We do not," Sam said stiffly. "we just recognize more is all. There's more to a conversation then what's being said. There's body language, too, and attitude. Those alone can tell you things words can't begin to describe,"
"I think I smell a lecture coming on…" Tucker groaned.
"Come on, Sam, class isn't until tomorrow." Danny joked.
"Very funny," Sam said mock glaring at the two of them. "Well, we should probably head home now… Coming, Danny?"
"Yeah," Danny answered, not noticing Neris' scowl.
"You two are walking home together?" she asked innocently. "I was hoping you'd help me home, Danny. I wouldn't want to be attacked by a mugger…"
"Well, yeah." Danny answered, "Our houses are both in that direction. Tucker lives a little ways off, but I think Val lives close to you,"
"Right," Valerie said sweetly, "And there's no mugger in Amity Park that's gonna mess with me. Everyone knows I'd kick a guys ass in a heartbeat if given half the chance,"
"Believe me, I'd feel bad for anyone dumb enough to try," Danny said, only half joking. He's been on the receiving end of Valerie's hits far too many times to take her lightly.
"See you in school tomorrow, Neris," Sam said sweetly, pushing Danny out the door before he could say anything else.
"Uh, I'll catch you guys later…" Tucker said, not liking the way the two were eyeing each other. He highly doubted that one of them wouldn't sustain injury from this meeting, and his money was on Valerie to come out unscathed.
"Well, lets go, shall we?" Valerie said sweetly.
"Lets" Neris agreed, just as sweetly. The two headed off in silence for a while, both eyeing each other warily as the walked. After a while, Neris finally spoke again. "I should've realized you were a dirty cheating bitch."
"I warned you I wasn't nice," Valerie said, smirking. "And the more you clung to Danny, the meaner I get."
"Why do you care?" Neris said.
"Because Danny's one of the few people I can actually call a good friend," Valerie said, scowling as she thought of the cold treatment she'd received from her so-called 'friends' when she was popular. She wasn't about to forgive any of them any time soon… "And if you think I'm gonna let a leech like you near him…"
"You'll what? Blast me with an ecto-gun?" Neris said smirking. Valerie went still.
"How did you know about that?" She asked suspiciously.
"I know all about you, Valerie Grey." Neris replied smugly. "You and every other incompetent ghost hunter in this trash heap of a town. Right down to Danny's fool of a father. Not that any of you can harm me…" Valerie's eyes narrowed.
"You're a ghost!" She said accusingly, triggering her equipment and leveling an ecto-gun at Neris. Neris laughed.
"You think so?" She said, smirking, "Humans are so pathetically simple…" she flicked her wrist in Valerie's direction, and suddenly the ghost hunter was nailed against the wall, stunned. "You always jump to the first conclusion, and simply can't open your minds to the possibilities."
"If you're not a ghost, what are you!" Valerie demanded, Struggling against Neris' power, "And what do you want with Danny!"
"So rude…" Neris pouted, "Now I don't feel like talking to you any more," She released her hold on Valerie, walking away. Valerie immediately aimed for the back of Neris' head, "I wouldn't, if I were you." Neris advised, "I'm still in a good mood my plan's on task, you wouldn't want to spoil that, would you? Besides, even if you can last against my ghost minions, I doubt little Miss Samantha Manson could hold them off for two seconds." Valerie gasped, her eyes widening behind her mask.
"What have you done to her and Danny!" She said, her demanding tone taking on a darker edge as her eyes narrowed, "If you've hurt him…"
"Danny's fine," Neris said confidently, "Can't say the same for the Goth freak, though, she's on the clock…" After hesitating for a moment, Valerie growled angrily and took off on her jet slide to find and rescue Sam.
"The fighting scenes were pretty good, only the special effects were pretty dull, weren't they? You could totally tell most of it was fake." Sam said to Danny after they'd left the theatre.
"As fake as the coincidental meeting with Valerie?" Danny said dryly.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sam said innocently.
"Sam…"
"What? Just because that new girl is a two-faced, evil, man-eating tramp, you honestly think I'd turn around and make a temporary truce with one of your enemies who's also sort of your friend to get rid of her?"
"Is the Box Ghost lame?" Sam flinched and sighed.
"Look, I know you think she's okay, Danny, but trust women's intuition with this one; Neris is bad news."
"She hasn't done anything to make me think she's dangerous," Danny said, "And unless she does, I won't treat her like a criminal."
"But Danny-!"
"I'll tell you what, Sam. I'll keep a closer eye on Neris starting tomorrow. If I see anything that makes me even begin to think that she might have the slightest connection with ghosts, I'll stop hanging around her, deal?"
"Deal," Sam said with a slight sigh. What else was she supposed to do?
"In the meantime, don't try to pick my friends behind my back, okay? I know you're trying to watch out for me, and I really appreciate it, but I've fought my own battles before, and I think I can handle Neris."
"That's what scares me…" Sam muttered under her breath, Danny shot her a suspicious look. "Okay, okay, I'll lay off the overprotective thing a little."
"Glad to hear it." Danny said, smiling slightly as they reached Sam's house. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah," Sam said weakly as she watched him jog off a little ways. After a glance around assured him the rest of the street was deserted, her went Ghost and flew off towards the Fenton house. "See ya,"
Sighing, Sam entered her house, trudging up to her room dejectedly. While part of her admired Danny's fairness and willingness to give others a chance, another part of her wanted to shake him for being so naïve. Damn him for not seeing the way Neris would look at people other than Danny!
And why the Hell were the guys still falling all over themselves for her for! Dash was pathetic hitting on her today, and Tucker wasn't must better. Even guys with girlfriends like Kwan double took when she walked by. (Much to Star's irritation.) She was pretty, yes, but not that pretty…
And why the Hell was she so interested in Her Danny!
Sam stopped at that thought. HER Danny! What was that about! She, who always preached about individualism and how people couldn't be claimed like items!
Then, Sam blushed slightly. Well, if anyone had claim to Danny, she did. She knew him better than anyone, certainly better than girls like Paulina and Neris. Hell, she even knew him better than his family! None of them knew about the whole Ghost thing!
With that resolved, Sam continued down the hall to her room, making a mental note to ask for the instillation of an elevator. A trek up five stories of stairs could really wear an emotionally drained person out. Sighing, Sam opened her door…
And froze.
Inside her room, three of those disgusting monsters Valerie had fought were currently tearing her possessions to shreds. When they heard the door open, all three looked up and growled malevolently at her. Too stunned to make a sound, Sam backed up until she hit the hallway wall.
"Deeeeestroooooyyy…" The creatures growled as one, stalking forward. As the first one reached the door, Sam finally found her voice again.
"KKKKKKKKKKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, covering her face with her arms.
The monsters roared and leapt forward to attack, As Sam slumped helplessly against the wall.
There was a loud crashing sound as the creatures collided with the wall where Sam had once sat. Sam herself blinked down at them from five feet above, hanging by an arm which was being held above her by her savoir.
"You know, for someone so independent, you sure now how to play damsel in distress." Valerie said irritably as she landed, setting Sam down. Sam just stared at her in shock, not sure what to make of what was happening.
"Sammy-kins? Are you alright?" Mrs. Manson said coming upstairs. Her eyes widened at the sight of the ghosts, the ghost hunter, and her now back to reality daughter. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, fainting in classic damsel style.
"Honey? Samantha! What's going on up there!" Mr. Manson called up the stairs.
"Dad, Call the Fentons!" Sam called down, not answering her father. "Tell them there are ghosts!"
"Ghosts! Where! Sammy, what's-?"
"Just do it, Dad!" Sam yelled.
"I can handle this, you know," Valerie said, seemingly insulted she was asking for more ghost hunters.
"Never too careful," Sam replied. She knew that if Jack Fenton heard about a ghost in the Manson Manor, it'd only take a few moments for Danny to find out. And the rest of his block, for that matter…
"Stay back, theses are level two ghouls. They aren't smart but they are powerful," Valerie warned Sam, "They can tear through walls like wet paper."
"Nice to know…" Sam said, backing up slightly. The ghouls snarled and tried to attack again, but Valerie warded them off with an ecto-blasters. They recoiled, growling at Valerie in contempt.
"Deeeeestroooooyyy…" They hissed again, attacking Valerie from three sides…
"And that, Danny, is why it's important to chew your foods completely before swallowing," Jack lectured his grossed out son.
"I really didn't need to know that, Dad,"
"'Course you did, Everyone needs to know things like that!" Jack insisted. "Right, Jazz?" Jasmine gave her excitable father a dry look.
"Actually, Danny's right. Too much disgusting information like that can scar a child mentally and emotionally for the rest of their lives." Jas said in her usual superior way.
"See! Even Jazz agrees with me!" Jack didn't notice the dry looks from his children, or the way his wife shook her head dejectedly. She opened her mouth to say something when the phone rang.
"GHOSTS!" Jack yelled, pulling a blaster out of thin air.
"Relax, dad, it's just the phone," Danny said, trying to get back to his homework.
"Hello, Fenton Residence, this is Maddie Fenton speaking," Maddie answered the phoned. Suddenly she went still. "What!" There was a pause, and Danny heard someone mumbling frantically on the other line. "We'll be right there!" She slammed the phone down with a little too much energy. "Get the Fenton Assault Vehicle ready, Jack! There's been a ghost attack!"
"What!" Jazz said, alarmed.
"Where!" Danny asked at the same time.
"You little friend, Samantha was attacked in her room just now!" Maddie said.
"WHAT!" Danny yelled, jumping to his feet, his papers scattering.
"Don't worry, Danny, we're on it!" Jack said as he and Maddie hurried to the lab. Danny and Jazz glanced at each other for a moment. Yawning loudly, Jazz stood.
"What a night!" she announced. "You know, suddenly, I can't keep my eyes open. I'm going to bed. Feel free to stay up studying all night, cause I won't be around to watch you," and with that, Jazz hurried up to her room.
Sighing in relief, Danny transformed into a ghost and few out his kitchen wall, heading for Sam's house as fast as he could go. Moments Later, Jazz re-entered the kitchen and hastily hid Danny's homework and books, sitting down just before Maddie and Jack burst back into the kitchen.
"Let's go, Maddie, Time's a-wastin'!" Jack yelled, peeling for the garage. Maddie hesitated.
"Where's Danny?" She asked Jazz.
"He went upstairs to study. Said he didn't want to get in your way," Jas said, smiling brightly.
"Maddie, let's go!" Jack whined, beeping the horn. Maddie sighed.
"Keep an eye on him, will you? I don't want him to try and save Samantha on his own or anything like that…"
"Come on, mom, it's Danny," Jazz said, "What could he do against a bunch of ghosts?"
"Damn, you guys are really getting on my nerves!" Valerie growled as she blasted the ghosts again. She froze when instead of the ecto-ray, she got a little smoke and a weird sound. "Oops,"
"Oops? What oops!" Sam asked.
"Hehe… forgot to recharge the ecto-blasters after my last fight…" Valerie said meekly. Sam groaned and shook her head. "Hey, it's no big!" Valerie said defensively as she drew a bigger gun, "I still got-!" Just then a ghoul sprang forward and knocked the weapon from Valerie's hands. Two of the monster rounded on Valerie and Sam, cornering them.
"You were saying?" Sam said dryly. She wheeled in alarm when the third ghoul headed down the stairs straight for- "MOM!" Sam tried to break loose, but the monster forced her back, "Shit…!"
"I don't think so!" A new voice said, whisking Mrs. Manson away just before the ghoul sunk his claws into her.
"Danny!" Sam shouted in relief.
"You know him?" Valerie asked, suspicious. Sam flinched.
"Of course," She said in a slightly high-pitched voice. "Everyone knows Danny Phantom. I mean, you hear about him on TV all the time!"
"Unfortunately," Valerie said dryly, her irritation towards the ghost-boy's new popularity making her miss Sam's nervousness.
"Damn you guys are ugly! And you smell like last week's trash" Danny said, grimacing at the ghosts before smirking. "Better get this over with fast, so I don't have to put up with it for too long." The monsters all growled and rounded on Danny, obviously finding him a more pressing threat than the girls.
They circled him quickly, while Danny simply stood there, arms crossed. When they all jumped for him at once, Danny went intangible, making them all collide and end up at tangled and dazed mass on the floor. While they were still confused, Danny took out his Fenton Thermos and sucked them all in.
"Great. The smell's still coming through the thermos…" Danny complained. "Ah, well. That was pretty easy."
"So's this!" Valerie said, shooting at him with the blaster the ghosts had knocked away from her earlier. Danny screamed in pain as the blast caught his arm, recoiling to try and get out of Valerie's range. The ghost hunter followed stubbornly, shooting at him all the way.
Her aim had gotten better since she'd started this, Danny noticed with a flinch. And she knew her weapons better, too. Possibly the only thing that hadn't changed was her regard for the damage she was doing to her surroundings. Proof of this was the seven new windows and four new sunroofs the Mansons had acquired.
"You're not getting away today, ghost-boy!" Valerie vowed.
"Guess again," Danny said, going intangible and flying through the wall to the streets.
"Damn you Danny Phantom!" Valerie growled, lowering her weapon.
"Uhh…" Flinching, Valerie turned to see Sam with her unconscious Mother, taking in the now destroyed hallway.
"Hehe…" Valerie laughed weakly, "Sorry about the mess…"
"Oh, it's fine," Sam said hastily, "Nothing a couple hundred thousand dollars and a few days won't fix," Valerie was a little confused by this statement until she really took the time to look at her surroundings.
"Whoa! You're rich!" Valerie said, shocked.
"Yep," Sam said, "Err, could you keep quiet about that, by the way?" Valerie froze as police sirens wailed off in the distance and a commotion downstairs announced the arrival of the Fentons.
"I won't say a word if you forget I was here," Valerie said hastily.
"Deal!" Sam said, before hesitating, "Err, who are you?" she asked, playing dumb. Valerie hesitated.
"Just call me Hunter." She answered before shooting off on her glider. She had a certain transfer student to research…
WoM- Like I said before, this used to be part of chapter one. I really don't know what else to put here 'grins sheepishly'