Sammy: Well here ya go!
CalicoKitty13: Thank you. It will all tie together soon, (I hope!) But it will keep jumping for a few more chapters I think.
Liobit: Thank you. I hope it is okay and meets your expectations. (And it won't be too predictable if I have anything to say about it!)
cakreut12: Yup, I'm back. (Hanging by a thread, but I still keep at it because so many of you were so nice and encouraged me to do it again.)
Master of Procrastination: Thank you, and good luck on your exams too! I do plan on having more fight scenes. How can we not? Lol.
Oh, one more thing- sorry if it isn't consistant with the show. I haven't seen it in a while, so I don't really know what has been going on aside from the general stuff. So, please let me know if any of it is just downright incorrect. Thanks.
Amity Park (Present)
"Hey guys!" Sam said happily as she answered her front door and ushered Danny and Tucker inside. "So first I thought I'd surprise you guys by watching the new Terminatra III movie and then do some bowling if you'd like…"
"Whoa whoa wait, Sam." Tucker said, his eyes wide. "You have the new Terminatra III movie? It isn't even in theaters yet!"
"Is it that big of a surprise?" Danny asked.
"Heh heh. It pays for your parents to know people," she replied quietly. She knew they were just teasing her, but she hated flaunting the fact that her family was one of the richest in the area in front of her friends. It made her feel shallow. She just thought it would be something fun to do.
"Yeah, literally! And I have no problem reaping the benefits of being in your presence, your highness," Tucker said, with a snooty attitude that was meant to mock her.
Sam stopped, and Danny could tell that line really ticked her off. "Okay, that's enough- you're my friend, so I'll let that one go. But after the whole 'Prince Aragon' and his sister thing, if I hear anything that reminds me of royalty, heads will roll."
"Gee Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"
"Gotcha!" she said laughing. "Nah, I'm just kidding. Now let's go downstairs and watch it." She didn't want to break the news to Danny about her conversation with Valerie, so she figured she'd wait for the most opportune moment and keep them in a happy mood while she could.
"Sounds good to me!" Danny and Tucker agreed and headed down the regal wooden staircase that could have been on the first class deck of the HMS Titanic.
"So, do we have an agreement?" Vlad Plasmius asked the Fright Knight anxiously as they both hovered in the Ghost Zone outside Pariah Dark's castle.
"It is an interesting offer, to say the least, but I'm not quite sure I completely understand," the ghostly knight answered as he looked at the man. "What sounds too good to be true usually is."
"Think about it," the cunning halfa replied. "You served that Pariah Dark buffoon for eons, and then he gets defeated and locked away for eternity by a mere boy. Do you really think he'd stand a chance against you?"
"Well, if you put it that way…"
"Wonderful! So then you'll show me how to get to the Time Keeper's realm? I tell you, if my plan succeeds, I will give you total rule over the Ghost Zone, and you can do what you wish with it. Make it your empire of eternal nightmares for all I care."
"It sounds promising, but just how exactly do you figure that will happen? The Ghost Zone is infinite and isn't exactly yours to give. Pariah was the king. Plus, the ghosts won't necessarily follow my rule if I just come out and say, "Hey, bow to me, I'm your new ruler!"
"They will if you wear the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage- the two ultimate artifacts that will give you power over everything."
That got the ghostly knight's attention. "Okay, I'm listening. How do you plan on getting those objects without waking Pariah?" his voice became a mere whisper when he mentioned the name, as if the old king were listening to him in his eternal slumber.
"Just leave it to me. Now, about the Time Keeper's realm…"
"Well," the knight started, "I don't exactly know how to get there..."
"WHAT? BUT YOU JUST SAID YOU KNEW…" Vlad's eyes narrowed but the knight continued.
"…What I said is that I know who I can contact in order to find out how to get there."
"And just who may this miraculous ghost be?"
The Fright Knight snapped his fingers and two oddly shaped spirits appeared before him. They had cylindrical bodies topped with giant eyes, each with a large pupil that would have made even Sauron jealous. "Allow me to introduce the Observants."
"Erm, charmed," Vlad said as he eyed them cautiously.
"Yes master, we have brought what you requested," they murmured in unison. He watched as the first Observant held up a golden medallion attached to a necklace with the letters, "CW" engraved on the shimmering surface and handed it to Vlad. "Be careful with this, it will take you where you wish to go once you put it on. No other ghosts besides us have visited Clockwork for quite some time. Though there were two humans and a halfa like yourself not too long ago who…"
"What?" Vlad asked in shock. "A halfa?" Had Daniel beaten him there as well? Just how much did he know about this place that Vlad didn't?
"Of course. The halfa keeps a medallion as well. He's quite a lad if we do say so."
"How is it possible?"
"Well, you are sure to find out."
"And just when will that be?" Vlad asked, his frustrated angry tone was apparent.
"Patience. All will be revealed… in due time."
"Man, your grandma sure is good at bowling," Danny said as he and Tucker put their balls away on the rack. They had finished watching their movie and had challenged Sam to a round in her private bowling alley when her grandmother appeared and took on the three of them.
"Yeah, remind me not to play against that woman again."
Sam smiled as she looked at her grandmother, who had beaten them to a pulp, as far as scores were concerned.
"Yippee!" the old woman cried. "I still got my touch, Wobbola!" she exclaimed to her granddaughter. She was the only one Sam allowed to call her nicknames.
"Yeah, I guess so, Grandma. Just go easier on the boys, next time."
"You got it, kiddo!" the woman said and wheeled her electric wheelchair off to the back elevator and went upstairs. "I think I'd best be off to bed. See you tomorrow, honey."
"Man, you have an elevator too?" Tucker whispered as they all waved goodbye to the tiny, wrinkled woman. "I never saw that."
"You must have never looked," Sam replied.
"Well, it's getting late and I have to make sure I'm not too tired for my date with Valerie," Danny said. Sam blinked. She had been having so much fun she almost had forgotten to tell Danny about her conversation with the girl.
"Um, yeah about that…" she started. "I kind of talked to her yesterday and…" How would she put it without sounding too… too… was 'possessive' the word?
"And what?" Danny asked.
"Well, she uh…"
"Yeah?"
"I don't think she asked you out on a date."
"What do you mean?"
Sam didn't want to lie, but she had to tell her best friend something. "She was asking about your parents and I kind of let it slip that you hunt ghosts…"
"Whoa, you WHAT?" Danny asked.
"Relax, I didn't blow your big secret. I just told her you know how to use your parent's equipment."
"Well that is true," Tucker said and tuned to Danny. "Just bring a Fenton Thermos to show her or something."
"She already has one, though I doubt she knows how to use it. She may even connect it to my parents somehow."
"So tell her it's a common product among ghost hunters, or something," Tucker suggested.
"Yeah, I guess I could… but then what if she starts using it?"
"I uh, didn't finish," Sam said. "I kind of told her you were very good at ghost hunting, and I think she intends to challenge you to a competition. Though I could be wrong…"
"Why did you tell her that?" Danny said, becoming angered.
"Well you are!"
"Not while I'm…alive!" He said the last word in almost a whisper in case her grandmother was listening somehow. He mentally slapped himself afterwards for having become so paranoid.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. She didn't believe me, so it kind of blurted out on its own."
"But I'm not a good ghost hunter as a human. I can barely stay away from her as a ghost!" Danny exclaimed, then had a thought. "Wait, so she actually told you she was a ghost hunter? I didn't think she'd ever tell anyone."
"No, she didn't tell me per se, but I think she intends on telling you."
"Great," Danny said, his eyes sinking. "That's just perfect," he muttered quietly in his own style of sarcasm. "Well thanks anyway for finding out what she really intended, Sam. What do you guys think I should do?"
Tucker shot straight up, his eyes wide. "Ooh I know! Danny, we're going to your house!"
The Next Day (Noon)
R U sur it will wrk, Tkr? Danny typed frantically into the text messaging box on his cell phone as he waited by the McWendy's. He had dressed somewhat nicer, just in case Sam had been wrong and it really was a date. He didn't want to let Valerie know he was onto her either. He sat down at a table, tucking the Fenton Thermos away into the inside pocket of his jacket. Luckily it wasn't too noticeable. However, as he waited, he couldn't help but wonder why Sam had told Valerie that he was a good ghost hunter in the first place. He had forgotten to ask her in his panicked, slightly angry state of mind. Anyway, at least she found out her real motives, and he had her to thank for that, if it was true. His thoughts were interrupted by a beeping sound, indicating that Tucker had responded.
It cant go wrng, was the message he got in response. He looked to see Tucker and Sam at a table on the opposite side of the food court keeping an eye on things. "Okay," he said to himself and looked around. Sure enough, he saw Valerie waving and approaching him. She had also taken the time to spruce herself up. Danny actually thought she looked very nice.
"Hey Danny!" she said. "I'm so glad you showed up."
"Um, yeah Valerie. You look, um, nice."
"Really? Thanks!" she said happily. "You too."
"Thanks." Danny looked around as an awkward silence ensued. She obviously wanted him to say something. "So… what did you want to ask me about?"
Valerie's face turned serious. She looked like she was about to say one thing, than changed her mind and said another. "Why don't we get something to eat first?"
Danny barely had time to answer before finding himself dragged on line and a few minutes later they were both sipping soda and eating cheeseburgers back at the table.
"Tis is 'etty 'ood," Danny said, his mouth full of food.
"Yup," Valerie answered followed by another awkward silence.
Sam and Tucker looked on. "What's going on?" Sam asked as they peered across the large room. She was holding another Fenton Thermos under the table.
"I can't quite tell. They're just eating," Tucker replied as he whipped out a tiny pair of binoculars from his pocket and peered through them.
Valerie decided to break the silence. "Danny, as I know you are aware, my life was ruined by ghosts a while back," she started.
Oh crud, here it comes… Danny thought. "I guess so…"
"…And I heard you and your parents are ghost hunters, so I was wondering if you might be interested in helping me with a little problem of mine."
"Valerie, the dog that ruined your life was taken care of… from what I hear, of course."
"Well yeah, but I wanted to tell you something for a long time. After that happened, I became really interested in ghost hunting."
Danny looked up from his burger. "You don't say?"
Valerie continued. "I got so into it that I became an official ghost hunter myself."
Danny tried to look genuinely surprised. So I guess Sam was right, he thought. "Oh? Really?"
"Yeah, and if you tell anyone, I'll pound the living daylights out of you, though I am pretty sure I can trust you and I made the right decision in telling you."
Danny sat up straight. "Heh heh- of course not. I won't tell anyone."
"Now if you don't mind me saying, I heard from a very reliable source that you are also into ghost hunting. No doubt helping your parents."
Well, uh, sometimes I do. Nothing much though."
"You don't have to be shy or so humble about it. I heard you were the best there was."
Danny almost choked on his food before he caught his breath and swallowed. "The best, you say? That may be a little exaggerated," he coughed.
"Oh I doubt it. In fact, I'd like to challenge you to a little competition. The first one to find and capture a ghost wins, starting tomorrow."
"Wins what?"
"Um, the knowledge that they are the best?"
"Okay. Let's get this over with and then we can go home." Danny scratched his head and nodded, the signal to Sam and Tucker to jump into action. Sam opened her thermos and none other than The Box Ghost appeared across the food court. She quickly tucked it away before anyone saw what she had done, since all eyes were on the specter.
"Ahh! Help! A ghost!" she cried, as other people started to scream and run away.
"Ha ha! Foolish human! I have escaped and come to claim all the wonderful boxes I can find here at this… this…" he looked around confused. "Mall, I guess. Yes! This is a mall! Ha ha! No one will stop me now!"
"Are you sure it was wise bringing him here?" Sam asked Tucker.
"Please, if Danny had to catch any ghost as a human, The Box Ghost should be no sweat. He could catch him in his sleep as a ghost. Plus, we want it to be easy for Valerie. She's the one who is supposed to catch him and win."
"Um, is it just me, or is there a ghost over there?" Danny asked. Valerie had noticed it too.
"Freeze right there, ghost!" Valerie yelled and pulled out a small device that shot out a special red glowing ecto-net and fired it. It missed the spirit altogether as he dodged out of the way.
"You cannot catch me, human!" he yelled as he raised his arms and boxes from different stores flew up in the air and encircled him. He then caused them to all fly at Valerie who tripped backwards and lost her balance. Luckily she wasn't hit, but she was mad. She went to fire again, but realized she was out of ammo. She hadn't expected to run across a ghost so soon and didn't properly prepare her equipment. In truth, she wanted to dress up for Danny and not want to be bothered carrying around the brunt of all her ghost hunting equipment while they had their little chat. She rummaged through her backpack in search of anything she could use, and growled in anger upon finding nothing else.
"Darn, if I had brought my rocket sled," she mumbled to herself. "Gahh! I'm out of ammo too!" she exclaimed as she held up an empty metallic clip and shook it just to make sure. She looked around to see Danny who appeared as if he was just standing there, afraid. Wait a second- he's scared?
I can't believe she didn't get him, or come as prepared as we expected her to, Danny thought. That's gotta be a first. "Come on Valerie, get him!" She's supposed to win so she leaves me alone and goes back to thinking she's the best.
"But you're the 'great' ghost hunter!" she yelled back in confusion.
"No I'm not! I'm terrified of ghosts!"
"Then it was a lie?"
"YES! That's what I've been trying to tell you!"
Valerie was shocked. Why would Sam lie about Danny? Unless…
Ha ha! Once I empty these boxes of their useless contents, their marvelous squareness shall all be mine!" The Box Ghost shouted mischievously. All the floating boxes emptied, the contents spilling onto people sitting below who had not been sure as to weather it was safe to move or just stay where they were.
"Ouch! Eeeek!" People screamed as they were pummeled with the falling merchandise.
Store owners also came running out and shouting, "Come back here, thief!"
"Okay, that's it!" Danny yelled. He ran across the food court and stopped under the Box Ghost before he uncapped his own Thermos. It charged up with a high pitched squeal and its internal components started glowing.
"Why it is you Ghost Child!" he said right as he was sucked into the swirling bluish vortex that appeared. "You haven't seen the lasssssttttt ooooffffff meeeeeee!" he cried before being silenced by the cap being closed over the opening.
Honestly, was it really that hard? Danny thought to himself. Valerie would normally have had no problem handling him. He then heard applause and noticed everyone was cheering for him.
"I guess she's not so tough without her stuff," Tucker said above the noise.
"Yeah, remind us next time we stage a contest I am SUPPOSED TO LOSE!" Danny said.
"Well I guess that means you won," Sam said.
"It was THE BOX GHOST for crying out loud!" Danny said right as he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned to see Valerie.
"I apologize. You really did beat me," she said eyeing the thermos curiouosly before Danny put it away hastily.
"No, Valerie. It was a fluke. You really should have won. You are better than me anyway."
"Oh really? Then you admit you were going to let me win?" She sneered, her competitive nature taking over. "That's right, Fenton, I figured it out. Sam wouldn't lie about her best friend."
"No no! Not at all! You won fair and square," Danny said, looking nervous.
"Are you sure?" She couldn't help but admire his humility, then smiled as she devised another plan. She knew he wasn't giving it his all. "Then I challenge you to another contest - next time I'll have my gear and I'll be ready."
"Fine. Why not?" Danny replied. I'll just make sure I lose, then she'll rub it in for a few days, and we all move on with our lives. "You're on."
"Promise?"
"I suppose," Danny answered glumly. Let's get this over with.
"Good. But, I'm going to change the rules this time. We're only going after one ghost now. If I catch him, you date me. If you catch him," she glanced at Sam, "you date whoever you want. Let's see who you really care about."
"Why do I have to date anybody?" Danny asked.
"Because we said so!" both girls exclaimed, then Sam flushed, surprised at herself for making such an outburst. Danny just blinked, confused as always in these matters.
"Pretty high stakes," Tucker said.
"Well, he already agreed to another contest." Valerie retorted.
"What if nobody catches the ghost?" Sam asked.
"Oh, one of us will eventually. I'll make sure of it," Valerie purred, almost dangerously, as her competitive nature and liking for Danny took over.
"Man, I wish I had your problem," Tucker announced blatantly as he looked from Sam to Valerie. Both looked like they were about to throw something at him.
"Uh, so which ghost then?" Danny asked a bit unnerved.
"Danny Phantom, of course."
The expressions of all three went into an instant blank stare. "You guys okay?" Valerie asked.
"Da… Danny Phantom? What if I don't want to?" Danny asked slowly.
"Too late now. You'll just be giving me more time to catch him and you'll lose the bet. Next time he appears, Phantom's going down!" she roared and smiled at Sam who gave her a death glare. "Oh by the way, this was fun Danny. Let's be sure to do it again sometime," she said as she turned to leave.
"Guys, this is NOT good."
"You're telling me," Tucker said. "Let's just hope these stores have insurance."