Surprise!

Enjoy this little bit of lore and not at all foreshadowing and/or future plot points :D

Encore

It was Saturday afternoon, the day after the intense party at Phantom's Keep that changed the lives of everyone in Amity Park. Not a lot of people were out and about on the Saturday afternoon; maybe some people jogging, doing errands or taking kids to the park. All weak attempts to distract themselves from the crushing truth of a real kid dying among their midst, no one noticing, his parents trying to kill him, and then becoming the sovereign of a dimension before eighteen.

The more they thought about it, the worse it was.

Marcia, who had a thirteen year old son who would start high school next year, found it hard not to start crying when she stopped to think about it. Every time she looked at her little Jason she saw Phantom and fekt the knee jerk reaction of taking her kid far away from the hero. Jason adored Phantom, and had tons of merchandise of him. But somehow, when she bought those toys and plushies and themed pajamas, she forgot that Phantom was a dead kid, too. A child that died a horrible death.

How could they overlook that? She had another daughter around Phantom… no, Fenton's year. She could even remember the boy's name sometimes when she asked Sarah how school went, both laughing at the shenanigans that the pariah of the school got into.

She was so caught up in her thought that she didn't see the red light, or the car approaching.

"Woah, lady! Careful there!" she heard before someone grabbed her and flew her backwards to safety.

She didn't need to look up to know that it was the town hero.

It was weird seeing him now, in plain daylight, in a random street. His hair was still waving with non-existent breeze, almost like flames; his skin was still blue with some scars in a contrast green-ish blue; his ears were still inhumanly long and pointed; and when he smiled she could still see his fangs.

"You okay?"

"Huh?"

Her eyes couldn't leave the top of his head, where she knew a crown should be sitting, even if he was not looking like a king anymore - just his usual black and white jumpsuit, only an upgraded version he had been wearing for the last year and half or so.

"Should I go back to human?" His weak voice was what made her pay attention. She looked into his shining green eyes, dulled with worry.

"No," she cleared her throat. "No. It's… It's okay. It's just…"

She wasn't sure what the problem was.

"I don't mind," his brow twitched, so it did bother him.

"No," Marcia said with more conviction. "It's really okay, Mr. Phantom."

The ghost laughed, setting her down on her two feet. "Phantom is okay. Danny, too. But never Daniel." He made a face.

"Yeah, my kid doesn't like to be called by his full name either," Marcia laughed with him. Somehow it calmed her a lot more that seeing the hero change into his human form would.

"You are Sarah's mom, right?"

"You know her?"

He smiled, his fangs showing. "I know everyone."

Someone behind him coughed, hiding a laugh. Danny turned to glare at the ghosts behind him, the only one Marcia recognized was the medieval-looking lady with green skin and red eyes.

"Hey!"

"You try so hard to look cool it's pathetic," the culprit was a ghost Marcia didn't know. He, (was a he?) looked like a teenager too, with short red hair and a grin on his face that told stories of mischief.

"My liege, we are on a schedule," the knight in black armor stepped forward and bowed his head.

The fourth ghost wasn't even paying attention, they were writing something furiously down in a notebook, murmuring something under their breath.

"Right. Sorry, Frighty, I got distracted." Danny rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling nervously. "Everything okay? Do you need anything else?"

Marcia blinked. She had never been before so many ghosts, not counting the party yesterday's night.

"No, it's fine. I'm just going to the park."

"Then this is where we part ways, Marcia. Nice to finally meet you," he shook her hand and went to the opposite way of the park.

But the woman couldn't move. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, going back and forth between the retreating form of Phantom and his entourage and plain old Marcia frozen at the sidewalk.

She looked at the hand Phantom shook. Somehow she expected to feel cold, but-

She jumped, startled, eyes glued to the ghosts floating at the distance. She had never told Phantom her name.

Danny knocked at the Mansons' enormous house's door, his stomach in knots.

He wasn't used to coming in through the front door - having the ability to fly and become intangible, and more recently, to create portals, made going to places the conventional way a rarity.

But this time he had to thread carefully.

Last night, after talking with Sam, she had announced she was going to move out of the house. What happened the previous night was the last straw and she found she had no desire to keep living in that place.

Danny tried to reason with her, telling her that doing this would permanently damage her relationship with her parents, but she was decided.

"It's not the first time she and I have had this conversation, Danny. I haven't told you, but she had been threatening me with a restraining order on you since sophomore year, threatening to cut me off if I don't study what she wants me to, burn my stuff if I don't do as she says."

She waited for her words to settle before continuing.

"All she did was threats and promises, but never went through with it. Still, living like that, knowing that it took only one 'wrong' step, one thing I do she doesn't like, and I could come back home to find my books and my clothes burned to ashes. Just because. I hate that she had that power over me."

"Sam, that's horrible. Why didn't you say so?"

"Tucker, it doesn't matter anymore," she shook her head. "I was underage and even if we tried to do something she could call the police and drag me back to her claws."

"But you aren't underage anymore," Danny had tilted his head, seeing where this was going. "You planned for this."

She nodded. "I had been planning this since I can remember. It was only a matter of deciding the perfect moment."

"And this is that moment? Sam, where will you go? What about money?"

"Money I have tons, don't worry. I made a separate account they don't know about and pocketed my allowance," she smirked. "Rich people don't know the value of money, so they gave me more than I could spend in a year each month."

Danny started to feel anxious. He knew where this was going. "You can stay here, but…"

"What about college? Work? What-"

"Guys, guys, stop! Just…," she pinched the bridge of her nose, breathing deeply. "Sorry for snapping, but - uh, trust me?"

Tucker leaned back on Danny's comically large bed at the Keep. They shared a look, finding the same panicked worry in them.

"I know you love me and you worry about me. But believe me, I got this under control."

"Can we help?"

Sam nodded, a smirk on her lips. "Actually, yes."

And that's how he took part of his Council with him, Dora and Spark, who was the monarch of a big chunk of the Zone and the land where ghost kids resided. He called it Neverland, since Spark reminded him of Peter Pan a lot. He also brought his personal guard and General of the Wraith Army, Frighty. And last but not least his secretary and part of the legal team, Cualli, who was one of the rare ghosts that decided to stay working with him after Danny took over the castle.

The objective was sending a message. This was an official visit from the King of The Ghosts, with witnesses in high places. Cualli was registering everything going on and would advise if he messed up or something. Fright was there only to scare the shit out of Pamela, if needed.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you see it, it was Jeremy who opened the door.

"Daniel," no ' ' or 'Your Highness'. They started strong. "You are not welcome here."

"I know," he smiled in response. "I'm only here to pick up Sam."

Before Jeremy could answer, they heard the screaming voices of Sam and Pamela from upstairs.

"I forbid you!"

"Ha! Forbid me? As if you could do anything to me!"

"Oh yeah, young lady. I can!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! I'm going to sue you for defamation and assault. And then I'll sue your little boyfriend and his pathetic family of sickos!"

Sam laughed hysterically and they heard a loud thump of things being thrown to the ground. "I'd like to see you try! You don't have strong grounds for a case and I will counter sue you."

"You couldn't-!"

"Oh yes!" her voice went high and a closet door was slammed shut. "I can and I will! I have records of every threat and every insult, mother," she said the word like it was a curse. "And I will make all of it public if you go after me."

Pamela didn't answer.

"I thought so." Sam said more quietly, her voice getting near.

The young woman appeared from the stairs, frowning and blinking away tears of anger. When she noticed Danny at the door she smiled and the stormy clouds vanished from around her head.

"You are early."

"Tucker woke up early and could take over sooner."

She snorted, letting the few suitcases she was carrying drop by some boxes and more suitcases already close to the door.

"I bet he is thrilled with being acting King for a few hours."

Danny threw his head back and laughed. "Very."

"You!" Pamela stormed down the stairs. Danny wondered how she could be that fast in heels and a dress. "You did this to me! You took my baby girl! You corrupted her!"

Fright Knight didn't hesitate. He had been instructed to jump in at the slightest sign of violence, so he pushed Jeremy away and unsheathed his sword.

"Lady, take a step back."

"Pamela, this has nothing to do with Danny. Or Tucker." Sam narrowed her eyes, noticing how her mother refused to acknowledge her relationship with the geek.

The older woman was taken aback by the naming.

"Young lady-"

"Stop. I'm leaving, no matter if you agree with it or not."

"But-"

Sam clicked her tongue and turned, glaring at her mother. "Stop right there before you say something you'll regret." She made a gesture at the entourage of ghosts watching from the still opened door. And behind them, people were starting to gather, alerted by the screaming and the threats.

Pamela bit her lips and said nothing. Of course.

"You always cared more about what other people said about you than about your own family," the warrior (in training) said in a defeated tone. Sam was simply done with this. "That's why you are losing me. Not ghosts, not Danny, not nothing. You. You did this to yourself."

There was silence. Sam waited a moment, maybe hoping that her mother would apologize and say she would do better; a little and darker part of her hoping she would beg for her forgiveness.

But Pamela took a deep breath, adjusted her hair and dress, and made a gesture towards Jeremy to move back into the house.

"This isn't over. You'll regret the day you made me your enemy. Samantha." She narrowed her eyes at Sam and then at Danny. "I hope that whatever fantasies you filled her head with are worth it. I always knew you would ruin her life, but if you kill her I'm coming for you."

"Is that a threat?" Cualli asked without lifting her eyes from her writing, which stopped, waiting for the answer.

Pamela smiled. "It's a promise."

In the silence that followed, Sam let herself be hugged and squeezed and patted by her boyfriend, feeling the floodworks coming soon. She didn't want to cry, especially when her mother was the reason, but it hurt. It simply hurt. This was it; the moment she had feared and wished for so long was here and now she has to deal with the consequences.

"I love you. You are so strong. You are not alone." He was whispering softly, not caring about the audience. "Sam, you are so amazing."

When she felt like she wouldn't break down crying she nodded against his chest and took a step back.

"I need help moving everything."

"Is this everything?" He looked down at the boxes and suitcases.

"Nope, there's more upstairs. And I'm taking the bed too, so..."

Danny arched an eyebrow. "'Perks of having an inhuman boyfriend' time?"

"'Perks of having a boyfriend who can float things and make portals' time," she chuckled, but it was weak.

It didn't matter to him. That he made her laugh was enough. They would deal with this, together. Tucker and him would be for her every step of the way, no matter what may come.

Okay, he was getting sappy. There was work to do.

"Let's do this," he brushed the invisible lint on his suit and let his usual armor materialize over it, white cape with skull clasps and all, with a flashy wave of green fire. He reveled in the surprised gasps and clapping from the human audience beyond the still opened door.

"Show off." Sam hit him softly on the shoulder, careful with the metal plating.