Chapter 4: A Hunters' Hunt
As Skulcker, and the two robotic bounty hunters were recovering from the attack made by Danny Phantom, Vlad then ordered the three hunters to search through his mansion for them.
"What are you three waiting for?" asked Vlad, "Find those two!"
"Okay, okay" replied the first bounty hunter, "you don't have to rush us."
Meanwhile, as Danny and Ben while still as Ghost Freak were trying to get back to the guest room where their families were located, Ghost Freak pulled on Danny's arm.
"What's wrong?" asked Danny to Ben.
"I think my time is almost up as Ghost Freak" replied Ben attempting to warn Danny.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Danny.
Suddenly there was a strange flash and Ben turned back into his normal human self.
"That's why" replied Ben.
"Well, that's just great" said Danny, "you just had to change back into your normal self when Skulcker and two other bounty hunters are chasing us down in Vlad's mountain resort."
"It's not my fault" complained Ben, "this happens to me all the time."
"Got any alien creature that would help us?" asked Danny as he took Ben's arm and phased him and Ben through the various walls of the resort.
"I can use Upgrade to takeover the anti-ghost RV" replied Ben.
"That may have to do" said Danny, "I just hope my folks don't become suspicious of my absence."
Back in the guest room, both Jack and Maddie Fenton were wondering where had Danny gone.
"What's taking Danny so long to use the restroom?" asked Jack to Jazz.
"Uh, he really has to go" replied Jazz.
"Hey" said Grandpa Max, "when you have been on the road as long as I have with my grandchildren, you know a thing or to."
"Uh, thanks on helping on the cover" whispered Jazz to Grandpa Max.
"No problem" replied Grandpa Max in a soft voice.
"What was that?" asked Maddie.
"Uh, Gwen and I decided we were going to check up on how Ben and Danny are doing in the bathroom" replied Jazz in a nervous voice.
"No I didn't" protested Gwen, "I mean sure."
As Jazz and Gwen were preparing leaving the guest room and going down a hallway together, Danny weaken from the fight with Skulcker and the two bounty hunters had Ben in his arms and fell to the ground and changed back into his normal human self.
"Ben!" shouted Gwen as she came running toward her cousin, "Are you alright?"
"Sort of" replied Ben, "but it ran out of time for my device."
"Danny, are you okay?" asked Jazz as she ran up to him as he was getting up.
"Yea" replied Danny as he finally stood his ground, "that fight with Skulcker, Vlad and those two other bounty hunters really took a toll on me."
"I think we will be able to fight off these bad guys if we head to your RV" said Ben.
"That should give enough time for Ben to activate Upgrade and do something with the RV" said Gwen.
"Whose Upgrade?" asked Jazz.
"He's one of the aliens I can choose to change into using the strange watch I have" replied Ben, "he can takeover anything electronic."
"Sort of reminds me of my enemy-Technus" added Danny, "except he's not a ghost or a villain."
Before the four could reach the area where the RV was located, Skulcker appeared as Danny sensed him with his ghost sense.
"Where do you think you're going welts?" asked Skulcker as he readied his weaponry.
As Skulcker was about to make his move, the two robotic bounty hunters were waiting at the other end of the hallway where it lead to the area where the RV was.
"Are you sure this Skulcker would lead them down here?" asked the second bounty hunter.
"I'm pretty sure of it" replied the first bounty hunter.
Back where Skulcker was about to make his move on the four, Danny had enough strength in him to change into his ghost mode. He then fired a ghost beam at Skulcker, destroying some of Skulcker's loaded guns. Danny then noticed the two robotic bounty hunters down the hallway and then fired another ghost beam at Skulcker.
"Hey Skulcker" said Danny as he was egging him on, "why don't you come and chase me down. I am your prey am I not?"
"The ghost boy is correct, although I have also made an alliance with those two other excuses for hunters" said Skulcker, "oh the heck with the alliance, time to take down this ghost boy!"
"That's exactly what I want you to do" said Danny.
Danny then flew down toward where the two robotic bounty hunters were waiting, and Skulcker was not far from behind. Danny wanted to make sure that he could become invisible just at the right moment for Skulcker to crash into the two robotic bounty hunters.
"Quick" said the first bounty hunter as he loaded up his weapon, "they're coming down this way."
"I know, don't rush me" added the second one.
Danny at the right moment became invisible and went right through the two bounty hunters. As the two bounty hunters looked around to search where Danny went, Skulcker was coming right toward them at a very fast pace. This didn't give enough time for Skulcker to become invisible to avoid the two bounty hunters and crashed right into them.
"Hey!" cried the first bounty hunter, "Whose side are you on anyway?"
"Skulcker only sides with his client, and Skulcker's main mission is to hunt down that elusive ghost child" replied Skulcker.
"If you are not with us, then you are against us" said the second bounty hunter as he aimed his weapon at Skulcker.
"Are you not forgetting that Skulcker is a ghost?" asked Skulcker as he disappeared from the scene and then leaped behind the second bounty hunter and knocked him to the ground.
As Skulcker and the two bounty hunters began to fight each other, the time on Ben's watch gave Ben to change himself into Upgrade. Ben then pressed the button on the watch and was changed into Upgrade. He then moved toward the Fentons' RV and took it over with Upgrade's powers.
"How do I use this?" asked Ben as he was trying to use all of the buttons on the RV.
"Try to be careful and of course try activating some of the RV's anti-ghost weaponry" suggested Danny as he appeared right aside of the RV.
As Ben finally figured out how everything finally worked on the RV, several guns appeared from the top of the RV. Ben then carefully aimed the anti-ghost goo cannon at Skulcker who was busy fighting the two bounty hunters. He then fired it at Skulcker, trapping him in the goo. As the two other bounty hunters finally saw the error of their ways, they turned toward Ben who was controlling the RV as Upgrade. Ben then fired a few anti-ghost beams which were the only type of weapon that would knock the two robotic bounty hunters against the wall.
"This is too much for us" said the second bounty hunter as he was trying to recover from the attack.
"I concur" added the first one, "we should leave immediately and tell Vilgax of our failure."
"What about Skulcker?" asked Skulcker as he was trying to free himself from the anti-ghost goo.
"You're on your own" said the second bounty hunter and took off on the jetpack along with the other bounty hunter and left the scene.
As Ben and Danny thought everything would be over, they heard clapping and Vlad Plasmius became visible.
"Well done young ones" said Vlad as he appeared in the center of the room, "it's too bad I'll have to be the one to crush you two."
"Not as long as I control the Fenton RV" said Ben as Upgrade.
"That might put a pamper in my plot" said Vlad as the weapons on the RV were aimed at him.
Ben then fired all the weapons at Vlad, not only trapping Vlad in anti-ghost goo, but also injuring him. Vlad attempted to escape but Ben loosen control from the RV and walked toward Vlad as Upgrade.
"Oh, you're a strange electronic alien of some sort" said Vlad, "what are you going to do to me? I know you have a time limit on that device you are wearing on your arm. So you don't have a lot of time."
"I may not be the one" said Ben, "but Danny can probably get some info out of you."
"Listen to me Vlad" said Danny, "if you don't want to see Ben change himself into another alien creatures he's got on his watch, I suggest that you let us go, both of us."
"Fine" sighed Vlad as he changed himself back into his human self, "suit yourself. Go tell your siblings and relatives that they are free to leave. I'll have everything fixed a few minutes."
"That's it?" asked Ben as time on the device finally wore off and he changed back into his human self.
"Precisely" replied Vlad.
A few minutes later, the Tennysons and the Fentons were back on the road and going their separate ways.
"Well, we can just add Vlad Plasmius and his ghostly allies to our list of enemies we have made on our trip" said Grandpa Max.
"I just hope we don't have to face him again" said Ben.
"Somehow I am doubting that" added Gwen.
Meanwhile back at Vlad's mountain resort, Vlad had his ghostly inner circle which included Skulcker, Walker, Technus, Ember and the Fright Knight.
"I want you to find everything there is to know about the Tennysons" said Vlad as he gave them all photos of Grandpa Max, Gwen and Ben, "search who else is after them while you are at it too. I want a full report on this just in case if the Tennysons should ever run into the Fentons again."