Chapter Four
Danny groaned and covered his eyes with his arms as the sun streamed through the window. His ghost powers had come back in the middle of the night and his ghost sense had been going crazy, keeping him awake until an hour before dawn.
Someone was sitting beside him, humming softly. They reached out and began tickling beneath his chin. Danny opened his eyes in annoyance then blinked at the bright glowing green eyes smiling down at him.
"Good morning Danny," Ember said cheerfully. "Dora asked me to wake you up."
"Uh, Thanks," Danny said as he sat up and looked around. The room was empty. Ember was sitting on the end of the bed with a smile on he face.
"Where is everyone?" Danny asked.
Ember bent closer and whispered. "They've all gone for the day. I get to stay for a little while and keep you company."
Danny hiccoughed a burst of blue mist then blinked at Ember. "Why did you get to stay?" he asked.
"Because I won," Ember said happily. "Unfortunately for you, that means you Dezie gets to stay with you tomorrow." Ember's expression turned into a pout.
"Oh," Danny said then hiccoughed another blue mist.
"You should like, change into your ghost form," Ember said excitedly. "It should stop that horrible blue stuff."
Danny thought for a moment. He knew his ghost form was well known to other ghosts and if they found out he was Danny Phantom, they might hand him over to Vlad gladly. He laughed a little at Ember as she watched him expectantly.
"Come on," she said as she poked at his ribs. "Don't be shy. Let me see." She stood and moved away from the bed.
Danny took a deep breath. He figured he would have to "go ghost" some time. It was probably better to do so when only one ghost was present than all of them at once. He closed his eyes and allowed the glowing silver rings to envelope him and change him from human to ghost.
"Wow," Ember gasped as she took in the change. She touched his snowy white hair and smiled.
"Well?" Danny asked as he couldn't help but smile at the enraptured look on Ember's face.
"You have glowing green eyes," she said happily. "Just like mine." Danny blinked at her for a moment as she pulled him into a standing position and examined him.
"Can you sing?" She asked. "Or play an instrument? Because you and I could totally rock this world if we joined forces. We could form a mega band!"
"Sorry," Danny said as he thought of a friend of his who was totally tone deaf. "I can't sing at all. I'm…tone deaf."
"Oh!" Ember sighed as she sat down. "That's a real shame. Oh well. I don't do duets anyway, but I could have made an exception for you."
"Too bad," Danny agreed as he watched the ghost. He was relieved that she didn't recognize him.
Ember walked to the door and sighed. "Now that you're awake. I need to be getting down to the mine. We'll be back well before sunset. Until then you should relax."
"I'll try," Danny said as he watched Ember disappear. He let go of a deep breath then floated off the floor and phased himself through the ceiling and out of the cottage. He flew around the forest for awhile and contemplated heading back to Vlad's castle to rescue his sister. He sat in the air and looked at the castle. Something told him that it wouldn't be so easy to just walk in, get Jazz and walk out. He wished that he could call on his old friends for help, he could always depend on Sam and Tucker.
Danny floated back down to the cottage then blinked his eyes. How could it be, that he was just thinking of them, and they appeared?
"Sam?" he called as he ran to meet the two figures walking up to the cottage. "Tucker?"
"Danny?" his two friends cried in unison as Danny rushed forward and they met in a tremendous group hug.
"What are you doing here?" they all asked together. They laughed for a moment, just happy to all be together again.
"You go first," Sam finally said. "We thought you were dead!"
"Almost," Danny replied. "At least if Vlad had his way I would be. After my mother died." Danny swallowed hard and both Sam and Tucker put their hands on his shoulder comfortingly. "Vlad insisted that Jazz and I serve him as slaves. I tried to contact you but any correspondence out of his domain was stopped, and we were beaten."
Sam put her hand to her mouth and gasped. Tucker shook his head. "We heard you were here. We came as fast as we could."
"Sam stirred up some nasty ghost problems which held us up," Tucker informed Danny who smiled at Sam who in turn blushed slightly.
"It wasn't that big of a deal," Sam said as she tried to steer the conversation away from the Lunch Lady ghost. If Sam had an arch-nemesis, the Lunch Lady was it.
Danny smiled at his friends. "It's good to have you back, but I'm sorry. I'm in more trouble than I think the two of you want to be in."
"Don't tell us," Tucker started. "Your stepfather is trying to kill you."
"Yeah," Danny agreed as he gave Tucker a look that asked how he knew.
"And Vlad is a half ghost too," Sam told Danny. "We got the information from a ghost he'd caught and tortured then released."
"Sam helped him recover," Tucker told Danny. "I thought she was crazy at the time, but her risk really paid off."
"Vlad knows I'm half ghost," Danny said to his friends. "That's why he wants me dead." Tucker and Sam looked at each other.
"Maybe," Tucker started. "It's better if you stay here for awhile."
"I don't think you're going to be very safe in Amity Park," Sam agreed.
"Why?" Danny asked. Tucker and Sam looked at each other as if they were trying to decide who should break the news.
"Vlad has taken over Axion labs and is preparing to annex all of the kingdom of Amity Park," Sam told him gently.
"G.W. knows the princess of Amity Park," Danny said quickly. "Maybe something can be done? Maybe we can help?" Tucker looked at Sam who shot him back a warning look and shook her head.
"The princess can't do anything about it," Sam told him. "You could say her hands are tied in the matter."
"Not literally," Tucker amended.
"Then what should we do?" Danny asked feeling a little lost and a lot frustrated.
"I think you should stay here until we can figure it out," Sam said. She looked down at her feet and said. "I'll talk to the princess and see what she can do. If there's anything she can do." She cast a quick glance at Tucker who was giving her a look of consternation. She sent him a fake smile and he shook his head in admonishment.
Danny frowned. He really didn't want to stay with the ghosts. He wanted to rescue Jazz. Be among the living. He gave his friends a look of almost desperation causing them both to feel sad, worried and on Sam's part, guilty.
"I promise," Sam said as she put her arm around Danny. "We'll come back to get you tomorrow. We just have to make sure everything is safe." Danny looked into her eyes. He smiled at her for a moment then nodded his head.
"If it's important that I wait," He told her. "Then I'll wait."
"Thank you," Sam said in relief then looked at Tucker. "So how about we spend the rest of the day together, just catching up?"
"Sounds good to me," Danny's mood brightened.
"But we have to leave before your new friends come home," Tucker warned. He was pretty sure Sam didn't want her cover blown, even though he felt it was about time she told Danny who she really was.
It took Vlad most of the day to find a suitable candidate to help implement his plan. The elderly woman he'd taken from a nearby village was the perfect disguise for Vlad's scheme. He was irritated that it took him as long as it did to find a woman who looked kindly and grandmotherly enough to be instantly trust worthy, but healthy enough to not drop dead at the mere sight of his ghost form.
The woman in question was now resting comfortably in his upper apartments. She was being treated as an honored guest and would be so until he was done using her. Vlad's plan was to overshadow the woman and then deliver his poison apple to Danny.
Vlad stood near the ghost portal with an evil smile on his face. "Everything has been set into motion," Vlad said to the portal.
"I am sure you will succeed Master," The portal chanted.
"Of course I will succeed," Vlad said in a haughty tone. "I always succeed. I never fail."
"Never," the portal repeated.
Vlad walked closer to the portal and narrowed his eyes. "There is no way this plan will fail." He said to the green glowing formlessness of the portal. "Do you agree?"
"Failure is not an option for my master," The portal hissed. Vlad began laughing then walked to the glistening red apple sitting on a nearby table. He could barely wait until tomorrow. Standing over Danny's dying form would be gratifying, but more pleasurable than that, would be the knowledge that he again was the most powerful being in existence.
The ghosts all returned before sunset. Most everyone was kind to him and questioned him about his day. Danny had been bored after Sam and Tucker left so he had taken the liberty of cleaning the cottage until it shone. Everyone was pleased. Except Skulker who simply glared at Danny all evening.
Danny eventually found himself sitting in front of a fire. Even though the ghosts couldn't appreciate the warmth, they seemed to find pleasure in the glow and flicker of the flames. Ember lay with her head laying on Danny's leg. Desiree sat against him with her head on his shoulder. With the exception of Skulker and The Box ghost, the rest were sitting uncomfortably close.
"It's time for a story," Dora announced. The other ghosts nodded their heads in agreement.
Dora smiled at G.W. and said, "I know you usually gift us with a lovely tale, but how about taking a break this evening and letting our new friend Danny tell us a story?" G.W. was silent for a moment then he nodded his head and looked expectantly at Danny.
"You want me to tell you a story?" Danny asked uncomfortably as he looked at Dora.
"A ghost story," Ember said as she cuddled closer and stared into the fire.
"Okay," Danny said then took a deep breath and thought. "I'll tell you the story of Circus Gothica and the terrible fiend Freakshow who captured ghosts with the use of an evil mind controlling orb and forced them to be his minions." All the ghosts, even Skulker and The Box Ghost listened to the story eagerly and applauded with joy as the orb controlling the ghosts was destroyed and they were freed from their servitude.
"I wouldn't have let that dipstick get away," Ember said angrily as she sat up and stretched. "I would have turned him into my loyal servant."
"And you could do it too," Desiree agreed.
"That was a wonderful story," Dora said as she yawned.
"I, Technus, Master of Technology did enjoy your tale ghost child," Technus announced. "But now I am tired and am going to sleep." He walked to his bed and disappeared into one of his electronic devices.
"Thank you for the story," G.W. told Danny. "Though adding some rhyme would have given it more glory."
"I'm sorry," Danny said trying not to laugh. "I'm not good at rhyme." G.W. half laughed then patted Danny on the shoulder then laid down on his bed.
The other ghosts all bade him good night. Danny sat in front of the fire for a little while longer. It wasn't too bad having to stay with these ghosts, he just hoped things wouldn't turn bad.
Danny woke up the next morning with the red eyed, green skinned, raven haired Desiree sitting next to him tapping her fingers together making her bracelets jingle.
"Good morning Habibi," Desiree cooed softly.
Danny gave her a wary look. "Good morning," he replied as he watched the ghost comb her hair with her fingers.
"Ember told me you showed her your ghost form," Desiree told Danny then smiled at him charmingly.
"And now you want to see?" Danny asked feeling a little amused as Desiree nodded her head and clapped in excitement.
"All right," Danny said warily. He hoped that Desiree was as clueless as Ember. He let himself transform then waited for a reaction.
"Oh," Desiree said in near disappointment. "You have green eyes!" She shook her head then smiled. "But you're still really cute."
Danny laughed a little and replied, "Thanks." Desiree reached out and tickled Danny, making him laugh and squirm away from her.
Desiree walked to the door. "I wish I could keep you company longer," She said softly. "But I'm expected at the mine."
"I'll be fine," Danny told her. "Don't worry about leaving me."
Desiree shook her head. "My intuition tells me to stay. That you need protection." She turned to Danny and looked at him worriedly.
"I can protect myself if need be," Danny assured her.
"Just be careful," Desiree told him then walked back to Danny and gently kissed his cheek. "We're all becoming quite attached to you. Danny Phantom." And with that Desiree was gone, leaving Danny quite stunned.
"They know who I am?" He asked in shock then sat down and shivered. Apparently they knew and didn't care. He smiled slightly and thought about how weird it was to be accepted completely by other ghosts.
It was late in the morning when Vlad, visited his new guest and before she knew what hit her, he had overshadowed her then flew off with shiny poison apple in hand and murder in his heart.
It didn't take him long to reach his target. He landed a little away from the clearing then straightened his curly grey hair and put the apple in his apron pocket. He ambled forward with what he hoped was a sincere worried look on his face. Vlad knew what a sucker Daniel was, he wouldn't be able to resist helping a lost little old woman.
Danny had spent most of the morning sitting out on the porch waiting for Sam and Tucker to come back. Okay they didn't say they were going to come back until later in the day, but he still waited. He was so glad to have his old close friends back.
He was just about to change to his ghost form and go for a flight when movement at the edge of the meadow caught his vision. He frowned as the form of a little old woman appeared. She seemed to be confused and lost.
Danny walked toward her slowly, hoping that he wouldn't scare her. "Excuse me!" he called.
"Oh!" The old woman said as she blinked at Danny. "I am so glad I found you! I was on a walk and wandered a little farther than I intended. I'm lost, very tired and could use a rest and a drink of water!"
Danny rushed forward and helped the old woman to the cottage. "You can rest here for a little bit," Danny said as he rushed to get her a cup of water.
"You're a very nice young man!" The woman declared. Danny blushed and the woman pinched his cheek.
The old woman spent several minutes questioning Danny and what he was doing all alone in the woods. Luckily, Danny gave the woman very little information. He simply told her he was trying to escape his wicked stepfather.
"You say he wants to kill you?" the woman asked in shock.
"Yes," Danny said. "He's a very evil man."
"Oh dear," The woman said. "He sounds like he's extremely powerful and intimidating!"
"He is!" Danny agreed. "But he's really just a coward deep down inside."
The woman glared at Danny for a moment then stood. "Well," she said stiffly. "I should be going." The woman seemed to be offended and Danny wondered what he said to set her off.
"I wish I had some sort of payment with which to give you for your kindness to me," The woman said as she smoothed her skirts.
"I don't need payment," Danny said as he lead her out of the cottage.
"Wait!" The woman said. "I have this nice shiny apple. Perhaps that would be payment!" She held out the apple to Danny, whose eyes widened. She smiled as she saw him swallow hard. Apples were a rare thing for Danny. He loved them. It had been a very long time since he'd eaten an apple let alone seen one.
"Take it!" The woman said. "By the look on your face I can tell you want it."
Danny hesitated for a moment and the old woman dangled it before his face. Danny took the apple slowly then regarded the woman with wide eyes.
"Take a bite," the old lady invited soothingly. "I want to see that you enjoy it."
"Are you sure?" Danny asked as held the apple so it glimmered in the sunlight.
"Absolutely," the woman answered. She grinned as Danny took a bite of the apple, chewed then swallowed. Her grin intensified as Danny began to cough and choke. She stepped back as he reached for her in order to keep from falling and watched as he fell to his knees. Danny's face went pale and his lips turned blue, then he collapsed face down into the grass.
"Ahhh Daniel," the old woman said in Vlad's voice as she bent down and put her hand to his neck to check for a pulse. It was slow and Danny's breathing was labored. "By the time I return to my castle, you will be dead. It has been a pleasure visiting you today. I'd wish you good health, but that would be pointless now wouldn't it" She laughed with glee then flew away. Leaving Danny laying in the clearing, dying.
I don't know why, but that was an incredibly hard chapter to write and I'm not sure I'm happy with it. The next chapter should be the last. Awwwww.
Review! Tell me what you think. Hmmm?
Oh and if you wonder what habibi means, it's Arabic for darling, beloved, sweetheart.