A short-ish one. As some of you have probably noticed, I hate having more than one scene change in each chapter.

Thanks to Epyon Zero, L'ange-Sans-Ailes, BJA Fan/Crazy Billie Joe Loving Freak (can I just go with the shorter name from now on? XD), Phantom of a Rose, lttlekittykat, Leppers, conan98002, shadow929, SilverstarsEbonyskies, Anomaly25, animeobsessed3191, dessyweird51, Yoshi, Jimmy the Gothic Egg, dArkliTe-sPirit, Ohka Breynekai, luv2bamom, HokiPoki1213, Sweeteen19, mrit (sorry, this one is even worse for word count), Realsmartz, Lost Demon Soul, Crossover Fiend (oh no, they're on to me! XDD), blindyourears, Fanficaholic and dragonbonez for their reviews last time! Love ya all and please enjoy this decidedly non-cliffhangery chapter!

Estrelas

Chapter 20

by Shimegami-chan

Danny's azure eyes were the size of dinner plates. "What?"

"Oh, Jasmine, you needn't be so dramatic about it," Vlad Plasmius sighed. "You can't pretend to know anything about what actually happened."

"What do I need to know?" Jazz spat. "My mother and you were found dead in your mansion and my Dad was in a coma for weeks, supposedly due to a ghost attack. Am I supposed to believe that you weren't responsible?" She held back on describing Jack Fenton's awakening in the hospital, panicked and heartbroken, unable to stop raving about the 'Wisconsin Ghost'. Danny and Valerie looked at Plasmius, horrified, for confirmation.

"No," the ghost said at length, his posture defeated. "I was certainly responsible, and do not accuse me of feeling no remorse, Jasmine! I was a fool, and I admit it freely."

Danny knew Plasmius held all the cards now; the knowledge of Valerie's anti-ghost weapons, the true story behind his parents' death...

My parents...gone. He'd been so concerned with Sam and Jazz that he hadn't even asked his sister how they were. Anger bubbled up in Danny's stomach, but he forced it back and assumed a neutral expression. Now was not the time to lose his cool. "If you weren't trying to hurt them, then what were you doing...?"

Plasmius regarded Danny with some amount of shock. He'd probably expected the ghost boy to come at him with fists blazing upon hearing the news, but Danny had learned plenty about patience in his overlong lifetime. "If you really want to know, I was indeed trying to do harm to Jack. Maddie became caught in the crossfire when were having a...heated discussion."

Danny had the feeling that he didn't really want to know what constituted a 'heated discussion' in Plasmius' mind. "What the heck were they doing in Wisconsin?"

"Ah." Plasmius was still perfectly reserved. "I invited them, for old times' sake, you know. I thought perhaps that in the years since they left Amity Park and fell out of contact, Maddie might have...had a change of heart."

"And when she didn't, you killed her?" Jazz demanded, hands on hips.

"No!" Plasmius returned heatedly, his expression finally betraying his thoughts. Danny caught a flash of pain in the ghost's eyes at the accusation, grief disguised by anger tugging at his impatient frown. "It is as I said! Maddie intervened between us, and was injured. When I saw what had happened...when I realized..." He closed his crimson eyes. "I could not believe my mistake."

Jazz still wasn't buying it. "If you expect us to believe that, then how did you end up dead?"

Plasmius, however, directed his gaze at the Fenton sibling who appeared to be giving him the benefit of the doubt. "How could I not?"

"What?" Danny whispered.

"How could I go on, knowing that the love of my life was dead at my own hands? Of course when Jack saw that she was not breathing, he came at me like an animal. I defended myself at first, but I eventually simply surrendered. Even knowing that I could use my powers to heal my wounds, I did not, and the result is before you."

His words were like a stab to Danny's heart. Then...a half-ghost's human side isn't as invulnerable than I thought. I could... He broke off the thought, unwilling to even consider taking his own life to end his ghost half's immortality. I'm not finished with this world just yet.

Valerie intervened here, speaking for the first time since Vlad had appeared before them. "You were a ghost all along."

"Ah. Miss Gray." Plasmius looked her up and down warily. "Indeed, I was not completely truthful with you, either. I hope you will accept my apologies."

This was a Plasmius changed, Danny realized with a start. Despite the enormous power the ghost must surely have accumulated since they'd seen each other last, he was being civil and apologetic. Danny was starting to believe that he was sincerely remorseful for his deeds. Or at least as remorseful as Vlad's eccentric personality would permit.

Shocked, Valerie could only stutter, "Uh...I guess...it's just a bit of a shock, that's all."

Vlad's not the only one who's changed, Danny thought with a glance at the red-suited Hunter. Valerie, too, seemed to have lost her short temper and instinctive distrust. She was much less quick to anger than he remembered – either that, or the day's events had stunned her into acceptance. He wasn't sure if the transformations were entirely comforting, but at least he was able to go a few moments without fearing for his life (so to speak). Jazz, however, had fallen silent, and seemed to be refusing to look at either Plasmius or Danny. Danny didn't really think he could blame her.

"So, do what to I owe the pleasure...?" the ghost finally asked. "Come to kick an old ghost when he's down? Surely you aren't here just to berate me for past failures."

"Well, no," Danny began, wishing he had thought to ask Valerie for the weapon in question to show Vlad. "It's about an ecto-gun that you gave to Val. One that's used for dispossessing ghosts who've overshadowed humans."

"I know the one," Plasmius said, looking interested. "Go on."

"We were wondering if anything could be done to reverse its...uh...effects."

"She shot you, did she?" Plasmius chuckled, but it was a humourless sound. Valerie looked at the floor.

Danny flinched and offered him a reluctant smile. "It seems to have a strange effect on half-ghosts."

"Oh yes, I know," Plasmius responded thoughtfully. "Never had a test subject, but of course I know how that particular weapon functions."

"You knew it could cure your condition and you didn't use it?" Jazz finally spoke up, clearly confused.

"Why should I?" Plasmius shrugged. "At the time, I accepted my ghost half. I wanted it."

Danny read between the lines. And now you don't, but you have no choice. He wondered if someday he'd be in a similar situation. "Does that mean that you know how to reverse it?"

"Unfortunately not." The ghost looked genuinely troubled. "That weapon...well, it hasn't taken your ghost half out, per se. Your DNA is still permanently fused with your Phantom side, I imagine. But all of your spiritual essence, your ghostly energy, will have been expelled. Unless you were able to collect it with the proper equipment, there is likely no way to restore it."

Danny thought of the frothing green ectoplasm that had spilled out all over the pavement in the former Nasty Burger's parking lot. "Uh, no, we didn't."

"Then I'm afraid there's little I can do." Plasmius turned his back on them and stared thoughtfully at the far end of the room. Danny noticed that from behind he looked much smaller, less intimidating than he had before...he hadn't changed physically, but his presence seemed to have diminished. He wanted to blame Plasmius for his parents' deaths, or at least his mother's (what had happened to his father? Danny suddenly wondered), but despite himself he could not put the incident in the correct perspective. The parents he hadn't seen in fifty years...the parents he had faked his own death to protect and also protect himself from...

I wish it hadn't happened...but that doesn't mean that I'm going to make this guy's afterlife more miserable. With Maddie's death weighing on his shoulders, would Plasmius ever cross over? Danny wasn't sure. I've had enough of living forever. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, not even my arch-enemy.

"Will you...let me know if you think of anything?" Danny finally asked, acutely aware that he was the only one who still seemed interested in conversing with the former halfa.

"Of course," the ghost replied without turning around.

Danny nodded, his heart heavy. "Thanks, Plasmius."

The ghost's chin lowered, his eyes searching the red carpeting of his ghostly home. "Daniel...I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't call me that anymore. Just 'Vlad,' if you please."

"Sure." Danny looked pointedly at the two women and nodded at the ship. Both Valerie and Jazz turned and began walking back towards the portal without speaking, and Danny suspected he was in for a bad scene once they were back in the relative safety of the small craft. He fell into step behind his sister, finally pausing at the ship's open doors and looking back over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Vlad."

The ghost half-turned and offered Danny a slight smile. "Goodbye, Daniel. Perhaps if we meet again, I'll ask how you came to be in your current situation...for now, I will merely wish you luck in regaining your ghost half, if that is indeed what you seek."

"Is it?" Danny returned, grateful for the temporary reprieve. "I don't even know anymore."

Vlad Plasmius waved, and Danny climbed into the ship, not daring to look back.

"Hi there, I'm Tucker Foley, a close personal friend of Jasmine Fenton! Very pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'am!"

"Uhm..." Ida Manson drew back slightly from the screen door and the strange man standing on her front step. "How can I help you?"

"Well," Tucker said cheerfully, "I'm with the Ghost Squad, and it seems you have a ghost problem! Jazz sent me over to have a look. Routine check, you know."

Ida looked at him quizzically. "Who told you that we had a ghost problem? And you don't look like a member of the Ghost Squad..."

Tucker ignored the comment about his appearance, instead jamming a hand in his pocket and pulling out a high-tech PDA. "Well, nobody told me per se, but this handy-dandy Fenton Ghost Finder alerts me to the presence of ghosts, and it's detected a particularly powerful one nearby! May not be in the house, of course, but it never hurts to check!" He eyed the woman appraisingly. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"I suppose not..." The elderly woman was somewhat nervous, since her son had left for home barely an hour ago, but she was somewhat curious as to the fate of the ghost that had once haunted her attic. Reluctantly she stepped closer and put her hand on the screen door's handle.

"Great! I'm sure we can take care of him before he causes you any trouble. Thanks for your cooperation, Mrs...?"

"Manson," she supplied. "Ida Manson."

"Manson!" Tucker repeated cheerfully. "Are you related to the Whipstaff Mansons, by any chance? I'm from that area."

"Why yes, I am," Ida said, taken by surprise. "I'm from Amity Park, myself, but my son and his family live in Whipstaff. Thurston and Liza...do you know them?"

"Oh, of course!" Tucker replied, and to his own shock he actually recognized the names. That rich couple everyone's always gossiping about. I never knew they had a daughter...I guess in order to find Sam, I just have to find their house and talk my way in. No problem! Man, Danny is going to be surprised when he sees how quickly I found his girlfriend! Grinning, Tucker turned on his heel, completely forgetting about his cover story. "Well, thanks a bunch, Mrs. Manson! See you around!"

Ida just stared, watching the dark-skinned man's receding back as he strutted back to his car. "Um...sir? What about the ghost?"

Tucker stopped in the middle of the driveway and turned, his mouth forming a perfect 'O'. "Right, the ghost!" He held up his PDA sheepishly. "Well, it looks like he just completely left, so it was nice talking to you! Sorry for the trouble!"

"Not at all...I think." Ida stood at the door waiting until Tucker had climbed into his little silver car, started it, and then pulled out of the driveway with disconcerting speed. She continued to watch until the vehicle had disappeared down the tree-lined street, and then closed the door, pulling the deadbolt over. "What an odd man."

Humming to himself, Tucker took the next exit out onto the interstate, his mind completely occupied with how easily he had gotten away getting a lead on Sam and not having to go see Vlad. On the right-hand side of the road, a highway sign whizzed by and faded into the distance in Tucker's rear view mirror:

Whipstaff - 55 mi.

Tucker clenched his teeth and focused his eyes on the road, thumbing the car's GPS system to life. He'd be there quickly enough...he could only hope that Danny, Valerie and Jazz were having just as much luck with their mission as he was.

-to be continued...