Chapter 3: The Trip to Kentucky

It was the day after when Danny checked his email again.

He responded to this "Christian" person after reading his email again, asking for some form of proof. Now, checking during lunch, he got it.

It was a photograph of what looked like a footprint, one with three toes.

He was not familiar with the wildlife of Kentucky, but knew someone who had some experience in science.

He checked into his classroom as he sat down to eat.

"Uh, Mr. Falluca?"

His teacher sighed.

"For the last time, Mr. Fenton, I was not hitting on your mother during the PTA meeting." He said.

Danny cringed, remembering that awkward night.

"Uh… that's not why I'm here. I was wondering if you could help me… prove to someone whether or not this footprint they found in the mud is fake. He thinks some weird creature left this and I'm trying to convince him it's a hoax. Could use your scientific know-how." Danny lied.

Mr. Falluca put his sandwich down.

"Well, let's see it." He said.

Danny handed Falluca the photo, which he took. He looked at the photo, eyebrow raised in interest. He put the photo in a scanner then turned to his computer. Danny watched as Falluca did some calculations in the computer, typing on the keyboard like a madman. After a while, Falluca was looking at the results as he took the photo out of the scanner.

"Well? What do you think?"

Falluca pondered a moment longer before putting the photo down.

"Odd. If this is fake, someone took a long time to make it convincing." He admits.

"How so?" Danny asks.

"These footprints seem to have a degree of weight, as the imprint in the mud suggests it weighed around 120 pounds. There also seems to be bumps to imply the toes were bent in a more organic manner. Dermal ridges aren't that easy to fake." He explains.

Danny did his best to hide his smile.

"So, you're thinking that whatever left this was… real?"

"Not exactly." He said, making Danny's excitement lower. "How big is this?"

"Uh… I didn't ask him." Danny said.

"Well, find out." Falluca said. Once Danny nodded and left, Falluca went back to his sandwich and took a bite. "Heh… first ghosts, now apparently cryptids. I blame his father, his hot mother wouldn't let him do that…"

"Again, keep your thoughts to yourself, you perv." Couch Testlaff, who was passing by, said, making Falluca jump. "We don't need another case on our heads."

"S-sorry." Falluca said before going back to his sandwich.


Elsewhere, in Kentucky

A woman was waiting impatiently in her bathrobe as the officer she called lazily looked at the footprints, muttering under his breath so the woman won't hear him.

"Well?" The woman said.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I recommend speaking with the state game commission and quit calling us." The officer says.

"But there's a monster out there!" The woman exclaimed in a panic. "Ya think the state game commission can protect us from that!?"

"You're overexaggerating Ma'am, I'm sure it's justa deer or somethin', nothin' too extreme." The officer said.

"You think a deer or somethin' did this?!" She yelled.

"Now Ma'am…" The young officer says to her. "I'm just doin' my job here, I know nothing on what could have left those footprints. It could just be a deer or a bear."

He pointed into the mud, which was the same three-toed print from the photo Danny saw.

"You ain't seriously thinkin' a bear or whatever broke in and stole tools and the engine to my car, are ya?!" She shrieked.

The officer sighed as he took off his hat to wipe the sweat off his brow. He assumed it was just some punk teenagers who got scared by the animal that left the print.

"I don't know who or what did this, Ma'am… look, I'll speak with my superior on this."

"What am I supposed to tell my son when he finds my car's been ransacked?!" She asks.

As this goes on, a figure watched from afar, hiding behind the trees. It seemed to be examining the scene of the crime before disappearing from view.


In Amity Park

Danny was walking with his friends, on their way to his place.

"So, what did you ask Mr. Creepluca about?" Sam asked.

"A photograph of a supposed Kentucky monster." Danny replied, not bothering correcting her.

"What'd he say?" Tucker asks.

"He's not sure either. Guess I'll figure this out the old fashion way. Just waiting for a reply."

He sent the email before leaving school, wondering if Professor David got it.

"Maybe it's just a prank." Sam said. "I mean, c'mon, Cryptids?"

"Sam, we've been through another dimension, even time traveled. I have a little girl cloned from my DNA living with us as my new little sister." Danny said. "After all that, I'll believe anything if there's proof."

"So, you're going to your Mom's cousins in Kentucky?" Tucker asks.

"Seems like it." Danny said with a shrug. "All I care about is that I get to find out for sure."

"Ah, Kentucky, home to a lot of beautiful forests. The Bluegrass State. Preserving the beauty of nature's bounty. Home of many woodland creatures, away from the progressive age." Sam said with a wistful smile on her face.

"Careful Sam, your Snow White is showing." Tucker said, causing Danny to snort.

"Careful Tucker, your PDA is very fragile." Sam warned, causing Tucker to quickly hide his baby.

"Why don't you guys come along?" He asks.

"Really?" Sam asked, looking excited. Tucker, however, frowned.

"Nah…" He said. "I'd rather stay here, where there's Wi-Fi."

"So, you wanna be home with your parents for a weekend?" Sam questions.

Tucker was about to say something before he paused as he thought about it.

He imagined the scenarios.

"Hey son! Look! I found my old bell bottoms!" His dad said as he showed off his old pants.

"Tucker! Can you help carrying the manure to the garden?" His mother asked, showing a lot of manure, the smell leaking through the sack.

"Look son! I found my old records! Let's boogie!" His dad said as he started dancing to disco music, his mother beside him.

"It says here too much Internet is bad for you, so I'll be taking all of your PDAs, laptops, and computer." His mother said, carrying a box full of his babies.

"Okay, fair enough. When is it?" Tucker asks.

"We leave Friday after school. My mom wanted to buy tickets but Dad convinced her to use the Fenton Jet." He explains.

"Odd that your dad would suggest a quicker way to visit her side of the family." Sam says.

"That's because it's faster to get away and to lock down to get away from them." Danny answered.

"Okay… that sounds about right." Sam says. "Can't wait to get there."

Danny nodded as he thought of the email.

And I can't wait to see if the professor responds to me. He thought.


The day after

It was after school when the Fentons started packing up.

However, two of them weren't happy about it.

"Do I have to go?" Jazz questioned with a tired and unhappy look.

"Jasmine, relax. You'll have fun." Maddie assures her.

"I doubt it…" Jazz muttered with her arms crossed.

Her little sister was more optimistic.

"Do they know about me?" Danielle asks.

Her mother sighed.

"They know we have a little girl with Fenton DNA we took in. As far as they most likely know, you're the kid of a distant cousin we took in after your father… disappeared off the face of the Earth." Maddie answered.

It's technically true, even if Danielle no longer regarded her creator as her father.

"So, anyone I need to know if I should be worried about? Like your sister?" Danielle asks.

"You're going to love your aunt Alicia, Danielle…" Maddie assured her.

"Will I?" Danielle asked, not sure given what Jack has told her about her.

"She makes the best rhubarb pie." Maddie says, earning a smile from Danielle.

"Assuming… that bitter old bat doesn't eat all of it first." Jack muttered.

Unfortunately, his wife heard that.

"Care to repeat that?" She asked harshly.

Recognizing the danger, Jack laughed it off.

"I mean… gotcha! I mean that...Alicia is not the type to eat her sorrows or angers away! After all, she's your aunt and we love her…" He then whispered to Danielle's ear. "We hate her…"

Danielle rose an eyebrow in response.

Meanwhile, Danny was upstairs, looking at the email that was sent as a response.

He wanted to check and see if that guy had any more information. He got more.

I don't believe it… He thought.

At first, he got the proof he wanted on how big the footprint is, which the professor proved by showing a ruler right next to it, measuring at about 12 inches. But while this was interesting enough, what he saw next caught him off guard.

He was looking at photographs of the supposed creatures.

The first looked to be a face of some kind with a large grin and what appeared to be ears, but the light emitting from what appeared to be eyes was too bright to really make anything out. The second showed what looked like an oval head with large ears, but he needed to work with the contrast to get a better look, and even then it was silhouetted so that details weren't that easy to see. The last showed a blurry image of a silver creature coming from around a tree. Its arm and most of its upper body were capable of being recognized, but due to the low lighting the details were far from conclusive.

"These things… he did it." Danny said under his breath.

He saw these creatures, and their appearance was almost exactly like the aliens of the purported sighting. Right down the glow of the eyes and the large ears.

I gotta show this to Mr. Falluca. He thought.


The day after

Mr. Falluca saw the photographs Danny was sent.

He only scratched his head. He found them to be strange, but also intriguing.

"Huh, the length of this foot seems accurate to the potential mass of whatever left this. As for the beings in the photographs, this is kind of a struggle to comprehend. The blurriness and low light makes it hard to figure out what they are. From the looks of the proportions and the tree in one photograph, I'd say they may be about 3 feet tall." He answered.

"So, what's your take on this?" Danny asks.

The math and science teacher shrugged.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Again, if it's a hoax, it's a very convincing one." He admits.

''I see. Thanks Mr. Falluca..."The teen said.

As Danny left the room, heading to pack up back home, he smiled to himself.

Better email Christian, let him know I'm coming…


Friday afternoon

Danny carried his luggage to the Opt Center, using his powers to lift them and put them into the Fenton RV, which he and Danielle put inside last night.

As everyone was packing up, all Danny could think about was the email he sent last night.

He checked this morning. He got no answer. He was getting frustrated to say the least.

"Weird, why didn't he respond? If this is a hoax, it's pretty elaborate." He said to himself.

That is when someone spoke up.

"Bro?" A small girl's voice caught his attention.

Turning his head, he saw both Danielle and Jazz were standing behind him.

"Hmm?" He went.

"You okay? Your friends are here, packed their things too." Jazz went.

"Oh… uh… cool." He went.

He saw them and, just as Jazz said, they arrived with their things.

"Sup." Tucker went.

''Hey guys..." Danny greeted them.

"Hey..." Sam said, getting her bag off as they placed them in the trunk.

"So, did Danny ever hear back about the emails?" Tucker asks.

Hearing that, Danny froze in place.

Uh oh… He thought.

His family heard that and got curious.

"Emails? What emails?" Maddie asks.

The rest were surprised by this sudden question.

"Wait… you didn't tell your parents?" Sam asks.

"Tell us what?" Jack asks.

"About the email…" Tucker pointed out, as Danny sweat bullets.

''I...uh… I might have… forwarded that email Dad showed us the other night..." Danny said as his mother approached him, not looking pleased.

"Danny, have you been exchanging emails with that man who claimed aliens were harassing him in Kentucky? Is that why you agreed to go to my family reunion?" Maddie questioned harshly with arms crossed.

He gulped.

"Maybe?" Danny responded with a weak smile.


An hour later

The Fenton Jet was already halfway to its destination, but the inside was silent.

Namely, Maddie Fenton was at the front with her husband flying, arms crossed.

In the back, the kids and their guests were talking amongst themselves as the youngest took notice of how quiet it was in the front.

"I think Mom's still mad…" Danielle whispered to Danny.

His eyes darted to the back of his mother's head, who was looking ahead.

"How can you be sure? We're like 10 feet away and can't see her face." He whispers back.

"I can guarantee I'm still mad and I can still hear you." She called back without turning her head, making the two sit up.

"Never mind..." Danny muttered while his girlfriend tried to change the subject.

"Well… at least I can see the beauty of Kentucky." Sam says in relief.

"Just so you know, we're going to be close to the Appalachian trail." Jazz points out. "Away from most of civilization."

"So… no Wi-Fi?" Tucker asks, looking like he's going to panic.

"Exactly!" Sam says happily.

Tucker started to shake nervously as he held his PDA up.

"I gotta make sure a whole bunch of stuff is downloaded for watching and playing before we land!" He went.

"Relax… we're going to stay at a hotel I booked a town away…" Jack said.

Tucker smiled.

"So I can save all my stuff? Yes!"

Sam wasn't so happy to hear that.

"Hooray… I get to not see as much of the Bluegrass state's true beauty as I thought I would." She muttered bitterly.

She then glanced at her boyfriend and wanted to talk with him.

Oh well, at least Danny and I get to spend time together… Sam thought as she noticed Danny was looking at his laptop, much to her disappointment.

He is too busy looking at his emails

Weird… no response from him still… Danny thought, unaware his girlfriend was looking bitter.

"So, Sam? Tucker? When we touch down, you two stay at the hotel while we Fentons see how my cousins are doing." Maddie said.

As Tucker grinned, Sam's scowl somehow became even more noticeable.

"Wait, for real?" She asks.

"For real." Maddie responded.

As Sam frowned in disappointment, the eldest of the Fenton children raised her head.

"Hang on. I thought we were staying with your cousins?" Jazz asks.

"We were… but Alicia's staying there and… well, last time your father and aunt were under the same roof for over 24 hours… let's just say we're not welcomed in a specific town in Arizona anymore…" Maddie admits in shame.

Danny and Jazz remembered that weekend years ago and both shuddered.

"That is not how I wanted to spend Thanksgiving…" Danny said.

"The county jail was so cold…" Jazz said with a shiver.


An Hour Later

The jet touched down.

The landed in the woods, far from the town they'll be staying in, or the town Maddie's family is in.

Much to Jack's relief.

The RV pulled out and drove as the bay doors closed.

"Everyone, remember where we parked." Jack said.

''Okay, Dad..." Danielle said as the rest of the kids sent her a look.

Sam looked back at the obviously standing out jet in the woods as they reached the road, merging into traffic.

"Why couldn't we stay out here?" Sam asks, wanting to at least be somewhere surrounded by nature.

"Because I convinced Jack to reserve the hotel so that he doesn't try to take off in the jet." Maddie answered.

Her husband pouted.

"If I had it my way, I would have just dropped you off. I mean, most of your family hates me and thinks I'm not good enough for you… even the part that has a criminal record for Pete's sake!" Jack went.

"Jack… we agreed we wouldn't discuss Uncle Earl ever again…" Maddie warned.

Jack sighed before his eyes darted to the rearview mirror, seeing his son sitting in the very back with Danielle, looking at his laptop for a response. That gave him an idea to change the subject.

"So... Danny? About the emails?" Jack asks.

"What about them?" Danny asks.

"Why the big interest in going behind our backs for some fairy tale?" Maddie questioned, still not pleased he was communicating with a possible hoax.

"It's the fact the emails sound like another case similar to the Kelly-Hopkinsville encounter that I had to know more." He explained.

That got Tucker to sit up.

"Kelly Hopkinsville? Is she hot?" He asked with a grin.

"It's not a girl... it's the name of two towns." Danny explained with a deadpan look.

"Oh..." Tucker went, losing interest.

"What is it though?" Danielle asks.

That's when everyone else's eyes darted to Sam, who took a moment to realize she was the center of attention.

"Uh... something on my face?" She asks.

"Well... what's the Kelly-Hopkinsville encounter?" Jazz asked.

"And... you think I'd know why?" Sam asks.

"Well, you tend to know spooky and creepy stuff." Tucker points out.

"Yeah... spooky like ghosts and myths... aliens are not my forte." Sam explained.

"I know about it..." Danny explained.

Suddenly, the RV broke hard as the two adults in the front directed their attention to their son, as did the rest of the RV as everyone stared at Danny, who looked sheepish at all eyes on him.

One of them spoke.

"You know about it?" Jazz asks.

"Yeah... Why is everyone gawking at me?" He asks, uncomfortable.

"It's just... usually you need someone else to explain this stuff..." Sam said.

Danny shrugged.

"I don't deny I've done... research on aliens, part of my love for all things space." Danny said.

"So... what is the Kelly-Hopkinsville encounter? And what are these "goblins"?" Jazz asks with air quotes.

Before he could speak up, Danny saw something from the back window.

"Well... first thing... Mom? Dad? We're on the freeway..." Danny points out.

"Huh? OH!" Jack went as he nervously got back to driving, realizing there was a large amount of cars behind, honking hard and wanting them to move.

Moments later.

"Okay... it's like this." Danny started. "In 1955, a family in rural Kentucky, between the towns of Kelly and Hopkinsville, were having dinner with some friends..."

"Which family?" Tucker asks.

Before Danny could answer, he shook his head.

"I think it's better I leave that out... they've had enough issues with what happened." He said before continuing. "Anyway... one of them stepped out because they needed water. He grabbed a pail and-"

"Wait, what was wrong with their plumbing? Why did he need to leave to get water?" Danielle asks.

"We'll fill you in on history later..." Jazz said to her sister before looking at her brother. "Please continue..."

"Anyway... as he started to get some water, he looked up in the sky and noticed something odd. Something metallic fell from the sky, landing in an arc. He went inside to tell people what he saw and they laughed and thought it was a practical joke."

"As anyone would..." Maddie said with a confident tone.

"After getting someone to come with him, it was already night, so they couldn't see any smoke or something to prove he saw something. That's when they heard a branch snapping nearby and they saw a light from the distance coming towards them. At first, they thought it was a lantern, but as it got closer, they realized something was wrong. The glow was coming off something, a short creature with long, spindly arms, short legs, giant ears and huge eyes that seemed to glow yellow that somehow hovered towards them."

"The goblins?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, but you're getting ahead of the story here, sit tight. Anyway, naturally freaked out, they ran inside, grabbing their shotguns to ward this thing off. Any thoughts the two were joking around were gone when the creature appeared at the door, looking inside. It was shot, but they made an odd metallic sound when the bullet hit. However, when the gunman stepped out, it turns out the creature wasn't alone as a hand reached down and grabbed him by the hair. Once he got free, he shot again, revealing another creature with that same metallic sound."

"More of them?" Danielle asks.

"Yeah... about 5 in total. No one knew what these creatures were, so they assumed they were goblins. In any case, while they never came inside, the creatures were oddly interested in the people inside, namely the kids. Scratching sounds were heard all over. One of them looked into the room the kids were in and was shot, again making that sound. After some time, the family left to the police. While the officer thought it was a joke, he was still concerned there was a gun fight. Some cops and state troopers came to the scene, although there's a rumor that one cop saw one of the creatures... but nothing concrete there. They did notice a weird liquid where one of the creatures was shot, but didn't collect it. After the cops left, the creatures returned, this time warded away by the sunrise. After some time, because of the mockery and constant visits from alien enthusiasts, the family left. But it wasn't just that that made the family leave... it was the fear that the creatures, which we call today the Kentucky Goblins, would someday come back..."

There was a silence in the RV as everyone. All of them were processing what Danny said. However, one person expressed her thoughts.

"Ridiculous... there's no such thing as aliens." Maddie dismissed.

Everyone looked in her direction, all of them finding her dismissal odd.

"You studied and built devices on how to fight ghosts before even seeing one and ALIENS are ridiculous to believe in?" Jazz questioned.

"I myself happened to have done my own research and agreed with skeptics what the family saw was a flock of great horned owls. Big yellow eyes, features resembling ears... case closed." Maddie states with a proud arm fold.

"Actually, there's holes in that, Mom." Danny brought up. "First, the creatures were reported as 3-4 feet tall, taller than the great horned owl. Second, these creatures were said to be hovering, which no owl is capable of. Third, and most important... great horned owls are not bulletproof and don't make the sound of metal when shot at."

"He's got you there, Maddie…" Jack said.

Maddie rolled her eyes.

"Aliens… ridiculous…" Maddie scoffed.

"So… what about this guy who's been emailing you?" Tucker asks.

"He hasn't responded to me for some time… it's… kinda creepy." Danny said.


Two Hours Later

It's been half an hour since the Fentons arrived at their hotel, bringing their stuff into their room and settling in.

Danny was the last to get out, looking back at Sam and Tucker. While Tucker was surfing the web on his PDA, Sam was sitting on the bed, arms crossed and looking more upset than usual.

"I can't believe you're going to a place way closer to the beauty of Kentucky while we're here…" She grumbled.

"With free Wi-Fi and there's cake on the room service?! I am so getting that!" Tucker said happily as Sam rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, but it was my parents decision, plus it might get a bit ugly. Also, not sure you'd like my Mom's cousins' cooking." Danny warned.

The last time he was there, it was something so disgusting he's mentally blocked the taste in his mind.

"Just be safe out there." Sam said, getting up and walking to him.

"Relax, Sam. No ghosts for miles as far as we know." He assured.

"And no aliens either, I bet…" She joked, earning an eyeroll from Danny. "Just make it back safe, okay?" She asks, pecking him on the cheek.

"Okay." He assured her before going.

Sam sighed.

"Hello, room service?" Tucker asks over the phone. "Your three-layer cake? We need two."

Sam scowled.

"Uh, did you forget I'm an ultra-recycl-"

"Who said I'm ordering for you too?" Tucker asks before going back to the phone. "Put it on our tab for the room." He says.

Sam rolled her eyes before sighing and looking to the door Danny left.

"Well, at least nothing too dangerous that needs Danny Phantom is going here in Kentucky…" She says to herself.

She was unaware how wrong she'd be.


Special thanks to Flower Princess11 and TheWhiteTitan for helping me.

If you're familiar with the story of the man from Hellier, who may or may not have been using a fake name, I took inspiration from that in the emails, including the photos Danny saw.

More soon :)

RonaldM40196867: I do fantasize about ghostly superpowers. As for best pairing... hard to say, too many choices.

Invader Johnny: He's probably very good at hiding it.

Luiz4200: We shall see for sure if it's worth it or not.

Leonardo: I won't say what plans I have for Danny in terms of relationships... yet. Also, I may do more than one more poster.

Khy Dragon: Thanks.

Chanderx93: Creo que el plan original de la serie era que él luchara contra otras cosas además de los fantasmas.