Chapter 11: A Difficult Choice
After the fiasco, Jack and Maddie were forced to get a taxi back to the hotel, as there was nothing more they could do when it came to the police interviewing everyone. Once they got out of the cab, Jack was forced to tip the driver
"This is why I hate taking a cab…" Jack muttered, not liking that he had to listen to lackluster hip hop music.
"Call the kids, see if they're on their way." Maddie said.
"On it." Jack said as he pulled out his phone, only for his wife to hold her arm out as she stopped walking. "Huh?"
"Never mind." Maddie said, looking up and pointing upward.
There, they saw two flying figures, carrying others in their arms.
"Huh… I guess they got your message." Jack said.
"Let's see what they've learned…" Maddie said.
''On it, Baby..." He said.
Once Jack and Maddie opened the door, they saw children and their friends, who seemed distressed.
"Where's the RV?" Jazz asks.
"We… had to get a mechanic to look at it." Maddie said, notably looking unsure of what to say.
"Really? Who?" Danny asks.
Both Jack and Maddie shared hesitant looks.
"Just… a guy… anyway… what'd you learn?" Jack asks.
10 minutes later
"And that's the deal, I help them get off the planet, or they attack the people living in that area." He explained.
His parents looked appalled.
"I can't believe that those creatures are blackmailing you to help them..." Maddie said.
"I can't believe that you got to see an alien spaceship!" Jack said before a smile came to his face. "Did you snag some pictures?"
Maddie ribbed him.
"Not the time."
"Sorry…" He said.
"Anyway… what will you do?" Maddie asks.
"Well, I don't know…" Danny admits.
"Maybe we should help them." Sam suggests.
Everyone sent her a surprised look.
"Really?" Tucker asks.
"If they leave, maybe they'll never come back." Sam says.
"Maybe… maybe not." Danny said. "If they were so willing to attack and steal, I don't think they have good intentions."
"Maybe but maybe they're just really desperate and wanna go home. I say let them and maybe they'll leave us alone out of gratitude." Sam said.
"I may have to agree with Danny. They ransacked people's homes, and the RV, and the fact they seem willing to hurt people might suggest they're not going to leave us willy nilly." Jazz said.
''What do you mean?" Sam asks.
"You thinking an invasion?" Jack asks.
"If that's the case, we should deal with them. We'll have to make them come to a compromise." Maddie said.
"A compromise?" Sam asks, really hating the way that sounds.
"It's simple, we get them to see we won't take them threatening people and fight back." Maddie said.
"We can drop by the ship and grab a few things we need to pound some sense into these planet-hopping punks from beyond the stars." Jack said with a grin as she pounded a fist into his hand.
"Wouldn't we start a fire?" Sam asks.
"True… we might need to knock some trees down to avoid it spreading." Maddie said.
"What?!" Sam asked, not liking that.
"I don't think there's a lot of wind for the rest of the day, so it might not spread too far." Maddie said.
"Uh… what about the trees?! Or the animals?!" Sam asks.
"Sam, this is serious. New trees can be planted and animals can find new places to live. Besides, that's just in case they don't agree." Maddie said.
Sam crossed her arms angrily.
"Okay... just one thing though." Danny says. "Even if they don't agree to a peaceful ultimatum, or they're willing to bring an invading armada on us... what then? They're not ghosts, so we can't send them to the Ghost Zone."
There was an uncomfortable silence as both Jack and Maddie shared a look, one that indicated something ugly and uncomfortable.
"Then..." Maddie looked back to the kids. "We'll have to send them to the Ghost Zone... the old fashioned way..."
There was a pause as the youngest started to realize what she meant.
"Wait... you don't mean...?" Jazz asked.
"We'll have to take them out." Jack answered her.
"WHAT?!" Sam asks. "Are you serious?!"
"... dead serious." Maddie said.
"Look, it's not the ideal choice... but if they refuse to go with a solution that doesn't lead to a peaceful outcome, we won't have a choice." Jack added.
Danny felt very uncomfortable after hearing this. He has never taken a life. There were the clones, but they were mindless and it was clear they wouldn't have survived very long anyway. Even the most terrible of ghosts, with one exception, had some redeeming qualities like refusing to fight on Christmas.
Sam then shook him by the shoulder.
"Danny! Don't do this!" She begged.
"Are you seriously against this?" Tucker asks.
"Yes!" Sam snapped at him. "I'm into nature and all things alive, remember? It's bad enough we might destroy trees and make animals leave their homes, but we're suggesting taking lives!"
"You're the one always wanting to hospitalize Paulina..." Tucker points out.
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WANT HER DEAD!" Sam shouts.
"Sam..." Maddie spoke up.
"There has to be some way out of this! I mean... have you ever taken a life?!" She asks.
"You're asking someone who used to have to hunt wild game with her father for dinner." Maddie said flatly.
"And we had to eat horse meat... still not over that." Jack adds bitterly.
Sam, hearing this, felt sick to her stomach.
"You can't seriously-"
"Sometimes... we have to compromise... especially when it's for a very good reason... like preventing innocent people from getting killed." Maddie said.
"But what about these aliens? They didn't ask to be on Earth! Shouldn't we... help them in a way to avoid anyone getting hurt?" Sam asks.
There was no answer from anyone.
Everyone remained silent, not moving as they had uncomfortable looks.
Sam was getting increasingly upset as Danielle raised her hand.
"Maybe… we think about it over the night? I mean, he won't need us until tomorrow night, right?" She asks.
Before Maddie could speak, Sam pointed to her.
"Yes! Exactly!" Sam said with a relieved look on her face. "Okay… meeting adjourned and all." She said as she got up and walked to the door. "I've got some wheat smoothies to enjoy downstairs…"
As she left, Tucker got up and followed.
"I'm gonna go too, maybe get a burger. And some ice cream…" He said with a small smile.
Once he was gone, Jazz sighed and got up.
"I'll do some light reading…"
"And I'm gonna beat Tucker to the ice cream." Danielle said before morphing and phasing downstairs.
"Hey, save some for me!" Jack said as he got up and headed to the door.
Once he and Jazz were gone, that just left Danny with Maddie.
The ghost boy was still silent as Maddie put a hand on her son's shoulder.
"Son? You okay?"
"Not… really… I mean, you're asking me to take someone's life. Sure, most of those things are clones and the actual survivors are probably already dead… but the only ghosts I've ever really destroyed were imperfect clones that were going to burn out anyway." Danny admitted, looking haunted as he recalled that day.
Maddie took a breath, realizing now how heavy this may be.
"I realize you grew up in a more civilized environment than I did… and we raised you to the best we can, but this… what'd you say his name was?"
"Ma-Jinoh." Danny answered.
"... right. This Ma-Jinoh doesn't sound like he has a problem with endangering people's lives. If it helps, we'll give him one chance. If not… the least we can do is take out the minor creatures, lower his army to get him to surrender. If you want, your father and I can do it…" Maddie offered.
Danny gave a small smile.
"I guess…"
"Okay then… well…" Maddie got up. "I'm going to get some of that ice cream before your father and sister have it all… be back in an hour… or three." She said happily as she walked out.
Once she was gone, Danny smiled before laying on his bed and opening his laptop.
"I hate the idea… but the least we can do is get him to see reason…" He said.
I mean, Ma-Jinoh has to have some limits… right? He thought. What to do in the meantime? Read comics? Look up some retro games? Maybe some hot cosplays of my favorite comic, cartoon, anime and game babes? That'd be-
He stopped upon seeing it.
It was an email, one that read "YOU MUST READ THIS" by a name he recognized.
"John Doe?" He asks.
He opened it.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LEAVE WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE? I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU… ONE HOUR AFTER THIS ARRIVES…"
Danny raised an eyebrow.
"What the heck?" He asks before noticing the time. It was 59 minutes since the email was sent. "An hour… so…?"
He refreshed the page and a new email arrived. It read "LAST WARNING."
He opened the email.
"THIS IS A SYMPTOM BEYOND YOUR UNDERSTANDING, STICK TO THE GHOSTS YOU ARE KNOWN FOR. BARE IN MIND IF YOU CONTINUE, YOU WILL ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH. YOU WILL KNOW THINGS NO BOY SHOULD KNOW… USE THE NUMBERS. USE THE MAP."
It was then he noticed a series of numbers.
What is that? A credit card number? Wait… he said map. He thought.
Using the map feature on his search engine, he typed the number in. Once it was done, he gasped hard enough to let all air out of his body and he pulled away, knocking the laptop off.
"Wait… no… that can't be…" He said.
Tentatively, he reached for it, staring closer as he looked at the screen to confirm his fears.
It was the coordinates to the cave he and his team were in tonight.
Morning
With help from a cab, the Fentons and their tagalongs arrived back on the farm.
Once they were out, they saw the damage made to the house in daylight for the first time.
"It's even worse now that it's not dark…" Maddie muttered.
"Well… the RV should be back later today…" Jack said with a groan.
"What do we do until it's time?" Danny asks.
"I guess try and help fix this place back up?" Maddie suggests.
Jack didn't like the idea but sighed.
"Fine... " He said begrudgingly as they went inside to greet everyone.
Once he and Maddie entered, almost all eyes were on him, and none of them for pleasant reasons.
Zeke and Betty-Jo, however, were more welcoming.
"Glad you two came back." Zeke said.
"Well, we couldn't leave you like this." Maddie said with a smile.
"Especially since it's without question Jack Fenton's fault." Uncle Cletus said out loud, noticing Jack glaring at him. "Oops… was that out loud?" He asks with a smile.
Jack would have said something, but Maddie pressed her hand on his chest.
"No… just help clear this up…" She said.
Jack took a deep breath.
"Fine… how can I help?" Jack asks.
"You can leave…" Virginia said scornfully.
"No. You can help me in the room where the Hackfords saw those things." Zeke said.
Jack nodded as he followed, dirty looks from the rest of Maddie's family following him.
As Maddie sighed bitterly, their daughters and son's two best friends followed in, with one looking hungry.
"I wonder if there's any Lamb Fries left?" Tucker asks with a grin as he makes his way to the kitchen.
Jazz and Sam made disgusted faces at that as Danielle saw this.
"What's wrong?" She asks.
"Should we tell him?" Jazz whispers to Sam, having not heard Danielle.
"He's a big boy, let him find out." Sam responded.
"Where's Danny?" Jazz asks, noticing he's not around.
"He said he was gonna figure some stuff out, maybe find something that those things left outside." Danielle said.
Outside
Danny walked around the fence, where cows and chickens were roaming about. He was pondering, holding onto his chin with one hand.
All he had on his mind was that email and his issue with the aliens. He didn't tell them about the email yet, mostly because he's not sure what to think. He was also confused how this person knew about the five entering that cavern. There's a chance that certain people, possibly the Men in Black given what he heard, might have had a hand. Still, he had to worry more about the problem in hand, namely the Goblins. To take a life was abhorrent to him. Crushing a cockroach isn't too much, since they're non-sapient, no matter what Sam thought. However, Ma-Jinoh, and potentially some of the Goblins, were fully sapient beings.
"There's a good chance we might not have a choice… but Mom and Dad might be willing to do the deed. They always talked about destroying ghosts, I guess aliens will have to satisfy that urge…" He said to himself.
It was unsettling as he thought about how it would go. Still, they had to try and get Ma-Jinoh and his followers to listen to reason. He'd be willing to help them out as long as they promise not to hurt anyone or do any invasion plans. Although threatening to endanger people didn't hint at peaceful plans.
As he leaned on the fence, he took notice of a truck driving by, one with a certain family he's aware of.
Oh, them… what are they up to? Danny thought.
As the truck pulled up, he went back to pondering.
"Okay… so… what to do? I guess I could always fight off a few without needing to finish them off. Hopefully... Then I-"
It was then he heard a sad sigh and saw someone leaning on the fence on the other side. Her back was turned and didn't seem to have noticed he was around as far as he knew.
On some level, he wanted to bolt it, but he also knew something seemed to have upset her.
It can't be the scare she got last night… could it? He thought.
So, he approached her from around the fence, coming up from her left.
"Hey, Sally May?" He asked nervously.
At first, looking up, she smiled. However, she recalled what her brother said the night before and the smile left her.
"Oh, hey… Danny…" Sally May said sadly.
"Uh, you okay?" He asks carefully.
"Yeah… yeah…" She admits.
"Was it… about last night? The aliens… I mean… not anything regarding the closet…" He clarified quickly.
"Not exactly. I mean… don't get me wrong, it was crazy. The fightin', the aliens, the creepy but cute ghost kid…" She went off.
"She thinks I'm cute as a ghost too?" He asks under his breath.
"But it's more…" She sighed before standing up and facing Danny. "I'm sorry…"
That got his attention..
"...for…?" Danny asks.
"For… all the kissin' and the huggin' n stuff…" She said before scratching her arm nervously. "You mighta noticed, we're a bit out of reach from most of the world. Closest school here has so few people that anyone new is just instantly more interestin'. And yer from the city, a place I really wanna go to someday. I guess, I wanted to win you over partially to get outta here and leave this place someday…" She admits.
"You… wanna leave?" Danny asks.
"Don't get me wrong, I love where I was born… but Pa's a stubborn man who never wants to admit he's wrong, never wants to compromise even if it's fer his kin. Even if his little girl wants to get out and become a veterinarian with her own private clinic." She admits as she sat back down.
"Really? You wanna be a veterinarian?" Danny asks, which she nods to. "That's… kinda neat."
"Thanks… but Pa's too stubborn to let go even if he's married now."
Despite what he had to put up with from her, he felt sorry for her.
"What will you do?" He asks.
"I can't just tell him anything. He's as stubborn as a goat." Sally May says.
Danny just stared at her for a bit.
"I'm guessing that means he's very stubborn…" He rationalizes.
"He is…"
He noticed the normally cheerful blonde looked depressed and he sighed.
She might be forward...still, I guess I should be a little more friendly than scared… He thought as he sat down next to her.
"Sally-May...look… I get you don't want to upset him but it's obvious you don't want to stay here forever. If you wanna become a vet or move to the city once you're old enough, no one can keep you here. It's your life and you know what you want with it..." Danny said. "That's what my mom did, she wanted more than what this place could offer and she went for it, and that's how she met my dad. While her relatives aren't exactly accepting of it, I know that she's happy where she is now." He said.
''You really think that I can get him to see what I want?" She asked.
"Yeah...you might be his daughter but it's something you want..."He said.
Sally May smiles.
"I'll try…" She said before taking a deep breath. "Here goes everything…"
Inside the house
"My kids were almost killed in this house!" Zeb Sr. shouted.
"You should have kept a closer eye on them!" Zeke calls him out.
"This is all your fault, "old friend"!" Zeb Sr. yelled.
"Our fault?! You should have kept a closer eye on your kin!" Zeke said as the two men kept arguing.
Betty-Jo groaned as she tried to calm her husband down.
"Please stop this." She begged.
"She's right." Alicia said.
Betty-Jo sighed in relief.
"See, we should-"
"Let's just agree this is Jack Fenton's fault!" Alicia shouted as she pointed at him.
Suddenly, most of the cousins started agreeing with her.
"What? Come on, those things have been around before Jack ever got here!" Betty-Jo points out.
"And yet we never had these things coming at us in so many numbers til now! And what's different? Jack Fenton! That's what!" Alicia snapped.
The Fenton clan was appalled by her so-called logic, even more when some of the McKirks were agreeing with her.
"Alicia! Enough of this!" Maddie said.
"Maddie, he ain't no good fer ya! He never was! Ya shoulda married that much more handsome guy you went with to college, the rich guy tha-"
Suddenly she felt a kick to her shin.
Hissing in pain, Alicia pulled her leg up, shouting as she hopped in place.
Jack grinned at this.
"What just hit me?!" She cursed as she looked down, seeing a pair of blue eyes glaring up at her.
"What is wrong with you?!" Danielle shouted.
Alicia got angry and glared at her.
"You! Apologize!" Alicia shouted.
"Danielle…" Maddie started. "Maybe you shou-"
"No! No, I won't apologize! These guys should apologize! I mean, you left on your own! You made the choice to marry my dad! And you clearly made the right choice not choosing that cheesehead! And these guys?! I can see why you left because most of them are awful!"
Betty-Jo and her husband were amused while the other McKirks became upset.
Aunt Virginia scoffed.
"Ugh, typical Fenton attitude. Such reckless-"
"You shut it! Go chug your moonshine! … whatever that is…" Danielle said before she continued. "My dad's not perfect, I get it! He eats so much it's a shock he hasn't had heart problems! He drives the RV around with little regard for the safety of himself or his passengers or pedestrians! He gets way too into his inventing of things that almost set the town on fire! He… uh…" Danielle realized she was getting off topic and felt embarrassed. "What was I saying?"
"I think you were defending your father." Maddie answered.
"Oh! Right! Anyway… my dad is not perfect but he's a good guy and a great father. He and my mom love each other more than anything and if you guys really did care about my mom, then the very least you guys could go is treat the man she loves right. He might not be rich or "handsome" as you said Alicia but he's a great dad that takes good care of us, he provides for her and he truly cares about her feelings, unlike that monster Vlad, who you seem to be into...in case you didn't get the memo, that guy was a sociopath who sooner or later, would have bought this land to kick you all out before he'd pretend to like you for Mom's sake like my dad has been trying to do..." She said.
While the younger relatives seemed to listen, the eldest looked disinterested in her words.
Scowling at them, Danielle turned away, storming out.
Alicia scoffed and still sent a hateful look at the girl.
"You should teach that brat manners… Maybe a good spankin' is needed." Alicia remarked.
Hearing that, Maddie snapped.
"Alicia…"
"Wha-" Suddenly, Maddie grabbed her sister by the arm and twisted it, much to everyone's shock. "Ow! What in the-"
She was silenced when she saw a look on her sister's face that she never saw, a face only those who have wronged her have seen.
"Alicia…" She said in a threatening whisper. "You can criticize me, my choice in career and my choice in husband. And while Jack and I have come to accept you will never see him as family… you do not make comments like that about my children. Especially Danielle! And never say anything remotely nice about Vlad Masters around us…"
She then let her sister go, taking her husband by the hand as they went after Danielle, while Jack looked back and stuck his tongue at Alicia, who snarled in anger.
Once they left, the rest of the McKirk clan expressed disapproval.
"Look at what they've done to her…" Uncle Cletus whispered to Aunt Alicia.
"Why'd Jack get the invite anyway?" Alicia questioned.
"Reasons…" Betty-Jo grumbled, knowing they wouldn't listen.
As that went on, someone tugged on Hackford Senior's shirt from behind.
"Uh… Pa?" Sally May asked.
He saw his daughter standing there, trying to maintain her composure out of fear he'd reject what she had to say.
"Yeah?" He asks.
"I need to speak with you… outside." She said.
Outside
Danny was still at the fence, sitting down as he thought hard about what's to come.
Am I really thinking about taking those things out? Danny thought.
Suddenly, someone sat next to him.
"Danny?" Sam asks.
"Hmm? Oh, hey…"
"Hey. I saw that you were out here. Figured we could talk." Sam said.
"Okay..."Danny said.
The goth girl then told him what was on her mind.
"I was thinking about what your folks said...about... what they think we should do if something goes wrong." Sam said.
"Me too… I'm not really comfortable with it..." Danny admitted.
Sam smiled, realizing she and Danny were on the same page.
"Then you know that killing those goblins is wrong..." She said.
"Yeah… but…" Danny started but wasn't sure what to actually say.
"I know they have been a pain but it's a line no one should cross. Plus, aliens or not, they're still living beings...I think..." Sam adds.
"Yeah… they are." Danny has to agree.
"So… we should convince everyone else not to do it?" Sam asks.
"Sam, I don't think we have a choice. Like my mom says, what if it turns out they're not interested in leaving in peace? I mean, they probably didn't come in peace either..." He said.
Sam frowned at the fact that he is even considering the idea.
''I can't believe that you're even thinking about it!" Sam said in outrage.
"I'm not saying I am, and I'm not saying I like it… but what if they won't give us a choice?" Danny asks.
"It doesn't matter! We have to make our stance!" Sam insists.
Danny, noticing her wording, felt like something was wrong.
"Our stance?" Danny asks.
"Yeah, you're on my side here, right?" Sam asks.
"What? No…"
Sam frowned hard.
"What?!" She snapped.
"I'm not on anyone's side here. I just think that if the worst happens, we should at least consider the option." Danny said.
"No way! There's no way I'm doing that or letting you do that!" Sam insists.
"Sam, come on… We might have to consider-"
"What'd I say back when we started dating? I'm no pushover, I have my own way of doing things!" Sam points out.
Danny groaned and rubbed his face with his hand.
"That's the problem… you're refusing to listen or consider your way isn't the right way." He admits.
Sam frowned hard at him.
"I always thought that if we got together, it would be amazing and you'd listen, but you're still too much of a friend than you are a boyfriend..." She muttered.
"Sam… I'm just trying to-"
"Or is it because I have no tolerance for people who think or eat differently?" She questioned angrily.
Danny's eyes widened.
"Wait… you were… you heard me?" Danny asks.
"Yes, I did!" She yelled.
"Oh crud…" Danny muttered.
"So, it looks like me being non-conformist is only cute for a bit until it gets old… Well, that's not exactly flattering!" Sam shouted, crossing her arms.
"Sam… please liste-"
"You never listen! I mean, you don't listen to me, you don't compromise and you gotta learn to do that when you're in a relationship!" Sam states.
Hearing that, Danny scoffed and looked at her incredulously.
"I don't compromise? You're the one who called off our last date before we came here because I didn't want to see some stupid movie. In fact, most of our dates since we started have been your thing and we only ever did something I wanted to do if it was something you already liked. We saw that stupid movie more times than I wanna remember, I didn't even like the past ones." Danny said.
"Femalien is not stupid!" Sam shouts.
"It's a blatant rip-off. Adding "Fem" doesn't magically make it a different movie, or a better one." Danny states.
"So what?! At least I wanted to support something unique!" Sam states.
"Being unique isn't inherently a good thing, Sam. If you took a sandwich and it had rotten fish, moldy ketchup and apples that were out of the sun in it, that'd be unique but would it actually be good?" He asks.
Sam glared angrily.
"You're unbelievable!" She snarled.
"Sam, come on."
"NO! I am not a pushover!" She yelled at him.
"And yet you're trying to push me into agreeing with you. Tell me, what if we do your idea... and you're wrong?" Danny asks.
There was silence, a very long one.
Danny started to fear he may have crossed a line.
Sam did not answer, she only glared at Danny before turning her head and walking away.
"Sam?" She didn't respond, she just kept walking away. "Sam?!"
She kept walking, her pace quickening. Danny would have followed had he not hear something else.
"Pa? I'm beggin' ya!" Sally May was heard.
Danny turned his head and saw the Hackford clan outside the house.
Something happening? He thought as he looked back to see Sam no longer in sight. He sighed to himself.
"I'm sure she'll be fine..." He said as he chose to listen in on what he heard.
He walked in closer, since it was hard not to notice.
"Just what in the world got to ya?" Hackford Sr. questioned.
"Someone convinced me to try." Sally May admits.
"That city boy got to her, Pa. I told you they'se a bad influence." Zeb Jr. went.
She glared at him before turning to her father.
"Pa… I love ya but I don't wanna spend the rest of my life here."
"No daughter of mine is goin anywhere near city folk, I forbid it." Hackford Senior said.
"You ain't leavin', little sister. You heard Pa." Jeb Jr. said.
"But… I really wanna be a vet. I wanna leave this place to do more in life than what's here!"
"Sally May, I'm yer Pa and you're gonna stay here, maybe marry someone from town. Now enough of this city nonsense, we do not associate with the city or the McKirks, understood?!" Mr. Hackford yelled until someone else made their presence.
"Seriously?" Danny asked.
Both Sally-May and her father were shocked by the interruption by someone they least expect.
"Danny?" Sally May asked, surprised.
"Wait… yer the city McKirk kin she's been keen on. What do you think yer doin'?" Hackford Sr. asks.
"You suddenly want my sister?" Zeb questioned, looking ready to deck him.
"No, I'm here because Sally May clearly wants to leave and do more with her life..."Danny began.
"Who are you to talk to me like this? You tryin' to end the feud by getting your city hands on my daughter once she's old enough?" Zeb Sr. questioned.
"Look, I have nothing to do with this stupid feud, I don't know why you're still so upset about what happened between you and my uncle, and I honestly don't care but I can't just sit by and watch you tear your own daughter's dreams apart like that…"Danny said.
That got the attention of Hackford Sr.
"You… don't care?" He asks.
"You and my mom's cousin have been fighting for years over a woman who clearly didn't like either of you enough to stay, even after you both got married and have kids...do you still wish you married her?" Danny asked.
"How dare you even suggest? I love my darlin' Ellie May..." Mr. Hackford said in a defensive tone.
"Really?" Danny asks in a disbelieving tone.
"I haven't thought of… her… in years..." He said, serious in his tone.
"Then why keep up this attitude?" Danny asked.
Mr. Hackford looked insulted.
"It ain't about her, it's about how your kinfolk keep bringing it up!" He said, being stubborn.
Danny rolled his eyes.
"So basically, you spent like 2 decades with my relatives for a petty grudge that both of you know there's no point in continuing, but you're too stubborn to stop?" Danny asked, not impressed.
"If you think insultin' me is gonna end this feud, you are wrong." Hackford Sr. said as a warning.
"Look, if you don't like my relatives and you don't like the city, then fine, that's your business but Sally May isn't you. You can't force her to stay here forever if she genuinely wants to have a life outside this county..." Danny said.
"Who are you to tell me how to raise my daughter?! You ain't even interested in her!"
"You're so stubborn and full of pride, still choosing to be petty over something so stupid that you're ignoring your own daughter's feelings and you refuse to even let her leave this place when she's old enough..." Danny said.
"You don't talk to Pa like that!" Zeb Jr. said as he raised a fist.
"Yer making it very easy to forget you're a kid right now." Hackford Sr. warned.
"Look, I don't care if you hate my family or not but this whole feud is ridiculous since you've both moved on and you won't even compromise and let your daughter have a life outside of this. From what I've seen, it's not doing any favors for either sides..." Danny said.
"Why are you stickin' up for her? She's done nothing but invade yer personal space and try and steal you from that depressin' lookin' city girl. And you ain't even from around here." Hackford Sr. pointed out.
"Like I said, I have nothing to do with this feud, this is your and my uncle's problem and we Fentons will be leaving in a few hours but I don't hate your daughter, and I hate seeing her being forced to take a side over something she had nothing to do with… If you really love your daughter, then you'll have to compromise to let her live a happy life, even if it's something you don't want, like letting her go to the city." Danny said.
Mr. Hackford hated to admit it but what Danny said had meaning.
He knew that this whole feud started because he and Ezekiel McKirk had fought over the same woman, a woman whom he got over years ago and he sincerely loves his wife and their kids very much, but he couldn't forget about how his friendship was soured thanks to that woman.
Still, it has been decades and they are still at it but it was clear his daughter didn't share the resentment like his son did.
"Have I really been so stubborn?" He asked, looking regretful.
"Pa, come on." His son went. "Don't be so-"
Hackford Senior glared at him, making him shut up.
He looked at his daughter, seeing the sad look on her face and sighed.
"I… I can't just say yes…" He said as shook his head. However, he nodded. "But I promise to at least think about it before you turn 18."
Despite it all, Sally May smiled while her father nodded before heading back in the direction of his house.
"I ain't never seen Pa like that…" Zeb Jr. said as he looked at Danny, looking surprised instead of hostile. "You… you got guts, City B- I mean, Danny…"
''Uh...okay..." He said, unsure.
Once Zeb left, Sally May was left with her crush.
"Danny, I don't know what to say...but thank you..." Sally May said, meaning it.
Danny smiled.
"No problem..." He said.
"So… does this mean ya like me too?" She asked hopefully.
Danny's smile dropped slightly.
"Sally May, look... I still have a girlfriend...we can be friends but I'm in no hurry to get hitched or whatever..." He said.
Sally-May seemed disappointed but accepted this with a small smile.
"I still like ya...but I'll take being friends..." She said, willing to compromise.
"Well… you might get your chance…" Danny said, sounding down.
"Why's that?" Sally May asks.
"Because… I'm starting to think you're right about me and Sam…" Danny admits.
"That she should eat meat?" Sally May asks.
"No. That… we jumped into being in a relationship too fast, that just because we're best friends doesn't mean we're right for each other as anything more." Danny admits.
Despite still liking him, Sally May was concerned for his relationship now.
"What happened?" She asks.
Knowing he can't just tell her what happened, he just chose to word it differently.
"Lemme ask a hypothetical question. Let's say you love dogs."
"I do."
"Okay, good… let's say there's a wild dog that's attacking people. It's mean, maybe even rabid. You have no choice but to… I guess, put him down. Would you?" He asks.
Sally May stared at him a moment before answering him.
"Even ignoring what I wanna do, I've lived on a farm all my life. I know that… well, I'd love to find some way to help that critter… but if I really have no choice but to put him down… I'd have to if it means ain't no one needs to be hurt." She answers.
"Really? Even if it's not a dog? What if it's a person?" Danny admits before rolling his eyes away. "Or an alien?" He said under his breath.
Sally May didn't hear that last part as she went on.
"Again, if there really is no choice. But if the person in question clearly has no interest in not hurtin' people… well, can't say I won't use force… I don't wanna hurt no one like that… but if it's to save someone's life, I'd do it."
"You'd do that? I get you wanna be a vet, which is basically an animal doctor, and I heard they have their own Hippocratic oath. You'd do harm if you had to?" He asks.
"I don't wanna, Sug. But… I've been raised to do whatever I gotta if it means less good people have to suffer. I don't have to like it, but I'd have to do it if it at least means savin' someone else. I'd at least give 'em a warning." She admits.
The ghost boy knew that she had a point and realized that the least he can do is reason with the Goblins before he'd let them know he'd use force if needed to stop them.
"Thanks." Danny said as he extended his arm to her.
Sally May was silent before smiling as she slowly took his hand. As she did, she pulled Danny in and hugged him, much to his surprise.
"I like ya, remember? Don't worry, this is as far as I'm gettin'." She said with a smile as she rested her chin on his shoulder.
Danny turned red a bit before sighing and smiling.
"Fine, I'll allow it…" He said.
He slowly hugged her back as Sally May smiled. It was a different smile, not a simple crush grown out of proportions, but something more meaningful.
She finally let him go.
"Thanks… friend." Sally May said before she started heading to join her family. "Be seeing ya."
"Sure." Danny said, waving to her.
Once she was gone, he took a breath. He realized what he must do.
He turned around and saw his Aunt and Uncle watching, smiling.
"Uh… how long were you two-"
"Long enough. Shame you're taken, I think you and Sally May would be perfect, and not just to end the feud." Zeke said.
"Now, come on in… I got an announcement to make." Betty-Jo said.
Minutes later
As the relatives were in the still torn up living room, they were still in a bad mood.
Jack was groaning as he chose to just have a glass of milk and leftover pie as Tucker looked at the dining table.
"Huh… no Lamb Fries…" He said.
Knowing what those are, Jack coughed a bit before swallowing, much to Tucker's surprise.
"Sorry… swallowed too fast." He lied.
Maddie sighed, shaking her head and hoping this would end quickly as to deal with a different problem.
Meanwhile, her relatives remained quiet as Zeke and Betty-Jo took their attention.
"I had wanted to make the announcement last night… but with those… things… we got sidetracked." Zeke said.
"It's been so long, but Zeke and I finally did it." Betty-Jo said.
This raised some eyebrows as the rest of the McKirks got curious.
"You bought that truck I suggested?" Cletus asks.
"We're expectin'." Zeke answered.
There was silence upon hearing that.
"A… new truck?" Cletus asks, clueless.
"A baby! You idiot!" Virginia snapped.
The silence ended as people were suddenly congratulating them. Zeke gestured with hands for everyone to quiet down a moment.
"Now, Betty-Jo and I spoke and we came to an agreement on who should be the godparents. These two… are the most responsible people we know, who do so much for their kids, and while they may do things in their own, strange way, we can see that they care for their kin and would do anything for them. Now… the one picked, we trust this person to show our little one how to prepare for the real world." Zeke said.
"Now, first thing is first… will Cletus, Virginia and Alicia please stand up?" Betty-Jo asks.
The three in question did so. All three were proud, happy to seem like one of them was chosen.
"Now, my wife insisted we get all three of you to stand up." Zeke said.
"I bet." Alicia went.
Jack, uninterested, kept eating his pie.
"Bitter old bat." He mumbled.
"Now… bend over and kiss the cheeks, and I don't mean his face, of Jack Fenton, cause we pick him and Maddie as the godparents!" Betty-Jo said quickly with a mocking look on her face.
The surprise hit everyone as all of the relatives gasped in shock and betrayal as all eyes were on Jack and Maddie, the former with a mouth full of pie.
"What?!" Maddie asks, grinning happily.
"HA!" Jack went, some pie falling out.
Maddie's relatives weren't so happy to hear the news.
"HIM?!" Virginia questioned.
"NO!" Cletus shouted.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Alicia went.
She saw Danielle sticking her tongue out at her spitefully, angering her more.
"You heard her, everyone!" Jack said as he turned around. "Kiss it! And I don't mean the face!" He went mockingly.
Danny, Jazz and Danielle snickered. However, it was now Danny noticed someone was missing.
"Where's Sam?" He whispered.
"I thought she was with you?" Jazz asked.
"She was… but she stormed off. I was gonna tell her we're gonna try her way first before we resort to going that far." He said.
"I'm sure she's fine…" Jazz insisted.
Danny thought about and nodded.
"Yeah…"
Meanwhile
Sam knew the way there, she recalled it from last night even if it wasn't as dark.
She made it and took a deep breath. She tried brainstorming new ideas but couldn't think of anything. She remained vigilant in her decision, wanting to prove her way of avoiding life taking would work.
"Here we go… HEY!" She called into the mine.
Suddenly, pairs of yellow lights appeared inside.
"Brr-breekee?" A voice went.
Knowing they could understand her now, Sam crossed her arms.
"Never thought I'd say this to an alien but… take me to your leader."
New chapter with thanks to Flower princess11.
And so, our story starts to take a somewhat darker tone.
And it looks like someone wants Danny to leave the Goblins be. This is also based on the incident involving the town of Hellier that I've referenced by the way.
It's not too dark though, as Danny and Sally May become friends and there's a baby on the way.
But what will happen next?
We shall see, and see what Sam's decision is going to result in.
RonaldM40196867: No, I don't. Partially basing his speech on a Dalek, he would probably sound like one. I also just wanted to reference another alien similar to the Goblins.
Themetavoorhees: Good chance it's the former.
LockAndKey989: We'll learn why they're on Earth soon enough.
Invader Johnny: That's a good question.
Khy Dragon: Possibly to lure Danny.
Leonardo: Indeed. I see, I might try something like that. I should finish it, yes. Not really.
SuperiorBatman1: They do bring up that their methods weren't very peaceful.
Luiz4200: Thanks, that was my working idea that Danny did something to catch their attention.
Chanderx93: No solo ellos, pero ya veremos más adelante. Gracias, pero ya tengo una buena cantidad de entidades paranormales para que Danny luche.
