Chapter Six - A Match Made in Hell
After Phantom flew off, everyone went back inside the house and mused over what they just witnessed. Valerie was simply in awe at the control of the arms while Sam simply smirked in love, her face literally reading 'THAT'S MY MAN. ' Tucker and Dani were chill while Jazz was musing over the amount of control her brother displayed... Things were looking up. The four Avengers in the room were in complete shock, it was now dawning on them who they were really dealing with that KID was who they were there for! It was a tense silence for a moment till Frank broke the silence.
"What the hell did we just witness?" He pinched the bridge of his nose then looked towards the ectologists in the room, Maddie had just returned from the kitchen with snacks for everyone.
"THAT. Was Phantom. " She answered. "The strongest ghost in all of Amity Park... " She took a seat on her husband's lap and he kissed her cheek.
"We even have a running theory, he maybe the King now. " At this Tony raised his hand like he was grad school again. "Yes, Mr. Stark?"
"I'm sorry but you two had ample opportunity to catch him, why haven't you? No offense. " Steve and Rebecca glared at the blunt and rude question but Tony shrugged them off.
"Because as much as I hate to admit, Phantom is out of our league now. " Jack supplied. "At first, we had a chance but he's like an eel only now a powerful one. Our weapons have minimal effect on him now. The worst part is that new move of his is on a level of ancient ghosts. "
"Any clue who Phantom was before he died? " Frank asked only to catch the tense up of the teens on the couch as they suddenly became nervous then he noticed that their little ringleader was nowhere in the vicinity. "Ya know what, scratch that. Move along next question ~ All THAT."
"There's just something about him that~ " Maddie started. "We've finally accepted him plus he's too powerful and our opinion in the Ghost Hunting community holds a lot of weight so... We have no real choice but to leave him be which goes back on what I said. He's the driving force of the Ghost Zone, some still antagonise but most have left Amity alone being he's claimed it as his haunt."
"Ah! " Tony chimed. "Well can we talk business for a minute because I want to WORK with you guys so BAD! Right now !" At that before more science was spoken all the others vacated the room, leaving the scientists and geeks (Jazz and Tucker) to play. Things relatively calmed down as everyone simply chatted away mainly on the subjects of ghosts, weapons, Phantom, Plasmius, and Maddie and Rebecca Martial arts. By the end of the night— around which time Danny finally reappeared— it was time to leave. Everyone exchanged last minute conversation and 'thug hugs' Natasha then stood and did the one thing no one ever expected of someone of her caliber... SHE HUGGED HIM! But mainly it was a ploy to whisper in his ear.
"Thank you for your cooperation. " She mused. "Tell no one, pack a few bags and be ready to leave in the next couple of days okay? " Her fellow Avengers were in silent shock at the display but took it as a sign that the young and mysterious boy was going to come back into their lives again.
"Right. "
LATER THAT NIGHT - Plasmius
He had searched and had his cohorts do the same but alas he found nothing on the two researchers who visited him earlier that day. His vultures had reported they had spotted the pair along with a few others watching his arch-nemesis put the Guys in White on ice but... What could he do? He was no where in power compared to the little ice Prince and many of the ghosts he needed had sided with the heathen, even Technus was on that little brat's side. At which point he was thrown in the dungeons but now... Vlad's empire had been reduced to sheer dust and said Techno maniac was free to join his proper side. He was probably spilling all his guts about Vlad's plans unto the boy and his allies; all the billionaire ghost could do... Was drink his heart out and wait for the boy to personally ruin him... Or so he thought.
"Pitiful. " Came a voice out the darkness of his sitting room.
"Come to kick an old man while he's down?" Vlad replied as he took a sip of vodka, just as he was about to take another sip, a manicured hand stopped him making the failed warlord look up. He came face to face with a young man with slick black hair and green eyes wearing an otherworldly forest green tunic with gold and black trimming.
"No, my dear Vladimir... " He chimed as he made the vodka disappear in a puff of green smoke. "I'm here to offer you a GLORIOUS ~ opportunity... One which will satisfy both our vengeful desires. And I must say yours is beyond vicious. "
"What could you possibly offer me that I haven't tried to gain for myself? "
"Your most sinister ambition and I must say..." The visitior chimed as he leaned on Vlad's head. "He is rather beautiful as he is strong." Images flooded the billionaire's mind as his thoughts went on a rampage about a certain someone with ice on their side. At this Vlad's claws ripped into the upholstery of his chair as his eyes flamed crimson; least it beknown to VLAD the being was manipulating him. Channeling his greatest fears and insecurities for source material to convict his heart with.
"I cannot have him, he's too powerful. "
"Nonsense, my friend, I can assist you. " The being chimed and moved so he could sit on the mahogany coffee table. "I can get you to his level... I can supply you with the very thing that sets you both apart and in return... You help me conquer this miserable planet. " VLAD looked up and finally took in the sight of his unknown guest, those devious green eyes matching so perfectly with his raging red ones. It was as if they were silently reaching into his mind politely cutting away at his little shreds of doubt.
"... What is your name? " Vlad asked, conjuring up another glass of vodka.
"Loki..." The figure replied. "Loki of Asgard."
"Well then~ LOKI of Asgard... Welcome aboard." At this the two shared a drink... Prince Daniel was in for it.
THE NEXT DAY - NOON
Natasha was literally ecstatic about their discovery... Phantom and Fenton were one in the same, the boy had the astounding ability to shift from a human physiology to a ghost one, powerful one too. She wanted to report to Fury the night she had found out but Clint calmed her down and convinced her otherwise. He was still astounded by the reveal, he mainly thought this trip was going to prove fruitless and pointless but had gained more than he had bargained for. How could someone be alive and dead at the SAME DAMN TIME?! IT'S MADNESS! He couldn't fathom the idea that the boy had a near death experience which granted him ghost powers and the control he showed... Can someone say, legendary? He had to admit though... It was time to report. Natasha had primped herself for the day in a red V-neck blouse and brown skinny jeans with black heels. While Barton just put on a blue dress shirt and grey slacks, he was looking over the Phantom file making minor edits in pencil mainly on his powers. Romanoff had setup the laptop making sure it was a direct secure connection directly to Director Fury, but knowing Stark he was somehow electronically tuned in — nosy. Oh, look at that, Stark had booked the same hotel they did. It took a minute but once the connection was established...
"Agent Romanoff. "
"Director. "
"Before you say anything, I'm going to warn you. " He mused in a tense manner, Natasha and Clint sat up straight at his words yet the Hawk was laying on his bed. "I've had nothing but a string of bad news all day so unless you got something that could make me BEAM WITH JOY! End this call NOW. " Barton got up and sat down next to Natasha at the table, he could see the hard anger and tension in Fury's lone eye... Something was up.
"Phantom. "
"What about him? " Their leader mused, even though he tried to hide it on his end, Clint could see the micro slivers of excitement in the man.
"We have met him. " Romanoff chimed. "And~ How do we put this? Clint! " Natasha moved so Barton was on screen now.
"The kid's half dead. " That lone eye looked as if it was about to pop out but Fury caught himself before he went permanently blind.
"Wait a Mississippi — HOLD the ~ What in the HELL?!" Fury exclaimed, his two star spies chuckled at his reaction waiting for him to calm down. "You mean to tell me that the ghost-boy I sent you after is actually ALIVE~?"
"Alive and kicking. " Replied Natasha.
"HOW~?" At his Clint butted in.
"The kid had a run in with Death and got away half alive. We know his identity too. "
"Aren'tchu the one who claimed 'we're gonna have to perform a seance to even see the kid.' ?"
"Yes. Yes, I am. " Natasha then pulled out the Fenton file them spread it out so it would all be visible to Fury, she then aimed the camera to the table.
"The boy's name is Danny Fenton aka your Phantom. "She explained while pointing at Danny's human side then to Phantom. "His parents are Ectologists, Ghost Hunters, and they're damn good. They've developed high tech ghost-fighting gear that puts US to shame. But their pride and joy is THIS." At that she held up a picture of the Ghost Portal. "
"Please don't tell me, I'm looking at a portal to another realm? "
"Sorry, Director... " Natasha mused. "But that is a fully operational ghost portal you are looking at. And I'm gonna assume~ It is what created our new friend who is waiting for us at his school. "
"He knows your identities ?" Fury asked in disbelief. These two were his top agents, how the hell was some teenager able to sniff them out and make them reveal the truth?
"That is HER fault. " Barton snitched to which he received a good smack upside the head from Widow.
"Girl! You betta have a good expla~!"
"The boy is psychic, Sir. " Romanoff countered. "He's a level five or four inhuman which according to the Fenton's puts him at a level twenty in ghost power maybe even more, he read us before I could even spin a lie. " Fury calmed at this but was still mildly disappointed, Natasha was a SHIELD agent. One of his brightest at that, the kid must've been up there in power if he weeded her out of all spies. He had to ensure they bring this kid in and perhaps he help with this new problem he was up against. He needed that ghost-boy like it was YESTERDAY.
"I don't care what it takes. " He acclaimed in a stern and ruthless tone. "You get him here. TONIGHT. " Natasha was taken aback by the notorious man's order, did he forget that even though their new ally was still powerful they were still dealing with a child? A half dead one at that? They couldn't just take him, even Clint wore a look of apprehension at the demand, Fury was hiding something. He could see it in his eye. Whatever that something was had him shook and irritated beyond reason, so since he was in an initiative, he took the INITIATIVE.
"Is there something you wanna tell us, Sir? " He asked as he got up. "Because right now, YOU. Aren't looking so hot. " A vein popped in Fury's head at the question and insult so he countered with.
"Don't question me, Barton. " Both agents cringed at the ~ FURY and savagery in his lone eye. "Get the boy and have ya asses back here at eighteen hundred hours. " Romanoff was tempted to defy him and let a snarky comment slip but her assassins training held her tongue.
"Yes, Sir. " The call ended.
A room away the entire conversation between one infamous Director and two of his star agents had been eavesdropped on. By one eccentric and annoying billionaire and his loving yet reluctant accomplish. Steve laid upon the bed in their villa hotel room pinching the bridge of his nose as his beloved Anthony Edward Stark watched the heated conversation between Nick Fury and his favorite spies via a camera hidden in their hotel room only problem was... He had no coherent clue who in the nine realms they were talking about — he started spying in on the later part of the conversation.
"Who in the hell are they talking about? " Tony whined, only for the last thing he expected to happen... His doting yet aggravated husband chucked a book at him! Luckily, he dodged and the book hit the wall instead.
"How much of a jerk, do you have to be to eavesdrop?! " Steve yelled. Tony shrugged but subconsciously rubbed a spot on the back of his head as to where the book could've struck him.
"Hey! They are out here for a REASON. And if Fury is hot, that means he's desperate and demented. " Tony countered. "He will bring that Jolly Roger of a Helicarrier out here if he doesn't get what he wants, trust me on this. "
"What does that have to do with their target?"
"For God sakes, Rogers! We literally listened to the same damn convo just now! Whoever the hell they're after won't have a choice in the damn matter. They're gonna keep chasing him till he either relents or gets captured, and knowing Fury it'll come down to~ BLACKMAIL! With him. " Tony turned away and went over their past two days in this weird little town and one thing had happened that demanded his attention... The identity of the Ghost-boy... BINGO. He then... Facepalmed himself.
"There are VERY few times in my life, I'll admit I'm idiot this is one of them. " Steve cocked his head cutely when Tony looked his way...
"You're not an idiot. " The legend chimed. "But an eccentric jerk, I'll give you that. " Tony frowned at the claim.
"Disregarding that comment and moving on to my point..." Tony ranted. "Okay, remember how everyone went to look at that GHOST fight accept the Fenton's son, Manny. "
"DANNY. "
"Whatever my main point is the Fenton kid, during the malay where in the fridge locker hell was he? " Tony pointed out, Cap thought on it and cringed, remembering the scars he had seen on the boy. Steve didn't entirely trust the kid's idea of Weaponry practice, the scars were too severe. He was going to counter his love one more time before relenting and believing his theory.
"He probably didn't care and was in his room, remember? " Tony took in his husband's words and thought back on it... Danny did go to his room...
"Yeah, but that was a PLOY! To go fight those GIW assholes, trust me. I've had run-ins with those idiots and they AREN'T! Ones for listening. "
"Sounds like a certain somebody, I know..." Steve mused as he tried to figure out the mechanics of his StarkPhone, the tease hadn't flown over Tony's head but he was too engrossed in his theory to care. The living legend looked at his pet genius who was lost in thought, he could practically see the equations and formulas floating around the man's head. He couldn't deny the miniature tycoon had a point then finally...
"Bet ya ten bucks, that Fenton is Phantom. How bout it? " Steve sighed and cupped his face. Why'd he marry this man?
BACK WITH PHANTOM SQUAD
A video, one simple yet powerful message, a Snap chat video no less. Phantom clique sat mortified at their lunch table as they looked on entranced by the horrific tragedy that played out on Tucker's tablet. What was the video of one may ask?... A powerful and vicious warlord that had gotten a major upgrade, backed by a smaller man with seriously dangerous magic. Along with a few other heathens who were all too familiar to dismiss and they had gotten upgrades as well. They were trashing a city not too far from Amity and we're LOVING every second of it, laughing and destroying. But the main one was the major concern... Plasmius had 'learned' Danny's technique. A variation but nonetheless on the same level and grounds. The four fuschia tails that sprung from his back were devastating to say the least, they grew and contracted but nonetheless destroyed everything in their path. Combined with those powerful energy blast the monster in control of them looked unstoppable which proved one point... Things were about to get messy... The members of his prime clique looked to him with worry and stress, he was their leader and they needed his guidance especially his team in the Ghost Zone. His next words had to be measured and heavy but instead...
"I'll be on the roof. " At that the silently enraged royal got up and moved to disappear but his Queen stopped him.
"What the hell do you mean 'you'll be on the roof '?!" Sam demanded. "Did you not just watch that damn video?! This is no time to be 'honing your CHAKRAS', Danny! "
"She's right, Fenton. " Piped Valerie as she stood up. "Plasmius has gone too damn far. We have to stop him NOW! " At this the entire crew felt a devastating chill run up their spines and latch on to the nape of their necks. The cold had rage written all over it and they looked to Danny only to find frost building up around the future king, he wasn't just trying to 'hone his Zen', he was looking to cool his anger before someone in his vicinity got seriously HURT!
"Don't you think, I know that, Samantha? " He snarled with tears of rage brimming at his eyes while a blizzard raged in those in Diamond eyes. "He used those innocent people for fucking target practice... I wanna kill him but I'm not gonna..." Some people had amassed around them having seen the confrontation but they were staring in confusion as they watched Fenton seeth in sheer sadness and anger, why Paulina had to say something?
"Oooh! The freaky geekboy's mad at his creepy lady, guys. " Danny's eyes glowed a sheer azure and... SLIT! The thinnest and most invisible of ice darts flew the ruler's hand AND CUT ALL HER CLOTHES OFF! Everyone either gaped or had a nosebleed as Paulina's clothes flitted to the floor, she raced for her gym locker as many a pervert followed to snag photos. Sam relented, her rage dissolving into worry and fear, the cruel and cold eyes of a monster were glaring back her, she could see the hurt and shame within them... He was blaming himself, she gripped his hands and made him look at her. Her lavender eyes filled with the rightful and pure power of the strongest chess piece in the world... The Queen.
"Look at me. " Tearful azure eyes begged for her guidance, the frost turning to sorrowful snowflakes. "You got this, you're strong than Plasmius, I know you are. You're strong and cunning, Danny. I'm sorry for being rash, you do what you have to. Hone yourself and find the answers... We got a world to save. " Tucker came up from behind and gave him the thumbs up.
"We gotcha back, dude. You go Zen while we keep tabs on the fruitloop and his minions. "
Danny had just stepped into the dark recesses of the school to transform when a figure stepped out the shadows...
"Danny Phantom. " A tone like that was automatically met with trepidation and caution. He turned and glared at his possible assailant with Diamond eyes, ready to freeze them solid if need be. The figure was a tall black man with an eye patch over his left eye and no hair, he wore a black spy suit with a leather trench coat. His lone brown eye looked to the young royal halfa with a determined yet fearful gaze, he wanted help but from the looks of him he was going to beat around the bush. Despite Clint and Natasha's fleeting obedience to his order Fury had already been in the midst, the Helicarrier had been circling over Amity since the attack in Hexburg last night. He needed this ghost-boy like it was YESTERDAY, so he took his personal Quinjet out to Casper High and waited in the shadows. They each held a defensive posture till the teen sighed, flipped his hair, and crossed his arms, but the Diamond glow of ice remained in his eyes— with a subtle toxic green creeping in the background.
"Who are you? "
"I'm the Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. SHIELD for short. " Fury moved but nmnotice how those Diamond eyes followed him and the frost built up around those lithe fingertips, waiting for him to make the wrong move. "I've heard a lot about you. Young, powerful, apparently you been defending this town since your fourteenth birthday. "
"I like how you're moving around... " Danny calmly seethed. "Ms. Romanoff must've told you I'm psychic, huh? " Fury chuckled the boy was a smart as he looked.
"I'm not gonna beat around the bush withchu. " The man sighed. "I have a situation where your expertise is~ VITALLY needed. "
"You know about him too?..."
"You've seen the videos, I take it?"
"That was the reason, I was heading to the roof. " Danny sighed out. "If you want we can talk up there. " At this Danny transformed, Fury was appalled as he watched the two azure rings split across the inhuman. From life to death, the boy took Fury's hand and they quickly flew to the rooftop where Fury was deposited like a snowflake while Phantom had his back to him. Another flash and the ghoul was clad in his meditation garb to which he started doing aforementioned activity.
"I don't know who that guy was with him. But I know together they're bad news for your world... And mine. "
"That would be Loki. " Fury replied "But when you say your world, you mean the Ghost Zone, don't you?"
"Yes and to start on our partnership let me say this... I'm sorry. " At this Fury castes him a wayward glance, those words hitting him like a bullet. He knew who the monsters were and let it happen but the tone in his voice was almost reminiscent.
"For what, Young Blood? "
"The ghost who attacked that city is named Vlad Plasmius, he's my arch-rival. He's obsessed with me and destroying my family and recently it's gotten worse."
"How so? " Fury asked, he had a feeling the answer was going to provide clarity on all his problems...
"A year or two ago, the GZ had a war and I was apart of it. The ruling ghost, Pariah Dark had escaped his forever sleep and was looking to kill some friends of mine but I wasn't having it. So we waged war, he lost along with some of his beneficiaries and in the process I was declared King only I can't take the crown till my eighteenth birthday which is where Plasmius comes in. "
"Let me guess, you did most of the work to save the GZ only Plasmius felt he was entitled to a little something something to. " Fury supplied.
"Yep, he's not one for rejection. That and I kinda royally fucked up his hostile takeover bit in the Ghost Zone by trashing his base. " Danny finished. "So here's the deal, I help you, you help me, " Fury was appalled, this boy was only about sixteen and giving him the ultimatum. "I already know about the offer..."
"Got an answer for me? " Fury mused with a smirk.
"... I'll think about it. "
