Danny lay across the chair with his eyes closed, looking to anyone who noticed like he was asleep. of course he had no real intention of actually falling asleep while others were around. If he slipped into unconsciousness his ghost self would automatically go dormant, changing him back into a regular teen. (well as regular as anyone with ghost powers can be that is) he still wasn't sure if telling anyone about his 'condition' was a good idea or not. Let alone if he could trust any of them like he could his friends and older sister.

He had opened his eyes a little bit when Tom, Payton and a girl he didn't know came bursting in, their reaction to Kaz caused a slight feeling like his was blood running backwards. He knew Kaz was alright now, but still….he hadn't woken up this whole time. wasn't that something that people do when they recovered from stuff like this? They woke up, even for a little? Then again it could've been a side effect from that ghostly smoke he pulled out of him.

He twitched his hand, remembering vaguely what he had done to draw it out of Kaz's body. He wasn't sure how he knew to do that, or even why he knew. It could've been an unorthodox fluke or something….still, Kaz was fine now wasn't he?

"….He must've forced himself awake after that cause he reached out for the scanner and next thing I knew we were here in Kiru city." Ren was saying. Danny closed his eyes as she continued, not completely interested in hearing the story all over again. although he did notice she had changed a few minor details. Must've been because of that mask, she may not have noticed that he had seen her do it, but he didn't completely care to tell her he knew that she could change just by putting on that white mask of hers. Almost made him wish he had one for his ghost powers….

….then again, where's the fun in that?

***8***

Tom, Payton and Sarah listened intently, each hanging onto the fox's every word in their own way until she got to the part of Meeting with Maxxor.

"So after that long story short…."

"Too late for that." Sarah muttered. White face continued as if she hadn't heard.

"Maxxor confined me until further notice. Najerin came with me to check up on your friend there and with a little help Kaz is perfectly alright."

The Chaotic players couldn't help but notice…that she had ended her story a little quick. As if she didn't want to tell them the whole story….of how they helped Kaz that is. Despite this they were all visibly relieved to hear Kaz wasn't in any danger.

Tom leaned back to sit on the bed, sighing in relief, "So…he's going to be ok?"

White face smiled brightly, "Uh huh! he'll be right and bright as sunshine rain."

Something about her expression didn't sit right with him "You mentioned a shapeless creature with blue eyes. Is it anything like the one at Broken Edge?"

White face blinked, surprised confusion on her face, "Broken edge? There's another of those things?"

The players exchanged glances before nodding slowly.

"You…haven't heard about it?"

White face shook her head, "I've been….preoccupied with other things lately."

"Like some super-secret mission?" Payton asked excitedly. Sarah glared at him for that statement to which he silently asked 'what did I say?'

White Face however didn't seem to mind too much, smiling slyly, "Not hardly."

Tom frowned at this, didn't she say earlier that Maxxor had confined her? and come to think of it, thinking back on her story, parts of it felt a little like she had been….withholding a few details. Such as her mentioning being in Glacier plains and attacked by another creature, but she hadn't said who it was or how she escaped them. and then she had mentioned handing Kaz back his scanner while some shapeless creature attacked him, and suddenly being in Kiru, not traveling back to Kiru just there, like she had ported in. he could be over thinking that part though, there was a battle gear called a Flux Bauble, which could be used to travel to another location. Still though….

And then lastly, when Payton suggested she had been on a mission, she didn't exactly deny it. If anything she may have confirmed it. But that would mean she was working for the Overworlders wouldn't it? Then why would Maxxor confine her in the first place?

"So what kind of attack did Kaz get hit with anyway?" Payton asked, "and who threw it, cause if this attack can do this to a Player imagine how awesome it would be in a the battle domes."

"You're kidding right?" a new voice spoke up. all eyes turned to a young humanoid creature in black and white clothes and long snowy white hair. He stretched as he got up out of the chair, his feet making practically no sound as he strode across the room, "After all this, all you can think about is your game?"

The creature's words struck a bit of a cord with the pudgy boy, causing him to hang his head a moment, only to bounce back onto his feet and point a finger like a cartoon character, "WAIT A MINUTE! I know you, your that creature I saw flying around before. and then you tried to stop Semiwrath, that freaky cool black reptilian dude, from stealing scrolls at the overworld Library."

The creature waned perplexed at Payton's reaction, rubbing the back of his neck as if embarrassed, "Er….thank you?"

Najerin stepped over to one side of the young creature, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Young Phantom, I was not aware that you were there during such and incident."

The blue Muge's smile seemed to serve to make the young creature blush a bit, "Yeah well…."

"Who exactly are you anyway?" Sarah asked, bringing herself close to Phantom's face so their noses were almost touching, "Payton told us a bit about you but... come to think of it, you look like your glowing a little bit, how did we not notice you before?"

The young creature took a step back smiling and rubbing at his neck again, "Well, I was just n the corner there napping, and when you three burst in here you were all pretty worried about Kaz. Stuff like that can happen you know. Besides, I'm pretty good at not being seen when I don't want to."

"You know he's right." Payton nodded in a 'mater o fact' way, "One time My folks took me to Fun land and I got so excited to get on the rides that I didn't realize I had gotten separated until after I had ridden about six of them….twice."

Sarah rolled her eyes turning back to Phantom, "So why are you in here anyway? and how do you know Kaz?"

Phantom opened his mouth to answer only for Najerin to interrupt, "Young Phantom is temporarily serving as my assistant. I asked him to help with Kaz's treatment."

Tom's eyes widened a little, in one way he was glad to hear the ancient muge had done such a thing. On the other hand, Najerin taking an assistant? Since when? And for how long? And how come he had not heard of this before?

He opened his mouth to ask not sure which would come out first, but a sound behind him caught his attention.

Cold. That was that last thing he remembered. The freezing cold wind hitting his face as someone shoved something into his hand. he didn't feel that now, he was glad of it. However, he wasn't feeling much of anything. Not warmth, not cold, no pain, not even a stiffness in his arms and legs. it was almost like he didn't exist. Did he even exist?

His mind felt as though it was in a fog as he tried to remember the last moments before being in this silent darkness. His memories came to mind one by one and a little muddled. His mother, his house, meeting Tom for the first time, getting his code and finding Chaotic to be a real place, meeting creatures like H'earring and Chaor, Exploring Perim with his friends …. Meeting friends….in Perim…..his friends...

Voices. He could hear voices now, far away, unclear but familiar.

Tom? Payton? Sarah? Were they here?

They're…with me… they're worried… his mind swam a little clearer as he opened his eyes, Guys….I'm ok. I got to let them know I'm ok.

He heard someone talking, someone he knew.

"…..gotten separated until after I had ridden about six of them….twice." Payton was saying.

"So why are you in here anyway? and how do you know Kaz?" Sarah was asking someone in her border suspicious way.

"Young Phantom is temporarily serving as my assistant. I asked him to help with Kaz's treatment." That was Najerin. So he was here too.

he turned his head as the muge spoke and saw a familiar figure with shaggy black hair and everyday t-shirt over long dark sleeves. He smiled, he knew that figure anywhere.

"Tom?" he said in a tired voice.

***8***

The three players froze, turning to the sound of Kaz's voice. All three of them soon throwing themselves onto the bed, yelling out in relived joy. All four of them smiling to much it was contagious in that brief moment of happiness, even for the old Overworlder.

He watched them with joyous memories of his own surfacing, days many in his long life. He touched Phantom's shoulder, gently guiding him towards the door as the four Players jubilation died down a bit.

"Now that young Kaz is awake I'm sure you all have some catching up to do. We'll leave you alone to talk." Phantom, who had been about to object to leaving, closed his mouth at this and allowed Najerin to lead him out quietly.

"I'm sure Maxxor wont object to you staying until Kaz is able to use his device." He said with an undertone of warning.

The red haired player in the bed simply smiled at him, nodding. His friends soon chatting away and demanding his attention.

Najerin smiled, ah to be young. He turned to the white faced fox standing by the door. She hadn't moved or said a word since Phantom had woken up. the look on her face now caused for his smiled to be replaced by concerned worry.

She was standing stock still and frigid, her expression outwardly blank. But a second look at her eyes betrayed her. they were not the eyes of the cheerful traveler he knew, nor of the serious side she would adopt when the situation seemed to call for it. they were not the eyes of a curious creature, or of one who knew more than they were telling. He hardly believed she was capable of such but, these were the eyes of someone who was terrified and enraged by it.

"White face…" he reached out a hand to touch her shoulder. She moved before he could. Gliding through the door like a dark cloud about to storm, lightning and all. she pushed past Phantom and stomped down the hall, quickly picking up speed until she was running on all fours. The shadows behind her warping as she passed like she was trying to do something but couldn't decide what they should do, leaving them to fade back into their original shapes as she turned the corner and out of sight.

Najerin frowned deeply, that was certainly unlike anything he had seen in her before. it must've been something said in the room when she went quiet. but when and why? What could possibly have brought this on?

"Um…"

Najerin turned to Phantom, a look of confused concern written all over the young creature's face as he pointed down the hallway.

"Is she alright?"

The muge sighed, shaking his head, "I do not know, young Phantom."

The dragon eyed creature blinked, frowning, "Speaking of which. Why did you say I was your assistant in there?"

The muge turned his eyes upward, almost sly, "I wonder."

Hova: (fireworks and streamers) HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYBODY! ^ ^ yeah I know it's early but with it being so close and all... Also I have a little more to celebrate. After all this is my 13th chapter, and with 13 being mmy lucky number and all the fact it came out so well just made me ecstatic! I even answered the one question addressed in the reviews.

Oh yeah and Thank you Nin and Colorguard, you two actualy helped me finish this one ^ ^

Ren: (holding fork) Enough chit chat, you said there would be cake and I want to get some before it's all gone.

Hova: ^ ^ yeah we...0 0 all gone? ^ ^ Ren, There'll be plenty left it's just me and my OCs at this party.

Ren: Well...then you probably should've told them to bring a plus one (Points behind her to (in short) every character ever mentioned in Hova's stories both online and off)

Hova: (looks down at the 6x12 chocolate cake) ^ ^; I should've said it was potluck.