DISCLAIMER: I don't own Danny Phantom.

Sorry this is up so late, I'm afraid the internet decided to blank out on Tuesday morning and we've only just got it working again. Back to normal schedule on Wednesday, though!

Thanks very much to my reviewers: KittyGry28, Sciencefreak330 and DPcrazy.

Last chapter, Valerie found out Danny's secret, but she has accepted him and she and Mimic are on their way to rescue Danny Phantom from Vlad's evil clutches.

CHAPTER NINE: Antoinette

"Okay, Val, head for Tucker's house- Sam should be there too, they were doing some kind of study session today after school, and they know abut your ghost hunting. Danny and Antoinette were supposed to be going too, but... Danny's not there, obviously, and I don't think Antoinette is either. She mentioned a family thing. The important thing is that Sam and Tucker have done this before, whereas I haven't actually encountered Vlad in the past- they can help us figure out a plan, and I'll provide the ghost power to carry it out." Mimic said quickly as they flew. Valerie nodded.

"You know, I guess this explains why they didn't like us going out, huh?" Valerie said, still feeling slightly mentally shaken. Mimic laughed.

"Oh, well, in Sam's case, I think it might have more to do with the fact that you were going out with him at all..." she joked. "Look, just over there. Just a minute, okay Val?"

Mimic flew over to Tucker's bedroom window and rapped sharply on the glass before phasing into the room. After a few seconds, the window opened, and Tucker stuck his head out.

"Hey Val. Come on in." He said with a weak grin. Valerie retracted her jet sled and helmet as soon as she was inside. "So, what exactly happened?" he asked.

Mimic grimaced. "...Vlad convinced Walker's guards to distract us for a little while. By the time we figured out it was a trap, Vlad had gone in and zapped him with the Plasmius Maximus. We didn't get there in time to stop him before he carried Danny off, and Valerie saw him transform." she shot Valerie a guilty look. "She was... shocked, to say the least, but she's okay with it. She knows about all three half-ghosts, and I was wandering if you thought she should know about the full-ghost as well... I didn't want to without your permission, but she'll be okay with it, I'm sure. Right Val?" she shot her a pleading look, but Valerie just looked confused.

Tucker and Sam glanced at each other, a silent conversation between the two. After a second, Sam nodded. "...Alright. It would probably be best if she knew anyway."

Mimic nodded, pulling in a deep breath she didn't need to calm herself. "Okay. Valerie? Don't freak out. You've just had a big shock, I know, and getting another one probably isn't good for you, but we- that is, Sam, Tucker, and I- think you need to know this. I can shapeshift, yes?"

Valerie gave her an odd look, not understanding why the ghost was asking her this. "Yes..."

"Right. Good, good. Uh... You know Antoinette Tanner, right?" asked Mimic, fidgeting nervously. Valerie noticed that the ghost had started floating a few centimetres off the ground. She nodded.

"Okay. Great. Val, I am Antoinette Tanner."

Valerie stared at her.

Mimic, rather nervously, forced her body to shift into the form of Antoinette Tanner. Valerie absently noted that the transformation involved very little change: merely altering her skin colour to a healthier hue, changing her hair to brown and dimming the bright glow in her eyes, changing the colour to a grey-clue shade.

Her mind was feeling a little hazy at this point, the successive shocks beginning to take their toll on her. However, in a way, she realised, she could have expected it: Mimic and Antoinette could have been twins, apart from their colouring. Both had short curly hair, and the same build, and the same mannerisms. After seeing Danny transform, and finding out that her employer was an evil ghost, this was only a minor shock. But a shock nonetheless.

"You're a full ghost though, right?" Mimic nodded. "What about Danny's ghost-sense, then?"

Mimic grinned. Valerie was taking this better than she'd thought she would: Perhaps the revelation about Danny had softened her up a little. "Danny just thought it was playing up. I'm a good actress, and it's fairly easy to imitate a pulse and breathing. I used a weak ectoblast to heat up the thermometer anytime someone took my temperature. I have to admit, it was hilarious watching him come up with an excuse to check my vital signs, but he managed it. Health class, wasn't it, Sam, Tucker?"

Valerie laughed. "Health class? He told you he had to check your vitals for health class?" Mimic nodded, grinning.

"Mind you, I'd have a hard time coming up with an excuse to check somebody's pulse. But now that the explanations are out of the way, and all secrets are in the open, we're ready to get started." The others snapped to attention, expressions grim and serious as they returned to the matter in hand. "Sam, Tucker. You've had to deal with Vlad's evil plots before. Valerie and I are basically just muscle here: I've never dealt with Vlad, and Val's only met him when she was working for him. So I'm leaving you two in charge of the actual plan, okay? Valerie and I are going on a mission." Mimic's grin was almost feral. "I have a feeling we'll be needing a few Fenton inventions."

Jazz Fenton was only too happy to oblige when Mimic asked her to get the two adult Fentons out of the house. While they were off at the park in search of Danny Phantom, Jazz turned off the ghost shield, and Mimic phased Valerie and herself into FentonWorks and the lab beneath it.

"Val, if you would grab the Spectre Deflector, since I can't, and I'll grab a thermos and anything else that looks useful. Jazz, what do you think we should take?"

Jazz looked thoughtful. "Take a Fenton Peeler, Sam or Tucker could use it. Don't take the bazooka, it's got a kick like a mule when you fire and it weighs a tonne anyway. The boo-merang should help you find Danny, and the ghost fisher and the Jack o' nine tails are useful. Take the Fenton Phones, so you'll be able to keep in touch, and you should probably take the Spectre Speeder too."

Mimic nodded. Jazz gave her a small smile, knowing that the ghost was worried about Danny. "I'm sure Danny will be fine. He's always got through this before. But Mimic?"

Mimic looked up at her, and Jazz stepped forwards. "You better take good care of my little brother, okay?"

Mimic gave a weak smile. "Okay Jazz. I will. Come on Val." After glancing at the Spectre Deflector to ensure it was turned off, she grabbed hold of Valerie's and phased her out through the ceiling.

Telling Valerie about Mimic was awkward, but I decided that after the shock with Danny, Valerie wouldn't be as surprised to learn that yet another of her classmates was a ghost. Again, I'm sorry this was late. Please review!