Chapter 14 A Meeting of the Minds.

As Sam had predicted, Danny felt the pull of the summons much stronger once he transformed. Forgetting Sam and Tucker, Danny flew off answering the growing compulsion inside of him. As he expected the pull brought him to Miss Daily's backyard. She sat on a floating cape of deep blues and greens in front of her circle of herbs. Inside of the circle floated a pair of ghosts. Skulker and Ember McClain.

Suddenly something buzzed Danny from behind flying past him, and entering the circle. The wake from the other ghost sent Danny spinning out of control. Surprised Danny floated over to Miss Daily's roof to get his bearings again, and was shocked to see that the ghost that had buzzed him was Walker.

Fear did what Sam and Tucker had been unable to do. Clinging to Miss Daily's chimney Danny found that the pull of the spell Miss Daily was using wasn't as strong anymore. There was no way he was going to share space with Walker unless absolutely necessary. He remained hidden behind the chimney, and watched as the Walker floated there with Skulker and Ember.

Sam was right, Miss Daily was summoning other ghosts. It wasn't about me at all, but still I wonder what she's up too. Danny watched as Miss Daily stopped her chanting then said. "Circle hold and circle bind, keep the spirits all inside." Then she waited for the three to come to their senses.

Ember was the first to speak. "Hey what gives?"

Skullker whipped around, eying the binding circle on the ground around them. "We are ensnared! Caught, like prey!"

"Well, who in the-?" Walker cut himself off when he spied Miss Daily; his white, bony face going hard as he focused on her. "I should have guessed," he said. " A guardian!"

Ember glared at Walker, her turquoise hair flaring. "What! You knew that one of those stuffed shirt Guardians was in Amity Park, and you didn't tell anyone?"

A Guardian? Danny shook his head. What the heck is a Guardian?

Skullker snarled. "Guardian or not, I will not be caged!" He snapped his left arm up, leveling a mini missile launcher at Miss Daily.

"Wait, you idiot!" Walker's warning was too late; the missile the spectral hunter fired shot towards the human . . . only to be knocked back when it reached the edge of the binding circle. Both Walker and Ember flattened themselves on the ground, as the explosion threw Skullker back against the far side of the ring.

Danny winced. That had to hurt.

Rising, Walker glared at Skullker. "Fool! This circle prevents ANY form of ectoplasm escaping," he said. "And it won't drop until its caster breaks it!" He turned, fixing Miss Daily with a penetrating stare.

"Ooh," Skullker groaned, recovering from the blowback from his deflected weapon.

"Nice going, Mr. Big Game Hunter!" Ember sneered at the taller ghost. "Think you can blow us all to Kingdom Come next time?"

Outside the circle, Miss Daily was locked in a stare-down with their compatriot, yet she addressed the two bickering behind him without taking her eyes away from Walker. "Are you two quite through? I had to use a standard spell to grab all of you, and I've got a bad feeling..." she paused and looked over in the direction of her house. "Yeah I caught someone I didn't want to."

All three ghosts looked up towards the house, just as Danny ducked behind a chimney. Skullker grinned coldly. "It's the ghost-boy . . . a-hah! He doesn't know what you are yet, does he?"

You'd better believe I don't know what she is. Danny thought to himself. I've been trying to figure that one out for weeks.

Ember giggled madly. "You're baby sitting Dipstick Danny Phantom, and he doesn't have a clue? That's priceless!"

Walker was now getting annoyed at the pair. "Do you two mind? I'd like to find out why we were summoned here, so we can leave as soon as possible." He fixed Miss Daily with a deeper, icy look. "Guardians make my ectoplasm crawl."

Crossly Miss Daily shot back. "You caused your own problems, Walker. Don't blame it on your guardian. You didn't even talk to him about it, and that was what he was there for. You took matters into your own hands. They were your mistakes Walker not ours."

Walker had a guardian at one time? Wait what is a guardian? Is that what Miss Daily is? What does Walker know about her? Better question. What does she know about Walker? Danny wondered from his hiding place.

Glowering at Miss Daily Walker said. "I don't care to rehash the past with you guardian. Just tell us why you summoned us."

Miss Daily sighed and gave Walker an annoyed glance. "Fine. I've gotten some bad news from overseas. The Night rubies from the Showenhower band are being stolen one by one. The amulet from Germany, and the broach in France containing the rubies are already gone, and I'm afraid he'll go after the earrings next."

"So why are you warning us?" Skulker asked

Miss Daily took in a deep breath. "Because the ring is in the Amity Park Museum."

Walker nodded understanding. "An ounce of prevention. That's the only free ruby not in Europe. If the thief comes for that one, this would not be a good place for any ghost to be."

"Exactly." Miss Daily said nodding. "Besides it's not the last free ruby anymore. I had to make another amulet."

"You did WHAT?" Ember asked outraged. "You know how those stupid gems affect us and you still set one free!"

"They're better free than on the band," Walker reminded Ember. Then to Miss Daily he asked, "who did you give it to, because I know you didn't keep it for yourself you'd be wearing the band otherwise."

"I can't tell you," Miss Daily said forcefully. "That's my contingency plan. Even if he get all the other free rubies he won't get that one, and he won't get the band. That's under three sets of wards two of which repel almost any ghost."

"Almost any?" Walker echoed then smiled and laughed at her. "McClain and Skukler are right. You have been assigned to the halfa."

Danny almost phased through the roof in shock. Assigned to me? What the heck does that mean?

"That's my business Walker," Miss Daily said forcefully. "But that does bring me to a point. He's out of your jurisdiction now. Danny is my responsibility, and you will keep away from him, or else you'll deal with me."

Behind Walker Skulker and Ember both snickered. "It's not like you'd have to do anything anyway," Ember said between giggles. "Dipstick can clean Walker's clock any day of the week anyway. Heck I'll bring popcorn!"

Danny had to stifle giggles himself. Weather or not Ember really thought that, Danny knew that she was just pulling on Walker's chain to see what kind of reaction she could get.

Walker glowered at Ember then said to Miss Daily. "You know it's very likely that the band will be able to affect your little pet."

Hey who's he calling a pet anyway?

Miss Daily didn't take the bait or the insult though. "Oh it's not a likelihood." she explained. "Danny's been exposed to the band already by accident. He is definitely affected by it. All the more reason I need you guys out of Amity park ASAP. I can handle Danny. He's mildly resistant to the band if given the proper motivation, but it's a struggle for him. All I can do is help him. I just don't want to have to deal with you or your ectoplasmic buddies in addition."

Walker sighed. "Understandable." He said then after a moment of thought he said. "Very well, release us from your circle. We'll clear out of Amity Park, and tell all the other minor spirits around to do so as well."

Miss Daily smiled pleased. "Thank you Walker. I knew you would be reasonable about this." Miss Daily picked up a beautiful shining dagger, and pulled it from it's jeweled leather sheath. The hilt was ebony and like the case studded with gems that shown like stars. She cut into the air in front of her. ""By winds that bound, from corners-four, The deed is done, be free once more!" Danny could swear he saw something shimmer in the air around the circle for a second until it popped at her touch like a soap bubble releasing the three ghosts inside. All three ghosts glowed a deep and angry green, then vanished.

Coming Soon Chapter 15 Games and Guardians

"Hey!" Danny cried out. They were high enough in the air that he only dropped a foot before he began floating under his own power. It was obvious that Miss Daily wasn't out to hurt him, but he was annoyed all the same. "What's the big idea?"

Miss Daily laughed and rolled herself in the cape somehow attaching it to herself. For two seconds her altitude dropped then she righted herself, hovering exactly like Danny. Her grey eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You did that on purpose!" Danny accused.

"Yep!" Miss Daily said. There was something about her tone that told Danny that this was a challenge.

Now Danny was getting angry. "What kind of sick game are you playing Miss Daily?"

"Now her look grew even more wicked. "How about tag?" She said. She swooped around Danny and threw a ball of silver light at him that exploded over his head. Danny's luminescent skin began to tingle. "You're it!" Miss Daily laughed.