Chapter 4... way later than expected. ^^; Tried to get this up before March 1, but that didn't work out... I actually started typing before I finished writing to save time. Chapter 5 should be extra short, so that update should come soon. I make no promises, though... writer's block could hit and everything could fall apart! XD

P.S., Anonymous Review Replies in the bottom author's note!

Chapter 6 will be another long one, so enjoy these short ones while you can. Well, at least I think this is short. I used both wide and college ruled paper to write it. *shrugs*

Enjoy it. :D

Frontlines: Chapter 4- Uprising

Danny hadn't been able to believe it. He had convinced nearly thirty-five teenagers to fight on his side, against the mayor! Three days had passed since the team was formed. Since then, after school, they would meet in FentonWorks, which the new leader had established as "home base".

Though the team was formed for a fight against the mayor's rules, even Danny had been going to school those three days, for meals if nothing else. Inconsiderate other young people had cleaned out the kitchen at Danny's place- excepting the emergency ham- without giving anyone else a single thought. But if there was something else, it would be to avoid the mayor's suspicion. It was known that there were spies in the school who listened and watched everything that happened. Due to this, the team was creating a code language to communicate with each other. Whether it was gestures, phrases, words, or something else entirely, the team was coming up with it. They discussed these ideas with each other during after-school meetings.

Not only this, but the team now had a name. Danny had ultimately conceived the idea for the name when Sam had told him that they were soldiers fighting for a cause. He had since then been contemplating as to what that cause was, and he had at last figured it out. Amity Park was oppressed and had restricted freedoms. If a rule was broken, the offender would pay for it... perhaps with his life. So it was upon thinking this thought that Danny had realized the cause: freedom. His team was made of fighters for freedom; they were the Freedom Fighters.

When school hours ended, these Freedom Fighters began what they believed was fighting for freedom. They ran about on the streets, doing random little things that somehow broke one of the mayor's laws. For example: They weren't cooperating with him, or his enforcement. These enforcers, called "peacekeepers", were the constant subject of abuse for the Fighters. They would always throw garbage and insults at the peacekeepers. The name "peacekeeper", however, wasn't an appropriate name for this law enforcement, seeing as they wreaked about as much havoc as the teens.

Needless to say, with a team as wild as his, Danny was glad he had Sam and Tucker to help control them. One good thing about all this chaos was that nobody had gotten specifically caught. Kwan had had a close call just that previous day, but he had escaped his pursuers without his face being seen. The Fighters had stopped being so "daring" after that, but continued to run around carelessly, doing stupid things and hiding from sight.

"They're acting like cowards," Sam said, shaking her head.

Danny sighed. "I don't blame them," he said. "Something horrible was done to my family, so I guess they're worried something might happen to each of theirs. Again, I don't blame them."

"But the only reason you're leading them is because of that," Sam told her friend. "It's personal to you. To them, there is no true motivation. They're just taking this opportunity to break a few rules. If it becomes a personal fight for them, too, they can get out there and fight from the deepest part of themselves. That's what you've had happen to you. The same change has to happen to your army."

Danny nodded, though the thought of more death made him a bit sick. "We'll call them here now, then," he said. "We've got to fight for what's right, and not exist for the sole purpose of annoying peacekeepers."

Tucker, who was with the two at the time, snickered. "Since when were you on the peacekeepers' side?" he asked jokingly.

"I'm not," Danny emphasized. "What I'm saying is we need to do something about them, not just annoy them. We have to get rid of them."

"I... think I understand," Sam said.

"What we're doing, or why we're doing it?" Danny asked her.

"Both, I think," Sam said. "But I don't understand why we have to... kill them."

Danny shook his head. "No, no... I'm not gonna send our team to kill them..." His tone lowered dramatically. "Yet, that is." He then raised his voice to what it had been before. "We'll just give them a fight they won't be prepared for."

"They just see us as pests!" Tucker exclaimed. "They'd be unprepared because they don't see us as a threat!"

"They will," Sam said with a grave smile. "But it'll be at a personal cost to all of us."

Danny looked down in a way that was almost bitter. "What more could they take away from me? I'm out of that bet, I'm sure. But the rest of you guys should be prepared to lose something. Maybe not your own lives, but someone else's. It's inevitable..."

"It's war. You lose stuff all the time," Sam concluded.

"Aw, man! We'll lose our meals, too," Tucker said, sounding woeful.

Sam smirked at her friend's despair. "You might have to eat vegetables if it's all that's available," she said.

Tucker gasped. "No..."

Danny chuckled. "She has a point, Tuck," he said. "But then again, Sam, it could work the other way around. If there's no vegetables, you might have to eat meat."

Sam crossed her arms stubbornly. "I'll just eat grass and leaves, then.'

"And winter?" Tucker asked.

Sam hesitated for a few seconds. "I'll just eat snow, then."

"Sam, be real. Snow is just frozen water," said Danny. "We'll all have to adjust our tastes at some point. Sorry, guys."

"No need to be sorry. It's the new reality for us," Sam countered.

"And man, do I hate reality!" Tucker declared, still upset about the fact he may have to eat vegetables in the near future.

Danny rushed to the front door. "Come on, guys," he ordered. "We've got a team to get together."

,.~*~.,

The meeting of the Freedom Fighters had begun. Danny had just asked his team to stop running around and irking the peacekeepers. "Guys, we're Freedom Fighters, not Peacekeeper Pests!" he was saying. "We've got to fight them, because that's what we're here for!" Danny couldn't help but sound exasperated at the mixmatched bunch of teenagers in front of him. They didn't seem to understand what he was saying... "If you're gonna be called a Freedom Fighter, you might as well live like one."

"But... I don't think any of us even know how to fight, one dark-haired girl pointed out.

Danny, realizing this, sighed through his nose. "We'll all learn, then," the leader said. "Together, as a team." Danny realized that they weren't a team quite yet and still needed some time to organize and settle bonds with one another. Though Danny knew he wasn't a teacher or a guide, he could at least try to be that kind of figure. The group stared at him dumbly. Danny snapped his fingers. Of course! They needed an example! "Dash, you know something about teamwork. Can you come up here and explain it to all of us?"

Dash looked mildly shocked at first, but then looked vainly pleased. Shoving others aside, he strutted up to the table-stage like a cocky rooster. He climbed up onto the table, nearly knocking Danny off his feet in the process. "Thank you, Fenton, for calling upon my much-needed experience," the jock began.

Danny bit his lip. This was a mistake, he thought glumly.

"Anyways," Dash continued, "teamwork involves a lot of chit-chat among the team members, and there's gotta be practice and planning beforehand. Always have a plan B. Casper High Ravens have never had to use their plan B's..."

"Yes we have," Kwan interrupted.

Dash gave him a glare. "OK, maybe a few times. Once," the jock begrudgingly admitted. "There's got to be communication of the team and the team captain or leader. Share ideas, and really get into team spirit." Then, throwing up his huge fist, Dash yelled, "Go Ravens!"

The other jocks and the cheerleaders whooped and hollered with enthusiasm. Dash turned to face Danny with a proud smirk on his face. "And that, Fentina, is how it's done," he whispered.

Danny scowled, but didn't let the mild taunt get to him. Dash was as valuable as every other teen in the Freedom Fighters, if not more important. He was a good team player, and had the size and bulk to take on several adults. His pride could do to be knocked down a bit, though.

The quarterback got down from the table and strutted back to his spot next to Kwan. "Never thought I'd ever say this, but... thanks, Dash." Danny said. "Now let's put that teamwork into action. No matter what happens, we'll stick to this plan I'm about to present. Agreed?"

A cheer rose up from the crowd. Danny smiled. "So I was thinking. The peacekeepers roam the streets at timely intervals. Every day at seven P.M., they pass by this place. At seven P.M., we'll attack them. They won't see it coming. Suggestions for strategy?"

"I have one," Sam said.

Danny nodded for her to take front stage. "Shoot."

"We need a decoy," the Goth declared, stepping to the main front of the table. "These peacekeepers aren't going to be expecting an armed force, they're just expecting another group of teens taunting them and throwing garbage at them. I say two Freedom Fighters should mess with them as they usually would, namely John Merrit and Ivan Tenn," she emphasized.

The two boys exchanged glances, then pumped fists.

Sam continued to speak. "You two should distract the peacekeepers while another group attacks from behind. Any volunteers for the attack group?"

Bill Jackson, Dash Baxter, Kwan Chang, "Carrots" Morgan, Dawn Merrit, Tucker Foley, Danny Fenton and Michael Amber raised their hands. Sam nodded. "Good. I'll fight with the attack party as well."

"Great plan, Sam," Danny complimented his best friend. "Now, here's what we're going to do..."

,.~*~.,

A fist, an open palm, and a point- the symbols for "attack", "time", and "go". In essence, Danny had just signaled to the decoys that it was time to attack. John and Ivan nodded and ran around to the other side of FentonWorks to do their dirty work. They would meet the peacekeepers from the front while the attack team retreated to the back until Danny gave the attack signal to the rest of the team.

Five peacekeepers were approaching in a troop towards the Fighters' location, unknowingly walking into danger. "Man, I bet those kids are gonna start pickin' on us again," one said to his comrade.

That man laughed mockingly. "It's not like they've ever hurt anyone. You scared?"

"Of course not!" the first peacekeeper spat back. "They're just a few little kids throwin' garbage and insults at us! Even Carpathan knows they're not a threat."

Danny smirked. How wrong this "Carpathan" guy was.

"'Carpathan'... I'll bet that's the mayor's name," Tucker whispered to Danny.

Something gripped Danny's heart and made his stomach flip. Carpathan... the name seemed to fit that malicious smirk. The teen nodded in grave agreement with his friend.

Meanwhile, John and Ivan decided it was time to mess with the peacekeepers. John wolf-whistled. "Yo, peacekeepers!" he exclaimed. Ivan threw an apple core at them.

"Ah, beat it, kids!" another peacekeeper sneered.

"Beat it? Beat what? Your faces?" John mocked. The two boys snickered.

"We ain't scared of you, ya know!" the first peacekeeper to speak before exclaimed. "You're just pests!"

Ivan stepped out from behind the house and stuck his tongue out, thumbs in his ears. John came out behind him, a smirk on his face. "I know you all are, but what are we?"

Danny gave the attack signal, and the team moved silently forward. They all began to quietly file out onto the sidewalk behind Danny.

Another peacekeeper huffed. "You don't know what you- You're cowards!"

"We're not cowards," Ivan said smartly.

"We're Freedom Fighters!" Danny shouted. The Freedom Fighters sounded a battle cry and ran towards the peacekeeper force. Some held rocks and some held sticks, while others simply ran with their fists raised.

The peacekeepers were too surprised to react correctly. One of them yelped and took off down the street. Carrots, Bill, and Michael ran after him. "Get back here!" another exclaimed before getting socked in the jaw by Dash.

"Oh, yeah!" the blonde jock exclaimed. He kicked the guy down.

Dawn threw a rock at one of the peacekeepers, who ducked. He then shouted and ran to charge Dawn, but her brother John tackled him to the ground.

Meanwhile, the other two peacekeepers circled in on Danny and Sam. The two teens backed into each other's backs. "I've got your back, Sam," whispered Danny, smirking.

Sam smirked back at him. "Funny, I thought I had yours." In perfect sync, the two leaped at the peacekeepers and attacked with fists and feet. Danny was thankful that his mother had taught him some fighting moves; they were really coming in handy. Tucker and Kwan helped back them up, taking the final blows for them.

"Get us out of here!" the peacekeeper who had been stricken by Dash exclaimed. He wiped away a stream of blood that was dripping from the corner of his mouth. All the Fighters released their fights with the peacekeepers and let them run free after their escaping comrades.

John raised a fist in victory. "Yeah! So long, suckers!"

Dawn tapped her brother on the shoulder. "I don't think they'll be gone forever," the girl warned, eyes distant.

Danny frowned as the bitter reality hit him once more. He looked down and shoved his hands into his pockets, then turned and headed for the front door of his house and entered. Sam noticed her friend's odd moodswing. She tapped Tucker on the shoulder and pointed at the open door. Her brow was creased with worry, and so was Tucker's. The two teenagers hurried inside after Danny. The boy was standing there, his hands deep in his pockets and his head bowed low.

"Danny, are you all right?" Sam inquired, coming closer to her friend.

"Do I look all right?" Danny asked sadly.

"Come on, man," Tucker encouraged, "You just fought your first battle with that moldy-faced mayor... and won! There's no need to be down."

"I'm not upset about the battle," Danny replied cryptically. He was thinking about the safety of the Freedom Fighters. Could he really protect them now that they had made their uprising known? What would happen to his team now?

"Don't tell me you're still thinking about Jazz," Tucker said.

Danny flinched. "I can't forget about her, Tuck. I can't," he said. "But I'm actually kind of worried about the team. I want to help them succeed, but..."

"Feeling the pressure of being a leader, huh, Fenton?" Dash asked, walking through the front door.

Danny would have yelled at Dash for walking in on a private conversation, but the battle had knocked all the fight out of him for the time being. Instead, he looked up at the jock. "I guess you could say that," he said sadly.

"Danny," Sam addressed her friend. Danny looked up at her. Sam continued, "The Freedom Fighters... they can handle themselves. You don't have to do this alone. Tucker and I will always be here for you... and maybe, under some circumstances, Dash might be, too."

Danny smiled. "You guys are amazing," he declared.

"You're not so bad yourself, Fenton," Dash admitted with a small, un-Dashlike smile.

Danny stood up straighter and tightened his headband. With his friends and team by his side, he could accomplish anything... including a rescue mission for his parents.

,.~*~.,

EDITED 8/3/13

I hope you liked this chapter. :) It was fun and fairly easy to write. Now if I could get myself to write some more on chapter 5, you should expect it by late April. But I make no promises. (I may be too into listening to Skillet by late April! THEY'RE COMING OUT WITH A NEW SINGLE LATE APRIL! I'm such a crazy panhead. XD)

This battle scene is NOTHING like later battles. They met literally no resistance from these guys, but Mayor Carpathan (That's his name, by the way) is about to turn the heat up!

Please review! ^^ (Fanart is appreciated, too! XD I never get fanart because of how little people read my stuff...) But to help my cause, PLEASE share this with your friends who you think may be interested in this! I love reading and replying to reviews! Speaking of review replies...

Anonymous Review Replies!

-I know there were some guest reviews that didn't show up here... I don't know why that is, honestly. FanFiction is being weird. But one DID appear, so here it is:

Jenny Phantom: Thanks! ^^ I'm glad you like it, because I spent a lot of time on just these four chapters. Since this "Frontlines" project in its entirety is a trilogy, I'm trying to stretch out events over a long period of time. "Frontlines" itself lasts several months. So... it'll be a while before Danny gets his ghost powers. Like... next book. XD But it's a guarantee: Danny WILL get ghost powers!

Oh, and Wolf, if you're reading this, I don't know what happened to your review... it may show up later, but try to retype it best you can. :) I always like your feedback on things.