A/N: Yay, it's the next chapter! And you know what that means...more information...and possibly another cliffie...because those are two givens from my stories that you can constantly expect. Although, if my memory serves me right, this one doesn't have that large of a cliffy at the end...

And gasp shock awe, instead of this story being shunted aside by ASU, I actually decided to write it first this time! Actually, I wrote most of it right after the previous chapter because I was on a roll, but you guys don't really need to know that... And yes, the next chapter of ASU will be up soon. I don't think the world wants me to finish this story, so it's going to delete as much writing time as I have. But I'll make it through!

And on a similar note, LDPP will be coming soon, I promise. It's actually a lot harder than I thought, and I kinda got distracted on Wikipedia...but that's beside the point. I've got a few more points I want to discuss and then the first entry will be done!

Oh, and just remember the hint at the end of last chapter...repitition is the key...

Chapter Ten
The Red Hunter

"Um Danny, have you even thought about how you're going to handle this?" Sam asked as they approached the address Lancer had given them.

"What do you mean?"

"How you're going to explain showing up at her door even though you're supposed to be missing and twenty years younger without involving ghosts."

"Oh, well, I really don't know."

"So you're just going to walk up there and wing it?"

"Um…yes?"

"Here's a wild suggestion, why don't you just tell her the truth?" Jacob suggested.

"Oh yes, tell the Red Hunter that one of her best friends has been lying to her for the past twenty plus years and is really Danny Phantom who she'd been hunting throughout high school and who knows how many years after that. Oh yes, that's a brilliant idea."

"Well, she did reform," Kimberly informed them. "She never went as far as helping you, but she didn't hunt you anymore."

"Only because her reputation probably wouldn't allow it," Sam replied bitterly.

"But she's always really sad at the memorial service."

"For Danny Fenton maybe, but not for Danny Phantom."

"What happened between the two of you?"

"Oh I found this dog that was bent on ruining Valerie's life and she thought it was my dog so she blamed me and then Plasmius gave her ghost hunting weapons and the rest, as they say, is history," Danny described.

"So it's all over some stupid dog?" Noelle asked.

"Basically."

"Well maybe she's forgotten about it? I mean, she loves working with ghosts and has a good and happy life now, so maybe now she won't hate you as much for it?" Kimberly suggested.

"Hopefully."

"Wait, you're not seriously considering telling her, are you?" Sam asked.

"What choice do I have? I need the information out of her and I'm not going to let some dumb secret that should probably have been told to her already stand in the way. This is all happening because it's meant to be this way, so she's meant to find out now."

"You're sounding a lot like Clockwork."

"I think I've been hanging around with him too much. It's starting to affect my brain."

A few minutes later they pulled up to the white two story house on the corner that belonged to Valerie. The six of them got out of the car and headed up the pristine walkway, knocking nervously on the door, praying it was Valerie that answered.

Unfortunately, prayer didn't seem to be with them at the moment. A tall man with curly brown hair and glasses opened the door.

"Yes?" he asked curtly, not liking the look of six teenagers at his door, especially when three of them are disguised in hats, sunglasses, and jackets.

"Um, we're here to speak with Valerie," Kimberly stated.

"I'm sorry, but she doesn't answer questions about the Fentons. Go bother someone else like Dash or Paulina who like the attention."

"I'm not here to ask questions about the Fentons. If I had questions I'd ask my parents. I'm Kimberly Jordan. We've met briefly at my parents' memorial parties."

The name seemed to ring a bell in Jason's head and he nodded his head. "Sorry, but after the memorial service kids come to the door all the time trying to ask questions or see a picture of Danny. I'll go get her." He shut the door and left.

"Well, he could've at least invited us in," Sam stated rudely, obviously trying to find fault with the man who would actually be able to stand being married to Valerie.

"I think he was far from doing that. Only one of five is accounted for, and he still has no clue who the rest of you are."

Finally Valerie opened the door, her hair cut short, her eyes shining with maturity and knowledge.

"Kimberly, hi. What brings you and your…friends here."

"Valerie, sorry to bother you, but we need to talk to you, urgently."

"Urgently? What do you mean? Where are your parents?"

"Please don't try to change the subject. We need your help. It has to do with a ghost."

"A ghost? There haven't been ghosts here for…"

"Valerie please," Kimberly begged.

"Alright, come on in."

"Val, what's going on?" her husband asked as the six of them walked into the house.

"I don't know, something about a ghost. You kids better not be making this up or I'll be telling your parents."

"We're not making this up, I promise. Danny, if you please."

"Danny?" Valerie asked as she turned towards one of the mysterious figures. He removed his hat and glasses and Valerie gasped.

"Hey Val," he greeted while Valerie fell onto the couch to keep from fainting.

"How-how is this possible?" she asked in amazement.

Danny pulled out the medallion from under his shirt. "I don't know if you know who Clockwork is, but he's a ghost that controls time, and he sent Sam, Tucker, and me here."

"Sam and Tucker…" she breathed as they removed their disguises as well.

"Hey Valerie! Long time no see!" Tucker greeted while Sam stepped on his foot.

"That was hardly appropriate," she scolded.

"Wait I'm confused. That's Danny Fenton? And Sam Manson?" Valerie's husband asked.

"Yeah, nice to meet you. You must be Valerie's husband. Lancer told us about you," Danny greeted.

"And you're here because of a ghost that controls time? So this does have to do with a ghost?" he asked.

"Actually, it has to do with more than one. Quite a few actually."

"But Danny, how'd you get wrapped up with ghosts anyway?" Valerie asked.

"Before I answer that, I need to ask you something. Is he trustworthy?" he asked, pointing to her husband.

"Jason? Of course he is, how could you—"

"Valerie, this is really important. The life of my future self might be at stake here and I need you to answer me. Is he trustworthy?"

"Yes."

"And are you trustworthy?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"Considering what I'm about to reveal, yes."

"Danny, you can trust me with anything."

"Alright, I'm holding you to that. Look, there's something you don't know about me, and something I probably should have told you a long time ago. I probably would have if I didn't go missing, and I'm sorry to have to tell you like this, but you need to know or else you won't understand."

Valerie looked at him curiously, not understanding what could possibly be so pressing that she already didn't know about. They'd been friends for a long time, how much stuff could she not know about him?

Danny took a deep breath and the white rings formed around his waist, transforming him into Danny Phantom. Valerie's face paled.

"I know I should've told you a long time ago, and I'm sorry," Danny apologized in the voice Valerie had long since associated with as her enemy's. "I know this is probably really hard to accept and I'm sorry you have to find out this way, but it's the only way."

"But-but…how?" she managed to stammer, still staring in disbelief at Danny Phantom, the ghost she'd hunted, the ghost she'd hated, and all along it had been her friend.

"The accident in the ghost portal. I fell in and became a half ghost, and don't try telling me it's impossible because I'm sick of hearing it. They do exist and I'm one of them."

"Th-the dog?"

Danny sighed. "Look, he was never my dog. I just found him and he got attached to me and followed me everywhere. Everything that happened to you wasn't my fault. I can't tell you how many times I tried to tell you that but you just wouldn't listen and then things got…a little out of hand. And please don't start blaming me for shooting at you because in all fairness you usually shot at me first.

"But unfortunately this really isn't the time. You can talk about this with my future self later, which is why I apologized for doing this now when I can't give it justice. I wish I could answer all your questions and help you, but I just don't have the time. I know I'm asking a lot of you, but I need you to accept the fact that I'm Danny Phantom and to trust me, like you do the human part of me. I really need to find myself, and I need your help to do it."

"Do you…do you know why you went missing?" Valerie asked, starting to find her voice.

"Just bits and pieces. We know I was kidnapped by a ghost, but we don't know who or what he's capable of or why he wanted me in the first place. And we've assumed that I knew of it before-hand, which brings me to why we're here. A few months before I went missing I started sending letters to people with clues in them as to what happened. One of the clues in the last letter was you, so I have to ask, did I ever send you any letters?"

"Quite a few actually, but there was one that contained a pretty lengthy note."

"Can we see it?"

"Yeah, let me go find it," she stated as she stood up and walked slowly upstairs, her husband following after her. They were obviously still shocked.

"Well, that went better than expected," Sam stated.

"For a few seconds I thought she was going to shoot me," Danny admitted.

"Man Danny, you've got some strange relationships with people," Jacob muttered.

"Tell me about it. You should've seen me with my parents. Now those were some weird conversations, especially when they came to ghost inventions. It's a good thing for my parents that I didn't find the Ghost Gabber in the basement, because it would've been toast."

"You know what that means then?" Tucker asked. "It means they finally let you destroy it!"

"Or they took it with them to help them find you," Sam pointed out.

"Please Sam, I was actually enjoying the thought of destroying it in the future…" Danny moaned as he reverted back to his human form.

About ten minutes later Valerie finally made her way downstairs. Danny knew it took her so long because she was upstairs trying to sort through her thoughts before she came back downstairs and he was glad of it because she seemed more composed, more accepting of the truth.

She handed the letter to Danny and then finally seemed to remember that there were three others in the room.

"How did the three of you get mixed up in this?" she asked as she sat back down on the couch.

"Danny ended up in my house while we were at a sleepover and needless to say we've been intrigued since then. Now we're just trying to help him piece the puzzle together," Kimberly explained.

"And the puzzle just got a lot more complicated," Danny stated as he finished skimming the letter. He cleared his throat and began to read.

May 26, 2014

Valerie,
How're you? How are wedding plans going? Don't answer, I think I already know. I'm sure Jason isn't doing much to help, but then again, neither did I, so I guess I can't really blame him. My theory was that staying out of the way was helping the most and I think Sam agreed with me, but then again that was probably why the colors were black and purple. Oh well, I knew it was coming anyways, since Sam was planning the wedding, though I did manage to notice the pink bouquet the Mansons snuck in. But that's not the important thing here, the important thing is your wedding! I hope you're not pulling your hair out!

Which leads me to the main point of this letter and the reason for the check enclosed along with it. I want to help out in any way I can and since I'm not very good at the planning part (hence my lack of involvement in my own wedding) I'm going to help through the only way I can: money. And don't you dare refuse this check! I know you've refused and torn up the others (you can't hide from me!) but I swear that if you tear this one up I'm going to have to get violent. I'm sure I can sneak into my parents' house and steal some of their weapons… So cash the check this time! It's to help with the wedding, so stop being noble and just cash it already!

So, to add a little to the letter to make it seem worth going through the trouble of writing, my parents came over for dinner last night and while Sam and I were discussing that new book that just came out my parents decided to put in their two cents as well. Turns out they'd read the book as well. Well, you can guess where the talk ended up despite the therapy: ghosts. They started saying how the book made all these allusions to this mythic ghost named Manipulator. They said he was a great mythical ghost of legend. Well, as interesting as the story was (not) we couldn't get them to shut up! And to think that when we first heard they'd read the book we were so proud of them for reading something other than ghost research material. They were getting out of their obsession, listening to their therapist, but to no avail. They somehow managed to find a way to bring ghosts into what we considered a safe conversation. Honestly, I still don't see the connection…

Did you happen to watch the Packers at the Superbowl on Sunday? It was a phenomenal game! They totally clobbered the other team! I'm sure Packer fans are pretty happy right now since they haven't won a Superbowl in a while. It was actually a really good game too. We had a huge party at the house and everything. I invited you (just to let you know) but Jason said you were going out to dinner, so you're excused. Besides, I think I'd rather go to dinner than a Superbowl party.

And Jason's such a great guy, just to let you know. I couldn't be happier for you! It was a lot of fun finally getting a chance to meet him. We're actually going to a baseball game next week (I don't know if he's told you this yet) so we can get better acquainted. I'm looking forward to it. He's great to hang around with and has such a great sense of humor. Who would've guessed from a scientist? Just kidding. Although, if he doesn't like Lord of the Rings, I'm sorry but, you're going to have to find another guy. It's just sacrilege otherwise.

Oh, it was so cute, Victoria was trying to say Fruit Loops this morning! It was adorable! Sam went all motherly and started spazing out while trying to find a camera so that she could record it. She denies it now and she'll probably kill me for telling you this, but trust me, she was. Is that just some natural woman thing? Does it eventually pass? Let's hope so, because it was about as creepy as seeing her with that flour baby. Oh man, bad memories, must block out…

Anyway, hope you're well and not killing yourself with wedding plans! And cash the check!

Danny

"Wow, talk about dense," Tucker remarked. "That's a lot of information."

"Which means there's probably a lot of excess information as well," Jacob pointed out. "Let's split 'er up."

A few minutes later the paragraphs were analyzed and the team was ready to question Valerie and piece together the next part of the mystery.

"Alright, first thing's first, I think it's hilarious that you openly admit that you didn't help plan your own wedding."

"Jacob," Kimberly warned.

"What? I just had to say it. So in seriousness, the only really important thing I could fish out was a reference to Sam's parents and the pink bouquet. The rest of it just seems like the usual opening filler to throw possible spies off track. Then again, the reference to the Mansons might be just to throw us off too."

"Do you think it means we need to visit them?" Noelle asked.

"I don't know. Like I said, it could just be filler, but then again, the same could've been said about the other hints as well."

"Alright, so we've got a possible reference to Sam's parents," Danny recapped. "Noelle?"

"What does it mean by check?" she asked Valerie.

"Inside the note Danny sent a pretty hefty check. He'd sent a lot of them before, probably since he had more money than he knew what to do with, but I never accepted them and tore them up, like the letter said. We did cash this one though because any money during wedding planning is welcome money."

"Anything interesting about the check?"

"Not that I can recall. I don't have it if that's what you mean."

"It might just be another 'here's my excuse for writing this letter'," Sam suggested. "That seems to be pretty common in the letters. The reference in the next paragraph, however, is not. You mentioned a ghost named Manipulator and I'm willing to bet my individuality that he's the one that kidnapped you."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Danny agreed. "Val, have you ever heard of a ghost called Manipulator, like in ghost legend or something?"

"Nope, though I never really looked him up. I thought it interesting when you mentioned it, but I just thought it was some crazy Mr. and Mrs. Fenton thing and didn't really pay it that close of attention. What about you honey?" Jason shook his head. "Sorry."

"Well, at least we know the name. Now we just need a background and a profile to go with it."

"And I'm sorry, but I just have to ask. Ghost therapy?" Sam asked.

Valerie chuckled. "It was Jazz's idea. She thought that maybe if they talked about their ghost obsession with someone and sought psychiatric help they'd be 'cured of their obsession' and 'live like normal parents', as she claimed. As you can see, it was a complete failure."

"I don't need this passage in the note to know it would be a failure. My parents would never give up ghosts. Anywho, the point of my paragraph could only be referring to one person."

"Vlad," Tucker and Sam replied.

Danny nodded. "Who else?"

"Vlad Masters? Why would he be in the letter?" Valerie asked and Kimberly had to admit she was wondering the same thing. She'd only seen the multimillionaire at one or two memorial services, usually only coming every five years, but she didn't think he was that close to Danny to be referenced.

"Because he's the one responsible? Although, I think that's giving him way too much credit."

"What are you talking about?"

"Vlad's Plasmius, or the Wisconsin Ghost, or whatever he's referred to nowadays."

Everyone save the infamous trio stared at Danny in shock.

"Vlad M-Masters is Plasmius?" Valerie asked.

"Yeah. I know you got your weapons from Vlad and the reason he sent them to you was so that you could hunt me because obviously having every ghost in the Ghost Zone plus my parents plus himself just wasn't enough."

"But, that's not possible," Kimberly argued. "Plasmius was destroyed. You destroyed him. Vlad's still alive. He comes to the memorial services every once in awhile."

"He actually comes to the services? Weird. But in all honesty, I don't think I'd ever be able to beat Vlad. He's always been a half ghost longer than me and therefore is always a step ahead of me. He must've just got…bored or something. I don't really know, but I doubt I ever defeated him."

"So you think he just…gave up or something?" Jacob asked. "Called it quits? Retired from the hunting Danny Phantom gig?"

"That would be my guess. I mean, after so long he'd probably have to just admit that I wouldn't join him and if my mom and dad found out about me I probably told them about him and thus he wouldn't have a chance with my mother, and he never was able to kill my dad. He probably just decided to call it quits and relish in the Packers."

"Plus, he's got to be insanely old. Maybe he just couldn't take it anymore and you two struck a truce?" Tucker suggested.

"Alight, so regardless of what happened to Vlad because, personally, I care more about what happened to me and Danny than I do him, can we get back to why he was referenced in the letter to begin with?" Sam asked.

"I'm praying it doesn't mean we have to visit him. I really really don't want to," Danny stated.

"I don't know if this is important or not," Jason spoke up, feeling slightly out of place "but the Packers didn't win the Superbowl that year. They didn't even make it to the Superbowl; they were booted out in the semis."

"Darn. Well, that confirms it. Combine that with the fruit loop story and we have a pretty solid request to go to Wisconsin."

"Hey, that was my paragraph!" Tucker yelled. "I finally get a paragraph that's not a conclusion and you analyze it!"

"Sorry, but it pertained to the discussion. Argh, why would I make myself go there? That's just cruel and unusual punishment!"

"Well it still might not mean that you have to visit him," Jacob comforted. "I mean, the Mansons were referenced, so maybe Vlad was just to throw you off?"

"Or the Mansons were to throw us off. Unfortunately, I definitely think it's Vlad we need to visit. I referred to him twice and it would make sense for me to send him one because no one (including me) would expect it. I take back what I said before; sending Vlad a note is the perfect ploy."

"Alright, getting back on track," Sam interrupted "Kimberly, you're paragraph?"

"It's just talking about Jason, which if you ask me is just excess information and doesn't really pertain to anything."

Danny nodded in agreement and looked at Tucker.

"Well, since you already stated that the fruit loop comment is a reference to Vlad I really have nothing else to report, other than the fact that I find Sam freaking out over baby Victoria's attempts at saying fruit loop probably the best thing I've ever read."

Tucker ducked as a pillow went sailing through the space his head had just occupied.

"Yeah, well I found the flour baby reference funny, since that was more a reference to you than to me. I mean, you didn't see me turning people's babies into cookies, and I was the only one to get an A on that project, thank you very much."

"Alright, alright, enough about the flour babies! There was a reason why I wrote 'bad memories' after that!" Danny intervened. "Let's just finish this up. Tucker, take the conclusion, since we can't break tradition."

Tucker sighed. "Nothing important in the conclusion. And it wasn't my fault my mom decided to make cookies!" Tucker yelled, starting up the argument again.

"Hey I said enough!" Danny yelled, his eyes flashing briefly before he calmed himself down. "Okay, so if there's nothing else in this letter we need to start heading to Vlad's. Wisconsin's pretty far, so we should get started as soon as possible."

"Um Danny," Noelle interrupted "we can't just go flying off to Wisconsin. I mean, right now my parents think I'm sleeping over at Kimberly's but they expect me to be home some time tonight."

"Yeah, mine too," Jacob admitted.

"And mine as well."

Danny sighed. "Sorry, I totally forgot about that. Look, I'm really sorry and I don't want to do this, but I need to go. I promise to come back afterward and…"

"Oh no you don't. Don't start saying goodbye and leave without us," Kimberly warned. "I said our parents expect us home sometime tonight, but I never said we couldn't convince them to let us have another sleepover later tonight. We just…need some time at home to make it more convincing. But there is no way we're letting you continue on without us."

Danny smiled. "Good, because trying to figure this out would just seem weird without you guys there."

"So plan of attack," Jacob started to explain "we go home, spend some time with our folks, tell them we're sleeping over at Kimberly's again, head there about…eight, lock ourselves in a room, and head off to Wisconsin. Sound good?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and Jacob, Kimberly, and Noelle started getting ready to leave.

"But what about you three? What are you guys going to do until then?" Noelle asked.

"Well, I was thinking about just hanging out here, if that's okay with you Val," Danny answered.

Valerie smiled. "I was hoping you would. I have a lot of questions."

"Yeah, that's what I figured."

"Alright, so we'll see you at eight?" Kimberly asked on the way out the door. The three of them nodded their heads and she smiled before leaving, heading back to her house, already thinking of a story to feed her parents.

A/N: So, I finally found my way around that stupid error when it comes to the lines I love so much...copy and paste from other stories where the line worked! Now, why I didn't think of it before is beyond me...