"Because I used to be able to port small weapons to me, but only when outside my original suit, else I wouldn't have needed to repair my TV so often. My Dad certainly wouldn't let me keep so many guns in my room unless he had no choice."
Ember smiled as she remembered how much Damon had hated her gear in the bedroom, and how many times her guitar had been locked up in a vault in the basement only to end up back in the bedroom again after a few seconds. Ember's face lit up. "You practiced that power? I'm so pleased."
"Yes, of course. But it only worked for ecto-weaponry. So while I was surprised, I wasn't surprised, if you see what I mean. This is bad, isn't it?""
"Not overly so. Minor ecto-abilitys are expected in the spirit born. This also explains a fair bit. Minor but powerful ecto-technical control. We can admit that, but it's the rest of the stuff that needs sorting. The Observants only mentioned the extreme ends." Clockwork stated, much to Valeries relief then discomfort.
"So what?"
"Since we can claim you had a minor ability, we can chalk it up to stress, and your suit now boosts that. As long as your teleportation ability doesn't improve drastically we can counter one of the prosecutions possible ploys." Ember pointed out...
"By proving that I'm spiritborn it means a minor ghostly power or two can show up but I still count as human. And since we now know what the base power is, it means the entire case rests on my spirit-armour doesn't it?"
"Yes, but I advise you to enjoy your time with each other, it might be all you get, even, no, especially if we win."
"Go for a flight?" Ember asked.
"Of course." Both Valerie and Ember produced their boards from nowhere, and then jumped into the Ghost Zone. Still while Val did consider running away she doubted Clockwork would let them leave. And as much as Valerie didn't want to admit it, getting to know Ember was something she needed.
"Look, your last form may have been my mother, but I just can't call you Mom."
"Understandable I suppose. Especially since in some ways I'm mentally a teenager again. That's the one thing I hate about my rebirths. But I'm glad to have a chance to know you as you are now."
"Me too. Which is strange. I used to think all ghosts were evil, but that isn't true is it? Some are well intentioned at heart but they're still extremely dangerous.
"So do you include yourself in that, Val?"
"Well I don't think I'm evil, though I'm certainly dangerous. If people knew you were a ghost they would see you as evil unless they knew what you represent. This means I see you as uncontrolled, dangerous and deadly but not truly evil, unlike the box ghost."
"The box ghost?" Ember almost screamed in shock
"I always felt he was having fun at everyone else's expense. Do you realise the power that the true extent of control over boxes gives him?"
"Yeah. But fortunately, he really is a total idiot, so he doesn't. Basically he's powerful enough to register as a real danger, but when anyone ghost or hunter encounters him..."
"Oh no, not the Box Ghost again." Valerie laughs with Ember, it somehow feeling natural despite its strangeness. Valerie was flying next to a ghost, and for once there wasn't an emergency. The last ghost she'd had been getting on with was Phantom, but then he had gone and attacked Axion Labs and her several times. Okay maybe it was time to work out why he attacked Axion, and not the Fentonworks. After all both produced ghost equipment and the Fenton's were more successful, despite, or perhaps because of their insanity. Yet Axion could raise a ghost shield easily enough, so why had they not? As much as ghosts could be destructive, that was either her Dad's oversight or due to budget cuts.
"Valerie?" Ember worried. "Lost in thought?"
"They were looking for an excuse to fire my Dad."
"I could blow Axion up if you'd like..."
"NO! That's what got him into trouble in the first place. What'd I'd like to know is why Phantom never attack Fentonworks but only hurts Axion."
Ember wondered how much to say. After all Valerie had already had one shock to the system, but still she had to tell her something but what would make sense to Valerie and not worry her. "I think it's to do with associations. Eyes are the Window to the soul. You have heard that right?"
"Yeah."
"Most spirits, if they are not truly evil, have green eyes. Truly Evil spirits tend to have red eyes in their natural form. But as you have worked out it is necessary to defend from all spirits even if their eyes are green."
"Okay then why doesn't he hurt me? My suit has always been red."
"Red can represent anger, obsession, basically loss-of control. And if he knows why your angry, then he can ignore the negative as long as you're generally focused in the same aims: - getting rid of other ghosts on his haunt. We're rather territorial. Though I heard the Box Ghost and the Lunch lady were going out..."
"So Axion is strictly against him, but since I'm trying to remove all ghosts, and only rarely encounter him..."
"Yes. Here we are. My home. You have to stay somewhere and since you're not allowed in the human world for the moment. This is where you'll crash."
As soon as Valerie entered Ember's realm she was awed by the sight. More musical instruments than you could shake a stick at. Pinball machine's, computer's, and them something tickled Valerie's Memory. She headed behind the second bed, and there was her little Lamb. Valerie enthusiastically hugged it and then quickly covered up her enthusiasm. Ember smiled genuinely, like a mother indulging her child, which to be fair she was.
Valerie understood this obsession of Ember's. It was a very human one- to find her stolen daughter. Of course the room was rather childish. So two parts of Valerie went to war, one wanting to protest at the childishness, the other trying to point out Ember couldn't do anything about it."
"Which dipstick in the zone decorated this room?" Ember yelled. "Wait, it was me. Unlike ghosts who can age if they wish to, humans will age even if they don't want to."
"Look, Ember, thanks, but I just need to crash."
"Hold on, Val. I wouldn't want to sleep in this room, so I doubt you would." Ember concentrated and the room shifted to a electronic guitar theme. "It's for her not you, dipstick." Ember muttered at herself. After several dozen more tries the wallpaper hit something that both could agree was good, the Red Hunter having Phantom at gunpoint. Valerie then crashed on the bed and fell asleep, Ember's realm feeling oddly like home.
Author's Notes
Thanks's to my reviewers, few though they are...