Phantom: Hi everyo-umph!
*Trainer tackles Phantom for no apparent reason*
Trainer: HI EVREYONE!
Phantom: *glares* I was saying that…
Trainer: How are you all doing?
Phantom: Really? You're asking that of all things? Many of them have been waiting at the edge of their seats for me to write this next chapter! Again, sorry about that but my college projects just take up so much time that by the time I do have time to write I just don't feel like it.
Trainer: so than how does she have time now to write this thing you may ask?
Phantom: I'm part way through my reading week.
Trainer: Mine is next week.
Phantom: Yes, but that won't effect this story since YOU DON'T WRITE IT!
Trainer: So? Just saying that I have mine next week.
Phantom: You're annoying.
Trainer: And you're obnoxious.
Vlad: AND BOTH OF YOU ARE GIVING ME A HEADACHE! Now before I start blasting the two of you to an inch of the lives you have, I suggest you start writing out this chapter!
Both: Yes sir! *mumbling* Evil pompous jerk.
Danny: Don't forget to read the recap for those of you having trouble remembering what happened in the last few chapters. *looks at Phantom*
Phantom: No fair, I have short term memory issues!
Phantom: Ok…so, please don't kill me but I never got to finish this chapter which I had started back in February which makes this chapter and the update for my other story pretty much 4 months late. Oops, sorry. I didn't mean for it, but school comes first and I can't be expected to update whenever the readers want me to. It doesn't work like that. I works according to my time. So, please enjoy this chapter and the ones I have planned for the future since school is almost done for me. ^w^
Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom and some ideas are owned by Pearl84 and Truephan, but the plot is mine!
Chapter 20: If My Shadow Had A Name, Part 3
Phantom: HA! Bet you thought there wouldn't be a part three to this did ya?!
Recap…
For those who need a reminder as to what has happened in the last few chapters; Vlad refused to let Danny get the upper hand on him by have another power Vlad doesn't have himself – in this case it's the fact Danny can make things explode and Vlad can't. To counteract this, Vlad takes the serum that had been used on Danny and nearly kills himself as a result. By Danny's quick thinking, Vlad is saved and as a result has gained a new power; the ability to enter a shadow realm of sorts.
As usual, Vlad wants to put his new abilities to the test, but he also wants to figure out who the ghost is that Danny is so afraid of. As a result, Vlad starts tailing Danny in his shadow form. He learns very little but put it together that Frostigi may have another purpose and is hiding something – since he knew about Dan already and got Danny to talk about it by acting ignorant. Danny is trying to keep Vlad away from the truth, which is harder than he thought.
Meanwhile, Skulker has to find a ghost that might be able to help Vlad with his powers while Ember has been spreading the news about Danny all over the Ghost Zone. Danny and Ghostwriter are now friends. And Danny no longer has homework so you all don't have to worry about a boring chapter again…
Sam, Tucker and Jazz are on their way to check up on Danny and try to solve more of their ever expanding puzzle about the books and the ghost that's after them. And Vlad is getting closer to the truth…Unfortunately.
Trainer: On to the Story!
Vlad: Finally!
Phantom: Shut up Vlad…
Danny was beginning to get anxious. His friends hadn't arrived yet and it had been two hours since he had last heard anything from them. He knows because he and Frostigi had watched four TV shows since they both started watching. They had watched T.U.F.F. Puppy, Avatar: the Last Air Bender, Digimon and finally Pokémon. Basically, Danny was tired of television by now and had nothing to distract him from his friends' lateness.
Frostigi had run off a while ago during commercials between programs – likely to try something on Vlad's cat despite Danny's warnings – and hadn't returned since. Danny was afraid he might find the little badger Familiar somewhere as a pile of goo or ash on the carpet.
Shaking his heads of such morbid thoughts, Danny got up and went to the balcony attached to his hidden lounge to see if he could spot the Specter Speeder flying through the air. As he went to step out onto the balcony he had to quickly duck as a silver/green projectile flew at him.
Danny turned around quickly to see what had flown at him only to have to duck again and again and again.
"Ok, this is getting old," he said and then ducked…again. "And fast," he added.
Transforming, Danny phased through the balcony and flew in a complex – not to mention random - pattern to try and shake off what kept flying at him. He flew straight, in zig-zags, loop-the-loops, to the clouds and back to the ground and even tried phasing a few times, but he just couldn't lose the object. He was just about to try and blast whatever it was when a voice called out to him.
"Danny? What are you doing?"
A few minutes earlier…
Team Phantom was making good time as they flew through the skies towards Vlad's castle. Jazz had somehow managed to focus on driving and avoiding public areas. This is amazing because Tucker had finished a few chapters of his book and returned to doing things on his PDA; much to the annoyance of both girls travelling with him.
"Tucker," Sam exasperated as she closed her book. "What on earth are you doing on that thing? You barely touched your book and we have another half hour before we get to Danny."
Tucker glanced up at the Goth just as Jazz glanced back at the two of them. "Uh, I was checking on the Ghost Files. I got a notice saying Danny recently updated them."
"Well, can you at least sit still? Honestly, you're even jumpier than Danny around ghost hunters," she barked back.
"Sorry!" he cried as he held his hands up in surrender. "Excused me for wanting to catch up on updates."
Sam returned to her book and Jazz returned her focus to the skies. It was no more than ten minutes when Tucker fell out of his seat looking at his PDA in shock. Sam raised an eyebrow but Tucker could only gape like a fish out of water at the recent information before him.
"Tucker? Are you ok?" Jazz asked from the driver's seat. When she got no response she looked back at the Techno-Geek. "Tucker?" she tried again only to be met with the same silence.
Sam shook her head. "It's no use Jazz. Whatever has him spooked has made him speechless," she explained. Without giving the boy any warning, Sam swiped his PDA into her own hands and began scrolling through the database. "Ok, looks like Danny has updated Vlad, Clockwork, added Frostigi, the other magical books, Koŝmaro Magiisto and his little minions, and…why would he need to update Ghostwriter?"
"Who's Ghostwriter?" Jazz asked. She had never gotten around to viewing the less common ghosts from the files. That and she always made new names for them anyways…
"According to Danny he's this ghost whose obsession deals with literature or something. During Christmas this year, he apparently got mad at Danny for blowing up a poem of his and trapped him in a Christmas poem until he learned his lesson. It worked, but Danny got him thrown in ghost jail and the two haven't seen each other since. Ghostwriter prefers the Ghost Zone more than the Human Realm I guess," Sam explained.
Jazz hummed as she thought about this ghost. He didn't seem like a bad guy, just very protective of his books. There was nothing wrong with that. "Ok, so if Danny hasn't see him other than that one time, why did he update that file?"
"Beats me," Sam replied.
Tucker finally found his voice and said, "If you look in the file you might know why. But I still don't get why he would change it to…that!"
Sam raised a curious eyebrow and opened Ghostwriter's file.
Name: Ghostwriter (had alternate name when alive) *updated*
Obsession: Literature – his own or otherwise
Powers: flight, invisibility, intangibility, ecto-blasts, can trap people in stories and manipulate literature/reality with his keyboard.
First appearance: I met Ghostwriter for the first time during Christmas when I accidentally blew up his Christmas poem. No one in the human realm could see him due to his writing powers, but everyone in the Ghost Zone could since they knew who he was.
Lair Location: Ghost Zone's Library.
Enemies: Walker and oranges *updated*
Allies: Clockwork and Danny Fenton/Phantom. *updated*
Turns out Clockwork and Ghostwriter are friends. Good friends from the sound of it. They have common ground concerning history/time and now that I think about it they could be kind of close. They both like wearing long purple coats, so they must have other common ground besides history. Ghostwriter keeps a detailed log about the timeline that is ongoing and used by Clockwork to stop the Observants from bugging him.
Only recently have I gone – unknowingly because of Clockwork I might add – to Ghostwriter. After a few apologies and explanations, Ghostwriter and I have come to terms and agreed to start over on better terms. Benefits of this are that I'll help him out if he needs it and I get access to his library and help from him. *updated*
Sam reread the file again to make sure she wasn't seeing things and smiled. "Good, I told him he should just try explaining instead of avoiding Ghostwriter."
"What do you mean?" Jazz asked since she still hadn't seen the file.
"Danny has another ally in Ghostwriter," Sam said.
Tucker shook his head. "This is just too weird. Even for ghosts."
Sam shrugged. "Hey, at least it's one less ghost who hates him and this ghost comes with plenty of benefits. He has a library of information that Danny can now look through. There might be something there that could help in our search!"
Tucker brightened at this and exclaimed, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's get to Danny faster!" Tucker jumped up quickly, but the sudden movement caused him to fall backwards. His hand hit a button that unlocked the side door and the Fenton Boo-merang just happened to fall out and activate.
Sam quickly closed the door and glared at the Techno-Geek. "Um…oops?" He smiled sheepishly and Sam crossed her arms with a glare.
"Uh, guys? Why is the Fenton Boo-merang outside?" Jazz asked as she watched it zoom off ahead of them to Vlad's castle.
"Nice going, bad-luck Tuck. That boomerang is probably heading right towards Danny now," Sam said and hit the Techno-Geek over the head.
"Yeah, but-" Tucker tried to make an excuse which was cut off as Sam stuffed his hat into his mouth.
"Much better," she said.
It was by now that they were reaching their destination. As the castle came into view, Jazz noticed Danny flying around in random and chaotic patterns. Team Phantom watched and when they finally landed Jazz opened the front of the Specter Speeder and called out to her brother, "Danny? What are you doing?"
Everyone cringed when the missing boomerang made a ringing collision with the back of Danny's head.
Present time…
Danny paused in his furious flight away from his pursuer to look down towards the voice. Unfortunately, that minor pause allowed the object to fly full force into the back of his head.
"OW!" Danny exclaimed. As he held his aching head he also managed to catch the falling object. He didn't even need to see it to know what it was based on the feel of it in his hand. "Ok, who threw the Boo-merang? You all already knew I was here!" He yelled down to his friends.
Jazz and Sam shared a look before pointing at Tucker who was looking anywhere but Danny and the girls. Danny threw the boomerang away only for it to come back and hit him on the nose this time. "OW! Arg! Why do we even have this thing on hand when all it does IS HIT ME?!"
Danny floated down to meet the rest of Team Phantom while holding both his nose and the Fenton named gadget. "Because if it suddenly went missing, Dad would throw a fit," Jazz explained, "and then blame it on ghosts. Just be glad that I convinced him and mom not to throw it anymore."
Danny rolled his eyes but then looked over the three teens in front of him with concern. "What took you guys so long? I was beginning to worry."
"Sam's parents were making it hard to leave for a few days. You know how they are," Tucker said. "Now on to bigger questions: How on earth are you friends with Ghostwriter?! When did this happen?"
Danny gave a deadpan look before he made the ground under his male friend intangible. Tucker gave a startled yelp before he was out of sight. "Much better," Danny commented before he started unloading the luggage in the Speeder.
"Hnn, as much as I enjoy it when you do that, you do know that you have to retrieve him before Vlad finds him and also answer his question, right?" Sam said with a smile as she grabbed one of her bags.
"Yeah, but luggage first," Danny replied with his own smile. "We'll take them to my room for now and sort things out later."
Sam and Jazz agreed and a few minutes later they had moved all the bags up to Danny's room and piled them in a corner.
Jazz took a once over of the room and noticed that the homework bag was open. "Judging from the bag, I'm hoping you did some homework," she said.
Danny smiled triumphantly with arms crossed as he announced that he had managed to do all but the reading from his work load. Jazz and Sam looked surprised but pleased none the less.
"Just to make sure you did it right, I'll be checking it over, Danny," Jazz announced as Danny rolled his eyes again. He knew either his sister or Sam would have wanted to see if he had done the work right. He had said it to his parents before; he wasn't an idiot. He knew the curriculum, he just never had enough time to prove it with the ghost hunting and protecting the city.
It was another few minutes of getting things organized when they all realised how quiet it was. "TUCKER!" they all exclaimed and Danny phased through the floor to find his friend. Ten minutes later and Danny returned with Tucker. Turned out that the area under Tucker from outside lead to the pipe system for the front fountain. Well, at least he wasn't in a sewer or something. Though Tucker demanded that the half-ghost teen stop phasing him through the ground unless he knew what awaited him first. Danny gave a mock solute.
Vlad was trying – and failing – to track down Frostigi. He had wanted to find the badger Familiar away from Daniel again so that he might get a little information out of him. He had seen on a live feed that the boy had left Daniel in his room and wandered off somewhere, but as to where he went, Vlad didn't know. The billionaire checked every camera and even had his computer double check for him with an ecto-scan, but the boy just seemed to disappear.
"Come on! It's not like he would be dumb enough to flee to the Ghost Zone! He knows that he's being searched for, he wouldn't risk it," Vlad reasoned to himself as he continued his search on the monitors.
As he searched on he caught sight of Danny flying chaotically around outside. "What is that foolish boy up to this time?" he asked no one in particular.
"I believe he is trying to out maneuver the metal projectile, muffin lump," holo-Maddie chimed in.
Vlad rolled his eyes but saw that his computer was right. Daniel was trying to out-fly something that was chasing him. Vlad didn't even flinch when said projectile collided with the younger hybrid's head.
Vlad simply shook his head while thinking, "He deserved that. That's what you get when you stop while something is chasing you." Thankfully, he noted, it was just one of Jack's lesser inventions; the ridiculous boomerang.
The camera followed the ghost child down towards the ground and took in the shapes of Danny's friends and their ride. Vlad watched as the scene panned out ending when Daniel brought the luggage and the two girls inside, leaving his best friend somewhere near the plumbing for the fountain. Vlad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hoped that his young adversary would return for the other boy so that Vlad or one of his staff didn't have to.
"Looks like Daniel's cavalry has arrived, unfortunately." Scratching his beard, an idea came to the elder hybrid. "Which means…Daniel will likely spill more secrets with them if he believes no one else is in the room!" Vlad turned back to the holo-Maddie and said, "Maddie dear, would you please record whatever happens when Daniel is speaking to his friends."
"Of course, sweat heart!" she replied and promptly disappeared.
"I, on the other hand," Vlad said and transformed into Plasmius, "believe I should see if I could listen in." And then he became a shadow and teleported into Danny's room, hidden within a shadow of the room.
"Seriously, dude, warn a guy before you do something like that!" Tucker exclaimed as he waved his arms around in a frenzy.
"Ok, ok, geez Tucker," Danny said to his frazzled friend. "Besides, there are more pressing matters we need to look at."
Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, at the top of that list is Koŝmaro Magiisto and what he wants the books for, controlling your new powers-"
"Your new-found friendship with Ghostwriter," Tucker added.
"And what we should tell our parents just in case word gets out to them about your sudden injury," Jazz finished. Everyone gave her a surprised look which prompted her to continue. "If mom and dad hear that Danny was hurt, they're going to want to come home sooner than they had planned. This means less time to figure things out and more sneaking around them, not to mention that they'll want to see if Danny's injuries are ghost related which will ultimately lead to-"
"My secret being blown wide open," Danny finished for her. Jazz nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. "Jazz has a good point. It hasn't gotten out to them yet, but the school is bound to try and contact them. We need to pull together a good reason why they shouldn't worry and come home."
Sam tapped her chin in thought. "Well, you told the class that it was ghost related. You told us an octopus ghost appeared in the lab and was attached by your parents hunting equipment and you had some of the debris hurt you. It's not a bad lie since it could happen, so your parents are likely to believe that."
Danny nodded his head but still looked troubled. "Yeah," he agreed, "But what about preventing them from coming home or checking me over? The fact that a ghost is involved will just increase their wish to come home…"
"Vlad," stated Jazz.
Vlad – who was hiding as a shadow – jumped slightly before he relaxed again. There was no way Jasmine knew he was there so she couldn't be talking to him.
"What?" the other three asked.
"Vlad," she repeated. "We tell them the truth that you're staying with Vlad. Sure, mom won't be too happy and she knows you don't really like him, but dad will accept that Vlad is helping you. Both mom and dad will feel better knowing someone is taking care of you and we can even tell them that with special permission we – Sam, Tucker and I – are able to keep you up to date on school work. Everything works out," she explained feeling quite proud of herself.
"Right," Danny added catching on. "And since they know Vlad knows about ghosts and injuries, they'll have no need to check me over if he gives them the 'all clear'!"
"Ok, so as much as I hate to say it, we're putting our trust in Vlad. One problem solved, now what about the other ones?" the Goth girl asked.
"Let's go in reverse order," the half-ghost boy said. "The next was…"
"How you and the bookworm of the Ghost Zone became 'friends'," Tucker said as he made 'quotation marks' around the word friend.
Danny nodded and gave a doctored version of how he and Ghostwriter became friends. He told them of how Ghostwriter appeared in his room by mistake thinking it was one of the ghostly staff members and not the ghost boy. Danny took the chance to explain his actions and how he was sorry he destroyed the Christmas poem. Then he and Ghost writer chatted and came off as friends of sorts.
All the way through the story, Sam, Tucker and Jazz could tell that this wasn't what really happened and assumed that Danny had a good reason for not giving the real story as to how he and Ghostwriter made amends. Sam decided that she would get the real story later on, as did Jazz.
Team Phantom was right in their assumption that Danny didn't tell the truth, but that was because Danny felt like he was being watched again. Although, he always felt like he was being watched nowadays. But just in case he didn't mention going into the Ghost Zone and instead said that Ghostwriter came to him. This way, whether it was Vlad or one of Koŝmaro's creatures, they wouldn't know that he had been out and exposed as of recent.
Vlad wasn't too happy though. He knew that Daniel wasn't giving the whole truth of the story. Fact of the matter was that when Daniel wanted to tell a believable lie, he could. And it was damn near impossible to tell which parts were true and which parts were not. All the billionaire could tell was true was that his young adversary had indeed met with the literature loving ghost and the two had come to terms about their first meeting – making them acquaintances or semi-friends.
"Guys, you have to remember what I told you. Vlad has been snooping around lately, so be careful what you say while you're here," Danny reminded and Vlad glared at the boy. He was hoping to catch them with their guards down, not with them more firmly up! Leave it to Daniel to take his perfectly developed plan and flip it on its head.
"Dude, calm down. None of us had planned to sit down and tell Vlad anything in the first place. So Vlad is up to something, big deal. Since when is he not? I mean, it's not like one of us will suddenly spill some big important secret info or something, right?" Tucker asked as he held up a different PDA than the one he used during the trip.
Danny glared as his eyes turned neon green. "Seriously?" he asked exasperatedly. "Did you seriously just ask that? No we're jinxed and sure to do just that!"
"What?! No we aren't!" Tucker denied. Danny rolled his eyes knowing that the jinx was just made more solid by that one statement and shot a small ecto-blast at the PDA, blasting it to pieces. "NOOOO! You killed Paulina!" Tucker cried for his fallen electronic as he picked up the pieces.
"If only," Sam muttered. "Wait…you named your PDA 'Paulina'? Tucker, that is just-!"
"Pathetic? Desperate? Pitiful? A sad attempt to fulfill a dream that will never happen?" Danny supplied with a smug grin on his face.
Sam smiled in her evil/amused way. "How about all of the above?"
Now Danny smiled in a similar way to Sam that vaguely reminded all the teens of Dan and/or - in Sam and Tucker's case - of the time Danny had been controlled by Freakshow. Tucker shivered. "Dude, don't do that! It's scary as all hell!"
Danny's face went from smiling evilly to sudden concern in less than a second. "It…couldn't have been that scary…right?" he asked.
Jazz frowned slightly and shook her head. "Border line, Danny. Borderline," she said but quickly added as she saw the fear enter his eyes, "BUT NOT LIKE HIM! Never…like him."
Danny calmed slightly and sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. He didn't notice the concerned look his friends shared nor the fact that Jazz had moved closer to him to give comfort. "Sooooo, where's Frostigi at?" Jazz asked trying to diffuse the tension induced silence.
Danny shrugged. "Not sure, left the room about an hour ago. I thought he might have left to cause some trouble for the staff or something. Maybe just some more exploring. Who knows?"
Silence reined over the room again until Danny asked, "What about your raven Familiar Sam? Where is she?"
Now Sam shrugged. "Disappeared a while ago. Maybe she'll come back while I'm here. Maybe she already did and is trying to make sure Frostigi doesn't get into more trouble," she responded and took a seat on the other side of the bed.
Danny nodded in understanding. Tucker took in the look on his friend's face and clapped his hands together startling the half-ghost boy. "Alright!" he announced as he finally took a seat on the bed as well. "Enough of the long faces. I say we play a game!"
"What did you have in mid?" the eldest teen asked.
"Gather round everyone. We're gonna play Ghost Trivia!" he exclaimed as he put his functioning PDA away and out of view of anyone wishing to destroy another one of his babies.
"Alright, but Danny should start us off. He updates most of those files anyways," Sam said.
Jazz gave a questioning look. "Ghost Trivia? I don't get it. What are the rules?"
"Basically, one of us will start off by giving another player in no particular order the name of a ghost. Said player then has to give a fact about the ghost mentioned. If no one objects to the fact, then that player gets to do the same thing to another payer and so on. However, if you get the fact wrong and someone catches you on it, you're out until the end of the game, but get to call people on it if they're wrong still. Get it?" Danny explained.
"Oh, so it's sort of like a way to see if you know your ghosts or not," Jazz summed up.
"Exactly," said Sam, "and Danny should be the first to start. Leaders first."
Danny chuckled, "Gee, thanks. I feel so loved."
"You're welcome. Now let's play!"
"Fine, let's start off easy. Tucker, Box Ghost."
"The Box Ghost has the lowest bounty on his head in the Ghost Zone," Tucker recited. "Sam, Pandora."
"Pandora is one of the ghost that likes Phantom and rules over a part of the Greek Ghost Zone. Jazz, Spectra!"
"Um…Spectra was once a student counsellor at our school during spirit week!" she said. "Danny, Hunter X!"
"Jazz, his name is Skulker. Stop trying to give names to ghosts that already have one. Anyways, Skulker is the self-proclaimed 'greatest hunter' of the Ghost Zone," Danny replied. "Sam, Skulker!"
"Nice try, Danny. Skulker's favourite prey is Danny Phantom. Tucker, Technus."
"Technus has an affinity with technology and doesn't know how to be cool."
"Just like our very own Techno-Geek," Sam said as the Fenton siblings laughed.
"HEY! Fine! Sam, Aragon!"
"Ugh, Aragon tried to make me his human bride just because he wanted the perfect and unique bride no one else had," Sam said disgusted. "Jazz, Ember."
"She was a ghost?" she asked. Everyone gave her a deadpan look.
"Yes, Jazz, she's a ghost. We fought her that one time she, Spectra and Kitty took over the town," Sam explained annoyed.
"Oh, right! Ember has the ability to control people through her music," Jazz recited. "See, I did know who she was, I just forgot. Danny, Ghost Vultures!"
"The Ghost Vultures are 2,008 years old. Tucker, Box Lunch."
"Box Lunch is the future daughter of the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady." Everyone shivered at that thought.
"I still consider that an 'ew'," Danny said.
"Agreed," the others responded back.
"Back to the game," Tucker announced. "Danny, Pariah Dark."
"Pariah Dark was the king of the Ghost Zone until I dethroned him this year. Sam, Undergrowth!"
"Undergrowth is a higher classed ghost who has complete control over the flora of the world. And he's a complete jerk too," she added. "Danny, Nocturn."
"Nocturn is the ghost of sleep. He can give you either the best dream or the worst nightmare." Danny and Sam glanced at each other briefly before quickly looking away with small smiles and blushes.
Tucker rolled his eyes. "When you two are done flirting, can we continue?"
"Shut up Tucker!" they both yelled, only to blush more.
"Tucker," Danny continued, "Desiree."
"Desiree is a wishing ghost who turns your wishes into some messed up form. Jazz, Plasmius."
"Plasmius once got Danny and me to fight each other during my early days as a part of Team Phantom. Danny, Vortex!"
"Vortex is a weather controlling ghost who is currently missing and wanted by the Observant High Council," the hybrid recited.
"And how exactly do you know that?" Jazz asked.
"Cause one of the last times I talked to Clockwork he told me that his idiot bosses fumbled with the thermos I gave them containing Vortex and he escaped. Now for some payback. Tucker, Hotep Ra!"
"Dude, not cool! Hotep Ra is the servant of a pharaoh that looks kind of like me and used me like an evil little puppet…ONE TIME! You just can't let it go. Sam…"
The four kept going with ghost after ghost. Some were ghost Vlad didn't care about, others were new to him, and even more ones he already knew. Finally, Jazz messed up.
"Jazz, Poindexter," Danny cried.
"Poindexter is a ghost that haunts locker 725 at Casper High," she said.
"I object!" Tucker exclaimed.
"I second," Danny agreed. "Poindexter haunts locker 724. The numbers add up to 13."
"Fine, I'm out. Tucker, you called it, so you continue," Jazz said.
"Good. Danny, Koŝmaro Magiisto."
"You're evil. Koŝmaro Magiisto is a fairly new ghost for us. His first appearance was outside the Nasty Burger. Tucker, Dora."
"Dora is a ghost from the medieval section of the Ghost Zone who can turn into a dragon at will."
"Objection!" Sam yelled. "Dora can only become a dragon when she is very angry or stressed because of her cursed amulet."
Danny nodded his head. "She's right. That means, you're out Tuck."
"Fine, then I guess it's come down to a duel," Tucker said.
"How does that work?" Jazz asked.
"One of you chooses a ghost, and then the two of us," Danny pointed to himself and Sam, "go back and forth with facts on that ghost until one of us messes up," Danny explained.
"So, which ghost will it be?" Sam asked.
Tucker and Jazz glanced at each other before they both said, "Clockwork."
"This is gonna be good," Danny said. Turning to Sam he said, "Ladies first."
"Such the gentleman," she mock bowed. "Clockwork is the master of all time."
"Clockwork watches the timeline from above unlike the Obsrevants who watch it like a parade."
"Clockwork once sent us and Tucker to the Future!"
"Clockwork is my mentor now because of that incident!"
"Clockwork can change between a child, an adult and an old man."
"Clockwork wears a purple cloak, tunic and watches and has white hair, blue skin, red eyes and a scar on the left side of his face!"
"Clockwork has a staff that helps him control his powers."
"Clockwork has to work for the Observants but does things his own way."
"Clockwork was ordered to kill you for the terrible future you would have cause, but didn't."
Danny glared at Sam for the almost outright comment about his evil future self. "Clockwork made sure that timeline never happened in the first place."
"Clockwork's realm is hidden in the forbidden zone of the Ghost Zone."
"Clockwork once tried to explain his job to us the first time we met but stopped because we were 14 and didn't really care at the time!"
"Clockwork…Clockwork…oh darn it!" Sam exclaimed as she ran out of facts to say.
"HA! I am the Ghost Trivia king!" Danny shouted as he stood up in a classic victory pose.
Everyone laughed and decided to play a few more rounds which resulted in Sam winning the second time and pitting Danny and Sam against each other for the real crown. The topic was Plamius and Danny won by making Sam laugh during one of his facts.
"I guess I win then," Danny announced happily. No one bother to deny him the title and Sam happily took the title of queen.
Vlad scoffed to himself. The game was good in a way to make sure you knew your enemies well, but some of the facts about himself he thought were ridiculous and unneeded. Although, to see Daniel with a smile on his face again was always worth the torture – physical or not – so he let the boy hold this victory for now.
However, Vlad was beginning to lose his patience. He wanted answers to fill in the blanks. He wanted results for his hard labour! He desperately needed another coffee, but that could wait until later.
"So," Tucker said, "What are we going to do about Koŝmaro?"
All the teens exchanged glances, unsure as what they could do. "Tucker, what could we possibly do?" Danny asked. "He has the upper hand here! He knows who we are, he has abilities and creatures we've never seen before, he basically has an army, and he can't be tracked – even by Clockwork!" he exclaimed and threw his hands into the air.
"Ok, now that we've made a list of things he's got but we don't, let's make one for ourselves," Sam suggested.
"Well, we have the books he's looking for, and he knows we won't just give them up without a fight," Jazz started.
"We have an idea as to who he was before he died," Tucker added.
"We've got new powers on our side," Sam listed, "which include Danny's explosive ones, if Vlad counts; his new abilities, and my own unknown witch abilities. Not to mention two Familiars."
"And we have plenty of ghost who'd be willing to help us one way or another," Danny finished.
"By the way, have you named your Familiar yet Sam?" Jazz asked.
"No. I just can't think of a good name for her. And every time that she does come around, she's only there for about an hour before she leaves again," Sam complained.
"Well, maybe we can help. I mean, I never named Frostigi, and his name literally means 'freeze'," Danny suggested and explained. "It can't be too hard to think of something, right?"
"Couldn't hurt," she agreed. "What you got?"
"Shadow?"
"No, that's too obvious."
"Witch-ling!"
"I'll kill you before I name her that."
"What about… Nigreco? It means 'blackness' in Esperanto."
"Danny, that's perfect! Nigreco; the witch's Familiar. I like it," Sam praised.
"I do too!" said a young female voice. Everyone turned to see a girl around the same age as Frostigi sitting on the dresser. She had long raven coloured hair with violet streaks here and there, glowing violet eyes and smooth black wings protruding from her back. She wore a purple and black outfit that looked like a mix between 'matrix' and medieval styles since the top looked like the top of a dress while she wore a short skirt, long pants with combat boots, gloves and a sleeveless coat.
Sam gave the young girl a once over and smirked. "I approve. I am assuming you are my newly christened Familiar; Nigreco the raven, right?" the Goth girl said.
"Yep!" the raven girl replied.
"Hey," Danny spoke up. "If it's not too much trouble, do you mind finding Frostigi for me?"
Nigreco nodded and left to find the other Familiar. "I don't even know if she knows who she's really looking for," Sam said. Everyone shrugged and continued to talk some more.
Time Skip…
Danny, Tucker, Same and Jazz spent the rest of their day trying to figure out possible ways of stopping the magician ghost, which was a lot harder than they thought since they didn't know what he wanted the books for in the first place. In the end they figured that they would have to either ask Frostigi or one of the ghosts that had been protecting the books to see what they could really do.
Vlad had left part way through the teens' talk so that he could prepare himself for dinner. Dinner – as always when dealing with people you don't normally get along with – was awkward and silent. Never a good combination in anyone's books. By the end of it, both parties were happy to leave and return to their rooms. Vlad left for his study and Team Phantom returned to Danny's rooms to set places for everyone to sleep.
"Ok, we've got a big bed, a couch near the TV and the couches upstairs through the closet. Who is sleeping where?" Danny asked as he listed the possible sleeping arrangements.
"Well, I don't think we should have girls and boys in the same room, so Sam and I will sleep upstairs. Tucker can have the couch down here and you get the bed Danny," Jazz said and grabbed her bag to get ready for sleep.
"See you guys in the morning," Sam waved the boys off as she followed the red-head out.
Danny and Tucker shared a look before shrugging and getting ready for bed as well.
Turn to the right…no. Turn to the left…no. what about the stomach? Nope. And lying on his back didn't make him more comfortable either. Danny sighed as he stared at the faintly glowing DP symbol over his head wondering why he couldn't sleep. Well, obviously he wasn't tired, but it felt like there was something else.
Tossing over onto his side again he stared off to a window and out to the night sky. It was a beautiful night. The moon and stars were out, even a few clouds. Danny faintly heard Tucker snore before he shifted again in his sleep. Danny shook his head and continued to stare out the window thinking. The sky made him think of that time not too long ago…
"This is amazing! No wonder you like flying so much." Jazz remarked, taking in her surroundings in awe.
"Yeah, it's really nice" Danny agreed. He gazed up at the stars with a soft smile.
"Take us higher Danny." Jazz requested, adrenaline overshadowing her initial fear.
Danny hesitated for a moment before he complied. "Cover yourself up."
Jazz smiled, watching nothing but clouds pass her by and the cool wind was renewing her being.
Danny stopped their flight. "Did you see the moon?" Danny inquired, pointing at the full moon. "It's my favourite time to come out here, because of how it lights everything up."
Jazz smiled at the bright yellow orb. "Yeah, it really does." She agreed. "It must be wonderful to have powers like yours," Jazz complimented, her awed expression never leaving the peaceful atmosphere.
Danny's smile faded, a frown replacing it. "It does have its nice moments, but they come at a price…and sometimes I ask myself if they're worth it."
Jazz frowned as well, returning her attention to her brother. "Danny you can't think that way. Your powers are a blessing. You have helped so many people with them." Jazz laughed softly. "You're a hero, Danny."
Danny looked at her with sad eyes, her comment not fazing him. "What kind of hero can't help his own sister?" he whispered painfully.
"Danny…why do you keep blaming yourself for this?" she asked with a worried look. Her brother's response was silence. "Danny…please, talk to me; what's wrong?" she pleaded, at seeing fear flash on his eyes.
Seriousness quickly replaced the fear and sadness. He looked up at the moon, before speaking once more. "I just want you to be ok, Jazz…and if I could trade these powers for that I would." He told her honestly, looking back at her.
Jazz sighed sadly "that's not possible, Danny and even if it was I wouldn't want you to. I know they bring you problems and stress that you shouldn't have but they have given you so much more in return, they make you, you and I couldn't be prouder, little brother."
Danny hugged her. "Thanks, Jazz" Danny said with a small smile.
Danny liked that part of the memory, the rest was more or less…ok, more of a kill-joy, so he preferred not to think about it. Unable to sleep, Danny threw the covers off him and left his bed to the upper lounge of his closet.
Being as quiet as he could, Danny snuck into the small lounge. On one of the couches was Sam with one arm hanging off the edge and breathing softly. On the other couch he had expected to see his sleeping sister but instead he found that the bed was empty, but had previously had someone sleeping there, or trying to any-ways.
No, Jazz was as much awake as Danny was and was standing on the little adjacent balcony wearing nothing but her PJs, slippers and a small blanket to shield her from the slight breeze. Danny noticed her and slowly closed the distance between the two of them.
"Beautiful night" Jazz commented without turning around.
Danny closed the distance till they were shoulder to shoulder. He didn't say anything as he gazed up to the moon and stars above with a slight smile. The only response Jazz received was a slow nodding of Danny's head.
"Couldn't sleep?" she inquired, still gazing above them, the star twinkling, the moon shining bright and the calm nightly tune of crickets, running water and the breeze in the trees serenading the two siblings.
Danny shook his head. "Nah, guess I've just got some things on my mind" he replied.
Jazz nodded her head understandingly. "Makes sense. I'd be a little more afraid if you didn't, not with everything that's been happening lately."
"So," Danny turned to his older sister. "Why are you up this late?"
"Hmm, couldn't sleep for similar reasons." When Danny gave her this confused stare she elaborated. "Hey, you might worry about protecting us and the town, but I worry about your safety as well."
Danny nodded again. It was just so easy to forget that while he's out risking his life for them and the town, he also just worrying them more. Every time he takes a punch, a kick, a blast or even a cut, they are the ones that patch him up afterwards and he's seen the fear in their eyes, fear that he may not come back after a fight – unless it's the box ghost, then they fear that he'd just be more annoyed after returning from the "battle".
That was when Danny had an idea. Glancing to his sister and then back to the sky, a smile formed on his face. "You know," he said. "The conditions are perfect for tonight…"
"Perfect?" Jazz asked and turned to look at her brother. "Perfect for what?"
"Flying of course," Danny replied and transformed.
Jazz stood there stupefied. Danny held out his hand and said, "Before I came up here I looked out the window and my first thought was about the night I took you out flying before I was forced to leave. You loved it, but I never really got to fulfill that promise to you. And a Fenton always keeps their promise, so, ready for round two?"
Jazz giggled and took her brother's outstretched hand. "Well, what are we waiting for, the leaves to change colour? Let's go!"
Danny chuckled and hoisted Jazz up properly before taking off. They went faster and higher than they had last time, practically reaching the clouds and touching the stars (but not really since that's not possible). The two of them laughing like they were little kids again and just enjoying the moment.
A few times Danny would drop all of a sudden or he and Jazz would free fall before he would bring them back up again. The first few times Jazz had shrieked and then punched him for doing it without warning, but then they were back to laughing happily as if nothing bad had happened.
Their fun was heard by several beings in the castle too. Sam and Tucker had both woken to it soon after it had started and sleepily smiled out the windows to the two teens having fun before returning to sweet sleep. Niane held Maddie as she too gazed out the window and wondered if that was a life she and her own brother might have one day if everything continued as Clockwork had predicted. Vlad sat atop his castle in ghost form and watched the two siblings ever since the beginning on the balcony with a soft smile.
He watched them having fun fondly as if they were really his children and not Jack's. Vlad shook his head in amusement as Daniel took to free falling with Jasmine again. "I'll let you have your fun this time, my boy. After all, I did ruin it for you and Jasmine the last time you tried to have a night flight."
So, Vlad sat there and watched over his charges until they returned to Daniel's room where they once again fell asleep on Daniel's huge bed.
Vlad snuck in after them and tucked the two Fentons in before leaving through the main door of the bedroom. "Sleep well" he said as he returned to his own rooms for the rest of the night.
Phantom: Ok, so that's the end of the chapter. This is one of the longest yet. 21 pages in Microsoft Word. Hurray! Again, sorry for the very long update, I'll try to not do it again. In other news, I am two weeks away from being out of school which will give me more time to write in the future.
Trainer: And this is the last part of this, right?
Phantom: yes, the next chapter isn't under this title.
Trainer: YES! FINALLY! But you know, Vlad hasn't really figured out much from these three chapters. Just about what he can do with his ability and some random facts.
Phantom: true, but that doesn't mean he isn't going to keep spying through those abilities. I just can't have any more chapters with this title is all. XD
Trainer: Hmm, whatever. *shrugs* as long as there are updates.
Phantom: you are the most persistent of all my reviewers and followers!
Trainer: XP Bite me!
Phantom: *counts to ten* doesn't work. Plan b then! ^w^/ [_] Flip the F***ing ice cream truck!
*do not read this next section if you do not like mild swearing*
*Phantom and Trainer start singing…*
Both:
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
GIMME ICE CREAM BITCH GIMME ICE CRAM BITCH!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
GIMME ICE CREAM BITCH GIMME ICE CRAM BITCH!
Phantom: I see the ice cream man
Trainer: Man…
Phantom: In his all white truck
Trainer: Truck…
Phantom: Looking for ice cream like, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!
Trainer: No I don't!
Phantom: I want it now, or else be killer!
Trainer: Homicide!
Phantom: I think I want chocolate…
*Trainer pounces Phantom*
Trainer: NO! I want VANILLA!
Phantom: or maybe a snow cone, a Slushie or a Popsicle. If you don't give me them, then homie I ain't buying ya. I like ice cream dude! It's all good. Ice cream's gangstah! Ice creams' hood!
Both: OH!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
GIMME ICE CREAM BITCH GIMME ICE CRAM BITCH!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
Holy Mother Fuck! It's an Ice Cream Truck!
GIMME ICE CREAM BITCH GIMME ICE CRAM BITCH!
Phantom: Well, that was fun!
Trainer: That's not the whole song folks, so for the actual song, look at either of these three links. One is more understandable than the others…
watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2_0cyrGd8dM
watch?v=roOinV4cdOw
watch?v=l7y6Wy9ezKE
Both: Please enjoy. We hope you liked this long chapter and the videos. Please fav, follow or review! *waves to the people*