AN: I'm glad everyone liked the last part of the story, especially the part were the Box Ghost was beating Vlad, and I do still know that I need to explain a lot of things ranging from Vlad and Dani's relationship to how a few others are going to fit into this story. I'll explain it all in due time so enjoy the story.
They're never going to stop asking questions are they. Danny was currently being bombarded by questions by his friends inside his room as soon as they got back from the movies. Valerie, Sam, and Tucker were the constant supply of questions that Danny had to answer. Dani had cleverly avoided all of them and had flown to the house and phased into her bedroom while they were still about a block from the house. Danny however was not as lucky and was led straight to his room by his friends after a quick exchange of greetings with his parents.
"Where have you been these past few days?" this was the question that Sam would stop at nothing short of dying to know.
"In the Ghost Zone having meetings. A king has his responsibilities you know." At the mention of the word "king" everyone's in the rooms jaw dropped and they heard a door slam open and a moment later Jazz had joined them.
"KING!" this was yelled by all four of them.
"Yeah. I suppose I got to tell you guys now anyway." Was what Danny said but he was really hoping for his ghost sense to go off to get him out of this situation. The blue mist of course did not come to his rescue. Never when I need it to happen. Only when I'm in the middle of something every time. I should at least have some good Karma.
"We're waiting Danny." Said Jazz as she was tapping her foot.
"Start talking Danny." Said Sam with an annoyed look on her face. She really hated to be kept out of the loop when it came to stuff like this.
"Take all the time you need man." Said Tucker as he collapsed in a bean bag chair really not wanting to hear Danny's explanation of things and relax with his friends.
Valerie remained silent with her arms crossed over her chest but nodded for Danny to explain the situation.
"Well it all started with Pariah Dark. When the whole town was trapped in the Ghost Zone and I went to fight him to be more precise. Since it was a challenge that he accepted in his own castle, it counted as a battle for the title of King of the Ghost Zone. Since I beat him and sealed him back in the sarcophagus, with a little help from Vlad along with the others, the Kingship was given to me and me alone. It was probably because I fought him and pushed him to his limit and getting him on the ropes. It was the same way that Pariah had acquired the crown. It's a way to prove who is the strongest in the Ghost Zone. Since the crown and ring give you infinite energy it makes is so that you can't say you were beaten when you were low on energy or some other excuse. The Ghost Zone is really a place where the strong rule the weak. It's not that bad because the stronger ghosts can't really use their power on a large scale since the king wouldn't tolerate it. So since Pariah was thrown into the sarcophagus the Ghost Zone was thrown into a more chaotic state with a lot of ghosts forgetting the old ways. Enough with the lesson on ghost culture because now we come to the key point. I really did become the King of the Ghost Zone. Of course I didn't realize it until Clockwork told me a couple of months ago which became the biggest shock of my life right after the accident."
"So that's why you were so stressed out." Said Jazz as she remembered how on edge Danny had been a few months ago.
"Yeah. At first I was angry and wanted nothing more than to push it off on someone else. The only problem was that the title can only be passed on in a fight. It can't just be any fight either. The king needs to use their full strength so if the opponent prevails, he really is the strongest in the Ghost Zone until someone beats him and so on."
"So how come Pariah was still the king when he was locked up the first time?" asked Sam with a raised eyebrow.
"The group of ghosts ambushed him. The challenge wasn't even declared or accepted so he retained his power. They also stole the crown and ring from him. In my fight it got knocked off his head. It didn't help that it was more than one of them either. A group can't hold the title of king."
"Well that explains a lot now." Said Tucker as he finished putting most of the information in his PDA.
"One question Danny." Said Valerie finally breaking her silence.
"Shoot." Danny after realizing what he said widened his eyes in fear and brought his hands up. "I mean ask the question. No actual guns."
"I wasn't going to shoot you Danny. Do you still not trust me? Even after I kept your secret all this time." Said Valerie a little shocked.
"Old habits die hard Valerie. The whole you not trying to kill me anymore is kinda hard to get used to." Said Danny.
"Lighten up man." Said Tucker.
"I was only trying to capture you by the way. I'll ask my question anyway." Said Valerie and after a pause. "How come all those ghosts attacked today?"
"That's because I'm the king. They were probably trying to draw me out thinking that I can only be challenged right here in Amity Park. That's not true though."
"But you live here. Shouldn't it make sense to challenge someone in their home? It's just like how you challenged Pariah at his castle." Said Sam.
"It's the King of the Ghost Zone not the King of Earth." Said Danny with a smile.
"So even if they beat you here. It wouldn't count?" asked Valerie.
"Exactly. It has to be in the Ghost Zone for the kingship to change." Said Danny.
"Who do you think could even beat you?" asked Tucker looking up from his PDA.
"I'm guessing Fright Knight could give me trouble if he cuts me. After that I would say it would be Vortex or Undergrowth if the conditions are right. And by conditions I mean the whole Ghost Zone is covered in plants."
"What about Pariah?" asked Tucker.
"I beat him already for the crown. I'm guessing he'll challenge me as soon as he feels strong enough." Said Danny.
"You mean he's free?" asked Valerie.
"Yeah. When Clockwork told me about me being king, he told me about Pariah being freed by Fright Knight a little while before."
"So he's behind all the attacks then?" asked Jazz.
"Yeah. He's been recruiting my enemies. I already had some trouble fighting them before and now they're all together."
"But you fixed the town so quick. It was all over the news and the only thing anybody has been talking about." Said Tucker.
"The cameras were already there?" asked Danny with a hint or worry in his voice. "I really didn't want the whole town to figure out."
"Yeah. From the beginning of the ghost attack. My dad made me watch it and said I couldn't go fight them." Said Valerie as she clenched her fists a lot more than mad about it still.
"Calm down Valerie. He just doesn't want you getting hurt. I know from experience it really hurts." Said Danny as he remembered all the times he had come out of a fight a lot worse off than the ghost he fought.
"Yeah. I remember how you looked after that tiger ghost clawed your back." Said Valerie.
Flashback
Danny and Valerie had formed an uneasy truce after an animal obsessed ghost had released them all over the town. Neither had a chance to catch them all by themselves without collapsing from exhaustion.
"Behind you Huntress." Said Danny as he blasted away a gorilla. Valerie turned around to shoot a swarm of crows with her wrist blasters.
"Eat them! Nourish yourselves my friends!" yelled the ghost.
"Ghosts don't eat genius!" yelled Danny.
"Just kill them then!"
During their little exchange Valerie had activated her suit's cloaking ability and snuck behind the ghost with a "borrowed" Fenton Thermos.
"Not gonna happen." She said as she pressed the button to suck in the ghost.
With the main target out the way they finished collecting the other defeated animal ghosts in a few minutes and met back up.
"We make a pretty good game. My clever banter and your stealth skills." Said Danny as he extended his hand.
"Yeah we do." Said Valerie as she shook his hand. "Don't think that this means I'll go easy on you."
"I thought so." Said Danny. "I'll dump the thermoses at the Fenton's portal."
"How are you going to do that? Don't they have a ghost shield are at least a ghost proof house." Said Valerie.
"You'd be surprised on how many times I've been there." Said Danny as he took the thermos from her. "Look out!"
Danny grabbed Valerie and tried to go intangible when he felt a shock go through his body and just turned around so now his back was facing the approaching ghost tiger. This is going to hurt. The tigers claws rakes across his back and he felt the searing pain on his back. He passed out a second later from the pain while the second before he felt his transformation rings emerge from his waist. He woke up with his arms and legs bound along with n shirt on but bandages across his back with the familiar feeling he had after just having received stitches.
"This has to be one of the weirdest ways that I'm ever going to wake up in."
"So you're always out ghost fighting then. That makes all the napping in class and no homework make sense now." Said Valerie.
That was definitely Valerie's voice and he decided he was as good as busted. She was about a couple feet away from him and sitting on the floor with her back against a wall.
"I take it you're going to hand me over to the Guys in White or the Fentons now?"
"Maybe." Said Valerie getting up and walking over to him. "I want to know everything. Starting with how you're some sort of ghost and human hybrid."
She finally got up and walked over to him with a blaster in hand. She signaled for him to start after she pointed it at his head.
"No funny business. It's not like you can escape. I know where you and your friends live."
Danny was pretty sure she was bluffing but didn't want to take that chance with his friends lives along with his family's.
"Guess I should start from the beginning then." Said Danny with a small smile.
Flashback End
"That was when you found out right. I changed back because I passed out. The next thing I know I wake up with stitches and bound with your restraints. Couldn't move at all until I told you the whole truth"
"Yeah. That's pretty much how I remembered it too."
"You guys just went way off topic." Said Tucker. "I think you should see the broadcast Danny. I found the broadcast that showed everything from you appearing from the portal to Vlad turning invisible and you leaving with Dani. People were going to find out sooner or later about this new form Danny. This is the age of the internet. The fact about you being king will probably never come out unless you or a ghost says it."
Tucker took a small projector out of his backpack and hooked his PDA into it. He tapped the screen a few times and the Channel 5 News was shown on Danny's room's wall.
"I'm Chuck Bailey here to give you a special report about today's ghost attack and the new look of Danny Phantom. We here at Channel 5 News have a special video showing Phantom's appearance out of a portal and his following actions. Now I show you that exclusive video."
The screen cut to right before a Danny had arrived and Tucker fast forwarded through it. It cut iff right where Tucker said it did with Vlad going invisible and Danny and Dani racing away.
"What you have just seen will be talked about live with local ghost experts Jack and Maddie Fenton tonight at 6 pm for a special report and interview. We will be taking your calls the entire time. So join us at 6 pm for the special report and interview."
The projector shut off and Tucker packed it up after disconnecting his PDA from it.
"I know where I'm going to be at 6." Said Danny. "Jazz do me a favor and go get Dani. I have to call Vlad."
"Are you serious about this Danny." Said Jazz.
"Yeah. I'm tired of having my name slandered by my own parents." Said Danny as he walked out and they saw a bright flash of white light in the hall signaling Fenton becoming Phantom. "Tell Dani to meet me in the park."
"Guess he's serious about this." Said Sam.
"We'd better go." Said Tucker.
"I'm not going to let Danny do something stupid." Said Sam.
"Calm down Sam. Danny is a pretty smart guy." Said Valerie.
"Have you seen his grades?" asked Sam with an are you stupid look.
"Yes. But that's after he's had a night of fighting and strategizing against ghost. You don't go with him every night. He knows exactly what he's doing Sam. Besides he's smart in situations like this. Do either of you two think you could keep his secret for so long." Said Valerie as she led Sam out the room and out the house. Tucker followed close behind and they all went to Sam's house a few blocks away. (Guessing with the distance.)
"We can watch it here if you guys want to stay." Said Sam.
"Sure." Replied both of her guests in unison.
I never knew that Sam was loaded like this. She easily could have been with the popular kids. Thought Valerie as she looked around, easily picking out all the expensive things by the entrance alone. She was shaken from her thoughts by Tucker who told her they needed to call their parents.
"I'm going to see if Jazz wants to come over." Said Sam as she called her cell.
A few minutes later she hung up and told the others that Jazz was on her way over.
At the park
"Calm down Daniel." Said Vlad as he tried to calm down the fuming Danny.
Dani had arrived a few minutes after Vlad and they had decided to remain human and just walk around the park to talk. The thought of the park's scenery calming Danny own was completely wrong. It might have been making him angrier.
"What can they possibly saw that you haven't heard before." Said Vlad.
"Now I'm more of a menace even after I fixed the town! What kind of sense does that make?"
"You simply need to realize what you do is right Daniel. It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. Do you think that a police officer doesn't regret killing a criminal even to save another life? But he then he notices how much good even such a bad act can accomplice. There are certain burdens we all have to carry Daniel."
"Well I'm a teenager that's struggling in school and also has to be a king of an entire separate dimension!"
"We're going to need to talk somewhere else if you keep screaming like that 'cousin'." Said Dani finally breaking her silence since she had gotten there.
"Can we go to the mayor's mansion Vlad?" asked Danny.
"Yes. I'm not hosting any dinner or gathering there tonight. We can take the limo." Said Vlad as he led the way towards his limo.
The 3 halfas quickly got inside and Vlad punched in the mansions address into a keypad that was linked to the driver's GPS up front.
"What, afraid of talking to people Vladdy?" asked Danny lightening up a little.
"It's soundproof. The driver can't hear a single thing we say no matter how loud it is. I am a businessman Daniel. I have certain things that need to remain unheard."
"Yeah a fruit loop businessman. What afraid of your driver hearing you talking crazy?"
"Come one now Little Badger. There is no need for name calling or making false accusations."
"Says the fruit loop that needs a cat."
"Says the child that can't even control his dog."
"Take that back. Cujo just needed his toy and now he's all better."
"Sure thing Little Badger. The dog only wanted his toy and couldn't be controlled by its master at all.."
Danielle meanwhile had grabbed a drink from the limo's cooler to watch the display put on by Vlad and Danny as they argued. A lot better than any TV show.
"I'm gonna blast your limo to bits."
"It's basically indestructible."
"Want to test that?"
Danny's hands started to glow green while Vlad's started to glow pink.
"Just try it and you won't even have enough time to regret it."
"You can't fight the king."
"It'll be less of a fight and more of a beating."
This could get violent. I like it . Thought Dani as she went intangible. The stares the two were given each other definitely would have made the devil himself shake in fear.
"Fruit loop vs Badger. The halfa showdown. Old vs young. The cereal vs the mammal. Who's going to come out on top." Said Dani as she got death stares sent to where she was still sitting.
"Maybe a truce might be in order." Said Danny with a smile.
"You are very right young Daniel." Said Vlad as he returned the smile.
"Sugar cookies." Said Dani.
AN: Hoped you enjoyed the story so far. Hopefully this chapter helped to clear up most of the serious issues. One that I couldn't really fit in was Vlad's relationship with Team Phantom so I'm going to take the chance to do so now.
He serves as a mentor to Danny ever since Bitter Reunions.
Bitter Reunions happened different in my story with ghosts attacking Vlad's house, him and Phantom teaming up to stop them, Vlad seeing the obvious resemblance between him and Fenton discovers his secret identity, takes him under his wing as his student.
Yes Vlad is extremely different from the show.
Vlad hates both Jack and Maddie for the accident.
Now onto his relationship with Dani. She is still a failed clone from an experiment to see if halfas could be clones that Danny and Vlad conducted (Danny having a higher concentration of ghost DNA since the Fenton portal was much larger than the proto portal), Vlad doesn't like her at first but eventually sees her as the daughter he never had, her name is actually Danielle Masters (it was pretty easy for Vlad to fake a birth certificate sense he is a billionaire), she lives with Vlad who home schooled her enough to get caught up to speed in school (I believe she is said to be 12 so that's 7th grade), Dani still sees Danny as her real father but sees Vlad as a grandpa (he is Danny's godfather)
Vlad still did rob all those banks and such to acquire his the starts of his fortune but has attempted to turn over a new leaf after meeting Danny.
The more I write this down, the more I'm starting to see this Vlad as Vegeta. Anyone else notice it?
Vlad freed Pariah Dark by accident after Danny had convince him to come to the ghost zone for an adventure.
That should clear up all the major points
Pretty long author's note. Hopefully I got all those typos this time. Again questions and comments are welcomed.