Hey, look. We're a quarter of the way there. And yay. I know I'm failing more and more as time passes. What'd you expect?

25. General

Team Phantom- they had never really changed that much.

Their team was small, insignificant. Honestly, though, it was one of the best in the nation. Comprised of nothing but brains, brawn, and crazed individuals, they patrolled the streets of what was now merely known as Amity with their eyes open to any crime and any suffering person in need. Each person had grown because of personal issues, but they stayed together as one unit, one single strand of friendship holding them together. After so many years and so many hardships, it was a miracle they were still the best ghost-fighting team known.

It was now 2020. Team Phantom had definitely expanded beyond the reaches of the three teenagers of the past. Now it included three new individuals, all of whom decided to sacrifice their own benefits for the good of the city. Well, maybe not all of them, but it was pretty close. One gave up the rest of her college days to get a PhD to aid with the psychological aspect of ghosts. Another gave up her hatred and pure desire to kill him. (It didn't mean she didn't dislike him) And yet another risked her own personal well being to help her family even though she knew she had to hide from certain individuals. All of them amounted to heroes in the shadows, sure, but they knew their efforts were well received by the community.

The heroes who shined in the light were the original members of Team Phantom. Amazingly enough, Daniel J. Fenton, Tucker Foley, and Samantha Manson were all still together and fighting ghosts with their newest team members Valerie Gray, Jasmine Fenton, and Danielle Phantom. There had been a lot of issues in the past regarding their time together, but now they were practically an unstoppable force. Nothing bad could be said about them now.

"SHIT."

Danny Phantom grinned and very nearly laughed at Tucker's swear outburst through his earpiece as he took a battle stance against what seemed to be a rather large hoard of ghosts with nothing better to do than rampage the city. Now twenty-nine years old and a single man, Phantom wasn't living with the others at their headquarters downtown. He was making himself live in the dumps of the city where not even the police force dared to venture. The others wondered why he decided to make this decision, and he claimed it to be personal reasons. Everyone knew, though.

He was still trying to clear his mind of Dark Phantom being on the loose and the simple fact that Vlad Plasmius had returned from space and was now in hiding from the world's prying eyes.

That was the least of his problems as he flared his hands with his trademark green ghost energy and suddenly shot a ghost ray to one of the nearest goons. "Take a deep breath, Tuck," he quipped, kicking on of them in the side. "At least these guys aren't so much a threat as they are a nuisance."

"Danny, look. I know you really want to just have some fun with this right now, but honestly, this could be a distraction or something! Remember the last time you didn't take a group of guys like this seriously? Ember nearly had all of Amity in a trance with 'RemEmber.'"

Phantom groaned at the memory and proceeded to smash his foot into one of the ghost's stomach. How could he forget that little fiasco? Sam went on his butt for two weeks to ingrain in him that every ghost attack pretty much had some sort of purpose, even though it might not have been seen from the outside at first. He itched his new suit and grumbled, pulling on it and hearing the elastic snap. "Hey, Jazz- remind me to wash this when I get to headquarters, all right?"

The older sister rubbed her head on the other end and sighed. "I made that suit for you so it wouldn't have to be washed. Are you telling me that it's not doing its job?"

"I'm telling you- ow!- it's itchy! Maybe something with the sweat is incorporating into the fabric or whatever." Phantom grabbed one of the creatures and threw it into the wall, firing a ghost ray towards it in the process. "I still like this thing, though. It gives me a lot more maneuverability against these guys. You've gotta give me the design plans for this thing. I might need another one in a bit."

With this, he watched the other entities fly off in a sort of fear in the other direction. Phantom crossed his arms and smirked, cracking his fingers. "Well, that's a wrap," he told the others cheerfully. "What else do we have to do today?"

Silence.

"Uh, guys? Hellooo? What's going on?"

"Hmmm. You might have grown older, but you still have a bit of that childlike innocence I've always tried to admire in you." The voice had aged dramatically, and the shadow hovering over Phantom only made him more suspicious. "And the fact I don't even have to say the words anymore clear show how much this world and the ghost world has changed so drastically." The adult half-ghost turned around and gasped in awe as he spotted Clockwork floated there, smirking and changing into his child form. "You haven't changed at all, Phantom. I'm actually quite impressed."

Phantom grinned widely and laughed, the barren streets filling with glee. "Kind of hard to, I guess," he admitted. "Old enemies and everything seem to enjoy coming back to haunt me every now and again. Go figure." He cocked his head. "So what are you doing here anyway? I mean, it's been a long time and everything since I've seen you."

The Ghost of Time raised his staff and gestured to a portal. "Well, we have a bit of catching up to do, but first… I want to show you something, Daniel. I'm not sure if you'll like it, but- it might be for the better."

"Daniel"- how long had it been since he had heard that name? He couldn't remember as he jumped through the hole in space and time and followed an old ghost ally into the unknown.

Um- I offer no witty remarks to this? Shooooot, I'm losing my touch! –insert loud wails here- Thanks for even coming this far.