Breaking the Sky Chapter five " Convergence "

Kevin pouted for the fifteenth straight mile, and Gwen just shook her head.

" Will you stop, we got the information and it didn't cost us anything. The guy actually offered to sign me up for the Danny Phantom fan club for crying out loud."

Kevin spoke in a dry voice.

" So he could get your phone number. "

" I did not give you half this trouble and you kissed another girl. "

Kevin snapped.

" It was different! "

She put her hand on his.

"It was all to get the information, I swear. "

Gwen's phone rang, ending their little " talk " for the moment.

" Hi Grandpa. We just left. What now? Are you . . oh man. We will. "

She hung up the phone, and Kevin could hear in her voice something was very wrong.

" Turn around, Ben's doing it again. "

" And by again you mean? "

" Do you remember Elena Validus ? "

Kevin rolled his eyes, and put the car in the right lane for a u-turn.

" For the record, it takes mind control for women to get me to be THAT stupid. "

" I am holding you to that, Kevin. "

**

Danny watched his father growling at a ghost dog the size of a car in his living room.

" Grrrrr You filthy pile of ectoplasm ! No one leaves invisible dog doo land mines for Jack Fenton! "

They found the dog under Dani's bed, and his father had spent the past hour chasing the thing around the house. When he'd gotten home with her to grab what they needed to hunt Skulker they found them going at it.

" Umm Dad we can kind of use him . . . or let him go, we don't need to throw him into the Ecto-filtrator. "

Danielle started to get slightly upset at the mention of the word Ecto-filtrator.

" We-we are going to do what with him? WAAAAAA! "

At the sight of the ghost girl starting to cry Jack stopped put the dinner table down, and grudgingly looked at the creature.

" Do you acknowledge me as the Alpha male? "

The beast shrunk to the size of a large potato, and took on a ridiculously happy puppy like appearance. It licked Jack across the face.

" Yip yip! "

" The . . live specimen can stay. . If you can talk my wife into it when she gets home. "

Jack left the room, and Dani turned off the water works like a switch.

" WooHoo! Here boy!"

The dog hopped on her head, as she transformed.

" I'm ready to go. "

" Whatever you do, do not try that on my Mom. She will not buy it. "

Danny turned to the Dog, and pulled out a dented Skulker helmet from an old fight.

" OK Cujo, you want to stay? Find Skulker! "

**

Ben took another look at the watch, with copy of the basic Galvan to English translation guide he'd found in the bathroom of Grandpa Max base.

" It does look like backwards Russian. "

Amy sounded like she was a bit annoyed.

" You really know how to charm a girl. "

The bus they where on came to a stop, and they exited into a rundown neighborhood.

" Sorry I don't have car in this thing, thats why I keep Kevin around. . . that and Gwen gets someone else pester. "

" You talk about her a lot you know. "

" Gwen, shes my cousin. We've been in this from the start together. It's like having a sidekick. "

Ben adjusted the watch with a bit more confidence, as Amy put her hand on his shoulder.

" You go on summer vacation, hit all of the lower 48, and both come back with powers. I can see you two being tight. Did it scare your Grandfather? "

He looked over his shoulder at her.

" Grandpa Max ? Naaa. Why would he?"

" Greg used to keep us all scared. It took me a while to figure out that he was afraid to loose control of us. We where younger, and had powers. It was how he kept us all down. "

He turned to face her.

" How old was this guy? "

" Old enough to be my Dad. "

" Sounds classy. "

A holographic map of the general area pop up over the watch with three very distant red dots.

" OK Two of those are moving very very fast, so I'm assuming my sidekick and her boyfriend are doing things together. The other one is in Amity Park, so . . .they gave HIM a badge. Rookie Phantom gets an Plumber badge so he can break it over someones head."

She quipped.

" Not a Danny Phantom fan I take it. "

Ben just shook his head.

" Alright If I'm right and none of these are your . . Greg's then he's not some ex Plumber. Probably a black market runner. What did he have you doing? "

She looked away.

" Whatever made him money. "

" I want you to know Amy after this it's over. I'll get this guy locked up someplace unpleasant, and make sure you get help starting over. "

She smiled a sad little smile.

" I really believe you mean that."

Ben tried to sound reassuring.

" This is what I do, beat the bad guys, from earth or outer space. Come on, time I get the job done. "

**

Albedo paced around Skulker like inspecting a new car.

" I will admit, this I did not expect! This is beyond simple tool use, even limited by human means this is technology. Release vocals."

Skulker spoke in a very soft tone of voice, without a hint of anger. No that would wait for later.

" I am Skulker the Ghosts Zones greatest hunter, and from where the stars not stand I release my blood oath on the boy. Give me your name so I might know who I hunt."

Albedo giggled, then spoke in a mocking tone of voice.

" Hahah, Albedo scorn of the Galvan, and you are going to help me get my revenge. . "

Skulker considered leaving his armor and possessing the boy, but that was never his specialty. He was a hunter, and hunters could wait.

" Where is Ember? "

" I have no clue who that is sorry. "

He began uploading information into Skulkers armor.

" Now my hunter. I have new prey for you, the unworthy wielder of the most powerful weapon in existence. You're background will make you hunting him seem very understandable. You will either kill him, or be destroyed yourself, and I report to Azmeth that the boys sticking his nose where it doesn't belong again. Either way I win. "

Skulker Growled.

" The boy with the watch? My Valkyrie spoke well of him, and that is saying something. How is it you share his form? "

Albedo just cut him off.

" This no longer amuses me. Vocals off. "

**

Ben walked around to the back of the building Amy told him " Greg " ran his operation out of. The lost flower child's eye kept bothering him. She was either wearing some contracts or something or the girls powers where manifesting due to fear. Either way looking her in the eyes made his skin crawl. Good thing the rest of her was easy to look at. She spoke up before he made his move.

" What if I changed my mind, and didn't care about this guy? Would you pack up your wrist watch, and leave with me? "

" I appreciate the offer, but this guy needs to go down. You don't have to help if you don't want to. I can take you back to my Grandfather and deal with this solo. "

She smiled, just a little.

" Sorry you have to deal with this. So make with the watch, and lets get this over with. "

Ben moved to kick the door in, and Amy put her hand on his shoulder. She spoke in an odd voice that cut into him.

" Power up first, theirs at least three of them in their. "

He shook his head, trying to place it, but remembered what they where there for.

" Right, hero time. "

Ben dialed up Diamond-head. He was small enough to fit into the building, and tough enough for anything that might be in their. As the change took hold the desire to scream the creatures nickname was replaced with huge craving for chocolate, and Ben remembered he had about eight more screens worth of diagnostic to read when this was over. He kicked the door in, and walked inside without caring what was waiting for him.

" Oh Greg, I've got something for you! "

A rock-like fist the size of a bowling ball smashed into the side of his crystalline head, knocking him to his left. Their he was meet with a matching blow from a similar fist, as Charmcasters voice echoed in the dark.

" Hello Ben! I've been wondering, can any of your aliens see in the dark? "

Caught between the two golems Ben's mind drifted back to TJ and Cash laying into him on the playground before he really knew how to fight. He stood between them, a hand outstretched in each direction.

" Amy, go intangible! "

Ben fired blindly into the void hoping he'd guessed right. Charmcaster's neon purple forcefield lit the dark, and he could see where his attackers where. The boy charged, shattering it into a thousand dissolving bits, as she barked orders.

" Per vox of nomen ! "

Bullies all fight the same way, they all cry when you hit them for once. Ben imagined TJ as he grabbed her like a rag doll, and barked in her face.

" Call them off, or I punt you like football! "

She screamed.

" Per vox of nomen ! Take him now! "

That otherworldly light filled the room again, and he could see " Amy " melt away, and be replaced with Ember McLain. That black chocker of hers noticeably replaced with one of Charmcasters charms. She dove into him overshadowing him like Danny tired a dozen times during their fight.

The world went black.

**

Kevin blasted past 90, as Gwen's fingers dug into the upholstery.

" You have got to slow down! "

" Relax, I haven't even kicked in the alien tech. Besides Benji fell off the Plumber radar again, that means the watch is probably locked up. The quicker we get to where he was, the closer he'll be, or I can slow down. "

Gwen shot him a look, and he cut it back to 70.

"OK Now that we have a few minutes, any ideas about what we are going to do with your cousin when we get their? "

Gwen tried to sound ignorant for once.

" What do you mean? "

Kevin rolled his eyes, but tried to sound worried.

" You know I'm not really that experienced with this kind of thing, but Ben is starting to remind me of a few friends of mine. The kind that I end up biting off more then they can chew. Now if your cool with letting him work this out on his own, so am I, but . . you know . ."

Gwen frowned.

" Since we where kids, I've been following him into some pretty fantastic places. Now I don't know where he's going anymore. . . "

The sky lit up, as four heat seeing missiles detonated 2 miles away. The hula dancer on Kevin's dashboard giggled a little harder.

" OK Gwen I know where he is and thats a start. "

He kicked in the liquid oxygen booster, and the speedometer topped 125 mph.

Gwen started to get nervous when she herd Kevin mutter under his breath about needing to install retro-rockets. They took a corner, and she whispered a prayer to the god of seat-belts. Kevin hit the breaks, and to her amazement her teeth where still in her mouth.

" Here we go and it looks like we've got some unexpected company. Those golems look like you know who is here. "

Gwen stepped from the car, and was glad she didn't need to throw up. Then she noticed the golems.

**

Danny grasped the ghost dogs leash as he was dragged mile after mile. Danielle was riding on the things back, and laughing all the way.

" Hahahah! Weeeee! "

" Dani I swear I am going to put this dog in a thermos and dump it on the far side of the Ghost Zone if you don't stop goofing off. "

She frowned.

" You're no fun. "

Danny couldn't help but remember how much easier this stuff was before he had to be the grownup one.

" It could be worse, I could be Jazz. "

Skulker stopped in the distance, and let loose a few fire and forget missiles on a rundown building, making Danny worried he brought the girl along.

" Dani I need you to wait here and. . . "

The leash went limp as Dani unhooked it and rode into a fight without a thought.

" . . . Clockwork is laughing at my right now I can feel it. DANIELLE GET BACK HERE! "

The half ghost charged in, as he saw Dani and her dog go for Skulker from behind, and surprisingly he didn't hear them coming a mile away. Hearing the sidewalk crack under a great weight behind him he turned to find a big rocky thing with purple lines through it. Seeing as it didn't look to friendly he went intangible, it didn't help as he was grabbed by his shirt, and the beast wound up for a punch.

Danny tossed up an energy shield and hoped. It smashed it like glass, and he went flying backwards into a streetlight. It bent to the contours of his back, and he decided maybe keeping his distance would be a good idea.

" OK rocky road, eat some ghost ray! "

It might as well have been a flashlight, doing nothing. The creature walked toward him, and Danny wondered if hand grenades where out of characters for him. He decided to think on that once this was over, and he called up all of his ice power freezing the things solid.

" I swear today really, really stinks. "

The ice started to crack, and he wondered if he could watch Dani, while fighting this thing that hard way. The ice shattered from behind the creature taking its upper body with it. As it feel apart he saw what looked like Metamorpho standing over it.

" Danny Phantom? Kevin I'm like number 11 in your fan club, need a hand? "

Danny smacked himself in the face.

" I need to talk to Tucker Folly tomorrow don't I? "

" Probably, now we got one more of these things, and a guy in armor to curb stomp. "

**

Ben woke up with a splitting headache. The rock hard filthy tile floor he was laying on would have been heaven if it was just cold enough to numb his brain so he couldn't feel the throbbing. Expulsions echoed out from a near by battle. He opened his eyes, and saw a candle lit room with Charmcaster at its center. Her voice struggled to be heard over the sounds of battle.

" Per vox of nomen! I command you to sing!"

" Sorry witch, Ember doesn't do requests. "

Like always Ben went for the watch, and found a blinking red face that he hoped didn't have anything to do with his agony. He forced himself to focus to find something to use to get himself out of this.

Charmcaster screaming at Ember didn't help. . Or did it?

" You follow my orders! You played the bait to bring him here, but you won't control him! "

" Hay girl, I tried to overshadow him, that watch just kicked like a mule. As for the song, sorry but no one tells me when to or what to sing. "

The building shook, and he swore he could hear Gwen screaming in Latin. It's never a good thing when she needs to talk to use her powers.

The witched walked his way, and knelt down.

" Hello Ben, our little run in last time made me think I needed better help. Watching you lead me to Amity park, and well you can guess the rest. Shame though, I was going to use this one to make you help me get little Gwendolyn to give me back what's mine. Now well, I think I'm going to cut and run. Ember, take his arm off at the shoulder, and be careful not to hurt the watch. It's not magic, but it works as a conciliation prize. "

Ember shot Charmcaster a look, as she walked past her.

" You are a real piece of work Sabrina. "

The ghost helped him up, and took his arm just below the shoulder.

" I'm sorry Clowncar . . . "

Ben spoke at the last second.

" Can I have a hug first? "

Charmcaster looked up from preparing her portal out of their, and saw Ben intact being coddled by that damn ghost she could only half control.

" Per vox of nomen! By the power of names, take off that arm and bring me the watch! "

**

Danielle held Skulker down, while Gwen used her powers to blow a hole the size of a grapefruit in his armor, and it finally shut down. Kevin, Danny, and another Danny where pulling the head of the last golem.

" OK, this is handled, I've still got to find someone, so back me up! "

" Sure thing, you guys are fun! "

Gwen ripped the doors off the place with her powers and walked in. She saw her rival being held upside down by her ankle out cold with a black eye, and Ben sitting on a box next to Ember McLain of all people.

" HAHAHAH do it again Clowncar! "

Ben smiled a wide dopey smile with one of Charmcasters charms between his teeth.

" I wish I had a camera for that one! "

She stepped closer, and maybe it was the poor lighting, or some sense she didn't have a name for yet, but Ember looked kind of green. A shiver went down her spine when her eyes met the pop stars.

" Well looks like your backup got here before mine, I owe you a pair of concert tickets. "

" I told you, Gwen here has a habit of bailing me out of all the trouble I get into. "

Danielle looked at Ember holding Charmcaster only to drop her on the concrete floor like a broken doll.

" Ember she looks hurt! "

The ghost grinned a wicked little grin.

" Dani girl, there is a line, and she crossed it. Be glad I'm letting her walk out of here."

Danny and Kevin walked in behind them, as the younger half ghost muttered under her breath.

" . . .she's not going to be walking anywhere. "

Kevin looked around.

" Ember McLain's an alien? "

Danny walked though Gwen to get to the front of the group, a Fenton Thermos in hand. Gwen shivered and stepped back. Danny spoke.

" Nope, just a ghost. "

He leveled the thermos at her.

" I don't know what you and Skulker are doing here, but you're going back where you belong! "

Ben stood between Ember and Danny.

" Hold on Rookie, she just saved my life! "

Danny looked at Ben totally confused.

" What? "

" I've had a really long, really hard few days Rookie. Just let her go, and say I owe you one, please. "

**

Next " Point of no return "

Notes:

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