I apologize for the late update. My grandmother passed away. I finished all of my schoolwork early and flew home to Ohio for the first time in five years. Unfortunately my father still believes that the internet is a passing trend. Going into town to use the internet isn't really an option either. This town is so small that the headline on the front page of today's newspaper was concerning a runaway peacock. I'm told that last week they had a full page article on a one legged rooster covering the front. Honest, I could not make this up. My friend was upset that I would miss the Wine and Walleye Festival and for excitement we walked across the nation's longest covered bridge.

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"I'll go wake up Jazz. She'll be able to get Valerie to agree to a temporary truce," I explain.

"I take it you two don't get along?" asks Ed sarcastically.

"That's something of an understatement. She thinks that I intentionally ruined her life."

"Okay, did you?"

"Ruin her life? I suppose you could say that. But not intentionally! They were all accidents!"

"I take it that Valerie doesn't see it that way. I know a thing or two about accidentally putting someone in harm's way," Ed replies. "I don't think that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened to Hughes."

"What happened…" I start to ask.

"It's a long story. One best saved for another day. Go wake up Jazz," Ed replies solemnly.

I was halfway out the door with the Fenton Peeler when Ed stopped me. "Wait," he calls. I turn to see Ed eying the pile of 'useless' inventions. "Do you think I could borrow one more?"

"Go ahead. Mom and Dad never seem to notice when they go missing," I answer.

'I must be on my ninth or tenth Fenton Thermos by now. If they haven't noticed those, I doubt they'll notice whatever it is that Ed wants to take.'

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"Jazz, wake up!" I yell loudly pounding on my sister's door. "Jazz!"

"I swear, somebody had better be bleeding," mutters Jazz. The door opens to reveal Jazz in a long pink nightgown with Bearbert tucked under arm.

"Not yet, but they will be soon if you don't help," I reply.

That seemed to wake Jazz up. "Give me a minute," she responds and promptly slams the bedroom door in my face.

Not five minutes later, Jazz reappears dressed in a black top and blue jeans; her straight orange hair drawn back in a tight bun. "I don't care what Mom says. There is nothing you can say or do that will get me into one of those horrid jumpsuits."

I laugh and toss her the Fenton Peeler. "Trust me Sis. I don't blame you."

Jazz activates the Fenton Peeler to make sure it's in working order. You can never be too sure with one of Mom or Dad's inventions. Ed joins us just as the transformation completes. Ed smiles and looks approvingly at the suit, "Why is it that I always get stuck with a suit of armor?"

I really didn't know how to respond to that and I don't think Jazz did either. Jazz deactivated the Fenton Peeler and looked over Ed. He was carrying the Fenton Ghost Gloves and two Specter Deflectors with a third invention tucked into one of the belts.

Jazz raises an eyebrow, "Is that the…"

"I made a few improvements, but yeah," answers Ed.

Jazz just shakes her head and groans, "Men."

"I'm going to need your help tonight, Sis. We're going to need Valerie." Ed and I quickly explain to Jazz about Mom and Dad's failed rescue attempt. "And the worst part is that our parents just gave Freakshow three more hostages. Plus, our original plan won't work without Al," I conclude.

"So what's Plan B?" Jazz asks.

"Brute force," grins Ed as he cracks his knuckles.

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I flew ahead while Jazz drove with Ed to Valerie's ramshackle apartment. Turning intangible and invisible, I enter Valerie's home through the roof of the building. I searched the rooms until I found Valerie. Using my ice powers, I create a slow and steady temperature drop in the room.

Valerie yawns and rolls over. Glancing at her alarm clock, she swears realizing that it is still much too early to wake up. She hops out of bed to turn off the fan just in time to hear Jazz's knock on the door. I have to stifle a laugh at my nearly perfect timing. "Who could it possibly be at this hour?" Valerie mutters.

Valerie moves towards the door quickly. Her father has an early morning security shift and she doesn't want this late night visitor to wake him. Valerie peers through the peephole to check whose outside. Finding Jazz outside with a friend, Valerie quietly opens the door. "What are you doing here?" Valerie whispers miffed.

"Please you've got to help us," Ed pleaded. "He's got my little brother."

Her previous anger forgotten, Valerie asks, "Who? Who's got your little brother?"

"Ghosts," replies Edward, looking up at Valerie pleadingly. "There were these three ghosts calling themselves Ravager, Box Ghost, and Lydia. They took him." Crocodile tears trickled from Ed's eyes.

Valerie wraps Ed up in a hug. "There now, we'll get your brother back." Acknowledging Jazz with a nod she asks, "Who is he and what are you doing here?"

Jazz and I were stunned. Who knew Ed was such a great actor? Jazz was stunned out of her stupor by a pointed look from Valerie. "Ed and his little brother, Al, got lost in the Ghost Zone. They've been staying with us until they can find a way home. The ghosts that Ed mentioned also managed to capture Mom and Dad as well as Sam, Tucker, and Al. "

"Is Danny okay?" Valerie asks.

I can't help but smile from my hiding place. "Danny's fine. He went down to the police station to file a missing persons report."

Valerie nods, "I suppose this is all that ghost kid's fault."

Ed sniffles, "I'm not sure. I didn't see any kids, but there was some other guy there. Freakshow, I think."

Valerie nods; it did kind of make sense. "You just stay here. The Red Huntress will take care of those evil ghosts." Valerie headed back to her room to gather her ghost hunting gear. "Are you coming Jazz?"

"Yes, and don't worry about Ed. He can handle himself in a fight," Jazz replies.

Valerie frowned; she didn't like civilians trying to help her with ghosts. She normally wouldn't have accepted Jazz's help, but with Jazz's ghost hunter parents Valerie supposed that she could make an exception. Valerie took a moment to inspect Ed and noticed all of the ghost hunting equipment. "Do you know how to use all of that? Wait, is that the…"

"I assure you that I am more than capable of taking care of myself," Ed replied.

Valerie frowned and I knew what she must be wondering. 'What happened to the scared little boy who was here a minute ago?'

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If Edward Elric could grab any Fenton invention, which do you think he would take?

I submitted Chapter One of my new Danny Phantom/Young Avengers crossover to a beta reader today. Please look for it.

Until next time, thanks for reading. Please review.