Helloooooooooo! Welcome back to the amazing world of Yours Truly!
Yes, I know. It's been too long since I last updated and I'm sorry. But enough about that! Let's get on to the real reason you came back to see me! THE NEW CHAPTER!
Jade: Uh, TMC? I have something to repo-
Me: Now is not the time, Jade! Can't you see that I'm entertaining the masses with my brilliant work? And call me COMMANDER TMC!
Jade: *mutters under breath* I worked hard on it too y'know…
Me: What was that?
Jade: Nothing! *goes back to sipping Boost smoothie and looking through binoculars*
Me: Well, then. On with the show!
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom
Repaying A Debt And Seeing Old Friends:
As Danny was hauling the remains of his share back to the prison to regroup, he met up with a rather excited face. "Welp! You came at last!"
The self-proclaimed ghost hunter gave a nasty smile, not quite predatorial but not completely friendly either. It was clear he wanted something.
"Hey, Skulker. Thanks for doing me that favour." When Skulker had shown up at his school, Danny had promised to help him on the condition that he alert Walker as to his intentions and smooth things over so he wouldn't be jailed on the spot.
The hunter's eyes shined, "And what of your part?"
Danny rolled his eyes. He sure did cut to the chase. "You wanted help with your girlfriend, right? Well, have you tried talking to her?"
Skulker scoffed. "Of course! What do you take me for!? I can't be the Greatest Hunter in the Ghost Zone if I can't even converse with my significant other!"
Danny raised his eyebrow, knowing what was coming. "And did it work?"
Skulker immediately slumped over. "Unfortunately, no. She slammed the door on my face, but not before causing my ears to bleed from her incessant screaming." He placed his fists on his hips and considered their last conflict. "If I had to describe how she looked it would be…" He searched for the right word, "Frosty."
Danny raised an eyebrow, "As in...?"
Skulker threw his hands up in the air, "As in cold and moody!" His exasperation grew with every moment he had to explain something more to the halfa. Why was someone who had managed to elude him time after time so clueless when it came to girls!?
Danny sensed the ghost's mood and sighed. Why was someone who claimed to be the 'Greatest Hunter in the Ghost Zone' so dumb when it came to girls? "Look, Skulker. I've had my fair share of screw-ups and surprises in relation to dating, but it doesn't take a genius to know that Ember being a drama queen is not something I can fix."
"But you have an idea, yes?" Skulker asked expectantly.
The halfa rolled his eyes. "Okay, sure. If there's anything I've learnt about girls, it's that they love it when guys show their appreciation. Give her a gift and maybe she'll calm down. Hang on, I think I've got something..." He bent over to rummage through the pile at his feet, mumbling, "Where is it..?"
Skulker watched him, feeling unconvinced the answer could be so simple. He knelt and leaned over the boy so he help him search the pile, but a question still lingered on his tongue. "And if she sneezes snow on me again?"
Danny jerked his head up in surprise. "Wha- OW!" He extracted himself from under the large metal being his head had collided with and cradled bruise forming at the crown of his hair, hissing in pain. Skulker held out his arms like he wanted to help but wasn't quite sure what to do.
"Snow? Sneezing? What are you going on about?" the boy grumbled, feeling a tad irked that Skulker had been right over him.
The hunter held up his hands in defence, "It's what I've been telling you! She's covered head-to-toe in frost and her skin seemed even bluer than before. She gets cranky when she's cold, but she's never been this-"
"WOAH, WOAH, WOAH! Hold the phone! Are you telling me she has a cold!?" Danny gaped at him, the present idea now long forgotten.
The hunter snorted, "Of course not. Don't mistake this for one of your silly little human illnesses."
Danny slapped himself in the face, dragging his hand down his features. "Ay-yai-yai. This guy's skull is thicker than a brick wall," Danny mentally groaned. He sighed and motioned for the ghost to continue adding details.
Skulker coughed. "It started about two weeks ago. Small symptoms like a random chill or cough. It only got worse. Now, whenever Ember coughs the temperature plummets, and those who are too close when she sneezes freeze over!"
He rubbed his head awkwardly, stealing a glance at Danny. "I thought she might be getting ice powers like yours..." He never completed his sentence once he saw the glare the halfa was shooting at him.
"That's what you meant by 'ice queen' and 'frosty'?" the ghost boy exclaimed. Skulker nodded warily. "WELL THEN SAY THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" he yelled, seething so much his eyes were glowing ice blue and the air suddenly became a few degrees colder.
"That's it!" Skulker pointed at him. "She's exactly like that! Only worse." He didn't seem to notice the murderous intent rolling off the halfa in tsunami-like waves, only kept rambling on about his girlfriend's condition.
Danny took several deep breaths and forced himself not to strangle the idiot. Not that he could anyway; he doubted his hands would even fit around Skulker's metal neck.
"Are you sure it's not just a cold?" he asked.
Skulker growled and stood up swiftly, towering over the boy. "Ghosts do not get sick. We are forms of ectoplasmic energy - superior to you weak, feeble humans."
"...says the ghost asking said weak, feeble human for help," Danny countered.
The larger ghost folded his arms over his chest and looked away. "You're a half breed. That does not count."
Danny snorted, "Whatever." He picked up his pile of presents and began floating away, speaking over his shoulder. "Follow me. I know someone who might be able to help." He turned back to watch his flight path and increased his speed, not waiting for the hunter to follow.
Skulker activated his jet wings and took off after the boy as he first dropped off his load with one of Walker's guards and explained what he was doing, then led him through the great, green and slightly nauseating expanse of the Ghost Zone.
[A/N: Does anyone else feel like the characters should be getting motion sickness ALL THE TIME from looking at those green swirls in the Ghost Zone? God I feel sick now…. ]
Skulker's machinery was not meant for extreme cold.
This was nothing like a sneeze from Ember. It was so cold out here that his built-in heater had trouble keeping up. His gears and levers were freezing up and jamming from the frigid air. He bared his teeth and pumped the temperature up to the max, but it did little to loosen his joints.
"How much farther?" he growled at his guide.
Danny glanced at him over his shoulder, smiling at whatever he saw. "What's the matter? Not a fan of the cold?"
"You wouldn't be either if you had to worry about your gears getting stuck." To prove his point, Skulker tried to move his arm to check his vitals screen, but his arm refused to move more than half the distance.
Danny laughed as he watched the ghost failing to retract his arm. "Maybe. It's nothing like my ice blasts, isn't it?" Skulker said nothing in reply, only grumbled and shivered violently. (Well, more of a jarring, creaking body shake. The cold was really doing a number on his joints.)
Danny checked their location, looking for landmarks he recognised amongst all the ice and snow. A faint blizzard was obscuring his vision and he needed to make sure they stayed on track. He had taken the time during their trip to the frozen domain to think over his decisions.
It was a fact that Danny owed Skulker for helping him with Walker - the papers stuffed under shirt were proof of that. But something was nagging at him. His instincts from being at odds with the ghosts for so long? Maybe.
Danny shook his head. "No, no, no. Skulker came specifically to me for help," he reasoned with himself. "He has no intentions of stuffing and mounting me on his walls anymore. Plus, I'll have my friends to help. They're living proof that not all ghosts are bad!" He blanched at his own words, "Well, they're not exactly living since they're ghosts but-"
"WATCH OUT!"
Danny was jerked from his thoughts – literally. Skulker pulled him back just in time to stop him from flying straight into an ice cliff. He blinked in confusion, "Uhhhh, thanks."
The hunter only huffed, "It would do me no good to lose my guide before you are able to take me to your friend. Now can we please hurry up?" The ghost was doing his best to appear as if he only cared what happened to the boy for his own interests, yet his furtive glances to make sure he was truly okay did not go unnoticed.
"Riiiiiiiiight," Danny smiled but made no other comment, to which Skulker was grateful. They continued flying in silence. After a while things got a bit awkward.
"So…. Where are you taking me?" Skulker asked. He'd never been this deep into the frozen wasteland part of the Ghost Zone. Was it even possible that ghosts lived out here?
"Oh, just to an old buddy of mine," Danny beat around the bush, wanting to keep the surprise a – well, a surprise. He spun around and continued flying facing backwards. "You could say we…. share similar qualities," he grinned widely, the excitement already catching up to him.
Skulker huffed. It seemed he wouldn't get more than that out of the boy. He had no choice but to trust Danny wasn't leading him into some ice cave that was the lair of some vicious, ghostly polar bear or something.
"What is that? Some sort of vicious, ghostly polar bear?"
Skulker reached for his wrist pad and activated his arm cannon. With swift precision, he swung it round and charged a blast to take out the enemy. Before he could, a small figure jumped in front and blocked his shot.
"Skulker, NO! He's a friend!" Danny cried desperately as he floated in the air with his arms outstretched. The hunter merely stiffened; he didn't back down.
Danny sunk to the ground as non-threateningly as he could and slowly backtracked through the snow to stand by the creature's side. He motioned towards the creature. "This is one of the Far Frozen. They're a peaceful tribe, but only if you don't tick them off," Danny ground out the last part and glared at Skulker's weapon in the hopes that he would understand.
"Just put your weapon down."
Thankfully, Skulker did as he instructed. Danny breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the ghost beside him. A large, hulking figure of snow-white fur and a wolfish face, complete with horns and fangs that resembled sharp icicles. They also wore fur boots, a belted tunic and blue arms bands around their biceps.
The figure knelt down so he was on eye level with Danny and rested its spear on the ground. It began to bubble incomprehensible gibberish excitedly, its pale glacier-blue eyes shining in joy. The tribesman of the Far Frozen lifted his big, furry, clawed hand and pet him affectionately on the head.
"Haha. Hey, big guy!" Danny laughed. He didn't intimately know this particular tribesman, but they all knew him well enough to become ecstatic whenever he visited them. The head pat was probable a means of thanks for stopping Skulker from shooting first and asking questions later.
He wormed his way out from underneath the large paw, "I'm here to see Frostbite. Can you take us to him?" The tribesman nodded eagerly. He stood up and poked his head through the main gates of their frozen city, chattering to someone inside.
When he stood back, another tribesman followed. He nodded his head to Danny and stood at attention in front of the gate, having taken the other's place on watch. The first waved for the two to follow him and led them inside.
Danny stepped forward without hesitation. When it became known to him that Skulker was not immediately behind him, he turned back. The hunter was still outside the gate, looking warily at the guard beside him. The large yeti-like ghost turned his eyes on him and garbled a few words.
Danny could tell he was being encouraging, but Skulker did not look the least bit at ease. He felt the halfa's eyes on him and hurriedly stepped through, his feet crunching through the snow. "Are you okay?" Danny asked as he resumed walking.
"Of course, whelp. I am the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter. Who would I be if I was afraid of beasts bigger than myself?" He bit back harshly.
Danny pondered next to him in silence, then, "I never said you were scared."
Skulker flinched but couldn't look him in the eye. "Shut up," he muttered, though he made it in his best interests to stick as close to Danny as he could while they wandered through the village of the Far Frozen. Soon enough, they came to a large ice cave flanked by guards.
More of the Far Frozen appeared amongst the igloo-like houses to watch the guests with amounting interest. They particularly paid close attention to the newcomer, shifting nervously at his tenseness. Danny also picked up on the mood.
"Hey. Loosen up, would ya? You're making skittish," he pointed out. The ghost didn't have a chance to reply before a large form emerged from the cave. Upon hearing it's loud footsteps he instinctively dropped into a fighting stance. Danny hissed at him, a warning that he should stay where he was.
The figure crept closer and closer, finally stepping out into the sun. The sunlight glinted off the ghost's arm, which Skulker realised was made of ice. You could see right through to his bones. The other difference were the cape and fancier clothes that set him apart from the rest of the tribe.
As soon as the ghost's eyes landed on the smaller ghost, he broke into a wide grin. "GREAT ONE! YOU HAVE RETURNED TO US!" The ghost, which Skulker assumed to be the leader, swept the halfa up into his arms and squeezed him tightly. The rest of the tribe cheered loudly; a visit from the Great one was a cause for celebration!
Danny grunted from inside the bone-crushing hug and managed to grunt out his greeting as well. Once he had been put down, he turned to the hunter. "Skulker, I want you meet Frostbite. He's the leader of the Far Frozen."
"A pleasure to meet you! Any friend of the Great One is a friend of ours," Frostbite acknowledge warmly, which Skulker thought to be ironic considering their…. choice of residence.
The hunter did his best to look at ease while his joints were stiff from cold and stumbled out a response. Looking back on this moment, Skulker wouldn't be able to recall whatever it was he said. Truth be told, he had other problems right now.
Skulker was way out of his element.
He was the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter! He made a sport out of hunting and capturing ghosts more ferocious and lethal than these oversized polar bears! Yet he couldn't help but feel a little peeved that there were beings out there - other than Vlad Plasmius and Pariah Dark, of course – who, by the looks of those razor sharp teeth and claws, were bigger and more naturally dangerous than him! He was only a shrimp in a metal suit for crying out loud!
His gaze switched to the boy before him, casually chattering away with the object of his discomfort as if he was no more than speaking to his weakling human friends. To put it simple, he was stumped – as well as a little unnerved – that the whelp he had been chasing all these years could have such strength in him.
It truly blew him away…
It took a few moments for the hunter to realise that they were now addressing him. He snapped out of his daze, "Uh! What?"
Danny snorted. "Lost in your own world, huh? That's a first for you." His expression turned serious, "I was just telling Frostbite your suspicions about Ember gaining ice powers."
Frostbite continued, "The cryokinetic ability shared amongst the Far Frozen and young Danny here is very rare and unlikely to remain hidden for so long. If she has shown no signs of possessing an ice core, then I am afraid the cause of her frost must be caused by something else."
Skulker's shoulders drooped. "Oh…" was all he said.
Danny felt his heart go out to his former enemy. He floated up beside him and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure we'll find a solution for her. If anyone knows how to help, it's Frostbite." He looked up at the ghost he considered a friend and mentor. "Do you have any idea what might be wrong with her?"
The yeti placed a hand to his chin and thought hard. "Hmm… The symptoms you have described do sound familiar. Perhaps I read it somewhere…" he trailed off, deep in thought. Danny waited for him to say something. Nearly a minute passed before he did.
"Ah! I believe I have the answer!" he cried. Frostbite waved one of the guards over and whispered something in his ear. The guard nodded and trudged into the leader's cave. He turned back to his guests, "What you have told me sounds different from a lack of control over her ghost core. Instead of bottling all the cold up and finding herself unable to feel warm, she has been letting out freezing bursts of energy."
His audience nodded to confirm they understood, Danny even more so since he had experienced the 'lack of control' Frostbite was talking about. "Well, there you have it!" the ghost exclaimed. "My guess is that she came in contact with a virus that chilled her core, causing her energy to fluctuate at the irregular temperature."
Skulker growled, "Ghosts do not get sick."
Danny frowned, "Well, apparently Ember is. Ghosts might be different from humans, but you're still living beings. You're not immortal and you're not all-powerful. So buck-up and deal with it. You wanna help her right?" Skulker stared at him in silent struggled, then at last huffed and nodded.
"Very well. If I wish to help Ember, I must expand my perception. Correct?" he muttered.
Frostbite leaned closer and whispered in Danny's ear, "He understands better than you, Great One."
Danny's smile was strained, "Let's not go that far. He's still denser than my family's emergency bunker."
The guard returned holding a package, which he passed on to Skulker. "Give your loved one this medicine and she should start feeling better. Come back here if anything else arises," Frostbite spoke genuinely. "The Far Frozen will provide you with any help you require."
Skulker bowed his head in thanks, empowered once again. "You have my thanks. And you," he faced the halfa and smirked good-naturedly. "Consider your debt repaid. May we meet again." With only slight difficulty now that his heater had finally caught up with the cold, the hunter activated his jet wings and took off, waving as he flew.
"You have an exceptional friend," Frostbite murmured as the pair watched his receding figure.
"Yeah," Danny smiled. "I do."
HEY, WHAT UP? Did you enjoy the chapter?
Sorry this took me practically half a term to write. My motivation has really needed a recharge, but the holidays had me covered so no worries! It's probably unlikely that I'll release another chapter before I go back to school, so nuclear bombs will not be tolerated. I WARNED YOU BEFOREHAND!
Also: this is a shout-out to one of my readers – Invader Johnny
I was surprised when only five minutes after posting the last chapter you already sent me a review. Like, SERIOULSY, man! YOU ARE A FAST READER! And thank you for always leaving a review!
REVIEWS ARE MY VERSION OF COFFEE – HELP ME BECOME A CAFFEINE ADDICT!
Jade: Are you done yet? I really have to tell you som-
Me: Quit chewing on candy bars and get back to work! This fort is only made of cushions, y'know! It doesn't have a high-tech defence system against enemy cats!
Jade: *takes bite, speaks through chewing* Yeah, but-
Me: NO BUTS! I want you keeping watch until your hair falls out! Tell me as soon as it makes a move! Now where was I… *turns back to audience and keep talking nonsense*
Jade: *shrugs and gives up, turns back to binoculars and keeps eating, watches as cat plays jazz on its saxophone* That is one talented cat.
See you next time!