Ready set jump

-V-

"You're not up for this" the shadow ghost said as she dodged the blast. Her red eyes burned into my soul and her sharp white teeth stood out from her solid black form. "You will never be as good as Phantom. You're just a selfish, bratty little girl who doesn't know when to stop."

I shoot again but my shot was way off. What is wrong with me? She wasn't even all that powerful. It hasn't been a week since Phantom gave me his thermos and I still can't catch ghosts like he can.

"You're a failure." came the ghost's voice again.

Maybe she was right. I really don't know what I am doing. Phantom always did the heavy lifting. I only got into ghost hunting as revenge and in the end I didn't even get that.

"She's wrong Red." Another voice cut in, boy's voice much closer and louder than the ghost's. "Spectra doesn't know what she is talking about, she doesn't even know who you are. But Phantom does and he trusts you, he wouldn't give you the thermos if he didn't believe in you." Each word from the boy seemed to fill me up with energy, a second wind. "Now prove her wrong."

Confidence now returned I whipped around and shot at the ghost. She barely dodged out of the way obviously caught off guard with the sudden attack. "Oh, did I hurt your feelings?" she said tauntingly.

I grit my teeth in sheer frustration. "Don't listen to what she is saying, focus on weakening her so you can trap her in the thermos."

Right, the thermos. I learned over the last two days that I still had to actually fight ghosts and not just suck them up like dust bunnies in a vacuum. If I caught a weak one by surprise, I could; but the others were too strong and could fight their way off the beam. But if I knocked them around a little bit and got close, they would be too weak to escape. All these things I had seen Phantom do without realizing it.

I obeyed the voice without even thinking. Weaving my board through the air, being mindful of the wind, as I maneuvered around obstacles and the ghost's attacks like they were nothing. Using speed to my advantage I managed to get in a few shots before the voice said that 'Spectra' was weak enough to trap. Taking his advice I pulled out the thermos and sucked her in. She fought for a bit and for a second I was worried she would break free. Then she succumbed to the vortex and disappeared into the thermos. I was quickly coming to love this thing.

"Good work Red."

"Thanks." I said before an important question came to me. "Who are you and how are we talking?"

There was a chuckle and I realized that the voice was coming from inside my helmet. "I'm a friend of Phantom's. Call me Scribe."

"Why Scribe?" I said in surprise. I always wondered how ghosts got their names. Most seemed to be titles and occupations. Adrenilen still rushed through me as I maneuvered my hover board to the top of a nearby building. As soon as I was close, I hit the button for my board to fold up and collapse back into the boots of my suit.

"I keep records of all of Phantom's enemies, fights, happenings in the ghost zone and then some. I am also a gifted hacker which is how I am able to talk with you." came the ghost's voice. "It's a good thing I did. Spectra is not someone to go up against blind or without backup."

"She wasn't that tough." I said somewhat defensive. "She only scans as a 4."

"Never judge a ghost by their power level." Scribe chided. "Powers are not the deciding factor in a fight. It is intelligence, creativity, and determination that count."

"I'm not sure I follow." I said. Confused as I took a seat on the building gazing out across the town, still trying to calm down from the rush.

"All ghosts have powers. Just like all humans have fists and feet to kick and punch. Some are physically stronger than others but even those with less strength can learn techniques and ways to take down stronger opponents. The same is true for ghosts. Some are 'stronger' than others but unless they know how to use what they have, they can easily be brought down. Weaker ghosts can pack a mean punch if they know what they are doing. Spectra being one of them."

"What is so special about Spectra?" I asked interested in what 'the Scribe of ghost knowledge' had to say.

"Several things actually." Scribe answered sounding excited. "Spectra actually has the ability to disguise herself as a human. She does this so she has an easier time feeding."

"Feeding?" I asked warily. I didn't know ghosts could 'eat'.

"Emotion." Scribe answered. "She feeds off of the emotions she causes people feel. Her preference is misery, which she claims keeps her looking young."

I felt sick to my stomach. "And she poses as a human to do this?"

"Yeah. She posed as 'Penelope Spectra', a leading psychiatrist for teenagers, for years until we caught her and sent her back to the zone."

I really was feeling sick now. "Despicable, bitch!"

"My feelings exactly." Scribe said a dangerous tone in his voice. "On the up side, she has several warrants in the ghost zone so all we have to do is hand her over to one of the kingdoms and they will lock her up for a good long time. Phantom was going to do it the next time he caught her but…"

Awkward silence fell. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing-" Scribe said with false cheer

I paused but decided to not push my new… friend? I don't know why Phantom would have his Scribe contact me but I was not going to pass up this chance to learn more about ghosts.

"So... ghosts have a prison or something?" I asked changing topic.

"Yeah. Lots of them actually." he said sounding grateful at the subject change.

"Weird, they always seemed so lawless to me." I pushed casually. I hadn't been in the Ghost Zone a lot but I would be lying if I said that the topic wasn't fascinating.

"About one fourth of the population of the Ghost Zone is. Most of the ghosts that attack Amity live in the open space between dominions. The open space is kind of a no-man's land, lawless and chaotic. The ghosts that live there tend to be the same. Doing whatever they want to whoever they want. Only way to stop them is with force. But the mass population of the Ghost Zone live on islands. Each one has its own laws and government, each one an independent domain. But because of how dangerous the open space is few ever leave their island let alone the Ghost Zone."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Huh." I said in thought. I had never read anything like that when I researched ghosts but I guess it would make sense that Scribe would know more. He was one after all. Suddenly my radar beeped. "Another ghost."

"Right. I'm going to try hacking into your visor so I can get some video feed. I may be able to identify whoever it is."

I nodded again smothering the pang of paranoia. Scribe hadn't earned any hostility so far. And after the big misunderstanding with Phantom, I had promised myself that I would be more open minded. "Okay, just don't mess with my suit too much."

Scribe scoffed. "I doubt I could. It took me forever to find out how to hack in enough to just talk with you. If I didn't know ghost tec and ghost hunting technology I would never be able to do it."

"So I don't have to worry about anyone else breaking into my suit?" I asked as I flew towards the bleep on my scanner.

"I wouldn't say that…" Scribe said hesitantly. "From what I understand, your suit has some questionable origins."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I know Vlad Plasmious had access to your original suit because he was using it to spy on Phantom so he could clone him. When it was destroyed, he may have lost his connection to it but there is no way of knowing for sure. Then your suit was rebuilt by an evil technology ghost called Nicolai Technus. He made the suit. So there is no reason why he couldn't hack into it. Not that I think he would. While he is a genius in tec he is a bit dim in the logic department."

"Yeah I think I met him." I said coming to a stop above the area I knew the ghost was in; looking around. This was the worst part. Once you found the ghost they usually stayed out in the open for the fight but only after you found them. "Any tips on finding this creep?"

"Uhhh, not really. I may be able to tweak your scanner to give you a better reading but until then I got nothing."

I sighed and began weaving through the building searching for anything that would lead to something supernatural happening. "How does Phantom usually do this?" I asked.

I could almost hear Scribe shrug. "Not sure. I think in the beginning he would just look around; of course he has intangibility, so it was easy. Then I think he got better at reading his ghost sense and followed it. But I never actually asked."

"Ghost sense?"

"Phantom has a physical reaction whenever there is a ghost nearby."

"Really? I wish-"

"NO!"

I jumped and choked back a scream. Instantly whipping around searching for whoever was attacking me.

"Sorry." Came a bashful Scribe. "But the word 'wish' is bad. There is a genie ghost that is notorious for twisting wishes around in horrible ways. She has a tendency to stalk people and grant nightmare wishes. You never know when she is around so you are better off avoiding the word 'wish' like the plague."

"Then what am I supposed to say?"

"We say 'w-word' instead."

"That's dumb."

"It's better than being erased from existence."

I paled. "The ghost is that powerful?"

"She brought Phantom back from the dead, kind of powerful."

I bit my lip and looked around nervously. I hadn't been this paranoid since I squashed that bug that turned out to be a surveillance bug in my bedroom. "How am I supposed to fight a ghost like that?" I asked, trying to keep my fear in check.

"Oh, she isn't too bad." Scribe said laid back. "She isn't much of a fighter, it is the creatures she creates you have to watch out for."

"But you just said she can bring people back to life. That is powerful."

"Only when she is granting w-words." Scribe explained gently catching on to my hesitation. "As long as you or anyone else don't say the w-word she can't do her voodoo on you."

I nodded but wasn't fully convinced.

I heard Scribe groan. "Alright. I am going to drop a Fentionworks invention into your locker sometime tomorrow. It looks like a mettle belt."

"What for?" I asked curious. I never got into Fenton inventions, the hunters were rubbish so it stands to reason there stuff would be.

"The belt acts as a kind of personal ghost shield. It prevents overshadowing, hypnotism, and Desiree's magic from affecting the wearer."

"Really?" I perk.

"Really. The only downside is it shocks all ghosts you come in contact. So don't go hugging any ghosts if you have it on."

"Yeah the ghosts and I aren't on hugging terms right now." I replied back sarcastically as I absentmindedly swooped through the roads and alleyways looking for anything ghostly. "Speaking of ghosts, where is Phantom? I haven't' seen him in a while?"

The line was silent for a long time. "Scribe?"

"Any luck finding the ghosts?" he asked shamelessly changing the subject

"No, not really." I said suspicion growing in my stomach.

A sigh came on the other end. "They must be in one of the buildings then."

I bit my lip looking around. "These are all residential. I can't go breaking into people's homes."

"Hopefully you will only have to break into one." Came Scribe I thought I heard typing. "Listen for screams."

"Is that your best plan? A hunch?" I asked a bit miffed. "Your supposed to be an expert and your telling me to go towards the scream? Really? And for the record, your wrong, there is no scream." Some stranger hacks into my suit, and while he did help me a bit with Spectra, he is keeping something from me and now he is giving me elementary school level advice?

"Well until I get you a new scanner this is how you're going to have to do it." Scribe shot back.

"Thank you! Oh great Scribe of ghost knowledge. Your wisdom is most appreciat-"

"GHOST!" came a scream to my right.

"You were saying? A smug voice came from my helmet.

I blushed turning towards the sound. "Shut up."

-)(-

-V- Valerie Gray (Red Huntress) point of view

these characters, this story, they are live!

It feels like either I am struggling to get this story on paper or it writes itself. There is no medium.

I do not own 'Danny Phantom'