"Jackie! Jackie! Guess what?"

Pippa Overland Autumn Frost burst into the Guardian meeting with the subtlety of a southern gust of wind, her face flush with important, urgent and exciting news "I got my first lieutenant!"

Jack beamed with so much pride, his smile threatened to break his face "Really Pip? Who'd you get?"

"Phantom! His name is Danny Phantom. He's a ghost! He's gonna help Jack Skellington with his duties in October, but mainly he's gonna do autumny things for me, and help keep the peace."

Jack smiled. He had run into the Ghost Boy when he had visited Amity Park a few times. They got along well enough, once Danny decided that Jack was benevolent enough to not catch in the Fenton Thermos (how it was even possible to catch him at all was a mystery in itself.) The boy was responsible, kind, and a hero in his own right, and he never was too busy to chat with the Winter Spirit. Jack even helped Danny figure out some cryokinesis techniques. There was only one problem with the teen becoming a lieutenant for a season: Danny was only half dead.

"Not anymore! He said something terrible happened, and his human half melted. He's a full ghost now!"

Jack was slightly saddened at this news. "Who would want to kill Danny?"

"Skulker."

The Guardians all turned to the owner of the voice. There he floated in all his ghostiness, white hair, green eyes, and for the moment, a ghost tail instead of legs.. "Skulker wanted to...and he did."

Tooth frowned "But...you're a child!"

"A GHOST child." Danny corrected "That makes me a 'rare find' which puts me at the top of his list. But this was different. I've thwarted Skulker at least three dozen times, and he's never gone too far. Until the day my human half died. That fight was weird in and of itself...it's like he was done playing around...done playing by his own rules of fair huntsmanship. I couldn't even run away!"

"Is not good sportsmanship." North agreed "Is very odd for ghost hunter not to have."

Danny landed "Wait wait...you know Skulker?!"

Jack laughed "Of course he does! He's Santa Clause!"

"Not just know him. He and I were alive at same time! He was very honorable, fair huntsman, if a little over-eager. But he always followed strict code of honor. And when he passed into the next life, he kept hunting passion. But he also kept code very seriously."

"Yeah, he did. Except when he didn't" Danny said "But anyway, I'm over it. Point is, I'm a Full Ghost, King of the Ghost Zone, and now to add to my resume, a champion of Fall. Next thing you know, I'll be the Guardian of Souls or something."

All the Guardians chuckled at that. In his mirth, North thunked the ghost boy so hard, Danny went flying into the wall. Jack laughed hard and helped his friend up.

"Thanks Jack." He said groggily "Santa packs a punch doesn't he...sheesh"

"Well that's North for you. Jolly, and doesn't know his own strength. Heck of a guy to have in a fight though."

"Well he does brave the Zone every year to bring gifts to all of the unfprtunate souls who can no longer...wait why are you laughing Santa?"

North chuckled softer and cleared his throat "I do not deliver gifts into the Ghost Zone, Danny Phantom. Is Skellington's job!"

"Well then you do make the gifts at least...eight?"

North scratched his beard "Da. I still make the gifts. But is Skellington's delivery that makes ghosts happy. That Skellington, always wanting to do the branching out. At first I say 'no, October Fest too much stress for you to be taking on new job in December!' But you know Jack! He was determined, so I say, 'ghosts need Christmas too, as reward for Christmas Truce!' And babushka! I find Jack new duties!"

Danny smiled "As king of all ghosts, your decision pleases me. The Zone gets more pleasant every year."

Pippa watched all this interaction with a giant smile on her face. It was good to see Danny finally get some good interaction with spirits that weren't his normal ghosts. But there was a foreboding in the air, and both she and Jack sensed it, for the disturbance was seasonal in nature.

However, as her brother exchanged a look of knowing with her, they each felt an odd sense of peace about whatever was going to happen, as if Mother herself was reassuring all of her seasons that, despite the calamity about to befall them, she would take care of everything.