Disclaimer:I don't own anything from Danny Phantom.

Note: I know it's kinda belated now that Halloween is over but what I said in the note of the previous chapter is still true. I want to write something matching that theme which is part of why I decided to add the Fright Knight and his alicorn Nightmare to the story. And, fun fact, they were in the old version of Owen's story too! Although that was under very different circumstances. Anyways, I thought it'd be interesting to expand on the whole 'deal' made between Vlad and the Fright Knight in Reign Storm that he never really explains. All we know is Vlad used Danny and Valerie somehow to 'turn a knight and topple a king,' aka Pariah Dark.

Chapter 8: Crossroads

Vlad's POV

"I'm beginning to think I ought to hire you a full time bodyguard, Owen, considering how often you're attacked as soon as I take my eyes off of you." I said with a hint of dry humor, although I couldn't shake off the disappointment I felt at how abruptly my plans to explore Ravenheart Manor had been derailed. That said, I was pleased to see that Owen had followed my instructions nearly to the letter, with only a few minor missteps. Especially considering he had been trying to contain this ancient ghost alicorn all by himself, which, according to my vultures who returned briefly to report on the damage Nightmare had inflicted, had stubbornly resisted all his efforts to keep it calm until I eventually returned.

It would seem the four of them had spent the better part of an hour pursuing Nightmare across the grounds as he fruitlessly searched for its owner—namely, me. But by the time I finally got here, Owen had already trapped the proud creature within the confines of the multiple wards he had painstakingly set up. While Owen's training has undoubtedly enhanced his stamina, I sometimes have to remind myself that, unlike Daniel, he is still relatively inexperienced with this sort of thing. After all, detecting ghosts and understanding their intentions is one thing, but chasing them down when they don't tire as easily as humans is quite another...

Owen shot me a pointed look and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "I don't need a bodyguard, you just need to upgrade your ghost portal too. Your security system did its best to do its job, but—" He gestured toward Nightmare with a frown. "That guy was more than a match for it and powerful enough on his own to break down the doors."

"Yes, well, perhaps I can shed some more light on the reason for that in just a moment. But first, would you mind lowering your wards? I believe he will be much more cooperative now that I'm present, as I happen to know his master quite well." I said calmly, taking charge of the situation while keeping a close watch on Nightmare's movements out of the corner of my eye.

Owen's hesitation to do so was understandable, considering how long it had taken them to capture Nightmare initially. Nevertheless, he lowered his wards without protest and stepped closer to me shortly after just in case something else went wrong. Unfazed, I observed as Nightmare shook out his fiery green mane and approached us with an air of expectation as if expecting us to follow him immediately. Where to you might ask? Back to the Ghost Zone obviously.

"Sorry you had to rush back here so suddenly," Owen apologized awkwardly, clearly having already caught onto the hint of frustration in my voice.

Softened my gaze I placed a hand on his shoulder and said. "It's alright. What matters is that you're safe. And honestly, I'm relieved to see that the threat wasn't as serious as it seemed."

Nightmare let out a loud huff in response to my teasing remark, stomping a hoof at me in indignation. Undeterred, I continued, "Oh, come now, we both know it's true. Your powers might be heightened with Halloween fast approaching, but you wouldn't have come here if this was something you two could handle on your own. Clearly, something must have gone terribly wrong otherwise you wouldn't be here, alone. You would be in the Ghost Zone, sowing chaos wherever you roam alongside your cherished master, the Fright Knight, rather than destroying my mansion."

"The Fright Knight?" Owen asked, looking up at me with a puzzled expression. "What kind of name is that? It sounds like a bad pun borrowed from that one old 1985 movie about vampires..."

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge if I were you, my boy," I replied, secretly finding the comparison amusing. "He has been known by many names throughout history, but for now, let's call him the Spirit of Halloween, as he's most commonly recognized by that name in the human realm. We can delve into his historical significance later. For now, it's best if you go back inside. You've done more than enough to take care of the problem and I can finish taking care of the rest."

Owen stared at me in disbelief for a moment before suddenly shouting. "What? You just got home, and now you want to leave again to—did you not SEE what just happened?! I'm not completely useless you know! I can help!"

"Owen," I scolded firmly. "I never suggested that you are. In fact, I think you handled the situation exceptionally well, especially since this is the first time I've left you on your own in quite some time. However, it's evident that we're both quite exhausted from today's events so let's just take a moment to catch our breath before making any hasty decisions."

"Seriously?" he argued bitterly. "All you did was go play tourist with Eris while I had to-!"

Realizing how entitled he sounded, Owen ran a hand through his hair in frustration and turned his gaze away, muttering, "Nevermind. You're right Vlad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't say things like that when the whole reason we're doing any of this is because you guys want answers just as much as I do. I just wish I already knew those answers like I'm supposed to, then maybe we could all finally move on with our lives..."

As I enveloped Owen in a warm hug—something he clearly needed—I couldn't help but think that he must have been suppressing these feelings ever since I agreed to go along with Eris's plan. Like any child, he was only expressing his feelings so passionately in the heat of the moment because he lacked another outlet for his anger. It's a sentiment I'm all too familiar with, unfortunately. However, there was something about Owen's reaction that suggested he had something else weighing on his mind, something that he's not ready to share with me yet. Having spent enough time with Daniel, I recognized the signs of a teenager attempting to divert attention away from the real issue they're grappling with internally.

But rather than pressure him into sharing more, I sympathized with his plight and said. "I understand it might not seem like it, but I promise you are making great strides in your training, so try not to be too hard on yourself. These things take time. There's no reason to rush things. And remember, as I mentioned once before, you don't have to carry this burden by yourself, my boy. Come what may, we're in this together. Always."

I was about to add something else meaningful to cheer him up when when Nightmare spread his enormous wings overhead to shroud us in their shadow, a chilling reminder of his presence. Then, unexpectedly, he gently nudged his nose against Owen's cheek—a surprisingly tender gesture from a creature I never imagined could show such warmth, especially since he and his master thrive on instilling fear in humans. It seemed that Nightmare had chosen to take my advice, setting aside his pride to seek our assistance once more. Although Nightmare may not have acknowledged Owen's temporary authority over the mansion during my absence, it seems he was willing to resort to bribery to achieve his goals upon seeing how well I treated him in comparison to my other ghostly associates...

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Owen cleared his throat then replied. "Right, I almost forgot we had a 'captive' audience. So, what now?"

Changing my approach since we seemed to be going in circles, I said, "Tell you what Owen? Lets continue this discussion somewhere a little more private, hmm? We can go grab a bite to eat, catch up on what happened today and then, as much as I hesitate to suggest it, I think I know another way we can find out what Nightmare wants us to do. And hopefully, by going there it should help alleviate your cabin fever a little and serve as an excellent learning opportunity since you've never been there before. Not in this lifetime at any rate."

"Go where? You mean-?!" Owen asked, his eyes going wide in shock when he realized exactly what place I was eluding to.

"Precisely." I answered briskly, unaware that my impulsive decision to bring Owen along with me to the Ghost Zone to keep him out of trouble would result in terrible and unforeseen consequences...

Tristan's POV

Things have only become weirder by the day since the charity event ended, especially after the director was locked up for allegedly orchestrating a massive global kidnapping conspiracy. But I don't buy it for a second. Not because I like the guy mind you; he's just too senile and scatter-brained to pull off something like that. I mean, why would he jeopardize his position at the last minute when so much depended on him securing those donations for Misveil? It just doesn't add up! None of it does!

My friends have been acting super sketchy too, even by my standards. All three of us are foster kids, but it's almost like they've actively started avoiding me. It'd hurt my feelings if I actually cared, but I don't. I don't need those two idiots around if they're going to suddenly decide to cop an attitude. Then again, I guess I can't entirely blame them for being cautious, especially after the rumors began circulating that I was one of the potential targets who almost got abducted.

That one really caught me off guard. And it doesn't help that we've been given a strict curfew to follow and check in with one of the security guards assigned to Mistveil by the police every time we head to or return from town. It's driving me crazy. I can't visit any of my favorite hangouts since they're all the way out on the edge of town, stay out late on school nights, or sneak into the movie theater to play pranks on new couples watching one of those cheesy romance films!

If anything good has come out of this crappy situation though is it helped me get some of my priorities straight. I know I haven't always been the nicest person, but I still want to get adopted before I end up in a real juvenile detention center. Because Mistveil already feels enough like a prison as it is. Besides, with little-orphan-Owen gone, I know I'll only have myself to blame if I get into any serious trouble from here on out. He made for a great scapegoat though whenever I almost got caught sneaking out thanks to his periodic 'phasmophobia episodes,' always believing that every small bump in the night could be a ghost ready to brutally murder him in his sleep...

Looking back, maybe I shouldn't have been such a massive jerk about it. What his parents did or didn't do to themselves doesn't really matter, because they're gone now either way. In that sense, we're not so different. However, I really hated it when Owen would flip the script on me, reminding me that I never knew my parents so I don't have any memories of them, good or bad. I've asked the director countless times for any information that might help me understand what kind of people they were, but as usual, he either conveniently forgot or came up with another excuse to avoid telling me anything.

None of that matters now though because it just so happens I have a very important interview coming up so I've working hard on entirely changing my mindset and turning my life around. Breaking old habits is tough, but I really need this. I want to feel like there's a real reason for me to make a good impression. Lately, I've struggled to see the point in trying, especially since it feels like time is running out for most of us. The younger kids tend get placed relatively quickly most of the time, but teenagers? The chances are slim—it's like a one in a million shot that anyone will even notice us. I thought Owen understood this, especially since we're both only a few years away from aging out of the system.

When it comes to millions—or rather, billionaires—I still find it hard to believe Mr. Masters wasn't lying when he told us he thinks ghosts do exist and owns a company that builds security systems to keep them out. I'm not sure how effective that will be, considering ghosts aren't real, but if it helps keep burglars from robbing people blind, then hey, more power to him. It's his money, so he can spend it how ever he wants.