What was the Beast of Gevaudan?
Afternoon came.
Sam and Tucker were walking from the swap meet, having gotten a text from Danny to meet him at his house.
"How does it feel to be unbanned?" Tucker jokingly asks as he looks at the purchases he made.
"I'm more thrilled that you guys forgive me." Sam admits.
''Me too..." Tucker said. "Still, I am surprised that hanging out with Kwan wasn't as horrible as I remember it was…"
"I can agree with you on that. I guess he's matured a bit..." Sam said.
"Just a bit. I saw those pink bunny dolls he wanted..." Tucker said.
"Did he have to bring Star though?" Sam questioned loudly. "I mean, I know they're a couple, bu-"
"They're not a couple anymore…" Tucker said quickly.
"Huh?" Sam went.
"Kwan told me while we were buying cotton candy that they really only dated to stay cool. He also admits that he and Star, outside of liking how they look, don't really have enough in common to wanna stick around. She's just with him because she wanted to come for some reason." Tucker explained.
"Wait… really?" Sam asks.
"Yeah." Tucker said before he paused and smiled. "Maybe she's finally caught on how great Star Foley sounds?"
"Again, you will not live that long. Now come on, Danny needs to see us for some reason." Sam said.
Soon enough, they arrived at his front door. But before one could knock, the door swung open and they saw a terrified Jazz Fenton there.
"Hurry! Come quick! It's HORRIBLE!" Jazz went, looking like a murder had taken place.
Taking Sam by the wrist, despite the Goth's protests, Jazz pulled her in as Tucker hurried along.
"Jazz? What's wrong?" Sam asks with a hint of impatience.
They arrived at the kitchen where Jazz finally let go.
"THAT!" She gestured to what was inside.
Sam glared at her before looking at what she was talking about, gasping in horror as Tucker joined them.
"Oh no…" Sam muttered in horror.
"Cool." Tucker went with a smile.
Danielle was chugging the contents of the blender, pulling it back once it was emptied as she took a long breath and wiped her mouth clean.
"Well?" Danny asks, eager to hear as he leaned on the table.
"Yup, the bacon and strawberry mix passed my test. What's next?" Danielle asks eagerly.
Danny nodded as he took a notepad and checked off the latest of 8 smoothie combinations.
"Let's see… we can do… Mozzarella and Tomato, Hotdog and Ketchup, we don't have any mango for Mango and Mustard. I can do peaches, if you'd like?" Danny offered.
"Sure, I like peaches." Danielle said with a smile as she handed the blender's glass container to him.
"One Peach and Mustard, coming up." Danny said as he headed to the blender.
"Danny's introduced her to those gross smoothies." Jazz said as Sam gagged.
"Great, another one…" Sam complained, having found their making such smoothies disgusting.
"What happened to being more open?" Tucker asks with a grin.
"There are limits." Sam and Jazz said in unison as Danny began blending.
"Hook me up with a Peach and Mustard, too." Tucker went.
"On it." Danny went.
Sam and Jazz both shook their heads in disapproval before Sam noticed the absence of two people.
"Where are your parents?" Sam asks.
"Long story short, Mom took Dad to his favorite steakhouse as a way to soften the blow of her wanting to go to France to help our Aunt Alicia." Jazz explains.
"Wait, so… why does that require me to be here of all things?" Sam asks.
"We need your intel on something our aunt asked up about." Jazz explains as the blender stopped.
"And… what did your aunt have to say?" Sam asks.
Danny, who poured smoothie into Tucker's glass, spoke up.
"The Beast of… what was it?" Danny went, legitimately unable to remember. "Juvenile Hall?"
"Gevaudan, if I recall?" Danielle went as she took the blender out of Danny's hand and started drinking it.
"Right, the Beast of Gevaudan." Danny went.
Hearing that, Sam gasped in shock as she immediately got in Danny's personal space.
"Where did you find out about the beast? That legend has nothing to do with ghosts!" Sam went.
"Our aunt says she found something that was buried before the whole making the Earth intangible made it go through the mountain. She wants us to investigate it." Jazz said as she pulled the blender out of Danielle's hands. "I think that's enough for you." She chided.
"Aww…" Danielle went in disappointment.
Sam scratched her chin in thought.
"Did she find the beast? Huh… no… it'd be long dead by now…" She said.
"What exactly is the Beast of Gevaudan?" Danny asks.
"Okay… strap yourselves in, try not to barf those so called smoothies, and grab a sandwich or something… this is gonna be a long one." Sam went.
20 minutes later
In the living room, Sam had taken out several books and used Danny's laptop, all for her presentation.
"Okay… we're all set." She said with a nod. "Now, we-" She looked at everyone else, only to frown in annoyance.
Danielle and Tucker were drinking smoothies, peanut butter and raspberry this time, as Jazz shook her head in disapproval.
"You had to introduce her to those things?" She questioned Danny in disapproval, who shrugged with a look of lack of guilt.
"Anyway!" Sam went, getting their attention. "The Beast of Gevaudan…"
"Oh, is he the inspiration for the movie about getting a babe to fall in love with him?" Tucker asks.
"Wrong French beast…" Sam muttered.
"That movie was French?" Tucker asks.
"No, the story it's based on is French." Jazz corrected her as Sam cleared her throat loudly.
With a deep breath, she started.
"So, as you all know, I've been researching the history of supernatural creatures for a hobby, since I find it fascinating. And I came across the story of the Beast of Gévaudan. I actually learned about it from an uncle on my mom's side and I went through one heck of a rabbit hole on it, so I had to look for all the info I got on it." Sam said.
"So what exactly is the Gévaudan Beast?" Jazz asks.
"The Beast of Gévaudan, you have to say it like that." Sam corrected her before continuing. "And here's a painting of it."
She turned the laptop around, showing a famous image of the monster. It was a bizarre and pretty morbid drawing of that very beast, biting off the head of some woman in red. It was a very graphic image at.
All of them gasped as Jazz covered Danielle's eyes.
"Hey!" Danielle went.
"That looks like… some kind of dog or wolf." Danny pointed out.
"It's an alleged werewolf that terrorized France in the 18th century." Sam explained as she closed the window with the photo.
Jazz stopped covering Danielle's eyes, much to the smaller girl's relief.
"Wait, werewolves are real?" Tucker asks.
"Well, Wulf's a werewolf… sort of. I've never seen him change forms." Danny went.
"So, this thing was a werewolf?" Jazz asks.
"Well, that's debatable. But let me tell you the story first." Sam explained before going to a link that depicted an entry on the history of the Beast. "It all started in 1764 in the province of Gévaudan, France. The people there were living in fear because of the sightings and attacks of a mysterious creature."
"What kind of attacks?" Danny asks as his face shows discomfort what he'll likely hear.
"The Beast would mostly target women and children, often tearing out their throats with its sharp teeth or claws and leaving behind gruesome scenes of blood and mutilation." Sam explained, motioning a slashing around her neck.
"That's horrible." Jazz explained as she and Danielle covered their throats as if to protect them from harm.
"It gets worse. The Beast was said to be fearless and would even attack armed men and their livestock. It was like it had a thirst for blood and nothing could stop it." Sam said.
"I'm guessing they tried to stop it?" Danielle asks.
"Tried is the big word. The creature was said to have some kind of healing factor. They tried shooting it, stabbing it… it just got back up. It got to the point where just surviving an encounter made you a hero. It was even said to avoid traps and poisoned food, almost like it could think like a person." Sam went.
"So, how'd they finally defeat it? Poison it?" Tucker asks.
"Well, that's where it gets interesting. After years of terror, a man named Jean Chastel was able to shoot the Beast with a bullet made from silver." Sam answered.
"Right… old horror movies say werewolves don't like silver." Danny recalled.
"The creature's pelt was then taken to the king, where they stuffed it. And that was the end of the Beast." Sam explained.
"So, it was a werewolf after all?" Jazz asks.
"Actually, that's where my research comes in. There are many theories about the true nature of the Beast. Some believe it was a supernatural creature, while others think it was a normal animal." Sam explained as she showed photos of various animals on the laptop.
"Like a wolf?" Danielle asks.
"Well, there have been many theories, including a hyena, a subadult lion, and even a dog in animal skins. But none of them have been proven." Sam explained, gesturing to the laptop showing potential candidates.
"But you said they skinned that thing like Skulker wants to do to me? Isn't that proof?" Danny asks.
"It would be… if it weren't for the fact that the animal's pelt has been lost to time. No one knows what happened to it, so we got no clue what it was." Sam said.
"So what's your theory, Sam?" Tucker asks.
"Lemme guess, you're hoping it's a werewolf?" Danny asks.
"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I don't think the Beast was a supernatural creature." Sam answered with a shrug.
"You don't?" Danny asks, voicing everyone's surprise.
"Really? I think it was just a normal animal that was acting out of its natural instincts. This was the 1700's, people probably saw an animal they weren't familiar with and let their paranoia and superstitions get the better of them. A poor animal that just needed to eat was subject to their beliefs and they probably misinterpreted it as a monster that wanted to hurt them." Sam said.
"I can see why you'd stick to that belief." Danny said with mild approval.
"You said it could've been a dog with animal skins. Why would it wear those?" Tucker asks.
"Back then, hunters had their dogs wear animal skins as a form of armor. Another possibility is that someone used the beast to attack and kill people. Either way… a lot of wolves were killed off in their hunt for the alleged monster, meaning innocent animals were still victimized." Sam went, arms crossed in displeasure.
"That does sound all sorts of wrong." Danny said.
"I don't suppose there were any reports of a ghost werewolf or hyena or whatever this thing was supposed to be?" Danielle asks.
"None that I heard of." Sam said.
"But if that's the case, why are we being called to France? What did Aunt Alicia find that told her about the Beast?" Jazz asks.
"That's a good question. And honestly, I'm not sure. Maybe there's more to the story than we know. But one thing is for sure, the Beast is dead and it's highly unlikely that it's a ghost." Sam said.
"Well, there's a good chance or mom will decide that we'll have to go to France and find out." Danny said.
"That all assumes Mom will make him say yes… which she likely will." Jazz said.
"Well, one thing's for sure… it doesn't sound like I have to fight a werewolf, assuming it even was one." Danny said.
"Exactly. But no matter what we find out, the history of the Beast of Gévaudan will always be a fascinating and terrifying story." Sam went with a fascinated smile on her face as she looked at the laptop and went back to the image of the Beast.
9PM
Hours after Sam and Tucker went home, all three Fenton children conveyed what they learned to their parents in the basement.
"A werewolf?" Maddie asks as she and Jack were calibrating one of their blasters.
"At least that's what people mostly assumed. Sam thinks it was just an animal victimized by paranoia and politics at the time." Danny explained.
"That does sound like provincial France." Maddie said.
"Huh… So what's that got to do with us?" Jack asks as he wipes off some oil from the blaster he held.
"Well… Alicia sounded like it was important for us to know what that was. Perhaps there is a ghost we should handle?" Maddie suggested.
Jack put the blaster down and pondered for a moment.
"Maddie… there might be something to this. Ordinarily, I wouldn't trust your sister, but…" Jack went with some uncertainty.
"So, you're saying she might have found something dangerous all the way in France? Something related to this thing?" Danielle asks.
"Even so… I'm not sure who I'd rather avoid. Your aunt, or this beast…" Jack said.
"I agree…" Danielle went, still having a sour opinion of her.
Maddie, seeing their displeasure, shook her head and spoke up.
"Well… I know she's not the nicest person. She can be a very stubborn, opinionated, hot-headed, rude, big-mouthed…" She saw the satisfied smile on her husband's face, much to her ire. "Y'know, you can stop me at any time?"
"I know." Jack went in satisfaction.
"Personally, I'm just waiting for you to say unapproachable." Danielle went with a desire to stop talking about her.
Maddie groaned and rolled her eyes.
"... unapproachable woman." She then shook her head. "Well, regardless of all that, she's still my sister. If she's in any trouble, I wanna help her." Maddie said.
"So… we have to go on a plane?" Jack went in disapproval.
"Last time you took the Fenton Jet, you got in trouble with the air force." Maddie went with her fist at her hips.
"That was just last week! Not my fault that dragon ghost was shooting fire that alerted them!" Jack went.
"Dad… you almost crashed into jets…" Danny said.
"Twice, actually." Danielle went, putting her fingers up in a V fashion.
Jack groaned loudly before an idea sprung.
"But… we don't have the money to make a sudden trip to France, do we?" Jack asks.
"Well, no." Maddie said in realization.
"Aha! And the Specter Speeder doesn't have enough power to fly us to France and back! So, no go!" Jack went.
"Actually… I know a guy." Danny said, getting everyone's attention.
"A… ghost?" Maddie asks hesitantly.
Jack wordlessly begs his son not to speak up behind Maddie's back.
"Trust me, he's dependable. We'll have to take a detour to the Ghost Zone… but he'll get us there." Danny assured.
Jack groaned.
"Great…" He muttered.
"Look on the bright side, Dad" Jazz went. "If it turns out there's no werewolf or ghost, you can use this as fuel to make fun of her."
"Right! Thanks, Princess!" Jack went, feeling better.
Although annoyed that's how Jack's mood lifted, Maddie sighed.
"Well… soon as you find this friend, Danny, bring him here." Maddie said.
"On it. I should go after school…" Danny said.
At School
Everyone was in class already, bored out of their minds as Lancer spoke.
"In two weeks, we'll be getting a foreign exchange student from Poland. I want all of you on your best behavior as we sort out whose home she'll be staying in." Mr. Lancer said as the bell rang. "Ah, wonderful… time for 5 minutes of relief before the rest of you come in." He went as the students got up and started to leave.
Team Phantom were still talking about recent news
"So, you're going?" Sam asks.
"Looks like it. As soon as it's Friday after school, we're going." Danny said.
"For real?" Tucker asks.
"Yeah. The ghosts were willing to cut you slack after the Wendigo, but who knows if they change their mind while you're gone and run amuck?" Sam asks.
"I'm gonna ask Wulf to give you guys a hand. He's our ride anyway." Danny said.
"Really?" Sam asks.
"Well, it's the quickest way to get there. I don't wanna ask Frostbite since he's afraid word of him getting thrashed would give ghosts temptation to steal the Infi-Map." Danny explained.
"Good call." Sam said.
"Besides, it probably won't take long." Danny assured them. "I bet it'll only be a few hours."
As they walked along, Kwan and Star were at the latter's locker as she saw Danny walking past them.
She had this strange look on her face as her eyes darted to the floor.
"Just go to him and say thanks." Kwan assured her.
"Easier said than done. This is the guy I mocked for his parents, then he not only saved me, but his family's being thanked for being buds with the guy who made sure Paulina didn't eat me." Star said.
"You're still on that?!" Paulina went, having appeared next to them and looking crossed. "I was cursed!"
"And I don't recall hearing an apology." Star pointed out.
"Whatever…" Paulina scoffed as she stormed off.
Star sighed as she shook her head.
"I'll do it after I come back from my trip." She said.
"I'm coming too, right? I know that we planned it back when we were dating, but you did promise me." Kwan pointed out.
Star nodded. Although she and Kwan aren't pretending to be a couple anymore, she did enjoy his company.
"Sure, Kwan." She said with a smile.
2 Days before the trip
As the Fentons were getting ready, Danny was with his friends, waiting outside Danielle's school.
"So, what's the agenda for today?" Danny asks as he waits for his younger sister.
"I guess we can hit the mall." Sam said.
"That works for me." Tucker went.
"Me too!" Danielle was heard calling out, followed by her friends.
"Hey girls." Danny went.
"Hi, Danny." Carly went.
"Hi, Danny.~" Sophie went.
"Good to see you both." Danny remained clueless, much to everyone else's annoyance.
"So… this is where we part. Laters." Danielle went as she left with her brother and his friends.
Carly waved platonically as Sophie waved excitedly more at Danny than anyone else.
As they walked further, and out of view of others, a portal suddenly opened in front of them.
Danny and Danielle's ghost sense went off before they saw who it was that stepped out.
"Greetings, Great One and friends." Frostbite said with a hearty smile.
"Frostbite?" Everyone went.
"I wish to know if any of you wish to attend the banishment this weekend?" He asks.
"Banishment?" Sam asks.
"That thing I mentioned Ember mentioning?" Danny reminds her.
"Oh." Sam said before becoming uncomfortable. "Not really our thing… going to what's basically an execution." She responded as everyone nodded.
"Ah, I see…" Frostbite said before looking at the map in his hand. "Perhaps I can make up for your lost time by taking you to your destination?" Frostbite offered.
In France
Alicia was in her hotel suite, on the phone.
"Wonderful, Maddie. I'll see you then." She hung up.
She got up and was ready to grab a bite when a knock at her door occurred.
"Alicia?" A man with a thick Cockney accent was heard asking.
Alicia frowned.
"Who is it? If you ain't the large ribs I ordered, I ain't interested!" Alicia shouted.
"You know this is, luv." The voice went on the other side.
Alicia rolled her eyes but got up.
"Of course..." She grumbled as she went to answer the door.
"Well?" The man on the other side asks.
"They're coming." Alicia assured.
With Team Phantom
The four screamed their heads off as Frostbite used the map to lead them to the Amity Park mall's roof.
"Ha! See? Third time's the charm!" Frostbite went.
"Frostbite, you said the mall without clarifying which one." Danny pointed out as all of them looked a bit crossed with him.
"Heh… I am not too familiar with this shopping area, Great One." Frostbite admitted sheepishly.
As everyone adjusted their hair that had been pulled back from the rush, one thing caught Danny's attention.
"I thought you said you can't let us use the map?" Danny asks.
"True… but the Observants say spreading word of this soul's banishment made it an exception." Frostbite explained.
Hearing of this again, Danny had another thought.
"So… about the soul getting banished? I thought the Ghost Zone was where people's souls or consciousness goes when they… uh… expire?" Danny asks.
"You're close. Those who "expire" without fulfillment do go there. But sometimes, there's a soul so vile and wicked that they don't go, but sometimes seep through." Frostbite said.
"Like Spectra?" Sam asks.
"Not at all." Frostbite said.
That got their attention.
"Wait. Why?" Danielle asks.
"Hmm… I suppose none of you considered the idea. Tell me, in all your Earth history, did it ever read that a dictator or some kind returned as a spirit to resume his quest to take over the world?" Frostbite pointed out.
All four of them shared looks that made it clear they never considered that.
"I mean… I would have assumed the Observants would send someone to handle them or something." Danny said.
"Yes and no. Those who are of the Ghost Zone, whether denizens from the start like myself or are post-human consciousness such as Ember, abide by its rules, like the Christmas truce. There are those who have yet to become ghosts… but are souls so vile that the Ghost Zone rejects giving them a "second life" if you will. Those souls that seep through are captured, await trials that sometimes last for ages, then are banished to the Unworld." Frostbite explained.
Hearing that, Danny became equal parts curious and dreadful.
"What about… something not human? Like the Wendigo? Is he in the Ghost Zone too?" Danny asks, dreading the idea of seeing him as a ghost.
"Impossible. Earth's dimension and the Ghost Zone are linked, along with other worlds. Creatures not from any of these worlds cannot be given an afterlife in the Ghost Zone. If there is an afterlife for his race, he's either there, or his soul is lost forever…" Frostbite answered.
Hearing that brought relief to Danny and the rest.
"I guess if any soul deserves to be lost forever…" Sam pointed out before something Frostbite said. "Wait… you said other worlds? As in, not just two worlds?" Sam asks.
"There are other worlds… but that's a story for another time. I must go back." Frostbite said. He reopened the map. "Take me to the Far Frozen…" He ordered.
With that, he zipped away, leaving the four on the rooftop.
"Good thing we can go through stuff." Danny said as he and Danielle took Sam and Tucker by the hand to phase through the roof.
Friday
The day came.
Once school was closed, the RV came to pick them up.
Danny had already gotten a message to who would get them to France. So, as they returned to Fenton Works, waiting atop the roof, the ghost boy was getting a little impatient but tried to be optimistic.
"He should be here soon." Danny went before his and Danielle's ghost senses went off.
Everyone went on high alert before the ghost that triggered it appeared before them.
"Mi alvenis, mia amiko." Wulf said with a big grin.
"GHOST!" Jack went, holding his blaster up.
Maddie swung her arm up, making Jack shoot the air, as to avoid hitting Wulf.
"Jack, we talked about this." She said through her teeth.
"Habit." Jack went sheepishly.
Then something fell to the roof between them and their large lycanthropic visitor. It was a goose, one that seemed to not be moving anymore.
"Did you just shoot down an innocent animal?" Sam questioned as she and Maddie glared at Jack.
"Accident!" Jack went as he saw their eyes glaring holes in him. "I'm sure we can j-"
They heard the sounds of gobbling before turning their attention to Wulf, who licked his lips clean as the injured goose was now absent.
"Bongusta!" He went with much gusto before burping out some feathers.
Everyone directed their attention to Danny, Sam and Tucker.
"He lives in the woods. Not exactly known for ready-made orders of pizza." Sam said.
Deciding to change the topic, Maddie recalled why Danny called him over.
"So… uh… Wulf, was it?" Maddie asks, seeing as last time she saw this ghost, she assumed he was a threat. "Interesting name. Anyway, can you get us to France?"
"Efektive, mi povas uzi miajn ungegojn por disŝiri truon, kiu povas konduki al la Fantoma Zono, sed mi ekzercis kaj verŝajne mi povas rekte konduki vin al loko sur la Tero, kvankam mi bezonos horojn por reŝargi post tio." Wulf explained.
All but Jack looked at Danny, Sam and Tucker in confusion.
"Oh… uh…" Danny went, realizing he didn't explain he spoke in Esperanto. "He said-"
"He said, in his words: Indeed, I can use my claws to tear a hole that can lead to the Ghost Zone, but I've been practicing and I can probably get you to a location on Earth directly, albeit it will take me hours to recharge after that." Jack said knowingly, earning looks from everyone.
"Jack… how did you know that?" Maddie asks.
"Vladdie and I used to take a class on ancient languages back in college." Jack explained simply.
"... I see…" Maddie said.
"Ni iru!" Wulf went as he made a portal with his claws that he took time tearing open.
As he was doing that, Danny looked to Sam and Tucker.
"You got everything I sent?" He asks.
"Got it." Sam went.
"Don't worry, we've house sat before." Tucker went.
"Okay then." Danny went with a nod.
Wulf opened the portal.
"Paris, France!" Wulf went, gesturing to it.
"How do we know that's not Paris, Idaho?" Jack asks.
"Because Paris, Idaho doesn't have that." Jazz said, pointing to a clear image of the Eiffel Tower.
"Ah, good eye." Jack said.
With that, the Fentons slowly walked into the portal, their luggage and gear all ready.
"Take care, guys." Danny went, waving to his friends.
As Sam and Tucker waved back, the portal closed.
Wulf nodded as he looked at the two with a big grin and a hungry look in his eyes.
"Bacon?" He asks.
"Downstairs in the kitchen, we got a good amount to last us the whole weeke-"
Tucker didn't get to finish as Wulf phased through the ceiling and headed to the kitchen.
"Apparently, not for long." Sam commented.
In the Ghost Zone
In the lair of the Observants, the glass container from before was visited by two more Observants.
"Tick tock, Devereux." He said to the soul in the container. "Tomorrow is the day. Your crimes are to finally be answered. The only way out is if you were to seek redemption, but you've had since the late 1700's to even consider that…"
The dark soul inside the container glared at him in anger.
New chapter with thanks to Flower Princess11.
Invader Johnny: He hearts her... but even she knows she's not the kind of girl he can bring home to his parents.
Creative Genius Chaos: Thank you and happy new year. (I'll try to get to those this year)
pokemon fan 1991: Sorry, this is not a crossover series. If it was, we'd see Kim Possible and Ben 10 characters by now.
Guest: Perhaps?
RonaldM40196867: Probably. No. A reward for good service. Most likely not. Trying to give them more humanizing moments.
Mike: Well, she certainly thinks it was an animal. She's not wrong to think that, many do.
Luiz4200: Probably not... assuming they exist on this Earth. Okay.
Leonardo: Thanks for noticing. Actually, I have someone else in mind to copy.