Dani smiled, "Please.", before moving and replying, "Going ghost!", turning into her ghost form, turning invisible and intangible, leaving the duo.
Val sighed, picking up Dani's tray, "Let's hope she gets him this time.", along with bringing her tray as they started to leave the girls' gym locker section, getting up from a corner of benches in a 'T' hallway of the lockers.
Sam replied, "Me too, but something's been bugging me about that executioner guy...", as she carried her tray, using the spare backup key to unlock the door, and went to sneak back up, as it was nearing the end of lunchtime in the cafeteria.
"Yeah... I know what you mean.", Val nodded. "That ghost seems a lot more different from others... why he does what he does... I hope we find out before it's too late.".
Dani flew fast before she was outside once more and looked around. "Okay, shall we go for round 3?", Dani asked before she got a response... and it was a flurry of arrows that she managed to just dodge before seeing her assailant.
He appeared similar to the executioner, though draped in red with his face silhouetted and only his glowing green eyes could be seen. He was obviously some sort of phantom medieval bowman. Dani groaned, "Ugh... first the axe man, now Robin Hood? Is the Renaissance Fair in town this week?".
The ghost bowman said nothing, just aimed another flurry of arrows, which Dani barely dodged, but to her surprise, the arrows was revealed to be a smoke cloud, a weighed net, and a metal arrow, causing her to cough and closing her eyes in surprise, grabbed by the net in the leg, and was grazed by the metal arrow in the arm, causing her to shout in pain and fall down by the weighted net.
Dani quickly used her foot to create a ghost flare ray to destroy the net, kicking it off, and glared up at the bowman, "That's it, you're no Robin Hood! Take this, Sheriff of Nottingham!", flying up and shot off big rays of spectral energy from her hands at the bowman.
The archer was taken by surprise as Dani launched a furious counterattack. One advantage she had was while the executioner was more for close quarters fighting, the archer relied on range which she was more than happy to take from him.
And he knew it as he flew down back towards the school. "Oh, no! You are not gonna cause trouble for them, they're already down enough for having to even go!", Dani spat as she flew right after him.
She grabbed the quiver to stop him, strangling him into the chest as he was flying forward, and he was about to turn and grab her by the neck when Dani was too close to him, but she learned her lesson from before, and used her eye lasers to fire at his bow, causing him to lose it, and giving out a screech of pain.
"Take this!", Dani used the quiver to throw the archer around in a powerful turn, turning him from the school, and launched him at the scoreboard over the football field.
"Going... going... gone!", Dani laughed as the archer phased through the scoreboard... and never came back to continue the fight. "Oh, great, another coward! Why are you two running away? Do you want a fight or not?!", Dani snapped as she was getting really frustrated with just how much these two ghosts as of now continued to practically toy with her.
Dani sighed before flying back to the school, looking around quickly as she phased through the roof and floors to a closet, hearing the lunch bell ring the end of the lunchtime, changing back to human form, and walked out, sprinting slowly through the hallway, to her locker, seeing students return from the cafeteria to their lockers and such, with some crowding around Sam, as Val went to join Dani.
"Apparently, they're getting worse since they saw us walk in to drop off our trays. Here.", Val replied, handing her a napkin with the chocolate cake, and Dani replied, "Thanks...I'd need a bit of cheering up after that...", taking a bite of the much-needed confection, needing a bit of energy to heal and feel better, wincing slightly at the pain of the grazing cut.
Val whispered, "Let me guess, ax guy got away again?", and Dani replied back in a whisper, "Not ax guy...archer this time. Messed me up before I beat him back, and he ran away like ax guy...".
"Executioner, one that wears the black hood and uses an axe, and now an archer?", Val asked as Dani nodded. "You notice the pattern too. Both commonly found during a medieval time. And both aren't willing to fight me very long...", Dani bit her lip. "But why? I feel like the answer's stood right in front of us, but I just can't place it...".
As Dani said that, at the moment, she was unaware that her actions were being observed by Dora... or as she was, better known as Princess Dorathea; the undead spirit of a princess from the English Isles almost two millenniums ago.
The ghostly Fenton siblings had encountered her before very early in their 'superhero' career. Jack was fishing for ghosts using the Fenton Ghost Fisher before running off to the bathroom, leaving Dani and Danny to fish and ended up hooking a dragon!
Or rather, Dorathea in a dragon form thanks to the Amulet of Aragon she had around her neck. A quick fight caused her to lose the amulet, reverting to her ghostly human form as she bemoaned about wanting to go to the ball the high school was holding during Dani's freshman year, but claiming that her brother wouldn't let her.
Dani saw Danny trying to befriend Dora, even though she was just a dragon a minute ago! Dani was about to grab Danny as she wasn't still sure about Dora, since well, she was angry and emotional.
Dora, frightened and never being in the mortal world before, went back into the portal, and Dani suddenly felt bad for her, as when she thought about it, Dora was just a teenager, restricted from things she wanted to do, and Danny had to point out that he was a bit jealous that he couldn't go to a big grown-up party like Dani did, feeling for Dora similarly.
Of course, the two of them quickly moved on; it was still somewhat early in the knowledge of the portal and the Ghost Zone at that time so they thought they might never see her again. Of course, the trouble really began when Dani accidently slipped the amulet into her backpack.
If not for parts of her body still turning invisible at inopportune times, everything could've been avoided but her arm had to go invisible and drop her backpack to the floor as Paulina. In hindsight, she wished she was having Danny's problem of his pants falling down thanks to going intangible in both timelines.
Paulina was absolutely enamored with the amulet and practically begged Dani to sell it to her. Dani hesitated until Paulina raised the offer from ten, to twenty, to fifty. 'Next time I sell some haunted ancient relic, I'll be sure to charge more than a fifty.' Dani said when she learned of the amulet's power as the next few days was having to deal with Paulina going full dragon any time that she had a fit.
If it wasn't for Val to distract her with some gossip of Dash and Kwan fighting over which one to take Paulina to the dance, Dani wouldn't have gone invisible and intangible to make the amulet the same, taking it away flawlessly from her before Paulina would have found out that Valerie was lying, and would have possibly destroyed the dance which Dani recalled from Older Danny's timeline.
In the end, the trio went to the party as best friends, but they had turns dancing with Tucker, which, in the trio's freshman year was when Tucker and Jazz were still in their junior year.
At around the same time though, Danny went on a little adventure of his own when Dora had showed up once again; still wanting to go to the ball. The trio had no idea of the situation until after getting the amulet away from Paulina when Danny popped in and told Dani that Dora was just outside.
A few quick words and the return of the amulet, before the girls decided to help Dora by at least applying some make up which surprisingly worked on her and Sam passed her off as her distant cousin from England who was visiting and managed to even get a chance to dance herself with Tucker who had no idea he was doing a waltz with a spirit.
Despite all that though, once more, Dora was in Dani's life as she spied on her through her jewel. "As you believed, brother, between the distractions and the ring, the halfa girl still doesn't suspect a thing.", Dora spoke into the ring.
The ring changed to the appearance of Prince Aragon who is the brother of Dora, much worse and less attractive than Dora in personality and looks, smiled wickedly, "Yes, the halfa would realize that it's too late once I get my perfect bride!".
"Yes, brother...", Her tone was less... enthusiastic as it was to him. "My dear younger sister, do I detect hesitation in your voice?", Dora froze in fear at Aragon's words.
"No, not at all, brother!", Dora quickly stammered as Aragon nodded with a sinister look to his face, "No, it would not do well for my own sister to become a traitor to my kingdom... I might have to send for the executioner in that case...".
Dora's eyes widened as she quickly replied, "No, brother! I promise, I'll get you the girl you desire! The dark skinned one that's friends with the halfa girl!".
Aragon smirked, "Excellent! By the time tomorrow, I shall have her!", before laughing and cackling, as his shadow in the eerie green light changed into a monstrous dragon shape, roaring and growling.
Dora shivered as the ring went empty, sighing to herself as she hated hurting other people, but having the executioner take her core entirety after being beheaded, it's the worst situation in the Ghost Zone, for if a core's destroyed, the ghost itself dies, and they don't know truly if they then were punished for their ghost crimes to go to hell, or rewarded for being good ghosts to go to heaven, or just fade into oblivion which is the worst option for all ghosts.
On one hand, she would never thank Dani and her friends enough for giving her the opportunity to truly dance in the mortal world, and with a cute guy too, like how she always wanted, and she truly wanted friends as they seemed to treat her like...like a normal person, not a princess or anything...
Dora sighed. Her fear for her afterlife and fear of her brother overshadowed her desire to do what was right. She couldn't even go to Dani and explain things as Aragon was watching her at every moment; he really didn't have much to do in terms of ruling his little corner of the Ghost Zone.
Things went by quickly after that moment for the rest of the day, and Sam was grateful again for Dani's powers, turning them and their scooters invisible until they made it to Dani's place as it was freakier for any one of the students to even consider knocking on compared to Val's place, hearing rumors of explosions and such in Fenton Works which was a thankful thing.
Sam even didn't bother to return home to her gushing mother and gossiping father if they heard again about her being the judge, only sending a message to Gramma Ida that she's staying over, praying that her gramma would somehow distract her parents.
It was fine with Maddie and Jack, and they even ate more veggies than usual thanks to Sam, much to Jack and Danny's half-acceptance, knowing that Dani cares for her best friends, while Dani carefully supervised over Val as she went home, wary about the executioner and archer, and of course, any late-sleeping teenagers who would see an opportunity to 'ask' to get into Sam's personal boundaries.
Like any other school night, they went to sleep at a moderate time, but unfortunately, with all the stress and frustration of Dani, and the near-close calls she had, perhaps around 1 or 2, Sam, in her sleeping bag, heard Dani crying out, and woke up to see her best friend in a heavy sweat, turning and flashing in and out of human or ghost forms in her bed, and frowned in worry as she got out, shaking Dani by the shoulders.
"Dani! Dani, wake up! Danielle! DANIELLE!", Sam shouted with increased shakes of the shoulders, and Dani screamed, "NO, VAL!", reaching out a hand as she woke up in a shot, her eyes dilated and in tears and her body stopped flashing, now solid human as Sam backed away immediately as not to get her head hit, "Dani, it's okay!", barely hearing the door open.
Maddie quickly rushed in with Danny close behind her before Maddie wrapped her arms around her daughter. "It's alright, Danielle, I'm here, Mom's here...", she gently spoke as Dani was taking deep breaths.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Fenton.", Sam apologized. "She was just going crazy there for a minute and I tried to wake her up.".
"It's okay, Sam.", Maddie nodded. "Danny, could you find your father? Tell him I don't think we'll need a ghost extractor or repellant. I think Dani just had a bad dream, not possession.". Danny and Sam looked awkwardly at each other; probably thinking those probably wouldn't be good for Dani or his health considering their halfa statuses.
"Yeah... I'm alright, Mom.", Dani finally spoke. "Just... just a nightmare... about Val...", she sighed. Danny left the room to tell his father, as Maddie petted her daughter's hair, kissing her forehead, "Shh...Let me guess, about the pageant tomorrow?".
"Yeah...Val...she was being humiliated on stage 10 ways to a Sunday by the other kids...I was in the crowd, and I wanted to help her, to save her, to grab her from the stage, but I was stuck, like I couldn't move even a few feet through the crowd...", Dani spoke, and Sam blinked, knowing Dani way better than that, realizing that Dani is literally lying to her mother, yet it still sounds like a nightmare for a normal teenager, but she knew Dani isn't a normal teenager, and to be so deep in a nightmare like that, probably thanks to the frantic last couple of days and such.
Maddie nodded, "Don't worry, sweetie, I'm sure Val will do great at the pageant, and you will see her tomorrow, bright and early. Why, I am sure she is covering her bases with a very lovely dress to wear and all.".
"Yeah...Yeah, you're right...I guess I was imagining the worst scenarios...I'm feeling better...Thanks, Mom...", Dani looked at Maddie with a small grateful smile. Sam piped up, "I will stay close to her once she freshens up, Mrs. Fenton...No offense, but you're looking sweaty, Dani.".
Maddie looked at Sam, "Thank you, Sam.", before looking at her daughter, "Are you sure you can go back to sleep?", and Dani replied, "I think so...I just need a bit to freshen up and calm down a bit, like Sam said.", with a nod.
"Okay...I love you, Danielle.", Maddie nodded with a kiss to her forehead, and Dani smiled, kissing her on the cheek, "I love you too, Mom...Thanks again...", and Maddie smiled before leaving the bedroom, closing the door.
Sam looked at Dani, "I won't push you, but I know you were lying there, Dani...Want to talk on top of the Ops Center after you take a bit to freshen up?", with a gentle nod.
"Yeah.", Dani nodded as she went to the bathroom while Sam made her way up top. It was a few minutes before Dani showed up, not flying or anything like that just in case if Jack set up some ghost detectors to track that sort of movement.
"You look better.", Sam gave a small smile as Dani walked up to the edge of the railings next to Sam. Dani gave a small smile, "Thanks...It...it wasn't just Val...I...I may have downplayed the stuff I did with the executioner and archer guy, through archer guy didn't do much, but...I...I was damn lucky that I am a halfa there with my ghost self...I know you are a dark and morbid lover of scary movies, but...the real stuff...gods..".
"What happened?", Sam asked gently, and Dani exhaled, "I...I was actually pretty close to getting my core gone for good...the executioner cleaved me literally, well, my copy of myself, and it hurt like hell...and if I hadn't got my hand up...I would have gotten hanged by the noose. And the archer guy...If I hadn't dodged mostly, I would have been sliced up and cut up everywhere and strangled again by the neck like Skulker before...My nightmare...I...I saw Danny dead in Skulker's hands...Mom, Dad, with that explosion fireball gun...Jazz, the arrows...Tucker, hanged...You...hit by the broadside of the axe and crashing to the ground, broken...Val...gods...", choking up as she shivered and hugged herself, "She...she was cleaved...".