PHANTOM FORCE, Goin' Ghost Retold - DarkShadowGames451, Som3bodE, UltimateDemonBeast65 (2024)

Chapter Text

Lair of the Seven, Pariah’s Keep, Ghost Zone

Underneath the castle that served as the resting place of two powerful spirits was a secret and ancient meeting ground for some of the oldest spirits in the Spirit Realm.

These grounds had seven pillars at the edge of the ground to support the weight of the foundation and the castle that the foundation held. At the center of the meeting grounds was a large round-stone table with seven stone seats for each member.

And sitting on these seats are the seven spirits themselves.

The first spirit was a green plant-like spirit that resembled a bird man made of vines with red eyes. He had red eyes, dark green hands, shoulder pads, a green cape, and four spikes on his head. His mouth was a spiky bird beak, which meant that the nostrils were possibly on the upper part of his "beak".

The next one was a burly white-furred spirit that appeared to be a cross between a yeti and a polar bear. He had grey claws on his right hand and feet, a grayish-blue face, yellow eyes with purple pupils, and a pair of fangs protruding upwards from his bottom jaw. A pair of frozen horns lay atop his head, along with a pair of ice pikes on his tail and his entire left arm was purely a skeletal arm covered in ice. freezes his left arm. He wore a gold band on his right bicep, a gold belt adorned with a blue gem that held up a blue loincloth, and a big blue cape around his shoulders held by a gold charm.

Next was a female spirit. She was a tall woman with blue skin, red eyes, and pinkish-purple hair that seemed to resemble fire. She possessed four arms with a long spear which was held in both of her right arms. She wore a golden chest piece with short, black sleeves, a long black and gold skirt that barely covered her feet, black bands on each of her arms, and a golden helm with a crest made of fire the same color as her hair. She also wears black flats.

After that was a tall spectral being made of shadow which was adorned with stars. His head is an oval shape with a point at the bottom, crowned with two curved purple goat-like horns on each side of his head. He has huge red eyes, and he has a slightly curved hairline scar along the side of his face, going through his right eye. His fangs are pointed like Vlad's and he also has a small goatee. He does not seem to have any visible humanoid legs but instead seems to have many tentacles.

Then there was an unusual spirit that appeared as a handsome-looking human male with a toned build, fair skin, and messy dark red hair. He wore a red undershirt, a black waistcoat, and slacks with a black tie, black shoes, a leather wristband on one hand, and a rope and bead wristband on the other. He also was wearing red sunglasses and had a cigarette in his grinning mouth.

The second-to-last spirit was a bit different than the rest. The being seemed to shift between the child, adult, and elderly stages of life. Mainly, the spirit was a violet-cloaked spirit with a pale blue face and a scar across his left eye. A clock-like mechanism is embedded in his chest. He carries a time staff, which he uses often.

Finally, the last spirit was a bald green ghost. He wore a loose white robe with a hood, a gold belt and gold trim. He had a gold bracelet on his right arm and wrapped bandages on his left arm.

“Welcome, my siblings,” The white-clad green spirit spoke.

“What is the meaning of this, Sojourn!?” The plant entity questioned, unhappy that he had been called.

“If memory serves me right, you have departed to the Elsewhereness,” The dark spirit droned, tilting his head. “I find it strange that you can return to the infinite realms.”

“Both Undergrowth and Nocturn do make valid points, Brother,” The four-armed warrior spirit said. “Why come to the spirit realm after eons of absence?”

“Sister Pandora, Brothers, I called you here, for I bear grave news,” Sojourn spoke with a grim face.

“What can it be?” The yeti/polar bear spirit questioned.

“The beast spirit Behemoth had been defeated,” The nomadic spirit revealed. “And I sense that the Skeleton Key has also left the infinite realms.”

“WHAT!?” Pandora and Undergrowth bellowed while the others’ eyes barring The Dealer and the violet cloak-wearing spirit widened in shock.

“...Dear Mother ,” The polar bear yeti whispered. “Brother Sojourn, do you know who has defeated the Beast Spirit and where they could have gone?”

“Unfortunately, I do not know, Brother Frostbite.” Sojourn sighed. “I was hoping that any of you had the information.”

“I have no such knowledge! I haven’t found the means to escape the Spirit Realm yet!” Undergrowth scowled, crossing his arms. “Accursed exorcists!”

“I am unsure about this, myself,” Nocturn answered. “No mortal being I’ve fed off of expressed such desires.”

“This is the same for myself, Brother,” Frostbite confessed. “I have the Far Frozen and the Infi-Map to protect, after all.”

“I rarely leave my domain. I must ensure that the Madness within my box remains sealed and guarded.” Pandora explained.

The other beings then turn to the cloaked blue spirit and the human-looking spirit.

“Brother Clockwork, Brother Avarice?” Sojourn spoke to them.

“...Would it matter if I knew who did it or not?” Clockwork questioned. “I only observe what has happened and what can happen. I cannot interfere with fate…”

This prompted the others to look at The Dealer.

“What say you, Brother Avarice?” Sojourn inquired.

“Oh please, I forsaken that name long ago, folks simply call me 'The Dealer' now." He replied with an aloof tone as he took a puff of his cigarette.

“You insolent hedonistic fool!” Pandora growled as she summoned her spear. “Tell us what you know!”

"Calm your tit*, love, I don't know anything about the Skeleton Key's whereabouts." The Dealer lied with a chuckle as he blew a cloud of smoke in their direction.

“...Oh dear,” Frostbite muttered as the warrior spirit lit her spear aflame, ready to strike the Dealer down. “Peace, Sister. We’ve come here as allies to a common threat! We mustn’t fight amongst ourselves.”

“Who in the Unworld says that we’re all allies?” Undergrowth scowled. “If it wasn’t for the truce and this Skeleton Key being missing, I’d skewer you all and feed you to my children!”

“Like you could harm darkness, you shriveled-up piece of weed,” Nocturn said. “I’d drown you in an endless nightmare where you’d never wake again.”

"By all means, go ahead and tear each other apart, it's not like anything else exciting has happened today." The Dealer said nonchalantly as he kept smoking his cigarette.

Undergrowth hissed and was prepared to attack, much like Pandora was to The Dealer. However, this was stopped by a single snap from Sojourn, which ripped the area of spectral energy so great that it sent a shockwave through everybody’s ecto-based bodies. This granted Sojourn their immediate attention.

“...We are not here to bicker amongst ourselves,” Sojourn said with a serious expression on his face. “As far as we know, we have an unknown entity with the power to access nearly any of the infinite realms. That includes the keep above and what’s stored inside it.”

This comment brought everybody back on track.

“Then I say we take the key back and torment the fool who dares take it from its resting place!" Said Undergrowth.

“Brother Undergrowth, we just went over that we know nothing about the thief or their and the key’s whereabouts. How are we supposed to know where to look for them to cast judgment?” Frostbite pointed out.

“Well, I do not see you proposing any bright ideas, Snow Beast!” Undergrowth countered.

“If the thief was able to survive an encounter with the Behemoth, then we are dealing with a remarkable entity.” Nocturn brought up.

“Indeed,” Both The Dealer and Clockwork acknowledged, knowing who the thief was.

“I say that we gather our forces and prepare for war!” Pandora exclaimed, raising her spear.

“Sister, maybe that is a drastic response.” Frostbite chimed in, only for Sojourn to raise a hand.

“No, Brother Frostbite,” Sojourn spoke in an even, yet sagely tone. “Sister Pandora is right.”

“She is?” Undergrowth, Frostbite, Nocturn, and The Dealer, who was smiling at the prospect, said simultaneously.

“That would be wise, but perhaps an elaboration is in order, Nomad,” Clockwork suggested.

“Of course, Brother Time,” Sojourn nodded. “We are dealing with an unknown. While it is possible that the perpetrator merely wishes to explore the infinite realms, there is also a chance that with the Skeleton Key in their hands, they may wish to entertain a… darker aspiration. One that could lead to HIS return.”

This sent a chill down everybody’s nonexistent spines.

“I may return to paradise after this meeting, so I must implore the six of you. While the key can be found, there is a chance of it being lost to us. So do whatever it takes to prepare for what might come, for I fear a bad omen approaching. From here on out, no spirit or mortal is safe. Agreed?”

“All in favor of preparation?” Clockwork spoke out, raising his hand.

The rest of the members raised their hands, ending the vote.

“...Meeting adjourned,” Sojourn said before vanishing in a whitish-yellow light.

“Finally!” Undergrowth shouted. “I thought he’d never leave!”

“It seems we’ve reached the point of agreeing with each other for once,” Nocturn said as he prepared to leave. “Hopefully, I won’t have to see any of you for another billion years.”

“For some people, I third that,” Pandora said, glaring at the Dealer before flying off.

Nocturn vanished while Undergrowth grew a pair of branch-like wings and flew away.

Frostbite sighed, and said to Clockwork and The Dealer, “I say the meeting went pretty well. Better than the last time… Farewell, Brother Clockwork, Brother Avarice. Let us meet again.”

With that, the yeti/polar bear flew off toward the direction of the Far Frozen, leaving both Clockwork and The Dealer to themselves.

"So, now that everyone else is gone…" The Dealer said, looking at Clockwork. "...how about we cut the sh*t, wouldn't you agree?"

“That is a rather crass way to put things, but I couldn’t agree more,” Clockwork said with a smirk.

"Why didn't you snitch on me? I thought you were all about the greater good." The Dealer asked as he lit up another cigarette.

“In the great scheme of things, it wouldn’t change the fact of the situation,” Clockwork explained. “Time is not linear, nor is the future promised to anybody. It's ever-changing, constantly shifting. Truly, I can do what I wish within my jurisdiction. As a young spirit, however, I learned the dire consequences of open interference. So instead of being the one to control the stream, I merely form new pathways for time to flow. Never to control it, but simply letting it flow and nudging it to desirable outcomes.”

"Playing the long game as per usual." The Dealer said, taking a puff of his cigarette. "Same old Clockwork, you never change."

Clockwork chuckled as he held out his staff and floated away from The Dealer. “The key will be found…eventually. And all will be as it should.”

Looking over his shoulder, Clockwork spoke his catchphrase.

“After all, it is only a matter of time .” The temporal spirit said before he was engulfed by a spectral clock with the hands of the machine warping him and it away.

The Dealer stood there for a few moments before he let out a high-pitched howl of laughter.

"Well said, you temporal bastard! I guess it's up to you, Vladimir, let's see if you do open up the arms of the apocalypse!"

The Dealer continued to smoke before he pulled out a red playing card with a yellow diamond-shaped eye that glowed. He threw the card in front of him, creating a tear in space-time, to which The Dealer walked through and the tear closed.

Sixer’s Repairs and Electronics

Within a secret lab/command center underneath what was supposed to be an electronic repair shop was filled with various blueprints of machines plastered on a large drawing board, a display case filled with old memorabilia from a certain town in Oregon with parts of various mythological creatures, and the many gadgets hung from another wall that served as an armory of sorts.

A fairly wide, pale, but well-built elderly with a large smooth nose and wide rectangular glasses sat down in front of his large computer while drinking black coffee. He had dark gray neck-length hair, with a horizontal silver streak along the sides of it and he possessed unusually long sideburns. The man’s chin had a cleft and a slight five o'clock shadow. The man had a thumb and five fingers on each hand.

The man was wearing a tan duster coat, a red turtleneck with a black belt that slings across his chest, black pants, and large brown boots.

This was Professor Stanford “Ford” Filbrick Pines, a former resident of Gravity Falls and the great-uncle of Mason Pines.

The man was currently logged into Mason’s laptop. From there, Ford managed to gain access to the current version of the Phantom Files and began uploading all of the information into his own flash drive.

This included basic detail regarding Danny, his current ghost powers, the background behind his origins as a halfa, his rogues gallery with their powers, their threat levels, and Danny’s relationship with them.

He suddenly paused on the file where it gave details regarding the Wisconsin Ghost, then paired it with the trajectory of the ghost’s coming and going between his “home” state and Illinois. Ford then took a sample of the voice of the Wisconsin Ghost and tried to match it with several thousand voices he took from private phone calls tapped dating back to last year. It was here where his data matched Mason’s notes.

“Plasmius, huh?” Ford said with a disapproving glare. “That would explain the accident in the University of Wisconsin two decades ago… Amateurs . Looks like I’d have to report that too.”

Once the data was extracted, Ford cleaned his tracks digitally and physically before putting the laptop back in the boy’s bag.

While holding the flash drive, Ford muttered, “Forgive me, Mason, but there are higher powers at play. You’ll understand given time.”

Ford walked over to the computer and inserted it into the USB port. After several clicks of the mouse, three special emails were brought up. With one last click, Ford sent the content from his USB to the three e-mails before sighing.

In less than a minute, Ford received a phone call from his Nokia 6101, flipped it open and pushed the answer button.

“...Pines, speaking.” Ford spoke in a professional but low voice.

“...It’s been a while, Stanford. Glad to hear from you, old friend. ” A familiar elderly voice spoke.

“Good morning, Maxwell,” Ford greeted. “What can I do for you?”

“ What is the status of the Ghost Kid? ” Max inquired over the phone.

“Everything you need to know has been just sent to your secondary email address,” The New Jerseyite informed. “Betty and Hex were given the information as well.”

“ Glad to hear. You said that you’re planning on having your great-nephew under your wing. How’s that coming along? ” Max mentioned, with Ford practically feeling the smile beaming through the other line.

“Mason’s bright, but is still naive.” Ford admitted. “He has much to learn.”

“ We all had to go through our trials and tribulations, Stanford. With age comes wisdom .” Said Max.

Thinking about the Fentons and Vlad Masters, Ford rolled his eyes and thought, “...Not for everybody.”

“ Regardless, if these kids managed to stick around for this long, they must be doing an excellent job keeping the breach contained .” Max suggested.

“ I know, I’ve been watching their activities for a little over a year now. ” Ford pointed out. “ It’s impressive. And I’ll give their dues, as clever those kids are. Which is why I’m agreeing to this in the first place .”

“. ..I was tipped off by an insider under deep cover, ” Max informed Ford, shifting into a serious tone. “He gave me coordinates to the Organization’s next target.”

Hearing this caused Ford to raise an eyebrow.

“Tennyson, I’m not affiliated with the Plumbers,” Ford sternly reminded Max. “Nor am I associated with the government or the Exorcists! Why bring this up now when I’m independent?”

“ Because they are heading to Amity Park next, Stanford!” Maxwell warned. “And they plan to target Axion Labs! ”

“What!?” Ford gasped.

‘ That’s where that Gray girl’s father works! ...If Mason or his friends get caught up with the Organization, that’ll cause trouble for sure! ’ The brainiac thought to himself.

“I know you're not the one to trust others, let alone cooperate with people, but I trust you .” Max stated. “ Azmuth hasn’t completed the new watch yet, and I can’t be everywhere at once. But you have the resources to be my extra set of eyes, Stanford .”

Ford sighed while shaking his head, “Maxwell…”

“ I got grandkids. I can’t face them again if something happens to those boys and their friends and I’m not there .” Max said, imploring Ford. “ Please, Stanford. I need your help .”

“...What do you want me to do?” Stanford reluctantly relented.

“ All I ask is for you to relay any hint of Organization activity directly to me. ” Max requested. “ Once I wrap up this mission, I should be in Amity Park within a day or two. ”

“Fine. But I better expect a favor in return.” Ford said in a huff.

“ You have my word, Stanford. ” Max said with gratitude. “ Thank you.

“Hmph! Don’t thank me just yet,” Ford said as he began to type on his keyboard with his left hand while holding the phone in his right hand. “And that’s Paradox to you, Agent Legion.”

Hearing the man’s alias properly, Agent Legion chuckled and said, “ Heh, whatever you say, Prof. Paradox. Keep in touch ,”

“Likewise,” Ford said before hanging up the phone and leaning against the computer chair. “...Lord, it's going to be one of those days.”

Vlad’s Laboratory, Masters Mansion, Madison WI

“ARGH! ”

An entire table was thrown across the spacious laboratory of one Vladimir Silvers Masters, as the man in question’s anger manifested in a blood-red hue.

He wasn’t having a good day; the last few months hadn’t been in his favor and he just got back from another failed procedure with one of his darker pet projects.

Cloning.

"Graham Crackers be damned! Can nothing in my life go the way I want it to?! Daniel refuses to join my side, then Maddie rejects my advances to play house with that blubbering beluga of an idiot, who somehow is still alive!" Vlad yelled in anger before hurling several beakers and tools off his desk. "This blasted cloning project has given me nothing but botched and imperfect morsels that can barely hold themselves together, and if that hasn't soured my mood enough, those accursed Northwests from Oregon bought Axion Labs right under my nose! Just when I was about to buy the damn place!"

Vlad took a few deep breaths, his body flickering with purple energy before he finally calmed himself down as he placed what appeared to be a green glowing key that had two oddly-shaped teeth, forming an 'S' in the center and a glaring skull for the head.

"No matter, I still possess the Skeleton Key and with the information from that hedonistic trickster, that gauntlet should be easier to track down than dueling the key's guardian." Vlad said before gritting his teeth in anger once more. "Still, my rage is at an all-time high right now, if I don't find something to unleash it upon, then my laboratory could be reduced to ashes."

Vlad picked up the Skeleton Key and then walked over to his computer desk. As he was about to sign into the computer, he noticed the calendar on the wall nearby. Upon looking at the months and days, a sinister grin formed on Vlad's face.

"Of course, how could I forget? It's nearly that time of the month again." The billionaire half-ghost said with a chuckle as he took out a pen and wrote the words "Screw with Young Daniel!" on the upcoming Saturday on his calendar. "Let's see how strong Daniel has gotten since the last time we fought. This'll prove a good opportunity to gauge the difference in our power and obtain another sample I need to complete my work."

Vlad put down the pen before he clenched his fist, causing sparks of purple and magenta electricity to surge around his hand.

"Time to put my training to the test, surely it will land this time…"

Casper High, Amity Park, IL

It’s been three weeks since the school year started and two weeks since Mason moved to Amity Park. Since then, Danny and the group have adjusted to the secret ghost-hunting life. With his expertise, they managed to properly re-classify ghosts and gauge their power more accurately so that Jazz could come up with better countermeasures to handle them.

As a ghost hunter, for Mason, learning the trick of the trade was a steep one. He wasn’t trained physically like Jazz and Valerie, nor did not have the perks of superpowers like Danny. But like the rest of them, he was determined and his mind was well-tuned in research. With some help from Danny, he learned how to operate a good majority of the Fenton anti-ghost weaponry such as the Fenton Bazooka, the newly created Fenton Crammer, and the Ghost Wrangler.

Currently, everybody managed to make it to school on time with no early ghost attacks in sight. This made the trio relatively happy, considering it a good start in the middle of the week.

Unbeknownst to them, a fancy white limo stops in front of the school, catching some of the straggling students’ attention. A man wearing a black suit opened the front door of the car, then walked over to the back seat’s door and opened it, allowing a feminine leg to step out.

Meanwhile, Danny and Valerie slowly walked to class together while in the middle of a conversation.

“...So let me get this straight, you got a new power and didn’t tell me about it for three weeks?” Val questioned, looking at the hoodie-wearing Danny funny.

“Okay, I’ll admit that Mason coming along made me push the detail to the back burner.” Danny said sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck. “But it's a wicked new power. …But just thinking about it sends chills down my spine. And not in a good way.”

“You sure it’s not your Ghost Sense, Spooks?” Val lightly joked.

Danny snorted, saying “Heh, you’re not funny,”

“So you say, but I can see those pearly whites,” Val stated. “But go on.”

“Right, right. Well, it worked like a scream of some kind. I shouted about as loud as I did on 8/4.” Danny recalled. “It was like I had to dig deep and grasp a kind of pain so vivid. And raw. Then all I can remember was blasting the Wraith to Kingdom Come until he lost power. I think I wrecked a half a city block.”

“...Damn. It’s a good thing nobody caught you, though, you normally have more self-control than that.” Valerie said with a disapproving gaze.

“I know, I know, but I couldn’t help it! It sort of happened in the heat of the moment,” Danny rationalized.

“...Fine. I’ll take your word for it. Did you have any luck pulling it off again?” Val asked.

“Not a chance,” Danny shook his head.

“How did you do it in the first place?” Val asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Danny grimly answered, “It was Bertrand.”

“You mean Spectra’s main goon?”

“Yeah. He went full-on Wraith after I was thrashing him like usual. Once he freaked out and changed into a monster, he utterly trounced me.” Danny explained in detail. “I was at his mercy, and he was ready to waste me with ecto lightning. When he got closure, I felt an overwhelming panic that I couldn’t describe properly even if I tried. The only thing I could do out of instinct was scream, and that’s when it happened.”

Valerie furrowed her eyebrows in thought for a moment. Danny waited for her a second, then asked for her attention.

“So? What do you think, Val?”

“Seems to me that your Spooky Screech was probably an instance of an impromptu survival response,” Valerie concluded.

“...I’m not calling it that,” Danny stated, rolling his eyes.

Valerie spoke, “Focus, DJ. What I’m saying is that this “new power” was a result of a fight or flight situation. I doubt you could replicate something like that again.”

Danny sighed, in relief, thinking, ‘ ...While a new power seems cool, at the same time, I’m kind of relieved about it. That one was disturbing. ’

Danny’s thoughts were disturbed by Valerie’s voice as she said, “Danny, wai-!”

Unfortunately, Danny ended up bumping into somebody, making him stagger a bit while he groaned at the stinging sensation of his forehead. He also heard the book falling accompanied by the sound of scattered papers.

“ Argh! Oh man, I’m sorr-,” Danny apologized, only for the hooded boy to freeze as he saw who stood in front of him. “...Sam?”

“Ow!” Sam grunted as Tucker stood next to the goth. “Watch where you’re going, Fenton!”

Danny slightly flinched at her tone with his heart sinking now that as it stood, he and Sam weren’t on a first-name basis anymore.

‘ ...She hates me that much? ’ Danny questioned in his mind, feeling a dreadful pit form in his stomach.

“Step off, Manson! It was an accident!” Valerie said, stepping in to defend the hero.

Seeing Valerie in such a position stewed Sam’s anger and jealousy. That girl was in her spot, doing her job! And to top it off, she somehow managed to get much closer to Danny in less than a year than Sam had been with Danny in a little over ten years of knowing the boy.

This lit a fire in the goth that burned with an intensity stronger than 10,000 suns.

Before Sam could retort with crude language at Valerie, Danny immediately apologized.

“S-Sorry,” The raven-haired male said before looking at the papers and her textbook on the floor. “Here, I’ll get your-”

“-Don’t bother,” Sam said, quickly swiping her papers from off the floor and grabbing her textbook.

She gave him and Valerie a nasty glare before pushing past the two and marching away with an attitude to match.

Tucker looked at his best friend with pity and told him, “Hey, don’t let her words get to you. She’s just-”

“-she’s just being Sam. Yeah, I know, Tuck.” Danny grumbled. “I just can’t stand how she acts when she gets like this. I miss how things used to be.”

“Me too, bud. Me too.” Tucker sighed as he apologized to the both of them. “I’m sorry about her, guys. We’re still figuring things out. Just give it a bit more time to blow over, alright?”

“Sure,” Danny and Valerie nodded as Tucker waved to them.

“I better catch up to her before she runs into Paulina,” Tucker said. “We’ll talk later. Let’s chat later in DOOMED, okay?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Danny said, flashing a sad smile. “See ya, Tuck.”

“See ya,” Tucker said before jogging in Sam’s direction.

“At least she didn’t slap you in front of everybody this time…f*cking bitch,” Valerie cursed while glaring before turning to Danny. “You alright, DJ?”

“...No,” Danny groaned. “No, I am not. But I will be.”

‘ ...Hopefully… ’ The boy thought to himself.

“Morning guys!” A familiar voice chirped. “Ready for class?”

The two ghost hunters turned to see a chirper Mason Pines approach them. His rosy expression felt so loud that it freaked the two of them out. They looked at the Californian with unsettled expressions.

“...Uh, yeah?” Both Valerie and Danny answered unevenly.

‘ ...What’s up with him? ’ Both wondered as Mason guided them.

“Come on, then! Better not keep Mr. Lancer waiting!” The brown-haired boy said.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Val whispered.

Danny shrugged, answering, “...I’m just as clueless as you are.”

With that, Mason led the other two students to their homeroom.

-Several Minutes Later Homeroom-

Once again, the last bell rang after ten minutes past eight o’clock and thirty minutes. Mr. Lancer had asked the students to pass their assignments to the front row so that he could collect the recent assignment that was due today. From there, Mr. Lancer took the papers and placed them on his desk.

“...I commend you students for completing your assignments on time ,” Mr. Ron W. Lancer spoke. “For the stragglers who need more time, as a reminder a la my syllabus, you have forty-eight before your work receives the point deduction penalty. And I trust that there isn’t any form of plagiarism in these essays.”

The students who were unfortunate enough to not turn in their assignments.

“Now, before we start the group discussion for chapters four through six of To Kill A Mockingbird , I’d like to make an announcement.” Mr. Lancer said, clasping his hands together.

“Talk about deja vu…” Danny muttered under his breath.

“We have a new promising student that will be joining us, coming from Oregon,” Mr. Lancer said, once again stimulating the class as it did three weeks prior. “Please, make your new classmate feel welcome and be respectful. ”

This information prompted Danny and Val (with some other students) to look at the giddy-looking Mason.

Seeing the figure on the window of the door, Mr. Lancer delightfully said, “Please, come inside, Young Lady!”

Entering the room was a slender but well-shaped fifteen-year-old girl, roughly the height of Sam, with long blonde hair, bell-shaped bangs, silky smooth pale skin, and dark blue eyes while wearing purple eyeshadow. For her attire, she wore a pair of white gloves, a light turquoise dress with a purple belt around it, and a yellow belt buckle in the front. She also had on black leggings underneath her cream boots.

Many of the boys and the girls were instantly drawn by the girl’s beauty, whether it was the guys ogling her, or the girls admiring or stewing in jealousy in her style of fashion. Paulina grinned that the new pretty girl seems to have enough potential to be A-Lister material. Meanwhile, Star felt threatened by the girl, thinking that she might take her spot.

“Welcome to Casper High.” Mr. Lancer said with a warm tone. “Please, introduce yourself.”

The girl smirked and flipped her hair, speaking in a valley girl tone, “Okay. My name’s Pacifica Northwest, heiress to the Northwest fortune,”

Sam’s eyes widened, immediately recognizing the new girl’s surname.

‘ ...You’ve got to be kidding me! She’s here!? ’ The goth thought to herself.

"I was born and raised in Oregon, but I moved here earlier this week.” The blonde, now known as Pacifica, explained. “Any questions? I can answer a couple.”

One of the nerds, Nathan Lester asked, “Which high school did you transfer from?”

“St. Mary’s Academy, an all-girl private school in Portland, Oregon.” Pacifica smoothly answered. “Anyone else?”

“Yeah, I got one. You single?” Dale asked boldly, not caring about shame given his social status as a football player.

“Mr. Jenkins, that kind of question is not appropriate!” Mr. Lancer scolded the African American.

“No, no, it’s alright, Mr. Lancer,” Pacifica reassured.

It was here where Pacifica and Mason eyed each other before staring at the whole class.

“To answer your burning question, I’m currently taken and it's not changing anytime soon,” Pacifica said with utter confidence.

This backhand comment bruised the football player’s ego and deterred the rest of the would-be admirers.

The class murmured to themselves before Mr. Lancer spoke up once more.

“Alright, settle down!” Mr. Lancer ordered as he muttered under his breath. “Savages…"

This made the class hush as the teacher gave an announcement, saying, “Now that’s out of the way, we will be resuming our regularly scheduled class activities.”

“Ms. Northwest,” Mr. Lancer spoke to the blonde. “You will be assigned to sit at the empty desk in front of Ms. Manson, our only empty spot in the class.”

This made the goth girl’s eyes widen in shock, as she thought, ‘ Wait, what!? ’

“Ms. Manson, would you be so kind as to raise your hand?” The vice principal inquired.

Sam grimly raised her hand, silent and refusing to look at the new student’s direction.

Pacifica smiled and walked to her new seat, allowing the class to start for the day.

Science Division, B.O.R.D. Headquarters, NY

Like all factions under the United States Defense Force, even the Guys in White had their base of operations. It was a tall white rectangular building on a plot of green land in the state of New York.

The building was given the codename 'Eraser' due to its resemblance to a pencil eraser and because of their ultimate goal of erasing all spirits.

Inside the Eraser on the lowest floors of the building, was the B.O.R.D.'s top secret science division where some of the world's most brilliant minds worked to develop technology, weapons, and resources for their field agents to use in capturing and executing the supernatural.

In spite of the devices and armaments that these scientists made, the field agents who often used them were not competent at using them to their full potential. The scientists often warned the top brass of these dangers and inequities, thus creating more pressure on the B.O.R.D.'s leaders.

Within a large enclosed room in the back of the science division was the office of the head scientist in charge of the entire sector. It had a mini greenhouse in the corner and opposite it was a research table with various tools and devices, including several books on various rare and endangered flora and fungi. At the table was a fair-skinned man with messy dark blonde hair, stubbles, and darker eyebrows with a left green eye and a right blue eye. He wore a white lab coat, a red Hawaiian shirt with purple and green flowers, a pearl necklace, faded black jeans, brown shoes, and brown fedora with a piece of sheet music sewn into the side of it.

This was Dr. Alto Clef, codename Agent Ukulele, Head of the B.O.R.D.'s Science Division and the world's leading expert in cryptozoology, xenology, parapsychology and metaphysics.

Clef was currently looking under a microscope at what appeared to be a red rose petal that gave off a slight glow to it. He then left the microscope and started to put more of these rose petals into a bowl and started to crush them up, making a small red cloud of vapor appear. After crushing it into powder, Clef poured the crushed-up petals into a vial of water and began to mix it.

On the other side of the table was another man who had graying shoulder-length hair with mutton chops, yellow eyes, and sickly pale green skin. He wore a white lab coat, a dark green sleeveless shirt, brown cargo pants and black fingerless gloves and boots.

He was Dr. Aloysius James Animo, a scientist of the B.O.R.D. who specialized in veterinary medicine, biology, and genetics.

"I must admit, Doctor." Amino said to his colleague. "Twenty years ago, I would have thought the supernatural to be utter nonsense, a fiction that mankind created to justify how nature works."

"And what is your opinion now, Aloysius?" Clef asked in a smooth tone as he kept on mixing the vial until it was now a red liquid.

"To be honest, I still have a hard time comprehending it, even though I have witnessed field agents encounter and contain spirits with my own eyes." Amino answered before looking over to what Clef was doing. "Are those flowers you're working with? I didn't picture you as someone with skills in botany."

"I'm not typically, though my father knew a thing or two about plants." Clef replied with dry humor. "No, I have been studying a rare subspecies of the Rosa family of flora. Rosa x phantasm, commonly known as Blood Blossoms."

"Blood Blossoms? Is that what you're been growing inside that greenhouse?" Amino asked with a curious gaze.

"Well since you're so curious…" Clef said as he gestured for Amino to follow him into the greenhouse.

Amino followed the blonde heterochromia-eyed man and inside of the greenhouse were thirty big flower pots each with a Blood Blossom bush. The petals were a bright red while the stems, leaves, and branches were black with a purple shine as red vapor rose from the flowers.

"Good Lord," Amino said in surprise. "They're not like other roses I've seen."

"I wouldn't expect you to, considering the large decline in their numbers across the globe. The Rosa x phantasm species was imported here sometime during the seventeenth century from Legerdomain, the native realm of the Bezel tribe of sorcerers. It was a primitive form of deterrent from spirits." Clef explained to his colleague.

"And they bred more of this anti-spectral flower here on Earth?" Amino asked.

"Oh yes, they were even used as both a food source and as a way of warding off witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials," Clef replied.

"Figures, so they pose no danger to us humans then? You said they once ate the flower." Amino questioned.

"Yes, they were never intended to be used on third-dimensional beings such as ourselves, and thus can only work on those of a fourth, fifth or sixth-dimensional scale." Clef explained. "But due to overconsumption from humans and animals, the Blood Blossoms' numbers fell until it became near impossible to find in most states, let alone most countries."

"A fascinating find you have here, Alto." Amino said with a smile. "Based on what you have told, I assume you are studying their anti-spiritual properties to see how they can be weaponized."

Clef then formed a wide grin at his colleague.

"Perceptive as ever, Aloysius. Just imagine, a new range of anti-spirit weapons capable of poisoning the spectral bodies of ghosts and other entities."

"Could it actually destroy a spirit's spectral form?" Amino asked.

Before Clef could answer Animo's question, he heard the sound of the office door's motion detector.

"Yes?" Clef said through the comms.

"It's Agent Alpha." The high-ranking B.O.R.D. operative said on the other side of the door.

Clef and Animo left the greenhouse and the former approached the door, placing his hand on a biometric scanner which opened the door for Agent Alpha to enter.

"Agent Alpha." Amino said while crossing his arms.

"Dr. Amino, Agent Ukulele." Agent Alpha said back.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence in my division, Agent?" Clef said, folding his arms behind his back.

"Enough pleasantries! I thought I instructed the two of you to finalize Project Sotoragg and get it ready for the field." Agent Alpha said in frustration. "Yet here I find you working on some weird roses!"

"There's no need for haste, Agent, the project will be done in time for its assignment." Clef said with a chuckle.

"Then why the f*ck are you two standing here?! Get back to work!" Agent Alpha exclaimed.

"Now, now, Agent, all of that yelling can't be good for your blood pressure." Amino quipped with a calm tone.

"Don't get smart with me, Amino! I can send you back to the sh*t heap we found you in if you're not going to cooperate." Agent Alpha threatened.

"Gentlemen, there's no need for threats or violence." Clef said to diffuse the situation. "We are simply waiting on a special guest."

"You're bringing in outside assistance? Why?" Agent Alpha questioned.

"In order for Project Sotoragg to be complete, it requires the expertise of a different mind. So I borrowed a scientist off the W.E.E." Clef explained.

"You mean the Worldwide Evil Empire?" Amino asked while narrowing his eyes. "And just who did Gemini send from his menagerie of scientists?"

"See for yourself." Clef said as he reached for his comms. "You may enter."

The door to the office opened once more with two individuals entering. One was a field agent, a Guy in White, and the other was the scientist in question. They were a man with black long hair tied in a ponytail, pale blue skin, dark brown eyes with a scar underneath his left eye, and a thick unibrow. They wore a blue double-breasted coat and trousers with black gloves, boots, a wide belt, and a collar, both of which were embossed with pale green circles.

This was Dr. Drew Theodore Lipsky, known under the criminal alias 'Dr. Drakken', a roboticist and engineer who had been employed by the Worldwide Evil Empire.

Suffice it to say, neither Agent Alpha nor Dr. Amino was happy to see the blue-skinned scientist.

"You've gotta be kidding…" Amino said in annoyance.

"What game are you playing here, Clef?!" Agent Alpha exclaimed angrily as he grabbed Clef by his lab coat's collar. "You expect me to believe this buffoon can assist you in completing Project Sotoragg?!"

"Hey! Who are you calling buffoon?! Dr. Drakken is no buffoon!" Drakken exclaimed.

Clef however formed a wide cheshire-like grin at Agent Alpha, and the high-ranking agent began to see visions appear in his head, visions of him dying a brutal and cruel death as his entrails and body parts were mangled and torn apart. Agent Alpha immediately let go of Clef, falling to his knees as the visions within his mind made him feel nauseous and ill.

"For your sake, Agent Alpha, I suggest you don't try that little stunt again…" Clef said in a sinister tone while still grinning.

"Wait, what just happened?" Drakken asked in confusion.

"Idiot, Dr. Clef hit Agent Alpha with a psychic attack," Amino said in frustration.

"So he's psychic? How did he manage to get such power?" Drakken questioned.

"I believe he was born with said power, imbecile, no doubt that Dr. Clef is some kind of Osmosian." Amino replied, much to Drakken's frustration.

"Are you ready to listen to me now, Agent?" Clef asked as Agent Alpha stood back up while catching his breath.

"...Proceed."

"Good." Clef said as he started to explain. "In spite of his eccentricities, Dr. Lipsky's work on robotics and engineering are unparalleled."

"It's Drakken, my name is Dr. Drakken!" Drakken exclaimed.

"No, it's not." Clef said bluntly before continuing his explanation. "Project Sotoragg is the amalgamation of several fields of science, many that I and Dr. Amino specialize in. But in order to complete the subject's procedure, it will require a series of cybernetic enhancements, ones that I believe our blue-skinned colleague is qualified to perform."

"But he's a fool! His schemes never work and he hires someone else to do the heavy lifting!" Amino objected.

"Even a fool is capable of ingenuity, Amino." Clef answered. "After all, is Jacob Fenton not a fool who is capable of building anti-spirit weapons?"

"Could either of you tell me why I was summoned here? I was busy working on my latest creation, a machine that swaps the consciousness of one's mind into another." Drakken questioned.

"Project Sotoragg, Dr. Lipsky." Clef replied as he handed Drakken a file with the words 'PROJECT: SOTORAGG' on it. "It is a living weapon, enhanced and augmented by a combination of genetic splicing and cybernetic enhancements. The subject is outfitted with advanced anti-spiritual weapons, all for the purpose of taking down a single target."

"So the Guys in White aren't a bunch of crazies? You actually hunt ghosts?" Drakken asked with a brow raised.

"You are correct, Lipsky, and once we capture the Phantom of Amity Park, the B.O.R.D. will never be treated as a laughing stock by the other organizations again." Agent Alpha replied. "Now I don't need to tell you three gentlemen that if we screw this up, our funding will be gone. So I suggest you work out your differences and get back to work! Is that crystal clear?!"

"Yeah, it's crystal clear." Clef replied. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have a project to complete."

Agent Alpha let out a huff before he exited the office alongside the other Guy in White, to which the door then closed.

"Geez, that guy needs to chill." Drakken muttered to himself.

"Now that the drill sergeant is gone, perhaps we can finally finish Project Sotoragg." Amino suggested.

"Agreed," Clef said. "And now that we have Dr. Lipsky-"

"-Drakken." The blue-skinned scientist insisted.

"I'm not calling you that." Clef said bluntly. "Now we have Lipsky, the three of us shall turn Project Sotoragg into the perfect anti-ghost soldier."

"Fine, I'll follow your lead, Alto." Animo said with a sigh before then looking at Drakken. "But I will not tolerate any tomfoolery from you, understand?"

"Oh please, I know how to be professional, Amino, just you wait and see." Drakken said as he finished reading the file on Project Sotoragg. "Well, I can see why you requested my assistance on this project of yours."

"So then I take it won't be much trouble for you?" Clef asked.

"Building robots is one thing, but cybernetically enhancing an organic life form? It won't be easy, but it's not impossible, especially with you two." Drakken replied.

"Good, then let us finish what we started, gentlemen." Clef said with a grin as he, Animo and Drakken left the office and headed downstairs to Project Sotoragg.

Casper High, Amity Park

Skipping to a lunch period, the trio managed to quickly leave the classroom for Valerie’s locker. From there, Danny began interrogating Mason regarding the new girl.

“You know that girl, do you, Mase?” Danny questioned.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea what you are talking about, Daniel,” Mason said in a fancy, almost English tone.

“Stop that, Danny said, getting Vlad Master vibes from the Californian. “Seriously, I’ve seen the way you two made eye contact.”

While Valerie swapped her books for her next class, she said, “Yeah, I caught those smiles and googly eyes too. Something’s up.”

Mason blushed at him before he sheepishly laughed and scratched his right cheek with his right index finger.

“...Oh crap! You noticed that?” Mason asked. “...Well, that’s embarrassing.”

“So you do admit it!” Valerie said victoriously.

“Now that we have gotten that straightened out, mind telling us who this Pacifica person is?” Danny questioned.

“How about you ask her, yourself?” Pacifica said behind them, prompting the trio to face her.

“Oh, Paz!” Mason exclaimed.

Pacifica placed her hands on her hips and said, “Miss me, Troll Boy?”

Mason smirked as the two hugged with Pacifica pecking him on the cheek.

“Wait, you’re her boyfriend?” Valerie gawked in shock.

“Mhm,” Pacifica answered for the boy. “That’s not a problem, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not like that,” Danny reassured. “We just didn’t peg him for the type to go for someone like you.”

“To be honest, I was surprised at myself originally,” Mason answered honestly. “But things happen.”

“But how did it happen?” Val pressed forward, looking at Pacifica and Mason.

“Hey, Danny, remember that spirit I encountered last summer?” Mason asked the secret hero.

“Oh yeah!” Danny recalled, snapping his fingers. “The one from the mansion, right?”

“That mansion he was talking about used to belong to my family,” Pacifica revealed. “And I was the one who called him over to deal with it.”

“Since the incident, we’ve been spending a lot of time together on the down low,” Mason explained. “Before we knew it, we became a thing.”

Comparing Pacifica’s situation and Sam’s situation, Danny dryly speculated, “I doubt her parents were thrilled about it.”

This caused Pacifica to scoff and said, “Sucks for them. They’ll have to suck it up because because Pinetree’s gonna be sticking around for a long time.”

Mason blushed after Pacifica looped her right arm around Mason’s left arm and smiled proudly.

Clearing his throat, Mason then turned to his friends, old and new, introducing the girl.

“Paz, these are my friends,” Mason stated. “The girl is one friend, Valerie.”

“Nice to meet ya,” Val nodded, acknowledging the rich girl.

“Likewise. Love the hair, by the way.” Pacifica complimented.

“Thanks. I like to keep it natural.” Valerie commented.

“Neat,” Pacifica said before turning to the hoodie-wearing Fenton. “And you are?”

“Oh, uh, I’m Danny,” Danny said rather awkwardly.

Pacifica giggled and said, “Is that what you looked like when you were crushing on Lumberjane?”

“Aw, come on! I was twelve at the time!” Mason groaned while his face turned red before turning to the halfa. “Don’t mind her, Man. She can be a tease at times.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Danny lightly chuckled before staring at Valerie’s direction. “Sounds like another I know.”

“In my defense, you set yourself up for a ton of my material,” Val stated. “Then again, you can be goofy when you wanna be, DJ.”

“We should head to the cafeteria for lunch,” Danny suggested as his stomach rumbled.

“What, is your stomach haunted?” Mason playfully joked.

“Hardy, har, har.” Danny snorted. “But seriously, I am hungry and I don’t feel like running into Dash in these halls.”

“Fair enough,” Mason said before looking at his girlfriend. “Ready, mi’lady.”

“Let’s,” Pacifica nodded, walking alongside her boyfriend with the two heroes following from behind.

During the walk, Val turned to Danny and asked, “We’re the third and fourth wheels, are we?”

Danny simply said, “...Yup, seems like it.”

-Cafeteria, In Lunch Period-

While a majority of the student body was busy talking with their friends or receiving their lunch from the teacher’s aid and the lunch lady, Sam Manson sat at the corner of one of the many long folding tables with one of her only friends, Tucker Foley.

Currently, she was distracting her anger toward Danny and the new addition to the student roster, Pacifica Northwest, by reflecting on the day they fought back against the ghosts that attacked their school. The day that they helped the ghostly superhero that protected their town.

The day Sam (and Tucker) officially met the Phantom of Amity Park.

After careful deliberation and with her urge to get out of the sidelines (plus her secret crush on Phantom growing) compelling her, Sam came to one conclusion. One that even shocked Tucker.

“....We should become ghost hunters,” Sam said in complete seriousness.

Tucker chuckled briefly, then asked, “You’re kidding, right?”

Sam’s expression never changed as she stared into Tucker’s eyes.

“Right?” Tucker tried again, asking if Sam was yanking his change.

All that the beanie-wearing kid was met with was an assertive stare and remained silent. Tucker’s lips parted, only for him to smack them while massaging the bridge of his nose.

“Come on, Sam… Really?” The techno-geek moaned in frustration.

“Look, before you disagree and we fight like cats and dogs, just hear me out!” Sam said. “Can you do that?”

Taking a deep breath, he said, “...Go on,

“Look, I know that three weeks ago almost got us killed, and we got in trouble at the end,” Sam explained.

“It did, but it was for a good cause,” Tucker acknowledged. “Go on,”

“...But something awoke in me when Pines let us borrow his equipment.” Sam continued.

This caused Tucker to snort as he joked, “...What, you got a thing for brunettes now?”

This prompted Sam to kick Tucker in one of his shins.

“Ow! Hey!” Tucker said, glaring at his friend.

“Focus, Tucker! I’m being serious!” Sam hissed. “How did you feel when you hacked into Skulker’s tech?”

“Well, it did feel awesome knowing I can hijack a ghost’s gear with ease,” Tucker stated with a smirk. “It’s almost as cathartic as the time I got ghost powers…you know, before it turned out I was being overshadowed by a monster ghost and Phantom had to save me.”

“See!” Sam pointed out. “You get it! I felt the same way with those wrist rays and using the Fenton Thermos.”

Saying the name of the boy who rejected her and broke her heart felt sour, but she swallowed her bitterness and said, “...The point is, doing what we did before felt so…so…”

“Right?” Tucker answered for his friend.

“Right!” Sam nodded. “It’s like I found a missing piece of myself. And you weren’t half bad either. Given some time and experience, I can see us hunting down spirits and keeping our town safe.”

“You mean like Phantom?” Tucker brought up, prompting Sam to blush briefly which the techno geek caught.

‘ ...So that’s what this is about. ’ Tucker said, inwardly smirking.

“That brings me to my next point,” Sam said, not bothering to give Tucker an answer to his question. “With how frequent and dangerous these ghost attacks are becoming, I feel like it is important to learn how to protect ourselves. Even empowered people like Phantom and the Ghost Huntress seem to be having a tough time managing them. Think about it.”

Thinking about it for a minute, Tucker could get behind Sam’s logic.

“... You know, you’re not wrong.” Tucker agreed. “It would be helpful if the common folk had stuff like anti-ghost arms. But at the same time, we’re just kids. We don’t know the first thing about ghost hunting outside what Mason and the Fentons showed us.”

“All the more reason to give it a whirl,” Sam said with a determined expression. “Do you think you could fetch some weapons from Mr. and Mrs. Fenton?”

“Oh, no, no, no!” Tucker said, drawing the line. “First off, I ain’t a dog. And second, if you’re so gung-ho about this ghost-hunting gig then you’ll accompany me to Danny’s house."

Sam clicked her tongue, not wanting to see Danny anymore than she had to but ultimately relented.

“...Fine, I guess it can’t be helped.” Sam huffed bitterly.

Tucker gazed at the goth with an irritated stare, thinking, ‘ ...This hate for Danny is getting out of hand, for real. ’

Trying to change the subject, Tucker pointed at Pacifica with Mason (with Danny and Val behind them) as they were awaiting their lunch in the line while holding trays.

“Hey, look, it's the new kids,” Tucker said.

Sam narrowed her eyes, jealous at their closeness while saying, “Okay, what about them?”

“Nothing. But that Pacifica girl is hot ! She’s hotter than Star, maybe even hotter than Paulina. I’d go for her anytime.”

“Too bad, she looks like her boyfriend goes here,” Sam said sardonically, prompting Tucker to notice that Pacifica was holding Mason’s right arm.

“Aw, man!” Tucker exclaimed, deflating at the revelation. “Danny’s lucky that he gets to hang out with two of the hottest girls in the school.”

While Tucker sulked in envy and self-pity, Sam was seething that Danny had new people surrounding him.

‘ What is that clueless moron doing!? He should be figuring out how to make things up to me, not flocking with other people and pretending like nothing happened! ’ Sam stewed, resisting the urge to knock her soy milk off the table out of frustration.

Over at Danny’s table, everybody settled with Valerie and Danny sitting on one side while Mason and Pacifica sat across from them.

“Say, Casper,” Pacifica said, looking at Danny. “I heard from the kids on the web that you’re a big deal around these parts. How’s the hero life treating you?”

This caused Danny and Valerie to glance at Mason, who immediately raised his hands defensively.

“Whoa, don’t look at me. I didn't say anything.” Mason blurted out, earning a snort from Pacifica.

“Puh-lease, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots,” Pacifica said, bobbing her head. “Mason always talks about you, and I’ve seen your picture before. Then I compared that to a picture of Phantom that he left on his laptop. I mean, hello~! Fenton? Phantom? So, not a coincidence. I mean, outside of the color and costume change, you guys have the same face and haircut.”

Danny dropped his head in defeat, saying, “...Okay, you got me.”

“By the way, that was all speculation,” Pacifica revealed with a smirk, catching Danny off guard. “But thank you for confirming it.”

“Aw crap,” Danny said while he and Mason facepalmed. “Am I that obvious?”

“The disguise you have works because this town is full of doofuses.” Pacifica shrugged. “But you make it up with your character acting, so I’ll give you brownie points for effort."

“...Damn, you’re good,” Valerie admitted to the Oregonian.

“Thanks,” Pacifica smirked. “I’ve had plenty of practice.”

“Not to offend or anything, but we at least know what the Piedmont brings to the table,” Valerie pointed out. “What can you do for us if you’re gonna be in on this?”

“Guys, Paz suddenly being enrolled here wasn’t a coincidence,” Mason brought up. “She moved to Amity Park because her parents purchased a certain tech company.”

Valerie gaped at the insinuation and blurted out to Pacifica, “Your parents bought Axion Labs!?”

“If that’s the case, then the Northwests were the ones who gave Mr. Gray his job back!” Danny deduced.

“What I can bring to the table are an extra set of hands, connections, and as many wads of cash as we need,” Pacifica answered proudly. “If there’s anything we need that can be bought or to perform favors, I’m your go-to girl.”

Pacifica then turned to the ghost boy and asked, “What’s say you, Casper? Mind if I join?”

Danny looked at Val for a second opinion, to twice Valerie smiled and nodded.

Giving her a chance, Danny reiterated “I’m all in for giving people chances. But what I am, what we do, is very important to me. To us, including my older sister who’s not here right now. If word got out about any of this, it would put my family, Val’s dad, Mason, and you along with your parents, in grave danger. If I bring you in, can I trust you to keep all of this a secret?”

Pacifica looked around to see that Valerie, Mason, and Danny all had serious expressions, signifying how dire the situation was. This was a matter of trust, something Danny values above all else besides loyalty.

Still, she went to answer his question, only to be interrupted by a second party that was uninvited.

“Hey, Babe!” A familiar high, yet overconfident-sounding voice spoke to Pacifica.

Danny and the others, besides Pacifica, groaned as they found themselves in the presence of Dash, Kwan, Dale, Paulina, and Star of the A-Listers.

Dash tried to put the moves on the new girl, saying, “You’re at the wrong table. Come and sit with us.”

Pacifica’s face scrunched up as she said, “Excuse me? I was in the middle of an important convo before you and your little flunkies waltzed here and rudely interrupted it. Now what do you want?”

Dash felt himself sweating a bit, noticing that she was much more feisty than even Paulina. This was both a turn-on, yet it felt like uncharted territory. Regardless, the football star was willing to go the distance.

“Aw, don’t be like that!” Dash said before looking at the new trio. “Why stick around these losers anyway? They are at the bottom of the barrel.”

Danny rolled his eyes and sarcastically greeted his bully, “Well, hello to you too, Dash.”

“Eat a fat one, Fentoad !” Dash barked. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten anything! There’s still a score that needs to be settled and I’m gonna get my piece from you!”

Danny groaned quietly, saying, “...Great, I’m still his favorite.”

This time, it was Mason’s turn to roll his eyes and ask them, “Whatever. Is there any reason you all decided to descend to our table and grace us with your presence, exalted ones?”

Star bit her lip as she thought, ‘ ...Damn it! At this rate, I’m gonna lose my spot to this West Coast upstart! ’

“Butt out, geek! This doesn’t concern you,” Paulina hissed, giving Mason the stink eye before looking at his girlfriend. “Pacifica, right? You seem to have the right qualities of an A-Lister, chica . If you want, we have a spot open with your name on it.”

“No.” Pacifica instantly answered. “You can go away, now.”

The A-Listers and the new trio (aside from Mason) were shocked to see how quickly the blonde rejected the popular crowd. Star mentally sighed, no longer fearing for her spot, but Paulina was fuming at this casual response.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Ugh! Do I have to spell it out for you?” Pacifica scoffed as she rolled her eyes. “ I said no. Nada. нет. Capisce? Now get lost.”

At this point, Star felt her own blood boiling. She wasn’t going to allow such disrespect to stand.

“Who the hell do you think you are, treating us like nobodies!?” The other blonde girl hissed. “You’re just a new girl, but we run this school-!”

Star was interrupted by the stifled laughter coming from none other than Pacifica Elise Northwest herself.

“Oh my God, you’re so pathetic!” Pacifica pointed out. “No wonder you’re going aggro! You actually feel threatened by me!”

This stopped any momentum Star had as Pacifica continued to dismantle the popular crowd.

“Got nothing else to say?” Pacifica said to Star, only to turn to the rest of the girl’s friends. “Good, then I’ll cut to the chase because I want to talk to my boyfriend and his friends.”

Looking at the A-Listers, Pacifica stated, “You’re not elites. Every single one of you is only popular because of your looks and athletic status. Nothing remarkable.”

This comment silenced the entire lunchroom, as nobody had ever openly slandered the popular kids. Not even Sam was this radical publicly, and seeing Pacifica being outspoken despite her social status pissed her off to no end.

“Looks and sports alone mean nothing, and the irony of it all is that you’re frauds. All of your families are mainly middle class, with a few of you being upper middle classmen at best,” Pacifica chided with glee. “Isn’t that right, chica ?”

Paulina blushed in fury while murmuring curses in Spanish.

“It’s funny. The only family in this town that even comes close to my level of wealth is the Mansons, and I take it that the heiress here wouldn’t give any of you the time of day. Some elites you guys are.” Pacifica giggled.

This caused Danny, Tucker, Sam, and the other students to be left speechless as eyes turned to a seething and shamefaced Sam.

‘ ...NO, NO, GOD DAMN IT! ’ Sam screamed as she laid her head down on the table and slammed her fist down. ‘ SOMEBODY SHUT HER f*ckING MOUTH! ’

“Heh, I bet none of you are even friends,” Pacifica said, continuing her smear campaign with no sign of stopping. “You’re just a little clique soaking up as much attention as possible because you all know that after graduation, it’s all over. From there on, it’ll be retail stores and fast food joints, unlike me. It's sad, really.”

“So, no,” Pacifica said as she wrapped up her response. “I’d rather spend time with those I deem worthy. People who look past the Northwest name and see Pacifica Elise . One-dimensional losers playing popular are so not worth my time.”

“ ...Pinche pendejo! ” Paulina swore under her breath, only for Pacifica to march up to her and got into her face.

“Got something to say, Sanchéz? You say it in my face !” The blonde Oregonian girl growled. “If not, you and your cronies can get lost . Perra. ”

Before she lost her mind and started a catfight with the new girl, Dash held her shoulder and said, “Don’t, people are talking.”

Paulina looked around and heard gossip regarding them all around the cafeteria, causing the popular girl to huff, and then glare at the smug-looking Northwest heiress.

“Fine, we don’t need you anyway.” Paulina spat as she turned from Danny’s table. “Have fun lounging with your dorky friends.”

With that, the A-Listers left the table, leaving Pacifica victorious in the confrontation.

Turning back to the others, Pacifica sat down and said, “Now that’s how you put people in their place.”

“Way to go, Paz!” Mason said, giving the blonde a high five.

“Yeah, really.” Valerie said, relatively speechless. “You got her running with her tail between her legs.”

“Mhm, like a bitch .” Pacifica smirked.

Mason and Valerie laughed before Mason turned to Danny, who was lost for words.

“What do you think, D?” Mason grinned. “Change your mind, yet?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Danny uttered. “I still haven’t got over what just happened here. Like, whoa! ”

“It’s simple, DJ. It’s called, "quit taking sh*t from everybody.” Valerie pointed out sassily. “You could learn a thing or two from her.”

“She’s gotta point there, Man.” Mason agreed.

“I get it, I get it,” Danny said, drooping his hooded head a little. “Baby steps. Thanks for the help, Pacifica.”

“Don’t mention it, Danny,” The blonde said. “Think you can trust me, now?”

"Yeah." Danny replied, extending a hand to Pacifica. "Welcome to the team."

Pacifica grinned before extending her own hand and shaking Danny's.

President’s Office, Axion Labs, Amity Park, IL

Inside the famous Axion Labs of Amity Park was the office of the company’s president. Unlike the corporate executives who resigned in July of this year, a new person is behind the desk to run the business.

Sitting on the desk was a middle-aged male bureaucrat with tan skin, short dark brown hair, and a dark brown mustache. He had prominent cheekbones and a large rectangular nose. On his left ring finger was his wedding band, and he wore a black suit with a white undershirt and a green tie.

This was Preston Northwest, held by the Northwest family, father of Pacifica Northwest, and the new President of Axion Labs.

Currently, acting as a very patient man. He was waiting for something, or rather, someone.

On the intercom, Preston’s secretary spoke to him, saying, “ ...Mr. Northwest, I have a Mr. Vladimir Masters of Vladco on hold .”

Pressing and holding the button on his desk, Preston spoke on his microphone, saying, “Hang up the phone and block his number.”

“ Yes, sir. ” The woman answered.

“...Damn Masters. That man can never leave things be…” The man sighed. “I swear, I never had this kind of problem in Gravity Falls. I rather deal with Jeremy Manson and his competitive antics than this.”

From there, he heard a knock from the other side of the door. Preston gazed upon the door and said, “Enter.”

A bodyguard wearing a black suit opened up the door, letting another man inside Preston’s office.

This man was a middle-aged African American male with dark skin, turquoise eyes with glasses over them, a low cut of black hair with a receding hairline, a bushy mustache, and hair around his arms. For his attire, he wore a white collared shirt, a red necktie, black dress pants, a brown belt with a silver buckle, and black loafers.

This was Damon Gray, an employee of Axion Labs, ally to the Phantom of Amity Park, and the father of Valerie Gray.

“You called for me, Sir?” Mr. Gray questioned politely.

“Yes, I have.” Axion Labs President Northwest confirmed before gesturing for the man to have a seat. “Please, take a seat.”

Mr. Gray does so, confused and slightly nervous.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Sir, why have I been called?” Damon questioned. “Have I done something wrong?”

“Mr. Gray, how long have you been working here prior to your unjust departure last year?” Preston inquired.

“Over ten years, Sir.” Mr. Gray answered truthfully.

“A decade? That’s a long time, Mr. Gray.” Preston brought up. “But given your respectful reputation among your coworkers, your work ethic, and your values to work at a high standard, this lines up.

“Sir, what is this about?” Damon asked again.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” Preston spoke in a professional tone. “Science is not my field of study. I have no knowledge on how to revolutionize technology or develop machines, but I am an experienced businessman and a damn good entrepreneur. But after losing my ancestral home in my hometown and losing a great deal of my fortune, I was forced to confront my faults.”

He stared at the window which had the perfect view of the town and said, “When I heard of this town and this company, it dawned on me that second chances can be had. Both my family and Axion Labs can have an opportunity to be rebuilt and be made something better.”

“...And perhaps, you can be a part of the reconstruction, as well.” Preston stated. “That is why, Mr. Gray, I’m offering the opportunity for you to prove yourself.”

“Prove myself? What are you saying,”

“I want you at the helm, as the Head of Research and Development.” President Northwest requested.

This stunned the larger man as Damon told him, “I…I don’t understand. Why me?”

“Do not mistake this for me taking a liking to you, Mr. Gray. This chance was based on your reputation, experience, and skill within your field. If there were other notable figures in your department, I would have chosen any of them.” Mr. Northwest noted. “But you have something more valuable that other people don’t.”

“What would that be?”

“You have your department’s trust.” President Northwest answered. “With you in a leadership position in the Department of Research and Development and myself working as the corporate head, we could take this company in a completely fresh direction. Together, we can bolster the results necessary for Axion Labs to make a profit and thrive better than it ever has.”

Mr. Preston finished this speech and said, “Mr. Gray, this is our chance for a fresh start. Will you work with me?”

Damon watched the man extend his right hand while his left hand sat on the desk unfolded. Unlike in Gravity Falls and the majority of his life, the wealthy man was completely sincere.

Damon smiled and took his boss’ hand and shook it.

“You’ve got a deal, Mr. Northwest.”

Fenton Works, Amity Park , IL

It was Saturday morning. Jack and Maddie were busy constructing their biggest project since the Fenton Portal. So far, the couple managed to come up with a final blueprint and started creating prototypes. Initially, this was just a modified version of the Portable Fenton Ghost Peeler, but then Maddie had the brilliant idea of a power suit to match the spirits they faced, which Jack obliged and expanded upon her idea by suggesting a mecha suit. This excited both scientists/inventors.

And thus, Project Ferrum Gigante had begun.

When the two went upstairs to take a coffee and judge break in the kitchen, some knocked on their door.

Maddie turned to Jack and asked her husband, “Honey, were we expecting somebody over today?”

“Uh, not that I know of,” Jack said, sounding just as clueless as his wife. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to see who it is.”

The couple walked over to the door. Jack opened it, revealing a slender young adult male five inches taller than Jazz. He had small brown eyes that held confidence in them, with suave black hair, olive skin, and wore a black business suit, brown dress shoes, golden cufflinks, and a black tie. He held a briefcase in his left hand and a manila envelope in his right arm pit.

“Is this the home of Jacob and Madelyn Fenton?” The handsome young man questioned.

“That would be us,” Jack said with a smile.

“But Jack and Maddie will do.” Maddie politely corrected.

“Very well,” The man nodded. “My name is William Dubois, agent and representative of the United States branch of a special sector within the UN.”

“The United Nations!?” Jack and Maddie blurted out in shock.

“The heck does the UN want with us?” Jack questioned, with both older adults concerned with what’s to come.

“My superior has sent me to bring this to you both,” William said, handing Jack the envelope.

When Jack took a hold of it, Maddie asked, “What is it, Jack?”

When the man opened the envelope and started to look at its contents, the man’s eyes dilated as his nostrils flared in anger.

“What in Sam Hill is this!? ” Jack Fenton demanded, shouted at the agent.

“Wait, what’s the matter?” Maddie said, holding onto her husband’s arm. “What’s wrong?”

“They’re slapping us with a cease and desist!” Jack heatedly revealed while giving her the paper.

“ What !?” Maddie shouted as she skimmed its contents. “I-I don’t understand! We are law abiding citizens and are up-to-date with the legislation! What could we possibly have missed?”

“Executive Order 9807,” Will mentioned. “It was passed recently. I suggest you look that up in your spare time.”

“This has got to be some kind of joke!” Jack ranted. “Why is our government protecting this spook? He stole from our town and attacked our mayor for Pete’s sake!”

“I’m afraid that’s classified, Mr. Fenton.” Will spoke evenly.

“You can’t be serious, he’s just a ghost! Public enemy number-”

“- Will we be charged for this, Sir?” Maddie questioned as she held her husband’s arm tight to stop him from lashing out.

“Only if you go against the EO again. Thankfully, the President and Congress were willing to overlook instances like this and give out a warning for first-time offenders.” The man said as he turned away from them. “Just a word of advice Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, please steer clear from the ghost kid. It’s not worth the prison sentence. Good day.”

With that, William Dubois left Fenton Works, leaving the heads of the household both confused, frustrated, and concerned.

-Two Hours Later, With Sam and Tucker-

“Sam, I still don’t think this a good idea,” Tucker said as they approached Fenton Works from around the corner. “We haven’t been there in like… forever .”

“Quit being a negative nancy, Tucker. That’s my thing,” Sam said while walking ahead of him. “As much as I don’t want to go here, we got to get some anti-ghost tech from somewhere.”

“We could have ordered them off of Vladco or Axion Labs. Heck, I think I saw some used stuff cataloged on Ebay.” Tucker offered.

“We don’t know what kind of quality we’ll get from second hand bullsh*t, Tucker. And besides, you wouldn’t be able to afford that complicated stuff.” Sam rationalized. “Look, we seen how Mr. and Mrs. Fenton used their tech for a year. If we can convince them to teach us how to use them and let us borrow the simple weapons, we can get started on ghost hunting and help out Phantom.”

“You seem pretty hung up on Phantom, Sam.” Tucker smirked, prompting Sam to blush.

“S-So? W-What's wrong with helping a guy who saves our ungrateful asses and protects the town?” Sam questioned.

“I’m just saying, this is the second time I’ve seen you taking an interest in a guy.” Tucker mentioned.

“Oh yeah? And what’s wrong with that?” Sam asked while they stopped by the stairs of Danny’s house.

“I didn’t say that anything’s wrong with it.” Tucker said, trying not to start an argument. “I’m not the bad guy here.”

“As irritating as you can be, I know you’re not the problem .” Sam said, glaring at the window of Danny’s room.

This made Tucker frown.

“Sam, it’s already been a year.” Tucker pointed out. “Can’t you let this grudge go and talk things out with-”

“-Out of the question, Foley!” Sam said get up to Tucker’s face. “He’s been ghosting us since the start of freshman year, bailed on us multiple times when we wanted to hang out with us and lied to us about where he was, and threw my feelings in my face and embarrassed me in front of the whole f*ckING school! Until I see a genuine effort for a decent apology, I have nothing to say to Daniel James Fenton!”

Tucker immediately closed his mouth as the girl placed her hand on the railing.

As the two walked up to the front door, Sam said, “Besides, if he can make new friends, then so can I .”

Without another word uttered amongst each other, Tucker knocked on the door. With that, Maddie opened up the door and gasped.

“Well, I’ll be darned!” Maddie said while placing her hands on her hips.

“Uh…Hi Mrs. Fenton,” Tucker and Sam spoke in unison as if they were in seventh grade again.

“Hey, Mads! Who’s at the door?” Jack called from the living room.

Maddie turned away from the teenagers and toward her husband's direction and said, “Come and see for yourself.”

With that, the two teenagers were met with the other leading ghost hunter as he crossed his arms.

“Tucker, Samantha, it’s been a while.” Jack spoke with less enthusiasm in more of a softer paternal tone. “Danno’s out shopping with Jazzerincess right now. What brings you here this afternoon?”

Sam originally stood in place and said nothing, forgetting how large and tall the Fenton patriarch was up close, only for Tucker to nudge her on her rib cage.

Sam grunted and mentally noted to kick Tucker in his shin as she answered, “R-Right! I-I was wondering if you were interested in training people in ghost fighting?”

“Huh, that never crossed my mind,” Jack said while thinking out loud. “Why’d you ask?”

Before Sam could answer, Tucker outed her.

“Sam wanted to ask you if she could borrow some of your inventions and train her how to hunt ghosts,” Tucker said.

“Wait, what ?” Maddie and Jack uttered.

“ TUCKER !?” Sam shouted growling at the coca-skinned boy.

Tucker responded, “What? It’s true, ain’t it?”

“What on Earth gave you that idea?” Maddie questioned. “That is absolutely out of the question!”

“Agreed,” Jack said, supporting his wife. “We cannot help you.”

“What? Why not?” Sam inquired, upset at their answer.

“Firstly, you’re a minor.” Maddie mentioned. “Apparently, there’s a new law passed called the Spectral Hunter’s Identification Act that only grants those who are at least seventeen and six months old the opportunity to gain licenses to hunt ghosts and carry anti-ghost equipment, with certain exceptions such as our children.”

Tucker took out his PDA and searched this up and said, “...Oh yeah, this is legit. It was just passed along with EO-9807 January of this year.”

“You’re kidding me,” Sam groaned. “Nobody believed or cared about ghosts last year! What’s with the sudden turnaround?”

“Hindsight is a doozy, ain’t it,” Jack chuckled lightly.

Maddie continued, stating, “ Even if we were permitted to do what we want, we still wouldn’t allow it.”

“B-But we’re willing to learn!” Sam offered. “ I am willing to learn!”

“Samantha, this isn’t about your willingness.” Maddie corrected. “Individuality be darned, we are parents , and as parents , we wouldn’t be comfortable putting you in a situation where you can get hurt, or worse. Not when we don’t even allow our own children to take arms in our battles. What would Pamela and Jeremy say if you got hurt?”

“I can take care of myself!” Sam argued. “Me, Tucker, and the new kid proved that when that ghost attacked the library. ”

“Oh? Let's say that what you three told the school staff and us was true. What if the ghost boy and his vigilante ally weren’t there? What makes you think you could handle a threat like Ghost-X or Ember by yourself?” Maddie questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Sam piped down, knowing that Danny’s mother had her beat. She bit her lip in frustration and anxiety.

“Look, kids. We know that you don’t like sitting idly by on the sidelines and would like to get in on the action, but you are kids. You should be worried about having fun and scoring well on the next big test. Heck, in my day, we had to survive off of horse meat while my folks were at war!” Jack tried reasoning to Sam and Tucker (mostly the former). “...Just leave the ghost hunting to us, alright?”

“We hear ya, Mr. F.” Tucker said, answering for himself and a fuming Sam.

Not liking Sam’s childish attitude, a sudden thought crossed Maddie’s mind. She glared at Sam but remained calm as she spoke to the young Manson.

“I can’t help but be disappointed,” Maddie said, catching the teenagers’ attention. “You’d think we'd hear from you much sooner than this. We haven’t seen either of your faces in over a year.”

“...Yeah, sorry about that.” Tucker apologized awkwardly. “Things have gotten rocky these days.”

Sam couldn’t say anything, but her anger subsided as things had become more awkward since they were talking about Danny and their situation with him.

“We are aware,” Jack said evenly, shocking Sam and Tucker.

Maddie added, “And we don’t hold anything against either of you for it. It’s a dispute between you three and I believe that you’re old enough to handle solving that amongst yourselves. I just find it a tad unfair that the first thing you asked about were about ghosts and not mention anything about our son’s wellbeing.”

Tucker flinched while Sam averted her eyes, refusing to show how shamefaced she truly was. Neither of them could comment on that.

“I suggest that you talk to him soon, Samantha.” Maddie warned the girl. “If not, there will come a time where the two of you will drift apart. And if that happens, you will have no reason to come back to this household.”

With that, Maddie walked back inside, leaving the teens to face Jack Fenton. To soften the blow, Jack spoke to them one last time.

“That Maddie can be a real cutthroat when she wants to be, eh?” Jack chuckled a little. “Don’t let hurts stab ya too deep, now. She only gets like this because she cares about the two of you. And we know you’re not bad kids either.”

Sam and Tucker looked up at the man’s soft blues.

Then, those eyes narrowed silently as Jack warned them, “But she’s right about one thing. The longer this keeps up, you’ll soon find yourselves alone and your friendship down the toilet. Take it from a fool who experienced it by making a big mistake.”

Jack then reached for the doorknob and told them, “You kids take care, and try to sort things out as best you can. If there’s a ghost running amok, you know who to call.”

With that, Jack gently closed the door, leaving Sam and Tucker alone again. The two silently walked down the stairs to contemplate what they’ve learned. However, Tucker gave Sam a deadpan glance which irritated her.

“... What !” Sam growled.

“I told you it was a bad idea.” Tucker rubbed in.

“ OW !”

The techno-geek was left tending to his right shin as Sam stomped away, fuming and resisting the urge to have a freakout and cry at the same time.

Amity Park Lanes, Amity Park, IL

Phantom flies home after spending a Saturday night bowling with Pacifica, Mason, and Valerie after celebrating her father’s promotion.

The Phantom of Amity Park hadn’t been this happy in a long time. If he could recall, the ghost boy’s spirit hadn’t peaked this high since the first day of high school. Ever since he and Jazz helped Damon Gray win his lawsuit against Axion Labs, his life had slowly gotten better over time. Beforehand, he did not know how to control his powers or break it to his parents regarding the accident or what it did to him, he was struggling against the various ghosts despite having Jazz’s help, his school life was a trainwreck thanks to bullies like Dash Baxter and Sam’s emotional outburst didn’t help, his friendship with Sam was in shambles because of that after he rejected her romantic feelings, he could barely see Tucker, and his waning grades forced his parents to be strict with him.

But through trial and error, Phantom, as Danny Fenton, had learned to balance his life as a secret ghost hunter and a normal high schooler. With practice, he manages to control his basic powers without causing accidents to himself or others. While his social status at school didn’t necessarily change, he managed to swing Valerie on to his side with Jazz’s help, Mason and Pacifica coming to Amity Park were basically a God-sent, and he managed to keep his grades up, ranging from B- to an A+, with the only C he has in Physical Education (PE) to maintain his cover. This satisfied his family, though he was distant with parents lately due to their various calls to work as ghost hunters and inventors, and his old friends due to Sam’s grudge and Tucker desperately trying to keep their friendship from completely dissolving.

In spite of the negatives, Phantom’s spirits were lifted and soared.

Tonight, he celebrated Valerie’s father’s promotion and the creation of the new ghost hunting team by heading over to the local bowling alley while having all-you-could-eat pizza and soda. It was boys versus girls and needless to say, Danny and Mason lost three rounds to the girls. Surprisingly enough, Valerie and Pacifica were excellent at the game and were highly competitive.

Go figure.

When it was time to go, Valerie and her father offered Danny a ride, but he said that taking to the skies would be the faster route. The Gray family understood, allowing Danny to hide, transformed into Phantom, and took to the skies. Currently, it was nearing ten o’clock, which was Danny’s curfew during the weekend.

Phantom sighed in content, saying, “...Man! What a day! I finished my homework, I did all the chores, my family’s happy, and I got to spend time with my new friends without an annoying ghost attack!”

Phantom took out his Motorola V360 cellphone to check the time. It was nine thirty at night, making the ghost boy smile.

“Perfect! At this rate, I’ll make it back before my curfew!” Phantom exclaimed.

The ghost flew for fourteen minutes without interruption. However, just when he passed the Amity Park Mattress Factory, his Ghost Sense went off.

“What? Now? But I don’t see any- ARGH! ” Phantom blurted out in confusion before being struck with a magenta ecto-ray.

The blast forced Phantom to fall and crash on the roof of the mattress factory, causing his body to emit smoke from the sneak attack. Phantom got up and held his head in pain.

Phantom groaned, “...Ow, w-what the heck just hit me?”

"Hello, Young Daniel!" A voice that sounded ever so familiar to Danny. "You're looking awfully happy this evening."

Phantom’s eyes widened, for who floated above him was none other than his arch nemesis, Plasmius, Vlad Masters in his ghost form.

“Plasmius!” Phantom snarled, immediately on guard. “I figured you'd show up sooner or later!”

"Oh make no mistake, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to crush you again. Especially with your head held so high!" Plasmius spoke with a sinister grin. "So tell me, Daniel, what happened to your old friends? A little birdie told me you hang with a new crowd these days!"

Phantom’s eyes burned with ecto-energy as he shouted, “That’s none your business!”

"Oh come now, Daniel, you traded your friends for better ones, just like your father did to me!" Plasmius yelled bluntly, eager to infuriate his adversary.

“I did not tra-!” Phantom growled, only to pull back when he recognized what the older halfa was doing. “What do you want, Cheesehead? Actually, what are you doing here ?”

"Am I not allowed to visit my surrogate nephew on the odd occasion? In spite of the plight that your father did, he treats me like we're family. Ironic, isn't it, Young Badger?" Plasmius asked.

“Oh, don’t go and pretend like you care about me. You just want to use me.” Phantom scoffed as he floated up to Plasmius’ level. “I mean, don’t you have a company to run? Can’t you adopt a cat, try online dating, or literally anything besides stalking me and my family?”

"Foolish child! Observing yours and your mother's lives are my greatest pastimes in my life!" Plasmius growled as his body flared up with magenta energy. "And I. Don't. Need. A CAT!"

Phantom shrugged, saying, “I heard that they are good companions for people your age.”

Plasmius huffed in anger before calming himself down and he continued to speak.

"Besides that, I figured it was time for our monthly engagement. And I even heard that you might have gotten stronger."

“...You schedule our fights?” Phantom questioned.

"Like you said, boy, I'm a busy man." Plasmius said with a shrug. "I am quite interested in seeing this supposed new ability that you have manifested."

A chill washed over Phantom. He must have seen the power from three weeks ago.

Phantom narrowed his eyes and said, “...You’re up to something again! What is it!?”

"Even if I was up to something, Daniel, why would I just tell you? Do you peg me for some archetypical Bond villain?!"

“...It was worth a shot,” Phantom muttered before looking at the time on his cellphone.

It was nine forty-five.

Furrowing his dark eyebrows, Phantom let out an exasperated sigh, put away his phone as he flew toward Plasmius with his left fist co*cked back.

“I don't have time for this!” Phantom said as he threw the punch at the evil halfa.

However, Plasmius moved his left arm in front of him, catching Phantom's punch within his grip.

"I suggest that you show me that new power of yours if you wish to return home early!"

Plasmius then created a magenta shockwave that pushed Phantom away from him, then crossed both his arms, awaiting his nemesis' response.

Phantom grunted in pain, but shook it off and said, “Don’t you think I’ve tried!? I don’t know how to make it work, and even if I did, I don't have to show you anything !”

"Well, I don't care, Daniel, I scheduled this day just for us, and I am not leaving without seeing that new power! Even if I have to make you scream as many times as it takes!" Plasmius said, manifesting an intense magenta ecto-aura, a display of power within the Ghost Zone.

Phantom felt this power using a new ecto-energy sense he discovered over the Summer, and immediately made a connection to what happened three weeks prior.

‘ ...Wait. This feels like the power Skulker tapped into back at the library! ’ Phantom recognized mentally. ‘ What did he call it? Madness? ’

Regardless, Phantom manifested his own green spectral energy and said, “As if, Fruitloop! I’m sending you back to the Dairy King in Wisconsin!”

The two dropped to the rooftop and took their fighting stances under the pale moonlight. Phantom lunged forward, throwing punches and kicks with ecto-energy infused into them aimed at the older man’s head. Plasmius saw this from a mile away, dashing backwards through basic levitation while crossing his arms.

However, Phantom began to increase the speed of his flurry of attacks, forcing Plasmius to parry instead of invade. For a second, the older halfa admired the amount of ecto-energy the boy emitted as it paled to his own during his first year with ghost powers. Still, Phantom wasn’t a threat to him as Plasmius was now.

And he proved this by successfully striking Phantom, gradually adding more force with each parry. For every punch Phantom threw at him, he blocked and landed an open handed palm. For every kick Phantom tried to land, it was slapped away while Plasmius retaliated via a side kick to the ghost boy’s rib. Still, Phantom withstood these attacks and eventually hit Plasmius by using a feint attack with his leg, then landed an uppercut worthy of Jack Fenton’s praise.

Plasmius staggered back, then rubbed his perfect jawline as a grin formed on his face.

“Having fun yet?” Phantom quipped while his hand burned in green spectral power.

"I must say, Daniel, you've impressed me with your control over your output of ectoplasmic energy, and it was clever to channel said energy into your strikes, given your base level strength could never overwhelm me." Plasmius said with a hint of twisted pride. "Your mother's ingenuity no doubt."

Phantom growled, knowing that a straight on slug fest would end disastrously for him. He was fighting a grown man with years of experience in life and ghost powers. So, he was forced to use his head to solve situations like these.

"I suppose you have earned another lesson in how to apply and control ectoplasm, dear boy." Plasmius said as he held both his arms out, clenching his fists and putting them together. "Spectral Arms, Young Daniel, or as your parents might put it: Ectoplasmic Constructs."

Phantom gasped as Plasmius displayed the ability. Plasmius's hands glowed with magenta energy as he move them apart from one another, forming a thin horizontal shape of magenta ecto-energy which quickly took the form of a European crossguard sword composed of magenta ecto-energy with what looked like archaic writing on the side of the blade.

“ No way…! ” Phantom stated. “I can’t do anything like that!”

"Then you better take a few notes, dear boy, 'cause let me show you the majesty of the dreaded Master's Saber!" Plasmius yelled with a devious smirk as he grabbed the sword's hilt with both arms and swung it down at Phantom.

“ GAH! ” Phantom shrieked as he ducked, only losing small traces of snow-white hair before rolling out of the way of another swing.

Phantom found himself dodging this deadly sword construct, having to resort to stretching and curving his ghostly body to avoid Plasmius swipes and slashes. At one point, the vampire-looking halfa tried to stab Phantom in the chest, only for Phantom to make a hole for the blade to miss his chest cavity. Phantom used this chance to grab Plasmius and throw him ten feet away from him.

Phantom let out a sigh of relief, saying, “Crap, really was cutting it close there.”

Immediately, Phantom erected a green rectangular spectral shield construct to block the magenta sword construct.

"Simplistic, but it's a start." Plasmius said as he stepped back from Phantom before continuing to swing the Masters Saber as the young halfa blocked each strike with his newly formed ecto-shield.

After a few more clashes, both Phantom and Plasmius held their respective weapons/defenses against each other, doing their best to push one another back. Plasmius however grinned wickedly at his younger foe as the Master Saber's blade started to rapidly vibrate and sliced clean through Phantom's ecto-shield, spilling broken ecto-shards and melted down ecto-energy onto the ground.

"I'm not just capable of forming weapons, I can control the frequency in which the weapons move!" Plasmius yelled as he swiftly flicked the Master Saber horizontally, cleaving off one of Phantom's spectral hands.

“ARGH!” Phantom screamed in pain, only for that hand to grow it back immediately. “...Crap, I can’t fight him head-on!”

With that Phantom took to the skies once more and flew away. This irked Plasmius, prompting him to chase after the ghost boy.

“Where do you think you’re going, Daniel!?” Plasmius shouted at the ghost child as he caught up to him. “What kind of hero runs away from their nemesis!?”

Phantom gritted his teeth as he turned around in mid-flight and upon thrusting both arms forward, fired a huge green ectoplasmic energy beam at Plasmius, who tried to block it with the Masters Saber only for the sheer amount of force and energy to shatter the blade. Plasmius looked at the remains of his sword before looking at Phantom with an even wider grin as he started to fire off a barrage of magenta ghost rays.

Phantom began to dodge Plasmius' projectiles, moving high and low to avoid the blinding-fast energy blasts from his nemesis. Plasmius laughed maniacally before forming two spheres of magenta ecto-energy in his palms, then threw them at Phantom one after the other.

Phantom turned intangible for the blasts to go through his body. However, Plasmius fired an ecto-ray strong enough to force the ghost boy to shield himself, hitting his forearms. The boy was sent to an apartment building but managed to keep himself steady by sticking to the side of the building. Plasmius saw this and decided to continue the battle there. Plasmius rushed Phantom, swiftly conjuring up another Masters Saber to attack with, forcing the young halfa on the defensive once more.

“Seriously, again!?” Phantom complained as he dipped back to dodge.

"Maybe if you could manifest that new power of yours by now, none of this would be necessary!" Plasmius exclaimed, taking a two-handed sword stance before continuing to attack Phantom.

Dodging a few more swings of the sword construct while sticking onto the wall of the apartment building, Phantom shouted, “I already told you, I don’t know how!”

“Excuses!” Plasmius shot back.

Getting fed up with Plasmius, Phantom decided to show him something new. While Plasmius was preoccupied with his true self, Phantom created an invisible clone to move behind Plasmius. From there, Phantom timed his opponent’s swing and evaded it, then kicked the weapon out of his hand. From there, his invisible clone wrapped Plasmius’ cape around his body, blinding him.

“W-What is the meaning of this!?” Plasmius shouted.

With that, Phantom began to pummel Plasmius with a barrage of punches and kicks while his invisible clone held him down. He did this for a minute straight until Plasmius’ Madness spiked, blasting both Phantoms to the empty street.

The clone returned back to Phantom as he sat up. But when he looked up, he saw a fuming Plasmius with a burning magenta aura.

He was absolutely livid.

"ENOUGH TOMFOOLERY! I have given you every chance to manifest that ability you awakened, but it appears you were telling the truth!" Plasmius yelled as his magenta ecto-aura became a giant spectral pillar surrounding his body, emanating an intense feeling of 'Madness' around it.

Phantom got up and shielded his face from the bright light, overwhelmed at his enemy’s immense negative spectral energy output.

‘ ...T-This is Vlad’s…? Too much! I-It’s too much! ’ The ghost boy thought to himself.

"Very well, Daniel, time to end this song and dance! Prepare yourself, boy!" Plasmius yelled as he zipped in front of Phantom, first landing a right hook across his face.

Plasmius furiously landed punch after punch in rapid successions upon Phantom's body, making him flinch with each attack that struck him. The last punch sent Phantom to the side of a parked eighteen wheeler truck, denting the reinforced metal of the semi-trailer.

Plasmius walked toward the downed Phantom slowly, saying, “Get up, boy. We’re far from done, here.”

Phantom staggered, but stood, echoing, “W-We’re?”

From there, the elder smirked and spawned three clones and emitted fiery magenta ecto energy from their hands, genuinely terrifying Phantom in his weakened state.

Plasmius and his clones began their coordinated attack as one clone grabbed and threw Phantom into the crowd, then another clone continued to throw punches at the young halfa, then kicked him to another clone that began viciously beating into the poor teenager. Plasmius and his clones tossed him around like orcas passing around a mangled seal. Two of Plasmius' clones then uppercutted Phantom into the air, and one clone and the real Plasmius intercepted and knocked him into the ground.

In a fit of desperation, Phantom screamed as he fired off several green ectoplasmic rays frantically. While he was able to destroy two of Plasmius' clones, the original version and the remaining clone got close enough to smack Phantom into the ground with a double punch.

Phantom’s body bounced onto the ground violently back first, causing Phantom to cough of ectoplasm infused blood from his mouth.

‘ W-What’s happening? ’ The ghost boy thought deliriously

Plasmius let out a dark chuckle as his clone re-merged with himself.

"Foolishness, Daniel. Foolishness." The older halfa spoke as he spread his legs and reeled back his arm. "At any time during this little quarrel, I could have squashed you like an insect. But fret not, my dear boy. You may keep your little life, but I’m going to make sure that you’ll remember this moment for the rest of your days."

Plasmius concentrated as magenta sparks of electricity manifested and coursed through his body and arms. After a few intense shockwaves, the magenta electricity began to distort and twist, changing to black sparks of lightning that surged around Plasmius' reeled back fist. Though he was not manifesting his ecto-aura, Phantom could feel an even more intense and mind-numbing force of pressure surrounding his adversary.

“W-What is…?” Phantom managed to ask but failed to finish saying.

"If you will not show me your new power, Daniel, then I shall show you mine! Witness the fruits of my labour, twenty years in the making!" Plasmius yelled proudly as he disappeared from sight from sight with a flash of photo-negative space.

Before Phantom could look for his adversary, another flash of photo-negative space along with Plasmius instantly re-appeared in front of him as he felt the older halfa's fist plunged into his stomach. Soon, an intense and rapid sensation flooded and enveloped his body and mind. The black sparks of lightning surged and cracked from Plasmius' fist as it was blasted directly into Phantom's spectral body.

Phantom was flung as a black streak across in mid air, hitting a nearby abandoned building’s wall that collapsed upon impact. He was then sent to a wall by an alley and sprawled next to a dumpster before morphing back to Danny Fenton. He was bruised, cut, and utterly defeated. Blood and small traces of ectoplasm stained his jacket, while a cut on his forehead began to soak the bangs against his head.

Plasmius soon arrived at where the unconscious Danny was, before a black ring of spectral energy enveloped him, turning him back into his human persona, Vlad Masters.

"What a wonderful Saturday evening." Vlad remarked to himself. "I always wanted to try out shadow boxing. But now that I have you right where I want you…"

Vlad then went into his coat pocket and took out a syringe, then jabbed it into the side of Danny's arm, extracting a blood sample from the younger halfa. Upon observing the sample, Vlad grinned before putting the syringe in a secure hidden pocket.

"That should cover both of my reasons for coming here." Vlad said, before then looking at Danny once more. "Now, we should get you back home before your parents come looking for you, dear boy."

Vlad let out another devious laugh as he pulled out his phone and dialed Jack Fenton's number.

- Fenton Works, Fifteen Minutes later-

Danny found himself waking up in his house groggily. He was utterly sore in every sense of the word. His bones ached and moving was a major pain. It hurt so much that it reminded him of the time he got up after 8/4.

He felt like he was wrapped up like a mummy. This was due to his arms, torso, nose, forehead, and chin being covered in medicinal wrappings.

“...Look, I think he’s waking up!’ A familiar voice spoke out before the person leaned close to him.

This person was Jazz, his sister.

“Danny?” She spoke softly. “Are you okay?”

“...J-Jazz?” Danny whispered, not knowing if what happened was a dream or not.

Suddenly, Danny heard more footsteps and found himself being surrounded by his parents, Maddie and Jack Fenton.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” Maddie questioned.

“Mom? I-I don’t under…” Danny trailed off before nearly jumping off of the living room couch facing up when he found the face of the last person he wanted to see.

Vlad Masters.

“W-What the-!?” Danny blurted out as he nearly found himself succumbing to an anxiety attack. “What’s going on!? Where am I?”

“Easy, son. It’s alright. You’re home,” Jack said, placing a gentle hand on the fifteen-year-old’s shoulder. “Vladdie found you getting jumped by some no-good hoodlums who were trying to mug you and warded them off.”

“He thankfully filed a police report and told us what happened over the phone.” Maddie said, still feeling uncomfortable around her former college classmate.

“You passed out during the ride home.” Jazz said, playing her part in the fabricated narrative for her brother’s sake, much to her inner disgust and frustration for Vlad.

Danny felt the pit of his stomach churn in disgust as he resisted the urge to scream bloody murder and puke. Still, he stiffly nodded to avoid suspicion from his father and mother.

"You gave me quite the scare, Little Badger, there were a few times that I feared he wouldn't make it during the ride along the way." Vlad said, putting on the facade of a good samaritan as he feigned concern for his nemesis' well-being. "But Young Daniel's a tough one, just like his parents."

“S-Sorry for all of the trouble guys. I-I wasn’t as careful as I thought I’d be.” Danny hoarsely apologized, feeling too tired for his aggression to manifest. “...And thanks for the help, Uncle V-Vlad.”

Just saying that nearly made Danny vomit.

"It's no trouble, Daniel, just looking out for an old time friend and his family." Vlad said with a pleasant smile as he turned his head, twisting it into a sinister grin as he prepared to leave. "Oh, and don't be shy, I'm just a phone call and a few states away if you need anything."

Danny stiffly nodded as Jazz and him watched the rich bastard walk out of the room and head to the front doot.

And Jack follows the billionaire to the door.

“Vladdie, ol’ chum, I can’t thank you enough for this,” Jack said with genuine appreciation. “Who knows what would have happened to Danny if you hadn’t been around.”

"I know that if I had a child of my own, you would do the same for them." Vlad said, feigning affection for his old friend and lab partner.

“Of course we would,” Maddie said, feigning a kind smile but she spoke the truth as a decent human being.

“Just as I said before, you’re always welcome at our home,” Jack said with kindness.

"I'll hold you to it, old friend." Vlad said with a chuckle as he silently waved goodbye to the Fentons and exited their home.

Jazz glared where Vlad used to be, saying, “That sleazy no good creep! If I had the Fenton Peeler I’d show that bastard what for!”

She then turned to Danny, whose face was covered in his bangs.

“How are you feeling, Little-” Jazz said before pausing.

The older sibling could see that her brother began to pant heavily as the festering he had inside started to show. Danny’s shaking hands balled up and drew blood. His teeth gritted, and while his bangs covered his face, tears fell from his glowing green but bloodshot eyes.

“Danny?” Jazz called to the boy. “Danny, are you okay?”

“...ate him.” Danny choked as he barely managed to whisper. “I hate him..!”

Jazz looked at the boy in sadness as he appeared unkempt and shaken to his core. Right now, he wasn’t the quippy sarcastic but well-meaning young man with a hero streak. This was a scared and helpless child who needed help for a change.

“Oh, Danny,” Jazz whispered before gently embracing her little brother, who began crying.

“J-Jazz!” Danny managed to say while he hiccuped as his eyes turned to their normal blue shade. “I hate him, I hate him SO much!”

“I know, it’s going to be alright,” Jazz whispered while rubbing the boy’s back.

Jack and Maddie walked in and saw that Danny was in the middle of an emotional breakdown. And while they did not know the true context, the matriarch and patriarch in the family joined in on the hug, knowing that their younger member needed support.

…To Be Continued