Danny Phantom 1. Prologue

**Summary:** For decades there has been a war between the ghost race and the human race, but when a new Ghost King arises the war suddenly stops. By the time Danny's born, ghosts are no longer seen. The humans believe it is just the calm before the storm and therefore have spent the last ten years preparing new weapons and technology against the ghost race. The most important of their weapons is built by Jack and Maddie Fenton, leading experts in ghost hunting technology. The ghost portal they have developed is a sure way to finally gain access to enemy territory and finally destroy them. When said race discovers their rival's intentions, they quickly decide to cut their plans short. Unfortunately, the events cause Jack and Maddie the life of their one month old son, Danny Fenton. In reality, the baby is found by the ghost king himself, Vlad Plasmius. This king however has a past that very few know about; what will Plasmius do with Danny when he discovers that the same series of events that make his parents believe he is dead, also made the child half ghost? Well that's where the story begins.

**Author's notes:**

Man, I thought I would never start this story! I have been planning to since October…. Heh, well here it is. But I need to blather about a few things before we start; but it is important and I'll be brief... or as brief as little ol' me can be!

Okay, this story falls under "alternate universe" category. That means it does not follow the shows timeline, facts, etc. You will notice however I will be adding some things similar to the show, but with a different twists. What's important is that you guys understand that it will be different and anything goes.

Main thing is this: Ghost are not dead humans in this story. They are a different species and living beings. They do not breathe or have hearts because their bodies work differently, not because they are dead. There life energy comes from ectoplasmic energy. It is what keeps them alive. Still people will at times refer to them as spooks or spirits, but mostly Ghosts which is what the race is really called. Got that? Kay.

Now, I am not explaining the entire background right away. I am keeping some things till later, so trust me, and go with me when I leave you hanging. But feel free to ask me something if you are confused. I will tell you if I want you to know, if not, I will answer: "wait and see".

Okay, most important thing. Take a look at the rating for this story. Yes, it is rated T and for a reason. My stories, including CM are not rated this high; that means, you can expect this story to be stronger than those. I rated this story higher mainly for violence. It will be very descriptive. But I also rated it this because it will have romance and again it will be descriptive. Nothing inappropriate I can assure you of that! Just descriptive. Just think of this as a rated PG 13 movie, if you are uncomfortable with them, than this fic isn't for you.

So, speaking of romance. This will eventually be a Danny and Sam story, but it will have other male and female pairings. I will not tell you what they are now, but if you are not flexible with different pairings than, again, this fic isn't for you.

And lastly, there will be character death in this story; so be prepared to see some of that.

Okay, I'm done with that. I hope all my wonderful readers will be joining me for this new story, and some new ones would be nice, too!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom.

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Prologue: **

The pale, quarter moon shined dazzlingly in the darkened sky of Amity Park. Not even the light from the stars combined, on this particular night, could over come its glow. Although the moonlight seemed to caress the entire town below -so much that the bodies of water present had become sparkling mirrors- its brightest wave of light looked down upon a particular house. More specifically upon a single window, located on the small two-story home. The beam penetrated through the glass and splashed the room within, providing sufficient light for a young mother to see the child in her arms; but the kiss of moonlight was also soft enough to lull the restless baby into tranquility.

The mother softly hummed to her one-month-old son in an attempt to get him to close his sapphire eyes that were currently dimmed with tiredness. She had opened the curtains to allow the moonlight to enter the room, since doing so always managed to relax her child. Now, her battle was to get him to give into his fatigue, and sleep. She gently stroked his soft, black hair, while rocking him slowly, her actions rewarded with quiet coos.

"You're so stubborn, Danny. I can see you're tired, so why don't you sleep?" she said gently, a soft and amused expression on her face.

"Maddie?"

The twenty-seven-year-old woman turned towards the voice, a quizzical look appearing on her face at seeing her husband's sober expression.

"What is it, Jack?" she asked softly, not wanting to compromise the battle she was slowly winning against her infant.

The man sighed quietly, before smiling down at his son and lightly caressing his cheek. "The Guys in White are downstairs" he answered, moving his blue eyes to his wife.

Maddie's demeanor immediately hardened. "Why are they here? We told-"

Danny whined in protest, clearly feeling his mom's agitation. Outwardly, the brown-haired woman quickly calmed for the sake of her child, but her anger continued to burn fiercely in her eyes. "They are not supposed to be here until the end of the week," she said seriously.

Jack walked over to a drawer and opened it. "I know, Maddie, but they insist we had enough time and that it's urgent they get the finished project," he replied with soberness, walking back to his wife and child, before offering Danny a pacifier.

Maddie sighed in resignation, her amethyst eyes falling to her son, who had moved a bit and was currently sucking lethargically on the pacifier. "It's not finished, Jack. There are still tests and calculations to be done. We have to make sure it's calibrated to avoid any instability. There's no telling what that thing could do if it's started without being properly checked first."

"You're right, Mads, but I really think it'll work!" he whispered excitedly, "Maddie, we'll finally gain access, we'll finally be able to end all this chaos caused by those…things! That device is humanity's secret weapon… We gotta finish it."

Maddie remained silent. Clearly, she didn't share her husband's enthusiasm. "Alright, let me put Danny down and I'll be right down," she said calmly.

Jack nodded his agreement. He then gave his sleeping son a kiss on his tiny hand, before kissing his wife on the cheek. "Don't worry about Jazz. She's fast asleep," he informed her, before walking out.

At hearing the door softly close, Maddie exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry you have to be in the middle of all this, sweetie, but your daddy and I are going to do everything possible to make everything better…. _I just hope__** this**__ is what's better,"_ she added mentally with a worried frowned.

The brown-haired woman carefully put her baby down and covered him with his space-rocket-printed blanket. Giving him one last smile, she moved away and quietly exited the room.

Maddie walked downstairs, her expression quickly changing into sobriety at the sight of six men standing at the entranceway below. All of them were dressed in white suits, accented by dark sunglasses. The woman's gaze, however, was specifically locked onto one of these men, the one standing in front of the other five. He was clearly the one in charge.

"I want to know why you feel you have the right to barge into my house, especially in the middle of the night," Maddie demanded angrily.

The slim and muscular, blond-haired man removed his glasses and gave her a calm, almost bored, look. Clearly, he was unfazed by her glare. "You are working on a very important device, Mrs. Fenton. A device that I need not remind you is being funded by the government for you and your husband to develop. So, correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the deadline for this project in a year's time? You are four months overdue."

"You're right, Mr. Chrome, and we're sorry for falling behind schedule, but you gotta understand, my wife recently gave birth to our second kid and well… it has taken some time away from us," Jack explained.

"Congratulations," Mr. Chrome replied, although it was obvious he did not mean it. "But you'll have to forgive me if I don't sympathize with your situation. Your main priority should be finishing that project. It has been ten years since those creatures sealed all entry into their territory and just as long that they have remained inactive. Whatever they have been planning during all this time is serous. Our entire existence depends on us striking before they do and that isn't possible without a way to get to them! You're worried about your children, Mrs. Fenton? Then give us what we ask, because until then, not only are your own children at risk, but everyone else's," the man assured.

Maddie slowly nodded in agreement. "It is almost finished. We just need to run a few tests before attempting to activate it."

"I would like to see it," Mr. Chrome replied, his cold, green eyes clearly showing that wasn't a request but an order.

The couple shared a silent look before Jack pointed and responded, "It's this way." The six men silently followed the two young parents down a hallway. They passed the house's kitchen located on their left before soon finding a door to the right.

Jack turned the handle and walked down a small set of metallic stairs, leading them inside a large laboratory. Among other things, the place contained a computer mainframe, lab tables with strange devices or beakers of chemicals on them, and… the so-called project.

The married couple stopped at the far end of the lab and turned towards the men. "This is it," the woman said, pointing to a large device behind her.

Passed half-opened steel doors, a long, somewhat circular entryway could be seen. It looked cold and dark, and like the doors that contained it, the wire and circuitry-filled tunnel was also made of thick steel.

The man approached the eerie machine and studied it intently before turning to the couple. "Activate it."

"No," Maddie said right away, earning her a frown from Mr. Chrome. "It has not been properly tested and I will not risk the safety of my children."

The man approached her with an icy look. "You don't seem to understand the fact that we are at war. This invention is what will finally break this ten-year stalemate. We need that doorway into the Ghost Zone! Plagues can only be eradicated from the source!"

"Mr. Chrome, no one wants the Ghost Portal to work more than me, but not at the cost of something happening to my wife and kids," Jack intervened, "How bout giving us a day? We'll have it ready for activation tomorrow afternoon."

Mr. Chrome remained silent, while glancing at the device. "Is the sample of concentrated ectoplasm enough?"

"Yes, we believe so," Maddie replied, heading to the right of the metal doors. She quickly typed a number sequence on a square, metallic control panel. A beep and hiss followed her actions, before she carefully grabbed a cylindrical glass tube from its holding place at the side of the control panel. The glass tube glowed with its swirling thick green fluid.

The leader of the Guys in White accepted the glass tube from the woman with surprising care. "It took a great deal of effort to obtain this sample," he said, studying the hot liquid within and seeing how sparks of electricity shot from it which was clearly being contained by its thick glass case. "If it is lost, it will take years to obtain another batch, especially now that the enemy has not set foot on our world for so long…. You do understand what I'm saying, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton?" he asked, his green eyes going back to the couple.

"It will work," Maddie assured in an icy voice.

Mr. Chrome handed the object back to the young woman before turning, and exiting the lab; his men following suit. "Have it ready by tomorrow," the mid-thirty-year-old man ordered.

The two young parents followed the six men out and walked them to the door. "One more thing," Mr. Chrome stated, turning to face them. "As the world's leading ghost experts you will be required to aid the government through this war in _any _way we need, understood?"

"Don't forget we are on the same side, Mr. Chrome. We've helped your ghost-hunting division since we started our research and will continue to do that in any way necessary until we get rid of the ghost race," Jack answered with a serious frown.

The man gave him a tight smile in return and answered, "Good, I'm glad to hear The Guys in White have your full cooperation. Until tomorrow, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton. Rest assured that the portal _will _be activated then, regardless of whether or not you believe it is ready."

The couple said nothing as they watched the men leave. Jack soon closed the door and turning to his wife, clearly saw her furious expression.

"If I didn't feel his fowl breathe on me, I would say that man is one of those evil creatures from how heartless he is," Maddie stated angrily.

"Don't worry about him, Maddie. Let's just finish the portal. Just think of all the things we can discover. Who knows? Maybe we'll finally find a weakness," Jack beamed.

Maddie headed to a nearby living room and sat on a sofa. She leaned forward and rested her face in her hands, a tired sigh escaping her lips. "Jack, we had access to the Ghost Zone during Dark's rule. What makes you think that this time it will be any different? This battle has been going on longer then you and I have been alive.… I don't know, Jack, something's strange in all this. Ever since this new ghost king appeared, things have calmed down…. Maybe they finally decided to give up; maybe there isn't a plot… Jack, what if this war ended ten years ago and all we have been doing is wasting our time?!"

Jack frowned deeply at his wife. "Maddie, ghosts are blood-thirsty monsters! They have killed thousands of people! Do you really think they would just give up? Do you really think that they'd leave us alone? Maddie, Dark was_ this_ close to enslaving the entire world. If it wasn't for his sudden overthrow-"

"Exactly, Jack! Since then, these creatures have vanished! Maybe this new ghost king…," Maddie sighed, "I don't know, Jack. I really don't know what to think anymore…. I guess I want to make sure we are doing the right thing and not just agitating a dangerous beehive," she said worriedly.

Jack sat next to his wife and wrapped his arm around her frame. "I think we are doing the right thing, Mads. Just think of it this way: Once all this is over, everyone will be safe again; the kids will live in a safer world, a world without these heartless spooks.

Maddie nodded in agreement. "You're right, Jack. I just can't help but worry. If the ghost king gets wind of this…"

"He won't, sweet cheeks! And even if he did, our house is completely surrounded by ghost detecting devices; he wouldn't even make it to the front door without us knowing," he assured with a confident grin.

Maddie smiled, clearly feeling better with his words. "I suppose-"

"Mommy?"

Mother and father looked toward the stairs where their two-year-old daughter stood, wearing pink pajamas and holding a bear with a mustache.

"Jazz? I thought you were asleep, sweetie," Maddie stated, surprise evident in her tone.

"Yeah, I thought I put you in bed?" Jack added, standing up and going towards the little girl.

"I know, daddy, but I didn't say night-night to mommy and Danny!" she answered, raising her hands, so her dad could pick her up.

Maddie smiled warmly as Jack sat back down and then sat Jazz on his lap. "Oh, I'm sorry, honey. I was about to go up and say good-night to you, but I got a little distracted by some guests that passed by."

The red-haired girl giggled and jumped on her mom's lap, before wrapping her arms around her neck. "It's okay, mommy! I say night-night first today!"

Maddie hugged her back and gave her a kiss on the nose. "Yes, you did," she whispered with a small chuckle. "But it's back to bed for you now; it's past your bedtime," she scolded gently.

Jazz furrowed her eyebrows, "But I have to say night-night to Danny."

"Princess, Danny's asleep," Jack informed her with a smile.

The little girl pouted her lips, her turquoise-colored eyes widening a bit, "Aw, please, mommy? I won't make no noise. Powmise!

Her mother smiled, "Alright, but you have to be very quiet. You know how hard it is for me to get your brother to fall asleep."

Jazz nodded her head enthusiastically and jumped a bit from happiness.

Maddie stood with Jazz in her arms, while Jack followed suit. They all headed upstairs, towards the room of the youngest member of the family.

"Hey, daddy? Can we go to the park tomowo? I wanna go feed the duckies!" Jazz asked, becoming excited at the thought of seeing the small animals.

Her father gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Jazzy-pants, but your mom and I gotta work on something really important tomorrow."

"But we'll take you the day after that, okay?" Maddie added, seeing the look of disappointment on her daughter's face.

Her face instantly brightened and she nodded in agreement.

"But you know what we'll do tomorrow, Princess? Your mom made fudge, so for lunch tomorrow we'll have a whole bucket full of mouth-watering fudge, just the two of us!"

"Jack," the late-twenty-year-old woman said with disapproving look, "You know you can't feed Jazz so much sweet. It'll make her sick."

"Nonsense, Maddie! Jazz is a big girl, arent't ya, Jazzerincess?"

The young child quickly nodded, "Yup! I'm this many!" she answered proudly, putting up two fingers to indicate her age.

"See, she can handle it!" her husband defended, just as they arrived at Danny's room.

"Alright, but only a little, and only after she gets a nutritious lunch," Maddie bargained with a smile.

Jack grinned. "Alright, but I'll have you know fudge is very nutritious! Just look at how muscular and fit I am!" he said, sticking out his chest and placing his hands on his waist.

Jazz giggled. "That's not mucile, daddy! That's fat!" she said, reaching out and poking her dad's belly.

Maddie laughed, while Jack frowned at his daughter, who just giggled some more at his expression.

"Okay, Jazz, don't forget to be real quiet," her mom reminded her.

"No noise, powmise," she whispered, bringing her finger up to her lips.

The three Fentons quietly entered the baby's room.

Jazz smiled down at her brother after her mom lifted her higher so she could look over the railing on the baby crib. Her happiness grew at hearing him coo a bit and lift up his tiny hands towards his head and leave them there.

The little girl leaned down and touched the baby's right hand, which was adorned with a gold bracelet. She touched the small piece of jewelry lightly before giving her sibling a soft kiss on his cheek. "Night-Night, little brother," she whispered.

Jack and Maddie shared a warm smile at the sight. The mother then brought Jazz up towards her and with a soft smile directed at her son, she moved away from the crib, so Danny's father could bid him sweet dreams.

Jack caressed the baby boy's face for a moment, before giving him a kiss on the cheek as Jazz had. "Night, son. See you tomorrow."

With that, Maddie, Jack, and Jazz quietly left Danny's room.

"Okay, Jazzy-pants, time for bed," the black-haired man said, after closing his son's door.

Jazz yawned widely and her turqoise eyes dimmed, showing she had no problem with that.

The young woman placed her daughter in bed and began to tuck her in, but the two-year-old wasn't quite ready for bed just yet.

"Mommy, tell me a story?" the girl asked.

"Jazz, you need to go to sleep," her mom said disapprovingly.

"Just a small one!" she pleaded.

"Alright," Maddie said with a helpless sigh. She then turned her eyes to her husband, who was smiling in amusement. "Jack, could you turn off the lights and make sure everything is… _secure_?"

Jack nodded. He knew that his wife was asking him to turn on the ghost detection devices. "Sure thing, Maddie," he replied. "Good night, princess," the young father then said, leaning down and giving Jazz a kiss on the cheek.

"Wait, daddy! Bear-Bert Einstein wants a kiss too!" his daughter said, thrusting the bear towards him.

Jack grinned. "Oh, yeah, almost forgot him. Although, I still don't know where you came up with that name," he said before kissing the bear on the nose.

"I name him that cause he's a smart bear!" Jazz answered with a wide grin.

"And you're a smart girl!" Jack beamed proudly, "_I_ can't even say Ein-Ein… uh-"

"Einstein!" Jazz exclaimed, sitting up.

"Yeah that," the man mumbled, scratching his head.

"Okay, Jazz, come on. Story time, then bed time," Maddie said, coaxing her to get back into bed.

Jack gave his _girls_ a smile before heading out of the room to do what his wife asked him.

Sitting down on her daughter's bed, the woman asked, "Okay, what would you like?"

Jazz's eyebrows furrowed, while she pondered the question. Her left hand unconsciously played with the gold bracelet that -- like her brother-- she wore on her right wrist. "Um... Oh, I know! I want a story bout a Prince and he meets a regular girl, and then they fall in love and she becomes a Princess!" she requested excitedly

Maddie tapped her chin, "Hmm… alright, I think I can do that one."

Jazz hugged her bear under the covers as her mom began, "There was once a young prince who lived in a beautiful palace. He had everything he could ever want, but deep inside his heart he knew he was missing something. He didn't know what it was and so he didn't understand what it could be, but he felt it…."

Ten minutes later Jazz had fallen asleep. Maddie carefully stood and fixed her daughter's blankets so that they covered her well. Pushing away a strand of red hair from the little girl's face, she kissed her good-night. The woman then turned off the lamp and made sure Jazz's night light was on, before turning towards the door. But when she did, she found her husband standing in the doorway, watching her.

"Aw, I wanted to hear the end of that story," Jack whispered playfully, but truthfully.

Maddie walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the lips. "You'll have to wait until story time again to hear it," she teased. "Come on, let's get to bed; we have a lot of work to do tomorrow," she said, closing Jazz's door.

Jack wrapped his arm around her frame as they headed to their room. "Sure do!" he agreed.

"Did you set everything?" the woman asked.

He nodded. "Yes, but don't worry so much, Maddie baby, everything will be fine!" he assured her.

Maddie just smiled at Jack. She knew he was right, but she just couldn't shake this feeling within her. A feeling that kept telling her something terrible was going to happen.

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"What did you find out?" a deep and cool voice inquired the two beings that had just entered the room. 

"It is as you said. The humans are attempting to gain access," one of them replied in a strong tone.

The owner of the first voice chuckled. "A man-made portal, how foolish."

"But dangerous, my liege. If they are successful, our entire race will be in severe jeopardy," a third male voice replied.

"Luckily, the place is not heavily guarded. Just two ghost hunters. It is obvious they didn't expect us to find out," the other added

After a moment of silence, the entity sitting on the throne stood up and floated over to the other two. "Very well." He looked at them with piercing red eyes before smiling at them and revealing a set of fangs. "Let's put an end to their feeble attempts, shall we?"

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And there you have it. A bit slow, but it will pick up significantly in the first actual chapter. So here is where I tell you that if you are like me and sometimes read the author's notes after reading the chapter, to not forget to go back up ad read it! It is very important. 

I can't say when I will be updating because it depends on my school schedule, but I will get another chapter up as soon as I can. Currently, I am working on updating Checkmate, so you can expect that one to be updated first. And lastly, I wrote a Christmas one-shot just in case you didn't know. If you like Danny and Vlad bonding -which you probably do since you are reading this story! Than check it out! I think you'll like it. So as always, please review and let me hear your thoughts. And as a special treat I'll give you a sneak peak at chapter one, kay? Happy New Year to everyone and until next time!

Thanks a bundle to my betas for this story: Invader Johnny and Shining Zephyr! And to my dear Truephan for always being there and helping me as well!

Thanks for your support everyone!


	2. Chapter 1: Fate's Cruel Hand

**No pitter-patter this time! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but I do own the AU plot! Yay, for me!**

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****Chapter one: Fate's cruel hand**

Maddie stirred at the sound of her crying son. With a soft sigh, she carefully moved out of her husband's hold, put on her robe, and then quietly left their room.

Upon entering the infant's dormitory, she smiled helplessly. "You know, Danny, it would be nice if you'd let me sleep through a whole night for once."

She picked him up, and his cries quickly subsided into anxious whines. "Are you hungry?" she asked, seeing him nibbling on her robe.

Feeling that it was a bit chilly, Maddie grabbed his blanket and wrapped him with it, before heading downstairs. She placed Danny in an infant rocking-chair, so she could make him his bottle, but he immediately began to cry at seeing his mom move away from him.

"I'm coming, sweetie. Just let me make your bottle," she said, pulling out the baby milk from the fridge. With the efficiency only a mother possessed, Maddie both prepared her restless son's bottle and attempted to calm him by humming and rocking his little chair.

A few minutes later she picked him up before sitting down at a chair. Danny continued to whine as she positioned him in her arms. "Shh… it's coming," she told him, while checking the milk's temperature. Satisfied, she offered the baby his bottle.

Danny instantly calmed down at receiving the warm milk. He eagerly sucked on his bottle, and cooing with content, stared up at his mother.

Maddie smiled in return. Every time she looked into his bright blue eyes, she was overcome with immense happiness. Her son was so special, so perfect.

The woman chuckled to herself, knowing that every mother probably thought that of their own child. "I love you, Danny" she whispered, kissing his hand which was wrapped around one of her fingers.

Maddie frowned at realizing his hand was really cold. She huddled him closer and covered him some more with his blanket. It was then she felt it.

A shiver ran down the young mother's spine when the temperature dropped drastically. Alarmed, Maddie removed the bottle from her son's mouth, causing him to protest loudly. "Shh…" she softly said, slowly standing up, while her eyes darted around her kitchen.

The woman pressed Danny closer to her as the temperature continued to drop, so much that she could now see her breath. "No…," she whispered fearfully, her heart now pounding in her chest.

Maddie moved warily out of the kitchen, her eyes looking in all directions. But then suddenly, the lights went off, and she found herself and the now agitated Danny in pitch darkness.

The mother stood still for a moment, not knowing what to do. But she quickly decided to inch towards the closest means of protection: the lab. She needed to reach the weapons that were there.

"It's okay, baby; please stay quiet," she whispered in Danny's ear, while she felt around for the door. With trembling hands, Maddie opened the door and carefully walked down the small set of stairs that led inside the lab.

Using mostly her memory, she went to the closest lab table. She bent down and quickly hid Danny behind it. "Stay quiet," she gently commanded, covering him up with his blanket, before quickly standing up.

But as she turned around, Maddie let out a loud gasp at finding herself staring into pupil-less, blood-red eyes. She felt her body instantly paralyze with fear, but the thought of her child right behind her quickly pulled her out of her frightened state.

Without looking, Maddie reached behind her and grabbed the first thing she felt on the table and swung it at full strength at the entity in front of her. Unfortunately… her hand went right through its head.

The entity let out a soft chuckle, and from the tone of its voice she knew it was a male. It was then the woman realized that there were three more sets of eyes glowing in the darkness, but these eyes were all luminous green.

Maddie's breath hitched when a bright emerald flame suddenly illuminated the room, finally allowing her to fully see the entities in the room.

"JACK!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

The red-eyed entity placed his hands behind his back, calmly watching the young woman as she fled towards a table that had large weapons on it.

"Skulker," he called.

The entity known as Skulker nodded, before turning his eyes to the human. His entire body looked robotic, expect for his green flaming hair and beard. He carried a number of arsenals on his shoulders, making him appear all the more menacing. With an evil grin, he vanished in a blink of an eye from where he once floated.

Maddie quickly reached out towards a gun, but before she could get it, Skulker appeared right behind her and grabbed both her arms.

The woman gasped in pain as her hands were wrenched behind her back. Right after, she was whirled around to face the other creatures again.

She struggled against her captor's hold, but her eyes were towards the red-eyed entity. He was clearly in charge.

He, however, paid her no mind and floated passed her, heading towards the ghost portal. Unlike Skulker, the leader looked more humanoid, but not by much. He looked more like a demon than anything else. His black hair curved up into two spikes, and his blue skin -only visible from his face- made him look like Death itself. But unlike _that _creature of darkness, this creature of darkness wore white. In fact, he was completely clothed in white, except for a long, white _and_ red cape that fell against his shoulders, and his black gloves and boots.

Maddie's panicked eyes momentarily darted to the other two entities in the room, and noticed that the one that resembled a nine-foot, black wolf was the reason why the room was glowing green. Its large paw held a ball of bright energy that moved about like fire. She also noticed the fifteen-inch long, thick green claws that extended from its paws and cupped the light.

The other entity was just as tall as the wolf-like one, but looked like a medieval knight. Only that, it was nothing like the human version; it was more like something out of a horror movie. It appeared to have no face under its helmet and he had purple fire burning on top of its head and running down his back.

Maddie's eyes went back to the leader of these monsters in time to see his hand suddenly turn transparent and go straight through the portal's control panel.

But then suddenly, the lights turned back on.

The three green-eyed entities looked at each other before looking at their leader.

The red-eyed entity, however, made no sign of being bothered by the occurrence. But his next words made it clear he planned to do something about it.

"Fright Knight, take care of the other human," he ordered calmly.

The Knight pulled out a long, glowing green sword, causing Maddie to struggle more fiercely against Skulker's grip. "Let go of me!" she growled.

Ignoring the human, he responded, "Yes, my king," and then vanished.

* * *

"JACK!" 

The sleeping man quickly sat up upon hearing his wife's scream. "Maddie?!" he called, jumping out of bed. His eyes widened the instant he noticed that the house was ice cold. "It can't be," he whispered.

Jack quickly attempted to turn on the light. But it was not working. Now having no doubt in his mind of _what_ was endangering his family, he opened a nearby drawer and pulled out a strange-looking small gun.

The creature or creatures in his house had shut down the power and somehow deactivated the ghost detection devices. But the system could only be shut down from inside… How did they accomplish that without setting a single one off?

The man ran down the stairs as fast as he could in the dark, knowing he had heard Maddie's voice coming from below. He made his way to a metal box on a wall beside the stairs and activated the backup power.

The instant the lights came back on Jack ran towards the lab, but before he could get there Fright Knight appeared in front of him.

"Ghost!" the man exclaimed, firing a green blast from the gun in his hand. The green-eyed entity dodged the attack and flew at him with astounding speed.

"Ahh!" Jack yelled as a fist collided with his face. This reeled him back a few feet, and caused the weapon in his hand to slip out of his hold. The ghost hunter struggled to get his bearings and stand, but before he could, his attacker was upon him.

The man's eyes widened as Fright Knight lifted a large glowing sword with the intention of running him through with it.

"Daddy?" a voice called from the top of the stairs, distracting both males.

Jack, however, reacted before Fright Knight, and quickly grabbed his fallen gun and fired it at the ghost. The entity grunted as the attack slammed him into a wall.

"Jazz!" her father yelled as she ran to him with her bear clutched in her right hand. She clearly had yet to notice the monster a few feet away.

"Daddy, I heard lots of noise and my night light's not working," she whimpered, her eyes filled with fearful tears.

Jack held her tightly against him, while pointing his gun at the recovering Fright Knight. "Princess, listen to me; I need you to leave the house. Go to the neighbor's house, okay?"

"W-Where's mommy?" she asked.

"She's fine; I'll get mommy and Danny, okay? Remember how to call the cops?" he asked gently, trying to mask the fear in his voice.

"9-1-1," she mumbled.

"That's my girl," Jack said with a smile.

Suddenly, her father gasped before he pushed her away from him. Jazz screamed at seeing a large glowing monster slam the back of its sword across her dad's head. "DADDY!" she cried out.

"JAZZ!" came Maddie's own scream from the lab. Clearly, she could hear the commotion occurring.

Jack groaned as he clutched his now bleeding head. But he was given very little time to recover and soon found himself being thrown into a wall by his attacker.

"STOP HURTING MY DADDY!" Jazz shouted, running towards the large being with the intent of defending her dad.

"Jazz! No! Stay away! Get outta here!" Jack shouted, stopping her in her tracks.

Jazz knew her father wanted her to leave the house, but she still hesitated. "Daddy…" she whimpered as she watched her father get lifted by the neck, while the entity attempted to remove the weapon in his hand.

Jack struggled to get his hand on the trigger, but Fright Knight was slowly crushing his windpipe and the depletion of oxygen was making him weaker by the second. But he was determined to protect his family.

The man swung at the entity's face, and stunned his attacker enough to use the gun against him.

The blast threw the ghost away from Jack, who fell to the ground and coughed violently before looking at his daughter, "Jazz… g-go! … RUN! he finally managed to scream out.

The two-year-old was snapped out of her shocked state and took off towards the front door. But the scream also caught Fright Knight's attention. However, he wasn't looking at Jack.

"NO!" Jack cried out, finding the strength to stand up at seeing the entity moving towards Jazz. He threw himself at the ghost and tackled him to the ground. "Leave my daughter alone!"

With a growl, Fright Knight kicked him off just as Jazz opened the door. The creature frowned as he watched the little girl run out of the house. But a sudden blast to his head quickly redirected his attention back to the older human.

Jack took advantage of Fright Knight's stunned state and ran towards the lab to save his wife.

* * *

Maddie's eyes were wide open. "The king?" she whispered with dread. "Y-You're …Plasmius," she growled, her face falling into a glare. 

The king smirked at her, before turning his eyes back to the panel and pulling out the cylinder with the glowing liquid inside. "Concentrated ectoplasm" he said, studying the object in his hand intently.

He moved his gaze to Maddie, before approaching her. His eyes suddenly narrowed and glowed fiercely. "Tell me, how many ghosts were destroyed to obtain this?" he hissed.

The women narrowed her eyes as well and hissed back, "Not enough."

Oddly, Plasmius expression changed into amusement at her response. Maddie let out a gasp at seeing the ghost look towards Danny. "If it were your own that could perish, I doubt that would be your response…"

"No! Please!" she pleaded as the king headed towards her child.

Plasmius placed his left hand on the table and it suddenly vanished, leaving the child in full view. "Hmm… how precious," he said, staring down at the cooing Danny.

Maddie felt a wave of strength fill her body, and faster than Skulker could react, she kicked the ghost as hard as she could. The woman cried out in pain at feeling like she had just kicked a steel door away. But she managed to get free and that's all she cared about at the moment.

She quickly grabbed a weapon from the table beside her and fired it at Skulker and then at the wolf-like ghost. Both creatures were slammed into the tables and gadgets behind them as Maddie whirled the gun towards Plasmius and cocked it.

"Get away from my son, you putrid piece of ecto-slime," she growled. "And you two, don't move or you'll be picking up your king's remains," she added, causing the other two ghosts to halt their approach.

Plasmius smiled, revealing a set of fangs. He moved his hand away from the table and it reappeared. "Ah, such talent," he teased, placing the cylinder on top of the table.

He then slowly approached the human, causing her hand to tighten on the weapon, but she didn't fire. And she wouldn't. Not when her child was directly behind him.

Suddenly Maddie heard her husband scream and then her daughter. "JAZZ!" the mother cried in alarm, turning her gaze to the lab's exit for a second.

It was all the king needed.

Plasmius instantly vanished and reappeared behind the woman. Maddie screamed as the gun was forced from her hold and thrown aside. The red-eyed ghost grasped both her hands in one of his, before using the other to firmly hold onto the back of the human's head. "Such talent indeed," he whispered in her ear. "Shame that it's wasted on such an inferior creature," he added darkly, his now exposed fangs lingering just above the nape of her neck.

Unexpectedly, a large blast sounded right outside the lab before the door swung open. "Get away from my wife, spook!" Jack demanded, his gun aimed at the king.

Plasmius' eyes narrowed at the man, while his fangs still hovered above the women's skin.

Maddie gasped when she suddenly felt like she had just been injected with liquid nitrogen, before she was thrown aside and sent crashing to the floor.

"Maddie!" Jack shouted in alarm, sure that the creature had actually bit his wife before letting her go. Without hesitation, he fired a blast at the ghost.

But the king turned intangible causing the attack to pass harmlessly through him and hit the ghost portal's control panel instead. Sparks flew out of the damaged panel and fell on a few beakers of chemicals.

"No!" Maddie shouted, before a small explosion caused the entire lab to shake and a blaring alarm to go off.

And as the alarm screamed out its warning, no one noticed the cylinder containing concentrated ectoplasm jolt with the quick rumble and roll across the table, towards the infant below it.

No one saw it shatter as it hit the metal floor right next to Danny, bathing him in the energized green substance.

No one heard the baby's anguished cries when the glowing liquid bubbled and slowly began to eat away at his clothing.

No one heard his wail become louder when the concentrated ectoplasm finally touched his skin, sending jolt after jolt of hot painful energy into the entire infant's body while it slowly seeped within him.

No one ever noticed.

What everyone did notice was the cabinet that smashed against the portal, ripping pieces of wires and circuitry as it fell over.

"**Ghost Portal severely unstable. Commence emergency evacuation,"** a computerized voice warned.

Maddie wobbled to her feet, but immediately fell back down. Her head was spinning uncontrollably and more than just her neck had gone numb now. "J-Jack!" she called out, but her voice didn't come out above a whisper.

Seeing the ghosts were distracted by the blaring alarm, Jack ran to his wife's side. "Maddie?" he called, grabbing her face and seeing she was barely conscious. "Maddie! Look at me! What's wrong? What did that thing do to you?" he questioned fearfully.

"Jack," she whispered. "The k-kids."

"Shh, it's okay. I told Jazz to go to the neighbor's house. I'll get Danny upstairs and we'll get outta here," he assured her.

The woman attempted to lift her hand so she could point towards her son, but all she did was move her fingers a bit. "N-No… Da-"

"Maddie!" Jack yelled at seeing her eyes roll back and completely lose consciousness.

* * *

Plasmius frowned at hearing the blaring alarm and the warning message. "Skulker, what the blazes is going on?" he asked, turning towards him. 

Skulker floated over to the portal and studied it. "It seems the shot activated this contraption, but it is overheating for some reason," he informed.

"If that's the case, than it's time we take our leave," Plasmius replied. Turning to the nine-foot, wolf-looking ghost, he said, _"Wulf, se vi estus sekve speco…"_

In that same strange dialect, Wulf responded, _"Jes, mia reĝo"_

The ghost then brought up one of his large clawed-paw and swung it through the air. A ripping sound could be heard as he did so, leaving behind a glowing green opening.

Skulker gave the two humans a quick glance, and noticed the woman was not moving. "Did you kill the human?" he inquired with an evil grin.

Plasmius looked over at Maddie before turning his attention back to his comrade. "No, I simply sedated her in an attempt to avoid _this_," he answered with some annoyance, making a general hand gesture to the chaos around them.

"Then should I kill them both?" he asked, reaching for a sword on his back.

Plasmius grabbed Skulker's hand, stopping him. "We came to destroy the portal; that is all," he answered calmly.

The robotic-looking ghost nodded, but then gasped at seeing a green blast suddenly come towards them and strike the king in the arm.

"My liege!" Fright Knight exclaimed. The ghost growled, pulling out his sword as he began to approach the one responsible.

"What did you do to my wife, ghost?!" Jack demanded, his gun still aimed at Plasmius, although Fright Knight was closing in on him.

"**Danger! Ghost Portal to explode in 60 seconds!"**

Plasmius glared at the man, while he held his injured shoulder that was freely oozing a green substance. "Leave him, Fright Knight. If he has any sense, he'll get his family to safety, instead of wasting time with us."

Fright Knight stared at Jack with murder in his eyes, before reluctantly putting away his sword and heading back to the king and the others.

"Hmm…" Maddie mumbled, turning Jack's attention back to her. He quickly picked up his wife and headed out of the lab as fast as he could. What they had feared was happening. But all Jack cared about was getting his family to safely, before the unstable ghost portal blew.

Reaching a safe distance outside his house, he placed his now semi-conscious wife on the ground, before rushing back inside to get his son.

"**Ghost portal to explode in 20 seconds!"**

Jack barged into Danny's room, going straight to his crib, only to discover he wasn't there. The man's eyes darted around the room in confusion. Where was his son?

"**Ghost portal to explode in 15 seconds!"**

Jack checked every room with a speed never thought possible for even the fittest of men. He checked every place that his son could possibly be in and he still could not find him. "Where is he?!" the father shouted in a panicked voice.

"**10-9-8…"**

"The neighbors… They must have come…,"was all he could conclude.

Jack ran out of the house, finding his wife wobbling towards it. "Maddie, where are you going?! We gotta move!" he exclaimed, picking her up and running away from the house.

"NO! Danny! **He's in the lab!"** she screamed while flaring in his grasp.

Her words instantly froze Jack, a horrified expression appearing on his face. But before he could even turn, the portal exploded, taking within seconds their entire house.

"**DANNY!"** Maddie screamed, her anguish cry louder then the roaring flames.

* * *

Before you ask, no, Plasmius is not a vampire or anything of the sort. And I know I made it seem like he bit Maddie, but he really didn't. I'm sure you can guess what he did, since he said that he sedated her, but how that works exactly I'll be explaining later. Anyways, as you can tell there will be Esperanto in this story; and that too will be explained later. I will post the translations at the end of each chapter that has Esperanto in it. I hope you liked the cliff hanger -snickers- But whatever the case don't forget to let me know by reviewing! Until next time! 

Esperanto Translation:

**Plasmius: "Wulf, if you would be so kind…."**

**Wulf: "Yes, my king"**


	3. Chapter 2: More than Meets the Eye

**Before we begin, I forgot to mention from the beginning that this story will have character death in it – I'm gonna go back and add it- but just a heads up on that. Well, here is the next part and I'm sorry for the wait! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom; but I do own this Alternate Universe Plot! **

**

* * *

Chapter 2: More than meets the eye**

Plasmius watched the two humans flee the lab before turning back towards his companions.

"_R__ego Plasmius, ni dev lasi!_ " Wolf said urgently.

Plasmius nodded and headed towards the strange opening. But then, he remembered the cylinder. He needed to see to it that it was destroyed. Although the explosion was sure to take care of it; he wasn't risking its being somehow detected and spared.

"_Alporti min momenton, Wulf,"_ Plasmius asked.

The king floated over to the table, but he soon realized the concentrated ectoplasm was no longer there. His eyebrow's creased in confusion, but then his eyes widened as something else dawned on him.

He leaned forward and dared to look pass the table.

"**Portal to explode in 30 seconds!"**

"Your highness this place is going to blow!" Fright Knight exclaimed.

Plasmius didn't hear either warning. His eyes were fixed on the child still lying on the ground behind the table.

"**Portal to explode in 20 seconds!"**

"_Mia Rego!" _Wolf called, his paws holding the green hole open.

The king floated right through the table and knelt down beside the unmoving child. A frown was on his face as he studied Danny's condition. His clothing was completely gone expect for a few singed scraps and his once rosy skin tone had lost all color.

Plasmius frown deepened and his eyebrows creased as he picked up a piece of broken glass on the floor beside the child.

"Plasmius, what are you doing?!" Skulker shouted. The ghost had no clue what was preoccupying the king. The table that Plasmius was now behind hid him almost completely from view.

"**Ghost portal to explode in 10-9-8…" **

The ghost king's gaze quickly darted between the child and his comrades several times. He was clearly undecided on what to do. But the last look he gave Danny dispelled his indecision. In own swift movement, Plasmius picked up Danny and lifted the cape adorning his body and covered him under it. "Let's go" he said when he reached the others, who didn't realize their king had just added a member to their group.

All four ghosts flew into the hole before it vanished and the portal exploded.

The opening the king and the others had gone through led them to a place that was definitely not found on earth.

The atmosphere all around them was an ominous dark green with swirls that moved about like violent winds. But, the swirls resembled clouds and glowed like green suns. It was clear that these swirls were responsible for the atmosphere's green hue.

If that wasn't strange enough, floating purple doors were practically everywhere.

There were also floating islands of different colors, shapes, and sizes. The place was bizarre in anyone's eyes. But in the eyes of the ghost race, this was home.

"I say that went fairly well," Skulker said with a satisfied grin, looking towards Wulf and Fright Knight.

The two smiled back and nodded in agreement

But then Fright Knight frowned when he noticed Plasmius. "Skulker, where's the king going?"

The metallic ghost turned around and saw Plasmius flying away from them. But he moved very slowly as if distracted by something.

"Plasmius!" Skulker called out.

The king didn't look at him but distractingly said, "You three can head back; I'll be there in a moment."

Skulker frowned as he watched Plasmius fly off in the direction of a small forested island. He knew his king or rather his _friend _well enough to know something was wrong with him. And he planned find out what.

"Wulf, Fright Knight. Head back and inform Walker we were successful," he asked, before following after the king.

The other two ghosts nodded and flew off.

It didn't take long for Skulker to catch up with the king. He landed on the purple grass and walked up to him. The metallic ghost raised an eyebrow when he realized that Plasmius was looking at something in his hands.

"Plasmius, What are you-" Skulker didn't finish his train of thought since he had neared enough to clearly see _what_ the something was. "What in the ghost world is that?!" he blurted out, his eyes wide as he pointed at the baby wrapped in the king's cape.

Plasmius rolled his eyes. "A child, what else, Skulker?" he replied dryly, removing his cape entirely off his shoulders so he could wrap it completely around Danny.

Skulker continued to stare at the infant in shock. "B-But its-"

"Human? Yes…His foolish parents left him in the house," the king answered in disgust.

"And you should have left it there as well! Plasmius, it's a human!" Skulker snapped back.

"Calm yourself, Skulker, he's dead anyways," the king replied, touching the baby's pale cheek.

The metallic ghost looked on in surprise. "How do you know?"

Plasmius sighed. "He isn't breathing."

Skulker nodded. "It's best anyways. What were you going to do with a human child in our world?"

"Honestly, I didn't think that far. I just couldn't bring myself to leave him there," he replied, his eyes still fixed on the unmoving Danny. Clearly, Plasmius had never been this close to a human baby or maybe any kind of baby.

Skulker raised an eyebrow at his reply and asked, "Why not?"

"Because it's an innocent being," was his distracted answer.

The green-eyed ghost shook his head. "They're innocent now, Plasmius, but then they grow to be ruthless ghost killers!" he argued back.

"And that is when we deal with them," Plasmius replied, finally moving his gaze to his friend.

"Mm-gah!"

Both ghosts stared back down at the child at hearing him make a small noise. His face was scrunched with discomfort while he continued to whine softly. And then his eyes slowly opened.

"I thought you said it was dead!" Skulker exclaimed in alarm, causing the baby to burst into loud cries.

"I-I don't understand. He wasn't breathing a minute ago, Skulker!" Plasmius answered, completely baffled.

"Then let's fix that," Skulker said darkly, willing out a gun from his metal body.

The king glared at the other ghost. "We are not killing a child, Skulker!" he yelled at him.

"It's the most compassionate thing to do! You know humans cannot survive in our world, Plasmius! Look at it? It's already freezing to death, and it won't be long before he begins to suffocate! Did you forget there no longer is enough oxygen for its kind here?!"

Plasmius remained silent as he watched the wailing baby shiver heavily. "Where's the nearest portal?" he asked.

"Not near enough to save it," Skulker replied, something akin to compassion crossing his face.

Plasmius eyes saddened further when Danny began to cough and make small choking noises while attempting to cry… he had just condemned this innocent child to a worse death.

"You're right, Skulker, I should have left him there," he whispered.

The metallic ghost retracted his gun and placed a hand on the king's shoulder. "He doesn't have to suffer, Plasmius… you can do more than sedate a human. Just make it quick for him."

Plasmius looked at his friend for a moment, before looking back at Danny. Whatever color had returned to him after waking up had long left him again. He wasn't even crying anymore… He didn't have the air for it.

The king touched his fangs with his tongue and he felt a cold liquid seeped from them. It was a powerful toxin, but it didn't affect him. However, it could do a lot to others…

Plasmius grabbed Danny's small hand and brought it close to his now exposed fangs. He didn't need to pierce his victim's flesh for the venom to enter their body. Just a few drops needed to touch their skin and it would seep right through… or at least that's how it worked on humans.

"Forgive me, child," he said softly before allowing two drops of a clear but glowing liquid to fall towards the baby's hand.

But right before the toxin touched the infant, his skin began to glow. Plasmius eyes widened at seeing the deadly liquid slide off Danny's hand as if it was nothing but drops of water. Why didn't it work? And more importantly, why was this human baby glowing?!

The king lowered Danny's hand as the white glow throughout the infant's body continued to intensify. His watery and hazy blue eyes slowly opened and they stared up at Plasmius. Then suddenly, they flashed a luminous green, and the king gasped in surprise. Before he could even begin to get over this shock, he received a new and greater one.

A bright white light exploded from Danny's abdomen and immediately formed into twin halos. They pushed away from each other and only vanished after passing the baby's feet and head. But the rings' appearance was not what had both ghosts with their mouths gaped open. It was what they left behind.

"I-It's not p-possible…" Skulker stuttered staring at the baby in his friend's arms.

All Plasmius could do at the moment was stare at the whining baby. It barely resembled the child he was about to put out of its misery a few seconds ago. The small clump of hair that was once pitch-black was now pure white. His bright blue eyes had changed bright green. So bright, in fact, that his pupils were no longer visible. His skin was glowing with a white hue, making it appear a deathly white.

Plasmius finally lifted a hand and placed it right above Danny's mouth and nose. He wasn't breathing.

That same hand slowly moved down the child's small body until it rested on the side of his neck. There was no heartbeat.

Everything that classified a human as living was no longer existent in Danny, and yet, the baby was clearly alive. In fact, he looked quite content now.

It was visibly obvious what the infant now was.

"He's a ghost," Skulker voiced in a whisper.

"No…," Plasmius said, a soft smile spreading on his lips as he touched a piece of the Danny's singed clothing that still had a few drops of concentrated ectoplasm on it. "Skulker, this child…He's _half_ ghost."

Skulker's eyes widened with disbelief. "B-But that's impossible! How did…."

The ghost was cut off by Plasmius, who suddenly flew off the island and began to soar toward the same direction that Wulf and Fright Knight had gone.

Skulker gasped and quickly flew after him. "Plasmius! Wait! Where are you going?!"

"I'm going home, Skulker. Where else would I go?" he replied in a bored tone.

"Yes, but I think you forgot you have an infant in your hands!" Skulker answered, pointing at the wiggling Danny.

"I have not forgotten."

"Oh God! Plasmius, you cannot possibly be planning on taking him with you?!" Skulker exclaimed, his tone of voice lined with panic.

"Of course I am. You don't expect me to take him back to the human world, do you? They would kill him on sight, or worse, experiment on him!" Vlad suddenly halted and shot his companion a playful grin. "You know, perhaps I'll keep him. After all, the high council has been pestering me about having a child, remember?"

"Yes! But I think they meant you having one of your own, not adopting one that's half _human_!" Skulker shouted back.

Plasmius frowned and Skulker instantly regretted his words. "You know that's not possible," the king said. He continued to fly towards his home with his friend next to him. "Destiny has placed this child in my hands, Skulker, I'm not abandoning him."

"_Destiny?"_ Skulker repeated appalled, "_Destiny_ intended him to die in that explosion back there! Plasmius, you are not thinking rationally! That whelp is the son of two ghost hunters! What you are doing is ludicrous!"

"Enough!" Plasmius shouted, causing Danny to begin to cry. The king sighed, but his eyes still looked angry. "Look, I truly don't know what I am going to do with him just yet. But I am sure of two things: One, I am not killing him, and two, I am not taking him back to his world. He's coming with us and nothing you say will make me change my mind."

Skulker stared at him with a sober expression. "What about what he is? The Observants see everything, Plasmius.It is almost certain they know about this child. If you take him with us you will be risking more than I can even begin to point out. What do you think they will do with him if they know? What are _you_ going to do?"

Plasmius halted once more and looked down at the crying baby. "I don't know. And I_ know_ I'm risking a lot. But I'll deal with all that as it comes," he said calmly, before turning and continuing his flight. "In the end one thing stands above everything else: He has the best chance with me. And that is something you cannot deny."

Skulker shook his head but said nothing else and just followed behind the king, who attempted to calm the crying infant.

A long and silent flight later, a huge floating land mass came into view. It was so big that one could not see where it ended. There was an abundance of flora everywhere. The land mass even had purple mountains and colorful bodies of water way off in the distance.

But what stood above everything else was the tall and grand castle standing in the center of the land.

As they began to descend, other less natural structures such as fountains and walkways became visible.

To the king's relief, Danny had fallen asleep. But as a precaution he hid Danny from view with his cape again and made him vanish.

"Greetings, your highness!" a ghost greeted him as he walked by.

The king respectively returned the gesture. Skulker, too, was acknowledged by the same ghost, but he vaguely responded. Instead, his eyes nervously skirted the area, as if he were expecting something bad to happen at any moment.

Sensing his friend's skittishness, Plasmius addressed him. "Calm yourself, Skulker," he whispered after waving and smiling at someone who approached them.

Skulker watched in relief as the random ghost continued on his way, before answering, "Look, I know you enjoy ticking off the council, but couldn't you have found another way to do it?"

Plasmius rolled his eyes. "Don't start," he asked as they finally reached the palace doors.

A ghost dressed in a white cowboy outfit, along with a dozen guards following behind him, greeted them just as they entered.

"King Plasmius," the ghost acknowledged him with a tip of his hat.

"Ugh, not him," Skulker murmured under his breath. But his statement was heard by Plasmius, who ended up biting his bottom lip to keep himself from laughing.

"Walker, I'm sure Fright Knight and Wulf have informed you of the outcome of the mission by now…" the king said calmly, walking right past the ghost and his guards.

Walker gave out a small aggravated sigh before following after his leader. "Yes, they have. And I'm glad to hear it was a success. However, I have to point out the obvious for the sake of our race, King Plasmius. And that is that this success is just temporary. We might have been able to prevent their entrance this time, but they will keep trying. And if we don't' take actions against the humans, it is they who are going to eventually succeed. I think it's time we made it clear that we are the superior race."

Plasmius stopped and turned towards the ghost. "And how do you propose we do that, Walker? Take over their world?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You would rule both worlds," Walker said with a dark grin.

Plasmius resisted the urge to roll his eyes and simply turned away and continued forward. "We've been through this countless of times, Warden. And my response to this will be the same each time. I am not interested in the human world. I only go there when I must. _We_ only go there when we must. That place has nothing to offer for any of us."

"But your highness-"

"Tell me, Walker, do you have any news on my wife?" Plasmius cut off, changing the subject.

Skulker smirked as he watched Walker fist his hands in order to keep his anger from showing. "No; I believe the queen will be away for at least two more days.

Plasmius nodded in response, but suddenly he paused and asked. "Are the Observants here?"

Walker raised an eyebrow. "Why would they be here? They only come when the council gathers."

Internally, both Skulker and Plasmius were relieved by his response. If the Observants were not here, then they were not aware of the _recent_ _events_…at least, not yet.

"That's why he's asking you, Walker," Skulker intervened with a smirk towards the warden. "_Obviously_, the council must gather to discuss the outcome of this mission."

"Could you make sure of that, Warden?" Plasmius asked. "I think in two days time will be best. You can pick when exactly."

"I'll do that," he answered calmly.

"Thank you. See you tomorrow, Walker," the king said and walked off with Skulker.

When they were finally out of sight from anyone, Plasmius stopped and addressed his friend. "Skulker," he said with a smile.

"If it has something to do with the pup, no," Skulker replied annoyed, already knowing his friend was trying to get him to do something that he wasn't going to like.

Plasmius' grin widened. "Oh come now. I can't keep the child quiet and happy in the state he's in. I just need you to take him to my chambers, while I get him some clothing and food."

"I am not-"

"Wonderful!" Plasmius cut off, placing Danny in his friend's arms. "Make sure no one sees him, hmm?" he added, before walking away towards a nearby hallway.

Skulker glared after the king, but then turned his look towards the now awake baby, wiggling in his arms. "You so much as squeak and I'll feed you to the three-headed lions," he threatened, before stomping off towards Plasmius' room.

Arriving, he immediately placed Danny down on the large bed and stepped back as if the baby was a contagious disease.

Skulker crossed his arms and quietly studied Danny with something in between curiosity and disgust. His eyes soon caught sight of something on one of the baby's tiny wrist.

He frowned, and drawing nearer, touched the small bracelet that adorned the baby's wrist. It was severely corroded, as if something had been eating away at it.

Skulker grabbed the baby's hand and removed the piece of jewelry. He stepped back and ignored the little half-ghost's babbles while he tried to make out the engraving. "Daniel," he mumbled.

Skulker growled in frustration. "This has to be the craziest thing Plasmius has ever done, and believe me, whelp, he has done a lot of things that can be deemed as such."

Danny let out a small whine in response.

The metallic ghost immediately pulled out a green blade before pointing it at the infant. "I thought I told you to keep quiet. I really should just get rid of you right now. Sure Plasmius will be furious, but in the end I would be doing him a favor."

Danny momentarily blinked at the strange object in between his eyes, but then let out a small giggle.

"What are you laughing at? Do you know who you are alone with?! I am Skulker, the ghost world's greatest hunter! I could skin you in a matter of seconds!" he threatened, his sword still pointed at the baby.

Danny only babbled in return.

Skulker sighed before putting away his blade. He just stared at the infant for a while, and then suddenly thinking of Plasmius, said in an annoyed tone, "He doesn't even have time for himself. Where is he going to find the time to take care of you?"

"I'll think of something," Skulker heard behind him, causing him to jump in surprise.

Plasmius chuckled as he walked over to Danny. "My, did I just surprise _you_?" he teased, placing the baby supplies he had in his hands on a night stand.

Skulker crossed his arms in indignation. "Of course not! No one surprises me! You merely pushed me away from my thoughts."

"Thoughts that you voice quite loudly," his friend retorted dryly.

"You know it's true, Plasmius. You have enough with running a kingdom, keeping track of the humans, and your...other affairs," he stated seriously.

Plasmius frowned, but didn't reply. He uncovered the baby and carefully began to remove the scraps of clothing that were left on the child's body. With a worried look he removed a piece of glass from Danny's white hair. "That cylinder with concentrated ectoplasm fell on him" he informed, checking the baby and realizing he had smaller shards of glass on his body and face. It was amazing he didn't have a single cut from them.

"He should be dead; not even a ghost could withstand direct contact with something that energized and in such a large amount," Skulker stated.

Plasmius removed his black gloves, before picking up Danny with a smile. "Then let's not push your luck further," he told the baby as he turned him intangible, causing everything left on his body to fall off him and on the cape.

Skulker frowned as he watched Plasmius take Danny into the bathroom. With a sigh, the metallic ghost leaned down and swooped up the cape, careful to keep "the stuff" in it from falling out. He pulled out a small cube from his suit and placed it on the bed, where it instantly grew ten times its size.

Skulker tossed the cape and everything that had been on Danny –-except for the bracelet—into the opening on the top of the box. With a press of a button, it shrank to its original size.

The ghost picked it up, before walking towards the bathroom. As he did, he crushed the small box in his hand before disintegrating the remains with ecto-energy from his hand.

Skulker leaned against the door's frame and watched as Plasmius placed Danny into the tub filled half-way with water.

The baby whined in protest, causing the king to chuckle. "Now, Now, you need a bath, little one; having chemicals on your skin is not wise."

Skulker rolled his eyes but said nothing and simply watched as his friend washed Danny. But then he recalled as well as noticed something. "You're injured."

"It's nothing. I'll tend to it in a moment," he answered lightly.

Skulker only nodded. The injury the male human had inflicted on his friend wasn't bleeding anymore so he knew Plasmius was right.

The king soon finished and lifted Danny out of the water. He wrapped him up in a white towel and began drying him as he headed out of the bathroom.

He placed the infant back on his bed, and noticed his cape was gone. But he didn't say anything, and just grabbed the nearby pair of baby pajamas and began to put them on Danny with the finesse of someone who had never dressed a child before.

Skulker almost laughed. Almost.

Plasmius let out a sigh after he managed to at least put Danny's head, hands, and feet into the right places. The king was glad he didn't have to worry about putting on diapers. Ghost babies didn't need them since _everything_ ghosts ate was converted into energy their bodies used. And so, unlike humans they didn't produce waste products. Yes, he was very glad.

Plasmius grabbed two containers off the night stand that he had also brought from wherever he had gotten all the baby supplies, but then stared at them with creased eyebrows.

"I've never tended to a child myself, but I am almost certain those go on _before_ the clothes," Skulker informed his friend in a condescending tone.

"Huh…" Plasmius shrugged off his gaffe and placed the items back on the stand. The baby would be fine without that stuff just once.

Skulker shook his head and thought, _"I sure hope that_…" He didn't finish his train of thought and voiced a more urgent one. "How do you plan on explaining this one to-"

"I'll think of something," Plasmius cut off casually, knowing what his friend was going to ask. He had been pondering the same thing. How was his wife going to react when she saw this child… well, it's not like he was going keep him… right?

But the truth was the idea had passed more than once through his mind.

The king pushed away his thoughts as he situated Danny in the middle of the bed and placed pillows around him to keep him there. He needed a crib, but that would have to wait until tomorrow. Although the laundry room's storage closet had all sorts of clothing and supplies, a crib was obviously not something he could get from there. He would have to acquire that from somewhere outside the palace walls. But it was _very_ late, or rather _very_ early so the marketplace was not active.

The king looked up at a circular object hanging on the wall. It was shaped like a clock, but that's where the resemblance ended. He studied its face as it moved in a clockwise direction. However, there weren't any numbers or hands on it. Instead there was a green swirl like the ones in the outside atmosphere that twisted and turned. But they served a purpose in their dance. They were the equivalent of the human world's sun and moon. And this strange device was the equivalent of a human clock.

It was more than three in the morning.

Plasmius sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed a baby bottle with the ghost world's equivalent of milk in it. As he tried to figure out the best way to give the baby the food, the time of day seemed to catch up to him. He was very tired, not to mention his shoulder was throbbing.

The king turned to Skulker and raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to stand there all day?" he asked, wondering why he had not left yet. It's not that he wanted him to, but he had to be as tired as he was.

Skulker looked at Danny for a moment, before sighing. "Plasmius, I must insist-"

His friend's glare kept him from finishing. "That's why you're still here? To rant about how foolish I am for saving this child's life? Ugh!" he growled in frustration before turning back to Danny. "I'm not discussing this further. If you haven't noticed I am busy and tired. The last thing I want to do is argue right now."

"But-"

"I know you're tired, Skulker. So please, leave," he asked, but his tone of voice showed he wasn't _asking_.

Skulker just stood there for a moment, watching as his friend realized it was easier to feed an infant if he carried him.

Plasmius situated Danny in his arms, before grabbing the bottle again.

Skulker took a few steps closer to other ghost before calling him by a different name, "Vlad."

The king didn't look up at his friend, but his angry expression faded. "Skulker, do not make me repeat myself again."

The green-eyed ghost sighed deeply before placing the bracelet --which he had been holding this whole time-- on the bed.

"His name is Daniel" he informed calmly. "I just…I want you to be sure of what you are doing. That's all."

Vlad looked down at Daniel and smiled. "I'm sure that I cannot abandon him. And that's enough for now," he replied.

Skulker nodded although his friend didn't see it. "Alright," he said, a small smile edging his lip as Vlad grabbed the baby's hand. He then turned and walked towards the door, but halted. "I'll be staying here for today at least. If you need anything, I'll be in my chambers."

The king finally looked up at him and nodded with an appreciative smile, before turning his attention back to Daniel.

Skulker gave the two one last glance, shook his head helplessly, and then left the room.

Vlad gave the little half-ghost the warm bottle, and he eagerly accepted it, being that his mother had never finished feeding him…

But just as quickly as he had taken to the bottle, he jerked his head away.

The king frowned. "It is a bit different then what you are use to, but your body needs a different kind of nourishment now."

He slowly coaxed the baby to take the bottle, and with hunger on his side, he soon succeeded.

Danny sucked on his bottle, a few gurgling and swallowing noise coming from him, while his luminous green eyes gazed calmly into Vlad's red ones.

The king found the sight truly endearing. It was amazing how serene this child looked after having his entire life altered in a span of an hour.

Plasmius couldn't help but feel guilty at the realization. He never meant for this to happen to this child. They were supposed to have gone in, destroyed the portal's power source, and left. He had hoped for minimal struggle against the humans, if any, since he had expected them to be asleep.

But it wasn't how things played out. None of it went like he had planned. And yet, as he nourished the baby in his arms, he couldn't really feel as upset as he should.

Why?

Deep inside, he knew the answer to that. Deep inside, there were several reasons why.

A soft smile crept into Vlad's lips. "Daniel…," he said softly, gently touching the baby's chest. "What a perfect name."

* * *

aww... Heh-heh, I'm awing at my own story; silly me. But I just find a little Danny in Vlad's arms too cute!! Anyways, hope you guys liked! And don't forget to let me know! Ta, for now! I really gotta go study for a test Monday and work on CM... heh, I'm going to end up doing te latter first... --grins sheepishly-- See ya guys! 

Translations:

"_Rego Plasmius, ni dev lasi!_" -King Plasmius, we must leave!-

"_Alporti min momenton, Wulf."_ -Give me a moment, Wulf.-

"_Mia Rego!"_ –My King!-


	4. Chapter 3: Sickness

**Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait. I had a bit of difficulty with this one; and then there's school... But here it is. I'm sorry I haven't responded to your last reviews, but I'll get to them soon! I wanted to post this chapter for you guys first... heh, I'm sure you all don't mind. Well, enjoy; and see ya at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this Alternate Universe plot belongs to little ol' me! **

**

* * *

Chapter 3: Sickness**

It didn't take long for the baby half-ghost to fall asleep. Plasmius carefully placed him down, praying that he wouldn't wake him.

He let out a sigh of relief when he accomplished the feat. He placed the pillows around Daniel, before stepping back and admiring his work.

But he didn't look completely satisfied.

"He still might fall off," he mumbled with a frown, but then an idea hit him and he smiled.

His hands suddenly glowed with pink energy and he lifted them upwards, creating a solid but transparent wall. He levitated to the other side of the bed and repeated the action.

"That should work just fine," he said with a smirk. He walked off towards a closet, got a pair of maroon pajama pants, and then headed into his bathroom.

It was time to attend to himself.

He removed the top part of his white suit, careful to avoid upsetting his injured shoulder. And just as he did, an intriguing, permanent symbol, adorning the center of his upper chest, was revealed. It looked like a shooting star, but its tail was wrapped around itself, and dimly glowed red… Clearly this was not an ordinary tattoo… it was so much more than that.

Undressing completely, Vlad stepped into the shower. Instantly, his black hair fell from its curved, upwards position, straightening to just below his shoulders as it framed his face.

He momentarily just relished the feel of the warm water hitting his light blue skin. And it was at that very moment he realized just how exhausted he really was.

A pang of pain from his shoulder reminded him of his wound once more. Vlad looked at it and noticed that the dry green substance known as ectoplasm was washing off. But this had just opened the wound and it began to seep fresh ectoplasm.

The green liquid looked just like what fell on Daniel, only that it wasn't as bright and it didn't spark like electricity as the concentrated ectoplasm had. But it was essentially the same thing.

Humans had long discovered that ectoplasm was a form of energy like nothing found in their world. They also knew it was the human equivalent of blood. And like it, it too was a life substance; it was a ghost's life substance.

It also gave ghosts the energy to use the numerous abilities they held. One of those abilities—although not all ghosts had it-- was creating temporal openings that could transport any being between the ghost world and human world.

And the humans had learned about this, too, but it was only recently that they had begun attempting to create those openings themselves. All they really needed to accomplish this was the ghost-energy which came from ectoplasm. They had to simply remove everything but the energy from the ectoplasm and they had what they called ectoplasmic energy. But to concentrate it, they just needed a lot of it—a lot of ghost blood…

The king had been disgusted when he had discovered that ectoplasm was the energy source for the man-made portal. But he also feared that had he not taken the actions that he had, their attempts would have worked. The question was: Where did they even acquire the needed ectoplasm? No ghost had stepped foot in the human world for ten years now… unless they had it stored from before then; when Pariah ruled…

Plasmius dismissed the question when he touched his wound and hissed in pain. It had swollen up, but it wasn't as bad as it looked. It would heal on its own. Like the human body, the ghost body too had natural healing abilities; only that, it was more advanced. Small scrapes and bruises completely healed in a matter of minutes. A wound like this, however, would take a few hours. And the king was sure it would take a bit more since it was inflicted by a ghost weapon.

How he hated those things. They were all designed for one thing: to destroy ectoplasm.

Deciding to leave his wound alone for now, he continued with his shower. A moment later, he was done and stepped out.

He dried off his hair and body, but made sure not to touch his injury in anyway. He then tied the towel around his waist before walking to a nearby cabinet and pulling out a box that resembled a first-aid kit.

He pulled out a white gauze and disinfectant. Then, with a small flinch of dread, he opened the bottle and started to tend to the wound. A couple of muttered curses from pain later he had his injured shoulder wrapped and feeling a bit better.

He picked up his comb and brushed his damp hair. Once it was nicely combed out, he lit his hand with pink energy and passed it across his hair. A puff of steam exhaled out of his hair as a result, but the end result was the dry hair he wanted.

He quickly tied it back into a sophisticated ponytail, which was how he usually wore his hair. His previous style—along with keeping his fangs exposed-- was only used when he went to the human world. It made him appear more fearsome: always a 'plus' when facing any enemy.

Grabbing his toothbrush, he brushed his teeth, and when he was done, he touched his fangs with his tongue. They vanished from view, leaving behind perfectly normal white teeth.

He finally grabbed his pajama pants and put them on. He had not brought the top part of his sleepwear on purpose. He seldom covered his chest. And the reason was due to the glowing symbol, or rather, what lied below it: his central core region.

This core was responsible for his symbol's glow. And it was found in all ghosts. If it could be seen, a ghost's central core would look like a brightly glowing white sphere that changed colors depending on the type of energy a ghost produced. A human might even call it the ghost's 'heart'. It was what "pumped" their energy-rich ectoplasm throughout their bodies. And this energy was constantly being replenished by the abundance of energy around them, and with what they ate as well.

Ghosts didn't need oxygen, but they needed the energy only found in their world to survive. But since their central core kept a large supply of energy stored, it allowed them to remain in the human world –where there was no spectral energy- for long periods of time.

Most ghosts-including Plasmius- kept this part of their anatomy exposed because of how sensitive it was. Just as a person would feel suffocated wearing a scarf around his face, a ghost would feel the same way every time he covered his central core region. Of course, there were always exceptions. There were some ghosts—like Walker, for example—who felt quite comfortable completely clothed.

But it was only when Vlad went to the human world did he fully dress. If ghosts had a weakness, this area of their anatomy would be it. If they received a strong enough blow there, it would be fatal. And so their spectral clothing was a sort of shield that protected them… somewhat.

As for the symbol on the king's chest, well, it was unique in its star-shaped features, but all ghosts had a_ "_symbol". Each family had a different mark on their central core region; and since ghosts didn't use last names, this symbol—which was called an ectoplasmic signature--was what identified them to a certain family. Male ghosts passed on their signatures to their offspring and spouses. But most importantly, it was a special bond shared by each ghost family.

However, it was custom for each king of the Ghost World to change his signature from that of his father's. It was a way to separate each king from the last-- being that most were father and son and so had the same symbol. The day the father would hand his son the throne, the son would change his ectoplasmic signature. Plasmius-- which was not Vlad's last name, but his royal name-- was the exception. He did not receive the throne from his father; he received it from his uncle, Pariah, or King Dark…

Now done, Plasmius stepped out of his bathroom. He smiled triumphantly at the still sleeping Daniel before heading back to his closet to put away his old attire.

When he came back out, he had a red blanket in his hands. As if the pink energy wall wasn't there, Vlad walked through it and placed the blanket on the sleeping baby.

He studied Daniel thoughtfully, and as he did his right hand absentmindedly touched his ectoplasmic signature. The star instantly lit a brighter red, before he lowered his hand and sighed. "What in the world did I just get myself into?" he asked the child helplessly. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Daniel."

Plasmius watched the baby for a moment longer, but then with a tired sigh and a shake of his head, he stepped away and went to a large chair in the corner of the room.

He sat down and propped his elbow on the armrest, before resting his head in his hand. "I suppose that's something I can figure out later," he mumbled sleepily, before covering a yawn with his palm.

His dimmed red eyes went towards Daniel and he suddenly chuckled softly, "If there is a later… The Observants and Ancients are going to kill me when they find out about you…Ah well," he whispered as he nodded off, "I'll figure something out…later…"

* * *

"Wah!"

The king mumbled in annoyance at the sound that was arousing him from his slumber.

"Wah!" the noise continued.

A groan escaped Vlad as he lifted his head from its lowered position. His neck was sore from the odd position he had fallen asleep in.

"_Ugh, since when has my bed been so uncomfortable?"_ he thought, trying to get more comfortable.

"Wah!"

"And what the blazes is that noise?" he said out loud, finally opening his eyes. He had to blink a couple of times before he remembered he wasn't alone in the room.

His blood red eyes widened, and with a gasp, he jumped to his feet, exclaiming "The child!"

He had completely forgotten that he couldn't keep the energy walls up while unconscious! …Had the infant fallen off the bed?!

Vlad quickly went to Daniel, and to his relief he was still on the bed surrounded by the pillows. So… why was he crying his eyes out?

"What…What's wrong?" Plasmius asked as if the baby would answer.

He sat beside Daniel and just stared at him with a panicked expression. He didn't know how to make him stop crying! Perhaps he was hungry again? How long ago did he eat?

Vlad looked at the clock and his eyes widened in surprise. "Unbelievable! He fell asleep just three hours ago!"

He looked back at the bawling Daniel. He couldn't be hungry… and he couldn't be…why else did ghost babies cry?

Attention.

The king let out a helpless sigh and picked up the little half-ghost. "Shush, little one," he whispered, rocking him the best he could.

But it was then he noticed something about Daniel… He was shivering… and his natural white glow was barely visible… Both were signs of illness in ghosts.

With a worried expression, he touched the center of the baby's chest and whatever he felt caused him to become even more troubled. "You were fine a few hours ago…why are you ill now?"

Suddenly, Daniel's tremors became stronger and he wept harder. This strong case of shivers was called cold flashes; and they were basically the same thing as what the humans called a fever. …And by how upset the child was, they were pretty severe.

It soon dawned on the king why Daniel was sick. His condition was affecting him. His body's physical change, plus the quick change in nourishment and environment, were too much for such a young being. As Skulker had said, Daniel was lucky to be alive after all that.

Vlad lowered the baby on the bed, before making soft blue energy in his hands. With it, he formed an energy-made bassinet and then placed Daniel in it. Plasmius didn't know much about babies, but he at least knew what a ghost needed when they had cold flashes: warmth. And so he knew the warm energy from the "bassinet" would help diminish the child's cold flashes.

"Perhaps I should get Skulker…" he muttered as he rocked the bassinet in hopes of calming him down. Problem was, he doubted his friend would be able to do anymore than he could. Heck, not even a doctor would know what to do with a half-human, half-ghost infant!

"Perhaps I'm overreacting," he continued, trying to calm himself, "After all, it is expected that all those changes would have some effect on him eventually…"

But… what if it wasn't temporary? What if it was just too much for the baby? What if… he was slowly… dying?

The king felt jolt of sadness at the thought and he instantly questioned his quick attachment towards Daniel. He knew he shouldn't feel this way, but he couldn't help it. He just felt this immense bond with the little half-ghost. Even before, when he had been all human, he had felt it… He didn't understand it completely, but there was something about Daniel that had captivated him from the moment he laid eyes on him.

Vlad sighed and lifted his glowing blue hand to the infant's chest. He then caressed Daniel's face and body with it, but always returned back to the infant's central core. The energy from Vlad's hand was warm, but it was also soothing.

Ghost energy did more than fuel the ghosts' numerous abilities. They could feel and transfer a lot of things by their energies, especially where their ecto-signature was. That area was the most significant place to feel things like emotions… or to transfer them.

And it was precisely what the king was currently doing. He was transferring a calming energy to Daniel. And it seemed to be working quite well.

The infant quickly quieted despite that he was still shivering; but at least it wasn't as bad as before. He whined softly, still clearly upset, but the warm and placid energy entering his body eased his discomfort.

Plasmius smiled when he finally saw Daniel's pupil-less emerald eyes droop, and soon they closed completely. He slowly retracted his hand, but kept the baby in the energy bassinet.

Vlad carefully moved from the bed; he needed to tell Skulker about the little half-ghost's condition. His friend might not be able to do anything, but perhaps Skulker would know of something that he could give Daniel for these cold flashes. …Plasmius also needed to get more baby supplies, especially a proper bed.

Vlad looked at the clock. Right now would be the best time to do all this. The marketplace would be opening about now, so it was the best time to go. The earlier he went, the less fellow ghosts he would run into.

Not planning on leaving the child by himself, Plasmius called forth a unique ability of his: duplication. The ability of creating varying number of copies of oneself was a talent very few possessed, and the king enjoyed this ability quite a lot… especially now.

A red glow appeared around his body, and suddenly, there were two of him. The real Plasmius smirked at his counterpart, who took a seat on the chair he was before. Although the duplicate appeared very real, it was merely a projection of himself. The duplicate was purely made out of his energy, and so he controlled every move it made.

Even while he was away, he could _see_ what his duplicate did and have it act accordingly. It was just as beneficial in his everyday life as in battle.

With one last look at the baby half-ghost, Vlad headed to his closet to change out of his sleepwear.

* * *

Now in white pants, and with a red and white cloak on his bare torso, Plasmius knocked on his friend's door.

Although Skulker had his own home outside the palace walls, he had stayed in the castle this time. He usually did when Vlad and he had things to take care of… or when the king needed him close by.

"Skulker? Are you awake?" Vlad called, knocking again. He really hated that he had to wake his friend after less than four hours of sleep to help him with Daniel, but he had no other choice. His wife wasn't home—although more than ever he wished she was-- so at the moment, his friend was the only one he trusted enough to help him with this.

The door opened, but the ghost that opened it looked nothing like the formidable and robotic-looking ghost that was Skulker. This ghost was small; so small, in fact, that he was no bigger than the king's hand. And yet, Vlad seemed to know the small ghost; and acknowledged him with his friend's name.

"Skulker, may I come in? I need to tell you something."

The tiny ghost, who was in reality Skulker in his true form, looked at him with tired and annoyed green eyes. "You realize it's been less than four hours since we got back?"

Vlad smirked. "I know; and I'm as tired as you are, but this can't wait."

"Well, if it has to do with-" Skulker quickly scanned around his friend to make sure no one was around before continuing, "-the half-human child, than I'm sure it can."

Plasmius rolled his eyes, but there was amusement in them. "Well, it does have to do with him, and it can't wait, so…" The king lifted a finger and pushed the little ghost away from the door. "Move."

Skulker grunted when the black-haired ghost touched him in the chest, which so happened to be were his own ectoplasmic signature was. The symbol was the shape of two blades crossed in an 'X' position, and it instantly reacted to Vlad's touch.

The small ghost grumbled in annoyance and rubbed his glowing green signature as Plasmius closed the door behind him. It wasn't that Vlad's action hurt in any way; quite the contrary. He was used to the feel of his best friend's energy… but Skulker wasn't the type to enjoy… affection.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," the hunter told the king as he lowered his hand from his chest.

Crossing his arms, Vlad gave his friend an innocent look and asked, "What do you mean? I haven't done anything."

Skulker rolled his eyes at him and decided to change subjects. "What's wrong with the whelp?"

The king's expression immediately changed into worry as he answered, "He's really sick, Skulker. I don't know what to do. He has severe cold flashes and his energy is very low. I've been trying to keep him warm and calm, but it is barely helping." The king paused as if sensing something and added, "And he's crying again."

The small ghost crossed his arms in thought. "I don't know what to tell you, Plasmius. Perhaps what happened to him is finally taking its toll on him…"

"He won't die," Vlad assured immediately with a heavy frown, knowing that's what the other ghost had really meant.

Skulker raised an eyebrow at Vlad. His friend was getting too attached to this child. He understood why; he knew the child's condition attracted the king to the baby, but Skulker still didn't like it. Despite his inner thoughts, he decided to discuss this later with him.

"Well, I suppose I could pay Bertrand a visit and see what he recommends for the whelp's symptoms."

Vlad's face scrunched in distaste. "Bertrand? Can't we go to someone else?"

Skulker smirked. He knew the king wasn't very fond of the ghost, and for good reason. "He's the closest doctor around, Plasmius."

Vlad sighed loudly, but reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Fine. But you go. I'm going to head to the marketplace to get a crib, and other things I need for Daniel."

Skulker gave him a dry look in response. "So you can raise gossip about how _the king of the Ghost World_ was acquiring child supplies when he doesn't have a child? No, I don't think so. I'll take care of that too."

Plasmius frowned, "But-"

"Look, just do me a favor and go tend to the whelp, alright?" Skulker cut him off before floating over to his hollow metallic suit, which was sitting in a chair.

Vlad's eyes filled with sorrow as he watched him get back into his artificial body. He recalled all too well what had left the hunter in the state he was in. But seeing his friend's green eyes shine through the suit as it activated, he quickly hid the previous emotion. He knew that Skulker hated being pitied.

Vlad gave him a wide grin. "Ah, Skulker, what would I do without you?"

Now inside the suit, the flames that made up his hair came to life and Skulker stood from the chair. "I ask myself that exact same question every day, Plasmius," he assured calmly, while typing something in the control panel on his right arm.

"Hilarious," the king retorted sarcastically.

Skulker smirked, showing he was just teasing him. "Luckily the formation of Lydia's child is the perfect cover as to why I'm getting child supplies myself."

Lydia was Skulker's sister, and what Skulker- like all ghosts- referred to as 'formation', humans referred to as birth. Ghosts and humans had a very different way of bearing children. Ghosts mated, just like humans, but it wasn't needed for reproduction. To them it was solely an act of love and bonding. Their children were actually produced when a certain level of connection was reached between a ghost-couple. When this energy bond occurred-- which often took a few years depending on the couple—the pair could _form_ an offspring. They called it formation because the child was literally formed by a combination of the male's and female's ectoplasmic energy. A ghost's energy contained their spectral DNA, so it took half of each individual's energy to create their offspring. In this aspect, ghosts were similar to humans, since their offspring are also created through a combination of DNA.

However, female ghosts didn't go through pregnancy, and because it literally took half of their life-energy--and that type of energy couldn't be restored-- to create their child, ghosts could only form one child in their lifetime.

There were, of course, some exceptions. It was possible that during the formation process a ghost couple ended up with twins, triplets, and so forth. But the point was that they could only undertake this process once in their lifetime without it being deadly to them. This made the ghost race's population growth very slow; but on the other hand, ghosts lived _a lot_ longer than human beings.

This meant Skulker's sister was his twin. However, they looked nothing alike. Skulker and Lydia were what humans referred to as fraternal twins. But ghosts called them that because they developed in different energy spheres, instead of the same one—which would form _identical_ twins. This sphere was purely made out of ghost energy, and a ghost fetus remained in it until it fully formed. The development took a week, which was obviously much faster than a human fetus' development….

Vlad nodded in agreement to his friend's comment regarding Lydia. It really was fortunate that Skulker's sister had recently formed her offspring with her husband: Ghostwriter. It was now the perfect cover just in case someone caught sight of Skulker and him getting baby things. The offspring had been formed almost a week ago, so that meant by now the baby was probably fully formed and out of the energy sphere.

It was because of this child that the queen wasn't home. Lydia and she were close friends, and so she had gone to see Lydia at this very important time. Vlad and Skulker obviously hadn't gone, but it was because of the recent problem with the humans, which led, of course, to the king's now having his hands full with a sick Daniel.

"Perhaps, I should go see Bertrand while you go to the market," Vlad suggested.

"No, I'll take care of it. You going to Bertrand's would be even worse than you going to the market. Stay. with. the. whelp." Skulker emphasized this by poking his friend on the chest like he had done to him.

Alright, so Skulker didn't mind _some_ affection.

Vlad smirked, his hand going to his glowing signature. "Alright, you win… _this time_."

Skulker gave him a predatory grin. "Careful, I might take that as a challenge."

Plasmius laughed, "If it wasn't for Daniel, I would show you a challenge right now, but that will have to wait."

Skulker looked annoyed now, "That child is really turning out to be a nuisance."

Vlad waved his hand dismissively. "Exactly, he's_ a child_; and they need attention."

"And that's what makes it a nuisance," Skulker retorted, walking towards the door.

The king followed, shaking his head helplessly.

Stepping out, Skulker said, "I'll meet you in your room when I'm done… and I'll let you know then what I think of the whelp's condition."

Vlad nodded grimly. Being that his friend was a hunter, he had a unique ability of sensing illness and injury in not only ghosts, but humans as well. For all ghosts, their natural senses --like hearing and eyesight-- were highly enhanced since they relied on them a lot more than humans did. But Skulker's were even more so. It's what made him such a formidable hunter… and fighter. And why he would know better than anyone if Daniel had any chance in surviving his ordeal.

"Alright, see you in a bit," Plasmius replied, before they separated.

The king walked back to his room where Daniel was. He truly hoped the little half-ghost made it through this. He was determined to do everything possible to see to it that the baby did. But in the end, it was up to Daniel and whether he was strong enough to stay alive while his body finished adjusting to its changes.

Vlad prayed he was strong enough.

* * *

That's a lot of info, huh? Well, if you are one of my loyal readers, then this shouldn't be a big surprise for ya! You all know that I like a nice, detailed layout before diving into the story's main plot. So don't expect me to take off just yet. I have a bit more background to cover; this is an AU after all, so I want to make sure I don't confuse you guys to much just yet! heh-heh! But, the good news is that the next chapter you will find out who the queen is... can ya guess? Well, enough rambling. Please voice your thoughts to me, kay? ... If you do, I'll let you play with baby Danny for a little while, eh? Ta for now my wonderful readers!! 


	5. Chapter 4: Love's Desire

**Long chapter ahead!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU plot is little Pearl's own.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Love's Desire. 

In spite of Skulker's bleak prognosis for Danny, where he believed it was very likely the infant wouldn't make it past another night, the little half-ghost _had_ withstood his illness. But not just for one day. Today marked the third day of his arrival, and it didn't take anyone with special powers to tell he was doing a lot better. 

The king had gotten very little sleep these past days. Daniel's constant crying and his fear of having the child die right before him was more than enough incentive to keep his being wide awake. 

Placing his hand on Daniel's little chest to feel the level of the child's energy, Plasmius soon smiled. "You look and feel much better, Daniel," he told him. "And I am quite relieved your cold flashes have finally ceased."

Vlad knew that in a way he had Skulker to thank for Daniel's improvement. The hunter had managed to obtain a safe medicine and other needed supplies for the infant before he had to leave for his home to take care of a few things. But the medicine had indeed proved quite effective in preventing the baby's energy level from dropping any further and keeping his cold flashes from becoming any more severe than they had been. Still, Vlad planned to have Skulker check Daniel when he returned today as the hunter had said. 

A giggle from Daniel brought Vlad's attention back to him. "Ah, so you can do something else besides cry," he teased, watching how the baby continued to touch the energy-made bassinet he was currently in. Apparently the little half-ghost enjoyed the tingling sensation he felt when touching the blue energy. 

Vlad sat beside him with a fond sigh, and grabbed Daniel's small hand. The baby looked at him like he always did when he felt the physical caress of his caretaker. But this time—and for the _first _time--the king felt a response from the infant. 

Plasmius tilted his head, a surprised but warm expression appearing on his face as he felt Daniel's affectionate energy. This was a very good sign, being that this meant the Daniel's energy was building. But it also meant it was developing. Though it was instinctual at first for them, ghost offspring learned to use their energy from feeling it from others, namely their parents. But because Daniel's circumstances were different, he had Vlad to thank that this was happening at all. 

Curious to see Daniel's reaction, Vlad took the baby's hand and placed it on his ectoplasmic signature. The infant stilled for a moment at the stronger surge of energy that traveled through him, but then he cooed loudly and smiled contently at the king. 

Vlad smiled at the reaction, but also from feeling Daniel's energy once more. It was so much different than any other he had felt. It was so… pure. Was this how all babies felt? He didn't know; he had never felt one before. But it was very wonderful. 

Overcome by these surges of emotions, Plasmius leaned down and kissed Daniel's forehead. "You're too good to be true," he found himself saying lovingly to the infant. There was no denying how attached Vlad had become to the little half-ghost in just a few days. And the troubling part was he still didn't know what he was going to do with Daniel.

A knock at the door snapped Plasmius out of his actions and thoughts. "Excuse me, m'lord?" a familiar voice called.

"Just a moment, Dora," he replied. Vlad picked up Daniel and then dissipated the energy bassinet. He placed the gurgling infant in the crib Skulker had gotten for him. "Do you think you can do without me for a moment?" he asked the baby lightheartedly, while caressing his cheek with his hand. 

Vlad stepped away from him, and immediately, Danny protested at losing the calming touch he now knew quite well.

"Oh come now, I'll just be a moment," the king assured him. Forming a small sphere of blue energy, he placed it down beside the child as a reassurance. 

Vlad chuckled at hearing Daniel giggle when he touched the ball with his hands. Now certain he would be fine on his own for a bit, the king left the sleeping area of his room and headed towards the room's exit. 

Plasmius made sure to close the door behind him as he stepped out into the hallway. There he addressed a young ghost woman with red eyes and long, braided blonde hair, wearing a medieval dress that was just low enough at the neck line to reveal her "symbol": a dragon. 

"Hello, Dora."

"Good day, m'lord," she said giving him a respectful curtsey. "I have come to inform you that m'lady, the queen, has arrived."

Vlad's lips slowly spread into a devilishly grin. "Has she now?" 

"Yes, m'lord. Just now. I believe she is in the throne room with Sir Skulker," she informed him. 

Vlad looked back at his closed bedroom door thoughtfully, but quickly turned back to her and nodded. "Thank you, Dora" he said, and walked passed her.

"M'lord," she called, causing Vlad to turn towards her once more. "I had the maids straighten the matrimonial chambers as well as m'lady's private chambers… Did you want the maids to straighten your own private chambers too? …You haven't allowed them to do so for the past three days…that is why I ask."

The king waved dismissively. "No, I will take care of it for now," he replied, before floating off.

Vlad arrived at the throne room just in time to hear his wife speak, "Lydia and Ghostwriter now have a baby girl… Your niece is very beautiful, Skulker."

Plasmius smirked at seeing his friend smile brightly in response to his wife's words. It was so unlike the serious hunter, but even he could not be indifferent to such news. 

Vlad's eyes focused on the queen, and he instantly found himself taking in every detail of her being. Everything about her-- from her personality, to her melodious voice, to her perfect hour-glass figure--never ceased to captivate him. 

Currently she wore an ocean-blue, bra-style top, outlined by glittering sliver gems that matched the delicate silver bracelets on her upper arms and wrist. A belt completely made of rubies and diamonds rested on her hips, right below her firm and exposed stomach. And an identical piece adorned the top of her head in the form of a hair-band. Finally she wore a shimmering transparent cape that fell delicately against her back's soft olive skin and landed inches above the tip of her spectral tail. 

The king watched as she lifted a refined hand and moved away her glossy black hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her hair traveled almost the length of her cape, looking and moving like pure silk. And Vlad knew it felt just like it too.

Skulker caught sight of the charmed Plasmius and had to hold back a smirk. Deciding to not alert the queen of her husband's presence, he continued his conversation with her as if nothing was out of place. "What's my niece's name?" 

"Ember," she replied with a smile, the tip of her spectral tail moving gracefully about. 

"Hmm…How lovely," Plasmius finally spoke with a charismatic grin. 

The queen's ruby-red eyes moved away from Skulker and towards the king. "Vlad" she said, her smile already becoming softer. 

Skulker cleared his throat. "Well, I'll leave you two. Desiree, thank you for the wonderful news," he said, before heading out of the throne room. Knowing that Plasmius had a lot to tell his wife about, the hunter gave his friend a significant look as he passed him which seemed to say, _'Good luck'._

Vlad's gaze returned to his wife in time to see her spectral tail form into legs that were now adorned in genie-style ocean-blue pants. Amusement spread on his features as Desiree slowly began to approach him. Only the clicking sound of her sliver high-heel shoes could be heard.

For a moment, his eyes became fixed on her softly swaying hips, before they moved back up to her own eyes. 

Reaching him, a seductive smile graced the queen's face as she said, "Tell me, what exactly do you find… lovely?"

Vlad looked at her with a playful smirk. "Well… the name of Skulker's niece is quite lovely… But… I am almost certain that I was thinking of something lovelier at the time. And now, _she_ so happens to be standing before me…" He lifted a hand and gently caressed her cheek. 

Desiree lifted her own hand and placed it on top of the one touching her face, while her eyes fluttered close from the energy in her husband's touch. 

The king closed the remaining distance between them and whispered against her lips, "I missed you, Des," before he captured them in his for a soft kiss. 

Desiree opened her eyes and smirked. "I was only gone for a week, love," she teased, earning a throaty chuckle from her husband. 

Vlad lifted his free hand towards the now glowing pink familial symbol on his wife's upper chest, and tenderly touched it. 

Instantly, Desiree pressed him closer to her and kissed him with more intensity; one of her own hands moved to her husband's chest while the other tangled itself in his tied-back hair. 

The couple's normal white glow changed into a soft blue as they continued with their affections. 

"My…If I didn't know any better I'd say you missed me more," he said with a grin once they parted.

"Would you like me to prove to you that you don't know better?" she retorted daringly, grabbing his hand to lead him out of their current location. 

"Just a moment, Desiree," he said, knowing that he couldn't put off everything he had to tell her.

Desiree raised a curious eyebrow at him. Her husband never called her by her full name unless he was angry or serious about something… 

"There's something I must discuss with you," Vlad informed her, grabbing her hands in his. 

The queen frowned. "Must it be now? I'm a bit tired …and I really desire a warm shower," she added with a playful look, but it quickly left her at seeing the king's grim expression remain unchanged. "Really, Vlad, what could have possibly happened in a week's time that's so serious?" she asked skeptically, but now worried.

Vlad bit his lower lip, gazing at the hands he softly stroked in his own. "I went to the human world…to destroy the portal," he said, raising his eyes back to hers.

Desiree removed her hands from his hold, her pink lips pursing in anger. "You told me you would let Walker handle that," she accused with a soft but displeased voice.

Vlad sighed. "I know I did... But then I found out the portal wasn't being made in a government facility as I first believed. It was being made in a _private home_ that just so happens to be located in a very _populated_ town. And to make matters worse, there were detectors everywhere, Des. Walker would not have gotten through without turning such a small task into a full blown battle."

"Wasn't it anyways? Surely the humans would guard something that important," she replied.

The king shook his head. "No, there were just two ghost hunters … They obviously never expected us to discover what they were doing. But I'm sure if those ghost detectors would have gone off, that would have alerted more of their kind."

Desiree nodded, and without looking at him asked, "Did you succeed?" 

"Yes, but…there were...complications,"he slowly replied, watching his wife's eyes return to his.

"Complications?" she repeated warily.

"More than just the portal was destroyed." 

Desiree sighed loudly. "You realize this will just upset them further."

Vlad's arms crossed. "I had no other choice, Desiree. You know I have no intentions of waging war upon them-- even if they seem to want to continue with such senseless actions. Still, there is one thing I will not permit, and that is having them invade our home," he responded seriously.

The queen's expression softened and she gave him a small smile. "You're right, love…I just worry about you. You risk enough with-"

"I do what I must," he said, gently interrupting her. But his expression softened as well just as he grabbed her hands once more and stared into her worried eyes. 

"Everything I have done has been for you, for this kingdom, this world and everyone in it…" He lifted her hands and kissed them. "And now for someone more," he told her with a warm smile. 

She gave him a quizzical look; and Vlad responded. "Come; let me show you…the other _complication_," he said, pulling her forward.

She obliged him without a word. Desiree knew her husband would clear everything up when he found it appropriate to do so. Still, she couldn't help but to become more confused when he finally stopped in front of his private room. 

"Vlad?" she questioned, seeing an almost fearful look now on his face, which was rare to see on him. 

"Des… First, I want you to know I never expected this to occur, and if I could have, I would have prevented what happened…But it _did_ happen; and I would be lying if I told you that I'm not in some way glad about it."

She gave him a wary look, before she slowly reached towards the closed door. Whatever her husband was talking about she had no doubt she would find the answer within the room.

Vlad didn't stop her from going in, but the tension on his face showed how nervous he was. 

She floated passed the lounge and other sections of the room at not seeing anything off about them. But when she pulled open the door that contained the actual bedroom, her eyes widened. "Vlad…what's all this?" she asked, staring at the crib and other baby supplies lying on the nightstand and other furniture.

Her answer came in the form of a loud whine from the crib. "His name is Daniel," Vlad informed, watching Desiree carefully for a reaction.

Desiree's eyes widened further as she stared at her husband with disbelief, before quickly turning and moving towards the crib.

A soft gasp left her, a hand covering her mouth as she stared down at the small child wiggling in the crib. Her hand slowly lowered, but her eyes didn't leave the infant.

"Explain this to me," she demanded in a calm, but cold voice.

"Please, my dear, do not be upset. I didn't adopt him without your consent, if that's what you're thinking. I told you, this was unexpected. But I just couldn't leave him _there_, Des. He would have surely perished!"

She quickly looked at him, understanding his emphasis. "You found him in the _human world_?" she asked, the coldness in her voice changing to surprise.

Vlad remained silent for a moment before answering. "Yes."

She sighed. For a moment, she really had believed her husband had adopted a child without her consent. However, if he saved him… that explained why the baby was here. Although how the humans got a hold of a ghost infant was beyond her. But she was too relieved to ask.

Desiree turned to him and smiled. "That was very noble of you, but don't you think you should have taken him to an orphanage by now?" she asked with a bemused look, "I'm sure they could find his parents and-"

She stopped at seeing her husband's eyes flash with anger and his expression become cold at the mention of the child's parents. If she would have been touching him, the queen would have felt jealousy in addition to those other emotions.

"His parents do not deserve him," Vlad assured.

Desiree was taken aback by his response, but then she frowned. "Why would you think something like that?"

"It's the truth. And even if it was not, they could never care for him."

Desiree studied him with an unsure look. "…Well, you should still take him to an orphanage. He needs parents to care for him, Vlad."

Vlad stayed quiet, and the coldness in his expression vanished into uncertainty and something else… Something that made Desiree's eyes widened once more. "Oh God…You want to keep him," she whispered in disbelief.

Suddenly finding himself unable to look at Desiree, Vlad averted his gaze towards the crib. Deep inside he did want to keep the infant, but he hadn't admitted the desire to himself yet… so how did his wife see it? Her words weren't even in the form of a question; she was sure of it. And now… as he searched for a response to give her, he was sure he wanted Daniel as well.

Vlad looked back at his wife and in all seriousness answered, "I do." 

Desiree's eyes lowered from his, and her reaction was the one the king had dreaded most. Her hands went to her face and a sob racked from her throat. 

Vlad immediately tried to grab her but she moved away from him. "Des, please; it isn't-"

"I-I know we discovered why we could not form a child a while ago…but w-we can keep trying…maybe you-"

This time Vlad forced her into his hold. "Stop! You know I have tried everything, Desiree! It's not possible!" But then his face softened at hearing her cry harder. "I'm so sorry," he said softly, wiping away her glittering tears, while attempting to comfort her with his energy. "I know it's my fault. I shouldn't have been so… impulsive…. I just wanted this foolish war to end… I couldn't just stand by and…" He got quiet for a moment, but then he gave her an optimistic smile, "You're right; we can always keep trying. But… right now, _this_ child needs us," he assured her in a whisper.

Desiree shook her head sadly at him. "If we cannot have our own, I don't want another," she replied just as softly. 

Vlad gazed at her with a serious expression, before he let go of her and moved towards the crib. Desiree watched as he picked up the infant, but he didn't turn to face her. 

"He's half-human," he suddenly said in somber voice. 

Desiree felt the ectoplasm drain from her face. "What?" she whispered in disbelief, but then her voice grew louder. "Oh my goodness! Vlad, tell me you didn't-"

"Of course not!" he shouted furiously, turning to face her, while Daniel burst into fearful tears at hearing and feeling Vlad's anger. "How can you even contemplate the idea that I would do something like that to a child! _To anyone!_ Do you think me that barbaric!" 

"No!" she exclaimed right away, realizing how wrong her intended question was. "I-I just don't see how…"

"I told you, there were complications," he reaffirmed, his voice back to its normal volume, but still sounding angry. "His parents are a pair of ghost hunters who are actually foolish enough to do their work in their own home! We had a struggle with them, and it caused an accident. It turned this child half-ghost and nearly killed him. Don't you see?" he said, his resolve deepening, "We are the only ones that can care for him. He would not last a day with his powers in the human world, not to mention he would be killed for what he is. And giving him up for adoption here would risk someone discovering his half-human status. Who knows what would happen then!" 

Desiree said nothing. And he sighed away his anger at her reaction. But a deeper worry now penetrated him after hearing himself voice what he had already known as true: this child's survival rested in his hands. 

Realizing Daniel was crying, Vlad quickly reassured him with his energy and the little half-ghost calmed down. "Des," he called moving to her, "Please," he said softly, showing her the baby. "You can understand why I want to keep him… can't you? Is the thought of raising a child that's not your own so horrible to consider?"

Desiree stared at the baby's bright green eyes. She knew her husband was right. She _understood_. And it wasn't the idea of raising a child that wasn't her own that bothered her. It was what it meant. What she would have to accept as true:

She would never know what it felt like to create another life. She would never have her own child. 

Desiree lifted a hand and caressed Daniel with her own energy. Despite it being a new sensation for him, the baby cooed. "He's very beautiful," she said with a soft smile on her lips. 

Vlad smiled as well. "Yes, he is," he agreed. "I have been caring for him for the past two days, and let me tell you, it is no easy task. Skulker even helped… Can you imagine?" he added with a small smirk.

Desiree attempted to give him an amused smile in return, but she didn't really manage it. Feeling the infant attempting to return her affections, she retracted her hand from him. "You saw him change?"

Vlad gave her a worried look at her overly-calm demeanor, but answered, "Yes, I did. The change in environment instinctively forced him to." 

"Alright, Vlad… Keep him, if that's what you want," she responded looking up at him.

Plasmius couldn't stop a bright grin from forming on his face. "Thank you, my dear. I think he'll make a fine son."

Desiree bit her lower lip, her eyes falling back to Daniel. "Yes, I think so too…just not mine," she added with a sad look.

Vlad's smile fell. "Des…"

"I'll be in my private chambers," she calmly added, moving away from him.

"Desiree, wait," he asked, taking a step towards her.

"Do not follow," she replied, stopping his approach.

Vlad's eyes closed as the door did, before he opened them and sadly looked down at the infant in his arms. "I'm sorry, Daniel… She just needs some time," he said although his tone of voice was laced with uncertainty.

As if sensing his sadness, Daniel wrapped his small hand around one of the king's finger.

Vlad smiled, feeling the infant's soft energy. "You will make a fine son indeed… Whatever happens, I'll make sure you are well taken care of…"

* * *

An hour later, Vlad left Daniel in the care of his duplicate and headed off to a meeting he had with the high council. Today the meeting was being held at his castle since they would only be having an informative discussion. But for legal matters and anything else, they gathered at the high tribunal, and that resided some distance away from his home.

Interestingly, each of these meetings was conducted in their natural ghost language, which had been in their culture since the existence of time. The reason was simple enough: more than half the members did not know human speech. Ghosts had literally _adopted_ human language during Pariah's rule for the sole purpose of being able to understand the enemy. At first, only those ghosts who had to venture or fight in the human world had to know human language. Others, having no real need or desire to do so, didn't even bother to learn it at all. But as time passed and the war continued, teaching human speech as a second language to the ghost children was adopted, just in case that someday they would have to meet a human.

Now that Plasmius was ruler and the war had stopped—at least on the ghost side—the ghosts continued to teach their young both languages. Though the ghosts refused to let the adapted human language replace their natural language, this second language was familiar to and still spoken by many ghosts. And over the years, it had actually become part of their culture. 

Humans, on the other hand, had yet to learn anything about the ghost language. And that, of course, left the human race at a disadvantage… 

Upon reaching the grand doors of the meeting room they usually occupied, the king saw Skulker waiting for him outside. 

"I didn't get a chance in tell you yet, the kingdom is gathering tomorrow to celebrate your victory, Plasmius."

Vlad, still plagued by the queen's negative reaction towards Daniel, answered distractingly, "Victory? What Victory?"

Skulker raised an eyebrow. "Your victory against the humans. The portal was destroyed, remember?"

Now paying full attention, the king shrugged. "I didn't do that alone, Skulker. Actually, I didn't do much of anything. That entire plan was a disaster," he said, sounding bitter towards the end.

It was Skulker's turn to shrug. "I suppose a few things went wrong, but it was still a success. Look, the point is there will be a celebration tomorrow and _the king_ needs to show up. It'll be at the same time these things usually are. Just don't forget, alright?"

Vlad sighed. He was not in any mood for festivities, but he couldn't tell practically the entire ghost population not to have a party. "Alright," he agreed reluctantly, before changing the subject and asking, "Is everyone here?" 

"Just about," Skulker replied with a knowing smirk, but it soon fell at noticing the serious and contemplative look on his friend's face.

The hunter placed his hand on the Vlad's shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts again. "What's wrong? Was Desiree that upset about what happened with that child?" 

Plasmius shook his head, "No, not really… She became _upset_ when I told her I wanted to keep him as my own."

Skulker's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "You want to what?" he asked in alarm. Sure his friend had mentioned it, but he had been joking then; this time, he was serious.

Vlad sighed at Skulker's response, but decided he didn't want to discuss this at the moment. "Come, we must go in," the king said instead, before walking past Skulker and entering the room. 

The hunter just stared after his friend for a moment before groaning. "I knew he was getting too attached to that child," he grumbled, before walking in himself.

Plasmius greeted them in their ghost language, translating as, "Good day, my fellow ghosts." He gave them a small respectful bow. 

All the ghosts in the room stood from their seats and returned the gesture. "Good day to you, King Plasmius."

Plasmius sat down on a large golden chair that faced all the ghosts in the room, before everyone else took their respective seats as well. 

The king studied the ghosts in the room while he waited for them to get situated and ready to commence. 

There were three rows of semi-circle tables behind which they all sat facing the king. The front row contained his advisors and officials. Skulker sat there since he was one of his six advisors; and so did Walker and Fright Knight, for they were involved in making and upholding laws-- as were four other ghosts there, making a total of twelve in that row. It was with the help of these advisors and officials that the king would make decisions that affected the kingdom. Of course, he had the last say, but only as long as it didn't go against those higher than him. 

The middle row contained the Observants. They were a _very_ large group of ghosts—although only ten were at _this_ meeting-- that oversaw not only the kingdom, but all of existence—which included humans and ghosts alike. It was their duty to keep a form of balance between the Human World and Ghost World, since physically, they balanced each other. 

However, Vlad internally believed they were worthless. They watched everything that occurred, everywhere, but never did a thing. They avoided all form of involvement, unless the physical balance was endangered. Only when they were left with no other alternative would they act…Or more specifically, someone else acted for them... 

Plasmius frowned as he thought. _"And __**that Someone **__obviously __seems to believe he has better things to do, __**once again**__….Of course, I can't blame him; these reunions are dreadfully dull,"_ he added, knowing he hated these meetings himself. 

Then there was the last—but certainly not the least important--row, where the Ancients sat. There were twelve of them, and the king paid special attention to them. They were extremely powerful and wise—being that most were over a thousand years old. The Ancients were usually very calm ghosts who wanted the best for their kind. But they never hesitated to rise against any ghost or other creature who had other intensions, and for that, they could demand the utmost respect. And unlike the Observants, they were only concerned with keeping this world safe. 

Vlad had rule over all, but he could never go against the Ancients. They appointed the rulers of the Ghost World, and therefore, they were above him. The last ruler who attempted to disregard their authority had met a grim fate—not that Pariah didn't deserve it. He _had_ tried to enslave the entire ghost race, and that was very different than ruling them. However, Vlad's respect for the Ancients was not to be mistaken for fear. He in no way feared them. They were a fair group of ghosts, who respected him for who he was.

Seeing that everyone seemed to be ready-- and ignoring the fact that someone was missing, since the king knew that if the ghost wasn't here by now he wasn't coming—Vlad spoke. "I assume that by now you are all aware of my _trip_ to the human's world?" 

"Yes, although we fail to understand why this high council was not gathered to discuss this _trip_ of yours before you partook in it," one of the Observants answered.

"This matter was quite urgent," Plasmius answered, "I did what I thought was best."

"I agree," Skulker intervened, standing, "There wasn't time to gather this council. The safety of our world was at stake," he said, then sat down once more. 

"You did well, King Plasmius," the head Ancient alleged, now standing himself. "Observants," he addressed them, "Your priority might not be keeping our world safe, but everyone else's here is. King Plasmius' actions have not gone against any of your laws; therefore, you have no reason to rebuke them." 

The Observant that had first spoken looked towards the others of his group and they gave a nod of acceptance. "Very well," he answered the Ancient, and sat down.

"Now, we have been informed that you successfully eliminated the threat the humans had upon us," the head Ancient continued.

"Yes, the man-made portal has been destroyed. If it would have worked, I cannot say for certain. But I have strong reasons to believe it would have," the king replied.

"Why is that?" another Ancient inquired, this one sounding feminine.

Vlad answered, "We all know that portals to the human world are naturally made here. And that they feed off the ambient energy around them to open and stay open. I suspect this man-made portal would have worked because they were using ectoplasmic energy—the same energy our portals open with-- to power it." 

"And where would the humans get that energy?" Pandora, one of the king's officials, inquired. "Humans have never ventured into our world, except, of course, for the ones that were captured and killed under King Dark's rule. And furthermore, King Plasmius, before your recent venture, it had been nearly ten years since our kind has stepped foot into their world." 

"That' right!" another official conceded, "But I, Technus, believe they used our sacrificed brothers from the past!" 

Murmurs of alarm and disgust erupted among the council members at the possibility of the humans obtaining the energy from ghost bodies.

Vlad's eyes darkened. "I am not certain where they obtained the needed energy. But the most likely source—which Technus has already mentioned-- cannot be ignored. Many of our own kind were captured during _my uncle's_," his tone dripped with contempt as he addressed Pariah as such, "…rule ten years ago. Although we managed to free the few that had not been killed, it is quite possible the humans kept _the remains_ of those they did. It is the only way they could have acquired that much ectoplasmic energy." 

"Well, then, let's hope they do not have more available to them," another of his officials by the name of Frostbite added.

Vlad nodded, "What's important is that they do not obtain the _means_ of acquiring more energy. That is why I have forbidden all from venturing into the human's world since my rule. I do not want to see another ghost used as a lab rat for their sick experiments again."

Skulker's eyes down-casted in response to the king's words, and his hands fisted as he seemed to recall something. But, he wasn't the only ghost who reacted this way. Several had, some even had saddened. It was clear the matter affected them personally somehow.

"I certainly believe it has been a wise decision, King Plasmius; as it has been to retract our race from that age-long war that only brought about unneeded chaos," Pandora agreed. 

Plasmius, who had caught Skulker's actions, had been looking at him with concern, but he quickly turned his attention to the official addressing him. "Yes. I saw no reason to continue with a war that was started by a power-hungry king and a deceitful and greedy race as the humans are."

A male advisor stood, and intervened in the discussion. His voice was oddly soothing as he spoke, "It's true that Dark's actions were beyond questionable. And the Ancients did well to eliminate him. But regarding the humans, I strongly believe that Dark's approach on dealing with them was appropriate. These creatures cannot be left to their own devices. We need to keep them under control, or they will continue to be a threat to us. With all due respect to you, great king, I don't believe your decision is wise."

Vlad frowned heavily. "Is that so? Tell me, Nocturne, what valid reason was there to send hundreds of ghosts to their death? What valid reason is there to do so now?" 

"Not one, great king," Nocturne answered, the tranquility in his voice never vanishing, "And I am in no way suggesting such a thing. I just don't feel that locking our doors and turning away from a present war is the right course of action." He bowed, before taking a seat once more. 

An ancient stood, before Plasmius could say anything. "I agree. How long will it be before we can keep them at bay without fighting back?" she asked.

Walker quickly stood as well, not wanting to let the opportunity of reviving this matter slip. "You are just avoiding the inevitable. This war with the humans has been going on before you were even formed, King Plasmius. And it will continue whether you want it to or not."

Vlad immediately caught Walker's negative tone of voice, and stood angrily. "What exactly are you trying to imply, Warden? And If I recall correctly you need two sides to have a battle. I _refuse_ to be responsible for the death of the innocent! There has been too much of that already! The human's world offers nothing for our kind! No ghost has _any_ reason to go there! Let _them_ waste their lives building arsenals and preparing for some pointless war! I. Will. Not!"

The leader of the Ancients rose to intervene. "Fellow council, this is not the reason we are here today. This matter has been discussed before and it was agreed—_by majority vote_-- that our kind will no longer partake in anymore bloodshed." 

"If that is so, then what has King Plasmius to say of the child that was killed during his venture into the human world?" an Observant asked.

Vlad frowned, while Skulker visibly tensed. Luckily everyone's eyes were to the king or they were muttering amongst themselves. This is what the king and Skulker had dreaded. How much of what happened did the Observants know of? The Observants had means of not just looking at what occurred at any specific time, anywhere, but also, of looking into the future. Well, glimpses of it, really. But there was someone who saw all, and nothing could be hidden from his knowledge. Problem was, he worked for the Observants…

Choosing his next words carefully, Plasmius spoke. "It was never my intention for all those unfortunate events to occur," he said, deciding not to correct their mistake of believing Daniel was dead. "The ghost hunters proved to be more equipped and efficient than anticipated. But I can assure you all of one thing: that explosion was not caused by me or those that aided me in that matter."

"You could have approached this matter differently. If you would have gathered this council perhaps all this could have been prevented. All you have done, King Plasmius, is given the humans more reasons to be hostile towards our kind," the Observant continued.

"And what would you have had me do?" he asked, feeling his patience quickly growing short, "_Nothing_ so that they can stroll in here with their arsenals? Have you thought about what that would mean? They could very well take out this entire world, and what would happen to that oh-so-important balance you all are always so worried about?"

"You have closed off over eighty percent of all natural portals. And in turn, cut off the oxygen that once entered our world from the human world. How are the humans going to invade us--as you so strongly believe-- if they can't set foot here?"

"Oh I don't know," Vlad replied in sarcastic anger, "Perhaps with the aid of an invention they call _oxygen masks."_

The Obervants frowned at the king, before the one addressing him spoke again. "King Plasmius, we understand that your young age does not allow you to completely understand how delicate the natural balance is, but at least, you must think more carefully before you take such consequential actions. That is all we are asking."

Still standing, Vlad narrowed his eyes. "How dare you talk down to me? A least I do _something_. You all do nothing beside stare at a crystal ball from the comfort of your homes while others do your dirty work!"

"That's quite enough, King Plasmius," the head Ancient said, standing once more. "Everyone here has important duties to carry out. And although we might not always agree with each other, we will respect one another, understood?" he insisted, addressing not just Vlad, but also the Obervants.

The Observant who was standing and the king both sat down once more, and said nothing else.

The head Ancient continued, "Now, although human life is of no concern to _us_, it _is_ most unfortunate that an innocent child was caught in between this current situation. But what is done is done. Observants you all cannot forget this is also your home, and as such, you must show more consideration for its safety. So, with that said, does anyone have any other comments regarding _this_ matter?" 

No one answered.

"Alright. Then let's move on to another issue I would like to address with you, King Plasmius."

Vlad groaned internally, having a very good idea what this 'issue' was. Biting back his frustration, he calmly gestured the Ancient to continue. 

"It has been almost ten years since you have taken the throne. Being that your mother was King Dark's sister and he had no heir, we decided to hand over the kingdom to you. And in our eyes, you have without a doubt proven yourself to be quite capable of carrying such a large responsibility. We truly do not regret our decision. Now, you are still young-"

"I'm twenty eight," Vlad interrupted, drumming his fingers on the table in front of him in a bored fashion, "But I suppose compared to you all, I am."

"_But_" the head Ancient continued with a frown, clearly not impressed with the king's remark, "You are not so young that you can continue to push another important matter that greatly affects your kingdom. You must have an heir, King Plasmius. You have no living relative. And on Queen Desiree's side, there is only her sister. But she's not even married yet. I'm sure you can see the seriousness of this? The royal energy-line will be broken if you do not form a child with your queen."

Vlad resisted the urge to roll his eyes. If there was one thing that bothered him about the Ancients—and the Observants-- it was that they tended to treat him as if he were a child. "I am _well_ aware of all this. But you all seem to forget that a child does not magically appear. Forming another living being is not the easiest of things to do."

"You have been joined with your queen for seven-"

"Eight," Plasmius corrected with a cocky grin, deciding if they were going to treat him like a child, he would be difficult. Plus, it was fun to annoy the old-geezers at times. 

"_Eight_ years. Your energy bond with her is strong; strong enough to form a child. But you have not. Why is that, King Plasmius? I see absolutely no reason why you have yet to give your kingdom an heir to the throne."

Vlad remained silent. No one but Skulker and Desiree knew the answer to that question. The head Ancient was right. His wife and he were more than ready. And they both _did_ want one… But Vlad couldn't form a child with his wife. It would kill him. 

Plasmius found his thoughts quickly shift to Daniel. And his desire to keep him grew stronger. But that meant having to pass him as his own. And he couldn't do that just yet; not without his wife's approval. 

"Plasmius," Skulker whispered, getting the king's attention. "Everyone is waiting for your response."

Vlad snapped out of his thoughts and quickly answered, "Alright; I shall bear it in mind," he replied, standing up.

The head Ancient sighed at having the king avoid answering his question like he always did every time this subject was brought forth. But since this was a more personal matter, the Ancient knew he had no right in trying to push it further. So instead, he settled with responding to the king in a reprimanding tone and asking, "More than usual?" 

Vlad sighed himself but nodded. "Yes, a lot more," he assured him with slight annoyance. 

Deciding he was bored with this reunion and wanting to leave, Plasmius decided to end it _as subtly as possible_. "Is there anything else? I'm sure you are all aware of Desiree's return today, and naturally I'd like to spend time with her…," he informed them, directing a cocky grin to the leader of the Ancients.

"We have nothing else," he replied, showing no regard towards the king's antics. Not that Vlad expected one. The Ancients—especially their leader-- were very used to his…personality. The Observants, on the other hand…

"Observants?" Vlad inquired, ignoring their looks of disapproval.

"We have no further matters," they still responded.

"Advisors? Officials?"

"I just have a question," the only female advisor he had spoke up, the feathered white wings on her back slightly spreading as she stood.

Vlad made a hand gesture for her to continue. 

"The portal was destroyed. How certain are you that the humans won't try and rebuild it?" Her lips were pursed in a grim line, while her gold eyes expressed concern as she awaited her answer.

"I have no doubt they will try, Anĝela. But it will take them some time, which, of course, also depends on whether or not they have the required ectoplasmic energy. Whatever the case may be, the humans will be watched closely. And I will not hesitate to put an end to their foolish deeds as many times as necessary," Vlad responded. 

The Advisor nodded and sat down. 

"Anything else?" 

Everyone remained silent. 

"Very well. Thank you for your time; and I bid you all a safe journey," he said with a bow.

They all stood and returned the gesture, before everyone began to leave the meeting room.

Vlad was the first one out, followed by Skulker. "You handled that…well," Skulker said with a raised eyebrow, coming up alongside his friend.

Vlad shrugged, clearly peeved. "I respect the high council's authority and wisdom, Skulker. That does not mean I will let them control me as they see fit. I have the right to make my own decisions. The Observants and whoever else can protest all they want; the truth of the matter is that things are better as they are now, and if they don't like it, then they can find themselves another ruler. I'd have no problem with that. At least I wouldn't have to hear that blasted _'energy-line will be broken'_ speech again," he said angrily. 

Skulker smiled. "Right. Like the head Ancient would change you for someone else."

"Sometimes I think the Observants don't even care about their own race. Their attitudes are unbelievable," the king continued.

Skulker nodded. "They see things differently, Plasmius. But don't let it get to you so much. Everyone might not agree with you, but most do. So don't forget that." The hunter suddenly chuckled. "I can't believe you practically called the Ancients old; and the Observants worthless." 

Vlad's anger faded and he smirked. "That's what they get for treating me like a mere child." His grin grew wicked. "And you said so yourself, I enjoy giving them a hard time." 

Skulker returned the look. "I have to admit, you annoying them--especially the Observants—does liven things up." 

Plasmius smile fell as he recalled what the Observants said about Daniel. "Skulker, do you not find it peculiar that the Observants know everything that happened during our trip to the human world, except for what really happened with…Daniel?"

Skulker looked around, before answering, "I do. And I do not understand it myself. But let's hope things stay that way, Plasmius. If they find out the truth, and they bring it up with the council…. Well, let's just say that'll do more than tick off a few of the high council's members."

Vlad nodded, knowing that he had indirectly lied to the high council; _lied to the Ancients_… And he would have to do more of it if he kept the little half-ghost… Was this child really worth the amount of trouble he was getting himself into? Was he worth having Desiree displeased with him? 

"So, how's the pup?" Skulker suddenly asked. "It's obvious he's still alive, which I'm quite impressed about." 

Pushing aside his troubling questions, Vlad raised an amused eyebrow at his friend. "Why so interested?" he replied with a smirk.

"Don't read so much into it, Plasmius. Children hardly peak my interest. They are annoying specimens."

Vlad laughed heartedly. "Annoying? You looked ecstatic when you heard about your sister's child," he pointed out.

Skulker frowned. "I was just happy for her. Her mate and she have wanted a child for some time."

"Oh, so the fact that you are now an uncle has nothing to do with it?" Vlad shot back with a smirk.

"Of course not!" he replied, crossing his arms.

Vlad chuckled. "Daniel's fine, Skulker. Thank you for your _concern_," he mocked playfully.

The hunter scowled and immediately protested. "I'm not concerned! It was simply curiosity!"

His friend just grinned wider. "Then you will be kind enough to sooth my _curiosity _and come with me to see him."

Realizing he wasn't winning this one, Skulker settled with rolling his eyes at his friend. "Very well. What's your concern exactly?" he asked as they made a turn towards the king's private chambers.

"Well, his cold flashes finally ceased and his energy looks and feels a lot stronger… I suppose I just want to make sure he'll be fine..."

"I see," he replied as they turned another corner. 

"Excuse me, m'lord!" Dora called, floating up to them from a nearby hallway. 

Vlad turned his attention to her. "Yes?"

"The chef wants to know if you'll be dinning tonight."

"Have you…asked my wife?" he responded hesitantly.

"Yes m'lord. But m'lady says she is not feeling well," Dora replied.

Vlad remained silent for a moment before speaking. "No, tell him I will not be dinning either," he informed.

"Yes, m'lord," Dora said, before curtsying and leaving.

Vlad continued to his room with Skulker beside him, but now there was silence between them. 

Skulker knew the king was very troubled with his wife's reaction. But the hunter decided not to say anything on the matter. If his friend wanted to talk about it, he would have already brought it up. Besides, Skulker wasn't too pleased himself with Vlad's decision regarding the half-human child either. Still, he understood quite well the king's difficult position...

When they finally arrived they found Daniel fast asleep. Vlad's duplicate quickly merged with him as he and his friend approached the baby's crib.

Skulker studied the infant for a moment, before reaching down and touching his chest lightly. "Yes, he is a lot better, and he's adjusting very quickly. There 's no doubt he'll be fine, Plasmius."

Vlad nodded, but didn't say anything. Daniel suddenly moved a bit and let out a soft coo. Skulker's eyes widened slightly at feeling the child instinctively sending his own energy to him. But then the hunter quickly frowned, and just as fast retracted his hand from the infant. 

"I see… he's already learning how to use his powers," he mumbled, unable to hide the fact that he was impacted by the feel of Daniel's energy. 

This caught Vlad's attention and he immediately knew what had happened. "Ah, you felt it," he said with a smirk at the hunter, "Doesn't it feel-"

Vlad paused as his attention was drawn to Daniel, or more specifically, Daniel's legs. They had suddenly turned a transparent white, and now, they were getting misty as if dissolving. "Skulker… he's…"

"-Forming a spectral tail," Skulker finished in disbelief. 

Vlad smiled at the baby. "He's going to be quite agile," he commented with a chuckle, knowing that ghosts that had the ability of forming spectral tails were known for their agility and speed. The king himself didn't own said ability…but his wife did…

Vlad's expression saddened. "Am I being selfish, Skulker?" 

Skulker, startled by the sudden question, gave his friend a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

Plasmius sighed as he looked down at Daniel. "I had already gotten use to the fact that I would never have a child. So much that I was ready to tell the Ancients the reason why… I know they would understand. But then this happened. This infant happened…. He's just so special, Skulker. And I can't help but feel bonded to him. I have thought of the reasons why I should and shouldn't keep Daniel over and over again. And in the end, the reasons I _shouldn't_ outweigh the others. But it feels wrong to leave this child's life in the hands of fate. Just like it felt wrong to leave him behind that day. It _feels_ wrong to abandon him, but my mind logically tells me it's the right thing, the best thing to do. So why can't I do it? Is it me, Skulker? Am I just being selfish?" he asked sadly, looking at the other ghost.

Skulker looked back at Daniel, clearly understanding the question now. He knew that whatever he said next could tip the scale for or against the infant. So he decided to push his own opinion aside and speak things as they were.

"You're not being selfish, Plasmius. If you were, we wouldn't be having this conversation because this child wouldn't be here. As much as I hate to admit it, this pup has the best chances with you. But you have to understand, this matter involves more than yourself and this child. You are currently thinking only of his wellbeing, but what about everyone else's? You have to think about how this will affect everyone. How it will affect… _Desiree_."

Sadder than ever, Plasmius asked, "What…do _you_ think I should do?" 

Skulker met his eyes and responded, "Are you asking me as your advisor or as your friend?"

Vlad smiled. "We have always been friends, Skulker. Why would you even ask me that when you know my answer?"

"Because my answer would be different."

Vlad looked at him quizzically. "How so?"

"Well, as your advisor my answer to you is logical but harsh: Get _rid_ of him. You cannot take him back to the human world, because the humans would just experiment on him to gain more information on us, or find some other way to use him against us. And if there is a slim chance his parents accept him as he is, he would not survive for long with his powers. Something as simple as going intangible while in a human's arms would… well, you know. Now keeping him at your side puts you and everything you have worked for at risk. And giving him up for adoption is too risky. Plasmius… he's a threat to our kind no matter what you do with him… except, of course, if you dispose of him. If you brought this up with the council you know that is what their decision would ultimately be, and it is why it's my answer to you as part of that council. I care too much about our kind to not tell you this."

Vlad said nothing for a moment, but then he shook his head. "I cannot do that."

Skulker nodded. "I know. That is why as your friend I'm going to tell you to decide this with Desiree. I know how much you care for her and you must remember that keeping this child means it will change both your lives _permanently_. But if it makes you both happy, none of that matters."

Vlad sighed. "That's the problem. I have no means of making _her_ happy."

"That's not true," Skulker replied with a small smile, "Just give her some time, and more importantly, give yourself some time. You'll know what to do eventually. And if it makes matters easier for you, know I won't pester you about the child any longer… I'll agree with whatever you decide," he added with a smirk.

Vlad finally smiled. "Why yes, that does make things much easier for me…"

Amused, Skulker rolled his eyes at him. "I must return to my lair. But I'll be back for the festivities tomorrow."

"Alright, see you tomorrow," Plasmius answered. "And…" He placed his hand on the hunter's shoulder, "Thank you."

Skulker nodded. "Of course." 

Vlad watched his friend leave, before turning his eyes back to Daniel. He reached down and caressed the sleeping baby.

"A threat…" he whispered, "Perhaps…But you're one I'd gladly accept. Only that, I'm not alone, Daniel… I love her, and I…"

Vlad retracted his hand. "I'm sorry," he said painfully, before turning away from him. With a 'heavy heart' the king headed to his closet. It was still very early, but he just wanted to sleep. Although, in the end, he knew he wouldn't.

* * *

**Yes…. Desiree. What can I say? I had fun having them interact in "My Little Badger", so much, that I paired them in this one. It wasn't until I wrote them in MLB that I realized how alike and compatible they are—heh, in my opinion. (Before I wrote that story, I would have never thought that, mind you). Vlad and Desirree both have that air of superiority and confidence in the show that makes them perfect for ruling. Besides, if you recall Desiree's story in WyW her background fits quite well with this story. Now, most of you guessed Spectra… And to _most_ of everyone's relief it was not. I'm sorry, but I don't see it. Spectra is waaay to sadistic (My little ol' opinion, of course). I couldn't imagine her caring about anyone but herself, and I especially couldn't see her caring for a baby! Ha! But I hope the Vlad and Desiree pairing doesn't annoy anyone too badly, but that is why I warned you guys ahead of time, hmm? Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed this long and info-filled chappie! And I'll have you all know—well, if you have read all my stories you already know—that this is my first attempt at romance! –grins sheepishly- Hope it's not too bad! Well, thanks for reading! I await all your lovely reviews!**


	6. Chapter 5: To bury the Past Part 1

**Man! This took way too long! But that's what school does for ya! Speaking of which, I'm done with the semester!! That means more time for stories! Yay!! But enough of this, let's get moving, shall we? I split this chapter into two parts, cause it is very long; like over fifty pages! So you get one part today, and the next tomorrow, kay?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom; but this AU plot is mine!**

**-warning- PG-13 content ahead!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: To Bury the Past (Part One)**

The next morning, the queen woke up early, having not been able to sleep well all night for obvious reasons…

She yawned softly before realizing her husband was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her. She furrowed her eyebrows, but not in anger. "Vlad? What are you doing?"

The king smiled softly at her. "Watching you sleep, my dear," he replied, with a small smirk.

Desiree smiled, but her eyes expressed the same sadness his did. They couldn't stand being displeased with each other.

She reached for him, and placing her hand behind his head, pulled him closer. She gave him a soft kiss on the lips before whispering, "I'm sorry."

Vlad sighed as he rested his forehead on her own and closed his eyes. "No, my dear, you had every reason to react as you did. I should have been more thoughtful." He pulled away from her, his eyes lowering in sadness. "It seems I've made a habit out of hurting you, Des. After all, we wouldn't have this problem now if it wasn't for my past… mistake."

Desiree sat up and grabbed his hand. "Come," she asked, coaxing him to lie beside her. Her husband complied and wrapped his arms around her frame. She rested her head on his chest, her arms holding him as well. "Listen to me, Vlad. What you did, _what_ _happened_, is not a mistake."

"But I-"

"Please, listen," she asked, her aura turning a soft blue. The king closed his eyes as his wife's tranquil and reassuring energy washed over him. He knew it so well, and even after more than nine years with her, he still found it addicting.

"I know that if you could, you would change the past. But believe when I tell you, my love, I would not allow you to. What you did and what it caused cannot be considered a mistake. It has done so much good. You have made it safer for our kind."

"And in turn I have hurt you," he insisted, "It's my fault we will never be able to have a child, Des!" He sighed regrettably, and added softly, "I have taken away from you what you desire most."

"My foolish husband," she said lovingly, holding him closer, "What I desire most is right in my arms," she assured. "I cannot lie, however, and say it doesn't pain me that we will never form our own child. I have seen the formation of many children, and each time it has been very wonderful. The parents are always so happy and proud… I just wanted us to know what that felt like."

Vlad nuzzled his face against her own, feeling her sorrow, but said nothing. There was no need.

Desiree sighed, and looked up at him sincerely as she continued. "But even if it cost us that, I'm glad you did what you did."

"I am sorry, Desiree," he replied, assuring her with his own energy.

"I do not want you to be!" she said more forcefully, but it vanished as quickly as it came. Tracing his jaw line with her finger, she whispered, "Vlad… What's done is done. Promise me that this will be the last time you regret the past. Promise me this is the last time we ever talk about this."

The king looked down at her with unsure eyes, but when she placed her hand on his chest, her energy, _her emotions_ entering him dissolved his doubt. A doubt that he had bore since that awful day… The day that his and Desiree's ghost lives were changed forever…

But knowing his wife didn't blame him, that she understood, that she felt no different towards him after that, brought him comfort.

"I promise," he replied, kissing her forehead. But he still needed to say more. "I know this does not change your opinion about Daniel, which is why I want you to listen to me now."

His queen looked up at him with sad eyes, but said nothing.

"I know we both decided never to adopt a child. I understand it can never be the same as one that comes from _us_. I really had accepted _our_ _truth_. But now… _he_ appeared," Vlad said, referring to the little half-ghost. "And I can't help but feel captivated by him, Des. I don't know what it is; I can't explain it, but there is something about him, and I know it's more than the fact that he's half-human. From the first time I saw him lying there, I could not take my eyes off him, so much so that I was taken off-guard by his mother. The way he looked up at me with these bright blue eyes, so full of innocence, not an ounce of fear in them, I found myself actually wondering if a son of my own being and ectoplasm could be as precious as him."

Feeling his wife's energy suddenly softened, Vlad paused, realizing he had said more than he meant to. But he was glad Desiree had reacted positively towards it. "I want him, Desiree," he said forwardly. "But I want more for you to be happy. That is why I will do with him what you ask of me."

Desiree instantly looked at him and saw conviction in his red eyes. "But… But what about-"

"As long as he remains in our world no one will ever know he is half-human. _He_ will never know. He'll be able to have a normal and safe life here. I'll make sure of that at least. I've thought a lot about this, and you're right; there are many couples that would make excellent parents for him. They don't need to know what he is to love him. Daniel will be fine without us," he said with a sure smile, although she felt sadness in his energy.

Desiree returned the smile. "I think so, too. And I more than understand why his half-human status must remain in the dark," she added, sure that if the High Council would find out about him, the majority would vote to kill him because of the 'threat' he posed to the ghost race. But would the Ancients think that way too?

"What do I do with him, Desiree?" Vlad asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

The queen smiled at him, before caressing his face. "Let's talk about this later… yes?" she asked, placing a kiss on his neck.

The king smiled, pleased with her actions. "Come now, my dear, you've only been gone a week," he teased.

Desiree laughed heartedly at being shot back her own banter, but then she quickly lifted herself up, pinning him so that her face was above his. "Actually, _yesterday_ was a week. Today is eight days… one too many," she retorted seductively.

A smirk grew on Vlad's face. "I see… Well, in that case…" He playfully flipped their positions, before grabbing the covers and throwing it over them.

* * *

"This can't be! How did those creatures bypass all those ghost detectors without setting **a single one off**?!" the leader of the Guys-in-White screamed as he paced one of the many test labs in the main 'GiW' facility. Though there were several of these government buildings throughout many of the states, the head facility was in Amity Park, Michigan.

"W-We don't know, Mr. Chrome. The Fentons refused to talk about it. They are devastated by the loss of their one-month-old son," Operative O explained, a sympathetic expression appearing on his face at the end.

The leader of the Guys-in-White snarled, and threw several beakers to the ground. "Serves them right! It's because of those worthless imbeciles that my plans have literally blown up!" he fumed. As much as he tried, he still couldn't figure out how the ghost race had discovered about their human-made portal. Only a few people knew about it, it was strictly classified, and he had even forced the Fentons to build it in their own house so it would be less conspicuous. He drew a blank on how they had found out.

What made him even angrier was the fact that the ghost king himself had come to the human world to destroy the portal. Plasmius had not been seen since he took over Dark's reign all those years ago. And now that he finally showed up, the Guys-in-White were nowhere around to capture, or better yet, kill him!

Deciding to get a hold of the Fentons himself, he stomped out of the lab, but not before barking at his inferior, "Clean up this mess!"

He soon made it to his private office and slammed the door shut. He walked over to a phone and pressed a button on it. "Gloria!"

"Sir?" a woman said right away through the speaker.

"Get me the Fentons!" he ordered.

"W-Well, you see, Mr. Chrome, with their home destroyed… I-I don't have their number anymore."

"Then find it!!" he shouted, before hanging up. He growled and began to pace around, both nervous and angry.

This portal had been the key to getting everything he wanted. It was what he had wrapped all his plans around! Now it was lost! His plans were lost! And what was he supposed to say to his superiors now?!

For years now, the U.S. Government—the founders of the Guys-in-White-- had been trying to shut down their department. They believed there was no need for the ghost-division any longer. Now that the ghost race had stopped attacking humans for years, they believed that that the war was over.

Of course, Mr. Chrome wasn't stupid enough to fall for those blood-thirst monsters, those…those ghosts' tricks! There was no doubt in his mind that this new ghost king, Plasmius, was more cunning than Dark. He was probably putting together a plan to take over this world. And making everyone think that he and his kind had retreated from the war was the perfect way to catch them off guard.

The leader of the Guys-in-White wasn't going to allow this to happen. If anyone was taking over anything, it would be him. He would destroy the ghost race and claim their world, or his name wasn't Thomas Chrome!

But without the portal… How was he going to do this now? How had Plasmius managed to find out about it? How had he gotten through a house completely covered with ghost detectors?

This ghost king was turning out to be more dangerous than the last. Unlike Pariah, Plasmius seemed to use more brains than brawns. Now that he thought about it, it was quite surprising that a ghost as young as Plasmius would ever be use his wits before using his might.

Thomas had met Plasmius once, ten years back, right after Dark had vanished. Back then, Thomas wasn't in charge of the entire Guys-in-White division, although he worked for them and was in charge of Amity Park's government ghost facility. But when he saw Plamius that one time, the first thing he noticed about the new ghostly leader was how young he looked. Ten years ago, he had appeared no older than twenty! If so, that made Plasmius at least nine years younger than himself. But then again, ghosts supposedly aged differently than humans.

Whatever the case, this new king was young, or at least much, _much_ younger than Dark. This was why Plasmius intelligence was peculiar, but more importantly, threatening.

Thomas leaned against his desk with a thoughtful frown on his face. He would never forget their one and only encounter…

"_Mr. Chrome!" cried one of the Guys-in-White._

_Mr. Chrome immediately turned to face him, looking as nervous as his comrade. "What's happening?" he asked, although he could guess from the screaming and firing coming from outside his office._

"_We're being attacked! And we can't hold them back! What do we do?!"_

_Mr. Chrome began to sweat as he heard the commotion coming closer and closer. "I-I don't know… Go fight them off!"_

"_But, sir, there are too many!" the men exclaimed fearfully._

"_And you led them here?!" Mr. Chrome shouted back angrily. "You imbecile! Don't you see? They're after me!!"_

"_**BAM!"**_

_Both men gasped at seeing the office's door get ripped out of its place. They stared in horror at the ghost in front of them as it disintegrated the door in its hands into nothing._

_The ghost's red eyes narrowed at the two trembling men, before he walked towards them, but the second he did, the man beside Mr. Chrome reacted. "Stay back!" he screamed, pulling out a gun and firing at the intruder. _

_The ghost immediately turned intangible, and the attacks went right through him._

_The man, not knowing what else to do, continued to fire more blasts as the ghost continued to approach him. _

"_Click-Click" the empty gun sounded as he continued to press the trigger, while staring at the ghost now standing right in front of him._

_The ghost solidified once more and snatched the weapon from the man's hands, before tossing it aside. The ghost then immediately grabbed the man by the throat and wrenched him off the ground._

"_Thomas! Help me!" the man cried to the other Guy-in-White. But all his superior did was back away towards a wall behind him. He watched in fear __as the ghost tossed his comrade across the room. The man slammed into the wall with a loud thud, and then fell to the floor, senseless. _

_Thomas began to breathe heavily as the ghost turned his eyes on him. "P-Please, don't hurt me!" he pleaded as the creature came towards him._

_A look of disgust appeared on the ghost's face. "Pathetic…" he said. "Are you in charge of this facility?" _

_Mr. Chrome swallowed hard, knowing if he said, 'Yes', he would probably be killed on the spot. "N-No," he lied._

_The ghost narrowed his red eyes at him, "Then I suppose I have no use for you either…" he said darkly._

_Thomas gasped at seeing the creature extend out sharp, red claws from his fingers. "No, wait!" the Guy-in-White screamed upon seeing the ghost lift a clawed-hand towards his chest. "I am! I am in charge!" _

_The ghost paused in his actions, and smirked as he retracted his claws like a cat would. "You human leaders are all the same. Always cowering behind those foolish enough to follow your orders … As I said before, pathetic," he growled in distaste, before grabbing the man by his suit's tie and pulling him forcefully forward. "Let's go, coward." _

_Thomas stumbled forward and fell from how hard he had been pulled. He stared up at the ghost's retreating form, before slowly standing. He stood there for a moment, trying to assess the situation. From the lack of noise, it was clear there was no one left. Had the ghost __**killed**__ off everyone in here, __except for him? What was he going to do? He didn't want to die at age twenty-nine! _

_For a fleeting moment he wondered if he could make a break for it now that the ghost's back was to him. But upon getting a glare from the ghost, Thomas quickly decided it was best to do what the ghost wanted. And at the moment, he wanted him to follow._

_Thomas walked after the ghost, but not before grabbing a piece of broken glass on the floor. "I-I'm only in charge of this facility. If you are planning on holding me hostage it isn't going to work."_

_The ghost scoffed, but didn't turn to face him as he said, "Your race would have to be more foolish than I thought to put someone like you in charge of anything more. And drop that in your hand. You might have an accident with it."_

_The man quickly let go of the piece of glass, not wanting to anger his current enemy._

_Suddenly, the ghost paused and placed a hand on his chest. Thomas frowned as he finally realized something that he had been too afraid to notice before. This ghost wasn't some ordinary ghost. This creature was wearing a similar looking crown and ring Dark wore, only his glowed and burned red instead of green. But by the way his feet melted the floor he walked on, Thomas knew it was the same crown and ring that gave Dark unspeakable power._

"_So, it's true," the Guy-in-White whispered, "There is a new ghost king… B-But you're so young!"_

_The ghost lowered his hand from his chest before turning to him, his red eyes now glowing fiercely. "Unless you want to know what it feels like to have every bone in your body broken one by one, you are going to shut down this facility's ghost defense system and release every single ghost you have locked in here."_

_Thomas took a step back but nodded quickly. He stepped around the ghost and proceeded towards the control system of the building. After several passwords and fingerprint scanners later, the entire facility turned pitch-black for a moment before the emergency lights came back on._

_The king grabbed the man by the collar and turned them both intangible before phasing them down to the last floor of the facility._

_The strange sensation that had overtaken his body made Thomas scream in fright, but the sight before him quickly left him in silent terror._

_All the ghosts that were being held here were emerging from their cells, or at least the ones that were healthy enough to move on their own, that is. _

_They gathered around the king, as well as Thomas since he was still being held by the collar of his white suit. But they ignored the human, clearly thankful to see their leader. The king began to talk to them in their strange ghost language; and they either nodded in acknowledgement or answered back using that same speech._

_They soon parted, moving in different directions. Thomas swallowed as some of the ghosts that passed by him shot him a dark look. _

_Then abruptly, the king threw him aside, and floated over to a nearby cell that wasn't open. He quickly pulled open the door, only to gasp out, "Skulker!" _

_Thomas wasn't sure, but he somehow felt the king had been specifically looking for this ghost. Thomas knew that the ghost in that cell was close to death, but no human had caused his critical condition. The ghost in there had been captured like that. In fact, Thomas had ordered his inferiors not to bother "interrogating" it, since it was clearly useless, except for dissection purposes._

_Thomas was pulled out of his thoughts when the sound of blaring alarms went off throughout the building. The man knew this was his cue to run, and he did. These alarms were a secondary defense system, and they only went off when the facility's ghost defense was entirely shut down. _

"_Stupid creature. Did he really think he could break in here without a fight?" he thought with a cruel smirk. _

_The king had come with the purpose of saving the ghosts in here. And the only thing he just accomplished was to condemn himself and every other of his kind currently trapped in the building. There was no way they would be able to stand up to the heavy reinforcements just alerted by those alarms. _

_Just as Thomas took another turn towards the exit, he was greeted by one of the captured ghosts. The creature, which he knew was the legendary Behemoth who guarded the ghost world against human trespassers, currently carried a small injured ghost in one of its two sets of hands, its arms, body, and long thick tail stained with the ectoplasm flowing out of the ghost it held._

_Thomas cried out and narrowly avoided the ghost as it swiped at him with one of its large clawed hands. He quickly ran back the way he came, and the ghost quickly pursued him, although its slow pace showed it was weak and maybe even injured. _

_Thomas knew that this ghost had every intention to kill him, seeking revenge for the torture it and the injured ghost it carried had endured by his and his cohorts' hands. _

_The creature suddenly let out a mighty roar, its loud angry cry shaking the entire building down to its very foundation. Instantly, Thomas lost his balance and fell to the ground with a scream of fear. He quickly looked up, only to whimper at the sight of the ghost's sharp teeth hovering right above him._

_But then suddenly, the king's voice called to the ghost, "Behemoth." The ghost turned its head towards its leader, who said something to the ghost in their language. The Behemoth gave a growl in Thomas' direction, before floating past him and towards its leader._

_Thomas looked up at the king, and it was then he noticed the king had the ghost that had been in that cell in his arms. Thomas couldn't help but notice it looked worse than when they first captured it. Its limp limbs were black and rotting, and it barely had the white glow that all ghosts had._

_The king turned from Thomas, and towards all the ghosts that were now gathered once more, all holding other injured ghosts. The king spoke some more to them in their language, before lifting the hand with the ring upon it upwards. _

_Thomas gasped as a bright green light filled the room, and by the time it was over, a swirling green vortex was above them. All the ghosts immediately flew up and began to go through it, all except for the ghostly Behemoth. _

_The king whispered something down to the ghost in his arms, before walking over to the other remaining ghost. He carefully placed the wounded ghost in the Behemoth's second set of hands, before stepping away from the other ghosts. Right after that, the Behemoth flew into the vortex with the two injured ghosts._

_The king quickly lifted his hands towards the opening, his cape moving behind him as he did so. A red glow began to seep from his hands as he brought them together._

_Thomas watched in amazement as the opening began to close in motion with the king's hands. And with a pained groan from the ghost, the opening __vanished. He then lowered his hands, the white glow around his body appearing dimmer than it was originally. Thomas just stared on in shock, wondering why the king didn't go with them._

_But then, the ghost turned towards him so quickly that he didn't have time to ponder on what it meant. Thomas gasped as he was grabbed by the neck and slammed into the wall. "What's your name?"_

"_T-Thomas Chr-Chrome," he choked out, in a quivering voice._

"_And what do you think I'm going to do with you?" the king asked, pressing him harder into the wall._

"_Please… don't kill me! I-I haven't d-done a-anything!"_

"_No? So, you haven't killed my kind? You haven't tortured them? You haven't opened them up like they were MERE EARTHLY TOADS?!"_

_All the frightened man did was whimper. _

"_I should kill you," the ghost hissed, "but then, how will you know who the real monster here is…" He dropped him._

_The king lifted a hand and formed ecto-energy in it, causing Thomas to gasp in fear. "I thought you said you weren't going to kill me!"_

_The ghost just smirked evilly at him, before firing the energy in his hand, and hitting him squarely in the chest._

_Thomas cried in pain, but his scream cut short when his body slammed against the wall behind him. The strength of the attack all but knocked him out cold. But his spinning head and blackening vision told him that would __soon be the case. Even so, Thomas managed to lift his head enough to see the king as he walked away. And as the ghost did, two black rings appeared around his waist. But before Thomas even knew what they were or did, he lost consciousness… _

Mr. Chrome sighed. He had never been so humiliated in his life. Not only had Plasmius forced him to plea for his life, but he later discovered that there had been no other ghosts with the king. Plasmius had single-handedly defeated about forty ghost hunters while inside a ghost-proof facility! What his comrades had seen defeating everyone else had been mere duplications of the ghost king. Thomas had never heard of a ghost who could make copies of itself!

It was unbelievable! Plasmius didn't even kill a single person to accomplish all that he did that day. Thomas was sure the king had spared his and everyone else's life for the sole purpose of degrading him further, which he had succeeded in doing. And to think: that monster even dared to call _him_ one!

Since that day, his superiors had ridiculed him and had deemed him incompetent for being unable to stop a single ghost from breaking into the facility successfully.

It was because of Plasmius that it had taken him nearly nine years to finally get the position he had now. And even with the entire Guys-in-White division in his charge, his superiors still believed him worthless. In fact, they had given him this position only because his superiors knew the government would shut down the Guys-in-White operation any day now.

Mr. Chrome growled angrily, his hands fisting on his desk. What did his superiors expect him to do? Fight the _ghost king_ single-handedly? It's not like _they_ did any better. After all, it was _they_ who let him escape that day.

When the reinforcement had **finally** arrived, they said they didn't even **see** Plasmius. How could they not have? The ghost king had stayed behind! He had not gone through the portal with the ghosts he freed. Ten years ago, Thomas had not understood why Plasmius had done this. But now he did. Since ghost portals used ectoplasmic energy to stay open, and there was a limitless supply of it in the ghost world, portals could not be closed from 'their side'. Plasmius had not gone through the portal because ghost portals could only be closed from the human world. Of course, the one Plasmius had made was temporary, so it would have closed on its own eventually. But wisely, he didn't want to risk leaving one open within a facility that imprisoned and dissected ghosts.

So that meant, the king had stayed on human territory until he had left the facility. And if that was true, then this question remained: How did he leave without being spotted? Not even the ghost devices picked up a trace of him.

The man's green eyes suddenly widened in realization. "That's it! He has the ability of masking his ghost energy! It's how he escaped back then, and it's how he got into the Fentons' now! But… what kind of ghost can do such a thing?"

The man cupped his chin in concentration. Ghost detection devices picked up on a ghost's ectoplasmic energy that coursed through their entire system. And from several dissections and experiments conducted, Thomas knew that ghosts had some form of energy-producing 'organ' instead of a heart. So how could the king keep his energy from being detected? It's not like he could turn off the sphere-looking organ and stop it from producing ectoplasmic energy. It was what kept all ghosts alive!

"It has to be that ring and crown… But Dark never showed this sort of ability," he mumbled, reclining in his chair and frowning. "However he does it, it is keeping him one step ahead of me, and I can't have that. Perhaps it's time to get the Fentons to pull out those ghost shield construction layouts. At least until I find the means of obtaining more concentrated ectoplasmic energy." He growled. "That vile I gave the Fentons was the only batch there was left!"

Thomas drummed his hands nervously on his desk. Everything had been going fine, until Plasmius showed up again!

"Damn him!" he spat out. He really had no choice but to start from scratch again. That, however, required time, and he didn't have it! The government wanted to shut the Guys-in-White down! Plus, he knew that at the moment the last thing on the Fentons' mind was rebuilding the portal. With their son dead, they--

An evil smile grew on the man's lips as an idea suddenly hit him. "Maybe something _good_ can come from all this," he said thoughtfully. And then, with a wider grin, he quickly pressed the button on his phone to connect him to his secretary. "Gloria."

"Sir?"

"Gloria, I want you to get me all the major news stations on the phone. I'd like to give them an interview," he said calmly.

"Right away, sir."

After turning off the intercom, Mr. Chrome opened a drawer and pulled out a file. Perhaps his plans were stalled for now, but he knew just how to buy himself the time he needed. And in that time he would somehow acquire more ectoplasmic energy for the portal. Meanwhile, the Fentons could rebuild the portal and work on making those 'ghost shields' Jack had told him about.

Yes, things would work out as he wanted. And when that happened, _he_ would be the one to make the ghost king beg for his life.

Thomas opened the file and smirked at the pictures of Jack and Maddie Fenton. "The death of their brat is the perfect tool to remind _all_ those imbeciles why they need me."

* * *

Desiree smiled softly at her sleeping husband whose arms were gently wrapped around her waist. She had woken up a good ten minutes ago, but she was too content lying beside her love to get up.

"_Must be pretty late in the morning by now,"_ she contemplated, playing with a loose strand of Vlad's black hair. _"Not that there's any reason to-"_

She stopped in mid-thought and her eyes widened slightly. Her husband was fast asleep, which meant no one was watching Daniel! Vlad couldn't maintain a duplicate while unconscious!

The queen lifted her hand with the intention of waking up the king, but abruptly halted. She bit her bottom lip as she momentarily stared at her husband with uncertainty. But her smile returned.

Deciding not to wake him, she caressed his face. She could now see what she had forgotten with everything that had happened: how very exhausted her husband looked.

"You poor thing," she whispered teasingly, but lovingly as she lowered her hand to his chest. She sighed at feeling his energy; how she loved it so. It always filled her with comfort and strength. He always made her feel safe, and more importantly, loved. She really couldn't have wished for a better companion.

The queen placed a light kiss on Vlad's 'symbol', and she smirked at the unconscious smile that appeared on her husband's face. It was always nice to know she could make him feel her even while he was asleep.

With a sigh, she forced herself to move away from him, taking care not to wake him as she did so. She then moved out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom. There, she quickly brushed her teeth and put on a robe before leaving her private chambers completely.

Invisible, so as to avoid any attention, Desiree floated down a hallway. She soon arrived at Vlad's private chambers and walked in. The closer she got to the actual bedroom, where the child was, the louder his cries got. It was a very good thing that her husband's chambers contained several rooms before reaching the bedroom, or the baby's cries would have surely been heard outside in the hallway.

She smiled warmly at Daniel, before grabbing one his small fisted hands. "You're so precious," she said tenderly. After all, just because the child wasn't her own didn't mean she didn't care, or find the baby beautiful.

Daniel momentarily stopped crying upon realizing someone had come to his aid. His bright green, teary eyes stared at the queen for a moment, before he returned to crying his little eyes out.

With a bit of hesitation, Desiree picked him up, careful to keep his blanket on him. She could tell that he had been sick recently and she didn't want to risk his relapsing. He needed to be kept warm until he learned to pull the warmth his body needed from the energy he absorbed.

She floated over to the bed and sat down on its edge, while trying to get the baby to settle down. Rocking him lightly, she lifted a hand and softly caressed his pure white hair, but at the same time studied it. She had never seen such a beautiful color on anyone. Anything remotely close to it was from old age, and therefore, would be a dull grayish-white. Hardly appealing. This infant's hair, however, was as white as fresh snow and it glowed with such brilliance. He looked …angelic.

Desiree eyes suddenly furrowed as she realized something. Actually, she **did** know one other being that had the same hair color….

A smile spread on the queen's lips, while her eyes looked down at the little half-ghost with new unreadable warmth in them. Deciding to try a different approach to calm the infant, she lifted a hand above the crying Daniel and whirled it right above his central core.

"What is it that you desire, little one?" she asked, a soft pink mist leaving her hand. As if it were alive, the mist softly touched and moved around the infant, but it soon vanished. Desiree smiled knowingly at Daniel. "I see," she said, stroking his face with her energy.

Daniel slightly calmed in spite that the energy soothing him was not the one he had been growing use to. The baby whined softly, before returning Desiree's affections.

"Yes, I know," she said, feeling urgency and need in his energy. She whirled her hand in the air once more, but this time, the mist wrapped around itself. In a blink of an eye, the pink mist-like energy vanished and a bottle was left in the queen's hand.

"I bet Vlad can't get you your food this quickly," she teased with a smirk. Positioning the baby, she offered him the bottle. Daniel readily accepted it and began to drink quickly. "Goodness… And here I thought Vlad was tired from attending to you. But from how hungry you are, I have to wonder if he's been feeding you… Or is it that you're just hungry all the time, hmm?" she asked, raising an amused eyebrow at him.

Daniel just gurgled in reply and continued to gulp down his milk.

Desiree chuckled. "So it's the latter then? Alright."

Right then, her attention was diverted to the little half-ghost's feet. Thing was, they didn't look much like feet. They were barely formed anymore. In fact, it appeared that at any moment they would—

Desiree let out a soft gasp at seeing the infant's legs completely vanish into a white mist that held no actual shape. Then, as expected, the mist slowly reformed, not as legs, but as a spectral tail.

"My…" she said with a smile, touching his tail. Daniel cooed at the sensation, and Desiree nodded in approval. "Good. You can feel that." Turning her attention away from his new spectral tail, she lightly caressed his face with her energy once more. But as she did, she saddened. "Your mother must miss you terribly, little one…Even humans care for their offspring. I'm sorry that you were separated from her, but you're one of _us_ now. And the human world is not a safe place for our kind…_especially_ not for someone as special as you, little one."

A moment later, Daniel turned his face away from the bottle, clearly showing he was full. She grabbed a baby cloth on the night stand and wiped his mouth with it. Daniel giggled in response, causing Desiree to laugh lightly. "Oh, so, you're the ticklish type, I see." Using the cloth she tickled the baby under his chin, and he giggled louder than before, while his white aura turned blue from happiness.

She soon stopped, not wanting to agitate him too much since he just ate. She momentarily looked at his spectral tail, feeling it as it curled around her arm. But then the little half-ghost suddenly babbled and she looked up at his pupil-less eyes. Immediately, she found herself trapped in those bright green 'orbs' and she couldn't look away.

"_I can't help but feel captivated by him, Des."_

Desiree continued to stare at Daniel, who placed his hands into his mouth before smiling at her.

"_I can't explain it, but there is something about him... From the first time I saw him… I could not take my eyes off him."_

She tilted her head as an amused and warm smile touched her lips. "I see what he means," she told the baby in her arms. Desiree sighed deeply, before she lifted one of the infant's hands that firmly wrapped around one of her fingers, and placed his hand against her 'symbol'. She smiled and kissed his hand when Daniel cooed in response.

* * *

When Vlad woke he was certain he was looking at the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. His wife was sitting on the side of the bed holding Daniel, who looked very content with being caressed.

"Des?" he called in a soft and curious voice. But she didn't turn to face him, making the whole situation more confusing for the king. Perhaps, he wasn't awake like he thought… Was he dreaming? No, this was too vivid to be just a dream.

"What is his royal name going to be?" she said suddenly, a smile appearing on her lips that her husband didn't see.

Vlad's eyes widened in surprise, the question clearly catching him off guard, but when she finally looked at him, and he saw the expression on her face, he knew what she really meant by it.

His face lit up with absolute joy as he grabbed her in a hug from behind. "I love you so!" he exclaimed, pulling her down on her back with Daniel still in her arms, before kissing her.

"Vlad!" she exclaimed in surprise, before laughing at his reaction, while the infant squealed loudly with happiness.

But suddenly, Vlad seemed to realize what her decision meant and his eyebrows creased with concern. "Desiree, are you sure? You realize that this means—"

"--That we'll have to pass him as our own. And as a result we can never form a child of our own even if we finally could some day, or everyone would learn the truth?" Desiree finished for him. She sighed. "Yes, I know, love. But I think it's time I accept that we never will be able to form one of our own…" She gave him a sure smile, which melted the concerned expression off his face. "It's time we move pass all this, and this infant is the perfect reason to do so. You're right. He does need us."

Vlad smiled lovingly down at her, before caressing her cheek. "Thank you," he said softly.

Desiree shook her head. "It's not me you need to thank, love," she answered with an amused look.

Vlad chuckled as he looked at the wiggling little half-ghost, knowing she was referring to him. "I suppose you're right, my dear," he said, touching the infant's face, "Thanks to Daniel, I will finally get the high council off my back," he added with a smirk.

Desiree laughed in response, but then smiled and raised an eyebrow at him. "You didn't answer my question."

Vlad gave her a quizzical look, but then he remembered and grinned. "That's right; his royal name." He smirked again. "I suppose if we are keeping him that makes him the next king of this world… Think he's up to it?" he asked his wife with mirth.

"If _you_ did it then it can't be that hard," she replied with a teasing smirk.

Plasmius playfully rolled her eyes at her. "Hilarious, my dear," he said sarcastically.

As if on cue, Daniel giggled, and Desiree gave her husband a triumphant look.

Vlad couldn't help but chuckle, before he gave Daniel a thoughtful look. "Honestly, I'm not sure what we should name him… But we'll think of something."

Desiree nodded in return as she smiled at Daniel. "He's quite a sight, isn't he?" she said, lifting the infant above her before bringing him back down.

"Indeed," he replied, staring softly at her as she held the babbling half-ghost.

It was the queen's turn to playfully roll her eyes. "When should we introduce him?" she asked, lifting Danny once more so Vlad could take hold of him so that she could sit up.

"Well, I suppose a week would be the earliest…But we could announce his _arrival_ today," he answered, winking at her.

She nodded before lowering her gaze from his, a sober expression growing on her face. "There is something we need to discuss, and it's best to do it now."

"What is it?" Vlad asked warily, not understanding what could have made her demeanor change so quickly.

"We'll keep him, Vlad. And we'll keep the truth from everyone. I understand why it must be that way… But, I don't want to keep the truth from _him_."

The king instantly frowned. "Desiree… You cannot expect us to tell him what he is; that we are not his true parents… That would be devastating to anyone. It could even be dangerous for him."

"I know, but what if he finds out the truth from someone other than ourselves? Vlad, he'll resent us for it at the very least!" Desiree answered with a worried look.

Vlad shook his head. "Desiree, no one besides you, me and Skulker knows about this. Who would he learn the truth from? His own parents think he died in that explosion." She looked away, still unconvinced, but Vlad grabbed her chin to get her to look at him as he continued. "Des, he will **never** go to the human world. I have not allowed anyone to, and I'm not about to allow him. The day he left the human world, he became one of us. And he will always be one of us. So, why plague him with a past that he won't remember nor need?"

The queen remained quiet, but then answered. "Alright, but if he ever discovers who he is, I **will** tell him everything," she assured him with a serious look, but then she placed her hand on his face, a slightly fearful expression now on her face. "Promise me you will too, Vlad," she added.

The king gave his wife a puzzled look, not understanding why she wanted him to promise her that. Obviously, if she told Daniel the truth, he would have to as well. But wanting to satisfy her, he smiled and nodded. "You have my word, but you will see things will never come to that."

The queen returned his smile, before looking down at the infant in her husband's arm. "I fed him," she informed, touching Daniel's softly swaying tail.

Vlad chuckled. "I can tell. He's extremely content. And I also see his spectral tail finally finished forming," he added after hearing the baby giggle from Desiree's actions.

The queen retracted her hand from Daniel, before looking up at her husband. "It's probably pretty late by now… Skulker must be waiting for you."

Vlad pondered her words for a moment, before shrugging. "I'll reschedule everything. We haven't spent much time together since you returned. You haven't even told me how your trip went," he said with a grin.

She smiled, wanting to spend more time with him as well. "How about we have a late breakfast in the garden and I'll tell you all about it there?"

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Sounds wonderful… But Daniel needs a bath first…" he added with a suggestive smirk after pulling away.

"Oh? And I suppose I'm the one who will be doing that?" she asked with a raised eyebrow although her lips held an amused smile.

"Well, since you're offering…" Vlad retorted, handing her the little half-ghost.

She rolled her eyes, but accepted the child and floated to a standing position. She knew her husband had a triumphant look on his face, believing he had outwitted her. Oh how wrong he was.

"Alright, little one, we'll just have to bathe together, won't we?" she said, smiling down at the infant, although her eyes danced with mischief.

Just like she expected, Vlad's smirk fell and he got to his feet. "You know, Des, you don't have to do this on your own. I'll gladly assist you with him," he quickly offered.

Desiree looked back at him with a calm look, although it took a lot of effort to hide her amusement from him. "Why thank you, love, but I can manage. Why don't you bathe here, while Daniel and I go to your chambers; after all, his things are over there." She winked at him, before willing herself and Daniel invisible and exiting the room.

Vlad crossed his arms in annoyance. "Even after we're married, she plays hard to get," he grumbled. He wasn't truly upset, of course. He was very used to his wife's teasing personality. In fact, it just made her all the more fascinating to him.

The king headed to the bathroom, deciding to do his morning regimens quickly so he could go assist his wife. But suddenly, he halted. "Wait, my things are not here either," he mumbled, remembering he was in his wife's _private_ chambers.

As if on cue, a pair of white pants and a red and white cape appeared on the bed. Vlad smirked as he picked them up. "Having a wife with the ability of sensing and granting desires does have its advantages." He chuckled as he headed into the bathroom.

* * *

Okay! Well, you all know what to do! See ya tomorrow with the second part!! And Checkmate will be up shortly as well! Ta!


	7. Chapter 5: To Bury the Past Part 2

**Chapter 5: To Bury the Past (Part Two)**

"So what do you say? Are you in?"

Walker studied the overly-perky female ghost in front of him with a frown.

"You realize I, _you_, could get into a lot of trouble for this?" he answered back.

She gave him a wicked grin, showing off her sharp, jagged teeth. "Perhaps… but they'd have to catch us first, and that's highly unlikely. I'll be using one of the permanently opened portals, the one Bullet guards, to be more specific. He's loyal to you, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," he answered, crossing his arms in front of him, still looking thoughtful.

Annoyance flashed in her eyes, but then suddenly, she smirked. She floated closer to the warden, her completely black body swaying almost seductively. Standing behind him, she grabbed his shoulders and began to rub them. "You're giving this too much thought, Walker. We've done this plenty of times, remember?" she whispered in his ear.

Walker looked over his shoulder at her. "Yes, but that was before Plasmius took over and decided to make it against the rules to go to the human world," he answered angrily.

"Oh, so that's it? You're worried about _him_?" She chuckled. "Even if Vlad were to find out, he wouldn't do much. He's like one of those sickeningly-cute little earthly dogs! You know, all bark and no bite!" she said with heavy amusement, "Besides, you don't really think he keeps to that rule himself, do you? Haven't you wondered how he found out about the human portal to begin with?"

Walker rubbed his chin. "You make valid points…"

The female ghost's lilac lips curled upwards as she continued to massage Walker's shoulders. But then slowly, one of her hands snaked downward towards a more personal area.

"So is that a 'yes'? I know deep inside you're just _inching_ for some _excitement_…" She emphasized her last words by lightly raking her sharp claws across the warden's chest.

Walker jolted in response to her action. It was then that he realized that although he always clothed his torso, in the end, it did little to protect _that _sensitive area of his anatomy.

He instantly grabbed the wrist of the offending hand, and glared menacingly at the female ghost.

She reacted to his silent threat by flashing him a sweet smile, before returning his personal space to him. She floated back in front of him and crossed her arms expectantly, her spectral tail swishing about in a bored fashion. "You know, I don't really need your help. If you're not interested, just say so, and stop wasting my time."

Walker scoffed. "We both know that you're here because you **do** need my help, and if I wasn't interested, I would have already locked you up for requesting my involvement."

She gave him a wide evil grin. "It's always a pleasure working with you, Walker."

"I want my equal share of the _merchandise_, you understand, Spectra?" he said, ignoring her previous remark .

She smirked. "As always."

"Also, I want you to wait a while before going there; at least until things settle in here and out there," he continued.

Spectra sighed in annoyance. "Relax; I'm not doing this any time soon. I'm not stupid as to go into _that_ 'bee nest' right after our 'wise' leader stirred it up." She then smiled wickedly as she added, "Besides, kidnapping takes careful planning; and before you ask, no, it isn't anyone close by. By the time they even realize anything, it will be too late."

Walker nodded in response. "Good."

"I do, however, need something from you _now_... Think I could 'borrow' one of those shock collars from you?"

Walker grinned. "What size?"

"A very big size," Spectra answered, returning the grin.

"I see… Yes, I think I can provide that." The warden gestured the other ghost to follow him.

They went down a hallway, before encountering several jail cells, most of them empty. As they passed them, Spectra smirked and said, "Not much activity in here with King Plasmius around, is there?"

Walker just growled in response, and Spectra chuckled. "You know, if I were you, I'd be enjoying this time off. In fact, I heard there's a _party_ today. You should go…" she said, giving him a suggestive smirk.

Walker looked at her in disgust. "You're joking."

"What do you think?" she asked brightly.

The male ghost rolled his eyes at her, but then smirked cleverly at her. "If anyone _should_ go to that, it's you…"

Spectra shrugged coldly. "I'm not interested at the moment."

They soon made it to a thick steel door at the end of a long hall-way. Opening it, they walked in.

Walker went to the far end of the room, while Spectra looked around at the numerous devices used for arresting, trapping, and doing much worse to ghost and even humans. What a shame the worse ones were not being used anymore…

"What do you think?" Walker asked, walking up to the shadow-like ghost and showing her a green and silver metal collar that was obviously not meant to be used as an accessory.

Spectra took hold of the device and studied it. "Yes… I think this will do," she answered, looking up and smiling evilly.

Walker mimicked her look, but said nothing.

"Well, Walker, it's been fun, but it's time I go. I'll keep in touch," she said sweetly, before floating away. But then she halted and added, "Oh, and make sure that human containment chamber still works…"

The warden smirked. "Of course."

Spectra gave him a perky wave good-bye, before finally leaving.

* * *

Now dressed and groomed, the king headed over to his private chambers. When he got there, he found his wife attending to herself, while Daniel calmly laid in his crib, a white blanket over him.

"What a shame; and here I hoped to get here in time to assist you with Daniel," Vlad said, grabbing her from behind and giving her bare shoulder a small peck.

"Maybe next time," Desiree teased, picking up a golden necklace with a large diamond and bringing it to her neck.

"Allow me," the king asked, taking hold of the necklace and gently moving aside her long black her. All the while, he watched the reflection of his wife's smiling face through the mirror in front of her.

Vlad clicked the necklace on, but he didn't let go of it. Instead, he moved his hand down, tracing the chain until he reached the large gem, resting on his wife's chest.

Desiree leaned against him as he began to caress her skin, tracing the star-shaped signature right below her neckline. "Let me feel how much you love me," he whispered in her ear as he continued to touch her. Since the time they were married, his wife wore his signature, forever binding her to him. But _he_ was also bound to her, for he could only transfer his signature to those he loved.

"Your wish is my command…my love," she replied softly.

Vlad sighed contently, before moving her face towards his so he could capture her mouth in his. His hand stayed on Desiree's glowing symbol, which only seemed to become brighter the more their kiss deepened. With a smile, Vlad pulled away and allowed the diamond to replace his hand on his wife's chest. The clear precious gem, turned a glowing pink from the signature it rested on.

"You're absolutely addicting," the king told her seductively.

Desiree chuckled as she picked up a larger version of her necklace and turned to face him. "I'm not the only one," she shot back, before pushing back the cape her husband wore, exposing his unclothed torso. She placed a hand on his signature, and it instantly reacted to her touch.

Vlad nuzzled the side of his face against his wife's own, before he took the necklace from her hand and then clipped it on his neck. Like his wife's, his energy changed the color of the diamond, only his turned red instead of pink.

"I take it we are doing something important?" the king questioned with a smile as he watched his wife turn to grab two pair of large gold bracelets inside a jewelry box on the vanity.

Desiree turned to him. "You said you wanted to announce the news about Daniel today, so why not after breakfast, or rather, lunch, since it's close to noon," she answered, clipping one of the larger bracelets on her husband's upper left arm, before doing the same on his other.

"I figured that was the reason… I just wanted to hear you say it," Vlad said, smirking as she finished putting on the pair of bracelets that went on his wrists.

Desiree rolled her eyes at him, before handing him a ring and a crown. "Just for that, you can finish dressing yourself."

Vlad pouted in return, ignoring how the ring glowed red and the crown ignited with red fire the instant they were placed in his hands.

Desiree acted indifferent towards the look he gave her, and simply turned her attention back to the mirror. But an amused smirk appeared on her face as she picked up a comb and began brushing her hair.

"You're quite evil, my dear. I think you enjoy torturing me," Vlad said with a smile, catching her expression in the mirror.

"Just a little, love," she replied, shooting him an evil grin as she placed a flaming blue crown on her head.

Vlad shook his head in amusement before slipping on the ring on his right index finger and then placing the crown on top of his head. He then floated over to the cooing Daniel, only to find he was rapidly vanishing and reappearing.

Vlad smiled. This was definitely new, but not unusual. After all, the infant was just mimicking what he had felt the king and queen do to him several times now.

Deciding to give the baby a new experience, he reached down to touch him. "This, my boy, is intangibility," he said, turning the little half-ghost transparent.

Daniel stopped moving at the strange feeling that enveloped him. But then he began to whine, clearly afraid of this new sensation. Seeing that his face scrunched with unhappiness, Vlad sent a wave of his energy towards him. "It's alright, Daniel," he assured him.

The infant quickly relaxed, and just stared at the owner of the voice. Vlad let him go and Daniel returned to his solid form.

"What are we going to do with him? We can't just leave him alone," Desiree said, floating up behind her husband, momentarily forgetting about her husband's duplication ability.

Vlad turned to look at her with a smirk, before a glow surrounded his body and he split his form.

Desiree grinned widely at the duplicate standing beside the king. "Oh yes… How _convenient_," she said, earning a chuckle from her husband.

"Come," Vlad asked, extending his hand towards his wife, before his duplicate playfully added, _"I'll_ keep an eye on him."

Desiree took his hand with a smile, before heading out with her husband, while his duplicate stayed with Daniel.

* * *

"Plasmius!" Skulker called, catching sight of the king and queen heading out of the garden.

Vlad turned and smiled at his friend. "Good afternoon, Skulker. I apologize for not showing up this morning, but a few… _things_ came up."

Desiree shook her head in amusement. "What he means is that he was with Daniel and I."

Skulker smiled at the couple, glad to see they were content with each other once more. "It's fine; I just thought for a moment you forgot about the festivities, but I see you're both--"

"Festivities?" Vlad and Desiree asked simultaneously.

The hunter frowned at the king. "Yes, isn't that why you're dres…. You forgot, didn't you?" he realized, annoyed. "Plasmius, I told you the kingdom wanted to celebrate your success regarding the portal ordeal. Everyone is waiting for you two!"

Desiree raised an amused eyebrow at her husband, who now clearly remembered. "Oh…I suppose I did forget," he mumbled.

"Vlad, this is the perfect time to… you know," Desiree said.

Vlad's face brightened. "You're absolutely right, my dear! Come, there's no time to lose."

Skulker quickly followed after the pair, while giving Vlad a curious look. His friend was acting… strange. He just couldn't decide if it was the good or bad kind. The hunter shrugged to himself. The couple looked quite content, so it had to be fine. And from the light-hearted way Desiree had mentioned the whelp, it seemed she had finally agreed with Vlad to keep him. If that was the case, then things were going to get… _interesting_ around here.

As the three ghosts entered a hallway they found Dora, the head servant of the castle, looking very worried. But at the sight of the king and queen, her face quickly brightened and she squeaked in delight. "Oh! At last!" she beamed, just before she flew down the rest of the hallway and through a pair of doors.

Vlad smirked at Skulker. "Are we _that_ late?"

"Yes. And I'm thrilled that you find humor in keeping everyone waiting," Skulker answered sarcastically.

"Oh, come now, Skulker, I didn't do it on purpose," the king defended, his humor never wavering. "I got… distracted," he added playfully.

Skulker rolled his eyes. "And somehow I believe it won't be the last time," he replied, annoyed.

Desiree smirked at the hunter's comment. "So, I take it you're not too keen with Vlad's decision of bringing Daniel here?"

"Nonsense, my dear!" her husband replied, before the hunter could. "Skulker was thrilled when he first saw Daniel!"

Skulker nodded in fake agreement. "Yes, I almost died from excitement when I found out that he brought him here," he said dryly.

Desiree laughed heartedly. "Somehow, I don't think either of you are joking!"

Skulker looked at Vlad, before both chuckled in response.

As they neared the ballroom's grand doors, they composed themselves. And right after, a pair of ghosts opened the doors for them.

"Greetings, royal highnesses," both the ghosts said, bowing respectfully.

Desiree and Vlad smiled in return, but then Vlad put a hand on one of the ghost's shoulder and whispered mischievously. "Do you think you could not announce us, so we can just slip in unnoticed, hmm?"

Catching his friend's words, Skulker rolled his eyes and shook his head. It was times like these that the king's young age showed.

"Of course, King Plasmius," the ghost answered, "But I'm not the one announcing… _He_ is," he said, pointing at a very large ghost holding some form of long amplifying horn.

"**Announcing Queen Desiree and King Plasmius! All rise for the queen and king of all ghosts!"**

Vlad would have cringed if it wasn't for the several hundred eyes that were now on him. So much for his plan.

Everyone bowed respectfully, and the king and queen made grateful gestures in return.

Vlad then spoke. "I sincerely apologize for making you all wait. However, I do have an explanation. But first… let's enjoy the festivities," he said with a smile, making a hand gesture to a pair of female ghosts holding harps.

They smiled in return before they began to play. Immediately, their white tunics and harps lit up, turning blue, then green, and on to other array of colors.

And as the room lit up with the conversations and laughter of ghosts, the harps began to release glowing, color-changing notes that soon floated all around the room, gracefully dancing with each other in rhythm with the soft music.

Ghosts of all shapes, sizes, strength, and occupational status filled the large ballroom. And since there was no social status, or 'pecking order' within the ghost race, _everyone_ was invited to these events. It was because of this equality that they got along quite well… for the most part, at least.

Vlad smirked when he noticed an Observant conversing with a ghost who liked to be called 'the Box Ghost'. But it was clear by the council member's annoyed stare that the Observant wasn't enjoying their 'talk', since all the other ghost wanted to do is show off a variety of boxes.

The king turned toward Skulker when the hunter tapped his shoulder and then quietly pointed out Fright Knight and Wulf to him. Vlad smiled and nodded in understanding to them. He reached over and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, who had been talking to Pandora. Desiree looked at him, and his smile told her that he needed to leave for a moment. She smiled in return, silently indicating that she understood. She turned back to her guest just as Skulker and Plasmius walked off towards Fright Knight and Wulf to greet and talk with them

Some time later, after more chatting, laughing, and even dancing, it was time for the banquet, and everyone sat down at the large rectangular tables placed throughout the ballroom. Just about all the types of foods that ghosts ate were attractively displayed, except for the equivalent to what humans called 'meats', because they simply didn't exist in their diets.

The king and queen sat at the end of one of the center tables, conversing some more with Skulker and other ghosts sitting beside them.

"Yes, it was a long trip, but well worth it," Desiree answered Dora, who was sitting next to her. The queen turned to Skulker, and smiled. "Your sister is still expecting you... She wants Ember to meet her _uncle_."

Skulker smirked. "I'll be paying them a visit shortly. But as you said, Lydia lives very far away from us; it's why I can't see her as often as I'd like."

Vlad nodded and added. "And I'm sure that's why she and Ghostwriter didn't come today; it's not easy to travel so far with a newly-formed child."

Desiree smiled as her husband's comment brought another thought to mind. "Darling? Isn't there something you wish to announce?" she whispered in his ear.

Vlad grinned, knowing immediately what she meant. Standing, he aimed his right hand upwards, and quickly released a red sphere of energy. It soon reached the glowing-blue ceiling above, but instead of striking it, the sphere went right through. Immediately, the blue ceiling rippled as if it was made of water, and in a single flash it turned bright red, changing the entire ballroom's hue, respectively.

The action obviously held strong significance, since within seconds, everything fell silent and all the ghosts present turned their gazes towards the king.

"I apologize for the interruption, but I'll make this quick," Vlad said with a smile. "Obviously-- since you are all here-- you have heard all about the human-made portal. But I wanted to personally explain this matter since I have only discussed the specifics of this problem with the High Council. After this newest attempt from the humans to enter our home came to my attention, I decided to personally tend to this matter with the help of Skulker, Wulf, and Fright Knight. Despite that we did run into a few problems there, I'm relieved to announce that the threat to our home has been successfully dealt with. The portal has been destroyed."

Everyone applauded and cheered, glad to know their world was safe from invasion once more.

"Now, there is one other thing I'd like to share with all of you," he said, once everyone quieted. He extended a hand towards his wife, who gladly accepted it and stood.

"My fellow ghosts, my queen and I are thrilled to announce the arrival of a long awaited child," he said with a calm smile.

Everyone just gasped in response, causing the king to smirk and add, "What? Is that not a good enough reason for being late?"

The leader of the Ancients, who so happened to be sitting at the same table as Vlad, stood. "You have finally formed an heir?" he asked with actual surprise in his voice.

Vlad smiled. "His name is Daniel."

By now, everyone looked very happy about the news, but remained silent, all hoping to hear the king answer the same question they all had…

It was the head Ancient who voiced it. "Have you decided what his royal name will be?" he asked with a smile.

Vlad raised an eyebrow, giving the ghost a secretive look, before he replied, "You will know at his presentation in a week's time."

The Ancient nodded, before lifting his glass to toast. This promoted everyone else to stand and do the same. "To the arrival of your son," he said with a calm smile at the king, before they all toasted.

Delighted by the news, everyone began to congratulate the king and queen. Even Skulker said a few nice words to them.

As for Vlad, he was so content with his announcement that he never noticed the sadness that gleamed just behind his wife's calm smile every-so-often. No one did.

* * *

A few hours later, Desiree and Vlad decided to leave the ballroom, but just as they were about to step out, someone stopped them. "Desiree, Vlad, may I have a moment of your time?"

The couple turned to face the red-eyed male ghost. He wore a purple cloak complete with a hood, and in his hand he held a staff with a clock decorating its top.

What was most peculiar about this ghost was that unlike any other ghost, his central core could _literally_ be seen through his transparent chest. Also, instead of being the typical sphere-shape, his central core was in the shape of a ticking clock and pendulum. But his unique-shaped core still glowed and sparked with purple energy, proving it worked just like any other ghost's 'heart'.

Desiree smiled warmly at the ghost, but as if suddenly remembering something unpleasant about him, her smile turned more nervous than friendly. As for Vlad, he only frowned.

"Clockwork. I was beginning to wonder when you'd decide to show," Vlad said, crossing his arms, clearly demanding an explanation from the ghost.

"I've been preoccupied," Clockwork simply replied, looking very calm, even as his form changed from an elderly appearance to a child-like one.

"You are part of the high counsel, Clockwork. You might be able control time and look at everything that occurs across it, but that does not mean you can exempt yourself from showing up to these meetings all the time," Vlad reprimanded heavily. But then, he smiled. "But apart from that, it's good to see you."

Clockwork returned the friendly gesture as his form changed once more, this time to a mid-age adult. "It's good to see you as well… And I couldn't help but overhear the news…."

Vlad visibly tensed, finally realizing what his wife had known from the beginning.

Now looking a lot calmer, Desiree placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, and answered for him. "Clockwork, could we continue this conversation somewhere a little more…private?" she requested.

The master of time—as many ghosts referred to Clockwork as—nodded, the smile on his face never leaving him. "I would like to see him, if it's not too much to ask."

Desiree looked at her husband, who nodded at her silent question. "I believe our private lounge will be adequate enough," Vlad finally spoke, regaining his composure.

Without any further words, all three ghosts floated out of the ballroom and down a hallway. The queen soon broke away from the king and the council member, and headed down the hallway that led to her husband's private chamber.

Arriving at the lounge and allowing the time ghost inside, Vlad closed the door behind him. The king walked past Clockwork and towards a fireplace that burned with green fire. He placed his hands behind his back as he briefly studied the dancing flames, clearly trying to pick his next words carefully.

"I understand you have a duty towards the Observants, Clockwork, but you must understand and _know_ the reasons we have chosen to keep everyone in the dark regarding the child," he stated in a serious tone, before turning to face the time ghost.

Clockwork had been looking and doings something to the staff in his hand during the entire time Plasmius spoke. However, he turned his red eyes away from it when Vlad stopped and met the king's own eyes. "I might work for the Obervants, but my priority will always be making sure the time stream moves as it should. And so, my periodic interferences with it are not _always_ an order from them."

"I see…" Vlad said with a thoughtful frown. And then, it dawned on the king why the Observants didn't know the truth about Daniel. "**You** kept them from seeing everything that occurred that night. That's why they believe Daniel died; that's why they don't know I took him with me. But… why do such a thing?" he asked with a curious look, knowing if the Observants found out, the time ghost would get into trouble, "Unless…" Vlad frowned again, "Did you _plan_ this so we would keep him?"

Clockwork raised an eyebrow at him. "What happened _that_ night was the timeline's own course. Everything that happens occurs for a reason. You should know that by now. And you should also know I do not and cannot interfere in yours, or anyone else's, decisions. I simply made sure the Observants could not interfere either. Of course, you do have the choice of telling them the truth. And of returning the child….," Clockwork added with a smirk.

Vlad shook his head. "I don't need your ability to look into the future to know that if I did either of those things, it would mean a grim fate for Daniel. I have kept _things_ from the Obervants for a reason, and now, I have plenty of reasons to keep Daniel's past from them as well."

"And the Ancients?" the time ghost asked, raising an eyebrow at the king again.

Vlad remained silent at the question. Although he had a lot more trust in the Ancients, he in truth feared what their reaction might be if they knew about the little half-ghost. And what worried him wasn't having them angry at him; it was what they might have him do with Daniel. "I can't risk telling them, either, Clockwork," he finally replied.

"Your choices are your own, Vlad. But… you don't think they will find out eventually?"

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Is that a fact?" he asked, studying the other ghost, whose appearance changed into his elder form. Even though it had been a question, Plasmius knew the time master enough to know he didn't ask things without reason. Sometimes the ghost's cryptic words bothered the king greatly, especially with something as serious as this.

Clockwork only smirked in amusement at his question, before turning away from the king to face the door. As the time ghost expected, Desiree materialized in the room with Daniel in her hands.

A calm smile grew on Clockwork's features as he floated towards them. "Hello… Danny," he said, placing his hand gently on the baby's central core, immediately getting a reaction from it.

Desiree smiled at the nickname…. It really suited the infant. "He likes you, Clockwork," she said with a soft laugh, seeing how _Danny_ babbled happily at the time ghost. Vlad smiled as well, but it was obvious he was worried about Clockwork's previous question.

"He is very special," Clockwork said with a knowing grin, while letting go of his staff that held itself upright on its own. "May I?" he requested, gesturing to Danny.

Desiree nodded, and handed the child to the master of time's awaiting arms. The ghost turned towards Vlad and looked at him intently. "So this is what you have chosen? You are keeping him?"

The king looked down at the wiggling infant in the council member's hold. "Yes," he replied, before meeting Clockwork's eyes.

"You are aware of the responsibilities you are taking on with this child, yes? And the consequences? You will have to sacrifice more than you realize if you keep him," the time ghost assured, the seriousness in his tone of voice causing a flicker of doubt to flash in the king's eyes. "And what of his true parents?" he continued before Vlad could answer, "Do you think it's fair to make them believe their only son died?"

Whatever calm remained in Vlad abruptly vanished. "**They left him!"** he snarled back, the last question making him extremely defensive.

Desiree frowned at her husband's sudden display of anger, but said nothing.

"You know they didn't purposely leave him behind," Clockwork replied, unfazed by the king's outburst.

Vlad sighed, calming himself. "Forgive me. I-" He sighed again. "I know you are just trying to make me think carefully about this, but I already have. I, **We**, have given this a lot of thought, Clockwork. We understand it won't be easy, that our decision might even be dangerous, but we are willing to confront the responsibilities _and_ possible consequences with no remorse. His parents might not have purposely left Daniel, but the truth is he would be dead if I had not brought him here. I will not take him back, Clockwork," Vlad said with conviction, "He would not survive a day with his true parents; and you _know_ that."

Clockwork looked down at Danny as he replied, "That sure then?"

"So sure that I refuse to speak of this any longer," Vlad answered calmly, but seriously, "As of today, he's human half no longer exists, Clockwork; his past no longer exists. The boy is now and forever my own, _my heir_, and _everyone_ will know him as such."

Clockwork looked back at Vlad, a smirk growing on his features. "Then all that there is left for me to say is: congratulations, to the _three_ of you," he said, handing Danny to him.

Vlad smiled down at the baby as he accepted him. "Thank you, Clockwork," he said, sincerely. "I know everything will work out, and Daniel will be very content here."

"We will be presenting him in a week's time," Desiree finally spoke up, walking closer to them, "Vlad and I have talked about it, and we were hoping-"

"Gladly," Clockwork cut her off with a smile, knowing what she was going to ask. "It will be an honor to be Danny's guardian."

Vlad grinned at the ghost and placed his hand on his shoulder, "The honor is ours, Clockwork," he assured.

The time ghost nodded at the pair, before touching Danny lightly once more. "I must go. I have a couple of matters to take care of, so I will be absent until Danny's ceremony… I hope, my king understands," he said smirking at Vlad.

Vlad chuckled and nodded. "I am used to your periodic absences, so, yes, _your king_ understands… _For_ _now_, at least" he added in the strict tone of voice, but the amusement on his face said otherwise.

"Understandable," Clockwork answered, still smiling. He then lifted a hand towards his staff that was still standing on its own a couple of feet away, and it quickly floated into his hold. Without words, he moved away from the king and headed towards the door. "Desiree," he said, with a small bow as he past her, before finally exiting.

"I'm worried, Vlad," Desiree said softly, once the time ghost had left. "Is our decision really the correct one? I just can't shake the feeling that something terrible will result from this."

Vlad frowned at her words. "Des, don't talk like that. Everything will be fine," he assured her with a confident smile, "If we have gotten through the bad times, we can get through this _good time_. Trust me, hmm?" he asked, handing Danny to her.

Desiree gazed up at him, before giving him a soft kiss, "Alright."

But then the king suddenly saddened. "There's a few things I need to put in order…It shouldn't take me more than two days."

Desiree sighed dejectedly, but still nodded. Vlad gently lifted her chin, her eyes returning to his. "I'll be careful," he assured with small smile.

Desiree just returned the gesture. "I better go put Danny down," she told him, earning an amused look from her husband at hearing her use the nick-name Clockwork had used. The king liked 'Daniel' better.

"Please, hurry back," she added, giving her husband another kiss, before she vanished in a flash of pink with the little half-ghost.

Vlad sighed deeply, his hand going to his signature. This had to be the right choice; he felt it within. This was best for everyone… well, except for the two ghost hunters…

The king's eyebrows creased, a flash of remorse in his eye, but he quickly snuffed it with a shake of his head. "They left him," he whispered, lowering his hand. As he walked out of the room, a smile touched Vlad's lip as it finally dawned on him what keeping Daniel truly meant:

He had a son.

* * *

Man, it's crazy hard to write _this_ story and Checkmate at the same time! They are as different as night and day! Heck, look at Vlad! I honestly have to switch gears in my head whenever I write one after the other! heh, but it's loads of fun! Hopefully my head won't explode from having to flip so many gears all the time! Well! You all know what to do! Thanks for reading!!


	8. Chapter 6: Prince Phantom

**Author's note at the end.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but the AU plot is Pearl's own. –grins-**

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* * *

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Chapter 6: Prince Phantom

"Nnnah!" Danny babbled and cooed, his arms randomly flinging and splashing water about in contentment.

Desiree just smiled in amusement as she continued to bathe the little half-ghost.

A week had gone by and Danny looked as bright and healthy as a five-week-old ghost baby could. The effects of his passed illness had long since left him. His aura was as bright as a sun, showing his body was producing sufficient energy on its own now. And so, he was also now able to maintain a proper body temperature and was growing physically stronger with each day that passed. Furthermore, and even at his young age, he was quickly learning to use his more basic ghost abilities, and his motivation for doing so was getting what he wanted…

Now finished with his bath, Desiree lifted the baby out of the glowing water, before wrapping him up in a soft blue towel. Like most things in their world, water was one of those things that intangibility didn't work on, and so the infant had to be dried off like a human baby did.

She laid the child on the soft bed as she continued to dry him. Since they choose to keep Danny, Desiree and Vlad decided to move the baby to their matrimonial chambers. Since it was where the couple slept when they were both home, it was more convenient to keep the still very young half-ghost there, especially when he woke up in the middle of the night—which he seemed to enjoy doing quite often.

Danny's spectral tail calmly swayed from side to side as a cool, and sweet-smelling lotion was rubbed on his body and face. The moisturizer lit with a soft green glow as it touched him, but it quickly vanished, leaving his already soft baby skin softer than the purest of silks.

It was obvious from his soft coos that he enjoyed being 'pampered', but that soon changed when Desiree grabbed a hold of another bottle, opened it, and dropped a small amount of its contents onto a small patch of the baby's white hair. There wasn't enough of his wispy hair to brush yet; so instead, Desiree applied an oil-like conditioner to keep his hair neat, soft and radiant. But Danny didn't care for this kind of attention at all, and he made it obvious by turning invisible and whining in protest.

Desiree momentarily paused her actions and sighed helplessly as she stared down at where the baby was—but wasn't.

Danny had 'figured out' a few days ago that by turning invisible he could prevent others—namely his ghost parents-- from doing things he didn't want them to. It was just like when he cried his eyes out when he wanted food. Both worked quite efficiently…

"You know you can't keep that up forever, little one. All I need to do is wait, don't I?" Desiree said calmly, while applying more baby oil to her hands as she waited for the infant to reappear.

As if on cue, Danny became visible again and babbled at the queen, who continued with the infant's hair-- much to his annoyance. But she quickly finished before he could decide to disappear again.

"Do you know what you'll get to do today, Danny?" Desiree asked the child as she headed to the nearby dresser, opened a drawer, and picked up a golden box from within.

She smiled as she placed the box beside the infant, before opening it. "Today, little one, you will get to meet the whole ghost world, and they will get to meet you. Everyone has been very excited and anxious for this day to come, especially your…father." The queen bit her bottom lip at the title, a small frown appearing on her features. But it soon melted away and she looked back at the baby. "So, you must look your best…." She chuckled and added, "Not that it's anything hard for _you_ to accomplish."

Danny just stared at her with those big, radiant green eyes as she spoke. The infant didn't know it, but the entire time Desiree had been speaking in ghost speech to him. Of course, it would be the first language the little half-ghost would learn, since most ghosts, including the king and queen, spoke their own language more often than human language. And since it didn't take much effort, his new parents would naturally always speak to him in it.

Desiree opened a small pair of gold bracelets, similar to the ones her and her husband wore when attending formal engagements. She gently clipped on the small piece of jewelry on his upper right arm for the very first time, and Danny instantly protested. "You're fine," she said with some mirth as she added one of the smaller bracelets on his right wrist.

In response, the baby became intangible, hoping to get rid of these new things wrapped around his right limb, but when he felt that they stayed on, he began to wail in anger.

Desiree had finished strapping the other bracelets on his other arm just then. She picked him up and gently rocked him. "Shh, little one, you'll get use to them," she assured. The bracelets were not uncomfortable; they didn't even weigh anything and were made to expand with baby's movements.

Once he quieted down to unhappy gurgles, the queen placed him back down and pulled out the last pieces of jewelry from the box: a small crown and a gold necklace with a beautiful diamond hanging from it. She studied the small pieces for a moment in silent thought. But then suddenly, she buried her face in her hands and burst into tears.

She remembered clearly how she and Vlad had had these items made for when they had their own child; a child that they realized would never come after what happened to her husband all those years back. And now with Danny's arrival…

She cried harder. Of course, she was glad for the baby half-ghost. In fact, she found herself growing more and more attached to him every day. But it was still difficult to let go of what would never be. After all, wasn't it every female's desire to know what it felt like to create another life?

But of course, the queen would never know…The price she'd have to pay for that was too great. She knew that creating a new life would cost her husband his own. And she would never want that. She would die of heartbreak without her beloved.

She slowly composed herself at hearing Danny softly whine. She placed the crown and necklace back inside the box and closed it. She would wait and place them on at the ceremony.

Desiree picked the infant up and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "I'm sorry, Danny. I just wish you were my true son. You are everything that I would dream of him to be… Your mother was very lucky to be blessed with such a perfect child… I suppose that makes me just as lucky because now _I_ have you." The queen's demeanor brightened a bit at her realization.

"Excuse me, m'lady?" a voice called after a knock on the door.

Desiree smiled towards the door. "Dora, come in."

The blond-haired ghost walked in and she immediately squeaked in delight at the sight of Danny. "Oh my goodness, m'lady! He's gorgeous!" she beamed, quickly coming closer and staring down at the baby with awe.

Desiree chuckled. "You are one of the first to see him."

The head servant of the castle smiled brightly at the queen, before she tickled Danny under his chin, causing him to giggle. "Oh! And very trusting, too, I see!" she added with a laugh herself.

Desiree smiled at Danny, silently agreeing. He really had warmed up to everyone who had seen him so far. There wasn't any bashfulness to his demeanor, which in the long run was a good thing since he was going to be responsible for an entire world some day.

"M' lord has asked me to inform m'lady that everything is ready for yours and the young prince's arrival," Dora said with an excited smile.

"Alright. Tell him, I'll be there in a moment," the queen replied with a smile.

"Yes, m'lady," Dora replied with a small bow, before floating out of the room…

Desiree watched her leave with a warm expression on her face. Out of all the servants they had, Dora was their most loyal. But she was more than that; she was the queen's friend.

The blond-haired ghost had a peculiar past. She currently wasn't married, but she had a large family. Like herself, Dora's family all had the same form; they resembled what humans called dragons. But only Dora, her brother, and her now deceased parents were able to take on a more 'humanoid' form at will, hence her current appearance.

However, Dora didn't live with her family any longer. She had left her family after they had decided to no longer be part of the kingdom under Pariah's vicious rule. And because they believed that Vlad would be no better a ruler, they stayed away. But since Dora had known both Vlad and Desiree long before they became rulers, she didn't share her family's belief, and so, she remained behind.

The queen really admired Dora for choosing her own path and beliefs. But still, Desiree had often tried to talk her into returning to her family, knowing how important family was. However, Dora always stayed firm in her decision, insisting that she was more content living as a member of this kingdom, being alongside her queen and friend, than returning to her family.

In truth, Desiree was glad Dora had stayed; the queen had a deep trust and bond with her, more so than with her own sister….

Desiree snapped out of her thoughts, and looked at Danny with a smile. "You heard that? Everyone's waiting for you. Let's hurry, shall we?" she cooed at the infant as she floated over to a glowing blue bassinet.

* * *

Skulker drummed his fingers on the sofa's armrest as he watched the king pace back and forth in the private room that connected to the throne room, where the entire kingdom presently awaited the royal family's presence. Deciding to say something to his friend before he made himself dizzy, Skulker asked in a casual, yet sarcastic tone, "Would I be wrong to say you look somewhat… nervous?"

Plasmius abruptly stopped pacing and looked at the hunter. "No, you would not be," he replied, missing his friend's sarcasm. "Skulker, I haven't been this uneasy since my marriage to Desiree!" he exclaimed. He sighed as he placed his left hand on his chest and looked down at the other. He watched with a worried frown as his right hand began to glow white just before the star-shaped symbol on his chest vaguely appear on his right palm.

Still looking at his hand, he asked, "What if… I hurt him, Skulker? I-I've never done this."

"Nonsense, Plasmius, you have passed on your ectoplasmic signature to Desiree. This will be no different," Skulker assured him.

Vlad lowered his hand from his chest and his symbol instantly disappeared from the other. "But _it is_ different. A lot has changed since then!" The hunter frowned, knowing what his friend meant. "And you can't forget that Desiree is an adult; Daniel is just a five-week-old child!"

Skulker sighed. "Calm yourself, you'll do fine."

The king said nothing, but pitched the bridge of his nose. He wasn't one to show worry and fear to anyone, except to his wife and best friend. Truth was he couldn't afford to show those sorts of emotions to those who looked to him for courage and strength. But luckily, no one was around and so he continued with his hysterics. "That's not all I'm upset about, Skulker. I am truly afraid of someone finding out the truth. What if they can tell he's not my own?!"

Skulker leaned back on the couch and rubbed his goat-tee in thought. "Well, they might question his white hair…" he mumbled, "Oh, and then there are his eyes; they are green in color, while yours and Desiree's are red. Also, there's the matter of his skin tone, its-"

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" the king shouted, becoming even more nervous as the hunter calmly pointed out the very visible differences.

Skulker rolled his eyes, "_But_, such differences can easily be blamed on recessive traits within yours or Desiree's spectral genes. Honestly, the only thing that should raise any comments is his hair." The hunter smirked as the king gave him a nervous look again. "But don't worry; I'm sure it won't be anything serious, quite the contrary. Even I must admit it suits the whelp and gives him a physical sense of-"

"Purity," Vlad finished calmly, "Yes… But the Ancients are still going to question it. They will very likely blame this on the fact that I'm-"

"Vlad? Is everything set?" Desiree asked as she walked in from the back door of the room.

Vlad smiled at his queen. "Yes, my dear. And you look lovely," he said, taking in how well she looked in the sensual, red gown she wore, before taking the bassinet Danny lay in from her hands. "And you, my boy, look dashing!" he beamed at the little half-ghost.

"My king, we are starting," Fright Knight said from outside the door, causing everyone's attention to turn in that direction.

"Well, that's my cue," Skulker said, standing up and walking towards the door. But he paused as he reached his friend. Skulker placed a hand on Vlad's shoulder and smiled. "…Try not to blind everyone."

Vlad raised an amused eyebrow at him. Out of all the things his friend could have said to him, he decided to say that in particular. But the smile on Skulker's face said more than his words. Vlad smiled appreciatively in return. "Thank you, Skulker… But no guarantees," he added with a smirk.

Skulker returned the gesture, before smiling at Desiree, and then finally exiting the room.

Vlad turned his eyes to his queen. "Ready?" he asked softly.

Desiree chuckled, "More than you are, I'm sure," she teased, noticing her husband's nervousness.

Vlad lowered his gaze to Danny and sighed deeply. But when he felt his wife kiss him, he looked back at her. "Everything will be fine, love," she assured him after pulling away.

All trace of the king's insecurity instantly vanished and he smiled at his wife, who returned the gesture as she fixed his flaming crown. This time Plasmius' attire was mostly gold in color, his shimmering, solid gold cape undulating behind him as he walked beside his queen towards the doors that connected to the throne room.

* * *

"All bow before the king and queen of all ghosts."

Vlad made a grateful gesture with a hand as everyone bowed, before turning to Clockwork, who, like the king, queen, and head Ancient, also stood on the floating crystal platform located at the front of the large throne room. The time ghost smiled at the royal couple, and then at Danny as he lifted him out of the bassinet that immediately dissolved away after.

"All rise," the announcer said as the leader of the Ancients stepped forward, and everyone turned their attention to him.

"Greetings to all," the Ancient began in their usual ghost speech, "Today is a joyous day for all ghost kind. Today we celebrate the formation of a very special child: Daniel; son of King Plasmius and Queen Desiree. The formation of our prince, like the formation of any new ghost life, is always a reason for elation among our species. But he is unique for what he symbolizes. As his father symbolizes our race's power and wisdom, and his mother symbolizes true grace and love, Daniel stands for all of that and more. He is the culmination of it all; he's the symbol of perfection, of purity. He represents our future; our survival; our hope."

The Ancient smiled as he gestured to Vlad, "Our kings are **our** Suns. They serve to light our path; their wisdom warms us with solace; and their almighty power and majesty will always protect us from our enemy's cold grip of death and destruction. Our Prince, as long as he follows his father's footsteps, will also be a king that will steer us to better horizons. As long as he stays allegiant to his kind, he will rise into the brightest of Suns. And so, today we are not presenting just the formation of a child, but the dawning of our future king. The dawning of our future Sun!"

Everyone cheered and appalled before the Ancient leader stepped back, and Clockwork took his place in front with Danny still in his arms. The master of time looked at Plasmius with a smile, promoting the king to also step forward.

Vlad watched as Clockwork lowered Danny on a cradle that was on top of a crystal table, located in the center of the platform they stood on.

Clockwork turned his eyes back to the king, and without words they both touched each other's symbol in a respectful manner. "As of today you are his guardian, Clockwork," Vlad told the ghost with a trusting smile. "I'm entrusting you with something more valuable than my own life, but I know he's well-placed with you, dear friend."

Clockwork nodded gratefully at the king. "I will always watch over him; that you can be certain of," he answered, before lowering his hand and moving back, leaving Danny and Vlad alone in front.

The king lowered his gaze to Danny, and just stared into his bright green eyes. At that moment, all remaining fear and uncertainty vanished from within Plasmius. The world around him no longer existed; it was just him and the infant that calmly lay before him.

A soft smile touched Vlad's lips, but it was his eyes that showed the most expression as he gently began to caress the side of Danny's face. Immediately, the king's white aura began to glow brighter. Then, as if by instinct alone, Plasmius lifted one hand to his signature, and as before, the star symbol appeared in a white glow within his other hand that continued to touch Danny.

Vlad sighed as he thought of everything that had happened. In such a short time, he had been through so much with the infant. Danny had stirred so many new feelings within him, and had taught him a new understanding of responsibility. And although he knew this was only the beginning of his devotion to this innocent being, Vlad wasn't hesitant to move forward. Danny was more bonded to him than he would ever know. And as a deep and pure emotion called 'love' swelled within Plasmius for the infant before him, he knew that from this moment forth their bond would be unbreakable.

"Daniel…" he whispered lovingly to the baby as his glowing hand slowly moved to the little half-ghost's chest. "My… son," he said just as softly.

And then, it happened.

A flash of white light with the brightness and speed of lightening entered the baby's body from Vlad's hand, causing everyone but the king to look away.

But the bright light only lasted an instant. And when it faded, Vlad's brightly glowing aura had dimmed, while Danny's had brightened significantly. He slowly removed his hand from the baby, who just cooed softly, like nothing had happened. In fact, he looked oddly relaxed from the experience.

Clockwork stepped forward, and smiled as he saw the glowing white symbol now on Danny's chest. Now, like his parents, he wore a shooting star with a long tail curving around itself right above his central core.

Desiree walked forward next, carrying in her hands the small crown and necklace. When she reached her son, she gently placed the small crown on him, and it somehow floated about an inch above the prince's head.

Desiree took her husband's hand and they both steeled themselves for what had to be done next. After a reassuring smile to the couple, Clockwork picked up Danny and lightly touched the white signature on the baby's body. But then the time keeper's hand began to glow with blue energy, just before he sent a short jolt of it right into the little half-ghost's central core. Clockwork's energy started changing into different colors, and each time it did, he sent another jolt into the baby.

The time ghost gave Danny a sympathetic look as he began to whine in discomfort, but this process was necessary in order for the infant's energy to define itself. He knew that much like human blood types, ghosts had different energy types—red, green, blue, so forth. But each ghost had one kind of energy that their body specifically produced and used for the most part. And so, in order for a ghost's core to 'learn' what energy it needed, it had to experience them all.

It was why all ghost children had to go through this process. And now it was Danny's turn. The little prince's energy core needed to experience all the different kinds and intensities of energies for it to stabilize with the type of energy that Danny's body would need.

The prince's aura changed colors in time with the different types of energies entering his body, but when it was subjected to a strong jolt of green energy the baby's glowing white signature reacted unlike it had with the others. The star-shaped symbol instantly changed its color to a bright green, and right after, the crown on the baby's head lit with small, bright green flames.

Seeing Danny's ectoplasmic energy defined itself, Clockwork smiled in satisfaction, before sending his own energy to soothe the upset prince.

Once the baby calmed, he addressed Vlad and Desiree. "His royal name?" the time ghost asked with a smirk, already knowing what it was.

Vlad and Desiree looked at each other before turning back to the time keeper, and replying together.

Clockwork nodded in acknowledgement, before turning towards the kingdom. He faced Danny forward, using his hands to support the infant's head and back, and lifted him so everyone could see him

"It is with great honor I present to this kingdom: Prince Phantom."

Danny just blinked his large eyes as everyone, including his parents, bowed down before him.

Desiree and Vlad rose, before everyone else did the same. The king and queen then moved to Clockwork, and the time keeper handed Plasmius his son. Clockwork gave the little prince a small bow before silently moving away.

Lastly, Desiree strapped on the necklace around Danny's neck, and his green energy instantly changed the clear gem resting on his chest to his respective color.

Vlad then spoke. "My fellow ghosts. I stand before you today not as a king, but as a father who is grateful to each and every one of you for your presence. Your gifts are valued, but it is the simple act of sharing this day with Desiree and me that is truly priceless. Thank you, my brothers. Thank you for the kindness and trust you have shown me for all these years. I hope that as long as my reign shall last, I will stay true to this kingdom. And when the time comes, may my son also receive the same faith you have bestowed on me as your leader."

Everyone gave the king a warm applause, and he made a grateful gesture, but then smirked. "But I think that's enough speeches for a day, hmm?" The ghosts laughed in response, but then cheered as the king added. "It's time to enjoy each other's company and, of course, the festivities."

Desiree smiled, amused as her husband winked at her. She quickly raised her hands, and a pink mist spread through the throne room, leaving behind all sorts of festivities, from a banquet, to instruments that played themselves, to a color-changing fountain.

The ghost children immediately giggled and flew off towards the mystical fountain in the middle of the room, clearly knowing what it did. As the young ones were closing their eyes, before pulling out toys or simply splashing themselves with the glowing water, the adults mingled amongst themselves as they always did in such gatherings.

Vlad placed the tired-looking Danny back in the crystal cradle as several ghosts came up to look at their prince. The king and queen smiled as they were congratulated and given compliments about their son.

But strangely enough, Plasmius discreetly, but quickly, left his wife to thank their guests on her own, and went to sit down on his throne just a few feet away.

While speaking to an Ancient, Desiree removed the crown from the baby's head and put it to the side, so he would be more comfortable. She chuckled when the Ancient said he hoped that the prince had not inherited too much of his father's stubbornness.

The queen looked to her side, expecting to see her husband beside her, but when she didn't, she quickly looked behind her and immediately spotted him.

A frown of concern appeared on her features at seeing how tired he looked and perhaps even ill. Excusing herself, she floated over to him. "Vlad," she whispered, taking a seat on the thrown beside him.

He looked up at her with clouded eyes, but at seeing her worried stare, he gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, my dear, just a bit drained from all that. It'll pass."

But her concern remained. "I know it takes a lot of energy to pass your signature… but you look unwell. It shouldn't be this draining, Vlad. It's just not-"

"Normal?" he finished with an amused smirk. "I know, Des. But calm yourself. I'm fine. In fact, I feel a lot better already."

Desiree looked at him for moment, but she had to admit that his ghostly glow was slowly returning.

"Plasmius! Desiree!" Skulker called from a few feet away, getting their attention as he approached them. The hunter had a huge grin on his face as he lifted up a tiny little 'bundle' he held in his arms. But he was not alone. The other two ghosts who accompanied him shook their heads with mirth at the hunter's actions.

The King and Queen gave each other amused looks as well, before standing up and moving to greet the hunter and the two other ghosts with him.

"Ah, Ghostwriter, Lydia, how wonderful it is that you could come… And I see you brought your little one…" Vlad said, grinning at his best friend, before kissing Lydia's hand.

"King Plasmius, it's an honor to be here," Ghostwriter replied, adjusting his glasses before shaking Vlad's hand.

"How is little Ember doing?" Desiree asked, after she gave Lydia and Ghostwriter a hug.

"She's doing very well!" Ghostwriter replied, "And as you can see, she's very happy to be here," he added, smiling over at his giggling daughter.

"I think it's the music," Lydia explained, "She always becomes content when she's around it… And since her father loves to write musical pieces for her, I mean _always_," she added with a smirk at her husband.

Vlad got closer to Skulker, and looked down at the baby he held. Ember's eyes were a bright green like Danny's, and her hair was almost as peculiar in color as his son's. Her aqua blue hair- not that she had a lot of it yet- was very rare among their kind. Ember was indeed a beautiful child, and there was no doubt she would only get more radiant as she grew.

"Now **this** child I could get use to," Skulker remarked with a smile, causing the king to laugh.

"Is that so? Then we might just have to keep her close to Daniel, now won't we?" Vlad shot back playfully.

"Don't get any ideas, Plasmius," Skulker said with a frown.

Vlad gave him an innocent look, "Ideas? Whatever do you mean? I think it is you who has the wrong impression… I just think they would get… along quite nicely."

Skulker was about to protest, but Lydia cut him off, "I think so, too, King Plasmius," she said warmly.

"And let's hope so, too," Ghostwriter added, sharing a wide grin with Vlad.

Desiree shook her head in amusement. "How about we worry about feeding them first?" she said to her husband with a raised eyebrow.

You are absolutely right, my dear," Plasmius agreed, before going over to Danny and picking him up. "Here you are," he said, handing her the infant. "Skulker, Ghostwriter, come with me; there is something I'd like to show you both," he informed them half-seriously.

Skulker handed Lydia her daughter, before floating off with the king and Ghostwriter.

Desiree raised an eyebrow again at her husband when he shot her a wicked smirk as he left. "You would think by now he would realize he never wins these little games of his," Desiree said to her friend with a sigh, although the queen was clearly amused at her husband's antics.

Lydia chuckled in response, before looking down at the little prince. "You know, it's really quite a coincidence how close his formation date is to Ember's," she remarked to her friend. "He is truly beautiful, Desiree. It'll be an honor to have him as our king someday."

The queen smiled, before making two bottles appear in her hand. She gave one to Lydia, and both mothers offered it to their offspring. "Indeed. But this future king will someday need a future queen," she added with a smile towards Ember.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the throne room, one of the guests asked, "Spectra, aren't you going to congratulate your sister?"

The female ghost turned her red eyes to the male ghost beside her, and shrugged at his question. "Eventually, Bertrand. But right now, I'm too comfortable to move," she answered uncaringly, crossing her arms in boredom as she leaned against a pillar.

The male ghost, who really had no true shape, smirked at the other ghost's reply, before looking down at a little cage in his hands. But his red eyes were focused on what was inside the cage. "I think they're going to like you," he said wickedly to the tiny ghost inside.

An annoyed sigh from Spectra quickly got Bertrand's attention and he looked up at her as she asked bitterly. "Remind me again why I'm not queen."

Bertrand raised an eyebrow, before answering, "Because that would mean you'd have to be married to Plasmius." Just as he said the king's name, he shot a look of disgust in Plasmius' direction. But the king was too far to notice.

"Oh, yeah, that's right. He chose my little sister as queen," she mumbled, looking calmly over at Desiree, who was still holding Danny.

Although, Spectra and Desiree were actually fraternal twins, Spectra had finished forming before her, and so, she referred to her sister as the younger one.

Bertrand frowned deeply. "_You_ couldn't possibly be interested in Plasmius."

Spectra's gaze went to the king, who was chatting with what she deemed commoners, and also a few Ancients and Observants. "Of course not," she answered airily, although her eyes studied Vlad's form, much to Bertrand's distaste. "I just would have made a better queen than my little sister with her silly little wish-granting powers."

This time Spectra's red eyes glowed with a deep envy as she looked back at Desiree, who was now placing her son back in his cradle, while Lydia did the same with her own child in another cradle beside the Prince's own.

"And the formation of…_Prince Phantom_ just robbed any chance of me taking the thrown, Bertrand," Spectra continued, scowling. "I was sure they'd never form a kid. And then right out of the blue, they do. It makes no sense."

Bertrand shrugged. "Perhaps they didn't care to have one until now."

She scoffed. "I'd believe that if I didn't know how sickeningly romantic Desiree is," the female ghost replied with a roll of her eyes.

But then she jolted, and her demeanor quickly brightened as she watched the queen walk off with Lydia towards the refreshment area. "Look at that; my little sister is leaving my nephew all alone," she said with fake concern, but then grinned widely. "I should go keep him company!" she chirped, "Oh! And I can give him his gift while I'm at it!" Spectra shot the male ghost beside her an evil wink. "Come, Bertrand."

The green blob-like ghost quickly joined the shadow-like female ghost at her side, and they both calmly made their way across the throne room.

* * *

"It truly brings us great joy that you and your queen have finally decided to form a young one. He is quite a sight; both an awing and… _intriguing_ one," the leader of the Ancients said.

Vlad smiled, although he didn't miss the double meaning in his words. The ghost was questioning the little half-ghost's hair. "Yes, he is quite the sight, but I can assure you that what you are _intrigued_ about is of no consequence. But, of course, we can always chat about that at some other time," he added, raising an eyebrow at the ghost.

The Ancient shook his head and smiled, "If you say it is of no consequence, I trust your word, king Plasmius. But I _would_ like to meet with you to discuss how those trips of yours are faring."

Vlad nodded. "There is not much to discuss, but very well."

The head Ancient was about to say something more, but seeing the queen approaching with another ghosts, he turned his attention to her.

"Queen Desiree, you look as radiant as always," he said with a small respective bow. "Please receive my truest of praise for your new son."

"Why thank you," she said with a smile. "It has been our desire to have a child for some time, so we are just as content," she added, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder.

The Ancient nodded in agreement, before changing the topic. "I know that you both will be occupied more than usual now. But there is a matter I could use your assistance with, Queen Desiree. I was telling your husband about a nearby region; 'Ruĝa Tero' to be exact."

Desiree nodded. "Yes, I know of the place. I went once with you there, didn't I, Vlad?"

The king nodded. "Yes, a few years back. 'Ruĝa Tero' has never been the most hospitable of places, but it is the only place in our world where blood blossoms grow in abundance."

"Precisely, and you know how important they are as nutrients for us," the Ancient said. "But the region is suffering through some form of drought. And although Vortex has…"

Vlad was distracted from the conversation when a hand, or rather, a paw was placed on his shoulder. The king gave Wulf a quizzical look at seeing that the ghost was so upset that the hairs on his neck were standing on end.

"My king… the prince," he growled softly so only Plasmius could hear him.

Vlad's eyes instantly snapped in Danny's direction, only for them to narrow just as quickly. "Excuse me," the king said hastily to the head Ancient, before leaving his wife with the ghost. Plasmius angrily headed towards his son as he spitefully muttered, "I swear if she wasn't Desiree sister, I would…" He let his words hang as he balled his hands at his side.

The king's sudden exit had not gone unnoticed by the queen. She took a glance over in the direction he was heading, and immediately saw what had upset him. _"Spectra,"_ she thought helplessly.

Desiree quickly turned back to the head Ancient, who was still speaking to her. "Horris, you know I will gladly help with this matter," she assured. "But if you could give me a moment…"

The Ancient nodded in understanding, also having noticed the king's departure. "Of course," he replied.

She gave him a grateful, but apologetic smile, before quickly heading after her husband.

* * *

Spectra gazed down at the sleeping Danny with something between disgust and curiosity. But then she reached down and grabbed the baby's face with her long slender hands, her claws pinching the side of his cheeks as she examined him like he was some lifeless doll.

Danny whined in protest at being awakened, especially in such a manner. "You poor thing…You're not much to look at, are you?" she cooed falsely, continuing with her inconsiderate actions.

Bertrand chuckled as he, too, looked down at Danny, but without touching him. "He's a cute looking kid, but that white hair is something else."

Spectra grinned as she let go of Danny's face. "Tsk, it's a shame that our next king is something of a freak," she said with cruel amusement just as her eyes locked onto his new signature.

Her eyes seem to glow brighter as she lowered her hand again, this time to the Prince's signature. "I wonder how you feel…" she whispered evilly before she began to trace the star using one of her sharp claws.

Danny's energy reacted as it usually did when he was touched; but unlike all other times, this time he was not pleased with the action and he began to cry loudly.

"Uh, Spectra, I think you should leave the kid alone now," Bertrand said nervously, knowing the baby's wail was going to get a lot of attention.

But the female ghost didn't hear him; she just stared at the prince with some form of fixed fascination as she uttered, "Bertrand, you have to feel this child! He's so delicious!"

With an almost hungry grin, she pressed her entire hand on Danny's chest, completely covering the baby's signature under it. "I think I'm going to _enjoy_ having you around after all," she cooed wickedly at the infant, "You're just the most--"

"Stop touching him!" Vlad shouted angrily, startling Spectra into quickly retracting her hand from Danny.

Her face was still etched with surprise as she watched the king quickly pick up his son to get him away from her.

But she soon relaxed, and a bright grin spread in her face. "Why, Vlad! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!"

"It's Plasmius," he hissed back, glaring spitefully at her as he attempted to calm his bawling son. "What the blazes do you think you're doing, Spectra?!" he demanded.

A hurt pout fell on her face. "I was greeting my nephew, of course!" she replied, but then with coy innocence added, "What else did you think I was doing?"

Vlad grew angrier at her mocking attitude. "Let me tell you something," he snarled, "If you think-"

"Little sister!" Spectra abruptly beamed, and quickly floated pass Vlad. She gave Desiree, who had just come up behind the king, a big hug. "It's good to see you!"

Desiree smiled warmly at her sister as they let go. "It's good to see you as well. I'm glad you could come."

"Well, of course I came! You don't think I'd pass up my own nephew's presentation, do you? I was _just _greeting the little prince, too! He's simply marvelous, little sister!" she said sweetly, clapping her hands together with delight. "But that white hair of his… There is no way he got it from our side of the family… Perhaps, Vlad's side?" she added, shooting a teasing look at Plasmius, who did nothing to hide his dislike for the female ghost.

"It is a bit strange," Bertrand spoke up, causing Vlad to narrow his eyes at him, "N-Not in a b-bad way, of course! " he quickly added, cowering under the king's furious gaze.

Desiree looked and smiled at her husband, who in turn frowned at her wordless request. But he still complied and gave her their son.

Desiree turned to her sister with a much calmer Danny in her arms. "I'm sure you heard his name is Daniel, but I think Danny suits him more," the queen commented to her.

"How precious! Can I?" she asked excitedly, gesturing to hold the baby. But then added, "That is, if you can control your darling husband for a moment!"

"Remember who it is you're speaking to, Spectra," Plasmius growled menacingly.

"Vlad," Desiree whispered, her eyes asking him to calm down. She looked back to her sister. "Of course you may," she answered, handing her Danny.

Spectra grinned and readily accepted the baby, causing him to whine in response. "My! Aren't we cranky?" she said with a teasing chuckle.

"What do you expect? You woke him," the king replied with heavy annoyance while eyeing her interaction with Danny carefully.

"And with good reason too!" she replied. "Bertrand, could you show them Danny's gift?" she asked merrily.

The male ghost lifted up the little cage in his hands so everyone could see the tiny ghost, resembling a black butterfly, within. "Nigra Papilio," Spectra chirped, "They say it symbolizes life and prosperity, and it brings good fortune to those who see such a rare creature…" Spectra informed them as Bertrand handed Desiree the cage, causing the butterfly within to begin flapping its wings nervously, releasing a silvery powder as it did.

But Vlad grabbed the little cage before his wife could. "And a caged one is said to symbolize death and destruction, and it brings bad fortune to those who keep one in such a manner," he added, heavily frowning at Spectra.

Desiree stared with wide eyes at her husband, clearly surprised by this revelation. But then she looked quizzically at her sister; she didn't understand why Spectra would get her son such a gift.

After hearing what the king said, the shadow-like female's face also mirrored the king's own frown. However, it quickly turned into a glare directed at Bertrand, "Bertrand! You didn't tell me that!" she snapped at him.

Danny, who was still in Spectra's hold, was frightened by her sudden shout. But so was Ember, who was close by in her crib, and so both infants started to cry.

"Well, I didn't know!" Bertrand defended himself, "I thought-"

"No, you didn't think!" Spectra interrupted him. "If you had-"

"It's alright, Spectra," Desiree said, silencing her. The queen took her crying son from her sister as she added, "I know you meant well. I'm just glad you came," she told her with a warm smile.

Spectra immediately brightened. "Oh, Desiree! You are too kind, did you know that?" she said wrapping an arm around her. "And besides who really believes in all that stuff?" she dismissed with a wave of her hand, but then quickly said, "But enough of that! How about we do some catching up? It's been months since we've seen each other!"

"It has been some time," Desiree agreed as she placed Danny back down in his crib. "Be back in a bit," she then told her husband with a playful grin, before Spectra pulled her away.

Vlad silently watched his wife as she left with her sibling, but he soon moved his sober gaze to Bertrand, who quickly took the hint. "I-I'm going to go get something to eat," he stammered out before quickly floating off.

The king lifted the terrified butterfly to his eye level and gave it a sympathetic look. Although it was a ghost just like every other being in the ghost world, this little creature was a more primitive kind; almost like the human world's equivalent of an _animal_. But the difference was that although the little butterfly couldn't speak, it did understand the ghost language. Letting his hand glow a comforting blue, he raised it above the scared creature, "You're safe," Vlad whispered reassuringly, and the little ghost chirped in response, before slowly calming down and perching itself at the bottom of the cage.

Vlad turned to Wulf, who had been watching the whole time. The king gave the ghost an appreciative smile, before asking, "Could you go free this poor creature?"

"Yes, my king" Wulf answered, taking the cage from Vlad.

"Thank you, Wulf," he answered, which the ghost acknowledged with a nod and then left with the black butterfly.

The king looked back at his son and noticed Lydia was just setting Ember down. Clearly, she had heard her daughter crying and had come to her aid.

"I don't understand why she's so restless all the sudden; and your son isn't very content, either," Lydia commented to Plasmius as he walked up to her.

Vlad sighed, but didn't say anything on the matter. "Lydia, you can leave Ember in my care; I'll keep an eye on her," the king offered.

Seeing her brother calling her, Lydia nodded. "Alright, thank you," she said, giving her daughter an affectionate touch before leaving.

Plasmius looked at the agitated infants, before deciding to split his form and pick them up. His duplicate and he sat down on the two nearby thrones, the real Vlad holding his own son. He studied the little half-ghost and touched him to make sure he was fine. "What did you think of your aunt, Daniel?" he asked the baby in a dry tone.

As if he understood, Danny whined, and Vlad nodded, "I don't like her either."

Suddenly, Ember, who had taken hold of one of duplicate's fingers, giggled. And as if her laughter was contagious, Danny, too, giggled loudly in his father's arms.

Vlad gave the two infants an amused smile while wondering what they had unexpectedly deemed funny.

* * *

"This is the quickest he has ever gone to sleep," Vlad commented to his wife who sat on their bed as he walked back into the bedroom.

Desiree didn't lower the book she was reading as she simply answered, "He had a busy day."

"I suppose," he responded with a frown, sitting down on the bed.

Desiree shot her husband a quick look before she turned the page in her book. "Vlad, don't start this. I know you do not like my sister, but really, she wouldn't hurt Danny," she said calmly.

"Then why was he crying? Even when he was sick he had never sounded so upset," he shot back.

"As you said, he was upset at being wakened."

"Uh-huh," Vlad said, before shutting the light off on his side of the bed, and getting into bed with his back to her.

Desiree looked at her husband and sighed deeply as she shut her book. "Vlad," she called

"I'm sleeping," he answered calmly.

The queen rolled her eyes, "I didn't know you spoke in your sleep, darling."

"Well, now you do," he uttered back.

"Vlad, stop talking nonsense and listen to me," she said annoyed.

"I told you, I'm sleeping."

Desiree just stared at him with thicker irritation, but then she snapped her fingers, making the lamp on his side turn on.

The king grumbled as he sat up and quickly turned it back off, before throwing the covers over his head.

She smirked at his ruse and she didn't hesitate to snap her fingers again.

"Stop that!" he said annoyed, sitting back up and turning off the lamp once more.

"I'm talking to you," she replied unfazed.

"There's nothing to talk about," he snapped back as he settled into bed again.

A playful grin spread on Desiree's face, before she snapped her fingers once more, but this time she turned off her own lamp. "Alright," she said as she got into bed herself. "But you have to at least wish me a good night," she said, wrapping her arm around his torso and tickling the front of his chest.

"Good night," he grunted out, scooting away a bit.

Desiree pouted. "Now that's just unacceptable. You know that's not the proper way to wish your queen a good night. You'll have to do …better." Using her powers, she forced Vlad to turn on his back, and then quickly pinned him there before he could even react.

"Des!" he shouted in alarm, but then a throaty laugh escaped him. "_Alright_," he said with a roll of his eyes. He brought her down and kissed her deeply. "Good night, my dear," he said with a warm smile, before turning back over.

Desiree creased her eyebrows at seeing this. She knew he wasn't upset with her, but there was still something bothering him. Deciding not to press the issue further, she turned from him and settled in bed. But as she lay there, she found herself unable to push away thoughts of her sister and Danny. With a sigh she spoke. "Vlad, I know Spectra isn't the most gentle or caring of ghosts, but… she is still my sister… You don't really think she'd purposely hurt Danny, do you?" she asked worriedly.

Vlad just frowned for a moment, but then turned over and wrapped an arm around his wife. "Of course not, Des," he answered, not wanting to see her upset, "And I'm sure she didn't know her gift wasn't… appropriate."

Desiree let out a relieved sigh, and snuggled closer to her husband. "I think so, too," she said, closing her eyes with a smile.

Vlad bit his bottom lip. _"Spectra's right about one thing, Des… You are too kind,"_ he thought helplessly, but then he smiled warmly and gave her a kiss on her cheek, before falling asleep himself.

* * *

**Okay! That's the end of another chappie! Two things to tell you guys: One, I'm not sure if you recall, but I did say that the Ancients and most ghost can only speak their own language, so if you didn't catch it, the entire time in this chapter they were speaking their ghost language, and that is why you guys could understand Wulf! Heh! To make this simple from now on: Unless I **_**say**_** they are speaking in 'human language' then they are speaking their language—which is really Esperanto, of course!—from now on, kay? Okay, number two: I have a lot of you wondering when Danny is going to be shown as a teenager. Well, I'll tell you straight forward that not for a while. I am not skipping ALL his childhood. Several things must happen before Danny becomes a teenager, so patience, my dear readers! And hopefully I'll make it worthwhile for you guys, hmm? Trust me, you'll like what happens before he becomes a teenager! **

**Okay, last thing: Announcement. Those who already read 'Checkmate' this will be a repeat so feel free to skip this! Just not the reviewing part! Lol!**

**I'm sorry to say that this will be last update for about three weeks. See, I'm going to Honduras for a missionary trip, and I will be over there for two weeks, but when I get back, I'll have to work on editing the next chapters and all that jazz, so it's way I say I won't be updating for three weeks. Sorry for the wait ahead of time, and I hope you all understand. **

**Okay that's enough of me! Don't forget to feed poor Pearl and her muse, kay? See you all in three weeks! Lot's of love from Vlad muse and me to you all!**


	9. Chapter 7: The Faces of Evil

**Hey gang! Miss me? Heh, not as much as you miss an update I bet! Lol! Well, here it is! Sorry for the wait! And thank you all for being patient, and also for wishing me the best on my trip! I had a great time. But I won't yap to you all about that! I'm sure you want to get to reading this next chapter! But before I let you all read, I will warn you that this chapter is pretty dark! It's the darkest thing I've written yet, so brace yourselves! And enjoy!!**

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Chapter 7: The Faces of Evil

…_five months later…_

Red eyes looked up with bitterness at the sight ahead, and a black gloved hand squeezed harder against the staff it held. Slowly, the being walked forward, entering inside one of the large black tents within view.

The inside of the tent was darker than the night sky, which was at least a little brighter with its own light from the moon and stars. But the man still managed to make his way through the bone-chilling darkness thanks to the small, dim red glow that pulsated from the staff in his hand.

The place was as silent as death, making the sound of this man's footsteps as loud as screams in the night. But it wasn't the darkness or the silence what made the place so ominous; it was the smell that hanged in the air. The scent was a mixture of decaying flesh, blood, and disease. But it could be described with one word: Death.

The smell of death was so thick within the large tent that if it were tangible, not even the sharpest of blades could cut through it. And yet, its visitor seemed to have no trouble with it. It appeared as if he couldn't smell the stench. Or as if he had gotten use to it.

The man halted in front of a hidden wall that contained different switches and knobs. And using his free hand, he pressed a single button. Instantly, the area lit up with dulled stadium lights. But they were enough to push the eerie darkness into the shadows, and more importantly, reveal what the tent had hidden within it.

The red-eyed man scanned the now visible area, and the same bitterness as before returned to his face when he noticed the mold and cobwebs that the place had acquired from the lack of usage. From the stands to the performance rink, everything had been reduced to a mere shadow of what it had once been. His circus, _Circus_ _Gothica_, had been reduced to nothing after ten long years… But that wasn't what stung the most.

Once more, the man's grasp on the staff tightened. However, this time, he lightly squeezed the dim red glass orb on top with his other hand, before quickly releasing it.

With an angry look, his attention went to the center of the room where the center rink could be seen. He walked towards it, his black trench coat swaying slightly under his movements. As he continued, his gaze briefly went upward, to the high-wire above him. But then his attention shifted to the circular performance stand he was approaching.

Unlike everything else that appeared to be worn and rotting away, this stand, clearly meant for the circus' rink master, looked clean and preserved. Obviously, it was used more often than the other things inside the black tent.

The man calmly removed his black hat, and placed it on top of a nearby dusty box. He then lowered his staff towards the center of the performance stand so that the red orb lightly hovered above it. And immediately, the stand split, revealing a steep concrete pathway leading to a hidden tunnel below.

The bald man then carefully placed his staff next to his hat, just before he trotted down the dark passage way. Instantly, the smell of death increased tenfold within the murky and chilly channel. This time, the human noticed it, and his face slightly scrunched with distaste.

He walked on, passing several empty cages meant for wild animals. But upon reaching the end of the tunnel, he finally saw what he was looking for: A large cage shrouded with a black cover. However, it was what was inside it that the man cared about.

Suddenly, a shifting was heard, followed by soft whimpers. Both were coming from within the cage.

The man paid no mind to the noises and picked up a heavy metal bar that was attached to this specific cage. With much effort, he pulled the bar towards him, the wheels under the cage squealing in protest, but nevertheless, helping him move its weight forward. And as he pulled the covered metal cage down the tunnel, towards the only exit, the shifting and whimpers within it got louder.

"Silence!" the man demanded, causing whatever was inside the cage to let out a muffled cry of fear before quieting back into soft whimpers.

He cursed under his breath as he strenuously pulled the pen up the steep entryway, all the while ignoring the beads of sweat now running down his face and smudging the white make-up covering his face. With a last grunt, he finally brought the cage up to the top.

The man took in a deep breath as he wiped the sweat from his brow, before picking up his hat and staff. He placed the hat on his head as he looked towards the cage.

He lifted the black cover just enough to peak into the cage, which revealed several pairs of feet inside. The shifting and loud whimpers returned, but the man merely smirked this time. "Do not fear; you will be out of there shortly. I promise."

Muffled noises were his response.

"What's that? I cannot understand anything any of you are saying. Perhaps if you'd remove those gags… Oh wait, you can't! HA-ha!" he cried out, emphasizing his strange laugh by tilting his head back.

But his self-induced amusement immediately ended upon feeling a chill sweep in from nowhere, before the orb on his staff began to glow brightly, as its red hue illuminated its owner's face and nearby surroundings.

The man grinned widely as he touched the glass ball, and uttered, "It has been so long, I forgot how disturbingly evil it truly looks! And soon, I will get to use its powers as before!"

"Did you know talking to one's self is the first sign of mental instability?" A female voice suddenly coming from nowhere questioned.

The man looked up towards the voice, and found it belonged to a brown-haired, slim woman who wore a red tight suit. But he showed no surprise at her presence, clearly showing he had been expecting her.

He answered her with a smirk. "I would need to have mental _stability_ first to worry about that! HA-ha!"

The woman scrunched her face in annoyance at hearing the man laugh. But she immediately hid her dislike for him, and smiled sweetly at him. "Hmm… You haven't changed a single bit, have you?"

The man approached the woman, and his staff seemed to glow brighter the closer he got to her. "Not at all. Still the same Freakshow you knew. And you, the same Penelope…Still playing therapist, I see."

She smirked in response. "Not so much these days. But, yeah, it's my _passion_ after all. But I see your own passion has gone downhill…" she added, scanning the worn-down circus area.

Freakshow shrugged uncaringly. "You know my true interest never lied in entertaining the masses. But I do miss having a few minions around…" He touched the top of the red orb and smiled evilly.

Penelope crossed her arms in front of her and gave him a calm smile. However, it was clear she was purposely keeping her gaze averted from the man's staff. "I can relate to that. After all, it's so wonderful to have _puppets_ to play with. And speaking of puppets… did you get mine?"

The man lowered his hand from his staff, and without words moved back to the covered cage. He lightly patted the side as he said, "They're all right in here…. But where is mine?"

Penelope gave him a smirk, before turning her head slightly, and in a sweet voice called, "Oh Bertrand!"

A short man with green eyes and brown hair walked out of the shadows and into view. He straightened his suit as his expression retained its cold sobriety. With an arrogant sniff, he turned and picked up a string that was seemingly lying on the ground. But when he began to pull on it, Freakshow could see that it was attached to a large cloth black bag.

He pulled it forward, and although the bag clearly contained something inside it that was at least three-times the size of Bertrand, he moved it without any strain. But, oddly, the black bag seemed to glow with a white aura.

Freakshow immediately brightened at the sight and hurriedly walked forward to meet Bertrand. Penelope, on the other hand, _calmly_ went to the two men, but not before shooting the covered cage a hungry look.

Freakshow gazed with excitement at the large black bag. He paid no mind to his staff's reaction caused by the close proximity that Bertrand, Penelope, and whatever else was in the bag had to it. The red orb not only glowed brilliantly, but whatever it contained inside had begun to swirl with a hypnotizing rhythm.

"Tell your servant to open it!" Freakshow exclaimed with anticipation.

Bertrand narrowed his eyes at the other man, and they suddenly flashed red.

"Bertrand," Penelope addressed him, placing a hand on his shoulder. But she then looked up at the other man, and addressed him. "Those kinds of remarks will get you nowhere with him, you know," she said off-handedly as she brought out a small remote that looked like a metallic bracelet from her pocket.

"I'll also have you know this wasn't easy for me to accomplish, so my part of the deal better be good. Bertrand," she called in the end, and the short man nodded.

"Of course it's good, Penelope! Haven't I always satisfied your needs?" Freakshow replied, his grin widening as he watched Bertrand open the bag.

"Can't argue there," she said with a slight squeak of excitement in her voice, just as the other man suddenly turned the bag intangible and pulled it away from whatever had been inside of it. Bertrand, who was clearly not the human he externally appeared to be, tossed the bag aside, and the most curious thing happened as it hit the ground. Its bright glow almost instantly began to dim, and soon it snuffed out completely and the bag dematerialized out of existence.

With a gasp, Freakshow kneeled right beside the entity that had been in the bag. He carefully placed his staff aside, before grabbing a hold of the creature's thick muzzle and running his hands up from it, feeling along the entity's jaw line, forehead, and then to its closed eyes. "It's very soft. How old is it?"

"_He's_ about four," Spectra answered calmly.

Her reply immediately turned Freakshow's head towards her. "Four? I'm impressed! How did you manage to take it from its mother?"

Penelope shrugged. "In the usual way. You did say you wanted it young."

Freakshow turned back to the creature as he nodded. He opened its mouth, revealing large white glowing teeth and fangs. "Very good," the red-eyed man remarked to himself. His eyes then traveled down the creature's scaly, glowing black body, observing with fixed fascination the size of its claws, its long muscular tail, and its tucked wings.

Freakshow finally noticed the symbol on the creature's chest that was almost hidden from view from the way it was lying on the ground. Standing, the man carefully pushed the unmoving creature to its side to get a better look at the glowing blue symbol. Surprisingly, Freakshow showed no effort in moving an entity that was three times his size.

He lightly touched the symbol, and the creature suddenly stirred. Freakshow immediately froze.

"Oh, good, he's waking!" Penelope beamed. "I had to put him to _sleep_ to get him here," she informed him, patting the device in her hand.

Freakshow, who had looked at the woman as she said this, finally noticed the device. He gave it a confused look, but then when he looked at the metal collar around the creature's neck, his eyes lit with realization. "I see," he mumbled, more to himself than Penelope.

He looked back at the creature's symbol, which resembled an outline of a sitting dragon, and smiled. This creature, this **ghost**, this _dragon_ was exactly what he needed. Its young age would make it much easier to tame and control. He was back in business.

Freakshow finally stood and picked up his staff.

"Satisfied?" Penelope asked with a perky voice.

"Completely," he answered her, looking at the swirling red smoke within his staff's orb. "But tell me, how developed is it?"

"Well," she began, "He can use all the basic ghost abilities. But from what I could tell, he just barely knows how to use its wings or will fire. Then again, the poor thing was still feeding from his mother. And I think it's obvious he doesn't know human speech."

Freakshow remained in silent thought. There was always a downside to everything. Although the dragon's young age proved helpful when it came to dealing with these kinds of creatures, that also meant it had yet to learn and master many of its abilities. It would take several years before he could use this ghost for his desired purposes. But he could wait. After all, he was very experienced with dealing with ghosts. He knew they required special attention. For one, they required nourishment not found anywhere in the human world. And for another, their central core fed off the spectral energy in its environment to sustain itself. But that spectral energy wasn't found on this plane either. And a ghost without spectral energy was like a human without oxygen. Its stored energy supply would keep it alive for no more than a few months.

This dragon would surely die in the human world; that is, if Freakshow didn't possess the knowledge he had in ghost magic. The circular crystal on his staff was really just one of the several crystals he had in his collection. And although they all were made up of different properties and powers, they all had one thing in common: they all worked on ghosts. And so, with the aid of the crystals, he could keep ghosts alive. But, more importantly, he could keep them under his control.

"Eh-ah…" the little dragon suddenly whined. And everyone's eyes instantly went to it.

He didn't move at first, feeling his body oddly heavy. The young ghost wanted to know why everything felt strange, but something within him told him he didn't want to know. Slowly, he shifted his weight upon feeling one of his fragile wings protesting in pain at being caught under his weight. But when he noticed the pads of his front feet touching something that felt nothing like the soft grass he was use to, his mind jolted fully awake.

Penelope smiled as she saw the dragons yellow eyes snap open, the haze in them quickly dissipating as they did. Its head lifted off the ground as it looked at her and the two men beside her with fear and confusion.

"_Panjo_?" (1) he whimpered softly when he realized that he wasn't home and didn't recognize the strangers before him.

"Sorry, sweetie, but mommy isn't here," Penelope told the little ghost with a smirk.

The dragon recoiled at her voice. It sounded almost like the voice he heard before he had been knocked out, only that it lacked its echo. But _that_ voice had belonged to a shadow-like ghost with red eyes. He had never seen this female in front of him! But what was she? And what was that strange dialect she had spoken to him in? Could she be…._human_? His mommy had warned him about them, but she had said they lived in their own world.

The little ghost stood on his four feet, and his wings spread with indecision. His young mind couldn't figure out how to react to all this. He wanted to just flee. But he was too confused, too scared to try. He didn't like that he didn't know where he was. But most of all, he didn't like that no one he knew was around. He wanted his mom and dad!

Suddenly, the symbol on the dragon's chest began to glow a brighter blue just before distressed cries began to sound from the young creature's throat.

Freakshow frowned in confusion, before turning to look at Penelope who seemed to be enjoying the little ghost's turmoil. "What's it doing?"

"Calling his parents," Bertrand finally spoke in a causal tone. "Ghost offspring have a special bond to their parents for the first ten years of their lives that allow them to call to _mom and dad _when they want. No matter how far their offspring is from them, they will _feel_ their call and sense their exact location." He allowed a smirk to grace his lips as he added. "Think of it as a built-in S.O.S beacon."

"If that's true, then we need to stop it," Freakshow said, taking a step towards the dragon.

But Penelope grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Relax. His parents won't _feel_ him calling while they are in two separate worlds."

The woman walked up to the young ghost, causing it to become more distressed. His wings wrapped around his body as if trying to hide within them, while his tail curled around him in fear. Instinctively, his body began to produce ghostly fire within itself, and in turn, blue smoke began to escape from the dragon's nostrils.

In a cooing voice, Penelope addressed the quivering ghost, _"Vi malriĉa afero.__Estas bone__**." **__(2)_

The dragon's features showed a bit of hope at seeing this female speak his language. That meant she was a ghost at least!

"Kie estas mia panjo kaj paĉjo? Kie mi est-as?" (3) the dragon questioned timidly.

Penelope kneeled beside it, and lightly nuzzled her face against the young ghost's muzzle. She whispered her answer to him, _"Ili estas en la fantomo mondo. Kaj vi estas en la homa mondo."_ (4)

Instantly, a green hue lit the dragon's body, before it seeped into the woman. _"Homa mondo?"_ (5) he whimpered in fear.

"_Jes…" __(6)_ Penelope answered as her hand traveled to the symbol on the ghost's chest.

A whimper resonated from the dragon's throat, and his yellow eyes squeezed close in pain. He wanted this bad ghost to get away from him, to stop touching him, but his mind couldn't focus. And he didn't understand why; just like he didn't understand how he ended up in the human world!

"Okay, you can stop now," Freakshow said annoyed, purposely putting the end of his staff close to the woman.

She allowed a last wave of the strange green mist from the dragon to enter her body, before moving away from it with a satisfied sigh. "Sorry, I forgot I still have the main dish left!" she stated with a squeak of delight.

Whatever Penelope had been doing to the dragon, left him in a haze. But when it cleared, he panicked with the realization of how precarious his situation was. And he reacted like any four-year-old child would.

Bertrand sighed in annoyance as the young ghost's cries resonated through the whole tent, and his symbol glowed brighter as he continued to call for help that would never come. "Can we stop wasting time with the kid, and do what we came to?" Bertrand asked the woman.

"Alright," Spectra said, moving away from the dragon and towards the covered cage.

Freakshow paid no mind to the pair as they walked away from him, leaving him alone with the young ghost. With an evil smile, he approached the crying dragon. Luckily, he had learned a bit of ghost language to be able to communicate enough to speak to it.

"Silence," he ordered in its language, lifting the red crystal ball towards its gaze.

The dragon took a step back in alarm as the staff came into his view, but then it froze. His yellow eyes seemed to glaze as it stared at the swirling crystal. But almost instantly, the young creature's instinct kicked back in and he jolted his gaze from it.

Unable to bear anymore, the creature let out a cry of fear and blindly ran forward.

"No!" Freakshow cried out as his staff was knocked out of his hand by the ghost's tail when it had run pass him. He quickly dived down, catching it before it could hit the ground.

Penelope and Bertrand, who were about to uncover the cage, turned towards the commotion in time to see the dragon attempting to take flight. But his lack of experience made it difficult for him to do so, especially when it felt as if the pull of gravity was stronger in this scary world.

The woman rolled her eyes in annoyance, before looking down at the device in her hand and pressing a button just as the young ghost took flight.

A loud cry of pain came from the dragon as the collar around his neck sent bolts of electricity into his body. It was clear that the poor creature wasn't use to pain, since it immediately dropped out of the air and slammed into the nearby bleachers, unconscious.

Freakshow glared at the woman. "What are you doing? You better not have killed it!"

Penelope shrugged uncaringly. "Well someone had to keep him from escaping."

Freakshow quickly went to the ghost, and checked it over to see if it was okay. It appeared knocked out, but its symbol was still healthily glowing. And aside from a gash on its left wing it had received from crashing into the wooden benches, its other scrapes were minor, and they were already healing.

Meanwhile, Penelope turned her eyes to the cage once more and saw Bertrand had uncovered it already. She grinned evilly at the seven bound and gagged human children inside. They ranged in age; the youngest appeared to be around eight, and the oldest around seventeen.

They whimpered and scooted away from Bertrand as he silently sized them up. "Which one is going to Walker?" he asked calmly.

"The older one," she said right away as she walked up to her partner.

"Good. That leaves three for me and three for you," Bertrand said, a hungry grin growing on his features. "How long has it been since we've had a proper meal, Spectra?"

Her eyes glowed red, and she returned the hungry smile. "Too long."

Both ghosts suddenly dissolved out of their human appearance, and took on their true form. Spectra quickly swiped right through the metal bars with her sharp claws, just as Bertrand changed into a green cougar.

A scream came from within the cage as the male ghost clamped its sharp jaws down on one of the seven human's legs and began to drag her out of the cage by it.

Bertrand let go and grinned at the sobbing twelve-year-old, before licking the blood on his mouth. He quickly pounced on the defenseless girl and purposely drove his claws into her abdomen as he landed on her. And just as quickly, as the blood gushed out of the girl's deep wounds, a green hue overtook the human's body and quickly seeped into Bertrand's body. This strange hue was, in fact, the same one that had previously appeared on the ghost dragon. Spectra and Bertrand were able to draw forth and suck out this green hue--their victims' misery—with their powers. But if they did it too quickly or for too long, they would kill their prey.

Bertrand continued his assault on his victim. And all the while, Spectra watched with sick glee as she calmly sat at the edge of the now slashed open cage. She turned her red eyes to the six quivering humans at the other corner of the cage, before locking them onto the youngest one.

The little girl let out a muffled cry as she was pulled forward by a tied arm. Spectra sat the little girl on her lap and wrapped her arms around her little body to keep her struggles to a minimum. She calmly hummed to the little girl, while she caressed her long blond hair. Her actions almost looked motherly. Almost.

The green mist escaping the distressed child clearly said otherwise. And while Spectra's glow began to get brighter, the little girl's appearance wilted away like a dying flower. The ghost gently lifted the little girl's face so she could see Bertrand deliver the final blow to his own child victim.

"You're next, you know," Spectra whispered to the girl in her arms, causing the child to shut her eyes and let out more muffled sobs. This only caused the green hue around the little girl to become brighter. And with one last pained whimper, the little girl went limp in the ghost's arms.

Spectra stop humming at feeling her prey's heartbeat abruptly halt. She blinked curiously at her as she turned her head to look into her gray lifeless eyes. "Hmm… out of misery already." She threw the dead human off her lap and quickly grabbed another one, just as Bertrand returned.

He looked lightly at the unmoving little girl, before turning intangible to get rid of the blood on his face and body. "We really should hurry this along," he commented to the female ghost.

She nodded brightly and chirped, "Good idea!" She quickly cut the ropes on the boy's legs, before pushing him to the ground. "There you go!"

Bertrand rolled her eyes at her, before looking to the boy who quickly struggled to his feet. "That's not what I meant," he remarked, just as the boy ran for his life. "But…I can't complain," he added with an evil look, and then took off after the fleeing boy.

Spectra floated to a standing position, before reaching into the cage and grabbing another young human. "Your turn!" she told her merrily.

By now, the young dragon had finally stirred. It slowly tried to stand, but his body was in too much pain, especially his injured wing.

"Ghost!"

The dragon turned his eyes to the voice with fear, only to see that same staff being held in his line of sight.

"You will obey me, slave!" Freakshow said firmly in the ghost's tongue. As before, the dragon became hypnotized by the red orb. But this time, he was too weak to break from the trance, and the young ghost's once bright yellow eyes turned blood red.

His head bowed with submission as his wings sagged unresponsively. The dragon's mind had been wiped blank and its will removed, turning the ghost into nothing but a puppet waiting for its strings to be pulled by his puppeteer.

With a cruel smile, Freakshow turned and carefully walked off the broken stands. The dragon followed closely behind him like a well-trained dog. He made no sound and his once brightly glowing blue symbol dimmed back to its usual intensity. He didn't even feel the pain from the wound on his wing. And although it would eventually heal on its own, it was currently bleeding, leaving a small trail of ectoplasm as he moved…

But Freakshow didn't notice that as he walked back to Spectra and Bertrand. His attention was fully on avoiding stepping on the puddles of blood that drenched the floor around them. The dragon, on the other hand, walked right on them, its tail and claws becoming soaked with the thick liquid and spreading it even more.

Spectra, who held a still-bound and gagged teenage boy by the shoulder, turned as she noticed the man and the creature approaching. She licked one of her blood-stained fingers as she said. "You humans are so delicious!"

Freakshow smirked. "You ghosts are so useful," he quipped back.

"Just how do you manage to get all these kids?" Spectra questioned, slightly curious.

"Isn't it obvious? Children love the circus! Works just like a baited mouse trap! HA-ha!"

Spectra smiled in amusement, before she turned back to the human boy, grasped him by his hair, and forced him to look at the dragon. The sight of the large creature horrified the boy even more, especially when the female ghost forced him closer to it.

"Is he really that scary?" she asked the human boy teasingly. "I suppose if he wanted to he could split you right open… Should we try?"

The boy shook his head wildly, but Spectra continued forward. But upon noticing the ghost's red eyes, she turned to look at Freakshow with an expectant smile.

He sighed in annoyance. But then lifted his staff, and commanded in ghost speech. "Kill him."

Instantly, the dragon grabbed a hold of the boy in Spectra's claws with one hand, causing the human to let out muffled screams of fear. But the ghost did not harm him in anyway and simply held him in his clawed hand.

Spectra pouted at seeing this. But it didn't surprise her. The ghost was much too young to know how to harm, let alone, kill something. Still, she got what she wanted. And that was to instill more misery into the human boy. To feed off his misery was all she really wanted. It wasn't her fault humans couldn't stand the effects of her powers for long and that it killed them. Sure, she could feed off them a little at a time so they wouldn't die, but she had not had human misery in years. And so, she was feeling greedy… Not that she actually remembered a time when she _didn't_ feel selfish!

"Well, that's enough of that for one day," Bertrand suddenly said, getting the other two's attention. He uncaringly dropped the dead human he was holding in his jaws to the side, before changing back into his human appearance. Now looking oddly younger he addressed Spectra, "Ready to go?"

"Just about. Get the boy ready for deliver while I finish up," she answered as she turned her eyes back to the human still being held by the dragon.

Bertrand nodded and headed to the cage were only the seventeen-year-old boy remained. He roughly grabbed a hold of the human and pulled him towards him. He lifted a hand, but just when he was about to strike the human, the screeching of tires sounded from outside the tent.

All three turned to look at one another in stunned silence. "Were you expecting someone else?" Spectra asked with a frown.

Freakshow shook his head, and immediately, he and the two ghosts jolted into action.

"_Fal li!"_ _(7)_Freakshow commanded the dragon, and it instantly dropped the human. The man quickly moved to the underground tunnel, the young ghost on his heels.

"Wait!" Spectra called, now back in her human appearance. Freakshow looked at her as she walked to the dragon. And with a press of a button from the remote in her possession, the collar unlocked, and she quickly removed it from the ghost. "Can't leave this behind!" she said with a perky voice.

"_Ir!"__ (8)_ Freakshow shouted to the dragon, pointing his staff to the tunnel.

The dragon ghost obeyed, and walked down the steep entrance, soon disappearing into the murky tunnel below. Freakshow quickly touched the split performance stand with his staff, and it just as quickly closed, concealing the passageway as before.

At the same time Freakshow had dashed off, Bertrand had quickly knocked out the teenage boy in his hands, and was currently fitting him with what looked like a miniature oxygen mask.

"Bertrand! Do that later. It's time to go," Penelope said, briefly looking at him before turning back to Freakshow. "Well, it's been fun! See you soon!" she said cheerfully.

Freakshow nodded. "Don't forget the gem. I'll trade it for as many children as you want."

"I'll see what I can do. Bertrand!" she called, and he quickly went to her with the unconscious boy over his shoulder.

In an instant Penelope and Bertrand vanished. But then, Penelope reappeared.

"What are you doing?" Bertrand's disembodied voice hissed in her ear.

"I almost forgot!" she chirped as she quickly went to the boy she had been previously toying with. She picked him up and his body lit up green once more. With an evil grin, she gave him a light kiss on the forehead, and the boy let out a sharp gasp, before exhaling it almost immediately.

The boy's head fell back, revealing his lifeless pale face and blank eyes.

"Man, that's good!" she chirped, her face now looking years younger. "Later! And sorry for the mess!" Penelope added before finally vanishing for good, the sound of a dead body falling to the floor marking her departure.

Freakshow's eyes widened as her last words rang in his ears. He had dead people all over the place!

He quickly went to the closest body and lifted it off the ground, before throwing it inside the broken cage. He paid no mind to his bloody hands as he quickly went for the next one, but as he did, he heard footsteps enter into the tent.

He was caught.

"You really are disturbed," a strong male voice said calmly.

Freakshow quickly looked towards it, and almost immediately let out a loud breathe of relief. "Oh, Tom, it's you. I thought for a moment it was the authorities."

The leader of the GiW division looked away from the human bodies on the ground and addressed the other man's remark with a cold look. "I could do worse to you than any cop, I promise you."

Freakshow gave him a nervous smile. "Yes, well, I was hoping you'd ignore my _mess_ for old time's sake."

Mr. Chrome smiled. "Yes, maybe. It depends if you can give me what I came here for," he replied; and then he ordered the two agents beside him, "Go wait outside." They silently obeyed.

"Alright. How can I be of service?" Freakshow asked with a small smirk.

But Tom didn't answer him. His green eyes were scanning the surrounding area, before they looked directly at the staff in the other man's hands. "Why do you still carry that thing around? There are no more ghosts around here to control…right?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow at the man.

"Heh, of course not," he said nervously, "It's just a family relic. You know, simple sentimental value. Besides," Here he sobered significantly. "All the ghosts I use to own you took away from me. Not to mention they don't come to this world anymore, so how could I obtain any to control?"

"You tell me," the GiW retorted, crossing his hands. "I mean, I haven't seen that staff of yours glowing that brightly without ghosts around…"

"There are no ghosts here, so if you came for one, you are wasting your time!" Freakshow snapped back, his slip-up with his staff making him even more nervous. He didn't understand why his staff was glowing so brightly when there was only one ghost around and it was underground. Unless… Were Bertrand and Penelope still around?

Indeed they were.

Spectra couldn't help but wonder who had so unexpectedly crashed their _little party_. And still invisible, she had hid in the shadows, watching.

"Spectra," Bertrand whispered from right beside her as he shifted the unconscious human in his hold. "What are you trying to do? Those humans are ghost hunters! If they discover us…"

"Shush, Bertrand. Let me listen. This could be important… I didn't know Freakshow associated with hunters…" she added with a thoughtful smirk.

"Perhaps I will have you arrested after all…" Spectra heard the remaining human hunter say to Freakshow.

"What is it that you want? I haven't seen any-"

"DON'T LIE TO ME, YOU INSIGNFICANT SPECK!" Thomas abruptly screamed. In a blink of an eye he had removed his gun from its hold and had it aimed and ready to fire at Freakshow's head.

The bald man froze, his eyes going wide. But when the GiW quickly approached, and ripped the staff from his hold, he reacted. "No!" Freakshow cried, but then the butt of the other man's gun connected to his face, knocking him to the ground.

Tom stared down in disgust at the moaning Freakshow on the floor. Using the end of the staff that was in his hand, he pushed the other man on his back. "Do you think I'm stupid, Freakshow?" he hissed down at him, jabbing the end of the staff into the man's chest. "It's obvious these brats were not killed by human hands. You are involved in ghost deals again, _aren't_ _you_?"

Freakshow gasped in pain. "Just… recently," he admitted.

Thomas smirked. "Just as I thought. Where are you hiding the ghosts?"

"There are no ghosts. They left, alright? Now, Let me up!" Freakshow grunted, trying to move the staff off his chest.

Tom narrowed his eyes. "Maybe I should just destroy this little toy of yours. After all, if you have no ghosts here then you don't need it." He pointed his gun to the red orb in threat.

"No! Don't destroy it!" Freakshow cried in alarm. "If it's a ghost you want, I-I can get it! Just give me some time!"

Mr. Chrome smirked as he lowered the gun to his side. He then moved the staff off the other man, allowing him to finally move. "Actually, what I require is _that_," he said, pointing at a small puddle of ectoplasm.

Freakshow gasped, realizing how he had been discovered. The GiW moved to the small puddle and dipped a finger in the fluid. "I need ghost blood, Freakshow. And a good amount of it." Tom brought his finger to his mouth and sucked the ectoplasm off it with a thoughtful look. "Hmm… healthy… Young… Yes, anything close to this will do fine."

The GiW suddenly tossed the staff back to the other man, who barely caught the staff. "I don't care how you get it, just get it. Or murder charges are going to be the least of your worries."

Freakshow silently nodded as he cradled the red orb close to his body.

"I'll track you down in couple of days to see how you are progressing," Tom said calmly as he put away his gun.

Freakshow consciously rubbed his right arm, feeling a tinge of pain from the chip that was embedded in his arm years ago… It was a sore reminder he was on a leash…

"I'll…get you what you need," he said soberly.

"I have every ounce of faith that you will," Tom replied with a wide grin. He made a good-bye gesture with his head, before turning and calmly walking to the tent's exit. But as he got there, he paused, looked back at the other man, and commented mockingly, "Oh, and just a bit of advice: get rid of those contacts and face paint. You look like you belong in a circus."

Freakshow glared in response, but said nothing, and silently watched as the man left from view. He let out an annoyed sigh as he rubbed his swollen and bleeding cheek bone, but then looked back at his staff. It had now dimmed significantly, and he understood why. Bertrand and Penelope had left.

He turned his gaze to the dead bodies around him, and gave them a disgusted look. "Time to clean up. Don't want _these_ here for tomorrow's performance…. Not that many will come," he added lightly.

Putting his staff to the side, he began to clean the two ghosts' mess.

* * *

Spectra raised an eyebrow as she watched Tom and the other two GiW get into a car and drive off. She slowly drifted a little lower to the ground, and turned visible. Bertrand followed suit.

"We're lucky they were not carrying any ghost detectors. What's so interesting about some pathetic humans dressed in white suits, anyways?"

Spectra shrugged. "Maybe nothing… But it could also be something…." She mumbled back thoughtfully. She then brightened with her next idea. "Give me the kid," she asked him.

Bertrand complied, but frowned questioningly at her. She smiled in return as she said. "I'm going to take him to Walker. But meanwhile, I want you to follow those humans. See where they lead you. That Tom man looks to be quite the character!" she said wickedly.

Bertrand gave her an unsure look, but then he sighed and nodded. "Fine. See you back home."

Changing to his true blob form, he took off in the direction the car had driven off. Spectra, too, changed into her true form, but not before pulling out a tiny green orb from her suit's pocket. "Walker and his gadgets," she said with miff, and then tossed it into the air. She quickly lifted a hand and fired a perfectly aimed ectoplasmic beam at the ball, causing it to explode in the air. And almost instantly, a ripping noise sounded, just before the place of the explosion swirled and finally opened into a ghost portal.

She quickly checked the limp boy to make sure the oxygen mask was put on. She couldn't have the kid suffocating on the way to Walker's prison. Once there the kid would be put in the human chamber, which was meant for keeping human prisoners. It was nice it would get some use after ten years…

With a satisfied smirked, Spectra flew into the opening with the teenage human, and the portal almost instantly vanished after.

* * *

Walker paced in anger, while attempting to think of how to deal with the trouble that was soon to come. And all due to that over-confident and sadistic female! Was she also insane? Who in their right mind steals a dragon offspring?! When she said she was going to kidnap a ghost, he thought it would be a small, unnoticeable ghost; not one of Aragon's, _the dragon leader's_, offspring!

"When I get my hands on her…" he growled out, halting his pacing and fisting his hands. There was already a delicate balance between the ghost dragon species and the kingdom after Dark's rule. And although they respected each other, and everyone simply stayed to their own territories, the dragon species severely distrusted anyone who was part of the kingdom, especially the king himself…

The thought put a smirk on Walker's face. "Maybe this isn't as bad as it seems… _King_ _Plasmius_ does need some trouble in his life so that he can finally realize how absurd his attempt at peacekeeping is…. It should be interesting to see how he handles this one, at the least," he added with an evil chuckle.

"Happy, are we?"

Walker jolted at seeing Spectra appear in front of him, but then immediately glared. "How did you get into my prison, _into my office_, without detection? And you do realize you could have very well just started a war in here?"

Spectra grinned in delight. "Well! For you first question: Bullet let me in! And for the second one: Do you really think so?" she asked excitedly. "Because wars make for great misery!"

"How did you manage it, Spectra? Dragon offspring are guarded vigorously, especially after Dark wiped out more than half of them!"

"Warden, relax," she said sweetly, "If being caught is what you are worried about, then stop worrying! Besides…" She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I never get caught. And that means you never get caught… You know, since I'd never let you…"

Before he could stop her, he found the female's lips on his own. He would have instantly pulled away if it wasn't for the fact that he was confused by the strong taste of iron on her… But… no, it wasn't iron… She tasted like… _human_ _blood_!

With a deep snarl, he pushed her away. "You're disgusting!" the warden growled at her, wiping his mouth.

But his insult only made the female ghost smile. "Maybe just a little…" she said with an amused shrug. "But then again, no more than you!"

Walker walked up to her with a glare, before seizing her by the throat. But he didn't squeeze and simply held her. Spectra just smiled at his angry look, making no effort to remove the hand around her neck.

"You're lucky you're so useful, or I would have killed you by now," he whispered darkly to her.

"That makes two of us," she answered wryly.

He stared at her for a moment more, before letting go, and crossing his arms. "Where's my part of the deal?" he asked calmly.

"I gave it to Bullet. He said he would put him in the human chamber. I got you a male, by the way… Um, about seventeen, eighteen years of age. I figured you'd favor an older human for your…_purposes_."

Walker smirked. "I would have preferred _older_, but that's fine." He quickly sobered up as he continued, "Now, I want you to keep away from my prison for some time, or at least until I handle any repercussions this whole thing might bring. Got that?"

"Got it!" she said brightly, "Don't be a stranger, though," she added with a wink.

Walker watched the perky ghost leave his office, before grabbing a green microphone off his desk and talking into it, "Bullet, meet me at the Weapons Room."

He placed the microphone down, and headed out the door. He grinned as he thought of all the new devices he wanted to try out on the boy Spectra brought him. He needed to see how well they worked against humans, and now he had gotten his chance.

* * *

"Mr. Chrome?"

"Yes?" the man said, pushing a button on the intercom.

"Mr. Fenton is here to see you," his secretary informed him.

A look surprise appeared on the man's face, before a grin broke across it. "Tell him to come in."

"Yes, sir."

The leader of the GIW unit sat back on his large leather seat just as Jack walked through the doors. "Mr. Fenton!" he said with a smile. "I was beginning to worry. It has been a good five months since I've heard from you or your wife. Ready to get back to work?"

Jack, who held a sober expression on his face that whole time, walked closer to the man sitting down before speaking, "No. I actually came to tell you that Maddie and I are not continuing with the ghost portal."

The smile on Thomas' face fell. "What? I don't think I follow you… Are you saying you're quitting?"

Jack crossed his arms. "That's exactly what I'm sayin'."

Thomas frowned at him for a moment, but then he smiled again, his green eyes lighting up at the realization. "Oh, I get it! You want money! How silly of me!" he quickly pulled out a checkbook from the drawer and began to fill it out. "I completely forgot your house was demolished. How much do you need to fix that?"

Jack said nothing, but the other man didn't care and continued. "You know what? I think two-million should cover the damage, and get you and Mrs. Fenton back on track." He signed the check before standing up and walking over to Jack. "Sadly, the lost of that concentrated ectoplasm is going to set us back, but somehow, I will acquire another batch. Meanwhile, I want you to work on your ghost shield idea and begin the next ghost portal's construction. By the time you are done, I should have that energy source we require to activate it," he finished by handing the other man the check.

Jack grabbed it, and silently gazed at the piece of paper for a moment. But then, he looked at the GiW with restrained hatred. "You think the government's dirty money is going to make everything better?" he whispered.

The other man raised an eyebrow. "I don't see why not."

Jack's hand fisted around the check, immediately reducing it to a shriveled ball. He let it fall next to the other man's feet, before turning away. "Good bye, Tom," he said calmly, heading for the door.

The GIW's eyes narrowed in anger. "So that's it? You're just going to walk away like some coward? Those creatures are responsible for your son's _death_ and you're just going to let them get away with it?"

Jack turned back at the man with a glare. "They're not the only ones responsible," he growled back.

"Oh, I see. So you are blaming his death on me, now? If you would have finished that portal in the time asked, they would have never had the time to find out about it! So, if anyone shares the blame with those creatures, it is you, Fenton!"

Jack's face fell back into deep sobriety. "You're right. I should have never allowed that portal to be kept in my house to begin with. That was my mistake. But I've already paid dearly for it. I'm not the only one at fault though. And I swear I'll make each one of those spooks pay for what they have done to my family. But you know what? I don't need the Guys-in- White to do that."

Jack glared at the man once more as he said, "I'm never again working for scum like you! Because in my eyes, you're no better than those vile ghosts. You're just as responsible for my son's death as they are!"

"Ha! Where are you going to get the money to fund yourself, huh? Face it, Fenton. You are nothing without the government's support! You are only the world's leading ghost expert because of _me_!" His glare changed into a smug look as he added, "And I think you forget that no one can say '_no'_ to the government. We are at War; and you are required by law to aid us in any way we want."

Jack shrugged. "I don't have anything to _aid you with_. All the ghost stuff is gone. But when I do decide to build some again, it's gonna be for my use only and _you_ can't force me to do anything without bringing it up to a high court first. And that would mean your agency would go under investigation and I doubt you want that. Sorry to break it to you, _Mr_. _Chrome_, but you're not ruler of the world; just of this building and others like it," he finished in a disgusted voice, leaving the GiW in stunned silence.

But then the man reacted, "You're the biggest imbecile I've met!" he growled out. "You are condemning yourself and what remains of your family to a mediocre lifestyle. You'll _never_ get back on your feet without this agency!"

Jack renewed his glare. "We'll see about that. I know one thing though: we won't be any worse off than we are now. But I _will_ get them through this. And I _will_ be the one to rid this planet of the ghost race. And I _will_ do it all without you," he assured hatefully before turning to leave. But then he paused, and walked closer to the GiW. "Oh and one last thing…"

Faster than Thomas could even blink, one of Jack's fist connected with the side of his face with such force it threw the GiW across the room, where he landed on top of his desk.

"That's for Danny," Jack said darkly, before walking towards the door and walking out.

Tom slowly got to his feet, his hazed vision didn't let him see the blood oozing from his mouth and nose. But he could feel it.

A loud growl came from the man, before he ran to the door, and screamed, "YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS, JACK FENTON! I SWEAR I'LL MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY STARVE ON THE STEEETS!"

"Oh my goodness!" the GiW's secretary exclaimed as she rose from her desk and ran to her boss, "Mr. Chrome, are you-"

She didn't finish since Tom slammed the door in the woman's concerned face. He stomped over to the bathroom, not caring that he was getting blood everywhere.

"**Damn** **him!**" he cursed as he grabbed a nearby cloth and the first aid kit. He spat out the wad of blood pooling inside his injured mouth, before continuing with his tantrum. "That fat sac of nothing is the only one who has gotten close to making a permanent ghost portal! How the hell could he throw this crap at me now?! After _just_ _yesterday_ I got a way of getting the ectoplasm? _After_ I made his brat's death public, and the government has finally taken enough interest in the Guys-in-White division to raise our funding?! **How could he just quit now?!"** He threw the alcohol bottle at the mirror causing it to shatter.

He stomped over to his chair and sat down. He had managed to stop his nosebleed, but his lip and tongue was still oozing freely. He ignored it, though, and angrily snatched a bottle of scotch off a stand behind him. Seething, he quickly poured himself a glass, and then took a large swig of it. He instantly tasted the strong alcohol mixed with the taste of his own blood run down his throat, all the while hoping to ease the ache in his face and body.

A hiss of pain escaped him as he lowered the glass, causing the alcohol to burn his swollen lip. What was he suppose to do without that portal? Without a way to gain access to the ghost world? His entire plan had revolved around that!

"Damn!" he cursed again, but this time in a whisper.

He would have to come up with another plan. One that didn't require entrance into the ghost world, or at least, not for now. He poured another drink and took a swig. He yelled at the burning pain, cursing as if it were killing him…He instantly jolted at his last thought. That was it! That's what he needed!

He needed a fool-proof plan to kill the ghost king! Yes! Without him, the ghost world would be as good as his.

Tom smirked at the thought. "They won't know what hit them until it's too late. I'll kill their king, but not before making him suffer. By the time I'm through with him, he'll be bowing to me." The man's eyes narrowed as he darkly whispered, "I'll make him plea for death."

* * *

**Well, there ya have it! I'll try to update again next weekend! Just two quick things to tell you all: the first has to do with the pairings in this story after reading your last reviews. As I mentioned from the beginning, this story will have several pairings. And although I also mentioned this story IS DxS that doesn't mean you won't see Danny paired up with someone else along the way. And by someone, I'm sure you all have figured out I mean Ember. So, all who support DxE you will see a few 'moments' along the course of this story. But for you DxS fans remember that this story's TRUE pairing is DxS. Anyways, the other thing was that I wanted to share with you all a drawing Bloodmoon13 drew for this story, so the links below. And also, the Esperanto Translations are below. Until next time! I await your thoughts!**

**remove '()' and spaces**

**ht tp (:) / (/) bloodmoon14 .deviantart. com/art/Dawning-of-a-Sun-Play-Date-87802310**

**Translations:**

1. "Mommy?"

2. "You poor thing. It's alright."

3. "Where's my mommy and daddy? Where am I?"

4. "They're in the ghost world. And you're in the human world."

5. "Human World?"

6. "Yes…"

7. "Drop him!"

8. "Go!"


	10. Chapter 8: A King's Life

**Sorry for the wait, folks! If you read my author's note in CM, then you know why I haven't updated in a while. But luckily, I'm back on the computer now. Here's an extra long chapter for the wait. And I want to thank everyone for your last reviews, but not having access to the internet for over a week got me behind, and I won't be able to respond to them individually. But I will answer you guys this time around! I hope you all understand and thanks again!! Oh, and remember that ghosts tend to talk in their own language, so this entire chapter is in 'their language'; you can just understand it! LOL! Well, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. However, the AU plot is mine! -Cackles evilly-**

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Chapter 8: A King's Life.

"Vlad?" Desiree called, walking into the matrimonial dormitory. But at not finding him there, she frowned thoughtfully. "Did he already leave to see Walker?" she mumbled. "Or…"

An amused smile crept on her face, before she left for her son's room. Desiree's 'Or' was confirmed as she walked in and was immediately greeted by Danny's loud giggles.

She leaned against the open doorway, crossed her arms, and calmly watched her husband, who sat on the bed, tickling their six-month-old son.

She raised an amused eyebrow when she finally spoke, "You do realize you are late for that meeting you have with Walker?"

Noticing her presence, Vlad paused his actions and shot her a smirk, "Perhaps…" he replied, before continuing his play with Daniel.

"And you realize you still haven't dressed yet?" she continued, a smile growing on her lips.

The King grabbed his son off the bed, and then lay on the bed himself with Danny on top of him as he answered, "I'm considering to leave it for another day." He lifted Danny above him, before quickly lowering him back down to his eyelevel "Boo!" he exclaimed, causing his son to squeal in delight.

Desiree nodded as she continued to watch them. "I wouldn't mind that. And _clearly_ Danny wouldn't either. _But_, you have been holding this off for a while."

Plasmius sat Danny on his stomach; and in turn, the babbling infant leaned forward and placed his hands on his father's face. "And with good reason… my dear…Walker can get quite annoying…Mmm… with his constant… su-Mmm-ggestions." His broken words were due to his son, trying to grab his moving lips as he spoke.

"I know, love, but you still need to go. I don't want you to have trouble with Walker or the council." She suddenly grinned as she added, "You can always play with Danny all day after that."

Vlad sat up with Danny, who had just grabbed a hold of his own spectral tail and began nibbling on it. "We've been doing more than _playing_… haven't we, little Phantom?" he said, removing his son's tail from his mouth and tickling it.

"And that is?" the Queen asked with mirth.

Plasmius grinned widely at her, before lying back on the bed and lifting Danny above him again.

"Vlad, what are you doing?" Desiree asked, her look changing to wariness as she watched her husband trying to let go of Danny while he was still suspended above him.

"Just watch," he replied, before he finally let go of the infant completely. Danny just giggled as he floated on his own a few feet above his father.

"I've been teaching him to levitate. He's getting it," Vlad said proudly, not taking his eyes off his son.

Anxious, Desiree frowned. "Don't you think you should-"

A gasp left the Queen's mouth as Danny suddenly dropped down. But Vlad quickly caught him, and chuckled lightly.

"Vlad!" Desiree exclaimed, before floating over to him and grabbing the laughing Danny from him.

The King laughed loudly this time as he sat up to look at his wife who stared at him with anger and disbelief. "Calm down, Des. I've caught him _every_ time."

She gasped, realizing _**this**_ was what her husband had been doing with their son the entire time. Now severely displeased, Desiree lifted a hand and used her powers to roughly tilt the bed to one side. This caught the King off guard, and he fell off the bed with a startled yelp.

"Go to Walker's! And don't play with Danny like that again! He's still much too young for it!" she reprimanded him firmly.

Vlad rubbed his sore head before slowly standing up. "Alright. I _painfully_ get the point," he said with an annoyed look. But it quickly vanished, and a playful smile lit his face as he walked over to his wife. "But you must admit, that was very good, considering he's only six months old."

She rolled her eyes, trying to look upset still, but it was clear she was not. "Yes… it was," she admitted, a small smile forming on her lips.

Seductively, Vlad grabbed his wife's chin and brushed his lips against her own. "Hmm… are you sure you want me to leave?" he whispered.

"You're such a tease," she pouted, before kissing him fully, but quickly pulled away. "Go."

Vlad returned the playful pout, but then turned his eyes to Danny. He smiled as he gently placed his hand on the side of his son's face, before finally leaving to his own bedroom to shower.

Desiree smiled back at Danny who was gurgling happily at her. "What do you say to some breakfast, little Phantom?" she asked, before she walked off towards the kitchen with him.

* * *

With his chair leaned back on two legs, and his feet resting on the top of a nearby desk, Skulker shot the fuming Walker a smirk. But he soon turned his eyes back to the sword in his hands and continued to polish it.

The hunter didn't really like coming to the prison, but Plasmius had asked him to accompany him... _again_. He really couldn't blame his friend, though. It wasn't easy for Plasmius—or anyone else for that matter—to spend time alone with the warden…

Skulker knew Walker did not like having to give report on his work to anyone, especially the King. And the fact that Plasmius had postponed their meeting for a week now--and was _now_ making him wait further --infuriated the Warden even more.

But Skulker found the latter quite comical.

"You should sit. Plasmius isn't going to be arriving any time soon," the hunter assured him, not bothering to hide the amusement from his voice.

Walker stopped pacing the length of his office and glared at Skulker. "You think it's funny that he's been keeping me waiting for two hours now?! He might be the King but he still has rules to follow! At the next council meeting, I'm going to ask for full control of this prison; because if he's not going to take charge, then I will!"

Skulker rolled his eyes. "You'll need a lot more than _rules_ to get the council to give you say above Plasmius."

"That's what you believe, Skulker. There are plenty who would agree with me."

"Just not enough," the hunter answered with a smirk.

Walker crossed his arms, and just silently glowered at Skulker. But then he said, "Do you know what the King's real problem is?"

"No idea. But I'm sure you are going to enlighten me, "Skulker answered boringly.

"Yes, I am," the Warden answered, either missing or ignoring the other ghost's disinterest. "King Plasmius is without a doubt too young to understand what it means to be a ruler. Everything is a game to him! He thinks he can break the rules as he pleases! I can assure you one thing: nothing was like this when Pariah Dark had the throne! Vlad Plasmius should have never-"

"I'd watch what you are about to say, Walker," Skulker cut him off with a deep frown. "Plasmius is a greater king than Dark _ever_ was. Or have you forgotten how close he came to enslaving us all?"

"King Dark had the right idea on how to handle the human race," he snapped back.

The hunter scoffed in disgust. "At the cost of our own kind! You, of all ghosts, are well aware of the number of ghosts that died fighting his battles; of the number of ghosts he killed _himself_? And for what, Walker? So that he could enslave two worlds? You might not agree with Plasmius' decision regarding the human race, but you cannot deny that _that_ decision has kept our own kind safe!"

The Warden sneered at Skulker. "Oh course you'd agree. After all, you are his loyal dog."

Faster than Walker could blink the hunter sprang to his feet, slammed him against a wall, and pointed the sword in his hand at the center of his chest. "I am _no_ _one's_ dog, you sorry excuse for a ghost!" the hunter growled, his eyes narrowing with fury."Plasmius is like a brother to me. He has done more for me than I could even begin to explain. You can call it whatever you want, but I know my loyalty to him is well placed. But you…" The Warden hissed as the tip of the sword was grounded harder into his chest. "_You_ better watch what you say, Walker. Or you're going to find yourself on _**my**_ 'execution' list," he threatened.

Walker glared at the hunter. "I can have _**you **_executed right now for threatening my life, Skulker. So don't think that just because you have the King's protection you are entitled to break _my_ rules. You so much as blink the wrong way and I'll make sure the council hears about it… Let's see King Plasmius go against _them_." Walker smiled darkly as he added, "It'll be a satisfaction to see you locked up in my prison, and then finally executed under my hand."

"You'll need to be alive for that…" Skulker hissed, his grip tightening on his sword, ready to plunge it forward.

"Skulker?" a third voice suddenly rang inside the office.

In spite of being addressed, the hunter kept his eyes narrowed and his sword pointed at Walker who returned his gaze with a smug look that silently dared him to do what he wanted to do. But then Skulker seemed to think better of what he was doing, and quickly retracted his sword.

Sheathing his sword back into his suit, Skulker turned to the ghost who had called to him and looked soberly at him.

"Plasmius," he just said, before walking right past him and leaving Walker's office.

Confused and stunned, the King watched his friend walk off. But he soon came to and turned his eyes to Walker who was calmly straightening his attire.

"Is there a problem, Warden?" Vlad asked with a heavy frown.

Walker shrugged off-handedly. "Just a minor disagreement, King Plasmius. Nothing for you to concern yourself with. But what _should_ concern you is the fact that I have been waiting for you for over two hours… _That's_ against the rules."

Plasmius rolled his eyes at him. "Spare me your lectures, Walker. I am well aware of my timing. I apologize, but what matters is that I am here. So let's carry on, shall we?" he said, turning from him and walking out of the office.

The Warden glared at the King's back for moment, before following after him. "We have a couple of criminals this month," Walker informed, falling in step with Plasmius.

"Alright, let's see them," Vlad said tiredly, gesturing him to lead the way.

Arriving at one of the cells, Walker spoke again, "This one here was caught creating havoc at the castle's marketplace."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "What type of havoc?"

"He demolished a food and antique stand," he informed him.

Vlad couldn't help but chuckle as he finally looked inside the cell and saw the ghost within. "Let me guess, he threw boxes at them?"

"Yes…how did you know that?" Walker asked with a quizzical frown.

"Because that's what he always does. Isn't that right… _Box_ _Ghost_?"

The pudgy ghost dramatically flew up to the front of the cell, and shouted, "My KING!! I meant NOO harm! I ONLY wanted to HELP them organize their SUPPLIES with a few quality BOOOOXES!!"

Plasmius rolled his eyes in amusement. "Still as dramatic, I see. Let him go, Warden. I had ordered your guards to leave him be unless he did something serious."

"What?" Walker protested instantly, "But what he did **is** serious! He-"

"--said he meant no harm. I believe him," Vlad cut him off calmly.

Walker looked at the King for a moment, before pulling out a set of keys and moving closer the cell. "Get out," he growled at the other ghost once he opened the door.

The pudgy ghost quickly zipped out, and flew right over to Plasmius. "THANK you, my KING!" he exclaimed. "I, the BOX GHOST, promise to BEEHAVE and OOFFER my BOOOXES BEEfore giving THEEM!" he assured him.

"You do that," Plasmius said with a chuckle.

The Box Ghost lifted a hand before producing a glowing silver rattle whose top end was squared instead of round. He offered it to the king who accepted it. "A GIFT for your SOOON!"

Vlad chuckled again, but then smiled appreciatively. "Thank you. I'll make sure he gets it."

With that, the ghost flew off towards the prison's exit.

"You realize he's just going cause trouble again," Walker said with an unpleased look.

The King shrugged it off handedly. "Perhaps. But I have faith he'll settle down some day. Come, who else is in here?" he asked, turning from the other ghost to continue forward.

An evil smirk ghosted across Walker's features, before calmly replying, "A dragon ghost."

Vlad instantly turned to face him with a stunned look, but it quickly turned into a deep frown. "You locked up a _dragon_ ghost? Walker, are you mad? You are well aware of our agreement with them! They stay in their territory and we in ours!"

"That's just it. This one was caught inside the kingdom's territory," Walker explained.

Plasmius' eyebrows creased. "He left the dragon territory? How long ago was this?"

"Two days ago."

Vlad was clearly not pleased with his answer, and said, "So not only did you lock up a ghost who belongs to a family that we already have a strained enough relationship with, but you have _also_ been keeping _said_ ghost in here for that long? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he demanded.

Walker frowned, but kept calm since, obviously, he had expected this reaction from the King. "I didn't want to disturb you…. Being that you are _always_ so _busy_ lately…"

Vlad didn't miss the other ghost's emphases and didn't hesitate to let him know it. "Do _not_ bring my personal life into this, Warden," he said firmly, his tone almost boarding on anger. "You should have told me. You _know_ I would have come immediately if you had."

"Yes, you're right. I just didn't think it _that_ urgent," Walker answered lightly, placing his hands behind his back.

The King looked at him in angry disbelief for a moment. But then shook his head, not wanting to argue with the ghost any longer. "Take me to him," Plasmius requested in a calmer tone.

"Actually, it's a '_her'_. And she's right this way." This time Walker turned from the King, forcing him to follow. If his actions displeased Plasmius, then the King didn't verbally express it. And Walker wasn't about to look back to see if it had. He didn't really care.

Seeing Vlad coming up along side of him, Walker spoke, "You know, there is something I never quite understood. Why did you ever make that deal with the Dragon Family? You are the ruler of this entire world. Why not just force them to join the kingdom? It is in your right to do so."

Plasmius sighed as they turned a corridor. "Perhaps… But their refusal to be part of the kingdom is understandable. I did try to make them see that things would be different after Pariah's defeat, but they have lost all trust in the council, and obviously, never had any for me. I simply found it best to allow them to live apart and keep at least a mutual respect between us, than to force them to abide by our laws and have us discontent with one another. The last thing we need, Walker, is a conflict _in_ our own world and between our _own_ race." He paused in thought for a moment before adding lightly, "Besides, other ghosts who do not support the kingdom live with them as well."

The ghost sheriff silently nodded, but then abruptly said. "I find your decision dangerous. They could always rise against you," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

Plasmius shook his head. "If they wanted to, they would have by now. They have absolutely no reason to do so, Warden. We have given them what they want: peace and freedom. And I have no problem with that…But…" The king's eyebrows suddenly creased with worry. "I am concerned with this dragon's abrupt entrance into the kingdom. What could she possibly want here?"

Walker shrugged, feigning cluelessness "Well, she's in there. Ask her yourself," he said, pointing at the cell they had just stopped in front of.

Plasmius looked up at the large purple dragon who was six times his size. At the sight of him, her wings spread wide open and the red flames on her body and tail ignited menacingly.

"King Plasmius," she said with a soft growl, her red eyes burning into his own. "Is this how you treat your guests? Or is it that you haven't taught Sheriff Walker any respect?"

Vlad frowned at the female dragon for a moment, before giving Walker a disapproving glance. But as he turned his eyes back to her, he calmly asked, "What is your name?"

She only stared at him, distrust clearly in her eyes. But then she responded, "Altiĝis."

Vlad just studied the large ghost, his composed demeanor masking his inner confusion. Her name sounded so familiar to him. He just couldn't recall why. But he was certain she was not some ordinary dragon.

But deciding to keep his realization to himself, he voiced the matter at hand. "We had an accord, Altiĝis. I respected you and your kin's decision of staying separate from us as long as you and they kept to your own territory. Does your leader know you have jeopardized our mutual agreement by coming here _uninvited_?"

The dragon's cold attitude suddenly vanished and her head lowered in shame. "No, he does not…" she admitted softly, but suddenly looked up and exclaimed, "But I just couldn't stay there any longer and do nothing while my baby is missing!"

This startled Vlad greatly, but his surprise quickly turned into concern. "A dragon offspring is missing?" He turned to Walker and asked, "Did you know about this?"

"Yes! I told him!" Altiĝis suddenly roared angrily, glaring at Walker. "I tried to explain to him why I had come here! I told him I meant no harm and that I only wished to search for my child, but he refused to allow it!" She looked back at Vlad, her facial expression turning into desperation as she said, "Something has happened to my son! I cannot even feel him calling to me! He _must_ to be here, King Plasmius! He is nowhere in our land! "

Vlad crossed his arms and soberly nodded in agreement. It wasn't uncommon for children to get lost time and again. It was natural for them to get curious and wonder off further than where their parents would instruct them to...

But the dragon territory was large. For a dragon offspring to be able to wonder off on its own _at all_ was very concerning.

"How long has he been missing?" he asked her, hoping his calm voice would get her to settle down a bit.

And it did. The female dragon curled her tail around herself as a soft whimper resonated from her throat and she responded, "Five days today."

"_Five days?!_ And your leader has done nothing about it?!" Vlad asked outraged.

"Of course he has!" Altiĝis roared, suddenly becoming extremely defensive. "How could he not?! **It's **_**his**_** son that's missing!**"

Vlad's eyes widened in alarm, and the way Altiĝis froze clearly proved she had not meant to divulge that piece of information. It was then the King realized why this dragon's name sounded so familiar: she was the dragon leader's wife.

"Why would you hide who you are from me?" Plasmius whispered, knowing if he spoke any louder his anger would explode.

The dragon lowered her head so that she was at eye level with Vlad, only the cells bars keeping their faces apart. "Because I do not trust you," she growled softly, her eyes narrowed.

Neither Plasmius or Altiĝis saw the smirk on Walker's face widen.

"Why does it matter if Aragon is my mate?" she continued, "Would you have treated me differently? Or should I say _worse_?"

"I did not know you were in here," Vlad answered with a deep frown. He knew the mother was extremely agitated by the disappearance of her child, so he was trying to be patient with her, but she was making it very difficult for him.

Again, Altiĝis glared at Walker who didn't hesitate to return her look.

Vlad continued, getting the dragon's attention again. "But the point of the matter is not that, or whether you trust me or not. Aragon should have alerted me of his son's disappearance. All of this misunderstanding could have been avoided if he had."

She lifted her face slightly away from his as she coldly said, "You forget that we have no obligation of telling you our affairs, King Plasmius. And my mate doubts you would care about them anyways. Besides, how do we know-"

"Do not **dare** finish your words!" the King shouted furiously, "Does your family think me that barbaric that they would suspect I had something to do with a _child's_ disappearance?!"

"Do you forget what we suffered in the hands of your _mighty_ kingdom?!" she roared back, smoke steaming out of her flared nostrils.

"That was not under my rule, Altiĝis! Everyone suffered under Dark's rule! _Everyone!_ I am not him and _never_ will be!"

Altiĝis angrily looked away, not daring to stare into the king's livid eyes any longer. But then she sighed deeply as she realized how unjust she was being. "Forgive me… I, I just want my child back."

Vlad's anger immediately turned to sympathy. "And I will see to that," he assured her, before turning to the ghost sheriff and uttering, "Walker, release her."

The Warden did so without hesitation, and both him and the King stepped back to allow the massive ghost to walk out.

"I will do everything in my power to help you find your child. We might not agree on certain things, but that doesn't mean we are enemies, Altiĝis. Tell Aragon I said this."

The dragon tilted her head downwards in a respectful gesture. "I will let him know this. And thank you for your generosity… Perhaps you are different, King Plasmius."

Vlad gave her a sad smile. "You do not need to thank me. I, too, have a son, Altiĝis. How could I possibly do anything differently?"

She said nothing in response, but the soft purr that came from her said enough.

The King turned to the other male ghost beside him, and said, "Walker, have one of your guards escort her home to make sure she is not given any more trouble by those patrolling the kingdom."

Walker snapped his fingers and two guards quickly materialized. "Escort her back to her territory and make sure she gets there without trouble."

The two guards nodded before pointing each of their sticks they held upwards. In an instant the ceiling became transparent and the two guards flew upwards.

"Altiĝis," Vlad called, stopping the ghost from following right after. "Have Aragon come see me."

The dragon gave him one last grateful bow of her head, before spreading her wings and exiting the prison. Immediately after, the ceiling became solid once more.

"Walker," Vlad said with a tired sigh. "I am severely displeased with your disregard to this matter… But right now is not the time to discuss this. Have you received any form of report about a young dragon being sighted around the kingdom's territory?" he asked worriedly.

"No. Not a thing," he lied smoothly.

Vlad bit his bottom lip and lowered his gaze in thought for a moment. "I originally wanted to have a look at the prison's vault… But now with this…" He sighed, not noticing Walker had tensed at his words. "I think it is best to just leave it for another time."

"Or I could just take care of whatever you wanted to do there?" Walker offered perhaps a bit too hurriedly.

The King, clearly thinking of something else, nodded absently. "Yes… I only wanted to get rid of all those _questionable_ devices Pariah used during his rule. It is pointless to have them… and that human chamber…"

"I have all those things stored away and shut down. Isn't that enough?" Walker asked with a frown.

Not in the mood to argue over such petty things, Vlad just shrugged it off. "Fine. Are we done? I want you to organize a search team right away."

"As you wish," Walker responded. "But there are three more ghosts that were brought here…Of course, you could just leave them in here. I can assure you they deserve to be locked up."

"No, no," Plasmius declined right away, knowing Walker had a different view of what 'deserving' to be locked up was. "Let's just go see them quickly."

Walker pointedly turned and silently led the king to the last three ghosts he had in his prison.

Vlad quickly released the first two they came across, causing the ghost sheriff to internally fume the whole time. This was ridiculous! Ever since Plasmius had taken charge, he had yet allowed him to execute a single ghost! How did _the_ _King_ plan to keep order if he let everyone get away with everything? So what if they were minor offences? They were still breaking the rules!

But then Walker grinned as they came across the last captive. Perhaps today, he would finally get to execute someone. He knew this last ghost's offence would set the King off. There was no doubt of that.

"I arrested this last prisoner myself," Walker commented causally.

Vlad walked up to the cell as he asked, "What did he do?"

The ghost sheriff was barely able to keep the glee from his voice as he answered, "Duey was attempting to open one of the sealed ghost portals to enter into the human world."

Instantly, the King's eyes lit a brighter red as they narrowed at the ghost inside the cell. He was quite tall and wore glasses. His blond hair contrasted his blue skin. The ghost looked young, perhaps around his late teens.

"Open the cell," Vlad ordered angrily.

Walker quickly complied and watched with a dark smirk as Plasmius approached the prisoner. Nothing angered the King more than having someone attempt to enter the human world without his authorization. Everyone knew this. And it is why Duey cowered under Vlad's furious gaze.

"I'm giving you exactly two seconds to explain to me why you feel you needed to disregard my orders!" the King said, clearly not joking around.

"I-I…It, It was, I was-"

"One second," Vlad snarled, stepping closer to him.

"I was dared!" he cried out. "I was just going to go out and come right back in! I swear!"

"I can tolerate many things, Duey. But this is not one of them. You're actions were foolish and dangerous! You could have put our entire race in jeopardy! I had all the small portals sealed and the larger ones guarded for a reason! Is some absurd challenge worth your life? What would you have done if you had been captured by one of those ruthless barbarians?!"

"I-I don't know," he whispered fearfully.

"No, no you don't. How could you possibly know? If you did, the thought of trying something as foolish would not have even crossed your mind! But allow me to enlighten you…"

Duey gasped as the King pressed him against the wall by placing a firm hand on his signature. The blond-haired ghost squeezed his eyes close at feeling how angry his leader was with him.

"You know what's in here, don't you?" Plasmius asked in the same angry voice.

The ghost just nodded, while he continued to tremble under the King's reprimanding energy.

"Do you know what humans do with it?"

"N-No," he answered this time.

"They _rip it_ out!" he told him gravely, causing the ghost to snap his eyes open in alarm. "But not before torturing you into telling them everything they want to know. And then after, they would just torture you for the fun of it. Finally, they dissect your body and use your ectoplasm for their sick purposes. But what makes your conduct angering to me is the fact that I would have had to risk my life, but more importantly, the _lives_ of _your_ other fellow ghosts in order to save you. Although the truth is, that by the time we found you, you'd already be dead. So tell me, does that sound remotely pleasant to you?" he asked angrily, letting him go.

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness," he whispered shamefully.

"Yes, but not enough. You will stay here for the duration of one month, Duey. I want you to think about what you could have caused. And those other fools who put you up to this will be joining you. Rest assured."

The King walked out of the cell before turning back to look at the ghost. "The human world is off limits to everyone. And so help me, if I hear of you trying such a stunt again, you will be the first I allow Walker to execute. I will not have one foolish ghost endanger this entire race."

Looking at the Warden, Vlad soberly said, "Walker, have him tell you who else was involved in this little escapade. And organize that search crew immediately. Leave no rock unturned, Walker. I want that child found today. I will be seeing Frostbite to assure all the portals are secure."

"I'll do as you ask, King Plasmius," Walker assured him.

"Thank you, Warden," Vlad said, placing a hand on his shoulder before walking off to leave the prison.

Walker grinned back at Duey with evil intent. "It looks like you will be here for some time. And the King believes you are not sorry enough. I can fix that."

The ghost quivered into a ball as Walker opened the cell and approached him.

* * *

A good half-hour later, Vlad landed on a large heavy-forested island that had a skull-shaped house on it. He didn't pay much mind to all the ghost creatures curiously watching him as he walked up to the front door. His friend had the peculiar hobby of collecting unique creatures and keeping them on his island. Not that the creatures really minded all that much since they could roam the island freely. But when any of them passed away, Skulker always stuffed or did something to preserve their remains. It was indeed a peculiar hobby… And somewhat disturbing…

Pushing aside his thoughts with a queasy smile, Vlad knocked on the front entrance of his friend's home.

The door was soon opened by Skulker. And the King said with a small smile, "You left me alone with Walker."

Smiling back, Skulker allowed his friend in as he said, "Sorry about that. But you can only spend so much time with Walker in a day before it becomes too much. I just couldn't stand being around him any longer.

Vlad raised an eyebrow, "Obviously," he answered back, a concerned look now on his face. "Skulker, it looked like you were trying to…"

"Kill him?" Skulker finished, smirking.

But this time Plasmius was not amused. "Skulker…. You, Desiree, and I have known each other since we were children, and if there is one thing you have never been is rash. I'm sure you had your reasons, but what if it had been someone other than me who had walked in on that sight? What if it had been someone of the council? You know physically threatening another ghost's life is serious."

"He just angered me, Plasmius," the hunter replied soberly. "I know full well what I was doing. So do me a favor and get off the subject. I don't need your voice of conscience _or_ your protection," he finished, glaring at his friend.

The King just looked at him, not understanding where the hunter's bout of anger had come from. But he then answered in a serious tone, "I never said you did."

Skulker sighed, realizing how harsh he had just been. "Look, I didn't-"

"It's fine," Vlad interrupted him, although he still held a frown on his face.

The hunter shook his head, before looking at him worriedly. "Listen to me, Vlad. You really must be careful around Walker. He's… missing _several_ screws," he finished with a growl.

Vlad grinned at his last comment. "So I've noticed."

Skulker smirked back, and deciding to change the subject said, "So was that all you came for? Because if so, then…" In one quick motion, Skulker had his sword out and pointed at Vlad's neck. "I think we need to do something to make your visit worthwhile, don't you, _Your Highness_?"

An amused smirk grew on the king's lips, and his right hand began to glow with red energy that quickly molded into the shape of a sword. "Funny, I thought our last sparing match a few weeks ago made it clear to you that it's fruitless to challenge me. I'm going to win; why even try?" Plasmius emphasized his point by suddenly using his own sword to push away the one being held at his neck.

"Last time was mere luck," Skulker answered with a challenging grin, bringing his sword back up in front of him. "I surpassed you when we were whelps and I still surpass you now…. _Especially_ when that crown of yours has made you… _rusty_…"

Vlad gasped, pretending offense. "I resent that. I do more than sit on a throne all day."

"Prove it," the hunter challenged, gesturing with his head for them to go outside.

Plasmius playfully narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Glad-" The King froze, the smile on his face abruptly vanishing as he recalled the true reason he had come to Skulker's house. How could he have forgotten?

Skulker raised an eyebrow at Plasmius' sudden change in demeanor, but before he could ask, his friend let out a loud sigh and the sword in his hand vanished.

"Actually, I cannot; at least not today," Vlad said with a frown. "There is something urgent that I must do, and I need your help with it."

Skulker nodded, putting away his sword. "Does it have to do with the humans?"

Plasmius sighed once more as he leaned up against a nearby couch and crossed his arms. "No… At least I hope not… Two days ago, Walker arrested a dragon ghost for trespassing."

Skulker returned the King's frown. "Really? That's odd. They have never set foot here since your accord with them."

"I know, but _she_ had a good reason for doing so, Skulker. A dragon offspring is missing. And not just _any_ offspring, but Aragon's! Walker arrested Altiĝis, _his_ wife! But what's the most concerning is that this child has been missing for _five_ days now! How is that possible, Skulker?" Vlad rubbed his temple as he added, "And to make matters worse, I think they suspect I might be responsible."

"That's absurd!" Skulker angrily protested. "You have never given them any reason to believe something as that! If anything, you have helped them enough to say they are indebted to you!"

"I don't want this to cause trouble between us, Skulker. We have enough with the human race trying to destroy us. The last thing our kind needs is to become like them and begin to fight amongst ourselves. That is why I need your help. You are this world's greatest hunter. If anyone can find that child's whereabouts, it is you," Vlad said, looking at him soberly.

Skulker nodded, but upon noticing his friend looked way too troubled for this to be the only thing on his mind, he immediately knew Vlad was dreading something more. "Plasmius… You don't suppose…"

The King sighed deeply and shook his head. "I'm not sure, Skulker. I just find it extremely odd that this child has been missing for so long. Altiĝis said she couldn't feel him. Why is that? I do not know much about that. But wouldn't a lost child call to its parents, especially when separated from them for that long?"

Skulker was at a loss for words. His friend was right. That made no sense. Only two things could keep a child from calling its parents: death… or…

Vlad could see his friend had also reached the same frightening conclusion that he had. "I truly hope that _that_ isn't the case. I don't even want to begin to imagine what would happen if the humans got a hold of a ghost dragon."

"Calm yourself," Skulker said, finally speaking again. "Perhaps things are not as they seem. After all, all the portals are either sealed or well guarded," he reasoned.

The King just lowered his gaze, clearly not convinced.

Skulker sighed in response. "Look, Plasmius, our world is larger than the human's. There are countless of places that pup could have wondered off to _in_ our world. Let me search for him before you jump to conclusions, alright?"

Vlad smiled and nodded. "Alright. I'll wait for your findings before deciding on any further action." He moved away from the couch and headed to the house's exit as he said, "I'm going to the Far Frozen. I need to speak to Frostbite about the portals."

Skulker followed after him, but his friend's last words did not sit well with the hunter and he immediately let him know it. "You're not going alone, are you? That's at least a five-hour flight, Plasmius. And with what's happening, I don't think it wise to--"

"I'll be fine, Skulker," Vlad cut off, rolling his eyes at him before opening the door.

But Skulker grabbed the King's arm before he could leave. Vlad turned to look at him with a curious look. But the worried expression on his friend's face made him realize why he had stopped him.

"Danger is not only found in the form of humans, Plasmius. And just because you're King doesn't mean you are exempt from running into it. Quite the contrary. Watch yourself, alright?" Skulker asked, touching his friend's signature.

Vlad smiled and returned the gesture, before finally turning and leaving.

Skulker just watched his friend fly off for a moment, but then with a sigh he headed back inside his home.

He quickly began gathering the supplies he needed to begin his search for the dragon offspring. But most of what he needed was already part of his suit; or should he say, since he had it for ten years now, his _own_ body.

But that didn't mean he didn't wish he still had his true body. It had originally looked just like his suit, except, of course, it wasn't made of metal. But thanks to Pariah Dark, he had lost it.

Still, his loss didn't stop him from doing what he loved to do more than anything else. It had always been his passion and still was. He was the best at what he did.

With a grin on his face, Skulker headed out of his home. "Time to hunt," he said, taking to the air.

* * *

Vlad glanced at one of the many galaxy-like swirls around him and could easily tell it was late in the afternoon. During the early morning of the day, these spinning novas were a vibrant green; but as the day moved forward they slowly darkened until they became a dark purple by late evening.

They were the ghost world's clock, sun, and energy source. What humans spent so much effort in trying to obtain was found in abundance here. These 'swirls' were completely made up of pure ectoplasmic energy.

Plasmius reached out slightly and touched an energy nova as he passed right below it. A surge of comforting warmness immediately coursed through his body, lighting his white aura a bit more. He couldn't help but worry every time he took the moment to observe these energy sources. For they alone were enough reason to never allow human beings to step into the ghost world.

Vlad sighed tiredly, and turned his gaze forward. He knew he still had about an hour before he would reach the Far Frozen. Frostbite and his kin lived in a very isolated area. So much so, that the King was flying through completely empty space at the moment.

But this was not uncommon in the ghost world. There were many lands that were spread apart from one another. And they were _very_ different, too. In fact, they were so different at times that they could be classified as different realms. Indeed, the ghost world was larger than the human one. There were doors that existed almost everywhere. While some were just homes, others led to other areas of the ghost world. And then those areas could have more doors that lead to other areas. For those who were not familiar with the territory, it would certainly seem infinite.

But empty areas, like the one the King found himself in, were special, too, since it was common place for energy novas to form and thrive. Sometimes a bit too much though.

Vlad squinted his eyes as a vast amount of energy novas completely clouded his view up ahead. He sighed. They were too large and too close to each other for him to go around them. He really had no other choice. He flew into them, immediately finding himself shrouded by them.It was like being caught in a bright thick fog that spun and whirled erratically. Luckily, since it was so late in the afternoon, they were not as bright as they could have been. But all the same, they made it difficult to travel in.

Still, the Ghost King was used to them and he soon found himself closing in on a clearing. But when he did, he was suddenly greeted by a wave of red fire coming straight at him.

Plasmius' eyes widened and he halted in alarm. But instead of being hit by the roaring flames, like he had thought they would, they passed him. Only that, they spun back around and effectively encased the King in a ring of fire.

Immediately, Vlad's claws sprung out and his hands lit with ecto-energy. As he looked around, trying to find what had just trapped him, Skulker's words rang in his ears.

A dark chuckle suddenly echoed around him, right before a black dragon wearing a brightly glowing, red stone around its neck appeared through the flames, its red eyes gleaming with wicked purpose. Immediately after, two more dragons of different color appeared on Vlad's sides.

"Well, is this not an attractive find," the black dragon said, coming closer to Plasmius. "I was on my way to find you. What luck that our paths just so happened to cross, do you think not?"

Vlad said nothing, and just allowed his energy to fade from his hands. However, his claws stayed present.

"Although…" the large ghost continued, mockingly surveying the surroundings. "I'm inquisitive as to where your sentry might be."

"I'm alone, Aragon," Vlad answered seriously, keeping his eyes locked on the black dragon in front of him, while keeping the other two in his peripheral vision.

Aragon grinned, purposely showing off his large and sharp teeth. "Is this true? The great and powerful King Plasmius all alone in the middle of nowhere? Do you not think that unwise? Anyone who might have something against you could easily use this opportunity to rid themselves of you."

"Are you threatening me?" Plasmius asked, now glaring at the dragon leader.

Aragon chuckled in response, but then suddenly the stone around his neck lit brighter, and in a flash, his form changed into a 'humanoid' appearance. He floated closer to the King, until he was face to face with him. "That is what it seems, is it not? But you see, I do not threaten. It is a waste of valuable time. If I was going to kill you, I would have by now. Ergo, you have no necessity of _those_," he ended with a smirk, pointing towards the King's claws.

"I know why you're here," Vlad spoke up, ignoring the dragon leader's words.

"Do you now?" Aragon responded lightly, before his red eyes narrowed. "So then I am certain that you have a suitable justification as to why you had the impudence of treating my mate like some common villain, and you can also inform me of the whereabouts of my offspring."

"As I said to Altiĝis, I was not aware of her detainment, and I do not know where your son is."

"I do not like your response," Aragon hissed, his face suddenly becoming slightly reptilian while his snake-like tongue momentarily slithered out of his mouth.

"And what would you like me to say?" Vlad answered back, keeping his tone leveled. "Do you want an apology for the misunderstandings with your wife? Done. You have my apologies. As for your son. As I told Altiĝis, I will do what I can to help you find him."

Aragon stared coldly at the king for a moment. But then floated past him and began circling him in a leisurely manner. "I'll let Altiĝis know of your admission of guilt. I'm sure she will… consider it. However, I do not. Your words are insignificant to me. You see, they have not undone your impertinent behavior and they have not brought me my offspring's return. It's truly simple. You return my son to me, and _then_ I'll consider granting you pardon."

"You're being absurd, Aragon!" Vlad said angrily, turning to look at him as the dragon leader continued to circle him like he was prey. "I _do not know _where your son is! And you have no justification for blaming me for his disappearance!"

Aragon stopped in front of Plasmius and shook his finger in his face, like a father scolding a small child. "Tsk-Tsk. Rule number one for any ruler: Everything that happens in your kingdom _you_ are held accountable for. Therefore, since _you_ are the ruler of this _entire_ world. I am blaming _you_ for your Sheriff's incompetence! I'm blaming _you_ for my son's disappearance. And if something has happened to him, **I will blame **_**you**_**!**" Aragon roared back.

"I tolerated your wife's disrespect. I will not tolerate yours," Vlad said icily.

The two dragons on the king's side began to growl upon hearing his words. But Aragon held up a hand, silencing them.

"At last you show your true colors. Are you going to have me locked up for speaking the truth? Or do you plan on slaying me yourself?" he asked darkly.

Plasmius quickly raised one his clawed-hands and aimed a single claw to Aragon's chest. "If I wanted to do either, I would not have bothered with our agreement," he said angrily before retracting his claws and floating past him.

But the dragon leader was not through just yet. In an instant, he returned to his true dragon form and used his tail to cut off the king's exit. "Your innocent act will not work for you forever, _My King_,"Aragon growled, craning his long neck so that his face was back in front of Vlad's. "Your deceitful lies may have convinced my sister, but they will _never_ convince me. Still, I do not care what you do as long as you keep away from my kin. But now one of my two sons is missing, and until he is returned to me, you and I are enemies, understood?"

Vlad gazed soberly at him and answered. "I'm not your enemy and I never will be. But I cannot keep you from believing so. Still, I will help you find your child, Aragon. And you have my permission to roam the kingdom's territory to continue your search. Now step aside."

"Am I supposed to be grateful?" the dragon leader sneered, ignoring the King's request.

"Of course not. You are incapable of such a thing," he answered back, crossing his arms.

Aragon roared in anger and steam began pouring out of his mouth and nostrils. "You dare insult me?! Have you forgotten where you stand? I could snap you in half!"

"THEN DO IT!" Plasmius suddenly screamed, stunning all three dragons.

Aragon fell silent, his angry look turning sober. But then he scoffed, "Childish vigor… Pathetic," he said in disgust, before looking to the other two ghosts and making a gesture to them.

The two ghosts instantly flapped their wings, extinguishing the ring of fire, and then flying to their leader's side.

Vlad said nothing, nor did he move. He was so angry that he knew if he did _anything_ it would be to lash out at the arrogant, narrow-minded ghost in front of him. And he knew that if he did that, the entire kingdom would be affected by the repercussions. It is why the dragon leader also didn't dare attack the ghost king. Neither would benefit from getting into a physical dispute.

Aragon turned to leave with his kin, but not before adding in a calm voice. "You still have much to learn, King Plasmius. You don't seem to realize how vulnerable your position makes you. Trust me when I tell you, you have much to lose. But allow me to give you a bit of advice from a leader to a leader and a father to a father: Take better care of yourself. It would be a shame that you miss your son's coronation someday just because your carelessness got you killed…" He turned as he added with a cruel smirk, "Much like your own parents."

Vlad's rage snapped with Aragon's last words; and with a growl, he lunged towards the dragon leader with extended claws. But before he could even reach him, the other two dragons breathed out fire towards him.

The King instinctively withdrew as a large wall of searing flames formed inches from his face. A dark laugh echoed in his ears as he watched the vague forms of the three dragons fly off into the distance.

For a moment Vlad just glared at the fire. It was times like these he hated being who he was.

With an angry sigh, he retracted his claws, and flew away from the wall of fire, continuing towards his intended destination.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly as the dragon leader's words rang in his mind.

"_Everything that happens in your kingdom you are held accountable for."_

Vlad sighed. "I hope you find that child, Skulker," he whispered worriedly.

* * *

"Indeed, this is a serious matter," Frostbite declared after hearing the King inform him of the missing dragon offspring.

Vlad just nodded soberly, his arms crossed in front of him. He had decided to keep his… 'encounter' with Aragon to himself. There was no point in causing anymore conflict by doing otherwise.

"I'm saddened to say that neither I, nor my brethren have sighted the young creature. However, we shall gladly help in the search," the leader of the Far Frozen continued.

"Your help will be greatly appreciated, " Vlad answered with a smile. "But there is something else I need of you. It's why I came."

Frostbite nodded and smiled. "I'm here to serve you in any way you wish, My Great King."

"The Infi-Map, Frostbite. I must see it," Plasmius stated almost anxiously.

"But of course!" he replied, "I may be the map's guardian, but it will always be at your disposal." Frostbite placed a hand on Vlad's back, escorting him towards an ice cavern as he added, "Now, is there a specific place you need to go, My Great King?"

"Actually, it's not why I want to see it," the ghost king informed the other ghost. "I want to make sure all the ghost portals are secured. I need to know how likely it is that Aragon's son might have gone through one."

"Not very likely," Frostbite answered with a frown. He then approached a chest, opened it, and finally pulled out a glowing green map that held an outer pink hue around it. "Queen Desiree's spell has sealed all our world's portals, except for the largest five. And as you can see, the spell remains intact."

Frostbite handed the map to Plasmius just as the king nodded in response to his comment. Vlad knew that the only thing keeping the ghost portals sealed was the spell his wife had placed on them ten years ago. She had used the Infi-Map because this was the best way to get to all the portals in the kingdom all at once. The mysterious and powerful parchment not only revealed the location of all the portals found in the ghost world, but also, could take you to them in seconds. Placing the spell directly on the Infi-Map had spread her magic all across the portals everywhere, sealing them. Well, except, of course, for the largest five.

But even with the map's help, it had not been an easy task. However, since the Queen was the most powerful mage in the ghost world, she pulled it off perfectly.

The King walked over to a nearby table and unrolled the precious parchment on top of it. His wife's spell was indeed still intact. The pink hue around it was solid proof.

"So you have found no changes in the portals?" Vlad asked, studying the map.

"No, My Great King," Frostbite answered, walking up along side of him. "I am constantly monitoring them. And as I said, they are all still closed, except for those five. But… they are well guarded, are they not?"

"Yes," Vlad answered with a troubled sigh. "These two here--the one in Amity Park and the other in the Bermuda Triangle-- are guarded by Walker's troops," he said, pointing at the two locations on the map. "And these two other ones located in Berlin and Alaska are guarded by Nocturne's army, the Sleep-Walkers."

"I see…" Frostbite replied, looking at the map himself. "But all four of these are nowhere near the dragon land. And it's just not likely for a child to travel that far." The ghost paused in thought for a moment, before suddenly speaking again. "What of the fifth open portal? This one here?" he said, pointing at the location on the map, "It leads to some place called Wisconsin. What of this one, My Great King? Is it guarded by the Warden's guards or Nocturne's Sleepwalkers?"

Vlad stayed silent for a moment, before answering soberly, "That one is not guarded at all, Frostbite. But it does not need to be. It is sealed from the other side, from the human's side. No ghost can go through it unless they know how. It is secured."

Frostbite raised a curious eyebrow. "Sealed from the human's side, you say? How is that possible?"

"Trust me, Frostbite. It's possible," Vlad answered, and then quickly changed the subject, "But I think you're right. It isn't very likely that this child could have gone through any of these five remaining open portals. Or at least not without anyone knowing of it. And no one does from what I've been told."

"Then this is good news! The little one _must_ be somewhere in our world!" the ice ghost beamed.

But Vlad didn't look convinced, even with all the evidence that showed how unlikely it was for the young dragon to have left the ghost world. The King felt there was just something strange about all this. He just couldn't put his finger on what though.

"I hope so, Frostbite…" he finally answered. But then remembering something, his eyes lit up with more worry. "Wait. What about temporary openings? Desiree's spell has reduced their formation, but they are still possible. Have any formed in the past five days?"

Frostbite's eyebrows creased in thought. "I do monitor the portals through the Infi-Map constantly… However, it's quite difficult to be sure, Your Excellency. If a temporary portal was to form, it usually remains open for mere seconds. Therefore, unless I was looking at the Infi-map at the precise moment one did open, no one would ever know of it. So my answer must unfortunately be: I have not _caught_ sight of any temporary portals opening, My Great King."

Vlad just silently stared at the map; then after a moment, he said with slight defeat, "Alright." He lifted up the map from the table, but did not roll it up, and looked up at the ice ghost. "Frostbite, I would like to take the map with me. I'm going to ask Desiree to reinforce her spell on it, just to be safe. I will return it to you early tomorrow."

"Of course, My Great King. But please, allow me to save you the burden of traveling such a distance once again. I will instead have one of the Far Frozen travel to your home to retrieve it."

Vlad smiled and nodded. "I would truly appreciate that, Frostbite."

"Done then!" the ghost beamed. "And now that we have dealt with this urgent matter for the moment, allow me to offer my great king a feast! You must be weary and famished after such a journey. And alone? Surely the Queen would not approve." Frostbite ended with a smile.

The King chuckled. "No, I suppose she would not. But I travel faster alone, Frostbite."

"That may be true, but safety is always most important, My Great King."

Plasmius' smile faltered, and hesitantly nodded in response.

The Leader of the Far Frozen gave him an unsure look at seeing the king's reaction to his words. But then he smiled again. "So about that feast…"

Vlad sighed once more, finally remembering he had not eaten since breakfast and it was surely late evening by now. However, he really had no appetite. Plus, he still had one last place to go to before going home.

"How about we leave it for another time?" the King asked. "I still need to speak to Horris, and it's fairly late as it is."

"Alright then. But I will be awaiting your return. Perhaps the Queen _and_ the Prince can join you on your next visit?" Frostbite asked with a warm smile.

Vlad laughed this time, knowing the ice ghost had taken a strong liking to his son from the few times he had seen him. "Of course I will return with them," he answered.

Frostbite laughed with joy and grabbed Plasmius in a strong hug. "Excellent!"

Vlad returned the hug, and as he let go, he smiled and said, "Ta for now, then?"

"Yes! We will see one another very soon! And please send my greetings to the Queen and young Prince!"

Vlad nodded. "I will be sure to do just that." He then looked down at the Infi-Map and asked, "Take me to the Head Ancient's home."

In a flash, the map lit a bright green and shot forward with Vlad. It moved the King so fast across the ghost world he looked to be nothing more than a beam of green light.

An instant later, Plasmius was at his desired destination. Rolling up the map, Vlad looked up at the Ancient leader's abode and walked towards it.

He hoped he could make this short. But the King knew the Ancient inside would not take the matter of the dragon offspring lightly.

However, he was certain the wise ghost would give him some sort of direction on how to handle this matter. And Vlad certainly needed a bit of guidance at the moment. And Horris was always dependable for it. Yes, he was annoying at times, but in the end, the Ghost King had to admit the Head Ancient always did things with the best intentions for him. After all, the ghost had always seen him as a son. And Horris was really all Vlad had left to that of a father.

* * *

By the time the Ghost King arrived at his palace, the swirling energy novas outside were a deep dark purple, signifying it was late at night. Talking to the Head Ancient had helped him decide what he needed to do if Skulker did not find the dragon offspring in their world. Sadly, his decision meant he would be spending some time away from his family, but he had no other choice. Being king meant having to take on the responsibility for everyone around him, even those whom he did not appeal to.

The Queen, Vlad knew, would be saddened if he had to leave for even a short time, but he knew she'd understand. Desiree recognized that being married to a king meant he would have to put others before her at times, even before their son. It didn't make the King or Queen happy, but it was necessary sometimes.

Vlad sighed tiredly as he made his way to his matrimonial chambers. Horris had told him he would talk with Clockwork and the Observants about this matter. However, both the King and the Head Ancient knew that getting their aid in this matter was very unlikely. But then again, the Observants did not really look at the human world as closely as they did the ghost world. And even when they did, it was only from time-to-time. Therefore, they might not know anything about this event.

Now, who was constantly watching was Clockwork. However, his ties to the Obervants kept him from revealing too much.

Still, the Time Ghost constantly gave Vlad subtle answers or advice. If he asked, the King knew he could trust the Time Master to at least point him in the right direction. Vlad was sure that Clockwork would never hold anything from him that would cause irreversible damage.

A yawn suddenly escaped Vlad, effectively pushing his thoughts aside. He was truly exhausted! All he wanted to do was go to bed!

But when he walked into the matrimonial bedroom his fatigue, worry, and everything else instantly left him. He smiled as he took in the sight before him.

His wife was snuggled up with Danny in her arms, and both were sound asleep. It was truly endearing.

He walked up to her, before leaning down and kissing her cheek. Being that she was a light sleeper, Desiree's eyes slowly opened, and she smiled tiredly at him.

"Hmm, Vlad, where have you been?" she whispered.

"Taking care of a few things. I'll tell all about it tomorrow," he answered just as softly. His eyes traveled over to their son for a moment, before looking back at her and asking amusedly, "So does this mean I've been replaced?"

Desiree smiled as she closed her eyes and brought Danny closer. "I couldn't get him to fall asleep, so I brought him to bed with me," she answered.

"Then let's not risk having him wake. I'll see you in the morning, my dear."

"Alright," she said sleepily, "I love you," she added when her husband kissed her.

"And I you, Des," he answered, caressing her for a moment. Vlad then softly kissed his son, before whispering to him, "Good night, Daniel."

With a last tender smile towards his family, the Ghost King left the room and headed to his private one. There was no harm in letting Daniel sleep with his mother for just tonight…

* * *

Well, that's all for now! Feed me your thoughts, kay? Take care!!


	11. Chapter 9: Moving Forward

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Yes, I know, it took me long enough. But this next chapter is quite long, so hopefully I will be forgiven. However, there is no Danny or Vlad in this one. Sorry! But there will be plenty more of them to come to keep you all happy! And guess what? It's time to speed things up, if you get my drift. If not, just read, and you'll see!

**See ya all below!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this Alternate Universe plot is my own. –hugs story--**

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Chapter 9: Moving Forward

Four years...

Four years, six months, and some days more had not been enough to wash the memory of Jasmine Fenton's brother from her parents' mind.

But it had been enough to wash away the memory of him from her mind. Well… for the most part.

She still remembered his eyes…his bright blue eyes… And the fact that she had a brother at some point in her life. But that was about it. Everything else she knew was based on photos and her parents' stories.

But those two sources were slowly fading from her reach, just in different ways. Her parents—more her dad, really-- had recently removed most of the photos of her brother from their house, or at least, from plain sight. They had mentioned something about seeing them everyday being too painful.

But six-year-old--soon to be seven in a couple of months--Jasmine didn't understand how pictures could hurt. So, she shrugged it off. What really caught her attention was how her parents just stopped talking all together about her brother…Daniel. That was his name…. or used to be.

She didn't remember a lot about the night her brother had… gone away. But she did remember _the_ monster and its glowing sword... It had been a ghost—or that's what her dad said. A ghost with… green eyes. It had scared her. She still had nightmares about it...

But other than that… it was a blur.

Jasmine Fenton lowered her book, and looked across towards where her dad was sitting at a bench tinkering with some kind of device. Her mom wasn't with him, though. She was at home… probably working on some instrument similar to the one her dad currently had.

Her parents' consuming interest in making these 'things' had started a few months back. Around the same time her parents had stored away anything having to do with her lost brother. It wouldn't have bothered the six-year-old, if it didn't mean they were always so busy now. They were always down in the lab they had recently built.

Or rebuilt, really.

She didn't know much about it, but supposedly their house had been destroyed the night her brother had 'gone away'. But she didn't remember that. Her room was still the same pink she remembered, and even her brother's room was there…

Jasmine wondered why her parents had rebuilt it. It was even refurnished—exactly like it was before, she supposed. Maybe… that was why she didn't remember much about _that_ night's events. Her parents had practically erased all the evidence of it. The only thing that they could not erase was the fact that her little brother was no longer around.

The little girl frowned. She didn't really know how to feel about the lost of Daniel, or rather, Danny, like her parents normally called him when they used to talk about him. Truth was she felt indifferent. Sure it would have been nice to have another sibling to play with, but she didn't really mind.

The only time she did mind his absence was when she would hear her mom crying from within her brother's room. Even her dad would get really sad some days, although she had never seen him cry before…

She felt irritated—if not, angry--with Danny when she saw her parents upset. Why did he have to go away, anyways? That wasn't very nice of him to do. If he ever came back, she intended to give him a piece of her mind.

But… her mom said he would never come back.

She had once asked her parents where Danny had gone, and why he wasn't around. Their answer had been that he had gone to heaven, and that he wasn't around because it was… _God__'s_ _will_?

She didn't understand that at all.

But then she learned at school that what they had meant was that he died. She didn't know what _that_ really meant, except that, once you died, you didn't come back. She remembered she cried that day. She didn't know why, but it had made her cry.

It was the only time she remembered ever feeling sad about the lost of her sibling.

Nowadays, though, she felt nothing. In fact, she didn't really think about it often. At the moment, Danny had come into her thoughts only because she could sense how distant her parents were becoming. They were always… working lately. And it bothered her.

It was why she was currently under a tree, reading a book. She had been lucky that her dad finally brought her to the park. But even now, he was still working. So, deciding to just leave him be, she had just went off to do what she had grown quite fond of since she started school: reading.

Her mom used to read to her. But now… well, she still did at times, just not as often. So, she was glad she had learned to do it on her own. Jasmine was quite proud of her ability to read. Her teachers always said she was ahead of everyone, and that she was very smart.

Her parents said that, too. But they also said that she was more likely to think things through more than a kid her age should.

Was that bad? ...Is that why she didn't have friends?

The little girl's frowned deepened. No, she _did_ have friends. She just didn't like to play with them so much. She preferred reading, or writing, and at times, coloring. That was always fun. What was wrong with liking that stuff better than being with other kids?

Jasmine—or rather, Jazz--shrugged.

Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the branches above her and looked up. She smiled when she noticed that a bright red bird had landed on one of the branches, chirping merely from it.

She closed her book, and looked around the park, for a moment watching the kids playing with either other kids or their parents. Jasmine didn't really like playing like that anymore. But her parents wished she would…

She sighed. Maybe she could play for a little while… maybe her dad would notice.

With a hopeful smile, she stood up. She looked towards her dad, before walking off towards the pond she knew was a little further away. Maybe there were ducks today and she could feed them!

Now excited with the idea, she walked a little quicker, her book clutched at her side as she went along. When she got there, she grinned at seeing a family of white ducks swimming around in the pound.

She sat her book down near a tree, far enough from the pond so that it wouldn't get wet or accidentally fall in. Always ready, just in case, she pulled out a piece of bread that she had put in one of her blue pants' pockets before she left for the park.

She ripped off a piece as she walked closer to the pond, and then threw it into the water. The ducks quickly went for it, clearly used to being fed. Content with their reactions, Jazz continued throwing bread at them. She knew that this was something she had loved doing since she could remember.

"Ahh!"

Jazz jolted at the faint shout coming from afar, and immediately turned towards it. Hesitating a bit, she slowly walked towards it, tilting her head as she did so that she could hear it more clearly. It was the voice of a little boy.

"No! Keep it 'way from me!" he shouted.

"Don't be a scardie-cat! It not gonna hurt you," another voice answered back, this time sounding like a little girl's.

Jazz's eyes widened slightly as she finally caught sight of the two kids. The boy she recognized. He was one of her next-door neighbors. But the girl… she had never seen her before.

The new girl's presence, however, didn't discourage the six-year-old Jazz from saying 'hi' to the little boy with whom she had on occasions played in the past. As she neared them, she finally realized about what they were arguing.

With an angry pout on her face, the little girl was standing and holding a small green caterpillar in her hand. She was definitely younger than herself, maybe about four or five years of age.

Her ebony hair, which contrasted her pale ivory skin, was just past her shoulders; and she wore a pair of white pants with a pink shirt printed with little red hearts everywhere.

But what was most startling about the younger girl was her eyes. They were a vibrant amethyst color. Jazz had never seen such eyes on anyone. The closest were her mother's eyes whose also were violet, just not as…radiant as this little girl's.

"Come on, just hold it for a couple seconds! I can't finish his home while I hold it!" she argued with the scared-looking boy.

"Naw-uh. What if it bite me? Or maybe it had poison. I don't know what that is, but my mommy told me it bad," he argued back, shaking his head and backing up from the girl.

Tucker, as Jazz knew the boy was called, was of African-American heritage. His dark features were accented by his soft green eyes, and his blue and red clothing. In his hand he held some form of electronic device, meant for video games. Jazz knew the boy was a little over four years of age.

Approaching the two younger kids, enough for them to notice her and stop their bickering, she waved at the little boy. "Hi, Tucker. What are you up to?" she asked with a smile.

Tucker gave her a surprised look, clearly not expecting to see her. But then he smiled at her, and said, "Hi, Jazz! You here, too?"

Jazz nodded, and was about to say something, but the little girl interrupted her.

"Who she?" she asked Tucker with a frown, her amethyst eyes locked onto Jazz.

"Oh, she is Jazz. She live by me," Tucker answered, smiling at the little girl.

Jazz, annoyed by the girl's question and look, returned her heavy frown, and remarked. "Yeah, we're neighbors. And we play together sometimes. Tucker's my _friend_."

The little girl scowled at her, and quickly answered. "So? He my friend, too! We gonna go to… um, scoot together when we bigger."

Jazz rolled her eyes. "You mean, _school_."

"That what I say!" the little girl shouted back, her little hands fisting on her sides.

Tucker, who was a bit startled by the two angry girls, just gawked at them as they argued. But upon hearing the younger of his two friends' last angry shout, he decided to say something. It was not pretty when _she_ got _real_ angry…

"Oh, come on, Sammy. Don't be mad. Jazz is real nice. If she play with us, you like her, too."

Sammy gave the older girl another angry look, before she huffed and stomped back over to a nearby sandbox. She sat back down next to a mound of dirt that was supposedly the caterpillar's 'house'.

The little girl looked down at the bug crawling around in her hands, before looking back at Tucker and Jazz. "Well, are we playin' or not?" Tucker went back to the sandbox and sat next to Sammy. But Jazz stayed where she was. She couldn't help but notice that the little girl's white pants were completely clean, even while she played in the dirt. It was almost as if they were stain-proof. Was there such a thing?

"Jazz, you don't wanna play?" Tucker asked, snapping the older girl out of her thoughts.

"Um…" she answered, unsure if she wanted to play with 'Sammy'.

"Come on, you can hold the bug, cause I no want to," Tucker added, giving the caterpillar in the younger girl's hands a disgusted look.

Sammy looked at Jazz with a suspicious look. "You not scare?"

Jazz shook her head.

"Well… okay… But don't hurt him," Sammy warned, before extending her hand with the bug towards Jazz.

The older girl finally moved closer and carefully took the caterpillar from the younger one. And then, not wanting to get her clothing dirty, squatted down beside Tucker.

Sammy smiled to herself, happy to have her hands free so she could continue making the home for the bug.

Jazz watched, actually intrigued by the two younger kids as they molded the sand. Tucker grabbed a couple of leafs and twigs that he had previously gathered and had been off to the side of the sand box. He began sticking them into the mound of sand, while Sammy made the 'windows'.

As she watched the two younger kids concentrate in silence on what they were doing, the older girl smiled at her next thought.

"So, Sammy, how old are you?" Jazz asked.

Sammy abruptly halted in her actions, and looked up at Jazz with a frown. "My name is _Samantha_. Only my mommy, daddy, and Tucker can call me 'Sammy'."

Jazz was more surprised with how well the little girl pronounced her name than with her actual statement. But she slowly pushed the feeling away.

"Oh… okay. Then, how old are you, _Samantha_?" Jazz reiterated, hiding her slight annoyance with the other girl.

The little girl went back to her work as she answered her. "I'm four and half. And when I five I gonna go to scoot."

Jazz decided not to correct Samantha's speech and just nodded.

The little girl paused again, as if she was hit with a sudden thought. "Hey, you bigger than me and Tucker. Are you in scoot?"

Jazz smiled proudly. "Yeah! I can even read!"

Samantha smiled back, clearly impressed and intrigued. "Really? You learn that there?"

Jazz nodded, and was about to show her the book she was reading, only to realize she didn't have it. Immediately, she gasped and jumped to her feet.

Tucker, who had long since finished adding his 'details' to the caterpillar's house, was now playing a video game, but was startled by Jazz's sudden actions. With creased eyebrow's he asked her, "What wrong?"

"I left my book back at the pond!" she answered him, quickly handing Samantha the caterpillar back.

"Princess!" Jack's voice suddenly called.

Jazz and the younger kids turned to the voice, and caught sight of the man clad in an orange jumpsuit walking towards them.

Jack smiled at his daughter, before noticing the other two little children. "Hi there, Tucker! Where are your parents?" he asked him.

Tucker smiled, clearly recognizing the man. "They over there," he responded back, pointing at his parents sitting a distance away.

Jack nodded, "Well, you tell them I said, 'Hi', Okay?" he said as he smiled kindly at Samantha, who only stared back at him with confusion. Jack then, looked back at his daughter, and said, "Come on, Jazzy-pants. Your mom says lunch's ready."

Samantha giggled at the nickname, causing Jazz to give her a quick scowl. But then Jazz smiled at her dad, and nodded. "Okay, but I gotta get my book."

"Where'd you leave it?" Jack asked, surprised his daughter had actually misplaced her book.

"Over there," she said, pointing towards the pond.

Jack nodded and grabbed his daughter's hand. "Okay, let's go get it, then."

Jazz smiled brightly, before looking back at Tucker and Samantha. "Bye!" she said, and received a wave from both of them.

The two four-year-olds watched the six-year-old Jazz and her father walk off, before they both turned their attention back to what they were doing. Tucker went back to playing his game, and Samantha continued finishing her bug's home.

Only that, suddenly, Samantha noticed a shadow loom over her from above, and she immediately looked up. She gasped as she saw a large animal with wings flying across the sky, but then it abruptly vanished--literally.

"Tucker!" she exclaimed, getting his attention. "You see that?!"

"Huh?" Tucker answered her, looking up from his game and giving his friend a confused look.

"I saw a big monster fly by!" she said, clearly alarmed.

"Really?" Tucker said, looking up at the sky with a frown on his face. He didn't like monsters, although he had never seen one. But that didn't mean they were not real.

However, since he didn't see anything in the sky, he shrugged it off. "It was pobly a big bird," he said, looking back at his game.

Samantha frowned in thought, but then slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess." She suddenly smiled, and looked back at the caterpillar. "Don't be scared. I no let it get you," she assured the little bug.

* * *

The Sky…It was strange to him… It _felt_ strange…

But he didn't really know why, though. After all, it was how it had always been since he could remember… Wasn't it?

At night, a large, pale white circle—that wasn't always a circle—and bright dots of white fire filled the sky. And these… _things_ somehow stayed in place, as if glued to their dark and grey background.

Still, even if the sky felt foreign to him, he had gotten use to it, and, really, now loved it. He loved how he could flap his wings against the cool currents of air, allowing him to rise higher and higher, until he was lost in the infinite depth of the heavens.

But he loved the sky most because it was the _only_ place, the _only_ _time_ he got to be away from his Master. And that made him content. The young dragon suddenly felt guilty about feeling this way. But mostly, he was afraid, afraid that his Master would be very displeased with him for being so happy. He hoped that _he_ would never know.

He didn't like being punished.

But he just couldn't help but enjoy his moments of… freedom? Was there such a word? If so, what did it really mean? And why did it feel so wonderful to think of it?

The ghost dragon didn't know. However, he knew of another reason he enjoyed being without his Master... For some reason, the further he moved away from him, the more his mind… opened.

Being so very high, far away from his Master, was the only time his mind wasn't completely clouded by confusion and darkness. But that's not all. It was also the only time he could _feel. _Up here, he could take joy in the simple rush he got from his surroundings and abilities—like flight. And… only here, far from his Master, was he capable of thought.

And how he loved to think.

The eight-year-old dragon's bright red eyes looked at the blanket of clouds below him, and he reached towards them with one of his clawed hands. Instantly, he felt something cold and wet cover his skin: clear droplets of water.

He smiled at the realization that clouds were made of water. And in the daytime, they were white, instead of gray.

Daytime…

His Master had never let him venture outside during the day. Today was the first time. And he was totally enthralled with it. But where had the pale white orb and dots of fire gone? Why had the whole sky changed?

The sky was now a bright blue; and although there was still an orb above him, it was no longer pale or white. It had turned bright, _very_ bright. So bright, in fact, that it hurt his eyes to look at it. But when he had tried, he discovered that this orb was yellow-- for the most part, that is. It radiated an orange-red glare at times.

But what struck the young dragon most was the warmth this bright orb gave off. Its heat felt as if it could burn his cool and sensitive skin. And if it wasn't for the crisp air and the moisture of the clouds, it would have.

A growling sensation in his stomach brought the child ghost out of his thoughts and quickly reminded him why he was out here in the first place. If he weren't so hungry, and the fact that his Master was waiting for him to return, the young dragon would have been more than content to remain in his peaceful flight and thoughts. But he had orders to follow. And he didn't want to displease his Master by not fulfilling them.

Tucking in his wings and pushing them back slightly, the mystic black creature descended until he could see what was below the blanket of clouds. His eyesight was extraordinary, ten-times better than an eagle's own; and so, he could clearly see everything with awing detail, even though he was indistinguishable to those below him.

The young dragon could see that he was passing several human structures. The area was deprived of any vegetation, and gray roads covered the ground instead of dirt and lush grass. Not a good place to hunt.

But a moment later, he came upon a different scenery. Yes, there were still human structures and humans here; but in this small area, trees and other natural flora dominated. The child ghost had no idea he was looking at a park.

What he did know was that the area looked promising… But there were humans around. And his Master had strictly forbidden him from letting any other human see him.

Immediately, turmoil filled his mind, just like it always did every time his own wants conflicted with his Master's wants. And in his moment of confusion, the young creature did not realize he had begun to descend in his flight and was now low enough to be seen by those below. But the instant he saw where he was, he jolted in fear, and in a blink of an eye, turned invisible. As always, his Master's wants outweighed his own. And the child ghost quickly retreated high enough to remain unseen by anyone, before regaining visibility. He soon picked up speed and continued forward, hoping he could obtain what he needed somewhere… safer.

And it didn't take long for him to find such a place. A forest, free from any human life, was just what he was looking for. He would hunt here.

Losing altitude and turning invisible once more, the eight-year-old creature began to search for his target, or more correctly, his prey.

His Master had taught him to be an efficient hunter. He knew exactly how to ambush his prey, and how to stalk it. He knew how to bring it down. He knew where he needed to strike in order to instantly immobilize his prey. And most importantly, he knew how to kill it.

Yes…his Master had taught him well.

Suddenly, his eyes spotted a target and they locked onto it like homing missiles. It was hidden from plain view by the bush it was sleeping in, oblivious to its imminent death. His prey was small, but it would be enough to satisfy him.

The young dragon's eyes narrowed, and smoke began streaming out of his nostrils and mouth as he got ready to strike. But he wasn't going to use his fire ability-- although he would have preferred to. His Master had forbid him to use the attack unless _he_ specifically ordered him to.

And so, the child ghost used a more practical mean of hunting.

With open jaws and front talons spread forward, the black-colored creature dived at his target. But then suddenly, just before he could successfully execute his attack, something else appeared in his line a sight.

At the last second, the startled young dragon made a sharp side movement, in time to miss his target, but not the ground. With a loud 'bam' the little ghost impacted the forest floor, and skidded to a stop two feet later.

A soft whimper escaped the black dragon, and for a moment he reacted like a child his age would at pain. Although he had suffered no major injuries and his fragile wings were still intact, his rough landing had hurt.

But he had been taught to not dwell on his aches; and so, he shook his head in order to clear his spinning vision, and got back on his four feet as if nothing had happened. He then looked towards his prey: a baby deer.

The fawn had not moved from its spot, and remained curled and motionless. Only its soft shivering and quick, quiet breaths showed that it was alive, and aware of the danger it was in.

But what had surprised the young dragon enough to call off his attack had been the appearance of a larger version of his prey.

The fawn's mother.

She was several feet away from her baby, but she could still see it. However, her eyes were not on her child, but on the large creature close to it. Even though her large black eyes could form no kind of expression, her distress was evident within them.

The doe knew this strange predator had the intentions of killing her offspring. And she knew there was nothing she could do to stop it. So she stayed frozen, her eyes locked onto the young ghost, waiting to witness the inevitable.

The little dragon was now also staring back at the female deer. He didn't know why her appearance had startled him so. In fact, just looking at her now was unnerving him. But it wasn't just her presence that bothered him, but the fact that he could somehow _sense_ that this large animal was in some way connected to the smaller one—his prey.

He just didn't understand how.

But whatever their connection was brought him great distress.

The young ghost didn't realize when his hazed red eyes suddenly flashed yellow. However, he was aware of a strange vision that passed through his mind…

In this vision, he was playing with another dragon that looked identical to him and of his same age, while two larger dragons watched joyfully from afar.

But before he could understand that his vision was a memory, or understand what it meant, the image left his mind.

He shook his head again, feeling oddly groggy. And when his red eyes focused once more, he turned them back to his defenseless target.. But curiosity now seized him and he momentarily forgot his initial intentions with the fawn.

The eight-year-old dragon tilted his head slightly to the side, before slowly approaching his prey.

"_Vi… parolas?" _he asked, lowering his face so to look into the fawn's black eyes.

Immediately, the mother let out a distressed grunt and stomped one of her front hooves on the ground, clearly fighting the need to aid her calf. But she kept her distance, knowing if she neared it would also mean her own death.

The young dragon had taken noticed of the doe's actions and was now looking at her. Now even more curious as to how the large animal was related to the small one, he sniffed the air and quickly picked up the large animal's scent, even though it was several feet away from him.

He then found himself lowering his head back to his prey and sniffing it as well. And what he discovered confused him more. Their scents were almost identical.

Then a sudden thought hit him. Maybe the large animal was his prey's Master. Was that how they were connected?

He somehow knew that was not it.

It was more complicated, more… important than that.

The young ghost's eyes flashed yellow again, but this time there was no 'vision'; instead, some foreign instinct came over him. And he wondered: Did this creature have an Energy Signature?

Suddenly, the dragon pushed the fawn to its side, causing it let out a pitiful cry of fear, but it could do nothing to defend itself.

Not really noticing the baby deer's distress, the young ghost continued to move the little fawn until he was able to press his snout against the deer's chest.

He kept it still using one of his clawed hands--although he didn't press hard enough to injure it. The black dragon purred as he attempted to feel for… something… Only, it wasn't there. All he felt were loud thumps coming from within the fawn's chest…

He didn't know why, but not finding what he was looking for—although he had no idea what it was exactly—distressed the eight-year-old greatly.

Lifting his head away from little deer, he let it go, and just watched as it curled back up, shaking more visibly now. Slowly, his eyes traveled to the dragon-shaped symbol on his own chest and he thoughtfully touched it.

He had no idea what it meant. He didn't even know how he knew it was called an _Energy_ _Signature_. But, he had noticed that he had never seen another creature with it… not even his Master had one.

Perhaps… his Master gave it to him… But what did it mean?

The dragon child let out a soft growl from both confusion and frustration. And upon realizing his many thoughts were causing him mental pain again, he banished them like he always did when it became too much.

His mind instantly returned to the true matter at hand, and his eyes locked back onto the fawn and his jaw opened, exposing his deadly, sharp teeth. He didn't need to ponder on where he was going to sink his teeth. He had already been taught.

This time he lowered his mouth towards the baby deer's head with the intention of ending this hunt. But his actions received another grunt and stomp from the larger deer, still watching him.

Again, he found himself hesitating. And what bothered him most was he didn't know why! He _never_ hesitated before in attacking his prey… The last time he had, his Master had almost starved him to death.

Suddenly, a deep fear swelled inside the young dragon. If his Master knew he was hesitating to kill, it would displease him greatly, and he would be punished!

But even with this alarming fact weighing on his mind, he couldn't bring himself to harm his prey while that other animal was watching. He felt a strange inner pain from even contemplating the idea.

His mixed feelings quickly triggered his anger and he narrowed his eyes at the larger animal. How dare it make him hesitate? How dare it make him disobey his Master?

In his bout of anger, the black dragon spread his wings menacingly and let out a fearsome roar.

His prey cried in fear, and the larger animal took several fearful steps back… But it still didn't leave.

Now completely furious with the creature's reluctance to leave him in peace with his prey, he closed his wings and charged at the female deer. Instantly, it fled from him, but the second he relented—after a few feet—the doe turned back and continued to stare at him.

"Go away!" he hissed at her with contempt, his wings spreading once more. But she showed no sign of understanding him, even when he spoke to her in human speech. Seeing that the doe would not move from her spot, he turned his eyes back on his prey, and growled softly at it in angry contemplation.

A moment later, the young dragon's posture relaxed and his wings slowly lowered into a resting position. He glared back at the doe, before letting out an annoyed snort. He stomped away from the unharmed fawn, deciding to find his prey elsewhere. He didn't need all this aggravation.

As he left, he glanced back and found the larger deer nuzzling the smaller one. He paused for a minute, his head tilting once more in confusion. What were they doing?

The young dragon would never know. He had no idea what affection was.

With a shake of his head, the child ghost turned away and continued walking through the forest floor. He quietly searched around for another potential prey, perhaps something larger this time. But all he kept catching sight of were creatures smaller than just one of his hands. They would not do.

A moment later, he came across a large bush filled with bright red orbs: berries.

Interested, he moved closer to it. The young ghost knew the orbs were edible and that they tasted very good…

With something close to delight on his face, the little dragon bit into a branch and pulled several berries—along with leaves—off it. He ate everything hungrily; the sweetness of the berries and slight bitter crunch of the leaves made a pleasant combination for his taste buds. He really preferred these sorts of foods, as oppose to the kind his Master had him eat.

He didn't know why, but eating other creatures felt… unnatural to him…

But he had no other alternative but to eat what his Master wanted him to—not that he would ever dare go against what was asked of him. For some reason, no matter how many of these delicious red orbs he ate, his hunger was never satiated. In fact, nothing satisfied his stomach unless he presented it to his Master first. And that's what he had to do now—like any other time.

The little dragon didn't understand that he _needed_ **ghost** food. And that was why he always had to bring back his 'human-world prey' to 'his master.' Freakshow converted it into 'ghost meals' so that his system could use the food.

He swallowed another mouthful of berries and leaves—even though they did nothing for him—before continuing forward. But, suddenly, he froze, finally spotting another target.

The animal, who was currently feeding off another berry bush, was huge. It was completely covered in brown fur and had two impressive sets of paws with razor-sharp claws attached to them.

The black dragon was staring at a grizzly bear.

Turning invisible, the young ghost began to stalk the 600 pound animal with the intention of getting close enough to attack it before it could flee—although if it did, it would never escape him anyways.

Finding himself at striking range, the ghost dragon regained visibility and charged at the unsuspecting bear. His jaws opened widely and when they snapped close again, they were around the grizzly bear's neck, his long teeth easily penetrating its thick fur coat and embedding themselves into the animal's flesh.

The bear let out a pained howl, and its paws instantly began to kick against its attacker, effectively cutting the dragon's snout and chest with its claws as it did.

But the young ghost quickly ended his victim's struggle by lifting it off the ground and shaking it savagely until it stopped moving.

He didn't see—or chose not to see—the way his own green blood, coming from the scratch wounds he just received, dripped down and joined the puddle of red blood forming at his front feet. He also ignored the same warm liquid seeping down his throat, and how much its taste repulsed him.

Instead, he was focused on making sure the limp animal in his jaws was truly dead…

"_**Never**__ let go… feel for its heart. Feel it stop. And hear for it to exhale its last breathe. Only then do you let go."_

The young dragon growled softly when he found no indication of life from his victim. And only after that did he release his hold around the bear's neck.

The eight-year-old's red eyes suddenly hazed. And with almost robotic movement, he grabbed the dead animal with his front claws, and turned it and himself intangible.

He knew he had to take it to his Master before he could eat his prey. Otherwise, it would be pointless to do so.

But he wasn't thinking of his hunger at the moment. In fact, he was no longer thinking at all. With his task complete, the little ghost's mind hazed--just like his red eyes had--as it now solely focused on a single command.

"_You will __**always**__ return to me."_

The young dragon spread his wings, his intangibility easily allowing him to open them fully in the heavily-forested surroundings. With two strong flaps of his wings, he and his meal became airborne and headed for the covers of the clouds.

He flew without haste towards his destination.

_Towards_ his Master.

* * *

Spectra, in her 'human' disguise, stood in front of the 'GiW' main headquarters in Amity Park. As Penelope, she could move about in the human world undetected. She had learned to mask her ghost energy in this form. No human weapon could sense that she was a ghost.

It had taken years to perfect, but she had accomplished it during Pariah's reign. Back then, she practically lived in the human world, feeding off her unsuspecting human victims as she passed off as a psychiatrist. That had been the good days.

The days when there was no King Plasmius with his silly morals and laws.

With him in charge of the ghost world, it was extremely difficult for her to come to the human world for more than a couple hours, and her visits were very spread apart.

She needed to fix that.

After all, she needed human victims to keep her radiant and powerful. Sure, she could always go after ghosts, but they were not as satisfying as human beings. Not to mention, there was a strong chance the king would find out about it…Like the baby dragon she kidnapped some years back…

In a way, she regretted taking the child. It had now made traveling to the human world even riskier.

But perhaps, these 'Guys in White' could prove useful in making _things_ easier for her.

She had been pondering this issue for some time, and it wasn't until recently that Spectra decided she should move forward with the plan that had formed in her mind the day she discovered who this 'Thomas Chrome' truly was.

It was a very dangerous plan... And if she got caught by Vlad…

Well, she doubted even her own sister could keep her from facing his wrath.

But the 'reward' it promised-- if it worked-- was too good to let it pass her by. For once, Spectra did not mind putting herself in jeopardy.

Or anyone else, for that matter.

An evil grin spread across her face and her green eyes flashed their true red as she headed inside the ghost facility.

It was time to bring new order to the ghost world.

* * *

Within the largest testing lab in the Guys-in-White ghost facility, the head agent was alone, working on making another batch of concentrated ecto-energy. He wore strange white-glowing gloves, meant to handle anything ghostly.

With scrutinizing eyes, Tom held the small vile of ectoplasm against a bright light, and quickly saw the tiny electrical-like sparks jolting within the liquid.

It was _that_ part of the ectoplasm that he was interested in.

Unfortunately, this small vile would not supply him with the amount of ectoplasmic energy he required. And, although he had been receiving a constant supply of ectoplasm from that idiot clown Freakshow for four years now, he only had **half** of the ecto-energy he was trying to obtain.

When he had told the Fentons that it had taken a great deal of effort to obtain the batch of concentrated ectoplasm to power the portal, he had been completely truthful. At this rate, it would take him another four to five years to have the same amount of ecto-energy he had given them.

But there was nothing he could do about that. Sure, he could force Freakshow to double or triple the amount of ectoplasm he was sending him. But he had a feeling that whatever the creature that the ringmaster was harvesting it from would not be able to tolerate losing so much ectoplasm at a constant rate. It would most likely die. And he couldn't have that.

Tom had plans for that creature, that _ghost. _The head of the 'GiW'sneered. Freakshow thought he was so clever! But he was far from it if the ringmaster had not yet realized that Thomas knew of _'his secret'._ It was obvious. Just like it was obvious this _secret_ was being kept somewhere on the _Circus Gothica_ property. The ringmaster was doing a good job of controlling the creature, since Tom had yet to hear of any ghost sightings in the news or reports by anyone.

Yes, for now, he would let Freakshow believe his little pet was safe from the 'GiW's' grasps. But once he had everything set, that monster would play a very important role in helping him snare the ghost king.

With a dark smirk on his lips, Tom picked up a needle filled with a strange black liquid. He injected a few drops of it into the vile filled with ectoplasm, before lowering the needle, and calmly waited for the results.

And they were almost instant.

The ectoplasm began to bubble as the black liquid mixed in with it, before it slowly began to lose its glow and turned a dull green. Then, it began to turn almost watery as it dissolved into different layers. The heavier dark green matter sank to the bottom of the vile, while everything else—that were just lighter shades of greens in color--stacked on top of it according to their density. By the time the separation was complete, the top layer—which held the lightest density--was purely bright, hot ecto-energy.

The energy was being kept separate from the rest of the separated layers by the black liquid Thomas had inserted just seconds ago. There was a layer of black liquid above the ecto-energy and one below it, creating an almost sandwich effect.

Tom noticed with mild interest that the separated ecto-energy was blue in color; just like it had been with the all samples of ectoplasm Freakshow was supplying him. It was how the 'GiW' leader knew that the ringmaster only had **one** ghost in his possession.

Ectoplasm told Thomas a lot about the ghost it came from. The most obvious fact being the type of energy it primarily used. But it also told him the creature's strength, health, stability, and could even help him estimate its age, in most cases.

Ectoplasm was _extremely_ valuable when it came to experimentation. But when it came to trying to gather ecto-energy to create a concentrated batch of it, ghost blood was not the best source to get it from. A ghost's energy core, however…

It was really a shame that only a fraction of ghost blood was pure ectoplasmic energy. But then again, Tom felt no remorse in killing several ghosts to obtain a good vile of the energy. Its uses were limitless. And he was constantly discovering said uses. Ectoplasmic energy was truly the most amazing thing he had ever come across.

Using a clean needle, he inserted it into the dissolved ectoplasm and carefully extracted just the ecto-energy into the syringe. A bit of the black liquid also was sucked in, but it was not a problem, since it would be easily removed once he did the final filtrations that were required to concentrate it.

Without care, he tossed the vile filled with the rest of the ectoplasmic matter—now minus its energy—into the trash can. He didn't bother removing the glowing gloves he was wearing as he walked out of the lab he was in. He headed to his office, the syringe filled half-way with ghost energy carefully cradled in his right hand.

He soon opened his office door and stepped in, walking directly over to a large rectangular, metal box, resembling a fridge. He opened the top half of the storage box by pulling its handle forward. Immediately, a hiss sounded and cold steam poured out from within, soon revealing a container with several test tubes filled with different liquids.

Tom picked up a cylinder-like one—the same kind of tube that he had given the concentrated ectoplasm to the Fentons in—and lifted it, revealing it was half-way full of blue ecto-energy. Carefully, he opened the top part of the cylinder, and then injected the ecto-energy he had just brought from the lab. Once he was done transferring the energy into the cylinder, he closed its lid and stored it back in its original place.

With a sigh, he calmly walked over to his desk, placed the empty syringe on it, and leaned back against his chair, closing his eyes in thought.

He still had yet to work out the finer details of his plan regarding the ghost king. It was easy enough to plan a trap for Plamius. What was hard was luring him into it, especially when the creature had not returned--or at least he hadn't heard otherwise—since the incident with the Fentons and the portal some years back.

Speaking of portals. He was not having much success with making one. He wasn't even sure if this _blue_ energy was strong enough to power a portal. Green energy was what he really needed…

But at the moment, he was in no hurry to create the portal. He was more focused on the ghost king.

What could he use to drive Plasmius out of his 'hole'?

The creature Freakshow had in his control was his best option. The king had risked his life before to save his kind in the past. Why not now?

But another ghost as bait wasn't enough. Thomas needed something more. After all, Plasmius would just find a way to evade him, just like in the past and just like with the ghost portal incident.

No, the question was not what he could use to drive the ghost king out. There was plenty of ways to do that. The real question was:

How could he _make_ the ghost king surrender?

Tom was brought out of his musing by the sudden ringing of his phone. He opened his eyes and glared at it briefly, before leaning forward and picking it up.

"What?" he demanded, annoyed at being interrupted.

"Sir, there's someone here to see you…" came the voice of his secretary.

The 'GiW' agent frowned at the quiet and almost fearful tone of voice with which she had said her words. He quickly dismissed it, though, and uttered in a cold voice. "Who? I am busy at the moment."

However, his secretary didn't say anything more over the phone. Instead, his slowly opening door answered his question.

"You can't be _that_ busy…" Spectra in her human appearance said with a smirk on her face as she walked in, then closed the door behind her.

Tom immediately jumped to his feet, angry with the woman's intrusion. "How dare you enter my office without my permission!" he snarled.

"Oh, you're one of the testy ones, aren't you?" she remarked brightly, before making a small squeak sound from her throat and shrugging helplessly.

The man's furious look didn't falter, but he didn't address her comment. Instead, he demanded, "Who are you?"

She gave him a large smile, before walking seductively towards him. She paused only until the desk was the sole thing keeping them apart.

"Penelope…Penelope Spectra," she drew out, before extending a hand towards the man.

Tom gave her an unimpressed look, and made no attempt to take her extended hand. "You're name means _nothing_ to me. Why are you here? And why should I be interested?"

She lowered her hand, unbothered by his rudeness. Clearly, she expected it. "Those are very good questions!" she said brightly. "You don't mind if I answer them backwards, do you?" She reached into her dress-suit and pulled out a large triangular vile filled with raw green ectoplasmic energy.

The man's green eyes widened in recognition, but he said nothing, clearly too stunned with what she held.

She paid the shocked man no mind, and simply studied the vile in her hands with mirth. "I think _this_ answers your second question as to why you should be interested." She extended the vile to him, a dark smile on her features.

Tom looked at her with suspicion, before slowly reaching for the vile. He grabbed it, and paused, almost expecting something to happen--he just didn't know what, since this woman gave him such bad vibes. However, she only crossed her arms in front of her after giving him the vile.

"You didn't answer my first question," he said in a calm voice, momentarily glancing at the strange vile in his gloved hand, before turning his eyes back to Penelope.

"I know… But to do that I'd have to first reveal who I _really_ am…"

Tom gasped at seeing the woman in front of him suddenly turn intangible, and walk right through his desk. Before he could even react, Penelope pushed him back, effectively pinning him against the bookcase behind him by wrapping her cold hands around his wrists and holding his arms to his sides.

As a result of being attacked so suddenly, the vile that had once been in the man's right glove fell to the floor—though, surprisingly, it didn't break. He instinctively struggled to break free, but the woman was unnaturally strong!

"Let go of me!" he shouted, close to panic, and feeling oddly dizzy.

"But you humans are so delicious…" she answered evilly. She gave the scared man a wide grin and purposely exposed her fangs, her eyes flashing from green to red.

And then it dawned on the 'GiW' agent.

"Y-You're a ghost," he whispered.

Penelope's grin only widened. "That's right, _Tommy_…And, no, your facility's ghost detection equipment is not malfunctioning; they just don't work on me."

Tom just stared at her, frozen with fear.

"Now, let me answer your question…" she said evilly, getting closer to him, only stopping when her face was inches from his. "I know of your interest in the ghost king. And I know of your silly little plans to take him and our kind down… I suppose _if_ I cared just little more, I'd kill you right now… Aren't you lucky?" Penelope let out a small laugh.

"So if you are not here to kill me, then what do you want?" Tom asked nervously as he tried to think of a way to escape the monster in front of him.

"Well, I haven't said, I wasn't going to kill you. I just said, I wasn't going to do it _now_," she said wickedly, her eyes flashing red again. "But it really depends how things go between us…" She nuzzled the side of his face with her own, enjoying the feel of his misery and fear entering her body.

"Stop touching me, you disgusting creature," he shouted, his struggles returning at feeling the ghost doing something to him.

Penelope moved her face away, and gave him a feigned hurt pout. "Disgusting? How can you say that when you haven't given me a chance?" She drew closer to him again. "I think you should try 'something' first before judging it…We ghosts are not all that bad… _Tommy_," she whispered against his lips.

"But…" She withdrew again, though, she still kept him pinned by her grasp on his hands. "It's not why I'm here. You have sparked my interest, Ghost Hunter. And I think we might be able to help each other obtain what we are both after. So, it's simple, really. Either, we come to some kind of 'agreement' and I'll let you live, or we _don't_ come to an agreement and I kill you. Both ways, I'll get something out of this little meeting…" she assured with a dark smirk.

"A-Alright," Tom answered with a quick nod of his head. "You have my attention. Now, release me."

She allowed another wave of his misery to enter her, before she complied with his plea.

He quickly moved away from her, while she calmly sat on top of his desk, her legs crossed delicately. "You're not gonna run away, are you?" she asked with amusement.

He glanced at his door, but then looked back at her and slowly shook his head. "I said you had my attention," he answered her with a frown on his face. He wasn't going anywhere just yet. Not until he turned the tables on this ghost wench.

"Good," she said with delight. "I would hate to get violent with you, Tommy!"

"It's _Thomas_," he said, anger lining his voice. But he restrained himself from glaring, not wanting to provoke her.

She grinned. "I'm curious, _Tommy_…What do you care for most in this world?"

He glanced down at the vile on the floor, before picking it up. He studied it with a pondering frown. "Where did you get this?" he asked, ignoring her question.

Penelope waved in disregard. "The ghost world, of course. Ecto-energy's more abundant there than the air you humans breathe here."

He raised an eyebrow with interest, but then tucked away the vile inside his white suit's jacket. He walked over to his desk, upon which the female ghost was still sitting.

"I see... And I would suppose what I care most about is myself," he said with a smirk, finally answering her original question. He reached for the drawer right beside Penelope's legs and slowly pulled it forward.

She frowned at his actions, for a moment feeling uneasy with what the ghost hunter could be up to. But at seeing him pull out a harmless, empty, and sterile syringe, she smiled again. "And that's what my answer would be as well. See? We are not so different, and that is why I think we can offer each other a lot."

With his left hand, he placed the syringe on his desk, beside the ghost, while his other hand stayed on the drawer. "No, we are _very_ different, and if we can offer each other _anything_ is yet to be determined," he answered, as his hand pressed a red button within the drawer, before he closed it again.

Penelope, distracted by his words, didn't notice his actions, and asked another question, her smile changing into a secretive smirk, "What do you think the _ghost king_ cares for most in the world?"

Her question genuinely intrigued the 'GiW' agent, and he truly pondered it as he moved away from her, and towards his bookcase.

"I've never thought of it," he answered truthfully. "After all, why should I care about what _he_ cares about? I just want him dead and your race exterminated like the vermin you all are."

"Just answer the question," she snapped, this time offended by his words.

Thomas shrugged. "I don't know. His Kingdom? His kind? Why is this relevant?" he asked, uncaringly.

She rolled her eyes. If this human was this dense, then maybe she should just kill him after all.

"It's _relevant_, because-"

She didn't get to finish, since five other 'GiW' agents suddenly burst through the office door, ghost weapons pointed at her. "Don't move!" one of them commanded.

Penelope raised an eyebrow at the men, before her eyes moved to Thomas, who was looking at her with a calm look on his face, his back almost pressed against the bookcase.

She sighed in annoyance. "I said I didn't want to get violent… but…" She let her words hang, and she raised her hands in defeat.

"Alright, you boys win. I won't struggle," she assured them with a smirk on her lips. "After all, I wouldn't want you all to lose your jobs. It must be difficult as it is to have to work under a man like _Tommy_ here. I bet he forces you all to work late hours… Your families must feel abandoned… You poor things…" she said, shaking her head with pity.

Tom's eyes widened at seeing his men lower their weapons and nod their heads in agreement.

"What the hell are you all doing?" he snarled at them, but they didn't respond to his anger. They didn't even look at him!

Thomas stood where he was, realizing that this was about to turn ugly fast, and he needed to be ready…

Penelope suddenly stood, but the men still kept their guns lowered, their eyes completely focused on the female ghost. She walked closer to them, and as she did, their bodies began to glow green.

"But you know what?" she continued, ignoring the head 'GiW', and not realizing his hand had just grabbed a hold of a book behind him. "We can fix that. You don't have to burden your families with your absences anymore--if you all just left permanently."

"I don't have a family," one of them whispered sadly.

"Oh! Then you don't have a reason for living to begin with," she answered him, her voice laced with pity." Suddenly, she grinned evilly at the five armed 'GiW' agents, her eyes turning blood red. "You all know what to do…"

Tom gasped and turned away just as his men lifted their guns and turned them on themselves. Reacting quickly, he pulled out the book he had grabbed, and his bookcase instantly opened, revealing a stand filled with all kinds of weapons. He went for what looked like a deck of green and glowing playing cards, grabbed one, and with surprising accuracy sent it flying like a sharp blade towards the female ghost.

But as if she sensed his actions, Penelope whirled around and grabbed the card in mid-air, inches from her face. She smiled smugly at him as she turned intangible, allowing the blood that had splashed to slide off of her.

"Tsk," she sounded by clicking her tongue, her eyes studying the strange gadget in her hand. "And what's this suppose to do? Give me a paper cut?" she teased, looking back at the head 'GiW'.

To her surprise, a smirk spread on his lips, and he uttered, "Think again…"

Penelope gasped as the glowing card suddenly began to sink within her hand. She quickly tried to stop it, but it was no use. Instantly, she felt her body scream in pain and she let out a shriek.

Tom calmly watched as the female ghost fell to her knees, clutching her hand. And soon, her form began to dissolve until she was back to her true shadow-like form. At that instant, the ghost alarms sounded.

Knowing he had the upper hand now, he turned from her and grabbed the syringe he had previously taken out of his drawer. He didn't need to get anything else, since the gloves he was still wearing —which would allow him to grab her even if she tried to go intangible-- would be enough for what he planned on doing. Plus, there was no way she could put up a struggle now, anyways…

He leisurely walked towards her, ignoring the human blood and bodies that were lying on the ground—he'd have it cleaned up later. Finally kneeling beside her, he grasped her around the neck and leaned her up against the wall behind them.

"You demons are so predictable, you know that?" he taunted with mirth.

Spectra looked up at him and glared with dull red eyes; but she didn't say anything, feeling too weak to even move her spectra tail.

"Always trying to pass as humans… Hasn't your kind learned by now that your stench is too putrid to mask?" he sneered in her face, but then he smiled again. "Although, I'll give you points for getting this far into this ghost facility. No one has been able to bypass the ghost detectors, except for your own king ten years ago. Difference is, _you_ got caught," he ended evilly.

"Y-You don't know who you're dealing with," she wheezed at him as her eyes began to glow a brighter red. But almost instantly, they dulled and she let out another cry of pain, this time clutching her chest.

He chuckled at her feeble attempt as he raised the empty syringe to his eye level. "Don't bother. That little toy of mine is meant for the sole purpose of suppressing your powers. Trying to use them will only cause you further pain."

Spectra's eyes widened in response, and he quickly added, "Oh, but don't look so frightened. It's only temporary… just enough time for me to get a few things _out_ of you…"

"W-What are you doing?" she gasped out, seeing him remove the protective covering from the needle part of the syringe.

Before he could answer, several more agents came running into his office, only to halt at the sight of their dead comrades.

"Oh my…"

"A little too late, aren't you?" Tom snapped, cutting off the agent that had begun to speak.

The 'GiW' men finally noticed their leader and the ghost slumped against the door. "Sir!" another exclaimed, and all of them immediately pointed their weapons at Spectra.

Thomas rolled his eyes, "All of you get out. I need a moment."

But they didn't move, still too stunned at the bloodshed before them and the ghost in the room. How did it get in here without them knowing it?

"Are you idiots deaf? I said get out! Go call the police so they can remove all these dead bodies out of my office! And turn off those worthless alarms while you're at it!" the 'GiW' leader snarled.

"Y-Yes, S-Sir," they all mumbled, before shakily retracting their weapons and stumbling out of the room.

Spectra had not even looked at the other men; her eyes were locked onto the one in front of her. What did she just get herself into? This human was completely ruthless! She had to convince him fast, or she was dead…

"Thomas, listen to me. You—Ahh!" she cried out as he jabbed the needle into her chest, right in the center of her energy signature. She immediately reached for it, but the man quickly stopped her, by letting go of the syringe—that stayed in place since it was stuck in her chest—and grabbed her hands to stop her.

"You will keep your mouth shut until I tell you to speak, Demon," he snarled at her. He moved her hands together, until he managed to get a hold of both her wrists using one of his still gloved hands. And since the ghost was powerless, it was easy to do so.

As his free hand went back to take a hold of the syringe, Tom looked down at her symbol that was in the form of a wilting rose, and remarked with disgust, "How appropriate. Do all you monsters have these strange markings? Every ghost I've captured has had some kind of symbol over their energy core…" He smiled viciously at her as he added, "It's almost like an 'X' marks the spot… to kill ghosts."

"A-All ghosts... have one. It… It's… called an ecto… ecto-signature," she wheezed, her eyes closed from the amount of pain she was in.

"Hmm, well, that's interesting. But here's some new information for you as well, my ghost harlot. This needle is made specifically to pierce through your ghost flesh until it reaches your energy core." He began to push the needle further into Spectra's body until the ghost screamed in pain. He smirked, knowing the needle had reached her energy core.

"Now, here's the fun part," he continued, smiling, "I'm going to slowly pull this syringe here, and it will _painfully_ begin to extract your stored ecto-energy from within your core. I think you and I both know you need that energy to stay alive in the human world…"

Spectra lost whatever nerved she had left right then. "Listen to me! I can help you!" she shrieked as he positioned his hand to pull on the syringe's extracting apparatus. She struggled desperately, but she was too weak to do anything but jolt in the man's strong hold.

"I doubt that, but go for it. Maybe you'll convince me of that before I extract enough of your energy to kill you," he said darkly, and began to pull on the syringe.

Spectra cried in pain, her body losing its white glow at the same rate as a purple glowing liquid began to fill the syringe.

"Purple energy. I haven't seen that in a while. This must be my lucky day after all! It's such a hassle to separate ectoplasm in order to extract the energy from it, so getting the pure stuff directly from a ghost's core is always much more efficient!" he beamed.

Spectra was in too much pain to really listen to what he was saying. She couldn't even get her mind to think properly. But she knew that she had to pull herself together. Her life depended on it.

"T-The K-King… c-cares… m-most… fo...Stop!" she cried out, unable to take the agony as it reached a more horrible level.

"How can I, if you haven't convince me?" he asked with amusement, glancing at the half full syringe and continuing with his actions.

Spectra gritted her teeth against the pain, before forcing herself to shout out, "HIS FAMILY!"

Thomas stopped, an eyebrow raised at her words. "Family?" he questioned, "The ghost king has a family? He's _married_?"

She glared weakly at him. "Of course, he's married! You didn't think _any_ male as desirable as he would be single, do you?!"

Thomas frowned at her words. From what he knew, Dark never 'married'. He had assumed Plasmius had gone the same route. But then again, he never really pondered about a ghost king's personal life. But now that this ghost had brought it up… he was interested.

"Who is she?"

"She's my s-sister… Desiree. She's what you humans call a mage; she grants desires, casts spells, you name it," she wheezed.

Tom's frowned deepened. He had never heard of such a ghost. And this ghost in front of him was related to the 'queen'?

Suspicious now, he glared at her, and began to extract more of the Spectra's ecto-energy. "If you're her sister, then _what_ are you doing here? …You're a spy, _aren't_ you?"

"No!" she yelled at him, "I'm here because I'm sick of the king's rule. I'm sick of _her_!"

He paused again. "Are you telling me you want to betray your own blood? I find that hard to believe…" he added darkly.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I told you, you and I are not so different. I'm only in this 'game' for myself. And you just so happened to be _useful_ in this 'game'."

"I am no one's toy, Wench," he sneered, jolting the syringe in his hand to one side.

Spectra let out a pained groan, but quickly suppressed it, and opened her mouth in a sneer, her fangs exposed. "I don't think you get the significance of me being the queen's sister! You kill me, and you will have the king and his army at your door in less than a day!"

"Maybe it's what I want…" he shot back, returning her sneer.

"No, it's not. You stand no chance against Plasmius and you know it!" she growled at him. "But I can change that for you!"

"How?" he demanded.

"You take this thing out of me, and I'll tell you," she hissed, mostly from pain.

"Or I could just drive the answer out of you…"

Spectra hardened her glare. "You either let go of me and listen, or you can kill me and await the consequences."

Thomas returned her glare, but he soon pulled away from their stare-down. He let go of the ghost's hands; and in one quick motion, pulled out the needle from the female ghost's body.

Spectra shrieked, and quickly grabbed her chest, trying to ease the burning agony with which she was left.

Thomas stood up and calmly placed the protective covering on the needle. "You should start talking," he said off-handedly as he studied the glowing purple energy within the syringe. "I took out quite a lot and that means you don't have much time left…"

Spectra slowly floated to a standing position. She didn't need to look at her body to know that it was now transparent from the lost of her energy. She also knew that she needed to return home—fast. She pushed aside her spinning head and weakness as she looked up at the 'GiW'.

"You're lucky I need whatever energy I have left to hold my form together…" she growled with a glare.

Tom smiled calmly at her. "So, 'Desiree', is it? I never heard of her. Has she been to the human world?"

Spectra glowered at him some more, clearly angry at having the tables flipped on her by someone, especially some mere human. But then she answered him, "Not since Dark's rule. And you wouldn't know about her since Plasmius does a very good job of keeping it that way. But it's not her who should interest you the most. It's his son." An evil smile edged her lips with her last words, despite her weakened position.

Thomas eyes widened. "A son?" he said in disbelief, but then suddenly his face contorted with revulsion. "Ugh! He has a spawn?!"

Spectra sighed, and crossed her arms. "Yes…" she muttered in irritation, but then it vanished and a smile returned to her face. "He such a scrumptious little thing…I just want to eat him up!" she licked her lips. "It's a good thing he's not my kid; I probably would!"

The 'GiW' gave her a look of disbelief. But before he could say anything, she continued, her smile turning even more evil—if possible.

"You'll never get my sister to play into your hands when it comes to Plasmius. She is much too careful. But my innocent little nephew… well, what can I say? He's only four!"

"I think I see where you are going… And I like the idea." Tom returned her evil grin. "But how?"

"You leave that to me…" she answered, her smile never faltering.

"How long do you need?" he asked, a thoughtful look coming across his face.

"I don't know yet. But I'll let you know soon." Suddenly, she hissed and clutched her chest as her form began to turn wispy. "I gotta go," she stated, sounding angry again.

But before she could do anything, Thomas grabbed one of her arms, the gloves on his hands allowing him to grasp the female ghost in spite of her transparent form.

"You have yet to tell me what you are getting out of this," he sneered at her, suspicion in his eyes.

"You'll know when the time comes," she answered, a sober look on her face. "Now, let me go."

He smirked at her, knowing her sober expression was just to mask her fear of him. He could keep her from leaving and kill her, if he wanted to, and she knew it.

"You know," Thomas began slowly, removing the vile of green energy that Spectra had brought him from within his jacket. He held both viles—the one with green energy, and the one with Spectra's own purple energy—in his left hand as he continued, "Maybe you're right. I should try _things_ before judging them…" He slowly got closer to her, until his mouth hovered over the side of her face.

He felt the female ghost stiffen at his action, and he chuckled smugly, before whispering to her, "Thanks for the double-dose of energy…" And with that, he moved away from her, and walked over towards the freezer in which he kept the ghost energy.

Spectra glared darkly at his retreating form as she uttered, "I want you to know that once this is all over, I plan to kill you in the worst way possible."

Tom looked at her, and shot her a challenging smirk. "Not if I kill you first… But until then," He winked at her. "Looks like we're cohorts, Penelope."

Her glare slowly vanished and she smiled both wickedly and sweetly, as she answered, "I look forward to it, _Tommy_." She blew him a kiss and quickly vanished.

He narrowed his eyes, still looking at the place she once had been. He didn't completely buy her story. Or her willingness to bring down the ghost king.

Tom briefly wondered if this was just some clever scheme Plasmius was trying to get him to fall for…

If it was, Thomas would make sure it blew up in the king's face.

But if it wasn't…

And this female ghost was really looking to betray her kind…

He smiled evilly.

Then he just received the perfect 'set-up' to take down Plasmius once and for all.

_How could he make the Ghost King surrender?_

The answer was now simple.

By using his own spawn.

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Okay! I hope you all like this evil chapter! If not, know the next one will have a four-year-old Danny finally make his entrance! Cute, huh? Please let me hear your thoughts! And, oh, Checkmate will be mostly likely updated this weekend as well! Until then!

**Translations:**

"Do you… speak?"


	12. Chapter 10: Innocence's Perception

**Alright, another installment of DoaS! Yay! For the wait, I give you the longest chapter I have ever written for any story! LOL! I think you all might need the next two hours free of distraction, hmm? **

**Now, before I let you all read, I want to inform everyone that there is a new ghost in this chapter. AND he is not mine. He belongs to a dear friend of mine by the name of JH24. I'll tell you more about it below! **

**Also, like before, everyone should assume that the ghosts when speaking are speaking in Ghost Speech, **_**unless**_** I say otherwise. BUT, with Danny it will be different. Whenever he is ****IN THE SCENE**** all Ghost Speech will be in **_**Italics**_**, and Human Speech will be as usual. Make sense? If not, you'll see as you read. **

**One last thing, I did not get to replying to reviews, but I should be able to after the weekend, so please for give me for that!**

**Okay enough yapping! I've already risked the loss of some of you from the lack of updates, can't be scaring you away with my blathering, too! LOL! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. And Juukka belongs solely to JH24. I only own this AU plot! –winks--**

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Chapter 10: Innocence's Perception

A pleasant smile graced Desiree's lips as she felt the soft texture of a silk cloak in her hands. "It feels wonderful. However, I am unsure of the color…What do you think, Dora?" she asked, looking towards her closest friend, who was beside her at the marketplace.

"Perhaps a lighter shade of pink would be most fitting for you, Milady Desiree," the dragon maid responded, touching the cloak herself

The Queen nodded. "Yes, I think you are right." Turning back to the clothes merchant, she continued, "Jasper, do you have this in a lighter pink?" she asked, handing him back the garment.

"I believe I do, my Queen," the ghost vendor said, accepting the cloak from her, before going over to the collection of attires he had, and looking through them.

As she waited, Desiree lowered her gaze down beside her and smiled. But then, a frown immediately replaced it. "Danny?" she called, looking around her.

Dora gasped. "Oh, no! Not again!" she said in alarm, quickly looking around for the four-year old Prince as well.

"How about this one, Queen Desiree?" Jasper said, handing her a lighter pink cloak.

"Jasper, have you seen Danny?" Desiree asked, accepting the robe.

The ghost chuckled, and stated more than questioned, "Oh, the young Prince vanished on you again, did he?"

"More like flew off," Desiree replied with a helpless sigh.

"He's not hiding in any of nearby market stands, Milady," Dora said, floating up to her.

Desiree looked around the vicinity once more, before blowing her hair out of her face. "Well, he's around here somewhere…"

If the Queen didn't sound too concern, it was because she really wasn't. Her son commonly gave her these kinds of slips. And since at the moment they were at the marketplace, she knew he was safe… But she still needed to find him before he got himself into mischief…

"Jasper, thank you. I'll take this one. Here you are." Desiree gave the ghost four black crystals that held a peculiar gold mist within them, before bidding him fair well, and finally headed to look for Danny.

"Let us see how long it takes us to find him this time," Dora said with a tired sigh.

Desiree smiled calmly. "At least Cujo is with him…"

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The ghost Prince's bright emerald-colored eyes gazed curiously at several large glass panels and mirrors. They were of all shapes and sizes, and so many surrounded him that he felt to be in a glass maze.

But what currently had Danny captivated was the large round mirror in front of him. Instead of seeing his normal reflection, he saw a mist of green and purple lights within it.

"_Huh? __Kio estas ĉi tiu? __(1)"_ Danny mumbled to himself, his head tilting to one side, before he reached out and touched the glass.

A look of surprise appeared on the four-year-old's face when he felt and saw the mirror react to his touch. The glass had grown warm, and instantly, the mist inside it began to spin. But before it could make him dizzy, it stopped, and the mist vanished into an image.

Danny's eyebrows creased as the mirror showed him an image of Dora and his mother talking to Jasper. But in the image, he was with them, too…

Confused, the little Prince looked behind him, wondering if this was just an actual reflection of his mother and the other ghosts. But he found no one behind him.

He looked back at the mirror, and removed his hand, causing the purple and green mist to return. But then he quickly touched it again, and he felt and saw the same effects as before. Only this time, the mirror was showing him an image of his father and himself. He remembered this, too.

And that's when it hit him.

The mirror reflected his memories.

With a wide smile, Danny moved his hand away, but then touched the mirror once more, this time thinking of a specific memory. And to his excitement, it showed up in the mirror.

"_Stranga_!(2)" he said with a giggle, and continued to try different memories, finding the whole thing quite entertaining.

"Arf!"

Danny looked away from the mirror at hearing his friend's call. _"__Kiu, Cujo?"_

A red-eyed ghost, looking very much like a green, glowing puppy, came running towards him, and started barking excitedly at the Prince.

Danny grinned widely at his companion. Clearly, the child understood the little ghost dog, and Cujo understood Danny as he said, _"Aprob! Ni ekiru! (3)"_

Whatever Cujo had said had been interesting enough for the four-year-old to forget all about the strange mirror, and take off after the ghost dog.

Cujo ran forward, zigzagging through the many ghosts and market stands surrounding the area. And Danny flew right behind him, moving just as quickly to wherever his dog was leading him.

The excited duo were oblivious to the curious and amused stares they got as they passed by, as well as the gasps they received by the many vendors whenever the two small 'comets' would almost collided with their merchandise.

But then suddenly, Cujo halted, and Danny who had been flying very low and close to his dog yelped in surprise when he collided straight into him. The crash sent them both rolling across the ground in a heap, and it was only when they hit a fruit cart did they finally halt. The Prince gasped as he saw several colorful fruits falling towards him, but then, they abruptly became suspended in mid-air before they could hit him.

Danny looked up, and found a sphinx-looking ghost gazing at him with a disapproving frown. Using her energy again, the female ghost placed the fruits back on the cart, as she said, _"Princo Phantom,_ _vi dev ekzerci pli singardemon. (4)"_

From where he was tangled up with Cujo on the ground, Danny nodded, and quickly apologized, "_Bedaŭr_."

The sphinx nodded with a small smile, before walking off and returning to what she had been doing.

Danny chose that moment to push his dog off him, and sit up. "Cujo! _Ne far tio, ke!_ (5)" he said annoyed, while rubbing his head.

Cujo wagged his tail and licked his companion's face in response, his actions quickly melting Danny's irritation.

The Ghost Prince floated up, high enough to oversee his surroundings, while Cujo sniffed the air. But then the puppy, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, began to yap excitedly at the child.

Danny turned his gaze to a specific location, and quickly noticed what Cujo had smelled. Cujo was savoring the delicious air with his tongue. The young Prince grinned widely at the sight before he flew forward with Cujo on his trail.

This time, the little Prince flew slowly through the location they had entered, clearly looking for something in specific. This was the food part of the marketplace, and he knew Cujo loved to come here. But then again, so did he.

There were just so many different kinds of foods around him that he always found the area intriguing, especially when he ran into something he had never seen before. Truth was, he didn't know what half the things around him were, but it was fun to find out. And he knew he could always rely on one specific ghost to help him out with that. To his excitement, he soon found her.

"Dearie!" a bright voice belonging to a tall and plump female ghost exclaimed.

Danny grinned and quickly flew up to her eye level. "_Saluton_, _Lunch_ _Lady_!"

The chubby woman laughed at the nickname by which Danny always called her. In reality, however, her name was Emma.

"You gave your mother the slip again, huh?" she asked in Human Speech, an amused look on her face.

The young Prince was just beginning to learn Human Speech. So, naturally, his mastery of the language was less advanced than that of Ghost Speech. However, the sheepish smile the child gave her clearly showed he had understood enough of the Lunch Lady's question to figure out what she was saying.

"I know… _kie_ she," he answered, trying to speak Human Speech. "Mommy and Dora… _kun_ Jasper!"

"Well, it's fine with me as long as you try my new dessert dish while you're here!"

Danny tilted his head. "Huh? Diert di? _Kio estas ke_?"

"No, no, Dearie. _De-ssert di-sh_," she corrected him. "_Deserto plado."_

"Oh! That! _Jes_! I try!" Danny beamed, his spectral tail excitedly moving about.

He quickly followed the ghost woman to a nearby bakery shop, with Cujo right behind him. Smiling, the four-year-old hovered behind the shop's purchasing counter while the Lunch Lady went around it and began to prepare the dessert dish she wanted the tot to try.

Cujo sat on the floor, and looked up at his companion, a bit anxious at not being able to see what was going on. He wanted to fly up next to Danny, but he knew he wasn't allowed.

"Now it's extra sweet--_ekstra_ _dolĉa_--but I don't think you'll mind," Emma said with a short laugh as she placed a plate in front of the child.

"I like exta swe!" Danny assured her, a delighted smile spread on his face as he looked down at the dessert in front of him. The peculiar looking dish had several layers to it. The bright red outside, holding the entire dessert together, had the shape of a half cut melon, but had the structure of a cabbage. The orange middle layer was made of some type of fruit jelly. And the inner layer looked like bright blue whipped cream. Finally, on the top was a piece of ice, sculpted to look like a cherry. But within, the 'ice-made cherry' was a red liquid.

Danny plucked the cherry-shaped ice treat from the dessert, and threw it into his mouth. _"Glacio Sukeraĵo estas mia preferata!"_ he managed to say as the ice melted in his mouth, releasing the sugary liquid so he could swallow it.

"I know it's your favorite; that's why I added one! But, try the rest; I think you're going to be quite surprised!" Emma said with a wide smile.

"Okay!" he replied, quickly sitting on top of the counter, his spectral tail automatically coiling around him. He picked up the entire dessert off the plate with his hands, ignoring the utensils the female ghost had placed beside the plate.

He looked at it for a moment, trying to figure out what to eat first, but then, he smiled and took a bite out of the outer red shell. A crunching noise, as if biting into an apple, sounded from it.

He heartily chewed the treat in his mouth, before swallowing, and then, exclaiming, "It good!"

"I knew you'd like it!" the female ghost beamed, clearly very pleased that the little Prince approved of her dessert.

"Arf!"

Danny looked down at Cujo who was wagging his tail expectantly at him. "Oh, _jes_," he said with a smile, before flying down to the ghost puppy and sitting on the ground beside him. _"Tie ĉi,"_ the young child said, extending the treat to his dog.

Cujo happily licked the cream center, while Danny dipped his finger into it and put some of the cream into his own mouth.

"He like too," Danny announced with a giggle as he looked up at the Lunch Lady.

She smiled at the Prince, although she was a little unnerved by how he was actually eating _with_ Cujo. It made her queasy every time, but the toddler was more than happy to share his treats with his dog.

Remembering that the Queen was probably looking for her son, the Lunch Lady said, "I'm glad you came to visit me, Dearie. But I think it's time you go find your mother."

"No need, I found him first," Desiree suddenly said, floating into the bakery shop with Dora. The Queen raised an eyebrow at her son.

Danny looked up at his mom and smiled meekly at her. "Hi, Mommy."

Knowing she couldn't encourage his misbehavior, Desiree kept a straight face and placed her hands on her hips. "Danny, what have I told you about flying off, hmm?"

Danny took a bite of his treat as he pondered the question. "Umm… no do it?"

"That's right. So, why did you, _again_?" she asked calmly

"I see _stranga spegulo! _And then I come say hi to Lunch Lady!" he explained excitedly.

Wanting her son to fully understand her, she spoke her next words in Ghost Speech. _"That is no excuse. You still disobeyed me, Danny."_

The little Prince gave Cujo the rest of the dessert in his hands. And the pup happily gobbled it down as Danny flew into his mom's arms. "_Bedaŭr_, _Panjo_, _(6)"_ he apologized, touching her 'symbol'.

"Alright," Desiree said in Human Speech, finally letting a smile tug on her lips. "But _try_ not to do it again, yes?"

"_Jes_! No again!" he agreed, wrapping his arms around her neck.

"Say 'good-bye' and 'thank you' to Emma. It's time to go home," Desiree told him.

Danny nodded and flew over to the Lunch Lady and hugged her. "Bye, Lunch Lady! _Kaj_ _Dankon_! I like the _trakt_ lot! You do good!"

"You're quite welcome, Dearie! And thank _you_ for trying it," Emma replied, smiling. "Come back soon, okay?"

"_Jes_! Soon!" he agreed, before going back to his mother.

Desiree and Dora, too, said their farewells to the nice ghost, before they finally left.

As they flew off the island, leaving behind the marketplace, Desiree and Dora chatted about everyday things, while Danny flew playfully in circles around them with Cujo on his tail. The marketplace they had gone to wasn't too far from the castle, so it wasn't long before their home came into view.

But as they approached, Danny abruptly halted his playful actions as a thought passed through his mind. "Mommy?" Danny called, landing in her arms, his tail wrapping around her waist.

"Yes, little Phantom?" she answered as they landed on the outskirts of the large island that was their home.

"When Daddy come back?" he asked, tilting his head with the question.

Desiree smiled at him in reassurance. "Soon, Danny. He'll be home soon."

Danny creased his eyebrows at his mom's response, clearly not very satisfied. But in the end, he nodded in acceptance. "Okay..." He suddenly brightened. "I go _Arbaro de Emocioj_, please?" he asked excitedly.

Desiree nodded. "Yes, you may go, but be sure to return by lunch--_reveno de lunĉo_--alright?"

Since the Queen was the one primarily teaching her son Human Speech, she knew what words he did and didn't know. So, for those that he didn't, she always repeated them in their native tongue. It really helped him learn that way. And Danny caught on fast. In fact, he was very advanced in his speaking abilities compared to other four-year-olds. He was pretty fluent with Ghost Speech and was progressing quickly with Human Speech. Not many his age could learn two languages at once, but he was managing it quite well. Desiree could have waited until he was older to begin teaching him Human Speech, but she knew from experience that the younger one learned something, the easier it was for it to be learned.

Danny smiled in understanding and nodded. _"Jes! _Lunch!" He quickly gave his mom a kiss, before flying off in the direction of another island that could be seen in the distance. "Cujo, _venu_!" he called to his dog, which barked in response and quickly flew after the four-year-old.

Desiree watched him fly off with a smile, before her expression saddened. "He really misses Vlad," she told Dora in Ghost Speech as they walked towards the castle.

Dora nodded, and responded in the same language. "Yes, but it is to be expected. Lord Plasmius has been away for quite a long time. Did he announce when his return would be?"

Desiree bit her lip in worry. "He only said he would be away longer than customary with his trips. However, it's been three weeks now…" The Queen sighed. "I miss him, too, Dora. And I'm very worried."

Dora smiled sadly. "Fear not, Milady. Lord Plasmius is both strong and wise. I'm certain he is faring just fine. _And_ _quite_ certain that he yearns to see you and the young Prince just as much. "

Desiree smiled back. "Yes, I know. But I do wish he would return soon. Danny and I both need him very much. He's our world, Dora. Things are just not the same without him."

"I am sorry that my nephew's disappearance has forced Lord Plasmius to take more frequent absences," the dragon maid said regretfully.

The Queen shook her head. "No, Dora. There is no reason for your regret. Your nephew's disappearance is a serious matter. You know Vlad couldn't just ignore it, and I wouldn't want him to, either. If only his searches would prove successful…"

It had been four years since the dragon offspring had gone missing. And although the King, Aragon, and everyone else with them had searched for the child, they still had found no traces of it… All they knew was that he had somehow ended up in the human world. The Observants had allowed Clockwork to disclose that much.

Desiree frowned heavily. "Those humans… what could they possibly want with a child?"

Dora glared hatefully. "Their cruelty knows no boundaries, Milady Desiree. I just don't understand how this could have happened. My brother is very protective of our kin, ever more so of his mate and offspring."

The Queen looked at her friend with mostly worry. "Does Aragon still blame my husband for this matter?"

The dragon maid sighed, and unconsciously grabbed hold of the amulet around her neck. "The last time I spoke with him was just after my nephew's disappearance. But I regret to say that I know him well enough to assure you that even with the passing of these couple of years my brother has not remotely changed his feelings regarding Lord Plasmius."

"I do not understand his attitude, Dora," Desiree said, sounding frustrated. "Vlad has done nothing to deserve such distrust from him. How can he believe my husband would act against a child? It's absurd!"

"I concur with your belief, Milady. I believe my brother simply seeks someone to blame. And with his dislike for the Kingdom, he finds it fitting to blame the one in charge: the King."

Desiree remained silent for a moment, before speaking again, this time sounding thoughtful. "I wonder if Aragon has found anything significant in his search for his son. He has refused to keep us informed of his doings in this matter…Perhaps… Dora, I do feel a bit hesitant to ask this of you. But do you think it's possible for you to speak with him? Perhaps he will tell you if he has any further information regarding your nephew?"

Dora silently pondered about the Queen's request, before replying, "As I mentioned, I have not spoken with him in four years; and furthermore, I have not been to my kin's home for much longer. I'm unsure how my brother will react to my sudden visit. He follows very ancient customs, you see. When I lived with him, I had very little say. I fear he will not allow me to question him, especially when he is somewhat bitter with me for choosing to be part of the Kingdom."

"I understand, Dora," Desiree said, halting and looking at her friend. "I know of his beliefs and customs. But you are still his sister. He cannot deny you entry, nor can he withhold from you information about your nephew. Please, Dora. Could you at least try?" the Queen asked, lightly touching the amulet that sat right above her friend's signature.

Dora's signature still reacted, causing the amulet to glow. The dragon maid smiled at the Queen, and returned her affection as she said, "Very well, Milady. After all, I could never bring myself to deny you anything."

"Thank you, Dora. Perhaps we can learn something helpful that could aid us in the search for your nephew."

"My poor, beloved nephew…" the dragon maid said sadly. "I do hope he is not lost completely. But it's been so long that I fear the humans have… " Dora silenced unable to say the rest.

"We must not lose hope," Desiree said comfortingly. "We could still find him safe and sound."

Dora nodded and smiled appreciatively in response. But remembering the Queen had a heavy schedule today, she quickly said, "We best hurry, Milady. There's still much to be done before your gathering with the council today."

Desiree nodded, and they both carried on to their destination.

* * *

**Translations:**

1. Huh? What's this?

2. Weird!

3. Okay! Let's go!

4. Prince Phantom, you must exercise more caution

5. Cujo! Don't do that!

6. Sorry, Mommy

* * *

Danny quickly arrived at the island neighboring his home. Ghost called this place_ 'Arbaro de Emocioj', _which translated into Human Speech meant, 'Forest of Emotions'. And its name came from the place's ability to sense emotions. In fact, some believed that the island itself was a living entity since at its center it actually held a central core like those found in any other ghost.

But the large isle never moved… unlike _everything_ that lived on it. There were all sorts of ghosts that resided in this mystic forest, most never leaving the island. So, naturally, they knew nothing outside of it, including anything related to humans.

The most peculiar aspect of this place was that it was so in tune with everything that set foot on it that it reacted to the emotions it perceived. That was why some parts of the island were warm, bright, and filled with happiness, and just a few feet away it could be cold, dark, and gloomy. The island reacted accordingly to the strongest emotions it sensed from those that roamed it.

The place was one-of-a-kind and almost magical. But to Danny, it was simply the best place in which to frolic and explore.

The little Prince giggled as he raced through the trees with Cujo in pursuit. As the happy four-year-old flew by, the flowers blossomed and the trees swayed towards him as if wanting to join Danny in his play. The swirling green novas above the island were pulled down by some unseen force until they were so close that they brightly lit the Prince's path. The warm wind also seemed to pick up, blowing in the direction the child was flying, thus helping him move faster.

"_Venu, Cujo! Kapt mi! (7)"_ Danny shouted back at the ghost dog. The little Prince had learned to fly quite fast, but he still had trouble stopping and his landings were anything but graceful at times. However, that didn't keep him from using his speed to the maximum.

Danny grinned triumphantly as he looked back again, and found Cujo was lagging behind, unable to keep up with his speed. There was no way his dog would catch him now!

But then as he turned forward again, he suddenly spotted a ghost curled up on a grassy field, asleep. And although there were all kinds of ghosts all around him, this one caught the Prince's attention because he knew him.

In his excitement, he attempted to abruptly halt while still going full speed. It didn't work too well.

The child did several unwanted loops as he tried to regain control of his erratic flight, but before he could, he found himself crashing into a tree.

"Ow," Danny said as he hung upside down, tangled up in several tree branches. But even though he was not wearing any form of clothing, he didn't suffer anything more than a couple of scratches which had already begun to heal and soon vanished.

Suddenly, the entire tree the four-year-old was in shuddered, before its branches began to move, effectively releasing Danny from his tangled position. The little Prince then slid down a branch that had lowered towards the ground for him.

"_Dankon_!" Danny said, grinning up at the tree, which shuddered one last time, before immobilizing again. The four-year-old was about to hover to a standing position, but before he could, Cujo came and pounced on him.

Danny squeaked in surprise as the little ghost dog suddenly became a _very_ large ghost dog, and his large mouth engulfed him.

Cujo clamped his mouth completely close, ignoring the Ghost Prince's protest from within as he walked off towards an open space. His tail happily wagged, as he was quite proud of himself for winning this game of catch.

Finding a flower bed, he slowly settled down on it, before finally opening his mouth and spitting Danny back out. "Wuf!"

The green slobber-covered Prince pouted up at his dog. "_Neniuj justa! (8)_"

Cujo chose at that moment to change back into his small form and yapped happily at his sulking companion.

Danny hovered to an upward position, before turning intangible, sliding the slobber off him.

**"**_**Princo?"** _a purring voice echoed in Danny's mind, and he immediately looked behind him. What he found put a bright grin on his face.

"Juukka!" Danny beamed and flew over to the ghost that had been asleep when he had spotted him. Apparently, all the commotion had woken the ghost.

Juukka purred and nuzzled his head against the Prince's chest, causing his star-shaped signature to light up. And in return, Danny hugged him tighter, enjoying the physical affection.

Juukka yelped excitedly at the child, while his happy voice sounded in Danny's mind again. The ghost held telepathic abilities, and although Juukka could not physically speak, he used said abilities to transfer his thoughts to others.

But Juukka's appearance was as unique as his abilities. He was not very tall, and was about five feet in length, not including his long tail--which was light grey and bony with a pulsating red line running down the middle. His skin was covered with black fur, grizzled with grey, and he had powerful claws on both his feet and hands. His chest, as well as the end of his legs and arms, was covered with dark green armor plates outlined with a blood-red edge.

The creature's head was most intriguing. It resembled a wolf's own, but was completely covered from his upper jaw upwards by a dark green helmet that had four white spikes attached to it, and was shaped to mimic his wolf-like features. A mask attached to the helmet covered the rest of his face, except for his green eyes. Juukka's furry, pointy ears were visible at both sides of his head, sticking out of his helmet through two holes.

Lastly, Juukka's ecto-signature glowed through his chest plate, revealing it to be in the shape of a capital 'J.'

Knowing that Juukka only knew Ghost Speech, Danny continued to speak in their language and responded to his mental words. "_I'm happy to see you, also! Me and Cujo were playing when I saw you! Hey! Do you want to play with us?!" _Danny asked, his spectral tail flicking about excitedly.

With more happy yelps, the ghost telepathically answered, **"_Of course I do! But now __you__ must catch __me__!"_** Juukka jumped on all fours and took off through the forest.

Danny and Cujo immediately looked at each other, a mischievous expression appearing on their faces.

The little Prince loved being chased, but he also loved doing the chasing, since he could put his stalking and pouncing skills to the test. And he was quite good with them, too. But in the end, it was really all about strategy when it came to winning his current game. Or at least that's what his father had taught him…

"_You go that way," _Danny told his dog, who barked in understanding, before they both took off after Juukka in opposite angles.

* * *

**Translations:**

7. Come on, Cujo, catch me!

8. No fair!

* * *

"Then it is decided. The Kingdom's currency will remain at its present value, and will continue to _only_ be used for the acquisition of consumable goods," Desiree said to the council.

Usually, her husband dealt with these matters, but since he was absent, the Queen was addressing the current council meeting. And being that the meeting was for specific and serious matters, the gathering was being held at the High Tribunal instead of the palace.

The council had been addressing the matter of finances, which compared that of the Human World, could be considered quite primitive. Ghosts only used 'money'—which looked like different colored spheres with gold dust within-- to purchase things, like clothing or food. They had no need to sell and purchase property, since there was an abundance of land and most ghosts had the capabilities of creating their own homes.

Labor was usually not even a necessity; and most ghosts did what they did simply because it pleased them. In short, money was nothing more than just a way of assuring fair trade for things. So much so, that ghosts would even just trade items, and leave money out of it all together. It was this primitive use of money that kept things like robberies and greed to an _almost_ nonexistent level.

At the moment, however, the topic of increasing the usage of their currency had been brought up by a few of the council members, believing that it would bring more prosperity to the Kingdom. But in the end, after bringing forth the fact that no one in the Kingdom was suffering from any kind of necessity, the council decided against it with a majority vote. And that proved the current handling of finances was working efficiently.

"Then if no one has any further words," Horris spoke up, "then let's move to the last matter that must be addressed today."

Hearing that everyone remained silent, the head Ancient looked towards the Queen, who gave him a small nod to continue. "Queen Desiree, fellow Council Members, I believe, I _know_ that all decisions made here have always been made in behalf of the Kingdom's greater good. It is why I am forced to bring this next matter forth today." Horris paused briefly, and then continued, "It has been four years since the tragic disappearance of Aragon's son. And we have been unsuccessful in finding any trace of the young ghost. As we know, the Observants conceded that Clockwork confirm to us our suspicions that the humans were somehow involved with this. However, that has not been enough to aid us in finding the child."

Horris paused upon seeing the head Observant stand, clearly wanting permission to speak. And receiving it, the Observant spoke, "I would like to speak in favor of the rest of the Observants and Clockwork. We do sympathize for the loss of this young ghost. It is why we permitted that Clockwork divulge the fact that the child somehow ended up in the Human World. However, like all of you, in regard to the Kingdom, **we** protect the knowledge of the time lines occurrences for the greater good. The Observants, including myself, do not know of what has become of Aragon's son. Clockwork in the only one privileged to—"

"I wouldn't exactly call it _privileged_," Clockwork interrupted dryly, his bored gaze looking at nothing in particular.

The head Observant silenced himself as some looked over at Clockwork, while others lowered their heads in hopes of hiding their amusement. The Queen just creased her eyebrows in sympathy for the ghost. It had to be hard to be who he was at times.

The head Observant cleared his throat after shooting the Time Master a disapproving look—not that Clockwork cared--before continuing, "My point is that if we have forbidden Clockwork from revealing what he knows, it is because we have to consider what's best for all existence."

"And as hard as it is to accept it, your decision _is_ understandable…Just like the council's decision must also be today," the head ancient added soberly. Seeing the Observant sit down, Horris continued, "But before I go any further, there is something I must clear up with this council." He briefly looked at the Queen, before turning his gaze back to the council members. "I know it is rumored that the King and others have been traveling to the Human World seeking Aragon's son… I am confirming that rumor today."

Immediately, the room filled with gasps followed by loud murmuring. But then, Nocturne spoke up. "Are you telling us that our own King is going against a law he set down himself?"

"And what law is that exactly, Nocturne?" Desiree questioned, before Horris could answer.

"No ghost is to set foot in the Human World—"

"—_without_ the _King__'s_ permission," the Queen finished for the ghost, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean King Plasmius is entitled to do whatever he pleases," another ghost by the name of Hotep-Ra—looking much like a mummy--interrupted. "There is an order to our world, Queen Desiree. Everything that affects the Kingdom has to be run by this council. And this is the second time the King has acted without informing the council. It is unacceptable."

Everyone silenced, awaiting a response from the Queen. But she, too remained quiet, and for a moment everyone thought she had no words to contradict the two council members. That is, until a soft scoff sounded from her throat, followed by a shake of her head.

Desiree stood from her seat and calmly walked forward into the center of the circular room, this time regarding everyone around her. "This kingdom has had a Council for many centuries." she began calmly. "The majority of you have been part of this Council long enough to see the rise and fall of Pariah. And all of you have been here to see the rise of your current ruler. A ruler that this _same_ Council agreed, alongside the Ancients, to appoint as King. So, please, tell me, because I fail to understand, why you have such distrust for that ruler, _your King_, placed by your own hands?"

The Queen's calm demeanor left her as she continued. "Has Vlad not raised us all above the dark times we faced during Pariah's rule? Did he not end our constant war against the humans? Has he not always acted in favor of this Kingdom? Then _why_ do you question his every decision? _Why_ do you all have him as your King if you do not trust him?" she demanded to know.

"My Queen, of course we trust him," Nocturne answered with a frown. "There is no question that he is a fair and wise ruler. All I wish, all _we_ wish, is that he would not keep us in the dark about grave matters such as this."

Horris finally spoke up. "The King is not required to seek the Council's approval for everything _he_ does. He informed me of his doings, and I approved of them. That is enough. If _**I**_ chose not to tell the Council of the King's travels into the Human World, it was because I wished not to raise alarm."

Nocturne sat down without further word, but Hotep-Ra remained standing and asked, "What of those other ghosts whom are helping the King? Are they with him now? Are they and the King currently in the Human World?"

Horris didn't answer right away, but when he did speak, he spoke carefully. "The King does what he must. And involves others _only_ when necessary. Are there currently ghosts in the Human World? No, there are not."

"And I assume you include King Plasmius in your claim," Hotep-Ra continued. "So, if he's not in the Human World, where is he?"

"Your assumptions are your own," Desiree interrupted. "I will not let Horris deny nor confirm them. What your King's personal actions are is not of your concern."

Hotep-Ra bowed deeply. "Yes, you are correct, my Queen. My question was out of line. I apologize."

The Queen nodded, before looking at Horris, and suggesting, "Please, continue."

Horris nodded. "As you all can clearly see, we have gone to dangerous lengths to find Aragon's son. Each time any ghost steps foot into the Human World, it is a risk not only to that ghost himself, but also to our entire race. The humans would not hesitate to capture a fellow ghost and find some diabolical way to use him or her against our own race. Council Members…. Queen Desiree…. We have been jeopardizing the safety of our entire world for four years now…. I believe it is time we put an end to the search for Aragon's son."

Again, everyone broke into loud gasps and murmurs, forcing Horris to bring order into the room once more. "Silence!" he ordered firmly, raising a hand and firing a purple beam above him. The room flashed a bright purple, instantly silencing the room.

"Fellow Council Members, please. I understand this is a difficult matter, but we must maintain order," Horris said as the room returned to its normal lighting. "This delicate subject has already been discussed among the other Ancients and myself. It was in majority agreement that we decided to present it to the council today."

Desiree, who had been shocked by the head Ancient's words, finally spoke up. "Horris, the Ancients cannot possibly be considering abandoning that child to its own luck!" she exclaimed.

"Queen Desiree, it has been four years. You and I, _everyone_ knows that the possibility of that child even being alive is just shy of impossible." He looked over at the council members, adding, "Humans are savage scavengers. They have never held any remorse in preying on the weak and defenseless. And unfortunately, Aragon's son has been one of their victims."

Horris sighed. "This decision is not easy for any of us to take. But it is with a heavy soul that I say I believe it is too late for the young dragon. If we continue to search for the child we are endangering ourselves, but more importantly, the _other_ children of this world. Just one mistake could cost us our whole world. I ask all of you, is it wise to continue to take such a risk?"

"I will not agree to such a thing," the Queen whispered soberly.

The Head Ancient returned her sober gaze, before looking back at the council members. "The fate of Aragon's son and of our own race lies in this council's hands. I will give you all a moment to come to a decision."

Horris looked back at Desiree who didn't hesitate to speak to him. "Horris, he's just a child. How could you even contemplate--"

"The child is dead, Queen Desiree," the Head Ancient interrupted, a deep and serious tone ringing in his voice.

"You do not know that!" she protested.

"I do not need to. Tell me of a time when a human has kept one of our own alive for more than a couple of weeks after they have been captured. Do not think for one moment that this was something easy for me, or for the Ancients to have to address, Queen Desiree. But we must think of the safety of our race. It is our main priority. And you should take more consideration for the safety of your husband. It is _he_ who is at most risk in all this. Do you not see this?"

"I know that, Horris. But… I will not agree to this. And you know, Vlad would not, either."

"I know," Horris said with a nod. "But this is not a personal matter. And therefore, you and the King must submit to the council's decision."

Desiree could find nothing more to say. And with a sigh, Horris turned back to the council members. "It is time to come to a verdict. Queen Desiree, state your decision."

"I am against suspending the search for Aragon's son," she said firmly.

"You have heard your Queen," Horris said. "The Ancients voted to bring this issue forward, but for those who support the Queen's decision, let it be known now."

Three ancients lifted their right glowing purple hands.

The Head Ancient looked to the Observants; and knowing Clockwork never voted for anything, he only addressed them. "Observants?"

Not one raised a hand.

Horris nodded and looked at the first row. "And finally, advisors and officials. If you support Queen Desiree's verdict, let it be known."

Only four raised their hands, one of them, of course, being Skulker. And, of course, **not** one of them being Walker.

Desiree sighed, casting her gaze downward. The council's majority decision was clear.

"Queen Desiree, your verdict has been overruled by majority vote. The search for Aragon's son will come to an end immediately," Horris announced.

Walker discreetly smirked. It was about time they forgot about that dragon brat. It had been putting unwanted stress on him for four years. He was glad to be free of it, finally. However, Walker did not expect the Queen's next words.

Desiree, remembering her talk with Dora quickly said, "Horris, Council Members. If we are suspending the search for Aragon's son, I would like to try one last attempt at helping the child."

Horris frowned. "Queen Desiree, you are not speaking of going into the Human World yourself? It is dangerous. Not to mention, the King would not allow it."

"No, that's not what I speak of," Desiree quickly said. "I spoke to Dora, the dragon maid residing in the Kingdom, and asked if she would speak to Aragon. Perhaps he can give us some form of information that can aid us in finding his son."

"Aragon will not share information with the Kingdom, you know this," Horris replied.

"Maybe not to us, but perhaps to his sister…. And I will go with her."

Everyone gasped, and Skulker quickly objected. "Desiree, you cannot go to the Dragon Realm. It is off limits to everyone in the Kingdom!"

"Dora will ask her brother for my permission to enter his territory."

"But it's dangerous!" Skulker exclaimed.

The Queen shook her head. "Aragon is not our enemy. And he would not act against anyone unless provoked. He might be a lot of things, but he is not dangerous, Skulker."

Horris interjected. "Being that this is a personal choice, the Council cannot object to your decision. But I do advise you practice caution."

The Queen nodded. "I will, but your worry and yours, Skulker, are unfounded," she assured them. "Now, there is something that I would like the Council to vote on."

"Alright," Horris said, his tone asking her to continue.

"If I am successful and do find solid information on Aragon's son, then I would like to ask of the Council to consider retracting their recent verdict on the suspension of the child's search. And, of course, if I find _nothing_, then we suspend the search as was agreed today."

"Just a moment," Walker suddenly interrupted, standing again. "Perhaps we should wait for the King's return before making any further decisions on this matter." The Warden, of course, did not want the Queen journeying to the Dragon Realm and risk having her find any evidence on what Spectra had done. He would prevent it if he could.

"Is that so?" Desiree retorted coldly, raising an eyebrow. "Then, please, Walker, tell me why you believe my presence is not enough to make 'further decisions'. And let me forewarn you, I am not as tolerant to disrespect as my husband."

Walker frowned, realizing that in his nervousness, he did not measure his words as he should have. "It was not my intention to imply that your presence is not enough, Queen Desiree. I only meant that perhaps we should hear the King's say in this delicate subject as well."

"You fail to understand, Walker, that my husband and I are **one**. _My_ word **is** _his_ word, as mine is his. Is this clear to you?" she asked with a stern edge in her voice.

"Yes," the warden answered. "I realize my comment was out of line."

"Your ignorance is forgiven," the Queen answered more calmly, before turning her gaze back to Horris, while Walker quietly sat back down. "Could we put this to vote then?" she asked.

"Yes," Horris answered. And again, the Council voted. But this time, the majority voted in favor of the Queen. "Very well, you have a week, Queen Desiree. If you find pertinent information, then the search for Aragon's son will continue. Otherwise, it will be suspended permanently," Horris said.

Walker spoke up again. "I would like to offer you a couple of my best guards to accompany you on your trip, Queen Desiree. Bullet--"

"I appreciate your offer, Walker," Desiree said, cutting him off. "But I already have someone in mind to accompany me."

Walker just nodded and sat down.

"Then if anyone does not have further comments, we will adjourn this meeting," Horris said. And not seeing anyone say anything further, they did just that.

* * *

"Are you sure the kid's here?" Bertrand asked, raising a curious eyebrow as he and Spectra landed on the isle _Arbaro de Emocioj._

"Well, he's not with my sister, since she's off at some meeting at the High Court; and he's not in the castle's surrounding territory. So that means he's on his own somewhere else. And since _this_ is the _only_ place that Desiree would let him go off by himself, then, yes, I'm certain he's here," Spectra answered lightly.

Bertrand just nodded in response, while he and his companion silently scanned the vast island for their 'target'. Both of the ghosts ignored how everything near them darkened or wilted away, turning into ashes before them.

Bertrand smirked. "This place might be pretty large, but finding the kid here shouldn't be too hard," he said, pointing at the large gathering of energy novas above the island, some distance away.

Looking towards the direction she was being shown, Spectra returned the smirk. "Oh, yeah, that's my sweet naïve little nephew all right. Only he can literally brighten the day!"

Bertrand chuckled. "Tell me about it. It makes you wonder what Plasmius and Desiree feed the kid to keep him so happy and energetic all the time."

Both ghosts walked off in the direction they believed the Prince to be in, continuing to darken everything they touched. It was only when they moved on that the wilted flora and the gloomy atmosphere surrounding that part of the island that they had just left slowly recovered.

A dark smile grew on Spectra's lips as she responded to Bertrand's remark. "I wouldn't mind depleting him of all that 'brightness', but he would be sure to feel it. And that would then mean dealing with an unhappy sister and brother-in-law, and I don't need that headache at the moment."

"Do you really think this will work? The plan, I mean. It's not going to be easy to pull this off without being caught. And that ghost hunter who almost killed you… Do you think it's safe to trust him?"

"Trust him?!" Spectra repeated, a sharp laugh escaping her lips. "I don't trust that human worm. But I know he wants Vlad enough to go with my plans. And as for getting caught….That's not gonna happen if we carefully attach all the strings in their correct places."

"Well, that sounds doable! And especially if they won't know who's pulling the strings until it's too late!" the shift-shaping ghost added, excited by the idea of playing puppeteer.

With a thoughtful smile, the female ghost suddenly said, "Speaking of 'pulling strings', I wonder how that little dragon is faring. Maybe we should pay him and Freakshow a visit one of these days…wouldn't that be fun?"

"If that means we can also catch _lunch_ while we're there, then I say it's a 'must do'!" he said with evil glee. But then a thoughtful look added to the smile on his face. "By the way, how long has it been? Four--five years?" Bertrand chuckled. "And Plasmius and Aragon are _still_ looking for the kid. You would think they'd pass him off as dead by now."

Spectra shrugged, showing no concern on the matter. "They can keep on searching all they want. They will never find him. Not when they are looking in all the wrong places. If Vlad really is searching the Human World, I'm sure he's targeting the ghost hunters. He would never think to look around a washed-down carnival at the outskirts of some insignificant little town."

Bertrand raised an eyebrow in interest. "_Is_ the King in the Human World?"

Again, Spectra shrugged. "_I_ think he is. But the Ancients are making the whole thing one big secret, or so Walker says. He told me even he has not been told everything about Vlad's little mystery trips and he's part of the Council."

"If only _the_ _King_ never came back from said trips… I can't wait to be rid of him," the male ghost said, with a dark look on his face.

Spectra gave her companion an amused look, but said nothing.

As they floated on, the shadow-ghost vaguely observed the ghosts that inhabited the island, and how they either fled before her or kept a keen, nervous watch on her.

The place was filled with some of the most mystic and mysterious ghosts in their entire world. In fact, most legends and fairytales told to children—even those told to _human_ children—were based off the creatures that lived on this land.

Passing a mixed herd of grazing unicorns and pegasuses, Spectra and Bertrand's attention went to a lake they were nearing. They turned toward the sound of the melodic singing, trying to pinpoint its location.

They soon noticed that a couple of mermaids and mermen sitting on the rocks along the silver glowing lake were responsible for the music.

But the unique beings' singing abruptly stopped as they spotted the two visiting ghosts. With a gasp, they instantly became invisible, loud splashes the only sign that the ghosts had retreated back into the lake's waters.

Spectra rolled her eyes. "The ghosts here are so primitive," she mumbled with disgust. "It's amazing they survive so well on their own."

"Well, they have a lot of unique abilities. _I_ personally like them… they're fun to mess with," Bertrand added, watching four griffin cubs playing under the watchful eyes of their parents.

But when the two adults griffins noticed Spectra and him, the two large creatures stood, their wings spread wide in a warning posture.

"Or at least it's fun to mess with _most_," Bertrand corrected, as the menacing hisses coming from the griffins put a nervous frown on his face.

Spectra also noticed the creatures, but she only regarded their threats with mild boredom, before turning her attention forward, and continuing on.

A half-hour later, the female shadow ghost and the male shape-shifting ghost noticed another more prominent sign of their closing proximity to the little Prince.

Spectra halted as she stared down at the luscious grass and bright flowers right below her. "Bertrand, see what I see?" she asked with a wide evil grin.

"You bet I do," he answered, also smiling at the fact that the environment around them no longer dimmed in their presence. And that only meant one thing:

There was a _very_ happy ghost nearby keeping at bay their negative effects on the island… Spectra and Bertrand could only think of one ghost at the present moment who could generate emotions strong enough to do that.

And they soon spotted him.

Spectra and Bertrand quickly turned invisible and moved closer. They could easily see Danny hiding inside a long field of purple grass. At their close range, the child's white hair had clearly given him away.

"Oh! Good! He's alone!" Spectra whispered happily.

"Think again," Bertrand answered, pointing to seven little creatures flying towards the Ghost Prince.

"_Papilio-_ _feinoj …(9)" _Spectra murmured in Ghost Speech, before rolling her eyes. The small ghosts looked like multi-colored butterflies, but she knew they were more than that. Still, they were only a minor annoyance. "Don't worry, I can handle them."

"Hold on," Bertrand said, stopping her from trying anything just yet. "I don't think they are the only ghosts with him… Who is he hiding from?"

The shadow ghost watched closely as the small butterflies that no longer looked like butterflies, but fairies, said something to the Prince, before they doubled-back towards the dense area of trees from which they had come from.

It wasn't long before Danny's two other companions came running out of the trees, fleeing from the ghost fairies chasing them.

Spectra frowned with displeasure, "I expected that pest, Cujo, to be with him, but not Juukka… You're gonna have to distract them both, Bertrand." She sighed in annoyance, knowing the unique ghost would not be easily tricked.

"I can handle Juukka, don't worry," Bertrand assured her, a plan already forming in his head.

"What do you have in mind?" Spectra asked, observing how the seven little creatures were trying to herd Cujo and Juukka towards the hiding Prince.

"Well, I'm not very good at mimicry, but I think I can play the kid long enough to make them believe I'm him from afar," Bertrand said evilly, before changing into an almost look-alike version of the Ghost Prince. He had him all down, expect for the fact that the shape-shifter's eyes remained red and his hair looked more gray than white.

"Alright, I'll try to be quick," Spectra said, looking back at her nephew.

* * *

**Translations:**

9. Butterfly-fairies

* * *

Danny kept still and quiet within the tall grass, not wanting to be discovered. This time, the Prince was after Juukka _and_ Cujo. But, the child also had a bit of help on his side as well. The small ghosts currently helping him had spotted the four-year-old and his companions playing and had quickly asked to join in the fun. Of course, Danny had said 'yes'. And the child soon saw them returning.

Danny poked his head out of the grass. _"You find them?"_ he asked the butterflies above him.

All seven butterflies quickly became tiny fairies and landed on his shoulders, before one of them began to whisper something in the Prince's ear.

A grin spread on Danny's face. _"They close by? Okay! You chase them and I pounce!"_ he exclaimed softly.

The fairies giggled in delight and nodded, before turning back into butterflies and taking off into the trees again.

Lowering back into the high grass, Danny became invisible, and waited. It wasn't too long before Cujo and Juukka came running out of the trees, fleeing from the Butterfly-fairies.

A mischievous look adorned the Ghost Prince's face as he watched the seven small ghosts attempting to herd Juukka and Cujo closer to where he was hiding. Danny knew that the hardest part of the game was not finding his targets, but getting close enough to pounce on them.

And he soon saw his chance quickly approaching with Juukka.

Turning visible but remaining hidden in the grass, the four-year-old got ready to fly at Juukka. And he would have if someone hadn't beaten him to it.

Danny gasped as a ghost looking very much like him charged at his friends, causing both Juukka and Cujo to sprint away from it. Clearly, his friends were too excited to look closely enough at the ghost that was chasing them to realize it wasn't really the Prince.

"_Hey… that's not me,"_ Danny said, too confused to do anything but watch as the look-alike him chase off Juukka and Cujo further and further away from him. Even the butterfly-fairies had left since they were still trying to help 'him' catch Juukka and Cujo.

Danny suddenly frowned, not liking that his perfect plan had been foiled by someone trying to pass off as him. _"Wait! Come back, that's not me!"_ he shouted, losing his cover.

But when he tried to fly after his friends, he felt something grab his tail, preventing him from going anywhere.

"_Hey!"_ he protested, quickly looking back to see who was restraining him.

"_Hey to you, little nephew!"_ Spectra beamed, also speaking in Ghost Speech, yet not surrendering her hold on the child.

Surprised was not enough to describe the look on Danny's face. But it soon fell, and a shy smile replaced it. _"Oh, hi, Aunt Spectra,"_ he greeted her.

She gave him a mocking hurt pout in return. _"That's it? Just 'Hi'? Where's my hug?" _

"_Um…"_ Danny mumbled, still a bit taken aback by her sudden appearance. But again, he quickly got over it. Smiling brightly, he gave her a hug, his little hands wrapping tightly around her neck. But almost instantly, he let go and excitedly said, _"Okay, I got to go find Cujo and Juukka now! Bye!"_

Unfortunately, he couldn't quite do that.

Danny looked back, and frowned at the hand still wrapped around his spectral tail.

"_There's something I want to show you, Danny,"_ Spectra explained, bringing his pupil-less green eyes back to her own.

"_You want to show me something?"_ he repeated, not sounding very interested.

"_Um-hmm,"_ she said, smiling widely at him, before tickling her nephew's tail.

Danny quickly reacted with a jolt and a fit of laughter. _"That tickles! Stop!"_ he exclaimed, grabbing her hand in an attempt to make her stop.

"_Only if you go with me,"_ Spectra answered, although she did stop.

Danny's giggles died down and he relaxed again. _"Okay, but later. After I find Cujo and Juukka, okay?"_ He grabbed his tail and began to tug on it to get it out of her hold.

"_You don't need to find them. Bertrand is already doing that for you__,"_ she answered with a smirk.

Danny paused. _"Bertrand?" _he questioned. And then it hit him. _"Hey! He turn into me!"_ he protested, knowing that the ghost could change into anything he wanted. _"I don't like that!"_

"_Danny,"_ Spectra began sweetly, finally letting go of his tail. _"He just wants to play with them. You're not jealous… are you?"_

Danny creased his eyebrows. _"What 'jealous' mean?"_

Spectra burst into laughter, and the Prince immediately pouted. _"What so funny?"_

"_Nothing, nothing!"_ she said, quickly putting her hands up in mock surrender, her amusement falling into a smile. _"You're just so darn cute, little nephew."_

Danny scratched his head, not getting his aunt's weird mood changes. _"Um… Okay. I go now,"_ he said, and flew off.

But Spectra quickly went after him and caught up. _"You don't want to see what I found? It's very neat. I promise you're gonna like it…"_

This time, Danny regarded her with curiosity, although he continued his flight. _"What is it?"_

"_A surprise. One you have __**never**__ seen before,"_ she replied sweetly, winking at him.

The Prince slowed down, a smile on his face as he pondered her words. He liked surprises. And he liked new things even more….

"_Okay!"_ he beamed, completely halting his flight.

"_Wonderful!"_ Spectra squealed. _"Follow me!"_ The female ghost quickly took off towards a direction opposite to where Bertrand had lead Juukka and Cujo.

Excited, Danny swiftly followed beside her, but when they reached the end of the island, and the little Prince realized his aunt was planning on taking him off it, he instantly halted.

Spectra frowned, also stopping her flight upon noticing this. She looked back at Danny who stared back at her worriedly. _"What's wrong, Danny?"_

The four-year-old twirled a white lock of hair in one of his fingers as he answered, _"Mommy said I can't go out there by myself. She said I can only play here."_

Spectra smiled again, before she flew over to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. _"Oh, is that all? You don't have to worry about that. You're not wondering off by yourself. You are going with your Aunt Spectra!" _she said brightly.

"_But she said to stay here; and I got to be back for lunch,"_ Danny insisted, not feeling comfortable with going anywhere without his mother or father.

"_You don't trust me, do you?"_ Spectra said asked with a sad look. _"What would your parents say if they knew that, huh?"_

Danny looked troubled by her words. _"No, I not saying that!"_ he quickly protested.

"_Then let's go!"_ she exclaimed, sounding happy again. And before Danny could say anything, Spectra grabbed one of his hands and flew off the island with him in tow.

The Ghost Prince looked back at his playing grounds as they slowly vanished from view. He frowned, before looking up at his aunt. _"I won't get in trouble, right?" _

"_Of course not!"_ Spectra dismissed with an assuring wink.

Danny visibly relaxed, and began to excitedly take in his passing surroundings. _"Where we going?"_

"_Ancient Paradise,"_ she answered lightly, not looking at him as they continued forward.

"_I never go there!"_ Danny said with a smile. _"It is nice?"_

"_**I**__ think so! Some of the most ancient ghosts live there. And there are giant mountains everywhere! But best of all, your surprise is there!"_ She gave him a secretive smirk at the end that put a larger smile the child's face. But deciding to steer their conversation to one of her specific interest, Spectra asked, _"So, Danny… I hear your mom's teaching you Human Speech?"_

Danny nodded proudly, and switched to Human Speech as he answered, "Yes! I learning!"

"Wow! No kidding! You are very clever to be learning two languages at once," she complemented, also switching to Human Speech.

Danny paused in thought, trying to piece together what his aunt had just said, but before he could, Spectra continued, "And what does 'Daddy' think of it?"

_That_ he understood clearly, and a frown replaced his smile. "He no like it. I heard he tell Mommy."

"And he doesn't like it for a good reason, you know. I mean, considering where _Homa Parolado_ comes from…" she stated carefully.

"Come… from? ..._Mi ne kompren_," Danny said, confused.

"You don't understand?" Spectra repeated. "Don't tell me your parents haven't told you about humans… about _homoj_?"

Danny only shook his head.

"Oh, well, I guess they don't think you're brave enough to know," she said lightly with a shrug.

"Hey! I br… um…" Danny paused, realizing he didn't know what that even meant, let alone be able to pronounce it.

"Brave, Danny," Spectra repeated, "Means, _kuraĝa"_

Now he was free to protest…

"I am, too!" Danny assured her, puffing out his little chest.

Spectra laughed, as she took a left, still holding onto her nephew's hand. "Of course you are! But, hey, it's not my fault your parents don't think so."

Danny looked troubled by her words. But then he smiled and asked, hopeful, "You tell me?"

"Well…. I _would_…. But then I would get into trouble with your parents …_But_… since _I _think you can handle it, I will tell you that humans—_homoj_--are another _specio_ that live in another world, another _mundo_." She raised an eyebrow at him, interested in his response.

But the four-year-old didn't understand what a different 'species' or 'world' was, even when told the words in his own language. The Prince only knew of his species and his home. So, his response was a shake of his head as he said, "_Mi ne kompren." _

The shadow ghost frowned for a moment, a bit put off by his inability to understand. But then she dismissed it with a shrug. "Just ask your parents, Danny… _Or_…" A suggestive smirk pulled at her lips. "You could always find out on your own…"

But the Ghost Prince had already decided he liked the first option better. "I go ask! Mommy tell me!"

"And 'Daddy'? Why not ask him?" Spectra said, her smirk growing. She knew that the King was very touchy with anything relating to humans, and having his own son questioning him on the subject would be sure to get an interesting reaction out of the male ghost… She could only hope to be there to see that!

"I can-not," Danny replied, his eyes lowering in sadness. "Daddy… he not home."

"I heard…" Spectra said calmly, although her eyes were now hungrily towards the child's signature, knowing that with his now gloomy demeanor it would all too easy to feed off his delicious energy. She had never tried to. In fact, she had not even _touched_ her nephew there again since he was a baby, although she itched to know if he felt as good--or better--than before. But if he reacted as badly as he had when just a few weeks old…it would spell trouble… But who would know while they were all alone?

No one.

"Danny," she called, tightening her hold on his hand to get him to look up at her. "Do you know _where_ 'Daddy' is?

Danny just blinked at her. He had never thought of that, let alone asked his mother… "I… no know… But Mommy say he come back soon."

"Soon? Are you sure about that? Hasn't he been gone for almost a month now? That doesn't sound like 'soon' to me."

Danny didn't say anything, and it took everything in Spectra to not use the hold she had on her nephew's hand to extract the unhappy energy that was circling through him. To Danny's luck, however, this was not the reason she had brought him out here by himself. But that didn't mean she couldn't mess with him.

Spectra suddenly gasped in mock worry. "Could it be that he has abandoned you?"

Danny's eyebrows creased. "Ab…den?"

"_Abandoned_. As in _never_ coming back…"

The four-year-old's eyes widened. "No come back? But… I want him come back," he whimpered, now looking on the verge of tears.

"And we _all_ want that. But maybe…maybe he's just stopped loving you," she said, giving him sympathetic look, although internally she was grinning at the reaction her words would get. Only that… they didn't get the reaction she had expected.

The instant the little Prince heard her words, something sparked inside him, and he suddenly looked _really_ mad at her. "_Ne vera! (10)"_ he shouted, roughly removing his hand from her hold, and halting in flight. "My daddy love me! He no abden me!"

Spectra was taken aback by her nephew's sudden burst of anger. Clearly, the child was more sensitive about his father's absence than she had thought. With a somewhat nervous frown on her face, she gently asked, "Calm down, Danny."

But he didn't, and his glare stayed firm. "I want go home! _Aktuale! (11)_" he demanded, not wanting to be with her anymore. How could his aunt say something so untrue? He _knew_ his father loved him. He could _feel_ it in his every affectionate touch.

The female ghost resisted the urge to glare right back at the Prince. How dare he try to order her around? He wasn't even King yet and he was already making commands!

Biting her tongue, she continued in the same gentle tone as before. "Look, you're right. I shouldn't have said that, okay? Don't be mad with me, Danny. I'm your aunt. Your _only_ aunt." Spectra smiled apologetically as she extended her hand to the little Prince.

Danny looked at her hand, his anger snuffing away. "Vi ne signif tio, ke?" he asked, rubbing one of his eyes.

"No, I didn't mean it. Of course Vlad loves you! What's not to love?" she said, pinching his cheek.

Danny giggled, before grabbing her hand again as if nothing had happened. "_You_ love me?"

Spectra grinned widely as they resumed their flight. "So much, I could suck the life right out of you!" she assured him.

Danny grinned back. He had no clue what she had just said, but she was smiling, so it had to be something good.

"And Cujo love me, too!" he announced happily; and suddenly remembering what his dog and he did early in the day, he quickly switched back into Ghost Speech so he could tell his aunt all about it. _"I went to the market with Mommy and Dora and Cujo today! And then Cujo and me go to…"_

A moment later of flying and Danny talking his little 'heart' out about all his adventures with Cujo, they had arrived where Spectra wanted.

"_Oh, look, we're here_!" she interrupted the little Prince who was about to tell her another story. She had to give her sister credit for being able to put up with the yapping kid every day.

Danny looked at the floating terrain ahead, and immediately his smile vanished. The place was very dark, since there was only a single Energy Nova above it. And the black smoke rising into the atmosphere almost blanketed the land completely from view. But the large active volcanoes that seemed to be everywhere were hard to mask. Looking unsure, he asked,_ "We go there?"_

Spectra nodded excitedly, and answered in Ghost Speech. _"Yup! What I want to show you is there!" _

She flew down with an unusually quiet Danny. The four-year-old had never experienced danger since nothing had ever tried to harm him before. But something inside him—possibly instinct—told him he should feel wary of the land they were now on.

However, his nervousness was momentarily forgotten when something more significant was brought to his attention. _"It's hot!"_ he exclaimed, beats of sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

"_Just a bit,"_ Spectra said lightly, looking around to get her bearings. _"Don't worry, we won't be here long."_

Suddenly, a loud roar resonated through the air, jolting Danny, and his hold on his aunt's hand grew tighter.

Spectra laughed lightly. _"Brave, Huh?"_

But Danny was too scared to notice her jab. _"W-What's that?"_ he whispered.

"_A ghost. What else?"_ she answered with a dismissive shrug. She turned her hand intangible, dislodging it from her nephew's hold, before turning away from him. _"Follow me,"_ she said casually.

Danny gasped at being left behind, and quickly took off after the female ghost. He looked around, his hands nervously wriggling each other, silently wishing he still had his aunt's protecting hand in his.

He could see that a lot of very large ghosts lived here, ones he had never seen before. While some had small heads with long necks, connecting to large bodies and tails, others had large heads with horns, connecting to short and heavy bodies and tails. All those were walking and grazing around. But then some others were flying around using their venous, featherless, and long wings attached to their skinny arms. Their beaks were almost as long as their wings, too.

The little Prince suddenly froze, a curious look dawning on his face as he noticed another of these strange ghosts. It walked on large powerful hind legs and had little arms on its side. But its most impacting feature was its huge head; or more specifically, its large mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth much, _much_ bigger than himself.

However, what had melted away the child's nervousness and had him forgetting all about keeping up with his aunt was the way this large ghost was approaching a three-horned ghost with a beak-like mouth. Why was it sneaking up so oddly on the other? It was like his stalking game only… not.

Spectra quickly took notice of Danny's absence, and looked back. She gasped when she saw what had him distracted.

"_Danny!"_ she called out, quickly flying towards him and grabbing his arm. _"Don't lag behind,"_ she said, before pulling him closer and forcing him to move. Although she would have loved to see his reaction to what she knew was about to take place between the two large ghosts, she **did not** want to see her sister and brother-in-law's reaction if they found out she exposed their son to something like _that_.

Danny tried to look back at the two ghosts he had been looking at, but the way his aunt was holding him wouldn't allow him to. "What they do?" he questioned in Human Speech.

"Playing," she lied with a smile, subconsciously switching to Human Speech as well from hearing her nephew do so.

"Oh…" was his thoughtful response.

For the rest of the flight, Danny stayed close, not liking how almost everything around him was either bubbling or on fire. Not to mention the heat was starting to get to him. He wasn't use to such an extreme climate.

Spectra landed near a small cave, before looking down at Danny. "You okay?" she asked, seeing how dazed and sweaty he was.

Danny just nodded dimly.

"Good!" She continued forward, dragging the tired child with her by a hand. When they reached the inside of the cave, she let go of him, and walked over to a large boulder.

The Ghost Prince noticed the cave was much cooler than outside, making him feel a bit better. Taking interest in what his aunt was picking up from behind the rock, he flew a little closer, but her body was blocking his view. And then, when she turned to face him, she hid whatever she had picked up behind her back.

"Danny…" she began, an odd smile forming on her face. "I'm about to show you something that goes beyond your wildest imagination. Promise you won't be scared?"

Danny blinked at her, not really understanding everything she had said in Human Speech, but enough to know she had asked him a question. So, he nodded, hoping that that was the right answer.

Spectra slowly brought forth her now glowing hands, revealing a child's toy with them, encased by her purple energy. But the toy was clearly not of their world. It had come from the human world.

But, of course, the little Prince didn't know that. Nor did he know what it was. To him it was the most bizarre object he had ever seen.

"What is it?" Danny asked, his eyes wide with curiosity and a bit of fear.

"It's a _human_ toy, called a _Spaceship._ A long time ago, there were open portals connecting our world to these creatures' own; and their… _things_ would sometimes accidently come through the portals. _This_ is one of them. Things like this are scattered all over our world. You just gotta know where to look."

Danny just blinked at her in confusion, clearly not understanding. So, she quickly repeated herself in Ghost Speech. But, even so, the four-year old continued to blankly stare at her.

Spectra sighed in annoyance, but then smiled again and extended the object in her hands to her nephew. "Here. Take it."

Danny looked up at her with unsure eyes, before looking back down at the human toy. He was intimidated by this new, strange object. But he was still curious about it and wanted to know what it felt like…

Seeing the Ghost Prince hesitantly draw closer and extend his hands towards the alien object, Spectra quickly spoke up, "You're not going to be able to grab it unless you first—"

The shadow ghost was stunned into silence when Danny grabbed the human toy out of her hand without any hindrance. That wasn't right!

Spectra knew that ghosts could not touch anything that came from the human world without consciously making themselves more tangible while using their ghost energy.

No one really knew why this was, but it was theorized that the ghosts' inability to touch human objects had to do with the one thing that anything man-made lacked: spectral energy. And, of course, that was the main component of _everything_ found in the ghost world.

No ghost Spectra knew could hold human items without the use of their tangibility or energy. So how was her nephew doing exactly that now?

Danny inquisitively tilted the toy in his hold this way and that, not really understanding its purpose. "What it do?" he suddenly asked, snapping his aunt out of her shock enough to speak again.

"Danny… how….how are you doing that?" she questioned, her bafflement in her voice.

Noticing it, the four-year-old looked away from the toy and tilted his head at her. "Do what?"

"_That_! You're holding it! How?" she asked.

"Huh?"

Spectra frowned at him for a moment, but then she decided to brush off the strange occurrence. Perhaps it was due to some form of unique ability he held or something.

Looking back at the human toy, the Ghost Prince noticed some soft lumps on one of its sides—buttons. He carefully touched them, and as he did, he accidently pressed one.

With a loud yelp, Danny dropped the toy in his hands the instant it lit up with red and blue lights and began to make 'rocket noises'.

Scared, he flew around his aunt and hid behind her, exclaiming,_ "Estas viva!"_

Spectra laughed heartedly as she bended over and picked up the human object. "It's not alive, silly! It's just a toy. You have toys that move and glow," she pointed out.

"_Jes_, but they no talk! It say 'boo'!" Danny retorted, eyeing the toy warily.

"Actually, it _said_ 'Boom', Danny. It's _just_ a sound—_sono_. A _**Sp-ace s-hip **_flies and makes that sound, get it?"

"It _fly_?" Danny questioned, curious again. "Make it fly!" he abruptly beamed, coming out of his hiding place.

"Well, this one doesn't fly because it's _just_ a toy. Only the real ones really fly."

Danny just stared at her.

Spectra sighed in resignation. "Here, just take it."

Danny grabbed it again. And this time, he purposely pressed one of the buttons. He watched in awe as it began saying something in Human Speech that he didn't understand, followed by more lights. "Spay…ship," he repeated thoughtfully, before a large grin spread on his face. "I like it!"

"Oh! I knew you would!" she exclaimed back, pressing her hands together in glee. But then an evil smirk spread on her face, which Danny didn't see since he was too occupied with the 'spayship'.

"Now, if you're going to keep it you cannot tell _anyone_ about it, Danny," Spectra said seriously, getting his attention.

Her tone of voice brought a frown to the Ghost Prince's face, and he asked, "Why?"

"Well," she began, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer. "Your parents would take it away. Remember what I said about them not thinking you're brave enough? And anyone else would tell them."

"But it nice! I want…see to Mommy and Daddy. They like too!" he said, smiling.

Spectra gently took the human toy away from her nephew, saying. "In that case, I cannot give it to you, Danny."

Her words greatly upset the four-year-old. "But… I like it," he said sadly.

"Well, then, you have to promise—_promeso_-- not to say anything. It has to be a secret— _sekreto_." The shadow ghost smirked slyly at him as she asked, "Have you ever had _sekreto_, Danny?"

Danny shook his head, not really knowing what that was. "I no have. Is good?"

"Sure is!" Spectra assured him, giving him back the toy. And wanting him to fully understand her, she added in Ghost Speech, _"It's really fun and special. It's something only a few know. This toy will be __**our**__ little secret. Just you and me! Isn't that neat?" _

Smiling widely, Danny nodded vigorously. "_Sekreto_, okay!"

"_And you know what else you get to do when you have a_ _secret_," she continued; and when the child shook his head 'no', she answered, _"You get to __**hide**__ your secret."_

"Like I hide from Juukka and Cujo so they no find me!" Danny exclaimed, catching on.

"That's right! Oh, you're so smart!" she beamed in Human Speech.

"But where I hide it?" Danny asked, looking down at the spaceship.

"_BAM!"_

Spectra gasped at the blast that resonated outside the cave, while her nephew quickly flew behind her, also alarmed.

"Danny, give that to me!" Spectra ordered, snatching the toy from her nephew, certain that the blast outside had not come from a volcano or anything on the land they were on.

Ignoring the child's protests due to her taking away his new toy, she quickly placed the human object behind the boulder where it had originally been. She grabbed Danny's hand, and quickly dragged him out of the cave.

* * *

**Translations:**

10. Not true!

11. Now!

* * *

Skulker landed on the island neighboring the castle's own, and quickly looked around for signs of the Ghost Prince. After the council meeting, Desiree had informed the hunter that she was going to travel with the child to Lydia's home.

Skulker immediately understood why. Lydia and Ghostwriter's home was an hour from the dragon realm, so it was the perfect place to be in while the Queen waited for Aragon to grant her entry to his territory. And going to Lydia's also solved the issue on what to do with Danny while she went to speak with Aragon. After all, Desiree could not leave the four-year-old Prince alone.

Skulker still wasn't happy with Desiree's decision; and he knew the King, his friend, if he were here, would not be either. But there was nothing the hunter could do to convince the ghost mage--Vlad himself probably couldn't stop her now. And her sudden decision to part to Lydia's immediately was solid proof.

It was why the hunter was currently looking for the Ghost Prince. His female friend had been held up at the High Tribunal by individual ghosts that had small matters to discuss with her. So, Skulker offered to retrieve Danny for her while she finished up.

The whelp was very easy to find since he usually stayed in a specific part of the island in which he liked to play. And, of course, for Skulker, tracking someone down was fairly simple—most of the time.

He walked off towards the area he expected the Ghost Prince to be at, but when he arrived ten minutes later, he found no sign of him.

Skulker frowned for a moment. But then lifted his right arm and began typing something in a strange gadget attached to it. "Locate energy signature: Phantom," he requested.

Unlike a ghost's ecto-signature which was the symbol on their bodies, an energy signature was a unique 'signal' that all ghosts' central cores gave off. It was as unique as figure prints and as tangible as a scent.

Ghosts, however, could feel others' energy signatures _only_ through touch. Or most, anyways. Skulker knew of one ghost who could _sense_ energy-signatures…

Skulker, himself, however, had his advance suit which could pick up energy-signatures. And the young Prince's was not the exception. But, at the moment, his suit was not picking it up.

"He's not here," he said, looking around with a heavy frown.

Skulker quickly looked back down, and tried another energy signature. "Locate Cujo."

"_Beep-beep."_

Hearing his suit pick up the dog ghost, the hunter quickly flew towards him. He first heard the ghost before seeing it.

"Grr!"

"Let go! It was just a joke!" Skulker heard an all-too-familiar and annoying voice exclaim.

Skulker flew up a hill, and finally caught sight of Cujo… and Bertrand. But it was the sight of Juukka that raised one of the hunter's eyebrows in curiosity.

Skulker knew Juukka quite well. The unique ghost's telepathic abilities were very well-known, but even more so were his physical skills. Although, the true extent of his powers was only known to the Ancients, King Plasmius and the hunter himself.

But like Clockwork worked directly with the Observants, Juukka worked directly with the Ancients. His primary duties were guarding the Kingdom from trespassers and keeping those living within it safe. Those were the main reasons why the ghost rarely stayed in one place for long. The creature would spend most of the time patrolling the Kingdom's borders, and, at times, even realms outside it. But when Juukka did slow down, he liked to come to this specific island to rest and relax. And he really _loved_ to play with the Prince. When on his good side, the ghost was as 'cuddlable' as a stuffed animal. But when angered…. It was enough to say that Skulker would never want to be on Juukka's bad side…

And at the moment, it looked that Bertrand had Juukka _very_ ticked off…

While Cujo was in his large form and had Bertrand pinned to the ground, Jukkaa had his left paw filled with violently burning ecto-energy aimed at the blob-shaped ghost's head. All of them had yet to notice the hunter's arrival.

"Geez! You two act as if I murdered the kid!" Bertrand said annoyed, struggling to break free but with no luck.

Skulker heard Juukka growled in his throat then saw him lower his weapon to Bertrand's core. The hunter guessed the ghost was telepathically responding to his words. And the shape-changing ghost's response proved him right.

"Yes, I know I passed as him! But that doesn't mean I know where he is!"

Skulker rolled his eyes, already having a pretty good idea of what was going on. Wherever Bertrand was, Spectra usually wasn't too far behind.

"Cujo, release him," Skulker ordered, finally making his presence known.

Juukka instantly looked at him, and began yelping loudly in alarm. But then, the ghost quickly extinguished his ecto-blast; and lifting his furry paw, placed it against the hunter's core.

In an instant, Skulker saw several images pass through his mind, all explaining to him how the telepathic ghost had been playing with the Ghost Prince, before Bertrand showed up and passed off as him.

"You can't find him anywhere?" the hunter asked when the images vanished and Juukka retracted his hand from his chest.

The ghost shook his head, whining softly in response.

Skulker looked down at Bertrand who was standing back up now that Cujo had gotten off him. "Where's the pup?" the hunter asked calmly.

"You mean that one?" Bertrand asked, pointing and glaring at Cujo.

Skulker stared soberly at the shape-shifter for a moment, before rephrasing his question, this time in a more serious tone. "Where is Phantom, Bertrand?"

Bertrand's glare switched over to the hunter, as he snapped, "With Spectra. You got a problem with that?"

"Where did she take him?" Skulker asked, ignoring his hostility.

The green blob shrugged. "How should I know?" he replied indifferently.

Skulker looked over at Juukka who returned his gaze before shifting his eyes over to Bertrand, immediately regarding him with a dangerous glare. Faster than the shape-changing ghost could react, Juukka spun and slammed him in the stomach with his strong tail.

With a cry of pain and surprise, Bertrand went flying a few feet away. And in a flash, Juukka kicked him to the ground, before slamming on top of him and digging his claws into the now defenseless ghost. The creature glared angrily at Bertrand, slowly moving his head closer to the green blob while growling menacingly.

Bertrand cringed in fear, but his angry bravado soon returned. "Hey! You can't harass me like this! It's against the law!" he protested, trying to look over at Skulker who had just arrived beside him and Juukka.

"As you know, Juukka serves the Ancients. He does not have to follow the same set of rules as we do, especially not when dealing with grave matters like these. Now..." Skulker narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Tell me where Spectra went with the child. I _know_ you know."

"And I also think you know Spectra's the kid's aunt. So, she has every right to take him wherever she pleases," Bertrand snapped back, before wincing when Juukka's claws began to ground deeper into his chest.

"Not when it goes against Desiree and Plasmius' wishes, which Spectra also knows of. Now, enough of your runarounds. Desiree wants the child back. So unless you want trouble with her, I strongly suggest you tell me where they went," Skulker threatened.

Bertrand sighed. He didn't want trouble with the Queen. Unlike Spectra, he didn't have the protection that came with being Desiree's sister. Besides, Spectra should have already finished with what she was going to do with the Prince. "Fine…" he answered with a roll of his eyes. "Spectra took him to the Ancient Paradise_."_

Juukka gasped at his words, before fearfully looking over at Skulker and whining loudly.

"Calm down, Juukka," Skulker said with a heavy frown on his face. "I'll go find him. Cujo, come." The hunter quickly withdrew his wings, ready to take off. But before he did, he glared darkly at Bertrand, vowing, "If something has happened to him, I'm coming back for your head." Skulker flew off the island, Cujo quickly following him.

Seeing that the ghosts had left, Juukka glared down at Bertrand whom he still had pinned down. This ghost had tricked him, and helped place the little Prince Juukka cared so much about in danger. And no one did that to him without consequences.

Bertrand gave the other ghost a nervous smile. "How about another game of 'stalk and pounce'?"

Juukka formed a green, burning fireball within the palm of his right hand in response and held it close to the ghost's face, a deep threatening growl foretelling what awaited the shape-changing ghost.

Wincing from the burning heat against his face, Bertrand could only gulp in fear.

* * *

Skulker cursed as he looked around the land where Spectra had taken Danny. This place was not only very inhospitable due to its extreme climate, but it was also dangerous. This was the **only** place in their world where cannibalistic ghosts existed.

"Arf! Arf!" Cujo suddenly yapped by the hunter's feet, while looking around for his playmate.

"Be quiet. You don't want to attract attention in this place," Skulker said, quickly calling forth his tracker and linking it to the Prince's energy-signature. And to his relief, he got a response this time.

He quickly moved forward, but made sure to keep a watchful eye on his surroundings, and avoid the lava pits and bubbling lakes. However, as he got closer to the child's location, he found something he couldn't quite go around….Not when it was staring right at him.

Skulker frowned in disgust as the ghost in front of him swallowed another bite of another ghost it was eating, before exposing its sharp teeth at him. The hunter knew the ghosts on this land were driven more by their instincts than their logic. And that made them incredibly stupid. But it also made them capable of _anything_.

The creature that looked like a glowing purple T-Rex began to slowly approach Skulker and Cujo with a menacing growl.

"You should return to your meal," Skulker advised, willing out a large gun from his suit.

But the ghost simply paused, looked back at its meal, and then back at the two ghosts in front of him. He studied both Cujo and Skulker for a moment. But suddenly, his eyes locked down on the smaller of the two: Cujo.

In a flash, the ghost dinosaur charged at the little ghost dog, who yelped in fear and took off. Or would have, if Skulker had not reacted first and fired his weapon at the large T-Rex.

"Don't _ever_ run from anything, " Skulker scolded the dog with a heavy frown. Despite that Cujo could alter his size, the ghost was still young, probably about Danny's age. But Skulker had given the dog to Danny for his first birthday for a reason. And that was so it would protect the Prince. It wouldn't do if the ghost dog didn't toughen up.

Cujo's ears tilted back and he whined in shame, but Skulker ignored him, and looked back at the T-Rex.

The blast had sent the cannibalistic ghost slamming to the ground with a boom loud enough to be heard by _anyone_ on the territory. But it had only been merely dazed, and was now getting back up.

Thinking quickly, Skulker brought forth another of his weapons and fired. A net wrapped around the creature's face, causing it to roar in anger and begin to shake its head from side to side.

"Abominable and pathetic," Skulker commented with distaste as the large ghost trashed about, instead of having the common sense of turning intangible to escape the net around its face.

But Skulker could care less. It gave him the chance to move pass the T-Rex and continue in the direction he had been going. "Remind me not to come back this way on our way back," the hunter told Cujo, who yapped in agreement.

The hunter soon spotted a cave, and according to his tracker the Ghost Prince was in there. But before he could go in, he saw Spectra and the child, who was protesting about something, float out of it.

"Whelp!" Skulker called out.

Danny's head snapped over towards the hunter's voice and his face instantly lit up. "Uncle Skulker!" he cried in joy, and flew into his arms. "I no know you here!" he said, smiling brightly.

But Skulker didn't return the smile, and answered, also in Human Speech. "And I don't why _you_ are here, pup."

Danny's smile fell a bit, noticing his disapproving tone. "I come with Aunt Spectra."

"That's right. He's with me," Spectra spoke up in the same tongue, floating over to them and crossing her arms in front of herself. "Is there something wrong with that?" she asked innocently.

"You know full well there is," Skulker answered back, his frown growing. "But it's not me who you owe an explanation to."

Spectra shrugged. "It's not like I let him get hurt or something. Seriously, Skulker, what are you, his bodyguard?" She smirked, and added, "I was under the impression that you were already hired by Vlad to do that for _him_."

The hunter bit back a glare and ignored her, not wanting to get into a dispute with the female ghost while around the four-year-old. He put Danny back on the ground, and extended his hand to him. "Come, your mother is looking for you. You're going somewhere with her and she needs you back early."

"Where we going?" Danny asked excitedly, grabbing his hand.

"You'll find out when you get home."

"Okay, Uncle Skulker!" Danny beamed.

Skulker rolled his eyes at him. "I'm not your uncle, whelp. How many times have I told you that?"

"Daddy say you are!" Danny said back with a grin.

"Yes, well, your father likes to push my buttons," Skulker answered dryly.

The Ghost Prince giggled. "You funny, Uncle Skulker!"

"And _you're_ annoying. I guess that makes us even," Skulker shot back calmly.

Danny blinked, before tilting his head. "What 'no-ing'?"

"It means he thinks you're a pest, Danny. And he _hates_ pests," Spectra interrupted, smirking at Skulker.

Danny looked at his aunt then at his 'uncle', before answering, "Huh?"

Skulker just stared at Spectra for a moment, before looking down at his arm. As he pressed a button to call forth his wings again, he spoke to the female ghost in a casual tone, "Spectra, do you recall what that 'human-world' animal that slithers on its stomach is called?"

Spectra frowned in confusion. "You mean a snake?"

Skulker nodded. "Yes, that's it," he answered off-handedly. The hunter looked down at Danny who looked extremely puzzled since he had not understood at all what they were talking about… Just like the hunter wanted it to stay.

"Come, whelp, we are going to go that way," he told Danny, pointing in the opposite direction he had come from.

Seeing Skulker turn from her without another word, Spectra quickly spoke up. "Hey, why did you even ask me that?" she asked Skulker, still baffled by the ghost's random question.

Skulker looked back at her, surprising her with a glare. "Because you remind me of one."

Before Spectra could snap out of her offended shock, Skulker took to the air with Danny.

"Bye, Aunt Spectra!" the four-year-old waved with a smile.

Once they were away from the island, Danny sighed in relief. Clearly, the temperature of the island had been getting to him. "It _varma_ there!" the child commented, and Cujo barked in agreement.

Skulker looked down at the Ghost Prince, and this time spoke to him in Ghost Speech to make sure he understood him completely. _"You shouldn't wonder off like that, pup. You know you are not allowed to, so why do you keep doing it?"_ he asked, his tone boarding on anger.

Danny looked up at him with creased eyebrows. _"But I go with my aunt. And I don't do it all the time,"_ he answered back in the same tongue.

"_It doesn't matter if you went with her. You still flew off. One of these days, you are going to get lost or worse, and then your parents are going to be upset. Is that what you want?"_ he asked crossly, letting go of Danny's hand to prevent him from feeling his anger.

Danny shook his head. _"No,"_ he answered, looking upset. But then he smiled and flew up to Skulker's level. _"I'm sorry, Uncle Skulker. I won't do it again,"_ he assured him, before trying to touch the hunter's signature.

But Skulker quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him. _"Sorry doesn't cut it with me, whelp," _he snapped. _"You need to start __**listening**__ or you're going to get into trouble." _

Danny's eyes widened a bit, the hold the hunter had on his arm allowing him to finally feel his anger. And his words only backed it up. _"You are mad at me,"_ he whimpered, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

Skulker halted in flight, before letting go of Danny's hand. _"I'm not mad at __**you**__, pup,"_ he said, calming down.

"_Yes, you are!"_ Danny answered, tears finally falling down his face.

Skulker sighed, and mentally thought, _"This is exactly why I never had children."_ He focused back on the four-year-old. _"Don't cry, alright? I'm not mad, I'm… __**concerned**__."_

Danny sniffed, blinking out more tears from his eyes. _"concern?"_

"_It's another word for worried,"_ Skulker explained. _"I worry about you, understand?"_ He gave him a small smile to show him he wasn't angry anymore.

Danny wiped his last tears away, but still looked sad. _"I don't mean to worry you,"_ he answered.

Skulker nodded. _"I know, pup. Sometimes I forget you don't know any better,"_ he said seriously. He extended his hand back at Danny.

The little Prince looked at his hand, but then shook his head, smiling. _"I want a ride!"_

"_No,"_ Skulker said right away, a frown on his face.

"_Aw! Please! You fly really fast!"_ Danny said excitedly.

"_No, child. Last time I let you on my back you did something to my suit that took me days to fix!"_

Danny giggled. _"But you made really funny loops!"_

Skulker rolled his eyes. _"Come, we should have been back an hour ago."_

Danny pouted. _"I want a ride!"_ he insisted.

"_Stop pestering me, whelp!"_ Skulker snapped.

Danny's bottom lip began to tremble. _"You are still mad at me,"_ he accused.

Skulker let out a frustrated growl. _"Fine, get on. But __don't __touch anything, got that?"_

Danny instantly brightened and nodded. He flew behind Skulker's back before wrapping his arms around the hunter's neck. _"Ready!"_ he proclaimed.

Skulker sighed. But then shook his head, helplessly. _"Hang on,"_ he warned. And knowing the ghost puppy wouldn't be able to keep up, the hunter grabbed Cujo in his arms, before finally activating his rockets to their full power.

With an excited squeal from Danny, they propelled forwards at lightning speed.

* * *

"I can't believe she took him there!" Desiree said in Ghost Speech to Juukka, clearly upset.

The telepathic ghost purred comfortingly at the worried mother as he walked right beside her towards the castle's main entrance.

Desiree didn't say anything else, her mind set on going to find her son herself. But just as she turned another corridor, she spotted the cause of her concern, clearly just arriving.

"Danny!" she said, thankful to see he was safe.

The little Prince let go of Skulker's hand and flew into his mother's arms. _"Mommy!"_ he exclaimed in his language, hugging her, _"Where we going?"_ he asked excitedly.

Desiree hugged him back, sighing in relief. She looked over at Skulker who had just reached them. The two friends shared a serious look, silently agreeing to talk later.

Desiree smiled back at Danny, deciding not to say anything to him now. After all, it wasn't his fault her sister had bad judgment.

"_We are going to Ember's home. Would you like that?"_ she asked, although she knew what his answer would be.

Danny's face lit up with pure happiness! _"YES! I want to see Ember!"_ he exclaimed, hugging his mom again from happiness. _"We go now?"_

Desiree nodded. _"Right after you eat and take a bath."_

"_Okay! And Cujo come, too_?" he asked.

Desiree smiled gently. _"Not this time, little Phantom. You know he gets homesick very quickly. And with us staying out there for at least a week, well, he needs to remain here. But do not worry; Uncle Skulker will be staying around the castle until we return, so he'll keep Cujo company for you, alright?"_

Skulker rolled his eyes as the Queen said this, but didn't say anything.

Danny looked a bit saddened with the news of leaving his playmate behind, but still nodded.

"_Alright. Now, excuse yourself and then go wash your hands so we can eat,"_ she ordered him.

Danny nodded once more, and let go of his mom. He went over to Juukka and touched his signature. _"I'm sorry we didn't finish to play. But we play again later, right?"_

Juukka nodded, before nuzzling his head against the Prince's ecto-signature and purring.

Danny giggled softly at his actions and hugged him back tightly before moving away. _"Excuse me! I be back soon!"_ he announced, and then flew off.

Desiree looked at Juukka, and smiled appreciatively at him. "You have my gratitude, Juukka."

The ghost yelped softly, mentally telling her, **"You need not thank me, your highness. I'm just pleased the Prince is safe and sound."**

Desiree nodded, before asking, "Perhaps you care to join us for lunch?"

Juukka rubbed his neck shyly. **"I will have to decline the invitation this time, your highness. My guardian is waiting for me."**

"I understand. Give my regards to Horris then, hmm?" Desiree answered.

The creature nodded and bowed deeply before his Queen. He then said his goodbyes to her and Skulker, before finally leaving.

Desiree watched Juukka walk off, before looking at Skulker. "Thank you for bringing Danny back," she said soberly.

Skulker nodded. "It's not a problem, Desiree. Although I recommend you have talk with that sister of yours," he added with a raised eyebrow.

The Queen nodded, a deep frown on her face. "You can be sure of that."

"Are you going to tell Plasmius?" Skulker asked seriously.

Desiree sighed. "I don't know. Let's hope I do not need to. We both know how much he _loves_ my sister," she said sarcastically, a smile tugging on her lips.

Skulker smirked. "So much so that he asked me if I would hang her head on one of my trophy room's walls."

Desiree gasped loudly. "He told you that?!"

Skulker just gave her an amused shrug, before walking casually by her, heading towards the dining room, since he was having lunch with her and her child.

"Skulker!" Desiree called out, flying after him. "That's not in the least humorous! He didn't really say that, did he?"

The hunter just laughed in response.

* * *

Desiree looked thoughtfully at the packed luggage bag in front of her, mentally marking off everything she had put in there. Satisfied that she had everything Danny and she would need, she closed the bag with a flick of her wrist.

She looked down at the jewel belt around her waist and pulled off a blue crystal. She then placed it on top of the large closed suitcase, and was about to lift her hands for a spell when Danny flew in.

"_Wait! I want to take this!"_ he exclaimed in his language, showing his mom a glowing white sphere that had smaller colored spheres orbiting around it.

"_How many toys are you going to need, Danny?"_ Desiree asked amused. _"You're not even going to look at them with Ember around."_

Danny smiled brightly. _"I want to show to her!"_

Desiree chuckled lightly. _"Alright. Is that one going, too?"_ she asked, pointing to the stuffed three-headed lion cub her son was clutching in his other hand.

"_Yes, but I carrying him."_

The Queen nodded, before grabbing the strange glowing toy from Danny, and placed it on top of the suitcase, beside the blue gem.

Danny smiled as he silently watched his mom lift her hands and release a pink mist towards the things they were taking. Instantly, the gem glowed, before his glowing toy began to dissipate. And in seconds, it disappeared into the crystal. It wasn't long before the large suitcase also turned into a mist and was sucked into the precious gem as well.

"_I want to put it back!"_ Danny said, quickly floating over to the blue crystal lying by itself on the bed, and picking it up. He turned to his mother and carefully locked the pulsating warm gem in its place on the belt. _"Ready!"_ he announced with a grin.

"_Not quite,"_ she answered with a smile as she leaned down and picked Danny up. She sat him down on the bed, before moving over to a set of clothing she had laid out for him.

The four-year-old quickly pouted when he saw his mother pick up the clothing and bringing it over to him. _"I don't want to wear clothes."_

"_In our travel the climate will be changing constantly, Danny. I don't want you getting sick,"_ she answered calmly, lifting a shimmering silver shirt to put on him.

But Danny crossed his arms, and just stared at her stubbornly.

"_Danny…"_ Desiree began in a warning tone. _"We are not leaving until you put this on."_

"_But I don't like it!"_ he exclaimed, his eyebrows creasing.

"_You can't go around without clothing all the time, Danny. It's fine sometimes, but not all the time. Now, stop arguing and lift your hands so I can put this on,"_ she ordered.

Still pouting, he reluctantly lifted his hands, and allowed his mom to dress him. The shirt was long-sleeved and fit snugly over his torso so to keep him warm. But his other piece of clothing was a royal-blue hooded cloak with silver lining and made of such soft velvet it almost felt like fur. The covering held in place by two silver buttons that rested right over Danny's symbol, and it was long enough to reach the end of his tail.

With a soft grumble of protest, the Ghost Prince pushed off the hood that was currently covering his head. But Desiree just smiled, amused.

The Queen picked him up again. "_**Now**__ we are ready to go,"_ she told him, placing a light kiss on his nose, effectively melting the pout on her son's face.

Unable to keep in the happiness his mother's words induced within him, a grin reappeared on the child's face. _"Yay! I going to see Ember!"_ the excited four-year-old beamed, as the Queen headed out of her private dormitory.

When they arrived at a large courtyard, they found Skulker and Fright Knight standing beside three winged horses.

"_Fright Knight!"_ Danny beamed, flying out of his mother's hold and over to the ghost. _"You go, too?"_ he asked.

The ghost knight nodded, and also answered in their native tongue, _"Yes, I will be escorting you, my liege."_

"_I told you already I'm no leech,"_ Danny said with a shake of his head. _"__Leech are __**really**__ big and slimy and have no hair. I'm small, not slimy, and have hair, see?"_ he explained, pulling at one of his white locks.

Fright Knight looked baffled, but nodded anyways.

Meanwhile, Desiree was talking to Skulker about the King. "If Vlad returns before we do…"

The hunter nodded. "I'll tell him, Desiree." But upon receiving only a silent nod from her, he added, "You must stop worrying about him so much. Plasmius knows what he's doing."

Desiree looked over at the Ghost Prince who was flying around the Pegasuses, clearly trying to pick which he wanted to ride. "Yes…" she said thoughtfully. "But I don't know what _I_ would do if something were to happen to him. If he were not to return….what would I tell Danny?" she asked, looking fearfully back at her friend.

Skulker's eyebrows creased. "I know he's been gone for longer than usual. And I must admit I'm concerned as well. But let's wait a bit longer. If Plasmius has not returned by the time you do, then we'll talk to Horris about it."

Desiree smiled at him. "You were always the more sensible one of us three… Good to see I can still count on that."

He smirked. "Well being that you and Vlad were always the unruly ones…"

Desiree placed a hand on her hip. "Oh, really?"

"_Really_," he answered back, a grin forming on his lips.

"So the trick you played on Medusa when we were fifteen wasn't remotely 'unruly'?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That was just one time. Besides, Vlad dared me. I couldn't say 'no'," he said, crossing his arms, although he looked amused.

Desiree chuckled. "I also forgot you were the most competitive," she shot back, smirking.

"Still am," he answered proudly.

"_No, my liege! Not my Soul Shredder!"_ Fright Knight suddenly exclaimed, getting both of the friends' attention.

"_I'm no leech!"_ Danny protested, floating higher, while holding a large sword above his head so the ghost knight below couldn't grab it.

Skulker and Desiree shared a smile, before the hunter added, "Give my regards to Lydia and her family for me."

"Of course," Desiree said, and then hugged him. She looked over at Danny, before saying, _"Danny, give that back. It's not a toy."_

The Prince pouted, not wanting to surrender the sword after Fright Knight kept calling him a leech. But he still floated down and gave the green-eyed ghost his sword back.

He brightened and quickly flew over to the only black Pegasus of the three there. It looked very different from the other two white ones. For one, the stallion had black bat-like wings while the other Pegasuses had average white feathered wings. The black horse also had a thicker and more spiraled horn on its head. But most distinguishable was the horse's mouth. It looked like it almost had fangs.

"_I want to ride Nightmare!"_ Danny exclaimed excitedly.

The Queen floated over to the Prince, saying, _"Not this time, Danny. This will be a long trip and Fright Knight must ride him so the others can follow."_

Danny frowned, but then smiled again. _"Okay! Then we go in this one!"_ he said, flying over to the white unicorn that had a gold horn instead of a silver one like the other white mystic horse.

Right then, Dora walked out. "Sorry for the delay. Cujo wasn't very keen on being left behind."

Skulker's attention went over to her, and when she caught him looking at her, she suddenly became shy. "Why, hello, Sir Skulker."

Skulker smiled. "Greetings, Dora. I haven't given you my thanks for doing this… I know you haven't spoken with Aragon for several years… and, well, it cannot be easy for you."

Dora gave him a shy smile. "I am a bit worried about his reaction. But as Milady said, he is my brother, and I, his sister. Therefore, I am certain he will at least grant me entry. I only hope he will accept an audience with Milady."

"I hope so, too. And I also hope he doesn't give you too much trouble," Skulker added with a small frown.

"I'm sure everything will go well, Sir Skulker. However, you do have my gratitude for your concern,"Dora replied sincerely.

"No need," Skulker assured her. He lifted one of Dora's hands and placed a kiss on it. "I wish you a safe trip."

The dragon maid gave him a respectful curtsey, before she parted from him. She looked at the Queen, who was already mounted on the unicorn Danny had picked out, with her son in front of her.

"Are we ready?" Desiree asked Dora with a knowing smile tugging on her face.

"Yes, Milady," she answered timidly, noticing the Queen's look. But she said nothing else, and flew over to the other white unicorn and mounted it.

Fright Knight sheathed his sword in its carrier strapped to his horse's side. He then mounted Nightmare before commanding him forward. He paused beside Skulker upon noticing the sober look on his face.

Fright Knight recognized the look from years of knowing the ghost and even fighting alongside him. "Fear not. I will stay beside them throughout the duration of our travels," the ghost knight told the hunter."

"If Aragon tries anything…" Skulker said, but didn't finish, knowing the other ghost knew what he meant.

Fright Knight nodded his response. But noticing the Queen coming up along side of him, the ghost knight asked her, "Shall we go?"

"Yes," she answered, before looking down at Danny and advising, _"Hold on tightly, little Phantom."_

"Nightmare, Forward!" Fright Knight commanded.

With a neigh, the horse reared up on its back legs before sprinting forward. And immediately, the other two white Pegasuses followed suit, galloping just behind the black stallion in a V-shape formation.

Nightmare was the first to begin flapping its wings that almost seem to grow in size as it did. With three strong flaps the horse became airborne. And again, the other two horses followed.

Danny looked back and waved at Skulker, who was quickly becoming smaller and smaller. Desiree also looked back and did the same. But upon noticing, Dora was also waving at the hunter, a smirk slowly crawled on the Queen's face.

Turning forward, she looked over at her friend. "You care for him…"

Dora gasped and nervously turned her eyes to Desiree. "Untrue!" she denied a bit too quickly.

"Very true," Desiree shot back, her smile widening.

"He's just a kind ghost. I have much respect for him," she answered shyly, as her gaze lowered to her fiddling hands.

"Hmm… I sensed more than that…" the Queen answered slyly.

Dora 'humphed', and crossed her arms without further words.

"_What are you and Dora talking about, Mommy?"_ Danny asked, looking curiously up at her.

Desiree smiled down at the Prince. _"Well…"_

"Milady!" Dora exclaimed, seeing her friend about to answer the four-year-old.

But Desiree ignored her and whispered something in her son's ear. Danny instantly broke into a laughing fit.

"_Dora love Uncle Skulker!"_ Danny teased, pointing at the dragon maid. Unlike humans, ghost children did understand what love was between two adults, since in their world, emotions were not just felt emotionally, but also physically. And Danny was no different, being that he could _feel_ how his own parents felt for each other.

"You told him!" Dora cried in disbelief.

Desiree gave her a devilish smile. "Well, since you wouldn't admit it…"

Dora sighed, and looked at Danny who was still laughing and pointing at her. "He will not forget that any time soon, you realize?" Dora said, raising an amused eyebrow at her friend.

Desiree smiled amusedly. "Then it's a good thing we have a long travel ahead of us, hmm?" she answered, looking down at her giggling son.

* * *

**Long, eh? Well, I know you are wondering where the heck Vlad went, but my muse told me to be evil and make you guys wait a bit longer for a Vlad and Danny scene… Heh. But you'll see him soon again, don't worry!**

**Okay! I would like to thanks JH24 for letting me use his wonderful character Juukka! I loved him so much in the DP story he wrote that I wanted to have him make an appearance in this story! And if anyone wants to know what story I'm talking about, you can find JH24 under my favorite authors. His story is called 'Hunting in the Night', kay? Anyways, Thanks a bundle, JH24! I had lots of fun writing Juukka!**

**Also, I want to give my two betas for this chapter--Truephan and Invader Johnny-- a big thanks, as well! They betaed this LONG chapter for me in a matter of hours! I am stilled awed! You can't get better betas than that! –grins—**

**Okay! Let me wrap this up with one last thanks to MY READERS! You guys rock! Don't forget to voice your thoughts! –winks—See you all at the next update of Checkmate…. Perhaps in a few more days!**

**--Teleport away with Vlad muse--**


	13. Chapter 11: Twins and Duos

**Hey, everyone! It's been a while, huh? I'm very sorry about that, but it turned out that my Christmas break was not as relaxing as I thought it would be. I ended up being more busy during this time than when I'm in school! I had a lot more acitvites and renunions than I had expected, plus, I was working more than I usually do. Anyways, that's my explaination. And I hope you guess are not too mad at me. I have a very nice, long chapter for your enjoyment. I hope you all enjoy it!**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Twins and Duos **

Still riding on the white Pegasus with his mother, Danny was currently resting his back against the flying horse's large, spiraled horn. His spectral tail was also wrapped around it as anchorage, all the while, quietly playing with his three-headed lion cub. Danny raised the stuffed animal, spun it, and then bounced it about, clearly lost in some childish fantasy that only he knew of.

His mother, Dora, Fright Knight, and he had been traveling for several hours now, and they were soon going to be arriving at Ghostwriter and Lydia's home.

At the moment, Desiree was occupying herself with a book she had somehow made appear out of thin air; but occasionally, her eyes glanced over to her son to check on his doings. Meanwhile, Dora was further up ahead, the unicorn she mounted galloping alongside Nightmare as she chatted with Fright Knight about mundane things.

As the young Prince continued to play with his toy, something wet suddenly fell on his forehead, quickly getting the child's attention…

With his eyebrows creased cutely in confusion, Danny lowered his toy onto the mystic horse's neck, before bringing his hands up to his face. He wiped off the wetness that had dripped down his forehead, and then lowered his hands to see what had hit him from above. What the little Prince saw was a clear, silvery liquid which quickly left its sterling sheen on his hands as it dripped between his fingers. It was quite peculiar. Still, a smile slowly spread on the child's face. He knew exactly what it was.

"Mommy?" the tot called in Ghost Speech, as he sat up, while his tail unconsciously wrapped tighter around the Pegasus' horn to keep him in place.

Desiree lowered her book to look at her child, but before she could reply, Fright Knight turned back in his saddle and addressed her. "Your Highness, there is a storm gathered up ahead."

The instant he said this, another silver drop of water came down, this time landing on Danny's stuffed lion. The four-year-old giggled in delight as he picked up his toy and watched how the three-headed animal lit up with a silvery sheen at the spot where the water drop had landed on it.

"It's raining!" the little Prince beamed, excitedly pointing at the silver rainclouds

Desiree looked towards the distance, and finally saw the clouds up ahead. "It seems Vortex has been through here," she remarked to herself, while more droplets quickly began to come down as they got closer to the rainstorm ahead.

"Mommy, we getting wet!" Danny said happily, before opening his mouth and letting raindrops fall on his tongue.

"Yes. And as much as you are enjoying that fact, we still need to get you out of it," Desiree replied, amused, as she gestured to her child to come to her.

Danny shook his head playfully at her. "I like the rain! It feel good!" he beamed as more water drops fell on him, quickly coating his hair and other features in a silvery sheen.

"I know, but you could get sick. And then you will not feel _good_ anymore. So, come, the rain is starting to pick up."

The Prince pouted slightly, but still did as he was told. He quickly sat on his mother's lap just as she lifted her hand and created a pink dome above them. While up ahead, Dora had done the same for her and Fright Knight.

"We will be arriving in a couple of minutes, milady," Dora informed her as she turned to look at her friend with a smile.

Desiree just nodded, before looking down at Danny. He was currently holding his lion cub outside the doom and allowing the now heavy-falling rain to drench it. But she just shook her head in amusement and turned her attention to her son's wet hair. Unlike the lifeless toy that could be turned intangible and have the rain water fall right off it, intangibility would not work on the four-year-old. Rainwater had a special property that clung to ghost flesh, even if intangible. The property could be visibly seen as the silvery sheen that it left behind whatever it touched. And although the protein-like property was good for a ghost's body, being drenched in silver rainwater still had the same effects as any frigid rainwater. It could lead to catching a cold.

Willing a softer form of energy in her hands, Desiree lightly raked her fingers through Danny's wet and currently-glowing silver hair, and the water began to slowly evaporate from it. The four-year-old either didn't notice or didn't care as he continued to play with his toy. By now, his stuffed lion was so soaked that it had turned completely silver. But then, Danny pulled it out of the rain and turned it intangible in his hold, effectively making his toy dry again. With a grin, he quickly stuck it back out and repeated the whole process. It was comical how the four-year-old found such a trivial thing so entertaining.

As Dora had mentioned, they soon arrived at Ghostwriter and Lydia's abode. Humans would think that the floating island they lived on was like a traditional village, with its beautiful cottage-like houses that dotted the countryside. Each home was spread comfortably apart from the other, but not too far that they could not call those around them 'neighbors'. And just like most other parts of the Ghost World, there was an abundance of natural scenery here, enhancing its beauty and charm. At the moment, however, the village seemed neither beautiful nor charming. It glowed eerily under the pouring silver rain, its luster especially haunting now that the clouds voided the light emanating from the Energy Novas high above the large island.

The flying Pegasuses landed with poise on a red-bricked road, their quick gallops soon becoming slow prances. Their wings remained spread out gracefully, clearly enjoying the feel of the silver droplets rhythmically massaging their delicate appendages.

"Hold, Nightmare," Fright Knight ordered as they arrived in front of one of the cottages.

Ghostwriter and Lydia soon stepped out, holding a shield above them to protect them from the rain as those on the flying horses dismounted.

"Queen Desiree, isn't this the perfect traveling weather?" Ghostwriter teased as he walked up to her with his wife.

"The best," she answered back with an amused smile, while she held Danny in her arms.

But the Prince was completely ecstatic when he caught sight of their arrival, and he no longer wanted to be held. With a whine of protest, he wiggled out of his mother's arms, unknowingly flipping his hood back onto his head as he did. He then zoomed past all the adults—though he did not forget his stuffed-toy---and headed for the slightly opened front door of the house. Obviously, the four-year-old had been here often before.

A slight disproving frown momentarily appeared on Desiree's face upon seeing her child fly into the rain; but when she saw him quickly go inside Ghostwriter and Lydia's house, she dismissed his actions and looked back at her hosts. The three shared a knowing smile, before Dora and Fright Knight walked up to them.

"Good day, Ghostwriter, Lydia," Dora said, while Fright Knight gave similar greetings.

The ghost couple returned their friendly greetings, before Ghostwriter said, "We best head inside. It doesn't seem like this rain will let up anytime soon."

"I will have to decline to your humble invitation, Ghostwriter," Dora said with a small apologetic smile. "I must head for my brother's territory. He is expecting me."

The Queen's eyebrow's creased as she turned to look at the dragon maid. "Perhaps you should wait for this storm to end, Dora. It's very strong and it's getting late."

"The outskirt's of my brother's land is a mere hour from here, milady. I think it is best if I depart now. The sooner I arrive there, the sooner I can give you word of my brother's decision regarding your request to meet with him."

Desiree sighed. "Alright, if that's what you wish to do," she replied reluctantly, before looking at Fright Knight. "Could you accompany her?"

"Of course, Your Highness," the ghost knight answered.

Desiree nodded her thanks, before looking at Dora again. "I will see you soon then," she said with a small, but worried, smile.

"Yes," Dora answered, returning the smile with reassurance "But do not fret, milady. Everything will be fine."

The two friends lightly touched their symbols in affection, before Dora said her farewell to Lydia and Ghostwriter.

"I will return as soon as I assure Lady Dora gets to her destination safely," Fright Knight said with a bow at the Queen, before excusing himself from the ghost couple's presence, and heading back to Nightmare.

Desiree watched her best friend and the ghost knight as they left on the flying horses, while the third mare followed after, even though she no longer had anyone riding her.

"We best head inside before two certain four-year-olds get into mischief," Lydia said with an amused smirk.

Ghostwriter and Desiree chuckled and nodded their agreement, before the three adults headed inside the house.

* * *

"Danny! **/** Ember!" the four-year-olds exclaimed simultaneously in their native tongue at the sight of one another. And with equal shrills of happiness, the two flew at each other and practically threw themselves into a hug. They squeezed each other so hard that if they needed to breathe, they would have suffocated one another.

The Prince was the first to let go, but placed his hand against his best friend's symbol as he beamed, "I have lots to tell you!"

"Me, too!" Ember answered back with a grin, also touching Danny's energy signature. "I want to go see you outside, but my mommy said it was raining and I couldn't!" she said, now looking annoyed.

But the Prince's response quickly put a grin back on her face again.

"It's okay, I'm inside now!"

"Yeah!" Ember exclaimed, before giggling, "Your clothes is all wet, Danny!"

Danny suddenly seemed to realize this as he pulled off the hood off his head and felt the wet material. He had forgotten that his mother had told him not to get wet…. He hoped she wasn't mad at him. After all, _he_ wasn't wet, just his cloak.

Noticing the worried frown on his face, Ember quickly said, "It's okay, I get you a towel." The little ghost girl quickly flew off somewhere, and soon returned with a towel. "Here!" she said throwing it over her friend's head.

"Thanks!" Danny answered as he lifted the towel away from his eyes and smiled at Ember.

"Come on, we go to my room now!" Ember suddenly said excitedly, quickly grabbing her friend's hand and urging him forward. "I got new stuff and I learn other song! It really nice!" she ranted.

Danny quickly nodded, looking just as perky as the other tot. But before he could leave with the blue-haired girl to her room, the three adults entered the house.

Noticing the two children's intentions, Desiree quickly got her son's attention. "Danny, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Yes, I think you are, too, Ember…," Lydia said right after, raising an eyebrow at her daughter; although, like the queen, she, too, had hidden amusement gleaming in her eyes.

Danny just blinked at his mom, clearly having forgotten for a moment that she existed. "Um…," the Prince soon answered, not really knowing what else he could be forgetting. And Ember looked as equally confused.

"You have not greeted Lydia or Ghostwriter, little Phantom," Desiree explained, moving over to him and removing his wet cloak. Luckily, it had kept him dry in the short time he had been out in the heavy rain. Only a few strands of his white hair and face had gotten wet, but it wasn't enough to get him sick.

The Prince finally got it. "I forgot!" he gasped and quickly flew over to Lydia and Ghostwriter. "Hi! Thank you for letting me see your house and Ember!" he said with a grin, earning hearty laughs from the couple.

"You're welcome, little one," Ghostwriter said with another chuckle, while his wife nodded in agreement. But then, both parents looked at Ember who had been watching the other tot with a smile. "Ember, how about you greet our _other_ guest before taking Prince Phantom to your room," Lydia said with a smile at her daughter.

"Yes, Mommy," she answered with a quick nod. And wanting to go play, she hurried over to Desiree to greet her. "I happy to see you, Danny's Mommy!" she said, giving the Queen a quick peck on the cheek.

Desiree smiled, and placed her hand on the side of the little girl's face. "I am, too. You do grow more beautiful every time I see you."

Ember grinned. "Thanks! And I think you pretty big lady!"

"Ember!" Ghostwriter exclaimed, not believing her daughter had just said that. But Ember just blinked at her dad, not getting what she had said wrong. After all, she really did think the Queen was a pretty female adult. Didn't 'big lady' also mean that?

Desiree laughed. "It's fine, Ghostwriter, I know what she meant! Or, at least, I think I do. Perhaps, I will lose a bit of weight as a precaution," she added with a wink at Ember.

The little girl looked at her confused, clearly not understanding the joke. She then stared back at Danny, hoping to get an explanation from him, but he just shrugged, looking just as bewildered as her.

Deciding that adults were just naturally weird, Ember quickly flew over to Danny. "Okay, we go to my room now! Bye!" And before they could be stopped both ghost kids flew out of the foyer.

After watching their children leave, the three remaining adults looked at one another and shared a laugh. But finally having a chance to talk themselves, they headed to the living room.

"It's a shame King Plasmius couldn't come," Ghostwriter commented as they walked down a corridor.

"Yes, he would have loved to be here," Desiree said with a small, sad smile. "But ever since that young dragon disappeared…. well, he's been very occupied."

"Speaking of which, I received your message," Lydia informed the Queen. "Do you really think it's safe to go to see Aragon?" she asked her friend with worry.

"I agree with my wife. Aragon isn't the most hospitable of ghosts," Ghostwriter added as they arrived at the living room, and he offered the Queen a seat.

Desiree sat down. "It will just be a short meeting. Nothing bad will come of it. Besides, Fright Knight will be going with me… That is, _if _I do go. I still do not know if Aragon will accept," she explained. "Dora promised to send me word in two days' time of Aragon's answer. But if he does agree, I will have to leave Danny in your care for a few hours. I hope that's alright…?"

"Of course," Lydia and Ghostwriter quickly answered. "It will be a privilege to take care of the little Prince while you're gone," Lydia added.

"Not to mention, easy, since he'll be distracted with Ember! We won't even have to watch him! Ember will watch him for us!" Ghostwriter said with a laugh that was quickly cut short by a small jab by his wife.

Lydia smiled meekly at the other female ghost. "Now you see where Ember learns to blurt things out without thinking…."

"Hey!" Ghostwriter protested, mocking indignation.

But Lyida just gave him a playful smile, before looking back at the Queen. "Don't worry, that's just his way of saying _we_ will watch and take good care of your son."

Desiree laughed again, amused by her friends' interaction. "Well, either way, thank you for your support. And hopefully, speaking with Aragon will help us find his son."

"Yes, we can hope. But perhaps we can talk more on that later," Lydia suggested with a smile. "Queen Desiree, surely you must need to get accommodated in the guest room. And perhaps, rest? You must be tired from the trip. If you care to lie down while I finish dinner you are more than welcome to do so."

Desiree gave her a grateful look. "Thank you, Lydia, but I'm not that weary. And I can settle in later. Actually, I would much rather help you with dinner---if you don't mind. It's just that it is not something I get to do around the castle very often," she explained with a helpless smile.

Lydia nodded in understanding; and with a small amused grin, answered, "I do not mind at all, Queen Desiree." The ghost then turned to look at her husband. "Dear, could you set the table?"

"Of course," Ghostwriter answered with a nod, and then quickly excused himself.

Lydia and Desiree stood up, and headed to the kitchen. Then, after the two entered it and they had moved to the green-flamed stove, the host commented, "By the way, I'm making Legomo Pastaĵoj."

"Oh, you're good at that," Desiree complimented, giving the contents inside the pot--- resembling boiling noodles a pleased look as well.

"Well, I know the kids like it, so that's always a 'plus'!" Lydia said, sharing a laugh with her friend. She then moved away from the stove, and pulled out several odd looking vegetables from the fridge. As she washed them, Desiree went to another part of the kitchen and grabbed a knife.

"I can cut those," the Queen offered as she went to the sink and washed her hands.

Lydia nodded as she placed the vegetables on the cutting board. "Alright, I still have to make the sauce for them, anyways."

Desiree got to work as Lydia went to grab a pan from a closet and few other things. For several minutes, both friends worked on their specific tasks in comfortable silence. But when a casual thought drifted into Lydia's mind, she addressed the Queen.

"So, tell me, Queen Desiree how is your son doing? I see he is becoming clearer in his speech. I'm impressed that at his age he can actually defend himself in two languages."

Desiree smiled. "Yes. He's very bright. I usually only have to correct or translate once or twice, and he catches on. Of course, his Human Speech is more underdeveloped than his Ghost Speech."

"It's still an accomplishment," the other female ghost responded. "I haven't even begun Human Speech with Ember, although I really should eventually. It's just that Ghostwriter and I have been more focused on other _certain_ things with her."

The Queen paused what she was doing, and looked at her friend with curiosity. "Certain things?" she repeated.

Lydia nodded. "She has been developing some interesting abilities with her vocal cords… But also, well, we have noticed the feel of her central core has been growing… hotter lately---along with her hair..."

Desiree smirked knowingly. "Oh. Well, I cannot say I'm surprised by either developments. Ember loves to sing, after all. So, it's only natural that her constant usage of her voice will bring about a few unique abilities. As for the _hot_ core, it's common in ghosts with the ability to modify their energies into more concentrated forms. Although, that is _also_ observed in ghosts that have a _cold_ core. The results are just different for both kinds."

"Really?" Lydia said curiously.

"Um-hmm. Ghosts with the ability to condense their energies can create physical elements like fire, electricity, rain, ice---just to name a few."

Lydia looked a bit alarmed now. "And just how long do these abilities take to develop?" The last thing the mother needed was a four-year-old who could will such power---and by her daughter's flaming hair, it would be one of the more troublesome---fire.

Desiree frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not entirely sure. However, I know it takes some time, so you don't need to worry just yet." The Queen smiled again. "I'm sure Vlad could do a better job of explaining it. After all, he does possess the ability himself. His mastery of electricity is quite impressive."

The other female smiled in interest. "Then that means he has a hot core, correct?"

The Queen nodded. "Unbelievably hot. But he has learned to control his core's temperature so that it remains at an average level unless he chooses otherwise."

"Any chance that the young Prince will take after his father?" Lydia asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

Desiree forced a smile on her face to mask her hesitation. "It is hard to say... Danny's core feels normal to me. I suppose that could always change, though."

"True," Lydia answered thoughtfully, before remembering something else. "Speaking of change, has there been any change regarding your son's inability to reform his legs? Last time I visited, Dora mentioned something about it to me."

"Well…No, he still cannot form them…" Desiree answered with a frown and shake of her head. She hesitated, feeling uncomfortable with plunging into this new topic, but she couldn't exactly disregard the topic when her friend was asking and expressing concern about it. Besides, the Queen had been feeling concerned about this herself, and she been wanting to speak to another mother for advice on it.

So, Desiree carefully took the chance.

"Vlad and I—well, mostly myself, since Vlad doesn't have the ability to form a spectral tail---have tried to teach him to form his legs, but Danny does not seem to grasp it. It's strange because--as I mentioned---Danny is usually very quick at learning things."

The Queen suddenly smiled, amused. "Then, again, he has to be interested in whatever 'thing' that is…."

Lydia chuckled, but looked more thoughtful when she returned to the topic at hand. "That really is peculiar, though. I have never heard of any child who has been unable to reform his legs after the development of their spectral tail… "

Desiree turned away and she quickly resumed cutting the vegetables again, though she still replied with carefully chosen words. "I do not think that this is normal development, either, Lydia. But I'm sure Danny isn't the first case…"

"Probably not," Lydia agreed. "But I would still look into it to be safe. After all, ghost children that have the capability of developing spectral tails usually don't form them _until_ a year of age, _and_ they can switch back and forth right away. According to what you've mentioned, Danny developed his tail just a few weeks after his formation, correct?

"Yes…," Desiree replied slowly. "And since then, he has not once formed his legs."

Stirring the sauce she was making, Lydia frowned thoughtfully again. "Hmm… I don't really know what could be wrong… Ember does not have the ability to create a spectral tail, so I couldn't tell you from experience. She's had her legs since she was born and learned to walk within a year."

Desiree suddenly looked enlightened. "Maybe that's precisely it, Lydia," she said, looking over at her friend. "Danny should have learned to walk _first_. Instead, he learned to fly…" The Queen's eyebrows creased as she added more to herself than to her friend, "…It's as if he developed backwards…"

"Have you taken him to a doctor recently?" Lydia asked as she watched the other female ghost add the cut vegetables to the sauce.

Desiree stared down at the sizzling food, clearly a bit uncomfortable with the question. And Lydia soon found out why. "Well, no, I have not. The truth is, Vlad and I have never taken him to see a doctor…"

Lydia looked at the Queen with disbelief. "What? But he's four!" she exclaimed in her surprise. But then her eyebrows creased in concern. "He should be going at _least_ once a year. You know how important it is for children to be examined in their first years."

Desiree sighed, somewhat ashamed. "I know, Lydia. But Vlad is really apprehensive about it, and, well, so am I…"

Lydia gave the Queen a quizzical look, not understanding why they would be wary of taking the Prince to a doctor. After all, Ember's mother had no idea of how special Danny was…

Believing it was just parental fear, Lydia smiled in reassurance as she said, "Nothing bad is going to happen to him, Queen Desiree. Well, except for perhaps when he gets a shot. You should have seen Ember," Lydia said with an amused, yet sympathetic smile. "She screamed so loud, she broke the windows at the office. But that was also the day she learned to use her link with Ghostwriter and I. It scared her that much."

Desiree sighed, now looking even more worried, and she couldn't stop herself from diving into another of her concerns. "And that's another thing. Danny has never 'called' to us. I'm not sure if he has ever gotten so scared that it would trigger _that_ ability. But he _has_ gotten scared. It just has never activated his link with us. I read that children's 'distress call' develops in the first year as well."

"I think you should take him to the doctor, Queen Desiree. I'm sure they can tell you why Danny isn't following the normal development stages."

But the Queen just nodded. Of course, she could guess why Danny was developing differently. It was simple. Her son was different. And it was why Vlad and she feared to take him to be seen by anyone. What if they discovered that he was half-human?

Desiree and Vlad had agreed to not take him to see a doctor unless it was for a good reason. But after the time when he first came into the ghost world, Danny had not gotten ill again. The tot was very healthy. But there were a lot of things wrong with his development.

"_Perhaps we should risk taking him to a doctor,"_ Desiree thought, watching Lydia tend to the stove. Half-human or not, Danny should still be able to reform his legs. The matter was distressing. What if he never developed them? Sure, he could get around fine. But legs were still necessary for other functions, like running or jumping---things that any child should be able to do.

As for her son's 'distress call', Desiree wasn't sure if it would ever develop it, considering her and Vlad were not his real parents. That meant the child didn't have a genetic linkage to their energy….

The fact brought a surge of sadness to the Queen.

But Danny still _had_ a linkage to them in the form of a bond that had developed---and was still growing---after four-years of being raised and nurtured with his parents' energies. Vlad, especially, had a strong bond with the tot, since he had given his Energy Signature to the little Prince.

Pulling out of thought, Desiree addressed her friend again. "How does it feel? When Ember calls to you through your link with her, I mean," she clarified when her friend had given her a quizzical look.

Lydia smiled tenderly as she placed her hand on her symbol. "It's the most terrifying thing in the world. But also, the most wonderful. It's wonderful because every time it happens, I feel a surge of her energy touch my core. I can feel how much she needs me and how strong our bond is. But… I can also _feel_ her distress, her fear. . That is what makes it so terrifying, especially when I don't know why she is scared. It's terrible to believe your child is in danger," she added with creased eyebrows as she lowered her hand.

Desiree smiled at her explanation, though she still looked concerned. And Lydia noticed it.

"Don't worry," Lydia said with a comforting look. "I'm sure your son will learn these things soon. After all, not all children follow the same developments. Take Ember, she is taking longer to develop her energy physically. But in any case, take my advice, Queen Desiree, take him to a doctor. They will help."

"I think you're right. Now all I need to do is convince Vlad," Desiree said smiling again.

Lydia smirked. "That shouldn't be too hard for you to do…"

The Queen gave her friend a mischievous smile. "No, I suppose it is not."

* * *

Being that Ember still did not know Human Speech yet, Danny kept his conversation with her in their ghost tongue. He didn't really mind, though. Talking in Ghost Speech meant he could say everything he wanted to tell her faster. But at the moment, it was Ember who was currently telling the Prince everything on her mind.

"We are gonna have so much fun! You wait and see!" Ember beamed, her back to the other tot as she rummaged through her toy chest for something in specific.

Danny nodded as he quickly swooped up and caught one of the toys Ember had distractingly thrown in his direction. "Yes!" he agreed, lowering himself back on the bed he had been sitting on before, and curiously inspecting the object now in his hands. "I am staying for one week! And that lots of time to do everything!" he exclaimed, before pulling a string attached to the toy and causing an orange light to fire upwards. The beam quickly hit the ceiling; and the burst of orange glitter that resulted, slowly rained down on the room.

Ember paused in what she was doing and turned to Danny with a questioning look, both young ghosts ignoring the glittering particles that were falling down on both of them. "How long is one week?" she asked.

Danny just blinked for a moment, but then tilted his head and stared down at his fingers. He suddenly smiled. And using his tail to grab the toy, he lifted his free hands up and showed his friend seven fingers. "This much!" he answered brightly.

Ember grinned widely as she exclaimed. "Wow! That lots of fingers! We got forever to play!" she declared, before looking back at her toy chest and continuing to rummage through it. But she soon found what she had been searching for, and excitedly said, "Find it!"

Danny, who was currently aiming the toy he still held with his tail at his face, startled at the sound of his friend's sudden shout, and accidently pulled the string. The little boy yelped when an orange beam hit him in the face, followed by a burst of orange glitter.

"EW!" he sputtered as he tried to spit out the distasteful glitter that got in his mouth and rub away the other particles currently irritating his eyes. But quickly realizing it wasn't working too well, the little boy went intangible, and deftly ridded himself of the annoyance.

Ember laughed as she flew up to him. "You dipstick! You no supposed to eat that!"

"know!" Danny huffed back, giving the toy now on the floor a dirty look. But then he noticed that Ember was holding a little button-shaped… _thing_ in between her thumb and forefinger, and quickly asked, "What is that?"

Ember grinned even more. "It for my guitar! Daddy got me one!"

"A guitar?" Danny questioned, not having heard of such a thing.

"Yeah! Look!" Ember quickly ran over to her closet, and floated up to the guitar hanging on the wall. She then pulled it off the stand, before turning to show it to her best friend. But the instant the little girl had touched the instrument, her note-shaped Energy Signature glowed a brighter blue; and then, right after, a soft blue hue encased the guitar.

"Whoa…," Danny said with wide eyes as he stared at the instrument. It was a small, purple and blue guitar meant for a child, and was equipped with the usual small knobs and strings. It was overall a very well-crafted and beautiful guitar.

"I know!" Ember beamed, before bringing down the blue _button_---or more correctly called, _guitar pick_---and brushing it against the strings. A soft guitar sound resonated throughout the room as she continued to strum the cords. But it was obvious that the four-year-old was just learning to play since she still could not form an actual melody.

"My daddy teach me!" she continued with a proud smile. "If you hold different strings it makes different sounds, see?"

The Prince watched on with intrigue, but then grinned as he looked from the guitar to his friend. "Now you can sing and play together!"

"Yeah!" she answered with a giggle. Then, suddenly, as if his words had made her recall something, she gasped before quickly saying, "Wait! I forgot I want to show you other thing I can do!" And wanting to show him what she meant, the little girl quickly handed the guitar to Danny, who gladly accepted it.

The little boy gasped himself when he saw the guitar abruptly change its blue glow to green the moment he had touched it. Ember, on the other hand, just paused and tilted her head at the occurrence. But then she looked at Danny and gave him the guitar pick.

"Play it, Danny," she insisted with an encouraging smile.

"Um…," the little boy answered, trying to remember how his friend had done that. Awkwardly, he strummed the strings, and Ember giggled at the sound that resonated from it.

"Hey! You can play, too!" she told him.

Danny smiled brightly; and now more confident, continued to 'play' the guitar with more bravado.

"Oh! Let me show you what I learn!" Ember quickly said, remembering what she was about to do. "Come on!"

"Where we going?" the Prince asked as he followed his best friend out of her room.

"To the couch room," she answered as she quickly walked down the hallway with Danny slightly floating above her, guitar still secured in his hands.

Getting there, Ember took them over to a large aquarium in the living room wall. She smiled at her friend, and said, "Watch this," before looking back at the aquarium.

Danny observed curiously as the little girl opened her mouth and began to vocalize a barely audible, ghostly melody. The sound was so beautiful it was almost hypnotizing---or maybe it really was…

The fishes in the tank slowly turned to look at Ember as she continued to sing to them; and soon, they began to sink towards the bottom of the tank.

Unknowingly to him, Danny's eyes had dimmed with drowsiness while he watched and listened to his friend. And just as a yawn escaped him, he noticed the fishes stop moving completely as they lay on the pebbled ground.

Instantly, the Prince seemed to snap out of his own trance and his eyes widened in disbelief. "They not moving!" he said worriedly, turning his pupil-less green eyes towards his friend.

"It's okay!" Ember answered, ending her eerie melody, and looking at Danny. "They just asleep!"

Danny quickly looked back at the fishes. "Really?"

"Yeah! I make them sleep with my voice! It's the other new thing I learn!" Ember explained with a proud grin.

"Wow!" Danny said with a giggle; but upon being struck with an idea, exclaimed, "Hey! I want to learn, too!"

"Um…," Ember answered as she thought about it. But she then quickly nodded and jabbed a finger at her chest. "I can teach you!"

Danny grinned, and quickly opened his mouth to sing himself. But Ember stopped him just as quickly by covering his mouth with a hand. "Wait, we need more fishes!"

The two four-year-olds stared back at the aquarium and frowned at the sight of all the sleeping fishes.

"But they all sleeping," Danny said, stating the obvious.

Ember didn't answer and just looked around for another 'guinea pig' to use. But not finding one, she sighed and took the guitar from Danny. "I guess we got to wait till they wake up," she said with a frown, strumming the instrument. But then she suddenly perked up, and quickly suggested, "But you can practice while they wake up!"

Approving of her idea, the Prince opened his mouth and began to vocalize in his own sweet young voice as Ember had. The siren-like melody almost seemed to come naturally to the little ghost boy---though it also helped to have heard his best friend do it countless of times.

But Ember quickly interrupted, "No, Danny, it's not only singing. You got to feel it here," she explained, lightly jabbing him on the chest.

Danny looked down at his Ghost Signature, before looking back at Ember. "Huh?"

"Here, I show you again," Ember opened her mouth and let out the ghostly melody again. This time, Danny noticed the strong echo in it and that her symbol was glowing with her energy. But before he could say anything, he felt his eyes start drooping.

"No, no listen to it!" Ember said annoyed, quickly stopping and shaking her friend back to his senses.

Danny dimly nodded, though he didn't really get how you could not _listen_ to something.

"Open your mouth," the ghost girl commanded, and her friend quickly complied. "Okay, now sing from _here_," she told him, touching his signature.

The little Prince's symbol reacted to the physical contact while he once again let out the ghostly melody. This time, it put a grin on Ember's face. "Yeah! That's it!" she exclaimed, neither tots realizing that the guitar in the girl's hands was glowing brighter in her excitement. But she soon felt how the instrument was getting hot.

Ember's eyebrows knitted as she looked down at her guitar. "That weird," she said, lowering her hand away from the little boy when she noticed _both_ of her hands glowing with blue energy.

Danny also noticed it and stopped vocalizing, though he looked more intrigued than confused by the sight. And that was because the Prince knew what it was. "You can make Ectoplasmic Energy, too?"

Ember shrugged, not knowing if it was indeed that since this had never happened to her. But his words sparked her curiosity enough for her to further investigate. After all, it would be neat if she could make Ectoplasmic Energy like Danny could…

"It look like it," Danny continued, getting closer and touching her hands. He shivered. "It kind of feel like it…," he murmured, this time sounding unsure.

Ember didn't answer again, clearly distracted by the current happening. But getting an idea, she hesitantly brought her glowing hands to her guitar's strings, and strummed them. The instrument reacted by glowing a brighter blue, and the tingling in her hands increased. She paused in surprise. But now even more curious, she quickly strummed the cords a bit harder.

Both kids gasped when they saw a small spark of blue come out of the guitar. Now _that_ was new to them both. But by the way they looked at each other and grinned, they knew that they liked it.

"Harder," Danny encouraged.

Ember nodded excitedly; and this time adding a ghost melody from her own vocal cords into the mix, she struck the guitar's cords as hard as she could.

"BOOM!"

Danny and Ember cried in alarm as a blue energy beam flew out of the guitar and slammed into a piece of furniture, quickly reducing it to rubble.

In an instant, startled voices were heard from other parts of the house; and soon Ember's parents and Danny's mother were at the foyer, staring at the two four-year-olds in alarm.

Ember and Danny smiled meekly at their parents, but it was the little girl who found the courage to speak, and said, "We had a accident…"

* * *

Cool blue eyes studied their surroundings with an unimpressed expression gleaming from them; but then, slowly, these same eyes gazed back over to the leader of the Guys-in-White who had just picked up a large ghost weapon from a holding stand on a wall.

"This is the latest energy-seeking assault weapon we have," Thomas said, offering the device to the blue-eyed man in front of him.

The man's look did not change as he accepted the device, though he carefully began to examine it. But much to the head Guy-in-white's annoyance, the man did not respond, nor did he give any indication of approval or disproval of the gun.

Trying to hide his impatience, Thomas looked boringly around the lab they were currently in. This was one of the largest laboratories found in Guy-in-White's main headquarters. It was a restricted room, since it was here where scientist and weapon specialist built ghost arsenals. There were many around the world, but Amity Park had the largest and most advanced weapons' lab.

The 'GiW' returned his green gaze back to the other person in the lab. The man's light blue eyes were just one of his unique features. And they would have been quite alluring if the coldness and vibe of superiority in them didn't repel everyone their gaze landed on…

Perhaps that was why Tom's undeniably handsome guest was still a bachelor…

Another of the man's _very_ noticeable features was his hair. It was tied back into a low, sophisticated ponytail. But that wasn't why it was… noticeable. What made his hair so unique was the fact that it was completely white in color---and not due to old age either.

Thomas had always found it odd that anyone would dye their hair such a color. Although, the 'GiW' had to admit that whoever did the man's hair did one heck of a job. If he didn't know that the man in front of him was younger than himself, he would be certain his hair color was natural. And yet, it looked unnatural all the same. The man's white hair was nothing like that of the elderly. His hair was anything but dull and lifeless. It was almost supernatural.

But if that didn't make the white-haired man unique enough, his ability to command attention without a single word was. Everything—from the elegant way he dressed, to his posture, to his cool blue eyes—screamed power.

Even his name: Vladimir Masters, demanded respect.

With such an impressive portrayal, even mentioning the fact that this man was a multibillionaire at age thirty-two seemed almost insignificant.

Well, perhaps not _insignificant_. At least not to Thomas, anyways. The man's money was really the only reason why he tolerated a civilian in such a private place as the weapons' lab. But it was also the only reason the head 'GiW' was currently forcing himself to swallow his growing impatience with the billionaire.

After what felt like hours, the blue-eyed man spoke, "I must be honest with you, Chrome. I fail to see what makes this model any different than the one I purchased from the government two years ago."

Thomas gave the billionaire a small calm smile. "I can assure you, Masters, the Ecto-annihilator 47 is far stronger than last year's model." The 'GiW' then raised a suggestive eyebrow as he added, "But you know I have never made you take my word in any of our dealings. Why don't we test it?"

The man calmly looked down at his watch---much to Thomas annoyance---but soon nodded in agreement. "Very well," he said, looking at the other man as a small smirk appeared on his face. "Impress me."

"Gladly," Thomas said, returning the smirk in challenge, before taking the weapon from the man, and gesturing him to follow.

Both men silently walked down a hall towards another section of the Guys-in-White's headquarters. Thomas soon stopped in front of a door guarded by two 'GiW' Ops.

"Agent K; Agent M; open the doors," their leader ordered.

Both agents nodded before they pulled out a set of cards and swiped them into a locking mechanism by the door. And then with a quick insertion of a password by Thomas, the doors hissed open.

The leader of the 'GiW' looked at his subordinates, and quickly said, "Mr. Masters and I will be using the room for a couple of minutes. I want no interruptions, understood?"

"Yes, sir," they both answered as they watched both men enter the room, before the door locked them in.

The billionaire briefly regarded the room, his glance reflecting either familiarity or disinterest with it. Or, perhaps, it was both.

Without a word, Thomas went up to a large computer system and quickly typed something in. In less than a minute, several glowing circular targets raised up at the end of the long, spacious—and now obvious—facility testing room.

"These specific targets are coated with ectoplasmic properties of a 'level ten' ghost," Thomas began as he put on a pair of goggles, before offering the other man another pair.

The billionaire waved off the protective devices without a word.

Tossing the extra goggles aside, Thomas continued, "The model two years ago was meant to destroy a 'level seven' ghost with just two shoots to its core. This one is meant to destroy a 'level _ten_' ghost with just _one_ shoot. Observe."

The head 'GiW' aimed the weapon at the target and quickly fired a well-executed shot that quickly turned the glowing target into nothing but small shreds.

Even then, the blue-eyed man showed no reaction to the impressive results. So, Thomas continued; this time, a bit of his annoyance leaked out. "It also has one other feature that the old model does not." He quickly pressed a button, and a compartment open at the base of the gun.

"This is a ghost retardant," Thomas said as he pulled out a metallic, glowing blue card. Coincidently, it was the very same kind of device the head agent had used on Spectra when they first met some time back.

Fiddling with the small ghost arsenal in between his fingers like it was a mere playing card, Thomas smirked as he continued to explain. "It embeds itself in ghost flesh, then slows them down, and, lastly, blocks their powers by temporarily preventing them from drawing energy from their core."

This time, the blue-eyed man raised a curious eyebrow, before grabbing the seemingly harmless glowing card. "How long is 'temporarily'?" he questioned, carefully studying the device.

"Thirty minutes. But long enough for capture," Tom answered, his smirk growing at finally impressing his guest.

The billionaire locked eyes back with the other man. "Have you tested it?"

"Of course," Tom answered with a small smile.

"Hmm…," Vladimir simply answered, turning his gaze down to the device in his hands again. "And just how have you done that exactly? I was under the impression that spectral entities no longer dwelled in our world…"

"They don't," Chrome answered; but when he saw the other man's eyebrow rise in question, he quickly backtracked. "I mean, they don't as openly as they did while Dark had control of the Ghost Zone," he explained, referring to the spectral world by what _he_ believed it to be. After all, that demonic place surely could not be considered a _world_.

Tom continued. "You see, Masters, the rare ghost sightings that have occurred during the past years have been kept strictly confidential in order to prevent civilian panic. It is why you are not aware of them. I can assure you that not even with the influences you possess could you learn of things that the government does not want outsiders to know." The comment earned the 'GiW' another hitched eyebrow from the billionaire, but it went ignored this time. "The point is, _I_, personally, have managed to spot a few of those creatures in the past years, but they have disappeared before my men could capture them."

The billionaire silently handed back the ghost retardant to the other man, but then he casually said, "Then does this mean these new, _upgraded_ weapons are ineffective? I ask since you keep assuring me they have been tested; and yet, you and your men have been unable to capture anything with them?"

Thomas frowned at the billionaire's jab of his and his division's competence. But the agent still remained calm. "Ghosts are elusive creatures, Masters. It is difficult to capture them even with the latest ghost technology. All weapons and devices are carefully tested by me personally and those that specialize in their construction and development. However, I can no longer guarantee that they have been tested _in the field_ when test subjects are scarce."

The blue-eyed man placed his hands behind his back as he looked towards the destroyed target. "I understand… But it seems I still find myself hesitant of making another deal with you, Chrome." Vladimir calmly looked back at the other man. "You know that I have no restraints on handing over the large sum that is needed to purchase these ghost weapons from the government. However, just because the money isn't an issue, does not mean I am willing to just throw it away. I have worked hard to accomplish what I have now, so you can be sure I am wise in all investments I make."

"I do not see the problem, Masters. Hasn't all our past dealings been satisfactory?" Chrome asked, his frown deepening.

"You have _theoretically_ tested these weapons because you are short of test subjects. Do you know what that says to me?" Vladimir asked in a condescending voice that annoyed the other man more than the fact that his question had been ignored.

The billionaire didn't hesitate to answer _his_ own rhetorical question. "It tells me that your weapons have a high probability of failing. Do you _see_ the problem now? Furthermore, why should I invest a cent in any more ghost weapons when these creatures are no longer even a threat to humanity? You said yourself that their appearances are rare nowadays."

"Don't let your mind be washed by what the media says, Masters," Thomas seriously warned. "These ghost vermin are up to something. If you let your guard down, like most have, you will regret it greatly." The 'GiW' raised an eyebrow, before continuing, "I'm sure you heard of what happened to the Fentons just over four years ago? Their month-old son was killed by the Ghost King himself. _That_ _was_ all over the news…"

"So it was," Vladimir replied flippantly, although he nodded in affirmation of having heard the tragic news. But then he suddenly smirked, and added, "But I also heard---from _you_ as a matter of fact—that the Fentons were under your employment at the time, and that they were making some sort of _secret weapon_ for the government... Would _that_ not make the incident mostly theirs and your own division's fault?"

The billionaire's arrogant smirk irritated Thomas greatly, and it showed. "I could easily blame you for that brat's death, too. The _only_ reason I shared that classified information with you was because I had hoped that you would allow the 'secret weapon' to be built at the Dalv Corporation. And _you_ refused. I still don't understand how you could have," Thomas answered with a slight bite in his voice. After all, the man's muti-branch company would have been the perfect safe-keep for the ghost portal. It would have never been suspected, since it had no associations with anything relating to ghosts. And even if suspicions would have risen, the company was heavily guarded by the best men and technology money could buy.

But Vladimir indeed had refused, even when Thomas offered him anything he wanted in exchange. So, the 'GiW' had no other option but to choose the second-best place for the portal's construction: Fenton Works. Too bad it had not been good enough, thanks to the Fentons' incompetence.

It served them right to have lost their brat.

"Is the attack on the Fentons' residence not enough of an explanation?" the billionaire answered dryly. "I have told you time and again, Chrome. I am not interested in any association with your division. I do not need ghostly enemies at my door steps. I have enough human ones in the form of other businessmen as it is. My only association with you is---and always will be---the provision of ghost weaponry. I want to make sure my companies and assets are safe from thieves and trespassers---whether they be human or ghost. Now…" The man suddenly grabbed the weapon from the other men's hands, and fired it at another target. It quickly hit its mark, but since the aim was slightly off, it didn't destroy the target completely.

Thomas had to hide a smirk at the fact; although, in truth, he didn't really expect anything different from an aristocratic, pretty boy like Masters. The man probably didn't even _understand_ the meaning of fieldwork---let alone have any sort of experience in weapon usage or physical defense. That's what bodyguards were for in most rich men's minds.

"…I am willing to purchase a few dozen of these weapons, but only if you modify them to work on both ghosts _and_ humans," the billionaire stated, not looking at all bothered by his bad aim. But then he looked back at the 'GiW', and added, "Whether or not ghosts are planning another invasion, I still want these devices to _at_ _least_ be capable of protecting my companies against mere human criminals."

"You know, it's against the law to make such deadly weapons against humans," Thomas said with a calm look as he took the weapon from the other man.

"My good man," the billionaire said with a knowing smile. "Isn't the government the one who makes the law? And your division is part of the government…"

"It's still against the law," Thomas repeated seriously, until a smirk grew on his lips. "But I can overlook that fact when that hefty sum you've offered my division includes, shall we say, a unique degree of security clearance," he quirked, easily inserting a password and then flipping a switch on the ghost weapon that proved it had been built to harm both humans and ghosts all along.

With a quick press of a button on the computer mainframe, Tom brought up a regular human dummy at the end of the room. And without hesitation, the 'GiW' fired, quickly blowing off the dummy's head.

"Good," the billionaire approved with a calm nod. "I want the same amount of weapons as last year… Is one-hundred thousand a piece a sufficient sum?"

Chrome smiled. "Quite sufficient."

"Very well," the billionaire said off-handedly as he headed for the door. "Call my secretary tomorrow to complete the transaction, hmm?" But the man suddenly paused. He gracefully turned back around and gave the other man a pleasing smile. "I almost forgot. There is one _other_ thing I have interest in… obtaining."

"Oh?" Thomas answered, clearly interested.

The billionaire placed his hands behind his back as he calmly explained, "As you well know, Dalv Corporations is one of the leading companies in technological advances. I am in the process of expanding into other more… deeper fields."

"I'm not following what you're saying, Masters," the ghost hunter answered, his eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"I want to revolutionize the world's consumption of energy," Vladimir stated forwardly, looking completely serious. "In other words, I want to attempt to harvest what you use to make your ghost weapons----ectoplasmic energy---and make it into something more _practical_, more _accessible_ for human use…. But I need a live specimen to begin," the man ended with an evil smirk.

Thomas quickly gave the billionaire a suspicious look. "You want a ghost? I thought you were not _interested_ in getting involved with any form of ghost _affairs_?"

"Chrome," Vladimir began, walking closer to the 'GiW', his pleasant smile returning. "You must understand that my interests are not anything like your own. I might be a businessman, but I am---and always will be---a scientist at heart. You fail to see that these creatures could be more useful alive than dead in the hands of humanity. Imagine all that could be learned and gained from simply observing their behaviors and abilities. Imagine if their powers could be harvested for our own use. The future would become the present. We would redefine the meaning of evolution for human kind."

Thomas now regarded the other man with a deep frown. "As inspirational as that sounds, it doesn't erase the fact that these creatures are dangerous, Masters. No offence, but you're just a very rich _civilian. _You do not have the means of keeping one of these demons under control." The ghost hunter shrugged dismissively as he added, "Besides, I do not have any live specimens. I told you, I have not captured a ghost in years."

"You will have to forgive me if I do not believe you," Vladimir replied, his smile vanishing into an almost-angry look. "I am willing to pay any amount you ask. If you have a ghost, Chrome, I _want_ it."

Thomas studied the other man's cold blue eyes for a moment, attempting to find some sort of deception in them. But the billionaire was harder to read than a closed book. "I have no ghosts, Masters," the 'GiW' answered evenly. "And if I did, it would already be in tiny pieces under a microscope and in beakers."

Vladimir remained silent, clearly trying to read the other man right back. But then, suddenly, the white-haired man sighed in disappointment. "Shame. Ah, well. Perhaps when you do have one we can talk about this again?"

"Sounds like a plan," Tom answered calmly, ignoring the return of the man's annoying smile. Although the head agent suspected of a live ghost being in the hands of Freakshow, he was not about to tell the man in front of him of it. Tom already had plans for that ghost. Plans that he was not going to throw away, even for all the money Masters could offer.

"Do you know of anyone else that might have what I'm looking for? Perhaps the Fentons?" the billionaire inquired calmly, pushing the ghost hunter from his thoughts.

Thomas frowned. It was almost as if the man had just read his mind. But the 'GiW' knew that wasn't possible.

"I couldn't say. The Fentons are no longer under the government's employment," he answered with an uncaring shrug.

The white-haired man knowingly smirked. "Ah, yes, they quit on you. Is that why your latest arsenals have failed to impress me? Tsk, Chrome, you should have known better than to let go of your best inventors…," he teased.

This time, Thomas did nothing to hide his irritation. "And how do you know about that?" he demanded, certain he had never mentioned a thing to the man about the Fentons' renunciation.

The billionaire chuckled lightly. "They told me. Jack and Maddie Fenton are… _friends_ of mine."

Tom looked completely surprised by the news; but then, something else seemed to hit him, and he suddenly grabbed the billionaire's right arm and roughly pulled him closer.

"It was you!" he snarled into the other man's face. "All these years I have been trying to figure out how the hell those two managed to get back on their feet after that ghost attack on their home. _You_ helped them!"

Vladimir raised a challenging eyebrow as he boldly responded, "And if I did?"

"They are nuisances, thanks to you!" Tom shouted angrily. "I _know_ they have not given up on what they use to do, but now, they refuse to aid the government!"

"I think that is a wise choice for them to have made," the billionaire answered with a smirk, knowing the true reason behind the other man's anger. Chrome would _never_ find anyone to replace Maddie and Jack Fenton's ghost expertise.

Tom growled, pulling on Vladimir's sleeve. "Listen here, _rich boy_, I am use to dealing with your self-absorbed, manipulative types all too well. Do not believe for one moment that your money would ever save you if you got on my bad side!"

"I highly doubt you've dealt with someone like me," the man answered with now slightly narrowed eyes. "You would do wise to release me now. I can assure you that this suit costs more than your entire facility."

Tom glared some more, but still let go of the man's arm.

"Let me make one thing clear to you, Thomas," the billionaire said, surprisingly using the ghost agent's first name as he casually straightened his attire. "I do not care about your competition with the Fentons. I am in my own right to mingle with whoever I desire. _But_ if you really must know, I _only_ refer to the Fentons as _friends_ because we all went to college together some time back. They are _hardly_ real friends. In fact, I have not seen the pair again after I aided them four years ago," he ended in serious tone of voice.

"Then _why_ help them?" the other man growled, still ticked off.

"That is _my_ business and mine alone. I owe you no explanation. Now, if you are done with your bout of anger, I believe we are finished here. Tell your men to open the door," Vladimir asked with a calm look.

"Fine," the 'GiW' replied tersely as he walked past the billionaire and towards the door. He quickly knocked on the door, and harshly commanded, "Open the doors."

As the doors opened, Vladimir stepped towards it, but Tom quickly blocked his exit. The blue-eyed man just hitched an eyebrow at the cruel smile now on the ghost hunter's face. "I'm glad to hear you do not consider the Fentons real friends; otherwise, it would be a problem when I finally have them locked up---or if I'm lucky, I can have them go meet their dead brat. I wouldn't want you getting in my way---not that you really could."

"Sounds like a threat," the billionaire said coolly.

Thomas chuckled lightly. "Of course not. It would only be a threat if you were lying to me and they really _are_ your friends."

"Surely I do not need to remind you that I am one of your private buyers; more specifically, your _best_ buyer. Do not upset me," Vladimir warned, his tone of voice almost dark.

Thomas just chuckled some more, ignoring his unhappy guest. "You're quite clever, Masters. It's a shame you do not want to join my cause. Oh, well," he said with a dismissive shrug. The head 'GiW' looked at one of his subordinate, and ordered, "Agent K, escort Mr. Masters out of the facility."

Vladimir regarded Tom with a serious look for a moment; but then, he suddenly smirked. The 'GiW' leader then frowned with uncertainty at the sudden change in Masters' demeanor. But before Chrome could say anymore, Vladimir waved off, saying, "Keep my special request in mind, hmm? Ta!" He quickly turned away and began walking down the hallway with Agent K right afterward.

Once outside, the young billionaire walked over to a black limousine where the passenger door was just being opened by a chauffer. Without a word, he stepped into the car.

The man known as 'Vladamir Masters' gazed out the window towards the facility as he waited for his driver to get into the car. The engine soon sounded and the limo took off, pulling the Guys-in-White's main headquarters quickly from sight.

With a calm sigh, the man's eyes drifted upward, their color seemingly blending right into the perfectly clear sky as they did. In spite of the tranquil look on his face, the billionaire seemed troubled by something. But whatever it had been was quickly pushed away when his driver addressed him.

"Sir, did you want to head to your private plane now?"

Vladimir stayed quiet for a moment, clearly pondering the question. But then he leaned forward and grabbed a wine glass from a stand as he answered, "Well, I do need to head back to Wisconsin today… But since I'm already in this wash-down town, I might as well make the most of it, don't you think?" he questioned, pulling out a mineral water from a mini-fridge.

"I Supp—"

"It doesn't matter. I do not care for your opinion," the billionaire cut off abruptly, pouring some water into the _wine_ glass. "Take me to Fenton Works," he ordered, calmly gazing at his glass of water before taking a sip.

* * *

Two days later, Dora had returned to inform Desiree that Aragon had agreed to see her. The Queen had then wasted no time to set out to the Dragon Realm, reaching the location in approximately one hour. And with Dora and Fright Knight at her side, the Queen finally approached the heart of the dragon land.

"It was difficult to get my brother to agree, milady. He was adamant in his intolerance of disrespect of his laws," Dora explained worriedly as they walked up to the entrance of a large dark castle.

"Do not worry, Dora. I know full well of Aragon's ways. Besides, this will be brief." The Queen paused when she came upon the two growling and distrustful large dragons that guarded the two twenty-foot tall doors.

Fright Knight glared menacingly at the two ghosts, and would have drawn his sword if Desiree's hand on his wrist hadn't stopped him. "Do not do a thing without my command first," she said with deep gravity.

"But, my Queen---," the ghost warrior began to protest, but was cut off by Desiree again.

"That's a direct order, General. We did not come here to cause trouble."

"Yes, as you wish, Your Highness," Fright Knight answered with some reluctance as he let go of his sword and relaxed his hands again.

"Open the doors, please," Dora asked the two dragons. The guards looked between the outsiders and the dragon maid before doing as their kin had asked.

As the three ghosts entered the dragon abode, Dora's amulet lit up and she instantly turned into her human appearance.

The castle itself screamed of medieval times, but its sheer size was like nothing that could ever exist in the human world. And, obviously, the castle's residents were as unimaginable as their grand abode.

"My brother's amulet has powers that even I---the holder of the only other one like it---can comprehend," Dora suddenly said in a hushed voice. "He has somehow placed a spell on the castle that allows any of our kin that enter it to mask their true appearances, milady. Furthermore, the spell prevents _visitors_---as in everyone that is not our kin---from using any sort of powers within it. I share this with you so it will not startle you later."

The Queen said nothing, and just continued walking behind her friend. She could feel Fright Knight tense by her side upon hearing Dora's words, so she lightly placed her hand on his shoulder to calm him. With their means of defending themselves practically taken away, the Queen couldn't blame her husband's best warrior from feeling apprehensive.

But Desiree knew Aragon was not what he made others believe. And even if he was, the dragon leader knew how foolish it would be to attempt anything against her. Even so, Desiree was not about to try her luck in anyway. She had thought this through, even carefully planning how she would dress for the occasion. While she did wear a very royal-looking pink and gold attire, she had wisely decided not to wear her crown.

Desiree wanted to be sure Aragon remembered she was not like the kind of females with whom he was use to dealing. But she also didn't want him to get the idea that she thought herself superior to him in any way. That would surely get her kicked out of the dragon leader's territory before she could even utter a single word.

All too soon, they arrived at two other grand doors, and they were opened by two humanoid ghosts dressed in medieval age-type clothing. But the Queen now knew the ghosts were not in their true appearances. Underneath, all the ghosts inside this castle were dragons.

Desiree had to stop her eyes from opening in surprise when she entered and saw the number of ghosts inside the large room. In the center of it, there was a huge circular table with a large feast set up. But there were only five chairs around it.

"Queen Desiree," Aragon called as he stood from a large red chair in the far side of the room, and strolled over to his guest. "It is grand to have you in my humble abode," he said with a smirk as he stopped in front of her. Keeping his eyes on her, the dragon leader bowed deeply, before lifting her hand and kissing it.

"Thank you for accepting to speak with me," Desiree answered, returning his respectful gestures with a small bow of her own.

"I must admit, I was reluctant at first. Although, I still cannot help but wonder why King Plasmius would send his mate to speak with me instead of coming himself?" Aragon questioned, letting go of the Queen's hand, and raising an expectant eyebrow at her.

Upon hearing his choice of words, Desiree swallowed a snide retort, and calmly answered, "My husband is currently away, Aragon. He is still searching for your son---in case you didn't know. It is why _I_ have come to speak with you."

"Ah, so you have come to my territory without his consent, have you?" he asked, his smirk returning.

"Yes, but it was important that I spoke with you. I could not wait for his return."

Aragon nodded. "If you were my mate, I would be furious at your lack of regard towards my authority," he commented casually.

Desiree frowned. "Your customs are not our own, Aragon. I am free to make my own choices without having to consult everything I do with my _husband_," she replied, emphasizing Vlad's title after hearing the dragon ghost call her Vlad's 'mate' for a second time.

"Yes, I am conscious of that. And I find it most revolting. Even if you do not agree, males and females have specific functions. And the males are made to be the leaders of their household; therefore, our mates should always mind our choices."

"With all due respect, I did not come to speak with you about beliefs, Aragon," the Queen answered coolly.

"Yes… my sister told me you were here to question me about private matters concerning my missing son."

"I did not---," Dora began, but silenced when her brother shot her a disapproving look.

"I have not given you permission to speak, Sister. Please refrain from doing so for the time being," Aragon ordered sharply before looking back at the Queen, and awaiting a response.

Desiree felt a surge of anger build inside her at the degrading way Aragon had just addressed her best friend. But she knew she could not let her emotions get in the way with what she came to do. "I'm sorry that you misunderstood my intentions, Aragon. I have not come to pry in your personal issues. I only wanted to know if you have found anything that could aid us with the search of your son."

"Well, that most certainly clarifies your intentions," he remarked with fake understanding. "It seems my sister failed to explain them properly. You will have to excuse her, she is a somewhat weak female," he said with a smirk at Dora, who kept her eyes lowered from his own.

Desiree could see that the dragon leader was purposely trying to rile her up. And although it was working, she refused to show it. "Well, now that you _do_ understand, is there anything that the Kingdom should know?"

"_Should_?" Aragon repeated with mirth. "No, there is nothing that the Kingdom 'should' know. However, there might be a few things that the Kingdom _may_ know. We shall see. For now---" He gestured towards the large feast in the center of the room. "---I would like to invite you to join my mate and me for a meal. After all, I would not want to be accused of being uncouth to the Ghost King's female. He might attempt to have me imprisoned," he said with a small chuckle.

But Desiree was anything but amused. "Your joke hardly amuses me, Aragon," she said with a serious look.

The dragon leader smiled even more. "Forgive me, Queen Desiree, but I never said it was a joke," he answered lightly, turning away from her before she could say anymore.

Desiree watched as the dragon leader began to talk to two of the ghosts in the room. One of them quickly nodded, before heading outside the room, while the other continued to speak with Aragon.

Suddenly feeling unsure that she could do this after all, the Queen looked over at her best friend, and whispered, "I think you were right, Dora. It was mistake coming here."

"Please, forgive his rudeness, milady. He—" Dora quickly silenced when her brother turned to look back at them again with a smile.

"You must be wondering why we have such an audience," Aragon said, walking back over to Desiree, who had quickly pushed away her self-doubt.

"It crossed my mind," the Queen admitted giving the ghosts around her a quick glance, watching how they all bowed respectfully whenever her eyes fell upon them. But she could also see the distrust---even dislike---in their eyes.

"Most of my kin have never encountered the King and Queen of the Ghost World. When the news of your visiting reached their ears, I could not deny that they soothe their inquisitiveness about you. I hope you do not mind being their entertainment for a small moment? In any case, I will be sending them away shortly."

"I do not mind," Desiree answered, looking back at the dragon leader as she once again ignored his choice of words.

Just then, a female ghost with long, gold-colored hair walked into the room. She wore a long purple medieval dress that had a flowing tail behind it. The gown complimented her nice figure, and the numerous red jewels decorating it accented her bright red eyes.

"Just in time," Aragon said with a smile as he extended an arm towards the female ghost. When she was beside him, he wrapped his arm around her waist, and looked back at the Queen. "I believe you have already met my mate, Altiĝis."

Desiree nodded as the female ghost curtsied respectfully to her. "Yes…but it has been years. And I have never seen you outside your real form," the ghost mage replied with a pleasant smile.

Altiĝis calmly returned the smile. "Yes, my mate's amulet permits me a different appearance while within our home. But that is a triviality at the moment," she said, dismissing the thought with a wave of her hand. "It truly is an honor to see you again. You are as beautiful as I remember you, Queen Desiree."

"Thank you," Desiree answered sincerely, before her smile vanished. "I never got the chance to give you my condolence… I am sorry for your loss, Altiĝis," she said sympathetically. But the Queen's words were not very well received…

"Do not be. My child is not dead. He is alive; and if I ever find out who took him from me, I'll rip them to shreds," the dragon female said coldly.

Desiree could only stare back, too stunned by Altiĝis' abrupt change in demeanor to say anything.

"Altiĝis, we talked about this," Aragon intervened, giving his mate a brief disapproving frown. He pleasantly smiled back at Desiree, who was now just regarding the two with a serious look. "Let us eat. Then we can converse with this matter."

The last thing the Queen wanted to do was sit down and eat with a pair of ghosts that deeply distrusted her. But declining would be a huge mistake---that of which she was sure.

Aragon quickly looked around the room. "Leave us," he ordered, and all except for the two dragon ghosts he had spoken with previously, left the room. Aragon then looked at Dora, and said, "You may stay, Dorthian. However--" The dragon leader turned to the Ghost Queen. "---_your_ knight may not."

Fright Knight stared hatefully at Aragon, silently conveying to the other ghost that he was not planning on leaving the Queen by herself with _him_. But she had already decided for the ghost warrior.

"Very well," Desiree said with a soft sigh.

Fright Knight instantly objected. "Your Highness, I must—"

"Please, Fright Knight," Desiree interrupted. "Wait for me outside. I will be fine," she asked with a small, pleading smile at the ghost.

The King's best soldier glared at Aragon once more, before nodding at his Queen and then angrily leaving the room.

"Your knight is most unpleasant… much like the Kingdom's _entire_ sentries. Either your mate has poor judgment, or his Kingdom has nothing better to offer," Aragon commented off-handedly.

This time, Desiree did nothing to hide the anger from her voice. "If you were courteous to 'the Kingdom's sentries' maybe they wouldn't be so unpleasant to you."

Aragon instantly glared at the female ghost. "This is not your home, Queen Desiree. I deeply advise that you take heed of your choice of words and tone with me. I will not tolerate a female's disrespect---and most certainly not from one that is not even of my kin!"

It took everything in the Queen to not insult the pompous, biased ghost in front of her. But in the end, she remembered why she was here, and nodded. "No, I am not in my home. I'm in yours. …My comment was out of line," Desiree answered, keeping her thoughts on her husband in order to bring herself to speak in a submissive voice. She had more important things to accomplish. If she finally solved this problem, she knew Vlad wouldn't have to leave so often anymore.

The dragon leader calmed, and he replied with a dismissive nod. "Your admission of guilt is accepted." He then gestured towards the large table, and added, "Now that we are alone, let us dine."

All five ghosts walked over to the table; and once they were all seated, the two remaining dragon ghosts served those at the table. There was utter silence throughout the entire meal, making it obvious that Aragon did not permit speaking during this time. But the Queen was fine with that, since it meant she didn't have to hear anymore of the dragon leader's narrow-minded thoughts---for the moment, anyways.

After dining, they all headed to another room. It was much smaller, and it was like some sort of lounge from the looks of the large fireplace and six black, velvety chairs that were there. But aside from that, there was nothing more in the completely red carpeted room.

"Please, sit down," Aragon asked the Queen, and only sat down himself when all three females with him had seated.

"About my son," the dragon leader calmly began. "Dora enlightened me of the Kingdom's believing that humans are to blame for his disappearance…."

"Yes," Desiree simply answered.

"She also had me know that the council has decided to abandon the search…" he added, his voice still sounding leveled.

Surprised, Desiree looked at Dora, who gave her an apologetic look. "Forgive me, milady. Divulging such intimate information was the only way I managed to persuade my brother's agreeing to host you," the ghost maid explained, still sounding ashamed.

Aragon ignored his sister's 'interruption', and simply continued to regard the Queen with an expectant look.

Desiree gave her friend a reassuring look, before gazing back at the only male in the room. "I will not deny the truth. After all, it is why I am here. I do not wish for the search to be suspended; but in order to keep that from happening, I need some form of proof that your son is still alive."

"My son is dead, Queen Desiree," Aragon answered with deep sobriety.

Desiree eyes widened. "How…How can you be so certain?" The Queen looked at Altiĝis, but the female ghost refused to look back. Instead, her almost-angry gaze focused on the fireplace. Seeing this, Desiree quickly added, "And your wife obviously does not agree with that claim."

"Altiĝis simply rejects acceptance to the truth, Queen Desiree," Aragon said, grabbing his female's hand to get her to look at him. But she refused to, and kept silent. Still, the male continued, "It has been far too long. But even if the passage of time alone had not attested that he could not have possibly survived, the proof cannot be denied with my mate's and my own inability to _feel_ him. Since his disappearance, we have lost all ties to him. He is not in our world. And if he was indeed abducted by humans, then it would be absurd to even consider that those _creatures_ would spare him." Aragon paused for a moment, but then briefly nodded. "The council has been wise by ending the search. They had been wasting their time," he ended calmly.

Desiree stared at the male ghost in disbelief. How could a father be so indifferent to his own son's fate? The thought made the Queen's anger finally explode.

"What is wrong with you?" she whispered with contempt. "He's _**your son**_, Aragon!" she exclaimed "**You** should be the last ghost to give up! Don't you **care** that---"

"**Silence!"** Aragon screamed, his features momentarily becoming reptilian as he abruptly stood from his seat. "How _dare_ you presume that my soul is not irreparably frayed by the loss of my child?! I **loved** him! I would offer my life for his return! But I cannot selfishly continue to endanger others---especially _my kin_---by searching for my _dead_ son! He is dead, Queen Desiree! _**Dead---**_thanks to you and your mate's **accursed Kingdom**!"

"Are you _this_ narrow-minded?!" Desiree hissed angrily, getting to her feet. "We are trying to HELP you!"

Aragon quickly walked towards the Queen, his form becoming a menacing black dragon. "That was count two, Queen Desiree," he growled darkly in her face. "I am neither your mate nor the rest of the males under you. _Understand_?"

Desiree didn't reply, but she steadily kept her defiant glare locked on him. Despite having the ghost looming dangerously over her, she refused to even take one step back in submission. She would not allow herself to be intimidated by this… _male_.

While Altiĝis observed the dispute with a poker--faced look, the other dragon female could not do the same. "Brother, _please_," Dora suddenly whispered fearfully from where she sat. She didn't want her only brother to do something he would later regret. But she also couldn't bear to see her best friend being treated so horribly.

"You would do wise not to utter another word, Dorthian," Aragon said coldly without looking at his sister.

Noticing in her peripheral vision that her best friend was about to disregard the dragon male's warning, the Queen briefly broke her eye contact with Aragon, and silently pleaded to Dora not to interfere. Desiree knew she could stand up to the ghost in front of her, but she would not be able to stand seeing the dragon leader do something against her friend. Things would get uglier if that happened.

Noticing the silent interaction between the friends, Aragon calmed somewhat, but his eyes stayed narrowed at the Queen. "Answer me this, Queen Desiree," he said spitefully, capturing Desiree's full attention once more. "How can the Kingdom _possibly_ help me, help my lost son, help _anyone_, when most of our world's misfortunes have been from its own doing? Thanks to _King Dark,_ those soulless beings called _humans_ have become obsessive over our kind's destruction. _He_ destroyed the trust that once existed between my kin and the Kingdom. So how can you _help_?"

Desiree kept her gaze on Aragon, but the anger in her eyes had all but vanished. "Everything you speak of happened a long time ago. You cannot blame everyone for the fault of _one_ ghost. The Kingdom _can_ help, if you would only _let_ it."

Still towering over her, Aragon sneered in response to the ghost mage's words. "You fail to understand that I do not trust the Kingdom. I do not believe in those that control it! Pariah's wrong doings were not just his own. There were those that were loyal to him---that _still_ are."

Desiree sighed sharply. "Things _change_. You must stop living in the past. Pariah is _gone_, Aragon! It is _Vlad_ who heads the Kingdom now!" She sighed once more, this time, shaking her head in sadness. "What has Vlad ever done to deserve such contempt from you?" she whispered, her sadden gaze searching the male's own cold one. "You were once his friend---as Dora is mine. How has Vlad's becoming king changed him? He is _still_ the same ghost you once called friend. I understand that you have much reason to distrust the Kingdom; but Vlad? You have _no reason_ to distrust him, Aragon."

The dragon leader just stared at Desiree for a moment. But then he turned from her and moved away towards the fireplace, while returning back to his humanoid appearance. "He is not the same," Aragon soberly replied, after a silent pause. "The ghost _I_ knew died the day he accepted the thrown… That accursed Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire indubitably changes even the purest of ghosts."

"_Not_ Vlad. He has not changed," Desiree insisted, although she internally knew Aragon's words had some truth…

Aragon turned to look at her, his facial expression as grave as his voice sounded. "If indeed you speak the truth, then know that it will not remain so forever. _Eventually_, your mate's soul will become as dark as Pariah's own. It is inevitable."

"You're wrong," Desiree growled back.

But Aragon still continued. "I am not. Your love for him simply impairs your sight of the truth. The ring and crown are cursed, Queen Desiree, _tainted_ by Pariah's evil. Anyone who wears it is destined to bring nothing but death and destruction to those around him." The dragon leader's eyes suddenly narrowed at the ghost mage as he added, "And I do not want King Plasmius _anywhere_ _near_ my kin and I when that happens."

Desiree shook her head helplessly. "I did not come here to change your opinion about my husband. But if your distrust is due to some powerful artifacts, then you can rest at ease knowing that Vlad has _never_ again put on _that_ crown and ring; not after the time he used it to restore balance to our world and free our captured kind from the humans."

"He wears the ring," Aragon affirmed with a heavy frown. "I _saw_ it when we last spoke just four years ago. One might need to wear both the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire to will the artifacts' full powers, but they still hold unspeakable strength on their own---and _evil_."

Desiree sighed, clearly growing weary of the male ghost's stubbornness. "He hates both, Aragon. He would never wear them again unless given no other choice. Like you, he believes---no, he is _certain_---that the artifacts are cursed. What you saw---what _everyone_ sees---him wear are _powerless_ _replicas_ of the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire. It is just for _appearance_. The Council kept insisting he wear the pieces as a symbol of power…And I don't think I have to explain their beliefs to you," she added with a raised eyebrow."

Of course, the Queen knew there was more to the King's reason for shying away from the _real_ ring and crown than she had mentioned. He feared it more than even she knew. But what she did know, she was not going to divulge to anyone.

Aragon scoffed, sounding somewhat disgusted at the mention of the Council's insistence that the King wear the authentic crown and ring. It was just like them. A lot of the Council only thought about their own beliefs and duties. It was another reason the dragon leader admonished the Kingdom. The ghosts that held it together were completely incapable of thinking outside the box they found themselves in.

"Listen to me, Aragon," Desiree spoke up again, a sober tone in her voice. "If you truly believe your son is dead then _at_ _least_ tell me what you know of his disappearance. You said you would give your life to have him back; then start by allowing us to help if we can. You have to at least try everything in your reach to find him."

Aragon sighed, before looking back at Altiĝis, who just gazed at him with a sad look. "I cannot tell you anything, Queen Desiree," he said, meeting her eyes again. "All my mate and I know is that he was taken while playing near a brook about a mile from here. We were not with him… though we—_I_---should have been….," For once, the male dragon actually showed sadness as he spoke; but then it vanished back into a serious look. "However, perhaps it will help to speak to someone that _was_ with him?"

Desiree's eyes widened. "Someone saw what happened?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Aragon answered, "His brother. You do know that I have---_had_---identical twin sons?"

"Yes," Desiree nodded. "I was just not aware that they had been together at the time. "Would you… permit me to speak with him?"

Aragon raised an eyebrow. "I would not have suggested the idea if I had not already decided to consent to it."

"However," Altiĝis suddenly interrupted, walking up to Desiree, and stopping when she was beside her mate. "If you upset him, even in the slightest of ways, I will _kill_ you," she assured the Queen in a dark tone that Aragon could never hope to match. "I do not care what consequences it may bring after. I lost one of my children. I will not allow my other to be harmed in _any_ way," she growled out, her beautiful face momentarily distorting into a menacing reptile.

Despite the direct threat from the dragon female, Desiree could not bring herself to be angry towards it. Just the thought of someone hurting Danny filled _her_ with indescribable rage. The Queen could only begin to imagine how protective Altiĝis had to feel after losing one of her sons.

"I understand," Desiree answered softly. "I would not even _think_ of harming him," she assured the mother.

Altiĝis just looked distrustfully at the Queen; but she then looked at her mate, saying, "I will go get him."

Still uncharacteristically quiet, Aragon just nodded, though he kept his neutral gaze on Desiree. It was only after hearing the door open and close, that the dragon leader finally spoke. "You will have to understand that this is not easy for Altiĝis," he said, his voice actually gentle. "We had never permitted them to venture anywhere on their own. Then, the only time Altiĝis gave her consent for them to do so was ironically the day that this tragedy took place. She blames herself. But I do not… _I_ should have been home that day," he ended bitterly.

Desiree looked at Aragon with sympathy, but her eyes then traveled over to Dora who met her gaze with a worried one of her own. Deciding to push the father past his guilt, the ghost mage asked, "How old are they?"

"Eight, almost nine," Aragon answered distractingly, his gaze not really on Desiree. But he soon snapped out of whatever he had been thinking, and turned his full attention to her. "Queen Desiree," he began, his voice now serious again. "Do not utter a word to my remaining son about the possibility of his sibling being dead."

"But _you_ believe he's dead," Desiree answered with a frown.

"The fact does not signify I would tell _him_ that!" Aragon snarled back. "You have my consent to ask my son what you wish. _However_, when I deem it to be enough, you are to stop, is this clear?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

The Queen just nodded.

Aragon looked around the room as if checking if anything was out of place. And noticing that in his moment of rage, he had pushed over a chair, he lifted a hand towards the piece of furniture, and levitated it back in its place. The male dragon then looked over at his sister, before suddenly telling Desiree, "Come, we need to sit down."

A few minutes of silence past between the three remaining ghosts in the room until the door opened once more and they all looked towards it...

"Ruĝa asked that I go to the craters with her and her cousins! May I?" a child's voice rang, sounding excited.

"You will need to ask your father first, Darling,"Altiĝis answered just as she came into view, and soon a small black dragon entered behind her.

The eight-year-old was about to speak again; but then, as if sensing the tense silence, he quickly looked at the others in the room. The young dragon first noticed his father's presence, and he then also recognized his Aunt Dora who had been visiting for two days now. She was nice.

But… he did not know the other female ghost in the room.

The little dragon looked back up at his mother, not bothered in the slightest that she was still in her humanoid appearance. "Mother?" he whispered, unsure.

"You need not feel wary, my son. You are safe," Aragon spoke up as he stood and walked over to his offspring. "There is someone I would like you to meet," he continued, briefly touching the side of the little dragon's face with affection. "Do you remember my mentioning of the Ghost King and his Kingdom?"

The little dragon slowly nodded, though his gaze was now locked on Desiree.

The Queen forced herself to hold the calm smile on her face after hearing Aragon's words. What exactly had the dragon leader told his son about her husband? About the Kingdom? She soon realized it could not be much by the child's reaction to Aragon's next words.

"Well, this is King Plasmius' mate, Queen Desiree," Aragon introduced her, earning a quick surprised look from his child.

Desiree took this as her cue to stand up and walk over to the little dragon. She noticed how his large yellow eyes followed her every move with both curiosity… and apprehension. But it was the type of apprehension that one only saw in those who had faced life-altering danger before. It took everything in the Queen to hide her pity for the young child.

"Hello…" Desiree paused, realizing she didn't know his name. "What's your name?" she asked gently, not having to lower herself since the child was almost her height.

The little dragon looked at his parents for guidance, and seeing their nods of approval, he answered her timidly, "Elliot."

The Queen smiled. "Elliot… That is a beautiful name."

"Thank you," he answered, his tail unconsciously curling around himself, while his wings lowered as if trying to protect the rest of his body with them.

"You will have to forgive him. He is very bashful around strangers," Aragon said with a smile, though his eyes expressed more to the Queen than his carefully chosen words. The dragon male then turned his attention to his son. "Elliot, you are standing before royalty. You bow to those, remember?"

"That's not necessary," Desiree said right away, feeling uncomfortable with what Aragon wanted the child to do.

"Please, do not contradict me in front of my offspring," Aragon asked calmly, although Desiree could see the anger hiding in his eyes. "I can assure you, it is necessary. I want my son to be respectful and learn his place…. It will shun him from trouble later in life.

Looking back at the little black dragon with an encouraging smile, Aragon said, "Go on, Son."

Elliot gave his father nod in understanding, before turning his gaze to the Queen, and lowering his head in respect. However, his bow looked quite awkward. The young dragon ghost had obviously never done this before.

Desiree just smiled sadly in response, while internally feeling furious with Aragon for making a child do such a thing. But in the end, the male ghost was right. It was not her place to interfere in his son's rearing.

"Is that acceptable?" Elliot asked his parents after lifting his head and looking at them; his shyness had suddenly vanished, and an excited smile now replaced it. Clearly, the eight-year-old thought he had done a good job at 'bowing'.

"Yes, Darling," Altiĝis answered with an amused smile, while Aragon just nodded in agreement.

After a brief pause, the male dragon addressed his son again. "Queen Desiree is aiding in your brother's search. She has requested to speak to you about the day your brother disappeared. It is why I sent for you. I would like you to tell her what you have told us," he said, raising an expectant eyebrow at his son.

Elliot's wings quickly lowered, obviously uncomfortable with his father's request. The young dragon gave Desiree a nervous look, before turning back to his father, and whispering, "I-I don't want to…"

Altiĝis quickly moved closer to her child, wanting to reassure him, but Aragon raised his hand, silently telling her not to do so. The mother's distress was evident, but she still yielded to her mate's order.

"Elliot, I am asking you to," Aragon said seriously. "It is imperative to the aiding of your brother."

"Please, my child. We are right here with you," Altiĝis asked gently.

The young dragon's tail curled around him, but he nodded in agreement. A brief silence ensued as Elliot kept his eyes lowered to the ground, but then he slowly looked up at the Queen, his eyebrows creased in wariness. "My brother's name is Gregory," he began timidly.

Desiree looked slightly surprised by the news, being that she had not known the name of the other dragon that had been taken. "Gregory?" she whispered back, trying to keep her voice as gentle as possible.

"Yes," Elliot replied. "But he likes to be called Gregor."

Desiree just nodded and smiled pleasantly, though the actions seemed to have boded well with the child, since he perked up, and spoke again with a bit more confident. "We were playing at the brook next to the black hill with the orange berries. Do you know where I speak of?" he asked, his head tilting with his question.

Desiree hesitated, but her smile did not falter. "No, I have not been there…. But it sounds beautiful."

The little dragon grinned and nodded. "Yes, it is! And the berries there are very tasty! Gregor and me would eat them all the time; and then we would run down the hill really fast, and then fly off it! It was fun!" he beamed, now fully excited. But hearing his father clear his throat, he jolted, before giving his parents a meek, apologetic smile.

Desiree still held a small amused smile when the young dragon looked back at her. However, it melted away when she saw there was fear in his big, yellow eyes again. But his wariness was not towards her anymore…

"We were playing there like always when it happened! A evil ghost came from nowhere and attacked us!" Elliot informed her with trepidation.

Desiree's eyes widened in alarm. "A _ghost_? Your brother was taken by a ghost?" she asked the child, before looking to Aragon and Altiĝis.

It was the mother that answered the Queen. "We are not sure if he was _taken_ by mentioned ghost. However, according to my child—_whom I believe_—a _male_ ghost assailed him and his brother on that very same day; a _ghost_ unknown to them---a large feline of some sort."

Altiĝis frowned heavily at Desiree as she added, "You may not realize, but if my offspring did not recognize their ghost attacker, then it can only denote that 'this ghost' did not belong to dragon territory. _An outsider_ came here to harm my children, Queen Desiree."

The ghost mage could clearly see the distrust in Altiĝis' eyes, making it obvious that the mother believed someone of the _Kingdom_ had something to do with this. Now, she understood why the dragon couple blamed her husband.

Elliot was looking at the adults' interaction with interest. But even though he heard everything, he still missed his mother's indirect accusation directed towards the Queen. He was a bit confused by how they acted towards each other. His parents and the royal visitor kept speaking calmly to each other, but he could feel a strange tension. It was why he had been apprehensive of the Queen. Though now that he was speaking with her, the young dragon didn't understand why his parents were acting so strangely around her. She didn't seem like a bad ghost. She looked nice. And she even said she liked his name!

Not wanting to get into a dispute in front of a child, Desiree decided to ignore Altiĝis' bias deduction; and, instead, looked back at the young dragon for an answer. "Elliot, did the ghost that attack you take your brother?"

The eight-year-old slowly looked back at her, his eyebrows creasing with uncertainty. "I am unsure. When the ghost attacked us, Gregor told me to run; to fly! At first, he was beside me as we started running to gain enough speed and take flight. Then, out of nowhere, a large ball of pink fire hit us from above…" Elliot's tail curled in fear and his head lowered. "It hurt so much," he whimpered, "And then everything went black…Gregor was g-gone when I woke up a-again…"

Desiree could only stare at the child who looked on the verge of tears, but Aragon's voice quickly broke the silence." I believe that is enough. Altiĝis. Take Elliot away, please," he asked soberly.

The Queen stepped away from the young dragon as his mother came to comfort him, and lead him away. "Elliot, did you not have a question for your father?" Altiĝis asked softly, wanting to push her offspring past his sadness.

A small smile lit the young ghost's face as he nodded. "May I go play with Ruĝa, Father? Her older cousins will be with us." Elliot said, looking up at Aragon with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

Aragon smiled at him. "Of course. Just do not stray."

The young dragon's wings perked up in happiness. "Thank you, Father! I promise not to venture of!"

Aragon nodded, before Altiĝis redirected their son's attention to her. "Alright. Say 'Farewell' to Queen Desiree, Elliot," she asked, changing into her dragon form.

Elliot gestured his understanding with his head, before looking at the Queen. "Farewell, Queen Desiree," he said with a bow.

"Farewell, little one," Desiree replied with a sad smile.

Without a word, Altiĝis grasped her child by the base of the neck and lifted him in her jaws, much like a lioness would her cub. She moved over to the door and opened it with one of her clawed hands, just before lowering Elliot back down.

"Be back before our evening meal, my child," she asked, receiving a nod in response. After a brief caress of their heads between mother and son, Elliot quickly ran off down the hallway, soon vanishing from Altiĝis' line of sight.

Watching the dragon mother close the door and change back into a more humanoid form, Desiree finally found her voice to speak again. "If you both knew that a ghost was involved in your son's disappearance then why did you not mention it before? You have allowed everyone to believe for four years that this was all the humans' doing. Why, Aragon? " she asked, her voice laced with a strange combination of sadness and anger.

Aragon looked over at his wife, who had come up beside him. "I have remained unvoiced because I have not discarded that possibility in its entirety." He grasped his mate's hand, before turning his full attention back at Desiree, his look as serious as ever. "There is something you should know about my offspring, Queen Desiree….My children… They have a unique ability amongst themselves…. They share a telepathic link."

Once again, the ghost mage was caught by surprise, and a quick glance over at Dora revealed that even _she_ had not known of this, since her best friend looked as equally shocked.

"Elliot has told us of his visions of creatures that----concluding from his descriptions----are humans," Aragon continued. "Tell me, Queen Desiree, how is that possible when my son has _never_ encountered a human being in his life?"

"Gregory," Desiree whispered, looking intensely at the dragon leader. The Queen had realized that Elliot's visions where actually _Gregory's_ visions. The remaining young dragon was seeing through his telepathic link what his brother saw. It was the only explanation present as to why Elliot would _see_ humans in his mind when he never had physically seen one.

Aragon nodded. "_Somehow_ my other son reached the human's world. Do you understand my suspicions of his fate now?" he asked, giving her a significant look.

"But are not Elliot's visions proof of Gregory's still being alive?" Desiree insisted, the revelation refueling her hope for the young ghost.

"Gregory is dead, Queen Desiree," Aragon said sharply.

"Her question has much validity, Aragon," Altiĝis suddenly said, sounding almost desperate. It took the Queen off guard to hear the female dragon actually side with her for once. But when Altiĝis saw the disapproval on her mate's face, she sighed and looked away.

"Altiĝis," Aragon began, but his voice held no anger. "Elliot's visions have diminished in these past years. He has not had one in almost a year now. Tell me, my mate, what other reason aside from his brother's passing could explain that?" As if forgetting Desiree and Dora were present, the male dragon cupped his female's face with one of his hands, gently coaxing her to look at him. "I understand how difficult this is to accept, but you must. We still have another son to care for, Altiĝis. And I have both of you and our kin to think of. We must lay this to rest."

Aragon could see his mate was on the verge of tears. But instead of saying more to her, he let go of her face, and quickly turned his attention back to the ghost mage. "Queen Desiree, I believe I have been more than compliant with you. If there is not anything further you wish to know, I would like to bid you farewell."

The Queen slightly jolted with the abrupt dismissal, but not finding anything more to add, she reluctantly said, "No, there is nothing else… I thank you for permitting my entry, and for yours and your wife's hospitality." Desiree now understood that nothing---but his missing son's actual return---would ever convince Aragon of his being wrong of Gregory's fate. The male ghost was much too stubborn… or much too 'heart-broken' to keep hoping for his child's salvation.

Sadly, the Queen was certain that Aragon was not the only ghost whose mind she would fail to change. There were others. And although what she discovered about Gregory's kidnapping was very interesting, it ultimately provided no proof of his survival---especially when Elliot's visions were no longer present. She now doubted the Council would retract from their earlier decision.

"There is no need for your gratitude," Aragon waved off. "Though before you leave, I would like to ask that you never again request entry into my domain---at least, not when you are doing so with the intentions of learning about my personal affairs. Now in regards to Gregory, I am certain that I have divulged all there is to know about his loss. Therefore, this is the _last_ time I will discuss the topic with anyone of the Kingdom," the dragon leader said in a strict voice.

"Understood," Desiree answered soberly.

"Good-bye, Queen Desiree," Altiĝis said as she curtsied.

And her mate added with a gentleman's bow, "We wish you a safe trip. Give my regards to your mate…. And son."

Desiree nodded, before she watched Dora stand, and say, "I will escort her, Brother."

Aragon agreed; and still beside his mate, silently watched as the Queen and his sister left the room.

"Do you still believe the Kingdom is involved in Gregory's disappearance?" Altiĝis asked gravely once they were alone.

"Someone from there is. Though if _Desiree and Vlad_ are unaware of it, as they have portrayed, then they should fear for the offspring within their kingdom, _especially_ for their own son," Aragon answered with a deep frown.

"Oh, my poor Gregory," Altiĝis whispered sadly, before embracing her mate.

With a grim look on his face, Aragon just held her tighter in his arms when he heard Altiĝis finally give into her angst and begin to cry. There was nothing he could say to make her feel better. Not after four years.

Meanwhile, Desiree and Dora had reached Fright Knight, who had been waiting just outside the large castle. But the two female ghosts were still talking about what Aragon's son had said, so they missed the ghost general's sigh of relief upon seeing they were both safe.

"Can it really be that a ghost is involved in Gregory's vanishing? But then, how did the humans get a hold of him?" Desiree questioned worriedly, before giving Fright Knight, who had come up beside her, a brief thankful and reassuring smile.

"I do not know, milady…," Dora answered sadly. "Though, perhaps, I may be able to learn more about this from Elliot. Perhaps he will share more about these visions he use to have. It might provide us with a clue of who was really involved; or even better yet, reveal the whereabouts of my other nephew."

Desiree nodded, before slightly changing topics. "So you are staying longer?" she asked with creased eyebrows. She knew that this was her best friend's family; but Aragon could treat her so terribly sometimes that Desiree couldn't help but worry about Dora.

"My brother might be unbearable on occasions. However, I have really enjoyed spending time with my kin, especially my sister-in-law and nephew. Altiĝis is not as cold as she portrays to be around others," Dora explained. "And my nephew…" She smiled tenderly. "Elliot is a true joy to be around."

Desiree smiled. "Yes, he really is," she agreed. "And I understand your wanting to stay. You have not been with your family for quite some time. And I know you do miss them."

The dragon maid nodded. "I do. Though as much as that may be true, my place will always be in the Kingdom, beside you, milady. You and those there are as much my family as the ones here," she assured her best friend with a soft smile.

The Queen returned the caring gesture, but then with a teasing look, she retorted, "I should hope so. Otherwise, I might get jealous." The two females shared a light chuckle, slightly easing the stress they still felt as a result of the recent conversation with Aragon.

With a soft crease of her eyebrows and a small smile, Desiree finally said her temporary good-bye to her best friend, "Well, then, I shall see you by the end of the week. Fright Knight here will come get you before we depart from Lydia's and return to the castle."

"Alright, until then," Dora answered; and with that the dragon maid returned to her kin. And the Queen and Fright Knight left the dragon territory.

* * *

"I told you it is Ectoplasmic Energy!" Danny said with a bright smile, as he and Ember played in her home's backyard---although, it was more like a small forest and they were currently on top of a large hill.

"Yeah! Mommy say I am learning!" Ember answered, looking at her glowing blue hands with as much excitement as her friend. But she also looked curious being that it was a new experience for her. The very tingly feeling was unique in its own, but so was the surging feeling coming from her core.

None of this scared Ember, though. She had seen Ectoplasmic Energy many times before---just made by others, mostly her parents. The little girl was quite proud of herself that she could now do what her mom and dad---_and Danny--_could!

Unlike Ember's parents who had allowed her energy to sprout on its own time, Danny's parents---or more specifically, his father---had encouraged the little Prince to use ecto-energy since he had turned a little over a year. Neither approach was wrong by any means; it just meant Danny was more familiar with the ability of physically manifesting his energy.

Of course, _both_ tots' energy was not anywhere near as strong as their parents yet. Their energy had a long way to go before it could _really_ hurt anything---well, unless it was a defenseless piece of furniture.

But both Ember _and_ Danny had been equally surprised that Ectoplasmic Energy could actually be destructive. In their innocent minds, they had never consider the possibility. So, it had been quite a shock. However, even with the realization, they were just happy---and interested---in playing with their ability in a benign way.

Danny reached out and touched Ember's glowing hands, only to shudder at the strong, warm tingle that ran down his hands when he did. He had felt his parents' energy in this form before, but the feeling of his best friend's energy was different; not bad, just… different.

"It feels weird," Danny murmured, pulling away.

"Yeah, it don't feel like yours," Ember replied. "But it nice, right?"

The little Prince grinned and nodded, before letting his hands glow with his own _green_ ecto-energy. He loved the feel of his energy escaping his body, especially the sensation that came from his central core. His father had explained to him that the feeling came from his core shooting a stronger surge of energy towards his hands, so that it could physically manifest itself outside his body. The explanation sounded fun… even if he didn't exactly understand it.

Remembering a trick he often would do with his father, Danny moved his hands above Ember's, and said, "Look at this!" The little boy began to make his energy form into a sphere in between his and his friend's hands.

Ember gasped as she watched her energy attempt to wrap around the small ball of green energy the other tot was making.

"You can do it, too!" Danny encouraged, earning a grin from the little girl; and she began allowing the feeling of her powers to swell within her, quickly bringing forth more energy into her hand.

Both four-year-old giggled when they saw Danny's energy become encased in Ember's blue energy. But then, suddenly, something unexpected happened.

"Ouch!" Danny yelped, pulling away from his friend, his energy instantly vanishing.

In her alarm, Ember's own energy vanished, too. But she didn't care, and she quickly got closer Danny. "What's wrong?" she asked, not understanding why the little Prince was cradling his hands.

"You burn me!" Danny exclaimed, but there was no accusation in his voice, just surprise. He didn't understand why his friend's energy was so _hot_…

"I no mean to…," Ember said, feeling bad.

Danny slowly opened his stinging hands, and gazed at them as the pain began to fade. But he also felt an odd surge of cold that he had never felt before surge through his body, making him shiver for a moment.

Just then, Ember gently touched her friend's hands and couldn't help but shudder herself from how cold they were. But before she could question the sudden light blue glow around Danny's hands, it vanished.

The Prince looked up at the ghost girl, and smiled. "They better now," he announced, not thinking anything of the cold feeling he had felt or the sudden blue glow. He was too happy that his healing ability had made the pain go away to linger on anything else.

Ember grinned again, before she suddenly lunged at her friend, quickly tackling him to the ground.

"Hey!" Danny protested at having been pinned down by his best friend.

"You scared me!" Ember said, pretending to be angry; but then, a mischievous look grew on her features. "Now _I_ scare _you!_" she vowed, before quickly tickling the little ghost boy under her.

Danny yelped and laughed as he squirmed under his friend. But he promptly decided to 'fight' back and used his own fingers to assault Ember.

The blue-haired girl reeled back with a fit of giggles, and Danny took the chance to pounce on her this time. "Now I got you!"

The four-year-olds continued to play-fight and tickle one another, having completely forgotten about the small incident just seconds ago. But as they rolled down the hill in their excitement, the duo didn't realize they were tumbling straight into someone until they collided with the ghost.

Danny and Ember quickly stopped their play and looked down in surprise at the ghost sprawled on the ground.

"Amorpho!" Ember suddenly exclaimed with a smile, while Danny stared in confusion, not ever having seen the ghost in front of them.

Amorpho, who was two years older than Danny and Ember was one of the little girl's neighbors; so, they, of course, knew each other quite well. The young ghost had a peculiar appearance. He was all white; and although he had hands, his fingers were not very pronounced. But the most peculiar feature about him was that he had no face. There were no eyes, or nose, or mouth…It was blank.

Danny found it creepy.

"Hi, Ember!" the boy greeted her as he stood up; and though he looked happy to see her, his ghostly tail was fluttering nervously from having been unexpectedly knocked down.

"Who are you?" Danny interrupted. And trying to decide if he liked the other male ghost or not, the little Prince frowned with mild curiosity at him.

Turning his attention to the younger boy present, the six-year-old, answered, "Amorpho." He then curiously tilted his head at the white-haired ghost, and added, "I've never seen you before…"

Ember spoke up, before Danny could. "This is Danny. He no live here. He lives in a big castle. He is the Prince!" she announced, sounding as proud as if she was talking about herself.

Amorpho quickly looked back at the little ghost boy in surprise. "You're Prince Phantom?"

"Yes…," Danny distractingly confirmed, still observing the other male ghost with an unsure look. Typically, the Prince was not so guarded---if at all---when meeting new ghosts. But Amorpho's strange looks, and the fact that he was close to their age, had caught him off guard. He rarely saw other ghost kids, except at the marketplace. Danny usually spent his time with either those that came to the castle, or the more primitive ghosts at his playgrounds. Realizing that _his_ best friend had _other_ friends aside of him had thrown the poor Prince for a loop.

The older ghost child did not seem to notice Danny's uncertainty of him; and instead, became excited by the discovery that he was standing before the Ghost Prince. "Neat! My mom has told me all about you! But I have never seen you before! And---" Amorpho suddenly gasped; and just as quickly, he bowed.

Danny gave the other young boy a quizzical look, his bizarre behavior not helping the Prince make up his mind about him. "What you doing?" the white-haired boy questioned.

But Ember seemed to get it, and she giggled. "You're funny, Amorpho! You no gotta do that now!"

"Yes, I do!" Amorpho insisted, knowing full well what being royalty meant. His mother had told him you bow to them, and he didn't want to disobey her, especially not when it was his first encounter with one from the royal family.

Looking up at the Prince, the face-less ghost asked, "Can I stop now, Prince Phantom?"

Danny just shrugged. He had not told the other boy to do anything to begin with.

Taking his reply as a 'yes', Amorpho rose back up to his full height. "So, you are visiting? How long?" he continued, still sounding awed.

"One week," Danny answered, his frown still on his face.

Ember gave her best friend a quizzical look, not understanding why he was acting so weirdly. Did he not like Amorpho?

Suddenly, the ghost girl remembered something, and quickly brought it up in hopes of getting the other four-year-old to relax again. "Hey, Amorpho! Show Danny the neat trick you do!"

The six-year-old's body language suddenly became timid, but he still nodded his agreement. In an instant, the young ghost became a small red peacock, his mimicry of it completely flawless.

Danny's eyes slightly grew with his surprise. "You can change what you look like?" he asked, a small smile finally growing on the tot's features.

"Sure can!" Amorpho said proudly, quickly changing into different forms in hopes of impressing the Prince.

"Do me!" Ember exclaimed in delight, and the shape-shifting ghost complied, earning a giggle from her.

Danny's smile vanished, feeling unnerved by how perfectly the other boy could duplicate his best friend's form. If it wasn't for the remaining red eyes, the Prince wouldn't have been able to tell who the real Ember was. Not even Bertrand was _this_ good.

The four-year-old was pushed out of his thoughts when he saw Amorpho suddenly switch into him. The young Prince jolted at the sight, and his next reaction startled both of the other kids.

"**Change back!"** Danny abruptly demanded in a fierce tone.

Admorpho gasped, his alarm making him lose his current form and returned to his own.

"**Do not do that again**!" the Prince ordered, now fully glaring at the other boy.

Amorpho fearfully nodded. "I'm sorry!"

"Danny!" Ember shouted, looking angrily at the four-year-old. "You are being mean!"

"I do not like he turn into me!" Danny protested defensively, his angry gaze now towards Ember.

"He just playing!" the little girl challenged, not backing down.

The Prince was silenced by her words; and with a huff, turned his glare towards the ground.

"Don't be mad, Prince Phantom," Amorpho spoke up, feeling bad for upsetting him. "I won't do it again. Promise."

Danny instantly deflated upon noticing the sad tone in the other boy's voice. Perhaps, he was being mean after all… But he couldn't help bristling with indignation at the sight of someone trying to pass off as him.

The white-haired Prince sighed and nodded. "Okay. And I sorry for yelling at you," he added, his eyebrows creased in shame.

Admorpho nodded, and extended his hand at Danny. "Friends, then?"

Danny grinned brightly, and extended his own hand so only his fingertips touched the other boy's—their ghost version of a handshake. "Friends!" he exclaimed.

"_Ember!" _

All three kids looked towards the voice, which belonged to Lydia.

"My mommy's callin' me!' Ember exclaimed, before taking flight and zooming back towards her home.

Danny and Amorpho shared a surprise look, but then they soon followed after the little girl. But upon remembering that Amorpho also had a spectral tail like him, the Prince gave him a challenging smile. "How fast can you fly?"

Danny didn't allow the other boy to answer, and with a new burst of speed he pushed ahead of Amorpho, earning a shout of protest from his new friend. But the shape-shifter quickly reacted and raced after the laughing Prince.

As the three children headed back to Ember's place, a multi-colored butterfly arrived at the island. The little ghost soon noticed the two young boys' retreating forms, and quickly pursued after them.

Ember halted in front of her mother with a bright smile. "I'm here, mommy!" she announced happily.

"Where is Prince---Oh, there he is!" Lydia cut herself off upon noticing Danny quickly approaching, but seeing another young ghost right on his tail, she quickly added, "And little Amorpho."

Both ghost boys made an abrupt halt in front of Ember's mother---or at least Amorpho was able to. Danny ended up colliding with Lydia, but she quickly braced herself and ended his uncontrolled flight by wrapping her arms around him.

"Well, aren't we in a hurry!" the female ghost said with an amused look at Danny, who grinned meekly in response.

Still laughing at the Prince's clumsiness, the morphing ghost greeted her, "Hi, Mrs. Lydia!"

"We were playing on the hill!" Danny announced as he was lowered back down.

She smiled at the trio. "Hmm, well, it is lunch time; and then, a nap for _both_ of you," she added with a pointed look at the four-year-olds, knowing how they didn't like naps, especially when they were together.

Both Ember and Danny pouted, but still nodded.

"Amorpho, would you like lunch, too?' Lydia asked with a smile.

"Yes, please!" the six-year-old beamed.

"Alright. Then, you three go clean up while I serve your food."

All three kids nodded, and they quickly flew off. But, suddenly, Danny halted, and looked back at Lydia.

"My mommy no back yet?" he asked curiously.

Lydia gave him a gentle smile. "No, little one. Not yet. But she will back before you know it."

Danny frowned, but then nodded. Then hearing Ember call to him, he smiled again, and quickly flew after the two kids, yelling, "I'm coming!"

The female ghost watched warmly after the tot, but then sighed, worriedly thinking, "I hope everything is going well with Aragon."

She was suddenly pushed out of her thoughts when she saw a little butterfly phase through the back door. Lydia smiled in recognition, and lifted a finger to allow the butterfly to land on it.

Instantly, the little butterfly changed, becoming one of the fairies with which the little Prince commonly played with. The little butterfly-fairies were often called on by the Kingdom to deliver messages to other parts of the ghost world. They were the fastest creatures in their world, able to make several-hour trips in minutes.

"Greetings! I bear a message for Queen Desiree. Is she present?" the little ghost questioned.

"No, she is not. She went to the Dragon Realm. But she will be back later today. You may wait for her if you wish," Lydia answered.

"Yes, I do wish. In the meantime, may I see the Prince? I saw him just a moment ago, but I missed him," she said with a giggle.

"Of course," Lydia replied. "He went in that direction; the second door on your right," she informed the little ghost, pointing towards the way.

"Thank you!" the butterfly-fairy said, before transforming back into her butterfly form and flying off towards the indicated direction.

Lydia watched her fly off, all the while wondering what message she needed to give the Queen.

"Well, we'll find out when she returns," Ember's mother said to herself with a smile, before heading towards her husband's study. She knew that he was most likely in there working on a story, doing what he loved best.

After lunch, Lydia was true to her word, and she sent Ember and Danny to take their nap. So, after saying their good-byes to Amorpho, who went home, the four-year-old duo went to bed for an hour rest. Like in the past days, and any time Danny would visit, the two friends were adamant about spending every minute of the day with each other, so even when they took a nap, or went to sleep at night, they stuck together.

Danny giggled as the little fairy now in his company settled in the crock of his neck; she had decided to join the two tots for their nap while she waited for the Queen's return.

"Now you two go to sleep, okay?" Lydia said, receiving nods of agreement before the two kids settled into their shared bed and closed their eyes. The mother closed the door behind her as she left the room, deciding to check on them later to make sure they were indeed sleeping.

A few seconds of silence passed, before one of Ember's eyes open to peak around her room. And when she confirmed her mom was really gone, she opened her other eye, and whispered, "Danny, you sleep?"

The little Prince's eyes quickly open, and with mischievous smile, he answered, "Nope!"

The two shifted on the bed to look at one another; and the little fairy that was still on the little ghost boy's neck instantly protested at his sudden change in position. However, Danny didn't notice it when the little ghost quickly picked another resting spot on his pillow as he commented to Ember, "I not even tired."

"Me either," Ember said with a laugh, but then quickly covered her mouth when she realized she had been too loud.

Danny just smiled wider. But then, the Ghost Prince's eyebrows furrowed as another thought entered his mind. "I wish you live with me. Then we can play every day…"

The ghost girl wrapped her hands around her friend in a hug. "I wish you live with me, too!"

Danny pulled away, shaking his head. "No, _I_ can not because Cujo would be sad I leave him."

Ember gave him a sad smile. "We still got more days to play. And then I can ask my mommy if we can go visit you!"

Danny quickly brightened. "Yes! …And then I can show you my secret!" he suddenly added.

The little girl tilted her head. "Secret? What that?"

Danny sat up a bit in excitement. "It is something only me and few other can know."

"Can I know?" Ember asked, hopeful.

The ghost boy pondered the question. "Um… Aunt Spectra said my mommy and daddy can not know… but she did not say you… Okay! I tell you!" he quickly beamed, but then he gave her a serious look. "You can not tell no one or it is not a secret no more, okay?"

"Okay! I will tell no one!" Ember quickly agreed with a smile.

Danny looked around, and noticing the little sleeping fairy again, he got closer to his blue-haired friend, and whispered, "You know what human is?"

"Hu—man?" she repeated confused.

"Yes," the Prince answered. "My aunt say human have toys and sometimes they lose them in places."

Ember just stared at him in confusion. "Huh? So human is ghosts that make toys?"

Danny's eyebrows creased, clearly unsure himself. He really had not understood exactly what a human was. But then, as if enlightened by his friend's words, he beamed, "Yes! I think you right! But…" The little boy looked confused again. "She say human is other spi… spi…um… speci?" he questioned his friend, unable to remember the pronunciation of the word 'species', let alone what it meant.

His baffled friend could only shrug.

Danny mimicked her gesture, but quickly continued, "Well, she gave me a human toy!" he said, excited again, "It called a _spayship_! It is in the other language I told you I learning!"

Ember nodded thoughtfully. "Mommy and Daddy say they teach me that other language soon, too… _Spay…sh…?"_

"_Spay-shhi---p," _Danny helped her out.

"Oh! _Spayship_!" she exclaimed, finally getting it.

"_Ember! I hear you! You two go to sleep or I'll come in there and separate you both,"_ Lydia suddenly scolded from somewhere in the house.

The two four-year-olds gasped and quickly settled back into the bed. They were still facing each other, though their eyes had snapped closed. But a few seconds later, Ember opened her eyes and spoke again, this time making sure to whisper, "Is it nice?"

Danny, knowing she referred to the human toy, looked at her and nodded the best he could. "Yes. I never see nothing like it," he whispered back, with awe in his voice as he remembered the human toy. "I show it to you when you visit…." But then, Danny suddenly frowned. "If I get it back. Aunt Spectra took it and left it at the hot place we go…"

"I hope you get it back. I want to see it…" Ember said with a yawn, before snuggling closer to her friend and closing her eyes.

As if contagious, the Ghost Prince yawned himself. But his eyes did not close. He did not respond to his friend, since her comment had caused his mind to drift to something else---or someone else. What _he_ wanted to see was his father. The little ghost boy missed him so much. He didn't understand why he had to leave him all the time. And now this last time, his father had been gone for a very long duration.

Then suddenly thinking back on what his aunt had told him on their way to that hot island, he frowned. What if his aunt was right? What if his dad never came back?

Danny looked worriedly at the wall beyond his friend's quiet form. Even when the room was pitched dark, his own eyes produced enough light for him to see. There was no such thing as darkness for a ghost---unless they closed their eyes, of course.

But the little ghost boy had no interest in sleeping at the moment. He was scared. He feared he would never see his father again. The thought brought tears to the tot's eyes, but he quickly shook his head in denial. "My daddy no _abden_ me," he whispered, using the human word his aunt had used when she suggested it.

As if sensing her friend's sadness, the sleeping Ember placed her hand on Danny's symbol, comforting him with her own energy. And the action did not go unnoticed by the Prince.

He smiled, before snuggling closer to her as another yawn escaped him. Maybe he was tired after all. With the thought, his eyes finally closed and he eventually drifted into sleep.

* * *

The end of the week---and of their stay---came all too soon for Danny. But his mother assured him he would be content to return home. And the news that Ember would come to visit him in a week's time further assured the young Prince.

It was enough for the two four-year-olds to stop crying and let go of one another. Having said their good-bye to Lydia and Ghostwriter, Desiree and Danny departed, along with Fright Knight and Dora, who had since returned from visiting her brother.

They had decided to leave very early in the morning, so that they could arrive at the palace a little past noon that day. The little Prince, however, did not seem to be affected by the early wake up call. He was just as enthusiastic and playful as ever---for now, at least.

While Danny was up ahead riding with Fright Knight on Nightmare, Desiree and Dora chatted about the week's events, which were mainly on the events dealing with the little dragon---Gregory.

"I managed to coax Elliot into sharing with me more about his dreams---and visions," Dora said to the Queen. "Though my most intriguing discussion with him was when he told me he knew of his brother's whereabouts."

Desiree's eyes widened. "He does?" she gasped.

"That's what he said, milady," Dora answered with an unsure frown. "However, his words and descriptions do not hold logic in them. Elliot believes his brother is trapped inside a fortress made of _black clouds_, and that a monster with a white face holds him captive and will not let him go."

"A monster with a white face? A human, perhaps?" Desiree said thoughtfully. "Aragon mentioned his son seeing humans in his vision."

"I am unsure, milady," the dragon maid replied. "But if Elliot indeed refers to a human when he speaks of this 'monster', then why does he not simply call it a human? After all, my nephew does understand the existence of humans after seeing them in his visions and having Aragon explain to him what they were."

The Queen remained silent. She had no answer to her best friend's question.

Dora suddenly continued. "What is most troubling is how Elliot's visions of his brother have vanished over the years. He confirmed that to be true when I questioned him. Could that signify my brother's assumption is correct? Could my other nephew truly be deceased?"

"I wish it to be untrue. But it's hard to say anymore," the Queen answered soberly. "This is all very strange, Dora," Desiree sighed as her eyes momentarily glanced towards Danny, who was giggling as he took charge of Nightmare and urged him to fly faster. "I hope the attack from that mystery ghost was just a coincidence and not something more," she added worriedly.

The Queen looked at her friend once more, this time with a sad gaze. "I fear our findings will not be enough to get the Council to change their minds about the search."

"Yes, they will very likely reach the same belief as my brother has," Dora said with a gloomy sigh. "Poor Altiĝis. It must be terrible to lose an offspring."

Desiree's eyebrows creased as she looked back at Danny. Her soul just ached with the thought of losing him. But she also felt this sudden guilt… one she hadn't felt in a while now.

"Any word on Lord Plasmius?" Dora suddenly asked, pulling her friend out of thought.

The Queen smiled at her, the question making her so happy that she quickly forgot about her troubling feelings. "Yes. I received a message from him four days ago. He's back, Dora!" she said in a soft voice.

"_Truly?!"_ the dragon maid exclaimed.

"Shh!" Desiree quickly chastised, glancing at her son again.

Danny had curiously turned to look at his mom and her friend upon hearing the dragon maid's excited voice. But when Desiree blew a kiss at him and Dora just waved innocently, the little ghost boy grinned again, and then went back to his ranting to Fright Knight.

"You have not told him?" Dora questioned quietly, confused by the realization.

Desiree shook her head. "I didn't want him to get anxious. As much as I---and I know Danny, as well--- would have liked to return immediately, it was best to let him spend some time outside the castle. Besides, I could not have cut short your reunion with your family," she added.

"Oh, but, milady, I could have left on my own at a later date. I am certain Lord Plasmius is troubled that you have not returned home yet!"

The Queen smiled in reassurance. "Do not worry, Dora. I sent a message back that same day, telling him I would return in a few days' time. I'm sure he understands. …And if not, then, it serves him right after making _us_ wait for almost a month for _him_ to return," Desiree added with an evil, but playful smirk.

"Would I be mistaken to presume you added that last comment in your response as well?" Dora questioned dryly.

"You would not be," Desiree said, her smirk widening.

The maid just shook her head, though the small smile on her face hinted at amusement.

* * *

Walker walked quickly down the corridor that led to the courtyard. He had been feeling extremely anxious all week with the knowledge that the Queen had gone to speak with Aragon. If it weren't for the fact that he hadn't seen Spectra lately, he would strangle her for putting him in such a compromised position.

If Desiree discovered who was really behind the young ghost dragon's kidnapping, he was done for. Everything he had worked so hard for, the status and respect he had, and his precious prison would all be taken from him.

Walker could not have that.

It is why he was determined to do what it took to make sure that _if_ the Queen had found out the truth, his name would be kept out of it. After all, he had not gone anywhere near the dragon brat. Sure, he did provide the means for that over-zealous shadow ghost and her snobby assistant to do what they did; but, that was all…..Still, they were the only two who could reveal he had been an accomplice in that escapade. Walker was ready to get rid of them—or anyone else---if it was what was needed to keep him out of this whole mess. And he would kill them himself if he had to.

But those plans were 'on hold' until he found out what Desiree had discovered. And he intended to do just that right now.

Stepping out into the courtyard, Walker arrived just in time to see the Queen and her companions arrive. Plasmius' wife gritted on his nerves more than Plasmius himself did at times. The ghost sheriff despised how she often addressed him as if she was above him, when in truth, she was nothing without the King. Before the couple got married, Desiree was just one of the many females residing in the Kingdom. It was even rumored that the previous king, Pariah Dark, wanted her as one of his harlot girls. Walker had agreed with that perception, and was sure she had been one.

But in any case, Walker could see why the previous king and this one had set their eyes on Desiree. The female ghost was beautiful. And her powers made her quite useful. At least, for him, that would be the only reasons why the Warden would ever get close to a female like her. Having the ghost mage as a mate would certainly make any male very---or more---powerful. And her beauty was just a bonus; a bonus that could be flaunted to others.

Walker smirked at the thought as he watched the Ghost Queen continue to speak to Fright Knight and Dora, while they stood beside the Pegasuses they had just dismounted. Maybe in the end, that was the only reason why Plasmius had married Desiree. It sure enough could not be the little shrew's outspoken and arrogant personality….Then again, Plasmius was really no different than her.

"_The two are perfect for each other,"_ Walker thought in disgust.

Seeing the Queen part from the others and come towards him, Walker quickly adapted a pleasant smile.

"Walker? What are you doing here?" Desiree asked curiously, pausing in front of him. He was definitely one of the last ghosts she had expected to come greet her.

Walker briefly looked down at the little Prince who was clinging to his mother, fast asleep. "I was eager to hear of the success of your travels, Queen Desiree. Is there a need to gather the Council?"

"Yes, there is," she answered calmly, before gesturing to the ghost sheriff, who was blocking the entrance.

"Oh, of course," he said quickly, moving aside and allowing her through.

Walker followed closely behind the Queen, but soon caught up and continued beside her. "How urgent is the matter? I would like to know what course of actions I should take," he pressed on.

Desiree answered, but it wasn't the answer the Warden wanted to hear. "My husband is home, correct?" she questioned.

Walker frowned at the change of subject, and his displeasure showed in his voice. "He has returned from his trip if that's what you're asking. But if he's home at the _current_ moment, I couldn't tell you. Last time I saw him, he was with Skulker. But that was two hours ago."

Desiree remained quiet for a moment, before speaking again. "You'll have to forgive me if I seem a bit reluctant to tell you the results of my reunion with Aragon; but I do wish to speak to my husband about it first," she explained calmly, pausing in her step and looking at the ghost. "However, the gathering of the Council is still necessary, so you may send word to them as soon as you can."

Desiree then briefly looked down at Danny. "If that is all, Walker, I will have to leave you. I need to put Danny in his bed. He woke quite early and has had a long travel." Without waiting for a response, the Queen moved forward again, planning on parting from the male ghost.

But Walker was not letting Desiree leave him without some form of answer. The male ghost quickly moved in front of her, forcing her to halt in her step. And ignoring the deep frown his actions received, he evenly said, "You will have to forgive _me_, Queen Desiree, that I must keep you from tending to the Prince for a moment longer. You see, I cannot call a meeting when you do not tell me what the gathering is for. As you know, there are some matters that must be addressed at the High Tribunal, while others can be addressed right here in the castle."

"Just have everyone gather at the High Tribunal, Walker," Desiree answered, her voice this time laced with annoyance.

"I do not understand why you cannot just tell me what you found out," the ghost sheriff replied, his irritation also clearly in his voice.

"I just told you, Walker. I wish to discuss it with my husband first. Now, if you would please let me through," she snapped back; but she quickly calmed when Danny slightly shifted in her arms, clearly beginning to feel his mother's swelling anger.

Walker stayed firm in front of the ghost mage. "As you can see, the King is not around. He is most likely _playing_ _about_ with his most _trusted_ _friend_, and won't be back for hours. _I'm_ in charge of the law-keeping in our world, Queen Desiree. And it is my right to know of _any_ crimes committed. I think the disappearance of the dragon ghost---that we have been investigating for _years, _mind you---classifies as one," he answered angrily.

Desiree was taken aback by Walker's rude and aggressive response, but her eyes quickly narrowed. "I do not like your tone of voice, Walker. And didn't we already discuss your wise choosing of your words?"

"My words are very well chosen, _Your Highness_," he answered in almost a growl as he stepped a bit closer, almost as if to intimidate her. "As for my tone, your reluctance is upsetting me. This is an important matter, and your lack of regard for it is… intolerable."

Desiree just regarded him with a cold look for a moment. But then she spoke again, her voice terse. "Alright, if you _must_ know, I will tell you. But then _you_ will tell me something."

Walker did not respond and waited for her to continue.

"Aragon and his remaining son shared a couple of interesting things with me regarding the disappearance of the other dragon offspring." The Queen paused to give the male ghost a quick look over, much to the sheriff's confusion. "But the _most_ interesting discovery I made is of their belief that a ghost from the Kingdom was involved in the kidnapping."

Walker unconsciously took a step back at her words… and suspicious look.

"Now here is my question to you, Warden Walker," Desiree said, her eyes narrowing further. "You did not want me to speak with Aragon when you first found out about my intentions; and now, you are a little _too_ eager---_more_ than what your 'job' requires you to be---to know about my findings. Why?" she demanded to know.

The Warden quickly pushed aside his unease and narrowed his eyes at the Queen. "Are you implying I had something to do with that brat's disappearance?" he asked angrily.

"You tell me, Walker. I answered your question, now answer mine!" Desiree growled back.

Walker's hands fisted, but he took a step back. "You may be the Queen, but I do not have to take such an insult from you. Talk all you want with the King, and once you make up your mind on what it is you want to do regarding this matter, tell _him_ to tell _me_. Good Day," he snapped angrily, before turning sharply on his heels, not caring that he had just turned his back on the King's wife.

That is, until he found himself face to face with Plasmius.

Desiree herself was surprised at the sight of her husband. She and Walker had been so busy arguing, they did not notice the King's entrance. If she wasn't so furious with Walker, she would have wondered how much her husband had heard of their 'chat'.

Vlad kept his gaze locked on Walker. The silent frown on his face was enough to reveal that he had heard enough to be angry with the ghost sheriff.

"King Plasmius," Walker said, stiffening. "I did not---"

"Turn back around, Warden," Vlad commanded in a calm, but steel-cold voice.

Walker hesitated, but seeing the king's eyes narrow, he quickly did as he was told. The Warden looked back at the Queen, whose angry gaze rivaled that of her husband's.

"I do not believe you were finished, Des," Vlad said in the same even tone, his glare staying on the ghost sheriff.

"I was not," Desiree answered angrily, stepping closer to Walker, before speaking to the ghost. "I do not care if my words insult you or not. I'm simply telling you what _your_ _actions_ tell me. But be that as it may, you are _still_ to do as I say. Gather the Council at the High Tribunal, _understood_?"

"Completely," Walker answered stoically, before adding, "Is that all?"

"For now," Desiree replied in a cold voice.

Walker bowed to the Queen before turning to face the King. But the second he had, Vlad grabbed a hold of one of his arms, and pulled him close.

"Pay close attention, Walker, because I will only tell you this once," Vlad whispered angrily at the other male. "You can disrespect me all you want, but if you _ever_ again disrespect my wife and son, I will have you believing Pariah Dark was a merciful king."

Walker tensed with the touch of Plasmius' ire surging through his energy; so much so, that the tough ghost sheriff was left speechless. All he could do was nod in acknowledgement.

Vlad held on to him for a moment longer, before releasing the Warden with a sharp command. "Leave us."

Walker bowed, before retreating down the corridor. He was painfully aware that the King was glaring at his retreating form. That, and the sheriff's rising fury, also goaded him to quickly retreat from the royal couple's sight.

Vlad's hands were fisted at his side as he watched Walker disappear from view. That ghost had some nerve to believe he could disrespect his wife like that! What was the sheriff's problem? His ridiculous obsession with power was beginning to do more than just annoy the King.

With a growl in his throat, Vlad turned to his wife, "I swear, if he ever atte---"

A pair of lips on his own instantly cut off his angry rant before he could start. But it also melted his fury. Vlad smiled into the kiss as he carefully pulled his wife closer, having long since noticed his sleeping son in her arms.

Eventually, they had to part, being that poor Danny was starting to realize that his parents had temporally made him into a living sandwich.

"I was so worried about you," Desiree whispered, using a hand to caress her husband's face. "You have never left for so long."

Vlad placed his hand on top of the one on his face. "I'm sorry, Des," he said, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it. "As much as I wanted to, I could not return sooner. But you have my word that I will not leave you or Daniel for so long again."

"You best not," she replied softly, while gently touching his symbol. But then suddenly, she jabbed him with one finger, earning a grunt of surprise from her husband. "_Or next time_, Danny will become my permanent sleeping partner," she added with a pointed, but playful look.

The King chuckled in amusement, before looking down at his son. "Speaking of sleeping, someone looks utterly spent. I presume he didn't get much sleep with Ember around, hmm?" Vlad gently ruffled Danny's white hair, earning a grumpy whine of protest from his son, who then clung tighter to his mother.

"Obviously," Desiree said with a quiet chuckle. "Not to mention he spent the entire trip back telling Fright Knight the reasons he likes Nightmare, and then he followed that with an explanation of the differences between himself and… 'leeches'. Poor Fright Knight was dizzy by the end of it," the Queen remarked with amusement.

Vlad laughed, before asking, "And how long has this little 'expert' been out?"

"About a half-hour," Desiree answered; and with a smirk, added, "Sorry, but you are going to have to wait until he wakes up on his own before you can officially greet him, Love."

The king gave her a playful pout. But then he smirked as he got closer to her again. "In the meantime, you, my dear, have a date with me." He kissed her, and then asked, "Do you know how boring it is to have no one to talk to?"

"Does that mean our 'date' will consist of your ranting to me until _I'm_ dizzy?" Desiree asked with a mocked fretful look.

"Perhaps…," Vlad retorted wickedly. "That is, unless you can find some mean of silencing me," he challenged.

Desiree raised an amused eyebrow, before initiating another kiss herself. "Hmm…that certainly is a challenge. It's not easy to get _you_ to stop talking---almost impossible, really. Much like Danny," she said playfully after pulling away.

"Ah, well, I'll win either way," the King answered with a wink. But then he looked back at his son, and said, "Here, let me take him from you. I'll put him in his room while you settle down."

Desiree nodded, knowing she was weary from the trip herself. Carefully, she unhooked Danny's hands and tail from her so that Vlad could grab hold of him. The actions received another whine of protest from the tot, but he quickly silenced when he found a new person to cling to.

"Here, he might want this when he wakes up," the Queen uttered, looking down at her belt and touching one of the gems on it. Instantly, the sleeping four-year-old's three-headed lion appeared in her hands.

Vlad accepted it with a knowing smirk, before the couple headed down the corridor in comfortable silence. Soon, they parted towards different rooms that were not too far from one another.

As he made his way to his son's room, Vlad softly smiled when he suddenly felt one of Daniel's little hands shift around until it landed on a certain star-shaped, red symbol. The little boy quickly tensed in some form of unconscious surprise, before snuggling closer to the feel of his father's energy.

A content sigh escaped the little ghost boy's lips, unaware that he was now in his room. That is, until he was lowered onto his bed and he lost the warmth and comfort of his dad. The little Prince's face instantly scrunched up; and when it looked like he was about to wake up and cry, Vlad quickly reassured his son by placing a hand on the replicated signature on his own little chest.

"Shh. You're fine, little Phantom," he whispered to him as he carefully sat beside him on the bed and caressed him. How he hated leaving his family. It was those times he wished he did not have the responsibilities he did as king. But the father knew that if he wanted to set a good example for his son, he had to fulfill said responsibilities. He could not shy away from them, even when they kept him from his family at times. Daniel and Desiree would always be first in his life, but Vlad also had to fit everything---and everyone —else that looked to him as a leader.

Seeing that Danny had settled again, Plasmius placed the stuffed lion cub he still held in one of his hands on the nearest night stand. He then carefully removed the cloak his son was wearing, but left his undershirt on. He knew that the four-year-old didn't like wearing clothing; but then again, what ghost liked having their ghost signature covered? Vlad knew he didn't. Either way, his son was still young and unable to form his legs, so his phase---or whatever it could be called---didn't usually give any of them the least cause of concern.

At the moment, Danny wore a black shirt that dipped into a V-shape, so it kept his symbol exposed so as to not cause any discomfort. And the child had never fussed about the light and soft blanket that the King then placed on his son.

Vlad silently watched his sleeping son, taking simple pleasure in observing how his little fingers were lightly curled into his hands that rested close to his face. His mouth was just barely parted, and his lips would twitch every-so-often as if wanting to be used to speak even while the tot slept. His eyebrows were relaxed, though---just like the rest of his body.

All that, combined with his beautiful white hair and the soft, natural glow of his body, deemed the Prince the perfect example of an angelic sight.

With the gentleness of a devoted father, Vlad placed his hand against his son's signature, before leaning down and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"I love you," he whispered in his ear, while caressing the little boy.

This time, the affection caused Danny to stir. And his green eyes slowly opened.

The four-year-old's dimmed gaze fell on the ghost touching him just as he had pulled away. It took the Prince a moment to process that it was his father at whom he was looking.

"Daddy?" the ghost boy whispered.

Vlad slightly cringed when he realized he had woken up his son. He was sure Desiree was going to have a fit when she found out. But he pushed the thought aside, and smiled down at the tot. "Hello, Son…. I did not mean to wake you," he told him apologetically, placing a hand against the side of his face.

Danny just stared tiredly at him, before saying, "I miss you, Daddy… When you come home?"

The King's eyebrows creased. He understood his son's why of speaking enough to know he was actually asking, 'When was he finally going to come home?' It was now clear to Vlad that Danny was more asleep than awake.

His son thought this was a dream.

Plasmius gave him a small amused smirk, and deciding to play along, he answered, "I miss you, too, little Phantom. But you can be sure I will be home real soon. In fact, when you wake up, I promise I will be home. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Danny asked with a hopeful yet groggy smile on his face.

"Um-hmm…," Vlad assured him softly, before leaning in closer, and adding, "But you have to close your eyes again…"

"Can I have Leono first?" the tot yawned, referring to the name he had given to his favorite stuffed toy.

Turning to the nightstand beside him, Vlad grabbed the three-headed lion cub---which he had given his son several years back----and placed it beside the little boy. "Here you are. Now close your eyes, hmm?" he asked, giving him another kiss.

Danny smiled and yawned again. "Okay… I see you when I wake up." The little Prince closed his eyes, but then he suddenly opened them again; and with an innocent smile, he told his father, "I know you never _abden_ me, Daddy."

Vlad's eyebrows creased in confusion. But before he could ask what the comment had meant, his son's eyes closed again, and this time, they remained closed.

"_Abden_? What in the world does that mean?" the King murmured curiously. Was the 'word' even in their Ghost Speech? Danny's pronunciation of the word was different enough to make the King suspect it was not.

Plasmius sighed helplessly as he added, "I told Desiree teaching him Human Speech would confuse him."

Vlad had never understood his wife's desire to teach Daniel Human Speech. After all, his son didn't _need_ it. _Everyone_ Danny would ever encounter in his life would know Ghost Speech. So, the other language was not necessary for his son to learn. The King had no interest in partaking in the teaching of the language to the four-year-old---he had made that clear to his Queen a long time ago. It was why Desiree was taking on the task by herself---though Vlad suspected she got plenty of help by others in the kingdom.

The King and Queen didn't agree on everything at times, but they both respected their points of view. Vlad, himself, encouraged his son to do things that his wife didn't particularly agree with---like the early development of his powers. But when they didn't agree, they usually talked about it and came to some sort of agreement.

Vlad and Desiree had realized a while ago that child-rearing was progressive work, especially when they didn't have personal experience with it before Danny came along. But things usually worked out; and over all, they were consistent with their son---although at times, they could spoil him a bit. Then again, what parents could avoid that all together when they had an only child?

In any case, the royal couple had established some concrete rules that their child knew were not meant to be broken. But that didn't stop the four-year-old from testing how far he could _bend_ them. He also knew his parents well enough to know who to go to for _certain_ things… Sometimes Daniel was a little too clever for his own good.

Vlad quietly chuckled at the thought. But with a calm sigh, he pushed away his musings. The King stood from the bed, and smiled at his sleeping son's form once more, before retreating out of the room. He was looking forward to spending time with Daniel after so long. But until then, he had a lot to talk about with Desiree—like her recent 'talk' with Walker. He had heard enough to realize they had been arguing about the dragon offspring… But he still didn't understand why the topic had led to so much hostility…

Vlad quickly decided getting an answer to that could wait. At the moment, all he wanted to do was to hold his wife in his arms and have her feel how much he had missed her.

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Okay, just some quick notes. I will try to update this story as soon as I can. Hopefully, it won't take me as long as it did this time. Also, I know you all are wondering when Danny will grow up and all that jazz. Well, as I mentioned, I am not just passing over his childhood. There are few things that need to happen before I make any jumps. So, for now, relax and enjoy Prince Phantom's childhood! There will be plenty of time later to see him all grown up! Ta, for now! And please let me know you are all still there! *grins sheepishly*


	14. Chapter 12: Connecting the Hidden Dots

**Okay, another beautifully long chapter! I hope you have a few hours on your hands! And make sure to pay attention. You guys have more about the past being thrown your way! And more Danny! Heh! Well, on with the show! Special thanks to Truephan for letting me borrow a very fun little caterpillar ghost from her story 'Rumor Has It'! Thanks, my friend!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. And the caterpillar ghost is sole property of Truephan. But this AU plot and its other OCs belongs to yours truly! Heh!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Connecting the Hidden Dots.**

About two hours had passed since Desiree and Danny had returned from their week at Lydia's home, and it was now past lunch time. The King and Queen had retreated to their matrimonial chamber shortly after Vlad had tucked the young Prince in for his nap when he had arrived. All the while, Danny had been resting in his own chamber---or, at least, his parents _believed_ him to be. They had not checked on him to be sure of that in all this time. But they were not worried. They were fairly certain that they would have been the first to know should the tot have wakened while they were alone in their room.

After settling down and getting comfortable, the couple had used their alone time to catch up, all the while enjoying each other's company. Vlad had been the first to tell his wife about how his nearly-one-month-long trip had gone, sharing every detail of his successes and even… failures.

Desiree, in turn, had then shared with Vlad her own week's events---from how Ghostwriter and his family were doing, to her recent argument with Walker. The Queen had also mentioned the happenings of the Kingdom while he had been away; but just vaguely, since her husband was already aware of most of it from talking to Skulker and Horris during the time _she_ had been away.

Currently, Desiree comfortably sat on the bed with her back on several soft pillows placed against the bed's large golden headboard. And unlike most of the time when she generally appeared in her spectral tail, at the moment, she had her legs formed, and tucked to her side.

Vlad, on the other hand, was fully lying on the bed. But his head was resting on his wife's lap, while his hands were neatly lying on his own toned abdomen. He had his eyes calmly focused forward at nothing in particular, while silently listening to his wife speaking. He had not interrupted her once, not even to ask the questions that had sprouted in his mind during different points in her sharing of her week's events. He wanted to hear everything she had to say, before letting her know his thoughts.

Having finished with her story, Desiree quietly continued raking her fingers through her husband's loose, black hair, something she had been doing for some time now. In fact, she had long forgotten where she had placed the hair-band she had initially removed from his hair---not that it was of any importance.

"You are not going to say anything?" she asked curiously, after a moment of silence.

Vlad didn't reply right away. He was unsure of where to begin. Her story had raised so many issues and questions… But even though all of it was important, only one of the topics _bothered_ him.

It was where he began.

"You should not have gone to Aragon's, Des."

The Queen paused in her caresses, though her hands stayed in his hair. Even though his tone of voice had held no reprimand or anger in it---actually, it had been very calm---a small frown still appeared on her face. She knew he was unhappy with her decision. And it was why Desiree had kept _certain_ things from her encounter with Aragon as vague as possible.

In the end, however, she knew her husband knew the Dragon Leader enough to imagine what she had left out… She understood that Vlad had good reason to disapprove of her traveling to the Dragon Realm. It was why his voicing of it did not upset her. Furthermore, she could feel his concern.

Desiree leaned slightly forward when she realized he was not going to say anymore until she spoke again. She looked at his eyes, but they were still focused across the room. She knew, however, that it was his way of telling her he was not looking to upset her.

"Vlad," she softly called, removing a hand from his hair to tend to her own now that it was about to cover her face from bending forward. But when he still didn't look at her, she gently commanded, "Look at me." Slowly, he did, and she saw his hidden anger—just not towards her.

Desiree raised an amused eyebrow as she said, "I'm a grown girl, you know. There is nothing Aragon could say to me that I could not handle."

Vlad looked away, not sharing her amusement. "That hardly makes me feel better, Des," he told her seriously. Just imagining how Aragon must have treated her made the King feel furious, but also guilty. If he would have been home, she wouldn't have had to go there.

This time the Queen sighed. "Listen, Love, you know I did what was necessary. And it was not a complete failure. I discovered many details that we did not know before."

"It will not convince the Council," he told her frankly, looking back at her.

"I think that, too. _That_, however, does not take away from the fact that what Dora and I learned is very important," she countered.

Vlad didn't reply this time, but Desiree didn't need him to. Being married to him for over ten years was enough for her to correctly guess his thoughts.

"I did not know when you would return, Vlad. And this could not wait," the Queen spoke again, sure that he was secretly wishing that she should have just let _him _take care of that. "Besides, I honestly doubt Aragon would have agreed to see _you_."

"Why? Because I'm a threat to his ego?" Vlad retorted, his anger finally showing.

Desiree hesitated with her response. Her sudden memory of the real reason why Aragon felt Vlad was a threat to him came into sharp focus with her husband's words. Still, she wasn't about to share _**that**_ with the King. But soon realizing her pause, she quickly gave him a small smile in hopes of masking her hesitation and also calming him.

However, _Vlad_ had not been married to his wife for as long as he had to not _know_ when she was keeping something from him. He instantly made sure she knew it, too.

"What did he tell you, Desiree?" he questioned, his anger still in his voice.

The Queen frowned; and this time, she averted her eyes. "Nothing significant."

"Then _why_ is it significant to _you_?" he quickly replied, his eyes still focused on her, even when her own were not on him.

Desiree finally looked at him, before placing a hand on the side of his face. "Because everything that has to do with you is significant to me," she said in a sad and tender voice.

Vlad instantly deflated; but with a sigh, he repeated his original thought. "You should not have gone there."

The Queen's hands returned to her husband's hair as she gave him a small benevolent shrug. "What's done is done, Love. I do not regret my decision…I hope _you_ do not want me to regret it," she added, giving him a worried look.

"No, of course not," Vlad replied truthfully. Sure, he didn't _like_ her decision, but that didn't mean he did not understand that it was a _good_ decision. And that its results---although not the ones that she had hoped for---had also been good. In the end, the King had to agree that Aragon most likely would not have granted _his_ entry into the Dragon Realm; so, Desiree really had been the only one that could have accomplished what she had. Aragon saw the _King's female_ as the lesser threat; therefore, he permitted her into his territory.

How typical of the uncouth ghost.

Desiree relaxed at his reply, but they both remained silent. She knew he was not done, so she patiently waited. Nevertheless, she did not expect his next response.

"You know, it is times like these I cannot help but wonder if Walker is right… Maybe I should have forced Aragon to join the Kingdom…" His voice sounded grave, but also troubled.

A frown returned to her face. "Really, Vlad, we both know Walker is anything but a peaceful ghost. Why would you take anything _he_ says to core?"

"Honestly?" he asked with bitter amusement on his face. "I sometimes think Aragon is just looking for an excuse to act against me. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to kill me one of these days."

"That isn't remotely funny—or true--Vlad," Desiree said, looking a bit angry at him. "You are starting to sound _like_ _him_. Or did you also forget he was once your friend, too?"

Vlad instantly frowned, though he also looked like he regretted what he said. "How can I forget, Des? I just…" He paused for a moment, but then continued, "I do not know if it was the right decision to give Aragon the choice of separating himself from the Kingdom. Maybe _that_ only served to distance him even more from… me."

"Vlad, if you would have forced your hand on him, _then_ you can be sure he would have acted against you," she said, raising an eyebrow at him. But then with a gentler look, added, "There are some things you cannot control, Love. Aragon's choice is one of those things."

Vlad nodded, a sober look on his face. "Yes… I just wish he would have chosen differently." The King sighed. "I suppose he also wishes _I_ had chosen differently."

"You did what you had to for our kind; just like he believes he did what he had to for his kin," Desiree assured him.

Plasmius looked across the room again as his thoughts drifted to the past. He spoke again, this time sounding somewhat distant. "Aragon was there, you know. At my coronation, I mean," he clarified.

"I did not see him," Desiree said, a bit surprised. "I thought he did not attend at all. I remember how angry he was when you told him you had agreed to take the throne. I was certain he would not come then."

"No… He was there. At least long enough to see me accept _the_ Crown and Ring and announce my royal name… But to also say something to me," he murmured his voice still sounding distant. "…I will never forget what he told me…"

Desiree studied her husband soberly while wishing he would look at her. He had never mentioned this to her before… And that meant it had really stung her husband… "What did he say?" she asked softly.

Vlad's eyes closed. "Right after my coronation, he walked up to me… and bowed. When he rose he silently studied the Crown of Fire and then the Ring of Rage. He actually looked sad at first, to the point that at that moment I felt ashamed of having taken the throne. I wanted to assure him that I would mend what Pariah had destroyed, that _I_ would not change… He never let me.

The King paused briefly, before continuing, "Aragon then looked right at me with the most gravity I have ever seen on his face… and said, '_King Plasmius_, with your dawning you forever _dusk_ our friendship.' …He has treated me as his enemy ever since," the King ended softly, his eyes opening to look up at his wife.

The Queen gazed sadly back at her husband. "You did what you thought was right, Love. And if it means anything, I think what you did was right, too."

The King gave her a loving smile. "It means a lot," he assured her. The truth, however, was that he, in some way, wished he had heeded to Aragon's warnings. If Vlad had known that taking the crown would cost him the things it had, he would not have taken it… But, then again, he could not ever _truly_ regret it; because although he ended up sacrificing _some_ things, his decision did restore balance to their world.

With a sigh, Vlad banished his thoughts on the past, and focused on thoughts of the present.

"I will need to speak with Horris before the Council gathering. Considering the circumstances, I believe it will be pertinent to have Dora attend it since some questions might arise that only she can answer."

Desiree nodded. "I am sure he will have no objections to making an exception," she replied, aware that usually the only ones who could attend the Council meetings were its direct members. Not even the Prince himself could attend until he became of a certain age…

"Are you going to bring up what you mentioned about Walker?" the King questioned, remembering his wife's explanation of her argument with the Warden. "Not that it does not have any validity, but your accusation is serious, Des," he said, regarding her with a raised eyebrow.

Desiree tucked a long strand of black hair behind her ear, before leaning back against the pillows. She was frowning thoughtfully, but it only took her a moment to answer. "No…I would need proof in order to accuse him of being involved with Gregory's kidnapping, and I do not have any. Quite the contrary: Altiĝis' description of the supposed ghost involved does not match Walker at all."

The Queen sighed. "Truth is, I only accused him out of anger. If either of us has anything _truly_ valid to bring forth at the gathering, it is he. I did cross the line by unjustly accusing him."

"But he crossed it first," Vlad replied, his voice suddenly angry again. "He had no reason--_or right_--to speak to you in such a manner. So, he _knows_ if he tries to make this into a larger matter, _he_ will be on the losing end---_I'll_ make sure of it," he assured her, sounding just a bit too dark.

"Vlad," the Queen began in a disapproving tone of voice. "Now, don't _you_ go making this into a larger matter than it really is."

"I do not intend to as long as he stays within his boundaries when it concerns you and Daniel" he answered seriously, though he had calmed somewhat with his wife's voice.

"And the Kingdom," she reminded him. "He can sometimes get carried away with his _law-keeping_."

"I agree," the King answered. "But that is also why I do not believe he would go kidnapping children. He is far too obsessed with his job to think up or waste time on such a thing. Besides, what in the world would Walker do with a child?"

Vlad scoffed in amusement as he jokingly added,"He hardly strikes me as the fatherly-type. The ghost has not even settled down." But then he paused thoughtfully, this time sounding graver. "Actually, now that I give that some thought, why would _any_ ghost kidnap a young dragon child? It just holds no logic, Des. Furthermore, if this whole thing really was a ghost's doing, then the child, Gregory--that is his name, right? Well, he would be in our world. After all, the few remaining open portals are guarded. No one can get past them without someone knowing."

"And Clockwork confirmed Gregory reached the humans' world…," Desiree added with a sigh.

Vlad sighed himself. "I don't know, Des. It's as if the child just disappeared off the face of the Earth! I…It has been four years, and in that time, I have done everything I can think of to find Aragon's son… But all of it has proven fruitless… I'm…I'm out of ideas, Desiree."

The Queen stayed quiet, understanding just exactly what her husband was saying. And he was right. There was nothing else they could do. With the council's decision and Aragon's giving up, topped by the blurry clues that pointed only to the child's demise, they had reached a permanent dead end.

Desiree gave another small sigh as her thoughts continued to linger on Gregory; but soon, Elliot also surfaced in her mind. And she smiled sadly. She had only seen him for a few minutes, but it was enough to stir in her a strong caring for the child. He was just so sweet and likeable.

However, the sadness in her smile was due to the fact that by knowing Elliot she knew she also knew Gregory. But then in some other way, she did not. Sure, they were identical twins, and so their physical appearances were exactly the same. But even in twins, personalities were as unique as they were in anyone else. She would _never_ get the chance to _really_ know Gregory. And having met his brother made her wish she could have had that privilege…

"They look like him," Desiree suddenly said distantly, her thoughts slightly veering to something else.

Vlad looked up at her with a curiously raised eyebrow. "Who looks like who?"

The Queen jolted a little at the sound of the King's voice; clearly, she had been really deep in thought. "What?" she asked, not catching what he had said.

Plasmius looked even more bewildered. "You said, 'they look like him'. Who were you talking about?"

The ghost mage now looked a bit embarrassed. "Oh, yes… I did not realize I said it out loud…," she mumbled.

"But you did," Vlad retorted, an amused smile now on his lips. "So, pray tell, my dear."

Desiree focused her eyes on her husband's hair again. "I was referring to Aragon's children… They look like him," she said, sounding oddly uncomfortable with the subject.

But the King was oblivious as to why that was. "…Yes… Well, they are his children, Des," he replied slowly.

The Queen just nodded. But then she gave him a warm smile when she noticed he was still looking curiously at her. She decided to get off the subject. "I love your hair," she told him, digging her fingers deeper into the long black locks.

The action was enough to make her husband dismiss his curiosity. His eyes closed pleasantly as a lazy smile tugged on his lips. "Hmm…Well, _I_ love that _you_ love my hair. It feels… _lovely_."

Desiree laughed at his witty comment. "How _lovely_ to know. Just don't fall asleep on me. I am beginning to grow an appetite."

"Would you like to go eat, then? It's already past lunch," he replied, though his eyes stayed closed as he continued to enjoy his wife's caresses.

"No, not yet," she quickly said. "You still have not told me what you thought about my talk with Lydia."

"What is there to say, my dear? You know I unreservedly trust you. Your conversation with her does not concern me in the slightest. I know you would never say anything that could compromise Daniel."

"Although I'm very happy to hear you say that, Love, I was actually referring to what Lydia said," Desiree calmly explained. "Do you think we should finally take Danny to a doctor? …I think we should."

Vlad remained silent as he thought about the question. "I do understand your concern; it does concern me, _too_," he said slowly as he opened his eyes to look at her. "But you must also remember, Desiree, that Daniel is different. You cannot expect him to develop as other ghost children do. His delays are really not all that unexpected. And as for his link with us---He _does_ have one, Des," he quickly added at seeing his wife's unsure look. "--It is naturally going to take him longer to learn to use it because of his genetic limitation…" Vlad paused. He never liked venturing into these types of conversations regarding his son, because Daniel **was** _his_ son. After so many years being the boy's father the fact that he technically wasn't was all but wiped from his mind. So, speaking of it felt… foreign.

The king quickly brushed past the subject. "The point is you should not worry so much. His legs are also fine. We both saw them before his spectral tail appeared and they were normal." Vlad stopped again, but when he saw the unsatisfied look on his wife's face, he sighed deeply. "It's a big risk. But… alright. If it will make you feel better we will take him," he finally agreed, giving her a surrendering smile.

The ghost mage nodded, a small smile quickly appearing her face as well. "But who should we go to?" She suddenly gave him a wicked smile. "Bertrand?"

Vlad instantly frowned.

"I was just teasing you!" she said with a short laugh. But even if she had been serious, Bertrand would not be a good choice because he specialized in adolescents more than any other age.

"That's not teasing, that's cruelty," he replied dryly, though his eyes reflected amusement.

Desiree rolled her eyes, but then she tapped her lips in thought. "I could ask Lydia who she goes to…"

"Yes, we could always---How about Anĝela?" Vlad suddenly suggested, remembering the ghost from the council. "She's a doctor, and I believe she specializes in children."

"A council member?" Desiree replied unsure. "Is that… wise?"

"I believe it to be wiser than someone outside of the Council seeing him," he replied seriously. "At least with a council member, they have a certain obligation to secrecy. If something should arise concerning Daniel, then there is less of a chance that it will spread like wild fire through the Kingdom…. Besides, Anĝela is one of my more trustworthy advisors. I really think she is the best choice in such a delicate matter."

"Alright, if you believe so, then that's enough convincing for me," she told him with a smile.

Vlad smiled back at her before closing his eyes once more. There was a long comfortable silence. But while the King looked overly content and relaxed, the Queen was deep in thought again; so much that she unknowingly held a small frown of concentration.

She was thinking of Danny and his being half-human. It was something that she was sure she thought of more than her husband did—if he did at all. As much as she tried, she could never forget the tot's past. She wished she could be like her husband and forever bury it, but she could not. It was even in the slightest of things, like Aragon's children looking like him, that would send her into a state of turmoil. Even though not all children looked just like their mother or father, most shared at least a few characteristics with one or the other--or both. But Danny… _their_ Danny. Would he ever really be _hers_?

It was this doubt that always kept her from referring to Danny as her own. She loved him; she loved him _so much_, but she could not bring herself to call him 'My child' or 'Son', like her husband could. Whenever she even contemplated the idea of doing so, the remorse she kept buried most of the time would surface. So, she quickly would snuff her attempt.

With the disappearance of Gregory, she couldn't help but be reminded that Danny had human parents out there. It pained her to _just think_ of losing the tot. How much _more_ would it hurt to have _really_ lost him? His parents… would they be happy with how Danny was developing? …Or would they not care at all if they were to find out he was half of what they hunted and killed?

Desiree wasn't sure what they would think. But she knew _she_ was happy with how Danny was turning out. He was as sweet and pure as any being could be. And his personality was just so refreshing and endearing. His looks… My, was he the cutest thing! And she sometimes wondered how he would look when he grew up. She was sure he would be very handsome.

But the thought of his growing up brought another worry with it. Would Danny look so different from her and Vlad that others would finally notice it; or, heaven forbid, realize Danny was not their own?

It was these thoughts that frightened her. And she wondered how they did not frighten her husband. He always seemed so confident that everything would work out fine. Was he just in denial? Or was it that he was right? Maybe she was making a big deal out of this.

But if she was, she couldn't help herself. Still, as worried as Danny's past had made Desiree, it also held so much interest for her. She wondered what his parents looked like. And If Danny looked more like his mother or father, or a combination of both.

She knew Vlad had seen them, but he never spoke about it. And as much as she wanted to ask, she didn't dare since she did not know how he would react to her asking. But her husband had also been lucky enough to see Danny before he became half-ghost. _That_ she had asked the King about. And he had been more than happy to tell her about his lustrous dark black hair and how his bright blue eyes shamed the most brilliant of sapphires. He had also told her about his lulling heartbeat and his once rosy, warm cheeks. She could imagine it all, but wished that it could also be a _memory_ as it was for her husband.

But now, Danny didn't hold any of those human features; and, yet, at the same time, he still _did_ have them. The tot didn't have a heart as a ghost, but the feel of his energy from _his core_ was the most lulling sensation. His cheeks, though not rosy, but a pale ivory, were still those same soft and delicate cheeks with which he was born. As for his blue eyes, they were still big and bright; only now, they shamed the most brilliant of _emeralds_. And then there was his soft hair… She often imagined his once black hair to be as dark as her husband's and her own. But now… it was an indescribably lustrous white; even the freshest snow looked stained in comparison to the tot's hair. It was just so unique, and incomparable…

Or… was it?

Desiree looked down at her husband, who looked to be on the verge of doing what she had asked him not to: fall asleep. She stared silently at him for a moment, unconsciously biting her lower lip as her curiosity began to form an idea in her mind. But would Vlad agree to it?

"Vlad?" she whispered softly.

"I'm awake," he quickly assured her, though his eyes didn't open and his words had come out slurred.

An amused smile ghosted Desiree's lips, but it soon vanished. "…Could you… do something for me?" she asked, sounding a bit timid.

The king smiled lazily again. "As long as you keep doing that with your fingers, I'll do whatever you want."

On any other occasion, the Queen would have rolled her eyes or teased him somehow…but not this time. Unknowingly, she stopped playing with her husband's hair as she finally found the courage to ask what she wanted.

"Would you…_change_?"

If Vlad had been sleepy, then it instantly left him, as did the smile from his face. His red eyes slowly opened to meet his wife's own. And for a moment, he just studied them intensely, wondering if he had heard her right.

"Change?" he finally spoke, repeating the word slowly as he unconsciously pulled himself away from her and sat up. He then slowly turned himself so that he was now facing his wife fully.

"Yes…" she answered back, a little alarmed by his reaction. But her unblinking gaze remaining locked on him so he would see she was completely serious.

"Change…" he repeated, now starting to sound more than a little disconcerted. "_Here?_" he questioned, his eyebrows furrowing. He hadn't realized that he had shifted uncomfortably when he had answered her.

Desiree nodded, even though she had noticed that he had tensed up. She had expected him to be a bit startled by her request, but not this much.

Vlad stared at her in silence for another moment, but then his eyes moved warily across their room, before slowly looking back at her. "Right now?"

Again, the Queen just nodded. But this time, she had shifted closer, scooting so that she was now sitting right in front of him. Before she knew it, she had slid her left hand quietly into one of his.

The King frowned, mainly because he seemed at a lost at how to react to his wife's request. It was… bizarre. He didn't understand it. And because of his confusion, he hadn't noticed his wife's hand grasping his.

"Desiree… I… _Why_?" he finally forced himself to ask.

The ghost mage leaned towards him, although her eyes had also slowly averted away from his confused gaze. Instead of answering right away, she reached upward with her right hand and placed the back of it against his left cheek and tenderly stroked it.

But as nice as the physical contact felt, this time, Vlad was not distracted by it. He wanted an answer.

Immediately feeling that he hadn't reacted to her touch, the Queen spoke in a slow and gentle voice, "I was thinking…and it has been so long since I've seen you… like _that_. I… suppose I'm a bit curious."

A small smile tugged at the corner of the King's mouth as he softly, but teasingly, said, "Curiosity killed the _ghost cat_, Des."

The Queen smiled a little herself, though her attention was still on the hand that was caressing his cheek. "Then it's a good thing I am not a 'ghost cat', Love..," she retorted.

Vlad's smile grew, but it still did not reach his eyes, and he silenced again.

Finally looking at him, Desiree sighed. His reluctance was obvious, but she could not blame him. She shouldn't have asked him this. She slid her hand down, and gently letting go of his hand, brought her other hand up at the same time. Together, her soft hands gently cupped his chin and slowly steered his gaze toward hers. "Vlad, if it makes you uncomfortable---"

"No, it does not," he interrupted her. "Why would it? You have seen it before…" The king paused. "I'm just surprised. … You have never asked me this before," he said, raising a curious eyebrow at her. This time, however, he had unconsciously brought up both of his hands and had wrapped them gently around hers, which were still cradling his chin.

Desiree nodded. "I know…," she said softly, before letting go of his chin and sliding her hands down his, so that now, each of their hands were clasped in the other's. Desiree gave his hands a slight squeeze, but he did not squeeze back. She was now certain he was more uncomfortable with this than she thought he would be. But she also knew that she had to make sure he knew that she understood.

Plasmius' eyebrows creased inwardly again when he realized she wasn't going to tell him what brought about her sudden and unexpected request. But he soon dismissed it with a sigh.

Desiree tried to smile in reassurance, but couldn't. Instead, she inched closer, while this time releasing his left hand, and drawing her own hand up under his cape and behind his back. She slowly rubbed his back just as she lay her head against his collar bone.

The couple stayed silent for a few seconds as Vlad tried to get his mind to settle down; after so many years, it was almost instinct to become guarded by this 'topic'.

Desiree, meanwhile, knew she had to help him decide. She knew that she had to take all of his feelings into consideration, and still reassure him that she would accept whatever he decided.

"Love? " she slowly said, lifting her head off him. At practically the same time, she drew closer, bringing the hand that was on his back to his shoulder, and her other hand up so that it cupped his chin again.

"Yes, Des?" he said softly, trying to return her gaze, but surprised he couldn't.

"You know that I love you no matter what," she quietly said just before giving him a couple of slight pecks on his cheek.

But before he could respond, she gave him a few more soft kisses on his other cheek before adding, "I love you and nothing could ever change that. My core is yours, no matter if it lulls for yours or for a warmer, pulsating one."

She felt him relax a little under her kisses and her words, and she unconsciously relaxed, too.

This time, he turned his head slightly and gave her a soft, short kiss. She, returned it, of course, but then pulled away.

He tensed again, confused by her withdrawl, until he could see that she was rearranging herself. He helped her as she slowly inched onto his lap. Once there, she didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. This time, she softly kissed his jawline, his cheeks and then the outside of his mouth.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. And with a whisper that was soft as it was sincere, she said, "I want you to know that I understand your concerns. It was never my intention to make you feel unhappy with my request. And now, even though, your granting it is the last thing on my mind, I do want to prove to you how much I love you. I am willing to do anything that you desire."

His eyes smiled in relief. She _did_ understand. He pulled her closer in a firmer hug and slowly replied, "I don't think you were wrong for asking, Des. In fact, I'm now glad that you did. I have had to keep guard for so long that I have forgotten how to lower it. But I want to remember. And I want to prove to you how much I trust you."

"Only if it's truly what you wish," she said in a hush, placing her forehead against his and nipping his nose.

"It is, my dear," he said as he turned his head slightly enough to give her a soft kiss.

When they parted, she began to twirl his hair into her fingers before tenderly saying, "Then I am here for you, and will wait until you are ready."

Suddenly feeling his anxiety melt away with her touch and words, he drew her closer. A power surged within him at their touch and this time he gave her a deeper kiss.

Momentarily parting, he finally whispered, "I will not be able to hold the change for very long."

"I understand," Desiree answered back in the same voice, sliding her hand back up to his cheek, before slightly caressing it again.

Vlad didn't say anymore; instead, he placed his left hand on top of the one touching his face, softly pressing against his wife's hand to stop her caresses. He then captured her hand in his; and as his eyes lowered to gaze at the delicate limb, he moved it towards his lip, and began placing soft kisses on it.

All the while, Desiree silently watched his actions, though she felt her love and passion for her husband surge within her. And when his eyes finally returned to meet her own again, she could see those same emotions had darkened his own red eyes.

Without a word, Vlad placed his other hand against her mid-back, before slowly bringing them both down on the bed, his wife on top. He then moved her hand that he still softly held in his a little lower, until he had placed it above his symbol. He instantly felt his wife's energy travel through him, which only drove him to move further. And moving the hand on her back to her head, he dug his fingers into her hair and pressed her forward into a passionate kiss that quickly made his and his wife's eyes flutter shut.

In turn, Desiree felt her husband's own energy _and_ emotions surging from his symbol and up her hand until it reached her core; and feeling it overcome her, she could only press harder against his chest, as if willing more of his essence to travel through her. But much to her disappointment, Vlad pulled away from their kiss, his intense gaze almost commanding her eyes to open. And they did.

"Trust me?" he whispered against her lips.

"With my very soul," she assured him, before her husband closed his eyes and pulled her back into their kiss.

This time, Desiree fought to keep her eyes open when she felt her husband's body bracing itself for what he was about to do. But the fire in his kiss was making it hard for her to keep her focus.

But just when she felt his spellbinding affection pulling her into its depth, she finally saw what she had been expecting; and yet, it still awed her. A strong flash of black light appeared from her husband's abdomen, almost instantly becoming two rings of the same color. But when they suddenly repelled one another and one of them raced towards her, its intensity became too much, and her eyes squeezed shut.

She couldn't stop the shudder that coursed through her body when she felt the ring touch her, leaving a wonderful, but indescribable tingle running through her essence. But then the instant the sensation vanished, Desiree was overwhelmed by another feeling that made her completely forget that she needed to open her eyes in order to _see_ him. It was, after all, why she had asked him to do this.

But the intense, pure heat coming off her husband's body had completely fogged her senses. And yet, the warmth had nothing to do with his energy or core. In fact, the heat he radiated had all but extinguished the feel of his energy. The waves of warmness were almost addicting, like warm waves of ocean water under sunny skies; and she found herself diving deeper into their kiss, feeling that the heat he gave off radiated the most intensely from his soft lips; she wanted nothing more at the moment than to devour every drop of their warmth.

Still, her drugged mind continued to whisper to Desiree to open her eyes. But before she could even _try_ to get her brain to send that order to her eyelids, her brain and emotions were sent for another intoxicating spin when she finally understood why her husband had placed her hand on his chest.

She could feel his very life under her touch; and it exhilarated her as much as it terrified her. It was such a wonderful new experience to be able to feel her husband in such a way, but it also reminded her just how vulnerable he was right now. And as the feeling under her fingers intensified… and sped up, that concerning fact began to push her out of her reverie.

For Vlad, being this close to his wife always gave him an electrifying rush that had nothing to do with his own electrical-energy. It was enticing, the way her essence both warmed and chilled his being. But at the moment, these addictive feelings were tripled. Just knowing that even when his wife could feel his changes she did not shy away from him, filled him with a sense of confidence and passion he never experienced before. Desiree _loved_ him, and nothing would ever change that. Nothing. And _he_ loved her unconditionally because it.

But as much as he did not want this wonderful experience to end, his body, now with limitations he did not have seconds ago, began to tell him it was time to stop. His dizziness once thought to be brought forth by the heat of the moment, started to become more than that. His mind was fogging and he could no longer keep his body from shivering—not even when his wife's warm energy kept washing through him. Still, he fought to savor this delightfully weakening moment a little longer.

But the moment Desiree felt her husband's trembling form, she quickly attempted to pull out of their kiss, only to find that he wouldn't let her.

"Vlad," she attempted to say, but her husband's name was lost in between their lips. And her thoughts were temporarily lost as well when one of the King's caressing hands found its way to her brightly glowing pink Energy Signature.

His touch alone instantly reawakened her desire to _see_ him, but it had become stronger than ever before. She slowly began to open her eyes, wanting to remain in their bliss for just a little longer. Unfortunately, she took a fraction of a second _too_ long.

"_MOMMY!"_

Desiree eyes snapped fully open in time to see her own horror reflected in her husband's eyes---eyes that were not completely _his_ own… But the fact was forgotten as she broke away from him with a gasp that he simultaneously tried to mimic, only for him to choke on his attempt.

She didn't have time to worry about it, though; immediately after, their bedroom door burst open, and the couple realized too late that they had completely forgotten to lock it.

The Queen's head shot up towards the doorway as she exclaimed, "Danny!" But remembering her husband, she quickly glanced downward, only to discover he was gone. The King had literally vanished from below her at the instant the door had flown open.

"**Mommy**! You got to come to my room!" the young child exclaimed, so flustered that he didn't notice his mother's look of terror. Unaware of what he had almost discovered, Danny just continued rambling out his frantic words. "I was sleeping, and then Cujo wake me up 'cause I heard him licking something. I find what it was, and I want to feed it! ButIpromiseitwasn'tmyfault!I tried to stop---"

"_CRASH!" _

The Ghost Prince jolted in alarm at the loud sound that came from his parents' bathroom, while his mother jumped to her feet, her eyes widening to the point that she looked close to panicking. And she almost did when she witnessed a familiar burst of light leak from right under the bathroom door.

Danny silently blinked at the closed door as he tried to figure out who could be responsible for the abrupt noise and the odd light when two of the three ghosts that ever came into this bedroom were here, in the sleeping area. It didn't take him long to put two-and-two together after he suddenly remembered about his dream that his father would be home when he woke up.

The little tot's eyes widened with pure happiness as he screamed, "DADDY!"

"NO!" Desiree shrieked as the tot flew straight for the bathroom door. In a flash of pink, she quickly teleported in front of her son and grasped him around the waist before he could open the door.

Danny was severely startled by his mother's actions. "M-Mommy?" he questioned, suddenly confused and feeling her nervousness now that she was physically touching him.

Realizing she was scaring the tot, she forced herself to calm down. "I-I'm sorry, little Phantom. Your father is…" She paused when she noticed water slowly seeping from under the door. "…taking a…shower," she mumbled out, her worry increasing.

Danny followed his mom's gaze, and quickly noticed the puddle of water below them. "Uh… he taking a big bath…," he replied, tilting his head with curiosity. But then, he suddenly beamed again, and exclaimed, "I want a big bath, too!"

"Danny!" Desiree called in alarm as her son phased out of her hold. "Stop," she firmly commanded, quickly seizing one of his wrists by consciously making her hands immune to his transparent form.

The Prince looked up at her with a frown, unknowingly solidifying again. "But… I want to see Daddy…," he said, looking confused at his mom. He did not understand her behavior.

Desiree sighed. "I know. But let him finish first, alright?"

Danny looked towards the closed door, his eyebrows creased with unhappiness. He did not want to wait. He wanted to see his father now. Had he not waited long enough? And in his dream, his father promised he would see him if he went to sleep; and he had obeyed.

"I want my daddy," Danny whined, this time trying to pull out of her hold so he could reach the door.

"No, Danny," Desiree firmly denied; but when she saw he looked on the verge of crying, she gently added, "Please, little Phantom. I know you miss him. But give him a few minutes. I promise you will see him all you want then."

The child did not look convinced, but he still stopped struggling and gave in to his mother's wishes. He silently and longingly stared towards the closed door, feeling very bitter with it for keeping him away from his father.

"What did you want to show me?" Desiree asked, hoping to push her son out of his sadness.

Danny suddenly gasped at the question as his eyes darted towards his mom. "I forgot! You got to come to my room!" he said, using the hold Desiree had on him to pull her towards the bedroom's exit, while pointing in its direction.

"Alright," she agreed with a small forced smile. "You go on ahead. I will be _right there_, okay?"

Danny hesitantly nodded, not understanding why his mother couldn't just come with him right now. But he quickly dismissed it; and without another word, flew out of the room.

The second the child was gone, Desiree flung the bathroom door open, only to find the bathroom in utter ruins. Everything had been knocked off the counters and their two shower-sets were destroyed. But at the moment, Desiree could care less about any of it.

"Vlad!" she called fearfully, immediately catching sight of him sitting _inside_ the tub. "Are you alright?"

Plasmius turned his red gaze towards her, and nodded. "Yes… but the showerhead is not," he murmured sheepishly, lifting up the broken head in his hand for her to see it. In his hurried entrance, he had stumbled forward; and needing something to support himself on, he had grasped the showerhead, only to collapse with it in hand, along with the curtains.

Luckily, he had fallen in the shower-and-tub set and not the one on his left that was a shower-only and had glass doors. Or it _used_ to have glass doors; the pole from the curtains he knocked down had somehow ended up impaling them.

The Queen finally noticed how the pipe that the showerhead had been attached to was sputtering water all over the place. _That_ explained the flooded floor and seeping water under the door… And also _why_ her husband was soaked to the core.

Desiree's eyebrows creased in shame. "I am so sorry," she whispered. "I- I should have never asked you to—"

"Calm down, Des," he interrupted her, an amused look growing on his face. "Everything is fine. Well… except for the bathroom." He suddenly grinned widely, almost looking childish as he added, "I look like a drowned rat, don't I?"

Desiree bit her bottom lip, her regret still in her eyes, but she smiled a little, and nodded. "But you make a very handsome drowned rat," she assured him sadly.

Vlad chuckled, before he pushed himself out of the tub full of water. But he couldn't keep himself from grunting in pain when he did. His slip had been very painful. And his previous actions had left him feeling ill and weak. Luckily, the latter two were quickly fading away.

Desiree silently studied his actions, but when he looked back at her, she lowered her eyes from his, feeling even more ashamed. What had she been thinking?! If Danny would have seen Vlad…

"Des?" Vlad called, sounding very concerned. He walked up to her, and his eyebrows creased as he took hold of her chin and raised it so she would look at him. "I'm fine, my dear. And nothing happened. Please, do not be so upset." He gave her a light kiss as he added, "And do not regret what happened. I do not. It felt… _incredible_."

Desiree quickly threw herself into his arms and held him tightly, not caring that she was getting her clothing wet. "Yes, it did," she whispered in his ear. It truly lifted her spirits to know he wasn't upset with her. But even more to hear he didn't regret what had happened several moments ago.

Although she knew she would never ask him to take such a risk again, she could not bring herself to truly regret her asking, either. Yes, it had been very inconsiderate of her. And even if Danny hadn't come in, she still had placed him in a compromised position. Her actions had been without a doubt very selfish. However, sharing such a priceless experience with her husband and hearing he also believed it to be so, somehow made her guilt for her wrongdoings bearable. She got to see him in a way she hadn't in years; and most importantly, she got to _fe_el him. It was brief, but the sensations would stay with her forever.

With a soft smile, Vlad slowly pulled away from his queen. And as he gently tucked back a lock of black hair behind her ear, he spoke again in a calm voice. "You should go see what Daniel has gotten himself into. He sounded very alarmed."

Desiree pushed out of her thoughts, and quickly nodded. "Alright." She briefly glanced at the destroyed bathroom, before looking back at her husband. "What do I tell Danny?" she asked as she lifted a hand and allowed a pink mist to flow out of it. The spell began to light up the entire bathroom, quickly repairing it.

"Tell him I'll be there in a moment. I just need to make myself presentable," he said with a smirk, knowing he looked more than a little disheveled right now. He looked behind him just in time to see the glowing pink showerhead fix itself. He then focused back on his wife, and with a smirk, added, "That never ceases to amaze me."

Desiree smirked back, looking much calmer now. "Well, _someone_ has to fix your messes, Love."

"Yes…Thank heavens it is you," he replied affectionately. He gave her one last peck, and then said, "I won't be long."

Desiree smiled and nodded before turning and heading out of the bathroom. It wasn't until Vlad heard the bedroom door open and close that he let his smile fade. With a heavy sigh, he sat back down on the edge of the tub, and buried his face in his hands.

"That was too close," he whispered fearfully.

* * *

Danny looked ready to pull out his hair as he stared around his half-destroyed bedroom, or more correctly put, his _half-eaten_ bedroom. "Oh-o. I so in trouble…" he mumbled out in distress.

"GRR! RUF!"

The sound of Cujo's angry barking quickly snapped the Prince out of his shock, and he quickly glared in the direction in which he could hear the ghost dog.

"Cujo!" he shouted as he flew towards his room's bathroom, quickly spotting his companion right at the entrance.

The ghost dog, who was currently in his monstrous large form, quickly snapped his head towards the four-year-old. His once bared teeth and aggressive look quickly mellowed as he deeply whined in response.

"Look what you do!" Danny scolded, pointing at the broken bathroom door under the dog's front paws.

Cujo just whined some more, but the tot quickly interrupted, "I know you no do it, but _you_ bring it here!"

"CRUNCH!"

Danny gasped at the noise coming from inside the bathroom; and with a burst of speed, he quickly pushed his dog's large face from the doorway to peer into it. The tot instantly scowled at the sight of a seven foot long bright orange caterpillar making a meal out of his bathtub.

"Hey! Stop it!" the Prince demanded as he flew up and hovered in front of the ghost larva's face. "That not even food!"

But the creature ignored him, and continued to devour everything in its reach.

Danny growled and lowered closer to it. "Stop. Eat. My. Room!" the tot ordered; but when he received no acknowledgement, he growled again, before grabbing one of the caterpillar's pole-thick antennas with both his hands. The child had planned on pulling on it to at least get the larva's attention, but the second he had touched it, he was jolted back by a surge of ecto-energy that emitted from every inch of the creature's body.

The Ghost Prince cried out in surprise and pain as he fell inside what remained of his tub. He quickly cradled his aching head and looked like he was about to cry; but when he heard Cujo's loud snarls, he gasped and flew back up.

Having seen the ghost caterpillar hurt his companion angered the ghost dog again, and he lunged at the orange creature. But when Cujo tried to dig his jaws and claws into the larva, it quickly reacted by throwing a blue energy beam at the dog, sending him flying back and slamming into a wall.

Danny did not look annoyed anymore. He looked scared. And his fear swelled when the caterpillar itself swelled and grew in size. The tot had already seen it do this several times now. In fact, when he first woke up an hour ago to the sound of Cujo's yapping and with his frantic licking, the orange caterpillar---which was why the ghost dog was making a fuss---had been no bigger than one of the tot's hands!

Apparently, Cujo had found the larva outside somewhere; and like he often did with things that caught his attention, the dog decided to stick the ghost bug in his mouth and bring it inside his companion's room. Danny did not know how Cujo managed to do that because every time _he_ had tried to touch the larva it would repel him away with ecto-energy.

Even so, the Ghost Prince had at first found the caterpillar fun and cute. In fact, he had believed it comical the first time he witnessed the larva chewing on one of his bed's wooden legs. He had just thought the ghost bug was really hungry, so had flown off to the kitchen and got it something to eat.

Danny now realized his mistake.

Even though the orange caterpillar had warmed up to him when he had begun feeding it---so much so that the tot had been able to pick up the larva for a few seconds without getting hit by its energy---it quickly began to grow in size… and it would not stop eating. Danny had quickly rushed to get it more food, but it soon wasn't enough, and it began to eat his room!

Now, it was inside his bathroom making a meal out of it. But it seemed that in the time Danny had gone to get his mother, Cujo had done something to anger it again because it was not allowing anyone to touch it anymore. And the poor Prince had the bump on the head to prove it!

The tot was quickly pushed out of his frozen state when he heard Cujo barking madly. The child gasped upon realizing his companion's barks were because the orange caterpillar was steadily growing again; so much, in fact, that it was about to take up all the space in the bathroom.

The Ghost Prince yelped when he felt his back pressed against the ceiling, now that he had unconsciously floated up there in order to avoid physically touching the larva—and getting another painful jolt. However, it was immediately after that when he received a different kind of jolt—the sound of his mother's shocked voice.

"Oh, my… **Danny!**" Desiree exclaimed at the sight before her. And almost instantly, the tot somehow managed to squeeze himself out of the bathroom.

"Mommy! It was not me!" he quickly defended himself as he flew over to her. "It is the ghost in my bathroom; it was little and now it is _really_ _big_ and _hungry_!" he exclaimed, his hands lifting above his head in alarm.

Not understanding at all what he was talking about, Desiree quickly moved past her son and headed to where the angry Cujo stood, sure she would get her answer there.

"Cujo!" she yelled, her angry voice quickly getting the dog's attention. "What are you doing?! You know you are not allowed to be in that form while inside!"

The ghost dog's ears flatten back and his head lowered fearfully at the sight of his companion's angry mother.

"CRUNCH!"

Desiree gasped at the noise and quickly came closer to the bathroom; and when Cujo moved to allow her entry, her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the huge orange creature entirely taking up her son's bathroom.

"Danny," she gasped out. "What… What is this creature doing in here?!" she exclaimed, looking down at the tot, who had quickly followed after her.

"Cujo brought it inside!" Danny answered, pointing at the dog. "It look hungry so I feed it, but it will not stop eatin' now!"

The Queen stared back at the caterpillar, which had just run out of things to eat, so it was attempting to turn around in the tight space it was in. Slowly, the larva began to manage it, and soon it was staring back at his audience.

Cujo instantly growled again, and the orange bug just as quickly noticed the threat.. Desiree's eyes widened in alarm when she saw the energy between its antennas build. The impending attack was obvious.

The Queen quickly reacted; and in an instant, she moved herself and the tot out of the doorway just as a large blue energy beam came their way. But Cujo also reacted, and this time, jumped back and turned intangible to avoid the attack.

Seeing that it had regained its personal space again, the orange caterpillar turned its attention to the doorframe and began chomping away at it with its sharp pointy teeth.

Desiree slowly put Danny back down, before letting her hands fill with her energy. This had gone far enough. The ghost larva was growing dangerous at the same speed as it was growing physically. She had to get it out of here.

"No, Mommy!" Danny exclaimed, stopping her from approaching the caterpillar by grasping her wrist. "It angry! It hurt you!"

The Queen looked down at her child with a frown, before looking back at the orange ghost. "Danny, go stand over there," she commanded, pointing at a far corner of the room.

The Prince hesitated, but in the end did as he was told. With his hands cupped against his face, he stared anxiously as his mother neared the caterpillar. But to his surprise, she didn't touch it. Instead, she let the energy in her hand seep out, quickly becoming a pink mist that wrapped around the creature. But whatever spell she had planned on casting on the ghost did not work this time.

Desiree's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the creature's body suddenly absorb the pink mist; and in another instant, the ghost fired her spell back at her in the form of a red ectoplasmic beam.

The ghost mage let out a surprised cry as she brought up a shield to protect herself; she managed it, but the strength of the attack had pushed her back a bit. Desiree cautiously lowered the shield as she watched the caterpillar stop eating and turn to look at her. Its antennas wiggled slightly in her direction, before directing the appendages towards the others in the room.

But just as suddenly as the larva had regarded its audience, it ignored them again. Calmly, the ghost bug moved itself over to the half-eaten bed, and began to finish what it had started.

For a moment, Desiree just stared, stunned, failing to notice Danny looked just as shocked as she. She still couldn't believe the creature had actually negated her spellbinding!

It was only at the sound of a new voice that mother and child were pushed past their surprise.

"Well….this certainly is one of those things you do not see every day…"

Everyone, except for the caterpillar, turned towards the ghost that had just entered the room.

"DADDY!" Danny shouted happily, before flying over to him and throwing himself in his father's arms.

Vlad chuckled as he was pushed back a bit by the speed with which his son had flown into him. "Hello, Daniel…. Did you happen to bring this creature in here?" he asked, amused.

"No, Cujo did," Danny quickly said, shaking his head. He grinned meekly as he added, "I just feed it."

The King raised an eyebrow at his son, before glancing over at the caterpillar. "Yes, I can see that. And I must say, you did a good job of it, too," he told him with mirth.

"Thanks! I try!" Danny said proudly.

Desiree folded her arms in front of her. "Yes, well, he did _such_ a good job that now I cannot get it out of here," she said dryly.

Vlad smirked at his wife, before looking back at his son, and playfully whispering, "Who do you think looks angrier? Your mother or that creature?"

Danny glanced at his mom, and then at the caterpillar, before looking back at his father. "Mommy," he whispered back, his eyebrows furrowing with concern.

Vlad's smirk grew with his son's response, "I agree. So, how about we do something about it?"

Danny grinned and quickly nodded.

The King winked at his son, before lowering him down. He grinned himself when he saw his wife roll his eyes at him, having heard his little exchange with their child.

"Stay beside me, Daniel," Vlad gently commanded as he moved towards the orange caterpillar. But when he came up next to Cujo, he suddenly paused, and frowned disapprovingly at him. The dog's large form was destroying as much of his son's room as the large larva was by eating it.

At the sight of the unhappy King, Cujo's ears flatten submissively, before quickly turning back into a small puppy. But then Vlad raised an expectant eyebrow at him, and the ghost dog knew just what it meant. With his head lowered and his tail between his legs, Cujo moved past the King and moved out of his companion's room.

Without a word, Danny watched the puppy leave. He wasn't very happy with Cujo himself at the moment. But the tot still knew this was equally his fault. He really should have gone to tell his parents right away about the caterpillar. Instead, he waited an hour. And now they had a _big_ problem…

The four-year-old was pushed out of his thoughts when he saw his father move around the large caterpillar's growing form until he was in front of it. Not having seen Vlad yet, the creature regarded him for a moment, before going back to its 'lunch', which, right now, was a nightstand.

"It no want to be touched," Danny said with frown as he neared his father, and saw the older ghost's hands raise towards the orange larva.

Vlad nodded. "Then let's respect its wishes, hmm?" he replied, before creating a red dome around the caterpillar, who jolted in surprise. It attempted to break the shield by firing an ecto-blast, but the barrier just absorbed the attack.

The King looked over at his wife, who had a small smile on her lips and understanding in her eyes. She nodded at his silent question. "Do not be too long. Danny needs to have lunch," she said.

Vlad smiled back. "Of course." He looked down at his child and extended a hand towards him. The Ghost Prince didn't hesitate to allow his small hand to be enveloped within his father's larger one.

"Close your eyes, little Phantom," Vlad said as he placed his other hand on his own shield. Seeing his son grin in understanding and quickly comply, the King looked over at the Queen again, teasingly adding, "We leave the rest to you, my dear…"

With that, Plasmius closed his own eyes; and in a flash of light, he disappeared from the room, along with Danny and the caterpillar.

Desiree sighed, knowing just what her husband had meant by _leaving the rest to her_ as she stared around the destroyed room. "At this rate, I'll be offering repair services to the entire Kingdom," she muttered dryly.

* * *

Danny slowly opened his eyes when he felt the sensation associated with teleportation fading away. He loved when his father used the ability with him; it was so much fun. He hoped he learned to teleport, too, some day.

The Prince looked around their surroundings, wondering where his father had taken them. He recognized the place almost instantly. It was the Island of Emotions; his playing grounds.

"Look, Son."

Danny turned his attention to his dad in time to see the red ecto-shield dissipate from around the caterpillar. Vlad smiled down at the tot as he spoke again, "You know, Daniel, these kinds of ghosts have a very unique ability," he enlightened him, gesturing to the large orange larva beside them.

Danny looked up at the creature, who looked a bit lost, clearly wondering how it got from the room he was making a snack out of to the forested area it was in now. But it seemed to like this place better by the fact that it was curiously wiggling its antennas about as it tried to decide what to eat first. Plus, Danny was sure the caterpillar had to like the taste of eatable things more than that of uneatable things.

"The ability is called Metamorfozo," Vlad continued, getting his son's attention again. "This creature can permanently alter its appearance—_look_---to something completely different. But considering this ghost's size, it should have already transformed--_changed_…"

Danny blinked at his father, who had an expectant smile on his face. The child had seen the facial expression many times to know his dad wanted him to figure out the rest of what he was saying.

The Prince looked back at the caterpillar and noticed it had slightly moved away to make a snack out of a tree. The creature only _seemed_ to be focused on eating. The child could see that if it had to Meta…er, change, it had to stop being so hungry first.

"Why it so hungry?" Danny asked, turning his green eyes to the King again.

"Good question. See, it needs to gather energy to successfully accomplish its transformation. It takes a lot of energy to Metamorf, Daniel. So, being that _everything_ has some form of energy or another, it can consume—_eat_---just about anything and absorb the energy from it."

"I think it eat enough all-ready," the Prince grumbled.

Vlad chuckled. "I agree, little Phantom. But this creature does not seem to realize it… Any guess as to why that is?"

Danny's eyebrows creased in concentration. How could the caterpillar _not_ know it had to stop eating already? It… had be… confused. But why?

A grin appeared on the tot's face as he exclaimed, "I got it! Cujo bring it inside, and it not use to it. That why it was angry—No, it got scared! But now it is confused!"

"Very good, my clever boy," Plasmius said, ruffling the child's white hair. "So, how about we help this ghost come out of its confusion by giving it a small push?"

"Make it change?" Danny asked, tilting his head.

Vlad shook his head. "It is not kind to _make_ anyone do anything, Daniel. But we could _encourage_ it."

Danny looked confused now, not really knowing the difference. But his father planned on showing him. Vlad looked around, and finding what he was searching for, he released his hold on Danny, and gestured for him to follow.

The Prince floated after his father until they were in front of a tree with very large fruits on it. "When you show kindness to others, you can almost be sure it is what you will receive it in return," the King told his son, before making a small head gesture towards the tree in front of them.

Understanding, Danny nodded and quickly floated closer to the tree, before placing a hand against its bark. The child gathered warm green energy into his hand and gently stroked it; almost instantly, the tree shuddered to life. One of its large branches then moved, and Danny floated a bit back as the branch lowered in front of him.

The Ghost Prince smiled as he pulled off one of the large fruits with both his hands, and his father soon did the same. "Our gratitude," Vlad told the tree, and it shuddered its response before returning to its dormant form.

The two then returned to the caterpillar; and when they were in front of it again, the King spoke once more, "There is a large difference between _making_ someone do something and encouraging them to do it, Daniel. 'Making' usually is the same as 'forcing'. If I try to force this ghost here to change it is probably going to bring about a negative reaction."

Danny nodded in understanding. After all, he had been trying to _force_ the caterpillar to stop eating his room and all _that_ had done was anger the ghost, as a result, getting hurt himself.

"But if we _encourage_ this creature, it will want to do what we need it to do on its own. Give him your fruit," Vlad asked, smiling down at his son.

The Prince floated closer to the caterpillar and lifted up the fruit so that it was close to the larva's antennas. The creature instantly perked up when it caught 'sight' of a treat better than tree bark. And in one quick motion, it grabbed the fruit from the tot.

Danny gasped and jolted back at the sight of the larva's sharp little teeth. But when the caterpillar quickly finished the fruit, it turned its attention to the child again, and began to come closer, hoping the Prince had more of what it had just been given.

Fearing one of the caterpillar's painful attacks, Danny quickly backed up from the nearing ghost, only for his back to collide with something. Immediately, the tot looked up and realized the 'something' was his father.

"It's alright, Daniel. I think you got its attention," Vlad said, placing a hand on the four-year-old's shoulder to calm him. The King reached towards the caterpillar, and Danny's eyes widened, expecting his father to be pushed back by an attack. But it did not happen.

Danny blinked as he watched his father stroke the ghost between its antennas. "Not so angry now," Vlad said with a smirk at his son. The Prince quickly got closer, but hesitantly reached out to touch the caterpillar. But when he did so without being hurt, Danny grinned.

"He happy again!"

The King nodded his agreement. "But it still needs a bit of help. See the barrier around it?"

Danny looked at the creature and noticed that around its orange body it had a pale yellowish barrier; and it seemed to have stopped the larva's growth since it was no longer getting larger like it had been before.

Receiving a nod, but also a quizzical look from his son, Vlad explained. "The barrier needs to be broken. These types of ghost usually do that on their own; but for some reason---perhaps due to its ordeal in your room---this one cannot."

Vlad lifted a hand before slowly allowing his claws to extract from his fingertips. Danny watched in awe the entire time. He had seen his father take them out before, but it was still a neat sight. The tot looked down at his own hands, and frowned at his claw-less fingers. Would he ever get claws? And fangs? His father had told him they would come out eventually. Danny wondered how long was 'eventually'…

While the child was pondering this, Vlad used one of his claws to slice off a piece of the fruit currently in his other hand. He looked back at his son, and smiled when he noticed him studying his own hands. "Here, Daniel," he said, extending the small piece of fruit he had sliced off.

The tot snapped out of his thoughts and quickly took the treat. As he bit into it, Danny suddenly realized he was really hungry. But the thought quickly left him as he watched his father give the rest of the fruit to the large caterpillar. Danny now understood why the treat had made the larva happy again; the fruit was like honey melting on your tongue.

The Prince swallowed the last of the piece of fruit, just as his father looked at him again. "You want to help?" Vlad asked, raising a suggestive eyebrow.

Danny excitedly nodded.

"Alright. When I say, I need you to turn both of us intangible. Think you can?"

"Yes!" the tot said confidently.

"Alright, then, get ready," Vlad advised. He then turned his attention to the caterpillar and raised his clawed hand towards it. "Do not worry, this will not hurt a bit," he assured the larva, before quickly bringing his hand down and ripping straight through the barrier.

The orange ghost larva jolted in surprise, but then it quickly lit with a bright orange glow.

"Now, Daniel!" Vlad commanded; and the child instantly gripped his father's right hand and squeezed his eyes closed.

Just as the caterpillar exploded, flinging orange goo everywhere, Danny turned himself and his father intangible, narrowly avoiding getting covered in the glowing slime.

"Open your eyes," the King asked gently, his red gaze smiling at his son.

The Ghost Prince snapped his eyes open, quickly losing his focus on holding intangibility. And just as he and his father solidified, Danny gasped in surprise at the sight of a monstrous orange butterfly hovering in the place of the caterpillar ghost.

"Whoa…" Danny breathed out, his eyes wide with awe. The butterfly in turn wiggled its antennas at its audience, and the tot giggled when one of them tickled him under his chin.

"You welcome!" the Prince told the happy butterfly, who answered back with a few soft chirps, before taking flight. With a large grin, the four-year-old silently watched it fly off into the distance until it vanished from view.

Remembering his father, Danny opened his mouth to say something. "Where it---" The tot paused in mid-thought when he saw the King was no longer beside him. Actually, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Daddy?" he called confused, hovering forward a bit as he looked around for the older ghost. Suddenly, Danny gasped when he spotted his dad standing in front of a tree a distance away. But with a wave and a smirk, the King quickly vanished out of sight again.

Danny smiled, his eyes narrowing playfully at his father's silent challenge. Quickly, the tot turned invisible himself and took off towards where he last saw his father. As the child entered the small forest, he silently and stealthily looked around, while his hearing focused on the slightest noises.

But then his green eyes focused on the trail of freshly bloomed flora on the forest floor; they were bright red, something that often happened in his father's presence when he was on this island.

Danny didn't hesitate to follow it.

But even with his attentiveness, the invisible tot didn't notice his father appear right behind him until he heard him whisper in his ear. "Daniel…"

Danny yelped in surprise when two strong hands suddenly scooped him up from behind, quickly causing the four-year-old to lose invisibility. But the Ghost Prince just as promptly reacted, and turned intangible, effectively escaping his father's grip.

The Prince spun around to face his dad; and with a mischievous grin, the child turned invisible again and quickly flew around his father before he could be stopped.

"Boo!" Danny exclaimed as he reappeared behind Vlad and wrapped his arms around his neck.

The King playfully gasped, before grasping his son's hands holding him. "Looks like you're getting too quick for me, Daniel," Vlad said, slightly turning his head and smiling in surrender at his son.

Danny giggled before bringing himself around until he was facing his father again. "I dream about you," the tot said, his hands still wrapped around the older ghost's neck.

Vlad's smile widened. "Did you?" And receiving a nod, he added, "And did this dream, by any chance, happen to come true..?"

The Prince grinned openly and nodded. "Yes, because you here!"

Vlad chuckled, before nuzzling his face against his son's own. "I dreamt about you, too, little Phantom."

Danny pulled away a bit to look at his dad. "Really?" he gasped.

"Um-hmm," Vlad replied, smiling tenderly. "Every night. I even daydreamed about you… Do you know what that is?"

The Prince shook his head, but he looked eager to find out. "Tell me."

"Well, it's when you dream with your eyes open," he answered softly.

"What we do in your dream?" Danny asked, tilting his head.

Vlad smiled again, before brushing away some of his son's white hair from his eyes. "What we are doing now."

Danny giggled again. "Your dream come true, too!"

"Yes," Vlad answered, before placing a hand on his son's symbol. "But the real thing is _much_ better," he assured him, before adding with a more serious voice, "You cannot imagine just how much I missed you, Daniel."

Danny returned his father's affection as he answered. "I miss you much, too. You leave for long time…." The child's eyebrow's creased when he suddenly remembered a question his aunt Spectra had asked him and he had been unable to answer it. Danny wanted to know the answer, and he dared to ask, "Where you go, Daddy?"

Vlad stared at his son's innocent green eyes for a moment, but then he looked away; the action confused Danny, but the emotion coming from his father's symbol under his small hand, befuddled him more.

The Ghost King's gaze had focused on his son's own symbol, and began tenderly tracing it with his fingers as he finally spoke again. "I went to fulfill some responsibilities--_duties_, my boy." Plasmius paused as he mentally added, _"Ones I will make sure you never have to worry about."_ He looked back at his son's face with a sad smile. "I do not like leaving, Daniel. But I must sometimes."

The Prince's eyebrows scrunched some more. "Someone make you go?"

Vlad chuckled softly. "No, Son. No one _makes_ me go. I just… have to. That's what it means to have responsibilities. Sometimes you must do them even if you do not _want_ to do them."

Danny huffed in frustration and shook his head. "I no understand."

The King brought his hands up to cup his son's face, before pulling closer and giving his forehead a small peck. "I know. But you do not need to right now. Eventually, you will understand."

The Prince nodded, but stayed quiet as he looked down at his father's signature. There was that word 'eventually' again. He really wanted to know how long that was; but, somehow, the tot was sure the answer would only confuse him further. In the end, Danny decided he was just glad to have his father home again. And he hoped it stayed that way for a long time!

Danny suddenly kissed his dad, before hugging him tighter. "I happy you home now," he said, burying his head under the older ghost's chin.

Vlad, who had grown quiet himself as his mind lingered on some unknown thought, sighed with content as he wrapped his arms around his child. "And I'm happy that you're happy," he said softly.

There was a brief silence where only the whispering of the wind and the melodious song of a brook somewhere in the distance could be heard. The flora around them continued to change their arrays and colors as if expressing the peaceful and tender moment.

Vlad then noticed five Butterfly-fairies sitting on a peculiar large green sunflower, giggling and whispering with each other as they stared at him and his son.

In that brief time, Danny had moved his head to look up at him. "Daddy?"

"Yes?" he asked, moving his eyes away from the playful little ghosts and focusing on his son.

"I am hungry," Danny said, placing a hand on his tummy.

The King nodded. "So am I." He smiled suggestively as he asked, "Home, then?"

"Yes!" Danny quickly moved out of his father's hold and flew a little higher up. "You catch me, Daddy!"

Vlad laughed. "Alright. Go."

The Prince giggled as he took off into the air, his father quickly following after him. The child continued to laugh as he would narrowly avoid being captured in the King's arms time and time again, only to loop around his dad in a teasing manner before using a burst of speed to escape once more. Both playfully weaved, spun and spiraled through the green atmosphere, continuing their joyful dance all the way home.

* * *

"So my sister's finally back?" Spectra mumbled thoughtfully as she lied stretched across a sofa on her side, one hand keeping her head propped up so she could look at Walker sitting on a chair across from her.

The shadow ghost was currently at the ghost sheriff's home. Walker had called for her after his encounter with the Queen several hours ago. The Warden had told the female in front of him all about his 'chat' with her sister. Walker was still far from happy.

"I think you missed the most important part of what I just told you. _Your_ _sister_ was told that _a_ _ghost from the Kingdom_ was _involved_ with the dragon kid's _kidnapping_," he repeated, sounding annoyed, his fingers drumming impatiently on the chair's armrests.

"Vlad's home, too," Spectra continued, acting like she didn't hear him. Her ghostly tail was slightly swaying from side to side, lightly brushing the couch's cushions. She was obviously thinking hard about something.

Walker rolled his eyes, and decided to just let the ghost answer when she felt like it. "Yeah, he's returned," he mumbled off-handedly.

Spectra frowned for a moment. "That's gonna make things harder. I had hoped to catch Danny by himself again before Vlad got back. But my sister just had to go on her silly little trip with the brat…," she grumbled in irritation.

"Do you really think your half-baked scheme is gonna work?" Walker asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow. "Not only are you involving a _dangerous_ ghost hunter in all this, but you're actually daring to bring Plasmius' brat into the mix. You must really have a death wish."

Spectra shrugged off his comment. "I've manipulated humans practically all my life. This one is no different. Actually, the fact that he's _male_ gives me an advantage…. You know how good I can be with the opposite sex…" she added suggestively.

Walker gave her a disgusted look. A ghost getting involved with a _human_ was unthinkable; it was an abomination. But he knew the cunning female in front of him would do just about anything to get what she wanted. At least, he knew that if she _did_ stoop _that_ low it would only be because it would benefit her in some way and not because she held any real feelings for that human. Now, _**that**_ would be the most revolting thing in all existence.

"As for my little nephew…I'm only looking to broaden his horizons… If that so happens to shorten his lifespan, then… " She shrugged innocently, though her wicked smile ruined the affect.

"Yes, well, lots of luck with that," Walker murmured uncaringly. "I have more important things to do right now then for me to go about wasting my time with the King's brat. Besides, look at the trouble I have on my hands thanks to that _other_ brat I 'assisted' you with. "

"Ugh! Stop worrying about that! I know for a fact that Aragon's kids didn't see anything that could lead back to me, and then to you," Spectra said confidently, though she sounded very annoyed. "What the kid saw was Bertrand in one of his many disguises. We let them see a large 'ghost cat' trying to attack them. It was a distraction, so that I could get a shot from above and knock them out. The one that's still here went unconscious instantly. But the one that Freakshow has did not. It saw me in my true form," she explained, pointing at her shadow appearance.

"And that is why I took _him_. The only one that saw anything to compromise _us_ is the one that that freaky human has, _and_ _that_ little dragon is a world away… not to mention he's brainwashed to the point of no return… I don't think the poor kid even remembers his life before 'Master'." Spectra chuckled as she recalled her visit to Freakshow a year ago.

"What does that human want with that ghost kid, anyways?" Walker asked with a quizzical frown. "Usually humans don't think twice about killing a ghost on sight. And yet this one is keepin' a dragon ghost like some sort of….--What is it that humans call them?--pets?"

Spectra shrugged. "I have no idea why he wanted the kid, and I don't really care as long as I get my _needs_ taken care of. " The shadow ghost paused. "You know, he also wants one of the two 'Amulets of Aragon'. The human is, like, a collector of supernatural gems and amulets. I told him I'd 'try' to get it, but, of course, even _I _am not risking trying to get one of those amulets--no matter what Freakshow offers. I would have to confront Aragon or Dora to get it; and not only will I be discovered, but as much as I hate to admit it, my powers do not match up to either of them. Now, _that_ would be a death wish," she finished with a raised eyebrow.

Walker didn't reply, and the two ghosts shared an empty silence. But then Spectra suddenly spoke up again, a curious look on her face. "I've been meaning to ask you. What did you do with the human kid you asked me to bring to you when I gave Freakshow Aragon's kid?"

Walker shrugged, and answered in a bored tone, "Not much. I needed to see how effective my new electrical collars are on humans…. Kid died just after the forth fourth shock from it. The 'test subject' was pretty useless. The human chamber smelled like cooked flesh for months, even after I told Bullet to dump the body at the nearest portal."

He drummed his fingers in thought, ignoring the disgusted look he got from Spectra. "What I really need is a fully-grown male. I'm sure an older human could take more; what I really want is to be able to use the device for a long period of time without causing death."

"In other words, you just want another torture toy," Spectra said with a smirk, receiving an evil look in response. "Now, you know I'd gladly get you what you need, but adult humans are not very easy to come by. They're not as easy to trick and get alone as kids. But, if it makes you feel better, that collar of yours works like a charm on ghosts. I ended up using it on the dragon kid I took to the human world. Knocked him out with a single jolt." The female ghost's smirk grew, her eyes glistening with pure malice. "I might have to borrow one from you again one of these days…"

"You ask for too many favors," Walker grumbled. "I don't even know why I do them, either. All I have gotten out of this is one weak human punk!"

"You help me because you know that in the long run, you want pretty much what I want," Spectra shot back with a knowing grin.

Walker rolled his eyes. But then he sighed. "Although I do think your plan will not work, I have to admit that I hope it does. I want _King Plasmius_ gone." The ghost suddenly smiled evilly. "Wouldn't it be ironic if he ends up meeting the same fate as his father?"

Spectra perked up at the comment. "You know what happened to him? Desiree never wanted to tell me."

"Of course I do. I know what happened to his father _and_ mother. I was there when they died…. I even knew about his father's fate beforehand. Not that Plasmius knows that…" Walker answered, his evil smile still plastered on his face.

"Oh! You gotta share! I just love a good tragic story!" Spectra beamed, quickly sitting up and holding her hands together in excitement and expectancy.

The sheriff shrugged as he leaned back and crossed his legs. "In a way, his parents were killed by Pariah; but then, in another, they killed themselves…"

The shadow ghost frowned, confused. "I don't follow you…"

The male ghost rubbed his chin as he tried to recall the exact details; or, perhaps, he was just trying to find a place to start. "How old is Plasmius right now?" he asked.

Spectra raised an eyebrow, not getting his sudden change of subject. But when she received no explanation, she shrugged. "Well…I think he's a year older than my sister and I, so… thirty-two?"

Walker remained quiet for a moment as he thought about something. "Well, then, if you're right, then that means he took the throne at age eighteen since Dark was overthrown about fourteen years ago."

"That sounds about right," the female ghost nodded, although she still did not get where the Warden was taking their conversation. Still, she continued. "At least, I know for a fact that my sister married Vlad when she turned nineteen, making _him_ twenty. Although… they were engaged _before_ Vlad took the crown."

Walker smirked darkly. "Then, he indeed became King at age eighteen since I recall that he married two years later. And _that_ means he was seventeen when his parents died. It happened a year before Pariah's defeat…As I'm sure you recall, our former king was very _protective_ of his position. His hunger for power could never be sated."

The ghost sheriff chuckled before adding, "In fact, there is a rumor that he was so obsessed with his ruling that he even went so far as casting some curse on the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage. He wanted to make sure that after him, there could be no future kings as powerful as he ever again. The rumor says that if anyone—besides Dark, of course---would wear the crown and ring, he would die under its spell."

Spectra rolled her eyes. "If that rumor was true, Vlad would have died a long time ago."

Walker smirked again. "Perhaps… But then again, Plasmius does not wear the real crown and ring. He wears powerless replicas."

Spectra looked surprised, but then she frowned. "But he still _did_ wear them at one point. It was how he was able to put an end to the war in the human world and save the ghosts that were captured from it so quickly. If the rumor was true, Vlad would have died before he could---" Here, Spectra rolled her eyes before finishing. "--restore _order_ to our world again."

The ghost sheriff waved a dismissive hand. "I'm not sayin' I believe it. But, anyways, do you know the Ancient Royal Laws?"

"You mean the ones that say who is allowed to get the throne and stuff?" the female ghost replied, clearly unsure.

Walker shot her a dry look. "In short, yes, _I suppose_. But let me _lengthen_ it for you. Now, there are _several_, but I'm just gonna tell you the first three---they are relevant to what I'm gonna tell you next."

The male ghost paused only briefly before continuing. "The first law says that each ruler has to be related in some way to the former ruler. But their taking the throne must _also_ be approved by the Ancients—_they_ can actually deny an heir the throne if the Ancients feel that they are unworthy of it. The second ancient law says that direct heirs are first up for the throne—namely, a king's offspring, whether they be male or female, though males are typically favored. If the King doesn't have an offspring, then the King's siblings are entitled to the throne next. However, since it is unlikely that one sibling will outlive the other---being that our kind can only reproduce once in our lifetime, making any siblings the same age---then it is usually the King's nephew or niece who end up getting the throne—as is Plasmius' case."

Spectra crossed her arms, starting to look bored. "You have a point to this, right?"

Walker glared. "Not unless you don't want me tellin' you the story," he snapped.

The female ghost sighed. "Okay, continue."

The sheriff still looked annoyed, but resumed his explanation. "Law number three basically protects the throne from being left without an heir---for the _most_ part, that is. A male heir can rule without ever marrying. But it would mean that the crown would be passed down his family tree--- a sibling, for example; and less appealing, an indirect member, like, a brother—or—sister—in--law. This is exactly why the Ancients were _very_ nervous when Plasmius and Desiree had not formed a brat yet. Plasmius has no living relatives and Desiree only has you. But _Plasmius_ is the true heir; therefore, you are considered an indirect family member—not very appealing, as I mentioned. And because you are female, their same age, and probably never marrying, the energy-line was at risk of coming to an end with Plasmius."

"Then how wonderful that my little nephew came along," Spectra interrupted, her voice thick with angry sarcasm.

"The rest of the third law pertains to female heirs. Unlike a male heir, a female heir _has_ to marry within a year of her taking the throne or she loses the right to make decisions over the Kingdom on her own."

Walker smiled smugly at Spectra. "You, for example, are an indirect _female_ heir. If, let's say, the little Prince were to not reach his seventeenth birthday—the youngest age that the Ancients will carry out their final verdict of his becoming the next king--- then you would be next for the throne again---as you were before he was formed…. But then again, you still would only get it if something ended up happening to the current King and Queen _or_ if they would _both_ renounce the throne over to you—-And we both know that's not very likely."

Spectra scowled. "Just get to the point."

The male chuckled. "Anyways, the law says you would have to marry within the year or you would only be Queen by title and nothing else."

Spectra made a face at the very idea of ever tying the knot with anyone. But then she smirked. "You'd be surprised how easily you can get around 'laws' if you know how."

Walker rolled his eyes, but just continued. "As I said, there are many other more detailed laws, but I just wanted to tell you those three so you understand why Pariah did what he did. Everyone is aware of the type of king that he was, even _he_ was aware of it. It was why he had long since anticipated an uprising sooner or later. At first, he didn't do much about it, believing that no one could ever match his power enough to be a threat. But when he got ear that the Ancients themselves were planning to lead an uprising, he quickly decided to take certain precautions."

"He attacked them first?" Spectra wondered, looking interested again.

"I said _precautions_. The Ancients are _very_ orderly. They are more stern about the established laws than I am. And you know that's sayin' something," Walker said, raising an amused eyebrow.

The female ghost scoffed her agreement.

"Think about it, what would retract the Ancients from dethroning Pariah?" Walker asked.

Spectra tapped her lips for a moment, but she suddenly grinned when she now realized why Walker had explained the whole ordeal with the first three royal laws. "He wasted everyone related to him, didn't he?"

Walker smirked. "Just about. He commanded the immediate execution of _almost_ everyone who was even remotely related to him under the claim of treachery. Then again, no one dared go against his power; so, he didn't need a reason, now, did he? Getting rid of his family members was a sure way for Pariah to stay on the throne. After all, what are the Ancients to do without an heir to the throne?"

"Well, that explains the lack of relatives on Vlad's side. So then, Dark _did_ kill Vlad's parents, right? But _he_ somehow escaped?" Spectra questioned confused.

"Not exactly," Walker said with a shake of his head. "Pariah specifically ordered to leave his sister's family unharmed. I'm sure you know that before Horris, it was _Plasmius'_ _father_ who was the head Ancient?"

Spectra just nodded; for once too interested to interrupt.

"Well, Pariah knew that his little massacre would give him some time to plot his next move. He knew the Ancients had not expected that to happen; they were very disconcerted and alarmed by it, especially the head Ancient, since he feared for his family's life."

"I don't get it. Why just not kill Vlad and his parents when he did his other relatives? Was it because his sister's husband was the head Ancient?" Spectra asked, her confusion making her a bit impatient and annoyed.

"In some part. It wouldn't be easy to kill one of the most powerful and protected ghosts in existence, would it? But for the most part---and you might find this hard to believe—Pariah had a certain respect for his sister. In fact, that is why our former King never forced Plasmius under his thumb as with everyone else. It had been a direct _request_ from his sister. Plasmius was immune to _some_ extent. "

Spectra chuckled. "That, I knew. I remember this one time that Vlad was over at my house, visiting Desiree. Pariah, as you know, had an eye on my sister, and not _just_ for her little powers, either. You can imagine how things went when Pariah appeared at my house that same day, demanding to 'see' her. They were still just friends during that time, but Vlad went ballistic. I was sure Pariah was going to kill him right then. But, in the end, he didn't; he gave Vlad a good beating, though." She chuckled at the memory.

Walker nodded, smirking. "Like I said, he was immune to some extent. Pariah knew that his sister was next in line for the throne. But because she was already married to Plasmius' father that would mean, she _and her husband _would have full rights as rulers. Still, he didn't want to harm her. Some say it was his possessive side that made him so protective of her. Some say he was _in love_ with her. I heard he became enraged when his sister married."

The sheriff shrugged. "I don't know. Point is, he was obsessed in _some way_ with her. That was why he decided to deal with his sister's family in a different way. Pariah knew that if Plasmius' father was out of the picture, his sister would never accept the throne on her own. But he _also_ knew that getting rid of the Ancients' leader would destroy their plans of overthrowing him. As I said, they are a very orderly group. Just a small wrench thrown in their system sends them for a loop."

"I'll have to remember that," Spectra said evilly.

Walker chuckled. But then he grinned evilly himself as he leaned forward, his eyes narrowing in some twisted form of glee. "Now, Dark also had one other person to take care of. His nephew. Ironically, Plasmius never cared for the throne, and had even assured his parents that he would never take it---much to their disappointment. Because of Dark's killing everyone, Plasmius was the youngest and only _future_ heir left. So, his refusal to take the throne meant the end of the royal line. Just what Pariah wanted. But he wanted to make _certain_ of it, so he made plans to rid himself of his nephew and brother-in-law. But he needed to do it without anyone knowing. Or, at least, not have anyone know about it until it would be too late."

"Sounds clever. But _obviously_ something went wrong," Spectra said with a frown.

Walker nodded. "As you know, our former King had control of just about everything and everyone. It was either obey or be sentence to a slow and painful death. And nobody could avoid his ultimatums. Nobody. Not even Skulker. With the special skills he had, the Ghost Hunter was indispensable. And so, he was forced to give his services to Pariah.

The female ghost rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised Skulker submitted. He's always acting like he's all about honor and pride."

"Those _things_ are quickly forgotten when someone you care for is threatened," Walker reminded her. "Pariah knew his nephew and the hunter were so close that they considered themselves brothers. So, not only did he use that against Skulker, but he used it against Plasmius as well."

The Sheriff paused, a smug look coming to his face. "The plan was simple: bait and trap. Our former King asked me to send Skulker out on another 'hunt' to the human world. But what Skulker didn't know was that I made it so that he would be outnumbered by ghost hunters three-to-one when he got there. He never stood a chance. Of course, I then made sure that Plasmius was informed all about the trap that Dark had set up for his best friend."

Walker chuckled. "He went after Skulker without a second thought, not knowing that the trap was really for _him_. Of course, it wasn't long before dear mother and father found out all about their son's going to the human world. And Plasmius' father went after him. Just like Pariah had wanted."

The Sheriff suddenly frowned. "Now, here is where things went wrong. Skulker went to the human world. But he, somehow, found out about the set-up before he could walk into it. He also, somehow, learned that he was just bait for Plasmius and the head Ancient."

Walker paused as he thought for a moment. "I never found out how that happened. But he managed to find and warn Plasmius before anything could happen to our current King. For some reason, Plasmius quickly returned home and Skulker stayed behind in the human world. I suppose they split up to find the former head Ancient. Obviously, though, they didn't find him in time because Plasmius' father **did** end up walking right into Pariah's trap. The Ancient was mortally wounded. But Skulker somehow found him before he could be finished off by the humans and brought him back to our world."

"Plasmius had no idea of his father's fate, so he wasn't around for what happened next. He was so angry with his uncle that he went to confront him. In that time, Skulker returned with the former Head Ancient." The male ghost smirked evilly as he added, "I was there, of course, being that I'm the law around here; and having the Head Ancient return more dead than alive was a serious matter."

Walker leaned back as he closed his eyes, as if trying to visualize what he was saying. "You can imagine how devastated Dark's sister was when she saw her husband's condition. And…wanting to save him, she did the unthinkable." Walker looked back at Spectra with amusement. "She tried to give her life's energy to her husband in an attempt to save him."

Spectra gasped. She knew just what that meant. Because Vlad's parents had already formed him, that meant they only had half their life energy. And with his mother's trying it for a _second_ time so to save her husband… It was suicide.

The shadow ghost quickly got over her surprise, and a disgusted look came to her face. "I always said 'love' was overrated. I mean, give up my life for someone else? Ha! Not in my darkest dreams!" She chuckled. "I can't believe she gave up her life for him."

Walker chuckled, too."That's the best part. She didn't… _manage_ it. Did you know that transferring your life energy a second time is nearly impossible? In fact, no one knows of anyone who has ever successfully accomplished such a thing. Those who have tried end up dying before they can complete the transfer—as was the case with Plasmius' mother. Her body gave out. She died right in front of me, Skulker, and the former head Ancient. And speaking of the latter, well, he died from his wounds. All his wife managed to do was keep him alive for a few hours more."

"Oh! So _that's_ what you meant when you said Pariah killed them, but that they also killed themselves." Spectra grinned, but then she suddenly broke into a full-fledged laugh. "Now, that's rich! I would have loved to see that! And Plasmius…Aw! Poor baby!" she teased before laughing some more.

"Yeah, too bad he didn't join them," Walker said darkly. "Plasmius and Dark found out later about the fate of the couple. Pariah was furious, of course, and blamed Plasmius for it. How our current King managed to stay alive is anyone's guess. Dark was bent of killing him with his own hands. In turn, it was the death of his parents that led Plasmius into joining forces with the rest of the Ancients to bring down his uncle. The rest just falls into place after that," Walker finished, with a dismissive wave of his hand.

But Spectra looked very amused by what she had learned. "Oh, that was the best story I have heard in a long time! And the funniest thing is that Vlad has no clue you helped Dark set that whole thing up!"

"I did not want Dark to be defeated. I was free to do what I wanted back then. And the humans… we were so close to enslaving that weak race!" The ghost sheriff crossed his arms and scoffed angrily. "_Now_, I gotta deal with a King who is half my age and all he thinks about is fun and games. He arrived about a week ago, and do you think he's bothered to stop by the prison? He's a self-righteous and reckless punk with more power than he will ever be able to appreciate!"

"Aww! Don't get so upset!" Spectra teased. She suddenly stood up, and with a cunning grin, she changed into her human appearance, before unexpectedly straddling the male ghost still sitting in his chair. "Want me to cheer ya up?"

"Don't' even think about it," Walker warned, his eyes narrowing on the ghost on his lap.

Penelope threw her head back and laughed, but then smirked back at Walker. "I wouldn't use my powers on you." She then wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "You're not exactly my kind of taste…"

"Is that right?" Walker asked, looking calmly at the female ghost again, though he did not miss the double meaning in her words. "Then should I assume Bertrand is _your kind of taste_? You're obviously his."

"Why do you want to know?" Penelope's smirk grew as she drew closer again. "Are ya… _jealous_?" she asked, this time actually nipping at one of the male ghost's ears.

The sheriff tensed, but quickly relaxed again. With a hand, he gripped Penelope's hair, slowly forcing her away just enough for their eyes to meet. She hissed in pain, but a seductive smirk returned to her face when Walker didn't push her off.

"You're good at this…. You're disguise, I mean. You look like a genuine human," Walker uttered, calmly studying her face. But then his eyes narrowed again as he added, "It _disgusts_ me."

Her sensual grin widened, before she returned back to her real, shadow form. "Better?" she asked in sugary voice.

"Yeah," Walker replied, and abruptly forced her forward into an aggressive kiss.

The female ghost didn't hesitate to respond with the same brutality. There was not the remote amount of care in their kiss. It was so cold; it couldn't even be called passionate. If there was anything in their intimate moment, it was depraved lust.

Walker suddenly pulled away, a smug smile growing on his face. "By the way, I'm not jealous. I'd have to feel the least bit of something for you. And I don't."

Spectra grinned. "Good. The non-existing feelings are mutual." She pulled him back in again, but the male ghost continued to speak in between their kissing; this time, his voice sounded very amused.

"Hmm… It's a good thing… you're not… the love-struck type of ghost… Desiree is. After all… no ghost… in their _right…_ _mind…_ would feel _anything_ …for… you." A small chuckle vibrated in Walker's throat, before his kissing became more dominant.

He remained unaware that his words had shocked Spectra; but that quickly changed when another emotion surfaced within her.

Walker jolted when a pair of fangs bit down on his bottom lip. And Spectra suddenly pushed off him, a furious look on her face. "That's because I don't care to capture anyone's _feelings_," she spat, her eyes narrowed hatefully. "My sister's _pathetic!_ I'm better than her in every way! I could get _any_ male I want, even her _precious little husband_ if I chose to!"

Walker had a hand against his swollen lip, but otherwise, looked taken aback with the female ghost's reaction to his words. However, his surprise melted into an amused grin. "Well, I think I've figured out your _type of taste_."

"Shut-up! You don't know a thing about me!" she hissed back.

"Tsk, don't get so upset," Walker teased her, using the same words she had used on him previously. "Come on, forget I said anything." He smirked as he gesture with his hand for her to return, adding, "We were just getting _started_."

Spectra rolled her eyes, her anger changing into irritation. "I'm not in a mood," she waved off. "Besides, I'm out of time. I told Bertrand to meet me at my lair. He should be there by now."

Walker stood up when he saw the shadow ghost turning to leave. Following after her, he spoke. "That's right. You told me you sent him to the human world. You never mentioned _why_, though."

Spectra didn't turn to answer him until she was at the door. A smirk tugged on her lips as she stared at the frowning male ghost. "Do I have to tell you?" she asked secretly.

"_Yes_, because you're little trips keep putting my top guard at risk each time," Walker snapped, his arms crossing in front of him.

Spectra grinned. She knew that Bullet guarded the portal that she always used to get to the human word. But her smile was mainly due to her next words.

"I need another present for my nephew."

The ghost sheriff's frown only deepened with her response. "Bringing in contrabands is against the rules. Plasmius himself ordered a while back to have any human items that were found in our world to be destroyed without question---be it what may. Now, you two are bringing _in_ things? You _better_ not get caught. I'll execute the both of you myself if you do," he told her darkly.

The shadow ghost pouted. "You have so little faith in me. And even if I did get caught, who could prove that I went to the human world to get the items? Just because most human items have been disposed of in our world doesn't mean that if you don't look hard enough you won't find something. I'm just saving myself the trouble of 'treasure hunting' and going straight to the source. Besides, they are just harmless things. Nothing to get yourself all twisted up about---oh, wait, too late," she added with a comical shrug.

Walker rolled his eyes, but, otherwise, didn't say anymore.

"Well! Gotta go!" She opened the door, but then paused, and smirked at Walker again. "And don't worry; I always finish what I _start_."

The ghost sheriff only raised an eyebrow at the wink the female ghost shot him, before finally leaving him alone.

* * *

Around nine in the morning the next day, Danny found himself in a place he had never been to before. His parents had woken early and said they were taking him to see a dac…? doc…? …_someone_. They didn't say anymore after that, and just got him ready and then left with him. The trip hadn't been too long, less than an hour. However, when they had arrived, the sight of a large white villa, alone on a small island, had quickly caught his attention.

But now that he and his parents were inside the home, Danny was even more curious. It looked like a usual abode, but something about it felt different to the tot… even the smells were different.

Danny continued to look around with an enthralled interest, while he waited beside his mother. His father had gone into a study room of some sort with the ghost who lived here. The female ghost had warmly greeted them, though her focus had remained mainly on his parents. But even if she had acknowledged the child, he probably would not have noticed.

He had been too busy gawking at the ghost's large, white feathery wings sprouting out of her back. Sure, he had seen ghost with wings before, but they were usually on more primitive ghosts, the ones with paws or hooves instead of hands and feet.

Eventually, the Prince's wandering eyes returned to the door through which the King had gone. Even though the tot had insisted to go with him, his father had insisted more that he stay with his mother.

The King was currently speaking with his only female advisor about his son's delayed developments. Of course, he was not by any means divulging anything related to Danny's past. But that didn't mean he and his wife had not come mentally prepared should the female doctor somehow discover their child's half-human status. It was a big risk; but Danny's health came first.

Not bearing the quiet suspense any longer, Danny looked up at his mom and tugged on her transparent cape. "Mommy?"

"Yes, little Phantom?" she asked, looking down at him.

"What Daddy doing?"

The Queen smiled. "He is talking to his advisor. She's a doctor; that's someone who makes you feel better when you are not well, understand?"

Danny slowly nodded, but then he frowned when he came to a conclusion. "So, Daddy no feel good?"

Desiree shook her head in amusement as she reached down and straightened her child's bunched-up hood resting on his back. "No, Danny, your father is not seeing the doctor, you are."

The tot tilted his head in confusion. "So, _I_ no feel good?"

His mother laughed this time. "No, little one. Sometimes you see doctors just to make sure you are _healthy_—that you are _strong_---so that you stay feeling 'good'---_well_." Desiree paused, but then teasingly added, "However, it is you who can answer your question. _Do you_ feel well?"

The Prince furrowed his eyebrows as he gave himself a look over. But he was quickly satisfied and looked back up as his mother with a beaming smile. "Yes! I feel very good—well!" he corrected himself.

The Queen laughed again, but at that moment, Vlad and his advisor came out of the study. The King smiled at his amused wife. "Seems like I've missed something." He looked over at his son who grinned brightly at him in return.

"Danny is wondering why he is here if he feels well," Desiree told her husband.

"Oh, I think I can answer that for him," Vlad's advisor intervened, smiling down at the tot.

Danny smiled back, inquisitively watching her walk closer to him. Now that he had gotten over his initial awe of her beautiful wings, he began noticing other of her features, like, her bright gold eyes and curly long hair.

The female ghost was wearing a white top trimmed with gold that fitted across her torso, leaving only one of her shoulders bare and half of her stomach exposed. Her lower attire was even more peculiar. Although her stocking-tight pants followed the same color and décor as her shirt, they had strips of silver cloth over them. The silvery pieces started at the waist and ended at the knees, making it appear as if she was wearing a skirt over her pants.

But Danny's attention was really drawn to her exposed Ghost Signature on her chest. It was a purple halo with a staff through its middle. The child was so mesmerize by the ghost that he didn't realize she had squatted down in front of him, until he was staring right into her large warm, gold eyes.

"Hello, Prince Phantom. I'm sure you do not remember me," she said kindly.

Danny blinked at her, but then his eyes were drawn back to her wings, which were spread out as if to balance her. "Um… No, I no remember. Sorry," he mumbled distractingly.

"It's understandable. After all, the last time we saw each other, you were still quite fond of your bottle." She smiled in amusement when she noticed how captivated he was with her wings. But she didn't comment on it, and went to something else. "How old are you?"

Danny moved his green eyes back to hers, and smiled as he announced, "I am four." He showed her with his fingers, receiving an interested nod.

"My, have you grown quickly."

"Thanks!" Danny replied, although he didn't know if that was the right response. But the child suddenly paused as he realized something, and he furrowed his eyebrows at the female ghost. "What your name?"

The winged-ghost gave him an apologetic smile. "I have not formally given it to you yet, huh? I'm sorry; I just find you more interesting than myself. My name is Anĝela. I am one of your father's advisors… and a doctor."

Danny believed he understood the 'doctor' thing, but he wasn't sure what an advisor was exactly. Still, he let it slide, and nodded. "I am Danny," he replied, forgetting the ghost already knew his name.

She nodded back. "Yes, and that is quite a lovely name. But you would not mind too much if I call you 'Prince Phantom', would you? It suits you so well, you see."

"No, I no mind! That is my royal name! And I like it, too!" he answered back with a grin.

"It's good to know. After all, you will be addressed as such more often than not. And someday you will be _King_ Phantom. I'm certain that you're going to make a _great_ leader," she assured him with a wink.

Danny gave her a confused look, but his attention went to his father when he suddenly cleared his throat. "Anĝela, how about we leave those sorts of chats for when he's a little older," Vlad said, raising an eyebrow at the ghost.

The King was not upset with his advisor, but he knew his son was still too young to understand what it meant to be a _King_. Sure, Danny knew he was the Prince and that his father and mother were the King and Queen, but his young mind still had a long way to go before he could truly understand what it truly signified. There was no need to confuse him.

Anĝela chuckled. "I apologize. I get carried away sometimes." She stood and smiled at Danny again. "How about we get to the reason of your being here?"

The child perked up with interest, but much to his disappointment, she didn't elaborate. Instead, Anĝela looked at his parents, and spoke to them. "We need to go to my medical room. It's this way."

The royal family followed the ghost doctor down a corridor until they arrived at a doorway. Anĝela opened it, and allowed them in. "Could you get him to sit on the bed for me? And take off his cloak," she asked, before moving to gather a few things.

In addition to Vlad's explaining his and his wife's concern for their child's slow development, he also mentioned that they had never taken the Prince to see a doctor before. So, that meant Anĝela was going to need to do _more_ than just address their concerns.

Vlad shared a silent look with Desiree, and they both saw the same unease reflected in the other's eyes. But each wanting to encourage the other, they smiled warmly at one another. The King then turned his attention to Danny and picked him up.

Since the Ghost Prince had been busy staring around the new room, he had not caught the doctor's request, so he was a bit surprised when his father placed him on top of a long and tall cushioned bed. The child frowned quizzically when he noticed how the bed was oddly releasing a white smoke. But as the fumes touched him and invaded his nostrils, the four-year-old began feeling pleasantly warm and relaxed.

"Daniel?"

The tot looked up at his father, only for his eyebrows to crease at the strange way the older ghost was staring at him. His father almost looked scared. But the thought was quickly forgotten by the Prince when he saw the warm smile that appeared on Vlad's face.

The King gently began removing his son's cloak---his only piece of clothing this time around---as he spoke. "You trust your mother and me, yes?"

"Yes!" Danny replied with a happy nod, his ghostly tail coiling around him as he watched his father attentively.

Vlad leaned closer, his eyebrows coming slightly together to match his serious tone of voice. "Well, _we_ trust Anĝela, my boy. And we want you to trust her, too, alright?"

Danny nodded again. He had no problem with doing as his father asked, since he liked the female ghost the moment he saw her. And if Anĝela knew his parents, then there wasn't any reason not to trust her, anyways. Then again, the tot wasn't very picky with who he trusted…

"Alright. Be a good boy then, and do what she says, hmm?" Vlad asked gently, placing a hand on the side of his child's face.

"Okay!" Danny quickly agreed.

Right then, Anĝela walked back to the family. She gave the two parents a reassuring look, having noticed their nervousness. It was a typical sight for the doctor when parents brought in their offspring for the first time.

With one last glanced at his son, Vlad stepped away from him and went to stand beside Desiree, both closely watching everything that transpired from that point on.

"Comfortable?" Anĝela asked as she stepped closer to the tot.

Danny, who had been looking questioningly at his dad's sudden retreat, quickly focused on the doctor with her question. Danny nodded and patted the cushion under him. "Yes, it warm."

"Good." She paused and then placed her hand on her symbol. "I have a big favor to ask of you, Prince Phantom. I would like to touch you _here_. Will you let me?" Anĝela, of course, knew that a ghost's signature was sensitive, since right under it was their core, the very thing that kept a ghost alive.

But the symbol was also very personal because of what could be transferred and received by simply touching it. She knew that only closely bonded ghosts touched one another in that intimate place. And with this being the first time the Prince really saw her, it would be unforgiving to touch the child without his consent.

Danny placed his hands on the spiraling star on his chest and looked down at it. He didn't understand the nervous flutter in his stomach. Maybe it was because no one he didn't really know had ever touched him there—not even his aunt; and he had known her since he could remember. It was usually just his parents who touched him. But so did his friends---Cujo and Ember, for example. And on rare occasions, his Uncle Skulker.

The Prince paused in thought. He was very sure that no one he didn't closely know had ever touched his signature. But now… Anĝela was asking to touch him. At least she had asked. He would have been quite alarmed if she had done so without warning him.

Danny lowered his hands, and looked back at the female ghost, only to become even more apprehensive. It was as if there was some kind of instinct inside him that told him to guard that delicate part of his anatomy. But his simple logic countered it by saying that he had never experienced anything bad happening to him from allowing someone to touch him…

"How about we make a deal? You can touch me first; and if you are comfortable with my feel, then you can let me touch you. Would that make you feel better?" Anĝela asked gently, noticing his uncertainty. She was willing to give the child the time he needed to get comfortable with her request. But, ultimately, it was very important that she touched him. It was how she would know a lot about his health.

Danny thought about the female ghost's words, but then slowly nodded. "Okay…" he agreed, though still sounding unsure. But being allowed to feel her energy first, somehow, made this less scary for him. He leaned towards Anĝela; and with just a bit of hesitation, he lightly placed a hand on her ghost's signature.

A gasp instantly left the Ghost Prince as the foreign energy filled him with a surprising new sensation. But he still didn't withdraw. After the initial shock, the four-year-old began to realize the sensation wasn't bad at all. In fact, she felt very…_peaceful_. It relaxed Danny a lot.

"Are you okay?" Anĝela whispered, not wanting to startle the child.

Danny slowly nodded as he withdrew his hand. He silently stared at his limb for a moment, before looking up at the ghost and smiling. "You feel nice."

Anĝela chuckled. "Why thank you."

Danny placed a hand on his signature. "Okay. You can touch me."

The doctor smiled warmly, and stepped closer to him. She waited for him to lower his hand before she lifted her own. With a slight pause, she looked up at the tot. "Ready?"

Danny just nodded, though he didn't realize his ghost tail was moving about nervously. His parents did, though.

Only fingertips brushed his symbol, but it was enough to make the Prince gasp again. He squeezed his eyes close when the rest of the female ghost's hand enveloped his Ghost Signature. Her reassuring voice followed her actions, but it fell on deaf ears.

It was hard to describe what he was feeling. The tot was certain it wasn't bad and that it didn't hurt. But it was just so different to him. It was _strong_. Anĝela's foreign energy touching his core was refreshing in a way, but it was a bit overwhelming.

The conflicting sensation coursing through him reminded Danny of a section of his home's garden, a place he occasionally visited. There were herbs of all types there, creating a very wonderful scent in the area. But he could never stay long. Within a couple of minutes of being around the herbs their fumes often became intolerable for him. The first time he went to that section of the garden had been the worst, though. But since then, his tolerance for the plants grew a little more with his every visit.

However, _this_ was just like his first time around the strong herbs. It was nice, but it was still overwhelming… He hoped Anĝela would pull away soon.

"Daniel…"

There was always something about his father's voice that had the power to settle him down to his very core. It even warmed him in a way that the bed's current fumes surrounding him could never hope to achieve. It was the only thing that the tot needed to hear to finally relax and open his eyes.

The Prince looked over at his parents, and their smiles of reassurance made him almost forget about the nice, but overwhelming, feeling coming from the doctor's touch. Actually, he was surprisingly getting use to it now.

"Your father told me you like to fly a lot," Anĝela spoke up, smiling when his green eyes turned to regard her. She wanted to distract the child, while also getting a bit of information regarding his inability to reform his legs.

Still, her main concern was keeping him calm. His core was overly sensitive to other energies. And she wondered if it had to do with _his_ own energy. Its feel was very… pure. And although it wasn't anything uncommon in children, since their developing energy was very new and practically voided of any negative emotions, the Prince's energy was perhaps _too_ pure; in fact, it could very well define the word.

Anĝela was one-hundred-and-three-years old; and in all that time, she had never once felt energy like the one this four-year-old possessed. Sure, each ghost's energy was as unique as human fingerprints, but there were always _some_ similarities and norms in all ghosts. The Prince didn't follow any of it. And that was a strange fact for the doctor. But what was more disconcerting was how touching him made _her_ feel.

It felt like a _sin_ to her; as if even her _benevolent_ touch would somehow taint the child's purity. It took all her professionalism to not pull away. She had to remind herself that she was not hurting him in any way. Furthermore, this was for his own good.

Anĝela pulled out of her thoughts when she heard Danny reply to her previous mentioning of his flying. "Yes! I love to fly really fast, but I still cannot stop very good!" he said with a smile, his tail moving about, this time from how excited the very thought of flying made him.

"You know, your _legs_ might make that much easier for you," she answered off-handedly, but then she added, "You are going to feel a small tingle, okay?"

Danny quickly frowned, but mainly at her first comment. "But I have a tail, see?" he said, lifting it for her to see. But then he shivered as he felt an odd tingle spread through his body. And he finally noticed how the doctor's hand on his chest was glowing with a gold hue. The tingle vanished as a gold mist exited his body.

"You have very good ectoplasm and energy circulation," she told him with a smile, although she knew he didn't really understand what that meant. But then she replied to his comment. "I can see you have a tail; and it's quite a lovely one at that; but you also have legs, Prince Phantom. And they can be very fun if you give them a try. Have you ever tried forming them?"

Danny shook his head. "No, I like my tail!" he insisted.

Anĝela tilted her head in amusement. "But wouldn't you like to jump and run? Look at your father, he does not form a spectral tail and I'm sure that does not stop him from having _fun_."

Danny grinned over at his father. "Yes! We play together! And mommy, too! But she fly faster than Daddy because she has a tail like me!"

Desiree smirked smugly at Vlad, but he quickly returned it as he whispered, "So? I can teleport a much greater distance than you."

"And I can turn you into a toad," she retorted with a wicked grin.

The King gave her a cocky smile, clearly not backing down. "I'm sure. But then you would still have to kiss me, wouldn't you?"

Desiree jabbed him in his side, receiving a grunt and then a soft chuckle from her husband. But then the couple returned their attention to their son, who was still ranting away.

"----I play with Ember, too! And 'cause I have a tail, I fly faster than her! That why I like it! I always want it!" Danny declared, grinning down at his spectral tail, still in his hands.

Desiree looked worriedly at her husband, but he could only give her a helpless shrug in return. The King internally agreed with his son. There was nothing better than flying. And having the advantage of unlimited speed was a plus. And although the four-year-old could not fly anywhere near as fast as Vlad could, the older ghost knew his child would eventually move _faster_ than he.

The ghost doctor smiled gently at the tot, but said nothing more and returned to what she was doing. She asked him to open his mouth and then placed a soft, transparent, circular capsule on his tongue.

Danny made a face when the marble-sized capsule suddenly dissolved and forced him to swallow a bitter liquid.

"Sorry, but I need to see how quickly your body is absorbing ambient energy," she explained, even if she knew he didn't understand. And even if he did, he was too busy trying to rid himself of the taste in his mouth to answer her.

But as she expected, Danny's white aura quickly became brighter for a moment before it returned to its usual intensity. The entire thing had taken five seconds; quite normal.

"Do you think you can make ectoplasmic energy for me?" Anĝela then asked, knowing that the tot knew how to from her earlier conversation with the King.

Danny nodded, before looking down at his hands and making them glow green. She lifted her free hand---her other hand had never left his signature the entire time she had been checking him---and placed it above one of his glowing hands.

She lit that hand with her own purple energy, before saying, "I want you to tell me when you feel it getting too warm for you, okay?"

Her request quickly placed a frown on the Prince's face as he recalled the occurrence with Ember. He didn't want to get burned again… Still, Danny nodded his acceptance for her to proceed.

All it took was an increase of a few degrees for the child to jolt and pull his hand away. "It hot!" he exclaimed, his energy vanishing from his hands.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, unable to keep all her surprise out of her concerned voice. He wasn't very tolerant of hotter energies. And that brought up an interesting question…

"No…" he mumbled, looking at his slightly stinging hand.

"Here, let's make sure," she answered, calling off her energy and taking hold of the child's hand. She passed her own hand over it, a purple mist quickly wrapping around the small limb, before it was absorbed within it.

"Better?" Anĝela asked with a smile.

Danny touched his hand, and realized it didn't bother him anymore. He grinned. "Yes. You make it better again."

The female ghost nodded. "That's because I have healing abilities. Very useful," she said with a wink. She then curiously looked back at the King and Queen. "Aside from the cold chills he experienced when he became ill, has Prince Phantom ever experienced sudden shivers? Drops in body temperature, perhaps?"

Vlad frowned, unsure of why his advisor was asking this. "No…" He looked at his wife, who also shook her head in confirmation.

Anĝela just nodded before looking back at Danny and smiling again. "I'm going to do what I did again, but on your other hand… and, this time, it will feel cold, okay?"

Danny didn't look very happy with the news, but didn't protest and extended his other hand out again. "I make ectoplasmic energy again?" he asked quietly.

"Not this time. But calm down. I promise this won't hurt. But if you think it's too cold for you, make sure you tell me, okay?" Receiving a nod, she placed her free hand above his own and created purple ectoplasmic energy once more. She closely watched him as she then began to drop her energy's temperature. But being that she didn't have a cold core, but an average one, the degrees that she could lower it was restricted for her. And she soon reached the lowest temperature she could go, and still, the child didn't seem to mind at all.

How interesting.

"Good," she only said, before moving on. She soon checked his temperature, his digestion, and many other things that were an important part of a ghost's body. It was only until then, that she finally removed her hand from the tot's core. Her next part of the exam required the King and Queen's assistance. Anĝela needed to evaluate how the Prince reacted to different intensities of his parents' energies, and how well his core picked up on their emotions.

It would also give the doctor a better understanding as to why the Prince had not yet activated his energy link with his parents when it should have occurred within his first year. She had not said anything to the King about it, but that concerned her more than anything else that the male ghost had told her. It was crucial that a child had this link with his parents---mainly for their safety than anything else. After all, even a peaceful world such as theirs did not come without its dangers.

Desiree went first; and touching her child's signature, did everything Anĝela asked her to do. Vlad was more skittish when it came to complying with the doctor's requests. But knowing the father had a hot core and that he would know better than she would about the child's tolerance towards his hot energy, Anĝela let the King do what he believed appropriate.

Danny didn't mind this part of his exam at all. In fact, he looked excited about the whole thing, especially when he was asked to guess the emotions his parents were radiating at the moment.

"Mommy/Daddy love me," was the child's first sure response with each parent. And more often than not, the Prince was fairly accurate with the rest of his guesses. Anĝela had to acknowledge he was very bonded with his parents. In fact, all the tests that she performed with the family were within the normal range.

Anĝela then did a physical examination on the tot, and that took her about ten minutes. Again, everything was as expected.

By now, the four-year-old was looking more than a little fidgety. He was growing weary of sitting here, and would have long since protested if it wasn't for the bed's fumes keeping him moderately relaxed.

However, his interest began to return again when Anĝela suddenly spread her wings forward, so that she could grab a hold of her left one. From up close, the Prince could see that the white wings gave off a golden sheen.

He grasped his hands together to keep himself from reaching out and touching the feathery appendages, knowing doing so without asking would be rude. "I like your wings," he told her, his eyes wide with fascination.

"I've noticed," she replied with a chuckle as she separated one of the feathers out and then plucked it out.

Danny's mouth opened in shock. "That no hurt?"

"A little. Like pulling out a strand of hair. And like hair, they grow back," she answered. She smiled when she saw the child curiously pull down a lock of his white hair in front of his face, making him go cross-eyed as he stared at it. He hadn't tried pulling out his hair before. It was kind of stuck on his head.

Danny was debating with himself whether to give it a try or not, when Anĝela got his attention again by lifting the plucked feather in front of his face. "I would like to show you how it feels to form your legs."

"Why?" Danny asked with a confused frown.

"Because it's important that you know how it feels--at least. And it's always good to give things a try before judging them, Prince Phantom. You might just like it," Anĝela answered, raising a suggestive eyebrow with her last words.

Danny thought about her words for a moment, but then, nodded his acceptance. It wouldn't hurt to let her do what she wanted. After all, he was always up for trying new things.

Anĝela smiled, before offering the Prince the feather. "Could you hold it for me for a moment? I need to tell your parents something."

Danny was thrilled with the request and quickly accepted the feather, even more delighted when he began to realize it was softer and prettier than he thought. He also noticed that some of its gold sheen was sticking to his hand like fine dust.

Anĝela took the child's distraction as her cue to turn her attention to Vlad and Desiree. She silently gesture for them to move a bit away from Danny with her. It was only when she was sure she could speak quietly without the tot hearing her, did she address the couple.

"I'm going to force his body to reform his legs," she began to explain to the couple in a professional manner. "So, it might be uncomfortable for him as they do so. It will not _hurt_ him, though" she assured them. "And this isn't permanent or anything. In fact, this should only last about ten minutes. But it will be long enough for me to make sure his legs are developing normally; among other things. I just need one of you to keep him calm, and distract him if need be."

Vlad and Desiree nodded, though they now looked a bit nervous. And the female doctor noticed. "He'll be fine. I promise."

They smiled at her and calmed, knowing if the Prince saw they looked anxious, he would get that way, too.

A small sneeze turned the three adults' attention to the four-year-old, who grinned meekly at them in return. "xcuse me," he said, before rubbing his nose, only to sneeze again.

Amused, the three returned to the tot's side. Anĝela took the feather from Danny, while Vlad pulled out a handkerchief and cleaned off the gold dust on his hands and nose. Desiree then lifted the child a little further up on the bed, so that his wispy tail laid stretched out on it. The Queen stayed beside the Prince on the opposite side of Anĝela, while the King stood with his arms behind his back at the end of the bed.

"Okay, Prince Phantom, I want you to solidify your tail so I can touch it," Anĝela asked. Danny looked a little befuddled with the three adults, but did as the doctor requested.

Vlad's advisor drew closer to the child and brought the feather to hover over his ghost signature. "This might feel a little strange. But I need you to stay as still as you can for me." Her words received an unsure nod, but knowing that it was the best response she was going to get, the doctor proceeded on.

The moment the tip of the feather touched Danny's symbol, it began to dissolve into the same fine golden dust that had gotten on the child's hands. And as if having a mind of its own, the powdery substance began to move, tracing the spiraling star on Danny's chest until it had completely turned it a glowing gold.

The Prince's eyes were wide open with shock, but other than that he looked fine. The feather was half-way gone when Anĝela began to make a golden trail from the tot's core all the way down to the tip of his tail; and by the time the feather got there, it had completely dissolved into the fine dust.

Now finished, Anĝela moved to stand beside the King to watch her work unfold.

The Prince blinked at the sparkly line trailing down his body. It was very pretty, but he didn't understand its purpose. He was so intrigued by it that he forgot he could just ask the adults present to explain it to him. He was also too busy being curious to notice the significant look Anĝela gave his mother.

But his interest and everything else was forgotten when Danny saw the dust suddenly glow and pulse, before slowly beginning to sink under his flesh.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Danny whispered, his eyes wide with fear this time.

"You're fine, little Phantom," Desiree assured him, getting his attention by grabbing one of his hands and placing it against her signature, making sure to keep her energy feeling confident and calm.

Vlad remained quiet as he intently watched what was happening to his son. But when he heard Danny gasp loudly, he jolted in alarm. Anĝela just placed a hand on the King's shoulder, silently telling him to calm down. And he did. At least for his son's sake.

"Danny, please don't look so upset. Listen, what would you like to do after this? We'll do anything you desire," Desiree said gently in hopes of getting the child to focus on something else besides his body. But the strange jolts that surged from his core to the very tip of his tail had Danny's sole attention. He didn't even hear his mother's words.

But to his building anxiety an even more disconcerting sensation started to overwhelm his lower body. He felt his tail become all tingly, but what really got to him was the inner stretching. He felt like his tail was being split apart from inside!

"Mommy! I no like this no more!" he whimpered, grasping Desiree's arm.

"I know, little one, but it'll be over soon." Desiree continued to coo reassurances at him, while gently stroking his hair.

"Are you certain this does not hurt?" Vlad whispered worriedly, watching his son squirm in discomfort as his tail completely solidified and began taking his pale skin tone.

"Believe me, it does not. This is a natural process—or it will be once he learns how to reform his legs," Anĝela calmly explained, though her eyes stayed on the Ghost Prince. "It's my forcing the command over his body that makes it unpleasant for him. But it will be over shortly."

With another whimper, Danny buried his face into his mother's torso, tears finally springing into his eyes. He did not want to see what was happening to him anymore. It was too scary.

Desiree and Vlad's eyes widened in astonishment when their son's tail began to split down the middle, while quickly changing shape. His lower body's anatomy slowly started to form, commencing from his hips all the way down to his toes.

With a final burst of gold light from the Ghost Prince's core, the formation was complete. And for the first time since they got him, Vlad and Desiree were staring at their son's legs.

Feeling the uncomfortable sensation begin to fade, the Prince's quiet crying slowly reduced into soft sniffs. But he still kept his face buried in his mom's torso, his little hands clutching the fabric of her clothing.

"Danny?" Desiree called tenderly, looking worriedly at him.

The child slowly looked up at his mother with scared and wet eyes. She gave him a gentle smile as she coaxed him to look at his body again. With a bit of hesitation, he pulled away from her and fearfully took a peek at his tail. Or, rather, where his tail had _once_ been.

Danny shouted in alarm, jolting all three adults at the unexpected reaction. "My tail!" he exclaimed, quickly reaching down and grasping the two heavy appendages that were **not** his tail.

Anĝela quickly spoke up at seeing the tot's bottom lip begin to tremble. "It's okay! I Promise. Your tail will come back. I just wanted you to see and feel your legs. Don't you like them?"

Danny still looked alarmed, but he calmed enough to take a closer look at his bare legs. He probed them with an unhappy face, before he tried to move them like he would his tail, only to have his legs go in separate directions. The oddity did not remotely amuse the four-year-old.

Unknowingly to Danny, Vlad felt quite different. The King had to push down a chuckle, knowing his son would not appreciate his amusement at the moment. But it really was both very endearing and comical to see the tot trying to figure out how his legs worked.

"Here, let me help you," Anĝela said as she lifted a hand and allowed a single long claw to extend out of her forefinger. She grabbed Danny's left foot before gently scratching the bottom of his foot.

Danny jolted at the sensation, before breaking into a fit of giggles. That tickled like it did when someone did it to his tail!

"Good, you feel that," Anĝela said with a small laugh. She did the same to his other foot, and received the same reaction.

Danny nodded, still giggling and clearly feeling light-hearted again.

Seeing her son had calmed again, Desiree moved away from his side and went to stand next to her husband and Anĝela. The Queen was captivated by her child's little legs and wanted to see them up close.

Plasmius' advisor continued to test out the four-year-old's sensitivity and reflexes. And this time, Danny was enjoying himself. All the new sensations were very nice! It sure made up for his discomfort a moment ago!

Eventually, after Anĝela helped the child make a few leg moments, he began to get how to control them. And when Danny figured out how to wiggle his toes, he grinned in delight.

"Well, his legs are physically normal," Anĝela said once she was finished with her examination. "They are bit weak—endurance wise; but once he begins using them that will change."

Desiree sighed in relief and walked closer to her son, who was very much entertained with his legs now. She grabbed his ankle and lifted it up, getting Danny's attention.

"What beautiful little legs… I think they require a kiss," she said with a smirk, before kissing his small feet. The four-year-old laughed happily, enjoying the sensation his mother's actions left with him.

Vlad smiled warmly as he watched his wife continue to play with their son's feet. But The King then looked at his female advisor, and asked with both curiosity and concern, "Anĝela, can he walk?"

She shook her head. "He will need to learn. But remember his tail is essentially his legs, King Plasmius. So, as long as he continues to use his tail, his legs should continue to develop normally. It is really the movements and balance that he'll need to learn." She smiled as she added, "If you like, you can pick him up now and have him feel the gist of it. Just don't let him go."

"Alright," Vlad answered, returning the smile. He then moved closer to Danny and Desiree, getting the tot's attention by gently placing a hand on the tot's left leg and rubbing it. "Daniel, do you want to try walking?"

The Prince was quickly growing fond of his legs, and trying something else with them only thrilled him more. "Yes! I try!" he beamed with a nod.

The tot lifted up his arms so that his father could pick him up. Vlad squatted down as he lowered Danny on the floor, but kept his hands on his son's waist to steady him.

The first thing the Ghost Prince noticed was the cold floor against his bare feet. And he realized the sole of his feet were the most sensitive part of his legs. The coldness was soon forgotten when his father spoke.

"I won't let you go, little Phantom. But try to step forward for me, hmm?" Vlad asked with an encouraging smile.

Having seen others use their legs many times before, Danny tried to mimic the movements, only to realize it was not as easy as it looked. The tot could not stop his legs from wobbling; and his coordination was so off he had to grab his father's arms tightly to keep from falling forward. Making any movement with them was ten times harder now that he was 'standing'.

After a few attempts without improvement, the Prince became frustrated, and stopped trying. "I can-not do it, Daddy!" he said with a huff.

Vlad's eyebrows creased. "Yes, you can. It just takes practice. You'll see. You will be using your legs as well as that tail of yours in no time," he assured him with a wink.

Danny didn't reply, and instead, looked down at his legs and wiggled his toes again. At least he had that down. But as much as he liked his toes, that didn't mean he still didn't prefer his tail…

With that thought, the Ghost Prince turned his attention to the doctor, and calmly said, "I want my tail back now, please."

Anĝela just smiled and nodded her understanding, while Vlad and Desiree sighed helplessly.

The King stood again and placed his son back on top of the bed. He gave him a kiss on his head, and asked, "Give me a moment?"

The Ghost Prince watched his father walk over to his mother and Anĝela to talk to them. But their voices were mere whispers, so he couldn't really hear the conversation. Anĝela soon moved away from the couple, and went to another side of the room and began pulling some things out of the many drawers and containers in the room.

Since Anĝela's large wings blocked Danny's ability to see what she was doing, the child quickly lost interest in her, and glanced at his parents. They were still talking, though. Not very appealing, either.

The tot stared back at his legs, and smiled in interest again. He reached forward and grabbed his toes, studying them all, one-by-one. He then went further and felt along the sole of his feet, not really understanding the purpose of their shape, but still fascinated by it all the same. As he moved up his legs, he thought about how they were much more solid than his tail---not to mention, they were not transparent _at all_. His legs were definitely less flexible than his spectral tail; the two appendages only bended at certain angles—like at the lumps he was staring at now---his knees. But most of his legs' movement came from their attachment at his torso. And… speaking of _attachments_…

Danny frowned quizzically, finally noticing something he had not yet. Unknowingly to the Prince, _this_ was the main reason why he would have to wear pants when he finally learned to form his legs…

"What this?" Danny suddenly asked, pointing at a _certain_ place in between his legs.

Anĝela looked over her shoulder, but didn't need to _see_ what the child was pointing at to understand his question. The way the King and Queen stared at one another, having also turned their attention to their child, gave the female advisor a _pretty good_ idea what it was that the child had referred to.

Anĝela always found it comical how the question always seemed to send parents for a loop when their child asked about it for the first time. The royal couple was no different. They were clearly having some form of silent conversation on how to answer the Prince.

The doctor smiled calmly as she turned back to what she was doing. "Good question, Prince Phantom… I'll let your father answer that…"

Danny looked up expectantly at his dad, whose white aura on his face suddenly glowed brighter. The King was blushing.

"Yes, Vlad, explain it to him," Desiree quickly encouraged with a teasing smirk, having noticed her husband's embarrassment.

Vlad gave his wife an annoyed look, before he looked back at his son and cleared his throat. "Well, you see…." He paused and stared back at the grinning Queen. He rolled his eyes at her, but then calmly smiled at the four-year-old. "How about _**we**_ talk about _that_ later, hmm?"

Danny blinked innocently, before looking back at _that_. He wondered what it was for. After all, it was part of him and everything in his body did something. The child was contemplating giving the new appendage a closer examination when his legs suddenly started to become wispy again.

This time, he watched as his legs slowly dissipated and turned back into his nice, smooth and wispy tail. He moved it about for a moment, before grasping the lower end and hugging it with a small, delighted giggle.

His parents just chuckled, but then their attention turned to Anĝela when they saw her return with... three injections in hand. Their amusement instantly drained.

As if sensing the change in mood, Danny let go of his tail and turned his attention to the doctor. He tilted his head at the three objects in her hand.

"What they do?" Danny asked, pointing at the syringes. But much to his confusion, he didn't get an answer this time.

Anĝela looked at the King and Queen. "You might want to hold him while I do this," she suggested. She knew she didn't have to explain further since she had already spoken to the parents about this a moment ago. They were aware that the shots were necessary. One was to prevent serious sickness and infections. The second would help the child's core continue to strengthen and develop steadily.

And the third was actually a promoting enzyme. Because ghosts gathered most of their energy from their environment--much like humans obtained oxygen from theirs--- it was important that a young ghost's body quickly learned to absorb energy efficiently. The enzyme was to specifically encourage that along.

Of course, like most medications or vaccines, the shots had a specific dosage based on age and the need of the patient. But the female doctor had already prepped the injections just for the four-year-old. All she needed to do was inject them.

This time, Vlad went to support his son through his next ordeal. The King was much more nervous than he let on. He knew that this was for his son's well-being, but he couldn't help the worry he felt. He didn't like seeing Daniel unhappy. But Vlad could only hope the whole thing would be over quickly.

With a smile, Plasmius sat on the edge of the bed and patted his knee. Danny didn't hesitate to accept the invitation and sat on his father's lap.

"Anĝela look at you, too?" the tot asked, tilting his head and grinning.

"No… but you are just about finished. Anĝela just has to do one more thing." Vlad turned Danny forward, before wrapping his arms around his small torso. "It will be quick," he whispered to his son.

The Ghost Prince didn't really understand what his father meant, but before he could ask, Anĝela moved closer and spoke, "These, Prince Phantom, are for you. They are going to hurt a little bit, but they will keep you feeling well and strong. And better yet, you'll get to go home once we're done, Okay?"

Danny frowned at the mention of pain, but then he looked up at his father who gave him a reassuring smile. "Can't hurt more than those bumps on the head you get from flying into things, hmm?" Vlad said gently.

The tot grinned sheepishly, his father's teasing snuffing his fear before it could surface. Anĝela took the opportunity to gently grab the child's right arm and prep a site on his shoulder. The first needle soon went in.

"OW!" Danny shouted, his attention jolting away from his father and towards what the doctor was doing. But knowing the best thing to do was to get this over with quickly, the female ghost just gave him an apologetic smile and continued. At least, he wasn't screaming and crying his eyes out.

Danny jolted as another needle pierced his flesh. And this time, the throbbing in his arm got stronger.

"Daniel, look at me," Vlad commanded gently as his son's eyes began to glaze with tears. The tot was actually handling the needles surprisingly well.

The Prince forced his eyes to unglue away from the needle in his arm, and instead, focus on his father. But the feel of the stinging liquid being pushed inside him was hard to ignore, especially when it began to stir a strange sensation in his core. A very unpleasant sensation.

But the sound of his father's voice, whispering sweet words into his ears as he pressed closer to him, began to get his mind off the pain. It was why Danny did not feel the third needle go in. Or maybe it was because his body was starting to grow numb and heavy…

"Danny?" Desiree whispered when she noticed his eyes slowly begin to dim and droop.

The sound of his wife's concerned voice quickly got Vlad's attention, and he grabbed his son's face and turned it towards him. "Daniel?" he called, sounding distressed.

The Prince tried to look at his father but his vision was really blurry. He didn't understand what was happening to him, but he somehow knew it had to do with his overwhelmed core. It almost felt like it was panicking inside of him.

"Daddy… I not feel good no more," Danny slurred out.

Anĝela, who had noticed the child's unexpected reaction to the injections around the same time as the Queen, quickly placed a hand against the small symbol on his chest.

"Anĝela, what's wrong with him?!" Vlad asked in alarm as his son continued to deteriorate right in his arms. Desiree was right next to him, looking close to panicking herself as she watched the tot's white aura rapidly dimming.

"Prince?" Anĝela called, but he was too out of it to respond. She could feel his core's distress under her touch. The doctor didn't understand why his energy was drastically dropping. It was as if the child's ghost core had gone into shock and had suddenly stopped circulating energy and ectoplasm through his body. But a few shots should not cause something like that!

As if to prove the poor doctor wrong, the green glow of Danny's symbol suddenly went out. And Anĝela couldn't hold back a gasp when she realized the child's core really had gone into shock.

But even though she reacted quickly and her hands began to glow with a purple hue, it was still too late.

"**Daniel!"** Vlad cried out in fear, Desiree echoing his cry when their child suddenly fell unconscious right before their eyes.

* * *

**Boy, I'm tired! I was going to finish reviewing tonight but I don't think my eyes can stay open any longer. I'll have to finish tomorrow. Sorry gang! But thanks so much for your support! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what ya think, either way kay? **

**Until next time. Next update will be for 'Checkmate'.**


	15. Chapter 13: Faulty Choices

**Hello, my fellow readers! Did you guys miss me? Heh! I missed you all for sure! It's been a while, I know! But this chapter came out a lot longer than I thought; so it took me longer to get the final product completed. It's actually 85 pages long! That is my longest chapter yet! And let's hope it stays that way. I plan on cutting down on the length of these chapters. It just makes it harder to update, and I'm sure you all are exhausted after the first hour of reading! Lol! **

**But, okay, let's get on with it! However, before we begin, I got a few pals I want to recognize. In this chapter, I will be including a few extra ghosts that are not my own creation---or Mr. H's! So, special thanks to Truephan, JH24, and EDante for lending me your awesome characters! *glomps you all* **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom---Butch Hartman owns its characters. But JH24 owns 'Juukka'. EDante owns the name and appearance of 'Lu'. And Truephan owns 'Libro'. But, wait! I do own somethin' in all this! And that is this little AU's plot! Heh-heh!**

**Happy LONG reading!**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Faulty Choices**

"You will have to forgive me, King Plasmius," Anĝela said quickly, before pulling the unconscious child from Vlad's arms before he could stop her, and then pushing past both parents.

"No! What the blazes are you doing?!" the King shouted, even more panicked now that his son was taken from him.

"Danny!" Desiree just cried out, sounding just as hysterical.

Anĝela ignored the couple and quickly placed her hand on Danny's unresponsive signature. Immediately, she knew what was wrong and what to do. But she had to have no interference from Vlad and Desiree, only because they were acting as parents--and not as monarchs--at the moment.

"Give him to me! You don't know what you are doing!" Vlad yelled angrily, storming over to the female ghost with the intention of reclaiming his son by whatever means.

"Forgive me again, but you must leave!" the doctor unquestionably demanded, her wings spreading wide as they began to glow a golden hue.

Vlad and Desiree's eyes widened even further in shock with the female advisor's order. But before they could object, one of Anĝela's feathers separated itself from its wing. It zipped towards the royal couple and spun quickly around them, creating a small whirlwind that engulfed them.

Anĝela didn't bother to watch the whirlwind dissipate, which had, in the end, effectively removed Vlad and Desiree from the room. As the doctor moved back to the examining table with the unconscious Danny, she flicked her hand in the direction of the door and a blue glow instantly lit up around it, then spreading all through the room. The purpose of her doings was heard in Vlad's sudden shout.

"_Anĝela! Open this door! How dare you?!" _

"_Please! Let us see him!"_ Desiree added desperately.

Anĝela ignored the panicked parents, knowing that not even the Queen's spellbinding abilities would break the seal she had placed upon the room. She just could not have them be here right now, or they were just going to unintentionally endanger their child even more by keeping him away from her.

Immediately getting to work, she pulled out another feather out of her wings and placed it right on the Ghost Prince's symbol. In an instant, it vanished within him. She placed the still unconscious four-year-old on the bed, and quickly went to one of her supply cabinets.

A second later, she returned with an empty syringe. And using extreme care, she inserted the needle right in the center of the child's chest, stopping only once she knew it had penetrated just the outer part of his core---any deeper could cause irreversible damage.

The doctor was thankful the tot was unconscious for this; otherwise, it would be very painful. But it was the quickest way to get his core to respond again. She slowly began to pull on the plunger. But the empty syringe did not fill with the child's ectoplasmic energy, but with the fluid that had been in the shots that had caused Danny's current condition. It had to come out---at least some of it. And with the feather's power preventing the Prince's core energy from being disturbed, removing the medicine was quick and harmless.

A moment later, Anĝela pulled out the needle, and soon after the feather reemerged from within Danny, its golden hue and luster now gone with its usage. The doctor gently placed a hand on the still unresponsive ghost signature as she whispered, "Alright, young one. Now, the rest is up to you…"

Her hand began to glow with her energy, her gold eyes now reflecting worry as she stared intently at the unmoving tot. But feeling no response from the child's core, she creased her eyebrows and said a bit louder, "Come on, Prince Phantom. You can do it."

The doctor increased her energy and sent a small jolt through Danny's body. And to her relief, it did the trick. A small smile creased the female ghost's lips when she saw Danny's symbol suddenly begin to pulse weakly with his own green energy. She watched him intently as his natural white glow then began to slowly, but steadily, return.

Satisfied that his core had begun to work again, she moved from the Ghost Prince's side and moved to the door. The parents' shouts had eventually extinguished somewhere during the time she had been treating their child. But the doctor could now hear the Queen crying and for some reason apologizing to her husband, claiming this was all her fault. However, she couldn't hear the King's voice. Either he was silent or it was too quiet to hear it through the door.

Anĝela sighed, knowing she needed to steel herself for what was to come. And it came at full charge the instant she dropped her spell and opened the door.

Vlad, who had Desiree in his arms, immediately locked his red eyes on his advisor. The look he gave her would have sent the bravest men cowering. But Anĝela just stood in place, even when the King let go of his wife and stormed towards her.

"Where is he?! **What have you done to my son?!**" Plasmius demanded, his fear obvious in his furious voice.

"Please, sire, calm down. Your son is fine," Anĝela assured the upset father right away. But before either could say anymore, Desiree pushed right past them and entered the room.

"Danny!" she cried out, rushing to his side.

Vlad glared back at the doctor, before moving past her himself and following after his wife.

The Queen picked up the still unconscious child in her arms and placed her hand on his symbol. "What's wrong with him, Vlad?" she whispered fearfully when she could barely feel the tot's energy.

The King ignored his wife's question, and instead placed his hand on the side of his son's place. "Daniel? Please, wake up, little Phantom," he pleaded.

Perhaps it was coincidence or perhaps it was the combination of his mother's touch and his father's voice, but right after, Danny's little fingers twitched to life. He left out a small whimper before his eyebrows creased, and his hands moved a bit more.

The absolute joy and relief on both parents' faces when they saw the tot's eyes slowly flutter open could not be put into words. He blinked his clouded green eyes at them for a moment, clearly out of it. But his gaze eventually seemed to focus; and when it did, it was locked on his father.

"Daddy?" he whimpered as his eyes quickly filled with tears.

"Oh, Daniel," Vlad whispered with emotion, grabbing his son from his wife and enveloping him in his arms.

The frightened four-year-old just bawled openly into the King's chest, his hands clinging to the fabric of his father's cape like his life depended on it.

Plasmius looked at his wife, who was quietly crying herself, her hands wrapped around her abdomen as if to quail her own fear and worry back. Vlad suddenly closed his eyes in order to keep his own emotions at bay, before pressing his face against his still crying son, and whispering soothing words to him.

"It's alright, little Phantom. You're alright now. I got you. Everything will be fine. I love you, Daniel… so much..."

Anĝela crossed her arms, still standing next to the door, and just stared at the small family with sympathy for a moment. However, knowing it was best to leave them be for a couple of minutes, she turned and quietly closed the door behind her.

With a sigh, she moved over to a library of books and began to look through the books. Then, quickly deciding on one, she pulled it out , and began to study it. A deep sober look stayed firmly on her face as she attempted to find some sort of explanation for what just happened. She knew she was going to need it very soon…

As she predicted, Vlad eventually stepped out of the room, and made sure to close the door behind him. Anĝela just stared at him as he approached, knowing it was wise to let him say the first word.

The King halted in front of his advisor with a solid grave look on his face. He stared at her briefly, before uttering with suppressed anger. "Explain yourself. Right now."

"You have my sincerest apologies, sire," the advisor began in an earnest voice. "I know I---"

"I don't want an apology, Anĝela!" Vlad cut her off, his voice suddenly louder as it echoed the look on his tense face. "I want to know what happened to my son! You told me those blasted meds would not harm him!"

The female advisor shifted her eyes to the door where the Prince and the Queen were waiting. She knew that aside from being shaken by the experience of losing awareness, the Prince was fine now. She knew all he needed was a bit of rest for his body to recuperate his normal energy flow completely.

But that clearly did little to calm the still upset father.

"King Plasmius, please, you must calm down. I---,"she tried again, but was once more interrupted by her leader.

"_Do not_ tell me to calm down!" he yelled at her, before adding in a more fearful voice, "Do you even realize what you could have done?!" The king abruptly began to pace in front of the doctor, clearly not knowing what to do with himself.

This time, Anĝela sounded distressed herself as she answered, "I wish I had an explanation for you, King Plasmius. But I… I do not know what happened to him! I prepared the shots for _his_ specific age. And yet, his body responded as if I gave him _double_ the dose he required. And I am _certain_ I did no such thing!"

Vlad suddenly halted and turned to look at her; but just as quickly, his eyes drifted away from hers and towards the room his son and wife were in. He said nothing further.

Feeling this was as best a time as she was going to get to tell the father what was on her mind, Anĝela walked a little closer to the Ghost King. "I have to admit, his core's sensitivity greatly concerns me. Even if somewhat delayed, his development is normal; his energy and ectoplasm flow are normal. _He is a_ _normal_ _four-year-old child_…. But his core…"

The doctor crossed her arms, her eyebrows creasing in contemplation. "I have never seen or felt anything like it. And although it does not appear to bother him now, I am afraid it might in the future." She gazed directly at the King as she added, "I fear his core's fragile nature could make him vulnerable to…outside sources. And that concerns me."

Vlad still didn't look at his advisor; but when he felt a hand hesitantly touch his shoulder, he finally regarded her as well as her next words, "King Plasmius…. Is there…anything else about your son that I should know? Anything that you might have forgotten to tell me?"

The Ghost King frowned, his voice now its normal volume. "Why would you think that?"

Anĝela removed her hand from the male ghost and shook her head. "I just feel like something is missing. His reaction to the meds was just not normal. And there must be a reason for your son's unique co---"

She suddenly paused, clearly realizing something. And for a moment, Vlad was sure his advisor had figured out the truth, even when there was no logical way for her to do so.

"Sire," she said, giving him a curious look. "How sensitive is _your_ own energy core? And what about your wife's?"

"Why do you ask?" the Ghost King replied seriously, purposely answering her question with one of his own.

"Because it would explain your son's unique core," she answered, raising a questioning eyebrow at her leader's lack of direct answers. "It would mean he inherited his unique core from you or her. And if that is the case, then, since both you and the Queen have thrived well even if it is uncertain who has the more sensitive core, the matter would not be as concerning."

"I see…," Vlad said thoughtfully, actually calming down significantly with the doctor's theory. But he then just shook his head. "I cannot answer that, Anĝela. I would not really know how to tell whether a core was sensitive or not, you see."

Anĝela slightly hesitated in her next reply, "But _I_ do know the difference, sire. And I could _check_ you both to find out; that is, if you would allow me to do so. It would not take long."

The Ghost King quickly placed a hand against his Energy Signature, and shook his head. "I do not think that is necessary, Anĝela. Daniel is fine now..." The King swallowed hard before asking fearfully, "…isn't he?"

The doctor gave him a reassuring smile. "Yes, he will be just fine. But returning to what I was suggesting, I think that---"

But Vlad abruptly interrupted her with a new question. "You have not mentioned anything about his link with us. Did you find a reason as to why it has not triggered yet?"

The female advisor gazed uncertainly at the male ghost, not understanding his obvious change of subject, or skittishness at being checked himself. But knowing it was not her place to question his personal choice, she decided to respect his decisions and move on.

"I do not know why it has not activated. His bond with you and your wife is exceptional. I see no reason for his link to not have developed by now. However, I think what is important is that it will. I am certain of it."

Anĝela paused for a second, and then continued with a small smile. "Now, I _also_ noticed that your son's core is more sensitive to hotter energies than colder ones. Actually, it seems to _favor_ cooler forms of energies. I strongly believe Prince Phantom will eventually develop a cold core."

In spite of his still being upset about his son's life-threatening episode, Vlad smiled a bit at the news. "Well, that is a surprise."

"I'm sure, considering you have a hot core and your wife has a normal one. It's somewhat rare. But children will at times develop genetic features completely different form their parents," the doctor explained, not wanting the father to believe this was a problem. "Now, if my suspicions are indeed correct, then your first signs of his developing a cold core should be sudden drops in his body temperature and strong shivers. I recommend you see someone experienced in dealing with this type of core. Perhaps Frostbite can be of assistance to you when the time comes," she suggested.

Vlad nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." He then sighed deeply before regarding his advisor with an apologetic look. "Forgive me if I offended you, Anĝela. This was not your fault… I had no right to yell at you. It's just that seeing Daniel…"

"I understand," she assured him, not needing her leader to finish. After all, his reaction had been one of any concerned parent. "And once again, I am sorry I had to be so…forceful with you and the Queen. But I am also glad you understand and forgive me for having to treat you like _parents_ during that harrowing time."

Vlad nodded to her in acknowledgement. He knew she had done what was best at the time, as any good physician would. Suddenly feeling even more guilty with how he acted with his advisor, he softly said, "I suppose what happened equally startled us all…I'm deeply sorry, Anĝela."

The female ghost smiled warmly and replied, "It's quite alright, sire. I would have reacted the same way if I were in your place. But what's important is that nothing more serious came of it. The Prince will be just fine. But I will recommend you have him rest; or at least, keep him away from any physical activities for the rest of the day. Just as a precaution, of course."

Vlad just nodded; and Anĝela couldn't help but smile sympathetically in response. Still, she decided the best thing she could do for the still worried father was change the subject somewhat. "If you do not have any further questions, I am sure your son wishes to go home now."

"I believe so, too," the King replied, looking back at the closed door. And without anymore words, the two adult ghosts headed in its direction, and entered the room.

Vlad smiled when he caught sight of Danny calmly eating a large cherry-like fruit, his mouth and hands all covered in its juices.

The return of his father quickly put an excited smile on the child's face; and holding out his half-eaten fruit, he beamed, "Look what Mommy gave me, Daddy!"

Vlad did not reply; and, instead, came closer before sitting on the bed beside his son. "How do you feel, Daniel?" he asked, his eyebrows creased in worry.

"I am better," he replied, still smiling. But then, remembering what had happened to him again, his happiness faded. He looked down at his fruit as he mumbled out, "I not want no shots again, Daddy."

But it was Anĝela who answered him as she came closer to the tot, "Do not worry, you will not need any more shots for a long time." She then gave him an apologetic look, and continued. "I am sorry for scaring you, Prince Phantom. It was not my intention to hurt you. But I promise that next time things will be more pleasant, alright?"

Danny nodded, a small smile returning to his face.

She smiled back; but then, she gave him a secretive look as she brought her wings forward and pulled out another white feather. She extended it to the child, as she said, "Take it. Consider it as part of my apology to you."

Danny _really_ liked the feather. However, he clearly remembered just what it had done to his spectral tail. And he was not sure he wanted to go through that again no matter how much he had liked his toes.

Seeing his hesitation, Anĝela chuckled lightly and added, "Do not worry. It will not do anything to your legs this time. That is, unless you know how to use my feather's _magic_. Only then, could you do that, and _much_ more..."

The doctor winked playfully at the tot. "Maybe when you get older you will understand what I mean and find a good use for my gift. Until then… take good care of it. It is fragile as it is powerful."

Danny grinned as he reached for the large white feather. "Thanks! I---" But he instantly halted when he saw his hands covered in sticky juice. "Uh-o. My hands are sticky," he mumbled with a frown.

Desiree chuckled. "Here, I'll hold it for him," she said, accepting the gift.

The Queen--and King--had no objection with Anĝela's giving such a gift to their son. Like the advisor had said, the Prince did not know how to will its special properties, so right now, it was as harmless as any non-magical feather.

"There is a wash-room right next door," Anĝela informed the ghost mage, though her eyes moved over to Plasmius

Understanding by that gesture that Anĝela wanted to talk to Desiree without the presence of a certain four-year-old, Vlad wordlessly picked up his son off the bed. "Come, little Phantom. Let's get you cleaned up." The male ghost guessed his female advisor just wanted to share the same information she had with him just a moment ago with his wife.

And indeed the King's assumption was true. Anĝela wanted to explain everything to the Queen, knowing she had to be as concerned with what happened as the King had been. However, the doctor had no intention of asking Desire about her or her husband's core. Anĝela knew that since her ruler had already decided against the matter, it would be disrespectful for her to do so.

"Okay," Danny said, before biting off another piece of his fruit. But then, he smiled at his father, and lifted his treat to him. "You eat, too, Daddy. It is good!"

Plasmius smiled before opening his mouth. Although the last thing his nervous stomach needed was anything to eat, he did not want to refuse his son.

Danny giggled as he brought his treat closer for his dad to take a bite of it. As they walked out of the room, the King nodded. "Hmm… Yes, it is quite good."

The tot nodded in agreement as he took another bite himself. Once in the bathroom, Danny quickly finished off his treat with the help of his father. The child then placed his hands under the sink and played with the soap bubbles for a moment. He was so entertained, he didn't see Vlad's sober, pensive look reflected in the mirror.

When his son had fallen unconscious, the father knew that there was no danger of Daniel's secret physically revealing itself. After all, the tot did not know he was half-human, which was a good thing. That way, his instincts controlled his nature, keeping his body permanently in his ghost form--which was also a favorable thing for the tot. Otherwise, his human side would not survive in the ghostly environment in which they resided. And as far as Vlad was concerned, Danny would very likely remain in that form for all his life---considering the King saw no need to burden the Prince with the knowledge that he was different. Daniel did not need to know about his other half. He did not need it.

But what concerned the father was his son's sensitivity—or, rather, his own failure to predict this about Daniel. How did he not think of it before? He should have expected—should have _known_—that his son would react badly to the shots. Because the four-year-old was only part ghost, he needed a lower dosage---_half_ the average dose--of anything he was ever given. The shots had been too strong for his body and core to handle. How had Vlad not foreseen something as important as this? How could he have _forgotten_ something as important as this?

"_I knew this was a bad idea,"_ Vlad thought, his frown deepening. Of course, he could not blame his wife for this. Her concern was understandable. She had only insisted on seeing the physician out of concern for Danny.

But Vlad now wished he had not agreed to it. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do now. At least, his inexcusable oversight had not had lasting consequences. His son looked much better again, even if his natural glow was still a bit dim. But that fact did not calm the father's shaken nerves in the least.

"You okay, Daddy?" Danny suddenly asked, finally noticing his father's quietness.

The Ghost King nodded as he pushed aside his thoughts. "Yes. I am just worried about you. I'm sorry for what happened, little Phantom."

Danny smiled. "It is okay, Daddy. I am well now. And I not get any more shots for a long time."

"That's right," Vlad replied with a sad smile. But then, shutting off the faucet, he grabbed a nearby hand-towel and dried his son's hands. "Come, let's go get your mother and head home."

* * *

As he headed home with his parents, Danny delightfully smiled and gently touched the feather in his hands. He sat cradled in his mother's arms, since she had insisted on carrying him on their travel back. Not that the tot minded for once that he was being deprived of flying. He had all but forgotten his ordeal; and although he wasn't remotely tired, he was feeling a bit sluggish. And, besides, he was too entertained with his new gift to want to fly and have to pay attention to his surroundings, anyways. But when he suddenly felt his mother slow down her flight, he quickly looked up at her, only to divert his attention to his father who just as suddenly had begun to speak.

"I need to go see Walker and Horris about the Council gathering," Vlad calmly told his wife. "It should not take me too long."

"Alright," Desiree answered. "I'll take Danny---"

"I want to go with Daddy!" the tot interrupted, quickly flying out of his mother's arms and clinging to his father's neck.

The couple looked at each other, both agreeing that the best thing for their son right now was to go home and rest. It was the King who broke the news to the Prince.

"Daniel, you need to go home. You are not well."

"Yes, I am!" Danny protested with a frown. "Mommy say I know if I am well. And I feel well!"

Vlad turned his eyes back to the ghost mage, this time regarding her with a heavy frown. Out of all the things his wife could have said to their son as of late, she _had_ to tell him something like that.

Desiree did not appreciate his look, and she quickly returned it back to him. "Don't look at me like that, Vlad. _You_ are the one who is always teaching him to reason things out," she snapped, crossing her arms.

"Not _always_," the King quickly protested with heavy irritation. "And you are one to talk; you do the same---"

Vlad suddenly paused when he felt Danny unwrap his arms from around him. The tot was now looking between the two older ghosts with a confused and somewhat wary look. Were his parents…. _mad_ at each other?

The king sighed as he lowered his gaze from his wife. Why were they so testy with each other all of the sudden?

He quickly realized that they were both more shaken up about what had happened than they were physically showing—or admitting. And the fact that they had not yet been able to get some alone time to talk about it probably had a lot to do with that.

Vlad regarded Desiree again with an apologetic look; and when she returned it, he understood she had come to the same conclusion as he had. Silently agreeing that they need to talk as soon as possible, the Queen's eyes went to the tot.

"Come, Danny. Your father has important things to do. You cannot go with him," she said calmly, gesturing to him to come to her.

But the four-year-old quickly secured his arms around his father's neck again, forgetting all about his parents' minor disagreement now that he was more concerned with being taken away from his dad.

"No," he whimpered, his tail also tightly wrapping around Vlad's waist. "Please, let me stay with my Daddy." He then looked at the male ghost with large pleading green eyes as he said, "I want to go with you. I promise I be really good!"

This time, Vlad could not deny his child's wishes as quickly as he had at first. He still firmly believed Daniel needed to go home, but he also understood the four-year-old's insistence on being with him. After all, the tot had not seen him in almost a month. And Daniel obviously did not want his father out of his sights, fearing he'd leave again---not that the King would ever leave without telling his family.

The King looked at his Queen again, his eyebrows creasing with uncertainty. "I know he needs to rest, Des…. But this will not take me long…And I could always carry him…"

Desiree quickly frowned, immediately getting what her husband was thinking. "Vlad, no. Anĝela said he needs to rest. _Furthermore_, you are going to _the_ _prison_. You cannot take Danny there."

"Come now, Desiree," Plasmius insisted. "I'm just going to go ask Walker when the council meeting will be held. I won't be there for more than five minutes. And you know I would not take him anywhere… _inappropriate_."

Desiree looked down at Danny, who had turned his pleading eyes towards her as his father spoke. She couldn't help but raise an amused eyebrow at the look on his face. She then sighed helplessly before sternly saying to the child, "No flying, understand?"

Danny grinned happily and nodded. "Yes!" He flew over to her and said, "Thank you, Mommy!" But he suddenly gasped in alarm when he realized he had flown. "Oh! I fly! I am sorry! I not do it anymore!"

The Queen chuckled. "Alright. I'll let _this_ _one_ pass." She floated closer to her husband, who accepted Danny in his arms with a grin.

The ghost mage rolled her eyes at her husband's somewhat childish behavior. But her amusement soon leaked out; and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "You do realize you spoil him?"

Vlad chuckled, before also leaning closer and whispering back. "Just a bit. But…so do you. Then again, _who_ could resist such eyes?"

Danny curiously blinked his large green eyes at his parents when they suddenly stared down at him. He didn't get what they were talking about, but the smile on their faces put a smile on his own face.

"Point taken," Desiree said, smirking back at her husband. She kissed the King on the cheek and then did the same to Danny. But then added to the tot, "Make sure your father comes home before dinner, hmm?"

"Okay!" Danny answered, while Vlad rolled his eyes in amusement.

Desiree waved when she finally parted from them. But as she headed home, she quickly remembered she had left something pending the day she had left to Lydia's home; namely, her chat with her sister regarding her taking Danny to such a dangerous place as the Ancient Paradise. The ghost mage had in no way forgotten about that. But she had not gotten a chance to speak with Spectra since her return. That is, until now.

The Queen redirected her flight towards her sister's abode, a firm frown falling over her once calm face. As she had told Skulker the day he had brought her the tot back from where Spectra had taken him, she indeed did not tell Vlad about Danny's being taken to Ancient Paradise. The last thing she wanted was to give her husband anymore reason to dislike the shadow ghost. Besides, this was something the Queen believed she could handle on her own…..

Meanwhile, Vlad was on his way to the only prison in the ghost world. And being that he and Danny had already been nearby when they had parted from Desiree, it only took them about ten minutes to arrive.

Landing at the prison's entrance, the King looked down at his son still in his arms. "Daniel," he spoke up, sounding serious. "You behave, alright? No flying off. Remember that you said you would keep still at all times."

Danny nodded, but his eyes then returned to his surroundings. He had never been here before. Actually, he had never been anywhere near this vicinity. The first thing he had noticed as they approached the territory had been a strange green vortex a couple of feet away and above from where they were now. He had been about to ask about it when his father's talking pulled him out of thought, and his question all but slipped from his mind.

But the sight of the monstrous white building they were about to enter made Danny _completely_ forget his question regarding the mysterious vortex. What was this place? It felt intimidating to him for some reason…

"Daddy?" he mumbled, sounding a bit unsure as his father walked down a long, gloomy hallway. The place was so empty that even the softest sounds---like Vlad's footsteps---returned to the tot's ears as booming echoes. The Prince could only clutch tighter to his dad, and wince with the King's every step.

"Calm down, little Phantom. You know I would never let anything happen to you," Vlad assured him, quickly kissing him on the head and holding him closer.

However, just as the words had left his mouth, a jolt of guilt twisted in the King's stomach, realizing that his words were not completely true. He had let his son get hurt just moments ago by taking him to the doctor. The poor father suddenly found himself questioning his parenting abilities.

But Danny smiled up at his father, not once thinking that his words were untrue in any way. Sounding a lot calmer, he then asked, "What is this place?"

"It is called a prison, Daniel," Vlad answered, pushing aside his guilt so his son wouldn't feel the negative emotion.

"Pri…son? What is that?" Danny continued to ask, now completely curious.

The King's eyebrows creased as he tried to think of a way to explain it to the four-year-old. "Well… when someone misbehaves, they are brought here as… punishment."

The Ghost Prince's eyes widened in surprise; but then, his eyebrows quickly scrunched inward as he realized something else. "So why you never bring me here?

Vlad halted in his steps, and looked down at the tot with utter confusion. "Why in the world would I need to bring you here, Daniel?"

"Because I sometimes not behave," the four-year-old mumbled, looking away from his father's gaze.

Plasmius blinked for a moment at his son. But, suddenly, he broke out into a full-hearted laugh. "Daniel! Your logic is so endearing, my boy!"

Danny frowned in confusion, not getting what was so funny.

Vlad quickly calmed himself upon noticing the child's look. "I'm sorry, little Phantom. I suppose I was not clear. This place is for _adults_---like me. But only when they do very wrong things, you see. It's like when you misbehave, you are sent to your room, understand?"

The Ghost Prince stared at his father, trying to figure out what he was saying. And he soon grinned at his conclusion. "Yes! I get it! The prison is for very big ghost! So, when _you_ are bad, mommy sends you here! And when _I_ am bad, she sends me to my room. Because I am not _very_ big yet, my room is _my_ prison!"

"Yes! That's---What? No," Vlad quickly backtracked when he fully realized his son's words.

Danny blinked. "Huh?"

"King Plasmius, what luck that I catch you while I am off-duty," a new voice suddenly interrupted them.

Vlad and Danny both looked towards the ghost, but only the King immediately recognized him: Walker's top guard, Bullet.

"Bullet, it's good to see you. How are you?" Plasmius questioned with a polite smile.

The guard stopped in front of his ruler, and gave him a small bow. "I'm doing pretty well," he answered with a smile of his own. "Thank you for asking, my King. How about yourself? And…" Bullet paused when he finally noticed Danny. "The Prince? Well, this _is_ quite a surprise. Hello, Prince Phantom."

"Hello," Danny replied, regarding the ghost with a curious stare. He had never seen the ghost before.

"Daniel, this is Bullet. He… helps here," Vlad explained, giving Walker's guard a significant look in the end.

Catching the King's drift, Bullet smiled calmly at the Prince, and nodded in agreement, "Yes, that's right."

But the tot just stared.

"I am looking for Walker. Is he here?" Plasmius asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, he's in his office. Here, allow me to escort you. It's such a rare occasion when I see you, my King. I'm always so busy guarding the… you know."

Vlad just nodded, before following beside the other adult ghost towards Walker's office. But then, Bullet silently looked down at Danny without the King's knowledge. And in turn, the child stared right back at him, wondering if he should ask the ghost why he had a black patch over one of his eyes.

But before the tot could decide whether to ask or not, Plasmius finally noticed the guard's staring, and he immediately raised a questioning eyebrow, and seriously asked, "Is something wrong, Bullet?"

The ghost guard quickly snapped out of whatever had him so interested in the Ghost Prince, and looked back at his ruler with a calm smile. "Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking of how big your son has gotten. I haven't seen him in a while."

"But I am not big enough!" Danny suddenly protested, capturing the attention of both adults.

They just smiled with mirth at the tot, before Vlad regarded Bullet again, and told him, "He's four and seven months."

The guard chuckled. "Well, that explains it." The ghost then quickly changed the subject, and sobered up as well. "You know, I don't know if I should mention this or not---because I'm sure Walker will tell you about it---but we have been having an increase in… temporary _activity_ during the past two weeks."

Vlad frowned deeply, understanding what the male ghost was trying to subtly tell him. "Really? How much of an... increase?"

"Enough to be noticed by all the guards around here," Bullet replied seriously.

The King stayed silent for a moment, but he then slowly nodded. "Alright, I will talk to Walker about it. Such activities often fluctuate. Hopefully, it is a short-term increase, as is usually the case."

"Hopefully," the guard agreed with a calm nod. "But it's always good to take precautions, don't you agree?"

"Yes," Vlad said with a thoughtful look. "I'll also talk to Frostbite about this when I get the chance. I'm sure he will know if this is of any real concern."

Bullet nodded in agreement as they finally stopped at Walker's office. "Well, my King, I best be off. Give my regards to your Queen."

Vlad knocked on the door as he replied, "I will. Thank you, Bullet."

The head guard bowed in response, before looking at the four-year-old. "Prince Phantom…" He winked playfully at the child before finally walking off. No one saw the smirk that crawled on Bullet's lips as he vanished from sight…

Right then, Walker opened the door with a glare on his face. "Who dares inter---K-King P-Plasmius!" the sheriff stuttered out in alarm; but he then quickly smiled, and added more calmly, "What a surprise to see you."

"Yes, I can tell," Vlad replied dryly. He looked down at Danny to make sure the other male ghost had not scared him; but the child was regarding Walker with a smile, clearly finding his stuttering amusing.

It was at this moment that the sheriff noticed the Prince and he gave him a quizzical look. He then turned back to the King in noticeable bewilderment and added, "You have your son with you?"

Vlad refrained from replying sarcastically to Walker's obvious question, and instead, he casually answered, "I just came to ask you when the Council meeting will be held."

"Oh, I see," Walker replied with a small frown. "Well… come in," he then quickly said, opening the door further.

Plasmius raised an eyebrow, not understanding why he needed to enter. After all, all he wanted was a reply to his question. But, not wanting to be rude, he abided the other ghost.

Closing the door behind the King, Walker spoke once more, this time with a serious voice. "First of all, I just want to say I overreacted yesterday evening. But I'm sure you understand that I take my duties seriously, King Plasmius---not that it justifies my behavior."

"Apology accepted. And as long as there's not a repeat, I hold no resentment towards you, Warden," Vlad replied calmly, but then added more gravely, "However, I do believe it would be wise to excuse yourself with Desiree. After all, you offended her as well as me."

Walker smiled calmly. "I'll be sure to do that."

But just before he moved over to his desk, the sheriff glanced down at Danny. He could clearly see that the child had no idea what they were talking about---not that Walker cared either way.

When the ghost reached his desk, he picked up a heavy book that was on top. He then turned to his leader, finally answering his earlier question, "The council meeting is tomorrow morning. I already sent word to everyone."

Plasmius frowned. "If it is so soon, why did you not inform _me _earlier?"

"I tried to. I sent word early this morning, but you were not home," Walker replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, I see," the King mumbled, as his son's ordeal came to his mind. They had gone to Anĝela's very early, and had been there all morning as a result of his son's negative reaction to the shots.

Walker suddenly interrupted Vlad's thoughts with his next words, "I do hate to bring this up since you have your son with you, but I really need you to make a round through the cells, King Plasmius." The white-faced ghost raised an eyebrow as he added, "I don't think I need to remind you that you have not come here since you left on your extended trip…"

Vlad frowned once more. "Honestly, Walker, how many ghosts could you have possibly arrested in less than four weeks?"

"Enough for me to bring it up now," the sheriff replied, crossing his arms.

Vlad sighed heavily, unaware that his son had frowned after noticing it. But the tot's unhappy face didn't compare to the irritation in Walker's when the King, without a word or concern, walked over to the desk and placed the tot down on the sheriff's chair. Even still, Danny was not exactly pleased that his father had placed him there without any warning and then just moved away.

Once Vlad was in front of the Warden once more, he regarded him again; this time with a more serious, but quiet voice. "Listen to me, Walker. This _must_ stop. You cannot just arrest everyone for every insignificant thing they do."

Walker didn't hesitate to reply to his leader with the same gravity. "With all due respect, King Plasmius, there is no such thing as '_insignificant'_ when it comes to upholding the law. What do you think would become of us, if I ignore those who break the rules? If it is chaos what you want, _then_ I'll gladly step back and let everyone do what they want."

"You know that is not what I am telling you, Warden," Vlad answered, his eyebrows creasing in frustration. "All I am asking of you is to be more _considerate_. You _could_ attempt to ask for an explanation to someone's misconduct first before punishing them, Walker. And I do not believe it would be such a horrible crime to give a simple warning to those whose crimes are not severe instead of locking them up straight away. I mean, really, do you think someone deserves to be locked up for _weeks_ only because they destroyed a fruit stand?"

"Do you want my truthful answer?" the sheriff replied dryly, still holding the book he had picked up off his desk.

"Walker," Vlad said with a tired sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then, looking at the ghost with almost pleading eyes, he continued, "I do not like arguing with you. And I do not like telling you how to do your duties. You have been doing what you do longer than I have been around; so, I am certain your wisdom with this surpasses my own. And it is because of that wisdom as well as your loyalty to the established laws—and the Kingdom---that I hold a deep respect for you. However, I think we are all capable of moving past our usual customs and learning new, _better_ ways to do certain things. That is _all_ I am asking you, Warden."

The Ghost King placed a hand on the other male's shoulder as he continued, "_Please_, try to change the way you handle certain situations. I am not implying that you ignore those that go against the established laws; but there are times a stern talking to is all that is needed. _That_ can sometimes be as good as—or better--than locking a ghost up in a cell. Do you understand me?"

Walker glanced at the hand on his shoulder, before looking seriously back at his leader and nodding his response.

Plasmius returned the gesture before turning to face his son, who had been---and still was---staring intently at him. As the King approached his son, he half-smiled. His attempt to wash away the frown on Danny's face, however, was not successful.

"Daniel," Vlad said, kneeling right next to the still-seated child.

"You okay, Daddy?" the Prince asked worriedly, having noticed his father's tense body language the entire time he had been speaking to Walker.

"Yes," he calmly assured him. "I just need to go do something very important. But I also _need_ you to stay right here, alright? I promise I will not be long."

"I can-not go with you?" Danny asked, his eyebrows creasing with unhappiness.

"No," Plasmius replied, his serious tone giving the tot no room for argument. "But Walker will be with you while I'm gone, alright?"

The Ghost Prince half-heartedly nodded. But he still gave his father a small, sad smile, and said, "I wait here for you. Promise."

"That's my boy," Vlad replied returning his smile as he placed a soothing hand on his son's cheek.

Meanwhile, the Warden, still burning with the sting of his leader's lecture, had not really paid much mind to what Plasmius had been saying to his son. But when he had noticed their little display of affection, he couldn't help but roll his eyes in disgust. That reaction, however, quickly melded into a poker-faced one as soon as he spied the Ghost King's turning from the Prince and moving toward him once more.

Without a word, Vlad took the log book from Walker's hands, knowing he would find the names, description, offenses, and cell locations of the ghosts the Warden had brought in. The King resisted the urge to sigh sharply when he opened the book and began to flip through the dates he had been absent. The list was unbelievable.

And as Plasmius glanced through the offenses with which some of the ghosts had been charged, he realized it was as he suspected. Most all of the offenses were pitifully minor. The King didn't even understand why most of these ghosts were in here. Honestly, who arrested someone for accidently bumping into a guard?

But that was just _one_ of the pointless reasons that Walker had arrested any ghost. But this, at least, made the King's job a lot easier. He could just give them a quick warning and have them be on their way; even if he had _no idea_ what kind of lecture he was supposed to give the ghost that had bumped into the guard…

"This is all of them, correct?" Vlad finally asked, biting back the desire to be sarcastic.

"Yes," Walker nodded, after confirming the King was looking at the right dates. He pulled out the keys for the cells, but was a bit surprised when the King extended his hand and calmly took them from him. Was Plasmius planning on going by himself? They usually went together to the cells.

Seeing Walker's confused look, Vlad realized the ghost had not heard his conversation with his son. But knowing Daniel was expecting company while he was gone, Vlad had no other choice but to tell, or rather, order the Warden to stay.

"Walker, please stay here with my son. Do not let him leave this room," the King said seriously, before moving towards the door.

The sheriff's eyes immediately widened and he quickly blurted, "What?! King Plasmius, I don't think---"

"Do you want me to do this or not, Warden?" Vlad asked, looking back at the ghost, his annoyance finally showing. "As you said, I have my son with me. And I am not about to take him to the cells with me. Just…_watch_ him," he said, pointing at Danny. "It's not hard. He will most likely just sit there until I return."

Walker opened his mouth to protest again, but Vlad didn't give him a chance as he opened the door and left without further delay. The white-faced ghost internally seethed as he stared at the shut door. It took all of Walker's self-control to not curse the King out loud. But the sound of soft tapping pulled the ghost away from his angry thoughts, and he slowly turned to look at the tot responsible for the noise.

The Prince was calmly staring at him, his fingers drumming absent-mindedly on the armrests. The child's fixed gaze gave the older ghost a bit of the creeps… Not to mention that the kid didn't even look remotely uncomfortable with being left alone with someone with which he seldom crossed words.

But unlike Bullet, Danny did know the Warden fairly well---or by sight, anyways. The Prince was used to him, being that the sheriff often came to the castle to speak to the King.

Walker had to resist the urge to glare at the kid, feeling insulted with not just the child's relaxed stare, but also with the fact that he was sitting in _his_ chair. Instead, the adult ghost decided to occupy himself with something while he waited for the King to return. So, as if the tot wasn't even there, he walked over to a small bookcase and pulled out a book. He then began to flip through it, making sure his back was completely turned to the Prince.

A long silence passed, with only Danny's soft tapping breaking through the soundlessness. But his tapping began to get louder, almost growing impatient in its rhythm.

Still, Walker ignored him; but, ultimately, the Prince was not going to have any of that.

"Well?"

The sound of the child's expectant voice put a frown on the male ghost's face, and he slowly lowered his book. Finally looking at the four-year-old, he replied with a bit of uncertainty and confusion, "Well, what?"

"You are not going to say 'Hi' to me?" Danny asked, annoyed by Walker's rudeness. His parents always told him it was good manners to at least greet someone when you first saw them. And the adult ghost had not uttered a single word to him since he had arrived.

The ghost sheriff raised an eyebrow impassively, before mumbling a dry, "Hi," and then looking right back at his book.

The Ghost Prince's irritation only deepened with Walker's response---but it didn't surprise him. If there was one thing Danny knew about the adult in front of him, it was that the sheriff was 'zero' fun. However, that didn't discourage the young child from talking again, especially since he _really_ disliked being ignored.

"You make my daddy mad. Why?" the tot asked---or more like demanded to know.

Walker gritted his teeth as he looked back at the Ghost Prince yet again. The King had been right about the brat not moving from the seat. But Plasmius failed to mention that, instead, it would be the annoying kid's _mouth_ that would be running amok!

"I have not made your father angry," the male ghost almost growled out.

"Yes, you did. I can tell," Danny insisted seriously.

"No, you cannot," Walker replied offhandedly, looking back at his book.

"Yes, I can!" the Ghost Prince snapped back. "I know. And I know that you are going to go to prison because you not behave with my daddy!"

Walker scoffed. "That's a stupid thing to say, considering that I'm _already_ inside the prison."

The tot blinked as he tried to make sense of the adult male's words. "What is st..uhh…"

"_Stupid_," Walker repeated with a roll of his eyes. "And it means that what you said makes no sense whatsoever."

"Oh..," Danny mumbled thoughtfully; but when it finally sank in, the child immediately protested. "Hey! What I say is not stu-pid!"

"Yeah, sure," the Warden murmured, angrily flipping a page in the book.

The child briefly scowled at the other ghost; but his attention soon went to the book in the sheriff's hands. Danny's head tilted curiously as he asked, "What are you reading?"

"A law book. It tells you everything you should never do, so that you don't end up _in here_," Walker answered absentmindedly.

Danny's eyebrows creased. "That sounds boring." He then suddenly smiled as he added, "My mommy and daddy read to me, but they are fun books."

Walker rolled his eyes at the child's mention of his parents again. It was like the brat had nothing else to talk about.

"Let me guess," the Warden replied dryly. "These 'fun' books are all about nice ghosts who either go on noble adventures or fall in love with the female of their dreams and live happily ever after."

Danny grinned. "Hey! You read them, too!"

Walker sighed. But right then, a sudden thought hit him, and he mentally grinned evilly. If he had to put up with this brat for the moment, he might as well make the most of it, right?

Lowering his book, Walker gave the child a small pleasant smile.

Danny jolted in surprise. The four-year-old had been sure that the adult ghost didn't even _know_ how to smile; but now he _was_ smiling, and he was smiling _at him, _no less!

"You know, Prince Phantom, this book is not as boring as you think," Walker said calmly, lifting the book up a bit. "It could teach you a whole lot. Do you like to learn?" he asked nicely.

Danny slowly nodded. "Yes, I do…I learn all the time. My mommy teach me Human Speech. And Daddy teach me to use my powers. And then they both teach me to—"

"Yes, that's all just fine," Walker interrupted him, not caring to hear the child rant about what he had been taught. "But you still got lots to learn; _things_ that are far more important than what you know so far. And the good news is that everything you need to learn is right here in this rule book," he assured the Prince, patting the book's cover. "Come here; I'll show you what I mean."

Danny's interested look turned into a troubled one, and his eyes lowered to his lightly swaying tail. "I can-not."

Walker frowned in confusion. "Why not?"

The Ghost Prince pointed at his left shoulder as he looked back at the adult ghost. "I go to the doctor today and Anĝela stick sharp needles that had liquids in them in my arm … It made me feel bad… and then I fell asleep," the tot ended in a mumble.

Walker raised an eyebrow. "Really? A few shots did all that to you?"

Danny shrugged, before touching his still tender shoulder. Although the tiny needle pricks had instantly healed, his arm still felt sore.

"My mommy said I can-not fly. So, I have to stay here," the tot continued, patting the chair he sat on for emphasis. But, suddenly, Danny smiled again and lifted his arms as he exclaimed his next thought, "But you can pick me up and take me over there!"

Walker's frown only deepened with Danny's suggestion. But the Warden didn't reply right away; he was still mulling over the Prince's odd reaction to the shots. He had never heard of a kid ever reacting so badly to simple meds…. Unless that the child had been so frightened by the needles that he was just exaggerating his reactions to them. Then again, the Prince had looked very serious and sure when he shared his story…

But then, quickly remembering he could care less about the brat in front of him, Walker dismissed his thoughts. And regarding the child again, the ghost rolled his eyes at the sight of the tot still expectantly waiting to be picked up.

The sheriff walked over to him before sitting at the edge of his desk. "Why don't I just come to you?" he said dryly as he reached for the chair where the tot still was.

Danny yelped and clutched the armrests when Walker suddenly jerked the chair forward, so that the four-year-old was close enough to him to see the book. The Ghost Prince was about to protest at the ghost for being so rough, but Walker spoke again before the tot could say anything.

"Your father gets mad because he doesn't understand me. You see, he himself still has a lot to learn," the Warden calmly said.

The Ghost Prince creased his eyebrows, unsure of how to feel about the ghost's words. He had not known that his father 'still had things to learn'. He had always thought his dad knew everything.

Walker smirked as he continued, "That is why I'm gonna teach you a few things now. So that when you grow up, you and I will get along. Then, you'll be ahead of the game and even be a better King than your father. Wouldn't you like that?"

"Uh…Yes?" Danny guessed, not really getting what the ghost was talking about.

Walker kept himself from rolling his eyes again; and, instead, just moved on. "You need to first understand that rules are _everything_. And they are not meant to be broken. There is no justification. And there are no exceptions. If you break the law, you are a bad ghost. You are a _criminal_."

"A bad ghost?" Danny repeated, his eyebrows creasing. He had never met any bad ghosts…

"A **very **bad ghost," the Warden said seriously. "And it is for those bad ghosts that this prison exists. Anyone who breaks the rules comes here. And it is your father's job to sentence them with a deserving punishment."

Walker smirked widely as he added, "But one day, it is going to be _your_ job to punish all those who break the law. And like now, I will be the one _delivering_ those punishments. "

Danny began to shift uncomfortably. "I do not want to punish no one," the child said shyly.

The sheriff shrugged. "Too bad. You will have to eventually." He raised an eyebrow as he said, "Punishment is not as bad as you think, especially when _you_ are doing the punishing. Think about it, where would you be if your parents did not punish you for breaking their rules, huh?"

"But they forgive me after," Danny mumbled; but then, the fact made him quickly realize something else, and a relieved smile came to his face. "Hey! That means I can punish the bad ghosts and then forgive them, too! But sometimes, my mommy and daddy no punish me and just say not to do it again; and I try to remember that! I can do that, too!"

"No, you cannot do any of that," Walker answered with a deep frown. "That's why your father and I have problems. He has the power to make everyone do anything he wants; and yet, he does not exert that as he should."

"It is not nice to _make_ anyone do something," Danny replied with a firm look.

"And what do you think it means to be King?!" Walker snapped back, startling the child. "Why do you think you are referred to as _Prince_ Phantom? _Why_ _else_ would everyone be so nice to you?"

"B-Because they like me," the tot whispered, now looking very unhappy.

"Because they _fear_ you!" Walker corrected loudly. "They have to be nice or they'll be punished! They know that eventually you'll have the same amount of power over them as your father."

"What?" Danny mumbled, feeling completely confused and torn.

Walker smirked as he spoke with a calmer, but smug voice. "Prince Phantom, don't tell me you haven't noticed that your parents are _very_ different from other parents? That _you_ are different from other kids?—And I'm not talking about that white hair of yours, either," the male ghost added teasingly, while lightly tugging on one of the child's white locks.

But Danny didn't protest, nor did he answer Walker. In fact, the young ghost's distraught gaze had fallen to his now lightly shaking hands. The Warden's words deeply puzzled and scared him. He didn't know what to make of them; especially when they went against a lot of what he had been taught.

"Look," Walker suddenly said with a sigh, realizing he might have overdone it. "The point I'm trying to make is that when you are in your father's position, you have to be the best King you can. And to do that, you have to use your power as King to its fullest extent. You have to use _that_ power to uphold the law. It should be your priority. You cannot be merciful and let others get away with breaking the rules; otherwise, you will be a weak and disrespected king. Get it?"

Danny shook his head sadly. But Walker knew the kid had understood _enough_; considering how upset he looked. Obviously, having the things that the child had been taught put into question had sent the tot for a loop.

"It's alright," Walker said with a dismissive wave, although he was smirking. "Things will make more sense when you are older; then, we'll talk about this again." Walker opened the book and then leaned forward a bit. "You know how to read?" he asked calmly, pointing down at a word.

"No…," Danny mumbled, still looking upset. "I just know some letters."

"Oh, really?" Walker replied, feigning interest. "Then tell me what this one here is."

Danny looked at the letter in question before looking back at the ghost sheriff, and answering, "R."

"You're right. What about this one?" Walker continued.

The tot looked at the book again, his previous thoughts slowly melting away as he began to concentrate on what the ghost was asking. "Um… I not know."

"That's the letter 'U'. The next one is 'L'; and the last one is—"

"E!" Danny exclaimed, smiling at the male ghost.

Walker smirked. "Correct. And those four letters spell 'Rule'. See? Reading's not hard. Now, the next word starts with an 'N'; and do you remember the next letter?"

"It is 'U'!" Danny quickly answered.

Walker continued to teach the four-year-old the letters and the words they spelled. And as he did, the Ghost Prince got happier, as if he had never previously been upset---Just like the sheriff wanted it. The Warden couldn't have the King return and find his son close to tears. But, luckily, the child was extremely gullible, so changing his mood came with no effort.

The thought made Walker smile himself. He couldn't decide who was more naïve: the child beside him who was too innocent to know any better; or the child's _father_ who held too much trust in others and seemed to truly believe they were worthy of it…

About ten minutes later, Vlad returned, only to halt the instant he saw Walker and his son completely entertained with each other.

Having heard the door opened, Walker gave the tot the book before getting off his desk and facing the dumbstruck King. "Back already?" the sheriff asked glancing at the log book in the King's hands, and then smiling calmly at his leader.

Plasmius opened his mouth, but then quickly closed it and frowned. He stared between the smiling tot and the smiling sheriff with a confused and somewhat wary look.

"Is something wrong?" Walker asked, feigning bafflement.

Vlad regarded the other male ghost with creased eyebrows. "No…What were you doing with him?"

"He teaching me how to read!" Danny answered happily for Walker. "I am learning!"

Without a word, the father walked over to his son and grabbed the book from him. And instantly noticing the type of book it was, Vlad gave Walker an unpleased look as he asked, "You are teaching him to read a _Law Book?"_

The sheriff crossed his arms. "This is a prison. What other books would I have?" he retorted dryly. But then with a smirk, the male ghost added, "Relax. We only got through the first rule. Tell him to read it to you."

Plasmius' eyebrows scrunched again, but before he could say anything, Danny lifted up his hands and exclaimed, "I want to read it to you, Daddy!"

Still a bit disconcerted, Vlad slowly gave his son the book back. In turn, Danny opened it to the first page. He then cleared his throat and began to 'read'.

"It say, 'Rule number one: It is all ghosts responbity to…"

"Uphold" Walker helped out, grinning when Vlad gave him a quick, surprised glance.

"Yes!" Danny beamed, now remembering. "_Uphold_ and Inface all laws estalish by the….Kingdom!" Danny finished, grinning up at his father.

"Uh-huh…" Vlad replied, raising an uncertain eyebrow at his son. But seeing the tot frown at his lack of praise, the King quickly smiled in reassurance. "That's very good, little Phantom. But you already know I think you're a very smart boy."

"Oh, he's smart, alright," Walker agreed calmly, his smile widening.

Vlad looked at Walker with an odd look on his face. To actually witness the ghost sheriff being nice to--and even playful with---_any_ child was just hard to believe--- even when the King was right there witnessing it. When he left them, Plasmius was sure that the Warden would just ignore his son until he came back. But, _no_, Walker had actually been teaching him how to read…and even looking quite happy about it…. It was bizarre… and unexpected…

"_Hmm…Maybe there's some hope for Walker yet,"_ Vlad thought with mirth; but with a shake of his head, the King dismissed the thought and looked back at his son. "Come, little Phantom, we still need to go see Horris before we go home."

The King picked up his son and placed the law book on the office's desk. He then turned to Walker; and with a smile, he returned the log book he had taken to the cells back to the Warden. "Here. I let everyone off with a warning, except for Tierunus. You can release him tomorrow."

Walker frowned for a moment, but then reluctantly sighed and nodded. "Before you leave, there is one more thing I need to tell you," the sheriff said, changing the subject for his own sake. "It's about the portals---more specifically, the temporary portals. They have been---"

"---forming more often," Vlad quickly finished for him. "Yes, Bullet mentioned it. We'll address it at the Council meeting. That is not something I wish to discuss _at the moment_."

Walker glanced at Danny, before nodding in understanding. "I see... Alright. Then I will see you tomorrow." The Warden looked back at the Ghost Prince again; and smiling at the child, he commented to the father. "You should bring him by more often. Your son is very entertaining."

Vlad raised an eyebrow when Walker patted his son on the head, the action receiving a small giggle from Danny. "Yes…" the Ghost King said slowly. "I suppose I agree with you. However, if you want to see him, it'll be at the castle. Not here."

"Understandable," Walker answered calmly, before moving over to the door, and opening it for his leader. "Good-bye, then."

Vlad and Danny said their good-byes, and finally left. As they left the prison and headed to their next stop, the King was unusually quiet. But his son quickly pulled him out of thought.

"What is that?"

Vlad looked over at where his son was pointing, which was just to the right of the prison, now a distance away. But when he saw exactly what it was, the father visibly tensed. Daniel had noticed the open ghost portal that Walker's guards kept watch over. And this one in particular led to Amity Park.

"Daddy?" Danny called, confused by his father's lack of a response. Although he had forgotten to ask about the strange swirling green vortex when he first saw it, the Ghost Prince did not forget this time around. It was hard not to notice something that… bizarre. He had never seen anything like it.

Vlad halted their flight and looked down at his son with a worried frown. He didn't really want to tell him what _that_ was. But not giving him an answer would only make his son more curious. And he did not want Daniel to even have the remote interest with something so dangerous.

Still frowning, the King answered, "That is called a portal, Daniel. It somewhat works like the doors that take us faster to certain destinations."

Danny looked a bit surprised. He knew that although most of the floating doors around them were ghost homes, some served as short-cuts, leading them to a different place in their world at lot quicker than flying there. But if this… _portal_ was like those doors, then… where did it lead to?"

"Where does it take you?" Danny asked, tilting his head.

"It does not matter," Vlad replied right away, his red eyes glowing with gravity. "What matters is that it is dangerous. You could get lost, or even hurt, Daniel. You are not to go _anywhere near_ it. If you ever find yourself even _remotely_ close to something that resembles that portal there, you are to fly _far_ away from it. _Promise me_ that you will. "

Danny stared at his father with wide, stunned eyes for a moment. The tot had never seen him look so serious, so… _intense_ about something. The Prince could only nod in assurance, almost regretting ever asking about the green vortex. In fact, he no longer felt interested in finding out about the portal. If it had made his father _this_ upset, it could not be good.

"I promise, Daddy," he finally managed to whisper, touching his father's symbol in hopes of getting him to calm down.

Plasmius sighed in relief before hugging his child tightly. It deeply scared him to even think of his son ever going to the human world. Those ruthless creatures would kill him on sight.

Looking much calmer, Vlad finally pulled away and smiled. "We need to hurry if we are to get home on time."

Danny gave him a small smile and nodded. But as they flew to a nearby door---which the tot knew to be a short-cut to the Realm Beyond Time, and also where Horris lived---the child remained silent. He didn't notice the grim look return to his father's face during their flight.

* * *

"King Plasmius," Horris said with a warm smile after opening the door. "I had expected your arrival before the council meeting. But, what is this?" he added, noticing Danny and patting his head. "You have brought your son for a visit as well!"

"Hi, Horris!" Danny beamed as he and his father were welcomed into the house. "I am happy to see you, too!"

"Yes, your father does not bring you by enough. Then again, he does not come by enough, either…"

Vlad rolled his eyes at the smirking Ancient. "Horris, I was here two days ago," he answered dryly, although he looked amused.

"Precisely. I am an old ghost," the Ancient countered playfully. "And as such, I require regular visits. And between you both and I, those around here can get quite dull after a while."

The Ghost King chuckled, knowing he referred to the other Ancients and the Observants, since they, too, lived in the Realm. Beyond Time. But, then, so did Clockwork...

"I cannot argue with you on that," Vlad answered, smirking himself. But his look changed into a more serious one when he then changed the subject. "I regret to tell you I cannot stay long. But I do need to talk to you about the council meeting; more specifically, about permitting a non-council member to attend."

Horris frowned thoughtfully. "I see." He looked down at Danny and smiled at him. "Prince Phantom, Juukka is here. He is sleeping in the living room. Do you think you can go wake him up for me? Otherwise, he'll slumber the day away."

Danny looked excited to hear Juukka was at the Ancient's home. The child knew that the Horris was Juukka's guardian, so when the unique ghost wasn't scouting the Kingdom's territory, he was usually here.

"Yes! I---" The tot halted when he remembered he was not allowed to fly.

But his father caught what he was thinking. "It's alright, Daniel. You may go. But once you find him, you keep still, hmm?"

The Ghost Prince smiled again; and with a nod, said, "Thank you, Daddy!"

Horris watched the child fly off, leaving him free to talk to his father. He turned back to the King, and smiled. "Please, explain, King Plasmius."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "How many times must I tell you to drop the formalities, Horris?"

The Ghost King knew the Head Ancient was a very proper and respectful ghost---especially when he was around those for whom he had to set an example. This was why that in spite of their close friendship, the head Ancient always addressed him formally in front of others. But when they were by themselves…

"Just once a day, Vlad," Horris answered with a smirk. "However, if you insist on dropping all formalities, then, allow me to greet you properly, Child." Just as he said this, the Ancient grabbed Vlad in a hug, and then kissed him on the forehead. "You really do not visit me enough, you know."

Vlad chuckled softly as he let go of the ghost. "Horris, if I came here any more frequently, Desiree would begin to get jealous of you."

"Then bring her along," Horris replied cleverly, his red eyes full of mirth. He then wrapped a hand around the King's shoulder and walked him over to some nearby chairs. "Now, before we talk _business_ I have a question for you." The Ancient sat in a chair directly across from the one Vlad had just sat upon, before asking, "What is wrong with your son?"

Vlad visibly froze, but he then slowly replied. "What do you mean?"

Horris studied Vlad intensely, but still calmly said, "You told him to keep still. Obviously, your instruction must have a reason. Is he sick?" he questioned, now seeming a bit worried.

The Ghost King crossed his arms and shook his head. He should have known Horris would catch that. The ghost was more observant than the Observants!

"He is not sick. I just took him to Anĝela's this morning for a check-up," he answered calmly.

"But something happened," Horris said, raising an eyebrow.

Vlad's eyebrows creased with uncertainty. "Why would you think that?"

"Simply because you keep averting your gaze from my own; and need I mention that you became nervous the moment I questioned you?" the Head Ancient answered with a small, knowing smile. The King was very good at hiding his feelings and thoughts from others---something he had learned to do out of necessity. However, his acting did not work with those that knew him well.

Vlad frowned deeply, but then sighed. "It is nothing to concern yourself over, Horris. Daniel is just fine. He simply did not react well to a few shots. …You know how children are," he said, murmuring the last part.

Horris sighed loudly. "I do not understand why you insist on keeping things from me. I know _everything_ about you, Child. You should know by now that you can tell me anything. I only wish to help you in any way I can…"

The Head Ancient gave him a warm smile as he added. "I consider you the son I never had. And your father, having been my closest friend, and having asked me to watch over you before his death just adds to that fact. You are very important to me."

Vlad smiled sadly; but he then gave him a playful, annoyed look. "You really enjoy making me feel bad."

Horris smirked smugly. "If it is the only way to get you to talk… then…"

But Vlad's smile faltered with his words. "I trust you, Horris. You _know_ I do…"

"But?" the Ancient asked, now looking worried.

"_But I fear what could happen to my son if I told you the truth about him," _Vlad thought sadly. But out loud, he answered, "But some things are not serious enough to worry you over. Besides--" Vlad smirked. "---I am not a child, Horris, even if you _insist_ on calling me as such. I'm actually quite capable of solving things on my own… You'd be surprised."

Horris chuckled, taking no insult in his words. "So you think you are a full-fledged adult because you have a wife and son, do you?"

Vlad grinned. "Why, yes, yes I do. And if I am wrong and I really am still a child, then you have to admit that having a family is still quite a feat for _this child_."

Horris laughed again, before replying with a tease, "Alright, then, _old man_. If you are not going to tell me what I want to know, then, at least, share with me what it is that _you_ want me to know. Who is it that you are requesting to attend the Council reunion?"

Plasmius had rolled his eyes with the Ancient's previous jab; however, hearing his question, he became serious again. "Well, considering Dora went with Desiree to the Dragon Realm and she is Aragon's sister, I think it would be appropriate to allow her to attend this coming meeting."

Horris slowly nodded as he thought about what the King had said. "I see your logic."

"Then you approve?" Vlad questioned with a hopeful smile.

The old ghost nodded. "As long as she is present for _only_ that part of the reunion then you have my approval. I will inform the rest of the Ancients. There should not be any opposition." The Ancient paused in thought before asking, "Have you explained the proceedings to her yet? She will have to take a secrecy oath."

Vlad nodded. "Yes, I am aware. And I'll have Desiree speak with her." The King suddenly looked towards a nearby clock. "And speaking of my wife, I really need to get home. She wanted Daniel and I back by dinner."

Horris smiled. "Then you best be off. It is unwise to disobey your Queen."

The younger male ghost smirked. "You have _no_ idea."

The Ancient stood, amused as he answered back, "And I would like to keep it that way; so, let us go find your son and then send you on your way. The last thing _this_ old ghost needs is to be accused by the Queen of being responsible for your delay."

Vlad stood and followed Horris down a hallway. "Hmm…. Now that you mention it, I think I like the idea of blaming you for my delay…Maybe I will stay longer after all," the King added mischievously.

"And you wonder why I call you '_child'_," Horris replied, raising an amused eyebrow.

Vlad gave him a mocked glare. "I would stick my tongue out at you, but then, I would only prove you right."

"My proof comes from the fact that I vividly remember you in your mother's arms with a bottle in your mouth," Horris replied in a matter-of-fact voice.

Plasmius visibly blushed, but before he could say anything, his son's whining voice got his attention. Horris and he entered the living room, and smiled at the sight before them.

"Juukka! Let go! I am not a toy!" Danny said annoyed, trying to move away the large clawed hand wrapped around his body, but the wolf-like ghost's face kept him snuggled close beside his large chest. In short, the Prince looked like a living version of a stuffed-bear.

Juukka just purred in response, his eyes happily closed as he brought his 'Danny-bear' closer to himself.

With a loud sigh, Danny stopped struggling, though the pout stayed on his face. "You are a lazy ghost, Juukka," the tot grumbled at him.

"_**And you are a soft and fluffy ghost,"**_ the ghost mentally replied.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Fluffy?"

Juukka 'explained' it to him by simply using his other hand to ruffle the shaggy white hair on Danny's head.

The child was about to protest again, but Horris spoke up before he could.

"Juukka?"

The mentioned ghost quickly lifted up his head and answered his guardian with a soft, happy yelp. In spite of Juukka being powerful and probably older than most of the Ancients, he was very much like a child. Even when he had seen more than his own share of death and war, the wolf-like ghost still retained a strong air of innocence.

It was why Juukka required a guardian; he needed someone to care and protect him. And in turn, he gave Horris his unreserved loyalty---as he had done for the other Head Ancients before him. Juukka was a unique ghost in that he was _formed_ by a combination of more than two life-energies. By the use of a special power they had, the first Ancients had all contributed a small fraction of their life-energy to create Juukka. Since then, the ghost had served on their side, and sequentially, served the Kingdom.

"The Prince must go home now," Horris continued with mirth. "You can use him as a pillow another day, hmm?"

Juukka's ears lowered in sadness; but he still slowly unwrapped his large clawed hands from around the tot. However, Juukka's mood quickly changed when he noticed the King. His ears perked up again; and with an excited yelp, he leapt right over the Prince and all but tackled Plasmius in a hug.

"Juukka!" Vlad exclaimed in surprise, before chuckling. "You are just as bad as Horris, old friend."

The ghost purred his reply, but the sound of the grumbling Danny turned his attention to the tot again. Juukka walked back to the Prince on his two legs; he then tilted his head in amusement at him, and let out a loud yelp.

Danny's annoyed look melted with a roll of his eyes. "No, I not mad at you, Juukka." The tot smiled and lifted his arms. "Pick me up, please?"

The ghost purred and did just that. And with a last affectionate squeeze, he handed the Prince over to his father.

Saying their farewells, Vlad and Danny finally left the Head Ancient's abode and began their trip back home.

* * *

About ten minutes away from home, Danny noticed a familiar sight a distance away; and he tensed as he was reminded of something _very_ important—or, at least, what had become important to him…

"What's wrong?" Plasmius asked quizzically, slowing down the moment he had felt the child stiffen in his arms.

"I just thinking," Danny mumbled distractedly, still looking towards a specific island.

The King frowned, but then followed his son's eyes towards where he was looking. The father's eyes widened a bit, and he quickly halted his flight. "About _that_ island…?" he asked carefully.

"Huh?" Danny replied, snapping out of his thoughts when he noticed his father's tone of voice.

"Why are you so interested in that place over there, Daniel?" Vlad asked seriously.

"Um…," the tot mumbled nervously, not knowing how to answer his father when he wasn't allowed to tell him his _secret_. "I not interested… It is too hot there," he answered, frowning as he remembered how hot it had been at the island where his aunt had shown him the human toy. What was the place called again? Ancient Paradise?

Vlad instantly jolted. "What? You have been there?" he demanded to know.

Danny pulled away a bit from his father, not liking the tension he was radiating. "Yes… Aunt Spectra take me," he replied warily.

"Oh, did she?" Plasmius all but growled.

"Are you… mad at me?" the Prince asked fearfully, not understanding his father's sudden change in demeanor. But remembering that his Uncle Skulker had also gotten upset with him for going there, the tot quickly exclaimed with worry, "I am sorry! I did not mean to fly off! Aunt Spectra say it was okay because I was with her! I told mommy I would not do it again! Really!"

"Your mother _knows_ you went there?" the King asked, his frown only deepening.

By this point, all the tot could do was nod.

Vlad scoffed angrily, before taking off again. "_Alright_. Let's go have a talk with your mother, then…"

Danny did not miss his father's angry tone of voice, but said nothing. If he wasn't so scared, he would have asked his father just why his going to that island made everyone so mad. Instead, he just clung closer to his dad, hoping that the older ghost would calm down soon. In his distress, the child all but forgot about the 'human toy' again…

* * *

"Well, I see you two managed to return in time," Desiree said, smiling at her husband and son. But seeing neither return it, she frowned, and added with concern, "What's wrong?"

"Daniel, go wash up," Vlad ordered, his eyes fixed on his wife.

Danny slowly let go of his father; but he still hesitated to leave as he looked between his two parents. For some reason he couldn't comprehend, his dad was mad at his mom! But his father should be mad at _him_--not his mother! After all,_ he_ was the one who disobeyed!

"_Now_, Daniel," the King said sharply, jolting the child into finally leaving.

Desiree watched the tot sadly fly off, before regarding her husband with worry and confusion. "Why are you so---"

"You know, Desiree," Vlad cut her off, his eyes slightly narrowing. "The next time you want to keep something from me, it might be wise to remember that we have a four-year-old who seldom keeps anything to himself."

The Queen's eyebrow's furrowed with even more bewilderment. "What are you talking about? I haven't kept anything from you."

"_Funny_. I do not recall your mentioning that _your_ sister took our son to a place filled with _boiling _lakes and _cannibalistic_ ghosts," Vlad replied in sarcastic anger.

The ghost mage pursed her lips together, finally understanding why her husband was upset. "I did not tell you because I knew you would get like this," she said soberly.

"Get like _what_?" the King snapped back. "You think I don't have a reason to be angry? _Especially_ when you _consciously_ decided to keep this from me?!"

Desiree just crossed her arms in response to his rising voice; but she held back her own growing aggravation, and just answered in a leveled voice, "I will handle this, Vlad."

But the King only looked even more ticked off with her reply. "Oh, so you haven't _even_ _spoken_ with her _yet_?"

"You make it sound like I never planned on saying anything to her," Desiree snapped at him.

"Well, it's what it sounds like to me, Desiree!" he all but shouted. "But you know what? Don't bother. I think I rather do it myself…"

Vlad spun on his feet with all the intention of finding and giving his _sister-in-law_ a piece of his mind. However, his wife didn't let him take more than two steps before she stopped him by moving in front of him.

"I _said,_ _I_ will handle it," she repeated, now looking as angry as her husband.

"Then why haven't you, Desiree?" Vlad demanded to know.

"Because I just got back yesterday, Vlad!" she shouted at him. "That happened the day Danny and I left! Do you not think I am just as angry with her for taking him there?!"

"Then go talk to her now!" her husband growled back.

The ghost mage's eyes narrowed, "Firstly, _do not_ command me to do anything. And secondly, I already tried. She is not home. Now, _enough_ of this. _I will_ talk with her when I _see_ her."

"You have better, Desiree," Vlad replied seriously, before briskly brushing past her, towards his room.

The Queen's anger deflated as she watched her husband walk off. But she didn't try to stop him. Instead, she just sighed sadly and shook her head, before moving away from where he had gone.

* * *

Danny put a fork of food into his mouth, but his eyes were focused on his mother sitting in front of him and his father sitting to his left. They were both quietly eating with him; but although they had a neural look on their faces, it was obvious to the tot they were upset. And he was sure it was his fault.

The Ghost Prince swallowed his food, but the lump in his throat made it painful. He _couldn't_ take the silence any longer.

"Daddy, do not be mad at Mommy!" Danny suddenly burst out. "It is my fault; not her! You can punish me if you want! But… do not be mad anymore," the child whimpered, staring at his father with glossy green eyes.

Vlad soberly regarded his son for a moment, but then he looked back at his dinner again. He remained silent.

Desiree shook her head, before reaching across and grabbing the tot's hand. "It is not your fault, little Phantom," she assured him with a small smile. "And your father just worries about you. And I am sure he realizes that I do, too."

While Danny sadly nodded his response, Vlad briefly looked up at his wife upon hearing her words. She was right, of course. But what bothered him was her constant defense for her sister. He didn't understand it. And it bothered him when her actions made him wonder what she would do if she ever found herself having to decided between her sister and Daniel-and-him—_her_ _family_. It scared him to think she would ever put Spectra over them…

It hurt the King to doubt her; but so did her keeping things from him, especially when her reason for doing so was to protect her sister.

The thoughts internally saddened the Ghost King; but in the end, he couldn't fully blame his wife for _Spectra's_ actions. Then again, why was he even blaming Desiree at all? Wasn't this as much _his own_ fault? If he wasn't leaving his family all the time, then, maybe, these sorts of things would not happen…

Vlad turned his serious gaze towards his son. Ultimately, he did not blame Daniel for any of this. He was only four years old, after all. How could the child know or understand that there were things out there that could seriously harm him when he had never experienced such dangers?

Still, that did not take away from the fact that Daniel had disobeyed them. The tot knew full well that he was not allowed to wonder off without permission. And this Vlad could not overlook---especially since it was for the child's own good.

"You are not to go there again, Daniel. _Never_ again. _Understood_?" the King said sternly.

Danny stared up at his father, but seeing his unhappy frown, the tot quickly looked away. He knew exactly what 'there' his dad was referring to…

"Answer me, Daniel," Vlad ordered seriously.

Still not daring to look up again, the tot sadly nodded. "Yes. I understand," Danny whispered back, trying to blink back his tears without success.

Vlad sighed deeply, not needing to see his son's face to know he was crying. The father's look quickly turned softer, as he said, "Don't cry, Daniel. If your mother and I tell you something it is because we do not want you to get hurt. You _know_ you must first ask for our permission before going anywhere that is not _here_ or the _neighboring_ island; _even_ if it's with… _someone_ you know."

The Prince nodded again while wiping away his tears. "I am so sorry for disobeying, Daddy," he whimpered, finally looking up at his father.

The king gave him a small smile, "I know you are, little Phantom…. And… I suppose I might have overreacted…" he added, looking over at his wife. He's eyebrows creased in sadness when he realized how true his words really were. What had happened to Daniel that morning had already put him on the edge; so finding out about his son's being put into more danger only added to his tension.

"Well, today _has_ been one surprise after another for all of us…" Desiree said with a warm smile that assured him she wasn't upset with him anymore.

Vlad returned the smile, but before he could say anymore, a _certain_ female ghost interrupted the family.

"Oh, Good! I am just in time for dinner!" Spectra beamed, floating further into the room.

Plasmius anger instantly returned, and his hand visibly fisted around his fork. Desiree noticed her husband's contained ire, and mentally cringed. At that moment, the Queen was certain that her sister couldn't have had the worst timing.

"Hey, Sis!" the shadow-ghost exclaimed, giving her a quick hug as she came up behind her; but then, she moved over to where Danny was and sat down next to him, while adding her greeting to him as well, "Hey there, little nephew! Oh, I have missed you so much!" she said sweetly, ruffling his hair.

Feeling uncomfortable with the tension suddenly in the room, Danny gave her a weak smile, and just replied with a quiet, 'Hi.'

Spectra finally looked over at Vlad, and grinned. "And last, but, _definitely _not least, my handsome brother-in-law! I haven't seen you in, like, forever! Where did you go?"

The King just narrowed his eyes at her, but she did not seem discouraged by that in the least. "Oh, come on, you gotta sha--"

Plasmius suddenly stood, jolting the shadow-ghost into silence. He could not take her insufferable presence for another second longer! If he didn't leave right now, he was going to explode and say things that would just make his wife and him upset again.

"I'm going to Skulker's," Vlad murmured angrily, glancing over at Desiree, who just nodded sadly. He quickly pushed his chair in; but as he moved out of the dining room, he placed his hand lightly on the Queen's shoulder, and then finally left the room.

Danny anxiously watched his father leave, but he then just looked back sadly at his food again. Too bad he wasn't very hungry anymore.

"Uh… Okay…," Spectra mumbled, raising an eyebrow at the King's abrupt departure. "Heh… What's eating him?" she asked her sister with a small, amused smile.

Desiree's lips pursed. "You," she simply replied.

"_Me_?" the other female asked, slightly taken aback. "What the heck did I do to him? I haven't even seen your little hubby since he flew off to who knows where!"

Desiree's eyes glowed brighter with anger. "You are very lucky Danny's right next to you," she whispered seriously, before turning her eyes back to her food.

"Wait… You're mad at me, _too_?" Spectra asked, feigning hurt and shock. But the realization also gave her a good idea as to why the couple was mad at her---not that she had not expected it.

The Queen just stared at her, but then, Danny broke the quiet tension. "Mommy, I am not hungry anymore. Can I please go to my room?" he asked, sounding disheartened.

Desiree looked at the tot's plate, and saw that he had not eaten very much. However, she needed to speak with her sister alone.

"You may," she answered with a small smile.

But when Spectra saw that the child was leaving, she quickly grabbed his hand, and mockingly pouted, "Oh, you're leaving already?"

Danny just nodded.

"Well, okay. But only if you give me a kiss," she answered with a small, playful smile.

The Ghost Prince did not feel like showing affection at the moment, but he still leaned over and kissed his aunt's cheek. But when he did, Spectra placed her hand behind his head, stopping him from pulling away.

Danny tensed as he heard his aunt whisper something in his ear before letting him go. He gave her an unsure smile, and quietly answered, "…Okay."

As he got out of his chair and neared his mom, Desiree stretched out a hand, beckoning him to come closer. She gave him tight hug, which he quickly returned.

"Everything is fine, little Phantom. I promise," Desiree assured him.

Her words eased away some of the tot's sadness, and he gave her a small smile. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too," Desiree replied, giving him a kiss. She then let him go, and added, "Go on."

The Ghost Prince nodded; and without another word, he left for his room.

The instant the child was gone, the Queen's eyes filled with utter seriousness and she pinned them on her sister. "What did you tell him?" she demanded to know, having noticed Danny tense with whatever the other female ghost had said to him a moment ago.

Spectra looked a bit startled by the look on her sister's face. But she relaxed again, and with an innocent smile, replied, "It's a secret."

It was all Desiree could take.

"Stop toying with me! Does it look like I am _remotely_ in the mood for your silly antics?!" she shouted at her.

Spectra quickly scowled. "What is your problem, Desiree? Geez! If I would have known I was going to get my head bitten off, I would have stayed at home!"

"Oh, you can be certain that not even your home would have saved you from your pending talk with me," the Queen replied angrily.

"Huh. I didn't know you were _talking_," the shadow ghost answered sarcastically. "It sounds more like shouting to me; but, okay, whatever. What have I done that's so terrible that I have incited my little sister's wrath?" she asked, a small smirk curving her lips as she reached over and grabbed a beverage jar.

"Why did you take Danny to Ancient Paradise?" Desiree asked, her voice back to its normal volume, though a frown was still firmly on her face.

Having poured herself a drink, Spectra paused and blinked at her sister. "Huh? Where? Oh, yeah! That's right! I had forgotten about that!" she answered with a coy smile.

But, of course, she really had not forgotten about her doings. In fact, Desiree's words only confirmed her suspicions of why the King and Queen were angry at her.

"Why?" Spectra questioned innocently, before taking a sip of her beverage. " Is there something wrong with that?"

"Spectra! You know full well there is!" Desiree exclaimed, getting more upset with her sister's games.

"Oh, come on, Desiree!" she replied with a roll of her eyes. "It's not like something happened to him." Spectra frowned at the Queen as she added, "I mean, really, do you think I would let anything happen to my only nephew?"

"No," the Queen said right away, "_However_, that does not mean I appreciate your taking him to a dangerous place! Even you---_a full grown adult---_would have trouble fighting off some of the ghosts that thrive in that area---And you _know_ that! Now to take a four-year-old there… _What_ were you thinking?!"

"Alright! I get it!" Spectra said with annoyance. "I won't take him there again, _happy_?"

The Queen shook her head, before murmuring. "Are you _ever_ serious about anything?"

The shadow-ghost crossed her arms and huffed. "I am being serious! What more do you want? An apology? Okay, fine, I'm sorry for trying to be nice to my nephew by taking him out of the cocoon his parents keep him in!"

"We do not keep him in a _cocoon_," Desiree snapped back.

"You two so do!" Spectra argued back. "You keep the poor kid locked within these walls or that 'happy place' next door. It's a miracle that he's even as outgoing as he is!"

"He is four and seven months old, Spectra!" the Queen exclaimed, clearly frustrated. "He's a _baby_! You cannot really expect Vlad and I to let him wander around on his own, do you? It would practically be like asking for something to happen to him!"

"That's not what I'm saying, Desiree. You and Vlad are always trying to keep things away from him. Just what exactly is so bad about briefly taking him to a _less-friendly_ place, huh?" the shadow-ghost questioned seriously. "How _long_ do you think you can keep him from discovering that not _everyone_ is as nice as those at his playing grounds?"

Desiree's frown only deepened, but her voice lowered back into its normal volume. "What's wrong with keeping him around the positive things?"

"What's wrong with it? It's unrealistic, that's what!" Spectra snapped at her. "Maybe _showing_ him the things that he needs to stay away from will protect him better than hiding or simply forbidding them from him. All the latter two will do is lead to temptation and curiosity. And, little sister?" Spectra said, raising an eyebrow and leaning in closer to her. "There is _nothing_ more dangerous to a kid than _curiosity_."

Desiree couldn't believe what her sister was telling her. Spectra wanted Vlad and her to show the tot dangerous things instead of keeping him away from them? It was like suggesting that they should stick Danny's hand in the oven in order to teach him that it was hot!

But it was Spectra's last words that upset the Queen most—or more specifically, what they implied…

"And just _what_ would spark Danny's curiosity at such a dangerous place as Ancient Paradise?" the ghost mage questioned soberly; but as she continued, her voice filled with sarcastic anger. "If you indeed took him to that place to sooth his _curiosity_, then, tell me, what is there in that place that a four-year-old could possibly find appealing? The cannibalistic ghosts? The active volcanoes? Or is it the constant thermal explosions?"

Spectra pressed her lips together, clearly not appreciating her sister's mockery. "I just took him to see the Gem-Caves," she said seriously, "But you keep missing the point."

"Then drop the run-arounds and tell me your point directly, Spectra!" Desiree retorted, sounding even more frustrated.

The shadow-ghost rolled her eyes as she irritably said, "My point is that if you and Vlad don't stop hiding things from him, he's going to get into trouble. You two haven't even told him about the existence of humans. Are you going to tell me that something as important---_as well-known_--as that is not going to spark his interest?…Especially when he finds out that everyone knows about them but him?"

The question instantly changed the Queen's anger into worry. But then, she sighed and lowered her gaze from the other female ghost. For a moment, she didn't answer. And it became clear to Spectra that she had hit a sore spot with her sister. If Desiree had not looked back up at her again, the shadow-ghost would have grinned in triumph.

"Everything has its time, Spectra," the ghost mage said soberly. "And right now is not the time to be telling Danny negative things or explaining such a complicated matter as are the humans. He knows that there are things that he needs to stay away from. And I think Vlad and I have built a strong enough bond with Danny that when we say that something could hurt him, he _believes_ us based on just _trust_---and not on tangible proof."

Desiree's firm look returned, and she pinned it once more on her sister. "When he gets older _maybe_ things will change. But until then, you can be _sure_ that Vlad and I are going to try our best to keep him away from the things that could hurt him. And _that_ means that whether you like it or not, you _will_ respect our efforts. Do not _ever_ place him in unnecessary danger again, Spectra. You are my sister. And I love you. But I also love Danny. So, do not think for a second that I will hesitate to protect him from anyone---_including_ you."

A genuinely serious look fell on the shadow-ghost's face as she angrily whispered, "…Are you threatening me?"

"I am warning you," Desiree replied gravely.

Spectra just stared at her sister in silence for a moment. But, suddenly, she shrugged, before grabbing her drink and taking a sip of it. "Alright," she then said in a calmer voice as she lowered the glass in her hand, and glanced up at the Queen again. "I promise not to take him anywhere you wouldn't approve of. Now, if you are done lecturing me, I'm gonna go."

Spectra raised an eyebrow at Desiree, searching for a response to what she had just said. But the ghost mage just stared back, poker-faced. The shadow ghost then rolled her eyes and stood up to leave.

But as Spectra began to walk out of the room, she abruptly halted, and a dark smirk formed on her lips. However, since neither of the sisters was looking at the other, that smile remained unnoticed.

"Desiree?" Spectra called, looking causally over her shoulder.

"Yes?" the Queen answered tiredly, but she did not turn to face her sibling, and instead kept her gaze lowered towards her plate.

"If you really want to keep Danny away from danger, then, maybe you should start by realizing that not all dangers are as _obvious_ as cannibalistic ghosts. I tell you that because it would just be awful to see something ever happen to my little nephew," the shadow-ghost said, mocking worry. But then she quickly perked up, and added, "Well! See ya later, Sis!"

Once alone, Desiree closed her eyes and let out a shaky sigh. Her sibling's words had left her with the bitter taste of fear and worry in her mouth. The Queen knew Spectra's comment was very true; and, of course, the mother was determined to protect the tot from whatever danger dared to come his way… But just _the_ _thought_ of something happening to Danny shook the ghost mage to the core.

Desiree was sure she would die if anything bad ever occurred to the child---or her husband.

_

* * *

_

Danny curled up against Cujo on his bed, still feeling in a gloomy mood. Not even his aunt's telling him that she had placed his 'secret' in a certain cave over at his playing grounds made him feel any better. In fact, it made him feel worse.

He did not understand why having this 'secret' made him feel bad. It was as if he could imagine his parents' unhappy faces from his keeping it from them. But his Aunt Spectra had said that there was nothing wrong with having a secret. She had said it was good. Why would she say that if it wasn't true?

And even Ember, when he had told her about the 'human toy', had looked as excited about it as he had once been. It just _had_ to be good. It was nice. And it wasn't dangerous. And furthermore, the toy was now at a place he was _allowed_ to go! He wasn't disobeying his mother or father by having his 'secret'… right?

A soft whine from Cujo pushed the tot out of his thoughts.

"What, Cujo?" Danny mumbled grumpily.

The ghost puppy replied back with stronger whines; and the child rolled his eyes as he answered, "You are always hungry."

With a loud yap, Cujo licked the tot's symbol repeatedly, causing the spiraling star to glow a bright green. It was then that the Prince couldn't keep a small smile from tugging on his lips any longer.

"Okay, I go get you food," Danny said with a small sigh; But then a wicked grin appeared on his face; and just as suddenly, he pushed Cujo off the bed.

The puppy yelped loudly in surprise as he fell to the floor. But he quickly got to his feet again and growled at the laughing four-year-old still on the bed.

Grinning, Danny quickly flew off this bed, and called back at his companion, "Come on! Let's go to the kitchen!"

The promise of food instantly put Cujo back in good spirits; and with a happy bark, he ran after the tot.

* * *

"Hello there, young Ghost Prince!" the castle's head chef greeted the child as he flew into the kitchen.

"Hi, George! Cujo is hungry! I give him food, okay?" Danny asked with a smile.

"As long as he doesn't try to eat all the storage cabinets, like last time, then I have no problem with him coming in here, young Prince," George replied with a playful, but stern look.

"He won't!" Danny assured him, before looking back at the door and calling towards it, "Cujo, you can come inside!"

The puppy pushed through the slightly parted doors and barked as he ran over to his companion.

"You can-not eat everything, okay?" the four-year-old told the dog seriously. And at receiving a yap of agreement, the Ghost Prince smiled again, and flew over to one of the several large food pantries.

The ghost cook crossed his arms and watched with mirth as the tot asked his companion what he wanted to eat, all the while suggesting various items he kept pulling out and showing the puppy. George had witnessed many such scenarios between the Prince and Cujo, but each one was just as amusing and adorable as the last.

After ten minutes of debating with Cujo what he should eat, the Ghost Prince finally got the dog to agree with him on something—or on several things, actually.

"Thanks!" Danny said when George brought him three of Cujo's bowls---one, for each of the three food items in the tot's hands. The child grabbed one of the deep dishes; and with a little effort, opened a can he had picked out.

He dumped what looked like miniature red beets covered in thick sauce into the bowl. He then grabbed one of the two boxes he had picked out and opened it. Within the box, there were several wrapped, green and spongy cake-like squares. The tot unwrapped one of the soft food squares; and as he broke it into four pieces, something creamy oozed out of it.

George grabbed the second dish and offered it to the four-year-old. "Here, put that in---"

"No, it is okay; one plate is good," Danny said, cutting off the chef. He grinned as he added the creamy food pieces into the same bowl that held the completely-different-tasting miniature 'beets'.

"Alright, young Ghost Prince. If you say so…," the adult ghost replied with a small sigh, before pushing the other two dishes aside.

The ghost chef always got queasy each time he watched the child get Cujo some food. He tried to encourage Danny not to mix things that should not be mixed; but, in the end, the four-year-old always insisted on doing it his way.

George was unable to keep himself from cringing when the Ghost Prince added the third—and final--item of food into the bowl. That is, if the little black balls meant to be used as a cooking condiment could be called _food_.

Unaware of the look he was getting from the ghost adult, Danny grabbed one of the little black balls and dipped it into his made up food concoction, before popping the condiment ball into his mouth. But he then scrunched his face in disgust and looked down at Cujo.

"It missing something," he informed the pup.

Danny looked around the kitchen, and his eyes quickly fell upon a pot on the stove. He grinned up at George. "Is that what I had for dinner?"

George nodded and gave him a weak smile, knowing just what the tot was thinking. "Here, Prince Phantom, I'll do it for you. It's really hot."

Danny nodded and watched the chef pick up the _unconventional _meal for Cujo and walk over to the stove. With a sigh, George added a large spoonful of the soupy veggie and grains dish.

The adult ghost then grabbed a spoon out of a nearby cabinet before returning to the Ghost Prince and setting the bowl down on the counter again. The child thanked him as he grabbed the spoon and stirred the food concoction. Then, with a little bit of blowing, Danny sampled what he made.

"Yes! It is good now!" The tot looked over at George and offered him a spoonful. "Here! Try it! You should make this for my mommy and daddy and me!"

George replied with a small, nervous chuckle. "I'm sure it is very good, young Ghost Prince. But, if it is all the same to you, I'll just take your word for it. But I'll remember your request for a future meal," he said kindly, while mentally adding, _"A much __**later**__ future meal."_

Danny shrugged before flying down and placing the bowl on the floor for Cujo, who immediately dug in.

"It is good, right?" the tot asked, licking the spoon, while his dog barked in response.

Danny placed the spoon down on the counter, before closing the boxes back up and sticking them back into the cabinet. By the time he had returned to his eating companion's side, George was just about done wiping the mess the child had made.

Just as the Ghost Prince sat on the same countertop he had used to prepare Cujo's lunch, George asked, "Do _you_ want anything, young Prince?"

Danny shook his head. "No, thanks. I already eat," he replied, while he watched his companion gobble up his food.

"Alright, Prince Phantom," George answered as he moved away to put away the extra bowls.

Danny briefly watched after the chef, but then his gaze lingered off and he suddenly became quiet. As the tot began to think of an earlier thought, his tail, which was hanging off the counter, started to slowly sway from side to side. His eyebrows then scrunched up as the thought became more pressing. But as his eyes absently drifted over to the kitchen's exit, he finally made a quick decision.

He got off the counter and flew over to a 'cookie jar' on another counter. He lifted up the glass lid and grabbed one of the baked goods within.

"Now, remember that you cannot have too many sweets this late in the day, young Ghost Prince," George spoke up, noticing the child's doings.

"I not," Danny answered with a smile. "It is not for me." He looked over at Cujo, and said, "You finish your food. I be back, okay?"

The puppy gave him an unsure look at first, but it quickly melted, and he barked his agreement.

"Bye, George, I see you later!" Danny said with a wave, before flying out of the kitchen.

"Oh… Okay. Good-bye, Prince--" George said, watching after the tot, only to then quizzically mumble, "Now, where is he going?"

* * *

Danny quickly arrived at the Island of Emotions. And with a focused frown, he zipped through the place, his mind already set on a specific destination. He knew that he didn't have a lot of time left. The green Energy Novas around him were already dimming and turning into their evening purple color.

That meant, his bedtime was approaching, and being that his parents wanted him to take it easy today, they probably would make him turn in even earlier. In fact, they most likely wouldn't be happy with his flying at the moment. But… he just _had_ to come…

As he expected, Danny soon got the attention of certain little ghosts when he flew by their abodes up in the trees.

He stopped his flight as the Butterfly-Fairies surrounded him; but then, one in specifically fluttered down on his shoulder and turned into her fairy appearance. Danny knew she was the leader of the little ghosts. And the tot also believed her to be the prettiest.

She had beautiful blue hair---the same color as Ember, Danny suddenly realized. But it was _much_ longer. The little fairy leader's hair traveled way pass her back and she kept it braded back. Her eyes were the same shade of blue as her hair; and her soft green and blue wings changed into different arrays of colors every time she flapped them. Her bosom and pelvic area were covered in pieces of fabric the color of dried brown leaves, its unique design also somewhat resembling autumn vegetation.

Although the Butterfly-Fairy was small---about five inches tall---she had a _big_ feisty temper, and was also just as mischievous. But the Prince found her and the other little ghosts truly delightful---especially, when he played with them. But at the moment, he was not here to visit them.

The leading Butterfly-Fairy gave the Ghost Prince a playful little smile, before leaning over and whispering into his ear.

Danny smiled, but shook his head. "Sorry, Lu. I cannot play right now," he answered.

She tilted her head at him and frowned. But then noticing the treat in the tot's hand, she grinned at him and then pointed at herself.

The Ghost Prince giggled. "Yes, it is for you." And hearing the other Butterfly-Fairies around him flap their wings harder, so to get his attention, he added to them, "And you all, too!"

Delighted, the Butterfly-fairy named 'Lu' fluttered her wings; and their hue immediately became a bright orange, before melding into a crimson one, and then back to their natural blue-green color when she stopped. She quickly placed her tiny hand on the child's cheek and whispered to him again.

"Yes. I play next time with you. Here, take it. It is your favorite flavor," Danny said, lifting up the treat. It was comical how the large cookie loomed over the Butterfly-Fairy on the child's shoulder. And yet, it was no problem for the small ghost.

Lu giggled, before gesturing to her companions to come closer. Together, the six other Butterfly-Fairies turned into their fairy forms and moved around the treat.

Danny smiled as the treat was removed from his hand; and with a thankful wave, the six small ghosts flew up into the trees, vanishing within them with the treat. The tot looked back at Lu, who was still standing on his shoulder, and smiled, "I have to go," he told her.

The fairy leader nodded; but then, she leaned in closer and gave the Ghost Prince a kiss on his lower lip. Obviously, Lu took the term 'butterfly kisses' quite literally—not that Danny mind, anyways. Quite the contrary.

Lu giggled when she quickly pulled away, before waving at him, and then finally changing into a butterfly again. Smiling, Danny just watched her disappear into the tree canopy above to join her companions.

But his gaze eventually drifted towards some rock formations in the distance. He hesitated a bit; but then with a small smile, he continued onward.

Danny soon hovered above several cave openings; he looked between them all, trying to decide which he should enter. His aunt had told him the 'human toy' was in one of the caves, but she had not said which one.

The Ghost Prince decided to pick the largest, and entered it. But a moment later, he flew back out at not finding anything. He tried a few other ones beside it but came up with the same empty results. His lips quickly pursed in frustration.

How was he supposed to know which cave it was? There were so many! And not only that, some of the caves had caves within themselves; they had tunnels leading to who knew where! Or, at least, _he_ didn't know. The tot rarely explored very deep into these labyrinth-like caverns out of fear of getting lost or trapped within them…

Danny looked up at the dimming Energy Novas, and sighed dejectedly, realizing his chances of finding the right cave before dusk was very slim. But then, just when he was starting to have second thoughts again and was about to give up, he spotted a sealed cave. The rocks had come down on each other, closing off any entrance into the cave. That is, except for the small hole, just large enough for _him_ to get through.

Danny flew closer to it and peered in. Thanks to his enhanced vision, the utter darkness of the cave did not impede him from seeing what was inside. And what was inside was exactly what he was looking for…

Suddenly excited, he pushed his head through the small hole without any thought; but then, he grunted when he couldn't get his shoulders through the space. He momentarily grumbled at the unmovable rocks around him, but then, quickly tried going intangible; however, he instantly discovered the rock's material was made of something through which he couldn't phase. Not that this material was rare. In fact, it was very much like the commonly-used impassable materials of which most ghost homes and items—like beds--were made.

Danny pulled out his head from the small hole, before trying to enter again, just at a slightly different angle. And much to his excitement, all it took was a bit of wedging through and he finally got in. He gave the small cave a quick look around, before flying over to the 'Spayship.'

He looked down at it with indecisive eyes for a moment. But the pull, _the urge_—which was the very same one that had finally convinced him to seek out the human toy---ultimately won over the little voice in his head that kept telling him what he was doing was wrong. He quickly grabbed the human toy, all the while wishing to understand just why he had such an attraction to this object. But all he knew was that it was an attraction that he could not resist.

Just like the first time he had seen it, Danny had no trouble holding onto the human object. With a smile, he carefully pushed one of the buttons, and his ears were greeted by the echoing of the familiar rocket noises. The lights on the spaceship also went off like last time; however, when the rays of light touched the cave walls, the rocks and something in the back of the cavern reflected the lights back towards the tot.

Danny yelped at the unexpected assault of lights on his eyes, and quickly dropped the toy in his surprise. He blinked back the dots in his vision, before staring around the cave. And when he realized it was just the gems embedded into the rocks that had been the cause of the 'light show', he let out a sigh of relief. But the child had clearly seen that the refection that came from the back of the cave had been the strongest, and he soon saw why.

In the very back of the cave, Danny could see a small silver puddle of water, reminding him of rainwater or the silver lake that the mermaid-like ghosts resided. Curious of where the silver water could have come from, he slowly picked up the spaceship he had dropped and floated over to investigate.

But the instant he reached the back of the small cavern, Danny realized that the puddle was not a puddle at all, but rather, a _very_ deep underwater passage leading to who-knew-where. But that was not what had really caught the child's attention…

Completely tense, Danny stared wide-eyed at the bizarre object floating in the middle of the pool of silver water. It looked nothing like the toy currently in his hands, but by its strange appearance the tot was certain the objects were related…

"Another human toy?" he murmured, confused.

Danny slowly got closer, before sitting at the edge of the pool, his tail nervously coiling around him. For a long while all he did was gaze at the new object; until, suddenly, he reached out and quickly touched it with a single finger.

The Ghost Prince recoiled his hand when his touch caused the object to rock from side to side; but… it still stayed afloat. He stared at it some more; however, no matter how long he tried to ponder its purpose, or why it was just so… bizarre, he drew a blank.

There just was no way for the tot to know that he was staring at a toy version of a boat---let alone know its purpose. And even if he could know, he would not understand any of it.

Slowly, Danny ripped away his eyes from the toy boat and looked back at the spaceship in his hands. He pressed another button on it, only to frown when nothing happened.

"Oh-o. I broke it," Danny said worriedly, remembering how he had dropped it on the hard ground. He tried a button again but nothing happened. The tot then shook it, before placing his hand against it, trying to sense something from it as if it were alive. But he felt nothing.

However, the Ghost Prince's distress did not last long. The shake he had given the toy had managed to get it to work again. He grinned in delight when he pressed a button again and it finally did what he was expecting...

"_NASA, this is Explorer Hartman; requesting permission to take off." _

"Huh?" Danny mumbled, not understanding a thing the toy had said—that is, if it had said anything at all. Maybe it was just more strange noises like the rocket sounds…

"_Take off in 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Blast off!"_

Danny blinked. But, then, as if realizing something, he pressed that same button again. He listened to the weird 'noises' carefully; and probably listened to it six more times, before he discovered something.

"_Take_. _One. _…Hey! That is Human Speech!" Danny exclaimed. "It is not noise! It is Human Speech!"

He quickly listened to it, a frown of concentration on his face as he tried to make out more. But, in the end, he didn't understand most of what it was saying. The only thing he understood was the word 'take' and 'one'. And the word 'off' he recognized, too, but couldn't remember what it meant.

The tot had never heard anything inanimate talk, let alone talk in _Human_ _Speech_! The new discovery suddenly piqued his desire to learn even more about that unknown language! Too bad his father never liked Human Speech. The tot was sure he would learn it faster if both his parents taught him---and not just his mom.

And the fact that his mother never spoke to him in Human Speech when his father was around, only made it more difficult for Danny to learn it. And the four-year-old didn't even try to talk Human Speech to his dad. The only time the tot had spoken the language to Vlad, his father had just given him a small smile. But the Prince could tell it was forced. Later, the child ended up overhearing his father telling his mother that he did not understand why she taught him that language. His dad had also said something about him not needing it…

Danny didn't really remember why. He had been too upset with hearing his father's _upset_ _voice_ to stay and hear anymore.

The Ghost Prince quickly frowned when the thought triggered the memory of when his Aunt Spectra had given him the 'spayship'---or, more specifically, the memory of some of her words she had said to him that day. She had said he could not tell his parents about it because they would take it away…

The tot was now sure she was right. They _would_ take the human toy away---or, at least, he was certain his father would. If his dad didn't like Human Speech, there was no way he would like a toy that spoke Human Speech.

Danny sighed as he lowered the spaceship and looked back at the boat. He leaned forward, staring down into the pool's depth, but he really couldn't see where it ended. He made a mental note to find out on another time.

Without anymore hesitation, the Ghost Prince reached out and plucked the new toy out of the water. He curiously studied its structure and details; and the more he did, the more it awed him.

He eventually put it back in the water, only that he placed it upside down, resulting in the boat's taking on water and then beginning to sink.

Danny gasped at the sight and quickly grabbed the toy before it could go under. He then dumped the gathered water off of it, before placing it back in the correct position. He grinned when it stayed afloat again.

But then he noticed that small waves had formed on the once calm, silver pool of water when he had placed the toy upon it; and the floating boat in turn rocked with the movement. The sight only encouraged the child to use his hands to create more turbulence in the water..

The Ghost Prince couldn't contain his excitement any longer, and he squealed in delight. As he continued to play with the apparently harmless toys, a set of red eyes watched him from above the roof of the cave, dark mirth glowing in those eyes.

The creature, appearing to be a beetle, observed Danny for a moment longer; but then, it silently crawled its way out of the cave, finally leaving the tot truly by himself. As soon as the ghost bug left through the small hole, it made sure there was no one around, before it quickly changed forms. It was Bertrand.

The shape-shifting ghost chuckled smugly as he gave the small cavern behind him one last look. "Stupid kid," he said out loud, before flying off the island completely.

* * *

The next day found the royal family gathered in the courtyard. By now, Vlad and Desiree had gotten over their squabble and Danny looked as healthy as ever. The three were definitely in a much cheerier mood than yesterday. However, the parents and tot were not alone in the courtyard.

Skulker, Fright Knight, Dora, and Cujo were also there, already mounted on their modes of transportation, and waiting for the royal family to climb onto theirs.

Mounted on a Pegasus, Skulker turned slightly in his saddle and said to his friend, "If we do not get moving, we are going to be late, Plasmius."

Desiree and Danny quickly mounted a monstrous white hawk just as Skulker spoke to the King. Right afterward, Vlad joined his wife and son, mounting the hawk just in front of them.

Dora laughed from the Pegasus she was on. "Mi' lord does make a truthful utterance!"

"Don't defend him," Skulker grumbled, shooting the dragon-maid a mocked annoyed look.

Dora merely giggled.

"I would agree with you, Skulker," Desiree spoke up, also smirking. "But, then, I wouldn't be a good wife, now, would I?"

Plasmius grinned triumphantly at his best friend, while nodding his head in agreement with the ghost mage's words.

Skulker threw his raised, bored eyebrow over at Fright Knight who was calmly watching the exchange. "Well? Are you going to say anything? Considering everyone else has…," the hunter commented dryly.

The King's top general shrugged uncaringly. "Our time of arrival is irrelevant to me. I will depart once my liege and lady wishes it so."

The hunter rolled his eyes. "Of course…," he mumbled in annoyance, crossing his arms.

"We go now!" Danny suddenly exclaimed, eager to get going.

"Hmm, Daniel seems to agree with you, Skulker," Plasmius commented smugly. "In that case… Fright Knight, lead the way."

"Gladly," the ghost warrior replied with an amused chuckle.

Skulker sighed helplessly at his friends' antics, but it was obvious the hunter was more amused than anything else.

"Hold onto Cujo, Danny. You know how jumpy he gets on departures," Desiree said, while she wrapped her own hands around the tot.

Danny nodded and grasped the energetic puppy tighter.

Vlad smiled down at his son, before watching Nightmare lead the other Pegasuses into flight. Once they were a distance away, Vlad looked down at the hawk-like creature--his own personal preference for long distance travels.

"Falko, it's all you, old friend," the King said to the large ghost.

The enormous hawk cawed its reply before opening its twenty-foot-long wings; and with the use of its talons, it gathered enough impulse to become airborne with just one strong flap of its wings.

"Now, Daniel, remember what I told you?" Vlad asked, looking down at the tot as they flew towards their destination.

"Yes! I wait for you and mommy outside of the High Tribunal. And stay with Cujo always until you and mommy come back. No wonder off. And be good; you be back soon!" Danny recited very proudly.

"That's right," Vlad said, smiling. "But if you need your mother or myself, just let one of the guards at the doors know; they will tell us, alright?"

Danny nodded in response. He already knew how the council proceedings went when both his parents attended it. Because he was not allowed to attend the _actual_ High Tribunal gatherings, the tot would either stay with Dora at the castle, or go with his parents but wait for them outside the room. But, today, Dora was with them, so his only option was to go with his parents and wait for them until they were done.

But the Ghost Prince did not mind. He liked traveling places with his parents; plus, when he did go to the High Tribunal territory, he often got to see ghosts that he didn't see on a regular basis---Like Wulf!

Soon, the group of ghosts neared a particular floating door. It was the same one that Danny and Vlad had taken yesterday to shorten their way to get to Horris' home. But the High Tribunal was at the end of the Realm Beyond Time; so even with the short-cut, they had at least an hour travel ahead.

The door suddenly expanded, allowing the Pegasus to fly straight through it. But even with the door's enlargement, the white falcon appeared too large to go through it as had the flying horses. However, the creature had a small trick of its own that would allow it to use the short-cut.

With a flap of its wings, the ghost bird altered its flight, circling back and effectively placing more space between itself and the door. But an instant later, it shot forward, its large wings flattening back against its body as it zoomed straight through the door like a speeding arrow.

Danny squeezed his eyes shut as a flash of light enveloped him. But as quickly as it came, it vanished; and when his eyes opened again, he found himself in a new part of the Ghost World. Looking back, the tot watched as the expanded door shrunk back to its normal size before closing shut.

As they flew on, Danny let go of Cujo. The pup walked across the large bird's back before settling near its rump, where he began to lick leisurely at one of his paws.

The Prince, too, moved out of his mother's hold and went to sit on his father's lap. "Make an energy ball, Daddy!" the tot enthusiastically commanded, looking up at the King.

Vlad nodded, "If you help."

"Okay!" Danny agreed before lighting his hands with ecto-energy. With a concentrated frown, the child began to make the flames in his hands come together unto one small sphere.

The King then placed his hands just above his son's own and forced some of his energy within the green sphere his son had made. But instead of his usual red energy, he used a blue form, knowing the softer type of energy would not harm his son. Unlike other ghosts who could only will just one specific kind of energy, Plasmius could will many kinds---but his preferred energy would always be the red type as Danny's would always be the green type…

Vlad slowly expanded the ball by continuing to inject his son's sphere with his created blue energy; in turn, his actions forced the four-year-old to push out his own energy and will more of it, so that his green energy continued to surround his father's blue one. The trick was one the two commonly performed; and while the King mainly did it for the purpose of encouraging his son's energy to develop, the Prince simply found the exercise entertaining.

Desiree watched her two 'boys' with a smile; but then with a playful look, she inconspicuously flicked her right hand in their direction, and a small amount of her pink energy shot out and penetrated the ball.

Vlad and Danny gasped when their growing sphere suddenly changed into the shape of a star right in their hands; it then quickly lifted up and began spinning rapidly around itself, making a live version of the symbol on the family's chests.

But as quickly as the little trick came, it disappeared and dissolved into the atmosphere. The tot giggled, while the father looked at his wife and chuckled.

Desiree got closer to the two, and grinned suggestively at her husband. "I've been thinking… Why don't we go somewhere? Just the three of us? Far away from the castle…and the commotion?"

Vlad smirked softly. "Hmm… I like the idea. But just _how_ far away do you want to go?"

Desiree tapped her lips thoughtfully. "I am not sure…" But she then playfully grinned when she asked, "Just how far do we _need_ to go to make _you_ forget for a few days that you are _King Plasmius_?"

"Why do you want Daddy to forget his royal name?" Danny suddenly asked his mom, confused.

The two parents chuckled at the tot's question; but like with most of their banter, Danny didn't get what was so funny, either.

"Well, How about the Kristalo Maro? Daniel has never been there; and it is at least a three day flight. Is that far away enough for _you_ to forget for a short time that you are _Queen_ Desiree?" Plasmius asked, raising a cocky eyebrow.

Danny frowned in frustration. What were his parents talking about? But ignoring their insistence to forget their names, the child instead asked about what he did understand.

"We are going to go somewhere?" Danny asked, hopeful.

"That's right," Vlad replied, looking at his son with a smile.

But then, Desiree added, "And your father has just suggested the perfect place." She turned her eyes towards her husband as she added, "We haven't been to Kristalo Maro in years."

"What is there?" Danny asked with an interested smile.

"Well, it has the largest _and warmest_ body of water anywhere," Vlad happily explained. "And those very waters are so clear, they gleam like crystals. But you know what else, little Phantom?" the father continued, bending forward to whisper in his son's ear. "At night, those very waters _sing_."

Danny grinned up at the older ghost, and exclaimed. "Yes! We go there!"

Desiree smile widened. "But the Crystal Sea is not the only thing there, Danny. You are going to see many more wonderful things. But I say the best part is that _we_ will be together with nothing to bother us."

The Ghost Prince looked ecstatic with the fact. There was nothing he wanted more than to just have fun with his parents, away from the castle! If they were not home, the tot did not have to worry about his father leaving him or his mother having to do things that kept her from playing with him. It would be perfect!

And maybe that's what they meant by forgetting their names! They wouldn't have to do the stuff they had to at home! And if that was the case, then---

"I want to forget my name, too!" Danny exclaimed. "We go tomorrow! And after we forget our names, we can play all day!"

His parents laughed heartedly as their child's words. But then Vlad added with a smirk, "Sounds like a plan, Daniel."

As the royal family continued to talk and make plans for their coming trip, Skulker and Dora were up ahead, also talking. After having gotten a wink from Fright Knight, the ghost warrior had flown up ahead, leaving the hunter alone with the dragon maid.

And _they_ were also making their own plans….and declarations. Skulker really liked the female ghost; but because of his… condition, he never tried to initiate anything with her---not that his condition really impeded him from _forming_ a family some day. But the hunter did have his own self-doubts to struggle with at times.

But a talk with his best friend yesterday finally convinced Skulker to take a 'step forward'. After the King had cleverly left the hunter with the hint of the dragon maid's possibly having an interest in him as well, Skulker had not been able to bear the suspense any longer. And so, he had summoned the courage to court Dora.

"Would you be interested?" Skulker asked, sounding uncharacteristically shy.

Dora, who had a bright white blush on her face, smiled at the hunter. "But, of course, Sir Skulker! I would be delighted to accompany you to such a lovely place."

"Excellent!" Skulker said with a smile; but then he frowned as he hesitantly asked, "I am aware that you no longer live with your kin, Dora. But would your brother…"

Although he trailed off, the dragon maid understood his concern. "I am unsure if he would consent with your---" She blushed again when she said, "---courting me. However, I have long since broken from his customs and decree. His approval is of no significance to me," she assured him with a small smile.

"You are as strong as you are beautiful, Dora," Skulker said, admiringly.

Dora gave him a shy smile. "And you are quite flattering, Sir Skulker."

"Just 'Skulker' is enough," he replied, warmly.

She nodded, and was about to say something when the Ghost Prince's happy giggles reached her and Skulker. The two looked back at the royal couple flying behind them; and, immediately, a warm smile lighted Dora's face.

The dragon maid was certain she had never seen such a perfect little family. It was admirable. And it made her desire to have one just like it, too, someday. She never had anyone show true interest in her---not even from her own kin. Then again, she never cared for the courting of any dragon male. They were all typically as closed-minded as her brother. She didn't want that. She wanted someone different. She wanted a different life.

She glanced over at Skulker, but she quickly looked away when he caught her gaze. She hoped this was her chance for that difference. The male ghost beside her was very honorable and respectful. She knew quite well of his unfortunate happenings. But that did not take away from the fact that he was a good ghost with a strong core.

"I wonder what it is that has the whelp so excited," Skulker suddenly murmured, pulling the dragon maid out of her thoughts.

Dora looked at him and saw that the hunter was staring back at the royal family. She, too, looked back and smiled at them. "Well, the Prince does have both of his parents with him. He has every reason to be excited. And the King and Queen look equally as happy."

Dora smiled warmly again, but her look was specifically directed towards her best friend. "You know, the Prince has truly been a blessing. Milady had desired an offspring for so long… It is wonderful to see that her wish came true, is it not?"

Skulker nodded. "Yes… but for Plasmius as well…"

The male ghost had to agree that his best-_friends_ were much _happier_ now with the child. The pair was—and Skulker was certain they would _always_ be---inseparable. But with the pup around, their relationship had appeared to gain…something extra---something… special.

"_I am actually glad I did not convince Plasmius into giving up that pup….,"_ the hunter thought, a smile forming on his face.

He had to admit that even _he_ had grown fond of the whelp---not that he would ever openly admit it…. But he had. And at this point, the hunter had to even admit that he did not look at the child as anything less than his best-friends' _real_ offspring. And that single fact made Skulker fiercely protective of the Ghost Prince.

The hunter smiled back at Dora, but she had turned forward again. Maybe having a whelp himself someday would not be as terrible as he had once believed…. His little niece, Ember, was a true delight. And even the pup behind him, as annoying as he could get, was… _bearable_. A child of his own shouldn't be so bad…

Skulker suddenly frowned. Where had _that_ odd thought even come from? The male ghost shook his head with mild amusement, deciding that that's what came from spending so much time around Vlad. But, in all seriousness, the hunter was not looking to form offspring any time soon. He still had a lot of hunts to go on before _he _would settled down.

* * *

The moment they landed at the High Tribunal terrain, the royal couple was greeted by the sight of a ghost who was particularly dear to them, and who had been patiently waiting for them. But it was Danny who looked the happiest to see their greeter.

"CLOCKWORK!" the child screamed, barely waiting for the white hawk he was on to land before flying off it and zooming to hug his guardian.

"Hello, Danny," the Time Master greeted him with a warm smile when the tot collided into his adult form's strong chest and hugged him. In turn, the wise male ghost wrapped his other, staff-free hand around the four-year-old.

Danny giggled and just hugged Clockwork tighter; but he then pulled away and looked up at his mentor, saying, "I miss you! You no come to visit me for a long time!"

The time ghost nodded, an apologetic smile growing on his face. "Yes, I realize that. Unfortunately, I have been kept busy, lately".

"Surely not by _me_," Plasmius suddenly interrupted, coming up in front of the time ghost with his wife in hand.

Clockwork smirked as he let go of Danny. "No… I am never _that_ lucky…"

The King chuckled before he gave the ghost a hug, followed by Desiree. But as the rest of the ghosts present greeted Clockwork, Danny noticed another familiar ghost up ahead, guarding the entrance of the largest structure on the terrain---the actual tribunal building.

Wulf had been so busy, he had yet to notice the Ghost Prince; and hence, the ghost werewolf had not noticed the tot sneak up on him until it was too late.

"WULF!" Danny shouted in the large ghost's ears.

The huge ghost let out a startled yelp, while he instinctively drew out his large claws. But at the sound of that familiar laugh, the werewolf just as quickly settled down again.

"My Prince," Wulf said with a relieved sigh. "You got me again…"

The child slowly managed to get his giggles under control and nodded proudly. "You too easy, Wulf!"

The large ghost replied by picking up the tot and licking his entire face. "And now I got you, my friend!" '

"Eww! Wulf!" Danny protested, trying to wipe the slobber off his face.

But before the ghost werewolf could say anymore, Danny's parents---still accompanied by Fright Knight, Dora, and Skulker, but, now, also, Clockwork--- arrived at the doors.

"You know, Wulf, Danny already had a bath…," Desiree said, raising an amused eyebrow.

But Vlad quickly smirked, and answered for Wulf, "Well, he obviously believed you missed a spot, Des."

Sharing the same happy moment with the others, the ghost werewolf grinned in amusement—well, except for Danny, who just rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Wulf gave the royal couple a small greeting bow, before also addressing the other ghosts with them.

"I have been meaning to talk to you about something," Plasmius told Wulf, while giving the ghost a significant look that everyone except for Danny noticed.

Wulf nodded. "Then, I will wait for you after the gathering."

Knowing he needed to head inside, Vlad quickly thanked Wulf, before finally entering the High Tribunal, along with those accompanying him. Danny was the last one to go in since he had momentarily stayed behind to tell Wulf that he needed to come by the castle to play with him soon. And, of course, the ghost werewolf happily agreed.

When the tot finally caught up to the adults walking through a large hallway, he heard his father speaking to Clockwork.

"I'm actually quite surprised that you didn't decide to skip this meeting today, Clockwork. Is it possible that you have turned over a new leaf?" Vlad asked in a teasing voice.

Danny's guardian smirked. "That depends. Would _requesting_ to 'skip' before doing so be considered as such?"

Vlad gave the ghost a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Clockwork stopped, just as he and those with him were a few feet from the largest entrance around them. The Time Master knew that it was past those doors that the coming meeting would be held. But he had not come here with the intention of attending that meeting…

"I had _guessed_ you would be bringing Danny with you," the Time Master began to explain. "He is the main reason I am here. I would like to take him to my clock-tower for the duration of the gathering. That is, if you excuse my attending this tribunal gathering in favor of my doing so. Surely, I would not be missing anything I do not already know…" Clockwork ended, raising an amused eyebrow.

But Plasmius did not share the sentiment; instead, he frowned, but then glanced over at his wife, who shrugged at his silent question. The King sighed as he looked back at the time ghost, and said, "I have no trouble with you taking him, Clockwork. What bothers me is that you want to do so during such an important meeting. Even if you already know _most_ of what will be decided in there today, your presence is still important. But we have been through all this before. I do not think I need to further explain myself."

Clockwork turned into his child form as he calmly replied to the King, "No, you do not. But I am _also_ certain my presence will not be needed for this trial…"

The time ghost suddenly smirked again as he then cleverly added, "But if that does not convince you, then, perhaps the obvious fact that your son would be much happier in my company would? At least,_ I_ believe I could entertain him a little better than this empty hallway…," Clockwork ended, waving his staff to regard their current location, knowing the tot usually waited for his parents out here until they were done with their important meetings.

"Hmm…" was Vlad's only reply, though, the small, amused smile on his face said it all. He looked down at the tot, who had a hopeful grin on his face after having heard the conversation.

"What do you think, Daniel? Would you be interested in going with Clockwork while your mother and I attend this meeting?" the King asked even when he already knew the answer he would receive.

"Yes!" Danny shouted, clapping his hands together. "I go with him!"

Vlad let out a mocking sigh of surrender, before smirking back at the Time Master. "Alright, Clockwork… He's all yours." But just as quickly as his smile had come, it vanished; and Plasmius raised an eyebrow as he told Clockwork, "Don't forget to keep him away from your time…. _things_."

Clockwork turned into his old form, a calm smile on his face. "I would never forget... However, that brings me to my next thought: there will be no need for you to come for Danny after the tribunal gathering. I will be bringing him home for you."

Vlad smiled. "A favor for a favor, it is then---considering I am going to have to come up with a reasonable explanation to excuse you from the Observants in there."

"You are a clever king, Vlad. You will manage," Clockwork assured him with a knowing smile.

The time ghost waited for the King and Queen to say their good-byes and 'behave' speeches to their son, before grasping the tot's hand and leading him out of the building. Cujo, noticing his companion leaving, quickly followed after him.

Danny waved when they passed by Wulf on their way out. But the child then regarded his guardian with an excited voice. "We go to your home, Clockwork?"

"Yes, we are," the time ghost calmly replied.

"What we do there?" the tot continued happily.

Clockwork halted a distance from the courtroom, and looked down at the child with a stern look. "You and I are going to _talk_."

Danny blinked nervously at his guardian, already knowing what his look meant. "About what?" he asked hesitantly.

"I think you know," Clockwork replied, raising an eyebrow.

Danny quickly looked away, but still gave him a timid nod of his head. He wasn't totally sure just what it was that his guardian wanted to speak about. But he had a vague idea, especially when the child knew that there was nothing he could keep from Clockwork---even if he wanted to.

"However," Clockwork spoke up again, capturing the four-year-old's full attention once more, "it needs to wait until we are alone." As he said this, the time ghost's eyes lowered to his staff, and he quickly began to adjust the small clock adorning the top of his time staff. . Then, with a single press of the button on top of the clock, the tot, the ghost puppy, and he were teleported to his abode.

Danny watched as the blue sphere around them disappeared, leaving him free to roam his guardian's abode. And with a soft giggle, he did just that. But the tot had a specific destination in mind as he flew over to a bookshelf.

"Danny?" Clockwork called, amusement sneaking past his calm voice.

But the tot just shot him a sneaky grin, before he flew up to the highest shelf and pulled out a specific book. The instant the Ghost Prince touched it, the book began glowing and grew warm. Danny gently placed a hand on the book, allowing a bit of his green ghost energy to caress it.

"Hi, Libro," he whispered down at the book.

Instantly, the book gave a shudder; but then its covers suddenly flew open and it lifted out of the tot's hands, finally hovering on its own just above them. The book's pages just as quickly began to flip in front of Danny's eyes, but they were all blank. Still, the book soon stopped at a specific blank page.

The Ghost Prince grinned when, as if by magic, writing began to appear on the blank page. _**"Hello, my Ghost Prince…,"**_ the book wrote out.

And even when the four-year-old did not know how to read, Danny recognized his title and could guess the book was addressing him; also, the book's growing warmth, only added to the fact that it was happy to 'see' the child.

Danny opened his mouth to say something to the book, but Clockwork chose at that moment to fly up behind the levitated, opened book. Without a word, he used his hands to gently close Libro in front of the tot.

Danny pouted at his guardian, who just raised an impassive eyebrow that told the tot that his sulking look was not going to make the time ghost change his mind.

"You never let me play with Libro," the four-year-old murmured, reaching out towards the book and brushing his fingers against its rim.

Libro shuddered with the boy's touch once more.

"He is not for you, Danny," Clockwork replied calmly, before turning from the tot and opening the book.

"_**Perhaps when he's older…?"**_ Libro wrote, before the book mischievously shook within the Time Master's hands.

Danny flew up higher and looked over his guardian's shoulder, curiously asking, "What he saying?"

Clockwork turned his head slightly to glance at the tot over his shoulder, while a small smile curled the old ghost's lips. But he didn't answer Danny; and, instead, turned back to Libro and replied, "Yes…_Perhaps_…"

The male ghost closed the book again and then finally placed it back in the bookshelf. Danny pouted at first, but then sighed in defeat.

However, when his eyes wondered over to a particular area of the home, the Prince smiled and went over to the familiar, large crystal dome in the center of the room. He stared into the odd, green swirling mist within the sphere, before reaching out and touching it.

"What is this, Clockwork?" the Ghost Prince asked, watching as the swirling mist sped up under his touch.

The Time Master, who had floated to another part of the room, placed his staff down, before moving over to the tot. As he did, he calmly replied, "You ask me that every time you come here, Danny. You know I am not going to tell you. So, then, why continue to ask?"

Danny shrugged, and then looked at his guardian. "Because maybe you tell me one day," he answered with a hopeful smile.

Clockwork smirked. "It will not be _today_ if that is what you are hoping for."

The tot giggled. "But you do tell me one day! I know!"

"Yes. One day," the male ghost agreed, before gesturing to the child to come closer, so that he could pick him up.

But Danny playfully shook his head and even floated away a bit from the other ghost. The four-year-old quickly glanced around the room, clearly planning on making his guardian catch him. But when the child's eyes noticed the time staff a distance away, his plans changed.

But the Time Master, too, noticed it.

"Danny," Clockwork said with a bit of warning in his voice.

However, the Ghost Prince responded by narrowing his eyes at his guardian, mischief written all over those green orbs. Then, without warning, the tot flew at full speed towards the staff.

The time ghost just sighed, before calmly stretching out a hand towards his staff. And just as Danny reached the time tool and wrapped his hands around it, the staff vanished right out of them.

Danny gasped in surprise; but then, he spun to look at his guardian. He pouted when he saw the staff was in Clockwork's hand.

"You always do that…" the young ghost murmured, annoyed.

"And you always do _that_," the wise ghost retorted in his usual tranquil voice, referring to the tot's intent with trying to grab his time staff.

"Now," he then said, floating over to where Danny was. He placed his staff down again, only to pause and raise an eyebrow at the four-year-old when he saw the Prince look at the time tool with intent again.

Clearly perceiving his guardian's silent warning, Danny mumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms. He was giving up for now, but the tot was determined to someday hold Clockwork's staff.

As if reading his thoughts, a small, pleased smile ghosted the Time Master's face. But when he spoke again, his calm look had returned. "We need to talk, remember?"

"Yes…" the Ghost Prince replied, a smile forming on his mouth. "But… I want to play!" he exclaimed, suddenly flying around his guardian, and then grasping him around the neck.

Clockwork couldn't help but shake his head with mirth and smile. But he then nodded in agreement. "We will play as much as you want; I will even let you see some of my clocks. _However_, it will only be _after_ we speak," he said, raising an unwavering eyebrow at the child.

"Okay!" Danny agreed, the offer too enticing to refuse. "We talk now. And then we play with the clocks!"

Clockwork smiled, before grabbing the tot's hand and bringing him around. He quietly carried Danny deeper into his home; and even as he changed from an old man to a child, he still had no trouble with the task.

Danny watched as they passed by different hallways, many of them filled with all types of clocks, most of them completely weird-looking to him. But he was used to all the strange things in his guardian's home. And he was even more used to asking about them, and rarely receiving an answer. Still, it never discouraged the Ghost Prince from asking. He had a feeling Clockwork would give him the answers some day.

Arriving at a nook lit with soft, blue flames licking at the lamps suspended in mid-air above the room, Clockwork moved towards a large, cushioned chair, and finally sat down with the tot. In turn, Danny made himself more comfortable on his guardian's lap, before looking up expectedly, and asking, "Okay. What you want to talk about?"

"I think you can guess, Danny," Clockwork replied, a serious look on his face. "After all, it must be on your mind as well…"

The Prince's eyes widened a bit, but he then quickly looked down at his hands. He blinked, searching his mind for what Clockwork could possibly mean. He looked back up at his mentor and knew by the older ghost's expression that he was serious. Maybe mad. What could make Clockwork mad? He blinked again. Then he thought he knew.

Now more focused on his thoughts because of Clockwork, the child didn't understand why he was suddenly feeling both fearful and relieved. He didn't like that. But he was just as sudden aware of how afraid he was of the _only_ _recent thing_ that had made him so uncomfortable. And the thought of talking about it to anyone, even to his guardian, didn't make him feel any better. But… the tot didn't like this…unsettling doubt, and it was more disturbing to him than his fear of talking about it.

Still not looking at the time ghost, the child finally let out a shaky sigh, before whispering, "I am confused."

"I'm sure you are," the guardian replied calmly. He paused, waiting for the Prince to say more; but when he did not, Clockwork sighed himself. "I do not want to see you get hurt, Danny. But there is nothing I can do to prevent that without hurting you in a far worse way."

Danny jolted a bit as he looked up at the other ghost with large eyes. Did his mentor just say that he would hurt him? He didn't understand that! But it couldn't be true!

"You no hurt me, Clockwork!" the four-year-old assured him. But he then placed a small hand against the Time Master's moving clock symbol, and softly added, "You… love me."

"I want you to pay close attention to me," Clockwork continued soberly, knowing he didn't need to confirm with words what the child could already feel. "You must be careful with what you are doing. Not everything that _looks_ to be good, _is_ good. "

The Ghost Prince just looked away again. He knew--he could _feel--_that Clockwork was tense and he was talking about something _very_ important. Danny really was trying to pay attention, but he couldn't understand everything his mentor was saying…

He looked back up at Clockwork. He frowned in dim understanding when he could see how his mentor's eyes were heavy with a sternness that...that seemed to want to… _warn_ _him_ about _something_.

But Danny couldn't take their confusing conversation any longer, especially when he had so many questions; and one in particular he just _needed_ to have answered right now.

"Clockwork….what is…. human?"

The Time Ghost remained silent, and Danny quickly looked up at him, fearing he had made his guardian angry. The child realized he was doing that a lot lately to those he loved…. But Clockwork's calm reply eased the tot's worry, only to add a new one.

"That is something you need to ask your parents, Danny."

The Ghost Prince's eyebrows creased in frustration. "But they will get mad! I do not like it when they get mad at me! And I not like it more when they get mad at _each_ _other!_"

"Why do you think they will be angry?" Clockwork answered back, his voice staying at the same volume despite the young ghost's exclamations.

Danny sighed and then shook his head. "I not know. I feel… they will."

Suddenly, the child could not take it any longer, and he burst out in an even louder voice what he really felt. "I like the human toys, Clockwork! I feel they are _bad_, but I _like_ them! I not know why! And I not know what they are! But… I want to know. But it confuse me! And… it, it…"

"It scares you," Clockwork finished for him with a gentle voice.

Danny just nodded sadly.

There was a small silence as Clockwork looked across the room in thought. Externally, the wise ghost looked as tranquil and composed as usual. But internally… Internally, he was trying to push down the urge to say what he _wanted_ to say, and, instead, get himself to say what he _should_…

Just when the tot was beginning to wonder why his guardian wasn't saying anything, the old ghost suddenly sighed, and then finally spoke, "I cannot tell you what to do, Danny... But if you feel the way you do, you have to understand it is probably for a _very_ good reason. Maybe those feelings are a warning to you…"

Clockwork paused at the sad look that overcame Danny's face; however, he didn't comment on it, and just continued, "As for your parents, I do not think they will be angry at you for asking them what you want to know. They might be _concerned_…. But not angry."

"They will take the toys away," Danny whimpered, now internally knowing what he should really do. But he still insisted, "They are not dangerous, Clockwork, really! They not hurt me! And they are nice, too!" Danny smiled as he got an idea. "I know! I will show them to you! You see, they are not bad!"

"Yes, you are probably right…. But even so, do you believe hiding those things from your parents is a good idea?" the time ghost asked as he changed from his adult form to his elderly one.

"I am not disobeying them…," Danny whispered hesitantly. "…Right?"

"You tell me, Danny," Clockwork replied seriously.

The Ghost Prince bowed his head in shame, before sadly whispering, "You want me to tell them about my 'secret', right?"

Clockwork's eyebrows creased, this time actual sadness overtaking his face as he repeated one of his earlier words, "I cannot tell you what to do, Danny. However…" He gently grabbed the tot's face and raised it, so that he was looking right at him. "---I am going to _ask_ you to do something. And I want you to promise me that you will do this no matter how unsure, or how confused, or how _afraid_, you may feel."

Danny nodded, even when a bit of worry had sprouted in his stomach with his mentor's intense words.

"Even if you decide not to tell them… your _secret_, I want you to _at least_ trust them with your _doubts." _But seeing the boy blink in confusion again after hearing that last word, the Time Master added, "Doubts are what confuse and scare you, Danny. They bring about _questions._ Promise me that whatever questions _you_ have you will ask your parents; _you will ask your father and mother_. _No one else_," the Time Master finished gravely.

Danny hesitated with his guardian's request, but then, he nodded, realizing it really was the least he could do. "I promise," he said softly, but truthfully.

Clockwork smiled sadly. "I want you to know I will always watch over you. _Always_, Danny. Even in those times when it does not seem that I am, I will be."

Danny blinked for a moment; but he then suddenly giggled. "You say funny things sometimes, Clockwork!"

"Yes…sometimes…," the time ghost agreed with a small sigh.

"Do not worry, Clockwork," Danny asked, before assuring him, "When I get home, I will ask my mommy and daddy about 'human', okay? And I will ask them other questions when I think of more."

"Good," Clockwork replied, smiling calmly again. "And be _careful_, too."

"I will!" Danny said with a confident smile. He then gave a small bounce of excitement as he asked, "Are we finishing talking now? I want to play with your clocks!"

The guardian smirked. "I suppose we are done… _for now_," he added with a raised eyebrow.

Danny giggled before flying off Clockwork. He waited for him to stand up before grasping his mentor's hand. "I want to see the one that looks like your Ectoplasmic Signature first!" the child beamed, pointing at the small version of a grandfather clock within his guardian's body.

"I see no harm in showing you that one," Clockwork replied with a smile as he led the Ghost Prince to that specific clock.

* * *

A few hours later, Clockwork decided to take Danny home. And with the help of his time staff, he had himself, the child, and Cujo floating just a distance away from the castle.

Danny was clinging to his guardian, looking half-asleep. He yawned as he took in his surroundings, before smiling tiredly at the time ghost. "I am home."

Clockwork nodded. "Yes, and just in time, too. I think you might have worn yourself out," he said with a small amused smile.

The tot yawned again. "I want a nap," he then mumbled sleepily, before laying his head back against his guardian and closing his eyes.

But Clockwork did not reply, and just kept floating in place, his eyes looking off into the distance. A moment later, he softly asked the tot, "Danny, can you let Cujo carry you for a few minutes? There is something I have to do."

"Huh?" Danny replied, too tired to really get what he had said. But when he felt himself being moved, he gave his guardian a questioning look.

Cujo, having heard the Time Master's words, changed into his large form, just as the tot was placed on his back.

"Stay here. I will return," Clockwork assured the child.

Danny was too sleepy to argue; so he just nodded, and cuddled up on Cujo's back. His fingers curled into the pup's fur and a lazy smile curved his lips as he told his companion, "You soft, Cujo."

The Time Master smiled at the sight, before turning away and floating up ahead. It was only when he had the Ghost Prince a few feet behind him, did the ghost stop, and…wait. And as he expected, he soon saw two certain ghosts quickly approaching…

Spectra and Bertrand slowed down the instant they noticed the Time Master up ahead, obviously waiting for them.

"This cannot be good," the shape-shifter whispered at the female ghost beside him.

"Don't say anything. Just let me handle this," the shadow ghost replied seriously, before picking up her pace again, the male ghost quickly following suit.

When the evil duo finally reached the other ghost up ahead, Spectra quickly shot Clockwork a bright grin. "Well, look at you all the way out here! You're pretty far from that clock-tower of yours, don't ya think?" But she then glanced behind the time ghost, and added, "Oh? But what's this? You have my little nephew with you! And I was just on my way to visit him, too! Talk about coincidence! So, what's the news? You taking him with you? Or did you come to bring him home?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I am returning him home," Clockwork replied, his voice and face holding no significant emotion. Still, he gave Bertrand an indifferent glance, while the shape-shifter could only smile back nervously.

"Oh, then, in that case, let me take him off your hands!" she said sweetly, before approaching the Time Master with the intention of getting to the tot behind him.

But Clockwork blocked her from moving past him by extending out his staff. He stared impassively at the female ghost, who frowned at his actions, and said, "What's the deal? I'm just gonna take him straight to _Mommy and Daddy_ for you."

"Yes, I am sure you would," Clockwork answered, just a small hint of sarcasm in his otherwise deadpan voice. "However, I am well capable of handling the task myself."

Spectra smiled, and still insisted, "Yeah, but, I was heading that way anyways, so…" She playfully tried to push aside the staff blocking her path, but the male ghost held it firmly in place.

"You should save your fake charm for someone other than me," Clockwork commented, raising an unimpressed eyebrow; but then, a deep frown came over his face as he suddenly said, "I know what you are planning, Penelope." He quickly glanced over at Bertrand, and added, "I know what _both_ of you are planning..."

Spectra's fake smile slowly fell as she stared in silence right into Clockwork's red eyes. However, a small smirk soon appeared on her face, before she crossed her arms, and innocently said, "Oh, yeah? And what would that be?"

"I will only warn you once," the time ghost said gravely, ignoring the female ghost's antics. "Stop now what you are doing, or _both_ of you will pay dearly for it…" But to Spectra and Bertrand's surprise, Clockwork's eyes actually narrowed, the guardian for once showing direct threat and anger as he assured them, "I will make sure of it."

But Spectra just raised a calm eyebrow, while ignoring Bertrand's whisper of them to go.

"Will you?" she asked indifferently, coming closer to the time ghost. However, her tone of voice turned into a challenging one when she then said, "And what are you going to do if I _don't stop_?"

Clockwork just lowered his time staff back in front of him, while his look returned to its unreadable expression. However, his red eyes still remained locked on her with just as much intensity.

Spectra frowned at the Time Master's eerie silence; but quickly growing annoyed by it, she scoffed in disgust, and then flippantly said, "Just get out of my way, Clockwork."

The female ghost tried to move past the guardian again. But, this time, a strong hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"You must not have heard me," the time ghost said with a raised eyebrow, while keeping his hold on the female ghost.

Spectra instantly narrowed her eyes at Clockwork as she hissed, "Let go of me, grandpa!"

"Do not upset me, Penelope. You have no idea what I am capable of," he answered back with strange tranquility in his voice.

Spectra snatched her hand away from Clockwork as she replied in anger, "You are capable of nothing but taking orders from those one-eyed, old grumps! Face it, Clockwork, your hands are tied. You cannot stop me, let alone _save_ _him_." She suddenly smirked cruelly as she added, "I actually feel sorry for Vlad. He couldn't have picked a worst guardian for his kid."

"And you could not have picked the worst 'kid' to involve in your greed," Clockwork retorted seriously. "Then, again, harming defenseless children is your specialty, is it not?"

"You better believe it!" she shot back proudly, her arms crossing again. "And the fact that you know that, only proves my point: you can't do _anything_." She grinned smugly as she realized something further. "It's why you're telling me all this, isn't it? You can't say anything to Vlad or Desiree, so you are trying to intimidate me with your 'all-knowing' vibe. Well, hate to break it to ya, but it's not really working."

"Believe what you will," Clockwork replied indifferently. "However, a wiser ghost would keep in mind that I am Danny's guardian; therefore, he is my responsibility. But being that you are **not** the wiser, I do not expect you—or anyone _like_ you---to comprehend---let alone, appreciate---how special Danny is."

Clockwork paused, ignoring Spectra as she rolled her eyes with his words; but his voice then came forward with a graver, darker tone as he continued, "However, even when you lack the empathy to understand just who you are trying to harm, I do believe it does not impede you from _clearly_ understanding my warning to you. Rethink your choices, Penelope. If you hurt Danny, you **will** pay for it."

Without waiting for a response, Clockwork turned from Spectra and Bertrand and returned to Danny's side. But as the guardian picked up the child, who had fallen asleep, the tot stirred and stared up at him, drowsily asking, "I home yet?"

Just as Danny was speaking to Clockwork, Bertrand had been whispering to the female ghost, urging for them to come back later. But when the shadow ghost saw that the child was stirring, she rudely interrupted her companion.

"Hey, Danny!" Spectra suddenly called out, capturing her nephew's attention as she waved at him. She didn't see Bertrand's annoyed frown.

"Aunt Spectra?" Danny asked quizzically, not understanding from where she had come.

Clockwork looked back at Spectra with intense sobriety, before telling the Prince. "You should say 'good-bye' to your aunt, Danny. She is _wisely_ _choosing _to turn around and leave in the same direction from whence she came."

Danny just smiled and waved sleepily at his aunt. But Spectra didn't pay him any mind, and instead, leered at the time ghost with a deep frown. She now realized that Clockwork was absolutely determined to keep her away from the tot---at least when he was present.

Force to admit defeat, Spectra rolled her eyes in annoyance; and then looking over to Bertrand, muttered, "Alright. Come on." But before she turned to leave, she steeled her gaze at Clockwork again before addressing him with dark mirth in her voice this time, "You win for now, grandpa…I'll let you enjoy him---while you still can…"

The Time Master did not reply, and just watched the female ghost and the other male ghost fly away. Then, with a sigh, he turned around and finally moved towards the castle.

As he landed in front of the royal abode, Clockwork looked at the now slumbering Ghost Prince in his arms. If the guardian did not already know it would not make a difference, he would give his own life if it meant keeping the child from the hardships ahead of him. But Clockwork knew all he could do was indirectly guide him through what was to come. And most importantly, the guardian could make sure the tot was never alone; never without someone to care for him---and to give him the support he would need.

It was the best Clockwork could do.

"I am deeply sorry, Danny," he whispered sadly to the child. "But unfortunately for you, things are as they should be..."

As if sensing his guardian's distress, the Ghost Prince suddenly tensed and mumbled something incoherent. But then his hand unconsciously sought out the older ghost's comforting Energy Signature. And finding it, the tot happily sighed and relaxed again.

As Clockwork felt his own core react to the four-year-old's touch, a melancholic smile curled the time ghost's lips, and he tenderly whispered, "At least your troubles are still a few years away. Until then, you can slumber in peace, Danny…Phantom."

* * *

Oh, lookie that, you finished! Heh! Okay, well, next update will be 'Checkmate'. Also, here is the link to EDante's Deviantart page. You can see her drawing of 'Fairy Lu', which, as I mentioned above, is where I got the Butterfly-fairy's name and appearance! It is a very awesome picture, so check it out! Well, ta for now, Everyone. As always, please let me know your thoughts!

*remove 'spaces' and '()'*

h t t p (:) / (/) e-dantes .deviantart. co m/art/Fairy-Lu-110962411


	16. Chapter 14: A World Away

**Hey, everyone! I'm on a roll, eh? Okay, well, I don't have alot to say; so I'll just let you guys read! I really had fun with this one 'cause I can finally get the ball rollin'! Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU storyline is my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 14: A World Away**

_Amity Park. Two years later…_

A dark-skinned man walked down the hallway of one of the leading research labs in the state. Axion Labs was well-known for its development in health sciences, personal security, and other forms of technological advances. And although this late thirty-something man was the owner of this important place, he didn't hold any air of superiority over himself, but rather of kindness and respect.

The brown-eyed owner was on his way to meet a couple who he knew quite well, considering they were the most infamous ghost experts of Amity Park. But he also knew them personally; and although the ghost hunters were a bit eccentric at times, he knew that they were good people who cared deeply for their fair city.

"Damon!" Jack Fenton boasted the instant the lab owner walked into the office in which he and his wife were waiting.

"Hi, Jack," the dark-skinned man greeted him with a warm smile, before extending his hand. But the male ghost hunter didn't take it; and instead, he gave Damon a friendly pat on the back.

The poor owner stumbled forward a bit from the unexpected strength in Jack's enthusiastic greeting. He quickly caught himself, however, and smiled over at the man's wife. "Maddie, it's good to see you."

"Likewise," she said, extending her hand with a smile. As she shook hands with the man, she added in amusement, "You'll have to forgive Jack. He gets a bit excited when he knows he's going to get to show off his _toys_."

"A bit? I think you mean, 'a lot', Mom," another voice suddenly interrupted.

Damon looked over to the far side of the room, where a few chairs rested against the wall. He smiled when he saw a familiar eight-year-old sitting on one of them with a book in her hands and a stuffed bear on her lap.

"Well, hi there, Jazz," he said, moving over to the girl, and then affectionately placing his hand on her head. "I'm surprised to see you here."

Jazz lowered her book and kindly smiled at the man. "Hi, Mr. Gray."

"I hope you don't mind us bringing her along, Damon," Maddie spoke up. "But we didn't want to leave her alone at the house."

"I completely understand," the brown-eyed man assured her.

"I still don't know why I couldn't stay," the teal-eyed girl suddenly grumbled.

"Oh, come on, Jazzy-pants!" Jack said in his eccentric voice as he got closer to his daughter. "You didn't want to miss your old man in action, did you?"

"Daddy, you know I don't care about your ghost stuff!" she replied with a pout. "I don't know why _you_ like it so much. There are no ghosts around here. They probably aren't even real."

"Jazz," Maddie began in a motherly voice. "We are not telling you to like it, sweetie. But it's what your father and I do. And it's important. I know you don't understand now, but you will someday." The woman looked back at Damon and gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry. She gets like that sometimes."

"It's alright," the man replied, before chuckling and adding, "Kids do like to speak their mind, after all."

"Sure do! And Jazzy-pants's _always_ got lots to say!" Jack agreed with a loud laugh.

The little girl rolled her eyes but there was a small smile tugging on her lips as well. Her attention, however, went back to Damon when he spoke to her again.

"You know, Jazz, Valerie's around here somewhere. She's waiting for the Foleys to pick her up. They are going to the circus. I'm sure they would love an extra person to help them eat those big sticks of cotton candy…"

"Hey! That's a great idea! You should go, Princess!" Jack encouraged her.

But Maddie frowned with worry. "Do you mean the circus on the edge of town? Isn't that meant for a more… _mature_ audience?"

Damon quickly answered, "Circus Gothica Is usually meant for teenagers. But they are having a special noon show for young children. I checked it out. It looks decent. And besides, the Foleys will be with them. I know they will take good care of the kids."

The mother nodded. She knew the Foleys quite well. They lived very close by to one another, after all. Plus, when Jazz was younger, she used to play frequently with their son---not so much anymore, however.

But still, the mother was unsure if she felt comfortable with letting her daughter go to this place… She had heard some bad things about this circus. Except for a few shows here and there, it had been out of commission for several years--all due to the unsubstantiated rumors that children were getting lost too often there. Furthermore, the place was very secluded and dark; it gave Maddie bad vibes even without those rumors. But now, just a year ago, it had suddenly started running on a regular basis; and with much success, too, judging by the number of people that went each day.

But maybe she was just exaggerating. After all, Damon was right. The Foleys would take good care of the kids. And there would be plenty of people around; plus, it was a morning show just for kids…

Maddie smiled hopefully at her daughter. "Do you want to go?"

Jazz's eyebrows creased. "Do I have to?"

The mother's smile faded. "Of course not. But I was hoping you would _want_ to go. Tucker and Valerie are going… You'll have fun, sweetie."

Jazz frowned. She really wasn't friends with Valerie; and she rarely hung out with Tucker anymore. And a circus wasn't her idea of fun. She would rather go to a museum or on a camping trip. She couldn't remember the last time they had gone on a long family outing. She missed them.

"I think I just rather finish reading my book, Mom," Jazz replied with a small smile.

Maddie looked worriedly at Jack; but she then just sighed and reluctantly nodded at her daughter.

Damon frowned curiously at Jazz, but didn't say anything else. Instead, he decided to change the subject. "So, Jack, you told me you had developed a couple of new ghost security devices."

The ghost hunter quickly perked up and went over to a box with several gadgets inside of it that he had brought from home. He grabbed something that looked like a metal thermos, before returning back to Damon.

"I call this the Fenton Ghost Thermos!" Jack began excitedly. "It forces ghosts to lose their solid forms and then sucks them up!"

"It's a ghost trap," Maddie quickly added, seeing the other man's confused gaze.

"Oh," Damon mumbled. And when Jack offered him the device, he hesitantly took it. "So… How does it work?"

Jack looked ecstatic with the question. "Well, you see, you gotta uncap it, and then press that button, there!"

Maddie picked up after Jack. "It has a vacuum that pulls in spectral energy up to a yard away. But it also has a mechanism for release, so that a ghost can be transferred to a larger containment area for experimentation."

Damon curiously uncapped the device, before looking into the small empty space inside the thermos. "Is this---"

But he was cut off by Jack, who suddenly said, "You haven't pressed the button!"

"Wait, Jack!" Maddie began, but it was too late. A bright white light exploded out of the device, blinding Damon right away. The man yelped in surprise and accidently dropped the device out of his hands.

"Jack," Maddie said with a frown as Damon tried to blink the spots out of his vision. "You need to be careful, dear," she gently scolded.

"Opps. Sorry 'bout that," Jack quickly apologized to the other man with a weak smile.

Damon nodded as he half-heartedly remarked. "Well, at least we now know it's harmless to humans."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Mr. Gray. You might grow an arm later," Jazz said sarcastically.

The man's eyes widened in fear, but Maddie quickly calmed him. "She's just being silly, Damon. It's harmless to humans." She looked sternly over at her daughter, who smiled innocently back at her. With a sigh, the woman turned her attention back to her husband and the other man. "We still have a few arsenals and that security shield to show you. But we need to do that somewhere safer."

Damon nodded, but then said. "I gotta be honest. I'm not sure if we need all these things. Your daughter is right in her comment about ghosts no longer being around. But don't get me wrong. I'm sure it's best to be safe than sorry—and that is why I want to make sure Axion has an effective ghost security system. But, maybe, for now, you can just show me that shield. I'm not planning on capturing ghosts or anything like that. And I still have the ghost weapons I purchased last time. But that ghost barrier you mentioned could really be of some use. And with the ghost detection devices you two set up for me the last time you were here, it will make a perfect defense system against those creatures if they ever decide to attack again."

Maddie smiled. "Alright. In that case, we can show you the shield right here. Just give us a moment to set it up."

Damon nodded, before watching the couple gather some things from the supplies they had brought with them. His gaze briefly went to the eight-year-old across from him, only to find the girl glaring at her parents; or more specifically, at the ghost devices in their hands.

He frowned in confusion, wondering just why she had such a dislike for her parents' job. He knew, of course, that the Fentons had lost a child to ghosts. But he doubted that the little girl would really remember enough of it for that to be her reason for disliking anything relating to ghosts.

Maybe it was the reputation the family had earned with their odd job. A lot of people thought they were crazy. Since very few people believed ghosts were a real threat anymore, most saw what they did as foolish and pointless. Others thought it was irresponsible. They had lost their child to their work, and yet, they were still going at it…

Damon didn't think any of that, however. As a parent himself, he felt that Maddie and Jack did what they did because they felt it was the only way to give their son's death some meaning. They wanted to make sure those evil creatures didn't hurt another innocent life again. Besides, they had always had the interest of their city at heart. He knew they were only looking to do the greater good. And he respected them for that.

But even _he_ had to admit that their work was dangerous. And it placed those near them in danger. They were good people, yes. But he also made sure to keep his daughter at a distance. If they ever did something to upset the Ghost King again, there was a chance that it would hurt another innocent life. And Damon did not want it to be his daughter. It was why he never interacted with them outside of this lab. That way, he would be sure that his Valerie would never get mixed up with anyone or anything relating to ghosts…

Ironically, at that moment, the girl of his thoughts suddenly burst through the doors.

"Daddy? Daddy!" Valerie said, catching sight of her father. "They're here! They're here!" she exclaimed happily as she ran over to her father.

But Damon frowned at her. "Valerie, what have I said about knocking before you enter? Especially when I'm at work and I'm very likely busy."

The black-haired girl cringed, but quickly smiled nervously at her dad. "Sorry. Forgot… again."

"Well, think you can try to remember, _again? _" Damon retorted sternly, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

Valerie grinned. "Yup!"

Right then, another couple with a little boy at their side came into view of the now open door.

"Oh, hi, Maurice! Rachel!" Maddie beamed when she saw her neighbors. She put down what she was working on, and went over to greet them.

As the adults chatted, Valerie bounced over to the Foleys' son. "I thought your other friend is coming," she told him.

"She is," Tucker said with a smile. "We got to go pick her up still. And…" He trailed off when he noticed Jazz looking at him from across the room.

"Jazz!" he said in surprise, before running over to her. "Hi! Are you comin' also?"

"No," she replied shaking her head. "My parents are just showing Mr. Gray their weird work," she explained with a roll of her eyes. "Hi, Valerie," she added when the girl walked over to them.

"Hi," the African-American girl said back. "You should come. We're gonna have lots of fun!"

"Yup! And we're getting all the cot-candy we want!" Tucker added.

"It's okay. Maybe next time," Jazz said with a small smile.

"Well… okay," Tucker replied, a bit put off. But he then smiled again, and quickly pulled out some electronic device from his pocket. "Look what my mommy and daddy got me!"

Jazz and Valerie looked at the video game device in the boy's hand, before smiling at him. "That's nice," Valerie said.

"Yeah, it looks fun," Jazz replied, though she didn't really think so.

Feeling encouraged by their compliments, Tucker quickly jumped into a rant about his latest games and how well he could play them. While Valerie seemed genuinely interested, Jazz just smiled weakly. But then, her gaze slowly went back to her parents. They had just finished setting up the thing they had been working on; and now all the adults were curiously listening to them explain what it did.

Jazz's lips pursed together at the sight. She hated what her parents did. Although she did have a few friends and she was respected by her teachers because of how bright she was, she still _felt_ like an outcast. She would hear the kids at her school sometimes talk about how _their_ parents thought her parents were crazy, or even, dangerous. And some of them had forbidden them to even play with _her_. She hated how her parents and she couldn't be a normal family because of their weird inventions and ghost obsession. Why did they even do all this if these 'ghost things' weren't even real? Or at least, she had _convinced_ herself that they weren't. Plus, a lot of the kids at school also didn't believe in ghosts.

It was why she had long since pushed the vague memory of the monster with green eyes that had attacked her and her parents several years ago back out of her mind. That was when her brother had died. And while she was thinking about it, she disliked his memory as much as she disliked her parents' work. It was _his _fault they were so obsessed with ghosts. And it was his fault she couldn't have a normal family like she wanted.

But then, Jazz suddenly felt bad. She did love her parents. And she knew they loved her back. But she just wished they were different sometimes… Or maybe not that _they_ were different, but that _things_ were different. After all, she could never get enough of her goofy dad, who always played with her and took her places, even when he thought those places were boring. And her mom; she was always there to comfort her and listen to everything she had done at school. Yes, she had a special bond with her parents. So, then, why did it always feel like something was missing?

The eight-year-old watched as a green light began to illuminate the room until the whole place was encased within it. She ignored the gasps that came from the two younger children beside her at the sight, and just silently continued to watch her parents.

"Whoa… what's this?" Valerie asked, walking over to one of the walls to touch the glowing transparent barrier in front of it.

"Valerie, don't touch that," Damon quickly said, all but sprinting to his daughter's side.

"It's okay, Damon. It won't do nothin' to her," Jack quickly said, before walking over to one of the walls and touching it himself, only for his hand to go right through the barrier. "It's a ghost shield, not a human shield. It's meant to keep ghosts out!"

"Or in," Maddie added, raising a finger and smiling.

"How do you know that?" Mr. Foley suddenly asked quizzically. "Don't you need a ghost to know if the shield will work on it?"

"Yes, that's true," Maddie agreed. "But based on our past research, we know that ghosts cannot pass through certain properties only found in the Ghost Zone. So, we simply artificially replicated _those_ properties," she said proudly.

"Well, as interesting as all this is, we better get going, Maurice ," Mrs. Foley spoke up. "We still have to pick up Tucker's other friend."

"That's right," her husband agreed, but he then looked at Maddie and Jack again, and added, "We are taking the kids to the circus. Would Jazz like to come along?"

Jack looked at his daughter and asked, "You sure you don't wanna go, princess?"

"Yeah, daddy, I'm sure," Jazz replied with a smile.

Tucker's parents nodded, before smiling at Damon. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of Valerie."

"I know you will," he replied back confidently.

Mr. Foley nodded, before gesturing to Valerie and Tucker, "Come on, Kids."

As the two tots waved their good-bye's at Jazz and went over to Maurice , his wife addressed the Fenton parents again. "Jack. Maddie. It was good seeing you both. Perhaps we can get together this coming weekend for dinner at our house," she offered kindly.

"Sounds swell," Jack replied with a grin.

"Yes, thank you," Maddie then said. "And I'll bring the dessert."

"You gonna bring cookies?" Tucker suddenly asked.

Everyone looked down at the six-year-old, who was now standing beside them, along with Valerie. He held a hopeful smile on his face, after hearing what the adults had said.

"Yes, I'll bring you cookies," Maddie said with a chuckle.

"Yay!" he exclaimed with a grin.

The adults shared a laugh, before they finally said their good-byes. Jazz also waved at everyone, before returning to her book.

Once Tucker, his parents, and Valerie had left, Damon went back to what he had been discussing with the Fentons. "So, let's get this set up, shall we? I want to be able to have the shield protect individual rooms during the day. But I also want to be able to turn one on over the whole building during the night. Is that possible?"

Maddie nodded. "Yes, the shields expand and mold to the required area. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Alright. Then let's get to it," Damon answered.

The Fentons nodded; but then Maddie turned to look at her daughter. "Jazz, will you be alright in here for a moment?"

"Yes, I'm okay," she replied, holding up her book and Bear-Bert.

Maddie nodded, before heading after Damon, while her husband grabbed the supplies. However, just as Jack was about to exit himself, he looked back at his daughter, who had her nose back in her book. He frowned thoughtfully, before looking at his wife who had been waiting for him outside the door and quietly saying, "Uh, Mads, I'll be there in a sec, okay?"

The female hunter gave him a curious look that quickly melded into an understanding smile. "Alright," she answered, before closing the door and leaving him alone with Jazz.

Jack lowered the large box off his shoulder, before walking over to his daughter and sitting beside her. "You know, Jazzy-pants, I may not be the smartest or most observant dad in the world, but I don't need to be either to know when somethin's got ya down."

With a grin, he wrapped a hand around her shoulders and pulled her closer as he asked, "You wanna tell me what's buggin' you, princess? You know I'll try to make ya feel better. I'll even share my fudge with you if that's what it takes!"

Jazz smiled up at her father. "I'm okay, daddy. It's just that…" Her smile faltered. "I don't know…I'm just tired of seeing you and mommy always doing this stuff."

Jack's eyebrows creased. "But we do 'cause we want it to protect everyone, Jazz; but _especially_, you. You know we care 'bout you more than anything else… don't you, Jazzy-pants?"

"Yeah," she said with a sigh. But she then smiled, and looked up at her dad with a hopeful look. "Do you think we can go on a camping trip? You know, like before?"

Jack grinned again. "Well, gosh, Jazz! Of course we can! In fact, that's a great idea! When we finish here, we'll tell your mother all about it! We'll make smores and I'll tell you ghost stories!"

Jazz frowned in anger. "No! No ghost stories! I don't want anything about them there!"

Jack was a bit startled by his daughter's sudden change in demeanor. But he quickly calmed down and gave her an apologetic smile. "Oh, yeah. Forgot. Well, uh, Okay! _You_ can pick the stories, then! Sound good?"

The little girl grinned again. "Yes."

"Alright, then! Let me go finish up with Damon, and then we'll go home and plan!" Jack beamed.

Jazz nodded, before giving her dad a hug. "Thanks, Daddy!"

"Anytime, Jazzerincess!" he answered back. "Okay! Be good! We'll be back!"

The eight-year-old watched her dad quickly jump out of his seat, grab the box again, and then run out of the room. She couldn't help but laugh at how silly her dad was. But she was also feeling better now that he had promised they would go camping. She would get them away from their dumb job and have them just to herself! But her eyes then drifted to the bear on her lap; or more specifically, the _bracelet_ wrapped around one of its limbs.

Jazz smiled as she ran her hand over the piece of jewelry that had once fitted her wrist when she was younger. It still said 'Jasmine' on the name plate. And it still had the little key hole in the back of the name plate which opened a secret compartment. Jazz knew what was inside the little space. And she had the key…

The eight-year-old carefully grabbed the key dangling from around Bear-Bert's neck, before just as gently removing the bracelet from the toy's limb. She then turned the gold jewelry piece around, revealing a very tiny keyhole on the back of the name plate. She inserted the key into it, and with just one turn, the compartment clicked open. She just calmly stared at what was inside the space; but deep within her teal eyes there was unmistaken sadness…

* * *

Some time later, Jazz and her parents had finally returned home. The little girl was very happy because her mom had agreed to the camping trip; and they would be going two weekends from now. But at the moment, she was working on her homework for school the next day when she heard a loud boom.

The girl sighed; but otherwise ignored it and continued with what she was doing. But when she heard even more ruckus below, she couldn't disregard it any longer. She got off her bed and walked out of her room. Once downstairs, she quickly went over to her parents' lab, knowing that these sorts of noises _and_ troubles always originated from there. And another loud bang coming from behind the door confirmed her suspicion.

The moment she opened the lab door, a cloud of smoke jumped out at her. She gasped in surprise, before coughing as the bad smelling fumes entered her lungs. She quickly fanned away the smoke and entered the lab.

"Mom? Dad?" she called, trying to make them out through her blurred vision.

"Princess!" her dad's sudden voice rang, before he grunted for some unknown effort.

Jazz quickly went over to where she heard her father's voice, and finally spotted him amidst a broken table and some beakers. Beside him, there was some sort of ghost instrument caught in flames.

She rolled her eyes at the very common sight. "Where's Mom?" she asked as she moved to get the closest fire extinguisher.

Jack carefully picked himself up as he answered, "Don't know. She left a while ago. Thanks," he added when his daughter handed him the fire extinguisher. As he quickly put out the flames, he asked her, "Hey, do you think you can go get her for me? I think I almost had a break through with this ghost finder!"

"Well, that's one way of putting it," Jazz remarked, looking down at the broken and smoking device. But she then sighed and said, "Okay, I'll get her."

As she walked out, she glanced over at the far side of the room, and suddenly halted. She didn't understand why her parents had rebuilt that stupid ghost portal again; especially when they couldn't really use it.

As much as she hated her parents work, she did listen to what they said sometimes. And she was also glad she paid attention the day Mr. Masters had come over some time back. The man had asked them the very same thing about the portal. And her parents had told the man that they would need the portal eventually if they were to find and kill the Ghost King. And that they only required ecto-energy—whatever that was---to activate it and proceed with their plans…

Jazz hoped they'd never get this energy stuff. She hoped they never saw a ghost. Maybe then, they would finally realize how dumb all this was.

She briefly glared at the portal before finally exiting. She quickly noted that her mom wasn't either in the kitchen or the living room, so she headed upstairs.

"Mom?" she called, knocking on her parents' bedroom door. But getting no answer, she walked in. Her mother was not in here, either. And if she wasn't in here or downstairs, there was only one other place she could be.

Jazz sighed bitterly before heading out of her parents' room, and moving down the hall. She passed her bedroom and then the guest room, before finally halting in front of the last room: her brother's room. Or it used to be, anyways. After their house was destroyed by the explosion that killed him, her parents decided to rebuild their home again. And they rebuilt it _exactly_ like it had been before that tragic day. And that included her brother's room.

She found it pointless.

Jazz didn't knock this time; and instead, slowly opened the door. As she expected, her mom was sitting at the window seat, seemingly staring into space. Her eyes were a little puffy, showing she had been crying again. Even after six years, her mom was still not over Danny's death. And Jazz was sure she never would be.

That's why she hated the memory of her little brother. It only brought them misery.

"Mom?" she called, slowly walking closer to her.

Maddie startled a bit, before she blinked at her daughter. "Jazz?" She quickly smiled. "Is everything okay, sweetie?"

Jazz's eyebrows creased. "Daddy blew something up again."

The woman frowned. "Odd. I didn't hear anything."

The little girl didn't reply and just sat beside her mom on the seat. She looked over at the crib in the center of the room, before quietly asking, "Are you sad again?"

Maddie's smile faltered and she sighed. "Maybe a little. Don't worry, honey, I'll get over it."

"No, you won't," Jazz said seriously, suddenly glaring around the room.

The mother noticed the slight resentment in her daughter's voice, and she quickly gazed worriedly at her. "Jazz… It's not Danny's fault."

"Then who's fault is it?" she asked angrily.

Maddie's eyebrows creased even more. She wanted to say it was the Ghost King's fault that her son was taken away from her that night; but she knew it wasn't entirely his fault. It was her fault as well…

"I don't like seeing you sad, Mommy! It's not fair!" Jazz continued, looking up at her mother with frustrated tears in her eyes.

The woman smiled in reassurance at her daughter as she replied, "I know it's not fair. But there are things we cannot change, sweetie. I will always miss your brother; and maybe you are right. Maybe I will never get over his loss. But _you_ make me happy, Jazz. You and your father. And that's what really matters now, sweetie. The three of us have one another; and your father and I love you very much. I know what we do bothers you and that it does not make sense to you. But it will someday. I promise. "

Jazz wrapped her arms around her mother before burying her face in her chest. "I don't want to lose you and Daddy, Mommy. You can't leave like Danny, okay?" she whimpered.

Maddie hugged her back. "Oh, sweetie. We are not going to leave you. Please, don't think that."

Jazz didn't reply. She knew her mom meant what she said. But something told her that what they did was dangerous. And it scared her to think something could happen to her parents. Why did they have to be ghost hunters? She didn't understand!

A loud boom coming from downstairs broke the little girl out of her thoughts. She looked up at her mom with a sad smile, and said, "Daddy needs help."

Maddie smiled back. "I better go help him, then."

The little girl nodded and stood up with her mom to leave. As Jazz watched her mom lock her brother's door behind them---like she always did---the girl spoke up, "I got to go finish my homework now. I'll come down for dinner, okay?"

"Alright, Jazz," Maddie replied, looking at her. "Let me know if you need help, okay?"

She smiled as her mom kissed her, before they finally parted. But before Jazz entered her room, she briefly glanced over at her brother's empty room, and sighed.

* * *

"Samantha dear!" Pamela Manson called as she climbed the stairs, a delicate hand lifting up her frilly pink dress as she went along. She walked down one of many hallways, before making a right and finally arriving at her daughter's room. She was about to open the door when it suddenly opened from the other side and a little girl ran out.

"Oof!" the six-year-old grunted as she collided into her mom and fell on her bottom. Her bright purple eyes quickly glared at whatever was in her way; but when she saw it was her mother, she quickly smiled, and said, "Opps. Sorry, Mommy."

The mother sighed helplessly as she helped her daughter back to her feet. "You really must be more careful, dear. Are you ready? Your friend is here."

Samantha grinned. "Yeah, I'm ready!"

Pamela's eyebrows creased when she saw that her daughter was wearing blue jeans and a light purple shirt. "You are not wearing the pink dress I put out for you?"

The little girl shook her head. "No, I can't run in it."

"Hmm. Well, okay, but at least wear your pink sweater. You might get chilly," she replied, moving around her daughter and entering her room.

Samantha sighed before following after her mom. "But it's not cold outside! Do I have to?"

"It might be cold inside that circus place. Take it, just in case, alright?" the mother replied as she pulled out the piece of clothing out of her daughter's closet.

The six-year-old pouted, but still allowed her mother to put the sweater on her. "Okay, now, I'm ready! Can I go now?" she then pleaded.

"Alright, But—Samantha!" Pamela called out when her daughter ran out of the room before she could finish what she wanted to say. The mother sighed before calmly following after her child.

When she finally made it downstairs, she found the little girl already engaged in a conversation with the other two children there, while her husband was talking to the Foleys.

"So, you are certain this place is safe? I would not want my Samantha exposed to anything questionable," Thurston Manson uttered with a serious look.

"Or anything violent," Pamela added as she joined the other adults.

The Foleys smiled politely, but it was Maurice who answered, "Don't worry, you two. We will take good care of her. Besides, it's only for a few hours. We will have her back before dinner."

Mrs. Manson nodded. "Good, because she has piano and singing lessons today as well."

"That's correct. And very well. We appreciate your reassurance," Mr. Manson added. "After all, we are entrusting you with our greatest treasure."

Pamela looked at her daughter, before grabbing her hand. "Sammykins?"

The little girl, who had been talking to Tucker and Valerie, looked up at her mother, and asked, "Yeah?"

"You be the good and proper girl that you are, okay? Remember not to wonder off. And if at any time you don't feel safe or happy, you let the Foleys know, and we will come pick you up right away," the mother gently ordered.

Samantha's eyebrows creased but she just nodded in response.

"Oh, come on! You two still haven't let the poor kid leave, yet?" a new voice suddenly said.

The Manson parents sighed as they looked over at an older woman rolling into the foyer on a motorized scooter. But it was Thurston who spoke up. "Mother, we just want to make sure our daughter will be okay."

"Well, she won't be if you two keep suffocating her like you do!" the older woman retorted. But she then looked over at the older Foleys and smiled. "I hope you all have fun. And please give my granddaughter a taste of _real_ entertainment---not those silly ballets her parents always take her to," she added with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey!" her son protested.

But the older woman ignored him, and continued, "Okay, Bubele, come give me a hug!"

Samantha nodded and quickly jumped up to give the woman a hug. "Bye, grandma!"

"Have fun, you hear?" her grandmother said with a wink.

"I will!" the purple-eyed girl replied. She quickly hopped back down and grabbed Tucker's hand. "Come on!" she exclaimed, running to the door.

"Wait for me!" Valerie protested, chasing after them.

"Sammy, don't run so fast, you could hurt yourself!" Pamela called out worriedly; but her advice fell on deaf ears, and received an eye roll from her mother-in-law.

The Foleys chuckled as they watched the three children race out the door. "We'll see you in a bit," Maurice said, before following after them.

The two Manson parents stood in front of the open doorway as they concernedly watched their daughter climb into the Foleys' car. But then, Thurston grabbed his wife's hand and patted it reassuringly. "I am certain she will be just fine."

"Yes, I suppose. It's a shame she had to go out today. My brother would have wanted to see her," Pamela said with a sigh.

"Yeah, right," the elderly woman scoffed to herself, before leaving the couple alone.

Mr. Mason didn't notice his mother leave the foyer, and raised a curious eyebrow at his wife. "That's right. He's coming over today, isn't he? Around what time did…" But he trailed off when he saw a white limo pulling up to the driveway.

"Oh, here he is now!" Pamela beamed, stepping out of the house. But instead of going to greet her brother right away, she went to the other car that was just about to leave. "Oh, Maurice! Just a moment, please!"

She smiled at her daughter once the back window was rolled down. "Sammy-kins your uncle is here! Why don't you say 'hi' before you go?" she asked.

Samantha frowned. "But I'm tied up already. Can I say 'hi' another day, please? "

The mother glanced over at the limo and watched as her brother stepped out and greeted her husband, who had also stepped out of the house after she had. But the mother then sighed and reluctantly said, "Alright, dear."

The six-year-old smiled at her mom and waved, before the window was rolled up and the car finally took off. But the little girl then turned to look out the back window, and frowned at the brief sight of her uncle. She quickly turned back around and sighed.

"You okay?" Tucker asked confused.

Samantha nodded. "Yeah… I don't like my uncle very much. He… scares me," she said quietly.

"Really? Why?" Valerie asked, also looking confused.

"I don't know," the purple-eyed girl mumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"So, kids," Maurice suddenly said, getting the children's attention. "There are some ground rules we gotta go over. So, here it is. First rule: ….. "

* * *

"Ladies and Gentleman. Children of all ages. Welcome to my humble circus!" Freakshow announced from center stage as he grinned at the massive crowd cheering around him. "I am Freakshow. And will be your host and ringmaster for today's performance!"

Everyone cheered; and with a smirk, Freakshow continued to pep them up. "Are you all ready to see your deepest dreams come to life?! Are you prepared to see the impossible become possible?! The unreal become real?! Then, I present to you… Circus Gothica!"

Everyone gasped as the man vanished in a cloud of smoke before all the lights went off. But a second later, flames erupted at the center of the stage, and a spot light drew the audience's attention to it. Then right above the fire a blind-folded person suddenly appeared, riding a bike across a high wire.

Up on the second floor seating, Samantha, Tucker, Valerie, and the Foley parents watched the performance in astonishment. Tucker had his mouth attached to his straw and all but inhaled his soda as his eyes stayed glued to the stage. Samantha had her mouth partly open as her right hand, holding a piece of cotton candy in it, remained frozen right in front of her lips. And Valerie was grinning from ear to ear as she munched on her buttery popcorn.

Everyone was delighted with the stunts and the silly clowns and the trained but dangerous animals. But as the show progressed, a slurping sound announced to Tucker that his soda was gone. He frowned down at his empty cup, before looking up at his dad beside him and tugging on one of his sleeves. "Daddy?"

"Yeah, Son?" Maurice asked, smiling down at him.

"Can I have more soda, please?" the little boy said, lifting up his empty cup.

"Oh, Okay. Honey, could you please watch the kids while I go get Tucker more soda?" Mr. Foley asked his wife.

"But I wanna go wit' you!" Tucker quickly objected, before his mom could answer.

"Well, okay. Then could you watch the girls?" Maurice corrected himself with a smile.

Mrs. Foley chuckled. "Of course, honey."

Tucker grinned as he stood up with his father; but Samantha and Valerie quickly noticed this and they both asked, "Where you going, Tucker?"

"I'm gonna get more soda," the little boy explained, showing them his empty cup.

"Can I go, too?" Samantha asked with a hopeful smile.

The two adults looked at each other, before Mr. Foley nodded, "Alright. But _both_ of you stay _close_ to me."

"Okay!" Samantha and Tucker quickly agreed as the little girl jumped out of her seat.

Valerie, more interested in the show than going to get soda, waved at her friends. "Hurry up. You don't want to miss the rest of it!"

The other two children nodded, before they followed Mr. Foley down the seating aisle, while Mrs. Foley stayed with Valerie. They soon arrived at the concession stand, where there was a small line of people waiting to get snacks and drinks as well.

"Why don't you two go sit at the bench there, while I get your drink, okay, Tucker? Samantha, do you want anything?"

The little girl shook her head and lifted her stick of cotton candy. "I'm not finished with this one yet."

"Okay, go sit, then. I'll only be a moment," Maurice ordered, pointing at a nearby bench.

The two children nodded and quickly did as they were told. As Tucker pulled out a video game from his pocket, Samantha looked around at the people walking about. She smiled at the sight of the excited laughs and shouts from other kids. It was just so nice to see everyone having as much fun as she was!

But as she continued to enjoy her surroundings, she suddenly noticed Freakshow come out of a dark tent and head down a hidden tunnel.

Samantha quickly grinned even more; and looking over at Tucker, she tugged on his shirt. "Look, Tucker! It's the man in the show!" she beamed, pointing in the direction Freakshow had gone.

Tucker glanced in the direction to where his friend was pointing, but then frowned. "Who?"

The little girl became disheartened when she saw that the ringmaster was gone. "He's gone already."

The little boy shrugged before going back to his game. But Samantha continued to stare at the tunnel in which Freakshow had gone, a thoughtful look growing on her face. She suddenly smiled when an idea came to her head.

"Tucker, let's go say, 'hi'! Your daddy's still in line. We'll be right back!" she suggested excitedly.

But her friend wasn't paying her enough attention to really hear what she had said. "Okay, Sammy," he mumbled absently, narrowing his eyes in concentration as he continued to push down against the game buttons.

Samantha grinned when he had agreed; and still clutching her cotton candy, she quickly jumped out of her seat. Even as she ran over to the tunnel, Tucker still didn't notice her departure…

"We just say, 'hi'! And then we come right back," she said quietly over her shoulder as she entered the dark passage, believing her friend was right behind her the entire time.

But as she came to the end of the sunlight's reach and she saw nothing but pitch darkness ahead, Samantha got nervous and she glanced behind her for reassurance. But she didn't find it.

"Tucker?" she called when she finally realized he wasn't with her.

The little girl froze with indecision; but then with a frown on her face, she continued forward. "Fine. I'll go by myself," she said bravely, momentarily feeling annoyed with her friend for ignoring her. But her bravado slowly waned and her eyes grew warier the more she continued down the foreboding and dead-silent pathway. She was about to turn back when she saw the softest beam of light coming from somewhere up ahead.

Suddenly relieved, she ran forward, darting to the left as the tunnel twisted in that direction. But the moment she had, she halted and gasped in surprise, now finding herself at the entrance of a vast room filled with cages and different circus props. Her eyes grew wider in wonder as she slowly walked further inside and began to stare around. As she did, she could hear the growling of animals and other creatures within their cages.

But Samantha frowned at the sight of them. Why would anyone keep wild animals in such small cages? Weren't they supposed to roam free?

In spite of how much that bothered her, the little girl didn't linger on it and just continued to move past the cages, towards the farther end of the vast room, still hoping to find the 'man from the show'. But when she finally reached the end of the room, she realized no one was there.

Samantha's eyebrows creased in disappointment. However, she quickly grew curious when she noticed a strange large contraption built into the back wall. It looked like some kind of lifting mount or elevator that went all the way up towards the ceiling. But what Samantha didn't realize was that she was currently under the main stage and that the piece of equipment in front of her was what Freakshow had used to make himself vanish from above in a cloud of smoke...

A soft rustling from somewhere behind her quickly captured the six-year-old's attention. She stared around where she believed to have heard the noise; but, ultimately, couldn't pin-point it since the rustling had stopped. However, it was then that her gaze suddenly fell upon an almost hidden area she had not noticed before.

Curious again, she walked towards it, carefully making her way through old cages and boxes. She then paused when she saw a small covered cage in the back corner of the area. Now, intrigued to know what was hidden within it, she smiled and quickly walked over to it, but still had enough sense to steer clear of the caged, growling tiger to her left.

She slowly squatted in front of the covered cage, her head tilting as she used the hand not holding her cotton candy to grab the end of the dirty sheet on it. Without the slightest hesitation, she lifted the cover enough to look under it; but it was so dark within that she couldn't make out more than a shadowy form.

At least she was sure something was inside. And now believing it was some small animal, she completely removed the cover to see exactly what it was, only to gasp and fall back on her bottom in surprise, also dropping her cotton candy stick.

It _wasn't_ a small animal.

Samantha could only stare with wide eyes at the little boy, who looked a bit older than her, within the cage. She couldn't really see his face because he had a dirty, old cloak covering him from head to toe. But she could see his green eyes staring back at her from within his hood, while his small hands stayed wrapped around his tucked knees.

The purple-eyed girl shivered, suddenly feeling immensely cold, making her wish that she had not left her sweater in the car. It took her a moment to finally get past her shock and she quickly crawled closer to the small cage. "You… Why are you in there?" she whispered fearfully.

But the little boy just stared back at her, his eyes unblinking.

Samantha frowned, unsure of what to do. But she was certain a kid should not be inside a cage!

"Here, I'll get you out," she mumbled, standing up and grasping the latch on the cage. She tugged on it for a good moment; and then with much effort, she got it undone. She smiled triumphantly as the door squeaked open. "Come on," she said, extending her hand towards the boy.

But all he did was gaze at her.

It was then Samantha noticed that the floor of the cage was covered in something green and gooey. She looked back at the boy, unaware that her breathe was now visible from how cold the immediate area had become…

"You don't want to get out?" she asked confused. But receiving no answer, she frowned, and questioned more firmly. "Why aren't you saying nothing?"

She growled when the boy still didn't react. She indecisively looked around her immediate surroundings, before she quickly noticed her cotton candy on the ground. She brightened as it gave her an instant idea. Maybe he was just shy! Maybe he would talk if he gave him some candy!

Sure that it would work, Samantha grinned and quickly grabbed her cotton candy off the ground. She then carefully crawled into the small cage with the boy, her face momentarily twisting in disgust as her clothing and her hands touched the green substance on the ground.

She sat on her legs and smiled at the boy. "You like cot' candy?" she asked, extending the treat at him. But when he didn't respond, she moved the soft treat closer, so that it touched his lips. He finally reacted. But not how Samantha had expected.

As if he were a robot, his mouth opened wide and his unblinking eyes remained on her.

Samantha's eyebrows knitted together; but believing his action was his way of saying he liked cotton candy, she moved the candy further into his mouth.

Instantly, the little boy clamped his mouth shut; and Sam gasped as his teeth also grabbed a hold of the paper stick the cotton candy was wrapped around.

"Wait, you don't eat the stick!" she exclaimed, pulling back against it. But to her horror, the paper stick ripped and the boy continued to chew on whatever he had gotten in his mouth.

She covered her mouth as she watched him swallow the paper and candy. A bit afraid of him now, she slowly placed down what remained of her treat, so she could crawl back out of the cage. But she quickly stopped herself, realizing that she couldn't leave him in here.

"Where is your mom and dad?" she asked hesitantly. And upon not receiving any sort of answer, she sighed and added, "Come on. I'll help you find them."

She reached out for one of his hands, which were still wrapped around his knees. But the moment she touched him, she yelped in surprise and jerked her hand away. "You're really cold!" she exclaimed.

Her eyes widened with the realization and she quickly grabbed his hand again, this time ignoring the ice-cold feeling. "You're gonna get sick. We better go now," she said, pulling on his hand.

But the boy didn't budge. However, his unblinking gaze finally reacted and he looked down at the hand wrapped around his own. The little girl didn't see the boy's eyes briefly flash yellow, before he gazed back up at her.

His other hand finally moved and he brought it up towards her face. There was almost confusion in his gaze as he touched her right below her purple eyes.

Samantha could only shiver violently against his touch. But when his hand suddenly dragged down her face and to her neck, she froze and her breath hitched in her throat. She could feel her heartbeats quicken as she felt a strange warmth suddenly come from the boy's ice cold fingers.

"What… stop," she whimpered, squeezing her eyes closed as his hand moved again and rested on her chest, the weird feeling in his touch intensifying. But the moment she had shut them, she felt him remove his other hand from her hold, before he used it to probe around her eyes.

Realizing why he was doing this, Samantha quickly opened her purple eyes again, and his hand on her face instantly stilled. And this time, she could see something akin to amazement in his green eyes.

Suddenly transfixed with those almost glowing eyes, a strange urge to see what he looked like rose inside her. The little girl shakily moved her own hand towards his face to pull down the hood covering it…

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

Sam gasped as she spun her head around; but before she could see anything, she felt someone grab her arm and violently yank her away from the boy, who, in turn, dropped his hands to his side as if they were as heavy as anvils. The little girl didn't see how his green eyes suddenly flashed red before his blank look returned to his face.

The abrupt forced movements had left Samantha in a daze on the ground. But again, she was not given the time to react. And she screamed as she was painfully lifted to her feet, before shoved down to the floor. She quickly stared with wide eyes at the man towering over her, the end of his long staff right next to her left leg.

"Where are your parents, girl?" Freakshow growled darkly, his fake red eyes narrowing on the six-year-old.

"I-I T-They're no h-here! I-I just want l-looking y-you! I-I want to h-help h-him!" Sam stuttered, her fear making her broken words even more incoherent, while she unconsciously scooted backwards, only to collide with a large cage. Her eyes widened when she heard growling behind her. But with a scream of terror, she reacted and threw herself forward just as a large tiger claw reached out for her.

Before she could stand up, she felt the man grab her by an arm again and yank her to her feet. "P-Please, I-I'm sorry! I-I just want to s-say 'h-hi'! And I see him and I not know why he t-there!" she cried out, tears now swelling up in her purple eyes.

"You're one of those curious brats, aren't you?" Freakshow sneered, before bending over and narrowing his eyes on the girl. "I have a couple of friends who would love to meet a pretty little nosey kid like you. And since you seem to be lost, it just makes things easier. Or maybe, you would like to get to _really_ know the _little boy_ in there, since you are _eager_ to help him?"

Samantha glanced over at the little boy, who just stared at them with a blank gaze. But she quickly looked back at the man holding her arm painfully tight, and whimpered, "N-No, I-I'm n-not lost! M-My f-friend and his mommy a-and daddy are here! P-Please, l-let me go b-back!"

"I don't think so, girl," the ringmaster said with an evil smile.

Samantha screamed again as the man suddenly dragged her forward, away from the trapped boy and towards another empty cage. "N-NOO! M-Mommy! H-HELP!"

But Freakshow ignored her shouts, and quickly reached down and picked up some old rope and a rag on the floor.

Samantha began to sob as a piece of cloth was suddenly wrapped around her mouth. But as if instinctively realizing what this meant, she lashed out and stomped on the man's feet as hard as she could.

Freakshow yelped in pain; and in his surprise, released the girl, who, though blinded by her fear and tears, ran forward, towards the back of the room. The man growled as he followed after her.

The little girl cried out in desperation when she saw she had hit a dead end. But hearing footsteps behind her, she quickly spun around to face her pursuer. "P-Please! D-Don't h-hurt me!" she pleaded, her body pressed against the wall as she scooted against it.

To her misfortune---or luck---she suddenly tripped against something hard; and before she hit the ground, her hands pressed against a control panel near the lifting mount. She gasped as she watched the ceiling above it open and the lifting chains begin to move.

But a scream rang from her again as she felt a strong hand wrap around her ankle. "No!" she cried out kicking against the man, while trying to get back on her feet to flee.

Freakshow growled as he quickly let go of the trashing girl to avoid a blow from her feet. "Hold still, girl! You're not going anywhere!"

Samantha crawled forward and her eyes caught sight of the mount again and saw it was slowly lifting up. In a last desperate attempt to escape, she threw herself on top of the rising plate.

Freakshow gasped when he finally noticed that the stage elevator was activated and that it was seconds away from doing what it was meant to do… He had to get the girl off it.

He quickly grabbed one of the screaming six-year-old's legs again; and this time, no amount of kicking got him to let go. He then lifted his staff above her, the end of it facing her so he could knock her out and put an end to her struggles.

Samantha froze as she saw the man's intentions. But before he could deliver the blow, the smokers next to the mount triggered; and the man yelped as he was blinded by the gas and forced away from the girl. At that instant, the elevator suddenly shot upward like a sling shot with the little girl on top.

Sam screamed in fear as she flew upwards through a dark tunnel; but a second later, she jolted to a stop and found herself at the center of the performance ring. She let out another cry of terror as a ring of fire exploded around her. Unfortunately, the flames licking at her face did more than frighten her. They blinded her from the impending danger quickly closing in on her in the form of two huge stampeding elephants. She didn't see the animals until it was too late.

They trampled right over her.

The performers were the first to see what had happened and froze in terror. And then, as if everyone watching the show suddenly realized at once that the little girl was not part of the performance, the entire place fell silent. Only the echo of the child's final cry before the elephants got to her could be heard, before that, too, silenced.

All anyone could do was stare in unspoken dread as they waited for the dust lifted by the animal's huge feet to settle and reveal what they all feared to be tragically true. But right then, a scared Tucker and Maurice ran through the entrance closest to the stage, and their eyes widened as they immediately saw how everything had stopped. Somehow, they just knew that Samantha's sudden disappearance and everyone's horror-stricken faces were correlated. And a second later, their fearful belief was confirmed.

A whimper suddenly resonated throughout the soundless circus tent as the dust finally cleared, and revealed a little girl curled into a ball in the center of the stage. Miraculously, the four-year-old had somehow managed to stay in between the elephants' feet when they had run over her.

"Sammy!" Tucker shouted in alarm.

"Tucker!" Maurice cried right after when the boy sprinted forward towards the stage.

The little boy ignored his father and continued to run, zooming around the flames, animals and performers towards his friend. "Sammy!" he called out again.

Samantha looked up from her curled position, and her eyes filled with tears as she saw her friend coming towards her. "Tucker!" she sobbed out as she got to her feet and ran forward. She collided right into him and wrapped her arms around him, before she began to cry the hardest she ever had in her life.

A second later, Mr. Foley joined the children and he quickly got to his knees in front of the crying girl. "Samantha! Oh, Goodness! Are you alright?" he asked fearfully, grabbing her from her son and inspecting her from head to toe.

"I wanna go home! I want my M-Mommy!" she cried as Mr. Foley picked her up. "He—He—hur---"

"What is going on here?!" Freakshow suddenly demanded as he pushed past his performers. "What are you people doing on my stage?! You have ruined the show!" he exclaimed.

Samantha gasped as she instantly recognized the voice, before looking at the ringmaster and screaming in fear. "NOO! No let h-he t-take m-me a-away!" she cried, grabbing Maurice even tighter and burying her head in his chest.

"What are you talking about?" Mr. Foley asked her worriedly, before looking at the man that had the little girl so upset. "What is she talking about?" he demanded.

"What? How should I know? And I'm the one asking the questions here!" the ringmaster snapped back. "What is your child doing on my stage?!"

"I don't know!" Maurice shouted back due to his great anxiety. "She was with my son one second and then the next she---"

"Oh, God, Maurice!" Mrs. Foley suddenly interrupted, having come down from the audience seating after witnessing what had happened from above. "Is she alright? Sweetheart, are you alright?" she quickly asked, grabbing the little girl's face and looking her over.

"No!" Samantha sobbed back. But aside from being scared to death and a few bruises around her arms and legs, she had suffered no permanent injury.

Meanwhile, Valerie, who had come down with Mrs. Foley, stared at Tucker with wide eyes. "Did you see what happen? Samantha almost got walk on by the elephants!"

Tucker didn't reply and just stared up fearfully at his crying friend.

"Enough of this! All of you get out of my circus before I call the cops and have you all prosecuted for putting my audience and my performers in danger!" Freakshow shouted angrily.

Mrs. Foley quickly turned her attention to the angry owner and said, "I'm dreadfully sorry! I don't know how she got down here!"

"You're very lucky she wasn't killed," Freakshow said seriously, his angry gaze momentarily going to the purple-eyed girl, who quickly hid her face again. "Now, get out. And don't come back until you teach your children to behave."

Mr. Foley was about to protest, but his wife quickly grabbed one of his arms, silently stopping him from doing so. The father reluctantly sighed, before silently turning and moving towards the tent's nearest exit with Samantha still in his arms. Mrs. Foley apologized again to the ringmaster as she gathered Tucker and Valerie, and then finally followed after her husband.

But when Samantha realized they were leaving, she quickly looked up and cried out, "No, we can't leave him! We have to help him find his mommy and daddy!" With the thought, some of her fear suddenly turned into anger and she pointed an accusing finger in Freakshow's direction as she shouted, "He tried to hurt him, like me!"

"It's alright, sweetheart. You are safe now," Mrs. Foley assured the little girl as they walked out of the tent.

As the Foleys and the three children left the circus, Samantha continued to protest; but because she was so young and so overwhelmed with emotions, her broken words were barely understood, let alone believed.

None of them saw how Freakshow had glared at the little girl, before casting his furious look towards the center ring as if he could see right through it and what lay below it…

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**Well, please voice your thoughts! I'm still working on reviews for this and CM's past chappies; so be patient with me! I'll get to them all! Thanks for your support everyone!**


	17. Chapter 15: Cloaked Terror

**Okay, next chapter. By the way, I am really wishing for a few more pictures for this story from my talented drawers reading this fic. In specific, I really want the 'royal family' drawn. And even a certain little ghost dragon named Gregory would be nice! But, of course, anything is great! I love when you guys draw; it makes me one very happy little badger! Heh-heh! But, okay! I'll let you guys move on to the chapter! As always, thank you all for your support!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and the non-DP characters are mine---unless I state otherwise. *winks***

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Chapter 15: Cloaked Terror

It was almost midnight; and Circus Gothica was all but deserted, save for the ringmaster. He was currently in his private tent, cursing to himself about what had happened earlier that day. The little girl's near-death experience had attracted more attention than what he had expected—or wanted. The press had been all over it the moment the happenings reached their ears. Of course, they ended up blowing the whole thing out of proportion on the evening news. To his misfortune, the girl had turned out to be the only child of the Mansons---two of Amity Park's richest residents.

The Manson parents were furious and had even threatened to sue him. But Freakshow knew that they had no case when it was their child who had 'wandered' onto the stage. No one, except the ringmaster and the girl--- he heard that 'Samantha' was her name—knew how she had gotten into such a precarious situation. Besides, who would believe a six-year-old? But even if they did, her parents had no way of proving he had attempted to harm their child.

Ultimately, it wasn't the scandal or the girl's angry, rich parents that had Freakshow feeling edgy. Not even the child's almost-exposure of a certain secret he hid under the circus stage bothered him---though he had punished the boy in the cage for his stupidity of being found. But, no, what had him worried was that the occurrence with the girl had without a doubt reached the ears of the Guys-in-White; or more specifically their leader…

Tom was sure to come pay him a visit.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it now but make sure there was nothing in sight that the man would find suspicious. And that included the dragon ghost he still kept very well hidden. The creature had without a doubt grown stronger; and in spite of its young age, it was deadly---as he had wanted it. The ghost was completely under his control and he wasn't about to risk losing it now. That was why he had taken a few precautions over the years; precautions that would keep it under the radar---including any 'ghost-hunter radar'.

The sound of screeching tires confirmed Freakshow's worst fear. And he quickly stood from the chair on which he sat and moved out of his sleeping tent. But not before stashing his staff out of sight, where only he could find it.

Just as Freakshow arrived at the main circus tent from the back entrance, the head 'GiW' entered from the front.

"Oh, good. You're still awake," the white-clad man said calmly.

"Listen, I had no clue who she was, Tom," Freakshow said hurriedly as they stopped in front of each other.

"Oh, so you understand why I'm here," the green-eyed man said with a smile. But then it suddenly vanished as he darkly added, "Then, I don't need to explain this..."

Faster than the ringmaster could react, a fist connected to his face and he cried out in pain. But his shout was immediately cut short when Thomas grabbed him by the shoulders and proceeded to ram a knee into his stomach.

Freakshow crumpled to the ground, his hands wrapped around his burning abdomen while he attempted to regain his breath. "P-Please, I didn't---"

"You are very lucky no one believes the words of a six-year-old," Tom snarled. "What did you do? Try to tie her up like all the other brats that have the misfortune of crossing your path?"

"It's not my fault she's a nosey brat!" Freakshow shouted angrily, only to get kicked in the face.

"You better watch how you refer to her," the man growled back. "You know the Mansons are important to me---in more ways than one! If I still didn't have use for you, I'd kill you right now for your stupidity. But what angers me even more is that your carelessness almost cost me my plans!"

Freakshow slowly picked himself up, before using the back of his hand to wipe the blood from his mouth. "Plans? What plans?" he asked apprehensively.

Tom's glare slowly melted into a wicked smirk as he replied, "Plans to bring down the Ghost King and his race, of course. And I am setting them in motion _very_ soon. But to do that, I need to make sure I have all the pieces of my plan ready to go. That is the other reason I'm here. I want to _see_ how 'the piece' that _you_ have is doing…"

The red-eyed man frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about. You have never said anything to me about these plans of yours, so how can I have one of the _pieces_?"

"Simple. I've allowed you to hold onto it without your knowledge. But I think six years has been enough time for you to develop it for my usage…. Call your pet, Freakshow," the 'GiW' ordered, his smirk widening with the look of fear on the other man's face.

Freakshow took a wary step back. How did he know he had a ghost? No! He couldn't have known! It was impossible!

"I don't know what you're talking about," the ringmaster said, calming down enough to bring a frown back to his face.

Tom rolled his eyes. "Don't make me shoot you, Freakshow. Just call the ghost," he ordered again, sounding somewhat bored.

"I don't know where you got the idea I have a ghost, Tom, because I don't!" Freakshow continued to firmly deny. "Plus, don't you think your ghost weapons would have alerted you of that if it were so?"

It was indeed true that when Tom had attempted to pick up an energy reading before confronting the other man, none of his ghost devices had alerted him of the creature's presence. Either Freakshow had hidden the ghost somewhere away from this place or the ringmaster had somehow thought up of a way to keep the creature under the radar. And knowing how crafty Freakshow was, Tom suspected the latter.

"You're right; I cannot pick up its energy signature. But, you see, a few friends of yours confirmed my suspicions of it a long time ago…," the Guy-in-White said smugly.

"Friends…?" the ringmaster asked, confused. But right after, the man gasped, as if on cue, Spectra and Bertrand, in their human disguises, appeared beside the ghost hunter. Each ghost held in their hands a metallic sphere that was clearly a human-made device. But Freakshow paid that no mind, and instead, narrowed his eyes at the female ghost.

"You traitor! You have been making plans with him behind my back?! How do you two even know each other?!" the ringmaster demanded to know.

"Oh, come on, Freakshow," Penelope said with a grin. "Haven't you heard the saying that 'any friend of yours is a friend of mine'? So, I haven't really betrayed you. Besides, he already knew about the dragon kid before I said anything."

"Look, just save us all the time, and call the kid," Bertrand said with a bored look.

"It died a while back. I wasn't able to provide it with enough of its body's needed nutrition and energy," Freakshow replied coldly, crossing his arms.

"That _better_ _not_ be true," Tom said, his eyes narrowing in threat.

"Of course it's not," Penelope said with a roll of her eyes. "He just doesn't want to give him up. But I think he forgets I know where he keeps the kid…"

Freakshow's eyes widened as he saw the human-like female walk over to the center stage, towards the secret passage entrance. "Wait! You can't do this!" he said, this time unable to keep all of his panic out of his voice.

But the female ghost ignored him, and quickly proceeded to open the entrance to the unseen tunnel below. She smirked at her male audience and asked, "You boys comin'?"

Tom briefly looked at Freakshow, who looked incredibly ticked off, before smirking and moving towards Penelope.

Seeing the white-suited man's movements, the ringmaster quickly followed after him as he continued to deny the existence of the dragon offspring. "I'm telling you, it died! There is nothing down there!"

"Yeah, sure. We'll see about that," Bertrand said, before suddenly turning intangible and sinking through the floor.

The moment Penelope finished descending the stairs, she looked around, and in a sickeningly-sweet voice all-but-sang, "Oh, Gregory! Where are yooou?"

"Gregory?" Tom questioned dryly, his cold eyes scanning the damp and dirty room he was now in.

"Cute, isn't it?" the female replied, shooting the man a perky grin.

Tom rolled his eyes, but otherwise said nothing and just continued to look around. His eyes briefly caught sight of the lifting mount to his right, before they went to the many caged animals in the vicinity.

Freakshow just stood at the bottoms of the stairs, watching his unwanted guests with a scowl on his face and with crossed arms. Although there was nothing he could do to keep them from searching the place, he was still fairly sure that they were not going to find for what they were looking.

Spectra began to lose her patience as she searched for the dragon kid and came up empty-handed. How could Freakshow hide a ghost that large? Unless… Was the child invisible? But then, why weren't the ghost hunter's instruments picking it up?

"Am I really going to have to use more force on you, Freakshow?" Thomas suddenly asked, voicing his own irritation.

"Is it so hard to believe that I'm telling you the truth? There are no ghosts here besides the ones you invited. All that's in here are props, cages, animals---"

"---And a human kid!" Bertrand suddenly said as he walked up to Spectra hefting a small cage containing the little boy Samantha had discovered.

Penelope perked up as her partner put down the cage, and she all but flew to it. "Ooo! Is he for me, Freakshow?"

The ringmaster swallowed his growing panic, and angrily replied, "No! And even if he was, I wouldn't give him to you anymore, _traitor!_"

The human-looking ghost ignored his comment as she squatted down in front of the cage and grinned at the child like a hungry lion. "Hi, there! Why are you hiding your pretty face within that dirty hood?" she asked sweetly.

But the boy didn't answer her; and like he had during his interaction with Samantha, he just stared unblinkingly at his audience.

"He's kinda creepy. It's like… he's not even scared," Bertrand mumbled with a heavy frown.

Tom had fallen quiet as he watched the two ghosts attempt to get some reaction out of the trapped child. There was a calm, but calculating look on the hunter's face. But he then suddenly chuckled, getting everyone's attention. "I have to hand it to you. You're one clever son-of-a-jackal," he remarked to Freakshow.

But before the ringmaster could reply, the Guy-in-White agent turned; and as he climbed the stairs, he ordered over his shoulder, "Bring the child."

Penelope and Bertrand shared a questioning look, but then they shrugged it off. Bertrand picked up the cage again, and he and the female ghost followed after Tom. No one saw when Freakshow, who took the rear, narrowed his eyes at the little boy and mouthed something to him. The child finally blinked his green eyes, though his gaze stayed frozen on the ringmaster the entire time.

"Release it," Tom commanded Freakshow once they were above ground.

The other man raised an eyebrow. "Release what? The kid? Why do you care about him?"

Tom was finally fed up. He pulled out a gun from his suit and aimed it at the ringmaster. "I'm getting sick of your runarounds! You forget I've known you for years, Freakshow! I know how your pathetic mind works! And we both know that _that_ is no human you got there!"

Penelope and Bertrand's eyes widened with the news and they quickly turned to look at the kid, who was still emotionlessly watching them all.

"No way," the female ghost gasped out, finally catching on. She quickly opened the cage as she said to the ringmaster, "Is it really _him_? But how? You don't possess one of the Amulets of Aragon!"

She didn't wait for an answer. She quickly opened the cage, grabbed a hold of one of the little boy's wrists, and pulled him out. The green-eyed child didn't protest in the slightest. In fact, it was almost as if he were a rag doll from how compliant he was.

Freakshow didn't answer. He wasn't making it easy for them. He had invested too much time with the kid in question to just let him be taken from him now!

"Gregory?" Spectra questioned curiously. But when the boy didn't react to the name—his eyes were still locked on the ringmaster---she grabbed his face with one of her hands and turned it towards her. She then grabbed the hood still on his head and pulled it back, only to gasp in disbelief.

"What have you been doing to the kid?" Bertrand asked, voicing his partner's thoughts. If it was indeed the dragon child, its ghostly glow was completely gone; but not just from his body, but also from his green eyes---which really should be _yellow_. All that was left of him was a gaunt boy with sickening pale, almost-transparent skin and that lifeless stare. And more disturbingly, his normally black hair was grotesquely disheveled, so tainted with clogs of dirt and grease and so twisted with yellowing streaks of matted white hair, that it looked almost grey.

The kid was so revolting that even the two opportunistic ghosts found him too unappealing to feed off.

Everyone's attention, save for the child's, turned to Thomas when he suddenly approached the boy. He quickly pulled him out of Spectra's hold and then completely tore off the cloak on him. The man proceeded with inspecting the child from head to toe, even going as far as looking under the ripped and dirty clothing on his body. He even yanked the boy upward so that he could listen at the boy's chest.

"Where are you hiding it, Freakshow?" Tom growled as he continued to roughly search the boy.

"Hiding what?" the ringmaster grumbled in response.

"The crystal! The amulet! Whatever the bloody hell you are using to keep this ghost in this disguise!"

The Guy-in-White was now certain that this was the ghost Freakshow had kept in his possession for so many years now. No human was this cold to the touch—or, of course, had no heartbeat. But, obviously, the ringmaster wanted to be difficult. So, then, it was time to resort to more violent measures...

Thomas abruptly let go of the boy. He rounded on Freakshow and back-slapped him across the face. The startled man stumbled backwards. But Freakshow's attention was more on the boy, who had tensed up from Tom's assault on him and was now staring intently between him and the other man. And when the ghost hunter swung at the ringmaster—though Freakshow dodged it this time—the boy's eyes flashed red.

"Don't move!" Freakshow quickly ordered the child, preventing him from taking a step forward.

Tom stopped and glanced back at the boy, only to find that he was actually staring at him. A knowing smirk grew on the man's face as he turned back to Freakshow. Spectra and Bertrand noticed the wicked gleam in the ghost hunter's eye and suddenly catching onto what Chrome was trying to do, tensed in anticipation.

"You should know by now that I always get what I want, Freakshow," Tom said smugly. "And your predictability makes it all the simpler for me."

The red-eyed man gasped when the government agent suddenly grabbed him by the neck and drew him closer, before drawing out his gun again and jabbing it into the ringmaster's shoulder. This time, the ghost hunter fired it.

As Tom predicted, the other man's loud scream of pain finally got the boy to react. But the reaction was so quick the hunter was barely able to react in time.

A growl left the boy's throat as he lunged at the agent, at the same time drawing out a set of black claws. But just before the child hit his mark, Tom whirled around and fired his gun at him, effectively hitting him right in the stomach.

"NO!" Freakshow cried out in horror as he watched the boy get thrown a few feet away from the impact.

But the moment the child violently hit the ground, he got right back to his feet. Even the large wound on his abdomen, seeping green blood, didn't keep him down. His once green eyes were now bright red and locked on the ghost hunter.

Tom simply raised his gun at the non-human creature. "I'm disappointed, Freakshow. I thought you would have trained the thing better..."

"No, stop!" the ringmaster shouted, quickly placing himself in front of the Guy-in-White's weapon, while holding his bleeding shoulder. "Don't kill it! You-You win!"

Tom smirked as he lowered his gun and replied, "Naturally. Now, ask it to change."

Freakshow briefly glared. But he then looked back at the boy and coldly commanded. "Drone! Remove the Gem of Form."

The boy's eyes turned back to the ringmaster just before he obediently turned his hand intangible and stuck it right into his chest. When he withdrew it, he held a colored crystal in his hand.

Spectra and Bertrand cringed at realizing that Freakshow had ordered the child to fuse the gem to his core. How was it that he showed no sign of pain? That had to be painful at the very least!

"Give it to me," Freakshow continued firmly.

The boy extended his hand and the ringmaster snatched the Gem of Form from it. The man then quickly aimed the magical crystal at the dragon and a beam shot out of it. Immediately, its human-like body flickered; and in another instant, it flashed into the form of a black, seven-foot-tall ghost dragon.

Gregory's aura had now returned, though it was still unnaturally dim. And his body was obviously too slim for its frame, having been kept somewhat undernourished lately. In spite of that, the young dragon still bore his Ectoplasmic Signature on his chest; and if his slow, but steadily healing abdomen was any indication of it, his powers were still intact.

"There. Happy now?" Freakshow grumbled at Tom.

"Not quite. I want to see what it can do. And it _better_ be able to do as much as I expect," the agent finished darkly.

"I don't understand," Freakshow muttered nervously.

"You will. Penelope?" the ghost hunter called, knowing she and the other ghost still held the metallic spheres he had given them a while ago.

The female ghost grinned as she pulled out the human-made device from her inner suit's pocket, before glancing at Bertrand, who quickly gave up the one in his possession to her. Still smiling evilly, she took the two spheres over to the ghost hunter.

"These are ghost traps," Thomas began to explain as he took one of the spheres from the female ghost. They can each hold _one_ ghost; and thanks to our two _friends_ here, these two traps are conveniently occupied."

He paused as he narrowed his eyes at Gregory, who was watching him like a hawk. "I know that that monster that you have there is capable of killing off pathetic animals---Yes, I have been watching it, Freakshow. And by how quick it was willing to attack me, it just showed me that it would have no trouble killing a human. But what I want to find out is how it will stand up to its own kind."

Thomas looked back at the ringmaster with a wicked smile as he continued, "You see, I long since realized another use for you, Freakshow. You _and_ those crafty tools that you use to control ghosts…" The hunter's face darkened. "The Ghost King has for too long evaded my attempts to take him down. And I have come to realize that it's because he knows full well with what he is dealing. However, _this_ time it will be different; and that's because, this time, he won't just have ghost hunters with weapons to worry about, but one of his own."

Freakshow's eyes widened at finally understanding what the man was planning to do. But he wasn't sure if the dragon ghost could even hope to stand up to the Ghost King---or _any_ ghost for that matter. Even if the dragon ghost was strong, it was still young!

"I don't know if my slave could match up to your expectations, Tom. We both know he is no match for the Ghost King!"

"It is not the Ghost King it will be confronting, per se…" the agent replied with a secretive smirk.

"And even if it was," Bertrand interrupted, "Plasmius wouldn't have it in him to kill one of our own kind---especially a child. Gregory is the perfect trump card against him."

Freakshow stayed quiet at first; but then he looked down at the sphere in the ghost hunter's hand and quietly asked, "So, what do you want my slave to do _now_?"

"I told you, I want to see what it's capable of." At that moment, Tom pressed a button on the sphere in his hand and a red mist immediately leaked out. It curved into the air, reforming the ghost once imprisoned within the trap. The ringmaster's mouth gaped opened as he stared at an unconscious, red-and-orange ghost phoenix.

"Don't tell me you want it to fight that thing?!" Freakshow exclaimed when he found his voice again. "That's a full-grown ghost, Tom!"

"Actually, he's gonna be fighting _two_ full-grown ghosts," Spectra replied for the ghost hunter, pressing the release button on the ghost trap in her hand. As before, another ghost reformed. But this time the phoenix was blue and white in color.

Grinning, the female ghost continued, "They're a mating couple. So, you can be sure they're gonna defend each other beak and talon. That's what's gonna make this so much fun!"

"Tom might as well shoot a bullet through my slave's core now, Penelope," Freakshow said angrily. "You know it is no match for these two ghosts!"

"Tsk. You don't know the strength ghost dragons possess," Spectra said with a wink. "Especially those that are direct decedents of Aragon…"

"That maybe so, but it's only ten-years-old!" Freashow continued to protest. "And just how did you manage to trap _those_ ghosts? Didn't you say it had been difficult for you to get me my slave? So then, how did you abduct _two adult ghosts?!_"

"A ghost trap that single-handedly pulls a ghost into it makes things easier," Penelope said, still grinning.

"Yeah, shame we didn't have this nifty device for the dragon kid over there," Bertrand added, before glancing over at Tom and adding, "I gotta hand it to you, human, you know your stuff."

The ghost hunter smirked. "I just have a lot of people under my thumb. And with a little government spying, some of them don't even know when they help me out…"

Freakshow fell quiet again and turned to look back at Gregory, who quickly turned his gaze to him as well. The man knew that his slave was too deep in his control at the moment to understand what they were talking about. But the control wasn't so deep that the dragon didn't capture and vaguely-remember visual sights and movements. Still, all of the kid's reactions---even his defending his _master_---were based on instinct and previous teachings. They were not _his_ own reactions.

However, even his instinctual reactions could be blocked if Freakshow wanted it that way. With the staff, the man could get the young ghost to _only_ act on direct, verbal orders. In short, make it into a complete puppet---strings and all.

But Freakshow could _also_ make it so that he could give the child free use of his mind without worrying about losing his control over him. After six years of submission, Gregory didn't even know what the word 'disobedience' meant. And that's what made him the perfect minion. After all, a mindless drone could never compare to a _submissive slave_. And if Freakshow wanted to give his minion even the slimmest chance of surviving this night, it was time to turn it into the latter.

After all, he had his own plans for this creature. And he wasn't about to let the brute beside him ruin his hard work thus far. One day, he would make Tom pay for everything he had done to him. But until then, the ringmaster had no choice but to keep the man happy.

"Give me a moment," Freakshow suddenly grumbled, before walking over to Gregory. "Drone. Not a single movement," he ordered coldly, and then angrily marched back to his private tent.

Once the man was out of sight, Tom looked back at Spectra and said, "I'm almost finished with the device you will need for the next part of the plan. Although, I still don't understand why you can't just capture the Ghost King's spawn like you did these creatures here."

Penelope crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as she countered, "Because, _Tommy_, my little nephew is too well-guarded. I'd be caught faster than you can punch. And then all our plans will be washed down the drain." She suddenly narrowed her eyes at the man as she added, "Besides, we have a deal. And in order for you to keep your end---which you had _better_---I can't just simply capture the Prince."

"Don't worry, my ghost harlot," Tom said, a wicked smile on his face. "I'll keep my end of the bargain as long as you keep yours…"

Bertrand narrowed his eyes on the human at hearing what he had called his partner. And Spectra didn't like the name herself; but she knew the man was just trying to rile her up. She wasn't, however, going to give him the pleasure.

"I _am_ keeping my end of the deal, Tommy," Spectra said with a sweet smile.

"I'll believe that when I have the Ghost King's bleeding core in my hand," the hunter answered darkly.

Penelope frowned at the image; but before she could say anymore, Freakshow returned. He walked right up to the ghost dragon; and without a word, lifted up the staff in front of his face.

"Wake up," he commanded and the child's eyes flashed a brighter red.

Gregory's eyes blinked rapidly a few times as his fogged mind cleared. But the moment he _saw_ the ringmaster in front of him, he bowed his head submissively; and ignoring his suddenly aching abdomen, he said with an echoing child's voice, "Master."

"Drone, I have a new task for you. And I will only feed you if you successfully complete it, understand?"

"I do," Gregory replied, keeping his head lowered.

"Look," the man commanded, pointing his staff towards the others in the tent.

The young ghost slowly lifted his gaze to the ghost hunter and the two ghosts that still looked very much human. But the moment that he did, his eyes widened in surprise. "M-Master?" he whispered, his tail unconsciously coiling around himself. His master had never allowed him to be anywhere near other humans. It befuddled his mind greatly. But the ringmaster's sudden angry voice jolted him past his anxiety.

"What have I told you about showing fear, minion?!"

"I must never show it. It is a sign of weakness," Gregory quickly replied, bowing his head submissively again. "Forgive me, Master. But their presence confuses me."

"Did I ask for an excuse?" the man growled back, pointing the staff menacingly at the child.

"No, Master. Forgive me," the dragon pleaded, bowing so low that his snout touched the ground.

"Stop tormenting your pet, Freakshow," Thomas abruptly cut in, before walking over to him and the kid.

Gregory lifted his head slightly to look at the approaching human. This time, he was more shocked to hear the man dare to order something of his master---especially when his master had every right to be angry after his show of weakness! But the child suddenly tensed when he felt his master tense, too. Who was this human? And why did his instincts tell him he was dangerous?

"You should let his mind work more often, Freakshow," the ghost hunter said with a mysterious smile. "He is much more _interesting_…" Tom turned his eyes from the other man to the young dragon and called, "Ghost?"

Gregory just stared back at the green-eyed man. He knew that the man was speaking to him because his master had told him that he was a ghost; and that ghost were inferior to humans---like his master. He had said that the ghosts' sole purpose was to serve humans. Of course, the child believed it.

"You may speak to him, Drone."

"Yes, Master," Gregory uttered, before turning his attention again to the other man.

"Allow me to introduce myself," Thomas began smugly, still smiling. "I am your master's _master_."

Freakshow glared at the ghost hunter, while the child's eyes widened in disbelief. Was this human uttering the truth? No, his master couldn't have a master! He was above everyone… wasn't he? But suddenly realizing he was questioning his master's superiority, the dragon child quickly snuffed the thought. His eyes quickly narrowed on the hunter.

"My master only answers to himself. You're just another human; one I should break in half for uttering such blasphemy of my master," Gregory replied coldly.

Tom laughed at the creature's response. "If I didn't hate your kind so much, I would actually feel sorry for how brainwashed you are." He calmed as he then said, "Even if you don't believe me, you are still going to do what I tell you."

"I only answer to my master," the ghost growled back, smoke beginning to rise from his flared nostrils.

"We'll see about that," the hunter countered, turning his gaze to Freakshow.

The ringmaster stared back with a heavy scowl on his face; but reluctantly ordered the child, "Drone, you will do as he asks. At least for now…"

Gregory jolted with the command. But knowing better than to question his master's wishes, he replied, "Yes, Master."

Right then, a soft chirp turned everyone's attention to the two phoenixes. The blue one was stirring.

Bertrand suddenly changed into a green cougar as he annoyingly said, "About time."

"The other one should be waking up shortly," Penelope added, before turning into her shadow form.

But their changes quickly got Gregory's attention. The child's eyes widened at the sight, but just as quickly they narrowed. Something about them was familiar; but like anything else in his jumbled mind, it was all a blur. He didn't remember. So, he didn't understand the sudden darkness that clenched at his core. He didn't understand that what he was feeling was an emotion, and it was called, 'hate.'

"Master," Gregory growled softly, his claws clenching so hard under him that they cracked the concrete below them.

Freakshow turned to look at the ghost dragon, only to be greatly startled by the sight of it. Its wings were flattened against his back and its spiked tail was raised menacingly in the air. But now smoke was also escaping through his slightly opened mouth.

"What's wrong with you, Drone?" Freakshow demanded angrily, internally feeling disturbed by how fearsome the creature looked.

"May I kill them?" Gregory asked darkly.

"What? Kill who?" he asked confused. But then, the man finally noticed that his slave was staring at his ghost allies, and that answered his question.

Spectra raised an eyebrow at hearing the child's words. "Did I just hear him right?"

"Wait, he remembers us?" Bertrand asked surprised.

"Impossible!" Freakshow denied, before looking back at Gregory and asking tentatively, "Do you know them?"

"No, Master," he replied. "But I feel the urge to rip them into bloody shreds. May I?"

Spectra cringed at the child's usage of words. What had Freakshow been teaching the kid?

"Ha! I wanna see you try, kid," Bertrand said as he floated closer to the dragon.

Gregory grew even angrier at the challenge and he roared loudly at the shape-shifter. But as the tent suddenly shook, the vibrations fully stirred the two ghost birds. The duo cawed in alarm as they got to their feet, their wings half-open, as if unsure of whether to flee or attack. As they took hesitant steps back, both keeping tightly close to the other, they stared at their audience with uncertainty and fear.

Spectra and Bertrand, and even Gregory, could understand the birds' nervous chatters that otherwise sounded like mere bird noises to the two humans present. The spectral creatures were currently speaking to each other, asking one another where they were and how they had gotten there. Of course, neither was able to answer the other, since they were both equally lost and confused. But it only took them a moment longer to come to the conclusion that they had somehow reached the Human World. Even when they had never been outside of the Ghost World before, it was hard to miss their contrasting surroundings---and the two humans present.

Gregory was now as confused as the phoenixes. But his bafflement was due to the birds themselves and what they were saying. Not only did he _not_ know what language they were speaking in, but he also didn't know how he understood it so well when he had never heard it---or that's what he believed, anyways. But what bewildered the child more was their appearance. These creatures were not human. He was sure of it. But they were not animals, either…

Gregory's eyes widened when he finally noticed the symbols on their chest. He quickly placed his hand against the one on his own chest. But then, he realized something else, and he quickly looked over to the two, once-human-looking creatures he wanted to kill.

He actually gasped this time. They had symbols, too! That meant those creatures and the animal-like ones were ghosts! He had never met other ghosts!

"They are like me," Gregory whispered, strange feelings swirling inside him.

"Correct, Drone," Freakshow said, hearing the child's words. "They are ghosts. And they are your next task."

Gregory didn't have time to answer. His attention went to Bertrand who suddenly lunged at the two ghost birds, finally jolting them into a panic. But Spectra just as quickly fired a few ecto-blasts at them, though she purposely missed them. Still, she managed to rile them up like she wanted.

The two birds continued to back away, while their huge, flapping wings created such heavy wind gusts that everything that didn't weigh more than one-hundred pounds was sent flying across the tent. However, even in their frenzy, they kept together, clearly refusing to be split apart despite their attackers' attempts to do just that.

Gregory felt a surge of fear as he continued to watch the two smaller ghosts harass the larger ones. He didn't know what to make of it. And if he didn't know that it would displease his master greatly, he would flee from the sight.

The phoenixes' state-of-panic suddenly switched into a defensive mode; and as if in sync with the other, they both suddenly began to glow with their energy. But while the blue ghost bird's body—the male of the pair--- lit up with a brighter blue energy, quickly freezing the concrete beneath its talons, its mate was ablaze in red flames, quickly turning the concrete under her talons into boiling black tar.

Spectra gasped when the blue phoenix suddenly released a massive sphere of ice in her direction. But she quickly dodged it, and instead, the stands behind her took the hit, instantly freezing under a thick layer of ice. But right then, the red female phoenix spread her fiery wings wide open and flapped them once towards Bertrand.

With a yelp, he shut his eyes and turned intangible just as a wall of red flames came at him. But the attack had been so large that everyone else had been forced to react in some way in order to escape the searing fire. Tom dodged it by diving forward into a roll; Spectra flew out of the way; and Gregory quickly turned himself and his master intangible.

"What the hell are you two doing?! They are going to destroy my circus!" Freakshow shouted at Spectra and Bertrand just before the male bird shot another ice beam at their attackers, effectively ripping a large hole in the tent.

Spectra grinned as she watched the red phoenix notice her mate's unintentionally-made exit. She suddenly cawed at him and he looked towards it as well. In a flash, the couple spread their wings, turned intangible, and flew out of the tent.

"We were just setting the stage for Gregory," the female ghost finally replied, before looking over at Tom.

The hunter, who had just finished cleaning off his white suit after his narrow escape, smiled evilly at the female ghost; but then, he looked at the young dragon and approached it. "I want you to bring those two ghosts back _alive_. You can use whatever means necessary. But you either bring them back or you die trying. Because if you return with just one or without _both_ of them, then I will be shooting you a little higher," he ended darkly, aiming his gun at the child's symbol.

At first, Gregory just stared at the weapon clutched within Tom's tensed hand; but then, his eyes lowered to where it was pointed: his chest. And it was at this moment that he finally realized his abdomen was injured. So, that was why it was sore... But he didn't recall getting hurt… Or maybe he did. It was a blur… Still, he was somehow sure his injury was caused by the human in front of him.

The child coldly looked back at the man, but then turned his red gaze to his master, who nodded and uttered, "Do as he says. And you _better_ not die, Drone," Freakshow ordered threateningly.

Gregory bowed submissively, before spreading his wings and taking flight. His eyes narrowed in determination, though internally, he was troubled with what he had to do. But he never questioned his master's commands. He just obeyed them.

He climbed higher into the dark sky, and almost immediately spotted the fleeing ghosts. But they were so far away that if it weren't for their glowing, colorful bodies acting like beacons against the black sea-like sky and for his sharp vision, he would not have spotted them at all.

In a burst of speed, he flew after them, quickly becoming invisible as he closed the gap between them with surprising ease. But instead of using the opportunity to sneak attack the two unsuspecting ghosts as he had been taught to do, he flew in front of them and turned visible again. In turn, the large birds jolted to a stop at the sight of the dragon ghost blocking their escape.

"Youngling…," the red female phoenix said in Ghost Speech. "We do not wish to fight you. Please, let us through."

Gregory hesitated in his reply. He knew he should just go on the offense; but something kept him from doing so. He didn't know why, but he wanted to _talk_ to these creatures that were _like_ him. He didn't want to hurt them. But… he had a command to carry out.

"My master and the other human want you both back," Gregory finally replied, surprised by how easily he could speak a language that he didn't even know the name of.

The two phoenixes looked at one another and whispered something about the humans to each other, before looking back at the young ghost again. This time, the male spoke up and asked, "Where are your parents, child?"

The dragon kid jolted with the question. "Parents…?" he whispered with uncertainty, not understanding why the word brought him such internal turmoil.

"Yes, they take care of you," the female firebird replied.

"My Master takes care of me," Gregory answered, confused.

"Listen to us, child. You do not belong here. Those humans are evil. Return with us to the Ghost World, where _you_ belong," the ice-bird said gravely.

Gregory unconsciously backed up from them. But when he realized he was showing fear, he tensed and narrowed his eyes on the birds. "I don't know what you're talking about. But I must fulfill my master's wishes. So, you either come back willingly or I'll _make_ you."

This time the male phoenix hissed back, "You are no match for us, child. We do not wish to harm you; but if you attack us, you will force us to do so."

Gregory could see that the birds were at least four feet taller than him and probably twice his size. But his Master's orders were clear. And he always carried them out.

"I must bring you back," was the young ghost's only warning, before he lunged forward.

The female bird screeched in surprise, while her mate screeched in pain when Gregory slammed into him and drove his front claws into the ice-bird's neck. But then just as quickly, the male phoenix used his own talons to grasp the ghost dragon's abdomen in an attempt to pull him off. But when the ice-bird saw that the child was not letting go and was about to sink his large jaws into his neck, the adult bird threw his own weight against the ten-year-old, forcing their tangled bodies into a sudden free-fall.

Gregory ignored the pain as large bird talons sunk further into his flesh. Now also using his back claws, he instead focused on keeping his grip on the ice phoenix. But still forgetting he was dealing with a ghost and not with a _breathing_ animal, the child tried to get his jaws around the bird's neck again. However, before he could successfully do that, the other phoenix unexpectedly came from above them. And in a second, she used her talons to grasp Gregory by his tail; and using intangibility to dislodge the child from her mate, she then quickly used her own momentum to fling the ghost dragon, sending him into an upward spiral.

The young ghost cried out in surprise, but quickly managed to get control of his tumbling body. He came to a halt in mid-air as he looked after the two, now fleeing ghost birds. He had not expected the second bird to come aid the other. After all, out of all the other animals he had killed before, not once had another of their kind intervened when he had targeted one of their members. They usually just fled, leaving the victim to its fate. So, seeing these ghosts _defending_ each other confused the dragon child greatly.

But when he saw that they were getting away, Gregory jolted out of his astonishment and took off after them. They were definitely stronger than him, but he was faster and smaller, allowing him to maneuver more effectively than they. Hopefully, it would be enough to help him win this hunt---No--battle.

As he neared again, Gregory decided to use one of his more lethal attacks. He knew full well he couldn't kill them; but if he wanted to bring them back, he would have to wound them enough to stop their struggles.

Gregory drew in air into his ghost lungs, but it wasn't to breathe, but to give his next attack an extra kick forward. In a fraction of a second, the child released a stream of fire from his mouth that shot forward with the force of an explosion.

Somehow perceiving the attack, the ice phoenix jolted to a stop. But just as quickly, he spun around and spread his wings wide to protect his mate. Just before the fire reached him, he opened his beak and let out his own stream of ice power from his mouth.

The two opposite attacks instantly collided and a wave of hot steam exploded in all directions. All three ghosts drew back as their visions were impeded by the thick gas. But realizing the advantage this gave them, the two phoenixes chirped at one another before diving towards some trees. In an instant, they both disappeared.

Gregory was greatly thrown off-guard. He had not expected what had resulted from the violent collision between his hot and the blue phoenix's cold energies, and was even more befuddled when he couldn't see anything through the thick fog. But it wasn't long before the white smoke dispersed. And when it did, and the child saw that the two birds were nowhere in sight, he gasped.

The dragon kid darted forward and began to look around the sky for them. But not finding them, he began to panic as the consequences of failing came to his mind. But it wasn't the threat of being killed by the other human that worried him, but seeing his master angry at him. His punishments were worse than dying could ever be!

His frantic search came to a stop when he finally noticed a small forest below. And remembering his prey always sought out shelter when they were feeling threatened, the child quickly flew down to it. He could only hope that ghosts behaved the same way as his prey. And though he had been taught never to flee, there were times when he felt like hiding somewhere. So, maybe that meant ghosts indeed sought protection when they were scared…

However, as he walked through the trees, he began to grow worried again at not finding a single trace of the birds. How could creatures that large just vanish completely? The child jolted. Wait, they _could_! They were ghosts like him!

Gregory slightly lowered his head. This was turning out to be much harder than anything he had ever been commanded to do. How could he capture something he couldn't see? The child suddenly narrowed his eyes. They couldn't hide forever. They would have to show themselves sooner or later. Until then, three could play at this game.

The dragon kid quickly became invisible before continuing forward, searching the trees and ground for any clues of the birds' whereabouts. He was now certain they were in here. He could smell their faint scent dispersed in the air. Gregory suddenly halted as he noticed something on the ground. It was a small mound of…ashes. But what he found odd was that they were red in color. The kid scanned the immediate area and he quickly spotted another ash mound next to a tree. But this one was blue.

After being in the human world for so many years, Gregory knew that the colored ashes were not a normal sight. So, he was certain that they were the clues for which he was looking. However, something inside him told him that the ash mounds were more than just clues… But what more could they be?

Still invisible, the child carefully used one of his front claws to touch the red dust in front of him. He quickly noticed that it was hot and that it sent strange tingles through his arm. But other than that, the ashes felt and moved like, well, ashes. Suddenly even more confused, he moved over to the other mound, and inspected it as well. The blue ashes were cold, but still had that strange tingle to them.

But this suddenly made Gregory realize something. If he, being a ghost, had many abilities, who was there to say other ghosts didn't also have many abilities, maybe even abilities that he didn't have? If this was true, then maybe these seemingly lifeless ash-mounds were more than that…

Gregory curved his long neck and looked back at the red ashes. If there was one thing he knew about himself, it was that he was a fast learner. His master didn't have a lot of patience, so it was something he had to learn to become over the years. From his first attempt to subdue these ghosts, Gregory understood that they would stand and fight for one another. It made things a lot more difficult for him. But maybe, it could make things a lot simpler for him, too…

The kid returned back to the pile of red ashes before regaining visibility. He glanced over at the blue ashes for a brief moment; but then, in one quick swoop, Gregory opened his mouth and took the pile of red ashes into his mouth. His hunch was confirmed a second later.

The blue ashes burst upward and quickly reformed themselves into the now furious male phoenix. But before the bird could even move, Gregory lunged forward and then spun around. The dragon's large spiked tail slammed into a few trees, easily breaking them in half, before it finally slammed just as violently into the male phoenix.

The adult ghost screeched in pain as he was sent crashing back into several other trees.

Gregory didn't even bother to see the other ghost finally halt to a painful stop. He quickly became intangible and took to the air. He flew as fast as he could towards the circus, certain the blue bird would follow him now that he had the red one inside his mouth. But before he could move more than a few feet forward, he felt his mouth suddenly begin to burn, like he had acid inside it.

The child couldn't take the agony for long and he quickly opened his mouth, only for the red ashes to burst out of it. As with her mate, the red phoenix reformed herself; and this time, she caught Gregory off guard with a fireball to his chest.

He cried out again as he was sent flying across the sky, before his stunned body dove towards the ground. He wasn't able to keep himself from slamming into the earth below. Still, Gregory slowly stood up again, but the agony in his chest was unbearable. He had never been struck there before…

Still, he forced his body to withstand the pain; and with narrowed eyes, he lunged back into the sky. Seeing the blue bird had finally caught up with the other one, Gregory let loose an angry barrage of fire at them. But the two birds quickly turned intangible, effectively avoiding the attack. The female ghost let out an angry growl and quickly fired her own fiery attacks at the child, but only one of them hit their target.

Still, the strong fireball striking his neck had been enough to push Gregory back and slightly disorient him. But before he could recover, the blue phoenix raised his wings and flapped them forward, sending a wall of ice energy towards the dragon. The ten-year-old could only gasp as the attack penetrated him, immediately encasing his entire body in a block of ice.

The pair of adult ghosts watched sadly as the child dropped down to the ground like an anvil. A second later, he impacted the ground, his icy prison shattering; but the damage had been done. His unmoving form said it all.

The two birds hovered in place for a moment, before finally moving off, now sure the young ghost would not be attacking them anytime soon. They didn't want to fatally hurt him; so they internally hoped he would be okay. For now, they needed to worry about themselves. They knew that their only chance of returning to their world was to find one of the five open portals. But first they needed to figure out where they were…

The two ghosts were so determined to find a way out of the horrible world in which they found themselves that they didn't see the unmoving form of the dragon child below suddenly disappear…

Gregory fought with his pain and spinning head as he lay on the ground. For some reason, the ice attacks more readily weakened him than the fire ones… He wanted to just pass out. He really did. But the thought of his angry master kept him from doing what he wanted. He had to do what his master wanted. And _he_ wanted him to do what that other human had ordered. He had to bring those two ghosts back!

Turning invisible, the dragon kid took to the sky again. There was no way he could fight these two ghosts at the same time. But splitting them up was practically impossible, too! No, his only chance was to cripple one of them. And use it as bait… It was time to put all his skills to work.

Being that he was injured, it took Gregory a little longer to catch up to the two adult ghosts. They were obviously lost. But he was not. He knew Amity Park completely. And he knew the quickest way back to his master.

Knowing they were not expecting him, Gregory quickly charged at them; and at the last second, he regained visibility. He head-butted the blue phoenix, pushing him back, before spinning and slamming his spiky tail into the red one, sending her flying in another direction. The two creatures screeched in surprise and pain; but they quickly regrouped and fired their own attacks at the dragon kid.

"Why are you doing this?!" the red phoenix hissed at him.

But Gregory was done talking. He was solely focused on carrying out his command. He quickly flew at them, nimbly evading their attacks. But when he reached them, he quickly dived under them and then came up behind them. He then instantly spun in mid-flight and released a fiery attack.

The two adult ghosts quickly became intangible, avoiding the hit; but Gregory moved again, this time flying above them. It was then that a sort of instinct---or maybe a past learned skill---suddenly took over the child, and he began to weave through and around them, quickly disorienting the birds, who just couldn't keep up with his quick movements.

But then, the dragon breathed out fire and began circling them, pushing them closer and closer into each other as he tightened and quickened his flight. As a result, a ring of fire formed around the two phoenixes, steadily becoming smaller in diameter but larger in height the more he circled them.

The two birds began to panic as the inferno began to overwhelm their senses—even the firebird was not completely immune to the foreign flames around her. And because of their close proximity towards one another, the pair could not release their powers without hurting the other. It was the disadvantage that came with their having such different cores.

But when the blue phoenix began to feel the ends of his wings catch on fire as they brushed against the flames surrounding him, he quickly reacted with the only thing that he knew wouldn't harm his mate since they were back to back with each other. The male bird quickly opened his mouth and shot out a beam of ice energy, effectively snuffing out the flames directly in front of him. But the ice beam was not enough to subdue the large fire-ring. Still, he kept trying, knowing that they---especially he---couldn't last much longer inside this fiery trap. Ultimately, his ice beams' attempts to break through the fire only caused steam to erupt; and the hot gas began to bellow out and around their immediate surroundings.

And it was just what Gregory had been waiting for.

In one quick swoop, the dragon lunged at the red phoenix, who didn't see him coming due to the thick fog. He quickly used all his clawed-feet to grab her own feet and pull her through the flames, away from the other bird. The female ghost cried in pain and surprise, quickly getting her mate's attention.

The male phoenix cawed in anger as he spun around, ignoring the burning flames biting at his wings. He could only see the shadows of the two struggling ghosts; so he was unaware that the dragon ghost had his mate captured by her legs. But the sound of her struggles quickly pushed him to react, and he blindly fired an ice attack in the direction of his mate's attacker.

But again, Gregory had been waiting for the male bird's attack. And using his hold on the female bird, he whirled them around, bringing her in line with of her mate's ice beam. The attack that was meant for him hit the firebird dead on.

At the sound of his mate's screech of agony, the blue phoenix screech back even louder in horror. Now completely panicked, he shot forward through the flames, ignoring the damage it did to his cool body. He then quickly flapped his wings, clearing the blinding fog around him, only for his eyes to widen in terror at the sight of the now frozen, red phoenix dropping from the sky.

He didn't get time to react, however. Before he could do anything to aid his mate, the dragon child threw a fire ball directly at his chest, hurling him backwards. But when the dazed bird began to descend, Gregory charged at him and drove all his claws into the ice-bird's back, before coiling his spiked tail around his legs to further secure his mounted position.

Pain quickly brought the adult ghost's senses into full gear, he instantly began to glow blue, and ice began to crawl up on every part of the dragon that was touching the bird. Gregory hissed in pain as his limbs were slowly frozen over; but he refused to let go. And he made that clear by clamping his jaws down at the base of one of the bird's wings.

And while the phoenix let out a louder cry, the dragon cringed in agony as his snout began to freeze under the ghost's ice powers. But quickly reacting, the child let his fire ability pour from his mouth; but this time, it came out in the form of hot black tar that instantly began burn the wing in his jaws in spite of the bird's ice powers counteracting it.

Unable to take any more pain, the bird began to wildly spin in an attempt to throw the young ghost off his back. To the bird's misfortune, his neck was not long or flexible enough to do more than reach a small part of dragon's neck, but he still stabbed it repeatedly with his sharp beak. But no matter what he did, the ten-year-old would not relent in the slightest. The phoenix could not believe how pain tolerant and violent this young ghost was. He had never seen anyone like him.

But the thought made him realize that if he didn't attack this child with everything he had, this child was going to _kill_ him. The ice phoenix snuffed out his pity for the young ghost and quickly summoned more of his ice powers. With a burst of strength, the bird released it out of his entire body in the form of sharp, ice spikes.

Gregory cried out in pain, finally releasing the wing from his hold as several spikes embedded themselves into his flesh; and one in particular had been inches away from penetrating his core. But when he felt the ice-bird sink his talons into his tail with the intention of throwing him off, the dragon's eyes suddenly glowed a brighter red as the thought of failing came to his mind once again.

With a feral growl, Gregory clamped his jaws back on the bird's wing before he could dismount him; and pressing his bat-like wings back against his body, the dragon then used his own momentum to send them both into a violent dive. As they plummeted, both ghosts spun wildly in the air, equally trying to subdue the other in any way possible. But it was at the last second before they impacted the ground that the dragon ghost made an unexpected move.

He suddenly spread his tucked wings; and with a strong flap of them and the strong, upward jolt of his neck, Gregory did a back-flip, combined with a death roll, in mid-air. But because he still had the phoenix's wing in his mouth, the violent movements ripped the bird's wing right off with a gruesome snap.

The bird let out a pitiful screech of pain, before slamming into the hard ground below. Gregory flapped his wings with difficulty, momentarily hindered by his injuries and fatigue. But as he was taught to do, the child pushed away his ailments and forced his body to hold him in flight. However, he couldn't push away the sick feeling in his stomach when the ectoplasm from the severed wing still in his jaws poured into his mouth. It tasted fouler to him than the blood of the animals he had to kill to survive. And yet, the energy-rich blood somehow attracted him more than anything found in this world...

A cry of horror behind him quickly brought the dragon child out of his thoughts. He spun around to face the red phoenix which had finally recovered and freed herself from the other bird's ice attack. She was staring at the form of her barely moving mate below. But then, her orange eyes suddenly rose towards the creature responsible for his condition.

Her entire body began to glow with red fire as she glared murderously at the child. It was obvious she was done being merciful to him. But Gregory had no intentions of fighting her. He had no strength left for it. But he needed to get the two creatures back. Luckily, he had already thought about how he was going to do that…

Gregory quickly dodged a barrage of fireballs thrown at him, before spitting out the severed appendage from his mouth and diving towards the injured male bird below. But the female ghost quickly saw his intentions; and just before the dragon could reach her mate, she teleported above him and used her talons to grab both of his wings.

The dragon ghost let out a roar of pain as his sensitive appendages were subjected to the piercing claws but also to his full weight now that he was hanging from them. It was far more painful than being held up by the hair---and he knew how that felt, too.

But before he could do anything about it, the female phoenix swung him forward, a snapping sound coming from one of his own wings as he was lunched forward. But then, a fireball was hurled at him, throwing him away from the female ghost at an even greater speed.

Gregory quickly tried to gain control of his flight; but every time he moved his right wing a mind-numbing pain shot from it. He was certain it was broken. And without his wings, he couldn't truly fly. Unlike wingless ghosts whom had the ability to levitate, he and other ghosts with wings needed their extra appendages to keep themselves in flight.

The dragon ghost knew if he couldn't fly, it was all over. He would fail. And he **couldn't** fail.

With a cry of pain, Gregory forced his broken wing to move; and with a louder scream and a snap, he reset it in its place. He didn't linger on the agony he was in, and instead spun around to face the female bird. But when he saw she was no longer airborne, he growled and shot down to where she now was on the ground beside her mate, urging him to stand. But it was clear that the ice-bird, who was lying in a puddle of his ectoplasm, was too injured to do anything anymore.

Even through her distress, the female ghost caught sight of their attacker's return. She quickly conjured up a shield and surrounded herself and her mate with it. Gregory halted in mid-descent and gasped at the sight of it. He had never seen anything like it. Still, he quickly moved again and slammed his claws into the red shield from above. But to his surprise, he could not penetrate it; and instead, he was painfully jolted away by it.

The young dragon ghost still had yet to learn to make energy shields. But he now knew that they were a ghost power. Still, his mind right now was more focused on breaking through the bird's barrier. He quickly landed and came at it again. But no matter how many times he would slam, scratch or throw fire against the jolting shield, it held firm.

Gregory suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes at the birds under the force-field. He then began to circle the red barrier, a growl of frustration passing through his mouth as he attempted to find a fault in the shield without success.

"You can't stay under there forever," Gregory hissed at them.

The fearful way the female phoenix stared at him confirmed this to be true. She had taken some heavy blows herself and she was weakened. But she knew that the dragon ghost was even weaker than she was. And yet, he had still managed to take out her mate and trap her. How?

"Please, youngling. You have severely hurt my mate. Isn't that enough for you? Please, just leave us be. We… We have a young offspring back home. She needs us. Please," the phoenix begged.

Gregory slowly came to a stop and looked down at the ground as some strange feelings swelled within him again. But before he could think about them, he finally noticed a fault in the bird's ghost shield. Still, he didn't act on it right away.

"I do not know what an offspring is," he murmured, looking back at the ghost.

"That's what you are!" she exclaimed, perturbed by the child's ignorance of such simple things. What had those humans been doing to him?

"You must have parents, youngling! You shouldn't be doing this! Those creatures are using you! Can't you see?!" she continued in desperation.

Gregory tilted his head at her, genuine innocence in his confused eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about. But I do know I need to please my master…"

"Wait!" she shouted when he suddenly disappeared. The firebird stared around, while she kept her wings lowered, covering her mate under them.

"You-You need to get away," she heard her mate whisper to her.

But she just chirped back at him, "I'm not leaving you."

Right then, a rumble came from under their feet. And with a gasp, she realized too late that she had left them open from below when the young ghost's intangible head came out of the ground. The dragon only solidified long enough to secure his jaws on one of the injured ghost male's leg. In a fraction of a second, he pulled the ice bird down underground with him, snatching him from right under his mate before she could even react.

The red phoenix screeched in alarm at losing sight of her mate; and in her worry, she dropped her shield. But just when she was about to dive blindly into the ground after her mate, she suddenly saw the young dragon spring out of the ground about fifty yards away. Her eyes widened as the child immediately took flight, her mate secured in his claws.

She quickly gave chase, just as the ten-year-old and her mate solidified again. That alone told her that the child was too weak to hold any of his powers for too long. But his slower flight speed also confirmed that.

Gregory urged his wings to flap faster, but moving them was just so painful. Plus, the extra weight under his talons didn't make it easier for him, especially when the male ghost was struggling to break free with the strength he didn't have. The young ghost knew he had to keep moving, though. If the female phoenix caught up with him before he reached his intended destination, it was over.

Feeling the adult ghost trying to use his ice powers to escape, the dragon ghost quickly tightened his gripped on the bird's legs, driving his claws deeper into his flesh; in turn, forcing him to surrender his already weak concentration. The male phoenix whimpered in pain as he relented to his fate. His weakened body couldn't even hold his head up as he was carried upside down through the air, his blurry eyes only able to see how his ectoplasm showered the earth below.

It was then that he and his capturer heard a fireball coming at them. Gregory gasped as he somehow force his body to become intangible long enough to avoid the attack. But when several more came his way, he was forced to dodge them. But his sluggish movements were not quick enough to avoid being hit completely. But even with the painful assaults nipping at his body, he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He couldn't fail.

It felt like an eternity when in reality it took about five minutes for the dragon ghost to finally see the black circus tents ahead. It was just in time, too, because the red phoenix was now a few feet away from him. Gregory grunted as a hot beam hit his tail; but, again, he just pushed forward.

It was then that his excellent vision caught sight of his master, the other human, and the other two ghosts standing outside, their gazes towards the sky. Knowing he had finally fulfilled his master's command, Gregory quickly halted, swung his hind legs forward, and released the injured phoenix from his claws, effectively throwing him into an angled descent. But right then, a strong fireball hit the young ghost in between his flapping wings, sending him spiraling towards the ground as well.

Just below, everyone gasped at the sight of the ghost bird and the ghost dragon coming towards them. But Bertrand and Spectra quickly reacted. And while the male ghost turned himself intangible, the female ghost gripped the two human males next to her by an arm. They all became intangible as the blue phoenix smashed against the dirt, tumbling for several feet until it came to a stop.

Right after, Gregory also hit the ground; but because his fall had been more vertical, he ended up inside a self-made crater.

Everyone just stood shocked for a few moments as the lifted dust cleared. It was then, however, that a pained whimper came from the crater, just before a set of clawed-hands grasped the ground above. Gregory slowly pulled himself out of the crater, his own ghost blood streaking the ground below, while his ripped wings dragged behind his body.

Again, everyone just gawked at him, before looking back at the beat-up blue phoenix, now in a puddle of his own ectoplasm.

"Wow… that's what I call one heck of a fight…," Spectra murmured, looking back at the injured dragon kid.

"Yeah, well, it's not over yet! Watch out!" Bertrand exclaimed as a storm of fireballs came from above.

The two ghosts flew out of the way, while Tom, having come prepared, quickly brought out a small gun and fired it towards the incoming flames. The gun, which had released a silver ball, exploded the instant it made contact with the red fire, releasing enough energized liquid nitrogen to snuff out the approaching fireballs before they could hit the ghost hunter. However, the weapon wasn't enough and he was forced to dodge and weave out of the way of several more fireballs as they slammed close by on the ground. Finally, with a few more quick moves and well-aimed blasts from his gun, the 'GiW' agent escaped the rain of fire.

"Needs more work," Tom mumbled thoughtfully as he looked at the gun in his hand.

Freakshow, meanwhile, had taken refuge under the dragon's large form. He had not seen what the other man was doing, since he was busy watching the firebird above, while Gregory held his ground under the painful blasts smashing against his weakened body. Once it was over, the red-eyed man glared at his 'slave' and commanded,' "Drone! Subdue that other ghost! Now!"

Gregory stared at his master with hazed eyes. He thought he had been done now! Weren't his orders to bring both ghosts back alive? So then, why did his master want him to continue? Couldn't he see he had no strength left with which to fight?

"M-Master, p-please… I-I… She-She's too strong… I-I---"

"Are you hesitating to fulfill my command? Did I ask for an excuse?!" Freakshow snarled angrily at the child, quickly raising his staff menacingly towards him.

Gregory cowered away and quickly bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Master! I did not mean to---"

But the red-eyed man cut him off. "But you did! And now you're going to be _really_ sorry!"

The ten-year-old cried out in agony as Freakshow's staff glowed brighter and his mind was assaulted by a pain so horrible that he lost all ability to think. For a moment all the child knew was agony. But no matter how far he recoiled or how tightly he curled into himself, he could not escape it. Nothing physical could ever compare to the mental pain to which his master could subject him. He wanted to just die each time he felt the indescribable agony. Death was more merciful than it…

Freakshow quickly relented in his attack on the young ghost when he saw the female phoenix land on the ground and raise her fiery wings threateningly at everyone. She obviously was determined to protect her mate at all costs and from anyone.

"Now, go do as I have commanded," Freakshow told the wriggling child on the ground. "Or do I need to _refresh_ your memory of it?" he added threateningly.

The question jolted Gregory to react. "No, Master! I will subdue her for you," he assured him, before taking flight.

The dragon child quickly lunged at the phoenix just as she fired another attack. But he quickly dove through the wall of fire and grabbed a hold of her, before slamming her against the ground. But the phoenix quickly escaped her compromised position by turning intangible.

Gregory growled as he watched the bird sink into the ground. But having expected her to come back out somewhere else, the child was caught completely off-guard when the female ghost came at him from under him. She grabbed one of his legs in her talons before pulling him into the sky with her.

"I'm sorry, youngling. But you have forced me to do this…"

Before Gregory could understand what she meant, he felt a surge of hot electrifying energy shoot from her claws and spread all over his body. The dragon child roared in pain as he was encased in the attack that seemed to intensify by the second.

He felt his body quickly begin to shut down and his vision darkened, now sure that the attack was meant to kill him. But he couldn't die. That was one of his master's orders. And if he was going to die, he needed to at least keep his other command.

Using the only thing he had left to defend himself, Gregory brought his long neck around; and before the bird could react, he drove his jaws into her neck, his fangs instinctively releasing the toxin within them. The phoenix left out a strangled cry, not knowing her mate below also let out a similar cry at hearing her pain.

It only took a second for the firebird to release the dragon kid and fall senseless to the ground, her body now completely paralyzed by the ghostly toxins. Gregory hazily watched the ghost's unmoving form for a moment, before flying back down---or more like falling back down, since he smashed into the ground himself.

Still, he pushed himself to sit up as his master walked over to him. "Have… Have I ple-pleased you, M-Master?" he asked weakly.

Freakshow looked over at the two injured birds, before staring back at the child. "You're a mess, drone. But I suppose you have. Now, follow and do not pass out. I am in no mood to drag you back into your cage."

Gregory slowly walked after his master, who stopped once he was beside the red phoenix. Tom, Spectra, and Bertrand were also standing beside her. The ringmaster hazily watched the Guy-in-White move closer to the firebird; but he wasn't really paying it a lot of mind. He was trying not to pass out from his still bleeding, gun-shot wound on his shoulder. He really wished everyone would just leave so he could tend to it…

Meanwhile, the ghost hunter, lost in his own evil thoughts, smirked as he used his foot to push the bird's paralyzed body over until she was lying on her back with her symbol fully exposed. He then pulled out a syringe and pair of glowing gloves, which he slipped on; and as he took an ectoplasm sample from the large creature, he squatted down next to her and placed his hand on her symbol.

"You better hope that that demon here also paralyzed your pain receptors; not that I care either way…" he told the phoenix evilly, before withdrawing a glowing blade from his suit…

Spectra and Bertrand had been watching the ghost hunter, but Gregory's arrival had quickly gotten their full attention…

"You know, if your daddy could see you, he would be so proud to know he has such a strong son!" Spectra said sweetly, placing her hand against the side of the child's face.

Gregory jolted with the contact; and he inadvertently gasped in confusion when the soft touch suddenly triggered a strange memory: a set of purple eyes flashed in his mind. But he quickly came to, and narrowed his eyes at the female ghost. He didn't know why she and the other male ghost's presence filled him with so much anger; but, right now, he just wanted her to stop touching him.

"Don't touch me," he growled darkly, taking a step away from her.

"Ooo! You're much more feisty than you were before!" she replied wickedly.

The dragon didn't know what they were talking about; but when he saw the male ghost also close in on him, he tensed even more. He wanted to kill them so badly!

"I honestly think he remembers us, Spectra," Bertrand said with a raised eyebrow. But he then grinned smugly and added, "Not that it really matters, right, kid?"

"You know, I couldn't feel his misery when Freakshow had him as a mindless puppet. But, now, it's coming off him in waves!" Spectra said hungrily.

"And I bet he doesn't even realize it. Just like he won't even realize when we have a small taste…" her partner added evilly, getting closer to the child.

Gregory barred his teeth at them as they came closer to him, an explicable sense of fear almost overwhelming him. It was as if something within him told him that he knew firsthand that they were dangerous. But he---and they---also knew that he couldn't stop their approach. His master said he couldn't kill them… But, wait…. His master never said he couldn't _hurt_ them.

In one quick movement, Gregory brought his tail up and smacked both ghosts away as hard as his weakened body could manage. Both adult ghosts yelped as the unexpected attack slammed them into the ground.

Freakshow's hazed mind jolted to attention with the dragon and two evil ghosts' sudden movements. And not really caring for the child's reason for attacking them, the ringmaster quickly glared at Gregory and demanded, "Drone! What are you doing?"

"Forgive me, Master!" Gregory quickly said in a panic.

At that moment, Spectra got back up and stared murderously at the ten-year-old. "Why you little—

"---BRAT!" Bertrand finished for her, standing himself and willing ghost energy into his hands.

But before the evil ghosts could do anything to the child, they heard a shrilled cry of pain. They, along with the dragon ghost and ringmaster, turned their attention toward the sound. They saw the ghost hunter, who was still hovering over the phoenix he had been inspecting, but he was now moving awkwardly and yet, fitfully, over her. Once again, the ghost bird cried out in agony and it was quickly followed by a wail of fear from her mate several feet away.

"What are you doing to that thing?" Spectra asked, getting closer to Tom, only to cringe when she saw the man was actually cutting the creature's chest open with a glowing blade.

"I want its core," the man answered distractingly, showing no emotion towards the suffering ghost, who could do nothing to defend herself due to her paralyzed body. Obviously, Gregory had not pumped enough toxins into her to paralyze her pain.

Bertrand looked as if he were about to be sick. It wasn't like he sympathized with the phoenix, but seeing anything being opened alive was hard to ignore. It was why he quickly said, "Look, there's an easier way of doing that."

Tom paused with what he was doing and looked up at the male ghost with a raised eyebrow. And seeing Bertrand answer him by turning his hand intangible, the ghost hunter asked, "Intangibility? Be my guest, then."

Bertrand gave him a disgusted look. "I'm not doing it! Besides, my hand is too small to properly wrap around that ghost's large core to pull it out."

The comment turned everyone's eyes towards Gregory. The young dragon had been gazing sadly at the suffering bird, but when he felt eyes on him, he quickly looked at his audience. He had to fight with everything within him to keep himself from curling into a fearful ball.

"Drone, I want you to kill this ghost," the ringmaster said coldly.

The dragon child looked over at the phoenix, before uttering, "Yes, Master."

He stood and went around everyone until he was standing beside the female bird. He just stared at her dulled orange eyes that pleaded at him for help. But why would she think that he could help her? Ultimately, it didn't matter. His master's command was clear. And he could not hesitate.

Extending his black claws, Gregory lifted them up and brought them down across the ghost's neck in one quick and strong swoop. The ghost bird screeched in agony again; but much to his surprise, her now freely bleeding neck did not cause her instant death.

"What the hell?!" Freakshow shouted at the child, startling him.

But when Gregory was readily punished by his master, he gasped and recoiled away. What had he done wrong?

Tom rolled his eyes at the whole thing, and dryly asked the ringmaster, "Don't tell me you haven't taught your pet to kill another ghost?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed, other ghosts are not easy to come by around here," Freakshow replied with angry sarcasm, though he relented in his attack on the child.

But Spectra quickly butted in, "Here, I'll give the kid the '101' on this." She walked up to the dragon ghost, who tensed with her approach, but she ignored it. "Gregory, cutie, this is a ghost. Not one of those pathetic animals you are always hunting. _We_ are stronger and better than _anything_ around here," she said, smirking daringly at the two humans, who just glared back.

But turning her eyes back to the confused ten-year-old, she said, "So, that means it takes a lot more to take us down; especially when suffocation doesn't work on those who don't need to breathe."

Gregory looked back at the phoenix's bleeding neck. He kept forgetting he was dealing with a ghost and not an animal. Sure, ghosts had lungs---or something close to them. But they weren't for breathing, but rather, for the storage of air for the sole usage of their vocal cords. And in his case, he also used that stored air for his fire abilities. So then, if he couldn't suffocate a ghost and he knew from his own ghost body that he didn't have a heart, then how was he supposed to kill her?

Spectra gave him the answer.

"If you want to kill a ghost in one blow, you gotta go for the core. Destroy it and you destroy the ghost. Any questions?" she asked with a bright grin.

Gregory just stared at her, before placing a hand against his symbol, now fully understanding. The child then gazed back at the phoenix as he tried to figure out how to do what his master wanted without stirring a strange and unpleasant feeling burning inside him. He didn't understand the feeling was remorse, but he did understand that it was keeping him from fulfilling his master's wishes; so he readily suppressed it. The young ghost knew how to find his own core. It was where his master would always ask him to store the gem that could change his form and hide all traces of his being a ghost. But he wasn't sure if he could find another ghost's core…

Still, he _had_ to find it to please his master.

Gregory quickly made his front clawed-hand intangible and sunk it into the phoenix's bleeding chest. It didn't take him long to find her core; but the moment his hand touched it, the child recoiled it away with a cry of pain.

But seeing his master glare at him, Gregory quickly said, "Master! It burns!"

"You are testing my patience, minion. I want to see that creature's core in your hand in the next second or I will show you _burning_ pain!" Freakshow growled darkly.

Gregory started trembling as he quickly turned his hand intangible again and drove it into the other ghost. This time, he ignored the acid-like feel as he wrapped his hands around the core, all the while ignoring the ghost bird's gurgled pleas in his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut as he yanked his hand back out in one quick moment, the sound of ripping flesh echoing in his ear as he brought out the attached organ from within the phoenix.

This time, only the male's cries could be heard as his mate was silenced forever. Gregory slowly opened his eyes and stared at the glowing sphere in his hand. The pain from the raw energy burning at his flesh suddenly vanished as he felt his body numb with the wave of a cold nausea swelling from within him.

He barely noticed the other human who was not his master walk up to him, lift up a gloved hand, and take the dimming core from him. As everyone turned their attention to the ghost hunter, Gregory brought up a trembling hand to his face when he felt something wet sliding down his face.

He blinked his red eyes when he realized he was crying. That had not happened to him in years. He specifically remembered the last harsh punishment he had received for doing so. But what was odd was that the times he had cried, it had been out of fear or pain. But, this time, he was sure it had nothing to do with either of those two things. So, then, why was he crying? What did it mean?

As the child continued to wonder what was wrong with him, Tom placed the core into a protective case, so that it wouldn't disintegrate. Like a heart that needs to be stored in specific conditions to keep it from suffering tissue death, the ghost hunter knew he needed to store the ghostly organ in an energized container to preserve it. Luckily, he had the perfect device for that.

"This should last me a good while," Thomas said smugly to himself as he inspected the protective case in his hand. He then quickly but carefully placed it back in his suit, and pulled out the two circular ghost traps. As he sucked the firebird's corpse inside one of them, he off-handedly told Freakshow, "I'm going to let you have the other ghost's core."

The ringmaster didn't reply. He was feeling sick from the wound. But he still nodded and looked at his 'slave'.

"Drone! Bring me that other ghost's core," he sharply ordered, jolting the dragon ghost from his own inner turmoil.

"Yes, Master," he slurred, his own blood loss finally beginning to catch up to him. He walked over to the barely moving male bird. When Gregory turned him onto his back, he was surprised that the ghost did not struggle against him. It was as if he had given up…

Without his master directly watching him, Gregory hesitated this time. But when he did, the male bird spoke, his weak and broken voice etching inside the child's mind. "What are you waiting for, child? Go ahead. End my life. I see now you are just another victim as was my mate and as am I. I do not blame you for what you are forced to do."

"I'm… I'm sorry," Gregory found himself whispering back, though he didn't know why, before he quickly did as he was commanded. This time, the child ignored the same burning—but cold---pain caused by the core in his hand; and instead, watched the bird's dim eyes go completely opaque and his body's glow fade.

He turned away from the dead ghost and slowly returned to his master. "Here you are, Master," he said, tiredly extending the glowing sphere to him.

But to his surprise and horror, Freakshow didn't accept it, and ordered, "I want you to eat it, slave."

The dragon ghost's eyes widened. "M-Master?"

"What? Did you not hear what I said? Eat it!"

Gregory looked down at the sphere in his hand, the sick feeling in his stomach suddenly returning.

"Well?!" Freakshow shouted.

The ten-year-old jolted in fear, before quickly bringing up his hand and putting the ghost core inside his mouth. Knowing there was no way he could chew it without being sick, he quickly swallowed it down. But the moment the burning organ slid down his throat, he gasped as his body suddenly glowed brighter and he quickly began to feel his energy and strength returning.

"See why you shouldn't question me, Drone?" Freakshow said smugly, knowing the ghost was feeling a lot better. After all, the stored up ectoplasmic energy inside a ghost core was as good a 'pick-me-up' for any ghost as was the free energy in their world.

"Yes, Master. I am sorry for my hesitation," Gregory replied submissively.

The ringmaster nodded. "I will let it slide this once. After all, your actions tonight have pleased me. You are stronger than I thought, Slave."

"And this will make it stronger," Tom cut in as he offered the two ghost traps, now occupied by the phoenixes dead bodies, to the other man. "Make sure you start feeding it more adequately, Freakshow. I need it as strong as possible before the end of this coming month. Understand?"

"What are you planning to use him for exactly?" Freakshow asked apprehensively, before looking down at the two metallic traps in his hand. He knew that the energy-rich ghost flesh would indeed be more nutritious for his 'minion' than any animal flesh that he could inject with artificial ghost energy.

"Let me worry about that. You worry about keeping my new weapon healthy," Tom said with a smirk directed at Gregory.

"Fine," Freakshow murmured. But he suddenly wobbled back and grasped his head. "Damn it, Tom! Did you really have to shot me?!" he said angrily.

The ghost hunter shrugged. "No, but that's what you get for being so stubborn. Besides, it's just a flesh wound. You'll live…. I think."

Spectra scoffed as she watched the ringmaster sway on his feet. "You humans are so violent," she murmured as she approached the injured man and grasped his bleeding shoulder.

"Says the ghost who feeds off innocent children," Freakshow countered with a raised eyebrow.

The female ghost grinned, before quickly phasing her hand into the man's arm and pulling out the embedded bullet. "Like what you do to innocent children is any better," she retorted, just before she let her hand glow with her energy.

Freakshow screamed in pain when the female ghost suddenly wrapped her glowing hand around his bleeding flesh; but then, the man quickly reacted and yanked his arm free from her. His attention, however, quickly went to Gregory when he realized the ghost had tensed and reflexively stepped forward with the intention of defending him.

"Stop!" he quickly commanded the child, who instantly froze in place.

Clutching his throbbing shoulder, Freakshow glared back at Spectra and growled. "What the hell were you doing?!"

"Helping you, of course!" she said brightly.

"Yeah. You're welcome," Bertrand added for her with a smug smile, clearly amused by the whole thing.

Freakshow just glowered some more, though he could now see that his singed wound had now stopped bleeding.

"Well, I think this is where we part," Thomas said with a calm smile. "Penelope, make sure you come see me in a few days. And Freakshow… behave."

The ringmaster scowled at him. But he didn't say anymore as Bertrand and Spectra quickly vanished. He silently walked after the ghost hunter as the man went to his parked car.

"I'm surprised you are actually working with _ghosts_," Freakshow murmured suspiciously.

Tom chuckled as he turned to face him. "Looks like you know me as well as I know you. So, you must know that I'm just using them. As soon as they fulfill their usefulness, I am going to have them meet their leader in hell."

"Do you really think you are going to be able to subdue the Ghost King?" Freakshow asked skeptically.

"Yes. Now that I know his _weakness_, he's going to _beg_ me to accept his surrender," Tom answered smugly, before opening the car door and climbing in.

"I'll have to see that," Freakshow replied, still not believing a word of it.

"You will," the Guy-in-White answered with a grin as he put on his sunglass, which the ringmaster thought ridiculous when it was still dark out.

But Freakshow didn't say anything and just watched as the man finally drove off. His eyes eventually went to the dragon ghost, who was sitting behind him with a weary look on his face. But the man knew that after some rest and a 'proper' meal, the child would be feeling much better. Even now, his injured body was slowly healing---slowly but steadily, anyways.

With a sigh, the man pulled out the Gem of Form from his trench-coat and looked thoughtfully at it for a moment, before murmuring, "Looks like our secret is out, Minion. So, until my own plan is ready to be carried out, we will have to play our part in that ghost hunter's plans."

Gregory just looked back at him, knowing his master was mostly talking to himself.

But then, the man suddenly lifted up the magical crystal and used it on the young ghost, his serpentine form instantly reducing down into the form of a ten-year-old human boy. "Here," Freakshow said, giving the magical crystal to now green-eyed child. "It's time to rest."

The child looked up and accepted the Gem of Form---one of the many his master had in his possession. He knew what was expected of him; so without further promoting, he phased the crystal inside his chest, fusing it to his core.

He bit back a cry of pain, knowing it would anger his master. But he still closed his eyes and only opened them when his agony had dulled. He then looked down at his body. Looking so _human_ amazed him each time. But, suddenly, the thought quickly brought the image of those purple eyes into his mind. Only this time, the eyes had a face. It was a little girl. And she had talked to him. He was now sure of it. But when exactly that had happened he couldn't recall. It was such a blur.

But she was real. He was sure of it because he could still hear her angelic voice in his ears and still feel her warm flesh against his hand…

"Drone!"

Gregory jolted but quickly looked up at Freakshow. "Master?"

But the boy's answer was the sight of the controlling staff being placed in front of his eyes. With a red flash of his green eyes, he felt his mind shut down as he became a mindless puppet again.

Freakshow frowned as his eyes glanced at the sporadic white locks of hair in the child's natural black hair. The color change had started about two years ago. But he couldn't explain the reason. He suspected it was an after-effect from the gems he used on him. The Gem of Form was just one of them. He used the Gem of Life to provide the child with the things his body needed to keep him alive.

Maybe the high level of energy the crystals possessed was doing something to the dragon ghost. But he couldn't really be sure.

The man suddenly shrugged it off, and then commanded to the ten-year-old, "Follow."

As he walked back inside the circus, he glanced back at the little boy behind him. An evil smirk spread on his lips as he mumbled, "I don't know what Tom's talking about. I prefer him as a mindless puppet."

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**You can blame my Vlad muse for this chapter. And he proudly takes credit for it, too. *Vlad muse nods and grins in agreement* **

**But if you need a nice contrast to this dark chapter, check out the one-shot Invader Johnny has on his account. It is an excerpt from this story. It's about Danny's first B-day party. I orginally had the scene in my rought draft of this story, but I decided to toss it out since I am already extending Danny's childhood enough already---for good reason, mind you. But, yeah, IJ was nice enough to adop****t that scene and play around with it some more! Thanks a bundle for doing that, IJ! And, of course, if you want to read some funny, sweet, fluff check it out. It is called, 'Birthday Crash'.**

**Well, my readers, this is where my muse and I say, 'Ta' to you all! Next update is 'Checkmate'. So, until then! I anxiously await your thoughts!**


	18. Chapter 16: Fated Encounters

**Well! Here we are! Back to 'DoaS'! I don't really have anything to say, so I'll just let you guys read! I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot is mine.**

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**Chapter 16: Fated Encounters**

The six-year-old Ghost Prince flew through his playing grounds with Cujo running after him. Lu was flying right next to the child in her butterfly form. But by their quick and forward path, it was clear that they were heading to a predetermined location. And that exact location would be the Silver River, the same body of water where the ghost mermaids resided.

Lu had gone to retrieve Danny after being told by one of those mystic ghosts that they had something of interest for the child. The Ghost Prince had wasted no time in following his little fairy friend to retrieve this 'something'.

Danny quickly flew down, seeing a few of the mermaids sitting on the rocks. With a smile, he landed on the lap of one of them.

The female ghost's eyes widening momentarily in surprise. But seeing who it was, her facial expression quickly brightened with happiness. After a quick kiss on his cheek, the ghost mermaid spoke, "Ni trovis aĵon por vi…"(1)

Danny grinned at being confirmed that she and her clan indeed had something for him. He quickly asked, "kio estas ĝi?"(2)

The mermaid shrugged, and continued to speak in Ghost Speech, "I do not know, my Prince. But it is one of those strange objects you collect. I know so because I cannot touch it. None of us can."

"Show me, then?" he asked excitedly.

The mermaid nodded as Danny floated off her lap. She wasted no time and dived into the lake. The six-year-old looked over at Lu and Cujo who were watching him expectantly from land. "I'll be back," he told them in his native tongue before diving into the water.

His bright green eyes quickly caught sight of the mermaid. "Follow me," she said, before diving even deeper.

The Ghost Prince's ghost tail quickly solidified, allowing him to use it to propel himself quickly through the water. The deeper they went, the darker their surroundings became; but the two ghosts still had no trouble navigating through it.

It took some time, but they soon reached a hidden abyss and swam to its bottom. the mermaid looked at Danny as she stopped at a sand-bed, surrounded by different color corals. "It's buried here," she said as she used her hands to push aside the sand.

Danny quickly helped and his hands soon touched something solid. He shared a grin with the female ghost when he knew he had found the hidden object. With a bit of effort, he pulled out the item and it turned out to be of human origin.

For the past two years, the child had been collecting such objects. But they were always hard to find. So, he only had about nine in his collection. His friends were only too willing to help, being that they were as innocent as he was when it came to humans…

Danny, unlike his mermaid friend, had not trouble grabbing the artifact. "Thanks!" he gurgled out, only to swallow a mouthful of water—not that it bothered him too much since he didn't need to breathe.

She nodded at him, before waving at him as he swam off. She knew he was going to his secret place found also in this same lake…

As Danny swam forward, he curiously inspected the object in his hand. It was definitely one he had never seen before and it was also worn, as it had obviously been hidden there for many years. He could always tell which human artifacts had accidently ended up in a certain place and which others were placed on purpose _by_ his aunt. The ones his aunt got him were always new. But he had to admit he liked the ones that he had to work to find; the ones that looked worn. It made them more mysterious, in his opinion.

He was really surprised to find this one here, though. It was the first time he had found—or rather his mermaid friends had found---a human object in his playing grounds---instead of being given to him by his aunt. The ones he had truly found had always been in trips to other places, including Ember's homeland. It was pretty easy to get them back to his secret place, even with his parents around. Cujo's mouth and steel stomach was always a good temporary hiding place. And pulling it back out was as easy as intangibility!

His parents still did not know about his secret---or now, secrets. He had really grown attached to them and did not want them taken away. Still, he made sure to obey their rules; but also Clockwork's advice a while ago…. He would never forget his father's look when he had asked him and his mother what 'human' was.

They had indeed been concerned about his question; but they were not mad---just like Clockwork had assured him. His parents finally told him shortly after he had discovered his third human object, when he was four. And he now understood they were another species that lived in a world outside of their own. But he now also knew that Human Speech was _their_ language… But to this day, he still wondered what a human looked like and what their world was like…

Too bad that his parents had strictly forbidden him from ever taking a step into the human world; otherwise he could easily find the answer to those questions on his own… After all, he now also knew that those strange portals led to the human world. But he now also understood that they were off-limits to him---or anyone else for that matter. But Danny had no plans of disobeying his parents; especially not when they had looked quite serious about their warnings to him…

It was why he satisfied his curiosity on harmless 'treasure hunting'. It was quite fun and it kept him from getting into trouble---for the most part, anyways.

Danny soon came upon an area with thick and long water-grass stretching across the lake bottom. He didn't hesitate to swim through it, all the while ignoring the many creatures hiding inside it. He soon stopped at a certain area and felt the floor for a moment. He smiled when he found the hole for which he had been looking.

Quickly, he dived into the underwater tunnel and sped up to the point that it looked like he was flying through the water. It was a long and deep tunnel that seemed to go on forever; but eventually the tunnel curved and Danny followed its sharp turns with memorized precision. Finally, the dark tunnel turned upwards; and a few feet later, the Ghost Prince reached its end.

He quickly looked around the underwater cave he was now in. It was vast; but what made it so unique was that despite its underwater location, the cave was not filled with water. It was damp, yes. But the water surrounding the cave was somehow kept at bay.

As Danny left behind the small pool of water from whence he came and floated deeper into the cave, he gave a small cough that quickly helped him get rid of the accumulated water in his lungs from having opened his mouth underwater a few times.

He calmly found a nice place to sit down and inspect his finding. But as he did, he would at times lick his teeth or bite down hard on his lip, while he rubbed his fingers against the rough and wet rocks around him... Something was bothering him. But he was more interested in the human item than his discomforts…

He had long since noticed that the human object was all black and hard. It had some kind of circular mirror and many strange buttons. Even still, Danny did not know that he was staring at a camera. But it was still fun for him to guess what it could be. Not that he ever guessed right.

Eventually, his eyes unlocked from the artifact in his hands and he floated back up. He quickly flew down through one of the cave openings and grinned when he saw his collection that looked quite nice against the multi-colored gem cave walls. He quickly found a place to put his new human object, while he briefly scanned the rest, which included: the toy ship and rocket Spectra had given him; a _new_ plastic car; three broken ghost weapons; a dull knife; a torn and dirty hat; and a ripped wallet containing not only strange coins, but also threadbare green paper, and different colored plastic squares.

But out of all the unknown things he had, the wallet, which he found several months back, had the most interesting history. And that was because he had found it next to some bones—not that the child had an idea what _those_ were. But even when he didn't know, there had been something about seeing the 'white sticks' that had creeped him out. That is why he had not brought them back with him; even when they had clearly been of human origin…

Danny moved away from the camera and went over to the spaceship his aunt had given him. It was still his favorite! And he now understood a little more of what it said, too! Over the past two years, he had gotten better at human speech---but it wasn't by much. It was very rare the times he got to speak the language with someone for long periods of time. And his mother still never spoke it in front of his father. So, it was only when his dad went off on his travels to who-knew-where that Danny and his mom would _sometimes_ speak in Human Speech.

But his Ghost Speech had definitely improved! And he was sure proud of that! He was now going to school, too. And he loved it because he sure learned a lot there! And what was just as great was that Ember went to his school! And he had finally made a few more friends!

But he only went to school four days a week. He didn't mind too much, though. He had plenty to occupy his time outside of school; especially as of late…

Danny was about to play with his rocket when he heard the sweet echo of a melody reach his ears. His eyes quickly widened as he gasped, "Lu!"

In an instant, the six-year-old put back the ship and flew back to the entrance of the cave. However, instead of diving into the pool of water like before, he dived into another tunnel nearby. This tunnel was nowhere near as long as the other and he soon came back out onto dry land. But the area he was now in was also a cave. But not just any cave; it was the same cave he had visited when he had been smaller, the one in which his aunt had placed the second human object she had given him: the toy boat.

He had indeed found out where that pool at the end of the cave went sometime during these past years. It was how he had found his hiding place. It was of great luck that this cave connected to the one underground!

But the child didn't waste time in looking around the familiar surroundings and instead rushed over to the small opening at the front. There, on the other side, he found Lu, still calling to him with her little melody. It was their inconspicuous way of calling to each other without alerting anyone else of their doings. It worked exceptionally well when he needed a 'look-out' without anyone finding out he had one…

"What is it, Lu?" Danny asked her.

"Your mother is here! She's looking for you!" the little fairy whispered back.

The Ghost Prince's eyes widened. "Oh-o! Tell'er I'm at the Silver Lake! I'll be there soon!" he quickly said, before flying back towards the pool. Unfortunately, he was no longer small enough to fit through the small cave's opening. And with the cave being impenetrable by intangibility, he had to get out the long way. That meant returning back to his secret place and then coming back out through the lake…

It took him some time, but he soon was out of the underwater cave and swimming up towards the surface. He literally flew out of the water.

"Danny! Tie vi estas!" (3) Desiree said when she saw the child come out of the lake.

The Ghost Prince whipped around to look at his mother. His wet hair was all but blinding him, but he still smiled sheepishly, and greeted her, "Saluton, Panjo!" (4)

The Queen raised an eyebrow at the nervous six-year-old and replied also in Ghost Speech, "What were you doing in there, Danny?"

The child looked down nervously at the water below him before looking back at his mom and truthfully answering, "The marvirinoj was showing me something. Sorry, I leave!"

Desiree nodded and beckoned him closer. "Come, little Phantom. We need to get you ready and then be off."

"Is Daddy coming?" he asked after waving good-bye to the mermaids and Lu. "Come on, Cujo," he added at his companion, who barked back and followed.

"He will be meeting us later. He is still away with Skulker," Desiree replied.

Danny just nodded as he rubbed his fingertips against his arms.

His mother noticed and smiled sympathetically at him. "Do not worry, little one. They should be coming out soon and then they will stop bothering you."

"I hope it's _really_ soon," he grumbled as he continued to rub his fingers in hopes of quelling the itchiness.

Desiree smiled as she took the child's hand and flew back to the castle with him.

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Now dried and cleaned up, Danny sat on his mother's bed, waiting for her to finish up with whatever she was doing in the bathroom. There was a half-annoyed, half-bored look on his face. But it quickly became more annoyed than bored when he grumbled and roughly rubbed his fingers against the bed-sheets. But when that did not help the itchiness, he growled and bit on his fingers. If he knew that his claws would give him such a hard time as they developed, he would have wished to never get them!

But that was not all that was bothering him. And when they bothered him, they were worse than his irritated fingertips. His fangs were also growing out; but they didn't itch. They hurt!

He quickly pulled out his hands from his mouth as said teeth gave him a sharp pang of pain and he quickly bit against his mouth.

"Danny, don't do that. You are going to make yourself bleed and then they are going to hurt even more," Desiree lightly reprimanded when she walked out of the bathroom and noticed the child's doings.

"But they really hurt!" he whined back! "And this itch!" he suddenly shouted angrily before biting on his fingers again; only to yelp in pain when he made his fangs hurt even more.

The Queen shook her head at the six-year-old who was now holding his aching mouth. She went over to him and sat down on the bed. "Anĝela said to avoid touching your fangs or they won't grow right, remember?" she asked.

"But they are really hurting!" he whimpered back.

"Alright," Desiree said, before passing her tongue over her own teeth, which quickly triggered her fangs to appear. She placed one of her fingers against a hidden duct behind on of them and let a little the toxin leak out.

"Open your mouth," she then said and Danny quickly did. She grabbed his chin with her other hand and briefly inspected his growing fangs. So far, only the tip was out; but because they grew in front of his normal teeth, his gums were swollen.

"Hold still," she gently ordered before inserting the same finger that was wet with the toxin into his mouth and rubbing it against his gums.

Danny quickly felt the effects of the toxin against his aching mouth. And smiled when his mother removed her finger and he felt the numbing relief that was left behind.

"Better?" she asked with a small smile.

"Yes!" he quickly said with a nod. But then, immediately after, his fingers itched again. "But not good enough," he added as he showed her his red fingertips.

But Desiree shook her head at him, knowing what he was asking. She could always prick him with her fangs and relieve his discomfort, but inserting the toxin into his bloodstream would also make him groggy. It wasn't wise when the day was not even halfway over and they had many places to go.

"Use your ice energy. It will help," she said, before standing up and heading to her closet, where she knew she had stored the child's cloak which she had earlier retrieved from his room.

Danny pouted, but did as he was told and conjured up some ice into his hands. His ice powers were his newest addition to his ghost abilities. But he was just learning them. So far, he had just learned how to keep it under control, so that he wouldn't turn himself into a block of ice. That was not a comfortable thing; something he had quickly discovered when this ice energy had first awakened inside him.

Luckily, Frostbite was helping him learn to use his ice powers. His mother and father took him to the Far Frozen once a week. And today was that day…

He smiled as he allowed his ice energy to numb his fingers for a moment. Too bad he couldn't keep them numb forever!

"Here we are," Desiree said as she came out of the closet. Danny momentarily dispelled his energy and allowed his mother to put on his cloak. She then grabbed a comb from her vanity and used it to brush the six-year-old's white hair. It had grown out even more over the past years; so much that she could tie some of it back into a short ponytail. But his bangs still remained too short to tame; so they very often got in his eyes. Desiree thought it was cute, especially when he would often blow them back when he had his hands occupied. The Queen had many times contemplated cutting his hair; but it just seemed like such a sin to have scissors touch his white, silky locks…. Perhaps when he was older, she would cut it…

"So, Daddy's going to come to Frostbite's home later?" Danny suddenly asked, before pushing back his shaggy hair from his eyes.

"That's right. But we will be heading there later, too. We need to make another stop first," Desiree informed him with a smile.

"Really? Where?" he asked curiously.

"It's a surprise…," his mother replied secretly.

Danny grinned. "We go now, then!" he beamed.

"Yes, just give me a few more minutes, okay? I need to get my own cloak," Desiree replied.

The Ghost Prince watched her leave, before he quickly smiled as he got an idea. Wanting to play a trick on his mother, he flew off the bed and searched for a hiding spot. He rarely played in his mother's room since he usually found her and his father in their shared bedroom. So, it took him a moment to find a good hideout. He picked a large chest at the corner of a room. It had been barely visible since the book shelf was beside it, keeping it isolated from direct sight.

With a bit of effort, he lifted the big lid and then got inside. He briefly looked at his darkened surroundings and found that most of the things inside the chest were more books, though there were also a few trinkets and even an old stuffed toy…

"Danny?" he heard his mother call.

Danny grinned mischievously as he sat quietly in the chest. He knew his mother would eventually figure out he was hiding from her again. It was a game they often played. Usually, his mother won. But the child was sure that this time _he_ would win!

"Where are you, little Phantom?" she asked again, this time her voice playful.

The Prince covered his mouth to keep his giggles in. But as he heard his mother search for him, it only got harder. And soon he couldn't keep his laughter under his control.

"Ah-ha! There you are!" Desiree said, opening the chest and smiling at the giggling child.

"You almost did not find me!" he said with a proud grin.

"Almost. But I did," she retorted, raising a smug eyebrow. She then picked him up; but as she did, Danny briefly caught sight of something in the chest, now that it was wide open and exposed to the room's light.

"What's that?" he quickly asked, flying out of her arms and going to the chest.

Desiree and Danny's eyes widened at the same time when they both _really_ saw at what the child was looking.

"It's a human book…," the tot gasped, before quickly grabbing it.

The Queen jolted and just as quickly used her powers to pull it away from him. She was shocked to see how easily the child had grabbed the human item; but she was more shocked that he _recognized_ it as human in the first place!

"Mommy…," Danny mumbled, not sure what to make of all this. Why did his mother have a human book? She thought almost everything about humans was bad---and his dad thought it was _all_ bad!

"Danny…," she whispered back, looking as lost as he. But internally she was berating herself. She had forgotten she even had this book---actually, she had several; but, luckily, the tot had only spotted one. Still, she had acquired them a long time ago. Way before Danny had come, in fact. She had gathered them during the time she and Vlad had been struggling with an attempt to find a solution to their inability to form a child…

But that had long since been forgotten by her now that Danny was in their life.

"Danny," she began again, "How would you know this is a _human_ book?"

The child quickly jolted with the question, realizing his slip; but he then quickly looked away and shrugged.

"Well, it's not, little Phantom," she then said, feeling horrible for lying to him. But she couldn't tell him the truth, either. Not even _Vlad_ knew that she had these books…

"If they were human, you and I wouldn't be able to touch them. They would go right through our hands because they lack spectral energy," she explained. At least, that part was true…

Danny's eyes widened at what his mother had said to him. That couldn't be right! He _could_ touch human items! But, then, he recalled how all his friends could not. Not even Ember could touch his collection of human objects… So… why could he? Did that mean there was something _wrong_ with him?

"Come on, we must go," his mother suddenly said, quickly levitating the book back inside the chest and shutting it. She would have to hide those books somewhere safer on her return…

Danny didn't reply as his mother grabbed his hand and coaxed him to move. He was still reeling with what he had discovered…

* * *

By the time they had arrived at their destination, Danny's confusion had cleared; or at least, it had been pushed aside, especially when he realized that the surprise stop was at the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady's home. They had married a year ago…

"We are visiting them?" Danny asked excitedly.

Desiree nodded. "Yes, but we are visiting for a very special reason…"

The child smiled even more as they finally arrived at the door. After a knock, Box Ghost all but threw the door open.

"MY QUEEN! …AND PRINCE! YOU HAVE COME AT THE PERFECT MOMENT! PLEASE, ENTER OUR DOMAIN!" the pudgy ghost shouted in Human Speech. Although, ever since he had married, he had begun to slim down…

Danny giggled at the ghost's loud voice. He was so bizarre! But it still amused him!

The child didn't really look around his surroundings, since he had been here before. But he listened closely at his mother as she spoke up, especially when she began to talk in Human Speech.

"So, I assume the formation is almost complete?" the Queen said with a small smile.

"YES! Emma is in there now!" he exclaimed with utter happiness.

"Then, let's not waste anymore time," Desiree said.

"You're right!" Box Ghost replied, before quickly ushering them towards a bedroom in the back.

Danny quickly followed after the two adults, having only caught a gist of what they were saying. "What happen?" he asked in Human Speech, clearly confused.

"You'll see," his mother replied with a wink.

Danny didn't have time to reply since, right then, Box Ghost opened the bedroom door.

"Oh, you have arrived!" Lunch Lady, that is, Emma, said happily as she briefly looked away from the crib she was standing beside to address her guests.

Danny grinned and quickly flew up to the female ghost. "Hi, Lunch Lady! We visit you!" he said in his less-advanced language.

"I know," Emma replied, giving him a quick hug. "And on the perfect day, too! Look!" she said, pointing at the crib.

The Ghost Prince's eyes fully widened with astonishment as he stared at the crib. It was actually sealed by blue energy, clearly protecting what rested inside. But what was inside was not a baby, but a large, brightly-glowing, sphere. In the center of the sphere, was a white, softly glowing ghost core. It was the most amazing, yet strangest, sight Danny had ever seen.

"What is it?" he asked in Ghost Speech, his mind too shock to speak in his other, more difficult tongue.

Desiree got closer and placed her hand on the child's shoulder as she answered, "That is a baby, Danny. Or, at least, it will be very soon. Emma and Box's offspring has almost finished forming."

The six-year-old just stared at the bright sphere inside the crib, still looking as shocked as ever. He had never seen a baby get formed. All he knew was that you needed a mommy and daddy to start it, and that it took seven days for nature to do the rest—whatever all that meant!

Everyone's attention went to the sphere when it suddenly began to crack and a brighter energy began to leak out through the breaks.

"May I?" Desiree asked the couple beside her.

"Please, do!" Emma replied. After all, the Queen's being there with them on such a special day was an honor. And even more so, since she would be the one who would be stabilizing their child's ghost core. The Queen was quite experienced with that; so she was very often present in the final formation day of the offspring around the Kingdom.

Desiree used her energy to withdraw the protective shield around the crib. But the moment the colder, outside air touched the sphere, it began to crack even more. But then, the sphere turned vaporous and slowly began to dissolve into the atmosphere. It took a good ten minutes, but when it was over, what remained was what had been inside the sphere. A small child. A girl to be exact.

Her form was very wispy, almost as if she would break apart at any moment as had the protective sphere. But the brightly glowing white core in her chest said otherwise.

Danny's mouth had gaped open somewhere through all this. But his shock had also become more of an awing look now, too. He had seen a lot of things that he had found truly captivating; but nothing compared to seeing another child form. It filled him with a nice feeling he did not understand.

Desiree waited for a moment longer, wanting the child to solidify a bit more before touching her. She appeared to be asleep since her eyes were close and her form was unmoving. But the baby would soon be waking up.

The Queen looked at the parents for approval again; and receiving it, she picked up their offspring, her blue skin feeling so soft that it almost felt like it wasn't there. The child only had wispy black hair, but it was still beautiful.

Danny unconsciously bit his bottom lip as he stared up at his mother. It was so strange to see her with something so small in her arms. The six-year-old actually floated a bit away when he saw his mom touch the baby's chest.

"Don't worry, Dearie," Lunch Lady suddenly said, noticing the Prince's apprehension. "You're mother knows what she's doing."

Although he didn't catch everything she said, Danny nodded, before looking back at his mother. And seeing her smile gently at him, he calmed down at bit. But when Desiree suddenly sent a small jolt of energy into the baby's core, the six-year-old gasped in alarm.

The loud cry of a baby broke the room's silence; but the parents just silently watched, knowing the process was necessary. But it didn't take many jolts of energy for the baby's core to stabilize with her specific type of energy. And when her white core suddenly began to glow pink, everyone knew what that type of energy was.

"Congratulations," Desiree said kindly as she gave the baby to the mother.

The parents were beaming, of course. And for once, the Box Ghost was lost for words. And when he did speak, he actually spoke in a soft voice. "This is the best day of my life! Not even all the boxes in the world could make me as happy as I am now!"

"I should hope not," Lunch Lady answered with a pointed look; but it was clear she was playing with him.

As if the adults suddenly remembered the Ghost Prince at once, all three looked down at him. But then, Desiree raised a concerned eyebrow at how upset he looked.

"What's wrong, little Phantom?" she asked in Ghost Speech.

Danny hesitated in his reply; but then he stared at his mom with worried eyes, and whispered, "You hurt her…"

The Queen's worry melted into a soft smile. "Oh, no, Danny. I know it seems like it. But I was helping her. Clockwork did the same for you. It's part of life."

The six-year-old frowned in confusion; but he looked a bit calmer now. And Box Ghost's next words quickly snuffed his worry completely.

"Yes, the Queen is right! See, she's not even crying anymore," the male ghost said in his native tongue, while giving the Prince a reassuring smile.

Danny slowly smiled back; before timidly floating up and staring at the baby in Emma's arms.

"She…sufiĉe!" he said with a grin, now relaxed enough to use Human Speech again.

Lunch Lady chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I think she's _pretty_, too."

"Pre-ti…," Danny repeated back with the same happy look.

Right then, Box Ghost stepped in and took his child in his arms for the first time. He gave his wife a smile that she understood; and so did Desiree.

The Queen grabbed Danny's hand and coaxed him to move a bit away with her. This confused the Prince again, and he was about to ask what was happening. But before he could, his mom gently commanded, "Just watch, little one."

Danny slightly frowned before turning his gaze back to Box Ghost, who gently placed his hand against his baby's chest. The Ghost Prince's eyes slightly grew big again, believing that the father was going to do the same thing that his mother had done. But to his surprise, Box Ghost began to glow.

Like with Vlad, at the instant the male ghost gave his daughter his symbol, everyone was forced to look away. But unlike Vlad, Box Ghost was not weakened by his actions at all…

"Now she is perfect!" the male ghost exclaimed, grinning at the square symbol on his daughter's chest.

Danny quickly flew up, and smiled at the Ectoplasmic Signature, while placing a hand against his own. He didn't need to be explained what it was. He knew full well!

"Do you want to _touch_ her?" Emma suddenly asked.

The Princes' smile quickly melted into a surprised look. "Touch? I can?" he asked, unsure.

"Yes, just be gentle--_milda_," Emma replied.

Danny looked back at the baby, clearly hesitant. But he then carefully reached out and placed his hand on her core. The six-year-old gasped at the feel of her. It was like nothing he had felt before. He couldn't even describe it. But it was wonderful!

Now happy again, the Ghost Prince looked back at the parents and asked, "Who name it you?"

This time, the parents did not understand what he was asking; so Desiree clarified, "He wants to know her name."

"Oh!" Emma replied, before chuckling.

Danny blushed, understanding he had said it wrong; but the Lunch Lady quickly reassured him, but did so in Ghost Speech so he would understand completely.

"Don't worry, Dearie. You are getting better every day. As for her name, well, we haven't picked one yet." She paused, before smiling even more at Danny and asking, "What do you think we should name her?"

The six-year-old blinked at the question; but then his eyebrows quickly furrowed in concentration. It wasn't long before he found an answer.

"Box Lunch," he said with a proud grin.

The adults laughed at the name, knowing he had come up with it by combining Box Ghost and Lunch Lady's names.

Box Ghost suddenly grinned and said, "Actually, I really like it!"

Emma gave him a surprised look. "Really?"

He nodded. "She can be named after both of us!"

The Lunch Lady nodded as well, before looking at the Ghost Prince and smiling, "Box Lunch, it is, then..."

* * *

The Ghost King was sitting in his best friend's living room, a tired and concerned look on his face. He had returned an hour ago from his trip with Skulker. A trip to the Human World.

"I don't understand their race, Skulker," Vlad murmured. "Doesn't it say enough that we have left them in peace for fifteen years? Why can't they do the same? Why are they so obsessed with our destruction?"

Skulker shook his head as he leaned against a wall with his arms crossed. "If _you_ don't understand them, _I_ surely do not," he replied seriously.

Vlad briefly met his gaze, before looking away.

The hunter cringed for some reason, before saying, "I meant that their reasons are their own, Plasmius. I suppose we cannot entirely blame them. After all, Dark did some pretty horrible things to the humans. His wrath has convinced that race that our own is as evil as he was."

Vlad suddenly glared at the mention of his uncle. "I hate him. Even when he has been cast into the abyss of eternal sleep, he manages to torment me. I can just imagine him laughing at me, Skulker. He made it so that I could never escape his horrid shadow! I am _cursed_ to live with the consequences of _his_ actions!" The King suddenly sighed his anger away, only to sadly whisper, "It's not fair."

Skulker frowned at his friend. It just really gripped at his core when the King got like this. And what made it worse was that Vlad was right. Dark would forever be a dark cloud over his friend's life. The former Ghost King had scarred his nephew in more ways than one…

Not even what Pariah had done to _him_ compared to what he had done to Plasmius. And that said a lot being that Dark was the one responsible for the destruction of Skulker's ghost body…

"Look, Plasmius. Just forget about Dark, alright?" the hunter said, sounding perhaps a bit too harsh. "There isn't anything you can do about what he did. And you can only try to fix so much. Ultimately, you cannot control _everything_ that the humans do. And most certainly not what they think. You should know by now that all you, all _we,_ can do is counter their actions when necessary."

Vlad closed his eyes as if to push back his painful thoughts, before sighing and nodding. "You're right," he said seriously, his composure returning when he gazed back at his friend and asked, "Then, are we to counter their _current_ actions?"

"Well… you said yourself that they have had this new, _inactivated_ portal for over two years now," Skulker replied, trying to think logically through their problem before giving his answer. "Obviously, they lack the energy source they require to make the opening. Otherwise, they would have long since used that contraption. As long as they do not acquire the needed concentrated ectoplasm, that portal is of no threat... I think we should leave them be, Vlad. At least, for now…"

Vlad's eyebrows creased with gravity as he uttered, "That's what I wish to do, Skulker. I want _nothing_ to do with them. Let alone be forced to hurt them. It-It wouldn't be right…. But the Fentons are ghost hunters; and dangerous ones at that."

"We both know that the only true solution for the threat they pose is to get _rid_ of them, Plasmius," Skulker said, just as serious.

"I realized that since the day I met them, Skulker," Vlad said, standing up and crossing his arms in front of him. "But I have never taken a life---be it human or ghost. I couldn't even bring myself to slay my uncle and he would have rightfully deserved it," he muttered bitterly.

But then the King shook his head as his thoughts returned to the Fentons. "No, Skulker. If I ever stain my hands with blood, it will not be with the blood of those to whom I owe my son's life. That would make me more of a monster than my uncle," he ended with narrowed eyes.

"I was not suggesting it, Vlad." Skulker replied with a frown. "I was simply stating the truth. Those two hunters will always pose a threat as long as they are alive. But I know _and understand_ your moral need to avoid harming them. Still, you must understand that death is part of war. A true warrior does not kill because he likes it. He does it to insure his and his loved ones' survival," Skulker intoned in a voice that reflected his personal experience.

"I prefer not to find that out firsthand," Vlad muttered, looking a bit uncomfortable with the topic. "Even so, we are not at war. Not anymore. Not as long as _I_ can help it."

Skulker didn't reply, though privately he found his best friend's perspective a bit too naïve. Still, the hunter in some other way found it admirable that even after everything Plasmius had been through, he still had retained that innocence in him. The King had a good core. One that made him believe that he could fix everything. And even if the belief could be no more than wishful thinking, the hunter hoped nothing would ever change that about his best friend.

But if Skulker would make himself face the truth, Vlad's views were anything but realistic. And although the hunter respected the Ghost King's decisions regarding the humans and the war, for they had been good and wise decisions, he was not sure how long they would remain effective… How long could one ignore a gun being pointed at one's chest?

In effect, it was practically what Vlad was doing. Sure, he could spy on the human's doings and could even hinder their attempts against the ghost race. But the truth was that the Ghost King could not prevent everything they did.

Skulker could see this. And so could Walker---only that he was more interested in conquering the human world than safeguarding the ghost race. But the reason that they could see how fruitless the King's attempts at peace were, was because that innocence---or as Walker would call it, ignorance---that Vlad had had long since vanished from them. Unlike the King, they had killed in the past. And there was something about taking even one life—whether it be human or ghost---that forced you to see things in a different way. It helped you survive, yes. But it would change you forever.

But Skulker didn't want that to happen to his best friend; he didn't want him to see things how _he_ did. He liked Vlad as he was. And even if it meant being the voice of reason between them; even if he had to continue to help his friend fight an already lost battle each day, he was more than happy to do so if it meant allowing the King to keep his innocence…

"What about those _other_ ghost hunters you monitor?" Skulker suddenly asked, slightly changing the subject to the matter at hand. "I would think they would pose a bigger threat than your son's… I mean, the Fentons," he quickly corrected himself.

Vlad either ignored his best friend's close slip-up or didn't notice it, since his lip slightly raised in disgust at the thought of the 'other' ghost hunters. "All those ghost hunters ever do is create more and more weapons against us. How do they even expect to use them if we keep away from their world? They are a foolish bunch."

"Be careful, Plasmius. If I recall, those hunters are very ruthless. They alone are responsible for more ghost killings than their entire world's ghost hunters combined."

But the King still appeared unfazed, and simply replied, "Those government agents are pathetic cowards."

"That doesn't mean they are not _dangerous_," Skulker retorted with a raised eyebrow.

Vlad fell silent for a moment, finally taking the hunter's warnings into more consideration. The King then nodded and said, "I am monitoring them as well, Skulker. But I have found no significant activities on their part. I am more concerned by the Fentons. It seems they have a natural talent of keeping me on my toes. Luckily, they are no longer working with those government agents. That had made things worse in the past---as we both know. Problem is that I do not put it past those government cowards to spy on their former employees. If they discover that the Fentons have made the portal again, the implications could be disastrous."

"But that has not happened yet, Plasmius. I think for now, it is best to just watch and wait. You know, you can even ask Frostbite to monitor the Infi-Map more closely. That way, if at any time the humans manage to create an opening before we can stop them, we will, at least, know right away."

"I am heading to the Far Frozen today. I'll talk to Frostbite about this, then," Vlad said with a nod.

Skulker's eyebrows suddenly creased. "As your advisor, Plasmius, I am going to also recommend that you let Walker know about the return of the human portal threat. I know you do not want a fight against the humans; but you must understand that if they invade our home, we will have no other choice. You need to at least allow Walker to be prepared in case of that happening…"

"That won't happen. I won't allow it," Vlad said determinedly.

"Just to be safe, then?" the hunter said with an almost-pleading look.

"Alright," the King said with a sigh.

Skulker smirked smugly at convincing his stubborn friend, who rolled his eyes at his look.

But Vlad then asked, "Are you busy today?"

The hunter frowned as he thought about if he had any plans. "Not with anything in particular. Why?"

"Well, I'm meeting Desiree and Daniel at the Far Frozen. But I also need to talk to Fright Knight and Wulf about the humans. Although I hope it is not the case, we need to be ready to act should the Fentons attempt to get that portal to work. I might not be willing to kill them, but I will not hesitate to destroy their house again if that's what it takes to keep them from accomplishing their goals," Vlad said seriously.

Skulker nodded his agreement, before saying, "Then, you are asking me to pay Fright Knight and Wulf a visit for you?"

"If it's not too much trouble," Vlad said with a small smile.

"Alright. But I'll require compensation in return," Skulker said with a mischievous grin.

"Oh?" Vlad asked, his own smile widening, knowing that that was his friend's way of saying he needed a favor himself.

But to his surprise, the hunter suddenly became nervous. "There's been something I've wanted to mention to you. And I apologize if it's a bad time, but I must tell you now…"

"What is it?" Vlad asked, looking concerned.

"Well, you know I have been courting Dora for a little over two years now…," the hunter began.

A small smile tugged on the King's lip as he nodded.

"I'm in love with her, Vlad," Skulker said seriously.

"And she's in love with you…," Plasmius replied, knowing the dragon maid had confessed it to his wife.

Skulker smiled. "I am going to ask her to marry me."

Vlad's eyes widened; but then with a delighted chuckle he grabbed his friend in a hug. "What delightful news!"

Skulker chuckled himself as he said, "Yes, it seems she has managed to _completely capture_ this hunter's core."

"Indeed," Vlad said with a smirk as they let go. "When are you going to ask her?"

"That's where I need the favor. Yours and Desiree's anniversary is coming up in a few weeks' time. The whole Kingdom will be gathered. And more importantly, Dora will be too busy with Desiree to suspect anything…"

"Ah, you want to do it then," Vlad concluded, grinning from ear to ear.

Skulker smiled back. "I do. What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect!" the King exclaimed, sounding like an excited kid again. "I'll tell Des about your intentions so that she can keep Dora occupied; and do with her whatever it is that females do for these sorts of things! And even better yet! This, in turn, will keep _Desiree_ occupied, so that I can plan my own surprise for her!"

"Looks like we'll be sneaking around like old times, then," the hunter replied with a playful look.

"That's what makes it so enticing, my dear friend," Vlad replied, returning the look.

The hunter smiled, but there was something other than happiness in his expression. It also held conviction. And it also rang in his next words.

"I admire your relationship with Desiree, Plasmius. And I want to do the best I can to achieve something as grand as that. But you and she would not have that if you both had not first had _trust_ in each other. I need to give my trust to Dora, Vlad. And I cannot do that unless I tell her everything in my past… my secrets…"

The King's smile fell. "Your secrets… But your secrets also include my own…"

Skulker lowered his gaze. "Dora is Desiree's best friend, Plasmius. The only reason your wife has not shared with her what she knows about you is out of respect for you. And _I_ hold that same respect for you as well. But I feel that sharing everything I know with her is right. I…I want to finally have someone to whom I can speak about anything---as you can with Desiree. But, foremost, you are my brother, Vlad. If you really do not trust your secret in the hands of whom I hope will be my future wife, then I will only tell her of me."

Vlad didn't say anything, though his own eyes had lowered, too. But, he then, softly asked, "Do _you_ trust her with my secret?"

"I would not even contemplate telling her if I did not," Skulker replied seriously.

The King looked back up, before walking closer to his friend and grabbing one of his hands. He just as quickly placed it against his star-like symbol and asked, "When you touch me, what do you feel, Skulker?"

The hunter looked right at Vlad and answered, "I feel my brother, who is not afraid for himself but for those he cares about. I feel that he thinks that he has been tainted by what has happened to him when I _know_ it is not true; because I still feel his purity. You feel like the same child with whom I grew up."

Skulker suddenly grabbed the King's hand and placed it against his own symbol. "Now, you tell me, what do you feel when you touch me? Do I feel different because of what has happened _to me_? Am I not the same child with whom you grew up?"

Vlad's eyebrows creased. "You will always be the same ghost I also feel to be my brother. But you're right. I fear for my family, for you, and for this kingdom. It is why I am so protective of my secret. But you should also _feel_ that I trust you as much as I _feel_ you trust me. And that is why I can trust Dora. Tell her what you must, my brother. But, please, keep my son's secret. It is not because I do not trust her with it; but because I am afraid of even having it myself."

Skulker nodded. "I understand. I will not speak a word about him."

"Thank you," Vlad said with a small smile, before lowering his hand, his friend then doing the same. "I must go," the king then said, "My family is waiting for me. We can talk about our plans tomorrow, yes?"

The hunter nodded; but just as quickly backtracked. "Actually, how about we leave our talk for the following day. Now that I am completely sure of my intentions with Dora, I could not possibly keep my own sister in the dark, could I?" he asked with a smirk.

Vlad's smile widened. "Of course not. Lidia would _hang your pelt on her wall _if you didn't tell her."

Skulker rolled his eyes, but just said, "I'll see you upon my return, Plasmius."

The King nodded and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder before heading to the door. But then, he paused and look back at the hunter, not daring to leave without saying one more thing to him. After all, the hunter was not the only one who had felt insecurities when they had touched…

"Skulker?" Vlad called; and seeing his friend raise a curious eyebrow, he continued in a reassuring voice, "You have no reason to be afraid of telling Dora about your past. She loves you. As Desiree does me. And if she did not turn from me in spite of my own past, then I am certain Dora will not turn from you, either."

Skulker smiled appreciatively, his friend's words giving him even more confidence to finally open himself up to the female ghost he wanted to soon call wife.

The king just smiled back; and not needing anymore words between each other, he finally left his friend's abode.

* * *

A few hours later, the Ghost King had arrived at the Far Frozen. He distractingly pushed back his cape as he moved forward, quickly noticing how no one was outside as was usually the case. But then he quickly smiled when he heard a few shouts coming from the training arena.

Vlad didn't hesitate to head over there and paused in his steps just as he entered the stadium and noticed his son and Frostbite at the center of the training rink. The king was at the highest viewing stand, but he had no trouble seeing what was happening below…

"Look who finally decided to show up," he suddenly heard someone whisper in his ear.

The King smiled, knowing who it was before he slightly turned his head to look at her. "Hello, Des," he greeted her, before sharing a kiss with his wife. But when they pulled away, he asked curiously, "How did you spot me so quickly?"

The Queen smiled smugly. "I'm a ghost mage, Love. My capabilities are limitless. But in your case, I'll admit I was waiting for you. Oh, and that red cape you're wearing is like a beacon against all the white and blue around here…"

Vlad laughed lightly. "I suppose it is, isn't it?"

Desiree just smiled wider.

"So, what did I miss?" Vlad asked as he turned back to his son's session with Frostbite.

Still behind him, Desiree wrapped her arms around her husband's abdomen and placed her chin on his right shoulder as she answered, "Besides the formation of Box Lunch?"

Vlad briefly glanced at her. "Who?"

"Box and Emma's child. Their offspring's formation completed today. Did you forget?" she asked calmly.

The King slightly cringed. "I'm sorry. I did. I really wanted to be there, but—"

"It's fine, Love," Desiree said, cutting him off. "I know that what kept you from attending was important. And Box and Emma also understand that you have a lot of responsibilities."

Vlad sighed. "I still feel remorseful. But I suppose the best I can do is pay them a visit as soon as I can… Anything else? How is Daniel doing with his ice powers?"

Desiree smiled as she also turned her gaze to the stadium. "Well, he just accidently froze one of Frostbite's kin. It seems Frostbite's fur made our little Phantom sneeze; and being that he had ice energy in his hand during that time…. Well, I'm sure you can guess the rest."

The Ghost King grinned. "So that's why everyone's staying far away from him."

"Yes. They are almost finished, though. Frostbite told me he was going to cut his lesson short today. As you know, Danny hasn't been feeling well lately. But since we got here, he has been getting cold flashes that are not related to his ice powers," the Queen said seriously, finally pulling away from her husband.

"Could it be that his fangs' toxins are making him sick?" Vlad asked, concerned.

"It might be… Anĝela did say it would take his body a bit of time to get use to it, remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Vlad said with a sigh.

"It worries me, too, Vlad. But his fangs and claws should come out soon. Till then, we'll just have to keep an eye on him," Desiree said with a small smile.

The King nodded before grabbing his wife's hand. "Come, I think they're almost done…" He didn't let her reply and just quickly teleported them to the rink.

At that instant, Danny was trying to get his hands to form something larger than a cube of ice the size of his hand. But his ice energy was still not strong enough to do anything more. It had been a pure fluke that his sneeze had release enough energy to freeze one of Frostbite's guards. But that same fluke had left him feeling weary.

Frostbite noticed the child's weak look, and gently grabbed one of the child's arm, breaking what little concentration he had. "I think that's enough for today, young one. It seems that today your other ailments are affecting your body a little more than usual. But, no matter. We shall go feast now. Good nourishment will surely have you back to yourself in no time!"

Danny nodded tiredly; but right then, his father and mother materialized. The Ghost Prince's energy was suddenly restored.

"Daddy!" he exclaimed as he rushed over to greet him.

The child proceeded to rant, eager to tell his father all about Box Lunch and his current training. Danny only paused briefly to allow his father to greet Frostbite, before he continued with his stories. Of course, the Ghost King was delighted to hear his son tell him all about his 'adventures.'

Desiree and Frostbite shared a chuckle, but didn't dare interrupt the excited six-year-old. So, they just listened as well on their way to dinner.

* * *

"Daniel, eat your blood blossoms," Vlad commanded, noticing his son pushing the red flower-like vegetables aside.

Danny made a disgusted face, promoting his father to gently scold him, "Don't give me that look. They are good for you; so eat them."

"I don't like them," the child grumbled back stubbornly, glaring at the veggies.

The King shook his head and leaned over to cut the blossoms and feed them to his son himself. But as he cut one of the three on the plate, he glanced back at Frostbite and resumed his conversation with him.

"I'll talk to Horris about your advice. I'm sure it would be worth a try. And hopefully it will solve the problem."

The snow ghost nodded. "We can indeed hope. And although the vegetation's slower growth rate at those certain locations is not severe at this point, it will be wise to address it beforehand. Whatever is preventing them from flourishing, we must find it and correct it."

"Indeed," Vlad agreed, before looking at Danny and offering him a piece of blood blossom.

The Prince looked up at his father with pleading eyes; but his 'puppy-dog' look didn't work this time. Vlad's pointed look promoted Danny to reluctantly open his mouth and quickly chew down the food, before sticking out his tongue in disgust.

Vlad slightly smiled. "Come now, Daniel. They are not so bad. If you finish them up, you can go play outside, hmm?"

Danny nodded; but he still did not look any more excited about eating his blossoms. It was then that his father's attention went back to the adults, though he continued feeding him---much to the child's dismay.

"You know, we have dealt with things like this in the past," Desiree spoke up, momentarily placing her fork down. "Remember the incident at the Ruĝa Tero? The blood blossoms there were beginning to wilt. When I went with Horris to inspect that, I actually found the problem to be that the territory was not hot enough for them to thrive properly. I told Vortex about the problem, of course; and it was fixed. But now that we are starting to have problems at other places with the vegetation, I think this might be deeper than we think…"

Vlad frowned, looking now a bit concerned. "What do you think is the problem, Des?" he asked, noticing her thoughtful look.

Desiree briefly looked at the six-year-old, before looking back at Vlad and Frostbite. "Nothing I think I should mention at _this_ precise moment."

Everyone briefly looked at Danny, who seemed lost in his own struggle of eating his blood blossoms.

"My Queen, perhaps you should come with us to inspect these concerns. With your abilities, I am most certain you can find what the needs of these floras are."

Desiree nodded and they continued to make plans to travel to these places. But, meanwhile, the Ghost Prince was getting fed up with having to eat something he did not like at all. It was what led him to his next idea…

Danny looked across at his father's plate, before looking at his own. He still had two blood blossoms left to eat. His father had none... He knew his father liked the vegetables; so maybe his father could help him without knowing it…

Staring nervously at the adults, whom were too occupied with themselves to notice what he was about to do, Danny grabbed one of the blossoms and then quickly transferred it to his father's plate.

The Prince then quickly opened his mouth to let his father put in the last piece of his first blood blossom into his mouth. But knowing that meant his father would be starting on the next one---and now the last one---on his plate, the six-year-old quickly grabbed that one as well and also placed it on the King's plate.

Danny sat back in his chair, roughly swallowing what was in his mouth, before staring up at his father, who was distractingly trying to cut another blood blossom. But when he realized there wasn't any to cut, Vlad finally gave Danny's plate his full attention.

The Ghost King looked briefly confused. He could have sworn his son had more vegetables… He had to conclude he had already fed them all to him.

Vlad smiled at his son, who smiled back innocently, and said to the child, "See? All done."

Danny nodded, his grin widening. "I can go play now?"

"Of course," the King replied.

The six-year-old looked even more delighted as he quickly excused himself and then flew out of the dining hall.

Frostbite and the royal couple, as well as Frostbite's kin who had been eating at other tables around him, looked after the Ghost Prince. They briefly laughed at the child, before going back to their meals.

"So, my dear, tell us what is _really_ on your mind now," Vlad said, knowing they could speak freely now that their son was gone.

Desiree's eyebrows creased as she replied, "I think the real problem lies in the closing of so many ghost portals. I am keeping them sealed through the spell I have placed on the Infi-Map. That, in turn, has drastically reduced the oxygen supply from the Human World. But that has also dropped our world's temperatures. Of course, it has no real affect on _us_; but how do we know that it does not have an effect on the environment? We cannot deny that the human and ghost world are connected in some way. Perhaps the portals are more than just mere gateways…"

Frostbite and Vlad stayed silent for a moment as they thought about this. But it was the King who spoke first. "If that is true, then, there is little we can do about that. We cannot allow the ghost portals to open again. We already have enough trouble monitoring the five that remain; and the temporary ones that open sporadically are as equally a headache as those."

"I have to agree with my great King." Frostbite intervened. "The environment's troubles can be fixed more easily than the human threat. Opening up portals would only put us all at greater risk from them. In fact, with the return of the humans' insistence of entering our home, I feel that perhaps we should target the temporary portals and _reduce_ their ability to form."

"Close more portals? Is that wise?" Desiree asked, unsure.

"Frostbite is right, Des," Vlad answered. "There are many ways we can deal with problems _in here_. But we can only do so much to address the problems that come from _out there_. Reducing the formation of temporary portals will offer our home more protection."

"I suppose I could cast a deeper spell," Desiree said, thoughtfully. "But it's hard to say if it will work. Though our best chances to try this will be at night, being that temporary portals for some reason form more readily at the later hours…"

"It's worth a try," Vlad said, before looking at the snow ghost and adding, "As I mentioned to you, the human portal is not of any immediate threat; but I will need you to monitor the Infi-Map closer. I will show you the specific location on the map when we are done here."

"Very well," Frostbite agreed, before going back to his meal.

Vlad also did the same, only to raise an eyebrow.

"Odd… I thought I was done with these," the King muttered, stabbing his fork into one of the blood blossoms.

Desiree heard his comment and smirked. "Goodness, Vlad. You're not _that_ old to be forgetting things already."

"Hilarious," the King replied with a roll of his eyes, before eating the blood blossom…

* * *

Danny had just finished making a nice 'igloo' out of a snow bank and was comfortably sitting inside it when he noticed his parents and Frostbite walk past him. But they were too entertained with one another and too focused on getting to their next destination to notice the six-year-old.

The Prince quickly flew out of his igloo and floated up behind his mother, curiously asking, "Where you and Daddy going?"

Desiree startled slightly with the child's voice; but she then smiled. "Frostbite and your father have to check on something. I'm going to the thermal pools. You want to come with me?"

Danny looked over at his father who was still talking to Frostbite. "Can I go with Daddy?" he asked, looking back at his mother and smiling.

Desiree faltered in her reply; but then said, "You will have to ask him."

The Prince nodded and quickly flew up in front of his father, quickly halting him in his tracks and capturing his attention.

"Daniel, that was a bit rude, don't you think?" Vlad asked with a raised eyebrow.

The child blushed and sheepishly said, "Sorry."

The King nodded in acceptance, promoting Danny to smile and ask, "Can I go with you?"

Vlad frowned. "I'm not going anywhere significant, Daniel. You are going to get bored. Why don't you go with your mother, instead?"

Danny frowned, clearly unhappy with the answer.

Vlad sighed, before shrugging. "Fine, you may come. But I do not want you to interrupt Frostbite and my doings, understand? We have something very important to discuss."

The child excitedly nodded. But then, his father looked over to his mother, and said, "He won't be staying long."

Danny pouted, knowing what _that_ meant. His father was sure he would get bored and leave. Well, he was going to prove him wrong today!

Desiree nodded. "Well, Danny, you know where I will be if you need me…"

"I know," the child mumbled, knowing that her comment was also because she thought the same as his father.

With that, the Queen parted from the group and headed off to the thermal pools. Frostbite and Vlad continued towards their destination with a quiet Danny following behind them.

They soon arrived in a cave with a chest at the far end of it. The mysterious-looking chest quickly sparked the child's curiosity; and even more so when Frostbite moved towards it with the intentions of opening it.

Danny gasped when the snow ghost lifted the chest's lid and a green, rolled-up parchment floated out of it. Frostbite took the glowing artifact into his hands and moved over to a table made of ice.

The two adults flattened out the parchment on the table's surface, and leaned over slightly to inspect it. But seeing this, the six-year-old quickly floated up behind them to also look at what the parchment contained.

Danny instantly recognized it as a map. He had seen a few at school. But none like this one! However, the child could not really make out what anything on this map was. There were drawings of places and also green circles that reminded him of the portal near the jail; but that's all he could get from it.

Still, the map was very intriguing! And seeing the two adults touching it and his father pointing at a certain location, Danny deemed it safe to touch it himself. But the moment he stretched out a hand, his father captured it.

"No, Daniel," Vlad said quickly. "This is not a toy."

Danny looked confused, and Frostbite explained, "Sorry, Young Great One, but the Infi-Map is a delicate and power artifact. It is unwise for you to touch it."

The Ghost Prince looked a bit put off, but he still nodded. His father then smiled. "Just watch, Daniel. When you are older I'll explain it better to you."

Danny backed away a bit as his father returned his attention to the map. He could always tell when his father was doing something important by the way he spoke to him. It bothered the child somewhat. But he had also learned to respect that ever since he had interrupted a High Tribunal meeting being held at the castle about a year back.

He would never forget the way everyone had frowned at him in disapproval. But seeing his father upset with him for disobeying had been worse. Still, it had taught Danny not to interrupt any sorts of serious things again. And it had been later that he had learned that the reason his father did so many 'serious things' was because he was _the King_.

The Prince now understood that his parents' title and his own had _a reason_—but he still did not understand it completely. All he knew was that someday _he_ would be _the King_---or, at least, that was what everyone said…

Danny, of course, had asked his father about it. But the explanation he received had been vague. And had ended with the usual remark, _'I'll explain it more to you when you're older, Daniel.'_

Danny didn't know how old he had to be exactly; but he hoped it was soon. He wanted to understand everything! After all, he wanted to know and do everything his father did, too!

But after a while, Danny had grown bored of watching and hearing his father and his mentor speaking to each other about things he did not understand. All he cared about was the neat map. The six-year-old wanted to look closer at it, but he didn't want to risk interrupting.

The Ghost Prince floated away from them and glanced around at the cave. There wasn't much to see, though, and he soon looked back at the two adults. Maybe he should go see what his mother was doing…

Danny briefly debated if he should tell his father about his leaving; but as if reading his thoughts, Vlad suddenly said, "It's alright, Daniel. You can go with your mother."

The child didn't look too surprised by the comment. His father had a knack for guessing his thoughts. So, he just nodded before flying off.

Once Danny was gone, Frostbite pointed to a location on the map and asked, "So, if that human portal were to be opened, it would most likely turn up around here, correct?"

"Yes," Vlad replied.

"That's dangerously close to your home, my Great King…" Frostbite mumbled, worriedly.

"I know. That's why it worries me so much…" Vlad replied. "Amity Park is too close for comfort…"

* * *

Ultimately, Danny had decided to go back to his igloo instead of going to find his mom. He had been learning the alphabet at school and he now even knew how to write both his names. He grinned as he stared at his work along the igloo's ice walls. With his fingers, he had written on the snow 'Danny' on one side of the igloo and 'Phantom' on the other. In front of him, he had drawn his symbol.

He was about to try to draw Cujo when his mouth jolted with pain. The child flinched, before quickly grabbing a handful of snow from the ground and sticking it inside his mouth. Feeling his achy gums go numb, he lifted his hands back to the walls and continued with what he was doing. Luckily, all the playing in the snow was also keeping his irritated fingertips from bothering him.

But Danny had only managed to draw Cujo's eyes when something else distracted him. He quickly moved over to the entrance of his igloo and stuck his head out, only to find his father and Frostbite walking somewhere else. They did not notice him again...

The Ghost Prince was about to fly after them when he got a sudden idea. The child slowly looked over at the cave containing the Infi-Map. He had not gotten a chance to really see it. Maybe he could now? He wouldn't touch it, of course. But it couldn't hurt to just see it…

Not thinking anymore about it, Danny flew off towards the cave. He then floated down beside the chest and with a bit of difficultly opened it.

The child gasped again when the map floated out on its own, though, this time, it also unrolled itself... Daring to get closer, he floated up towards it and stared. He couldn't help but be reminded of Libro at that moment. He knew that that magical book was alive; but this map… he wasn't sure. But it somehow _felt_ alive, even when he was not touching it. To his surprise, he was soon proven right…

Danny's eyes widened when the map suddenly glowed even brighter, before it began to draw closer to him. The child yelped in alarm and quickly backed away. But the Infi-Map continued to follow him, almost as if insisting to be touched by him.

But Danny was not about to disobey his father _and_ Frostbite!

"Stop following me! Go back to the box!" Danny exclaimed nervously as he tried to move away from the Infi-Map. But the magical parchment was not listening.

The Prince yelped again as the map brushed against his hands. Now frightened by it, the child made an attempt to fly out of the cave. But before he could reach the entrance, the Infi-Map suddenly wrapped around his form, forcing Danny to instinctively grab a hold of it.

It all went downhill from there.

The map suddenly glowed even more fiercely; and before Danny could even scream one of his parents' names, the parchment zoomed out of the cave with him. All Danny could do was shut his eyes and hold on tight as he traveled faster than he ever had in his life.

Meanwhile, Desiree was walking down a hallway, looking for her husband. She was sure he and Frostbite were done by now and was going to suggest that they head home. They had a long travel ahead, after all.

The Queen soon found Vlad and Frostbite at a lounge, chatting about mundane things. But one of her eyebrows rose when she realized Danny was not with him.

"Vlad? Where's Danny?" she asked confused.

The King looked up at her and frowned. "Isn't he with you? He got bored and left to find you."

"I haven't seen him," Desiree told him, her frown deepening.

Vlad quickly stood. "Perhaps he's playing somewhere," he mumbled, sounding a bit nervous.

Desiree didn't reply and followed after her husband, Frostbite then doing the same.

"Danny!" Desiree called once they were outside.

Frostbite found a few of his kin outside and quickly ordered them to search the area for the child. "Excuse me," the ice leader then said as he left to search a specific place himself. He hoped his intuition was wrong…

"Where is he, Vlad?" Desiree asked, not really noticing Frostbite's departure.

Vlad now looked very nervous. Although his son had the bad habit of suddenly disappearing on them, the child rarely did so for long periods of time; or at least not without telling them first. If Daniel never went to his mother, that meant that he had been alone for more than ten minutes. It didn't seem like a lot. But it was more than enough time for a curious and adventurous six-year-old to get into trouble…

At that moment, the King finally noticed the small igloo his son had made, and he quickly rushed over to it. Kneeling down, he looked inside it, "Daniel?"

But it was empty.

Right then, Frostbite came running towards the worried parents, a look of horror on his face.

Vlad and Desiree stared at the ghost as he halted in front of them. They already knew what was wrong before Frostbite uttered it.

"The Infi-Map is gone!"

* * *

Danny cried out in fear as the Infi-Map suddenly came to a stop and he lost his grip on it. The child tumbled forward a few feet before hitting a bush.

For a moment, all the Ghost Prince could do was stare ahead in a daze. But his murky mind and eyes quickly cleared and he cringed when he suddenly felt the consequences of his rough landing. Grumbling, he rubbed his head and then his achy arms. He then floated out of the bush, and briefly looked around as he picked off the leaves in his hair.

"That is weird," he mumbled. He quickly spotted the Infi-Map and went over to it. He glared briefly at it; but then frowned when it didn't do anything.

Hesitantly, he picked up the now rolled-up parchment; but when he saw it glow brightly again, he yelped and tossed it away into a nearby bush.

He glared at it again; but suddenly he heard a loud 'woosh' in front of him and he jolted in surprise. Danny's mouth gaped open when he finally noticed the monstrous geysers a few feet in front of him. But he quickly realized something else…

There was no snow here.

Danny whirled around, finally _really_ looking at his surroundings. And he instantly knew two things. One, this was not the Far Frozen. And, two, he had never been to this place.

"Oh-o. Not good," he whispered with dread.

But how had he gotten here, anyways?

"Dumb map!" Danny suddenly shouted over at the rolled-up parchment. But it was clear that he was more nervous than angry. He was going to be in so much trouble if he didn't get back to the Far Frozen. But how was he supposed to do that when he had no idea where he was?!

Danny stared up at the green sky, noticing a few Energy Novas above him; but nothing that gave him a clue of his current location. He then turned away from the geysers and looked out in the distance. His eyes quickly widened at the sight of a _very_ large castle. But it wasn't _his_ castle. Still, it was _someone's_ home!

"Maybe they tell me where I am there," Danny told himself, briefly noticing more of the mountainous terrain. The scenery didn't really surprise him. He had seen others like it before. But what really stunned him was how everything was so…. _Big_. He briefly wondered if this was how Lu felt when her own surroundings towered over her small body.

Danny was so utterly shocked by everything that had happened to him in a span of a few minutes, that he didn't notice a set of yellow eyes watching him from in between the geysers. And he also didn't notice how the owner of the eyes was slowly inching closer to him.

It was only when he heard a low growl that Danny finally realized he was not alone. But at that same instant, the yellow-eyed ghost leaped out from behind the large jets of hot water and roared viciously.

Danny screamed in terror at the sight of a huge, serpent-like monster towering over him with jaws as large as his body baring threateningly at him.

"Who are you?! What is your interest here?!" the creature demanded in Ghost Speech, smoke rising out of its flared nostrils.

Danny whimpered and quickly backed away, too terrified to answer.

"Do not hold your tongue! I command you to speak!" the ghost hissed this time. "My father does not tolerate intruders! And neither will I!"

If the Ghost Prince wasn't so scared, he would have noticed that the large ghost's voice was that of a child's. And if he knew anything about ghost dragons he would have recognized the creature in front of him as one.

But Danny had no idea where he was or at whom he was staring. Then again, the dragon child in front of him was pretty much in the same position when it came to knowing the identity of the white-haired ghost in front of it. After all, Elliot had never met the Ghost Prince…

Aragon's son, however, was certain that this ghost did not belong in his home. And he was determined to protect his kin, just like his father had always taught him. If only he wasn't so scared right now…

"I have inquired two questions, Intruder! And I demand two answers or I will make you sorry for your intrusion!" Elliot growled out, looking quite scary, despite his tucked tail…

Danny glared weakly back, not wanting to be intimated by the ghost in front of him. After all, who was _he_ to order _him_ around? But he couldn't stop himself from trembling in fear as he stuttered back, "W-What you're t-talking about?"

Elliot suddenly looked confused, but he then glared again, "Who are you?"

In the past years, Danny had been taught that he should never give out his names to strangers. But if he _had_ to give one, it should be his royal name, for his real name was more personal. The six-year-old didn't understand it; but he knew his parents had advised it for a reason…

"P-Phantom. I am Phantom," Danny replied, suddenly feeling his body temperature drop as he became more and more nervous.

Elliot blinked in bewilderment. Why did that name sound so familiar…?

But the young dragon tossed the question aside and quickly said, "Well, you are trespassing, _Phantom_! Go away or I will notify my father of you; and then, you will truly regret your intrusion!"

Confused by all the big words the other child was using, Danny could only say, "What?"

Elliot growled deeper when the white-haired ghost did not go away like he wanted. "Fine, I will force you to take your leave!"

Danny gasped as the huge dragon came closer, hot smoke pouring out of his slightly parted mouth. But the threatening sight made the Ghost Prince shiver even more and he suddenly felt really cold. He didn't realize that his fear had triggered his ice powers and that his eyes and quaking body were now glowing with a blue hue.

Elliot, on the other hand, quickly noticed. And he just as quickly yelped in terror and withdrew from the strange happening, only to instinctively draw his head back and breathe out a torrent of fire at the threat in front of him

All Danny could do was cry out in fear and shut his eyes as he was engulfed in the hot flames.

* * *

**Esperanto Translations:**

1. We found something for you

2. What is it?

3. There you are!

4. Hello, Mommy!

**Heh! Elliot! Well, I hope you all liked it! I have one last treat for you all, and that is a sketch of this stories kids---as teens---by NewGhostGirl! Here is the address or you can go directly to her Deviantart account! It really rocks; so check it out! **

**Voice your thoughts, kay?**

**Ta!**

***Remove spaces and '()'***

**h t t p : / (/) newghostgirl. deviantart. c om/art/DoaS-Children-125520761**


	19. Chapter 17: The Turns of Fate

**Okay, it's finally here. I know I'm slowing down again with updates, but I have a few extra things on my hand which I need to balance with this story and 'Checkmate'. Okay, so, this chapter is a little longer than I was aiming for. I am trying to keep my chapters to maximum of thirty pages. This one is 36... Oh, well. I hope you guys enjoy all the same!**

**Disclamier: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot is my own. **

* * *

**Chapter 17: The Turns of Fate**

Elliot had seen many kinds of ghost powers; but never had he seen something like what Phantom had shown the instant that the flames enveloped the white-haired child. Not only did he not get hurt by the hot fire, but Phantom had also somehow turned the flames into vapor!

The young dragon took a wary step back as the mist cleared and his eyes once again saw the form of the trembling, blue-glowing six-year-old. Like the older child, the younger one had no idea what had happened because he still had his hands over his head with his eyes squeezed shut. The Prince was still waiting for the pain to come.

But it never came.

Instead, a timid and scared voice reached Danny's ears. "W-What….? How did you… do that?"

Elliot was feeling so insecure at the moment that he contemplated _calling_ his parents for help. The fearful young dragon knew he could do so at any time he wanted and that they would get there in a matter of seconds… But he was also aware that the intruder in front of him was a child like him… He didn't want his cousins and the other dragon children making fun of him for calling his parents to assist him with another child, especially one as small as this one…

At that moment, Danny finally noticed that the voice addressing him was that of a _child_. And he slowly dared to remove his hands from his head and look up. He stared wide-eyed at the huge, terrifying ghost in front of him for another moment. How could something this big be a _kid_?

But, then, remembering the ghost's question, the Prince softly stuttered back, "W-What d-did I-I do?"

The older child tilted his head in confusion, now looking more curious than scared. "You transformed my fire into a strange… smoke…," he murmured unsure.

"I did?" Danny asked, before looking at himself and finally noticing he was glowing blue. "I didn't know I could make smoke…," he mumbled to himself, before looking back at the dragon, and abruptly commenting, "You're a _really_ _big_ kid..."

Elliot bristled with the comment. "My size is normal! You are simply too small!"

The blue hue around the Ghost Prince's body suddenly vanished as he quickly floated up and glared at the other child. Now that Danny knew the ghost in front of him was just a kid, his large size and strange looks didn't intimidate him as much.

"I'm not small!" Danny shouted indignantly. "You are just a big weird ghost!"

Elliot reeled back, clearly appalled by the comment. "Weird?! I am no such thing!"

"Yes, you are!" Danny retorted, floating up higher to meet the other child's gaze. "You even talk weird!"

"How dare you speak to _me_ in such a manner?!" Elliot growled back. "If I tell my father of your disrespect, you will be in serious trouble!"

"And if I tell _my father_ you threw fire at _me_, _you_ will be in trouble!" Danny retorted boldly.

"Is that so?" the dragon child asked mockingly, knowing that no one was above his father in their territory.

"Yes!" Danny answered with bravado.

Elliot narrowed his eyes in challenge. "Then, where is he? _Call_ to him so that I can prove which of us will be in trouble, _intruder!_"

The six-year-old's glare suddenly fell as he remembered that he couldn't _call_ for his father like other kids… But even worse, he didn't even know where his father was. Actually, he didn't know where _he_ was!

The Prince looked away and a hand reached behind his head. He rubbed nervously at the skin under his tied hair as he tried to think of what to reply. Ultimately, he found nothing to say but the truth. "I…um…I can…not," he mumbled, his eyebrows creasing with distress as he quietly admitted, "I am… lost."

Elliot's hard look quickly melted away. "Truly?"

Danny nodded sadly as he looked around at his unknown surroundings. But suddenly, he became angry and exclaimed, "That dumb map grabbed me and brought me here!"

"Map?" the young dragon repeated confused.

"Yes, I'll show you," Danny answered, before flying over to where he threw the map and then pointing at it.

Elliot hesitated, before moving over to the young child. The dragon craned his neck to look at what Phantom was pointing and his yellow eyes slightly widened when he saw the green-glowing, rolled-up map. He had never seen anything like it.

"Frostbite calls it the Infi-Map," Danny said, narrowing his eyes with distrust at the map.

"I have never seen or heard of it; nor do I know this 'Frostbite.' Is he your friend?" Elliot asked, looking back the Prince.

The six-year-old nodded, and proudly said, "Yes! He teaches me my ice powers!"

The dragon child looked even more bewildered. "I have never heard of that, either…"

"Really? It's easy! Watch!" Danny said as he stretched out a hand towards Aragon's son. The Prince furrowed his eyebrows as he made his hand glow blue with his ice power.

"So, that is what you did…," Elliot mumbled, slowly reaching out his own 'hand' towards the young child's extended one. But the second he touched the cold energy, the dragon yelped in surprise; and then gasped when he felt his claws numb.

"Opps…," Danny said sheepishly as he stared at the other child's frozen hand. And even though the layer of ice wasn't thick, Elliot still felt the discomfort that came with having your limb surrounded by ice.

As if on instinct, the ten-year-old quickly breathed out some fire over his frozen hand, instantly melting it. But his eyes widened when he saw the same vapor that he had seen when he had attacked the younger ghost rise off his now clammy hand.

But this time, Elliot figured it out and he grinned as he said. "I understand now! Your ice energy reacts with my fire energy to conjure the steam!"

Danny answered with a confused, "Huh?"

"Do that again!" Elliot said, now excited by this new thing. After all, the young dragon had never seen ice or snow since his territory stayed warm for the most part.

"Make ice?" Danny asked; and receiving a nod, he quickly made his hands glow blue.

"Make more!" the dragon ghost eagerly urged him while he slightly opened his mouth to bring out his own hot energy inside him.

Danny clenched his teeth as he tried to make more coldness come out; but all he managed was a bit more. "That is all I can make," he told the other child.

But Elliot didn't reply and just opened his mouth a little wider. Now that he was controlling his fire, he had no trouble pouring out only enough to match the amount of cold energy in Phantom's hand.

And when he did, Danny gasped in surprise when the two opposite forces mixed and transformed into steam, leaving the white-haired ghost's hands moist and warm. The pair watched as the white cloud spread around them before dissipating into the atmosphere.

"That was neat!" the Prince suddenly exclaimed, grinning over at the older child, who grinned back in agreement. Danny then quickly flew up higher and with an expectant look asked, "What's your name?"

"Elliot," the dragon ghost replied, perhaps with a bit too much pride. "My father is the Dragon Leader. And I am his heir."

Danny didn't know what 'heir' meant; but decided not to ask and just nodded. "This is your home, right?" he questioned instead.

"Yes, the Dragon Realm is my home. These lands belong to my parents and my kin. And as one of them, I must also guard it from intruders."

"Intruders?" Danny questioned.

"Yes. They are uninvited outsiders," Elliot answered, his eyes slightly narrowing with the thought.

The Ghost Prince looked even more confused. "Outsiders…? Humans!" he suddenly gasped out.

Elliot violently jolted. "Humans?! They do not even belong in our world _at all!_ They are evil and dangerous!" he hissed back hatefully.

Danny just stared wide-eyed at the other child. Not even his father got _this_ upset when he mentioned anything about the humans!

"You don't like them?" the six-year-old asked cautiously.

The dragon ghost's nostrils flared. "Of course not! No one does! They are horrid creatures! All they wish is for our destruction! They want to kill us—kill us like they did my brother!"

The Ghost Prince floated back slightly. He didn't understand everything the other child was saying, but the vibes his words carried were scaring him!

"Kill?" Danny dared to repeat with uncertainty.

Elliot jolted again; but this time for another reason. He tilted his head at the other child as he asked, "You do not know what 'kill' means?" And getting a quiet 'no', the dragon said, "Well, it is a bit difficult to explain… I suppose you can say it is when you are purposely hurt so severely that you die. The humans did that to my brother… they killed him. He… died," the ten-year-old ended sadly. But there was doubt underneath that emotion, as if he didn't really believe his words...

"Your brother cannot get better?" Danny asked worriedly.

Elliot frowned, realizing the other child didn't even know what 'death' was. But he just shook his head, and answered, "No. When you die, you are gone forever. You cannot come back. And surely, you cannot get better, Phantom."

The Ghost Prince looked horrified with what the other child was saying. He didn't know something so terrible like that could happen to someone. Death was _really_ bad!

Danny suddenly felt very scared and wanted to be back with his parents even more.

"Do you know where I live?" the Prince asked with a hopeful look.

Elliot gave him a bewildered look. How was he supposed to know where the younger ghost lived? He just met him!

"No… I do not even understand how you came to my home…," the dragon replied.

The Prince looked even more troubled. "I-I was at the Far Frozen… and then the…map…" Danny trailed off as his eyes became glossy, before giving the other child a pleading gaze. "Can you help me get back? My parents are going to be mad at me if I do not come back!"

Elliot's tail moved about nervously as he thought of how to reply. "Well….you said that…map--the _Infi-Map_--brought you here. Maybe it can take you back…? Yes! It is very probable that it can return you to your home if it took you away from it before!" he suddenly exclaimed before rushing over to the map.

Danny quickly followed and watched with hopeful but wary eyes as the other child picked up the map. But when he did, the Infi-Map suddenly opened and began to glow a brighter green.

Realizing what that meant, the Ghost Prince shouted, "No! Let it go!"

Elliot gasped when Phantom quickly knocked the map out of his hands just before the Infi-Map shot up into the sky. Then, in a burst of pink light, the magical parchment sped off into the distance, quickly disappearing from view.

The two ghost kids looked after it with large eyes. But then, Danny's whimper broke their silence. "Oh, no! Now, I lost the map, too!"

Not wanting to see the other child burst into tears, Elliot quickly said, "Do not trouble so much! My father is acquainted with the entire ghost world! I am most certain he can aid you in getting home!"

"But you said I would get in trouble with him for being an 'intwo-deer'!" Danny replied, not wishing to get into more trouble than he already was.

Elliot frowned thoughtfully for a moment. "Perhaps not….we will simply explain how you came upon our land by accident. Yes! We will tell my father that you are lost and mean no harm! He will surely understand and help you! Besides, I _know_ what an intruder is! And I _now_ can see you are not one!" the child assured the other.

Danny grinned again. "Okay! I can meet your father! And when I find _mine_, you can meet him, too! He's really nice!"

"As is mine!" Elliot answered with a smile. With a gesture of his head, the dragon child encouraged his new friend to follow him.

Danny wasted no time and floated beside the other young ghost as they headed towards the big castle in the distance. But then, suddenly, Elliot spoke again, "Before we go see my father, can I show you something?"

Now that Danny was confident that he would get back to his parents, his worry over his being lost completely left his mind. His curiosity about the young dragon's question was now more important and he quickly nodded.

Excited himself, the dragon ghost suddenly opened his wings and the Prince gasped at their size.

"Whoa!" Danny exclaimed.

"Yes. I like them, too!" Elliot said with another proud grin. "Come. Follow me and keep up."

But instead of nodding, Danny narrowed his eyes in challenge at the other child. "Keep up? _You're_ going to have to keep up with _me_!"

Elliot gasped when he saw Phantom give him a mischievous grin before zooming forward. He had never seen anyone fly so fast….

"Finally. A real challenge!" the dragon exclaimed before darting after the young child.

* * *

"Oh, goodness, Vlad! What are we going to do? Danny could be anywhere!" Desiree exclaimed, placing a hand against her forehead as she paced in front of her husband.

"I'm sure he's fine, Desiree," Vlad replied in hopes of calming down his wife. "And he cannot be _anywhere_. Remember that the Infi-Map will only take you to places you wish to go. And there are only so many places a six-year-old would want to go, right?"

Desiree looked unsure at her husband. But then, Frostbite interrupted, sounding distressed himself. "I am sorry to be the bearer of more bad news, my great King. But I do believe Queen Desiree speaks the truth."

"What?" Vlad asked right away, his eyes locking onto the leader of the Far Frozen.

"Well…," Frostbite began a bit reluctantly, "It is true that the Infi-Map will take the holder to where he wishes to go. But not always… You see, sometimes the map has been known to take the holder to where _it_ feels he needs to go…"

The King stared at the snow ghost for a moment; but then he exploded, "What is that supposed to mean?! Why would my _six-year-old _son have _the_ _need_ to go anywhere _by himself?!_"

Desiree quickly halted her nervous pacing and looked at her now panicked husband. "Vlad, calm down. Let's just start looking in the places where Danny would most likely go. "

"Ember's... his playing grounds…," Vlad whispered to himself as he tried to think of where his son would _think_ to go.

"The castle, of course. We can check Clockwork's," Desiree also listed. "And perhaps even Skulker's or his school…"

Vlad nodded, before quickly focusing his energy to make five duplicates. All six Plasmiuses looked at Desiree and then gravely said, "I'm going to teleport my duplicates to the different locations. You stay here, Desiree, just in case he returns."

"Wait, Vlad!" the Queen said, stopping her husband from making another move. "Are you certain you can teleport to so many places at such a long distance from here and at once? That's going to leave you extremely weakened!" she said worriedly.

The King shook his head, still looking very troubled himself. "I will have to manage. We have to find him soon, Des. It's already past seven. We have to find him before it gets too dark. Not only is it dangerous for him to be out there alone, but you _know_ what happens at night!"

Desiree's eyes suddenly widened as she recalled what her husband was talking about. "The temporary ghost portals!" she whispered in dread, knowing that they opened with more frequency and anywhere at night.

Frostbite spoke up again. "I will send others to search the surrounding areas, my King. I already have my kin searching the Far Frozen. Perhaps he has not gone as far as we believe."

"Do not search your home anymore, Frostbite," Vlad said with a sigh."My son is not here. If he was, I would _sense_ him. And I do not."

"And I do not feel his desires. He is not here," the Queen quickly confirmed. But she then looked at her husband again, and said, "I cannot just stay here, Vlad. I am going to search for him, too."

"But it's getting late, Desiree," Vlad replied, growing even more concerned with his wife's words. He already had his son to worry about. He did not need to be worried over his wife as well.

"I can go check at Lydia's home. It is less than two hours from here. And the closest—and most likely--- place he could have desired to go. Please, Vlad, don't ask me to just stay here," the ghost mage pleaded in distress.

The King stared at his wife for a moment longer before reluctantly nodding. "Take Falko with you?"

"Alright," the Queen said, agreeing to take her husband's snow hawk with her.

Vlad wasted no time and quickly teleported his clones to the different places that they believed Danny could be. But right after he did that, his body glowed red again and he released about twenty shadow clones.

Desiree watched worriedly as the shadow duplicates flew off as well, obviously to randomly search for Danny. Her husband tried not to show it, but she could see the amount of energy he had just spent drained him.

Vlad ignored his weakened body and looked at Frostbite. "I'm going to search the northern surroundings. You and your kin scout the rest."

"Right," Frostbite said, before quickly retreating and calling to several of his kin.

The King looked at his wife, who looked as distressed as he did. "Be careful, Desiree. If at any time you see a portal…"

"I will keep away," Desiree finished for him. "I will be fine. But I want you to be careful. If I don't find him at Lydia's…I will—"

"No, stay there," he pleaded, cutting her off. "I will check with you within two hours. But if he is not at Lydia's, just stay there, Des."

"Alright, I will wait for you there. But be careful," Desiree said as tears began to swell in her eyes. "And…And Danny is fine. W-We will find him…r-right?"

Vlad hugged his wife and assured her, "We will find him."

They let go; and with a sad smile, they parted and went off to search for the Prince at different areas.

Unfortunately, no matter how much everyone searched for the child, they could not find him. And a half-hour later, the King was forced to land on a small floating island as the duplicate that had teleported towards the castle returned to him. He closed his eyes in concentration and distress as his duplicate's visions and findings passed through his mind.

His son was not at the castle or at the Arbaro de Emocioj'.

Vlad sighed as his eyes opened again. He looked up at one of the greenish-purple Energy Novas, silently hoping that his wife would have better luck than he so far once she reached Lydia's.

"Sire!" one of Far Frozen's residents suddenly called out as he flew towards the King.

Vlad whirled around to look at the ghost. "Did you find him?" he asked with anticipation.

"No, but the Infi-Map! It has returned!" the ghost answered.

"Without my son?!" Vlad gasped out. But he gave Frostbite's kin no time to answer and flew back to the Far Frozen.

Frostbite had also just arrived and quickly grabbed the map from the snow ghost that had found it.

"Frostbite!" Vlad called as he walked up to him. "Do not tell me that the Infi-Map did not return without Daniel!"

But the snow ghost could not bring himself to speak the answer the King did not want to hear, so he just showed him the lone map.

Right then, the rest of Plasmius' duplicates returned from their different locations; but when they were absorbed back into him, Vlad quickly discovered they had come up empty as well.

Now overwhelmed with despair, the father placed a hand on his forehead as he whispered, "Oh, God…"

"My King," Frostbite quickly said when he saw Vlad was about to waste more energy in making more shadow duplicates. "Perhaps the return of the Infi-Map could work to our favor."

Vlad just looked up at him, too tired and scared to even ask him to explain. But the snow ghost wasted no time and elaborated, "I cannot explain why the Infi-Map has returned without the Prince. It works in mysterious ways. But it too works in _expected_ ways…"

It didn't take the King long to understand what Frostbite was trying to get at. And his eyes quickly filled with hope as he ordered, "Give it to me."

"My Great King…," Frostbite said worriedly as he gave Plasmius the magical parchment. "You should not go alone. Take—"

"I can travel faster on my own," Vlad interrupted him as he opened the map. And knowing that the Infi-Map would take him anywhere he wished to go, the Ghost King ordered, "Take me to my son."

Deeply troubled with his leader's decision, Frostbite could only watch as Plasmius, along with the map, turned into pure energy and shot off into the darkening atmosphere.

* * *

"Whoa! They can make blue fire, too!" Danny gasped out as he stared at the lava vents in front of him.

"Indeed! But do not get too close. They could burn you," Elliot advised him, wrapping his tail around the younger child and pulling him closer to him.

Danny giggled at being held in such a strange way. "I like your tail! It's really big! And your wings! Hey! Can I touch them?"

Elliot hesitated slightly; but then he unwrapped his tail from around the other child and nodded. "You may. But be gentle. They are very sensitive."

"I will!" the Prince assured him as he flew up a bit, just as the young dragon lowered his spread out wing. Danny's eyes quickly widened in delight as he felt the thin, featherless material that made up the older child's wings. It was so smooth and silky; he had never felt anything like it!

"How old are you, Phantom?" Elliot suddenly inquired, watching as the younger ghost continue to inspect his flying appendage.

Danny quickly looked up at the ghost dragon and grinned proudly as he replied, "I am six!"

Elliot smiled. "Then, I am four years older than you," he answered, but seeing the confused look on the other child's face, he added, "That means I am ten years of age."

"Really?! That's a lot! You are probably almost as old as my father!" Danny replied as he finally let go of the wing.

The ghost dragon suddenly laughed, knowing what Phantom was saying could not be true. "You are quite amusing! But I am most certain your father and myself cannot be anywhere near the same age."

Danny frowned, not getting why that was funny. But he dismissed it and asked, "Is your father bigger than you?"

Elliot quickly nodded. "Much bigger! But you will meet him soon! And my mother! She is very beautiful and caring!" But then remembering something else, the dragon grinned and said, "There is something more, my friend! When we enter the castle, _my appearance_ will change!"

Now the six-year-old was really confused. However, he recalled how Clockwork changed looks and so did Amorpho; so from that, he concluded, "So, are you going to turn into something else or are you going to make yourself change age?"

Aragon's son blinked in confusion himself. But believing the first one seemed somewhat right, he slowly said, "I suppose you could say I will change form. I will become somewhat like you."

Danny frowned again. "But not _me_, right? I do not like it when someone tries to copy me!"

Elliot tilted his head slightly. "No, I will not look like you… I will look as… _myself_," he said, not knowing how else to describe it. "Everyone changes their appearance in the castle, Phantom. My father has casted a spell over our home, allowing us to do so. However, my father can change his appearance whenever and wherever he pleases. But then, so can my Aunt Dora! She has my father's second amulet!"

Danny's eyes widened. "I know Dora! She is my mother's friend! But I never see her turn into—into… uh… what kind of ghost are you?"

"A dragon ghost!" Elliot answered; and looking very happy that Phantom knew his aunt, quickly beamed, "How grand that you know her! She is a fine aunt! But I rarely see her. She lives with the royal family," he informed him, looking slightly put off by his last words.

"Yes, I know! I see her all the time!" Danny replied just as oblivious as the other child.

Elliot was surprised by his answer. "Is that so? You must live in the vicinity, then," he muttered. But then the older child dismissed the thought and added, "If that is the case, ask her to show you her true form. She can easily do so! _Both_ of my father's amulets are very powerful!"

Danny nodded. "I will ask! And I have seen Dora's amulet! It looks nice!"

"Indeed, Phantom. And when _I_ take my father's place as leader he will pass it to me! It is quite an honor and quite a responsibility! But he tells me I am strong and capable! And that I will make an excellent Dragon Leader when the time comes!" Elliot said with much vigor.

The Ghost Prince grinned. "My father says some of that to me, too!"

The dragon child looked surprised at first, but then he smiled back. "Is that so? Are you the future leader of your kin, too?"

But not realizing that 'future leader' was another way of saying his own title, Danny shook his head. "No, I am going to be a K---"

But the six-year-old was cut off by a strange noise from above. It sounded like a strange mixture of a 'crackle' and a 'whoosh' that progressively grew louder. But when both he and the ten-year-old stared up, they gasped at seeing exactly what was responsible for the alien noise.

At some random point, the atmosphere was swirling erratically. But what they were staring at was no Energy Nova. And the spinning soon got quicker as the strange noise coming from it got even louder. The entire event only took seconds, but by the time it was over, there was a bright green hole hanging in the atmosphere.

It took Danny but a moment to recognize what it was.

"Ghost Portal…," he whispered with an awed voice.

"We must go now, Phantom," Elliot suddenly said, not at all impressed by the opening. Actually, he looked quite frightened by it. And seeing that his young friend was still mesmerized by the portal, the dragon quickly gave him a slight nudge forward with his snout.

The push quickly brought Danny's attention to Elliott again. The young child didn't hesitate to follow, readily quickening his pace to match the nervous older child's own forward movement towards the castle.

But Danny was still more awed than anything else as he continued to follow behind Elliot "I didn't know Ghost Portals just make themselves like that!"

The dragon ghost briefly glanced up at the portal as he answered. "They do when it begins to grow late in the day. My father ordered me to return home the moment I see even one begin to form."

"Is it because they are dangerous?" Danny asked cautiously. "My father said to fly as fast and as far as I can when I see one!"

"And that is advice you best heed, Phantom. If you get too close to a portal it could pull you in. They are indeed dangerous, considering _where_ they take you..."

Danny didn't reply; but he frowned uncertainly as he watched the portal suddenly vanish just as quickly as it appeared. But he soon dismissed it and turned his attention to where they were going. After all, he was feeling homesick again.

Quickly picking up his pace until he was flying right beside Elliot's face, the Prince suggested, "You should fly. We can get there faster."

But the dragon shook his head. "It is unwise to fly when the portals start appearing. They never form on the ground; so we are safe down here."

Danny just nodded. But right then, another strange noise from above reached the two children's ears and they quickly looked towards it. Instantly, they gasped in unison at the sight of a bright pink beam of light quickly descending towards them.

But to the two young ghosts' surprise, the strange beam did not roughly impact the ground as they had expected; and instead, landed soundlessly a few feet in front of them. However, the moment it touched ground, the pink beam became something completely different. But, this time, the two children reacted differently...

Elliot's eyes fearfully widened at the sight of the adult intruder in front of him, while Danny's eyes widened with happiness since he recognized the 'intruder' as his father. And he even had found the Infi-Map!

"Daddy!" Danny beamed in relief and happiness as he instantly flew at him and wrapped his little arms around the older ghost's torso.

Vlad was a bit disoriented from the fast-speed travel; but he just as quickly recognized the voice and gasped out, "Daniel! Oh, thank heaven you are safe!"

The Prince cringed when his father returned his hug ten-fold. But the child was as equally as happy with their reunion that he didn't say anything about it. However, the moment his father finally released him, Danny suddenly preferred the bone-crushing hug.

"What did I tell you, Daniel? The Infi-Map is not a toy!" Vlad strongly scolded.

"But I didn't touch it! I promise! I just wanted to look at it! But then, it started following me. And then, and then, it grab me and brought me here!" Danny quickly explained.

Vlad frowned at his son's words. He could tell the child was speaking the truth. But it was odd that the Infi-Map would just _grab_ his son like that. It usually only worked when it was _first_ touched by someone…

"_Sometimes the map has been known to take the holder to where __**it**__ feels he needs to go…"_

Remembering Frostbite's words, Vlad finally took the moment to inspect their current location. But because he had not been to the Dragon Realm in over a decade, it took him another moment to recognize it. But when he did, the King felt his very core jolt with fear.

"Oh, no…," Plasmius whispered, suddenly grabbing his son closer to him.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Danny quickly asked as he watched his father's eyes dart in all directions. That is, until they fell on the young dragon a few feet from them.

Elliot just stared back at the King with large yellow eyes. His tucked tail, lowered head, and stiff body showed the young dragon was very scared. But it wasn't just because there was now a stranger in front of him. But because it had been with the sight of Plasmius that Elliot remembered why the name 'Phantom' had sounded so familiar…

His father had mentioned it to him many times before. But with one word in front: '_Prince_ Phantom.'

And although Vlad was not wearing his crown, his attire spoke of his high status. That, and the ring on his finger. The stranger in front of him was not just any stranger. He was the King! Now, Phantom's knowing of his Aunt Dora made sense to Elliot. Now, _all_ of the younger child's previous words made perfect sense.

But there was one problem with all this.

His father had told him to stay away from the royal family; _especially_ the King.

His father said he was….dangerous.

And as sure as Elliot was that the adult ghost in front of him was the King—even without having ever met him—Vlad was certain of the identity of the dragon child. He was certain that the child in front of him was his former-friend's son. The resemblance was unmistakable. And so was the young dragon's growing fear…

The King quickly shifted through his mind for the names of Aragon's sons as he slowly let go of his own son…

"Gregory? Elliot!" Vlad said gently, raising his hands up in a peaceful manner. "I will not hurt you. I only came for my son."

But the child's ears flattened and he shrank away even more at hearing the King address him.

Danny finally noticed his scared friend and quickly spoke up. "What's wrong? My father is not scary."

Elliot looked over at Phantom for a moment, before looking back at Plasmius again. But the dragon still said nothing.

"Come, Daniel. We must leave," Vlad murmured, staring so intently at Elliot that it appeared as if the King was staring at a ticking bomb.

And in a sense he was.

Danny nodded, but then said, "Okay, but I want to say good-bye to my new friend first!"

"Daniel, stop!" Vlad exclaimed as his son darted forward. But although the father had managed to grab him before he could reach Elliot, his own quick movements had caused what he had tried to prevent.

The ten-year-old cried in fear as he jolted out of his shock. But the moment he did, the dragon symbol on his chest began to glow fiercely…

Vlad instantly panicked. "Daniel! Take the map! Take the map!" he yelled at his son, forcing him to take hold of the Infi-Map. "Command it to take you to your mother!"

But Danny was too stunned to even think. He had never seen his father like this before.

"Daniel, now! Say it! Say you want to go with your mother!" Plasmius continued, sounding more urgent by the second. But then several echoing roars in the distance jolted the Ghost King in his attempt to get his son out of there; and instead, he whirled around to face what he knew was coming.

Danny yelped when his father suddenly jerked him behind him and took several steps back. But before the Prince could even get his brain to respond and ask his father what was happening, his mind froze with shock again when he saw several huge shadows looming from above and closing in fast.

In dragon form, Aragon and Altiĝis quickly landed right beside their son, just before five other dragons landed around them.

"Father!" Elliot cried out as he ran under his wing.

"You are safe, my son," Aragon said craning his neck to look at his trembling offspring.

"What has you so frightened, Elliot?" Altiĝis asked, nuzzling him. "Are you hurt?"

Elliot just shook his head, too afraid to speak. But in response, the child gave a quick glance over at what was troubling him, before burying his face under his father's wing again.

The gesture was all Aragon and Altiĝis needed to prompt him to look in that same direction… And what they found froze them in place.

Plasmius could only swallow thickly and took another step back as he watched Aragon's eyes go wide with horrified disbelief, while his wife gasped with the same emotion.

The other dragons had already noticed the Ghost King's presence before their leader, but had been too shocked to say a word.

Aragon's surprise, however, did not last long as a surge of absolute fury swelled inside him. But his mate's hackles were now also raised. And without a word, Altiĝis narrowed her eyes at the male intruder and quickly grabbed Elliot away from her furious mate, who all but lunged towards Plasmius right after.

"Aragon, stop!" Vlad shouted at seeing the other ghost's mouth fill with smoke. "This is not what it appears!"

"_YOU…! _I will tear you to shreds!" the Dragon Leader roared before throwing a massive fire attack in the King's direction.

Plasmius' eyes widened in fear, but he forced his body to react; and he quickly raised his hands, forming a blue shield in front of him and his son.

But the Ghost King was already weakened from all the energy he had spent in teleporting so many duplicates around the Ghost World. Still, he somehow poured out the needed strength to counter the dragon's powerful attack. Daniel was right behind him and would be hurt if he allowed his shield to give in.

Danny cried out as he felt the hot flames lick at his skin; and he quickly clutched his father from behind and shut his eyes.

"Aragon!" Vlad grunted out as he was pushed a few steps back by another barrage of flames. "Desist at once! I did not come to harm your son! I-I came to get mine!"

The Dragon Leader was jolted enough by the King's words to cease his attack. "Your son? Why would your son be here?!" he growled out, his red eyes narrowing in threat.

Seeing that Aragon was actually giving him a chance to explain, Vlad cautiously lowered his shield all the while blinking back the haze from his eyes. "He got a hold of the Infi-Map…I only came to get him back. I swear I would not have set a foot on your land, otherwise. Just let us go on our way. You have my sincerest apology and my word that this will not happen again."

The Dragon Leader barely paid the Ghost King's words any mind. He was more interested in the Prince, now that he had finally noticed two little hands wrapped around the other male ghost. But the child was hidden from view by his father; so Aragon couldn't _really_ see him…

The male dragon briefly made eye contact with Plasmius again, before he wordlessly gestured something to the other dragons with him. Whatever Aragon had commanded to them they understood, since they quickly nodded and began to encircle Vlad and Danny.

Seeing this, Plasmius tensed. "What are you doing?" he asked, one of his hands moving back to grip one of his son's wrists. A lot had changed since he and Aragon were friends; so the King honestly did not know what to expect of the other male ghost. But so far, the dragon's actions were putting him on the edge, for Vlad knew that if he chose to attack, there was no way he could take on Aragon and five other adult dragons, especially not in his energy-deprived condition…

"If what you utter is the truth, then, bring forth your son and the Infi-Map," Aragon commanded, his eyes still stone-cold.

Vlad tensed even more. "Aragon… H-He is just a child. You would not---"

"Hold your tongue!" Aragon suddenly shouted, his nostrils flaring. "Do not dare presume I share your wicked ways, King Plasmius! I am _nothing_ like you," he sneered in disgust.

"I see you still blame me for your other son's disappearance," Vlad said gravely. "But that does not mean I will allow you to treat me like some monster, especially when your beliefs are untrue!"

Aragon bared his fangs as he hissed, "Do not forget where you stand. This is my territory. You have _no power_ here. Now, I command you to bring forth your son!"

Plasmius' anger began to boil with the other male's words. How easily Aragon forgot that it was _he_ who had allowed him to keep his homeland and to live apart from the Kingdom! But Vlad knew that he was not in any position to argue with the other male ghost. Not when his son was with him and he was too weak to truly protect him.

The Ghost King looked back at his son, and softly called to him, "Daniel?"

The six-year-old opened his eyes and looked fearfully at his father. "Daddy? I want to go home now!" he whispered back.

"In a moment. But do not be frightened. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. You know I would not allow it," Vlad said with a small reassuring smile. "There is someone who wants to meet you, alright? Come here."

Danny slightly protested when his father pulled him out from his safe place behind him. But when the Prince saw himself exposed to several huge scary-looking dragons, he whimpered and pressed himself against his father, one of his small hands clutching harder against the rolled up Infi-Map. And all along he had thought _Elliot_ was big!

"Meet my son, Aragon," Vlad said, a serious look on his face as he held Danny's shoulders tightly.

Aragon just stared at the child for a moment; but then he briefly looked back at his own son, who was now staring curiously at everything that was happening. The male dragon quickly drew a few conclusions from just the way his son was looking at the white-haired child. But not saying anything about it for the moment, Aragon turned back to look at the six-year-old.

"Prince Phantom," the dragon leader said and suddenly approached the child. But when he saw the Prince tense even more, Aragon paused. He smirked at his former friend for reasons he only knew, before his amulet suddenly glowed red and he turned into his human-like appearance.

Danny's eyes had widened at the sight; but when Aragon approached again, the young ghost now looked slightly less scared.

After another brief regard to the Ghost King, the dragon leader kneeled down on one knee to meet the Prince's bright green eyes.

"I must say, you are quite the spectacle," Aragon calmly said before gently grabbing the child's unoccupied hand and placing a respectful kiss on it. He then let go of Danny's hand and brought his upward, gently cupping and lifting the child's chin as he remarked, "A little undernourished, perhaps. And I am sincerely at a loss regarding my feelings towards your bizarre hair coloring and towards the fact that you poorly resemble your parents… Even so, it is… _interesting_ to finally meet you."

Vlad gritted his teeth as he saw Aragon shoot him a smirk. But the King said nothing.

Focusing back on Danny again, the Dragon Leader lowered his hand away from the child and uttered in a still calm, but more stern voice, "Now, if the Prince would be so kind as to bestow me with the delicate parchment in his hand?"

Vlad frowned. What in the world did he want with the Infi-Map? But the King still stayed quiet as he watched his son hesitantly give the other male ghost the magical parchment.

Aragon briefly inspected the Infi-Map; but it was then that Danny finally found the courage to speak again. "Y-You are Elliot's...father?"

The dragon male's lips curved upward with the question. "Your assumption is wise, Prince Phantom. I am indeed Elliot's father. My name is Aragon. I am the Dragon Leader. And as such, I am obligated to impart to _my Prince_ that both he and his father are _trespassing_ on my terrain."

Danny blinked. "Um… Sorry?" he asked, not sure if that was the answer the male ghost wanted to hear.

"Are you _truly_, Prince Phantom?" Aragon inquired, his smile vanishing as he stared back at the child with a cold gaze.

Feeling his son squirm under the hard look, Vlad's eyes slightly narrowed as he quickly spoke up, "I'm certain that he is, Aragon. And considering that _I_, too, apologized for our intrusion, then it should more than suffice."

"It does not," Aragon replied, briefly turning his cold look towards Vlad. But then, he once more pinned his red eyes on the six-year-old as he asked him, "Why did you steal the Infi-Map, Prince Phantom? Surely, the King and Queen would be wise enough to advise the Prince against it?"

Danny was having a hard time following Aragon's strange way of speaking. But he had understood the initial question. And he didn't like the accusation in the adult male's voice…

"I didn't steal it!" he protested, a frown now on his face.

The male dragon's eyes slightly narrowed with the child's forceful denial; but he still retained his calm but cold voice as he replied, "Taking something without consent _is_ stealing, _Prince_."

"But I didn't steal it _or_ take it!" Danny still denied. "_It_ grabbed _me_ and brought me here!"

"It… _grabbed you_?" Aragon repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Tell me, Prince Phantom. Have your parents warned you that _lying_ is most unbecoming of someone, especially someone of _your_ stature? Indubitably, it leaves nothing fine to say in regards of my Prince _and_ of those that formed him..."

"He is not lying, Aragon," Vlad said firmly, even more of his anger leaking out. "He knew nothing of your realm until today. His being here is _purely_ accidental."

Aragon briskly stood to his height and locked his steel eyes on the King. "I find that exceptionally difficult to believe; particularly when such a dubious assertion comes from _your_ mouth."

"I think we are done here," Vlad said seriously, although inside he was livid with the other male ghost. "Hand me the Infi-Map."

Aragon narrowed his eyes at the Ghost King, who matched his glare with his own tense, but non-threatening, gaze. But it was clear that neither leader was willing to submit to the other. And the male dragon drove the message home with his next, unexpected move.

"Infi-Map, return to your home," Aragon ordered firmly.

Plasmius gasped as the Infi-Map instantly glowed brightly and levitated off Aragon's hand, just before it shot off, in an instant vanishing into the darkened atmosphere.

Vlad finally exploded. "What in blazes is wrong with you?!"

He couldn't believe what the other male had just done! How could he do such a cruel thing?! Without the Infi-map, it would take him at least an hour to get to Ghostwriter's home! And although at any other time it would not be such a big deal, it was now because it was already dark! But Aragon didn't seem to care in the slightest!

"_**I **_decree when 'we are done here', King Plasmius," Aragon snarled back. "Do you truly believe I will consent so hastily to your leaving after so preposterously declaring to me that both you and your son's being here is _purely coincidence?_ After _daring_ to _taint_ my lands with your presence? And most unforgiving of all, _frightening my son?_ If you thought such idiocy, then something is _wrong with_ _**you!**_"

"What are you going to do, Aragon? Put me and my six-year-old son in a dungeon? Are you that coreless?" Vlad growled back.

Aragon suddenly grabbed Vlad's face with one of his hands; and pulling him closer, bared his fangs inches from him. "Not your son. Just you. I would have all the justification to do so. But I have no interest in keeping you on my terrain anymore than necessary. However, you will remain here until I am finished with you _and_ your son. You see, I will not condone your failure as King and father when you bring such conduct to my presence. If _you_ have failed to teach your offspring his boundaries, then, _I_ will teach them to him for you."

"Let go of me!" Vlad hissed back, his eyes narrowing in threat. "And you can save _your teachings_ for your own son!"

Aragon's face momentarily turned reptilian before matching the King's glare with his own. "You are still as foolhardy as always. Not only are you daring to try my temper while on _my terrain_; but you do so while being in such a weakened condition."

"So, if you have noticed, then, what is this?" Vlad spat back, as he grasped Aragon's arm to get him to let go. But when he felt the other male dare to withdraw his claws enough to pinch his face, Plasmius narrowed his eyes further and added, "I would think carefully of your intentions, Aragon. Your terrain or not, I am still the _Ghost King_. I will not allow you to take advantage of the circumstances."

"The circumstances? You refer to your inability to protect your child or yourself?" the Dragon Leader mocked back. But when Vlad didn't reply, Aragon pulled even closer and whispered in the other male's ear, "Do not fear, I will not harm him or you. _I_ do not harm defenseless children… And if I had interest in any ill intent towards you, I would have long since executed that intent. Or have you forgotten that even at full strength you have _never_ been a match for me?" he hissed, before roughly releasing the other male's face and pulling away.

This time, Vlad said no more; though he kept his glare steadily on the other ghost. The dragon had no idea just how mistaken he was about him. The King wished he could physically challenge the ghost right now to prove him wrong. But doing so would actually be proving him _right. _Aragon was just trying to push him over the edge to prove that he was the 'rash and wicked' ghost that he thought him to be. And that lie was something he would not give the dragon the pleasure of confirming.

Aragon also just kept his eyes locked on the King, clearly trying to read his thoughts. But the ghost dragon gave no indication of whether he was able to or not even as he said without looking at his mate, "Altiĝis, bring Elliot forward."

Then, finally breaking his eye contact with Vlad, Aragon gazed down at Danny again; and taking one of his hands, he silently coaxed the child away from his father. But the King instantly grabbed his son's other hand, preventing the Dragon Leader from taking him from him.

Aragon raised an eyebrow. "Let him go, King Plasmius. Surely you cannot believe I will harm him…?"

"Please don't do this, Aragon. Not in front of my son. _And yours_," Vlad said gravely, though there was now a trace of desperation in his voice.

But the other male ghost just smirked at the King's plea. "Not in front of them? Inconceivable. How are they to learn otherwise?" Aragon quickly narrowed his eyes again as he then commanded, "Now, release him. And do not move from your place. Or I will have to consider putting you _both_ in a dungeon after all."

Vlad anxiously looked down at Danny, who looked completely baffled by everything that was happening. Why did Elliot's father and his own dislike each other so much? And how could Aragon be so mean when his son was so nice?

But Danny's confusion quickly melded into surprise when his father slowly released his hand and Aragon pulled him forward again. The child tried to look back at his father without any success. But he quickly gave up upon hearing footsteps not belonging to Aragon come to a stop in front of him.

Finally looking forward, the six-year-old realized that the ghost in front of him was Elliot, with his mother standing right behind him. It was hard to tell how Altiĝis felt about the Ghost Prince since she remained silent and the unemotional look on her face gave away nothing…

But Danny hardly noticed the female dragon, and instead focused on the young one in front of her. "Elliot…," he whispered quietly to the other child as his eyebrow creased with uncertainty. "Your father does not like my father… "

The ten-year-old just looked sadly at the Prince, as he understood more than Danny. Elliot knew that his father believed that the King was responsible for his brother's grim fate. He knew that the Kingdom had been responsible for many of his kins' deaths. And he also knew that his father said the royal family was not to be trusted. They were a threat…

And although Elliot believed his father, he just couldn't see how someone as nice as Phantom could be threatening or dangerous. Even the King didn't look so scary now that his parents were with him. Actually, _his_ father looked scarier than Phantom's father did right now…

Even so, the dragon child had to stay loyal to his father and kin. And that meant that now that he had discovered that Phantom was the Ghost Prince, they could not be friends anymore…

That made Elliot very sad.

"Elliot, by your lack of response, I assume you have already met the Ghost Prince…," Aragon calmly began.

"I have, Father," the child replied, his gaze fixed on Danny.

"Did you give the child his proper greeting?" Aragon continued.

Vlad shut his eyes and shook his head at what the male dragon was doing; but still forced himself to remain quiet. How could anyone degrade their child like that? Because to Plasmius, that was exactly what Aragon was doing to Elliot right now...

"I was not formerly aware of his status, Father. Do you wish for me to do so now?" Elliot asked, his ears tilted back with his confused feelings.

"It would please me, Elliot," Aragon replied calmly.

The young dragon nodded, before looking back at Danny and bowing respectfully. But the action quickly put a frown on the Ghost Prince's face.

"You don't have to do that…"

"That is called proper etiquette, Prince Phantom," Aragon informed the Prince as his son rose again. "Perhaps your father will teach you to practice it someday soon…"

"Huh? I am confused," Danny replied, before pointing at Elliot and announcing, "My friends never do that! And Elliot is my friend now! And I am his friend, too!"

Aragon quickly bristled with the comment. "I beg pardon? You are not anything of my son, let alone _his friend_."

Danny looked crushed with the ghost male's words… "But…," he began to whisper, only to find he couldn't think of anything to say.

The Dragon Leader continued, this time regarding his son. "Take a good look at the Ghost Prince, Elliot. And heed my warning: Keep away from him. He is not to be trusted. His father has tainted him with his dark ways."

"**Enough!" **Vlad suddenly shouted, disregarding Aragon's warning and quickly moving to Daniel's side. "I will **not** allow you to _**degrade**_ my son!"

"You dare challenge me in my own homeland?!" Aragon growled, moving past Danny and getting right in front of the King's face.

"He's six-years old! And you're son cannot be over ten! How _**dare**_ _**you**_ bring them into your foolish feud with me?!" Vlad yelled back.

"No. It is _**you**_, who brought them into this!" Aragon yelled in return. "And it is _**you**_ who choose this path between us!"

"You know that's a lie!" Plasmius screamed.

Danny and Elliot stared wide-eyed at their fathers as they continued to argue loudly with each other. Even the young dragon who had known previously of his father's dislike for the King was completely stomped by the amount of hatred that was spilling out of his mouth!

But then, suddenly, Aragon grew even more furious and with a hateful growl, he changed into his dragon form and exclaimed, "Batalanto! Seize the Ghost King!"

Both young ghosts gasped, while Altiĝis exclaimed, "Aragon!"

Seeing one of the other dragons coming threatening towards him, Plasmius quickly withdrew his claws and narrowed his eyes at him. "I have no quarrel with you, Batalanto. But if you dare lay a single hand on me, I will make you regret it!"

"Aragon, this has gone far enough!" Altiĝis quickly protested as she watched Batalanto hesitate to fulfill his leader's command.

But the Dragon Leader ignored his mate, and kept his narrowed eyes on the Ghost King as he darkly said, "You would do wise to back down _right now_, King Plasmius."

But Vlad had no intention of heeding to Aragon's warning. Weak or not, he refused to be humiliated! He had done nothing to deserve it! And his son… His son! Daniel!

The King tensed as his eyes darted towards his child, finally recalling his presence in his angered, hazed mind. Daniel just stared back at him, the expression on his face a mixture of sadness and fear. It was such a terrible look for his son…

Swallowing his pride for the sake of Daniel, Vlad quickly retracted his claws and sighed away his anger. "You're right, Aragon. I have no right to challenge your power. This is your home. It is unjust for me to disrespect that… Do what you want," he muttered, taking a step back from the dragon towering over him.

Aragon was briefly surprised by the King's submissive words; but he then glanced over at Batalanto and silently told him to back away. The Dragon Leader then changed back to his human-like appearance, though his eyes stayed narrowed as he spoke again. "Your intrusion goes against our agreement, King Plasmius---an agreement that was made lawful through your own hand. That means I have every legal right to punish you as I see fit. And my own laws declare that _any_ intruder will be detained for a minimal of two days. But considering your inability to take heed of your words and actions, I am at right to raise that sentence…"

"Do as you want, Aragon," Vlad repeated soberly, keeping his eyes on Daniel to keep himself calm.

Aragon glanced at the Prince himself, before looking back at his own son and wife. "However," the male dragon spoke again, turning his red eyes on Plasmius again. "I want no further complications between us. Not because I care about you, but because I care for the well-being of my family. However, I will not tolerate such impertinence a second time, do we understand each other?"

Vlad nodded. "Completely. This will not repeat itself," he assured him, and sealed his compliance with a small, respectful bow.

Aragon smirked. "Respect given is respect earned, _my King_," he quirked, before bowing himself. But when he rose up again, his smile had vanished and he coldly commanded, "Now take your son and get out."

Vlad just nodded, before looking at Danny and gesturing him towards him.

Danny hesitated as he briefly looked over at Elliot.

"Goodbye…Prince Phantom," the older child whispered sadly.

The six-year-old saddened himself at hearing Elliot address him by his title. But before he could say anything, his father's firm voice jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Daniel."

With slumped shoulders and a bowed head, the Prince finally floated to his father's side. But just before he reached him, Aragon grabbed one of his hands, quickly capturing his attention.

"If any of this was unclear to you, Prince Phantom, then permit me to clarify: You are _not_ welcomed here," Aragon ended in cold voice, before releasing the child's hand.

Danny just stared wide-eyed at Aragon, but when another hand captured his own again, he slowly turned his gaze away.

"Come, little Phantom, let's go home…," Vlad said softly, before briefly glaring at the Dragon Leader, and adding, "One day, you are going to regret your ignorance."

"Not before you regret your own," Aragon growled back; but then he smirked as he added, "I wish you a safe and _long_ trip home…"

Vlad was so angry, he was shaking. But the King did not say anymore and took to the air with his son, who quickly looked back and stared at Elliot. But the young dragon had his head lowered, clearly too upset to watch him leave. Danny suddenly felt like crying and he clutched his father tightly.

"It's alright, Daniel. Everything is fine," Vlad whispered, his voice now sounding completely defeated.

"Elliot's father does not like us, Daddy," Danny whimpered, blinking back tears. "But I like Elliot. His father say Elliot is not my friend; but he is!"

Vlad sighed as picked up his speed. "I wish I could disagree with Aragon, little Phantom. But, he's right. You cannot see Elliot again."

"But why?" Danny asked, suddenly really angry. "I am not dangerous! And I am not an intwo-deer!"

"Of course you are not," Vlad assured him, too troubled to correct his son's speech. "But we cannot do anything about what Aragon thinks or the fact that he does not trust us."

"Why not?" Danny continued to protest. "He just doesn't know us, Daddy! Elliot thought I was dangerous at first, too! But then he know me and he now likes me! Aragon just has to know us!"

"Stop it, Daniel," Vlad said firmly, suddenly angry himself. "You are talking nonsense. You-You should not have even gone there in the first place!"

"But the Infi-Map---" Danny began, but wasn't allowed to finish.

"You should not have opened that chest!" Vlad reprimanded. "You have no idea what you could have just caused!"

"Because you never tell me! You never tell me _anything_!" Danny yelled back, suddenly pushing out of his father's arms.

"You wouldn't understand, Daniel!" Vlad exclaimed back. "Now, stop this right now! I am not in the mood for one of your temper tantrums!"

"You think I'm dumb!" Danny whimpered back.

"_You know_ I do not think that," Vlad said seriously. "But not everything is as simple as you believe. I cannot—"

But Vlad was not able to finish. A strange noise suddenly surrounded them just as the atmosphere began to spin at certain locations.

"Daniel! Don't move!" Plasmius suddenly yelled as he saw a portal begin to form right behind his son.

Danny yelped when he felt a strange force pulling at him from behind; but before it could physically move him, his father grabbed him. And just as he was all but slammed into his father's strong chest, his father jolted their direction into a rapid dive.

Vlad gritted his teeth as he felt several more portals open around them and their strong pull began to tug at him. But the King just picked up his pace, his eyes glued to a small island below. Just before he could reach it, however, a portal opened directly in his path.

The King gasped; but he somehow managed to gather enough energy for a very short-distance teleportation, which effectively prevented him and Danny from accidently diving right into the open portal.

Reappearing a few feet above the small island on which he had set his sights, Vlad quickly landed. But as he released his son, the ghost male fell to his hands and knees.

"Daddy!" the six-year-old exclaimed as he hovered fearfully over his father.

"I'm fine, Daniel," Vlad whispered as he pressed a hand against his spinning head. Perhaps Aragon was right. Maybe he was still too rash. He should have listened to Desiree's warning against using so much of his energy at once. He should have also listened to Frostbite's advice of not going alone to find his son. Now, he and his son would be paying the consequences of his foolishness...

The King lifted his gaze towards his son; and with a weak smile told him, "It looks like we are going to have to stay here for a little while."

Danny nodded, though he wondered what his father had done to lose so much energy. But he still understood that his dad needed to rest.

"It's okay, Daddy. I will take care of you until you feel better."

Vlad smiled a little more, before glancing above them and frowning at the several portals erratically appearing and disappearing. He knew that the temporary portals' activity had been increasing since the past two years; but he did not think it was _this_ bad.

Plasmius could not risk traveling with such sporadic formations. Even though he knew he only needed about an hour to recuperate his strength, it was just too hazardous. Even teleportation was out of the question. Lydia's home was about an hour away; and although he could easily teleport himself at that distance, he had never tried it with someone else since the need had never risen. But now that it had, he wasn't about to let his first try be with his son.

He would have to wait until the portals settled, which most likely wouldn't be until early morning. They would have to spend the night in the middle of nowhere.

His wife was going to very upset.

But knowing there was nothing he could do about it, Vlad stood and silently picked up Danny, before walking deeper into the island. Finding a hidden area near a brook, he sat down against a tree with a tired sigh.

Danny just stared intently at his weary father for a while; but then he placed a hand against his father's face and smiled as he said, "You found me…"

"Of course I did, Daniel," Vlad replied with a small smile, while thinking how quick his son had forgotten their argument just a moment ago. "How could I not? You are my son and I would do even the impossible for you."

The six-year-old suddenly hugged him before uttering, "You are a good daddy!"

The King didn't hesitate to hug his child back, but his eyes also closed when he realized just how much he needed it. The father eventually pulled away to reply, "And you are a good son, Daniel. Just try to listen a little more to your mother and me, alright?"

"Okay," Danny agreed with a nod.

Vlad nodded back, before moving his son and placing him on his lap. With a sigh, the King wrapped his arms around the child and lightly rested his chin on top of Danny's head.

They were quiet for a moment; but while the Prince was curiously watching the portals above appear and disappear, his father was focused on what Danny had yelled at him a moment ago… He knew that he kept many things from his son. But he did so with the best intentions. There were just things that he couldn't really explain to the six-year-old. And then there were other things that the child was best off not knowing… But he supposed he should at least _try_ to explain the situation with Aragon to Daniel. He had been very upset to hear he couldn't be friends with Elliot. And even more so when he was given no solid reason…

But how to make him understand…

"Daniel, do you want to hear a story?"

The Prince looked up at his father with a grin and vigorously nodded. "Tell me!"

The King gave his son a small smile. "Alright, but you have to pay close attention. It's…It's a complicated story…" Vlad paused, but then his eyes went towards the now dark purple atmosphere as he softly began, "There was once a Ghost King with power and strength like never seen before. Many even believed him to be the most powerful being to _ever_ exist… But instead of using his gift for the better of his kind, he used his power to hurt them. And not even his own family was spared from his cruel ways…"

Danny frowned, not really liking the tone of the story. His father never told him such… sad stories. But he still continued to listen.

"In his family, he had a nephew. And every day his nephew would see the terrible things he would do without being able to do a thing about it. You see, his nephew was inexperienced—_young_. …He was afraid of him. But he was more afraid that his uncle would harm those _he_ loved if he did anything to anger his uncle."

Danny looked a bit confused with the story; but the slow and simple way his father was telling it to him helped him understand most of it.

"This king's nephew had a very special friend. He was a ghost dragon."

"Like Elliot?!" Danny exclaimed with a delighted smile.

Vlad smiled back. "Yes, just like Elliot… He was a good friend. Loyal. Brave. Strong… He was everything that the King's nephew wanted to be…He saved the King's nephew many times and in so many ways… But even this dragon ghost could not stop the Ghost King from the terrible things that he did. The dragon ghost knew that the King's nephew could one day be the Ghost King, too. But the dragon ghost did not want that. He was sure that the power that came from being the Ghost King turned you bad. So, he made his friend promise him that he would never become King. And since his friend agreed with him for the most part, he promised him that…"

"Daddy…?" Danny suddenly interrupted, not liking the feelings the story was giving him. "I don't think I like this story…"

"I know. But keep listening. It's an important story, little Phantom," Vlad muttered. "Now, as I said, the King's nephew promised he would never take his uncle's place. But, then, many things happened that forced the King's nephew to go back on his word. He never wanted to be King; but it was the only way to finally do something about all the bad things his uncle had done. The King's nephew tried to explain this to his dragon friend, but his dragon friend did not want to listen. He was hurt with his friend. He felt betrayed. And he even promised that if his friend became King that their friendship would end…"

"So, the King's nephew didn't become King, right?" Danny asked quietly, unable to imagine losing a friend just for that.

Vlad gazed sadly at his son as he answered, "I had to do what was best for everyone, Daniel. Even if it meant losing my friend…"

Danny stared wide-eyed at his father, who just silently waited for the child to finally put it together…

"You said… 'I'....," the six-year-old whispered. "The story is about you, Daddy?"

"Yes, Daniel. I am the nephew in the story. And the dragon ghost is Aragon… My uncle was a bad king. He hurt Aragon's kin more than I dare to tell you."

"He… He…kill them?" Danny asked quietly.

Vlad tensed; but his eyebrows quickly creased. "How do you know what that is, Daniel…?" he questioned, knowing it wasn't something that a six-year-old should really know about.

"Elliot told me. He said the humans killed his brother. He said that he _died_. And that when someone dies they never come back! That…That makes me very sad, Daddy," the Prince mumbled, looking down at his hands.

The King bit his lip, not sure how to feel about his son being told all that. But he supposed Danny had to find out eventually…

Deciding not to comment on the matter, Vlad continued with his explanation. "We stop being friends because Aragon thinks that I will end up being just like my uncle. So, I allowed him and his kin to live away from me; _from us_. It's the only way we can live in peace. Do you see now, Daniel? _That_ is why you cannot see Elliot again. If we do not stay apart, it could cause some very bad problems for everyone."

"But why can't you and Aragon just be friends again?" Danny asked, looking sad at being told again that he couldn't be friends with Elliot. "Sometimes Ember and me get mad at each other. But then, we say sorry and it's okay." Danny suddenly smiled again with his next thought. "That's it! You and Aragon just got to say sorry, too!"

Vlad shook his head. "Not everything is always _that easy_, my boy. And… not everyone is as forgiving and as good as you and Ember…" he added, tenderly passing a hand through his son's hair.

Danny's smile faded, but he didn't say anymore. He didn't understand why his father and Aragon couldn't make up. But he trusted his father… And he had understood enough of his father's explanation to comprehend that it would be very bad for him to go back to the Dragon Realm. But, then, that meant he couldn't see Elliot again. Why did it matter that his father and Aragon were not friends? Why couldn't he and Elliot just be friends? If he wasn't allowed to go to the Dragon Realm, then, why couldn't Elliot come to his home?

The child suddenly felt all his thoughts make him even sadder, and he just as suddenly wanted his mother to be there with them. He could feel his father was also upset. And Danny knew that if anyone could make them feel better it was his mother…

"Where's Mommy?" Danny suddenly asked. "Can we go with her now?"

"Your mother is with Lydia, Ghostwriter, and Ember. But we cannot go there right now. We have to wait until the portals stop forming," Vlad answered soberly.

Danny frowned. "How long is that?"

The King gave him a comforting smile. "Soon, I hope. But if not, I'm sure we'll be fine," he answered.

"So… we are sleeping here?" Danny questioned, tilting his head slightly. It was sure a strange thought. He usually slept inside and on a bed…

Vlad forced a more playful tone in his voice as he answered, "Maybe. I don't mind? Do you?"

Danny perked up. "No! It sounds fun!"

"Indeed," his father agreed. "So much that we might not even be able to sleep…," he added cleverly, waiting for his son to bite. And he did.

"It's okay! I'm not tired!" the Prince announced; but then as if to prove himself wrong, he suddenly yawned. The child then smiled meekly at his father and added, "Okay, maybe I am a little bit sleepy… Are _you_ tired, Daddy?"

"Hmm…," Vlad replied, pretending to think about it. "A little...Ah. I have an idea. How about a small _challenge_? Whoever can fall asleep first wins," he said, smiling.

"Okay! But what does the winner win?" he asked excitedly. But then, he quickly answered his own question. "I know! If I win I get to kiss Mommy first when we see her. Mommy _and_ Ember!"

His father grinned. "And If I win, _I_ get to kiss them first…"

"Deal!" Danny agreed, before quickly getting more comfortable. But just when he was about to close his eyes, he felt his father shift under him. And the child quickly realized he had done so to remove the cape from his shoulders.

"Blanket?" Vlad asked with a playful smirk.

Danny giggled, knowing that it really wasn't a blanket; but it was just as good! The child let out a content sigh as he was wrapped up in the cape and snuggled against his father's chest.

He then felt his father move a hand under the cape and lightly caress the sensitive area above his core. And that, combined with the comforting scent of his father, soon sent the child into blissful slumber.

Vlad silently stared around their surroundings as Danny slept. But when he would hear the eerie sound of an opening portal, his eyes would quickly dart up towards it.

Being practically stranded in the middle of nowhere was not exactly the most comforting thing for the weak and tired King. But the knowledge that he had his son safe in his arms was enough to get him through this restless night.

However, there was one thing of which Vlad was not aware. And that was that he and Danny were being watched. But their viewer had been present way before they had ended up on the small island…

Through a viewing glass, Clockwork smiled sympathetically at the sight of the father and son. But then with a sigh, the Time Master's gaze went to the hand opposite of the one holding his staff. But there was also something in that one, too.

And that 'something' was the Infi-Map.

"You have done well," Clockwork said to the magical parchment. "You can now return to the Far Frozen."

The Infi-Map quickly lit up with a brighter pink hue, before flying out of the Time Master's abode.

Clockwork's eyes return to Vlad and Danny. He really wanted to go there and help them get back to Desiree, who he knew was safe but worried about them. But if he simply teleported them now, then Danny would never learn the quickest way back to the Dragon Realm…

And that would not do.

But at least Clockwork could take comfort in knowing the father and child would be fine where they were. Luckily, tonight was still one of the _good_ nights…

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	20. Chapter 18: The Cost of Opposing Evil

**Hi guys! Sorry for the wait! I do have excuses, but I won't bore you with them. A bit more plot development ahead and a few revelations. Now, this will be my last chapter before I start school again. I will try my best to continue to bring you guys updates and reply to reviews in spite of it! In any case, I hope you guys like this one!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and any OC is my own creation unless I state otherwise.**

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Cost of Opposing Evil**

"You should not be so troubled. They will be here shortly," Clockwork assured the Queen with a small smile.

Desiree sighed deeply, before nodding. It was early morning, and she and the time ghost were standing on the east banks of Lydia and Ghostwriter's island home. The ghost mage was anxious to see her family after such a long and worrisome night without them.

She was so grateful that Clockwork had come last night to explain what had happened and to reassure her that they were safe. Otherwise, she would have gone crazy with concern. But oddly enough, the time ghost had stayed to wait for the Prince and King's arrival himself. And although the time ghost was certain they would be arriving at any moment, she felt that they were taking too long.

"I do not understand, Clockwork," Desiree said, suddenly looking at him. "How could this have happened? Out of all places for Danny to go, why would the map take him to Aragon's?"

The Time Master did not answer her right away. But when he finally did, sobriety rang in his voice. "Everything has a purpose…Even my being here…"

The Queen raised an eyebrow. She had suspected the latter, but had not questioned him, knowing the time ghost would eventually explain his reason. However, she had mixed feelings about Clockwork's knowing more about what had happened than he had yet to tell her…

"And…" she began slowly. "I assume you do not plan on elaborating on those 'purposes' until the right time…?"

Clockwork smiled at her. "You assume correctly, my Queen."

Desiree sighed helplessly, though a small smile tugged on her lips in spite of his answer. "Clockwork, you are a mystery… Can I also assume you have kept the Observants out of your _doings_?"

"You can," the time ghost replied, looking back towards the green atmosphere. "They would not understand."

"Well, they--" But her words melded into a small gasp and she suddenly staggered back.

Clockwork quickly grabbed one of her arms, steadying her. "Are you alright?" he asked calmly.

Desiree placed a hand against her head as she regained her balance. "I'm not sure. I just felt lightheaded all of the sudden."

"Should we head in?" the male ghost asked, staring intently at her.

Desiree shut her eyes, when she suddenly felt nauseous. Still, she shook her head. "No, Clockwork." She sighed deeply before looking back at him with a tired smile. "I'm fine. I suppose I have been stressed with everything that happened yesterday."

Clockwork nodded. "That sounds plausible…"

The two ghosts did not say anymore and turned back to look out for Danny and Vlad. And while Clockwork pretended not to notice how Desiree moved to lean a bit against a nearby tree, the ghost mage did her best to push back her sudden illness and dizziness. Still, her thoughts were mostly on what the Master of Time had said about everything having a purpose…

In spite of her being naturally disconcerted with it, she usually accepted without question Clockwork's refusal to speak about some things. After all, she knew he would never mean her or her family harm. She had full trust in him. And she knew that so did Vlad. But at the moment, she could not help but wonder why exactly Clockwork was here. She knew Clockwork cared a great deal for Danny, but she was almost certain his reason for being here was not just to make sure the child was well.

Furthermore, she was still confused about the fact that the time ghost had come to reassure her, instead of aiding in Vlad and Danny's return. She had not dared to ask, though, knowing she should just be grateful that he had done as much---Besides, he probably would not have answered her…

Still, whatever his reasons for everything, she was certain that he did it with the best intentions. And that really help ease the flutter that came from not knowing…

"Vlad could not have picked a better guardian for Danny," she suddenly told him with a thankful smile.

The Time Master briefly stared at her, before looking away and soberly replying, "I would like to believe that…"

Desiree frowned in confusion. "You should." But when he didn't reply or look at her, the ghost mage grabbed one of his arms and commanded, "Look at me."

Clockwork did as told, but he still did not say anything.

The Queen searched his eyes, an almost fearful glow now in her own as she said, "I don't understand. Why would you think otherwise?"

His silence was now beginning to scare her. But then remembering everything he had done in the past for Danny, for her, and for Vlad, the doubt in her eyes vanished.

"Clockwork, I know you care for Danny. You have cared for him from the moment he came into existence. Otherwise, you would not have intervened _that_ night. Otherwise, you would not have risked and continue to risk losing everything by keeping all this from the Observants. Otherwise, you would not be looking out for him now. You **are** a good guardian."

"If you would know what I do, you would also be in doubt," the male ghost replied with a shake of his head.

Desiree creased her eyebrows at his reply. She had always known that his gift was a burden. It was one of the reasons she admired and trusted him. He was a strong ghost. But sometimes he---and others—expected too much of him.

Moving closer to him, the Queen gently spoke up again, "Clockwork, you may be able to look through time and even predict the outcomes of the future, but there is only so much _any_ of us can do to change what fate has already set out. You, the Master of Time, surely understand this. If what is troubling you has to do with Danny, then all you can ask of yourself is to be there for him. At least, that is all _I_ ask of you."

"Do you think that is all Vlad asks of me…?" Clockwork replied.

Desiree frowned again. "He asked you to be Danny's guardian. He trusts your judgment…" But she then paused as she thought more carefully about his question. And when a sinking feeling swelled inside her with the possibilities, she could no longer keep herself from questioning him.

"What are you afraid of, Clockwork?"

The male ghost looked down at his staff, as he briefly considered answering her truthfully. But knowing it would not help matters, he asked his own question, wanting to turn to his real reason for being there.

"Are you happy with Danny?"

The Queen jolted with the unexpected question, but quickly replied, "Of course. Why would…?" She trailed off again as she suddenly understood what the time ghost was really asking.

Looking away towards an Energy Nova, Desiree crossed her arms. She was quiet at first; but when she spoke there was certainty and conviction in her voice. "Vlad and I made this choice. I do not regret it. And I know he does not, either. And whatever our decision may bring, I will accept it. Because, _yes_, I am happy with Danny. I love him. And I will continue to love him no matter what."

"And yet you do not acknowledge him as your son…," Clockwork retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"That does not mean I love him any less than if he was!" she suddenly snapped back, slightly offended with his boldness. But when he did not react to her anger, she quickly deflated. "I'm sorry…. But you must understand that it is not easy for me to… I cannot acknowledge him as _my child _when I'm not_--_when he has…"

She shook her head at her inability to express how she really felt. But she was sure of one thing. She sadly stared at the time ghost and asked, "Clockwork, is it not enough that I love him more than my own life?"

Clockwork finally smiled; but instead of answering, he said, "Now is the time for you to know my reason for being here. …I need to give you something."

The ghost mage was clearly surprised and confused by his revelation. But when she saw the time ghost pull out one of his time medallions from his cloak, her eyes widened.

"I want you to have this. Perhaps when the time comes, you will find some use for it," Clockwork said---or more like assured her.

Desiree slowly reached out to take the medallion. She silently stared at it for a moment, knowing full well the power it possessed. And right then, the Queen realized Clockwork had just been testing her. Why or for what, she did not know. But by the fact that he had given her something so special assured her that she had passed his test…

The ghost mage finally looked up at the time ghost; and with a smile, said, "Thank you."

"For the medallion?" he asked calmly.

"And for what you are doing and for what you will do," she answered. "Thank you because I know you are and will do the best you can for Danny and for everyone else."

"I will do my best, Desiree," Clockwork assured her, sadness actually appearing on his face. "Because I do not just care for Danny, I love him."

"I know," she replied with warm smile.

Clockwork's sadness vanished into a smile of his own. "You are a wise queen, Desiree. We are all very lucky to have you."

The ghost mage was about to reply when she caught sight of the two figures she had anxiously been awaiting. Quickly placing the medallion inside her cloak, she rushed to greet them.

Clockwork just silently watched the family's reunion. Danny looked very happy to see his mother. And although Vlad looked exhausted, he was just as relieved to see his wife. As for Desiree, she was so relieved to see them that she was close to tears. The time ghost couldn't blame her, though. It was why he had decided to come since last night. He figured the least he could do was to reassure her that her family was safe... Of course, he had also come with the intention of having their recent talk…

The Time Master banished his thoughts when he saw that the little Ghost Prince had finally noticed him.

"Clockwork!" Danny exclaimed as he rushed over to his mentor to hug him.

"Hello, Danny," he calmly greeted him as he hugged the child back.

"You are not going to believe what happened to me, Clockwork!" the ghost boy began, his eyes wide with his mixed emotions just as he let go of his guardian. "I was at Frostbite's and he has this map; it's called the Infi-Map. But I did not touch it! Really! It came after me and…"

Clockwork just silently continued to listen to Danny's rant. And although he was listening, the time ghost was also glancing over at Vlad and Desiree. The King had also finally noticed him. And he looked both surprised and confused to see him. Unfortuntely, the time ghost knew that much unlike the Queen who usually accepted the things he did with little question, the King seldom did the same. Still, the Time Master was not planning on staying long enough to be fully questioned---not that he would answer them, anyways.

"…Then all these ghost portals started opening everywhere; but my father got us out really fast! But we had to spend the entire night outside! That part was fun!" The Ghost Prince finished with a grin.

"Outside? Really? And where was that exactly?" the time ghost asked with a small amused smile, while ignoring the fact that the King and Queen were now approaching him.

"It's that way!" Danny quickly answered, pointing in the direction he had just come from. "It's not far! I can show you if you want!"

"I don't think so, Danny," Desiree said with a raised eyebrow as she stopped beside him.

"Clockwork…," Vlad muttered, while studying the ghost critically. "You were aware of what had happened?"

"Yes, I was," he admitted calmly. "However, I felt the best I could do was keep Desiree calm. Otherwise, she might have gone out looking for you two in the middle of the night…" he added with a raised eyebrow.

The King looked over at his wife, who shot him a look back that said to drop the topic. But as the time ghost expected, he did not take her advice.

"And I do appreciate that," Vlad continued slowly, gazing back at Clockwork. "But I do not understand what would keep you from…Clockwork, you could have prevented this. Surely, you know what happened! Why did you do nothing?" he asked, though with his slight anger over the fact, it sounded more like a demand.

It wasn't that Vlad was ungrateful for Clockwork's coming to tell Desiree that they were safe. But why did he do nothing else? He could have at least used his staff and spared him and Daniel from that long night in the middle of nowhere!

"But I did do something," Clockwork replied, his tranquil gaze still on the King.

Vlad's eyebrows creased when he did not elaborate. But before he could question him again, the time ghost turned his attention back to the Prince and picked him up.

"Danny," he said before wagging a finger in front of the child's face and playfully scolding him. "How about you give us all a few days rest before going off to another of your adventures, agreed?"

Danny gave his mentor a meek smile. "Okay."

The Time Master handed Danny over to Desiree as she said, "Thank you again, Clockwork." But not hearing her husband say anything, she jabbed him in his side.

Vlad jolted slightly. "Yes…thank you," he muttered, though he was still looking at the guardian with uncertainty.

Clockwork smirked but still nodded. Then pressing on his staff, he vanished with a turn of a clock.

"Are you going to explain that to me?" the King asked his wife once the time ghost was gone.

Knowing he was referring to Clockwork, Desiree shook her head playfully at him. "No."

Vlad frowned. "Why not?"

"Danny!" Ember's voice suddenly interrupted them.

The Prince quickly grinned and flew out of his mother's arms, heading to greet his friend, who was being followed by her parents.

"Because, I do not understand it, either. You know how he is," Desiree replied before grabbing his closest hand and coaxing him to walk back with her toward Lydia's house.

The King slowly nodded. "I suppose… I'm really tired," he suddenly added with a deep sigh.

"We do not need to head home right away. Why don't you rest? We will leave later today," Desiree said with a sympathetic look. She really wanted to ask him about everything that had happened at Aragon's. Clockwork had only told her that it was where Danny had gone and where Vlad had finally found him. But knowing right now wasn't the best time and that her husband would tell her eventually, she remained quiet about it.

"I like the idea," Vlad muttered. But he then smiled at his wife and moved his hand out of her grasp to wrap his arm around her waist. "But it would be an even nicer idea if I had someone to hold in my arms as I slept…"

Desiree chuckled lightly, before replying, "Well, I am a bit tired, too…"

"That's all that is needed," her husband retorted with a bright grin, in spite of his exhaustion.

The Queen just shook her head in amusement.

* * *

Meanwhile, during that same morning, Skulker and Dora were having a reunion of their own at the hunter's lair. The dragon maiden sat on one of the couches with her hands properly placed on her blue dress. She watched curiously as the male that had now been courting her for two years, paced anxiously in front of her.

"My dearest? Why are you so troubled?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm not troubled," Skulker muttered back as he finally stopped pacing. "I just want to tell you something and I cannot determine where I should begin…"

Dora smiled. "Yes. You did mention your need to voice something of importance when you requested my audience. However, I fail to understand why it is of toil for you. "Unless…" She frowned with unease herself as she asked, "Is your news troubling in and of itself?"

"Not precisely. Well, maybe," he replied, clearly not sure how to answer that.

"If it troubles you, my dearest---for it is clear that it _does_ in spite of your denial---then I implore you; share this difficult news with me, so that I may alleviate some of its burden," Dora answered, gesturing with her hand for him to sit with her.

"It is not a burden for me… not anymore," Skulker replied as he did as told. But then he took the dragon maiden's hands in his and his eyebrows creased as he added, "What I fear is that it may be a burden for you…"

Dora looked at their joined hands for a moment, before looking back up at the hunter. "I do not understand…"

Skulker sighed as he, too, briefly lowered his gaze to the hands in his own. But then he unraveled one of his hands from hers and brought it up to rest against her left cheek. Dora lightly blushed, but she still placed her own hand against his touch. In spite of their natural coldness, his warm energy was soothing against her skin; and the delicate manner in which he touched her transformed the hard metal that composed his hand into the most softest of feathers.

"Dora…I love you… I love you more than I thought possible," the male ghost said from the depth of his soul.

The dragon maiden's blush deepened. Although she had heard him tell her that before, it still overwhelmed her. But not just the words themselves, but also the fact that it was because of their time together that he had developed this softer side of him---just like she had grown a deeper confidence in herself and a bolder personality around him…

"And I love you, _Sir_ Skulker," she answered with a small smirk, knowing he did not really like the title.

Knowing she was teasing him, the hunter chuckled softly. But the seriousness on his face returned all too soon, and he asked, "You love me?"

Dora was a bit confused by the question. Did he not just hear her? And how many times had she already told him in the past that she did?

"I do….Have you not felt that I do? Must you feel it again?" she asked worriedly as she placed her hand against his symbol.

The hunter closed his eyes in order to keep his emotions under control. Her touch had such a powerful affect on him that he gladly could lose himself in it. But this was not the time. He could not let their relationship progress any further if he did not tell her _everything_…

"I-I know that you love me," Skulker said, his voice shaking with his retrained emotions. "But do you know _what_ you love? Do you know _what_ I am? _Who_ I am?"

Dora lowered her hand with a frown. "Of course I do. You are a kind and honorable ghost. You have a strong core and an even stronger soul. You---"

"Dora, stop," Skulker gently ordered. "I cannot express how much it means to me that you think so highly of me. But I am not everything you think I am. For one, what you see is not really me… at least not anymore."

Dora's frown deepened, now understanding where he was going. "Is this what you so fervently needed to discuss with me? _**What**_ you are?" The female ghost suddenly stood; and pursing her lips together, she placed her hands on her hips. Even Skulker was surprised by the way she was looking at him. She really had come a long way from the shy and submissive maiden he had first asked to court.

"Skulker," she said seriously, pushing him past his stupor. "You are a **ghost**. What else would you be?"

The male ghost shook his head. "That is not what---"

"I know to _what_ you refer," she said, cutting him off. "But I am giving you my answer to your questions. Whatever tragedy happened in your past does **not** change who you are. You have a core. You have a soul. **You are a ghost.** And a noble one at that," she assured him. But then her bravado melted into sadness as she asked, "Why would you think any differently?"

"That is what you need to know," he replied gravely, standing up and coaxing her to sit with him again. "Dora, I am not the kind and gentle ghost you think I am. I have done unspeakable things. I have… _killed_ so many. From elders to children. Humans… and ghost alike... I have even killed some of your kin," he said softly, though he kept his eyes on her to await her reaction.

The dragon maiden's eyes slightly widened. "What? …But why?" she asked fearfully.

"Because I could not let those I care for be harmed by a tyrant," he answered a bit darkly.

"Pariah?" Dora asked, now understanding a bit more.

"I served Dark for many years. I did everything he commanded of me; even if it went against my morals and my own honor. I know that there is no excuse for the terrible things I have done. Not even my reason of protecting those I care about justifies my actions. But, I cannot regret them, Dora. I wish I had never done all the things I did; but if I was put in that same situation again, I would not choose differently. You see, nothing is more important to me than those to which I am bonded."

He paused just slightly as if remembering something. "Ultimately, no sin goes unpunished. That is why when I lost my true body, I accepted it. You see, _this_ is my punishment," he told her seriously, gesturing to his metallic form.

Dora did not say anything for a moment; her gaze had fallen to her hands somewhere along Skulker's confession. She had known vaguely of the things he had done under Pariah's rule from her brother and scattered rumors. But she never thought it was this terrible. Still, she could not bring herself to blame him for it. But she now wanted to know more.

"Skulker," she began softly. "I know of your tragic happenings. Milady Desiree vaguely shared a bit about it after I heard of your near-death experience from my brother. I am aware how she had to bind your core and soul to a lifeless figurine in order to save your life… However, I am unaware of the details that led to that tragedy…"

"I am going to tell you," Skulker told her. "But I will warn you, it is a… dark story."

"If you can bear to tell it, then I can bear to listen to it," Dora assured him with a small, sad smile.

The hunter nodded. "I do not know everything that happened; but I can tell you most of it by what I witnessed and by what I was told by Plasmius and Desiree, and even others. I did Pariah's biddings for many years; but only to protect my family and friends. I vowed to serve him if he vowed to not cause harm to Lydia, Desiree, and Vlad. He was not to harm our parents, either. But, as you know, he never kept his vow. Lydia's and my parents died of some mysterious illness—or that's what Dark made us believe. Desiree and Spectra's parents… well, they went to the human world one day and never returned. But that was the fate of many ghosts in those times. As for Vlad's parents…"

The hunter sighed before continuing, "It was with their death that everything went downhill. You know the story, right? I'm sure Desiree told you about it."

Dora nodded soberly. "Indeed. She told me how _Lord Pariah_---for surely I will not address that barbarian as 'King Dark' any longer. I always found him unworthy of such a title…But, yes, milady told me how he sent you to the Human World in order to be bait, so as to lure young Lord Vlad into a trap… And it was part of Lord Pariah's wicked plan to have Lord Vlad's father, our former Head Ancient, follow into the same trap after his son… Sadly, he did succeed in his ill intent against him…"

"Because I was so deep inside Dark's services, I managed to overhear him speaking of his plan with one of his loyal servants," Skulker picked up right after her. "It was how I knew he was sending me into a death trap. But to keep him from suspecting of my knowledge of it, I still went out there. Then, instead of walking into the awaiting ambush, I waited for Plasmius, knowing that he would come since the ambush was really meant for him. Although I managed to tell him what was happening, we could not find his father. So, I told him I would keep searching for the former Head Ancient in the Human World, while he returned back home to see if his father was here in our world… But as it turned out, Vlad's father had taken another portal to get to the human world…"

"And by the time you found the former Head Ancient, he had sustained life-threatening injuries," Dora finished sadly. "I know the story, Skulker. And I hope you do not fault yourself for its tragic course. You did as best you could. And Lord Plasmius acknowledges such truth as well."

"I know, Dora," Skulker said seriously. "But it was not easy to witness his father die. And even worse, witness his dying father watch as _his wife _died in an attempt to save _him_, only for it to be in vain. If anything, I am glad Vlad was not there to see them."

"He had gone to confront Lord Pariah…," Dora said quietly.

The hunter nodded. "I knew after his parents died that Dark would no longer hesitate to kill Vlad. But I also knew I could not have Dark discover my treachery against him too soon. I still needed to stay close to him so that I could find out about any of his other evil plans. So, I went to Aragon and I told him what had happened. Of course, at that time, your brother would have given his life for Plasmius; so he was quick to go after him…"

"My brother never speaks of those things," Dora said sadly. "Tell me, Skulker, what happened between Lord Plasmius and Lord Pariah? How did he manage to avoid his wrath…?"

Skulker frowned deeply. "I was not there… but from what Plasmius and Aragon told me…....."

"_Well, how privileged I am to have my only nephew grace me with his presence," Pariah spoke smugly as he sat upon his large thrown. "Trouble is, I do not recall summoning you, child. So then, why are you here?"_

"_You know why I'm here, you wretched eel!" Vlad snarled back, his hands ablaze with red energy as he approached his uncle. _

"_Such anger, child. And surely that is no way to properly address your uncle---or more importantly, __**your **__**king**__," Dark said as he stood, though he still looked unthreatened by the furious younger ghost. _

"_I do not care what you are!" Vlad shouted back. "The only reason I have ever respected you was out of fear of you hurting those I care about!"_

"_So, you are aware of my doings. Well, then, what will you do now that I have deliberately placed dear father and friend in harm's way?" the King asked darkly._

_The younger red-eyed ghost narrowed his eyes even further, though there was dread in his voice as he demanded to know, "Where is my father?"_

_Pariah grinned wickedly. "Dead, I can only hope. As I had hoped you would be as well."_

_Vlad let out a cry of rage as he drew out his claws. And in another instant, he lunged at his uncle. But the young ghost was no match for the powerful King. And he soon found his hands seized within larger, stronger ones. _

"_Silly child," Dark said with a chuckle, before shoving his nephew into his throne. "How many times must I beat and defeat you for you to learn that you are no match for me?"_

_Still glaring, Vlad was about to get off the seat when a knee was suddenly pressed against his abdomen, holding him in place._

"_You know, child," the King said causally as he stared at the seventeen-year-old with mild amusement. "I had hoped the humans would finish you off for me. After all, I had promised your devoted mother that __**I **__would not dare harm a hair on your head…" The older male suddenly plucked out a black strand of hair out of his nephew's head, before darkly adding, "There. Now that the promised strand is safe, I am freed of that vow; and therefore can now safely desire your death. However, since you have left me no choice in the matter, I shall have to grant my own wish. And with no one here to see us, I might just be able make it appear as a 'misfortunate accident'…" _

_Vlad gasped as large claws slowly appeared in the King's right hand. But before Pariah could continue, a strong knock sounded against the thrown room's large doors. The older male sighed in annoyance as he demanded, "Who dares interrupt me?!"_

"_King Dark!" a fearful voice rang from behind the closed door. "Something terrible has happened! The Head Ancient and your sister are dead!"_

_Both Dark and Vlad's eyes widened with horror, though the King's sentiment was only for his sister. But it was his nephew who reacted first._

"_YOU BEAST!" he screamed in anguish as he found the strength to force away from his uncle's hold. With another scream, the seventeen-year-old lunged at the King, and plunged his claws into the evil ghost's stomach. _

_The King screamed in pain, but he quickly grabbed his nephew's wrists and sent a wave of raw energy through his entire body. The teenager screamed in pain as he dropped to his knees. But Pariah quickly used it to his advantage and he slammed his knee into Vlad's skull. Then, with a snarl, the King grabbed the back of his nephew's head and smashed his face into the floor, a sickening crack sounding from the strength of the blow. _

_Vlad barely moved as his uncle quickly turned his back to him and stormed over to the closed door. The King ignored the oozing green ectoplasm from his abdomen. He knew that the deep wounds would soon heal, especially with the power given to him by wearing the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage. _

_Swinging one of the doors open, the King grabbed the messenger at the door by the neck and darkly growled in his face, "What is this blasphemy of which you utter?!"_

"_Please, your highness! Have mercy! I merely speak of what Warden Walker has ordered of me to inform my King!"_

"_You speak to me of my sibling's death! How is this possible?! She cannot be dead! She is not supposed to be DEAD!" he screamed in rage as he shook the ghost in his hand._

"_I-I am sorry, my K-King! But that is what I was t-told! She d-died trying to s-save her h-husband!"_

_Pariah snarled angrily as he threw the ghost down the corridor before slamming the door shut again. But then with a loud cry of rage, he slammed a fist against the shut door, and the room shook with his power. He slowly turned to look at the teenager still on the ground. But now the young ghost had a hand against his bleeding face as soft, but choked, sobs shook his frame._

"_You…," Dark hissed as his hands began to glow with his power. "This is your doing, you little wretch…And you will pay dearly for it."_

_Vlad cried out as a hand wrenched itself into his hair and forced him to his feet. But the young ghost quickly tried to punch his assailant, only to have his fist grabbed and brought back against his back with a snapping sound. The teen could only shout louder in agony, as tears of sorrow for his loss continued to cascade down his face._

"_I am going to torture you until you beg for death," he snarled in Vlad's face. "And once I grant you your wish, I shall go after everyone for whom you care! I shall start with your little mage harlot. I will defile her until her strong spirit is no more. And then, I will keep her as my own little personal slave, chains and all... But why stop there when I can also turn my wrath against your dragon and hunter friends. Hear me well, child. I will destroy them __**limb by limb!**__"_

"_A-As you said," the younger male whispered back weakly, pushing back his sorrow. "You will have to kill me, first." _

_Pariah screamed as a surge of electrical energy surged through his body; but he quickly grabbed his nephew and threw him across the room. Vlad slammed into the wall so hard, the oil lamps on it fell off and crashed to the ground around him. The teenager could feel the oil coating his palms as he slowly tried to stand._

_But a kick to his abdomen send him back to ground. Then, to his misfortune, his uncle suddenly used his energy to encase his body and forced him to sit with his back against the wall. By the dim glow around the young ghost's form, it was __the __clear he was spent. His uncle's blows were just too strong; he was outmatched by his uncle's decades of experience as well as the powerful crown and ring. _

"_Come here, you little wretch!" Dark snarled as he pulled his nephew up and slammed him against the wall again. _

_With a growl, Vlad grabbed one of his uncle's hands; but he couldn't get a real grip on it due to the oil on his own hands. However, it was then he realized that the hand slipping from his grip was the one with the Ring of Rage. The young man quickly got an idea, and he locked his eyes back onto the King and narrowed them as he whispered, "You think you are all powerful; but you are nothing! And I swear I will prove it to you; even if it's the last thing I do!"_

_Faster than the King could react, Vlad sunk his fangs into the hand that had been about to slip from his own hand. And with the hold he had on it with his mouth, combined with the oil, he pulled the Ring of Rage off of his uncle's finger in one quick yank._

_Pariah screamed in pain and fury as he grabbed the back of his nephew's skull and yanked him off. He then quickly forced the young ghost's head even further back, tilting it upward, as he darkly growled, "This is when you plea for death!"_

_Vlad's cry resonated through the room as his uncle sunk his own fangs into the side of his neck, quickly pumping agonizing venom into his system. The young ghost fell to the ground as he continued to writhe and shout in pain. And yet he kept his grip on the ring inside his fisted right hand._

_Pariah narrowed his eyes as he kneeled down to reclaim his lost jewel of power. "Return to me my ring before I reclaim it with your limb still attached to it," he threatened as he withdrew his claws._

_Vlad shut his eyes in an attempt to duplicate; but the venom coursing through his body was too much and he just could not concentrate enough to do anything to save himself._

_But just when his uncle was about to hold true to his word, a large ball of fire burst opened the grand doors, revealing a large black dragon in its wake._

"_Aragon! You dare defy me?!" the King screamed with fury._

_Aragon quickly locked his eyes on his suffering friend before just as quickly narrowing his eyes on the King. "Today marks the beginning of your dusk, my King," he hissed darkly before throwing another ball of fire from his mouth._

_But Dark quickly teleported and was suddenly in front of the dragon ghost. But Aragon had expected the move, and he quickly spun and slammed his tail into Pariah, effectively throwing him across the room. In an instant, the dragon leader turned into his more human form and rushed to his friend's side._

"_Vlad, rise up! I implore you to rise up now!" the dragon male commanded urgently. But when he noticed the two small puncture wounds on his friend's neck, Aragon cursed under his breath. He looked back towards Pariah only to see him vanish from view._

_With a nervous growl, the dragon ghost quickly turned back to his real form and picked up his friend. "Be strong, my friend. I will take you from this place," he whispered to the younger ghost in his arms._

"_You will take him nowhere!" Dark suddenly said from behind them._

_Aragon gasped as a wall of energy came at him; but he quickly lifted his wings; and coating them with a protective energy barrier, he managed to protect himself and Vlad from harm. Still, the strength of the attack had forced his full-grown dragon form back several feet._

"_Have you forgotten that I am the Ghost King?! Have you forgotten what I do to those who oppose me?!" Dark said darkly. "Heed my command, Aragon. Leave my nephew and take your leave. For if not, it will be your kin that will pay for your defiance against me!"_

"_There is very little more you could do to them," the dragon leader hissed back as he reeled back his head. In an instant, black tar-like liquid pour out of his mouth. The liquid quickly oozed towards the Ghost King; and faster than he could blink, Aragon ignited the tar with his dragon breath, instantly making a wall in between him and Pariah._

_The dragon leader did not hesitate to use the distraction to flee from the throne room with his friend. He ignored the Ghost King's scream of anger, though his next words almost froze Aragon with fear._

"_VlAD! I WILL FIND YOU! I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU DIE BY MY POWER!"_

"_A-Aragon," Vlad muttered weakly as he fought with the burning agony inside him._

"_Do not fear, my friend. I will take you far away from his reach," the dragon ghost assured him soberly._

_But the younger ghost began to shake suddenly, before he quietly asked, "T-Tell me it is untrue. Tell me my parents are not d-dead."_

_Aragon's eyebrows creased with pain, knowing he could not tell his friend what he wanted to hear. There was a soft whimper before one of Vlad's hands gripped against one of his large claws. _

"_T-Take t-this," Vlad said in a broken voice as he released the Ring of Rage to his friend. "W-We… will…need it…"_

_The dragon ghost's eyes widened as his friend passed out; but it was the sight of the ring that had him frozen with horror. But Aragon quickly swallowed his emotions and sped up towards a place he knew the Ghost King would not find them---at least not any time soon………. _

"How did Lord Plasmius manage to survive such a brutal attack?" Dora whispered with dread as Skulker finished the story.

Skulker sighed. "Vlad is a lot stronger than anyone knows. Luckily, Aragon managed to get him to a doctor in time to keep the poison from killing him. But it took him many days to recover; and in that time, Pariah all but ripped apart the ghost world looking for him. As you know, Plasmius joined forces with the remaining Ancients to bring him down. Even when Plasmius used the ring's power it was no easy task. And it came with many more losses."

"Including the loss of your true body?" she asked carefully.

"Indeed," he said soberly, before he began that tale…

"_Did you call, my King?" the twenty-one-year-old hunter asked calmly as he bowed down on one knee in front of Pariah._

"_Indeed," the King replied coolly as he sat on throne; but then a second later, he snapped his fingers and several guards were instantly detaining Skulker._

"_What is the meaning of this? Unhand me!" the younger ghost demanded angrily, though there was a lace of fear in his voice. He had known this would happen. Eventually, the King would have learned of his treachery, but he had hoped it would not be so soon! His friend had only just recovered; and their plan to take down the Ghost King was still not all in place. It had been in their plans to first steal the Crown of Fire before they made any attempt against Dark; but now, this was going to drastically change their plans._

"_Take him to the east chamber. I want him bond and relieved of his weapons when I get there," Pariah commanded darkly._

_Skulker's eyes widened before he was forcefully taken away from the King's presence. But the hunter quickly growled and began to struggle. "Release me!"_

_But no matter what he did, Skulker could not break free; and he was soon weaponless and bound against a wall with shackles on his feet and also on his raised hands. The young ghost knew he was in a dungeon reserved for the worst of offenders. But he also knew that the cell had a spell set upon it which kept his ghost powers suppressed; but it also created an unnatural darkness that not even his sharp, bright eyes could penetrate. It was more frightening than the pending doom over him. _

_Still, Skulker kept strong. He would not cower before the Ghost King and his threats. Not anymore. Because he knew that even if he died, his best friend would make sure Pariah was still defeated._

_But when it felt like he had been in there in the utter dark cell for eternity---though, he would later find out he had been kept there for only four days---his mental and physical endurance began to waiver. His body was weak from the lack of food; and the silence and darkness were beginning to take a toll on the hunter. But what really scared him was the possibility of Vlad and his other friends attempting a rescue, knowing it would only be a trap for them set by the evil King._

_He sighed deeply, ignoring how the simple action was ten-times louder in his cold and soundless surroundings. But right then, a loud clank came from the door and the hunter cringed at how loud it sounded on his underused eardrums._

_But as the utter darkness slowly ebbed and the light from outside the opening door poured in, Skulker squeezed his eyes closed in order to keep it from blinding him. It took him a moment, but he managed to open his green eyes again to see who was there. However, he would from then on wish he never had open them. _

_Standing in the doorway was something---or someone---worse than the evilest of demons. It was the Ghost King. His dark eyes glowed brighter than the light behind the open door, burning utter fear right through the brave hunter's soul._

"_Leave us," Pariah ordered two guards whom Skulker did not notice until then._

"_Yes, sire," they uttered submissively before closing the door behind the Ghost King, leaving him and Skulker in pitch darkness. Even so, the younger ghost could see the King's green eyes penetrating the unnatural eclipse. _

"_It is such a shame," Dark began, and by the way his voice grew louder, the hunter could tell he was approaching him. "---that I must let such talent like yourself go to waste. Unless, of course, you convince me to forgive you…Do you want to know how I __**might**__ just grant you pardon, Skulker?"_

_The hunter tensed when a red orb was suddenly glowing right in front of his face. He briefly looked at the hand holding the ecto-energy before looking at the owner of the limb itself. Skulker swallowed, but the lack of water and food made the action painful. His mouth felt like it was filled with cotton by how dry it was. Still, he did his best to make his scratchy and quiet voice sound fearless._

"_I do not care for your pardon, Pariah. And I do not care to pretend any longer that I am your loyal servant! You are a dishonorable ghost, unfit to wear that crown and call yourself the King of all Ghosts! I want __**nothing**__ more to do with you!"_

"_Be wise with your words, Skulker. You should care not to see me upset. I might just prolong what I have in mind for you, my treacherous general," Pariah warned darkly, his eyes briefly narrowing._

"_You are more insane than I thought if you think I ever served you through my own wishes!" he growled back---or tried to._

_But just after he said this, the King's hand, still glowing with his energy, suddenly turned intangible. And before Skulker could even brace himself, the hand entered his chest, instantly gripping his core. The hunter let out an ear-shattering scream that echoed and bounced off the walls. He thrashed against his binds from the agony but could do nothing to escape it. _

"_You think this hurts?! You have yet to imagine what more I could do to you!" Dark yelled over the screaming younger ghost. "Now, you will tell me, __**where is my nephew?!**__"_

"_Do your worse! I will __**never**__ tell you!" Skulker shouted back in spite of his agony. _

_With a snarl, Dark unexpectedly pulled his hand out, releasing the vital organ he had been constricting. For a moment, the King just angrily stared at the hunter. But then, an evil smirk twisted on his face._

"_You so believe you can protect him from me…Yes, I do know that you are responsible for his not falling into the humans' trap as I had anticipated. However, you cannot stop what will now happen to him though my power---no one can…"_

_Skulker looked up at the King and glared weakly; but now, there was fear in his eyes. Still, he assured the other ghost, "He is stronger than you think. He __**will**__ put an end to your evil reign!"_

"_What makes you so confident? Because he has my ring?" Pariah asked mockingly._

_Skulker remained silent, not liking the King's smug tone. And yet he also could not deny that Vlad's having the Ring of Rage did give his friend an advantage he had not had before. But, somehow, it now felt like it was worse than a disadvantage._

"_Do you believe me to be some fool, Skulker? Did you not think that I would make sure no one could take my jewels of power without lasting consequence?" Dark continued when the other male ghost said nothing. _

"_What did you do to the ring?" the hunter asked, now doing nothing to attempt to hide the dread in his voice._

"_I placed a curse on it, my skilled hunter," Pariah said evilly. "Just as I have on my crown. I will have no one take my place on the throne; and more importantly, take away my power. And it will surely not be my head-strong nephew. I am sure that by now, he has slipped it on one of his pretty little fingers. It is the only way he could be having such success with taking out my army and warriors so quickly.."_

_The King paused in thought, before he smirked cruelly at the hunter again. "I am certain that you, too, realize that Vlad is now well informed of my capturing you. And his care for you is driving him forward in a way that amazes even myself. Then again, his mother was always as spirited; so perhaps I should not be surprised that he is the same…,"_

_Pariah briefly frowned at the memory of his sister, before he narrowed his eyes back on Skulker. "He might be close now. But it matters not. He will be dead before he reaches you. The curse on my ring will make sure of it."_

"_Curse?! What curse are you talking about?!" Skulker suddenly shouted, unable to bear his mounting fear any longer._

_Pariah chuckled. "It is a fairly simple curse. And though it is at its most powerful when my ring and crown are worn together, it will still be awakened the moment anyone braves to use either of my jewels of power. So you see, my nephew has doomed himself, for the Ring of Rage is now slowly consuming his __**life **__**energy**__. At first, it will only appear as if he is naturally weakened by the usage of my ring; however, the naïve child will come to realize it is more than that. But by the time he does, it will be too late." _

_Pariah narrowed his eyes as he hissed, "My desire is that my curse snuffs out his life __**completely**__! But at the very least, it will take from him half of his life energy and that wretched child will never form another. Hear me well, Skulker! If I am dethroned, this world is doomed! There will be __**no one**__ to take my place because I have made sure of it!"_

_With a scream of rage, the hunter pulled against the binds. "YOU BASTARD! I AM GOING TO SKIN YOU ALIVE!"_

_But the Ghost King just laughed heartedly. "Not so confident now that you know poor young Vlad is doomed, eh, Skulker?"_

"_Desiree will counter your curse! You will not get away with this!" the hunter shouted back._

_Pariah rolled his eyes. "What foolish hope. Everyone knows Life Energy cannot be returned once it has been transferred or destroyed. Even Desiree is powerless against my curse. Merely accept it. Vlad is doomed as are you and all who dare oppose me." _

_Dark smirked again as he added, "However, if you divulge his whereabouts, I might just be merciful enough to relieve my nephew of my ring before it kills him..."_

"_You would kill him, anyways," Skulker said soberly._

"_Of that you can be certain! That wretch killed my sister!" Pariah suddenly hissed in the other ghost's face._

"_You demented fool! __**You**__ killed your own sister!" Skulker snarled back, only to gasp as his face was suddenly grabbed._

"_Your death will not come quick," Pariah assured him darkly. "Even if you do not tell me Vlad's whereabouts, you will still be of use to me---at least one last time."_

_Skulker's eyes widened as he saw Pariah pull out a glowing green key from his rob. _

"_The Skeleton Key? What are you…"_

_But the hunter trailed off when he saw the key suddenly levitate off the Ghost King's hand. And if the young ghost had a heart, it would have been pumping at full speed when he then saw the seemingly harmless object begin to spin rapidly, a haze of green smoke quickly shrouding it from view. But it suddenly stopped and the mist began to dissipate. Skulker could see that it was no longer a harmless key. It had transformed into a glowing green dagger, the handle shaped with the same skull design as it had as a key._

"_You looked frightened, brave warrior," Pariah mocked. "Oh, I understand. You believed the Skeleton Key merely locked others within the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare, eh? Well, the time has come for you to feel firsthand its hidden power!"_

_Skulker screamed when the Ghost King suddenly plunged the dagger in his left shoulder. But all he could do was fist his hands against the pain. Even when Pariah had yet to do his worst, the hunter could feel this was no ordinary weapon. Then again, he had always known the Skeleton Key was no ordinary object… _

"_Last chance, Skulker," Dark whispered darkly. "Hand me my nephew and I will return your freedom. I will grant your return as my leading general so that you may have the privilege of leading my army to my victory against the humans! And I will even reward you further by allowing you free reign of their pathetic world! You will be one of the most feared beings in all existence. All this is yours if you merely __**tell me**__ of Vlad's location so that I may reclaim my __**ring**__!"_

_Skulker stared soberly at the Ghost King for a moment. But then he suddenly spat in his face and growled out, "I would rather die." _

_Pariah angrily wiped his face before his grip on the dagger tightened and the skeleton's eyes on the dagger began to glow red. "Only after you suffer!"_

_The hunter let out another piercing scream as the evil king slashed his entire arm in one quick swipe. The deep wound instantly began to pour out green ectoplasm, while his ghost hue increased in his body's attempt to heal the large gash. But then a strange red mist began to rise off his bleeding flesh, which slowly began to consume his ghostly glow. But when he saw that his fingertips began to turn black, the young hunter could no longer bear the agony and sight, and he began to quiver. _

_The Ghost King laughed when he saw how terrified Skulker was. But Pariah then quickly raised the dagger again and plunged it into the hunter's other shoulder. "Do you know why I deemed this 'the Skeleton Key'? Or currently, 'the Skeleton Dagger'?" he asked wickedly as he kept the weapon in place._

"_Don't do this," the hunter pleaded, his despair momentarily drowning his pride. In reality, he did not know why the key was called that; but he now had an idea… _

"_If you will not rightfully serve me, I shall turn you into one of my mindless skeleton warriors. All you will know is obedience, obedience to the Ghost King. You will plea for death, but you will never die, for your core will be consumed by my power and your soul bound forever to me. Surely to you, it is a fate worse than death…" _

_Skulker cried out again as the King began to slash down his other arm; but this time, he did it slowly, allowing the hunter to hear his own flesh tearing against the blade. But it was the aftereffects that were the most terrible. And Skulker soon felt another stab made on his thigh and the pain continued, just like his flesh slowly continued to die away…_

_Knowing he would not be able to endure such torture and not mentally break down, the twenty-one-year-old ghost squeezed his eyes shut and forced his mind to think about his friends. No matter what happened to him, he knew that they would not allow it to be in vain. They would stop this evil ghost. Vlad would stop him. And he remained sure of his belief. A belief that he would later find out had been true with the defeat of Pariah..._

_It was only after hours of pain that the hunter slowly began to fall into unconscious. It did not surprise the evil King, though. He knew that the transformation would be slow and painful. Just like he wanted it. If his former general survived it, Pariah knew he would have another loyal servant for years to come. But if he did not survive, then he would still have his revenge. Either way, he needed to make sure his cunning little nephew never saw his friend again. And he knew just how to make sure of that._

"_Guards!" Pariah roared. And when the cell door quickly opened and two guards were now bowing at his feet, he commanded, "Take this traitor to the closest ghost portal and make sure he is taken by the human hunters. They will see to it that my nephew __**never**__ finds him..."_

_Skulker did his best to stay conscious, knowing that if he let the guards fulfill the King's order, he would indeed be doomed. But the agony he was still in was just too much and his entire being begged for his surrender. And as he finally let go, he could only hope that the humans would be merciful enough to kill him before he became one more of Dark's mindless skeleton warriors…_

Dora lunged herself into Skulker's arms and sobbed. "Oh, my fair sire! How terrible a fate you had to endure!" she cried out. "And yet you still say it has been your punishment for crimes of which you were force to do! No, Skulker! You did not deserve something so gruesome! No one deserved something so…so…" She gripped him even tighter and continued to cry.

Skulker had been a bit taken aback by her reaction; but her words quickly moved him. And for a moment all he dared to do was embrace her back. "Dora, calm down. Please," he whispered as he squeezed his eyes shut. He sighed deeply before pulling slowly away from her. He placed a hand against one of her wet cheeks, but the dragon maiden was still too distraught to be embarrassed by it.

"It was not my intention to upset you so much," he murmured. "I thank you for your kind words. They mean more to me than I can say. But I need to tell you everything, because I have grown weary of keeping so many secrets. Vlad endures his own because he has Desiree. But until now, I have had no one with whom to share my hardships. I am sorry that I have told so much so fast. I---"

"No, do not be sorry!" she quickly cut him off. She sniffed a bit and did her best to stop the tears still flowing out of her eyes. "I do not want you to be sorry," she repeated again. "I am sorry for not understanding at first why you were so eager to tell me all this. And I also want to thank you for trusting me with so much."

"I do not want to keep anything from you, Dora. I want you to know so that our relationship may flourish. As much as I have enjoyed courting you these past years, I want so much more than that…" Skulker assured her, while measuring her reaction to his words.

Dora blushed brightly, and her eyes lowered slightly from his as she timidly said, "I want more, too…"

Skulker smiled as he lowered his hand from her face. He had the strong urge of asking her to marry him right then and there; but he restrained himself. He still needed to tell her more; and he wanted everything to be just right when he took such an important step. Right now was hardly the perfect moment.

"There is more I need to tell you," he told her in a soft voice. "It has to do with Pariah's curse…"

Dora looked up at him again. "I always thought it was a mere myth made to keep others away from the crown and ring." Her eyes slightly widened as something he had said came to her immediate attention. "Skulker, if this curse is true, if it actually does destroy _Life Energy_, then how is Lord Plasmius alive? Unless, it did not destroy all of it… Just a moment… But that would indeed not permit him to form a child! Then, how was he able to form the Prince?"

The hunter immediately tensed. He had not measured his words enough! He had promised Vlad he would keep his child out of this!

"What is wrong, Skulker?" Dora asked, unsure.

"Dora, that curse…It was supposed to kill him. But it did not turn out exactly as it was meant to…," he told her apprehensively, hoping his words would stray the dragon maiden's thoughts to safer ground.

Dora looked confused. Yes, it made sense that the curse did not work as it was supposed to---otherwise, the Prince would not exist. But then, what did it do?

"I fail to understand, Skulker," she told him.

"Dora, I trust you," the hunter began, though he had lowered his gaze. "I know you will keep this secret as have all those who know it. And I hope that you understand why it must be kept a secret."

"I will take it to the grave if that is what you ask of me," the dragon maiden assured him.

Skulker was quiet for a moment, before he spoke again. "I do not know how it happened. You see, after Pariah destroyed my body with the purpose to turning me into one of his mindless skeleton puppets, he casted me away to the human world. My body was still slowly decomposing when I was captured by ghost hunters and locked up. I suppose Dark allowed them to capture me so that Vlad would never find me until it was too late. And indeed it turned out that way. It was almost a year before Plasmius found me. I should have died long before, but whatever Dark did with his Skeleton Dagger, it kept me from death. It kept me in a never-ending state of pain. Even when I was found, my body was **still** rotting away. It was only through a miracle that I did not succumb to the final stage of Dark's evil doing. But it also was thanks to Vlad trapping Pariah in the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare that I was not turned into one of his many minions. With his fall, you see, his skeleton army banished back into the ground; and his evil power was frozen when the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire had a new King to which to obey."

"But that came too late for you, my brave sire," Dora said sadly.

"Not only for me, Dora. For Vlad as well. He sacrificed more of himself than most know. When he found me, he had already endured his own terrible fate…"

"What fate is that…?" she questioned with dread.

Skulker gently grabbed her hands and locked his eyes with her. And then he told her. He told her everything about Vlad….

* * *

It was true what they said. Sleeping on a foreign bad was just not the same as sleeping on your own. Otherwise, Vlad was sure he would have slept until the end of the week. That was how tired he felt. But, alas, it was best he had woken up. He and his family needed to return home soon, especially when Daniel had school tomorrow and he needed to be put to bed early. Still, it was not the knowledge that he was not home that made him stir, but the fact that a certain someone was not where he had last left her--right next to him.

"She left me…," Vlad muttered, sounding a little too like his son when he whined about something. He stared at the empty space on the bed beside him for a moment more. Then, with a tired sigh, he rolled on his back and stared up at the ceiling instead.

Although he was totally recuperated from his overuse of energy from last night, he was having trouble forgetting his encounter with Aragon. He had not seen his former friend in years; and yet, all they could do was verbally attack each other. And for a moment, the King had feared they would actually get into a physical dispute….Vlad did not want to even think how that would have affected the entire ghost world…

But then, when Aragon had threatened to arrest him, that was when he had actually become frightened…Not by the arrest itself. That would have only annoyed him…if he had been alone. But he wasn't. His son was also there. In spite of Aragon's hot temper, Vlad did not believe the male dragon would have also locked up his son. But he would _not_ have put it past the dragon ghost _to expel_ Daniel from his territory—right then and there. And how would his son have handled being all alone, in the middle of nowhere, for an entire night? And worse, with all those portals forming?

Plasmius shuddered just thinking about it again. Luckily, Aragon had not been that cruel. Still, it did hurt the Ghost King to find out just how much his former friend hated him. But it could not be helped. And perhaps tormenting himself with these thoughts was also pointless. He really should just be content that the events of last night had not had any lasting consequence. And although she had yet to do so, he was sure his wife was going to ask him about this. Vlad knew Desiree was just giving him the time to let him be the one to initiate the conversation.

But sharing all that with Desiree did not really trouble him. What actually troubled him was learning that Clockwork had known about his and his son's plight and had not done a thing to aid them. Vlad was aware that the Time Master could see through past and present events, and even predict the future through his powers. But Clockwork had never given him reason to believe he could see _everything_. Yes, the King was aware that the time ghost's powers were more advanced than the Observants. In fact, Clockwork could manipulate what the Observants saw in the timeline. After all, that was how the Time Master had kept the Observants from seeing what truly happened the night Fenton Works had burst into flames…

The time ghost had done a lot for him and his family. It was why just thinking about this now made Plasmius feel ashamed. But he could not help but feel a bit of doubt… and fear. He understood that Clockwork could not always interfere in the time stream; but…. Clockwork would at least try to warn him if he predicted something terrible in the near future concerning his family… wouldn't he? The Master of Time was his son's guardian. He could not let something happen to Daniel if he could help it!

Vlad shut his eyes and rubbed his temple for a moment. Why was he thinking such negative things? Of course, Clockwork would protect his son. It was the reason he had chosen him as his guardian. The King trusted that the time ghost would be there for his son---just like he had always been there for him and Desiree in the past.

Vlad let out a calming sigh, while realizing he was still paranoid from yesterday. And lying here alone was not going to help his lingering tension…

The King glanced at the clock and raised an eyebrow at the time. It was four in the afternoon! He had slept straight through late morning and midday!

"Hmm…," Plasmius hummed, not sure how to feel about that. He could have sworn he had only slept an hour or two by how tired he still felt. But, at least, he knew he would have no trouble sleeping tonight. Then again, he never really had trouble sleeping---not when his last sight every night was that of his beautiful Queen…

He smirked. Speaking of his lovely little ghost mage. He would have to get her back for leaving him all alone here. And the sooner they got back home, the sooner he could do that.

Sitting up, Plasmius moved off the bed and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face to wake him fully. When he came back out, he quickly found his cape and boots and put them back on, before finally heading out. But whatever he had planned on telling his family was interrupted by the conversation that quickly reached his ears.

"I do not know where her parents are," Lydia said with a sigh.

"Yes, Ember found the young ghost just yesterday, in a nearby cave," Ghostwriter continued.

Vlad's eyes slightly widened as he finally saw what they were talking about. In the middle of the living room was a little baby ghost phoenix about the same height as Danny and Ember wobbling about. Danny and Ember were sitting beside it, watching the bird with much curiosity and amusement. The young creature had bright pink eyes and its blue feathers were lit with soft whitish-blue flames. Its beak, legs, and talons were pure black.

But not only did it surprise the King to actually see a ghost phoenix---being that he had thought them extinct---but he had never seen such a peculiar combination. The creatures were usually blue when they had a cold core and red when they had a hot core. And yet this young ghost was blue in color, but by its flaming body it clearly had a hot core…

The King quickly dismissed the oddity and focused back to what he had heard Lydia say… How could the child's parents be missing?

"Where exactly did your daughter find that creature?" Vlad asked, finally making his presence known.

Everyone looked over at room's entrance, and smiled. But it was Danny who spoke first.

"Daddy! You're awake! Look! Look what Ember found!" he said, quickly flying over to his dad's side and excitedly grabbing one of his hands.

Vlad just let his son pull him towards the small ghost bird. And with an uncertain frown, the King then kneeled beside the creature. But the moment the baby phoenix saw his larger form towering over her, she suddenly glowed with a blue hue; and a second later, she turned into blue ashes…

Plasmius blinked in surprise, not knowing that his son was mimicking his look. Danny had not seen the ghost bird do that, and his father had clearly not expected it. But Vlad soon pushed past his mild shock and carefully touched the blue ashes.

"This is…," he began in wonder.

"Amazing?" Desiree supplied with a small smile.

"Yes," Vlad agreed, looking at her.

"I thought so, too," the Queen replied. "I think the last time I saw this type of ghost was when I was around ten years of age."

"Well, we share your wonder, your highnesses," Ghostwriter spoke up. "I thought these creatures were wiped out during Pariah's rule."

Vlad nodded his agreement as he felt the young bird's energy coming from the seemingly lifeless ashes. But they soon sparked with blue fire and they began to reform again.

"Welcome back, Saphear!" Ember said, giggling and petting the now solid young bird on its head.

The creature chirped in response, before quickly wobbling over to her and seeking refuge in her arms. By the wary look with which the ghost bird stared at the King, it was clear she was frightened by him. Then again, she had been initially afraid of the other ghost adults when the young creature had first seen them.

"Ember, we told you not to name her," Lydia gently scolded her child. "We are not keeping her. I told you this was only until her parents return."

The six-year-old girl looked up at her mother with a pout, while she continued to gently stroke the young phoenix. "But what if they don't come back? She can't be all alone!"

"Well, let us hope that is not the case," Ghostwriter answered for his wife, smiling gently at his daughter. "But if something so unfortunate results, then, she still cannot stay here, Ember. These sorts of ghosts have necessities that we cannot provide; not to mention that they do not do well in confined areas."

"Huh?" Ember replied, not knowing what her father meant by, 'confined areas'.

"Your dad means, she cannot live inside a house. It is unnatural for them, my child," Lydia explained.

Ember did not look very convinced, but she did not say anything; and instead looked over at Danny. Her friend gave her a warm smile, in hope of making her feel better.

Meanwhile, Vlad was still silently looking at the little phoenix, not knowing his face had fallen into a sober, pensive frown. But Desiree noticed it.

"I know what you are thinking," she suddenly said, capturing her husband's attention. "Although it is quite unfortunate that this child's parents are absent, it is still too early to jump to any conclusion."

Plasmius nodded, but his voice still sounded thoughtful as he replied, "I know. But, I cannot help but wonder… What are the odds of _both_ parents going missing, Des?"

The Queen slightly frowned, realizing he had a point. But still not wanting to think anything more of this than what there was, she insisted, "The odds are slim, I will admit. But even so, my love, let us wait a few more days. As Lydia said, the young child's parents could return at any moment. Meanwhile, she seems quite content here with Ember," Desiree added as she watched the little phoenix chirp happily at the blue-haired girl.

"Well, then," Lydia quickly spoke up again, a smile curling her lips. "Now that a certain someone has decided to join us, then how about we all head to the dining room for dinner?"

Standing to his height again, the King dismissed all thoughts about the young bird and smiled at the female ghost, knowing she referred to him. "Are you teasing me, Lydia?" he asked playfully, before smirking over at his wife and adding, "Could it be that you have been spending a bit too much time with my wife and her quirks are finally rubbing off on you…?"

Desiree had narrowed her eyes in challenge; but before she could say anything, Lydia's husband beat her to it.

"No," Ghostwriter said with a dramatic sigh. "That is all her," he said, referring to his own wife's eccentricity.

"Cute," Lydia said to him, raising an unimpressed eyebrow, though there was a small amused smile on her lips. "So much, in fact, I'm tempted to not feed you…"

Ghostwriter smiled meekly at her. "But I meant that in a loving way, really!"

"Of course," Lydia said with a roll of her eyes.

"Now, now," Vlad interrupted, still smirking. "We cannot have arguments before dinner. Come, my friend," he then said, looking over at Ghostwriter. "A wise male ghost must know when to withdraw from these sorts of things…"

Ghostwriter chuckled as the other male wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "You would know, wouldn't you?"

"But of course!" the King replied smugly. "You see, when females are together like this, you cannot win. You have to get them alone…" Vlad paused and glanced over at his wife, measuring her reaction.

But Desiree just raised an eyebrow and said, "Now _I'm_ tempted to not to let Lydia feed _you_, _love_…"

"And you most definitely do not tamper with them before dinner," Plasmius quickly whispered to Ghostwriter. The King shot his wife an innocent grin, before finally walking out of the living room with the other male ghost.

The two female ghosts watched the two go, before looking at each other and laughing.

"What your husband fails to realize is that it is _alone_ when we have the best chances of turning the tables on them," Lydia remarked with another chuckle.

"Correct," Desiree agreed smugly.

They shared another laugh again, before Lydia looked over at her child. "Come on, Ember. It is time to eat. And bring the little phoenix with you. She also needs to be fed."

"Okay!" Ember said, before jumping to her feet.

Danny, who had the little bird beside him, was about to follow her example. But he did not realize that the little bird was curiously looking at the white hair draping against his face. That is, until he felt a peck against his forehead.

"Ow!" he yelped, his hands quickly going up to nurse the sore spot. It had not really harmed him, but it never felt good to have a couple of hairs plucked out of your head.

Ember giggled. "Yeah, she's hungry alright! She thinks Danny's hair is food."

"I think she just likes doing that," Danny grumbled, remembering this was not the first time the bird had pecked at him.

Desiree and Lydia chuckled, before the Queen moved over to Danny and picked him up. "Come, little Phantom, let's get you washed up." She kissed his forehead and then asked, "Better?"

Danny grinned. "Yes."

Lydia smiled as her friend left with the Prince. But her attention went to her daughter when she felt a small hand grab her own. "Hungry?" she asked Ember.

"Yup!" she answered with a vigorous nod.

Her mother nodded, too. And making sure the little phoenix followed after them, she headed out of the living room. But before she could make her way to the kitchen, a knock sounded at the front door. Lydia paused and raised a curious eyebrow. "I wonder who that could be…," she muttered. But she then looked at her daughter and gently ordered, "Ember go clean up. And take the phoenix with you. I'll be there in a moment, okay?"

"Okay! Come on, Saphear!" she said, patting her knee to get the little ghost bird's attention.

It quickly chirped in response and rushed after the little ghost girl as they left towards the kitchen.

Lydia sighed and shook her head, knowing her daughter was getting a little too attached to the young phoenix. But remembering someone was at the door, she dismissed her thoughts and went to attend to it. When she opened the door, she was greeted with a very joyous sight.

"Skulker!" she exclaimed, quickly throwing her arms around her fraternal twin brother.

The hunter returned the hug. "It is always good to know my presence is always welcomed here."

Lydia rolled her eyes as she let go of him. "But, of course it is, Skulker. You are my brother." She then smirked at him and added, "I'm obligated to like you."

"You're lucky I'm in such a good mood," he grumbled, though he was smiling.

"Oh, really?" she asked, now curious. "And am I going to get to know why that is?"

Skulker smiled even more. "That is one of the reasons I'm here."

"Good! You can tell me and everyone else over dinner!" Lydia exclaimed, grabbing one of his hands and pulling him forward.

Skulker just barely managed to shut the door, before he was dragged down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Everyone else?" he asked, unsure.

"Yes, your friend and his family are here," she replied happily.

"Plasmius?" Skulker asked, surprised. "He did not tell me he was coming over here…"

"Well, it was really all unplanned. And… well, it's a long story. He better tell you," Lydia said, slowing down slightly.

Skulker just frowned with curiosity, but did not say anymore. But when they finally got to the kitchen, the hunter was greeted by the sight of his niece and the young phoenix.

"What is that?" he blurted out, his eyes widening.

"Oh. Yes. That's _another_ long story…," Lydia answered meekly.

Skulker scoffed in disbelief. "Exactly how many 'stories' could have happened in one day?"

His sister shrugged helplessly. "Well, not exactly one day… but, yeah, there is a couple of… interesting stories…. But we can talk all about them as soon as---"

"Uncle Skulker!" Ember interrupted, finally noticing the hunter.

Skulker smiled as the little girl flew up to him and hugged him. "Did you see what I found?" she asked, pointing at the bird on the ground.

"Yes, I did… You found it?" he asked curiously.

"I sure did! She was all alone and scared inside a big cave; so I brought her home with me." She paused, and glanced at her mom, before moving closer to her uncle's ear and whispering. "Mommy said I cannot keep her. But I want to. Can you tell her to let me?"

Skulker raised an amused eyebrow. "Hmm… We'll see, child," he answered, earning a hopeful grin from his niece.

"Here," Lydia said, walking up to him and handing him a tray of food. "Make yourself useful," she teased.

Skulker quickly placed Ember down and accepted it. "Only for you," he said with an annoyed sigh.

His sister smirked at him, before walking over to the kitchen and grabbing another tray. But right then, Desiree walked into the kitchen with Danny.

"Skulker?" she said, surprised.

"Hi, Uncle Skulker! Are you eating with us, too?" Danny asked, curiously.

"Whelp," the hunter said, looking down in annoyance at the child. "Did I not tell you I'm not your uncle?"

"That's not what my father says," the Prince replied in a sing-song voice.

"And his father knows best, Skulker," Vlad suddenly said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, really?" Skulker retorted, raising an unimpressed eyebrow at his friend. But when his friend nodded, the hunter unexpectedly smirked back. "Then, here, make yourself useful," he said as he shoved the tray of food in the King's hand.

Vlad grunted in surprise, before he turned and watched his friend walk out, clearly quite smug with himself.

"Is he allowed to do that?" Lydia whispered to Desiree, who was now standing beside her, holding a pitcher of juice in one of her hands.

The Queen smirked. "Looks like it…" But then a wicked grin tugged on her lips and she quickly walked over to her husband.

Vlad had been silently scowling after his friend. But when he saw his smiling wife in front of him, he turned his look on her. "Don't laugh," he muttered.

"I would never, love," she assured him with a smirked. "However, I feel _my King _is simply unsuitable for such a mundane task…"

Vlad blinked. "Well… I do not really mind…"

"Well, you should," she interrupted with a raised eyebrow. "After all, you are not properly dressed…I can fix that."

Before Vlad could question his wife, she snapped her fingers; and his once usual attire changed into a chef's outfit complete with hat and all.

The King gasped in horror, while Lydia burst into laughter. His wife, on the other hand, gave him a satisfied smile. "Yes, now you are well suited. Come along, love," she said as she curled a finger at him before walking out of the kitchen.

"Desiree!" Vlad exclaimed after her, before he stared back down at his clothing with horror again.

He did not see the still laughing Lydia quickly follow after the Queen, but his attention was quickly captured by Ember when she flew up to him, giggling.

"You look funny, Uncle Vlad! Oh, I'm gonna go tell my Uncle Skulker to come see you! He is going to laugh at you!"

Plasmius cringed as the little girl quickly flew out of the room before he could stop her, while the little baby phoenix chased after her.

Vlad sighed in annoyance, before he realized that there was one last ghost in the room. He slowly looked at his son, wondering why he was not laughing like everyone else. But the captivated grin on his face gave him the answer.

Danny stared at his father's outfit some more before he finally exclaimed, "Wow! I want a big hat like that, too!"

Vlad rolled his eyes. "Your wish is my command," he said dryly, before grabbing the hat on his head and placing it on his son's smaller one.

Danny giggled as the large hat slipped passed his head and covered his eyes. But know feeling like a real cook, he quickly grabbed an empty tray on the counter and placed a cup on it. "Okay, we are ready to serve!" he said as he lifted the tray, much like a waiter and floated out.

Vlad finally smiled, amused by his son. "So, we are…"

With a sigh of surrender, he mimicked Danny and also headed towards the dining room.

After everyone had a good laugh at Vlad's expense and his wife was kind enough to return his usual clothing to him, everyone sat down for dinner. As they ate, they conversed about the little phoenix and what to do with it. Skulker offered to search around for its parents. He, too, believed they would return… But, in any case they did not, the hunter also offered to take it in. His island was large and he knew the ghost bird would do well there. And although not completely happy about it, Ember was a bit relieved to know she would at least be able to visit her new friend when she went to her uncle's house---that is, if they did not find the parents.

From there, their talk turned into something more cheerful when Skulker finally divulged the news of his asking Dora to marry him. Of course, everyone that had not known about it yet was thrilled, while Vlad and Desiree just smiled even more with the fact. It was then, however, that Danny burst into giggles, and began to tease the hunter about being in love. Skulker would have trapped him in a net and gagged him if Vlad had not stepped in …

Eventually, everyone began to pull into multiple conversations, finally allowing Vlad to quietly share with Skulker what had happened with Danny and with Aragon. The hunter, of course, was angry that the dragon leader would treat his best friend so badly; but it did not surprise him.

But as they continued to speak, the Ghost King kept glancing over at his wife. He noticed she was barely eating, not to mention had been oddly quiet during most of dinner… But Vlad did not say anything, concluding that her odd behavior was because they had yet to get the alone time to talk about everything…

All too soon for everyone else, the royal family finally took their leave about an hour later. They thanked Lydia and Ghostwriter for their help and hospitality, while Danny and Ember said their good-byes. They were not too upset, though, since they knew they would see each other at school the next day.

But as Danny and Desiree got on Falko, Skulker quickly stopped Vlad from mounting the large snow falcon as well.

"Plasmius, there is something I have to tell you that I cannot tell you here," he whispered gravely to him. "I need us to be alone. It is about Dora. I talked to her…"

The Ghost King pulled away slightly to search his friend's eyes. "How did she take it?" he asked carefully.

The hunter looked over at Danny and Desiree, noticing the curious looks on their faces, before gazing again at the other male.

"She took it well… for the most part. But… Vlad, it will be best if you talk with her."

Plasmius frowned. "You are frightening me, Skulker. You did not tell her about Daniel, did you?"

"Of course not," Skulker replied right away. "But I told her about you…." But when his friend only tensed more, the hunter quickly continued, "Listen to me, your secret is not at risk or anything of the sort. She just… For goodness sake, Plasmius!" the hunter suddenly whispered a little louder. "I told her something that is completely unimaginable! You are frightened? How do you think Dora feels?!"

"Skulker, calm down," Vlad said, his eyes creasing with concern by how distressed his friend looked. It was strange to see him so… unbalanced.

The hunter sighed deeply and shut his eyes as he muttered, "I apologize. I am a bit weary... Could you or even Desiree speak with her? I think it will help her accept all this more readily."

Vlad placed a hand on the hunter's right shoulder. "Do not trouble yourself, Skulker. I will speak to Dora. I had a feeling I would need to, anyways. And I know Desiree will help me ease her fear of all this."

Skulker nodded. "Thank you. I will be staying here for another day or two. I have a matter to tend to here, in addition to this young creature Ember found… "

"Alright. Take the time you need. Did you speak with Fright Knight?" Vlad asked.

"I did. He will come see you soon. "

"Good. Then, you know where to find me if you need my help with this young phoenix. I must go now, my friend. The last thing I want is to have another encounter with more temporary portals…" Vlad said seriously.

Skulker nodded and said his own goodbyes to his friends and even the young Prince. As Falco took off, Desiree glanced back at the hunter, before looking at her husband. But just when she was about to ask what Skulker had told him, Vlad spoke up.

"Daniel? Do you think you can go help Falco get us home, while I talk to your mother about something?"

Danny's eyebrows creased, knowing that the large falcon did not need help with such a thing. But he recognized his father's tone of voice. It was the one that he used when it was urgent for him to do as he asked.

"Uh, okay," he mumbled.

But his mother then flicked her hand in his direction; and smiling, added, "Here, take Leono with you…"

The Prince grinned as his three-headed lion toy appeared in his hands. "Okay!" he said, now very happy.

Once the child had moved further up and was happily sitting on Falco's head, and showing the large bird his toy, the royal couple turned their attention on each other.

"Where do I start?" the King said with a deep sigh.

"Anywhere, as long as you start," the Queen replied anxiously.

Vlad nodded, and started with his encounter with Aragon….

* * *

Having showered and currently in her night clothing, Desiree thoughtfully combed her wet hair. She had been feeling odd for several days now. But it was not until today that it had really bothered her. In spite of not really showing it, she had been feeling dizzy and tired all day. She really wanted it to only be from the stress and the restless hours from the night before, but she had a feeling it was more than that... Something just felt off…

She sighed as her eyes lowered to the medallion on her dresser. She had left it there after she had removed it from her cloak before showering. She still wondered why Clockwork had given it to her; but she knew she would find out when the time came…

Lowering her brush, she picked it up and studied it for a moment longer. She somehow felt that it was best that no one knew she had it. So, with the thought, she moved towards a small treasure box on the far side of her vanity. She carefully opened it; but instead of placing the medallion inside, she paused as something already inside the jewelry box captured her attention. Her eyebrows slowly creased with sadness as she lowered the medallion again, before taking out a piece of jewelry from the box.

It was the bracelet Danny had had on his wrist when Vlad first brought him into the Ghost World…

With her hands glowing slightly, she silently inspected the man-made gold bracelet that was no bigger than two of her fingers. It still had the name 'Daniel' engraved on it. And it was still slightly tarnished from whatever had happened that night…

Vlad had been so preoccupied with Danny, he had completely forgotten about the piece of jewelry. But when Desiree had seen it sitting on her husband's nightstand… Well, she just could not bring herself to get rid of it. It had felt… wrong to do so… And yet, she knew if her husband knew she had kept it, he would be very upset with her.

In reality, however, even she did not know why she had kept it. But she had---even when looking at it filled her with pain because it reminded her that Danny was not her son. She had kept it even when it made her feel ashamed, knowing that the child's real parents were probably still devastated by the lost of their son. But then, what else could Vlad have done? It scared her to even suppose that her husband would have instead left him to his fate; or worse, return him, only to find out that the child's parents hated him for being half of what they hunted… Danny would not have deserved either of those two grim fates.

Desiree slowly turned the bracelet in her hands, only to notice something she had not before. In the back of the piece of jewelry, in the back of the name plate, there was a small key hole.

"Odd," she whispered as she fidgeted with the little bracelet, trying to find a way to open it. But the little secret compartment was locked. And even with intangibility, it was just too small to unlock without the key…

However, she did not get much time to think about it. She soon heard the outer-most door of her private room click open. She jolted slightly before quickly placing the bracelet back inside the jewelry box, and soon after, the medallion. She closed the box just as she turned to face her actual bedroom door's opening.

"Des?" Vlad asked as he poked his head inside; and seeing her, he entered all the way.

Desiree raised a half-teasing and half-scolding eyebrow. "You should knock. What if I had been indecent?"

Vlad replied with a coy smile, "Do not worry, my dear. I am never that lucky."

"Why, King Plasmius, are you being _coarse_ with me?" Desiree mocked offense, while placing a hand on her hip.

"Only if it will get you to come to bed with me?" he replied as he came closer to her. He carefully turned her around before wrapping his arms around her frame.

"Is Danny sleeping?" Desiree asked as her husband placed a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"Like a prince," he quirked; but then slightly exposing his fangs at her, he added, "But I did drug him just to be sure…"

"Vlad!" Desiree exclaimed as she pushed him away.

The King laughed heartedly. "My dear! I was joshing you! I would never do such a thing. I just had to get back at you some way for that little stunt at dinner, hmm?"

"You are---," Desiree began slightly annoyed, but Vlad cut her off.

"Irresistible? Yes, I know." The king pulled the Queen close again as he whispered in her ear. "And so are you."

"As much as I would like to reply to that, it cannot be tonight." She turned in his hold and kissed him softly on the lips, before admitting, "I feel unwell."

"Really?" Vlad asked, his face scrunching with worry. He pulled away slightly to get a better look at her, before muttering, "You do seem a little dim…"

Knowing he referred to her ghostly hue, she nodded. "I might just be getting a small cold. I'm sure it is nothing to trouble yourself over."

"I hope so," the King said with a frown. But then he smiled as he added, "In any case, you are heading off to bed right now."

"Oh? And who are you to order me around?" she asked playfully.

"Your husband," he answered proudly, before unexpectedly sweeping her off her feet---or tail.

Desiree let out a small sound of protest as Vlad carried her out of her private room and towards their matrimonial chambers. "I have not finished my hair yet," she said, annoyed.

"I'll take care of it, my dear. Now, hush, everyone is sleeping," Vlad replied, looking quite happy for some reason.

Desiree frowned when her husband eventually placed her on their bed. "You know, I do not like being dominated; and especially not by _a male_."

Vlad grinned, before quickly crawling over her on the bed. "That was until you married me…"

Desiree slowly smiled back. "You know I am eternally yours…"

The king placed a hand in her hair; and with soft pink energy glowing around it, he began to run his fingers through the damp strands, creating soft puffs of steam in its wake.

"And how lucky I am for that," he said seriously before kissing her again. The couple continued to caress each other for a few more minutes until Vlad had dried his wife's hair. "Bed time," he whispered before giving her one last kiss. He briefly stood to tuck her in before also getting into bed himself.

With a sigh, he turned off the lights; and bringing his wife's body closer to him, he wrapped an arm around her. The two were quickly asleep; so neither of them noticed how the ghost mage's ghostly white hue abruptly flickered, glowing brightly at first, only to dim again just as quickly…

* * *


	21. Chapter 19: Truth and Daring

**Okay, gang, here we go. I hope to update CM after this coming week is done. I can't exactly work on it now---not that I don't wish I could---but I have an exam on Friday to worry about first. But, hopefully, this will hold you off for now. And the next chapter of this story should come up quicker than usual since I have a good part of it already written out. Well, enough rambling! Thank you all for your continuing support!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and OCs are my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Truth and Daring**

"I wish you could meet him," Danny said with a small sad smile, before suddenly grabbing his mouth with the discomforting pang from his still growing fangs. They didn't hurt as much, but they still bothered him at times---much like his fingertips…

Ember smiled comfortingly, to both his comment and his pain. Her own fangs and claws had come out a week ago. She did not exactly know to control them yet, but at least they had stopped bothering her.

"It's okay, Danny," she said, getting back to his initial comment. "Maybe I will one day. Elliot sure sounds cool!"

The Prince nodded before looking down at the picture he was drawing.

It was the next day after they had come from Lydia and Ghostwriter's. And currently, he and Ember were in art class. It was their class just before recess---the kids' favorite time of day, of course. But Danny also liked his classes after their playtime. And that's because they were more… 'hands on'.

The way it worked was fairly simple. The more scholastic classes, like reading and writing, were in the earlier part of the day, just before lunch. Then, there was art class; then recess. And finally, those 'hands on' classes, like power and energy development, were in the last two hours of school.

"I don't understand," Danny suddenly said, looking back up at his friend. "Why can't Elliot's father and my father just make up? My father told me what happened, but… I still think it is a dumb reason to stop being friends," he huffed in annoyance.

"Well, _I_ think it sounds weird," Ember replied with a frown, as she briefly stopped coloring her own picture.

Danny sighed with frustration. It just was not fair! He finally met another special friend--like Ember--only to find out he couldn't be friends with him!

Sure, he knew other kids at school and talked to and played with them. But, sometimes, he felt like they all saw him… _differently_ than other kids, only because he was the Prince. Or at least that's what it seemed like. Although, at other times, he felt it was more than that… He just _felt_ different for some reason at times…

But it was why Ember and now Elliot were so special to him. They were the only other kids that had ever made him feel… normal.

"Hi, Ember!" Amorpho greeted the girl, when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. But when he saw Danny with his friend, he quickly waved and added, "And, Hi to you, Prince---"

"Don't bow to me!" Danny abruptly cut him off, his voice holding a sharp edge to it.

The older ghost kid blinked in surprise at the younger one. But then he slowly looked over at Ember and asked, "What's gotten into him?"

"He's just mad because his dad won't let him be friends with this dragon kid," Ember explained with a shrug.

"Oh… Well, sorry to hear that," Amorpho said awkwardly, while he tried to figure out what that had to do with the Prince's outburst. He had not even thought to bow…

"Hey, why are you here?" Ember quickly asked, breaking the older child from his thoughts. "You're not in this class."

"My teacher asked me to bring something to your teacher. I just wanted to say 'hi' before I went back to my class. But I have to go now. I'll see you two at recess, okay?"

"Okay!" Ember answered with a grin.

"Bye, Prince Phantom," Amorpho then said, smiling encouragingly at the young ghost.

Danny sighed; and put on the best smile he could at the moment. "Okay, bye."

When the older child left, Ember quickly looked at Danny and said, "Oh, come on, Danny! Stop looking so grumpy. There is nothing you can do, you know. It's not like you can make your dad and Elliot's dad say sorry, right?"

The Prince blinked at his friend's words. But as they quickly sprang an idea in his mind, a large grin curved his lips. "That's it! I will make them say sorry!" But then suddenly talking more to himself, he creased his eyebrows as he mumbled, "I know Daddy said it's not nice to make others do stuff… But it's going to be nice when he and Elliot's father are friends again! But… I'm going to need Elliot's help…. It's okay! I'll just go see him again! Yes! I know where to go!"

"Huh?" Ember said upon hearing his last words. "Wait, Danny, I don't think that's a good idea! Remember? You said you're not allowed to go there!"

"Oh…," Danny said, an indecisive frown falling on his face. But then he crossed his arms and put on a brave face. "Well, my parents say that it's always good to help others. So, I'm going to help! But, just in case, I just won't let Elliot's father see me! And, you'll see, when I make him and my father friends again, he won't mind that I visit Elliot all the time!"

"I don't know…," Ember said, still unsure. But then remembering something else he had said, she quickly asked, "And how are you going to _make_ them say sorry when they don't want to, anyways?"

Danny was about to reply when Pandora, their teacher, suddenly interrupted him.

"So, little ones, how are you two coming along? Can I see your pictures?" she asked, smiling at them.

"Sure can!" Ember said with a grin as she picked up her picture and gave it to her teacher. "It's a picture of Saphear! She's a baby ghost phoenix!"

"My, that's lovely! She's so blue!" Pandora said with a small chuckle.

"Yup! She has a hot core, like me!" Ember replied, grabbing at one of her small, flaming pigtails.

"Looks like you two are meant for each other," Pandora replied; but then she looked at Danny, who had placed his drawing aside and was now writing something on a clean sheet of paper. "And what do you have, young one?" she asked, curiously.

Danny distractingly grabbed his picture and raised it for his teacher to grab. "It's Elliot. My new friend. And I'm going to make his father and my father friends again," he informed her with a calm and confident voice, before focusing back on what he was doing.

"I see…," Pandora said slowly, although she did not 'see' at all. She had no idea what he had meant by his last comment. But as she looked at the picture; and since Danny was a pretty good drawer for a six-year-old, she was able to tell the child had drawn a dragon ghost.

"You are friends with a dragon ghost?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yes," Danny replied, before asking, "How do you spell 'sorry'?"

Pandora raised an eyebrow, but then spelled it out for him anyways. She looked over his sitting form to see just exactly what he was doing; and when she saw that he had wrote, 'I am sorry' on his blank sheet of paper, she was even more confused.

"You are sorry? And what are you sorry for, young Prince?" Pandora asked.

"I am not sorry. _They_ will be sorry!" Danny assured her; but by the large grin he had on his face, the teacher knew he did not mean it in a negative way. But she still did not understand what he meant.

"What are you looking for, Danny?" Ember then asked as she watched her friend looking around their coloring supply for something.

"I need a red color," Danny mumbled, as he searched for the color. "My father likes red. Oh, here it is!"

Pandora watched with a bemused expression on her face as the little Prince continued with his project. She glanced briefly at the picture of the dragon in her hands. He really wasn't too bad for a six-year-old... Smiling and shrugging, she placed the picture right by his side. And the two friends did not even realize when their teacher moved on to check on the other students.

Some time later, the classroom's closed door suddenly disappeared; and everyone who had noticed —which included Pandora--- turned to look at it. The children who saw the door's vanishing instantly became excited; and that caught everyone else's attention. Obviously they all knew what it meant.

"Okay, children. Put your things in order and then you can go out for recess. Make sure you stay around the assigned area," she gently ordered, before the kids started putting up their things.

"Come on, Danny! Hurry up!" Ember said excitedly as her eyes darted from him to the other kids flying or running out of the open doorway.

"I'm coming!" he said as he gave the two papers he had been writing on one final look over before setting them down and flying over to his friend.

They soon made it outside, and Ember quickly looked around for their other friends. Danny, however, was looking around the play area for no one in particular and merely observed the already playing kids. Some of them were playing seek and pounce at the mystical maze, while others were playing 'fly ball' at the floating rings. His eyes then turned to one of the more impressive formations on the grounds. It looked very much like a canyon with floating pieces of circular rocks above the empty space. There were kids playing a game there; one that he never played since it required the usage of his legs and he could not exactly form them yet.

"Hey, there is Amorpho and the others!" Danny said, having spotted them at the canyon.

"Great! Come on!" Ember exclaimed, flying over there.

Danny quickly followed, stopping once they had reached the other ghost kids. They quickly exchanged various greetings with them.

"You guys wanna race?" one of the ghost girls there asked with a grin.

"Yeah!" many replied.

But Ember did not reply and looked uncertainly over at Danny. "I don't think I want to…" she began, but her best friend cut her off.

"It's okay. You play and I'll watch. I don't really want to play anything, anyway," Danny said with a small shrug.

Ember was still reluctant at leaving her best friend alone; but seeing Danny smile encouragingly at her, she smiled back. "Okay, I'm in. Danny, can you start us off?"

"Yeah, and you can be the judge of who wins, too!" another ghost boy said with a smile.

The Ghost Prince nodded, before everyone playing ran over to the floating rocks. And stepping on the closest ones to the edge, they all lined up, much like runners at the starting line on a track. Danny quickly flew across to the opposite side of the deep canyon; and since the distance was too far to yell down at his friends on the other end, he lifted a hand and a spark of green energy flew into the air.

The Prince grinned when they all took off at once. The kids jumped and leapt into the floating rocks, trying to be the first to get to Danny. There was only one rule to the game. They could not fly or levitate. If they did not make the jump to the next rock, they had to let themselves fall to the bottom of the canyon, where there was a lake of purple water ready to break their fall.

Danny giggled when he saw one of his classmates not make a jump and plummeted straight into the water below. Wanting to get a better look at the other child, the Prince flew over to the center of the canyon where there were several jagged, spike-like rock formations. He quickly went to a high, blunt one, and sat down on it. But because of its narrow formation, he curled his tail around the rock to keep his balance.

He waved down at his classmate below who was currently treading water and waving back at him. The other young ghost below, however, then quickly flew out of the water and up to him.

"You're out," Danny said with a smirk, causing the other child to playfully pout.

"Come on, you can't see the winner from here!" the other child said, gesturing to the white-haired ghost to come with him.

The Prince was about to take off with his classmate, when a voice behind him caught his attention.

"Hello, little Prince."

The green-eyed child turned his head and quickly smiled as he recognized the ghost that had just addressed him. "Hi, Kitty," he said.

"Are ya having fun?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

The green-skinned girl was in her teenage years. And Danny knew she went to school here, too. Well, the 'big kid' school was in a different part, but it was still considered the same school. But Kitty very often came out here to help keep an eye on the younger kids during their playtime.

"Kind of," he said with a shrug.

She glanced over at the other kids racing, before looking over at him. "Why don't you play with them?"

"Because I cannot," he said, frowning slightly, finally showing it bothered him more than he let on at first. "I still cannot form my legs. I try to, but nothing happens."

"Well, that is strange," Kitty muttered.

Danny looked over at his classmates as he mumbled, "I think _I'm_ strange."

"Yeah, you kinda are," another voice interrupted, a male's this time.

"Johnny! Don't tell him that! And you better not be cutting classes again!" Kitty quickly scolded as she turned to her boyfriend.

"I'm not cutting," he said, raising his hands up in hopes of pacifying her. "I'm just taking the long way back to class," he added with a devious smile, before looking back at the child and crossing his arms.

The Prince, who was looking at the male ghost, quickly narrowed his eyes at him, though there was also humor in his stare. "Hi, ugly."

"Hi, pipsqueak," Johnny replied back, smirking.

"Where's your uglier companion Shadow?" Danny asked, grinning mischievously.

"He's about to throw ya in the lake below if you don't stop mouthing off," the teenage ghost replied, grinning back evilly.

"Not before I throw _you_ in there!" Danny retorted boldly, before shooting green energy at the older ghost's face.

"Hey!" Johnny protested as he covered his eyes, momentarily blinded by the bright light. The child's energy was still too weak to harm him in anyway. At the most, it tingled. "That's it! Shadow! Attack!"

A dark veil suddenly appeared from Johnny's body, quickly molding into a red-eyed, evil looking black shadow. It looked over at the little ghost and growled wickedly.

Danny gasped as Shadow lunged at him; but he quickly turned intangible, and the ghost slammed into another rock spike behind him. The child giggled, but then quickly let his hands glow with energy as Shadow rounded on him.

As the ghost came at him again, Danny fired his energy again, and the ghost gasped when it clipped his tail.

"Careful with that, little guy," Johnny quickly said. "Shadow isn't too tolerant of light, you know,"

"Oh, I forgot," Danny said, looking over at Johnny, "Sorry about—Hey!" he suddenly protested when a veil of black enveloped him while he had been distracted.

Johnny snickered as Shadow trapped the Prince inside his dark body. "Sucker, you fell for it!" he teased as Shadow brought the child, who was still struggling to escape from inside the ghost, to his companion.

"You cheated!" Danny's angry voice said from his trapped position. "Let me go, you dumb Shadow!"

"Not until you admit defeat, pipsqueak," Johnny retorted, crossing his arms and smirking.

"Never!" the six-year-old said boldly as he struggled even more.

"Then, you're stayin' in there," Johnny said with a shrug.

"_Oh, yeah?"_ Danny thought before suddenly stopping his struggles and whimpering.

Kitty, who had been warily watching her boyfriend mess with the young ghost, quickly tensed at hearing the child's upset voice. She quickly glared at Johnny as she angrily said, "Johnny! Let him go right now! You're being too rough with him, you brut!"

Johnny frowned in worry. "Oh, come on, Kitty. You know Shadow would never hurt the little guy."

"I don't feel well! I think my glow is fading!" Danny cried out suddenly, barely able to contain a snicker after saying that.

Kitty's glare hardened and Johnny quickly shrunk away. "Okay! Shadow, let him go."

The dark ghost rolled his eyes, before doing as told. Johnny flew over to Danny, who had his face buried in his hands. Had he really hurt the child?

"_Oh, man, the Ghost King is gonna have my head!"_ he thought in a panic. But then he quickly, but gently asked, "Hey, little guy. You aren't hurt, are you? I did not mean it. You know I'm just messin' with you, right?"

Danny lowered his hands and gave him a sad look. "I think my arm is broke…"

Kitty and Johnny shared a concerned look, before turning back to the Prince. But Danny spoke up before they could, "Can you look at it?" he whimpered, extending his 'hurt' hand to the male ghost.

Johnny nodded as he took the child's hand. But the moment he did, Danny's upset look melded into a wicked grin. "Sucker," he repeated, before blasting him in the face again.

The teenage ghost yelped as he covered his face. But he quickly growled and looked back at the child, "Why you little…"

Danny yelped as Johnny lunged at him. But he quickly giggled and flew out of the way, before curving sharply back to face with Kitty. "Bye, Kitty!" he said, before diving down to avoid being captured.

"Hey, get back here!" Johnny shouted after him, but did not even bothering to chase him, since he knew from past experiences that the child was too fast to be caught.

Danny looked over his shoulder at the male ghost and grinned triumphantly. "Bye, ugly!" he yelled back, before looking forward again and picking up speed.

He headed back over to Ember and his other playmates, who upon seeing him, quickly went to meet up with him, and asked him who had won the race since he had been initially assigned as 'judge.'

The Prince rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly, realizing he had stopped paying attention to the race and had no idea who had won.

At the other end of the cannon, Kitty was watching the white-haired child with a smile. "He sure is a clever little thing, isn't he?"

Johnny rolled his eyes, but still reluctantly grumbled, "Yeah, he is."

* * *

"Vlad, you must go. You cannot compromise everything for nothing of importance," Desiree said seriously, both she and her husband currently in their matrimonial chambers.

"Nothing of importance? You call your energy hue being dim since yesterday 'nothing of importance?" her husband scolded. "Oh, and let's not forget that you hardly ate yesterday, either!"

"That's because I was feeling ill! But as you said, that was yesterday! I'm feeling much better now!"

"So then why do you still look sick to me? No, my trip can wait," Vlad said firmly. "I rather go with you to the doctor to make sure that your 'nothing of importance' is not 'something of _very_ importance."

The Queen sighed deeply, feeling a little more than frustrated with her husband's stubbornness. "Vlad, you have not gone on one of your trips for months! Doesn't that worry you? What if someone suspects something? Or worse, finds out?"

Vlad quickly deflated, knowing his wife was right about that part. His eyebrows suddenly creased as he grabbed the ghost mage's lower arms. "I… _am_ worried. But… I'm _more_ worried about you, Des."

"I know you are, love," she told him with a gentle smile. "But it's natural for someone to get sick once in a while. And I'm not the exception. Look, if it is anything serious---which I am sure it is not---I will send word to you with Skulker, Fright Knight, or Wulf, alright? But, please, do not compromise everything for me. I do not want you to leave again, but I know you must. So, please, Vlad, do what you must."

The King lowered his gaze, still reluctant to go. But knowing that she was right once more, he finally let out a sigh and nodded. "Very well. I should be able to take care of everything in about three days. I promise I will take no more time; but please, promise me that you will send word to me if your condition is anything of concern."

"I promise, love," she said with a reassuring look. "I must go now. Dora said she would go with me and I'm sure she's waiting. But when you return, we will need to make that trip to Frostbite's. Remember we said we would attempt to do something about the over-forming of those temporary portals. I think you and Frostbite are right. They need to be controlled. And they will be."

"Very well. But only if you feel physically strong enough by then," Vlad replied, knowing she would have to cast a strong spell on the Infi-Map again.

The Queen nodded, before asking, "Did you tell Danny you were leaving?"

The King smiled. "You know I always do, my dear. But, yes, I told him this morning. And I'm sure you know how that went."

"Indeed," Desiree replied with a small sigh. "But he is young; we cannot expect him to understand."

Vlad gestured his agreement, before grabbing one of his wife's hands and sadly saying, "I must go now as well. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can return. So, I suppose this is… good-bye."

Desiree suddenly pulled closer and kissed him on the lips. "It's never good-bye, love," she whispered, before kissing him again.

Vlad quickly melted into her, one of his hands going to her symbol, while the other snaked around her waist. "Oh, I love you so much," he told her in between their kissing.

"I love you just as much," his wife replied as she touched his symbol as well. They shared one last kiss, before she hugged him and whispered, "Be safe, my love."

"And you take care of yourself," Vlad replied as he pulled away to give her a warm, but firm look.

She smiled back as he placed a hand against her face. But then with a small sigh, Vlad lowered his hand and finally walked off towards the room's exit. As he stepped out, he looked up at Wulf and Fright Knight waiting for him there in the hallway.

"Let us go," he told them soberly.

They nodded their consent before following after their King. Once they were outside the palace, they took to the air, quickly flying away from the castle's grounds. Vlad looked back at his home briefly, his worry and sadness only reflecting in his eyes, before he turned forward again.

"How long will you be this time, My Liege?" Fright Knight asked, as they began to near the area around Walker's prison.

"Three days at the most. I have already sent word to Horris about it and also about Desiree's not feeling well. I know he will take care of things here while I'm away." But then he paused before speaking again, "Wulf, I need to ask a favor of you. I am troubled by these temporary portals forming so often. Unfortunately, I will not be able to deal with the matter until my return. So, I wish for you to stay close to the castle and keep an eye on my son. And Fright Knight, I would appreciate you do the same for my wife. I will feel more at ease knowing that you both—and Skulker when he returns---will be with my family."

"Of course, my King!" Wulf replied, a grin on his face. "It will be my pleasure to watch over the little Prince."

"And my pleasure to protect our Queen," Fright Knight added. "Fear not, Sire. The Queen and Prince will be safe while you are away."

Vlad smiled at them. "Thank you both. I could never do any of this without you two and Skulker."

Wulf grinned before swinging an arm around the King's shoulder; and pulling him closer, he licked him on the face.

Vlad cringed as he pulled away slightly. "Must you do that?" he asked, his tone of surrender proving he was too used to it to even try to protest anymore.

"No, but I like to," the large werewolf-like ghost replied with an open mouth smile.

Vlad was about to reply, when he noticed something in his peripheral vision. He abruptly stopped flying as he turned towards what had caught his attention, which happened to be towards Walker's prison. He frowned in confusion at the sight of Spectra and Bertrand exiting the prison with Bullet by their side.

"What are they doing there?" he mumbled to himself; but then suddenly, he glanced at his allies, and calmly ordered, "Wait here. I will return in just a moment."

Before they could say anything, Vlad suddenly vanished, deciding to cut the distance through teleportation.

In actuality, Spectra and Bertrand were at the prison because they had plans of making another trip to the human world. And they were about to tell Bullet around what time he should expect them back, when Plasmius suddenly appeared in front of them.

All three ghosts yelped in surprise; but Spectra quickly recovered and glared at the King, though she was more nervous than anger. "Geez, Vlad! Do you have to do that all the time?!"

"What are you two doing here?" he asked calmly, ignoring her comment as he pinned Bertrand and Spectra with a scrutinizing gaze. There was absolutely no reason for them to be at the prison. They did not belong to the council, nor did they aid Walker in any way. So then why had they come to the jail?

"I don't have to explain myself to you! Who do you think I am? Desiree?" she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Heaven forbid," Vlad replied seriously as he crossed his arms. "And you may not have to explain yourself to me as your brother-in-law, but I am also _your King_. And you **will** tell me exactly what business you have here when you **do not** have any business being here. And where are you going, Bullet?" Vlad abruptly asked when he saw that the ghost was trying to sneak away.

"I-I need to return to my duties, Your H-Highness," he answered nervously.

"I think you will make them wait a bit longer. Where is Walker?" Vlad quickly demanded as he stared between the three of them, now looking very suspicious.

"I'm right here," the sheriff suddenly said, having just walked through the prison's main doors. "Is there a problem, King Plasmius?"

"Yes, why are you allowing ghosts that neither have a chair in the council or any legal rank to enter your prison?" Vlad asked pointedly. "Unless, for some reason, you arrested these two—which I highly doubt. But even if you did, they would be behind bars right now, since I have yet to see you free anyone out of choice."

"She was simply addressing a concern with me," Walker explained, having already thought up a quick excuse that wasn't the truth.

"Concern?" Vlad asked disbelievingly, before looking over at Spectra. "And what concern is that, Spectra?"

The shadow ghost frowned as she tried to think up of something that would convince Vlad. Darn! Of all times to run into the King! She supposed she got lucky, though. She was _just_ about to go through the portal! And if Vlad would have seen her…

"I am starting to believe you all are keeping something from me. And, trust me, you **do not** want me believing that," Vlad said angrily.

"She found a human item!" Bertrand abruptly interrupted.

Vlad instantly locked his eyes with him, and Bertrand floated back at the intensity in his stare.

"What?" the King hissed as he approached the shape-shifter.

"Calm down, King Plasmius," Bertrand quickly said as he floated back some more. "W-We just wanted to tell Walker about it, so he could t-take care of it!"

"Did you?" Vlad asked, pinning his firm gaze on Walker.

Walker almost blasted Bertrand for his foolish outburst. But before he could reply, Spectra jumped in, "Bullet was on his way to my home to get rid of it for me. It was on the outskirts of my home. I was just too unsure to touch it or bring it here! So, I came to tell Walker."

Unable to deny that their explanation was plausible, the King slightly calmed, though he continued to stare between the four ghosts. He was not _completely_ convinced. So, as he pinned his red eyes on Spectra, he said, "Very well. If that's true. Then, show it to me."

"Now?" she asked, a bit startled, "But it's at my home."

"Yes, you already said that," Vlad replied seriously, clearly determined to make sure they were telling him the truth.

Spectra hesitated a bit, but then a small smirk formed on her face. "If that's what you want… Bertrand," she then called, looking at the shape-shifter. "I will see you at your house later, okay?"

Bertrand frowned deeply; but before he could say anything, Spectra moved closer to Vlad, and sweetly said, "You know where I live. But I hope you don't mind if I still lead the way, _my King_."

Vlad raised an eyebrow, not knowing how to take her tone of voice. Sometimes it truly made him wonder. But it was just too sickening to think that Desiree's sister would …No, even she could not sink that low.

"Very well," he replied, pushing aside his thoughts. Plasmius duplicated, and then he added, "I have another more important matter to which to tend, so this will have to be quick.

Spectra grinned again. "Okay."

Vlad did not pay mind to her unexplained happiness and turned his eye to Walker. "As a reminder, Walker, no one without pertinent business should be allowed to enter this prison. There are too many delicate matters going on within its walls for it to become a place for mere social gathering."

"Yes, I agree," Walker replied coolly. "If there is nothing else, I must return to tend to some of those _delicate matters_, as does Bullet."

Vlad nodded before briefly glancing at Bertrand, who looked ticked off about something. The King didn't comment on it; and instead, had his duplicate teleport again, returning to Fright Knight and Wulf and informing them of his quick detour.

The red-eyed male ghost knew that like all of his duplicates, the one he was now sending was like an expansion of himself. His copy could still think and act, and even feel. Then, once the duplicate returned back to the King, so did everything it had experienced. In short, his copy was practically as if he was really there. Not many ghosts had such a complicated and special ability. And no one surpassed Plasmius in his ability to will it.

As the King's copy headed with his two allies towards their original destination, the real Plasmius looked at his wife's sibling and calmly said, "Lead the way, then."

A brief silence surrounded Vlad and Spectra as they flew off towards the shadow ghost's home. The King would not have minded if it would have lasted for the entire trip. But the female ghost beside him was not interested in keeping mute.

"So, how's the family?" she asked in a perky voice.

Vlad did not reply right away. He did not know why, but being around Spectra bothered him, especially being alone with her. He knew he shouldn't have such a dislike for her, being that she was his wife's sister, but something about her always made him tense. Even when they were young, he would go out of his way to minimize their interaction. Maybe it was the extent of her powers… Vlad had always found her abilities… disturbing. From what he knew, Spectra had never used her powers on other ghosts; but even if she did only target humans during Pariah's rule, Vlad still found it unnerving they way she could… _feed_ off others to the point that she could kill them. She and… Bertrand.

"Daniel is fine. He's at school right now," Vlad muttered, trying to push aside his thoughts.

"Desiree told me his fangs and claws are growing in. Have they come out yet?" she asked curiously.

Vlad shook his head. "No. But speaking of your sister… Well, she is a bit sick. She's going to the doctor today, though."

"Oh?" Spectra said, honestly surprised by the news. But then, she paused, and added, "And why aren't you with her?"

The King sighed before replying, "I told you, I have something important to take care of."

"Something more important to you than my sister? And what could that be?" Spectra asked, barely containing her smirk.

"Nothing is more important to me than my family!" he suddenly snapped at her. "If I had another choice in the matter, I would not leave her or Daniel's side!"

"Geez, Vlad! You take everything so seriously! I was only curious," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Plasmius shook his head in order to keep his growing aggravation at bay. He picked up speed slightly, wanting to get to the female ghost's lair already and just be done with this. But after another pause, Vlad spoke again. "Honestly, Spectra, sometimes I think you like to provoke me…"

"Why would I want to do that?" she teased lightly, though mentally she thought, _"You have no idea how __**much**__…"_

"Point proven," Vlad said with a tired sigh.

"Look, it's not like I give you grief on purpose," she then said with a shrug. "I mean, it's not my fault that you are always trying to find another meaning to my every word."

"If you say so," he muttered, not wanting to entertain the topic any longer. Still, he wondered what else she expected when she always **did** give her every word more than one meaning…

When they finally reached Spectra's lair ten minutes later, the female ghost quickly headed towards her home's front entrance.

But noticing this, Vlad quickly spoke up, "Just a moment. I thought you said you left the human artifact at the outskirts of your terrain, where you found it. So then, why are you going inside your home?"

"I did say that. And, no, I did not touch it—as I also said. But Bertrand did. It was floating around; so someone had to grab it before it went to who knows where, right? He brought it inside; but we still thought it was best to let Walker take it off our hands and deal with it. But… since _you_ are here…" Spectra opened her door and gestured him to enter.

Vlad frowned, hesitating slightly. But then, he reluctantly went in. As soon as the King was inside, Spectra closed the door after them, and discreetly locked it. She floated past him without a word, heading deeper into her home to retrieve the human item. It had been meant for her nephew. But she would have to turn it over to Vlad in order for him to buy her reason of her and Bertrand's being at the prison.

No matter, their accidental run in was about to prove more fortunate than she had initially thought. She had always wanted an opportunity like this; and now that her years of planning with that human hunter was coming to a close and she was about to make her final moves, she was feeling very daring. What was one more risk in all this, anyways?

A wicked grin tugged on her lips as she grabbed her dormitory's door handle, before looking back at the King. She had long since noticed he was wearing his usual attire: white pants and his red and white cape that hardly hid his well-defined chest and torso and did _nothing_ to hide his red star-shape symbol… Oh, yes, she was feeling _very_ daring…

Plasmius was caught up in his own thoughts. As he glanced around the abode, he wondered how long it had been since he had come to Spectra's home with his wife. But then he realized that this was actually the first time he had ever come here alone. He quickly made a mental note to avoid it happening again in the future.

It was with the click of a door's opening that Vlad returned to the matter at hand. But when he noticed that Spectra had just opened her bedroom door with the intention of them going in, he crossed his arms and tersely asked, "Now, tell me, why is this human object in your room, Spectra?"

"I couldn't have it lying around just anywhere, you know. It's inside a chest. Here, I'll show you," she said, grabbing one of his arms to pull him forward.

But Vlad did not budge. "You can bring it out to me. It would be highly inappropriate for me to invade your private quarters," he said seriously. Honestly, did the female ghost even have common sense?

Spectra laughed for some reason. "What are we? Teenagers? Stop being so silly!"

But the King only frowned, and did not move an inch.

The female ghost gave him an annoyed look. "I'm not touching it, Vlad. If you want the human object, you will have to come get it."

Vlad stared at her for a moment; but then deciding that he rather just get this over with instead of continuing to argue with the female ghost, he rolled his eyes and followed her in. He stayed close to the room's entrance as he watched her go over to a chest. He didn't see the smirk on her face as she slowly bent over to open the chest. But he did notice her position and immediately looked away, only gazing back at her when she turned upright again.

"It's right here," she said, pointing inside the chest.

The King moved over to her; and looking in the chest, he quickly spotted the item in question. Vlad frowned as he encased his own hands with his energy before grabbing the human object from the chest.

"It's new…," he muttered. The increase in temporary portals quickly came to his mind. Could it be that they were forming so often that they were pulling things in from the human world? It was odd, though. Temporary portals typically never stayed open for very long, at least not long for things to accidently enter them from the human world. But, then, how else would a new human artifact cross over to their world? He highly doubted it came through one of the five opened permanent portals. They were too well guarded for someone not to notice something entering through one of them…

"I know. Strange, huh?" she replied, feigning ignorance. Of course, it was new. She had brought it back herself. "It's a gun, right?"

"Not a real one. It's just a toy," he answered, looking at her with a curious look. Why was she acting like she wouldn't know that? If anything, the female ghost had to know more about humans than he did from how often she use to go out there before his rule.

"Obviously," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I have just always found it strange how humans give their children toy versions of weapons."

"I find it sickening," Vlad spat back as he glared at the item in his hand, before suddenly increasing his energy and quickly destroying the object in his hold.

Spectra frowned briefly, but then she smirked as she said, "Problem solved, then. However…" She quickly slipped around Vlad and leaned against the door, closing it with her weight. "We are not exactly done yet."

Plasmius turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "I beg pardon?"

She smirked wider. "Do you remember how Dark never married?"

"Yes... But whatever it is that you want to discuss with me I do not have the time to do so at the moment. So, if you would…," he said calmly, gesturing for her to move away from the door.

But the female shadow ghost continued as if he had never said anything, "It was for the simple reason that he never _needed_ to marry."

"Move away from the door, Spectra," he ordered seriously. Vlad was quickly losing his patience, especially when he was beginning to grow nervous by the way she was staring at him. For a brief second, he considered teleporting out of Spectra's home. But he dismissed the idea, realizing how ridiculous it would be for him to have to do that. This was his wife's sister, for goodness sake! She was just trying to annoy him again by being difficult!

"You see," she continued, ignoring his demand yet again. "Dark knew he could have any female he wanted… including your wife."

"How dare you?!" he instantly exploded, glaring at her with both fury and disbelief.

Still, Spectra pretended not to notice the livid King. "So, it makes me wonder, why did you marry? Why settle for one female when you could have several. Surely Desiree can't be all that satisfying…"

Vlad's hands fisted with her audacity, before he darkly growled, "Spectra, I swear, if you do not open that door…"

"You'll what, King Plasmius?" she asked boldly, her smile returning. "Are you going to tell Desiree on me? Are you going to explain to her how _you_ asked to come to my home and then _willing_ came into my bedroom?"

Vlad just stared at her, as if not believing what she was saying. But then he shook his head, and angrily mumbled, "You've lost your mind."

"Maybe," she replied with a seductive grin.

The King had enough. Without a word, he moved to leave; and since she obviously was not going to willingly move out of his way, he grabbed the door handle to the left of her, determined to just force her to do so. But the moment he extended his hand, she quickly grabbed his lower arm.

"What the blazes are you doing?!" he hissed at her, as he brought up his other hand to grip her own arm to force her to let him go. But that was exactly what the shadow ghost had been waiting for. In an instant, Spectra seized his other hand by the wrist; and using their momentum, she spun them around, and quickly slammed the male ghost's back against the closed door.

Vlad gasped, not believing how strong the female ghost was. But before he could react to the fact that she had just pinned him, something far worse happened. A foreign mouth suddenly pressed against his, while a foreign hand was pressed solidly against his core.

The King violently jolted, the back of his skull hitting the door in his shock. It was not so much the kiss that was being forced on him that got to him, but the hand touching his most sensitive area. Suddenly, he could feel exactly how Spectra felt for him, but it wasn't anything close to love; it was lust. A lust that was fueled by the need to have what her sister did. But not even all that was as horrible as her _actual_ feel. The male ghost was so repulsed by her that it was actually physically hurting him.

Spectra, however, was nowhere near in pain---quite the opposite. Her mind had gone hazy by how amazing Plasmius felt! She had touched many males, but not even if she would put them all together would they be able to compare to _this_ one! No wonder her sister was so addicted to him! There was this indescribable strength and strange purity in his energy, the latter reminding her of Danny. And yet it was still very different than the child's. But whatever it was, it was quickly making her lose what was remaining of her logic; so much that she suddenly had the strong urge to _feed_ off him, to take away whatever it was that was overwhelming her senses. And she really would have done that if she did not already have something else in her irrational mind.

It only took Vlad a second to return to his senses and force down both his shock and his pain. He suddenly gripped the wrist belonging to the hand against his chest. But his hold was so constricting that the female ghost pulled away from his lips, gasping in pain.

"Stop touching me," he sneered furiously at her, his red eyes glowing with his disgust and loathing.

"Why would I want to do that?" she asked huskily, and pressed her hand even more against his symbol.

Plasmius' glare instantly faltered, and his hard grip on the shadow ghost's wrist loosened significantly. For a moment, all he could do was shut his eyes and groan in pain, barely noticing the lips that pressed against his again. It felt like she was burning him!

However, Spectra took his reaction differently and she grinned. "See how it doesn't hurt to experiment from time to time? And don't worry, I promise I won't tell Desiree…"

That did it.

Vlad suddenly opened his eyes; and with a growl, he used all his strength to shove her away. Spectra yelped as she fell back, her head hitting the back of her bed as she crashed on the floor. She quickly grabbed her aching head and glared furiously at the King, who was still pressed against the door. And while he had the back of his left hand against his mouth, almost looking like he was going to be ill, his other hand was pressed firmly against his aching core.

There was a tense silence as the two just looked at each other; but Vlad suddenly spoke as his hand fell away from his mouth and his ice-cold gaze bore into her.

"I always knew you were vile; but I would have never imagined it was to this extreme. Have you no self-respect? No morals? **Curse you, Spectra!** **I'M **_**YOUR SISTER'S**_** HUSBAND!"** he screamed at her.

A wicked grin slowly melted the female ghost's glare as she stared up at him, not bothering to get off the ground. "Whose fault is that?"

Vlad lowered his hands and fisted them against his sides. "How can you and Desiree be related and be so different?" he asked in disgust.

"Same way as you and your uncle. But then, maybe Desiree and I are not all that different. And you just don't know it yet," she shot back.

Vlad gritted his teeth, as he forced himself once more to recall that the creature in front of him was both a female and his wife's sibling. "For the sake of Desiree, I am going to pretend this never happened," he told her with restrained fury, but then his voice turned darker as he added, "But I swear to you that if you _ever_ touch me like that again, I will treat you as low as you have just proved yourself to be."

Spectra frowned as the King finally opened the door and left. She heard the front door slam shut, but did nothing to move from where she sat. But as she licked her lips, still tasting the male ghost on them, she darkly muttered, "Fine. We'll see about that…"

Meanwhile, the fuming Ghost King sped through the green atmosphere, trying to put as much distance as he could from what had just happened. He knew his friends were waiting for him, but he needed to go somewhere to compose himself first. He finally spotted a small floating isle that looked like a forest in the middle of Fall. But the King hardly noticed its beauty. His landing was very shaky, and he knew he was not as calm as he thought. As he noticed a stream nearby, he quickly went to it and fell to his knees, quickly grabbing some of the water and splashing it on his face. But no matter how many times he did that, not even the crisp, clean water could get rid of the disgust that had soaked down to his very core.

He suddenly stopped, but left his hand pressed against his face, while his other gripped against his chest. He was furious with himself, and furious with that horrid female!

_I'm a blasted fool! All this time I was trying to deny what I knew was true! She's despicable! How could she do this to her own sister?!"_

Vlad squeezed his eyes shut when he suddenly shuddered, unable to get rid of how…tainted he felt. The only person that had ever touched him against his will before Spectra had been Pariah. The twisted male always enjoyed to see him suffer like that. But even though his uncle's touch had been horrible, it wasn't as bad as it had been with Spectra just now. His core had changed since he took the Crown and Ring. It was so much more sensitive now for a reason he could never forget. And although his sensitivity allowed him to have a deeper sense of other ghost energies, among other things, it made him more venerable to certain things, including negative energies.

The king passed a hand through his tied hair as his eyes finally opened, a small flicker of fear in them as his thoughts went to something more important. He would get over this. He could even force himself to believe it never happened. But he was worried that his wife would find out. Not so much because she would be angry at him. After all, they trusted each other. And they both knew they would never be unfaithful to one another. But if Desiree knew what her sister had tried to do--for the King was sure she was intending much more than a kiss--Vlad was sure it would devastate her.

Desiree loved her sister in spite that it was now clear to Vlad that Spectra did not feel the same---no being who loved their sibling would disrespect her as she had now. The King knew his wife tried to ignore her sister's bad qualities and focus on the good. But if Desiree was to learn that her sister hardly had 'good' in her, it would be a big blow to her core. Vlad could not bring himself to hurt his wife like that.

"This never happened," he told himself as he suddenly stood up, forcing himself to push back his distress. He didn't need this sort of grief right now. And neither did his wife.

Vlad sighed deeply before he lowered his hand from his symbol. He had wasted enough time. He needed to do what he had initially set out to do.

Quickly sensing his copy, who had gone with Wulf and Fright Knight, the King teleported the rest of the distance. In an instant, he was in a new place, with his copy beside him and his friends in front.

"Sorry for the delay," Vlad said soberly as he let his copy seep back into him.

"We understand, My Liege" Fright Knight replied.

"I agree," Wulf said right after. "But now that you are here, should I open the barrier?"

Vlad looked over at a single Energy Nova floating alone a few feet away. But it was not circular as the others, but was more oval. Still, it spun in the same manner.

"Yes, I need to leave."

Wulf nodded, before his claws began to glow. With one quick swipe, the ghost created a green gash through the strange-shaped Energy Nova. As Wulf pulled on it, making it larger, Fright Knight and Vlad floated forward.

"Be careful, My King. We will await your return," the ghost knight said, while the werewolf-like one nodded and smiled in agreement.

Vlad placed a hand on each of his friends and softly asked once more, "Watch over my family."

They nodded; and with a small smile, the King entered the green opening. When he reached the other side, the gash quickly closed, leaving him trapped inside the oval-shaped Nova. But also inside, was a lone, closed, circular metal door. Plasmius floated up to it, and placed his hand against it.

It suddenly came to life, strange red lights around it turning on as well. In another instant, the metal door opened, revealing another green entry way. As the King entered it, there was a flash of black light, before the steel door shut behind him.

* * *

"Well, I think I can explain why you are having these sudden moments of weakness," the Queen's doctor, Kuracisto, said as he finished checking her.

Dora was currently in the room with her best friend; so she was intently listening as the doctor continued.

"Your core is unstable. For some reason, it is trying to produce extra amounts of ghost energy. And when it cannot extract it fast enough from the ambient energy, it begins pulling it away from your own body; hence the feelings of lightheadedness and weakness."

Dora and Desiree shared a look, before the Queen asked, "Well, do you know the reason why my core is unstable?"

The doctor crossed his arms, a thoughtful look on his face. "I can only conclude that your core is trying to make more energy because your system is demanding it. But why, is really the question. However, I can think of two very possible reasons why your body is putting so much work on your core. I believe either you are not eating enough to supply your body with its needed nutrients, or you are losing too much ghost energy from overusing your powers."

"You did not eat this morning," Dora said quickly, looking worriedly at her friend.

Desiree shook her head. "No. I had been eating fine _until_ I started getting these strange symptoms. As for overusing my powers…, I have not done anything significant lately. Ironically, I actually need to cast a strong spell by the end of the week. If I would have done so already, then I could understand your theory, Kuracisto . But I am certain I have not used my powers in any significant way for a long time…"

"Hmm," the male ghost said thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is one of your past spells. It is known throughout our world that it is one of your spells that keep the permanent portals from opening, save for five of them. I am sure that had to take a tremendous amount of energy, my Queen."

But Desiree was still unconvinced. "I cast that spell over ten years ago. And I only slightly strengthen it every five years or so. I have casted many spells; and although they do drain me at times, I recover after a bit of rest. "

"But do they not stay connected to you? It is only through your existence that your spells can stay intact, correct? Have you considered that perhaps even your strong powers might have limit?" the doctor questioned, certain that her troubles were due to her spell casting. It was the only conceivable reason.

Desiree frowned. "That is true. But even so, all of my strongest spells have been combined with other powers, so that they remained permanently intact." She paused as she looked over at Dora, who looked away. Desiree knew now that she knew just about everything concerning the secrets of the past; and by her reaction, the Queen could tell she was still uncomfortable with it. She remembered at that moment that Vlad had asked her to speak to her about it. She would have to do that once they left from here…

Returning back to matter at hands, Desiree spoke up again. "The only spell I have ever casted using only my own energy directly has been the one on the Infi-Map. So, with all due respect, Kuracisto, my powers might have a limit, but I have learned to use them well."

The doctor didn't reply right away. But he then said, "Well, the good news is that your condition does not appear to be life-threatening or permanent. I advise that you rest for this week. And I do understand you have duties to fulfill, but I advise that if you are still having these symptoms that you do not cast any spells. Actually, you should avoid using your powers completely until you are better. And perhaps you should also increase your consumption of food."

Desiree sighed, not very happy about the latter when she hardly had much appetite lately; but she still nodded. If it was going to make her better than so be it.

"What about my being ill?" she asked, remembering how she had been getting Danny ready that morning and had to abruptly leave him to rush to the bathroom.

"That I cannot say," he said, frowning a bit. He really was having a hard time diagnosing the Queen's symptoms. "I initially thought you might have been catching some kind of cold. But you have no other symptoms. So, I can only conclude that it could be a random affect from your own unstable core. Either way, I think I can help you get better sooner." The doctor moved to a cabinet and took out a glass jar with clear little capsules; but they were actually brightly glowing white and if inspected closer one could see that whatever was inside it was slowly spinning."

"Since your condition really comes down to your body needing more energy, I'm going to give you these capsules. They are purified energy from a Nova. It should help exceedingly."

Desiree grabbed the jar and looked at it, before smiling at the doctor. "Very well. I will do as you ask. Thank you."

"Of course, my Queen. But I would like you to come back to see me if your condition worsens or if it does not begin to get better, okay?"

Desiree nodded. And after a few more instructions and words of gratitude, she left with Dora. As they left the small cottage clinic, the ghost mage sighed. "I hope he is not right. Could you imagine if I lost my powers?" she said, looking fearfully at her friend.

Dora shook her head. "Come now, milady. You are overreacting. He said this was not anything permanent. I am most certain you have just been doing too much lately. And your worry for the King must also be taking its toll on you."

Desiree's saddened, and she suddenly felt like crying. "He left again today. I know he says he will return at a certain time, but very often things come up that keep him from returning until later. Sometimes I wish he could just do away with those responsibilities. It's just all so frustrating!" she said, abruptly becoming angry.

Dora jolted a little, before looking at her friend, and realizing she was crying. The dragon maid knew the Queen worried all the time when her husband left, but she never got this bad. "Oh, milady, please do not be so upset! The King will be just fine! He always is! I…" Dora suddenly trailed off as her gaze fell. "I now understand why he must make such trips. And I can now say with even more assurance that my lord's strength and bravery knows no bounds. But I cannot help but fear some of things I have recently been told…"

"Dora," Desiree said, forcing herself to calm down. "You of all ghosts must understand that the things that happen to us are not what matter, but what we do with those things. Most of us were formed during the time that our world was oppressed by Pariah. And as a dragon ghost, you know just how bad that oppression was. But you did not allow that to mark who you are now. Well, Vlad has not allowed his own misfortunes to mark who he is now, either. In fact, he has taken the worst of it and made it into something positive, something of use. In the end, the things he does is for the good of our world."

Dora nodded. "Yes, you are right, milady. Forgive my insecurity. But I, too, worry for him. You are more special to me than my own brother, milady. And that means that the King is also special to me. And whatever affects you both, affects me. The truth is, it worries me."

"Do you remember what your brother said the day we both went to talk him?" Desiree asked. "He said that Vlad had been tainted by Pariah's evil for accepting the Ring and Crown. Well, he's wrong. My husband is not tainted; in fact, it's quite the opposite. His core is more pure and sensitive than what is healthy. It came with what happened to him. For so long, I could barely touch him without hurting him... It was terrible." Desiree paused as she suddenly thought of something else, or rather, _someone_ else…

"Truly? That must have been hard," Dora said sympathetically. "Is it better now?"

Desiree nodded. "He had to practically learn to use his core again. But he has done well now. At least, he has no trouble with being touched by those he is use to. But the point is that Vlad's misfortunes have not changed who he is, Dora. He is still the same ghost you have known for many years now. So, please, do not fear his circumstances."

Dora placed a hand against her friend's symbol. "Thank you, milady. I feel more at ease now. And I will be sure to apologize to the King. I think it's the least I could do for doubting his cause."

"Don't worry, Dora. Vlad understands. I can assure you, he is not upset. He was worried about _you_ more than anything. And I do hope things go well for him. I miss him already," she said, sniffing a bit.

Dora smiled reassuringly. "Milady, do not cry again. The days will move by quickly, you will see. After all, you do have the Prince to distract you."

Desiree brightened significantly. "Yes, thank the heavens for that. You know, I think I will go pick him up from school. We can go to the marketplace with him and get him one of those treats he likes so much."

"But, milady, the doctor advised you to rest," Dora said, unsure.

Desiree waved off the comment. "I can do that after I go to the marketplace. Besides, he did say to eat more. I think my appetite is returning, and I know _exactly_ what I desire."

Dora gave her a bewildered look as they headed towards Danny's school, but otherwise said nothing.

* * *

"Welcome back, Mr. Masters," Vladimir's secretary greeted him. "How was your stay in London?"

"Fine. Thank you," the young billionaire answered offhandedly as he flipped through some documents inside a folder. "Here, have these two contracts delivered to my second branch of DALV cooperation as soon as possible. I also need the list of expenditures from the past five months. I do not plan to stay long in Wisconsin; so I need to make sure everything is moving as it should before my departure. "

"Yes, sir. Then, I assume you will like me to schedule your meetings within this week? Or weeks?" she replied.

"No. Schedule them within the next two days."

The woman jolted slightly in surprise, but knowing better than to question her employer, she answered, "Yes, sir. I will do my best."

"I should hope so," he said coolly before moving to leave to his office.

"Oh, sir?" she quickly said, causing him to halt in his steps. She gulped at the slight annoyance in his cold blue eyes as he turned to look at her. "I wanted to ask if you wanted me to send notice to all your other industries of your return."

"Yes. Tell them to send me all the usual, including a detailed report of their actions during my absence. Also, advise them that I might be paying them a visit. It all depends how long I decide to stay," he replied, before turning away and heading to his office.

As he opened the door, he frowned in thought. He could never remember that woman's name for the life of him. Was her name Eleanor? Or, no, it started with an 'H'. It was something chan. Or chin? Eleanor chin? Harriet Chin?

Vladimir shook his head. It hardly matter what her name was. He had four secretaries, one for each of the major companies that he owned. It hardly mattered what their names were as long as they fulfilled their purposes. Still, by the stacks of papers he had on his desk and on hand, he was going to have to talk to at least a few of the other people whose names he also didn't recall.

No matter. He kept a detailed list of the people to which he had ties. He would just make sure to review the list before he called or met with anyone. After all, it was never good business to not recall the name of someone who was about to buy a several million dollar investment from you.

The billionaire dropped the papers on top of his desk, ignoring the several stacks already there. He would get them done soon enough. But he was not interested at the moment, and decided to step over to the large window in his office.

He stared impassively at the streets far below, crowded with people and cars. They all looked like hectic little ants, too engrossed in their every day duties to notice the rest of the world around them. It was pitiful at best.

The man's gaze rose towards the distance and his eyes surprisingly softened as he stared at the trees, blanketed in snow. It was December; so the blanket of several inches of deep ice did not surprise him. But it sure was a refreshing sight. His eyes then drifted upward. Scanning all around, he couldn't help but take in the one thing he really admired about this place: the sky. Or more specifically, the large bright orb that gave that sky and everything else around, including the snow, its vivid colors. The sight was nice enough to just contemplate all day…

"Ring!"

Vladimir sighed in annoyance as he turned to look at the phone on his desk. "I truly despise those blasted things," he grumbled, before walking over to the phone. And noticing it was the line connecting to his secretary, he answered it, and asked, "Did we not just speak mere minutes ago? So, then, why are you disturbing me again?"

The woman hesitated in her reply, obviously a bit scared, "I-I apologize, sir. But I have a very important call. And I thought you might want to know about it."

"Who is it?" he asked coolly. And when she told him, he frowned in confusion. Who was that again?

"Give me a moment," Vladimir asked before lowering the phone and heading over to a filing cabinet. He quickly sorted through it before pulling out a file. He flipped through it, before landing on a picture of the person in question.

"Oh, it's him," the billionaire said with slight displeasure. He signed again as he went back to the phone, flipping through the file to see when the last time that he had met with this person and why.

"Connect me, please," he told his secretary as he leaned against the edge of his desk and continued to read.

"Right away, sir," she said, before there was a click.

After a slight pause there was a male voice on the other line, _"Vladimir Masters? It's Thurston Jeremy Manson." _

"Yes, I recognized your voice. What can I do for you, Mr. Manson?" Vladimir asked casually.

"_Please, call me, Thurston. Or 'Jeremy' even." _But when the billionaire did not reply, the other man continued. _"Well, I had hoped to meet with you. I was going to leave a message with your secretary, since last time I heard, you were out of the country. But what luck that I catch you on your first day back!"_

"Indeed," the billionaire replied, though he slightly rolled his eyes.

"_But as I said, I have a business offer I wish to discuss with you in person."_

"I see. Unfortunately, I will not be in the country for very long. So, unless you can somehow fly over here by tomorrow, I am unsure if we could have this meeting," the man replied.

"_Well, would you believe that I am in Wisconsin at this moment?"_

Vladimir slightly frowned. "Are you now?"

"_Yes. Ironically, my family and I came to spend the weekend. That, however, is the problem. Our flight back is scheduled for tomorrow morning. And although I could easily extend it, my daughter is already missing school today. It would not be good that I make her miss another day."_

"I suppose... But then, what is it that you are asking me? I hardly can travel to Amity Park myself. I have many things to take care of here as it is."

"_Oh, goodness no! I would never ask something so crude, Mr. Masters. What I had hoped is that we could meet today," _Mr. Mason said.

"Today?" Vladimir repeated, before glancing at the large stack of papers behind him. "I do not believe that possible… Jeremy."

"_I see… Well, then, when do you believe you will be in town again?"_

Vladimir looked over at the window as he thought of the question. "In a couple months at the earliest," he answered, but then sighed to himself. It was unwise to blow off this man, being that he had connections to someone more important. And the billionaire could not afford to get on that _other_ person's 'bad side.'

"Do you believe this business offer will be of great importance to me?" Vladimir suddenly asked.

"_Oh, yes. I wish I could discuss it over the phone, but it is a very sensitive topic. But I can assure you, it will be worth your time."_

"Very well," Vladimir said. "However, I cannot meet you right now. I have many things to get done. So, might I offer my house? Perhaps we could talk about this over dinner?"

"_Wow. I-I mean, it would be a true honor, really. But my family and I leave early in the morning, so I'm not sure if we could make such a long drive…"_

Vladimir glared at the phone. This blasted man was trying his patience! Still, the billionaire kept his calm tone of voice as he said, "If that is the case, then I will gladly offer you my house for the night as well. You and your family can depart from my mansion in the morning."

There was a pause, before the man's voice staggered out, _"I-I, really? I-I, no, I could not possibly impose. My family---"_

"--is welcomed to come with you. It would be an honor to be theirs and your host, even if it is regrettably for a day," Vladimir cut him off calmly, though he was glaring furiously out the window. The last thing he wanted was to have some rich dolt in this private home; but he had to make sure he kept his connections happy. They, after all, had their usefulness.

"_Alright! And thank you, Mr. Masters! Really! I_---"

"Think nothing of it," Vladimir interrupted again. "Ta for now." The billionaire terminated the call before the other man could say anything. Slamming the phone down, he went around and sat on his desk.

He rubbed his temple as he muttered, "just a couple of days…" He sighed deeply once more, before looking back at the folders on his desk. And without anymore hesitation, he grabbed the closest one and opened it.

* * *

"I have been wondering when you would show," Thomas said as Penelope entered his office with Bertrand in his humanoid form behind her.

The woman—or, rather, female ghost--- rolled her eyes as he replied, "You are lucky I came at all. It is getting harder and harder to make it out here. In fact, I almost got caught by Plasmius earlier today."

The leader of the 'GiW' raised a curious eyebrow. "Really? And how did that go?"

"Oh, I just came up with a little story and then gave him something more important to worry about before he could question it," she said, a wicked smirk on her lips.

Bertrand frowned, wondering what she was talking about. All she had said to him was that Plasmius had bought their story and had destroyed the human item. But she made it sound like something more had happened. Did he even want to know?

Bertrand shook his head, as Thomas spoke again, voicing his own thoughts, "Do I even want to know?"

"Who said I was going to tell you?" she replied with a mockingly sweet voice.

Tom rolled his eyes, before looking over at the male ghost. "Did you manage to bring what I need?"

Bertrand reached inside his coat and pulled out a small bottle of a white glowing substance. "Clear spectral paint."

"Good," the man said, before gesturing to them to follow him out of his office. As they walked down a hallway, he spoke again, "You both have pretty good timing. I just finished the device yesterday. It needs to be tested first, though."

"Bertrand will try it out, right, Bertrand?" Spectra said, smiling at her partner.

"What? I am _not_ being used to try out some device made by ghost hunters!" he quickly protested, though he kept his voice lowered just in case they ran to anyone in the hallway.

"Relax. It is harmless," Thomas waved off; but then he smirked at the human-looking female beside him as he added, "And even so, _you_ will have to be the one to test it, Penelope."

The green-eyed female ghost frowned. "And why me?"

"I will explain in a moment," he only said.

As they finally made it to one of the many testing labs, Thomas locked the lab's entrance before heading to a small vault and quickly typed in the password to open it. When he did, he pulled out a single black band, looking suspiciously like a common woman's bracelet.

"Is that it?" Spectra asked as the man brought it over to a work bench.

"Yes," he said with a smirk, before extending a hand towards Bertrand without a word.

Knowing what he wanted, the male ghost handed over the glowing jar. Thomas quickly opened it before setting it down on the table. He then grabbed a nearby paint brush, and a set of prongs. As he held up the 'bracelet' with the prongs, he dipped the brush into the glowing clear liquid. He then carefully began to coat the black band with the clear painting, and it slowly began to take on a white hue, making it slowly begin to look less like a human item, and more like a ghost one.

Penelope smiled over a Bertrand, before Thomas walked over to a small chamber. He pressed some buttons before putting the bracelet inside. As the machine turned on, sounding much like a vacuum chamber, Tom spoke again, "As you know, that coating will not last forever. After all, ghost and human _things_ do not exactly mix."

Spectra chuckled at the slight tone of disgust in the man's voice, but otherwise nodded. "As long as I can wear it without it phasing through my wrist and without someone realizing it is a human bracelet, then I don't think that will be a big deal. If I'm lucky, I can do this by tomorrow. Plasmius went on one of his trips again; so, I should have no trouble visiting my little nephew."

As the machine beeped, announcing it was done, the Guy-in-White frowned as he asked, "You are always telling me that he goes on 'trips'. But where does he go? Do you even know?"

Spectra shrugged as she watched the man take out the bracelet from the machine.

But then Bertrand suddenly answered for her, "Many wonder that. But I honestly think he comes here, to the human world, that is."

Thomas quickly turned his eyes to the male ghost as he slightly glared at the thought. "What? Why would he constantly come here? Unless… He really is planning an attack! And you two…"

"Whoa!" Spectra said when she saw his suspicious look all the sudden. "Don't jump the gun! And don't go thinking I'm working for the Ghost King again. I thought we got past that part years ago."

"Then why would he continuously be coming here?" Tom asked, still slightly suspicious. "And furthermore, how _could_ he be doing it without being discovered? There are ghost facilities just about everywhere! And I have agents constantly scanning for anything with a spectral signature! His presence would be detected at some point or another. No! It's not possible!" the man angrily denied. Just the thought of the Ghost King being able to come to the human world without detection made him furious!

"Look, calm down," Spectra said with an eye roll. "There is no way Plasmius could come here without being found out---as you just showed. If he _has_ come here since Dark's defeat, then it could not be more than two or three times. One of them being when I took the ghost dragon and he came out here to look for it---or so Walker told me."

"Even if it is a couple of times, how the hell does he do it?" Tom growled. How did the Ghost King keep eluding him?!

Penelope shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. You are going to make him come to you anyways, right? Let's just focus on getting everything set up."

Thomas clenched his teeth, but said nothing else and headed back to the workbench. The female ghost quickly took the opportunity to hiss at her partner in Ghost Speech, _"Do you want to __**stop**__ running your mouth before you ruin everything?!"_

"_I don't see how telling him that Plasmius might make trips here is going to ruin anything!"_ Bertrand replied back angrily in the same speech. _"Or, is it that you're __**scared**__ that Plasmius will be harmed? Is that it, Spectra?"_

"_Oh, don't start with your bouts of jealousy!"_ she snapped back. _"First of all, you know I'm not the type to settle down with __**anyone**__; so, I don't really need to even explain myself to you, do I? And secondly, I have bigger plans for Vlad to just let him get wasted by this pathetic human!"_

"_Wait, what? I thought this was all to have Plasmius out of the way!"_ Bertrand whispered back angrily.

"_I just want this human to believe that, alright? Look, we will talk about this later. Just be quiet and don't tell him anything else!"_ Penelope quickly ordered before moving away from the male ghost and heading over to the human male.

Bertrand glared furiously as he stared after the female ghost. All this time, she had made him believe Plasmius was going to be killed, and now she was telling him she did not want that? What was she playing at?

As he continue to fume, Spectra watched as Tom continued to program what was obviously not a regular bracelet---No bracelet would contain a small compartment with internal gearing within it.

"You know," Tom began in a cool voice, "Your little acts of secrecy with your lover over there hardly inspire much trust from me."

Penelope let out a sharp laugh. "Lover? That's cute. And as for gaining your trust, who said I wanted to gain it? Or haven't you realized that I'm only helping you because it benefits _me_?"

"Of course, I realize. But you overestimate my need of you, Penelope," he replied calmly, though there was hidden threat in his voice; and it only got more prominent as he added, "I promise you that if I find out you are double-crossing me, I will kill you."

"Well, then, I better keep you needing me, huh?" she said with a smirk.

He briefly glared at her. But Tom just suddenly closed the open compartment on the bracelet, causing it to beep before it silenced. "Here," he said seriously, giving her the now disguised human object.

Spectra hesitantly took it; but because of the spectral coating of paint, she did not need to solidify her form any more, nor did she need her energy to touch it. She stared at the black band for a moment, before slipping it on. The band made no indication of any reaction, and she frowned in confusion. "So, how does it work?"

"It has to be in closer contact with a ghost's core to pick up their energy signature…," Tom said with a slightly evil smile on his face.

Spectra quickly knew what he meant and frowned. "I'm not using this on me, if that's the case."

Thomas chuckled. "I told you, it's harmless. Or it should be… Either way, you need to test it now to make sure it works. And also because it needs to register your ghost signature. Otherwise, it might not properly register any other since it might confuse it with yours."

But Spectra still did not look very convinced. Even so, she knew she did not have much of a choice. She looked back at Bertrand, who had now moved closer to see what they were doing, and said, "If this kills me, you kill him, got it?"

Bertrand looked over at Tom and grinned darkly. "Got it."

Tom raised an eyebrow at the ghost's challenge. The pathetic thing obviously did not know with whom he was dealing. But he was going to make sure he realized one of these days…

Penelope hesitated slightly, before turning into her real shadow form. And with a slight cringe, she placed the hand adorning the bracelet against her symbol. The bracelet lit up with a barely visible flash of light, before it vanished with a sound of a single beep a few seconds later.

"Here, give it to me," Tom said, as he extended a hand towards the female ghost.

Spectra blinked in surprise, before muttering, "That's it. I did not feel anything."

"As I said, it is harmless," Tom said, looking slightly aggravated with the fact. In any other case, he would have made sure to add something to make it painful to ghost. But since this part of the plan required stealth, he had to abstain from adding any feature on the device that might give them away or even remotely harm the 'target' ghost.

Getting the device back, the Guy-in-White quickly grabbed a nearby tool and opened the barely visible compartment. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out something similar to a PDA. As he pulled out a memory chip from the bracelet, he turned on the hand-device. He soon slipped the chip into the PDA-like device and it began to beep.

"Go invisible and move somewhere else," Tom ordered distractingly as he began to type something into the handheld device.

Spectra, looking somewhat confused, still did as she was told. A moment later, the PDA began to beep and Tom walked forward. As he got closer to the female ghost's unknown location, it began to beep more loudly and rapidly. And by the time he was standing in front of the invisible shadow ghost, it had turned into a steady beep--much like the one given off by a heart monitor after a person has expired.

Spectra became visible again; and as she switched back to her humanoid form again, she smirked. "So, that's how it works…"

"Yes," Tom said. "All you have to do now is get close enough to the Ghost King's spawn for the bracelet to memorize his energy signature. It should be able to in a matter of a few seconds; so I highly doubt it will give you any trouble."

But Bertrand quickly spoke up. "Wait. Are you sure you can do that, Spectra? Do you remember what happened the only time you touched your nephew?"

Penelope frowned as she recalled the child's presentation day and how bad he had reacted to her touch. It had been strange. But she now knew why the newly-formed child had reacted like that. Desiree had explained to her that Danny's core was overly sensitive. But the kid sure did not get that weirdness from her and her sister's side of the gene pool.

The female ghost suddenly smirked as she realized something. Or, rather, remembered something. Vlad's reaction to her today had been shocking at the least. She had expected him to protest at first, being that he was so in love with her dear sister. But he was male, and all males had a hard time resisting temptation when it was literally right on top of them---or so she had thought. No, his reaction had been more than his 'moral side' kicking in. He had acted like she had physically attacked him! Could it be that Vlad had the same problem as Danny…?

"Spectra!"

The female ghost jolted slightly at finally hearing Bertrand's voice calling her. She blinked as she pushed back her thoughts and focused again on the two males beside her, whom both looked confused by her sudden inattentiveness.

"Oh, what? I wasn't paying attention," she said with a small smile.

Tom rolled his eyes, but Bertrand, sounding slightly annoyed, repeated his question, "I said, what are you going to do if the brat reacts the same way as that one time?"

Penelope shrugged. "He was just a baby, then. I'm sure he won't care. But if he does, I don't really care, either. I am his aunt, after all. I have every right to touch him if I want," she said with a wicked smile on her face.

"Then, I can say that all my parts are now done, Penelope," Thomas said, capturing her attention again. "The rest is up to you." The man quickly slipped the chip back into the bracelet before closing it and handing it to the female ghost. "I need his energy signature so I can track him. Once I have it, it is then up to you to lure him out here. How you do it, I don't care, as long as you make it happen. That little demon is the key to our success. Make sure not to mess up."

Spectra grinned evilly. "I never mess up."

* * *


	22. Chapter 20: Master Decievers

**I will be replying to last chapters reviews as you guys read, kay? Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But the AU plot is my own**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Master Deceivers**

"I would like to thank you again for your generosity!" Pamela Manson said with a smile, as they finished their formal introductions with their host.

Vladimir smiled pleasantly as he waved a hand in disregard. "Think nothing of it. It is my pleasure to have you all here. Come in. Dinner should be served shortly."

As Pamela stepped in with her husband, she turned slightly to look back at her daughter who was standing by the car. "Sammy-kins?" she called.

The amethyst-eyed girl turned her gaze towards her mom, "I'm coming," she mumbled, before looking back up at the huge castle towering over her. Why were they even here? This place was so creepy!

"_Bubele_, are you okay?" her grandmother asked, as their chauffeur helped her out of the car and onto her scooter.

Sam slowly looked over to the elder on her motorized scooter. She knew that her grandmother could walk, but she had difficulty doing so for long periods of time.

"Why did we have to come here, Grandma?" she whispered as she grabbed her hand and they began to head towards the entrance, where the owner of the house was waiting for them.

"Your father explained it to you, Sammy. He has some business to which to attend with the gentleman of this house," the woman explained.

"Well, I know that. But why did _we_ have to come, too?" she said, sounding slightly annoyed. She had been happy watching cartoons at the hotel.

"It's just for tonight," her grandmother replied. "Now, try to be polite, okay?"

Samantha sighed, but nodded as they stepped into the house. She briefly looked up at the tall man calmly waiting for them to come in, and noticed he was staring right back at her.

A little nervous, she grinned slightly and extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Samantha Manson."

Vladimir raised an eyebrow, before looking down at the child's hand. "So I was told," he replied calmly, only briefly taking her hand before looking at the eldest of the Mansons. "Mildred Manson, is it?"

"Yes," Sam's grandmother replied with a smile. "But, please, call me 'Millie."

The billionaire did not reply; and instead, silently gestured them in. As he turned away, he calmly placed his hands behind him and addressed all the adults once more. "The butler will take your things to the guest rooms. The dormitories are beside one another, just in case," the man said. "I had the maids set up three rooms, since I was unsure if…"

"Oh, no need for that, Mr. Masters. Samantha sleeps with her grandmother; so, two rooms are quite enough," Mrs. Manson replied, still smiling.

"Very well," Vladimir said, briefly glancing at the small child, before gesturing to everyone to follow him.

Sammy frowned at the man, before looking over at her grandmother. "I don't think he likes me," the little girl said to her.

"Nonsense," the elder woman said. "Of course he likes you. What's not to like?" she said warmly, before patting her lap. "Come on, I'll give you a lift."

The little girl brightened and quickly climbed up on her grandmother's lap before they rode after her parents and their host. As they reached the dining hall, the elderly woman stopped her scooter. And once Samantha had gotten off, the old woman grabbed her cane, and brought it forward.

"Mother, would you like some help?" Thurston Jeremy Manson asked, as he made a move toward the woman.

"I can carry alone fine, Jeremy. I'm old, not dead!" she snapped, getting to her feet and slowly walking over to the table.

"Mother!" her son exclaimed, before sighing in defeat. Mr. Mason looked embarrassingly at his host, and said, "I apologize. My mother is, well…I don't think I need to explain it..."

Vladimir glanced over at the elderly woman, before moving away from Mr. Mason and his wife without a word. The billionaire paused beside his second butler and said something to him, before turning back to his guests.

"Please," he said, gesturing for them to sit down.

As they waited to be served, there was an odd silence. But then, abruptly, their host pierced through it, his voice so casual that it was as if he had not notice how quiet it had just been.

"Exactly why are you in Wisconsin, Thurston? I find it odd that of all places to vacation you would come here."

"Why? Because of all the snow?" the man said, slightly teasing.

Vladimir raised an impassive eyebrow. "Of course not. Surely it is snowing over in Michigan as well. I ask because you mentioned that your daughter is currently in school and that she should have attended today. So, I assume you have a good reason for being in Wisconsin if you are forcing her to miss school. Or, am I wrong?"

Samantha looked over to the billionaire when she heard him say mention her. But she said nothing and just stared at the man and her father as they talked.

Jeremy nodded. "No, you are not wrong. We came here to meet with a highly recommended private tutor. As you know, Amity Park is small; and the only schools they offer are public schools. I feel our daughter would do much better if we could hire a private tutor instead of having to continue to subject her to the lesser education of public schooling."

"Nonsense!" the elderly woman suddenly interrupted. "You two are just trying to isolate the poor girl! It is unnatural to have a child confined in her home, no matter how big!"

"Millie," Pamela spoke up with a tired sigh. "We have talked about this. And in any case, this is hardly the time to argue about it."

"My wife is right, Mother," Jeremy concurred. "Besides, Samantha will have plenty of opportunities to socialize without the need of continuing to go to a public school. It's not like we are prohibiting her from keeping the friends she has made there---not that I don't have plenty of reasons why I should," he added as an afterthought, frowning at the memory of her daughter almost being harmed in the circus while under the watch of the Foleys that one time.

"You two are just…," the old woman grumbled, before looking over at the billionaire, who was clearly uninterested in the conversation. "What do you think, Mr. Masters?" she suddenly asked, a small smile forming on her face.

Vladimir jolted a bit, before looking over at the older of the two women there with a frown. "I highly doubt that my opinion matters in such a personal topic, nor do I feel inclined to give it."

Pamela smiled brightly at their host as she sweetly said, "But, of course, your opinion matters! And we really would love to hear it!"

The billionaire glanced over at the younger woman. But when he did not reply, Thurston spoke up, "Forgive us, this really is an impertinent question."

Vladimir waved his hand with disregard. "It's nothing of importance. I can understand how this is a very delicate decision. However, perhaps it is not the opinion of a stranger, per se, that you should care about. Why do you not simply ask your daughter what she wants?" he asked calmly.

The two parents looked at one another, before chuckling softly. "With all due respect, Mr. Masters," the child's father said, "You honestly cannot believe that a six-year-old would know what is good for her?"

Vladimir shrugged. "Seems unlikely. But is that more important than what makes her happy?"

"Well, no…It all depends, really," Pamela said, caught off-guard by the question, while the elder Mrs. Mason smiled with the billionaire's retort. "But we do what is best for her. And she is happy, right, Sammy-kins?"

Vladimir looked over at the little girl, who was staring at the adults with a firm frown on her face. She obviously was unhappy with the fact that she was being kept out of the conversation, while she **was** the conversation.

Still, when she heard her mom finally address her and noticed the billionaire's blue gaze on her, she smiled at the man and finally spoke up, "I want to stay in my school. I like it there! Tucker is there!"

Right then, the two butlers returned, ready to serve dinner; and the billionaire found a good excuse to change subjects. He had forgotten how annoying the Mansons could be. Well, the couple, that is. This was the first time he had met their daughter and the elderly woman. But the sooner they got down to the reason why he was putting up with them all, the sooner he could excuse himself from his 'guests'.

"You mentioned you had a business negotiation you wished to discuss with me," Vladimir began. "Though for some reason, you believe it is too delicate to discuss over the phone. So then, would you care to explain now?"

"Well, I had hoped we would be alone before I explained things…," Jeremy replied, glancing at his daughter. "But I suppose there is no harm in explaining it now. So, as you know, my brother and I have been running the family business for a good eight years now."

"Yes, the invention of an efficient cellophane machine has done the Manson bloodline well," Vladimir commented, before taking a sip of his beverage.

"But, sadly, and I am not sure you are aware; but my brother passed away a year ago," Jeremy said, just a little more quietly. "Of course, I have kept everything going. But… the company has grown so large since my grandfather Izzie founded it that, now, it's really meant to be run by at least two people, not one…"

"You have my sentiments for your loss," the billionaire said calmly. "But exactly what are you trying to propose with this?"

"Mr. Masters, you are one of the most successful men in the world. And we have many similar connections, in both the business and social world," the blond-haired man began, before he was interrupted by his wife.

"Indeed. I heard you are very close to my brother and his own line of work," she said.

Vladimir slightly frowned. "I would not say we are 'close'. However, yes, we do have some common interests and dealings. Nothing I would deem significant, though."

"Well, the point is that you already know how the business circle that I move in works. And so, I would like to offer you a partnership at Manson enterprises."

Vladimir raised an eyebrow. "That is quite an offer. However, I am not one to make hasty investments. And I am sorry to say that that is what this sounds like to me."

Thurston blushed a bit, but still pressed on. "I suppose this was a bit unexpected. But I do think a partnership between us would work. I would split the earnings of my company right down the middle with you. And you will have full say in its handling. Just think of it as your taking my brother's place. You will not need to make many more investments since everything is already moving smoothly. All this can really bring for you is gain, Mr. Masters."

The billionaire was quiet for a moment, before nodding. "I will need to see the figures, the share holds; in short, everything, before I give you an answer. As promising as it sounds, I still want to be sure my joining your enterprise will be of benefit to me."

"Perfect! We can schedule a meeting on your return. But, for now, I did bring the numbers and such. We can perhaps discuss them after dinner?"

The billionaire nodded. But before he could reply, his attention went to the little girl on the table as she whispered to her mom, "Mommy, I don't like this," she said, poking at her meat. "Can I just eat the veggies?"

"Sammy-kins," her mother gently scolded. "At least eat a little bit of it. It is good for you. You know growing young ladies need to have a balanced diet."

Samantha made a face as her mom cut off a piece of her steak and brought it up for her to eat. She pouted a bit more, before reluctantly opening her mouth. She quickly chewed it down, before sticking out her tongue in disgust. Of course, her mother scolded her for her bad mannerism.

The entire time, Vladimir had been watching the interaction. And when the girl continued to protest against eating what her mother wanted her to, a ghost of a smile actually passed Vladimir's lips, but it was gone before anyone noticed it. Well, everyone except for the elderly Mrs. Manson. But she just secretly smiled a bit to herself, and just returned to her meal.

About an hour later, Thurston and Vladimir were in the man's private office. They had been talking about business mostly, but their conversation took a slight turn, as Jeremy commented, "You will have to allow me to host you at my own home someday. I feel indebted to your generosity."

Vladimir moved over to a small bar in his office as he commented, "I told you; think nothing of it. And I do appreciate your offer. However, as you know, I hardly travel to Amity Park. I do not have any significant business there—or any part of Michigan at that. Would you care for a drink?" he then asked, showing his guest a bottle of scotch.

"Oh, no, thank you," Mr. Manson replied, "I only drink wine."

"Then, would you care for that?" the billionaire questioned calmly.

"Yes, please. That is, if it not too much trouble." But when the bachelor did not reply, Jeremy continued, "As for your previous comment, could I then ask you to take it into consideration if you are ever in town again?"

"Of course," the other man answered, without looking at him. He finished pouring the wine in a glass, before taking out a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and pouring it into another wine glass.

"Thank you," Jeremy said when the man returned back to him and offered him the glass of wine. But when he saw what the man was drinking, he gave him a curious look, as he questioned, "Is that water? You do not drink alcoholic beverages?"

Vladimir looked down at his glass of water, before looking back at the man. But instead of replying to his question, he asked, "Thurston, out of curiosity, just why did you decide to settle down in such a small town in Michigan? You are obviously an entrepreneur, much like myself. So, I fail to see how a place like Amity Park could benefit you."

Mr. Manson chuckled and nodded in agreement, forgetting all about his own question. "I suppose I agree. As far as 'business expansion' goes, Amity Park hardly promises much of it. But we decided to live in Amity for several reasons, really. One of them has to do with my wife. She wanted to stay close to the only family member she has left. And I could not deny her that, especially when she has been more than happy to have my mother living with us. But we also thought it would be best for our young Samantha. I know it seems we are trying to keep her away from the world, and I suppose to some extent we are. However, we did want her to grow up in a calm place, away from too many cameras. As you know, when you own a successful company---or in your case, several---your life is hardly private. But at least I know that in Amity Park _my daughter's_ life can actually keep a little of that privacy."

"Until you take her away from the quietness of her hometown and bring her right in front of the spotlights," Vladimir commented, before taking a sip of his water, while wondering just why their conversations almost always ended up with the child. But it was true. The billionaire knew the Manson parents liked to flaunt their riches and loved all the social gatherings and such things. So, he was sure they did not keep their daughter out of those things.

"Well, the 'spotlights' cannot be taken away entirely, nor do I believe we should keep her away from it completely. It is part of who she is. She is a Manson. And that is just part of being one. She is still young. But she is learning how to compose herself when we are in higher circles," the father finished with a small smile.

"Hmm. I see," was all the other man said. But then realizing they were still standing, he quickly offered his guest a seat, before sitting himself.

But as they did, Thurston raised an eyebrow at his host and commented, "Since we are on the subject, how do _you_ keep your personal life away from the spotlights? For a man as rich and renowned as you, not much is known about you, Mr. Masters."

Vladimir shrugged lightly. "I suppose it helps that I live in the middle of nowhere."

The other man chuckled again. "Yes, I suppose that is true. But, if you do not mind me asking, how would _you_ do it? I mean, if you ever married, that is. Do you still think you could keep your privacy? It's one thing to keep yourself in the shadows, per se. But it's quite another--and not so easy—to keep _a family_ hidden from the press. Not to mention, it might be even harder for you when most of your businesses are found in very popular places. So then, even the forest-made covers of Wisconsin could only offer so much privacy, Mr. Masters…"

The billionaire leaned slightly back against his chair; and while he rested the glass of water in his left hand against one of the chair's arm rests, his pointer finger drummed calmly against the glass. There was a small pause, as Vladimir clearly pondered the other man's words. But then, he shrugged lightly again and dismissively answered, "It does sound like a challenge. But being that I am not interested in settling down with any woman, let alone raising a family with her, then, I do not have to worry about such things, do I? Ultimately, my interests lie on other things."

"Such as?" Jeremy asked, slightly confused and perturbed that the man had no interest in ever having a family. "I fail to understand. After all, you already have enough wealth to last you several lifetimes."

"Wealth means power, Jeremy," Vladimir said seriously. "And society says we can never have enough of it. Besides, it takes a great deal of time to maintain my image and what I do." The man waved his hand dismissively as he commented, "I hardly have any time to spare on a 'Mrs. Masters' and a 'young Masters."

But then with a raised eyebrow, he added, "So you see, that is where you and I differ. And yet, I must say that I am impressed with your ability to balance both your fortune and family in your life. Then again, you hardly are up to par with me when it comes to power---not to offend you, or anything of the sort. I simply state the truth."

Jeremy nodded, though the comment did slightly bother him. Still, he brushed it off, and replied, "Well, there are hardly many men who can compare to you, Mr. Masters. And I do not mind that I'm not one of those men who can. I am satisfied with what I have. I am satisfied because I can also have a family. And they have brought me more joy than any of my wealth---no offence, of course."

"Of course," Vladimir said calmly, before standing up and moving toward his nearby office desk. He reached for the folder on top of it which Thurston had previously given to him, before returning back to his seat. It was the details of the business offer, and they had long since gone over them. The billionaire had to admit. It was an enticing offer. One he was greatly considering accepting. After all, he did not have a business in Michigan. And although the business company itself was nowhere near Amity Park, it was still in the same state. This could be very beneficial, after all. And now that he had been able to gauge his male guest's personality a little more, Vladimir could be fairly sure that he could have the man do as he wanted. Thurston was not as greedy as most men he knew, making the man a bit less likely to attempt to betray their partnership in some way. But the man was still greedy enough to manipulate…

"Thurston," Vladimir suddenly spoke up, looking back at the man. "I would still like to review the details of your offer some more and I will have to see your business first hand, too, of course. But I can tell you that I am greatly considering accepting your partnership. And if everything is to my liking, I will be accepting it."

Mr. Manson smiled in delight. "That is excellent news! I am most certain you will not regret your decision."

"So am I. Otherwise, I would not even consider it," the billionaire replied.

Mr. Manson nodded, before lifting his glass in a toast and smiling. "To our future partnership, then?"

"To our future partnership," Vladimir replied calmly, returning the gesture.

* * *

"Spectra?" Bertrand whispered as they quietly floated through the silent corridors of the royal palace. "Do we really have to do this now? What if we get caught?"

"You complain too much. Did you know that?" she whispered back, annoyed, as she curved around the corner of another hallway. "But to answer your question: 'yes', we need to do this now. It's like what? Eleven at night? Danny's sleeping by now. This is the best time to do this."

"But what if we get caught?" he pressed again.

"We will be if you don't be quiet!" she hissed, briefly glaring back at him.

Bertrand frowned; but did not say anymore. Of course, she was not worried. There was only so much anyone could do to her, being that she was the Queen's sibling. But, him? He would be executed if anyone found out that he was an accomplice in their plan to bring down the Ghost King---then again, he still wasn't even sure if that was what this was all about anymore. Since their visit to that human hunter a couple of hours ago, Spectra had yet to tell him exactly what she was trying to accomplish when all was said and done.

She was lucky he had such strong feelings for her and that they were such a good team. Otherwise, Bertrand would have thrown in the towel with all this. He hated being left in the dark. But he _really_ hated having to attempt to _carry out a plan_ in the dark! And he refused to continue to do the latter for much longer, too! Spectra was going to tell him exactly what was going on tonight, even if he had to force it out of her!

The shape-shifter pulled out of his thoughts as they finally reached Danny's room. Spectra pressed a finger against her lips and gestured for him to follow her in, before she quietly opened the door. As they floated in, they passed the child's playroom and lounge room, before they came to a second door, which led into the actual bedroom.

An evil smirk grew on the female shadow ghost's lips as she slowly opened the door. Her eyes quickly became a brighter red---as did her partner's---as they entered the pitch dark room. Of course, to them, it was anything but that thanks to their nocturnal vision. And it was why a deep frown came over Spectra's face when she quickly spotted the Prince's bed and found it completely empty.

"He's not here?" Bertrand asked in surprise.

Spectra sighed in aggravation. "Great. I forgot that Danny very commonly sleeps with Desiree when Vlad's not home."

"So, I guess we better leave?" Bertrand replied, uncertainly.

"Maybe," she muttered thoughtfully. But then suddenly she moved right pass Bertrand, quickly heading back out.

The shape-shifter gasped at the determined air in her movements. "Spectra, wait! You're not going to---"

But she cut him off. "Of course I am. Come on."

Bertrand did not hesitate to protest, even though he followed after her. "Spectra, look, would you slow down and think for a moment?" he whispered urgently now that they were back in the hallways again. "We have at least a couple of days before Plasmius comes back; so why does it have to be **today**?"

"Because, it's not just about getting Danny's energy signature. I also need to find something out," she replied, thinking about that incident with Plasmius, and her discovery that he just might have a sensitive core like her nephew.

"'Find something out?' Spectra, what are you talking about?" he asked, confused.

"I'll tell you later," she said offhandedly.

But Bertrand had enough. "No," he said, loud enough to make the female ghost stop and frown at him. "I'm not doing anything else until you tell me everything!" he said angrily. "What's going on? I thought we were partners? Or are you going to tell me that we are not even that, either?"

Spectra mentally growled. She hated when he got like this. Typically, she did tell Bertrand exactly what was on her mind. But she also wasn't dumb. She knew the male ghost had his eyes set on her. Too bad he was wasting his time---though, he did not have to know that.

Still, she could not tell him everything; since she was sure his jealousy would not let him understand her plan in its entirety. But knowing she needed to say something now before he got any worse, Spectra quickly gave him a sweet and somewhat apologetic smile.

"Of course we are partners. And much more even. And you're right. I have not been completely honest with you. But, can you just trust me on this? I promise I will explain everything right after we do this one thing? It'll take, like, a minute, okay?" she asked pleadingly, before lightly touching his symbol, making sure to use the hand not adorning the bracelet.

Bertrand quickly deflated; and tensed just slightly in surprise. It was so rare when she showed him this kind of affection that it very often caught him off-guard. And this time was no different. Appeased, the male ghost could only nod in response.

She grinned in delight, before quickly turning and heading down to her sister's private room. Like the Prince's room, they had to walk through the lounge and other rooms before reaching the actual dormitory. And just as they got to the bedroom door, Spectra gestured at Bertrand to wait for her just outside of it.

He nodded, before she carefully opened the door and entered. Her red eyes narrowed as she instantly spotted her sister curled up on the bed with the six-year-old child for whom she had been looking. The Prince was holding his favorite three-headed lion toy, while his mother held him. Both were sound asleep.

"Aw, where's one of those human cameras when you need one?" she whispered evilly.

As she quietly approached the unsuspecting mother and child, her red eyes stayed glued on her sibling's serene face. Still, Vlad wasn't kidding when he said Desiree was sick. Her glow was unnaturally dim. Not that Spectra really cared, though. Actually, dropping dead was the best thing that her sister could do for her. But since Desiree was clearly not bad enough for that to happen, the shadow ghost had something else in mind.

For a moment, Spectra just continued to gaze at her sibling, only she knowing what was going through her sick mind. But she suddenly smirked and brought up a hand to brush away a lock of black hair from Desiree's face.

"Tsk. My poor little sister. You have no clue, do you?" she cooed falsely. "Oh, well. At least I can say you have excellent taste…. Your hubby tastes and feels divine…," she whispered with a larger smirk, before it melded into a dark look as she added, "I hope you don't mind if I sample your brat as well…"

Spectra reached out one of her clawed hands and carefully phased Danny out of Desiree's arms. The child whined just slightly when he lost his mother's touch and then turned on his back. But even as the covers were pulled down enough to expose his softly glowing Ectoplasmic Signature, he remained fast asleep.

"There you are," she said evilly as she raised her hand with the 'bracelet'. But just when she was about to touch the Prince, a soft, but chilling noise froze her in place.

"Grrr…"

Spectra slowly turned around to face a very angry and very large Cujo. Apparently, the dog had been asleep on the ground somewhere and had been awakened by her whispering.

"Bertrand," she squeaked out as she instantly let go of Danny and floated back, trying to inch out of the room. But she doubted the male ghost could hear her when she was talking so low. Ultimately, however, it did not matter. At that instant, Cujo finally lunged at her.

Forgetting where she was, Spectra screamed as she flew out of the way. And with her shout, Desiree instantly shot up on the bed, while Danny jolted up a foot off the bed, yelping in his surprise.

"Spectra…?" the Queen wondered drowsily. "What in the world…?"

The shadow ghost, who had been engrossed with the snarling ghost dog, quickly whipped her head towards her sister, realizing her mistake. But hearing the door click open, she gasped and flew at the door, quickly slamming her back against it to prevent Bertrand from coming in. She could cover for herself. But if her sister saw Bertrand, Desiree might not buy any story she could come up with so readily.

But Spectra's thoughts slipped away when Cujo rounded on her, his fangs and teeth bared threateningly. However, just when he was about to attack again, a voice stopped him.

"Cujo. That's enough," Desiree ordered as she held a very confused and startled Danny in her arms. She quickly reassured the child and then placed him back on the bed, where he curled up but stared tiredly at her aunt. Why was she here when it was already past bedtime?

Cujo halted; but he still looked indecisively between Spectra and Desiree. He whined a bit, before growling back again at the shadow ghost.

"Cujo! Stop making so much noise!" Danny grumbled, before throwing the covers over his head. His companion was so crazy sometimes!

The large puppy seemed to grumble back at the child, before shrinking back in size and padding back over to a corner of the room. He lied back down, but still kept his narrowed eyes on Spectra.

"Tell me again why you have something as dangerous as that creature as Danny's companion?" the female shadow ghost asked irritably; although it was just to hide the fact that she had been scared out of her wits.

"Cujo is not dangerous. You just so happened to come in unannounced into my bedroom, in the middle of the night. You startled him," Desiree retorted, crossing her arms in annoyance while she stayed seated on the bed.

"Well, sorry! Is it so bad that I just wanted to make sure you were okay?" Spectra muttered back, pushing off the door, now that she was sure Bertrand would not try to come in again.

"Why would I not be okay?" the Queen asked, genuinely confused.

"Vlad said you were sick," the other female ghost explained; and seeing her sister open her mouth to ask the obvious question, she quickly added, "No, he's not back. We… ran into each other before he left today…"

"Oh," Desiree replied sullenly. She looked back at Danny, who had removed the blankets off his head. And now that Cujo wasn't making all that noise anymore, she could see that he was quickly falling asleep again. But remembering Spectra's comment, she smiled back at her sister and said, "I'm fine, Spectra. The doctor said my core is somewhat unstable and it just needs more energy at the moment."

"Well, that's a relief," she said with a bright grin. She floated over to her sister, before sitting on the opposite side of bed, leaving Danny in the middle. "Sorry, I scared you two."

"More like surprised us," Desiree replied, looking down at the half-asleep six-year-old when her sister began to pass her fingers through his white hair. But as the ghost mage thought of it some more, a bit of uncertainty washed over her as she added, "You must have been _really_ worried to come in here at this time of night…"

"Of course I was," Spectra replied right away. "You're my sister, after all!" she said sweetly, before suddenly purring, "Oh, I just love Danny's hair! It's so soft and _white_. He's just so cute all the way around, aren't you?" she cooed at the child, lowering her hand to trace his face and then his neck.

Danny tried to turn over towards his mother, clearly not wanting to be bothered. But his aunt had his closest arm discreetly in her grasp, making him unable to move away. But he was too tired to really protest. And since his eyes were closed and he was so out of it, he didn't really feel how his aunt's other hand was slithering closer and closer to his symbol.

But although his mother was just as tired, _she_ did not miss where Spectra's hand was going. And knowing how delicate the child was at being touched, the ghost mage quickly stopped her.

"Spectra, it really is late," Desiree said, as she pushed the covers up on Danny, discreetly making her sister move her hands away. "Danny's obviously tired, and so am I. Do you think we can finish talking tomorrow?"

Spectra resisted the urge to growl in frustration, and instead nodded and stood. "Yeah, sure. I completely understand. It really was silly of me to get so paranoid about you…"

Noticing the slight bite in her tone, Desiree's eyebrows creased. "Well, I never said I did not appreciate it… But, Spectra, it's _really_ late."

Spectra nodded and finally put on a smile. "I guess I forgot about the time. Okay, then, tomorrow! Night, little sis!" she said with a wave of her hand as she floated over to the door, opened it, and finally closed it behind her. It looked like she had no other choice but to try again tomorrow…

Desiree stared at the door for a moment, a pensive frown on her face, before a child's voice got her attention.

"Mommy?" Danny whined, now holding his stuffed lion in one hand and reaching out for her with his other.

Desiree smiled tiredly, before getting back into bed. "I know, little Phantom," she whispered, pulling him close again; and closing her eyes, she placed her hand on his symbol.

Content again, he curled his tail around one of her arms and buried his face against her own star-like signature. But when a sudden thought crossed his groggy mind, he suddenly asked in a hush voice, "Mommy? Is Daddy sleeping now, too?"

With the mention of Vlad, the ghost mage opened her eyes again, and muttered back, "I should hope so…"

"Do you think he's lonely? I should have gave him Leono," the child mumbled, pulling away slightly to look up at his mother. His three-headed lion cub always kept Danny company at night; so he figured it would have done the same for his father…. Too bad he had not thought about giving it to him before he left…

"Don't worry about your father, little Phantom. I'm sure he's just fine. No go back to sleep, okay?" she asked, smiling a bit.

"Okay…," he said with a yawn as curled a bit more against his mother. And a small moment after he had buried his face against her symbol again, he quickly went out like a bulb.

Desiree gazed at nothing for a few minutes, but then she suddenly sighed softly; and before closing her eyes in hopes of finding sleep again, she whispered, "I wish you the sweetest of dreams, my love…"

* * *

It was about three in the morning when Samantha suddenly woke, a bit startled by a pair of green eyes in her dreams. She still had nightmares about that day. But for the most part, they had gone away. Still, the image of that little boy in that cage would forever be ingrained in her memory.

"Poor little boy," she whispered sadly, as she thought about him for a bit longer. But then hearing the soft snores of her grandmother beside her, the little girl looked over to her; and although she could only make out her outline in the darkness of the room, she sat up and placed her hands against her grandmother's turned shoulder.

"Grandma?" she whispered, gently shaking her.

"_Bubele_?" she replied groggily after a moment. "What's wrong?"

"I need a drink," she told her, feeling very uncomfortable with the dryness in her throat and mouth.

Mrs. Manson frowned slightly as she sat up. They were not at home; so she did not even know if it would be appropriate to fulfill her granddaughter's wish. Still, she creased her eyebrow and she asked, "Do you really need it?"

"Yeah," Samantha replied right away.

The elderly woman sighed. "Alright, dear. I'm sure Mr. Master will not mind if we sneak downstairs and get you something to drink. That is, if we can find the kitchen in this maze-of-a-house, eh? I doubt any of the servants are up anymore…," she added, trying to glance at the clock on the wall through the darkness. But then, she turned on the reading lamp to help her see better.

"No matter," she said after a small pause. "Come, _Bubele_," she said with a smile, as she reached for her cane beside the bed.

It took them a moment being that this was their first time in the huge mansion and Mrs. Manson could not walk very fast; but, eventually, they found the kitchen. However, when they entered it, the two found a very unexpected sight.

There, sitting on one of the chairs of the kitchen table, was their host, still clad in his fancy attire. But he was obviously in deep thought since he failed to notice them. That, and he was gripping a tea cup with both his hands, seemingly staring into the dark liquid.

A small smile sneaked on Mildred's face, while Samantha just stared curiously at the man. Clearly, the man could not sleep. Or maybe he had not even tried, judging by his clothing…

Mrs. Manson could not keep quiet anymore, and finally spoke up, "A young man who stares so intently at his tea cup must have much on his mind---or perhaps, it's just **one** _very_ important thing on his mind?"

Vladimir jolted, and quickly raised his gaze towards the sudden voice. "Mrs. Manson?" the man questioned, a deep frown falling on his face. "What are you---you and your granddaughter," he added when he noticed the little girl next to the woman. "---doing here? Or rather, why are you awake at this hour? Your flight leaves early tomorrow---_today_, does it not?"

Millie nodded. "Yes, but my granddaughter woke up and she---"

"—is thirsty," he finished, nodding in understanding. "I will have one of my---"

"Oh, no, please," Mrs. Manson said, now cutting him off. "Do not wake any of your help. If you just simply tell me where the cups are, I will gladly get it for her---that is, if you do not mind."

"No, of course not," the man quickly assured her. "I believe there are some in the top right cupboard. You will have to forgive me. I do not spend a lot of time in my castle; so, I sometimes forget those kinds of details," he admitted, his eyebrows creasing just slightly with embarrassment.

The lady chuckled lightly, but nodded. "That is fine. Samantha and I enjoy a good treasure hunt at three in the morning, right, _Bubele_?"

Samantha giggled at her grandmother's comment. But when the woman saw that the man actual chuckled at it, too, she suddenly grinned and quirked, "Oh, so he can not only smile, but laugh as well? How remarkable!"

Vladimir's smile melted away just as quickly as he looked away.

"And now it's gone," Mrs. Manson said with a dramatic sigh before walking further into the kitchen with her granddaughter in tow. But as she searched for a cup, Mildred spoke to the man again, changing the subject somewhat. "From what I've heard, you just returned from a long stay overseas. Are you still having trouble adjusting to the time changes? After all, I could not think of any other reason why someone as young and healthy as you would have trouble sleeping." But by the small smirk on her face---though the man did not see it---it was obvious she **could** think of other reasons.

"Yes, I suppose that might be it," the man said offhandedly, though he was now glancing at her with a curious look. But then suddenly, he stood up, and added, "I should get to bed now. So, if you two would excuse me…"

But the woman quickly turned around, stopping him from leaving with her next sudden question, "How did you know?"

Vladimir raised an eyebrow at her. "Know what?"

"That Samantha wanted a drink," she explained, calmly smiling.

The man looked over at the child as he almost guardedly said, "Is it not common knowledge? I could not think of anything else she could possibly want at three in the morning."

"I suppose it is common knowledge. I just was not aware it was common knowledge for a single, rich, young man."

This time the man frowned, clearly not liking her insinuating words. "I fail to understand just exactly what you are implying, Mrs. Manson. Then again, do you not think it is a tad bold to be implying _anything_ about _your_ _host_?"

"Oh, I apologize. I did not mean to offend you. It was simply an observation," Mildred quickly said, her eyebrows creased with worry. But then she calmed a bit and slightly embarrassed, added, "Perhaps my son is right at times when he says I do not measure my tongue."

The man resisted the urge to agree with Jeremy and instead said, "Good Night, Mrs. Manson."

"But you have not even touched your tea," she spoke up, stopping him from leaving again.

"It got cold," he simply waved off, not wanting to talk to her or anyone any longer.

"Then, let me make you a fresh one," she insisted, smiling cleverly to herself again. She did not know why, but the young man had intrigued her from the moment she saw him. She had expected him to be like all the other snobby rich men she had met in her life; but he was not---or at least, not entirely. There was something different about him; something he kept hidden underneath his cold demeanor…

"That's not really necessary…" he began, but was interrupted.

"I insist. It's the least I could do for upsetting you. Besides, I could not possibly leave without making you one of my special ginger teas. I'm sure you have never had that kind of tea before." And by the confused look at the man's face, Millie could tell she was right.

Vladimir sighed in defeat when then he realized that the smiling woman was going to keep insisting no matter what. "Very well," he muttered as he sat back down. All the while, he tried to push aside the alarm bells going off in his head at the moment. This woman was different than any he had met before. And she was a little too perceptive for his liking…

"Sammy, why don't you go sit, too? Here, take your water," the woman said giving her the glass.

"Can I have some of that tea, too, grandma?" she asked, hopeful.

Knowing that it was the only tea her granddaughter liked, Mildred nodded and said, "Alright, but go sit down while you wait."

The little girl nodded and quickly walked over to the table. Vladimir quickly turned his attention to the child and watched as she placed her cup of water on the table, before using her hands to climb on the chair across from him. In spite of his apprehension, the man could not help but smile slightly as Samantha then straightened out her purple night gown, before grabbing her cup again.

She was quite a peculiar child. For one, she seemed to have a personality almost complete opposite to her parents---even if they obviously insisted on molding her into their image. And then, there were her eyes. It had been hard for the man to avoid staring at her ever since he noticed them when she first came into his home. The little girl had such unique amethyst eyes.

And although he had seen the eye color before, on Maddie Fenton to be exact, they were still very different. This child's eyes were just so brilliant and deep that if you stared at them long enough, it was as if she could see right into your soul…

As captivating as that was, the billionaire found that even more disconcerting; at least, enough for him to avoid her gaze. So when Samantha finally noticed his stare, Vladimir looked back at the woman in the kitchen.

But this didn't stop the little girl from continuing to look at him. She was actually very curious about the man. She had met many of her daddy's friends, but this one was just… strange.

Samantha did not really know how to react to that. The man kind of scared her; and his indifference towards her also bothered her. But… she was still curious. Actually, what she was mostly intrigued about was something she had noticed from the very moment she saw the man, something she did not ask about before, knowing her parents would be angry at her for doing so. But her parents were not here right now….

"How old are you?"

Vladimir slowly turned his eyes to the child, just as Mildred scolded her, "Sammy, that is not a very polite question."

"Are you my Daddy's age?" she continued, too curious to heed her grandmother's words. She really wanted to know.

The billionaire cocked his head slightly, deciding whether or not to answer her; but the child was obviously not going to let it go until he said something.

"I would not know. But I believe we are around the same age…"

Samantha gave him a confused look, before replying, "Then why is your hair white?"

Vladimir could not help but be amused by the question. No one had ever asked him that so directly… Leave it to a child to be the first.

"Hmm…good question. Why is _your_ hair black?" he retorted, raising a challenging eyebrow.

The little girl's eyebrows creased in thought. Why was her hair black?

"I don't know... Grandma, why is my hair black?" she asked, looking at the woman in the kitchen.

Mrs. Manson chuckled. "Because it just is, _Bubele_."

Unlike her granddaughter, Mildred had not missed the man's real intention for his retorting question. He clearly did not want to answer Samantha's own question. And it was clever how he had successfully changed her granddaughter's train of thought with such a simple question in order to avoid answering. However, it now made Mrs. Manson wonder, just how _did_ the man end up with natural—for it clearly was---white hair?

"Oh," Samantha mumbled.

"Can I ask you another question?" Vladimir suddenly asked, as he rested his hands on the table.

Samantha nodded.

"How old are _you_?"

The little girl grinned. "Six!"

"Is that so…?" he replied distractingly, before nodding and further remarking, "Well, you are very observant for someone your age."

"Thanks! …I think," she added, not sure if she really understood what he meant by that.

Right then, Mrs. Manson interrupted their small conversation. "I'm sorry, young man, but you wouldn't happen to know where the ginger and sugar is, would you?"

Vladimir quickly stood as he answered, "Honestly? No. But I will help you look for it."

It didn't take them long, but they did have to open several cabinets for Millie to find the ginger and Vladimir to find the sugar.

"As my guest, I really shouldn't be letting you do this," the man commented, as he gave the woman the sugar.

"Then, just pretend I'm your mother instead of your guest," she retorted with a smile.

Vladimir crossed his arms and leaned against the counter as he smirked lightly at her. "My mother never called me 'young man'."

"Oh, I guess that ruins it, then," she said with a dramatic sigh.

The billionaire chuckled again, his head slightly tilting as he commented, "You are truly a peculiar woman, Mrs. Manson."

"And why is that?" she asked, raising a curious eyebrow, before returning to the tea she was making.

"Well…," Vladimir began with a thoughtful voice, "I suppose I say that because you are very different than most of the people I have met."

"I do not follow you, Mr. Masters," she replied casually, though she was interested in what he meant.

The blue-eyed man shrugged lightly, though a slight frown fell on his face as he slowly muttered, "You speak your mind, Mrs. Manson. And yet, it's not in an arrogant sort of way. Your personality is refreshing because it truly is your personality and not some façade…I suppose what I am trying to say is that you seem to be a very honest woman. And such a quality is scarce around these parts…"

"Is that so? Huh? Then, it seems to me you are hanging around in the wrong 'parts', Mr. Masters," she retorted with a raised eyebrow.

The billionaire scoffed lightly. "I am one of the richest men in the world, Mrs. Manson. I have traveled to every corner of this earth and I have met many people along the way. Ultimately, it is all the same. Ultimately, Mrs. Manson, everyone is the same."

"Do you consider yourself an honest man, Mr. Masters?" she asked calmly, pausing slightly from what she was doing to look directly at him.

"An honest man?" Vladimir looked over at the little girl, who was getting tired again by the look of her half-lidded amethyst eyes. He suddenly shrugged indifferently and stared back at the woman, "Considering my line of work, no, I suppose I am not."

"And that does not bother you?" she continued, still in her calm voice.

"At first…," he answered truthfully, frowning a bit. "But after so many years, I've learned to cope. It is not as difficult as it seems when you are surrounded by people who are as deceiving as you."

"Well, that's a _very_ honest answer from a man who claims to be dishonest," she said with a smirk, before returning to what she was doing. Hearing the tea pot whistle, she removed it and began to pour the water into an awaiting tea cup.

Vladimir just creased his eyebrows, as if in a loss of what to say anymore. But right then, Samantha slowly got off her chair and walked over to the adults, yawning as she came to a stop in front of them.

She looked up at the two, debating to whom she wanted to ask her next question. And when her eyes finally locked on the billionaire, she smiled tiredly up at him and said, "I'm sleepy. Pick me up, please?"

Vladimir's eyebrows creased even more, before he looked over at Mrs. Manson, and muttered, "Your granddaughter is…"

"Oh, you don't mind, do you?" she cut off casually, though her eyes were filled with mirth as she kept them lowered on the tea she was making.

But the young man didn't answer and just looked back at the child, who had her hands raised at him expectantly. And feeling a bit more awkward than he let on, he finally bent down and picked up the child.

Samantha smiled at him. "I like you, even if your hair is weird." She didn't give the man any time to respond, and just wrapped her arms around his neck and then leaned her head against his chest, her eyes quickly closing as her sleepiness got the better of her.

She hardly noticed how tense the man was from her actions….

But a minute later, Mrs. Mason finally looked at Vladimir, a smile curling on her face as she commented, "The look suits you."

The billionaire actually blushed with the remark, knowing she was referring to the fact that he had a child in his arms. But he then shook his head, and mumbled, "I beg to differ."

Mildred chuckled. "You think me a peculiar woman? Well, I think you are a very peculiar man, Mr. Masters."

"And why is that?" he asked soberly, repeating her question back at her.

"You see, with my family's success, I have also come to know these 'parts' of which you speak, as well as the people that dwell in them," Millie began conversationally. "Unfortunately, I will have to agree that most of them are greedy and dishonest. They will do anything to gain more money and power, even if it means walking over other people. But that doesn't mean everyone is like that, young man," she assured him with creased eyebrows, before smiling and continuing, "The Mansons have not always been rich, you know. My son just likes to forget that sometimes. But I do not. I am proud of the fact that I grew up on a farm and lived a fairly simple life before my father's success with his invention. So, you see, in my time, I have also dwelled in other _parts_. And that is why I can assure you that not everyone is as dishonest as you think."

Vladimir didn't look particularly convinced, but he did not want to press the matter, and simply said, "Well, then, I hope I can find proof of that myself someday…"

"I hope so, too, Mr. Masters," she said warmly. "It is because I have had the opportunity to meet so many different kinds of people that I have come to tell them apart fairly well. I find _you_ peculiar because you are the first person I have met that I just cannot seem to figure out. And yet, I am very certain that you are not everything you make others believe. It's as if you can easily blend into the world you deem 'dishonest', and yet, you do not belong in it."

Vladimir was now frowning at her, but she only continued. Her eyes, however, had turned to her now sleeping granddaughter. "My little _Bubele_ is not very trusting of strangers. Or, at least, not so much, anymore… And yet there she is sleeping in your arms when she only met you today."

"She's tired," the man said with disregard.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps she sees the same thing I do in you, young man," Mrs. Mason said with a knowing smirk.

Vladimir shook his head as he tried to decide whether he should be amused or offended by her comments. "Your assumptions are astounding, Mrs. Manson. And yet I feel I should be upset by them---and perhaps if you were any other person I would be," he said seriously. But his hard look softened a bit as he said with a small sigh, "Even so, I suppose it is true what they say. Wisdom does come with age."

"Well, I'll take the 'wisdom' part of that comment," Mildred said with a smirk. But seeing the man about to explain himself, she quickly shook her head. "Relax, Mr. Masters. I'm just teasing you. Here, let me take her off your hands. I suppose I should get her in bed now."

"Of course," the billionaire replied, carefully giving her the sleeping Samantha—and internally glad to do so, too. But remembering that the woman was impaired, he asked, "Are you sure you can manage?"

Mrs. Manson rolled her eyes. "As I told my son, I'm old, not dead."

The man chuckled. "That's right. My mistake."

The woman just smiled; but then remembering she had finished the tea, she quickly informed him, "The tea is ready. I would hand it to you but I would need a third hand for the task."

Vladimir looked at the counter and creased his eyebrows at noticing a single tea cup. "You did not make any for yourself?"

"I never wanted any. And I knew Sammy would fall asleep again before it was done."

"I see…," he muttered, before picking up the tea cup. "Thank you, Mrs. Manson. I honestly appreciate your kindness," he then said, smiling.

The woman nodded. "Well, I best be off."

"Good Night," he told her.

Mildred turned from him as the man took a sip of the tea. But then, abruptly she paused, and turned back to look at him. "About my earlier comment, regarding you knowing that Sammy wanted a drink. I'm sorry once more if it bothered you. But you see, my assumption was not just based on the fact that you knew, but also on the way you looked at her. It just looked to me like she reminded you of someone, especially when you had such a longing look on your face when I first entered. But then, maybe my old age is catching up to me more than I think and I'm just _imagining_ things….," she ended with a smirk.

Vladimir watched her walk towards the exit, before lowering his eyes back to the cup in his hands. He sighed softly before calling to her. "Mrs. Manson?"

"Yes?" she asked, pausing once more and looking at him.

There was a pause, before he smiled at her and raised his tea cup a bit. "It's very good."

She smiled back. "I'm glad you think so. Good Night, young man."

Vladimir lowered his gaze once more, and it was only after he heard the kitchen doors swing close did her whisper back, "Good Night."

* * *

The days passed by quicker than everyone had expected. And for those in the Ghost World, they had been normal and uneventful, including for Spectra. During all of those days, she had, of course, tried to get close to Danny, but quickly found out that it was impossible to do. How could she do what she wanted when the child's friends---especially, Wulf---had kept so close to the Prince as his _own_ shadow?

And when she realized that Fright Knight and Skulker had also been around the palace a lot more than usual, she concluded that this was the King's doing. It was so typical of him to get paranoid enough to ask his little group of friends to stay close to his family. But, then, Spectra begrudgingly had to admit it was also clever of the Ghost King. With so many 'guard dogs' around, it was just as---or more--difficult to get near her nephew than it was when Vlad was there. So, ultimately, she had to give up and wait for a chance to present itself.

But to her mounting frustration, that opportunity didn't look any closer than it had in the past days. At least, not when the Ghost King was back and her sister was making a trip with him to Frostbite for a couple of days...

"If you are not taking Danny to Frostbite's with you, then I don't understand why you cannot just leave him with me," the female shadow ghost insisted as she followed her sister around the Queen's private room while she packed.

"Because I already talked to Lydia and told her I would leave Danny with her," Desiree calmly explained for, like, the third time, while she grabbed one of her favorite attires from her closet before taking it to her traveling bag.

"So? I'm his aunt!" Spectra protested, annoyed. "Why leave him with a complete stranger when he could just stay with me?"

The Queen finally paused and pointedly looked at her sister. "Lyida is not a stranger. And to be honest, Spectra, I think she has more experience with babysitting than you do. She does have a child, remember? And her child just so happens to be Danny's closest friend. We both know he will be most content there, while Vlad and I take care of things at Frostbite's. So, please, can you just let this go?"

Spectra crossed her arms and huffed. It was so absurd that she could not get close enough to her little brat nephew for even a minute! How was she supposed to carry out her plans like this?!

Her thoughts drifted when she remembered her sister's mentioning of the Ghost King. "So, where is Vlad? You said he came back last night. Well, I haven't seen him."

"Oh, he went with Danny to see Horris," Desiree answered as she moved away from her sister to return to what she had been doing. "They should be back soon since he said he would not be long. Plus, Skulker, Fright Knight, and Wulf are accompanying us, and he would not want to make them wait, either."

"Oh," Spectra muttered. But then with slight hesitation, she asked, "Has Vlad said anything to you… about me?"

The Queen raised a questioning eyebrow at her sister. "About you? Why? Should he have?"

The shadow ghost shrugged innocently. "Well, not really. I mean, it's no big deal. But…Never mind. Oh, hey! Yours and Vlad's anniversary is coming up, right?"

Desiree slowly nodded, still confused with her sister's earlier inquiry, and even more so with how quickly she changed subjects. "Yes…But it's still a few weeks away."

"Still, it's never too early to start getting ready! And you know I'll help! I sure love parties!"

Desiree smiled, amused with her sister's attitude. "Yes, I know. And this one will be a very important one. It's not going to just be an anniversary celebration, but also an engagement celebration!"

Spectra paused. "Oh? Someone's getting engaged? And on that same day, no less? Who is it?"

The Queen gave her a secretive smirk. "You'll have to wait and see…"

The shadow ghost frowned. "Oh, come on, little sis! Tell me!"

Desiree shook her head playfully, before moving around her sister to get to her closet again.

Spectra scowled after her, but then rolled her eyes. "Fine. Don't tell me. I'm going to leave you alone now with your secret," she said with a huff, before heading towards the door.

Desiree quietly chuckled, but did not stop her from leaving.

However, just as Spectra opened the door, the female ghost froze at finding Vlad and Danny on the other side. They had returned.

The King visibly tensed as he stared back at Spectra. So much so, that the Prince, who was being carried by him and had been chatting away, quickly silenced and gave his father a curious look.

"Daddy?" Danny called, clearly feeling the change in his father's energy.

Vlad ignored him and coolly asked the female shadow ghost. "What are you doing here?"

Spectra smirked. "Talking to my sister, of course," she replied, before looking down at Danny and cooing, "Hi, little nephew! Come here!"

But Vlad quickly tightened his hold around his son, stopping him from moving out of his arms. Danny, now completely confused, look between his father and aunt. What was going on?

"You act like I'm going to bite him," the shadow ghost said with a small quiet chuckle. "Or are you afraid I'm going to bite _you_?"

Vlad narrowed his eyes, but before he could reply, Desiree finally came out of her closet and caught sight of her husband and child.

"Vlad? Oh, good! You're back. Can you help me with Danny's things? They are already set out. I just need them from his room, so I can pack them."

The King unlocked his gaze from Spectra and just quietly nodded at his wife. "You want to help me, little Phantom?" he then asked his son with a small smile.

Danny slowly nodded, but said nothing else.

However, just as Vlad turned to leave again, Spectra spoke up, "So, you didn't tell her, did you?"

The King whirled around so quickly that Danny yelped in surprise and clutched onto his father even more. Desiree also looked at her sister, having heard the comment.

"Tell who what? Me?" The Queen asked, confused.

"Well, of course, you!" the shadow ghost said with a perky voice. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you. But if Vlad won't tell you…"

Desiree looked over at her husband, who was still frozen in place, his gaze glued on her sister. "What is she talking about, love?"

Plasmius looked at his wife, before lowering Danny down and calmly ordering, "Daniel, go on to your room. I'll be there shortly, alright?"

"Um… okay," the child mumbled. He glanced around at the adults briefly with a frown on his face, before flying out of his mother's private room. Grownups were so weird…

The moment his son was gone, Vlad turned his gaze back to Spectra and coldly asked, "You really want to do this?"

Spectra faked confusion. "What do you mean? I'm talking about the human item you came to get at my house, Vlad. What do you think I was talking about?"

Plasmius just stared at her, not even trusting his voice in worry that he was going to do or say something that would greatly affect his wife. This vile female was playing with him! She actually had the audacity of taunting him with her despicable actions of a couple days ago!

"Human item?" Desiree repeated, still bewildered. Both her husband and sibling were acting very strangely…

"Yes, before he left, he found me talking with Walker about it," Spectra said causally. "Thing was just floating around my domain. And because he's so sweet, Vlad offered to take care of it for me! And he did! We are very lucky to have such a brave King like you, Vlad!" she then added, giving him a playful wink.

"You should have told me, Vlad," Desiree said, looking worriedly at her husband. "This problem with the temporary portals is definitely more serious than I originally thought," she said, coming to the same conclusion as her husband about the human item: that it had to have come through a temporary portal.

"I suppose it slipped my mind," the King answered quietly, before suddenly adding, "I'm going to go get Daniel's things. We should be leaving soon." With that, Vlad left without another word.

Spectra watched him go, mirth dancing in her eyes. She loved seeing him so flustered! It was both cute and amusing! But remembering her sister's last comment, she looked back at her and asked, "What problem with the temporary portals were you talking about?"

Desiree, who had also watched Vlad go, but with an unsure frown on her face, looked back at her sister at hearing her question. "It's the reason we are going to Frostbite's. They are forming too often and too violently, even for the usual nighttime activity. So, I've decided to cast another spell on the Infi-Map to stop them."

"Huh," Spectra mumbled, genuinely intrigued by the news. "And can you do that? I thought you were sick."

Desiree waved off the comment. "I am feeling quite better. The energy capsules have helped exceedingly. But, yes, I should be able to do it."

Spectra shrugged. "Okay. Good luck. And, remember, don't forget to tell me when you get back."

"Yes, I heard you the first two other times," Desiree said slightly annoyed, but mostly amused.

Spectra grinned, before waving and heading out of her sister's room. As she closed the door after her, her face fell into a pensive frown. She would have to ask Walker about those temporary portals. Just in case. And---

The female ghost gasped when she was abruptly pushed out of thought by a sudden constricting grip around her left wrist that roughly yanked her forward. Her eyes widened when she realized a second later that it was Vlad who was holding her. She couldn't believe it! He had actually been waiting for her in the lounge area of his wife's private room!

But before she could say anything, the male ghost pulled her after him, finally reaching the outer door. Still gripping Spectra, he opened it, and forced her out into the hallway, before closing the room's door again.

Spectra actually backed up against the wall as Plasmius came at her with fisted hands. And she gasped again when he suddenly raised his hand and pressed it openly against her symbol, pinning her with just one hand even harder against the wall.

This time, it was she who could feel the Ghost King's emotions; but what really stood out more was his actual anger. He was furious; so much that she cringed against his touch as she physically felt the emotion in his energy.

"This is your only warning," Vlad hissed darkly in her face. "You will stop with your twisted little games. If you have not realized it yet, then you can now _feel_ I am not interested. You think because you are Desiree's sister you can get away with doing whatever that sick mind of yours wants? Then, know that you are wrong. I can tolerate a lot of things, Spectra; even your obscene advances on me. But I **will not** tolerate, nor allow you to hurt someone whom I deeply love. So help me if you ever even _think_ of hurting Desiree like that again!"

"Can't you take a joke? I was just kidding with you! I would not tell her about **that**!" she snapped back, grabbing his wrist to get him to stop touching her. His intense anger was starting to hurt!

"No, no you will not," he growled back, as he pressed his hand more firmly against the female ghost.

Spectra narrowed her eyes in spite of the harsh energy touching her core. "What? Are you afraid it will ruin your marriage? Are you afraid that she will believe me over you?"

"Foolish female," Vlad sneered. "Is that what you think? You know what? I'm going to prove you are wrong right now."

Spectra gasped as the male ghost suddenly pulled away and gripped her wrist again, before pulling her back towards Desiree's room. His intentions were clear.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, fighting against him. She could **not** let him tell his sister! "Vlad, stop! Please, I'm sorry! I'll stop!"

Plasmius halted and turned to glare at her. "You will understand one thing, Spectra. Nothing you could ever do could destroy my bond with Desiree. **Nothing**. If I do not tell her what you did and tried to do, it is because she loves you more than you could ever deserve! But if you so much as look at me the wrong way again, I will tell her everything. And then I will _really_ make you sorry. Is any of that unclear?"

Spectra could only shake her head, completely floored by the male's ferocity.

"Good. Now get out of my house," he spat out.

Spectra quickly glared; and with a growl in her throat, she whirled around and left. But as she did, she noticed that there was now a third ghost in the hallway. However, she didn't even bother to look at him, still too livid to care about anything or anyone right now.

The third ghost was actually Skulker. And although he had only heard a part of the conversation---if it could be called that—he knew something was very wrong. He watched the female ghost vanish around a corner before looking over at his friend.

"Are you alright?" the hunter asked carefully to his friend, who was currently leaning against a wall with his eyes closed.

"No. I have a crazy and twisted female as a sister-in-law," Vlad replied despairingly.

"Well, I could have told you that," Skulker replied with a smirk.

Vlad finally opened his eyes; but by the way he lowered them, the other male knew he was not in any mood for jokes.

Skulker sobered as he came closer and asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Plasmius looked back at him and nodded. "I do. And very much. But… there are some things not even worth repeating," he told him seriously, almost bordering on anger.

The hunter looked about to protest; but the King cut him off as he said, "We are just about ready. Is Fright Knight and Wulf here?"

Skulker slowly nodded, looking more concerned for his friend than the actual question.

Vlad nodded. "I have to go attend to my son. I'll be out shortly," he said quietly, before turning and leaving.

The hunter watched after him as he thought, _"I suppose we all have to deal with problematic in-laws sometime. At least his is not a twenty-five-foot dragon ghost."_

Of course, the male ghost was thinking of Aragon. One of the reasons why he had gone to Lydia's a couple days back was to go to the Dragon Realm.

After all, he had needed to speak to Aragon about Dora. If he was going to ask the female ghost to marry him, the least he could do is tell her brother about it. But, of course, that had hardly gone well. In short, Aragon had been appalled by the idea of his sister marrying someone outside their kin.

Skulker frowned as he remembered his talk with the dragon leader. Even after days, his core was still heavy from Aragon's reaction… Vlad did not know about his best friend's visit to the Dragon Realm. And Skulker decided he was going to keep it like that.

As Vlad had said, some things were not even worth repeating.

* * *

Gregory, currently in his human disguise, stopped several feet in front of a large white building. He was somewhat confused with his Master's latest commands. And since his Master had currently granted him full usage of his mind, the child had been thinking about them for as long as he had been walking---which he guessed had been at least three hours.

It had been strange, really. His Master had come to him this morning and freed him from his cage. But since he had been under the staff's powers, he did not remember how he had ended up washed, fed, and in a set of clean clothing. It had been only after all that when his Master had awakened his mind. His Master had then taken him outside without a word, and the child quickly noted that the sun was out.

Gregory had thought his Master wanted him to go hunt---something he had not done in some time now, since his Master had been feeding him 'ghost flesh'… The child had long since stopped caring about eating that kind of flesh, especially when it was more filling to his body than anything found in this world.

But the human-looking ghost dragon was not really thinking about that at the moment, but about his Master's bizarre orders. Being that Gregory knew Amity Park from front to back, he had very little trouble understanding his Master's command. He had been told to head to the metropolis part of the town and look for a tall white building with the name 'Guys-in-White Government Facilities'; and to go in and ask for Thomas Chrome.

The name sounded familiar; but he was having trouble remembering why. And since it was not really the biggest thing on his mind at the moment, Gregory did not really care to find out. What he was really wondering was why his Master had commanded him to head into a place full of humans. After all, ever since he remembered, his Master had strictly taught him to keep hidden from others. So, then… did his Master not care that anyone saw him anymore?

Gregory supposed the answer was obvious: because he now looked like the humans. But it still disconcerted him. He had felt very strange during his long walk. Not only did he have trouble getting here since he was more familiar with Amity Park from the sky, but when he reached this populated part of the town, it had been almost scary to be walking among people—and so many of them.

Most of them had not even given him a second glance; but then others would give him curious looks and even suspicious ones, as they muttered something about 'hooligans' or 'hobos'. The child had no idea what either of those words meant.

As Gregory continued to blink up at the large building, the last part of his master's command flashed in his mind: _Do not, for any reason, use your powers or do anything that could give away the fact that you're a ghost._ It was why he had had no choice but to walk the long distance from the outskirts where the circus was to the inner part of the city where he was now. The child hesitated only slightly as he pushed down his instincts which told him he was heading into a dangerous place. But how he felt about something never mattered over his Master's commands.

As he walked in, he startled slightly when the doors opened on their own. How bizarre. He only lingered slightly; but pushed his natural curiosity aside and continued in. He ignored the odd stares he was getting by the people already there. And instead, he walked right up to a large desk at the end of the hall. The thing was so tall he had to lift up on his toes to be able to see the woman sitting behind it.

"Thomas Chrome?" he asked.

She rose off her seat to look down at the boy, a curious look on her face. "Can I help you?"

Gregory blinked. Help him? With what? The child slowly shook his head and repeated, "Thomas Chrome?"

"Yes… He's the one in charge of this division. What business do you have with him?"

"My master commanded me to see him," Gregory replied truthfully.

Now the woman was more freaked out than anything. She glanced over at two security agents dressed in white suits and dark sunglasses. They noticed her look and walked over.

"Is there a problem?" one of them asked the woman.

She bit her lips, unsure of how to reply. But instead of answering the guard, she addressed the boy again. "What is your name?"

"I do not have one," he replied as he looked up at the two large men now there. "Are either of you Thomas Chrome?" he then asked them. He was starting to get worried. How was he supposed to fulfill his Master's wishes if he could not find this human, 'Thomas Chrome?'

"You don't have one?" the secretary repeated skeptically. Now, she was starting to believe that this kid was just trying to pull a prank or something. But he was so young. It was usually the teenagers that tried to do those sorts of things. But then, by the look of his worn clothing, she was also wondering if he was a lost or homeless kid. But what would he want with her boss? Mr. Chrome was hardly a man to give out any charity. Still, it was best to ask her employer. Just in case. She was not risking getting fired over something like this.

"Why don't you have a seat? I have to see if he's available," she finally said.

Gregory looked at where she was pointing, but did nothing to move to the few seats on the far left. He did not want to sit. And he did not have to. He only took orders from his Master.

The secretary paid him no mind and just sat back down. She quickly dialed her boss' office number and to her luck, he was there.

"Excuse me, sir. I am terribly sorry to interrupt you, but there is a young boy out here wanting to see you. I asked for his name, but he answered that he does not have one. And he also mentioned something about a…_master_…." She trailed off, now realizing how bizarre her words sounded. Oh, no. She was going to get fired. Why in the world was she bothering him with something so ridiculous?!

But before she could continue to reproach herself, her boss surprised her with the calm reply of, _"Send him in."_

She blinked in surprise as a 'click' came from the other end of the phone. She slowly lowered it, before looking up at one of the guards and telling him with surprise still on her face, "He wants to see him…"

The guard raised an eyebrow, before shrugging and walking over to the boy, who was still standing in the same place he was left.

"Let's go, kid. Head Operative Chrome said he will see you," he informed him coldly as he grabbed one of his shoulders and began to lead him towards his boss's office.

Gregory almost growled at the man for touching him, and had to resist the urge of withdrawing his claws and running him through. He doubted his Master would be happy if he did that. So, instead, he just permitted the man to escort him down the halls. As long as he was being taken to see Thomas Chrome, he did not care about anything else.

When they got there, Tom was already waiting for the child outside his office. And the instant Gregory saw him, the child froze, instantly remembering why the man's name had sounded familiar. This was the same man that had told him that he was his Master's **Master**!

The child quickly narrowed his eyes, unaware that they had actually flashed red. But the Head Guy-in-White noticed it.

"I see you remember me," Tom said with a smirk. But then he looked up at the guard and ordered, "You can go now."

As his subordinate left, Thomas looked back to the child, who was still staring at him like a wild animal ready to pounce. The man shook his head as he commented, "We are going to have to work on your 'people skills'. But that can wait. Right now, we have more important things to work on. Follow and behave. Or I will have to punish your Master and then I'll have him punish you. Understand?"

Gregory just glared, but he still relaxed a bit. He knew he could not hurt the man. His Master had made that clear, too. As he silently followed, the child's eyes began to wander. It was strange to be inside a building that was not the circus. And if he was honest with himself, he was feeling a little more than nervous. Truth was, the man in front of him scared him. He had not forgotten about the wound the man had inflicted on his stomach with a single shot of his gun…

They finally reached one of the back labs and entered it. Thomas quickly locked the room, before turning back to the child and ordering, "Take off your clothes. All of them."

Gregory frowned. He hardly cared about the actual order; but he did care of fact that he was _being_ ordered around by a human who was **not** his Master. But even when he did not like it one bit, he still did as he was told…. for now.

Tom walked away as the little ghost got rid of his worn clothing—or tried to. Honestly, Freakshow was so dense. Was it so hard for the man to keep this creature clean; or at least teach it some basic hygiene? After all, even 'things' needed to be maintained properly in order for them to work to their fullest. But no matter. It was better that Tom took up the matter in his own hands anyways…

Grabbing some clothing that he had already picked up for the child, he turned back to him, only to find the child wrestling with his shirt. He had gotten it all the way up; but the child couldn't figure out that he needed to first get his arms out before pulling it over his head…

"So dense," Tom muttered, annoyed, as he grabbed one of the kid's trapped arms and pulled it out before yanking him towards him. But the moment he did, Gregory snarled; and before he could stop himself, his claws sprung out, ready to attack.

Thomas gasped as he let go of the child in time to avoid a wild swipe from his sharp built-in daggers. In his attempt, Gregory ripped apart the shirt that had been immobilizing and partially blinding him. And seeing who his 'attacker' was, the young ghost literally hissed at the man, baring his teeth and now retracted fangs.

The Guy-in-White agent quickly recovered from his shock and came angrily at the child, who tried to run him through this time. But anticipating the move, the man side-stepped it. And quickly seizing both of Gregory's wrists, Tom spun him around and wrenched his arms behind him.

"Stop it right now!" Thomas sneered angrily as the boy began to struggle wildly. He truly felt like he was dealing with a wild animal! Wait, of course he was! This brat was a ghost! He was worse than an animal! He was a demon!

Tom suddenly lifted the snarling young ghost off the ground by his hold on his arms, and then threw him on top of a nearby metal table. The feat was hardly any effort when ghosts were already naturally light in weight, and the ghost dragon was currently reduced to the size of ten-year-old boy. But when Gregory quickly tried to get back up, the man used one of his hands to grab a fist full of his hair and then slammed his head back against the cold metal.

Gregory cried out in pain, his claws and fangs disappearing back inside his flesh as he suddenly felt very light-headed. The bad thing about being fully aware was that it also made him fully aware of pain. Still, as he was taught, he forced his ailments aside and glared up at the man holding him down.

He hissed at him, before angrily saying, "You are lucky my Master will not let me kill you!"

"And you are lucky I have much use for you," Thomas growled back. But then his eyes narrowed even more and his grip on the child's hair tightened. "You think you know what pain is? You think you know what fear is because of how very afraid you are of Freakshow? You know _nothing_, you little monster! But I can assure you that what he does to you does not compare to what **I** can do to you. I **will** teach you what hurt really is!"

"Go to hell!" Gregory shouted at him, the man's words doing nothing to make him cower.

Thomas blink in surprise at the insult; but suddenly he barked with laughter. "I am not even going to ask where you learned that phrase!" The man chuckled a bit more, before smirking cruelly at the still glaring young ghost. "Do not forget that your 'Master' answers to _me_. So, I know everything he has commanded of you. And I know it because I commanded **him** to tell you **exactly** that. So, that means you are going to do everything I tell you, or I will tell your 'Master' of your disobedience."

That instantly got the reaction the ghost hunter wanted.

Gregory's eyes widened with the thought of disobeying his Master's commands. Oh, no! He really **had** been disobeying them! He had almost killed this human when his Master had forbid it! He even used his abilities somewhat just now!

"I did not mean to!" the child suddenly exclaimed in fear. He knew he deserved to be punished; but he didn't want to be!

Thomas raised an eyebrow when the young ghost started shaking under his hands as he tried to keep himself from crying. And the man was sure the child only managed to hold back his tears because Freakshow always punished him for showing that sort of weakness.

The ghost hunter rolled his eyes. "Look, I know you want to please your Master. And your Master wants to please **me**. So then, how about I help you achieve your goal and you help _him_ achieve _his_ goal which is to help _me_ achieve mine, alright?"

The child relaxed somewhat as he answered, "I do want to please my Master. But he ordered me to come see you, and I have. My task is done."

"Oh, no," Thomas quickly and smugly replied. "It is not done. Or did you fail to notice that he did not order you to return like he always does? And the reason is simple. I am 'borrowing' you for a bit of time. So, until I say you can go back to Freakshow, you are staying with me."

Gregory's eyes widened. "No… No, No! I must return to my Master!" he shouted in a panic, struggling again.

"Not until I'm done with you," Tom replied with a smirk. He suddenly got rid of the rest of the still protesting boy's clothing, before forcing him to sit up by his grip on his hair.

Gregory yelped, but not caring what the man was doing to him, began to plea, "My Master does not like it when I venture for too long! I must return! I must!"

But Tom just ignored him. He was more interested in looking over the young ghost. And the first thing he noticed was that his ghostly symbol was not visible in his human disguise. That Gem of Form really could do wonders… But even so, more still needed to be done.

"Well, at least, Freakshow has done as I told him and has been taking better physical care of you than before. You are looking much better. But I think I can do an even better job while you're here," Thomas told the child with an eerie smile, before adding in a drier tone of voice, "But first thing first. Do not go around mentioning 'your Master' to just anyone. And when someone asks you for your name, you _give_ them **your** name."

Gregory instantly stopped struggling as he blinked up at the man and replied, "But I don't have a name."

"Of course you have a name, you stupid creature!" Tom snapped back. This was one of the reasons he had told Freakshow to give him the ghost brat for a bit. Having his new 'weapon' have such an obvious flaw was a major oversight. Brut force could only get anyone so far. And it included this dragon ghost, too. He needed to grow a brain if he was going to be of full use to him. And although Tom had already seen the child was very capable of thinking things through, he lacked common sense---among other things.

Gregory frowned, clearly confused and unsure. "But I am called so many things. My Master calls me 'Drone' and 'slave' and---"

"Your name is Gregory," Tom cut him off with a roll of his eyes.

"Gregory?" the child repeated, his eyebrows creasing in thought. "Yes…I have been addressed by that. And I have even heard it in my head sometimes. Gregory..."

Thomas frowned deeply. "You hear voices in your head?"

Gregory nodded; although he decided not to comment that one of them---and the most frequent one---sounded almost exactly like his own ghostly voice…

"Is that bad?" the young ghost asked innocently.

The man stayed silent for a moment, before saying, "Don't tell Freakshow about it."

Gregory did not reply. But the truth was that even if he wanted to tell him, he could not. His Master never allowed him to talk out of turn or about anything that was not relevant to his commands or questions.

But then remembering the topic again, he felt a sudden urge and before he knew what he was saying, the young ghost blurted out, "My name **is** Gregory… But I never liked it. I like 'Gregor'… I, I have always liked 'Gregor'…," he mumbled, his voice drifting away as he tried to figure out why he was even saying this. Since when did he have any thought of what he liked? Let alone his preference in name?

Thomas raised an eyebrow, both intrigued with and unsure about the child's strange comment. Indeed that there was more to this ghost than meet the eye. And he intended to find out. But the first thing was the fulfillment of his own plans.

"Here, I'm going to help you put these on; but you have to learn to do this on your own. I am not anyone's babysitter, much less a demon's like you." Tom muttered with disgust, before he began to dress the young ghost.

Gregory was silent the whole time, though he blinked at the sight and feel of his crisp, new clothes. They were white and black. His pants and vest were white. His long-sleeved tight shirt, which was tucked into his pants, and his shoes and belt were black.

"There. As decent as you can get, I suppose. What do you think?"

"What I think does not matter," the child automatically replied.

"True," Tom said, smirking again. "But that does not mean you do not think. And I can tell that you **like** to think in spite of what Freakshow has instilled in you. Or am I wrong?"

Gregory looked away, ashamed at being found out. He did like to think. He enjoyed it very much. But it was wrong. And he shouldn't.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," Tom said, his smile widening. "And as long as you are a good little monster, you can think all you want around here."

The young ghost just looked up at him, but said nothing.

"Now," the man continued, sobering up. "You have to learn to keep yourself clean, understand? If you are going to be around humans without being discovered that you are not actually one, you have to learn to act civilized. That also means, no snarling or hissing or showing off your built-in _arsenals_. Got it?"

Getting a nod from the ghost, Tom then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dark pair of sunglass and extended them to the child. "Here, always keep this on around other people that are not I or Freakshow. Your eyes tend to change color and that is hardly normal for a ten-year-old _human_ _boy_."

Gregory grabbed the glasses, before looking up at Tom and noticing he was also wearing a pair on his face. Quickly noting how they went on, he slipped on the glasses and frowned at how much darker everything look. But he then began to realize he actually kind of liked them. The sun's brightness had always bothered him. And this was sure to help.

Seeing the man take a few steps back now that he was done, Gregory quickly hopped off the metal table, his shoes clicking on the tile floor as he did. The child glanced down at them, still feeling strange with all this. But remembering that Thomas was done with him, he looked up at the man; and hopeful, asked, "Can I return to my Master now?"

"No. You are not returning to him for at least a few days. So, I recommend you get used to the fact," Thomas replied, annoyed, before walking off to get something from a locked cabinet.

Gregory looked scared again as he watched the hunter move away from him; but then the child quickly stared over at the closed door. He had never been away from his Master for more than a few hours, let alone days! No, he had to return. Feeling panicked again, the child suddenly ran over to the door, only to find it locked.

"Do not force me to dirty your new clothing with your own blood, _Gregor_," Tom threw back forebodingly, though his gaze stayed on the device now in his hand.

The child looked completely torn. A part of him told him he had to return to his Master. But another part told him that his Master did not order him to return; and instead, had told him to come to this man. This same man who claimed to be his Master's Master. And by what he had seen, he was beginning to believe it. But that did not mean he was going to obey this human; at least not to the extent that he did his Master. He was only obeying him at the moment because he was sure it was what his Master wanted.

The child dropped his head in surrender. He did not want to stay here; but what he wanted was never important. He looked over at the man across the room and glared. He really did not like him.

"Come here," Tom suddenly ordered.

The child hesitated, before walking over to the man. He stopped in front of him and looked up at him---something he would not be doing if he was in his real form, he suddenly realized…

"I have something for you," Thomas began, before showing him a small gold ring with a large green gem on top. "You can slip it on any of your fingers and it will mask your energy signature. I know that the Gem of Form keeps you under the radar and looking human already, but the ring will keep you under the radar of any scanners even in your true form. I know you do not understand, since Freakshow has no imagination and so has not allowed you to reach your full potential, but I plan to instruct you," Thomas assured him with a smirk, before grabbing his hand and slipping the ring on one of his middle fingers.

Gregory gasped as he felt like he was suddenly drained of his energy. And Tom quickly made him understand why. "One of the side effects of the ring, however, is that because your energy is already being suppressed by the gem in your current form, it ends up suppressing it completely. But the ring should not give you any trouble in your real form. Plus, the ring has **extra** features that will help you control your sudden urges---like running me through with your claws. I'm sure you'll find out what I mean eventually."

The child just frowned.

"On the flip side, the device allows you to communicate with me and Freakshow as well. But I'll teach you all that later," he quickly added, seeing the spark of hope in the child's eye at the mention of 'his master.' The man had to briefly wonder what the ghost dragon would do if his master was killed…Luckily for Freakshow, Tom still had use for him as well; so he wasn't planning on finding out. At least for the moment, anyways…

The man's attention went back to Gregory and he suddenly gripped his face and tilted his head down, to inspect his black and white hair. It was actually more white than black now. But black was obviously the child's natural color…

"I do not suppose you know why your hair is two colors…?" Tom murmured; and receiving a shake of his head from the child, the man rolled his eyes once more and added more to himself, "At least it's no longer caked with dirt, blood and who knows what else."

He let go of the child's face and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards a strange metal chair on the other side of the room. "Sit down."

"Why?" Gregory growled back, now fed up with the man's orders.

"Huh. And here I thought that word did not exist in your vocabulary. See? We all learn something new each day. But _you_ have a lot to learn. And one of the most important things is for you to understand the true interaction between humans and ghosts. So, come on, sit down. You are about to see your first movie and have your first history lesson," the man said with a grin.

Gregory was really confused, but he was also curious about this 'movie'. He really had never seen one. The moment he sat down, Tom pressed a button and the chair all but came to life. A helmet-like device came down over the boy's head, quickly engulfing it, while ghost proof straps suddenly gripped his arms and legs against the chair.

The child whimpered before he could stop himself, but otherwise stayed still. But when a flash of light suddenly went off in front of his face, he jolted against his binds. As Tom said, a movie--or more like news clips---began to play in front of his eyes and it started to catch the child up on the history between ghosts and humans.

But the child's mind froze when he felt several needles embed themselves in his flesh. They were so small they did not draw blood. However, they were painfully jolting him and he had to bite back a scream as he felt the pain travel all the way to his core.

"Don't worry, that isn't anywhere near as painful as the things Freakshow does to you, so just try to ignore it and pay attention to what your watching," Tom said off-handedly as he walked off to the door.

He ignored Gregory's gasp of pain and just locked the door behind him, leaving the child alone in the lab. He needed to run several test on the ghost to learn as much about him as possible, including his powers and how strong his energy level was. It would take several hours and the child would probably pass out before he even finished with him. But Gregory would recover, especially since he would be taking him home with him.

Child was lucky to be with him, really. He would actually be sleeping on a bed for the first time.

Tom smirked. As long as the ghost dragon was ready for his soon-to-come debut, the man was willing to allow him that---and perhaps a bit more….

**

* * *

**

All done, eh? Well, as always, I hope that everyone liked it! Here are some more links to fanart—for Checkmate, this time. But you can also access them directly on my profile. Just go to the fanart section corresponding to the particular story and the artist's name. Kay? Ta for now, my dear readers!

**Fantasy93:**

**h**** t t p : (/) (/) fantasy93. deviantart. com /art/Checkmate-FanArt-138915172**

**aryaneragon4ever ( 96dp4ever):**

**h t t p : (/) (/) 96dp4ever. deviantart. com /art/Chapter-51-From-Checkmate-138590642**


	23. Chapter 21: Taking Chances

**Well, what can I say? I had to post something for my Birthday today! And 'Dawning of the Sun' was ready first! Not that I mind! I really like this chapter. '****Calm before the storm' sort of thing. **

**But since it's been a while, I'll give you guys a quick reminder. Vlad has returned from his trip, and now he is going with Desiree to Frostbite's to see if they can solve the problem with the overactive ghost portals. Danny still has the idea of making his father and Elliot's father friends again, and he will be staying at Ember's house during his parents trip to the Far Frozen. As for the others, Spectra still hasn't been able to touch Danny's Ectoplasmic Signature—aka his symbol--- in order to record his _energy_ signature into Tom's device. Speaking of the evil guy, he now has Gregor with him and Freakshow is allowing the young dragon full use of his mind at the moment. Hmm… I think that highlights the main points. Yup! Okay, on with the show---er, story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot is my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Taking chances**

"Now, Daniel," Vlad said as he lowered his son back down. "Mind everything that Lydia, Ghostwriter, and Wulf tells you, alright? Your mother and I will return for you in the evening."

Danny nodded. "Okay," he agreed, not minding at all that his parents were not taking him with them to Frostbite. After all, he was staying at his best friend's house, and he very frequently went to Frostbite for training anyways. So, this meant he could play all day with Ember; but also, it gave him time to carry out his latest idea... And he so happened to be just where he needed to be to do that and where he had hoped to be for several days now…

The King ruffled his son's hair just before the Queen reached for the Prince to give him her own good-bye. Meanwhile, Vlad turned his attention to the ghost werewolf, and said, "Thank you once more, Wulf, for staying with Daniel."

"And with Ember," Lydia added.

"Yes," Ghostwriter agreed. "I did not expect to be asked to come to the Library of Time today. And since Lydia and I are in charge of it; and we were told the matter was urgent, we could not decline. So, we really do appreciate that you can watch over the kids in the time that we are gone."

The large werewolf-like ghost nodded at the parents and smiled. "You know it's a pleasure for me to watch over them. So, take all the time you need."

Vlad placed his hand on Wulf's shoulder in a grateful gesture, before he turned to his wife. "We best be off, my dear."

Desiree nodded and lowered Danny down. "Have fun, little Phantom."

The Prince looked over at Ember and the two friends grinned at each other. Danny then happily said, "We will! And tell Frostbite I said 'Hi' and that I am practicing what he showed me!"

His parents chuckled, but they nodded. The royal couple said their last good-byes and headed over to the snow falcon the King always used for long distance travel. They both mounted Falco; and looking back at Fright Knight and Skulker, who both were on Nightmare, they gestured that they were ready. And since the knight and hunter ghosts would be accompanying the Queen and King to Frostbite's, they returned the royal couples' gesture. Their help was needed for what Desiree planned to do, being that they could make temporary portals through their own methods. Usually, Wulf also helped them with these sorts of matters; but with Lydia and Ghostwriter's unexpected trip, the ghost werewolf would be staying behind this time.

As Vlad and Desiree left their son and flew into the glowing atmosphere, the male ghost turned his attention to his wife. "Des, are you sure you are well enough to do this?" he asked.

Desiree smiled reassuringly. "I really am feeling a lot better now, love. I know Kuracisto advised that I not use my powers until fully recuperated, but I do want to attempt to do this. It's very important that I do."

Vlad nodded. He did have to admit that she looked a lot better than when he had left, but he could feel and see she was still weak. And what troubled him more was that they did not really know why. Like his wife, the King had found it strange that her core would suddenly become unbalanced. And why would her body need more energy to the point that it was depleting her of her reserves? It was strange.

"Just promise me that if you feel you cannot do it, you will not push yourself. We can always find another solution to this problem, Desiree," Vlad told her seriously.

"Like what, Love? The truth is that it's just unnatural to force the portals to stay closed. And I know we must do it for the safety of our kind; but, sometimes, I wonder how long my spellbinding can keep such natural forces under control? Have you thought that perhaps the increase of temporary portals is because the _permanent_ portals are being contained and, therefore, are manifesting their energy in another way?"

Vlad frowned. "I have. But as you said, we have to keep our home safe. We cannot permit the humans access to the Ghost World. It would be the end of our race. And I will not allow that. And I know you will not either. I also know you will do what you can, my dear. But there is always another way, Desiree. And if that other way has to be that I have to, once more, use that accursed Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire to contain the portals, then so be it."

Desiree's eyes quickly widened. "Vlad, no! You cannot do that! It's too dangerous!"

But the King furrowed his eyebrows as he asked, "What more could Pariah's relics do to me, Des?"

"They could do what they were meant to do the first time, Vlad. They could kill you," the Queen said gravely. "If you want me to promise you that I will not push myself more than it's physically healthy, then, you must promise me that if I fail, you will not resort to using the crown and ring. Promise me, Vlad. Promise me that you will never use those evil relics again!" she pleaded fearfully as she clutched his hands.

Vlad frowned when he noticed that tears had now sprung from his wife's eyes and they were falling down her cheeks. He never thought the idea would upset her so much. He figured it would make her angry, actually. But she looked distraught.

"Don't cry, my dear," the King gently begged, placing a hand against her face and wiping her tears with his thumb. "I did not mean to upset you so much. You know it tears my soul to see you cry. I promise I won't use them, alright?"

"No matter what happens?" she pleaded in earnest.

Vlad smiled and nodded. "Yes, no matter what happens. There is always another way. So, don't worry."

Desiree suddenly hugged him tightly and just buried her head in his chest. The action wasn't unwelcomed by any means, but it did take the Ghost King by surprise. His wife was just acting so strange…

"Oh, Vlad, I cannot lose you!" she suddenly exclaimed, surprising her husband even more. "I would die of sorrow! I would! I could not bear it! Sometimes I fear you will not return to me when you leave, that I will never see you again! And I feel like my core and soul is being ripped out of me with just the thought!"

Vlad quickly grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her away enough to look at her. "Desiree…," he began, though he seemed at a loss of what to say. "You…Where is all this coming from? You are acting so odd…" He sighed as he loosened his grip on her, but now gazed worriedly at her. "My dear, _my love_, do not trouble yourself over the 'what ifs'. Do you not think that I hold the same fear as you? Of losing you? But we cannot allow that to cloud our judgment, Desiree. You know I always do what I must; even if it brings certain dangers with it. Ultimately, you and Daniel, _and_ our entire race are my responsibility. The truth is that everyone's safety comes before my own. You have always understood that; so, why not now?"

Desiree bit her lip to keep her emotions at bay. She had always known that. And she had always admired her husband's determination to protect their kind, to do what was right. She was proud of him for choosing to put an end to their war against the humans instead of choosing the easier and darker choice of continuing it. But, lately, she was having trouble keeping her inner fears at bay…

The ghost mage suddenly felt ashamed for putting such a burden on her husband. He didn't need her emotional outbursts; he needed her support. He needed her strength. He needed to know that she would always be at his side, helping him in any way she could. After all, she was not just his wife, she was also his Queen. And it was her responsibility to aid him in protecting their kind. She, too, had to remember that her own desires could not deter them from the right choices.

Desiree closed her eyes for a moment. But when she opened them, her calm and determination had returned. "You're right," she said seriously, drying her face. "I am truly sorry, Vlad."

Her husband smiled warmly as he replied, "Sorry? For what, my dear? For caring? Don't be silly. Actually, I should apologize to you. I suppose my comment about using the crown and ring was a bit too rash on my part."

Desiree smiled back. "Well, since your mentioning it, then, yes, it was rash. But that's fine. As long as it was a passing thought and nothing more…right?"

The King's grin widened when he saw his wife pin him with a stern, though playful look. That was more like her.

"Right," he replied.

"And speaking of passing thoughts, I just remembered something I have been meaning to ask you," Desiree said, sobering up significantly. "Tell me, Vlad, what exactly is going on between you and Spectra?"

Vlad instantly tensed, and he knew his wife noticed he had. Although the main reason he did not want to tell his wife about her sibling's inappropriate actions was because he did not want to hurt his wife with such news, there was a small part of him that was afraid for another reason. He feared _what_ she would say to him if she knew. As much as he did not want to think it, there was a small pang of doubt in him…

Would Desiree believe her sister over him? He knew he shouldn't even question it. It was ridiculous to think his wife would not believe him. But ever since Spectra had brought it up, he could not get the doubt out of his head! And maybe his doubt was not really about his wife, but about himself… Ultimately, it had been his choice to go to Spectra's home; and his own decisions had led to the situation he found himself in that day. He should have known better. But he had been foolish and naïve. Instead of accepting the truth flashing before his eyes, he had just told himself several times that Spectra would never do what her actions had indicated all that time. He really should have just teleported out of her blasted home!

"Whatever it is, Vlad. You know I will understand," Desiree said, her eyebrows creasing when her husband did not reply.

The King lowered his gaze as he quietly said, "I found her at Walker's, Desiree. Her and Bertrand. It was the same day when I last left."

"She did mention that she had run into you and that you also told her I was sick," Desiree added, watching her husband carefully. She was now sure something had happened between them that had her husband upset. She wasn't so oblivious as to not notice how tense Vlad had been this morning when he ran into Spectra in her room. And she also did not miss his restrained anger when Spectra asked him if 'he had not told her yet…'

Vlad looked up at her, and asked seriously, "What _else_ did she tell you?"

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "Nothing you do not already know. After all, you were there when she mentioned that you went to her abode to take care of the human item she had found… Is there more?"

Vlad hesitated in his reply again. Hadn't he already taken care of the problem with Spectra? Plus, his wife was not completely recuperated. She didn't need any more grief. Not to mention, they had more important things to worry about…

The King sighed. "Desiree, do you trust me?"

"You know that I do," his wife replied right away, though the question confused her.

"Then, believe me when I tell you that I have already taken care of the problem with your sister," Vlad said seriously. "You know Spectra's…personality can try my patience sometimes. But she is your sister. And I know you love her deeply. That's why I prefer to just forget about this all together."

Desiree wasn't very satisfied with his reply; but she did want to respect his decision. "Very well. As you wish."

Vlad smiled gratefully, before pulling her closer; and wrapping his arms around her, he lightly rested his chin on one of her shoulders. Instantly, he felt his being relax and he softly smiled. It seemed that whenever he held his wife, time itself stopped. In that moment nothing mattered but her. He did not have responsibilities or duties. He was not even the Ghost King. He was just… Vlad. He was just a simple ghost with his beloved at his side. Even his soul felt at peace, for he knew that its soul-mate was in his arms.

But right now, his wife called to his being even more. And it was at that moment that he realized that Desiree _felt_ different. It was hard to explain. She still felt like herself; she still felt as alluring and wonderful as she had always felt. But there was something more now. And although he did not know what it was, it made him feel even more connected to her…

"And I'm acting odd?" Desiree suddenly teased, having noticed her husband's… intensity?

Plasmius suddenly snapped out of his overwhelming thoughts, though he still kept his secure hold on his wife. "Desiree…You…," But he did not finish. He did not know how to explain what he felt, how wonderful she felt and how it made him feel… Overwhelmed again with his unknown emotion, he didn't bother trying to figure it out; and instead he just silently buried his face against her neck and held her tighter.

The Queen gave him a curious look; but it quickly melded into a smile as she finally relaxed against her husband. They were so lost in themselves that neither realized that they were both softly glowing with Vlad's red energy…

* * *

The King and Queen were just arriving at Frostbite's by the time Ghostwriter and Lydia finally took their own leave. The couple knew their trip would not take them more than an hour and they also knew Wulf was a very good 'babysitter'. The ghost loved their daughter and even more so the young Prince. But as caring as he was, Wulf was also fiercely protective of the two ghost children. It was why that, like Vlad and Desiree, Lydia and Ghostwriter had no second thoughts about leaving their child under the ghost werewolf's care…

Danny, who was lying on his back on Ember's bed, was holding up one of two parchment-like papers on which he had wrote 'I am Sorry' in class. He silently smiled at it. However, his emerald gaze turned to the door when he suddenly heard it open, and he then saw Ember walked in.

"They are gone?" he asked, not moving from his current position on the bed.

Ember nodded. "Yeah…," she said quietly. She then walked over to Danny and climbed on the bed beside him. She still said nothing as she picked up the second parchment, identical to the one Danny was holding, from the bed. The ghost girl recalled how her best friend had made both of them during school and how very hard he had worked on them. And although she thought it was nice of him to do this, she was as unsure about his idea as she had been the first time he had told her about it...

"Danny, are you sure about this?" she finally spoke up. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

The Prince lowered the paper on the bed, before rolling off his back and sitting up to look at his best friend, "It's okay, Ember. I won't get in trouble. You will see, everything will be really good after this."

The ghost boy grabbed the other paper from her hand and quickly rolled it up, before doing the same to the one on the bed. He then flew off the bed and headed to Ember's closet, looking for some string to tie the papers together. And as he searched, he added as an afterthought. "Plus, it will be fast. I'll definitely be home before my parents and your parents come back… It's perfect!" he suddenly exclaimed with a grin, though it was hard to know if his last comment was meant for his idea or for the fact that he had just found a glowing green ribbon with which to tie the papers. He quickly tied the ribbon around both parchments, before making a nice bow with the remaining ends.

Ember got off the bed and walked over to him, before she asked, "Well, what about Wulf? He's not goin' to let you go to the Dragon Realm."

Danny instantly tensed, turning to look at his friend with a worried frown. "Oh-o. I forgot about him…"

The little ghost girl furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to decide whether or not it would be a good idea to tell the Prince about _her_ idea, for **she** had not forgotten about Wulf… Ember was scared of what her friend wanted to do; but she did want to help him…

"You know how I can hypnotize the fishes with my voice?" Ember asked quietly, looking at him.

Danny slowly nodded; though by the smile that slowly spread on his lips it was clear he had figured out where his friend was going with her question. And in a hopeful voice, he replied, "Do you think you can put Wulf to sleep, just like the fishes?"

Knowing her powers were not strong enough to affect such a powerful ghost yet, Ember shook her head. "No… But…"

However, the Prince already knew what the 'but' was, and he gave her a mischievous smile as he asked, "But what if I help?"

"Maybe," Ember said, smiling a bit in spite that she was still unsure. "Do you remember how to do it?"

Danny quickly nodded. "Yes! I've even been practicing! I tried it on Lu one time, and it almost worked. She got very sleepy… But then she found out what I was doing, and she got mad at me… Heh, I stopped trying it on her after that," he mumbled, his cheeks glowing a brighter white with his embarrassment.

Ember giggled at his story. "I tried it on Amorpho before and it did work! He does not know I did it, though…" She grinned mischievously with her last comment, before continuing, "But then one time my dad let me try it on him, but it did not work. But he said I sounded nice… That's why I know I can't do it on Wulf. I still haven't learned it good enough to do it on grown-ups. But maybe _together_ we can make it work…?"

"Well, we're going to try!" Danny said, suddenly grabbing his friend's hand with his free hand and pulling her out of the room.

She squeaked in surprise, but otherwise did not protest and allowed him to pull her to where he wanted to take her. As they got to the living room, Danny paused and let go of her hand as he spotted Wulf sitting on a rug, cleaning his large claws with his tongue.

The Prince giggled a bit, the large ghost's actions reminding him of Cujo. But then recalling his plans, Danny gestured to the girl ghost beside him, before flying over to the ghost werewolf.

"Hi, Wulf," Danny said with a grin.

Wulf had been about to lap at one of his claws with his tongue, but stopped in mid-action at the abrupt appearance of the Prince. The large ghost's green claws quickly vanished; and then without any warning, he captured the child right out of the air with one of his large hands.

Danny yelped in surprise when he found himself bound by large furry arms. And to his further alarm, a big tongue then suddenly slid up his face and into his hair, leaving him all covered in slobber.

"Ew! Stop, Wulf!" the Prince cried out, but the ghost just kept licking at him, much like a dog did a bone.

"Just saying 'hi' back, my Prince," Wulf replied, giving him a playful grin, before resuming his actions. But when he heard giggling coming from close by, the ghost werewolf looked up and finally noticed Ember.

Seeing that she had been noticed, the blue-haired young ghost flew over to Wulf and the trapped Danny. "You missed a spot, Wulf," she said, before laughing some more at her friend.

The other young ghost grumbled at her; but the ghost werewolf smirked, and replied, "Well, I'm not finished with him yet. But now I also have to groom you…"

Ember gasped when Wulf suddenly tried to grab her as well; but she went intangible, effectively avoiding ending up like Danny. She then grinned and triumphantly said, "Ha! You missed me!"

Danny narrowed his eyes at his friend; and turning intangible, he escaped Wulf's grip and suddenly lunged at Ember, quickly tackling her to the ground. "But I didn't!" the Prince said with a triumphant grin, momentarily forgetting what he had come to do in favor of paying his friend back for laughing at him just now.

Wulf quickly took advantage of the Prince's sudden actions and quickly grabbed Ember and wrapped his arms securely around her. He grinned at her when she tried to turn intangible again; but because he had been ready for it, it failed this time.

Danny laughed as his friend began to receive the same treatment that he had a moment ago. And the ghost boy laughed even more when Wulf's slobbering tongue managed to snuff out Ember's flaming blue pigtails, revealing that they were naturally shorter than they appeared with the blue fire.

But the Prince's victory did not last long when he was once more caught off-guard by Wulf. All too quickly, he found himself restrained by the large ghost once more.

"Was this part of your plan, dipstick?" Ember muttered, annoyed, some of her wet hair plastered on her face.

Danny cringed as a heavy tongue passed through his white hair again, before grumbling, "No. But I know how to make him stop." The ghost boy quickly looked up at Wulf and then began to scratch at his fur.

The ghost werewolf immediately paused in his own ministrations as a content smile lit his face; and he reclined back to give Danny more access to him.

Danny smirked at Ember, who quickly caught on and began to help Danny give the big ghost a full body scratch.

"Hey, Wulf?" the Prince asked when he had managed to reduce one of his father's best warriors into a puddle of happy goo.

"Yes?" the werewolf replied with half-lidded eyes, his tongue hanging out of his mouth when the child reached a particular spot on his neck that made his leg go crazy.

"Ember and me have been practicing a song? You want to hear it?" Danny asked, before smiling over at his best friend.

The girl ghost smiled back at her clever friend, but said nothing and just continued to scratch Wulf.

"That would be nice," Wulf replied, sitting up enough to grab Danny; and laying back down on his back, the large ghost placed the Prince on his abdomen and waited for him to start.

And seeing her friend give her a meaningful glance, Ember also quickly climbed on top of the large ghost and took a seat beside the Prince. Danny resumed scratching Wulf, though he was now rubbing him more than anything else.

Danny then silently gestured to Ember to make the first move. And the ghost girl nodded her agreement, before she began to sing. Her voice was as sweet as always, and it carried its usual echo. For a moment, she just sang like she normally would and just waited for Wulf to relax some more. And when she saw him close his eyes a moment later, though it was not in a tired way, but rather, in a blissful way, she began to deepen the echo in her voice, gradually tapping into her core to bring out her hypnotic power through her voice.

It took a few minutes, but Wulf began to relax even more under her soothing voice. However, he was far from being completely out. And that gave Danny his cue. He slowly joined his friend, his own young voice slipping in with Ember's in perfect harmony.

"That's very… pretty," Wulf slurred, relaxing even more as his eyes grew too heavy to even open them anymore.

Ember began to rub the large werewolf herself when she realized that even with their combined voices, Wulf was not succumbing to them completely. Danny glanced at his friend, clearly realizing the same thing. But determined to make this work, he slowly flew a bit higher, and then placed his hands against Wulf's symbol. Then, he even went as far as getting closer to Wulf's ears as he and Ember continued to sing their hypnotic melody to him.

A couple of more minutes passed. And Ember was the first to notice when Wulf's once softly waving tail and hands stilled. "Danny?" she whispered, ending her singing.

The Prince quickly stopped vocalizing himself when he heard his friend call to him. And when he finally looked at Wulf's sleeping face, he grinned. "We did it!" he whispered excitedly, but tensed when Wulf suddenly shifted to his side a bit.

Ember just stared at the large ghost, now feeling unsure again. "How do we know he will stay asleep until you come back?"

Danny, who was checking Wulf out to make sure he was completely out, paused and turned to look at her. "That's okay. If he wakes up early, he will probably just think we went to play outside and he'll look around for us. Plus, you are staying here, so you can keep him distracted while I come back!"

Ember opened her mouth to say something, but Danny suddenly spoke up again before she could. "Oh! I left the notes in your room! Hold on, I'll be right back!"

Ember watched with a frown as Danny zoomed out of the living room. She knew her friend thought he was going alone. But she had been thinking otherwise for some time now. And when the Prince finally returned with the rolled up papers in hand, a determined look fell on the ghost girl's face as she finally uttered, "Danny, I'm going with you."

The ghost boy jolted and his eyes widened with the news. But then he quickly frowned and shook his head. "No. You can't go, Ember. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me."

"But I thought you said you're **not** going to get into trouble!" she quickly exclaimed back, but then cringed when Wulf shifted again. But, luckily, he remained fast asleep.

Danny sighed as he lowered his eyes to the notes in his fidgeting hands. The truth was that he was unsure about what he was doing. But he wanted to try it in hopes that his plan did work and that it meant he could be friends with Elliot. But if it didn't work, there was a chance he could get into trouble…

"Well, I hope I don't get into trouble," he muttered quietly. "I'm going try not to. I…I just want to help, Ember. And I think I can. And I think this will work. But just in case…,"

"Well, _just in case_, I'm going with you. If you do get in trouble, then we can get in trouble together. I'm not going to let you go all by yourself like last time," Ember said stubbornly.

Danny opened his mouth to protest, but he quickly closed it when he realized he had no good argument. "Okay, fine… But who's going to distract Wulf now if he wakes up before we come back?"

Ember frowned in thought. But then, suddenly, she grinned. And Danny knew she had an idea on who could cover for them while they were gone. But she did not tell him, and instead just told him to meet her at the outskirts of her homeland.

Danny looked confused; but trusting her, he just nodded, and watched her fly away, heading towards her front door. The Prince then looked down at the rolled up notes in his hands once more, before he began to head out of the living room himself. But then, he suddenly paused and looked back at Wulf. The Prince smiled as he flew back over to him. He quietly stroked his head for a moment, before he leaned in and kissed him there.

"Sorry, Wulf. But I got to do this," Danny told him quietly into his ear, before pulling away. Finally, without any more delay, he headed out of the house to wait for Ember at her indicated location.

* * *

Desiree stared quietly at the softly glowing Infi-Map in her hands. She did not need to hear Frostbite's next words to know that they were true. She could _feel_ that it was true.

"I only just noticed this yesterday, my great rulers," the snow ghost said gravely. "And an urgent matter, I was certain it was. However, I decided to wait, in hope of this unexpected occurrence only being temporary. It is not, we can all now see. But what troubles me most is that it has worsened since yesterday."

Vlad, too, could only stare at the map in his wife's hand. He could physically see that the pink hue that surrounded the map, which gave testament of Desiree's spell over it, was barely there anymore. They were staring at the reason why the portals were acting up: the spell the ghost mage had casted over it was slowly fading…

"Desiree," Vlad finally spoke up, his voice quiet as he looked up at his wife, who clearly was as confused and troubled as he was. "Is there any other spell of this magnitude that you have performed before?"

The Queen did not answer him at first; she didn't even look at him. Why was this happening? This had never happened to her! Were her powers really failing? But why?! It made no sense! There was no reason! Why was she losing so much power?!

"Des?" Vlad called again, sounding more worried this time.

"N-No," she replied back shakily. She then looked up at her husband and shook her head. "No, Vlad, this is the only spell of this strength that I have ever performed through my own powers, and my powers alone."

"Perhaps the spell's fading is natural," Skulker interrupted them, a thoughtful frown on his face. "After all, your spells have never been permanent on their own, Desiree. "

"Yes, that is true to some extent," Desiree replied, also sounding thoughtful. "You see, I can manipulate how long my spells last. And I have placed no time limit on my spellbinding over the Infi-Map. So, it should not be fading without my willing it so."

"Forgive me for interrupting," Fright Knight then said, "But I am at a loss. I know of many spells you have performed over the years, and they all have remained permanent, my Queen. How is this one on the Infi-Map different?"

Desiree looked over at the ghost knight as she answered, "Those other spells are permanent, Fright Knight, because I have combined my own spellbinding with another ghost's powers. Do you remember the drought that had come upon the 'Rugo Terra' some years back?" she asked. And receiving a nod, she continued, "Well, we managed to fix the problem by combining my spellbinding with Vortex's weather powers. And that's why that spell can never be broken. Another example would be---"

"Myself," Skulker interrupted her, turning everyone's heads to him. But he did not need to give further explanation. They all knew what he meant. They all knew that Desiree had casted a spell to transfer his life from his decayed body---caused by Pariah's hand----to a lifeless figurine. The spell was permanent only because his life energy acted as the anchor to make it possible. So, in essence, his own life had been the catalyst for the ghost mage's spell. It could never be undone.

"I see," Fright Knight muttered. "But then would this not signify that the solution to this problem is far simpler than we originally thought? If the spell is undoing itself, could my Queen not re-cast it once more?"

"Yes," Desiree said, though she sounded unsure. "But it does not explain why it is vanishing without my willing it so. It is _my_ spell, my powers. It should **not** be coming undone unless I wish it."

"Queen Desiree," Frostbite spoke up, "Remember you strengthen the spell over the Infi-Map every five years or so. Why is this any different?"

"Because the spell is not weakening, Frostbite. It's fading out. And the _only_ reason one of my direct spells should ever vanish out of existence is if I…" Desiree's eyes widened as a wave of fear and realization wash over her. "Oh, God…," she whispered, before she abruptly excused herself and all but ran out of the cave.

"Desiree!" Vlad exclaimed, while everyone else just stared after the mage in shock. The King wasted no time and went after her. "Des!" he exclaimed when he spotted her with her back leaning against a tree and her face buried in her hands. She was crying again.

"Desiree? Desiree, look at me. For goodness sake, look at me!" Vlad exclaimed, now sounding terrified.

His wife lowered her hands, finally looking at him with fearful eyes. "Vlad, I don't think I'm just sick. I…think I'm… dying," she whispered.

Vlad's eyes widened as he felt his entire body go rigid with fear. "W-What? No… Why…**Why would you say that?!**" he suddenly exclaimed at her.

"Because the only reason that my spell on the Infi-Map would vanish would be if I perished. Do you not see? My spells, the ones that I cast without another's energy, are permanent as long as I'm alive!" she exclaimed back. "It's—It's the only explanation for what's happening...,"she added sadly.

Plasmius just stared at her for a moment, but then he shook his head. "No. You are not dying. Desiree," he said firmly. "That's…That's completely absurd! You are only thirty-two years old! Look at Horris, for goodness sake! He's almost a thousand-years-old! You are not even close to growing old yet! So, how could you possibly be dying? You're perfect!"

"I'm sick," she reminded him, sadly. "I do not know why. And neither does Kuracisto. But the fact is that something is wrong with me."

But Vlad still shook his head in denial. "Kuracisto said your illness wasn't life-threatening. You told me that yourself!"

"Well, maybe he's wrong!" she exclaimed.

"He's not wrong!" Vlad yelled back. But he suddenly grabbed his wife in his arms, and shakily added, "He can't be. He can't be, Des. Because you cannot die. Because I need you. Because if you die, so will I."

Desiree closed her eyes and hugged him back. And when she felt her husband shaking with his retrained emotions, she suddenly felt terrible for jumping to such a morbid conclusion. But everything just pointed to that and she could not help but to be overwhelmed by it.

And yet, as she held her husband, something inside her told her that she was wrong. That her illness was due to _something_ else---and not because she was dying. After all, she did not feel so sick that she _felt_ like she was dying.

"Maybe you're right," she muttered, trying to appease the Ghost King. "Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions. Maybe there is another reason for my failing powers. Maybe I'm just losing them…" She sighed, before pulling away and placing her hands on Vlad's face as she whispered, "Oh, my love, I'm so sorry. How could I have said something so terrible to you?"

"Just don't say it again," Vlad muttered, quietly, but seriously as he grabbed her hands from his face and held them in his own. He soberly studied her face; but when he noticed her still dim ghost hue, his red eyes lowered in sadness. "Let's go home."

"No, Vlad," Desiree quickly said, sobering herself. "We came here to fix the problems with the portals and we are not leaving until we do that."

Vlad quickly looked up at her and released her hands, suddenly angry. "Forget the blasted portals, Desiree! We are going home! I'm taking you home and we are going to the doctor! And he's **going** to tell me what's really wrong with you! He's going to tell me that your condition is **not** life-threatening as you seem to believe!"

Desiree frowned. "Vlad, you are being unreasonable. I should at least try to---"

"No," he said firmly. "You are not casting anymore spells until I know, until I am _certain_, you are well again!"

"I have a responsibility, too," she insisted, her voice raising a bit. "I'm not just _your_ Queen. If I allow that spell to dispel completely, it's going to put everyone in danger! I will not allow that! I have to at least try to fix this!"

Vlad silently looked at her for a moment; but then he angrily whispered, "Stubborn female…"

Desiree didn't say anything when he suddenly turned from her and walked off in some random direction. She really should not have scared him like that, for she knew he wasn't really anger, but afraid. The thought of losing her was too much for him. And she understood that completely; because the thought of losing _him_ frightened her just as much. But by his reaction now, by his leaving and not insisting that she not use her powers, she knew he also understood. As her husband, he did not. But as the King, he did.

And knowing Vlad just needed time to himself, Desiree let him be and walked back to the cave. She quickly spotted Frostbite, Fright Knight, and Skulker talking among themselves about the portals. But when they saw her, they instantly silenced.

"Hand me the Infi-Map," she softly ordered Frostbite.

Skulker frowned, noticing his best friend's absence. "Desiree…?"

"He's outside," she replied calmly, already guessing his question. But then she looked at Fright Knight and added, "I need you to make a temporary portal."

The ghost knight nodded. And without a word, he unsheathed his sword and pointed it upward. A burst of purple energy left the sword, colliding with some invisible barrier, before the sound of ripping echoed in the cave. In a second, there was a large green gash hanging overhead.

Desiree looked over at Skulker, but he needed no verbal prompting; and he silently headed out of the cave. But upon reaching the exit, he caught sight of Vlad, leaning against the ice cavern's opening with his arms crossed.

"You should go in," Skulker said seriously, knowing that his friend really wanted to be by his wife right now. The hunter did not know what was going on, but he was sure it had to do with Desiree's illness.

"I cannot," the King replied gravely, his gaze lowered.

"Why?" Skulker dared to ask; though he had a feeling he also knew the answer.

"Because… I will stop her," Vlad replied sadly, finally looking up and revealing how afraid he was.

Skulker nodded in understanding, and internally he felt his respect for his best friend grow. It had to take a lot of strength to push aside one's need to protect one's love in order to allow her to do what was right, what was necessary.

The hunter silently pulled out a strange weapon from his wrist and aimed it at an Energy Nova some distance away, before speaking again. "Desiree is strong, Vlad. Whatever is happening to her, she will recover. She will pull through this," he assured him, before firing his gun.

Vlad didn't say anything and just watched as the bright green beam of energy flew through the atmosphere until its force collided with the massive star of pure energy. There was a clapping sound, much like thunder that echoed across the sky. But then an instant later, a ripping sound replaced it, soon revealing a very large swirling vortex near the Energy Nova.

Skulker lowered his gun, and turned back towards the cave. But suddenly thinking better of it, he placed a hand against Vlad's signature and smiled at him. "I think I better keep you company."

Vlad gave him a forced smile, but said nothing. Then he and his friend silently turned to the open portal, waiting to see what happened next.

And being that they had done this a few times before, both male ghosts knew what to expect. The portals made by Fright Knight and Skulker were to visibly see if Desiree's spell did its job. And since both of the King's friends made portals differently, it made sure that the spell was effective against the various ways that temporary portals formed. Ideally, Wulf usually made a third portal at even a further distance away using his claws that had the natural ability of creating openings. But, of course, he couldn't be there now.

Furthermore, the temporary portals did show up on the Infi-Map during the time they were around—which usually never lasted more than a few seconds. Therefore, Desiree could also detect them without needing to _really_ see that Skulker had successfully created an opening.

Vlad's eyebrows creased as he watched the temporary portal begin to flicker, a sign that something was acting on it. And Vlad knew that that something was his wife's powers. But by the way the open portal did not do much except flicker, the King knew his wife was having trouble making the spell as strong as it needed to be.

Skulker, too, frowned when seconds began to pass and nothing happened. Perhaps his female friend was weaker than he had thought….

"She shouldn't be doing this," Vlad said with a deep sigh when he watched the portal Skulker had created close back up. But not due to his wife's efforts, but because it's time had been up.

Skulker didn't reply as he raised his weapon again and made another portal. But once more, the ghost mage failed to cast the spell before the portal expired. And when she failed two more times, the King had enough.

"This is foolish!" Vlad said, becoming angry again. He turned, ready to stop his wife from continuing to waste away her energy in something she obviously was too weak to perform. But Skulker quickly grabbed his arms, stopping him.

"Let her try one more time," his friend said seriously.

Vlad looked torn, though he relented. He watched as his friend made a portal for the fifth time. But then, he made another one a few seconds later.

Both male ghosts watched the portals; and Vlad shook his head when the first one closed by itself again. But just when he was sure the second would follow, it began to flicker wildly. And Skulker smiled when he saw the portal suddenly vanish into thin air---instead of closing in on itself.

"She did it," Skulker said with a small smile of amazement. But he then quickly looked over at his shocked friend, grabbed his arm, and then pulled him after him into the cave.

When they reached the innermost part of the cave, they found Fright Knight and Frostbite hovered around the Queen, who now sat on a chair made of ice---courtesy of the snow ghost.

Vlad's eyes widened at how weak his wife looked and he rushed to her side. "Desiree?" he asked, grabbing her barely glowing face. He glanced briefly at the map in Frostbite's hands and saw that it was once again glowing brightly with his wife's pink energy.

"I'm fine, Vlad. Just a bit light-headed. It will pass," she said softly, smiling weakly at him. "I did it, though. I just hope it lasts this time."

Vlad nodded. "Let's hope," he said softly, before he smiled worriedly at her and added, "You really are amazing, my dear."

"That's nice to know right now," she barely uttered.

Vlad didn't let her say anymore and just picked her up. He knew she had the energy pills with her and he planned on making her take them. They could wait until she could at least hold her head up before they returned home. The last thing Vlad wanted was to have Daniel see his mother like this. They had managed to keep him in dark about Desiree's being sick for the most part. It was better for the child that it stayed that way.

Frostbite watched the King walk out of the cave with his wife in his arms, before looking back at the Infi-Map. It had taken her several tries, but the Queen had managed it. The spell was now intact again, and so those temporary portals should not be giving them as much of a problem anymore----or he hoped it was the case.

Meanwhile, Vlad was about to take Desiree to one of Frostbite's visitor rooms, when he paused with a sudden thought. His wife had mentioned that the pills the doctor had given her were made from a Nova's pure energy. So, then, why not take her directly to the source? If his wife was in need of ghost energy, then perhaps taking her to a pure source was the answer…

Vlad turned to look at one an Energy Nova in the distance, before looking down at Desiree, still in his arms. "Des? Are you up for a little experiment?" he asked her gently.

She smiled with half-lidded eyes as she replied, "Sounds like fun."

Vlad looked at his wife for another moment, before taking off into the atmosphere. He reached the Nova in no time, and his eyes darkened against its brightness, very much like pupils shrank when exposed to sunlight. He could feel the energy source's power even when he had yet to physically touch it.

Desiree dimly noticed where they were. It really felt nice to her weakened body; but it slightly worried her when she realized what Vlad wanted to do. Although it would not really harm her husband, the intense energy of a Nova was all but painful to his sensitive core. She knew he could stand it for short periods of time and even enjoy it; but it quickly would get overwhelming for him.

Still, Vlad was hardly worried about that at the moment. And without any hesitation, he flew right into the Energy Nova. In an instant, his white hue flared as the intense energy began to be absorbed into his body. As for Desiree, her once dim hue began to quickly brighten, and she could feel her strength returning with her glow. She just basked in the revitalizing, pure energy. It was soothing and warm, much like the waves of ocean water and the sun's ray on a beach were for humans.

But as she began to feel physically better, her awareness also sharpened and she realized that she had closed her eyes at some point. But she soon opened them and looked up at her husband, who had been watching her intently the entire time.

"How do you feel?" he asked her.

She smiled and quietly replied, "Better. Enough that I think we should leave now."

He shook his head. "Not yet."

But Desiree noticed the strain in his voice; but instead of commenting on it, she said, "Well, then, at least put me down, love."

"But I like holding you," he replied softly. But he suddenly pulled her closer and buried his face against her neck, unable to keep his discomfort from showing anymore. The energy around them was just so intense. It was like being put in an oven; and oven that did not burn him, but rather suffocated him with its fumes. At the moment, Vlad was more than happy that ghosts did not need to breathe...

"Vlad, it's fine. Really, I can tell this is bothering you. I feel better now," Desiree insisted as she tried to get him to put her down.

The King, however, was determined to withstand his discomfort for a little longer. He was glad that his idea had proved useful and that it really had helped Desiree recover. He could feel that it had. And he could only hope it would last. But to make sure, he wanted to keep her here for a little bit longer.

Desiree sighed when he refused to let her go. But then she placed a hand against his bright red symbol, getting him to look up. She cupped his strained face, her tone of voice playful even as it was slightly annoyed as she said, "Stubborn male."

"I suppose that's true enough," he replied with a strained smile. He suddenly shut his eyes, however, and he unintentionally lost his grip on his wife. But Desiree didn't mind since she was now feeling well enough to float on her own. She was about to protest again when he interrupted them.

"I-I love you, D-Des-iree," he assured her with great effort. "I-I h-have from… t-the moment you t-touched m-me…"

Desiree felt her emotions swell with his words, knowing that he referred to when they had first touched each other's signature. They had been children, then. But, they had been inseparable ever since. They loved each other from that moment, though it was only as they grew that they understood just how deeply.

However, before the ghost mage could steady her emotions enough to reply that she felt the same, Vlad continued, "That… That is why I-I understood. And--And I-I have never blamed them. M-My parents, I mean. Because I'm sure I love you with t-the same in-intensity they did each other. I understand why my mother did what she did for--for my f-father. And just t-thinking that I could lose you, makes me understand all--all the more."

He forced himself to look at her as he whispered, "I would d-do it, too. I-I would give you my life if--if that is what it w-would take to s-save you. But, unlike my mother, unlike e-everyone who has tried and failed in the past, I-I would not. I-I would not fail."

"Oh, my love," Desiree choked out, knowing his thoughts had come from her voicing the possibility of her being fatally ill. She should not have said that to him! But his conviction only stirred more of her emotions. She replied with her own intensity, "I already know you would die for me. But then, I would also die for you. So, you see, we are left with a conflict. I could not let you do that for me; and yet, I know you would still try. But you know what? No matter if it ever came to do that, it does not matter. We will never leave each other. You are my soul mate. And not even death itself would separate us. You and I are forever bound to each other. So, you see, love, there is nothing to fear."

She then frowned when he squeezed his eyes closed and gripped at his core, before she added, "Now, I think this is enough talk of death. We moved past that a long time ago, remember? And I am sorry for putting you through this. And this."

Vlad looked at her again and tried to smile, though he did not really manage it. But knowing the 'And this' meant their current location, he still replied, "I-I don't m-mind." But as he said that, he shuddered and grabbed her for support as he felt his head begin to spin. The strong energy was really getting to him.

Desiree had long since noticed her husband was lit up like a light bulb. And although her own glow was now a little brighter than normal, it was not to the same extreme. This had gone on far enough.

She wrapped her arms around him, as if trying to shield him from the energy around them, before she said, "You should know by now, love, that I can see right through you."

Vlad gasped in surprise when he felt his form dissolve; and when the sensation was over, he found them both out of the Nova and back on Frostbite's terrain. He felt all his discomfort instantly vanish as he realized that his wife had teleported them out of the Nova. She could not command the ability to the extent he could, but Desiree could still teleport short distances.

"You shouldn't have done that," Vlad said, not believing his wife had just used her energy like that.

"I told you, I feel better. But if it will make you feel better, we can go to Kuracisto tomorrow. For now, let's head back for Danny. Maybe we can make it back home before the Novas darken."

Momentarily glad that she looked a whole lot better now, the King nodded his agreement and said nothing else on the matter of his wife's illness. For now, he just wanted to be with her---and his son.

* * *

Elliot gazed out of his room's large window, located in one of the castle's highest towers. He could see a good portion of his kin's land from there. Like all dragon ghosts who dwelled in his father's castle, he was currently in a more humanoid form. He honestly preferred his true form; but he had grown use to this one as well. He supposed it was more practical, anyways.

But even when he preferred his true form, his 'humanoid' form suited him just as well. Ironically, the dragon heir's current form spoke a lot of his status and his medieval ghost culture. His slick black pants fit perfectly on his body, while an open blue-and-silver vest, showed off his symbol. His attire was completed by a silver belt buckle around his waist, and bracelets on his wrist and upper arms.

The ten-year-old ghost child sighed deeply, a firm frown on his face. He passed a hand through his shoulder-length black hair, his large yellow eyes hidden behind his eyelids only briefly before they appeared once more. His thoughts were only on one thing:

The visions.

Or, actually, he was trying to figure out if that was what they were. He knew quite well of his telepathic ability---or, rather, the one that he **used** to share with his identical twin brother. But that was precisely the problem. The link should have been broken the day of his brother's death. And Elliot had been sure Gregory---or, Gregor, since he always liked to be called that---was dead. He still remembered when he was taken. He still remembered how his brother had told him to run when they were attacked. And he had run. He had even tried to take to the air. They both had. But somehow his brother had still been taken that day… For some time, Elliot had known that Gregor was still alive after his abduction. He just knew. In spite of the fact that he did not know where his brother was, he could still 'see' him through their telepathic link. He could even at times see what his brother saw. Elliot would wake up with nightmares of a red-eyed human, of some crystal, and of black, pointed clouds.

Elliot had tried so hard to figure out what it all meant; but his inexperience with his ability and his inexperience with human things had made it impossible for the child. And at times, when the dreams—or visions---had gotten so bad that he felt physical pain, Elliot was too scared to even try to understand. And now, now after six years had passed since his brother's disappearance, Elliot still did not understand what it all meant. But one thing had changed since then. He had stopped having those 'visions' after the first year of his brother's abduction. He had stopped feeling the brief pain. And he had stopped hearing his brother's voice…

Eventually, Elliot had had no choice but to accept that his brother had finally been killed. Over the years, Elliot had learned just how horrible human beings could be to his kind; and just thinking that his brother could have suffered some of the things he had heard twisted his core with pain. So, at some point, the child had even believed that maybe his brother's passing had been the best for him. He could finally rest and no one could hurt him anymore. And after some effort, Elliot had moved on. His brother was now only a distant memory. A cherished memory, yes; but it was now in the recess of his mind.

That is, until a week ago.

Elliot did not understand it. He had woken up screaming a week ago when he had dreamt about a pair of dying ghost phoenixes. He had seen their once glowing eyes go opaque as their life was taken by some force. He had seen their broken, bleeding, dead bodies lying somewhere, their beauty and grace ripped from them much like their cores. But what had him screaming that night had been when he suddenly saw himself over the dead bodies. And worse, he could even taste their blood on his tongue…

His parents had come to his aid, of course. He had called to them in his sleep without even knowing it. And he had cried for hours until he had exhausted himself…

He had not understood then that his dream was no dream, but that the visions had returned. He was sure now, though. Even if he still did not know what they meant, he was sure it was his visions. And what had convinced him of that was because he had started to have them now while _awake_. They were not horrifying like that one that night. But they were flashes of distorted pictures, of scenes that he did not recognize in the slightest—which led him to the assumption that they were views of the human world.

But what did it mean? Did it mean that his brother was still alive? But how could that be? After six years? How could he have survived? The humans would have surely killed him by now. And if he had somehow escaped from the humans, his brother still had no possible way of surviving on the human plane for all this time. The human world did not have an ounce of what a ghost needed to keep alive. With no spectral energy to keep him strong and no ghost food to nurture him, how could Gregory be alive?

Perhaps… if he willingly tried to use his telepathic ability this time, if he made an effort to tap into that link that he had thought to have been broken….perhaps then, he would get the answers to his questions. But Elliot was afraid. He was scared of what he could find by doing that. But he needed to know. And he needed to know for sure if he was to share his suspicions with his parents. He could not bear to give them false hopes and then find that they were not true.

"Gregory…?" Elliot whispered as he closed his eyes and concentrated. It had been so easy for them to use their mental link when they were together. They would even have mental disputes and tell jokes to each other without saying a word. And everyone always knew when they did it, because they would both start laughing for no reason at all. Their parents would always just shake their heads in amusement, but would saying nothing about it. Yes, from the moment they were formed, his brother and he had been together, had been so close, always sharing everything…Especially this unique link.

But now…

"_Gregor_," Elliot called mentally, his eyebrows creasing when he received no form of reply.

But as he began to call more insistently, he felt his thoughts slip away; and he was suddenly teleported mentally to somewhere else. It was a room of some sort. Dark, cold, and not of his world. It frightened the young dragon; but he was determined to learn what it was he was seeing. However, the moment he tried to intensify his mental power, the image he was seeing abruptly vanished. And before he could understand why, some unknown force savagely attacked his mind, and the child screamed in pain.

But unknown to the young dragon ghost, his father had been just about to come speak with him, and had been right outside his door when he had cried in agony…

"Elliot!" Aragon exclaimed in alarm, as he barged into his child's room; and finding him on the ground, clutching his head and still screaming, the male ghost fell right beside him as he further said, "Elliot, I implore you, my child, speak to me!"

His father's voice quickly refocused Elliot's mind, and the pain vanished, leaving behind only a minor headache. He gazed up dazedly at his father's worried face. "Father?"

"Yes, Elliot," Aragon replied, staring worriedly at him.

The young dragon shook his daze off, before speaking again. "Father, I was trying to… I…," But he could not bring himself to tell his father what he was thinking---or, rather, feeling. His brother had not answered him. He had no proof that Gregory was alive. But… But he felt something; something that felt like his brother, but he wasn't sure. He was afraid to tell his father. He did not want to cause his father and mother anymore pain…

"What happened to you, Elliot?" the male dragon asked, gripping his son's face to recapture his attention. "You sounded in physical distress…"

"I…I was, Father," he softly admitted as he squeezed his eyes closed, before he looked back at him. But unable to tell him the truth, he said, "I tripped… and hit my head."

Aragon frowned, before closely inspecting his son's head. But seeing no physical damaged, he looked back at Elliot and muttered, "You should practice more caution, my child. Your mother and I would be terribly upset if something were to happen to you."

Elliot smiled a little. "I know, Father. I will try to be more careful."

The dragon leader smiled back, before getting to his feet again. As he watched the ten-year-old stand as well, the male ghost spoke again, sounding calmer this time. "Ruĝa is requesting your company…She is waiting for you in the east wing balcony."

The young dragon could tell by his father's tone of voice that he was measuring his response. But although he knew what his father wanted to hear, Elliot looked away and quietly asked instead, "Did she say the reason for her visit?"

"Elliot," Aragon said, raising an eyebrow. "We both know why she is here."

The child did not reply right away, but then said, "I would rather stay in my dormitory, Father."

He knew Ruĝa wanted to play with him. Out of all the young dragons Elliot knew, Ruĝa was his closest friend. He enjoyed her company and they had a lot of fun together. But he really was in no mood to play. He just wanted to be alone right now.

But Aragon did not like his reply, and with a more serious voice said, "Heed my words, my child. I am not pleased that you continue to refuse company. It is very unlike you."

Elliot looked up at his father, a slight fearful glow in his eyes; but it wasn't because of his father. "I cannot stop thinking about that horrible dream from a week ago, Father. It frightens me. I do not understand it. Why must I be plagued with such horrible images? It is unjust!"

The dragon leader's gaze softened; but instead of responding, he extended a hand to his son. Elliot slowly placed his hand in the larger one, and allowed his father to lead him to his bed on the far side. Aragon sat the child down beside him before he finally spoke.

"Elliot, it was simply a dream. A traumatic one, yes. But a dream nonetheless," Aragon said seriously.

"Then why did it feel so real? Like I was there, Father?! I have never felt anything like it before!" Elliot exclaimed, clearly still shaken up with his dream from days ago.

The dragon leader sighed. But then he placed a hand against his son's troubled face, just before he rested his other hand against his symbol. "Real is _this_, Elliot. _Real_ is my being in this dormitory with you and assuring you that I will not allow anything or anyone to harm you. So, please, enough of this dream. I want you to put it behind you. Whatever you believe it means cannot be true."

Elliot looked down at the hand against his symbol as he whispered, "But what if I believe that my dream was not a dream but a vision? What if I believe it was a vision sent to me? Father, What if I believe Gregory is still alive?" he finally voiced.

Aragon pulled away from his son and stood up so quickly it was as if he had been burned by him.

Elliot looked up at him warily, already regretting his words. It was why he had not wanted to tell his parents about his thoughts. But he was just so scared and unsure that he could not contain himself anymore!

"Why would you utter such false hope to me, Elliot?" Aragon asked icily. "You know how much your brother's death has affected all of us. And yet, you dare to think—no, _voice_--- something as impossible as his being alive? Could you imagine if your mother heard you? It has taken her a great deal of effort to accept that Gregory is forever gone! Elliot, you know better!"

The child bowed his head in shame. His father was right. What had he been thinking? How could he bring up his brother's memory like this? Gregory just could not be alive. It was impossible! He knew that! And he did know better than to cause his parents more grief on the matter!

"Forgive my senseless thoughts, Father," Elliot whispered. "I suppose my sorrow for my brother's lost clouds my judgment."

Aragon's hard look quickly melted and he sat back down again beside his son. He lifted his son's chin and gave him a sad smile. "I have nothing to forgive, my child. Your bond with your brother was strong. I should understand that it is not so easily removed---even through death."

Elliot suddenly hugged his father and whimpered, "I miss him, Father. I wish he was here so much!"

Aragon wrapped his arms around his remaining son and nodded. "I wish it, too…. But we must face reality, my son. And we must move on." The dragon leader pulled away from his son, but he smiled encouragingly at him. "I know no one will ever replace Gregory's place. However, you must remind yourself that there are still others who care for you. And one of them is waiting for you at the east wing balcony. Do not disappoint her, Elliot."

The child looked down, still not really in the mood to play. But his father was right. He had to let go of this dream. And even if it did mean something, there was nothing he could do about it. And he could not waste away his time trying to make sense of something that just probably had no depth.

"You are right, Father. I will go to her right now," Elliot said, standing up and smiling.

Aragon stood as well, looking more relieved with his son's decision. "You are a fine son, Elliot."

The child smiled and bowed his head slightly as he said, "Thank you, Father."

The dragon leader smiled lovingly, before turning and heading out from his child's room without any further word.

Elliot watched him go, before sighing and looking back out his window. He really should not have said anything to his father about his thoughts. But, at least, it helped the child realize how foolish they were. He really needed to accept that his brother was gone. It was strange. He and Gregory had been four-years-old when his brother had been taken. So, how was it that he remembered Gregor so vividly?

Elliot frowned in uncertainty with his last thought. But before he could think about it anymore, something outside his window caught his attention. The ghost child's eyebrows creased as he stared at some strange white smoke rising into the atmosphere from the distance. It wasn't very big. Actually, Elliot would not have noticed it at all if it wasn't because it was rising in between the lava pits and fire geysers.

It had to be just something burning; perhaps a tree had caught fire and was producing the smoke. But it just didn't look like the usual gray fumes caused by fire. It was something else. Something that he had seen before and he could not put his finger on it…

Or maybe he could…

Elliot's eyes widened, but it was with a mixture of fear, disbelief, and happiness. "No. It's not possible…**Phantom!**" he exclaimed, though he was not aware that he had also cried out the Prince's name _mentally_…

The dragon child whirled around, before sprinting out of his room. The hallways were only blurs from how fast he was going; and he didn't notice the looks he got from those he randomly passed by---nor did he care about their looks, anyways. There were just too many thoughts running through his head for him to think of anything else. In fact, he didn't even realize that as he reached the foyer, he had brushed past a certain someone…

"Elliot? Elliot!" Ruĝa called out.

Like Elliot, the ten-year-old ghost girl was currently in a more humanoid form. She ignored the tug of her white medieval dress and tossed her long, pink hair out of her just-as-pink eyes as she darted after her friend.

The young male ghost, who was just about to run out of the front doors which had been opened by two ghosts standing beside them, finally jolted with the sound of the female ghost's voice.

"Ruĝa? Ruĝa!" he exclaimed, his yellow eyes wide with his mixed emotions. Oh, no! He had forgotten all about her!

"Elliot, what is troubling you?" she asked just as she caught up with him, instantly noticing his intense nervousness.

"N-Nothing! But I cannot converse at the moment. I must head out," he quickly replied, before turning back around and hurriedly exiting his home.

"Without me? Elliot! Wait!" his friend called after him, but it was futile.

The instant Elliot had set both feet out of the enchanted castle, his form transformed back his true black dragon form. He took to the sky without hesitation, not noticing his friend had rushed after him.

Ruĝa, who was now outside and in her real pink dragon form as well, also took to the sky. And chasing after her friend, she called out to him, "Elliot! I implore you, wait!"

The young male dragon finally halted in mid-flight; and raising his wings forward, he turned to look at his friend. "Ruĝa, I am truly sorry. But, please, I cannot offer my company at the moment. Please, just leave me be. I promise I will amend my wrongdoing towards you, my loving friend," he told her, before turning back around and zooming away at a faster speed.

Ruĝa slowed down as she watched him go, her wings flapping enough to keep her at a hover. "Elliot…," she called softly after him, her pink eyes saddening. Why did he keep avoiding her? It had been a week since they had done anything together. Was he upset with her? What had she done wrong?

The young girl dragon sighed, as she turned away to head to her own home. But suddenly a thought hit her and she spun back around. No! She would not permit him to ignore her any longer! She would force him to listen to her, to tell her at least why he did not want her company any longer!

With her eyes slightly narrowed with both anger and determination, Ruĝa took off in the same direction as Elliot…

* * *

Gregory sat in the corner of 'his' new room---or, _first_ _actual_ room---staring cautiously around it. His eyes, no longer hidden under the sunglasses he usually wore, lingered on the bed and he recalled how Tom had told him it was meant to be slept on. But he had not touched the bed at all last night---nor did he want to now. He was too use to sleeping on the ground in his small cage---hence why he had not moved from the small corner in which he was.

He didn't like it here. It was quiet all the time. It wasn't like the circus, where it was only quiet at night. Any other time, he could hear the screams and laughter of human children and their parents as they enjoyed the shows and foods of the circus. There were also so many smells, including the different foods, animals, and chemicals from the smoke and effects used in the performance. Of course, most of the time, he was not aware of any of it since his Master rarely let him have full use of his mind. But he perceived it subconsciously; and it brought some sort of normalcy and assurance for him.

But this place. It smelled different. It looked different. And it was _so_ quiet.

Sure, he was use to not talking to anyone, save for his Master. The people that worked for the ring leader were not aware of his presence. They simply did their job, and then left for the night. No one knew of him.

Until now.

_Now_, his Master was allowing him to remain fully conscious. _Now_, he was letting him be seen by others. His Master had him move among the humans as if he were human. But he was not. He never would be. He was a ghost. But no one could see it---that was how well he fit in with them. And now that he realized that his Master had purposely sent him here, he was now sure it was what his Master---and that 'Tom' human---wanted. They wanted him to look and act human.

But why?

All Gregory knew was that he was meant to do something big for the 'Tom' human. And he would do it only because his Master also wanted him to do this 'something.' Whatever it was, the child did not care. He had already done the worst thing possible in his mind…. He could still see and hear those ghost phoenixes begging for his mercy…

Gregory unconsciously placed a hand against his core. But when he did, he finally noticed and looked down at himself. But instead of seeing his Ectoplasmic Signature, he just saw the wardrobe that buried it. It did not surprise him, of course. He had always worn clothing. But it had always felt… suffocating. He could not explain it, but it did. It was why he preferred his true dragon form. He wore nothing on his body and it felt so liberating to his core. Not to mention, he felt so much better because when he changed into his true dragon self, it meant he could remove the Gem of Form currently fused to his core. True, he had become accustomed to the discomfort and pain. But he still preferred it out.

But now… now he had this strange ring on his finger on top of the gem. And this ring only served to further suffocate him. Or, actually, it served to do a lot more. And last night, he had discovered that one of the other things it could do was to send a nasty shock through his body when he tried to access his powers with the ring on. However, that wasn't all. He could not even access his claws without consequence. Before, when he sprang his claws, they slipped out from his fingers like soap from wet hands. But now with this ring, it was like his body was more… _tangible_. And when he had sprung them out in a bout of anger last night, it had felt like he had torn through his fingers to do so! Gregory had to conclude that that was what really did happen---judging by how he had bleed pretty badly from his attempt last night.

As much as the child hated to admit it, the 'Tom' human had been right about this ring-like device teaching him self-control. Gregory was now more cautious to give into his aggression…

The ten year-old was pushed out of his thoughts when his stomach growled for nourishment. It was already past noon and he had not gotten anything to eat. It usually never bothered him, since he had gotten use to going without food for three or four days with his Master. But with his mind so alert, he was so much more aware of it. Gregory had to admit that being fully conscious was more cumbersome than not. But he preferred it like this. He couldn't help it. He liked being able to think; even if it got him into trouble sometimes...

Licking his lips, the child glanced over at a jar of glowing water on a nightstand. The 'Tom' human had left it there for him since last night in case he got thirsty. And he was thirsty.

Suddenly looking very timid and scared, he slowly got to his feet. He glanced over at the closed and locked door, before looking at the closed bathroom door. Finally, his eyes traveled to the slightly parted curtains on the only window in his medium-sized room. It was only then, after he had made sure nothing was out of place, that he slowly began to move towards the jar of water.

He skittishly scanned his surroundings one last time as he stopped in front of the nightstand, before finally grabbing the jar in his hand. He completely ignored the cup as he turned to move back to the corner from where he had come. But at that instant, a soft tap came from the window, making the child yelp and whirl around to face the sound. His green eyes flashed red for an instant as he resisted his instinct to attack whatever had startled him.

However, when he caught sight of large dragonfly hovering around the window, he relaxed a bit and frowned at it. Why did it want to come in here when it was out there? When it was free?

Gregory blinked. Free? What did that even mean? As he shifted through his mind for the answer, he lifted the jar to his lips and took a drink. But not finding the answer, he dismissed the question and turned away from the window. He walked back over to his corner and sat back down with his jar of water. For a moment, he just continued to drink from it as he watched the bug outside tap on his window.

But then, suddenly, the child stood; and leaving the water jar on the ground, he moved over to the window. He stared curiously at the bug as he placed his hand against the glass. Gregory noticed how the dragonfly startled and recoiled away. But just when the child thought it was going to fly away, it returned. At that moment, Gregory smiled for the first time he could remember. He didn't realize that he was. But he was.

He didn't know what motivated him to do what he did next, but his hands were quickly on the window, unlatching its lock. So as not to startle the bug, he slowly opened the window. The dragon fly lingered outside for another moment, before coming in. Gregory watched it with mild amusement as it zoomed around the room, lightly smashing into everything it touched. But suddenly wanting to catch it, Gregory quickly moved around the room, waiting for a chance to do that. But it was hard. The bug was just too fast.

But noticing how it was more attracted to the white walls than anything else, the child got an idea. He went over to the nightstand and turned it on just like he had seen Tom do. It wasn't long before the dragonfly began to smash against the lamp's covering, trying to get closer to the light bulb.

"You like light," Gregory said, tilting his head and grinning. But his eyes then narrowed playfully as he got closer; and with a small growl, he successfully cupped his hands around the bug, trapping it inside. The child lifted his closed hands and peaked inside at the bug trying to escape.

Looking triumphant, the ghost boy walked back to his little corner and sat down, bug still in hand. He observed it for a while, but when it did not calm down, he spoke to it, "It's okay. I'm not going to kill you. I only do it when my Master commands it of me; and he is not here; so you have nothing to worry about."

But when it continued to struggle, Gregory looked back at his jar of water; and thinking it was a good idea, he put the bug inside the jar, quickly covering the top so it would not get out. The jar was still half-full of water; but the dragonfly somehow managed to keep flying above it. Gregory just watched it, the buzzing of its wings a hypnotizing hum that echoed in his sensitive ears. It was why he was caught so off guard by what he heard next.

"_Gregor?_"

The dragon child jolted and gasped, his eyes wide with alarm as he stared all around the room. But when he heard the voice whisper his name again, he realized that it was not coming from around him, but from _inside_ him. It was coming from his mind.

That voice… the one that sound like his… it was back.

"_Gregor?"_

Gregory did not reply; instead he narrowed his eyes, his head lowering as he cautiously allowed 'the voice' to move around his mind. But when it suddenly began to probe at it, the child growled. He was sick of this intruder! Why was it always tormenting him with its familiar voice and images…Images of a place that seemed familiar; but at the same time, was not.

"_Gregor?"_

"No! Get out of my head!" Gregory suddenly exclaimed, clutching his head as he mentally attacked whatever was in his mind. He heard a scream of pain from the voice in his mind, which only encouraged him to mentally attack the intruder even more. But at that moment, he heard another voice, a both familiar and unfamiliar voice that filled him with so many emotions, but he just didn't know why.

"_Elliot!"_ it shouted fearfully at the intruder in his mind.

So, that was the voice's name… Elliot.

But now Gregory wanted to know more. And in the same way that Elliot had invaded his mind, he invaded Elliot's. Gregory remained unaware that his eyes had turned yellow. All he was aware of was that he was looking at **someone** _through_ this intruder's eyes. And this 'someone' was the very same someone whose voice filled him with all those unexplained emotions. But before he could figure out why this red-eyed male ghost who he was seeing through Elliot's mind was so familiar to him, the mental connection was suddenly broken.

Gregory gasped as his eyes changed green again; the last thing he had heard in his mind was Elliot call that 'someone' father. And it was over.

The dragon child stared around in a panic, one of his hands clutched against his core, while his other was pressed against his throbbing forehead. What was happening to him? Why was he hearing these voices and seeing these images? Who were Elliot and this other person… this… _Father_? Why were they so familiar and unknown to him? And why, _why_ did he feel all these emotions? He recognized the dark grip of hate and anger. And he even could understand the sadness and fear. But the rest he did not know. How could he know when he did not remember what love was?

His thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly remembered the dragon fly in the jar. But his eyes grew wide when he found that it was now floating on top of the water, its form unmoving.

"Oh, no…," he whimpered, before reaching into the jar and pulling out the little bug. He must have jolted the jar or something in his confusion and surprise, causing the little bug to fall into the water. It had drowned.

Gregory didn't know why; but everything that had just happened had filled him with such utter despair that the dead bug was suddenly the last straw. Even with his Master's voice ringing in his ear against what he was doing, the child began to cry. But it wasn't just the usual suppressed whimpers and frustrated tears. He was fully sobbing as he cradled the dead bug against him.

"I-I'm s-sorry," the child choked out, though he did not know whom he was saying it to.

To his misfortune, Thomas picked that exact moment to finally come see him. But even with his presence, Gregory could not stop crying. If anything, he sobbed louder, now knowing his Master would hear of this and he would be punished.

The ghost hunter blinked at the crying child, surprised by the scene. But the emotion quickly melded into confusion as he asked, "What's gotten into you?"

"I-I k-killed it!" Gregory cried out, needing to say at least one of the things that had him so upset.

"Killed what?" Thomas asked, annoyed, before walking over to the child.

The dragon ghost lifted his hands to show the hunter the dead dragon fly. But the man slightly recoiled in disgust at the unexpected sight. But realizing what the child finally meant, an amused smile slowly began to curl on Tom's face, before he suddenly burst into laughter.

But Gregory did not appreciate his amusement and he quickly glared at him though his tears as he choked out, "Sh-Shut up! It's n-not funny!"

"Gregor, you really are something!" Thomas said, ignoring the angry boy's demand. "You hardly show any emotion when you are being brought to an inch from death over and over again by Freakshow, and yet, you quickly have a nervous breakdown over a little dead bug?"

Gregory just glared at the laughing man. Of course, he would not understand. He didn't understand how he did not like it when his Master made him hurt or kills other creatures---be they human, ghost, or animal. But he would do it out of obedience. And he was use to it. But this was the first time he killed something by his own hand. But he had not meant to kill the little bug. He had been honest when he promised it he was not going to hurt it… But now, now he had. And he felt really bad. Now he really did feel like the monster Tom assured him he was…

Getting over his amusement, Thomas kneeled back down at the child's side and pulled out a needle and two vials from his suit. "Okay, enough of that. Get rid of that thing. You need to be nourished."

But when Tom went to swat the bug from his hands, Gregory recoiled, shouting, "No! Don't touch it! It's mine!"

The ghost hunter rolled his eyes at the childish display, but shrugged. "Fine. Keep the stupid bug. Just hold still."

Gregory glared some more, but did as he was told. He stared sadly at the dead bug as Thomas filled the syringe with the first vile of pure ghost energy. Then he undid Gregory's vest and shirt enough to expose the area around his core. But being that his ghost symbol was hidden from view in this form, Tom had to guess a bit on where to insert the needle. And when he decided on a spot, he plunged it into the child's body without warning.

Gregory tensed as he felt the needle embed itself all the way down and then pierce his core. But when the energy supply was emptied inside him, he began to feel his energy increasing and his body strengthening. Soon after, the needle was out of his body.

Tom did not pay any mind to the now slightly calmer, though still sniffing, child, and just began to fill the needle again; this time with ghost proteins and minerals.

"This should keep you healthy until we can get you some _actual_ nourishment," Tom mumbled as he turned his gaze back to the child. He then inserted the full syringe into the young ghost's abdomen, this time.

Gregory frowned as he coldly said, "You mean, until Spectra and Bertrand return with another ghost for me to kill and eat."

Tom smirked. "Pretty much." The man stood back up, before sobering again and commanding, "Go take a bath. We are going to head to the 'GiW' facility in about an hour. So be ready."

With that, the man turned and left without another word.

Gregory growled after him as he rubbed his sore belly. The ghost proteins might keep him from starving, but it did not sedate his hunger. Oh, well. He was not feeling that hungry anymore, anyways.

He stared sadly down at the dead bug in his hand before touching it with his other hand. "I'm sorry," he told it again, before walking over to the still-opened window and placing it down on the outer sill. He sighed, before turning away and heading over to the bathroom to take a bath. If he wasn't still feeling so down, he would have been excited by the prospect of playing with the slippery soap bar again.

But right now, he was just too confused and torn to think about anything else. He squeezed his eyes closed suddenly as he felt a small jolt of pain from his head. Again, he was unaware of his eyes flashing yellow yet again, but he did hear a single word loud and clear in his mind.

"Phantom…?" he muttered in confusion. But having no answer to what it meant, he shook his head to clear it and dismissed all his thoughts. He already had enough to think about as it was. He would just have to put this on his list of things to figure out…

* * *

Elliot quickly landed a couple of feet away from where he had seen the strange smoke—which he now suspected it to be vapor. He could still see the white mist curling into the air in between the lava pits and fire geysers. The young dragon lowered his head slightly and his wings were pressed against his side as he slowly walked forward on all four. He had been here many times before, so he had no problem maneuvering through the hot pits around him.

"Phantom?" he suddenly whispered as he closed in on the area of interest. He received no response; but at that moment, he realized that the vapor was actually coming from just outside the fire geyser and pits' perimeter. Whatever was causing it was not daring to move into the hot area…

Elliot frowned as he made it to the other side and found a slowly evaporating puddle of water on the hot ground. But there was nothing else—or, rather, there was no Ghost Prince in sight.

Now wondering if he had merely jumped to conclusions, Elliot looked up at the large forest in front of him. Should he even keep searching? Maybe he should just go back home and find Ruĝa… He had been treating her unjustly as of late. And instead of chasing imaginary figments in his head, he should focus on what was truly there---as his father had said.

The young dragon looked back, his ears and wings sagging with sadness. He needed to go apologize to his friend. But… he also wanted to make sure this wasn't what he had first thought.

Elliot sighed as he gazed back at the forest and thought to himself, _"Could it really be you, Phantom?"_

Creasing his eyebrows, the young dragon moved into the forest, and his eyes immediately began to scan his surroundings, while he kept a sharp ear out for any noises. But as he continued forward, he could not see or hear anything out of the ordinary. That is, until he heard a sudden thump and the loud crunching of leaves behind him.

Elliot gasped and whirled around to face the sound. But before he could find out what it had been, he received an even larger surprise from the opposite side.

"Boo!" Danny exclaimed as he suddenly lunged at the large dragon and tackled him. Or he tried to, anyways. All he could really do was wrap his arms around his long neck and mount him, much like he did Fright Knights flying horse, Nightmare.

The young dragon yelped in surprise as he spun back around, only for the ghost on top of him to yelp himself and tighten his grasp on him.

"Elliot! Stop! It's me! Phantom!" the Prince quickly exclaimed when he realized he had scared his friend a little too well.

Elliot froze when he heard the name. He craned his head to look at the younger ghost on him and his eyes widened with a mixture of disbelief, happiness, but mostly, anger…

"Phantom!" he growled out, before lifting his tail towards him. He quickly wrapped his tail around the Prince's abdomen, being careful not to hurt the smaller ghost with the spikes that were upon it, and lifted him off him.

Danny giggled as he was brought in front of the dragon's face. "Whoa, this feels weird," he commented, before touching one of the spikes on his friend's tail. He then smiled back at the older child as he added, "I knew you would come! I remembered what we did when we mixed your hot energy with my ice energy! So, I did that again by using all the hot ground over there! And it worked!" The Prince abruptly phased from the older child's hold on him, before he happily hugged the dragon around the front of his neck again as he exclaimed, "I'm so happy to see you again!"

Elliot looked torn with what to do. He was also happy to see the Prince. But… But he wasn't supposed to be here!

"No!" the young dragon suddenly exclaimed, using one of his hands to push Danny away.

This got the young child's attention, and he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"You are not supposed to be here, Phantom!" Elliot shouted at him angrily. "You are going to get us both into trouble! And worse yet, you could get our fathers in a quarrel once more! No, you must leave! And you must leave now!"

Danny's frown deepened. "But that's why I'm here! I don't want our fathers to fight anymore! I want us to be friends and able to see each other! And I know how to do that! I know how **we** can do that!"

But Elliot did not want to hear it. "No, get out. Do not make me force you, Phantom," he added, his anger mixing once more with his other emotions.

Danny stared at him, before he quietly asked, "You do not want to be my friend?"

At the question, Elliot's frustration instantly melted, "I…I do. I know my father says that you are evil… But I cannot believe that. But I cannot disobey him, either. He told me to stay away from you. You, _your Kingdom_, are a threat to my kin… Phantom, I am sorry. But although I want to be your friend, I _cannot_ be your friend."

"Yes you can!" Danny insisted, flying closer to him. "You can if you help me make our fathers be friends again, too! They were friends before, so they can be friends again!"

Elliot jolted with the news. "They were friends? No, that cannot be true! My father has never said anything of the sort!"

"But it is true! My father told me!" Danny assured him, getting a bit defensive.

Elliot didn't reply, but he then shook his head. "Even so, this cannot be. You must go."

"But—" Danny began only to be cut off.

"Do you not understand?!" Elliot shouted at him. "If my father discovers you are here, he will imprison you! In reality, I should have already called to him! You are forcing me to betray my kin and my father by your being here, Phantom!"

"I'm not going without making things right!" Danny snapped back, his eyes narrowing in determination. "I want you to help me; but if you won't, then I'll do it myself!"

Elliot growled as he turned his head from him. They stayed quiet for a moment, as the young dragon tried to decide what to do. He did not want to see his friend get captured by his father. But he did not want to disobey his parents, either. But what if Phantom was right? What if his father and the King had been friends at one point? Was there anything they could do to fix that severed bond?

The future dragon leader looked back at the future ghost king, before he quietly asked, "What makes you believe we can do anything to change what has happened?"

A bit of hope flickered in Danny's green eyes, before he quickly opened his mouth to reply.

But before he could say anything, a sudden movement from a nearby bush caught Elliot's attention. The older child's eyes narrowed; and sure there was someone there, he demanded, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Danny also looked in the direction of the bush; but with a smile, he quickly looked at the young dragon. "It's okay, Elliot," he assured him, before looking back at the bush and saying, "You can come out now, Ember."

The ghost girl poked her head out of the bush and smiled nervously at the dragon ghost. He was so big!

But Elliot just stared at her with wide-eyes. In fact, he was so shocked at the presence of this newest intruder that he—nor Danny nor Ember---heard the soft crunching of leaves from the outer part of the forest…

Ruĝa, who had roughly landed within the forest and so had been responsible for the first sound Elliot had heard before Danny had surprised him, had been watching her friend and the other ghost children from another bush. But having heard what they had said, she slowly began to back away from the sight in front of her. She couldn't believe it! Elliot was associating with intruders! And not just any intruders from what they had said, but with the Ghost Prince himself and another ghost of his Kingdom!

Her friend was in danger!

"_I must find help!"_ she thought as she finally cleared the forest and took off above the fire geysers, heading straight back to her leader's abode…

* * *

**Yes, evil place to end; but my muse insisted. Well, this is a pretty late post; but I said I'd post for my B-day; so at least I did. Oh, and my muse made a cybernetic cake. *Pearl makes her wish* "...._I wish to hear my fellow readers thoughts on this chapter...." _*blows out candles* Oh, I hope it comes true! :) **

***Vlad muse skakes his head* _You will all have to forgive her. She can't help herself. And I suppose I'll forgive her this one time..._**

***glomps muse* You are so wickedly sweet! Come on, let's cut the cake. *begins to hand cake to everyone* Hope you guys liked the chapter---and the cake! **

**Ta for now!**

* * *


	24. Chapter 22: Crossfire

**Okay, since it's been a while, I'll give you guys a short summary of where we left off:**

**Danny's currently at the Dragon Realm again. And he has met up with Elliot. But Ruga, Elliot's friend has followed Elliot and has discovered her friend talking to the Prince. She has gone for help, thinking he is in danger. Meanwhile, Vlad, Desiree, Ghostwriter, and Lyida are oblivious to their kids 'little adventure'. And while GW and Lydia are currently running an errand at the Library of Time, Des and Vlad are on their way back from Frostbite's. So, then, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But the AU plot and the OC characters are my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Crossfire**

About a mile from Aragon's castle was a deep meadow valley, which was a common gathering place for a lot of ghost dragons, especially the adolescent ones. And at the current moment, five male dragons—their ages ranging from the mid-teens to the mid-twenties--were there, doing what young males typically did….

With a challenging growl, two of the older males, both reptilian green in color, rose on their hind legs and locked their front claws with each other. Meanwhile, the two youngest---one toned a dark purple and the other a deep blue---stared on, rooting for one or the other challenger as the competitors continued what looked like a contest of strength.

The fifth one, the eldest of the five, was comfortably seated besides the youngest two, quietly watching his wrestling kin with an amused, but also mischievous, smirk on his face.

"Ike. Lacerto," he called to the two fighters. "Do you not tire of the same doings?"

"Do not be so impatient, Taur," Lacerto replied, glancing at him, before grunting and gripping Ike's claws tighter and exerting more force against his equally-sized challenger.

In turn, Ike pushed back, his and his opponent's hind claws' digging into the grass below as they held their ground.

"Indeed," Ike added with a strained voice. "You will get your turn to challenge the winner---which will be me!"

"Keep wishing, Brother," Lacerto quickly said, giving a particularly strong push that momentarily won him a foot of gain.

But Ike quickly dug his hind claws back into the ground, solidifying his footing. "I am not out yet, Brother," he grunted back.

Taur grinned widely as he rose to his feet and glanced over at the two youngest ghosts, named Botsu and Dil.

"They really think high of themselves, do they not? And yet they speak the truth. I am quite impatient. So then, I need not explain myself when I do this…"

In one swift moment, Taur spun around and slammed his large tail against Ike and Lacerto's hind legs, instantly making them both lose their footing.

The large dragons yelped as they fell against each other in a heap, while the youngest two burst into laughter at the eldest dragon's trick.

"There we are. Now you both lose," Taur said smugly.

Ike and Lacerto glowered at him; but then they suddenly grinned, baring their teeth with wickedness at the silver-colored dragon ghost. "Then, it seems you will have to break our losing streak…"

"Or keep it going," Taur retorted, getting into a fight stance.

But before the three older males could go at each other, the youngest interrupted them.

"Taur? Is that not your female cousin?" Botsu asked curiously, pointing above them.

The silver dragon quickly looked up in the given direction and frowned in confusion as he replied, "Indeed. That is Ruĝa. Odd. I do wonder what has her moving at such a quick pace…"

Abruptly, Taur's form suddenly dissolved into dark purple smoke. And just as quickly, he shot into the sky…

Meanwhile, Ruĝa had been so focused on getting to her leader's abode that she did not notice the male dragons as she passed them below. However, her attention was instantly redirected to the sudden dark cloud that came out of nowhere. She gasped in alarm as it spun around her, momentarily blinding her in its dark fume and forcing her to halt her flight.

But before the little pink dragon could cry out in fear, the 'cloud' suddenly came to a halt in front of her and quickly reformed back into a very familiar silver dragon.

Ruĝa growled in annoyance, before she exclaimed, "Taur! Must you do that? And what are you doing here?"

The male dragon shot her a cocky smile in reply and then purred, "Ruĝa, that is no way to address your older cousin---let alone a male. As for my reason for being here," he continued, his voice taking a more causal tone. "Well, considering that you are a female who is neither my mother nor our leader's mate, then, I believe I am not in any obligation to answer that. However,_ I_ have a right to know---_and would like to know_---why my ten-year-old female cousin has strayed alone so far from home…?"

The question instantly jolted the girl dragon's mind back to Elliot and she quickly replied, now in a fearful voice, "I had gone after Elliot; but I had to return because he… Oh, Taur! I think he is in grave danger!"

Taur instantly frowned in worry. "In grave danger? How so?"

Ruĝa looked away slightly, unsure if she should tell her cousin the truth. But she really did fear for her friend's safety.

"I-I found him with---with intruders!" she exclaimed.

Taur's eyes widened in disbelief; but just as quickly, they suddenly narrowed; and the spikes on his neck rose up in anger as he growled back, "Intruders?! What is this of which you speak? Elliot consorting with intruders? Explain this to me right now, Ruĝa!"

Unable to keep her fear at bay anymore, the little dragon quickly told him everything. She told him how she had followed Elliot and how she had seen him speaking with two young ghosts from the Kingdom—one which happened to be the Ghost Prince.

"What if the Ghost King is not too close behind?" Ruĝa asked fearfully. "Elliot could be hurt! We must help him, Taur! We must warn our leader!"

But Taur did not reply, a thoughtful look now on his face. He had heard from his father about the Ghost King and Prince's trespassing upon their land not too long ago. And he knew that this was not some rumor, for his father, who happened to be one of Aragon's warriors, was present when Aragon had faced them.

"Taur! Do you not understand the urgency of this?" Ruĝa suddenly asked when her cousin continued to remain silent. "No matter! I will find our leader myself!"

But when the little pink dragon suddenly flew around him, Taur finally reacted and quickly grabbed her by the tail, stopping her.

"Be still, my young kin," Taur said, a strange smirk curving his mouth.

Ruĝa stared in confusion, not understanding his strange expression. But before she could ask, the larger dragon pulled her closer to him, and suddenly gripped her by the neck using his strong jaws.

The younger dragon yelped in surprise, but then exclaimed, "What are you doing, Taur?"

He only chuckled in response before the large dragon suddenly dived back down to the other four dragons still waiting below. Ruĝa was then unceremoniously dropped on the ground while the other four dragons came up to them.

Taur quickly addressed the others with the endearing, though figurative, title, "Brothers, I bear grave news!"

While the silver dragon proceeded in telling his kin of the two intruders on their land, Ruĝa was shaking her neck in an effort to get rid of some unpleasant sensations. It still tingled and had Taur's saliva on it from where his mouth had been when he had held her. But, fortunately, it didn't hurt since she was still young and was used to being held in such a way. Nevertheless, it still annoyed her when someone besides her parents did it. She briefly scowled at her cousin, but her annoyance was also due to the fact that he continued to delay her helping Elliot.

Her attention, though, quickly went to the other males as they suddenly gasped in surprise at Taur's words.

"Is this true, Ruĝa? Are you certain that the Ghost Prince is on our land once more?" Lacerto asked, looking at the young girl dragon.

"Indeed!" she replied, before anxiously adding, "That is why we must go to our leader now! Time is of the essence!"

"I concur!" Taur quickly added, surprising Ruĝa. But the smirk returned to his face as he added, "That is why there is no time to bring the matter to our leader's attention. I say we deal with this threat ourselves."

The others look at each other, clearly not so sure about the idea.

And Ruĝa quickly protested with her very important point, "That goes against our leader's rules! Only he and his warriors are to address such matters! He will be angry with you, Taur!"

"He will be angrier if any ill befalls his son," Taur retorted, glaring at the little ghost for contradicting him. But then he turned his gaze back to the other males and added, "Brothers, we are strong enough to deal with our Kin's enemies. And it is our responsibility to assure the safety of our next leader. Therefore, we must not succumb to fear or uncertainty!"

Ruga frowned in hesitation this time. She knew that Taur was genuinely worried for Elliot's safety. If there was one thing for which her kin were known, it was their strong unity. They fiercely protected one another---be they brothers by blood or brothers by kinship. They had lost too many to the former Ghost King to not have such strong bonds with one another.

However, she also knew her cousin was also looking to take advantage of this unexpected occurrence. He was always looking for a new challenge. And Taur had obviously just found that with the news of ghosts from the Kingdom daring to trespass on their Kin's lands. And his next words made that crystal clear.

"Are you with me, brothers? I, for one, would _love_ to at last meet our future Ghost King…," Taur said, an evil grin curling his mouth.

The others looked at one another once more; and suddenly feeling as bold as their older kin, their eyes narrowed with dark mischief as Lacerto answered, "Let us go to Elliot's aid, then…"

Ruĝa gasped. "Taur! You must not do this! We need to tell our leader! He will know how to properly deal with this matter!"

"Silence!" the silver dragon snapped, his eyes narrowing in annoyance with the female dragon's constant nagging. "I have decided our course of action. And you will lead us to Elliot right now!"

Ruĝa slightly recoiled under Taur's fierce look. "I… last saw him at the western part of the forest near the fire geysers. If you are so set on your decision, then, you seek out Elliot. I plan to inform our leader. He must know!"

"You have no faith in my strength, my young cousin?" he asked, mocking hurt. But then he grinned wickedly again as he added, "All the more reason to seek out these intruders. I will prove my capabilities to you. Bring her, Ike" he then ordered one of the green older dragons.

"Wait! No!" Ruĝa exclaimed, trying to get away when the large dragon quickly came towards her. But he quickly gripped her around the abdomen, before securing his jaws around her neck, knowing that it would keep her from struggling any longer.

Taur laughed boldly, before spreading his wings and shooting into the air. With equal fervor, the other male dragons followed suit. All the while, Ruĝa protested against their actions. But this time, her words fell upon deaf ears….

* * *

It took only a moment for Elliot to get past his shock after seeing Ember; but when he finally reacted, it was not in the way Danny expected.

A roar of fury left the young dragon's throat as he whirled around to glare at the Prince. "How dare you?! How dare you bring this other intruder here?!"

Phantom jolted, never seeing his older friend so angry before. But being confused more than anything else, the ghost boy's eyebrows creased as he mumbled out, "But she's not an intruder. She's my friend. And she wants to help, too."

Elliot snarled, further angered by his younger friend's inability to understand. He briefly glared in the direction of the frightened Ember, before looking back at Danny.

"I will not help you," he told him seriously. "And if you value our friendship and your friend's safety you will leave right now, Phantom."

Danny's eyes widened. "But---" he began, only to be forcedly cut off.

"LEAVE!" Elliot shouted, pushing him away with a hand, though he accidently aimed a little too high and forcefully touched the Prince's symbol.

Danny instantly cried out, and recoiled away from the burst of angry and hot energy that coursed through him with Elliot's touch.

Elliot jolted in alarm. He was so shocked by the Prince's violent reaction to his accidental and forceful touch that he didn't see that Ember had finally recovered from her own surprise. But he instantly noticed when the six-year-old girl was suddenly right in his face, glaring furiously at him.

"What's your problem, you big lizard?!"

Elliot jolted again with the insult. But then his hackles raised as smoke began to pour out of his nostrils and mouth. "How dare you talk down to me, _female_?!"

The little girl blinked, surprised by the title. But although she knew she was a 'female', she was sure she didn't like the way the older child had said it; and even though her young energy couldn't really do any damage to anyone, she quickly let her energy pour through her hands.

"I'll talk to you how I want!" Ember snapped back, her hands coiling at her side as she floated firmly in front of the dragon ghost. "You're not Danny's friend! If you were, you would help him! If you were, you would not have hurt him!"

At the mention of Danny, Elliot quickly looked over at him and his anger snuffed. He had not meant to hurt him…

Elliot briefly glanced back at Ember and glared at her, before pushing past her. His ears tilted back and his neck lowered as he walked closer to the Prince sitting on the ground.

"Phantom?" he called to him, his voice quiet and sad.

Danny, who had a hand against his chest, didn't look at the older boy. The hot energy against his cold core had hurt. But… not as much as his friend's action itself…

"Phantom, I-I did not mean to hurt you," Elliot assured him, coming closer. "I am sorry. I just…I fear for your safety. And I am so confused. I want to obey my father. But I also want to be able to keep company with you."

Danny finally looked up at him. "I feel like that, too," he said quietly. "That's why I came back."

Elliot's eyebrows creased, trying to understand the younger child's logic. But then, he suddenly understood. Like him, Phantom was also confused and scared; but he was rising above that for their friendship. They wanted to obey their fathers; but Elliot knew that his—and he was now sure that Phantom's own---father had taught him to do the right thing, to strive for peace. Could it be that in order to do as their fathers had taught them, they now had to momentarily disobey their fathers?

Elliot smiled in understanding. But then he grabbed Phantom's own hand---still against his symbol---and lowered it. The young dragon then substituted it with one of his own larger hands, this time, with all the tenderness he possessed.

Danny froze with the new feeling; but it was surprisingly very soothing this time. And now feeling that Elliot finally understood and would even be willing to help, Danny grinned just before floating up and pressing his own hand against Elliot's symbol.

And at that moment, both young future leaders knew: no matter what ever happened, their bond now could never be broken.

Elliot smiled a bit more, amazed by the smaller ghost's feel; but he soon lowered his hand and asked, "Exactly what did you have in mind?"

Danny quickly jumped to an explanation and showed him the two notes he had made---one to give to his father and another for Elliot's father.

Meanwhile, Ember just vaguely listened, more interested in keeping a distrusting eye on the dragon child.

"So…," Elliot began in an unsure voice as he stared at one of the letters---if the colored parchment with the scribbled 'I'm sorry' could be called that. "Your plan is to give one of these… letters to your father and you would like me to give the other to my own and have us say it's from the other's respective father?"

Danny's eyebrows creased as he tried to process the older child's words; and believing it sounded close to what he had said, the Prince grinned again and nodded. "Yes! Right!"

Elliot opened his mouth, only to close it again and frown. He could see some logic in the younger child's idea. After all, asking for forgiveness was the first step to working out any difference between two ghosts. But…

"Do you not believe that our fathers would recognize that these letters were not written by an adult?" Elliot questioned.

Looking down at his hand-made letters, Danny tilted his head, considering his male friend's words. But then, he looked back at Elliot and obliviously asked, "How can they know?"

The dragon child snorted in amusement; but then he sighed and frowned deeply, trying to think of what to do. They would definitely need to make more… _believable_ letters. But even when he was older, Elliot knew he could not possibly do it in his own young handwriting, either. So then…

"Splendid! It's sure to work!" Elliot suddenly beamed.

And eager to know what the older child was thinking, Danny quickly asked, "What will work? Tell me!"

"Considering time is of the essence, I will explain on our way. Come, Phantom. And… I suppose your female may come, too," Elliot added, glancing untrustingly at Ember.

The blue-haired girl glared; but before she could say anything, Danny did.

"My female?" the Prince repeated, confused. "You mean, my _friend_?"

Elliot shrugged, before turning and walking off towards the place he had in mind.

Danny glanced at Ember, who quickly got closer to him now that Elliot was further away. She angrily said, "Danny, are you almost finished? I don't like it here. And I _don't_ like your dragon friend."

"Aw, give him a chance. Come on, we just got to do this and then we'll go, okay?"

Danny didn't wait for a response and flew after Elliot.

Ember, however, still quietly muttered, "Okay." She briefly glared at the dragon's retreating form, before grumbling something and following after the Prince.

"You don't like Ember?" Danny asked, catching up to Elliot.

The dragon ghost's ears pressed back in annoyance as he replied, "She is a stranger to me. And a disrespectful female at that!"

The Prince frowned. "Is there something wrong with her being 'female'?" he asked, not getting why he was so focused on that fact.

"Of course not. She just should learn her place," Elliot answered. "Or do you not know that all females are inferior to us males?"

"Um…No…," Danny mumbled, his eyebrows creasing. "And I don't understand how they are…?"

"Simple. They…," Elliot paused; and realizing he had never thought about the 'how' of his belief, he frowned. "I suppose we are… smarter…for example…"

Danny suddenly laughed. "Really? I don't know. My mother can trick my father pretty good sometimes!"

Elliot just stared at him. Now that his young friend mentioned it, his mother could do that, too. Actually, she was very wise…

"Do you not have female friends, then?" Danny suddenly asked, still smiling in amusement.

And at that moment, Ember finally caught up with them, quickly falling into step beside Danny.

"Yes. My most special friend is a female. Her name is Ruĝa!" Elliot beamed.

"Really? Well, Ember is a female, too. But she's my best friend first!" The Prince answered, smiling over at Ember, who quickly brightened with his words.

This time, Elliot blinked in confusion. Phantom's words were true for him as well. Yes, Ruĝa was female. But, _foremost_, she was his friend. So… maybe that was more important?

Deciding this whole thing was now too confusing, Elliot shook his head and decided to think about that later. And remembering what they were going to do, he got back to that topic. "Okay, Phantom, listen well. There is a mystical cave about a mile from here. It can actually read your thoughts and project them on its walls. So, then, we will have it project what we wish and then I will simply use my hot energy to cut them into tablets. Aside from being a simple apology, we will also have it say a date and time for our fathers to meet on neutral grounds---perhaps on one of the nearby islands just outside my home. Perhaps if they believe the other has repented, they will finally have a meaningful conversation and make amends. At least, we can only hope."

Danny stayed quiet for a moment, trying to think through everything Elliot had said. But then he frowned and asked, "So… we are going to need more time?"

"I'm afraid so, Phantom. This is much more difficult and complicated than you realize. The most we will be able to do is create those tablets. I will make two. I will take one to my father and tell him a neutral party brought it from the King. And you will take the other and do the same. After that, we can only hope they attend the meeting time and make amends. Perhaps if we…"

Elliot suddenly froze in thought and in place when he caught sight of some figures in the sky. "Oh, no," he whispered in dread, his eyes going wide as he recognized them as some of his young kin.

Danny quickly looked up as well when he noticed Elliot's apprehension.

"That can't be good," Ember muttered, staring up as well and remembering how they were not supposed to be there.

"Phantom!" Elliot suddenly hissed in fear. "Take your friend and hide! Now!"

Danny, clearly remembering what had happened the last time he had encountered older dragons with his father, nodded before grabbing Ember's hand and flying up into a nearby tree. He placed a finger in front of his lips to wordlessly tell Ember to stay quiet, before they turned back to watch from above the scene below…

Frantic, Elliot quickly flapped his wings to create some gust in hopes of dispersing the two younger ghosts' scent in the air. But when he suddenly saw a cloud of black smoke dive right at him, he gasped and backed away from it.

Laughter echoed around him as the cloud spun around him, before landing on the ground and instantly reforming into a familiar large silver dragon.

"Taur," Elliot muttered, slightly displeased with his presence. The twenty-five-year-old dragon was known for his impulsiveness and aggression. In short, he was an overgrown bully.

"Elliot!" the silver dragon beamed, walking closer to him and sniffing him. "Do you not smell interesting? May I know your purpose of being all the way out here, unattended? Surely our leader would be most displeased…"

The younger dragon's ears flattened in annoyance as he growled out, "I owe you no explanation."

"True enough," Taur replied with a calm shrug. "However, it would behoove you to explain yourself, Elliot. I do have a good mind to seek out your father and tell him of your reckless decision… especially when you reek of… _intruder_," he hissed, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Elliot took a step back. But before he could say anything, the other dragons finally arrived with…. Ruĝa in one of the older males' mouth.

"Ruĝa!" Elliot exclaimed in accusation, finally understanding what was going on.

Finally getting released, she quickly shook her neck again. And getting closer, she replied, "I apologize, Elliot! But I was worried and—"

"I told you not to follow me!" Elliot cut her off angrily.

Ruĝa's ears lowered in sadness as she halted in her approach. "I wanted to help you," she whispered.

"Now, Elliot, do not scorn my young cousin. After all, she only wishes to protect you," Taur interrupted with a smirk. "However, she did say she spotted you with two intruders…and one of them so happened to be the Ghost Prince…Didn't you already suffer a lecture from your father because of him? And if my father speaks the truth---and he does---then, our leader strictly warned the Ghost Prince against ever stepping foot on our land again. You understand what it would mean then if he is here….?" he asked, studying Elliot suspiciously.

"I know not of what you speak," Elliot replied, unconsciously wrapping his tail around himself. "However, it is not your concern. Only my father has the right to act against outsiders---him and those who he has given authority in that matter! And you are not one of them! So, I understand not why you are here!"

"That's what I told him!" Ruĝa suddenly interrupted.

Taur briefly frowned in disapproval at his young female cousin, before smiling mockingly back at Elliot and replying, "I am here because I was concerned for you, Elliot. After all, you are to someday lead our kin; and being that I am an older dragon than you, I have a responsibility towards you. So, although I might not be one of your father's warriors, I still have the obligation of defending you should I _believe_ you are in mortal danger….I, after all, am not a traitor. My kin come before anything or anyone else for me. Do you not agree, Elliot?"

Aragon's son's tail curled tighter around his body and he quietly mumbled, "Yes. I…do."

"Do you?" Taur suddenly asked coldly, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at the younger male dragon. "Then why do you hide those intruders in that tree?"

But before Elliot could react, the large silver dragon suddenly craned his head back and a burst of fire shot out of his mouth----and slammed right into the tree in which Danny and Ember were hiding.

"Phantom!" Elliot exclaimed as the fire quickly began to consume the tree. And forgetting everything else around him, the young dragon shot forward, only for a large tail to wrap around his neck, stopping him from going anywhere.

"Release me!" Elliot roared at Taur.

But the young male dragon gasped as Taur's tail only curled tighter around his neck, and Taur growled at him, "I think not."

Meanwhile, the flames finally reached the top of the tree where Danny and Ember were hiding. And although they had turned intangible with Taur's attack to protect themselves, the fire was now too intense for the Prince's cold core.

Danny shot out of the tree, followed by an equally startled Ember. But at the sight of the creatures he had smelled, Taur's rage flared; and letting go of Elliot, he suddenly turned into a cloud of black smoke again and shot straight at them.

Danny and Ember cried out in surprise when they were blinded by the strange smoke, before they suddenly felt an unknown force pushed them down. The two children grunted as they hit the ground just as the smoke cleared.

Disoriented, they blinked a moment; but when their visions cleared, they froze at the sight of a huge dragon towering over them.

"Ghost Prince," the large dragon softly growled when he briefly looked down at his symbol. But then the reptilian ghost took a step back, a smirk curling his lips as he noticed Ember and asked the Prince, "And who might this be? The Ghost _Princess_? Is this your female, Prince?"

Danny frowned at hearing the dragon address Ember that way. He didn't really get what was so amusing about that, but he definitely did not like his mocking voice. Still, the ghost boy kept calm and answered, "She's my friend. But who are you?"

Taur regarded the six-year-old for a moment, as if debating whether to answer or not. But then he suddenly glanced over at the other male ghosts, whom had been watching everything this whole time.

"My brothers, come forward. I require your assistance," the silver dragon said, his eyes sparking with something that had the other dragons' smirking evilly.

"Danny?" Ember asked with uncertainty as she watched several large dragons begin to surround them.

But the Prince was feeling more uneasy than the ghost girl. This scene looked a little too familiar. Still, aside from the arguing then, the dragons he had seen from that time with his father had not done anything to him and his father… So, what would _these_ dragons now do to him and Ember? Maybe take them to see Elliot's father?

Danny gulped at that. He glanced at Elliot, who was barely visible behind Taur's large form. But his young dragon friend just stared back at him with growing anxiety. He looked at a loss of what to do.

"Are you sure this is the Ghost Prince, Taur?" Danny heard a dragon to his left ask skeptically.

"His Ectoplasmic Signature is unmistakable," Taur answered, slightly narrowing his eyes at the Prince. "But, yes, it really is difficult to believe that this…_speck_ is our future king…"

"Uh, Ember, what's a speck?" Danny asked her quietly, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"I think they're calling you small…," Ember replied meekly.

"Hey!" the Prince instantly exclaimed floating up a bit as he protested, "I'm not small!"

But the dragons just laughed at him, before Ike said, "Observe his ghastly hair, bothers."

"And his skin tone," Dil, the purple dragon, added, "It's almost like that of those demon creatures, of those _human_ creatures. It's most disturbing."

Ember quickly looked over at Danny, who was too busy looking at himself in confusion. He resembled a human?

"Well, were you all not aware?" Taur spoke up again. "His mother, the Ghost Queen, is a mage. Surely she has used her witchcraft on him…"

"I heard the Ghost King dwells in dark magic himself," Lacerto answered. "I heard he and his family are cursed!"

All five dragons hissed at the Ghost Prince and quickly took a step back.

Danny was looking more annoyed by the second; but he stayed quiet, knowing from past experience that it would be a bad idea to rile up these dragons.

"It seems we have a dilemma, my brothers," Taur suddenly spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "I feel that these intruders are a threat to our kin. However, it is not in our right to take action against them. Even so, we do have a right to defend ourselves. So then, my brothers, what shall we do?"

"You will do nothing!" Elliot suddenly shouted, no longer able to witness what was going on. "I command you to stand down!"

Taur spun around so quickly that Danny and Ember jolted when they nearly got smacked with his large tail.

"You are not our leader yet, Elliot!" Taur growled in response. "And if you are wise enough to understand the amount of trouble in which you are, then, I strongly advised that _you_ stand down."

Elliot's ears lowered again, knowing the older ghost was right. But he still feared for his friend. "Taur, if you are so upset with their presence, then summon my father. Please…do not cause them harm."

"That depends," Taur answered, smiling again, before he turned back to look at the other dragons surrounding the smaller ghosts. "My brothers, what say you?"

"I say we eliminate these _enemies_," Lacerto growled darkly, smoke pouring out of his nostrils.

The other dragons growled their agreement, causing Danny's eyes to widen at seeing their unmistakable threat.

"Wait. We're not trying to cause trouble," the Prince replied worriedly. "We just came to see Elliot. He's going to help me make our fathers friends again! Then, we can all like each other and be friends. You all can help if you like, too," Danny offered with a small encouraging smile.

Elliot cringed at Phantom's words; and as he expected, his kin burst into roaring laughter. But at that moment, Ruĝa, who had been quietly standing next to Elliot, finally made her presence known.

"Elliot, I am so sorry," she whispered to him. "I feared you were in trouble! I was going to find your father when---"

"It's alright, my friend," Elliot cut her off with a sad smile. "I know you meant well."

"What's so funny?!" Ember suddenly exclaimed, getting everyone's attention.

Elliot groaned as he thought, _"That female needs to learn to hold her tongue."_

But the little ghost girl still continued, "It's a good idea! You all are just mean, grumpy ghosts!"

"Uh, Ember…," Danny muttered, grabbing one of her arms to calm her down when he saw all the dragons narrow their eyes at her.

"What, Danny?" she said, looking angrier by the second. "Don't you see? They don't care! Let's just go!"

The Ghost Prince frowned, not happy with the idea of not doing what he came to do. He looked back at the large dragons and said, "If you don't want to help us, then, just let us do what we want and then we'll go, okay?"

"You do not seem to understand your position, Ghost Prince," Taur sneered at him. "We do not care for your absurd quest. However, we do care for your trespassing on our land. Therefore, our _interest_ lies in seeing to it that you receive the full consequences for your illegal actions---You _and_ your female..."

Danny scowled. "But we're not doing anything!"

"You are 'doing' plenty by cursing our grounds with your presence!" Taur answered, darkly. "Or do you not know that we abhor you and your kingdom?! You are an enemy and a threat to my kin. As a matter of fact, it would be in my kin's best interest to just eliminate you right now. After all, with no Ghost Prince, there is no future kingdom. So then…"

Danny floated back at the sight of Taur's sharp glittering teeth and evil smile.

"Leave him alone! You can't hurt him! You will be in big trouble with the King!" Ember quickly exclaimed.

"How unfortunate, then, that he is absent," Taur replied smugly, before his eyes narrowed and he ordered the other male dragons with him, "Kill them."

"NO!" Elliot screamed as the dragons arched back to use their fire energy against the two smaller ghosts.

"Elliot!" Ruĝa exclaimed when her friend turned intangible and shot forward.

And just when the flames came at Danny and Ember, Elliot passed right in between the larger dragons, grabbing the smaller ghosts. His touch quickly turned them intangible as well, protecting them from the hot flames. But knowing the Ghost Prince was sensitive to hot temperatures, Elliot quickly shot into the sky with both smaller ghosts in his hands.

Rematerializing once more, Elliot heard the other dragons roar in fury; but he didn't care, and continued to fly as fast as he could, heading straight to the outskirts of his home. He knew if he could just get them out of his terrain, the other ghosts could not hurt them, then.

From how fast everything had happened, Danny and Ember had been too shocked to react. But Elliot's accelerated and somewhat frantic flight quickly snapped them out of it.

"Elliot?" Danny called, looking up at his scared friend's face.

"Forgive me, Phantom. This was not how things were supposed to transpire. I should have foreseen that your close range would permit Taur to find you by your scent! I am sorry. But you must leave, Phantom! You must leave before it's too late!"

"But our fathers---," Danny began sadly.

"I know, Phantom," Elliot replied just as sad at knowing their plans were not possible now.

But at that instant, a black cloud shot past them, before curving back and reforming into Taur. The silver dragon didn't hesitate to fire hot flames at the incoming younger children---though he made sure they were only strong enough to cause damage to the smaller two.

Elliot gasped; and knowing he had no time to avoid the flames, he released the two kids, shoving them down enough to keep them away from the flames.

"ELLIOT!" Danny shouted when his friend was thrown several feet away when the flames hit him straight on. However, the young dragon quickly righted himself, shaking off his daze just in time to see Taur dissolve his form again and shoot after Danny and Ember.

"PHANTOM! MOVE!" Elliot yelled back at him.

Danny gasped at the approaching dark cloud; and suddenly understanding that he and Ember were really in grave danger, he grabbed his friend's hand and shot forward, flying as fast as he possibly could to the island's edge.

Too bad that even with his astounding speed, he was no match for the large silver dragon---or the others waiting to ambush him and his friend up ahead...

* * *

Ghostwriter and Lydia had finally arrived back, unaware of their child's absence. But when they made it into the living room and found Wulf fast asleep, they frowned in confusion.

"Wulf?" Ghostwriter called. But when he didn't reply, the male ghost drew closer; and kneeling beside him, he shook him and called to him again.

But the large werewolf-like ghost only muttered something about 'pretty music', rolled onto his back and then continued to sleep.

"The kids must have worn him out," Lydia muttered, slightly amused, though still a bit confused by how tired Wulf was.

"Where are those two, anyways?" Ghostwriter replied, looking around for any sign of the children.

"Yes, it's a bit too quiet in here," Lydia answered with a frown this time. And suddenly a bit anxious, she summoned one of her unique spells. In an instant, the different markings on her body left her, forming into small creatures, who chirped at her.

"Find Ember," she ordered them.

They chirped and instantly dispersed into several directions in search of the six-year-old ghost girl.

"You keep trying to wake him up, I'm going to go check outside to see if they are playing out there," Lydia said to Ghostwriter, who just nodded at her in response.

However, as Lydia searched for her child and the Prince, she could find no trace of them. The mother quickly began to worry---especially when the creatures that had been checking inside her home returned and told her Ember was not inside.

Deciding to try one of her daughter's closer friend's home, she left in that direction. However, just as she got there, she found Amorpho pacing anxiously in the front of his home.

"Amorpho?" Lydia called, confused.

The young ghost yelped at the sound of her voice, before stuttering out, "M-Mrs. L-Lydia!"

"Have you seen Ember or the Prince?" she asked, staring at him intently.

Before leaving, Ember had come to ask him to cover for her and Phantom if her--or the Prince's--parents got back before they did. But it had already been a long time! Where were they? And what was he supposed to tell Ember's mother exactly?

"Well, uh, you see, I did…," he began, fumbling on his words."Mrs. Lydia… Ember and the Prince… well, last time I saw them, they were, uh, playing on the outskirts of the island…," he hastily said in half-truth. And although it really had been the last time he saw them, he still felt bad for not telling her everything he knew. Ember owed him _big time_ for this…

"Really?" Lydia answered with a frown. "Ember knows better than to wander that far… Well, alright. Thank you, Amorpho. Give your parents my greetings, okay?"

"Uh, yeah! Sure thing!" the eight-year-old ghost replied, smiling nervously.

She looked at him for another moment, before dismissing his strange behavior and leaving to look for her child at the outer banks of their home. But she hardly got more than a few feet away from Amorpho's home when Ghostwriter and Wulf suddenly came running over to her.

"Lydia!" Ghostwriter called out, looking distressed.

The female ghost looked at her husband and Wulf in confusion. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"They hypnotized him!" Ghostwriter answered, pointing at Wulf.

"They?" Lydia repeated, only to gasp at finally understanding. "But why would they do that? ...Ember is in so much trouble!" she suddenly exclaimed. How could her daughter use her powers against another ghost like that?

Wulf, who had his ears lowered, feeling both ashamed and betrayed, quickly spoke up, "I am sorry, Lydia. I should have realized…"

"I told you, Wulf. It's not your fault," Ghostwriter assured him.

But Wulf just nodded and looked away. He didn't understand. Why would the Prince trick him like that?

"Well, let's go find those two. The Prince is going to have a 'talking to' as well when his parents return," Ghostwriter added with a displeased frown.

Lydia nodded in agreement. But then remembering Amorpho, she looked back at him; and now skeptical, she asked seriously, "Is there anything else you wish to tell us?"

The young ghost drew back under the three adults' expectant stares. "I-I… "

At that instant, however, Lydia and Ghostwriter's symbols flared, bombarding them with their child's sudden fear and distress.

"Ember!" they shouted, staring in the general direction of their child's location. But although they now knew she was far away, they did not just _how_ far or where she was exactly...

"Something's wrong!" Lydia exclaimed, staring at her husband, who looked equally worried as their daughter continued to call to them, feeling more and more distressed by the second.

Ghostwriter quickly looked at Amorpho and nervously said, "Amorpho, if you know anything else about Ember, I implore you, tell us! She's in danger and we don't know why!"

The young ghost's eyes widened in fear; and understanding his friend was in trouble, he quickly told them everything he knew.

"She asked me to cover for her! She said she was going somewhere with the Prince and that they would be back soon! I told her not to go off! But she said she had to help the Prince help the King!"

"Where did they go?" Lydia pressed, fearfully.

"She didn't tell me! I just know it was far; and they flew off in that direction," Amorpho finished, pointing in the same direction from which Lydia and Ghostwriter felt their child.

"We have to find her!" Lydia told her husband.

He nodded, before looking at Amorpho and seriously telling him, "I will be talking to your parents on my return."

The young ghost gulped, but nodded.

But then Ghostwriter looked at Wulf, who now looked stricken with guilt. "Wulf, stay here. If the King and Queen returned, let them know what's happening. We have to go find our daughter."

Wulf nodded. "I am really sorry," he said sadly again.

Ghostwriter placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded, before looking at his wife. Without words they took to the sky, moving as fast as they could and praying they made it in time…

Meanwhile, Wulf watched them go, his ears back and tail curled under him. But needing to do something, he quickly ran to the opposite side of the island, hoping that by now the Ghost King and Queen were on their way back. And knowing his voice could carry out for miles out, he raised his head and howled, determined to not stop until he was heard…

* * *

As Wulf predicted, Desiree and Vlad were on their way back by now. And being that it was such a long trip back, the exhausted ghost mage was slumbering in her husband's hold, neither aware of their child's endangerment…

Vlad lightly caressed his wife's peaceful face, though worry and contemplation was on his own. Although she looked a lot better than she had over an hour ago--and even better than she had in days—thanks to the Energy Nova, he was still troubled by her strange illness. He didn't understand it… just like he didn't understand this strange feeling he felt radiating off her. It wasn't a bad one. But… it was foreign and… strangely alluring. He honestly couldn't stop touching her…

He placed his other hand against her core, watching a smile form on her sleeping face as her body began to glow a soft red hue. But when he noticed he was also glowing red, he frowned and removed his hand. His eyebrows creased in confusion when the red hue instantly vanished.

"How odd," he muttered, inspecting his hand, before touching her again and seeing the same red hue reappear. So… was _he_ causing this strange reaction? Or was there something in his wife's energy that was making _him_ react this way?

The king sighed, not sure what to think except that he liked it. He smiled slightly at her feel, before his hands moved down. He was just about to wrap his arms around her abdomen to hold her closer when he heard it.

Vlad froze, a chill running down his spine at the unmistakable howl echoing in the distance. And just as his eyes darted up to look at Fright Knight and Skulker ahead of them on Nightmare, they stared back at him, clearly hearing the call.

Plasmius quickly tensed; and feeling it, Desiree finally stirred.

"Vlad…? What…?" she began dazedly; but then she froze as Wulf's voice penetrated through her foggy mind.

"Danny…?" she whispered fearfully, staring up at Vlad.

The King instantly rose to his feet and called out to his friend, "Skulker! How far are we?"

Fright Knight instantly slowed down until Nightmare was flying alongside Falco. "At least three miles out, Plasmius," Skulker answered gravely, though he was as equally worried. Something was definitely troubling Wulf for him to be calling to them like this---especially when he couldn't know if they were close enough to hear him or not. The hunter hoped it didn't have to do with his niece or the Prince…

Vlad quickly got closer to his ghost hawk's face and asked, "Falco, do you think you could teleport us the rest of the way?"

The giant white bird cawed its reply, which the King understood as a 'yes'.

Vlad looked over at Fright Knight and Skulker, and said, "Skulker, let's trade places. Fright Knight I believe you can manage. I'll teleport Nightmare."

Everyone came to a halt. And as Skulker mounted on Falco, Vlad mounted Nightmare. The King glanced at his wife still on the snow hawk, before looking at Fright Knight and nodding.

In an instant, the ghost warrior suddenly transformed into a swarm of bats which took off into the distance with the speed of shooting stars. Right after, Falco spread his wings; and with a flash of white light, he teleported himself, Desiree, and Skulker. Now alone with Nightmare, Vlad ordered her forward; and as the ghost horse reached top speed, he teleported them both to Ghostwriter's terrain.

Everyone arrived almost at the same time. But the instant Vlad appeared with Nightmare, he continued forward, leading the horse towards where he could sense Wulf.

"Halt!" Vlad ordered when he finally made it to his ally's side.

"My King!" Wulf exclaimed. The ghost werewolf proceeded in telling the King everything that had happened, while the others quickly filed in, listening with growing anxiety themselves.

"How long ago did Lydia and Ghostwriter leave?" Vlad asked, looking extremely worried.

"Fifteen minutes at most, my King," Wulf answered soberly; but then he quickly added, "I feel terrible, my King. I have failed you, the Queen and---"

"Enough, Wulf," Vlad gently cut him off, placing a hand against his symbol. "This is not your fault. It's…," he trailed off, before glancing over at Desiree.

The Queen just stared back worriedly. She knew her husband was as troubled as she, but also very angry with Danny. And he had every reason to be. After all, their son had not only tricked and used his powers against another ghost---and a close friend of theirs at that---but he had also deliberately disobeyed them. But why? Where would he go?

"We have to find them, Vlad. If Ember is in trouble, then so is Danny," Desiree said fearfully.

Vlad nodded. But he knew that with their searching blindly for his son this time, they were either going to turn up empty-handed, or, worse, get to him too late. Still, unlike what happened before with the Infi-Map, his son's disappearance was clearly no accident. So, there had to be something, _a reason_ why Daniel would do… all this.

"He planned this, Desiree. Or six-year-old son planned all this right down to the very detail!" Vlad exclaimed, suddenly even angrier. "Why? Where would he want to go so badly that he would…?"

Plasmius trailed off, his body tensing as horror swallowed up all other emotion. "Wulf… tell me again what Amorpho said to Lydia…," he whispered.

"The child Amorpho said that Ember asked him to cover for them because she was going to help the Prince help…you, my King."

"Vlad? What's wrong?" Desiree asked, seeing her husband look even more stricken.

"You know where they are?" Skulker quickly added, looking as worried as everyone else.

But Vlad didn't reply as he stared towards the direction in which Lydia and Ghostwriter had left. If they were flying to where the King was now sure his son was, they would never make it in time….

Aragon's terrain was an hour from here…

"Wulf," Vlad said, a sober look falling on his face. "I need you to create a shortcut to the Dragon Realm right now."

Everyone gasped at the news. But it suddenly all made sense to Skulker and Desiree. And although Wulf and Fright Knight did not fully understand their King's sudden command, they understood that he believed his son was there, and did not question him.

"As you wish, my King," Wulf answered, before withdrawing his claws and creating a green vortex that would put them right on the edge of the Dragon Realm.

"I'm going with you," Desiree quickly told her husband.

Plasmius looked at her, before looking at the other three male ghosts around him and seeing the same conviction in their eyes. But unlike the last time his son vanished, Vlad did not refuse help. If Daniel had indeed returned to the Dragon Realm, the Ghost King had no doubt he would need all the help he could get.

"_What have you done, Daniel?_" the King thought fearfully, before he entered the vortex, his wife and three friends right behind him.

* * *

Danny and Ember cried out in surprise when their escape was cut off by the sudden appearance of the other four dragons. But before they could react, Taur, who was still in his vaporous form, was just as quickly upon them, encasing them in darkness.

"Danny!" Ember screamed when an intangible force ripped her hand from his and threw them both away from each other.

"Botsu. Lacerto. Take care of the female," Taur ordered as he reformed.

"Gladly," the older of the two replied, before he and Botsu sped off in the direction in which Ember had fallen.

Taur glanced down, smirking as he watched the Prince, who had been unable to regain control of his flight, hit the top of a tree and vanish within the hard branches which were finally able to slow him down.

The silver dragon glanced at his two remaining kin; and by the way they grinned back and nodded, they clearly had a plan. Without words, the three soared down; but as they neared their target, Dil and Ike pressed their wings back and dived, heading for the forest floor. Taur, on the other hand, slowed down just above the tree in which Danny was and hovered, waiting for the other two to get in position….

Meanwhile, the Prince was struggling to break free of the thick vines that had ensnared him within the tree.

"Ember!" he cried out, more worried for his friend than himself. In fact, he was so alarmed that he could not focus enough to become intangible and escape the vines. And it didn't help matters when a gust of wind, made by Taur's strong wings flapping from above, pressed him deeper into the tree.

Danny yelped as he began to sink through the snapping branches, while the vines still immobilizing him tightened around him like nooses.

"What's wrong, Ghost Prince? Are you afraid?" Taur taunted from above, before flapping his wings once more and forcing another gust of wind through the tree.

Danny quickly glared in the large dragon's general direction. That ghost was really making him mad!

"Yes, are you frightened, weakling?" the Prince suddenly heard from below, only to find that the smallest of the five dragons was climbing up the tree.

Danny bristled with the insult and his eyes suddenly flashed blue. His hands, still tightly gripping the vines ensnarling him, just as quickly began to glow blue with his ice powers, which, in turn, slowly crept toward and then encased the vines…

"Stay back!" the Prince shouted angrily when Dil finally climbed high enough for his head to emerge through the branches and catch sight of the smaller ghost.

But the young dragon just barred his teeth at him and growled, before he started snapping at the branches in order to get to his target.

Danny growled back himself when he saw the ghost's intention of grabbing him by the tail to drag him out of the tree. And out of instinct more than anything else, the Prince raised his hand at the ghost and fired his ice energy at him, instantly freezing his snout.

The teenage dragon cried out in shock more than in pain as he instantly drew back; and in his surprise, he lost his grip on the tree trunk and fell back down to the ground.

"_**Danny!" **_

The Prince gasped at the sound of Ember's distressed voice. And finally focusing enough to become intangible, he shot out of the tree in the direction of her voice.

He hardly noticed the two dragons that had been on the ground take off after him. And the six-year-old had completely forgotten about Taur…

Meanwhile, Elliot had been watching the whole thing. He had not been able to help Phantom all this time because of Ruĝa's interference. His female friend had caught up with him just when the Prince had fallen into the tree; and fearing for his safety, she had put a firm hold on him. He resisted her efforts at once, but because they were about equal in strength, he could not immediately break free. He gasped, however, when he saw the large silver ghost vanish from sight, clearly planning to ambush the Prince.

"Oh, no," Elliot whispered, his struggle with Ruĝa suddenly ebbing.

"Elliot, I implore you!" she begged, not relenting with her hold on his arm. "Do not interfere! You will get hurt and---"

"Enough, Ruĝa!" Elliot suddenly shouted at her, turning intangible to escape her hold. "Phantom is my friend, too! And if you want to help me, then, do so by helping the young female!"

"No, Elliot!" Ruĝa called after him when he took off after the Ghost Prince.

The ten-year-old girl dragon hovered in place with indecision. But when she heard Ember's continuing calls for help, she sighed in defeat.

"Elliot, your father is not going to be happy with this," she whispered sadly to herself. Still, she took off to Ember's aid. She didn't agree with Elliot's want to defend these two intruders. But… Elliot was her friend. And she was going to help him…

At that instant, Taur finally appeared in front of the Ghost Prince, catching him by surprise as he had wanted. Danny only had time to jolt to a stop and gasp before Taur arched his neck back and used his fire energy against the younger ghost. But just as Taur fired, Elliot came from above and slammed into the large ghost, throwing off his attack.

Danny yelped as the hot flames missed him by inches. But his eyes quickly shifted to Elliot as his friend and the larger ghost plunged downward amidst their struggle.

"Danny, help!" Ember shouted from a few feet away, redirecting the Prince's attention again.

"Ember!" Danny yelled back, taking off in the direction of his friend's voice again.

But at that moment, Dil and Ike, the same dragons that had been trying to get Danny from inside the tree, finally caught up with the Prince. And they fired at the smaller ghost.

With another gasp, Danny made a sharp left, dodging the flames. But the delay was only fleeting. With his mind completely set on getting to Ember, the Prince poured on all his speed and continued forward, completely ignoring Dil and Ike hot on his tail.

Meanwhile, Elliot finally lost his grip on Taur when the larger ghost did a barrel roll. And before Aragon's son knew what had happened, a large hand gripped him by the neck, instantly stopping their descent a few feet from the ground.

Taur roared furiously at him, before throwing the smaller dragon to the ground.

"Traitor!" the silver ghost shouted at him as he landed and rounded on the younger ghost. "They are our enemies, Elliot! And you dare defend them? You dare go against one of your kin for them?!"

Elliot narrowed his eyes as he hissed back, "You are going against my father's laws! You have no right to do what you are doing!"

Taur barred his teeth at him, before roughly touching the ten-year-old's symbol and pushing him back. "Hear me well, Elliot! Your father will be more furious with you than me! My quarrel is not with you, so _do not_ force me to hurt you!"

"I will not allow---" Elliot began only to be cut off by Taur.

"**Yes, you will!** And you will stand down, Elliot! If you have any respect for you kin _and_ _your father_, you will not interfere any longer!" Taur snarled, before whirling around and taking to the sky.

The ten-year-old dragon watched with torn emotions as his kin took to the air, clearly going after the Ghost Prince again. But unable to decide what to do anymore, Elliot just dropped his head in defeat…

* * *

Ruĝa gasped when she saw the small female ghost who had come with the Prince trapped inside a broken log by Lacerto and Botsu. The two large ghosts laughed when each time they clawed at the log protecting her, Ember would cry out in fear---though no one seemed to notice her brightly glowing symbol…

But the sight angered the little girl dragon. What was wrong with her kin? How could they try to hurt a clearly defenseless little ghost?

The thought instantly made her realize that Elliot was right! They shouldn't be doing this! It was wrong!

"Botsu! Lacerto!" Ruĝa shouted at them. "Desist at once! Have you no shame?!"

The older male dragons quickly snapped their heads in her direction, surprised by her sudden presence. But then Lacerto quickly hissed at her and replied, "Be silent, Ruĝa! This does not concern a female!"

"Then, I will go find our leader and then you will be sorry!" Ruĝa threatened.

But she instantly regretted her words when Lacerto was suddenly in her face, growling, "You will have to get pass me first, Ruĝa."

The young girl dragon squeaked when a larger reptilian hand grabbed her by the neck and raised her up. "Let me go, Lacerto! You cannot treat me like this!" she cried out.

"I can when you are misbehaving," he threw back with a smirk.

But before Ruĝa could say anymore, Danny finally arrived on the scene.

"Hey!" the Prince shouted angrily, quickly catching sight of Ember's compromised position. "Leave my friend alone!" But then noticing Elliot's young friend also looked as if she were in trouble, he quickly added, "And her! Leave her alone, too!"

"Or what?" the Prince suddenly heard from behind him.

Danny whirled around; but even when he found Ike and Dil now standing in front of him, his glare did not waver. The Prince knew he was no match for one, let alone _four_ large dragons, but he was not going to stand there and let them continue to mess with him and Ember like this!

"You can't hurt us," Danny growled back. "My father would punish you all!"

The dragons burst into laughter, before Ike, one of the older males, replied, "This isn't your Kingdom, Ghost Prince. Your father has no power here. And since you are trespassing, then that gives me all the more reason to do… this…"

Danny cried out as a tail slammed into his stomach, forcefully sending him to the ground.

"DANNY!" Ember screamed, her fear growing to the point that her claws drew out. She lashed out at Botsu, the dragon that had her trapped. And when one of her claws managed to clip his snout, the dragon drew back with an angry roar.

But that gave the ghost girl enough time to escape and go to her friend's aid.

Danny whimpered as he gripped his aching stomach. No one had ever hit him like that before…

"Danny!" Ember called to him as she made it to his side. "Are you okay?"

Danny blinked back tears as he looked up at Ember.

But before he could say anything, the ghost that had hit him suddenly chuckled and mocked, "Behold, brothers, our future Ghost King is about to cry."

"How pathetic," Taur suddenly interrupted when he finally arrived at the scene. He walked over to his kin as he sneered in disgust, "I say even his female has more strength and valor than him."

Ember glared, before she hissed at Taur, barring her now exposed fangs at him, "Be quiet, you ugly lizard!"

Taur just tilted his head at her, clearly amused. But then he returned her action by showing her his own set of sharp teeth. "Forgive me if I am anything but impressed. But if you want a challenge…"

Ember screamed when Taur was suddenly in front of her; and just as quickly, he wrapped his tail around her small body and lifted her up.

"---then I will grant you one," he finished darkly, his tail coiling even tighter around the small ghost.

Ember immediately whimpered.

Danny gasped at the sight; but he felt unable to do anything but watch. He couldn't even defend himself; how was he going to defend his friend?

And as if Taur could read his thoughts, he grinned maliciously down at Danny and taunted, "Well, are you not going to aid your female, weakling?"

"Stop calling me that!" Danny suddenly yelled at him, before he shot forward, hands glowing with his ice energy again. But before he could do anything, Taur slapped him away with enough force to slam him into a tree.

The other dragons laughed when the Prince cried out, cradling his aching head.

"Taur!" Ruĝa shouted at him, but she could do nothing when she was still being held by Lacerto.

However, the moment Ember saw her friend hurt again, her hair set aflame with angry blue fire and she began to struggle against the tail constricting her. But suddenly remembering her exposed claws, she growled and lashed out at Taur with them.

The large dragon hissed in pain when he felt the sting of ghost girl's shape claws, and he instantly let go. But now furious, Taur roared and raised his tail menacingly at her.

"Why you insignificant female!" he snarled, before bringing down his tail.

"Danny!" she cried out, raising her hands above her in hopes of protecting herself, unaware that she instinctively had called all the more urgently to her parents.

"NO!" Danny shouted, forgetting his pain and shooting forward. He just as quickly fired a blast of ice energy right in Taur's face.

The dragon cried out more in surprise than pain; but in his shock, Taur's aim was thrown off and his tail slammed into the ground in front of Ember instead.

Unfortunately, however, one of the tail's sharp spikes did come close enough to Ember to hit her raised hands. In fact, the hit was so strong that it instantly snapped one of her claws in half.

Ember screamed in agony as green ectoplasm instantly began to seep out of her broken claw. And as she cradled her injured hand against her chest and wept, the symbol on her chest only glowed with more intensity.

Danny froze at the sight. His friend… They had hurt his friend.

The Prince suddenly let out a furious scream like never before, and everyone jolted when a strange force briefly came with it, as if the child's voice had turned tangible and had physically shoved them all back.

But the occurrence had been so brief that it could have as easily been blamed on a random gust of wind. And it was instantly forgotten when Danny then lunged at Taur at full speed.

The silver dragon gasped in surprise when ice-cold fists pounded against his snout over and over again as the younger child screamed at him, "YOU HURT HER!"

But pushing past his shock, Taur growled and quickly brought a hand up to deliver a solid blow against the pest in front of him. This time, however, Danny saw it coming and he flew out of the way. He snarled at the large dragon before firing two green energy beams from his hands right at Taur's face.

But all his actions did was further tick off the large dragon. To the young Prince's dismay, no matter how much he tried, his powers were not developed enough to really harm anything, let alone a huge dragon in its mid-twenties.

But knowing he still needed to protect his friend, Danny did the only thing he could right then: he fled, knowing the dragons would follow him.

And he was right. Taur roared in fury as he took off after the Prince. In turn, Lacerto released Ruĝa, and took off after him. The remaining three dragons then quickly followed them.

Ruĝa gasped just before she, too, was about to take off. But then, she remembered Ember. The little dragon gazed sadly at her as she continued to weep and hold her bleeding hand. Ruĝa knew it wasn't a severe injury. However, even when the small ghost's broken claw would heal and grow back, Ruĝa knew from experience how painful it was to chip, or worse, break one.

Suddenly feeling very sorry for her, Ruĝa walked over to her and gently said, "Don't cry, little ghost. You will be okay."

"No!" Ember replied, sobbing louder. "They are going to hurt Danny!"

Ruĝa's ears flattened in sadness, realizing the little ghost was mostly crying because of her friend. But before she could think of anything else to say, she finally noticed Ember's symbol---and how it was glowing.

"Oh-o," Ruĝa whispered, fearfully taking a step back from the smaller ghost. And now realizing just how serious this all really was, the little girl dragon suddenly was even more scared, enough to finally call to her own parents.

"_I'm sorry, Elliot. But I must get real help before it's too late for all of us," _she thought sadly as her own symbol began to glow.

* * *

Still flying at full speed away from the dragons chasing him, Danny gasped when a cloud of dark smoke passed over him. But even though the Prince could now recognize it as Taur, he could do nothing as the large silver dragon reformed in front of him, cutting off his escape.

The Prince cried in alarm when Taur opened his mouth and shot purple fire towards him. The six-year-old dove under the large dragon to avoid the hot flames. But Taur just as quickly released an even more powerful fireball in his direction.

But again, by some miracle, Danny dodged the attack; and the fireball slammed into the ground, leaving a large smoking crater behind instead. Unfortunately, things only got worse for the Prince from there. From his right, another dragon appeared and another set of flames came at him.

The white-haired boy yelped when he barely missed getting hit. However, as more flames came at him from another direction, he cried out when the fire clipped his tail this time.

"ELLIOT!" Danny shouted, truly terrified when he saw the five large dragons surrounding him.

The ghost boy gasped and covered his face when he saw Taur throw a large ball of purple fire at him again. But to the Prince's surprise, it suddenly curved around him, encasing him in its inferno.

"I hope you like the heat, Ghost Prince," Taur said evilly, before signaling to the other dragons with him.

And understanding his silent command, they nodded before they all opened their mouths and began to pour their hot energy into the created ring of fire. Instantly the flames swelled; and the ring quickly began to close in on itself…

Sweating profusely, Danny covered his eyes with his hands against the bright flames surrounding him. This was worse than when his aunt had taken him to that really hot place! And that proved true when he began to feel really dizzy.

"Elliot!" he cried out weakly to his only hope of aid, his glow slowly dimming as the flames began to lick at his flesh. But just when he thought his male friend would not come, he suddenly heard his voice.

"**Phantom!" **

Elliot dived into the ring of fire, turning intangible as he grabbed the Prince and dove down, away from the other five dragons. He had decided he didn't care what the consequences would be. He wasn't going to let them hurt his friend!

Elliot quickly landed inside of the crater just made by Taur's powerful fireball. And fearing the Prince was hurt, he quickly asked, "Phantom? Phantom, look at me. Are you hurt?"

Still dizzy from the intense heat, Danny just stared at Elliot for a moment. But then he blinked a bit more rapidly, before he whimpered and replied, "They hurt Ember."

Elliot's eyebrows creased when he saw tears well up in his friend's eyes. But before he could reply, Taur and the other dragons appeared around them. Aragon's son quickly curved his body around the Prince in a protective gesture.

"I won't let you hurt him!" Elliot hissed at Taur.

"You cannot stop me," the larger dragon replied darkly. And before Elliot could react, Taur shot forward, turning into his vaporous form again and throwing him away from the Ghost Prince.

Elliot yelped in surprise as he roughly rolled on the ground, a few feet from the other dragons watching. But seeing he had been separated from his defenseless friend, the ten-year-old dragon got to his feet with the intentions of protecting him in any way he could.

Unfortunately, the second largest dragon was suddenly upon him, restraining him back by wrapping his strong tail around his abdomen. "Be still, Elliot," Lacerto said sternly.

"No! Taur, please! Do not harm the Prince! You will regret it!" Elliot cried out, struggling to break free without any success.

"You are the only one who will regret your actions, traitor," Taur growled in response, before looking back at the Ghost Prince and adding, "And so will you. You should have heeded our leader's warning, Ghost Prince. Now, you will pay the ultimate price for daring to set foot on my kin's land."

Danny, still feeling groggy from the heat, couldn't focus his mind enough to fly. And still unable to reform his legs, he had no other way of fleeing. As the dragon approached him, Danny did his best to move away from him, but he could only get so far within the crater.

"I-I haven't done anything," the six-year-old whimpered, clearly very scared.

"You exist," Taur hissed hatefully. "And if that's not enough of a crime, then, let's take into consideration your kingdom's past crimes against my kin. I will avenge my ancestors, Ghost Prince. And I will do it through you!"

Danny gasped as Taur brought his large clawed hand down on him; but reacting quickly, the smaller ghost managed to move out of the way. However, Taur didn't relent and continued in his attempt to pin the little ghost down with his large hand. But by the way the silver ghost darkly chuckled, he clearly wasn't trying very hard; and instead was just amusing himself with the smaller ghost's fruitless squirming and yelps of fear.

"Taur!" Elliot shouted out when he heard the Prince's cries of alarm. "STOP!"

Taur grinned up at Elliot, before replying, "If you insist…"

Danny screamed when the ghost finally captured him under his large hand. The little ghost squeezed his eyes closed against the harsh feel of the foreign ghost's energy against his core as well as the physical pressure that was being applied against his torso.

For a moment, Taur just watched the Prince whimper and grunt as he tried to push his hand off. The silver dragon had actually been thinking of something for a while now, and he finally voiced it.

"I am curious... Why have you not called to your father yet? Or are you not scared enough, Prince?" Taur asked evilly. And as he began to press down harder against the struggling smaller ghost he added darkly, "Perhaps if I slowly crush you, then you will plea for his help. Not that he could possibly get here in time now…"

"Think again," a deep voice suddenly growled from above.

Taur jolted in surprise. But before he could even look up, a sudden red beam of light all but blinded him. He gasped, however, when he felt more than saw a burst of hot red smoke appear to his right. All Taur really saw were two furious bright red eyes before a bolt of electrical energy slammed into him. The burning force shot him up into the air before he then roughly landed several yards away.

"Daniel!" Vlad called worriedly, quickly grabbing his son off the ground and inspecting him closely. He was definitely bruised and shaken, but to the King's relief, his child didn't seem seriously harmed.

Dazed, Danny blinked a few times, before finally recognizing the figure in front of him. "Daddy?" he whimpered.

"Desiree, take him," Vlad said, not responding to his son. But instead, he glanced briefly at Skulker and his other two allies who were already busy countering the other dragons…

Desiree took their child, but then asked her husband, "Where you going?"

"To teach that beast a lesson," Plasmius answered darkly.

"Vlad, wait!" Desiree instantly protested; but the King ignored her and teleported away.

A second later, the Ghost King reappeared in front of Taur, who was slowly getting to his feet, clearly disoriented by Plasmius' unexpected assault.

"You have just crossed a very dangerous line, you little rat," Vlad sneered, his hands glowing with his fury.

Taur gasped in fear at the sight of the Ghost King. But quickly toughening up again, he angrily barred his teeth at him and replied, "Your offspring crossed it first, Ghost King. He chose to ignore my leader's warning. And so I had every right—"

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" Plasmius screamed at him, firing a blast at the dragon's abdomen and slamming him into a tree.

Taur cried out in pain; but before he could recover, the Ghost King suddenly appeared in front of him; and just as sudden, the silver dragon found himself muzzled by a red glowing rope, obviously made with the King's energy.

With the aid of the rope, Vlad yanked the ghost's face closer to his own and growled out, "Do not presume you have _any_ right, you _cowardly child_. I know Aragon's laws and I know my own. You have just broken both my and your leader's laws by threatening my son's life. And right now, I have every desire_ and_ right to punish you to the fullest extent."

"My leader would never allow it," Taur replied boldly, though by the way his tail curled around him, he was clearly frightened by the Ghost King. But not willing to cower before Plasmius, even when he had heard of his power, Taur's ears flattened as he further added, "And do not forget where you stand. You are trespassing, _your highness._ So for as long as you touch my kin's land, then, I will treat you as nothing more than a threat. And I have the obligation of defending myself and my kin against _threats_..."

"_**Fool!**_" Vlad snarled at him when the dragon suddenly brought his tail forward with the intention of striking him. But the King quickly reacted by turning intangible; and at the same time, he released his electrical energy through the rope still binding the dragon's snout.

Taur roared in pain as his body became encased by cackling, hot energy. But desperate to escape, the silver dragon quickly turned into a cloud of smoke and took to the sky. However, his trick did not get him very far, this time.

Moving even faster, Plasmius teleported in front of the vaporous form of the dragon ghost, and quickly produced a large pink barrier, before thrusting it forward.

Taur roared in surprise as the energy shield actually slammed into him and threw him back in spite of his vaporous form. But although it was enough to cause the silver dragon to lose his focus and regain his solid form, Taur was still able to quickly steady himself in mid-air before glaring back at the King.

Vlad's glower was just as intense as he warned, "Stand down, child. You do not wish to test my power."

"I am no child," Taur spat back. "And I will not submit to my King, for he is the bringer of my kin's past sufferings."

"You know _nothing_ of the past," Vlad growled. And too angry to care what the ghost thought of him, the King fired an energy beam at him.

But this time, Taur dodged it and then drew his head back and poured his fire breath upon Plasmius.

The flames instantly encased the Ghost King. And believing he had finally gotten a hit on the older ghost, Taur increased the intensity of his attack as he thought, _"At last! My kin will finally rid themselves of their tyrant King! And all the praise for such a deed will be mine!"_

But his victory was nothing more than an illusion; and Taur instantly knew it when a very strong bolt of red lightening came from within the flames, striking him right in the chest.

The dragon ghost roared in pain; but before he could even hope to recover another bolt struck him from above, sending him to the ground like a falling anvil.

Lowering the shield he had used to keep himself safe from the flames, Vlad just watched with livid eyes as the dragon slammed into the ground near where he had left his son and wife. He was certain that the ignorant dragon ghost was now subdued; but just to make sure, he still kept his energy flowing through his hand as he began to descend.

However, a burst of blue light in the atmosphere briefly caught his attention. And as he watched it vanish into the depths of a nearby forest, his unique ghost sense quickly alerted him of what it was…

"_Ghostwriter and Lydia_," he thought, finally recalling Ember in all this. "I hope she is safe," he added out loud with a grave look, before returning his attention back to the matter at hand.

* * *

Skulker had not liked the sound of his friend's voice before he had gone after the oldest dragon ghost; but there had been nothing he could do when he—and Fright Knight and Wulf—were occupied with the other four dragons. Not that the hunter could blame his friend. He fully understood his anger. In fact, at the current moment, Skulker was having a very hard time controlling his own anger---and worry.

He did not see his niece anywhere.

But he still forced himself to hold his weapon steady on the four large dragons, deeply hoping that Ember was either hiding somewhere or that Lydia had found her---though he seriously doubted that if his sister and her husband were indeed merely flying to the Dragon Realm. That would mean that they couldn't have gotten here as quickly as he or the others, and, in fact, would be the last to arrive.

Wulf and Fright Knight were just as intent as Skulker as they stood guard with him. And while Wulf had his claws out and Fright Knight his Soul Shredder, their looks alone told the other dragons to not make any sudden moments. And by the dragons' shocked stares, Vlad's three allies were sure that they were not going to try anything.

However, in all the commotion since their arrival, not even Skulker had noticed the presence of the _sixth_ dragon that had witnessed their arrival…

The instant Elliot had seen Taur get attacked by the Ghost King, he had yelped in fear. And when all the other dragons had also startled at the scene, he had managed to squirm out of Lacerto's hold. The young dragon had then turned invisible just as the other three stranger ghosts had surrounded his other four kin.

Elliot whimpered, pressing inside a small bush as he watched the scene unfold. How could things have gotten so bad so fast? He had been willing to protect Phantom from his kin because he knew Phantom did not mean any harm. But these adult ghosts… they were hurting his kin. And he couldn't allow that! But he couldn't do anything to stop it!

Elliot curled his tail around himself as his eyes went to Phantom who was crying in his mother's arms.

"They hurt her! They hurt Ember!" the Prince exclaimed.

That instantly got Skulker's attention. "Where's my niece, ghost child?!" he demanded, more out of worry than anger.

However, Desiree quickly responded, "Calm down, Skulker. I'll go find her."

Skulker reluctantly nodded his agreement; and as the Queen walked off with Danny still in her arms while asking him where Ember was, the hunter turned his attention back to the dragons.

Now furious, he cocked his gun and darkly growled at them, "If my niece has suffered any permanent ill, I'll have all your heads!"

Intimidated, the fours dragons just continued to stare wide-eyed at the King's three male warriors in front of them. That is, until they heard Taur cry out in pain from some distance away…

"**Taur!"** Lacerto and Ike exclaimed, while the younger two gasped in fear.

But then, the four dragons suddenly roared in fury; and now determined to get rid of these intruders and protect their kin, they spread their wings in threat at the three male ghosts.

"This will not end well," Wulf muttered, his claws tensing as he took a more visible fight stance.

"Stand down, whelps! Or you will regret it!" Skulker warned severely, knowing in spite of his own personal desire to attack these disrespectful dragons, it would result in serious consequences for everyone if things got physical.

But when the four dragons drew their necks back clearly meaning to attack them with their fire energy, the hunter growled; and with no other choice, he drew up his blade and lunged forward at the largest of the four.

In turn, Fright Knight and Wulf followed suit, knowing they had to protect the royal family. However, as they took on the next largest two, the youngest of the four was left unattended. And Dil quickly used it to his advantage. He ran past the fighting ghosts, determined to find the little weakling responsible for all this!

Only Elliot noticed the teenager dragon's intention. But, this time, Aragon's son did not move to aid the Ghost Prince, since his mother was now with him. At the moment, he was more worried about his kin because in spite of their size, they could not hope to match these elder ghosts' experience and power.

But he was also now fearful for Ruĝa. Just a moment ago, he had seen a strange burst of blue light emanating from the forest where he had last seen Ruĝa and Ember. He did not know what it could be. But although he really wanted to find his female friend, Elliot knew that revealing himself now during this violent fight between his kin and the King's warriors would only make more trouble.

"_I cannot do anything; but my father can---and will," _the child thought, before his symbol began to glow with his need.

Elliot, however, was unaware that when Ruĝa had called to her own parents earlier, they had alerted their leader of trouble…

* * *

Desiree had not gotten very far when a dragon no older than fifteen suddenly blocked her path. She frowned at his menacing display, while Danny just gripped his mother tighter and buried his face in her chest with a whimper.

"If you are looking for a fight, young one, you will not find one here," Desiree told him seriously, though she lowered one of her hands to her side, while she held Danny close to her with the other.

"You ghosts from the Kingdom are all the same! You think you can do as you want. Well, not in my home!" Dil exclaimed darkly, before charging.

However, Desiree quickly reacted; and using her spellbinding, she quickly aimed a hand at him; and in an instant, the ghost was bound on the ground by glowing pink ropes.

"As I said, you will not find a fight with me," Desiree told him, before turning from the struggling ghost and heading to find Ember.

However, at that moment, Desiree caught sight of two large dragons as they dived down into the forest. But she remained unaware that Ghostwriter and Lydia were also there...

But when she heard the dragons' furious roars echo through the trees, Desiree gasped, believing Ember was in serious danger. And she wasn't that off, of course…

At having found their young scared offspring in the presence of two ghosts from the Kingdom, Ruĝa's parents had not hesitated to attack the intruders. And while Lydia quickly got Ember to safety, Ghostwriter was given no choice but to defend himself and his family against the angry dragon parents…

However, sure that something was happening in the forest, Desiree quickly released Danny and told him, "Danny, I want you to stay here. Something is happening over there. And just in case it's serious, I want you to be safe."

"But---," Danny began to protest, only to be cut off by her.

"No, 'buts', Danny," she told him gravely.

Danny's eyebrows creased at finally seeing his mother show some of her underlying anger towards him. But just as she turned to leave, there was a bright burst of red light from above, followed by a loud 'clapping' sound.

Recognizing it as the effects of her husband's electrical power, Desiree instantly looked up, only to gasp when she saw the dragon that her husband had gone after suddenly fall from above a few feet from her.

She frowned at the sight of her livid husband soon come into view as he floated down beside the smoking crater in which Taur now resided. But the Queen's expression radically turned into horror when she then saw something else in the sky.

"VLAD!" she screamed; but it was too late.

The Ghost King barely had time to look up when he heard a familiar furious roar echo through the air, let alone could he react when a black reptilian hand gripped him around his abdomen and yanked him upward into the air.

And dazed by all the quick movement, Vlad just grunted against the vice-like grip in which he was being held. But his attention quickly went to his captor when he abruptly stopped their upward flight and painfully tightened his hold around him.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Aragon screamed at Plasmius.

Vlad gasped in surprise. "Aragon! Wait!"

But the dragon leader was too consumed with fury to hear out his former friend. And with another roar, Aragon suddenly dived back down again and then mercilessly plowed the King into the ground.

"DADDY!" Danny cried out as the earth shook with the force and dust consumed all sight of Aragon and his father.

* * *

**Blame my muse for the cliff-hanger. But I had to stop here, since this chapter is long enough as it is. But you can expect a quicker update this time, since I have most of the next chapter written. However, CM is still my priority right now; so you can expect that one to be updated first. Voice your thoughts please! And thank you all for your support! :)**


	25. Chapter 23: It Takes Two to Tango

***Smiles nervously* It's been a while, huh? But I do bring a peace offering and that is this very long, very exciting brand new chapter! I really enjoyed writing it! So, I hope you all enjoy reading it!**

**Oh, and I am working on CM. But I do have some exams to worry about this week. So, I most likely won't have it done until next weekend. Although, I could surprise you all… Heh. **

**Anyways, you'll have to forgive me if there are really obvious mistakes or something. For some reason, is not letting me edit my documents on the site. So, I wasn't able to go through it on the site one last time before posting this. But I didn't want to keep you guys waiting. Hopefully, there's no big mistakes…**

_**Well, quick refresher: Danny went to the Dragon Realm to try and fix up Vlad and Aragon's relationship. But after meeting up with Elliot, he was discovered by five juvenile dragon ghosts, whom attacked him and Ember. Ember is hurt; but her parents have arrived and were, in turn, discovered by Ruga's parents; So, Ghostwriter, in the last chapter, was in a fight with Ruga's father. As for Danny's parents, they arrived along with Skulker, Fright Knight, and Wulf. Vlad is furious with Taur for trying to hurt his son; but now Aragon has arrived at the scene. And he is now as equally ticked off; which he showed it in the last chapter by plowing Vlad into the ground! And that's where we're at. *takes deep breath* Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But the AU plots and OCs are my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 23: It Takes Two to Tango **

* * *

"No, Danny!" Desiree exclaimed, quickly grabbing the child by an arm before he could bolt forward into the cloud of dust into which his father and Aragon had just disappeared after the dragon leader had pummeled the King into the ground.

Everyone else froze at that instant, shocked by Aragon's brutal attack against the Ghost King. Taur, still hurting and lying where he had fallen from the beating Plasmius had dealt him, looked on in disbelief. His four younger dragon companions had also reacted as equally as he, so much in fact that they had instantly ended their struggles against the bindings placed upon them by the King's allies.

The juvenile dragons could not believe it. Their leader had just deliberately broken their kin's truce with the Kingdom!

"Father," Elliot whispered in his own disbelief. But right then, his eyes darted over to his father's own warriors whom all quickly landed and surrounded the intruders.

However, Altiĝis had also shown up with the adult male dragons; and she wasted no time in curling her tail protectively around her offspring, while she glared apprehensively between the King's warriors and his Queen.

As if time had literally been frozen, the silence dragged out and the tension mounted as everyone just waited for the dusty veil to lift from their leaders.

Like Aragon's warriors, Skulker, Wulf, and Fright Knight were waiting for a single sign. And that single sign would determine if they stood down or attacked. Either way, each ghost was ready to make one move or the other.

And then, finally, the dust began to settle.

Everyone suddenly tensed even more when they all saw the Ghost King's unmoving form pinned under one of the snarling Aragon's large clawed hands.

Desiree tightened her hold on Danny's arm when his efforts to go to his father's side doubled. But the sight of her trapped husband had the Queen fighting against her own urge to rush to his aid.

Meanwhile, Vlad had currently lost all recognition of what was happening. Aragon had attacked him with such force that he was barely clinging to consciousness. But something urged the King to fight against the darkness trying to claim him…And as he forced himself to focus he suddenly remembered why he couldn't give in.

"Aragon," Vlad groaned weakly, gripping the large claw crushing him against the ground.

But the dragon leader was as livid as ever and he growled out, **"**_**How dare you?**_** How dare you strike my kin? And not just any of my kin, but those whom are **_**younger and more inexperience**_** than you? I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" **

Plasmius gasped when Aragon added more pressure on him with his hand. In turn, two of the dragon's large black claws dug into the King's skin, drawing beads of green blood. But that wasn't as alarming as the fact that his former friend was really close to truly crushing him.

However, as Vlad's mind completely cleared, the dragon's intentions and words suddenly renewed the smaller male ghost's anger. His eyes narrowed and he didn't hesitate to bare his fangs at his former friend as he snarled his reply, **"How dare I? How dare **_**they**_** harm two six-year-old children---especially when one of them happens to be **_**MY SON?!"**_

"Your son?" Aragon questioned angrily, before glancing over at Desiree; and finding Danny struggling in her hold, the dragon leader instantly understood. But he only grew more furious as he roared at the Prince, "**YOU!** THIS IS ALL _YOUR_ DOING!"

A burst of red energy suddenly left Plasmius body. And Aragon hissed as his hand was forced away from the King.

But Vlad then quickly got to his feet; and pointing at Taur, he roared, "**Do not dare blame my son for **_**that**__**beast's**_** stupidity!**"

Aragon roared back, his fury ignited by the other leader's choice of insult. "_BEAST?!_ YOU WILL EAT YOUR AFFRONT, GHOST KING!"

Aragon suddenly teleported right in front of Vlad; and before the King could react, he slammed his tail down upon him, plowing him back into the ground. But right after, Aragon released his red fire from his mouth, instantly engulfing the Ghost King within its flames.

"VLAD!" Desiree screamed in horror, this time unable to just stand there and watch. She quickly released Danny. But just when she let her energy encase her hands and she was about to move forward, Altiĝis was suddenly in front of her, blocking her path.

"Not another step, Ghost Queen," she hissed menacingly. "You do not dare attempt to use any of your witchcraft. That is, unless you wish to also find yourself in quarrel, _but with me_."

Desiree instantly glared at the threat; but before she could reply, a furious scream from Vlad quickly redirected her attention back to him.

Everyone gasped when at that same moment, a bright bolt of lightning shot out from the flames encasing the Ghost King and violently struck Aragon, throwing him back several feet with a cry of pain.

"**I have had it with your arrogance!"** Plasmius screamed as he stepped out of the burning flames with a bright shield around him, which pulsed with his rage.

"**You want to fight me, Aragon?! You want to use this as a reason to hate me for a **_**valid**_** reason?! FINE!"**

Aragon's eyes widened with utter disbelief when Vlad suddenly unsheathed his claws and lunged at his fallen form.

And that was the 'sign' which cued everyone else in.

With fearsome roars, Aragon's warriors poured out their burning fire towards the King's warriors.

But even though they were outnumbered three to one, Skulker, Fright Knight, and Wulf moved forward using all their skills against their adversaries.

Skulker rolled forward, evading the flames, before jumping up and bringing down his sword upon one of the dragon warriors. However, the dragon was just as swift and brought up his tail to protect himself.

The dragon hissed when the force of the swinging blade collided against one of his sharp spikes. But the reptilian ghost held his ground and growled at the hunter, "Those are our offspring you have bound..."

Of course, the dragon referred to Taur's four younger dragon friends that Skulker, Fright Knight, Wulf, and even Desiree had previously tied up after they attempted to attack them.

"They wouldn't be bound if they had been taught _restraint_," Skulker growled back, before quickly calling forth one of his weapons and firing it at the dragon.

The dragon ghost screamed in pain, which quickly got more of Aragon's warriors' attention. And before Skulker could react, he was slammed into a tree by another dragon ghost's large tail.

The hunter growled in annoyance more than pain as he quickly pushed himself off the tree. But when he saw a large open jaw come at him with the intention of sinking its teeth into him, Skulker drew out another weapon; and this time, he fired a green net, which quickly wrapped around the attacking dragon's face.

Meanwhile, as Skulker continued to fight against more dragon ghosts, Wulf and Fright Knight were equally occupied. And since there were more of Aragon's warriors, Vlad's friends were powerless to stop one of the dragon ghosts from freeing the three oldest of Taur's friends.

But since Dil, the youngest juvenile dragon, was a distance away from the others, Botsu quickly went to assist him. Just as he did, Ike and Lacerto---and now even the recovered Taur---quickly joined the fight against the intruders.

"This can only end in disaster, Fright Knight!" Wulf shouted over to his companion as he swiped one of the dragon ghosts across the face with his large claws.

Occupied with his own opponent, the ghost knight didn't reply right away; and instead, he grunted with the effort of keeping his sword above his head in order to counter the large clawed hand currently trying to crush him.

But then with a growl, Fright Knight released a purple energy blast from his sword, pushing his dragon opponent away. The ghost knight then quickly flew over to Wulf before blasting away the dragon that was currently fighting Wulf.

"It is sorrowful to say we have very little choice, my friend," Fright Knight finally replied. "Aragon's warriors clearly desire this battle."

Suddenly, both Fright Knight and Wulf were thrown off their feet by a large tail. Another dragon ghost then quickly drew closer to take advantage of that. But just when he drew his head back to pour out his fire energy, another large dragon, who had not been there before, suddenly came out of nowhere and unwillingly slammed into the other dragons, quickly giving Fright Knight and Wulf the chance to get back on their feet.

Shocked by the strange occurrence, Vlad's allies quickly looked over at the new dragon, only to find his body was glowing with a green hue. But before they could wonder why, Ghost Writer suddenly appeared from above, a large energy-made writing device floating in front of him.

Having the ability to control other's bodies, the bespectacled ghost quickly moved his fingers along his keyboard-like weapon, sparks of energy traveling from them to the strange device. Ghost Writer then suddenly slammed his fingers down on the keys and three bright beams of energy flew out of the device, two of them striking two of Aragon's dragon warriors, who instantly lit up with the same green hue as the other dragon.

"We are certainly glad to see you," Wulf said with a smile up at Ghostwriter.

The bespectacled ghost quickly used his abilities to control the two dragons he had ensnared under his power and sent them slamming into more of Aragon's warriors.

"As am I. Though, I never expected it to be under these circumstances. Where's Skulker? We have to find a way to stop the King and Aragon's own battle before there are lasting consequences!" Ember's father said urgently.

"It might be too late for that," Skulker suddenly said, appearing next to Ghostwriter and blasting a dragon ghost that had been about to attempt a sneak attack on the unsuspecting black-haired ghost.

"Where's Lydia and Ember? Is your daughter alright?" the hunter then added with concern.

"Ember will be fine. I told Lydia to leave Aragon's terrain with our daughter," Ghostwriter replied.

Before Skulker could reply, the new dragon ghost that had appeared just before Ghostwriter had suddenly roared in anger, the green spell-binding hue around his body dispersing with his anger.

The dragon, who was none other than Ruĝa's father, glared back at Ghostwriter, clearly having a personal grudge against the black-haired ghost. Not only had he not been very happy to have found this intruder near his scared daughter several moments ago, but his pride also felt tarnished from being outwitted and caught by a ghost of the Kingdom! Their fight, which had started at the forest, had transgressed to where they were now. And clearly, it was not over….

"I still suggest we try to find a way of stopping the King and Aragon---_and fast_," Ghostwriter said, before dodging a wave of incoming flames.

The rest of Vlad's allies knew he was right. But they really couldn't do much when they were more than a little preoccupied with Aragon's warriors. So with no other choice, they continued fighting.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ruĝa 's father's arrival had also brought the arrival of Ruĝa herself _and_ her mother.

The female dragon, who was holding her daughter in her mouth, froze when she caught sight of the chaos going on. But when she noticed her leader's mate a distance away, the dragon mother quickly walked over to a nearby large bush and set her child down within it.

"Stay here, my daughter. I must assist Altiĝis," she told Ruĝa.

But the little girl dragon looked anxiously at her mother and whispered, "Why are we fighting them, Mother? They are not evil. Truly!"

The female dragon looked at her daughter for another moment; but then without a word, she turned from her and left to Altiĝis side.

Meanwhile, Aragon's mate was still occupied with Desiree.

"I do not wish to fight with you, Altiĝis," the Queen said seriously. "I just want to aid my husband _and_ yours! Do you not see? They are going to kill each other at this rate!" Desiree exclaimed, just the thought making her desperate.

"My mate can hold his own," Altiĝis answered coldly and remained firm in front of the Queen. "It is your mate who is in danger." But just as she said that, Aragon let out a roar of pain, and Altiĝis quickly tensed. She glanced nervously at the fight between her mate and the King, before quickly glaring back at Desiree.

"Vlad is more powerful than you or Aragon realize," Desiree said, glaring right back at the dragon female. "But this isn't about measuring strength, Altiĝis! You are putting our entire race in peril by allowing this to continue! Do you truly want our kind to become like the humans and begin fighting amongst ourselves?!"

Altiĝis frowned. "No. However, it is not in our right to interfere with our male counterparts. This is their choice."

"This is everyone's choice!" Desiree exclaimed back.

But at that moment, Ruĝa's mother finally arrived and she instantly growled at Desiree upon hearing her tone of voice.

"Do you need assistance, Altiĝis?" the other female asked.

"Do I, Queen Desiree?" Altiĝis questioned the Queen, her eyes further narrowing with threat.

Desiree looked between the two female dragons with indecision. Not only was she certain that in her delicate physical condition as of late she couldn't afford to waste energy on a battle between two powerful dragon ghosts, but she also knew it would only make matters worse. The last thing Desiree or anyone else needed right now was to create more fuel for Vlad and Aragon's burning rage with the sight of their fighting 'females'.

"No," Desiree answered, soberly. "But know that if this ends badly it will befall on you, Altiĝis," she added coldly.

"It will befall on your offspring. He never should have come here," Altiĝis snapped back.

The Queen instantly bristled with the comment. But just when she was about to defend the six-year-old, she suddenly startled with her next sudden thought.

Danny? Where was he?

Desiree quickly began to look around her for the child, while mentally berating herself for letting go of his hand earlier.

"Danny?" she called as she began to panic with the knowledge that there were several battles going on around them.

Altiĝis quickly tensed as well at the mention of the Ghost Prince and her eyes widened with a similar panic…

"Elliot?" she called out, looking over at where she had left him a moment ago, only to find he wasn't there.

And as the two worried mothers forgot all about their own dispute in favor of finding their lost children, those two little ghosts had found each other and were currently hiding within some high grass on the opposite side of where their mothers were.

Danny looked across to his mother's left, watching the ongoing fight between his father's friends and several dragon ghosts, before glancing up and frowning at his father's own fight with Elliot's father.

"_Danny!"_

"_Elliot!"_

Danny looked back over to his mother, who looked really worried. But he was not inclined to go to her right now. And by the way Elliot did not move an inch himself, he was not listening to his mother, either.

The Prince's tail curled tightly around his frame as he sighed and lowered his head in sadness. "You were right, Elliot. I should not have come here. Now our fathers are never going to be friends!"

The little dragon ghost stayed quiet, his ears tilted back in sadness, knowing his friend was right. But as Elliot continued to watch things get worse between his father and the King, he began to grow more and more fearful. At this rate, his father and Phantom's father were _really_ going to hurt each other!

Elliot glanced over at his friend who had gone back to looking up at the fighting Ghost King. Phantom just stared silently in worry, fear, and maybe even some awe. Clearly, he had never seen the 'warrior' side of his father. And he obviously had never seen a real fight, either. That was probably why Phantom was rooted in place. He didn't know how to react to it all.

"Phantom, we must stop them," Elliot suddenly said with determination.

As if in a trance, Danny slowly tore his eyes from his father and stared over at his friend. It took the younger child a moment to register what Elliot was saying; but when he did, Danny quickly shook his head. "No. we---_I'm_---just going to make more trouble," he said sadly.

"Perhaps _we_ might," Elliot answered with a frown. "However, we must try. This is _our_ doing, Phantom. So, we _must_ put an end to it before someone truly gets hurt---and judging by the looks of things, I can guarantee it will be _both_ our fathers who get the brunt of this disaster! Phantom, they could _kill_ each other!"

Danny's eyes widened at the word, knowing just what that meant thanks to Elliot's explaining it to him when they had first met. But…was that really possible? Did Elliot's father and his father not like each other _that_ much? And…And _his daddy_ wouldn't… _kill_ anyone…right?

But at that instant a red bolt of power lit the atmosphere as it flew across and struck Aragon directly in the chest. The large ghost screamed in pain as he was thrown back from the force.

"NO!" Danny suddenly screamed, horrified by the sight.

"PHANTOM!" Elliot cried out himself when his friend suddenly flew right past him, heading straight towards their quarreling fathers. Elliot wanted to stop his father and King's dispute, but not by putting themselves in their fathers' line of fire!

Fearing for his younger friend, Elliot jumped into the air, heading right after Danny without hesitation.

* * *

Aragon had honestly been more riveted by his former friend's sudden ferocity than his actual attack. Since they had been young, the dragon leader knew his younger former friend was not easy to ire; at least, not to this extent. If anything, Aragon could admit that he was more 'hot-headed' than Plasmius.

But seeing his former friend so livid only reminded Aragon of his suspicions of Plasmius' eventually following the former Ghost King's evil footsteps. After all, they were related and his former friend had been touched by Pariah's evil power.

And it had been with that thought that Aragon's own ire doubled and he had not hesitated to attack the Ghost King with everything he had. However, as their battle raged on, the dragon leader quickly realized that his once defenseless, young former friend was not so defenseless anymore…

"**Fool!"** Aragon roared as he narrowly missed getting slammed back by a red ghost ray.** "Not only do you so cowardly harm my younger kin, but you also have the audacity of attacking me on my own land?!"**

With another roar, Aragon charged at the King, before raising one of his large hands and swiping at Vlad. But the younger ghost male quickly turned intangible, the deadly hand then passing harmlessly through his abdomen.

"Isn't this what you wanted, Aragon? Well, then, _**wish granted!**_" The King quickly used his own claws to strike the large reptilian ghost in the face.

Aragon hissed as the attack struck true, leaving three bleeding gashes across on the right side of his large face. The male dragon raised a hand against the bleeding wounds as his eyes narrowed with further hate.

"You are no match for me, Ghost King," he assured the other male darkly, though internally he was starting to have second thoughts.

Too consumed with rage, Vlad barred his fangs at his former friend and replied, "Allow me to prove you wrong yet again!"

In an instant, the King duplicated into four and each fired an ecto-blast at Aragon.

But now ready, the dragon leader raised his tail and, shockingly, absorbed the rays within it, turning the usually white spikes on his tail bright red.

Vlad's eyes slightly widened in surprise; but Aragon didn't give him time to think and fired two energy beams from his tail right back at the King.

But Plasmius reacted in time again and evaded the attack. However, Aragon was obviously expecting the move and suddenly teleported, catching one of Vlad's clones by surprise. The dragon ghost quickly wrapped his tail around the duplicate and raised it up.

The only thing the duplicate was able to do was gasp before the red spikes shot out beams of energy right into its chest and it vanished out of existence.

"Still as weak as ever," Aragon sneered at the real Vlad.

But Plasmius eyes just glowed even brighter with anger, before he suddenly raised his cape and spun it around himself.

Aragon gasped as his former friend suddenly disappeared within a cyclone of cackling red energy that quickly grew in size.

Aragon growled as he watched the other two duplicate follow suit and they began to spin around him as well, surrounding the dragon leader in a mixture of red energy, smoke, and dust.

Aragon fired attack after attack at the three vortexes spinning around him; but he never got a hit on anything. Then, suddenly, the three cyclones drew into each other, becoming one large red cyclone and devouring the large black dragon within it. But it didn't stop there. The force and speed of the energy cyclone was now so strong that the dragon leader was lifted off his very feet.

Aragon quickly spread his wings to get control of himself. But before he could, a fist abruptly punched him in the face with the force of a steel bat. With a cry of pain, the dragon ghost went flying out of the vortex, and then roughly landed several feet away.

And before Aragon could recover, Vlad was suddenly floating right above him and he sneered out, "I stopped being weak a long time ago, _old friend_."

Aragon roared louder than ever; and it echoed across the green sky as he screamed back, "I WAS _NEVER_ YOUR FRIEND, YOU _LYING_ TRAITOR!"

Plasmius gasped when Aragon's amulet suddenly shot forward a red beam so quickly that he was unable to dodge it. The King was thrown backwards as the energy hit him straight in the chest. But the direct hit was so painful that when Vlad roughly landed back on the ground, he couldn't get back on his feet.

The King grimaced, gripping at his glowing symbol, while he heaved, almost looking like he was _breathing_ hard. But before he could even try to recover, a hand seized him by the neck and forced him back, quickly slamming him into a nearby tree.

Vlad quickly looked up and glared at Aragon who was now in his more humanoid form.

"Not weak, Ghost King?" the ghost dragon growled darkly as he brought up his other hand and quickly unsheathed his black claws.

Plasmius quickly raised his hands to defend himself; but before he could, Aragon suddenly thrust his free clawed hand forward, stabbing his black claws clean through Vlad's right shoulder and into part of the tree behind him.

The Ghost King cried out in agony; but he could not move since he was now literally pinned to the tree by his shoulder.

Aragon ignored Vlad's pain and drew closer to tell him, "Perhaps I should thank your son for his imprudence. At least, I can now seize this opportunity to do something I never did…"

The dragon ghost suddenly retracted his claws from the younger male's shoulder; but still gripping him by the throat, he yanked Vlad closer to him, before bringing up his ectoplasm-covered hand and punching his former friend across the face.

The force spun Plasmius around; and unable to hold his footing, he fell forward, his arms barely able to stop him from slamming his face into the ground. Stunned, he stared at the ground splattered with his green blood, all the while tasting the very liquid on his tongue.

"To think of all I sacrificed for you…," Aragon snarled bitterly, before suddenly turning into his real form again and wrapping his tail around his former friend's abdomen and lifting him up in front of his face

"Don't talk to me about sacrifice," Vlad whispered weakly; and with a sudden surge of strength, fueled by his anger, his red claws drew back out. And he thrust them into the tail holding him, adding, "Compared to me, **you** know _nothing_ of sacrifice!"

Aragon cried in pain, instantly letting go of the King. But he then quickly arched his head and brought his large open jaws down upon Vlad, clearly wanting to snap him in half.

But Plasmius quickly grabbed the open jaws with his hands; and while his claws began to dig into Aragon's snout, Vlad's claws began to crack under the pressure of the dragon's jaws. But knowing he needed to do something before his claws were broken in half, Plasmius quickly let out a burst of electrical energy from his body. But as Aragon drew back in pain, he quickly slammed his tail into Vlad's abdomen, sending him flying back again.

However, this time, the King quickly regained control of his flight and he suddenly teleported. But catching his intentions, Aragon did the same. And when they both reappeared in front of each other a second later, Vlad and Aragon attacked at the same time.

Vlad sent a bolt a lightening slamming into Aragon's stomach, smashing the dragon into a tree with a loud scream. But not before Aragon returned the favor of pain by showering the King in searing red smoke.

With a cry of agony, Vlad quickly encased himself in a protective dome to keep the steam from harming him further. But then with a hiss, the King pushed his shield outward, dispersing the hot smoke around him.

He quickly looked up in Aragon's direction and locked gazes with him. But refusing to submit to each other, despite that they were both clearly at their limit, Vlad and Aragon attacked each other again, even when they were about half a yard away from one another.

Simultaneously, they again fired their power towards one another; though, this time, Aragon poured out his fire power to counteract Vlad's electrical one.

However it was at that moment that Danny suddenly flew into the battle. But because he was approaching the two fighting adults from his father's rear, only Aragon caught sight of his entrance.

Surprisingly, the male dragon's eyes widened in horror at the sight of the child flying right in between his incoming fire energy and the King's red bolt. The Prince was about to get hit by both!

Thinking fast, the dragon leader abruptly cut short his attack; and just as quickly, he teleported right in front of the Prince, instantly creating a shield and protecting himself and the child from hot fire and the bolt of electricity.

And as the bolt slammed and ricocheted off the shield instead of hitting the Prince, Vlad gasped at finally noticing Danny and his close call.

But before Plasmius could react further, he and Aragon then noticed a certain little black dragon coming towards them and _now_ in the path of the stray energy bolt.

"**Elliot!"** Aragon exclaimed in fear.

But this time it was Plasmius who reacted. He teleported in front of the bolt, and quickly reabsorbed it in his hands. However, from how unprepared he had been and from the intensity of the energy, the King hissed in pain as his energy burned his palms.

However, it became an afterthought as he then looked up at Aragon and time seem to freeze once more as the depth of what they had just done for the other sunk into them:

They had just saved each other's sons…

Danny, however, was the first to come out of his shock of almost getting hit; and he suddenly flew over to his father and wrapped his arms around his legs, begging, "Daddy, please stop! Don't hurt him anymore! Don't _kill_ him! You can't do that! Please, don't do it, Daddy!"

Elliot took that as his own cue and flew over to his own father. He rose up on his hind legs and tenderly pressed his clawed hands against his father's Energy Signature. Elliot just stared pleadingly at his father. He did not need words to voice how he felt about this whole thing.

"Phantom is right, Father. Enough," Elliot whispered sadly.

Although both adult leaders had regarded their sons for a moment, their gaze quickly turned back to each other; and now that their anger had subsided, they could hear the commotion going on between everyone else around them. Aside from Desiree and Altiĝis who had seen their children's close calls, everyone else was oblivious of what had just happened between Vlad and Aragon. They were all too focused on defeating those whom they fought.

But the two leaders also finally noticed each other----or more like the injuries they were inflicting on one another. Cuts, bruises, and burns littered each of their bodies and by their dim hue it was clear they were both as equally spent. But with their anger gone, they finally remembered why for all these years they had prevented their disputes from ever getting to _this_ point: It was for the sake of their race...

If the council got wind of this, not even the King himself could keep them from acting against Aragon and his kin. And even though he would fight against it, Aragon knew that if the Kingdom wanted, they could force him and his kin to submit to the Kingdom's authority and power----or face death for treason.

Vlad and Aragon's unrestrained anger and their children's mistake could have very well just destroyed the peace in their world----a peace for which both leaders had sacrificed so much to create after Pariah's rein.

"**Enough!"** Aragon suddenly roared out at his kin.

Everyone instantly stopped in their tracks and stared over at the dragon leader.

But then, Skulker and the other ghosts from the Kingdom glanced over at Vlad, who just silently nodded in agreement with his former friend.

"Stand down," Skulker muttered to Ghostwriter, Fright Knight, and Wulf, whom quickly lowered their weapons.

Vlad and Aragon glanced over at their respective wives; and silently telling them to take their respective children, Desiree and Altiĝis complied.

Danny slightly protested at being pulled away from his father, fearing they were going to start fighting again. Elliot, however, did not resist his mother's command, knowing that there was nothing more he could do now.

With the children out of the way, Vlad and Aragon walked up to each other, the latter turning into his more humanoid form----even though his injuries were still prominent.

They stared at one another for a moment, the tension in the air intensifying. But it was Aragon who finally broke it.

"It seems we have both just stepped outside of our boundaries, Ghost King," the dragon ghost said coolly. "However, since your authority surpasses my own, then, the consequences of what has transpired here are of your decree, to which I am forced to submit. But I will forewarn you now, King Plasmius. I will _never_ be a fraction of your Kingdom. You will have to slay me first."

Vlad stared coldly back for a moment, before seriously answering, "I have told you before, if I had any interest in forcing you and your kin to join the Kingdom, you would have by now. And, believe me, Aragon, I would not have to kill you to make you submit."

Aragon frowned, but didn't reply.

And not interested in getting one, Vlad turned to look at those with him, and ordered, "Leave."

Understanding what he meant, Desiree grabbed Danny and they both left towards the outskirts of the Dragon Ream. Skulker only hesitated a moment, before he and the other ghost males followed after the Queen.

Once they were gone, Vlad looked around him, before he locked eyes with Taur, who was surrounded by the other young dragons. Taur recoiled under the King's intense gaze, especially when it was obvious he was trying to decide what to do with him. Unfortunately, Plasmius could go as far as sentencing him to death if he wanted. After all, trying to kill any ghost---and worst the Prince----was a crime in any part of the Ghost World.

"Consider yourself lucky I have never sentenced anyone to death. However, if you ever try to harm my son again, you will be the first," Vlad assured him darkly.

Aragon did not react to the threat. But when Vlad looked back at him, the dragon leader's frown deepened, knowing his former friend was about to pass sentence.

But his decision was not what Aragon had expected.

"You can rest at ease, Aragon. This _ends_ here," Vlad told him soberly. The King glanced over at Elliot for a moment, a brief flash of sadness appearing in his eyes, before he vanished in a puff of red smoke.

Aragon had to consciously hold back a sigh of relief with the King's words. Clearly, Vlad was keeping this matter between them. But the thought of how much worst this could have gone, quickly turned the dragon leader's attention to Taur.

In an instant, Aragon was back in his dragon form and right in front of the young male dragon and others gathered near. And before Taur could even open his mouth to explain himself, Aragon raised his tail and struck the younger dragon across the face, right in the presence of Taur's father. But all the parent did was tense, knowing it was in his leader's right to discipline his son for breaking their laws.

"Insolent child!" Aragon growled down at Taur, who cowered under his leader's glare. "How dare you act so foolishly?! Do you realize what you could have done?! You could have easily cost us our freedom and our _very lives!_"

"I-I was only trying to p-protect your offspring, Aragon!" Taur stuttered back.

"**Silence!"** Aragon roared back. "There is no justification for your actions. They were nothing short of sinister! Attacking two young children? You have not only disgraced your name, but our kin's name! For that, you will be punished severely!"

"But this was Elliot's doing!" Taur protested. "He betrayed us all!"

"Dolmarian!" Aragon called out furiously to Taur's father, who quickly went to his leader's side.

"Aragon?" he asked.

"Take your son to the dungeon and leave him there until he is ready to admit his guilt," Aragon commanded angrily.

Dolmarian just nodded, before glaring over at his son. "Let's go."

Taur's eyes widened. "Father…"

"Not another word from you," Dolmarian cut him off, gripping one of his son's wings and forcing him forward. "Believe me when I tell you that Aragon's punishment will not compare to my own for you."

Meanwhile, Taur's friends glanced at one another; and suddenly feeling extremely guilty, knowing that they were as equally responsible for what had happened, they came to an unspoken agreement.

"Wait," Lacerto called out, getting all the adults' attention. He hesitated a moment when his leader's angry gaze locked on him; but the twenty-year-old still spoke up and admitted, "Aragon… We are as equally at fault as Taur. We, too, attacked the Prince and that other child. They were intruding in our land, Aragon. We…only wanted to protect our kin."

"You did anything but that," Aragon growled out. "However, your honesty will be rewarded. I will still my hand against the four of you; and instead, I shall permit your fathers to instill your punishment."

The four dragons glanced over at their respective fathers and gulped in dread, knowing that their fathers' punishment would not be any more merciful than their leader's.

Aragon paid them no mind and walked over to his own son, who was looking down in shame. But the dragon leader quickly gripped his face in one of his clawed hands and forced the child to look at him.

"What did I tell you?" Aragon whispered angrily.

Elliot's ears pressed down in sadness. "Father, I am sorry. But Phantom's my friend and---"

"**HE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND! HE IS YOUR PRINCE AND **_**NOTHING**_** ELSE!" **Aragon screamed at him.

The little dragon recoiled under his father's furious energy, but said nothing.

Aragon let go of his son's face with a frustrated growl. But he hardened his voice again as he then said, "You have shamed me, Elliot. And, worse, you put our kin in peril! And for what? For the Prince? For that _tainted child_? How dare you put him before your own kin, before those who will one day look up to you for guidance and protection? What you have done today has no name, Elliot!"

"I meant no harm, Father," the young dragon muttered back. "And neither did Ph—the Prince." Elliot looked up at his father, his eyebrows creasing with his mixed emotions. "Why can I not be friends with the Prince, Father? _You_ were once the King's friend! It is unjust that just because you have given up on your friendship with the King that I must, too, must give up on my own with Phantom!"

Aragon looked even more furious by his son's forceful reply. But he was also equally stunned by the child's words. Still, the male ghost quickly raised his hand with the intention of striking his son for his audacity. But when Elliot just sadly looked away, Aragon steadied his hand and lowered it.

He stared at his son with a sober, almost cold look for another moment, before telling him in a similar tone of voice, "If you truly believe that the Ghost Prince is 'your friend', then, perhaps, you should begin to act as a friend should. All this could have been prevented if you would have acted righteously. Your duty was to call to me the moment Prince Phantom had set foot on our land! So, then, Elliot, you will remember this day. And you will remember how all this was _your_ doing. Ultimately, I have no need to force you to 'give up' your friendship, Elliot. You have just done that yourself!"

Elliot bowed his head in sadness, unable to say anymore. His father was right. He should have just called him the moment he discovered Phantom. If he had, no one would have been hurt… If he had, maybe he would not have lost his only chance of having a true friendship with the Prince…

"Altiĝis, take our offspring home. I will finish with him in private," Aragon assured her, staring soberly at Elliot for another moment, before turning from him and heading over to the remaining adult male dragons.

Altiĝis moved over to her son and silently nudged him forward with her snout. The little dragon did as he was instructed without protest. But as he walked on, a small voice got his attention.

"Elliot?" Ruĝa whispered.

"Ruĝa child," Altiĝis interrupted. "Not now."

But the pink little dragon quickly looked back at her friend; and before she could be stopped, she gave him two familiar rolled up parchments and sadly said, "I found them. And… I'm sorry."

Elliot briefly looked down at the 'notes' Phantom had made, before looking back at his friend and shaking his head. "No, Ruĝa. _I'm_ sorry."

Without further words, Elliot switched his hold on the parchments from his hand to his tail, and then continued to walk on home with his mother.

But when they were a distance away, Altiĝis suddenly asked, "What are those parchments, Elliot?"

The little dragon remained quiet for a moment; but then he shook his head and replied, "Nothing, Mother. They are nothing. At least, not anymore."

But hardly believing they were 'nothing', Altiĝis halted in her steps and grabbed the papers from his son.

Elliot startled a little. But then he sighed and sat down for a moment to let his mom look at them.

Altiĝis was briefly both surprised and confused at first at what she was looking. But as understanding began to replace her initial reaction, she sighed sadly and said, "Oh, Elliot…" But not knowing what to really say to her son after all that had just happened, Altiĝis just silently handed back the 'notes' to her son.

Elliot took them in his hand, and just looked at them for a moment. But then with a surrendering sigh, he opened his mouth and lit the parchments into flames. He tossed the burning notes behind him before continuing towards his home.

Altiĝis saddened even more at the sight; but said nothing and followed after her son.

* * *

Danny was quietly holding his mother's hand as they landed at a small island just outside the Dragon Realm. But seeing Ember already there with her own mother, the little Prince's eyes lit up with relief. However, before he could say anything, Skulker, Wulf, Ghost Writer, and Fright Knight reached the island, too.

While Ghost Writer quickly went over to his wife to make sure his child was well, Fright Knight grumbled something as he inspected his torn armor. Skulker, too, was inspecting the damage done to his artificial body, while Wulf just licked at his aching claws.

Over all, though, no one appeared seriously harmed.

However, at that moment, Wulf and Skulker finally noticed Danny's staring at them. But to the Prince's surprise, his 'uncle' just frowned in disapproval at him and then left to check on his niece. But it was Wulf's hurt look that really jolted the white-haired child's core.

Danny quickly opened his mouth to explain himself to the large werewolf ghost, but he was forced to swallow down his words when Wulf turned his gaze away from him, staring sadly at anything but the child.

The Prince's eyebrows creased in equal sadness. He had not meant to betray Wulf's trust. He had just wanted to help his father and Elliot's father. But…all he did was make things worse…

Clutching her hand tighter, Danny looked up at his mother, who smiled at him; but the child could see that she was not happy with what he had done, either.

Still, she asked him, "Are you well, little Phantom?"

The Prince felt slightly sore from being mistreated by the juvenile dragon ghosts; but he didn't feel any real pain; so he just nodded at her.

She passed a hand through his dirty white locks, but said nothing more.

At that moment, however, Vlad finally materialized on the island, getting everyone's attention. But the King only had eyes for his son as he marched right up to him and forcefully pulled him out of Desiree's hold.

Danny yelped under the sudden assault of his father's angry energy. He had never felt him this mad before!

But before the six-year-old could even think of how to react, Vlad tightened his grip around the child's wrist; and with barely restrained anger, the father ordered, "Apologize. _Right now_."

If Danny needed air, he would have been breathing hard by now. But instead, he shrunk under his father's angry gaze, and quietly whispered, "I-I'm sorry, Daddy."

But his father only grew more furious with his words. And Danny gasped when he was abruptly spun around, before his father grabbed his face and forced him to look up at Ember and her parents.

"Not to me. **To **_**THEM**_**!**"

Danny stared with large eyes at Ember, who was clutching her mother and still shivering in fear. Her claws were now retracted, but Danny still remembered vividly how she had been hurt.

His eyes then moved over to Ember's parents. Ghostwriter had definitely sustained some obvious injury; but it was his and Lydia's reluctance to look at him that really got to Danny. They were pretty upset.

Of course, Lydia and Ghostwriter could not truly blame the Prince for what happened. He was just a child, after all. Not to mention, their own daughter had played as much a role in all that had happened as the Prince. However, Lydia and Ghostwriter were not about to interfere with the King's choice of handling his son's misbehavior.

Danny looked back at Ember; and suddenly understanding that what happened to her---and everyone else---was _his_ fault, he lowered his head in shame and all but whimpered, "I'm sorry."

"You should be," Vlad said sternly, before turning his son back around to face him. "I told you. I _told you_ not to come here! I even _explained_ the reasons to you! And you **still** disobeyed me! No, you did worse than that! You _planned_ to disobey me! You involved your friends in your unacceptable deeds; you tricked and manipulated Wulf's trust in you; and you got many ghosts hurt! Why, Daniel?! **When have I ever taught you to be so **_**selfish?!**_**"**

Danny quickly flew up at his father's height and whimpered, "I wanted to make you and Elliot's father friends again! I was just trying to help you!"

"DOES THIS _LOOK_ LIKE YOU HELPED ME?!" Vlad screamed back at him

Danny stared at his father's injured form; and tears quickly welled up in his eyes at the sight.

"Daddy," he pleaded, reaching towards his father's symbol.

But Vlad quickly gripped his wrist, stopping him.

"No. You are not fixing things that easily. _Not this time_," Vlad said coldly. "You cannot begin to imagine what you could have caused. But I am going to make sure you have plenty of time to ponder it. As soon as we get home, you are going to your room and I don't want to see you leave it for the rest of the day. Furthermore, you are not to leave the palace grounds until I say otherwise. That means, no Forest of Emotions or anywhere else you go. The only place you will be going to is school. If you will not obey me, Daniel, then, I am going to make sure you go nowhere that I cannot keep an eye on you. And it will remain like that until you give me a good reason to trust you again."

Vlad let go of his son's wrist; and before the child could say anything, the King turned from him and walked over to Ghostwriter and Lydia.

Plasmius soberly looked at the disheveled and bruised Ghostwriter, before he looked down at Ember and asked in the same voice, "Will she be alright?"

Ember's parents gave the King a small reassuring smile; but it was Ghostwriter who replied, "She will be fine. Her claw will grow right back. And as soon as she calms down, we are going to be having a stern talking with her as well."

Vlad didn't reply. He didn't believe this was Ember's fault; but he wasn't going to contradict her parents.

"We should be heading back home," Lydia finally spoke up. "But, perhaps, you and your family should stay the night and rest up before making that long trip back to your home…," she suggested, looking worriedly at the very hurt Vlad.

But Plasmius shook his head. "Thank you, Lydia. Really. But I think we have caused you enough troubles for today. We are going to head home now."

Lydia quickly opened her mouth to protest; but realizing the King had made up his mind, she just sighed instead and nodded.

"We will go, then. We need to tend to Ember," Ghostwriter said.

Vlad nodded. And with only a smile as their goodbye, Ghostwriter's keyboard appeared; and with a press of a key, he and his wife and child vanished with a flash of blue light.

"Wulf," Vlad then said, turning to the male ghost. "I need one more favor of you, my good friend."

"Anything, my King," Wulf answered with a calm smile. He was still hurt with the Prince; but he did care deeply for him---and his parents.

"I need you to create another opening; leading to the palace, this time. My son needs to be taken home," Vlad explained.

"Yes, my King," Wulf answered, before withdrawing his claws. And with a small painful cringe, he used them to create the short-cut.

Vlad walked over to Desiree, who now had the very quiet Danny in her arms. She smiled weakly at her husband. But the King did not return the smile.

"Des, I need you to head home with Daniel. I left Falco at Ghostwriter's home; so I need to get him before coming home. I'll have Wulf make another opening over there. So, I should be home in about an hour."

But the Queen quickly frowned with concern. "Falco can return home on his own, Vlad. You're…. You're hurt," she said quietly, reaching to touch him.

However, the King took a step back to keep her from doing so. "I will be fine. I just need you to do as I asked. Please."

Desiree sighed, but nodded anyways.

Vlad quietly watched her wife and son soon disappear through the opening before he turned back to his three remaining friends. He looked at them for a moment, feeling even worse with the sight of their own signs of battle.

But knowing they—and even he---had seen worse and survived, Plasmius turned his attention to a very important matter at hand. Vlad had to make sure that what happened today would not be of further consequences to anyone.

"Not a word of this to the High Tribunal," he told his allies, seriously.

But Skulker quickly frowned and protested, "Plasmius, Aragon just---"

"_Not a word,"_ Vlad interrupted firmly.

Skulker glared. "_Fine_. Do what you want. But Aragon does not deserve _any_ mercy from you after what he did---and _neither_ do any of those dragon whelps who hurt your son and my niece!"

"Do you think Dora would agree with you?" Vlad retorted, just as serious.

The hunter scowled some more. But knowing his friend was right, he just huffed in indignation.

"I'm going home," Skulker grumbled out, before taking flight without waiting for his friend to reply.

Vlad just watched him go, knowing his friend would cool down eventually---not that he blamed Skulker for being angry. He had ever right to be…

"If you have no objection, my liege," Fright Knight suddenly spoke up, getting Vlad's attention. "I wish to retrieve Nightmare from Ghostwriter's territory and then retire to my own abode as well."

Vlad nodded. "By all means, Fright Knight. You have already done enough for me. And that goes for you as well, Wulf. Thank you both. And…" The King walked closer to Wulf and placed his hand on his symbol as he added, "I am very sorry, Wulf. Truly I am."

Knowing he referred to what had happened with the Prince, the ghost werewolf returned the affection, reassuring his leader with his emotions that there were no hard feelings on his part.

Vlad lowered his hand; and when Wulf did the same, he then used his claws to create a shortcut to Ghostwriter's abode.

"After you, my King," Wulf said, gesturing to the open portal.

But to his allies' surprise, Vlad shook his head; and instead requested of them, "Tell Falco to head home for me."

Wulf opened his mouth to ask the King why he was not returning with them; but before he could, Fight Knight placed a hand on the ghost werewolf's shoulder and replied to their leader, "As you wish, my liege."

Wulf looked at Fright Knight; and finally understanding that the King just wanted to be alone right now, he looked back at him and nodded his agreement with the ghost knight.

Then, without further words and a small respectful bow, they left the King alone.

Vlad sighed tiredly as the green portal closed back up, before he glanced over at Aragon's home in the distance. He quickly saddened as he recalled his fight with his former friend. But he also felt _so_ _angry_.

"_I WAS NEVER YOUR FRIEND, YOU LYING TRAITOR!"_

Vlad briefly touched his injured shoulder; and seeing his hand coated with fresh ectoplasm, Vlad whispered with his mixed emotions, "Why do you hate me so much, Aragon?"

But knowing that he had been asking himself that very question for many years now without a real answer, the Ghost King just sighed again, before turning from the Dragon Realm and taking to the air.

Not in an actual hurry to return home, Vlad just flew off in the general direction. He briefly considered going to Horris' abode, knowing that the Head Ancient always had words of wisdom to aid him when he was troubled. He really wanted to talk to him right now… But aside from being his guardian when he had been younger, the ghost was also an important part of the high council. Horris would be livid with Aragon and his kin if he found out that the dragon leader had attacked Vlad and that some of his kin had attempted against Daniel's life.

Vlad couldn't talk to Horris about _this_, which was why he decided that being alone was the next best thing.

* * *

It was late at night by the time Plasmius returned home. And, really, all he was interested in doing was taking a shower and going to bed. He was still very sore; but, at least, after the several hours that had passed, his injuries had either stopped bleeding or were healed already.

But when he entered his private chambers, he was surprised to find Desiree reading on his bed. He had thought she would be asleep in their matrimonial chambers by now…

But knowing her husband would first come to his private quarters to shower and change, Desiree had decided to wait for him there. She glanced at him briefly, before glancing up at the clock and then back at her book.

"An hour, hmm?" she asked, though she sounded calm.

Vlad sighed, remembering that before they parted, he had told her he would be home in an hour. Obviously, it had now been _several_ hours…

"I'm sorry, Desiree. I… needed some time alone," he explained, soberly.

His wife just nodded in understanding. But when he moved to sit beside her on the bed and he let out a small unintentional groan, she lowered her book on her lap and stared at him with worry.

But before she could say anything, her husband quietly asked her, "Is… Daniel alright?"

"Yes…He will be fine. Although… he was very sad that his father is mad at him…," Desiree said, watching her husband's reaction closely.

But Vlad didn't reply and just looked away.

Desiree sighed as she gently touched her husband's bruised abdomen. "Maybe I should send for the doctor to at least check you."

Vlad gave her a slightly amused smile, but shook his head. "I can take a few hits, Desiree."

"More like _several poundings_…How long has it been since you have truly fought with someone, let alone another ghost?" she asked, with a heavy frown.

"Not long enough," he muttered as he looked down at his own body. "I had forgotten just how painful energy-based attacks were…"

"That's not all you forgot," Desiree replied soberly, thinking of his reaction towards Aragon---his former _friend_.

Vlad's eyebrows creased as he looked up at his wife. But then with slight hesitance he asked, "Are you angry at me?"

Desiree shook her head, before raising a hand and tucking back a stray black lock of hair from her husband's face and replying, "No, love. I am not angry. I was not even angry at Danny…. I think you were angry enough for the both of us…"

But Vlad didn't like that response any more than if she would have said that she was angry. He stood from the bed and walked off towards the closet to grab a pair of sleeping pants.

"Vlad," Desiree called, standing up. "I am not angry."

"But you're upset," the King replied when he came out of the closet.

"I'm worried… about what you did," she answered with a sad frown.

"What _I_ did?" Vlad repeated in disbelief. "Desiree, those ghost dragons attacked our son! What else was I supposed to do? How _else_ did you expect me to react?"

"You do not need to justify yourself. I understand," she assured him, not reacting to her husband's growing agitation.

But as if he had not heard her, Vlad continued, growing even more upset. "And on top of that, Aragon attacked me _first_! I tried to talk to him and as usual he would not listen! I had to defend myself! I had to defend my son! I had every right to do what I did!"

"Vlad," Desiree said, quickly moving closer and grabbing his face to get his full attention. "I am not blaming you for anything. I am worried about what you did _because_ I know you care about Aragon---not because I am reproaching you for _your_ decision. Ultimately, it was your decision and I respect _and_ understand it."

"But you don't agree with it," Vlad muttered quietly, his defensive mood deflating.

Desiree let go of her husband, but smiled sadly at him as she replied. "I know what Danny did was wrong. But… we both know he did what he did with the best intentions. He only wanted to do what his father has taught him…"

"And what would that be, Desiree?" he asked with a heavy frown. "Because I do not see how I have taught him to place others in danger like that!"

"That wasn't Danny's intention, Vlad," Desiree replied calmly.

The King looked at his wife with a mixture of aggravation and incredulity, before telling her with those same emotions, "I honestly cannot believe you are defending him over this."

"Vlad, I'm not defending him," Desiree answered, now a bit flustered.

"Funny. That's what it sounds like to me," Vlad muttered, pulling away from her.

Desiree sighed, realizing her husband was as upset as ever. "Vlad, I'm not going to argue over nothing with you. I'm not defending Danny. And I am not blaming you for anything. All I am saying is that perhaps Aragon _and_ you would do well to take a lesson from your respective sons, hmm?"

Vlad was about to open his mouth to protest, but his wife stopped him with a soft kiss. "I am going to bed," she then said when she pulled away. "I just wanted to make sure you got home safely. Good night, love."

The King just nodded before watching her leave his private room and head for their matrimonial chambers. He sighed deeply once he was alone again, before quietly heading to his bathroom to shower.

* * *

The next day, Danny was up early. He didn't have school today and that meant he could spend all day with his mother and father. The child had been about to fly out of his room to wake them when he suddenly remembered what had happened yesterday and how his father was still mad at him. At least, Danny was sure he was. After all, his father always came to wish him goodnight---unless he wasn't home, of course. And last night… he never came to see him. It had made Danny very sad. He didn't want his daddy mad at him.

Danny's demeanor instantly dropped and he sighed sadly. But the sound quickly got Cujo's attention.

The puppy, which had been sleeping on his companion's bed, lifted his head and whined softly at the child.

"Morning, Cujo," the Prince mumbled out, though not really looking at him.

Cujo quickly jumped up and happily licked at the child's symbol. But Danny hardly noticed and just stared with creased eyebrows at his closed bedroom door.

"Do you think Daddy is going to be mad at me forever?" Danny asked his companion with large worried eyes.

Cujo yapped encouragingly back at the child. And although to a human it would just sound like dog noises, the Prince, like any other ghost, could understand what the _ghost_ pup was 'saying'.

And hearing his companion was trying to cheer him up, Danny answered, "But he was really, _really_ mad."

Cujo 'said' something again. But the Prince just sighed and whispered, "I just wanted for him and Elliot's father to be friends again; so Elliot and me could be friends, too. Now, Daddy is mad at me and Ember got hurt and I'm never going to see Elliot again!"

Cujo whined softly and huddled closer to his companion. Danny hugged him for a moment; but not feeling any better, the child let go and floated off his bed. Danny went over to his window and stared out at the swirling Novas and green atmosphere outside. He sighed again when he caught sight of his floating playing grounds a distance away. He was never going to be able to go there again… He was never going to be able to play with his friends or the human items again…

Danny slouched on the ground with a whimper. He really didn't care if he was punished forever. He just didn't want his daddy mad at him anymore.

The thought finally brought tears to his eyes and he sniffed quietly as Cujo walked up to him and sat down beside him with a sad whine.

* * *

Unknowingly to Danny, his father had actually woken up even earlier than he had. But Vlad had a purpose for doing so; and his purpose landed him at the Forest of Emotions.

Clad only in maroon pants today, he strolled through a flower field, his gaze wandering around the trees, clearly looking for something. Albeit his seemingly calm demeanor, the enchanted land revealed his inner emotions as the breeze seem to pick up and the trees swayed with an uncertain motion. And although the flowers, as usual, turned red as the King passed by, they also seem to convey Vlad's doubtful demeanor as they almost timidly curled closer to the ground.

Although he was not upset anymore, Vlad was indeed feeling unsure. He had hardly been able to sleep last night since what happened with Aragon replayed itself in his head over and over again. He had also thought a lot about his son and about what his wife had told him last night. It had taken him awhile, mainly because he had been so upset about everything, but he had eventually understood what Desiree had meant.

What Daniel had done was wrong. But, ultimately, he had indeed been trying to do what his father did, what his father had taught him:

…To strive for peace.

And his anger had made Vlad forget that yesterday. For that single moment, he had forgotten how much he and many others had sacrificed to restore peace and order to their world. And although his son had in fact unintentionally jeopardized that with his actions, _so had he_ by the way he had reacted against Aragon. Only that the King had done so deliberately.

Vlad woke up to that realization. And after a moment of debating it, he knew what he had to do. He had to fix his mistake. Otherwise, he had no right to reproach his son for the same mistake. Otherwise, he would be going against his teachings of keeping peace. And furthermore… his current decision would mean a lot to his son...

But although he knew what he needed to do, the King was still doubtful. He was sure it was the right thing. But he was unsure of what the outcome would be. Even so, he had to at least try…

Vlad paused when he came upon the Mermitzo Lagoon and saw the mermaid-like ghosts relaxing on the rocks or in the water.

The creatures, too, paused in their doings and tilted their heads curiously at the King when they noticed him.

"Greetings. Have any of you seen the Butterfly Fairies?" Vlad asked.

The mermaids looked at each other; and as if the King had said something funny, they suddenly giggled.

Vlad just patiently stared at them, knowing that most ghosts on this island were very primitive. Most of them had the mentality of a child.

One of the mermaids suddenly grinned at him, before jumping in the water and quickly swimming as close to the shore as possible. She then propped her elbows up on the bank and rested her face on her hands.

"Maybe…," she answered mischievously.

"Hmm…And where then would they be if you 'maybe' saw them?" the King retorted, playing along.

The mermaid grinned, before looking at her friends and giggling.

"Well?" he probed, calmly.

The mermaid nodded. "I will tell you…. But you have to first come closer, fair King…"

Vlad raised an eyebrow. But then with a sigh, he kneeled down beside her. "Alright. Can you tell me now?"

"We saw them head towards the griffin dens," she whispered in his ear, like it was a huge secret.

"Ah, thank you," Vlad said, moving to stand.

But the female ghost suddenly gripped his left arm, stopping him. She then pushed herself up a bit more closer to him and quietly asked, "Would you like to play with us, fair King…? Your son plays with us all the time…"

"I know he does," he replied, calmly. "And I would be more than happy to do the same. However, I am in sort of a hurry…So, then…." Vlad slipped his hand out of her hold and stood back up.

But as if he had not said anything, the mermaid propped her face back on her hands and suddenly told him, "I know a real secret…"

"Do you now?" the King questioned back with a small amused smile.

"Yes… but your fair son told us we cannot tell anyone… not even you," she answered with a sigh, before she suddenly laughed again.

"I see…," Vlad answered, his smile growing, though he didn't give her words too much mind. After all, what 'real' secret could his son possibly have?

"I suppose you are not going to tell me, then," the King asked, faking disappointment.

The mermaid shook her head. "No. I'm not allowed to tell you… But I could _show_ you…That is, if you care for a swim, fair King," she said sneakily, pointing down below her.

But believing the ghost was just trying to trick him into playing a game with her and her companions--something they _very_ often liked to do--Vlad sighed dramatically and then replied, "I would love to, really. But I am pressed for time…Perhaps another time."

"Suit yourself," she answered with a shrug, before giggling again and jumping back into the water.

Vlad sighed as the ghost purposely splashed him, earning a laugh from the other mermaid ghosts.

"I now see from whom Daniel learns his mischief," Vlad muttered dryly, though he was clearly amused. Since intangibility was worthless against the energy-rich water, the King just did his best to wipe off the glowing liquid from his pants and body.

He then walked off without further delay to the griffin dens. And when he got there, he found a group of adult griffins, preening one another or their young. The animal-like ghosts paused and briefly regarded the visiting male ghost for a moment. And recognizing him as their harmless Ghost King, they soon returned to what they were doing.

Plasmius walked around the large ghosts, moving closer to their dens to see if he could spot Lu and her companions. Comically, though, as he walked by, a young griffin began to follow after him, playfully pecking at his maroon pants.

Vlad paused, regarding the little ghost with mirth for a moment, before bending down and picking it up. The action briefly got the attention of two older griffins, but they didn't react anymore than that.

As the King absently stroked the little half-bird, half-lion cub, he looked up at some of the larger dens. He smiled when he finally spotted the butterfly-fairies, including their leader, on top of an overhang just outside one of the dens, playing with two other baby griffins.

He gently lowered the little griffin in his hands back down again, before calling out to the fairy leader, "Lu. A word, please?"

The little fairy leader blinked in surprise, but then she grinned at him. She quickly turned into her butterfly form and fluttered over to him.

Vlad lifted a hand, watching as the small ghost landed on one of his fingers and then turned back into a fairy.

"Danny?" she asked, hopeful.

But Vlad shook his head. "He is at home. And he will not be coming here for at least a few days. He is being punished for misbehaving, you see."

Lu pouted. "No fair."

"Oh, it's fair," Vlad assured her with a small smile, though he knew that her child-like logic would not agree with him, anyways. "Do not worry, though. You will see him again. But I came to find you for another reason… You see, I need your help, little one."

Lu perked up, clearly very curious about what the King wanted.

"I need you to make a trip for me. Think you can?" Vlad asked, before pulling out a wrapped item from his pants pocket. He unwrapped it, revealing the item to be some kind of edible treat.

Lu squeaked in delight, before nodding vigorously in agreement.

Vlad chuckled as the other fairies quickly got interested and came over to him as well. But he ignored them as they took the large treat from his hand. Instead, he told Lu, "Listen, closely. I need you to deliver a message."

The fair-butterfly nodded and listened closely as the King explained everything to her.

* * *

"They are definitely going to come out any day now," Desiree muttered, inspecting Danny's fingers.

His claws had finally moved pass the stage of being itchy and uncomfortable. Now, if one looked closely there was a small slit right on the child's fingertips, where his claws remained hidden.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, right?" Desiree asked, wanting to make sure.

Currently sitting on top of his dresser and wrapped up in a towel since he had just taken a bath, Danny shook his head and replied, "No, but my fingers feel all tingly."

"Yes, that's normal, little Phantom. Your fingers will be sensitive just before your claws come out. So, it's very important that you are very careful. You do not want to do anything that could trigger them out before time. It could hurt your fingers and you don't want that."

Danny nodded, having already heard all that before from Anĝela, his female doctor.

Desiree then grabbed his chin and asked the child to open up his mouth. She smiled at seeing the tips of his fangs already showing just past his gums and in front of his normal teeth. Again, the same concept applied to the child's fangs. However, they were slightly more complicated in that because they had a toxin-secreting gland within them, it would take Danny a day or so for his body to become immune to his own toxin once his fangs came out.

But his natural weapons were so very close to coming out that Desiree was honestly quite surprised---and extremely relieved---that the scare Danny received yesterday at the Dragon Realm did not accidently force his fangs and claws out. That would have been a serious problem. But then, it also worried Desiree.

She knew Danny had to have been very frightened by those ghost dragons that tried to hurt him. It was enough to have triggered any child's core to call for his parents' help.

But Danny's had not.

Desiree was now sure Danny would never develop that intimate bond with her and Vlad. How could he? They weren't his real parents…

The Queen let go of the six-year-old's chin and smiled weakly at him, feeling a painful lump clog her throat.

Danny closed his mouth and just quietly looked at his mother.

But she also didn't say anything, suddenly lost in her own thoughts as she began to dry with her energy his white, wet locks. Although his bangs stayed as unruly as ever, the rest of his hair was already long enough to tie back into a small ponytail; which was what she usually did now.

She was still debating whether to cut it or not. She thought his current look suited him fine; but she had also liked his look when he had been younger and his hair had still been short, but shaggy. It had made him look so very cute---not that he wasn't still cute.

Desiree didn't think it was even possible for Danny to not look cute. With his large, bright green eyes, slim nose, a sweet little mouth, and baby cheeks; there just was no way.

She smiled again at her lighter thoughts; but finally noticing the silence in the room, she raised an eyebrow at the child, and said, "You're awfully quiet this morning…"

Danny just lowered his eyes from his mother for a moment; but then quietly asked, "Is daddy still mad at me?"

Understanding lit the Queen's eyes. Usually Danny got over things very quickly; but it didn't surprise her that he was still upset about yesterday; especially when Vlad had yet to talk to him since then.

"I don't know, little Phantom. But if he was, can you really blame him? You caused a lot of trouble yesterday. Not to mention you scared us both very much…," she answered, both sternly and tenderly.

The Prince sighed and looked away again. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to," he said sadly.

She smiled. "I know, Danny. And, don't worry so much. Your father will come talk to you when he's ready. You know he and I love you no matter what."

Danny looked up and smiled a bit at that. "I love you and daddy, too."

Desiree's smile widened and she gently stroked one of his cheeks. But then, she lowered her hand and turned her attention back to his hair, suddenly asking, "What do you think about getting a haircut?"

Danny blinked at her, before turning his head and looking at himself in the mirror behind him. He had never really thought about it. Would it hurt if his hair was cut? It sounded painful… But then, even if it didn't hurt, he didn't think he wanted to get it cut. He liked having his hair looking like his father---or, rather, similiar looking to it.

The child looked back at his mom and was about to tell her 'no' when his dormitory's door was opened. Danny tensed at the sight of his father, before he was suddenly compelled to quickly look away from him.

Vlad would have smiled in amusement at his son's reaction; but it wouldn't be good parenting to let his son think that everything was 'okay' after what he did yesterday. He needed to have a stern talk with Daniel first, before he could give in to his desire to grab the child and shower him with affection. It seemed no matter how much he tried, Vlad couldn't stay mad at his son for very long. It was quite a problem, sometimes.

Still, he forced himself to keep a neutral face and just moved over to his son's bed and sat down.

"Where did you go to so early?" Desiree asked, breaking the silence.

"I'll tell you later," Vlad answered calmly.

Desiree raised an eyebrow at his response; but then reading something more in her husband's calm look, she just nodded. She then quietly combed out Danny's hair and finally tied it back.

Now that Danny was dry, Desiree removed the towel from him and finished up with Danny by coating his body with some fragrant glowing cream that lit up the child's already bright aura.

All the while, Vlad just watched her and Danny. And, clearly, the child was aware of his father's staring, since he kept nervously squirming as he waited for his mother to finish up with him. In fact, Danny grabbed some of the cream himself and rubbed it on his own face just to get it over with.

"All done," Desiree announced, though mostly for Danny's sake, since the poor child looked so ready to fly out of the room. "Ready for breakfast, little Phantom?"

But before the child could reply, Vlad interrupted, saying, "We'll catch up with you in a moment, Des."

Danny quickly looked over at his father. But his father's expression was so closed that the child couldn't read anything from it. Danny looked away again and seemed to shrink back on the dresser, secretly wishing he could touch his father to know how he was feeling right now...

"Alright," Desiree said, calmly. "Don't take too long, though. Remember we are going to visit the doctor today," she reminded her husband.

Vlad just nodded, before watching her leave. He then turned his gaze back to Danny, who was so anxious now, he was gripping tightly against the edge of dresser, his eyes locked on his tense spectral tail.

There was another silence, and Danny began to try to think of something to say. He couldn't stand it anymore! And yet his mouth had gone dry. He had been hoping to see his father since yesterday to apologize; but now that he had the chance, he couldn't even look at his father.

"Daniel."

The child visibly cringed when his father finally broke the silence. But swallowing hard, the Prince looked up at the King with uncertain eyes.

Vlad paused another moment, seemingly trying to decide what to do with his son. But then he calmly, though sternly ordered, "Come here."

Unsure if he wanted to get any closer to his father anymore, Danny began to stutter for something to say, "D-Daddy, I---"

"Come here, Daniel," Vlad repeated, no change in his voice.

Danny hesitated only a small moment; but then he sighed and flew over to his bed, landing quietly on it in front of his father.

The child look down at his now wriggling hands, and needing to say what he had been wanting to say since yesterday, Danny quietly told his father, "Daddy, I'm really sorry. I am…You can punish me forever if you want to. But…_please_ don't be mad at me no more…"

Vlad stayed quiet yet again, and Danny decided that was so much worse than having his father yelling at him like yesterday. He couldn't stand the silence. But just when the Prince felt his bottom lip begin to quiver, the King calmly took hold of one of his son's hands.

Danny looked up unsure; but when he realized his father's intention, he quickly moved closer and more than willingly touched Vlad's signature. Instantly, the feel of his father's energy conveyed more than spoken words.

And suddenly flooded with relief, Danny let out a small whimper and threw himself into his father's arms.

Vlad couldn't stop himself from hugging his child back. He just hated to be upset with his son. But knowing he did need to talk seriously with him, Plasmius let go and gently moved the child down on his lap.

"Hold on, Daniel," he told him with a calm but stern voice. "Just because I am not angry anymore does not mean I am not still upset with you. What you did was very wrong."

Danny's eyebrows creased as he said, "I know you said not to go back there. But I wanted to---"

"I know what you wanted to do, Daniel," Vlad cut him off. The King sighed before continuing, "I know you were trying to fix my lost friendship with Aragon. And I know you were just fighting to not lose your own friendship with Aragon's son. It was all very noble and understandable of you. But, Daniel, you must understand that even things done with the best intentions can end up being _bad things_ when we do them in the _wrong ways_."

Danny just stared up at his father with large troubled eyes. But he still quietly listened as Vlad continued.

"You know how much Wulf cares for you, how much he _trusts_ you. Daniel. He did not deserve your tricking him like that."

"I know," Danny whispered, lowering his gaze as he remembered how hurt Wulf had looked at him.

"Your abilities, Daniel, are a gift. They are not meant to be used selfishly, my son. And they most definitely are not meant to be used to wrongfully hurt or trick others," Plasmius told him seriously. "So, you see, I am not so much as upset at you for returning to the Dragon Realm as I am for the means you used to get there. Furthermore, you put a lot of ghosts in danger. Daniel, you put your very friend in danger. Do you see how serious that is?"

"Yes. Ember got hurt," Danny whispered, feeling really bad at realizing everything he had done.

"Yes, she did," Vlad replied. "And we are fortunate that neither she nor anyone else got seriously hurt. But that doesn't take away from the fact that she _could_ have been very hurt. _You_ could have been very hurt, too, Daniel," his father added, a bit of fear in his voice eking out as he said the last comment.

Danny looked up, suddenly recalling how his father had also been hurt... His father could have also been _very_ hurt. And… it would have been all his fault.

"Listen to me well, Daniel. Do not ever again put anyone in danger, _especially_ not those about whom you care," Vlad gravely continued, quickly getting his son full attention again. "Quite the contrary, my son. You should _protect_ others. Just like it's my responsibility to keep you, your mother, and everyone else in the Kingdom safe, it is your responsibility to keep your friends safe. And you do that by keeping them away from danger, _not_ by putting them into it. Understand?"

Danny nodded. "I have to protect Ember and Elliot."

"Yes, Daniel, Elliot, too," Vlad said, his voice softening. "But when it comes to Elliot, the best way you can keep him safe is by keeping away from him. Under the circumstances, your presence can only cause him trouble. I know the thought of not seeing him again doesn't make you happy. But, it's the best you can do for him, little Phantom. Sometimes we have to sacrifice our own wants to do the right thing."

Danny looked sad; but still nodded. "Okay, Daddy. I promise I will never put my friends in danger again."

Vlad placed a hand against his son's face as he added in a troubled voice, "And never put yourself in danger like that again, either. You gave me quite a scare, little Phantom. I don't know what I would do if something were to ever happen to you. You and your mother are my strength, my pillars, my courage, Daniel. You both mean _everything_ to me. So, you see, even the thought of something happening to you or your mother frightens me very much."

Danny didn't understand the depth of his father's words; but he did understand that they were significant. And it made the child even more determined to never disobey his father like he had again.

Wrapping his small arms around the King's torso again, the young Prince just let his energy convey how he felt, as well as assure his father that he would not scare him like that again.

"Now that we have gotten all that out of the way, I think it's my turn to apologize to you, little Phantom," Vlad said softly, rubbing his son's back.

But his words really surprised Danny, and the child pulled away from his father to look up at him in both shock and confusion. "You want to say sorry to me? But you do nothing wrong. I did!"

"And I _did_, too, Daniel. You see, I got my friends hurt as well. Even if Aragon has forgotten our friendship, it doesn't mean I should, too. And yesterday, I did just that. Not only did I hurt him, but my actions also got Skulker _and_ my other friends hurt. What I did was also not of a good leader. I'm the Ghost King and _you_ are my son, _my heir_. It is our responsibility to work for peace. And I am very sorry I forgot that yesterday… Sometimes fear and anger do strange things, little Phantom. But that is no excuse. And although I don't approve of what you did, per se, I am proud of your_ intentions_," Vlad told him with a small smile, before placing his hand against Danny's signature. "I am proud that even at your young age you understand how important it is to strive for peace. And that's something you should never forget, my son; don't ever forget to do the right thing; just remember that it also must _always_ be done in the _right way_."

Danny smiled brightly, and determinedly assured his father, "I will never forget, Daddy! And it's okay; I am not mad at you!"

Vlad chuckled as he lowered his hand from the child's symbol. "That's quite a relief, my boy. But I want to prove to you how important it is to fix your mistakes. And I also want to try to make you happy, little Phantom."

Danny tilted his head curiously. He didn't see how his father could make him feel anymore happier than he was right now! His daddy wasn't mad anymore! And that made everything perfect again in the child's mind.

But Vlad quickly proved to the young Prince that he indeed could be happier.

"I'm going to make a deal with you, Daniel, Okay?" Vlad asked. And getting a nod from his son, the male ghost continued, "If you can try to always keep in mind what we just talked about _and_ you also apologize to Wulf for what you did, I will go talk to Aragon. I can't assure you that he will agree, but I will try my best to fix things with him so that you and Elliot can be friends. Is it a deal?"

A large grin instantly lit the child's face, while his own bright ghost aura also grew brighter, conveying his happiness.

"YES!" Danny exclaimed, throwing his arms around his father's neck and giggling with happiness. "I'll do everything you said! I will! Thank you, Daddy! Thank you! I love you a lot! I do! You are the best Daddy there is!"

"I guess it's a deal, then," Vlad teased and chuckled.

Danny just hugged him even tighter. But suddenly excited to get a move on, the child pulled away from his father; and instead grabbed his hand, urging, "Come on! Let's go find mommy and have breakfast! And then, we can go to see Elliot's father!"

"Now, wait a minute, Daniel," Vlad said right away, which got his excited son's attention. "You cannot go with me. I will need to go alone. But I promise I will tell you everything when I get back. Also, I do need to go with your mother to see the doctor, _first_."

"Mommy sick?" Danny questioned, frowning slightly.

Vlad's eyebrows creased; but not wanting to trouble his son, he answered, "Well…maybe. But hopefully not. And if she is, I'm sure the doctor will have her feeling better in no time. So, don't worry."

"Okay," Danny nodded. But he then smiled again and said, "Well, we still have to go eat! That way you can leave soon! And you can then come back and tell me everything! Come on!"

But Vlad smirked before he fell back on his son's bed. And since Danny had been holding on to his hand, the child fell right on top of him.

"Hey!" Danny protested. But when he tried to move off, his father wrapped his arms around the little ghost, holding him against him.

"Daddy! What are you doing? Mommy is waiting for us!" the six-year-old grunted out as he tried to squirm out of his father's hold.

But Vlad just continued to smirk as he replied, "She can wait a little longer. I feel like taking a nap."

"But I'm not sleepy!" Danny grumbled.

"It's okay. You can just keep me company," Vlad answered calmly, before closing his eyes and pretending to fall asleep.

Danny whined in annoyance. "No, don't go to sleep! Daddy!" Since he couldn't escape his father's hold, the child instead decided to keep his father from going asleep and began to try to pry his eyes open. "You can't go to sleep!"

"Watch me," Vlad retorted.

Danny growled. But then getting an idea, the child smiled cleverly before leaning down and giving his father a kiss.

Vlad willingly opened one of his eyes and his smile grew as he said, "Clever boy. Your mother taught you that, didn't she?"

Danny grinned. "Yup! She says it works most of the time!"

"Yes, _most_ of the time…," Vlad answered, before closing his eyes again.

Danny giggled, before he kissed his father a couple of times more. "Are you awake now?"

"Almost. Try again," Vlad teased, briefly opening his eyes before closing them again.

Danny narrowed his eyes playfully, realizing his father was now just pretending to be tired to get more affection. However, the child had also been taught one other thing from his mother.

"Mommy also said if the kisses don't work, this will," the Prince said, before suddenly jabbing his fingers in his father's side, knowing he was as ticklish as he.

And as expected, Vlad yelped and jolted. But he quickly snapped his eyes open and flashed his son a wicked smile. "Oh, so it's like that, eh?"

Danny yelped when his father turned them around, so that it was the child who was now trapped between the bed and his father.

"You're in trouble now, little Phantom…," Vlad teased him, before his fingers attacked all his son's sensitive spots.

Danny squeaked, before he broke out into a laughing fit. "No! Stop! I-I tell! M-Ma" But the six-year-old could not form anymore coherent words.

Vlad grinned, knowing what his son was trying to tell him. "Sorry, 'Mommy' can't save you if she can't hear you, little Phantom."

And knowing it was true, Danny instead decided to 'fight' back and quickly reached up to attack his father with his own fingers. However, this time, in his excitement, the child pressed too hard. And although it definitely got the reaction he wanted from his ticklish father, it was not very pleasant on his currently sensitive fingers.

"Ow!" Danny cried out, instantly pulling his hands against his chest.

Vlad just as quickly ceased his playing and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

Danny showed him his hands and his father quickly understood.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot," Vlad muttered, gently passing his own fingers along the child's sensitive fingertips. They seemed to be fine. But it was best not to play too roughly with his son until his claws came out.

His brief discomfort ebbed as his father continued to tenderly inspect his hands. Danny watched him for a moment; but then his father's actions brought back to his mind a very important question; one that he had been wondering more and more each day.

"Why am I so different, Daddy?"

Vlad froze. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly, feeling a bit troubled by the question.

"Well, my claws and fangs have not come out yet. And every other kid I know already have them. Ember has them! Why not me?"

"Well, sometimes, it just takes longer for some children. But don't worry, they are going to be coming out very soon by the looks of it…," Vlad answered, trying to sound causal about it.

"But it's not just that!" Danny quickly answered, sitting up again. "Why is my hair white? You and mommy have black hair! And the kids I know don't have white hair! Just me!"

"I happen to like your white hair, little Phantom," Vlad said with a small smile, passing a hand through the child's locks.

"But it makes me feel weird!" Danny protested, a bit frustrated that his father didn't seem to think there was a problem with him. "And I can't form my legs, either. I-I can't call to you and mommy." The child sighed before he quietly muttered, "I want to. But I don't know how…"

Vlad's smile vanished and he sighed himself. "You're right, Daniel. You are different. Everything about you is very different…"

Danny's eyes widened with his father's confirmation, feeling even worse.

But Vlad then placed a hand against Danny's face; and with a gentle smile assured him, "However, it's those differences that makes you so very special; more than you will ever know, little Phantom. From the moment I laid eyes on you I knew you were and will be like no one else in existence. You are destined for great things, my son. I know you are. Maybe being different doesn't feel very good all the time right now; but you will see one day how wonderful it is. But for now, don't trouble yourself over how you compare to others. You are yourself, little Phantom. Unique. One and only. But if it will make you feel better, know that I am just as different as you are. Sometimes it does make me feel out of place, just like you. But, in the end, my being different and your being different is a gift in itself. I learned that from your mother, Daniel. And it's something I also want you to learn and hopefully someday understand."

Danny's eyebrows creased in thought. And although it made him feel better to know his father was also different, the child really didn't see how he was…

"You don't look different," the child said with an unsure frown.

Vlad nodded. "Let's just say looks can be deceiving, little Phantom. But then, how does 'different' look exactly, Daniel? What makes you think you look different? Your white hair? It's still hair, isn't it? What is color when it is as normal as any other ghost's hair? Do you see what I am telling you?"

Danny smiled a bit. "Yes." But then he suddenly remembered something and his smile fell again. "What about my skin? The dragon ghosts that hurt Ember said I looked weird. They said I looked like a human! Is that true, Daddy?" the six-year-old asked, unsure of how to feel about that.

Vlad raised an eyebrow, but then shook his head in amusement. "Daniel, of course _they_ would say that. I mean, compared to _them_, _we_ surely have more features in common with the humans. And what in the world is wrong with your skin, you silly boy. It's color again? Everyone looks different, Daniel. In one way or another. No ghost, nor any human, for that matter, is the same. So, really, Daniel, you are troubling yourself over nothing. And don't give any thought to what some _ugly lizards_ think about you."

Danny giggled at his father's name-calling, before asking,. "So, do all the ghosts in the Kingdom look like the humans?"

Vlad's face slightly scrunched at his son's question. But he then reluctantly nodded. "Well, not all. But… Yes. I suppose some of us do share _some_ common features here and there with the humans…"

Now really curious, Danny's eyes lit up as he further asked, "Like what? Tell me what they look like, Daddy!"

But this time, the King frowned at his child's eager request and he seriously questioned, "Why so much interest in the humans, Daniel? You are always asking about them. Whether it's where they live or about the portals or asking your mother about their language. Now, you want to know what they look like? I don't understand your interest in them."

Danny looked away. "I, uh, don't know. I just want to know. Is that bad?"

Vlad sighed, before shaking his head. "No, Daniel. It's not bad. And, please, don't think I'm telling you I don't want you asking me about this. You know you can talk to me about anything. But… your interest in them troubles me."

"I'm not going to do anything bad, Daddy!" Danny quickly assured him. "I know I can't go to the human world. And I never am going to! I remember what you said all the time! I see a portal and I fly really fast and far away from it!"

Vlad smiled weakly; but then he sighed in surrender. He supposed it was better for him to answer his child's questions regarding the humans than having some one else do it. Or heaven forbid, have the child get too curious about them. Even if his son assured him that he would never try to go to the human world, Daniel was still just a small child. And very often his impulses could be stronger than his young logic.

"Well… Let's see…" Vlad placed his hand on Danny's symbol as he told him, "They don't have an energy core like us. Instead, they have something called a 'heart'. And it beats, always."

"Really?" Danny asked in disbelief. That sounded really weird. Humans didn't have a core and instead something that _moved_?

"Why?" the Prince then questioned with a frown.

Vlad chuckled lightly. "That's… complicated, Daniel. It just does. And their chest moves in and out since they need air all the time, just like we need ectoplasmic energy all the time. Again, it's complicated."

"Okay... So, what's the same about them and us?" Danny questioned, more interested in that.

"Uh…Well, they have hands," Vlad began, grabbing the child's smaller hands in his and showing him. "They have fingers, too. And---"

"Claws?" Danny supplied.

Vlad smiled. "No claws. No fangs. Just regular teeth."

"Oh," Danny muttered. But then he smiled again and asked, "How about hair?"

Vlad nodded. "Just not as shiny and soft as yours," he answered playfully.

Danny's grin only widened. "And a tail?"

"You mean like yours?" Vlad quirked, reaching down and grabbing the little ghost's spectral tail. "No. They have feet. Though, I can't say if they are as ticklish as your tail…"

The Prince fell back on his bed, giggling when his father tickled his tail. "Daddy! Stop! I get it already!"

"Oh, okay," his father said innocently, letting go of his son's tail. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Do they have a tummy?" Danny asked, though it was obvious that the child just wanted his father to keep playing with him.

"A tummy…? You mean like yours again?" his father asked, playing along.

Danny nodded excitedly.

"Hmm…. I'm not sure…" Vlad began to probe his child's abdomen, pretending to think about it.

Meanwhile, Danny laughed some more. But when his side started hurting from all his giggling, he raised his hands and grabbed his father's face, pulling him closer to him. "Okay, how about a head and a face?"

Vlad moved his own hands up to Danny's face and turned it from side to side, before nodding and answering, 'You know, I think they do. You know what else they have?" Vlad asked, grinning down at his son.

"What?" Danny asked, though he had an idea already.

"Well, they have a mouth," his father began, touching his son's curved lips. "And then they have a nose." This time he kissed him there before he added, "Though I am fairly sure that no one has one as cute as yours. Oh, and they must have eyes. Two. Though, again, nothing compared to your own…"

Danny giggled again and closed his eyes when his father also kissed them.

"Am I missing anything else?" Vlad asked with a smirk.

"Yes. Here, here, here, and here," Danny quickly said, pointing at his cheeks and his chin and his forehead."

"Oh, yes, definitely. They have all that," the King answered, before kissing the child in all those places.

"Wow! So, they are just like us!" Danny exclaimed with a bright grin as his father continued to shower him with affection for the fun of it...

But his child's words mentally jolted the King and he suddenly pulled away from Danny.

A bit startled by how quick his father stopped kissing him, Danny stared up at him in confusion.

"No, Daniel," Vlad said, now serious. "They are _nothing_ like us."

"Huh? But you just said--," Danny began, only to be cut off.

"They might _look_ somewhat like us. But that does not make them anything _like_ us."

Danny was now really confused.

Seeing it, Vlad sighed, his face softening, though he straightened his posture again. "Daniel, humans are…," The King paused, not sure how to say this to his son without sounding too…harsh.

But Danny already knew what his father wanted to say. After all, Elliot had already told him.

"You think they're evil, too, Daddy?" the child asked.

Vlad quickly frowned at his son, wondering where he had heard such a 'strong' word. But although he did believe humans were evil for the most part, it didn't feel right telling his son…

"They… They are dangerous, Daniel," the King decided to say instead. "They are a _very_ dangerous species. Not just to themselves, but to us, too. You see… they don't like us."

"Why?" Danny whispered.

Vlad sighed again. "For a lot of reasons. But I think the biggest reason is that they feel threatened by anything that's different from them. It's in their nature. That is why I don't want any ghost going anywhere near them. Humans would not hesitate to capture and hurt _any_ ghost, even if the ghost was only a defenseless child."

Danny's eyes widened. "They would… _kill_ us?"

Vlad just nodded. But then he touched Danny's signature as he seriously added, "Many of them think _we_ are a threat to _them_. And then other humans, whom unfortunately are usually the ones in charge of their race, are just envious and greedy. They think they can gain something from us."

"Like what?" Danny asked, confused.

Vlad shrugged. "I suppose since they don't possess the abilities that we have, they want to find ways to harness our powers for their own use... Like I said, they don't have an energy core, my boy. So, they can't do the things we can. And most importantly, they cannot transfer their feelings to each other, let alone build the type of bonds that ghosts can. That is why they are nothing like us, Daniel. And they never will be."

Danny stayed quiet as he thought about his father's words. He didn't understand. If humans had no cores, if they couldn't _share_ with each other how they felt, how did they communicate love and care and all the important things that ghosts did through their touch?

Was that why Elliot said they were evil? Was that why they were dangerous, like his father said? Did humans not know how to love?

"Look, Daniel," Vlad said, interrupting the child's thoughts. "There are some things that are just too complicated to explain. And then there are some things about the humans that even_ I_ have yet to understand. And maybe I never will. But it doesn't matter. And it shouldn't matter to you, either. All that you need to know about them is that they are dangerous. They might not have our abilities, but they are a very deceiving race. Trust me when I tell you that their ingeniousness makes up for their lack of power."

Danny clearly did not understand everything his father was saying. But he did get enough to understand that humans were bad news to ghosts. It was even more a reason to never go to their world. If only he could stop being curious about them. But the Prince couldn't help it. The humans and everything about them just… attracted him. He didn't understand why. But it did!

"Let's forget about the humans for now. If you want, we'll talk about them some more at another time, okay?" Vlad asked with a small smile.

Although he wasn't satisfied, Danny still nodded and mumbled, "Okay…"

His smile widening, Vlad quickly scooped the child up in his arms and got off the bed with him. "We better head to breakfast. Your mother probably thinks we forgot all about her…Wait until I tell her it was all your fault...," the King added in a mischievous voice.

Danny gasped, his full attention finally going to his father. But then the same mischief suddenly reflected off the Prince's face as he said. "Not if I tell her it was _your_ fault first!"

Vlad actually gasped in genuine surprise when his son suddenly phased from his arms. And with triumphant giggles, Danny darted out of his room and down the hallway towards the breakfast nook.

The King mockingly scowled. "Maybe I should stop letting him spend so much time with all those ghosts at the Forest of Emotions…" But then rolling his eyes in amusement, Vlad just followed in his son's direction. He knew he could easily teleport and beat his son to his wife. But… he didn't have a problem in letting his son win this one…


	26. Chapter 24: Roots of Darkness

**Okay, it's been quite a while, so let me give a brief recap of this story: **

**Danny went to the Dragon Realm in hopes of making his father and Elliot's father friends again, so that the two kids could be friends. But Danny's plan backfired. Ember got hurt. And Aragon and Vlad got into a huge fight. Naturally, Vlad forgave Danny after a talk with him. Danny promised his father never to get himself into such danger again, while Vlad promised him he would do his best to fix things with Aragon, so that Danny and Elliot can be friends. Meanwhile, Spectra is still trying to get close enough to Danny to touch his signature and record it on that black bracelet/ device Tom gave her. Desiree is feeling better after Vlad took her to that Energy Nova, but they have made plans to visit her doctor in the morning, anyways. **

**Well, I think that's the just of it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. And it's extra long to make up a bit for the long wait. Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But the OCs and the AU plot is my own.**

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**Chapter 23: Roots of Darkness**

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With only Cujo for company, the six-year-old Prince was in a small garden, near the palace entrance. And while the child was on his back, on top of the ghost pup's large form, said dog was also on his back, asleep.

There was a pout on Danny's face as he stared up at an Energy Nova, swirling with its usual speed and pattern. But his thoughts were on anything but the mass of pure energy in the atmosphere. They were on the fact that he was still grounded!

Sure, he was glad that his father was not mad at him anymore. But now, he was so bored that he really wished that he wasn't under punishment! He had hoped that he could at least go to his playgrounds; but just before his parents had left to Kuracisto home and clinic, his father had made it clear that just because he wasn't upset with him anymore and just because the child had promised never to do something like he had yesterday, didn't mean that he wasn't going to be punished for his disobedience and his going to the Dragon's Realm But now, instead of being punished forever, the Prince was told he would have to stay on the castle grounds for two weeks!

"That's forever!" Danny grumbled, his tail sharply swishing from side-to-side in his frustration and boredom. His sudden words and actions, however, stirred the large pup on which he was lying, and Cujo's hind legs twitched from Danny's tail slightly tickling his stomach.

Cujo let out an annoyed whine before he yawned loudly. However, his attention went to the smaller ghost on his chest when the child suddenly rolled on his stomach to look at him.

"Is it eleven yet?" Danny questioned the ghost dog, remembering that his mother said she would be back around that time. Although he could tell time by the clock in his bedroom, all Danny knew when it came to the Energy Novas and time-telling was that their color depended on the time of day. But how to tell what time it was _exactly_…. the Prince had yet to comprehend that much.

But by the way Cujo looked over at a Nova and tilted his head in confusion at it, the pup clearly had no clue how to tell time from it, either.

"Never mind," Danny said, rolling his eyes before turning on his back again. His boredom soon had him inspecting his hands, his thoughts going to the claws that would soon be coming out. He was glad for that. It was annoying how his fingertips were so sensitive. And now that he thought about it, so was his upper gum line. In fact, when he passed his tongue over it, the Prince could feel something sharp protruding just barely from his gums. Anĝela had said that the discomfort in his mouth and fingers would go away when his fangs and claws fully unsheathed themselves. And then after, he would be able to retract and hide them at will---like any other ghost.

Danny smiled as he slowly let his ice energy cover his hands, its familiar feel as soothing as always. But then he molded the cold energy into an ice crystal, and inspected it briefly before putting it in his mouth. As he sucked on it like a Popsicle, he made another one in his free hand before turning around again and offering it to Cujo. But because the ghost dog was currently in his large form, the ice crystal was more like an ice chip for him.

Danny grinned at the fact before sitting up on his companion's chest and mumbling through the piece of ice in his mouth, "You probably didn't even taste that. Turn small."

Cujo barked and did so, only for the Prince to roll off him since they were now the same size. But Danny was hardly hindered by it and just sat back up on the grassy ground. But as he started making another ice crystal for Cujo, the pup's attention suddenly went to something several feet away from them. And the ghost dog suddenly growled untrustingly.

Since the Prince had his back to whatever had Cujo upset, he quickly dispelled the cold energy in his hand and turned his head, asking, "What's wrong?"

But the child's question was quickly answered when he caught sight of Walker and Bullet walking down the main path towards the castle's entrance.

Danny chuckled even with the melting ice in his mouth as he said, "Just Walker and Bullet, Cujo. Heh. They are kind of scaring looking, though!"

Cujo almost seemed to laugh and nodded in agreement.

But as the child continued to watch his father's law enforcers, Danny noticed Walker was carrying a circular, green-glowing metal sphere in his left hand.

"Hey, what's that?" he mumbled curiously, pulling out the remaining ice from his mouth and detractingly tossing it in the grass.

But when the child began to float up, clearly about to go after Walker and Bullet, Cujo quickly whined and gently grabbed one of Danny's hands in his mouth.

"What?" Danny asked with a frown.

Cujo whined back worriedly.

Danny just rolled his eyes in amusement and said, "You're weird, Cujo."

The pup growled in protest. But when his companion flew off after the adult ghosts, Cujo's ears perked up in alarm and he ran after the child, barking.

Danny flew down the main path, smiling thankfully at the two ghosts who opened the palace doors for him when he reached them. He quickly spotted Walker and Bullet who had entered the palace a few seconds before.

"Hello!" Danny exclaimed, flying right in front of them and forcing them to halt in their steps.

The sheriff frowned at the sight of the child, while Bullet smiled calmly and greeted him back.

"What is that?" Danny then asked, pointing at the device in Walker's hand.

But Walker just raised an eyebrow before moving around the Prince and continuing forward.

Bullet smirked at that, but said nothing and followed the other male ghost.

Danny, on the other hand, frowned after the two for a moment before flying again after Walker and saying, "You are not going to tell me what that is?"

"Where's your father?" Walker questioned, still ignoring the Prince's question.

Danny's eyebrows creased further as he flew alongside the adult ghost, but still answered, "He's not here."

The sheriff instantly stopped; and with a heavy frown, he looked at the child and further questioned, "He's not? Then, where is he?"

"He went to the doctor with my mother," Danny replied before looking back at the shiny object and adding more excitedly, "Is that a toy?"

"Just wonderful. I made this trip for nothing. Are you sure they're not home?" Walker asked, annoyed. "Do they commonly leave you all alone?"

The Prince blinked at the older ghost. "Alone?" He shook his head. "No, I'm not alone. I am never alone. Cujo is with me. See?" he said, pointing at the ghost dog, which growled when Walker and Bullet glanced at him. "Oh, and Dora is here! She watches me all the time. And George is here, too! And Derek and Carl and all the garden ghosts and all the maids and also the---"

"I get it!" Walker quickly snapped, jolting the child into silence. But seeing the Prince then frown in discontent at him, the older ghost rolled his eyes and turned back around to leave. "Come on, Bullet," he muttered at the other ghost.

Danny briefly stared after the two, but he then slowly followed after them again, asking, "You are not going to wait for my father? Is the toy for him?"

Walker suddenly growled before looking at Danny and asking, "What toy are you talking about?"

Danny rolled his eyes and just pointed at the object in Walker's hand.

"This isn't a toy!" the sheriff snapped. "It's a very important device, which is too complicated and dangerous for…" Walker trailed off.

"It's dangerous?" Danny questioned, now looking down at the device with wary eyes instead of curiosity.

The sheriff didn't answer right away, and instead looked down the halls to see if there was anyone around. And when he found no one in sight, save for himself and Bullet, a calm smirk curled the ghost's lips as he looked back at the Prince.

"Actually, it is sort of like a toy. But it's a toy for adults, you see. I made it for a special purpose," Walker said.

"You said it's dangerous," Danny repeated with a frown.

"If you don't know how to use it," the ghost sheriff said dismissively. "I had come to show it to your father since it would be a great aid for him and his warriors if they were ever to need a quick exit out of the human world---or even a quick entrance…"

Danny's eyes widened. "That can take you into the human world?"

"That's right. See, it can create a temporary portal at any place and at any instance," Walker informed the child, before raising the glowing metal sphere up to the floating child's eye level and adding, "All you do is press the single button on it---this one _right here_---and it will release enough concentrated energy to rip an opening for about twenty seconds… Neat, huh?"

But Danny didn't reply and just stared at the device with an unsure look.

"I'll let you hold it if you want…," Walker suddenly said, getting a surprised look from Bullet who had been quietly listening this whole time. But the sheriff ignored him, already guessing what his best general was thinking about his actually daring to let the Prince hold something so dangerous. But Walker knew full well what he was doing.

Danny was also startled by the male ghost's offer; and his eyes snapped at full attention at Walker as he also quickly shook his head and replied. "I don't want to hold it. It's dangerous. And it makes portals. And my daddy said not to go near them!"

Walker lightly laughed. "Who said anything about activating this device? It's not dangerous to hold it if you know how to use it. And I just told you how to use it, _remember_?"

But Danny just shook his head again.

However, this time, Walker frowned and extended the device as he said a bit more seriously, "It's not going to bite you. Take it. You kept bugging me about it. So, now, take it. In fact, why don't you give it to your father for me?" he added with a smirk again.

"You give it to him," Danny muttered, floating back a bit.

And while Bullet now looked both unsure and confused about what Walker was doing, Cujo began to growl softly at Walker at perceiving his white-haired companion's unease.

"What's wrong, Prince Phantom? Are you afraid?" Walker asked almost darkly, walking towards the child at the same rate he kept moving away.

"Yes," Danny whispered truthfully. He didn't want to touch that thing. It would just get him in trouble again. And he didn't want that!

"Well, you shouldn't be," Walker answered. "But how about I prove it? How about I activate it?" the ghost questioned boldly, placing his thumb on the button as if he was going to press it.

Danny gasped before suddenly bolting down the hallway with a worried Cujo barking and running after him.

"Prince, come back!" Walker called after him, though he obviously didn't want him to come back since he burst into laughter right after.

Realizing the other male was just messing with the child, an amused smile melded onto Bullet's face as he stared in the direction where the Prince had fled. "Well, that got rid of him fast."

"That's what he gets for being so damn annoying," Walker answered with a satisfied smile before gesturing to Bullet for them to leave.

"You know… he's probably going to tell his parents on you," Bullet commented with a raised eyebrow as they walked towards the castle's exit.

Walker thought about the fact for a moment, before shrugging. "It's not like I physically did anything to him. Kids need a good scare from time to time. It toughens them up. And now that I think about it, that's probably why the brat can't call for his parents. Nothing ever happens to him. It's pitiful. If he does become the next king, he's going to be more pathetic and weak than his father."

Bullet chuckled, but then he silenced for a moment as they passed by some guards at the door. But when they finally were alone, he spoke up again. "Hmm. I wasn't aware that the Prince couldn't call to his parents. That's quite strange."

Walker nodded. "Indeed. Spectra was the one who told me. She said she heard Desiree and Lydia talking about it once. But, you know…," Walker said thoughtfully, his mind going back to something Bullet had said earlier. "You might be right about the child telling his parents on me.… But… if he has other things to worry about, then he won't even remember…" the sheriff added with an evil grin.

Bullet just stared in confusion.

But before he could question Walker, the ghost spoke up again, ordering, "Bullet, I want you to go to Spectra's home."

"Okay…," Bullet mumbled, still confused and not understanding the sudden change of topic.

"Yes," Walker said, evil smile still in place. "She has been complaining about not being able to get that brat alone to get what she wants… Go tell her she now has her chance. Like I said, kids need a good scare from time to time. And the Prince is long overdue for a real one…"

Bullet just smirked his agreement.

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Vlad was quite relieved after he and Desiree finished with the doctor. The ghost specialist had confirmed that the Queen's going within an Energy Nova had been a wise choice. It had definitely fixed the ghost mage's unstable core and energy deficit. Even so, Kuracisto advised her to continue to consume the energy pills and even take a few trips to a nova now and then to continue to recharge her core—at least, until they were sure she was over her bizarre illness for good.

The doctor had almost laughed at the mention of the ghost mage's belief that she might be dying. But, instead, he had assured her that her condition wasn't life threatening, especially now that she was looking a lot better. Needless to mention, the Queen was still young and fluctuations in her body, even seemingly bizarre ones, were not that uncommon. Still, the doctor predicted any lingering weakness or ailments would be gone, at the longest, in a month.

So, it was after that relieving news that Vlad finally told his wife about his going to Aragon's to try and talk with him. Desiree had actually smiled and kissed him and told him she was quite proud of him for what he was going to try to do. Of course, that only solidified for the King that this was the right thing to do. Besides, anything that earned him smiles and kisses from his wife and son had to be a good thing…

The royal couple soon parted ways. However, as Vlad soon began to see the place at which he had asked Aragon---via Lu----to meet him, Vlad began to grow quite nervous. He didn't even know if Aragon had accepted to meet with him at all. Unfortunately, Vlad had not been able to talk to Lu since he did that morning to ask her the favor of delivering his message to the dragon leader. So, Vlad didn't even know what to expect.

But when Plasmius landed on the island just outside the actual Dragon territory, he quickly spotted Aragon leaning against a large tree with his arms crossed.

The moment he saw the King, the Dragon Leader stood up straight and raised an eyebrow at his former friend. "Sending a neutral creature to deliver your message and requesting to meet outside of my territory… Quite wise, King Plasmius."

"I didn't want to intrude on your home again," Vlad answered, his voice almost quiet as he stared back at the older male, noticing the still visible wound on his former friend's face---a wound Vlad had made with his very claws.

"And…no sentry?" Aragon suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

Vlad briefly stared at him in confusion. But suddenly realizing what the ghost was thinking, the King shook his head. "I did not call you here to have you arrested, Aragon. I told you before I left that the problem we had yesterday would stay between us. Did you think I changed my mind?"

Aragon shrugged. "Truthfully? I thought you might have been lying to me…"

Vlad sighed at the jab; but said nothing.

But Aragon suddenly walked over to him; and unexpectedly grabbed Vlad's left shoulder, calmly inspecting the still healing wound on that shoulder---ironically, caused by Aragon's claws.

"Hmm… So, then," Aragon abruptly spoke again, letting go of Vlad's arm and crossing his arms again. "If you did not come here to arrest me, then, what do you want?" he asked, his face falling to a deep frown.

Vlad looked silently at his former friend for another moment; before he honestly and simply said, "I want you to stop hating me."

"Unlikely," Aragon replied right away. "Anything else?"

Vlad closed his eyes briefly before looking back at Aragon and soberly asking, "Why?"

"Why?" Aragon repeated with a light chuckle, though it had a hint of bitterness in it. "Well, where should I start? Your betrayal? Your wife's brainwashing my sister out of our customs? Your taking the throne? My son's death? Your attacking my kin? Or _this_?" he asked, pointing at the wound on his face.

"You attacked me, first," Vlad muttered.

"You attacked five adolescents. _Of course_ I attacked you!" Aragon snapped.

Vlad frowned in aggravation. "What did you expect me to do? Let them continue to harm my son?"

"He shouldn't have stepped foot on my territory. And yet, I don't fully blame your son. I blame you as well. Perhaps if you would teach him boundaries, these sorts of things wouldn't happen."

Vlad exhaled sharply; but then he shook his head. "I didn't come to argue with you, Aragon."

"Then _why_ are you here?" Aragon demanded, now fully glaring at his former friend.

"Why are _you_?" Vlad retorted with a serious look, knowing his former friend could have just as easily refused to speak with him. And yet, here he was.

The Dragon Leader frowned in response; but then with a sigh, he answered, "I am here because I do not like to see my son upset. And he's very upset over the fact that he cannot see your son… I fear Elliot might be trying use your son as a replacement for Gregory---or perhaps, he already has, which would explain why your son's absence is as troubling to him as the loss of his brother."

"Then, you understand the solution?" Vlad said with creased eyebrows.

"Of course I do," Aragon replied. "However, I will not allow it. My son's safety comes foremost. And even if it means denying him something that he wants, I will deny it to protect him."

"Aragon," Vlad said with a troubled gaze. "Our sons have nothing to do with our differences. It's unfair to make them pay for our mistakes!"

"_Your_ mistakes, King Plasmius," Aragon quickly correct him.

Vlad turned from the other ghost and looked up at the atmosphere, trying to find the patience and words he needed to get through to the dragon ghost. The King soon turned around; and with a sad look, he asked, "What do you want from me, Aragon? What do I have to do for you to forgive me? Or to at least convince you that our sons have every right to a friendship if they wish it? Do you want me to humiliate myself before you? Must I beg you for forgiveness? I swear I'll do it if it means you will put an end to your senseless hate towards me!"

But when Aragon didn't answer, Vlad's voice turned desperate as he exclaimed, "Why can't you understand? I did what I did for our race! Everything I sacrificed was for you and everyone else! I _never_ picked the throne over our friendship! I had no other choice! _You_ made me choose! But I never wanted that, Aragon! I considered you as much my brother as I do Skulker! And it tears my core that you hate me so much when I have never stopped caring for you! So, _please_, what is it going to take to earn your forgiveness? What must I do for things to be as they were before I was King?"

Aragon still didn't reply; and Vlad just looked away in defeat. But then the dragon leader let out a loud sigh, capturing his former friend's attention. "Alright. Follow me."

Vlad frowned in confusion when the dragon ghost turned from him and began to walk towards the edge of the island. But deciding to do as he ordered, the younger male ghost followed after him.

Aragon stopped at the cliff and briefly glanced at his former friend, before abruptly diving off the island heading straight down.

"Aragon!" Vlad called after him, before quickly diving down himself and flying after the other ghost.

Being that there were fewer Novas the further down one traveled in the Ghost World, the lighting dimmed and the temperature cooled more and more. But all too use to their environment, both male ghosts' red eyes just brightened more and their auras glowed brighter, keeping their core temperature in their normal state.

However, as they finally reached the bottom, small orbs of different colors floated around them and around the numerous graves surrounding them. Vlad looked around at the ominous environment. It was so different than the upper stratospheres. The ghosts, the sights, even the feel of the place were very different. Usually ghosts that lived down here had special abilities that helped them thrive in the less energy-rich and darker environment. But it was also in these lower parts that most graveyards existed.

"I see you still do not care much for these places," Aragon commented with slight amusement as he walked past the King.

Vlad frowned after him, but then followed him, asking, "Why are we here?"

"You will know in a moment," the dragon ghost answered, his voice suddenly very grave.

The King didn't reply and just continued to follow his former friend. But as he did, the odd multicolored orbs floating in the atmosphere seemed to gather around Vlad, touching him in any place they could. But he just placed a hand against his symbol, not caring as long as they did not try to touch him there. Last time he had come to a place like this and these orbs touched him, it had been a bit overwhelming. Each orb's feel was unique and foreign; so being touched by several of them at once was like having several ghosts all touch him at the same time. It was quite unpleasant.

Aragon, on the other hand, did not have as many orbs hovering around him as the King did. And he hardly seemed to care whether they touched his symbol or not---though he did swat them away from time to time if they would do it too often.

Finally, the dragon leader stopped in front of a grave that was by itself on a small hill. And Vlad instantly understood why they were there.

"I initially did not want to make my son a grave," Aragon said as he stared down at Gregory's tomb. "However, I realized it would help Altiĝis accept that he is gone and give his disappearance a sense of finality…"

Vlad didn't say anything when Aragon suddenly silenced. And the King had a feeling the dragon ghost didn't want him to speak just yet.

Still keeping his eyes locked on the grave in front of him, the dragon leader continued, "I know that his body is not resting here. And I think that is what hurts most of all. However, I find myself visiting this place even when I know my poor young son is not here." Aragon touched his symbol before using the same hand to tenderly touch the tombstone.

Vlad stared sadly at his former friend before quietly saying, "Aragon, I am very sorry for your loss. If I could---"

"Be silent. I am not finished," Aragon interrupted, though his voice was not angry, just sober.

The King just sighed.

"It took me some time to understand why I keep returning to this place…The real reason is not this empty tomb, you see," Aragon explained, finally looking at the King. But then he looked at a blue orb floating in front of his face and suddenly trapped it in his hands. "My constant returning is due to _these_ things," the male dragon said seriously, staring at the glowing orb.

Plasmius frowned in confusion and looked down at the orb that almost seemed to push against the hands holding it captive. But the King knew that these orbs were not ghosts. They were not living things---though some believed, otherwise. And, apparently, Aragon was one of them.

"Do you remember the tale I once shared with you in regards to these mysterious energy orbs, Vlad?" Aragon asked, looking at the other ghost.

The King almost jolted at hearing his former friend call him by his first name. He had not called him 'Vlad' since he had become King…

A bit overwhelmed with what it could mean, it took Vlad a moment to quietly answer, "Vaguely. I know you said that some believe these orbs are the souls of ghosts. Others think they are memories or parts of deceased ghosts that are left behind after their death. And then, others, like I, believe that these are just accumulated balls of energy and gases that come down from above."

"What makes you so sure?"

Vlad watched as Aragon let go of the blue orb, allowing it to finally float away, before the younger male answered, "I suppose I do not like the idea of these things being the lost souls of ghosts."

Aragon smiled in slight amusement. "They are not _lost_ souls, Vlad. They are souls in _waiting_. You see, the tale says that sometimes ghosts are so bond to another ghost before they part that the soul of the deceased remains in our world until their loved one also passes away. Only then, do they _both_ part together for eternity. That is where the term 'soul-mate' comes from, you see. However, the term does not just refer to _mates_, but any pair of ghosts sharing such a strong bond that they need each other to head into the next life…"

Plasmius stared at his former friend with an unsure look. "Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with your son, Aragon?"

"Because my deceased son shared a powerful connection with Elliot," Aragon replied with a small smile.

Vlad's eyebrows creased, finally understanding what his friend was thinking. But that only filled the King with more pity for his former friend and he said, "Aragon…. You cannot believe that your son's soul…" But Vlad trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Knowing what he was going to say, though, Aragon shook his head and replied, "I do not think that. At least, not anymore. You see, I had been coming here every day for many years in hopes of finding evidence that perhaps Gregory's connection to his brother had held him back from eternity. That is the other reason why I built this empty tomb for him. The tale says that the 'waiting soul' will hover closely to its grave, and, at other times, secretly watch over their _soul-mate_… But after all these years, I have not seen Gregory's soul."

Vlad sighed. "If this tale was true, Aragon, why would you want your son's soul to linger behind? How could that change anything?"

Aragon glanced back at Gregory's grave before answering, "I know it is selfish to want my son's soul to be here. I should be happy that it is not and that it means he is finally at rest, in peace, in… heaven. But, you cannot imagine the immense pain and guilt that I carry with me, Vlad. And I do not dare even let you feel it; because I know it would immensely scare you," the dragon ghost said sadly, looking back at his former friend. "I would die if only it meant I could have a moment to talk to Gregory. To tell him how sorry I am for failing him, for being unable to protect him as a father should protect his offspring. I would give my life for that opportunity, Vlad. I would give my life to know my son forgives me for letting him get hurt. That is why I wish that Gregory's soul was here… But it's not. So, the best I can do for Gregory is to protect his twin. To never allow what happened to him to happen to Elliot."

Plasmius just stared sadly at the other male, not knowing what to say. Before, he would have not hesitated to touch the other ghost's core in hopes of comforting him with his energy and emotions. But that was when they had been friends. Not now.

"That is why I have to protect my son, even from _future_ threats," Aragon said, now a grave look on his face.

Understanding what the other male was saying, Vlad frowned and seriously replied, "Aragon, my son is not a threat to Elliot."

"I have no reason to believe otherwise," Aragon answered. "As long as I feel _you_ are a threat to my son and kin, I cannot think anything differently of _your_ offspring."

"I'm not my uncle, Aragon. You know that! We grew up together! How can you believe I am a threat?"

"I warned you to stay away from Pariah's evil relics. And you not only did not take heed and used them regardless, but you also took the throne! You tainted yourself with pure evil! I cannot trust you anymore!" Aragon said angrily.

"You are founding your assertions on beliefs and myths, Aragon! I am not going to turn evil, nor am I going to turn against my own kind. It's absurd!" Plasmius snapped.

"Myths always have some truth in them, Vlad. Perhaps, some more than others…. But how can I know how much of the tale surrounding those evil relics is false? I cannot risk my son like that."

Vlad just looked away in defeat, knowing he wasn't going to convince his former friend.

"However… there might be one thing you can do to prove to me that you are not a threat to my kin, that you are that same ghost I used to call brother…," Aragon suddenly said.

Vlad's eyes snapped back to the other male. "There is?" he asked in surprise.

"I do not want to see Elliot sad if it is unnecessary."

"What do I need to do?" Plasmius asked, almost quietly, briefly wondering if the ghost had in mind to humiliate him after all. But he had meant what he said to the other ghost. If that's what it took, so be it. If that's what he needed to do for his son to be with his friend, then he would humiliate himself.

"It's simple, Vlad," Aragon said, walking closer to him until he was about a feet from him. "Allow me to touch you."

The King instantly tensed.

And noticing it, Aragon frowned. "I used to touch you without reserve before. You know my feel. And I vividly remember yours, which is why I will know for certain whether or not Pariah's evil resides within you. Your core will not lie to me…"Aragon slowly raised a hand towards his former friend, but noticing him tense some more, he paused and asked soberly, "Why are you frightened?"

But Vlad couldn't answer him. He was frightened of Aragon's reaction. If he let his former friend touch him, what could he say to him to explain the reason why he hardly felt like he used to when they had just been friends? He couldn't say anything, except the truth----the truth about what had happened to him for using the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage. And if Aragon spurred him away now when he _didn't_ know about that, he was sure to do so if he knew… His former friend would never understand that just because he _felt_ differently didn't mean _he_ was different----or that he was evil.

"I will not allow my son near your own if you do not prove to me at this very moment that you are no different than before!" Aragon said forcefully. But when the King still didn't answer him, the dragon ghost drew closer, grabbing Vlad's shoulder with his other hand as he suddenly grew desperate. "Do you not understand? I do not want to hate you anymore! I swear on my dead son's grave that everything will go back to how it was before you turned King. Vlad, I'll _join_ the Kingdom! I'll be at your side again! I'll serve you unconditionally! But I **need** to know you are still the same ghost I trusted before! I need to know for the sake of my remaining son and my kin! I have a responsibility to them and I cannot put them at risk! Once. Let me touch you **once**!"

Vlad didn't move as his former friend's hand drew closer. But just when it was inches away from touching his core, the King gently grabbed Aragon by the wrist, stopping him from going further.

"I wish you could understand," Plasmius told him sadly. "But I know you will not."

"Why?" Aragon asked with a firm look. "Why will you not permit my touching you?"

"Because I _have_ changed," Vlad answered truthfully, watching as the other ghost's eyes widened with fear with his revelation. "But that does not mean I am not still your friend."

"According to me, you are not," Aragon snarled, suddenly yanking his hand away from the other ghost. "You sicken me, Vlad! I cannot believe you will not give me as much as a simple touch!"

"It would only make things worse between us," Plasmius answered with a distraught look. "So, I must deny you, save you any further disappointment…"

"You couldn't disappoint me further than I am now," Aragon said coldly.

"You're wrong," Vlad assured him soberly.

"So, it is true! You are tainted!" Aragon accused him, taking a step away from his former friend.

"No, I am not," Vlad said with a frown. "Aragon, **please**, just trust me! I am not evil. Yes, I have changed, but I am not evil. I am your friend! Just _trust_ me!"

Aragon's eyes narrowed as he darkly warned, "Stay away from me and my kin, Vlad. And you keep your son away from Elliot, or so help me…"

"Aragon!" Vlad called after him when the dragon ghost whirled around and took to the sky.

However, to his surprise, the male dragon did halt his departure. He looked back at the Ghost King, an apathetic expression on his face as he said, "One more thing: Inform Dorthian that if she gives her hand in marriage to Skulker, I will deny her as my sibling. She will no longer be welcomed among our kin or on our land. Therefore, I advise her to think twice before she permits Skulker to taint her with his signature."

Vlad's eyes widened, equally as shocked by his former friend's words as the fact that he knew anything about Skulker's wishes to marry Dora.

"How do you know about that?" the King asked warily.

Aragon smirked. "And here I thought there were no secrets between you and Skulker. It seems I am not the only one who believes you are unworthy of trust... Good-Bye, King Plasmius."

Vlad didn't say anything this time; and instead, just let the dragon ghost leave. It was pointless to argue any further with Aragon, let alone react to his insults. Even so, they still hurt.

The King briefly contemplated his dark and foreign surroundings and the glowing orbs floating around. But then, with a sad sigh, he took to the sky to head home. He had hoped to at least get the ghost to agree to their sons' friendship. But Aragon was set on the belief that if the King was 'evil' so was the Prince.

If only Aragon could see how wrong he was on both counts.

But Vlad knew there was no blinder ghost than the one who did not _want_ to see. If he would have given Aragon what he wanted, ultimately, all he would have done was feed the dragon ghost's false beliefs…

"I'm sorry, Daniel," the King whispered dejectedly, knowing his son was going to be very disappointed…

* * *

Spectra and Bertrand paused about a yard from the royal palace. She was so thrilled with the fact that she finally had the chance to do what she wanted that she couldn't stop grinning.

"This should be quick," Spectra commented to her partner as she adjusted the black bracelet on her wrist. "Just wait for me here. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Bertrand nodded. "Fine. But be careful."

The shadow ghost smirked and winked in reply before she darted towards the castle in the distance. She reached and entered it in no time. Her pace was both quick and perky as she traveled through the numerous hallways with memorized ease; all the while, she ignored the several ghosts that greeted her as she passed by.

Her focus was on getting to her little nephew's bedroom, deciding to start her search for him there. Of course, she did keep an eye out for him as she floated through the halls just in case. But, ultimately, it was as she had predicted. The child was in his room.

"Hey, Danny," she greeted him after opening his bedroom door and finding him on the floor playing with something resembling building blocks, only that they were glowing.

Obviously, the child had gotten over Walker's little 'practical joke'. Then again, a few hours had already passed since then…

The Prince blinked up at her in surprise, but then he grinned and waved at her. "Hi, Aunt Spectra! I didn't know you are here!"

She didn't reply right away. Instead, she floated closer to him before sitting down in front of him on the ground. "Are you having fun?" she asked sweetly, reaching over to gently touch his face.

Danny nodded. "Yes. You want to play with me? I am making Cujo a cave!"

"Are you now?" she questioned, her smile faltering slightly when she finally noticed Cujo staring intently at her from on top of the child's bed.

"Yup!" he said as he continued to stack up his multicolored glowing blocks.

"Well, sure! I'd love to help you out!" she beamed, grabbing one of the blocks and then stacking it on top of the ones the child had already stacked.

Danny just grinned happily at her, but continued to work.

Spectra quietly grabbed another block, distractingly molding the energy-made toy from a square to a triangle shape, while she kept her eyes trained on the innocent child. But then, out of the blue, she suddenly asked him, "Danny… Do you love me?"

"Yes," the child replied without hesitation and shot her a quick smile before looking back at the block in his hand and molding it into some unidentifiable shape.

Spectra just grinned again. If she wasn't so selfish, she'd actually feel touched that her nephew truly loved her. But, instead, she felt quite smug, knowing the child's blind trust and care for her was going to make this so easy…

"You're so sweet, did you know that?' she asked, scooting closer to him and grabbing his chin to make him look at her. "You're also very cute," she continued, moving her other hand, the one with the bracelet, to his shoulder, playfully drawing circles on his skin with her index fingers. "And very soft…. And fragile…"

But he was so confused and distracted by what she had said that he didn't notice that his aunt's finger was slowly running down his body, moving closer to the symbol on his chest. But then, just before Spectra could touch the child, Cujo suddenly barked loudly, jolting both the Prince and the shadow ghost.

"What is it, Cujo?" Danny asked, moving away from his aunt and going over to the ghost puppy.

Meanwhile, Spectra glared daggers at the dog. She was really getting sick of the stupid mutt. If only she could get a moment alone with the annoying pest, she would gladly get rid of it.

"You hungry?" Danny asked. And getting a bark from Cujo, he said, "Okay. Come on."

If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn Cujo smiled smugly at her as he jumped off the bed and moved beside Danny. But she was sure of one thing: the dog was onto her.

"Cujo is hungry, Aunt Spectra. I got to go to the kitchen."

"Can't it be a little later? I thought we were playing," Spectra said with a frown.

"No. He says he is very hungry. We can play later," Danny replied.

Spectra sighed. "Fine. I'll go with you…"

Cujo let out a quiet growl with the female ghost's words; but otherwise, did nothing but stick beside his companion. The puppy didn't know why she was so set on touching the Prince; but he didn't like it---especially when Cujo vividly remembered how she had tried to do the same when the shadow ghost had snuck into the bedroom while his companion and his mother had been sleeping…

Oblivious to his aunt's intentions and to Cujo's unease, Danny flew out of his room to feed the pup. Spectra just calmly followed behind her nephew and the ghost dog, watching them with a frown. She was going to have to get rid of Cujo if she was to get close to her nephew…

However, when they reached the kitchen, Spectra got even more annoyed now that there were several ghosts around them, including the main chef, George. She narrowed her eyes in hate as she glanced at the ghost dog. She could now see why the dog was 'pretending' to be hungry. And she huffed at his ruse even as she begrudgingly admitted that for a primitive ghost, Cujo was pretty clever.

"_So much for this being quick?"_ she thought with a roll of her eyes as she watched her nephew fly back and forth, making Cujo who knew what.

Several minutes later, Danny was finally done and Spectra didn't waste any chance at telling him, "Let's go back to your room, Danny, while Cujo finishes his meal, okay?"

Danny opened his mouth to agree; but the ghost puppy quickly barked something at him and the child paused. "Um… Cujo says he wants me to stay."

"Who cares what he wants!" Spectra suddenly snapped, startling her nephew and quickly getting frowns from the other ghosts around them. She mentally cringed, before quickly backtracking and saying more sweetly, "I want to spend time with you, Danny. Don't you want to spend time with me?"

"Well, it will have to wait. The child needs to have his lunch," a voice interrupted them

Spectra quickly looked over at the voice and frowned when she saw Dora standing at the kitchen entrance. "Fine. I'll eat with him," the shadow ghost replied back with slight bite in her voice.

"You are welcome to join us if you wish," the dragon maid replied, putting just a bit of emphasis on the word, 'us'.

The shadow ghost resisted the urge to glare; but instead she smiled calmly and nodded.

"Come, young one. You need to go clean up, first," Dora told Danny, extending her hand to him.

Danny didn't hesitate to take it. But as they began to leave the kitchen, Dora turned back to Spectra and said, "If you are not yet informed, then allow me to inform you that your sister is not here. However, she should be back shortly. And until then, the Prince is under my charge... We will meet you at the dining area."

"Fine," Spectra muttered under her breath, realizing she was going to have to take more drastic measures to get what she wanted…

* * *

Dora quietly listened to the young Prince as he chatted away at the dining table about school and other light things that occupied the six-year-old's mind. However, her attention was really on Spectra. But the shadow ghost, who was more engaged in Danny's conversation as she ate with them, either didn't notice Dora's gaze or didn't care.

It's not that Dora didn't like her friend's sister, but ever since she had known Spectra, the female ghost had given her a bad vibe. Not only that, but she was just so… reckless and sometimes down-right selfish. Dora didn't trust her with the Prince. It was as if Spectra didn't understand that she was dealing with a _child, _and not an adult ghost; so she often did things with the Prince that could get him hurt----like that one time when she had taken him to Ancient Paradise.

Dora knew that the Queen felt that same about Spectra. The shadow ghost just didn't know how to handle a child…It had to be true. Why else would she act so carelessly with him…?

"Hey, Danny," Spectra suddenly said, cutting off the ranting child. "You want to come to my house after this? I have something to show you…" she added with a secretive smirk.

Danny blinked a bit, but then his lips curved with curiosity, "What is it?"

"You'll see if you come… okay?" Spectra said with a larger smile.

But before the Prince could reply, Dora firmly interrupted, "I think not."

The shadow ghost instantly looked over at the dragon maid and frowned. "Come again? If you have forgotten, I'm Danny's aunt. I can take him wherever I want."

"Not when his mother and father are not home and he's under _my_ keep," Dora replied calmly.

Spectra suddenly looked angry, "Now, listen here---"

"Mommy!" Danny abruptly exclaimed, jolting both female ghosts. But when they both turned towards the dining room's entrance, they finally saw what the child had seen…

Desiree smiled when Danny flew into her arms. "I missed you!" he said, hugging her. "Is Daddy home, too?" he added, hopeful.

The ghost mage kissed the child, but then shook her head. "Sorry, little Phantom. He is not. He went to… you know," she said with a wink. "I'm sure he'll be back in a couple of hours, though."

Danny grinned at that and nodded.

"Hello, milady," Dora then said with a smile. "How was your trip?"

Desiree acknowledged her sister's presence with a calm smile as she moved over to the dining table and sat Danny back down in his chair. As she took a seat beside him, she finally replied to Dora's question, "It went well. You and Vlad were right. I was overreacting. And I am feeling a lot better."

Dora smiled in further relief. "That's good news, milady. I'm sure your husband was most pleased with the news, too."

Desiree nodded. "Immensely. But so am I. You know I hate worrying him."

"Yes, he does have enough to worry about, being King and all," Spectra suddenly said, jumping into the conversation. "But I'm glad to see you are well, lil' sis!"

Desiree finally turned her gaze to her sister and raised a curious eyebrow. "Spectra, I'm surprised to see you here so early…"

The shadow ghost shrugged lightly and said, "I was in the neighborhood; so I thought I'd spend time with my nephew."

Desiree just smiled again. But then she turned back to Dora and asked, "So, was he any trouble?"

Dora shook her head. "Not at all, milady." But then she frowned and added, "Although…he was upset about something earlier. I didn't really understand him, though. But he said something about Walker coming by…"

Spectra instantly frowned, knowing exactly what Dora was talking about since Walker had mentioned it to her.

Desiree, however, didn't notice since she looked over at Danny with a frown of her own and asked, "Walker came by, little Phantom?"

Danny's happy demeanor instantly fell and he nodded and looked away. Still, he quietly replied, "He said he was going to show Daddy this toy; but then he---"

"Desiree, do you think I can take Danny off your hands for a bit?" Spectra abruptly asked, cutting the child off.

A bit startled by the sudden interruption, Desiree looked over at her sister with confusion. "Come again?"

"Well, I would like to take him to my house. I have something to show him… But I can't tell you since, well, it has to do with you and Vlad's anniversary coming up… so, it's a secret."

Danny's interest quickly peaked at that and he quickly forgot all about Walker again. "I want to go! Can I go, Mommy?"

Desiree frowned back at the child. She still had not forgotten about their interrupted conversation about Walker. But… it could not be too important, since Danny seemed fine. Still, she made a mental note to ask him about it later and just returned to their current topic.

"Danny, you are under punishment, remember?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

Spectra frowned. "Really? Why?"

But Desiree just kept her gaze on the Prince, who now looked disheartened with his mother's reminder. Still, she did answer her sister, "It's a long story. But let's just say he went somewhere he shouldn't have…"

The shadow ghost raised an eyebrow, while Danny lowered his gaze from his mother. Still, Spectra pushed aside her curiosity and insisted, "Well, just because he's under punishment doesn't mean he can't leave the palace for a bit, right? Or is he under house arrest?" she questioned with a smirk.

Desiree rolled her eyes at her sister. But she knew Spectra was somewhat right. The Queen didn't know how long Vlad planned on keeping Daniel under restriction, but surely they were not going to keep him locked inside that whole time. She knew the child didn't like being confined; it really was in a ghost's nature to dislike it, especially one as young as the Prince…

"Do you want to go with your aunt?" Desiree asked the child.

Danny quickly looked up, his spirit instantly lifting. "Yes!" he exclaimed with a pleading look.

Desiree hesitated a bit, but then nodded. "Alright. But nowhere else, understand? You are not to go to your playing grounds."

Danny nodded happily. "Okay, Mommy! I promise."

The Queen then looked at her sister and added a bit sternly. "Take him only to your house, Spectra. And I want him back in an hour."

The shadow ghost grinned. "You got it, little sis."

Desiree nodded. She knew Vlad wasn't going to be very happy with Spectra taking Danny, but he'd get over it. Her sister could be careless sometimes, but it's not like she would let something happen to the child…

Dora had just been silently watching the exchange with a frown. But whatever she was thinking was quickly interrupted when Desiree suddenly addressed her.

"You know, this would actually be good time for you and I to go to the market, Dora…," the Queen said with a suggestive smirk.

The dragon maid raised an eyebrow. "Milady?"

Desiree's smile widened as she explained, "As Spectra said, Vlad and my anniversary ball is coming up. _We_ need something special for the occasion…"

Dora's eyebrows creased in confusion. She understood why her friend needed something _special_. And that the Queen would want her company and opinion in the matter. But why would Desiree think _she_ needed something _special_?

Of course, the dragon maid was oblivious to Skulker's intentions of proposing to her at the party…. Even Spectra wasn't clued into that. That is, until now…

Getting a significant look from her sister, Spectra mumbled an 'Oh' before clamming up. Now the shadow ghost got it. She had wondered whom Desiree had been talking about when she had mentioned that her anniversary celebration would also be an engagement celebration… Now, it was obvious to her. Dora and Skulker…

"_Figures. They have been dating for a couple of years now…,"_ Spectra mused, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. _"Still, I can't believe she even likes Skulker? Yuck… Then again, he's in love with a dragon ghost. Can't decide which fact is more repulsive…"_

"Alright," Dora agreed slowly. "We can go, if you would like…," she mumbled, clearly still confused.

"Mommy?" Danny suddenly called. And when his mother looked down at him, he added, "I'm finished eating. I can go now?"

"Of course we can!" Spectra abruptly beamed before her sister could say anything.

Danny grinned before he hugged his mother and said, "Bye, Mommy! I'll be really good!"

The Queen, a bit surprised by the suddenness of the child's retreat, just managed a small smile in response.

However, as Spectra grabbed Danny's hand and began to leave, Desiree quickly called to her. And getting her attention, she worriedly told the shadow ghost. "Take care of him, Spectra."

Spectra smiled sweetly in reply. "You know, you worry too much. See you in a bit!" And with that she left with the child.

It was only when they were gone that Dora finally spoke up, voicing her thoughts. "Milady, I do not believe your husband will take too kindly to your consent of this…"

Desiree sighed. "I know. But it's just for an hour. And Danny has always been fond of my sister… That in itself must mean something, right?"

Dora slowly nodded. "I suppose…"

The Queen was quiet for a moment, but the she shook her head and suddenly stood from the table. "Come. Let's get going."

Dora smiled as she, too, stood. "You know something you are not telling me, milady."

Desiree smirked. "I'd never keep anything from you, Dora."

"Uh-huh. We shall see," her friend replied with a suspicious look, while the Queen laughed in return.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me you went to see Aragon, Skulker?" Vlad asked with a displeased frown as he stood at the hunter's doorstep.

Skulker raised an eyebrow and answered, "Good to see you, too. Do you want to come in before we start arguing?"

Realizing his own forcefulness, the King sighed. "Sorry. I guess I'm still upset over my conversation with Aragon…," he explained as he came in.

Closing the door, Skulker looked curiously at his friend. "I would not call your encounter with Aragon yesterday a 'conversation' exactly…"

"I was referring to today, just about an hour ago. I went to see him," Vlad said quietly, crossing his arms and looking away.

The hunter's eyes widened. "You went back? Plasmius, why would you---"

"I had to try, Skulker," Vlad interrupted him, knowing his friend was about to scold him for going. "I had to try for my son's sake. And…I don't particularly like that Aragon hates me. Plus, I…really felt bad for attacking him as I did yesterday."

"I'm sorry, but he deserved it," Skulker told him seriously. "Even so, you shouldn't have gone back. If there's anything I know about Aragon, it is that he's as stubborn as they come. Or are you going to tell me you managed to change his mind?"

Vlad finally looked back at the hunter. "I came close. He told me he didn't want to hate me anymore. He even said he would join the kingdom…. He was willing to let Daniel and his son have a friendship…"

Skulker's eyes widened with disbelief again. "Truly?"

Vlad just nodded, though he lowered his gaze once more.

Skulker took a step closer to his friend and attentively asked, "Well, what happened?"

"He wanted something in exchange."

Skulker suddenly rolled his eyes and said with slight distaste, "Figures."

Unlike Vlad, the hunter hardly held any sympathy for their former friend. In fact, Skulker didn't understand why Vlad was always beating himself up over the dragon leader. It was Aragon who was a poor friend. Not the King. Aragon turned away from Vlad when Skulker knew the King had needed him most. He had needed his support and all Aragon did was spurn him away. Even if the dragon ghost didn't agree with Vlad's becoming King, it was wrong of Aragon to do what he did. A good friend should be loyal to the very end, no matter what.

Since then, Skulker had lost his respect for Aragon. And also ever since then, Skulker had stopped calling the dragon ghost a friend as well.

"What exactly did he want? For you to beg him?" But when the hunter voiced the question, he instantly tensed with the likelihood of it and added, "Tell me he didn't ask you that."

Vlad shook his head and huffed. "If only it had been something so simple…"

"Something so simple?" Skulker questioned back. But realizing what the younger ghost meant by that, the hunter quickly frowned. "You would have done that? Darn it, Plasmius! How many times do I have to tell you? Aragon deserves nothing from you after the way he's treated you! If anyone should beg for forgiveness it is **him**!"

But as if Vlad hadn't heard him, he placed a hand on his symbol and quietly said, "He wanted to touch me."

Skulker froze.

"I had to refuse," the King continued soberly before the hunter could react.

Skulker let out a sigh of relief. "For a moment there, I thought you were going to tell me that you let him."

"What for? So he can find out that he's right? So that he can find out that my uncle placed some irreversible curse on me?" Vlad asked bitterly.

"You're not cursed, Plasmius," Skulker said with a frown.

"Sometimes I'm not so sure," Vlad admitted with a sigh before he looked down at his hands and let his red energy seep out. "My powers…Sometimes they frighten me. They keep… growing. It's not normal, Skulker. Ghosts reach their potential by the age of twenty-five. My powers should have stopped developing years ago… But they haven't. My energy just keeps getting more powerful. The way I fought yesterday, Skulker... It felt as if my chest was going to explode from the amount of energy I could feel inside me…just ready to pour out…"

The hunter just stared at his friend, not knowing what to say.

But Vlad finally looked up at him, fear in his eyes as he moved closer to his friend. "I wanted to let him touch him. I really did. But I was afraid of his reaction if he discovered the truth about me. But on my way back, I realized that that is not the only reason I didn't let him…. I was also afraid that he could be right about another thing. What if whatever my uncle did to me really is suppose to make me evil?"

The hunter quickly opened his mouth to protest, but the King caught him off-guard when he suddenly grabbed Skulker's hand and placed it on his symbol.

"Tell me the truth, Skulker," Vlad said worriedly. "When you touch me…Do I feel evil?"

The hunter frowned again, but then sighed. "Vlad… I'm going to tell you the truth… But when I do you, you better not bring this up again or I'm going to have to hang your pelt up on my wall."

The King smiled weakly but nodded.

"You feel as evil as your son," the hunter told him seriously.

Plasmius' eyebrows instantly creased down. "Skulker… my son doesn't feel _evil_. _Far_ from it."

"Precisely," the hunter agreed. "Vlad, you are not evil and you don't feel evil. Dark might have done something irreversible to you, but it has not changed who you are. You might feel different than before, but it is not in a bad way. There really is no true way to explain it, but when I touch you, I'm almost reminded of an Energy Nova. You're core is untainted. So, how can you feel evil? How can you be cursed? No, Plasmius, Aragon is not right. Not in the slightest."

Feeling and seeing how sincere his friend was, Vlad felt a great relief wash over him. And with a smile, he just as quickly grabbed his friend in a hug and told him, "You're a good friend, Skulker."

The hunter hugged the younger ghost back and replied, "So are you, Plasmius. Just a little too _soft_," he added, thinking of Vlad's perseverance with Aragon.

He pulled away from the King before further telling him, "But I can't take that away from you. And I don't want to. Even so, you have to stop tormenting yourself over Aragon. Don't seek him out anymore, alright? All he does is confuse you, and it's starting to make me angry."

"Skulker," Vlad said with a mild warning tone in his voice, knowing the hunter wouldn't hesitate to start trouble with the dragon ghost. "I don't need any more problems with Aragon."

"Then, don't go see him again. I don't care if he's Dora's brother. I will cut off his head if he continues to take advantage of your emotions like this!"

"Calm down. I won't be seeing him again. He made it clear that he now hates me even more for denying him," Vlad muttered. But right after he said this, the King paused and said more seriously, "But it's funny that you are warning me to stay away from Aragon when you yourself paid him a visit not too long ago. And you didn't tell me… Why?"

Skulker frowned, catching the slight hurt tone in his friend's voice. But then he scoffed angrily and said, "It's not because I don't trust you---If that's what Aragon told you…" And seeing his friend glance away, the hunter gritted his teeth. "You need to stop caring so much about what Aragon thinks or says."

"I wish I could," Vlad said with a sigh.

Skulker shook his head. But then with a sigh, he added, "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you going over to Aragon to speak to him on my behalf. No, don't even try to deny it. You know you would have," the hunter added when his friend tried to protest. "I didn't expect his approval in regards to Dora and I. But it was my obligation to try. I did it for her."

Vlad nodded. He knew that even if Dora wasn't aware of Skulker's intentions to propose to her, she knew her brother well enough to know he would not agree to Skulker's courting her. So, Vlad was sure the dragon maid would not let her brother's opinion influence her decision when the time came for her to accept or deny Skulker's marriage proposal.

"Speaking of doing things for _significant_ _others_," Vlad said, a smile finally curving his lips. "I stopped by Nocturne's abode before coming here. I want to do something special for Desiree for our fourteenth anniversary. And, well, I need a bit of his… _magic_."

"Oh?" Skulker asked, a grin splitting his face.

* * *

"I don't understand why Cujo could not come, too," Danny mumbled as they finally reached his aunt's home. His companion had really been adamant on going with him, but his aunt had kept the ghost pup from following by making sure he stayed inside the palace.

"I told you, Danny, he would have gotten my house dirty," Spectra replied with restrained annoyance.

"Yes, primitive ghosts are always rolling in who knows what," Bertrand added, who was now with them.

Danny frowned, still not getting what the big deal was. After all, he was sure Cujo didn't roll in anything that _he_ didn't, either…

When they entered his aunt's abode, Danny quickly perked up at the somewhat new sights. He didn't come to his aunt's home very often; so he didn't really remember it very well. However, when he heard a soft click, the Prince looked back at his aunt and Bertrand.

He blinked when he realized that the click had been from the door's being locked.

"Come on, Danny," Spectra said sweetly, moving further into her home and gesturing for him to follow.

The child smiled and floated after her, not noticing how Bertrand disappeared into an adjacent hallway.

Danny sat down on the couch beside his aunt and looked up at her expectantly. "What are you going to show me?"

"Well, I bought a gift for your mom and dad and I wanted to know what you thought of it," she answered with a smirk.

"Oh," Danny mumbled, a bit thrown off by the fact, since he had thought the surprise was maybe another human item.

And as if reading his thoughts, Spectra's smile widened. "Sorry, little nephew. No human toy this time. I haven't found any lately. But I promise to get you another soon. But… what about you? Have you found any new items?"

"I did!" Danny quickly said. "I found a metal box with buttons!"

Spectra raised an eyebrow. But as Danny continued to describe it, she finally realized that what the child had found was some type of remote which had rusted over time. It was probably once from some anti-ghost device.

"You know…you're pretty lucky to have found the few things you have. There aren't a lot of human items around here anymore."

"Yes, I know," Danny muttered.

"But I know where you can find some more, _a lot_ more," Spectra quickly added, a secretive grin curling on her face.

Danny's eyes quickly widened and he asked with bated breath, "Where?"

"The human world," she whispered. "You could…go."

But the child's eyebrows quickly creased and he shook his head. "No. I cannot."

"Why? You know where one of the portals is. You go out there, get some stuff, and then come right back in. It will be fast. No one will find out."

But the Prince shook his head again. "I promised my father I will never go there. He says it's dangerous. He said humans are dangerous! I can't!"

Spectra rolled her eyes. "Come on, Danny. You're daddy just worries too much. He just doesn't think you can handle it. But_ I_ think you are very smart and brave. Aren't you?"

Danny frowned. "Yes."

"Well?" But when the child looked away, Spectra added, "You know, if you're going to be a King like your father some day, you can't be scared to try new things. And you can't be scared of humans. You're father's not. In fact, he goes to the human world all the time."

Danny tensed, but quickly looked at his aunt. "He does?"

"He does," Spectra replied. "He just keeps it a secret. But a lot of us know it's true. If he goes there, why can't you?"

Danny was quiet for a moment, but then asked, "Have you been there?"

Spectra grinned. "I have. A lot of times. The human world is nothing like this world. For one, it's not as dark as this place. And it's not as green, at that. When you look up, there's something called a sky. It's big, bright, and blue. _Infinite_. Also, nothing is floating. It is all on the ground. You see, there's a lot more gravity there than here. It's amazing, Danny. At least, I think so," she said with a wink.

Danny's eyes were wide with wonder. But as he remembered his father's words, it faded again. "I want to go… But I cannot. I promised."

Spectra resisted the urge to growl in anger. She had not realized Vlad had trained his brat this well. It was definitely going to put a nick in her plans if the child was not stupid enough to venture into the human world…

Well, she had him here now. At least, she could finally get the next part of her plans accomplished. She would have to worry about the rest later.

Spectra moved closer to the now quiet Prince. But before she could speak again, Bertrand came back with a cup in his hand.

"Here, kid. Have a drink," he said, coming up behind the child on the couch and offering him the cup.

Danny looked at it before he lifted his gaze up at the shape-shifter looming over him from behind and shook his head. "No, thank you."

Bertrand frowned over at Spectra, who returned the expression before she turned her eyes back at Danny and sweetly said, "Are you sure? I think you're gonna like it."

But the Prince still shook his head. "I'm not thirsty. And I'm full from lunch," he told her, placing a hand on his stomach.

"Fine, we'll do this the hard way," Spectra then said with a sigh.

"Huh?" Danny asked, not getting the comment.

"Spectra, are you sure?" the shape-shifter questioned with unease. "What if…"

Danny looked between the two adults, confused.

"He'll be fine. After all, my nephew loves me… right, Danny?"

The child slowly nodded.

"Fine," Bertrand said reluctantly before turning around and heading back to the kitchen to throw away the beverage in the cup. Shame. It was one of the good sleeping potions, too.

Danny turned slightly to watch Bertrand leave. But he then looked back at his aunt when he felt her move off of the couch. He blinked when she knelt right in front of him.

"You know, Danny, I love you a lot, too," she told him moving closer to him so that she had one hand pressed on the sofa next to Danny's spectral tail and her other hand resting on his cheek.

Danny smiled. "I know."

"Do you?"

"Huh?"

"Well, how do you know I love you if you have never felt my core?"

Danny's eyebrows creased as he replied, "Um... because you tell me?"

Spectra chuckled as she ran her fingers through her nephew's white locks. "Silly child. You can't believe someone loves you without _feeling_ that they do. That's something humans do, because they have no other choice. And that's why a lot of them suffer disappointment. Someone saying that they love you is never enough. You need proof. You need to feel it yourself."

"Okay," the Prince mumbled. "So… you want me to touch you?"

"Only if you want," Spectra said sweetly. But when the child nodded and reached for her symbol, she grabbed his hand, stopping him and adding, "But first, you have to let me touch you."

The Prince instantly tensed with the request. It wasn't that he didn't trust his aunt to touch him, but that he knew from experience that every time someone new touched him, it was a bit overwhelming at first, so it made him apprehensive about it.

"Why you want to?" the child asked quietly, suddenly aware of his aunt's proximity. He didn't even notice that Bertrand had returned and this time had moved around the couch to face the child…

"Well, you're always saying that you love me, but you have never let me prove it," she said with a pout. "How can I believe you if I don't have proof?"

"I… okay. But can I touch you first? Anĝela said my core is um, sen…sentitive, so sometimes it doesn't feel good when I get touched, so it helps if I touch you first."

Spectra pretended to ponder it for a moment, but then she smiled and said, "How about I'm just really, _really_ gentle?"

She didn't want the brat touching her. Not only did she not want his hands on her, but even at this young age, ghost children, including Danny, were good at picking up emotions. And although the innocent little Prince probably wouldn't recognize more of her darker emotions, he could pick up on some of them that might make him realize she had ill intent towards him. She didn't want to risk it.

Danny's brows creased in worry. "But---"

"You'll be okay, I promise," Spectra interrupted, lowering the hand in his hair down his face and then down his neck, moving slowly towards the green-glowing, star-like symbol on his young chest.

Danny unconsciously pressed himself deeper into the couch. "Aunt Spectra, I'm not… I don't' want…" But the child couldn't form coherent sentences from how scared he suddenly was.

"Relax, Danny," Spectra muttered. "This will be over before you know it," she added, watching as the black bracelet on her wrist began to glow as her hand moved closer and closer to the child's symbol.

"Aunt---" the Prince began, only to gasp when her entire hand was abruptly resting against his symbol. A violent jolt followed his surprise, but his aunt only pressed harder against him. He didn't even see Spectra's brightly glowing bracelet from the assault he was feeling on his core. It was as impacting as when he had been slammed into a tree by that dragon's tail…

"Stop!" he suddenly cried out, pushing against her hand when his core began to burn. He had never felt anything as horrible as his aunt's touch. He felt like, like… he didn't know! But it felt bad! It hurt! She was hurting him!

"Hold still, Danny!" Spectra snapped when the child began to struggle against her.

"Please, stop! Stop! You're hurting me!" Danny cried out as tears sprung to his eyes. He wanted to get away! She was doing something bad to him! He knew it! But he couldn't understand what! But his core was screaming at him to do something, to make her stop. That if he didn't make her stop, he was going to… to _lose_ _something_.

"**No**!" he screamed, his body going intangible, only to realize he couldn't phase through the couch or her hold.

"Okay, Spectra, I think you can stop now. The hunter just said it would only take a few seconds, remember?" Bertrand spoke up as he nervously watched the child's panic attack. He was acting like Spectra was killing him. In fact, he was reacting even worse than he had when she had touched him as a baby!

But the shadow ghost kept her hand in place.

"Spectra, what the heck are you doing?" Bertrand exclaimed over the child's own screams, especially when he was now crying out for his parents. What if Spectra's actions finally activated the child's link with them? That would be a disaster!

"Spectra, stop touching him!" he said again, quickly moving closer to her and grabbing her shoulder.

But the shadow ghost hardly heard him. It was like she was in a trance. Her eyes were wide with hunger as he pressed her hand so hard against the child that her claws were beginning to dig into his skin.

"Bertrand, you have to feel him. He's so…," But unable to form anymore words, she abruptly used her other hand and yanked her partner closer.

Bertrand yelped as he stumbled forward. But since he automatically stretched his hands forward to catch himself, one of his hands hit against the couch above the panicked child, while his other hand landed right above Spectra's hand….the one resting on Danny's symbol.

Bertrand gasped, feeling the child even through Spectra's hand. And by the violent jolt the child let out again, he could feel him.

The shape-shifter instantly knew why Spectra was so mesmerized. The child felt like nothing he had ever felt. He held so much raw power and yet it was so clean, so pure. It was like touching something forbidden, maybe even angelic. But what made it so overwhelming was how fragile, _how easy _it would be to take that from the child, to absorb all that purity, all that power, darkening his core until it shriveled up and was left with nothing… So easy… So easy and so… dangerous.

This was the King's son!

"No!" Bertrand hissed out, pulling his hand away. But he then looked at Spectra and gasped when he saw a purple hue was now lighting up Danny's body. She was feeding off him!

"Spectra, are you crazy? Get a hold of yourself! This is Plasmius' brat!"

"I want it," Spectra growled darkly, absorbing more of the wholesome energy within the child. "I want him."

Danny's struggles began to weaken when his vision began to spin. He felt bad. He wanted his mommy and daddy. He wanted them to make this stop. He didn't want, he couldn't let, his aunt to take away…his…his…

"NO!" the Prince screamed.

"SPECTRA!" Bertrand yelled in surprise when he saw the child's claws spring out of his hands.

The shadow ghost gasped when she saw razor sharp claws come at her face. But before they could hit their mark, someone grabbed her from behind and yanked her back, making the claws miss by an inch.

Danny sobs of fear and pain only became louder as a sharp pain coursed through his hands. He didn't even need to see the green blood seeping from his fingers to know he had just really hurt himself by forcing his claws out as he had.

Spectra blinked, trying to push down her high brought on by feeding off the child. But when she saw Danny holding his hands against his chest and the blood now smeared all over him, her eyes widened in alarm.

"Oh-o," she whispered, finally realizing she had crossed the line---or more like jumped right over it.

"Spectra! Look what you did!" Bertrand exclaimed in alarm. "Oh, crap! We are so dead!"

"Shut-up, Bertrand!" Spectra snapped, suddenly close to panicking herself. She quickly looked over at Danny, trying to think of what to do. "Danny," she called gently.

Danny continued to cry; but when he heard his aunt's voice, he looked up at her with large pained, scared and hurt eyes.

"You…," he whimpered, though his word hardly came out from being mixed with the green blood now coming from his mouth…

Spectra cringed. "Danny…I didn't mean to…," she said gently, taking a step towards him.

But the instant the Prince saw his aunt move towards him, he cried out in fear and suddenly threw himself off the couch.

"Danny!" Spectra exclaimed in surprise.

"Mommy!" he sobbed out, unable to focus enough to get airborne.

"Bertrand, where's that sleeping potion?" Spectra said urgently.

"I threw it away!" he snapped at her.

"Why would you---Oh, never mind!" she growled out and quickly moved to her nephew to pick him up.

But the second Danny felt her touch him, he lashed out in blind panic, this time his freshly exposed claws slicing her lower arm.

"Ah!" Spectra cried out, pulling away from him and gripping her bleeding arm. "You stupid brat!" she growled out in her anger. "Bertrand, don't just stand there. Grab him!"

Danny wasn't sure why, but the thought of Bertrand touching him was just as frightening as his aunt's touching him.

"Daddy! Mom--Help! He-help!" he continued to cry out as he began to struggle to pull himself off the ground. But no matter how much he called to them, they didn't come. And he knew they wouldn't. He knew he couldn't call to them no matter how much he needed them right now. _He_ had to get to them. He had to escape. He had to get to them! If he did, everything would be okay! He would be okay.

Feeling a hand grab his wrist, Danny screamed again and pulled against it.

"Prince, calm down!" Bertrand pleaded, and quickly grabbed the child's other hand when he tried to swipe at him with it.

"No! Let me go! Mommy! **Daddy**!" Danny yelled, pulling against his captor. But unable to pull his hands loose and use his claws, his instincts kicked in again and he suddenly tried to bite the older ghost.

But quickly reacting, Bertrand let go of the child to avoid it. "Kid, you better calm down. You do not want to measure up against my fangs, 'cause mine are much bigger," he warned as he turned into a cougar.

Danny hardly heard what he had said; all he saw were sharp fangs and claws. And with a whimper, Danny suddenly found enough focus to jolt up into the air and bolt for the door.

"Danny! Stop!" Spectra said, forgetting her arm and flying after him, while Bertrand did the same.

Danny grabbed the handle, but only cried harder when he couldn't get it open and his fingers began to throb more from his using them. But no matter how much he yanked at the door, he could not open it.

"Danny, please! I never meant to hurt you!"

"No! You don't love me! You hurt me! You're bad!" Danny cried back, only to gasp when he saw a hand try to grab him again. But this time, he turned intangible and flew over to a nearby window.

Bertrand growled, tired of this. And he quickly ran at the child, determined to tackle him into submission. But Danny caught sight of the shape-shifter's intentions and dodged him. But then, Bertrand couldn't stop, actually shattering the window as he smashed right through it. He ended in a daze just outside the window.

Danny froze in surprise, as did Spectra.

"Danny…," she said slowly, knowing the child could now escape.

"You hurt me," Danny whimpered before suddenly flying right out through the window.

"**No!**" Spectra exclaimed, now knowing she was in trouble. She quickly unlatched her door and flew out the door. But by the time she had, Danny was already becoming a dot in the atmosphere. Geez! The kid could fly!

"Bertrand!" Spectra snapped, noticing her partner trying to address a wound on his leg from crashing through the window.

But before she could say anymore, the shape-shifter turned back into his true blob form and glared at the female. "This is all **your** fault!"

"I couldn't control myself, alright?" she bit back.

"No, _of course_, you couldn't! Since you have your little sister watching your back, you don't care if you mess up! But I don't have her protection! Do you know what Plasmius is going to do to me when he finds out? I'm dead, Spectra!"

"Look, you can stand here and yell at me, or you can go get the brat back before he makes it back to the castle!" Spectra yelled at him.

Bertrand frowned at her. "What about you?"

"I can't catch up to him! But you might have a chance, since you can fly faster than me! Bring him back, Bertrand! We'll put him to sleep and then when he's done freaking out, I'll talk to him, okay?"

"Put him to sleep? With what?" Bertrand asked.

"What do you think?" she asked, barring his fangs at him.

Bertrand was about to protest, but realizing he was wasting time, he growled and turned from the female ghost. However, before he took after the Prince, he muttered to her, "One of these days, I'm gonna get sick of cleaning up your messes."

Spectra just frowned, but then sighed and glanced down at her cut arm. "Little freak," she grumbled. "… Just like his father, too…"

* * *

Danny continued to clutch his bleeding hands close to his body, trying to ease the pain from both his throbbing fingers and his aching core. He could hardly see anything past his blurry, tear-filled eyes, and something else... His mind was a muffled mess. He had no idea where he was going, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. His brain was set on autopilot and his instincts were set in flight mode.

He choked as his throat burned with the mixture of blood and something bitter running down it. But he kept going. He kept moving. He just wanted to get to his parents. He needed to get to his parents. Everything would be okay then. He would be okay. No one could take away what was inside him if he was safe with them. He had to get home. He had to… go… to keep flying…just keep… flying.

But those same thoughts that had been circling within Danny's mind were suddenly blending into his ever increasing lightheadedness. And with it, he began to slow down… He couldn't think straight. Every time he swallowed, it made him feel worse…

"Prince!" he heard a faint call from behind.

The sound of a horribly familiar voice instantly flipped a switch in Danny's foggy mind. And he gasped out a sob, before picking up speed again, knowing it was Bertrand. But he couldn't fly as fast as he wanted anymore. Something was very wrong with him.

"Help!" he pleaded in a raspy voice to the empty atmosphere, his vision now only a blur of colors. But right then, in front of him, he saw something bright and small, coming closer and closer with the speed of light. However, it zoomed right past him, for a second making him think he was imagining things…

But Bertrand soon saw what the child had when the bright orb was suddenly right in his face, forcing him to halt in surprise. He only had a second to realize that it was no orb, but a Butterfly Fairy ---specifically, Lu.

The little fairy barred her small fangs threateningly at the much larger ghost when suddenly, her entire body flared a bright blue, but with a brightness of a strobe light.

Bertrand cried out in pain as he covered his sensitive eyes from the painful brightness. And temporarily blinding the evil ghost, Lu did a sharp loop back around and zipped back to Danny, who was still flying forward, though he was beginning to lose both altitude and speed.

She managed to come up to his ear, and whispered into his ear, "Prince... Clockwork alerted me of your plight. Keep moving. You are almost there. "

"Lu," Danny whimpered, his flight coming to a stop when he suddenly gripped his spinning head. "Help. He…"

Lu squeaked in alarm as the child suddenly dropped down several feet, only to somehow jolt himself to a stop.

Lu hovered beside the child, glancing over at Bertrand who had finally managed to regain his vision. But then she glanced in the distance, seeing her home just several yards away. When it came down to it, she knew she couldn't protect the child from Bertrand; but if they could just get to the Island of Emotions…

"Danny, you must keep going… Please! Follow me. I will guide you," she told him, flapping her wings and making them change colors to capture his failing attention.

The child blinked rapidly, trying to distinguish something within his blurry surroundings. But seeing the familiar flashing of his little friend's wings, his eyes and mind focused enough to realize Lu was really there with him. And if she was there… then he couldn't be far from his playing grounds.

"Prince!" Lu said urgently when she saw Bertrand flying at them again before she took off, hoping he would follow.

Fortunately, he did.

"Lu!" he whimpered, not wanting her to leave him alone, so he forced himself to fly after her.

Meanwhile, Bertrand growled in anger. "Stupid bug!" he sneered as he poured on more speed when he saw that the child had made it to the Forest of Emotions----or more like crash down there. He frowned when he saw the atmosphere and surroundings around the child instantly begin to change, turning dark and cold to match the child's despair.

"Isn't that a nice little beacon for the King?" Bertrand grumbled sarcastically, knowing anyone would see that.

Still, he pressed on. He had to at least try to get the child back. And as he began to near, he smirked when he saw Danny was just lying on his side, in the same spot he had crashed. Honestly, Bertrand was surprised the child had made it this far. Considering this was the first time the child's fangs had fully sprang out, he knew from his medical practice that they were spilling their toxin down the child's throat like crazy, especially when his body was sensing danger. The toxins should have knocked him out instantly, but the effects seemed to be delayed with the Prince. Still, Bertrand could tell it was working out just fine, and he knew that the child couldn't last much longer.

He wasn't escaping.

Bertrand landed down a few feet from the still crying , though barely moving, Prince. Lu was hovering over him in concern; but when she spotted the shape-shifter, she instantly flared her wings menacingly.

Bertrand, however, just raised a hand and fired an ecto-blast at her. The little fairy gasped, barely making a shield to protect herself. But the strength of the blast was strong enough to send her flying back several feet. Still, she refused to back down and with an angry glare on her face, she suddenly let out a sharp shrill.

Bertrand cringed at the sound before growing in annoyance. "Stupid, pesky…" He trailed off when he saw the rest of the Butterfly-fairies suddenly appear to their leader's aid. But then they all hovered beside Lu and shrilled at the same time, bombarding Bertrand with more than a brief discomfort.

"Ahh!" he screamed, covering his ears when he felt like they were going to explode.

Lu quickly took the opportunity to move closer to the child and whisper, "Prince? Follow me, Prince."

Danny raised his heavy head to look at her before he forced his body to rise off the ground and slowly follow his friend, while Bertrand was occupied with the other fairies.

Danny blinked rapidly when he found Lu had taken him to the 'Mermaid' lagoon. And, of course, the mermaid-looking ghosts there were instantly alarmed by the child's condition.

"Hide him," Lu told them urgently.

They all nodded before one of them, the same one that had played with Vlad not long ago, reached out for the child and scooped him into her arms. But right then, Bertrand appeared and glared furiously at Lu and the mermaids.

"Hand over the Prince," he demanded darkly, his hands coating with his energy.

Danny's friends glared back before the mermaid with Danny disappeared underwater with him.

"Darn it!" Bertrand exclaimed in frustration and zoomed forward----only for a tree to suddenly bend down and wrap one of its limbs around his body.

Bertrand gasped, only to see the mermaids' eyes glowing brightly as they kept a hand against the ground near the lagoon. He had forgotten these creatures could command their surroundings at will!

But feeling the branch wrapping tighter and tighter around him, Bertrand quickly transformed into a small fly, freeing himself. But that only meant he was now fair game for Lu.

She came at him, her small hands glowing with her energy. But not wanting to waste his time fighting a creature he could squash under his feet if he wanted, he veered down. And before anyone could react, Bertrand turned into a gator and splashed into the water, heading after Danny.

The mermaids all hissed in anger and swam down after the intruder.

Meanwhile, Lu---and now the other fairies---hovered above the lagoon, knowing that they could do no more for their friend.

Or, actually….

With firm frown on her face, Lu suddenly took off into the atmosphere, heading for the large palace in the distance…

* * *

Wet, cold, hurt, and hardly conscious, Danny whimpered as he was put back on dry land. He was too upset to really realize the mermaid had brought him to the underwater cave where he kept his human items.

"Prince, this is as far as I can take you," she told him worriedly as she passed a hand through his wet hair. "I fear you might not be safe here for too long. You must keep going."

I want… Daddy," he whined. "She hurt me… She… Mommy." The child just began to sob again as he gripped at his symbol.

But before the ghost mermaid could say anything, she heard a sudden commotion vibrating through the water and she knew something was wrong. She looked around the cave at all the different underwater tunnels leading to different places. The place was labyrinth---one which not even she, nor her kin, knew full well. But she knew the Prince did. However, he was too hurt and upset to realize he was still in danger.

Luckily, the mermaid knew of where _some_ of the tunnels led; so picking one that the child very commonly traveled, she raised her hand towards him and quickly encased him in her energy. Using levitation, she moved him into the tunnel. Instantly, the current swept him up and he disappeared into it.

Hopefully, he would make it to the other side…

She frowned in concern, but knowing she could do no more, she turned back around, heading out of the tunnel that she had used to get to the cave. However, when she found her kin, they were all looking around in confusion, clearly having lost sight of Bertrand…

And the shape-shifter had accomplished that by simply turning back into a small fly; and using a bit of invisibility, he had slipped right passed them. Bertrand soon reached the underwater cave, knowing of its location since Danny had told his aunt all about it and how he kept the human items here. However, when he saw Danny was nowhere in sight, he let out a frustrated yell.

"There is no way I can find him in this freakin' maze!" He said furiously, as he stared at the numerous tunnels and passages within the cave. He didn't know this stupid place that well!

But realizing this was the end of the line, he sighed in defeat and turned to head back to Spectra. But as he did, he muttered fearfully, "I am so dead."

* * *

"I can't believe her!" Desiree hissed out as she floated down the castle's hallway with Dora at her side. "I told her an hour, Dora! It's been almost two!"

"I'm sure it just slipped her mind. You know how forgetful Spectra can be," the dragon maid replied, though it was only to calm her upset friend.

But the Queen was as livid as ever as she continued to make her way towards the castle's entrance, set on getting Danny back herself.

"I am so tired of her irresponsibility. I sweat when I---" Desiree paused in her angry rant when she suddenly turned the corner and all but ran right into her husband.

Vlad jolted to a stop; but since he was actually also looking for his wife, he frowned in confusion at her and questioned, "Desiree, where's Daniel? I found Cujo literally trying to knock down the front door! I didn't even get a chance to find out what was wrong with him since he just ran off!"

The Queen's anger finally melted off her face, revealing just how worried she was. She kept trying to tell herself that everything was fine, that her sister could take care of Danny just fine. But… the _unexplainable_ anxiousness _inside_ her was almost unbearable.

But what Desiree did not know was that it was because of that _same_ feeling circling inside _Vlad_ that he had been looking for her and was now asking about their son. The King had been calmly conversing with Skulker one moment and the next… he was suddenly very agitated. And although he had hoped it was just his imagination or maybe some lingering emotions from his encounter with Aragon, the look on his wife's face told him the contrary.

Something was very wrong.

"Des… Where's our son?" he asked with quiet dread.

Desiree bit her lip as she answered, "Oh, God, Vlad. I'm sorry. I didn't think that---"

"Desiree," Vlad cut her off, his face tensing.

"Spectra took him to her abode…," Desiree whispered out.

Plasmius' eyes widened in alarm. "You let her…" But he didn't finish and instead he suddenly clenched his hands in fury.

"Vlad, wait!" Desiree exclaimed when her husband abruptly turned from her and stormed towards the castle's entrance. "Please, don't jump to conclusions! I'm sure Danny's---"

"**He is not fine!"** Vlad shouted at her, abruptly stopping and turning towards her. He didn't understand how he knew that. It wasn't like his son was _calling_ to him. But he still knew something was wrong.

"How could you have let Spectra take him?"

"Vlad, she's my sister for goodness sake! You make it sound like she would purposely hurt him!" Desiree exclaimed back, though her face was more anxious.

"Your sister's an evil wench!" Vlad hissed back.

His wife gasped in shock. She had never heard him insult anyone like that.

"And I swear if she…" But Vlad didn't finish his words and just spun on his heels again and continued towards the entrance, leaving a distraught and shock Desiree behind.

As he finally made it out, he instantly took to the sky, moving as quickly as he could. He prayed with all his being that he was wrong, that he was just overreacting. But after finding out just how vile Spectra could be some time back, the King couldn't help but fear the worse. Still, it was one thing to try to seduce him. But to hurt an innocent child, _her own nephew_? …Was she capable of stooping that low?

Vlad's eyes shrouded with fear, but he kept going, hardly noticing he was passing right over the Forest of Emotions in his hurry. That is, until something small and brightly-glowing collided against his stomach. The King startled and quickly halted in mid-flight. He looked down, only for his eyes to widen with recognition.

"Lu?"

The little fairy momentarily held her aching head from her collision. But hearing the King's voice, she quickly forgot all about it and lit up in panic.

Vlad squinted his eyes against the light, but when in her rambling and pointing he managed to catch his son's name, he gasped and said, "You know where he is?"

Lu nodded and wasted no time in taking Vlad to his son.

Plasmius' worry and fear only intensified when he was led to a series of caves where the atmosphere around them and ground itself was very bleak. And at seeing Cujo was already there, whining and pawing at a specific place, the King knew that his son was here and was _very_ upset.

Vlad moved closer to the cave, but frowned anxiously when he found no opening to it, save for a small hole just large enough to fit his arm through. He briefly closed his eyes; and using an ability only he possessed, which was the sensing other ghosts' energy without the need to physically touch them, he quickly searched for his son's unique feel.

Oh, he was in there alright.

Vlad quickly tried to phase through, only to discover he could not. Well, that explained why Cujo was scratching at the solid green rocks.

"Daniel? Daniel, can you hear me?" Vlad called, trying to peer through the opening. How had his son gotten in there? This opening was small, even for him!

"Blast!" the King whispered in agitation when he realized he couldn't even teleport inside. This cave was definitely made up of something that canceled out ghost powers…

But no anti-ghost rock was going to keep him away from his son.

Vlad raised his hand and watched as it disintegrated into a red mist. He couldn't say breaking down his body into only spectral energy was the greatest feeling; but at the moment, he didn't care. In an instant, the King was only but wisps of energy, which instantly seeped right into the small opening. And finally inside the cave, he just as readily solidified.

Vlad didn't have to search very long for his son. He spotted him instantly. And the sight of him jolted his core with dread.

"Daniel!" he exclaimed, rushing to where the motionless child was splayed out in a puddle of water.

Vlad's eyes only further widened when he scooped him into his arms and found that his claws were out. And by how swollen his fingers were, they had definitely come out forcefully.

Vlad glanced at the underwater tunnel a foot away, certain that his son had come that way. But there was something worse than water drying at the corner of his son's mouth: Blood.

The water had washed most of it away, but it was clear that his son had at one point been bleeding!

"Daniel," Vlad called to him, grabbing his face to look at it, and to further inspect the child's mouth. And when he did, the King confirmed his suspicion of the origin of the ectoplasm: Daniel's fangs had also sprung out in the same forceful manner as his claws.

"Daniel," he called again, fearing his son was unconscious when he didn't respond the first time. But then… green blurry eyes slowly opened to look at him.

"Da…Daddy?" the child whimpered, only for his eyes to well with tears.

"Shh," Vlad said, holding him closer, though he was careful to not hurt his hands anymore. "You're okay now," he assured him, moving his hand to the child's symbol in hopes of calming him.

But the moment his son felt his hand near his core, he whimpered again and recoiled away from the touch… something he had never done to his father.

Vlad tensed and he pulled the child away from him. "Daniel… What…?" But he trailed off when he finally noticed his son's dimmed symbol and…. a forming bruise….in the form of a hand… right above his core.

"Oh… my poor child," Vlad choked out, fury and horror coiling around his core as he held Danny close again. She had… _touched_ him… She had dared to put her… _filthy_ hands on his child! And the fact that the father knew how horrible she felt only made the knowledge worse.

But he gritted his teeth and forced his own emotions back, knowing his son needed his comforting energy. The six-year-old was softly shivering, though he was mostly very tense. And yet, Vlad could tell he was barely conscious. Of course, he knew it had to be from the toxin in his fangs. And if his son was like any other ghost child, he would be unconscious by now. But although Vlad knew Danny was sensitive to foreign energies and chemicals, he also knew that his son was very tolerant of _his_ body's natural energy and chemicals.

"Daniel, I need you to calm down. You're claws won't retract until you calm down," Vlad gently whispered, hoping his son could understand him.

But Danny just whined some more and said, "It h-hurt. She… hurt me."

Plasmius sighed, realizing his son was in some form of shock and his body couldn't relax because of it. At least, not without help.

"Daniel," Vlad whispered in his ear, a hand against his son's cold and wet face. "I need you to trust me," he further told him as he grabbed one of his small hands and raised it to expose his wrist.

Danny just dimly nodded. But he hardly saw his hesitant father bring his wrist closer before his father leaned down and pricked him with his fangs.

But he felt it.

His son let out a soft cry before he began to weep again. Vlad did his best to comfort him, going as far as using his blue energy. But as the new toxin slowly circulated though the child's system, his crying eventually fell into soft sniffles and his tense body slowly began to relax.

"Daddy… I'm sleepy," the child barely muttered.

"Sleep, then, little Phantom," Vlad answered back, watching as his son's claws slowly retreated back inside his fingers---which meant his retractable fangs had to have also now done the same. "Everything will be better when you wake up… I promise."

And believing his father, the child finally gave in to the effects of the toxins in his ectoplasm.

Now that his son was asleep, Vlad passed a hand against the two puncture wounds on his son's wrist. And although he knew the wounds would heal in less than an hour, he really felt bad for having to hurt his son. He had never had to do that to him. But it had now been the only way to get him to calm down. Not only that, but he was sure his son would have found it worse if he had to be conscious for when Vlad dissolved both their forms to get them back out.

Vlad stood with his senseless child in his arms, though he paused when he glanced at the bruise on his son's chest again. However, knowing that the most important thing right now was making sure his son was okay, he quickly turned his focus on getting Danny home.

Still, the burning anger pulsing in his chest was deadest on one thing:

As soon as he was sure his son would be okay, he was going to find Spectra. And he was going to make her pay.

* * *

Desiree and Vlad quietly watched as Anĝela finished inspecting the still slumbering Danny. The female doctor sighed with some unknown emotion as she placed a hand on the child's dim symbol one last time before turning to face the anxious parents.

"His fangs and claws will be fine," she soberly said. "With the ghost plant remedies, his hands should heal and the inflammation around his gums should also go down. Once he's better, he should be able to use his claws and fangs without trouble or pain. But until then, make sure this doesn't happen again---which brings me to my next point." At this, Anĝela's face tensed with restrained anger as she pointed at Danny's symbol. "With all due respect, Queen Desiree, you should have a serious talk with your sister. She really hurt your child. Doesn't she know how fragile his core is? And for her to leave such a visible bruising on his skin…"

Anĝela sighed sharply, knowing it was not in her right to say what she really thought, though she really wanted to.

"Maybe it's just her abilities. Perhaps she had no ill intent. But whatever the reason, she should not ever touch your son again. For one, he is currently very weak because some of his energy was actually _taken_ from him---whether intentionally or not, I cannot say. But on top of that, whatever might be in your sister's own energy could permanently harm his core. He will recover this time; but if this repeats itself… It's better that it doesn't."

"It will not," Vlad said with restrained anger, while Desiree just nodded and looked away.

Anĝela nodded as well, but then she said, "I will take my leave now. Send for me if there is any change or further problem."

Desiree and Vlad agreed and thanked her. And while the Queen escorted her out of Danny's room, Vlad went over to sit beside his sleeping child on his bed. He grabbed one of his small hands, softly rubbing the slowly healing puncture wounds on his wrist. Anĝela had said that had been the best thing the father could have done, being that the child, in his shock and fear, was fighting against his body's need to rest. It had at least avoided the Prince causing himself further harm.

"Vlad," Desiree suddenly called to her husband, a hesitant tone in her voice. The Queen was so scared and confused, both for Danny and her sister. Her core was ripped in two. She was so angry at her sister for hurting the child like this, but she also couldn't believe that Spectra would hurt Danny on purpose. There just had to be an explanation.

"Vlad, please talk to me," the Queen pleaded when her husband didn't even look at her.

But Plasmius still kept his sober face on his sleeping son. However, after another tense moment, he finally spoke, his voice decisive and cold, "I am going to have your sister arrested."

"What?" Desiree gasped softly. But then her eyes widened and she suddenly exclaimed, "No, you can't!"

"Yes I can!" Vlad hissed back, getting to his feet and narrowing his eyes on his wife. "I can, Desiree. And I will. And if I find out Bertrand had anything to do with this, I'll have him locked up, too! I am taking this to the Council, and I swear I will show her no mercy!"

Desiree just stared at her husband in utter despair before whispering, "Vlad, please. She's my sister."

"And he's your son!" Vlad all but yelled back, pointing down at the six-year-old.

But Desiree just creased her eyebrows down at Danny, not daring to say what she was thinking in response.

"I already informed Walker. He has his orders," Vlad muttered.

Desiree looked back at her husband; but just when she was about to say something, a sudden knock on the door jolted the couple.

Vlad kept his gaze on the ghost mage as he soberly said, "Come in."

"Pardon me," Dora timidly said, noticing the tension in the room.

But when the dragon maid suddenly bit her lip and hesitated to say what she came to say, Desiree's eyebrows creased as she asked, "What is it, Dora?"

"Milady…," Dora said with a sigh. She paused again before quietly saying, "Your sister is here."

"Oh, my God," Desiree whispered, knowing things had just gotten much worse. But then she readily gasped when her husband suddenly brushed right by her, confirming her belief.

However, she quickly reacted and grabbed one of his hands, pleading, "Vlad, wait. Let me---"

"Stay with Daniel," Vlad cut her off, his face tense with anger.

"No, Vlad, please, just---"

"You are not going to stop me, Desiree," the King cut her off again with a glare. "Not this time. Stay with Daniel."

Desiree gasped softly when her husband pulled his hand away from her and left their son's room.

Dora bit her lip as she watched after her leader before looking back at her distraught friend.

"Milady?" she called worriedly at her.

But Desiree just looked back at Danny and went over to him. She sat beside him on the bed and gently placed her hand on his core, though she bit her lip at the handprint-shaped bruise on the child's chest.

But her touch suddenly stirred Danny and his glassy green eyes opened to look up at the Queen.

"Mommy," he said sleepily, dimly noticing her soothing touch on his symbol.

"Little Phantom," she whispered back sadly, caressing his face with her other hand. But then she slowly withdrew her hands from him and stood back up.

Danny just stared at her, clearly still out of it, though part of him wanted to understand why his mother was leaving him so quickly. "Mommy?" he called again, this time sounding more like a whine, since his limbs felt too heavy to reach out to her.

"Dora, stay with Danny," Desiree quietly told her friend, though she was staring down at the child. But she then quickly turned from him and left the child's room.

Dora just sighed, knowing this was going to end badly.

* * *

Spectra looked around the throne room with a scowl on her face. She couldn't believe what a mess this had turned out to be. Honestly, what was wrong with her bratty nephew? She had just touched him for crying out loud! Well… sure, she had siphoned off some of his wholesome energy and sweet little emotions, but the kid had freaked out from the very instant she had touched him!

"Useless Bertrand. Couldn't even bring the brat back," she grumbled. Thanks to him, she was now going to have to play her cards just right, or this was going to end badly for her. It was why she had decided to just tell Dora to call for her sister, instead of going to her nephew's room---since Spectra was certain her sister and husband were currently hovering over Danny like the obsessed parents they were.

At least Walker had given her the heads up about the King warranting her arrested---and she was sure that when Danny was well enough to talk about what had happened, Bertrand was going to be neck deep in this mess, too. But, hopefully, if this went as she had planned, she would be able to get at least _herself_ out of the frying pan. And she would do that using her sister's gullibility….

Spectra's scowl melded into an evil smirk. Why was she worrying about this so much? She got what she wanted. And even if her sister didn't believe her about Danny, her plans would still move forward all the same. All she had to do now was find a way to get her nephew to bite into her plot and venture into the human world…Only problem was, the brat wasn't going to get hooked so easily, especially now that she had probably lost his trust…

Spectra sighed in annoyance, only to suddenly jolt when the throne room's doors were suddenly thrown open. She almost grinned at the sight of the King----all by himself.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face here," Vlad growled as he approached the female ghost with a fearsome glare.

"Look, I'm sorry. I promise I did not hurt him on purpose," Spectra replied with a frown, raising her hands up in a pacifying gesture.

"I warned you, Spectra," Plasmius hissed, not buying her words. "I told you that if you ever harmed my wife or child, I would make you regret it!"

Spectra tensed when she finally realized there were two of the king's guards standing at the door. Crap. Vlad wasn't messing around anymore.

She quickly turned her gaze back to the King and said, "Come on, Vlad. When have I ever hurt Danny before? I'm telling you, it was just an accident. I love my nephew!"

"You're such a lying witch!" Vlad growled out, fisting his hands on his sides to control the urge to _hurt_ the female.

Spectra frowned at the insult. "Okay, I get you're upset, but don't be---"

"What kind of ghost are you? How low must someone be to actually hurt a defenseless child? To actually _feed_ off of one?"

"I didn't---"

"STOP LYING!" Vlad suddenly screamed, jolting Spectra. "I'm not an imbecile, you conniving harlot! I know what you did! I know what you are doing! But that's all going to end right now! I'm having you arrested, Spectra! And I will be taking this to the Council." Vlad suddenly drew closer, all but towering over the female ghost as he added in a dark whisper, "And I swear that if the Council gives me the option of sentencing you to death, I will do it."

"Oh, really?" Spectra challenged with narrowed eyes. "So, sweet little Plasmius, the King who has never gotten his hands stained with ectoplasm or blood, is actually going to slay his wife's own sister?"

"You don't know what I'm capable of," Vlad sneered back.

"You don't scare me, _my King_," Spectra said with a calm smile. "You see, my sister has a pretty little leash on you. And as long as she's around, you're just going to be all bark."

The King's eyes narrowed even more. "Be careful, Spectra."

"No, I don't think I will," she answered in challenge. "You see, I have done nothing wrong. I have every right to touch my _nephew_."

"**No, you don't!"** Vlad shouted, his aura flaring red.** "You had no right to put your tainted hands on him!"**

"Oh, right, because you would know, wouldn't you? What is it with you and him, huh? You both freak out by a simple touch," she said with a hitch of an eyebrow. "Well…if it makes you feel better, I'll tell you… your son feels very nice---maybe nicer than you."

Vlad just stared hatefully at the female ghost, feeling something dark begin to swell in his chest. But suddenly fearing what he might do, he took a step back from Spectra and coldly ordered his guards, "Get this disgusting female out of my sight."

Spectra gasped when the guards moved forward and grabbed her arms. "Wait. You can't do this, Vlad! I didn't do anything to your son!"

But Vlad didn't say anything and the guards began to take her out of the throne room and to Walker's prison.

But quickly glancing out of the room and catching sight of something, Spectra's eyes lit up with wickedness before she suddenly glared at Vlad and shouted, "Fine, arrest me! Go tell the Council how I touched your son! I'll be sure to tell them how your son's a little _**freak**_**!**"

Vlad's rage suddenly exploded, obliterating his remaining self-control. And before he even knew what he was doing, he stormed over to Spectra and backhanded her across the face. The guards gasped in fear and took a step back, while Spectra was sent crashing to the ground from the force of the hit.

"MY SON'S NOT A FREAK, YOU DESPICABLE WENCH!" the King screamed, causing the entire room to literally shake under his fury.

"VLAD!"

The King's red aura suddenly vanished, jolted by the sudden, unexpected voice of his wife.

Desiree quickly went to her dazed sister's side, helping her sit up. "Spectra?" she worriedly said.

The shadow ghost cringed at the sudden throb in her head. Geez, she felt like she just got smacked with a bat. But shaking her daze, she focused her eyes on Desiree before she suddenly wrapped her arms around her sister and began to sob.

"Desiree! Thank goodness you're here! Your husband's gone crazy! He's trying to kill me! Don't let him hurt me anymore!"

Desiree just wrapped her arms around her sister and stared up at her husband, a mixture of fear, disbelief and anger in her eyes.

Vlad just stared back at his wife, his face as tense as ever. But then he turned his gaze to the crying Spectra, and muttered in disgust, "You are so pathetic."

"Yeah?" Spectra rasped out, letting go of Desiree and glaring up at the King with tear-filled eyes. "Well, you are nothing but a brut! You're a monster! And I'm going to tell the Council how you attacked me!"

Vlad rolled his eyes before looking over at his guards and ordering. "Just take her away already."

"No," Desiree suddenly said, her eyes narrowing further on her husband. "I am not letting you arrest her."

The guards just stared between the royal couple, clearly unsure of what to do.

Vlad, on the other hand, turned his angry gaze to his wife. "Are you opposing my command, Desiree?"

His wife just stared back at him, but the determination in her narrowed eyes gave him his answer. Vlad met her gaze for a tense moment, but then he suddenly scoffed in disgust and unexpectedly left the throne room without further word.

Desiree looked after him, before glancing back at her sister and asking, "Are you alright?"

"Does it look like I'm alright?" Spectra replied, clutching the forming bruise on her face.

Desiree sighed before she suddenly got back to her feet and told her sister, "Go home, Spectra."

"Wait, Desiree!" Spectra called out when she saw her sister's intention of leaving her. The shadow ghost paused, before quietly saying, "I didn't hurt Danny on purpose… You believe me, right?"

Desiree just looked back at her with a deep frown. But then without a word, the Queen turned around and left the throne room herself.

Spectra frowned at that, but then she sighed deeply and stood up. She glanced at the two guards, staring at her. "Maybe next time, boys," she said with a smirk before floating past them to leave.

When she finally was out of the castle, she smiled smugly at the sight of Walker and Bertrand waiting for her at a distance.

"What the heck happened to your face?" Bertrand exclaimed in alarm.

Spectra rubbed her aching cheek, but then shrugged and said, "Just collateral damage. It was worth it, though. The only thing I regret is that I won't be there to witness my sister and Vlad go at each other's throat."

Walker raised an eyebrow, impressed. And here he thought nothing could come between the King and Queen. Huh.

"By the way, now that I remember, I need to talk to you about my little nephew," Spectra suddenly said with an evil smile at Walker.

"Well, I don't care. The only reason I am here now is because I wanted to see if you really did manage to squirm yourself out of this one," Walker answered with a frown.

"Just listen. I'm sure I can make it worth your while, alright?" she answered.

Walker rolled his eyes, but still said, "Fine. What do you want to tell me about the bratty Prince?"

Spectra grinned. "Well…"

* * *

Turning the corner in search of her husband, Desiree caught sight of Dora, instead.

"Where is he?" she asked her friend with restrained anger.

And pretty sure the Queen was talking about her husband, Dora's eyebrows creased in worry, though she answered, "In your son's room. He told me to go."

Desiree didn't say anything and quickly continued to Danny's room, not ever seeing Dora shake her head and sigh before continuing to move in the opposite direction.

However, just as the Queen made it to the Prince's room, the King was exiting it.

Vlad watched in earnest as his wife approached him.

Desiree paused right in front of him, briefly staring angrily at him before asking, "What is wrong with you?"

Plasmius scoffed before replying, "I could ask you the very same question, Desiree. _But_ since I am not giving your demented sister the pleasure of making us fight, then I am just going to go to my room."

But Desiree only became more livid when her husband turned from her and left for his room. She quickly followed after him, exclaiming, "Vlad! You are not going to just walk off after what you did!"

"Watch me," the King replied coldly, not slowing in his steps.

"How could you do something like that? What were you thinking?" Desiree continued.

But Vlad didn't say anything. However, at that moment, he reached his private dormitory. But when he tried to open the door, his wife quickly pressed her hand against it and held it close.

"You are not ignoring me," Desiree told him angrily.

Vlad couldn't take it anymore and he suddenly glared furiously at his wife, hissing, "Are you _**this**_ blind? Can't you see that she did all that on purpose? She _wanted_ me to hit her, Desiree! She provoked me just to make us fight!"

"You're kidding! You're actually blaming her for what _you_ did?" Desiree asked in angry disbelief. "Vlad, you _**hit**_ her! You even scared your own guards by your display of anger back there!"

"She called Daniel a freak, Desiree. _A freak!_" Vlad snapped back.

Desiree frowned, her angry slightly subduing with husband's words. After all, she had not seen and heard Vlad's entire argument with her sister. But she had heard that part of it. Still, she told him, "Vlad, you still had no right to hit her… What if Danny would have seen you?"

"At least he would have seen that _I _defend him, regardless," Plasmius answered coldly.

"Excuse me?" Desiree asked, her glare returning.

"You heard me," Vlad told her seriously before yanking the door open and heading into his room.

Desiree's aura suddenly turned bright pink as she quickly followed her husband into his room, both too upset to even remember to close the door…

"Are you saying I don't defend Danny?" Desiree growled, further pushing open the second door into her husband's bedroom when she followed him in.

"Oh, I'm saying a lot more than that," Vlad bit back, turning to face her. "Look at you. You're livid over the fact that I hit Spectra; and yet you were practically begging me not to arrest her, _even_ when you can **see** how much she hurt Daniel! Not to mention you dared to add insult to injury by defying my command to arrest her in front of everyone!"

"What am I supposed to do, Vlad?" Desiree shouted back. "Lash out blindly at anyone who even remotely looks at Danny the wrong way, like you do? Twice, now, Vlad. This is the second time you act like, like…"

"Like what? Are you going to call me a brut, too? Or perhaps, a monster, or a freak?" Vlad sneered.

"Don't put words in my mouth," Desiree snapped back. "What I'm saying is that you need to control yourself!"

"Not when someone hurts my child," Vlad replied. "Something you obviously have no problem with!"

"How can you say that to me?" Desiree exclaimed angrily. "Of course, I'm upset to see Danny hurt! You think I'm not mad at Spectra for what she did? But I just so happen to have enough restraint to not attack others!"

Vlad's aura quickly brightened with a red hue, showing his growing fury. "I haven't attacked her! And if I had, she would have deserved it, anyways! You have _no idea_ who your sister is and what's she capable of!"

"Oh, right. And _you_ do because you grew up with her, huh?" Desiree retorted in sarcastic anger.

"No, I know because I have had the misfortune of finding out how she _feels_," Vlad said with clenched teeth.

"What are you talking about?" Desiree questioned impatiently.

Vlad briefly regarded his wife with seriousness, but then he asked her, "When was the last time you touched your sister, Desiree? When was the last time she touched you?"

"What? What does that have to do with what we are talking about?" Desiree questioned, suddenly both confused and angry.

"I didn't want to tell you this. I wanted to save you the anguish of the truth. But this has gone far enough," Vlad said soberly. "Your sister is evil, Desiree. She doesn't love you. Quite the contrary."

Desiree's eyes widened in angry disbelief before she hissed, "How dare you say that to me! You don't know anything about---"

"If she loved you, Desiree, she wouldn't have hurt your child," Vlad cut her off before he added in an angry whisper, "If she loved you, she wouldn't have forced herself on me."

"What are you saying?" Desiree gasped out.

"I'm saying that she cornered me in her bedroom, threw herself on me, and put her hands and mouth on me! I'm saying that for all intent and purpose, your _loving sister_ did the same thing to me as she did to our son! Do you see now why I am furious at what she did? You have no idea what it feels like to have someone as, _as_ _vile _as Spectra do something as obscene as what she did to me! And worse, she did it to our son!"

But Desiree just stared at him in shocked disbelief; though then, she quietly asked, "When was this?"

"The same day I last went to the human world and I went to her home to retrieve the human item she found. She was even sick enough to bring it up in front of you on my return!" Vlad said in disgust.

But the Queen stayed quiet again. However, she suddenly shook her head and muttered, "I can't believe that."

"I beg pardon?" Vlad asked, appalled.

Desiree looked at him with creased eyebrows as she said, "That makes no sense, Vlad. Spectra has never done something like that before. Why would she do it now? And, Danny… She has never hurt Danny before… There… There must be some explanation for all this…"

"I can't believe this," Plasmius said in angry disbelief. "You actually don't believe me! God, she was right about you. **How can you believe her over me?**"

"I'm not saying I don't believe you! I Just----"

"No wonder you don't care that she hurt Daniel. It seems Spectra is just so much more important to you than me or him!" the male ghost muttered in revulsion. "You make me ashamed, Desiree. I would never have fathomed that you could be so much like your sister."

"It seems we are both discovering new things about each other, then," she sneered back, clearly hurt by his words. "And maybe I am questioning your word, after all. Really, Vlad, my sister _forced_ herself on you? How funny that with your being such a powerful _male_ ghost, you couldn't do a thing to stop her? Or did you not want her to stop?"

But when she saw her husband fist his hands in anger, she narrowed her eyes further at him and growled, "Oh? Are you going to hit me, too?"

Plasimus just stared at her for a moment before coldly replying, "I have never raised my hand at you in my life. And I have never been unfaithful to you, either. If I was interested in having more than one female, then I wouldn't have bothered to marry you."

"Oh? So now having married me was a bother?" Desiree questioned back.

Vlad shook his head, knowing his wife was now just twisting his words on purpose. But he then stared seriously back at her and asked, "Do I mean so little to you, Desiree? Does _Daniel_ mean so little to you? Desiree, we are your _family_! And yet, all you can do is lash out _at me_ for defending that? For defending Daniel?"

Desiree's hard look melded into desperation as she answered, "Please don't put me between a rock and a hard place. She's my sister, Vlad!"

"AND I'M YOUR HUSBAND!" Vlad abruptly screamed at her. "DANIEL IS OUR SON!

"HE'S _NOT_ OUR SON!"

Plasmius instantly reeled back, his eyes widening in horror with his wife's words. For a moment, there was a tense silence as the King just stared at the Queen, whose eyes had now filled up with unshed tears.

"You cannot possibly mean that," Vlad suddenly whispered.

Desiree shook her head. "I'm so tired of pretending. I'm tired of having to lie to everyone about Danny when I know the truth… He is not our child, Vlad! And I'm _tired_ of your need to convince yourself otherwise! I'm tired of you trying to convince me of it when I can see how he is not my son. The truth is that Danny will _never_ be _our_ son! _**That**_ is why he cannot call to us. _We_ are not his parents; _his_ parents are out in the human world somewhere! So, yes, with all the pain in my core, I do mean that."

The King could only look at her in earnest. But he then shook his own head and said, "I never thought you could be so selfish, Desiree."

"How am I selfish, Vlad?" Desiree demanded. "I'm just not _delusional_ like you!"

"Let me tell you something," Vlad suddenly sneered, approaching her until he was inches from her face. "Bonds are not formed out of only ectoplasm or blood or genes. In fact, all that means nothing! The most evil being that has ever existed shared physical ties with me, and all he did was try to destroy my life! You might not believe Daniel is your son, but he is **my** son. He has been since the day I gave him my signature. He has been for the past **six** years! I know his feel and he knows my feel as well as our own. I _**love**_ him. And if that makes me delusional, then, fine. But if you think that some link or some physical _thing_ is what makes a child your own, then I think I am _**very **_accurate in calling you selfish!"

"Stop talking to me like I don't love Danny, too!" Desiree exclaimed. "I love that child! You have no idea how much!"

"Not nearly enough from all that you have just said!" Vlad sneered back.

Though reeling from his words, Desiree pressed on, "Let's not forget who is always with him when you abandon us for weeks at a time! But I don't have to prove anything to you. I know how I feel. But that's just it. You don't care about how _I _feel, about how this six-year-façade makes me feel!"

"If it's such a burden, you are free to go," Vlad said coldly. "I'll set you free, Desiree. You can go find yourself someone who can give you a child 'worthy enough' for you to call your own. And you won't even have to worry about ruining your reputation---that is, what's left of it after the rumors I have heard about you…Or are they _just_ rumors? I'm not so sure anymore."

Desiree's mouth parted slightly, but then she quickly raised her hand and slapped him.

Vlad jolted in surprise and took a step away from her.

But at that moment, a small whimper came from the doorway. Desiree and Vlad's eyes darted in alarm in its direction and they tensed at seeing Danny staring at them with large eyes while clutching his three-headed lion toy fearfully against his chest.

"Mommy? Daddy?" he questioned quietly. He had seen his parents upset with each other before, but… but not like this. Although he had not really heard about what they were arguing, let alone did he understand it, the child had heard their muffled screaming from his room… And now… why did his mother hit his father like that?

"Danny," Desiree said worriedly, moving towards him---that is, she would have, had her husband not suddenly stepped in front of her.

Vlad glared at her, his warning to her as clear as if he had said it:

_Stay away from him._

Desiree just averted her gaze back over to Danny, though she didn't try to get near him anymore.

Vlad hesitated only slightly before finally turning his own eyes back to his son; and it took all his willpower to calmly, though worriedly ask, "Why are you out of bed, little Phantom?"

Danny didn't readily reply, and instead continued to exchange looks between his parents, trying to understand why they were so mad at each other. But then he looked at his father and quietly said, "I got scared."

Plasmius' eyebrows creased. "Of what?"

"I… I don't know," Danny whimpered, suddenly feeling like crying.

Vlad sighed, knowing his son could tell something was wrong. He should have closed the door. But the sight of his crying son suddenly washed away his anger, leaving a very deep sorrow in his chest.

He looked back at his wife. Everything he had said to her and everything she had said to him were suddenly as one knife piercing his core.

"Desiree," he called to her, moving closer before lifting his hand to her symbol. But unlike before, he didn't touch her.

"I want you to know that I love you. God knows that I do. And God also knows that I have never questioned my feelings for you. Never. …Until today," he told her sadly, his voice slightly quivering before he abruptly turned from her and went to attend to his son.

"Come, Daniel. Let's get you back into bed," Vlad said with a small forced smile as he picked him up.

Desiree just quietly watched her husband take the child away. But the entire time, Danny quietly stared back at her in confusion. However, the moment they were gone. Desiree placed a hand against her core and staggered back until she sat down on her husband's bed.

She brought up her other shaking limb to her mouth as a sob shook her frame. And unable to hold back her sorrow and pain, she just gripped at her core, leaned forward, and wept.

* * *

Danny stared quietly as his sober father tucked him back into bed. But the child then reached forward and touched the King's signature. Vlad tensed slightly, but then weakly smiled at his son.

However, his father's core did not lie and the Prince knew what was barely hiding behind the smile.

"You're sad, Daddy," Danny muttered worriedly.

"I'll be fine, little Phantom," Vlad told him quietly before pulling away just enough to move away from his son's touch.

Danny's eyebrows creased as he suddenly said, "I'm sorry."

The King was a bit surprise by the remark. And creasing his own eyebrows at his son, he asked, "For what, Daniel?"

The Prince was quiet for a moment before his eyes filled with tears.

"Daniel… what's wrong?" Vlad asked in concern, placing a hand against the child's face and gently stroking his cheek with his thumb.

"I-I tried, Daddy! I did!" Danny whimpered. But then he suddenly sat up and jumped into a troubled rant. "I didn't mean to hurt Aunt Spectra with my claws! I didn't mean to pull away from her touch! But it hurt! And I got scared! I'm sorry, Daddy! I'm sorry I did that and I'm sorry I went to the Forest of Emotions when I am punished and I was not supposed to go! And now you and mommy are mad at each other because of me! "

"No, little Phantom. It's not your fault. None of this is your fault," Vlad quickly assured him. But then he paused and sighed. "…Daniel, I am upset with your mother. But it is not your fault. And you don't have to worry… You know we always work things out. Everything will be just fine." But as he said this, the King wasn't sure of it this time…. He had never before fought like this with his wife. The things she said…. And even the things he said to her… they hurt deeply. And Vlad honestly didn't feel like making up with her any time soon. The offenses he could forgive… but her putting Spectra over him and Danny… and then saying that Daniel wasn't their son after all these years…How was he supposed to put something like that behind them?

But knowing he needed to talk to his son about something important, Vlad forced his thoughts away; and with a smile, he sat down on his child's bed before gently ordering, "Come here, little Phantom. We need to talk."

Danny smiled when his father took him into his protective arms and then laid them both back down on the bed.

Plasmius just caressed the child for a moment, a pensive look on his face. But he then moved one of his hands over to his son's symbol and gently touched it, noticing with relief that the bruise Spectra had left on his chest was slowly beginning to fade.

"Daniel, what you did was right," Vlad suddenly told him, getting a surprised look from the child. "Your aunt had no right to hurt you like she did. You did the right thing trying to defend yourself."

The Prince stared at his father in confusion. "But… she's my aunt. I have to let her touch me. And you said I am not supposed to use my powers against others, right?"

Vlad sighed again. "It's not always that simple, little Phantom. Look, in here---Do you know what is inside here?" he asked the child, pressing his hand a bit more on his son's symbol to let him see what he meant.

Danny stared down at his chest before looking back up at his father and replying, "Yes, my core is inside. It's where my powers come from."

"Yes, that's right. But your core is also what keeps you alive. Or better put, within your core is the very thing that gives you life, little Phantom." But when he saw his son's eyebrows crease in confusion, Vlad told him, "Daniel, inside here is your very _soul_. And it is because your soul and core are together, that we can _feel_ each other. What you feel when someone touches you are not just emotions and energy, Daniel. You can feel that someone's very soul. And although it is your soul that gives you life, it also reflects how you live that life---You can tell what kind a person someone is by the feel of their soul. It is always truthful."

Danny looked thoughtful with his father's explanation. And although he knew what a soul was, he had not known what his father had just told him about it…

"So, you see, my child, something so sacred and so delicate as that has to be protected," Vlad told him seriously. "Daniel, no one. And I mean _no one_, not even your mother or I, has a right to touch you there if you don't want them to. Your core and soul are your own. And if anyone tries to touch them without your permission or _hurt_ them, you have every right to defend yourself."

Danny looked back at his core as his father withdrew his hand. But the child then pressed his own hand against his core, thinking how it had felt bad when his aunt had touched him, when… Bertrand had, too. Or the Prince thought he did. He had felt someone else touch him at the same time as his aunt… But everything was so blurry.

Still, Danny now understood what it was that he feared his aunt would take away from him…. His soul… She had not just hurt his core, but his soul. It had felt like she was…destroying it.

But that confused Danny, too. And looking at his father's own symbol, the Prince touched it, asking, "Why doesn't it hurt when you or mommy or my friends or Clockwork touch me? Why did my aunt hurt me?"

Vlad's face fell into a deep frown. Just the thought of the female ghost sent a surge of fury through his body. And by the way his child warily moved his hand away from his symbol, he had noticed.

Vlad readily forced the emotion back, though he answered, "You know how there are different types and strengths of energies. And your core is naturally sensitive to them. But… it also has to do with your soul, too. It can be affected by other souls through touch… and if someone has, let's say, bad emotions, well, you feel that." The father sighed when he saw his son staring at him in confusion before he added, "It's complicated, little Phantom. Perhaps when you are older, I'll explain it more to you. Just… be protective of your core, my son. What it holds within is priceless."

Danny nodded as he wrapped his arms tighter around his father.

Vlad just quietly held the child for a moment, thinking of the close-calls his son had had as of late. It truly frightened the father. Why was Daniel getting hurt? Why did it seem like Vlad couldn't protect his son as of late…? And worse, why did he currently feel like he had to protect the child against his own wife?

How could Desiree do this to him after all these years?

Had he not made their keeping Daniel _her_ choice? Had he not told her that if she did not want the child that he would give him up in spite of Vlad's wanting to keep him?

Or… Had Desiree just agreed to keep Daniel because it was what _he_ wanted?

But that was even worse! That meant she had lied to him! That meant she was just pretending to be happy… she was pretending to love Daniel? He mentally paused when he suddenly remembered one of his conversations with Spectra…

_"How can you and Desiree be related and be so different?" _

_"Same way as you and your uncle. But then, maybe Desiree and I are not all that different. And you just don't know it yet."_

"Daddy?"

"Yes?" Vlad asked quietly, though he felt as if his soul was being torn in two at the moment.

"What happened with Elliot?"

Plasmius turned his sad gaze to his son and told him, "I tried, Daniel…I'm sorry."

Knowing what his father was telling him without really voicing it, the Prince looked away, feeling a painful lump constrict his throat. He would never be able to see Elliot again.

Danny suddenly gripped at his father even tighter and just buried his face in his chest.

"I'm so sorry, little Phantom," Vlad repeated, hearing his son's quiet weeping.

Danny nodded against the King's chest, believing that his father indeed had done his best to fix things with Aragon. At that moment, the child decided this was the worst day of his life. His aunt had hurt him, his parents were mad, and now he had to accept that Elliot and he couldn't be friends.

"Why don't we go eat, Daniel? It's already dinner time," the King suddenly asked, in hopes of getting his son to think about something else.

But Danny shook his head again and quietly said, "I'm not very hungry."

Vlad stayed quiet for a moment, knowing the last thing on his own mind was food, too. But he was still worried for his son. It had been a hard day for him, and he could tell the child was still emotionally, physically, and even mentally exhausted.

"Alright, Daniel. But if you are not going to eat, then at least get some rest for me, okay? Anĝela said you need to get a good long rest---something which you have yet to really do, little Phantom."

Still sniffling a bit, Danny frowned, unsure if he wanted to sleep. He still felt pretty upset about what his aunt did. But if his father was here, maybe he could. After all, the child was sure that as long as his father and mother were around, nothing could hurt him.

"Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Danny asked, finally looking up at his dad again.

Vlad smiled sadly. "I was actually planning on sleeping with you tonight, little Phantom. That is, if it's okay with you."

At any time, Danny would have been delighted by the news. It wasn't very often his father slept with him. It was usually when he was sick or when he pleaded him to… But right now… the child knew why his father wanted to sleep with him.

"You don't want to sleep with mommy?" Danny questioned sadly.

Knowing it was pointless to deny it since his son could feel he was upset, Vlad just shook his head.

Danny sighed before he placed his small hand against the side of his father's face and said, "It's okay, Daddy. You can sleep with me. And don't worry, mommy still loves you. And I love you, too."

"You're a good son, little Phantom," Vlad told him as he grabbed his son's hand on his face and kissed it.

Danny couldn't help but response with a small giggle before snuggling in his father's arms again and finally closing his eyes.

"I want you to know that I love you, too, Daniel," Vlad told him seriously after a long moment. "And I will always defend you… no matter what," he assured his now sleeping son.

* * *

**Well, that's all for now. Hopefully, I did not lose all of you after such a long wait. But hopefully with school momentarily out of the way, I will have another chapter up sooner. And by the way, we are finally approaching the climax of this story's first arch. I find that when I write complicated and long stories, it is easier to keep a good structure if I break them down into archs. And judging by the amount of chapters I have so far and by the depth I have planned for this story's plot, I think you guys are looking at another 'Checkmate', length-wise, anyways. I told myself I'd never write anything as long as CM again... and, well, here I am now with this story. Tsk. Well, I am enjoying it; so I shouldn't complain too much. I hope you all are enjoying it, too. In any case, let me know. **

**Until next time, my dear readers!**


	27. Chapter 25: Under an Eclipse

**Well, here is some more wood for the fire! Heh-heh! I was on a DoaS streak, so I ended up doing this chapter before CM. I hope you all enjoy it! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot is my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 25: Under an Eclipse**

* * *

In his human disguise, Gregory sat on top of a metal lab table, quietly watching Tom busy himself with something on the far side of the Guys-in-White anti-ghost development lab. But by the look of annoyance in the ghost-dragon's face, he clearly did not want to be there. And by the way he sluggishly swung his legs, which hung down from the lab table on which he sat, Gregory was also quite bored.

The child had not seen his master since he had been ordered to stay with this 'Tom' human; therefore, without his master's staff present, his mind was as awake as ever. And although Gregory had enjoyed it at first, since it meant he could think all he wanted, having free use of his mind had now become a burden. Living with Tom was so dull! They did the same thing over and over again!

At the house, he would just stay in his room all day. And then when they came to the Guy-in White facility, he would either have to subject himself to some weird and painful experiments, or do what he was doing now: Nothing!

He knew that all of this was out of his control; still, there were times he would get so frustrated about the situation that all he could do was just watch Tom work, all the while contemplating all the different ways he could kill the man if it wasn't against his master's order. Then again, there was something more to it if the child would be honest with himself: Tom scared him.

Yes, it was true that the ghost hunter hardly pushed Gregory past his reserves and strengths- -and the child had to even admit that this human took better care of him than his master. But when Tom got mad, he got _really mad_. And then, his calm indifference towards the dragon-ghost would suddenly transform into dark, unreserved and unrestrained _loathing_. And after that, it was enough to say that the man's physical punishments were more painful than that of his master's. Of course, Gregory hadn't even compared the mental assault his master could deal him with his staff in all of this. The child was certain there was nothing more horrible than what his master could do to him with that staff...

Still, the 'Tom' human could be very bad news. And after experiencing the fact twice before, Gregory was a bit more cautious in doing something that might land him on that side of the ghost hunter's 'personality'.

Ultimately, however, Gregory's only true reason for listening to and not slaughtering the man before him was because it was against his master's order. Nothing more.

Gregory's green eyes briefly flashed red as he glowered some more at Tom's back. But the ghost boy eventually turned his gaze down to a medium-sized, stuffed dragonfly on his lap. The child smiled weakly at it as he then pressed its soft body with his hands and heard its chirping noise from within.

He would never admit that he was fleetingly happy with Tom after he got him the toy about a week ago. Why he even felt remotely that way about the man he couldn't say. After all, the man had just unexpectedly come into his room that day and tossed the stuffed-animal at him and then readily walked right out without a word. However, the man had mentioned the day before something about being sick of seeing him staring out the window for hours of a time, searching for another dragonfly like the one he had killed. Then again, the child had kept the dead bug for three days. And the only reason he even got rid of it was because Tom had finally gotten fed up with his obsessive behavior. Maybe that was why the ghost hunter had gotten him the toy dragonfly. The ten-year-old didn't know and didn't care, since it didn't really matter. He still hated the man...

But since then, Gregory took the stuffed toy with him everywhere. It really did remind him of the real dragonfly he had accidently killed. But the child had internally promised himself that he'd do a better job of taking care of this one. Its chirping also helped him calm down when he was feeling very aggravated, especially whenever the emotion was directed at Tom and the child feared disobeying his master's command.

Gregory once more pressed on the dragonfly, making it chirp again before gently touching its soft and shiny white wings. The stuffed-animal's body, however, was a mixture of blue, red, and green. And it was complete with large beady black eyes, a yarn-drawn smile, and antennas on its head.

More out of curiosity than anything else, the ghost child suddenly grabbed his sunglasses from off the table beside him and put them on the dragonfly.

He blinked at the result, before suddenly breaking into a laughing fit.

Though most of the time Thomas simply ignored the ghost when he was working, the child's amusement over something instantly got his attention, and he turned his head towards him and raised an eyebrow at the laughing ghost.

"And here I thought you were just watching me again and contemplating the ways you could kill me," Tom said with a smirk.

Gregory's mirth instantly melded into a light glare. "I got bored of that already today… Maybe tomorrow."

Thomas eyebrows hitched before he chuckled at the ghost's bold reply. But he then turned back around to get something off the table on which he had been working and slipped it into one of his lab coat's pockets. Right after, he faced the ten-year-old again and approached him.

Gregory instantly tensed and unconsciously clutched the toy in his hands tighter, this time getting no comfort from its chirping.

"You know…," Tom began in a calm voice once he was standing in front of Gregory. "I do not have to give you the comforts that I am. In fact, I could easily take them away from you…"

The dragon-ghost had to swallow down a whimper when Tom suddenly took away his dragonfly.

The ghost hunter briefly studied the toy in his hold, which was still wearing the child's sunglasses, before impassively looking back at Gregory and adding, "And I think I have given you enough proof to know I could make your life more of a living hell than your 'so-called-Master'. And yet… you seem to be set on wanting to kill me." Tom chuckled humorlessly before saying, "And that's fine. You can wish for my death all you want, so long as you keep in mind one thing…"

Gregory gasped when Tom suddenly grabbed him by the hair and pulled him closer, so that their faces were inches from each other. The child cringed but then growled quietly at the man. Still, he knew better than do anything more.

"You can wish it all you want, but know that you stand no chance at accomplishing it," Tom sneered at the child. "I have dealt with your kind for a _very_ long time; and believe me when I tell you that I could kill you faster than you could even draw out those demon-claws of yours." The ghost hunter roughly let the child go before saying more calmly, "So then, don't push your luck, Gregor. As I said, I do not have to treat you as nice as I am."

Gregory frowned when the man handed him back his stuffed-animal, but then asked in a mutter, "Then why are you?"

Tom grinned at him, though it hardly brought the child any comfort. "Because you are useful. Because _you_, Gregor, are going to help me get what I want. You are, for all intent and purpose, my best weapon against your demon race. And you see, I take very good care of all my weapons-you are not the exception. So, don't worry. As long as you fulfill your purpose, I will continue to be _nice_ to you. Though, I recommend you watch your mouth. I don't think your tongue is that useful to me and I'm sure I have plenty with which to remove it… So, while you ponder that…" Tom trailed off as he pulled out something from his pocket, which happened to be the thing he had grabbed from off the lab table.

"Open your mouth," Tom ordered seriously as he raised the object in his hand, which seemingly looked like a lollipop.

Gregory's eyebrows creased in confusion; but seeing the man was serious, he slowly did as he was told. The child tensed when the object stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"There you go. Now just suck on that while I go get something from my office," Tom said with a smirk.

Gregory grabbed the stick part of the 'candy' in his mouth, honestly surprised by the fact that it actually tasted good. And yet, he could feel a strange tingle travel down his throat every time he swallowed. Still, he said nothing as he watched the ghost hunter leave the lab and leave him alone.

The Guy-in-White leader soon made it to his office and poured himself a drink. He took a sip of the brandy before putting the glass back down and moving to the far wall in his office, which held his personal weapon collection and other things.

He opened what looked like a fridge and pulled out two test tubes filled with glowing blue energy. Securing those in one hand, he then pulled out another test tube, this one filled with a clear, though glowing liquid-ghost toxin. Making sure they were tightly sealed, he put the three tubes in his lab coat pocket and moved over to his large desk and sat down. He reached over to its side to a locked drawer, which he readily unlocked with a quick turn of its combination dial. The drawer clicked open and he further pulled it out.

He smirked at the glowing dagger inside_or properly called, 'The Skeleton Dagger and Key'.

He withdrew it with the most care, before he fingered the black glowing cover hiding the deadly sharp end of the dagger from view. The ghost hunter still remembered quite vividly how he got a hold of it. It had been a few days prior to meeting with the current Ghost King face-to-face for the first—and so far, only- -time since.

Although Tom had never figured out how Plasmius had gotten past all those ghost detection devices in his facility without setting one off, at least the ghost hunter could say the King had not gotten the upper hand on him completely.

Yes, it was true that after Plasmius had gotten past his security guards and ghost detection system, the ghost had forced Tom to take him to where he kept the captured ghosts. And the Ghost King had managed to free every single one that had still been alive_including the one that they called, 'Behemoth'.

Tom had discovered that this creature was the 'guard dog' used to protect one of the three most important relics the former Ghost King, Dark, had possessed: 'The Skeleton Key', which also transformed into 'The Skeleton Dagger.'

So, it had been Tom's luck to have found that monstrous ghost out in the human world with the artifact in hand.

Of course, the head ghost agent had no idea that Pariah had purposely wanted for the humans to capture Behemoth with the Skelton relic in order to hide it from his nephew's hands.

And to Tom's further luck, the current Ghost King still had no idea.

Plasmius might have freed all those ghosts that day, but he had left behind the very thing that was going to take him down_At least, if Tom had anything to say about it.

"Soon, Ghost King. Very soon I will have the pleasure of running this through your core and seeing it destroy you from the inside out," Tom said with an evil chuckle.

The ghost hunter was well aware of the horrible things the Skeleton Dagger could do to a ghost. He had tested it quite well in the past_here in this very lab, in fact. And, he had also even captured a ghost which had been subjected to said dagger's power by Dark himself. But considering this ghost had been slowly rotting away instead of dying instantly from the dagger's power, the ghost hunter had concluded back then that the former King had intended to enslave that ghost's soul to eternal service in his mindless skeleton army. And yet… It was odd that the dagger's poison didn't work too well on said ghost for some reason… After all, it had been a little over a year later that Plasmius broke into the 'GiW' facility. And when he saved all the captured ghosts, _that one_ had still been alive… Tom wasn't very sure, but he believed the Ghost King had called the other ghost… Skulk-er?

In any case, Tom remembered how that dying ghost had gotten most of Plasmius' attention and concern that day when the current Ghost King broke into the ghost facility.

In all the years that had now passed, though, Thomas had studied the dagger more closely. And the deadly and mysterious weapon had helped him develop some very useful chemicals against ghosts. He had also learned the tale behind the ghostly artifact over those same years. He knew how the dagger could transform into the Skeleton Key, which was what could unlock Dark's dormant army. And that those mindless puppets would only obey the one in control of the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage. But Tom knew from experience that this army numbered in the millions. And it was what had allowed Dark to come so close to enslaving the human race.

But that was something that would never happen again, for it was Tom who now held the key to Dark's army's prison. And although Tom could not control the Skeleton key himself, for he lacked what that required, the dagger was more than useful.

The Guy-in-White smirked as he took out one of the two tubes of energy out of his pocket. He uncapped the tube and then unsheathed the green dagger, which instantly began to pulse ominously with its power. Tom merely allowed the tip of the dagger to touch the ghost energy. And instantly, the blue energy began to turn black, the dark color spreading like spidery fingers deeper into the tube. It only took a second or two before the ghost energy inside the tube had turned as black as death and its glow had been devoured.

Tom glanced back at the dagger, seeing the bit of ghost energy that had been left on the dagger's tip had also turned black. And when the man raised the weapon in front of his mouth and lightly blew on it, the destroyed energy dispersed into the air as easily as ashes.

With a satisfied look on his face, the man quickly sheathed the dagger and placed it back in its secure area. He then capped the tube now filled with the black liquid again and placed it back in his pocket. However, just as he was about to get up to return to the lab, his phone rang.

He sighed, but impassively answered it. "Yes?"

Tom was quiet as his secretary told him something. But then he nodded and replied, "Yes, send them in."

With that, he hung up and finally left his office. However, he then paused outside of it and crossed his arms expectantly. And a minute later, that expectation walked in.

"Freakshow. Just in time," Tom said. But seeing he was accompanied by Spectra and Bertrand, both in human disguises, he added to the pair, "And you two are unfashionably late. I was beginning to think you'd never show again."

Penelope grinned as she stopped in front of him. "Sorry, Tommy. I had a bit of trouble getting what we needed. But…" She undid the black bracelet around her wrist; and extending it to the ghost hunter, added with a smirk, "Mission accomplished."

Tom's eyes lit up with wickedness as he took the glowing bracelet from the woman. But then silently gesturing them a command, he turned and headed back to the lab.

The three quietly followed after the Guy-in-White agent. And when they finally got to the lab, their entrance quickly captured a certain ten-year-old's attention.

Gregory's eyes widened at the sight of Freakshow. "Master!" he gasped out before suddenly jumping off the table, though he kept a firm hold on his dragonfly. But then…he missed his footing completely and fell face first onto the cold tile.

The child cringed but sat up, rubbing the spots from his eyes. He had started feeling really lightheaded shortly after eating whatever Tom had given to him. But now, he couldn't even see straight!

But remembering his master was present, the child ignored his ailment and staggered to his feet and all but ran over to Freakshow. Gregory instantly dropped to his knees in front of the man, his unfocused eyes large with anxiety, relief, and excitement.

"Master, forgive me! I was not sure if you wanted me to return! But I did as you said and sought out 'Thomas Chrome'. But when I did, he said you…"

"Silence, drone!" Freakshow cut him off, quickly annoyed by the child's rant. He studied the ghost's appearance for a moment, noticing how much healthier and cleaner he looked. But the ringmaster could tell something was off about his 'slave'.

"Wow!" Spectra suddenly exclaimed, genuinely surprised by Gregory's appearance. She still remembered how dirty and sickly the young ghost had looked when she last saw him at the circus. But now…

"Tommy, I am speechless! Look how nice he looks! Aww! I didn't know you cared!"

"Yeah, he even got the kid clothing and toys," Bertrand added, throwing a smirk at the ghost hunter.

Thomas just rolled his eyes, but didn't bother explaining his actions. Instead, he crossed his arms and smirked over at Freakshow.

"So, what do you think? I say he's just about ready. Only a few more… precautions to take and he'll be ready for his big debut."

The circus leader didn't reply and just stared for another moment at Gregory who was having a hard time holding up his head.

"What's wrong with him?" Freakshow asked, clearly confused.

Tom looked at Gregor; and as if remembering, he said, "Oh… Yes, I gave him ghost toxin."

"What?" Freakshow gasped out.

But Spectra readily added, "You mean, _actual_ ghost toxin. As in what comes out of a ghost's _fangs_?"

"Well, technically, it comes out of these glands beside the fangs," Bertrand added, though a quick glare from Spectra quickly made him close his mouth and just huff in annoyance.

But Tom just smirked and said, "Correct. Ghost toxin."

Freakshow frowned deeply before he said, "You realize that could kill him, right?"

"Not if given in small doses," Tom retorted and then turned from them before heading over to the bench on which he had previously been working.

Freakshow glanced at Gregory again, but then followed after Tom. But that quickly got the young ghost dragon's attention and he suddenly whimpered and wobbled to his feet to follow after his master. And he would have continued had not Penelope grabbed the child by the arm and stopped him from going anywhere.

"Wait a minute, Gregory. I want to take a better look at you," she said, squatting down to his eye level…

Meanwhile, Tom had moved over to the cryogenic fridge. He pulled out both the tube with the untouched blue energy and the tube with the black substance produced by the Skeleton Dagger, and finally the tube with the ghost toxin from his lab coat and put them into the fridge. He would need them later to make a few things, including more of that chemical he used to separate ectoplasm into its elemental components….

"How do you make that black substance, anyways?" the ringmaster abruptly inquired, noticing the other man's doings.

"That's my business," the 'GiW' agent answered coolly. "However," he added, ignoring Freakshow's annoyed look. "There is something that _is_ your business…"

Freakshow frowned in confusion when he followed Tom over to a work bench and the ghost hunter gave him a box of glowing lollipops.

"Why are you handing me a box of candy?" the ringmaster slowly questioned, just as baffled.

"They are for your _pet_ over there," Tom explained in a slight condescending voice. "The 'candy' holds a mixture of energy, spectral nutrients, _and most importantly, _ghost toxin_._ I made them like this so it won't raise any suspicion should Gregor go out in public. You see, I had previously been injecting him with ghost toxin for the past week. As I said, it's been in small amounts. But I just increased the dose now with this edible version I just made for him."

"That's sounds interesting and all, but is there any _reason_ why you are giving him something that could kill him?" Freakshow asked impatiently. "Considering all the time and effort you have put into my slave, I find it strange that you don't seem to care about that fact."

"Sometimes I wonder if you have anything inside that large cranium of yours," Tom said in disgust. But then he lightly glared as he added, "I know full well what I am doing, which is why I know I'm not going to kill him. The reason I am giving him toxins, since you _clearly_ cannot think for yourself to figure it out, is to build him up a resistance against it. Ghosts are practically wild animals. Their first line of attack is based on instincts and with instincts comes the use of those demon claws and fangs. If I am going to have Gregor go up against his own kind, he would be useless if he is easily subdued by such primitive, though effective, forms of defense. Ghosts already naturally have the ability to build immunity or resistance to ghost toxin. Otherwise, their own poison would kill them."

"Yes, I am aware of that. But one thing is a ghost's _own_ toxin and another is a _foreign_ toxin, which is what you are clearly giving my slave," Freakshow retorted, an unconvinced frown still on his face.

Tom rolled his eyes, though he answered, "Ghost toxins might vary from ghost to ghost, but they ultimately have similar components and it is those components that I am slowly making Gregor immune to. Doing so will give him a major advantage against any other ghost he confronts. And you are going to continue to give him the doses of ghost toxin until I tell you otherwise."

Freakshow blinked. The way the ghost hunter had said his last comment gave the ring master the impression that he meant more by it…

"You are giving him back to me?" Freakshow questioned, surprised.

"Of course. I just took him to get him ready. I hardly want to be supervising that demon for longer than necessary," Tom said with another roll of his eyes. "However, I want you to send him to me every morning for a few hours. I want to make sure he stays in prime condition for my purpose. And when he's with you, you better do the same. I am going to give you everything you need for that; so you have no excuse, Freakshow. Furthermore, keep his mind open. I don't want him to become stupid again."

Freakshow sighed, but begrudgingly answered, "Fine."

Tom looked over at Gregor as he added, "You can come for him tomorrow. I need him today for one last thing…"

Freakshow raised an eyebrow, but before he could question the man, Tom noticed Penelope and Bertrand's doing and suddenly warned them, "I would be careful with him if I were you…"

The ringmaster hitched an eyebrow when he finally noticed Gregor was glaring at the two other ghosts while still trying to get his arm free from Spectra.

But Penelope laughed in response to the ghost hunter's words; and instead of heeding them, she pulled the child into her arms and hugged him from behind, restraining him more.

"You really have done wonders with him, Tommy. I just want to eat him up!" she cooed.

"Not a bad idea," Bertrand said with a wicked smile, already sensing the child's distress mixed with his growing frustration. The male ghost had to hand it to the human hunter; he really had done an amazing job with the kid. Not only was he looking better, but he seemed to have more self control.

"Let go!" Gregory hissed out, ignoring his spinning head from the foreign toxin still in his system. But as he struggled, he accidently dropped his stuffed-toy, which got Bertrand's attention.

The male ghost picked it up with an amused smirk, but when he accidently pressed on the toy's body and heard it chirp, Bertrand burst into laughter. "Ha! I take it back! Tom is messing up the kid more than Freakshow!"

But Gregory had instantly stopped struggling against Penelope when he noticed Bertrand had his dragonfly. His eyes changed from green to red as he darkly growled, "Give him back."

Freakshow frowned at hearing his slave. He had dealt with the child long enough to know when he was about to get very aggressive. But just when he was about to tell his slave to calm down, Tom raised a hand, keeping him from doing so.

"Just watch," the ghost hunter said quietly, an evil gleam in his eye.

"Of course, kid," Bertrand answered Gregor. But then getting closer, he taunted, "But… you have to give us something in return…"

"You don't mind, do you?" Spectra cooed in Gregory's ear, her arms around his body still holding him in place.

But feeling her hand suddenly turn intangible and phase through his clothes, just to make contact with his core, Gregory's eyes narrowed and he quickly gripped the offending hand by its wrist. Interestingly, though, the child made no attempt to push Spectra's hand off his hidden ectoplasmic signature…

Spectra grinned when she felt the younger ghost's misery seep into her, but it only lasted for a second before she felt an intangible barrier stop her from feeding off the child anymore.

"What the…," she began in confusion. But she never finished. Her eyes widened with her sudden shock at seeing her body unwillingly begin to glow blue. And then… she began to feel weak.

"I don't mind," Gregory muttered darkly, his grip on her hand tightening as the blue hue around Spectra _and_ him abruptly intensified.

"Spectra!" Bertrand exclaimed when he realized the dragon ghost had just turned the tables on his companion. The child was feeding off her energy!

But when the shape-shifter stepped forward to help Penelope, who looked too shocked with what was happening to react, Gregory's eyes snapped in his direction. And in one quick moment, the child suddenly pulled the ring off his finger, phased through Spectra's hold and drew out his claws.

While Penelope staggered backwards, weak and disoriented, Bertrand yelped when Gregory's claws were suddenly against his throat and chest. "I said, give him back," the young ghost demanded.

The shape-shifter instantly dropped the toy, too alarmed with the child's actions to do anything else.

Gregor glared a bit more at Bertrand, clearly very tempted to run him through. But instead, he slowly moved away the clawed-hand aimed at the older ghost's neck; and with a quick flick of his wrist, the toy at their feet rose off the ground and returned to his possession. With that, the child quickly pulled away his other clawed-hand aimed at Bertrand's chest, sheathed his claws, and relocated his energy-masking ring on his finger.

The dragon ghost then backed up a few steps before finally turning away from the male ghost. He also ignored the weakened Spectra's wide-eyed stare as he walked by her and headed back over to the table he had previously been sitting on and jumped back on top of it.

He still didn't say a word and just stared coldly at the other two ghosts again, while he squeezed his stuffed-toy, its chirping sound vibrating within the now dead-silent room.

Freakshow was completely floored. But he then turned his gaze to Tom, who, unlike everyone else, looked very smug and amused.

"Did you teach him all that?" the ringmaster asked in disbelief.

"Of course not," Tom said with a chuckle. "He learned it on his own. I just gave him the proper motivation, a place to exercise his powers, and the chance to think for himself. It was quite easy, really. Although… I have to admit, I am impressed by how quickly he shook off the effects of the toxin."

"And you didn't mention this before _why_?" Spectra snapped back furiously, though she then hissed and pressed a hand against her head when her human disguise flickered and blurred from how weak she felt.

Tom shrugged. "I told you not to bother him."

"Stupid brat! I could kill him for that!" Bertrand growled, placing a hand on his chest to check if he was bleeding.

"I got a good mind to do just that," Spectra agreed, narrowing her eyes at the dragon ghost in spite of her dizziness.

Gregory just continued to stare darkly at the two angry ghosts; though at hearing their words, a barely noticeable malicious smile curled his lips.

"Be my guest," Tom answered with a taunting grin, knowing neither ghost was going to kill the child. For one, they were all aware that Gregor was a very important piece of their plans. And, two… Penelope and Bertrand now clearly stood no chance against the dragon ghost in spite of his age…

Spectra growled at the man's words, though she knew a part of her was now wary of the dragon ghost. She just couldn't believe it. He actually took some of her _energy_! And in a matter of seconds, no less! Since when could dragon ghosts do that?

Perhaps… Gregory's body had developed the ability out of necessity. After all, although Tom was doing a better job of feeding and giving the child the energy his core needed, it could never equal the amount of nutrients and energy he would get if he lived in the Ghost World… It was all Spectra could guess.

"Aside from getting the King's spawn's ecto-energy reading, did you bring me the other things I asked for?" Tom suddenly asked Penelope, pushing her out of thought.

The woman glared furiously at Gregory one last time before looking at the ghost hunter. And noticing he had now moved over to a strange-looking computer, she muttered, "Bertrand has it."

"Good," he said absently as he activated the mainframe and then linked to it the black bracelet he had given Spectra.

There was a brief silence while Thomas worked, though Spectra and Bertrand continued to shoot Gregor angry glances.

But the child was not even looking at them anymore. But he was staring at his master. The man's presence somehow brought him an immense relief, though his natural fear of him was still there. But in spite of the fact that his master could hurt and punish him severely, in the child's mind, his master was simple to understand. He just ordered him to do something and the ghost dragon did them without question. His mind could handle that. There was no doubt or insecurities plaguing him so long as his master was around. After all, he was not allowed such weaknesses.

His Master was a constant. And Gregor liked that.

But… the other human, Tom…The liberty the man gave him confused the child, especially when it was hard to tell when he was being allowed to do something and when he wasn't. Sometimes, the hunter also did things for no apparent reason. And worse, the ghost hunter would hurt him for no apparent reason as well. All the man would say was that they were running experiments that day and then the pain would come. Then… other times… Tom would just let him do whatever he wanted as long as he didn't disturb him. And then… other times, the man would act like he _cared_….

But Gregory knew he didn't—at all. Quite the opposite. Tom hated him, just like he hated every living ghost.

Ultimately, the hunter baffled and scared the child. And those feelings made him feel weak. But that, in turn, frustrated him, because as much as he wanted, he could not get rid of the cause of his unacceptable emotions. He couldn't kill Tom. Not just because his master didn't let him…. But also because the dragon ghost internally knew he _couldn't_.

The ghost hunter was too well trained to kill ghosts.

Gregory's eyes flashed red with his thoughts and he gripped his toy tighter against him. But his attention drifted over to his master when the man suddenly walked up to him.

The child instantly tensed and straightened up with anticipation.

Freakshow paused in front of the young ghost, briefly studying his appearance again. But then he smirked at Gregor's alert and _longing_ stare.

"Did you miss me, drone?" the man asked smugly. It felt good to see his minion so dependent on him. The child was so tightly in his grasp that he didn't even need to use his staff to get him to do his bidding anymore. He was such a good little ghost slave. It was almost pathetic, actually.

"Yes, master," Gregor replied quietly, resisting the urge to throw himself on his master and wrap his arms tightly around him. He didn't understand the desire, really. But he vividly recalled the only time he had done that in the past. The results were very unpleasant. And since then, he knew better than to touch his master unless told otherwise.

Freakshow just hummed in satisfaction. But then he further asked, "Have you removed the Gem of Form since you have been here?"

"No, master."

"Oh, so you must be craving to do so, then, right?" Freakshow inquired with a smirk.

He knew how uncomfortable it was for the ghost to have to keep the gem fused to his core. And it was equally uncomfortable to have to maintain in his human disguise for as long as he had now. But although Freakshow did find it a bit odd that Thomas had not once asked the ghost child to remove the gem, the ringmaster just supposed that the ghost hunter was simply satisfied with the child remaining in his human disguise during this entire time. It was obvious, then, that the GiW agent had been able to run his little experiments and whatever else he had been doing to his minion in these past weeks just fine…

"I…," Gregor hesitated when he almost said he _did_ want it out—and _badly_. But what he wanted wasn't important!

"What I desire is not important, master…"

Freakshow grinned evilly. "How good that you remember it, slave."

"Penelope… How old did you say the King's spawn is?" Thomas suddenly asked, getting everyone's attention.

Penelope raised an eyebrow. "Six. Why?"

Tom stared at the computer's reading with a quizzical frown even as he replied, "His ectoplasmic energy is just off the charts… I have never seen anything like it."

"Is that a problem?" Bertrand asked slowly, not getting what the man was talking about.

Tom studied the computer readings a bit more, but then shrugged, though a thoughtful tone remained in his voice as he continued, "I supposed not… Although it's all the more motivation to make sure he's not around long enough to take his demon father's place."

Spectra briefly frowned, but it was mostly at being reminded of their plans. Getting her nephew's ectoplasmic energy reading had complicated things more than she ever intended. She still had no idea how she was going to get Danny to play into their hands…

"Well, then, It looks like you came through, Penelope," Tom suddenly said, a satisfied smile on his face. "Now all we need is to set our plans in motion. But until then…" The ghost hunter disconnected the bracelet from the computer and stored it somewhere safe. He would have to transfer the information to his ghost detecting weapons later. But, right now, he wanted to look at the 'other things' he had asked Penelope to bring…

But surprisingly, the ghost hunter looked over at the ghost dragon and smiled. "Gregor. Come here," he ordered, his voice almost sweet.

The child jolted in surprise. But then he frowned at the hunter before looking up at his master.

Freakshow rolled his eyes in annoyance, but still nodded his consent.

Gregor was a bit anxious at having to leave his master's side and it quickly turned into irritation when he walked up to the ghost hunter.

"What?" he muttered.

"I'd like you to meet a few ghosts. Interested?" Tom asked, a smirk on his face.

Gregory instantly frowned again, this time with uncertainty. A few ghosts? He really didn't like the sound of that. Every ghost he had met so far had either tried hurting him or he had to hurt them… He didn't like either outcome very much.

"Am I going to kill them?" he asked quietly.

But to his surprise, the ghost hunter just chuckled and suddenly turned from him. Thomas moved over to open a drawer and grabbed a glowing white-and-blue cube from inside it, before wordlessly gesturing for everyone to follow him out of the lab.

Still, Gregor hesitated, his hold on the dragonfly as tight as can be. But when he saw his retreating master glance back at him with an expectant frown, the child quickly followed the humans and the other two evil ghosts. But the young ghost's jaw only tensed some more when he found that the place to where they were going was the ghost-proof testing room. He knew this was the place that Tom tested his weapons and… the place that Gregor had been brought to test out his powers several times now…

The child paid no mind to the two agents guarding the door, even when they then opened the locked door for everyone and closed it again behind them. Instead, Gregor kept his eyes trained on the four adults with him in the room, already knowing he was not going to like what was going to happen. Nothing good ever happened to him when those two ghosts were around…

And knew he was right when Bertrand took out three glowing orbs from his pocket and handed them to Tom. The child recognized them as ghost traps.

"_I have to kill three ghosts,"_ Gregor thought despairingly.

"Gregor," the ghost hunter called with a tone that the child knew all too well.

Gregory glanced at his master, but seeing no objection from him, the young ghost sighed and did what Tom wanted. He walked right over to the back part of the large testing room, which was as empty as could be. The dragon ghost then turned to face his audience; but other than that, he just stood there to wait for further instructions.

Tom calmly went to the room's computer, which controlled the testing place's features. Ironically, this was the very room to which he had brought Vladimir Masters to demonstrate the new weapons the billionaire wanted to purchase. But right now, Tom wasn't testing out weaponry, per se; but he was about to activate the room's _newest_ feature…

Spectra and Bertrand frowned when they saw a transparent green barrier separate the room in two, leaving Gregor by himself on the other side.

"What is that?" Penelope asked.

Tom chuckled. "It's a ghost shield…. A recent invention I _borrowed_ from two ghost hunters that used to work for me. It's ingenious, really. Its main component is an element called ecto-uranium. Harms ghosts and it's impenetrable to them. Shame that it is very hard to come by…"

Bertrand and Spectra just looked at each other, but said nothing.

"You two, stay here. Freakshow, come with me," Tom suddenly ordered as he calmly stepped forward and walked over to Gregor.

The ring master frowned in confusion, but he followed, anyways. Still, he hesitated when he reached the green barrier. But seeing Tom go through it without trouble, he did the same; though he couldn't suppress a shiver at the odd tingling the barrier sent through his body.

But to his further surprise, Tom abruptly grabbed one of his arms and stopped the man a few feet from Gregor.

"I have three ghosts in these orbs. You do exactly what I tell you and they're yours. Deal?" Tom asked with an evil glow in his eyes.

Freakshow looked taken aback, but he then quickly nodded at the prospect of more minions. "Alright."

Tom smirked before looking over at Gregor and suddenly releasing the ghosts in the traps one-by-one.

The young dragon just tensed as he watched the ghosts reform and solidify.

"Do not force them under your control. Just make them aware of their… situation," Tom whispered evilly to Freakshow.

"And my current slave?" the ring master asked curiously.

Tom grinned. "Just tell him to remove the gem. Nothing else."

Freakshow raised an eyebrow.

But Tom said nothing more and walked back across the barrier to stand beside Penelope and Bertrand.

Gregory continued to stare soberly as the once-trapped ghosts slowly came out of their daze and began to look around. But the child noted that these ghosts were very different from the ones he had killed before. For one… they were more… humanoid. One was a tall and skinny adult female; the other, an overly-bulked and freakishly-tall adult male; and the last one was… well, a dwarf. But he was clearly an adult, too, judging by his goat-tee. They actually looked very similar to one another in that they all had very bright green skin and black hair.

"Drone! Remove the Gem of Form!" Freakshow suddenly commanded.

Gregor quickly, though quietly, removed the ring from his finger; and then with tense jaws, he ripped out the gem from his core. The child barely held back a scream, having all but forgotten until now how painful that was every time.

But he hardly gave it any more thought now that his body suddenly transformed to his real self and he spread out his wings, feeling almost liberated at that instant. But he then readily glanced down at the toy dragonfly now in one of his clawed hands and then over at his other hand holding the ring and gem.

With a small frown, he phased the jewels into his toy; and then with the use of levitation, he placed his dragonfly far away, where it wouldn't get hurt… or soiled…

"Master?" Gregor then asked.

But much to his surprise, Freakshow ignored him and walked closer to the other dazed and confused ghosts.

"Greetings," he told them.

The three ghosts, which were actually siblings and rogue ghosts, quickly tensed at suddenly being aware of the human's presence.

"What…What is this?" the female whispered out, clearly frightened and at a loss of what was going on.

"Oh, good. You speak human dialect. That makes this much easier," Freakshow said with a smug smile. He was beginning to already like these soon-to-be-minions. After all, they were clearly not as primitive as the ghosts that Penelope had brought in the past.

The three new ghosts got slowly to their feet and frowned at the human. It was more than clear to them that they were no longer in the Ghost World. They were in the Human World and they had been… captured.

"Oh, no," the dwarf ghost mumbled as he kept close to his other two siblings.

The largest of the three couldn't even find anything to say. He was clearly the most frightened of the group.

"What do you want?" the female asked Freakshow boldly.

"Your eternal servitude!" Freakshow quipped before barking out a laugh.

But the female narrowed her eyes and her hands began to glow with energy. "We don't serve humans, _especially_ not one as insignificant as _you_," she hissed back.

"Yeah, we don't even serve our King!" the ghost dwarf snapped bravely.

"And that's why you were all so easy to capture," Penelope suddenly said from the other side of the room, easily hearing everything that was being said in the echoing room.

The three rogue ghosts quickly looked over at the shadow ghost. It took them a moment to figure out who she was since when they had first seen her, Spectra had been in her true form. But her words and that evil smirk on her face were unmistakable.

"You!" the female ghost growled. "You tricked us!"

Penelope just shrugged innocently.

"And I am about to do something worse to you all," Freakshow unexpectedly added, before pulling out a familiar red gem from his black trench coat. He aimed the gem at them and a red beam shot out of it, throwing the three unprepared ghosts across the room.

Gregory's ears perked up in surprise. But as he watched the ghosts groan and slowly get back to their feet, he tensed again, anxiety washing over him as he stared between his master and the ghosts. What was going on? Why… Why wasn't he being asked to do something? Was he _supposed_ to be doing something?

"Master?" the young dragon called, his unease ringing in his voice.

But Freakshow still ignored him. Instead, he grinned evilly at the glaring ghosts, which had all now charged their hands with ghost energy, clearly not giving in so easily. But before they could do anything, the ringmaster squeezed the red gem in his hand and it instantly began to glow brighter, momentarily blinding the three rogue ghosts and Gregory. But when the brightness faded, the gem was now perched on top of its usual black staff.

"Now, tell me, what were you planning to do with that energy in your hands?" Freakshow taunted.

The female readily glared and charged her hand even more. "I was about to vaporize you!"

"Think again," the ring master said darkly, aiming his staff towards the three ghosts and instantly subjecting them to its power.

The three ghosts shrieked in pain as their bodies glowed a bright red and an indescribable pain attacked their minds.

Gregory's ears pressed back and his jaw tensed at the sound of their agony. But then… as he continued to hear their screams, his eyes slowly narrowed, while his tail began to twitch with his indecision. He didn't understand it. He didn't like the sound of their pain… and yet… he kind of did… He did because for once it wasn't _he_ who was in pain. It was someone else. For once, he was on the sidelines, watching other ghosts get tortured by his master. And… he liked the fact.

But just as he thought that, his master broke off his attack on the ghosts' minds and left them panting on the ground. He only glanced at Gregory, before suddenly walking off.

Immediately, the child had to fight with all his will power to keep himself from following after his master. But when he saw the ringmaster walk across the barrier, leaving him alone, the dragon ghost took a few steps forward, but then readily paused, remembering he couldn't get to his master, anyways, thanks to the ghost shield. The child backed up again and sat on his rump, though his tail twitched even more with his uncertainty. What was going on? Why was he being left alone with these ghosts without a single command?

"M-Master?" he called out to him; but once more Freakshow ignored him.

Meanwhile, Tom looked quite pleased, though the others still didn't understand why.

"There is a point to this, right?" the ringmaster asked dryly. He was actually annoyed that Tom wouldn't let him just force the three ghosts under his command.

"Of course," the 'GIW' agent lightly replied. "I am demonstrating to you how a bit of motivation and free will can go a long way with my new weapon."

"You don't say?" Spectra asked, a smirk growing on her face. But it was not just because of what the hunter had said, but because it had just given her a great idea on how to carry out the rest of her plans. Or rather, have _someone else_ do it for her… _Walker_ just needed proper _motivation_…

As the two humans and adult ghosts continued to watch Gregor, the child was now intently watching the three ghosts several feet from him.

They gripped their aching heads, the effects of the staff still lingering behind. But then the dwarf one asked his female sibling, "Maldensa? W-What was that?"

"I don't know, Eklips. But we must escape," the female answered, staring warily at the two humans and two ghosts-disguised-as-humans watching them from the other side of the room.

"What are they doing? It's almost as if they are waiting for something," Eklips added, also watching their spectators.

"_Mi volas hejmenreven,"_ the over-sized ghost finally spoke up in a scared voice and in his native tongue. Unlike his other siblings, he didn't know human dialect.

"Don't worry, Eta. We are going home," the dwarf comforted his large brother with a pat on his knee.

"Yes. There must be a way to escape," Maldensa agreed.

"There is not. You can't escape," they suddenly heard an emotionless voice say from behind them.

The rogue ghosts gasped and whirled around to face Gregory, who had not moved from his spot.

"A dragon ghost?" the female gasped out.

"And a child, no less…," the dwarf added, just as surprised.

"_Li estas havas problemon, tro?"_ Eta then questioned curiously, though it went unanswered by his shocked siblings.

Gregory tilted his head at the large ghost's dialect. The dragon ghost still knew ghost speech, though he didn't remember when he learned it. But since he hardly used it, certain words and phrases were lost to him. So, it took him a brief moment to put together what the ghost had said.

"No…I'm not in danger… You are," Gregory calmly told them.

The three siblings looked at each other; but before they could say anything, Gregory finally stood up and stepped forward a bit, though he still quietly continued to study the three ghosts in front of him. But then, he suddenly moved again, but this time, he began to circle them.

The rogue ghosts were confused by the child's behavior and previous comments. "I don't understand… Did they capture you, too, little dragon? Where are you parents?" Maldensa asked curiously and a bit apprehensively. Surely this child couldn't possibly be in cohorts with those two evil ghosts who had tricked her and her siblings or with those humans watching them…

But Gregor didn't answer her, too focused on how they reacted to his movements. They seemed almost wary of him. And it made him wonder why since he wasn't doing anything to them. He also noted how they hovered closed to one another, a display he had seen also in the pair of ghost phoenixes.

"You look unafraid of this place, little dragon. Why is that?" the female ghost asked instead, trying to understand the child's behavior.

"I am not allowed to be afraid," the young ghost replied truthfully, his voice filled with thoughtfulness.

The rogue ghosts stared at one another again.

But then Gregor soon added, "But I am confused. I can't figure out what I'm supposed to be doing with you three."

The three siblings didn't like the sound of that, especially when the child's voice seemed to suddenly hold a dark tone behind it. They tensed this time and moved closer to each other.

"Why do you do that?" Gregor suddenly asked them, still slowly circling them.

"Do… what?" the dwarf asked, confused.

"Why do you cling to each other? It only shows weakness and fear. So, why do it?" Gregory elaborated, finally pausing in his movements and frowning at them.

The three siblings looked at one another, clearly baffled. But it was Maldensa who spoke up and said, "We are siblings, little dragon. We protect one another. And everyone knows there is safety in numbers. We stand a better chance against those humans and evil ghosts if we keep together."

Gregory glanced over at his master and the others before he turned his red eyes back to the rogue ghosts.

"It doesn't matter. It won't save you," Gregor suddenly replied emotionlessly. "My master will soon command me to kill you three and no matter what you do to defend one another, I will still tear out your cores and watch you die."

The three rogue ghosts' eyes widened in alarm.

"What is wrong with you?" the female ghost whispered fearfully.

"The kid's insane, Maldensa, that's what!" Eklips replied, while Eta stared at the dragon ghost with the same fear that sounded from his smaller male sibling.

Gregor's eyes narrowed with their words and he suddenly barred his fangs at the three ghosts, feeling a dark feeling grip at his core. He was just about to act on it when a voice stopped him.

"Gregor."

The young dragon snapped his eyes towards Tom, who was now standing beside him.

"What?" he hissed at him.

"What are you doing?" the ghost hunter calmly asked.

"I'm going to kill them for my master!" Gregor snarled, glaring back at the three ghosts that were backing away from him.

"Really? Odd. I don't recall your master giving you the order to kill them… And… neither have I."

The dragon ghost froze, but then he quickly looked back at Tom in anxiety. "I…I'm not supposed to kill them?"

Tom smirked as he turned his gaze to the three rogue ghosts. "It depends, Gregor…. Do you want to kill them?"

The dragon ghost's eyes flashed between yellow and red. What kind of question was that? What he wanted never mattered; so why was Tom confusing him now by telling him the opposite?

"Answer me, Gregor. What do _you_ want?"

Gregory looked back over at the three ghosts, his ears flat against his head. "I want…I want them _dead_," the child suddenly whispered darkly.

Thomas grinned. "And why is that?"

"I want to hurt them!" Gregor suddenly roared, his hackles rising as he ignored the man's question.

"Why?" the hunter pressed.

Gregory squeezed his eyes close for a moment as a flash of his past life came to him, though it hardly made sense. And yet…

"It's not fair," he whimpered. But he suddenly opened his eyes and glared back at the ghosts. "Because if I have to suffer, so do _**they**_!"

"Then… let's make them suffer," Tom answered with the darkest grin on his face.

Gregor let out a furious roar and he suddenly charged at the three rogue ghosts, his mind completely focused on his desire to rip them apart.

But just as he was about to reach the three ghosts, who had been prepared to defend themselves, Tom suddenly pulled out the glowing cube in his pocket; and activating it, he tossed it towards the rogue ghosts.

A green light instantly exploded out of the cube, engulfing the three rogue ghosts; but then just as quickly, the light retracted back into its container, taking all three ghosts with it.

Gregor gasped, barely able to jolt away from the green beam before it captured him, too. But when he saw the ghosts were gone, the child let out a furious roar as he whirled around to face Tom and screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Thomas threw his head back and laughed at the child's reaction.

Gregory only felt even more angered and he let out another roar before slamming his tail against one of the ghost-proof walls, shaking the building a bit. He squeezed his eyes tightly, embittered with his unfulfilled bloodlust for the three ghosts.

"Oh, come on, Gregor," the hunter said when his amusement fell into light chuckles. "I can't just let you kill them so easily."

Though, the truth was that the man just wanted the child's desire for blood and violence to fester until it was time to put it to proper use.

Gregor roared again as he began to pace in circles, as if he didn't know what to do with himself.

Tom grinned at the child, but then sighed dramatically. "I'll tell you what? Return back to your human disguise and I'll let you have one."

Gregory glowered at the ghost hunter; but unable to deny that his offer was better than nothing, he stomped off to get the Gem of Form and the ring.

As the child did that, Tom walked back over to his companions, who looked shocked by what they had seen.

"You are one twisted human, Tommy," Spectra said as she pushed back her surprise and grinned at the man.

Tom shrugged. "I simply know how to get the results I want."

"I see you improved those ghost traps of yours, too," Bertrand then said, staring down at the cube in the man's hand.

"I did," Tom said, raising up the device to his eye level. "This newest one can capture up to five ghosts. And it even momentarily weakens them."

Tom suddenly pressed the release button on the cube and the three rogue ghosts came back out, though they hardly moved this time. Tom looked back over at Penelope and handed her the now empty cube-like ghost trap. "This is the one you will be using," he told her with a smirk.

Spectra grinned back and took the device.

But then remembering Gregor, Tom looked over at him and saw he was glaring at him in his human disguise from the other side of the ghost barrier.

Tom chuckled at his own gaffe and walked over to the computer and deactivated the ghost shield. When the child approached them, the ghost hunter waved his hand at the three unresponsive ghosts on the ground and dismissively said, "Pick one."

Gregory looked up at his master, who was watching intently; though Freakshow said nothing. But then the child glanced back at the three rogue ghosts. And without a word, he placed his dragonfly on the ground and slipped off the ring again, this time sticking it in his pocket.

He gave Tom one last glance before suddenly unsheathing his claws and locking his gaze on the female ghost.

"How about using a less messy approach? I don't want you getting your clothes dirty. After all, you and I will be making a stop before heading home," Tom suddenly informed the child.

Gregor frowned in confusion and also apprehension.

And as if guessing the child's thoughts, Tom added, "Don't worry. It's nothing bad."

Gregory only regarded the man seriously for a moment, before suddenly sheathing his claws and instead gripping the female ghost by the neck. In spite of her weakened body, she quickly tried to struggle against him, and being that he was now smaller than she, it made things a bit cumbersome for the ten-year-old. Of course, he readily fixed that inconvenience by raising her just enough to drive his fangs through her neck.

Maldensa screeched in pain, but the young dragon just as suddenly tightened his hold, obstructing her vocal chords.

"Wait, stop!" the dwarf ghost pleaded, too weak to do anything but watch the dragon ghost harm his sister.

"_Bonvolu, ne doloro ŝia!"_ Eta added in a whimper.

But their pleading was ignored and Gregor kept his cold green eyes locked on the female ghost, watching as his toxin quickly took effect, and her body stilled as she barely clung to consciousness.

Slightly annoyed by the two male siblings' pleas, Thomas quickly pulled out two of the spherical one-ghost traps and captured the two ghosts.

"W-Why… little dragon?" she barely whispered out.

"I told you that there was no escape," Gregory muttered in reply before his body and hers began to glow blue and he began to absorb her ghost energy. But this time, he didn't stop until the female ghost was completely dry. But even as Maldensa limped completely in his hold, Gregor didn't let go. Instead, he turned his hand intangible and pulled out her core.

The child finally looked up at Tom, who, like everyone else, had watched the ten-year-old kill the female ghost without trouble.

"Clean enough for you?" Gregor asked the ghost hunter sarcastically as he let go of the corpse in his hand and slightly raised up the dimmed and bloody core in his other hand.

Tom just smirked.

Freakshow watched the child pick up the dragonfly on the ground with his clean hand and then walk off to a nearby table to sit and _feed_.

"You know. You shouldn't let him talk to you like that," the ringmaster commented to the hunter after a moment of silence.

But the ghost hunter just raised an eyebrow. "Actually, it's much better than keeping his thoughts suppressed. You see, a dog that barks does not bite. It is the _silent_ ones you have to worry about. That is why you're approach to dealing with ghosts is a lot more dangerous than my own."

"Whatever," Freakshow muttered. "If that is all you called me for, then, I will take the remaining two ghosts and take my leave."

"Of course," Tom replied, handing him the two occupied traps. "Do with them what you like."

"I'll return for my slave tomorrow," Freakshow said after a nod to the 'GiW' agent's comment.

Thomas just nodded back. But once Freakshow was gone, he addressed Spectra and Bertrand. "When can I expect you two to finish your part of the plan?"

"Well, honestly, I've hit a bit of a snag," Penelope muttered. But when she saw the human hunter's eyes narrow, she added, "But I think I know how to solve it. At least, I think I know _who_ can solve it for me. I will need…_leverage_, though."

"What kind of leverage. I think I have given you enough _leverage_!" Tom sneered.

"Ghost weapons are not leverage, Tommy," Spectra snapped back. "I need another ghost's help for this; but he refuses to get involved anymore after the whole affair with Gregory. But I _know_ he wants Plasmius dead as much as you do! I just need to wave a nice _slab of meat _in front of him to encourage him a bit more. I need a nice slab of _human_ meat. Get my drift?" Spectra asked with a smirk.

Tom frowned. "You want a human being. Why?"

"For the same reasons you like getting your hands on ghosts, Tommy," Penelope answered.

Tom scoffed. "I'm not Freakshow, Penelope. You want some brats, then the person you should have asked just left."

"I know Freakshow can get _me_ human kids! But that's not enough for this other ghost. He won't bite unless it's something more tempting. I need an _adult_ human, Tommy. A male preferably. A male in his prime. I know you can arrange it. Heck, you can just hand me one of your little white soldiers," Spectra said with a cunning smile.

Tom glared. "One of my agents? I don't think so."

"Do you want Plasmius or not?" Bertrand suddenly interrupted, fed up with the hunter's refusal.

The ghost hunter glared at the male ghost for a moment. But then he looked back at Penelope. "Fine. But I want to see your part of the bargain met, _first_. Only then will I give you what you are asking."

Spectra glanced over at Gregory, who had finished eating and was picking at his teeth with one of his claws.

"Fine," Spectra muttered. But recalling one other thing, she suddenly walked over to the ghost corpse on the ground and dipped her fingers in a small puddle of ectoplasm before walking over to the nearest wall.

Tom frowned in confusion as he watched her draw a symbol on the wall. "What is that?" he asked.

"_That_, Tommy," she said, stepping back to briefly admire her work before looking back at the hunter, "is the royal ectoplasmic signature-or _symbol_, if you will. I'm sure you're little instruments will have no problem locking into my nephew's ghost energy now that you have it recorded. But I do want to _make_ _sure_ you capture the right _ghosts_. The brat will have _that_ symbol on his chest…. The same symbol that Plasmius and Desiree also have, though from past experience I know they always cover it up when they step foot into the human world. Nevertheless, it will still serve as visual confirmation. No other ghosts have _that_ symbol. Get it?"

"And when should I be expecting Plasmius' spawn?" Tom asked, though his gaze drifted over to Gregory, who quickly noticed he was being watched and quietly glared back at his audience.

"I got a… _family_ problem at the moment. So, I will need for things to calm down, first," the female ghost answered.

"How long?" Tom asked impatiently.

Spectra rolled her eyes, though she then frowned thoughtfully. But then, she finally answered, "A month from now. As soon as my sister and Plasmius' anniversary date passes. Everyone will be off-guard around that time, especially since they will be in a hurry preparing for our annual Christmas party that always follows the week after."

"A week before Christmas, then?" Tom chuckled. He looked back over at the blood-drawn symbol before adding, "I like the idea."

* * *

"You should have heard her, Skulker. I still can't believe that after all these years she had the nerve to say to me that Danny is not our son," Vlad said sadly as he leaned against a tree, deep inside the forest at Skulker's island home.

The hunter kept his eyes on the baby phoenix that was walking about now that he had just finished feeding her. Lydia and Ghostwriter had been unable to find her parents, so he had agreed to take in the poor orphaned ghost bird. These creatures were rare and Skulker could not let another die if he could help it.

Of course, his thoughts were not on the bird right now, but on what he had been told. It had taken a lot of coaxing on the hunter's part to get his friend to tell him what was wrong when he came over an hour ago. Plasmius was hardly the type to come share his matrimonial problems, even with the hunter. And Skulker rarely pried into the matter. But he could tell what had happened was serious. And by his friend's words, he had guessed right.

"I am honestly surprised myself," Skulker muttered. He looked at his friend and asked, "Have you talked to her yet?"

Vlad shook his head. "I haven't even seen her all day. She just… left without a word to anyone. Not even Dora has seen her." The King paused, feeling a pain grip his core as he added, "At this point, I do not even know if she will return." Vlad closed his eyes in distress as he then said more to himself than his friend, "What am I supposed to tell Daniel?"

The hunter frowned. "I think you might be overreacting. Desiree isn't going to leave you just because you two had a serious disagreement. Why would she?"

Vlad bit his lip and turned his eyes to the young phoenix. "Maybe because I told her to leave… Maybe because I practically called her a selfish harlot."

Skulker's eyes widened.

But the King suddenly glared, anticipating his friend's thoughts. He started forward off the tree as he angrily said, "Don't look at me like that! I haven't even told you half of the things she said to me, Skulker! She put Spectra before me and Daniel! After everything we've been through! After all the times I have put her before even myself! How could she? She might as well have plunged a dagger into my core!"

"I don't know what to say to you, Plasmius," the hunter said with a sigh. "I don't know why she would do and say those things to you. But…I firmly believe you are misunderstanding her."

"Misunderstanding her?" Vlad asked in a mixture of anger and despair. "No, Skulker. I did not misunderstand her, _in the slightest_. She made sure I understood her _every_ word."

"Then, perhaps she's confused. Perhaps she didn't tell you everything. Or perhaps you and her just walked right into Spectra's intention of separating you both," Skulker retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't argue the latter," Vlad said in disgust. "But Spectra didn't make Desiree say and do what she did last night."

"Perhaps _you_ did?" Skulker calmly suggested.

But that comment only fired him up more and he snapped, "Why are you defending her, Skulker? Don't tell me you agree with her? What? Are you going to tell me that Daniel is not my son, either, because I didn't form him? Do you also think I'm delusional for loving a child I have watched grow and have nurtured for six years?"

"Calm down, Plasmius. You're upset," Skulker answered, keeping his voice calm.

"_Of course_ I'm upset!" Vlad yelled at him. "My wife has betrayed me! And my best friend is taking her side!"

"I'm not taking her side, Plasmius!" Skulker suddenly exclaimed, clearly fed up with Vlad's emotional outburst. "I don't agree with a thing she said! Even_ I_ have accepted the whelp as your son and nothing less! I _know_ you have every right to call him yours."

Vlad deflated and he quietly asked, "Then, what are you saying?"

Skulker sighed again. "Vlad, you're upset. _She's_ upset. And you know the things we can say when we are hurt." He paused a moment, trying to pick his words carefully. He wasn't very good with these things; but his time with Dora had helped him see certain things in a different light, as well as understand that feeling of love for that special person.

"Aside from what you told me, I don't know what you two said to each other or what really happened yesterday. But I have known you and Desiree since we were whelps, Plasmius," Skulker told him seriously. "And I know Desiree wouldn't say such things without a deeper reason behind it. I don't know if it's justified or not. But I do know that she loves you. She _loves_ you, Plasmius. And she loves your _and_ _her_ son. And if you would push aside how upset you feel, you'd _know_ that I'm right. Desiree loves that child. So then, there has to be something missing. There has to be a reason why she said all that when I'm sure it had to have torn her core to say it."

Vlad stayed quiet for a moment, thinking of his friend's words. But then he creased his eyebrows and sadly replied, "Perhaps you're right. But… it doesn't do anything for the doubt I feel for her after last night. I know we will have to confront each other sooner or later. But right now…," Vlad shook his head. "I want nothing to do with her."

Skulker frowned. It was very upsetting to know his two friends were so displeased with each other. Even when they were just kids, playing with one another, their fights were rare. And it still was like that after they got married. Somehow, the things they all had been through made a lot of the small things, which would upset others, insignificant to them. So, the King's words were very troubling to Skulker.

"Well, then… when you do speak to her again… At least give her the benefit of the doubt. _Listen_ to her, Vlad," the hunter told his friend soberly.

But the King didn't reply and his eyes fell back to the young phoenix. He then suddenly bent down and lightly scratched the bird around its neck, muttering, "You're such a beautiful creature. It's a shame you have lost your parents."

The little bird chirped and her feathers ruffled in response to the pleasant affection.

"Where's your son?" Skulker suddenly asked.

Vlad caressed the little bird for another moment before standing up and turning his sober gaze to his friend. "I left him with Dora and Ember. Your sister and Ghostwriter came by around noon. Luckily, they mainly came by to visit the marketplace near the castle. Otherwise, I would have been a horrid host."

"Odd. Lydia hasn't come by. She usually does when she travels this far," Skulker muttered thoughtfully.

"She said she would be stopping by here after she finishes up at the marketplace," Vlad informed his friend. But then he sighed and added, "Skulker, I need to go, or Daniel's going to begin to wonder where _both_ his parents are."

"Before you go, I wanted to ask you…," Skulker quickly spoke up. "How did you know your son was in trouble yesterday? You looked so sure… and upset. Do you think…?"

Vlad slowly shook his head. "I don't know, Skulker. But I don't think it was any _link_. At least, I didn't _feel_ my son calling to me. What I felt was more like a sudden… anxiety. I felt like something was wrong, but it wasn't something certain. It wasn't something _tangible_… So, I don't think so."

"Do you think your son will ever form that link with you and Desiree?" Skulker dared to ask.

Vlad frowned at his friend. "I don't know. And I don't care, Skulker. I'm not Desiree. There are more important things to me than some _link_." The King scoffed and tersely added, "I have to go."

Before Skulker could say anything, Plasmius took to the sky, heading back home.

"It was just a question," the hunter muttered. But the truth was that Skulker knew how important that link between parents and their offspring was. Without it, the Prince was a lot more vulnerable to danger… And, lately, it seemed to be following him around.

* * *

Clockwork teleported to the underwater cavern, knowing the child whom he wanted to see was there with his other young friend. And their young voices soon reached his ears…

"I have never seen my mother and father so mad at each other! It was scary, Ember!" Danny said looking down at the human toy in his hand, which happened to be the rocket ship. But he then continued, sounding more distressed. "And now my mother is gone. I have not seen her all day! And I don't know where she go!"

Ember fiddled with another human toy that had caught her interest. It wasn't very often Danny and she got the chance to come here, since it meant they had to come without anyone knowing. The ghost girl still didn't completely understand why her friend was so firm on keeping all these neat things from everyone. But she wasn't a tattle-tale; so she kept her friend's secret. Plus, she did understand that her parents and Danny's parents would not be very happy that they played with human stuff, since they thought humans were evil and dangerous-at least, her parents thought so.

"My parents fight sometimes, too, Danny. But then they are okay again. I think it's a grown-up thing," Ember said with a comforting smile.

"But they were _really_ mad," Danny insisted.

"Don't worry so much. Everything will be okay. You'll see," she insisted back.

"Daddy said it wasn't my fault… but I'm not very sure… But…" Danny's eyes narrowed at his next thought. "But I think it's my aunt's fault, too! She hurt me! And then she made my parents mad at each other!"

Ember blinked. "I thought you liked your aunt…"

"Not anymore," Danny said, placing a hand on his symbol, which still felt a bit sore. "She…she doesn't love me. I know," he said sadly.

"Oh, come on, Danny," Ember said, not thinking that was possible. "I'm sure she didn't mean it."

"No, she did it on purpose, Ember!" Danny insisted, now looking upset. "Daddy said my soul is inside my core! And I think she tried to hurt it!"

Ember's eyes widened, but then she looked down at her own chest. "Really? Our soul's inside our core? Wow!"

Danny smiled a bit at her reaction. "Yes, it keeps us alive!"

Ember grinned at the revelation.

But before she could say anything, a calm voice interrupted them. "I know your invitation was a few years ago, but I decided to use it today."

The two children snapped their eyes over to Clockwork and gasped in surprise. But then Danny grinned and exclaimed, "Clockwork!"

The Time Master smiled and wrapped his arms around the young Prince when he flew at him and hugged him.

"I came by to see if you are well," Clockwork told him, pulling back and touching the child's core to show what he meant.

Danny frowned. "I'm okay now… But my parents…"

"Yes, I know," Clockwork said with a sigh. But then he looked around the cavern before focusing his eyes back on the child. "Still keeping secrets, Danny?"

The Prince blushed and pulled away from his guardian's arms. "I…just one. And I just play with the human toys."

"Toys?" Clockwork repeated, briefly glancing at two non-functioning ghost weapons in the child's collection.

"Please don't tell them, Clockwork!" Danny suddenly pleaded. "They are already mad! And I don't want them to get more mad! Plus, if you tell them, they are going to take the toys away and I don't want them to! I like them!"

"Calm down, Danny," Clockwork replied with a serious look. "As much as I would like to do just that, I cannot interfere. But you should know I am very unhappy and do not approve of what you are doing. I will even go as far as advising you to get rid of all these things…Or, you might regret it."

Danny just looked away.

And knowing the child was not going to listen to him, the Time Master sighed deeply again before saying, "I have to go now, Danny. I just wanted to stop by to make sure you were well with my own two eyes. Try to keep it that way, alright?"

The child just nodded. But once his guardian had vanished, he looked at Ember and mumbled, "We better go back."

"Okay," Ember replied.

* * *

Vlad was just about to fly right pass the Forest of Emotions when the sudden appearance of his son's guardian halted him in his tracks.

His mind, which had been completely engrossed with his problem with Desiree, jolted in surprise. But then he frowned curiously at the time ghost. "Clockwork? What are you doing out here?"

The time ghost smiled. "You know, I get that question very often."

The King blushed a bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"You haven't offended me," Clockwork cut him off, already knowing what he was going to say. "I came to see your son… and you."

Vlad sighed. "So, you know what happened yesterday."

"Yes," the time master replied, in spite of the king's words not being an actual question.

"Daniel is fine, Clockwork," Vlad said seriously. "Or, rather, as 'fine' as he can be after being subjected to Spectra's horrid touch. Luckily, she didn't cause him any permanent harm," he muttered.

Clockwork didn't reply to the comment.

But noticing his silence, Vlad raised an eyebrow and asked, "Have you seen Daniel?"

"I did. And, yes, he does look fine. But as I said, I also came to see you," the time ghost said calmly.

The King now looked confused. "About what?"

"Do you remember our private conversation a week before your son's presentation to the kingdom?"

Vlad's eyebrows furrowed. Of course he remembered. Clockwork had wanted to make sure that Desiree and he had thoroughly thought about their decision to keep Daniel. And the Time Master had even revealed to them that he had been the one to keep the Observants from finding out what had really happened the night the King had ended up with a-month-old Danny in his arms...

"Of course I remember…," Vlad replied slowly. "But why…?"

"I think you should tell your son the truth. At least, the truth about _what_ he is," Clockwork cut him off unexpectedly.

Plasmius' eyes widened, but his face readily tensed, "I thought we already talked about this six years ago, Clockwork. Why would you bring it up again? Or rather, what makes you think I have changed my mind?"

"I know you haven't changed your mind," the time ghost replied seriously. "But it is my advice to you."

"I appreciate it, but, no. Absolutely not. The last thing my son needs right now is to be confused by something like that. Not to mention, I would then have to explain to him _how_ he is what he is. And telling him the truth would be as bad as lying to him. So that being said, I must go. Have a good day, Clockwork."

"Wait," Clockwork quickly said, stopping the King from moving even an inch.

Vlad frowned at the serious and yet worried look on the other male ghost's face. "Unless…," the King began slowly. "Your advice has a reason behind it."

"Of course it does," Clockwork replied.

"Then, what is it?" Vlad pressed, crossing his arms and staring intently at his son's guardian.

But Clockwork sighed and answered, "You know I cannot reveal my predications of the future."

"Not even for my son's sake? Not even for the sake of the Kingdom?" Vlad retorted, now looking upset.

"It is for those reasons I cannot reveal anything, King Plasmius," the time ghost answered.

Vlad sighed, but he still looked just as displeased. He was quiet for a moment before saying, "I have never questioned your actions, Clockwork, because I know from past experience that you try to do what is best for everyone. No one but me knows how it was you who saved me from that trap Pariah set up against me using Skulker all those years back. Only a few know you are helping me keep the truth about my son from the Observants and the Council. And only Daniel and I now know you sent Lu to help him yesterday. And I'm sure there are many more things that you have secretly done for the sake of everyone. But lately, I am having a hard time trusting you, Clockwork-especially now when you unexpectedly- and cryptically-advise me about something so crucial without a reason. What am I supposed to think? What am I supposed to believe when this has been the second time my son's life has been in danger and all you have done is shown up right after to ask if he is fine?" the King ended with a very serious look.

Plasmius' words hardly surprised Clockwork. Unlike his wife, Vlad was less open and less understanding of the burden of his 'gift' and duties. The time ghost knew Desiree more easily accepted his doings without any explanation or apparent reason behind it. But, honestly, Clockwork couldn't blame Vlad for questioning him now. After all, the King's own duties were just as hard as his own, especially when he had a family and a kingdom to protect. If the time ghost was in Vlad's place, he'd be upset with himself, too…

"What do you want from me, Vlad?" the Time Master answered soberly.

"You are my son's guardian, Clockwork. You made a vow to watch over him and protect him. I need to know that you are at least doing that." Vlad drew a little closer as he almost fearfully said, "I need to know that you will at least _warn_ me, just like you did all those years back, if Daniel-if my _family-_ is in danger. I need you to tell me I can still trust you to do what is _right_-and not what is simply convenient, like those whom employ you often do."

"Then, you have my word, Vlad. I will always watch over and protect your son. I will always warn you of what is to come. And I will always do what is right," the time ghost assured the King.

A small relieved smile curved Plasmius' lips and he lightly touched Clockwork's ectoplasmic signature as he sincerely replied, "Thank you."

Clockwork nodded. But then he said, "I also came to apologize to you since I probably will not have the chance to do so later..." The time ghost paused; but then with actual sadness showing on his face, he told the King, "Vlad, I am sincerely sorry…"

The time ghost had fought with himself against what he was doing, fearing his intervention might alter his predictions, after all. But Clockwork cared deeply for the royal family, so he couldn't keep himself from at least warning and advising them-even if only indirectly.

But believing the time ghost was talking about what happened to his son yesterday, Vlad nodded and answered, "It's fine, Clockwork. As I said, nothing serious came from it… Well, almost nothing," he added, remembering his fight with Desiree.

Clockwork didn't reply.

But the time ghost's silence went unnoticed since, at that moment, the King caught a glimpse of two very familiar figures leaving the Forest of Emotions and heading in the direction of the castle.

"Daniel," he muttered, displeased.

He briefly glanced at Clockwork before suddenly teleporting.

The time ghost only briefly hesitated before doing the same…

Still wet from his dip in the mermaid lagoon, Danny yelped and suddenly halted right in his tracks at the abrupt appearance of his father and mentor.

"Daddy!" he exclaimed, but then he quickly backed up and smiled nervously at him, adding, "I didn't know you are… here."

Vlad stared seriously at his son, only briefly glancing at Ember, who looked a little nervous herself. But focusing solely on his son, the King said, "Is there a reason why you are outside the palace walls when you know full well that you are under punishment?"

Danny glanced at his mentor, who just stared quietly back at him. But then raising his hand to his neck, the young Prince replied to his father, "Uh… I was… hot?" But seeing his father was not amused by his joke, the child quickly added, "I only went for a little while! And I didn't think you would get mad since I went there yesterday and you said it was okay!"

"Yesterday was different. And you _know_ that," Vlad said firmly. But then he sighed in aggravation before asking more angrily, "Why is it that you have such a hard time following directions, Daniel? Are they somehow not clear enough for you?" He suddenly grabbed his son's wrist as he added, "Because if that's the case, I can use other means to make them clear to you."

Danny recoiled slightly against his father's angry energy. The child did not remember ever being physically struck before, but he somehow knew that was what his father meant.

"Don't hit me, Daddy," he pleaded, though by the way he kept flinching against his father's touch it looked as if his father had done just that.

The King knew he had every right and reason to physically punish the six-year-old under the circumstances, but, instead, he almost flinched at the sound of his son's plea. He had never even threatened to lay a finger on the child before. And, now, he couldn't help but recall how his wife had believed he would do that to her, too.

Still, he forced himself to push the thought aside and pulled his son closer to him as he severely warned him, "I don't want anymore disobedience out of you, Daniel-or, next time, I will make sure you feel my anger in a _physical_ way as well. Understand me?"

Danny quickly nodded.

Vlad finally let go of his son's wrist before commanding, "Go dry up-_both_ of you," he added, glancing at the equally soaked ghost girl.

Knowing better not to try their luck anymore, the two six-year-olds turned tail and flew off in the direction of the castle.

Vlad sighed again as he watched them go. "You would think that after yesterday he'd _at least_ hesitate to leave the palace grounds."

"It seems your son just gets over things very quickly. That, or he's very daring," Clockwork replied, a smirk on his face.

"Or, very stubborn," the King added in an annoyed voice.

"Yes, that, too," Clockwork agreed.

Vlad finally smiled a bit. "You know, dinner will be in an hour. How about you join me and Daniel?"

"And your wife?" the time ghost asked calmly.

"I don't know. And since I'm guessing you already know what happened, then I'm also sure you know I don't want to talk about her, either," Vlad said seriously.

Clockwork nodded. "Alright…. And… dinner sounds acceptable."

Vlad smiled at the time ghost.

* * *

"Listen to me carefully," Thomas told Gregor as they stepped out of the car. "You are not, by any means, to reveal what you are to anyone in this place. The moment we walk in there, I want you to act nothing less than human. Understand?"

Gregor glanced over at the large building in front of them that read 'Axion Laboratories'. He had never been here and hardly understood the orders that the ghost hunter had given him in the car on their way here.

"Gregor!" Tom suddenly whispered harshly when he got no answer.

The ten-year-old slowly turned his gaze to the man towering over him and muttered, "I understand."

"Good. Remember to keep your ring on at all times. This place is just as packed with ghost detecting devices as my own facility."

"You said they have ghost shields… I cannot get passed them," Gregor reminded the man.

"Don't worry. The shields _and cameras_ are only activated at night in this facility. At least, for now," Thomas answered with a smirk. "Now, follow me and do not speak unless spoken to."

Gregor didn't reply and instead adjusted the sunglasses on his face and followed after the ghost hunter.

As they entered the facility, the dragon ghost stared around both cautiously and curiously at the people calmly present. While some were dressed in semi-formal attire, some were walking around in lab coats. Gregor concluded this had to be some sort of testing facility, though he wasn't sure what they tested. But considering they had ghost detection devices and such, it could very well be another testing facility for ghosts or an anti-ghost arsenal.

The truth was that Axion was simply a normal testing facility for technological advances and other forms of development. Their only reason for having devices against ghosts was to protect the building from any potential threats against said creatures. Luckily, they had yet to put their ghost defenses to use…

"Hello, I am looking for Damon Gray-or, in your terms, _your boss_," Thomas suddenly told the receptionist at the front desk.

The woman slightly frowned and coolly said, "You must be the person from the government he is expecting."

Tom didn't answer and just stared at the woman expectantly.

The receptionist sighed quietly to quell her annoyance at the man's rudeness and instead stood up and said, "Follow me." However, when she finally noticed Gregor, she paused, clearly surprised to see a child with the government agent.

"Well?" Tom asked impatiently, noticing the woman's hesitation.

She raised a curious eyebrow at the man, but then just shook her head and finally escorted Tom and Gregor to Damon's office.

The ten-year-old stared at the female stranger the entire time; but then, he turned toward the knock on the door he heard after they had suddenly paused.

And not too soon afterward, the child heard a male voice reply, "Come in."

"Excuse me, Mr. Gray. But the government official has arrived."

The dark-skinned man with light green eyes rose from behind the desk at which he had been working and quickly went over to greet his guest.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Trisha. You may leave us," Damon said kindly to the woman.

She nodded and smiled, and finally left-though not before frowning at Tom.

Thomas hardly noticed, since his interest was in the man in front of him. "Damon Gray. Allow me to introduce myself," the ghost hunter said as he stepped further into the other man's office without regard. "I am Operative Thomas Chrome, head agent of the Guys-in-White division here in Amity Park. You may call me Agent C… or, _sir_."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "I see... Well, I have heard of you and your division. I just fail to understand how I can be of service to the government's anti-ghost agency. Axion is hardly knowledgeable in said field."

"Quite true. However…" Tom suddenly paused when he finally noticed that there was someone else in the office.

In one of the corner of rooms was the six-year-old Valerie Gray playing with her toys.

"Your daughter, I presume?" Thomas curiously asked the owner of Axion labs.

Damon nodded; but then he glanced back at Gregor, who was still standing just outside the door. "Your son, I presume?" Mr. Gray retorted calmly, though it did surprise him that the government agent would have a child-let alone bring him to some meeting.

But to his further surprise, 'Agent C' chuckled and answered, "Far from it. Gregor, you could say, is an agent in training. Isn't that right, Gregor?" Tom added, glancing back at the boy and gesturing him to come closer.

The boy nodded his reply, though he gazed emotionlessly at the other man in the room. But then, he noticed the little girl in the room, who was now staring intently back at him.

Damon frowned at what the government official had said. "Forgive me for prying, but… Isn't he too young to be involved in… your agency? Are his parents alright with it?" he questioned, sounding disturbed.

Tom lightly patted Gregor on the back, and the child almost jolted from it in surprise….and perhaps, fear.

But the Guy-in-White hardly noticed and answered the other man, "His parents are dead. Killed by ghosts. So, he is more than happy to be with the agency."

Damon glanced at his daughter. But to his relief, she did not hear the ghost hunter's words, since she seemed highly interested in Gregor.

"In any case, I did not come to talk to you about the boy. I have come to talk to you about your facility. And its… ghost security…."

Mr. Gray frowned, but then he looked at his daughter again and called her over. "Valerie?"

The little girl jolted and her eyes darted to her father. "Daddy?"

"Do you think you can go play outside for a bit? Daddy has to talk business with this man, honey."

Valerie slowly nodded. But then as she stood up and grabbed one of her toys, she asked, "Are we going home after that?"

"Yes, sweetheart," Damon replied. "I promise."

Valerie smiled and headed towards the door.

But right then, Thomas suddenly spoke up. "Gregor, why don't you step out as well?"

The boy looked up at Tom and seemed to briefly search his eyes for something. But then, Gregor looked away and replied, "Fine."

Damon watched with uncertainty as the older boy walk out after his daughter. However, when the door closed, the owner of Axion turned his attention back to Tom.

"If your sudden interest for my facility is because of its ghost security, then I will recommend you go speak with Madeline and Jack Fenton. They are the inventors. And they are the ones who installed the security system. I could not tell you a thing about it."

Tom smiled calmly. "I am aware of who supplies this place its ghost equipment, Gray. The Fentons, after all, did work for the government many years ago. But that is precisely the problem. They refuse to cooperate with the government; and although the government could easily find the means to force them into our services, I have no time for such a tedious task right now. That is why I am here. The Fentons have invented a certain device called a 'ghost shield'. And although the government has managed to acquire a few for our own facilities, they are insignificant compared to the ones here in Axion."

"So, you are telling me that the government cannot make better shields than the ones the Fentons made?" Damon asked with a frown.

Tom's eyes slightly narrowed at the indirect jab. "Ghost shields require a specific rare element called ecto-uranium, Gray. It only exists in the Ghost World as a compound. And even if we could get a hold of said compound, no one knows how to break it down to yield the ecto-uranium."

"No one, but the Fentons, you mean," Mr. Gray retorted, raising an eyebrow.

Thomas frowned himself, knowing it was true, but clearly unhappy by the fact. But the man quickly pushed aside the thought and replied, "This topic is irrelevant. The fact is that the government needs your facility and its ghost security for a top-secret mission in which we will be engaging soon."

"So, the government wants to use Axion to start some battle against the ghost race?" Damon replied, clearly displeased with the idea.

"More or less," Tom answered with a small smirk.

Mr. Gray scoffed before a firm expression fell over his face. "Absolutely not. For one, this place has not had a ghost attack since the previous Ghost King was in power. And I would like to keep it that way. Secondly, I will not allow you to put my employees at risk like that. And third, I honestly doubt the ghost security the Fentons made even works."

"So then why pay for it and let them set it up?" Tom asked with an amused look.

"Maybe because I consider them good people. Maybe because I felt sorry for them, so I decided to buy some of their inventions. I don't have to give you my reasons, Agent C," Damon said seriously. "But I will tell you that I do not care for your or their absurd need to wage war against those evil creatures! I want no part of it. And I won't let my facility and my employees be a part of it, either."

This time, Tom glared outwardly. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Gray, but you and everyone else here is already part of the war! Those demons are not going to rest until they exterminate all of us! So, my job is make sure _they_ are exterminated _first_. And whether you want to or not, you _will_ help my cause."

Mr. Gray quickly glared right back. "You can't force me to involve Axion in this."

Tom laughed. "I work for the government, Gray. I can make you do whatever I want. But if you are so intent on staying away from the 'war path', then I could easily take control of your facility." The ghost hunter's tone darkened as he added, "And I can assure you, you won't get it back, and your employees will find themselves without a job. So, I suggest you reconsider your answer."

Damon stared angrily at the government agent, but then he suddenly turned around and walked over to a window. The owner of Axion Labs was quiet for a moment as he gazed out at the busy streets in thought.

"Why don't you just take the ghost security system and carry out your operation at your ghost facility?" the dark-skinned man asked soberly.

"I considered it," Tom said, calmly resting his hands behind his back. "However, the ghost race is aware of the Guys-in-White facilities, so they will expect an attack from us. So, I plan to run the operation here, where they will never expect it to form."

Damon sighed. "And what is the purpose to your operation?"

Tom smiled. "Well, that is top secret information. But I suppose since I will be executing said operation at Axion, then, I can at least share that part with you. My goal, Gray, is to free us of the ghost race once and for all. And I plan on doing that by killing their leader."

Mr. Gray quickly turned around and stared at the ghost hunter in disbelief. "You are going to kill the Ghost King?"

"Yes. Without him, the ghost race will fall apart," Tom replied calmly.

But Damon now looked fearful, realizing just how deep the government was about to involve him and his facility.

"Oh, come on now, Gray. Don't look so upset," Tom lightly teased. "Look, you are seeing the wrong side of this picture. I mean, _we_ are the good guys, after all. All the government and my division wish to do is to give its nation security. We get rid of those demons and we will all breathe better. Your daughter and everyone else's children will live in a safer place. I am offering you to be a part of that, Gray. You will be a hero to your country-to the world! And if that isn't important to you, then… do it for your daughter."

Damon didn't reply at first, though his eyes were lowered in thought. But then he quietly asked, "How sure are you that this will work?"

"Very sure," Tom replied with a smirk.

Damon sighed again, but he also nodded. "Alright."

Thomas smirk widened.

But then the owner of Axion quickly added firmly, "But once you accomplish what you want, I want you and whoever else will be helping you in your operation out of Axion. This is a 'one time' thing, Agent C."

Tom chuckled. "That is all I need. So, then…" he extended his hand to Damon, who hesitantly grabbed it and shook it. "I thank you for your cooperation. I will be keeping in touch to give you further information and instructions. But until then, you are to maintain secrecy of the government's future operation. Understood?"

Damon let go of the Guy-in-White's hand and nodded. "Yes."

"Very well, then. Have a pleasant day."

The owner of Axion didn't answer as he watched the ghost hunter leave. But once alone, Damon sighed deeply with worry. It seemed he would have to find his daughter a babysitter. There was no way he was going to let her come to Axion anymore. Even if it meant he would not get to see her as often, he was not about to put his daughter in danger.

And if Agent C planned to do what he said, Axion Labs was now beyond dangerous.

* * *

Valerie was honestly confused by the boy dressed in only white and black. And not only did his white hair streaked with black peak her interest and bewilderment, but his actions…

The moment they had stepped out of her daddy's office, the older kid began to look around, clearly searching for something. And then suddenly, he walked off, not an ounce of hesitation in his steps.

Valerie had followed after him at a distance, trying to figure out the boy, especially when he kept muttering to himself. She believed he was counting, but she couldn't be sure.

What really got to her, though, was how he would often glance back at her; but he never said anything and would just continue on as if she wasn't even there.

But after ten minutes of all his weirdness, Valerie couldn't take it anymore and she picked up her pace to catch up with him.

"Hi, I'm Valerie. What is your name?" she asked, deciding she might as well try to be nice to him before questioning his craziness.

The ten-year-old paused in his mumbling and turned his gaze to the smaller girl. He regarded her in silence for a moment, before he suddenly replied, "Gregor."

But just as suddenly, he turned away and continued on, looking into all the different open rooms and placing his hand against the doors that were closed. One of the things he had learned in his time with Tom was how to pick up on the unique energy waves ghost weapons and equipment gave off. Considering those things had some form of ecto-energy that allowed them to be effective against ghosts, it was not a hard thing to do. Not to mention, his hot core was very in tune to things that produced heat. And any machine, even ghost ones, produced that.

"What are you doing anyways?" Valerie suddenly asked the boy.

"Fulfilling my orders," Gregor replied, before he began to count again. It was a good thing he had a _very_ good memory…

The six-year-old's eyebrows furrowed. "Okay…Well, when you finish, do you want to play? I brought one of my stuffed toys and I have a lot more in my daddy's office."

Gregor halted to look back at the girl; but this time, his expressionless face melded into mild interest as he stared at the stuffed red pony in the girl's hand. He slowly walked up to her and touched the toy.

"It's soft like mine," he muttered.

Valerie smiled. "Yeah, and it makes noise, too!" she said, quickly pressing against the pony's neck and making it neigh.

A small smile curled the boy's face and he then said, "I like it."

"Really?" the little girl answered with a grin. "You wanna hold it?"

Gregory nodded and quickly took it from the girl. The ten-year-old had been quiet unhappy when Thomas told him he'd have to leave his dragonfly in the car, so holding this other toy made him feel a lot better.

But remembering he had to finish his task, the boy turned back around and continued towards some stairs.

"Where are you going?" Valerie asked, running after him.

Gregor pressed against the pony and heard it neigh again as he then said, "I have a dragonfly. But it chirps. I like it because it reminds me of me. And it is always smiling at me, too."

The little girl blinked in confusion, not getting why the boy would think of himself when looking at a dragonfly, let alone a toy one.

She followed after him as he quietly continued to mutter things to himself and count some more.

But by the time they were on the third and final floor, Valerie was exhausted with trying to keep up with the boy's quick and sharp steps.

"Can you… slow down, Gregor?" she asked, pausing to catch her breath.

"No," Gregor replied calmly. But at that moment, the boy reached a door that was locked and he placed his hand on it. His eyebrows heighted at what he felt. But then his eyes readily narrowed and he looked around the hallway to make sure he was alone. But his eyes stopped on the little girl a few feet away from him and he suddenly sized her up.

"You should go away," Gregor told her coldly.

Valerie blinked. "Huh?"

But realizing she didn't understand what he had meant, Gregor sighed in irritation. He looked down at the pony in his hand and his eyes quickly softened. He sighed again, before looking back at the girl and telling her, "Sorry."

Valerie gasped when she saw the boy throw her toy across the hall, where it skit to a halt a foot from the door leading to the staircase.

"Hey!" she protested before running to her toy's aid.

Gregory ignored her and readily raised his hand and fisted it, aiming the ring on it at the door's keyhole. A green beam shot out of the ring, readily unclasping the hydraulic lock on the door. With a small smirk, the boy opened the door and walked in. But he briefly paused when he looked up at the large mainframe that he knew ran the ghost security system in this place.

"Third floor. Hall D. Door number 7," he muttered to himself. He raised his hand up again, aiming the ring at the mainframe. But instead of a beam, the ring shot a flash of light. The small device flashed a few more times before Gregor finally lowered his hand and walked back out.

But he was surprised when a pair of angry green eyes were waiting right outside; and they bore into him before their owner suddenly shoved him, exclaiming, "You're mean!"

Gregor stumbled back a bit, not expecting to be pushed like that. But his eyes suddenly narrowed; and faster than Valerie could squeak in fear, the boy abruptly grabbed her by the neck and pressed her against the wall.

"Don't push me," he growled at her; and if it wasn't for the sunglasses covering his eyes, the little girl would have seen them flash red.

"Well, you deserved it! You shouldn't have thrown my toy!" she snapped back.

Gregory blinked at the girl's boldness. This wasn't the first human child he had seen or met before. After all, his master once-in-a-while captured a few to satisfy Spectra and Bertrand's hunger of for misery and blood. And although he had never once talked to any of those now dead kids, he had been able to smell the fear they held. And then even the ghosts he had previously met had shown fear-fear of him. And that now included Bertrand and Spectra.

But this girl…

"You're not afraid?" he asked, both confused and astounded.

"No! You're just a big bully!" Valerie angrily replied. "Now, let go!"

Gregory slowly removed his hand from her neck and took a step back. He honestly didn't know how to react to her. A part of him told him to hurt her. Another part told him to ignore her and go find Tom now that he had fulfilled his task. And another…another wanted to apologize to the girl for being mean to her. That same side of him had something gripping at his core as a set of warm and caring purple eyes flashed through his mind.

She had not been afraid of him, either.

Gregor took a step towards Valerie again and suddenly placed his hand against her chest, feeling her heartbeat. And with the touch, he suddenly wished it was the same sensation he felt whenever he touched a ghost. He wished he could know her emotions and get a feel of her soul, like it was possible with those of his kind… But her strong steady heart was nice to feel, too. Still, it didn't beat like the heart belonging to the girl with purple eyes…

The ten-year-old sighed as he sadly said, "I'm sorry for being mean."

But before Valerie could say anything, the boy suddenly turned from her and walked off.

The little girl gasped, but then exclaimed, "Wait!" She ran after him, forcing him to stop when she stood in front of him.

Gregor frowned, his mind once again giving him mix messages on how to handle the girl, especially since she was keeping him from doing what he needed to do.

And as if noticing it, Valerie lowered her eyes. "I won't bother you anymore. I just… Here, take him."

Gregory jolted when the girl shoved the stuffed pony into his hands. But for once, the boy could only look at the girl in complete shock.

"You said you liked it. Well, keep him. But you _better_ take care of him," she added sternly.

Gregor stared between the toy and the girl for a moment. But then a small smile touched his lips. "I will," he told her quietly. And with that, he stepped around her and headed down the stairs.

His eyes stayed on the toy in his hand, even as he walked out of Axion Labs and over to Tom's white car. When he stepped in, he found the ghost hunter already there.

"Well?" Tom asked him.

Gregory didn't take his eyes off the pony, but he still answered, "There are three floors. Fifty rooms on the first and second, and seventy-three on the third, making a total of 173 rooms. There are also three main laboratories; all three have localized ghost shields, just like the ones at your ghost facility. The mainframe for the _external_ ghost shield that covers this entire place at night is on the third floor. Hall D. Door number 7. There are cameras in every hallway and every room and lab-at least, the ones I was able to see into. There are only four exits. Three of them being emergency exits, which will trigger alarms. And all four exits are on the main floor. So, aside from the stairs and elevators, there are no exits to the second and third floor."

"Did you take the pictures I asked?"

Gregory briefly put the pony on his lap and removed the ring, handing it to the ghost hunter without a word.

"Perfect," Tom said with a satisfied smile. "We will need to give the place a more thorough inspection, but the information you have provided me will let me begin preparations. Nicely done, Gregor. I am quite impressed."

Gregory didn't reply and instead reached over the seat to grab his dragonfly and put it on his lap beside the pony.

Finally noticing the new toy, Thomas raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

Gregory finally looked up at the man and quietly replied, "She…Valerie gave it to me."

"Who?" Tom asked, but it quickly clicked. "Oh." The man chuckled, before teasingly saying, "Well, look at you. You're even making friends now."

Gregor frowned, not sure what the word meant.

But the ghost hunter didn't give him time to ponder it as he then added, "I suppose that's fine… So long as you keep in mind that it is all a ruse." The man leaned forward a bit as he reminded the child with a cruel smirk, "You are not human. You are nothing but a demon and my weapon. So, there is no possible way for someone to feel anything more than disgust for and fear of the real you."

Gregory glared at the man behind his sunglasses, but he just looked back down at the toys on lap and said nothing. However, as they finally drove off in the direction of Tom's home, the child couldn't help but agree with the man. After all, disgust and fear was all he felt for himself. So, why would anyone else feel anything different?


	28. Chapter 26: Grant Me the Truth

**Yes, I know I said I'd update last Saturday, but it was a lot harder than I thought to get back into the groove of this story after so long. But I managed it. And I have made a mental note not to go so long without an update! It almost scared me how hard it was to mount the saddle with this story after such a large time gap. Epp. But I'm good now. I just gotta keep my fingers warmed up! And I do hope you all like this chapter.**

**Recap: Walker came to the castle to discuss with Vlad a portal-creating device he had recently made; but the royal couple was not home, since they went to the doctor to check on Desiree's condition. Ultimately, Walker used the device to scare Danny and when he discovered the child was alone, he told Spectra. As a result, Spectra manage to record Danny's _energy_ signature. Also, her hurting Danny resulted in a serious fight between Desiree and Vlad. The next day, Vlad discovers Desiree is nowhere to be found and he is still upset with her. So, while Vlad and Danny are left wondering where she went, Spectra goes to the human world to give Tom Danny's energy signature and further solidify her plan. Also, Tom agrees to getting Spectra an adult human, if she fulfills her end of their agreement.**

**This chapter is that **_**same**_** day, except it now mostly focuses on Desiree and reveals where she was during this whole day…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But the OCs and the AU plot belong to my muse and I. Heh-heh!**

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**Chapter 26: Grant Me the Truth **

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It was early morning when Desiree had left the castle. But before she did, she quietly went to Danny's room, sure that her husband had spent the night with the child. And when she entered the room, her belief was confirmed.

They were both fast asleep. And while her husband held Danny curled up in his arms, the child was facing towards Vlad and had his stuffed toy against his little chest, though one of his hands was lightly touching his father's symbol.

It should have been a sweet sight to behold. But it only gripped painfully against Desiree's core.

She had given everything that had happened last night a lot of thought. In fact, she hardly slept because of it. So, seeing the two beings she loved more than her own life sleeping so innocently with each other, made the sorrow and guilt inside her swell.

How could she have called her husband delusional for defending the bond he had with the child in his arms?

That had been something she had not meant to do. She had just been so upset… and confused. But mostly, she was afraid. And the fear that she had carried for six years now finally exploded last night. And it had her say things she should have never said.

But there was one thing she had meant and it tore her core to know it was true. She didn't want it to be true, but it was how she felt. It was something that had always stayed present in her mind.

Danny wasn't her son.

But it wasn't because she didn't want him to be. Her inability to accept him as such was more than what she made Vlad believe last night. But, ultimately, it didn't make it any better.

So, watching such a tender sight hurt. It hurt because she wanted to be part of that; she wanted to be there with them, sharing the love around them that was actually tangible. But as much as she wanted to be part of it, she just couldn't be.

She felt like a mere stranger watching, _intruding_ upon the sleeping father and son, when they were supposed to be _her_ family!

She didn't want to be a stranger anymore. But she did not know how to feel otherwise. And yet, she knew she had no right ruining the special bond her husband shared with Danny.

Desiree couldn't fix how she felt. But she could fix what she did last night. Or, she was going to try.

With a soft sigh, she slowly turned from the sight in front of her and quietly closed the door.

She knew leaving without saying anything to anyone was only going to make her husband more upset. But Desiree wasn't ready to face Vlad. Plus, she had a lot to get done. And she rather do it on her own.

First, however, she was going to go speak with Lu. She needed to confirm a few things about what happened with Danny yesterday…

* * *

"What are you doing here? And so… early?" Walker asked Spectra with a frown as she strolled into his office.

The shadow ghost smiled. "I need to head to the Human World. But, first, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Walker just raised a questioning eyebrow.

But Spectra didn't reply at first. Instead, she floated closer to Walker's desk and then began to lightly trace the desk's perimeter with one of her claws, all the while moving closer and closer to the male ghost's chair.

"Well… I am hoping you will reconsider your decision about helping me with my…. plans…"

This time, the ghost sheriff scoffed in annoyance. But when he was about to get up from his desk to tell her to leave, the female ghost suddenly pulled his chair closer to her before trapping him by grabbing the chair's armrests.

"Just hear me out for a moment, okay?" she asked sweetly as she leaned closer to him and lightly pressed her lips against Walker's.

But the male ghost didn't react to her and instead just stared back at her with a deep frown.

Spectra smirked calmly and dragged a finger up the male ghost's arm as she spoke again. "I know you're still sore about all the problems I caused you for taking one of Aragon's brats… But that was a long time ago. And ultimately, no one ever found out anything, let alone about your involvement."

"That's not the point. What you did was plain stupid, and I would be stupider to involve myself with another of your plans. Tell me, do you _ever_ think things through?" Walker growled at her.

Spectra pouted. "Of course I do."

"Well, I rather not take the chance. Now, leave. I have a lot to do today," Walker snapped, grabbing one of her arms to push her out of his way.

But Spectra quickly said, now irritated. "I don't understand! Don't you want Vlad off the throne? I am giving you the chance to help me change things, and you won't take it?"

Suddenly fed up, Walker pushed Spectra away from the chair and quickly stood up.

"Because whatever you're schemin' will not work!" the male ghost hissed back. "Trust me. I _want_ Plasmius off the throne! I cannot _stand_ havin' to submit to his will and judgment when he has about the same mentality as his six-year-old rugrat!"

"Then, help me!" Spectra insisted.

"You simply want me to fix your mess-ups! And I'm not gonna do it!" Walker snapped. "If your _little nephew_ doesn't trust you anymore, it's because you can't contain yourself and so now you have no way of gettin' him to do what you need, which, by the way, has been a terrible idea to begin with! You're never going to convince the Prince to do what you want, especially now! He might be naïve, but the brat ain't stupid! And I'm not going to be around when you get caught, let alone am I going to take the fall for you! Aside from Plasmius being over me, I happen to _like_ my position! And I'm not gonna jeopardize what I have for nothing!"

Spectra opened her mouth to protest again, but the sheriff quickly pointed a finger at her and cut her off by adding, "And what even made you think I'd want to help you help some _human_ hunter do anything? I might want Plasmius off the throne, but not enough to hand over our world to some pathetic human scum! Now, get out! You want to use the portal? Fine. I don't care! Do what you want, but leave me out of it!" Walker sneered, moving his hand again and this time pointing angrily at the door.

Spectra's hands quickly fisted. "Fine! Be a coward! And I'll show you that my plan _will_ work!"

The female ghost spun around and stormed out of Walker's office, slamming the door behind her. As she headed down the prison halls back to where she had asked Bertrand to wait for her, she cursed the sheriff under her breath.

But the truth was that he was right in that she had messed up yesterday with Danny. It was going to be very hard, and probably unlikely, for the brat to play into her hands now that he didn't trust her.

But she was going to find a way to make this work—with, or without Walker's help.

Of course, it would have been much easier with his help. But she knew the sheriff wanted nothing more to do with her plans after all the grief Gregory's disappearance caused him. Simply, Walker didn't trust her anymore to not mess up again. And with his always trying to go by 'the rules', with their certain and ordered outcomes, the male ghost simply didn't believe in nor needed to 'take chances'.

It was annoying!

Quickly catching sight of Bertrand, who looked half-awake, Spectra said to him, "Come on. Let's get going. We have to get those three rogue ghosts to Tom," she muttered.

"Yes, well, I am starting to get fed up with doing 'chores' for that human, especially when it forced me to get up at five in the morning to capture 'three competent demons' for him," Bertrand grumbled, deeply annoyed.

"Oh, stop complaining, Bertrand!" Spectra snapped. "Seriously, I'm beginning to think all males are whiney and useless!"

"Hey!" Bertrand protested, now fully awake. "What's your problem?"

Spectra growled, but just spat out, "Nothing."

Bertrand was about to say that there was definitely 'something' wrong about her 'nothing' when he caught sight of someone at a distance approaching the prison.

"Oh, crap!" Bertrand exclaimed.

"What are you…?" Spectra's words died into a gasp. "Desiree!"

"Let's get out of here, Spectra!" Bertrand said urgently, knowing that if they were caught by the Queen at the prison, they were going to have a lot of explaining to do, especially when the King had prohibited them from coming here before.

The shadow ghost wasted no time and turned invisible. She then quickly grabbed one of Bertrand's arms and led them back inside the prison and they quickly hid in one of the storage closests.

"Why did you bring us in here?" Bertrand whispered in annoyance. "We could have just turned invisible and flown off!"

"Be quiet," Spectra ordered as she pressed her ear against the door. "I wonder why she's here…,' she then mumbled more to herself…

The female shadow ghost frowned when a moment later she heard a guard greet the Queen before she asked him for Walker.

Spectra raised an eyebrow as she heard the guard's footsteps fade away as he escorted Desiree to Walker's office…

"Hmm," she said as she moved a bit away from the door and tapped her lip in thought. She debated if she should go find out why her sister was here; but then she quickly decided to just ask Walker later.

"Come on, Bertrand. Let's head to the Human World while the coast is clear."

"My thought exactly," Bertrand said with a relieved sigh.

Spectra and him quickly left the closest and headed off towards the permanent portal closest to the prison, which led to Amity Park.

* * *

"Thank you. You may go," Desiree told the guard with her as they stopped at the entrance of Walker's office.

The male ghost bowed in response before turning and returning to his duties. Desiree watched him go for a moment before moving her gaze back to the door. She then knocked.

"_Who is it? I'm busy!"_ came Walker's annoyed voice from within.

Desiree rolled her eyes before grabbing the handle and opening the door.

"How dare you open…!" Walker began; but seeing who it was, he jolted and blurted out, "Queen Desiree!"

The ghost mage didn't reply right away. She first quietly closed the door behind her and briefly looked around the office before finally saying, "I realize you are busy. But this will only take a moment."

Walker stood up from his chair and went around his desk before crossing his arms and replying, "Alright. What can I do for you?"

"I would like to ask you a few questions," Desiree answered with an unreadable look on her face. "First. Have you seen Spectra?"

Walker frowned as he wondered if the Queen was asking him that because she truly had not seen Spectra yet, or if there was an underlying reason for her question. The sheriff decided to answer with the truth just in case.

"She came by a moment ago…"

Desiree raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And with what purpose?"

"Nothing in particular," Walker answered evasively.

"I was under the impression my husband prohibited entrance to the prison to anyone without a valid reason…"

Now a bit annoyed, Walker answered, "Yes, well, you tell _her_ that. In any case, I dismissed her quickly."

"Well, where is she now?" Desiree further questioned.

"How would I know? She came and then left," Walker replied.

"Hmm. I suppose I was under the impression that you and her were… close."

"With all due respect, I don't see how that is any of your business. But, yes, at times," he said with a smirk. "You know your sister, she isn't the type for _commitments_. Instead, she gets around…"

Desiree frowned at the comment but then she suddenly moved away and went over to a library of books on the far left of the office.

Walker looked after her, briefly studying her form and internally grinning. The King really did have quite the catch.

"I was told you came by yesterday…," the ghost mage suddenly said as she grabbed a prison rule book off the shelf. "As a matter of fact, Dora further told me Danny was upset by your visit…

Walker mentally cursed, realizing why the Queen was really here. Her bratty son probably told Dora how he had scared him yesterday with that device that made temporary portals. And, _naturally_, the dragon maid told Desiree.

In truth, the Warden was right. During the time Danny had gone with Spectra, Desiree and Dora had gone to the market. And it was then that the dragon maid told the Queen what had happened. Still, Dora had not really understood Danny very well why he had been upset by Walker, but Desiree, nevertheless, managed to draw her own conclusions, especially when she knew a bit about Walker…

"I can assure you. I was only tryin' to entertain him. I meant him no harm," the male ghost answered with a small sigh.

Looking back at Walker, she quickly put the book back and floated right up to the male ghost, seriously demanding, "What device did you show him? And why exactly would you bring _any_ device near a six-year-old child?"

Walker jaw tensed, realizing the Queen knew more than he had thought.

"Well, you see…" The male ghost began with another sigh and then turned away from the ghost mage, heading towards his desk. He might as well show it to her, since she knew. Besides, he had planned on showing it to the King, anyways.

"I came by yesterday to show _King Plasmius_ the device. I created it because I believe that it might aid him and his warriors during times of emergency," he explained as he searched for the device in question, remembering one of them was here. The rest were in the weapons' quarter.

"However, _neither_ of you were home at the time. Though, as you know, I did run into the Prince," Walker continued. And finding the sphere-like gadget, he returned to where Desiree was expectantly waiting.

He raised the device a bit as he added, "The Prince is quite curious. So, I simply explained to him what this was. Oddly, he was scared by it. He thought I was going to use it. But, _of course_, I wouldn't have."

Desiree didn't reply, and just silently studied the male ghost for a tense moment, before finally looking down at the glowing sphere in Walker's hand.

But not liking the silence, Walker began to explain the device to the Queen, "It's concentrated ectoplasmic energy. I got the idea from the time King Plasmius discovered the humans were making an artificial portal. Of course, the energy I used for _this _came from an Energy Nova and not the cores of ghosts as was the case for the humans. As you well know, a strong burst of ectoplasmic energy is what activates the formation of temporary portals. So, I made this device and others like it to be able to hold a certain amount of concentrated energy and with a press of a button, the device detonates, in turn charging the energy within, which lastly and conveniently creates an opening _anywhere_. Useful, don't you think so?"

Desiree grabbed the device from Walker and inspected it a little closer, though she was careful not to touch the detonation button on it. Finally, she spoke.

"I fail to see why," she answered soberly, "you have built a bomb that releases a bout of charged concentrated ectoplasmic energy. If anything, I find it highly dangerous."

Walker raised an eyebrow as he countered, "Dangerous? Our King being forced to venture into the Human World, as he was six years ago because of that human-made portal, is dangerous, Queen Desiree. I find it _more_ dangerous for him to go out there again without any assurance of having a way back."

"The King always takes Wulf with him. You know that," Desiree answered, lightly crossing her arms, though she kept the device in one hand.

"And what if something were to ever happen to Wulf?" Walker readily retorted, not letting up. "It would mean our King and those with him would be stranded in the Human World. That is, unless they could get to one of the five permanent open portals before they could be caught by ghost hunters. And even that is a fifty-fifty chance. Doesn't it worry you that our King could one day be captured by human hunters? They would kill him."

Desiree tensed, but her voice stayed steady as she answered, "I am aware of that, Walker. However, those are risks he takes willingly for the safety of our kind. And although I do worry, I know it must be done. That, however, is the reason why this device is unacceptable. My King would agree with me when I say that it is foolish to risk the safety of our whole world to just ensure his own."

"I'm surprised to hear you talk like that. After all, our race without a king would be as doomed as the human world would be without that orb in their sky called 'the sun'. Therefore, I recommend you to reconsider your priorities, Queen Desiree. I find our King's safely to be more important than everyone else's."

Desiree said nothing at first, and just studied the ghost sheriff. However, her eyes suddenly narrowed a bit as she said coldly, "I don't know why you bother to pretend with me, Walker. I know you don't care about the King's safety. If you build _this_," she said, raising the energy bomb in her hand to their eye level. "It was _not_ with his best interest in mind. And, of course, I don't buy that you were just trying to _entertain _your Prince. I know you are always trying to fill his young mind with your… _beliefs_, Walker. And I do not like it, just like I do not appreciate your 'entertaining' him with an explosive meant to create violent portals."

Walker's face tensed with restrained anger though he evenly answered, "Even if you don't believe me, I've never had any ill intent towards the Prince. As for the device, with what _purpose_ do you _think_ I created it, if not for King Plasmius' safety?"

Desiree raised an eyebrow this time. "You forget I know more about portals than even you, Walker. I, after all, work hand-in-hand with Frostbite to monitor and control them. Don't forget it is one of my _spells_ that keep all but five of the permanent portals closed. Honestly, do you not think I know how a temporary portal works? Do you not think I know what would happen if you denoted this device _full of concentrated energy_ anywhere near a permanent portal or an unstable area?"

"With all due respect, you have no right to insinuate anything against me. Not when I have done nothing to deserve it!" Walker said angrily.

"Oh, please, Walker. I know the type of male ghost you are," Desiree said, and still holding the device, carefully crossed her arms again. Her red eyes further narrowed as she added in disgust, "You used to be Pariah's right hand. You served him _willingly_ because you were as power-and-control-hungry as he was! You helped him kill many innocent souls, both human and ghost alike. And you still have the audacity to tell me I have no reason to distrust you?"

"That's in the past," Walker answered offhandedly.

"In the past? Really?" Desiree replied sarcastically. "Then, how about something more recent? Don't think I have forgotten my suspicions towards you in regards to Gregory's disappearance, which only further makes me question your intentions with your Prince yesterday. You're just lucky that I have no means of proving your involvement with that dragon child's abduction."

"My Queen's a female with a vivid imagination," Walker said coldly. And seeing Desiree grow more angry with his comment, he smirked and further said, "But, alright. I'll amuse you. Though, answer me this: what gain could I have had from doing something to Aragon's brat?"

"You have never wanted my husband on the throne, especially when he chose to end our feud with the humans," Desiree accused him openly, pointing a finger at him. "So, I wouldn't put it past you, Walker, to have had something to do with Gregory's disappearance just to sabotage the King's already unstable truce with Aragon! You are just _itching_ to be at war with someone, be it our own kind or the humans!"

Desiree drew closer and seriously added, "I don't know what your intentions are, but you better not dare cross your boundaries, Walker. If you try to jeopardize our King in _any way_, if you even think about harming your Prince or another innocent life, I will exercise my power over you. And you can then be sure you are going to know what the inside of one of your jail cells look like!"

Walker's eyes quickly narrowed and he hissed, "Are you threatenin' me?"

"If that's what it takes to keep you in check," the ghost mage growled back.

The ghost warden remained silent at first, but then he did something completely unexpected.

Desiree gasped when a hand was suddenly around her neck and she was then shoved up against a wall.

And before she could even protest, Walker covered her mouth with his other hand and leaned his face against hers so he could whisper darkly in her ear, "You should be careful. If you haven't realized it, there's no one here to defend you, _my Queen_. But, go ahead, say all you want. It's not like you can prove any of it. And you might be above me in hierarchy, but you can't do a thing to me unless you present it to the Council, first. And all you have is your little suspicions."

Walker drew back and smirk right at the livid ghost mage's face. But still keeping her pinned, he chuckled and added, "It's your word against mine, Queen Desiree. And I can assure you that if the Council knew half of the things you did during Pariah's rule, whatever you could say would lose its value. But you're more than welcome to tell on me and risk embarrassment... Just imagine what our King would think if he knew his Queen use to be Dark's chamber girl…"

Desiree's eyes flashed a brighter red and she quickly grabbed Walker's wrist, trying to pry his hand off her mouth.

But Walker just grinned. "Oh, did I hit a sore spot? Does it bother you to recall you were nothing before you tied-the-knot with our current King? It's enough to make anyone wonder if his bein' up next for the throne had _anything_ to do with your weddin' him. Of course, he'd never even suspect it, being that he is so _under your spell_."

He paused, but then suddenly pressed himself a bit against her with a different intention as he added, "Not that I blame him. You are _irresistible_, my Queen."

Desiree's body suddenly became alight with pink ecto-energy, and the sudden force of it instantly threw Walker back where he collided with his desk. But also burning with absolute fury, she quickly raised her left hand sending two consecutive spheres of energy to the fallen ghost sheriff.

Walker could only grunt as he was further slammed into the back wall of his office, indenting it, while the rest of his desk and a few cabinets were completely destroyed.

"Do not **ever** touch me again!" Desiree screamed furiously.

Walker grunted again as he slowly pulled himself off the floor with the help of the wall behind him. Still, he painfully chuckled in response and looked up at the ghost mage before saying, "Oh, that's right. You have a thing against males. Forgive me, I didn't mean to bring back bad memories."

"Those are lies! But I don't care what you _think_ you know," Desiree hissed back. "Nevertheless you **will** do what I say!"

Walker gasped when Desiree suddenly pressed the button on the device in her hand and threw it at him. But since they were inside the jail, instead of creating a portal, the device just exploded, instantly destroying the rest of Walker's office.

All the warden could do was conjure up a shield to protect himself. However, when he saw the utter destruction of his office, Walker turned his furious eyes at the Queen and screamed, "What the hell did you just do?"

"I just demonstrated how _effective_ your little device is," Desiree answered darkly. "I want you to get rid of any more of these little bombs you have made immediately! And you _better_ obey my order, Walker, unless you want any more _demonstrations_!"

Walker quickly fisted his hands and menacingly approached Desiree. But she just as swiftly raised a hand and threateningly charged another blast, though she didn't fire it this time.

"Not another step!" Desiree growled.

Walker instantly halted, but he still furiously exclaimed, "You just destroyed my records and important books on this very jail! I don't care if you're the Ghost Queen, you just crossed the line! I'm taking this to the Council!"

Desiree smirked before her eyes narrowed and she replied, "Please do. I would love for you to take _this_ to the Council."

Walker's jaw tensed in anger, instantly catching the female ghost's underlying threat. But this time, the male ghost had nothing else to say.

"Glad we understand each other," Desiree said in sarcastic anger. "And just in case you didn't catch the first part of my threat, allow me to repeat myself: Do not _dare_ try to corrupt or jeopardize the King or the Prince in any way. Or, so help me, Walker, I will **destroy** you!"

And before Walker could even think of a response to that, the Queen turned on her heel and opened the door. But when she slammed it shut, the door fell off its hinges, joining the rest of the debris that was left of Walker's office.

A few guards who had heard the explosion were just outside the sheriff's office. But they could only blink as they watched their Queen angrily leave the prison. The guards then looked back at each other before glancing over to Walker's office.

After a bit of hesitation, one of the guards summed up the courage to check on his superior. But when he entered the office, he couldn't hold back a gasp as he exclaimed, "Warden, are you alright? What happened?"

Walker, who had been staring around his office, quickly turned his furious look to the guard and yelled, "Nothin' happened! Now get out!"

The guard jolted and instantly fled out of the destroyed room.

Walker eyes glowed with his ire and his hands fisted as he continued to look around his destroyed office.

"Oh, she just picked the wrong male to mess with," the Warden whispered darkly.

* * *

It was late evening by the time Spectra and Bertrand returned from the Human World. But as they stepped through the portal that Bullet guarded, the pair was surprised by the message Walker had left with his top guard…

"Walker wants to see you two," Bullet told them.

Spectra raised an eyebrow, but then she smiled and answered, "Good. I want to see him, too…"

Bertrand frowned, but didn't say anything, at first. However, when he and Spectra came to the prison nearby, he finally spoke up, "I thought we were going to wait till tomorrow to do this."

"Yes, but I don't want to waste this chance. If Walker wants to talk to us, that means he's in a good mood again. And it's the best time to bring up our new bargaining chip," Spectra said with a smirk.

"Alright. But I still don't think he's going to agree," Bertrand said with a shrug.

Spectra just rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.

However, when they finally arrived at Walker's office, they didn't find the sheriff, but they did find the _results_ of his argument with Desiree…

"What in the world?" Spectra gasped out.

"Wow. I'm pretty sure this isn't Walker's idea of remodeling," Bertrand muttered.

"No, it's our Queen's idea," Walker suddenly growled out.

Bertrand and Spectra jolted and turned to face the other male ghost, who had just appeared from a hallway further down.

"Wait it a minute… Are you saying _my sister_ did _this_?" Spectra asked in disbelief.

"Yes, that's what I am sayin'. And here I thought _you_ were the unstable one in your family," Walker muttered, glaring in the direction of his destroyed office. He had already sent for someone to come repair it tomorrow, but _he_ would have to redo the files and other important documents he lost. And that was going to take him weeks at least!

But right after he said that, Spectra and Bertrand looked at each other and then suddenly burst into laughter. Of course, this only angered the Warden more.

"And what's so damn funny?" he demanded.

"Your sister has quite the tantrum, Penelope!" Bertrand said as he continued to snicker.

"No kidding!" Spectra replied before looking at Walker and asking in between her laughing, "Geez, Walker! What in the world did you do to her? I mean, if she did all _this_, you must have really ticked her off!"

"I'm not exactly in a good mood," Walker growled out. "Don't forget our King warranted your arrest, Spectra. And, technically, he hasn't called it off. So, I suggest you both shut your mouths and quit pushin' your luck!"

Bertrand instantly glared at the threat, while Spectra frowned in light annoyance.

"Okay, fine. Calm down already," she said with a roll of her eyes. But then she smirked and now hopeful, added, "Maybe now you might reconsider helping me?"

Walker narrowed his eyes, but before he could response, Spectra interrupted him.

"Just hear me out, okay? I talked to that human hunter and he gave me a little toy that definitely is gonna make things a lot easier. That, and…" She grinned. "I cut you a deal."

Walker just crossed his arms expectantly.

"As you know, I need a way to get Danny to the Human World. So, just help me with that, and I'll get you that prime-aged male human you want for your 'experiments'."

"We'll do the rest," Bertrand quickly assured the ghost sheriff.

Walker studied the other two ghosts for a moment before commanding, "Show me this 'little toy' you're takin' about."

Spectra reached into her shadowy body and somehow pulled out the ghost trap Tom had given her.

"When activated, it captures up to five ghosts in its immediate vicinity and weakens them as well," she explained.

Walker grabbed the glowing cube. It was obviously coated with energy-based paint, giving it a ghostly appearance. The device was interesting to say the least. And the sheriff was definitely curious as to how this 'ghost trap' worked exactly….

"Alright. I'm in," Walker suddenly said, slipping the ghost cube into his pocket.

"Really? Just like that?" Bertrand asked, surprise by how quickly he had accepted. Wow. The Queen must have gotten very deeply under his skin…

But having mostly noticed that the Warden had not given the ghost trap back to her, Spectra instantly frowned at him and said, "I need that, you know."

Walker shook his head. "No, you don't."

The female ghost quickly raised a questioning eyebrow.

In response, Walker pulled out a glowing sphere from another of his pockets.

"Your sister wants me to get rid of these concentrated energy-filled bombs," he said with a dark smirk. "But I am suddenly inclined to defy her order…You want my help, Spectra? Then, we will be doing this by _my_ rules."

Spectra grinned. "I see you reconsidered this even before I offered you that human."

"Our arrogant little Queen has been grating on my last nerve for a while now. And since I know you well enough to know that this plan of yours will somehow involve her, then maybe I'm all for it, after all. That is, if the endgame is what I imagine it to be…," Walker said darkly.

Spectra just grinned evilly.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," the sheriff said with smirk. But then he gestured the two to follow him.

When they arrived outside the prison, the three ghosts were readily joined by Bullet.

"Bullet, is the area secured?" Walker asked.

The top guard nodded and replied, "Not a ghost in the vicinity, Warden."

Bertrand frowned curiously. What was Walker going to do that required so much secrecy?

"Good. Keep an eye open. This should be quick," Walker answered Bullet before gesturing again to Bertrand and Spectra to follow.

"Where are we going?" the shape-shifter asked as they flew away from the prison.

But instead of answering, Walker asked his own question, "Do you two know what happens when a burst of concentrated energy is let loose inside an unstable area or near other portals within our world?"

Spectra's eyebrows drew together as she answered, "No… But…I'm going to assume you are about to show us."

Walker just chuckled.

The three ghosts flew out about a mile out from the prison and about a mile-and-a-half from the permanent portal near the jail before coming to a halt.

Spectra and Bertrand looked around, confused at seeing they were in the middle of nowhere. In fact, the only thing around was a few Energy Novas floating about.

Walker brought back out the energy-bomb and let it go right there.

"This has a purpose, right?" Bertrand asked as he watched the inactivated device just float in the gravity-free atmosphere.

But Walker still didn't reply and suddenly moved away, heading back towards the prison.

Bertrand and Spectra shared a look, but then quickly followed the Warden. And getting annoyed with being left in the dark, the two opened their mouths to protest.

However, at that moment, Walker abruptly paused. He turned back around to face the direction that he had left the energy-bomb, which was about 600 feet out.

"You two might want to brace yourselves," Walker said evilly as he pulled out a remote-like detonator, and with a single press of a button, activated the bomb.

Spectra and Bertrand's eyes widened when the bomb exploded, and a burst of energy spread through the atmosphere, like a ripple in a pond, though, it felt more like a strong gust of electrified wind. However, just as the initial detention passed, a rumble began to sound in the distance, followed by a familiar ripping and whooshing sound.

In an instant, portals began to form erratically through the atmosphere, whirling violently and crackling with energy. But as quick as they would come, they would disappear, only to be replaced by more.

The entire area where the bomb had gone off was now a brimming with volatile portals.

"You want a way to get the Ghost Prince to the Human World…? There it is," Walker finally said, smirking evilly at the sight.

Spectra and Bertrand's surprise slowly melded into understanding.

"That will definitely do it," Spectra told Bertrand, who smirked in response.

* * *

"You know, I was skeptical at first about this whole thing, but now I really think this is going to work," Bertrand said with a smirk as he and Spectra flew towards their home.

"See? I know what I'm doing," Spectra said with a grin. "But I have to admit, I would not have thought of Walker's plan. Hmm. No wonder he was Pariah's right-hand!"

"Yeah, but that was then. Now, Plasmius is in charge, Spectra," Bertrand reminded her, now thinking of that other bump in the road. "We are going to have to be more careful from now on, unless we want to raise anymore suspicion. I mean, after what Walker told us Desiree said to him about the dragon kid…"

The shadow ghost frowned before muttering, "I'll admit, I'm surprised she still suspects Walker about that. But I can guess why. After all, Aragon and his wife told her Gregory was attacked by a _ghost_. And with Walker so openly protesting about Desiree's trying to get to the bottom of that back then, it makes sense why she suspects him." Spectra suddenly smirked. "Not that she has proof. And there is no way she's going to connect us with that, either. So, at least _we_ don't have to worry about that."

"Still, we have to be careful, especially after what happened with their brat yesterday," Bertrand insisted.

But the female ghost shrugged. "Desiree loves me too much to let Vlad do anything to me. She's so gullible, I almost feel bad! Ha. Almost."

"If you say so," Bertrand answered with a shrug of his own, clearly not convinced. But then something else came to his mind about what Walker had told them that had happened between him and Desiree, and he asked, "Is that really true?"

"What?" Spectra asked, confused.

"You know, what Walker and others say about your sister. That her and Pariah…," Bertrand didn't finish, knowing his partner already caught his drift.

But to his surprise, Spectra abruptly burst into laughter. "It's obvious you don't know Desiree, Bertrand! But, come on, _even you_ had to have noticed that she's never had eyes for anyone but Vlad! It's like…" Spectra's amusement abruptly melded into disgust. "It's like they were always meant for each other."

"No kidding," Bertrand said, rolling his eyes at the fact, but he then added, "But that doesn't answer my question. Pariah had means of convincing others to do what he wanted. He could have easily made Desiree give in to him."

"Well, he tried," Spectra said with a shrug. "But even when he threatened to hurt Vlad and her friends, and even when he threatened our very parents… she still refused him."

The shadow ghost suddenly fell quiet and a genuine sober look fell over her face.

"You okay?" Bertrand asked, noticing his partner's change.

"Our parents had gone missing and Vlad's own parents had died by then… Pariah had gone crazy looking for Vlad and his ring, so it didn't surprise me when our former King burst into our house with the intent of getting Desiree to tell him where Vlad was and with the intent of keeping his threat to Vlad… Let's just say it didn't end well for my sister," the shadow ghost ended with an uncaring shrug.

Bertrand's eyes widened as he asked in shock, "Wait. You were there and… you didn't try to… stop Pariah?"

Spectra clucked her tongue on the roof of her mouth before coldly saying. "Even if I could have stopped him, I wouldn't have. She deserved it. She should have just given in to him in the first place."

"No wonder she has such prejudice against males," Bertrand muttered, actually feeling sorry for the ghost mage.

"Not all males. Just those that remind her of Dark," Spectra said with a smirk.

"Well, she married the guy's _nephew_," Bertrand said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's what I once told her. And you know what she told me? She said that Vlad's the polar opposite of Pariah. But I think she just tells herself that so she can live with herself."

"Not that I like vouching for Plasmius, but I kinda agree with your sister, Spectra. Plasmius is _nothing_ like Dark," Bertrand said.

But the shadow ghost chuckled wickedly as he answered, "Don't be so sure, Bertrand. You see, I remember the feel of Pariah."

But the shape-shifter quickly scowled with jealousy as he demanded, "And how would you know what he _felt_ like?"

Spectra just raised an eyebrow. "_Anyways_, I've touched Vlad, too. And he's touched me."

Bertrand's eyes quickly flashed with further anger.

But Spectra quickly glared back and snapped, "Oh, cool it, Bertrand. You know Vlad would never betray my sister, and Pariah was a long time ago. My _point_ in telling you this is that there is something in our current King that feels very similar to Dark. I didn't notice it at first. It was only when he touched me out of anger during an argument we had that I noticed it. It's odd because there is _also_ a part of him that feels just like his kid."

"Really?" Bertrand asked, intrigued. "Then maybe it's true what they say about the crown and ring. Maybe Pariah did taint his nephew…"

"Maybe," Spectra said, obviously not caring either way. "It doesn't matter, though. Pure or tainted, our good little King is going to play right into our plans."

"That he will," Bertrand said with a smirk. But then with a wider grin, he added, "How about we head to my house to… celebrate. I'll make you one of those green lattes you like so much."

Spectra instantly perked up. But then she suddenly grabbed Bertrand by a shoulder and pulled him close and gave him a rough kiss.

Love-struck, Bertrand grinned when they finally broke away. "I'll take that as a 'yes', then."

"You can take that as a _definitely_. But we're already at my house," she said, pointing at her floating home in the distance. "You can even stay, if you want."

The shape-shifter looked thrilled and he picked up their speed a bit more, not wanting to waste his partner's obvious good mood.

When they finally got to Spectra's home, Bertrand went into the kitchen to prepare the lattes. But the female ghost had other plans.

Shifting into her humanoid form, Penelope yanked Bertrand out of the kitchen and towards her closest living room.

But quickly catching on, Bertrand smirked and switched to his own humanoid form, though he teasingly asked, "What happened to the lattes?"

Penelope grinned seductively and replied, "_Later_."

"My thoughts exactly. See why we make such great partners?" Bertrand answered, taking off his suit's jacket and tossing it on a nearby chair.

"Just shut up, Bertrand," Spectra replied before wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling close for a kiss.

But right then, they were interrupted by the sudden sound of someone clearing her throat.

Bertrand and Penelope jolted and quickly snapped their eyes towards the closest wall.

"Desiree?" the shadow ghost gasped out at finding her sister leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her.

"That's an interesting disguise," Desiree spoke up, keeping her unreadable gaze locked on her sister.

With her words, Spectra quickly pushed Bertrand away from her and switched back to her true shadow form.

Bertrand yelped in surprise, though he managed to catch himself from falling down after being pushed so unexpectedly. Still, he scowled briefly at Spectra, but remembering he was also disguised as a human, he quickly switched back and turned his nervous eyes to the Queen.

"Queen Desiree, this isn't what you—," the male ghost began, only to be coldly cut off.

"Leave," Desiree commanded, not taking her eyes off her sister.

But when Bertrand hesitated, the ghost mage finally turned her eyes to the male ghost and quickly narrowed them. "Did you not hear me? I said, get out. I _know_ what you did to Danny, so I suggest you don't try me, Bertrand."

The shape-shifter quickly nodded and with a fearful bow, he left.

Spectra glanced in the direction of her door when she heard it open and close; but suddenly indignant, she scowled back at her sister and said, "This is my house, you know."

"This is our parents' house," Desiree coolly reminded her.

"_Was_, little sister," Spectra reminded her with slight edge in her voice.

Desiree didn't reply right away. Instead, she took a few steps closer before seriously asking, "Since when can you take on a human appearance?"

Spectra frowned with unease, but then she crossed her arms and answered with as much calm as she could muster, "I learned it some time during Pariah's rule. It helped me survive all the craziness back then."

"Really now? And how exactly did you learn to disguise your form?" Desiree further questioned, her expression still unreadable.

The female shadow ghost sighed in exasperation. "Bertrand's a shape-shifter, Desiree. And I've known him for years. Is it that unusual that he taught me a few of his tricks?"

"I see," Desiree answered, her lips pursing together. "And… what have you taught _him_, Spectra?"

The shadow ghost tensed, not liking the suspicious tone in her sister's voice. Of course, Bertrand had learned from her how to absorb other's energy and misery, but she wasn't about to tell her sister that. Instead, she decided it was safer to play innocent.

"What's with the sudden interrogation, Desiree?" Spectra asked, annoyed.

"I'm just trying to figure out where you have been all day," Desiree replied, narrowing her eyes. "I just find it strange that Walker told me you were, _surprisingly_, at the prison early today. And then you just disappeared into thin air until now, when I just so happened to learn that you and Bertrand have the useful talent of passing off as humans…"

Desiree's eyes narrowed further and she suddenly asked, "Were you in the Human World, Spectra?"

The shadow ghost had to consciously keep herself from jolting in alarm. Did Desiree know the truth? No! It was impossible! Her sister had to just be suspecting that! But… she had hit the truth right on!

"The Human World?" Spectra repeated before throwing her head back and laughing. "You got quite the imagination, little sister."

"So I've heard," Desiree replied coolly, suspicion still in her voice.

Spectra instantly calmed and all but snapped, "Oh, come on, Desiree! Why in the world would I go to the Human World? Do you think me suicidal or something? Plus, there's no way for me to get there! There are only five open portals and they are guarded 24/7!"

The Queen didn't reply, unable to argue with her sister's logic.

And Spectra didn't hesitate to use the opportunity to further add, "See? Even if by some insane impulse I wanted to go, I couldn't! I know my limits, Desiree. And even I'm not dumb enough to openly violate one of your husband's laws around here."

"Are you sure about that? You obviously had no problem with hurting Danny yesterday, did you?" Desiree answered, now angry again.

This time, Spectra fell quiet. She studied her sister for a moment before crossing her arms and scoffing. "So, that's what this is really about, huh? I told you, what happened with Danny yesterday was an _accident_. I love my nephew. And it hurts me that you doubt it."

Desiree's hard demeanor wavered for moment, but then she asked quietly, "Spectra, did you try to feed off Danny?"

The shadow ghost's eyes widened in surprise but then she suddenly laughed in false disbelief before replying, "What? I can't believe you're even asking me that! Of course not! I haven't used that power in years! And even if I would suddenly start up now, I'd never use it on my nephew!"

"Don't lie to me, Spectra," Desiree said angrily, though there was now also hurt in her voice. "Danny's doctor told me and Vlad that he was weak! You took some of his energy!"

"I can't believe you would think me capable of doing such a thing!" Spectra replied, placing her hand against her core and faking sadness. But then she glared at her sister and exclaimed, "Did it ever occur to you that your son was weak because he took off at full speed towards his little playground? Oh, yeah, and he was _also_ bleeding! _Of course_, he was low on energy!"

"If it was just an accident, Spectra, then why did Danny flee from you?" Desiree growled back.

"How should I know?" Spectra replied. "I just wanted to bond with him and he freaked out! It can't be that hard to believe. You told me yourself he has a sensitive core. And even if you hadn't, _anyone_ can see Danny isn't… normal."

But the comment suddenly infuriated the ghost mage and she unexpectedly hissed, "Danny's not a freak! And do not **ever again **even _hint_ at such a thing!"

Spectra floated back a bit and raised her hands up in front of her. "Okay. Calm down. I'm sorry already. I know I said that yesterday, but I was angry. I mean, your husband did _attack_ me. You know I could take this to the Council… But I don't do it because of you, little sister. You and my nephew."

"I told you to stop lying to me!" Desiree snapped angrily. "You might be able to justify what you did to Danny yesterday, but Vlad told me what you did to him! Therefore, I don't believe a word you're saying to me now!"

"I should have figured Vlad was behind this! He put you against me!" Spectra accused angrily. "What did he tell you, Desiree? That I _forced_ myself on him?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes," Desiree growled back. But then she drew closer and sneered, "How _dare_ you put your hands on my husband!"

"I didn't!" she denied. "Desiree, I'm your sister! And you also forget that Vlad's never liked me! He just made that up to turn you against me!"

"Vlad has never lied to me, and he wouldn't start now, especially about something like that! But _just_ because I want to save us the run around, I'm going to confirm that _truth_ right now."

Spectra gasped when Desiree unexpectedly reached forward and touched her symbol—the one place that showed the shadow ghost's real emotions.

And knowing this, Spectra immediately jolted back and furiously demanded, **"Who gave you the right to touch me like that!"**

But Desiree didn't answer her and instead slowly lowered her hand before placing it against her own chest. She had known it was true, even when she tried to deny it. But at finally feeling that truth, it hurt more than she could ever express.

Her sister hated her.

"W-Why, Spectra?" Desiree whispered, looking up at her, now unable to hold back her tears of betrayal. "All our lives I've tried so hard to defend you, t-to protect you. Why do you hate me when I have _always_ loved you?"

Spectra's jaw tensed; but now knowing it was pointless to keep denying it or faking her innocence, she suddenly crossed her arms and cruelly answered, "I never asked you to love me. Your so-called love makes me _sick_!"

Desiree had to swallow down a sob and she quietly answered, "I don't understand. I'm your _sister_, Spectra. We were formed from the same Life Energy, from our **parents'** Life Energy!"

"Well, that didn't stop them from always preferring you!" Spectra suddenly exclaimed furiously.

"That's not true! Our parents loved us equally!" Desiree yelled back in despair.

"Of course **you** would deny it! You've always had everything! The looks, the talents! Everything! You were _always_ their perfect little daughter! The same perfect little daughter that got them KILLED!" Spectra screamed, real tears actually escaping her eyes.

Desiree's eyes widened. "Why would you say that me?" she choked out.

"Because it's the truth, Desiree! Our parents are dead because of you! Pariah made them 'disappear' because of YOU! _YOU_ KILLED THEM!"

"I-I couldn't help what he did! Even if I would have submitted to him like he wanted, he would have killed them, anyways! Pariah was a **monster**!" Desiree exclaimed back.

"Don't try to justify yourself, Desiree!" Spectra hissed back, angrily wiping away the tears from her face. "If you wouldn't have been so selfish and just given him what he wanted, they would still be alive!"

"What are you talking about? He GOT what he wanted! You k-know that," Desiree whimpered, wrapping her hands around her abdomen and looking away.

But Spectra was hardly moved. Instead, she smirked cruelly and said, "You never told Vlad, did you?"

"And it _better_ stay that way!" Desiree suddenly growled threateningly. "Pariah hurt Vlad enough as it is! I won't let that monster use me to hurt him anymore! Not before, and most certainly _not_ now!"

"Aww, how sweet. Always trying so hard to protect your little hubby," Spectra falsely cooed.

Desiree's eyes narrowed, "And if need be, I'll protect him even from you, Spectra."

"Oh, so we are suddenly enemies now?" the shadow ghost scoffed uncaringly.

"You're my sister. And even if you hate me, you will always be my sister and I will always love you. But my trust for you ends here," Desiree assured her soberly.

"Am I supposed to feel bad, Desiree?" Spectra mocked, but then she hissed back. "I don't give a damn if you don't trust me! And you can love me all you want; I will still despise you! I will NEVER forgive you for what you did to our parents! And I will NEVER forgive you for always taking what I want!"

"I haven't taken anything from you!" Desiree snapped.

But Spectra only grew more furious by her words and yelled, "Then why are you **married** to the male I want? I should have been his queen, not you!"

Desiree's mouth parted in shock, but then her face distorted in disgust, "You need help, Spectra. If Vlad married me, it's because he's in love with me! And he _never_ gave you any reason to think anything else!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not so sure how _real_ his love is. I mean, I know how extensive your powers are, Desiree. Who's to say you don't have him bewitched?" Spectra retorted with narrowed eyes. "It doesn't matter, though. And since we are being up front, I guess it's only fair to warn you that I have no intention of backing down. I'll make Vlad realize how much… _better_ I am than you. That's a _promise_, little sister," she said with a smirk.

Desiree's eyes tensed with challenge and she whispered, "You can believe yourself to be _better_ than me all you want, and maybe you're right. But we both _know_ I am more _powerful_ than you will ever be. And if I learned anything from that tyrant Pariah, it's to do _anything_ to protect those I love. And that means, I **will** defend my family from anything and anyone, _including_ you, Spectra. So then, let _me_ warn _you_ now…"

Desiree drew closer and when she was inches from her sister's face, she darkly commanded, "You stay away from Vlad. And you stay away from Danny. I don't want to see you _or_ Bertrand _anywhere_ near them. And if you even _try_ hurting either of them again, I promise _you,_ it will be the last thing you do."

Spectra could only stare back at her sister. She really had never heard Desiree sound so… menacing.

But before the shadow ghost could even think of something to say, Desiree finally moved away from her. And without another word, she left Spectra's house. And it was only when the Queen was by herself that she broke down with the pain that now consumed her core.

Spectra, on the other hand, crossed her arms and scowled at nothing in particular. But suddenly feeling the wetness from her previous tears on her cheeks, she raised her hand and wiped them off.

She then glared at the moisture on her fingertips. But suddenly, she lit her hand with ghost energy vaporizing the lingering wetness before chuckling evilly and saying, "More powerful than me? …Don't worry, Desiree. I've already taken that into account…"

* * *

Danny sat quietly on his bed, waiting for his father to come tuck him in. It had been easier to ignore the worry in his stomach while he had been with Ember at the underwater cavern or even during dinner with his father and Clockwork. But as the day had slowly wound down, the nagging feeling in his core that kept telling him something was very wrong had him uncomfortably fidgeting more and more.

But what bothered him most was that not even his father could answer him the one question he had wanted answered all day:

Where was his mother?

At any other time, the Prince would have been thrilled with the fact that his best friend and Clockwork had eaten dinner with him and his father. Ember lived so far away that it always made him happy when he could see her outside of school. And as for his mentor, well, he didn't always get to spend time with him because the time ghost always had very important duties to which to tend at his clock-tower home.

But Danny hadn't been able to fully enjoy his friend and mentor's visit because he was worried about his mother. She never missed his dinner with him and his father unless she was traveling or something was wrong.

And the child just knew something was wrong!

Naturally, he had asked his father about his mother, and several times, too. The last time had been during dinner but his father wouldn't tell him anything. And he even sounded cold when he had told him he didn't know where his mother was. It was like… like his father didn't care that she was gone! It was like he wasn't worried!

It was why, then, that Danny took the opportunity to ask Clockwork about his mother when Ember's parents had finally returned for her. But his mentor had just shaken his head and told him he couldn't say where she was. Though, Clockwork had assured him she was fine and that she would return soon…

But now… now it was bedtime. Danny had felt better after what his mentor had said, but now it was different again. He felt all wrong again. He had yet to even catch a glimpse of his mother! Where was she?

He absently rubbed his eyes, only to wince in pain when he suddenly realized that he had carelessly brushed his still-sore fingertips when doing that. He reflexively brought his fingertips to his mouth. And then he whimpered again when he hit his sore gums with them!

But that was enough to bring on another thought—and all the emotions with it—his aunt.

He immediately scrunched up his face. It really hurt more than he could express to know that his aunt didn't love him like he always thought. But, that had to be true because she hurt him. But he didn't understand why. Nor, could he understand why his aunt couldn't be nice like his mother…His mother!

His mother and father fought right after his aunt had hurt him! All of the sudden, he was angry. It made him angry to know his aunt made his parents mad at each other and now his mother was missing because of it.

"This is all my Aunt Spectra's fault!" Danny suddenly whispered, still angry but now also worried. "She hurt them, too and that is bad!"

That was it, then! The Prince was not going to let his parents be mad at each other forever. He was going to make them happy again! And then he was going to make sure his Aunt Spectra never separated them again!

But first… He needed to find his mother.

Danny looked up towards his bedroom door, anxiously waiting for his father to return. He had said he was just going to shower and then he would come back to tuck him in for bed. But he had been gone for too long now!

Had he forgotten about him?

The child shook his head. "He said he was sleeping with me again…Maybe he went to look for mommy… Maybe he's not mad at her anymore…"

But unable to know for sure, Danny lowered his gaze and sighed.

However, right then, he heard the door handle turn and he quickly looked back up. But to his surprise, it wasn't his father who stepped in. At that instant, it was someone better.

"Mommy!" the child exclaimed happily, bolting across the room and throwing himself in Desiree's arms.

And before she could say anything, he jumped into a troubled rant, "I thought I was never going to see you again! I was scared! And Daddy was acting like he didn't care! But I know he does! Daddy loves you mommy! He does! And I do, too! Please don't be mad at him anymore! I don't want you to stop loving each other! I'm sorry about what happen! But my aunt hurt me! And she was trying to hurt my soul! And I couldn't let her do that! But I never meant for you and daddy to fight! But she did it all on purpose! I know! You can't stay mad at daddy forever, Mommy! You cannot! Please don't go away!"

Desiree frowned in worry when the child suddenly buried his face in her neck, gripped her tighter and began to cry, as if he feared she was going to vanish.

"Danny," she said worriedly. But hearing him whimper a response, she sighed and then just hugged him back.

For a moment, she just held him. But then she spoke, her voice quiet as she said, "Little Phantom, you have nothing to fear. I promise you I am not going to go away."

She pulled him away a bit to get him to look at her, wiping some of his tears away before adding, "I would never abandon you or your father. I love you both very much. You _know_ that."

Danny nodded as he blinked his teary eyes. "I know. I _feel_ it. But you and daddy—"

"That doesn't mean we are going to stop loving each other, Danny," Desiree cut him off with a sad smile. "Believe me, everything will be alright."

Danny's eyes suddenly glowed with happiness; and with a small giggle, he hugged his mother again.

"Okay, Mommy!" the child said when he pulled away. He then suddenly phased out of her arms and quickly grabbed one her hands, trying to lead her out of the room as he excitedly said, "Come on! I know where Daddy is! You can tell him you are back and that you love him and then he can sleep with you!" But then the child paused in thought before adding hopeful, "Maybe I can sleep with you both today? Please?"

Desiree's eyebrows creased. "Danny… I can't talk to your father right now."

Danny's hopeful expression fell. "What? But why? You said—"

"Yes, I know. And things _will_ be okay. I promise. But it can't be right now."

But the child didn't understand and he insisted, "Why not?"

Desiree bit her lip, not knowing how to explain this to the child. How was she to explain that she feared her husband's rejection? After all, the things she had said to Vlad…they were awful. Actually, more awful than the things he said to her…

"It's complicated, Danny. But I promise I will talk to him tomorrow. Right now, I want to talk to you. There is something I want to give you."

Danny studied his mom for a moment before asking, "What is it?"

Desiree smiled. And extending her hand to the child, she replied, "You will see if you go with me to my room."

Although he was still a bit disheartened by the fact that his mother didn't want to go talk to his father, Danny nodded and took her hand.

Desiree, however, pulled him right into her arms and then suddenly teleported.

Danny blinked back the pink spots in his vision before looking around and realizing they were in his mother's private room.

Without a word, the ghost mage set the child on the bed before sitting down beside him. But she just gazed quietly at him for a few minutes.

Danny smiled in response and tilted his head at her as he questioned, "What are you thinking, Mommy?"

Desiree smiled back and raised a hand, caressing the child's soft cheek with the back of it.

The Prince leaned into her touch, feeling her comforting energy. He knew it so well. And it had always brought him good feelings. It made him feel protected.

"I'm thinking about something your father once told me," Desiree finally answered, her hand lowering to the child's Ectoplasmic Signature.

Danny's eyebrows creased when he felt an emotion in his mother's touch that he didn't understand. After all, he was still too young to understand what true _longing_ was.

But that was what Desiree felt every time she thought about the fact that she would never truly know the child in front of him. At least, she wouldn't be able to share everything about him. Unlike her husband, she had never even _seen_ Danny's other side—his dormant human side…

"_Will you tell me what he looked like when you first saw him?"_

"_You mean before he was turned half-ghost?"_

"_Yes."_

"_He had the most stunning blue eyes. Soft black locks. Warm milky skin and rosy cheeks… I never thought a child could be so beautiful, let alone a human one. And when I touched him… his soul felt so pure. He instantly captivated me, Des…"_

"Mommy? Are you okay?" Danny asked, confused by her sad and thoughtful gaze.

"I'm sorry, little Phantom," she replied as her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"For what?" the child questioned anxiously, feeling more confusing emotions coming from his mother through his Ectoplasmic Signature.

But then, Desiree removed her hand from his symbol as she said, "For a lot of things. For… letting you go with your aunt yesterday. For letting her hurt you. For not being able to call you my…" Desiree stopped herself from finishing that sentence. And then with a small sigh she continued, "I'm sorry I didn't defend you. But I promise it will never happen again. I love you, little Phantom. You and your father are my reason for being. There is nothing more important to me than you both. And I am going to prove that to you…"

Danny blinked as his mom suddenly stood up and walked over to her dresser. He watched as she opened a large jewelry box. But realizing it was the same trinket box that his mom had never allowed him to even touch, the child was even more intrigued to know what she was getting from it. But when his mother closed the box again and finally turned around, the Prince's eyes widened in surprise.

There, in her hands, was one of his guardian's strange medallions!

"You have one of Clockwork's medallions!" Danny gasped.

Desiree just smiled and floated back over to the child. She sat back down on the bed and then placed the medallion on the bed in between her and the child. She just contemplated it for a moment, before finally speaking again.

"It brings me peace to know Clockwork will always be looking out for you, Danny. That's why I want you to promise me that you will _always_ trust your guardian. Even when you don't understand why he does certain things, you must trust and believe in him."

Danny smiled back. "I promise! I will always trust, Clockwork, because I know he loves me!"

But then the child paused and questioned curiously, "Why do you have one of Clockwork's medallions, Mommy?"

Desiree lightly chuckled as she admitted, "I wondered the same thing when he first gave it to me. But…now I know… just like he said I would," she added more to herself.

But before Danny could question her anymore, she grabbed the medallion from the bed and then moved off of it again. But, this time, she moved over to turn off the lights.

Danny grinned already knowing what that meant. After all, sleeping with his mother was nothing foreign to him, since his father very often had to leave for days at a time to do important duties. It really was the only good thing about that.

The Prince quickly flew up a bit and startled undoing the sheets and fluffing up the pillows, for a moment all but forgetting about Clockwork's medallion.

However, when his mother placed the medallion on the night table next to the bed, the child frowned in confusion at it. What was his mom going to do with it?

But Desiree didn't give the child the time to ask her. She moved into bed with him, though placed the pillows in a way so that she could lean against them and sit up on the bed. Her legs suddenly reformed before she beckoned Danny to her.

"Are you going to tell me a story?" Danny asked with a hopeful smile when he realized they were not going to go to sleep right away.

"Not tonight, little Phantom," Desiree said, wrapping her arms around his smaller form.

The child leaned into her touch again, especially when she began to kiss the side of his face and lightly touch his symbol.

"Um, you are going to sing to me, then?" Danny further questioned, feeling a type of softness in her touch that he had never experienced before. And it really made him want to turn around and touch his mother right back; but since she was holding him against her, he couldn't.

Desiree smiled, remembering how she used to do that very often when Danny had been younger. The ghost mage knew the child just naturally relaxed when sang to…. Almost like it was a subconscious effect. It was why Desiree was certain Danny's human mother had also sung to him to put him to bed…

"Will you do something for me, first?" Desiree whispered back in his ear.

"What you want me to do?" he replied curiously. But he then got quiet when his mother answered him quietly in his ear again, and whatever she had said made him giggle.

"Okay," Danny said before lifting up a bit one of his hands and concentrated on conjuring up his ice energy in it, like his mother had asked him.

And while the child was distracted with that, Desiree reached over to the medallion and picked it up. She knew her doctor had advised her against using her powers, especially if it took large amounts of energy. And casting a permanent spell required that large amount of energy.

But this was one spell she had to cast.

She wasn't going to allow anything or anyone to harm this child again. And with this spell, she could make sure of that with or without her being physically there to protect him.

This spell, in some ways, would even be better than if Danny had that link with her and Vlad. And especially since she would be combining it with the power she knew Clockwork's medallion held—an everlasting power.

The perfect addition to assure that her spell would be timeless.

She now knew this was why Clockwork had given her the medallion. He wanted her to do this. But she had also realized something else. And although her belief initially scared her, she had now accepted it.

Her son or not, she loved Danny. And she had not lied to Clockwork when she had assured him she loved him more than her own life. And she would prove it now. Or, in some part anyways.

Although the medallion's power would make her spell irreversible, she needed to also give it… _life. _It was the only way to assure the spell could 'consciously' adapt and protect Danny. And her Life Energy was the perfect final ingredient to do just that.

Yes, at any other time, surrendering half of her Life Energy for a spell would be unthinkable, but it was hardly a sacrifice now, especially when she would never need it to form a child, anyways…

Still, she knew what she wanted to do was a bit dangerous for her well-being when she wasn't even sure her body had the energy to cast such an intricate spell. And she never had attempted to use her Life Energy for something like this. But she wasn't afraid. She _wanted_ to do this. Somehow, it made her very happy to be able to give this child a part of her, even if it would be indirectly…

Desiree smiled and kissed the child again before telling him, "I love you, Danny."

The Prince turned his head a bit to look at his mom and replied, "I love you, too, Mommy. I love you a lot!"

The Queen passed her free hand through the little ghost''s white locks before bringing her other hand up and showing him the time medallion.

Danny's eyes widened in astonishment as the medallion levitated a few inches above his mother's hand and began to glow with its blue energy.

But right then his mother began to hum a melody in his ear. And the pleasant and relaxing sound of her voice made him smile.

Still holding his ice energy in one hand, Danny used his other to reach towards Clockwork's glowing medallion, and he felt even happier at how familiar the energy felt as his fingers feathered the golden pendant with the 'CW' engraving on it. And his fingers didn't even hurt this time!

But he gasped quietly when the medallion's blue energy suddenly began to separate from the time trinket itself. And when it was over, the now dull golden medallion fell on the bed and dissolved into nothing, while its blue energy remained as a sphere still floating just above his mother's glowing pink hand.

Danny was too awed and confused to do anything but watch. However, he suddenly recalled his mother was still humming to him, though right then her melody gained words…

"_I'll make a wish for you… and hope it will come true…"_

Desiree placed her hand above her core and drew out half her life energy, which formed into a pink sphere in her other hand. She then brought it close to the blue sphere that had come from Clockwork's medallion.

"_That life will just be kind…To such a gentle mind…,"_ she continued to sing to the child, who remained unaware that her mother's words were part of her actual spell.

But he could see the effects…

Danny's mouth slightly parted when he saw the pink and blue sphere draw together, though they didn't blend. Instead, the spheres became swirls of pink and blue light, which spun together above his mother's hands.

"_If you lose your way, think back on yesterday…"_

The swirls of warm energy swiftly flew away from the ghost mage's hand and towards Danny. In turn, the child giggled softly as he watched the warm energies snake playfully around his body. But while the blue energy moved around his upper body, the pink energy curled from his tail and slithered upward, almost tickling his stomach.

But eventually, both energies met right at the Prince's glowing green core. Though, what happened next startled Danny.

His mother's Life Energy and the energy contained inside his guardian's medallion unexpectedly penetrated his body and reached his core.

Danny jolted and in his shock instantly disrupted his concentration and his ice energy vanished from his hand. He immediately reached with both hands towards his symbol, which was now flashing between blue and pink. It didn't hurt, but he could feel a warm, though strange, tingling within his core.

But his mother soon reassured him, by leaning a bit closer and grabbing his hands in hers. She hummed her melody to him in his ear again as she gently pulled his hands away from his chest and placed them forward with both his palms up. It was only when he finally relaxed that she began to sing with words once more…

"_And I'll be right behind your shoulder watching you. I'll be standing by your side in all you do. And I won't ever leave, as long as you believe…"_

"Do you believe, Danny?" she then asked him tenderly.

"Yes," Danny said quietly, almost in a trance. "I believe you, Mommy."

And with his declaration, the pink and blue energy that had entered his core suddenly exited his body again, though this time, via only one of his extended hands.

But now the swirls of light had finally joined together forming a single formation, which looked just like the symbol on the child's chest. And as the star spun around itself just inches above Danny's extended hand, it pulsed, flashing and alternating between a blue and pink hue.

The Prince stared at spinning star for a moment before looking at his other extended hand. And remembering his mother had asked him to make ice energy, he concentrated again, but this time he gathered his cold energy in his other palm until he formed an ice crystal.

And as if the energy-made star had been waiting for that, it instantly shot towards it, and penetrated the frozen crystal in Danny's other hand. And while the pink energy hid inside the ice gem, the blue energy seemed to surround it, as if it were some form of barrier…

Danny continued to watch in awe as his mother grabbed the glowing blue ice crystal out of his hand and let it levitate above her own glowing pink hand. Still, she held it in front of the child, so he could continue to observe.

"_I'll make a wish for you, and hope it will come true," _Desiree still sang, _"That life will just be kind to such a gentle mind… If you lose your way, think back on yesterday… Remember me this way…"_

As she finished her melody, a silvery glowing chain seemed to appear out of nowhere and connect to the ice crystal, forming a very unique necklace with the mysterious ice gem as its pendant. Finally, there was a burst of blue and pink light and the child scrunched his eyes closed.

But when he opened them, he gasped softly at finding the crystal amulet now in one of his hands.

Danny's eyebrows creased as he brought it closer to his face for inspection. Although the entire amulet glowed softly with his mentor's timeless blue energy, inside the crystal, he could see his mother's pink energy in the form of the royal symbol, forever spinning within its now icy home.

But what amazed him most was how it _felt_. The magical crystal felt _alive_ in some sense, almost like when he had touched the Infi-Map or… Libro.

Desiree grabbed the crystal amulet from the Prince's hand again. But she then told him again, "Remember me this way, little Phantom." She slipped the chain over his head before whispering seriously to him, "Don't ever take it off. For as long as you have it on, I will always be there to protect you."

Danny grabbed the crystal in his hands, feeling the incredible amount of energy contained within. And although he did not know just how important what his mother had just given him was, he still knew it was significant.

With a smile, the Prince let go of the crystal, allowing it to rest against his symbol. Of course, his core reacted to the familiar energy inside the crystal; and that, in turn, made the pink spiraling star inside move faster and glow brighter…

But Danny didn't see it. Instead, he turned around in his mother's arms and wrapped his own arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. "Thank you, Mommy. I promise I'll never take it off."

Desiree hugged the child back and tears fell out of her eyes by the amount of love she could feel radiating off him. Danny loved her like his true mother. And that always touched her.

The Queen was so overwhelmed by her emotions that she wasn't aware how dim her natural glow was because of the spell she had just casted. However, there was one person who noticed. And said person had just watched everything that Desiree and Danny had done…

Invisible, Vlad bit his lip, not knowing how to feel about what he had witness. Although it left no doubt in his mind that Desiree loved Daniel as much as she would have if he were her 'real' child, it only confused him. If Desiree loved Daniel enough to give him half her life energy to keep him safe, then why wouldn't she acknowledge him as hers?

And although her actions were noble, Vlad couldn't help but feel concerned by what Desiree had just done. And if he had not stopped her, it was because it wasn't in his right to tell her what she should or should not do with her Life Energy…

Vlad mentally sighed, felling the urge to make himself known and join his wife and son. But his fight with Desiree wasn't one that they could just apologize and move on. They had to _talk_.

But right now wasn't the moment. So, deciding to leave his son to his wife, Vlad teleported out of his wife's room and reappeared in his own room. He didn't know what they could say to each other to make things right again. But… He now felt compelled to do as Skulker advised him and give his wife the benefit of the doubt.

* * *

The next day, Danny was eating breakfast with his mom. But now, his father was missing.

"Mommy, I thought you were going to talk to Daddy today! So, why isn't he here?" Danny protested, his new icy necklace adorning his neck.

"I saw him head to the indoor garden just before I came here for breakfast," Dora suddenly spoke up before Desiree could answer.

The ghost mage rolled her eyes at the small smirk playing on her friend's face. Clearly she also wanted her to make-up with Vlad.

"Okay! Let's go find him!" Danny exclaimed with a grin as he flew out of his seat.

"Danny," Desiree quickly called, and then pointing back to the seat, she ordered, "Sit down and finish your breakfast."

The child pouted, but seeing his mother was not swayed, he plopped back down in his seat, threw a slice of fruit in his mouth, and then crossed his arms with a huff.

The Queen ignored the child and turned her gaze to her own food, though she had not really touched it. She was still feeling weak from the spell she had cast last night and as a result had not been that hungry when she arrived at the table, and certainly she was not hungry now that she was thinking about Vlad…

"Dora," she said quietly after a few minutes.

"Milady?" Dora asked curiously, lowering her fork and turning her full attention on her friend.

Desiree hesitated for a moment. But then she suddenly stood up, and with a small sigh, lightly ordered, "Make sure Danny finishes his breakfast."

Dora opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, the Queen turned around and left the dining room.

But seeing this, Danny grinned again and jumped out of his seat… only to be shot back down.

"Ah-ah. Prince, sit down," Dora commanded with a scolding look. "You heard your mother. Finish your breakfast."

"But I want—," Danny began to whine only to be cut off by Dora who shook her head at him. The child sighed loudly this time and reluctantly took a seat again. But suddenly getting an idea, he quickly turned his attention to his food and began to gulp it down.

"Prince Phantom! Where are your manners?" Dora exclaimed with a displeased frown.

Danny finished swallowing the last bit of food before answering with a grin. "I lost them! In my room!"

Dora blinked at his witty comeback, but seeing the child grab his drink and swallow it down as fast as his food, she quickly protested, "Yes, well, I suggest you _find_ your manners and eat like a civilized ghost!"

"Okay! I will go find them! And then _next time_ I eat like a energized ghost!" Danny assured her as he quickly set down his cup and then bolted out of the dining room with a small giggle.

"Prince!" Dora called after him, but it was too late. She then sighed in exasperation before muttering, "I said, _civilized_…"

Meanwhile, Danny had guessed right. His mother had gone off to find his father.

But as Desiree entered the garden, she turned back and closed the glass doors, making sure to further lock them. She didn't want anyone interrupting them, let alone hear what she was going to say. And the thick glass doors would definitely mute her conversation if in any case someone spotted her and Vlad out here…

The garden was very large. And although it had a main walkway, that path branched out into many others, which all led to different areas of the greenhouse.

For a moment, the Queen just looked around, trying to decide where to look for her husband. But remembering one of his preferred areas, she decided to try her luck there. She veered to a path on the left, passing two large whispering oak trees that really did speak, though it was mostly indiscernible and their voices sounded like gusts of wind.

Desiree suddenly paused when she made it to the area, but did not find her husband at the place she had hoped. She quietly sighed, the strong scents of the herbs and other medicinal plants just barely going noticed even when their fumes were almost dizzying. And yet, Desiree knew Vlad loved coming here. He had always had a fascination for these beneficial types of ghost plants. Danny, on the other hand, hardly liked this place. The strong scents always deterred him from staying near these plants for very long.

"Good morning, my Queen" a voice suddenly greeted her.

Desiree looked over to the voice and finding two of the ghost gardeners, she smiled calmly at them, "Hello, Bennie. Jasper."

Both ghosts bowed their heads politely, before Bennie asked, "Could we help you with something?"

Desiree looked around before quietly admitting, "I am looking for my hus…the King. Have either of you seen him?"

"Oh, the King. Yes, last time we saw him, he was heading in the direction of the _Kristalo Rozoj_. You know, the ones our Queen likes so much…," Bennie replied with a knowing smirk.

But Desiree just smiled weakly and nodded. "I see…. Well, thank you. If you both would excuse me…"

"Of course, Queen Desiree," Bennie replied, while Jasper nodded.

They watched the ghost mage float off, but then they looked at each other and smiled. And silently agreeing to give the couple some privacy, they put down what they were doing and headed out of the indoor garden. But just as Bennie and Jasper made it to the locked glass doors, they saw the Ghost Prince on the other side.

Danny had just arrived at the place, only to find the doors were locked. The child huffed in annoyance. How was he supposed to help his parents make up if he couldn't get to them?

But it was then he noticed two of the castle's gardeners, especially when they opened the doors for him.

"Hello, Prince," Bennie greeted him, while Jasper smiled warmly.

"Hello. My mother and father are in there, right?" Danny asked with a hopeful smile.

"Yes. But I'd leave them alone, Ghost Prince," Bennie said, raising a benign eyebrow.

"But… I want to help them…," Danny muttered, a bit put off.

Jasper responded this time, though not with words. He leaned a bit closer to the child and touched one of his hands.

Danny instantly felt the ghost's reassuring energy and he grinned a bit again as he understood the message: his parents were going to be fine.

"But there is a way you can help them, Ghost Prince," Bennie suddenly spoke up again.

"How?" Danny asked right away, perking up even more.

Jasper moved away a bit and closed the glass doors again, before Bennie answered, "You can stand watch. Make sure no one interrupts them, okay?"

The child's eyes widened a bit, but then he puffed out his chest and answered, "Okay! I can do that! I keep a lookout so no one interrupts!"

The two gardeners chuckled and patted the Prince on the head before finally walking off.

Danny watched them go for a moment before he looked back at the closed doors.

"Don't worry, Mommy. I keep a lookout while you talk to daddy," he said with a smile as he floated down to the ground and sat there to wait for his parents…

* * *

Catching sight of Vlad, Desiree bit her lip with uncertainty but still approached him. Her husband had his back to her, since he was lightly touching a flower that looked very much like a rose, except that it was see-through, almost like it was made of glass. But the way it moved like a normal plant, it clearly wasn't.

"…Vlad?" Desiree called to him.

But the King didn't react. In fact, he wasn't surprised at all. And the Queen suddenly realized that her husband had already known she was there, even when he wasn't looking at her. Still, it didn't surprise her. Vlad had the unique ability of sensing other ghosts without even needing to touch them.

"Can we…talk?" Desiree asked him quietly, though she didn't dare draw any closer.

Plasmius briefly exposed one of his claws and clipped one of the transparent roses before finally looking at his wife.

Desiree watched as her husband brought the rose up to his nose, taking in its scent before seriously replying, "Perhaps… Though I feel more inclined to simply listen for now…"

The ghost mage nodded and momentarily lowered her gaze from Vlad. She could tell he was still very upset with her… Not that she blamed him.

"I just… I want to apologize about what happened two nights ago," Desiree said to him, her eyebrows kneading with shame and sadness. "Vlad, I'm so sorry."

The King just silently studied his wife for a moment, but then finally answered, "I don't want an apology from you, Desiree. The things you said to me, you cannot take back with a simple apology."

"I know," she said, finally approaching him. "But then what am I to do?" she whispered in dismay. "Tell me, love. I'll beg you, if I must. But, please…"

The Ghost King's serious look instantly softened, and he shook his head as he quietly replied, "I do not want you to humiliate yourself. And you hurt me for even thinking otherwise."

"Does that mean there is nothing I can do to gain your forgiveness?" Desiree questioned, lowering her saddened gaze from her husband. If she couldn't even beg him, then what was she to do to fix what she did?

Vlad's own eyes fell from his wife, and there was a gloomy silence between them. But remembering the rose still in his hand, the King suddenly sighed, remembering why he had come here. It wasn't to look at the flowers themselves, but because of who they reminded him of…

Desiree looked up when he heard her husband draw closer. However, just as he paused about a foot from her, he raised the transparent rose in his hand to his lips and it slowly began to turn red with his energy.

"You don't have to do anything, Des," Vlad finally replied, moving the rose away from him and tenderly letting it touch his wife's chest as he added, "You see, I love you so much that I can't do anything else but to forgive you, which is why I don't need an apology. I already forgave you."

Desiree closed her eyes when she felt her husband's energy seep out of the rose and enter her. But suddenly not caring for such a small sample, she chanced being rejected and abruptly threw her arms around Vlad's neck and hugged him with a sudden desperation.

But to her further surprise, Vlad hugged her back.

"I suppose this makes me a fool," he whispered sorrowfully, knowing that he was letting this go too easily. "But I need you, Des. I need you more than my life. And I can't stand being apart from you another moment."

"No," Desiree quickly said, pulling away from him and placing one of her hands against his face. "No, my darling, you are no fool. But I am! I am for putting our bond at risk! You were right; I was selfish to say all those things! I was blind and—and—Oh, love! I'm so sorry for hurting you!" Desiree cried out, hugging him again.

But hearing her words, Vlad slowly pulled away again to look at her. "I hurt you, too, Des," he said sadly. "And for that I am sorry."

But Desiree shook her head. "No, I forced you to say all those things."

"That's no excuse for my disrespect. I had no right to talk to you like…like that," the King muttered. But then he suddenly grabbed her chin and added, "In spite of what I said, I _know_ you love me as much as I you, Des. So, our insults are insignificant, for they were meaningless words spoken out-of-turn from our being hurt."

"However," Vlad said, letting go of his wife's chin and taking a step away from her. "That still leaves what you said to me about Daniel… For a moment, I thought you lied to me. I thought you didn't love him."

The ghost mage's eyes widened in worry and she quickly assured him, "But I do love him, Vlad! I love him with all my soul!"

"I know," the Ghost King assured her. And seeing his wife's confused look, he added, "I know because I saw what you did last night."

"You… saw?" Desiree asked quietly, looking away, fearing her husband's disapproval.

"You used half your Life Energy for that spell, didn't you?" Vlad asked, though he was certain of it. He really wasn't sure what this spell was supposed to do exactly, except that it was somehow meant to protect Daniel; but it was without a doubt significant if she used her Life Energy in combination with the energy in one of Clockwork's medallions to cast it…

But when his wife didn't answer him, Vlad sighed and seriously repeated, "I don't want an apology from you, Desiree. But I do want you to explain to me how you _feel_. You said I didn't care about how all this with Daniel made you feel, so now I am asking you to tell me. If you love him, then why you can't accept Daniel as yours?"

But when Desiree still wouldn't even look at him, Vlad suddenly gripped his wife's hands, the rose now caught in between their hold as he pleaded, "I need you to reassure me that you are who I have always believed you to be. Please, tell me what I _need_ to hear. I've _always_ cared about how you feel. And although I could easily touch you to know, I want, I _need_, you to _tell_ me."

Desiree quietly gazed at their joined hands, vaguely noticing her favorite flower, which was now transparent again and in between their hands.

"Vlad… I love Danny," Desiree softly began. "And when I agreed to keep him, I accepted the fact that it meant we were going to give up on forming a child of our own. And since then, the thought of that child-that-never-will-be has not once crossed my mind again. I am no longer interested in forming a child because we already have one that needs us. If I can't accept Danny as my own, it has _nothing_ to do with the fact that he doesn't carry our Life Energy. It has nothing to do with my not wanting to acknowledge him as mine. The truth is… I wish with _all my core_ that I _could_ call him mine."

"Then, why can't you?" Vlad asked desperately, now more confused than ever, though it swelled in him a sense of hope.

Desiree bit her lower lip as she tried to keep her emotions in check, but ultimately she couldn't and she suddenly buried her face in her husband's chest and broke down.

"Oh, God, Vlad!" she wept. "I-I'm so afraid!"

The King quickly placed his hands on the ghost mage's back, trying to comfort her, though it was clear he was more than troubled now.

"Afraid? Of what, Desiree?" he asked fearfully.

"I-I thought that maybe if I kept in mind that Danny isn't mine that—that it wouldn't hurt as much if… if… I don't want to lose him!" she cried, gripping the inside of her husband's cape as if her life depended on it. "I don't want him to be taken away from me! I'll die! Oh, God, I'll die!"

Vlad instantly tensed and quickly grabbed his wife by the shoulders and pulled her away. "What are you talking about, Desiree? Who's going to take him away from you?" he asked, now shaken up himself.

She shook her head desperately. "I-I don't know! The Council? His human parents? What if the Council discovers he doesn't have our Life Energy, that he wasn't formed, but born from two humans? They would take him from us! They would do something horrible! And if not them, then what if his human parents find out we have their child? They would take him from us and we couldn't do anything to stop them b-because Danny is theirs!"

The ghost mage choked on a sob as she continued with her fearful rant, "I-I thought if I always acknowledged he doesn't belong to me that it wouldn't hurt as much if that happened—if someone took him from us! But even when I tried all these years to remember he's not mine, I still ended up loving him as if he were! Except that, every time I want to call him my own, I think of his parents! I think of the Council! I think of what could happen if the truth was known! A-And it terrifies me that someone, _especially_ his human mother, will take him from me!"

For a moment, Vlad could only watch as his wife buried her face in her hands and continued to weep. But then, he slowly drew closer to her and seriously implored, "Desiree, look at me."

The ghost mage lowered her hands and stared up fearfully at her husband, though the emotion obviously wasn't directed at him.

Vlad lifted his unoccupied hand and touched her Ectoplasmic Signature before saying, "I wish you would have told me this sooner. But I am still glad you did." He paused for a moment, as if trying to find the right words to reassure his wife. But he quickly decided to be direct with her and he told her with conviction, "Des, your fear is unfounded. No one is going to take Daniel away from us."

"But," the ghost mage began, only for her husband's sudden assurance in his touch and energy to silence her.

"Desiree," Vlad said with utter confidence. "_Believe_ _me_. No one. Not even his former human parents are going to take Daniel from us. I know you are sorry for their loss. And I am, too. But what happened could not be helped, so you shouldn't feel guilty for it. Since that day, Daniel no longer belongs to that world _or_ them. He belongs to _us_. He has my signature. And all he knows is _us_. To him, I am _his_ father, and you, Desiree. _You_ are his _mother_. Therefore, no one is going to take _our child_ away from us. Not the Council. Not those two human hunters. No one, Desiree. Do you understand me? No one."

Desiree could feel and see the assurance of her husband's words in his touch and in his eyes. And it brought her a sense of relief, because she did believe him. Danny was theirs. And even if by some remote chance his human parents would learn the truth, she was now certain Vlad would never allow anyone to take Danny from her.

Desiree smiled at him and placed one of her own hands on his core, "I believe you, love. And I am sorry for not sharing this sooner. I know it doesn't justify the things I said, but I promise I will never put anyone before you and Danny. And to prove it to you, I…I want you to do as you think necessary in regards to Spectra and Bertrand."

Vlad's eyes widened and he lowered his hand from his wife, though he could feel the pain she felt at uttering that last comment.

"You are going to let me arrest your sister?" the King whispered.

Desiree nodded. "I…I now know you were right about Spectra. And if it's the only way to get her to learn her place, then so be it."

"I see," Vlad muttered, now sure his wife had confronted her sister. And that only further proved that Desiree really was sorry for all that happened two nights ago. But even if it was for the best that she had finally realized the truth, he wished he could have saved her the pain all the same. After all, he knew Desiree would always love her sister no matter what.

"Thank you, my dear. And do not be sad, you will always have me and Daniel, hmm?" Plasmius said tenderly, raising the rose up for her to see it before putting it in her hair.

Desiree smiled at that and then teasingly said, "Oh, my sweet King. Your gifts and kind words could easily capture any female's core."

But Vlad shook his head and seriously replied, "No, Desiree. I'm only interested in capturing _yours_."

"You captured it a long time ago, Vlad," Desiree said, placing her hand against his face and smiling lovingly at him.

The Ghost King finally smiled and taking a step closer, he gave his wife a soft kiss. However, he soon broke away and pressed his forehead against her own as he quietly pleaded, "Let us never fight like that again."

"Never," Desiree assured him with a soft sigh, but then feeling his hands on her, she turned around in his arms and leaned up against him. She closed her eyes and just relished the feel of her husband's lips tenderly touching her face, neck, and even her shoulders.

She really was blessed to have this male as her husband. And for a brief moment, she wondered what she would have done if Vlad had set his eyes on Spectra instead of her… But the thought vanished from her mind with another of her husband's kisses, and she was certain it wasn't even a possibility. She wasn't sure if she deserved Vlad, but she was thankful to have him, because she could feel how much he was thankful to have her.

Desiree finally opened her eyes at feeling one of Vlad's hands slide down her arm before he brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "You see those _Rozoj_?"

The ghost mage turned her attention to the rose bushes in front of her. "Yes," she said, reaching towards the transparent flowers and lightly touching their soft peddles, further smiling at how they turned pink with her energy.

"They remind me of you," he told her as he continued to kiss her. "They're soft. They react to my touch in the most enticing way. And as delicate as they are, they are confident, as if they know they are beautiful. But you know what I love most? …They intoxicate me with their sweet scent… just like you."

At hearing her husband's sweet words, Desiree blushed in a way she had not since Vlad had courted her.

And by the way her husband chuckled, he clearly noticed it. But then, he pulled back a bit to push her hair to the side. And as he ran his fingers down her back, he further said, "But I like to think they envy you because you have one extra thing they don't have…"

"And what is that?" Desiree asked quietly, closing her eyes again with his touch.

Vlad moved up against her again and told her in her ear once more, "Your voice… I _love_ the sound of your voice. It's so soothing and warm, especially when you use it for singing…"

Desiree opened her eyes, finally realizing where her husband was going with this. She turned her head slightly to look at him as she asked with a smile, "Oh, so you also heard me singing to Danny?"

"I did," Vlad replied, his eyes on her lips. "…I was almost _jealous_."

Desiree chuckled lightly, before grabbing the back of his head with one of her hands and pulling him in for a kiss.

"I suppose that means you want me to sing to you, too?" she retorted, raising a teasing eyebrow when she broke away.

"Perhaps," Vlad replied, grabbing the hand tangled in his hair and lowering it back down. "Or, perhaps…," he added before doing something he had not since they were only courting.

"_I hear the wind call your name. It calls me back home again_," her husband sang in her ear, his deep voice holding a mixture of softness and mirth.

Desiree laughed softly, though it made her so emotional, she felt tears prickling at the corner of her eyes.

"_It sparks up the fire—a flame that still burns,"_ Vlad continued, lightly touching her symbol before raising his hand to her face and turning it enough to get her to look at him. _"Oh it's to you I will always…. __**always**__…,"_

"_Return_," Desiree finished for him and then kissed him passionately, while her tail curled around him, pulling him closer.

Vlad ran both of his hands down his wife's body, this time going even lower. And as he placed his hand on her bear stomach, one of his wife's hands came down and joined his hand, while his other one moved to the back of her head.

"Desiree," he muttered in between their lips before closing his eyes and holding her even closer.

They were so wrapped up with each other, neither noticed when Vlad began to glow red. But the King did notice something foreign yet strangely alluring in his wife's feel; and although it wasn't the first time he had now sensed it, this time, it was stronger, more pronounced.

It instinctively sent a new sort of warmth through his body, though it was strongest in his core and… the hand touching his wife's abdomen. But unbeknownst to Plasmius, Desiree was now also feeling that same warmth, and the feeling seemed to curl and intensify mostly in her stomach, the longer her husband's hand continued to touch her.

And then something even more unexpected happened.

Vlad's hand touching his wife unwillingly flashed red with his energy, and he gasped in alarm when he felt it _taken_ from him.

"Des!" he choked out as he stumbled away from her, suddenly feeling very weak.

"Vlad!" Desiree gasped out, gripping her stomach, while noticing _her_ body was now glowing with his red energy. But seeing her husband's dim white hue, the ghost mage's eyes widened. Did she just take some her husband's energy?

But before the couple could even think of how to react to what just happened, the red hue around Desiree's body unexpectedly absorbed inside her…. and her natural hue snuffed out with it.

"V-Vlad?" she could only whisper weakly.

"Desiree!" Vlad exclaimed when right then, his wife fainted. But somehow, he managed to grab her before she could hurt herself. Still, because he was also feeling extremely weak, he fell on his knees with her.

"Des! **Des!**" the King yelled at her as he lightly shook her unresponsive form in his arms.

But when she still didn't move, Vlad repositioned the ghost mage in his arms and forced himself to his feet. He then moved in the direction of the indoor garden's exit as fast as his own weakened body let him.

However, at the instant he reached the glass doors he froze at finding his son sitting on the floor on the other side.

It only took Danny a second to react at the sight of his unconscious mother.

"Mommy!" he cried in horror.

"Daniel, no! Stop!" Vlad immediately exclaimed when the child opened the doors and flew at him.

The child instantly halted, though he wanted to touch his mother. "What's wrong with my mommy?" the child choked out, terrified at how still she was.

"I-I don't know," Vlad replied, barely able to keep down his own panic. "Daniel, go find Dora. Go find her. Now, Daniel!"

The Prince quickly nodded and bolted out of the greenhouse.

Vlad only briefly noticed that his son had just left before he moved over to a large patio loveseat and placed his wife on it. He then kneeled beside her, and ignoring his spinning vision, he pressed his hand against her symbol.

But he felt nothing.

"Desiree! Please, wake up! My dearest, please!" Vlad continued to plead; but his wife still remained unresponsive.

* * *

**Desiree's song: By Jordan Hill. 'Remember me this way'**

**Vlad's song: By Byran Adams. 'I will always return'**

**Yeah, another evil cliff hanger. I told you all my muse was going to get back at you all for the… **_**things**_** a few of you have done to him in those chatrooms. Heh-heh.**

**Anyways, I'll try to update this sooner than this last time. Also, for those that don't know NewGhostGirl did 'movie trailers' for this story and Checkmate. They are awesome and they got me all giddy to read these stories until I recalled they were **_**my**_** stories! Lol! Anyways, go to my profile. The links are there next to each story's summary. Also, I updated my profile a bit, especially the 'future fic' section. *winks***

**Well, for those who are still with me with this story, thank you all for your support! See you on Saturday with another Sid update and hopefully *crosses fingers* Checkmate, too! **

**Ta!**


	29. Chapter 27: Conflict of Emotions

**Hello all! I told you guys I'd have the next chapter of DoaS sooner than that last one. Yay for me! *giggles* But, sadly, I won't be able to do reviews on this go. I wanted to, but I've been busy these past few days with 'life'. Heh-heh. So, I answered you if you had a question. But for the rest, just know that I loved to read your reactions and thoughts of that last chapter! Thank you! And I will do my best to reply to reviews on this next go! Well, here's more suspenseful build-up your way. And more of everyone's favorite conflicted dragon ghost! *winks***

**See you all at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and the 'OCs' are my own. Um-hmm.**

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**Chapter 27: Conflict of Emotions**

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"Daddy? Is mommy okay now? She's okay, right?" Danny anxiously questioned as he tugged on his father's white cape.

"She'll be fine, Daniel," Vlad automatically muttered, his gaze on his wife's closed bedroom door.

"But why was she like that? Why won't she wake up?" the child continued, floating a bit higher in hopes of getting his father to look at him.

"I don't know. Let's just wait for the doctor to finish," the King replied in the same dazed, though serious voice.

"When is he going to come out?" Danny whined. But when his father didn't answer this time, he tugged harder on his father's clothing and whined louder, "Father? Answer me! When is he going to come out? He's been in there forever! Can't we just go in now? Please? Daddy? Dad—"

"Daniel!" Vlad abruptly snapped, yanking his cape out of his son's hands and whirling around to face him. "I _don't know_, alright?" he said forcefully. "Now, enough! Just…" The King sighed. "Be quiet," he muttered before turning back around to stare at the closed door.

The Prince's eyebrows drew together unhappily, but before he could say anything to his father, he felt someone grab one of his hands. He turned and stared up at Dora's tender face.

"Prince, why don't you come with me? Your father is a bit… _stressed_," she worded carefully. And when she saw Vlad glance back at her, she frowned at him in disapproval.

But the King just sighed and turned away again, while the dragon maid continued in her attempt to convince his son to go with her. Vlad knew he should try to comfort Daniel, but he was too confused and afraid to even try. The scene in the garden kept coming back to his mind over and over again. And as he mused about the events, trying to figure out what had happened to his wife, he just couldn't come to any sort of conclusion. And, yet… he continued to have the sinking feeling that he was to blame… Did he unintentionally hurt his wife?

"No, I don't want to go play! I want to see my mother!" Danny suddenly said angrily.

"But, Prince?" Dora began, sounding worried now.

"Dora, leave him be," Vlad softly ordered before she could say anymore. "I appreciate your intentions, but it's fine."

"Are you certain, milord?" Dora questioned back, certain that the King was in no condition to deal with his anxious son.

But just when he was about to respond, the door finally opened and everyone jolted in surprise.

However, Danny's mood quickly melded into excitement. "Mommy!" he shouted, and ignoring the doctor altogether, he flew right past him and into his mother's room.

"Daniel!" Vlad exclaimed in protest.

But Desiree's doctor quickly reassured the King, "It's fine, King Plasmius. Queen Desiree is awake and well now, so I see no reason why the Prince cannot see her."

Vlad's eyes widened with the news, but then a small smile grew on his lips as he asked, hopeful, "She's awake now? Truly?"

The doctor nodded and smiled. But it soon melded into a frown and he further asked, "Is there a place where we could talk… in private?"

Plasmius' own smile fell and he couldn't keep the worry off his face. Still, he nodded.

"Dora, can you tend to Daniel?" Vlad asked, knowing his wife was probably tired and the six-year-old could be more than a handful at times.

"Of course, sire," Dora replied and then headed into her best friend's room.

The King watched her go, but then he looked back at Kuracisto and quietly gestured for him to follow. It was only when he and Vlad were inside his private lounge that Plasmius spoke up.

"What is wrong with my wife?" he asked, dropping all formalities and looking at the doctor with just as much anxiety as any other scared husband would.

Kuracisto sighed and shook his head. "That's the true problem. I do not know. Aside from her unexpected energy losses, her vitals and system appear fine. I have checked her core more times than I recall anymore and I can find nothing to explain why she loses so much energy at seemingly random times. I have even spoken with other doctors concerning Queen Desiree's condition, but no one has encountered anything like it. I fear that there might not be anything more I can do for her."

Plasmius remained silent for a moment, clearly trying to process what he was hearing before daring to ask the most dreaded question… "Is she going to die?"

Kuracisto crossed his arms and directly told him, "I have found no evidence that the Queen's condition is life threatening. But, unfortunately, I cannot assure you of that, either—especially when these energy losses seem to grow more serious with each episode."

"She casted a strong spell yesterday," Vlad told him. "Maybe that's why she fainted this time."

"Yes, she told me of her spellbinding," Kuracisto replied with a disapproving frown. "And I honestly don't understand why she did it when I advised her against it. In any case, I don't believe her losing awareness was solely the result of the spell. It clearly weakened her, since she used a significant amount of energy, but I strongly believe that such consequence as her fainting would have manifested itself right away—not the next day. Perhaps something happened to her while she was in the garden with you. And _that something,_ plus her already weakened state from last night, triggered this unfortunate incident…"

Vlad's eyebrows creased when he saw the doctor's expectant look. He clearly wanted to hear from him what had happened.

"We were just talking. We… had an argument, so we were simply working it out. Afterwards, well… I'm sure you can imagine," Vlad said, his cheeks just slightly brightening with a white hue.

Kuracisto was quiet for a moment, but then he told the King with all his professionalism and patience, "I know I'm asking you to divulge personal information, but I can assure you that I would never ask this of you if it wasn't necessary. And in this case, it is very necessary for you to be a bit more detailed with me. I would ask the Queen, since _she_ is my patient. But considering she is still recovering, you can understand she still doesn't have the clarity of mind to relay the details of her activities before she fell unconscious."

Vlad sighed, but then he nodded and proceeded to tell the doctor what had happened between his wife and him. And although he knew it was necessary, it didn't help him keep down his embarrassment.

"You say you felt like she took energy from you?" Kuracisto questioned after hearing the King's story. "And through the hand on her abdomen? Are you sure it wasn't the hand you had on her _core_?"

Plasmius pinched the bridge of his nose as he said with another sigh, "I know it makes absolutely no sense, but that's what I felt." He looked back at the ghost doctor and seriously added, "Something is different about my wife, Kuracisto. I can _feel_ it."

"Different? In a bad way?" the doctor carefully questioned.

Plasmius shook his head. "I…No, it's not bad. It's just… different—_alluringly_ different…"

"Well, I do not have an explanation for what you're feeling…" Kuracisto said thoughtfully. "However, if she did absorb enough energy from you to weaken you, then it could be the reason the Queen fell unconscious. You might have an energy bond with her, being that she is your mate. However, every ghost's energy is different, especially when they have different types of cores—which is also the case with you and the Queen. As a result, so much foreign energy could have shocked her core enough to cause her to lose awareness…"

But staring curiously at the King, Kuracisto added, "And yet, now that her core has gotten over the initial shock of absorbing so much of your energy, the Queen is doing well. Actually, your energy did her a lot more good than the energy of a Nova. But what truly surprises me is that _you_ seem well even after losing as much energy as you did…"

Plasmius internally cringed, but he offhandedly replied, "I guess I just recover my energy quickly."

"Perhaps," Kuracisto muttered, "In any case, I strongly believe that we should investigate this further. Perhaps if we can determine whether the energy transfer was initiated by her or… by you, then it can shed some light on the Queen's mysterious condition. Because if she _took_ your energy, then perhaps, if she did it again in a _medical_ _setting_, I could trace where her body is redirecting the energy. But then, if you _gave_ her your energy, then…" Kuracisto trailed off. But then as if his train of thought brought on another, he abruptly asked the King, "Is it possible, King Plasmius, that you might have… _accidently_ triggered your core to release some of its energy into the Queen?"

Plasmius' eyes widened slightly and he suddenly pressed a hand against his chest and turned around as he muttered mostly to himself, "I don't know. Perhaps. It all happened so fast that I… God, what if it was my fault? What if I'm doing something to Desiree? It would explain why you can't find anything wrong with her, because she's not the problem. I am!"

"King Plasmius, calm down," Kuracisto quickly said, walking around to get the other ghost to look at him. "I never said anything of the sort. And there is no proof of that."

"Then, how do you explain why she fainted after I touched her?" Vlad said in distress.

"King Plasmius, even if you did have something to do with it, the Queen's condition cannot solely be your doing. Also, let me remind you that whatever you did has helped her," Kuracisto stressed. But when the King said nothing, the male doctor sighed and added, "It is possible that you triggered something in her system while you both were in the garden. And it is possible that perhaps there is something in your own system to which she is reacting. However, the issue with her energy deficit is in _her_ body. It is a constant loss, though it seems to spark at random intervals. My concern is that I cannot find _why_ her body is losing energy. I still cannot determine _why_ her body suddenly needs more energy than her core can keep up with. That's my true concern, King Plasmius."

Vlad closed his eyes, trying to push his emotions aside and think of this logically. "What do you suggest?" he asked seriously after a moment.

Kuracisto didn't hesitate to reply, "I would like you to come see me with her tomorrow. I would like to check you and further check her own reaction to your energy. I have a feeling that the answer to the Queen's mystery condition has to do with why she absorbed some of your energy."

Vlad looked away, having already feared that that's what the doctor would want. But although he really did not want to be examined, because of the risks it would mean, he still agreed. He didn't care what it took, but he wanted Desiree to be well again. And for that to happen, the doctor had to find out what exactly was wrong with her. The king would do whatever was necessary for that.

"Very well," he said quietly. But then he asked, "So, my wife is stable now?"

"Yes, King Plasmius. Once her core recovered from the shock of absorbing so much of your energy, she came to almost immediately. As I said, she is doing a lot better than she had been the last time I saw her. Her energy level is good and her core is now working normally again."

Plasmius just nodded, but then asked, "Should I… keep away from her?"

Kuracisto smiled a bit before placing a hand on the King's shoulder, "Don't worry. That will be unnecessary. As I said, I think you did her a favor. Just… be careful for your sake. A ghost's core can only recover lost energy so fast, even if it seems you have the gift of recovering it a bit faster."

Vlad smiled weakly and replied, "Thank you, Kuracisto."

The doctor nodded. "It's my pleasure, my King."

* * *

"What happened to you, Mommy? Why wouldn't you wake up?" Danny questioned as he sat on his spectral tail beside his mother on her bed.

Desiree smiled as she reached for the crystal amulet hanging on the child's neck and gently played with it. "I don't know, little Phantom," she finally replied. "But I am all better now. So, don't worry anymore, alright?"

The child just stared at her, but then he wrapped his arms around his mom's lying form as best he could. And resting his head on her abdomen, he muttered, "You scared me. I didn't like seeing you like that."

"I know, Danny. But, really, I'm going to be just fine," Desiree answered, passing a soothing hand through his white locks, though her eyes reflected her true worry and fear.

And Dora, who was standing beside her friend's bed, noticed it. The dragon maid bit her lip in order to keep her emotions under control. She really did not like what was happening to the Queen. It had been strange at first, but now, it was very frightening and troubling. How was it that she looked fine one day and the next she was suffering from bizarre energy losses and now she had even fallen unconscious?

"You feel strange, Mommy," Danny abruptly told her with a small shudder before he pulled away in confusion when he had touched her oddly warm abdomen.

Desiree frowned, not sure what to say to the child's comment. She had thought that the tingling sensation she felt in her stomach was her imagination, but now Danny was touching her and telling her she felt odd. What in the world was wrong with her?

Suddenly not wanting to be lying down anymore, she used her hands to slowly sit up, all the while feeling a bit relieved that she didn't feel weak, though she still felt slightly disoriented.

"Milady, please don't stress yourself. Allow me to help you," Dora quickly said and moved to reposition her friend's pillow so she could sit up better.

Danny, of course, also did his best to help. And when his mother was comfortably in a sitting position, he floated down on the bed again and asked her, "You better now, Mommy?"

Desiree chuckled lightly, "Yes, little Phantom. Thank you. And you, too, Dora."

"Of course, milady," Dora said with a weak smile.

Desiree noticed that her friend was worried and she reached out and grabbed one of her hands, squeezing it in reassurance.

"You know," the ghost mage then said with a meek smile as she let go. "I'm suddenly really hungry."

Dora chuckled a bit as she answered, "Perhaps because you did not touch your breakfast this morning, milady. But I will gladly inform George to prepare you something."

"I'd appreciate that," the ghost mage said, placing a hand against her empty stomach, though she mostly did it to sooth the strange hot tingling…

Right then, there was a knock on the door and Vlad and Kuracisto then walked in.

The Queen and King instantly locked eyes. But seeing how troubled her husband was, Desiree readily smiled encouragingly at him. To her further worry, however, he didn't respond back.

"Danny?" Dora suddenly said. "Do you think you could help me get your mother something to eat?"

The Prince looked uncertainly at his mother. But when he saw her wink at him, he nodded back at Dora and replied, "Okay…"

The child gave his mother a kiss before he left with Dora.

Once they were gone, Kuracisto moved over to Desiree to check her energy and core one more time. And finding no change and seeing she was still stable, the doctor then told the Queen what he had told the King. But to Kuracisto's surprise, Desiree wasn't as willing to go through with the examination of her and her husband as the King was.

"No. It's not necessary. My husband has nothing to do with my condition," Desiree said with a small worried frown directed mostly at Vlad.

"As I told the King, I do not believe so, either. But it's best to rule out that possibility whether it's slim or not," Kuracisto answered. "In any case, because you are reacting oddly to his energy, it is possible that it will shed some light on your condition."

"We understand, Kuracisto. And we will be there tomorrow," Vlad replied with a small smile.

But Desiree still protested, "Vlad, no. You—"

"It's fine, Desiree," her husband assured her.

But she shook her head. "No, it's not fine!"

Kuracisto was clearly confused by the Queen's forceful refusal. And he cleared his throat before saying, "If I may, Queen Desiree. These examinations are very standard and there really is no risk to you or your husband."

"With all due respect, Kuracisto, you don't understand. Really, I am just fine. And it's not necessary."

Kuracisto frowned, but had no other option but to nod. "If that's your decision…"

Not wanting to argue about this in front of the doctor, Vlad didn't press the issue. But when Kuracisto said his good-byes to the couple, the King quickly offered to walk him out of the room. Once they were alone, Vlad told the doctor, "You will have to forgive my wife. You see… I have a sensitive core. And, well, she worries. I never do well with medications and such things. But don't worry, I'll talk with her."

Kuracisto seemed to finally understand the problem and nodded. "I see. Well, I am glad you told me. If you do manage to convince her, I'll be sure to use extra precaution. But, really, there is nothing to be concerned about."

Vlad just nodded and thanked him. When he finally closed the door, he sighed to himself before returning to his wife.

"I know what you're thinking, and you are wrong. This was not your fault, Vlad," Desiree said, looking upset.

"How can you be so sure?" Vlad asked quietly, resting his back against the closed door and looking distraught at his wife. "You know my powers and energy is still growing. For goodness sake, Desiree, I can _regenerate_ my own energy. What normal ghost can do that? Please don't try to assure me of something that you cannot possibly know."

Desiree was quiet for a moment. But then she smiled at him and stretched out a hand towards her husband. But when Vlad just stared uncertainly back at her, she said, "Don't be afraid, love. You can touch me."

Plasmius hesitated a moment but then walked over to her and sat down on the bed beside her.

Desiree grabbed one of his hands and ignoring the stronger tingling in her stomach, she told him, "I know what I felt, Vlad. And you _didn't_ hurt me. That's why I can assure you this isn't your fault. But I think I hurt you..," she finished sadly.

"No, you didn't. I'm fine, Des," the King assured her quietly.

Desiree sat up a bit more and wrapped her arms around her husband, resting her head under his chin. "Oh, Vlad. I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel so strange… It frightens me, love."

The King sighed as he lightly rubbed his wife's back. "I know, Des. That's why we have to do as Kuracisto suggested."

"I don't want this to become a bigger problem than it is, Vlad. Look, perhaps, this was just a result of my spell yesterday. I promise I'll start taking better care of myself. But, please, I don't want you to take such a risk."

"But, Desiree," Vlad began.

"If I weaken again, we'll go, alright? But, please, let's wait a bit before turning to _that_," Desiree insisted.

And knowing that he was not changing his wife's mind and also understanding her reluctance, he agreed to her terms.

"Alright, Des. But if you weaken even in the slightest, we are going," he told her seriously.

Desiree pulled away. And giving him a kiss on the cheek, she nodded in agreement. But then, she placed a hand on the side of his face and tenderly assured him, "I love you, my sweet husband."

Vlad gave her a warm, though still troubled smile as he answered back, "And I love you…my dearest wife."

* * *

Gregor huffed in aggravation as he sat with Tom on a park bench, seemingly enjoying the view—what there was of it, since it was all covered in snow. He was certain that today was the coldest day of this December month so far because it still was snowing. He watched with a frown as more snowflakes accumulated on his legs. Not only that, every time he sighed or opened his mouth for anything, the air inside his mouth would fog up. And… he was very, _very_ cold draped in just his normal, thin black long-sleeve shirt and his white vest and pants.

But the young dragon tried to dismiss his discomfort, focusing back on why he and Tom were sitting here. He was certain that they were there for something other than just looking at these miserable sights. Still, whatever the reason for being there, he hardly cared. What he did care about was the fact that he was once again forced to spend his day with this human. When he had been allowed to return to his master about a week back, Gregory had hoped it meant he wouldn't have to see Tom very often anymore... He had hoped in vain. But what was worse, for the past four of those seven days, his master never failed to take him back to the 'GiW' facility early every morning, and then Tom would return him to Freakshow late that evening.

Oddly, though, Gregor had been spending most of his time with Tom _outside_. They kept going to different places in Amity Park and the ghost hunter would explain to him the importance of each place and then finally he would tell the child some sort of 'code name' for the area. Naturally, Gregor was ordered to remember it, along with many of the details of the different areas.

But, today, they were at the park. But unlike the other places, Tom was not really explaining anything to him. The man hadn't even told him what the code name for this place was—not that the child knew why the hunter was even giving certain places 'code names' in the first place. Instead, they had been sitting on this park bench for almost thirty minutes now. And yet, what was most surprising to Gregor was Tom himself…

This was the first time the dragon ghost had seen him wearing something besides a white suit. For once, the man was wearing a pair of normal jeans, a white sweater, scarf, gloves, and a red-and-white leather jacket. It was such a strange sight for the ten-year-old…

Gregory glanced up at Tom, but seeing he seemed more interested in their surroundings, the child lowered his eyes to his own now numb lap again. And his mind drifted back to how cold he was. The child didn't know why, but for some reason, when he wore the Gem of Form and the energy-masking ring on his finger, he couldn't effectively keep himself warm. In spite of the fact that his ghost body was naturally much chillier than a human, his internal body and core did have to stay at a constant warm temperature, especially when he had a hot core. And he usually did that with his energy. But since his energy was suppressed… it made it virtually impossible to keep warm.

"Why are we just sitting here?" Gregor suddenly asked, unable to bear this inactivity anymore and also needing to focus on something else beside how cold he was.

Tom almost tenderly patted the boy on the head before spreading his arms back across the bench. "Patience, Gregor. Or, what? Do you prefer to be killing something instead of sitting here and enjoying the view?"

The child scowled at the man before crossing his arms and huffing again, "Does this place even have a _code_ _name_?" He then added sarcastically, "Or, is it not _special_ _enough_ for one?"

"My special OP team refers to this place as 'sector B'," Tom replied offhandedly. "But we've rarely seen activity here in the past…"

Gregor didn't have the slightest idea what the man had meant by that, but he wasn't interested enough to ask. Actually, his eyes began to wander around the park, watching with slight curiosity as children of all ages played in the snow. Others were ice skating on the frozen lake with their… parents or other adults. And then other people—_couples_, mostly—were just enjoying each other's companies in some secluded spot, usually under snow-covered trees.

"What's wrong?"

Gregory blinked up at Tom at hearing his sudden question. "What?"

"Why are you shivering?" the man asked a bit impatiently.

The child stiffened, realizing he had accidently let himself show how cold he was. But looking away, he still answered the man emotionlessly, "I'm cold."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "How can _you_ be cold? I wasn't aware that… _your type_ got cold."

Gregory just shrugged and continued to look around.

The ghost hunter regarded the ghost kid for a moment, but then he smirked for some reason and unzipped his red-and-white jacket before unexpectedly pulling the child to him.

Gregor yelped in surprise and quickly tried to push the man away as he demanded in annoyance, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to warm you up. Can't have you getting sick, Gregor," Tom said with a chuckle as he wrapped an arm around the dragon ghost so that his upper body was protected against the snow by his arm and jacket.

Gregor whined in discomfort, but he only weakly struggled a bit more before giving up when he realized how much better he suddenly felt. The man was _so warm_.

Gregory sighed, but finally stayed still. But as the minutes ticked away, his body began to relax even more and he suddenly felt really tired. He had not been able to sleep very well last night from how cold it was at the circus inside the cage in which he slept. But also… he kept having nightmares…

And one in particular suddenly came to his mind and he closed his eyes with the memory.

"_Gregory, my child, why are you so upset?"_

"_I was playing with Elliot and I hurt my wing, Father!" he wept._

"_Oh, I see. Well then, let's have a look, shall we…?"_

Gregory suddenly shivered, but this time it wasn't from the cold, but rather, at the memory of that comforting voice and how he somehow could imagine being held close by it.

"_Patro," (1) _he whispered in Ghost Speech as he unconsciously wrapped his arm around Tom's torso and got closer to him.

Tom raised a questioning eyebrow at the child's odd behavior. But then he chuckled again and said, "If I didn't hate your kind so much, I'd easily forget what you are..."

Gregory didn't answer and just kept his arm around the man, too comfortable to care what the hunter was saying.

But then Thomas sighed and glanced down at his watch. "I'm beginning to lose my own patience. Where is he?" he muttered before his eyes briefly searched for that person again. But then, he glanced back at what he had also been watching this whole time.

The Fentons.

Madeline and her daughter were out on the ice, while Jack was sitting on a nearby bench tinkering with some instrument—probably a ghost device.

"Those two haven't changed much," Tom said with a smirk. Ever since Jack came to the 'GiW' facility to tell him that he was quitting, the ghost hunter had not really encountered him or Madeline. They'd see glimpses of each other every-now-and-then, since Amity Park wasn't that large, but they had not crossed a word for almost six years now.

But that was about to change.

"Agent C?"

Tom's eyes darted over to his right and he grinned at the sight of Damon and his daughter walking up to him and Gregor.

But the young dragon also noticed the sound of that male voice. He slowly pulled away a bit from Tom and curiously looked at the father and daughter. What were they doing here?

"Hi, Gregor!" Valerie said with a grin when she noticed the other child.

The ghost kid stared uncertainly at her for a moment before weakly smiling and waving back at her.

"There you are, Gray," Tom said, removing his arm from around Gregor and standing up.

The child cringed when the cold air instantly bit at his skin, sending goose-bumps through him.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I had a misunderstanding with Valerie's babysitter and, well, I couldn't wait for her arrival. So, I had to bring my daughter with me," Damon explained, sounding upset by the situation.

"No need to worry, Gray," Tom replied with a calm smile. "Your daughter isn't in any danger. I just needed to talk with you in person. The time of our operation is quickly nearing, after all…"

Damon's face tensed, but he said nothing. Instead, he looked at his daughter and said, "Valerie, sweetheart, why don't you go play while daddy talks with Agent C?"

"But I thought we were going to go ice skating, Daddy," Valerie said with a frown as she lifted up her skates.

"We will, sweetheart. But after I finish talking, okay?"

Valerie smiled this time and nodded. But then she looked at Gregor and asked, "You wanna play with me?"

Gregor frowned in response, not sure what that even meant. But before he could ask, Tom answered for him.

"Of course, he can. Go on, Gregor. _Go play_," Tom said teasingly to the dragon ghost.

The child stared at the ghost hunter with uncertainty. It always creeped him out when Tom got all 'nice' like this. But he knew by the tone of the man's voice that Tom wasn't giving him an option. Gregory stood up off the bench and followed Valerie down the path towards the frozen lake.

"What do you want to talk about?" Damon asked, skipping any run around.

Thomas smirked in response before sitting back down on the bench. "Why don't you have a seat, first, Gray?"

"No, thanks," Damon replied, crossing his arms in annoyance. He didn't even understand why the hunter had made him come out here instead of meeting him at Axion, like usual.

"To the point, then? Alright," Tom said with a shrug. "I need you to ask the Fentons to make you another ghost shield; but this one should be fitted for the _inside_ of one of the labs in your facility."

Damon instantly frowned. "What? But the labs already have shields surrounding them. Why do you need one inside?"

"That's for me to worry about. All you need to do is what I say," Tom replied causally.

But Damon quickly glared. "Don't forget that I'm the owner of Axion. So, I _do_ have every right to worry about what you do there."

"Don't forget who I am and our agreement, Gray," Tom said calmly, though his eyes turned cold with threat. "You aren't doing me any favors, but, rather, this is for the good of _all_ mankind. Now, I don't think I am asking much of you. I simply need you to request the Fentons to make you another ghost shield. Surely they will agree. After all, they seem to trust you."

Damon studied the ghost hunter for a moment before asking, "You are not trying to do anything against them, are you?"

Tom barked out a laugh. "Why would I want to do anything against them? Even if they refuse to contribute their services to the government, as leader of my division, I still have the means of _using_ them for my purpose. So, no, I am not after the Fentons. As I told you before, Gray, I'm the _good guy_. In fact, the Fentons would be thrilled with my idea. After all, they also want the Ghost King's threat to our world eliminated. Now, come on. Stop being so difficult and simply do as I ask."

"Fine. I'll call them up tomorrow," Damon said with a sigh.

But Tom shook his head. "No need," he replied before pointing in a certain direction.

Damon turned his head and his eyes widened at finding Jack Fenton some distance away. "Wait… Did you _plan_ this?"

"Just because they don't work for me doesn't mean I don't keep a close eye on them, Gray," Tom answered offhandedly. "I need to know the Fentons' response right now. So, feel free to go over there and ask them. Also, I need you to see if they will divulge to you what exactly they use to make these ghost shields. And if it's ecto-uranium, then try to get them to tell you where they get it. Knowing Jack Fenton as I do, he will be more than happy to share the details of his inventions with you."

"You expect me to just go over there and start talking to him about ghost equipment?" Damon asked with distaste.

"If you can't be more creative, yes," Tom replied with a smirk.

Damon rolled his eyes, but then said, "Fine. Just let me—"

"Oh, don't worry about your daughter," Tom interrupted him, already knowing what he was going to say. "I'll watch her while you have that chat with Jack."

Damon looked unsure at the ghost hunter before turning his eyes to his daughter. But seeing she seemed to be entertained with her new friend, he nodded and finally walked off.

Tom watched, pleased, as the other man headed over to Jack. But then he soon turned his attention over to Gregor and Valerie. And seeing the ghost kid actually playing with the human girl, the man's grin widened—with malice…

* * *

"You want to have a snowball fight?" Valerie said as she found a good open spot with a few trees that they could play.

Gregor paused in his step and frowned at the girl as he asked her, "You want to fight me?"

"Yeah!" she answered obliviously as she gathered up some snow and began to make a ball.

But the boy shook his head. "I don't want to fight you. I'll hurt you."

Valerie looked up at him, confused, and answered, "No you won't. You just gotta throw snow at me. Like this!"

Gregor gasped when he was thrown onto his butt by a ball of snow to his face, which also knocked off his sunglasses. At first, all he could do was stare at the giggling girl. But then, his green eyes suddenly flashed red, though, luckily the bright sun hid most of the effect.

"You just made a big mistake," he hissed, and without hesitation, he jumped to his feet and lunged forward at Valerie.

However, the girl thought the boy was playing and seemingly guessing his actions, she darted out of his reach; and when she saw Gregor fall into the snow after hitting nothing but air, she giggled at him. And then with another bout of laugher, Valerie took off towards a nearby tree.

Gregory blinked in surprise when he realized he had missed the girl. But then pushing himself out of the snow, he saw her flee from him, which quickly triggered his instincts. He took off like a bullet after her.

But just when he thought he was about to reach her, Valerie reached the tree first, and ran around it. Naturally, Gregor followed her, only to be cut off guard again and knocked back down onto his bottom by another snowball.

The older boy sputtered out the icy pieces that went into his mouth before looking back up at the laughing girl.

"Ha-ha! You are _really bad_ at snowball fights!" she said in a fit of laughter.

Gregory just stared, confused, honestly not knowing what to do. Were they fighting or not? She had attacked him, but then, why was she laughing about it? And it wasn't a mocking laugh, either; but a happy benevolent one…

Gregor looked down at the snow on the ground and something finally clicked at that moment. And acting on his hunch, he quickly grabbed some snow, barely formed it into a ball and threw it at the laughing girl.

She instantly stopped giggling and stumbled back in surprise. "Hey, that was a sneak attack! No fair!"

A smile slowly curled the boy's lips, quite amused with the girl as she tried to wipe away the snow on her. But then when he saw her suddenly grab snow, he quickly rolled out of the way just as she threw it at him and then jumped to his feet. He dodged another snowball as he ran for cover towards another tree.

So, _this_ was playing! He actually liked it! Besides making him feel colder, which he wasn't really thinking about anymore, snowball fights didn't hurt. And better, he didn't have to hurt anyone!

Gregor finally reached the tree and hid behind it, and suddenly, what he was doing felt so natural. He grinned widely as he gathered more snow before daring to poke his head out. But when he didn't see Valerie anywhere, he frowned in worry. Where did she go?

"Valerie?" he called, slowly stepping out from behind the tree.

But as he took a few steps forward, he suddenly heard a 'crunch' behind him; and with a gasp, he whirled around. And seeing Valerie two feet from him with a snowball in her hand, he instinctively lunged at her and pinned her to the ground.

"Ow! Hey! Stop!" she protested as she struggled against his tight hold.

Gregor jolted at her unhappy voice and quickly let her go. "S-Sorry," he whispered fearfully.

But a mischievous grin quickly melded onto the girl's face. And before Gregor could realize that she had just tricked him into letting her go, she turned the tables on him and exclaimed, "I'm not!"

Gregory yelped as he was thrown onto his back. And before he could do anything, he felt fingers jab his side, making him inexplicably break into a fit of laughter.

"No!" he gasped out between his laughter as he tried to squirm away from her.

"You are also bad at tickle fights!" Valerie teased and continued to assault the boy.

"Well, aren't you two like two peas in a pod," Tom suddenly commented, startling the two kids.

Gregory quickly squirmed out from under Valerie and stood up to stare worriedly at the ghost hunter. But much to his further confusion, Thomas just smiled pleasantly at him.

However, the man soon turned his eyes to the now quiet Valerie and told her sweetly, "You know, Gregor doesn't know how to ice skate. I think we should teach him, don't' you?"

Valerie instantly perked up and excitedly replied, "Okay!"

Tom placed a hand on Valerie's back before he gestured with his head for Gregor to follow them. And, though reluctant, the dragon ghost did. The three soon went over to a small wooden booth close to the lake, which rented skates. Tom quickly got a pair for himself and Gregor since Valerie had her own. They then proceeded to the edge of the frozen lake before the three sat on a nearby bench and put on their ice skates. Of course, since Gregor had no idea what they were doing, Thomas helped him put on the skates correctly.

"Tom?" Gregor asked when he got unsteadily to his feet and realized he could barely keep his balance on these weird shoes with knives under them. "What are we doing?" he further questioned, now really scared.

"Oh, just helping you have _fun_," Tom replied lightly before grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him onto the ice with him.

Gregor yelped when he almost fell, but he quickly wrapped his arms around the ghost hunter to prevent it.

"It's okay, Gregor," Valerie assured him as she skated around the boy and man. "You don't have to be scared. It's easy. See?"

The ghost dragon glanced at Valerie and watched uncertainly as she glided on the ice with the knives on her own shoes. If this was supposed to be fun, the boy didn't see it.

"I don't want to do this," Gregor whispered, staring pleadingly up at Tom.

But the ghost hunter just chuckled and pulled the boy further into the frozen lake. "You are as amusing as you are useful, Gregor. It's just ice."

Valerie tried to grab one of Gregor's hands to coax him to let go of Tom. "Come on, Gregor! It's fun!"

However, the boy wouldn't let go of Tom for anything, especially when the man continued to move them further and further on the frozen lake.

And seeing that, the girl suddenly got nervous and stopped following the two. "Um, I can't go over there. Daddy says it's too slippery for me," she told Tom.

"Oh. Then all the more reason for you to stay where you are," the man said lightly.

Valerie opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, Tom turned away from her and took Gregor with him further on the lake. The girl was almost tempted to go after them, but, ultimately, she stayed where she knew it was safe for her. Still, it didn't keep her from suddenly feeling very lonely.

Meanwhile, Gregor was having a harder time staying on his feet, even if he was clinging to Tom like his life depended on it.

"Why are you making me do this?" the child whimpered, for the moment not caring that he was showing fear. This was just too foreign for him!

"You'll see in a minute," Tom replied calmly.

Finally, after about a few more yards in, the ghost hunter came to a stop. He glanced in a specific direction before looking down at Gregor.

"What's wrong, Gregor? Are you afraid of a little ice skating?" he asked teasingly.

The boy glared up at him as he struggled to stay on his feet on the very slippery ice. But unable to deny it, his angry look fell and he pleaded, "Can we leave now?"

"Leave? But I want to teach you how to skate. So, come on. Let go," Tom replied way too sweetly, while grabbing the boy's hands to pry them off him.

But Gregor steadily held on and shook his head. "No! I'm going to fall!" he whimpered.

"Let go, Gregor," Tom ordered, this time sounding serious.

The dragon kid looked torn. But knowing better than to try the man, he slowly let go of him. But the child then yelped when his feet wobbled unsteadily. Luckily, though, Tom grabbed his hands to steady him.

"See? Not so bad," Tom said with a grin and slowly began to skate backwards, effectively pulling Gregor along with him.

The boy struggled to keep himself steady, but the ice was just so slippery!

"Tom, s-stop. You're going too fast!" the boy gasped out as he continued to struggle to stay on his feet.

"Nah, you're doing fine," the man calmly dismissed and continued to move at the same speed. But just when Gregor was sure his feet were going to fall from under him, Tom finally halted.

He let go of the ghost kid's hands, though fortunately, Gregor managed to lock his knees to keep himself from falling. He stiffened even more when Tom moved away from his line of sight. And he would have seriously panicked if it wasn't for the fact that he felt the man's hands grab his shoulders from behind.

"Relax, Gregor. The worst that could happen to you is that you broke your leg or fell through the ice. But I won't let either happen to you," Tom said with humor in his voice. "Now, look. This is very simple. And I'm going to prove it to you…"

Gregor looked like he was about to have a heart-attack—or, in a ghost's case—a _core_-attack.

But Tom seemed oblivious to it as he continued with his supposed 'lesson'. "Okay, now the key is to just keep your knees and feet steady and your arms a little out. And then just a little push….and off you go!"

Gregor yelled in fear when Tom unexpectedly pushed him with such force that even after he lost his balance and slammed face first into the ice he kept sliding. And he continued to slide across the ice with his eyes squeezed shut until he finally slammed into something.

He heard surprised yells from some unknown voices and then something about his size fell on top of him. But what really stuck out was when he felt something sharp slice through his ankle.

"Jazz! Oh my gosh! Are you two alright?" he heard a concerned voice ask from above.

Gregor gripped his aching head as he sat up. But then he finally opened his eyes and looked up at the voice, only to freeze at the sight of two large purple eyes…

"Ow! Why don't you watch where you're going!" the thing that had once been on top of him exclaimed angrily.

Gregor slowly turned to look at the 'thing' and found it was a girl, maybe around his age or a bit younger. In any case, she was definitely older than Valerie.

"Now, Jazz, honey. I'm sure it was an accident," Maddie said as she reached down to help her daughter up. "Are you alright?"

The girl rubbed her sore bottom; and glaring down at Gregor, she grumbled, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Maddie smiled at her before turning her eyes to the boy on the ground. "How about you? Are you alright?"

Gregor briefly glanced at the hand the woman extended to him before looking back up at her purple eyes. They almost looked like the girl's from the circus. But… this woman didn't have her voice. And they weren't the same eyes, even if they were also filled with warmth.

Before he could think of how to respond to this unexpected situation, a sharp pain suddenly flared from his leg, and with a hiss, he instantly gripped his ankle. But at feeling something wet touch his hands, his eyes widened in alarm. Oh-o. He was bleeding…

"Oh, are you hurt? Let me see?" Maddie said as she carefully bended over to try to get a look at the area the boy was gripping at.

"Madeline Fenton. What an unexpected surprise…"

Maddie froze at the sound of the familiar voice. But when she stood up straight again and confirmed her suspicion, her face tensed with repressed hate.

"You," she muttered coldly.

Thomas grinned. "Surely you haven't forgotten my name, Mrs. Fenton. After all, you, your husband, and I were such good partners at one point. Tell me, are you still in the ghost hunting business?"

"That's none of your business. But don't try to act like you don't know, Agent Chrome. I know you spy on us," Maddie spat out.

"Spy on you? Don't flatter yourself, Mrs. Fenton," Tom replied with an amused chuckle. "You and your husband were good, but you weren't _that_ good. I have easily found other scientists to replace you. Sadly, I don't think you can say the same for all of what you lost in turn…"

"There are a lot of things I could say to you right now, but they would all be highly inappropriate in front of my daughter," Maddie growled.

"Oh, that's right. You have a remaining child…," Tom said and smirked down at Jazz.

But sensing and seeing her mom's dislike for this man, Jazz hid behind her mom.

"What do you want?" Maddie demanded angrily.

"What makes you think I want anything, Mrs. Fenton? What? Can't I also enjoy a bit of ice-skating on my days off?" Tom asked innocently.

"Creeps like you don't have 'days off', let alone do they come to the park without cause," Maddie said in disgust.

"Well, I'm not exactly alone. In fact, I only came over here to retrieve _him_…Gregor, didn't I tell you not to wander off so far?" Tom asked the boy, frowning down disapprovingly at him.

But already imagining the mirth in the man's eyes hiding just behind his dark shades, Gregor coolly replied, "Sorry. _Someone_ pushed me."

But Maddie was so surprised by the fact this child was with the ghost hunter that she didn't hear the sarcasm in Gregor's voice.

"This boy is with you? Is he yours?" Maddie gasped out, honestly disturbed by the thought that Thomas Chrome was anywhere near a child, let alone have one of his own.

Tom smiled slyly. "You could say that. His parents were killed by ghosts. Tragic, really. But since his parents worked for me and he had no one else to go to, I've been watching over him. But what's truly a shame is that even when alive, his parents did a lousy job at taking care of their kid. But you and your husband would know all about that, wouldn't you?" he added with a smirk.

Maddie instantly glared. "And you would know all about putting innocent kids in danger, wouldn't you?"

"Still blaming me for your brat's death?"

"His name was 'Danny', you bastard!" Maddie suddenly hissed, forgetting all about her daughter for a moment. "And, yes, I still blame you! You and that _beast_ that lives in that nightmarish world!"

"Your husband told me you two were going to kill him... Any luck with that?" Tom asked teasingly, while seemingly unfazed by the woman's insult.

"Mommy?" Jazz whimpered, frightened by how badly her mom was shaking.

But Maddie ignored her and quickly drew closer to the man as she quietly hissed at him, "I swear on my son's grave that, someday, I'm going to find that monster and kill him. And you can also rest assure that you, too, will pay for bringing that creature into my home six years ago!"

"With _your_ permission, Mrs. Fenton," Tom reminded her with a small smile.

Maddie stared hatefully at the ghost hunter for a moment before turning away from him and grabbing her daughter's hand. "Come on, Jazz. We're going home."

"But we got here a little while ago!" Jazz whined. But Maddie still pulled her away and headed off the ice.

Tom watched her go with a grin, but then he looked down at Gregor and slyly remarked, "Not bad for your first lesson, eh?"

"Y-You did that o-on p-purpose!" Gregor accused him, still gripping his ankle, though his voice trembled not only because he was now wet, but that he was horribly cold again.

"Obviously," Tom said dryly before grabbing one of the boy's arms and yanking him to his feet.

But the moment he did, Gregor yelped in pain and quickly favored his right leg.

"Now, what's…?" Tom trailed off when he saw the bright green liquid staining the child's hands, white pants, and now dripping on the ice.

"Damn it, Gregor!" Tom hissed, quickly looking around to see if anyone was close enough to notice. But seeing no one was really looking, he quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around the boy's frame before picking him up.

"You can be such a clumsy idiot sometimes, do you know that?" Tom growled in annoyance as he steadied himself before reaching under the jacket and wrapping his hand tightly around the child's bleeding ankle.

"Y-You're the one who pushed me into that girl and got me cut up by her stupid skate shoe!" Gregory protested, while he tightly gripped Tom's neck, clearly not used to being carried. And though he continued to shiver, the jacket and the man's body heat were making him feel better again.

Tom rolled his eyes before slowly making his way off the ice with the boy. But when he got to the bank, he sighed in annoyance at finding Damon's brat waiting for them. This was terrific. Even if she was still young, the man was certain the girl would question _glowing green blood_.

Deciding to buy himself a bit of time, the ghost hunter moved a bit further to the left and stepped off the ice several feet away from where Valerie had been waiting. Of course, she noticed and began to make her way towards them.

"Here. Grip your ankle. And make sure you don't let anyone see that you're bleeding, got it?" Tom said as he lowered the boy on the closest bench and then quickly took off his skates. But because of his injury, the man decided not to put on his regular shoes again. He then more carefully wrapped his jacket around the ghost so that it hid his bloody clothing and leg from view.

But when the man looked down at himself, he realized his white sweater and winter gloves were now also stained with ectoplasm. And Gregor almost smirked when the man cursed and quickly took off his sweater and gloves, leaving him in just a turtleneck shirt. Oh, Tom really had to be cold now…

But as if guessing the dragon ghost's thoughts, Tom glared back at him before roughly throwing his sweater at him. "Here, make yourself useful and hold that," he muttered as he stuffed his soiled gloves in his pocket.

"Sure," Gregor replied, now doing nothing to hide his amusement.

Tom opened his mouth to say something, but right then Valerie finally reached them.

"It's about time you guys came back!" she said with an unhappy look.

Gregor weakly smiled at her, while Tom ignored her comment all together and focused on switching out his own shoes. He then glanced in a certain direction, trying to see if Damon was still with Jack, which he was.

"Don't move," Tom suddenly ordered Gregor before grabbing the pairs of skates and returning them, but only after making sure to wipe the drops of ectoplasm from Gregor's skates with one of his gloves. He returned fairly quickly and then without explanation, he grabbed Valerie by a hand; and stuffing his other freezing hand into his pant pocket, he led the little girl away from the lake.

"Hey, where are we going? What about him?" Valerie questioned, confused as she looked back at Gregor.

"Oh, he'll be fine. He's just tired. I'm sure I heard your father calling, so we better go where he can see you," Tom quickly lied, all but dragging the girl over to where he had once been sitting with Gregor.

However, Valerie wasn't happy with the idea of leaving Gregor and she also wasn't very happy when she found out her father still wasn't back and that she had to now sit on a bench to wait for him. And being as talkative as she was, the little girl didn't hesitate to let Thomas know all that was on her mind…

* * *

"It's just a few questions," Damon muttered to himself as he walked up the path towards Jack. "There's nothing wrong with that… right?"

The man sighed, not understanding why he was feeling unsure about all this… And also why he was feeling… guilty. He wasn't doing anything wrong. He was just helping the government deal with the ghost threat. It was ultimately for the better of everyone… Yes, after this, he wouldn't have to worry about his daughter ever being endangered by one of those creatures…

All too soon, he got to where he was going. And with another sigh, he did what he needed to do.

"Jack?"

The large man in the orange suit and a jacket startled slightly at the sound of his voice. But when he looked up and saw who it was, he quickly put down the instrument in his hands and stood up to greet him.

"Damon! Good to see you!" Jack all but exclaimed as he vigorously shook the man's hand.

Damon cringed at how strong the other man's grip was, but he still forced a smile on his face. "Hi, Jack. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing swell!" Jack replied before grabbing the device with which he had been tinkering again and then sitting back down.

And seeing Jack gesture for him to do the same, Damon took a seat beside him while Jack continued, "Just out here with the 'Mrs.' and Jazzy doing some ice-skating. Well, they are, anyways. You won't catch me on the ice!" he said with a loud laugh.

Damon chuckled weakly and briefly glanced over at the frozen lake.

"How 'bout you?" Jack suddenly asked, quickly getting the other man's attention again.

"What do you mean?" Damon asked apprehensively.

"You here to ice skate, too?"

"Oh!" Damon laughed nervously. But then he shook his head. "Well, not really. Actually…. Yes! Yes, I am. I'm here with Valerie. I told her I'd bring her ice skating, but she's distracted by one of her little friends right now… Heh. You know how kids are…"

"Yeah, they make no sense sometimes. You should hear Jazz, sometimes. Boy, can she talk! And it's not short words, but big words that I can't even understand!" Jack said with another laugh.

Damon chuckled again; though, this time, it wasn't forced. But then noticing Jack was staring at the device in his hand, Mr. Gray causally asked, "So, what is that you have there?"

Jack instantly perked up. "Oh, this is my latest invention! I call it the Ghost Gabber. It can actually translate all that gibberish ghosts say into actual words we can understand."

"And why would you need to understand them?" Damon asked, confused.

Jack raised an eyebrow as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Well, it's no good to torture a ghost into telling us what we want to know if we can't understand a thing it says."

Damon tensed at the mention of 'torture'. "I… see. And may I ask what it is that you want a ghost to tell you?"

Jack's face suddenly tensed and Damon was utterly surprised by how quickly and drastically the man's demeanor changed.

"Maddie and I have some unfinished business with the Ghost King," Jack said, his eyes slightly narrowing at the mention of Plasmius. "That spook thinks he can hide forever from us; but we're gonna get him eventually, even if we have to torture a million of his spooky friends! Thing is, we haven't been able to get our hands on a ghost yet; but, believe me, Damon, those spooks can't resist causing trouble for too long. And when they try it, that's when Maddie and I will make our move."

Damon frowned at the man. But seeing Tom was right about the Fentons really wanting to get the Ghost King as much as the government, Damon decided it was the best time to bring up why he was really here.

"Speaking of ghosts, Jack… I have been thinking of buying more ghost security devices from you. Specifically, another ghost shield. Would that be possible?" he asked.

Jack blinked in surprise, but then he grinned and happily replied, "Why, of course, Damon! How big you want it?"

Damon chuckled weakly before answering, "Actually, it won't be too big at all. I need it to fit inside one of Axion's labs. Perhaps one of those that you once showed me that could mold into the room will work?"

"Well, it depends what you want it to protect, Damon. But… don't your labs already have ghost shields installed?" Jack asked, confused.

Damon shrugged. "Well, you can never be too careful. As for what I need exactly, perhaps you and your wife can come by tomorrow and I'll show you what I have in mind. Is that alright with you? And, of course, I'll pay you whatever is necessary."

Jack nodded. "Sounds all good to me, Damon. I'll tell Maddie."

"Great!" Damon said with an almost relieved smile. But remembering Tom wanted him to ask Jack something else, Mr. Gray swallowed hard before casually voicing, "I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about these ghost devices… But those shields are amazing. How is it that they can keep a ghost out, but humans have no problem walking through them?"

Jack grinned proudly. "Oh, well that's because we made em' specifically for ghosts. Maddie and I studied and dissected plenty of ghosts in the past. Without that, we wouldn't have the weapons and knowledge we do now, you know. And without that, we wouldn't have been able to invent the ghost shields. See, we've learned that all ghosts share one thing in common and that's that they got ectoplasm, which is rich with ghost energy. But where they live, _everything_ has energy, so we have discovered that they can't phase through stuff in their world. Yet, 'round here, they have no problem phasing through stuff; so we came to the conclusion that it's 'cause nothing 'round here's got ghost energy. But there's more. In the past, we once came across a natural reserve in their world called ecto-uranium. It's harmful to ghosts."

Damon frowned and asked, "Then, why would it be in their world?"

"Oh, well, it's not found in its pure form," Jack replied. "At least, I don't think so. But I do know that it's found as a harmless compound within ghost rocks and that it can be extracted from them. In fact, when that other spook, Dark, was in charge of the ghost race, Maddie and I once got a hold of a piece of ghost rock that had accidently came out from a portal. Back then, we worked with the government and that's when we found out about the existence of ecto-uranium. It was one of the components of this rock, but when in its natural mixed state, it doesn't harm ghosts. But it does cancel some of their powers. However, when extracted and purified, this ecto-uranium can actually physically harm a ghost."

"Is that what you use to make the shields?" Damon asked, really unsure of what to think about all of this that he was hearing.

"Naw, we ran out of that stuff a long time ago, "Jack said with a shrug. But then he smiled and added, "But, boy, I wouldn't mind getting a hold of some more. It would definitely give us an advantage against those spooks… Nope, the shields are made with a synthetic chemical similar to ecto-uranium. And then we just combined it with a bit of ghost energy and voila! Ghost shield!"

"That's ingenious," Damon muttered, genuinely amazed. But then thinking of something he said, he asked, "And how do you get ghost energy?"

"From a ghost, of course!" Jack answered with a grin, but then it fell as he added, "Well, at least that's how we use to do it. Now, we gotta hunt around for 'weak spots', which occur at times between the fabric that separates our world from theirs. In the past, these 'weak spots' would mean a portal would open there soon, but now they don't. Still, when Maddie and I manage to find these 'weak spots' before they disappear, we use the ecto-converter to force the energy just on the other side to pull into our world and then the ecto-converter just sucks it up! But… it's not good enough as taking it directly from a ghost," Jack muttered with a deep frown. "So, hopefully, we will manage to find and capture a spook soon and store up on ghost energy to make more anti-ghost stuff!"

"What do you mean by taking it directly from a ghost?" Damon asked, unaware of the method ghost hunters used to obtain ghost energy…

"Well, you see…," Jack began only to pause when he saw his wife and child returning from the lake. "Back so soon, Mads?" he asked, confused. "What's wrong, princess?" he added when he saw Jazz looked upset.

"I want to go back to the lake!" Jazz whined.

"Sweetie, I'll bring you back tomorrow, okay? But we have to go now," Maddie said, looking even more upset than her daughter.

"Why? What's wrong?" Jack questioned worriedly.

Maddie looked back at her husband, only for her eyebrows to heighten in surprise when she finally noticed Damon.

"Oh, Damon. I didn't know you were here, too," she said with a small smile.

"Yes, I'm here with Valerie. And when I noticed Jack… well, I came by to say 'hi' and also talk some… _business_…"

Maddie blinked in confusion, but before she could question the dark-skinned man, Damon suddenly stood up and asked, "So, is tomorrow morning good for you, Jack?"

"Uh, yeah. I think so," Jack replied with a nod.

"Well, call my office if anything comes up. Goodbye, Maddie, Jazz," Damon said with a smile at the two before heading down towards the lake, taking a different path than he had previously.

"What was he talking about, Jack?" Maddie questioned, confused.

"Oh, he wants to buy another ghost shield from us for Axion!" Jack beamed.

"Another shield? Why would he need another shield when there is one covering all of Axion and then individual ones in the labs?" she questioned.

"Don't know, Mads. But he wants another for one of the labs," Jack said with a shrug.

Maddie frowned thoughtfully for a moment. But then she sighed and admitted, "Well, I suppose we could use the money…Alright, we'll go tomorrow to see what he wants. But can we go home for now? I'm not feeling very well," she said with another sigh.

"But I don't want to go home! It's not fair!" Jazz quickly protested.

"Jazz," Maddie began tiredly.

But the girl quickly interrupted. "No! You said you'd take me ice skating today! It's not my fault we ran into that mean man and that jerky boy who tripped me!"

Jack frowned. "What 'mean man' and 'jerky boy'?" he questioned his wife.

Maddie shook her head and muttered, "I'll tell you later."

Jack looked back at his daughter and seeing she was on the verge of tears, he smiled and moved over to her. "Oh, come on, princess, cheer up!" he said brightly, placing a hand on her back. "Hey, how about if _I _take you back to the lake?"

"Jack, you don't know how to skate. Do you remember what happened the last time you tried?" Maddie asked a bit dryly.

"That's okay, Mads. I'll just watch her. Is that okay with you, Jazzy-pants?" Jack asked his daughter.

And seeing her grin at him and nod, the father grinned back and boasted. "Alright, let's go, then! We'll be back in a bit, sweet cheeks," he added, addressing his wife.

Maddie sighed, but reluctantly nodded. She wanted to go home, but her daughter was right. It wasn't fair that she kept her from having fun because of what happened.

With another exhale, she sat down on the bench and bit her lip to keep her emotions at bay. Just talking with Thomas Chrome again had brought back so many memories, especially at seeing him with that boy. He was definitely older than her little boy would be right now if he were alive…

It still hurt to imagine what her life would be like if Danny was still here. He probably would have been happily ice skating with his sister right now or even playing in the snow. At least, she knew Jazz wouldn't feel as lonely as the mother knew she did sometimes.

Even Jack had noticed and at one point had suggested that they should have another child. But Maddie didn't want any more children—not after losing her baby boy. In spite that it had now been six long years, the pain of that loss had not gone away. And, recently, she even got this weird anxious feeling, as if her child was alive and she sensed something had been wrong with him. Mother's intuition, she supposed. But that made no sense when the child she was feeling troubled about was dead.

Maddie took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment to get a grip on herself. She couldn't even mention this to Jack. He already worried enough about her. And, really, even she had to admit she had never been the same after that tragic night. It had taken her about a year to get pass the serious depression she had fallen into after Danny's death. And the only reason she managed it was for the sake of her other child and husband.

But she knew that no matter what she did, her life and her family's life would never be the same without Danny. She… never even got to hear him call her 'mommy'….

The woman suddenly choked on a sob with the thought, but she then squeezed her eyes close again and just breathed for a moment. She just needed to focus on what she could do now. And that was to prevent that beast called 'the Ghost King' from ever harming another family again. It was only a matter of time before that creature or others like him returned to cause havoc and she would be ready for it. Either she was going capture Plasmius and kill him or she was going to obtain the concentrated ecto-energy she needed to open the portal Jack and her had now rebuilt. And if that was the case, she would be taking the fight to him.

Either way, Plasmius was going to pay with his life for what he had done...

* * *

Tom was just about to gag Valerie when Damon finally showed up.

"There you are! How did it go?" the ghost hunter asked, quickly standing up from the bench, almost too eager to get away from Damon's daughter.

"They'll be coming by tomorrow. But Jack wants a bit more specification for the shield," Damon replied, before smiling down at Valerie when she wrapped her arms around his legs.

"Daddy, can I go keep Gregor company? He's all alone down there!" she whined.

"Sure, sweetheart," Damon said distractingly and Valerie quickly ran off.

Tom slightly tensed, not really wanting the girl near the boy since he was probably still bleeding. But deciding Gregor could handle it, he turned his attention back to Mr. Gray.

"The shield just needs to be placed inside the largest of the three labs in the facility, Gray. I want it to separate the lab in two. That's all I really require. Just have them install it as they want and when they are done, I'll make any adjustments, if necessary. Did you get the rest of the information I wanted?" the Guy-in-White further questioned.

"He said they don't use ecto-uranium, but a synthetic version of it combined with ghost energy," Damon answered.

"Really?" Tom asked curiously. And getting a nod, the ghost hunter frowned in thought. But then he suddenly nodded himself and said, "Well, I'll call you so you can give me the finer details of your conversation with Jack. For now, I will leave you. I have to tend to Gregor. Seems that he hurt himself out in the ice."

"Really? Is he alright?" Damon asked, a bit concerned.

But Tom waved a dismissive hand, "Meh, he'll be fine. Kid's a fast healer," he added, chuckling at his private joke. "Goodbye, Gray."

Damon didn't reply and just watched the man walk off. But then, remembering his daughter, he called to her, "Valerie! Come on! I need to get my skates out of the car!"

The little girl, who had been staring worriedly at the shivering Gregor, turned her eyes to her father and yelled back, "Coming!"

"I gotta go!" she then told the boy. "But don't forget! Tell your daddy to get you some hot chocolate! That always warms me right up!"

Gregor smiled and nodded. "Bye," he told her and waved when she finally left.

But his smile readily fell when he noticed Tom return.

"How are you doing? Still bleeding?" the man asked before he kneeled down beside the child.

Gregor just answered by taking out an ectoplasm-covered hand from under the jacket.

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" Tom questioned, now a bit concerned by how much blood the child was losing.

"I told you. That girl's blade sliced into my ankle thanks to you!" Gregor hissed out, his eyes flashing red.

And noticing it, Tom frowned and asked, "Where are your sunglasses?"

"I lost them," Gregor muttered, looking away.

Tom's frown deepened, but then when he finally noticed there were drops of green on the snow and that it was because of Gregor's ectoplasm dripping off the bench on which the child sat, he sighed in annoyance.

"You are such a mess," he muttered in distaste before rising to his height and grabbing his white sweater from Gregor. "Stand up," he then ordered. And when the child did, he used the sweater to wipe off the bloody green bench. He then simply covered the stained snow on the ground by kicking more snow over it.

Finally, he handed the sweater back to Gregor before he reached forward to pick up the kid again. But seeing his intention, Gregor quickly recoiled and growled out, "I don't need your help. I can walk."

"And I would be making you, if we weren't in a public place and you weren't bleeding ectoplasm everywhere. Now, don't argue with me, you little demon, and lift up your hands," Tom demanded quietly, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

Gregor glared back, but still did as he was told.

"God, you're cold," Tom muttered, shivering when the wet and cold dragon ghost wrapped his arms around his neck to keep himself in place.

"You're cold, too," Gregor replied with a smirk as he pressed his wet body closer to the man, just to annoy him.

Tom rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything and headed up the path to the parking lot.

But as he did, Gregor suddenly, though quietly, admitted, "Valerie saw the ectoplasm on the snow…"

Tom froze, but before he could say anything, the boy quickly added, "But I told her that somebody dropped paint on the ground! I think she believed it, so it's okay!"

"Paint?" the ghost hunter slowly questioned.

Gregor nodded meekly. "Really _bright_ paint…"

Tom stared at the ghost for a moment and Gregory was beginning to fear the guy was going to get really mad at him. But, unexpectedly, the hunter laughed.

"Paint? Really?" he asked through his laughter. "Where do you come up with these crazy things, Gregor?"

"It's not crazy!" Gregor growled defensively. "She believed it!"

"Of course she would! She's six," Tom said, his amusement dying into chuckles. "Heh. As I said before, if I didn't hate your kind so much, I'd forget what you are."

"Whatever," Gregor grumbled and looked away the best he could. But the moment he did, he noticed something in the distance that immediately got his attention. And then, his hearing confirmed what he saw.

Gregor gasped and suddenly struggled to escape from the man's hold on him.

"Gregor! What the hell are you doing?" Tom demanded when he nearly lost his footing by how hard the boy was struggling.

"It's her!" Gregor whimpered, his fingers suddenly digging into the man's arms.

Tom growled and gripped the boy's face to force him to look at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I want to see her!" the child pleaded, trying to look back towards the voice and face that had gotten his attention.

Tom let go of Gregor's face and looked in the direction in which he did, wanting to find what had the kid so captivated. The hunter saw it instantly. And a grin curled Tom's lips at the sight of a familiar little girl with black hair and purple eyes, running towards the playground after a dark-skinned boy wearing a red snow cap.

"Oh… Well, isn't that a true surprise," Tom said with a chuckle. But then, he glanced a little further up the path at a couple seated on a nearby park bench when he heard the distinct voice of the mother call something out to her daughter.

"Can I go see her?" Gregor suddenly asked, his eyes wide with hope.

"How do you even know her?" Tom asked, feigning ignorance.

"She was at the circus one day and she came to see me in my cage. I… don't really remember anything else…," he muttered, looking away.

"Hmm… So, you like her because she was _nice_ to you?" Tom cooed back.

Gregor looked uncertainly at him, but truthfully answered, "Yeah…"

"Well, guess what?" Tom whispered quietly, like he was sharing some big secret with the boy. "I _know_ her."

Gregor's eyes widened and he gasped out, "You do? Do you know her name?"

Tom grinned and nodded. "I sure do. Her name's Samantha… She's my _niece_."

Gregor frowned. "What's that mean?"

"It means…. I _like_ her, too," Tom said with a smirk. "So, I'm not going to let a demon like you near her, you see…"

Gregor's gaze saddened and he quietly said, "I'm not going to hurt her. I just…"

"You what? You want to be her friend?" Tom mocked.

But Gregory just glared weakly at him and then looked back over at Samantha… She sure had a pretty name…

Tom laughed lightly again before glancing back over at his niece. He really wasn't that concerned about letting Gregor meet her. In fact, he would go over there right now if it wasn't because the boy was bleeding and he couldn't go greet the girl and her parents with Gregor like this. Then again, he wasn't in the mood to explain to his _sister_ why he had a ten-year-old in his hands. Knowing Pamela, she'd immediately think the brat was his.

Tom rolled his eyes at the thought before he continued on their way.

Gregor whimpered in response, but didn't struggle anymore. He never thought he'd see that girl with the purple eyes again; and now that he had, he couldn't even go say 'hi'. It made him want to cry, though he refrained from doing so.

"It's alright, Gregor. Maybe I'll let you meet her someday," Tom suddenly said, amusement coating his voice.

"Really?" the boy asked, hopeful again.

Tom just smiled back.

The two didn't exchange anymore words after that until they got to the Tom's car. The hunter quickly turned on the heater since he was freezing by now. But then, he moved to sit in the back seat with the boy.

"Take off the jacket. I need to see what you did to yourself," Tom ordered.

Gregor glared, tempted to remind the man that this was _his_ fault; but instead just did as he was told.

Using a pocket knife, Tom cut off Gregor's pant leg to better inspect the wound. And it was definitely deep. Actually, it had just barely missed a tendon.

"Well, this wasn't part of the plan," Tom muttered to himself as he continued to inspect the deep cut on Gregor's leg. "Looks like you're going to need stitches. Can't risk you getting this infected when I'm weeks away from needing you for my operation…"

The man suddenly smirked again at the boy and added, "Looks like we will be making a trip to my house before taking you back to Freakshow."

Gregor frowned at the news. But as he watched Tom proceed to make a tourniquet out of his ripped pant leg, another thought came to the boy's mind.

He licked his cold and chapped lips before suddenly telling the man, "I want hot chocolate."

The ghost hunter instantly paused in what he was doing and looked up at the child. "…Are you serious? Do you even know what that is?" he questioned, baffled.

"No… But Valerie said it tasted good and that it's warm. So… I want it," Gregor replied with no inflection in his voice.

Tom stared at the ghost for another moment, but then one of the corners of the hunter's lips quirked up and he replied, "Sure… Oh, but, first…. This might hurt…"

Gregory cringed when Tom suddenly tightened the cloth wrapped around his wounded ankle before tying it.

"There, that should keep you from making more of a mess in my car until we get home," the hunter said casually. But then looking back at Gregor, he lightly patted the side of his face and added, "And don't worry, I'll get you all the hot chocolate you can drink once we get there."

Tom chuckled at the boy's surprised look before stepping out of the car. He closed the backseat door again before moving around the car and getting into the driver's seat.

Gregor watched him for a moment, but he soon lost interest once the man started backing the car out of the parking space. The young ghost's brain began to fog up with tiredness as the warm air in the car helped him warm his core again. It sure would be nice if he could just take off the gem and ring and let his energy do it for him. But he knew he wasn't allowed. So, instead, he grabbed Tom's jacket, which luckily wasn't wet on the inside and wrapped it around himself before curling up in the back seat. He knew now from experience that it was probably going to take them at least thirty minutes to reach Tom's house. So, Gregor decided to take the opportunity to get some sleep, since he was sure he wouldn't be able to tonight from how cold it was.

Meanwhile, Tom had noticed the child's actions in the rearview mirror and he smiled darkly at the sight. Gregor really was an intriguing specimen. But… what really attracted Tom to him was his potential. He really was the best weapon he had against his demon race… and perhaps a little more…

"_Penelope has no idea what she did the day she placed this little demon in my hands…,"_ Tom thought with a quiet chuckle.

* * *

"Sammy! Come on!" Tucker called to his friend as he ran over to the playground at the park.

"I'm coming!" Samantha replied as she lifted her little dress up a bit and did the best she could to run after her friend in it. But, ultimately, it didn't let her move very fast, especially when it was one of her frilly dresses.

"Samikins, don't run so fast! You might trip and hurt yourself!" she heard her mom warn from somewhere behind her.

The little girl slowed down and briefly frowned back at her mother. "I'm not running fast," she muttered mostly to herself, though she continued to follow after Tucker, who was already waiting for her at the swings.

She knew her parents didn't really like to bring her to the park. In fact, it was impossible to get them to bring her when it was hot out. But, luckily, it was cold, so with a bit of pleading with her parents, they finally agreed to take her. And it had made her even happier when they also agreed to pick up Tucker so that she could play with her only real friend. Unfortunately, her parents had hired that private tutor and she was now being home schooled, so that didn't really help the little girl in the 'making friends' department. But she didn't really mind as long as she had Tucker. And, at times, she would also play with him and his other friends—like Valerie. She still wished she could still be going to normal school, though. But that was another story.

Right now, all she cared about was that she could have fun with her best friend at her most favorite place: the park, of course!

"Took you long enough," Tucker teased when she finally reached him.

"It's this dumb dress!" Samantha pouted, pulling slightly on the lilac dress's frilly bottom. "I can't do nothing in it. I don't think I even like it or my other dresses anymore! But my mommy won't let me wear nothing else!"

Tucker frowned. But then he smiled at his friend and replied, "It's okay, Sammy. At least you look pretty."

The tension fell off the girl's face and she looked down at herself before asking with a small smile, "Really?"

"Yup!" Tucker replied with a grin. "Now, come on! I bet I can swing higher than you!"

Samantha grinned back at her friend, and quickly ran over to the nearest swing, though not before playfully shoving her friend aside and then telling him, "No way, Tucker! I always beat you at swinging!"

"Hey!" Tucker protested when he almost fell on his bottom in the snow; but then he ran over to the swing beside his friend and jumped on it. "You might have beat me before, but not this time!" he announced.

And that's how they began their swinging race. The two giggled as they swung higher and higher, all the while, Samantha ignored her mother's concerned voice telling her to slow down.

"Hey, watch this!" Tucker suddenly said, and with practiced eased he jumped off the swing and landed on his feet in the snow; but the thick and slippery snow then made him lose his balance and he fell back on his bottom, though he just laughed at that.

But Samantha thought that had looked really fun; and with a daring smile, she swung up one last time before jumping off her own swing. But she soon discovered that her little dress also encumbered her in other ways.

Tucker gasped when he saw his friend belly-flop into the snow. "Sammy!" he exclaimed and quickly ran over to her side. "Sammy, you okay?"

The girl pushed herself out of the snow and sputtered on the snow that had just gone into her mouth. "Ew," she said as she did her best to clean off the snow from her face with her gloved hands.

"You were supposed to land on your feet, not your face, "Tucker told her with a frown.

"Yeah, it didn't work!" Samantha grumbled as she continued to wipe the snow off her.

"Sammikins! Oh, my goodness! Are you alright?"

The girl yelped in surprise when her father suddenly picked her up, while her mother startled checking her over.

"Mommy, what are you doing? I'm okay!" she protested

"Okay?" Pamela repeated, sounding almost hysterical. "How are you okay? Just look at how red your face is. It's probably going to bruise!"

"What were you thinking to do something so dangerous, Samantha?" her father added in disapproval.

The little girl's eyes widened as she insisted, "Daddy, I'm okay!"

"Maybe we should take her home. I knew we shouldn't have come here. These parks are dangerous," Pamela suddenly said to her father.

But seeing her father considering his wife's words, Samantha's eyes quickly filled with tears as she pleaded, "No! I don't want to go home! I'm okay! I want to play with Tucker! I don't want to go home!"

"Now, sweetheart, don't cry," her father said, touching her wet face. "If you don't want to go, then we won't go, okay?"

"Jeremy?" Pamela began in protest, calling her husband by his nickname. "Are you sure?"

"We don't want our daughter to be sad, Pamela," he replied with a small smile. "Besides, she won't try to jump like that anymore, will you, Sammy?" he added to his daughter. "You saw you could have really hurt yourself, right?"

Samantha glanced at Tucker, who stared back at her with uncertainty. But then looking back at her parents, she nodded and replied, "I won't jump anymore."

"Thata girl!" her father said with a smile before putting her back down.

Pamela smiled at her daughter before telling her, "We love you, Sammikins."

The little girl stared up at her mother for a moment, but then she smiled back and answered, "I love you and daddy, too."

Her mother grinned, while her father pulled his wife into his arms. But just when the two had turned away to let their daughter continue to play with her friend, Thurston suddenly paused and asked his wife, "Isn't that your brother who's getting into the white car over there?"

The question also got Samantha's attention and her eyes quickly darted in the direction that her father was pointing. She instantly frowned at the sight of her uncle, though it was brief since he soon got into his car and drove off.

"Well, that was his car," Pamela replied, thoughtfully. "I wonder what he was doing at the park. Oh, I wish I would have noticed him earlier so that I could have greeted him," she added with a sigh. But then she perked and added, "How about we invite him to dinner tomorrow?"

Samantha didn't get to hear her father's reply since her parents walked off as they continued their conversation.

"Wow… And I thought my parents worried a lot when I got hurt," Tucker suddenly muttered.

Samantha looked back at her friend, but didn't reply.

And noticing his friend's silence, Tucker walked a little closer to her and asked, "What's wrong, Sammy?"

"He scares me," the little girl quietly admitted, looking back towards the parking lot in the distance.

"Who?" Tucker asked, confused.

Samantha finally looked back at him and replied, "My Uncle Tom."

But the little boy looked even more bewildered. "Your _uncle_ scares you? How come?"

Samantha sighed before moving over to a large mound of snow and sitting down. Tucker followed after her and when he saw her raking the snow together with her hands, he began to help her.

"Is he mean to you?" Tucker asked when his friend wouldn't answer him.

The girl shook her head. "No, he's nice to me…"

"Okay… I don't understand," Tucker told her.

"I don't know why he scares me, Tucker. He just does. He's… strange. I don't know," Samantha finally voiced, though she sounded highly confused herself. "I guess the things he says sometimes scare me."

"Like, what?" Tucker asked as he began to pack the snow together, helping her make what was beginning to look like a snowman.

"Um… Well, see, he came over one time to have tea with my parents, and I was playing in the living room," Samantha began to tell her friend. "My mom was talking to him about something that made my uncle kinda angry. I think she was telling him that she didn't like his job because it was dangerous or something like that. I got kinda curious, so I got a bit closer to listen to what was going on. But I made sure they couldn't see me, because I didn't want my parents to be mad at me."

"Did you find out what they were talking about?" Tucker asked.

Samantha stopped playing with the snow and she nodded. "Yeah…They were talking about _ghosts_."

"Ghosts? What's that?" Tucker questioned with a bewildered frown on his face.

"I don't know. But I think they're like monsters. My uncle said they are evil and that they hurt people."

The boy's eyes widened in fear. "I-I never seen one before! And now I don't want to!"

"I've never seen one, either," Samantha replied. "But I heard my uncle say something about another world. And that he is going to get rid of the ghosts!"

"But… Isn't that _good_?" her friend asked her. "I mean, that means your uncle is a good guy, Sammy. Like a super hero! So, why are you scared of him?"

"Because I think he's lying," Samantha replied. She frowned in further concentration as she added, "My parents tell me all the time to stay away from animals because they could be dangerous. But the only ones I have seen that are dangerous are the ones at the zoo. And I think they are just angry because they are trapped in cages and can't run around!"

"Okay…," Tucker replied, clearly not following his friend's train of thought.

"Well, what if it's the same with ghosts?"

"They are trapped in cages in their world?" Tucker questioned, tilting his head a bit.

"No, Tucker!" Samantha said with a roll of her eyes. "What if they are not dangerous like my uncle say they are? What if they are like animals that don't hurt no one unless they are hurt first? I mean, not all monsters are bad, right? Remember that book we read one time about a monster who lived in a forest and just ate berries and had no one to play with until he met this little boy?"

"Yeah, but that was just a story," Tucker replied slowly.

"Well, yeah… but…" Samantha trailed off. But then she suddenly said with a daring smile. "I want to meet one."

"A monster?" Tucker asked, unsure.

"A ghost!" Samantha corrected him, her smile widening. "I want to see if they are bad or not. I bet they are not. I bet they're like animals!"

"Uh, Sammy?" Tucker said worriedly. "Some animals are bad. They _eat_ people. What if ghosts eat people, too? I don't think meeting one would be a good idea."

"Well, that doesn't mean my uncle has to kill them all!" Samantha scowled. "I mean, we kill animals and eat them, too! I bet the animals probably think we are bad, too!"

"Maybe. But… they taste good," Tucker said with a small smile.

Samantha made a disgusted face, but then she grinned and unexpectedly grabbed some snow and threw it at him.

Tucker yelped when the snow hit him in the face, while his friend giggled at his reaction.

And seemingly forgetting about their strange conversation, the two jumped up and started up a snowball fight with each other.

* * *

"Gregor!"

The little dragon looked around, trying to pinpoint the familiar voice calling to him.

"Up here!"

Gregory smiled at finally spotting the voice on top of a large hill before the owner of the voice ran off from view again. But the black dragon quickly took off up the black slope and when he spotted a brook with many bushes filled with orange berries, he spotted who he was looking for.

Another dragon that looked just like him had his jaws clamped around a large branch full of berries and was pulling on it, trying to break it off.

Gregory chuckled and asked, "What's wrong, Brother? Are you being defeated by a little branch?"

"No," Elliot huffed between his teeth as he continued to pull on the branch, while using his claws to grip the ground and anchor himself. But when the branch wouldn't break, he mumbled, "It's stuck!"

"Sure it is!" Gregor replied with a smirk. But then shaking his head, he walked over to his sibling and with a quick swipe of his claws, he cut the branch.

As a result, Elliot yelped as he rolled over several times from how hard he had been pulling. However, he eventually landed on his back with the berry branch still in his mouth.

Gregory laughed again before running over to his brother and jumping on top of him. "Defeated by a berry branch that's now mine!"

"Hey!" Elliot protested when his brother snatched the branch out of his mouth and ran off with it. "Gregor!" he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet and ran after him. And with a flap of his wings he pushed himself forward, effectively shortening the distance between him and his brother, and then pounced.

Gregor grunted when his brother landed right on top of him. But feeling his sibling playfully nipping at his neck, he rolled on his back and tried to push Elliot off. However, Elliot also used the opportunity to get a hold of the branch in Gregor's mouth.

Still, Gregory was prepared and bit down even harder on his end of the branch.

"Now who's losing?" Elliot taunted as he gained a few steps in his game of tug-of-war with his brother.

Gregor's ears flattened and he pulled harder. But eventually, the two simultaneously lost their grip of the branch and they fell back with a mouth full of orange berries and leaves. The two laughed before swallowing down the food in their mouths, leaves and all.

Elliot then walked back over to his brother and grinned. "I win!" he said smartly.

"Did not!" Gregor immediately protested.

"Did, too!" Elliot retorted

Gregory growled and lunged at his brother again. They tussled for a few minutes more before they finally ended up tired and entangled on the ground.

Gregory touched his snout with his clawed hand and feeling drool on him, he shook his head to get it off before saying, "Eww, Elliot. You drool a lot."

Elliot giggled and licked his brother on the side of his face mostly to annoy him.

Gregory grumbled, though his purrs showed he wasn't all that bothered by the affection.

For a long moment, the two just laid on the grass near the brook beside each other, actually grooming each other in a cat-like manner. But then, as if on the same wavelength, Elliot and Gregor suddenly jumped to their feet and simultaneously told each other. "Let's play the gliding game!"

And all to use to thinking the same thing, the two just giggled and replied at the same time to each other, "Okay!"

The two ran over to the highest black hill, but then backed up several feet to give themselves running space.

"Ready?" Elliot asked with a grin.

"More ready than you!" Gregory countered with a smirk.

"We shall see!" Elliot retorted and suddenly took off.

Gregory gasped but quickly followed. And as the two got to the highest point on the hill, they leapt into the air and spread their wings. They had only recently learned to fly, so it wasn't exactly graceful, but they still managed it.

The two glided on a single air current until it died and they eventually came back down, but Gregor landed a few feet ahead of Elliot.

"Ha! Now, I win!" Gregor proclaimed proudly.

Elliot growled, but then he smirked and ran off, heading back up the hill. "I bet I shall win the second time!" he challenged.

"Not if I win again!" Gregory exclaimed and ran after his brother.

When they got up the hill, however, Elliot suddenly said, "Wait. I'm thirsty."

Gregory nodded and sat down as his brother went over to the brook to get a drink. The child then looked over in the distance, just barely seeing his home and he suddenly asked, "Elliot? What time did Mother say to return?"

"Um… in an hour?" Elliot replied as he lifted his head from the stream to look at his sibling. "Is it an hour yet?"

Gregory shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe?"

"_Maybe not,"_ Elliot answered slyly with a grin. But he had said it mentally to his sibling.

Gregor giggled in response and telepathically agreed with his brother to stay for a bit longer.

The two were about to return to their game when Gregory suddenly saw something move inside a berry bush about two yards from them.

"Did you see that?" Gregor quietly asked his brother.

"See what?" Elliot asked, confused.

Gregory didn't reply and glanced back over at the bush. He frowned with uncertainty before standing up and making his way over to it to investigate.

"Gregor?" Elliot questioned, sounding scared for some reason.

And feeling just as wary, Gregor's ears flattened but he still continued forward. "H-Hello?" he questioned as he got closer and closer to the bush that had been moving.

But receiving no response, Gregory paused and lowered his head to try to see if he could see anything inside the bush. But when he saw bright green eyes and sharp teeth grinning back at him, the child yelped in alarm and quickly scrambled away towards his brother.

"Elliot, run!" Gregor exclaimed in alarm.

And sensing his brother's fear, Elliot whirled around and took off towards their home. _"What is it?"_ he mentally asked his brother.

Gregor glanced back only to gasp when he saw a large ghost-like cat jump out of the bush and give chase.

"_It's chasing us! Elliot, __run__ faster! We must fly!"_ Gregor mentally said in a panic as he turned his head forward and began to spread his wings to gain flight.

Elliot tried to look back to see what was chasing them, but his brother was in his way, so he couldn't really see what it was except that it was bigger than they and that it seemed to be gaining.

The twins' symbols suddenly lit up in their fear, immediately alerting their parents of their plight.

Elliot was the first to gain flight, but his brother, who was just a couple of feet behind him, quickly followed suit.

"Fly faster, Elliot!" Gregor shouted at his sibling as he also did his best to pick up his speed. But their inexperience didn't let them gain much more speed, especially when their fear didn't really let them concentrate. And, unfortunately, they were so focused on their flying that they never saw another ghost appear above them until it was too late.

The new ghost fired a pink beam at the two four-year-olds, knocking them out of the air.

The two cried out in pain as they slammed into the ground. But being that Elliot had been hit more directly by the energy blast, he let out a whimper before falling unconscious.

Gregor whimpered himself, but slowly got to his feet and shook his dizzy head. However, when he looked over at his brother and saw he wasn't moving, the child gasped and exclaimed, "Elliot!"

The scared brother frantically nudged his sibling with his snout, while begging him to wake up.

"Elliot!" he began to sob when his brother wouldn't respond. And all the while, his symbol glowed brighter.

"Aw, it's okay, little dragon. We're not here to hurt you…," a female voice cooed.

Gregory quickly snapped his head in its direction and gasped at finding a female shadow ghost with red eyes.

"Much, anyways," another male voice added. And Gregory immediately realized it belonged to the cat ghost that had been chasing him and his brother.

The four-year-old dragon instinctively moved closer to his brother and barred his teeth at the two intruders. "Go away! My mother and father are going to be angry at you both for hurting us!"

"Oh, we are definitely taking him," the female said with a laugh.

And before Gregor could even react, the ghost cat lunged at him, pinning him on the ground.

"No! Mommy! Daddy!" the little ghost wailed as he tried to get away. But then something worse happened and he screamed in pain when sharp fangs bit down on his neck.

"Elliot! Elliot, help!" Gregory sobbed, desperate for someone to help him. But no matter how much he called out to his sibling, the other young black dragon never stirred. And Gregor fell into darkness with his brother's name on his lips…

"NO!" Gregor suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs as he jolted awake. But his violent reaction caused him to slam into something hard and cold behind him.

Panicked, the child whirled around, only to hit himself against something hard again.

"NO! Let me go! Let me go! " Gregor hollered as he struggled violently against what had him confined.

"**Drone!" **

The child froze as the sound of the voice instantly brought him back to reality.

Freakshow suddenly kneeled beside the dragon-ghost's cage and snarled, "What the hell is your problem? It's three in the morning and I can hear you screaming all the way from my tent! Not only that, but your freaking out all the animals! Now, I don't know what the hell Thomas has been doing to you, but I'm going to do worse if you don't shut up right now and go to sleep!"

"Master! M-Master! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he pleaded.

"I said shut the hell up and go to sleep!" Freakshow snarled, kicking Gregor's cage so hard that it almost fell over.

Gregory quickly backed up into the corner of his small cage and squeezed his eyes closed, not daring to do anything more to further upset his master.

Freakshow cursed the child before stomping back out of the underground room in which he kept Gregor. He also screamed at the nearby nervous animals locked in their own cages to also shut up; though, of course, they were not as compliant as the dragon ghost.

Hearing his master's steps finally fade away, Gregory slowly opened his eyes, only to choke on a sob, which he quickly silenced by grabbing his stuffed dragonfly and burying his face into it. Why wouldn't these nightmares and voices leave him alone? And what was worse, it all kept getting more real with every passing day. It's as if his mind was going crazy now that it wasn't being kept dormant by his master.

Gregory squeezed his eyes closed again as that voice that sounded like him returned to his mind and another vision passed by his mind. The vision was of him, but he was wearing strange clothing and was in an unfamiliar room….

Gregor didn't know that what he was seeing was his brother and that the same dream that had just woken him up had also woken up Elliot…

"_Go away. Leave me alone! I hate you! Leave me alone_!" Gregory mentally screamed at the whimpering voice and vision in his mind. But, somehow, he knew that whatever this was in his mind would never go away, because it was part of him… And, somehow, he was connected to that other voice that sounded so much like himself…

Gregor wasn't stupid. He had long since understood that he hadn't always been with his master. He knew he didn't belong in this world…But he didn't want to remember what his mind seemed to so desperately want to show him. It was too confusing. Too frightening.

**He just wanted it all to go away and leave him alone!**

Gregor opened his eyes and suddenly needing to do something to get away from what was inside him, he quickly ripped off the ring on his finger. And using one of his claws, he quickly rent the cage open. If he wasn't so panicked, he would have never dared to do such of thing, knowing his master would be furious.

But all he cared about was getting away.

He pushed open the door before crawling out of it. But remembering his stuffed toys and Tom's jacket, which the man had given him to keep so that he wouldn't catch a cold, he crawled back into the cage, grabbed his things, and finally moved back out. He looked around the underground room, hearing but ignoring the sound of the animals that were also trapped in their cages. But then seeing the elevator-like contraption his master used to get to the rink above, he quickly went over to it. It only took him a moment to see how to use it.

Once on ground level, Gregor looked around the circus rink and several more memories came flooding back to his mind.

"_Where's my mommy and daddy? Where am I?"_

"_They're in the __G__host __W__orld. And you're in the __H__uman __W__orld…" _

"_Human __W__orld?"_

"_Yes…"_

Gregory began to shake as he backed away from whatever he was seeing in his mind.

"Help," he whimpered and suddenly his core began to burn as the Gem of Form fought to keep the child's energy locked inside when he subconsciously triggered the link he once had with his parents.

Gregor choked on a pained cry as he fell to his knees in pain and gripped at his burning chest.

"Stop hurting me!" he sobbed out as he buried his face into the things in his other hand. But no matter what he did, the burning only grew stronger. And soon, a blue light coming from inside his shirt suddenly got his attention.

He whimpered when he saw his symbol had reappeared even with the gem. And it was dimly pulsating with his distress. But the sight of that suddenly made him furious for some reason and he began to claw at his clothed chest with his fingernails.

"Quit it! Quit doing that!" he hissed, his green eyes flashing red.

And, somehow, that seemed to do the trick because his symbol suddenly stopped glowing and disappeared again. The child looked down at his chest for some time, while a deep sadness swelled inside him. Perhaps it was because deep down he knew why his symbol had been doing that. Or, perhaps because he somehow knew that this would be the last time he would ever be able to use that forgotten link. He was ten years of age, after all—the age which all ghost children lost that link with their parents…

Gregory slowly got to his feet again and looked at his surroundings again. He had never been able to really see this place, since he barely spent time here. But now that he was here, the place gave him a weird feeling, especially when he saw the vast amount of empty viewing seats around him.

Gregor glanced up and noticed a ropewalk and a few acrobatic contraptions, like swings. But what got his attention were the numerous catwalks, meant for those who controlled the lighting and other technical operations of the circus. And he got the sudden idea that they would be a good place to hide for the night…

It only took Gregory a moment to find a way up. And making sure to keep his things with him, he carefully climbed the wood and rope ladder, always favoring his uninjured leg more. Tom had indeed stitched it up, but it still hurt and with his energy suppressed, it was going to take him a few days to heal completely…

Eventually, Gregory picked an unused catwalk—judging by the dirt and spider webs. It was hidden from direct view by ripped pieces of tenting material coming from the ceiling, looking much like sheets being put out to dry.

As he inspected the area, Gregor found there was a rip in the main outer tent, just large enough for him to look out of it.

In spite that this area was colder, Gregor decided he was going to stay on this catwalk. He liked being able to see the stars and dark clouds outside. But he could also see the city in distance and the park's lake. And although it was snowing pretty heavily, it made the Christmas lights on the buildings look even prettier.

Gregor stared at the view for another moment before setting himself on the catwalk's planks. And as if trying to hide from the world, he threw the white-and-red jacket over his head, glad that it was so big, it was more like a blanket to him. He was actually surprised when Tom told him to hold on to it after he had washed and dried it at his house. He had also noticed his master had given the ghost hunter an odd look when he saw him with the jacket. But, ultimately, his master didn't say anything to Tom about it. And at the moment, Gregor also wasn't interested in questioning the ghost hunter's weird bouts of niceness.

Pulling his dragonfly and unicorn close to his body for extra warmth, Gregory sighed and curled up on the catwalk under the jacket. His mind returned back to his nightmare, though deep down he knew it had not been a bad dream, but, rather, a _memory_—one he partly understood. But Gregor didn't want to understand the rest. Just like he didn't want to accept the fact that he knew who Elliot—the voice in his head—was.

"Elliot…," Gregory whispered sadly before closing his eyes and adding within a sob, "I-I hate you."

* * *

It was strange how time slipped away just as predictably in such different places as the Human and Ghost Worlds. Yet, lately, each day that slowly passed was more like a countdown to something ominous, even as those days melded into a week, and then suddenly, into two. And at the end of those two weeks, as each world continued to follow its normal beat, only very few knew how their kind of 'normality' was soon about to come to its end… within the next two days.

"Does everyone understand the operation?" Tom asked as he stood in front of the commanders of his special OP team in one of the briefing rooms of the 'GiW' facility in Amity Park.

"Yes, sir," his commanders replied.

"Remember. No one is to make a single move outside your orders unless I say otherwise," Tom continued. "Now, each of you is responsible for giving your squadron the 'need to know' details of our mission and nothing else. Furthermore, every Guy-in-White is to be equipped with the best we got. I want everyone prepared for anything. And above all, I want no mistakes."

"Yes, sir," his commanders answered once more.

"Operative T. Operative M. I want your teams to remain at the base and await further instruction. The rest of you, we meet at Axion Lab at 1800 hours. I want all teams prepped and ready to go by then. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" they all said.

"Then if there are no questions, all, except for the two commanders in charge of the special side missions, are dismissed."

"I have one last question, sir," Operative M said. And getting a nod from his superior, he asked, "If our mission will be carried out at Axion Lab and our base is simply the decoy station, then I must ask, what of the civilians within the Axion facility? Will there be workers there at the time of our operation?"

"Yes, there will be workers; though I have talked to Damon Gray, the owner of this facility, and he will make sure occupancy is minimal. Unfortunately, we cannot dismiss all the workers, because their presence is part of our undercover operation. We cannot draw any suspicions towards our operation by shutting down the normal functions of Axion Lab. However, it is every operative's responsibility to assure the safety of all civilians, including those in that facility. And as long as this operation goes as planned, then that shouldn't be a problem."

Operative M nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Making sure no one else had any further questions, Tom finally dismissed the commanders.

He watched as everyone, except for two of his commanders, moved out to prep their teams.

Once everyone was gone, Thomas looked back at the two men left behind. Operative K, who was a dark-skinned man, was his most experienced commander when it came to special operations that dealt with the seizing and capturing of ghostly enemies.

And Operative O, who was a browned-eyed Caucasian man in his early thirties, was the youngest of his commanders; but he was known for his ruthless drive and quick-thinking. They were both good leaders and had good teams, which made them perfect for their _special_ assignments….

"There is one more thing I need to speak with you both about," Tom began calmly as he walked up to his two subordinates and handed them each a folder with the details of their assignments—though, he had previously already spoken individually and privately to them about the details of their special assignments.

"Operative K, I have given you this special assignment because I have full faith that you will be able to execute it without a hitch. You do understand that the success of your mission will mean the success of the entire operation. In other words, if you fail, this operation will fail and that will be on your hands… You do understand what I am implying, correct?" Tom said seriously.

Operative K nodded. "Yes, sir. My team and I will not fail."

Thomas nodded at the commander before looking over at the other. "Operative O. Your mission is just as important. As you know, I am entrusting you with my… secret weapon."

"I will use it well, sir," Operative O replied.

But Tom chuckled at his reply. "I never said my secret weapon was something you could 'use', Commander."

Operative O frowned in confusion. All this time, even when he had talked to his superior in private, the fair-skinned young man had been under the impression that his superior's 'secret weapon' was, well, a _weapon_. But if it wasn't something he could physically _use_, then what sort of weapon was his superior referring to?

"Sir?" was all Operative O could reply.

Tom smiled calmly as he answered, "Although this assignment is specifically for you, Operative O, it is possible that Operative K might have to work with my secret weapon as well. That is why I have decided to reveal the indentity of said 'weapon' solely to you both. After all, you cannot work efficiently with him if you don't at least meet him, first."

The two commanders looked at each other before looking back at their leader and repeating simultaneously, "_Him_?"

Tom's smile melded into a smirk before he said, "Follow me, commanders."

The head 'GiW' led the two other men to the weapon's room. And when they got there, they found Freakshow and Gregor already waiting for them inside.

Tom regarded the two with a knowing grin.

And while Gregor just frowned and looked away, Freakshow walked up to him and asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course," Tom replied confidently before looking at his two confused commanders. "Operative O. Operative K. This is Frederich Showenhower. With my help, he has been caring for my secret weapon for many years now."

Gregor raised an eyebrow at what Tom had called him, but then he rolled his eyes; though because he was wearing his sunglasses, the other two men didn't see it.

"I see… And where is this 'secret weapon', sir?" Operative O questioned.

"Right in front of you," Tom replied calmly, pointing at Gregor.

The two commanders gawked in surprise at the child, who just regarded them both with an emotionless stare.

"T-The _boy_?" Operative O finally stuttered out.

"Oh, he's no 'boy', commander," Tom assured him with a smirk.

But seeing his subordinates looked utterly lost, Thomas added, "It's just a disguise, you see. But before I let you truly see what he is, I want to make sure you both understand that this is strictly classified. And that means, if you either of you compromise his identity, then I will see to it that whoever you told and you _both_ _disappear_ permanently. Understand?" Tom said, his eyes narrowing on his two commanders.

"I understand, sir," Operative O answered.

And then Operative K added, "I will die, first, before even contemplating treason, sir."

"Then, let me show you my secret weapon… Gregor, if you would…," Tom said, grinning over at the ten-year-old.

Gregory looked displeased at Thomas, but then he looked up at his master and seeing him reluctantly nod his head, the boy sighed before finally removing his glasses and ring. He then placed them on the ground before taking several steps away from everyone.

With one last look at Tom, Gregor reached into his chest and pulled out the Gem of Form.

The two commanders gasped when a puff of blue smoke encased the child. But it seemed to expand and grow in size until it suddenly stopped and the smoke dispersed, revealing a red-eyed ten-foot ghost dragon now standing in the boy's place.

"Oh my God!" Operative K gasped out, and he and Operative O instinctively backed away, all the while reaching for the guns on their hips.

"Steady, commanders," Tom said, raising a hand to keep them from trying to fire their weapons.

"Agent C. That's a ghost! And a really big one at that!" Operative O exclaimed, and though he held his fire, he didn't lower his weapon.

Gregor tilted his head at the clearly scared men, but he then suddenly smirked at the fact. He supposed he couldn't blame them for being frightened by the sight of him. He could, after all, easily snap them in half if he wanted.

Deciding to mess with them a little, Gregor puffed out his chest to make himself look bigger and then slowly spread out his huge black wings. He grinned at them with his sharp teeth, while a bit of blue smoke billowed out of his nostrils.

In spite of their training, the two commanders couldn't help but be intimidated by the ten-foot monster. They had dealt with many ghosts in the past, but something about this one made it as horrifying as it was stunning, especially when they were being ordered to stand down!

Tom grinned at his commander's obvious reactions, though he also found Gregor's actions highly amusing, even if he acted like he didn't notice.

"Yes, he is indeed a _large ghost_. A very large, powerful and _useful_ ghost," Tom added, walking up to Gregor before almost affectionately running a hand down the young dragon's strong neck.

Gregory lowered his wings a bit and he frowned down at Thomas, but otherwise said nothing.

Regaining his composure a little bit, Operative O finally spoke up again. "I'm sorry, sir. But we fail to understand. Are you telling us this…creature is your secret weapon? You want us to work with a _ghost_?"

"That is correct, commander," Tom said as he gave Gregor one last pat on his neck before turning to face his subordinates. "He will be helping us carry out our operation."

Operative K was the one to speak this time. "Forgive me for questioning your judgment, Agent C. But…this creature is a dangerous variable in our mission. What if it turns on us the minute he is around his kind?"

"Relax, commander. Neither of you have reason to fear such a thing," Tom reassured them as he walked back over to them. "You see, this ghost is under Frederich's control. How? That is not something either of you need to know. However, believe me when I tell you that Gregor will not be doing anything that I or Frederich do not command him. He has no free will, commanders. He is nothing more than a well-trained dog that exists to please his master. He's a weapon against his race and nothing more…"

Gregory narrowed his eyes at Tom and his words, but said nothing.

Still, the two commanders noticed how the ghost bristled and were clearly doubtful.

And seeing it, Tom sighed and glanced over at Freakshow. "How about a demonstration?"

The ringmaster turned his eyes to Gregory. And as if sensing his gaze, the child quickly turned his full attention to his master, and his aggressive posture vanished.

"A demonstration, it is," Freakshow said coolly before raising his staff and shooting a red beam at Gregor.

Gregory gasped, before he suddenly recoiled and cried out in pain. His large wings dropped to the ground, while his tail curled around himself as he tried to escape the agony within his mind.

"Master! Master, please!" he begged Freakshow as he clawed at his head in an attempt to grip at it and stop the pain.

The two commanders' eyes widened at the suffering ghost, but then the two soon smirked in understanding.

"I see…," Operative O remarked, while the other nodded in agreement.

But then Operative O turned his brown-eyes at Tom and further asked, "What role exactly will this ghost be playing in my mission, Agent C?"

Tom, who had been looking thoughtfully at the still pleading and pained Gregor, slowly turned his eyes to his two commanders. "His orders are his own. All you need to concern yourself with is that you fulfill _your_ mission and that if Gregor comes into your sector that your squadron understands that he is not to be harmed. The same goes for you, Operative K. Now, you both may leave. I need you and your teams ready to go and at Axion Lab at 1800 hours."

Knowing better than to question their superior anymore, the two left the room.

Tom finally turned his eyes to Freakshow and nodded at him.

With a frown, the ringmaster lowered his staff and the glowing red gem dimmed. As a result, Gregory's cries instantly vanished and he was left in a confused and shivering heap on the ground.

"Are we done?" Freakshow asked impatiently.

"_You_ are," Tom answered calmly as moved over to where Gregor had put his glasses and ring, and picked up the items. But he then threw back at Freakshow, "I want you at Axion Lab early tomorrow morning."

The ringmaster frowned even more as he quickly questioned, "Fine, but what about my slave?"

"You let me worry about him," Tom said offhandedly before going over the whimpering ghost dragon and squatting down in front of him.

Freakshow rolled his eyes at the Guy-in-White. But understanding that would mean that the ghost was going to be staying with him for at least the next two days, he quickly reduced his staff to the size of a wand and slipped it into his trench coat. But just as he was about to head out, he glanced back at Tom and his face tensed with displeasure at what he saw.

He didn't like the way the hunter was quietly watching the trembling Gregory who stayed curled into a ball with his face under one of his wings. In fact, Freakshow didn't like how the man paid so much _attention_ to his slave, especially in the past weeks…

"Be careful, Thomas. Don't get too attached to my drone. It isn't one of your loyal _dogs_. _It_ **will** bite."

Thomas turned his eyes back to Freakshow, seemingly surprised by the remark. But before he could say anything, Freakshow walked out. The ghost hunter frowned briefly before scoffing.

"Freakshow truly has no imagination," Thomas said with a shake of his head.

He turned his eyes back to Gregory and suddenly asked him, "Are you going to stay like that all day? Freakshow isn't even here anymore."

Gregory's ears twitched at hearing the man's voice, and still trembling, he slowly raised his head a bit to look at the hunter.

"Why?" he whimpered. "I-I didn't do anything. My master hurt me and I didn't do anything wrong!"

But then the child's eyes suddenly flashed a brighter red and he stood up so fast that Tom had to jump back so that the dragon's long neck didn't knock him down.

"You… **You** told him to hurt me!" Gregor roared furiously, though he was still shaking.

Tom frowned, though calmly replied, "I didn't tell him to hurt you."

Gregory roared at him before screaming, **"I hate you!** **I didn't do anything! Why did you make him hurt me?"**

Tom quickly backed up when Gregor suddenly came at him, clearly too furious to care if his master had ordered him not to kill the man.

"Gregor, don't make me hurt you," Tom warned seriously as he continued to back away from the advancing dragon ghost.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Gregor hissed, blue smoke leaking out of his mouth, while his ears were pressed back in anger.

"I know. I don't want you to be afraid of me," Tom answered.

The comment instantly halted the dragon ghost and he stared in confusion at the man. It was as if every time he acted 'nice' to him, the child was left dumb-founded and unable to know how to react.

Seeing the ghost still, Thomas halted and smirked. "Does that surprise you, Gregor? I think you are smart enough to understand I am nothing like Freakshow. I am not trying to make you 'fear' me as he has. It has never been my intention. However…"

Thomas approached the dragon ghost, and although he ended up looking up at the child, the hunter was hardly intimidated as he added, "_However_, you **will** respect me. You know why, Gregor?"

The dragon ghost narrowed his eyes back on the man, but didn't reply.

And although he knew the child already knew the answer, Thomas still voiced it with amusement, "Freakshow might have attached your collar on you, Gregor. But it is _I _who holds the leash. He might be your master. But I am your trainer. I am the one who instructs you. And because I am a _very good_ trainer, I expect _very good_ results, Gregor. And as long as I continue to get them, as long as you do as you're told, I will reward you without reserve. Now, be a good puppy and put your leash back on," Tom said with a grin as extended the boy's sunglasses, gem, and ring to him.

Gregory frowned, though now the man's niceness made sense to him. The hunter saw him as some sort of dog.

"What happened to me being nothing more to you than your weapon?" the child muttered as he snatched the items from him.

"You _are_ my weapon, Gregor," Tom assured him. "And perhaps the best one I have ever had. But now that you are _trained_, you get to be a bit more. You are now also my well-trained puppy. Aren't you lucky?"

Gregor rolled his eyes before inserting the Gem of Form back into his core. He instantly returned to his human appearance and although he was still shaking a bit from the lingering effects of Freakshow's staff, he quickly slipped his glasses and ring back on.

Thomas smiled at the boy, but then he walked over to a nearby bench and grabbed an ear piece and a steaming cup from it.

Gregory watched as the man returned to him; and squatting down, Tom grabbed his face and turned it to the left before inserting the ear piece. "This is a communicator. It will let us talk to each other no matter where you are," Tom calmly explained. But then, he smiled again and offered him the steaming cup and added, "And this is a cup of hot chocolate since you liked it so much last time. I even added some ghost vitamins to this one, so it does more than stimulate your taste buds."

The child's eyebrows creased, this time; and although he hesitantly took the drink, he muttered to the man, "I still hate you."

Thomas laughed before rising to his height. "Silly little demon, you make it sound like you are capable of feeling anything else!"

"I just like letting you know," Gregor retorted offhandedly.

Tom just chuckled and walked off to grab several packed duffle bags on a table; and with practiced ease, he heaved them onto his shoulders. He then looked back at Gregory and smirked again when he saw the child take a tentative sip of his hot drink.

"Taste good?"

Gregory scowled this time, knowing the man was just messing with him. But he still admitted, "Yeah, it does."

"Good. Now, let's go. We have a lot to get done in less than forty-eight hours," Tom said, a serious look falling on his face as he headed out.

Gregor followed after the man, after grabbing his jacket off the coat rack. Thomas had gotten this one for him. It was all white and actually fit him.

"Are we going to Axion?" Gregor asked before taking another sip of his drink.

"Yes. We need to set up a few things before I have you proceed with your instructions. You do remember what they are, right?" Thomas questioned.

"I'm smart and well-trained, remember?" Gregory retorted sarcastically before adding, "What exactly are we setting up at Axion? I thought we already did all that."

"Well, we have done most. But we need to set up a few… more things. You will see," Thomas replied with a secretive smile.

Gregor rolled his eyes again at the man's cryptic words, but he didn't question it. He knew what he had to do and that's all he cared about. Well, that and his cup of hot chocolate. It did taste very good…

* * *

**Man, we are **_**so**_** close to that climax that my Vlad muse is going into overdrive! LOL! But until then, let me know what you thought about this one. This one is actually one of my favorites. I just love how Tom's character is evolving, especially when it comes to his relationship with Gregor. Heh. I got so much planned for these two… *grins***

**Anyways, 'Patro' means 'Father', by the way. Heh. That should give you all more food for thought. Though, I can tell you right now that Gregor and Tom will never have a lovey-dovey father-son relationship. They hate each other too much for that! But…their relationship will be interesting nevertheless. And this here is just the beginning of my fun! Heh-heh! Okay, let me stop before I go spoiling you guys! Epp!**

**Um, I do have a bit of a homework assignment for you all…*gasps* But, hopefully, it will be fun. I'm gonna give you guys a few Esperanto words to learn, only because they will be coming up a lot very shortly and it will help you guys follow future chapters better if you know them. Of course, I will always put the meaning of a word if it's important at the end of the chapter. So, you'll still get your 'cheat sheet'. But I do recommend at least being able to recognize them when you see them. So, here they are. I already gave you one of them. So, you are doing well so far! Hah-hah!**

**1. Patro: Father**

**2.** **Paĉjo: Daddy**

**3. Patrino: Mother**

**4. Panjo: Mommy**

**5. Jes: Yes**

**6.**** Ne: No**

**7. Homa(j): Human(s)**

**8. Mondo: World**

**9. Fantomo(j): Ghost(s)**

**Okie-dokie! I think that's all. Have fun with that. Though, I think they're pretty easy! Heh! Until next time!**


	30. Chapter 28: The Calm Before the Storm

**Hello all! I just wanted to say that this chapter is dedicated to NewGhostGirl for drawing the title card for this story! It's just awesome! Thanks again, sweetie!**

**As for the rest of you, thank you for your continuing support! See you at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU and its OCs are my own.**

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**Chapter 28: The Calm Before the Storm**

* * *

Ruĝa frowned as her true dragon form faded away under Aragon's spell over his castle. No matter how many times she came here, she could never get use to seeing herself in such a… _human_-like body.

Bright pink eyes stared critically at her glowing hand as she brought it up to her face. It was very delicate, almost fragile, in comparison to her more powerful clawed hands. And her skin tone seemed to grow paler in this form, too. Its color was that of a very pale pink rose, almost like a permanent _human_ blush was radiating of her skin. And as she passed that same hand which she had been studying through her long light rosy hair, she felt the silky strands slide through her fingers.

But what really bothered her was the fact she wore clothing in this form. And it wasn't something comfortable, either, but a white medieval gown that really made her feeling like some porcelain doll.

"How revolting," she muttered in distaste.

A soft feminine laugh suddenly jolted the young girl dragon and she looked up in time to see Elliot's mother approaching her.

"Ruĝa, child. Surely you do not find your appearance that displeasing?" Altiĝis said with an amused smile.

"Madam Altiĝis," she replied respectively with a curtsy. But then she added, "I am simply not used to this…_form_."

"Yes, it is most unnatural for us. However, it is practical," Altiĝis replied, stopping in front of the little girl.

"It is too human-like, Madam. My parents have advised me against their villainous nature. Therefore, it is most unpleasing to share any similarity to those creatures," Ruĝa explained with pursed lips.

"You're parents have advised you well, child," Altiĝis said, her smile melding into a frown of her own.

But when Elliot's mother fell into a thoughtful silence, Ruĝa creased her eyebrows in confusion.

However, before the little ghost girl could think of something to break the silence, a loud slam from the front entrance jolted both Ruĝa and Altiĝis.

"**Unbelievable! Preposterous! Unheard of!" **

Altiĝis frowned at the sound of her mate's furious voice, while Ruĝa cringed, realizing she had chosen a bad time to stop by.

But when Altiĝis caught sight of her husband walking towards to her, she quickly asked, "Aragon, my mate, whatever is the matter?"

"_**This**_, Altiĝis!" he seethed, holding up a shimmering invitation letter. "The audacity of Skulker to send me an invitation letter to the Queen and King's anniversary celebration _and_ his and _my_ sibling's **engagement** announcement!"

"Aragon," Altiĝis began with a sigh, already having talked with him about this before. After all, Skulker had long since gone to Aragon to talk about him and Dora and had already invited him to the engagement announcement. So, they both knew this wasn't the first time he had heard of this. And yet, her mate was more furious than ever before..

Probably because the engagement would be **today** in the evening…

"**Never! Do you hear me? I will **_**never**_** allow Dorthian to set foot on dragon territory again if she agrees to marry that-**_**that murderer!"**_ Aragon fumed as his hand fisted over the invitation before it was suddenly encased in his angry energy and turned to ashes.

"It's a disgrace to our kind! An abomination! Their offspring would be impure—_mutt_s_!"_ he hissed as he suddenly started to pace, clearly not knowing what to do with himself.

Meanwhile, Ruĝa bit her lip and took a step away from her leader. Clearly, he was so angry he had not even noticed she was present.

But Altiĝis glanced worriedly at the child before approaching her husband and grabbing one of his arms, stopping his pacing. "Aragon, perhaps we should—"

"This is **Desiree's** doing!" Aragon cut his mate off, his face distorting with his fury. "She has filled my sibling's mind with her liberal beliefs and immoral values! **That **_**witch**_** has poisoned Dorthian!"**

Aragon suddenly growled as he then said, "Why, Altiĝis? Why has such ill-fate befallen us?" His angry voice melded with a sort of desperation as he added, "We have lost Gregory! Our Elliot is mentally ill! And now my own sibling is about to disgrace our kind by accepting the signature of a male from the Kingdom! What have I ever done to deserve such misery? My core cannot take any more of this, Altiĝis!"

The dragon leader's eyes then flashed a brighter red, and his amulet glowed with his anger as he hissed, "Dorthian has betrayed me—just like Vlad and Desiree! **They are all lying conniving traitors!**"

"Aragon! Would you please control yourself! You are scaring the child!" Altiĝis pleaded, now sounding upset after the mention of her own children.

His mate's words finally got Aragon's attention. "Child?" he questioned with a deep frown. But when he finally noticed the nervous Ruĝa, he tensed a bit.

"H-Hello, Sir Aragon. I was seeking audience with Elliot," the little girl said shyly, her eyes lowering.

"Elliot," Aragon muttered and then sighed deeply.

"Aragon, come. Let's go to the study. We'll talk there," Altiĝis suggested quietly.

The dragon leader nodded before turning from the girl and walking out of the foyer.

"Excuse us, child," Altiĝis quickly said before following after her mate.

Ruĝa watched the couple leave before glancing over at the front door's direction. Maybe she should just come back later…

The girl bit her lip before turning her pink eyes towards the hallway which led to Elliot's room. It was most unbecoming for a female to enter a male's dormitory, especially without an escort…

But, she really wanted to see Elliot.

Hesitating for another moment, she then made up her mind and quickly moved down the hallway to find her friend. She hoped he was there because she really did not want to search the whole castle for him. That would also be highly improper.

"Elliot?" she called, knocking on his door while nervously looking around the hallway. She would never hear the end of it if her parents found out she was seeking Elliot out in his room.

But when she continued to knock and got no answer, she whined in distress. But before she could change her mind, she quickly opened the door and went in.

Ruĝa closed the door behind her before looking around the room. But she readily frowned when she found her friend sitting quietly on his bed.

Elliot slowly raised his eyes to Ruĝa and readily blinked in surprise and confusion.

"Ruĝa ? …What are you doing in my dormitory?"

The girl's cheeks flushed white with embarrassment and she shyly answered, "I wished to see you, Elliot. But I was unable to ask your parents for an escort or have them call you down. But I will leave if—"

"No, it's okay. I don't mind," Elliot interrupted with a small smile. "Sit with me," he added, patting his bed.

Ruĝa smiled. But then she playfully jumped on his bed and threw her arms around him. She had not seen him for many days now. And it always worried her when her friend became reclusive like this. And she knew it always happened after another 'nightmare'.

In spite of his form, a purr rumbled from Elliot's throat as he hugged his friend back. Well, friend and _future mate_, since in his culture they believed in arranged marriages. And Ruĝa's parents and his parents had already decided in their bonding.

Their paring was supposed to be promising for their kin's energy-line or something like that. After all, Ruĝa came from a rare breed of dragons that possessed special abilities and coloring. Her parents were both albino, and Ruĝa was even rarer with her pink color and had unique powers. As for Elliot, well, his noble heritage prided itself in forming dragons of great power, hence why his father's ancestry had always led their dragon kin.

But it didn't bother Elliot that he would not get to choose who he would be with for the rest of his life. After all, his customs was all he really knew and he accepted it as such. Besides, he loved his sweet friend. They had a strong bond, which had also helped his parents decide on Ruĝa for his mate over the other female dragons his age.

"Elliot, why haven't you been out to play? Was it another nightmare?" Ruĝa questioned him as she placed her hand on his symbol and looked up at him.

Elliot's yellow-eyes saddened and lowered for a moment. But then looking back at her, he fearfully whispered, "Ruĝa …I think I might be mentally ill. I-I think I'm going crazy."

Ruĝa pulled her hand away, though she had felt all her friend's confusing feelings. But having heard Elliot's father say that same thing, she frowned worriedly and asked, "Why do you believe that? You seem fine to me."

"But I'm not," Elliot whimpered as he shut his eyes and gripped at his hair. "He won't leave me alone, Ruĝa! My _dead_ brother won't leave me alone!"

Ruĝa's eyes widened. "Gregory?" she gasped out.

Of course the ghost girl knew Elliot's sibling. She would very often play with the both of them when they had been younger. In fact, before Gregory's death, her parents and her leaders had not yet decided to which of the two she would be betrothed. They were going to wait and see which of the two the pink dragon would have developed a stronger bond with. But, of course, now fate's cruel hand had made that choice for them.

"Ruĝa, everything inside me screams that Gregor is alive! I heard his voice just two weeks ago! I see the things he sees! And I feel how he feels! And it's so… _dark_," Elliot said with a shiver.

"But… Elliot… Gregor cannot possibly be alive," Ruĝa replied worriedly. "He was never found in our world. He was taken by the humans! Elliot, everyone knows those creatures show ghosts no mercy! And even if that was untrue, it's been _years_, Elliot! My parents told me no ghost can survive out there for longer than a few months!"

"I know all that, Ruĝa!" Elliot suddenly exclaimed, pushing off the bed and pacing his room angrily. "I _know_ that. I know he cannot be alive, but then why do I hear him? Why? Unless I am going crazy!" he shouted, looking back at his friend in desperation.

Ruĝa creased her eyebrows in uncertainty. But then, she stood up and walked up to her friend.

"Elliot, do you _really_ think you're crazy? Or… Do you _truly_ believe you brother's alive?" she asked.

Elliot stared at his friend uncertainly as he replied, "I… My logic tells me I am mentally ill. But I _feel_ inside my mind and core that my brother lives, Ruĝa! His link with me is still alive! If he were dead, why would I still have it?"

"Did you tell your parents? Perhaps, if he is alive, they could find him," Ruĝa answered, honestly believing her friend now.

But Elliot shook his head in frustration. "I tried, Ruĝa. I told them and all I did was make my mother cry and my father angry!"

"They… didn't believe you?" she questioned worriedly.

Elliot felt tears prickle against his eyes, but he held them in as he sadly replied, "I think my mother believed me at first, but my father outright denied the possibility. And then they started arguing over me. They think something is wrong with me, Ruĝa."

The dragon girl was quiet for a moment. But then getting a sudden idea, she grabbed one of Elliot's hands and said, "Here, let's do something." She then led them back to sit on the bed. But seeing the lost look on her friend's face, she added, "Just do as I say, okay?"

Elliot nodded.

"Close your eyes," she lightly ordered. And when he did, she grabbed his face and turned it towards her. She then gathered energy in her lungs before blowing pink smoke at his face.

Instantly, Elliot felt his body relax and his anxiety and fear melted away. So much, in fact, that he didn't even realize it when her friend pushed him back on his bed.

"Elliot? Do you hear me?" she asked softly in his ear.

"Yes… "the boy dragon replied quietly, eyes still closed.

"Okay," she said, but then bit her lip nervously upon remembering she had not really tried to use her powers like this before. But she still knew how to hypnotize well enough to know she wouldn't hurt her friend.

"I want you to concentrate on your telepathy power, okay? And if possible, focus on the link you once had with Gregor."

"No, I can't do that," Elliot fearfully replied, though he didn't wake.

"It's okay, Elliot. I'm here with you," Ruĝa assured him, placing her hand on his core before adding, "I won't leave you. And all you have to do is tell me to let you wake up and I shall let you, so you don't have to be afraid."

Elliot was quiet for a moment, but trusting his friend, he did as he was told. He honestly avoided his telepathic powers most of the time since he lost his brother. But now that he had lately been having his visions and had heard his sibling's voice two weeks ago, he was just too scared to even want to use it ever again. But… maybe if he tried, he could learn the truth…

But… did he want to know it?

"Elliot, relax. It's okay," he heard his friend tell him.

Concentrating, he opened up his mind and then focused on the once familiar link with his brother. Almost like an old door, it groaned open and he tentatively entered. This time, though, he met no resistance…

But he instantly gasped at what he saw.

"What do you see, Elliot?" the little girl dragon questioned quietly.

"White… strange structure. Green barriers…," Elliot whimpered. "Humans. A lot of them, Ruĝa! I'm with them!"

"You…. Or, your brother, Elliot?" Ruĝa asked urgently and fearfully.

"I-I don't know. I see _me_. No, it's not me. It can't be me. These feelings are not mine! Something's wrong. Something…"

Elliot suddenly screamed and convulsed on the bed. "Stop! Stop it! Ruĝa! Help me!" he shouted at her as he gripped his hair in agony.

Ruĝa's eyes widened in horror and she quickly moved above him and blew out the same pink smoke from her mouth before exclaiming, "Elliot! Wake up!"

Her friend's eyes snapped open, only for her to scream in alarm when she was staring at bright red eyes instead of her friend's normal yellow ones.

But her shout melded into a gasp when Elliot suddenly reached forward and grabbed her by the neck and sneered, **"**_**Leave me alone!"**_

"Elliot! **Elliot!**" she cried in fear as she tried to pry him off.

Luckily, her distressed voice seem to snap the ghost boy out of it and the red color in his eyes vanished, leaving behind their confused and shocked yellow ones.

"R-Ruĝa?" he whispered, but when he saw he had his hands wrapped around her neck, he gasped and instantly let go and stumbled away from her. "No… Ruĝa, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

In spite of the fact that she was very shaken up, Ruĝa whispered out, "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it."

Elliot watched as she rubbed her sore neck before he looked down at his hands. What had happened to him? He suddenly felt so…angry and vengeful. And then everything just went black until he snapped out of it and found himself trying to break his friend's neck!

"Elliot?" Ruĝa suddenly asked, and Elliot tensed when he felt her touch his face.

"Ruĝa …I'm so scared," he whispered to her.

Ruĝa quickly wrapped her arms around him and purred in hopes to comfort her friend. But it was hard when she was suddenly just as scared—but for him. Even if his brother was alive by some miracle, what was happening to her friend wasn't anything good.

"Something really bad is going to happen, Ruĝa. I can feel it," Elliot whimpered as he held his friend tightly. "Something very bad… and I can't do anything to stop it… to… stop...him."

* * *

The Ghost Prince didn't know this, but there was one thing that ghosts had in common with humans. And that was that they both celebrated Christmas. The customs were slightly different, but they essentially celebrated the same thing: family, love, and the divine aspect that was the foundation of it all…

But although Christmas was still a week away, it was still everywhere in the Ghost World, and the castle was no different…

Danny grinned as he stared around at all the Christmas decorations in the castle. He loved this time of year! Everything was so very pretty, made all bright and colorful by energy bulbs and other glowing things! And then, there was the smell! George always made these special treats and foods around this time and it made the castle smell so sweet!

But what the child loved most was that everyone seemed happier and more excited during this time. It wasn't Christmas yet, but he was still excited for it!

However, today, he was excited for another reason, too. His mother and father were having a party today! They were going to celebrate their love! And it made him very happy to see his parents all excited about it. And they wouldn't stop saying 'I love you' to each other, which was funny because they sounded like they had forgotten how to say anything else!

Flying out of the ballroom in which he was, he headed down the hallways towards the castle's exit. He wanted to see the outside decorations again, most especially the water fountains. He just loved the way the water changed colors and played pretty little melodies!

But just as he rounded the last hall to head out, he gasped and turned intangible. If he hadn't, he would have run right into Dora, who was so flustered and in such a hurry herself that she hadn't stopped when she had first seen him.

"Prince!" Dora gasped out, only to shiver when she went right through him.

Danny blinked at her, but seeing garment bags in her hands, he pointed at them and asked, "What's that?"

"Your mother," she replied with a loud sigh before she continued down the hall towards her friend's room.

But the child frowned in confusion. And forgetting all about the decorations, he followed after the dragon maid, asking, "My mother's in there?"

Dora shook her head and continued onward, not saying anything else to him. But she did bark out commands to several of the other ghosts she passed by, even though those ghosts seemed to be in just as much of a hurry as she.

Danny just kept floating after the dragon maid, all too use to seeing everyone like this. After all, this wasn't the first party he had experienced in his six-years of being around.

The child continued to ask Dora questions, but she only gave him short and confusing answers.

But when they finally made it to his mother's room, the Prince blinked again in surprise. His anxious mother was trying on one of the _several_ pieces of clothing on top the bed.

"I fail to understand, milady," Dora said, sounding flustered as she dumped the bags in her hand on the bed, beside the multiple dresses and gowns already on top of it. "What is wrong with all these garments?"

"There's nothing wrong with them, Dora! There's just something wrong with _me_!" Desiree pouted as she stared in displeasure at herself in the mirror; or, rather, how she looked in a silver dress.

"But you had already selected your attire for tonight a few weeks ago! Remember? We went together to chose yours and my own, though I still fail to understand why_ I_ need something so extravagant!" Dora replied.

"Trust me, Dora. You'll need it," Desiree replied with a mischievous smirk. But then looking back at the mirror, she frowned again, "And I cannot wear the attire I originally chose anymore! It looks unfitting!"

"Milady, I saw it on you. It looks grand!" Dora insisted.

As the two continued to talk about Desiree's clothing for the party, Danny just stared between them as if they were the oddest thing he had ever seen.

But just when he was about to leave and search for someone else's company who made sense to him, his father walked in. And froze.

Vlad blinked at the numerous clothing on the bed and others hanging on different pieces of furniture. But then, he frowned in further bewilderment and looked questioningly at his son.

However, Danny just shrugged back and replied, "I dunno."

"Oh! I know! How about the blue and gold dress?" Desiree suddenly said to Dora, not realizing her husband and child were present. "You know, the one with the vertical gems and the transparent long sleeves. I think it's in the east wing storage closest. Perhaps that one?"

Dora moaned before saying, "I'll go find it…"

But when the dragon maid turned to leave, she finally saw Vlad and suddenly whispered pleadingly, "Oh, Sire! Please! Please talk some sense into Milady! She's gone mad!"

Plasmius opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Dora fled the room.

Vlad turned his eyes back to his wife before an amused smile curled his lips as he watched her sort through several gowns inside their garment bags, which were the ones Dora had just brought in.

"Uh… Des?" he called to her as he walked over to the bed and glanced down at all the clothing on it before returning his eyes back to his wife.

Desiree jolted when she finally noticed his and Danny's presence. But too stressed to stay surprised for long, she returned back to looking through her clothing as she all but whined, "Oh, Vlad! I don't know what to wear!"

The King raised an eyebrow. Yes, his wife on occasions did fuss over her clothing, but… never like this.

"First, isn't it a bit too early to be getting ready? And, secondly, what's wrong with what you are wearing right now?" he questioned, confused.

"Because it doesn't fit right!" Desiree replied as she looked at the mirror again and glared at her reflection. But then she quickly turned her attention to her husband and worriedly asked, "Vlad? Do I look… bigger to you?"

Vlad's eyebrows rose up high and he was silent for a moment. But then he blurted out in disbelief, "Are you asking me if I think you're…_fat?_"

Desiree quickly nodded, looking highly upset.

Her husband just stared at her for another moment. However, he didn't stay quiet for long. Actually, he suddenly broke out in a fit of laugher.

And Danny finding his father's amusement, well, amusing, suddenly started giggling himself.

"Vlad! I'm being serious!" Desiree huffed. "Half of my clothing doesn't fit me! They're tight!"

But the King just laughed harder. "T-That has to be the strangest thing you have ever asked me!" he managed to get out through his mirth. "Did you hear your mother, Daniel? She wants to know if she's fat?"

Flying over to the bed and sitting among all the attire on it, Danny giggled louder, though mostly it was because he had never seen his father find something so funny before.

"Ugh! You two are not helping!" Desiree pouted before she floated off into her closet to take off the dress she had on.

"No, wait! I haven't answered you yet!" Vlad called out after her. But when his wife ignored him, he quickly moved around the bed as he told his son, "Hold on. I'll be back in a bit."

Still on the bed, Danny grinned as he watched as his father go into the walk-in closet after his mother.

"Des!" he said as he found her at the end of the closet sorting through more clothing.

"If you came in here to tease me, then go away," Desiree replied, annoyed, though she was really just frustrated that she couldn't find something that satisfied her.

"No, I came to help you. Come, let me have a look at you," Vlad replied, barely suppressing his mirth.

Desiree paused. And with a sigh, she turned to her husband.

Vlad studied her form a bit, but then he readily frowned and said, "Hmm… I see what you mean… Tsk. I think you will have to wear one of George's cooking uniforms for tonight…"

Desiree's eyes widened at her image of their heavy top chef. But before she could say anything, Vlad broke out into another fit of laughter.

"Ugh!" Desiree exclaimed when she realized Vlad was still messing with her. She turned on her heels and continued to angrily rummage through the clothing again.

The King grinned at his flustered wife; but then knowing she really was upset, he walked up to her and suddenly wrapped his arms around her.

"Vlad! Would you desist! I have a lot to get done!"

"The ironic part is that it happens to be our anniversary and you're suddenly too busy for me," Vlad replied with a playful pout.

"What's ironic is that you are calling me 'fat' on our anniversary!" Desiree grumbled back.

"You asked," Vlad replied. But then kissing her neck, he then said, "I was just being truthful."

Desiree gasped with indignation and she quickly tried to shove him off.

But Vlad only held her tighter as he laughed again. However, he quickly said, "Des, I'm just joshing you! Come now, you're being dramatic. You are just fine. Well… maybe a bit _more_ than fine, in my opinion…," he added in her ear.

Desiree turned around in his arms and playfully glared at him. "Don't try to fix things now."

"Nothing of the sort, my dear," Plasmius said with a smirk. "I'm just trying to reassure my oddly self-conscious wife today."

Desiree raised a hand lightly to his lips as she seriously asked, "You don't think I've put on weight? Even a little?"

This time, Vlad frowned as he gently grabbed the hand on his mouth and lowered it. "Desiree, what are you talking about? Of course not."

"Then why is some of my attire tight on me?" Desiree asked worriedly.

"Perhaps because you lost a bit too much weight while you were sick, and now that you are better, you are returning to your normal weight," Vlad replied with a small smile

Desiree fell quiet. But then she smiled a bit and said, "I really am feeling a lot better. I think your energy really is helping me…"

Vlad smiled even more, knowing it was true. Since the time after that incident with him and his wife in the garden, she had been doing a lot better. And it was why the King had convinced his wife to let him continue to give her some of his energy every-now-and-then. And to his relief, her glow was back to normal and she had yet to suffer anymore incidents. It was as if he was the cure she had needed in all this time of her being ill.

Of course, he was being careful not to overdo it, for both their sakes. He still remembered vividly how his wife and he had reacted badly after having her absorb so much of his energy. But, now, he had gotten a good control of it, which helped her without weakening him. Of course, the energy he was giving her was not his Life Energy, but just the normal energy his core used for normal functions. And since he could regenerate that physical energy, it really wasn't much of a problem for him to give some of it to Desiree.

"Are you sure you are feeling well?" Vlad asked her seriously as his hue began to glow with his energy when he willingly brought it out to the surface. "I don't want all this stress to affect you, because if that's the case, I am not interested in having any sort of celebration."

Desiree leaned back against her husband as she felt her body quickly react to and then readily accept the energy he was offering her. She felt its rejuvenating affects immediately, as if it was something that she really had needed all along.

But in a way, it troubled her because it made her wonder if she was perhaps developing her sister's ability to absorb others' energies. But… ghosts reached their potential at age twenty-five. And she was already past that age. Also, she wasn't consciously absorbing her husband's energy, but, rather, that her body did it on its own. So, it really couldn't be that she was developing any sort of power.

"I'm feeling just fine, Vlad. Really," she answered with a sigh. "But perhaps you should stop now. I don't want you to start feeling unwell."

Vlad held her closer and quietly said, "If I say I feel unwell, can we skip the celebration and go elsewhere? Just the two of us? Hmm?"

"Vlad, our closest friends are getting engaged today, too, remember?" Desiree answered, though she had her eyes closed, internally liking the idea of going somewhere alone with her husband.

"Skulker and Dora will be too occupied with each other to miss us," Vlad answered cleverly as he turned his wife around and kissed her. But even though he finally stopped allowing her to take his energy, he continued to caress his wife.

Desiree's logic fought against her desire to give into her husband's _persuasions_. "Vlad? You realize we are in the closet?" she whispered out as she shivered under her husband's kisses.

"Um-hmm," he replied calmly, though there was mirth in his voice.

"A-And Danny's outside," she added, hoping that would make him stop.

And it did.

Vlad pulled away and pouted at her as he told her, "You like ruining my fun."

Desiree grinned at that before grabbing him and pulling him back into a kiss. But when she pulled away, she said, "No, I just had to get back at you for calling me 'fat'."

Vlad rolled his eyes, but then smiled and pulled away.

But right then, the two suddenly heard a gasp and Dora exclaim, "Prince!"

The couple looked at each other and then quickly walked out of the closet. They instantly saw the shock on Dora's face as she looked toward the Queen's bed. Vlad and Desiree followed her gaze and also quickly noticed one of the garment bags on the bed _moving_, while muffled shouts of protest came from inside it, sounding suspiciously like their son's voice.

Desiree smiled, amused, while Vlad just shook his head helplessly.

Dora, who was now trying to open the garment bag, quickly told the couple, "I cannot get it open. The zipper is caught!"

The King quickly walked over to his trapped son and said, "Daniel, stop moving." And when his son obeyed him somewhat, he used one of his claws to rip open the garment bag and his son readily tumbled out of it.

"Should I even ask how you got in there?" Vlad asked him dryly.

"Umm…," Danny replied, looking up at his father with a meek smile.

"Never mind," Plasmius said with a sigh.

Desiree chuckled, but then walked over to the bed and started grabbing her clothing to put it away. Maybe she'd wear the attire she got with Dora, after all…

"Des, I need to go do a few things before the celebration tonight. I'll see you in a few hours, alright?" Vlad told her as he picked Danny up.

"Are you taking him with you?" she asked.

Vlad nodded. "Yes, I have a special job for this little Phantom," he told her, though he grinned at his son.

And Danny quickly perked up, wanting to know what this 'special job' could be.

Desire raised a questioning eyebrow herself. But when her husband didn't elaborate, she dismissed it and instead said, "Alright. Just don't be gone too long. I still have to dress-up Danny. And—"

"Aw, I don't want to dress up!" Danny pouted, interrupting his mother.

"Well, you need to," Desiree answered, her raised eyebrow giving the child no room for further argument.

The Prince stuck out his tongue in distaste, but didn't saying anything else.

Vlad chuckled at his son's antics, but said nothing. Instead, he waved one last time at Dora and his wife before finally leaving with Danny.

"What am I going to be doing?" the Prince readily asked, his interest going back to what his father had said a moment ago as they headed down a corridor.

"Well, I want to do something special for your mother today, and I need your help to surprise her," Vlad replied with a smile.

Danny grinned. "Okay! I—"

"Your Highness," a male voice suddenly cut off the child.

Plasmius quickly turned his attention to Nocturne as he floated up to him. "Nocturne, is everything ready?"

The mysterious-looking ghost bowed and replied, "Yes, your highness. I have done as you asked. All is ready for your use."

"Excellent!" Vlad beamed.

Danny looked curiously between the two adults. But then when he saw Nocturne smile down at him, the child returned it.

"Prince Phantom, my how you grow stronger each time I see you," Nocturne told the Prince before adding, "Allow me to give you a gift for tonight…"

Danny closed his eyes when Nocturne suddenly reached out with two fingers and touched his forehead. A mist seeped out of the male ghost's fingers and readily entered into the child's mind. But since this wasn't the first time Nocturne had done something like this to him, Danny wasn't bothered by it. Quite the contrary.

"Sweet dreams tonight for my sweet Ghost Prince…," Nocturne told him with a knowing smile.

Opening his eyes, Danny grinned back at the ghost.

Vlad chuckled himself before telling the other male ghost, "Thank you, Nocturne, for all your help. I will see you tonight. I must head out now to do a few things."

Nocturne nodded. But then remembering a very important thing, he quickly said, "Your highness. The spell. You will need it for tonight…"

"Oh, yes… Can you do it now?" Vlad asked, though he sounded a bit nervous.

And he was, since he had never tried this. Still, in spite of the fact that Nocturne and he had not always seen eye-to-eye on matters dealing with the Kingdom, it had never dampened their respect towards each other. And the King trusted Nocturne and was certain the ghost knew how to use his abilities quite well.

Danny frowned curiously when his father put him down for a moment. But the child readily flew back up behind Nocturne, who readily closed in his distance between himself and the King.

"What are you going to do to my father?" Danny questioned when he saw Nocturne raise his hands to his father's temple before a blue mist seep out of them.

"It's fine, Daniel," Vlad assured his son. "I simply require a little _magic_ to give your mother a _magical_ night," he said with a wink.

Danny clearly didn't get what his father was talking about, but he didn't say anymore.

Vlad closed his eyes as Nocturne's power curled around him before penetrating his mind. But the King gasped, surprised by the sensation, and then stumbled back, disoriented.

But Nocturne readily grabbed one of his arms, steadying the other male ghost.

"Father?" Danny questioned anxiously when his father opened his eyes and saw they were glowing with Nocturne's power.

But Vlad didn't reply, and instead, he pressed a hand against his head in hopes of getting it to stop spinning.

Nocturne quickly assured the King, "That will go away in a few minutes. But remember, make sure you get at least a few good hours of sleep through the night so that the spell can properly wear off after today."

Vlad nodded as his eyes returned to their normal hue. "Alright," he replied, lowering his hand from his head when he began to feel a bit better.

"You should be fine. But in any case, let me know if you are not or need anything else," Nocturne added with a smile. "Oh, and I hope the Queen's dreams come true tonight…"

"That's the plan," Vlad said with a smile.

But knowing he had other things to do, he quickly grabbed Danny's hand. And saying their goodbyes, they continued on their way.

"By the way, little Phantom. Do not tell your mother about Nocturne, alright? It's part of the surprise," Vlad explained.

Danny nodded, but then asked, "How am I going to help?"

The King quickly picked up his son again, before quietly telling him, "Well… this is the plan…"

* * *

"Hello, Horris," Vlad said with a grin as the old Ancient leader opened his door.

"Child? Well, isn't this an unexpected, though pleasing, surprise," Horris replied, grabbing the King in a tight hug.

Danny, who was floating alongside his father, tilted his head slightly. He had never understood why Horris called his father 'child.' He was pretty sure his father was a 'grown up.' Maybe Horris didn't know the difference? After all, every time Danny asked him why he called his father that, the old ghost would answer 'because he _is_ a child.'

"I must say you have pleased this old ghost by stopping by his abode on such a special day for you and the Queen," Horris added as he pulled away and allowed the two in. But then smiling down at Danny, he added, "And how is our young future King doing today?"

"I'm good!" Danny answered happily, his chest puffing out at hearing Horris call him 'future king.'

Horris chuckled, but then he bended a little closer to Danny and whispered, "You know, I already have your Christmas present. And since you are here, how about I give it to you now?"

Danny grinned and nodded.

"But you can't open it until Christmas," Horris quickly reminded him.

"I promise!" Danny said before quickly following after Horris when the old ghost gestured him to follow.

Vlad also calmly followed after them. But as he did, he told Horris, "I'm sure Skulker already told you about his plans to ask Dora's hand in marriage."

"Yes, he told me some time ago. And I must say, it brings me great joy to hear he finally wants to settle down," Horris said as he opened a drawer and took out a small wrapped present.

"Who would have guessed it, eh?" Vlad said, crossing his arms and smirking.

"Here you are, Prince Phantom. I hope you like it," Horris told Danny as he handed him his gift.

"Thank you, Horris!" Danny replied and hugged him.

The Ancient returned the affection before Danny slowly floated to the ground, tilting his mystery present this way and that, as if by doing that he could figure out what was inside.

The adults smiled at the child, but then turned their attention back to their previous conversation.

"Frankly, Skulker's engagement does not surprise me," Horris said. "And, really, it shouldn't surprise you, either. After all, you know what it's like to find your soul mate. Skulker simply had not found his until now."

"But he has known Dora for years, Horris," Vlad reminded him.

"Well, how long did you know Desiree before you realized she was the one for you, child?" Horris retorted with a knowing smile.

Vlad blushed, but still replied, "I suppose you're right. But then, I think deep down I always knew she was the one, even when we were children."

"Then, perhaps, Skulker has also known Dora was his soul mate for a long time now, but did not act on that feeling and knowledge until these past few years."

Vlad smiled. "Ah, Horris. Is there anything you do not know?"

"I'm not an 'Ancient' for no reason, child," Horris replied with a smirk. But then, the old ghost's expression shrouded with concern as he added, "But speaking of soul mates, how is yours? I am very concerned about what you told me happened to her two weeks ago…"

A relieved sigh escaped the King's lip as he answered, "Desiree has been doing surprisingly well. She hasn't fainted again since that day, and she's also eating well—which I have personally been making sure of. And, well, I don't know how to explain it, but I _feel_ she's doing a lot better, Horris."

"Has she tried to use her powers since her fainting episode?" Horris questioned.

"No, and I prefer she doesn't until I'm sure her recovery is certain," Vlad answered seriously. "But I have hope that she will continue to recover, Horris. I really do."

"I do, too, child," Horris replied as he lightly touched Vlad's symbol to show him his support.

The King smiled back. But then changing topics, he said, "About what I came to tell you… Well, considering Skulker will be asking _Aragon's_ _sister's_ hand in marriage… Skulker sent him an invitation for tonight. And, well, I approved his entrance into the Kingdom for today. I honestly do not think he will come, but in case he does, I wanted to make you aware of it."

But the mention of his dragon friend's father quickly caught Danny's attention and he instantly interrupted, "Elliot's father is coming here? Is Elliot coming, too?"

However, before Vlad could reply, Horris quickly asked with a raised eyebrow, "Your son has associated with Aragon's son? When was this? You never told me, Vlad."

The King swallowed nervously as he answered, "Well, there was this incident where Daniel accidently went to the dragon realm, but nothing came of it."

"Do not lie to me, child," Horris readily reprimanded.

Plasmius sighed deeply, but then pleaded, "Could we talk about this at another time?"

Horris frowned in displeasure, but still nodded, "Very well. But only because today is your anniversary with Desiree, which now that I mention it, I haven't properly congratulated you…"

Vlad smiled as Horris grabbed his face and kissed his forehead. "I am very proud of you, Vlad. Not only are you a wise and kind King, but also a wonderful husband and father. I am very proud indeed. And I know your parents would be, too."

"Thank you, Horris. Coming from you, that means a lot to me," the younger male replied before grabbing the Ancient in a hug again.

"Alright, then," Horris said with a smile as he pulled away from the King. "It's time for you two to take flight. I'm sure you have lots to do. I will see you tonight. Oh, which reminds me. Make sure you tell George to prepare those stuffed Blood Blossoms he makes so well as part of the banquet tonight!"

Danny made a disgusted face, while Vlad laughed and answered, "I'll have him make them specially for you, Horris."

"Good. I will be expecting it," the Ancient answered with an overly-delighted grin.

Vlad shook his head in amusement; but knowing he did have a lot to do, he and his son said their good-byes and they soon headed off towards Skulker's abode.

As they flew through the bright green atmosphere, Vlad looked over at his son and smiled in sudden challenge, "Daniel, I bet I can beat you to your Uncle Skulker's home…"

Danny's eyes widened in excitement, but then they quickly narrowed with his own challenge, "Not if I beat you first!" he announced before he shot forward like a rocket.

Vlad startled slightly at how quick his son had taken off. "He really is getting fast," he mumbled; but then he grinned and added, "But not yet fast enough to beat his father!"

The King quickly took off after his son, but deciding now was a good time to test his son's progress with his powers, he quickly raised a hand and willed a pink barrier to appear a few feet in front of his son.

And seeing it, Danny gasped in surprise, not realizing the amulet on his neck briefly turned pink with his sudden emotion. But then he grinned, which seemed to relax the amulet again as he turned intangible and flew right through the barrier. The child then turned on his back, and knowing that his father was testing him, Danny fired two ice beams at him, before spinning back around and zooming forward again.

Vlad dodged one, but then purposely grabbed the other ice ray in his hand, instantly feeling a slight discomfort when his hand went numb; but it wasn't enough to impair or hurt anyone yet.

"Ouch. That almost hurt, Daniel," Vlad shouted after his son, feigning pain.

Wondering worriedly if he really had hurt his father, Danny slowed down a bit and looked back. But the moment he did, his father raised a hand and fired ectoplasmic goo at his chest.

The child yelped and quickly dodged, but some of it still hit his lower arm. "Eww!" he exclaimed as he tried to pull off the sticky material from his flesh. But before he could, more goo came at him, and this time, it hit him in the chest.

However, since the goo was harmless, all it did was send the child spinning backwards with a surprised shout.

But Vlad instantly teleported and grabbed his son, stopping his uncontrolled flight. The male ghost then teleported again several yards forward with his son.

Danny gasped with the sensation, but then quickly turned intangible and escaped his father's hold. He grumbled something when he heard his father laugh from behind him. Still, the child kept going, though he also willed his green energy into his hand and grabbed the goo still stuck on his chest. With the help of the energy, he managed to finally get it off.

But, suddenly, he yelped once more when he felt his father grab his tail from behind. Still, thinking fast, he closed his eyes, and remembering the feeling of teleportation and how his father had been teaching him for some time now, he quickly dissolved his form and actually teleported.

However, he quickly reappeared only a few feet away, which was all he knew how to do as of now. But it still got him away from his father.

"Perfect, little Phantom!" Vlad beamed before he picked up his speed to catch up to his son.

Danny looked back and grinned. But then, he suddenly closed his eyes and teleported again, this time, right above his father. And with a playful growl, he dove at his father and grabbed him around the neck.

He grinned at his surprised father and let his fangs draw out as he announced, "I win!"

Vlad slowed down a bit before turning on his back and grabbing his son's hands to move him on top of him. "Do they hurt?" he asked, grabbing his son's face and inspecting his fangs.

Danny shook his head. "No. And my claws are okay, too," he added. And with a bit of concentration, he slowly let them come out and showed them to his father.

Vlad took the smaller hands in his and lightly played with them, though he also measured his son's response whenever he touched his claws.

Danny slightly shivered and although they didn't hurt anymore, they were still overly sensitive.

But Vlad knew that sensitivity would eventually diminish quite a bit, so that his son could one day use his claws as weapons without it causing him too much discomfort. Though, in the father's mind, he was sure his son would never have need of that. After all, that's why _he_ was around. To protect his son.

"Try to draw them out as often as possible, okay?" Vlad advised his son. "The more you do, the stronger they will get and they won't feel so sensitive anymore. But until then, be careful with them."

Danny smiled when his father then kissed his hands. And feeling more than relaxed, the child easily slid his claws back in before wrapping his arms around his father again and hugging him.

As a result, he touched his father's symbol with his, but, also, the crystal was right in between them. And it seemed to react to Vlad's proximity.

And the King felt it.

He gasped softly at feeling his wife's energy within the crystal and it seemed to caress him, as if it recognized his own energy. But then, Vlad smiled, starting to understand the crystal a bit more. He had asked his wife about it, of course. And she had told him it would protect their son, but he had suspected it was more than that, and now he could feel it was.

The crystal was alive in some sense, and it was rapidly learning and evolving the more it felt Danny's emotions and how he reacted to other energies around him. But as for Vlad, the crystal just already seemed to know him, which made sense, since it was formed out of _his wife's_ Life Energy.

"Hmm… Little Phantom, your mother truly loves you," Plasmius softly told his son, passing a hand through his hair.

Danny, also having felt the crystal's reaction, pulled away a bit from his father. And looking down at the crystal, he touched it and said, "I know. I always know that."

Vlad smiled, feeling quiet happy with how sure his son sounded of it. But, of course, the child would be sure, for he had always _felt_ Desiree's love.

And it only made the male ghost realize how foolish it was of him to have ever questioned his wife's love for their son…

But suddenly realizing his thoughts were straying from what was more important at the moment, he shook his head and let go of his son.

Plasmius quickly smirked at him and said, "You know, you shouldn't announce a victory when you haven't won it yet… I believe I said we were racing to your uncle's home… So, then…"

Danny gasped when his father took off again. "Hey!" he protested before he quickly followed after him.

* * *

While putting on his jewelry, Vlad smiled at the reflection of his wife and son in the mirror in front of which he was standing. The day had definitely wound down quickly and they were about to head to the ballroom where the kingdom was gathered to celebrate his and his wife's anniversary.

In spite of all the craziness that had gone on throughout the castle earlier, everything was now in order. He himself had managed to get everything done he was going to be needing soon… But, of course, a large part was thanks to Nocturne, and also Skulker, who helped him set up Desiree's surprise…

With the thought, he lightly touched a small pocket on the side of his pants, feeling the key hidden inside.

He really hoped this gift made her happy. After all, it's not every day a couple celebrated their fourteenth anniversary!

But that suddenly had Vlad reminiscing. Time truly flew. It felt like yesterday that he had been twenty and his wife nineteen and they had married. And yet, they had gotten engaged before then, when he had been seventeen, just a year before he took the thrown.

Now… he was thirty-four and his wife thirty-three and they had a six-year-old son and were celebrating their fourteen years of marriage…

It was almost surreal. _Almost._

The King's smile widened as his eyes returned to his wife, who was tending to Danny.

His son didn't look very happy with the fact that he was wearing a shimmering transparent silvery-white cloak, nor was he happy that Desiree was currently putting on the child's jewelry. But Danny didn't protest, knowing it was pointless. And Vlad also knew his son was internally used it now, even if he tried to express otherwise.

The King shook his head a bit at his son's dislike for clothing, but it hardly concerned the father when his son still didn't know how to form his legs…

Putting on his crown, Vlad turned his attention to himself as he watched his energy bring the crown to life with red fire, which matched the red glowing gem on the necklace around his neck. Gold bracelets with rubies and diamonds embedded in them adorned his arms and wrists and finished up his jewelry ensemble.

But, of course, a King wasn't complete without his regal clothing. And for this occasion, he wore black loose pants with a silver belt and a long silver cape that touched the ground and was lined with red and silvery jewels.

All in all, he was the perfect image of the King he was.

Finally turning away from his reflection, he moved over to his family.

"Here, I'll finish with him while you finish up," Vlad told Desiree as he took Danny's crown for her.

The ghost mage smiled at her husband. But then she suddenly looked him over before telling him, "Oh, you look stunning, love."

Vlad grinned but he then looked over his wife, too, and replied, "Oh, no, my dear. _You_ look stunning."

And, truly, she was. In spite of her earlier protest, Desiree had ended up wearing the attire she had gotten with Dora some time back. Like her husband and son, the main color of her outfit was silver. For once, she was wearing a sort of dress. The bra-like top, which was laden with diamond and pink gems, tied in the back as usual. But then the thick straps came back around and created an 'X' on her abdomen before connecting to the bottom part of the dress, which was made of a flowing shimmering silver material and also had gems decorating it. The back of the dress fell straight and ended at the floor, and therefore did not compete with the longer transparent and shimmering pink cape that completed her ensemble, which fell against her dress and added a train to it.

Seemingly annoyed with playing 'dress-up' as it was, Danny rolled his eyes when his father placed his hand under his mother's cape and pulled her close for a kiss.

"Great, now we are _never_ going to finish," the child muttered, though it was loud enough for his parents to hear.

Desiree and Vlad quickly snapped out of it and looked amusedly down at Danny. But remembering it was late, Desiree moved away to finish her last touch-ups.

Meanwhile, Vlad frowned down at Danny and playfully wagged a finger at him as he told him, "You need to behave yourself. Pouting is most unbecoming for a prince."

Danny giggled at his father's teasing, before answering, "Well, mommy said that it's not 'becommit' of a king, either. And you do it all the time!"

Plasmius placed a hand against his chest, feigning indignation; but then he glanced back at Desiree, and playfully glaring at her, replied to his son, "She said that, hmm?"

Hearing everything going on, Desiree smirked back, but didn't say anything and continued to put on her own jewelry. This time, she was only wearing bracelets on her upper arms, since she was wearing long gloves, which matched her attire.

"Yup," Danny answered his father with a grin.

Vlad looked back at his son and told him, "Well, then, you shouldn't always listen to everything she tells you about me."

Danny laughed again, but didn't hesitate to retort, "I got to listen, because you tell me to _always_ listen to her!"

Vlad raised an eyebrow at his son's quick-thinking before saying, "Do you come up with these witty comebacks or does your mother teach them to you?"

This time, Desiree laughed and answered for Danny, "Oh, no, love. That is _all_ him."

Vlad chuckled himself. But although his son didn't know what 'witty comebacks' were exactly, Danny still grinned proudly, knowing that they were at least amused by what he was saying.

"Alright, then, my clever little Phantom, let's put on your crown," Vlad said with another chuckle as he put Danny's crown on his head, and the jewelry piece quickly lit up with his green energy.

The child touched his flaming crown, which didn't harm him in spite of that, just like it surprisingly stayed on his head, even as he tilted his head down to play with his crystal amulet.

"There. All done," Vlad announced as he took a step back and smiled at his son.

Danny turned his attention back to his father and floated off the bed. He looked himself over before smiling back at his father, "I look good?"

"You look perfect," Vlad replied tenderly.

Danny grinned and puffed out his chest and raised his head up bit, trying to look as regal as possible.

His father laughed at that, but then he touched his son's symbol and warmly asked, "Do you remember what I told you?"

The Ghost Prince readily nodded. "I remember, Daddy."

"Remember what?" Desiree suddenly asked as she walked up to the two.

"Sorry, but that's between Daniel and I," Vlad replied, sharing a secretive smile with his child.

Desiree rolled her eyes, but then said, "Fine. But it's time for us to get going."

"So it is," Vlad said, taking his wife's hand in his. "Alright then, are you ready, Daniel?"

Danny nodded, but then suddenly gasped, remembering something—or someone, actually.

He flew over to the bed and looked under it. And spotting Cujo asleep, he told him, "Cujo! Get up! We got to go!"

The puppy opened his eyes and yawned. But then, focusing on his friend's excited face, Cujo perked up and quickly came out, barking.

What was funny was that even the ghost dog was 'dressed-up' for the occasion. Well, sort of. Instead of his usual green collar, Danny had switched it out for one that had blue gems around it. His companion looked nice with it!

"Ready!" Danny announced at last.

And with Vlad and Desiree's' chuckles, the family finally headed out.

* * *

"You know, you should learn to look at the positive side of things," Walker said to Spectra with a smirk on his lips. "He could have locked you up for more than a few weeks considerin' all that you did… Actually, you should consider yourself lucky Plasmius didn't report you to the Council; they would've been less forgiving of you…"

"Yeah, Horris looks at Vlad like a son, so, _of course_, that old Ancient wouldn't cut me a break for hurting _his_ _brat's_ brat," Spectra sneered, her arms crossed as she floated inside a jail cell.

But then her eyes narrowed as she muttered, "I still can't believe Desiree let him lock me up!"

Walker chuckled. "That's what you get for pushin' your luck. Your pretty little sister obviously got sick of you."

Spectra's eyes flashed a brighter red before she quickly got closer to the bars separating her from Walker, and growled, "_You_ should be careful, too. You're on a fine line, Walker. If my sister tells Vlad what you did to her… he won't even give you the luxury of seeing the inside of one of your cells!"

Walker tensed, knowing she was right. But with a frown, he replied, "I will admit, I let my temper get the best of me… But pretty soon that won't matter. If things go as planned, I will be the last thing on Plasmius' or Desiree's mind."

"Then, you better hope things go as planned," Spectra answered with a smirk.

"They will," Walker quickly assured her, his eyes narrowing slightly at the shadow ghost. "But we are going to need Plasmius out of the way for a few hours. I'll handle that. That is, if Bertrand ever comes back to do his part," the warden said, looking down the hall impatiently.

"Yeah, where is he?" Spectra grumbled, her tail whipping around in annoyance. But then she looked back at Walker and asked, "What time is it?"

The Warden looked down at his watch and muttered, "Time for the party."

But right then, Spectra caught sight of Bertrand and Bullet coming down the hall.

"About time!" she snapped.

Bertrand lightly glared at her as he stopped beside Walker, and told her, "If you have forgotten, I'm supposed to be locked in here with you; so I had to make sure no one saw me, Spectra."

"That's what invisibility is for, Bertrand," she replied with irritation.

"That's still not foolproof," the shape-shifter retorted. "If someone happened to be invisible like me, they would have seen me, anyways."

"Oh, whatever, Bertrand. Did you get what we need?"

"Of course I did!" he snapped, lifting up a small condiment container with some odd red powder inside it.

And while he gave it to Spectra to look at it, Walker looked at Bullet and asked, "Is the human device ready for tomorrow?"

Bullet pulled out the ghost trap that Tom had given Spectra, but its shape was now slightly different. Actually, it was almost identical to the ecto-bomb Walker had shown Desiree…

"Tested and ready, Warden," Bullet said with a smirk.

Walker took the device and studied it for a bit before giving it back to Bullet, "Good, go put it into the weapon's vault until tomorrow. You know what you need to do."

Bullet nodded and smirked, before taking the device and leaving to put it away.

Walker turned his attention back to Spectra before he moved towards her cell and pulled out a set of keys. He then, opened her cell and let her out.

"The two of you better not get caught," Walker warned them severely.

"Relax, Walker," Spectra said with a grin as she floated out of the cell. "This will be quick. And I'll stay invisible. Then, when I do what I need to do, I'll come right back here and play prisoner until tomorrow. After all, it's going to be my alabi."

Bertrand grinned at the comment. "Yeah, and mine, too. But, for now, I'm going to play 'waiter'," he quipped before his form suddenly dissolved and he took on the form of an appropriately suited waiter.

Walker took the red condiment from Spectra, though he knew it was anything but that. And as he studied it curiously, he asked Bertrand, "Are you sure this does what you say it does?"

"I'm a doctor, remember?" Bertrand replied smugly. "I know exactly what's harmful to ghosts and what's not."

"Yes, but last time I checked, Blood Blossoms are nutritional to us and we eat them all the time. So, how is its powdered form supposed to make someone sick?"

Bertrand rolled his eyes and answered, "I suppose I shouldn't expect you to know. But, here's a quick lesson for you, Walker."

The Warden narrowed his eyes at the shapeshifter, but didn't interrupt his explanation.

"Blood Blossoms are nutritional for ghosts when they are ripe," Bertrand continued. "But before then, they contain a toxin that's harmful to ghosts, which is why no one eats them until they are ripe. That powder you have there? I made it with unripe Blood Blossoms, and depending on the dosage, it can do anything from make a ghost mildly sick to cause fatal consequences. The good thing about it is that in small doses, not even a doctor can detect it, since it's made from something we normally consume anyway. Get it?"

Walker raised an eyebrow and replied, "Just don't forget to add the proper dose for what we need to do. Some people might trust you as a doctor. But I'm not one of them."

Bertrand glared and opened his mouth to spit out an insult to the other ghost. But before he could, Spectra grabbed one of his arms and pulled him forward with her as she threw back at Walker, "Well, that's enough chatting. We'll be back in a bit."

"You'd better," Walker snapped at her.

But then, remembering he also needed to get to the party, he headed down another hallway to look for Bullet. He hardly trusted those two to not mess up.

And finding Bullet, Walker quickly told him, "Bullet? Come on. We need to get goin'. But I want you keep an eye on Spectra and Bertrand. Make sure they come right back here once they finish doin' you know what. We cannot risk them doin' something stupid and ruining everything before we even get a chance to see it through..."

"Don't worry, Warden. I'll take care of those two," Bullet assured him as they walked down the hall.

* * *

Over an hour into the celebration, Danny looked around at all the ghosts talking, laughing, dancing, and simply having a good time. His parents were several feet away talking to Ember's parents, Dora, and his Uncle Skulker.

The child also briefly noticed Fright Knight talking with Frostbite; and Clockwork was talking to Horris, while Juukka was playing with Cujo at another corner of the room. There was soft music playing as the room changed colors with its slow beat.

All the while, the child could smell the food from the banquet that was being set up by various waiters. But the Prince knew the ghost chef who was running it all—George, of course—was busy in the kitchen, making sure everything was delectable.

But all too use to this sort of environment, the Prince soon turned his attention back to Ember and a few other ghost children with whom he was playing at a corner of the ballroom, near a huge Christmas tree.

"That's pretty, Danny," Ember suddenly told him, reaching forward to touch the ice crystal adorning her friend's neck. But seeing it glow a brighter blue and the pink energy within the crystal spin a bit faster, she quickly retracted her hand with a small shiver and added, "It feels funny…. And cold, too."

"It's ice. But it never melts," Danny told her with a smile; but then he frowned in confusion and added more to himself, "I don't know why, though."

Curious, the other children quickly gathered around Danny, trying to get a better look at the amulet around his neck, but they didn't touch it, somewhat unsure of it.

"I can make more!" Danny quickly said; and concentrating, he gathered ice in his hand and made several ice crystals and gave one to each of his friends.

The kids giggled as they tossed the crystal between their hands, exclaiming about how cold it was.

Danny raised his glowing blue hand and said with a small shrug, "It's not so cold."

Ember laughed and quickly made a small energy sphere and tossed it at Danny, who caught it in his hands, but because he still had his ice energy in it, the sphere quickly turned into steam and he yelped in surprise.

"It's not so hot," Ember quipped with a grin.

Danny glowered at her as he shook his hands to cool them from the hot steam. Though it wasn't enough to burn him, it still had stung.

But deciding to get his friend back, the Prince quickly shot an ice ray at her flaming hair, instantly reducing its length.

"Danny!" Ember exclaimed, grabbing her hair and feeling bits of ice now in it.

The other children giggled. But when they saw Ember lunge at the Prince, who suddenly bolt away from his friend, their eyes widened at the prospect of this new game. And they, too, were soon chasing after Danny and Ember.

Meanwhile, as the kids flew around the ballroom, chasing each other, Desiree nudged Vlad and pointed over at their frolicking son.

"Let's hope he doesn't run into the beverage table like when he was four," the King said with a chuckle.

"Speaking of which, a beverage sounds good right about now," Skulker suddenly interrupted them, grabbing one of Vlad's arms and pulling him away from Desiree. "Does anyone else want one?"

"Apparently, I do," Vlad replied dryly.

"I'll take one," Ghostwriter added.

And seeing Dora and Lydia shake their heads at Skulker, while Desiree nodded at Vlad, the two friends walked off—or more like Skulker dragged Vlad off.

The King raised an eyebrow when his friend finally let him go once they were at the beverage stand. The hunter quickly filled himself a cup of punch from a small glowing fountain in the middle of the table.

But when Plasmius saw his friend quickly gulp down three cups of it as if they were shots of that alcoholic drink that humans called 'tequila', Vlad couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"There is a reason why you dragged me over here and are now drinking the punch-fountain dry, right?" Vlad asked with a smirk.

Skulker gulped down another cup of punch before replying, "How do you do it?"

Genuinely confused, Vlad questioned, "Do what?"

"You know what, Plasmius. The whole signature proposal thing!" Skulker snapped nervously.

A grin slowly curled Vlad's lips as he smugly said, "Oh, you mean, this…" He placed his right hand against his signature and a second later the star symbol was showing on his extended left hand at Skulker.

"You just feel it. It'll come to you on its own. Trust me," the King told his friend with a warmer smile, before he lowered his hand from his chest and the symbol disappeared from his hand.

The hunter stared uncertainly at his friend before he turned his gaze over to Dora, muttering, "What if she says 'no'?"

"She won't say 'no'," Vlad quickly assured him with a dismissive wave of his hand, knowing from his wife that Dora was in love with his friend.

"But you can't know that for sure," Skulker insisted, sounding more nervous by the second. "I'm sure Dora knows Aragon will never approve of her marrying me. What if that stops her from saying 'yes'?"

Vlad frowned this time as he quickly scanned the large room for Aragon, though he really didn't expect to find him in the crowd. And, obviously, Skulker had already been looking around for him judging by his worried comment.

"Then, there's also the fact that we are so different. And… she's so beautiful…," Skulker said with a sigh as he stared at Dora, clearly love-struck.

Although the hunter had always thought she was beautiful, today Dora looked it even more so. Her wavey blond hair was down for once. And she was wearing this demure, yet alluring, blue and gold gown that made her look divine.

"Hmm… Yes, beautiful. Stunning, really," Vlad suddenly answered him distractingly, while smiling lovingly in the same direction as his friend.

But seeing Plasmius wasn't looking at the same female as he was, Skulker snapped his fingers in front of his mesmerized friend and said, annoyed, "I'm talking about Dora, Plasmius. Not Desiree."

"Oh," Vlad said blinking his eyes back to reality. "I mean, yes, I know you were. I was simply agreeing with you."

Skulker rolled his eyes.

But then Vlad smirked and suddenly beamed, "You know what? I think you've stalled long enough. Just propose already. In fact, I'm going to help you along."

Skulker's eyes widened when his friend suddenly turned from him and headed over to the floating crystal stage, "Wait! Plasmius!" he exclaimed, quickly following after his friend.

But seeing his intention to stop him, Vlad grinned evilly and suddenly teleported, reappearing right on top of the stage. And winking mischievously at the now horrified hunter, the King raised a hand upward and shot a bolt of energy, instantly stopping the music when the room suddenly turned red with his energy.

And, then, everyone fell quiet.

"Good evening," Plasmius said with a calm smile once everyone, including his son, was staring at him. "First of, I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate my Queen's and my fourteenth anniversary. It is quite an honor and blessing to have you all join us on such an important occasion."

Everyone smiled and clapped.

But then turning his eyes over to Desiree, Vlad extended a hand at her and said, "Do you care to join me, Des?"

Desiree smiled at him before walking over to her husband. And taking his hand, she stepped onto the crystal platform.

"Before we toast, I wanted to tell you something very important right here, in front of everyone," Vlad told her with a soft smile as he pulled her a bit closer to him.

Desiree just smiled lovingly back, waiting for him to continue.

The King lifted his wife's hand still within his own and gave it a soft kiss before telling her, "My Queen. My Wife. My… mate. Although I'm certain you know and feel it, I want to tell you once more how much I love you."

Plasmius' eyebrows creased as he passionately continued, "Des, If I am this world's sun, then I want you and everyone here tonight to know that you are the sky that surrounds and sustains me. You are what holds me up. My light comes from you, Desiree. So, I know that as long as you are with me, I will never stumble in my path because you light it for me. If anyone here has any doubt that true love exists, then let them look at us now, for I am certain that what you and I share is the manifestation of true love. My soul knew you were its mate from the first time I saw you as a child. And now, here we are… after all these years, after all we have been through."

Vlad smiled warmly as he stared at his wife's captivating eyes and assured her, "My love for you only grows stronger each day, and I am sure it will continue to do so over the years. And surely as we grow older, our son will surely grow into a strong and powerful leader. And he will surely remember and say that he believes in true love because he has seen it between his very parents."

Desiree's eyes swelled with happy tears, but she managed to hold them back as she looked over at Danny, who just stared at her and Vlad with his head tilted curiously to one side.

But then, turning her gaze back to her husband, she finally spoke, her voice wavering with emotion. "I, too, believe that… _our_ son...," she said, and Vlad's eyes slightly widened in surprise, but then he readily smiled, looking even more in love with her at hearing such a beautiful declaration come from his wife's mouth as she continued, "…will never doubt that true love exists. Not when he can see and feel the intensity of our bond, my King, husband, and mate. You are the center of universe, my love. You are the reason I believe in love. And you are the reason I have hope. You are a fine King, a loving father, and the best husband any female could ever wish for. I love you for who you are. I love you because your core and soul is kind and pure. You, my love, are my proof that love and goodness exists. Do not ever change, Vlad, because I love _you_."

The King smiled lovingly at his Queen, before pulling her into a soft kiss.

Of course, there was a choir of 'aww's' followed by joyous clapping.

But pulling away, Vlad winked at his wife, who grinned and nodded her approval at his silent words.

"Although we are thrilled to be able to celebrate our anniversary alongside all of you, my Queen and I are truly happy to have the chance to share this celebration with two very important ghosts tonight… Skulker…my, advisor, friend, and brother… I think you reserve in your hands the best part of this celebration… And I am sure everyone is now curious to know what that is… hmm?"

The hunter swallowed hard as everyone clapped and stared expectantly at him.

"_Oh, this is unbelievable. I have bravely faced many horrors and fearlessly fought in countless battles, and yet, I'm scared to death of a marriage proposal. Ugh. I blame Plasmius for this… wait until I get him alone,"_ Skulker thought as he gulped again.

But knowing there was no backing down now, he made his way over to the crystal platform.

Meanwhile, Desiree looked over at Dora, who stared curiously at the hunter, completely clueless of what he was about to do.

"Dora, my good friend," Desiree said, capturing her friend's attention. "Why don't you come up as well? …You're about to find out why you needed something so… _extravagant_ tonight," the ghost mage said teasingly.

The dragon maid frowned in confusion, but still timidly made her way up as well.

Of course, Skulker got there first and stopped in front of Plasmius. But although he was smiling calmly at his friend, the hunter said in between his teeth so only the King could hear, "I really want your head right now."

"Not more than you want a certain someone's hand," Vlad quipped with a grin. "Good luck."

Skulker tensed when he saw his friend take Desiree's hand and move off the stage.

However, when Dora noticed the royal couple's departure, she instantly stared questioningly at the Queen.

But the ghost mage just winked secretly back at her.

Now really curious, Danny quickly flew over to his parents and came up right behind his father, whispering, "What's happening, Father?"

"You'll see, little Phantom," Desiree quietly answered for her husband with a smile.

But then Vlad added, "Yes, watch, Daniel. Watch very closely."

Danny frowned in confusion, but still turned his attention over to Skulker and Dora.

Suddenly, Skulker cleared his throat and Dora turned to look at him. And with a smile, he grabbed one of her hands and coaxed her closer to him. He then turned towards everyone at last and explained, "Well, first, I want to publicly congratulate King Plasmius and Queen Desiree on their fourteeth anniversary. But also, I want to thank them for letting me use their day to do something that's very special for me."

"No need for thanks, Skulker," Vlad assured him. But then with a smirk added, "I'll just add it to your tab."

Everyone laughed.

But Skulker rolled his eyes before saying, "I'll retort to that later."

Like everyone else, Plasmius chuckled in response; but he then smiled warmly at his friend as he continued.

"I really couldn't imagine a better time than tonight for this. Not only because the whole Kingdom is here, but also because the King and Queen are more than that to Dora and I. They are our friends and have been practically all our lives. That's why I wanted all four of us to share this memorable day…"

Turning to Dora, who still looked confused, Skulker told her with a warm smile, "I know that I am about to surprise you quite a bit. But…well, I have been courting you for a couple of years now. And I feel in my core that we have developed a special bond in that time. I think that ever since we were just whelps, we have shared something special, but now it's even more so, because I know what I feel for you is real love. And I feel in you that you also love me…"

"I do love you, Skulker," Dora said, a light blush on her face, though she was smiling at him.

"I honestly never thought I would feel so connected to a female, but what I feel for you is strong—strong enough that I am now standing before you here, tonight, in front of the entire Kingdom, telling you that you have captured this hunter's core and soul, and that you are the one—the one female I want to spend the rest of my life with…"

Dora gasped, finally realizing what Skulker was about to do.

And when he stepped closer and put his right hand against his Ectoplasmic Signature, her eyes widened more with the realization.

She watched in amazement as he extended his other hand palm up towards her; and his symbol, which resembled two green crossed swords, appeared on his hand.

"If there is one thing I have learned from our best friends, Dora," Skulker suddenly said seriously. "it's that if you do agree to spend the rest of your life with me, then it will take dedication and strength to keep our bond strong every day. There will be hardships and perhaps pain, but I promise you I will do everything I can to make you as happy as possible. I promise I will give you all that I am, because I believe that together we can also obtain that real love our friends have..."

Skulker drew even closer before saying, "Dorathain, I love you. And that's why I am standing before you, presenting my signature to you and asking for your hand in marriage…. Will you marry me, Dora?" he asked her softly.

Dora covered her mouth with her hands, looking like she was about to cry, but, she managed to hold it in, except for a few tears that slid down her cheeks.

Meanwhile, everyone was also highly surprised, though for most, it was a pleasant kind.

And while Skulker anxiously waited for her answer, everyone else remained mute, also eager to hear the dragon maid's answer.

"I-I…Oh, my sweet hunter. I am at a loss for words!" she choked out. But then suddenly thinking of her brother and how he wasn't even happy with the fact that Skulker had been courting her, she frowned in worry at realizing he would be furious if she agreed to marry Skulker…

"My brother…," she whispered out fearfully.

"As I said, we will encounter hardships. But… we will face them together, Dora," he assured her.

Dora smiled, the uncertainty leaving her eyes, before she declared, "I love you, Skulker… Yes. I will marry you. I wish to be your mate, my fair warrior."

"Not just my mate, Dora. My wife," Skulker told her warmly and he felt his core suddenly stir with the emotion, and as a result, the symbol on his extended hand glowed more fiercely.

And noticing it, Dora tenderly placed her own left hand on top of Skulker's glowing one.

A sudden instinct took over the hunter, and he suddenly understood what Vlad had said when he assured him he would know what to do. He did know. And he didn't hesitate to seal their promise to marry with a kiss.

The moment, the couple closed their eyes and kissed, Skulker's hand glowed even more, engulfing the more delicate one on top of his.

But Dora also felt the hunter's energy penetrate her hand at that instant, and it felt like nothing she had experienced before. All she knew was that she suddenly loved Skulker even more.

Meanwhile, everyone looked away from the flash of light. But when it was over, Skulker lowered his hand from his chest and grabbed Dora's hand still above his other hand.

The couple smiled at seeing the hunter's symbol now on her hand, which she knew was the equivalent of how humans gave each other rings.

She was bound to him, until they finally did marry and he would change her symbol for his, which would then permanently seal their bond.

Skulker kissed her hand, just as the glowing symbol on it faded out of view. But then, she laughed happily and threw her arms around him.

At this, everyone cheered and clapped.

Well, all except Danny, who was now staring down at himself in confusion. How had his uncle done that?

The child curiously placed his own hand against his chest and then looked at his other hand. But… nothing happened.

But having noticed his son's doings, Vlad grabbed him in his arms before pulling him close and whispering in his ear, "Don't worry. It'll make perfect sense someday..."

The Prince could only blink back naively at his father.

* * *

Walker had watched the whole proposal thing with a bored look.

"Only Skulker would think of tying the knot with one of Aragon's relatives," he muttered in disgust to Bullet.

"But not just any relative," his top guard replied with a smirk. "Aragon's_ sister_—the one who possesses Aragon's second amulet. I personally think Skulker struck himself a good match."

"To each his own," Walker answered with a shrug. But then, he glanced over at the banquet, which was just about ready for everyone to begin dining. However, he quickly caught sight of Bertrand, who was still disguised as one of the waiters.

But unable to spot Spectra, since she was invisible, Walker asked, "Where's you-know-who?"

Bullet frowned, but then said, "Last time I checked, she had finished getting the stuff she needed from her abode and was on her way here…But where she is _right now_…I'm about to go find out…"

Walker nodded and watched as Bullet went off to discreetly talk to the disguised Bertrand…

The Warden soon lost interest, though, and turned his attention to the royal family, who were happily congratulating the newest couple, alongside Lydia and Ghostwriter.

But as he locked his eyes on Desiree, he frowned as he thought again on how fine of a line on which he was walking with her. Even if his threat seemed to have kept her quiet about their… incident, Walker was sure she would eventually tell Plasmius.

However, if she did, the Warden was sure it wouldn't be tonight. So, with a small confident smirk on his face, he moved over to her and Vlad, deciding he needed to start playing his next part in 'the plan' as of now…

"I must say, Dora, I'm impressed," Walker heard the King say as he drew closer.

"Why is that, Sire?" the dragon maid replied curiously.

Plasmius draped an arm around Skulker's shoulders as he answered with a teasing smile, "Because you managed to capture and subdue the Ghost World's greatest hunter."

Desiree and Ghostwriter laughed, but then Lydia added, "That's very true. But I'm sure he didn't even put up a fight!"

Skulker rolled his eyes at his friend and sibling's teasing. But although Dora was blushing, the hunter was pretty surprised when his future wife replied, "I suppose I must agree that it was surprisingly easy to trap him…"

Vlad threw his head back and laughed, even when Skulker lightly pushed him off, "Oh, she's definitely a perfect match for you, Skulker!"

Skulker playfully glared at the King as he muttered, "You know, Plasmius, sometimes you—"

"Good evening," Walker suddenly interrupted them.

Everyone quickly turned their attention to the Warden. But getting pass their brief surprise, they then all greeted him. Well, all except for Desiree, who just frowned at his sudden appearance.

"Walker, how good of you to come," Vlad said pleasantly, stretching out a hand as further greeting.

Walker stretched out his own hand and lightly touched his fingertips to his King's own in their customary 'handshake.'

"I just wanted to congratulate you and the Queen on your anniversary," Walker then said when he lowered his hand and smiled at Vlad and then at Desiree.

"Thank you, Warden," Vlad replied. But when he didn't hear his wife say anything, he looked at her and finally noticed how tense, and almost angry, she was.

"And, of course, I have to also congratulate the newly engaged couple," the ghost sheriff added, turning his eyes to Skulker and Dora. "I must admit, Skulker. You got yourself quite a catch…," the Warden added as he drew closer to the dragon maid, took her left hand, and softly kissed it.

As a result, the symbol on Dora's hand suddenly reappeared with Walker's touch, as if to remind him she was engaged…

Skulker lightly frowned at Walker's comment, but still replied, "Yes, I am lucky, if that's what you meant…"

As if repelled by the sight of the symbol, Walker discreetly let go of Dora's hand and took a step away from her. But he readily turned his eyes back to the King, who was now surprisingly very quiet.

"Perhaps this ain't the best time to bring it up, but there are a few things about the prison that I need to talk with you about, since, well, you haven't been there for a few weeks. Also, there's this issue at the neighboring island, the one just to the left of Ancient Paradise. It seems there have been recent disputes over territories there. I think it be wise that you go speak with the ghosts there about it."

Vlad nodded. "Alright. I'll try to come by tomorrow, though it will probably be later in the day."

Walker smiled and nodded back. "Wonderful." He then looked over to the banquet, and feigning delight, said, "Oh, look, it's time to eat! Well, my King and Queen and everyone else. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your evenin'. Happy Anniversary once more."

Vlad thanked him again before watching him walk off.

"I better go get Ember so she can eat," Lydia said calmly and gestured Ghostwriter to go with her.

"Could you bring Daniel with you as well?" Vlad quickly asked.

"Of course," Ghostwriter said before they finally walked off.

Vlad then turned his attention back to Desiree, who was still tense even with Walker gone.

"Dora. Skulker. Will you excuse us for a moment?" the King suddenly said before grabbing one of his wife's hands and moving away from their friends.

And once they were in a less crowded space, Vlad's eyebrows creased as he seriously asked her, "What's wrong, Desiree?"

"Don't go with Walker tomorrow, Vlad," she told him quietly and fearfully. "Don't ever go alone with him _anywhere_, alright?"

"I'll go with Skulker," Vlad quickly replied. "But tell me what's wrong. Did you have problems with Walker again?"

The ghost mage sighed in response, trying to calm the surge of hate and even fear clenching her core. But knowing it was pointless to deny it, she quietly nodded.

"What happened?" Vlad asked, his voice now coated with anger, sure that his wife wouldn't be this upset unless it was something serious.

"Vlad… I wasn't sure if I should tell you," Desiree answered worriedly. "I mean, with everything that happened with Danny and then my sickness and then with all these celebrations… I didn't want to cause you more unneeded worry. And… I don't want this to cause _us_ more problems…"

"It doesn't matter, Des. Tell me what happened," Vlad pressed, now really worried.

Desiree nodded. "I will. I'll tell you everything, but not right now. We need to talk in private and right now we have a lot of guests to which to attend. We'll talk tomorrow, alright?"

Vlad glanced in Walker's direction. But then with a sigh, he nodded. "Alright. But…please smile again. I don't like to see you upset, my dear."

Desiree smiled warmly at him before giving him a quick peck on lips. "How can I be upset on this wonderful day?"

"It would be completely unacceptable," Vlad answered with a grin. But then wrapping an arm around his wife's waist, he told her, "Come, let's go eat."

The couple headed back over to Dora and Skulker, who were now joined by several others ghosts.

When they got there, Danny was hugging Wulf, while Horris and Clockwork were talking to Lydia and Ghostwriter.

"Horris," Vlad called to his childhood guardian. "I told George to make you that dish you wanted…"

The Head Ancient grinned and wrapped an arm around the King. "How grand! You surely spoil me, King Plasmius," he teased.

"I suppose I do," Vlad answered with a chuckle.

But hearing the bell and announcement that the food was served, everyone began to make their way to their respected seats.

However, as Desiree picked up Danny, Clockwork walked over to her and said, "I see you put my medallion's power to good use…"

The ghost mage smiled and lightly touched the crystal on Danny's neck. "Yes, and thank you for giving it to me."

But to her surprise, the time ghost's expression fell a bit and he quietly told her, "Don't thank me. I have done… nothing."

Noticing the slight bitterness in his voice with his last word, Desiree put a hand on Clockwork's shoulder and assured him, "You do what you can. And for that I am grateful."

The Time Master smiled at her again, but he didn't say anything else.

"Des?" Vlad asked when he suddenly turned his attention from Horris and noticed his son and wife weren't following them.

"Come on, Clockwork," Desiree told her son's guardian.

Clockwork nodded and followed her, but at a slower pace.

"Are you hungry, little Phantom?" he heard the ghost mage ask her son.

Danny quickly nodded and said something in response, but it was lost to Clockwork when he noticed George appear with a covered plate in his hand and hand it to one of the waiters.

The Time Ghost didn't need to hear them to know George was telling the other ghost that the dish was meant specifically for Horris.

But when the time ghost then saw the disguised Bertrand intersect the other waiter once George had left, Clockwork's eyes slightly narrowed, knowing exactly what the evil ghost was about to do.

"_Everything is as it should be,"_ he mentally reminded himself as he watched Bertrand stealthy add a red 'condiment' to Horris' food…

* * *

After dinner, the ghosts primarily got together with their significant others to dance. But somewhere around the time they had been eating, Vlad had excused himself, saying he needed to go check on something.

Desiree didn't question it, since Skulker had quickly wrapped her up in a conversation about his numerous collections of unique primitive ghost species on his island.

The ghost mage lost interest about ten minutes into the one-sided conversation. But as the time doubled, and she realized Vlad had yet to return, she couldn't continue to listen to her friend anymore.

"And then, there's the three-handed—,"

"Skulker, I'm sorry. But why are you telling me all this?" Desiree asked, slightly annoyed.

The hunter blinked, but then answered, "Because it's important for you as Queen to know the different kinds of rare ghosts that exists."

"Yes, but, Skulker. You have already told me this many times before," Desiree replied with a sigh. But then she looked around and asked, "Has anyone seen Vlad?"

Skulker raised an eyebrow and looked around, "He left? Really? Dora, did you see Plasmius leave?"

Dora had to hold back a giggle and she also feigned ignorance as she replied, "No, I didn't see him leave."

Desiree frowned skeptically. "Skulker, he was sitting right here. How could you have not seen him get up and leave?"

Skulker shrugged, before quickly getting up and asking Dora, "Would you like to dance?"

"Why, of course, my good sire," Dora answered with a knowing smirk.

Desiree opened her mouth to say something to the two, but before she could, they walked off. The ghost mage rolled her eyes in a mixture of mirth and irritation. But she then dismissed her odd friends, and, instead, looked around for Danny, who had long since finished eating and was playing with Ember again.

Or, more like, trying to dance with her.

"Okay, I spin you and then you spin me, okay?" Danny told his young friend.

But Ember tilted her head at her friend before looking over at all the dancing couples. "Um… I don't think the male gets to spin. But you get to kiss me!"

Danny frowned and looked over at the dancing ghosts as well. "Really? But that's no fun."

Ember shrugged and quickly grabbed Danny's hands. "It's okay! We'll dance how we want."

Danny grinned and quickly spun his friend. But then she returned the favor, and the two giggled. Meanwhile, Cujo was running around them in circles, barking his head off.

Desiree smiled at them, amused. But remembering Vlad again, she walked over to Danny and asked him, "Little Phantom?"

Danny, who had been about to kiss Ember, like he had seen a lot of the couples do while they were dancing, paused and looked up at his mother.

"Huh?" he asked.

Desiree raised an eyebrow at what her son had been about to do, but deciding to ignore it, she asked him, "Have you seen your father?"

Danny blinked, but then looked around and gasped. His father was gone and his mother was asking him where he was… that meant….

"Um… I love you, Mommy!" Danny abruptly exclaimed, throwing his arms around her waist and hugging her.

Taken aback by his sudden flip in demeanor, Desiree's eyebrows heightened and she questioned, "Are you alright, Danny?"

"Play with me, Mommy!" he quickly beamed, letting go of her and ignoring her question.

"Danny? Danny!" she suddenly exclaimed when the child abruptly flew away from her heading towards the ballroom's exit.

"Come on, Mommy! Catch me!" he said with a giggle as he paused right at doors to grin at her. But then, he bolted out of the ballroom.

"Danny! What? Where are you going?" she questioned, both surprised and confused as she quickly followed after her son. But being that she was walking and he was flying, she could hardly keep him in her eyesight.

The child continued to tease her as he led her through several corridors towards a secluded wing in the castle.

Somewhere along all the zigzags and numerous stairs, Desiree forgot all about how odd her son's behavior was and just chased him for the fun of it. She used teleportation a few times to shorten the distance, but Danny quickly turned intangible to escape her arms.

Finally, the child stopped at an unused ballroom. But oddly one of the doors was just slightly opened…

"You can't catch me, Mother," he said with a challenging grin before suddenly flying through the opened door and disappearing inside.

Desiree blinked, surprised. But then she quickly followed after her son. But when she slowly entered the room, a confused frown fell on her face.

"Danny?" she questioned when she found the child floating in the middle of the empty room. But what was strange was how it was lit up with four large burning red candles at each corner of the room.

A mischievous smile curled the Prince's lips before he suddenly waved at her and said, "Bye, Mommy."

Desiree gasped when Danny unexpectedly teleported away. But knowing he couldn't teleport far, she spun around towards the ballroom's door, only to gasp again when it unexpectedly closed shut all on its own.

Meanwhile, Danny reappeared right outside the room and giggled to himself. But then hearing the ballroom's door lock close behind him, he turned around and grinned, just as his father lost invisibility.

"Oh, you are a very clever little ghost," Vlad told him with a snicker.

"Thanks, I try," he said proudly.

Vlad quickly picked up his son and kissed him before telling him, "Thank you for the help, little Phantom. Remember what I told you?"

Danny nodded. "Listen to Dora and go to bed on time!"

"Good boy. Now, go back to the party and stay close to your uncle and Dora, alright? I'll see you tomorrow morning," Vlad told him, kissing him again.

Danny hugged his father back and told him, "Have fun with Mommy, Daddy!"

Plasmius grinned. "Oh, I will, little Phantom."

Danny finally let go of his father. And with a wave, he flew down the hall, just as his father teleported back inside the ballroom.

However, as Danny flew back through the empty corridors, he suddenly heard a flapping noise come from one of the hallways to his right. The child instantly paused and looked over at the dimly lit hallway.

He frowned in uncertainty as he listened carefully for the sound again. But when all was quiet, Danny hesitated a bit before he continued forward.

But the child didn't get more than a yard away when he heard the flapping again, only this time much louder. Spinning back around in surprise, Danny stared wide-eyed in the direction of the noise.

"Um… Hello?" he questioned softly, now feeling a little scared.

But when the fluttering continued, he slowly moved towards it, deciding to investigate…

Danny didn't realize how the crystal around his neck was glowing brightly again with his uncertain emotions. But just when he rounded the corner to look down the corridor in question, the child gasped in surprise at what he instantly saw.

There, on the ground, was a medium-sized black and dull cage with _another_ smaller and glowing golden cage within it. But inside the gold one there was a very scared black butterfly trapped inside.

"_Negro Papillo?"_ he muttered, confused. He had only seen these little ghosts a few times, and he remembered his father told him they were rare… But… what was it doing in here and in a… cage?

Danny flew over to it and softly cooed at it, trying to calm it down. "It's okay, I'll get you out," he then told the little ghost as he sat down on the ground beside the double-cage and reached towards the outer small door.

"Don't let it out, Danny…," a familiar voice suddenly said sweetly to him.

Danny jolted and looked up, just as his aunt materialized a few feet in front of him.

"Aunt Spectra?" he questioned fearfully.

And suddenly really scared, he flew off the ground and backed away from her, clearly thinking of fleeing.

But Spectra quickly raised her hands and gently pleaded, "No. Please don't fly away, Danny."

The child stared uncertainly at her. "Mommy and Daddy told me not to trust you anymore."

Spectra's eyes widened, but then tears swelled in her eyes as she said in a faked broken voice, "They told you that? But… I'm your aunt, Danny. I love you."

The child's eyes quickly narrowed and he suddenly hissed, "No, you don't! I feel you do not!"

"Danny, that's not true. You were probably confused because I hurt you when I touched you. But I promise, I never meant to hurt you! You are my precious little nephew, Danny. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You made my parents angry at each other," he quickly accused, his anger swelling inside him. "You made them angry! You hurt them, too! I won't let you hurt them again!"

Spectra was taken aback by the child's almost menacing words. But it was then she noticed the glowing amulet.

"Wow, what a pretty necklace… Mommy and Daddy give it to you?" Spectra asked with a smile. But although she found it odd, she didn't think much of the piece of jewelry, since it wasn't the first time the shadow ghost had seen the child wear a necklace. In reality, she mainly asked in an attempt to change topics.

But Danny just protectively grabbed the crystal in one of his hands and frowned at his aunt.

Seeing that her strategy didn't work, the shadow ghost sighed, though internally she was starting to get really annoyed.

"Come on, Danny. Are you really going to stop loving me over _one_ thing, when I have _always_ been nice to you? Remember I got you all those… toys and our secret….?"

The child's hard look faltered. He didn't want to stop loving his aunt, but he just couldn't trust her like before.

"Look, do you like it?" Spectra suddenly said, pointing at the black butterfly. She grinned as she added, "Did you know when you were just a little baby I got you one just like it? They are very special, Danny, just like you… That's why I got it for you."

Danny looked back at the little butterfly, and it quickly reminded him of Lu, though he knew this little ghost was even more primitive than Lu. Still, he didn't like seeing it trapped like that.

"It doesn't like it in there. I want to let it go free," he said with a frown.

Spectra grinned. "Alright. Let's go to your playing grounds and we'll set it free _together_. And then…" She moved a bit closer to him, though stopped when she saw him tense. "I'll show you the next human toy I got for you," she whispered.

"A new one?" Danny questioned quietly.

"Yes, come on," Spectra said, extending a hand towards the child.

Danny looked at her hand in uncertainty, "Um… Daddy said to go back to the party… And it's late now."

"But it'll be quick. We'll be right back," she pressed, moving a bit closer to him and internally grinning when he didn't move away this time.

Danny unconsciously gripped at his crystal again, but then he let it go and stretched out his hand to take his aunt's own.

"Danny."

Spectra and the Prince jolted at the third unexpected voice.

"Clockwork," the child said at the sight of his guardian. And suddenly inexplicably relieved, he flew right into the time guardian's arms and buried his face into his cloak.

The shadow ghost pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "Somehow, I'm not surprised," she muttered.

"Shouldn't you be inside a jail cell?" Clockwork asked coolly, rubbing the Prince's back with reassurance.

"Shouldn't you be at your tower staring at clocks?" she retorted with a smirk.

The Time Master narrowed his eyes in threat and he said, "You better leave right now, before I tell the King's guards what you and… your companion are doing."

Spectra's lips curled higher as she smugly answered, "You are not going to say anything."

"Try me," Clockwork said darkly.

Spectra frowned nervously at that.

But then, Bullet suddenly rounded the corner and angrily said, "There you are! How did you get out?"

Clockwork stared emotionlessly at Bullet, clearly not buying the act.

"Alright, I'm going back," Spectra said, raising her hands in surrender.

"Don't forget Bertrand, Bullet," the time ghost said seriously.

Walker's top guard tensed, realizing the time ghost was onto them.

But Spectra just chuckled humorlessly. She then leaned down, and picked up the caged butterfly, which caused it to panic again.

Danny finally turned his face towards his aunt, staring worriedly at the little ghost.

"Don't worry, Danny. I'll leave it at your playing grounds for you," Spectra said sweetly, before blowing a kiss at him and vanishing along with Bullet.

"Are you alright, Danny?" Clockwork asked softly, gently pulling the child away from him once they were alone.

Danny just quietly nodded.

His guardian smiled sadly at him for some reason, before unexpectedly hugging him close, as if it was the last time he would be able to…

The Prince frowned uncertainly, sensing something was bothering his guardian, but he didn't say anything and just hugged Clockwork back.

"Come on. Ember is looking for you," his guardian suddenly said, forcing a lighter smile on his face before walking back towards the party with the child.

* * *

Desiree frowned as she stared around the empty ballroom in which she was. It really hadn't taken her long to figure out why Danny had led her here and then locked the doors.

"Vlad? I know you're in here," she announced calmly as she continued to look around.

Her husband's chuckles echoed around her in response.

She rolled her eyes, but then raised a hand to her hip as she said, faking annoyance, "Vlad, what are you up to? Tell me or I'm leaving right now."

"Through what door?" he suddenly retorted sneakily.

Desiree gasped when the room suddenly changed around her, leaving her in a completely white room. The only thing that remained of the unused ballroom was the red-lit large candles at the corner of each room. But this room had no doors. And the air around her felt oddly… thicker and warmer.

Desiree glanced up and her eyes widened in surprise at finding some sort of large… fan. And then there was also these devices that looked suspiciously like smaller versions of a dream machine she had once seen at Nocturne's abode.

"Vlad, what is—?" Desiree began, only to yelp when she felt hands suddenly grab her from behind.

"It's a simulation room," the King answered, pulling her closer to him. "Skulker helped me make it… Well, I already had the blueprints for it… But… you get the idea."

"Uh-huh… and why am I locked in here with you?" she asked, turning around in his arms and smiling amusedly at him.

"What? Don't you like being trapped in a room with me?" Vlad quipped back with a grin.

"Well, mind you that I don't play _helpless_ captive," Desiree retorted with a smirk.

"Good. I like a challenge," he replied before suddenly kissing her. But to Desiree's annoyance, he just as quickly pulled away and oddly said, "Run new program."

Desiree gasped when the room suddenly turned black, but these… lights twinkled around them… duplicating almost perfectly the night sky… in the Human World.

"Do you remember this?" Vlad suddenly asked her.

Desiree nodded, looking around her in awe. "Yes… the sky. In spite of everything, the human world possesses great beauty…"

"I know why you teach Daniel Human Speech, Des. I know how…you have always been fascinated by _their_ world."

The ghost mage looked at her husband, who was staring at her with a mixture of emotions. She knew her husband agreed with her in that the Human World held many natural beauties. But, unlike her, her husband also held a dislike for that other world, and perhaps even fear of it. Then again… he had seen so much more of it than she…

"I also know that you wish you could have seen our son's other side… like I did," Vlad suddenly continued.

But Desiree was confused by all her husband's comments. She didn't understand why he was saying them, let alone what one had to do with the other…

But Vlad just grabbed her hands in his and smiled. "You've always made my wishes come true, Des. So, tonight, I'm going to make yours come true. I know you love _me_. But I have never truly been able to share _all_ of me with you. But I can tonight. I'm going to let you see all I have seen. I'm going to give you all I have, and I am going to fulfill your core's desires. But first… close your eyes."

Desiree stared at her husband in wonder for a moment, still unsure of what he was going to do. But trusting him, she closed her eyes.

Vlad cupped her face in his hands and then closed his own eyes before telling her, "Think of a song, Des."

Desiree shivered as she felt a strange power pass through her mind; but then thinking of a song, she gasped when she instantly _heard_ it around her.

The ghost mage snapped her eyes open, and found her husband's red eyes staring back to her, but they were glowing oddly…

"Vlad, what?" she began in awe.

The King grinned and simply replied, "Nocturne. It's a temporary spell… But with it, everything you and I imagine, everything we _dream_ of, will happen within this room. Even my memories…will project on these walls…"

Desiree's eyes widened when Vlad briefly closed his eyes and the night sky around them blurred, and something even more amazing suddenly appeared on one of the walls.

"Oh my God," the ghost mage whispered out, her hand coming to her mouth as she stared at the image of a baby with bright blue eyes and black hair wrapped up in a blanket.

"You wanted to see our son's appearance before he became one of us… Wish granted," Vlad whispered in her ear as he came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her.

"Danny," Desiree said quietly as her eyes filled with happy tears. He was as beautiful as he was now. But it gave the ghost mage a sense of fulfillment to have now at least been able to see what Danny looked like before. She now knew _all_ of her son.

However, she also now understood what her husband had done within this room. Everything in his mind, even his memories… Vlad could share it with her in this room.

"Do…you want to see his… human parents?" Vlad suddenly questioned, though he sounded hesitant.

Desiree stared at the image of the human Danny for another moment, but then, she suddenly turned around in Vlad's arms to look at him.

"What for? We're his parents now," Desiree said with a warm smile.

Focused on his wife, Vlad smiled at her as the image of Danny faded away and the night sky returned around them. "I love you," he told her.

"And I love you," Desiree answered before pulling him into a soft kiss. "And thank you so much," she added when she pulled away.

"Oh, it's not over yet," Vlad answered with a grin, before he closed his eyes again and another image appeared around them, but this one was more real, like if her husband had suddenly submerged them inside a dream.

They were in castle; but it wasn't _their_ castle, but a more mysterious one. They were on a balcony, looking out at a forest that stretched farther than the eye could see. And above them was the _morning_ sky, sun and all…

The vision then changed again, and she was at another place; a cabin with a grand fireplace.

"Don't be afraid," Vlad suddenly told her before the vision changed yet again.

Desiree tensed when she was suddenly surrounded by… humans. But they were smiling and talking with one another within a grand room… A party?

The vision changed once more and she was in an office, staring out of a huge window at people below. She looked around and her eyes stopped on a desk where there were papers with a title on them written in Human Speech and the title read 'DALV.'

But her eyes then fell on a golden plat with a name on it.

Desiree locked her eyes back on her husband and brought up a hand to his face as she whispered at him, "Vladimir Masters."

The projections around them instantly vanished and the night sky returned again. The soft music was still in the background, though they hardly heard it.

Plasmius sighed with his wife's touch, but then he grabbed her hand away and shook his head, "No… I'm not right now," he answered quietly.

Desiree smiled at him as she said, "My silly husband. When will you learn there's no difference? As you said, I love _you_—all of you."

"I have no doubt," the King answered her, though he internally didn't agree with the 'no difference' part. There was a difference, and that wasn't something he could project into something visual, because it was something he _felt _inside him. But he had long since made peace with that difference inside him, and all he cared about right now was showing his wife how much he loved her, while also feeling how much she loved him back.

Vlad suddenly closed his eyes as he thought of another vision, but before he could project it, his wife distracted him with a kiss.

And when she pulled away, Desiree smirked and asked, "Can I try?"

Vlad grinned back and nodded, before cupping his wife's face again. And when she closed her eyes, the view around them changed, and they were suddenly standing at the Crystal Sea in their world, hearing the waters sing.

"Hmm. I like this one," Plasmius said with a chuckle.

The vision changed again and they were at a large canyon twinkling with strange crystals that were embedded into the rocks, while the atmosphere around them glowed a rich purple, as nightfall was nearing in the image.

It soon changed again, and they were in a dream, walking through a living garden with multicolored rocks and small ponds.

Vlad recognized each place and how it was part of a memory they had once shared together.

"You see, my true fascination is with you, love," Desiree told him, running her fingers through his tied hair. "You are what makes any place so memorable."

The visions melded back into their twinkling background before Desiree closed her eyes again and the music changed, but this melody now had words…

"_Can you keep a secret?"_

Vlad smirked before he took a step away from his wife and then extended a hand as he playfully asked, "Will my Queen grant me the honor of a dance?"

"The honor's all mine, my King," Desiree answered with a playful bow and then grabbed his hand, allowing him to pull her into his arms.

_These walls keep a secret that only we know. But how long can they keep it?  
'Cause we're two lovers, we lose control…_

As they danced, the floor suddenly seemed to vanish under them as white smoke leaked from the corners of the room and engulfed it, taking the term 'dancing on clouds' to a whole new level.

_We're two shadows, chasing rainbows,  
behind closed windows, behind closed doors…_

Vlad smirked as he suddenly spun his wife around and then instantly changed their surroundings into a canopy of trees of every color of the rainbow.

_If walls could talk…Oooh...they would say I want you more  
They would say, hey...ever feel like this before?  
That you will always be the one for me…_

Desiree laughed, but then narrowing her eyes in challenge, she quickly changed her husband's scenery into spiraling Energy Novas, but they were pink.

"Top this," she said playfully as she wrapped herself in his arms, before pushing outward in their dance.

_Two people making memories… just too good to tell…  
We're painting pictures….Making magic  
Taking chances…_

The King suddenly levitated them off their cloudy ground, just as he wrapped them both up in a field of those roses in their greenhouse. But he mixed it with a scenery from the Human World, and suddenly there was a dark pond below them and glowing little fireflies had joined them in their dance …

_When I'm feeling weak... you give me wings  
When the fire has no heat... you light it up again  
When I hear no violins... you play my every string_

The couple continued to change their surroundings. But when they began to focus more on each other than what was around them, the room soon began to blur into a mixture of colors, like an artist playing with all the colors imaginable.

Vlad pulled his wife into a deep kiss as he slowly brought them back down to the ground. But then he pulled away and took a step away from her though he held onto her hands.

_Stop the press, hold the news  
The secret's safe between me and you…_

Desiree stared back at her husband in confusion, but also curiosity, at seeing something in his eyes. And then, the corners of his mouth curled upward.

___Walls?  
Can you keep a secret?_

Plasmius suddenly closed his eyes before a set of black rings appeared around his waist, and with a flash of light, he was gone.

And in his place was a man with pale skin and blue eyes—in his place was Vladimir Masters.

Desiree's eyes went wide with awe, but then he pulled her back to him. She placed a hand against his face, watching him shiver with the sensation of her touch and energy. But she could see that her ghostly hand was like the wind against his face—and her touch also felt like it.

But wanting him to truly feel her, she consciously solidified her form. Desiree drew even closer and brushed her lips against his almost searing ones.

_If walls could talk…Oooh...they would say I want you more  
They would say, hey...ever feel like this before?  
That you will always be the one for me…_

"You're beautiful, Des," Vlad told her with a soft exhale of breath, his voice different and the same all at once.

Desiree shivered at the heat that caressed her skin. "So are you," she replied, smiling. "Then again, I have always thought so."

Vlad lowered his blue gaze to her glowing symbol and touched it. But at feeling her soul and energy, even as he was, he couldn't control himself anymore and he suddenly pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Desiree returned it and held it until her husband's need for air forced them apart. But he then suddenly grinned at her with that gorgeous smile that didn't change no matter if he was ghost or human. And she laughed when he quickly spun her before continuing their dance.

"You planned this," she told him with an amused smirk.

"Whatever gave you that idea, my dear?" Vladimir retorted playfully, but then he laughed when his wife suddenly changed their surroundings again as they continued to dance with each other.

_If walls had eyes, my…they would see the love inside  
They would see, me...in your arms in ecstasy  
And with every move they'd know I love you so…_

They came to a stop once more, and Vlad pulled Desiree back into his arms. And with another kiss, he let his rings wash back over him turning him into Plasmius.

The ghost mage shivered with the sensation of those rings, but it was exhilarating all the same. The couple's focus was once again only on each other and the love they shared.

And as the room was shrouded in twinkling darkness once again, only a few words echoed against its walls.

"I love you so…"

* * *

**Song: Celion Dion. 'If walls could talk' **

**If you haven't heard it, look it up and hear it! Awesome love song! Then again, this woman has many awesome love songs!**

***giggles* I don't care what others think, I love cliché romance! But I love _more_ playing with words. Heh. If you guys didn't catch the double meaning, I'll tell you forwardly that I wrote this so that you readers are those 'walls' the song refers to… So, can you keep a secret? **

**Ha-Ha! Okay, enough of my girly silliness. I'm sure most of you had already figured out Plasmius was Masters. If not… surprise? Heh. I'm sure this also brings up a lot of more questions, though. But they will be answered eventually.**

**I hope you guys liked this chapter! I must say, I loved writing it especially this last scene. I had had it in mind for a long time, so I'm glad I could finally share it with you all. **

**Well, that is all! Oh, this would be the time to strap on your seatbelts if you haven't done so already! **

**P.S. Niane-fanclub is having a contest over at the DA, and the prices are quite nice… *winks***

**Also, I hope you guys are studying those vocab words I gave you! **

**Ta for now!**


	31. Chapter 29: Anything that Can Go Wrong

**Hello, my dear readers! If you did not read my message on DA, then let me apologize for not updating Sid this weekend. Sadly, Truephan had a family emergency and so we couldn't work on Sid. But it should be up this coming Saturday. So, look for it then! In the meantime, here is more DoaS for you guys! I sure hope you all enjoy this one! I sure enjoyed writing it! And, look, I updated on my birthday! It's one of my favorite chapters, too! Yay!**

**By the way, make sure you guys are looking over those Esperanto words I gave you previously. And for this chapter, if you don't know, then let me tell you that 'Papilio' means 'butterfly' and 'Nigra' means 'black'.**

**Thank you all for your support! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and the OC characters are my own, with the exception of Juukka. He belongs to JH24. **

* * *

**Chapter 29: Anything that Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong **

* * *

The next day, Desiree woke up in her most favorite place: right in her husband's arms.

She smiled softly as she studied his sleeping face. She had no clue what time it was, but it didn't really matter to her right now. After all, there was no real hurry to start the day just yet.

Her only worry was Danny. But he had no school today. And from all the excitement last night, he was probably still fast asleep. And if not, her son had Ember as company today.

In fact, after a bit of begging from the two six-year-olds, Ghostwriter and Lydia had agreed to let their daughter spend the night. Ember's parents returned home and they would be returning for her today in the evening. Until then, Danny had her company all to himself.

It really wasn't anything uncommon. Ember very often stayed at the palace since her parents knew their daughter would be safe with the royal couple—just like Desiree and Vlad trusted Lydia and Ghostwriter with their son just as much.

Desiree's smile widened at the thought of her son and his friend. In a way, their friendship and bond reminded her a lot of her husband and herself at that age…

The thought turned her attention to Vlad again.

"_Leave it to him to ask Nocturne to cast a spell over him just to surprise me,"_ Desiree thought, amused, though her core filled with warmth at the memory of last night. That really had been more than sweet of her husband…

But perhaps that's why he was so tired now. Nocturne's powers always had that effect on others. Still, Desiree knew it was of no concern. It would wear off.

She sighed softly as she moved one of her hands up one of the strong arms around her. She traced it up to his relaxed face and just caressed his features as the image of a man with blue eyes flashed back into her memory.

She still remembered vividly how her husband had become part human. But mostly, she remembered how distraught he had been with it. And yet, she had been more worried about how he had almost died back then; so what he had become had not bothered her as much it had bothered him. And even now, she was sure she accepted her husband's condition more than he did himself… But, at least, he _had_ accepted it after all these years…And she was just glad Pariah's curse had not killed her husband.

She briefly frowned at the thought. But she quickly pushed it aside, not wanting to think of the past anymore. It didn't matter what he was. She loved him—she always had and always would.

A smile returned to her face before she slithered her hand down his face and neck and to his chest. She felt the firm and flawless skin she knew all so well before deciding she also wanted to feel that energy she knew just as much.

Vlad's symbol lit up with her touch and a small unconscious smile tugged on his lips. However, when Desiree sighed again before moving closer and resting her head on his chest, his eyes finally fluttered open.

He smiled sleepily at her, though in their position he really couldn't see her face. But he softly rubbed her back to let her know he was awake.

"Sorry," she whispered, giving his symbol a small kiss. "I didn't mean to wake you."

The King closed his eyes for a moment before replying, "I'm not complaining."

Desiree chuckled before looking up at him.

Vlad's tired smile melded to a warmer one as he gave her a small kiss. But then with a deep sigh, he closed his eyes again and pulled her closer as he muttered, "Is it morning already? Where is Clockwork and his time powers when you need them?"

The ghost mage giggled as she snuggled closer to him. "I say we rebel against time today."

"Good idea," he mumbled groggily. "But maybe we should check on Daniel…"

"Do you think he's up? Without us around, he probably went to sleep past his bed time. He has to be exhausted," Desiree answered.

"Um-mm... I told him to go to bed on time. And I asked Dora to make sure of it, too …It's okay. I'll check on him… shortly," Vlad replied, half-awake.

Desiree rolled her eyes, knowing her husband's 'shortly' was more like 'way later' from how clearly exhausted _he_ was.

She was actually still tired herself, but she didn't mind getting up now. And if Danny was not awake, she could always come right back to bed…

Still, not in any real hurry, she stayed beside her husband for several more minutes. And it was only when she was sure he had fallen asleep again that she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before using intangibility to get out of bed without waking him again.

She yawned softly as she went over to the closest for a robe. But she just put it on without tying it and went into the bathroom. She didn't really look at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her teeth, since she was busy opening a cabinet with her free hand to get a brush out.

Done with her teeth, she bent forward to splash a bit of water on her face. She then turned around and grabbed a face towel off the rack. But as she dried her face, she turned back around and finally looked at herself in the mirror—only to freeze in shock.

There, reflected in the mirror, was her half-clothed half-exposed body. But what had her eyes wide was the sight of something she had never seen before in her life on anyone, let alone herself.

Right in the center of her abdomen, under her flesh, _inside_ her, was a white glowing… sphere. And… it was steadily… pulsing.

Desiree suddenly dropped the towel from her hand and looked down at herself. And confirming with her eyes what she had seen in the mirror, she gasped in horror.

"Oh, God…," she choked out as she touched her glowing stomach with both her now shaking hands. But when she felt a _reaction_, as if she was touching someone's core, she frantically whispered, "What is this?"

For several seconds all she could do was stare at the pulsing sphere glowing from inside her abdomen, trying to think of an explanation for it.

But then suddenly remembering how she had been sick for weeks, she began to wonder if this was also part of her mysterious illness.

**But this was unheard of!**

Then again, her bouts of weakness, her unstable core, fluctuating emotions, and loss of appetite were also bizarre to have all at once in relation to sickness in…

"Ghosts," she suddenly finished out loud. And when just as suddenly all this seemed to click in her mind, her eyes widened even more in horror as she whispered, "No…No, it can't be. I…"

Desiree choked on her words; and as if even more afraid of the foreign sight in her stomach, she quickly wrapped her robe around her body, hiding it from view.

Her eyes darted in her sudden panic, not knowing what to do. Could it be?

"No, it can't be!" she hissed, a mixture of despair and anger now coloring her voice. "I'm a _ghost_! I can't be… Wait… Oh dear heaven…the spell."

Desiree covered her mouth with a hand and squeezed her eyes close to keep herself from really panicking and alarming her husband. She couldn't tell him. Not until she was sure…

She opened her eyes once more before tentatively opening her robe again and looking at her stomach.

The pulsing white sphere was still there.

Desiree quickly covered herself back up before turning for the door. She quietly opened it and hesitated to exit the bathroom. But when she saw Vlad was still asleep, she quietly stepped out heading for the door. It would have been easier to teleport to where she wanted to go, but she was too scared to use any sort of powers with this… _thing_ inside her.

Making it out of her matrimonial chambers without incident, her steps then became more frantic as she hurried to her personal room.

She immediately went in and went straight to a large chest in which she stored her more sentimental keepsakes. But they hardly seemed to hold much value to her at the moment, judging by the way she carelessly threw and pushed things aside, desperate to find what she was looking for.

"No, where is it?" she exclaimed when she couldn't find what she wanted. "Where are those books? I put them right here and—Danny!" she abruptly said with a jolt. "That's right! He found them when he was younger and I took them out and hid them…"

Desiree quickly left towards her bathroom and entered it. She then wasted no time to reach for a large cabinet and looked inside. She had to move several things before she spotted what she was looking for:

Three human books.

Desiree reached for them, only for her hands to go right through them. She exhaled sharply before concentrating and solidifying her hands and encasing them with energy.

It was only then that she managed to grab them.

She pushed everything on the bathroom counter aside, hardly caring about the mess she was making, and opened one of the books, which happened to be a book on human anatomy. But as she stopped at a certain place and frantically read through it and scanned its pictures, her face shrouded with more and more panic.

She then immediately went to the next book, as if wishing with all her being that it would disprove the first one. But it more than supported it. And she was so nervous that she then fumbled with the third and it accidentally fell to the ground.

But even though it fell on a random page, the picture on it was more than enough proof that it also agreed with the other two books…

No wonder her _**ghost**_ doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong with her…

"The spell… it worked," Desiree suddenly whimpered. But then unable to keep herself up in her distress, she stumbled back until she hit a wall.

"But that was a long time ago. It wasn't supposed to have worked… _not anymore_," she added with a sob as she slid down against the wall and fell to the ground.

"Oh, please, no," she wept against her hands, suddenly more terrified for what this could mean for her son and husband than anything else…

* * *

Skulker and Walker walked hastily through the palace halls in search of the Ghost King.

"Did you send for Kuracisto?" Skulker asked the other male ghost, his voice grave.

"Yes, I did. He will probably get there before we will," the Warden answered just as serious. But then with a sigh, he added, "I'm sorry for waking you with this, but Juukka was highly concerned, and I just couldn't bring myself to give the news to the King myself."

"It's fine. I'm glad you came to me," Skulker answered. "Horris is very important to all of us."

"Especially to King Plasmius," Walker replied worriedly. "I hope he takes this well."

The hunter didn't reply. He knew Vlad would not be taking this well at all.

When they finally made it the royal matrimonial chambers, Skulker and Walker stopped right outside of it, and the hunter readily knocked.

But when after three tries, there was no answer, Walker said, "Perhaps they are still asleep? It _was_ their anniversary yesterday."

Skulker frowned deeply as he stared at the close door for a brief moment. But then he suddenly told the ghost sheriff, "Wait here."

Walker quickly raised an eyebrow and asked, "You are goin' in? What if they're…?"

The hunter just rolled his eyes and walked in. He passed by the lounge and other parts of his friends' bedroom before he came to the actually bedroom door, which, of course, was closed.

Skulker knocked again, but this time called, "Plasmius? Desiree? Are you two awake? I need to talk with—"

"Skulker?" Vlad suddenly interrupted him as the King opened the door and stared groggily at his friend. "Is something wrong?" he added with a yawn, noticing the serious look on the hunter's face.

Skulker's eyebrows ceased together as he replied, "It's Horris, Vlad… He's very sick."

Whatever lingering tiredness Plasmius had instantly vanished and his eyes grew wide with alarm. "Sick? What do you mean he's sick? What's wrong with him?" he quickly demanded.

Skulker shook his head. "I don't know. All Walker told me was that Juukka came to the prison looking for help because Horris wasn't responding, and I—"

But Vlad didn't let him finish as he abruptly turned away from his friend and went back inside his room, though he didn't bother to close the door.

Skulker glanced inside, and seeing Desiree wasn't there, he walked in, watching his friend frantically go into the closest for some clothes. It took Plasmius about three minutes to put on a pair of pants, brush his teeth, tie back his hair, and walk out of the room.

Skulker, of course, followed after him. And when they were outside, Vlad asked Walker, "Did you call Kuracisto?"

Walker nodded. "I did. And before you ask, all I know is that Horris wouldn't wake up this morning and that Juukka said he looked very ill. I don't know what's wrong."

Vlad seemed to grow even more worried, but he managed to keep calm enough to nod in understanding. But remembering his wife and son, he suddenly told Walker and Skulker. "Meet me outside. I'll be there shortly."

They quickly nodded and the King parted from them, heading to Desiree's private room, guessing she was showering. He quickly went in and walked right over to the bathroom.

"Desiree?" he called with a knock on the door.

He heard a small gasp before she answered him, "V-Vlad!"

The King frowned at her cracked and fearful voice and he readily asked, "Is everything alright?"

But when she didn't answer him, he knocked again and called more urgently, "Desiree?"

"I-I'm fine. I just need to s-shower."

Vlad frowned at the odd tone in her voice, but knowing he had a more pressing issue at the moment, he said, "Desiree, I need to go see Horris. Something is wrong with him."

The ghost mage must have suddenly moved closer to the closed door, since her voice sounded closer to Vlad as she asked, "What do you mean something is wrong with him?"

"I don't know, Des. He's sick, I think. I don't know. I'll return as soon as I can to give you further news, alright?" Vlad replied urgently.

"Alright," Desiree replied softly.

Vlad didn't say anymore and quickly left his wife's room. He then turned into the next corridor and went to his son's room. This time, he entered the room more carefully. And seeing his son and Ember still fast asleep on his son's bed, he sighed quietly before turning back around and exiting the child's room.

Hopefully, by the time they woke up, Desiree would be out of the shower and dressed to tend to them.

But as Vlad made his way out of the castle, his thoughts returned to his childhood guardian. It made no sense to him. How could Horris be ill? He looked just fine to him merely last night!

"He has to be alright," Vlad muttered worriedly.

* * *

Unaware of the problems mounting around her, Dora smiled warmly to herself as she braided her long blond hair while sitting in front of her vanity. She was still overjoyed with the fact that her sweet warrior had asked her to marry him! Oh, she had been hoping for it for some time now. So, it was just grand that he finally did ask!

Finishing her hair, Dora raised her left hand and gently touched it with her other, watching as Skulker's symbol reappeared, glowing beautifully with his green energy. And it just made her happier to imagine that soon her love's signature would be right above her core and his symbol forever hers.

Skulker had told her she could pick the date she wanted for the wedding, and Dora, of course, agreed.

"Perhaps in a month," she said to herself thoughtfully. "That should be adequate time to get everything ready, yes?" she grinned brightly as she added, "Oh, I know milady will help!"

There was just so much to get done that it was almost overwhelming. But Dora knew her best friend would aid her with all the arrangements. But… there was one thing she would have to do… alone.

Dora's face fell drastically as her thoughts turned to Aragon.

"Oh, dear brother. I must as least try to make you understand…" she whispered worriedly.

It would mean so much to her if her brother gave her and Skulker his blessing since their parents were not alive to do it. But Aragon was so tied to their customs that she feared that would never happen.

But even with or without her brother's approval, she was going to wed Skulker. She had long decided to step outside those customs with which she had grown, and live her life as she wanted. And now would be no different.

"**Knock-knock-knock-knock!"**

Dora jolted at the sound of someone trying to all but break down her door.

"What in the world?" she wondered as she quickly got up.

But the instant she unlocked her door and opened it, she gasped when her best friend suddenly threw her arms around her and sobbed.

"Milady!" Dora exclaimed in alarm, feeling the Queen's entire body shaking in fear.

"Dora, help me! Please!" Desiree said through her tears as she continued to grip at her friend like her life depended on it. "This can't be happening to me! Not now! I-I promise I didn't mean for this happen! I thought it d-didn't w-work! It's been years—_years!—_since I did that spell. A-And now, n-now, oh God! What am I going to do? Dora, please, what do I do?"

The dragon could do nothing for a moment as her friend just continued to weep. She had no idea what the Queen was talking about! And she definitely had no idea why she was so upset!

"Milady, please. Please calm down," Dora pleaded, rubbing her friend's back in hopes to get her to relax.

"I can't, Dora! My husband's secret will be discovered! And Danny, my Danny! Oh, Dora! No!" Desiree whimpered, and only sobbed louder.

Dora frowned in distress. But she knew she needed to do something to calm her friend down. With an anxious though determined smile, she pulled herself away from her friend and grabbed the ghost mage's shoulders. "Desiree, you must calm down," she told her seriously.

Hearing Dora use her name was enough for the Queen to focus. But then with a choked sob, Desiree softly asked, "What do I do, Dora?"

The dragon maid still had no idea what her friend was talking about; but seeing how disheveled she looked, Dora worriedly asked, "Milady, where are you clothes? You are going to get sick walking around with just that robe."

But when Desiree didn't seem to be listening to her anymore, Dora sighed and grabbed one of her friend's hands and coaxed her over to the bed.

"Come, milady. You need to lie down for a moment. I am going to go get you some proper clothing, and then we'll talk about what's troubling you."

Still shaking like a scared rabbit, the ghost mage hardly noticed her friend helping her lie fully down on the bed and then cover her with a blanket.

Dora frowned when her friend suddenly gripped the pillow under her head and started crying again. But she knew trying to talk to the ghost mage as she was would be impossible, so the dragon maid quickly headed out of her room to go get the Queen something that would relax her.

When she entered the kitchen, she immediately spotted George and asked him, "George, could you do me a favor?"

The ghost chef quickly turned his attention away from the breakfast he was making and smiled at the dragon maid. "Good morning, Dora! Breakfast is almost ready. I'll have Derek bring it right over to the table shortly."

"Thank you, George. But what I need right now is a spectral tea with a relaxant. Milady is feeling… unwell and she really needs one right now."

George frowned in worry and asked, "Is she sick again?"

Dora shook her head. "No, I do not think so. She's just a bit upset about something."

"Hmm. Maybe it's the news about Horris," George mused out loud.

Dora's eyes widened a bit at what the chef said and she quickly asked, "What about him?"

George turned away in search for the things to make the tea as he answered seriously, "The guards told me that Walker and Skulker came this morning, looking for the King. They said they heard them talking about Horris. Apparently he woke up pretty ill."

Dora frowned at the news. "That's odd. He seemed fine yesterday."

George nodded. "That's what I said. He even came to the kitchen last night to compliment my cooking," he added with a small smile.

Dora bit her lip in worry, but said nothing else. But then remembering her friend, she quickly said, "I'll be back for the tea, George. I need to go get something else for milady."

George nodded, but then he suddenly said, "Oh, Dora?"

The dragon maid paused and looked back at the male ghost. "Yes?"

"Congratulations on your engagement," he told her with a warm smile.

Dora smiled back and replied, "Thank you, good sir."

George nodded before Dora finally left.

It took her a few more minutes to go into Desiree's private room and grab one of her usual outfits and then head back to the kitchen for the tea.

When Dora finally returned back to her room, she found the ghost mage was sitting up, staring unblinkingly at her now uncovered stomach, though she had her hands pressed against it.

"Milady," Dora called to her, but the ghost mage didn't respond or look at her.

The dragon maid sighed before moving closer and putting the tea on the nightstand before placing her friend's clothes on the bed beside her.

"Milady, come. Let's get you dressed so you can drink the tea, and then we'll talk, alright?" Dora gently urged.

"What am I going to tell Vlad? He'll be furious with me," Desiree said quietly to herself as she continued to just stare at her stomach.

"Milady, I need you to listen to me," Dora pleaded, taking her friend's hands in hers in hope of getting her attention.

But when Dora moved the Queen's hands away from her abdomen, the dragon maid gasped when she finally saw the glowing sphere inside her friend.

"Oh dear heavens! What is that?" Dora gasped out, her eyes wide in alarm, while she unconsciously took a step away from her friend.

Desiree replied by wrapping her hands around her stomach and crying again.

But knowing this was really serious, Dora quickly drew closer and kneeled right in front of the ghost mage, pleading, "Milady, I know you are frightened and upset, but you must calm down. I need you to explain to me what is troubling you. And most importantly, you must tell me what… _that_ is in your body?"

Desiree looked at her friend with tear-glazed eyes as she let go of her abdomen and showed it to her friend. But Dora could only stare at her friend's stomach, not understanding what she was seeing, especially when the sphere was pulsing steadily.

"Milady, you must explain this to me," Dora said quietly, clearly frightened.

Desiree lowered her gaze, knowing she could no longer hide the truth. But then again, she didn't really want to anymore. At least, not from Dora. The ghost mage needed her friend's help. She was the only one that could help her right now. She had to tell her… _everything_.

"Dora," Desiree began quietly, staring at her friend. "Do you remember the time when Vlad and I were having troubles forming a child…?"

* * *

Danny woke up to the feel of something wet repeatedly going across his face. But when his blurry eyes came into focus and he saw Cujo above him, he realized what the wet 'something' was.

The Prince quickly scowled at his companion, complaining, "Ew! Cujo, stop! That's gross!"

Cujo licked him one more time before moving over to Ember and lapping her awake, too.

Ember jolted, obviously less use to this sort of wake-up call than Danny. But when she saw Cujo, she yelped and shoved him away. "Eww!" she exclaimed, trying to wipe off the slobber on her face.

Danny also did his best to clean off the drool, while grumbling something about the excited puppy.

But Cujo just barked happily at the two, clearly very pleased with himself for waking them up.

Danny sighed his frustration away, suddenly finding his companion's antics amusing. "You're so weird, Cujo."

"And gross!" Ember added, clearly still annoyed.

But Danny looked over at her and grinned as he said, "Morning!"

Ember's irritation melded into a small smile as she replied, "Morning, Danny."

Danny smiled back at her some more before he fell back down on the bed with a yawn and stretched.

Ember giggled before scooting closer to him and asking, "What do you want to do?"

Danny yawned again before replying, "Let's go to the Forest of Emotions! We can go play with Lu!"

Ember frowned a bit as she muttered, "I don't think she likes me too much…"

The Prince sat up and quickly shook his head. "Na-uh. Lu likes everybody!"

Ember still looked unsure, but then she smiled and replied, "Okay."

Danny flew out of bed, unconsciously readjusting his crystal amulet around his neck back into place, since it had moved behind him in the course of his sleep.

"Come on, we got to brush our teeth," he told his friend, the behavior now engrained in his head thanks to his parents.

Ember nodded and quickly followed him. But once they were done, the two children looked at each other not knowing what to do next. This was usually the time when their respective parents would come and tell them it was time for a bath and then breakfast.

"Um…," Danny said, passing a hand through his messy hair. "Maybe we should go find my parents…"

Ember nodded, and then followed her friend out of his room with Cujo on her tail. However, when Danny led them to his parents' matrimonial chambers, they found the door unlocked and went in.

But Danny's parents were not there.

The Prince frowned in confusion. But he then thought about his mother and father's private rooms and decided to check there. He first went to his father's room, but it was as empty as the matrimonial chambers. And when he went to his mother's room, he also didn't find anyone.

"Mommy?" Danny questioned as he decided to check her bathroom, now a bit upset that his parents were nowhere to be found. But his mother was not there, either.

However, he did find something very interesting in the bathroom.

Danny blinked in surprise at the sight of three odd books. Two were on the counter and one was on the ground, wide open.

"Danny, is that…_human_ books?" Ember gasped out, already having seen enough human items—thanks to the Prince—to tell the difference between them and ghost items.

And then they had no doubt when Cujo quickly walked into the bathroom and tried to grab the book on the ground, only for it to go through him.

Danny didn't reply, though he also knew they were indeed human books. But he felt an odd, unknown sensation within, as if he had seen these books before.

And he indeed had. But he had been four-years-old at the time, so he didn't really remember.

But as he floated a bit closer, his eyes locked on a picture in the book of some creature he had never seen before… In some ways, it resembled ghosts like his mother and Ember's mother… but in other ways…

"_They have some similarity to us, little Phantom. But they are very different, too."_

Danny gasped at his sudden memory of something his father once told him when he had asked what humans looked like.

"It's a picture of a human," the Prince whispered out, his eyes wide in a mixture of disbelief and wonder.

"Really?" Ember gasped out, and quickly moved closer to look at the picture in the book. But then the girl scrunched up her nose and pointed out, "They're fat!"

Danny didn't say anything and just stared at the picture for another moment. But then his eyes moved around the bathroom and he suddenly frowned in confusion. "Why does my mother have human books? Aunt Spectra said no one was allowed to have human stuff."

Ember shrugged, equally confused.

The Prince's frowned deepened, but then he flew out of the bathroom, now really wanting to find his parents. Maybe his aunt had lied to him and his parents didn't mind human items.

Or, maybe just his mother didn't mind them, since Danny was _completely_ _sure_ his _father_ disliked anything having to do with humans.

But if his mother liked human items, too… maybe…maybe he could tell her his secret!

Danny smiled with the possibility. It would be really nice if he could show his mother all his human toys!

But first, he needed to find his mother. But where would she go? His parents wouldn't go eat breakfast without him. And they also never left without telling him.

Maybe…

"Dora!" Danny exclaimed, sure the dragon maid would know where his parents were.

"Danny, wait up!" Ember protested when her friend suddenly bolted out of the Queen's room.

But the ghost girl and puppy quickly followed him and hurried through several hallways along with the Prince.

When they got to the dragon maid's room, Danny remembered his manners and quickly knocked on the door while calling out, "Dora? Are you in there?"

"I don't think she's there, Danny," Ember said when they received no answer.

But just when Danny was about to knock again, the door opened.

"Prince!" Dora said, surprised. But then with a small smile, she added, "You're awake…"

Danny nodded; but then floating up a bit, he asked, "Have you seen my parents? I cannot find them nowhere!"

Dora cringed as she glanced behind her. But then, looking back at the two children, she said, "Well, your father went to see Horris because… well, Horris is sick. But I'm sure he's fine, so don't worry," she quickly added when she saw Danny's eyes go wide with worry.

"And my… mother?" he asked with a frown.

"Your mother," Dora repeated with a troubled sigh. "The truth is, young Prince, that she is here with me."

Danny instantly perked up. "Really? I want to talk to her! I found human books in her room!"

Dora's eyes widened in alarm, but before she could say anything, the child quickly continued.

"But it's okay! Because I now know she likes human stuff, too! And I want to show her my—"

Ember suddenly nudged him, instantly cutting her friend off.

And realizing he was just about to spill his secret to Dora, Danny jolted and then smiled sheepishly at the dragon maid. "I mean… I want to go with my mother to the Forest of Emotions to, um, play! Yes, we are going to play!" he covered up.

Dora just stared oddly at the two children. But having more important things on her mind, she smiled apologetically at the Prince and replied, "I'm sorry, Prince, but I do not think your mother can play with you right now. She's… unwell at the moment."

Danny's eyes widened in worry again and he quickly asked, "My mommy is sick again? I want to see her!" he quickly said, trying to move pass Dora, but the dragon maid didn't let him.

"Calm down, Prince. She's not sick like before. She is just… a bit tired. And, well, she needs to rest." Dora smiled encouragingly as she added, "I'm sure she will be able to play with you in a few hours."

But Danny didn't look convinced.

"How about this?" Dora suddenly suggested. "Why don't I take Ember and you to get cleaned up and ready for the day, and then we'll get you both breakfast. Perhaps by the time Ember and you finish up, your mother can come out to play with you, alright?"

"Can't I just say 'good morning' to her?" Danny insisted.

"Prince," Dora began again.

But before she could continue, Desiree suddenly came up behind her and grabbed the door and opened it a bit wider. She was dressed now, but was wearing a blue cloak, which covered her entire body.

"Mommy!" Danny exclaimed and quickly flew into his mother's arms. "Are you okay? Dora said you are sick!" the child said fearfully.

But Desiree smiled weakly and answered. "Just a bit, little Phantom. But I'll be fine in no time."

"Okay, but when you are better, I want to show you something at the Forest of Emotions," Danny said with a grin, feeling excited again about finally being able to share his secret with her.

Desiree smiled and nodded. "Alright, Danny. But for now, do as Dora says, alright?"

Danny nodded.

Desiree hugged him tightly again before putting him down.

Dora looked back over at her friend and told her, "I'll go tend to them and then… we'll finish our talk, milady."

Desiree just nodded before retreating back into the room.

Dora squelched another worried sigh, and instead, picked up Ember and told the Prince, "Come along, Prince. Let's go give you two a bath."

"Okay!" Danny replied and flew after the dragon maid. "Can Cujo take a bath, too?"

The puppy whined unhappily upon hearing that, though he still continued to follow after his companion.

* * *

By the time Vlad, Walker, and Skulker had gotten to Horris' abode, Kuracisto was already there, examining the Head Ancient. Unfortunately, it took another hour before the ghost doctor could give the King and his companions any answers.

"What is wrong with him? Will he be alright?" Vlad quickly asked when Kuracisto finally exited Horris' bedroom.

The doctor sighed as he replied, "His condition is stable now, but his recovery will be slow, considering his age. As for what exactly happen to him, well, it is hard to say, my King. But I suspect he was afflicted by a severe kind of food poisoning."

"Food poisoning?" The king repeated with a confused frown. "I don't understand. He was fine just yesterday. Where would he get food poisoning? It could not have been at the celebration last night. No one else is sick that I know of."

Kuracisto nodded. "As I said, it is hard to say. Some forms of food poisonings do not exhibit symptoms until hours or even days later. Remember that a ghost's digestive system absorbs everything it takes in and that it has no way of eliminating toxins that may be accidently consumed. So, while some toxin may be strong enough to cause sickness right away, weaker ones may take some time to accumulate in the body before the toxin causes problems. Of course, it also depends on the _amount_ of the toxin that was ingested."

Plasmius was at a loss to what he was hearing. Yes, it was possible to accidently consume something that could make a ghost sick. But… from what he knew, this was more common in children. And he still couldn't get over the fact that Horris looked just fine to him in these past days!

"Juukka mentioned to us that Horris started feeling strange soon after the banquet yesterday," Skulker muttered thoughtfully. "But he didn't fall ill until he returned home…"

"I insist it couldn't have been the food last night," Vlad replied. "No one else is sick. We all ate the same—"

The King sudden froze and his eyes widened as he remembered something.

Walker just quietly watched the King, though internally he was grinning, knowing the younger male had figured it out. Well, he had figured out what he, Spectra, and Bertrand _wanted_ the King to believe…

"I had George make Horris a special plate of stuffed Blood Blossoms…," Vlad told the doctor with a worried look.

Kuracisto's eyebrows heightened a bit with the news, but then he nodded in understanding. "His symptoms are consistent with Blood Blossom poisoning. And if he only consumed a small amount of unripe blossoms, it would explain why it took him several hours before he fell highly ill."

Vlad sighed slowly, but he then shook his head. "I still do not understand. How could this have happened? George is very careful when he prepares Blood Blossoms!"

"It only takes accidently mistaking _one_ unripe blossom for a ripe one, King Plasmius," Kuracisto countered. "It's an unfortunate mistake. But, it can happen."

"Yes, it can, but not to someone who has been preparing foods for _years_, as George!" Vlad insisted.

"Well, we can't know for certain if that was the cause of Horris' food poisoning," Skulker spoke up, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to calm him down. "What's important is that Horris is stable now and that he will recover from this."

"That's right," Kuracisto agreed with an encouraging smile. "He has not awakened yet, but I have given him medication to counter the toxins affects. Once the medication cleans out his system, he will slowly regain his strength back."

"May I see him?" Vlad asked anxiously.

"Of course, King Plasmius. Juukka is already in there with him," the doctor replied.

The King glanced at Skulker; and guessing his thoughts, the hunter said, "It's alright. We'll wait out here for you."

And while Walker nodded his agreement, Vlad smiled appreciatively at the two before heading into Horris' room.

But when he went in, Kuracisto turned to Skulker and said, "I have already given instructions to Juukka about Horris' medication. However, since I could tell he is as worried as the King, here's another list."

Skulker grabbed the paper from the doctor and read it over as Kuracisto continued to explain the different medications and their doses. Also, he further told the hunter to remind Juukka that Horris had to stay in bed for at least a week and that he needed an energy-rich diet to recover his strength and energy.

Walker lost interest from the beginning; so he moved over to sit comfortably on a nearby sofa. As he crossed his legs and leaned back against it, he couldn't entirely keep off the satisfied smirk on his face. His plans were moving by very smoothly.

Now, it was all up to Bullet to assure the next part...

* * *

Vlad smiled sadly at Juukka when he found him standing on his hind legs besides the unconscious Horris, purring softly at him.

"Don't worry, Juukka, Horris will be fine now," the King assured the wolf-like ghost as he walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Juukka looked at the King with his ears tilted back as he telepathically replied, _"I was very scared for him, Your Highness! I had never seen him so ill before! He wouldn't respond! It was like he was dead! He has always taken good care of me, Your Highness! He is all I have! And I have failed to protect him!" _

"Nonsense," Vlad replied. "You have done an excellent job of protecting him, Juukka. What happened now was an accident no one could have prevented, so do not blame yourself. Kuracisto assured me he will recover; so, please, do not worry so much anymore, alright?"

Juukka smiled and nodded. He then looked back at Horris; and with soft purrs, touched his core for a moment.

However, the wolf-like ghost soon glanced back at the King and said, _"I'll leave you alone with him for a moment. I did not understand all of Kuracisto's instructions, so I need to speak with him. But, perhaps, he will stay until Horris wakens, at least."_

Vlad smiled back and nodded. But when Juukka left, his expression melded into a troubled frown. He sighed deeply before taking a seat beside Horris on the bed.

The King placed his hand on his childhood guardian's symbol, noticing how dim it was and how he didn't really respond to his touch.

"You scared me, Horris," Vlad muttered, looking at the Ancient's unconscious face. "I couldn't bear to lose a father again. You know that is what you have always been to me, aside from my guardian."

The King moved closer and gave Horris a kiss on his forehead before placing a hand against his face and with a warm smile, adding, "It doesn't matter how old I get, I love you, and I will always need you."

* * *

"I must go tend to your mother, Prince," Dora said as Danny, Ember, and Cujo ate their breakfast. "However, I want you three to finish all your breakfast, okay?"

"And then I can go with my mother to my playing grounds?" Danny asked hopefully after swallowing a bite of some glowing orange mush that had the texture of oatmeal.

"You will have to ask her, Prince," the dragon maid replied.

"Okay," Danny answered.

Dora smiled at the Prince before patting Ember on the head. With that, she walked out of the dining room, leaving the two ghost kids and ghost dog alone.

"I hope your mommy feels better soon," Ember suddenly told Danny before grabbing her cup and taking a drink of her juice. But then when she put it down, her eyebrows creased inward as she then asked, "Are you really going to show her your human toys? What if she takes them away?"

Danny frowned at the possibility, but then he shook his head and answered, "I don't think she will. I think my aunt was lying. She had to be! You saw the human books in my mother's room! She has to like human toys, too!"

The Prince suddenly paused as he muttered more quietly, "And… I don't like keeping my secret from her or my father… I feel bad."

"But… what if your mother tells your father about your toys, and _he_ takes them away?" Ember insisted.

This time, Danny's eyes widened a bit. He had not thought about that. But then he replied, though he sounded uncertain now, "Maybe my mother will tell my father to let me keep them. He is letting my mother keep the books, right? So, maybe he'll let me keep the toys if my mommy tells him about them."

Ember nodded her agreement.

However, what the kids didn't know was that the King had no idea his wife had those human books…

"I hope she likes the human toys, Danny. I don't want your parents to take them away. I really like them, too!" Ember said with a smile.

Danny nodded. "I like them, too. I like the human toys a lot…"

"_Prince!"_

Danny jolted at the sudden shrilled cry of his name. And just as his eyes darted to the source, he gasped when Lu was suddenly in front of his face, waving her arms frantically, while her wings changed colors with her heightened emotions.

"Lu? What's wrong?" the Prince questioned, unable to understand a word she said because of how frantic she was.

Lu took a deep breath to calm down. But then she said more slowly, though just as worriedly, _"There's a Nigra Papilio trapped in a cage near the Marvirino Lagoon!" _

Danny's eyes widened. "Aunt Spectra…," he gasped out. "She said she was going to leave it there for me!" But he suddenly jumped out of his chair and exclaimed indignantly, "She left it trapped in there!"

Ember gasped when her friend suddenly darted towards the dining room's exit. "Danny, wait! What's going on?"

"Come on, we have to go help the Papilio!" Danny answered before he disappeared with Lu through the doorway.

Ember quickly jumped out of her chair and flew after them.

But Cujo also noticed the two kids' departure and he frowned unhappily. He glanced with indecision at his unfinished breakfast and then back at the dining room's exit.

However, he suddenly got an idea and he perked up before abruptly changing into his larger form.

In one gulp, he swallowed down his unfinished breakfast, bowl and all, before changing back to his small form. He let out a satisfied burp before he ran off after the kids.

By the time Cujo caught sight of them, Ember had caught up with Danny, and the Prince was explaining to the ghost girl what was going on.

And considering the Forest of Emotions wasn't very far away from the castle, the kids, Lu, and Cujo made it there in about ten minutes.

Danny quickly sped up and flew alongside Lu as soon as they neared the Mermaid Lagoon.

"_I think the outer cage is human, Prince_," Lu explained as they flew on. _"I tried very hard with my friends and sisters to free the Papilio, but none of us could touch the cage!" _

Danny frowned at the news. But before he could respond, he spotted the trapped black butterfly in the small ghost cage, which was inside the larger human cage. It was the same cages he had seen at the castle yesterday; but then, he had not noticed the outer cage was human…

Danny quickly took the lead and immediately landed beside the distressed little ghost. However, the Prince paused when he noticed a thin wire interlaced with the cage door. But the wire's other end was also attached to another strange human device. It was dark green and oval shaped. And the wire was attached to a silver pin…

But the device was _inside_ the smaller ghost cage, where the black butterfly was trapped.

Danny tentatively touched the wire, sure that it had not been there yesterday. And he was even surer that that odd device inside the small ghost cage had not been there, either.

"What is that? Another human toy?" Ember asked as she landed beside her friend, and soon Cujo was there with them, while Lu hovered next to the Prince's shoulder.

"Aunt Spectra said she had another toy for me…," Danny muttered. "Maybe this is it…"

Ember smiled. "See? I told you she was sorry!"

Danny smiled a bit. His aunt had always been nice to him… Maybe she really hadn't meant to hurt him. And… maybe he had been confused about what he felt, like she had told him last night…

But…

"Why did she leave the Papilio inside? It's scared," Danny said worriedly as he fingered the wire, trying to find a way to open the cage.

As if sensing the danger, Lu darted up into a tree to watch from the safety of its branches, while Cujo backed away with soft whines.

Danny glanced at his animal-like friends before looking at Ember.

But she just shrugged at him. Her friend's aunt had always given him nice toys, so she didn't see why this one would be any different. But she had to admit, Cujo and Lu's reactions now made her a bit nervous. But…she also didn't want to keep the little butterfly trapped in there, either!

Danny turned his attention back to the scared little ghost, still flapping its wings about. He cooed softly at it, trying to reassure it.

And the black butterfly seemed to understand he was trying to help, because it did calm down a bit.

"It's okay, I'll get you out," Danny assured it before he carefully pulled open the human cage door.

But when he did, the pin came off from the human 'toy' inside the ghost cage.

Danny tilted his head at it. But when nothing happened, he shrugged, now sure it was the human toy that his aunt had promised him.

Ember smiled a bit in relief when her friend reached further into the human cage to get to the smaller ghost cage door inside. But this one was harder to pull open. So, when the Prince managed to yank it open, the cages shook.

And, it was what triggered everything that happened next.

The' human toy'—which in reality was no toy but a smoke grenade meant to harm ghosts—abruptly exploded, instantly encasing the cages with its electrified white smoke.

In turn, Danny yelped in pain when the smoke shocked his hands and he instantly yanked them out of the cage.

Cujo, perceiving the danger, turned into his large form and pulled both kids away from the expanding smoke with one scoop of his large paw.

"What is that, Danny?" Ember asked, too shocked to call to her parents.

But the Prince was gripping at his stinging hands, also too shocked _and_ too scared to answer.

Then, at that instant, there was a shrilled cry.

The Prince gasped, afraid it was Lu. But he soon realized it wasn't Lu's cry. In fact, she had fearfully darted away to another tree further away with the sudden explosion of smoke.

"The Papilio!" Danny exclaimed when the black butterfly that had been in the cage managed to get out, but it was clearly hurt.

But before the child could do anything, the confused and scared creature flew off, trying to escape from whatever it thought was attacking it.

"Danny!" Ember exclaimed when her friend darted after the black butterfly.

But she quickly followed; and turning small again, Cujo also did the same.

"Danny, wait!" Ember cried out from behind him.

Her friend was moving so fast, but the panicked butterfly was going even faster.

"It's hurt, Ember! We have to help it!" Danny cried back in distress before picking up speed, determined to get to the distressed creature.

It was amazing how far away from the Forest of Emotions they had gotten in such a short span of time. But they were all moving so fast that Danny and Ember didn't notice in the slightest.

They also didn't notice that what had the black butterfly freaking out was that it indeed had something—or, rather, _someone_, attacking it. But this someone was invisible…

Bullet was actually quite pleased with how easy this had been. He had been invisibly watching the kids since they had gotten to the playing grounds. And as he watched the Prince go for the bait, he had thought he would have had to push 'the bait'—or, rather, the black butterfly—to flee in the right direction. But the creature had taken off by itself where he had wanted it to go. So, all he was doing now was shoving it every-now-and-then to keep it panicked and moving.

And, of course, the naïve little Prince was following as if he was a fish on a hook.

The only thing the invisible Bullet had not expected was for Ghostwriter's daughter to be with the Ghost Prince. But… it was barely an inconvenience. She would have to just be 'at the wrong place and at the wrong time'…

Now satisfied with their location, Bullet finally left the black butterfly alone and flew off to set off Walker's little trap… It was going to be a very interesting thing to watch…

In spite that its attacker had now left it alone, the black butterfly was still flying on frantically. However, the smoke from the ghost grenade had indeed left it very hurt and it had just spent all its remaining energy on its frantic flight.

The poor thing couldn't take anymore.

Danny's eyes widened when he saw the black butterfly abruptly stop and flutter weakly in place for a bit. But this allowed him to finally catch up.

"Papilio?" he asked worriedly as he scooped up the barely moving little ghost in his hands.

"Is it okay?" Ember whimpered as she and Cujo then also caught up with Danny.

"I don't know. I think it's really hurt!" Danny replied, distressed. "It was that smoke from the human toy, Ember! It hurt me, too!"

"The human toy hurt you?" the little girl gasped out.

Danny nodded grimily. But he then looked back at the black butterfly and touched it before saying, "We have to get back to my home. My mother will know how to make the Papilio better!"

Ember finally looked around and frowned when she realized they were very far from the castle and the Forest of Emotions.

"I don't think your mommy will be very happy that we are out here," the ghost girl said worriedly.

Danny looked around himself, but he tensed when he saw they were several yards away from the permanent portal that was near Walker's prison. In fact, the Prince could see the Prison just off in the distance.

"We got to go," Danny muttered guardedly.

But just as he turned around to fly back home, Ember abruptly asked, "What is that?"

Danny paused when Ember flew about a yard off in the direction of the portal. And although the Prince had noticed there was something small and indiscernible floating out there, he didn't move.

"Ember, come back," Danny said, now even more distressed. They really shouldn't be so close to that portal and Ember was moving closer!

"I just want to see what that is," she answered back as she neared the bizarre object just floating there. But now close enough to make it out, she was even more confused. It was some kind of spherical ghost item, judging by its glow; but she had never seen anything like it….

"Ember?" Danny called out, but this time, it sounded like a whimper. However, it had nothing to do with his friend's risky curiosity.

The black butterfly in the Prince's hands wasn't moving anymore. It wasn't even glowing…

"Papilio?" he called to it as he touched its fragile black wings.

But… it still didn't respond.

The Prince's eyes widened as he suddenly knew what was wrong. Even when he had never experienced it before, he just knew…

The little ghost was dead.

"Ember!" Danny cried out as tears sprang into his eyes and he darted towards his friend.

Cujo whined and quickly followed his troubled companion.

Ember had already reached the strange device and was studying it curiously. It was a ghost item, so she wasn't really afraid of it. She just couldn't figure out what it was and why it was just floating out here.

But having heard her friend's distressed voice, she quickly turned to look at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The Papilio! I think it died!" Danny cried out as he extended the unmoving creature to his friend, while his green eyes blurred with tears. "It's all my fault, Ember! No, it's my aunt's fault, too! She hurt it!"

Ember stared at the unmoving black butterfly in her friend's hands. "Maybe it's just sleeping…" she said quietly, her voice sounding tight.

Danny shook his head, but it was then he noticed there was something in his friend's hands. And this something looked very familiar.

"Ember?" he gasped out.

And seeing the Prince was freaked out about the device in her hand, she looked down at it and said, "I found it. I think it's a clock because it's…ticking…"

Danny abruptly used one of his hands to slap away the device from his friends' own.

Ember yelped in surprise, but she quickly demanded, "Hey, why did you—Danny!" she yelped again when her friend grabbed her arm and took off with her away from the device.

Danny was sure of it! That was the same device Walker had shown him that made portals.

"We have to get back to the castle now!" Danny exclaimed as he flew as fast as he could away from the device.

But the kids and Cujo didn't get more than a yard or two from the device when it suddenly went off…

"**Boom!"**

The kids cried in alarm at the sudden loud sound. But when they whirled around to see what had caused it, they gasped when they saw a wave of energy come at them, like a tidal wave. And because they were right in its path, the force instantly shoved them back.

Danny gasped when he lost his grip on Ember and on the black butterfly and he was sent spinning in some direction. He only barely heard Ember's scream and Cujo's yelp over his own cry of alarm.

But as quickly as they had all been yanked apart and spun around, it was suddenly over.

Danny gripped at his spinning head as he managed to right himself. But worried for his friends, he frantically searched around him. But spotting them both just a few feet away from him, he sighed in relief.

"Are you okay?" he asked Ember and Cujo.

Cujo whined in fear, while Ember nodded but asked, "What was that, Danny?"

The Prince shook his head. "I don't…" he began, only to abruptly trail off when he heard these familiar ripping sounds around him.

Danny's eyes widened when it was followed by ominous hissing and crackling as green dots appeared all around them, and the dots suddenly began to 'whoosh', producing gusts of wind as they expanded into very violent portals…

"_If you ever find yourself even __**remotely**__ close to something that resembles that portal there, you are to fly __**far**__ away from it. __**Promise **__**me**__ that you will…"_

The thought of his father's words jolted Danny and he suddenly could think of only one thing:

To fly far away.

"**Ember! Cujo! Fly!"** he yelled at them.

The two didn't need to be told twice. They instantly followed after the Prince as he zoomed past the numerous forming portals. But they were forced time and time again to zig and then zag as the portals continued to form everywhere and without warning!

Their violent whirling was so great that the kids felt like they were trying to fly through a storm. They could feel the portals' gravity pulling at them; and the wind their spinning created was so strong that it was audible and it pounded into their ears.

By now, Ember was so scared that she was frantically calling to her parents.

Too bad they were too far away to help her.

As for Danny, the crystal on his neck was glowing brightly with his panic. It seemed every time he made a turn, he was forced to move again to avoid another portal. He had never seen so many form like this, not even when he and his father had been caught in something similar the first time he had accidently gone to the Dragon Realm!

But all the Prince could hear in his head was his promise to his father. He had to fly far away! He couldn't let one of these things pull him in!

Danny suddenly put on a burst of speed and he flew past even more violent portals. If he wouldn't have been so focused on flying away from them, he would have noticed how he was glowing pink and how the energy was repelling away the portals' pull.

But he also didn't notice his two friends fall behind with his sudden increase in speed…

Danny's eyes widened with hope when he finally saw a clearing up ahead where no portals were forming. And he darted towards it. But just as he was going to reach it, a portal formed right in his path.

He gasped, but somehow, he managed to remember what his father had taught him and he teleported on the other side of the portal. The child continued to fly even after he cleared the area in which the portals were forming.

But soon realizing he was out of danger, he stopped. "That was close!" he muttered at he turned around to face his friends.

Only to realize they were not with him.

"Ember? Cujo?" Danny called out and he worriedly searched for them.

But realizing what had happened, the Prince gasped. "Oh, no! I left them behind!"

Danny didn't even hesitate as he bolted right back into the area of the forming portals. But now with his mind set on finding his friends, the portals became a second concern to him. Still, he was forced to weave around them, barely escaping many of them. Though, luckily, his necklace was keeping the closer portals from pulling him in.

It didn't take long for Danny to find his friends. But what he found jolted him and his eyes widened in horror.

**"Danny, help!" **Ember cried out, half her body now inside one of the formed portals.

Cujo was right there with her, with his mouth clamped down on her shirt as he fought to keep the portal from taking her.

"Ember!" Danny screamed as he flew to her.

He got there in no time and quickly grabbed one of her hands. But even with his efforts alongside Ember and Cujo's, the portal's pull was too strong.

"No!" Danny cried out as her hand began to slip from his hold.

"Danny!" she wept back as she was pulled further and further into the portal.

But Cujo was also now being pulled in with her. Yet, the puppy still refused to let go.

Danny held on to his friend's slipping hand and continued to pull back, refusing to give up.

But, ultimately, something else forced him to.

Danny shouted in alarm when a violent force from behind him yanked him back by the tail and he instantly lost his remaining grip on his friend.

"DANNY!" Ember screamed as she and Cujo were sucked into the portal and disappeared within it.

"NO!" the Prince screamed back. But he then looked behind him and gasped when he realized he was now being sucked into a portal himself that had appeared right behind him. But this one was bigger than any he had seen form so far. So much, that even his necklace had not been able to fully repel its pull.

The child used all his strength to fight against it; but the force of the portal was just too great. He squeezed his eyes close, fearing he was about to be pulled in.

But suddenly, he felt some unknown force attack the portal and it yanked him out of the portal in an instant.

Danny's eyes snapped open and it was then he realized he was glowing with his mother's energy. He looked down at his necklace and watched as the pink energy around him slowly seeped back into the crystal, leaving it glowing again with its natural dim blue…

But Danny also soon realized everything around him had fallen quiet…

He instantly looked up and gasped when he saw the last remaining portals disappear from the atmosphere, leaving him safe…

But alone.

"Ember? Cujo?" Danny whimpered as he began to shake, not knowing what to do. His friends had been pulled into the portal! They were in the human world and it was dangerous!

Meanwhile, Bullet had watched what had happened from a safe distance. But he couldn't believe it! The Prince was supposed have been forced into the human world, not his friends! But some odd pink light had kept the Prince safe!

"Oh, Walker is going to be ticked off," Bullet muttered.

The plan had just completely failed.

But just as he thought that, Bullet's eyebrows heightened in surprise when he saw the Prince fly in the opposite direction he had expected. He wasn't going home…

Danny knew he was about to break his promise to his father, but he couldn't just leave his friends out there! This was his fault, after all! He never should have trusted his aunt! He never should have touched the human toys!

As he flew closer and closer to the permanent portal near the jail, something else his father once told him came to his mind. And it made him even more determined to do what he was about to do…

_"Listen to me well, Daniel. Do not ever again put anyone in danger, __especially__ not those about whom you care. ...You should __protect__ others. ...It is your responsibility to keep your friends safe. And you do that by keeping them away from danger, __not__ by putting them into it. Understand?"_

_"Okay, Daddy. I promise I will never put my friends in danger again."_

He had also broken that promise! But that didn't mean he still couldn't protect his friends. He had to find them and bring them back.

Too bad he failed to think that he had no way of getting back.

Danny paused right in front of the large swirling green portal. It was a lot larger than the temporary ones. But because it was also permanent and stable, its pull wasn't like the ones that had just formed. It wasn't going to force him to go into it, unless he wanted to…

Danny glanced back with fear and indecision, but then he looked back at the foreboding portal.

He had to save his friends…

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Danny whimpered, before closing his eyes and flying right into the portal.

Meanwhile, Bullet stared wide-eyed at what the Prince had just done.

"I can't believe it! Did he just willingly go into that portal?" Walker's top guard whispered in disbelief.

But his shock didn't last long, and a smile curled on his face, followed by sudden laughter. "Wait until Walker hears about this! This just came out better than he planned! The Prince just flew into the lion's den all alone!"

With another fit of chuckles, Bullet regained visibility and flew towards the prison. When he got there, he immediately headed towards the cells. And he soon reached the ones where Spectra and Bertrand were.

"It's all done," Bullet told Spectra with a smirk. "Actually, it came out better than we could have planned."

The female shadow ghost and the male shape-shifter quickly moved closer to Bullet and grinned at him.

"Oh, I wish I could see Plasmius' face when he finds out," Bertrand said evilly.

"I wish I could see my little sister's," Spectra added with a smirk. But then she looked back at Bullet and darkly told him, "You know what to do next."

"Of course," Bullet replied smugly, pulling out the ghost trap Tom had given Spectra from his pocket. Except that, it was glowing, much like one of Walker's devices…

* * *

"I never meant for this to happen, Dora," Desiree said with a sigh as she sat next to her friend on her bed, though she now was a lot calmer.

"I know, milady," the dragon maid insisted with a sad smile. "And I know my lord will also agree. Just speak with him. He will understand. I am sure of it."

Desiree bit her lip. She did believe her friend's words and she knew Vlad would understand. And she also knew that, _together_, they would find a solution to this. But… she was still very scared. Not so much for herself or even Vlad, but for their… son.

"Milady, everything will be fine," Dora repeated again, seeing her friend's distress. But, at least, the Queen wasn't in hysterics anymore.

"They cannot know the truth, Dora," Desiree suddenly said seriously. "They will not understand."

Dora seemed to know what her friend was talking about, and sighed. "As I said, milady, that is a decision that you must take with Lord Plasmius. But if that's what you want, I know you both will find a way to keep this a secret. Or, at least, long enough to find a real solution. Just, please, don't try to solve this on your own, milady. You must not keep this from my lord. Not this."

Desiree nodded. "You're right, Dora. I…I have kept enough from Vlad. This cannot be one of those things. And, really, it's time I tell him several other things. I just hope he can forgive me, because… I need him, Dora, _especially_ now!"

"He won't abandon you, milady," Dora assured her, patting one of her hands. "Now, come. You must eat. It's very important that you do."

Desiree smiled weakly. "I suppose the good news is that I now know what's wrong with me."

Dora nodded, but she couldn't really smile at that. The dragon maid couldn't decide if what she had just learned was any better than just having believed her friend was sick. The implications and complications this was going to bring forth were too troublesome to think about.

Desiree sighed again, actually thinking about the same thing as Dora. But she then opened her cloak; and looking at her glowing stomach, she placed a hand against it. She shivered at the tingling feeling that traveled through her hand, but she couldn't deny that it was a pleasant feeling.

Perhaps if she wasn't so worried for her family, she would be very happy with this…

But…what would Vlad think? Would he be happy or angry about this?

"I hope Vlad returns soon," Desiree muttered. In spite of being frightened by his reaction, the ghost mage really wanted her husband to be here with her right now. Even if he was furious with her, she would feel much better when she had him with her.

"Come, milady. I am certain your son has finished his breakfast by now. And he is probably going to question you about the human books he found in your room."

Desiree wrapped her cloak around her body again before standing up. "Yes, I owe him an explanation about that… and a few other things that I do not think I will be able to keep a secret from him now…"

Dora didn't reply, also believing that was true. But she knew her friend would probably wait for her husband before she made any decisions or said anything to the Prince.

Desiree took one last calming breath before she and Dora headed out of her friend's room.

They didn't say anymore as they headed to the dining room. But when they got there, the two female ghosts froze.

"Where are Danny and Ember?" Desiree asked with a frown, not seeing the children anywhere in the room.

Dora sighed in annoyance when she noticed the half-eaten bowls of food. "I told the Prince and the young Ember to eat all their breakfast. They probably got tired of waiting and headed off to the Forest of Emotions."

Desiree frowned. "Without telling me?"

"You know how your son is sometimes," Dora said with a raised eyebrow.

The ghost mage sighed, but said, "Yes, I know." She paused for a moment before saying. "I'll be back. I'm going to go get them."

"Milady," Dora began.

But Desiree caught her off. "I'll be fine, Dora. I'm just going to the neighboring island. Meanwhile, could you have George prepare my breakfast?"

Dora nodded. "Alright, milady."

"Thank you, Dora," Desiree said with a smile before walking out of the dining room.

She then made her way out of the castle. And although she wasn't normally self-conscience, she couldn't help but feel like that as she walked down the halls, passing other ghosts on occasion.

She had to keep telling herself that she was wearing a cloak and that no one could see her stomach. But she still had the strong urge to wrap her arms around herself.

She soon flew off her island home and headed over to the Forest of Emotions. However, as she landed, she didn't notice that Bullet was flying above in the distance, heading towards the castle…

"Danny!" Desiree called to her son as she walked towards the mermaid lagoon, knowing her son commonly played around there.

However, she suddenly paused when she noticed the ground below her feet. It usually turned pink with her energy. And seeing the grass and flowers moving, like it was windy also didn't surprise her because she knew her emotions at the moment were just as uncertain. However, what she found odd was how the flora was not just pink, but it was also turning white at some places.

Desiree had a feeling she knew why and she unconsciously placed a hand on her covered stomach. But continuing onward, she called again to her son, "Danny!"

This time, her call got a response. But it wasn't from her child.

"_Queen!"_

"Lu?" Desiree asked, confused when the little fairy flew up to her and frantically started telling her something about Danny and Ember.

But Desiree barely understood her.

"Calm down, little one," Desiree said, now sounding worried. "Where is Danny and Ember?"

Lu suddenly seemed torn. She had told the Prince she would keep his secret, but she was worried about him, especially after that strange device had let out all that smoke!

Lu whimpered, but then she gestured for the Queen to follow her.

Desiree did just that. But as they neared the mermaid lagoon, Desiree spotted what Lu wanted to show her before the little fairy pointed at it.

It was the empty cage…

"What is that?" she muttered to herself as she quickly moved closer to it.

But as she bent down to grab the cage, she gasped when her hand went through it.

"It's human!" she exclaimed. But then she whirled around to look at Lu as she asked "Lu, what is this? Where did this come from?"

Lu shook her head. _"I think the Prince's aunt gave it to him_."

"What?" Desiree asked in alarm. "Spectra? But she's in prison!"

Lu shrugged as she answered, "I guess it was her. She's the one who has given the Prince all the human toys. Although some, he has found himself."

Desiree's eyes widened. "He has more of them? And Spectra has been giving them to him?"

She looked back at the cage, and noticed how there was a ghost cage inside it. But there was also… what looked like a ghost hunter's device.

"Oh, my God," Desiree whispered out as she realized how serious this was.

She looked back at Lu as she asked in growing panic. "Lu, where is Danny?"

Lu stared back fearfully before she pointed into the distance. _"I don't know. Ember, Cujo, and him went after the Nigra Papilio in that direction and he hasn't come back!"_

Desiree didn't understand what a black butterfly had to do with any of this; but she was suddenly desperate to find her son. She quickly took off from the island, leaving Lu behind. But just as she was about to head out to look for her son, she heard Dora's voice in the distance.

"_Milady!"_

The ghost mage turned around and she tensed when she saw Bullet was with her friend.

"Bullet," she said quietly as a sinking feeling gripped at her core, especially when she could see that Dora was very upset about something.

"Something awful has happened, milady!" Dora cried out, only to be interrupted by the male ghost beside her.

"My Queen," Bullet said, sounding very worried. "I have some very distressing news about the Prince and his young female friend…"

"You know where my son is?" Desiree asked fearfully.

"Oh, my Queen," Bullet said, shaking his head regrettably. "I tried to stop him. But I was too far! And it happened so fast!"

"Where's Danny, Bullet?" Desiree exclaimed, now panicked.

"He and his young friend went through the portal near the prison, Queen Desiree. I'm sorry. I couldn't prevent it," Bullet said gravely.

Desiree's eyes widened and her hand went to her mouth in her sudden horror.

"No," she whispered. "No, he wouldn't have. He…" The ghost mage trailed off when she remembered what she had just discovered about Danny. But then suddenly realizing something else, she suddenly demanded angrily, "How could that have happened? **You were supposed to be guarding that portal, Bullet!"**

"I'm sorry, my Queen. But I had to leave my post," Bullet answered, distressed. "Warden Walker left with the King to Horris' abode. So, he left me in charge of the prison while he is away. I never would have thought the Prince would do such a thing! Otherwise, I would have asked someone else to take my post! It… it all happened so fast! I had just caught sight of the Prince and his young friend near the portal. But before I could stop them, they and Cujo went into it! I came to alert you as fast as I could!"

Desiree stared in distress at Bullet and at Dora for a brief moment. But then suddenly, she turned from them and took off in the direction of the prison.

And knowing what she was planning on doing, Dora gasped and she flew after her friend. **"No, milady! Wait!"** she pleaded.

But Desiree flew on; the only thing now on her mind was finding Danny. If she had not just learned that her son was collecting human items, she would have never believed that Danny would have gone to the human world willingly.

But now…

How could Vlad and she have never noticed their son's strong interests for the human world? Or, perhaps, they _had_…. But Desiree had _never_ thought that interest was to _this_ extreme. Still, somehow, she felt responsible. After all, she had insisted on teaching Danny Human Speech when her husband had been against it. She was the one that had interested him in humans in the first place!

But none of that mattered now. She didn't even care about how furious she was with Spectra for what she had been doing all this time. Right now, all she cared about was finding her son. If he was seen by humans…

Desiree's eyes filled with fearful tears as she pushed onward. But just as she saw the portal in the distance, Dora suddenly appeared in front of her, in her dragon form. But just as quickly, the dragon maid's amulet flashed blue and she returned to her more human-like form.

"Milady, stop!" Dora said, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "I implore you, do not go out there! It's too dangerous, especially in your condition. You are not—"

"Dora, I have to find him," Desiree cut him off as fearful tears streaked down her face. "I have to, Dora. Danny is my son. He's my child… _my baby_. I cannot let him get hurt. I have to go."

Dora stared helplessly at her friend, but still pleaded, "Desiree….wait for Vlad. _Please_. I don't want something to happen to you."

"I don't know when he will return," the ghost made answered grimily. "And every second that passes, is another second Danny is out there in danger of being seen; or worse, caught by ghost hunters. Dora, they will kill him!" Desiree said urgently.

"Then, I will go with you," Dora said determinedly.

"No," Bullet abruptly said, finally catching up to the two female ghosts. "My Queen, neither of you can go after the Prince. My King would be against it! Let me go, my Queen. I will get the Prince back."

"No, I need you to stay here, Bullet," Desiree said. "When the King returns tell him what has happened. As for you, Dora. I am not going to let you risk yourself out there. He is my son. I will get him back."

"My Queen, please," Bullet pleaded.

"This isn't up for discussion, Bullet. I already made my decision," Desiree said seriously.

Bullet looked troubled, at first. But then he sighed in surrender. "Then, at least take two of Warden Walker's best guards with you. _Please_. At least, so that my King will not be too furious with me."

Desiree hesitated, but then nodded in agreement. She was well aware that her delicate condition limited her use of her energy and powers. So, having guards with her was a good precaution.

"Also, you will need an immediate way to return," Bullet suddenly said. "Please, follow me."

Desiree really didn't want to waste any time. But Bullet's words made her realize she was not thinking clearly. She had forgotten that she had no way of returning.

After all, she didn't know how to form portals. And it had been years since she had been to the human world; so she didn't know where the five permanent portals were stationed. And even if she did, she needed a quicker way to get back.

But… what did Walker have that would give her that quick way back?

Desiree soon found out.

Bullet took them to the prison. And he quickly called for two of Walker's best guards. He then headed to the weapons room and pretended to get something from it.

In reality, the device was already in his pocket. And, in reality, the Queen was playing right into their hands….

By the time Bullet returned to the Queen's side, Dora was begging her friend not to go. Yes, Dora was worried for the Prince; but the dragon maid didn't think that her friend's putting herself in danger was the solution!

"My Queen," Bullet interrupted the dragon maid. He took out the glowing cube from his pocket and extended it to Desiree.

"All you have to do is press the button and it will create a temporary portal in a matter of seconds," he explained.

Desiree took the device. But as she looked at it closely she realized it was very similar to the device that she told Walker to get rid of…

"I told Walker to get rid of these devices!" Desiree said with a frown.

"With all due respect, my Queen. I think it is a good thing that he disobeyed your order, considering the current circumstance," Bullet replied seriously.

Desiree couldn't deny that. But then shaking her head, she put the device in one of her blue cloak's pocket.

"Protect the Queen at all costs," Bullet ordered the two guards, who nodded their response.

"Desiree, _milady_," Dora said worriedly as tears swelled in her eyes. "Please, be careful."

The ghost mage smiled sadly at her friend before hugging her. "I will," she assured her.

Dora sighed helplessly and hugged her friend back. But then they soon let go and Desiree flew off towards the portal with the two guards beside her.

She didn't know how everything could have done a complete '180' from how it had been just yesterday. And she also didn't understand how so much could have gone wrong in a matter of hours. But nothing was more important to her right now than getting her son and Ember back.

"_Don't worry, little Phantom,"_ Desiree thought fearfully. _"I'm coming for you…"_

And with that thought, she and the two guards flew into the same portal her son had just plunged into an hour ago—the very one that led to Amity Park…

**

* * *

**

Blame my muse for the evil cliff-hanger! But I think you guys know who our Ghost Prince is going to finally meet… *winks*

**See you all next time!**


	32. Chapter 30: Into the Light and Dark of

**Hello, my dear readers! Oh, I have been dying to get to this chapter! Things are really gonna heat up now… heh-heh… Well, I sure hope you guys studied that vocab list I gave you like two chapters ago; either way the translations will be at the end…**

**Just one last note… Danny is talking in Ghost Speech _unless_ I say otherwise, kay? Good! Onwards! Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot is my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 30: Into the Light and Dark of Humanity**

* * *

The Ghost Prince had traveled through many doors and short-cuts in the Ghost World in his short life, but the instant he had shot into the portal leading to the Human World, he immediately felt the difference.

In fact, it was like nothing he had experienced before.

As he passed through a dark green tunnel, he felt as if something was constricting him, like the space around him was quickly getting thicker and heavier. But before the child could begin to feel more scared than he was, the dark tunnel abruptly ended and…

A flash of white burning light attacked him.

Danny screamed in pain as his small hands instinctively went to his eyes, trying to fight off the blinding light hurting his sensitive eyes. He was so overwhelmed by the brightness around him that he had no idea that he was plummeting straight down out of the sky.

Then, abruptly, his body hit something cold and thick, and he sank into it.

For a few minutes all the Prince could do was softly whimper as he continued to grip at his eyes. They hurt so much! Every time he even attempted to open them, the light around him burned horribly.

Eventually, though, he was able to open his eyes again as the pain slowly ebbed away.

The child wasn't aware that for the first time in the six years since they had vanished the moment he had entered the Ghost World, his black pupils pushed forward, centering themselves in his once pupil-less and now dimmer green eyes.

Still, his vision was very blurry and it took a lot of rubbing and blinking for them to finally adjust to the brightness around him—brightness like none found in the world he knew.

Danny scrunched his eyes in an effort to make out his surroundings. But, at first, all he saw was white…

Although when he looked down and touched the white stuff all but covering him, he gasped softly, realizing it was… almost like all the snow he saw when he visited Frostbite. Sure, it was thicker and didn't glow like the snow in the Far Frozen. And somehow, it felt foreign, but it was snow. He had no doubt.

But why was he buried in it? Unless he fell from high up? He couldn't be sure, but he had a feeling he had indeed _dropped_ down into the snow…

Instinctively, Danny became intangible and slowly began to pull himself out of the snow. However, he suddenly frowned with how hard it was to do that, so he tried to levitate. And he met resistance even in that. Finally, he was successful in getting out of the white stuff, but he was still having trouble maintaining a hover, as if air surrounding him was thicker and heavier. But he felt there was something else that was making it hard for him to float. Some unknown force was trying to pull him back down into the snow. Still, he concentrated and poured more of his energy into his efforts and managed to hover just a few feet above the snow-covered ground.

The six-year-old had no idea that the force pulling down at him was gravity, which was ten-times stronger in the Human World. And in the same way, the gases, like the oxygen in the air around him, were in higher amounts, making the air thicker than what he was use to.

Still, now that he was floating above the snow-covered ground, Danny was able to get a better look at his surroundings. But even as he squinted his eyes at the brightness, they readily widened in surprise and wonder at everything he could now see…

This place was nothing like anything he had seen in the Ghost World!

For one, whatever piece of land he had landed on was so large that the child could not see where it ended! But what was odder was how there was nothing floating that he could see. Maybe he was just on a huge floating shelf. But those strange large buildings in the distance looked nothing like those in his world, especially since some of those structures were as tall as some of the mountains in the Ghost World. Still, he didn't understand why the buildings were so close or why they looked so weird….

Then, there were these strange pathways made of black rock or something. But they looked as if they were in battle with the snow, because there were large rows or piles of the snow pushing that black pathway on both sides of it.

But when the Prince scanned upward, his mouth slightly parted, finally noticing that the atmosphere was not green at all.

It was blue!

There were no Energy Novas, no floating doors, nothing! Just…solid blue with white oddly-shaped 'fog' slowly moving across all the blue…

And everything was so _bright!_

But what truly captivated him was the yellow orb directly above him. He didn't know what it was or how big it was, because whenever he tried to look directly at it, his eyes would sting and water. It looked like a ball of yellow fire just floating there and lighting everything up!

As the child continued to take in his foreign surroundings, he began to feel overwhelmed by how drastically different everything was. He didn't even know if he was more scared or more amazed by what he saw!

But his fear instantly heightened at the sound of a sudden roar. He gasped as he snapped his head in its direction before instinctively turning invisible.

The child backed away a bit as he watched a huge creature zoom down the black pathway, several feet to his right. But that one was followed by another and another…

Danny had no idea he was looking at a road and that the 'creatures' were cars.

But now too scared to be amazed anymore, and remembering how he had fallen from the sky, he quickly flew back up. He wanted to go back home and he was sure his way back had to be in the same way he had come here…

Only that when he flew up…

He couldn't see the portal he had flown through anywhere!

Danny whimpered as he flew further up into the blue atmosphere and frantically searched for his way home.

Where did the portal go?

There was nothing! The closest thing to him was a huge human-made structure with a _huge_ picture of a smiling man.

Wait…

Danny blinked a few times as his urgency to find the portal momentarily vanished as he studied the picture…

And inexplicably drawn to it, Danny, still invisible, slowly moved over to it.

He stopped about a foot from it, before tentatively reaching towards the picture to touch the man's confident smile. Perhaps if it didn't look so familiar to him, the child would have been frightened by such a grin. But then as he glanced up at the male human's blue eyes, he was suddenly allured by their familiarity...

If only he knew he was looking at a bulletin board with a picture of his own father, in his human appearance…

"**Honk!"**

Danny gasped and whirled around, though just as quickly looked down to the strange creatures racing by on the ground below.

"_What are those things_?" the child thought fearfully. _"They don't look like the human I saw in my mommy's human book… But… they have to be alive if they are moving like that…"_

Danny glanced back at the picture before suddenly getting the idea that the ghost portal could be just on the other side of it!

Hopeful, the child flew around the large advertisement picture. But he soon frowned in disappointment when he just found the same picture of the same man on the other side. There was some human writing next to the man and then a strange sign repeated all around the man—dollar signs, in actuality.

But Danny didn't know that he was actually right in front of his ticket home, for the large advertisement pictures served as a veil for the portal hiding within the fifteen foot high bulletin….

Danny floated there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. He didn't like being alone in such a strange new place. Why did he even come out here in the—?

The child's eyes widened in sudden alarm as he finally did remember the reason he had disobeyed his father and had gone through the portal in the first place.

"Ember!" Danny exclaimed, losing invisibility in his surprise.

However, when he quickly saw other strange creatures coming towards him, the child yelped and turned invisible again.

Surprisingly, though, the flying small creatures began to squawk at each other; and as if they could see him, they flew around him, purposely avoiding him by several feet.

Danny was sure that the flying creatures were not human. So, then… what were they?

The child smiled suddenly believing he knew the answer and quickly flew after them. "Hey, are you ghosts?" he called out as he began to catch up.

But the creatures, which were actually birds, startled and suddenly scattered.

"Wait!" Danny cried out, not wanting to lose them. "Could you at least tell me if you have seen my friends?"

But much to his dismay, the birds didn't answer; and instead, dived down and vanished inside a thick blanket of snow-covered trees.

Danny frowned as he hovered in the air, all alone again. He didn't understand. If they weren't ghost and they weren't human, then, what were they?

He glanced down, only to realize he had now crossed to the other side of the dark pathway. He looked further on and saw a place that was covered with many green trees and other flora. But, also, he could see decorations and in the distance, a huge tree with many kinds of holiday ornaments. But these things were _very_ familiar!

So, humans celebrated Christmas, too?

The Prince smiled at that. But focusing back to finding his friends and still maintaining invisibility, he flew down towards the gathering of trees, hoping his friends had sought refuge among them…

As Danny entered the area, he passed a sign that read: 'Welcome to Amity Central Park…'

* * *

Meanwhile, Ember and Cujo's earlier entrance into the Human World had been a bit more violent than Danny's.

Not use to the thicker and brighter atmosphere, both young ghosts were blinded as they plummeted several feet straight down. Unfortunately, the temporary portal had opened up right over Michigan Lake, which was too large to freeze over, though the water was naturally freezing cold…

The ghost girl and dog's cries of fear and pain were abruptly cut off when they hit the water and their lungs instantly filled with an ice cold liquid.

And then, darkness.

Panicked, Ember continued to call for her parents' help via her link with them as she tried to push herself through the sluggish liquid that encased her. But her attempt to call them did no good when she was now a world away from her parents...

Somehow, her instincts finally kicked in and she suddenly turned intangible and flew up towards the light above her. But the moment she broke out of the darkness and coldness around her, she recoiled and dropped back down as the brightness around her blinded her again.

Luckily, she had not fallen back into the cold liquid, but was instead dropped on a cold and hard surface, coughing out the uncomfortable freezing liquid in her lungs. It took her a moment, but her eyes eventually adjusted—only for her to wish they hadn't.

Aside from recognizing all the white around her as snow, everything else was frightfully foreign to her. She was on some kind of platform, and beyond her was a huge body of water, like one she had never seen before. But, what had her alarmed were the huge… structures in the water that looked like one of Danny's human toys, only _bigger_.

Ember didn't know that the portal had opened up at Amity Park's pier and that she was staring at stationed boats along the various docks.

However, she turned back to the water when she heard a sudden bark.

"Cujo!" Ember gasped in a mixture of alarm and relief. Alarm, because the puppy was paddling frantically against the water's currents. And, relief, because she wasn't alone…

Ember stood up shakily, unaware that, like Danny, her green eyes were now dimmer and had pupils.

"Come on, Cujo! Fly up!" Ember called out, her voice shaking with fear.

But seeing the ghost dog continued to bark for help and swim around, completely lost, Ember realized Cujo was also being affected by the brightness.

Worried, Ember flew right over to the puppy and pulled him out of the water before landing back on the dock she had been on. Cujo whined and shook his head, clearly upset by the fact that he couldn't see.

"It's okay, Cujo. Just blink a lot and you'll see again," Ember said, grabbing the puppy's face.

The ghost girl watched in surprise as Cujo's bright red eyes dimmed and black pupils appeared in them.

The ghost pup whined when he finally saw Ember. But then, he grinned at her and lapped at her face, now extremely glad to see her.

"Cujo, stop!" Ember said, pushing the dog back a bit.

Cujo quickly stood up and shook off the water on him.

Ember, in turn, raised her hands up when he got her all wet again. But turning intangible again, she was a bit surprised to see the water fall through her and she was dry again, like before. Weird. Water never did that in their world.

But Ember suddenly gasped with the thought and she quickly stared around her surroundings again.

"Oh no, Cujo… We must be in the Human World!" Ember whimpered, terrified once more. Unlike Danny, she didn't find the bizarre-looking world remotely captivating. After the forcful and frightening way she had ended up here, all she wanted to do was get back home to her parents...

Cujo tilted his head at his new surroundings before he started sniffing the air. His tail quickly wagged when he picked up some scent he liked and began to head after it, looking unfazed by the fact that he was in another world.

"Cujo? Where are you going?" Ember asked anxiously as she quickly followed after him, not wanting to be left behind.

But the puppy ignored her and continued to sniff out whatever had his interest. However, just as they passed a strange-looking building, the two stopped when they heard the sounds of voices and footsteps.

"Cujo!" Ember gasped out before tackling the puppy and turning the both of them invisible.

Cujo was about to whine in protest, but he froze again at the sight of two male creatures walking their way.

Form the human book she saw in the Queen's bathroom, Ember was almost certain they were humans, and her fear mounted. Her symbol was still glowing, but it could still do nothing for her…

"I'm telling you, Paul. I heard someone scream out here," one of the men said.

But the other rolled his eyes and replied. "You were hearing things. Look, there's no one out here. Now, come on, let's get back to cleaning those fish. I don't know about you, but I want to get home early today. I still haven't finished all my Christmas shopping."

Paul frowned, not completely convinced. But not seeing anyone around, he shrugged and returned with his companion back into the wooden storage building. And as they left, the two turned their conversation to their holiday plans…

Ember swallowed hard as she regained visibility along with Cujo. But the puppy didn't move, and instead, he was staring towards the place the two men had gone. He suddenly let out a soft growl before snorting and walking onward, sniffing the ground as he went.

"Cujo, where are you going?" Ember asked again. "Can't you see we're in big trouble? We have to get back home!"

But the puppy just continued onward. He wasn't interested in finding the way back home. His one track mind was interested in finding his companion. He had lost sight of him after being pulled in by the portal, so now he was determined to find him.

Problem was, Cujo couldn't smell even the faintest hint of him. The Prince was too far away from them for even the ghost puppy to sniff out…

But that wasn't going to stop Cujo from trying…

And not wanting to be left alone, Ember followed after the dog, warily glancing around for any more humans. But she was also on the look out for any sight of a portal that she was sure even at her young age would be the only way to return home—even if she didn't know how it was going to do that.

* * *

At Axion Lab, Gregor entered the room where his Master, Tom, and the two commanders he had recently met were gathered.

Gregor glanced at his Master, who looked annoyed and bored as he sat with his arms crossed at one end of the room, his staff resting next to his chair. Yet, the dragon ghost unconsciously clutched the object he held in one of his hands tighter, suddenly finding it a bit nerve-wracking that his master had his staff out in the open. After all, he couldn't remember a time when having that near him meant anything but trouble for him.

But the child had no time to worry about it now—and there was nothing he could do, anyways.

So forcing his nervousness down, Gregor turned his attention back to Tom and went up to him.

Meanwhile, the head 'GiW' and his two commanders were in the middle of the room, monitoring several screens and equipment they had brought in from the Guys-in-White's facility.

Gregor knew Tom was planning something big. But the ten-year-old still didn't understand why the man was carrying it out here, in Axion Lab. Didn't Tom always do his ghost hunting things at the Guys-in-White facility? So, what was so different now?

Whatever the reason and whatever they were waiting for had Tom and the two commanders glued to their equipment…

"Have your men found anything in their sectors?" Tom asked as he typed something into the mainframe's computer.

"No, sir. Everything's quiet," both Operative K and Operative O replied.

Thomas frowned when he saw none of his instruments were picking up the slightest blip of activity.

"_Penelope, you better not fail me,"_ Thomas thought darkly.

At that moment, Gregor suddenly cleared his throat, capturing Tom's attention.

"Done," the child then said emotionlessly as he moved closer to the man and handed him a remote donator.

Operative K and Operative O raised an eyebrow at the device, having no idea what it was for. But they did recognize it as the type of detonator they often used to set off explosive devices.

"You placed them all in the places I told you, correct?" Tom asked.

Gregor just nodded.

"Good…," the man replied a small smirk on his face. "It's always important to have a backup plan…'

Right then, there was a knock on the door.

Thomas frowned; but as he walked over to the door, he typed in a code on the detonator's control box before hiding it inside his white suit.

Meanwhile, Gregor said nothing and just watched the head Guy-in-White. But suddenly feeling as if eyes were upon him, he glanced to his right and met the distrustful and critical eyes of the other two commanders. And yet, the men didn't say a word to him.

The dragon ghost didn't hesitate to return those gazes with his own cool one. He knew the two commanders didn't like him and were tolerating him only because their superior had commanded it of them. Otherwise, they would have already grabbed the nearest ecto-gun and shot him in his core…

That is, if they could do that faster than Gregor could rip off their heads—which they most certainly couldn't.

"I am beginning to lose my patience with you, Gray," the dragon kid suddenly heard Tom say.

Gregor frowned when he turned his attention to the head Guy-in-White and confirmed he was talking with Valerie's father.

"How long will this go on, Agent C?" Damon demanded. "It is almost noon and all I see is that you have overtaken my facility's labs! I fail to understand what you are doing!"

"This is a delicate operation," Tom hissed. "It takes time and patience. Now, stop disturbing me, and go take care of your own work, so I can do mine!"

Damon frowned. He was unhappy with this whole situation. Not to mention, very nervous, especially when Gregor was here. What was a child doing in the middle of such a dangerous operation?

But Damon knew there was nothing he could do about Gregor. However, he was not going to stand for the Guys-in-White's invasion of his lab for much longer.

"This better be over by today, Agent C. And this better be for the better of everyone as you assured me," Damon said seriously before turning around and walking off.

Tom glanced at his two agents guarding the door and said, "I want no further interruptions, understood?"

"Yes, sir," they replied.

"Sir!" Operative K suddenly called to Tom.

The Guys-in-White leader immediately went over to his commander, asking, "What is it?"

"Team Delta has just reported a disturbance in sector T," Operative K announced. "What is your command?"

Tom instantly went to the control panel and frowned when he saw no indication that this 'disturbance' was the _one_ for which he was waiting.

Thomas sighed, honestly a bit worried about the success of his plans. Still, he replied, "Have Team Delta investigate and report back to me before doing anything further."

But just as Tom had finished saying that, the mainframe began to beep.

Everyone instantly turned towards it.

Even Freakshow who had still been impatiently sitting at the end of the room stood and muttered, "About time."

Tom quickly went to the mainframe to check why it was beeping. And seeing his instrument at last pick up his target's ghost energy, the hunter grinned evilly.

"There you are, little demon," he whispered as he glanced at the bracelet connected to the main frame, which happened to be the same one Spectra used to record Danny's ghost signature.

And Tom's devices indicated that it was coming from a most unexpected place: the park.

Gregor slightly narrowed his eyes at hearing Tom call someone _else_ 'little demon'. For some reason, it made the dragon child a bit angry…

"Operative K," Tom said with a smirk as he turned to face his commander. "Your mission starts now. Take your Team Alpha to sector B. Make sure you have _both_ objectives in sight before proceeding with my further commands. Seize and capture, commander. I want no mistakes."

Operative K nodded. "Yes, sir. I will call you when my team is in place. And do not worry; I will make sure my team is successful."

Gregor watched as Operative K walked out of the lab to meet with his team and carry out their mission.

"_Sector B, huh?" _Gregor thought. _"I thought Tom said there was never any ghost activity at the park... I guess he was wrong."_

"Agent C," Operative O suddenly called. And getting his leader's attention, he asked, "Do you still want me to send Team Delta to investigate that other disturbance at sector T? If you like, I could investigate the matter with my own team…?"

"No," Tom replied. "Have Team Delta investigate. I want you and your team to remain at Axion Lab for now, especially when I will be heading out to sector B as soon as our second objective is sighted."

But looking at Gregor, Thomas further said, "Besides, I want my secret weapon to continue to remain a secret… for now."

"As you command, sir," Operative O replied before moving away a bit to give the other team their instructions by radio.

At that moment, Freakshow walked over to Tom and said, "I couldn't help but overhear how you told your soldier that just left that he was to make sure _both_ targets were in sight… I know your first target is the King's brat…But, who is the second one?"

Tom smirked. "You'll see. For now, just sit back and watch."

"Whatever," Freakshow replied, annoyed. But then looking at Gregor, he said, "Come, slave."

The dragon ghost glanced at Tom, who had gone back to motoring the mainframe, before following after his master.

And once they were away from the ghost hunter, Freakshow unexpectedly asked Gregor, "Who am I, drone?"

The dragon ghost blinked in surprise. But when he saw his master narrow his eyes at him at his lack of response, the child jolted and quickly blurted out, "M-My Master!"

"Don't forget it, drone," Freakshow warned quietly. "And as your master, it is _my_ commands you will carry out today… _understand?"_

Gregor glanced again at Tom, before looking back at Freakshow and quietly replying, "Yes, Master."

Freakshow smirked in response. Today was the end of his sitting back and watching at the sidelines. Today, his own plans would begin at last…

* * *

The first thing Danny had noticed the moment he entered the park was the vast amount of… humans.

He just couldn't help but to be captivated by them. Never in his life did he think that he would have seen one with his own eyes; and now, he was seeing many at once!

They came in all shapes, sizes, and colors. But what really drew in the child's interest were the giggling small ones.

They were children.

Even when he was invisible, the Prince carefully watched them from under the cover a bush. He feared that like the flying creatures he had seen in the sky, the human kids, too, would see through his invisibility… He couldn't risk it. After all, even when they awed him, the child couldn't forget what had been uttered to him for as long as he could remember and from almost every ghost he knew:

'_Humans are evil and dangerous.'_

So with cautious fascination, Danny continued to watch. And as they played with one another, Danny could finally understand what his father had meant when he once told him that humans were similar to them, but also very different.

They had hands and legs and faces like them, but… they didn't behave like them. They didn't fly or play in the ways he played with his friends. They also dressed funny. It was like they mounted clothes among clothes over themselves, barely even leaving their faces exposed.

Danny looked down at himself and for the first time questioned his lack of clothing. Was it wrong that he didn't wear them? But they felt uncomfortable!

Danny frowned back at the kids. How come they didn't look uncomfortable with so many things on them?

_"I wonder what Ember would—?"_ Danny began to think, only to jolt a bit in alarm. _"Oh, no! I forgot again!"_

He had forgotten once more that he was supposed to be searching for his friends! But he just couldn't help it! Everything was so different and amazing that it unwillingly distracted him from his quest. In fact, his fear and logic were barely keeping him in check!

But his eyes suddenly narrowed in determination; and still invisible, he flew up higher, staying just low enough to scout the land below; but high enough that he could dash into the trees for cover in case someone saw past his invisibility.

"Ember! Cujo!" he quietly called out, not wanting someone below to hear him.

He knew that his friends also knew about the danger out here, so they would try to keep hidden or invisible… right?

And if they were invisible, he would spot them because he was, too! But…. if they were hidden… he could only hope he got close enough to them to spot them; or that _they_ heard him calling to them...

As he flew deeper through the park, Danny would briefly glance down at the human kids and even slow down a bit when something caught his attention. But, this time, he kept in mind that he had to find his friends and kept going.

However, as he passed a frozen lake with people sliding around on it, Danny slowed down again and frowned in confusion. That was just weird. What were they doing?

He squinted his eyes a bit as he looked around and further noticed that most of the people on this side of the park were concentrated at this lake. Those that weren't on the lake were in secluded areas as couples or small groups.

Danny hesitated to move on, still intrigued by why so many humans were interested in sliding around in circles on the frozen lake. But, still worried for his friends, he pushed onward.

But then several yards further….something _else_ caught his attention…

"Come on, Tucker! Let me take your picture!"

Danny looked towards the voice and, this time, he stopped moving all together.

There, next to a small group of trees, was a little girl wearing a fluffy pink and white dress that truly looked very uncomfortable. Just her clothing made her stand out because it wasn't like anything he had seen on any of the other kids so far.

But what really had Danny captivated was what was in the human girl's hands…..

He had one just like it. Well, kind of. His was older looking; but the ghost boy was sure it was the same kind of human toy! And this human girl had one, too!

The Prince's eyes widened with excitement. Maybe he could finally figure out what this human toy was for! Ever since he had found it, Danny just couldn't figure out what it did or why it had so many buttons! But now, he had the chance to know!

Instantly feeling a little daring, Danny flew closer to the girl and the boy with her. And although his curiosity had now gotten the best of him, it had not pushed aside _all_ of his apprehension. So, using one of the trees near them, Danny quickly flew invisibly into one and watched the two humans from the safety of its branches…

"Hold on, Sammy. I'm almost finished," Tucker replied as he kept his narrowed eyes glued to a handheld game.

Samantha sighed in annoyance as she watched her friend's eyebrows furrow in concentration as he continued to punch buttons on his game. But then she glanced over in the distance at her parents, who were with Tucker's parents. And, surprisingly, they were so engrossed in conversation that they weren't even paying attention to her or Tucker.

"Yes!" Tucker suddenly exclaimed, getting Samantha's attention again.

But he had also unknowingly startled the Ghost Prince, who was still carefully watching them from above…

"Tucker!" she protested, stomping one of her feet in the snow. "My mommy just got me this camera and I want to take your picture! Can't you just pause that or something and let me take the picture really fast, _please_?"

The little boy finally gave in with her plea. Still, he sighed loudly as he paused his game and muttered, "Fine…" But as he moved a bit closer to the tree behind him, he added, "But just one, Sammy. I'm this close to beating the evil monkey King and getting back the banana pies for the hungry village people!"

Samantha rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. Instead, she lifted the camera to her eye level.

Seeing this, Danny titled his head, wondering what the little girl was planning to do. But from above, he couldn't see her well to really tell.

At that moment, the ghost boy was torn between his curiosity and fear…

"Hold on, Tucker. I need to turn on the flash 'cause it's too dark here with all the trees."

"Hurry up, Sammy!"

Danny's curiosity finally won out and he carefully flew down and floated just behind the human boy, so that he was facing the human girl and could now fully see her intriguing toy.

Yet, the Prince's attention was drawn to the human boy when he suddenly shivered with his proximity. That was weird.

"Geez, it's cold!" Tucker instantly protested, rubbing his gloved hands together.

"Well, duh!" Sammy replied, rolling her eyes. "It's snowing, you know."

"I know!" Tucker huffed. "I meant that it got more cold!"

"Then, we'll get out from under the trees after I take you a picture. Now, smile and say cheese!" Sam quickly said with a grin.

Tucker sighed again. But then he grinned brightly at his friend and said, "Cheese!"

Danny squinted his eyes as he watched the girl press a button on the top part of the human toy like his own. But…something most unexpected happened.

A bright flash of light came out of the human toy and attacked his sensitive eyes.

"Ahh!" Danny cried out in pain as he dropped to the ground, gripping at his eyes.

He wasn't aware that the sound of his voice had jolted the two human kids. But the Prince also wasn't aware that he had accidently lost invisibility…

"Ow… I don't think I like that human toy anymore," he muttered to himself in Ghost Speech as he rubbed his eyes and tried to blink back the spots dancing before his eyes.

But hearing two sudden gasps, Danny instantly snapped his eyes to the sound, only to freeze in terror when he finally realized he had two sets of eyes staring down at him.

For what seemed forever, the two humans and the ghost boy just stared in silent horror at one another. No one moved a muscle.

But, suddenly, Sammy's camera slipped out of her hand and hit the ground with a soft thud.

It was all that was needed.

Danny yelped in fear as he scrambled back, too panicked to focus his mind for flight or anything else.

But Tucker and Sam also reacted, and they cried out with just as much fear before turning tail and running away from the glowing white-haired creature that had suddenly fallen from the sky!

"Run, Sammy! Run! It's a monster! I knew they are real!" Tucker exclaimed as they fled towards their parents.

Samantha was about to reply when her foot caught on her dress and she fell to the ground with a loud yelp.

"Sammy!" Tucker exclaimed as he halted in his tracks and tried to get his friend back on his feet.

But as she stood up, she looked back to where they had seen the strange creature and saw that it was gone.

"Wait, Tucker, look!" Samantha said, pointing at the empty area. "It's gone now!"

"So, what? It could be trying to get close enough to attack us again! What if it's hungry and it's trying to make us its lunch? Come on, we have to get to our—"

"Samantha!"

"Tucker!"

The two kids turned their attention to their concerned parents, who had clearly heard their shouts.

"Are you two alright?" Tucker's father asked from afar, though he had stood from the bench and looked as if he was about to come over.

Tucker opened his mouth, about to declare that he was not 'alright', when Samantha covered his mouth with one of her gloved hands and answered for the both of them, "We're okay! We're just playing!"

That was enough for their parents to relax and go back to talking with each other.

"Sammy, why did you say that?" Tucker demanded when her friend removed her hand from his mouth.

"Shh!" Samantha replied before grabbing her friend's hand and pulling him towards the place the glowing creature had been.

"No, Sammy! What are you doing?" Tucker whispered fearfully as he resisted her pull.

Samantha let go of her friend and paused briefly to reply, "I want to see what that was. I don't think it was a monster, Tucker. It looked scared of us, too!"

Before Tucker could protest any more, Samantha returned back to the group of trees. She stopped right at the place she had dropped her camera and picked it up. Frowning at it for a moment, she realized the camera's flash had been what startled the creature…

Samantha looked up at the trees, wondering if the creature had hid in them… What was it? Humans didn't glow like that and they certainly didn't have tails! But it couldn't be an animal, either… Maybe Tucker was right… But, for some reason, she didn't think so… and she was more curious than scared of this mystery creature…

"Sammy," Tucker hissed nervously.

Samantha looked at her friend and quietly replied, "I think it's in the trees. I'm gonna make it come out… I want to know what it is."

"What? No!" Tucker protested, taking a step away.

Samantha placed a finger over her mouth before looking down at her camera. And making sure the camera's flash was on, the girl slowly raised it up towards the trees...

"Flash!"

There was another yelp again and then suddenly something tumbled straight out of the tree and fell in the snow two feet from Samantha.

The girl startled at the sight of the glowing creature again and accidently clicked the flash on the camera again.

The Prince jolted with the light once more; but suddenly angry with the girl's constant attacks to his eyes, Danny furiously exclaimed, _"Haltu ĝi! Kiu doloroj!"_ (1)

Samantha blinked at the strange dialect. Well, it definitely wasn't an animal. After all, she had never heard an animal speak before.

"What are you?" Samantha asked, now all the more bewildered than afraid.

Danny rubbed at his eyes some more before finally focusing them back on the human girl. He gasped in sudden fear again, doing his best to drift back away from her, though he was still very near the ground. However, he soon backed into a tree, and was so frozen with terror, he actually plopped back down onto the ground rather than try to flee. He really wasn't thinking straight since he had been discovered. Otherwise, he would have had the sense to fly far away instead of hiding in the trees again!

And yet…Danny's curiosity was still coursing through him, probably as strongly as his fear for this human girl, especially when she was holding that painful toy!

Samantha's eyes widened when she could see just how scared the glowing creature was of her—her and her camera. It made her feel bad.

"It's okay! I won't flash you with my camera anymore. See, I'm going to put it down," Samantha said before putting down the camera by her feet.

Danny carefully watched her actions, while his hands nervously clenched the snow under him. He didn't understand half of what she was saying. For one, he was too scared to think. And, two, his knowledge of Human Speech was limited, especially when he did not practice it as much as he used to. Ever since his father stopped going away on those long trips, his mother barely talked to him in Human Speech, because she knew his father didn't like it…

Still, the human girl's actions and facial expression said enough for him to understand that she wasn't going to use that toy against him anymore…

"_Vi ne ..osas dolori min plu_?" (2) Danny tentatively asked.

Samantha frowned in confusion again, though now she noticed the echo in the strange entity's voice. But also sure the glowing creature was not going to try to flee again—or attack—she turned to look at her friend and said, "Tucker, quick! Come here! You gotta see him! He's not an animal or a monster! He's something else!"

Tucker shook his head. "Naw-uh. I'm not gettin' close to that thing! Sammy, it could hurt you! Please, let's just go!"

"Your… friend?" Danny suddenly asked, startling the little girl.

"You speak English?" Samantha gasped out, a smile growing on her face.

Danny furrowed his eyebrows, trying to understand the girl. "Speak…In-glich? I not understand…"

Surprisingly to the Prince, the girl grinned even wider at his response. She now understood that the strange entity only spoke a little bit of English!

"What's your name?" Samantha asked as she squatted down in front of him.

Danny tensed with her movement, but forced himself to calm down. The human girl didn't seem to want to hurt him, but he couldn't keep all the bad things he had heard about humans out of his mind.

And, yet… he had not fled yet—in fact, he was no longer even thinking to…

With the sudden focused thought that he was actually talking to a _human_, the Prince nervously licked his lips and curled his tail around him as he sat up a bit more. He just stared at her, his mind too overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions to realize she had asked him something.

But Danny's attention went to the human boy when he suddenly heard him speak again…

"Sammy, what is he?" Tucker asked.

The Prince closely watched the boy, who still looked reluctant to get close. It was clear that he was scared of him…

But Danny did understand the human boy's simple question. And for some reason, he felt compelled to answer.

"_Mi estas Fantomon,"_ the Ghost Prince announced, unconsciously floating up a bit.

But when he saw the two humans blink confusedly at him, he searched his mind for the human words he needed; and remembering them, he repeated in Human Speech. "I am go-st."

Samantha's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're a _ghost_?" she whispered out.

Danny hesitated to reply this time, unsure if the human girl liked the news or not. Still, he slowly nodded and finally answered, _"Jes..."_

The girl suddenly jumped to her feet, startling the ghost boy who reflexively floated back a bit, bumping into the tree again.

But she was too excited to really notice and she readily grinned as she exclaimed, "Wow! I never thought I'd ever see a real ghost!" She gasped. "And I was right! You're not scary or bad at all! But… you're not like an animal, either! You can talk and stuff!"

Danny's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to understand the rambling girl. However, before he could try to piece her words together, the girl turned from him and ran over to her friend.

"Tucker!" Samantha exclaimed, grabbing Tucker's hand. "He's a ghost! You gotta come see him!"

"But I can see him from here just fine," Tucker whined. But, this time, Samantha pulled hard enough that her friend had no choice but to move forward.

Danny watched as the girl brought her friend over to him before the girl pointed at herself and then at Tucker and announced, "We're human."

The Ghost Prince nodded. "_Jes..._I know." But then seeing her excitement, he tilted his head in wonder and asked, "You like… ghost? My… uh, _Patro_ say human not like ghost…"

Samantha shrugged. And although she didn't know what 'Patro' meant, she understood his comment all the same and answered, "I've never seen one before you, so I don't know. But… I think I like you..."

Danny smiled with her last words; and suddenly curious again and not very afraid anymore, he floated closer to the girl and studied her appearance with more direct interest. Her skin was almost his color, but she wasn't glowing at all and her cheeks were a rosy color, something he had never seen before. Her hair was black and very shiny. It actually reminded him of his mother's hair.

But what really caught his attention were her eyes. He had never seen anything or anyone with purple eyes before. And they were so… pretty... In fact, they almost glowed…

Danny reached towards her face and touched her right below her eye as he muttered, "I think I like you…pretty human."

Samantha had been a bit surprised by his proximity, but she then blushed with his words. His touch, though, made her shiver. He was cold, yet… not. It was like being touched by something cold and then warm right after. It was a weird feeling…

"Uh, Sammy?" Tucker tentatively called to his friend as the ghost boy continued to probe her, going as far as touching her frilly dress, as if not understanding its purpose.

"I don't think he's ever seen a human before, Tucker," Samantha said before giggling when the ghost touched her right below her chin. He seemed to be very focused on her chest area, as if he was trying to find something there—and yet he never dared touch her directly there, almost like he respected that area of her body for some reason…

But, suddenly, Danny turned his green eyes to Tucker and moved over to him.

In turn, Tucker's eyes widened in alarm and he backed away from the ghost boy, who just continued to float closer. The Prince was just so amazed by these two creatures….

"Sammy!" Tucker squeaked when he tripped and fell on his bottom.

Danny finally paused and frowned at the human boy. "You… fear me?" he questioned. But when Tucker didn't answer, the Prince smiled a bit as he added, "I not hurt you. I am good ghost. I am…Ghost _Princo!_"

"What's a _Princo_?" Tucker asked untrustingly.

Danny frowned again. He didn't know how to say 'prince' in Human Speech. But believing everyone knew him by the royal symbol, the ghost boy moved aside his mother's amulet a bit and pointed to his symbol. "See? Me _Princo_."

Tucker blinked. Why did the ghost have a drawing on his chest?

"Maybe that's his name," Samantha suggested as she moved over to Tucker's side. But now close enough to really see the symbol of a spiraling star on the ghost's chest, the girl's eyes widened in awe.

"What is that? It's… pretty," she said with a growing smile. But, then, abruptly, she reached out to touch it.

She instantly realized her mistake.

"_Ne!" (3)_ Danny violently jolted away from the girl's hand before she could touch him and instantly covered his symbol with a hand. But suddenly furious at her attempt to touch his symbol without his permission, he literally hissed at her and unknowingly his fangs drew out in his anger.

Samantha gasped, while Tucker yelped and exclaimed, "He has fangs like a monster! He's going to eat us!"

But not caring what the boy had said, Danny angrily snapped, _"__Mi neniam diris, ke vi povus tuŝi min! Vi devas demandi, unuan!" (4)_

Samantha had no idea what the ghost was saying to her, but she understood she had done something to upset him.

"I'm sorry. Don't be angry," she pleaded worriedly. "I… uh, won't try to touch you again. I promise."

Danny glared at her some more, though his mouth closed back into a thin line. He didn't understand her, but he could tell by her expression that she felt bad for trying to touch him without permission. Still, he was greatly upset by her lack of manners.

And wanting to make himself clear, he pointed a finger in warning at her as he pointedly said, "You ask me, okay?"

Samantha's eyes widened with understanding. He wanted her to ask him for his _permission_ to touch him!

But the girl readily frowned. "Hey, but you didn't ask me and you touched me!"

"I think he doesn't like anyone touching the _star_," Tucker muttered to Sam, having noticed how the ghost had protected the symbol with his hand.

"Oh," Samantha replied, now getting it. "Sorry," she then said. But trying to make the ghost happy again, she smiled a bit; and wanting to know more about him, she pointed at herself and said, "My name is Samantha Manson. Is your name 'Princo'?"

"Name?" he questioned, confused, though still slightly upset.

Realizing he didn't know what the word meant, Samantha thought for a moment, trying to find a way to make him understand the question.

And finding it, she grinned and pointed at herself. "Me human. Me girl. Me Sa-man-tha. You Ghost. You boy. You…?" she gestured for him to finish for her.

Danny blinked. But then getting it, he relaxed again; and his anger now gone, he smiled.

Although his parents had always told him that he should not give his real name to anyone he didn't know, for some reason, the Prince _wanted_ to get to know the two human kids. Maybe they could even be friends!

Besides, even odder, he further felt he could trust them enough to let them call him by his real name instead of his royal name...

"I am Danny," the ghost boy answered, pointing at himself.

"Danny?" Samantha asked, surprised. But then she grinned. "That's a nice name. Um, pretty!" she added, knowing he knew that word.

The Prince grinned. "Thanks… uh… Sam-a… uh.. You say again?" he asked, realizing he had not caught her name the first time.

"Sa-man-tha," she repeated. But realizing that was too long for him, she shook her head and pointed at herself before saying, "Sammy."

"Sam-e?" Danny questioned, scrunching his nose at the strange name.

She giggled at the funny way he was saying it.

Danny tilted his head, not getting what was so funny.

"No,_ Sam-me,"_ she repeated.

Danny frowned, this time. How many names did this human girl have? She had told him like three different ones so far! At least, it sounded different every time she said it.

The Prince shook his head. But then thinking over what she had said the last time, he suddenly felt he got it. 'Sam-me' She was saying it backwards! Like when she was saying 'Me human'. She probably meant, 'Me _Sam'_!

Hoping he was right, Danny finally suggested, "Sam?"

The girl was about to object, only to pause. Actually… that sounded nice. It was short and pretty.

She smiled at him and nodded, "Sam."

Danny grinned back before looking over at Tucker. "You?"

Still nervous by the ghost's fangs, which were now gone, Tucker jolted when the ghost kid looked at him.

"Uh…Tucker," he answered nervously.

But seeing Danny not catch her friend's name, Samantha got an idea; and pointing at Tucker, she said, "Tuck."

Danny seem to understand what the girl had done and nodded his approval. "Tuck. Me, Danny," he told the human boy.

"Uh, hi," Tucker said shyly, though a small smile grew on his face before he reached out a hand in a shaking gesture.

But Danny raised an eyebrow at his extended hand. He understood the human boy was trying to greet him, but the way he was extending his hand was just weird.

Deciding to correct him, Danny shook his head and floated closer to him. "_Ne._ Like this," he told him, raising his own hand and touching the boy's fingertips with his own.

Tucker blinked in surprise.

But Samantha caught on and said, "Oh, I get it! That's how they shake hands!"

Samantha extended her own hand, but in an upright position as she said, "Hi, Danny."

The Prince was thrilled by the sight and he quickly raised his own hand towards her and pressed his fingertips against her own. "Hi, Sam!"

The girl giggled.

But when the Prince lowered his hand, he announced happily. We Amikoj—uh, friends, now!"

Sam nodded, now beaming as she agreed, "Yes, friends!"

Tucker, at last, seemed to understand that the ghost kid really wasn't all that bad. He was definitely strange and maybe a bit demanding, but not… bad.

Pushing aside his remaining fear, Tucker moved closer to the ghost and his friend. Curious, he now began to ask his own questions.

"So, um, Danny… Where did ya come from? I've never seen a ghost 'round here before…"

The Prince looked back at the boy. It took him a moment, but he finally understood the question. But, the question suddenly troubled him.

"I from ghost mondo! My friends go in portalo! _Ili estis ĉie! Ili estis entirita!__Mi provis help ilin, sed mi ne povus! Unu tiris min, tro, Sed mia patrina amuleto sav mi!"_ (5)

Danny ended his rant by grabbing his amulet and showing it to the human kids.

Sam and Tucker's eyes widened at the blue glowing crystal. It was beautiful! They had definitely never seen anything like it!

Danny sighed sadly and shook his head as he let go of the amulet. "I cannot find them…" he muttered worriedly.

Of course, Samantha and Tucker did not understand even half of what he said, but they understood that he was looking for his friends.

"We'll help you find them," Samantha said with an encouraging smile.

"We will?" Tucker questioned his friend. But then, glancing at their distracted parents and realizing they wouldn't notice if they left right now, the boy shrugged.

"I guess we will," he said with a small nervous smile at Danny.

"You… help?" Danny repeated, a hopeful smile curling his lips.

"Yup!" Sam replied.

Danny grinned in relief. He was sure to find Ember and Cujo with Sam and Tuck's help! After all, they certainly knew the human world better than him!

"Come on, let's start searching at the lake," Samantha said, gesturing for him to follow her. She figured that Danny's friends would probably be somewhere near the lake, since that's where everyone liked to go.

Of course, the girl didn't know that the ghost boy's friends were nowhere near the park.

Danny quickly flew up and followed beside the girl. Tucker, on the other hand, hesitated as he glanced at his parents again. But sighing in defeat, he finally followed, though he muttered, "We're gonna get into lots of trouble…"

* * *

Both invisible, Ember and Cujo had now left the actual pier, though they were still passing some more storage sheds that were used by the different commercial fishing lines and private renters.

They had run into a couple of more humans by now; and though their invisibility kept them from being seen, it still put the two ghosts on edge. Ember was mostly terrified that they would see her, but Cujo only became very guarded when the humans unknowingly would come too close to them. Otherwise, the puppy would briefly glance at them in dislike before going back to sniffing at the ground.

Currently, however, there were no humans around that they could see. And while Cujo continued to sniff around in search of his companion's scent, Ember looked around for a way home, all the while calling to her parents through her link with them, still hoping that they would come to her aid.

Unlike Danny, the little girl wasn't remotely curious about this place. She had liked the human toys because she could play with them in the safety of her world. But being practically all alone, among dangerous humans, and with no way to return to her parents was quite upsetting for the ghost girl. She didn't care about all that was here. She just wanted to go home!

Ember sniffed and wiped her wet eyes with her sudden thought of never returning again. "Cujo, I don't want to be lost here!" she whimpered.

The puppy finally seemed to pay attention to her and he paused to look at her. And understanding she was afraid, Cujo barked and licked her face to comfort her.

She smiled a bit, glad that she, at least, had the puppy with her. She then wiped her eyes and asked him, "What are you trying to find?"

Cujo barked at her in response.

But the little girl ghost heard more than that and she shook her head as she replied, "Cujo, Danny isn't here. He didn't get sucked into the portal like we did, remember?"

The green puppy whined back.

"What? No, we're not in the Ghost World anymore!" Ember insisted. "We're in the human world and Danny's in the ghost world! You can't sniff him out, Cujo!"

The ghost dog's ears sagged and he whined some more.

Ember sighed. "I want to be with him, too." She looked around before she suddenly said, "We have to find a way back!"

But she knew the only way to return was to find one of the five permanent portals…. Too bad she had no idea where one could be…

Ember glanced back from where they had come from as she suddenly began to wonder… what if the portal she had come from was still open?

"Cujo, come on! We have to go back! Maybe the portal is still open!" she immediately exclaimed with hopeful anticipation.

Understanding now that he had to return to the Ghost World to find Danny, Cujo barked in agreement. He was about to follow after Ember when he heard a strange noise behind him. The puppy froze and honed in his sensitive hearing at the sound.

But it was his nose that instantly alerted him.

The puppy suddenly yelped a warning at Ember, just as a bright green net came out of nowhere and shot towards them.

In her surprise, the little girl lost invisibility but she still managed to fly just out of reach of the net thanks to the puppy.

Unfortunately, Cujo was hit dead on and he cried in fear as the net wrapped around him, sending him tumbling several feet away from Ember.

"Cujo!" the girl exclaimed as he, too, regained visibility.

But right then, several humans dressed in white suddenly appeared out of nowhere and surrounded her, while several more surrounded the trapped ghost dog.

"Well, what do we have here? A ghost girl?" one of the Guys-in-White said with a smirk as he raised his gun at Ember.

In reality, the man was the leader of the Team Delta. And as Tom had ordered them, they had come to investigate the 'disturbance' at Sector T—the pier. But the disturbance, of course, had been the sudden appearance of two ghost signatures.

And with their high-tech ghost instruments, it had not taken the team long to pick up the energy signature of the two ghost entities. It had then been all too easy for Team Delta to use their invisibility-detecting goggles to get into position and catch the young inexperienced ghosts off guard…

"I'm disappointed," the captain of the team said with a mocking sigh. "I was hoping for something more… challenging. Oh well…"

But just knowing one or two human words thanks to Danny, Ember didn't understand anything the human was saying to her, but she knew what 'danger' was when it was as apparent as these humans and their strange devices. But the ghost girl was too terrified to do anything but stare up at the captain and his men surrounding her…

And clearly seeing how inexperienced these two ghosts were, the leader of Team Delta scoffed; and not bothering to restrain the harmless ghost girl just yet, he, instead, calmly took out his radio before reporting into it, "Agent C. Come in, sir."

"_Go ahead, Operative M,"_ Tom replied through the radio.

"Sir, Sector T is secured. Just two level one entities, sir… What do you want me to do with them?"

"_Level one ghosts…? …Kill them and bring me back their corpses."_

"Yes, Agent C," Operative M replied before lowering his radio and focusing back on the terrified ghost girl. "End of the line, little ghost," the man said emotionlessly before gesturing to his men to finish the job.

Ember could still only stare back in horror, even when two of the humans came over to her, one with a gun and the other with a knife.

Operative M then glanced over at his other men, surrounding the ghost dog, and paused in thought. It was strange to find such young ghosts all alone out here in their world. But a ghost was a ghost to him, and his orders were clear.

"Kill that one, too," he further ordered offhandedly. But as Operative M turned around and began to walk towards his vehicle he further added, "Make it quick, soldiers. Agent C wants their bodies back."

"Yes, sir," they responded.

However, when the hunters approached him, Cujo, confused and struggling against the net that trapped him, instantly stilled. His uncertainly then suddenly melded into aggression, finally understanding the threat.

And he didn't hesitate to threaten the hunters back…

"Grr….," he growled, barring his teeth at the men, while his eyes began to glow a brighter red.

The hunters only hesitated slightly with the ghost pup's abrupt change in demeanor. But still seeing him as completely harmless, the men chuckled before one of them raised his gun at the dog and asked, "Oh, and what are you going to do?"

Cujo growled louder.

But at that instant, Ember let out a shrilled cry when one of the hunters grabbed her by the neck and pulled her up in order to shoot her in her chest.

The ghost dog snapped his eyes over to his companion's friend and instantly snapped.

With a vicious snarl, Cujo turned into his monstrous form, breaking the green net like paper.

All the hunters froze in disbelief; but having also heard the commotion, Operative M had halted his departure in time to turn around and see the ghost dog change size.

He barely registered his instruments beeping loudly, warning him of a sudden increase in ghost energy in his immediate vicinity. Instead, he gasped and instinctively raised his gun and fired at the huge ghost dog.

The beam hit Cujo in the head. But aside from shoving him a bit, the attack did nothing but infuriate the dog even more.

And with a thunderous snarl, Cujo suddenly lunged forward and grabbed some of the men in his mouth and threw them up into the air.

Finally jolted out of their shock, the rest of the hunters screamed just as Operative M exclaimed, **"Fire! Kill it!"**

Ember suddenly screamed in fear once more. But her voice seemed to come out several octaves higher, forcing the hunter holding her by the neck to let go. And like the rest of the 'GiW' around her, he also then cried out in pain and covered his ears against the sudden assault.

But knowing his companion's friend was in danger, Cujo whirled around, taking more men out as his huge body slammed into them before the large dog ran over to Ember's side.

However, as Ember's scream faded, the hunters reacted again and began to fire at the dog.

Cujo, however, turned intangible and kept running towards Ember. He reached her in no time and attacked the men surrounding her.

Operative M slammed his gun on the ground, furious how such a simple task of killing two level one ghosts now turned into utter chaos. But, clearly, the ghost dog had, somehow, increased his power level.

They needed stronger weapons.

"Soldiers," Operative M commanded a small group of 'GiW' near him, "Retrieve the stronger weapons from the convoys! **Now!"**

As the hunters went to retrieve stronger ghost weapons, Cujo barked a warning at Ember.

And understanding the puppy wanted her to get away, the girl jolted and took to the air, heading back towards the large body of water. The portal had to be there! It was the only way for her to escape!

However, her attempt to flee did not go unnoticed and several hunters quickly went after her.

But seeing this, Cujo attempted to stop them, though he only managed to take out a few before he was suddenly being attacked himself. Still, Danny's companion lunged at them, his teeth poised in attack, while his huge paws shook the ground with every step.

However, Cujo's monstrous size all too soon stopped being an advantage and turned into a major disadvantage when the hunters finally came back with the stronger weapons.

Operative M didn't hesitate to take a gun, as did everyone else, and they all quickly fired them at their huge, but now, easy target…

Ember had only gotten a few yards away when she heard the guns go off, followed by Cujo's loud piercing cry of pain.

"**Cujo!"** Ember yelled in fear as she jolted to a stop and looked back in horror towards her friend's companion…

* * *

"What's wrong?" Sam asked the ghost boy when he stopped following her and Tucker.

Danny just stared warily at all the people just yards from him. He might be okay now with Sam and Tuck seeing him, but he didn't want more humans to see him. What if they didn't like ghosts like his new friends?

Not to mention, his instincts screamed it would be dangerous to let himself be seen by anyone else…

"I don't think he wants to be seen by all those people, Sammy," Tucker said, noticing the ghost's fear. "And I don't think it would be a good idea, either. Everyone would be scared of him and they would call the cops!"

Samantha's eyes widened when the mention of cops reminded her of an even larger threat.

"My uncle!" she gasped out. "Tucker, we can't let anyone see him or they could tell my uncle and he'll kill him! I heard him say that he kills ghosts!"

Danny frowned nervously at the girl. He had not understood her words, but he could tell something had her frightened.

Tucker nodded. Now that he was sure the ghost boy wasn't scary or bad like he thought, he didn't want to see him get hurt, either.

"Let's hide him," Tucker suggested.

"Yeah! Good idea, Tucker," Samantha quickly beamed.

And thinking of the perfect place to keep anyone from hurting her new ghost friend, the girl quickly extended a hand at Danny and said with an encouraging smile, "Come on. We're gonna hide you so my uncle won't find you. And then, me and Tucker will go look for your friends, okay?"

"My friends?" Danny asked, hopeful. And thinking the girl was going to lead him to Ember and Cujo, the ghost boy took her hand.

Sammy smiled before leading him over to an empty and snow-covered jungle gym that no one was using.

"Up there," Tucker said, pointing at a plastic-made house with a slide as its door.

Danny looked up at the strange structure. "What that?" he questioned with an unsure look.

"Your hiding place," Samantha said before pulling him along.

"Huh?" Danny replied.

But when they finally got there, Samantha let go of his hand. And Danny then blinked as he watched her and Tuck climb up a ladder to get into the top of the strange structure. However, as he studied it some more, the Prince had a strange thought.

Was this their house?

Finally reaching the top, Sam and Tucker crawled into the plastic house before Sammy poked her head back out and gestured at Danny to come in.

The Prince smiled, concluding it was indeed their house. He readily flew in and sat down next to them inside the plastic house.

Danny quietly looked around for a few seconds before turning his eyes to Samantha and Tucker and saying, "Small home."

For the first time, Tucker laughed loudly. "Ha-ha! Sammy, he thinks we live here!"

Samantha giggled and shook her head. "No, not home. You hide here."

"Me Ide?" Danny questioned, confused. But the child then shook his head, and pointing outside, he added, "I find my friends… out there."

But Sammy shook her head back at him. "No, it's not safe." She then paused and sighed when she saw he didn't understand her.

But before the girl could think of a way to explain the situation in a way for the ghost boy to understand, Tucker frowned, suddenly noticing something odd about Danny.

"Hey, Sammy, do you think he's cold? I mean, he's not wearing anything!" Tucker blurted out. The human boy didn't understand. It was freezing out here, so how was this ghost walking—er, flying—around naked?

Sammy blinked a few times, as if finally wondering the same thing herself. And making a shivering gesture, she looked at Danny and asked, "Are you cold?"

Of course, the two human kids didn't know that the Prince's ectoplasmic energy kept him internally warm—though his cold core did keep his body temperature slightly below average…

The Prince tilted his head in response before moving closer to the girl so that his face was inches from hers. The lack of space between them surprised Sam again.

He seemed to like doing that a lot.

But when he brought up his hand near her face and his hand suddenly lit with blue energy, she jolted in alarm.

"I make you _Varmeta_," (6) Danny told her before touching her cheek with his glowing hand.

Instantly, a rush of warmness ran through her body and her cheeks turned a brighter pink.

"Good, _jes_?" Danny asked with a grin. Clearly, the ghost boy thought the girl was telling him _she_ was cold.

Tucker's mouth fell open at the sight of the glowing blue energy. He was too shocked by the sight of it to say anything, though.

But Samantha just quietly nodded her answer to Danny, feeling oddly relaxed and scared at the same time.

But remembering the human boy, the Prince moved over to him and reached out to his face. "You?" he asked.

Tucker yelped and rose up his hands as he shook his head. "No, I'm good!"

"Okay," Danny replied, before dispelling his energy and sitting back down.

Getting past her surprise and the effects of whatever he had done to her, Sammy moved just a bit closer to Danny. She studied him for a moment, for some reason just feeling captivated by him.

He had the brightest green eyes she had ever seen and his tied-back hair was as white as fresh snow! And he glowed—like the sun!

But noticing his symbol partly covered by his necklace, she glanced up at ghost boy's own curious green eyes.

"Um… Can I touch it?" she asked, pointing at his symbol.

Danny looked down at his Ectoplasmic Signature before staring back at the girl. The last time he had let anyone touch him, it had been the worst experience of his life. Not to mention, this girl was a human… Would it feel bad to let a human touch him?

Danny frowned fearfully.

And seeing that, Samantha scooted closer and softly assured him, "I'm not going to hurt you. Really."

But still unsure, Danny raised a hand and nervously rubbed the back of his neck—a gesture Samantha noticed with a certain amount of intrigue.

"Um…," the Prince soon said, lowering his hand and glancing over at Tucker, who was intently watching him and Sam, clearly curious about his symbol as well.

But looking back at Sam, Danny finally compromised, "I touch you, first?"

Samantha blinked. Hadn't he already touched her?

"Um, okay," she agreed with a shrug, not thinking it was a big deal.

Danny finally smiled again and moved a bit closer to the little girl. He then reached out to her, only to surprise her when his hand turned transparent and blue.

"Uh, Sammy? What's he doing?" Tucker asked nervously. The boy was quickly learning that not only could a ghost fly and somehow make blue fire in his hand, but he could also pass through solid stuff?

The girl tensed a bit, also realizing that ghosts could do things she had never seen before. Yet she didn't recoil from Danny's intangible touch. For some reason, she wasn't afraid, even when she did not know what he was about to do.

Danny understood that he couldn't reach the human girl's Ectoplasmic Signature unless he turned his hand intangible to get pass her clothing. And he did just that.

But, of course, Danny found no symbol.

Instead, he felt how warm she was; but past that, he could feel a quick 'thumping' sound coming from the girl's chest. It was finally then that the Prince remembered how his father had once told him that humans did not have energy cores. Instead, they had something that moved called a …heart? Was that what he was feeling?

But as he concentrated in an attempt to feel her emotions, like he could with other ghosts, he found he couldn't feel them… But as he continued to search for any inkling of feeling in her, the Prince suddenly gasped when he suddenly felt something else…

He couldn't feel any of this human girl's emotions… But… he could feel her… soul.

And it was like nothing he had ever felt before. He was too young for his mind to describe it, except that he knew it felt so nice…

Suddenly, Danny was sure. This human girl was not evil at all. She was _good_.

And no longer afraid, the Prince grabbed her right hand and guided it to his own chest…

Samantha wasn't aware of what had been going through the ghost boy's mind or how he could actually feel her soul. Instead, she was staring at Danny with creased eyebrows, lost in her own thoughts.

The ghost boy's touch… It all the sudden reminded her of the boy in the cage at the circus… He had also seemed interested in her heart and his hand had also been cold, yet not…

But that was all quickly forgotten when she finally realized Danny had grabbed her hand and was encouraging her touch him. First, though, Sam's fingers just barely brushed the blue crystal, and she noticed how cold it was, but also, how the pink energy inside it oddly reacted to her.

The mysterious crystal was captivating…But when the girl's hand finally rested against the Prince's symbol, her eyes widened with surprise and further awe...

Danny, on the other hand, gasped. Although her touch felt nothing like a ghost's touch, his core reacted all the same to the human girl. The first thing the Prince noticed was the warmness. It was like it was seeping through his very skin and touching his core. But her touch was also very soothing, filling his being with an indescribable peace.

But for Sam, she didn't know what she was feeling. She just knew it was nice, yet overwhelming.

Neither of them knew how strange it was for them to feel anything at all from one another…

And yet, they did…

"You… pretty and feel nice," Danny suddenly told Sam, smiling at her, though he seemed utterly awed by her now.

Samantha didn't know what to think, let alone say right now. But still feeling amazed by what she felt, she looked over at Tucker and breathed out, "Tucker, touch him. It's so… weird."

The whole time, the human boy had been watching what was happening, his own eyes wide with wonder and uncertainty. He didn't understand why the ghost's symbol was glowing so brightly under Sammy's touch or why this all felt so significant, but he suddenly wanted to be a part of whatever this all was…

Tucker slowly crawled closer to Danny and Sam until he was next to Sam and in front of the ghost boy.

But Danny just barely noticed him, though he didn't protest when Tucker reached out to touch him as well.

However, just when Tucker's fingers brushed against the crystal amulet, a strange blue smoke eked out of the Prince's mouth and he jolted.

In turn, the two human kids jumped in surprise themselves, snapping out of their almost magical moment as quickly as Danny.

"What's that?" Sam and Tucker asked, pointing to the smoke coming out of the ghost's mouth.

Danny shivered, but it had nothing to do with the cold weather. There was this tingling in his core that he couldn't explain; just like he couldn't explain the strange cold blue mist escaping his mouth. This had never happened to him before, but it somehow felt significant…

The Prince raised his hands up in an attempt to touch the smoke between his lips.

But even when he didn't understand it, the tingling in his core grew stronger to the point that it became a nagging feeling, and suddenly everything inside him needed to get out of the plastic house…

"I-I go," Danny said quietly, floating a bit away from the two kids.

"Huh? Why?" Sam quickly asked.

"It's not safe out there," Tucker readily added, now worried himself.

But the Prince shook his head, clearly anxious about something that he didn't even understand. And before the human kids could say anything more, the Prince flew out of the house and looked around in curiosity and confusion.

There was something… What was this feeling? It felt so familiar…like he should know what it was, even when he was sure this blue smoke had never come out of his mouth before….

"Danny!"

The Prince jolted with the familiar voice and his head snapped up, only for him to gasp at the sight of his mother—along with two of Walker's guards.

"_Panjo?"_ Danny gasped out before exclaiming in sudden relief, _"Panjo!"_

The Prince threw himself into his mother's arms.

"Oh my God, Danny!" Desiree said back in Ghost Speech, her voice a mixture of relief and anger.

At that same instant, the two guards sighed at the sight of the Ghost Prince. They were glad that they had at last found him and that he was okay. But this place was filled with humans that could discover them at any moment, especially when they were as visible as day at the moment.

As a result, the guards were on edge and extremely nervous as they kept their eyes open for potential danger…

But the ghost mage was too thankful to have found her son to think about the risk of being among humans. She had already thought she would go crazy when she had learned Danny had gone to the Human World. But when she came through the portal and found her son nowhere in sight, she almost panicked.

Still, she had forced herself to retain enough of her composure to think things through. And thinking of her son's fascination for humans, she went on the hunch that his curiosity would lead him to the park, especially since it was the closest place to the portal.

But this park was vast! Really, it had only been pure luck that she had found him at all. Still, she didn't question it and just continued to hug her son tightly.

"Oh, you're okay! Thank goodness!" she continued in her language. But her tone of voice abruptly changed as she then said, "I am _so_ angry at you! What are you doing out here? You know you are not allowed to come here!"

Danny slightly pulled away to look up at his mother as he quickly explained in Ghost Speech, "I didn't mean to, Mommy! The portals just opened everywhere and Ember and Cujo got pulled in! I had to come help them! I had to protect them like Father say!"

Desiree's eyes widened at what her son had just said about the portals. But the mention of the other two young ghosts was far more urgent in her mind, and she readily questioned, "Where are Cujo and Ember, Danny?"

But the Prince shook his head and whimpered, "I don't know."

Desiree's eyes shrouded with worry. But, suddenly, she heard a faint sound, and froze when she realized what it was.

There were two human kids peeking at Danny and her from inside a plastic house built on top of a slide….

She had been so focused on Danny she had not even noticed the two humans until now.

Samantha and Tucker froze when they saw the larger ghost notice them. She was definitely a lot more scary-looking than Danny. For one, her eyes were red! And her skin was green! And then, there were two armored male ghosts with her!

If the kids hadn't screamed yet it was only because they were too scared to do anything.

Right then, Danny noticed his two new friends and he grinned and pointed over at them. "Mommy, look! They are my new friends! They are _good_ humans!"

Sammy and Tucker didn't understand a word of the ghosts' strange language, but seeing Danny smiling and pointing at them, the two began to wonder what it could mean…

"Tucker?" Samantha whispered, though she still didn't move. "I think that Danny's mommy…"

"Well, she doesn't look happy to see us," Tucker replied back with a gulp.

Desiree frowned nervously at the two human kids, barely hearing her son's words. But she then looked around, for any sign of the human parents. If there was one thing the ghost mage believed humans and ghosts shared, it was that they protected their children…

Surprisingly, no one was close enough that Desiree could pinpoint as possibly being the parents of either the little boy or the little girl. In fact, the few people that were in this section of the park were too occupied with their own things to noticed them yet.

Still, Desiree knew the two young human children would not be left unsupervised for too much longer…

"Come, we'll finish this discussion at home. Right now, we need to get back and then find a way to locate Ember and Cujo," Desiree said quietly to her son.

"You know where the portal is to go home?" Danny asked, hopeful.

Desiree nodded. Of course, she also had with her the portal-forming device that Bullet gave her before she left. However, she wasn't about to use it unless absolutely necessary, since she was sure that activating it would definitely get them found out. Besides, she knew Amity Park, and where her husband had hidden the permanent portal here…

However, just as the Queen was about to order the two guards for them to follow, there was a sudden commotion in the distance.

Even Danny, Sam, and Tucker tensed with the inexplicable screams of many of the park-goers.

And then, everything turned into sudden chaos.

Desiree's eyes widened when she finally spotted several large vehicles coming right towards them, their tires ripping through the snow and forcing any park go-er to quickly move out of their way.

But then from above, sudden gusts of wind began to violently sway the trees and pick up any debris around them. The ghost mage didn't need to see the helicopter just above the trees; she could hear it.

"Queen Desiree!" one of the guards suddenly exclaimed as the vehicles finally stopped a yard away and dozens of men jumped out.

But Desiree could do nothing as she watched what she was sure were ghost hunters instantly surround Danny, the two guards, and her...

"Oh, no," Sam whimpered at Tucker, both still inside the plastic house. "Those are my uncle's people!"

But the two human kids were too overwhelmed with the suddenness of all this to do anything but continue to watch…

"Don't move!" Operative K demanded as his men quickly aimed their large guns at the ghosts. But the 'GiW' commander then turned on a communication device in his ear…

"Agent C, it's Operative K… Yes, sir, I am at sector B and both targets in sight—plus two more additional threats. Should we engage, sir?"

"_Yes, you know your orders. I am on my way_," Tom replied before he disconnected his communication with his commander.

Desiree was still frozen with fear and disbelief. How had these ghost hunters found her and Danny so quickly? It was almost as if… they were expecting them.

"_A trap?"_ the ghost mage thought in mounting terror, while unconsciously placing a hand against her abdomen.

She was right, of course. With Tom's lock on Danny's ghost signature, it had been easy for Operative K to find the young ghost. It then had only been a matter of getting into position and waiting for their second target to appear—the ghost mage…

Meanwhile, Danny gripped tighter at his mother, clearly afraid of the men and their threatening devices. He didn't need experience to know that these humans were bad and didn't like ghosts…

"What do they want, Mommy?" the Prince whispered.

Desiree just held him closer, though her body tensed with a different emotion as she stared around at the ghost hunters. She was suddenly vividly aware that these creatures wouldn't hesitate to hurt her son…

And that pushed back her shock and fear…

"We do not want any trouble," Desiree suddenly told the man that was clearly in charge. "Let us be on our way and I promise you will not see us again."

Operative K chuckled darkly as he replied, "You're already in trouble, Ghost Queen…"

Desiree's eyes widened when the man's words only confirmed her suspicions. This _was_ a trap.

"Fine," the ghost mage replied darkly as her eyes narrowed in threat.

Operative K smirked and suddenly snapped his fingers.

Danny jolted in his mother's arms when a loud bam spewed out of all the humans' weapons which suddenly hurled several green nets at him and his mother.

"Mommy!" Danny exclaimed.

But even the ghost guards were stunned by the vast amounts of nets coming at them.

Desiree, however, readily reacted and waved a hand in front of her, releasing a pink mist.

The men gasped when their nets were suddenly changed into harmless pink feathers that fluttered down the ground.

"As I said," the ghost mage said coldly at Operative K. "Let us be on our way. You do not wish to test the extent of my powers…"

Operative K had also been shocked by what the Ghost Queen had done to the ghost nets; but her warning quickly snapped him out of it. And suddenly furious, he glared at the ghost mage before suddenly shouting at his team, "Take down these ghosts. Now!"

The two scared ghost guards finally sprung into actions, now determined to protect their Queen and Prince with their lives if need be. And having their own weapons and using their powers, they attacked the human hunters—too bad that even with their ghost powers, they were completely outnumbered.

Desiree also fired several ectoblasts at the energy beams coming at her and Danny, effectively stopping them mid-way with bright explosions of power.

Still, the ghost mage floated back as she continued to use her energy, knowing she was not getting out of this by force. There were just too many of them.

"Danny, don't let go of me. I'm going to teleport us away," she anxiously told her son as she suddenly created a pink wall of energy and thrust it forward, pushing away several hunters that had been trying to get closer for a surprise attack.

The Prince was now very frightened by the apparent danger. He didn't know why these humans were trying to hurt them! His mother and he had not been doing anything wrong! He didn't understand, but right now he didn't want to. He just suddenly wanted to go home!

But hearing his mother's words, the child nodded and squeezed his eyes shut as he gripped her as tightly as he could.

A second later, Danny felt the effects of teleportation and he snapped his eyes open—only to find out that they were still in the same place, surrounded by the humans who were trying to hurt them!

"Mommy?" Danny asked as he stared up at his mother with alarmed green eyes.

But Desiree's own eyes had broadened in disbelief. Why couldn't she teleport?

However, before she could even try to answer that, a sudden wave of weakness washed over her and she gasped when she almost collapsed to the ground.

And seeing his mother's white hue around her body abruptly dim, Danny all but whimpered, "Mommy, w-what's wrong?"

Desiree didn't answer and instead placed a hand against her spinning head, as for a moment she feared she would pass out—and that would be _very_ bad right now.

But her lack of focus was all the chance the ghost hunters had been waiting for.

In an instant, they fired at her and Danny again.

However, the ghost mage heard the shots and her spinning head cleared with the sudden threat. But still weakened, the ghost mage shouted with fear at the effort it took to encase Danny and herself in a pink dome before they could be hurt.

But the blasts were so strong and so numerous that they sent Desiree to the ground with Danny.

"Mommy!" the child cried out, now on the brink of tears as he watched the human males around them, still trying to break through the only barrier that was keeping them from hurting him and his mother.

Desiree could only stare at her cracking energy-dome with mounting panic. It was about to give way under the continuing assault, and she was too weak to use anymore energy to reinforce it.

They needed help—and fast.

Looking over at Walker's two guards, the ghost mage instantly exclaimed their names in a plea, "Gardisto! Trupo!"

But the two male ghosts were barely holding their own against so many hunters. Yet, upon hearing their Queen's cry for help, the two attacked with even more force, determined to aid the ghost mage.

The two poor guards had no idea that it was part of Walker and Spectra's plans to purposely expose them to their current situation…

Meanwhile, Sammy and Tucker watched the chaos from the plastic house. But even they could tell the ghosts were being beaten back. In fact, Danny and his mother were a few yards in front of them with a glowing barrier keeping them from getting hurt.

"Tucker!" Sam suddenly exclaimed. "We gotta do something! We have to help Danny! Those are my uncle's people, Tucker! They'll hurt him! **They'll kill him!"**

The little boy just stared with wide, fearful eyes at his new friend's predicament. But then, the thought of Danny being killed jolted Tucker and he quickly looked at Sam and nodded his agreement.

The two kids quickly climbed out of their safe haven and jumped onto the snow.

"Come on, we—," Sammy began, only to be cut off by Tucker.

"Sammy!" her friend screamed and then suddenly yanked her to the right.

The two barely managed to dodge the stray energy beam that had unexpectedly come their way. Luckily, the little boy had seen it in time to react.

Sam gasped when she fell on top of Tucker in the snow. But a sudden 'bam' quickly got her attention and her mouth gaped open when she saw the stray blast had just destroyed the plastic house in which they had been seconds ago!

Right then, Danny suddenly cried in fear as his mother's barrier finally disintegrated.

Fangs now drawn out, the ghost mage hissed in both fear and anger as she suddenly began to grow in size, clearly trying to intimidate the hunters, though she continued to grip Danny against her.

And for a brief moment, it actually worked. The men froze at seeing the female ghost double in size and now tower over them.

But the effect didn't last long when another wave of weakness attacked Desiree.

This time, the ghost mage groaned and her illusion vanished, reducing her back to her true size. And the use of her energy again even produced a jolt of pain in her abdomen and core.

She was using up the precious energy her body needed; and since she wasn't in the Ghost World, she had no means of replenishing it.

The Guys-in-White didn't hesitate to take advantage of situation, and they quickly moved closer to their two primary targets. However, they didn't fire anymore. After all, their orders were to capture their targets, not kill them…

But before the hunters could try anything, one of the guards managed to escape from his own battle and quickly flew to the Queen's rescue.

With a growl, he got right in front of Desiree and fired several energy beams at the hunters. Most of them hit their targets; but unfortunately for the guard, for the handful of hunters he took down, twice as many attacked him.

And to his further misfortune, the hunters had no orders against killing him…

"Gardisto!" the other guard exclaimed when he saw his teammate get hit by several beams, sending him to the ground.

But as Trupo flew over to aid him, Operative K aimed his own gun at the second panicked guard and fired.

Desiree gasped when a net wrapped itself around the guard in mid air and dropped him to the ground like an anvil.

However, Operative K quickly whirled around, and reloading in a split second, he captured the first, now injured ghost guard in a second net—just in case.

"Danny," Desiree whispered when the second guard was captured. She discreetly reached into her cloak and grabbed the portal-making device hidden inside it. "When I say, I want you turn invisible and fly straight into the portal."

"B-But I don't know where it is!" Danny whimpered.

"You'll see it," Desiree replied quickly.

However, just as Desiree was going to make her move, Operative K turned his attention to her and approached her and Danny….

"Down go the male guard dogs," Operative K said evilly, pausing a few feet from his true targets. He then raised his own gun at the two ghosts on the ground and added cruelly, "Now it's time to put down their alpha female and her puppy."

"No! Stop! Don't hurt them!"

Everyone jolted and snapped their attention over to the unexpected voice.

Operative K's eyes widened with surprise when a little girl and boy came running over to them and then suddenly stood protectively in front of his two targets.

Clearly not expecting this, all the hunters slightly lowered their guns, feeling odd at having them raised anywhere near these young children…

"Sam? Tuck?" Danny whispered, suddenly feeling hopeful.

But although Desiree was also surprised to see the two humans that had been with her son trying to protect them, she had no time to think about it. They were the distraction that Desiree had needed all along.

Before anyone could react, the ghost mage pulled out the portal-making device, pressed its only button, and threw it into the air.

But it didn't explode like she had expected…

Instead, it dropped back to the ground and with a strange whirling sound, a beam of light suddenly came out of it…

And straight towards her and Danny.

Somehow sensing the beam was dangerous, Desiree gasped and she quickly jolted up out of its way. But to her surprise and horror, the beam from the device followed her every move in an attempt to capture her in its sudden suction!

Panicked, the Queen dodged it again but then shot straight up. She knew there was a helicopter above, but there was more of a chance of escape up there…

Operative K growled at the kids' inopportune entrance, and seeing his two targets fleeing, he quickly barked out several orders, "Operative M, get these kids out of here! The rest of you, stop them! They cannot get away!"

But, ultimately, it wasn't the ghost hunters who finally captured the female ghost...

It was the device on the ground, which was in fact the ghost trap Tom had given to Spectra.

Even as Desiree had reached just past the trees, the ghost trap detected her energy and shot its beam straight at her, this time effectively grabbing her by the tail.

Desiree cried out in fear as a strange force suddenly stopped her from flying away any further. But before she could even look down to see what was keeping her from escaping, the same force yanked her right back down.

The Prince's own scream joined his mother, terrified with the fact that they were dropping back towards the ground where those humans were that wanted to hurt them!

"Cease fire!" Operative K quickly said, finally realizing what was happening. The device the ghost had activated had been a ghost trap. And not just any capturing device, but the latest design the Guy-in-White division possessed. But why did the Queen have it? And why would she even activate it?

Unless… Had she believed it was something else?

Operative K smirked. Whatever the reason, this had just turned the tables further in their favor. The ghost mage was not escaping from the ghost trap, and soon her little son would be joining her… After all, this ghost device captured up to ten free-moving ghosts within a 300 foot radius of it...

So, sure that everything was now under control, the commander stilled his team and watched how the ghost trap did their work for them…

Desiree suddenly slammed into the snow, and Danny accidently rolled out of her arms. The hard landing had left him briefly dizzy. Still, the Prince shook his head and quickly looked over to his mother.

"Danny!" Desiree exclaimed as she drew out her claws and used them to grip at the snow-covered ground in an attempt to keep the ghost trap from pulling her in.

"Fly up!" she screamed at him in Ghost Speech, sounding very panicked. "Fly as fast and as far up as you can! Go, Danny! Now!"

But the Prince was frozen in terror. He didn't understand what was happening to his mother. She was turning transparent, while that weird beam continued to consume her.

But then the ghost device did something else quite unexpected.

Sensing another ghost signature in the vicinity and being able to capture up to ten ghosts at one time, the ghost trap shot a second beam at the child.

"No!" Desiree cried out as the beam struck Danny, who yelped and covered his face.

But to the Queen's relief, the amulet on his neck reacted, protecting him in a pink barrier from the beam.

Too bad her relief was short lived.

Desiree cried in alarm as she was suddenly yanked back some more by the beam that had her in its powerful suction.

"Danny! Get out of here!" the ghost mage exclaimed, not wanting her son to be captured as well.

But seeing his mother slowly disappearing into that device, Danny shook his head; and instead, flew at her, grabbing one of her hands, "No, Mommy! I won't leave you!"

Meanwhile, Sammy and Tucker had been detained by two of the ghost hunters and were being forced away from their ghost friend.

But hearing his cry of alarm for his mother even if she didn't understand what he was saying, Sammy gasped and unexpectedly yanked her arm out of the man's hold.

"Sammy!" Tucker exclaimed as she ran in between several ghost hunters who tried to stop her and failed.

Tucker, fearing from the girl's safety, quickly looked at the man restraining him and kicked him as hard as he could.

"Ow! Hey!" the hunter exclaimed as Tucker also got away and ran after his friend.

Operative K just watched the chaos, though he still seemed very relaxed.

"No!" Danny pleaded as he pulled with all his might against the human device trying to take his mother away.

But it was in vain.

Desiree's eyes had now filled with fearful tears, but they were for Danny. She _needed_ him to escape!

"Little Phantom, please, go! Let me go!" she begged desperately.

"No, Mommy! No! I don't want to leave you!" Danny whimpered as he was pulled in closer and closer to the ghost trap with his mother.

"You have to!" Desiree exclaimed back before she gasped as she was further suctioned in. She didn't have to look back to know her tail was gone now and that the rest of her body was quickly being forced to turn into energy by the beam of light from the trap. She could feel it, most especially in her burning stomach...

Still, she fought against it, knowing that if Danny didn't let her go, he would be pulled in with her, in spite of the amulet.

But the thought of the amulet gave Desiree a sudden desperate idea. And using what little energy she had left, she gathered it in her hand and just barely brushed her fingers against the crystal

The amulet instantly lit up with its pink power, and suddenly the very amulet yanked Danny back, away from his mother.

Unable to struggle against the ghost trap any longer, Desiree squeezed her eyes close as she was finally sucked completely into it.

And seeing his mother disappear into the small cube-like device, the Prince screamed, "MOMMY!"

Danny was about to fly right at the device, all logic gone from his mind. But right then, Sam reached him and threw her arms around him, stopping him from getting any closer to the device.

"No, Danny! It'll hurt you! It's bad!" she exclaimed at him as he struggled to get to his mother.

**"**_**Ne! Mia Panjo! Mia Panjo!"**(7)_ Danny sobbed out, gripping at one of Sam's arms while he reached out with the other towards the device that had taken his mother.

"Sammy!" Tucker suddenly cried out as he finally neared his two friends. "Tell him to go! Tell him to—"

But the little boy was suddenly grabbed by a ghost hunter from behind, quickly restraining him.

Sammy's eyes widened as several men closed in on her and Danny. She quickly looked back at the ghost boy and fearfully said, "Danny, you have to get away! Fly away, Danny! They'll hurt you!"

"_Mia_ _Panjo_!" he whimpered, still fixated on getting his mother back.

"Danny!" Sam was about to insist when she suddenly screamed as she was grabbed and forced away from the ghost boy.

But in her desperate attempt to stay with him, she reached out and grabbed the first thing she could grasp...

His amulet.

Danny yelped as he was yanked towards Sam by the chain.

Luckily for him, no one dared fire at the little ghost with the human girl so close. And they knew better than to try to handle any unpredictable ghost with their bare hands…

But Operative K had enough of the two kids interference, and he quickly commanded, "For the last time, get these brats out of here!"

But Sam refused to let go of Danny; and as a result, the amulet began to pulse a dark pink.

However, at that moment, the still activated ghost device, locked onto Danny's ghost energy again and shot its trapping beam right at him once more…

This time, the amulet sensed the danger and also how it was caught by a second grip.

It reacted in the only way it could to protect the Prince.

Danny cried out in alarm as the chain around his neck broke and the crystal's power threw him several feet away from the beam's reach and from the human hunters.

Sam gasped as the force also sent her on top of the man who had grabbed her and who had lost his own footing with the sudden unknown force as well. In her fall, however, she lost her hold on Danny's amulet and it fell to the ground.

"Sammy!" Tucker shouted, struggling against his captor, fearing the bright pink light had hurt his friend.

But also seeing what had happened and how his other target was now far away enough to escape, Operative K gasped before ordering his men, "Don't just stand there! Fire! Don't let him get away!"

The hunters quickly raced towards the Prince, and Sam gasped when she saw one of them step right on the crystal, instantly crushing it under his foot.

But more worried about Danny, Sam screamed out, **"Danny! Run!"**

The force of the amulet's power had dazed the Prince, but the sound of the little girl's voice jolted him into action. And seeing several humans coming at him with guns ready, he finally took his mother's and human friends' advices.

Danny bolted straight into the air, his mind set on flying as far up as he could.

**"No!"** Operative K exclaimed as he fired at the little ghost, not caring if he hurt him now.

His men also did the same, but Danny just turned intangible and kept on flying, setting his eyes on the clear blue sky just peeking out from the trees.

Meanwhile, Tom had just arrived at the scene merely a moment ago, just in time to see the little ghost clear the trees of the park and his men blindly firing up at him.

"Damn it," he muttered before quickly grabbing a strange-looking gun and jumping out of his car. He quickly ran closer to the scene, but in an open space where he could see the men in the helicopter above attempting to stop the ghost boy from escaping.

But their attempts did nothing while the Prince remained intangible—not to mention, he was moving so fast, he was almost a blur.

There was no way anyone could catch him by this point.

Except that Tom had come prepared for something like this.

Kneeling on one knee, Tom raised the large gun, and closing one of his eyes, he aimed it at the barely visible ghost just about to disappear through the clouds.

He knew he didn't need a perfect hit. He just needed to make it close for the gun, which was really a ghost trap he had designed and programmed specifically to the Prince's energy signature, to detect him….

Just as the Ghost King's son vanished into the clouds, Tom fired and immediately a ray of white light shot out of it and towards the sky.

The Prince didn't even see it coming.

One minute he had dodged the helicopter's gunfire and had vanished into the thick white smoke in the sky, and the next, something really bright engulfed him.

And with nothing to protect him now, Danny screamed as the beam blinded him; and further grabbing him like constricting large hands around his body, it pulled him straight back down.

But as he descended, his body turned a transparent blue and he felt something horrible happening to him—worse than anything that he had ever felt in his life, which included when his aunt had touched him. He didn't know how to explain it, but the force holding him was ripping him apart, dissolving him from the inside out.

As he suddenly screamed for his parents' help and his body continued to be forced to break down into energy, all he could see for a long moment was blinding white. And then, abruptly, there was darkness and he knew no more.

Meanwhile, Sam and Tucker had frozen in horror at the instant they realized Danny had been captured. The bluish-white beam had quickly pulled their new friend out of the sky. And in seconds, they had watched how the sweet little ghost they had met moments ago had vanished into a gun-like device in a new hunter's hand.

Tucker didn't know who the hunter was; but… Sam did.

"NO!" she screamed, getting everyone's attention.

Getting to his feet and putting the smoking gun now holding the Prince inside it on his shoulder, Tom raised a surprised eyebrow at the sight of his niece and another little boy.

What in the world was Samantha doing here?

But before he could react, another shrilled and familiar cry got his attention.

"Sammikins! Oh my goodness!" Pamela cried out as she finally found her child.

"Tucker!" the boy's parents then exclaimed as his mother scooped him up in her arms and his father hovered over him, asking if he was alright.

The parents had been worried sick when they had discovered their children were gone. But as they had frantically searched for them, the sudden commotion from when the ghost hunters had invaded the park, finally led them to the two kids' location. But with so many people—which now included the press—gathering around trying to get a peek at what was going on, the parents had not been able to catch sight of and get to their children until now.

Sam was also grabbed by her father, but she continued to scream, "No, please, don't hurt him! Don't hurt him, Uncle Tom! Please! Let him go! He's good! He's good!"

"Sammy-kins? What's wrong?" Pamela asked worriedly.

But the girl's eyes just filled with tears as she continued to beg her uncle not to hurt her new friend.

Thomas frowned in confusion. But having more important things to do, he silently gestured at his men to wrap things up.

Now angry, Pamela marched over to her brother and snapped, "What is the meaning of this, Thomas? How could you have allowed your men to open fire at a park and around kids? You could have hurt my Samantha!"

"First of all, they're _ghost_ weapons, which means they can't harm people," Tom replied angrily. "And second of all, if you haven't noticed, I'm working. I don't have time for one of your fits, Pamela!"

"But you—" she began again only to be quickly cut off.

"We'll talk at _another_ _time_," Tom hissed out before turning from his sibling and looking over at his commander, "Operative K, bring me the other ghost trap."

Still in her father's arms, Sam sobbed even harder when her uncle walked off with the gun-looking ghost trap that had captured her ghost friend. She quickly looked up at her father and pleaded, "Daddy, tell him to let him go! He's good!"

"Sammy, what are you talking about?" Jeremy asked, at a lost to what was happening. He and the other parents had not seen the ghosts, since they had arrived late. And right now, they were so focused on their kids that they had yet to notice the two trapped ghost guards some yards away…

"Why did you run off, Samantha?" Pamela suddenly asked as she returned to her daughter and husband's side. "You could have been very hurt!"

Meanwhile, Tucker's parents were trying to get him to calm down. The little boy was also now in tears as everything that had just happened caught up with him.

But by now, Tom had returned back to the matter at hand. And having noticed the two tied-up ghost guards, he went over and stopped in front of them.

The head Guy-in-White smirked at the clearly frightened ghosts. One of them was severely injured. In fact, it probably wouldn't survive for much longer. But the other had only a few scraps.

Truth was, his plans had been to capture the King's family, but he had not expected these guards to have come with the Queen. Still, it didn't surprise him and, really, this would definitely serve to add insult to injury…

Tom pulled out a small gun from his back pocket as Operative K came up alongside him with the trap which had captured Desiree.

"Sir, here is the second target," he said, showing his leader the occupied device.

Tom briefly glanced at his commander; but as he gave his subordinate the ghost trap holding the Prince, he told him, "You almost let the first target get away. I am disappointed, Operative K."

The commander cringed before readily replying, "I apologize, sir. The small ghost had some kind of protective magic surrounding him. We couldn't touch him."

"And yet, I had no problem capturing him myself," Tom replied with a frown. But then looking back at the two male ghost guards, he further said, "No matter. What's important is that we have our two targets. As for these two… I suppose I do need a 'messenger boy'…"

Tom aimed his gun at the injured ghost, who trembled in fear. But suddenly thinking it better, he aimed his gun at the healthy one.

"Last time I checked, it only takes _one_ to deliver a message," he remarked with a cruel smirk. And without hesitation, he shot the healthy ghost in his core, instantly killing it.

But hearing the weapon and seeing what her uncle had just done, Sam screamed, capturing everyone's attention—including Tom.

But Tucker echoed her cry of horror when he finally fully understood what was going to happen to his newest friend.

Panicked, Sam slipped out of her father's hold and fell to the ground.

"Samantha!" both of her parents exclaimed as she bolted towards her uncle. Unfortunately, she didn't get far when she suddenly tripped over her dress and fell to the ground.

She tried to get up again, but her mother quickly grabbed her arm stopping her from going anywhere.

"Samantha, what do you think you are doing?" her mom demanded, not letting go of the girl's arm.

"Mommy, please! Don't let him kill Danny!" she sobbed out.

Having enough of all this melodrama, Tom quickly looked at Operative K and angrily commanded, "Get all these bystanders out of here. Now!"

"Yes, sir."

"Team Delta," Operative K called to his men. "Let's wrap this up! Agent C wants all these civilians out of here, including the press!"

But deciding to personally deal with his leader's family, Operative K went over to the Mansons and the other family with them. However, the ghost hunter suddenly paused as he noticed a strange blue glowing amulet just a few feet from the little girl.

And following his gaze, Samantha's eyes widened when she, too, noticed Danny's crystal amulet in the snow in front of her. But what was this? She had seen how it had been crushed by one of the hunters! But now, it was back together, like nothing happened to it!

On sudden impulse, Samantha used her weight to pull against her mom's hold. And not prepared for it, Pamela gasped as she stumbled forward. But even when she didn't let go of her daughter, the few steps forward had been enough for Samantha to reach out to the amulet and grab it before the ghost hunter who had noticed it could react himself.

"Hey!" Operative K protested when he saw the girl hide the amulet inside her dress.

But knowing that attempting to take the amulet from the little girl would probably get him in trouble with the parents, he growled and harshly told the Manson and Foley parents, "This is a dangerous area! Be on your way!"

And having finally seen the two tied ghosts after Tom had shot one, the parents didn't need to be told twice.

"Fine, we do not wish to be anywhere near those horrid creatures that you have there anyways," Pamela replied with huff.

But when she picked up her daughter, Sam became desperate again, knowing she was going to be forced to leave her new friend to his luck…

Just like the boy in the circus!

"No! Mommy, please! Danny! I have to save Danny!" she cried out.

But even when Tucker joined her pleading, the parents didn't listen and they soon left with their crying kids.

Meanwhile, Tom had ignored the two screaming kids again and knelt down beside the injured ghost. With a knife, the hunter didn't hesitate to cut away the net.

But the guard could barely move from how injured it was. Still, Tom grabbed it by the neck and yanked him closer to him as he darkly said to the guard, "I'm not going to kill you because I want you to deliver a message to your King. You tell him that he has until tonight to _come alone_ and turn himself in; or else I will be ripping out his wench's and spawn's cores and keeping them as trophies."

The ghost guard gasped in horror, but quickly nodded in understanding.

Tom released his hold on him after a brief moment, and the guard readily forced his injured body to take to the sky, while using all his energy to return to the permanent portal he had come from. He had to get to his King!

Tom watched the ghost go with a satisfied smile before looking at Operative K who had come up alongside him again. This time, Thomas extended his hand and took back the ghost traps from his commander.

The leader of the 'GiW' then told his subordinate, "Operative K, I want a few of your men to stay behind to keep an eye out here. We should be having _a lot_ of company very shortly, and we must be prepared…"

"Yes, sir," Operative K replied.

And as the commander gave out the required orders, Tom turned his attention to the ghost traps and slipped the one holding the Queen into his pocket. But then raising the gun-like trap holding the Prince, he quickly pressed a few buttons on the side of the device. With a sudden hiss, the gun soon released a similar cubic ghost trap from its underside.

Tom only briefly studied the occupied trap before also putting it into his pocket.

"It's time to return to Axion," Thomas said mostly to himself before walking off towards his car.

Operative K watched him go for a brief moment as he debated whether or not he should mention the strange amulet to his leader. But then remembering that all ghost items eventually dissolved out of existence once they were out of the Ghost World and out of ghostly hands, he tossed the idea aside.

Then, the commander was completely distracted from any further thoughts about the amulet when he saw that his men were still a bit distracted as well. He firmly gave them the orders to wrap things up before he hurried to catch up with his leader just as his thoughts then drifted to other matters.

"What's next, sir?" he asked, instead.

Tom smirked darkly. "The best part, Operative K. The best part…"

* * *

****

***Vlad muse smirks evilly and vanishes***

Translations:

**1. Stop it! That hurts!**

**2. You are not going to hurt me anymore?**

**3. No!**

**4. I never said you could touch me! You have to ask, first!**

**5. I from ghost world. My friends go in portal. They were everywhere! They pulled them in! I tried to help them, but I could not! One pulled me, too, but my mother's amulet saved me!"**

**6. Warm**

**7. No! My mommy! My mommy!**


	33. Chapter 31: Shattered Innocence

**Man, I love you guys so much. I say that 'cause I had a car accident with my family on Sunday night. (Don't worry, though, thanks to God we are all fine, for the most part.) And in spite of being in pain at the moment, I'm thinking about you guys and updating. Then again, updating also gives me something to distract me from my aching body. So, we all win! Heh-heh!**

**Anyways, on to the story. I have to things to say before I let you all start reading.**

**First, I do not know Esperanto, I am using translators for this story. And it has come to my attention, thanks to Chrizzie1 that the correct translation for 'no' is 'ne'; not 'nienu' as I originally had it. I went ahead and fixed that in the previous chapters, and I will be using a better translator from here on out in hopes of avoiding such a mistake again. But I wanted to give you guys a heads up, so you won't be confused in this chapter when you see the word 'ne' instead of 'nienu'. Kay? Sorry about that.**

**Second thing, I am going to do something for this chapter that I have never done for any other chapters in any of my stories. Here it is:**

_**Warning: this chapter contains very dark and troubling scenes involving children. It's not for the faint-hearted, so read at your own risk. **_

**That being said, this was a very hard chapter for me to write because it really pushed my comfort zone. Still, I think it came out as it needed to be. And it's a very important and emotional chapter. So, approach with caution, but I hope most of you like it. See you all at the bottom. It's very long!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU storyline is my own. **

* * *

**Chapter 31: Shattered Innocence**

* * *

Back in the Ghost World, Vlad was still with Horris, unaware of what had happened to his wife and son.

"He has not woken up yet?" Skulker asked quietly as he entered Horris' bedroom, seeing that Plasmius and Juukka were at the Head Ancient's bedside.

Vlad glanced at the hunter and quietly shook his head.

Skulker sighed before moving behind his friend and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Plasmius, you've been sitting here for over an hour… Perhaps you should go home now. Kuracisto said Horris is stable. He _will_ recover. And, besides, I'm sure Desiree is anxious to know about Horris."

Vlad gently placed a hand on his childhood guardian's head as he quietly watched him for another moment. But then he finally answered his friend, muttering, "I know, Skulker. But I can't leave. Not until he wakes up—Not until I see with my own eyes that he's alright..."

Skulker sighed, but still nodded in understanding, even if the King wasn't looking at him. After all, the hunter knew how much the Ancient meant to his friend.

Right then, Walker came in and briefly glanced at the unconscious Horris before suddenly telling the King, "Kuracisto just left. He said he had another emergency, but that he would return in a few hours to check Horris' progress…"

Vlad nodded in acknowledgement, but he didn't look at the ghost sheriff. Instead, he watched how Juukka, who was on the other side of Horris bed, sat back on his hind legs and then rested his head on top of the Ancient's arm before purring softly.

But, unexpectedly, Horris' other hand slowly rose up and then rested on top of Juukka's head.

The wolf-like ghost's ears instantly perked up, while Vlad tensed in anticipation and quietly called to the Ancient.

"Horris?"

The Ancient's eyes finally opened and he glanced in confusion at Juukka and then at Vlad. However, the old ghost's red hazed eyes stayed on the King; and when they soon cleared, he smiled tiredly at the younger ghost…

"Child… you look troubled," he said softly.

Plasmius grabbed one of Horris' hands and smiled in relief as he replied, "I'm alright now that you're awake."

Horris sighed before groaning and raising his other hand to his aching head. "What happened to me? I had been ill since last night, but when I woke up this morning… It's quite a blur… But I do remember falling on my way to the washroom…"

The Ancient paused in thought before curiously asking the King. "Did I trip somehow? You know my eyes are not what they use to be…"

Everyone except for Walker chuckled at the comment. Instead, the sheriff just quietly watched Horris as an evil smirk ghosted past his lips.

"No, Horris," Vlad said with another chuckle. "You didn't trip. But according to Juukka, you did faint…"

Horris turned his eyes to his companion and friend, and seeing Juukka's ears press back as he whined worriedly at him, the Ancient smiled and patted the wolf-like ghost's snout.

"Now, Now, I'm alright," Horris assured him. "It will take more than a mere fainting spell to do away with me."

"Horris…," Vlad said seriously, gaining his childhood guardian's attention. "It wasn't a mere fainting spell. You got food poisoning… You ate something that made you terribly sick."

The old ghost frowned in confusion. But then he smiled calmly and closed his eyes as he muttered, "Oh… Well, at least it tasted good…"

Vlad shook his head helplessly with the Ancient's disregard to the seriousness of what had happened to him. And yet, the King couldn't completely keep off the amused smile on his face.

Skulker and Juukka, on the other hand, grinned openly. Horris was such an odd ghost. But his ability to take things so calmly was one of his many virtues. And hearing him cracking jokes just minutes after waking really brought everyone relief and eased the tension in the room tremendously.

It took some time, but Vlad finally got Horris to settle down again and get some much needed rest.

The King didn't question him about what he ate or what had happened, nor did he mention Kuracisto's suspicions of his illness being due to the blood blossoms the Ancient had ingested last night. No, all that could be addressed when Horris was a bit more recuperated. Still, Vlad promised his guardian to return tonight with his wife and son to see how he was doing….

Once they had all exited Horris' bedroom to let him rest, Vlad told the wolf-like ghost, "Juukka, I'll be back later. I have to return home now. Desiree is probably worried about Horris, especially since I've been gone for so long without sending her word."

Juukka nodded before throwing his arms around the King and purring.

Vlad returned the hug and patted the wolf-like ghost on the head. "Take care of him for me, alright?" the King asked once they parted.

Juukka purred again and nodded.

Right then, however, there was a knock on Horris' front door.

Walker frowned before moving to open it, and found the rest of the Ancients had arrived.

"What has happened to Horris? Is he alright?" one of them, a female, asked with heavy concern in her voice.

As he let them in, the sheriff quickly explained everything to them. However, when the Ancients saw the King was present, they turned their attention to him.

"My King," the woman that had been talking for her group said, bowing slightly before continuing, "We just got news of this unfortunate occurrence. Is it true what Warden Walker has informed us? Is Horris out of danger now?"

"Yes, he is better now. However, I recommend you let him rest. At least until Kuracisto returns," Vlad replied. But then he raised a curious eyebrow as he asked, "And who alerted you of all this?"

"Clockwork," another Ancient, a male, this time replied. "We asked him to inform the Observants as well. They should be here shortly."

"Hmm," the King replied with a nod. "Well, I must go. My Queen is most certainly awaiting my return," he explained.

"I'll be leaving with you as well," Walker suddenly said. "Although I left Bullet in charge of the prison and I know he can handle it, I do not like leaving my duties unattended for too long. I need to get back."

Plasmius nodded before looking over at Skulker. "Are you coming?"

The hunter just nodded. He certainly wasn't about to stay here with this gathering crowd. Besides, he wanted to go see his niece. Since his sister lived so far away, the hunter always used his niece's visits with the Prince to his own advantage.

"Please call for me if anything changes," Vlad finally said to Juukka, who nodded.

And, at last, saying their goodbyes to the Ancients, the King, Skulker, and Walker left Horris' home.

However, just minutes after they left the abode, they ran into the Observants and Clockwork.

The King paused his flight to speak with them and inform them of everything he knew.

Meanwhile, the time ghost stared coldly at Walker, who tensed when he noticed Clockwork's look.

However, the warden relaxed again when he reminded himself that Clockwork had his hands tied. It was obvious he wanted to rat him out, but he didn't. Probably because he feared altering the time stream. It was pitiful, really. With all the power Clockwork possessed, the ghost wasted it on protecting time for those foolish Observants…

However, Walker didn't see that Skulker had noticed Clockwork's cold look. And the hunter readily frowned in confusion. What had Walker done to make Clockwork so upset with him? The time ghost was usually very calm and collected, so for him to be right out upset… It was very odd….

As that moment, Vlad finished speaking with the Observants and glanced at Clockwork, only to frown at his quiet demeanor.

"Clockwork? Is everything alright?" the King asked, concerned.

The time ghost turned his eyes to Plasmius and nodded. "Yes… Everything is as it should be…"

Vlad raised an eyebrow at his choice of words, but he then disregarded it all together. They all said their goodbyes and parted ways.

Skulker and Walker flew alongside their King as they headed back. But as Skulker and Walker engaged in a conversation about what had happened to Horris, Vlad fell silent, though his hand unconsciously came up to touch his symbol.

Why was he still worried and upset?

Horris was going to be just fine now, so why did he have this… bad feeling inside his core?

Perhaps after he talked with his wife about what had happened, he would feel better…

And speaking of Desiree…

Vlad frowned as he glanced over at Walker. He still had to talk with her about that problem she had with the warden that she had yet to tell him about—and promised to do so today. But first… there was another problem he needed to resolve—if only for his wife's sake…

"Walker," Plasmius suddenly called to him, interrupting Skulker and the sheriff's conversation. "How have Spectra and Bertrand been behaving?"

The sheriff blinked in surprise, but then he quickly answered, "I haven't had any problem with them in the two weeks they have been in the prison…"

Plasmius nodded and fell quiet. If it was up to him, he'd leave that witch and her little helper locked inside a cell for the rest of their lives… But, even if Desiree had asked him to do as he thought best, Vlad knew she was saddened by her sister's imprisonment. In fact, in the two weeks that had passed since their talk in the palace's garden, his wife seemed reluctant to speak about Spectra.

Vlad had a feeling his wife wasn't telling him something. But, he could only conclude that she was upset with everything that had happened. So, he had not even touched on the topic of Spectra since then.

Still…he couldn't keep his wife's sibling locked up forever…

"When we return to the prison, I would like to speak with her and Bertrand," Vlad informed Walker.

Skulker frowned but then just sighed and said nothing.

Walker, on the other hand, looked intrigued by the King's interest in speaking with the female shadow ghost. But knowing better than to question him, the sheriff just replied, "As you wish, King Plasmius…"

Having taken the floating door that provided a short-cut between the prison and the Realm Beyond Time, it took the three males ghosts about an hour to finally reach the prison. The first thing they noticed was how there were no guards at the front.

But seeing Walker think nothing of it, Skulker and Vlad didn't question it, since the sheriff had mentioned he had left Bullet in charge in his absence. So, perhaps, the guards were busy helping Bullet with the prison's duties.

In reality, Bullet was inside the prison gathering a team of Walker's guards at the east side, already anticipating the King's decision once he found out about the Prince and Queen.

Dora, on the other hand, had gone to Wulf's abode. Being that the werewolf ghost lived much closer to the prison than Horris did, the dragon maid knew it would take less time to alert Wulf of what was happening and then let him make a direct portal to the Realm Beyond Time rather than go straight there herself to alert the King and Skulker.

Of course, now that Vlad was back, there was no need to go to the Ream Beyond Time—something Wulf and Dora would be finding out soon enough…

The King and the two accompanying him soon entered the jail; and as Vlad and Walker turned towards the cell area, which was on the west side of the jail, Skulker suddenly halted.

"I'll wait here …," the hunter told his friend.

Vlad hesitated, but then he nodded and continued on. When they finally reached the cell holding the shadow ghost, Vlad quickly spotted her sitting on her jail bed, filing her claws. Bertrand, on the other hand, was in his own cell, staring sullenly out the small barred window.

Walker cleared his throat, getting the two imprisoned ghosts' attention.

Spectra blinked in astonishment at the sight of Plasmius. Well, this was an unexpected, though pleasant surprise.

"Vlad?" she asked curiously, getting off her bed and floating closer to the cell bars. "What are you doing here?"

Plasmius didn't reply right away. Instead, he walked closer to the female's cell until he was about a foot from it. He then seriously said, "I want you to know that if it wasn't for Desiree, I would not even be here, let alone contemplate the idea of releasing you."

Spectra sighed. And deciding it was in her best interest to act submissive, she soberly replied, "Look, Vlad. I get it, alright? I messed up. I've been careless and even selfish. But I promise you. I would never harm Danny on purpose. And as for what happened at the castle… I shouldn't have tried to come between you and Desiree. So, for that, I'm sorry."

The King considered her words for a moment; and although he didn't fully believe them, he couldn't ignore the female ghost's apology.

"I hope you mean your words, Spectra, because if you hurt my son or wife in any way again, I will show you no mercy," Vlad warned her gravely.

Spectra had to hold back a grin; and instead sullenly nodded. So, Desiree had not told Vlad about their 'sisterly confrontation', after all. Otherwise, the female ghost was sure Vlad wouldn't be here. But, really, it didn't surprise Spectra that her sister had not opened her mouth. After all, it would have also meant telling her husband about what happened to her with Pariah…

"_Oh, Desiree… You are so pathetic I almost pity you,"_ the shadow ghost thought wickedly._ "You should have opened your mouth while you had the chance… Now, it's too late… I can only hope Tommy makes you and my bratty nephew suffer before killing you both… With you two out of the way, I'll have Vlad begging me to be with him…And I'll finally have the royal position I rightfully deserve!" _

Spectra snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Walker come forward and pull out his keys to let her out. However, as he did, the sheriff discreetly shot her an amused smirk, though he said nothing.

Meanwhile, Plasmius looked over at Bertrand, clearly trying to decide whether or not to release him, too.

The shape-shifter just smiled nervously back at his impassive King.

Vlad suddenly rolled his eyes before muttering, "I suppose you can let him go, too, Walker." But narrowing his eyes a bit at the imprisoned male ghost, the King added, "The same warning extends to you, Bertrand. In fact, I do not want you anywhere near my son again."

The shifter readily nodded, and replied, "Yes, my King. You are quite noble."

"Yes, he really is," Spectra agreed as she floated out of the cell and smiled at her sister's husband. "Thanks, Vlad. It would've been very upsetting to have to spend Christmas in here."

"Yes, I realized that, too," Plasmius replied before suddenly turning around and floating off. However, he then paused and glanced back at Walker and said, "Warden, thank you for your help. I appreciate your quick action of alerting me about Horris."

"Of course, King Plasmius," Walker replied calmly.

Vlad nodded, only to freeze when he heard a sudden commotion coming from just outside the jail hall.

"What in the world?" the King muttered before quickly heading to investigate the problem.

Walker and Spectra shared a cunning grin behind Vlad's back before following after him.

Everyone ignored Bertrand's protest of 'What about me?'

* * *

In the time Vlad had been talking to Spectra, Dora and Wulf had gotten to Horris' abode. But they had been readily informed by the Observants and Ancients, whom were still there, that the King, Skulker, and Walker had already left.

Of course, they had noticed the dragon maid and the werewolf ghost's urgency. And Dora had had no choice but to tell the Ancients, Observants, and Clockwork about what had happened.

As a result, two of the Observants and one of the Ancients who went by the name of Serenity, had returned with Dora and Wulf to the prison via a portal the werewolf ghost quickly made.

And during those anxious moments, no one had really questioned Clockwork's surprising decision to stay at Horris' abode.

Finally, the portal opened right above the prison and everyone readily headed in, searching for the King. However, they first found Skulker.

But at that same time, Bullet, who had ordered the guards to wait outside the east side of the prison for further instructions, had been on his way to see Spectra, only to also run into everyone.

The commotion Plasmius had heard was indeed the sudden gathering of these ghosts …

The instant he opened the door and walked out of the cell hall, Vlad's eyes widened at the sight of all the alarmed ghosts.

"What's going on?" Plasmius quickly asked, getting everyone's attention.

The room silenced and the ghosts all looked at each other, as if trying to decide who should break the news to the King.

Dora finally sighed and floated closer to Vlad as she quietly said, "Oh, milord. Something tragic has befallen us! Milady and the Prince…" But the dragon maid couldn't finish and she covered her mouth to keep in a sob.

Plasmius felt his core sink with dread, but he then quickly looked at his friend and tentatively asked, "Skulker?"

And having already been told the news, the hunter sighed and fearfully replied, "Vlad, your wife and son are in the Human World."

The King just stared back at his friend, as if he had not heard him.

Right then, Walker and Spectra had joined the group. And having heard everything, the two reacted.

"No!" Spectra gasped out in horror.

"How is that possible, Bullet?" Walker readily demanded, turning his attention to his top guard.

But before his head guard could reply, Vlad suddenly exhaled sharply; and shaking his head, he muttered mostly to himself, "No…T-That's not possible. Why would they go there?"

"Indeed. How could this have happened?" the female Ancient added, sounding very troubled.

"Milady went after the Prince and the young Ember!" Dora answered in between her crying.

Bullet finally spoke up and elaborated, "I-I don't know why the Prince would go into the portal, but he did before I could stop him! He, his friend, and his companion went through the portal leading to Amity Park! And when the Queen found out, she readily went after them."

Walker suddenly growled and demanded, "And where the hell were you? You are in charge of guarding that portal!"

"You left me in charge of the jail! I had to split my attention to both!"

But Skulker quickly interrupted them, suddenly very angry at Bullet himself. "And why didn't you come get us the instant this happened?" the hunter demanded.

But one of the Observants readily added, "And why would you permit Queen Desiree to go out there alone?"

"I-I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen!" the head guard quickly defended himself. "So, all I could do was send Trupo and Gardisto with her!"

Dora jumped in, answering Skulker's question, "Milady left about a half-hour ago, Skulker. But you know the Realm Beyond Time is at least an hour from here, so I had to seek out Wulf."

Meanwhile, as everyone continued to talk about situation or argue because of the severity of it, Vlad just stood there, almost dazed. He could hear everything everyone was saying, but it all seemed surreal. Why would his son go to the Human World? It just couldn't be. Daniel knew how dangerous it was, so it made no sense to the father that his son would go out there! And Desiree… she had gone after their son…?

"_No…," _he thought in denial, and his eyes closed to keep calm. "_I left them at the castle. They were there… Daniel was asleep; and Desiree…" _

But his distressed thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shout.

"Help! Someone help us!"

* * *

Lydia and Ghostwriter had been at their home when they had felt their daughter's sudden 'distress call.' And feeling how scared she was, the couple had taken off to her aid, following their link.

However, Lydia and Ghostwriter were hours away, which had the father close to panicking and the mother in hysterics.

It had not helped matters when Ember's distress call suddenly vanished and they just as quickly couldn't feel their link with her anymore.

But sure something very serious was going on, the couple only flew faster, heading towards the place they had last felt her—which had been near Walker's prison.

It wasn't until now, hours after they had last felt their daughter's cry for help, that they arrived at the prison.

Exhausted from their quick and long flight, the couple searched the immediate area, calling to their daughter.

But they got no response.

Lydia was now in tears, and Ghostwriter could barely comfort his wife when he was now panicking, too.

They soon decided to go to the prison in hopes that their daughter was there, or that at least someone in there knew something about her. But before they could, a weak voice behind them got their attention.

"Help…"

The couple spun around and gasped at the sight of a severely injured guard.

"Oh my gosh," Lydia whispered, but then she and her husband readily reacted.

And seeing that the ghost guard was barely able to keep himself afloat, Ghost Writer rushed to his aid before propping him up under one of his shoulders.

"Come on, Lydia. We have to get him help," Ghostwriter said urgently.

Lydia nodded, and the couple quickly flew to the prison. They had no trouble finding that help thanks to all the commotion the gathered group of ghosts were making…

Everyone's attention instantly went to Lydia and Ghostwriter with the call for help by the former.

But what had them all shocked and horrified was that Ghostwriter was now carrying an injured guard in his arms.

"We found him outside the jail's entrance!" Ghostwriter explained.

Vlad tensed even more; though a sudden feeling of panic slowly began to swell inside him, now sure that the world was crumbling around him.

Walker, on the other hand, immediately pushed past the crowd and went to his guard's aid.

As Ghostwriter and he slowly set him down on the ground, Lydia floated over to her brother and hysterically asked, "Skulker, have you seen Ember? I felt her call to me, but now I can't feel her anymore! She's in danger, Skulker! My daughter is in trouble and I don't know where she is!"

"Lydia… Ember ventured into the Human Word with… the Prince and Cujo," Skulker said quietly.

Lydia cried out in fear, and her brother readily held her as she began to sob. Meanwhile, Ghostwriter had gasped at the news of his daughter's location.

"No, she cannot be out there!" the father exclaimed in horror as he quickly went to his wife and Skulker's side.

But hearing Ghostwriter and Lydia's own distress for their daughter finally seemed to do it for Vlad.

With sudden desperation, the King quickly moved over to the injured guard and dropped to his knees beside him.

"Gardisto," Vlad whispered, grabbing the ghost's bleeding face. "W-What happened? D-Do you know where my wife and son are? Please, answer me! Tell me they are safe! Gardisto, please!"

But when the guard opened his mouth to speak, he choked on the green blood oozing out of his mouth. Still, he somehow managed to answer his King, "I-I tried… protect them… Too many… h-hunters."

"Hunters?" Vlad choked out. "No…No! Don't tell me that! Gardisto, don't say that to me!"

"Killed Trupo… Have Queen… the Prince. Captured…" the ghost guard coughed out.

Plasmius began to shake, and hearing Spectra suddenly cry out in horror didn't help matters.

"No!" she wept, and Wulf, who was closest to her, placed a paw on the shadow ghost's shoulder, trying to comfort her—though his own flattened ears and distressed look was just as evident.

But the fact was that everyone was equally terrified upon hearing about the Queen and Prince's capture.

But when Gardisto continued, the news just got worse…

"Message… tonight… alone… their cores… will kill them… T-The king… alone… I-I…I'm…sorry…"

Walker's eyes widened as he saw his guard fading fast and quickly looking at Bullet, he ordered, "Go find the medic! Now!"

But it was too late.

Vlad slowly let go of Gardisto's face as his eyes rolled back and he died.

"No, damn it! No!" Walker growled out, placing his hand on his guard's core in some vain hope that he was still alive. This was not part of the plan! His guards were not supposed to be killed!

The Observants and female Ancient stared gravely at each other, knowing this was the worst thing that could have happened to the Kingdom. And the worse of it was that they didn't know what to do…

Meanwhile, Lydia only cried harder in her husband's arms, while Dora leaned up against a wall and began to weep just as hard.

But although Skulker was concerned for his fiancé, he was a lot more worried about his friend.

"Vlad," he called to him as he squatted down next to the King, who was still on his knees, though now his shaking hands were fisted to his sides in a mixture of anger and fear.

But the sight of Skulker seemed to push Plasmius' emotions to another level and his body only shook more as he whispered to his friend, "Oh, God, Skulker… Not them… Not my wife and son… No… They'll hurt them… They'll…"

The King suddenly scrambled to his feet, though he swayed a bit, dizzy with his building panic.

"Wait, Plasmius!" Skulker quickly exclaimed, getting to his own feet when he saw his friend leaving.

And grabbing his arm, the hunter whirled his friend around and seriously said, "Vlad, wait. You cannot go out there."

"Let me go, Skulker! I have to save them!" Vlad exclaimed in a panic.

"No!" Skulker growled back. "Don't you see what this is? It's a trap! If you go out there, they'll kill you!"

"I don't care!" Vlad hissed back. "I won't let them hurt my wife and son! I won't let them kill them!"

"King Plasmius," Serenity interjected. "You must calm down. Placing yourself in danger will not help your family. Quite the contrary."

"Yes," one the Observants added. "We need to approach this with level heads."

The other Observant readily added, "We should gather the council, and then…"

"What?" Ghostwriter interrupted, now outraged. "You want to have a _meeting_ about this? This is a matter of life and death! We must act now!"

Plasmius ignored the arguing ghosts and stalked off, only to be readily stopped again.

Suddenly desperate, Skulker grabbed his friend by the shoulders and said, "Plasmius, you need to think! Serenity is right. You can't just go out there! If you want to save them, you need to think this through! You don't even know _which_ hunters have them or _where_ they have them!"

Vlad's own desperation seemed to return as he all but whimpered, "I have to save them. I rather die than to lose them!"

"I know that. I'm not asking you to not go after them, but I am asking you to _think!_ You can outsmart these humans, Plasmius, but you need to calm down and use your head!" Skulker insisted.

But before Vlad could reply, Spectra suddenly came up to them, and all put pushed Skulker out of the way as she grabbed Vlad's hands and cried out, "Oh, Vlad! You have to do something! You have to save my sister and nephew! They'll be killed! They'll be killed! Please don't let them die!"

Spectra dropped to the ground in front of Plasmius as she continued to cry and scream, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry about all I've done! But, please, please! Bring them back! Desiree and Danny are all I have! Please!"

Vlad had never seen Spectra go into such hysterics before, and he couldn't help but pity her at the moment.

Somehow, that finally got the King to focus. There was a bigger picture. His family wasn't the only one in danger; so were Ghostwriter's daughter and even Cujo. But also… if he let these hunters use his family to trap him, the whole Ghost World would be in peril.

Regaining his composure, the King gently grabbed the shadow ghost's arms and raised her back up. "Calm down, Spectra. I'll get them back," he whispered before letting her go and turning to face everyone else.

"Enough," he said firmly, instantly silencing the arguing ghosts.

There was a tense silence as the King regarded everyone. But then he finally spoke up, "You will forgive me, but I do not want the entire council to learn about this just yet. The last thing we need is to create further chaos or panic." He paused before looking at Serenity and asking, "Does Horris know about this?"

The female Ancient shook her head and answered, "Due to his delicate condition, we felt it was best not to tell him."

Vlad nodded. "Make sure it stays that way." But then looking at Walker, he then ordered, "Warden, I need about ten of your tops guards. And I also need someone to send word to Fright Knight. I need him here at once."

Wulf quickly spoke up and said, "I can get him immediately."

"Please," Vlad said, though a bit of his underlying desperation came out again when he looked at the werewolf ghost.

Unable to create portals within the ghost-proof prison, Wulf walked out, unsheathing his claws as he left.

However, Bullet then spoke up and informed Vlad, "I anticipated you would need reinforcements, my King. So, I took the liberty of gathering a strong group of experienced guards. They are just outside, awaiting further instruction from you."

"Good job, Bullet," Walker praised, but then ordered, "Go gather the ten best and get them ready."

The sheriff's right-hand ghost nodded and left to do as he was told.

"King Plasmius," one of the Observants then said, taking a step forward. "I must insist that you do not go out there. If you get captured or… killed…"

"This isn't some political matter that's up for debate," Vlad interrupted, suddenly angry, "Ghostwriter is right. This is a matter of life and death. It's _my wife and child_ who are in the hands of some ruthless _ghost hunters_!"

"I understand, King Plasmius," the second Observant began again, only to also be cut off.

"No, you _don't _understand!" Vlad hissed back. "You have _no idea_ what this means, let alone how I feel right now! And I am done arguing about this! I've already wasted enough time!"

"King Plasmius," Serenity quickly interjected. But when she saw the father narrow his eyes at her, she sighed in resignation and said, "Please be careful."

Plasmius didn't reply and just turned and left. But as he turned the hallway that led to the prison's exit, he was stopped once more, this time by Ghostwriter, who had followed after him—along with Lydia and Skulker.

"King Plasmius," the bespectacled ghost called gravely.

Vlad's sober look melded into a mixture of sadness and compassion as Ghostwriter told him, "My daughter is out there, too. I have to find her."

"I know," Vlad answered, not about to deny the other father the right to save his child, who was probably as much in danger as his son. He could only hope the girl ghost had not been found by hunters yet…

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," the King continued. "You left your daughter in our care and…"

"No one could have foreseen this," the other father replied, showing he didn't blame the royal couple.

But Plasmius' eyebrows creased with those few words… No… there was _one_ ghost who must have foreseen this… Where was Clockwork…?

A mixture of more emotions swelled inside the King, but he pushed them back for now. He was wasting time.

"Take a few guards with you, Ghostwriter. Do what you must. All I can ask you is to be careful," Vlad said soberly, placing a hand on Ghostwriter's shoulder.

The male ghost nodded just as Lydia floated over to him, looking as determined to save her daughter. "I'm going with you," she said.

But Skulker readily frowned at his sister. "You cannot go out there, Lydia."

She smiled sadly at her brother and replied, "I have to bring my little Ember home, and I will not let my husband risk his life alone."

"And I don't want you to risk you life, either, Lydia," Ghostwriter said, clearly not wanting her to go.

"It's pointless to argue about this, dear. You will not change my mind. I will be going with you," the female ghost replied.

Ghostwriter still looked uncertain, but he soberly nodded.

Skulker, on the other hand, sighed in surrender before pulling his sister into a hug and telling her, "Be careful."

She nodded before she and Ghostwriter left.

Vlad watched them go for a moment before looking at his friend and suddenly telling him, "I want you to go with them."

Skulker jolted but then he looked torn as he asked, "What about you? I'm not letting you go out there alone, Plasmius!"

"I will be going with Fright Knight and Wulf. Your sister and niece need you, Skulker."

And knowing it was true, the hunter sighed deeply before quietly asking, "What are you going to do?"

Vlad stared sullenly at his friend, and knowing they were momentarily alone, he softly admitted, "I'm going to give them what they want."

"What?" Skulker gasped out.

But before the hunter could say anymore, the King continued, "You're right, Skulker. This is a trap. This is a trap for the Ghost King, and therefore, he can't save his wife and son… But, maybe someone else can…"

Skulker finally seemed to understand and placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he told him, "Just come back, Vlad."

But the King didn't reply. Instead, he said, "Don't forget to take a few of Walker's guards with you, in case you three run into trouble."

The hunter's eyebrows creased in worry, but knowing there was nothing he could do, he nodded and lowered his hand from his friend's shoulder and went after his sister and brother-in-law.

However, Dora and Walker suddenly turned the corner at that moment, and seeing the hunter leaving, the dragon maid quickly asked, "Where are you going, Skulker?"

The hunter walked over to his soon-to-be-wife and grabbing her hands, he told her, "I need to go with my sister. She and Ghostwriter don't have a lot of experience with humans. So, it's best I go with them."

Dora soberly nodded and replied, "Please be safe, my sweet warrior."

Skulker kissed one of her hands before replying, "Don't worry, Dora. I'll be fine."

And with that, Skulker left—but not before glancing one last time at Vlad.

There was a few seconds of silence before Vlad suddenly told the dragon maid, "Dora, I want you to return to the castle in case anyone shows up asking for Desiree or me. But please, not a word to anyone about this. Tell them anything but the truth."

Dora nodded. "Yes, milord… Please be safe, too. And… bring back milady and the Prince."

Vlad smiled sadly and nodded before Dora finally left.

"My King," Walker suddenly called. And getting his attention, the sheriff continued, "Perhaps I should go with you..."

But Plasmius shook his head. "No… Stay here." Vlad then turned to leave. But then he paused and looked back at Walker and added, "Warden… if I do not return… Tell the Observants they can inform the council, then…"

Walker soberly nodded his reply.

With a sigh, Vlad finally headed out, but as he did, a set of black rings passed over him and his ghostly form changed into a fully-clothed and vampire-looking appearance, which included his black hair curving up into spikes.

Once outside of the jail, he found Bullet talking with the ten guards that would be going with him. But glancing to his left, he saw Skulker, Lydia, and Ghostwriter gathered with three other guards.

The hunter smiled weakly at Plasmius before he turned his attention to the other ghosts with him and nodded at them.

Vlad sadly watched as they flew off towards the permanent portal in the distance.

However, at that moment, a sudden portal opened a few yards away and Wulf stepped out of it with Fright Knight. And by the troubled look on the ghost knight's face, the werewolf ghost had already told them of what had happened.

"I am at your services, my liege," Fright Knight quickly said.

Vlad nodded at them. He knew the hunters wanted him to come alone; but doing so without a pretend struggle would be too suspicious, which was why he needed the guards.

Ultimately, the plan was indeed to turn himself in—or, at least, long enough to give himself the time to rescue his wife and son.

Suddenly splitting in two, his copy ordered the guards to follow him and they flew off towards the same portal into which Skulker and the others had just disappeared, clearly planning on taking the same route as they.

Meanwhile, the real Vlad gestured Fright Knight and Wulf to follow him as they took off towards the opposite direction, though they soon stopped a several yards out.

"Wulf, I need you to create a portal at the outskirts of Amity Park…" Vlad commanded soberly.

"As you wish, my King," the werewolf ghost answered before withdrawing his claws and cutting through the fabric of their world.

And as the portal formed, Fright Knight asked, "What are your orders, my liege?"

"I want you both to wait for me at the outskirts," the King replied.

"You are going alone? But my King—" Fright Knight began to protest, only to be cut off.

"I have to, Fright Knight. But I need you both to wait for me there if things do not go as I plan. In case that I do not return, you are both to return here immediately," Vlad ordered.

His two allies clearly did not like their King's plan, but they had no choice but to agree with it.

As the three flew into the portal Wulf made, Bullet frowned from a distance, having seen the King's actions. What was he up to?

But sure that the King would be caught no matter what he did, Bullet shrugged it off. He looked over at two of the nearby guards and ordered them to follow him before heading back into the prison to look for Walker and Spectra.

And when he found them, the Observants and Ancient were just heading out.

"We need to return to inform our respective kin of what has happened," Serenity told Walker. "We will wait to gather the entire council. However, I think we must prepare for the worse, Warden Walker. For the time being, keep your guards alert in case we are obligated to take more forceful actions against the humans."

Walker nodded and replied, "I will do that."

As the Observants and the female Ancient finally left, Walker snapped his fingers at the two guards with Bullet and ordered, "Pick up Gardisto. Put him in one of the isolation chambers, while I arrange him a proper burial."

The guards nodded and did as they were told. But when Walker was finally alone with Bullet and Spectra, the sheriff rounded on the female shadow ghost, suddenly looking ready to kill her.

"You never told me that that son-of-a-jackal was going to kill my guards!" he screamed at Spectra.

"What's the deal? They're just guards! You have plenty of them!" she snapped back.

"Trupo and Gardisto were two of my best guards!" Walker hissed back.

"Look, how was I supposed to know that would happen?" she defended herself.

"That pathetic human hunter better kill Plasmius, or I'm going to find him and take my guards' death out of his hide—_and_ _yours!"_ Walker said darkly before storming off.

Bullet raised an eyebrow at his leader's furious retreat before looking over at Spectra.

"Bravo," he suddenly said with a smirk and a clap of his hands. "You should get an award or something for that phenomenal act you put on in front of the King. I almost shed a tear."

Spectra's irritation melded into a self-satisfied smile. "It was good, wasn't it? You weren't bad, either."

Bullet shrugged lightly. But then glancing back to where Walker had just left, he added, "Now, let's hope it wasn't all in vain. I agree with Walker. You better hope that human keeps his end of the bargain, or you are as good as dead."

Spectra frowned nervously this time, knowing that if this plan didn't pull through, she would be caught. But not just her, _all_ of them.

"Don't forget that you're the one who forced Danny to go into Human World. Plasmius will have you hung if he finds out," she reminded him with a slight sneer.

Bullet shrugged again, seemingly unfazed as he replied, "The kid didn't see me there. And I've always faked being loyal and caring to the royal family. If things go wrong, they will never believe I was a part of this…"

Spectra narrowed her eyes at the guard; though she had to admit, the male was more cunning than she had believed… He really knew how to play his cards…

However, before she could say anything, Bertrand suddenly shouted from where he was still locked up. She had forgotten him all together.

Bullet smirked as he pulled out his set of keys to the cells and extended them to Spectra. "Your _friend_ is calling."

The shadow ghost just snatched the keys from the guard and then floated off to let Bertrand out. All these males thought they were clever; well, they had another thing coming. Her plan wasn't to get rid of Plasmius as she had everyone around here and Tom believing. She needed the King alive for her future plans. She was only going along with this because she needed to get rid of her sister and nephew, which she was sure they were as good as dead now.

Spectra smiled evilly. "Poor Tommy. He will be getting quite a surprise when he finds out my nephew cannot call to his father, and therefore Vlad has no means of finding them. And if Vlad can't find them, he cannot walk into Tom's trap, now, can he…?"

* * *

"Freeze, ghost!" a ghost hunter below Ember exclaimed before he fired a shot at the little ghost girl.

The girl yelped in alarm, barely managing to dodge the energy-blast from the gun.

However, seeing two more men join the first one still trying to hurt her, Ember turned invisible and jolted forward.

But she wasn't trying to reach the lake anymore. She needed to help Danny's companion! From the way he had cried out, she just knew he was in serious trouble!

Dodging attacks, the little girl quickly returned to where she had left Cujo. But just as she found him, the large dog reverted back to his small form with a soft whine.

Ember couldn't tell if he was alive or not because the human hunters were all now converging around him, smoking guns aimed and ready.

She glanced back at the three men running towards her again. She didn't understand how they could track her when she was currently invisible; but knowing there was no time, she shut her eyes and concentrated.

She was too young to really hurt anyone with her energy, and her claws were useless against so many humans, but she had one thing she could use.

Gathering strength, Ember opened her mouth and screamed.

Like before, a high-pitched cry resonated from her throat and the men below dropped to the ground, covering their ears in pain.

Operative M hissed, but quickly searched through his pockets trying to find his ear-pieces meant to block out spectral noise. Luckily, he always kept them on him.

But as he struggled to put them on through the pain pounding his eardrums, Ember used the chance to locate Cujo amongst the humans. And seeing one of his paws move, she gasped with sudden hope, her attack instantly falling away.

Still, she wasted no time and she zoomed down towards Cujo. Turning her and the small dog intangible, she vanished below ground. But being that she was at a pier, the several feet of concrete soon were gone and she was suddenly in icy water.

She didn't care however, and she kept moving deeper into the dark abyss until she hit a slimy bottom. She couldn't see much through the murky water, but as her eyes glowed brighter, she was able to at least see Cujo.

As they lost intangibility and the water quickly soaked into them, the dog whimpered even when they were submerged. Ember could see that he had suffered pretty bad injuries, especially a deep one in his stomach which was still gushing out ectoplasm.

Ember held him closer and buried her face into his wet fur. They didn't need to breathe, but their cores were struggling to keep the young ghosts' body temperatures stable. However, the frigid waters were slowly seeping away their cores' efforts.

Even the six-year-old girl understood that she wouldn't survive in the icy waters for very long. But if she left the bottom lake, those hunters would certainly kill them.

Ember sobbed, knowing she was both trapped and doomed.

However, above ground, the 'GiW' had just recovered from the girl's attack.

"I want everyone equipped with spectral-noise inhibitors!" Operative M barked, angry that they had lost visual of their two targets.

It didn't matter, though. They still had a lock on their ghost energies and he knew they were just below them.

"Bring the ecto-missiles," he ordered a couple of his men. "Looks like they want a watery grave, so let's make sure we give them one."

* * *

It was an odd feeling to know you were awake, but that your mind and body were somehow dormant at the same time. It was as if one was forever locked inside a dark abyss with no way out and no way of panicking or pleading for help.

That's what it felt like to be trapped inside a ghost trap.

Desiree didn't really know what happened after she had been caught. She didn't even realize it when she was finally released from that horrible trap. All she knew was that she was still alive, but her mind was too dazed to know what was going on, and her body felt extremely weak…

It could have taken days for all she knew, but it really took less than two hours for her foggy mind to begin to clear and for her to regain self-awareness.

She gasped softly as she blinked away the blurs of colors from her eyes. She didn't understand what had happened to her. Why was she feeling so weak? Had she had another of those fainting spells?

But, that didn't explain why she could barely move…

With a small groan, she flexed her numb fingers, only to realize her hands were above her. She closed her eyes for another moment before slowly lifting her heavy head upwards to look at her hands…

Desiree's eyes slowly widened when she finally realized her hands were shackled above her against a white wall.

"What…?" she whispered out as she weakly yanked against her bindings, not understanding why she was trapped in such a way.

But now quickly regaining feeling in the rest of her body, she looked back down and found she was sitting on the ground with her legs also in chains!

However, it was as she noticed her transparent form that everything that had happened began to come back to her.

"No…," she whimpered, now struggling a bit against her bindings.

But suddenly she froze as something more important came to her mind, and she gasped as she stared down at her abdomen. And although she couldn't see it because she was still wearing her cloak and it was covering her stomach, she could feel the pulsing warm sphere still inside her.

It seemed to be somewhat distressed and its steady rhythm was weaker than when she had first discovered it, but it was still there…

Desiree couldn't help but sigh in relief.

However, at the instant she did, she then readily gasped as she was reminded of something equally important, "Danny!"

She quickly looked around for any sign of her son. But all she could see were lab tables in the corners. There was also a strange green barrier surrounding her. But, there was a _second_ dome-like barrier to her right surrounding an empty space in the lab as well...

Still, her son was nowhere to be seen.

Desiree closed her eyes, thinking in relief,_ "He must have gotten away… Thank goodness…"_

She suddenly groaned again, now aware of her aching muscles, but more aware that her core seemed to be warning her that she was very weak. But the weakness wasn't just because of her usage of energy. Something else had her feeling like this…

She could only guess it had to do with the ghost trap because when she was being pulled into it, she had kept growing weaker and weaker.

A deep worried frown fell over her face with the thought, but she readily pushed it away and began to take in her surroundings a bit more. She didn't know where she was, but she had to conclude it was a ghost hunting facility, even when she had never been inside one before. But the glowing instruments around her, and the fact that this room seemed to be able to hold ghosts were definite signs that she was in one.

The Queen's thoughts quickly went to her husband. He was sure to come to her aid… But, she was just as sure that this was a trap for him…

She wasn't stupid, after all. It had not taken a lot of effort to put two-and-two together. All this time, Spectra had been playing with Danny's mind by giving him human toys. And the ghost mage was sure that it had been Spectra who had somehow tricked her son into keeping it a secret from her and Vlad—it was the only explanation, because her son would not have kept this from them through his own thinking.

But her son had mentioned that several portals had formed around him and Ember and that they had been forced to come here… Temporary portals were unpredictable; but her spell on the Infi-Map had helped decrease their wild formation. And, besides, it was mainly at night that they formed in such abundance and so abruptly…

No, there had to be another reason. It couldn't have been some random accident that had forced her son and his two companions to the Human World… But what else could have caused it? Wait… There _was_ _one other thing_ that she knew could make portals so suddenly and to such a numerous extent…

Walker's ecto-bombs created portals!

…Was _Walker_ involved in this, too?

Desiree suddenly remembered the device that had captured her. Bullet had given it to her. Had he known all along that it wasn't one of Walker's portal-creating devices, but rather, a ghost trap? Or… had Bullet not been aware of what it really was and it was all Walker's doing?

Either way, the ghost sheriff was definitely involved in this!

"No…," Desiree whispered in distress and pulled against the shackles on her wrists again. How? How had Walker and Spectra teamed up with ghost hunters to hurt her and her family? And Vlad had no idea! He was in even more danger than she was!

"Vlad, my love…," she breathed out, feeling utterly helpless and horrified at the thought of what awaited her husband. They were going to kill him and she couldn't do anything about it!

Just the thought brought tears to the ghost mage's eyes.

But before she could panic anymore, a door opened several yards in front of her. Actually, it was the only door in the large lab room.

She tensed when she saw a human male with brown hair, dressed in all white, step in. Just the smirk on his face spoke of his ill-intent… But then, so did the glowing white gloves he had on his hands. Clearly, he was a ghost hunter.

"I see you finally reformed. I was beginning to wonder if you ever would…," the man calmly remarked as he took off his sun-glasses and revealed his cold green eyes. "Then again, that just means my ghost traps are quite effective, since they are meant to weaken the ghosts it captures…"

Desiree's hands fisted against her shackles as she narrowed her eyes at the human. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that this ghost hunter had not been there during her capture—at least, she didn't recall seeing him. And surely by the way he carried himself, he was one of his kind's leaders…

Right then, four more people came into the room. But she only saw the first two, since the other two people were directly behind them. And seeing the first two were also white-clad ghost hunters and assuming the other two were also that, Desiree turned her eyes back to their leader, who had moved over to a lab table.

But as he did, the green-eyed hunter causally said, "I suppose I should introduce myself... My name is Thomas Chrome, head agent of the Guys-in-White ghost hunting government agency…" The man suddenly paused as he put something inside his white suit before turning around and adding with a wicked smile, "And I am the man who will be killing your King and… husband."

Desiree's eyes widened in alarm, but then they quickly narrowed again and flashed a brighter red. "Not if I kill you, first."

Tom blinked, but then he suddenly threw his head back and laughed. It took him a moment, but he then composed himself. And as he walked over to the ghost mage, easily passing through the ghost shield, he remarked, "Well, aren't you something. Usually, the ghosts I capture are cowering by now and begging me not to kill them."

Desiree couldn't help but tense when Thomas squatted down right next to her and with an evil grin added, "I guess this will make it all the more satisfying when you _do_ beg for my mercy…"

But refusing to be intimated by this pathetic creature, she barred her fangs at him. "I'd rather die," she hissed back.

Tom's smile just grew more malicious, though he didn't say anything else. Instead, he began to study her, like a scientist studies a new specimen…

Desiree pulled a bit against her bindings, feeling her desperation just below her fearless façade. But she quickly froze when the man unexpectedly grabbed her face, and turned it slightly to the right to face him.

Tom raised an eyebrow at the brief flash of terror that passed through the ghost mage's eyes. But then he chuckled and asked, "What's the matter? Afraid of being touched?"

Desiree forced herself to calm down and spat out, "Whatever you're planning, it will not work! The King does not know I came out here! He will not find me. Therefore, you cannot use me against him!"

Tom calmly nodded as he let go of the female ghost's face. "I know… That's why I have more than one lure for him…"

Desiree tensed again and worriedly began to ask, "What are you…?" However, her words melded into a gasp when Thomas began to untie her cloak.

"Don't you dare touch me you pathetic excuse for a male specimen!" she exclaimed, pulling away from him the best she could.

Not liking her choice of words, Tom suddenly grabbed her by the neck and growled darkly, "Believe me, demon. Me touching you is the last thing you will be worried about after I finish with you."

But before Desiree could say anything else, another voice to her left caught her attention.

"What a beautiful creature… I see why the King picked her…," Freakshow muttered, kneeling down on the opposite side of the Queen.

The ghost mage stared fearfully at the odd looking human with fake red eyes and a pale face. He must have been one of the two people that came in earlier that she had not been able to see.

But when the male raised a hand and caressed her left cheek in his sudden fascination with her, she looked away and closed her eyes. What did these men want with her?

Tom scoffed at Frederick's comment before he remarked, "Sure, if you like demons… Although…," he then suddenly added, looking at the Queen as his hold on the female ghost's neck lessened and his hand meaningfully moved a bit lower, "Someone close to you once told me that I shouldn't judge things before… _trying_ them."

Desiree forced herself to glare back at the man, though she kept quiet.

"Luckily for you, I'm more interested in _something else_ from you," he then causally said, removing his hand before pulling out a large needle. "Well," he added as he uncapped the needle. "It depends on what you call 'lucky', I suppose."

"Tom, you must let me have her," Freakshow suddenly said, reaching into his trench coat for his staff, which quickly grew to its full size with a push of a button.

But the ghost hunter quickly glared at the circus master and replied, "Not a chance."

Freakshow frowned, but he insisted, "Tom, look at her! You can't just kill her! She's worth ten times more to us alive than dead! Penelope said she has wish-granting powers! Can you even imagine the possibilities if we harvested her abilities for our own use? Besides, the King will come either way. You don't need her, so let _me_ have her!"

Desiree stared worriedly at the other male, not liking what he was saying one bit. And who was Penelope?

"You're probably right," Tom answered off-handedly before darkly adding, "but I rather use her to make the Ghost King suffer."

And with the comment, he yanked open the ghost mage's cloak.

Desiree jolted and gasped in alarm. However, the two men gasped themselves when they quickly found something very unexpected…

"What is that?" Freakshow quickly questioned in disbelief even as his eyes could not look away from the ghost mage's stomach.

Desiree bit her lip to keep herself from panicking. This was not good at all!

Tom just frowned in confusion at the pulsing white sphere within the ghost's abdomen before he slowly looked up at the dimly glowing pink star on the Queen's chest.

"Two energy cores?" he questioned himself before locking his eyes on Desiree. "What is that?" he asked her suspiciously, pointing the needle still in his hand at her stomach.

But Desiree just glowered back and kept her mouth closed.

"She's more powerful than I thought," Freakshow muttered in awe. He had never seen a ghost with two ghost cores. And the only logical reason he could think of that a ghost would have two is because it was very, _very_ powerful….

But Tom didn't seem to be too sure that was the reason, and he gripped Desiree's face roughly and seriously told her, "I suggest you answer me, Ghost Queen, because I might just lose my patience with you and rip _that_ out of your stomach and find out myself."

That seemed to really frighten the ghost mage and she quickly stumbled to come up with a reply, "I-I… It's…" But she paused, remembering what the red-eyed human on her left had just said. It was good enough of a cover up…

"Your male companion is right," she said quietly. "I have two ghost cores. I'm a very powerful ghost mage. I can make anyone's desires come true."

Tom studied her face for a tense moment, but then he let go of her at last. "Well then, I guess I will need two samples…"

Desiree gasped as the hunter grabbed her by the neck and without warning jabbed the needle into her core.

As the ghost mage screamed in agony, Freakshow muttered something about Tom's savage behavior before getting up and moving back to the doorway where he had left his slave…

Gregor had been silently watching his master and Thomas talk with this new female ghost. She was supposedly the Ghost Queen.

Not that that meant anything to the dragon kid.

And all too use to Thomas' treatment of other ghosts, Gregor just crossed his arms and continued to watch expressionlessly.

However, when his master walked up to him, the ghost dragon turned his eyes up to him.

Freakshow, however, had his eyes narrowed at Tom as he muttered mostly to himself, "Look at him, drone. He gets his hands on a prized ghost and all he can think about is destroying it. That's the problem with ghost hunters… they have no imagination…"

Gregor creased his eyebrows, recalling how Thomas often said that about his master. But knowing better than to say anything, the ten-year-old just turned his attention back to the head 'GiW'….

Tom smirked when the syringe finally filled with pure pink ectoplasmic energy. This would certainly make a fine addition to his collection. And if this female ghost was as powerful as she seemed to be, then it would also be very useful.

Although she didn't need to breathe, Desiree was left panting in pain by the time Thomas pulled out the needle from her core. She ignored her spinning head, but was fearfully aware of the burning sensation in her abdomen.

"One down, one to go," the ghost hunter than said, his smirk growing.

And realizing what he meant, Desiree finally panicked. "Please, don't!" she pleaded as the man took out another needle.

Since it was a lot smaller, Tom couldn't just jab his needle into the second ghost core. He had to feel out a good insertion point.

But when the hunter place his hand on the ghost mage's stomach, he frowned at the odd pulsing and even warmth he could feel coming from the sphere. It was certainly the most bizarre thing he had seen or felt on a ghost. If he didn't know better…

Tom shook his head, dismissing the thought. It was impossible.

"Please!" Desiree whimpered as the man found his insertion point and brought the needle to her stomach. "Oh, God, please! Don't hurt my…"

But she bit her tongue to keep herself from finishing as she reminded herself she couldn't reveal the truth. But still just as desperate, she closed her eyes to hold back the tears threatening to spill out.

Tom grinned victoriously as he mockingly said, "I told you I'd make you beg…Let's see what else I can get out of you…"

Desiree cried out again when the needle was embedded into her abdomen; but when she felt it penetrate the pulsing white sphere, her pain intensified and her whole body seemed to instinctively panic, so much that her claws drew out.

Too bad her hands were shackled above her.

Thomas was quite surprised, however, when he began to draw out the ectoplasmic energy from the second core and it came out… transparent. It was glowing with a white hue, but it was as clear as water. Actually, it looked like sparkling liquid.

"You really are something else…," Tom muttered as he removed the needle and curiously studied the clear energy in the syringe. He had seen blue, green, pink, red, and purple energy… but colorless energy? He had never seen anything like it before…

However, the ghost hunter had not been the only one who had noticed the unique energy…

"Transparent ghost energy?" Freakshow gasped out as he quickly moved closer again. "I didn't even know it existed!"

As the two men continued to study the clear energy, Desiree just stared helplessly at her stomach, seeing how the sphere was now glowing weakly and was having trouble pulsing steadily.

But then suddenly furious, the ghost mage growled and yanked herself forward in vain hopes of hurting the ghost hunter.

"You monster! You vile, disgusting human male!" she screamed at him. "You are a disgrace to your kind! It's monsters like you that give humans…"

But her words were caught off when Thomas unexpectedly backhanded her across the face.

"No one talks to me like that, most especially some demon harlot!" he growled at her.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Desiree hissed back, ignoring her burning cheek and instead glaring darkly back at the hunter. "Go ahead. Kill me. But you're not going to get what you want. You'll never be able to trap my King."

But Tom's glare surprisingly melded into a smirk. "You know, you really might want to cooperate. Like I said, you're not my only bait…"

Desiree's glare quickly fell, as a horrible feeling clenched her core.

Thomas suddenly stood up, and Freakshow quickly followed after him, asking, "Can I just see that transparent energy for another moment?"

"No," Tom replied without looking at the other man. "Just make yourself useful and go stand against a wall or something."

Freakshow glowered as he paused and stared after Tom. But he then gripped his staff tighter and just walked back over to Gregor…

"Commanders," Tom called as he walked over to his two subordinates in the room.

Operative K and Operative O, whom had been the two ghost hunters that had come in before Freakshow and Gregory, had been standing on the opposite side of the lab in front of a large mainframe.

But hearing their superior call them, they turned their attention away from the computer and they replied, "Sir?"

Tom capped both the pink and clear energy he just collected before extending the tubes to Operative K and commanding, "Store those in the portable fridge."

Of course, Desiree recognized Operative K, since he was the one who had been at the park and had attacked her and her son. But she was sure she hadn't seen Operative O until now.

However, when Thomas asked Operative O for the 'second ghost trap', the female ghost tensed even more than she was.

Tom took the device before turning from his commanders and moving back over towards the ghost mage. But he only smirked at her and continued over to the next activated dome-like barrier just beside the one holding the Queen.

"I must say, these ghost shields are quite useful… I need to thank the Fentons one of these days," Tom commented amusedly as he walked through the second barrier. He then kneeled within the empty area, and put the ghost trap in his hand on the ground before finally pressing the release button.

Desiree frowned with the mention of that familiar last name. Her son's human parents were allied with this horrible man?

But she dismissed the thought as the ghost trap suddenly began to leak out green smoke and the smoke began to slowly reform into a small form.

"And to think… if I had gotten there seconds later, he would have escaped," Tom suddenly remarked, standing up and grinning over at Desiree.

The ghost mage's eyes widened, finally understanding who the other 'bait' was. But, as she watched her son's body solidify enough to be recognized, Desiree screamed, "No! NO!"

As she began to struggle against her bindings with as much strength as she could muster, Thomas calmly walked back over to her, easily passing through the barriers once more.

"You look frightened, Ghost Queen…," Tom said with a chuckle as he stopped a foot from her. "Don't worry, though, I'm good with little demons. I've had plenty of time to practice."

"Let him go!" Desiree pleaded. "Please, you don't need him! My husband will come for me! He'll come! You don't need my son! Please! Please, just let him go!"

"I thought you said the King wasn't coming?" Tom asked, amused.

But Desiree was beyond thinking of herself or even Vlad. She couldn't let this man hurt her child! And she was sure her husband would agree that their six-year-old son's life was worth more than hers or his…

"Thomas, please!" she continued, pulling against her shackles to the point that she was bruising her wrists. "I'll give you anything you want! I'll help you!" Her eyes filled with tears, which spilled over as she added, "You want my husband? I'll do whatever you want to help you trap him, but please! Please, let our son go! He's… He's just a baby!"

Tom squatted next the ghost mage again and smiled pleasantly. "I told you, I'm very good with little demons. You see, I have one of my own… Look, I'll show you…"

Tom glanced over at his commanders and ordered, "Operative O, lower shield A."

And as the ghost barrier around Desiree vanished, the 'GiW' leader turned his head to look around for Gregor. He quickly spotted him and gestured him over.

But more worried about her son, Desiree had turned her eyes to Danny, who was still reforming. But now he was solid enough for her to fearfully see that her child was no longer wearing the amulet she had made for him. If this ghost hunter chose to hurt him, there was nothing to stop him from doing so…

Desiree began to shake as she continued to pull against her shackles. However, her attention returned to Thomas when she saw a small figure she had not noticed until now walk up behind the male human.

It was a young boy. But…something about him seemed so familiar…

"You see, Ghost Queen," Tom said, grabbing one of Gregor's arms and pulling him forward so that the child was beside him, "I know all about ghost children thanks to Gregor here. I know how defenseless they are at first, hence why I know I don't even need to bother to tie up your spawn like I have you. I also know how impressionable little demons are at this stage. And most importantly, I know all about that _link_ a spawn has with its parents…So, you see, the King _will_ walk right into my trap because _his spawn_ will bring him right to it…"

Desiree couldn't react properly to the ghost hunter's words because she was utterly shocked at discovering the child in front of her was a _ghost_. How? He didn't look like one!

But then, the boy's name suddenly rung in her mind, and as she closely looked at the boy, she suddenly knew why he looked so familiar. Desiree had never seen Elliot in his more humanoid form, but… she knew Aragon well enough to now see some of his features in the child in front of her…

Desiree's eyebrows creased inward as she whispered out in disbelief, "Gregory?"

The dragon ghost tensed with the ghost woman's tone of voice and look. Why was she looking at him like she knew him? And what was the emotion just behind her shock?

But before the child could say anything, Tom raised an eyebrow. "So… I see you know Gregor…"

"How?" Desiree asked quietly, her eyes locked on the dragon ghost. "He… He shouldn't…"

"Be alive?" Tom finished for her. "No, he shouldn't. But Frederick over there has a bit of magic of his own up those black sleeves of his. In any case, it's not important for you to know."

The man stood up, but then grabbed Gregor's face, forcing him to look at him. And smirking darkly, he took off the child's sunglasses before passing a hand through his white and black locks.

"Do you see, Ghost Queen," the hunter said, though his eyes stayed locked on Gregor. "I now have in my hands the perfect weapon against your demon race. As I said, I will be the one to kill your husband, but it will be Gregor who will take down his kingdom for me..."

Desiree tensed, not liking the expressionless way the boy stared back at the man who was still petting him like some dog. And she also didn't like the grin on the ghost hunter's face.

But now understanding the depths of evil within this human, Desiree's eyes narrowed again.

"Do you really think you can use this young child to take down an entire world? I don't know what you have done to him, but he isn't a killer! His parents taught him to do good; even if you stole him from them when he was only four, he has a noble core! And sooner or later _that_ will overcome any evil your sick and perverted mind has infected him with!"

Thomas let go of Gregor and laughed.

But the boy's eyebrows creased with confusion at what the ghost mage said. She thought he had a noble core? And… _his parents _taught him to do good? But…. where were his so-called parents now? Did they care that he had been stolen? If so, why had they never tried to rescue him?

"You amuse me, Ghost Queen," Tom said when he finally calmed, unaware that the dragon ghost was having a mental panic attack. "If you only knew the things Gregor has done in just a few years, you would be terrified to have him this close to you now, let alone would you assure me that he's… 'good'. But, perhaps, that's it. Maybe you need to see with your own eyes the true killer he is…."

Tom looked at Gregor and commanded, "Take off the ring."

The dragon ghost hesitated at first, still disconcerted. But knowing better than to disobey, he quickly took off the ring and slipped it into one of his pockets for safe-keeping.

Desiree's eyes widened when she instantly saw the boy's eyes flash red.

And already having an idea what would be Tom's next command, Gregor slowly let his claws draw out, though behind the cold way he regarded the ghost mage, there seemed to be a bit of… uncertainty hiding in his eyes with the thought of killing her…

"As you can see," Tom continued. "He wouldn't hesitate to kill you on command."

Desiree stared at the ten-year-old with sympathy before she whispered to him, "Oh, you poor child… We should not have given up our search for you. I'm so sorry…"

Gregor's cold look melded back into confusion. What was this ghost saying? And why was she looking at him like that? No, she was lying! She was trying to turn him against his master! Even if he had been stolen, his parents clearly didn't care! So, he didn't care, either! He lived to serve his master and nothing else mattered!

So, why did he still feel so confused and troubled?

The dragon ghost suddenly felt furious at the ghost mage for making him feel these unwanted emotions. And his eyes narrowed in hate as he darkly asked Tom, "Can I kill her yet?"

Desiree's eyes briefly widened at the child's words. They had poisoned him. These horrible humans had poisoned this innocent child's core with hate and bloodlust…

"I hope you pay for this," Desiree suddenly told Tom hatefully. "And just so you know, you're the most ignorant man I've met! Not only are you delusional enough to think this child will help you accomplish your dark desires, but you have no idea with what you're messing! There's a delicate balance between our worlds, and if you dare tamper with that, you will regret it!"

Tom stared coolly at the ghost mage for a moment. But then without looking at Gregor, he suddenly said, "Gregor… Do you see that ghost boy over there?"

Gregory glanced at the younger child within the second ghost shield before nodding back at the ghost hunter.

"Bring me his core," Tom casually commanded without skipping a bit.

"NO!" Desiree screamed when Gregor didn't even hesitate to turn and walk right over to where her son was. "No, no! Please! Don't hurt him!" she cried out, struggling against her bindings again.

Tom suddenly kneeled down again next to Desiree and grabbed her face with one hand as he hissed, "Go ahead. Insult me again. I dare you."

Desiree glanced over at Gregor who had stopped in front of the ghost shield and was staring intently at her son. But understanding the ghost hunter's threat, the ghost mage lowered her gaze in submission and just stayed quiet.

Tom smirked before roughly letting go of the Queen's face. As he stood back up, he looked over at Freakshow and smugly commented, "Do you see, Frederick? Even a feisty demon queen can be taught to behave."

Freakshow just rolled his eyes, but didn't reply. However, he then glanced over at his drone and frowned in confusion. Why was his slave so tense?

However, the circus master didn't know that Gregor had been impacted by the sight of the Ghost Prince. Now that he was so close, the ten-year-old could really see him. And it had triggered a memory of a vision he had seen not too long ago…

"_Phantom…,"_ Gregor thought, a mixture of emotions going though him before he suddenly narrowed his eyes in hate for some reason…

But when the younger child's unmoving hands twitched a bit, the dragon ghost jolted in surprise.

"So, he's finally coming to…," Tom suddenly said as he walked up right behind the dragon ghost.

Gregor had been so fixated on the other child that he was surprised by the ghost hunter's sudden presence, especially when the man walked past him and enter the ghost shield. In turn, the dragon child raised a hand against the shield, wishing he could do the same…

Right then, Freakshow came up behind Gregor. But even then, the dragon ghost only briefly glanced at his master before turning his eyes back to the Prince and Tom.

Freakshow had noticed his slave's strange behavior towards the other ghost boy. However, he dismissed it, as he remembered Gregor had never seen another young ghost before. Perhaps that's why he was so fixated on the Prince.

The circus master focused on the younger ghost child himself, since he was a bit intrigued by him, too. Just his appearance was slightly unusual for a ghost…

Meanwhile, Desiree was fighting so hard to get free that her wrists were starting to bleed; and when she saw the ghost hunter squat down beside her son, she only struggled even more, crying out in panic, "Get away from him! Please, leave him alone!"

Tom ignored the ghost mage's pleas and grabbed the Prince's face, curiously studying him. He knew the child wasn't unconscious, but, rather, dazed from the ghost trap's effects.

However, as he looked him over, Tom couldn't help but notice how human the ghost child looked. Well, in comparison to the rest of his demon race, that is. The ghost hunter was sure that he had never seen a ghost with skin color so close to a human's.

Sure, Gregor was pale like this child, but the older ghost boy's human-like color had to do in large part because of the Gem of Form.

Still, the Prince clearly was far from human. Just his glow alone indentified him as part of his demon race. And then there was also his pure white, unnatural hair, his cold feel, and his snake-like tail.

And speaking of which, it was beginning to move.

Tom let go of the child's face just as he let out a barely audible whimper.

Danny's mind felt heavy, but his body was also uncomfortably cold and numb. He wanted to call for his mommy or daddy, sure they would make him feel better, but he didn't remember how to speak at the moment. So, he whimpered, hoping his parents would hear his distress and come to his aid.

But they didn't come.

Danny did his best to blink away the bright blurriness in his vision, while he began to move his hands, finally regaining feeling in them. But what he touched under him only confused him more. It was slick and cold and nothing he had ever felt before.

However, his hearing also began to return and he suddenly was aware of his mom's voice coming from somewhere. She sounded upset…

The child forced himself to sit up and rub his still blurry eyes as he whispered out, _"Panjo?"_

He finally lowered his small hands and looked forward, squinting his eyes at the large shadow in front of him.

"_Panjo?"_ he asked again, though he suddenly shivered as blue smoke began to eke out of his mouth—something the ghost hunter noticed with curiosity…

However, when the blue smoke stopped coming out, Tom dismissed it and focused his attention to something else that had caught his attention…

"_Panjo?"_ Thomas asked, glancing amusedly at the quivering ghost mage.

Desiree's claws, which had still been drawn out, slipped back inside her fingers as she whispered out, "He's asking for me…" But then her eyes filled with tears and she begged the ghost hunter, "Please don't hurt him."

Tom just smirked cruelly before turning his attention back to the Prince. But when he saw the child was staring at him, as if unsure of what he was, the man's smile melded into a calmed and amused one.

"Hello, little demon…"

Danny frowned in further confusion. Why couldn't he understand the male in front of him?

It only took him a few seconds to finally remember what had happened. And he suddenly knew why he couldn't understand the smiling man. He was speaking in Human Speech. He was a human!

Danny's eyes widened in terror. He had never felt something so horrifying as being trapped inside that human device, but now he was frozen with a similar fear again at the sight of this human who was dressed _just like_ the other man that had hurt him and his mother!

"_Panjo,"_ the child whimpered, unable to tear his eyes from the human in front of him, let alone get away from him as he wanted…

"It's alright. Your mommy is right here," Tom said, mocking tenderness. But seeing the child not react to his words, the man raised an eyebrow and curiously asked, "Can you understand me?"

But it was Desiree who answered for her son, "His English is limited. He won't understand you," she whispered.

"Oh. Well, that's not too much of a problem. After all, I do have _other ways_ to make you creatures understand…," Tom said lightly, carefully watching the Prince when the child finally unlocked his gaze from his and began to look around desperately for his mother.

But because the man was towering over him, Danny couldn't see his mother behind the hunter. Still, Danny was somehow sure she was there and continued to search for her, only for his eyes to fall on a boy a few yards from him.

He was dressed in mostly white, too. But although he was sure he had never seen him before, the Prince felt like he should know him.

But, of course, the child didn't recognize Gregor, for Danny had never seen Elliot's more humanoid form, either.

And yet, Danny couldn't tear his eyes from the boy. It was like the older child's gaze had him hypnotized…

But noticing the intense way the two ghost children were staring at each other, Tom raised an eyebrow over at Gregor, whose unblinking eyes were flashing red. But when he looked back at the younger ghost boy and saw that he was now almost in a daze, Tom quickly raised a hand and snapped his fingers in front of the Prince's face.

Danny instantly jolted and looked back at Tom; and as if remembering his situation again, the Prince started calling his mother again.

"I'm afraid you can't be with your mother right now," Tom said with a smirk, pushing aside the weird occurrence between the Prince and Gregor—at least, for now…

"However, I might consider letting you go to her if you behave…" the ghost hunter added.

But the child didn't understand, and he was still too scared to even move, as if he could sense doing anything to anger the man would be bad news.

However, when Tom suddenly raised a hand and draped it on his raised knee, the child tensed and his tail curled around him.

Still, the hunter continued in the same calm voice, "Tell me, little demon. Do you have a name?"

Danny now knew what the question meant after meeting Sam and Tuck, but he was really frightened. Not only was this man the same kind of human that had tried to hurt him and his mother at the park, but now he was in some strange place and he couldn't find his mother! However, when he saw the man's eyes narrow just slightly with his silence, the child knew he had to answer.

"P-P-Phantom," he barely whispered out.

Tom didn't reply right away, but he then said, "Ah, Prince Phantom…" He glanced down at the child's exposed ghost symbol, noticing it was indeed the same symbol Penelope had drawn out for him as the royal symbol. So, there was no doubt this was the King's spawn…

The ghost hunter turned his eyes back to the young ghost, but this time pointed at the symbol on his chest in the hopes that the Prince would understand his next question…

But Danny saw his actions differently and he jolted before he instinctively covered his symbol with both his hands, clearly fearing the human was going to touch him.

Tom raised an eyebrow, but then he smirked and continued with what he had been about to ask, "Do you know where daddy is?"

Desiree suddenly felt her anger swell. What was it with this human? Didn't she just tell him Danny couldn't understand him?

"Are you deaf? He doesn't understand you! And he doesn't know where his father is, either!" she hissed at the ghost hunter.

Tom glanced back at Desiree before looking back at the Prince. The man smirked again before suddenly standing up.

Danny seemed to draw into himself, now even more intimidated by the man. However, the human suddenly did something quite unexpected.

Taking a large step over to the right, Thomas pointed his thumb back at Desiree and told the child, _"Panjo."_

Danny's eyes widened when he finally saw his mother. And too relieved to think about his fear anymore, the child gasped and exclaimed, "Panjo!"

"No, Danny!" Desiree shouted.

But it was too late.

Danny zoomed towards her, only to slam head first into the green barrier. The child instantly cried out in pain as he dropped to the ground against the shield.

"Danny!" Desiree exclaimed as her son began to cry as he cradled his head. But knowing the ghost hunter had done that on purpose, the ghost mage snarled and barred her fangs at the man as she screamed, "You bastard!"

Tom seemingly ignored the ghost mage as he looked over at his commanders whom had turned their attention to what was going on after hearing the Prince's cry of pain.

"Operative O. Hand me another ecto-collecting syringe," Thomas calmly ordered.

Desiree' gasped at those words and desperately cried out, "No, don't do that to him! If you need energy just take mine! Please, Oh God! Please, he's just a child!"

But turning her eyes back to her son, she told him in ghost speech, "Danny. Danny, don't cry. Look at me, little Phantom."

Danny stared up at his mother as he sniffed and continued to hold his head. But then he turned intangible and placed a hand against the barrier, only to find he couldn't go through it still.

"Mommy," he whimpered, regaining tangibility. What kind of barrier was this? He couldn't even phase through it! However, he finally saw how his mother was chained up and he grew even more scared, so much that he began to shake…

"Shh. It's okay, Danny," Desiree assured him, though her voice cracked in her helplessness. "You're going to be okay."

"Danny? I thought his name was Phantom…," Tom suddenly said. Of course, he had not been able to understand the mother and child's brief conversation in their ghost language, but the hunter had noticed how the ghost mage had called the child by that other name…

Desiree and Danny's attention quickly returned to the ghost hunter with his remark. And while the ghost mage glared hatefully at him, Danny turned around and pressed himself against the barrier, looking as scared and cornered as he really was…

"That must be his real name," Freakshow suddenly explained, sounding both annoyed and bored. "Phantom is his royal name. That's common among ghosts when it comes to their kings and princes." But in thought, he added more annoyed, _"You would know that if you took the time to learn about ghosts before shooting them."_

Tom raised an eyebrow, not really understanding Fredrick's explantion. But it was more than obvious the Queen had not meant to divulge the child's other name when she stared worriedly over at Freakshow.

The ghost hunter smiled wickedly this time, but before he could say anything, Operative O came up to him and handed him the syringe.

"Thank you," Tom said before he gestured his commander to return to what he was doing, which was to keep an eye on that mainframe…

The 'GiW' leader hid the syringe in his jacket before he turned and approached the Prince again. A calm smirk melded onto his face as he remarked… "So…. Ghost Boy named Danny Phantom… "

Tom kneeled in front of the child again before continuing, "Hmm. That surprisingly has a nice ring to it… Perhaps we could even shorten it, eh, _Danny boy?_" he teased before reaching forward and almost affectionately racking his fingers through the child's white locks.

But it was anything but affectionate; and sensing it, Danny recoiled as best he could from the hand and fearfully whispered, "Not hurt me. I good ghost. I good."

"Oh, well, look at this… Seems you do speak some English after all," Tom said delighted, though he lowered his hand from the Prince.

"I good ghost. Mia Panjo good ghost also," Danny insisted, sure that if he could just make the human understand they weren't bad that he wouldn't hurt them.

"Really? _You're good?"_ Tom asked, faking interest, before he grabbed one of Danny's hands by the wrist.

The child tensed even more, but he still whimpered out, _"J-Jes…"_

The hunter nodded and smiled pleasantly as he replied, "Well, then. I shouldn't have a problem with you. If you are a good ghost maybe I won't have to hurt you too much. However…"

Tom pulled out the needle from his pocket and added, "There is something I must get from you… You know, standard procedure…"

"Thomas," Desiree said pleadingly. "His core is too young. You could damage it permanently!"

But the man said, "Relax. I've done this plenty of times."

Desiree choked on a sudden sob as she looked up, as if praying for miracle. She had not wanted her husband to find her before, knowing he would falling into a trap. But this monster was going to hurt their son if he didn't come!

Danny gasped when the human suddenly pulled him closer to him until he was in between the man's knees, which only made the child feel even more cornered and scared, especially when he could hear his mother's fearful pleas—even if he couldn't understand them.

"_Daddy, help,"_ he thought in growing panic as the hunter placed a hand behind his back to keep him from moving away.

"They say that a ghost child will instinctively call to its parents when it feels endanger… So, why haven't you?" Tom muttered thoughtfully as he released the whimpering Prince's wrist and instead brought up his hand towards the dimly glowing signature.

"That's because he cannot call to us!" Desiree hissed out.

Tom frowned and his hand lowered again, though he kept his other hand on the child's back. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not!" Desiree snapped back. "He doesn't have a link with us. He never developed it! Why else wouldn't the King be here by now?"

Thomas stared at the ghost mage for a moment but then looked back at Danny's Ectoplasmic Signature. "Well, maybe he just needs proper motivation…"

Desiree gasped when she saw the man's intention to touch her son and she exclaimed in panic, "Don't touch him!"

Danny seemed to understand what the man wanted to do and he quickly covered his symbol with his hands. "Ne! I not want you touch me. Ne."

Tom paused, but then smiled and calmly said, "Silly little demon. I wasn't asking for your permission."

Danny whimpered as his hands were grabbed by a larger hand and forced away from his chest. But before he could struggle, the same foreign hand was suddenly against his core and the child froze in sudden horror.

He didn't even hear his mother's cry of protest for him…

Because the Prince was so small, Tom had to also feel out a good insertion point for his needle, like he had for the energy core in the ghost mage's stomach. But much to his surprise, the man felt more than the simple flow of energy under his fingers…

He felt something almost _coming out_ of this ghost's core, much like he had felt from the core in the ghost mage's abdomen. And yet, the Prince's core seemed to convey much more. It wasn't something tangible, but rather, an odd feeling. Tom didn't know what it was, but it was alluring… like a forbidden power just barely out of his reach…

Danny, on the other hand, did not find the human's touch even slightly alluring. Quite the opposite. A feeling of desperation began to swell in the child and his eyes slowly widened at the feel of the man's dark soul. Not just that, he felt his own soul jolt in fear when he felt like this man was going to somehow infect him with his evil…He was going to destroy his soul!

"_Just… be protective of your core, my son. What it holds within is priceless."_

As his father's words flashed in his mind, Danny suddenly panicked, his whole being suddenly set on protecting his core.

"**Ne!"** the Prince screamed as his claws drew out of his hands, which up to now had been trying to grip the cold tile below in frozen horror.

But he wasn't frozen anymore.

Not having expected much struggle from such a young ghost, especially when he had not even tried to use the needle yet, Tom gasped when the Prince abruptly freaked out.

And as Danny blindly lashed out at the man, focus solely on protecting his soul, Desiree cried out in alarm at what happened next.

"AHHH!" Tom screamed in utter agony as one of the Prince's clawed hands slash across one side of his face, forcing him to let go of the child and grab at his heavily bleeding face.

In turn, Danny panicked even more and fled towards his mother, though he didn't get very far when he yet again slammed into the ghost shield and fell down against it. But although he began to weep loudly, he still pounded and scratched at the shield, clearly too far gone to think about anything but his need to be with his mother.

Meanwhile, Tom's two commanders had stilled, their eyes wide with horror at the sight of their injured leader. Freakshow and Gregor, however, had gasped in disbelief.

But upon hearing the man's continuing short cries of pain as he continued to hold his face, Gregor tensed.

He had never seen Thomas get hurt. He had never seen him look so distressed and helpless….

Gregor didn't understand why, but he suddenly felt the strong need to defend the man. Not only that, his hate for Phantom only swelled, and he wanted nothing more than to kill the younger child. _How dare he hurt Tom? _After all, if _he_ couldn't hurt or kill the man, then no one else should!

Gregor drew out his claws and his eyes flashed red. However, before he could even take one step forward, his master caught his intentions.

"Do not move a muscle, drone," Freakshow warned him darkly.

Gregor quickly snapped his eyes up at his master. He had to bite his tongue to keep himself from arguing back at his master. But, ultimately, he kept quiet and looked back anxiously at the ghost hunter.

When he managed to open both his eyes in spite of the stinging blood running down his face, Tom was quite surprise the little beast hadn't take out his eye!

But the thought of the one responsible for the four gashes he could feel running down from the inside of his left eye to the end of his face, suddenly made Tom snap with fury.

With a snarl, he got back up to his feet and glared murderously at the Prince who was still desperately pounding on the ghost shield, wanting to get to his mother as he sobbed and screamed for her help.

"You savage little demon. I'm going to rip you to pieces!" Tom yelled and suddenly came at Danny. Since the child was distracted, he easily grabbed him by the back of the head, pulling him away from the shield.

Danny cried out, though he seemed to jolt with the sensation of a whole new level of pain. But before he could possibly react, the same hand holding him by the back of the head thrust him with all its force into the green shield.

"NO!" Desiree screamed as she struggled fiercely at the sight of her son being beaten by the enraged man.

But as Danny crumbled to the floor in a daze of pain, his face now bleeding from the savage hit the man had dealt him, Tom suddenly spun around. And walking like a drunken man, he walked over to a table and grabbed a glowing stick from it.

Operative O and Operative K stared at their leader in shock before one of them managed to choke out, "Sir…"

"Stay out of it!" Tom growled. "I'm killing him myself!"

"But your bleeding badly!" the other exclaimed.

Tom ignored them as he stormed back over to Danny, who was still on the ground, though now he was weeping hard.

"Oh, you don't know what pain is yet, you little demon. I'll teach you to screw with me!" Tom hissed as he pressed a button on the stick and a green whip grew out of it. "Let's see how you like it!"

The man didn't hesitate to strike the ghost child.

Desiree was past logic and she suddenly began to fight against the energy-suppressing bindings on her arms, which began to spark under her desperation.

But hearing her son's screams, she cried out herself, "STOP IT! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HIM! STOP!"

She somehow got enough control of her energy to dissolve her legs and free them by turning them into a ghostly tail.

But seeing the ghost mage getting loose, one of the commanders quickly activated the ghost shield around her, while the other ran over to restrain her.

But since Freakshow was closer, he quickly pulled out his staff and moved over to the ghost mage. "Obey me!" he commanded as he held his staff up to Desiree's eyes.

But much to his surprise, the ghost mage just narrowed her eyes and suddenly slammed her tail into his stomach throwing him across the room.

"Master!" Gregor gasped as he quickly ran over to see if Freakshow was okay. But he was also confused. How come his master's staff had not worked on the female ghost?

However, Operative K finally got to Desiree and quickly used a shock gun to subdue her. The ghost mage screamed in pain, but she could still hear own her son's cries above it all.

Tom continued to savagely and repeatedly whip the little ghost, his once perfect pale skin tarnished by long cuts. By now, the entire floor was streaked with ectoplasm, though the man's own blood was also mixing in with it. But he was too blinded by pain and rage to care.

However, he soon couldn't even see straight and half of his attacks began to miss the Prince as the man's blood loss disoriented him more and more.

But when the man suddenly could barely hold himself up, he screamed in fury before exclaiming, **"Damn it!"**

He threw the bloody whip on the curled up young ghost on the ground before turning and heading towards the lab's exit, gripping at his still bleeding face.

Gregor saw the ghost hunter swaying on his feet and had to force himself not to do something about it. He didn't understand it. He hated this man! So, why did it upset him to see him so hurt?

However, Operative K suddenly came up to Tom and grabbed one of his arms, steadying him. "Whoa. Easy, Agent C. I'm going to call the medic at the 'Giw' facility. You need immediate medical help."

But Tom suddenly pushed him off and snapped, "I'm fine! Just…" He paused and glared back darkly at the Prince before commanding, "Cut off those demon's claws. All of them."

Freakshow, who had already recovered from Desiree's blow, heard the comment and gasped, "Tom, are you mad? He could bleed to death!"

"All of them," Thomas repeated darkly at his commander before storming out of the lab.

Operative K smirked smugly at Freakshow as he replied, even when Tom was gone, "With pleasure, sir."

Operative O heard the command and had wasted no time in getting a small cutting tool off one of the lab tables.

Desiree, who had been dazed from the electric shocks she had received, slowly came to and raised her eyes in time to see the two other ghost hunters approach her son with the cutting tool. It didn't take much guessing to see what they were going to do…

"No, please. No, no, no, no!" she screamed at them, but having been restrained again, she could only pull some more against her bindings.

Operative O grabbed the bleeding and dazed little ghost by the wrists and forced him off the ground.

Danny whimpered weakly as he was dangled by his hands, like some fish on a hook. But another wave of horror swelled inside him the second the hunter grabbed his fingers and gripped one of his ten claws with a cutting tool…

"Snip, snip, ghost," Operative K said with a dark smirk before he began his gruesome work…

This time, even Gregor looked away from the sight. He didn't even want to imagine how painful it had to be to get his claws cut off…

But the Prince's screams gave him an idea, especially when the Queen's own cries seem to echo her child's…

* * *

Tom all but tumbled into an office he was using at Axion for the past few days. And ignoring how he was getting blood everywhere, he went straight to the office's bathroom.

But when the man looked at his face in the mirror, he instantly gripped the edge of the sink in horror as he breathed out, "My face…"

In a way, he was angry at himself for dropping his guard. But he had never expected such a young ghost to lash out like that, especially when he had only touched him. He had yet to even insert the needle, which was what was usually painful to ghosts—and what would have justified even a young ghost to instinctively defend itself.

But Tom had done _nothing_ to the ghost brat, except _touch_ him!

"Damn that little….," he growled out, but he didn't finish and instead he raised a shaking hand to his bleeding face. His commander was right, he needed medical help. That's how deep the gashes on his face were. Really, it was a miracle that demon had not taken out his eye.

But his face… His face was surely scarred for life.

Tom closed his eyes as his body shook with restrained fury, though another part of him couldn't help but remember the last time he had felt this exposed and vulnerable. It had been the first time he had met Plasmius, no less. Thomas had still been young back then—_inexperienced_. It was the only reason why Plasmius was able to humiliate him as he had….

But now…

The King's demon son had done the same thing to him again! Except now, he had not been alone in his weakness. His commanders, Freakshow, even Gregor, had seen it! Not only that, but the Prince had forever left the reminder of his second humiliation permanently on his face!

Tom suddenly screamed as he slammed his bloody fist against the sink counter, not caring that he only caused himself more pain.

That demon brat was dead. **Dead!** He was going to kill him with his own hands!

Tom had only captured the brat to get to his father, but now, now it was _personal_. He was going to enjoy killing that demon spawn slowly—**very, very slowly!**

He opened his eyes and shakily reached for a drawer beside him that was labeled first aid.

He grabbed the alcohol from it and then drenched a large gauze with the liquid. He slowly moved over to the toilet and put down the cover before he sat on it. He just breathed for a moment before he quickly pressed the gauze against the open wounds on his face.

The man let out another cry of pain as he leaned forward and exclaimed as many profanities as he knew.

"Wow, Tom… you're a mess…"

The ghost hunter quickly opened his eyes and instantly glared when he saw Freakshow standing at the doorway with his arms crossed, smiling smugly.

"Shut the hell up before I take my gun out and shoot you in the face!" he snarled before pressing the now bloody gauze against his face again and hissing.

"You should have let me put the child and his mother under my control," the ring master continued condescendingly. "But no, you _insist_ on doing things _your_ way. And look what happened… "

The circus master paused briefly before adding more thoughtfully, "Then again, I was quite surprised with the Prince's violent reaction to your touch. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he felt something from you that he _really_ didn't like. But I _do_ know better, so you clearly just freaked him out, which, _as I said_, could have been avoided if you would have let me take control of both ghosts."

"Are you done?" Thomas growled out, not in the mood to be mocked or scolded by the imbecile at the doorway.

"Oh, I was just wondering if your plans are over. Because if they are, I'd like to go home," Freakshow deadpan.

"Of course they are not over!" Tom growled, standing up, though he quickly grabbed the counter when he swayed.

"That's hard to believe when you're on the brink of passing out and you just beat the hell out of the King's son," Freakshow retorted, raising an eyebrow. "And yet, his link has not activated. I think the ghost mage is speaking the truth. I think the Prince cannot call to his parents. And that means two things: one, Spectra probably tricked you; and, two, your plans are in the toilet because the King's not coming."

Tom glared some more at Freakshow, though he didn't say anything this time. If the Prince couldn't lure his father into his trap, then his plans were indeed ruined.

The ghost hunter was sure that as soon as Plasmius stepped foot in Amity Park, he would immediately suspect the Guys-in-White to be behind his wife and son's kidnapping. After all, they were practically the ones in control of this town. So, the King would naturally go to their headquarters.

And that's what Tom wanted.

However, the next part of the plan was to throw Plasmius off when his own son supposedly alerted him through their link that his child—and in conclusion, his wife—were not in the ghost hunting facility, but, rather at _Axion_.

And because Tom knew from experience about Plasmius' cunning nature, the ghost hunter was sure the King would leave a clone at the 'GiW' facility to fake his surrender, while the real one would come alone to Axion, so as not to draw attention to himself.

But the next surprise for the King would be when he saw that Axion was up and running like normal, he would realize that it wasn't a ghost hunting facility and that the place seemed unguarded.

It was why he had set this up at Axion. Unlike the 'GiW' facility, the King could not have possibly ever been inside the technology lab. Therefore, Tom would have him in unknown territory, which meant Plasmius wouldn't know what to expect. Regardless, the King would come in search of his family and when he did…

Tom would spring the trap.

But… he couldn't do it if the King's brat didn't call to him!

"_Damn, Spectra! If I see her again, I'll kill her!"_ Tom thought furiously.

But knowing he _had_ to find a way to get the Prince to lure his father, the man sighed deeply. He needed to think. He had to calm down and think!

With less shaky hands, Tom moved back over to the first aid kit and took out more gauze. There was a moment of silence as he continued to address his injured face; but, suddenly, the hunter spoke up again, though he now sounded a lot more composed.

"Don't underestimate me, Freakshow," Tom said seriously, regarding the man by the nickname now that they were alone. "I will have my plans come to fruition. And I will get the King's spawn to call to his father even if I have to kill him seven times over."

Freakshow rolled his eyes before turning back around to leave.

But when he did, Tom finally noticed that Gregor had been at the door behind the other man this whole time. The child, however, was staring intently at the hunter…

"Let's go, drone," Freakshow suddenly muttered, snapping the boy out of it.

But Tom immediately contradicted the other man. "Leave him."

The circus master paused in his departure and frowned questioningly at the hunter. But Tom didn't give him an explanation. Instead, he calmly ordered, "Go tell Operative K to gather his team. They, you, and Gregor will be leaving shortly."

Freakshow was surprised by the news, but then he nodded and left, though not without thinking, _"Finally!"_

Now alone with Gregor, Tom returned back to nursing his face, though it was hard when the gashes were still bleeding. He needed stitches, but this wasn't his facility. His medics were at the 'GiW' headquarters and he had nothing here to even do it himself.

Still, he wasn't about to let some injury mess up his years of planning.

"Gregor, it's time for you to head out and do what I instructed you," Tom said seriously, though he then pressed more gauze soaked in alcohol against the left side of his face and closed his eyes in pain. Still, he continued, though his voice wavered as he barely could suppress the urge to cry out in agony.

"M-Make sure you do not let anyone, aside from Freakshow and Operative O, see you change between your real form and your disguise. I don't want anyone finding out that 'Gregor the _human_ boy' is the same as 'Gregor the _ghost_ boy', so… so make sure you're careful. Y-You know the rest, so make sure you carry through. I-I don't want any mistakes," the man ended with a hiss of pain.

But Gregor didn't answer. Instead, he just continued to stare at the pained ghost hunter before oddly muttering, "He hurt you…"

The ghost hunter quickly opened his eyes and turned to look at the dragon ghost.

"What?" Tom asked, not understanding the boy's odd stare and voice.

"Do you want me to kill him?" Gregor asked, his eyes suddenly flashing red.

Tom just as suddenly glared at nothing in particular, as he darkly replied, "No… I'll be dealing with that spawn myself."

But turning his attention back to the ten-year-old, the ghost hunter tilted his head a bit, finally realizing what that strange gleam in the boy's eyes was and why he was talking as he was.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you're concerned for me…," Tom commented thoughtfully, though there was also some teasing in his voice.

Gregor almost jolted before he readily frowned at the man. "I hate you," he replied, as if that answered everything.

Thomas smiled for some reason before he moved to sit back down on the toilet again. He kept the gauze pressed against the side of his face, hoping it would stop bleeding if he just added enough pressure. But it was hard when there were four gashes across the left side of his face and his hand could only apply pressure to parts of it at a time.

"You need stitches," Gregor suddenly said, startling the man when he realized the boy had moved and was now standing right in front of him.

Annoyed, Tom snapped, "I realize that! But this isn't my house or the 'GiW' facility, so I don't exactly have the tools to do that right now!" But when he pulled away the gauze and felt more warmness leak from the wound under it, the man exclaimed, "Damn it!"

Gregor rolled his eyes for some reason before coolly telling the hunter, "You can be such a clumsy idiot sometimes, do you know that?"

Tom froze as he looked at the dragon ghost in disbelief. Did he just insult him by using the same words he had said to the ghost child when he had injured his leg after he had collided with Madeline's daughter on the frozen lake?

But before he could even think of how to react to that, Gregor unexpectedly grabbed his face with one hand while his other abruptly lit up with blue energy.

And seeing it come towards his face, Tom finally jolted and he quickly grabbed the wrist belonging to the glowing hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" the man hissed, though his demanding voice wavered with uncertainty.

Gregor raised an eyebrow before he dryly replied, "Fixing you."

Tom's eyes widened a bit in surprise as he asked, "You have healing powers?"

Gregor suddenly smiled maliciously. "It'll be close enough…"

The ghost hunter frowned, finally realizing what the child was going to do. He was going to burn the wounds close.

Tom cursed under his breath again; but knowing it was the best solution right now, he then muttered reluctantly, "Fine. Make it quick."

"Naturally," Gregor quipped, a hint of amusement in his voice, before moving the man's face to the side a bit to get better access.

As the dragon ghost passed his glowing fingers over the wounds, burning them with his ghost energy, Tom closed his eyes; and gripping the toilet with both hands, he bit his tongue to keep from crying out, though he didn't fully succeed.

And the dragon ghost seemed to enjoy the fact.

It seemed like forever, but Gregor soon let him go and took a step back.

Tom just breathed heavily for a moment, feeling like his face was going to fall off at any minute from the burning and throbbing.

But opening his eyes again, he looked at Gregor, who was just curiously watching him, as if seeing him in pain was something fascinating; and yet at the same time, the dragon ghost looked as if he was trying to figure out if he would be okay…

It was an odd look to say the least.

But the hunter didn't say anything and slowly stood, moving to the mirror. He looked at his face and saw the wounds were still raw and nasty-looking, but at least they were not bleeding.

"I should go with my master now," Gregor suddenly said, getting the hunter's attention.

But seeing the dragon ghost walking out, Tom abruptly said, "Gregor, wait."

The child looked back at the man, but when Gregor saw this whole new expression on Tom's face, one he had never seen on him—or anyone else for that matter—the dragon ghost frowned nervously.

"What?" he replied tentatively.

The man's eyebrows creased, as if he was confused himself; but then he sighed and seriously ordered, "Don't get yourself killed out there. Understand?"

Gregor blinked, surprised by both the man's abrupt change of topic and his words themselves. But unsure of how to feel about Tom's seemingly 'concern' for his safety, the child became uncharacteristically shy.

The ten-year-old just quietly nodded and quickly left.

Thomas watched him go for another moment before turning his eyes back to the mirror. He looked at his singed wounds again with an odd frown. But as he grabbed a nearby towel and soaked it in water to clean off the blood on his face, he muttered to himself, "If I didn't hate his kind so much…"

But he didn't finish and just shook his head to banish the thought.

"Focus, Thomas," he snapped at himself before leaning closer to the mirror and carefully began to clean his face.

* * *

Invisible, Plasmius narrowed his eyes at the 'GiW' facility just a few yards in front of him. It was heavily guarded, but he didn't understand why when… his son and wife were not in there….

At least, he couldn't sense their energies anywhere inside.

Truth was, more than ever, he was glad that his half-ghost status gave him the unique ability of sensing ectoplasmic energy without having to physically touch the ghost giving it off.

It was now the only thing that was going to help him find his family.

But they were not where he had believed them to be.

The instant he had heard Daniel and Desiree had been captured in Amity Park, he had instantly thought of the Guys-in-White, since the King was sure no other ghost hunters here could put together a scheme of this magnitude.

Not to mention that their leader, Thomas Chrome, had a personal grudge against him.

It only made sense that they were behind this.

But as Plasmius stood yards from their headquarters, unable to sense his family, he was now doubtful. Perhaps it had been another group of ghost hunters that had captured his family…? Or, perhaps, just a single couple….

The Ghost King tensed. Were the Fentons behind this…? They had enough reason in their minds to attempt something like this.

But… even as crafty as that pair of hunters were, they couldn't have possibly single-handedly defeated his wife and captured her, especially when she had been with two of Walker's best guards…

It just didn't add up.

He closed his eyes for a moment, as he connected with the other him at the other end of Amity Park in hopes of mentally perceiving he had found something. But much to his chagrin, his other self was still searching, too, and had no lead…

"_What is this?"_ Plasmius thought fearfully, opening his eyes again. He had hoped to stall for time, while he found his family. But if they weren't inside this ghost hunting facility, then where were they?

One thing was certain, if he didn't find out soon, he really would have to turn himself in…

Plasmius glanced behind him, knowing the ten invisible guards were right behind him, ready to move on cue.

"Keep hidden and don't make a move unless I give you all the signal," he told them quietly before he began to move closer to the 'GiW' headquarters.

Forcing aside his fear and worry, the King halted just a step from a seemingly invisible red force-field surrounding the facility. With a firm frown, he regained visibility and raised a hand, just barely brushing his fingers against one of the security field's red beams…

The result was instant. A loud alarm blared and a swarm of hunters dressed in white came running out of the facility with weapons aimed and ready.

"Don't move!" one of them demanded, aiming his gun at the King's chest.

"Where's your leader?" Plasmius demanded, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the men quickly surrounding him.

"You will see him soon enough," the same one said, moving a bit closer.

And Plasmius instantly knew this one was in charge of this ghost hunting squad.

"For now..." The commander charged his gun and said with a smirk, "I believe you are under arrest, Ghost King. Come quietly and we won't kill your family."

A red flag raised inside Plasmius' mind, realizing that the Guys-in-White were indeed behind this. But… his family was not here! So, where were they keeping them? Unless…

"How do I know you humans haven't killed them already?" The King retorted, his eyes still narrowed though he felt his core jolt with the possibility. What if that was the reason why he couldn't sense Desiree or Daniel inside this facility? What if they had already killed them?

"You don't…," the commander retorted with a cruel sneer. "And by the way," he added before the King could respond. "I believe Agent C specifically ordered you to come alone…"

Realizing the hunters had already detected the guards, the King frowned—not that it surprised him. But pretending it did was exactly what these men expected…

However, Plasmius sensed things were about to get ugly fast, so he raised a hand and let some of his red energy come out of it—his signal for the guards.

In an instant, the guards turn visible and were suddenly right behind the King, holding glowing sticks aimed at the ghost hunters.

But to their surprise, the King ordered in Ghost Speech, "Stand down."

And as the guards lowered their weapons, Plasmius told the one in charge of the ghost hunting group, "As you can see, they are here to assure you creatures keep the end of your bargain. I turn myself in and you release the Queen and Prince."

The commander grinned as he asked, "Really? When did you make that deal with my leader?"

Plasmius' hands fisted against his sides as they began to burn with energy. He growled, "It's the only way you're getting me."

"Think again," the commander quipped before he raised a hand, signaling someone somewhere.

At that same instant, there was a sudden hum from a seemingly tall radio antenna sticking out from the highest point of the ghost hunting facility. But it clearly was no antenna when it suddenly burst with green light.

This time, Plasmius genuinely gasped in surprise, while the guards tensed as a green dome suddenly enveloped them, going as far as covering the ground to keep them from even an underground escape.

The Ghost King had never seen something like it before. But it was definitely some sort of shield. And it didn't take a lot of guessing to realize just what it was meant to hold within it.

"I see you creatures got a new toy," Plasmius sneered, though he was now as tense as ever. He did not like this one bit. These hunters had clearly planned all this really well….

"It's not our only new one, either," the commander said with an evil grin. "But you'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, we'll have to address your inability to follow orders. As I said, you were specifically told to come alone…. Oh, well… that just gives us more ghost scum to kill," he added before unexpectedly blasting the Ghost King in the chest, while the other hunters quickly attacked the guards…

* * *

Desiree closed her eyes as tears streaked down her face. Gregory and that other human had left. And the two commanders had finally left her son alone, and they were now watching that mainframe at the far corner of her room.

She had never felt so helpless in her life. To have to watch her child suffer like he just had without being able to do anything to stop it was the worse pain she had ever felt. In fact, her weakened body hardly registered in her mind anymore.

Desiree knew her son's only hope was his father. But she didn't know how long it would take Vlad to find them. If they were not keeping her and Danny captive inside a ghost hunting facility, then her husband had absolutely no lead to their location.

She could only pray that his quick thinking and unique ghost sense would help him find them before it was too late.

Desiree glared weakly over at the hunters. Forget that they were human. How could _anyone_ be so cruel to a child? Or was their hate for ghosts so strong that all they saw was a… _demon_? Of course.

Desiree glanced down at her stomach, noticing the still dimly pulsing sphere. Out of all the times for it to appear, it had to be today—it had to be now when her son and husband were in enough danger as it was. She could only hope these hunters would not realize the truth, or she and her family would be doomed…

And yet, she was afraid that her own husband would never get the chance of learning the truth… Would she even see him again?

More tears fell from the ghost mage's eyes, but she forced herself to stay strong. Vlad would come. He would save them. And everything would be fine. For now, she just had to stay strong for her son. It was the only thing she could do for him at this point…

Desiree looked over at Danny and swallowed down a whimper. He was curled up in a ball on the ground, in a puddle of green blood.

"_My poor baby,"_ she thought as she continued to silently cry. _"My poor innocent little Phantom…"_

He wasn't moving. He wasn't even crying anymore.

It terrified the Queen.

"Danny," she whispered, her raw throat cracking with desperation. But when she got no answer, she choked on a sob and called a bit loudly, "Little Phantom. Please… Answer me."

Desiree saw one of his bleeding hands twitch just a bit, and she sighed quietly. She was honestly surprised Danny had stayed conscious through the pain of having his claws cut off; but in a horrible way, she was glad. If he had lost consciousness here in the human world…

He would very likely turn human, even after all these years…

Desiree was sure these ghost hunters would never leave her son alone, if they found out he was part human. They would turn Danny into some sick experiment!

"Danny," she called again before telling him in their tongue, "Be strong, little Phantom. Daddy will come for us. And you're going to be okay. I promise."

Danny could hear his mother's words as he lay unmoving on the ground. But it was like an echo in his ears. His young mind just couldn't process what had happened to him. He didn't understand why he had been hurt like this.

He hadn't done anything wrong. He was a good ghost. So, why did those humans hurt him so much? _Why?_

Was… Was it because he swiped at that human male? He had not meant to hurt hum so badly! The man had scared him when he touched him! He could feel the man's evil trying to hurt his soul! He had to do something!

But because he had, the man had beaten him and those other human males had then cut off his claws. That had been so painful. It still hurt. He had tried to hide them back inside his hands when the first one had been cut, but he had been so horrified and in pain that he couldn't focus or calm down enough to make them go back in.

They had cut them **all** off, only tiny bleeding stubs were left. And it hurt so bad. He didn't even know if they'd ever grow back again.

Danny closed his eyes as tears spilled out of them, mixing into the puddle of green blood under him. He wanted to go home. He wished he never had come out here. Everything would be okay if he was still home.

"Danny,…"

The child opened his eyes with the echo again. He didn't know why it kept calling him or who it was at that…

"Little Phantom…"

Danny blinked his blurry eyes as he searched his mind for who called him that. Wait… only his parents called him that…

But too pained to move, the Prince opened his mouth and attempted to call out to his mother and father, but his voice wouldn't work. Still, he continued to try. He needed his parents. He needed them more than ever right now!

However, before that need could swell inside him, there was suddenly another voice somewhere in the room…

"Operative O," Freakshow said as he walked into the room. He glanced at the Prince's unmoving and quiet form before continuing to where the two commanders were.

"Your boss said that you are to gather your team. We are about to head out," the ring master informed him.

"Just in time, then," the commander said, looking at the other man. "It seems things at sector T have heated up. And there are more ghosts on their way towards the area. Operative M is going to need backup."

Freakshow frowned as he looked at the beeping screen, which showed a map of the pier and several dots moving towards it.

"What could have them so interested in that area? It's nowhere near here…," Freakshow muttered thoughtfully.

Operative K was the one who answered, "A couple hours ago, Operative M reported that he found two level one entities there. However, we have not heard back from him since. I fear something has happened."

"Yes, especially when more ghosts are moving in their direction," Operative O emphasized again.

"It still makes no sense," Freakshow replied, crossing his arms.

"That's why we need to investigate as soon as Agent C returns," Operative O replied before connecting his communication device on his ear to his team and then began to give them instructions to meet him at 'sector T'.

Freakshow rolled his eyes in annoyance, but said nothing. He was not all that excited to work with these narrow-minded ghost hunters, but he had no choice but to put up with it—at least, for now…

"By the way," Operative O suddenly said, once he disconnected his communicator. "Let me warn you now. If your little pet gets out of line while we're out there _in any way_, I _will_ kill it."

Freakshow instantly glared. "He is completely under my control. So, you have _nothing to fear_. And, besides, I know Thomas specifically ordered you not to harm my slave, _commander_. I doubt you are going to deliberately disobey your boss."

Operative O narrowed his own eyes, but right then, Gregor walked in.

The child paused when everyone's eyes suddenly went to him. But then, just as quickly, his master and the two ghost hunters returned back to their argument.

Gregory raised a bemused eyebrow when he realized they were talking about him. But all too used to being the 'center of attention' without having any say in it, he ignored them and walked over to the other side of the room.

But he frowned when the female ghost, who was still tied up, tensed and watched him with wary yet sad eyes… He could understand her fear of him, but her pity still disconcerted the ten-year-old.

Gregory shot her a quick glare before ignoring her as well. And finding a mostly empty lab table, he quickly sat on top of it and stared down in sudden boredom at his dangling feet, internally wishing he could have brought his stuffed dragonfly with him.

Unfortunately, his master didn't let him.

Gregor sighed and raised his gaze to look over at where Phantom was. For a moment, the older ghost child just emotionlessly regarded the younger, hurt, and unmoving one on the ground.

He had hated the Prince before meeting him; and now that he had, he despised him even more…

After all, Phantom had stolen Elliot from him…

Gregory's eyes flashed red as he thought in satisfaction. _"Tom's going to kill him…" _But then closing his eyes, he smiled a bit as he added, _"Phantom's dead… You'll never see him again. …" _

Gregor opened his eyes again, but readily frowned when he suddenly remembered the way the Prince had dazed out when he had first looked at him. But what made it strange was that Phantom had looked at him precisely when Gregor had mentally desired for the younger child to notice him…

It was like the child had answered his want.

Gregor was aware that he had telepathic abilities, but he honestly had never attempted to try it on others outside 'the voice' in his head. Could it be that his powers could expand past his own mind and Elliot's…

It was worth a shot…

"_Phantom…,"_ Gregor said mentally, his eyes flashing red again as he focused solely on the Prince. _"Look at me," _he commanded in Ghost Speech.

The dragon ghost tensed when he heard the young child whimper and curl into a tighter ball. Could… Phantom hear him?

In reality, Danny could.

But he didn't want to listen to the voice that had suddenly invaded his head. He didn't want to look at anything. He just wanted to go home.

Too bad that didn't keep the voice from harassing him with his cruel words.

"_Phantom. You're going to die. He'll never see you again."_

Danny whimpered again before gripping his head and whispering, "Mommy. Daddy. Help. Help…"

In spite of how quiet he had said it, Desiree heard it and quickly spoke up again, trying to comfort her son. "I-I'm here, Danny. It's alright. I'm with you, little Phantom."

Hearing the female ghost's voice, Gregor broke his mental connection to the other child and looked over at the Queen. He just observed her as she continued to assure her son everything would be okay…

How silly. Actually, it made absolutely no sense to the dragon ghost.

"Why do you lie to him?" Gregor asked, suddenly curious.

But although he got the Queen's attention, he unknowingly also got his master and commanders to look over at him.

Desiree stared at Gregor in disbelief, understanding what the child was asking, but she couldn't believe he was asking it. He was only ten years old and he was so… cold. Not only that, but he clearly didn't understand what care or love was.

"Drone. Did I say for you to speak with those two ghosts?" Freakshow suddenly asked, angrily walking over to the dragon ghost.

Gregor suddenly jolted and looked fearfully at his master as he quickly said, "N-No, master. I'm sorry. I just thought… I'm sorry."

Freakshow got closer to the young ghost, and menacingly raised the staff inches from his face as he spat in a quiet hiss, "You know, I'm _this close_ to losing my patience with you, slave."

Freakshow didn't know what Tom had been doing to his slave, but it was starting to piss him off how much more interested Gregor was of everything else, especially the ghost hunter, than him! He also didn't like the fact that the child sometimes took a little too much liberty!

"You don't think, drone," Freakshow growled, while Gregor recoiled back on the table, terrified of the glowing staff. "You just do what _I_ say. Or, I will remind you of your place!"

Gregor quickly nodded and was about to answer, when the Queen cut him off.

"Leave him alone, you monster!" Desiree demanded angrily. "Is that what you twisted humans do? Hurt innocent young children? You are all pathetic, sick, cowards!"

Freakshow slowly turned back around to face the female ghost; but her choice of words also got the commanders' attention.

The two ghost hunters glowered at the Queen, and were about to put her in her place, when Freakshow said, "Wait. I'll handle her…"

Desiree just stared hatefully as Freakshow walked over to her, his staff in hand.

Meanwhile, Gregor stared at the female ghost, unable to believe she had actually dared to insult his master like that—and in order to defend him, no less!

"You really are a rare gem," the circus master said with an odd smile as he stopped in front of the ghost mage. "Why is it that my staff doesn't affect you?"

Desiree averted her gaze slightly when the staff was lowered closer to her face and its magical gem began to pulse red. Still, she refused to be intimidated and she growled back, "Your magic is nothing compared to mine."

It was partly true. Her own powers gave her some immunity against others' magic-based powers, including rare ghost gems, like the one the human had somehow gotten his hands on…

However, her ability to resist him had also been in large part because of her strong need to save her son; so her adrenaline and fear had made it very easy. However, as weak as she was, she knew that if the man really wanted to use his magic against her, she wouldn't be able to resist his control for too long before succumbing to it…

But the sick human didn't need to know that.

"Is that what it is?" Freakshow questioned calmly, though curiously. But then he pulled his staff back to him as he added wickedly, "How about a challenge, then?"

Desiree gasped when the gem on the staff turn a dark red just before her body lit up with the same hue. But before she could even figure out what it was meant to do, she suddenly found out when she felt something attack her mind.

The ghost mage screamed in pain as she tucked her chin into her neck and her hair fell like a dark curtain over her face, as she tried to withstand and fight against the power abusing her mind. Too bad she was too weak to put up much of a fight.

"My magic is nothing compared to yours, eh?" Freakshow mocked with a chuckle.

Just feet away, Danny could hear his mother's sudden cry of pain, and he tried to sit up to find her, desperate to know what was wrong with her. But his body hurt too much and all he was able to do was move his tail a bit.

"Mommy!" he whimpered helplessly before a new and sudden voice cut through her mother's screaming.

"What is going on here?"

Desiree felt the mind-controlling power savagely attacking her mind suddenly stop and she weakly raised her head and opened her eyes to look over at the new voice.

It was another human. But he wasn't dressed in white.

Freakshow sighed in annoyance as Damon marched into the room, while the commanders looked at each other before moving over to the owner of Axion.

Damon froze at the sight of the chained female ghost; but when he looked over at a small heap on the ground, lying in a puddle of green blood and he realized it was a young ghost, his eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, good heavens! What is the meaning of this?" he suddenly demanded, looking at the three men in the room.

Freakshow smirked, knowing things had just gotten more complicated for Tom—or, so he thought.

The two commanders, on the other hand, frowned before Operative K stepped forward to address the horrified owner of Axion.

"Sir, you shouldn't be in here. These are dangerous ghosts. For your safety—"

"Where is Agent C?" Damon demanded, cutting off the commander.

But, surprisingly, another voice answered him.

"I'm right here, Gray," Tom replied as he stepped into the lab.

Damon gasped at the sight of the ghost hunter's face, while everyone else frowned in confusion. How had Tom managed to stop the bleeding so easily?

Freakshow suddenly knew and he quickly glared over at Gregor.

The child stared back fearfully, knowing what his master was thinking, but he didn't say anything.

And neither did Freakshow, for his attention was drawn back to Damon when he spoke up again.

"What happened to your face?" Valerie's father finally was able to blurt out.

"Hazards of the job," Thomas answered casually, though he briefly glared in the Prince's direction.

But the child was still lying quietly curled on the ground, trying not to look at anything. Though, by the way he was now beginning to shake it was clear he could hear Tom's voice—and everyone else's.

Damon just stared at Thomas for another second, but then he glared again, though he looked more disturb than anything else.

"What is this, Agent C? What are these two ghosts doing inside _my_ facility?" the owner of Axion asked seriously.

"These two creatures are bait for the Ghost King," Tom replied forwardly, crossing his arms.

Damon stared back at the ghost woman and child. It didn't take any knowledge of ghosts to know these two were weak and helpless right now. But he could also see the female ghost was looking back at him with unreserved desperation and fear.

The emotions, however, were not directed at him—judging by the way she kept glancing at the young child who was still shivering and bleeding but otherwise hadn't moved yet.

Damon suddenly realized what this was.

"You're using his family to lure him out?" Damon asked quietly, looking fearfully back at Tom.

Thomas scoffed before replying, "Of course. How else did you expect me to finally trap him?"

"_How else?"_ Damon repeated, appalled. "Anything else but this!" he exclaimed. "Do you realize what you have done? The King will be furious! You have just endangered everyone at Axion!"

"Relax. I have everything under control," Thomas said dismissively, though he now sounded mildly annoyed.

"No. I won't be a part of this any longer. One thing was helping you to take down the Ghost King, but to use his family, which you have obviously been torturing, is where I draw the line. I want you and your men out of Axion at once!"

Thomas glared this time, though his voice kept calm as he replied, "We are not leaving. And I don't understand your sudden sympathy for these two demons. They are not human, Gray. They are worse than rabid dogs. They and all their kind need to be put down for the sake of all humanity!"

"I fail to see how that child over there could be a threat to all humanity!" Damon snapped back, pointing at the injured Prince.

"Child?" Thomas repeated and then chuckled. "That's not a child, Gray. That's a _demon_. Yes, it's true that at first glance it looks all innocent and defenseless; but trust me, it's anything but." Tom's eyes narrowed as he added with a hiss, "Look at my face. That so called _child_ just did _this_ to my face!"

Damon's eyes widened in disbelief, but before he could say anything, someone else suddenly spoke up.

"My child's not a demon!" Desiree suddenly growled, pulling against her bindings. "He hurt you out of self-defense and you know it!"

But she then turned her eyes to Damon, and understanding he was different than the others and just having heard he was the owner of this place, she desperately pleaded, "Please, don't help them. I don't care if they hurt me, but please, don't let them hurt my son anymore! He's a baby! Please, look at him, he's just a baby! Help him! Please, help him!"

Mr. Gray gasped at the female's plea. He had never been near a ghost long enough to speak with it; but hearing this ghost now… It suddenly didn't matter to him whether she belonged to an evil race or not… She was a mother, and she was begging him to save her son…

Damon looked back at Tom, who looked annoyed by the Queen's outburst. But the hunter's attention returned to him with his next serious words.

"You let them go. Right now."

Thomas rose a surprised eyebrow before he incredulously asked, "I'm sorry. Are you giving _me_ an order?"

"No, I'm _demanding_ that you let them go!" Damon snapped back. "You want to torture innocent children, then go do it in your own facility! I won't let you do it here! So, let them go, and get out of Axion!"

"We are not going anywhere until this operation is complete," Thomas replied coolly, though his eyes narrowed a bit as if daring the other man to oppose him anymore.

"I'll call the cops," Damon threatened, not backing down.

"Cops?" Tom scoffed with a brusque laugh. "And what are they going to do, Gray? If you have forgotten, I work for the government. There is _no one_ above us!"

"Yeah? Well, maybe the media will like to know what the government is doing!" Damon retorted.

"What? That we are defending them against ghosts? I'm sure everyone's heart will break at the news of two dead ghosts," Tom replied sarcastically.

"I guess we'll soon find out. And since you won't leave, then my workers and I will. Let's see you keep this undercover, then," Damon growled back before turning around and storming towards the door.

Thomas sighed before he pulled out his gun and adjusted its fire with a click.

Damon froze with the sound.

"I can't let you do that, Gray," the 'GiW' leader said, raising his gun at the dark-skinned man.

Damon slowly turned back around and seeing the gun aimed at him, his eyes widened as he gasped out, "What are you doing?"

"Protecting our nation against its enemies, which now includes you," Thomas said before he suddenly fired.

"No!" Desiree cried out, while Gregor jumped off the table with a gasp—which didn't go unnoticed by Freakshow…

Damon cried out in pain when instead of a bullet, an electrical shock coursed through his body; but then an instant later, it knocked him right out and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Nothing personal, Gray, but you are not jeopardizing this mission," Tom added coolly as he put away his gun and turned to face his commanders.

Gregor just stared in disbelief at Valerie's father. His friend was going to be very upset…

The dragon ghost suddenly looked back at Thomas and glared furiously at him. But knowing he was unable to do anything, he just fisted his hands and looked away again.

Meanwhile, Tom's commanders were shocked with what their leader had done.

"Relax, commanders. It was necessary," Tom told them before changing the topic and asking, "Any news on the Ghost King?"

Snapping out of it, Operative K and O shook their heads, before 'O' said, "N-No, sir. However, there is a large group of ghosts heading towards Sector T. And we have yet to hear from Operative M after he reported two level one ghosts in that sector."

Thomas frowned before glancing at Freakshow and then looking back at his commander, "Then, it's time for you and your team to carry out your assignment. As you already know, Frederick and my weapon will be going with you."

"Yes, sir," the brown-eyed young Caucasian commander replied before heading out.

But just as Freakshow was about to follow, Tom stopped him as he walked over to him, grabbed one of his arms, and quietly warned him, "Don't go straying from my plans. I want no ghost spared. Make sure Gregor kills them all. We cannot allow Plasmius any kind of help. Got it?"

"Completely," Freakshow answered dryly.

Tom rolled his eyes, but then glancing over at the unconscious Damon, he further added, "Also…Take _him_ with you. Tie him up or something. I'll deal with him when this is all over."

Fredrick frowned this time as he replied, "You expect me to take Axion's owner out of his own facility? You don't think someone will find it suspicious that I'm carrying him out _unconscious_?"

Thomas jabbed his thumb in Gregor's direction and snapped, "That's why you have him, you idiot."

Freakshow scowled but then turned around and barked at the dragon ghost, "Drone! Get over here and pick him up!"

Gregor frowned when he saw his master move over to Damon. But knowing his master was already angry enough, he didn't hesitate to comply. Still not wearing his ring, the ghost child had no trouble using intangibility and invisibility to pick up the unconscious man and keep him from sight.

However, just as he was leaving with his master, Tom suddenly called to him.

"Gregor."

Still bitter with him for hurting Valerie's father, Gregory glared back at him and snapped back, "What?"

"Remember what I last told you," Tom replied calmly, a small smirk on his face.

Gregor's angry look faltered, but he didn't reply and just quietly left with his master.

At the next moment, a beeping noise suddenly sounded from the mainframe and Thomas and his remaining commander quickly moved over to it.

Pressing a button, the dark-skin older commander quickly brought up a map, showing little red dots gathering in one area…

"We have high-level ghosts at headquarters, sir," Operative K informed his leader.

But noticing two other dots barely showing up on the radar, Tom quickly asked, "What's this other area? Pan the map."

A few seconds later, Operative K zoomed in on the area in question before saying, "These are the east outskirts of Amity Park, sir. It seems there are two ghostly entities there… However, they are stationary."

Thomas didn't reply at first, but just when he was about to open his mouth, his communicator beeped. The head Guy-in-White quickly took out the ear piece from his jacket and put it on before activating the link.

"Agent C speaking," he said into the communicator.

"_Sir, this is Operative T."_

"I see a large group of ghosts upon you, commander. Any visual on the primary objective?" Tom asked, though his thoughtful eyes stayed on the two dots at the outskirts on the screen.

"_Yes, sir. We have trapped him and his troops with the ghost shield. But as we speak, it is taking high amounts of firepower to subdue them. It is why I have called you, sir. I would like to request permission to use more definite means to bring down the primary objective and his followers."_

Tom barely hesitated as he said, "Request granted. Continue with your next set of orders, commander. Agent C out."

Operative K blinked in surprise at how quickly his leader had cut off his communication with the other commander. He would think his leader would show more interest in the fact that Operative T had just reported a visual on the Ghost King…

"Sir, perhaps it would be wise to return to headquarters at this time and aid Opertaive T and his team?" the dark-skinned commander suggested with a confused frown. "After all, he has trapped the primary objective. It's the perfect time to act."

But to his surprise, Agent C chuckled. "Relax, Operative K. Operative T and his team will be fine. After all, they have not _truly_ trapped the Ghost King."

"But, sir," Operaitve O insisted.

However, Tom cut him off again, "I know how this demon king works. He isn't going to just surrender to us, Operative K. In fact, I can assure you he knows full well that even if he did, we would not spare his wench and spawn."

Glancing at Desiree, Tom smirked and added, "No, commander. Operative T has merely trapped a decoy. The real Ghost King is going to attempt to save them. And considering that he has the knack for getting past my ghost security, we won't see it coming. And yet, I'm counting on that."

The ghost mage glared back at the ghost hunter but she didn't say anything.

However, when Tom turned his eyes back to the screen and locked them on the two beeping dots on the outskirts again, his eyes narrowed as he further said, "Plasmius isn't going to outsmart me, this time. And… he isn't going to save them. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Tom finally looked away from the mainframe and ordered his commander. "Keep a close watch on those two entities at the eastern outskirts. If there's any movement, let me know immediately."

"Yes, sir," Operative K replied before turning his eyes back to the map.

Thomas calmly moved back over to Desiree and Danny. However, when the ghost mage saw the man move right pass her and continue towards her son, she quickly became distraught.

"No… Thomas, please. Leave him alone. Don't hurt him anymore!"

But the hunter ignored her and moved inside the ghost shield holding the Prince.

And having heard his mother's plea and the sound of approaching footsteps, Danny whimpered and curled into a tighter ball, while covering his face with his hands, as if the man coming towards him was a nightmare he could banish by closing his eyes.

But the child was quickly reminded this was no nightmare. It was very real.

Tom looked down at the young ghost now at his feet, clearly trying to decide how to handle him. It wasn't very often he lost his composure as he had just moments ago. But when he did, it made him very dangerous.

However, he was more dangerous when he was thinking with cold clarity—as he was now. It was quite simple, actually. The only thing that stood between him and the success of his plans was this little demon. And Tom would not have that. Luckily, what he needed to do to remove this obstacle was just as easy; and while he was at it, why not make the ghost brat who had damaged his face suffer in the process?

Thomas squatted down in front of Danny, though the hunter would not be underestimating him again.

He stared coldly at the shivering child for a moment. But still wearing his ghost-handling gloves, he grabbed a fistful of the child's white locks and wrenched him off the ground.

Danny instantly screamed in pain, his injured hands instinctively going to the larger one hurting him.

Desiree cried out, too, especially when her child began to sob and plea for her aid.

"_Panjo! Helpo! Panjo!"_

But Thomas quickly used his other hand and slapped the Prince across the face. Then, just as quickly, he used the same hand and gripped Danny by the neck and yanked him closer.

"Shut up," he ordered calmly, yet darkly.

Danny could hear his mom crying for him, but the hit the man had dealt him had left him dazed. Still, he had gotten the message.

He stared fearfully yet quietly at the man as he continued, "Let's make something very clear right now…" Tom paused and pointed at his face before he narrowed his eyes and said, "If you try something like _this_ again…" With the same hand, the man abruptly grabbed one of the Prince's hands and gripped his small bleeding and swollen fingers with bone-crushing strength.

Danny cried out softly, but he silenced when the man finished his threat, "…. You will next find out what it feels like to have your _fingers_ cut off, _little Prince._ I can assure you, it'll hurt a hell of a lot more than your demon claws. _Get it?"_

Desiree bit her lip as she choked back a sob. But although Danny didn't understand everything the man had said, his threat was very clear.

Danny just quietly nodded.

Thomas smirked darkly in response before he let go of Danny's hand—though he still held him by the neck—and reached into his jacket and pulled out the syringe.

Seeing it, Danny began to cry. Not only had he already had a bad experience with needles when he had been younger and had gotten his shots, now he also was terrified that the man was going to touch him more aggressively _there_ again.

But when Thomas' hand around his neck tightened in warning, the Prince did his best to quiet his sobs—though it didn't really work.

His mother was also crying, for she knew how sensitive and fragile her son's core was. And like her husband, because Danny was also half-human, his soul could connect and feel other human souls. And this hunter's soul was clearly as dark as they came…

Danny squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered when the human male touched his symbol without warning and began to probe it with his fingers, as if looking for something.

Thomas frowned at feeling that strange sensation again from the ghost child's core. Still, he ignored it and quickly searched for a good insertion point.

Danny wept softly, feeling like his soul was slowly being consumed by the man's darkness.

"_Your soul can be affected by other souls through touch… and if someone has, let's say, bad emotions, well, you feel that. It's complicated, little Phantom. Perhaps when you are older, I'll explain it more to you…"_

The child only cried harder when he suddenly recalled his father's words. He didn't need to be older; he now fully understood what his father had been trying to tell him—to warn him about. But he couldn't protect his core or soul. It was being tarnished—_destroyed_—and he couldn't do anything! But, suddenly, it wasn't just his soul which screamed in pain.

Tom suddenly penetrated the Prince's core with the needle, ignoring his scream of agony, and the Queen's own cry for her child.

The young ghost instinctively began to struggle, though the hunter quickly put an end to it by squeezing the child's neck, bruising his pale skin. In fact, if the ghost boy needed to breathe, the man would have suffocated him by now…

Danny's glow quickly began to dim as the hunter began to extract energy from his core; but all the child could do was sob and scream, which intermixed with his sudden pleas for his parents' help.

Thomas, however, barely heard him. He was too focused on the energy filling the syringe.

It was transparent, too!

Thomas finished filling the syringe before finally pulling the needle out and releasing the Prince, who fell to the ground as he continued to cry and now grip at his chest…

The ghost hunter rose to his feet, quizzically studying the energy within the syringe. Did this clear energy have something to do with why this child responded to his touch, or why he could feel something from him?

But the Queen had not responded to his touch and her second core also had this clear energy… Then again, Tom had felt something from that _second_ core…

It truly made no sense to the ghost hunter. And at the moment, he had more important things to think about.

He would just have to study this new energy at another time.

Making sure to seal it tight, Tom slipped the syringe with the Prince's pure energy into his coat before turning to the two ghosts.

Desiree glared hatefully at the man through her tears as she vehemently whispered, "You're going to pay for this. Sooner or later, you're going to pay."

"I'd like to believe your threat, Ghost Queen, but I find it hard to do so when you're chained up to the wall," Tom replied with a small amused smile.

Desiree glowered at the man some more before turning her distressed eyes to her poor son.

"You know, this is your husband's fault," Thomas suddenly commented, walking over to a table full of ghost weapons and grabbing some things off it—which included an odd-looking gun...

"He was the one who picked a fight with me the day he broke into my facility and humiliated me... That's the problem with you demons," he added as he finally turned back to face the ghost mage, his eyes narrowing in hate. "You all think that just because of your demonic powers, you are superior to us. You think you can all do whatever the hell you please without consequence. Well, you creatures are wrong. The human race might not have supernatural powers, but we have ingenuity and tenacity. In other words, when you _screw_ with us, you can bet we're going to find a way to not just screw you right back, but _obliterate_ you. Your race has underestimated my own for decades. Now, you all will be suffering for your mistake—starting with your little spawn."

Desiree gasped when the ghost hunter returned back to Danny and raised him off the ground by the neck again.

Danny yelped in pain, while one of his hands instinctively gripped the larger one hurting him, while his other small hand stayed against his throbbing chest.

"No," Desiree pleaded as her son shook in the man's hold. "Please, just leave him alone! You've hurt him enough! Please, no!"

Tom stared coldly at the whimpering Prince before pulling out a device that almost looked like a normal pen—only that it was twice as big and had a couple of buttons...

"Do you want me to hurt you some more?" the man asked the child.

Understanding the question, Danny shook his head the best he could when he was being dangled several feet off the ground by his neck.

"Then, all you have to do is call to Daddy," Tom added with a small smirk.

"Damn you!" Desiree exclaimed, though her voice cracked. "He cannot! Don't you understand! **He can't!"**

"How do you say 'daddy' in your demon language?" Tom asked the ghost mage, acting as if he hadn't heard her outburst.

But when the Queen didn't answer, Tom pressed a button on the pen-looking device and the tip began to burn a red color.

Not needing a demonstration, Desiree quickly answered the man, _"__Paĉjo."_

Thomas quickly knew the ghost female was telling the truth when he saw the Prince's eyes widened in recognition of the word.

And, suddenly, the child understood what the man wanted. He wanted him to call for his father… but he didn't know how…

Danny whimpered before he softly told the man, "I not know. I not know call _mia paĉjo_…"

"Then, you better start learning fast," Tom replied darkly before grabbing the child's face tightly.

Danny tensed as the man drew the hot device closer to his left cheek. "Not hurt me!" he pleaded.

"I told you," Thomas answered. "Call daddy and I won't hurt you anymore. If not… well, I will have to blemish your little face—as I have your body…. Then again, you did blemish my face, too. So, it's only fair I get to do the same now."

Desiree continued to beg the man, but it was still in vain.

"Call him," Tom growled at the child, tightening his hand around his neck.

"Daddy," Danny sobbed in Ghost Speech.

But not seeing his symbol light up, Tom smirked and said, "Try again. Here's your motivation…"

Danny screamed as the hot device began to burn his flesh as it was pressed and moved across his cheek in a writing motion…

Desiree's wrists were bleeding heavily by now with all her struggles, but no matter what she did or how much she screamed, she couldn't do a thing to help her son.

Unfortunately for the Prince, no matter how loud he wailed for his father to help him, he simply could not call to him as the hunter wanted.

Soon, Danny couldn't even focus enough to scream anymore; and when the hunter finally ended his torture, the child's head fall back, clearly on the verge of passing out from shock and pain.

Tom growled in annoyance before releasing the child, who fell the few feet before roughly hitting the ground.

"_I really am going to kill Penelope!"_ Tom fumed in his mind. Why the hell didn't she tell him that the King's spawn couldn't call to him?

But as Tom glared down at the Prince and thought about it, something began to dawn on him. Supposedly, ghost children called to their parents when they were frightened. And although the Prince was clearly frightened, he had to wonder… What if the child was more shocked from all the pain than frightened…? Maybe he needed to use another method to get the ghost boy to call to his father…

But… what frightened a child more than physical pain…?

Thomas grinned when he suddenly knew…

"Danny," Desiree called softly to him, trying to get the barely alert child to respond to her. She closed her eyes as she added mentally, _"Vlad… where are you? He's going to kill our son…"_

However, her eyes snapped open when she heard her child whine in fear, and she quickly knew why when she saw Tom had squatted down and had picked up Danny again.

The Prince shivered and trembled as he regained enough awareness to realize that the hunter had grabbed him by the neck once more. But, suddenly, the man whirled him around to face his mother, who was crying and was still bound to the wall by glowing chains.

"Look, Ghost Queen. What do you think? Fitting, isn't it?" Tom asked with a cruel smirk.

Desiree's eyes widened at finally seeing what the man had done to her son's face. He had written, 'demon' on his left cheek and 'spawn' on his right one.

"_Panjo,"_ Danny whimpered, wanting nothing more than to be in his mother's arms.

Desiree choked on another sob when she found there was nothing she could say or do to make things better for her son.

"Come on, Ghost Queen," Thomas said darkly, already guessing her thoughts. "Your son needs you. Go ahead. Lie to him. Tell him everything will be alright. Tell him he isn't going to die even when you know he is..."

Desiree's eyes widened, but then she began to shake in horror and desperation.

"**Tell him!"** Tom suddenly snarled, grabbing the Prince by the hair and shaking him.

Danny heaved loudly in both pain and fear. But seeing his mother just a few feet from him, he reached out one of his bleeding hands to her as he sobbed out in Ghost Speech, "Mommy! Help! Mommy! Please!"

Desiree couldn't take anymore. She suddenly broke down into loud sobs.

Tom smiled at the sight before pulling the crying Prince closer so that he could whisper in his ear, "Look, Danny boy. Your _panjo_ is crying. She's scared for you."

"_Panjo_…," Danny whimpered, still reaching out to his broken mother.

"Yes, _Panjo_. Do you love _Panjo_?" Tom cooed in the child's ear.

The Prince knew what love was and he nodded back.

"Then, you wouldn't want me to hurt her… would you?" the hunter asked.

Danny gasped. "_Ne! Ne!_ Not hurt _mia panjo!"_

"Then this is what will happen next, Danny boy," Tom said with a leer. "I'm going to give you one more chance to call your 'panco' or whatever the hell you call him, or I won't just hurt your _panjo_, I'm going to _kill_ her."

The child didn't understand everything the man had said; but when he suddenly released him and stepped through the shield, heading for his mother, Danny suddenly forgot all about his abused and injured body.

"Ne!" he cried out as he dragged himself over to the shield keeping him from his mother and pounded his hands on it, causing the remnants of his claws to start bleeding again.

Desiree quieted her sobs when she heard Danny's cry and the footsteps approaching her.

But the man suddenly halted as he looked over at his commander and asked impatiently, "Anything?"

"No, sir, the two entities are still at the outskirts. They are not moving from there. It's very strange. Perhaps, we should investigate?"

Tom looked back at Desiree as he thought of what to do. And deciding on something, he finally replied, "Not just yet, commander. Either the King is already searching for his family and is somehow managing to keep below radar. Or, he is one of those two entities out there and he is waiting for something before making his move…"

Tom suddenly pulled out the odd-looking gun, its mouth shaped like that of a tranquilizer gun as he added, "Luckily, _this_ is all we need to finally put an end to our doubt. This, and our two live baits here…which are about to be turned into dead baits…"

Tom turned his eyes at the Ghost Queen with his last words before he walked over to her with evident purpose.

And seeing it, Danny's cries for his mother quickly returned two-fold.

Tom kneeled down next to the ghost mage as he pulled out from his white jacket what looked like a tranquilizer dart, except that the liquid inside it was glowing black…

"You know…," the man began casually, ignoring the mage's glare. "The liquid in these darts is specifically what I use to separate ectoplasm into its components in order to harvest the ectoplasmic energy from it. In short, it breaks down and dissolves ectoplasm."

Desiree stared back fearfully at the man now, already sure she knew where he was going with this.

"I have never tried to inject it into a living ghost before…," Tom continued as he loaded the dart into the gun. "In all honestly, I just never really thought about using it for that purpose—until now, that is…" The hunter locked his insensitive eyes on the ghost mage as he cruelly informed her, "So, guess what? You get to be my first test subject. Although… It's not hard to imagine what it's going to do to you…"

Desiree didn't say anything. Instead, she looked worriedly over at her son, who was staring back at her in utter fear. She naturally did not want to die; but mainly, she didn't want to die in front of Danny. It would destroy the six-year-old…

But that thought reminded her of something else, and she glanced down at the weakly pulsing orb in her stomach. The sight of it truly tore at Desiree's core; but she just closed her eyes, as silent tears fell from them.

Thomas found the Queen's behavior peculiar, though he was more surprised she wasn't begging him not to kill her. Clearly, she was frightened. Then again, her pleas weren't going to change his mind. Perhaps that's why she wasn't wasting her 'breath' now…

Still, the hunter had to admit that the ghost mage was one of the most intriguing specimens he had captured….

"Fredrick has a point… ," Tom suddenly said, deciding to voice some of his thoughts for the heck of it—and to add insult to injury…

"It's a shame to let your powers go to waste… Not to mention, you're just an anomaly I would have loved to examine more closely," he added, curiously touching the sphere inside her abdomen and frowning in confusion.

But he quickly snapped out of it, and removed his hand as he further said in a dark tone of voice, "However, I want the Ghost King to suffer in every way possible. And finding his son's and your corpse before he dies, too, will definitely hit home."

Tom suddenly smirked. "That, and, well…A deal is deal—even if your sister might have double-crossed me. She made me promise to kill you. I can't go back on my word, now can I?"

Desiree's eyes widened at having her suspicions confirmed.

Thomas, however, looked over at the Prince and grinned evilly at the child as he told him, "Danny boy… say good-bye to _Panjo_…"

"Mommy!" Danny cried out in his language as the man turned his eyes back to the ghost mage. He briefly hesitated, not sure which core to shoot, but deciding to go with what he knew, he pressed the gun against the ghost mage's glowing pink symbol and fired.

Desiree choked on a scream, though her son did it for her.

"**NE! Panjo!"** Danny cried out.

The impact of the dart wasn't the painful part. In fact, the ghost mage was mostly shocked than hurt by it. But when the black liquid inside the dart began to seep into her core, she felt pain like no other.

Desiree's scream vibrated the room as her body convulsed against her bindings.

And while Tom watched with morbid curiosity how the black liquid began to slowly change the pink spiraling star on her chest into its dark hue, Danny suddenly froze in horror.

He stared at his screaming mother, unable to even blink at seeing how she writhe and jolted violently as the black liquid spread through her body which showed in the form of little black veins…

But it was with one of her convulsions that the dart finally came out of her flesh and it fell next to her tail, dripping some of remaining black liquid in it on the ground and even a few drops fell on her tail.

Danny began to shake as he watched just those tiny drops sizzle against his mother's flesh, turning it black as well.

The child suddenly knew. This poison was meant to kill his mother.

Danny couldn't take anymore and he squeezed his eyes close and he began to hyperventilate as if he suddenly needed to breathe.

"Daddy," he breathed out at first, but it began to grow louder as he continued to hear his mother's screams.

"Daddy! H-Help. Daddy… **Daddy**!" he exclaimed as his hands fisted and he shook even more in growing panic.

"Daddy, help!" he whimpered loudly. But then he squeezed his eyes against the desperation and fear building inside him before it burst, like a dam…

"**DADDY!"** Danny shouted at the top of his lungs as his green symbol suddenly burst with white light.

But it didn't end there. The child's desperate scream seem to echo within the room before it suddenly turned tangible in the form of round green waves that came out of his mouth.

In spite her pain, Desiree gasped against the sudden assault to her ears. But she was more overwhelmed by the sudden feel of her son.

**He was calling to them!**

At that same moment, Thomas and his commander gasped as the strange green waves slammed into the ghost shield containing the Prince and slowly began to crack it. But as it fell away, the child's wail slammed into the other shield—the one holding his mother.

But as that one began to get destroyed, too, the lab room began to shake, and soon Thomas and Operative K could not even keep their footing as pieces of ceiling began to collapse and everything in the room began to fall apart.

"What the hell is this?"! Thomas gasped out as he tried to get to his feet without success, dropping the gun in his hand in the process.

His commander didn't respond right away since at that instant the mainframe sparked as the waves slammed into it.

"Sir! This place isn't ghost proof! He's going to bring down this facility and we're on the third floor!" Operaitve K yelled in a panic.

Thomas looked over at the Prince who was still screaming, though it now sounded more like a ghostly wailing. But, in spite the shaking, Thomas could clearly see the child's brightly glowing white symbol.

"Jackpot," Tom whispered in triumph before quickly focusing and searching around for the gun he had used on the ghost mage. And finding it just feet away, he crawled towards it. He then pulled out another dart from his jacket and loaded it.

"You've outlived your usefulness now, little Prince," Tom said darkly as he aimed the gun at the child's expose chest and fired…

* * *

Vlad was sure he was going to go crazy when he could not find any leads to the location of his family.

All he had learned—thanks to the media—was that 'some ghosts' were killed _or_ captured by the Guys-in-White. Though, somehow, the press was not aware of how many ghosts were involved nor did they know any further details of the happenings. Still, it was a big deal for the media because there had not been a _reported_ ghost sighting for over ten years...

However, when he soon found out through his double that his son and wife were not at the 'GiW' facility, the man began to search all the other places in Amity that he knew of which dealt with ghosts. The Guys-in-White were the largest group of ghost hunters here, but there were also smaller groups—the smallest being the Fentons.

Unfortunately, none of the ghost hunters he knew of seemed to be involved, since Vlad was unable to find any trace of his family's energies at any of their locations.

The man was sure of one thing, though. Someone—or 'someones'—_was_ helping the Guys-in-White. At least, it was the only explanation as to why Desiree and Daniel were not at the 'GiW' facility—at least, he hadn't sensed them in there.

And the husband and father refused to acknowledge the darker possibility that he couldn't sense them because they had been killed…

But, who? _Who_ was helping those horrible hunters hide his family from him?

It had taken a few good hours, which had seemed like an eternity. But by deduction, he had narrowed his search to a few areas. He was sure that whoever was helping the GiW had to have _at least_ the technology to allow them to detain ghosts.

So, he had looked up different technology labs and even clinics, which had purchased even the smallest amount of ghost security equipment from local ghost hunters. Luckily, the small town didn't have a lot of facilities with ghost security after all these years of not having any ghost attacks—though the place did have enough to make Vlad's search tedious.

However, his ghost sense helped him greatly. It had taken a lot of effort, but he had managed to pan it out for a few miles. So, as he searched, he mainly searched for any hint of his wife or son's ghost energy signature. He knew them so well, so he was certain that if he got close enough, he would feel them.

But that, too, had been difficult. In fact, in his building panic, he had begun to fear that the Guys-in-White had somehow found a way to hide his family's energies from him!

Vlad was willing to believe anything at this point. After all, his duplicate had recently reported to him through their mental link that he and Walker's guards had been trapped by some sort of shield that could not be penetrated by ghost, even when using intangibility.

Vlad kept tabs on the ghost hunters, especially those in this town. But he had never heard of such a shield…

After hours of failure, he was desperate now. And he was seriously contemplating attempting to infiltrate the 'GiW' facility to _make sure_ his family wasn't in there.

However, as he neared the largest lab in Amity Park, which had recently purchased some new ghost security equipment from none other than the Fentons, Vlad finally felt what he had been searching for.

"Des," he whispered, when the first thing he noticed was how weak her energy signature was.

And his son's was no better.

Currently in an inconspicuous black car and in _human_ form, Vlad quickly entered Axion lab's parking area and curved his car around the back—to keep it as hidden as possible.

He then stepped out, hiding his fear and worry within a firm frown.

He truly wished he could have just stayed as a ghost and flown around Amity Park searching for his family. It would have definitely taken him less time to find them. But it was only as a human that he could move around without being detected by ghost hunters or their weapons, since his ghost energy and signature was undetectable in this form—so long as he didn't use any of his ghost powers, that is…

It truly had been the only way. He had no chance of saving his family as Plasmius. But as Vladimir Masters…

There was a small chance.

Vladimir surveyed Axion as he made his way up to the entrance. Something was wrong here. This place was operating as normal…. And there were no signs of ghost hunters.

The place appeared to be just a normal lab, doing what it did every day…

So… how was it that his family was in here?

Vladimir steadied his breathing before he walked in, already having thought of a good cover up. He looked around at the workers whom were calmly filling out papers or talking to each other. None of them seemed like they knew anything, let alone that they were ghost hunters in disguise…

But Vlad still kept alert.

Locking his eyes on a reception desk with a woman sitting behind it, he walked up to her as calmly as possible.

"Excuse me," he said coolly.

"Yes?" the woman said, looking up at him curiously.

Vladmir paused when he noticed in his peripheral vision that almost everyone was suddenly staring at him. He knew why it was. Most of them recognized him as the Young Wisconsin Billionaire. But then others… Others were looking at him with suspicion…

If he wasn't so used to reading humans, he wouldn't have noticed their subtle glances at each other or how some of them reached into their lab coats for what the billionaire could only conclude to be a gun, clearly ready to fire at him at any sign of something ghostly about him. After all, humans were very well aware of how ghosts had the ability of overshadowing people…

"_So, there are ghost hunters here, after all…," _Vladimir thought. "_They're _under_cover posing as normal workers… And yet, the real workers in this place seem oblivious to what's going on…"_

But not wanting to draw anymore suspicion, Vlad calmly took out his wallet from his jacket and pulled out a small card and gave it to the secretary.

"My name is Vladimir Masters, owner and CEO of Vladco and Dalv industries—among others. I would like to speak to the owner of this facility," he said calmly.

"Do you have an appointment with Mr. Gray?" she asked nervously, as if not knowing how to act around such a famous man.

Vladimir just narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"Right, of course," she said, clearing her throat nervously. She quickly dialed her boss' office. Although he had told her he wanted no interruptions, the woman was sure Mr. Gray would make an exception for the billionaire standing in front of her.

But when he didn't pick up, she hung up and told the rich man, "I'm sorry, Mr. Masters. It seems he is not in his office now. Perhaps you would like to wait for him? I'm sure he's busy with the inspection group that's currently in the building."

"_Inspection group?"_ Vladimir thought, now all the more suspicious. Out loud, however, he nodded and said, "Yes, that's fine. I'll wait for him. Do you have a waiting room somewhere in this place?"

The secretary stood as she stammered out, "U-Uh, well, not exactly. But..."

"Then, I would like to be escorted to his office. I will wait there. After all, what I have come for is of great importance to this entire facility. Perhaps more so than that 'inspection' that has him so occupied at the moment…"

Unable to contradict the man, especially with his commanding personality, the secretary nodded. She looked around; and spotting one of her co-workers, she called to him. "Joe?"

"What is it, Mary?" the man said as he came over.

"Could you escort Mr. Masters to Mr. Gray's office? And if you see him, could you inform him of his important visitor?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," he said.

But right then, another man nearby approached them; and clearly having heard the conversation, he said calmly, "I think I know where Mr. Damon is. How about I take you to him instead, Mr. Masters?"

"Even better," Vladimir replied with a small smile. But suspecting this second man was a 'GiW' in disguise, the billionaire added, "In any case, I would like Joe to come with us. I'd like to inform his boss of his attentiveness towards me. And, of course, yours as well, Mary…"

The two Axion workers flushed and readily smiled at the prospect of getting complimented to their boss by the rich man.

"Of course, sir!" Joe agreed.

The undercover agent frowned, but didn't say anything. So much for privately questioning the rich man's reason for being here—as had been his intention.

As Vladimir was escorted by the two men down the hallway, he searched for his family's energy signature, trying to pinpoint their exact location. However, he soon discovered that he was being led away from them…

And by the confused look on Joe's face, even he didn't know where the undercover agent was taking them.

"Um, excuse me," Joe quickly said to the other man. "But I don't think Mr. Gray is down over here. If anything, we need to take the elevator to the third floor. His office is there and he is mostly likely at the top lab."

"Yes, I know that," the undercover hunter said coolly, stopping to look at the Joe and Vladimir. "However, considering the sensitivity of the inspection going on at the moment, I'm afraid Mr. Gray doesn't have time for meetings."

"Isn't that something _he_ needs to decide?" Vladimir asked the agent with a bit of ice in his otherwise casual voice. "I'll have you know I came from afar to meet with the owner of Axion Lab and I am not leaving until I do so. So, you either take me to him or I will report you to _your_ superior, understand?"

The undercover agent frowned; but knowing that one of Agent C's orders was specifically to keep a low-profile, he nodded, not wanting the rich man to make any sort of scandal over this. Reluctantly, the agent turned back around and escorted them towards the elevator.

However, just as they neared it, something most unexpected happen.

A sudden force abruptly gripped at the billionaire's dormant core and it suddenly overwhelmed him…

"Mr. Masters!" Joe exclaimed, while the undercover agent gasped in surprise as the young billionaire collapsed to the ground with a short cry of pain.

But even when the facility around him just as suddenly began to rumble, Vladimir could only gasp and grip at his chest against the overwhelming feeling coursing through him. It was so strong that it hurt!

Still, a single word managed to get pass his trembling lips…

"Daniel…"

* * *

**Yeah, not much to say after this chapter. But I hope it kept you guys on the edge and that it was as impacting as I wanted. In any case, let me know your thoughts. They will be my medicine as I heal! Heh-heh! Thanks for your support! And, of course, more to come!**

**Oh, not sure if we'll have Sid up this Saturday. But we'll try!**

**Ta for now, my dear readers!**


	34. Chapter 32: Till Dusk Do Us Part

**Hello all! So, we are back to this story… I hope you all haven't forgotten the last chapter… Though, that's probably not possible, huh? In any case, here is another very long chapter. It's about 75 pages in Word (eight pages short of the last one.) So, this might take you at least an hour for you _super fast_ readers.**

**Now, this chapter has a lot of scenes and most take place at once, so I hope you guys can keep up! I did my best to make this as fluid as possible. So, here's hoping I did a good job. Though, I got my beta's approval on the writing aspect of this chapter, so I'm pretty confident it came out good. However, on the contents of this chapter, my dear Truephan thought… Well, let's just say I think even _her_ evil muse cringed. Ha-ha!**

**No, but let me get serious. This is another of those intense chapters. So read at your own risk. And if you don't remember my warnings to you all from the beginning of this story, then go quickly to chapter one and read my author note. As I told, Truephan, it's going to get worse before it gets better.**

**So! Now that I scared the pants out of all of you, I'll let you get to it! XD**

**I hope you guys like it! See you at the….. bottom. I will be working on last chapter's reviews while you guys read this.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and its OCs are my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 32: Till Dusk Do Us Part**

* * *

Having left Axion and then parted ways from Operative O and his team, Gregor stood at the center ring of the empty Circus Gothica, waiting for his master to return from his private tent. The child's mind was reeling with what his master had told him on their way here. Of course, his master had made sure they were away from Tom's men before saying anything. Still… what his master planned to do… It was the complete opposite of what Tom's instructions to him had been.

Naturally, his master's commands were first priority, but Gregor didn't understand them. Tom's made sense. It was something he was use to now, in fact. But his master's orders were just… strange. Then again, perhaps it wasn't strange for _him_. After all, his master had an odd interest in collecting his kind. Gregory knew, of course, that just below him in the secret room, his master held the two male ghosts—the dwarf one and the big bulky one—completely under his master's control. He had not done anything with them, save keep them alive.

And that didn't make much sense to Gregor, either. He had expected that his master would be using them for his purpose by now. Yet, he just kept them down there in the ghost trap Tom had given him, only releasing them to feed them.

Then, there was the issue of his master's plans going against Tom's wishes. Gregory had not been around both men all this time without realizing that the ghost hunter had his master on perhaps an even shorter leash than his own…

So, why was his master risking going against Thomas? What was he trying to gain out of all this? Whatever it was, his master had yet to make it clear to him…

Gregory's confusing thoughts were interrupted by a quiet moan and his eyes quickly darted over to the man tied up to a pole just a few feet away.

The dragon ghost's green eyes almost saddened at the sight of Damon Gray.

Valerie was going to be so upset if she didn't get to see her father again…

Hesitating, Gregor walked up over to the awakening man and knelt down in front of him. The ten-year-old briefly studied him, wishing he could understand why this human was so _different_ from his master and Tom; why Damon always looked at Valerie with this unique and soft glow in his eyes. Why? ...And… he was so gentle and patient with her…

Was it because she was his daughter? So… did that mean his supposed parents that the ghost mage had mention back at Axion had also acted that nicely towards _him_?

No, it couldn't be. If they cared at all, they would have long since come for him….

Gregory frowned with his mixed emotions, but then shook his head, dismissing them. The child then raised a hand and wiped off some dirt that had somehow gotten on the man's forehead; but his touch seemed to finally stir Damon and his eyes abruptly snapped open with a gasp.

"Gregor?" he whispered out before he quickly glanced at his new surroundings. But then when he realized he was bound, Damon pulled against the rope as he hissed nervously, "What is going on?"

Gregory, who had long since lowered his hand away, didn't say anything. And, instead, he just watched Valerie's father with something akin to compassion. Even when he hadn't interacted with Damon very much, the few instances he had, the man had always been nice to him…

Damon soon turned his eyes back to the child and he frowned in worry as he said, "Gregor, what are you…? Release me, please. I'm sure that Agent C put you up to this, but you don't have to listen to him. What he's doing is wrong, Gregor. Please, don't help him. Undo these ties for me, and we'll both get out of here."

Gregory glanced in the direction of his master's tent, as if contemplating Damon's words. But when he turned his eyes back to him, it was clear he had no intentions of letting him go.

"Valerie's not going to be very happy about this…," he muttered absently. However, his eyebrows creased as he genuinely wondered out loud, "What do I tell her if she never sees you again and she asks me about you?"

Damon didn't like the sound of that. "Gregor, this is against the law. Do you understand? Tom cannot do this and you cannot let him! I know you are a child, but at least call the police!"

Gregor didn't say anything this time.

And seeing the child had no intention of helping him, Damon struggled even more against the binding. He was sure that if Tom was capable of knocking him out and of hurting innocent lives, even if they had been ghosts, Damon was sure the hunter wasn't beyond killing him to keep him quiet.

And that really frightened Damon.

Gregor sighed as Valerie's father suddenly began shouting for help. Why did everyone do that? Didn't they know that their attempt to escape from their fate was futile?

"You should stop yelling. You're just gonna make it worse for yourself," Gregor calmly advised.

However, just as he said that, Freakshow returned.

"Drone, shut him up. We need to be on our way," his master commanded.

Gregory quickly became nervous. He didn't want to hurt Valerie's father…

"Master, I-I don't understand why….?"

But in his moment of indecision, Freakshow came up and then unexpectedly slammed the side of his staff across Gregor's face cutting off his words.

The child yelped, thrown back by the blow. But he quickly got up; and blinking away the stars from his eyes, stared up fearfully at his master. Why had he hit him?

But his question was answered with another thrust of his master's staff which would have knocked the air out of him if he had needed to breathe. Instead, it sent a burning pain through his stomach and he fell back on his butt with a grimace.

"M-Master, I-I don't' understand. I only-"

"Oh, you understand, drone," Freakshow hissed as he gripped the staff harder and the red crystal began to burn red.

A similar hue instantly engulfed the dragon ghost and he just as quickly screamed in pain and clutched his head.

"When I tell you to do something, you do it, slave! I'm sick of seeing you hesitate or question my commands; yet you have no problem doing what Tom says, do you?" Freakshow snarled.

Gregor whimpered, but he quickly crawled towards his master's feet and pleaded, "No, Master! No. I-I only obey him because you told me to!"

"Are you blaming this on me?" Freakshow exclaimed, the agony in Gregor's mind intensifying with the man's ire.

A loud scream ripped out of the young ghost's throat, but he still continued to plea, "Please, master! I would never blame you! I'm just confused!"

"About what? Your sudden _care_ for Tom, is that what's confusing you, drone?"

"I hate him!" Gregor snarled back, only to regret it when he was hit by the staff again.

"And yet, you practically saved his life!" Freakshow screamed, grabbing the suffering ten-year-old by the hair and wrenching him up. "I never told you to help him, did I?"

"N-No, master," he whimpered back, not knowing what else to say to that.

Frederick pulled the boy closer and hissed in his face, "He doesn't care about you, drone. He might pretend to just to get you to cooperate, but it is only an act. He's manipulating you. He hates you as much as he hates every single one of your kind. He'll kill you the moment you become useless to him."

Gregor shook with restrained emotions, but mostly with confusion and fear. "M-Master, I don't care about him. I only care about fulfilling your every command. I only live for you. I just, it confuses me. Tom has commanded me one thing, and you another!"

**"I don't care what he has commanded you!"** Freakshow abruptly screamed, shaking the young ghost. "I make the rules. You obey me! No ifs, ands, or buts.** I** am your master! It is that simple, drone. Stop thinking, and you won't be confused because what you have to do is simple. What you have to do is heed to **my** commands! So, when I say to listen to that ghost hunter, you listen. And the day I tell you to kill him, you will—"

"Kill him," Gregor quickly finished. He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain the staff was causing him, but he still added, "Please, forgive me, master. I will not hesitate or question you again."

Freakshow willed the crystal to let up on its attack, but he didn't let go of Gregor's hair. Instead, he towered over him and darkly warned, "Don't make the mistake of believing you are indispensible to me, slave. You have become more of a pain in my neck than I should permit. Trust me, if it was up to me, you wouldn't have even the slightest sense of free will. But if you continue to try me, what Tom did to the King's brat will be nothing compared to what I do to you."

Freakshow roughly let go of the child's hair before adding more calmly, "Remember this, drone. Tom will never be able to give you what you truly need. There's a big difference between Tom and I and that is our feelings for your kind." He smiled suddenly before saying, "You see, slave, he might hate ghosts, but I _love_ them… You creatures _fascinate_ me. So, if you are looking for some semblance of 'care', the closest you will ever come to that is with me."

Gregor didn't say anything and just stared back fearfully.

Freakshow rolled his eyes in response before pointedly gesturing to Damon and commanding, "Get up and go gag that idiot over there! Then, change. Those moronic ghost hunters are waiting for us and we have my own plans to fulfill before they destroy everything."

"Yes, master," Gregor quickly said and got to his feet. He didn't hesitate, this time, and walked over to Damon, who had froze in horror and disbelief at the abusive scene that had just unfolded.

But when he saw the child stand in front of him and raise his hand at him, Damon gasped and quickly said, "Gregor, don't do this!"

"Sorry. I only obey my master," he replied emotionlessly before firing a blast at the man, knocking him out. Then, he conjured up ecto-goo and gagged him.

Still wearing an impassive frown on his face, he finally turned from the unconscious man and moved to an open space before reaching into his chest and pulling out the gem.

In an instant, he turned into his real form.

Gregor's green eyes quickly became red and his suppressed symbol returned, glowing with his blue energy.

When Freakshow walked up to him, the dragon ghost lowered his head in submission.

"Give me that," the man ordered him, pointing to the gem. And once he received it, he stored it inside his trench coat.

"If we are lucky, Tom's men will all be dead by the time we reach the harbor," the ring master continued. "The reality, however, is that they will be very much alive, which means we will have to make it all convincing for them. Don't forget drone. You only kill who I tell you to."

"Yes, master," Gregor replied before raising his knee so his master could climb up on top of him. It was rare for his master to ride him. In fact, he could tell his master wasn't very comfortable with it, but they both knew it was the quickest way to travel.

Once his master was on, Gregor produced an ecto-rope around his neck and the ends appeared in his master's hands, so he could hang on. It was only when his master gave him the command to go that the dragon ghost turned them intangible and invisible and took off straight towards Amity's harbor…

* * *

It didn't take Skulker, Lydia, Ghostwriter, and Walker's two guards too long to reach the pier. The parents' link with their daughter had led them straight to her location, except that things were worse than what any of them had expected.

There where ghost hunters everywhere. And unbeknownst to the ghosts, the second team which Tom had sent out with Gregor had yet to arrive…

Invisible, the family and Walker's guards hovered in the sky, measuring the situation. But Skulker was as much troubled as he was confused. Ever since Bullet had told them that the Prince, Ember, and Cujo had ventured through the portal leading to this town, the hunter's mind had been reeling. How was it that if they had ventured here together, Ember and Cujo had ended up in one location and the Prince at another? At least, there was no sign of Desiree or Danny around here. And it didn't make sense for the hunters to have only trapped the Queen and Prince and left his niece and the ghost dog alone. No, something just didn't add up. In fact, this all seemed highly suspicious…

"Oh, Ghostwriter!" Lydia whispered worriedly to her husband, unknowingly snapping her brother out of his thoughts. "I don't see our Ember. I feel her, but I don't see her!"

But the father didn't reply as his own eyes darted frantically around the immediate area. He feared the worst. What if these hunters had already captured their child? At least he knew she was still alive because he could feel her, but he could also feel she was in serious danger!

Skulker also remained quiet, though he quickly brought out a set of binoculars from his suit to help him see things better. In spite of his ghostly vision, the human world was a lot brighter than theirs, especially with the sunrays reflecting off the snow. So, it made it difficult to see.

Still, in spite of his confusion over how all this had happened, the important thing right now was to locate his niece. But what currently had his attention was how the ghost hunters seemed to be interested in lake, specifically the area just off the decks. And although he couldn't be sure, he had a bad feeing that what had the ghost hunters distracted were Ember and Cujo…

"I think they are inside the lake," Skulker said with a frown, and an instrument on his wrist confirmed it a second later when he picked up the… weak energy signatures of his niece and the ghost dog.

"In the water? But it's frigid! We have to get her out now!" Lydia exclaimed and was about to fly forward, only to be stopped by her brother when he grabbed her arm.

"Wait, Lydia," Skulker said. "I know you are worried, but I need you to follow my lead, especially when you and Ghostwriter have no experience with ghost hunters. They will kill you before you can reach her."

Lydia's body and black hair lit up with her energy as she hissed back, "I'd like to see them try. No hunter is going to keep me from saving my child!"

But having a clearer head than his wife, Ghostwriter quickly said, "I agree with you, Lydia; but if we want to save her, we best do as your brother says…"

The mother looked torn, but still reluctantly nodded.

Skulker turned his eyes to the ghost hunters for a moment again before saying, "That's their leader there. I can tell. So, while Jaur and Tal," he said, pointing at the two guards, "deal with him and the hunters around him, Ghostwriter, I want you to create a diversion for Lydia. Lydia, once you see the hunters' attention is on your husband, dive into the lake and get Ember and Cujo out. Here," Skulker then said, pulling out a small blue cube which was of his own invention and handing it to his sister. "As soon as you get to her, I want you to activate this device with your energy. It will create a temporary portal home."

Lydia frowned. "But, what about you and Ghostwriter?" she asked.

"I also have a weapon that makes portals. I'll get us out," the hunter assured her.

Lydia nodded, while Ghostwriter then asked his brother-in-law, "What kind of—?"

But his words were cut off by a sudden loud _bam_.

All the ghosts' attention went to the lake as it spurted out water into the sky from a missile detonating within it.

Lydia instantly thought the worse.

"NO!" she screamed and disregarding their recently made plan, she turned visible and flew to her daughter's aid before anyone could stop her.

"**Lydia, no!" **Skulker exclaimed in alarm. But he knew it was too late, and he quickly ordered, "Ghostwriter, go after her! Jaur! Tal! Follow me!"

Meanwhile, Operative M and his team had been trying to force out the two little ghosts hidden within the water's depths below. But even with the ecto-missiles, there was too much debris and rocks for the rocket to penetrate deep enough to reach the 'level-one' creatures.

However, just when they were about to switch tactics and use more heavy artillery, their ghost instruments suddenly sounded the alarm about the ghosts rapidly approaching their vicinity.

They saw Lydia first. And Operative M quickly exclaimed, "We have company, men! Shoot to kill!"

But as the hunters rounded their weapons to aim at the incoming female ghost, Ghostwriter materialized on the other side and conjured up a glowing keyboard.

"I'll teach you creatures to harm my child!" the father hissed before he slammed his fingers on the keyboard, instantly playing an aggressive music piece on his piano-like weapon.

A flash of green energy, like a small wave, came at the hunters; but instead of hitting them, it went over them and struck the two fishing boats at the docks behind the men. In an instant, the boats began to glow with ghostly energy before they suddenly moved, now possessed by Ghostwriter's powers.

The hunters all gasped as the boats suddenly came towards them at full throttle, slamming into the docks; and as the wooden planks broke apart, they were force to flee from the destruction.

Seeing his brother-in-law effectively scatter the hunters, Skulker dove for the attack. He fired several guns at them, hurling several humans back with a strong blast while capturing others with strong, glowing nets.

But seeing they were now truly under attack, Operative M barked out orders and the hunters quickly split their focus between the two male ghosts floating above them. However, the hunters just as quickly had two more ghosts—Walker's guards—to worry about, as they took Skulker's lead and let the humans feel the sting of their own electrical weapons.

Having experience in hand-to-hand combat and preferring it, Skulker quickly landed, wielding out his sword and using it and his weapons on his shoulders to block the hunters' attacks as he pressed forward.

"I'll have your heads for trying to hurt my niece," Skulker growled as he turned intangible to dodge a blast from a hunter in front of him. He then lunged forward and drove his sword into the man's stomach. Unlike the King, he had no quarrel with taking a life when it was necessary, and now that this was a life-and-death situation—these hunters had just made a big mistake! If it was a battle to the death that they wanted, then Skulker was determined to take them all to their graves!

As the four male ghosts continued to battle the Guys-in-White, Lydia managed to reach the lake with only a few blasts thrown her way in an attempt to stop her. But she had quickly turned intangible to avoid the hits and then had further released her protecting spell—which was the tattoo-like symbols that covered her body. They peeled away from her skin, becoming ghost-like creatures, which didn't hesitate to attack the hunters which had dared to fire at her.

However, she didn't stay to see what happened and instead dove into the water, following her link towards her child as she fearfully noted that her desperate call for help was growing weaker and weaker. How long had Ember been in here?

In reality, the ghost girl and the puppy had been inside the frigid water for almost an hour and they were now suffering from severe hyperthermia as their cores fought to keep them warm. But because Ember had a hot core, the coldness around her was even more effecting for her since her body required a higher temperature than those with normal cores to keep functioning correctly.

By the time Lydia spotted her daughter curled up in the muck with Cujo, she was unresponsive and her natural glow was barely even there. The two young ghosts were clearly minutes from death.

"_Oh, no,"_ Lydia thought in alarm as she quickly scooped up her daughter and Cujo. She didn't waste time looking her over at that moment. Right now, the mother's priority was to get them both out of the icy water and warm up their cores!

"Hang on, sweetheart," Lydia whispered as she shot back up to the surface.

In seconds, they reappeared above water, and the mother instantly turned them all intangible. Luckily, she knew from past experience—from the few times she had come to this world—that the water here didn't cling to a ghost's _intangible_ body like the kind of water in the Ghost World.

Lydia frantically looked around for a safe place to warm up her daughter and Cujo. And seeing an empty and untouched boat just a few feet away, she flew to it and quickly landed. She laid the two six-year-olds on the boat's deck and conjured up blue ghost energy in her hands.

"Ember?" she asked worriedly, placing a hand on the child's core and letting the warm energy seep inside her. But Lydia used her other hand to do the same for the unresponsive puppy.

It took a moment, but the little girl's eyes slowly opened and she stared up at her mother. "Ma… Cold. So… cold," she whimpered out weakly.

Lydia nodded as tears came to her eyes and she quickly began to rub her daughter's body to further warm up her body temperature. But she then glanced at Cujo and she could now see he was worse off. The ghost puppy was curled up into a shivering ball, but she could see a large gash on his side which was still bleeding.

Lydia quickly picked up Ember and pulled her close to her body with one hand, letting her energy seep out to continue to warm the child, while she then reached down once more with her free hand to Cujo, using even more of her energy in an attempt to stabilize him as well.

The mother knew her brother had told her to return home as soon as she found Ember; but she couldn't do that just yet because she feared her daughter and the ghost dog's cores were about to give out at any moment. They needed warmth now.

Fortunately, after a few minutes, Lydia's quick actions paid off as she watched her daughter's natural glow slowly begin to return. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for Cujo. That wound was really weakening him.

However, Lydia's attention suddenly turned away from the two young ghosts when she heard a loud rumble come from the direction of where she had left her husband and brother. Keeping Ember against her, she stood up and looked over in the direction and gasped at the sight of the approaching helicopters and large vehicles, which didn't hesitate to surround the four male ghosts. But upon closer inspection, the ghost female gasped when she realized one of the four ghosts was missing…

Where was her brother?

Skulker had expected the hunters to call in reinforcements, but he had never expected them to arrive so quickly…. It was almost as if they had been ready to go and had simply been waiting for some kind of signal.

So when a missile abruptly came out of the sky, the hunter, who had still been fighting on the ground, was barely able to conjure up a shield before the missile struck him dead on. The hunters, who had been close by, quickly had dove out of the way, having seen the incoming attack before the robotic ghost. Then again, the missile was design to mainly harm ghosts.

And yet, in an instant, the area around Skulker was destroyed, stirring up smoke and debris all around him. But because he was on the pier, the attack drilled him straight through the wooden bank and plunged him into the freezing water.

His suit instantly sounded an alarm as its internal system took in water. It could actually resist some water, but not for long. So, thinking quickly, Skulker turned intangible and flew right back up, freeing himself from the frigid liquid.

The hunter didn't have time to check over his suit, but he could tell that it wasn't too badly damaged by the water. Still, he growled as he looked up and saw several helicopters now overhead, weapons armed and ready.

"Skulker! Are you alright?" he heard Ghostwriter cry out in alarm, though he continued to use his writing keyboard to block incoming attacks.

But the robotic ghost didn't answer as he continued to defend himself, while frantically sizing up the turns of event. This had now become more than the four could handle. But seeing how these human hunters were striking _them_ with such force and manpower, Skulker was suddenly worried for Vlad and his own family, now all the more certain that these creatures' ultimate goal was to kill the royal family and they weren't holding anything back! But Skulker was also now sure that this went beyond anything these hunters had schemed up in years! And he feared none of them were prepared for this.

Still, he wasn't about to give up. And he wasn't going to be taken down by these humans!

"Ghostwriter! Jaur! Tal!" Skulker yelled over at him before further saying in Ghost Speech. "We need to stand together!"

The other male ghosts quickly fell in, hovering in a circle to guard each other's backs as they were closed in by the hunters from above and below.

"We cannot take fight back these hunters anymore," Skulker said with narrowed eyes. "But we do not need to. We just need to hold our own long enough to get an opening into the sky. First, we need to take out these helicopters."

They all nodded in agreement and while Ghostwriter raised a shield around them to protect them from the human hunters' weapons, Walker's two guards focused on the hunters on the ground, firing back at them with their energy sticks. Meanwhile, Skulker pulled out a large gun from his shoulder and aimed it upwards towards one of the copters.

Following it, he fired a missile of his own a bit ahead of it, which hit its target dead on a second later. "One down, two to go…," Skulker muttered darkly, reloading and aiming again.

But the remaining two helicopters wised up and swirled around to face the ghost firing upon them. So, as another missile came at one of them, the other helicopter fired one of its own, instantly diffusing the hunter's attempt to take its partner down.

Skulker cursed, but at that instant a cracking sound got his attention and the hunter frowned at seeing Ghostwriter's shield finally giving in with all the numerous attacks upon it.

"How about we switch? I have an idea," Lydia's husband said with a smirk.

Skulker nodded and quickly calling back his missile weapon and replacing it for two energy weapons, he told Walker's guards, "Help me give Ghostwriter cover."

The two obeyed without hesitation and as they formed a circle around Ghostwriter and fired back at the hunters shooting at them.

Ghostwriter reformed his keyboard and turned his focus on the two helicopters above. He fired a few wild attacks to throw off the copters before gathering a large amount of energy through his keyboard and then let it out, creating a green wave upwards, which the helicopters could not evade.

The copters were pushed back a bit, but otherwise were unharmed. However, the green hue that formed around them said otherwise.

With a press of a few buttons, the helicopters were jolted under Ghostwriter's sudden control. "Puppets on strings, meet your puppeteer…" he quipped before he then propelled the helicopters back with such force that they lost what little control they had. And while one crashed into the middle of the lake, the other vanished beyond the pier's buildings, forced to land in order to avoid crashing.

Below, Operative M, who had been joined by Operative O and his own team, was shocked at what the ghost with the glasses had done to their copters.

"These creatures are strong," Operative M muttered, annoyed.

"Yes, but we cannot let them get away," Operative O replied with a frown

"I doubt they are going anywhere, not without the two ghost children," Operative M suddenly answered, realizing what was going on. And getting a questioning look from the other commander, he explained, "We had two 'level one' ghosts trapped in the lake below. It must be why they are here. In fact, we lost visual of the female ghost that came with them. But my ghost detecting instrument shows she is nearby, along with the two 'level one' ghosts. They are probably hiding; waiting for these four ghosts."

"Then, let's make sure we keep them at a stalemate…" Operative O replied as he glanced at an instrument of his own. "At least, until Agent C's secret weapon comes to tilt the odds in our favor, which shouldn't be too long now…"

"Secret weapon?" Operative M repeated, not having heard of it.

Operative O smirked. "That what he calls it. I have my own opinion; but in any case, it'll at least be a good distraction for us to bring down these ghosts."

"Well, until then….," Operative M began before quickly shouting more commands at his team. As soon as the tanks were aimed at the ghosts above, he added, "Let's see these creatures block the tanks' firepower…"

Operative O smirked before quickly ordering his own men to increase their own attacks...

Skulker frowned as the hunters more than doubled in their forces. Knowing that their chance to get out of here was now since the helicopters were gone, the hunter ghost looked at his brother-in-law and asked, "Have you seen Lydia? Did she return home?"

Ghostwriter shook his head as he replied, "I lost sight of her after she dove into the lake. But I don't feel my daughter calling to me anymore, so perhaps, they have left."

Skulker frowned in worry. He knew he could check by using his suit to search for his niece and sister's energy signatures, but by the sheer viciousness of their attack, he barely had room to fire back at the hunters below. In fact, at this point, the four male ghosts were practically just blocking fire. And he quickly realized things were about to get uglier when he saw the tanks being cranked up towards them. Skulker was familiar with these contraptions. They fired energy blasts with the force to take out even the strongest of ghosts; so there was no way their ghost shields could match them.

They needed to get away from these hunters now!

"Alright, we'll have to track Lydia down later," Skulker urgently decided before ordering, "On my go, I want you all to shoot as far up into the sky as possible. We need to buy ourselves some time!"

The others nodded, though they continued to defend themselves. However, at that moment, Skulker pulled out two grenades from his suit and threw them down, instantly creating a large cloud of green smoke that engulfed the human ghost hunters and blocked their visual of their targets.

As the commanders below barked out commands, Skulker quickly exclaimed, "Move, now!"

The four male ghosts shot up into the sky, planning on escaping the human hunters long enough to make sure Lydia had returned home with Ember and Cujo before they themselves retreated home via Skulker's portal-making gun.

However, their plan ultimately never came to fruition. Perhaps if it wasn't for the sun's limiting their eyesight, they would have been able to prevent what happened next. But, alas, only Lydia who had been watching everything from the boat a distance away saw the incoming threat….

But she had been too shocked to even react—not that it would have made much difference.

Just as Skulker was about to tell his companions they were high enough to momentarily halt their flight, a large shadow abruptly appeared over them, for an instant even eclipsing the sun. But before they could even make out what it was above them, a wall of burning blue fire suddenly came down on top of them like an anvil.

All they had time to do was gasp before the wall slammed into them and drove them straight into the ground.

Below, several human hunters were hurt by the wall of fire, too; but most had seen it coming in time to get out of the way. However, when the four ghosts slammed into the ground, the hunters didn't hesitate to surround them.

Still Operative O raised a hand to his men indicating them to hold their fire, while he then gestured to a few of them to keep a sharp eye on the creature who had been responsible for the sudden attack on the other ghosts. The commander, of course, knew Agent C's 'weapon' would be joining them, so he had had the foresight to inform his men of it. Naturally, they had been surprised by the news, but they didn't question their superior's judgment.

However, _Operative M and his men_ were _not_ prepared to see a huge ghost land several feet away from them, and they all gasped in alarm at the sight of Gregor, his wings spread wide open while blue smoke bellowed out of his nostrils.

The Guys-in-Whites' instincts instantly told them that the huge ghost was a bigger threat, but before Operative M could order his men to even turn their weapons on the beast, Operative O quickly exclaimed, "Hold your fire!"

"What?" Operative M hissed, while his team was confused by the other commander's order. In fact, even Operative O's own team looked unsure of the dragon ghost, but still followed their superior's orders.

"Our targets are _those_ ghosts there, men," Operative O said, pointing at Skulker and the others who were slowly getting up, before Operative O gave the other commander a significant look.

Operative M still looked unconvinced, but he trusted his comrade and nodded in approval at his own team.

However, as the human ghost hunters regained their wits and focused back on their mission, Skulker and the others had finally pushed back their daze and they slowly looked up at what had just knocked them out of the sky.

Their eyes shot wide open at the sight of the dragon ghost.

"It can't be," Skulker whispered, not knowing what to make of any of this. What was a dragon ghost doing here? And… it was allied with the human hunters?

But as Skulker looked it over, he realized one other thing… Something Ghostwriter voiced.

"He's… He's a child…," Ghostwriter gasped out.

But they were given no time to think or do anything else, since they then heard several guns cock around them.

Skulker looked fearfully at the humans, before looking back at the dragon ghost who was carefully watching them, clearly waiting for them to make their next move. But what sent an actual shiver down the hunter's spine was the malicious glow in the child's intense gaze…

This… This was beyond the hunter's imagination! One thing was fighting human ghost hunters, but to also have to confront one of his kind, which was in fact just a child, was beyond Skulker's expectation. He was honestly too shocked and confused to even think of how to handle this!

Ultimately, it was Walker's guards who surprisingly took the initiative. Using their weapons, they abruptly and simultaneously stabbed them into the ground and sent a ripple of electricity through the ground, surprising everyone.

As the ghost hunters who got hit with the attack screamed in pain, the others fired.

But thinking quickly, Ghostwriter conjured up a shield to protect them before just as quickly thrusting the doom-like shield out, which shattered like broken glass and forced the humans to stop firing in order to protect their faces.

And it was all the four male ghosts needed. Quickly, they brought fourth their weapons just as the human hunters recovered and attacked. Of course, the four ghosts didn't hesitate to defend themselves.

Meanwhile, Gregor had hissed at the brief shock that had come his way, but had quickly flapped his wings and rose off the ground to escape what the guards had done.

"What is your next command, master?" he asked, his eyes locked on the battle between the ghosts and Tom's men. Even when he could see how strong the four ghosts were, the hunters clearly outnumbered the ghosts and would in short time overpower them. And the ghost dragon also knew that the ghosts were further hindered in their efforts when being forced to fight on the ground.

"Patience, drone," Freakshow replied with a smirk, still mounted on the dragon ghost. "Let's see how they handle themselves…"

Gregor's tail twitched with anxiety, but otherwise remained silent and still.

Freakshow continued to watch the four male ghosts with a critical eye as they struggled against the Guys-in-White. The ghosts were quite resilient; the man had to give them that. But the ghost hunters were merciless…

However, as he thought that, Freakshow's interest narrowed on the robotic-looking ghost, watching how he spun around, killing three of Tom's men at once with a loud battle cry. The man didn't need any more thought on what he was thinking.

"Lower me down, drone," Freakshow commanded. And when Gregor did as he was told and the man got off the dragon ghost, Freakshow drew out his staff and then aimed it towards Skulker before he told Gregory darkly, "That one. Kill the rest."

Gregor's eyes narrowed on the robotic ghost before he vanished into invisibility and took to the sky to do as his master had commanded…

Meanwhile, Skulker and the other male ghosts were too occupied with defending themselves against the ghost hunters to even keep track of the dragon ghost. But they knew they couldn't keep the humans at bay for long.

"Ghostwriter?" Skulker said as he dodged a blast and shot one himself. "Could you make a shield? If we can't fly out of here, then we'll dive down!"

Ember's father nodded nervously. This was turning out to be worse than he imagined. He had heard stories about human hunters being ruthless against his kind, but this was beyond comprehension! Still, he forced himself to focus, knowing that his life, and possibly the life of his family, depended on their escaping.

But just as he was about to draw up the shield, a sphere of blue abruptly came out of the sky towards them. This time, however, the male ghosts were able to dodge the flames but at the cost of being split apart—as Gregor had intended.

"Hold your fire!" Operative O commanded suddenly to his troops, while Operative M complied and his team also held fire.

Operative O carefully observed as Gregor lost invisibility before arching his wings back and then diving at the ghosts below. And already having an idea what the dragon ghost had in mind, Operative O quickly told Operative M, "Quick. Have your men cover at twelve and nine o'clock!"

The other commander nodded and barked out orders to his men as they quickly ran to get into position, though they made sure to give the dragon ghost some distance, mostly for their own safety.

As the human hunters switched tactics, Gregor was now upon the other male ghosts, though his focus was mostly on Skulker.

The metallic ghost gasped as he rolled out of the way of yet another ball of flames. The child was throwing attack after attack, barely giving him, Ghostwriter or Walker's guards time to react, let alone attempt to defend themselves.

But hearing his brother-in-law and the guards cry out in alarm as a blast narrowly hit them, Skulker had enough and he quickly jumped back to his feet, only for another ball of flames to quickly come between him and Ghostwriter, separating them even more.

Walker's guards, however, were behind Ghostwriter, though they were also several feet away from Ember's father. Still, it was Skulker who was being forced away from the group; and having already figured out the dragon child's tactics, the robotic ghost was sure that this young ghost was targeting him for some reason…

However, as Skulker risked a glance at the human hunters, who for some reason had halted their fire, he soon realized the hunters not only had surrounded them again, but they were now moving in between them, separating the four ghosts further from each other. And soon more hunters cut off Ghostwriter from Walker's guards, too, while the young ghost now blocked off any attempt of an aerial escape for any of them. This… dragon ghost really _was_ allied with the humans!

Now all but panicked, and more specifically afraid for his brother-in-law, Skulker's survival mode rose up several notches as the hunter quickly drew out his sword again, as well as several guns from his suit. He followed the dragon ghost's movements with a tense frown as the child flew in circles above him and the other male ghosts. But with the sun still in the sky, even when it was beginning to retreat, it still made it difficult for Skulker to keep sight of the young ghost.

But at that instant, Gregor dove at Skulker, this time with his claws extended, like a falcon ready to seize its meal below.

Skulker gasped and lunged out of the way. But although Gregor's front claws missed him, the second pair grabbed him from the back and raised him into the air with a strong flap of the dragon's huge wings.

"SKULKER!" Ghostwriter shouted, having seen what had happened, even when he was trying to keep the human hunters at bay now that they had open fire again. But knowing his brother-in-law needed help, Ghostwriter growled at the human hunters before using his still active keyboard to take control of one of their tanks. With a grunt of effort, the bespectacled ghost used his powers to raise the tank a bit off the ground before throwing it at the human hunters.

Operative O, who had been one of the hunters attacking Ghostwriter, jolted out of the way of the suddenly possessed tank, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the huge piece of artillery. Of course, the other hunters were force to break formation and that gave Ghostwriter just enough time to find an opening; and in a blink of an eye, he shot right up into the sky, going after the dragon ghost who still had his brother-in-law in his clutches and was moving unbelievably fast past the buildings and storage compartments at the pier as his flight continued to also ascend…

In that time, Walker's guards had also seen what had happened to Skulker; and although they wanted to help, they were having an even harder time with Operative M and his team which had now focused their efforts on taking down the two lone guards now that they were growing weaker and more vulnerable with their constant energy use.

Meanwhile, Skulker, who was still being held by Gregor's back claws by the shoulders, was struggling to get loose as he demanded, "What are you doing, pup? Let me go!"

However, Gregor only replied by digging his claws deeper into Skulker's metal suit before the dragon's whole body began to glow with blue energy which rapidly spread to the hunter's body.

But not wanting to find out what the child was about to do, the hunter gripped his sword tighter and reached blindly behind his back, jabbing the sword into Gregor's left foot.

The young ghost roared in pain and was forced to let go. However, before Gregor could go on the attack, Skulker had spun around and quickly shot an energy blast which slammed into the dragon ghost, sending him tumbling further up into the sky. Skulker instantly followed after him, determination now set in his narrowed eyes.

No longer distracted by surprise or human hunters, Skulker was now ready to confront the young ghost dragon in a one-on-one fight of skills. And it was the older ghost which now had the advantage.

As Gregor managed to finally stop his uncontrolled flight and right himself, Skulker halted and switched his assault gun for a larger one. But unknowingly to the dragon ghost, it was in reality a _capturing_ weapon. After all, Skulker wasn't about to kill the child, no matter how bent it seemed on wasting _him_.

Gregor narrowed his eyes when he saw Skulker take aim at him; but he quickly arched his neck back and poured out fire from his mouth at the adult ghost.

However, the child was surprised when the male ghost quickly dodged the fiery spray and suddenly moved around him. Then, before Gregor could even turn his head, Skulker fired his gun, which released a net and instantly swelled to the size of Gregor, covering him and immobilizing him completely.

Gregor gasped as his wings were pressed against his body and he instantly lost flight. With a cry of alarm, the child dropped out of the sky; but before he could fall too far, something stopped him. The child looked up and saw how Skulker was holding the end of the net with a firm frown on his face.

Gregor could only stare back at the adult ghost. He had never been beaten so quickly and so easily by anyone! It was as if the ghost knew his every move.

In a way, he was somewhat right. Skulker had spent a long time around dragon ghosts and had even sparred with _much more_ experienced ones than this young one. Needless to say, then, that the hunter also had years of experience on the battlefield.

With all his advantages gone, Gregor was hardly a challenge.

Acting like the child he was, Gregor roared and threw a tantrum within the net as he struggled to escape; but not even with intangibility could he get out of it.

Skulker frowned worriedly as he silently watched the snarling dragon ghost who had now turned to shouting every profanity at him that he knew—in fact, the hunter didn't understand half of the Human Speech insults…

At that moment, Ghostwriter caught up. "Are you alright, Skulker?"

Skulker's eyes slowly peeled away from Gregor and looked at his brother-in-law, seriously and worriedly telling him, "I… I think this is Aragon's son…"

"What? The one that went missing over six years ago?" Ghostwriter gasped in disbelief.

Skulker nodded slowly. "Yes, but… I cannot even comprehend how he has survived in this world for so long."

"What are we going to do with him?"

Skulker sighed. "There something very wrong with him... But we need to take him back with us."

Gregor's eyes widened at hearing that and he suddenly panicked. "No, no, no! Let go of me! Let go! Let go! My master will be angry! Let go!"

Skulker grunted at the effort to keep hold of the net, but then, a bright red beam unexpectedly blasted it right out of his hands.

The two male ghosts gasped as the same beam pushed them back a bit. But the two quickly steadied themselves and their eyes darted down towards who had just shot the energy beam at them. They froze at the sight of a man dressed in a black trench coat holding up a staff towards them. It seemed that in their struggles, they had lowered enough to the ground for the man below to take aim at them with his strange weapon… A weapon that had an odd glowing red gem which as soon as Skulker and Ghostwriter looked at it, they started to feel dizzy.

"Drone! What are you waiting for? Attack!" Freakshow commanded from below. It had taken him some time to reach the struggling ghosts on foot, but he finally had and he wasn't about to throw all his plans away because of the dragon ghost's stupidity of getting caught!

Gregor, who had finally freed himself from the net thanks to his master, quickly used the two male ghosts' distraction to his advantage and before either of them could react, he grabbed Skulker by the shoulders again.

But the hunter's sudden cry of alarm also snapped Ghostwriter out of the effects of Freakshow's staff. In an instant, he conjured up ghost energy in his hands and fired two blasts at the man below, sure that he was the one running the show.

Freakshow gasped at the turn of events, and barely manage to throw himself out of the way of the attacks, though he made sure to protect his staff with his body. However, the man didn't hesitate to jump back to his feet and fire back an energy beam from the red gem at Ember's father.

Meanwhile, Skulker grunted as he grabbed one of Gregor's clawed hands in an attempt to pry him off. He no longer had his sword in his hand to use to free himself. However, now that Gregor had seized him in his front claws, the hunter was dangerously closer to his large fire-breathing mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

And Gregor had every intention to use it now. He was absolutely _pissed_ at this ghost for trapping him and taking him out as easily as swatting a fly. And that made the dragon ghost briefly forget about his master's orders, and instead, he switched to kill mode.

Skulker jolted when he suddenly saw a large mouth come down on him, but he quickly turned intangible, narrowly escaping getting his head bit off. And, luckily, the child had not had the foresight to block the power, so Skulker further slipped free from the dragon ghost's claws.

But if anything, Gregor was a fast learner and he quickly turned intangible himself, now voiding out the power's effects. And before the intangible Skulker could react, the dragon ghost slammed his tail into the adult ghost so hard that the hunter not only lost intangibility, but also couldn't gain control of his flight fast enough to avoid crashing straight through the roof of a storage shed below.

Gregor growled and drew his neck back to throw a ball of fire at the place Skulker had just fallen through. But before he could, he was slammed down himself by a large wave of ghost energy. Luckily for the dragon ghost, he managed to control his flight before he ended up inside the shed, too.

Gregor whirled around and glared at Ghostwriter who had managed to stun Freakshow long enough with his keyboard to fly to his brother-in-law's aid. Ember's father typed furiously away at his keyboard once more now that he had the chance to attack the ghost dragon. And the child suddenly knew why when his whole body lit up with some unknown energy.

With a surprised gasp, Gregor's wings closed around his body, yet the same force held him in place as he struggled like a caterpillar trying to escape its cocoon.

"Skulker!" Ghostwriter called worriedly, his eyes searching frantically for any sign of his brother-in-law through the rubble and dust below.

It took him a moment, but the hunter suddenly reappeared out of the shed; and though his suit looked a bit damaged, he appeared fine for the most part.

"For such a young whelp, he is certainly strong," Skulker remarked, grabbing his pounding head once he was able to come up alongside the other male ghost.

But before Ghostwriter could reply, a sudden cry of pain caught their attention and they looked down, just in time to see one of the guards get killed by Operative M.

"Hold him," Skulker quickly told Ghostwriter, referring to Gregor before he shot down to aid the other guard.

However, just as Skulker flew into the fray below, Gregor's eyes flashed a deeper red before he suddenly closed his eyes, concentrating…

"_Let go of me…,"_ he mentally growled.

And Ghostwriter heard the words echo in his mind, surprising him. But then, an unknown pain gripped his mind and Ember's father screamed, the keyboard, along with the energy around Gregor's body, instantly disappearing.

The dragon ghost snapped his eyes open before lunging at Ghostwriter with a roar. In an instant, he grabbed him with his claws and dove down with him.

In the distance, Lydia had still been watching, but when she saw the dragon ghost slam her husband into the ground, she screamed and jolted with her next sudden decision.

Ember was still shivering, but she was awake now. And noticing her mom's distressed face, she asked, "Mommy, what's wrong? I want to go home!"

Lydia nodded. "We will. But… I need to go get your father and uncle, okay? Just stay here and keep hidden."

Ember's eyes widened. "But… the humans are over there! They'll hurt you!"

"I'll be fine, sweetheart. Just stay with Cujo. Here, stay next to this so you'll keep warm," she added producing a ball of energy which levitated on its own beside Ember.

"I love you," she added with a quick kiss before turning invisible and taking to the air.

Ember whimpered as her mom left, but she still felt too weak to even try to fly and she was still very cold. She looked at Cujo who was unconscious, but holding on. She patted him on the head as she whispered, "You're a good boy, Cujo. Don't worry. We're going home…"

She glanced back at the direction her mom had left, just as a roar echoed across the sky. And with a bit of difficulty, she managed to move close enough to the boat's edge to peak past its rail and see what was happening. Not that she could see much since her eyes were still blurry, there was so much smoke around, and she was too far away from what was happening.

But there was one very _large_ thing she did recognize…

"E-Elliot?" she whispered in disbelief at the sight of the dragon ghost, which looked just like the one with whom Danny was friends…

But he was attacking her… father!

"Daddy!" she yelled, but then a sudden weakness came over her and she slumped back on the ground beside Cujo. She closed her eyes and hugged the puppy, praying her parents would be okay and return soon.

* * *

No matter how much Skulker fought, he was ultimately unable to save Walker's other guard, especially when he soon found himself surrounded by humans set to kill him.

However, at that instant, Ghostwriter's scream caught his attention and he whirled around in time to see Gregor drive him into the ground.

"NO!" Skulker exclaimed, forgetting all about the human hunters; but that was his greatest mistake.

At that moment, Operative O fired a weapon that shot out a green rope, which quickly wrapped around Skulker's head, and at the next instant sent a shock through his body.

The hunter screamed as he was forced down, yet still thrashed, trying to escape while he kept his eyes glued to his brother-in-law.

"No, No! Unhand me!" Skulker yelled to the humans in sudden panic as Gregor landed and pressed one of his large hands against Ghostwriter's fallen form, slowly crushing him under his weight.

Ghostwriter could only cry out in pain as the dragon's claws buried into his flesh while his back was pressed harder against the cracking concrete.

Gregor stared coldly at the suffering ghost; but when he saw his master walk up, or more like limp over, to him, the child turned his eyes on him, waiting to hear his next command.

Freakshow glared down at Ghostwriter. The ghost had almost destroyed his staff and had left him with an ugly burn on his leg. Still, he had to admit he was impressed by the ghost, just not enough as he was impressed with the other one currently being restrained by the ghost hunters.

The circus master smirked as he watched the robotic ghost struggle, desperately wanting to help the one under Gregor's large hand. So, the two ghosts meant something to each other, it seemed…

Too bad.

"Finish him," Freakshow suddenly commanded, looking back at the dragon ghost.

Skulker, who had managed to get on his knees, stilled as Gregor curled his hand around Ghostwriter's body and lifted him up to his eye level.

"No…," Skulker pleaded before exclaiming, "Gregory, don't do it!"

Ghostwriter cringed as the young dragon ghost's hand curled tighter around him, but although he continued to struggle, he knew he wasn't getting out of this and he grunted out with the effort it took to turn his head enough to half-look at his brother-in-law, "S-Skulker, get them out of here…," he pleaded, referring to his family.

Before Lydia's brother could say anything, Gregor opened his jaws and just as quickly snapped them shut around Ember's father, crushing his chest and core in an instant.

"NO!" the hunter screamed in horror.

But a sudden voice mirrored his cry.

"**Ghostwriter!"** Lydia screeched arriving just in time to watch her husband's crushed body fall limp in the dragon ghost's hold.

"No, Lydia! You must leave from here! Take Ember and go!" Skulker yelled as he struggled even more.

But the female ghost didn't listen as her eyes began to glow deep with fury and pain. And with a scream, the symbols on her body burst outward and attacked Gregor with their claws and teeth.

The dragon ghost gasped in surprise as he was blinded and his wings were scratched by the small creatures. But then, Lydia further threw a burst of ghost energy at the child, instantly engulfing him within it.

Gregor roared in pain, but thinking fast, he whirled around and slammed his tail into Lydia before she could react.

The woman was sent flying back several yards away, her protecting spell and the energy covering Gregor instantly vanishing with her abrupt loss of concentration.

Skulker yelled in alarm at the sight. This time, however, he managed to grab his sword in spite the electricity coursing through him and he quickly cut off the electrical ropes holding him. He didn't hesitate to lunge at Gregor and drive his sword into the ghost's side with a cry of pain and anger.

Gregor jolted with the biting agony, but all too use to ignoring his aliments, his eyes narrowed as he easily grabbed Skulker with one of his claws and then slammed him down on the ground. With a furious roar, he used his other hand to grab Skulker's head and savagely ripped it off in one yank, throwing it and the decapitated body down on the ground.

But much to Gregor's surprise, no blood came out of the disembodied body. Still, he failed to realize he had just disobeyed his master by supposedly killing the hunter ghost.

But Freakshow didn't seem all that bothered, since his eyes were locked on Lydia, an odd look on the man's face as she slowly floated back up to her feet…

The female ghost couldn't believe it! Her protecting spell which brought the symbols on her body to life had teeth packed with venom, and yet, even with all the times the dragon ghost had been bit by them before her spell had become undone, the child had not succumb to the toxins. It was almost like he was immune to them…

But Lydia pushed past her shock when she saw the dragon ghost decapitate her brother. However, knowing the truth about him, she acted quickly; and before anyone could stop her, she used her powers to levitate her brother's head up into the air and then threw it into the lake.

Unfortunately, that also got all the human hunters' attention and they instantly turned their weapons on her.

Lydia cried out in alarm as she covered her head and raised a dome-like shield just before several blasts came at her. However, as she put all her strength into holding up her lifeline, Freakshow approached Gregor who was curiously touching the robotic body by his feet. What kind of ghost was this? Where was all the green blood?

"Drone…," the child heard his master call to him in a sing-song voice.

Gregor blinked over at his master before seeing a cunning grin split on his face as his master looked back over at the ghost being attacked by the ghost hunters. The child also looked at the female and he suddenly didn't need his master to state his next command. It was obvious by what it was…

'_That one…'_

* * *

Skulker's head sank deep into the cold lake. At first, it appeared like it was as lifeless as the rest of his body that had been left on land. But then, in the next instant, the head began to shake, as the ghost inside who had briefly lost consciousness, was jolted awake by the ice water.

With a gasp, Skulker turned intangible and escaped the useless metallic head before it could take him any deeper down into the lake's abyss.

The small green ghost groaned, trying to reorient himself in the sudden darkness around him. It was true that his robotic body wasn't his real body, but the neuro-receptors that connected it to his true form so that he could operate it as easily as if it was his body let him feel pain when his suit was damaged enough. And having his head ripped off from his suit's body had felt like being stabbed in the stomach with a knife. The sudden loss of his robotic body in such a way had knocked him right out. But now that he was wake, he was left weak and dazed.

And yet, there was one thing that was still quite clear in his mind: his sister was in trouble!

Skulker gritted his teeth, forcing back the urge to pass out again, and instead, he forced himself to turn intangible before he flew right out of the lake. When he was back in the sky, he regained tangibility, though he faltered in mid-flight as his weakness became more prominent. Still, his eyes darted towards where his sister was and seeing her struggling to protect herself, he gasped and darted forward, all logic gone now that his core burned with his fear and concern for his sister.

Meanwhile, Lydia had managed to momentarily get the humans to back off by using her protecting spell again and sending the ghost-like creatures on the attack. The men had then quickly turned their focus on getting rid of the small little ghosts scratching and biting at them. It should have been enough of a distraction to allow for a quick escape…

That is, if Gregor hadn't stepped in.

The moment Lydia had tried to fly up, the dragon ghost created a strong gust of wind with his wings pushing her back down to the ground. Still, the female ghost quickly pulled herself up and whirled around to glare weakly at Gregor as he slowly moved towards her.

"You killed my husband… Why?" Lydia whispered sorrowfully, though her hands began to glow with her energy to defend herself.

"He was in the way…," Freakshow unexpectedly replied before the dragon ghost could say anything.

Lydia tensed, finally noticing the strange man with the staff. And by the dark smile on his face, she somehow knew this human was running the show, and that… his intentions weren't good…

A shiver of fear almost shot down her spine, but she instead further narrowed her eyes, refusing to yield. She couldn't give up. With her husband dead and possibly her brother, her daughter had no one left but her to protect her. No, she couldn't be defeated, if only for her daughter's sake.

Lydia's whole body began to glow with energy as she took a calculated step back.

But with her small movement, Gregor instantly lunged forward with his deadly mouth wide open. Still, the female ghost reacted and suddenly teleported away, reappearing back onto the boat she had left her daughter.

Lydia fought back tears of pain and panic as she quickly kneeled down beside Ember and Cujo before pulling out the portal-forming cube her brother had left her from her cloak. However, at that moment, she heard a furious roar echo into the sky.

Gregor had been shocked by the female ghost's sudden disappearance. But his master's staff was still glowing, detecting her energy nearby, so he knew she hadn't completely left. And that was further confirmed when Operative O walked up to Freakshow and Gregor and pointed at one of the abandoned boat's direction.

"She's there. And there are two 'level one' entities with her," the Guy-in-White commander said.

Gregor didn't hesitate to take to the sky and fly in the direction. But as soon as he left, Operative O gestured something to Operative M, and in the next instant, a group of his subordinates quickly went to one of their missile launchers and began to program it.

And when Freakshow saw the launcher rotate to aim the ecto-rocket at the boat, he gasped at the hunters' now clear intentions and demanded, "What the hell are you doing? You fire that and you're going to kill my slave along with all those other ghosts!"

Operative O smirked and shrugged. "My orders were to kill _all_ the ghosts. And as for your little pet…. Well, he's expendable."

Freakshow growled, but quickly spun around and shouted, "Gregor!"

But the dragon ghost was too far now to hear the warning ringing in his master's voice or that he had addressed him for the first time by his real name. Instead, the child's eyes narrowed as he spotted the female ghost, gathering two younger ghosts in her arms, while she seemed to fiddle with some device in her hands.

Lydia, however, noticed Gregor's presence by his looming shadow that he created as he closed in from above; and with a gasp, she looked up at him.

The dragon ghost wasted no time and drew his head back to breath out fire. But Lydia was quicker and she summoned a dome-like shield around her and the young ghosts just as the flames came at her.

Ember screamed in spite her weakness as the boat threatened to collapse into the water. "Mommy!" she exclaimed, not understanding what was happening, though she could still sensed the danger.

Lydia only pulled her closer before she quickly summoned her protecting spell, knowing it was the only thing she had right now to help her and the two younger ghosts. At least, it would buy her a few seconds to get them out of here…

But having experienced this sort of attack already, Gregor was ready for the small creatures as they came at him. And before they could even touch him, he quickly began to flap his wings creating hurricane-like gusts of wind that dispersed and pushed back the little creatures before they all puffed out of existence.

At that moment, though, Lydia had managed to use her ghost energy to activate the cube…

Only for the burst of wind from Gregor's wings to yank it out of her hands.

"No!" she cried out as her ticket home sank into the darkness of the lake.

She instantly turned to look at Gregor and realized she needed to get this creature away from her daughter and the other young ghost. She wasn't very experienced in combat, but she now had no choice. Her motherly instincts screamed for her to fight back. She couldn't let him kill her child!

But just when she was going to go on the attack, a small ghost zoomed up behind Gregor and fired a beam of energy at his head.

"Skulker!" Lydia gasped in a mixture of worry and relief. She was immensely glad to see her brother was alive, but she knew he was no match for the dragon ghost as he was!

Lydia looked down at her daughter, who had her eyes squeezed shut and was gripping Cujo like her life depended on it. She needed to get her daughter out of here, but she couldn't just leave her brother to die. That, and she now had no way of getting Ember back home. She didn't know where any of the portals were.

Wait. She didn't, but…

Her brother did.

Lydia closed her eyes as tears finally fell down her face, knowing what she had to do. She glanced in the direction of her husband's body before she narrowed her eyes in determination.

With a growl, Lydia took to the sky to her brother's aid.

Meanwhile, Gregor was spinning around himself, trying to get rid of the annoying little ghost that continued to fire energy blasts at him. They weren't causing any real damage, but they still hurt!

However, just when he moved fast enough to snap his mouth close on Skulker, the female ghost suddenly came at him with a scream as she just as quickly conjured up a wall of energy and slammed it into him, throwing him several yards away with a yelp of surprise.

"Lydia!" Skulker exclaimed. "You need to go before it becomes too late!"

But his sister shook her head. "I lost the cube! Skulker, you can't defeat him and…and I can't get Ember out of here, but **you** can! You can, Brother! You know where the permanent portal in this place is hidden! You must take her and go! I'll distract him!"

But Skulker instantly objected. "No, you are no match for him! He'll kill you, Lydia!"

"He's going to kill us all, _including_ your niece, if you don't take her and go!" Lydia exclaimed back as her tears returned. "Please, brother. I need you to save my daughter. I just watched my husband get killed. I can't watch the same thing happen to her, too!"

Skulker stared helplessly at his sister; but before he could say anything, a wall of fire came at them from above.

The siblings gasped as they turned intangible to escape the flames. But although they were unharmed, some of the flames hit the sails on the boat below them, instantly setting them on fire, and the sound of Ember's cry of alarm said it all.

Lydia screamed at her brother, "Skulker! You must go now!"

Skulker shook with restrained emotions, but he knew his sister was right. He couldn't let his niece die here, too.

"Tell her I love her, brother," Lydia said quietly.

"Every day," Skulker assured her sorrowfully before he did one of the hardest things he ever had to do: he abandoned his sister.

Lydia only briefly watched Skulker fly towards her daughter when Gregor was upon her with talons poised to strike like an eagle. She quickly darted out of the way and flew up higher, trying to lure the dragon ghost as far away from her daughter and brother.

But at that instant, the Guys-in-White finally got the missile in place and fired it right at them.

However, Gregor spotted it and his eyes widened in alarm, knowing the thing was going to kill him along with all these other ghosts here. Thinking quickly, Gregor opened his mouth and threw a ball of ghost energy at the incoming rocket.

The loud blast sent waves of heat in all directions.

Gregory screamed as he was thrown out of the sky, unaware that the same thing happened to Lydia, and they both dropped into the lake like anvils. But the boat in which Skulker, Cujo, and Ember were, also suffered the effects and it suddenly caved in on itself.

Skulker thought fast and turned them all intangible and dived into the water. It wasn't the wisest choice, but it was really his only option.

There was a moment of silence, as it seemed that the blast had done away with all the ghosts. But then, suddenly, Gregor's long neck broke the water's surface and he gasped as he fought to stay afloat. He didn't know how to swim!

"Master, help, I'm sinking!" he cried out as he attempted to flap his wings without avail. And the frigid water was taxing on his hot core.

But before the child could panic anymore, he saw Lydia burst out of the water using intangibility.

The sight gave the child sudden hope and he forced himself to calm down enough to turn intangible, too. And the moment he did, he was able to expand his wings and fly out.

Gregor's eyes darted towards Lydia just before they narrowed; but seeing her looking around frantically for something, he remembered the other ghosts. And he soon spotted them, trying to get a hold of a nearby buoy.

That gave him an idea and he quickly arched his neck back to kill the small ghost and the two younger ghosts with a blast of fire.

And seeing his intentions, Lydia gasped and lunged towards Gregor with hands glowing with energy. But she wasn't aware that that was exactly what Gregor had wanted.

Just as she moved close enough to him, Gregor abruptly turned around and grabbed a hold of the female ghost with his tail, like a boa constricting its prey.

Lydia screamed in pain, only for it to turn into a choked gasp when Gregor's tail squeezed her tight enough for his spikes to run her through at her stomach. She coughed up ectoplasm, but she still refused to go down so easily; and with great effort and a desperate cry, she drew out her claws and plunged them into Gregor's tail in a last ditch effort to escape.

Gregor almost let the ghost go from the pain, but he forced himself to maintain his hold and concentrate. It only took a second for his body to glow with his new power and for it to spread into his victim's own body. In an instant, he felt her energy and he didn't hesitate to take it from her.

Lydia gasped at feeling herself being drained of energy and soon her eyes rolled back and she went limp in Gregor's hold.

Below, Skulker had watched the sight helplessly, unable to move, even when he watched how Gregor finally released his sister, throwing her body like some rag doll towards the ghost hunters on the docks.

Meanwhile, Ember—as well as Cujo—had passed out again upon being forced into the frigid waters once more; so she had not seen what the dragon ghost had just done to her mother…

Gregor winced as he glanced at his bleeding body. He didn't even know how many times he had been stabbed throughout this fight with all these ghosts. But his attention went to his master when he heard his voice faintly shouting at him from the pier.

He was pretty high up, so even with his enhanced hearing, it was hard to hear what he was saying. But he then saw his master point his staff at a specific spot in the lake, and he quickly darted his eyes in the direction, only to jolt when he saw the three remaining ghosts. He had forgotten about them again!

Gregor already knew what his master wanted, and ignoring his pained body, he dived towards the ghosts on the buoy.

However, seeing the dragon ghost coming at them, Skulker narrowed his eyes in hate and fury. That is, until he remembered his niece… and his sister's last wish…

With a shout of anguish, Skulker grabbed Cujo by the collar and Ember by a hand and dove into the water again with them. But he wasn't just diving down to escape Gregor. He had seen it when he had initially fallen into the water from the missile: he had seen the green glow below. Somehow, his sister had managed to activate the portal-forming cube before she had lost it. And as a result, the device had made a portal at the bottom of the lake.

And although he wanted nothing more than to stay and avenge his sister and brother-in-law, Skulker focused on his niece as he moved towards the portal as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Gregor had halted in his track the moment he had seen the ghosts disappear into the water. But now low enough, he heard his master when he demanded, "Drone! What are you waiting for? Go after them!"

Gregor's eyes widened in alarm. He didn't want to go into the water! It scared him! What if he couldn't get out of it, this time?

"DRONE!"

The dragon child whimpered before he turned intangible and dove into the lake. He tried not to panic as the darkness and coldness quickly enveloped him. But he kept intangible as he flew through the water, going lower and lower. He soon spotted the three ghosts moving towards something that was oddly glowing a ghostly green…

Just when they were a few feet from the portal, Ember began to stir; but the first thing her eyes saw in the vast darkness around her was the glowing red eyes and sharp teeth belonging to Gregor coming towards them!

"Mommy!" she screeched automatically, her symbol glowing as she called to her parents—if only she knew they would never come to her aid again…

But her cry got Skulker's attention and he gasped when he also saw Gregor following after them. He poured on more speed, fighting against his small and weakened body to keep moving.

However, just as Gregor had been close enough to attempt to grab them, the dragon ghost abruptly halted in his tracks.

Skulker didn't understand it, but he didn't hesitate to take advantage of it. And with one last burst of speed, he dove into the portal with his niece and Cujo.

With a flash of light, the portal opened in the Ghost World and they tumbled out of it, while a bit of water gushed out of the opening before it soon vanished into nothing.

Skulker's eyes darted around his immediate vicinity and he quickly got his bearings. He was just a two miles from the palace. He looked at his niece with a sad and worried frown. She was dazed from the trip, but her eyes managed to focus on him enough to realize who he was.

"Uncle Skulker?" She paused, though she continued to shiver. "W-Where's my mommy a-and daddy?" she whimpered, knowing they had been with her a moment ago.

Skulker looked to be fighting with everything within him to not break down, but ultimately, something else prevented him from having to answer his niece…

Cujo whimpered suddenly, and Ember quickly remembered the puppy.

"Cujo's hurt, uncle! Please help him! And-And I'm really cold!"

Skulker knew Cujo was very hurt and that his niece was suffering from hyperthermia, so he quickly pushed back his sorrow and moved them forward, muttering, "Don't worry, Ember. You both will be fine now…"

* * *

Back in the human world, Gregor was freaking out. He didn't know how he knew what it was, but he did!

That green thing was a portal! And it could take him back to his world!

Wait. _His_ world?

No! _This_ was his world—the human one, not that other one! He would never go there again! No one was going to make him! No one!

Gregor pushed his wings back, trying to get as far away from the portal in front of him. He had forgotten all about his master's command and had let the three ghosts get away. In fact, the portal scared him so much that he further forgot about the other thing of which he was scared and turned tangible again.

Only to regret it.

In an instant, the force of the water around him pulled him down and rendered his wings useless. Gregor screamed, only to get a lungful of water, which froze his inside with sharp needles of pain.

He freaked even more and continued to scream and claw in darkness around him, trying to escape the freezing liquid around him.

In truth, ghost dragons avoided deep waters because of the fact that their body structures were cumbersome for swimming. And because they used their lungs to create their ghost fire, it was painful to get water in their lungs, especially the cold kind. In fact, it could even damage their chemical balance enough to keep them from breathing out fire for an indefinite amount of time.

And Gregor's body seemed to instinctively know that.

Unfortunately, his inexperience caused him to panic to the point that he kept forgetting that in the human world, he could use intangibility to phase through water…

Gregory's eyes began to dim, as his exhaustion, blood loss, and the coldness around him began to take its toll on him. And with the portal now vanished, the child slumped down into the slimy cold bottom and curled into a ball as unconsciousness danced in his vision…

Meanwhile, above ground, Freakshow scowled when the minutes ticked by and Gregor didn't surface. "Useless!" he grumbled before turning around and walking over to where the ghost hunters were gathered as they got ready to move out, while their commanders made calls to their superior to inform them of the happenings.

Freakshow brushed past them and walked over to the first ghost corpse he found, which happened to be one of Walker's guards. Pulling out one of the squared ghost traps Tom had given him, the man sucked the lifeless ghost inside it. He soon did the same to the other guard and then with Ghostwriter's body. However, as he got to Skulker's body, he frowned when the device didn't work on it.

Freakshow curiously leaned closer to inspect the body—only to discover it wasn't a body. It was robotic suit!

"What in the world…?" he muttered.

But he was interrupted by Operative O as he suddenly demanded, "What are you doing? Who said you could take the bodies?"

"If you have a problem with it, then take it up with your boss. He knows it's what I feed my slave… Unless," Freakshow narrowed his eyes and added, "You'd like for me to tell my slave to snack on your dead men?"

"Let's see him try it," Operative O sneered. But then he readily smirked as he added, "That is, if he's even still alive. He's been underwater for a long time."

Freakshow shrugged. "He'll come out soon enough. It's not like he needs to breathe, commander," he said off-handedly before turning and walking towards Lydia's body. It was in a puddle of green blood, but Freakshow ignored it as he activated the ghost device again.

But seeing her body flicker just slightly, Freakshow smirked to himself before also sucking the ghost in. He glanced at Thomas' idiot men before looking towards the lake.

"That was a lot more convincing than I thought," he remarked with a chuckle. However, his expression melded back into a frown when Gregor still wouldn't come up. He sighed in annoyance as he muttered, "Stupid creature. He better not have gotten himself stuck down there…"

He pulled out his staff and aimed it towards the water before he willed the gem to burn red, driving enough pain into Gregor's mind to jolt him to return to him.

And fortunately, that did the trick.

Gregor gasped and snapped his eyes open at the sharp pain that invaded his mind. But it also helped him focus and remember his master was waiting for him. Pushing back his ailments, he turned intangible and shot out of the water, only to just as quickly slam down on the pier a few feet from Freakshow.

"Master," Gregor whimpered as he lifted his head up just enough to look at Freakshow as the man approached him. "I-I'm cold…"

Freakshow grumbled in annoyance when Gregor suddenly passed out at his feet.

* * *

When Thomas fired the tranquilizer gun, the impact was quick. In fact, Danny had no idea anything had hit him, except for the fact that he suddenly choked on his scream for his father, which had still been coming out in energy waves.

The child skidded across the floor of the laboratory, until he slammed to a halt against the wall. The dart that had perfectly hit the white-glowing star-symbol on his chest instantly dimmed. And although the deadly liquid in the dart began to seep into his ectoplasmic signature, the young ghost didn't notice it, nor did he appear to have any reaction to it… All the Prince was aware of was how… weak he suddenly felt after he had somehow released those waves of energy from his mouth. But this was a weakness like nothing he had ever experienced before—it was as if his core had used up its energy and now it couldn't restore it or absorb any from his surroundings—which was really the case.

"Daddy…," Danny whispered one last time before he collapsed on the ground, barely clinging to consciousness. He didn't know why he had fought so hard—and still was fighting—to not pass out. It was as if instinct told him it would be a bad idea. Or, perhaps, his fear and shock wouldn't let him—like had been the case when his father had found him in the caves after his aunt had touched him that one time.

Whatever the reason, the child continued to call for his father's help, even if the words no longer could get past his lips. He just knew his father could save him—and his mother, as well.

"_Mommy,"_ he thought upon remembering her again. Her voice was still calling to him, but it was now nothing but an echo in his mind…

Meanwhile, Desiree had seen the ghost hunter shoot Danny with the same gun he had used on her. And in spite the agony eating away at her, she had cried out in response.

"No," she sobbed out when she had seen her child skid across the ground from the impact, and instantly silenced.

"Danny! Oh, no! Danny!" she cried out in between another shout of pain as she convulsed against her bindings again. Why wasn't her son moving? Why was he so quiet? She was sure that deadly dart had hit her son's core, so why wasn't he reacting to it? Had… Had it instantly killed him?

With the rumbling caused by the Prince's wail stopped, Thomas and his commander were finally able to get to their feet. He frowned at the quiet and unmoving Prince. He honestly had been expecting to hear the child's reaction to the dart. But it seemed he had just passed out, instead.

Either way, the Prince was as dead as his mother. No ghost could survive the ectoplasm-dissolving chemicals in those darts. Even if he had never tried it out on live ghosts before, its main component, which came from the Skeleton Dagger he held in his possession, was deadly.

"Dear God," Operative K suddenly breathed out. "What in the world was that?"

"These demons get more and more bizarre," Tom replied with disgust, though internally, he was just as shocked. He really had never seen any ghost, especially one so young, display such power and in such a way. He had destroyed the ghost shields around him and his mother!

"Is it dead?" Operative K asked tentatively, his eyes glued on the unmoving young ghost.

Thomas shrugged, but readily sighed when he suddenly heard the evacuation alarms go off throughout the whole building. Clearly, the Prince's 'Ghostly Wail' had shaken the whole building… And that meant his plans had just been accelerated…

"So much for keeping a low-profile," Thomas muttered before he looked at his shocked commander, who was still starting at the little ghost in disbelief.

"Operative K," the head 'GiW' said, quickly getting his subordinate's attention.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

"Pack everything up. We're returning to headquarters at once," Tom said firmly before he quickly moved over to the mainframe. It had been damaged a bit but it was still useable to do one last thing…

Thomas quickly began to type several commands, and much to Desiree's surprise, her bindings on her wrists and legs vanished. But she was too weak to do anything but collapse on the ground…

However, a few seconds later, a ghost shield came back up, this time it encased the entire lab's perimeter, including the ceiling and ground.

"Agent C, the equipment has been packed," Operative K suddenly said, as he hefted two large carrying bags and a wheeled metal trunk.

"Do you have the samples from the fridge?" Tom asked absently as he continued to type something in.

"Yes, sir. They are safely stored in the portable fridge," Operative K replied.

"Good. Call your team. Tell them we're moving out and to meet us back at headquarters," Thomas replied, still not looking at his commander.

And as Operative K complied with his superior's orders, Thomas finished what he was doing. But as he finished typing in his last command, he unexpectedly took a step back, pulled out his gun, and quickly destroyed the mainframe.

"Let's see you get out of this one, Ghost King," Thomas muttered with a smirk.

The hunter knew that Axion's central mainframe was on this floor, but in another room by itself. So, even when he had destroyed this mainframe, his commands had been sent to the central computer.

Then again, he had long since had Gregor rig Axion's central network. And the last part of his plan was safely stored in his pocket, namely: a detonator...

Thomas quickly put his gun back into its holder on his hip before picking up one of the carrying bags and the dart gun which he had briefly placed on the ground when he had been typing on the computer.

"Operative K," Thomas called to him, just as two of his team members entered the lab.

"Sir?"

"We are taking the helicopter," Thomas informed him as he gave one of the two Guys-in-White that had just come in the bag he was holding.

"Yes, sir," Operative K replied, knowing his superior had a helicopter ready to go on Axion's roof.

However, instead of heading out, Thomas walked over to Desiree, who had her arms wrapped around her abdomen as her form turned more and more transparent.

The hunter squatted in front of the ghost mage before calling to her, "Ghost Queen…"

Desiree only managed to glare weakly at the man, though she wanted nothing more than to slice his head off with her claws.

As if guessing her thoughts, Tom grinned, but then he pointed over to the unmoving Danny, and said, "You can have your son back now…"

Thomas didn't wait for a reply and just stood up and headed out with Operative K and his two team members, while the rest of the 'GiW' at Axion packed up to later meet them at headquarters.

As Axion's workers continued to head for the emergency stairs as the alarms continued to sound, Tom, his commander and his two men headed towards the end of the hall on the third floor where there was a door leading towards the roof and copter.

Meanwhile, Desiree knew the ghost hunters had left. And though she couldn't be sure if it was for good, she hoped so.

Still, it was only a passing thought in between her pain and worry. Her whole body was cold and numb; in fact, she was shivering as if she had suddenly been plunged into ice water. Her body was simply begging her to just pass out.

But two things kept her fighting to stay conscious…

Panting, as if she needed to breathe, she squeezed her eyes close before opening them and pushing herself to sit up. She could see her body was abnormally transparent and her fingers and tail were rippling like water. But she was mainly concerned about the white sphere in her burning abdomen.

But just as she glanced down at the sphere and pulled her hands away from her stomach, its dim glow slowly pulsed down to a halt.

And, suddenly, it vanished.

"No…No!" she shrieked before she wrapped her hands around her stomach again and curled back up onto the ground. "Oh, God, no!" she sobbed, not needing any experience to know what had just happened. "My baby! M-My baby," she continued to weep.

But as she repeated the same words, they became softer, yet somehow more meaningful…

"M-My baby…," she choked out as she dug her fingers into the cold floor and forced her head up to look towards her son, who was still weakly calling to her through their now activated link. "Danny… My b-baby…," she breathed out before grunting and pulling herself back up.

But, this time, she couldn't even sit up. All she could do was hold herself halfway up with her shaking arms. Still, that didn't keep the mother from getting to her unmoving son.

"My baby," she repeated again as she dragged herself towards her son, while her now dissolving ghost tail left a streak of ectoplasm as she inched closer and closer.

"I-I'm coming, l-little Ph-Phantom," she assured him, ignoring her body's protest and forcing herself forward.

It seemed like forever, put she finally reached the six-year-old. And with her last bits of physical strength, she pulled him into her arms and sobbed, especially when she saw the dart still inside his chest and how dim his glowing Ectoplasmic Signature was.

She quickly took out the dart before turning his face towards her and then placing a hand against his symbol.

"D-Danny," she whispered in between her panting. His eyes weren't open and he wouldn't move, so she shook him a bit, knowing by the fact that she could still feel something from his core that he was alive.

"Open your eyes… P-Please, baby. Little Phantom, please," she whimpered as she lightly touched his burned cheeks.

Desiree choked on another cry when she saw her son finally react and his dim eyes slowly open.

"M-Mom-my…," he weakly whimpered, though he mostly felt her than saw her.

Desiree managed a small smile as tears continued to streak down her face. "Y-Yes, baby," she replied before pulling him closer against her and closing her eyes. She didn't understand why her son was not reacting fully to the poison now in his system, but she could only hope it stayed that way.

Still, she continued to reassure her child as she told him, "It-It's going to be a-alright. You… will be alright. J-Just hang on for a-a bit longer, little P-Phantom. D-Daddy will come for you. He-He'll come, my little one…you're going to be o-okay…"

Danny just closed his eyes, not really caring if anything more happened to him, as long as he could stay in his mother's arms.

* * *

"What's going on?" the Axion worker gasped at the strange rumbling, unaware of what had been going on in the lab.

However, the undercover agent had instantly taken out his gun and stared around as if he suspected this was the result of some ghostly influence.

Meanwhile, Vladimir was still on the ground, still overwhelmed by the pain and desperation that had suddenly invaded his dormant core.

But even when he had never experienced it before, he knew what it was. And he could feel the utter fear and urgency behind his son's call.

Suddenly, everything returned to the father with cold clarity and he could suddenly hear and feel the Axion worker who had now kneeled down beside him, asking him what was wrong.

But he could also hear the sound of a radio as the undercover agent attempted to contact his superior.

Vladimir could not allow that. He couldn't risk the Guys-in-White's leader discovering he was here.

Clenching his eyes shut against the panic building inside him, his blue eyes suddenly flashed red; and using one of the hands gripping the cold floor below him, Vladimir sent a quick charge towards the ghost hunter.

The result was instant.

The hunter cried out in pain as electricity shot up his legs and then coursed through his body, destroying the radio in the agent's hand and instantly knocking him out.

The Axion worker that had been kneeling beside Vladimir yelped as the lights above them exploded just as the undercover agent had collapsed senseless on the ground.

"Oh good God!" the man exclaimed, believing some freak accident had been responsible for the sudden burst of electricity—especially when the rumbling soon stopped and the evacuation alarms went off.

"Mr. Masters! Something's going on! We must go! We must evacuate!" the man said in a panic as he bent over and grabbed one of the young billionaire's arms to get him to his feet.

But although Vladimir stood up, he quickly yanked his arm away from the worker as he angrily told him, "You would do wise to worry about yourself."

"B-But—"

"Leave!" Vladimir growled out, startling the other man, who then quickly took off running down the hallway, clearly scared out of his mind.

However, he wasn't the only one, for the billionaire suddenly heard and saw more panicked people rushing out of the different rooms and coming from the stairs down the halls.

Vladimir mentally cursed as he quickly pressed himself against the wall to avoid getting trampled; though, as he did, he touched the knocked out ghost hunter with his foot and instantly made him invisible and intangible.

Luckily, no one even noticed him or anything else in their panic.

However, knowing that ghost hunters had invaded the facility, the thirty-four-year-old couldn't take any more chances. He knew that if he continued to use his ghostly abilities, his ghost energy was very likely to be detected by any ghost-detecting devices any of these undercover hunters could have.

And he hadn't come this far to get caught now—especially not when he could feel how much his son needed him—and he was sure his wife did, as well.

Making sure no one was directly watching, Vladimir quickly kneeled down next to the hunter and grabbed one of his arms. Then using ghostly strength, he quickly opened the nearest door and threw the hunter inside and closed it after them.

He quickly searched the unconscious hunter and found two of his guns.

Breathing heavily from his building anxiety and the pain of his son's strong link, he rapidly switched the guns from 'ghost mode' to 'human mode', knowing the leader of the 'GiW' made his weapons with the ability to hurt humans or ghosts.

Vladimir had never purposely killed anyone in his life, but the fact that he knew his family's life was at stake suddenly made him capable of anything at this point.

He quickly hid one of the guns inside his suit pocket before he cocked the second one and held it tight against his side. However, he hesitated to leave when he thought of something else. He needed to blend in and with his black suit, he stuck out like a sore thumb in this place full of humans wearing white lab coats.

But seeing the undercover agent wearing exactly what he needed, Vladimir quickly bent down and phased off his white lab coat.

"As if a mere piece of clothing is going to disguise these wretched hunters from me," Vladimir whispered hatefully as he slipped on the white lab coat. The billionaire hadn't spent years dealing with human hunters to not be able to distinguish them by now.

He gave the unconscious 'GiW' one last glance before he left the room. But as he did, his recently activated link with his son suddenly began to fade, and the father suddenly knew things were dire—especially when he could still feel Daniel and Desiree's energies and they were growing weaker by the second.

"_Oh, God. Please, be alright_,_"_ Vladimir mentally pleaded as he quickly made his way for the nearest stairs.

The alarms were still blaring around him; and although the bigger part of the panicked crowds had already left the building in the minutes that he had entered the random room to grab the guns and the coat from the hunter, there was still several people trying to get out through the same stairs he was using to go up.

Vladimir ignored the occasional comments of 'Where are you going?' or 'You're going the wrong way!'

However, as he ran up the second floor stairs, he was suddenly stopped by three men, who were clearly ghost hunters.

"Whoa… Where are you going?" one them asked with a frown. They had already gotten orders to leave the building from Operative K, but seeing this one worker going up the stairs instead of down them really surprised them.

Luckily, Vladimir had quickly hidden the gun in his hand behind his back. And knowing he wouldn't be able to take out these three hunters without at least blowing his cover, the young billionaire thought fast and replied, "I-I left important paperwork in my office. I will certainly be fired if something happens to them."

The three looked at each other, but then they nodded and let the supposed worker go, as they continued on with their own duties.

Vladimir let out a sharp sigh, thanking the heavens that they hadn't recognized _him_. Still, he didn't waste time and continued on. However, the moment he finally made it to the third floor, he quickly pressed himself against a wall and making sure no one was in visible range, he vanished under invisibility.

It was risky, but if he ran into ghost hunters now, he wouldn't be able to lie his way out of it. Actually, Vladimir was expecting some form of confrontation—one which would end up with his secret being discovered. But at this point, he didn't care about anything but saving his family.

As he followed his ghost sense towards his son and wife's location, Vladimir began to get a sinking feeling when he realized there weren't any ghost hunters here…. Actually, there had only been a few workers and they were now gone…

Something was very wrong.

And he soon began to realize what.

In an instant, another set of alarms went off and they were soon followed by several ecto-guns suddenly appearing from the ceiling. And because he was using invisibility, his ghost energy was strong enough for the guns to detect it.

Vladimir didn't even manage a gasp as the guns all fired at him. But he quickly reacted, and dropping invisibility, he rolled out of the line of fire before quickly suppressing his energy completely again.

The man held his breath when the guns, which had been about to shoot at him again, suddenly held their fire. It was only when they vanished back into the ceiling that the man released his breath and dared to move again.

Someone had definitely activated the ghost security on this floor. In fact, this entire place had a bit too much ghost equipment considering it wasn't a ghost hunting building. And that really worried Vlad. He had never been in this place, so he had no idea what to expect. And that made his rescue attempt all the more dangerous.

Nevertheless, that wasn't going to stop him from getting to his family.

Narrowing his eyes in determination, the billionaire moved the gun in his hand in front of him, raising it just below chest-level as he slowly inched towards the room which he could now feel his family was within…

The man held his breath as he grabbed the closed door's handle and slowly pulled it open, though he stayed by the door, in case there were ghost hunters inside.

However, as he peeked in, he soon realized there was no one inside. All the ghost hunters had truly left!

He was just about to move forward, when, unexpectedly, a sharp pain jolted his mind, and he gasped when he was suddenly aware that his duplicate had just been destroyed.

But with it, also came his duplicate's memories…

Vladimir's eyes widened with panic and his heart sank even more with dread. And as his duplicate's memories echoed in his mind, he dared to finally take a step into the dead-silent and supposedly empty laboratory.

He instantly saw it wasn't empty at all.

His wife and son were there.

Vladimir didn't see that he had just tripped a sensor at the door, or that several devices on the ceiling began to blink softly.

He didn't even hear when the gun in his hand slipped out and clanked on the ground.

All he saw was how the lab was streaked with blood and ectoplasm and how his wife and son were near the end of the room, sitting in a puddle of green blood.

And all he heard was one of his duplicate's specific memories: _"You should have killed me when you had the chance…"_

* * *

It wasn't until Thomas and his men had arrived at the Guys-in-White headquarters that Operative K finally voiced his thoughts over everything they were doing.

"Agent C? I fail to understand. Why did you just leave those two ghosts back at Axion? And what about the Ghost King?"

However, Thomas didn't reply right away. It was only after he got off the helicopter and onto the launching pad which was behind the 'GiW' building that he replied to his commander, "Do you really think I would just leave those two ghosts there if I wasn't certain they are as good as dead?"

"Of course not, sir, But I just—," Operative K began to say only to be cut off.

"Thanks to his spawn, the King must now know where to find his family, Operative K. But what he'll find is a puddle of ectoplasm and his own grave. And this right here will make sure he doesn't get out of there alive."

Operative K's eyes widened when his superior pulled out a detonator from his coat. It finally clicked together.

"You're going to blow up Axion?" he whispered.

"No, commander. The Ghost King will. This detonator is just the _last_ note to my symphonic plans, you could say," Tom said with a smirk. "I don't know how he does it, but Plasmius always manages to get pass ghost security devices. So, I threw in a few new things for him. The instant he enters that lab room where his child and wife are, it will cause a series of events that will leave him with no escape."

Thomas suddenly paused and sighed, adding in true disappointment, "I would have loved to kill him myself, but if he is too much of a coward to face me, then I'll give him a coward's death." His gaze instantly darkened. "Believe me, commander. He's not getting out of this one. He's as dead as his family."

"But, sir, there are civilians still at Axion! We cannot just blow it up!" Operative K reminded him a little worried.

"Relax, commander," Tom answered with a dismissive tone of voice. "Everyone is evacuating as we speak. And, besides, this is war. Sometimes sacrifices are necessary to insure the safety of the whole…"

Operative K still looked a bit troubled, but he didn't say anything more. Then, he looked back at his superior when Tom spoke again.

"Operative K, stay here. We will not be staying long. We still have those two ghosts at the outskirts to deal with…" Tom said calmly.

"Yes, sir."

Now turning his thoughts to Operative T's report of having trapped Plasmius in front of their headquarters, Tom headed in that direction before adding, "Now, to deal with this supposed 'Ghost King'…"

When he finally got there, the first thing Thomas noticed was all the dead ghost guards on the ground. Some of his own men were injured, but there were no fatalities on their end. It was to be expected, of course. The ghost shield had made it virtually impossible for the ghosts to move around freely, which was where their advantage usually lay. But with the shield, they had had no choice but to fight on the ground, hand-to-hand, something very few ghosts were good at but something his men were _very_ good at.

Indeed that he was going to have to thank the Fentons one of these days for inventing such an ingenious ghost devices as were those shields.

However, it would have to wait. He had something to do right now.

Walking up beside Operative T and his team, Thomas smirked down at the captured Plasmius who was on his knees with his hands bound by glowing handcuffs. "Hello, Ghost King… Remember me?"

Plasmius just narrowed his eyes, though it was clear that he indeed remembered the human hunter.

"Was he a lot of trouble?" Tom then asked his commander, though he kept his eyes on Vlad, while his tone of voice was filled with amusement as if he was asking some babysitter how their toddler behaved…

"He put up one hell of a fight, I'll give him that," Operative T grumbled, though he kept his gun aimed at Plasmius, like the rest of his team.

They were not taking any chances. It had been a miracle they had even captured the Ghost King. Even after Agent C had given him permission to use more deadly weapons against him, it had been hard to take him down, especially when the guards that had come with the King had been set on protecting their leader with their lives—which was how most of them got killed.

Eventually, it had taken the use of a temporary paralysis-inducing weapon to subdue the King enough to capture him. And now here they were.

Thomas chuckled with his commander's words before looking at the Ghost King and remarking, "So, you are an actor as well?" he asked, not believing for a second that the King had been captured this easily.

Tom wasn't buying it. Just like he wasn't buying that this creature in front of him was truly the Ghost King. It was just too easy. It was obvious that he had let himself be captured.

Plasmius stared coldly at Agent C, and ignoring his remark, he demanded, "Where are my wife and son?"

Thomas pulled out a weapon from his hip before laughing again as he approached the King. Operative T gave him a warning about not getting too close, but the GiW leader just ignored it

"Come on, Plasmius. Don't act like you don't know by now," Thomas remarked as he towered over the King. But then cocking his gun, he squatted down in front of him and grinned almost insanely. "You have the most interesting family. That kid of yours… He's quite a fighter. Or, should I say, _was_?"

Plasmius barred his fangs at the ghost hunter as he growled back, "If you have hurt them, I swear I will—Ahh!"

The ghost's words cut off into a scream as Thomas abruptly shot one of his thighs, leaving a gaping hole that began to pour out ectoplasm.

Thomas just as quickly grabbed Plasmius by the neck as he sneered in his face, "I'm not the sniveling idiot you humiliated sixteen years ago. And you are not really the Ghost King, just some _fake_ image of him—_unfortunately_."

As if to prove him right, Plasmius' form unwillingly flickered in and out of existence before it solidified again.

Thomas' glare melded back into a smirk. "No matter. I take satisfaction in that whatever time you have left, you will have to live with the knowledge that, in the end, your family's death is on you. You see…."

Thomas drew closer, though he pressed his gun into Plasmius' chest before whispering in his ear, "You made a fatal mistake, Ghost King… You should have killed me when you had the chance…" The man chuckled at feeling the King tense before adding, "Say goodbye to your _demon spawn_ for me. I never got the chance to."

And before Plasmius could even utter a word, Tom pulled the trigger, blasting him in the chest and in an instant the King's duplicate puffed out of existence.

Operative T gasped at the sight, finally realizing what he had captured had been a copy. Yet, it had been so strong!

But before he could get over his shock, his leader stood and moved past him. But as he did, he called back to him, "Operative T, clean up this place."

"…Y-Yes, sir."

Thomas soon returned to the copter and climbed back aboard. "Are those two ghost entities still at the outskirts?" he asked Operative K.

"Yes, and they are still stationary. Do you think it's the Ghost King?"

Thomas pulled out the detonator from his suit again and he finally saw its sensor had triggered, judging by the flashing light on it. The man grinned, "No, it's not him. But… we are still heading over there. Not a single ghost is escaping with their lives today…"

Operative K smirked and nodded, "Now that, I will agree with…."

Tom matched his subordinate's look, but his attention instantly went to his communicator when it began to beep and another of his commander's voice rang from it…

"_Agent C. Come in. This is Operative O."_

Tom quickly pressed on the speaker device in his ear to activate his communicator before replying, "This is Agent C, commander. Did you find Operative M?"

"_Yes, sir. The commander is here with me,"_ Operative O readily replied.

"What's the news, then?"

"_Well… We lost two 'level one' specters, and an unidentified 'level three'. We had at least a dozen casualties on our end. However, we managed to take down four 'level three through six' ghosts." _

"Regardless, those are displeasing odds, commander," Thomas replied with a deep frown. But then thinking of something—or more like, someone else—he then asked, "Was my weapon effective, Operative O?"

"…_Yes, I suppose so…," _came his commander's reluctant reply.

Still, Thomas grinned with that. "Good, have it and his keeper return with Operative M to headquarters. Tell the commander I expect a full report of what happened at a later briefing. As for you, I would like you and a few of your more experienced men to meet me at Amity's east banks. I'll send you the coordinates."

"_Yes, sir,"_ Operative O replied.

* * *

"Oh my God," Vlad whispered in sudden horror.

But as if his quiet voice had somehow echoed through the silent room, Desiree, who had had her face buried in her son's green-stained hair, looked up with dim red eyes, and smiled in sudden relief.

"Vlad… you came," she said softly.

In an instant, the currently human Ghost King was right at his wife and son's side as he dropped to his knees in front of them.

"No…," he breathed out. "What did they…? How could they…?"

But the man didn't have the words to describe or explain the obvious torture his family had been put through—but since Desiree still had Danny buried in her chest and arms, Vlad had yet to see the worse of it.

Vlad's blue eyes locked with Desiree's red ones as her smile disappeared and more tears streaked down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I couldn't save… I tried, but…I couldn't protect our babies…"

Vladimir's eyes widened; and he was so alarmed by the implications of her broken comments that he completely missed the _significance_ of her _last word_ and instantly turned his attention to his son.

"No… no, no, no, no…" he breathed out as he pulled Danny out of his wife's arms, fearing the worst, especially when he wasn't moving.

But when the father finally saw his son's body and then his… face, he began to shake and he put a hand against his mouth to choke back a cry of horror. But that didn't stop the tears that swelled in the man's eyes.

"Oh, no…," he whimpered as he finally saw the extent of injury that they had inflicted on his six-year-old child. But in spite the tears that now spilled out of the young father's eyes, he pressed his hand against his son's symbol, praying that he wasn't…

Vladimir let out a ragged breath when he instantly felt his son's core respond—though weakly. But although his eyes were closed, the father saw one of his small hands twitch.

Regaining a bit of hope, the man looked up at his wife who was just quietly staring back at him.

"Des, he's alive," he told her with a small smile.

But although she smiled weakly back, she instead commented, "He… He called to us, Vlad. I felt him…"

Vlad nodded back, but her lack of acknowledgement to his own words made him realized that his wife was a bit out of it. Still, he focused her attention back on the situation at hand and assured her, "He's going to be alright, Des. You both will." But as he tried to get back on his feet, he added, "I'm going to get you both out of here and—"

But Vlad's words died on his lips when his wife attempted to grab his arm, only for her hand to go through him. It was then he realized that even when the ghost mage had no real visible injuries, something was physically very wrong with her.

Vladimir's eyebrows creased as he held his son with one hand against him before he reached out to his wife's dimly glowing symbol and finally saw how it was black. In fact, now that he looked closer, she had all these odd black veins all over her body…

"Desiree… What…? What is this?" he asked fearfully as he attempted to touch her core, only for his hand to go through her again.

The ghost mage briefly closed her eyes before opening them again and attempting to point over to something…

Vlad quickly looked towards where she was pointing and spotted a small tranquilizer dart. But as he reached out and grabbed it, his eyes broadened even more when he touched the black tip and a bit of the black liquid was left on his fingers.

Vlad knew now that Thomas and his men had injected her with something meant to hurt ghosts. But when he then noticed her tail and how half of it had dissolved into ectoplasm, he gasped.

"Oh, God," he said as he began to breathe erratically. And suddenly desperate, he instantly brought a bit of his energy to the surface—just enough to be able to touch his wife but not enough to activate the ghost security again.

"You're going to be alright," Vlad told her with as much calmness as he could muster. "I-I just need you to hold onto Daniel, and I'll grab you and then—"

"You can't," Desiree said softly. But she quickly squeezed her eyes closed as she felt another wave of pain suddenly flare up.

Vlad gasped again at seeing her body ripple and convulse. However, that made him even more determined, and he quickly tried to wrap his free arm around her body to hoist her up. Luckily, her ghostly body was a lot lighter than any human.

But she cried out in pain when he attempted to lift her. "Vlad, stop!" she pleaded.

Vladimir immediately complied, but he still assured her, though shakily, "I-I can get you out. I can."

Desiree shook her head as she began to cry again. "No…"

Yet he refused to listen, and he more seriously told her, "I'm not leaving you here."

Desiree cried out once more as he attempted to move her, but she quickly begged, "Oh, God, Vlad! Please, you can't! **My body's falling apart!" **

He readily let go, though there was now an even more horrified look on his face.

Desiree heaved a couple of times before breathlessly telling him, "T-There's a shield. Even…Even if you… could move m-me. Y-You cannot get me pass… pass the sh-sheild."

Vlad looked back towards the doorway from which he had come and finally noticed there was indeed a green glow surrounding the room and even the floor. The barrier was just like the one that had trapped his duplicate and Walker's guards, except this one was smaller… But still as effective.

Desiree gasped against the feel of her body breaking down. "V-Vlad," she whimpered, getting his attention. "Love…I-I'm afraid."

Vladimir was shaking, clearly on the verge of emotionally falling apart. He placed a hand against his wife's core as he choked out, "D-Don't be afraid, Des. You are going to be fine. It's-It's going to be alright, my dear. I just have to find another way to get you out. Maybe-Maybe I can teleport you."

Desiree shook her head at her husband's insistence. But it was getting difficult to even speak anymore. Still, she had to warn him. She was scared—but she was scared for him and Danny!

"V-Vlad… Spec-tra… Vlad… you have t-to st-top…"

But seeing the effort she was making to speak, Vlad interrupted her, "Shh. Let's not talk about your sister right now, dearest. We'll work things out. Anything you want! Just… Just calm down and conserve your strength."

Desiree began to sob with those words; still she forced out, "Please, love… Please. Don't let her… They… Them hurt you. D-Danny… they… Agh!" she suddenly yelled in pain before she looked up and began to pant again.

However, it was then she finally saw the beeping devices above them—something her husband had yet to notice.

"V-Vlad… V-Vlad…" she breathed out, staring at him with wide fearful eyes.

But her husband was horrified because he could not only see her body slowly dissolving, but he could _feel_ her core giving in under his touch.

As if finally accepting that he wasn't going to be able to get her out, he removed his hand from her core and placed it against her face as he choked back a sob of his own.

"Des…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I-I should have found you quicker. I tried to… I just… Oh, God, Des…Tell me, please… W-What do I do? What do I do, Desiree?" he asked her desperately.

"Take Da-Danny… and… go… _go_," she told him softly.

Vlad quickly shook his head. "No, I'm not leaving you. _I can't_." But suddenly he paused as a last desperate idea came to his mind and he suddenly placed his son down on the ground and placed both his hands against her core.

Neither Vlad nor Desiree noticed the movement had stirred Danny enough for him to open his eyes. He only saw blurs at first since he was just barely clinging to consciousness. And yet, as he blinked his eyes a few times, he made out his mother's form… But… there was… a human with her…

A male human in white!

Danny's panic suddenly returned; and as it swelled and he began to struggle to get his body to move, he began to feel something unknown also awakening, slowly constricting his core more and more. And yet, the child's mind was solely focused on his mother and how there was a human hunter near her!

Of course, the Prince was unaware that there really was no hunter there, but his own father. And Vlad was too focused on his wife to notice his son. He refused to let his wife die. Not here. Not like this. She shouldn't have to die. They had wanted him. He was supposed to die, so he could correct that right now…

Vlad focused as best he could and let more of his energy come to the surface—which only made the blinking devices on the ceiling blink faster…

And sensing through his hands on her core what her husband was trying to do, Desiree wept harder, "No-No, Vlad. D-Don't!" she pleaded.

"I can save you, Des. I can. I know I can," he told her determinedly as his blue eyes turned red.

He was going to give her his Life Energy. Or…, he would die trying.

"No," she told him, but suddenly closing her eyes, she concentrated and somehow found the strength to grip her husband's wrists, quickly getting his attention.

"Don't," she forced out. "Save _him_. Save him. V-Vlad, only you can save our son."

"Daniel…" Vlad said softly as if he suddenly remembered him again.

Desiree attempted to nod. However, at that moment, she felt she had finally exhausted her core and that it could no longer fight against the poison coursing through her. Still, she raised a hand against her husband's face as she told him. "D-Don't let him die. Don't let our son die."

"I won't. I promise," he croaked back, wrapping an arm around her when he saw she could barely keep herself sitting up.

Desiree smiled weakly in relief. "My love…," she told him gently, feeling him trembling and seeing his unabashed tears falling from his blue eyes—which were just as beautiful as if they were red, especially when there was one thing in them that never changed and that was how his eyes always glowed with his love for her...

She closed her eyes, trying to hold on to that sight as her glow snuffed out completely.

"Vlad…," she more mouthed than said. "Thank you for… loving me…"

And with those words, her hand slipped off Vlad's face and her body went limp in his arms.

"Des…," he called to her. But not getting a response, he shook her a bit as he continued to call to her. "Des, open your eyes. Desiree. Oh, God, please. Desiree, wake up! You can't leave me! Des! **Desiree!"** he suddenly screamed before pulling her unmoving form against him and crying into her chest.

"C-Come back. Don't leave me. P-Please, I won't survive… without y-you," he begged her as his whole body shook, feeling like his soul had just been ripped out of him.

"M-Mommy?" he suddenly heard a small voice whimper out.

Vlad immediately looked over at his son and his eyes widened at seeing that he was actually sitting up, staring with wide-eyes at his mother's form within his arms.

"Daniel," the father breathed out.

But before Vlad could even think of what to do next, something perhaps even more horrible happened. In an instant, his wife's body dissolved—_melted_—right in his very arms, soaking him and the ground in ectoplasm.

The young billionaire instantly began to hyperventilate as he stared at the green blood all over him. And just when he had been about to scream in horror, his son beat him to it.

"NO! **MOMMY**!" Danny screamed as he found the strength to lunge towards where his mom had once been.

But reacting fast, Vlad quickly grabbed the child before he could throw himself in the puddle of ectoplasm.

"**No, Daniel!"** Vlad cried out in Ghost Speech as he wrapped his arms around him, trying to shield him away from the gruesome sight—even if he knew he had already seen it.

But as if his mother's death had re-energized him, Danny began to scream and cry as he struggled against the constricting hold keeping him from his mother—or, at least, that's what was going through the panicked child's mind.

He didn't even feel or see how his re-energized core now began to slowly turn black—and neither did Vlad.

"No! No! My mommy! My mommy!" the Prince yelled both horrified and distraught. He knew a human was holding him. He could feel his horrible heat and hear the constant thumping inside his chest.

And Danny was revolted by it. In fact, he hated it!

"Let go! Let me go! You killed her! **You killed my Mommy!" **Danny screamed in Ghost Speech, suddenly furious, too, as he pounded his small fists against the human holding him. And his claws would have certainly been clawing at him as well, if he still had them.

Vlad gasped, suddenly remembering that his son had no way of recognizing him in his human form. But knowing the six-year-old was hurting himself more than him, especially since the father could see his son's wounds beginning to bleed again, Vlad quickly exclaimed in their native tongue, "Daniel, stop! Please, stop! It's _me_, Daniel! It's **daddy**! Stop!"

"No! No! No!" Danny sobbed out, now having a total breakdown. There was no way this was his father! Even if his eyes were blurred with tears now, he could see and more importantly _feel_ this man was human. And his father wasn't human!

But the thought of his father had the child then begin to cry out for him. "Help, Daddy! Help me! They are hurting me! **Daddy!"**

Vlad cringed as his core reacted again to his son's desperate calling and he could feel through their awakened link how he was petrified and anguished. But the father didn't know any way of convincing his son who he was, save for changing into his true ghost form.

But just when Vlad had grown desperate enough to do just that, a sudden explosion from somewhere in Axion, shook the room—and by how violently it did so and by how things came falling off the shelves, the detonation was close.

Vladimir gasped as he shakily got to his feet with his son in his grasp. What in the world was that? Had the ghost hunters returned?

In reality, the currently-human Ghost King had unknowingly triggered that set of events which Thomas had mentioned to his commander. The moment the father had stepped into the lab, he had tripped the movement-based sensor at the door that Tom had activated before leaving.

However, before he could even react among his mounting emotions, his attention returned to his son when his loud wails of fear and sadness turned into choked cries of pain as he began to shake and convulse in his arms.

"Daniel!" he exclaimed, but his eyes readily widened when he finally noticed how his son's symbol had turned black—as his wife's had been. And now, those same black veins were spreading across Daniel's body and ectoplasm began to drip off his suddenly very transparent ghost tail…

The father didn't know it, but because the Prince had depleted so much of his energy with his Ghost Wail, it had momentarily halted the effects of the black liquid in the dart. But now that his core had regenerated his lost energy, the deadly poison was merciless attacking his body in order to break down his energy and ectoplasm….

"No… not you, too," Vlad choked out, realizing his son had also been injected with the same thing that had just killed his wife.

"_Don't let our son die."_

Vlad suddenly understood his wife's words, and in spite the fact that he just wanted to curl up and die from heartbreak, he forced the desire back as sudden determination set into him.

He couldn't let his son die, too. He had promised…

Taking quick shaky breaths as his wife's words continue to echo in his mind, the young father quickly moved towards the doorway, trying his best to focus, but also trying to comfort his crying and screaming son at the same time. However, he instantly realized he had another big problem…

The ghost shield was still on.

Frantic, Vlad stared around the lab for an escape, only to discover what Desiree had moments before she had passed: the bombs on the ceiling.

"Oh my God," the man uttered, finally realizing that this was all one giant death trap. That had been these hunters' plan all along—to get him here and to kill him and his family in a trap impossible for any ghost _or_ human to escape.

But it suddenly dawned on Vlad…He wasn't just human or ghost… He was both.

"And… And so are you, Daniel," he then whispered, staring down at his suffering son with his newfound realization.

Suddenly, the father knew what he had to do to save his son…

As the bombs above them beeped more rapidly as they got closer to detonating, Vlad pulled Danny close against him as his fangs drew out. This wasn't like the time in the caves. He needed it to be quick. And there was only one way he knew he could do that…

Danny tensed when he felt the male human press his face against his; and in spite the agony coursing through his young body, he heard when the man then whispered something out that surprised him…

"I need you to trust me, little Phantom."

But before the child could make sense why this human had just uttered the same words his father once had said to him before, he felt something sharp penetrate his neck.

Danny cried out in even more pain, but a second later, he grew dizzy and immediately passed out.

Vlad swallowed down the guilt of having to hurt his son; but it had been the best solution to get him to go unconscious… and turn human.

Except that… his son stayed ghost.

Vlad's eyes widened in alarm, fearing his son's human half had been dormant for so long that his body couldn't even switch to it anymore.

"No… change. Please, Please change," he begged his unconscious son, knowing they were both about to die. And he couldn't let his son die. He had promised his wife he wouldn't let him die!

"Daniel!" Vlad pleaded, shaking him a bit in his desperation.

But then, suddenly, white halos appeared around his son's waist.

Too bad that at that instant, the bombs also went off.

Vladimir gasped as he turned intangible; and just as his son turned human and the ceiling in the lab collapsed, Vlad threw himself through the doorway, escaping being buried or burned alive.

Vlad yelled in pain as he hit the ground on his back, while the force of the blast slammed his skull into the ground so hard that the tile cracked under him; but he quickly sat up and looked at his son. Sadly, things only got worse as he saw how his son's wounds had been deep enough for them to transfer to his human self and that he was now bleeding out.

But the worst part was… his son wasn't breathing.

"Daniel," Vlad whispered as he tried to find any signs of breathing. But he couldn't even feel a heartbeat!

Unfortunately, just as he was going to attempt to do CPR, there was another detenation, this time, somewhere below him. And yet with it, the whole place began to shake. But this wasn't anything like when Danny had released those energy waves from his mouth. No, the trembling turned more violent and the structure began to groan as the roof began to come apart.

Clearly, the numerous explosions had finally destabilized the whole building. And the son and father were still on the third floor.

Quickly pulling off the lab coat, Vlad wrapped his son's now human and unclothed form within it; but he then focused and awakened his ghost core enough to create a duplicate to find a way out. As a result, the still activated ghost security quickly targeted Vlad and he was forced to raise a shield around him, while his duplicate turned intangible and shot through the ceiling.

But his duplicate soon discovered that there was no way out.

Along with the ghost security, there was also a ghost shield encasing all of Axion Lab. The human Ghost King had could not turn ghost and fly them out of this place. The shield wouldn't let him.

Trying to control his panicked breathing, Vladimir ordered his duplicate to return before suppressing his energy again. Once the ghost security guns stopped firing at him, the man did the only thing he could do at this point: he bolted in the directions of the exit stairs.

"BOOM!"

Vladimir gasped at the sound of yet another detention just before a fume of smoke raced towards him, quickly clashing with the smoke that had been behind him from lab room's explosion. Unlike a ghost, as a human he needed to breathe, so as he continued to race towards the stairs, he coughed against the heavy smoke now threatening to suffocate him.

At the thought, he covered his son's face with the lab coat and turned the last hall towards the stairs—only to find a blazing inferno in front of him. The billionaire froze as he finally understood why there had been so many explosions. Not only were they meant to destabilize the building, but also destroy all the facility's exits.

The horrifying truth was that Thomas, with the help of Gregor, had rigged the entire facility—and the last thing that was to go down was the security room, which was what was keeping the ghost security and the ghost shield up. It was why Gregor had been instructed to find its location in the first place… And that was why Tom had that detonator with him. As long as he didn't press it, Axion's ghost security was going to keep any ghost trapped inside—or, keep them out.

Not knowing what to do at this point except to keep them away from the quickly spreading fire coming towards them, Vlad retreated towards the way he had come from. Except now, there was also a fire coming in that direction, too, which had originated from the lab in which his wife and son had been kept.

There was no doubt now. He was utterly trapped; so the young billionaire could only reach for the first door and quickly went in. It was a large supply closet.

He coughed violently as he backed away from the door, hearing the blazing inferno outside it while he tried to figure a way out of this. But it was hard to concentrate when he was in such a dire situation. Vlad had been faced with many trials in his life, but this…

The man shook and choked back sobs of desperation; and instead, uncovered his son's face.

"Daniel?" he asked as he coughed again, trying to ignore the smoke seeping into the room now. "Oh, God, please," he begged as he placed a hand against his son's neck and still felt no pulse. His son needed help, but they had to get out of this building first!

"Focus. Focus," he whispered to himself. He closed his eyes and quickly produced a shadow clone. To his relief, the room had no ghost security weapons installed, so nothing tried to attack him for using ghost energy. Still, as his copy attempted to phase through the ceiling, it bounced right back like before.

How could this whole blasted building be on the verge of collapsing and still have that cursed ghost shield around it?

Unfortunately, he had discovered from the duplicate that had gone to the 'GiW' facility with Walker's guards that teleportation was also rendered useless against these shields. Not to mention, he couldn't risk even trying with his son's precarious condition. The father didn't even know if teleportation was possible as human, either!

He was completely trapped in this room with his son who was still not breathing!

But refusing to give up, he looked around for something to save them, only for his eyes to catch a glimpse of his own watch… His watch. Of course! It was also a communication device with Fright Knight, Skulker, and Wulf!

Wulf! His claws! He could probably rip through the shield!

Trying to breathe through the accumulating smoke, Vlad raised his watch with a bit of difficulty because he was holding his son; but he still managed to link his device to Wulf's own.

"Wulf. Wulf, can you hear me?" Vlad coughed out, feeling his head horribly spinning now.

"_Sire?"_

"I need your help. Follow your tracking device on the watch to m-me. I need you. Please—"

"_CRACK!"_

Vlad was cut off by the sound and sight of the room's ceiling suddenly caving in. And at an instant later, it collapse completely.

The billionaire only had time to dive towards a lab table and get under it, unaware that when he did, he slammed his watch against one of the table's legs, destroying the face. But even the table was quickly getting crushed by the amount of debris now on top of it.

Vlad coughed before he grabbed Danny and held him close, feeling how cold his cheeks felt. Oh, God. His son was dead.

And he was about to die, too.

The young father closed his eyes as more tears sprung to his eyes. If his son was dead, then, he might as well die here, too. In any case, he had no way out of here. Wulf would never get here in time… It was hopeless.

"_Save our son. Don't let him die."_

Vlad could have sworn he heard his wife's voice _whisper_ those same words in his ear, and he only shook even more in desperation and helplessness.

But at that moment, he heard a small crack beneath him… The floor was now giving in.

And yet, it suddenly gave Vladimir a very daring idea…

There might be a shield around Axion on the outside, but, inside, the man suspected there was nothing but the ghost security guns. If he could just get down to the first floor of this building, he wouldn't need his ghost self to fly out. He would just need intangibility to get past the fire. And as a human, the ghost shield couldn't contain him…

He just had to get to the bottom floor—as human.

Vlad stared at his lifeless son for a brief second before he tensed with his decision. Holding his son close with one hand, he placed his other one flat against the cracking floor, while he crouched as low as he could.

"Hang on, Daniel," he told his son before he suddenly turned invisible and then… intangible.

In an instant, he phased—or more like dropped—through the floor and through the second level, and soon through its tile floor; and as he came to ground level, he regained tangibility.

"**Agh!"** he cried out when the speed of his fall instantly caught up with him and he heard several of his bones crack.

Turning visible, Vlad suddenly lost his ability to breathe and he almost dropped his son at the sheer agony that raced up his spine. However, he was very aware that he was now surrounded by a growing inferno. Somewhere above him and around him, he heard faint cries for help from the unfortunate few who had not gotten out of the building. But he also heard the sounds of sirens and the sound of the cracking lab, at the brink of collapsing in on itself.

"_Vlad! Get up!"_

The man gasped at the sound of his wife's voice, and he quickly struggled to his feet. He looked at his son again before covering his face. And seeing the fire around him, he narrowed his eyes at it before turning intangible and invisible again and limped towards the nearest wall. Fortunately, it seemed the first floor held no ghost security since nothing tried to attack him.

He soon found himself outside, in the fresh cold air of the evening sky. But the atmosphere was pure chaos. Civilians were screaming, while firefighters fought to put out the fire. However, not even with the help of the falling snow could the flames be tamed.

But just when things couldn't get any worse, the actual ground began to quake.

"Earthquake!" he heard people shout as more screams erupted, especially when above them eerie hissing and ripping sounds echoed like thunder. And then…. glowing green portals began to spread randomly throughout the sky, tingeing the dusking sky with a foreboding green hue as the ground continued to tremble.

But Vlad didn't care about anything around him anymore. He was only focused on one thing.

He quickly moved towards his car, which was still parked in the back. Luckily, with the sudden earthquake, even the firefighters were fleeing from the collapsing building. So, Vlad had no trouble getting into his car—or more like phasing into it.

The completely dark windows served their purpose as the young father finally turned himself and his son visible and tangible. He then wasted no time and placed his son down on the back seat. However, as he uncovered him, he couldn't help but notice how the white coat which had been wrapped around his son was now stained with red blood—and his son was still unresponsive.

"Daniel?" Vlad whispered, checking his pulse and breathing again—nothing.

The man knew that medically, his son had gone without oxygen for too long for there to be a chance of reviving him. But Daniel already defied what science considered normal. That, and...his son **could not** die.

"Come on, my little one," Vlad pleaded as he quickly began to do CPR. "Just breathe, Daniel. _Breathe_."

He ignored the voice telling him his son was gone and the other wondering if he had injected too much of his venom into him—and instead of making him go unconscious, he had killed him…

He ignored it because his child could not die.

But as the seconds began to slip by and his son wouldn't respond to the CPR, Vladimir began to shake, barely holding it together as it was.

"Daniel, please, breathe. You need to breathe. Just…Please!" he begged as he pumped the child's chest.

But his son still wouldn't respond.

"Daniel, you cannot die! You cannot! Daniel! For Goodness sake! Breathe! Breathe! **Daniel, breathe!"**

But when his son showed no signs of life in spite all his effort, the man finally felt apart and he let out a cry of agony before grabbing his son's body into his arms and sobbing. He didn't even care about the fact that there were things falling over his car or how rogue balls of flame dropped around him as the earth continued to shake. If his wife and son were both dead, what was he to live for, anyways?

"_Don't let him die."_

Vlad forced himself to calm down a bit as he nuzzled his face against his son's. He closed his eyes, remembering the close calls he had had with the little half-ghost. From the beginning, even when he had had no intention of keeping him as his son, he had always protected him—he had always been able to save him in the past. Even when he had gotten accidently overdosed by Anĝela, he had brought his son back…

Moving his hand to Danny's chest, he pressed it against were his symbol should be. Vladimir knew from experience that even as human, his core responded to touch, and sometimes, his symbol would even seep through. So, he was sure it was the same with his son. And although Daniel's symbol did not show up under his touch, as he concentrated, the father suddenly found his son's _feel_…

And feeling just the slightest response, Vlad's breathing turned shallower, realizing his son wasn't completely gone.

Forcing himself to calm down a bit, he nuzzled and caressed the unmoving six-year-old for a moment before he shakily told him, "Daniel, it's me. It's daddy. You cannot die, my little one. I told mommy I wouldn't let you. But—But, also, if you die, I-I will, too, little Phantom. I'm going to die i-if you don't come back. I need you to breathe." Vlad choked on a sudden sob as he pleaded, "Daddy needs you to breathe, my little one…"

He still got no response.

The father just buried his face into son's neck and held him tight, unable to do anything more.

Then, suddenly…

"Thump….. Thump…..Thump…. Thump…. Thu-thump…"

Vlad slowly pulled away from his son, wondering if what he felt under his hand was just his imagination. But then he watched as his son's mouth opened just the slightest bit… and he softly inhaled.

Vladimir breathed in short intakes of air, as if he suddenly had forgotten how to breathe himself. But his eyes and face also lit up with hope, like he, too, had just come back from the dead.

"Oh, good boy. Good boy, Daniel! That's it. Breathe," Vlad choked out in relief as he kissed his son's face.

He wanted to cry out in happiness and crush his son against him in a hug, but he was well aware that his son's life still hung precariously in the balance. His pulse and breathing were weak. And… he was still bleeding.

He had to get him help.

But his son's injuries were too serious for him to tend to them himself and he couldn't take his human son back to the Ghost World—nor would any of the doctors there know how to care for him as he was…

He had no choice. He had to go to a human hospital.

Vlad shuddered at the thought, remembering being there only once before and it was a very unpleasant experience.

Still, there was no other choice.

Quickly pulling off his suit jacket, he carefully covered his son in it before suddenly letting two black energy rings pass over him. But, this time, they turned him from Vladimir Masters to King Plasmius.

It was a huge risk to be in his true form right now, but he had no other choice. He needed to get his son help—and fast.

Turning invisible and intangible, Vlad flew out of the car and into the sky. And not a moment too soon, either. At that same instant another loud and final explosion echoed into the air. And Plasmius turned in time to see a burst of green flames expand from the top of the burning Axion lab, and the shield instantly vanished.

The security room had finally been destroyed. But its massive explosion had finally done it, and Axion Lab crumbled to the ground in an instant, destroying Vlad's and every other car around it.

One last tear fell from the King's eyes, knowing exactly what he had just lost within the rubble that had once been Axion.

However, it was the only mourning he allowed himself as he turned back around and shot towards the closest hospital. He was in physical and emotional agony. He was dying within, but it didn't matter right now. All that mattered was saving his son.

In his flight, he vaguely noticed the reappearing portals and how the sky almost blurred like rippling water. He knew why it was all happening, but, like his pain, he also ignored it.

* * *

In another part of the Ghost Zone, everyone seemed unaware of the tragedy that had unfolded in the human world. In fact, in the Dragon Realm, it was another typical, even pleasantly slow, day.

But the Queen's death was about to shatter all semblance of peace everywhere in the Ghost World, including the Dragon Realm…

Aragon was with Altiĝis at his home's garden, just enjoying his mate's company and the view outside. Both were currently in their true dragon form and they were lying next to each other. Altiĝis had her head against her mate's strong neck as she nuzzled and groomed him, while Aragon just purred with her affection.

Altiĝis knew that as cold as her mate could be, there was also a very gentle side of him. And luckily, she was one of the few who got to see it.

But a sudden familiar cry in the distance jolted the couple out of their peaceful activities.

"Elliot!" Altiĝis exclaimed as she got to her feet, her mate doing the same.

But before they could seek him out, the child came soaring towards them screaming. In fact, Elliot had been searching for his parents for at least an hour now. Unfortunately, he had recently lost his link with them now that he was a few months away from turning eleven, so he had been force to search for them by eyesight.

So by now, Elliot was so panicked that he tumbled when he landed. But he ignored his painful descent and ran over to his parents as his screams suddenly turned into sobs.

"Father! Mother! Phantom! We must help Phantom! They are hurting him!" Elliot cried out before burying his face under his mother's wing, trying to block out what the voice in his head had uttered to him:

"_Phantom's dead. You'll never see him again."_

Aragon jolted in surprise as he quickly asked, "Phantom? _The Prince?_" He paused before hissing, **"He is here?"**

"Please, father! You must do something! I do not want him to die!" Elliot wailed, not answering his father and instead pulling away from his mother to stare pleadingly at his father as tears continued to streak down his face.

But before Aragon could even think of what to say next, being that his son was making very little sense, something else happened.

The ground began to shake.

"Aragon!" Altiĝis screamed as she lost her balance, though she quickly flapped her wings to steady herself.

But Elliot was having a harder time and her mother quickly grabbed him in her claws pulling him off the ground, while Aragon used his own wings to hover above the quaking earth.

However, the dragon leader's eyes widened as a loud ripping sound echoed through the oddly blurred atmosphere and an unseen wind picked up around them.

There were now screams coming from everywhere in the Dragon Realm as the quake caused its destruction through their land, going as far as pushing the lava vents to gush out their molten lava.

But Aragon's eyes were glued to the sky as a moment later the ripping sound intensified and portals began to open up everywhere, causing the winds to turn even more violent.

"Oh, heavens! What is happening, Aragon?" Altiĝis gasped out. She knew sometimes temporary portals flared up, but it was usually at nightfall, and never like this!

"The spell…," Aragon whispered more to himself than his mate. "No… it cannot be…"

He didn't want to believe true what he was thinking; but it was the only explanation. For almost fifteen years the portals in their world had been held closed by the spell Desiree had placed on the Infi-Map, but they were now opening all at once—along with a numerous amount of temporary portals—and with such suddenness….

And there was only one reason that permanent spell would come undone so abruptly…

"Altiĝis," Aragon suddenly said, barely containing his panic. "Proceed to Drop Valley. Congregate as many as you can and wait out this tremor there."

"What?" his mate gasped when she saw him turn to leave. "Where are you heading?"

Aragon looked back at her and couldn't keep the worry off his face as he said, "To the palace. I must find Vlad… I think something terrible has happened."

Altiĝis' eyes widened and she quickly said, "But, Aragon, the portals!"

"I shall be fine," he replied before advising, "Do your best to keep as close to land as feasible. As you know, portals do not form at its level. Therefore, staying on it will keep you and everyone else safe."

Altiĝis sighed in worry, but still nodded.

However, when Elliot saw his father fly higher up into the unstable atmosphere, the young ghost quickly jolted and shouted out to him, "Please, father! Be cautious! And-And save Phantom!"

Aragon just glanced at his son before continuing through the violent atmosphere. The hurricane-like winds made it hard to fly, let alone dodge the appearing portals. But he had enough experience to manage it. That, and now something deeper was driving him…

"Curses, Vlad!" Aragon growled, though the worry in his face clashed with his angry voice. "Why do you _always_ have to prove me right?"

* * *

Having gotten his niece to the palace, Skulker now just floated quietly outside one of the castle's guestrooms, waiting for Anĝela to finish with his niece and Cujo. It had been quite fortunate that they were able to get the pediatrician over to the castle quickly, because any more time and Cujo might have died from blood loss.

As it was, Skulker didn't know if the puppy would make it through. But his niece also needed medical attention. He could only hope that all that exposure to that ice water hadn't caused her hot core permanent harm.

A moment later, Dora floated up to him, though he didn't realize it until she spoke up.

"Skulker?" she asked quietly, her voice filled with worry and sadness. Her fiancé had already told her about Lydia and Ghostwriter's deaths; though he had not told her what exactly happened. But by the fact that Skulker had returned without his suit, only proved that he also narrowly avoided being killed, too.

The hunter, who was still without his suit, briefly glanced at Dora before looking back at the closed door.

The dragon maid sighed before saying, "Skulker, Walker and Bullet have arrived. They are concerned about King Plasmius. He has been gone for hours now. And yet there is no word of him or milady and the Prince."

"Fright Knight and Wulf are also missing," he muttered back, knowing his other friends were also not back. And, unfortunately, he had no means of communicating with them. Their communication devices didn't work through worlds.

Dora didn't reply; but she didn't need to. They both knew they were just as worried for their friends.

Suddenly, the door opened and the couple quickly turned their attention to Anĝela.

The winged-female ghost sighed before saying, "Your niece will recover, Skulker. The exposure to the cold water was very taxing on her core, but it has done no permanent damage. Cujo, on the other hand… Well, I am worried about him. That gash was very serious. I stitched him back up, but now all we can do is wait and hope his body is strong enough to pull through this."

Dora bit her lip at the news, but Skulker just glanced away.

"Skulker?" Anĝela called, her voice softening even more. And seeing the male ghost look back at her, she added, "I…. I am very sorry for your loss."

The hunter just nodded his reply.

Although Vlad had said to keep the council out of this for now, after having to call Anĝela so quickly, Skulker had had no choice but to tell the council member what was happening. So, she knew about the trap for the King, and now, also about Lydia and Ghostwriter's death, though he had yet to say who had killed them….

"Any sign of King Plasmius or his family?" Anĝela then asked, looking from Dora to Skulker.

"No. Nothing," the hunter replied soberly. But then he looked at Dora and said, "Please tell Walker I will be there in a minute."

And before his fiancé could even nod, he floated off towards his room at the palace. He was thankful that he had two extra suits and one of them was here in the castle. After all, it had been Vlad who had supplied and helped build them.

Skulker got to his room and went to his closet to get his other suit. It took a few minutes, but he was soon in his stronger, though fake, body. However, now that he was alone in his room, his sorrow was threatening to consume him.

He closed his eyes and fisted his hands against the pain… and fury. But it was too much.

Skulker suddenly screamed as he slammed a fist into the closest wall, instantly driving a hole through it. They had killed his sister and brother-in-law. No, _Aragon's son_ had killed his only living relative! And… And he had been able to do nothing!

He had not been able to do a thing as… as Dora's—_his future wife's_—nephew killed Lydia and Ghostwriter and left his niece orphaned…

Skulker screamed again, this time in anguish. But as he slammed another fist into the wall, he pressed his other hand against it, sustaining himself against it as his body began to shake with emotion.

He was about to continue to take out his pain and anger on the wall when, suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. And knowing who it was by just simply her touch, he slowly turned around to face Dora.

"They are dead, Dora. I…I couldn't save them," he almost whimpered.

Dora's eyes filled with tears, but she gently said, "I am sure you did all you could."

But her future husband closed his eyes and shook his head. "Oh, God…. How am I to tell my niece that her parents were killed? That she will never see them again? How, Dora?" As if losing the strength to stand, he fell to his knees and punched the floor.

Dora just quietly lowered down in front of her fiancé and gently grabbed his face. Then, without a word, she placed one of her hands behind his head and pulled him against her.

It was all Skulker could take.

Grabbing her arms with sudden desperation, he broke down and short sobs began to echo from the strong and proud hunter.

"Shh. I am with you, my sweet warrior," Dora assured him, as her own tears finally fell, though she continued to hold her crying fiancé.

Skulker just gripped the dragon maid like his life depended on it. It had been so long since something had affected him this much; and after the horrors he had seen during Pariah's reign, he had believed nothing could ever touch him again. But he was wrong.

His sister and her husband's death naturally hurt him down to his core. But, also, he was afraid. He was terrified for his orphaned niece. He was all she had now; and… and he wasn't sure he was ready for such a responsibility, let alone, did he know if he could take care of her—_raise_ her now that her parents were gone. Then, he was angry. He was angry with himself. He had been the experienced one in battle. He should have protected them! He should have foreseen…

No, how could he have foreseen that one of his own kind—Aragon's son—was allied with those hunters?

How could that child do that? How could be betray his own kind? And the way he had killed—no, _murdered_—Lydia and Ghostwriter… The child was a monster…

"Skulker?" Dora suddenly whispered, though she sounded hesitant about something.

However, before Skulker could even think of answering her or calm down, something unexpected happened…

The room began to shake.

Jolted out of his pain, Skulker gasped as he pulled away from Dora, while she cried out in alarm as things began to fall and the walls crack.

"Oh my goodness! Skulker, what is happening?" she asked, floating off the ground.

The hunter stood himself, though he also quickly floated up when he couldn't keep his balance.

More crashes echoed around them before Skulker grabbed Dora's hand and pulled her forward towards the room's exit, and seeing some pieces of ceiling blocking the door, he quickly drew out a weapon and blasted the door away.

As soon as he and Dora got out, they realized the whole castle was shaking and that the ghosts were all screaming as they rushed towards the castle's exit.

Well, all except for Walker and Bullet who suddenly appeared around the corner, looking genuinely alarmed.

"Skulker!" the warden exclaimed when he spotted him. And as they reached each other, he added, "What the hell is going on? The entire Ghost World is shaking!"

"And it's getting worse!" Bullet added when the trembling intensified and the floor began to crack under them.

But Skulker ignored them as he suddenly remembered someone more important. He gasped and looked at the dragon maid in alarm. "Ember!"

Dora's eyes widened; and without a word, the couple quickly moved to the guestroom to find the six-year-old.

Walker frowned at Bullet, but quickly followed after them.

When they got there, they found Anĝela with the unconscious Ember and Cujo, a blue barrier covering the entire room, preventing it from falling apart.

"Anĝela, we must get them out," Skulker said urgently.

But the female ghost shook her head and replied just as worried, "It's more of a risk to move them, especially Cujo. I can keep them safe. But you must go find out what is happening!"

The hunter hesitated as he stared briefly at his niece before he nodded. He gestured at his other companions to follow him.

It had been a bit hard to get out of the castle with everything falling around them, but they managed to get out into the open, though the sight out there was even worse than inside.

The shaking ground was cracking, so the once beautiful fountains and décor were now cracked or just turned to rubble.

But it wasn't any of that that had Skulker, Dora, Walker, and Bullet looking horrified…

It was the green and purple atmosphere that was cracking and hissing as portals began to tear themselves to life, almost looking like angry ants emerging from their mounds…

"The portals are reforming," Walker gasped out.

"And they are completely out of control!" Bullet exclaimed. "It's like an invisible dam has been broken!"

Skulker quickly looked at Bullet with his last words and his eyes widened even further. "There _is_ a dam holding them closed! It's the spell Desiree put on the Infi-Map!"

Walker's face suddenly shrouded with understanding and he almost scoffed in amusement as he realized what had happened. Well, that was something he definitely hadn't thought of.

"It's… it's been broken?" Dora whispered in growing dread. "But, Skulker, that spell was permanent! The only way for it to come undone is…"

Skulker could only stare back at the dragon maid, also realizing the truth…

But before he could even think of what to do, there was a flash of blue light and in an instant, Frostbite was in front of them with the Infi-Map.

"The King and Queen! Where are the King Plasmius and Queen Desiree?" Frostbite exclaimed in a panic. "The spell on the map has broken!"

"Skulker!" Dora suddenly cried out, and he quickly grabbed her as she broke down, though he looked close to losing it himself again.

There was no other explanation. Desiree… His Queen… his friend…_ his second sister…_ She was dead.

Walker frowned as he moved closer to Frostbite and told him what had happened, and the snow ghost soon realized the truth as well and he placed a hand against his head as he took a few steps back in disbelief and horror.

But hearing the Warden voice what they now all knew, Skulker felt his core constrict even more with panic.

Where was Vlad?

"Dora," the hunter said in distress, gently pulling away from her. "I have to go. I need to find Vlad!"

"What?" Walker quickly asked, hearing him. "You're returning to the Human World? But, it's too dangerous out there now! And if the Queen has been killed, then the King and Prince have probably also met the same fate!"

"No," Skulker snapped, a bit angry. "We do not know _that_."

Walker tried to protest again, but the hunter cut him off, saying, "I am going to look for him. Meanwhile, gather the council…" He sighed as he soberly added, "We cannot keep this quiet any longer…"

Walker frowned but nodded.

Skulker looked back at Dora and asked her, "Watch over Ember for me. I'll return as soon as I have word…"

The dragon maid nodded, and just silently watched as her fiancé flew off into the violent atmosphere while their world around them continued to quake…

* * *

"He's been gone too long!" Wulf whined as he paced in agitation as they waited for their King at the east outskirts, as they were told.

But although Fright Knight just floated in place, his face was tense with anxiety as he continued to watch the horizon for any sign of his liege.

Only a few knew of the King's ability to become human. Wulf and Fright Knight were two of them. It was why whenever their leader went on a mission in the Human World, they and Skulker almost always went with him…

And now was no different; except that this time, they had been asked to stay behind… and wait. And they had been waiting there for hours now!

"I am tempted to seek out our liege as well, Wulf," Fright Knight finally answered. "However, we must obey his command. This is a delicate situation and our presence could not only compromise our King's long kept secret, but it could endanger him and the royal family!"

"I know," Wulf replied, his ears sagging. "But I'm worried! I do not want those human hunters to hurt them, especially the young Prince! He—Do you hear that?" the werewolf ghost abruptly asked, freezing in sudden alarm.

"I hear it… and I see it!" Fright Knight hissed, pulling out his sword as a helicopter suddenly appeared in the sky, followed by two large white vehicles, all clearly coming towards them.

"What do we do?" Wulf asked in alarm.

"We shall engage in battle!" Fright Knight said darkly. "I shall not leave this world without my liege!"

Wulf's hackles rose as he drew out his claws and got into a fight stance, clearly agreeing with his partner.

The helicopter wasn't even fully lowered when the two vehicles came to a stop and a small group of Guys-in-White ran out with guns drawn as they quickly surrounded Vlad's friends and allies.

"Freeze, ghosts! You are both under arrest!" Operative O exclaimed, his gun humming, ready to fire. As Tom had instructed him, he had converged with his leader at his given coordinates and had further been asked to engage and apprehend.

Fright Knight and Wulf kept their eyes narrowed, keeping back-to-back as they surveyed their adversaries. There were six in total. And although they were clearly well trained in what they did, the two warriors had faced worse odds…

But then, the helicopter finally landed some yards away and four more other ghost hunters moved towards the group. Of course, it was Thomas Chrome, Operative K and his two men; but to Wulf and Fright Knight they were just another threat to be dealt with…

"Now I am absolutely certain the Ghost King has taken my bait, Tom remarked as he moved past his men, though he kept his distance from the two ghosts. He had been around these creatures long enough to make out which were trained and experienced in battle. And these definitely fell into that category.

"And yet," the 'GiW' leader continued, "I wonder why you two are all the way out here. What are you waiting for? A signal from your leader perhaps? Well, I have some bad news for you both… He isn't coming. I just finished killing his wench and spawn, and he'll be meeting the same fate soon enough…" Tom informed them with a smirk.

Wulf and Fright Knight's eyes widened, but then the werewolf ghost quickly glared again as he hissed back, _"Vi estas __mensoganta!" _

"Lie or not," Fright Knight added, "You will pay for uttering such blasphemy!"

But just when they were about to go at the hunters, everyone was jolted by the abrupt quaking.

Both human and ghost alike gasped in surprise, but it quickly escalated to cries of alarm when the tremors intensified….

However, as Wulf and Fright Knight quickly levitated off the ground, Tom and his men were having a hard time keeping on their feet.

"Sir! It's an earthquake!" Operative K exclaimed.

But Thomas was too shocked to reply. An earthquake? Sure, they were possible in Michigan, but this was too strange and just too coincidental! No, this couldn't be a normal earthquake!

And as if to confirm that, the setting sun was suddenly eclipsed by a darkening cloud which quickly began to hiss and crack. And like it was seen everywhere else, portals began to burst open throughout the sky.

Thomas' eyes widened in absolute disbelief, and although he did not understand in the slightest what was happening or why, something the Ghost Queen had said to him rang in his mind…

"…_you have no idea with what you're messing! There's a delicate balance between our worlds, and if you dare tamper with that, you will regret it!" _

Thomas frowned before he uttered soberly to his subordinates, "Commanders, head to the helicopter. The rest of you get back to the vehicles. We need to return to headquarters at once."

Operative K and Operative O jolted in surprise but then quickly protested, "But what about the two gh—"

However, their words died on their lips when they finally realized that in their surprise and distraction, the two ghosts had vanished.

"I said fallback," Tom said more firmly. And as his subordinates complied, he glanced up at the reforming portals, unsure of how to feel about their appearance. For the longest time, he had been searching for a way into the Ghost World after all the portals had somehow vanished. It was why he had originally been working with the Fentons to create the synthetic portal that had cost the youngest Fenton his life. In fact, in the past years, he had created another, but just didn't have enough concentrated energy to try and activate it…

If these reforming portals were permanent, he definitely wouldn't be needing that fake portal any longer… And still, this made him feel very uneasy. He had never seen so many portals form at once. And… why was the ground shaking?

"Sir!"

His commanders' voices jolted Tom out of his thoughts and he quickly turned, heading towards the helicopter which was hovering inches above ground to maintain balance.

He would definitely need to get to the bottom of this.

As he got in and the helicopter ascended, there was a sudden explosion in the distance and it was soon followed by several more.

Tom smirked, knowing what that was. And as he pulled out the detonator to set off the last bomb in Axion's security room, he muttered with satisfaction, "Long live the Ghost King… in hell."

* * *

Wulf and Fright Knight's priorities changed at the instant they saw the forming portals. So, turning invisible they flew off towards Amity's buildings. After what Tom had said, they didn't need to think too much to already fear the worse.

"We must find them! They are in danger, Fright Knight!" Wulf whined fearfully as the two flew onward, evading the portals.

But before his ally could answer, an explosion in the far distance jolted them to a halt.

"What was that?" Wulf urgently asked. "Do… Do you think the King and his family are over there?"

"We must find out!" Fright Knight replied, resuming flight, moving faster than before now that they had a destination in sight.

However as they moved, Fright Knight pulled out a small electronic device he always kept on him. Skulker and Wulf also had similar ones. It was their means of finding and communicating with their King when they were in the Human World.

"This contraption has both a tracking system and a communicator. But it has been so long since I have operated it that I fail to recall how to activate either one!" the ghost knight said, agitated.

The mention of the device had Wulf reach into his pants for his own. And though they kept flying, they were now desperate to activate the tracker or communicator on the devices, especially when several more explosions came from the same place in the distance. They needed to find their leader!

But just as Wulf was about to fiddle with his, it suddenly vibrated. The ghost yelped, almost dropping it in surprise.

"It's alive!" Wulf exclaimed to Fright Knight, and they both halted once again in their tracks.

The ghost knight quickly moved closer to the other ghost, trying to see what was happening with his friend's device.

And at the next instant, they both knew…

"_Wulf. Wulf, can you hear me?" _

"**Sire?" **Wulf exclaimed back, both alarmed and relieved, while Fright Knight moved closer as tense as ever.

Their King was alive, but something was really wrong!

"_I need your help. Follow your tracking device on the watch to m-me. I need you. Please—CRACK!"_

The two ghosts reflectively gasped, before they exclaimed, "Sire!"

But Fright Knight readily added, "My liege? My liege, can you hear me? Curses! What is wrong with this infernal contraption?"

Wulf didn't answer and just took off again towards the chaos. And though the other male ghost followed, he was also trying to communicate with his King. Ultimately, they didn't get more than a couple of yards closer when a final and larger explosion caught their attention again, and it was followed by the thundering of a collapsing building which echoed through the sky, intermixing with the crackling and whooshing of the portals around them.

The two friends and warriors halted and stared at each other in horror before they automatically took off towards the destruction once more, not caring about the devices anymore and just desperate to find their leader and family.

They had been so far away that it took them, even as fast as they were going, at least ten minutes to reach Axion labs. However, by the time they got there, the ground had stopped shaking and their King was gone.

Not that they knew that.

All they knew was that something terrible had happened at this place. They were floating invisible and intangible above the infernal below that used to be Axion.

"Fright Knight…," Wulf whimpered. "Where…Where are they?"

The other ghost swallowed thickly before looking back at the device in his hand. He pressed a couple a buttons, attempting to activate the communicator or tracker.

"Perhaps… Perhaps they were nowhere near here and…"

"But the King sounded in trouble and he would have come for us if he had found his family!" Wulf cut him off, distressed.

At that moment, Fright Knight managed to get the device to work, though now, the communicator's only feedback was a steady static. He quickly tried the tracker, but it was also dead.

Because they didn't know how their leader's watch-like device had been damage in his escape, they could only fear the worse.

Wulf whined in distress again and suddenly dived down, not caring that he was risking himself as he neared the humans, who were unaware of their presence and were focused on controlling the flames.

"Wulf!" Fright Knight hissed in alarm before he quickly went after him.

The werewolf ghost ignored his ally's warning of their being too close to the humans, and began to sniff the air, trying to find any trace of Vlad or his family. And… although it was almost covered under the smell of ash and smoke, he found it.

Everywhere.

Wulf's ears lowered, now sure the royal family had at least been here. But he still attempted to find their scent in the air, hoping that they had further been able to get out…

Sadly, he found nothing. And that meant that either the wind had dispersed their scent by now, or… they never got out.

Fright Knight didn't have to ask what his friend had found. The way Wulf's shoulders and head dropped said it all.

The ghost knight shook with restrained emotions. Unlike their past leader, he had loved his young King and his family… It had been a privilege to serve them. And now… everything pointed to the horrible fact that they had been… killed here…

"Wulf… we must return," Fright Knight said quietly.

The other ghost seemed reluctant at first, but then he silently nodded.

The two said nothing as they flew back up and dived into the closest open portal.

Today was now certainly the saddest and most tragic day for the Ghost World and its inhabitants…

* * *

Plasmius had made it to Amity's closest hospital in less than ten minutes. But it took him an extra minute to find a place to change back and then run into the hospital.

The hospital was also in utter chaos. By now, the power had gone out throughout Amity and they were now running on a generator. There were also people coming in with injuries and burns.

Still, Vladimir bruised and bloody, pushed past the panicked crowd and headed for the closest nurse.

"My son," he rasped out as he uncovered Danny from his jacket and showed him to the woman. "He's been hurt. H-He's dying! Help him, please."

The woman's eyes widened at the sight of the injured and unconscious young boy. But she quickly jolted to action.

"Don! Get a stretcher over here! We have a seriously hurt child!"

The other nurse quickly called some kind of code over the intercom and in seconds several people were rushing over to the father. The doctor on-call was quickly examining the boy right in Vlad's arms even as someone came up with a stretcher.

A grim expression fell over the doctor's face as he assessed the extent of Danny's injuries and his nerve response. Clearly, he was seriously concerned. Still, he choose not to question the father at the moment—though he planned to, especially when it was more than apparent by the burns on the child's cheeks that he had been deliberately harmed.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of him," the doctor gently assured Vlad in order to get the father to surrender his child to them.

Having to hand over his son to some humans he didn't even trust was probably as hard for Vlad to do as it was for him to have to see his son like this.

But… he had no other choice.

Vlad softly shook as Danny was taken from him and then he was soon out of his view as all the nurses and doctors swarmed around the child, doing all sorts of things to him even as they raced him down the hall.

Only one nurse stayed behind.

"Come with me, sir. I need to get some information from you," she said with sympathy in her voice.

Vladimir didn't reply and just followed her to some room. The quaking had now stopped for the most part, so everyone was trying the best they could to follow the usual hospital regulations.

But as the billionaire stepped into the room, he suddenly gasped when his swimming vision unexpectedly got worse and he swayed on his feet.

The nurse instantly stopped and looked at the young man. "Sir, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," Vlad replied weakly, though his stomach instantly knotted and he just as quickly felt ill.

But concerned, the woman quickly called someone else in and whispered something to him as Vlad closed his eyes and clutched his side.

"Sir, look at me," a man suddenly said, and Vlad slowly opened his dim blue eyes.

"Can you tell me your name, sir?"

"My son," Vlad whispered as he brought a hand up behind his head and breathed shakily. "Where's my son?"

The billionaire didn't see how when he lowered his hand from behind his aching head, his hand was covered in blood.

But the nurse did.

"Tania, get the doctor, quick! He has suffered head trauma!" the man exclaimed to the nurse, before turning his attention to Vlad again and telling him, "Sir, I need you to sit down. You're hurt."

But Vladimir didn't respond. Instead, he gripped at his head again as his vision spun even more; and suddenly exhausted in every way possible, he couldn't take anymore.

The now widowed father collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

**Well, not much to say. I think I'll let all of you speak for me in your reviews. Heh. Um, there's one thing I do want to make clear though. Vlad and Danny's ghost forms are just slightly different in this AU. See, in the show, Danny—and I will assume Vlad—could have their ghost energy picked up by ghost instruments even in human form. In this AU, their ghost energy is NOT traceable as humans UNLESS they use their powers. So, that's why the ghost security would only go off for Vlad when he used his powers in this chapter. Their cores, and therefore, their energies, are completely dormant in human form unless they wake their cores up by trying to use their powers.**

**Also, don't forget that in this AU ghosts are their own race—**_**living**_** beings. They are not dead humans. I say that in case someone forgot. They **_**can**_** die.**

**Okay, I will leave you now. CM will be updated next. Probably next weekend. Maybe earlier. 'SID will not be updated next week because Truephan will be busy with some stuff; so we decided to hold the update that's due in one more week and make it in two weeks. In any case, we will have lots to talk about with all three stories as it is. NewGhostGirl is trying to set up another chat. So, keep an eye out on the club and I hope to chat with all of you there—for whenever she sets it. Also, there's a new contest going on! Check it out! *winks***

**Lastly, I want to publicly tackle Ghostgirl in a hug! She actually made another preview trailer! This one is about CM's sequel 'Endgame'! It's freakin awesome—just like her! Go see it! It's very cool!**

***smiles sheepishly* Okay, so I did have a lot to say, after all. Well, perhaps after you guys read this you'll be past your shock to let me hear your thoughts on this one! I really hope you all liked it, even will all its emotional intensity! I will say one thing, though. I did not just kill off Desiree and the other characters for kicks. I'm not that type of writer—even if I do have an evil muse. XD It's a necessary evil for the plot. And that's all I will say on it. Oh, and in all fairness, I did warn you all from the beginning of this story, eh?**

**Anyways! Thank you for your support! I love you all! Ta for now, my dear readers! **


	35. Chapter 33: Darker Days

**Hello, Readers! Um, looks like I spoke too soon once again. But, I did say the weekend, and today is Monday, so I'm off by one day! Heh! Not bad! Ahem! Anyways, I won't be able to reply to reviews this time around. Sorry about that, but I've been a bit busy in this past weeks. I actually would have posted this earlier today if it wasn't for a meeting at church, which I just returned from. And tomorrow I have some friends coming over and they want me to get them into Disney. But, anyhow, I won't bore you all with my agenda. Enjoy this chapter. In spite the angst, I actually liked writing this one! So, you at the bottom! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU plot and any OCs are my own. **

* * *

**Chapter 33: Darker Days **

* * *

It was interesting what the press was saying. Actually, Tom couldn't have asked for a better outcome.

After the witness reports of ghost sightings in the park and at the pier as well, Amity Park—and a good portion of the world, even—were in a state of panic. Everyone's conclusion of what had happened had been only the most logical:

The ghosts had dealt a surprise attack on Amity Park.

So, not only were all the ghost hunters in Amity on high alert, so were those around the world, fearing it was just the first attack and that more would soon follow, especially when the incident with the portals' opening had occurred _all_ around the world—not just in Amity.

Thomas chuckled as he sat at his table eating breakfast with the morning newspaper in hand.

In the past two days that had passed since he had gotten rid of the Ghost King and his family, he had received several phone calls from his superiors.

Thomas had relished at hearing their apologies at ever doubting his abilities and his claims of the ghost race's waiting to strike again. They were even now willing to supply him anything he needed to assure the safety of Amity Park—and all of Michigan, really.

However, there was the bigger picture. Because the Guys-in-White were the U.S. Government's team that dealt with ghost threats, there were satellite centers all over the U.S. with the main headquarters' being in Amity. But those controlling it all where stationed at Washington, D.C.

Of course, after the chaos from two days ago, the government was back in full swing with the Guys-in-White agency. That meant more money for supplies and agents. And, perhaps, more buildings could be made. After all, the more places the 'GiW' had bases, the better.

This worked quite well with Thomas' next set of plans. If he wanted to invade the Ghost World, he was going to need a lot more men and firepower. It was going to take more time and careful planning to coordinate such a dangerous and difficult objective; but with the Ghost King out of the way, the Ghost World was his to destroy.

If Tom was lucky, then perhaps even the other countries having ghost hunting divisions would join the Guys-in-White's efforts. It was highly possible now that everyone finally believed that the ghosts were looking to invade and attack the Human World again.

Still, as eager as he was to begin these next plans, Tom was waiting for a certain confirmation. He needed to make sure thef Ghost King was as dead as his family. Penelope had told him she would return when the news was confirmed, but she had yet to show up, which did make Tom a bit anxious.

He supposed since it only had been two days since he carried out his deadly plans, that, perhaps, the ghost female needed things to settle a bit more before chancing coming to the Human World.

Still, Tom wished she would hurry and show up—not to mention, he had a bone to pick with her. He was even contemplating killing her for leaving out that little detail about the King's spawn lacking that link with his father. That single thing had almost ruined his plans. But regardless of that, what use would Penelope be to him now that he got what he wanted…?

Tom chewed thoughtfully on a piece of bacon before he momentarily dismissed his train of thought and returned to his previous one. Although Tom and his men were currently 'at ease' as they waited for Tom's next sets of orders, they were still on alert. It was possible the Ghost World would try to retaliate because of the death of their leader and his family. So, Tom wasn't taking any chances. He had set up the scanners and had his men patrolling Amity for any ghost threats. Then again, everyone around the world was doing the same thing.

Interestingly, though, no one knew just yet about Tom's killing the Ghost King and his family. He wanted to make sure there was no doubt about it before sharing his victory with his superiors. Imagine. If they were impressed at Tom for killing so many ghosts with such high energy levels during the 'attack' two days ago, they were going to bow down to him when they learned he had taken down the all-powerful Ghost King.

Tom grinned to himself. But he was interrupted from his thoughts by a sudden knock on his door.

The man raised a curious eyebrow before grabbing a piece of toast and standing up. As he munched on the bread, he headed out of his dining room and went to the door.

When he opened it, he sighed at the sight of Freakshow.

"Isn't it too early for you to be annoying me?" the ghost hunter questioned dryly.

Fredrick pushed past Tom, surprising the man. In fact, the ghost hunter then readily frowned deeply, almost tempted to shoot the guy for his audacity. Lucky thing for the freak that he didn't have his gun with him.

"And… you're also trying to piss me off…," the hunter added, narrowing his eyes as he silently demanded an explanation.

"Yeah, well, what else is new," Freakshow snapped. "Look, Tom, I am not one of your little soldiers. I have my own things to deal with! How am I going to run a circus if I have a screaming idiot tied up under my rink? It's a miracle none of my workers have heard him! If it wasn't because I am keeping him muzzled like some dog, I'd probably be in trouble by now! Look, you need to kill the guy or let him go or do something with him because I don't want him at my circus!"

Tom had initially looked confused but he suddenly remembered what Freakshow was talking about. "Oh. That's right… Gray. I had forgotten about him…," he muttered, as his thoughts drifted to that other thing in the news: the 'disaster' that had happened at Axion…

The calamity had taken a few lives, and rescue teams were still trying search the remains of the lab. And, yet, the local police feared that the 'owner' of Axion was one of those causalities, even when they had yet to find a body.

The press had even shown a glimpse of Damon's daughter crying as she was taken by child services—though she would undoubtedly end up at an orphanage if her father wasn't found.

Tom munched thoughtfully on his toast before he looked back at the other angry man. He asked, "Why are you complaining so much? Do you really think anyone wants to visit a circus when everyone's too afraid to leave their homes right now?"

"I don't care, Tom! I want the guy gone!" Freakshow said angrily.

"Yes, well, you will have to deal with him for a few days until I decide what to do with him," Thomas replied with a disregarding shrug.

Freakshow's hands shot up into the air. "Ugh! I am so sick of—"

But he silenced when Tom suddenly took a step closer and asked with in a calm yet dangerous voice, "You're sick of _what_?"

Freakshow's anger faltered, clearly afraid of what the other man could do to him. But he quickly frowned and seriously said, "I have supplied you with the connections and the things you needed to kill the Ghost King. You have even taken my slave."

"And I gave you back two," Tom replied without skipping a beat, not having forgotten about the two male ghosts he had handed over to Freakshow.

"They are nowhere near as powerful as Gregor and you know it!" Freakshow hissed. "I have done everything you wanted, so why can't you just leave me be, Tom?"

Thomas chuckled. "What's wrong? Don't like being on the other end of the spectrum? Don't like being the 'slave'?"

"Screw you! I'm not your slave!" Freakshow growled.

Tom sighed. "You are very lucky I am in such a good mood today."

The other man glared back. He was so sick of having to live in this hunter's shadow. From the very beginning, the hunter always took everything from him and handled him like some puppet on strings. During King Dark's rein, Freakshow was one of the most feared and respected people in the world. But he was also admired for the amazing spectacle that had once been his Circus Gothica. He had plundered and taken anything he wanted with the help of his ghost slaves for years. In short, he had it made! Then along came Tom. The bastard killed all his ghosts and then had him arrested and locked up for a few years for his illegal actions.

Then one day the hunter just as easily had him released from prison. But since then, Tom had never left him alone, and with all the man had on him, there was nothing Freakshow could do about it. Sometimes the circus master wondered if he should have just stayed in prison. It certainly had to be better than this hell he was living in!

Tom suddenly sighed again before saying, "Look, all I am asking you is to hold on to Gray for a few more days, alright?"

"…Fine," Freakshow muttered reluctantly, forcing himself to remember his own plans. He just needed to be patient. But he also needed something else.

"But I want my drone back," he added seriously.

"What for?" Tom asked, crossing his arms.

"Because he's mine!" Freakshow replied indignantly, not wanting to say the real reason why he wanted Gregor back. "Seriously, Tom, if you want a dragon ghost, why don't you go find your own? Tell Spectra to bring you one! I'll even put him under my power for you, so you can mold the thing as you want."

But Tom replied with a loud laugh. "You make it sound like Gregor is a pair of shoes one can switch out with another." He calmed and said, "Don't be ridiculous, Freakshow, I have invested a lot of time and effort into him. You should get used it. Gregor's as much mine as he is yours. In fact, consider yourself lucky I don't just take him away from you completely."

"Maybe because you know he would never cooperate with you without my ordering him to," Freakshow replied, narrowing his eyes.

"You think so?" Tom said with a mysterious smile. "We'll see. In any case, you do not have a choice, because the only way you are going to keep your little slave is if I continue to have use for him. So, if you want to have him at all, I suggest you continue to make sure that Gregor cooperates with me."

Tom shrugged. "Besides, he cannot go with you right now. He has yet to fully recover. So, until he does, the kid stays with me. _Capisce?" _

"First of all, he's not a kid, he's a ghost, Tom," Freakshow said with a small smirk. "And second of all, I don't see how he wouldn't be recovered after two days."

Tom crossed his arms and replied, "I don't know. Perhaps because some idiot let him dive into frigid waters?"

"I was just doing what you said. You wanted him to kill _all_ the ghosts; well, those ghosts dived into the water to get away."

"And yet they still got away," Tom retorted, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"Well, it was your men's fault. They were in charge of getting rid of those young ghosts."

"True enough, I suppose," Tom said with a small shrug. "In any case, Gregor stays with me until I say so. End of discussion. Now, go away. It's my day off."

If Freakshow was a teapot he would have been steaming from the ears by now. "Just what is it with you and him?" he demanded. "What? Are you looking to adopt him as your brat or something? He's not human, Tom! And you're delusional for even trying to pretend like he is!"

Now furious, Tom suddenly grabbed Freakshow by his trenched coat and pulled him closer. "My good mood's gone. What exactly do you take me for, _freak_? If you think I would ever forget what Gregor is then you are more stupid than I thought. If need be, I would not even blink to put a bullet in Gregor's core, so don't confuse yourself."

He suddenly let the man go and turned from him. And as if nothing had happened, he threw back causally, "Let me know if you hear anything from Penelope."

With that, Freakshow had no choice but to stomp out of the ghost hunter's house.

Tom, meanwhile, returned to his breakfast. But now with a few new things on his mind, he wasn't too hungry anymore and just grabbed his juice and finished drinking it. He then went to a room where he kept his supplies for Gregor and grabbed a small clear plastic container with small holes in it before heading upstairs. He needed to go see how that little dragon ghost was doing. But, also, he needed to have a conversation with him—one that had been pending for two days…

* * *

Gregor frowned as he sat on his bed at Tom's house watching the news. They were _still_ talking about what had happened two days ago. The press had gotten pictures of the ghost guards that had been with the Queen and Prince when they had been captured. And, they also had gotten witnessed accounts of the fight at the pier. Luckily for him, there were no pictures or solid evidence of the 'large ghost' that had been spotted at the pier along with the other ghosts that had been killed by the Guys-in-White.

Gregor knew that Tom and his master wanted to keep him as much a secret as possible. So, the less people knew about him, the better.

Still, none of that was really what Gregor cared about. He was listening to the woman on the news talk about Axion. There had been a few people that had died in the explosion. And the ghost kid didn't know how to feel about that.

He had been the one to cause their deaths—well, at least, indirectly. He was used to killing ghosts, but humans? He had never gotten human blood on his hands.

It… wasn't that he felt guilty about it. But… it just made him feel odd. Somehow, killing a human felt more significant to him than killing a ghost. Perhaps it was because after all this time, he knew more about how to pretend to be human than to be what he really was. So, although he would never admit it to Tom or his master, he felt more human than… ghost.

Still, he had just done as he was told; and after all these years, killing and doing all those other dark things didn't faze him anymore. In fact, he was beginning to enjoy it at times…

But with humans…

Gregor glanced down at his stuffed dragonfly sitting on his lap before he turned it around to face him.

"What do you think?" he suddenly asked his toy. "No one told those people to stay inside Axion, right? They were the ones that were too stupid to get out of there."

Gregor frowned at the smiling dragonfly before he pouted at it and suddenly said as it had replied to him, "No, I don't feel bad about it! I'm just saying that they are stupid for not getting out."

But then he paused and added with a sudden evil grin, "Actually, it was kinda worth it. Phantom is dead." He narrowed his suddenly red eyes at his stuffed toy and further told it, "You'll never see him again."

However, at that moment, his eyes drifted over to the TV again and Gregor turned his stuffed dragonfly back around, saying, "Look, they're talking about Valerie's father!"

This time, Gregor's eyes saddened and he hugged his stuffed toy, making it chirp. "I hope Valerie's okay. She's my only friend," he muttered before he continued to hear how the owner of Axion was missing and that they suspected he had died in the lab's explosion.

They were blaming it on the ghosts, too. They were saying the explosion was caused by some ghost attack, though no one knew why the lab was targeted. Some of the workers were saying it was because the Fentons had sold Mr. Gray the latest ghost hunting devices. And in search of easy information, they attacked the lab. Others were saying the ghost just wanted to use Axion as an example for what was to come.

Whatever. Gregor didn't care. But he did care for the fate of his only friend. He just hoped he would see her again. Then again, he would probably feel bad if he did… Mostly because he knew where her father was and he wouldn't be able to tell her…

Gregor sighed and lowered his gaze. He still remembered how she had given him the stuffed unicorn. He still had it at his make-shift den at the circus. He would have brought it with him if it wasn't for how quickly Tom had taken him away from his master.

After he had passed out from the exposure to the cold water, his master had taken him to the circus, but he had gotten really sick and his core had been having a hard time heating back up. So, when Tom found him, he had not been doing too well.

Needless to say, Tom and Freakshow had an argument about him, though he had been too dazed to really hear what they had said, except that Tom had called his master an idiot. After that, Tom had taken him and Gregor had only enough time to grab his toy dragonfly.

The next two days had gone by in a blur. In fact, it wasn't until this morning that he had woken up feeling better and alert. He was no longer suffering from cold flashes and he could feel his core working properly again. Still, he could feel his lungs hadn't fully recovered yet from all that cold water he had sucked into them and that meant he probably couldn't breathe fire until they got better. Hopefully, it would be soon. He didn't like the idea of not having all his abilities at hand.

Gregor's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden opening of his bedroom door. The child turned his gaze towards it and frowned as he watched Tom walk in with a small plastic container. But since the man's hands were wrapped around it, he couldn't see what was inside it.

"Well, you are definitely looking a lot better today," Tom commented with a small reserved smile.

"Yeah… I feel better now…," Gregor muttered back guardedly. The ghost hunter smiling rarely meant something good for him…

Thomas didn't reply right away and instead grabbed a nearby chair. He then set it in front of the young ghost's bed and sat backwards on it, placing the plastic container in between his legs before draping his arms over the back of the chair and focusing back on the child.

Gregor just stared at the man, though he briefly glanced at the container the man had on the chair. But with the back part of the chair in the way, he really couldn't see much of it.

"Watching the news?" Tom causally asked as he propped up his face on one of his hands and continued to observe the young ghost.

Gregor grabbed the remote and promptly turned off the television before replying, "Not anymore."

"Good, because we need to talk," Tom readily replied, his smile growing.

"About what?" Gregor asked, a bit of annoyance now in his voice. Honestly, why didn't the man just say what he wanted and be done with it?

"Well, now that you are alert, I have to ask…," the man began only to suddenly chuckle. "What in the screwed-up hell were you thinking?" he asked in an amused, yet condescending voice. "Why would you dive into a lake when you do not know how to swim? And on top of that, you don't have the common sense to turn intangible!"

Gregor instantly glared when the man laughed again before he snapped, "I didn't know how intangibility worked within a lake! It's the first time I've ever had to do that!"

"I'll give you that, but, again, why get into a lake when you do not know how to swim?" Tom repeated, his smile still on his face, though his voice was calmer now.

Gregor glanced away before he muttered, "Because it was my master's order."

"And if your 'master' told you to take a ghost weapon and shoot yourself in the core, would you do it?" Tom asked with mirth.

Gregor looked back at the man, and although he looked troubled by the question, he quietly answered, "…Yes."

Tom's smile vanished and his eyebrows heightened in honest surprise. But they readily creased as the man lifted his chin off his hand and studied the ghost with a different emotion.

"Huh… I am not sure whether to be disappointed or angry at your response. I thought you would have more… smarts than that… Perhaps you really are nothing more than just a puppet, Gregor."

"I live to serve my master," the child replied emotionlessly.

"And why is that? What makes you so determined to do everything he tells you?" Tom questioned with a steady voice, yet there was a calculating look in his eyes. "You could have died for obeying him as you did at the lake. Doesn't that bother you?"

Gregor rolled his eyes suddenly. "Are you trying to turn me against my master?"

"No. That wouldn't benefit me, would it?" Tom countered, a smirk returning to his features. "What I am trying to make you understand is that you have a choice. You can make your own decisions, Gregor."

The ghost boy suddenly grew angry and he hissed, "What the hell are you talking about, Tom? I don't have a choice! My master would kill me if I disobeyed him!"

"True… but… that would mean he'd have to find out about your disobedience, _first_… Or, haven't you heard of the expression, 'what someone doesn't know can't hurt him'?"

Gregor's eyes widened in understanding, but then he shook his head and quickly gripped his stuffed dragonfly closer as he whispered mostly to himself, "No… No. I can't betray my master. He's my master. He takes care of… me."

"So much that he almost got you killed," Tom reminded him calmly.

Gregor looked back at Tom; and green eyes suddenly flashing red, he growled out, "Shut up! You're no better! Both of you use me for your sick purposes!"

But the moment he said that, the little ghost gasped and covered his mouth in horror.

Tom's face split into a large cunning grin. "Oh… So, I see there's some rebellion against Freakshow in you, after all…"

Gregor whimpered as he quietly said, "I didn't mean that. I… please don't tell my master I said that!"

"Don't worry, little demon. Your secret is safe with me," Tom replied, his grin still plastered on his face.

Gregor just stared worriedly at the man; but right then, Tom grabbed the plastic container and lifted it above the chair's back so the child could see it.

The young dragon ghost instantly gasped at what was inside.

It was a real dragonfly.

Tom calmly studied the little bug before looking back at Gregor and saying, "In spite of the fact that those two young ghosts got away, I am very pleased with your work, Gregor. My commanders told me you were excellent out there. Shame I couldn't see you in action."

"Why… do you have… that?" Gregor quietly asked, his eyes fixed on the creature inside the container.

Tom smiled pleasantly as he replied, "Isn't it obvious? It's a gift for you. I told you, as long as you continue to provide good results, I will treat you well. And… I remember all too well how you like these… things."

Gregor slowly let go of his stuffed dragonfly as he continued to stare at the real one flying inside the clear container. It was the prettiest thing he had ever seen. The other one which he had accidentally drowned some time back had been green and blue; but this one was bright pink and had such delicate little wings which buzzed as it flapped them rapidly.

"It's… for me?" the little ghost asked, barely resisting the urge to reach out and grab the container from the man.

"Uh-huh…," Tom said with mirth in his voice.

Gregor finally reached out towards the container, but the man instantly moved it away from his reach. The child frowned nervously. He should have known Tom wouldn't be this nice to him…

"But before I give it to you, I want you to answer a question for me…," Tom said, lightly tapping the container which slightly agitated the pink dragonfly inside.

Gregor tensed a bit, but nodded, "Okay."

Tom turned his attention away from the bug and looked seriously at the ghost as he asked, "Do you remember when you once told me you heard… _voices_ in your head?"

Gregor quickly became more nervous and it sounded in his voice, "Y-Yeah… so what?"

Tom studied the child for a moment before he answered, "You know, I am far more observant than you believe…I saw how you reacted to the Ghost Prince, Gregor… And I noticed how he reacted to you… It was almost as if, you had him… hypnotized."

"He just was surprised to see me, or something," Gregor mumbled back, unconsciously reaching for his toy dragonfly again.

"Whose are the voices you hear in your head, Gregor?" Tom asked with a piercing stare.

"What?" Gregor replied before shaking his head. "No one's! I mean, mine!"

"Don't lie, Gregor," Tom lightly scolded, though his eyes narrowed a bit.

Gregor looked away and was quiet for a moment before he whispered, "I-I don't know…"

Tom suddenly stood up with the dragonfly and walked over to a nearby jar of water on the nightstand.

"You know, dragonflies don't like water, either…," the man said causally as he picked up the jar.

And knowing what that meant, Gregor gasped and suddenly jumped off the bed and just as quickly fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around the man's legs as he cried out in a panic, "No, don't hurt it! Don't hurt Ruĝa! She's scared of water, too! She's doesn't know how to swim!"

"Ruĝa? Who's Ruĝa?" Tom asked, a smirk growing on his face as he looked down at the young ghost.

Gregor froze.

Tom suddenly chuckled. "You remember, don't you?"

The child shook his head. "No… I don't want to!"

Tom suddenly put the water jar and the dragon fly down on the nightstand and then grabbed Gregor by the arms, lifting him to his feet.

"Too bad, because if what I suspect is true, then I need to know _exactly_ what's going through your mind," Tom said, grinning. "It's amazing, really—that you remember anything at all. You were only four when Penelope and Bertrand stole you from your parents."

Gregor squeezed his eyes shut as he pleaded. "No! Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"

"Do you even remember that day? ...Do you remember your parents, _Gregory_?" Tom continued.

"No! No!" Gregor cried out, struggling to break free from the man.

"Well, you certainly remember someone," Tom continued, acting as if the child wasn't panicking in his hold. "This _Ruĝa_… Was she a relative? Maybe a sibling? Did you have any, _Gregory_?"

"Shut up! Stop calling me that!" the child hissed, though he looked ready to cry.

"Make me, Gregory," Tom suddenly said as his grip on the young ghost tightened "_Tell_ me to stop. Come on. Tell me like you tell the voices in your head. Or, how you commanded the Ghost Prince to look at you."

Gregor shook his head and just kept his eyes squeezed closed.

"No? Why not? Are you afraid?" Tom asked innocently, though it was clear he was trying to weaken the child's resistance. "Do you remember more of your past each time you do it? Or, do those voices start talking to you when you do it? What do they say, Gregory? Is it this _Ruĝa_ that talks to you? Or your parents? Who? Who speaks to you? Tell me who. Tell me, Gregory."

Gregor couldn't take anymore and he suddenly screamed in his head. _"SHUT UP!"_

The child's voice slammed into the man's mind like a tidal wave and in his surprise Tom instantly released the young ghost.

Gregor dropped back to his knees and gripped his head as he suddenly started crying. He didn't know why he was, but he couldn't help himself.

But Tom just stared at the child, shocked. Sure he had suspected it for a while now, but… to actually experience it and with such force…

Gregor had telepathic abilities….

Tom's surprise melded into an evil smile. Oh. The possibilities.

"You truly are the best weapon I have, Gregor," Tom said with a chuckle. Clearly, the child was fearful with using his telepathic powers, so Tom suspected they were not fully developed. And considering he was abducted at four-years-old, his lack of experience with his powers came as of no surprise. Still, it was something Tom now intended to rectify.

Still grinning cruelly, Tom walked over to the weeping dragon ghost and picked him up in his arms.

Gregor's crying subdued a bit as he tensed in surprise with the fact that he was being carried. But he was even more surprised when the man patted him on the head and sweetly said, "Come on now. Don't be so upset. I didn't want to bring up painful memories; you just didn't give me any choice but to force the truth out of you."

Gregor sniffled a bit, not knowing what to say since he was feeling both troubled and confused.

Tom glanced over at the dragonfly on the nightstand and picked it up with one of his hands and then gave it to Gregor. "Here. You've earned it. And don't worry. Freakshow won't know about any of this. It's a little secret, eh?"

Gregor wiped away his tears and just nimbly nodded before he accepted the container with the dragonfly.

Tom smiled even more before finally putting the boy down and gently asking, "Are you hungry? How about breakfast?"

Gregor stared at the man before whispering, "Y-You're crazy, Tom."

The man chuckled. "Is that a 'yes'?"

Gregor sighed at the man's antics but also to get his emotions under control. "Yeah," he mumbled, too drained to even be wary of the man's odd behavior.

Tom smirked before gesturing for the ghost to follow him.

Gregor grabbed his stuffed dragonfly from the bed and held the container with the pink dragonfly securely as he headed after the man.

But after a brief moment of silence, Gregor asked, "Can I feed it, too?"

Knowing he was talking about his 'new pet', Tom nodded and smirked cryptically back at the child, replying, "Anything you want, Gregor…"

* * *

It was nice here, Vlad decided. A perfect view of the Crystal Sea and the soothing sound of its waves, which literally sang a soft, almost hypnotic, melody.

The best thing about it was the company: his wife. There was no one who could make him feel as secure and at peace as she could. He never got tired of being with her or holding her.

But out in the distance was his son at the water's edge, playing with his companion, Cujo. He was giggling loudly as he was having a splash fight with the little dog.

It was a sweeter sound than those singing waters.

It was all so perfect, except for one thing: it was really only a memory.

He knew he wasn't really there, but, rather, reliving one of the best days of his life. His son had been four at that time and his wife had been as healthy as ever… Everything had been wonderful, then.

Vlad turned his complete attention to Desiree when she suddenly sighed and snuggled closer against him as they sat on the sandy shore, watching their young son.

"You seem tense. Is something wrong?" she asked softly.

The King stared at her before he lowered his gaze and muttered, "This… this isn't real."

His Queen laughed quietly before replying, "What do you mean?"

"I-I think I'm… dreaming…," he confessed, feeling a bit frightened as he said that.

"Hmm. Well, then, I like this dream," she teased him, though she gently placed a hand on his symbol.

Vlad looked down at the delicate hand against his chest. He could see it touching him, but… he felt nothing… Only further reminding him that this wasn't real.

"Look at him, Vlad. He's so beautiful…"

The King slowly turned his eyes to his son, knowing his wife was talking about him. But… instead of the little ghost boy with the white hair he had expected to see, there was now a little human boy with blue eyes and black hair in his place.

Why was his son human?

"Can you imagine when he is all grown up?" Desiree continued, as if she couldn't see how wrong it was for their son to be human where they were.

Vlad felt his breathing and heart rate begin to speed up, only for him to jolt when he realized he was doing that. No, he didn't breathe or have a heart as a ghost…

But when he stared at himself, he suddenly realized he was as human as his son.

"Desiree?" he asked, as a really bad feeling began to twist inside him.

"Shh. Do not be afraid, love. It will be alright," she assured him before pulling his face towards hers and kissing him softly.

The man relaxed a bit with her touch; but when she pulled away, he readily grabbed her and pulled her back into a hug, for some reason terrified of letting her go.

"Don't leave me," he pleaded, though he didn't understand why. He just knew something was wrong. Something was very wrong, but he didn't care to know what it was. He just didn't want this dream or memory or whatever it was to end.

"Of course, I won't," she assured him. "We will never leave each other. You are my soul mate. And not even death itself would separate us. You and I are forever bound to each other. So, you see, love, there is nothing to fear."

Vlad slowly pulled away, confused by her words. She…. had uttered them before… But it had not been in this place. She had said them…when they had been floating inside of an Energy Nova this one time, after her casting a spell on the Infi-Map had weakened her. So, why was she repeating those words now? Actually, why would she say them at all?

She smiled gently at his unsure stare before kissing him again. However, she soon pulled away and snuggled back into his arms, resting her head on the crook of his neck as she watched their son continue to play serenely.

There was a moment of peaceful silence, which Vlad couldn't bring himself to disrupt. He just wanted this to last.

But eventually, his wife sighed as she bitter-sweetly said, "You should wake up now, love. Our son needs you…"

"He needs you, too, Des… I-I need you," he replied back sadly.

"As a wise ghost once told me, everything happens for a reason," she assured him. But when she spoke again, her voice grew softer, like an echo. "Do not ever change, Vlad…Take care of our little Phantom. And… do not forget what you promised me… You must tell him."

Vlad pulled his wife closer against him, though he shook his head. "No… He does not need to know."

Desiree sighed, but instead of replying, she said, "Good-bye, love…"

However, before he could process those last words, everything around him abruptly vanished into darkness and the once peaceful feeling turned into…pain….

Horrible pain.

Vlad gasped as his eyes shot open, only to groan and shut them when bright white light threatened to burn his retinas.

He breathed in shallow breaths for a moment, trying to fight back the hot pain coursing through his body, though the worst of it was his head. He felt like he had been hit in the back of the head with a sledge hammer.

He attempted to lift his hand to cradle his aching head, only to realize that he couldn't move that arm.

This time, he forced his eyes open and blinked rapidly to clear his vision. However, as things finally came into focus, his blue eyes grew wide at the sight of the white room around him.

He instantly looked down at himself only to find all these… _things_ on him, and the arm he had tried to move, as well as one of his legs, was suspended by some metal contraptions.

Although he could see everything, his mind was not fully alert, so the sight made him panic and think the worst.

Oh God. He had been captured by ghost hunters!

Vlad let out a weak distressed sound as he pulled himself up from whatever he was lying on and strapped to. He then quickly grabbed some tube embedded into his skin with his other hand and yanked it out.

Only to scream in agony.

However, when some instruments beside him began to go crazy, it only alarmed him more and he grabbed the first metal instrument holding his arm and frantically began to attempt to get it off.

But before he could do anything, two humans ran into the room, one male and one female.

"Whoa!" the woman exclaimed at the sight of the panicked man.

But her partner quickly sprung into action and ran over to Vlad to calm him down.

"Stop! Easy, Vladimir!"

However, the man's proximity only made things worse as Vlad reacted like some cornered animal and quickly took an aggressive stance—or, at least, as aggressive as one could look while bleeding from one arm and strapped to a bed.

"Don't come near me! Stay away!" Vlad growled, his eyes almost flashing red. And if he wasn't so weak he might have even used his ghost powers. In fact, he was so out of it, he didn't even realize he had spoken his warning in…

Ghost Speech.

In reality, Vladmir was not in any laboratory or being detained by any ghost hunters. He was in the hospital, on a bed, and the things holding him still were the tractions for his casts. And the thing he had just ripped out of his arm was his IV.

The male nurse paused with the strange dialect, though he just figured it was some other human language. However, it surprised him a bit because now he wasn't sure if his patient knew English.

However, this time, the female assistant took the initiative and she slowly moved closer to stand beside her partner. They didn't take the man's aggressive reaction personally. They knew he had been through a lot and it wasn't uncommon for someone who had been through such trauma to wake up frightened and disoriented.

"Mr. Masters," she said with as much calmness as she could muster, deciding to address him formally. She didn't want him hurting himself anymore, but she also didn't want her patient to hurt her or her partner in his confusion.

"You must calm down. You are in a hospital. You might not remember since you suffered a severe concussion, but you came here and you were very hurt…," she explained, though she left a few things out—one of them being his son. She didn't want him freaking out anymore than he was.

Vlad looked between her and the male nurse as he tried to take in what they were saying. A hospital? Why would he come to…?

Like a tsunami, everything suddenly slammed back into his mind and he gasped, like he had just been punched in the gut.

Vlad's breath quickly raced and he unconsciously fisted the bed sheets under him in his building panic.

"No…No, that… No," he whispered, trying to deny what his mind told him was a reality. It had been real. That horrible nightmare had truly happened! Those ghost hunters had captured his wife and son! And his wife… his everything—she was dead. And his son, his… son…

"Daniel… Daniel!" he exclaimed and began to claw at the straps keeping him on the bed.

And seeing his patient get the ropes of the traction on his arm undone, the male nurse quickly moved closer to Vlad to prevent him from undoing the one that had his leg raised.

"Vladimir, you need to—"

"Don't touch me!" Vlad exclaimed, pushing the nurse away from him.

The nurse glanced at his assistant and he silently nodded at her.

She knew what that meant because she soon ran out of the room.

"Vladmir, listen to me," the nurse continued, though he didn't attempt to touch him anymore. "You must calm down. You are hurting yourself. You have already ripped out the IV and you are bleeding."

Vlad cried out when he finally got the straps undone from his leg, only for his casted leg to fall quite roughly on the bed.

He breathed for a moment before he glared at the nurse and demanded, "Where is my son? What have you humans done to him?"

The nurse blinked at the oddity of being called 'human', but still replied with as much calmness as he could muster, "Your son is fine, Vladimir. Just calm down for a moment and maybe—"

But right then, his assistant returned with the doctor and two other staff members.

"Mr. Masters," the doctor spoke up, moving over to Vlad and ushering the male nurse back.

But Vlad wasn't any more cooperative with even the doctor and he glared fiercely at the man as he demanded, "I want my son. I swear if you—"

"Sir," the doctor interrupted firmly. "You and your son were critically hurt. Now, I understand you are feeling frightened and concerned, but you are not making things any better. However, if you calm down, I can explain and talk with you about the situation."

"I do not care for anything you can say to me," Vlad answered as he forced his body to slowly move off the bed, though it was extremely hard and painful with a cast on one his arms and legs. "All I want is my son."

The doctor frowned at the man's attempt to get up; though it was clear by his shaking body he was too weak to do that. And if he continued, the doctor was sure he was just going to fall off the bed.

"Mr. Masters. If you keep trying to move, you are going to hurt yourself even more. If you have not noticed, you have broken your right arm and shattered your left femur bone. On top of that, you have multiple broken ribs and a serious concussion. It's a miracle you are not paralyzed. But if you keep pushing your luck, you are going to regret it."

"Are you deaf? I said I want my son!" Vlad yelled hoarsely.

"Your son is in ICU, Mr. Masters," the doctor said seriously, though his voice was now laden with a bit of anger. "He has been for the past three days!"

Vlad froze. "Three days…?" he whispered.

"Yes, you have been unconscious for three days. And your son…well, he has yet to wake up and…" The doctor sighed before adding more soberly. "We can discuss your son's condition and everything else you want. But, first, I need you to calm down, so we can help you."

Vladmir stared at the doctor for a moment before he looked away and muttered bitterly, "You people cannot help me…"

"Then, let us help your son," the doctor said in a firm voice. "At least cooperate with us for _his_ sake."

Vladmir still stared untrustingly at the hospital staff around him; but knowing his son was the most important thing, he reluctantly nodded and just lowered his gaze to his burning torso.

The doctor gave his staff a few orders and Vlad tensed a bit when he felt the nurse move closer and grab his bleeding arm.

"I will return in a moment," the doctor said. "I am going to get you something to help you relax and for the pain."

But just as he turned to leave, Vlad spoke up, his voice subdued but still serious as he said, "I want to be with my son."

The doctor nodded and replied more sympathetically, "Alright. But you will need to be patient. I cannot have you hurting yourself just to see him. I will see if there's a way we can get you both into the same room."

Vladimir didn't reply and just turned his eyes back to what the nurse was doing. But seeing he was preparing another IV, the billionaire frowned. God. He hated needles…

Still, he decided to watch—anything to keep his mind off his horrible reality.

* * *

"Order! Order!" Horris demanded. But when the High Tribunal members continued to argue and talk amongst themselves, the head Ancient was forced to use his energy to gain their attention.

With the burst of energy, the room instantly silenced and the Ancients, Observants, and the King's advisors and law enforcers all stared back at Horris.

The Head Ancient sighed deeply before saying, "I know we are all worried and troubled by this tragic turn of events, but we must remain calm and keep order."

The Head Observant rose up and replied, "It has been three days, Horris, and we have had no word of Skulker, much less the King. It is with a heavy core that I must speak what we all fear to acknowledge as true: The royal family has been killed."

"Justeco…," Horris said with a sigh. "We cannot know that for certain."

"Perhaps not," Walker suddenly interrupted, standing as well. "But we _are_ certain that with the portals all fully open, our world is in great peril. As I see it, the humans have openly declared war with their criminal acts! They have murdered our King and Queen and their son! I say we make them pay!"

The Council room instantly rose into an uproar as they argued once again with each other over the proper course of action. While part of the High Tribunal was feeling vengeful, the others were scared of the thought of war or were completely against it.

"Order!" Horris shouted and used his energy again.

But when everyone silenced, Anĝela unexpectedly rose up and angrily said, "This is madness! Look at us! Squabbling amongst each other! If the King was here—"

"But he's not—" Walker interrupted her with a firm frown.

Anĝela glared at the Warden before looking around at the Council. "Fellow Council members, I know we are all upset with the loss of our Queen and possibly of our King and… Prince." She paused slightly as her voice wavered a bit, but it then hardened as she said seriously, "However, we cannot keep arguing amongst ourselves! The entire kingdom—no, the whole Ghost World—is in a state of fear and panic, and they are depending on us to bring order and a solution to what has happened! But how are we going to provide them with security and assurance when we cannot even agree with each other? As one of the King's advisors, I have the right to say that we must proceed as _he_ would have wanted. And we all know here that King Plasmius was against waging war against the humans! Alive or not, we must respect his decree. I say we focus our efforts on increasing security around the portals until—"

"Until what, Anĝela?" Nocturne suddenly interrupted in a grave voice. "Until the humans invade our home? I am as troubled as you by the tragedy that has befallen us; however, I never agreed with King Plasmius' decree to leave the humans be. And I most _certainly_ do not agree now. Look what it has brought us. They have killed our leaders and, worse, our future one—the only heir to the throne! What they have taken from us is beyond words! With all due respect, Anĝela, you have not experienced active war. But those like I that have agree that what the humans have done is a clear declaration of war! We can no longer take a passive approach to the constant threat that is the human race! Now that they have taken down our leaders, they are not going to rest until they have destroyed us all! This is no longer a matter of doing what is right or wrong or trying to retain some _false_ sense of peace, it is a matter of survival! It is them or us! And I refuse to go down without a fight!"

Horris pinched the bridge of his nose as everyone began to argue again, but this time, he didn't stop them right away. He was just at a loss of what to do. Everything indicated that Vlad had been killed, even if he didn't want to believe it true.

And judging by how quiet Wulf and Fright Knight were, they also felt the same. Like the Head Ancient, they also didn't know what to do.

Meanwhile, Walker sat back in his seat and secretly smirked to himself. This was just too funny. The whole Council was really a mess without Plasmius. In fact, the only ones who were quiet were Fright Knight and Wulf—Plasmius' loyal dogs. They looked so distraught with the loss of the King.

Interestingly, though, aside from Skulker not being present, since he was still in the Human World looking for the King, Clockwork was also absent. In fact, no one had seen him in the past three days…

"Order!" Horris finally called once more. And regaining it, he said, "As the Head Ancient, I have the right to make decisions in the absence of the King and Queen. However, a decision of war is something that would have to come to vote without the King's presence. Therefore, I decree that we await news from Skulker. Until we are _certain_ that the King and Prince have also been… killed, we will not take any drastic actions. For now, we will do as Anĝela has advised. We need to increase security around the portals."

"That is impossible," Walker interrupted. "There are thousands of portals!"

"We will do what we can," Horris replied firmly. "I want all law members to work alongside Frostbite to guard as many portals as possible and patrol the Ghost World. Advisors, I want you all to continue to scout the Kingdom and help with any needed repairs to homes and such things. We already have Vortex and Undergrowth helping with the damaged crops and islands."

"And what if we find that the King and Prince were also murdered?" Justeco asked seriously. "What are we going to do then? We cannot carry on without a ruler. And from what I understand, the King has no living relatives and the Queen only has an unmarried sister."

"That would mean that by law the throne is rightfully hers—so long as we, the Ancients, find her fit to take it," Serenity intervened. "Also, by law, if the Queen's sibling does take the throne, then she must marry within a year, or else she loses the right to make decisions over the Kingdom on her own, and instead, the High Tribunal has the right to make any and all decisions."

Horris frowned at the thought of Spectra taking the throne. He honestly didn't think she was fit to take it. But with the threat of war over their heads, it would be very likely that most of the Ancients would vote in favor of her in order to avoid being left without a ruler. Otherwise, choosing a ruler outside the royal energy-line was too long of a process. In fact, it had never been done before; so he doubted the Ancients—or any of the council, at that—would vote in favor of trying such a thing.

"We will wait for confirmation of the King and Prince's deaths before we make any important decisions," Horris repeated once more.

Frostbite suddenly stood and said soberly, "Your decision is wise, I believe. But there is no doubt we have lost our Queen…" he added sadly. "…I feel we should honor her with a royal burial and ceremony."

Horris couldn't keep the sadness out of his own voice as he replied, "I agree, Frostbite. However, If… King Plasmius is by some miracle alive, he would want to be present. Let us wait for news first."

Frostbite just nodded and sat back down.

Horris was quiet for a second before saying, "If there is nothing else, I will adjourn this reunion."

Everyone kept still, though it was now a heavy type of silence.

Horris nodded and softly said, "Then, meeting is adjourned."

Wulf and Fright Knight watched as Horris quickly floated off towards the exit, but then glancing briefly at one another, they quickly went after him.

They caught up with him just outside the High Tribunal building, which was situated in the Realm Beyond Time.

"Horris!" Wulf called to him.

The Head Ancient quickly turned around and seeing who it was, he quickly glanced around to make sure no one was within hearing distance and then floated right up to the werewolf ghost and ghost knight.

"Please tell me that you have news of Vlad or Skulker," Horris quietly pleaded.

But the two shook their heads, much to the Head Ancient's growing dread.

"Horris, what we witnessed at the Human World three days prior…," Fright Knight said reluctantly. "I fear the worst."

By now, Horris had been told what had happened. It had been the worse news he could have gotten after falling so ill from whatever he had eaten the same day all this tragedy took place. But now that he was recovered for the most part, what had happened to him was the last thing on his mind. He was too concerned with this _current_ situation. He still couldn't believe the humans had planned such a horrible trap on Vlad and his family. Horris still didn't even understand how it could have happened!

"Vlad cannot be dead," Horris said softly. But then suddenly looking seriously at Fright Knight and Wulf, he added, "Find him. Search the entire Human World, if you have to. But find him."

With that, the Head Ancient flew off, heading towards the one ghost who he knew could help him….

* * *

Skulker stepped back through the portal that Vlad commonly used for his private trips: the one that led to Wisconsin and was sealed with a metal door while hidden inside a synthetic energy-nova, which was in reality a protective shield which only Vlad, Skulker, Fright Knight, and Wulf knew how to bypass. Skulker had searched Wisconsin, as well as all the other places he knew of that Vlad resided when he was in the Human World, but found nothing. In the past three days, he had also checked Amity Park—twice. And he found no hints of the Ghost King.

The only thing he found there were traces of his and his family's scents around the ruins of what had once been Axion labs. And to his further misfortune, the tracker Vlad always kept on his wrist was not working.

There was nothing that confirmed that his friend or son was alive.

After three days, Skulker had been forced to return to the Ghost World. His core had used up most of its energy in his search and he had not eaten since he had left. Still, the hunter refused to give up. He had only returned to regain his energy and hopefully speak with Fright Knight and Wulf. Perhaps they could provide him with extra information or help—anything to help him find Vlad.

Skulker refused to believe his friend was dead.

However, on his return, Skulker had not expected to find someone waiting for him just past the ghost portal but inside the shield within the ghost world.

"Skulker… You and Vlad are so predictable."

The hunter instantly glared at the sight of Aragon. He was in his dragon form, sitting on a self-made energy-boulder, looking as egotistical as always.

Skulker didn't hesitate to grab one of his guns and aim it at the large ghost.

However, Aragon was unfazed as he causally remarked, "I just knew you would eventually come through this portal. Vlad always liked using this one on his escapades into the Human World. So, it was conceivable that you would use this very one. And yet… I am curious as to why this portal now has some sort of Energy-Nova-like-shield protecting it and these metal doors prohibiting unauthorized entry. Care to enlighten me? And how is it that you have access to it? Wait. Do not tell me. This is Vlad's ingenuity, is it not?"

"You have exactly five seconds to tell me how you managed to get through the shield and what you are doing here before I blast you for intruding, Aragon!" Skulker growled. The dragon ghost was definitely the last ghost he wanted to see right now! Not to mention, having Aragon bypass the shield and now know about the metal-contraption Vlad built around the portal was very dangerous. The last thing Vlad needed right now was for Aragon to learn the truth about him!

"My powers are a lot more intricate than you know, Skulker," Aragon replied causally. "However, as to why I am here… well, I am obviously aware of what has happened…"

Skulker narrowed his eyes. "And what? Come to gloat about Desiree and Vlad's death. You know what? I think I'll just shoot you now."

"I have not come to fight with you," Aragon said seriously, though the boulder below him suddenly vanished and he was left floating.

"Then, what the _hell_ do you want?" Skulker exclaimed, so close to blasting the dragon ghost. Just the sight of Aragon made him furious; not just because he had been horrible to Plasmius since he became King, but because the male ghost reminded him of his sister and brother-in-law's killer! And that was something he couldn't deal with right now.

At any other time, Aragon would have at the very least spat something nasty back to his ex-friend, but he had more urgent matters on his mind.

Keeping a staid face, the dragon ghost said, "I spoke with Dorthian… I am sorry for your lost."

That was all Skulker could take.

With a sudden growl, he fired two quick ecto-blast at the dragon ghost. But as if expecting it, Aragon raised one of his wings in front of him; and just as it glowed red with his energy, the attacks struck him, though they only pushed him back a bit since the shield had protected him.

Skulker quickly put away his gun and replaced it with his sword as he hissed, "You think you can mock me? I am not Vlad, you pompous coreless traitor! I couldn't care less about our past! I will slice your head off right here and now!"

"I would have to wonder what Dorthian would say if she heard you…," Aragon retorted causally.

Skulker suddenly lunged at the dragon ghost; but just as he raised his sword, Aragon abruptly grabbed the hunter's raised arm in his own larger one as he hissed at him, "I said, I have not come to battle with you. You might not believe me, and, honestly, I do not care if you do not, but my condolence to you _is_ sincere. I know all too well the anguish that befalls one at the loss of someone dear. Nevertheless, if you would forsake your dislike of me for only a moment, you might comprehend that there is something more imperative on which to focus than our disparities. I am here because I want the same thing you want."

Skulker yanked his arm away from Aragon as he angrily asked, "And what could that be?"

"I also want to find Vlad," Aragon said seriously.

Skulker's eyes widened in surprise, but they readily narrowed with suspicion.

However, Aragon spoke up before the hunter could say anything, "As I said, I spoke with my sibling, and she told me all that occurred…" The dragon male paused as a heavier frown fell over his face before he shook his head and commented, "I had foreseen that it was only a matter of time before Prince Phantom would get himself into real trouble. And, worse, he got his mother killed, and his father and the rest of us in even greater peril."

"…How dare you? Plasmius' son isn't to blame for this!" Skulker said defensively, though there had been some hesitation in his voice.

"It hardly matters anymore," Aragon said seriously, not about to argue the fact. "What is imperative is that we locate the Ghost King. And by the fact that you have returned empty-handed, I am even more certain that you require my aid to do so."

Skulker was tempted to argue. After all, how could Aragon be so certain of that? Just because Plasmius had not returned with him didn't mean he _could not have _acquired any information about their King's whereabouts. Still, the point was irreverent, especially since the dragon ghost was right—he hadn't found anything. However, there was one part of his ex-friend's comment that he wasn't going to ignore.

"And… am I supposed to believe you are here to help me find him?" Skulker asked sarcastically.

"Yes," Aragon answered without any inflation in his voice.

"This is ridiculous. You are wasting my time," Skulker said, clearly not believing him. "I don't care why you are really here; I don't have time for you."

Aragon's eyes narrowed when Skulker suddenly flew past him. The hunter quickly raised his sword and pierced the shield that kept the ghost portal hidden from other ghosts. He wrenched an opening just enough for him to fly through it before it immediately shut after him.

However, before Skulker could fly any further away from the portal and continue towards his destination in the Ghost World, a fume of red ghostly smoke abruptly appeared in front of him, halting him in his tracks.

"You are as pretentious as always, Skulker," Aragon hissed as he solidified into his dragon form. "I am offering you my help to find the King and you will not even acknowledge it?"

"Why would you want to help?" Skulker quickly demanded to know. "All you have ever done was to prove how much you hate Plasmius and his family! In fact, I imagined you would be pleased with their misfortune. So, _why the hell_ should I take your sudden offer to help seriously?"

Aragon growled in annoyance before replying bitterly, "You do not know how I _wish_ I _could_ hate Vlad! But that is just it. I do not! I cannot. In fact, I despise the fact that even after all these years I still _care_ about him! My core _aches_ with the news that Desiree has been killed and my core aches in dread at the thought that Vlad has met the same fate!" He sighed loudly as he turned his head away, as if to hide his growing anxiety. And more subdued, he added, "Do you not understand? I yearn to find him as much as you do. I _need_ for him to be alive because if he is not, I…I will never forgive myself."

Skulker's face fell back into a frown, though he still looked unsure.

Aragon paused again and then soberly said, "I am aware of how I have treated Vlad and Desiree since he took the throne. I have my reasons, and I believe they are justified. But that does not conclude that I would have ever wished for something so tragic to befall them." He scoffed as he said helplessly, "In spite of everything, I cannot shake the old habit of flying to his aid whenever he is in trouble."

Skulker was quiet for a moment, but this time his anger and suspicion had melded off his face. After all, he felt the same about the King. Though he knew his friend was hardly the inexperience teen he had grown up with but had in fact become even more powerful than he or Aragon, Skulker also couldn't help but see Vlad as a younger brother whom he needed to watch out for.

The reality was that in spite of all his physical and mental strength, the King was emotionally fragile. Both Aragon and Skulker knew that. That was why Skulker always had attempted to support the King's optimistic and almost-innocent approach to how he handled things—while Aragon used it against him, to hurt him—much to Skulker's growing dislike for Aragon. Still, it was because Vlad was so sensitive that both Skulker and Aragon knew he needed help.

"I found no signs of him," Skulker finally spoke up soberly. "Everything indicates he is gone…"

"But you do not believe it," Aragon replied. "And neither do I. Vlad is not dead."

"How can you be so sure?" Skulker retorted, sheathing his sword and then crossing his arms, though he didn't comment that he agreed with the dragon ghost.

"Call it intuition," Aragon answered, a small smirk returning to his face. But he then added more seriously, "However, the truth of the matter is that something is preventing his return. I suspect he has been captured. It is the only logical reason why he would not have returned yet."

Skulker looked away in thought. The hunter knew that being captured was not the only possible reason why Vlad had yet to return, especially when the King's secret—of which Aragon had no knowledge—had allowed him to walk among the humans without trouble for many years now. But aside from that scenario, there was the possibility that Plasmius would have stayed there to be alone to grieve his loss…Skulker frowned, instantly denying the thought. No matter how he was feeling, Vlad would not forsake the Kingdom, especially if his friend knew that the Ghost World would be in a panic in his absence…under these circumstances…No, there had to be a more imperative reason keeping the King from returning.

Perhaps Aragon was right…Unless… It wasn't _something_ that was keeping him from returning… but _someone_.

"His son," Skulker whispered mostly to himself, suddenly enlightened by another possibility—perhaps even more possible than his friend's being captured…

"I reason it is feasible that the Prince could still be in the hands of ghost hunters," Aragon replied with a grim frown. "However, if Desiree has been killed and she and the Prince were captured together to lure Vlad out, then… I am not too inclined to believe the child is still alive. I find it more probable that the humans' villainous plot to use the King's family to capture him succeeded. Ergo, with the King in their hands, the Queen and Prince would be of no use to them. In fact, they would have been stupid not to kill them both, especially the Prince when he is our future King—and therefore, an even greater threat to the humans."

Skulker glared at Aragon's words, not appreciating his tactlessness.

But Aragon readily raised an eyebrow, and reminded the other male, "I am merely intending to use a logical perspective to all this, Skulker. I truly hope that the Prince is alive. Vlad surely must be distraught enough with his mate's death, let alone adding his young son's demise to the count… However, by reason, I fear the worst."

Skulker didn't want to think about the very likely possibility of Danny also having been killed. He also didn't want to think about how destroyed the King had to be right now. So, he ignored Aragon's words all together and instead asked, "So… how exactly can you help me find Plasmius?"

Aragon hesitated for a moment before he suddenly grabbed the medallion from his dragon neck and phased it off.

Skulker's eyes widened when Aragon extended the powerful relic to him.

Speaking quietly, Aragon answered, "Vlad may be quite predicable to me for I have known him for so long. However, if anyone has a chance of finding him, it is you, Skulker, for you have remained at his side and you surely know him better than anyone else." He paused as he glanced at the glowing red amulet he was willingly handing over before he explained, "As you are aware, my amulet has the power to disguise the wearer's true form. If the King has indeed been captured by humans, then it will help you get into their lairs undetected to rescue him. If he has not been captured then…"

Aragon paused again, but soon added with a more worried voice, "Just find him, Skulker. We know him enough to know he will try to stay strong for some time, but he is going to eventually shatter… And I do not want him to be alone when that happens."

Skulker slowly grabbed the medallion from the dragon ghost, but didn't say anything.

However, Aragon then said, "I must return to my terrain. Naturally, things are chaotic everywhere since the portals reopened, and I have been absent for three days now. I have to return to fulfill my own duties. However, I will expect from you to send word to me with Dorthian once you find Vlad."

Skulker nodded and replied, "I will…"

Aragon just nodded back and then commanded, "Make haste."

However, at seeing Aragon suddenly turn to leave, Skulker quickly stopped him, "Wait!"

The dragon ghost just craned his neck back to look expectantly at the other male ghost.

The hunter sighed, now thinking of his discovery three days ago: Aragon's son was alive.

Skulker knew the father deserved to know. In fact, it would be downright cruel not to tell him what would be wonderful news to Aragon. But although his conscience was raging at him to speak out what he knew, the pain inside his core wouldn't let him…

The way Gregory had killed his sister and his brother-in-law so monstrously—actually, there was no word to describe it. That creature simply could not be Aragon's son. Sure, he held the physical and biological aspects, but… something so evil… Skulker wasn't even sure if the child even belonged here anymore. He was a murderer and a traitor. A threat.

If Skulker wasn't so hurt, he would admit that he had no right to condemn the young ghost. And yet, his core was burning with the need for… revenge.

And if the child returned to the Ghost World, Lydia and Ghostwriter's deaths would go unanswered.

"Did you have something to say to me?" Aragon asked with an impatient frown.

Skulker swallowed, completely at a loss with what decision to make.

Aragon had the right to know—to attempt to save his son. But…

"Aragon, I just wanted to…thank you," Skulker said quietly.

"There's no need for your gratitude. I… do not deserve it," Aragon replied soberly, though he looked away to hide the guilt in his eyes. But then he looked back at Skulker, and unexpectedly narrowed his eyes a bit as he warned, "Now there is one last thing I will say to you, Skulker… If you lose my amulet, it will be I who will not hesitate to slay you…"

The hunter frowned at the warning but before he could say anything about it, Aragon turned invisible and flew off.

Skulker was quiet for a moment, knowing his silence was unforgiveable. However, so was what Gregory had done.

The hunter sighed deeply, forcing himself not to think about this now. All that could wait. Right now, he needed to get going.

Wasting no further time, he did just that and flew off towards the nearest _real_ Energy Nova. He had planned to update Wulf and Fright Knight about his search; but now, Skulker was eager to continue his search, and the Energy Nova would give him an instant pick-me-up. Eating could also wait.

Skulker entered the Nova and his ghost hue instantly brightened and a few minutes later, he was ready to go.

He turned invisible and flew off towards the portal near the prison that opened into Amity Park. Although he had the ability to create portals with his portal-forming gun, he had no way of making an opening to an exact place, so he would have to use the permanent portal near the prison. However, he did not want to be seen by anyone because he did not want to be deterred right now.

As he flew on as quickly as he could towards his destination, his thoughts returned to what Aragon believed about Vlad being captured. However, Skulker suspected something different now. Desiree had been killed, but… Danny… it was still unknown. However, Skulker had realized there were only three things that would keep Vlad from returning: He was dead—not a possibility in Skulker's mind. He had been captured—possible. His son was alive but something had happened to him—_very_ possible.

"And if Vlad is not at any of his abodes in the Human World, then there is only one other place he could go with his injured son…"

The thought only made Skulker fly faster, though as he did, he slipped on Aragon's necklace and it quickly flashed with the dragon ghost's power.

This would definitely come in handy…

* * *

Horris stepped into Clockwork's abode after not getting a response. Unlike most spirits, the time ghost never locked his door. It was probably because his powers gave him the foresight to know when someone was going to visit, so he might have thought it pointless.

Whatever the reason, Horris didn't care at the moment. He was concerned with the fact that he had not seen Clockwork since the royal family's tragedy.

The Head Ancient knew that the oracle-gifted ghost had to already know about what had happened—in fact, he probably knew even before it had.

Horris was over one thousand years old and that amount of years did not come without acquiring the wisdom that went with it. So, unlike some who could possibly blame the time ghost for not preventing what had happened, the thought didn't even cross Horris' mind.

If Clockwork had let this happen, he had to have a very compelling reason.

Still, it hurt to know that the King and his family could all be dead. In fact, to Horris, the thought of Vlad being dead was like someone being told his son was dead.

After all, Vlad's father had been like a brother to him. The former Head Ancient had further given him the privilege of being Vlad's guardian. He had watched his friend's son grow up to what he was now; and since Horris never had any children that only made him love Vlad even more as a son.

So, in spite all his knowledge and how he understood that Clockwork could not divulge the things of the future, Horris' desperation as 'a father' had him where he was now.

If anyone could ease his fear and worry, it was the time ghost.

But his reason for visiting was also out of worry for Clockwork. After all, he was the Prince's guardian. Horris could only imagine how the time ghost had to feel to have the power to stop what had happened, and yet still not be able to do so…

"Clockwork?" Horris called as he turned the corner towards the ghost's lounge.

"Horris," came the calm voice from the room.

The Ancient squinted his eyes as he entered the darkened living room and found the time ghost sitting on a chair staring soberly at an unlit fireplace.

It was the same living room he would bring Danny to when he had his 'talks' with the child.

Horris sighed before he moved over to another chair close to the time ghost and took a seat. There was a moment of silence before the Ancient said, "You know, everyone is wondering where you are…"

"No…," Clockwork replied in an eerily calm voice as he looked at Horris. "They are wondering why I did not do anything to prevent what has happened."

"They do not understand…," Horris replied with a touch of sympathy in his voice.

Clockwork nodded. "I do not blame them… After all, I sometimes do not understand all of this myself." The time ghost paused for a moment, but when he spoke again there was a hint of bitterness in his voice. "What have I done to deserve such a curse?"

Horris knew what he meant and replied, "Your powers are not a curse, old friend."

"To be able to see the future and be unable to prevent the pain of the innocent because it would mean a worst outcome…." Clockwork scoffed. "As I said, I sometimes do not understand what the purpose of such a thing is."

The time ghost sighed and closed his eyes before he added, "It's horrible, Horris. I use my staff and those time orbs to organize and control my powers—to project them so that they do not overwhelm me; but the fact of the matter is that they are in here." He pressed a hand against his temple. "The _visions_ are in my mind. Even when I do not want to see them, they come to me." He looked soberly at the Ancient ghost and asked, "Do you know what it is like to see and hear an innocent child, one you were chosen to watch over and protect, screaming for help and be unable to do anything about it?"

Horris tensed, knowing he referred to the Prince. He wanted to ask about him, especially after such a question, but… he could also see Clockwork really needed reassurance right now. With a sigh, he did not answer the time ghost's question, and instead, said sadly, "Your abilities have helped many—this entire world, in fact. Not many know and, as I said, few understand, but I do. And I know if it wasn't for you, the outcome of our past trials would have been worse. And I will forever be grateful to you that you prevented Vlad from falling into Pariah's death trap."

"And, in turn, both of his parents were killed," Clockwork replied seriously.

"Yes. But that was unpreventable," Horris answered.

"Was it?" Clockwork asked, bitterness returning to his voice. "How do you know?"

"Because if you could have prevented it, you would have," Horris replied without hesitation. "Vlad had to live or Pariah would still be in power, and this world and the human one would be in ruins. And… if you did nothing to prevent Desiree's death now, then you must have a powerful reason for it, too."

"Do you think it will matter to him?" Clockwork asked with that same eerie calmness again.

"Him? Vlad?" Horris asked, unsure. But not able to keep from questioning the time ghost any longer, he inquired more urgently, "Tell me, is he alive? And his son?"

"Yes… they both live," Clockwork replied absently as he closed his eyes again before opening them and focusing back on Horris and saying, "I wish I could have prevented what has happened, but every time I envisioned myself interfering, the outcome was a worse tragedy… Do you believe in sacrificing the few for the whole?"

Horris sighed. "Just because you have the ability to see into the future does not mean you have the ability to prevent death." Horris suddenly leaned forward as he said with grave assurance, "Clockwork, this is not your fault."

The time ghost just stared back at the Ancient. But then looking back at the unlit fireplace, he commented, "Desiree understood. She tried to reassure me as you are. She was even sure the King could not have picked a better guardian for their son… Now, I wonder… Did she still believe all that as she watched her son suffer under the hand of some vengeful human? Did she believe all that before she died herself along with…everything she was?"

Clockwork looked back at Horris and asked with an intense seriousness, "Would you believe me if I told you I did all I could? That I wanted _nothing more_ than to prevent her death, and Danny and Vlad's suffering, not caring what it would mean for the future?"

"Yes," Horris replied worriedly.

Clockwork chuckled mirthlessly. "Well, I wouldn't. I would not believe me. In fact, I would blame me for this. After all, those that cause harm to the innocent are just as guilty as those that watch and do nothing about it."

Horris sighed once more as he realized there was nothing he could say to the time ghost to make him feel better. At least, not when Horris didn't even know half of what was going through Clockwork's mind at the moment. Still, he continued to try.

"Do not despair, Clockwork. There is still hope. Vlad and his son are still alive. There is still hope for all of us."

This time, Clockwork smiled a bit. "Yes, there is still hope. But at this point in time… it seems inconceivable that such a powerful yet frail thing as hope can still be alive amongst all this darkness… and all the more to come."

"Clockwork," Horris said worriedly as he rubbed a bony old hand to his forehead. "What happened? How could this happen?"

"Some things really are inevitable, Horris," Clockwork replied solemnly.

Horris was quiet for a moment before he dared to ask, "Is it true what is being rumored? Was it Prince Phantom that started all this? Did he really wander into the human world against his parents' wishes?"

"You would blame a six-year-old for others' hate and obsession? You would condemn him for their evil doing?" Clockwork retorted with a grave look.

Horris shook his head. "Of course not. I just… This is all so hard to comprehend. It seems as if this had been…"

"Planned?" Clockwork finished, already knowing he was going to say this.

Horris stared fearfully at the time ghost and replied, "I know the humans are responsible, but… how did they spring such a perfect trap? If I didn't know better I'd say they had help from someone in here… But who would dare do such a thing?"

This time, Clockwork didn't reply.

And knowing the time ghost wasn't going to tell him anything, Horris sighed, though he feared the possibility of a traitor amongst them. However, he had no way of proving such a suspicion, let alone find out who was truly responsible…

Focusing back on the time ghost, Horris' eyebrows furrowed as he asked instead the question he had come to know—well, aside from having confirmed that Vlad was alive.

"Where is he, Clockwork? Where are Vlad and his son? It's been three days with no news of either. The council is already considering our options should the King and Prince not return. Everyone believes they are dead."

"You will see Vlad and his son soon enough, Horris," Clockwork reassured him before adding, "You will not like what you find, though. For now…Take care of yourself, Horris. Vlad is going to need you more than ever before."

Horris looked worried, but just nodded and changed the topic, "Have the Observants come to see you?"

"No… but they will come soon," Clockwork muttered uncaringly.

Horris was quiet for a moment before he said, "I pray that wherever Vlad is, he has not lost all hope—at least for his son's sake."

"Everything is as it should be, Horris," Clockwork answered soberly. "Even if neither of us like it…"

* * *

Vlad sat at the side of his unresponsive son's bed, just staring at him. The father didn't even notice how the clock on the wall read almost midnight or how the only light in the room was a dim circular ceiling light overhead.

He would never admit he was grateful with the doctor for managing to transfer him and Danny into one room. But being able to see and touch him made the father feel somewhat better—and considering everything, that said a lot.

He was alone with his son, but he knew it wouldn't be too long. The nurse or her assistant were always coming in, checking on them. Vlad suspected that their monitoring them had more to do than just to check their well-being.

The fact that the hospital room had a small viewing glass was enough of a hint.

Vladimir hardly cared, though. His thoughts were nowhere near the fact that the local police would be coming tomorrow to get a statement from him. He had barely even paid attention as the medical staff asked him routine questions and 'not-so-routine' questions.

At any other time, he would have met their suspicions with threats of lawsuits or something as equally as scary to humans. He would have also thought of a cover by now for why he had come in with multiple broken bones and a near-death six-year-old.

But… all he could think about was his _comatose_ son.

Vlad raised a hand and gently pushed aside his son's black locks from his pale face. It was hard to tell how the man was feeling because his face looked tired and as if he wasn't all there.

His hand moved to lightly touch his son's cheek, but all he felt was the white bandage covering the burns beneath it.

And yet, even when he couldn't see the horrible letters that had been etched on his child's face, Vlad could see them in his mind as if he could physically see them now.

He was careful not to disrupt the air tube in his son's nose as his hand slid down his neck, feeling the soft flesh there and wondering how it could feel so familiar and so different at the same time. It really was… strange—_surreal_—to be looking at his _human_ son after all these years. But even more surreal was to see his son so still and lifeless. He was so used to seeing him so full of life. In fact, his son was so hyperactive that seeing him so unmoving now was like staring at some kind of fake porcelain doll meant to look like his son.

Vladimir couldn't mentally comprehend, let alone, emotionally assimilate his son's current condition.

As he then placed his hand against his son's softly moving chest, he swallowed, unable to feel anything under the white wrapping, hospital clothing, and bed-sheets covering his son's body. He briefly recalled how his son hated wearing clothes.

Now, he didn't have much of a choice—not that his son knew that he was wearing anything anyways.

Aside from not feeling the energy he wished he could feel from his son's dormant core, he also couldn't really feel his heartbeat. It was why the beeping monitor in the background brought him comfort.

Being careful not to agitate the IV in his son's arm, he finally grabbed his small hand and just studied it with that same unresponsive stare. He noticed small scratches and cuts on his son's hand and his fingers were a bit red and swollen.

He knew why, too. He had seen how his son's claws had been out when he found him, except that his claws had been gone. They had been cut off…

Vlad closed his eyes as he lowered his head slightly and kissed his son's hand. But as he did, the doctor's words to him earlier today replayed in his mind…

"_We ran all possible tests on your son… Aside from his physical wounds, he shows no major trauma. He has no broken bones, his organs are functioning as healthy as can be. His heart and lungs, though slower than normal, are also healthy. His CT scan showed no head trauma… Mr. Masters… Aside from his wounds, there is nothing wrong with your son." _

Vlad opened his eyes and his grasp around Danny's hand slightly tightened as he continued to just gaze at him.

"_That should be good news, Mr. Masters, except that, it leaves us with no explanation as to why your son has fallen into a coma. I wish I could tell you different, but it is my job to give you the honest truth. And the truth is that there is a chance your son will never wake. And if he does, well, there's a chance he might have anything from minor memory loss to complete paralysis. Unfortunately, there is nothing more we can do for him at this point, except to wait and hope he wakes up soon."_

Vlad let go of his son's hand and placed it back on his small covered chest as he whispered, "They do not know what is wrong with you, Daniel. But I think I do…"

The doctors found nothing wrong with his human son because there really wasn't anything wrong with his human son—or, rather, with his son's human body.

The problem was in his ghost body—his core. That poison—whatever it was had been meant to kill him… And perhaps it had. Perhaps it had destroyed his core. It would explain why his son's wounds were healing at the rate as if he were merely just human. And if his ghost core was destroyed, his ghost half could not survive.

And if his ghost half was gone, his human side would eventually follow.

Vladimir had learned that natural law from the day he became half-human. Both parts of him made a whole. Both halves were connected and intertwined as closely and as intricately as a spider web.

And his son's half-ghost, half-human body was the same way.

His almost blank expression didn't even waiver as those thoughts circled within the father's mind. Somewhere in the back of it, he knew his lack of reaction wasn't normal. But… the truth was that he was afraid to react anymore.

The weight of everything that had happened was so great that all the currently human Ghost King could do was to remain unresponsive.

Soft whispering caught Vlad's sensitive hearing and he gazed towards the window near the closed door. He only briefly noticed the nurse speaking with some man he had not seen before.

But losing whatever interest he had momentarily had, Vlad lowered his gaze back down to his son as he watched his small chest rise and fall steadily.

He soon heard the door softly click open and then close again before careful footsteps approached him.

He felt just the slightest feeling of annoyance swell in his chest at the fact that these humans wouldn't leave him in peace with his son for more than a half-hour.

But he hardly had the energy to argue or even glare at whoever had entered and was approaching him and Daniel.

In fact, he probably wouldn't have even acknowledged the person except that what the person said next really caught his attention…

"Vlad…"

The billionaire slowly looked up at the person now standing just a few feet from him, though mostly out of confusion than anything else.

No one here in the Human World called him by that name…

"Who are you?" Vlad asked quietly as he stared emotionlessly at the green-eyed man in front of him.

The unknown person stared briefly at Danny before focusing back on him. "You do not recognize me?" he asked with a sad smile.

Slowly standing up, Vlad's eyebrows creased in distrust, but then slowly, his eyes widened as he finally noticed the human's features and his voice…

"…Skulker?" he whispered in disbelief.

The hunter couldn't contain his relief and joy and quickly moved over to his friend and grabbed him into a tight hug.

Stunned, Vlad couldn't really react.

"God, Plasmius," Skulker said quietly as he continued to hold his friend. "I-I have been searching for you everywhere, and then when I thought about searching the hospitals…I searched who knows how many without any luck… I was beginning to think you were really…"

"Dead?" Vlad finished soberly, finally reacting, though instead of hugging his friend back, he pulled away. "I should be…," he added, glancing briefly at his son.

Skulker stared worriedly at his friend, but before he could say anything, Vlad focused back on him and asked, "How are you… like that? I wasn't even able to detect you."

Skulker knew that by 'detect' his friend referred to his ghost sense. And the hunter responded by briefly pulling out the ghostly amulet from under his shirt before just as quickly hiding it again.

"Aragon," Vlad muttered, but the lack of inflation in his voice made it difficult to know what the King thought about that.

"Yes… He's worried about you… as is everyone else," Skulker replied seriously.

"…Oh," Vlad answered absently, as if finally remembering 'everyone else', but not really caring, either.

"Vlad?" Skulker called to him, feeling like he didn't really have his friend's attention even when he was looking right at him.

Vladimir just tilted his head slightly at him before saying, "You should not be here. It's extremely dangerous, especially when I'm sure this place is on high alert."

"They cannot detect me and I look as normal as anyone else," Skulker quickly replied, trying to be as vague as possible in case there was a slim chance someone was listening to them—though he doubted it. "In any case, I had to come find you. Everyone is beginning to fear the worst, especially after… all the portals opened…"

Vlad nodded. "Yes… I saw…"

Skulker's eyebrows creased and unable to stand it, he asked, "Vlad… are you alright?"

Yes, it was the most foolish question to ask, but he just had to ask it, because his friend's absentminded and almost calm demeanor was beginning to scare him. This wasn't a normal response for someone who had just lost his wife and whose son was clearly unwell.

Vlad just stared at him, but he suddenly smiled weakly and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, saying, "I am glad to see you are alright. Did Wulf and Fright Knight make it back?"

Skulker just slowly nodded.

"Good," Vladimir replied with a small exhale before moving away from his friend and returning to his son's side. He sat beside him on the bed again and lightly touched his bandaged cheek.

Skulker hesitated, not wanting to really look at the six-year-old out of fear of what he would see; but he finally summed up the emotional courage and slowly moved towards the Prince.

But when Skulker finally noticed the child's condition, his jaw clenched in a mixture of pain and fury.

There were purple and black bruises all over the places where his skin was showing and he clearly had some serious injuries on his cheeks and other parts of his body by the sight of all the white wrapping.

It was hard to believe this was the spirited whelp that was always pestering him for rides and calling him 'uncle' just to get a reaction out of him. And the fact that he was human only made the child even more unrecognizable to Skulker.

In fact, the hunter was only certain this was the Ghost Prince because of the way Vlad caressed him—the way a father caresses his child.

"Did you find Ember and Cujo?"

Skulker snapped out of his thoughts and was surprised to actually see Vlad looking at him with a real emotion this time: worry.

Clearly, by the sudden question, Vlad had just remembered about Skulker's niece and Danny's companion.

But the question made Skulker's core clench with pain as his sister and brother-in-law's demises flashed through his mind again.

It hurt so much, but Skulker was not even contemplating telling his clearly unwell friend of his own tragedy. He was afraid it would push Vlad over that emotional edge he was teetering on.

"Yes… Ember and Cujo are fine, Vlad… Don't worry," Skulker answered with as much calmness as he could muster. But seeing his friend's eyebrows crease as if he could tell something was wrong, the hunter quickly turned their conversation to something else as he asked, "But what about you? You… were clearly hurt."

Skulker wanted to also ask about Danny and Desiree, but he knew he had to be cautious with this.

Vlad chuckled mirthlessly. "You mean, all these wrappings and casts?" He shrugged. "I broke a few bones… but you know I'm a fast healer. In fact, it's mostly for appearance by now."

It was true. Vlad knew that his bones were almost completely healed after three days of being out. He was still very sore and bruised but other than that, he was mostly keeping the casts on to not raise any suspicions.

"Your head…," Skulker muttered, having long since noticed that his friend's white hair had actually been cut short and that there was a wrapping in the back of it.

"I'm fine, Skulker," Vlad said seriously, looking away. He wasn't exactly thrilled that the doctor had cut his hair to stitch the large gash in the back of his head that he got somewhere along his attempt to escape Axion, but he also didn't really care.

"And… your son?" Skulker finally dared to ask.

This time, Vlad took a deep breath before quietly replying, "It's hard to say. He was… poisoned by this black liquid meant to breakdown… ectoplasm." The billionaire paused and said in a far-off voice, "Desiree, too… But she didn't make it. I couldn't save her… And now my son… He won't wake up. I think he's dying, Skulker. He's dying and… there's nothing I can do about it."

"Those bastards," Skulker whispered mostly to himself.

Vlad's body tensed a bit, having heard his friend's comment, which in turn made him think of the ones responsible…

But taking a breath, he looked back at Skulker, "I…"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by a soft knock on the door before the nurse came in.

"Mr. Hunter," the nurse said with a gentle smile. "It's been more than five minutes. It's very late and Mr. Masters needs to rest. You may return during visiting hours tomorrow."

Skulker nodded. "Alright. I will leave in another minute."

The nurse frowned slightly, but then she sighed and nodded. She glanced at Vlad and asked, "Do you need anything, Mr. Masters?"

The billionaire just shook his head.

"Alright," she replied before walking off and closing the door behind her.

"It's almost as if they care…," Vlad muttered absently to himself.

"Well, it wasn't easy to convince the humans here to let me see you at this time a day," Skulker replied, having heard the comment anyways. He then smirked weakly, and in attempt to lighten the mood, he explained, "I had to tell them my name was Scott Hunter and that I was your half-brother and had been searching for you since you disappeared… Not that that is too far off from the truth."

But Vlad didn't even regard him, and instead said after a moment's hesitation, "I am glad to see you, Skulker…But you really should leave now." He looked back at his friend before soberly adding, "And do not return here, Skulker."

The hunter saddened with the order, even though he understood his friend was telling him not to return out of concern for his safety.

Skulker sighed but nodded. However, instead of leaving right away he moved to Danny's bedside and placed a hand on his forehead and quietly said, "You're stronger than this, whelp. I am certain you can pull through this."

Vlad just watched his friend, but said nothing.

However, as Skulker removed his hand and looked back at his friend himself, he asked, "What do I tell Horris?"

Vlad was quiet for a long moment as he gazed back at his son. But he finally replied, "The truth."

Skulker's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"He can decide what to do with it and what to tell the Council," Vlad continued emotionless. He turned his eyes to Skulker before adding, "But make one thing clear to him: I am not returning without my son."

The hunter swallowed at the implications of that statement, but he just nodded, "Good-bye, Vlad. I'll… see you soon."

Vlad just calmly nodded at him.

Skulker hesitated to leave, but when he saw the nurse return, he sighed and finally walked out.

The nurse bid him goodbye before moving over to her patients. "Mr. Masters, you should return to your bed and try to rest. It is not good that you move so much with those broken ribs."

"I'm fine," he muttered coldly.

"I insist," she replied back calmly.

Vlad looked at his son for another moment before reluctantly getting off his bed and moving to sit on his own.

He watched the nurse like a hawk as she moved closer to Danny and checked him before adding some other medication to his IV.

"What is that?" Vlad quickly questioned.

The nurse only glanced at him before replying, "Another antibiotic. We don't want him getting any infections."

However, when she finished with his son, she turned and approached him with the supplies she had brought in with her. And she soon pulled out a needle with some medication on it.

"And what is that?" Vlad questioned with a frown, though he had an idea now.

"Pain medication. I'm surprised you have not asked for it yet," she replied as she took out an alcohol pad. "It should also help with the inflammation."

Vlad wanted to say he didn't need it, but he knew that he would still be forced to take it anyways or he would raise suspicions. So, he just kept quiet.

"I need you to lie down. This might make you a bit drowsy," she then said.

Vlad reluctantly did as he was told before he turned his head away to look out the window. He soon felt the sharp prick of the needle being embedded into his flesh and the cold and stinging liquid rushing through his veins.

Vlad instantly knew the medication was meant to make him more than just 'a little drowsy'.

"Get some rest, Mr. Masters. I promise you… your son will still be beside you when you wake up."

Vlad vaguely noticed the nurse's retreating footsteps or how the door shut after her, leaving him in silence except for the sound of his son's heart monitor.

He turned his groggy head to look over at Danny, but as his eyes grew heavier from the drug, he whispered at him, "Don't you leave me, too, Daniel…"

And with that small plea, he was out.

* * *

Gregor was fuming as he sat in the passenger seat of a car being driven by Tom. It was bad enough that Tom had forced him to wake up before the sun had come out, but then it wasn't even for the news of maybe going back to his master! Instead, they had gone to the Guys-in-White's headquarters to get some stupid things. He ended up doing _nothing_ for over four hours as he waited for the ghost hunter to do who-knew-what; but what really had the dragon ghost fuming now was the fact that they were on their way to yet _another_ place, one which Tom had also refused to tell him anything about, not even the purpose of their going to this 'mystery' place.

Why the heck couldn't Tom just leave him alone? The man didn't even need him anymore! Hadn't the hunter already succeeded in his plans of killing the King and his family? What more did he want with him? Well, alright, Gregor kind of knew Tom had more plans with him, but then couldn't the guy give him at least a few days without having to be with him?

If Gregor cared to think about, he would have wondered why being with Tom bothered him so much. Actually, he kind of did know that as well. Thomas was too complicated for him—at least his behavior towards him was.

And being forced to admit his… telepathic powers to Tom two days ago only made Gregor want to be away from him even more. The ten-year-old didn't even want to think what new twisted things the hunter had in store for him now that he knew of yet another of his abilities…

Unable to stand his growing aggravation any longer, Gregor looked at Tom and actually whined, "I don't get why I have to go with you everywhere! Couldn't I just go back to my master? Or, at least, stayed at your house?"

Tom chuckled as he turned a corner before answering, "It's not good to be antisocial, Gregor. And opening your mind to new experiences and other people is exactly what you need. Do you remember when we first met? You were practically a wild animal? Now, look at you. You could almost pass for a little human boy."

Gregor narrowed his eyes a bit; but then he suddenly smiled wickedly and retorted, "I wouldn't be too sure about that. I still like the idea of savagely killing you."

"Then, you'll have to pretend otherwise once we get to where we are going," Thomas replied, shooting the young ghost a mischievous grin.

"Where are we going?" Gregor asked tentatively, hoping this time the man would tell him.

"To pay some old friends a visit," Tom replied, now smirking to himself.

"Friends… right," the child replied dryly, now sure that the people they were going to visit were nothing of the sort.

Tom just lightly chuckled as he approached their destination. He had yet to hear from Penelope, but there were other things that the hunter wanted to investigate. He had run a few tests on those items of interest, but found only a few intriguing things about them. Still, they didn't fully answer all his questions. So, after mulling it over for some time, he decided to take the chance, and ask a few experts outside his division—even if these… two experts were more likely to shoot him than help him.

Still, he had some collateral that he could offer in return for their opinion. That—and he had Gregor.

The young ghost in the hunter's thoughts frowned when they pulled up to a strange house with some neon sign that read, 'Fenton Works.'

"Gregor," Tom suddenly called, getting his attention. "Pay attention. I brought you here on more than a social visit. It's Saturday, so I'm sure this is going to work. These 'old friends' are ghost hunters, and their security is one of the best—if not _the_ best, considering they were responsible for inventing those very useful ghost shields."

The child's eyes widened as that triggered a memory. Wait. Weren't the couple that made those shields the same ones he saw at…?

"Are we visiting that woman and girl we saw at the park?" Gregor asked in disbelief. "I thought they hated you!"

Tom grinned. "Oh, very much. But we have a common interest. Don't worry. I can handle the Fentons. What I want you to do is… handle their daughter."

Gregor frowned again. "You mean that stuck up little girl? What? You want me to kill her?"

Thomas laughed. "Goodness, no. That wouldn't get me what I need."

"Then, what?" Gregor pressed, now annoyed.

"I told you. It's not good to be antisocial, Gregor. Get to know her." The man leaned closer to the dragon ghost as he repeated with a smirk, "I mean, _really_ get to know her."

Gregor just stared back in confusion; but before he could ask what the heck the man was talking about, Tom turned off the car and stepped out.

The ten-year-old's eyes flashed red with repressed aggravation as he stepped out of the car himself, slamming the door a bit harder than necessary.

Tom didn't pay mind to him as he walked up to the Fenton's front door, and Gregor was forced to follow.

As the hunter rang the doorbell, he told the boy, "Don't forget, Gregor. These people are ghost hunters. They won't hesitate to kill you if they discover what you are. So, behave yourself."

Gregor scoffed as he muttered mostly to himself, "Yeah, let's see them try."

The door soon opened, but instead of seeing one of the two eldest Fentons, another young face greeted them.

Tom smiled down at the surprised little girl in the doorway.

"Hello, Jazz. Are your parents' home?" he asked pleasantly.

The eight-year-old frowned a bit at the familiar man, recalling how he had made her mother angry not too long ago. However, she caught sight of the boy who had tripped her at the park staring coolly back at her.

The girl raised her head up a bit to make herself appear older as she replied, "It depends. Do they know you were coming over?"

Tom blinked at the little girl, while Gregor raised an eyebrow at her boldness. But then the hunter chuckled and replied, "That's irrelevant."

He suddenly pushed the door open, ignoring the 'Hey!' from Jazz as he let himself in.

"Go call your parents, princess," Thomas teased, remembering the nickname from his time with the Fentons.

Jazz scowled, not appreciating anyone besides his father calling her that. But just as she was about to go seek her parents, she heard their approaching voices.

"Jazz?" Maddie called. "You better not have opened that door. You know what I told you about… that."

The woman trailed off as she finally reached the doorway and saw Thomas Chrome standing there with the usual smirk on his face.

But before she could say anything to the man, Jack came up to her and was about to ask who it was, when he jolted at the sight of the 'GiW' leader.

"You…," Jack hissed, and before anyone could stop him, the man approached Tom with fisted hands. He then grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the closed door.

"Jack!" Maddie gasped, pushing out of her surprise, while Jazz yelped in fear.

Gregor also jolted in alarm, but his eyes quickly narrowed, just barely fighting the urge to attack the large man threatening the hunter.

"Easy, Jack," Tom wheezed. "Do you really want to do this in front of two children?"

As if remembering his daughter, the father glanced at her and saw she looked very scared. Jack glared hatefully at Thomas, but reluctantly let him go, though he growled, "Get out of my house."

"As soon as we have a little chat," Thomas replied as he straightened his clothing.

"What do you want?" Maddie demanded, walking up to her angry husband and narrowing her own eyes.

"I have news that might interest you both," Thomas answered with a smirk. "In regards to… the Ghost King."

The couple's eyes widened in surprise, but the Jack asked with a distrusting frown, "What about Plasmius?"

Tom suddenly pulled out of his jacket two vials containing the ghost energy he had extracted from the Prince and from the sphere in the Queen's abdomen. He replied, "It's a long story. As I said, it might be of interest to you both."

Jack and Maddie didn't reply at first as they stared at the clear ghost energy in the Guy-in-White's hand. The couple, however, soon glanced at each other before Maddie finally replied, "Alright. You got our attention."

"Good… But perhaps, we should talk in private? Away from the kids?" Tom suggested calmly.

Maddie glanced at her quiet and wary daughter before telling her, "Jazz, go up to your room, sweetheart. And…" She glanced the little boy who was staring with an odd expression between her and Jack. "Why don't you show…?"

"Gregor," Tom supplied, barely suppressing his amusement.

"Gregor…," Maddie repeated with a small frown, now remembering the boy from the park. "—your book collection?"

Jazz glanced at Gregor with obvious dislike, before muttering, "Sure, whatever."

But as the girl headed for the stairs, Gregor stayed rooted in place. He did not want be alone with some strange girl in her strange house.

"Gregor," Tom called, getting the boy's attention.

There was no threat in the man's face or voice, but Gregory had been with the hunter long enough to understand he was not giving him a choice.

Gregor clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to growl before he turned around and followed the younger girl to the stairs.

Once the three ghost hunters were alone, Jack said with dislike in his voice, "Well?"

But Maddie, more intrigued by the vials in the man's hands, asked, "What is that?"

Thomas smirked again as he replied, "Well, I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_…"

* * *

Upon his return early in the morning, Skulker had managed to run into Fright Knight and Wulf before they could venture into the Human World themselves. They had been relieved when the hunter told them that the King and Prince were alive; but they were as equally troubled to know that Danny was battling to stay alive.

The hunter knew he needed to go speak with Horris at once, but he decided to make a quick stop to see his niece. He had not seen her since he had left in search of Plasmius.

Naturally, he ran into Dora, since his fiancé had been watching over his niece in his absence.

He had also shared with her of his finding of Vlad and Danny. And he had further returned her brother's amulet to her. She had seemed equally surprised with Aragon's willingness to aid the Ghost King, but she was glad for it.

Still, Skulker noticed Dora was taking the lost of her best friend very hard. It seemed every time they talked about the royal family, her eyes would swell with tears. To say the least, the hunter was quite concerned about her.

And yet, Dora insisted she would be fine; and had even headed out to return the amulet to her brother and inform him of Skulker's findings.

Torn with his own troubles, the hunter didn't press his concern for the dragon maid, and just let her go. Though, in a way, part of him wanted to be away from Dora for now because of the guilt in his core for keeping the truth about her long lost nephew to himself.

It was now about ten in the morning when Skulker quietly entered his room at the palace, where Ember and Cujo had been since everything that had happened. Dora had told him that Ember had been mostly sleeping for the past three days; so she had been too out of it to ask about her parents.

Even though he was starving and exhausted, Skulker knew it was time to do what he had been dreading.

He had to tell his niece about her parents.

When he found her, she was ignoring the breakfast she had been served in bed and was staring worriedly over at Cujo.

He was asleep still, but the puppy was thankfully out of danger. He was going to survive.

But at the sight of her uncle, Ember's eyes lit up brighter than they had been in the past days and she gasped out happily, "Uncle!"

Skulker forced a smile on his face as he moved over to her bed and sat beside her, just as she threw herself into his arms.

"I'm so happy to see you!" she beamed. But as she pulled away, she said, "I was scared because I hadn't seen you or my mommy and daddy since all that scary stuff happened! I never wanna go out to the Human World again! They hurt me and Cujo!"

Skulker nodded, but he quietly reassured her, "Fear not, child. That is over with. You are both safe now."

Ember grinned. "Yeah, you saved me! And you came back now!" She glanced at the door before asking, "Did my mommy and daddy come back with you?"

Skulker swallowed hard before he sighed and lifted his niece on his lap. He lightly stroked her blue hair for a moment before finally saying, "Ember…there is something you need to know. Your parents…"

Ember looked up at him with an unsure frown when he suddenly stopped talking.

The hunter sighed sharply again before sadly telling her, "Your parents didn't make it, Ember."

"Didn't make it?" she asked slowly. But when she noticed her uncle was shaking lightly with repressed emotions, her eyes widened and she choked out, "They…die?"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't save them" he replied, his voice wavering, though he forced himself not cry in front of his niece, knowing it was the last thing she needed right now.

And he was right, for as soon as he said those words, the six-year-old broke into a loud wail.

Skulker just held her tightly as he whispered words of reassurance to her.

But the little girl hardly heard them as she continued to weep. And as what happened replayed in her mind, she only cried louder before suddenly saying, "I-It was t-that dragon ghost! It-It was Elliot! I-I saw him! He hurt my daddy! I-I saw! **He killed them!"**

Skulker didn't say anything this time, as his own feeling threatened to overwhelm him.

But as he continued to hear his six-year-old niece cry, he rubbed her back as he soberly told her, "It's going to be alright, Ember. You still have me and… I promise you I am going to take care of you. And… I swear on my life that I will not let your parents' death go unpunished."

Danny's friend only wept harder, though the sound of her pain finally stirred a little ghost dog on a nearby couch.

Cujo could only whine, unsure of what was happening…

* * *

**Yeah, expect a lot of angst for a while; at least untill I finish this first story arch. Well, I know I said it in 'sid', but I want to repeat it here again, since we're in the story to which my news relates. And that news is that NewGhostGirl made a second trailer for this story! It's very awesome. So, check it out. You can find the link on my profile under this stories info.**

**Well, that is all for now. Sid should be up this coming Saturday. CM... don't know yet. And I won't try to estimate, since I am clearly horrible at it.**

**Well, ta for now, my dear readers! Vlad muse says he now expects his reward for this new chapter. *rolls eyes***


	36. Chapter 34: The Length a Man will go to…

**Hello, my readers! I am back! XD I know it's been a year since I updated this fic, but I hope I didn't lose you all. It seems that I have a setback in all my big stories, because I remember I went one time without updating CM for over six months…. But, you know, as much as I love writing DP and pleasing you all, real life comes first… Anyways, enough said. I'm sure you all just want to read. So, here is the next chapter. I promise it won't take me another year to write the next chapter. But I need to go finish writing that one-shot that comes before Endgame, and post the first chapter of Engame, first. So, give me a few weeks before you see another update for this story. I just want to at least meet my endgame deadline, and we'll take it from there. **

**So! Since it's been forever, I wrote below a little 'recap' for you all, about where we left of. So, without further delay, here's the next chapter of DoaS. Enjoy!**

**Recap:**

**Tom set a trap for Vlad by using Danny and Desiree as bait. Vlad walked right into it, and his family was injected with an ectoplasm-dissolving venom. Desiree did not make it, and Danny and Vlad barely made it out with their lives. Vlad was in a coma for three days, and Danny has yet to wake up. **

**While Vlad is stuck in a hospital with his son, the ghost world is in shambles, knowing their Queen was killed, and believing their King and Prince have met the same fate. The spell on the Infi-Map was broken with Desiree's death and so the permanent portals have all opened around the worlds. **

**The only good news has been that Skulker managed to track down Vlad; and thanks to Aragon's amulet, he was able to sneak into the hospital without suspicion and talk with him. Still, Vlad told him to not return because it was too risky. But they part with Vlad wanting Skulker to tell Horris the whole truth about what has happened. So, Skulker is left with the hard decision to do as his friend said and tell Horris **_**everything**_**… and top of that, he had already made the hard decision of not telling Vlad that he is carrying the loss of his sister and brother-in-law and that his niece is still recovering from the ordeal. **

**It seems things cannot get any worse, but Vlad is about to learn they really can. **

**All the while, Tom and the Guys-in-White are seeking to take advantage at the suppose death of the royal ghost family. Of course, Tom is still waiting for Spectra's confirmation of this being true. But for now, Thomas is focused on something else, which is the clear energy he took from Danny's core and the core within Desiree's stomach. He decided the best place to get some answers was at the Fentons. So, taking Gregor along, he went to pay them a visit.**

**And so, it continues….**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU plot and it's OCs are my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 34: The Length a Man will go to…**

* * *

Gregor blinked as he was greeted with the pink walls and colorful pictures of Jazz's room. He was certain he had never seen such a… bright room. It was just so happy and warm.

The boy felt out of place.

And yet, it reminded him of something distant, and the memory of it briefly flashed through his mind…

"_Gregory?" Ruga gasped, startled out of her own bed. "What are you doing in my dormitory? It is most indecent!"_

_The little dragon ignored his friend's colorful room and rubbed his head. Perhaps coming in through the window was not the best idea. However, he quickly forgot his painful entrance, and looked up at his female friend with a mischievous grin. _

"_Greetings, Ruga! And it is not indecent if no one knows about it! Now, come on, I came to get you! Elliot and I are going to the east banks to play in the caves!" His eyes glowed a brighter yellow as he added more quietly, "It is supposed to be… __**scary**__ at night."_

_The pink dragon's eyes widened. "We could be punished for sneaking out, Gregory…" But unable to resist the thought of a daring adventure, she added with a growing smile, "We will just have to be cautious…"_

_Gregory giggled, and the two quickly snuck out the window to meet Elliot at the caves…_

"Hello? Are you in there?" Jazz asked, waving a hand in front of the dazed boy's face.

Gregor jolted back to reality, and as if Jazz had frightened him, he gasped and backed away from her, stuttering, "L-Leave me alone. "

Jazz frowned before raising an eyebrow and asking, "Are you crazy or something?"

Gregor's look of fear quickly vanished off his face, and moving closer to Jazz again with threat now in his eyes, he defensively hissed, "Shut up! I'm not crazy!"

"Hey, don't tell me to shut up!" Jazz snapped angrily.

"Then, don't be calling people crazy!" Gregor retorted with narrowed eyes.

"Well, you're acting like it! You got all spaced out and then freaked out! That looks like 'crazy' to me!"

"I said I'm **not** crazy!" Gregory exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, I've read some doctor books, and they say the first sign of being crazy is saying you're not crazy!" Jazz argued, placing her hands on her hips.

Gregor opened his mouth, but couldn't think of something to say to that. He felt both cornered and stumped, and part of him just wanted to lash out at the human girl; but he knew he couldn't do that. He felt frustrated with that inability to do anything.

Feeling tears swell in his eyes, Gregor looked away; and although he tried to keep his voice steady, it wavered as he said, "But… I don't want to be crazy. I-I want to be… _normal_."

Jazz blinked in surprise, but she suddenly felt bad for hurting the boy's feeling. A foreign emotion—one she had felt long ago when her brother had been alive—surged inside her…

"I'm sorry," she pleaded. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Please don't cry!"

Gregory quickly looked back at her and angrily snapped, "I'm not crying!" And yet, he quickly wiped at his face.

Jazz just stared at the older boy. It was so confusing how he switched emotions on a flip of a dime. It was… weird.

"Um, okay. Sorry," she said, and then just looked away.

Gregory's displeased look melded off his face, and he looked away, too. There was a brief silence, both kids not really knowing what to do in each other's presence. They had not exactly hit it off when they first met. Quite the opposite. And even now, they were in the same room only because they were forced to be.

Still, Gregor supposed he would also immediately dislike someone who tripped him when they first met on the ice. Tom had purposely pushed him towards Jazz and her mother that one time, and well, the girl wasn't very happy when he had tripped and fallen on top of her… The boy mentally sighed, not really understanding why he even said what he did next.

"I'm sorry that I tripped you that day on the ice…," he mumbled out, though he didn't look at the girl.

Jazz looked up in disbelief. The boy seemed like a bully to her. She didn't know why, but that was part of the reason she didn't like him. And yet… he had just said he was sorry.

The little girl smiled weakly and nodded. "It's okay. It was just an accident. And, um, I don't think you're crazy… maybe a little weird," she added with a small giggle.

Gregor turned his eyes back on her, and was surprised he wasn't offended by the comment. He smiled a bit himself as he admitted, "I guess I am a little weird…" He knew, though, that the comment was an understatement; but he really didn't want to think about that.

"So…," Jazz began awkwardly, but then remembering what her mother had suggested, she quickly said, "Hey, let me show you my book collection!" She moved over to her small book shelf as she continued, "I love reading! There's so much stuff to learn out there! But I also like reading fairytale stories! My mommy reads to me sometimes, but not always anymore. I mean, it's not a big deal anyways..."

Gregory stared at the girl as she continued to rant, while she pointed at all the different books she had. But right then he caught sight of something in his peripheral vision and he turned his full attention at it.

"So, what kind of books do you like?" Jazz suddenly asked, turning her full attention to the boy.

Gregor didn't answer right away; and instead sat down on the girl's bed and reached over to the stuffed bear on it. He curiously inspected the toy before absently replying, "I don't know. I've never really read before…"

"What?" Jazz gasped. "You have never read? Don't you go to school?"

Gregory finally looked up at her. "School?" he questioned.

Jazz nodded. "Yeah, it's where you go and learn stuff, like reading. All kids are supposed to go to school!"

"Oh," Gregory replied, lowering his eyes again. He fiddled with the stuffed-bear's glasses as he quietly asked, "Is it fun?"

"Yup!" Jazz quickly replied. "You learn every day! There's also playtime and you meet other kids! You should tell your daddy to take you. You'll like it."

Gregory frowned. Did the girl think Tom was his 'daddy'? That was laughable. But he knew better than to say anything and instead just nodded. "Yeah, okay. I'll let him." But changing topics, he raised the bear a little, saying, "I like your stuffed bear. But why is he wearing a lab coat and glasses?" The boy paused and he slowly lowered the bear on the bed, as if suddenly repelled by it. "…Is he a ghost hunter?"

"What? No!" Jazz quickly denied, moving over and grabbing her bear. "He's Bear-Bert Einstein, the smartest bear in the world! He isn't a ghost hunter! That's dumb!"

Gregor raised an eyebrow. And she called _him_ weird?

"Uh, don't your parents hunt ghosts?" he questioned, not getting how she thought her parents' work was dumb.

"Yeah, I know!" she huffed. "It doesn't mean I gotta like it!" The girl silenced as she fiddled with the bracelet on her bear's wrists, clearly recalling something that upset her. She soon voiced it bitterly, "My parents wouldn't even be such obsessed ghost hunters if my brother hadn't died…"

Gregor's eyes widened and he quickly asked, "You had a brother? He… died?"

Jazz quietly nodded. But then she sighed and sat next to the boy on the bed, though she kept her gaze on the stuffed bear now on her lap.

"My parents say he was killed by the Ghost King. I don't really remember much about it. I remember a scary glowing creature hurting my daddy and then that our house blew up." Jazz's eyebrows creased as she muttered, "It's not fair. Why did that have to happen to us? I wish it never did so we could be a _normal_ family. My parents would spend more time with me instead of down in their lab!"

Gregor looked at the girl, suddenly realizing they were more alike than they knew. He bit his lip as he thought about something, then absently confessed, "I… had a brother once, too…"

Jazz quickly looked at him and gasped, "You did? Did he die, too?"

Gregory looked away as his mind dwelled deeper into his memories, and his eyes flashed red with anger. And although he hadn't really heard the girl's question, he hissed, "He… He left me… _They_ left me."

Jazz suddenly wrapped an arm around Gregor, surprising him. But she then rested her head on his shoulder. "I know what you mean. I use to be mad at my little brother for leaving us, but I realized it wasn't his fault, either. I don't really know how to feel about him being gone now. I can't remember very much about him. But… sometimes, when my mommy and daddy are working, I wish he hadn't died. I think I wouldn't mind too much that my parents are ghost hunters if he was around 'cause I'd have someone to play with…"

Focusing fully back on her, Gregor asked her, "What do you remember about him?"

Jazz pulled away and looked down at Bear-Bert. She then undid the small bracelet on his wrist before reaching into her shirt and pulling out the hidden necklace under it. It was big enough for her to easily pull the golden necklace over her head and remove it.

Gregor spied a very small key dangling at the end of the necklace. "What is that?" he asked curiously.

"My mommy told me that when Danny—that was my little brother's name—was born, she made me and him matching bracelets. They had our names on it," she explained, giving Gregor the small bracelet that had once been on the bear.

The boy curiously studied it, and quickly discovered a small key hole on the back of the name plate.

"My mom said that the bracelets were supposed to remind us that not only did Danny and I have a bond, but also that we were loved by our parents…that we were all a family," Jazz continued. She took the bracelet back and put the key in the small hole. "My mommy only made this one key. She said it used to unlock both bracelets. She had kept it on her neck for a long time after my brother died. Then one day, just on my last birthday, she gave it to me. She said she wanted me to keep it, so that I could use it to unlock the bracelet whenever I wanted. She said she didn't want me to forget about my brother. And, as long as I have the bracelet and the key, I will never forget him. She's right, too," Jazz said, unlocking the small compartment and pulling out what was inside it.

She handed the item inside to Gregor as she said, "It does help me remember him. Whenever I feel like I am forgetting, I look at that," she confessed, point at the item in Gregor's hand. "I'm not sure why my mom wants me to keep remembering. I mean, he's gone, so why does it matter anymore? But… she made me promise, so I always make sure to keep the necklace on and use the key whenever I can, so I won't forget."

Gregor was quiet as he stared at the small delicate paper in his hand. It stirred such a strong sense of longing inside him that he didn't know how to react to all this. However, feeling his mind blurring with unwanted painful memories, the dragon ghost quickly handed back the paper to the girl.

"It's nice…," he muttered, though he didn't look at her.

Jazz nodded and carefully folded it back up before putting it back into the bracelet's compartment and locking it. She put the necklace back over her head and then secured the golden bracelet back on her stuffed bear.

"What about you? Do remember anything about your brother?" Jazz asked.

Gregor jolted and stared back in apprehension, "Who said I had a brother?"

Jazz frowned. "You did."

"No, I didn't!" Gregor argued back.

"Yes, you did!" Jazz said firmly. "You said he left you, too!"

Gregor fell quiet as he regarded the girl. He had said all that? The boy looked away, feeling a bit frightened. Maybe he was crazy, after all!

"I… I don't want to talk about him," Gregor finally replied.

"You know, my doctor books also say it isn't good to stay quiet about stuff. That you should talk about them," Jazz said with a small frown.

Gregor suddenly glared at her. "Yeah, well, you're books don't know what they're talking about!"

"Yes, they do!" Jazz quickly defended, standing up. "They know more than you, that's for sure!"

"Whatever!" Gregor snapped, standing up and going over to the book shelfonly because he didn't feel like arguing anymore.

He angrily ruffled through the books, not paying any particular attention to even attempt to read the titles. He hadn't exactly been taught much except for what Tom had recently been teaching him. And although he had taught him enough reading and writing to make him literate, it wasn't something he practiced on a regular basis.

"Here," Jazz suddenly said.

Gregor startled when he realized that the girl was right next to him and was extending a book to him.

"What's that?" he questioned.

Jazz rolled her eyes. "It's a book. Everyone should have a least one book to read before bedtime. I think you'll like this one."

Gregor frowned before hesitantly accepting it. "What's it about?" he asked, flipping through the pages and finding no pictures. How boring.

Jazz smiled. "It's about a boy with special powers and how he uses them to fight evil and also struggles to do what's right. You know, a superhero."

Gregor raised an eyebrow. "Humans don't have powers."

"It's make-believe!" Jazz exclaimed, raising her hands in frustration.

But as if the girl hadn't said anything, Gregor continued along with his initial response, "And if they did, they wouldn't use them for good. They would use them for their benefit."

"What? No, they wouldn't! They would use them for good!" Jazz quickly argued. "I mean, I would! Wouldn't you?"

Gregor was a bit taken aback by the question, but then he shook his head and muttered, "Sometimes you have no choice…"

Jazz crossed her arms. "Yeah, you do. You can choose to be good or bad."

"What if someone _makes_ you be bad?" Gregor countered, narrowing his eyes.

"No one can _make_ you be bad!" Jazz protested.

"Yeah, they can!" Gregor argued back.

"_No_, they can't!" Jazz firmly defended. "In that book, the villain wants to make the hero be bad and he doesn't let him! You don't have to let anyone make you do anything, especially if it's bad!"

"Ugh! You're such a stupid girl!" Gregor finally exploded before he abruptly stormed out of the girl's room, though he still had the book in his hand.

"Yeah? Well, at least I'm smarter than you, you crazy bully!" he heard Jazz yell from her room.

But he didn't care anymore. He wanted to leave already. He was sick of being here! This place was stupid! Everything was stupid!

In fact, screw Tom! He was leaving! He didn't care if the man got pissed at him or punished him! He was not staying in this house for another moment with some silly girl who kept calling him crazy and telling him you don't 'have to be bad'.

Gregor growled as he walked over to the entrance. He quickly grabbed the door and walked out. But when he reached the car, he found the door was locked. Then, without thinking, he removed his ring and phased himself into the locked car.

"_You can choose to be good or bad!"_ he mocked Jazz, and finally realizing he had the book she had given him in his hand, he glared at it, but still opened it. He briefly glanced at it before scowling and tossing the book on the ground.

"What a bunch of bull," Gregor grumbled, crossing his arms. He fumed to himself for the rest of the time he sat waiting…

* * *

Now in the lab, Maddie and Jack wasted no time and began to inspect the clear ecto-energy samples Tom had brought with him. But the instant they got the first one under the microscope, the couple all but forgot about their dislike and distrust for the Guy-in-White leader…

"This is amazing!" Maddie gasped as she studied the clear ecto-energy under her microscope. "The cellular make-up is like nothing I've ever seen before! Are you sure this came from _inside_ a ghost's core?"

Tom smirked to himself. They were currently looking at the energy that had come from the core centered within the Ghost Queen's stomach. He had yet to mention how he had gotten this sample and the other one, or from _what_ ghosts he had taken them from.

But deciding to wait, he crossed his arms and calmly replied, "I removed it myself. But look at the second sample. It's even… stranger."

Jack was hovering over Maddie, wanting to have a look himself. And he soon got the chance when Maddie moved away from the microscope and began to prep another slide.

She grabbed the second vial and carefully extracted only a single drop from it, though she needn't had since Tom had brought a full vial of the clear glowing liquid with him. Unknowingly to her, this one had come from her own son's core…

She prepped the slide and then took it to the microscope. Meanwhile, her husband was thoroughly confused. He wasn't very savvy at the biological aspect of their job. He was more of an inventor and builder. Still, even he could see how different this clear ghost energy was from anything else he had seen in his years of ghost hunting.

Maddie did not think things could get any more bizarre, but the moment she looked at the second sample under the microscope, she froze. Yes, the first sample had an energy structure like nothing she had seen, but it was undefined, almost as if undeveloped, like a child having building blocks stacked into something unrecognizable...

But though this second one seemed to still be developing, these 'building blocks' were stacked into something clearly definable. There were actual cell structures in it for goodness sake! The cells, though, from their varying shapes, were young… and yet, they were so… _strong_, judging by the steady glow. In fact, even when this energy had probably been removed from its host days ago, it seemed as fresh as if it were inside its living host. It seemed to almost have… _a_ _life of its own_.

Whatever ghost this had come from had certainly been powerful.

And yet, it boggled Maddie's mind. Why was this ghost energy so different from other ghost energies? The cell structures were certainly new. When it came to ghosts, cell structures were only found in their ectoplasm—not in their core energy.

"I had my scientists run it through our genetic analysis equipment," Tom suddenly spoke up. "Both those clear Ectoplasmic Energy samples have actual DNA structures, the second sample showing a more stable structure than the first—and as you can see with the microscope, it's also the case with the cells."

Maddie and Jack turned their eyes on Tom, and the woman asked cautiously, "_Is it DNA?_ Or, something similar?"

"I do not know," Tom answered with a frown. "There are several components coating the DNA-looking structures. There is no way of telling; at least, not with the instruments we have now. You know ghost biological research is still very young, and it's been pretty much frozen for over a decade. So, if it is DNA, we still do not have the means of comparing it to human or even animal DNA. I'm sure it cannot be anything similar to us, but it is something we can perhaps study later in the future. But regardless of the molecular structure, I came for your opinion on something more valuable. Do you think this new ghost energy could be used to develop better weapons against the Ghost race?"

Maddie looked at Jack before focusing back on Tom and seriously replying, "It is possible. Then again, the structural differences could just be that—simple structural differences—and end up being as useful as any other ghost energy."

"But it is more powerful; at least the second sample is," Tom reminded her.

"You do have a point," Jack answered this time. "At least I know from working with ecto-energy to build ghost weapons that the more powerful the energy inserted into the weapon, the stronger and more effective the weapon is…"

"I wonder…," Maddie suddenly said, but then looked at Jack and said, "Jack, could you hand me the vial of ectoplasm in the storage fridge?"

"But, Maddie, it's our last vial," Jack whined.

"This is important, Jack," Maddie replied seriously.

Jack sighed and went to retrieve it.

Meanwhile, Maddie used another pipette to grab another drop of the Prince's core energy. This time, she put it on a petri-dish.

Intrigued, Tom moved closer.

When Jack came back with the ectoplasm, Maddie used another pipette to grab a drop of it.

"Where did you get that ectoplasm?" Tom asked curiously.

"We have been saving it for a while now. For an emergency, I suppose," Maddie replied. "However, you know the energy in ectoplasm does slowly fade over a long period of time, so this one is more ghost blood than energy, as you can tell from how dull-looking it is.

Tom was about to ask why she was even using it if it wasn't much good, but he silenced when Maddie added a drop of ectoplasm into the peri-dish with the Prince's core energy…

The three scientists watched as the glowing white drop and the dull green drop touched each other and mixed. But nothing seemed to happen.

"What were you trying to do, Mads?" Jack asked, confused.

Maddie frowned. "I don't know. I just had this thought that perhaps this clear energy was…"

But she was instantly silenced when the energy in the dish flared and the dull ectoplasm began to glow brighter and brighter. And yet, that wasn't the most astonishing thing…

In the next instant, the core energy in the dish was absorbed by the ectoplasm. Then, just as quickly, the ectoplasm began to multiply and it continued to proliferate to the point that bright glowing ectoplasm began to spill over the petri-dish.

"What in good heavens…?" Thomas whispered in disbelief.

Maddie gasped breathlessly before saying, "This core energy has regenerative properties…"

"But that makes no sense!" Jack exclaimed. "Ghosts can't restore their own energy! That's why they can't survive in this world for long!"

"Apparently, whatever ghost this came from could. But as amazing as that is, it's horrifying." Maddie looked at the two men and added, "Do you know what it would mean for a ghost to be able to create its own energy? It would be unstoppable! Its powers would have no limit!"

"I have studied this sample myself...," Tom muttered. "But I had not imagined that…" The man paused, clearly still stunned. But he then looked seriously at the Fentons and said, "The energy level I registered on the ghost I got this from was immensely high, at least it was for such a young ghost."

Maddie and Jack startled.

"A young ghost?" Jack quickly asked. "How young?"

Thomas shrugged. "A few years old. I say around six or seven."

Maddie gasped. "What? But… How did you even get a hold of a ghost _that_ young? In all our time, we have never seen a ghost child outside of their world! No one has any recording of such a thing!"

"Yeah, those ghost scums keep their offspring hidden inside their world," Jack agreed. "How did you manage to get your hands on one?"

Tom smirked this time, unable to hide his satisfaction any longer with the thought of what he had done. "Didn't you hear the news? If not, then surely you felt the chaos from a few days ago when all those portals opened."

"Of course we're aware!" Maddie replied with an annoyed look. "There was a small ghost invasion, one which, according to the news, the Guys-in-Whitetook care of_." _

"Yeah, by the time we got there, all there was left at the pier and park was news reporters and eyewitnesses," Jack added with a small pout. He was still upset about that. There had not even been a peep from the ghosts in years; and then, when there suddenly was, he missed out on it!

"How did you even deal with the invasion so quickly?" Maddie asked suspiciously.

Tom smiled, but instead of answering right away, he walked over to the two glowing clear vials and picked them up. He mildly inspected them as he finally replied, "Would you believe me if I told you I knew these ghosts were going to attack that day?"

"And how would you know that?" Maddie asked carefully.

"Because I set a trap for the Ghost King," Tom answered darkly.

Maddie and Jack's eyes widened, but it was Jack who quickly demanded, "What trap?"

"Very simple, really. Even demon kings have a weak spot, Fentons. I simply found his _two_ and used them against him." Tom suddenly raised the vials in his hand as he smugly said, "These samples came from said weaknesses… Did you know the Ghost King had a mate and a spawn?"

"He does?" Jack asked, surprised, missing the 'had' from the sentence.

But Maddie asked quietly, "You used his… _family_ against him? You took those samples from his wife and…child's cores?"

"That's right, his mate and _male_ spawn," Tom answered without a hint of remorse.

Jack frowned. "How did you even manage to trap them?"

"That's my little secret," Tom answered with a chuckle. "But I did… They made wonderful baits. It was perfect."

Maddie had fallen quiet as she stared at the glowing vials in Tom's hand; but although part of her was afraid to ask, the other part needed to know…

"Did you… kill his family?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course, I did. It was the most reasonable thing to do. If I had not, all my work would have been in vain. That would have been like fumigating a colony of ants and leaving the Queen alive. I killed her and her spawn. I think you can understand why I did. After all, having allowed that spawn to live and take his father's place would have been worse. It's very simple. I eliminated the future threat and any chance of Plasmius spawning another future threat by killing his mate."

"According to our studies, ghosts can only form children once, and it's not through sexual reproduction, either, but a fusion of something they call their 'Life Energy' found within their cores," Maddie replied with an unreadable frown.

Tom shrugged. "Whatever. They needed to die. And…" he smirked. "I think its rightful justice… He killed your child… we killed his. There's no better revenge than that. Come on; tell me you don't think I'm right."

Maddie glared. "I would have preferred to kill _Plasmius_, _especially_ if this now gives him reason to attack our world."

"Oh, wasn't I clear? The Ghost King took my baits. He's as dead as his family."

Jack gasped. "You killed the Ghost King? How?"

"Well…," Tom said with a displeased frown. "I'll admit I haven't gotten confirmation on his death, but I'm pretty sure he's gone."

Maddie and Jack fell quiet.

But then Tom laughed. "Oh, don't tell me you feel bad for your son's _murderer?_ I had expected a more… jubilant reaction from you two! I just crippled the Ghost World in the best way possible! No present ruler and no future ruler!"

Maddie just looked away with a frown. She knew the man was right. And really, she might have even done the same thing. The King's family would have been too great a threat to keep alive, especially the… Prince. If that child would have been allowed to grow up, he could have been the end of the human race. Unless…his regenerating energy had just been because he was only a child and still growing…. Perhaps all ghost offspring had that ability at first and as they grew, it went away. But there was no way to tell. Tom had been the first to capture a ghost kid and study it. But regardless, any logical ghost hunter would have still destroyed the Ghost World's future King….

And yet, even when she could see the logic behind that, she felt… horrible. Something strange was stirring inside her. Maybe… it was because her son would be about the Prince's age if he were alive. Maybe it was because when all this happened; she had had the most horrible... feeling…

Whatever it was, knowing that Tom had killed Plasmius' family did not bring her any happiness like she thought it should.

After all, she was the first to believe all ghost were evil, regardless of age, sex, or anything else. They only caused destruction and woe sooner or later. But even if she didn't think that way, the fact alone that she hated the Ghost King with a passion for causing her son's death was enough reason for her to be happy about Tom killing his family… But she just couldn't be.

"You know…," Tom suddenly spoke up causally. "This would be the best chance to attack the Ghost World. We would be fools not to take advantage of the death of their leader and eliminate the ghost threat once and for all…"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, especially with the portals reopening… Hey, did you have something to do with that, too?" he added, finally realizing the coincidence between that and the royal ghost family's death.

Tom frowned thoughtfully. "Honestly? I don't know about that. It was a bizarre coincidence that the portals to the Ghost World reopened the same day the royal ghost family died… If it is directly correlated, I could not say…. I will admit, the violent and sudden opening of so many portals at once more than concerned me; but it has slowly been returning to normal."

"Yes, but Jack and I have been scouting Amity since then, and not all the portals are closing, " Maddie finally spoke up. "It has returned to how it was during Dark's reign."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Tom countered. "It means we no longer need to build our own portals. We now have natural access to the Ghost World."

"That's true. But even with Plasmius gone, how do we go about destroying an entire world? They are not going to just let us stroll in and invade their world," Jack asked with a frown.

Thomas smiled. "I have some resources I didn't have back in those days… But… if anyone can pull it off, it is you two and… I…."

Maddie instantly frowned and carefully asked, "What are you saying?"

"I am saying, Fentons, that I would like you two to work for me again," Tom replied with a smirk. "In spite our differences, we made a great team together. We invented and discovered more things in our years together than in the time we've spent separated."

"No way!" Jack suddenly spoke up with a displeased look, all prior interest gone. "Maddie and I are never workin' with you again. We've made that mistake once and we're not doing it again!"

"And I don't think we need to mention the other reasons why we refuse your offer," Maddie added, also upset.

"Oh, really, Fentons. You both can be so close-minded sometimes." Tom said with a sigh. "I killed your child's killer. I think that shows how sorry I am for your loss. I didn't want his death to go in vain. I don't know what else I could do for you to show it was never my intention for your child to perish that night. In fact, I could even say you two owe me…."

"We appreciate you wasting that scum that caused our son's death," Jack said seriously, "but it would be an insult to that very son to work with you again, Tom. We have Jazzy to think about. I won't put my remaining kid in danger like that again."

Maddie kept quiet, even as she felt her husband's hand on her for support. She didn't like talking about Danny's death. It always seemed so fresh to her, and her husband knew it.

Tom rolled his eyes, but then shrugged. "Well, it's your loss. But then you will understand if I ask you two not to interfere in my missions and investigations."

"We won't get in your way; don't worry, Tom," Maddie replied, but then narrowed her eyes and added, "As long as you back off and stop spying on us."

Thomas raised an eyebrow, but then chuckled, "Sounds fair. But, if you both change your mind, you know where to find me. For now, I must leave you."

Tom put the two clear energy vials inside his jacket and then pulled out from another pocket two glowing green vials—which contained ectoplasm—and placed them on a bench.

"Thanks for your help." And with that, the Guy-in-White turned and exited the lab.

Tom knew it had been a long shot to have the Fentons work for him again, but he figured it had been worth the effort. After all, once they saw what he was going to do, _they_ would be the ones begging to join him in the destruction of the Ghost World.

For now, Tom was more interested in what he had discovered about the Ghost Prince's core energy. It had regenerative properties! If he would have known that before, he would have kept the child alive and used him as a dairy cow. Or, at the least, carve out his core to have the entire sample!

But now this had his mind whirling with so many questions—ones he wished to answer as soon as possible.

In fact, Tom was so focused on his thoughts that he completely forgot about Gregor and headed to his car. It was when he got in that he startled when he saw the child waiting for him inside.

"Gregor!" Tom exclaimed, but then frowned in confusion. "Didn't I leave you in there?"

"I got tired of the Fentons' bratty daughter," he answered with a scowl.

Surprisingly, Tom didn't say anything else to that, nor did he question the book in the boy's lap. Instead, the man turned on the car and began to drive off, clearly with a set destination in mind.

"Where are we going?" Gregor asked carefully.

"To headquarters. I need to conduct some experiments…" Tom answered quickly and said nothing else.

Gregor frowned, but then rolled his eyes, and looked out the window. Just what he wanted: another day in a lab with this crazy ghost hunter…

* * *

Although Vlad had insisted that he could use his crutches to walk to where he was going right now, the doctor and nurse insisted all the more that he needed to be taken there by a wheelchair. Hospital policy or some such nonsense.

So, he just relented; though he made sure to take his crutches with him just in case. It was probably unnecessary, but feeling vulnerable around humans instinctively made him tense. But that was not all that had him tense. He knew where he was going, or more importantly, _with whom_ he was about to meet.

He had been so focused on his comatose son that coming up with a cover story had escaped his thoughts. Luckily, he was use to quick thinking and deception. And as he was wheeled to one of the hospital's private meeting rooms, he put his skills to work…

The nurse got him there in just a few minutes. She said something in her usual cheerful and caring voice, but Vlad didn't catch it. When he was brought into the room, his eyes instantly noticed the four men in the room. One of them was Dr. Malik, his and Daniel's general doctor—or had been for the past few days. The other was his son's pediatric physician, Dr. Lopez. And the last two— a European-looking man and a Hispanic man—Vlad had never seen before. But he knew who—_or what_—they were.

They were the police.

One of the two officers was still scribbling on a notepad in what seemed to have been some kind of interviewing process being conducted. But whatever they had been doing, when they saw Vlad come in, the four men focused on him.

"Hello, Mr. Masters," Dr. Malik greeted him as he stood up from the seat. But when Vlad didn't respond, the doctor looked back at the officers and asked, "We are finished, correct?"

"Yes," the older policeman replied, standing up.

The younger officer and Dr. Lopez stood as well. They all shook hands as the officers thanked them for their time. But then Vlad and Danny's general doctor added, "Make this quick. I do not want my patient under any more stress than necessary."

The officers nodded before the two doctors turned away. Dr. Malik stopped and placed a hand on the millionaire's shoulder, saying, "If you feel this is too much at any time, let the nurse know and she will return you right away to your room, alright?"

Vlad just regarded him briefly before looking away and staring at the officers.

All too use to his patient's cold shoulder and lack of response, the doctor just removed his hand and followed after the pediatrician. However, he briefly said something to the nurse, too softly to be heard by anyone but Vlad before he left completely.

The nurse then cleared her throat against the dead silence now in the room before saying, "Well, I will be right outside the door if you need me, Mr. Masters."

Again, Vlad didn't even regard her and just stayed calm and quiet.

Once alone, the police officers, who were still standing, walked over to Vlad and introduced themselves.

"Hello, Mr. Masters. I am Officer Smith, in charge of criminal investigations here in Amity Park. And this is my partner, Officer Michaels."

Vlad briefly regarded their extended hands before he extended his own and shook with them. Still, he kept quiet.

"So, how are you feeling?" Officer Smith asked, as he and his partner took a seat across from Vlad.

Vladimir resisted the urge to scoff and just coolly replied, "I am in a hospital. What do you think?"

Smith smiled a bit and nodded, "I see… Well, let me just say then how very sorry we are that you and your son had to be victims of such a terrible assault, and so close to Christmas, no less. But we are here to get to the bottom of this, and bring to justice _whoever_ is responsible for the crimes against you both. You can understand, then, how important it is for you to fully cooperate with us and tell us with as much detail as possible what happened…."

"What do you wish to know first, then?" Vladimir asked calmly.

"Well, before we start, we have to make you are aware that this will be a legal statement and so we will be recording your every word. Is that alright with you, Mr. Masters?" Officer Smith asked.

Vladimir nodded. "Yes."

The elder officer looked at the youngest one and nodded. Officer Michaels then grabbed the recorder at the side of the table and turned it on before placing it in front of Vladimir. He then picked up his notebook and got ready to take notes.

Meanwhile, Officer Smith moved a small filing box which had been to his left to the front of him and opened it.

Good, then, I will be reading this legal statement to you….." he said.

Vladimir sighed quietly as the older officer began to read the usual legal proceedings, including the whole having the right to an attorney and the rest of that pointless babble—or the young millionaire thought so, anyway. He was sure the two officers were surprised that a rich man like himself consented to a statement without a legal representative; but the last thing Vlad wanted was to get any more humans involved in this mess; besides, this was only a statement and according to these officers, he and his son were the victims.

After the millionaire agreed to the written legal proceedings, Officer Smith began with the formal interview…

"Your name is Vladimir Masters, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," Vlad answered.

"And you currently reside…?"

"About fifty miles outside Madison, Wisconsin," the millionaire replied.

"So, then, what brought you to Amity Park…. four nights ago? It was the twenty-first that you came with your son into the emergency room, correct?"

Vladimir nodded. "Yes, that is the correct date… I originally came on business, but being that it was so close to… Christmas, I decided to bring my son with me and spend it here… Or, that was the plan before… everything happened."

"Could you tell us about that, Mr. Masters? And, please, try to include any detail you can remember," Officer Smith said calmly, his voice taking a slightly gentle tone.

And yet, to Vlad, it sounded fake. For some reason, he felt as if the officer looked at him as the criminal, rather than the victim… The millionaire had a feeling he knew why that was. Still, he told the story he had already come up with. And as he had learned from his years of experience with deceiving when he needed to, a lie closest to the truth was the most believable…

"As you all know, the best time to see the Christmas lights _is _at night. My son loves seeing them, so… I wanted to take him to the central park here to see the lights and the big tree…," Vladimir began, playing the part of distraught father, though it was hardly 'an act' when it was just how he felt, especially when he knew Danny really did love seeing the Christmas lights—in their world, of course…

"We decided to take a more secluded path to the large Christmas tree at the park… I suppose that was my mistake. We had stopped to have a snowball fight when I heard my son cry out… I ran to where he was and it was when I saw some men grabbing him… But before I could do anything, I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head and then my back… The last thing I remember was hearing my son's screams and a sight of a bat being swung above me…"

The young father trailed off and looked away.

Officer Smith nodded as he calmly said, "Take your time, Mr. Masters." He looked down at the file on his table and flipped to the next page as he waited for the man to continue. He didn't wait long.

"I do not know how long I was out, but by the time I woke up, the men were gone and my son was lying unconscious… in a puddle of blood. I thought he had been… killed at first. Those _monsters tortured_ my boy…," Vladimir whispered hatefully, his hands coiling on his lap.

Still, he continued, "I picked him up and tried to find someone to help us, but there was no one there. So, I ran to my car, knowing I had to get my son to the hospital. But as I drove us there, the earth began to shake and everything turned into utter chaos…" The millionaire paused to make sure the officers knew what he was talking about.

The two nodded and Officer Smith answered, "Yes, we are aware of the earthquakes that same day and everything else that happened. Continue, please."

Vladimir looked down at his hands as he then said with an emotionless face, "I lost control of the car and we ended in a ditch somewhere. I do not remember. I suppose it's how I ended up with broken bones aside from the beating those criminals gave me… It's a blur from there. I just remember making it to the hospital somehow with my son, and then I felt weak and I suppose I fell unconscious after that…"

"I see…," Officer Smith simply answered and wrote something down in his notes. "Do you remember how many men there were, Mr. Masters? Any physical detail you could give us about them?"

"It's all a blur," Vladimir answered with a shake of his head. "Perhaps five of them? I cannot remember. I still cannot remember everything. Dr. Malik says it could be that I have suffered temporary or permanent amnesia due to my concussion… I suppose being beaten with a bat will do that," he muttered with a deep frown.

"Yes, I suppose…," Officer Smith agreed lightly. "And these men… they didn't steal anything from you? You said you took your car, so you still had your keys, and the staff here found your wallet on you…"

"No, nothing was stolen from me," Vladimir answered calmly.

"Do you know where you left your car?"

Vladimir felt his annoyance beginning to grow. He had just said he didn't remember, but clearly, this officer wasn't fully buying it and was trying to find holes in his story. Shame he wouldn't find them.

"I don't remember… But if it is important, you could always check around the junkyards and try to find it among the many other destroyed vehicles from that night," Vladimir drawled out.

"It was only a question, Mr. Masters. We are trying to help you, remember?" Officer Smith said with a small frown. "I only wish to attempt to find clues to what happened to you and your son that night. So, tell me, are you completely sure you do not remember any detail about yours and your son's assailants?"

"No," Vladmir replied with a sigh.

"Clearly, this was not a simple assault and robbery against you and your son…. Can you think of any reason why anyone would want to hurt you both to such a gruesome extent?"

"No," Vlad replied quietly. "I do not understand why _anyone_ would want to harm an innocent and defenseless child, as my son, aside from their being completely demented and evil…"

"What is your profession, Mr. Masters?"

Vladimir looked guardedly at the cop, confirming his thought on this being more than 'a simple statement'. All the same, he calmly replied, "I am a businessman. I currently own two businesses known as 'Vladco' and 'DALV Corporation'. I am also partnered with 'Manson and Manson Enterprise'."

"How old are you, Mr. Masters?"

"I am thirty-four," Vladmir answered, but added slightly annoyed, "Why is that important?"

"And yet, you are a millionaire. Quite a feat for someone as young as you… Don't you think?" the officer continued, ignoring the young man's questions.

"I suppose…. Again, what is your point?" Vladimir replied with a growing frown.

"We will get to that in a moment. Just answer the questions," Officer Smith replied. He flipped through the file in front of him before pausing and asking, "According to our records of you, Mr. Masters, you were orphaned at a young age. Yet, you remained in school and did well enough to get a full scholarship to Wisconsin University… In a matter of a year after graduating, your first business, 'Vladco', took off. You have been doing more than well since. Now, you own several houses around the world, do a lot of traveling; so much that your companies all but run themselves… Is there a particular reason why you travel so much?"

Vladimir interlaced his hands on top of his lap and coolly answered, "If you must know, I travel to see my wife and son. That is, before I brought Daniel to the U.S. recently…"

Officer Smith raised an eyebrow. "You are married? According to all our sources you are single, Mr. Masters…"

Vlad's face tense as he curtly replied, "I was not married in _this_ country, Officer Smith. And if your sources say I am single, it is because I have made it so my private life is my own business. In other words, I have made sure the public knows about me only what I _want_ them to. Last time I checked, I am allowed to keep my privacy. Furthermore, you have failed to explain to me why I am suddenly being questioned about my past and personal life, instead of focusing on the fact that my son and I were brutally attacked."

"But it is for those reasons I am asking you all this, Mr. Masters," Officer Smith replied. "You see, whoever attacked you clearly planned it out. They knew where you were going to be. And they hate you enough, Mr. Masters, that they tortured your son—a mere child. There are whip marks and burns all over his body. According to Dr. Malik, he was also naked when he came in. You can understand how serious that is?"

"Of course I do!" Vlad snapped. "He's my son! You don't think I saw all they did to him?"

"Fortunately," Officer Smith continued, ignoring the man's outburst. "The pediatrician said that aside from the physical wounds on his body, he did not suffer any other kind of assault and there are also no internal injuries, which is why they cannot explain why your son is unconscious. I did find something curious, though… There were words burned onto your son's face…"

Vladimir looked away as he said seriously, "I don't want to talk about that."

"Did you see what they wrote, Mr. Masters?" the officer pressed calmly. But when the young millionaire didn't reply, he began to answer for him, "They wrote, 'D—"

"Don't say it!" Vlad suddenly snarled. "Do not _dare_ say it! I said I do not want to talk about this, so drop it!"

"Let me tell you something, Mr. Masters," Officer Smith said, leaning forward and staring seriously at the other man, not at all intimidated by the glare on his face. "I have done all sorts of criminal investigations for many years. And I have had my share of the ones dealing with rich men being attacked and their families taking the brunt of said attacks. You know what else, Mr. Masters? In these investigations I have done, eighty-percent of them were because these tycoons were involved in some illegal dealings and one turned sour. The other twenty percent were innocent men, but because of their money, they had developed enemies within their own companies, whether it was some guy they fired unjustly or another business man angry at their own company's going bankrupt because of the victim's own business growing."

"Are you saying this is my fault, sir?" Vladimir asked angrily.

"I hope not, Mr. Masters, but what _I am_ saying is that you need to be honest with us. There is no possible way you cannot have _even an idea_ of who could have done something so atrocious to your son."

"If I had any idea, why would I not tell you, Officer Smith?" Vladimir countered, calming down a bit and just frowning with displeasure.

"I certainly hope it isn't because you are involved in illegal dealings, Mr. Masters. But perhaps because you might want to take justice into your own hands; and well, with your power, you could if you wanted… I wish this is also not the case, because you would only make matters worse, for your son, especially."

Vladimir lowered his gaze and answered soberly, "…I have more important matters to think about right now than… revenge."

"I agree, Mr. Masters," Officer Smith replied. "It is best you leave that part to us. Now, I want to ask you one last question… Are you completely sure the men that attacked you were _men_?"

Vladimir looked up, and although he knew what the investigator meant, he answered, "I do not follow you…"

"You might not be aware, but that same day of your assault, we had a ghost attack. It was pretty significant, and the experts in that field believe the earthquakes were due to the several portals that appeared that same night… It is certainly a coincidence you and your son were assaulted so brutally on this same day…"

Vladimir remained calm as he chose his next words carefully. The last thing he needed was to have ghost hunters get involved in what happened to him and his son. Surely, they would be discovered, then.

"As I said, my memory of four nights ago is a blur, but I do remember seeing the odd green circles in the sky… But in spite of my memory and of the coincidence of all this, I am sure of one thing: those that attacked my son and I were human. They were no ghosts."

The officer nodded, and Vlad was relieved to see it looked like he had bought it, since he did not question him further on the subject. Furthermore, the cop turned off the recorder.

"Well, Mr. Masters, we have no further questions for you. Now if you—" But the officer was cut off by a sudden knock on the door.

"Come in," Officer Smith said.

Vladimir turned his head the best he could to the door behind him as a woman dressed in a suit came in. She was African American and appeared in her fifties. And in spite her calm smile, she had this fake-kindness about her.

Vladimir quickly became even more guarded.

"Sorry to interrupt, officers, but I was told you were here with Mr. Masters," she said, walking up to them.

"Yes, correct," Officer Smith said, standing up and shaking hands with the woman. Clearly, he wasn't surprised by her sudden appearance. "Did you need us present for your own questioning, Mrs. Ross?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, please," she answered with a small smile.

"Not at all," he replied.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?" Vladimir suddenly spoke up, clearly annoyed.

"Forgive me," she said, turning her attention to Vlad who was still sitting in the wheelchair. "My name is Ann Ross, and I am from child services. And you must be Vladimir Masters, correct? …Daniel's Father?"

Seeing the woman extend her hand, Vladimir slowly shook it, as he searched his mind on what 'child services' was. He didn't deal commonly with legal parties in the Human World, so he didn't always remember everything. But… he had heard of 'child services', he was sure; but he just couldn't place it. And what made it worse was that for some reason the name was setting off alarm bells in his head…

"Yes, correct. I am he…," Vladimir answered hesitantly.

"I know you must be exhausted, but I promise I will make this quick," she said as she took a seat next to the officers.

She pulled out her own recorder and documents before saying, "First of all, let me start by saying you have my deepest condolence for what has happened to you and your son. And I am here to help you both, especially Daniel, in any way necessary."

Vladimir just nodded, now growing annoyed again on top of being anxious with this woman's appearance. Did these people even realize how rehearsed their 'sympathy' sounded?

"As I said, I am from child services, and I am here to investigate what happened to Daniel, as well as assuring his safety. So, if you do not mind, I would like to ask you about him…"

Vladimir just nodded.

"Let me say there is something that _concerns_ me… You see, I could not find any records of your son, Mr. Masters. And according to the information I found on you, you have no children… You can understand the problem, correct?"

Vladimir hesitated, and perhaps if he wasn't caught so off guard by this woman, he would have handled things differently. But… after all she had said, he finally remembered what 'child services' was, and how they could… take people's children away if they found reason to…

The young father began to feel panic coil within him, but he forced himself to stay calm. He just needed to stick to his story.

"Mr. Masters?" she asked with a small frown.

Vladimir shook his head. "I… I apologize. It's just that this is a sensitive topic for me. As I told the officers, I was not married in this country. My son was born in Germany. I just recently brought him here, and my lawyer is still working on transferring his legal papers and such things over here."

"Oh, so you are married…," Mrs. Ross replied. "And where is your wife, Mr. Masters?"

Vladimir remained quiet for a moment before confessing, "She's… gone."

"She died? Is that why you brought Daniel here now?" Mrs. Ross pressed, raising an intrigued eyebrow.

Vladimir nodded absently, as an image of his wife shrouded his mind. "Yes."

"And if I may ask, how did she pass away?" she continued.

Vlad's eyes narrowed a bit as he answered without thinking, "She was poisoned…"

The officers and the child services woman instantly looked at one another, and this time, Officer Smith quickly spoke up, "Are you saying your wife was _murdered_, Mr. Masters? How long ago was this?"

The millionaire tensed and looked at the three humans as he realized his slip. What had he just done? He was supposed to be containing this situation, not making matters worse! Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he was mentally unwell… There was no other reason to explain his grave mistake…

"Couple months... It was why I brought Daniel here with me... They already did the investigations in Berlin and the case was closed once they found who was responsible," Vladimir replied with a small frown.

"How old is Daniel, Mr. Masters?" Mrs. Ross asked, though she and the officers now looked even more suspicious.

"He's six. He will be seven in February…" Vlad paused and regarded the two cops and the woman as he added, "If you give me a day or so, I can have my lawyer send me Daniel's birth certificate and also proof of my recently bringing him here."

Mrs. Ross nodded. "Yes, we will need to see those documents, Mr. Masters. However, as I told you previously, my main priority is your son's safety. And with what happened to your wife and what has now happened to your son… Well, there is a big chance Daniel's life could be in further danger, especially when the ones responsible for what happened have yet to be found and apprehended…"

Vladimir's eyebrows creased. "Daniel is here. Why would he be in any danger now?"

"Because, Mr. Masters," Ms. Ross replied, placing her hands on the table and interlacing her fingers. "Clearly, you are someone's target, and for now, at least until we fully investigate this, perhaps it is best for Daniel to be… kept away from you."

The father's eyes widened. "Are you telling me I'm a danger to my own son? How… How dare you!" he suddenly exploded, getting to his feet. "**I love my son!** I would **never** purposely put him in any danger!"

The officers quickly stood and the older one quickly said, "Calm down, Mr. Masters. And sit back down, please."

"No, I will not sit down!" he snapped back. "Not until you tell me with what right you think you can call me a bad father!"

"Mr. Masters," Mrs. Ross said, standing up as well. "I have not said that. I'm sure you would never purposely put your son in danger, but men of your wealth very often develop dangerous enemies. Try to understand I am just looking out for your son. That is why, I think it is best if we take custody of him just until—"

"No!" Vladimir hissed, his hands fisting on his side. "You are not taking my son from me!"

"It would only be temporary, Mr. Masters, just until we can investigate all this; and well, we also have no legal proof of Daniel's being your son…"

Vlad just stared at the woman but then his eyes narrowed darkly. "Daniel _is_ my son. _He is mine._ And not you or anyone is taking him from me. Do you hear me? Over my dead body, you wretched woman!"

Officer Smith frowned and said, "Mr. Masters, it's best for you if you just cooperate. You are not helping yourself with this sort of reaction,"

"I think I've cooperated with you fools long enough! And if you think otherwise, then you can all go to hell!" Vlad growled before grabbing his crutches and heading for the door.

"Mr. Masters!" Mrs. Ross called after him, but the man ignored her and walked—or more like limped—out of the room.

Vlad stormed passed the nurse waiting outside, startling her. "Mr. Masters!" she exclaimed before chasing after him. And since her patient was wobbling away with crutches it wasn't that hard to catch up. "Wait, please! You cannot walk so much on your own, you are still healing!"

But even when the woman stopped in front of him, Vlad just moved past her, a furious look on his face. He barely realized he was struggling with the crutches. But he also barely felt his spinning head…

He couldn't believe it! What in blazes was wrong with these humans? He wasn't a bad father! How dare they insinuate that he would purposely harm his child one way or another? He never meant for this to happen to his son. He never meant for his wife to be...

He never meant for _any_ of this to happen! He would have given his life to prevent it all!

He wasn't a bad father!

By now, the nurse's pleading as she chased after her patient had attracted a lot of attention, including Vlad and Danny's general doctor. But by the time Dr. Malik got there, Vlad had almost made it back to his and Danny's room.

"Mr. Masters!" he exclaimed when he saw the shaking and sweating younger man wobbling towards his room.

But just as he reached him, the millionaire's weakening body gave out and he collapsed. But the doctor immediately caught him, looking highly alarmed.

And yet, Vlad glared at the doctor who just kept him from falling and weakly demanded through labored breath, "Unhand me!"

The doctor struggled to hold up his patient, and instead of listening to his demand, he looked at the nurse in charge and ordered, "Go get a wheelchair. Hurry!"

Focusing back on the millionaire still trying to pull away from him, the doctor said firmly, "Mr. Masters, you need to stop! We are trying to help you! Why would you walk back such a long distance when you are only days out of surgery for repairing your broken bones?"

But as if Vlad didn't hear him, he struggled to push away as he growled, "You are not taking my son away from me! No one is! You would have to pry him from my life-less fingers, first! I am a good father, and no one is taking Daniel from me! He's **my** son! **Mine!** He's—"

But the man's ranting was quickly cut off as his spinning head suddenly overcame his anger. And he gasped softly as he realized he was weaker than he thought. And it was with that thought that Vladimir's world faded into darkness…

"Mr. Masters!" the doctor gasped as his patience suddenly fainted in his hold.

"Tricia! Stretcher! Call the code!" the doctor ordered.

The alarms went off and in an instant, there were people swarming around the doctor and his unconscious patient. They quickly got the young millionaire on a stretcher and pulled him into his room where Danny was as they began to run around, checking blood pressure, heart rate, and administering medication.

The doctor noticed the man's blood pressure had dropped, but with the hurried intravenous medication, it began to rise and stabilize again. The doctor then proceeded to check the man's operation wounds, but found they had not broken open. In fact, they looked a lot better than he had expected from being just four days after surgery.

Once his patient was stable, he ushered everyone but the main nurse away. "Call me the moment he wakes up," he ordered before walking out.

But when he all but ran into the two officials and child services worker, whom had been waiting outside for things to settle, the doctor's troubled frown turned into one of anger.

"What is wrong with you people?" the doctor barked out. "I told you not to upset him! He could have ripped out his stitches and bled out!"

"We only asked him standard questions, Dr. Malik," the older officer replied with a frown. "It is obvious he is mentally unstable."

"Of course he's mentally unstable!" the doctor hissed to keep himself from screaming. "His son and he were almost killed! He's traumatized and you are not helping the situation!"

"Nevertheless," Mrs. Ross spoke up. "Until we can be sure that he didn't deliberately or unintentionally endanger his child and that he is legally his father, we need to keep the boy away from him. It is federal law that a hospital must keep a minor under protective custody until this whole investigation is resolved."

"Don't worry. Daniel is not going anywhere," the doctor replied, still displeased but now more calm. "His wounds are still healing and he's in critical condition. So, even if the hospital didn't need to keep him under protective custody, he would still need to remain here because of his injuries. As for separating them, I will not do that. Doing so could push the father over an edge that could do irreversible damage. He is still recovering, too, and unnecessary stress could very well endanger his life."

"But the child—" the child services woman began.

"We have them in a protective custody room. They are being monitored around the clock. Believe me, nothing is going to happen to that child. And until you all get a legal order to _make_ me separate them, I will not do it. Now, leave. My patients need to rest," the doctor said firmly before he walked past them.

* * *

Tom had worked into the late evening at his lab within the 'GiW' facility. He had gotten sick of Gregor's constant complaining, so he had sent him away to Freakshow for the rest of the day. He really didn't understand the child's 'need' to be with 'his master'. But then again, that was what the spell the controlling staff casted over its victims did. So, it didn't have to make sense. Still, the spell kept the dragon ghost dependent and even obsessed with Freakshow in spite of Gregor's having free thought. In fact, it was even more surprising that the creature had any freewill as it was…

Thomas frowned at suddenly realizing he was thinking of Gregor instead of focusing on what he was doing. He was certainly not attached to the little demon, but perhaps he was so use to him now that it felt… odd when he wasn't around. That was the only logical explanation he could think of. It's not like he was thinking of Gregor because he _missed_ the ghost.

The 'GiW' scoffed at that before focusing back on what he was doing. He couldn't say he had had much progress with his experiments on the Prince's core energy. It was just too different to really understand it. But he did confirm that this clear energy had regenerative properties. Not only the Prince's core energy, but the clear energy that had come from the Queen's stomach also had regenerative properties—just not as developed. The question was, was this just because the Prince was a child? But then how did that explain the Queen's energy taken from her abdomen? Unless, was it possible that ghosts were… evolving?

That was a troubling possibility.

But as he compared the Prince's core energy to the core energy taken from the Queen's stomach and also further compared it to the Queen's normal core energy, he only developed more questions. It seemed that the clear energies were more alike than was the Queen's regular core energy and the clear one taken from her stomach. It also led him to wonder if it were now possible for ghosts to… _bear_ children? As in have them as humans do? If they were evolving and if the clear energy was only found in very young ghost children, was it possible that the core in the Queen's stomach had been a…?

Thomas frowned, not daring to finish the thought. It was just too… unbelievable. It just couldn't be physically possible. He wasn't as knowledgeable about 'ghost anatomy' as Maddie Fenton, but he was at least certain female ghosts didn't have the organs necessary to carry a fetus. That was why these creatures had evolved to _form_ children through their cores instead—as Maddie Fenton had said… Then again, ghost reproduction was slow—some would even say _too_ slow. It was possible that over time the Ghost race could even become extinct. Of course, Tom had no problem with that, since he was looking to find a way to get that to happen much sooner than later.

Still, if ghosts could find other means of reproduction—namely, evolve to _bear_ their young—it certainly would increase their population drastically, which would mean bad news for the human race.

All the same, Thomas could not even fathom ghosts bearing children as humans do. Their make-up wouldn't allow it. So, as quick as the thought had come, the man pushed it out of his mind.

But perhaps just as unbelievable was this regenerative energy. And yet, here is was. And aside from these experiments, he also had been testing the clear energy's effects on ghost weapons. But all he found was that the energy wasn't very effective for powering them. He supposed he should have expected that much, since the energy was still young. Nevertheless, it was pretty impressive considering the age of the ghost from which it had come.

It seemed, though, that the regenerative property of the Prince's core energy only was effective when combined with ectoplasm or another ghost energy—almost like it was an enhancer or catalyst.

The thought suddenly brought another thought—a more twisted thought—into Tom's mind. And why he acted on it, he would never know, but it would forever impact him…

Taking a small sterilized needle, he pricked his finger and put some of his blood on a petri-dish. He then added a drop of the Prince's core energy and placed them under a microscope. He watched as the two foreign substances mixed.

At first, it looked as if the blood cells began to die as they absorbed the ghost energy…. It was what he had expected. But then, suddenly, they began to glow and like with the ectoplasm at the Fentons' house, the blood cells began to divide and proliferate.

Tom gasped as he watched the petri-dish fill up with his own blood. And yet, now, the newly divided cells had this slight glow to them…

"Impossible," Thomas breathed out.

He quickly pulled away from the microscope, though he continued to stare in shock at the blood oozing over the edge of the dish. In all this time, he had never even contemplated the possibility of how ghost energy affected human beings. And yet, he was sure it was deadly to humans. So, how was it that this energy did not kill his blood cells, and instead, generated them?

"This must be an isolated case…," Tom muttered. "I have taken samples of Gregor's core energy and it is not clear. Furthermore, I just tested it again and it does not have regenerative properties! So, why is the King's spawn's energy _so different?"_

Unfortunately, with the little demon dead, Tom would never know the answer of what all this meant. But now more than ever, he was going to make the most of his sample of the Prince's special energy…

Tom touched the side of his face, but then he cringed at the irritation to his still healing claw marks on his face. And yet, another daring consideration entered his mind at the thought of his injured face.

"I wonder…," he muttered before moving to another table and grabbing a scalpel. He thoughtfully touched the blade with his fingers before lowering it to his palm. He hesitated only slightly before he cut the muscle just under his thumb.

He hissed a bit with the sting, but then ignored the blood dripping down his hand as he moved over to his sample of Danny's core energy.

He took another small drop and hesitated again as the dropper hovered right over his wound…

"'We only live once' as the saying goes," he muttered before he let the energy drip into his wound.

At first, it was just really cold, but then, Tom cried out as the sensation went from numbing to feeling like he had just poured flesh-eating acid onto his hand. The man dropped to his knees and gripped his hand, vaguely aware of how it was glowing green. The sensation seemed to last forever; in fact, Tom had thought he was dying for a moment.

Then, suddenly, it stopped.

Panting, Tom stared at his hand, unsure of what shocked him more: the fact that he was alive or the fact that the cut on his hand was completely gone!

As the lingering glow around his hand began to fade away, Tom slowly stood back up and continued to inspect his hand. "Well, I'll be damned…," he said with a nervous chuckle. "It works on humans, too…"

He glanced at the two almost full vials of glowing clear energy on the tube stand and grinned evilly, "I'll be damned indeed…"

* * *

Vlad woke up around evening time. He sat up, feeling dizzy from all the medication coursing through his veins. From the moment he had heard the child services woman's intention, he had made up his mind on what he had to do. And even in his half-conscious state, his decision was very clear.

He needed to get Daniel out of here.

But it was easier said than done. To get him out, he would need to convince the doctors to sign Daniel and him out of the hospital as well as get the police and child services off his back. But trying to retract what he said or cover up completely what had happened would be unrealistic with so many people knowing about it now; but… perhaps, he could get the police and child services to…. _close_ the case, and further… _persuade_ the doctors into releasing Daniel and him.

He could only think of one way to accomplish such impossible feats:

Overshadowing.

Most ghosts were capable of overshadowing, yet it was a mere physical possession more than anything else. Vlad, however, had mastered the trick to not only physically possess someone, but to also take possession of their mind, going as far as altering and erasing their memories of his choosing. Furthermore, he could access their knowledge to use for his advantage.

His mastery of this intricate ghost power had served him over the years to meld into the human race. By overshadowing business men and accessing their knowledge, he had learned the arts of making money as well as owning and running successful companies. By overshadowing teachers in college, he had been able to learn the necessary things to play his role. Through all of this, he had been able to create his human persona, Vladimir Masters. This included fooling even the humans' government. And according to the government, he had been born and raised in Florida. After his family tragically died, he had moved to Wisconsin and gone to their renowned university in Madison.

All of it possible through overshadowing.

Now, he would use it again to fix this mess. He could not have the police after him, let alone have his son taken from him by these foolish humans. He would have to also make sure to fix his oversight and make 'Daniel Masters' as real to human society as was 'Vladimir Masters.'

But first things first…

The millionaire looked up at the medication hanging on the rack before looking at the IV in his arm. He was already having trouble focusing with this relaxant and who knows what else going into him. He needed to get rid of it. He now realized he was weaker than he thought, so he would have to wait out the night at least before trying to use his ghost powers. But he knew he couldn't wait too long to leave this place.

Slowly standing up and ignoring the dizziness, Vladimir grabbed the rack holding the bags of medication and began to roll it towards the bathroom. However, just as he got there, the nurse came in.

"Mr. Masters, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked with a fake nervous smile.

"Fine. I just need to use the restroom," Vlad said with a sigh and went into the bathroom before she could say anything.

The man frowned. They really were watching him closely. No matter, he was still much more resourceful than they knew. If he could get in and out of ghost hunting homes and facilities without incidence—not counting that fateful day when he got his son, of course—then he could get out of some hospital.

He was already aware of the video surveillance in his and his son's room. But there was none of that in the bathroom, which was why he had come in here. Looking up at the half-filled bags of medication and saline solution, he carefully grabbed the first one. He had planned on phasing out the liquid and draining it into the sink. But then he realized… if he did that, the nurse would just get new bags and he would be back to square one.

No, he needed something to block the medication from entering his bloodstream…

Thinking for a moment, he got a better idea. Lifting his arm with the IV closer to his blurry eyes, he carefully grabbed the IV tube. He knew this was risky to do when he couldn't focus fully, but he needed to do this to regain clear thought again.

Using intangibility, he disconnected the tube from the actual needle in his arm. He then conjured up just a tiny bit of ecto-goo and inserted it into the end of the tube to create a makeshift stopper. But it was more than just a 'stopper'. The half-ghost knew that the energy in the goo would further disintegrate the medicine on contact. Still, he also knew it was temporary because the goo would eventually dissolve itself. But it would take several hours. So, it would hold until tomorrow morning and that's all he needed.

Finally, the millionaire reconnected the IV tube to the needle in his vein in the same manner as he removed it. He smirked in satisfaction when nothing began to beep and it all looked normal. He then went to the bathroom for real, washed his hands, and then stepped out.

It didn't surprise him to find the nurse and now doctor there.

Vlad moved over to his bed and sat down as Dr. Malik asked, "How are you feeling?"

Vladimir nodded. "I'm better." He glanced over at his comatose son and asked in genuine worry, "What about my son?"

The doctor smiled sympathetically and replied, "He is stable, but… still no improvement, Mr. Masters."

When his patient remained quiet, the doctor quickly spoke up, trying to sound optimistic. "But we cannot lose hope, Vladimir. He is young and, well, God can do extraordinary things."

The millionaire still didn't reply. Instead, he watched as the nurse replaced one of his son's medicine bags with a new one. And that's when it hit him: he couldn't just disconnect his son from the medications he was being given. What if he ended up making things worse? No, he needed to keep him on whatever it was they had him on. At least until he could find another way to… help him.

Vladimir was certain that the trouble was with his son's ghost half. He needed to get him help with it. And he wasn't good enough in ghost medicine to know how to heal something of this magnitude. Yes, he knew about some healing herbs; but he was still learning. And… And this was his son. He couldn't bring himself to just 'experiment' with him, especially when he didn't know what was truly wrong with him, aside from it having to do with his core….

No, he needed someone who knew ghost medicine very well… And he could only think of one ghost he trusted enough to… to help his son. But it would still be risky.

"_I have no other choice,"_ he thought despairingly.

"Mr. Masters?"

The millionaire almost jolted when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at the doctor, who was frowning in concern.

"Did you hear what I said?" Dr. Malik asked as the nurse stepped out.

Vlad sighed tiredly and shook his head. "I am a bit dizzy from the medication."

"It's the mild sedative. You need to relax for what remains of today. I will have it removed tomorrow. I was also told you are barely eating... Mr. Masters, it is important that you properly nourish yourself so you can get better and go home."

"I'm not leaving without my son," Vladimir quickly replied, tensing with anger.

The doctor frowned. "Calm down. No one is separating you from your son. I'm sorry you had to go through that, but when a child is physically abused, child services gets involved. Plus, there was a crime committed against you both. They were only trying to do their jobs. You'll see, once they clear everything up, they will back off. Just… try to be calm about all this. Aggression isn't going to help your cause, Mr. Masters."

Vladimir relaxed again and glanced over at his son. There was a brief silence before the millionaire, without looking at the doctor, said "They think he's not my son… They think I caused what happened to him… "

"Well, I do not believe that," Dr. Malik said without hesitation.

The millionaire looked at him with both surprise and uncertainty before asking, "How can you be so certain?"

The doctor smiled before he undid his white robe and reached into his pants pocket. He pulled out his wallet and flipped it to a picture and showed it to his patient.

"Those are my two sons. One is your son's age and the other is three."

Vladimir stared at the picture, for once feeling that distrust and dislike he felt for all human beings wash out of his heart…

The doctor suddenly sat beside him on the bed and looked over at Danny, and Vlad did the same.

"Vladimir, I'm a father, too," he said calmly. "So, as such, I recognize _that look_—that look that only a _real_ father gives his son. That is how I am so sure Daniel is your son, regardless of what the police may believe. Whatever happened, I'm also sure it was not your fault. And just how I would die for my sons, I know you would do the same for Daniel. If you could have prevented this, you would have. So, why do you react like you are guilty?" The doctor looked seriously at his patient as he further said, "That's what these officers are seeing, Vladimir. _You_ need to first believe you're not at fault for what happened to your son, before others can believe it, too."

Vladimir felt his hands shaking and he swallowed hard before replying quietly, "I should have been able to prevent this… I was supposed to protect him… I failed as a father and as a…" But he didn't finish and just lowered his gaze.

The doctor sighed before saying, "I can imagine your feeling helpless, Vladimir; but there are some things that we cannot foresee and so we cannot prevent. Stop tormenting yourself with what has passed and focus on what you can do now to help your son. You need to be strong for him. _Talk_ to him, so even in his unconscious state, he's aware you're by his side. And who knows? Maybe it will even bring him back to you…"

Dr. Malik stood up when he saw the nurse return with a food tray. "Please eat, Mr. Masters. I will see you in the morning…"

Vladimir didn't reply, but he did watch the doctor leave.

"He… really cares," he said to himself, not realizing he had said it out loud.

"Oh, yes, Dr. Malik is a very compassionate person and a great doctor," the nurse agreed, startling Vlad.

Vladimir regarded her for a moment before he looked down at the food in front of him. Even when it wasn't uncovered, the aroma made him nauseous. But he was aware of his weakened state. And if he wanted to leave with Daniel as soon as possible, he needed to get his strength back up.

As Vlad lifted the cover from the tray, the nurse proceeded to check the IV monitor; and seeing it looked good and that there was a constant drip, she turned and smiled when she saw the man eating and said, "If you need anything, just give me a call."

Vladimir watched as she left before looking back over to his son. It was going to be tricky, but he was determined to leave this place tomorrow.

* * *

Maddie smiled as she watched a little boy, about six, splash around in a puddle left behind by the recent rains. He giggled and yelled happily, having the time of his life as his shoes got all muddy and his pants got all wet.

"Look, Mommy!" the little boy said, startling her."Look how big I can make the splashes!"

The woman frowned in confusion and looked around, trying to find the boy's mother. Surely he couldn't be talking to her….

"Mommy! You're not looking!"

Maddie quickly looked back at the boy and her eyes widened as she stared at his pouting face. But what shocked her more was that she recognized those bright blue eyes…

"D-Danny?" she whispered, moving a step closer to the boy.

The little boy giggled and resumed splashing around.

Something began to wrap around the woman's heart, and she slowly began to approach the frolicking child with her hand slowly stretching towards him.

But just when she had been about to touch him, someone suddenly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

"MOMMY!" the boy screamed, just before she heard the sound of a gun and then felt a hot burning sensation in her stomach.

She gasped as she looked down at herself and found a gaping hole in her abdomen; and when she looked back up at the one responsible, she found none other than Thomas Chrome right in front of her.

But all he did was grin wickedly at her before letting her go. She dropped to her knees as blood pooled around her. But her eyes widened at the sight: her blood… it was green!

"Come on, little demon. Call daddy," Tom hissed darkly at the now crying little boy. _"Call him."_

"No!" Maddie gasped out as she watched the ghost hunter aim the gun at her terrified little boy.

"Mommy, help!" he sobbed out, as little green lines began to appear over his untarnished skin, and the little cuts began to seep out green blood just like her own wound.

"Tom, no! Stop!" she cried out as she heard the gun's humming and realized it was a ghost weapon the man was using.

"Why? He has to die. We both know that," Tom replied with a cruel smirk. "In fact, you would do the same thing."

Maddie felt her lungs constrict when she suddenly found the gun in her hand, and against her will, she fired it at her own son.

"No! DANNY!" she screamed at the same time she heard her own child's cry of pain.

"MADDIE!" Jack's voice suddenly cut through her mind.

The horrible scene vanished in an instant and her eyes snapped open and were greeted by darkness. But even when she woke up from her gruesome nightmare, she felt like she was still in it, and began to cry out her deceased son's name.

"Maddie!" Jack yelled again, shaking her again. "You're dreaming! It was a dream!"

The reading lamp was suddenly on which woke her fully and she sat up with a gasp. "Oh, God! I killed him! Jack, I killed our son!"

"Maddie, what are you talking about? Danny died in the explosion. It was just a dream!" Jack replied worriedly.

Maddie breathed heavily for a moment before her husband's words sank in. And when they did, she suddenly buried her face in her hands, and began to cry.

"Jack, I'm going crazy," she whimpered in between her tears.

Jack stayed quiet this time, unsure of what to reply because he was beginning to wonder if his wife really did need mental help. But it made no sense! Yes, it had taken him about three years after their son's death to get his wife out of her depression and return to normality—or, as normal as one can be after losing a child.

But now, a little over three years later, she was having nightmares about their son again!

Just four days ago, she had woken up screaming their son's name. It had been so abrupt that Jack had screamed himself. And then coincidentally, she had no sooner yelled how Danny was in danger after waking when the house had begun to shake!

His wife's bizarre wakening had been _the same night_ the portals had ripped open around the world. It had certainly been an odd coincidence, especially when his wife had stopped having such serious nightmares a good three years ago—only for them to return on that particular night!

Jack sighed as he pushed aside his brief thoughts and focused on his crying wife. "Maddie, you can't be doing this to yourself again. I know you'll always miss Danny—and I will, too. But, Mads, he's gone. He has been for over six years now. No one's hurtin' our son, because he's in a better place now, sweet cheeks."

"I don't know why this is happening to me again," Maddie whimpered as she struggled to stop crying and get rid of the pain in her heart. "But this was different than what happened four nights ago. I know you don't believe me, but four nights ago _wasn't_ a nightmare, Jack! I just… I felt something in my heart… something so strong that it woke me up. It scared me, but it wasn't fear for myself… It was for our son. I felt like something horrible was happening to Danny!"

"Maddie…," Jack said with another tired sigh. "Danny's _gone_."

"I know, Jack!" she replied, a bit angrily. "I'm just telling you what I felt. I know it makes no sense, but it's what I felt… But now… it _was_ a nightmare…. Oh, Jack, it was horrible! I was dreaming about our son, but he was older somehow and then… Tom killed him—No,** I** killed him. But he was bleeding ectoplasm!"

"You were probably thinking about what Tom said to us about the King's son," Jack answered, hoping to get his wife to realize that all she was having were unimportant nightmares.

Maddie sighed as she calmed a bit, and she indeed realized that that's probably where her dream had come from… But why would her subconscious associate Tom's action _with her son?_

"Jack…," Maddie suddenly said, sounding more collected, but still quiet. "…Would we have done the same thing?"

"What do you mean, Maddie?" Jack asked, feeling his tired mind begging him to go back to sleep, but still wanting to be a supportive husband.

"I mean what Tom did. If we would have had Plasmius' family in our hands, would we have used them against him? Would we have… killed them, too?" Maddie questioned uncertainly.

Jack quickly felt more awake and he frowned in thought. He had also been asking himself those questions since he learned what Tom did. He had always believed a ghost was just a ghost. And they all needed to be killed. In his time as a ghost hunter, neither he nor Maddie had ever hesitated to shoot or experiment on a ghost. And they had done a lot of both—and not just to male ghosts, but also female ghosts.

But they had never once encountered a ghost child. He was sure ghost children were pretty defenseless if their research on ghost anatomy and development was correct. A ghost offspring's core would still be too underdeveloped for their ghost energy to cause harm to anything.

But… it would eventually. The creature would grow up and become another threat to human kind.

And as defenseless as the little ghost prince could have been… he would have become a powerful and evil ghost king, just like his father.

Jack finally looked at his wife and seriously replied, "You know, Mads… Sometimes in war, we're forced to do lots of things we don't want or are uncomfortable with. Ghosts are the enemy. It's either them or us. So, to have let the Prince live—no matter how young he was—would have meant the future death of many humans. And besides, ghosts have never hesitated to endanger and even… kill human kids. Why should we then hesitate to kill their offspring?"

Maddie nodded. "I know you're right… But somehow it feels wrong."

"Well, wasting anything that seems defenseless is always gonna feel wrong; but like I said, sometimes it's necessary," Jack replied. And when his wife didn't reply this time, he wrapped an arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Look, let's just forget about all this, okay? What's done is done. We have other things to work on, like mapping out the remaining ghost portals. We might not wanna work with Tom, but he's right about one thing: the time to strike those ecto-skum is now!"

Maddie's eyes narrowed and she nodded. "Yeah. We have to put an end to them once and for all. We can't let those creatures continue to harm human beings." Her face relaxed again as she smiled at her husband and added, "Sorry I woke you, honey."

"No worries, sweet cheeks!" Jack beamed. "But, you know. I am still kinda tired."

Maddie nodded and she and her husband settled back into their bed. But as soon as she heard her husband's snoring start back up, her mind drifted to the Ghost King. She wondered: did he see his dead family before he perished, too? Or, if he was still alive… was he in as much pain as she was when her own son had been killed?

Strangely, the thought didn't make her happy. It made her sad. For the first time in her life, she felt sorry for a ghost. And not just any ghost.

Her son's murderer.

* * *

The next day, Vladimir was alone with Danny in the hospital room. He carefully sat down next to his unconscious son. He watched his small chest rise and fall as he always did as of late. But instead of the staid expression he had shown in these past days, the man's face now reflected sadness.

"… Merry Christmas, Daniel….," he said quietly. But saying just those simple words brought tears to the father's eyes. He took in a shaky breath before reaching over to a gift bag he had gotten from the hospital's gift shop a moment ago. "I couldn't find anything very special at that small gift store," he continued, _trying_ to keep his voice light and steady. "But I just had to get you something, since your gifts are back… home. And, well, I found this for you, my boy…." He glanced at his unmoving son for a moment before he looked back at the gift bag and began to pull out the tissue papers. He then reached in and pulled out a stuffed badger with blue eyes and a yarn-drawn smile….

"I know how much you like Leo, so I hope this is close enough…." He lifted the fluffy black-and-white toy in front of his son, as if he could see it, and smiled sadly as he added, "He sort of looks like you… Blue eyes… black hair… or white," he added more quietly. He paused before saying more lightly, "Did you know badgers are known for their mischievous and stubborn qualities…? Sounds like anyone you know, Daniel?" He silenced. "… I'm sure you'll name him when you wake up…"

Vlad suddenly leaned forward and rested his forehead against his son's before closing his eyes and taking even breaths.

"…Daniel…," he whispered tenderly. "I… don't know if you can hear me, but…_ I swear_ I'm going to find a way to get you better. Even… Even if I have to give you my life, I'm going to make you better."

He pulled away and stared at his son's unresponsive face before looking at the monitors. "These humans cannot do more for you, but… maybe someone else we know can…" He glanced at the viewing window, seeing a nurse walk by. "Regardless…we must leave this place. Staying any longer is too dangerous for both of us…"

He looked back at his son and smiled weakly as he placed the stuffed badger next to him. Then, he further whispered, "I'll be right back, little Phantom." But the moment he said that endeared pet name, Vlad's heart clenched when that reminded him of his deceased wife. But he pushed the thought and emotion aside, and stood from the bed and walked over to the bathroom.

Once inside, he locked the door. He had already seen the two detectives and the child services woman from yesterday walk by his room. But the doctor had not allowed them entrance and instead escorted them somewhere to talk in private.

Vlad also knew the pediatrician was in the hospital at the moment, since he had come to check on Daniel earlier.

Everyone he needed present for his next moves was here. It was time to act.

Eyes shimmering red, black rings formed around Vladimir's waist before they repelled each other and transformed him into the Ghost King. In an instant, he split into four. And while two of his clones turned invisible and flew off somewhere, the remaining one morphed into his human appearance and nodded at the original.

As the human copy walked out of the bathroom and sat down next to his son again, the real Plasmius also turned invisible and flew out of the hospital room…

* * *

"For the last time, I am not separating them," Dr. Malik said seriously, though frustration was evident in his voice as he talked to the child services worker.

"Then, I will be obligated to put an officer to watch over Mr. Masters. You cannot refuse that, Dr. Malik," she replied coolly.

"No, I can't. But as I said, there's no proof that Mr. Masters is at fault for what happened to his son. And by law, you cannot act against him until you have something on him."

"Yes, I'm aware, but no one is accusing him of anything. It is a simple precaution. For the boy's protection. Not to mention, we have yet to find Daniel's birth records or even if Mr. Masters has legal custody of him. That in itself is a big problem, Dr. Malik. But, of course, that is for the police and the child service department to worry about. Meanwhile, I would like to personally see Daniel. I do not think that is a problem, correct?"

Dr. Malik sighed but nodded. "Very well. Let me at least talk to the father first, or else he might get upset with your presence again."

"Alright. I'll wait here then," she replied expectantly.

Dr. Malik resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead nodded and stepped out of the private conference room.

But as soon as he returned to the critical care floor, he spotted his colleague, the pediatrician in charge of Danny's case, talking to the two detectives.

"Dr. Lopez," he called.

The pediatric abruptly stopped talking to the two detectives and looked at him. "Ah, good doctor! Just who I was looking for…."

Dr. Malik blinked at the odd way his colleague had just addressed him, but before he could say anything, Dr. Lopez continued, "It turns out that the detectives have received some recent news in regards to Mr. Masters and his son's case…"

"Oh?" Dr. Malik replied curiously.

"Come, let us go talk in private," the pediatrician replied pleasantly. "Meanwhile, the two officers are going to go have a word with the child services worker…"

"She is where again?" Officer Smith abruptly spoke up.

"Conference room D. Third floor," Dr. Malik replied slowly, looking over at the two officers. It was odd. One of them seemed confused and the other, the one who had asked the question, seemed a bit… zoned out.

But before he could say anything to the two officers, the older one suddenly blinked in acknowledgement and said calmly, "Thank you for the help, doctors. Have a pleasant day."

The elder officer suddenly walked off, while the younger one jolted and quickly followed after him, asking, "What's going on? What did you mean the case is closed?"

Dr. Malik frowned as the voices faded away, but he was now even more confused. However, he turned toward the hand that he now felt touching his shoulder.

"Shall we?" Dr. Lopez asked with a calm smile.

"…Yes…," Dr. Malik answered, and followed after the pediatrician.

The general doctor never noticed his colleague's eyes flash red for a brief second…

After heading up to the fourth floor, the two doctors stepped into Dr. Lopez's office.

Dr. Malik briefly noticed the other doctor lock the door after them before he asked, "So, what is this latest news on Vladimir and his son?"

"In short? They will be departing from this hospital today," Dr. Lopez replied calmly.

"Come again?" Dr. Malik quickly asked, startled by the sudden and bizarre information.

"I said, your patients are leaving today, and you will be signing them out," Dr. Lopez rephrased just as calmly as before.

"What?" Dr. Malik questioned all the same, but then he shook his head and said, "Dr. Lopez, you're not making any sense. Vladimir and Daniel cannot leave. The father went through surgery for serious factures! On top of that, the man had a really bad concussion! He even has partial amnesia! And don't get me started on his son! You, more than I, know that Daniel is nowhere close to being recovered enough to even contemplate letting him go home. Besides, the police would not allow it. No, absolutely not! What you are considering is madness!"

Dr. Lopez didn't reply this time and just stared back at him. But before Dr. Malik could say anything more, there was a flash of black light behind him and the startled general doctor whirled around.

There, standing in front of his desk, was his patient, Vladimir Masters.

"Mr. Masters?" Dr. Malik gasped.

Vlad sighed before saying seriously, "I do not expect you to understand…"

Dr. Malik jolted when two strong hands ceased him from behind; and he would have screamed if it wasn't for the fact that one of said hands had quickly moved up and covered his mouth.

"Mmmmh!" Dr. Malik cried, struggling to no avail against, who he now realized, was Dr. Lopez's hold—or, so he thought.

Vladimir slowly approached the alarmed doctor until he was standing face-to-face with him. "It's a shame, doctor…," he commented thoughtfully. "It's a shame that for every decent human being, there are a hundred wicked ones… Part of me used to believe there was hope for your kind…. Not anymore."

Dr. Malik froze in fear when he saw his patient's eyes turn blood red.

"But you have nothing to fear, good doctor," Vlad continued. "I will not harm you… and you will remember none of this. Even so, allow me to thank you for your services to my son and I, especially when I owe you my son's life. But I do require your help… just one last time."

"Mmhh!" Dr. Malik attempted to scream as the man in front of him suddenly turned into bright red energy and dove into his chest.

The doctor's eyes turned red and his body jolted as he briefly fought for control. But it was useless and he suddenly knew no more.

Vladimir studied his host's hand for a moment, moving it this way and that to make sure he met no resistance. Then, like he had done to Dr. Lopez and the older of the two police officers, he closed Dr. Malik's eyes and searched through his mind.

With his honed ability to overshadow other beings, he shifted through the human's memories, pulling out information and even inserting 'fake' memories as he thought fit. It took a lot of energy and mental power, but it was worth it. If all went well—and since he had done this many times before, he was sure it _would_ go well—Dr. Malik, Dr. Lopez, and Officer Smith would only feel a little woozy for an hour or so after he released them. They would have no recollection of any of this—and everything he was about to do, they would be completely convinced they had done on their own…

The plan was simple. He needed Dr. Lopez's memories and body to get a hold of all the information the hospital had on Daniel, including the medications he was being given. He needed to know the right doses of the medicines, too, and also what 'medical things' his son would need before he took him from this place.

Meanwhile, he would use Dr. Malik to fill out all the necessary paperwork and transactions for a medical release. Everything would be done by the book.

It was clean and simple—and would not raise any suspicions.

Finally, the older detective… that was a bit tricky, since Vladimir would have to later make sure to get the necessary paperwork to the police to make sure no one suspected anything.

But… the police would also be taking care of child services… Something that his third copy was making sure of right now…

* * *

The woman from child services stood up when he saw the two detectives come in.

"Hello, Mrs. Ross," the older man said, shaking her hand. "We have some news for you."

"Yes, it turns out that our department received the missing information in regards to Vladimir Masters' son," Officer Michaels said, though he sounded still slightly confused. Regardless, he trusted his more experienced partner and the older cop had explained enough to him on their way here to appease him for the moment.

The child services lady raised an eyebrow. "You mean the boy's birth records and the documents proving Mr. Masters recently brought him from Germany?"

"Correct," the older one answered. "Turns out the man was telling the truth. Daniel was born outside of the U.S. His mother died in Germany; and although she was indeed murdered, the one responsible was caught and imprisioned in Berlin. It is also true that the boy's father had recently been able to file the papers to get him to the U.S. under his legal name. But that's not all... We also received further news on Mr. Masters and his son's attack. Apparently, there was a witness. My department back at headquarters interviewed him and he said that the attack was a simple armed robbery assault."

"What? But I thought you said nothing was stolen from Mr. Masters," she replied with a frown.

Officer Smith nodded. "That's correct, but it's because the thieves did not get the chance. The eye-witness showed up and sounded the alarm. So, they were forced to flee without anything. I further was informed that this wasn't the first time there has been a brutal attack at the park. It seems these bandits have done this a few times in the past months, leaving their victims either brutally beaten or killed… It is certainly a problem, one a higher police division is currently investigating. But in regards to Mr. Masters…. I think you can understand what this means, yes?"

Mts. Ross nodded. "Yes, Mr. Masters is in the clear, then. I will need a full report on this sent to my office, so I can close this file at my own department, too."

The older officer nodded calmly. "Yes, you will get that file once I complete my report. But with this case closed, your services are no longer necessary. Thank you all the same for your time, Mrs. Ross."

Mrs. Ross frowned slightly, but then nodded. "Just doing my job, officers. Have a good day."

The two officers watched the woman leave before the youngest remarked, "This has got to be one of our more quick cases… I really thought Vladimir Masters was to blame for what happened to his kid…"

The older officer's eyes flashed red, but it went unnoticed by the younger cop. "Of course you did, Mathew. You're ignorant."

Officer Michaels quickly looked at his partner and blinked. "What?"

"I said, you're in need of some lunch," 'Officer Smith' replied. "Come. We have nothing more to do here."

"Uh, okay…" the younger detective replied.

And all the while, he remained unaware of the fact that his partner remained overshadowed by one of the Ghost King's copies…

* * *

Vladimir rubbed at his aching head. It took almost the whole day to get his clones to do everything necessary to get him and his son out of this place.

He had planned to release the cop with his departure from the hospital, but he thought better of it. It was best to see this through to make sure no one suspected anything. Of course, it was simple to conjure up the paperwork for his cover up within the police station. In fact, he had gone as far as already creating a false birth certificate, naming him as Daniel's father and everything else he had told child services. All he needed now was to alter his son's real birth record in the database and all would be complete.

It had been a tedious and difficult plan, but it was the most effective way to get the police away from him and his son.

Once his clone had finished at the police department, he had released the detective from his overshadowing; and the human was so dizzy, he had opted to go home early. But the cop was none the wiser, and Vladimir knew the officer would be sure he had indeed closed his case and think nothing of it the next day…

Meanwhile, at the hospital, his other clones had been just as occupied with the doctors. In fact, that was probably what was giving Vlad such a massive headache now.

Having to dig through the doctors' memories and absorb enough of their knowledge to take care of his son once they parted from the hospital was no easy task—especially when he wasn't at full strength yet.

Nevertheless, everything was coming along well. In fact, it only took another hour to finish Vladimir's business with Dr. Lopez, which included, among other things, 'convincing' the pediatric doctor to write discharge orders and prescriptions for his son. Now that the Ghost King was satisfied, it was time to release his control over Dr. Lopez. And once Vlad did, the doctor, much like the detective, looked somewhat confused with trying to both shake his dizziness and put his blurry thoughts together. But since that only made him dizzier, he suddenly wanted to go home and just left Vlad and his son alone.

Vladimir knew he couldn't completely erase his record of being at the hospital with his son because that would raise suspicions. So, he had the doctors 'determine' that his son was in a coma due to a head injury and that there was nothing more they could do for him, and so, were sending him home.

As for Vlad himself, it was even simpler. A real report from the lab department had come in, revealing his concussion was completely healed. And though he was sure the doctors would be amazed by how quickly he recovered if they ever looked at the report again, it would not be questioned. The doctors would agree that his bones could 'heal at home', so there was no other reason to keep him here. Of course, they didn't know Vlad's injuries had all but fully healed by now, thanks to his regenerative core energy. And, of course, his ghost half's immune system was far superior to humans, so _physical_ injuries were usually not a big deal for him…

With one last clone still overshadowing Dr. Malik, Vladimir knew it was almost time to leave. He was just waiting for the nurse to come in and do the usual procedures…

He didn't wait long.

"Hello, Mr. Masters. I am the evening nurse for today. And I hear you and your son are going home…"

Vladimir calmly nodded. "Yes, that's correct."

She smiled, but it was more sympathetic this time as she further said, "I'm sorry about your son…"

The nurse knew that the only way a coma patient was allowed to be taken home was if the doctor believed the person had no hope left, and so allowed the family to take said person home. Of course, it would require a lot of money to care for that person. But she had heard that this man was a millionaire, so it didn't surprise her all that much that he was willing to pay for home-care and all of the other necessities at his home.

Vladimir nodded at the woman's sympathy before he glanced over at his son.

"Do not lose hope, though. Perhaps being at home will allow him to recover and maybe come out of his coma… ," she added with more encouragement. But not giving the man any time to reply, she changed the subject and said, "Well, let me remove that IV before the doctor comes in with the release papers..."

* * *

By the time everything was set, it was late evening. The sun was setting as the helicopter Vlad had called for landed at the top of the hospital.

With the help of the staff, Danny was placed into the copter: bed, IV, and all.

Vlad walked over to the still overshadowed doctor and shook his hand. But as he did, he discreetly absorbed his clone back into him, releasing the human from his power.

The doctor let out a small gasp and wobbled back a bit, but Vladimir held his hand tighter, keeping him balanced.

"Easy, good doctor," Vladimir said with a small smile. "Thank you for your help once again."

The doctor looked very dazed, but he blinked as he tried to focus his mind. But his memory was still very fuzzy. Then, realizing he was being addressed, he nodded and muttered, "Yes, it's my pleasure."

The slightest smirk curled Vladimir's lips before he released the doctor's hand and turned away, getting into the helicopter himself.

The nurse then walked over to Dr. Malik and said, "Doctor, we should get off the pad now so the helicopter can leave."

"What?" he asked, but when she stared strangely at him, he gripped his spinning head and nodded. "Yes, right…"

He followed her off the pad and through the door. But he paused as he turned back around and looked out the small window in the door as he watched the helicopter's rotator turn on. He couldn't figure out why he was disoriented, but he wasn't as bothered as he should probably be. He wasn't sure of much right now, but he was sure of one thing: the man he had just shook hands with was truly grateful to him. And it wasn't just because he said it, but… there was this feeling inside him, as if he had somehow _felt_ that man's gratitude.

"Godspeed… Vladimir," he muttered, finally recalling his patient's name…

Meanwhile, Vlad took a deep breath as everything finally came to its end. He was so weak from all he had done, but he had succeeded in his purpose. Still, even when he had managed to come out of that current dilemma, he had several more problems ahead, ones he did not even want to think about right now. All he cared about was finding a way to help his son…

"Sir? Where do you wish to go?" the pilot asked.

Vladimir glanced at his pilot. Being who he was, he had human servants, too. But he always kept them 'on-call', only contacting them when he was in need of their services. His pilot, who was also his driver, was one of those 'temporary human hires.'

Vladimir looked back at his son, and as he pushed back his child's black hair from his face, he finally answered, "Colorado, Jim. Take us to my chalet at the Rockies…"

* * *

**So, I'm sure you are all wondering what will happen with poor Danny. But just bear with me. We are surprisingly still on the first arch of this story, and it deals mainly on Vlad's charcater—if you haven't noticed already. ) But no worries. This story only has three archs, so it's not like CM. heheh. Still, they are long and complicated archs. And for this first one, I need a few more things to happen to Vladdie before I close this arc. But I think you all will 'like' it.**

**Anyways, I want to thank you all for your patience and support. Also, for your kind reviews. I don't have much time to reply individually anymore, though I wish I could. But, know I greatly appriciate your reviews and thoughts. And, of course, if I get a bit of time on my hand, I'll reply.**

**Well, that's enough for now. Expect that one-shot next. Vlad muse is very happy to be back to writing, so he's on a writing rampage! haha!**

**Ta for now!**


	37. Chapter 35: The Price of Hope

**Hello all! Back to DoaS again! I did say it would take priority over Endgame. So, here we are.**

**I just want to clarify something before you guys start reading. I have already said this, but I continue to get messages and comments about it. People keep saying Sam's father's name is Jeremy. Well, if you don't know by now, that is NOT true. Sam's father's name was only mentioned once on the show, and it was in Control Freak, and Jack calls him _Thurston._ As for Sam's mom, her name was never given and neither was her grandmother's. Now, you may ask where the name Jeremy and Pamela came from then? Well, there's this site called wikepedia that people just love taking as 'fact'. Let me tell you right now that everything added on that site is written by 'normal' people; so anyone can go in there and add something as 'fact', when it is not. The fans over time have decided to name Sam's parents Jeremy and Pamela. But that's not fact. And although I have no problem sticking to the names that most fans recognze them by, I won't do it if it contradicts the show. So, I am sticking to Sam's dad's name being _Thruston,_ because it's what the show said. But to make it easier for those use to 'Jeremy', I have his name being Thurston Jeremy Manson; and he's nickname's Jeremy. Kay? **

**Anyways, hope you all remember what happened last chapter; Vlad and Danny are now at the Rockies. Things are still chaotic in the Ghost World; and Tom's still making schemes to take down the ghost race. But in the last chapter, with the help of the Fentons, he discovered Danny's core energy has regenerative properties and it reacts to both humans and ghosts...**

**Onward, then.**

* * *

**Chapter 35: The Price of Hope**

* * *

With all that Skulker had in hands and on his mind these past few days, he had not been able to go see his niece. Not only that, but he didn't want Ember to see or feel how stressed out he was. Of course, Dora had kept him up-to-date on her recovery; and last night, Skulker had been greatly relieved to learn from his fiancée that his niece was doing a lot better. In fact, Anĝela released her to go back home, and just gave Dora some medications for the little girl ghost.

But Skulker had made the decision of bringing Ember to his home. It had been late at night, so she had been asleep when he brought her to his lair.

It was now morning of the next day, and Skulker decided to finally face his niece again.

He walked to his guest room where he had put her to rest last night, and then quietly entered. He was surprised when he saw his niece was awake. But she was still on the bed, hugging her knees and looking quietly at her toes. There was a sober expression on her face, one no child should ever have.

"Ember?" Skulker called softly when he realized she did not even notice his entrance.

The happiness in her eyes when she looked up at him was as extinguished as her flaming blue hair. And yet, at the sight of him, a bit of hopefulness came to her voice as she whispered, "Uncle…"

Skulker smiled and walked over to his niece. As soon as he sat down, she threw herself into his embrace and just buried her head in his metal-plated abdomen. She didn't seem to mind though because she just whimpered and gripped at him like her life depended on it.

Skulker sighed. "I know this is hard, Ember. But I promise everything will be alright. I am going to take care of you, child."

"But I'll never see my mommy and daddy again!" she whimpered. "I miss my mommy and daddy! I **want** my mommy and daddy back!"

Skulker said nothing as his niece began to cry loudly. He didn't know how to consol her. How could he when his own grief… and _hate_ were consuming him? But he had to stay strong—at least on the outside—for his niece's sake.

"Shush now," he said gently, placing a hand on her back and rubbing it. "I know you want them back, but sometimes unfair things happen, Ember. And it makes us very sad, but your parents are not gone, child. They will always be with you. They will always watch over you. And you know what else?"

Ember sniffled, pulled her face from her uncle's body and stared at him with puffy eyes. "W-What?" she whimpered.

Skulker forced a warm smile on his face as he replied, "They don't want you to be sad, Ember. They want you to be happy again. _I _want you to be happy again, child."

Ember rubbed at her eyes as she tried to quiet her sobs. But then with a choked voice, she replied, "You miss them, too, Uncle Skulker?"

The hunter's eyebrows creased with sadness as he nodded back and shakily replied, "Y-Yes, child. I do miss them. I wish they were here to tell me how to make you happy again."

Ember hugged her uncle again. "Don't leave me, okay? I love you, Uncle Skulker. And I don't want you to leave me, too!"

"I won't, Ember," he answered, hugging her back. "I told you, I am going to take care of you, child. You are my priority from now on."

Ember sniffed some more for a few more minutes, but then suddenly, she whispered in a more resentful voice, "I know who killed my mommy and daddy…"

Skulker instantly tensed, but then pulled his niece away from him to look at her. "What did you say?"

Ember suddenly glared down at the bed she was sitting on, and repeated, "I know who killed them. I know who did it."

Skulker's eyes widened in shock. Had his niece seen Aragon's son kill her parents?

"You… You saw…?" was all he dared to ask.

Ember's eyes filled with more tears as she shook her head. "I saw him attack Daddy. He hurt him. And then I didn't see daddy again. And I heard Mommy screaming and I saw him again… and then she was gone, too." Suddenly, she looked up at Skulker and asked, "Did you see him, too, uncle? Did you see him hurt my mommy and daddy?"

Skulker searched his niece's eyes; and by her words, he concluded she had not witnessed the actual death of her parents, but had seen _who_ had attacked them. But he had to be sure.

"Ember, the humans attacked you and your parents," he answered carefully.

Ember nodded, and said with quiet anger, "Yeah, but I saw him hurting them, too! _He_ killed them."

"Who is 'him', Ember?" Skulker reluctantly pressed himself to ask.

Ember whimpered before choking out, "Danny's dragon friend! It was him! I saw him! He hurt my daddy and mommy! He killed them! **Elliot** killed them!"

She suddenly broke into loud sobs again, but Skulker was frozen in place. Her niece knew the truth, except she was blaming Aragon's other son instead of the one that disappeared six years ago. He had preferred for her not to know the truth and just believe her parents were killed by the humans; but she did know—at least enough to know one of Aragon's sons was responsible.

He was tempted to correct his niece and explain to her she was blaming the wrong dragon; but he resisted the urge. She was too troubled and young to understand right now. He knew he would be forced to tell her when she was older; but for now, he knew talking about this was only going to make matters worse.

"Don't worry, Ember…," Skulker muttered, hugging her again. "No sin in our world or the other goes without punishment." But then he added darkly to himself, _"I __**will**__ make sure of it."_

* * *

Horris flew with purpose towards Clockwork's abode. It had been a couple of days since Skulker had told him about the location of the King and Prince.

And it had been just as long since he had learned the truth…

How? How could Vlad—the child he had watched over and cared for like a son—keep something so significant from him? Didn't he trust him? Didn't Vlad see how serious it was that he kept this from him?

And worse, Vlad wasn't the only one who had kept quiet…

"Clockwork!" Horris called sternly as he reached the Clock Tower and entered without knocking.

He found the Time Master standing next to his Viewing Orb; but clearly, the time ghost had known he would be arriving since he had already turned and was looking right at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Horris demanded almost angrily. "Why would you permit Vlad to keep something like this from me?"

Clockwork turned into an old man and spoke with a tired voice, "I did not want to interfere with his decisions. And… I knew you would find out eventually."

Horris rubbed his temple within his hood, showing he was more troubled than angry. "He should have told me. He should have known I would understand! He should have known I would have kept his son's secret just as I have kept his!"

"He was protecting his child, Horris," Clockwork replied. "It is all he has been trying to do. You must also understand his position. If the council—if the kingdom—finds out…"

"That is exactly the problem!" Horris exclaimed. "I think there is no choice now! If he would have told me before, maybe I could resolve things differently, but now… "

"There are some things that cannot be prevented," Clockwork answered when the Ancient trailed off.

Horris was quiet for a moment; but then looking at the time ghost with troubled eyes, he softly begged, "I want to see them. Let me see them, Clockwork."

Clockwork sighed, but he nodded and turned to his Viewing Orb. He raised his staff at it, and with a swirl of blue energy, an image appeared within the orb. It was of Vlad sitting beside Danny, who was lying on a bed. Both were currently human.

Horris sighed and shook his head. It was even worse to confirm with his eyes what Skulker had told him.

"Since that… _condition_ fell upon Vlad, I had been afraid it would have future consequences… that it would keep him from forming a child," the Ancient spoke softly. "It was why I had insisted so much that he formed one. I insisted so that if it were true, he would be forced to tell me."

The Ancient raised his hand to the orb as he continued. "But then the Prince was formed, and I was at ease, because I was sure that my fear was unfounded…."

Clockwork said nothing. He knew all Skulker had told the Ancient. He had told him everything but the fact that Danny was not truly Vlad's son. Clockwork understood the hunter's reasons for keeping it from the Ancient. And Clockwork knew he would have done the same as Skulker if he had been in his position.

"But now… I see my fears were true to some extent…," Horris said sadly. "Vlad's condition… it has _carried_ into his own son. Maybe _it is_ a curse…"

"Horris," Clockwork spoke up at last. "We both know that's not true. We both know _the truth._ It was never Pariah's spell on his crown and ring which turned Vlad half-human. That curse had been meant to kill him. We both know it was his own mother's _counter-spell_ that turned him human."

Horris nodded. "She had known of the curse; but since she knew she could not undo it, she countered it with another spell. It was the only thing she could do… the only way to protect her son in case he ever took the throne."

"I know why you have not told Vlad, Horris," Clockwork said. "You saw how hard it was for him to accept what he had become. So, you were afraid he might resent his mother, so you kept it from him. You feared the truth would harm him further, so you have let him believe even till today that his condition was his uncle's doing."

"Why are you reminding me of this? Why does it matter now?" Horris asked, his voice tired and distressed.

"It matters, Horris," Clockwork assured him seriously. "And I am to remind you of it so that you may understand. If you have kept something so significant from him, then _you_ should understand _why_ Vlad had kept the truth about his son from you. He's afraid for his son—just as you were—_and still are_— afraid for him."

Horris quietly nodded, realizing the time ghost was right. He could not be angry at Vlad for this; but he was still hurt by it. If only that was the extent of it…

"I do not know what to do, Clockwork," Horris whispered anxiously. "Vlad refuses to return without his son, and the council is in a panic. It won't be long before rumors spread and the Kingdom begins to question the King's absence. And if those humans attempt to invade or attack now, there will be mass hysteria, Clockwork. Our entire world is hanging by a thread, and the council knows this, too. They are awaiting a decision—an action."

He paused for a moment before adding soberly, "The only thing that will stop them from taking matters into their own hands is the truth. But if I reveal the truth… if I tell them their King and future King are… _half-human_… it could be as disastrous as having the humans enter our world. It could mean the end of the kingdom—then the end of our social and economic structure. The end of all balance. And then… the entire Ghost World will be destroyed."

"It seems your choices are limited, Horris," Clockwork said soberly. But raising an eyebrow, he added, "Perhaps there is a way to speak the truth without it spiraling out of control?"

And used to the time ghost's cryptic way of speaking, Horris nodded in understanding. He looked back at the Viewing Orb, and watched the scene of the father and son still on it. The Ghost World really was doomed without the King…. And by the looks of it, he was not coming back any time soon.

"Where are they, Clockwork?" Horris asked soberly, making up his mind on his next course of action.

"A place known as the Rockies," Clockwork replied.

"Alright," Horris said. He looked seriously at the time ghost before commanding, "Summon the Observant Leaders."

* * *

"Skulker?" Dora called as she walked towards him. He had been outside watching his niece. She was sitting with the baby phoenix by a small brook in the near distance.

The hunter turned his head a bit as his fiancée placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled weakly at her before looking back at Ember.

"How is Cujo?" Skulker suddenly asked soberly.

Dora sighed. "He is out of danger, but recovering. Do not fret, Skulker. He will survive. But… how are _you_, my brave warrior?"

"Brave warrior…," Skulker repeated quietly. He shook his head. "I am no such thing—not when I failed to protect those that mattered." His eyebrows creased as he asked with a hint of desperation, "What am I going to do with my niece, Dora? How could I possibly raise her as well as her parents? How will I ever replace the warmth and love Ghostwriter and Lydia gave her?"

"Their presence is irreplaceable," Dora replied sadly, but added more hopefully, "However, love is something you_ and I_ can give her. We will make sure she never is without it, Skulker."

Skulker looked at Dora, but there was uncertainty in his eyes. He knew he had a very important decision to make… and as the days passed, he was beginning to realize what it truly meant… There were sacrifices he would have to make…

"Dora…," Skulker began, a pained tone in his voice as he turned and grabbed her hands in his. However, before he could continue, a red sphere of light suddenly flew right past him.

Dora gasped in surprise. But just as quickly, the sphere turned back around; and this time, Skulker raised his hands and caught it just as it came to him.

"What in the world?" Dora whispered as Skulker slowly opened his cupped hands and revealed a glowing red metallic beetle. "What is that?"

"Plasmius," Skulker answered, a small hopeful smile curling his lips. "This is how he communicates with me when he is in the Human World. This is a man-made device made to look like an earthly bug. It's one of his inventions; but they are powered by his energy, so until they stop, they just look like ghostly creatures."

The little beetle's antennae twitched towards Skulker, and identifying him as the ghost it was programmed to seek out, its wings expanded again and under it was a small compartment. It soon opened, revealing a folded note within.

Skulker pulled it out and quickly read it.

"What does it say?" Dora asked when she realized it was written in Human Speech, which she did not know how to read.

"The Prince…," Skulker replied seriously. "He needs help."

* * *

In spite of all that had happened a couple of days ago, Tom had not forgotten his personal problems with his sister and her family. After all, Pamela had not been very happy with him when, _coincidently_, his niece had been present the day he had captured the Queen and Prince. That had certainly been a mess.

But although his work did come first, he would have preferred to avoid putting his niece in harm's way if he could have helped it. True, he really hadn't shown as if he cared when he had been in his 'work mode' at that particular time, but underneath, he had been concerned about his niece and sister. After all, they were all the family Tom had around here.

So, even though he was still very busy, he decided to finally take the time to visit them and apologize about what had happened.

Walking up to the large mansion in the richest part of Amity Park, Tom scoffed. He still remembered the day his sister went off and married that haughty idiot, Thruston—or, as most people called him, 'Jeremy'. If anything good came out of their marrying, it was that the moron was loaded—and, of course, the birth of his niece. At least his sister was well taken care of in the economical sense**.**

Thomas smirked at his next sudden thought. It was a good thing Jeremy's brother had died. Otherwise, his brother-in-law's inheritance would have had been split two ways… And Tom couldn't have had his sister lose half of that fortune… Sure, Jeremy's mother was still alive, but she posed no threat since she was an old hag and had already signed off Jeremy as sole owner of 'Manson and Manson Enterprise…'

As for himself, Tom was interested in something more than mere money. After all, _with power_ came everything else…

Feeling some satisfaction at the thought, he smiled calmly and finally knocked on the door. He was soon greeted by one of the servants.

"Good day, Mr. Chrome. Are you looking for Mrs. Manson?"

"Yes, Jobson," Tom replied calmly. "Is she home?"

"Indeed, sir. Come in. I'll let her know you are here," the butler replied.

Tom nodded and stepped in. As soon as Jobson excused himself, the Guy-in-White leader removed his sunglasses and looked around the foyer. As always, his sister and brother-in-law had the most expensive things. They were such snobs that it was a surprise they even still lived in this wash-down town…

"Thomas, it's about time you showed up…" But whatever else Pamela had been about to say was obviously forgotten when she _saw_ her brother….

The ghost hunter turned to look at his sister as she walked in. As usual, she was wearing a prissy pink dress to match her impeccably styled hair and perfectly manicured nails.

"Pamela!" Tom replied with a bright smile, ignoring how his sister's displeased frown had instantly melded into a look of shock and worry over his 'new' look. Of course, he expected her reaction. She had not seen him in a few days, and he had only changed his appearance since last night...

"Tom…," she finally gasped out. "What in the world—?"

"Yes, I know. It's different," he purposely interrupted her, and dismissed what he knew would be the beginning of an annoying interrogation on his sister's part. And hoping to avoid that, he quickly walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek before pleasantly asking, "How are you?"

At first, the woman was too surprised and upset at the way he looked to respond—especially when she knew he had purposely cut her off to avoid answering the obvious question. Still, she wasn't going to let him get away with that.

Placing her hands on her hips, she looked pointedly at him as she replied, "Now _even more_ upset with you, Tom. Not only do you rudely interrupt me, but you're also trying to avoid telling me about your new 'fashion statement.' But more importantly, you are brushing off my concern! What happened to your face? I noticed it in the park when I last saw you, but I didn't think… Is it permanent?" she asked, uncertainty returning to her face.

"Yeah, it is…," he muttered, but then he shook his head and said with a bit more annoyance, "But in any case, it's not important. We can talk about that later. I think there's more pressing matters to discuss than my 'fashion statement'."

Pamela's face scrunched up in irritation this time, not missing how he rolled his eyes as he mocked her choice of words. She hated it when he tried to avoid talking about things like this; but she hated even more when he acted like she was _overreacting_ to those things he didn't want to talk about.

"Then, let's first discuss said _pressing matters_, Thomas," she replied tersely. "Let me tell you the main reason why I'm upset with you. You endanger the life of your own niece and don't bother showing up until five days later—though now I see it took that long for you to give yourself a questionable makeover!"

"Cut me some slack, Pam," Tom replied with his own frown, ignoring her barb. "Things have been crazy around here. Someone's gotta protect the citizens of this town, and it happens to be me."

"Yes, Yes. I know your 'little ghost hunting job' is picking up again, but you still could have at least called!" she reprimanded. "And speaking of all that, what's going on? Are we under a ghost invasion, because if we are, perhaps it's best that…"

"Relax," Thomas cut her off again upon seeing the fear in his sister's face. "I'm taking care of it. The ghosts have been trying to attack again, but thanks to my 'little ghost hunting job' we've been able to keep them at bay. And soon we'll have them completely eliminated."

Pamela sighed. "I suppose I should give you more credit… It's just that… for the longest time, I thought this whole thing with 'ghosts' was ridiculous… There was a point I didn't even believe they existed. But now… seeing how I could have lost my little Sammy to those evil creatures…"

"It's why I'm here," Tom assured her with a smile. "I was worried about my niece. How is she?"

Pamela sighed before replying, "Come on. I'll explain everything in the parlor over a cup of tea."

Tom nodded and followed his sister further into the mansion. But as they neared the area, the eldest Mrs. Manson rolled into the same hall on her scooter.

The woman tensed at seeing Tom present, and noticing it, he smirked and greeted her, "Hello, Millie. How are you?"

The woman frowned and answered coolly. "I was better…" But she then raised an eyebrow and asked, "What in good heavens happened to your face?"

Tom replied a bit sharply, "Work accident."

"Some accident…," the eldest woman answered uncertainly. "Did you lose your hair, too?"

"Mother!" Pamela exclaimed in disapproval.

"I'm just wondering," she defended herself.

"No, I actually shaved my hair off," Tom replied, suppressing his annoyance. "I felt like giving myself a new look."

"Yeah… You need to work on that," Millie replied, but when she saw her daughter-in-law open her mouth to protest, she sweetly smiled and flippantly said, "But what do I know about modern styles now-a-days? So, lighten up! I'm sure women are into bald guys with scars on their faces… Maybe you'll get married at last."

Tom narrowed his eyes a bit, while Pam placed a hand against her forehead in helplessness.

Millie mischievously smiled and innocently quipped, "Oh, I was just kidding! You know how old women are! We have to get our kicks somehow! But I'm sure you two have lots to talk about, so I'll just be on my way."

"Well, we were about to have tea in the parlor. Why don't you join us?" Pamela asked.

"No, no, dearie," she said quickly. But then realizing she had dismissed it too fast, she causally shrugged and added, "I'm a bit tired. Thank you, though."

"Alright," Pamela answered with a small frown. She then watched the elder woman ride off, turning towards the hallways leading to her room.

"Why do you call her 'mother'? She isn't your mother, Pam," Thomas said, annoyed.

"Well, of course, Tom. But you know how much I care for Millie. She's lived with us for a while now, and Sammy loves her."

"I'd ship her off to a nursing home if I were you," Tom muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Thomas!" Pam scolded, slapping his shoulder. "Stop that. You know I would never do that."

"I know. But I could always do it for you…," Tom answered with a small smirk.

Pamela shook her head. "You're impossible sometimes. Come on."

Thomas chuckled and continued to follow his sister. They soon came to a cozy living room, and Pam ordered her butler to bring them tea and cookies. As they settled into the plush chairs and waited for the butler to return Tom began to tell her a bit more about what happened at that day of 'the invasion'…

But Pamela was more interested in a previous topic.

However, just before she could ask what was on her mind, her butler returned along with one of her maids. Tom fell quiet as they placed the tea and cookies on the table between them.

Once the servants left, he continued, while Pam reached over and began to pour tea into two cups.

"As I was saying, we managed to apprehend almost all of them at the pier; and we caught them all at the park. And, of course, we dealt with those creatures accordingly. Clearly, they were targeting the innocent by attempting an attack at the park," Tom coolly lied, knowing that it had just been coincidence the Prince had ended up at the park of all places. "What we are trying to investigate now is the odd earthquake and the opening of all those portals…"

But Pam just nodded; and unable to keep quiet anymore, she hesitantly asked, "Exactly what happened to your face, Tom? …It looks _much_ better than days ago, but… it has left such terrible scars on your face…"

Tom sighed as he reached up to his face and touched one of the four claw marks running down one side of his face from his eye to his ear.

"It was a ghost. It caught me off guard. But don't worry. I killed the little beast," Tom replied a bit darkly.

"See? That's another reason I don't like your job," Pamela said with a sigh, lowering the tea pot. "It is _so dangerous._ That horrid creature could have killed you, Tom! And… I don't know what I would do if something would ever happen to you."

Thomas reached forward and grabbed his sister's unoccupied hand. He gave it a squeeze as he assured her, "You don't need to worry about me, Pam. I've been doing this for a long time. Yeah, there's some risk, but I've learned to watch my back. I just wish for the safety of the people, mostly you and my niece."

She smiled warmly before she carefully reached forward and touched his scarred face. "You really are a selfless man, Tom. I don't like what you do, but I'm still proud of you." She pulled away before offering her brother one of the steaming teacups. As he accepted it with a quick 'thanks', she studied the claw marks on his face a bit more carefully, and then said with slight confusion, "You know, I'm amazed your injuries healed so fast."

Tom took a sip of tea before lowering it back on the table. He shrugged lightly and replied, "I used this new… healing ointment…. Works miracles…."

"Hmm. But, really, did you have to shave your hair off as well?" Pam asked, her eyes on her tea as she added sugar to it.

Getting annoyed, Tom quickly changed topics, "Where's your husband?"

"At work," she replied with a small smile. She knew when her brother wanted to drop a subject, and she decided to respect that this time. "He should be home any minute, though."

"Uh-huh. And Sammy?" the hunter further asked, grabbing a cookie.

Pamela instantly deflated and lowered her gaze. "In her room…. She's been very upset since that day, Tom. I don't know what to do. I have had to force her to attend her piano rehearsals and vocal classes. I even told her she could go visit that common boy, Tucker. But she refused. She only lets him come over, but she doesn't even want to go play outside! I'm worried for my daughter, Thomas. It's not normal for a six-year-old to isolate herself like that, which is why I need to know what happened to her that day! She kept crying for two days how you killed her friend!"

Tom frowned deeply. "I arrived just seconds before you did, Pam. But from what my commander told me, Sammy was with the very ghost that did this to my face. Those creatures are deceitful and malignant, Pamela. They probably did something to Sammy to confuse her."

"Oh my gosh! Do you think it's permanent? Should I take her to the doctor?" Pamela instantly questioned in a panic.

"Calm down, Pamela," Tom quickly said. He picked up his tea again before adding, "That ghost is dead; so anything it could have done to Samantha is gone, too. I'm sure she's just a bit traumatized." He took a sip of tea before adding with a smile, "Perhaps I should go talk to her. I'm sure I could get rid of any confusion that's troubling her."

Pamela instantly perked up. "Oh, please, Tom! I'm just so worried about her!"

"Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be fine, and I'll check her over for any spectral contaminants just in case," Tom assured her with a comforting smile.

But seeing her brother put down his tea and stand up, Pam quickly said, "Wait. Why don't you finish your tea, first? Then, we'll go see, Sammy-kins."

"It's fine. My niece comes, first. I'll be right back. There's some other things I need to talk to you about." But seeing his sister move to stand up, he quickly added, "And if it's okay with you, I would rather go see her alone. It'll be better that way."

"Well, alright," Pam answered, slightly put out that she couldn't go listen to what Tom said to her daughter. But then she smiled and added, "You know the way, right?"

"Of course I do," Thomas answered with a smirk. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes…" He turned and headed out of the parlor. He then headed down two halls before taking some stairs. Finally, one more hallway and he came to his niece's bedroom.

"Sammy?" Tom called, knocking on the door before going in. The room was so pink and bright that it almost hurt to look at it. There was also a large collection of dolls and proper little girl toys. Honestly, his niece's room looked like a life-size doll house. Tom knew, though, that this was his sister's doing. His niece never seemed all that interested in her toys and how her room looked. She was more hands on in her activities, much to Pamela's dislike.

So, it was of no surprise to the hunter when he quickly spotted his niece on the ground, drawing. But the instant her purple eyes locked on him, the marker fell out of her hand.

"Uncle Tom," she whispered in surprise, but then it quickly left her and she suddenly glared at him.

Thomas pouted teasingly. "Aw, Sammy. Why the look?"

"What did you do with Danny?" she demanded, getting to her feet and fisting her hands on her sides. If it wasn't for her pink little dress, she would almost look intimidating.

"Danny?" the ghost hunter repeated back in brief confusion. But suddenly remembering that was the Prince's real name, Tom raised a surprised eyebrow. Just how much time had her niece spent with that little demon? Clearly, enough to know his name…

Tom didn't like the fact.

He walked further into the room and then sat on his niece's bed. He watched as she turned to face him, an angry look still on her face.

The ghost hunter almost smiled. His niece was so cute when she tried to look angry. Still, he resisted the urge, knowing she wouldn't appreciate being teased right now**.**

"Look, Sammy," Tom began more seriously, only to be cut off.

"My name's _Sam_," she corrected him, crossing her arms.

"You're name's Samantha," Tom answered, raising an eyebrow again.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to be called that anymore! I like Sam now," she snapped.

"Uh…," he replied, for once not knowing how to respond. He shook his head, and calmly said, "Anyways, I came to talk with you about what happened at the park a few days ago. What were you doing near those ghosts, huh? You know what I told you about those creatures."

"You said they're evil and can kill me," Samantha replied back with a frown. But then she added in protest, "But that's not true! I met one! Danny's good, Uncle! He was nice and—and he was my friend!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Samantha," Tom scolded. "That's what they make you think. He was probably distracting you for the bigger ghosts to come and hurt you. Could you imagine how distraught your parents would be if that had happened? Do you know how upset _I _would be? It's certainly a good thing my men came at the time they did."

Sam fell quiet, her glare falling into an uncertain look. She wanted to know something, but she was afraid of the answer. But she just _had_ to know…

"Uncle? Did… Did you kill him? Did you kill… Danny?" she asked quietly.

"Sammy," Thomas answered, rolling his eyes. "Of course I did. He was an evil ghost."

Samantha's bottom lip began to quiver, and seeing that, Tom quickly stood up and said, "Oh, don't cry, Sammy."

But she began to sob all the same. In fact, she was so upset she didn't even protest when her uncle scooped her up in his arms.

"He was just a ghost, Sammy," Tom said gently, rubbing her back.

"B-But he was good!" she cried out, though she buried her face into her uncle's neck. "He was nice. He was _my friend!"_

Tom sighed before he walked over to the bed and sat down with his niece. He then pulled her away from him as he said more seriously, "Samantha, look at me. Do you see my face?"

Sam nodded, though she continued to cry.

"Your so-called 'friend' did this to my face." And seeing her eyes widened with the news, he added, "Now, tell me, could that ghost have been good? He attacked me, Sammy, and he would have done the same to you if given the chance."

Samantha looked torn for a moment, but she vigorously shook her head. "No, he… You probably did something to him, and it's why he hurt you!" she accused, a weak glare returning to her face.

"Sammy, I did what I had to do," he answered with a frown. "_Ghosts are evil_. They're the bad guys. And me?" He smiled. "I'm the good guy—_the hero._ Do you understand that? I do what I do for the good of people. And whether you think that ghost was your friend or not, it had to go, because it was a threat to everyone. Trust me, Sammy. I know best. Besides, you know how much I love you, right?" He wiped away her tears with a hand, and added gently, "I would have preferred not to hurt you like this if I could have helped it. But this is just how things played out… Now, come on, cheer up. And don't be mad at me anymore. It breaks my heart, Sammy."

Samantha sniffed a bit, but didn't reject her uncle when he pressed her closer to him in a hug. She felt more tears prickle against her eyes, but she rubbed them away with her hand.

"Now…," Tom began, pulling away from his niece. "I told your mother I would check you for any spectral contaminants. So, if you could just hold still for me…"

Sam frowned when her uncle pulled out of his pocket some device that looked like an instrument tuner, only bigger.

"If there's any kind of ghost energy close by, it's going to pick it up," he explained.

But hearing that, Sam's eyes widened for some reason and she abruptly pushed off her uncle's lap. "There's no ghost stuff here! I'm okay now! I am!"

Tom startled a bit with her niece's sudden reaction. "I'm sure, Sammy. After all, you appear fine and it's been a few days since your encounter with those evil ghosts. But your mother… Well, you know how paranoid she is."

Sammy pouted as she answered, "Can't you just tell her I'm okay? I want to finish my drawing. Please, Uncle Tom!"

Thomas stared at his niece's beautiful purple eyes, and unable to resist her pleading look, he smiled warmly and replied, "I suppose… only if you give me a kiss, though."

Sam smiled and quickly jumped back on her uncle's lap to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You're such a sweet girl, Sammy," Tom told her, still smiling. "You have no idea how much I love you, darling."

Sam frowned a bit, but replied, "I love you, too, uncle." It was true. She did, but… he also scared her….

Tom patted her head before lowering her back to the ground and standing up. "Well, I'll let you continue your masterpiece," he teased. "And don't worry. I'll talk to your mother for you. But I don't want to hear that you're hiding up in your room. You need to do what your mom wants and go out and play, too, _alright?" _

Seeing the stern look on his face, Sam nodded and replied, "Okay, Uncle."

"Good girl," Tom said approvingly. "I have to get back to your mom. But I'll come by this weekend and we can go get ice-cream at that place you like."

Sam just smiled back and nodded. She then waved as her uncle left. But once he was gone, she let out a loud sigh. She then quickly ran over to her door and locked it before looking towards her dresser. She frowned sadly as she slowly walked over to it. But instead of opening a drawer, she got on her hands and knees and reached under the dresser. She pulled out a small box.

She felt her eyes begin to water as she opened it. She pulled out some pictures from her camera. She always liked to print out her favorite pictures she took with her digital camera. And her latest print-outs she had put in her small box because they were the ones she had taken at the park with Tucker _that_ day…

Sammy stared sadly at the pictures of the scared ghost boy with green eyes caught by her camera. But she then placed them aside, and stared at the other item in her box.

She reached towards it and brushed her fingers against it, seeing how it slightly reacted to her touch. It was Danny's necklace with the blue ice gem—the one his mother had given him…

Sam did not know how it was still in one piece after being stepped on and crushed by one of her uncle's men. But she was glad she had spotted it in the snow and grabbed it before her uncle's men could stop her.

Still, Samantha didn't know much about ghosts, but she had been around her uncle enough to know the dim glow of the necklace and gem was produced by something called ghost energy. So, she had known if her uncle had used his instrument, it would have picked up the necklace's energy. And Sam did not want anyone taking her friend's necklace from her. The picture and this was all she now had to remember him by…

Sadly, it didn't glow as brightly as when Danny had been wearing it, but the contained pink energy inside the blue gem was still constantly spinning.

"You were good…," Sam whimpered as her tears came again. "I know it. I'm… I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Danny."

The little girl started crying all over again, sure she would never see her special friend again…

* * *

Tom finally made it downstairs to the foyer. He was just about to turn into the hallway which led to the parlor where he left his sister when Thurston walked in through the front door.

"Thomas," Jeremy said in surprise, but then his eyes widened and he blurted out, "What in heaven's name happened to your face?"

Tom resisted the urge to roll his eyes and just shrugged before he answered off-handedly, "Work accident. Ask your wife."

"That's terrible," Jeremy muttered. But then he shook his head and affectionately patted the ghost hunter on the back. "It's good to see you. Pamela had been expecting your visit for a few days now."

"Tell me about it," Tom replied with slight annoyance, though he returned the warm greeting. "She sure let me have it, too."

"Yes, well, we were upset because of what happened to Samantha at the park…," he replied with a small frown.

"Yeah, I know. And I apologize. It really was an unfortunate coincidence that Sammy had been there that day. If I would have known, I would have never authorized my men to engage those ghosts there," Thomas answered, though he knew it was a lie. "But it was for the best. If we hadn't intervened, Sammy could have suffered more than a scare—her and all the children and people there. You understand, right?"

"Yes," Jeremy answered with a small sigh. His eyebrows creased as he added, "But all this surge of ghost activity is troubling, Thomas. Those creatures possess powers beyond the imagination. And, clearly, they are determined to use all their means against us. I fear for my family, Tom, especially in this place. I told Pamela we should consider moving… I know it would mean you wouldn't see her and Samantha as much but… You can understand, right?"

Thomas frowned before he carefully replied, "I understand your concern, Jeremy, but you have to understand that ghosts can appear anywhere. You can't outrun them, which is why I am so determined to fight them."

"But they have been so focused on Amity Park lately, Thomas," Jeremy argued.

"If they're attacking Amity Park, it is because they know the Guys-in-White's stronghold is here—at least one of the main two," the GiW leader replied seriously. "They see us a threat, Jeremy. They're afraid and want to eradicate us before we get to them first." He then added with an almost evil smirk, "But the Guys-in-White agency is expanding quickly, far too quickly for those demons to stop us from beating them back."

Tom's expression melded back into a reassuring look as he placed a hand on Jeremy's shoulder and said, "Trust me. I would never let any harm come to Pam or Sammy. Your family is in the safest place. It would be unwise to move them away from the protection my men and I can offer them and you. So, as uncertain as all this might make you, I can assure you that the reign of those demons will come to its end by my hand. I will eradicate them from the face of this earth. I swear on my life," he ended with determination.

Jeremy stared back with a bit of fear. It was somewhat… scary when his brother-in-law got into his 'ghost hunter' mode. But then Sam's father sighed and nodded, "You're right. And I know you would never let anything happened to Samantha and Pamela." He smiled weakly as he added, "Besides, it would be hard to leave Michigan right now when 'Manson and Masters Enterprise' is going through some big changes."

Tom mentally jolted. "Wait, what? Don't you mean 'Manson and _Manson_ Enterprise?'"

"No, I meant 'Manson and Masters Enterprise,'" Jeremy replied with a small chuckle. "You see, since Charles died, it's been very hard for me to keep up with my father's company's demands. So, about a month back I made a decision. I decided to sell half my company and partner up with another established business man."

Tom just stared in disbelief. "You sold half of your family's inheritance? … _Why_?"

Jeremy was a bit taken aback at the hint of anger in his brother-in-law's voice. He frowned. "I told you, Tom. It was too much for me to do alone. I didn't want to neglect my family, and the company was already struggling. I think it was the best decision, and Pamela agreed, too. Besides, the half I still hold is plenty to secure my wife and daughter's future and beyond, too."

Tom felt his teeth clench, but then something clicked, and he frowned, "Did you say 'Masters'? As in _Vladimir Masters?"_

"That's right. The very one, Tom," Jeremy replied with a smile. "You've done business with him in the past, so you must know I chose wisely. He has the name, influence, and knowledge to make _Manson and Masters Enterprise_ even better than before."

"Just hope he doesn't finish taking all your company from you, Jeremy," Tom answered in slight displeasure. "Masters is a cunning man. If you let him, he'll walk right over you in his unquenchable quest for money and power."

"I'm surprised to hear you say that," Jeremy said with a troubled look. "I thought you liked him."

"I wouldn't say I 'like' him," Thomas replied with scoff. "He's just a good source of profit for my agency. I won't deny that the man is a genius, which is why I have insisted that he partner up with the government's ghost technology division, but he refuses every time. Still, just because we have use for each other now-and-then doesn't mean I trust him or like him. The man's a shark, and all sharks bite sooner or later. That's what I'm saying."

"Well, it's a good thing I have experience with business sharks, then," Jeremy answered, clearly unaffected by his brother-in-laws warnings. "Not to mention, _this_ particular shark has yet to really take an active participation in the company's activities. Everyone knows he's always disappearing. In fact, we had scheduled a meeting for today, and he did not show up. It's odd because when he cancels, he's always responsible enough to have one of his secretaries call to reschedule…"

"Huh…," Tom answered, thoughtfully touching the scared-side of his face.

"Yes, I hope he shows soon because we have much work to do," Jeremy added. "Then again, I am not too worried. Masters has plenty of experience, and knows how to make a business take off quickly. Perhaps that's why he doesn't really need to be on top of them so much. He's good at handling things from a distance."

"It's still strange," Thomas answered, still sounding thoughtful. "Masters has always been elusive. Even the press has a hard time getting anything on him." He paused. And as if suddenly dismissing whatever he had been thinking about, he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure he's in some condo somewhere getting drunk and sleeping around like the rich boy he is… No offense, Jeremy."

"None taken," he answered, though he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, Jeremy, you're home," Pamela suddenly said, walking into the foyer where the two men were talking.

She greeted her husband before saying, "What are you two doing talking in the entrance way? Come, let's go back to the parlor. Did you talk with Sammy-kins, Tom?" she added.

"Yeah, I did," he answered. And as they walked back to the small living room, he told them about his talk with his niece. And yet, Tom's mind was whirling on another topic…

He couldn't believe Jeremy had sold half his company to Vladimir Masters! It was infuriating in a big way to Tom because all his work to secure his sister and niece's future had just been thrown down the drain. But in another way, it opened up an opportunity to get closer to the young elusive tycoon…

Perhaps Masters could be of even more use to him without his knowing…

* * *

With all the permanent portals opened, it was all the easier for Spectra and Bertrand to access the human world. Of course, Frostbite, along with other members of the council, had given orders to patrol all the kingdom's perimeters. But the Ghost World was vast. All the two evil ghosts had to do was find a remote area with an open portal.

And yet, it was still a big risk. If they were spotted using a portal in this moment of chaos, it would end badly for them. Not to mention how all the ghost hunters—not just the Guys-in-White—were on full alert.

But Walker was demanding his end of the bargain; and even if the King and Prince were dead or not, Spectra did not want Walker on her bad side. But if the Royal Family was dead, the warden would certainly regain free range in interpreting the kingdom's laws like he had during Pariah's rule. And Spectra could not afford an angry tyrant after her—not until she secured her place in the hierarchy as supreme ruler.

But that was yet to be seen. So, she had to tread carefully. The truth was Spectra had purposely withheld from Thomas that Danny could not call to his parents. She had been sure Vlad would not fall into the Guys-in-White's death trap because the King would have no way of finding Danny or Desiree. So, in spite of what she had made the humans and even Bertrand otherwise think, her true plan had been to have her sister and nephew killed; _not_ Vlad. Never him.

After all, she still had use for King Plasmius. Not only did she… desire him, he would make it easier for her to take her place on the throne. The Ancient Laws clearly stated that a female ghost could not rule the Kingdom on her own. And if she did, the Council would have authority over the decisions made in the Ghost World.

Spectra didn't want just the title as Queen; she wanted the authority that came with it, so she could do as she pleased without anyone being able to oppose her wishes. She wanted to be revered and worshipped, like her sister once was.

And for that, she needed a king at her side. And who better than Vlad? A male ghost that matched her not only in beauty, but also in her wisdom and power!

Yes, he would hers… She would wear his mark, and she would mark him in her own way, too… It was a matter of time.

"Spectra? Spectra!"

The female ghost jolted, and blinked over at her male partner. They were flying invisibly over the sky of Amity Park, heading to Circus Gothica. But annoyed at being taken away from her wonderful thoughts, she scowled and replied, "_What_, Bertrand?"

"I've been calling your name for the past minute, Penelope!" he snapped back.

"Okay, well, what?" she answered, still annoyed.

Bertrand frowned, but still answered, "I said, Plasmius has been missing for over five days. I'm starting to think 'our king' is truly dead."

Spectra frowned in slight worry and looked away. She had been thinking about that, too. As much as she mused over the reasons why Vlad was missing—why he hadn't returned back to the Ghost World—she could only find one reason that made sense: that he had indeed been killed.

But how? How would Tom be able to lure him into his trap if Vlad had had no way of finding his family? No, the King couldn't be dead. She refused to believe it.

"You give Vlad little credit, Bertrand," she finally answered causally. "It's going to take more than Tommy with his little plastic soldiers and their guns to take him down. I'm sure he's somewhere."

"You sound like you want him to be alive," Bertrand answered, narrowing his eyes a bit. "It was part of the plan to have 'Tommy' kill him along with the Queen and their brat. _Remember?"_

But when she shrugged it off, he suddenly realized the truth and his eyes flashed with anger. "You didn't want Vlad dead, did you?" he accused her. "It was never about him. You just made Tom and Walker _and_ _me_ believe that! All you wanted was your sister and her kid out of the way so you can get to Plasmius! You **lied** to me!"

"Calm down, Bertrand," Spectra lightly scolded.

But Bertrand abruptly stopped flying and crossed his arms with a glare.

She sighed and stopped, too. "_Okay!_ _Yes_, it's true. But if I want Vlad alive, it's not for the reasons you think. _We_ need him, Bertrand. Walker explained the Ancient Laws to me a while back, and I can't secure my place on the throne without him."

"So, you're gonna _**marry**_ him?" he hissed.

"If it comes to that… but it'll just be to get the throne," she quickly assured him. "Once I have it, Vlad won't be of use to us. I'll kill him in _my own way,"_ she added with a wicked smile before it melded into a sweet one. "Then, _you_ can marry me and we'll rule together… _forever_…"

"That better be true, Spectra," he answered seriously, though there was a hidden smile on his lips. But then he frowned and added, "You better hope Walker and Tom don't find out you purposely tricked them."

She shrugged. "I'll just deny it. I mean, how was I supposed to know the Prince couldn't call to his daddy?"

"Didn't you tell Walker about that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The female shadow ghost smirked. "Well, yeah. But Walker doesn't know Tom had been relying on that link for the King to fall into his trap. It's what's so good about making deals with a human and a ghost—they are worlds apart! We can make deals to our benefit without either party being able to find out about it."

Bertrand looked uncertain, but then he just shrugged and turned his focus back on where they were going.

"Oh, look, we're here," he commented when he saw the black tarps of Circus Gothica coming into view below.

Having been invisible this whole time, the two ghosts turned intangible and phased right into the main tent.

They soon spotted the man they had been looking for… And he wasn't alone.

"You, drone! I said to wait for my cue!" he snarled at a large ghost 'walking' on the tightrope.

Spectra raised an eyebrow. So, Freakshow was finally making use of those rogue ghosts she had captured for him? Well, it had technically been Tom who had asked for the ghosts. She remembered that it was to train Gregor. The young dragon had ended up killing the female of the three ghost siblings. Thomas had handed the two that were left over to Freakshow to do as he wanted with them. Eklips and Eta were their names, if she recalled correctly. And although Eklips was small in stature—a dwarf, to be exact—he was the oldest of the two brothers.

Freakshow raised his staff at Eta and the big ghost suddenly screamed in pain before falling off the wire and dropping the twenty feet. The ghost slammed into a ground with a whimper.

Eklips, who was currently on a tricycle, almost seemed to tense; but it was quickly forgotten when Freakshow turned his eyes on him.

"You, come here! I want you to—"

"Training ghosts for your circus act now?" Spectra suddenly asked, amused, as she and Bertrand took their human disguises.

Freakshow startled, and looked towards the voice just as Penelope and Bertrand materialized.

The red-eyed man scoffed and said, "Well, look who finally decides to show up. Tom's pissed at you."

Spectra grinned. "I figured as much."

But when, suddenly, _a third_ ghost abruptly flew down from somewhere above and landed besides Freakshow, Penelope and Bertrand gasped.

"It can't be! I thought—" Penelope began, but she was cut off.

"Like my newest addition?" Freakshow asked with a chuckle before turning to face the third ghost. He lifted its bowed head by grabbing its chin and added, "I have many plans for this beauty…"

Spectra and Bertrand looked at each other, clearly unsure of how to feel about this. "Does… Tom know you…?"

Freakshow narrowed his eyes at the two evil ghosts and hissed, "No, and it _better_ stay that way! I won't let you ruin this gem for me, like you did with my dragon slave when you snitched to Tom about his existence! I swear if that ghost hunter finds out by either of you, I will turn you both into my personal slaves!"

Spectra took a step back when Freakshow pointed his staff at her, but then she quickly narrowed her eyes and darkly replied, "But what makes you think you could control me faster than I could _kill_ you?"

Bertrand was just as tense, clearly ready to strike if need be. But he made sure to keep his eyes averted from the glowing red staff…

Freakshow grinned as he lowered his staff and its power dimmed. "Look around you, Penelope, you're out-numbered. All I need to do is call the very drone _you_ handed into my hands. You and your… partner here wouldn't be able to even kick before I forced my control upon you. So, I would tread carefully."

Penelope frowned, but replied, "I do tread carefully. I know my limits. Don't worry. If Tom finds out you're making plans behind his back, it won't be by me or Bertrand." A cunning smirk curled the female ghost's lips as she added, "You should be more worried about your little _drone_, Gregor… One of these days he might just betray you to Tommy…"

Freakshow snarled, "I would kill him, first!"

Spectra chuckled. "Anyways, I came because I need to talk with Tom, and to get my end of the deal from him…"

"Well, why didn't you just go to him?" the ringleader snapped.

"Because, it's too risky," Penelope answered with slight bite. "Yes, my human disguise suppresses my ghost energy, but I'm not dumb enough to walk into an agitated bees' nest all the same."

"You have means of calling the ghost hunter, right?" Bertrand asked the ring leader.

"Yes, but I'm kind of busy right now," Freakshow replied, narrowing his eyes. He didn't want Tom here more than necessary.

Penelope smirked. "You might have that staff that controls ghosts, Freakshow, but we all know who pulls _your_ strings." The female ghost suddenly narrowed her eyes darkly as she coldly ordered, "_Call_, Tom, because if you don't, he'll miss seeing me today because of you. And then we'll see who he'll be more pissed off at…"

Freakshow glared darkly back. But then he looked over at the three hypnotized ghosts which had been standing stalk still the whole time.

"You three! Return to your cubes!" he commanded harshly.

"Yes, Master," the three answered at the same time before they turned intangible and vanished through the floor.

Freakshow then brought his red staff closer to his mouth and whispered, _"Drone. Come here."_

In an instant, Gregor, in his dragon form, phased through the floor and landed in front of Freakshow. His eyes were glazed over completely with the staff's power and his head bowed submissively at his master.

Spectra raised an eyebrow. "You have him under your full control? I thought Tom wanted you to keep his mind open."

"Yes, well, Tom isn't here, is he?" Freakshow snapped, clearly in a bad mood now. And it only escalated with his next words, "That brut-of-a-hunter thinks he owns my drone! I'm sick of Tom giving him so much freewill! Every time I get him back from Tom, I have to increase my power over my slave to repair the damage Tom does each time!"

Penelope grinned. "You could always get _another_ dragon ghost, and just let Tommy have Gregor… "

"Are you kidding?" Freakshow hissed. "I spent too much time training _Gregor_ to go replace him with another dragon ghost and start from scratch!"

"Well, I don't know about having to start from scratch… Did I ever tell you Gregor has a twin?" Spectra's grin widened evilly as she crossed her arms. "I heard he's doing _so well._ I'm sure he even has a wider understanding of his powers than Gregor, considering he's been longer with his kind…"

Freakshow fell quiet as he looked back at Gregor.

But Bertrand quickly hissed quietly at Spectra, "Are you crazy? There's no way we could kidnap Elliot! Not to mention, it would start a war in our world! I doubt we need one between us ghosts when we're on the verge of one with the humans!"

"Trust me," Spectra whispered back, before clearing her throat and adding to Freakshow, "Tempting, isn't it?"

Freakshow finally turned his eyes from Gregor and nodded calmly. "It is… But all in due time."

Spectra frowned in confusion, but the man didn't elaborate and instead pulled out Gregor's ring and the Gem of Form from his trench coat. He then turned his eyes on Gregor again. "Drone!" he called, snapping his fingers in front of his glazed eyes. "Wake up."

Gregor startled but then his red eyes dimmed as he blinked out the fog from his mind.

"Master?" he breathed out in confusion, unsure of where he was. He quickly glanced around, but when he saw the two other ghosts present, his features instantly twisted with hate, and a dark rumble echoed from his throat as his glare batted between Spectra and Bertrand.

"Slave!" Freakshow snapped, slapping Gregor's muzzle and jolting him back to attention.

"Sorry, Master," he quickly said, bowing his head at him.

"Don't make me hurt you, drone. I'm not in the mood for your disobedience! " Freakshow warned before handing Gregor the gem and ring. "Here, put them on, and call Tom."

"But… he told me to return to you, so why…?" But Gregor never finished because Freakshow instantly raised his staff and its power drilled a hole right into his mind. The dragon ghost instantly wailed in agony.

"You see!" Freakshow exclaimed furiously at Spectra and Bertrand. "This is the damage I have to deal with because of Tom!" He focused back on Gregor and hissed, "What did I tell you about questions, you insignificant speck? What did I _**tell**_ you about questioning **my commands?"**

"They have no place in my mind! Your commands are law, Master!" Gregor recited in a whimper. "Forgive me!"

But the ring leader didn't let up on his staff's penetrating torture on the young ghost's mind, and instead, growled, "Put the gem back in your core, and use the ring to call Tom. _Right now!"_

Gregor gasped as he tried to fulfill his master's command while the burning agony was still consuming his mind. He didn't even know how he managed to fuse the gem into his core with how badly he was shaking; but he did notice the fusion caused an even deeper agony than normal in his core.

Spectra and Bertrand gasped when they saw Gregor remove his hand from his chest and saw it was coated in green ectoplasm. For once, Penelope felt sorry for the little dragon.

"Freakshow, you need to stop," she said seriously. "He clearly just injured his core because you won't let him focus with how badly you're torturing him!"

"Stay out of this! If I have to _**kill**_ him to make him submit then so be it!" Freakshow said darkly.

As the gem turned him to a human form, Gregor gasped, feeling his head spinning with the unrelenting agony now coming from the staff and his injured core. But his mind was set on obeying his master's command; so with shaky hands, he slipped on the ring Tom gave him. He then pressed it down and a beeping began to emit from it.

And instant later, Tom's voice sounded from the ring, _"What, Gregor?"_

"_Help. Help me. Make him stop," _was what crossed Gregor's pained mind, and it took all his will power to keep his mouth from opening and saying those exact words.

But before Gregor could do or say _anything_, Freakshow suddenly yanked the ten-year-old's hand with the communicator/ring on it up to his lips, and tersely said, "Tom. Spectra and Bertrand are here."

There was silence on the other end. Then, unexpectedly, instead of acknowledging Freakshow's words, Tom angrily demanded, _"What are you doing to him?"_

The ring leader jolted. "What? _Who?_ What are you talking about?"

"_**Gregor**__, you freak! Stop it right now! I don't need you causing him permanent damage. Tell Penelope I'll be there in half-hour."_

And with that, the communicator on the ring shut off.

Freakshow just stared down at the ring in confusion. How had Tom known he was doing something to Gregor? Did… Did the ring have some kind of scanner that picked up what the ghost's health or strength was and it was picking up that Greor was being hurt?. Was that even possible? It was all Freakshow could think of.

The man growled before he lowered his staff and released Gregor from his punishment. In an instant, the boy dropped to his knees, gasping and gripping at his chest. He then suddenly coughed up ectoplasm before it made him sick and he further released the contents of his stomach.

Freakshow snarled in disgust as he stepped away from his sick slave. He looked over at Penelope and Bertrand who had fallen quiet, a mixture of confusion and disgust on their faces.

"He'll be here soon," Freakshow muttered before he turned and walked off.

Meanwhile, Gregor just curled up on the ground, not caring he was getting all dirty. His core was in so much agony. Now that he could think, he realized he hadn't properly turned the gem intangible and had hurt his delicate organ with the fusion. And yet, in spite of the pain, he was relieved that his master's staff was no longer attacking his mind.

For the first time, Gregor was thankful for Tom. He didn't know how Tom had known he was being tortured, but the ten-year-old was secretly glad he had made his master stop.

However, his relief was short lived when a powerful force suddenly slammed into his side. He tried to cry out, only to swallow a gallon of water. He gagged again before he curled his body protectively against the knives stabbing him all through his body.

Not soon enough, the force stopped and he was left panting and soaked on the ground.

"Tom wouldn't want to see you all dirty when he gets here," Freakshow said nastily, holding the now closed fire hose. But seeing the boy cough up more ectoplasm along with water, he sprayed him with the pressurized water again.

"Finished?" the man asked sarcastically.

Gregor struggled to his feet and suppressed the urge to cough up the water in his lungs. He bowed his head submissively, waiting for his master's next command.

Satisfied that the ghost's drama was over, Freakshow raised the hose again. Gregor cringed away, but then realized his master was just extending it towards him with the purpose of handing it to him.

"Put this back and return to your cage. I want you dried up when I call you again," the ring leader commanded harshly.

"Yes, Master," Gregor whispered, taking the hoes hose. It seemed he was even having trouble holding the hose as he shakily walked to the back of the tent to roll it up.

"You're a horrible master, Freakshow," Spectra suddenly spoke up, shaking her head.

"I wouldn't have to be, if he were a good slave," Freakshow retorted, glaring after Gregor's retreating form. He then rolled his eyes for some reason before his mood almost abruptly changed. "So, what's the latest word in the ghost realm?" he asked in a causal tone of voice.

Bertrand raised an eyebrow at the clearly insane man, but Spectra just shrugged before telling Freakshow what was happening….

* * *

After closing his car door, Tom took meaningful steps towards the main tent of Circus Gothica. He didn't really care how there was construction equipment around the area—though the workers were absent since it had been snowing pretty badly almost all day. He was simply too focused on one single thought alone—one he was about to put into action.

As he reached the main tent, the ghost hunter pulled out a silver ghost gun and cocked it. With a familiar gleam in his eye, he then lowered it to his side and pushed back the tent's flap without hesitation.

He immediately spotted _his targets_ speaking with Freakshow.

Penelope and Bertrand instantly froze when they saw Tom walk in. But when he raised a humming gun at them without a single word, the two ghosts gasped and jolted out of the way when two beams instantly came at them.

Freakshow also jolted in surprise, but then quickly backed away a good distance, not wanting to get in the way of the clearly ticked off ghost hunter, who was already in the 'set to kill' mode.

"Tom!" Penelope yelled, barely dodging another blast. Her human appearance was cumbersome when it came to defense. "At least let me explain!"

"Not interested," Thomas replied coldly and he then fired more blasts at the two ghosts.

Bertrand yelped as he was forced to turn into a cougar and jump away from a blast. But Spectra couldn't move fast enough, so she raised a shield to protect herself against the ghost weapon's blast.

Now, both ghosts were separated; but Tom focused mainly on the female one, while Bertrand took the opportunity to put some distance between himself and the ruthless hunter.

"You gotta understand I couldn't come sooner! Things are bad in the Ghost World!" Penelope said before grunting as another strong blast hit her shield.

"That's not why I'm going to kill you," Tom growled. "I'm going to kill you because you think you can—_and tried to_—play me for a fool."

"What? No, I haven't—**Stop shooting at me!"** she abruptly screamed furiously; but Tom continued to fire at her shield, which began to crack. The blasts from the weapon were so strong, in fact, that Penelope had dropped to her knees, clearly buckling under the pressure.

And seeing this, Bertrand narrowed his eyes and went on the defense. He quickly ran towards the hunter, knowing he was still focused on Spectra.

However, just as he lunged to subdue the hunter, Tom quickly pulled out a second gun from inside his white coat. Without so much as looking at Bertrand, the hunter fired at him and amazingly hit him right on.

Bertrand cried out as a green bullet drilled through his stomach and he dropped to the ground with gasps of pain.

Penelope froze in fear for a moment. She had forgotten how formidable this ghost hunter was. But right then, Tom fired another blast at her shield and it shattered. On the ground, Spectra tried to scoot away as Tom walked closer to her. But when he raised his gun and aimed it right at her core, she stopped moving all together.

"You really have no idea who you're dealing with, do you, you harlot dog?" Tom said darkly. "Either that, or you're more stupid than I thought. Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out? Do you think I'm a dumb trigger-happy brut that you can screw over?"

"N-No, Tom, I haven't—" Penelope attempted to speak, only to be silenced when Tom squatted down and pressed the cold barrel of his ghost weapon against her chest. For a brief moment, she contemplated bringing out her claws and running him through. But her logic reminded her, he would fire faster than she could do that.

"_Stop_ denying it," he hissed at her. "I know you're used to manipulating men of all species; but _I'm_ not one of them. We had a deal, you lying little ghost Delilah. And our deal was simple: I kill your demon sister and her brat for you _if you_ help me trap the Ghost King, so I could kill him myself. _Guess what happened?_ …Not only was I not able to kill him with my own hands, I have **yet** to have any guarantee that he was killed by my back-up plan!"

"But—But I did everything you asked me!" she defended, only to cry out in pain when the Tom shot her in the leg. "Ahh! You bastard!" she screamed, only to gasp when he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her closer to his face.

The man's eyes almost glowed, and she was shocked by his inhuman strength as he snarled, "You said the Prince could call to his father! _You said_ he would lure the Ghost King to me! If I hadn't taken drastic actions, all my years of planning would have been for nothing—they could _**still**_ have been for **nothing**! And it's _your_ fault! You knew your little nephew demon couldn't call to his father, _didn't you?" _

"What? No! I didn't—" But seeing the ghost hunter press his gun right into her core, she finally panicked and exclaimed fearfully, "I swear I didn't know! Tom, I did what you wanted! I didn't back-stab you! **I swear!"**

"Besides, you got what you wanted!" Bertrand suddenly spoke up in a pained voice. He switched back to his human appearance as he pressed a hand against his bleeding stomach.

Tom didn't look back at the male ghost and kept his glare on Spectra.

"You wanted the King dead, well, he is!" Bertrand further said.

Tom finally glanced back at Bertrand, before looking again at Spectra and growling, "Is that true? Is he dead?"

She shook her head, knowing she couldn't lie again to the hunter, because if he found out about it, he would probably torture her slowly instead of just trying to kill her outright like now.

"That's what everyone's saying," she answered seriously. "He's missing. He hasn't been seen since you killed his family. But I don't know for sure."

Thomas narrowed his eyes and his hand tightened on his gun.

"Tom, I swear I didn't purposely sabotage your plans!" Spectra shouted at him.

Tom kept his dark gaze on her for a moment. He then leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "You screw with me again and I'll rip out your core with my bare hands."

Penelope gasped as she was thrown back on the ground.

Rising to his height, Tom then looked between the two injured ghosts and snarled, "Get out. I don't want to see either of you until you know for sure if Plasmius is dead or not!"

Spectra gripped at her bleeding leg; but knowing she had come for something from Tom, she knew she had to get him to believe her, and she continued to defend herself, "Look, Tom, it's not my fault your trap for Plasmius didn't go as you wanted! It's not fair you're blaming this on me!"

"I already told you, I'm not stupid, Penelope," Tom retorted darkly. "I see what you did. You wanted me to get the King's family out of your way so you can _screw_ Plasmius and get your sister's title. But let me tell you something right now: if he's still alive, I **will** kill him—just like there will come a day when I kill every single one of you demons, including you two!"

Penelope glared as Tom turned away; but now angry, she quickly snarled, "Fine! Think what you want! But you have to keep the end of your bargain, Tom!"

The ghost hunter turned back around and sneered, "I don't _have_ to do anything. But in any case, I already did fulfill my part of our agreement—your nephew and sister are dead."

"That was the biggest part, but_ we agreed _to one more thing: you owe me a human, Tom. A male human for Walker—the _third_ ghost that helped with all this," Spectra said seriously.

Tom scoffed. "You're crazy if you think I'm going to give you anything after you deliberately kept information from me to foil my plans!"

"I have another bargain to uphold," Spectra snapped. "You wouldn't have even gotten a chance at the Ghost King, let alone killed his family, if Walker hadn't helped us trick the Prince out of our world! So, it benefits _you_ not to screw over this ghost!"

"If 'Walker' has a problem with it, tell him to come see me and my gun," Tom sneered before walking off. Surprisingly though, Tom walked toward the center rink.

But hearing everything that had just been said from a relatively safe distance, Freakshow's eyes widened in realization, and he quickly ran after Tom.

"Tom, wait," Freakshow said, grabbing his shoulder just as the man reached the center rink.

But the ghost hunter shrugged him off and demanded, "Where's Gregor?"

A wave of anger swelled inside Freakshow's chest with the question, but instead he whispered urgently, "Look, I know you're angry with the possibility that the King might still be alive and whatever Penelope did, but they're offering you the perfect solution to your unresolved problem!"

"What are talking about?" he snapped, clearly out of patience.

"The fool I have locked up under this very stadium!" Freakshow hissed. "Or, don't you remember you _forced_ me to bring the Axion Lab owner here after you knocked him out at Axion?"

Tom frowned. He had forgotten about Gray…

But then the hunter shook his head. "No, I'm not giving these ghosts Gray. Penelope tried to trick me! And besides, I'm not about to turn in one of my kind to some demon for its sick purposes. Unlike you, I don't kill humans. I kill ghosts!"

Freakshow rolled his eyes. "Yeah, unless someone gets in your way. Or, did you also _forget_ how you hired me to make sure your brother-in-law's brother had an unfortunate accident? And I'm sure he's not the first, either."

"That was a last resort-kind-of-thing—as it always had been! And it's _always_ been quick," Tom snapped defensively. "I'm not going to let some ghost _torture_ a human being! It goes against all I stand for, Frederick!"

"Then, what are you going to do with the guy?" Freakshow demanded. "He knows _everything_. He knows who Gregor is. He's seen him transform! He knows all you and I did! You gotta get rid of him, Tom! And Spectra's offering us the best way to do it!"

Tom fell quiet this time before looking over at Spectra and Bertrand. The latter had made his way over to the female ghost, and they were whispering to each other. And by the fearful look on Bertrand's face, Tom guessed that the male ghost was pleading with Penelope for them to leave.

Tom sighed before putting away his guns. He hesitated before asking again, "Where's Gregor?"

Freakshow scowled but replied, "Below us. I punished him because he was misbehaving, so don't say a word to me."

Tom's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press the issue and just turned away. He pressed the button on the stand beside the rink. The center rink opened and a platform was revealed. The circus leader only frowned as the hunter stepped on top of it before the platform started to descend to the large basement-like storage area below…

* * *

Gregor curled inside his cage as he gripped his hurting chest with one hand while he held his stuffed dragonfly in his other. He really had damaged his core. He just hoped it wasn't permanent. He really just wanted to pull out the gem because it was making the pain worse… But his master had ordered him to put it on in. He couldn't disobey him anymore than he had.

A groan caught his attention, and he quickly remembered his new 'companion' down here…

Crawling out of his cage, Gregor stood up and put his stuffed toy on top of his cage before heading further into the underground storage area. He moved past several caged animals until he came to the last cage where Damon Gray was locked up. He was also bound and gagged.

Looking around, Gregor spotted the barrels and crates of food his master kept to feed the animals. He walked over to a barrel with apples and grabbed one. He then moved back to the cage as he did his best to clean the apple with his shirt.

He briefly regarded the locked door before he lowered his eyes to his ring and pulled it off. Feeling his suppressed powers awaken, he called forth intangibility only to cry out as all it did was cause himself pain.

Feeling the pain ebb slightly, his eyes, which had automatically squeezed closed, slowly opened again and he rubbed his chest. This was not good. He bit his lip, but hearing Damon groan louder this time as he began to stir, Gregor focused back on what he was doing.

Having no other choice, Gregor retracted out his claws, knowing he didn't need energy from his core for that. He then used on of his claws to pick the lock and finally opened the door.

"Mr. Gray?" Gregor called softly as he sat down in front of him, looking and sounding like a timid child for once.

It took the man a moment, but he soon opened his eyes. And seeing who it was, he blinked in surprise "Mmm…?"

Gregor frowned, knowing the man wanted to talk. But he also knew his master would be angry if he un-gagged Gray, only for the man to start screaming. The child hesitated before saying, "I'll take off the gag if you promise not to scream…"

Demon quickly nodded.

Gregor hesitated but then sat up on his knees and undid the gag. "Better?"

"Yes," Damon replied as he moved around his sore jaw. But taking in the child's appearance and seeing the green blood drying around his mouth and on his shirt, the man quickly asked, "Gregor? Are you alright? What did that sick man do to you now?"

Gregor looked down at his clenched hands and muttered, "Nothing I didn't deserve."

Demon's eyes widened and he replied, "What? No, don't say that! You don't deserve to be treated like this… no matter what you are."

Gregor raised his green eyes back to the man and whispered sadly, "_You_ don't deserve to be treated like this. You shouldn't be here…"

"Then, help me, Gregor," Damon pleaded. "I swear I'll get you out of this, too."

The ghost kid almost seemed to consider it, but then he shook his head and raised the apple to Damon. "Are you hungry…? I've been with Tom these past couple of days, so I don't know if my master's been feeding you…"

"Just water," Damon answered with a sigh. "But I can't eat that unless you untie me."

"I can't do that," Gregor said seriously. "You'll try to escape and then my master will get angry with me again." He suddenly let out his claws again, and Damon tensed. But seeing it, Gregor frowned and said, "I won't hurt you unless my master orders me to…"

The comment didn't exactly make him feel any better, but Damon nodded all the same. He watched as the child cut the apple into mouth-size pieces before he began to feed it to him.

They were quiet the entire time, but Damon kept staring at the child. It was amazing to think this boy was _a ghost_—a ghost who had more humanity than the two humans who had him locked up in here.

Gregor seemed to be off in his own little world; but when he raised another piece of apple and realized the man wasn't taking it, he finally looked up at Damon. He had his head bowed in sadness.

"What's wrong?" the boy asked worriedly.

The man didn't reply right away, but then he whispered, "I'm not getting out of here, am I?"

Gregor lowered his hand with the piece of apple and looked away. He knew the truth already—he knew the _inevitable_…

"I'm so worried about my daughter. I'm all she has, Gregor," Damon said, his voice cracking. "Her mom died when she was very young. Got hit by a drunk driver… All Valerie knows is me… Now, she's all alone, and if I don't return, who will watch over her? Who will protect her?"

Gregor looked up at Damon, and something inside him swelled, and he answered almost automatically, "I will."

Damon's eyes widened, but then he shook his head. "That's nice of you, Gregor; but… you're only a child, too, and a trapped one at that. You need someone to protect _you_."

"I can still protect, Valerie. She…," Gregor sighed and then quietly admitted, "She was nice to me since we met—she's the only one who has treated me like a normal person, who's never hurt me… And… I don't want anything to happen to her… _or you."_

Damon smiled sadly. "I can see now that not all ghosts are evil… I wish I would have known that sooner." He paused before soberly adding, "In the end, I brought this on myself for letting Agent C convince me to help him. I helped him kill two innocent beings like you… Maybe I deserve this…"

Gregor shook his head. "No, you don't. You're good—"

"No, _you're_ good, Gregor," Damon cut him off seriously. "_You're good._ And you can't let Agent C and Frederick make you forget that. You can't let them take you down their dark path."

"I don't have a choice," he whimpered back as tears gathered in his eyes.

"_Yes, you do._ You just have to be _brave_, Gregor," Damon said encouragingly. "You have a choice right now. All you have to do is use your ghost powers and fly us both out of here. We'll go to the police together and put an end to Agent C and Fredrick's evil."

"Tom would never let me go," Gregor choked out, trying to push back the sobs in his throat. "My master would hurt me and then kill me!"

"I swear on my life they wouldn't hurt you again," Damon vowed with determination. "I will find a way to get you back to your family and—"

"They abandoned me here," Gregor cut him off, this time unable to stop a sob from escaping his throat.

Damon's eyebrows creased in sympathy, wishing his hands were untied to comfort the child. But then thinking of something and certain of it, he answered, "Then, you can come live with me. I'll adopt you; and you, Valerie, and me can be a family."

Gregor froze and he looked at the man in disbelief. "I could… live with you? You would be my… dad? But…But I'm a ghost and—"

"I don't care what you are, Gregor. I would _gladly_ be your dad," Damon answered warmly. He didn't know why, but he just had such a strong feeling for this poor, lost little ghost boy.

Gregor stared back, a smile tugging on his lips. For once, he really believed he could… escape this life. He felt… hope.

"Gregor, things could be so different for you," Damon said softly. "But you have to make the choice, little one. You have to choose to stand and fight—fight against Tom and Fredrick!"

Gregor's eyes began to dart from side-to-side, feeling suddenly trapped as the mere thought of betraying his master triggered a rooted fear within him. But his green eyes suddenly flashed red and he abruptly jolted away from Damon. "No… No, no, no. I can't! I can't betray my master! **No!"**

"Gregor!" Damon yelled.

But the child just shook his head and backed away. He then whirled around and quickly ran out of the cage, and just kept going, ignoring Damon's quiet shouts at him to come back.

The boy was so panicked that just as he made it past all the caged animals, he didn't see the person standing next to his own open cage until he ran right into him.

"Omphf!" Gregor grunted as the force threw him down on his butt. He quickly looked up but his teary eyes were too blurry to make out whom he had just run into. That is, until he spoke…

"Look at you. I let you return to Fredrick for one day and you're a complete mess again."

"Tom?" he asked quietly. He then quickly rubbed his eyes into clarity before adding, "How long have you been down here?"

"Long enough to hear you're panicked voice. Why are you so freaked out?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow.

But suddenly annoyed, Gregor got back to his feet and grumbled, "It's none of your business! Go away!"

"You don't really want that," Tom assured him with a smirk; but noticing a certain stuffed dragonfly on top of Gregor's cage, the man leaned forward and grabbed it.

Gregor gasped when he realized too late what the man took. "No! Give it back! He's mine!"

But even when the boy reached for it, Tom held the toy away and shook his head. "I sometimes forget what a child you are, Gregor. You really do need someone to take care of you…"

Gregor's eyes widened. "You were listening?"

"Listening to what?" Tom asked innocently before kneeling in front of Gregor.

In reality, the man had not heard any of Gregor's conversation with Damon. The hunter was just messing with the young ghost for kicks.

Tom then pulled out a napkin from his pocket and wiped the green blood off from around the boy's mouth. "Such a mess…" he said with a helpless sigh.

Gregor was too shocked to react at first; but finally catching the man's mocking voice, he abruptly yanked himself away. "Shut up! I don't need anyone to take care of me, let alone you!"

But much to the boy's surprise, Thomas chuckled as he rose to his full height, stuffed toy still in one hand. "It's funny, Gregor. You swear up and down that you hate me and want nothing to do with me, and yet… in your subconscious, you feel the opposite… " Tom raised the dragonfly toy up to his eye level and said, "This is your favorite one, isn't it? And it's the one I gave you no less…"

Gregor growled before he jumped and snatched his stuffed dragonfly away from Tom before replying defensively, "I just like dragonflies!"

"Uh-huh," Tom answered with a smirk. But then he added causally, "By the way, I got your message…"

Gregor frowned in confusion. "What message?"

Tom suddenly leaned forward and whispered in his ear, _"Help. Help me. Make him stop."_

Gregor froze in place. He was so shocked he didn't even hear Tom chuckle or feel how the man ruffled his hair as he stood up to his height.

The young ghost watched with a confused frown as the man walked away from him, heading further into the underground storage area. The child didn't understand it. He… He had used his telepathic abilities to call for Tom? Why would he do that?

But in his core, the child knew why. Yes, he hated Tom, but… the ghost hunter _took care_ of him. With him, he didn't go hungry or go to sleep cold or get beaten to the point he couldn't move. He hated to admit it, but he _needed_ Tom.

Gregor looked down at his stuffed dragonfly before gripping his chest.

_You don't deserve to be treated like this… no matter what you are."_

No, it didn't matter how 'nice' Tom was to him. He was nothing but a weapon to him—a dog, at best. Tom only took care of him because it benefited him to do so. It was only to keep his 'secret weapon' at optimal condition to later use for his selfish purposes.

Tom hated him for what he was—he would never see him as anything but a demon….

"_I don't care what you are, Gregor. I would gladly be your dad."_

Gregor brought his stuffed animal closer to his body and smiled at those sweet words. No one had ever said something so nice to him. Damon was giving him the chance to be normal—to have a family!

"Agent C… And here I thought you were too much of a coward to face me again…"

Gregor's hopeful thoughts shattered in an instant when he heard Mr. Gray's voice, and suddenly realized where Tom had gone to. He had been so shocked and now so lost in his thoughts he had forgotten all about the ghost hunter!

A bit panicked, Gregor dropped his toy on the ground and ran over to where Damon and Tom were. He quickly spotted the ghost hunter standing in front of the cage in which Damon was; but just as the young ghost was about to say something, he froze when Tom suddenly looked over at him with a deep frown.

"Did you remove his gag?" the hunter asked, a curious and calculative tone in his voice.

Gregor hesitated before nodding fearfully. "I-I'm sorry. I just thought he might be hungry and… please don't tell my master!"

"You have no mercy, do you?" Damon suddenly said in disgust at Tom.

The ghost hunter quickly looked back at the tied man as Damon added, "How could you hurt this poor child like you do? You're a horrible man, Agent C."

Thomas raised an eyebrow before leaning a hand against the cage and sighing. Ignoring the other man's comment, he muttered, "I don't generally do this, but… You really should have just cooperated and minded your own business, Gray. You wouldn't be here if you had. You would be at home with your daughter…"

"If I regret anything it's helping you set that trap for the King and his family at Axions. If I regret anything, Agent C, it's ever meeting you," Damon spat back.

Tom didn't reply, and just looked back at Gray. Meanwhile, Gregor's eyebrows were creased in worry and confusion. He had never seen Tom so hesitant about something—whatever it was he was thinking about…

At last the ghost hunter lowered his arm and regained his composure. He frowned in displeasure before sighing again and finally grabbing the cage door, which was still unlock thanks to Gregor. He walked in and grabbed one of Damon's arms and said, "Come on. And don't struggle. You know it's pointless."

Damon stared fearfully at the ghost hunter before he lowered his gaze in resignation and stood up.

Tom brought them out of the cage before saying, "I want you to know that it's nothing personal, Gray. I didn't plan this, got it?"

Damon looked coldly back at the ghost hunter. "Don't try to act like you have a heart now, Agent C. I've seen the type of man you are. And you can try to justify yourself any way you want, but _I want __**you**__ to know _that my blood is always going to be on _your_ hands."

Gregor's eyes widened at Damon's last words. He had not wanted to admit to himself the obvious reason for Tom's being here; but now, he couldn't deny it—not when Mr. Gray also could see the obvious, too!

Gregor shook his head and whispered, "No… No, don't kill him."

Tom glanced at Gregor at hearing his quiet plea, but then he frowned in determination, and coolly yanked Damon with him as he headed back to the storage area's exit.

Gregor watched as the two man walked past him, his eyes wide with helplessness. But he then began to shake with a sudden emotion swelling inside him; and just as Tom reached the platform, Gregor cried out, "NO!"

He ran after the two men and just as the surprised Tom turned to face him, Gregor dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around the hunter's legs pleading and crying, "No, please! Tom, don't kill him! Please, don't kill him!"

The young dragon had never felt the need to defend anyone; but right now, the feeling driving him was overwhelming and he just gripped at the hunter tighter and sobbed.

At first, Tom was so shocked he couldn't do anything but stare down at the young ghost. He didn't understand why he was so worked up about this one man. He had only seen him a handful of times at best! Or maybe…

The ghost hunter's eyebrows creased before he smirked, "Gregor, if you're worried about you're little girlfriend, then relax. Gray's daughter will be just fine."

But Gregor shook his head and finally looked up at the hunter, though he didn't let go of his legs. "No, she needs him. Valerie needs him! _**I-I need him!"**_ he admitted without thinking, realizing that no one had ever given him hope like Valerie's father had. And he wanted it! He wanted what the man had offered him!

"Please! I swear I'll do anything you ask me. I won't glare or talk back or anything ever again! Just… **Don't kill him!"**

"Gregor, no," Damon suddenly spoke up, his voice both awed and saddened. "I don't want you to do that for me. You have to _keep fighting._ Just… keep your promise to me, okay?"

Thomas looked between Gray and Gregor, but his eyes soon fell completely on the dragon ghost. The hunter's eyes narrowed possessively. So, _that_ what was it…

"So, you need Gray, Gregor?" Tom asked coldly. "_Why_ do you need him _exactly_?"

The dragon ghost's eyes widened in fear, finally realizing his slip.

"I-I…," the child stuttered, trying to think of a reply. But when Thomas suddenly tightened his hold on the other man, enough to make him gasp in pain, Gregor jolted and his own hold on the hunter's legs tightened.

Thomas his eyes turned into dark slits as he said, "You know what, Gregor? I think you've just given me an even better reason to do what I'm going to do with Gray. Listen to me well, you little demon: _**I **_am the _only one_ you need, and I intend to keep it that way…"

Gregor yelped as Tom suddenly kicked him off before he turned back around and pressed the platform button to go up. There was a furious glare on the hunter's face as he held Damon tightly and waited for the platform to come down.

Gregor got back to his feet in a panic; until he remembered Damon's words again.

"_Gregor, things could be so different for you, but you have to make the choice, little one. You have to choose to stand and fight—fight against Tom and Fredrick!"_

The dragon ghost eyes narrowed darkly as he slipped off his ring and then let his claws draw out. His fear was suddenly gone, and killing the man trying to take away his happy-ending seemed like a _very good idea._

But the moment the dragon ghost took a step forward, determined to do what he had in mind, Tom instinctively turned to face him again. There was a brief flash of disbelief in the hunter's eyes, but then his glare returned as he pulled out a gun and pressed it against Damon's temple.

"You take another step, and I'll put a bullet through his head in front of you," he growled out.

That stopped Gregor cold, and his claws instantly retracted inside his hands. He suddenly couldn't believe what he had been about to do, and he whimpered in distress. "Tom…," he pleaded softly as he watched the hunter step backwards onto the platform still holding a gun at Damon's head.

Tom just kept his angry eyes on the dragon ghost as the platform rose upwards; and all too soon, the two men were gone.

Gregor instantly dropped to his knees and began to cry. He wept harder than he ever had in his life as whatever hope Damon had brought him was extinguished with his departure…

* * *

Vladimir stood at the foot of his son's bed, watching the life monitors and the quiet drip of the meds through the child's IV.

The thirty-four-year-old man seemed to have grown twenty years older in just one day. There were dark circles under his eyes. His skin looked pale and his features were bony; and his once bright blue eyes were gray.

To think this man was the Ghost King and a powerful millionaire seemed an impossible thought at the moment.

Vladimir sighed and rubbed his eyes, his shoulders slouched with all the weight of his troubles and emotions.

He had sent his message to Skulker in the morning. It was almost mid-night now. Vlad wondered how long it would be before he answered… Or, if he would be able to answer at all.

But just as he thought that, something hot tingled in his chest; and too tired to suppress it, a red vapor slipped past his mouth.

Vladimir's eyes widened and a bit of hope lit them up again. He glanced at his comatose son before quickly exiting the room. He wanted to just transform and teleport to where he needed, but he didn't want to risk using energy in the Human World. Even when they were at his chalet hidden deep within the Rockies, he had to be careful.

If any ghostly activity was detected, especially with how alarmed everyone was with what happened six nights ago, he and his son could be discovered. And he didn't have the strength to escape from danger a third time…

Finally making it to the bottom room, he went to a wall with a large self-portrait and pressed a hand against it. In an instant, a retinal scanner appeared. Recognizing him, the wall split open, revealing a door. He didn't hesitate to open it, and walked into a large laboratory. It was vast with many computers and instruments. But there was one thing that stood out most than anything: the whirling green portal at one end of it.

But Vlad didn't care about that. He cared for the figure that was standing in front of it.

"Skulker," he said with a sigh of relief.

The two friends quickly moved towards each other, and Skulker was immensely relieved to feel his friend hug him back. He was definitely a lot more responsive than the last time he had seen him at the hospital.

"Sorry it took so long. I couldn't think of a way to do what you asked me," Skulker explained as they let go. But suddenly taking in his friend's appearance, he frowned and added, "Vlad, you look unwell. Have you been eating?"

"I'll eat later," the millionaire replied quickly and asked what was on his mind, "Were you able to…?"

"Yes," Skulker cut him off with a sigh.

"Well, where is she?" Vlad asked anxiously.

Skulker frowned. He hesitated, but instead of answering his friend, he worriedly questioned instead, "Are you sure you want to do this? She's from the council, Plasmius. This could end in disaster."

Vladimir nodded and glanced over at the now sealed portal. "I know… But it's all I can think of. My son needs help, and… she's the only ghost I can turn to."

Skulker nodded before he pulled out a small cube.

Vlad gasped. "Please tell me you didn't trap her in there!"

"I told you I didn't know how to get her here," Skulker replied with a troubled look. "It was all I could think of, Vlad. She would have never come here out of her freewill!"

Vladimir fell quiet, realizing his friend was right. He hesitated before he pointed over to a door on the opposite end of the portal. "Come. We'll let her out in my simulation room. Like this lab, it is both ghost-proof and blocks ghost-detection instruments. But it will be safer there since there's nothing… irreplaceable or that could explode."

"Perhaps you should return to your true form," Skulker advised as he followed his friend to the opposite side of the lab.

But Vlad shook his head. "Not yet. I need to measure her reaction to my human self, first."

The King knew that although the ghost he had asked Skulker to bring was smart and knowledgeable, she had never encountered a human, or even been to the Human World…

"If you think so," Skulker answered uncertainly. "I just hope she understands, because I still cannot believe I trapped a member of the council into one of my cages. She's going to be furious with me…"

"Once she knows the truth, she'll understand," Vladimir reassured him, though it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself, too.

The two friends entered and walked into a solid white room without another word. There was nothing inside—no decorations or furniture. All that was there was a large and dark mirror-like window on one end of the room and the door they had just entered.

Vladimir then called out to the room, "Activate and lockdown."

In an instant, the door of the plain white room vanished, and the white walls, ceiling, and floor were covered with a green rock-like layer—except for the black mirror. It remained the same. The green rock layer, though, was similar to the ghost shields the humans had recently invented, except Vlad had made his 'ghost shield' from ghostly rocks containing ecto-uranium.

It was actually the same material from the rocks at the caves his son played at. They were impenetrable to ghost powers. But… he had discovered the rocks also blocked ghost-detecting instruments, too.

"Before you do this," Skulker began a bit nervously, "I want you to know that I told Horris about everything—everything except that your son isn't… biologically yours."

Vlad quickly turned his eyes to his friend. "I told you to tell him _everything_."

"I know, but I didn't think you were thinking clearly. And, honestly, I _still_ do not believe you are," Skulker said seriously. "It's why I did not tell him about your son's origins. I will not be responsible for the consequences. And more importantly, I did not want to do something I thought you might later regret."

Vladimir lowered his gaze and was quiet for a moment. But then he quietly asked, "How did he take it? You know… that Daniel is also half-human…"

"He was shocked at first, then he became angry. However, I think he was mostly upset that you didn't confide in him before now... I cannot say for certain, though. He… walked out of my house without a single word. I haven't seen him since." Skulker sighed and passed a hand through his flaming hair. "There's no telling what he'll do with the information now. I just… I do not think this is going to end well, Plasmius."

"He wouldn't act against me," Vladimir replied without hesitation.

"No, he thinks of you as a son," Skulker agreed. "But he is the Ancient Leader. He has a responsibility to the safety of our world, as you do to the Kingdom. He might not _want_ to act against you, but… he might not have a lot of choice, especially when you have been missing for over five days!"

Vladimir fell quiet again before he softly said, "It doesn't matter what he or the council does. All I care about right now is my son…"

"I know and I understand," Skulker replied soberly, though he added mentally, _"But it still troubles me."_ The hunter knew that his friend was so focused on his son that he didn't seem to care how the entire Ghost World was crumbling before him. And yet… Skulker couldn't really blame him.

Skulker suppressed a sigh and instead just extended the ghost cube in his hand to his friend. "Here. I will stand to the side. My immediate presence will probably make matters worse…"

Vladimir nodded. He watched his friend move to the opposite side of the room before he turned his eyes to the object in his hand. He bit his lip nervously before he took a breath and pressed a single button on the cube. He then threw the small cube on the ground, where it quickly began to expand into a large green cage.

Within it, was a single unconscious ghost.

Vlad quietly approached the cage before kneeling on one knee in front of the figure inside. She was curled on the ground, her face hidden by golden curls and large white wings…

"_Anĝela ,"_ Vladimir called softly, reaching inside to push the ghost's hair from her face. _"Vekiĝ, specon kuracisto…" (1) _

It took a moment, but eventually the female ghost's wings slowly moved away from her body as she began to come to. However, when her large wings hit the barriers around it, she gasped and her eyes snapped open.

Vlad instantly retracted his hand, just as she sat up, only to jolt again when she found herself confined. She instantly tried to spread her wings again, only to hit the same barrier. The ghost panicked.

"Stop!" Vladimir quickly said when she began to thrash against her confines.

But when her gold eyes finally locked into his, her eyes grew wider with a new form of terror.

"_Ne… Ne,"_ she muttered in Ghost Speech, and her hands quickly began to glow with energy. But when she tried to use it, she received a mild shock from the cage. She gasped, and too afraid to think, she tried again, only receive the same unpleasant effect.

Meanwhile, Skulker cringed, forgetting about the cage's reaction to ghost energy. He had never expected to put a member from the council inside it. He usually used it to trap primitive ghosts to transfer those creatures to new environments, and the mild shock was meant to keep them from attempting to break out. It wasn't life-threatening; just unpleasant.

"_Liberig min!" (2)_ the female ghost screeched, drawing out her claws this time.

"Anĝela, I need you to calm down and look at me! **Look at me!"** Vladimir said firmly in Ghost Speech, knowing she didn't speak Human Speech.

The female ghost froze, finally realizing this… human could speak her language. It was alarming to say the least.

"_Listen,"_ the currently human Ghost King commanded more softly in his native language. "I am going to release you. I promise I will not hurt you, alright? Just stay calm and _let me explain_…"

Anĝela tensed when the human stood to his height, towering over her. But all she could do was stare back, while her wings quickly closed around her, as if they would protect her.

Vlad glanced at Skulker behind him and nodded. Anĝela couldn't see Skulker, but she heard a sigh from somewhere else in the room. The hunter pulled out a control and pressed the release button on it.

In an instant, the cage around the female ghost vanished into nothing.

It took Anĝela a moment to understand she had just been freed. She only glanced once at the human in front of her before she suddenly bolted into the air.

"Anĝela!" Vladimir exclaimed as the female ghost turned intangible, planning to shoot straight through the ceiling…

Vladimir cringed as the female slammed into it with a cry of pain and dropped back down to the ground. Alright, so maybe letting her go free wasn't the best idea. He had hoped she would at least calm down a bit at being released. He had been wrong.

Anĝela gasped as she got to her feet, her six-foot wings spread wide in her panic. She quickly turned to face the human; and understanding she was trapped, she barred her fangs at him as she hissed at him in Ghost Speech, "What do you want? How did you bring me here?"

"I'm sorry I had to resort to such extremes to bring you here, Anĝela," Vladimir said in their language, his voice gentle so as not to scare the female ghost anymore. "But I am desperate. You're the only one who I could turn to."

"What?" she asked, confused. But then she glared again. "I do not consort with humans! And I don't know how you became so fluent in our language, but if you're looking to get information out of me, you're wasting your time. You might as well kill me now!"

"No one is going to kill you, Anĝela ," Skulker suddenly spoke up.

The female ghost jolted and gasped as she finally saw the third person in the room. "Skulker?" Her eyes widened as she finally recalled what had happened before she lost consciousness. Skulker had come to her house and… shot her with a tranquilizer.

"You brought me here," she whispered in disbelief. "Why? Why would you do this, Skulker? Why would you betray our kind like this by consorting and aiding these barbaric creatures?"

"He brought you here on my command," Vladimir answered for the hunter.

Anĝela bared her fangs again and growled at the human, "And who are _**you**_ to give any ghosts _commands?"_

"I am your king," Vlad replied without hesitation. And before the female ghost could react, black rings appeared around his waist and he transformed into his ghost self.

Anĝela's eyes widened and she took a step back. "No, it… it cannot be… _King Plasmiu_s?" But then she shook her head in denial. It couldn't be! It was impossible!

Filled with sudden rage, she snarled and unexpectedly thrust her wings forward sending a wave of energy at Plasmius.

Unprepared for it, the King was thrown back into the opposite wall by the force.

"**Anĝela, no!"** Skulker exclaimed, quickly stepping forward.

"Stop!" Plasmius commanded Skulker, seeing his intentions to defend him. Vlad got back to his feet, and raised his hands up in a pacifying gesture. "Anĝela, it is me._ I am_ King Plasmius," he assured her.

But Anĝela's eyes only narrowed more. "**Lies!** It's impossible! It's a trick! You humans are vile! How dare you attempt to impersonate my good King!"

Vlad quickly raised a shield in front of him when the female ghost thrust her wings forward and sent another wave of energy at him.

The female froze for a second, shocked by this human's almost-convincing trick. He was somehow even managing to summon something that resembled ghost energy to protect himself! But she had already heard the human's breathing when he had been close to her. He was human, and the King was a ghost! It seemed real—but it **had** to be a trick!

"I don't know what you want, but you won't get it from me," she growled. "I will never betray my king or my kind!" Anĝela quickly raised her wings up and energy seeped out of her hands, ready to send a different form of attack

However, before she could make another move, Vlad teleported in front of her and grabbed her wrists.

The anger left the female ghost, and she panicked as she struggled against his hold. "Let go of me!" she screeched in fear.

Vlad knew Anĝela had no experience in active battle. He knew how scared she was without needing to touch her.

"Anĝela, listen to me," Vlad stressed, not letting go. But seeing her wings come up for an attack, he quickly flew forward and pinned her against the wall. She cried out as her wings were trapped behind her.

"For goodness sake, Anĝela, **think**!" Plasmius exclaimed with a mixture of anger and desperation. "You're a doctor. You're the smartest female advisor I have! _Think_. There is no possible way the humans could pull off a trick as sophisticated as impersonating me—or any ghost for that matter! And if you don't believe that, then maybe _this_ will convince you…"

Anĝela gasped as her hand was forced against the male ghost's chest and pressed into his Energy Signature. She had never felt the King's core before. The only time she had asked to touch it had been when his wife had been sick, and he had refused. But she knew a core when she felt it. And as a doctor, she knew it could not be replicated by anything. She could even feel the unique feeling of _this_ core, so similar to that of the young Prince…

Anĝela immediately stopped struggling. "It can't be…," she whispered in denial, though she was now certain this was her King. "But… But how did you just…?"

Vlad cut her off, replying, "I'm a ghost. I'm your King. But… I am also human…"

To prove this, he let the rings reappear and turned human again.

Anĝela gasped as the feeling of a core vanished under her fingers and something warm and pulsing replaced it. A human heart.

"Oh God…," she whispered, further feeling her King actually breathing. "This is impossible!"

"No, it's unlikely, not impossible," Vlad corrected her, before slowly letting her go and taking a step back. "I'm both human and ghost. It happened a long time ago, and I promise to explain it all to you, but right now, there is something more important… Anĝela, I need you to help my son. I need you to save Daniel."

Anĝela stayed against the wall as she replied back, "The Prince…" Her eyes widened. "He's alive?" He looked back at the human in front of her and added, _"You're alive…"_

"Yes, and I'm sorry for this. I'm sorry for forcing you into the Human World, but I had no other choice because… I cannot take Daniel to you. Anĝela … my son… He shares my condition. He is like me."

"Human?" she whispered back.

Vlad nodded. "Human _and_ ghost."

But Anĝela shook her head. "This cannot be happening." Her eyes darted nervously. "No, I… cannot help humans. You… You _can't_ be my King…"

"Anĝela , please," Vladimir begged. "I am still the same person, regardless of what I am. And so is Daniel. I _know_ you trust me—and after hearing all you said when you thought I was just another human who had captured you, from your refusal to betray me, I am further certain of your loyalty. I am also certain you care for my son, and I wouldn't trust his life to anyone but you."

So, please. _I am begging you_," he continued, raising his hands in plea as his voice began to shake. _"He's dying,_ and I don't know who else I can turn to but you. He's an innocent child. Human or ghost, he's a soul in need, and you have vowed as a doctor to help those in need. You can think of me what you want. You can despise me for what I am. You can expose me to the whole Ghost World if you want, but please, just help Daniel. You're his only hope. _Please." _

Anĝela bit her lip as she stared back at the desperate human—No, he was more than that. He was a desperate _father_.

Anĝela glanced at Skulker who stared back at her with a troubled look. He was clearly afraid of her knowing the truth about the King, but he also seemed to be pleading silently to her, too.

She sighed and her wings dropped to her sides. "Where is he?" she asked softly.

* * *

**Translations:**

**1. Wake up, kind doctor.**

**2. Let me go!**

***Next update: Endgame* Thanks for reading!**


	38. Chapter 36: The Deepest Point of Despair

**Greetings all! Thanks for your patience! Sometimes it gets hard to write with everything else that we must do in life, but here we are! With an update at last! I want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews! They really mean the world to me! It certainly shows that support I need when Vlad muse is forcing me to write when I lack the desire to. So, I truly appreciate each and every one of them.**

**Alright, so brief summary:**

**With Desiree's death, the portals have opened, leaving the Ghost World open literally for an attack. Yet, not much has happened with that yet. They are still in chaos, without their Ghost King around to give them some sort of direction on where to go from here, so the High Council is pretty much at a standstill.**

**However, a few days back, Skulker, under Vlad's orders, told Horris everything that happened, and further confessed that Danny is half-ghost like Vlad. It was hard for the Ancient leader, but he did make a decision on what to do with this discover given the circumstance, and you will see that decision in this chapter.**

**Vlad and Danny, meanwhile, are still in the Human World. Angela is now in the picture, and is about to determine how extensive Danny's core has been injured.**

**Gregor is unaware of the foreboding danger that is about to enter into his life—as if he needs anymore, right? But he is still very upset with Damon's fate, and is worried about Valerie's fate and his own, too.**

**So, yeah, everyone, besides the bad guys are in a pretty dark place right now… **

**So, without any further delay, here's more angst your way… Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU plot is my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 36: The Deepest Point of Despair**

* * *

Having arrived at the room where Danny was, Anĝela quickly moved over to the child while Vlad came up behind her. Skulker had decided to wait outside.

Anĝela placed a hand on Danny's chest, feeling as it slowly rose and sank with every weak but steady breath. She bit her lip at feeling the constant thumping of a human heart, and it took everything in her not to cringe.

It was still hard to believe this was the Ghost Prince. Not only was this unconscious child _human_, but he looked so… dead. If it was hard for the ghost doctor to accept that the man standing beside her was her King, it was even harder to believe this child in front of her was her Prince.

And yet, she felt an almost overwhelming sense of sorrow and rage in her core as she took in all the lacerations on this innocent child's body and face—human or not. But the worst of it was when she pulled away the bandages from his face and saw those hideous letters burned into his pale cheeks: 'Demon Spawn'.

What sort of sick man did something like this? It was beyond Anĝela's comprehension.

"How long has he been like this?" Anĝela asked soberly as she moved her hand away from the child's chest and focused fully on his face.

Vladimir had his eyes lowered, as if ashamed of having to allow the female ghost to see his own son in such condition. It only drove further into his mind what a horrible father he had to be…

"It's been five days. Maybe six. My own memory is still a blur," he replied quietly, still not looking at the doctor.

But Anĝela quickly turned her eyes to him. Her eyebrows creased as she finally noticed how pale and sick the father looked. She would have to tend to him, too. But, first, she needed to try to help Danny; especially since she was certain that the man's unstable emotional and mental reactions at seeing his son this way were affecting his physical condition.

Anĝela turned her eyes back to Danny, and leaned in closer to inspect the child's wounds. It was strange that these wounds had not healed. In spite of their severity, a ghost's healing system should have completely healed the wounds after several days at the most. She just hoped the wounds had not been caused by a ghost device meant to prevent proper healing, which would then leave permanent scarring.

She had seen quite a bit of that during Dark's rule. Humans would dip their knives and instruments in mixtures of acid and ectoplasm to permanently brand ghosts or disfigure them. But humans weren't the only ones who loved these sorts of tortures. Pariah relished in them, too. After all, Pariah once owned the Skeleton Key, which turned into the Skeleton dagger designed for the purpose of destroying ghost flesh. And word had it that the dagger even had the power to enslave others.

Anĝela had seen the destruction of that dagger only once. On Skulker. But by the time they had found the hunter, his body had been beyond repair. It was literally falling apart and his diseased ectoplasm turned into this black ooze…

Anĝela frowned as her thoughts spun. She raised one of Danny's hands and placed it flatly on top of her palm. In an instant, the child's hand turned transparent. She was among only a very few ghosts who could manipulate intangibility and invisibility like this with such skill and precision.

The child's skin practically vanished, revealing the muscles underneath to the naked eye. But then she moved further, and the muscles faded under her practiced power of intangibility and invisibility. She carefully studied the bones and blood vessels in the child's hand. But coming upon his fingers, her eyes slightly widened at finding the space between the finger bones, meant to hold the child's claws, were almost empty. Aside from a small piece deep inside the bones, the child's claws were gone!

Anĝela solidified the Prince's hand once more and then lowered it. She then turned her eyes to the tensely silent father and extended her hand to him, asking, "May I see one of your hands for a moment?"

Vladimir just placed his hand on the female's own without a word. He watched as she used the same manipulation of her intangibility and invisibility powers until the bones of his hand were revealed. The doctor frowned as she confirmed what she had suspected.

"Your claws are accessible to you even in… this form," she muttered. "I can see them even within your human bones…"

Vlad slowly pulled his hand away, already knowing where the female was going. "Yes, they and my fangs are the only evidence of my real form while I am human… I assume it is the same for my son." He paused before he shakily asked, "Will they grow back?"

Anĝela's eyebrows creased but then she answered, "There are more important things, King Plasmius."

Vlad shook his head, wrapping his arms around his stomach as he quietly said, "I'm not your King, Anĝela. Not here. Just call me 'Vlad.'."

The doctor smiled sadly. "You surely are my King. It was hard to believe that at first, but… that goodness in you remains the same regardless of whether you have a human or ghost body. I see that now. But if it will please you, I will address you as you wish… Vlad."

She turned from him and carefully began to remove the blankets off Danny's body; but she was careful not to disturb the IV and other medical tubes in the boy.

"I hope you can understand that I will need your help to properly examine your son. I am not familiar with the works of a human body, let alone of one that is half human and half ghost," she said.

"Of course," Vlad answered. "As I said, while human, our bodies have no signs of our other half, except for the fangs and claws. However, under human tests, like x-rays, it only shows as a gap in our bones, and human doctors dismiss it as abnormalities. Our blood and hearts are no different than any other human. And our cores are invisible while we are human. It only becomes active when I wish it to."

He paused, feeling awkward with sharing this with someone beside his wife, Horris, or Skulker. But he knew it was necessary, so he continued, "From my own studies, I know the moment I use any ghost power while in this human form, my core activates to some extent, sending ectoplasm and ghost energy through my veins and system to allow me to use my powers. They are usually limited to the more basic powers, though. To use my full abilities, my core has to be fully active, and the only way it does that is if I turn into a ghost."

While the man had been explaining this, Anĝela had been using her powers to expose and examine Danny's organs and circulatory system. She had been carefully listening to the King's every word, confirming with her own eyes how there was indeed no signs of anything ghostly in the child's body.

"His human body is completely healthy; at least if it's anything like a ghost body, it appears this way," Anĝela said, her critical eye still on Danny.

"Yes, the human doctors said aside from the physical wounds, Daniel's body and mind were healthy. They did not know why he would not wake up," Vlad replied sadly.

"But we do," Anĝela answered.

"Yes… I have already told you all that happened…," Vlad said quietly. "Whatever those humans injected into Daniel and… Desiree's core was meant to kill them. It was meant to destroy their cores… She… She literally m-melted in my hands and I—"

Anĝela quickly grabbed one of Vlad's shaking hands, cutting him off. She frowned with compassion at him as she gently said, "You have already told me, Vlad. You do not need to repeat it again."

Vlad took in a few shallow breaths before he nodded and fell quiet again. It had been hard to tell Anĝela all that had happened with Desiree and Daniel. But since he had brought her here, he felt he owed her to tell her everything so she would understand the gravity of the situation—plus, she needed to know all that happened to properly help her son the best she could.

Still, every time Vlad thought or spoke about it, it was like it was happening all over again. The whole gruesome thing would just flash across his mind, making him relive the desperation and helplessness he felt. It made him remember how his wife was dead—something his mind, heart, and core just could not bear to fully assimilate just yet. He was afraid of what would happen if he did, and right now, he couldn't risk falling apart completely. Not when his son was battling to stay alive.

Anĝela sighed as she lifted her powers from Danny, and then just gazed at him again. It was difficult to see her leader so uncertain and frightened… it frightened her all the more… But now, after all the King had told her and after examining the Prince's body, she was certain that the boy's problems indeed lay hidden within his dormant core and ghost body.

But how was she to access them while the child was completely human?

What really concerned the doctor was what Vlad had told her while re-counting all that had happened. He had mentioned how the venom injected into the Queen and Prince's cores had turned the ectoplasm in their veins black. The effects were too familiar for her liking.

But then, it couldn't be Pariah's lost relic. Humans would not know how to use it; and besides, it was a knife, not a liquid that could be injected. Perhaps, then, the humans had learned to create something similar, some sort of poison that could destroy ghost cores from within. Surely if they could devise weapons to kill ghosts, then why couldn't they invent biological weapons to use against them as well?

It didn't matter how they had done it, though. What mattered now was a way to reverse the effects of the mysterious venom…

Anĝela brought one of her wings forward and plucked out two feathers. She then turned to face the King and said, "We need to find out how much damage your son's core sustained… You said your core can be partially awakened even while human, so the same must apply for your son…"

Vladimir nodded. "But how can his core be awakened without his consciously willing it so?"

"Well…," Anĝela said, raising one of the feathers and watching as it began to glow gold in color. "That is what I hope to test. Perhaps his core can be subconsciously stimulated to wake. However, I wish to test it on you, first. I need to see how you react to my power's stimulation. This way, there will be less risk when we try it on your son, since we will know what to expect."

At any other time, Vlad would have hesitated. He had always been skittish when it came to 'testing'. He had always been so afraid of his secret being discovered. But right now he didn't care.

"Just do whatever you have to," Vlad muttered as he pulled off his suit's jacket.

"Have a seat," Anĝela asked, gesturing to a chair nearby.

As Vlad did so, he further unbuttoned his white shirt enough to expose his upper chest. As Anĝela approached him, the man was suddenly struck by a reoccurring thought and he glanced at his son.

"Anĝela… Do you know of anyone who successfully completed a Life Energy transfer?" he asked quietly.

The doctor paused in what she was doing, and her eyes widened with a bit of fear. "King… _Vlad_. The only way that is successful is when the ghost has their core energy intact. They can afford to give away half of it to another…. But that's not the case with you. You and your wife formed Daniel, therefore, you only have half of your core energy, which you need to survive. And you should know from experience that a ghost will die before it can complete the transfer. Please do not even ponder trying it. Do not make the same… choice your parents made. It will not help your son, and all you will do is lose your life in the attempt…"

Vladimir didn't reply. It was true that he only had half of his Life Energy, but it wasn't because he had formed his son. It was because Pariah Dark's curse on his crown and ring had destroyed half of it and had made him human… But Anĝela didn't need to know that.

Vlad knew giving up the remaining half of his Life Energy to save someone else would kill him. After all, it had been why he had never been able to form a child with his wife….

But having lost Desiree and finding himself close to losing Daniel, the King had done more than contemplate the thought of giving up his life for his son. The idea had become a very _realistic_ option. What _if_ he could complete the transfer? Yes, no ghost had ever accomplish it, but… he wasn't just any ghost, and he wouldn't let himself die until he completed it… until he saved his son.

If all else failed, he would go through with it, and he _would_ _be_ successful, because he had made a promise to his deceased wife. He simply could not let their child die.

"Sire?" Anĝela called worriedly, afraid of how quiet the man had become.

The father slowly turned his eyes to her. He sighed tiredly before saying, "I'm ready."

Anĝela frowned; but then without a word, she placed the feather on her palm and then levitated it towards Vlad. As it touched his chest, it began to dissolve into a fine gold dust that just as quickly vanished under his skin.

At first, nothing happened, except that the man's body was glowing gold. But then, Vlad began to feel a tingle in his chest before he suddenly gasped as a force gripped his dormant core. It was so foreign and more uncomfortable than anything else he had ever experienced as it took control of his core. His instincts told him to fight against it, and it took all his will power not to do so.

"Are you alright?" Anĝela asked as she watched the man grip the seat's armrests and squeeze his eyes close. She had never tried this, so she was very nervous.

Vlad nodded as he breathed laboriously. He could feel his core partially awaken on its own. As a result, his cheeks began to heat up with a dark blush and his body grew warmer from his hot core. Then, when he finally opened his eyes, Anĝela saw how they were no longer blue but bright red. Small pink flames danced on the older hybrid's hands and a bit of perspiration settled on his forehead.

"It worked," he breathed out before licking his hot lips. The amount that his core had been forced awake was definitely more than what he allowed it when he was in control. He usually didn't have such an increase in temperature to the point that he felt his skin almost burning, like he was running a high fever. But it was still bearable, which meant it should work for his son, too…

Anĝela raised the other feather and moved over to the younger half-ghost. "The affects will only last about five to ten minutes. However, we have to take into account that if his core is severely damaged, awakening it, even for a few moments, could have negative effects on his human body…"

"I thought as much," Vlad answered, standing up and ignoring his still glowing eyes and body. He moved over to a large cabinet and pulled out a needle and a vial with some kind of medicine in it.

"I overshadowed Daniel's human doctor," the father explained, "So, I gathered enough knowledge from him to be able to take care of my son's human body." He carefully filled the needle with a specific amount of the liquid medicine as he added, "If anything goes wrong, I'll inject this into Daniel's blood stream. It will stabilize his heart if it begins to falter. I also have a defibrillator. It shocks the heart into responding," he explained, knowing the ghost doctor wasn't familiar with human technology.

Anĝela nodded and grabbed a beaded necklace she had around her neck. She then pulled off one of the white glowing beads. "It is best to be prepared. This is pure energy from a Nova, mixed with healing enzymes. I have a feeling we will be needing it, too…"

Anĝela bit her lip before she levitated the feather to Danny's exposed chest and it dissolved under his skin. The child's skin quickly began to glow with a gold hue, like it had with Vlad. And a moment later, a faint green symbol appeared on his chest.

Anĝela smiled with slight hope as she said, "His core is reacting… It means it hasn't been fully destroyed…"

Vlad dared to get closer, but it was then that the heart monitor began to speed up and his blood pressure began to rise. The man tensed, but Anĝela grabbed one of his arms.

"Your heart picked up speed, too. Let's see what happens...," she told him.

Vlad didn't reply as he watched his son's heart rate double its speed from a second ago, and then he heard his son's breathing increase through the mask.

"Anĝela…," Vlad began fearfully, but he was silenced when he watched little black lines appear on his son's chest and spread out over the rest of his body, drawing a gruesome outline of every one of his veins. And then… he began to convulse.

"Anĝela!" Vlad exclaimed.

The female ghost gasped and she quickly moved to hold the child down with one hand before turning her other hand intangible and reaching into the child's now awakened and poisoned core. She inserted the medicine bead into it before pulling her hand out.

Even then Danny continued to convulse on the bed. But seeing Vlad on the verge of reacting with his growing panic, Anĝela quickly exclaimed, "Wait! Just wait a moment!" She swallowed another gasp when she saw the child's hands dripping a mixture of blood and ectoplasm; but she continued to hold him, praying the medicine would take affect soon!

"Anĝela, you have to stop this! It's killing him!" Vlad yelled desperately, gripping his hair.

"I cannot stop it! I told you, the affects last five to ten minutes!"

"His body can't handle his core being awakened for that long!" he cried back at her. But when he saw his son's blood pressure suddenly take a dive and his face drain of color as a result, Vlad couldn't take it anymore.

Turning into Plasmius, he moved forward, pushing Anĝela away from his son.

She gasped as she saw the man's body light up as he placed a hand against the child's convulsing body and another on his own chest. It was clear what the father was about to do.

"NO!" she yelled and quickly grabbed his extended arm. But Vlad's hand was unmovable. "King Plasmius! Stop! You are going to kill yourself!"

"I don't care! I'm not letting him die! Now, let me go!" he yelled at her.

"No! You won't save him, and your irrational actions are not helping! I need you to trust me, and let me help him another way!" Anĝela yelled back.

It seemed that their screaming had been loud enough to be heard outside the room because a second later Skulker flew through the door. And seeing what his friend was trying to do, Skulker gasped and lunged at him from the side.

Vlad was pushed away from his son, but then his hands were also seized by Skulker's larger metal ones.

"NO! Let me go, Skulker! He's going to die!" Vlad yelled desperately, struggling to get free.

"Plasmius! You're not thinking straight! Anĝela knows what she's doing! You have to trust her to at least _try _to help you son!" Skulker yelled back.

Anĝela, who had moved back to Danny's side, saw how the child's convulsing began to grow less violent. But she also saw and heard the heart monitor slowing down and his blood pressure begin to descend even further.

"Come on, little one!" she begged. She needed him to stabilize to be able to check his core and find out the extent of its damage. But if his heart couldn't take it long enough for her to do anything…

Suddenly, Anĝela remembered the syringe with the human medicine Vlad had left on the table. He said it was meant to stabilize the child's heart!

Anĝela made a quick decision and administered the human medication into the Prince.

Meanwhile, Skulker struggled to hold against the frantic Vlad, all the while pleading with his friend to see reason again.

But Anĝela ignored them, and just watched the monitors as they continued to drop. She was growing a bit panicked herself now, not understanding why the child's vitals were not stabilizing! The human medicine plus the ghost medicine she had given him beforehand should have taken affect—done _something_ by now!

Suddenly, she heard Plasmius cry out in pain, followed by a gasp. Anĝela briefly turned her gaze to him and Skulker. Her King was cradling one of his wrists! At first, she wasn't sure what had happened but when she saw Vlad begin to sway on his feet, she realized Skulker must have bitten him and injected him with his venom.

"Sorry, Plasmius," Skulker muttered as he grabbed his friend before he dropped to the ground.

The moment the man was out cold, black rings appeared around his waist and turned him human once more.

As Skulker put his unconscious friend in a chair, Anĝela looked back at Danny. She worriedly watched his weak heart struggle to beat. There was now a little bit of blood and ectoplasm leaking from the child's mouth, and those hideous black lines remained on his body.

These medicines were not having the effects she was expecting, and she realized she needed to try something else and fast!

Anĝela didn't hesitate to act on her sudden idea. Perhaps she could attempt to remove some of the poison in the child's core. She wasn't sure if there was any left in it, or if it had already spread through his body, but she could try. She had done this before to the child, when she had accidently given him an overdose of meds… She paused as that triggered another thought. Now, she knew why he had overdosed! He was only _half_-ghost!

But she then shook her head and focused. That didn't matter right now. She just had to do this before it was too late. Anĝela grabbed the biggest syringe with the longest needle from the cabinet from which she had seen Vlad remove the first one. She then focused her powers, and coated the syringe with a gold hue. She hoped this worked!

Carefully, she inserted the needle into the child's chest and then turned her own hand intangible to guide the needle to the child's core. Soon, she felt the energy organ in her hands and she let the needle pierce just its first layer.

The child convulsed a bit more before falling still again. She then began to pull the syringe and watched with dread as it filled with a black liquid instead of the normal clear energy that should have been in the child's core. But when she saw that the syringe was close to full and she was still pulling out more of the black liquid, she stopped.

There was no way that the humans could have inserted this much venom into the child's core. That meant that what she was removing was the child's _actual energy. _It had turned black from the poison!

She removed the needle as a sad look came over her face. It was too late. The venom had already consumed the child's core. How his core was even responding she didn't know. But she was sure now, it was only a matter of time before it finally gave out and then so would the rest of his body.

By the way his dissolving ectoplasm was mixing with his human blood, it was clearer that both of his halves were connected. And as one died, the other was dying with it…

Anĝela sighed as her spell finally wore off and the child's core became dormant again. With it, the black veins disappeared and the blood and ectoplasm stopped dripping out of his body. She watched as his symbol vanished and lastly the glow around his body.

Anĝela was somewhat relieved when Danny's heartbeat and blood pressure began to rise again, until it stabilized. His vitals were weaker than just a few minutes ago, but they were steady again.

Still, his face was paler than before; so much so that he looked like a porcelain doll. The worse of it was that there was still no response from the child. And Anĝela was now certain there never would be again. Not with his core as destroyed as it was.

The tragic thought brought tears to her eyes, though she kept them at bay.

But suddenly feeling a hand on her shoulder, Anĝela turned to face Skulker and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Skulker. I should have not allowed the King to be present for this. I just needed his help, but I shouldn't have risked it, when it was so obvious how unstable he is."

Skulker sighed. "He would have insisted to be present anyways. He's going to be furious with me when he wakes up, but it had to be done…"

"Skulker, I am worried. He is determined to sacrifice himself for his son! And we both know, it will just end in a bigger tragedy!" Anĝela said.

"I'm not surprised it has crossed his mind…," Skulker replied, glancing sadly at Vlad. "But I just didn't think he would… I don't know, Anĝela. But I do know one thing, if the Prince does not make it, we might as well begin to accept that we're also going to lose the King. He won't survive losing both his wife and son…"

Anĝela felt tears return to her eyes. "Skulker, I-I do not think the Prince is going to survive this… His core is too damaged. I cannot do anything to help him."

Skulker's eyes widened but then he closed them. "We are all doomed, then…"

* * *

From his 'pretend room' up on the catwalk, Gregor watched the sun rise through a large gash in the circus tent. It had only been a small rip at first, but the dragon kid had enlarged it for the sole purpose of being able to see the sky. And since this particular catwalk was abandoned, he didn't have to worry about anyone finding out about his little 'hideaway'—especially his master. If his master knew that he got out of his cage at night and came up here to sleep, he would get severely punished.

Yet, for some reason, Gregor was willing to take the risk. It was just so peaceful here. He supposed it was the closest thing to freedom he would ever know.

_"No, you're good, Gregor," Damon cut him off seriously. "You're good. And you can't let Agent C and Frederick make you forget that. You can't let them take you down their dark path."_

_"I don't have a choice," he whimpered back as tears gathered in his eyes._

_"Yes, you do. You just have to be brave, Gregor," Damon said encouragingly. "You have a choice right now. All you have to do is use your ghost powers and fly us both out of here..."_

Gregor's gaze fell as Damon's words haunted his mind once more. The dragon ghost had never contemplated freedom. In fact, for the longest time, he had had no concept of it. As for escape… it was just as elusive for him. So, of course, he couldn't desire something he didn't even know about…

But now… He knew what it was. Damon had made him realize it existed. For once, he had hoped and longed for an escape—for freedom. It had been at his fingertips… and now it was gone.

He had lost his only chance to be free. And it hurt… It hurt _so much._

In all of his few years he had seen many horrors and had experienced tortures beyond belief. Yet, they compared nothing to how he felt now. He just felt defeated. He… wished to he could just… die. He wished someone could put him out of his misery, because with Mr. Gray gone, he had lost the only chance he had at freedom from this… life.

Gregor sighed emptily, though he pulled his stuffed dragonfly closer. But then remembering his other toy, he glanced to the side and spotted it. The boy quickly reached for the unicorn and brought it against his chest, right beside his dragon toy.

With a shudder, he buried his face into the unicorn's head, thinking of Valerie—of his only friend and how she would never see her dad again. Somehow, he felt responsible. He felt unworthy of her friendship…

"**SLAVE!"**

A sharp pain in his skull jolted him to reality and he gasped.

"**GREGOR! Where the hell are you?"**

The dragon kid jumped to his feet, his toys dropping out of his hold as panic and pain consumed him. In spite his deep depression, the fear he felt for his master was ten-times stronger. And he knew he was in deep trouble now!

The dragon boy always made sure to be back in his cage before his master woke up at his usual time of eight. But it was only six in the morning! Gregor didn't understand why his master was awake so early!

Gregor choked back a scream as another wave of pain slashed through his brain before Freakshow screamed out a curse at him.

Gregor bolted. He ran straight across the catwalk, and without thinking, leapt off and gripped an acrobatic swing twenty feet away. He just as quickly swung himself onto another one and then dropped ten feet down onto the top of a pole with the grace of a cat. He finally slid down the pole to the ground and ran over to his master. He instantly dropped to his feet in front of the man.

"Master! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to leave my cage! I just like it up there, but I'll never do it again! Please! I'm sorry!" he cried hysterically, while keeping his face against the man's feet.

But much to the dragon ghost's surprise, his plea was greeted with silence. And there was no pain. Wait. Why wasn't he in pain anymore? And more importantly, why wasn't his master beating him right now?

Gregor swallowed before he dared to glance up at his master. The boy was shocked again to see the man staring back at him with disbelief.

"Master?" Gregor hesitated to whisper questioningly.

Freakshow frowned back before he glanced up at the catwalk which was at least fifty feet up before looking back at the child again and asking with confusion, "How did you get up there, drone?"

Gregor raised his face a bit more and glanced at where he once was before looking back at his master and replying, "S-Same way I came down, m-master…"

Freakshow just stared at him for a long moment as various emotions passed through the man's eyes. He had never seen anyone—ghost or human—descend from such a height as fast as Gregor just had. And more astounding was the fact that he didn't fall from the daring acrobatics he had just displayed.

"You know what, drone?" Freakshow finally said, his surprise melding into a satisfied smirk. "You might not be as worthless as I thought."

The man suddenly moved past him and headed towards the small control panel at the center of the rink. The main one was of course outside of the stage so the technician could run the lights and special-effects without being seen. But Freakshow kept a small one at the center rink. It looked like a prop from afar, but there was buttons on it. The man pressed three of them and the dimmed room was flooded with light. After he was through, he turned back to look at the dragon ghost.

Gregor had stood up, but there was confusion and fear on his face. The child did not understand why his master wasn't angry at him. It made no sense!

"Tom called me late last night. He wants you to be at the 'GiW' facility in an hour," Freakshow informed him calmly. But then his eyes flashed with brief irritation as he added mostly to himself, "Apparently, the brut doesn't sleep and thinks we're all like him…"

Gregor blinked; but then his master sighed tiredly and continued, "Anyways, once he's done with whatever it is he wants you for, make sure to come right back…"

The boy tensed as his master grabbed his chin and smiled eerily, "I have something I want you to do for me, too, slave. So, hurry back."

And with that, the man walked off to do his morning routine before his workers arrived.

Gregor just stared after the circus leader, shocked beyond belief. He didn't understand at all what had just happened. He supposed he should be thankful, though, that he wasn't punished.

But… he felt uneasy about it, because he knew he should have been and something had stopped his master from doing it…

Gregor glanced back up at the catwalk and nervously rubbed one of his arms. But suddenly, his thoughts shifted and he froze when he realized his master had just ordered him to go see Tom. No! He didn't want to go see that man! He didn't want to remember what happened just yesterday!

Sadly, he had no choice.

Gregor felt a lump form in his throat as he reluctantly pulled off his ring. He then braced himself before separating the Gem of Form from his core. With a flash of light, he was soon in his real dragon form.

Sighing in defeat, he swallowed the ring and gem for safekeeping before he turned intangible and invisible and leapt into the air. He flew high up into the sky, half-heartedly glancing at the views below.

All too soon, he arrived at the 'GiW' headquarters. But he landed about a block from it and in an alley. He stayed invisible as he pulled out the gem and ring from his stomach. Once his core reabsorbed the gem and was in his human disguise, he regained visibility. But he knew better now than to get anywhere near the place without the ring suppressing his powers and energy signature—the last and only time he had done that, he was almost killed by the automatic ghost weapons around the facility's perimeters…

Scowling, he slipped the ring back on and walked out of the alley. He continued down the block until he reached the ghost hunter facility. Once inside, he didn't even bother to glance at the woman at the reception desk. By now, she was too use to seeing him here to question it. But as Gregor walked closer and closer to Tom's office, he began to feel a wave of helplessness and sadness surfacing again.

He stopped at the door; and with a lowered gaze, he unwillingly knocked. There was a brief silence before the door was suddenly opened.

"Oh, right on time," Tom said with a smile before he grabbed Gregor's shoulder and led him to a room—and Gregor realized it was the room the man usually used when he made him do bad things: the weapon's room. That's where he had killed the sister of those two male ghosts his master now owned…

But as they finally got there and saw they were indeed in that room, Gregor said nothing. Honestly, he didn't care. Why should he? He had no say in anything; so what was going to happen was going to happen.

"Wait here a moment," Tom said as he walked to a table, which was already set up. "I have been working on this all morning. I think it's ready, but there's only one way to find out…"

Gregor frowned at first, now wondering, like his master, if the man ever slept. But in the end the young ghost really didn't care. He knew that he wouldn't be in this room if there wasn't going to be some kind of experiment. And he didn't have to guess who got to be the lab rat…

"Did you know, Gregor, that the Ghost Prince actually had a regenerative core?" Tom said conversationally as he prepared a shot with some glowing clear liquid. "But what is more astonishing is that the core energy I took from him actually reacts to both human _and_ ghost bodies. It's compatible with both, in other words."

Gregor just silently watched the man.

"I would like to harvest this potential; but first, I need to see how it reacts to… _other_ ghosts." Tom turned towards him and grinned almost insanely at the young dragon kid.

He then walked up to him and pulled out a small gun. Gregor tensed as the man grabbed his shoulder before pressing the barrel against his chest.

"What are you doing?" the child asked fearfully.

"Relax, I won't shoot your core," Tom assured him; and before the child could even digest his words, the man pulled the trigger.

Bam!

Gregor choked on a cry of pain as a bullet meant to hurt ghosts sliced through his body and a sharp pain exploded from his chest. He whimpered before he dropped to his knees gripping at his profusely bleeding chest, certain that the man had lied and really had shot his core.

Tears gripped at the corner of his eyes as his vision began to blur. Oh, God. He was dying. Tom had finally gotten sick of him and killed him!

The boy whimpered again before he collapsed on the ground completely and closed his eyes. Maybe this was what was best. He would be free now…

Tom kneeled next to the heavily bleeding ghost. He knew he hadn't shot the child in his core, but it had been close enough for the wound to cause heavy bleeding. And really, the blood loss could very well kill the child. But Tom was confident in what he was doing; so although Gregor seemed on the verge of fainting, the hunter watched him for a moment longer.

He supposed he could have just used one of the ghosts he gave Freakshow for this, but… he was still a bit angry with Gregor. After all, the child had almost tried to kill him yesterday over Gray. So, yes, he was doing this for experimental purposes, but also to teach this little demon a lesson.

"Do you see, Gregor?" Tom asked darkly. "Do you see how easily I could kill you? You might have power and size, but I have cunning and experience. You could never challenge me without regretting it. I should let you die… A dog that tries to bite the hand that feeds it is immediately put down, you know…"

Tom placed a hand against the child's forehead, smiling as Gregor's eyes opened, looking glazed and disoriented. "Luckily for you, I have more mercy than that, and instead, I prefer to… _instruct_ you, Gregor. You _need_ me. I'm the one who feeds you and takes care of you. But I am also the one who holds your life in his hands. You live because of me. You are my weapon, Gregor—_you belong to me."_ He moved closer, looming over the child as he whispered in his ear, "Don't ever forget that."

Gregor turned his head to the side and dug his fingers into the cold floor when Tom suddenly stabbed a needle into his core. A scream lodged in his throat as a cold burning liquid was pumped into it.

Tom quickly moved away when the child curled into himself and finally screamed. The man figured it was painful, but he had not expected it to be this painful for the dragon ghost.

"Tom…" Gregor breathed out as he fought against the burning coldness inside him. "What did you do? What did you… put in me?"

The child screamed again and convulsed before he gripped at his hair.

Tom froze in worry. Why was Gregor reacting so violently to the Prince's core energy? Was it that it wasn't compatible with other ghosts after all? But that would make no sense!

Thomas gasped when he saw something even more surprising. Gregor's hair had been originally black and for some reason it had developed a few white streaks here and there over the years… But now, the child's hair was turning completely white!

It seemed forever, but the effects only lasted a few minutes before Gregor was left panting on the ground. The gun wound was now fully healed and the child's hair was all white except for two black streaks in the front.

Thomas quickly moved next to the dragon ghost and grabbed his face. "Gregor?" he called, uncertainty in his voice. "Are you alright?"

Gregor opened his eyes and Tom gasped when he was greeted with yellow eyes. "I-I feel… good…" he slurred before his eyes rolled up completely and he fainted.

Tom frowned, but then he picked up the unconscious ghost and carried him out of the weapon's room. He took quick steps as he moved to his private lab. When he got there, the man placed the child on the table and then moved to get a few things.

He took a quick ectoplasm sample and noticed how the child's blood was glowing brighter than normal. But when he plunged a needle into Gregor's core and pulled out a sample of the energy inside it, Tom was shocked when it came out a transparent color instead of the child's normal blue.

He couldn't believe it! The Prince's own regenerative core energy had converted Gregor's own energy into a similar state!

"But is it permanent?" Tom wondered.

He quickly moved to the microscope and began to run some tests on Gregor's blood and clear core energy. By the time he had finished, the child was coming to.

Tom had discovered that the effects were temporary, but it was still an amazing and unexpected side effect! But now that he thought about it, it made sense. After all, the healing properties when the regenerative energy was injected into a human were also temporary.

"Damn. I really regret killing that demon brat," Tom muttered. If he had known before about this child's unique core, he would have kept him and milked him for all he was worth.

Tom focused back on Gregor when the child moaned himself awake. He sat up and rubbed his aching head before he opened his eyes. Tom noticed how they were still yellow…

Gregor stared back at the man before asking, "What was that? I feel… so weird." He looked down at his hands. "I feel… stronger."

"You should… Your core has temporarily acquired regenerative properties…," Tom informed him with a smirk.

Gregor suddenly glared. "You shot me."

"You deserved it," Tom answered uncaringly.

"You're such a bastard," Gregor growled before jumping off the table. "Can I go now?"

"No, I want to keep an eye on you for a few hours, just in case," Tom replied.

Gregor scowled some more before looking away. But when he caught sight of his reflection on a metallic surface of a storage container and saw his almost-white hair and his yellow eyes, he screamed.

* * *

The seventeen-year-old Vlad panted, but it wasn't just out of pain. He could tell something was wrong. And it was getting worse. His chest kept rising and falling for no apparent reason, and his lungs burned with the need for something foreign that he didn't understand. And the more he stressed his body and the more it fatigued, the stronger the pain in his chest got.

But like before, he forced himself to ignore his ailing body. He and the Ancients had just beaten back Pariah Dark and his army of Skeleton Warriors. And now they had the fallen king surrounded.

"It's over, Uncle," Vlad spat, keeping his voice as steady as possible, clinging to the strength generated from the intense disgust he felt for the evil ghost.

Pariah, bleeding and kneeling on one leg, grinned insanely at his nephew. "Is it, child? Do you believe that you have truly defeated me?"

Horris spoke up before Vlad could reply to his uncle's jab. However, what the Ancient was saying was lost to Vlad's ears. The young ghost's angry eyes stayed locked on those of his evil uncle. Vlad had never hated anyone in his life, but he was certain now that he _hated_ his uncle. All the king had done to him: all the torture and cruelty; practically murdering his parents; and for all he knew, he had killed his best friend. He couldn't find Skulker!

The pain in his chest suddenly flared again, drawing Vlad out of his tormented thoughts. Nevertheless, he was determined not to give into the pain. He pulled himself more upright and managed to keep his groans at bay. Yet, the young ghost could not hide the fact that his angry gaze had faltered a bit and that he was perspiring more from the soft spasms running across his arms and legs.

In the next moment, Vlad heard a demonic whisper in his mind, and this time, he gasped and gripped his head.

Pariah abruptly began to laugh, cutting off Horris' words.

"Fools! You have been so eager to defeat me that you have failed to see what was right under your noses! But it is too late! "Behold!" he said, waving a hand at his suffering nephew, "the price you pay for your insolence!" Dark laughed some more; but then his eyes gleamed wickedly as he focused them on Horris, and added, "My sister would be disappointed in you, Horris. You are my nephew's guardian—practically his father now; and even you have failed to protect him against me! Even you do not see what is happening to him!"

The Ancients glanced at Vlad, but it was Horris who frowned and asked, "Vlad? Are you alright?"

"Oh, he is anything but," Pariah sneered before Vlad could answer. "Or, do I lie, my young foolish nephew?"

Vlad suddenly lunged forward and punched his uncle in the face. The former King fell back; but his nephew was right over him and grabbed him by his collar.

"Enough of your games, you demented monster!" Vlad spat. "Where is he? Tell me! **Where's Skulker!"**

"Dead… just like you will be soon," Pariah growled darkly before suddenly grabbing his nephew's hand wearing the ring and gripping it with a bone-crushing hold. "You wanted my power, you wretch? Then, _have it."_

An ominous red glow quickly encased Vlad's body and the dark whispers returned to his mind, but now they actually were painful and seemed to be driving themselves into him.

The young ghost cried out, and quickly let go of his uncle and gripped his head. In the next instant, however, he clutched his chest as the another piercing wave of pain attacked his core. But nothing he did alleviated the mounting agony within him.

Taking advantage, Pariah lunged at his nephew with his claws extended. He angrily dug them into Vlad's left shoulder, effectively pinning him down.

"You have lost, child," he whispered with evil glee. "You will never see your friend again, and you are going to die in the most painful way. You feel it, do you not?" he sneered. "You feel your core falling apart. My power corrupting your sweet innocent soul as it consumes it!"

Pariah quickly lifted his other clawed hand to attack the ghost below him; but before he could, Horris blasted him with an energy bolt and hit him on the side and knocked him off Vlad.

Serenity then stepped forward and fired a red beam at the fallen King, and a red energy bond secured his hands and legs, subduing him in an instant.

"Fools! You will regret this mutiny!" Pariah screamed furiously as he struggled to free himself. "You have just doomed the entire Ghost World! Without me, there is no one left to take the throne! I have killed all possible heirs to the throne, including _this_ _wretch_ who wears my crown and ring now! He will die by my power!"

Vlad forced himself to his feet, flew over to Fright Knight, and grabbed the Soul Shredder. The sword immediately took on the same red glow as the hue around his body. Then with his remaining strength he walked over to Pariah.

"Uncle," Vlad said in a cold voice, "you are hereby removed from the throne. And for your transgressions against the kingdom and the Ghost World, it has been agreed by the Council and myself—for I am the son of the former Ancient leader—that you be sentenced to imprisonment and banishment in the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare for all time!"

Pariah's eyes widened, showing fear for once. But he then quickly glared and spat, "Of course you would not kill me. You are too much of a sniveling coward to do so! Go on then, Vlad. Send me away forever! But I promise you one thing: You will never be rid of me! I am your curse for all time!"

Vlad narrowed his eyes as he raised the sword up. "And I promise you that I will never live under your wretched shadow again!" And with that, the young ghost pierced his uncle's core with the sword.

Pariah screamed in pain before a black void formed in his chest and he suddenly vanished out of existence. The black void was all that was left, and that, too, then disappeared.

Hands shaking, Vlad lowered the sword. At first he froze under the overwhelming bombardment of all of his emotions. But the biggest was relief; relief that this nightmare was finally over.

But he soon realized his uncle's defeat was just the beginning of a new nightmare…

Vlad gasped as another jolt of pain stabbed at his core, but it was even worse than before. So much so that he collapsed on the ground in pain.

"Vlad!" Horris exclaimed and quickly rushed to his side.

Everyone else began to hover around the younger ghost, all staring in horror at what was happening.

Vlad had known there was something wrong with the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage. He had felt it the moment he had put them on; but he had known that without them, he would stand no chance at defeating his uncle and his Skeleton Warriors. And without the relics, Vlad would have never been able to banish Pariah into the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare.

But… what the crown and ring were doing to him was beyond understanding.

There was something trying to claw its way into his mind and core, and it felt like hot brass against his every fiber. And as the pain intensified, he screamed for all he was worth.

Panicked, Vlad reached for the ring on his left hand and attempted to yank it off. But the pain only grew and the demonic voices returned, whispering darkly in his mind. He yelled again as he yanked at the ring so desperately that it was as if he would willingly rip off his own hand!

Seeing what was happening, Horris finally understood Pariah's words and he gasped, "It is the crown and ring! They are cursed!"

"Get them off him!" Serenity said gravely. "They are killing him, Horris!"

Horris quickly grabbed the crown, but cried out when fire burst out from it and burned his hands. He gasped but then quickly reached for the crown again. He yelled in pain once more, but this time didn't let go. Even when his flesh was slowly being eaten by the crown's hot red flames, Horris pulled with all his might, but it was like an invisible force was keeping it in place, and Vlad only screamed even more.

"_No! I won't let him win!"_ Vlad screamed in his mind. He gripped the ring even harder, further crying in his mind, _"Get off me!" _But it seemed as if the evil relics were determined to kill him before letting go of their victim.

But just when it seemed Pariah's evil power would win, a blue glow that seemed to come from within the relics themselves encased the red-glowing ring and crown. And even more strangely, the unknown blue energy suddenly ensnarled the red energy surrounding the evil relics, as if they had somehow come to physical blows over controlling the turn of events. After a few moments, the ring released its hold, followed by the crown, and Vlad and Horris were able to yank them off.

Vlad collapsed in exhaustion and Horris quickly grabbed his face, terrified at how the young ghost's eyes kept rolling back and his natural white glow was gone from his body and his aura was now randomly flickering between red and blue.

"Vlad? Vlad? Can you hear me?" Horris asked urgently. He gasped when he saw his protégé's black hair slowly turning white!

Vlad somehow managed to focus his eyes long enough to lock them on Horris. "Des… Desiree." He coughed and a mixture of green and red fluid spilled out of his mouth. He choked on the strange fluid before he gripped Horris's arm and pleaded, "Take me to her, Horris…"

"We need to get him to a doctor right now," Serenity said urgently, and the other Ancients agreed.

"Its… too… late. Desiree. Please, Horris," Vlad insisted weakly. He was sure he was dying. He could feel his core fading inside him.

"Vlad…," Horris began fearfully, but when he saw the young ghost's head turn to the side, clearly about to pass out, the Ancient nodded sadly. He looked at Wulf, and without the need of words, the ghost werewolf opened a portal with his claws.

"Finish off the rest of Dark's army," Horris ordered the other Ancients before he picked up Vlad and then flew into the portal, followed by Fright Knight and Wulf.

Appearing at the ghost mage's abode, Horris instructed Wulf, "Go get Kuracisto! Hurry!"

Wulf nodded and dived into another portal.

The moment Horris knocked on Desiree's door, it flew open and she gasped. "Oh no! Vlad!" she exclaimed.

Horris and Fright Knight put him on a couch and explained what had happened. But before Horris could finish, Vlad began to choke, as if he was having an asthma attack. Of course, that made no sense because ghosts didn't need air; yet Vlad was fighting to draw in oxygen within lungs not made to use it.

"What's happening to him?" Desiree cried out as he watched Vlad's hair go all white and his blue skin begin to pale into almost a white color. His lips were turning blue and little lines of the same color appeared all over his body.

But all Horris and Fright Knight could do was stare on in despair, not knowing what was happening, either.

"Des…," Vlad gasped as his breathing quickened and boils began to appear on his face, which oozed out a mixture of green and red blood. "My chest… _it hurts_… I…"

"No, stay with me!" Desiree exclaimed, gripping his hand and feeling it was abnormally cold. "You're going to be alright! Kuracisto will be here soon!"

Vlad stared at his fiancée, seeing her eyes glowing with tears. "I-I'm sorry…," he whispered. "I love—" But another wave of pain cut him off and he screamed, not knowing that black rings appeared around his waist. But he felt the fire and pain that followed them as they slowly—_very slowly_—separated, traveling up and down his body and changing it forever down to his molecular structure.

He then felt a violent throb against his chest; but now the agony was more on the left side before it just became too much and he knew no more….

Vlad gasped as his eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed.

"Whoa. Shh. Take it easy, sire," a voice soothed him, followed by a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He breathed heavily as his eyes slowly focused and he realized it was Anĝela standing next to him. But even as he escaped his nightmare, he was reminded of another.

He inhaled sharply again and cried out, "Daniel!"

"No! Wait!" Anĝela quickly said, her hold on his shoulder tightening to stop the man from leaping out of bed. "It's alright. Your son is fine. He's stable once more. Sadly, there is no improvement, but he's… stable."

Vladimir's eyebrows drew in as he tried to remember how he had passed out. Then, it hit him. "Skulker poisoned me…"

"Yes, and he told me he'll apologize later. But he did what he thought was best. You were very panicked, sire."

Vladimir lowered his gaze, finally thinking clearly enough to realize he had acted illogically. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I just… I thought I was going to lose my son and—"

"I understand," Anĝela assured him gently. "Now, I'm sure you want to go see your son, but I beg you to wait at least an hour. You're undernourished and weak. So, while you were unconscious, I took the liberty of injecting a mixture of vitamins and other medicines to help you recuperate. Your heartbeat was elevated, so I also gave you a relaxant. It is going to make you groggy for another hour or so, which is why I would like you to stay in bed for at least that long…"

Vlad frowned. He just wanted to go see his son. But he knew that Anĝela was trying to help, and he really did feel dizzy. Plus, he owed her that much. He was finding it harder and harder to trust others, even those he knew he could _and should_ trust. But his mind was so overwhelmed with _everything_ that it made it very hard for him to do that.

"Here. I took the liberty of preparing you something to eat. I have never prepared human food, so I just followed some instructions in a cookbook in your kitchen. I hope it is at least edible," Anĝela said with a weak smile.

Vlad couldn't help but smile a bit in amusement. "You cooked human food?"

Anĝela rolled her eyes. "It follows the same principals as ghost food, so it wasn't that hard." She grabbed the tray off a nearby table and brought it over.

"Thank you," Vlad said, accepting the tray. He lifted the cover and saw it was a simple vegetable soup. It was still hot, too, so she had to have made it recently.

"How did you even get me to my room?" he asked as he picked up the spoon.

"Skulker," she answered. "He carried you here."

"Where is he?" Vlad questioned before taking a sip of the soup. It was a bit bland, but it was still edible.

"He went home," Anĝela replied. "He said there were a few things he needed to do, and that he would return tonight.

Vlad paused mid-way of taking another spoon of soup. "Tonight? But isn't it—?"

Anĝela interrupted him. "No, sir. It's the next day. Just past noon to be accurate. You were very exhausted."

Vlad's eyebrows creased. He had slept for practically half-a-day! Now, he really wanted to go see his son. He couldn't wait an hour.

Vlad forced himself to eat more of the soup, so he could then convince Anĝela to let him go to Daniel's side.

"…Vlad…?"

Anĝela's troubled voice quickly caught his attention. But when she lowered her gaze, the man raised an eyebrow.

"Sire… you still haven't explained to me how you and your son… are the way you are…," she said timidly.

Vlad sighed and looked back at his soup. He took another sip and said mostly to buy himself some time, "You did a good job with the soup… Thank you again."

Anĝela just nodded, but stared expectantly.

Vlad knew he was going to have to finally talk. It was hard because he hadn't spoken about this in years.

He sighed again before saying, "Sit, Anĝela. It's a long story."

The ghost female pulled up a nearby chair and sat down.

Vlad was quiet for a moment before he began to tell her all that happened, even the part that he had just dreamed about.

"So, the ring and crown are truly cursed? It is not just a rumor? And… _they_ _turned you human?"_ Anĝela gasped in disbelief.

"Yes…," Vlad answered soberly. "I do not know how it happened. The curse should have destroyed my core—it should have killed me… But instead, it turned me human." The man breathed tiredly as he admitted, "The pain and fear I suffered for over a year had had me wishing at times I had died. As you can imagine, a body that had spent almost two decades as a ghost suddenly being re-structured completely into a human one had severe consequences."

He paused as he thought back to that dark time in his life, but his sad expression was mostly because of whom it brought memories of…

"I… Desiree saw my initial transformation," Vlad said quietly. "Horris and Fright Knight, too. I had fallen unconscious and they had not known what to do with me until they realized what I had become. They had known they couldn't let anyone see me like that. If the kingdom found out, it would have caused even more chaos in our world. I was unconscious through it all, but I was told by Desiree that she had quickly stopped Kuracisto from entering her home and made up some excuse, which I do not remember. Wulf had also arrived, and being that he was a close friend, Desiree told him. They all quickly agreed that my only chance of survival was to be taken to the Human World… You see, the transformation left my body in a state of shock. It did not know how to properly use its newfound human organs… So, my lungs were not functioning properly, and as a result, my heart was struggling to survive…"

Vlad paused and he took an unsteady breath and lowered his gaze. "Desiree always told me that being forced to leave me alone at some human hospital was the hardest thing she had ever done… I now know how she felt. Having to bring my own son to that human hospital and hope that some… _humans_ could save his life…"

"What happened in that hospital to you, Vlad," Anĝela asked quietly. But she had purposely cut the man off, not wanting him to return back to his troubling thoughts about his son.

Vlad shook his head before answering, "They classified it as some case of ghost contamination. It wasn't anything unusual in those times because of the war. Many humans did come down with ecto-poisioning, from the chemical warfare my uncle used against the humans… In reality, my body was struggling to survive the transformation, as I already mentioned. It was trying to learn how to be both a ghost and a human. My core and heart were practically attacking each other, as if they thought each other as an invading disease… It was why I developed what the humans called 'ecto-acne' which deformed my face. It was actually my ectoplasm and now human blood poisoning each other… "

The man sighed again. "It was horrible. They gave me pain killers every day. I was slowly dying… But I think the hardest thing was that I was dying alone in some foreign world with creatures I didn't trust around me. And yet, against all odds, I survived… Somehow, my body learned to be two different beings. Now, my human half and my ghost half are so fused together that they need each other to survive. I now have a regenerative core. My core has the ability of making its own energy. It produces higher amounts of energy. And as a result, my abilities hold no limit. I grow stronger as I age… But my core has also become more sensitive… It is more easily affected by outside sources than normal ghost cores…"

Anĝela nodded. "So much makes sense now… Your refusal to be touched or examined by me. You were afraid I would learn the truth; but you were also afraid that I could harm your core…" She paused before adding, "I also remember when your son was first formed… When you transferred your symbol to him; it weakened you… I had found it strange, but I did not say anything because I saw you quickly recovered, too…"

"Yes, it weakens me to expose my core and connect it to someone else, as is the case when you transfer an Ectoplasmic Energy Signature. But I also recover quickly from the effects…," Vlad added.

Anĝela hesitated but asked, "What of your son? How did he become half-human? Or… was he formed that way?"

Vlad looked away. He knew he couldn't speak the truth about his son. _Not_ about that. He would never let anyone know Daniel was not his biological son. Yes, he had promised Desiree that if their son's unique half-human half-ghost status was discovered that they would tell everyone the truth; but he couldn't do that. Now, more than ever, he didn't have the strength or courage to take such a gamble…

"Sire?" Anĝela asked worriedly when her king wouldn't speak.

"As I said," Vlad finally said with a sober tone voice. "My transformation was down to the molecular level…. So, when Desiree and I formed Daniel… I passed on my mutation to my son. It had been hard to learn of it at first. When I first held him in my arms and saw his breathless human self, I had not known what to do. I thought he was dead. But then the most beautiful thing happened… _He changed._ A set of pure white rings, so unlike my own dark ones, turned him into a ghost. He was my son from the moment I saw him, and I knew he would be safe with me…"

The man's hands fisted as he said painfully, "_I thought_ he would be safe with me. I thought I could protect him! He wasn't ever supposed to turn human again! He wasn't ever supposed to leave the Ghost World! He was supposed to grow up safe and loved by me and his mother! And now! Now, she's gone! And he's dying! And I cannot do anything about it! I've failed my own son! My own family!"

Anĝela jolted when the man suddenly pushed aside the tray of food and pushed himself out of his bed.

"Wait. Sire, you need to remain calm and rest!" she asked pleadingly.

"I need to go see my son," Vlad answered seriously before moving past her and heading out of his room. He walked back to his son's room with a worried Anĝela floating after him.

* * *

Arriving at his home, Skulker sighed deeply. Everything that was happening was emotionally trying on his core. Even when his dark past as a warrior and his strong will as a hunter had taught him to not let something as weak as emotions block his mind, it was getting harder and harder to prevent it. Every time he ventured into the Human World, he was reminded of the murderous dragon that killed his sister and brother-in-law. He was reminded of his failure to protect his loved ones. And he was reminded of his innocent and orphaned niece waiting for him back home.

But the worst thing was seeing his strong King and best friend on the verge of insanity. Not even when Vlad had lost his parents did he fall into such a dark place as he was now. But Skulker understood all too well why. He understood his friend felt that same feeling of failure and guilt for his own loved ones.

As much as Skulker had been trying to keep these thoughts out of his mind, he could not. But perhaps this last episode with his best friend had been the last straw. It had been painful to see Vlad so far gone from any logical sense that he had to poison him to control him. The hunter had had no choice but to accept that things would never be the same for any of them. But there was something else that had brought him back home to do what he was about to. It was what Anĝela had told him about the Prince's certainty of death.

It made Skulker realize one very hard truth:

Things were only going to get worse before they got better—if they ever got better at all.

There was no fixing any of this. You couldn't fix death. You could only accept it and move forward. And that's what Skulker intended to do. If for anyone at all, he would move forward for his niece and his best friend. But that meant making a very hard decision…

Skulker sighed again, though this one was shakier than the last one. But his jaw then clenched with his decision and he walked into his abode. He headed towards his niece's room. But when he opened the door, there was no one in there.

Skulker frowned and thought a moment. Of course, he didn't leave Ember alone. While he was away, Dora was watching over her. But it was odd not to find at least his niece here. She had not left the room since he had brought her…

Perhaps…

Skulker turned to another direction and soon made it outdoors. He followed a path to a meadow behind his abode and quickly spotted Ember and Dora with a certain little ghost phoenix.

For the first time in a week, Skulker smiled. His niece was playing with the little bird she had rescued some time back. Indeed Ember would be spending more time with the phoenix now that she would be living with him.

The hunter's smile vanished, but then he shook his head and continued on.

"Dora," Skulker called when he was close enough, and the dragon maid turned around and smiled.

"Skulker! How grand to see you. I had assumed you would not return until late again," she said, stepping forward and giving him a small peck on the cheek.

Skulker lowered his gaze and grabbed her hands. "I returned for a specific reason, and I realized I needed to do it right away before I lost the courage…," he replied soberly.

Dora raised a questioning eyebrow, but before she could say anything, Ember noticed her uncle.

"Uncle!" she cried happily and flew into his arms.

Skulker smiled and asked, "How are you, child? It is nice to see you outside."

Ember grinned. "I'm feeling better! Dora said Saphear missed me, so I wanted to come see her." The little girl flew out of her uncle's arms and further said, "Come on! I want to show you what I taught her!"

Skulker nodded. He glanced at Dora, who smiled back at him, before following his niece.

The blue phoenix chirped in recognition of her caregiver, but her attention readily returned to Ember when the little girl walked in front of her.

Ember grabbed a bit of sand from the ground and smiled at the phoenix. "You ready?" she asked it before she stepped back a bit and then threw the sand in the air and spun around, giggling.

Skulker raised an eyebrow, unsure of what his niece was doing; but she was certainly going to need a shower after this, judging by all the white sand in her hair.

The phoenix chirped at Ember, and for a moment, the bird didn't do anything else. But then the young creature suddenly spread her wings and exploded into blue ashes. But those same ashes readily spun, creating a small sand storm before the bird reformed, wings still spread.

Ember clapped in delight. "You did it, Saphear!"

The bird chirped and happily flapped her wings.

Skulker chuckled, though he was impressed to see his six-year-old niece teach a young bird such a complicated trick. But what really warmed his core was seeing Ember more like her usual active and cheerful self. It really gave him hope for his niece.

Skulker nodded his approval. "That was very impressive, child. You will have to tell me how you taught Saphear that, but it will have to be later. Come along, you need to bathe and then nourishment."

Ember looked a bit put off that she had to stop playing with her friend, but she still nodded. She kissed the phoenix on the beak before she flew after her uncle and Dora.

Once inside, Dora said, "If it is fine with you, Skulker, I will go make us lunch, while you prepare Ember's bath."

Skulker just nodded.

Dora was a bit surprised by his lack of words, but she didn't say anything about it and walked off.

"Can you go get your towel while I prepare your bath, child?" Skulker asked his niece.

She nodded but hopefully asked, "Can I take a bubble bath?"

Skulker smiled. "Of course."

Ember grinned back before flying off to her room.

The hunter's smile fell once his niece was gone and as he walked into the bathroom. As he drew up a warm bath for his niece and added bubble soap to it, his mind was awhirl once more with what he had returned to do. He needed to do it soon because with every second that passed by, his resolve was weakening.

"I'm ready!" Ember announced as she walked into the bathroom with a toy and her towel.

"Good. Your bath's ready," Skulker replied. He watched as Ember touched the water and nodded her approval. "Will you be okay on your own?" he asked.

Ember nodded. "Yup!"

"Alright. Call for me if you need anything. I'll come back to check on you in a bit," Skulker said before he walked out of the bathroom and closed the door.

He headed towards the kitchen and quickly spotted Dora cutting up vegetables. She smiled when she noticed Skulker, and said, "Is a stew appetizing to you, my sweet warrior?"

The hunter's lip curled up a bit as he nodded in response. He sat down at the kitchen table and just watched his fiancée. It was amazing to think how far they had both come in terms of their relationship. It seemed forever since they were merely friends. Skulker had been so certain he would never fall for anyone, let alone desire a family some day. And Dora… she had been such a submissive and shy female when he had first met her.

In some sense, Dora still was. But her humble and soft personality was what Skulker loved about her—well, just one of the things he loved, anyways. Her tranquil soul was what his restless one had always needed. She was perfect for him. They were so compatible, yet so different.

Skulker knew in his core and soul that he would always love Dora.

"You are so beautiful," he suddenly told her.

Dora jumped a bit, surprised by the unexpected break in the silence. She turned from what she was doing and smiled shyly. "And you are sweet, my handsome hunter."

"I cannot imagine my life without you, Dora," he continued, his tone a bit more sober now.

"As I cannot, either," she replied, though her eyebrow raised in slight confusion. His words were lovely, but she didn't understand why he was so suddenly effusive about it.

"You have changed me for the better," Skulker said. "You are all I need and will ever need. Dora… you're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Dora's eyebrows creased and she approached the table and sat down across from Skulker. She searched his eyes for a moment before worriedly asking, "What is wrong, Skulker?"

The hunter's own eyebrows creased and he reached across and grabbed Dora's hands. He sighed shakily before telling her, "I love you. I will always love you."

"Skulker, I love you, too. But… I do not understand why…," she began a bit fearfully, but trailed off.

Skulker looked down at their joined hands. "Dora… I love you, but…" He let go of her hands and soberly told her, "But I have realized that you deserve better."

The female dragon froze and her eyes widened. "I… _What_? Skulker, what are you implying?"

He shook his head. "My niece needs me, Dora. Her parents are gone; and well, I need to raise her now. Provide for her. Care for her."

"I know that, Skulker," Dora answered. "And you will. _We_ will. _We_ will do it _together_. We will raise her as our own."

"I cannot ask you to do that," Skulker answered seriously.

"But I want to," Dora replied with a frown. "Skulker, I had believed this was clear to you. I thought it was something that did not even need to be said! We might not be married yet, but that does not mean I will not be with you for better or worse."

"_I know,_ Dora. I am certain you would never leave me. You would _never_ abandon me." Skulker paused before reluctantly adding, "That is why I am making the decision for you. _I_ am leaving you."

Dora gasped.

"We are not getting married, Dora. We cannot," Skulker said with all the strength he could muster. "I will not force my burdens on you. As I said, you deserve better than me. I thought I could offer you something—a home; a family; protection. I realize now I cannot. There is no happy ending from here, Dora. At least, not with me. So, the best I can do for you is to let you go and hope you can find it elsewhere… with… someone else."

The dragon female just stared back at him. She couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe Skulker was… _doing this!_

Dora lowered her gaze and shook her head. "You are upset, Skulker. You are not thinking with clarity."

"No, Dora, I am," Skulker assured her.

"_No, you are not,"_ she insisted and looked up at him angrily. "If you were, you would see how absurd it is what you are trying to do! Skulker we love each other! We need each other! Yet at the first sign of hardship, you want to toss our bond—_everything_—away? It is the upmost foolishness! It is selfish!"

"It's not just because of Ember, Dora. I have other reasons for making this choice; and believe me, if I told them to you, _you_ would be the one asking me to break this off," Skulker assured her.

"Oh, really? Then what are these reasons that you _think_ would make me hate you, because that would be the _only_ reason I would stop loving you!" Dora snapped back.

"That is just it. You would hate… You _will_ hate me when you find out," Skulker replied. "But by the time you do, you will not be able to stop me."

Dora's eyes widened. "Skulker, you are frightening me…"

"Forgive me," Skulker replied sadly.

But Dora shook her head and stood up. "No, I will not accept this! You cannot do such a horrible thing as this to me, Skulker! I love you! I desire to spend the rest of my life with you!" Dora's eyes filled with tears as she added, "I thought it was what you desired, too…"

Skulker finally stood up and pulled the distraught dragon maid into his arms. He kissed her head before telling her, "I did… I still do. But as I said, it will be unfair to you. I have _nothing_ to offer you. I have to continue on a path I cannot let you follow. Please understand. I am doing this to save you greater sorrow later."

Dora pulled away and begged him. "No, _please_. You are all I have, Skulker. Milady is gone. My brother hates me. What am I to do without you? Please, I beg of you, do not leave me!"

"Your brother only hates you because you were going to marry me. Well, problem solved," Skulker answered sadly. He grabbed her hand with his symbol on it and placed his other hand on top of her own.

Dora choked back a sob as she watched Skulker's core light up and then his hand. She felt more than saw how the symbol on her hand—which once represented their bond and love—faded away.

"You're free from me, Dora," Skulker said softly as he released her hand.

Dora pulled her hand against her chest and began to weep, but didn't say anything else.

Skulker stared sorrowfully at her for a moment before he turned to walk out of the kitchen. But just as he reached the door, Dora cried out in pain. The hunter spun back around in time to see her rip the medallion off her neck.

In an instant, she transformed into her dragon form, something he had not seen her do in years. But just as quickly, Dora vanished, leaving Skulker alone in a semi-destroyed kitchen with the lingering smoke of teleportation.

Unable to hold back the pain in his core, tears fell down the strong hunter's face for the second time in a week. "I'm sorry, Dora," he whispered. "But I could not let you marry the ghost who will be killing your own nephew…"

* * *

Gregor watched from his bedroom window as the sun set over Amity Park. He stared down at the small container in his hand and suddenly tears spilled down the child's cheeks. He loved dragonflies. They were comforting because he didn't feel alone around them. But they also reminded him of his own predicament.

They were trapped like him with no hope of ever escaping except through death.

For a moment, Gregor had been happy at the chance of dying when Tom had shot him earlier. It was strange. He had often feared death and at other times been indifferent to it. But it had never been something he looked forward to… Well, there were times in the past he had thought he wanted to die—those times when his master was torturing him without stop. But he now understood he never really _wanted_ to die.

Today was the first time he did wish for death.

He couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Gray and about Valerie. He felt guilty and worried at the same time. And worse, that helplessness and hopelessness was tearing at his core.

Gregor shook the small container a bit and looked at the pink dragonfly inside. More tears slid down his face as he saw it was no longer moving. That was the sad thing about dragonflies. They never lived long, and even less when they were captive.

He felt sorry for the little bug because, trapped as it had been, it had never gotten to enjoy its short life. It never got to find a purpose or even meet another of its kind. It was a sad fate.

"At least you're free now," Gregor whispered to it before opening the container. He then briefly placed it down on the window sill before unlocking his window. Just as he opened it, he made a decision. He would never let another dragonfly die inside a container again. Now that he understood how precious freedom was, he knew it was unfair to keep any creature away from it.

True, he still liked the dragonflies' company; so he would continue to keep them as he had over the years. But from now on, he would let them go a day or two before the little bugs would die anyways. And at least they would get to experiment true freedom—something he never would.

"Bye, Ruĝa," Gregor muttered before he threw the dead pink dragonfly out his window. He sighed emptily as he gripped the now empty container with both hands.

Right then, his door opened, and unfortunately, he already knew who it was.

"Gregor? How are you feeling?" Thomas asked calmly as he strolled deeper into the room.

The dragon child didn't even bother looking at the hunter and just shrugged. "As well as someone can feel after they have been shot in the chest and almost bled to death."

Tom chuckled. "Oh, Gregor, your morbid sarcasm can be so amusing sometimes."

Gregor's eyes flashed red with contained rage but he didn't respond.

"Your pet died already?" Tom asked, noticing the empty container and concluding the bug had died. But then he smiled and added, "You really should take better care of them…"

Gregor suddenly glared at the man and snapped defensively. "I do take care of them! They just don't live long! And _you_ didn't feed it while I was away!"

"Huh. Then maybe we should buy you a different kind of pet," the hunter said thoughtfully, ignoring the ghost kid's latter accusation. "How about a rabbit? No, you would probably eat it…"

Tom grinned, and Gregor knew the man was messing with him again. And yet, the child couldn't help but be riled up and he growled, "Yeah, I probably would because all you've ever fed me is raw meat, and let's not forget that most of it has come from MY OWN KIND!"

Tom raised an eyebrow at the red-eyed and shaking Gregor.

"You're more upset about Gray than I thought," Thomas suddenly said.

Gregor's angry look instantly vanished and he looked away. He was quiet for a moment before he walked off toward his bed.

Tom watched as the disguised and disheartened ghost plopped down and grabbed his stuffed unicorn—the one Valerie had given him.

There was a long silence in the room before Tom sighed and finally said seriously, "You know it had to be done, Gregor. Gray was too much of a liability. He would have ruined all my hard work, and he would have exposed you."

Gregor didn't reply.

Tom frowned before he walked over to the child and sat beside him on the bed. "How about I get you a large insect aquarium and buy you several dragonflies? Maybe they will survive longer in a larger container. Well, unless you do want another kind of pet…?"

Gregor just shook his head. "I like the dragonflies...," he replied quietly.

"Alright. I'll get that for you when I get some time off. Now, sit up straight for a moment, I need to get a quick sample of your energy before you can return to Frederick," Tom commanded lightly.

Gregor didn't even complain and he just sat up. He closed his eyes as the jolt of pain hit him the moment the needle embedded into his core. If he wasn't so use to being hurt, he would have probably screamed. But true to his word, Tom took a very small sample and the needle and pain were quickly gone.

"You're energy is back to normal… as expected," Tom muttered mostly to himself as he studied the blue energy in the syringe. He looked back at Gregor and saw his hair was still white. But if he looked carefully, the roots were beginning to turn black again—well, expect for the strands which had already been white before the Prince's energy boost. And Gregor's eyes were back to their usual green—or red, when he was angry.

"_Hmm… Perhaps I can find a way to slow down the body's elimination of this regenerative energy… It would certainly be more useful, then…,"_ Tom contemplated in his mind.

"Can I go now?" Gregor asked.

Tom turned his attention back to Gregor and nodded. But just as the child pulled off the ring from his finger, Tom spoke up again as he pulled out a device from his pocket. "There is one thing I want you to take with you before you go…"

Gregor frowned as Tom typed something on the device before it began to beep. "What is that? For my master?"

Tom shook his head and finished programming the strange device. He then handed it to Gregor and replied, "No, it's for you."

Gregor stared at the device and saw it was some kind of digital map and there was a beeping green light some distance from where they were.

"I don't get it," the child said, staring up with confusion at the ghost hunter.

"Just follow it," Thomas said with a smirk. "And remember what I told you once: What Freakshow doesn't know, can't hurt him… _or you._ Good-bye, Gregor. I have a lot of things to do, so we won't be seeing each other for at least a week. Try not to not be a complete mess without me, eh?" the hunter added with a large smile.

And before Gregor could even respond, the man walked out of the room.

Gregor just stared at the closed door in complete shock and confusion. But then he scoffed and said, "I think his plan is to confuse me to death. Sounds like something the sick bastard would do…"

He looked down at the beeping device in his hand and muttered out loud, "What the hell is this?"

He was sure it was a map that led to something. But what? And did he even want to know?

Gregor sighed and walked over to his window. He knew he should go straight back to his master. Even if Tom clearly was giving him permission to make this 'detour', his master had not—and he would never approve of it. He would be in so much trouble if his master found out…

But… how would he find out?

"_What Freakshow doesn't know can't hurt him…or you…"_

The words rang in his mind and Gregor shivered at the thought of going against his master's wishes. But… he really wanted to know what this device led to…

Gregor swallowed hard and muttered, "I'll make it quick. He won't even know."

And with that thought, he turned intangible and invisible and leapt out of his second-story window. He agilely landed in a crouch with one hand flat on the lawn to balance him. It was only then that he pulled out the gem from his core and turned into a dragon.

With the tracking device in his hold, Gregor jumped into the air and took off. He followed the device the best he could and tried to keep down the panic in his mind with the fact that he was deliberately disobeying his master. His fear was so great he was shaking.

It took about half-hour but he finally arrived at the location the device was indicating. But when he saw it was a simple house, he frowned in confusion. Why would Tom give him a device that led to a human home?

Gregor glanced around nervously, debating whether to just leave or investigate.

He really didn't know what possessed him to do the latter.

Trembling, the child pushed the gem back into his chest and turned to his human disguise. He kept the ring off, though, and remained intangible and invisible to avoid detection… At least he hoped. If these people had ghost detection devices, he was screwed without the ring hiding his ghost signature…

Steeling himself with what little courage he had, Gregor phased into the front door of the house. He froze when he spotted a man sitting on a couch, watching television. But then a woman walked down a set of stairs and sat next to the man. It was what the couple said next that kept Gregor from running out of that house.

"Is she asleep?" the man asked calmly, glancing at the woman.

She sighed. "Yes, at last. But you know it's always hard for children to acclimate to foster homes. Let's just hope this is temporary and they find Valerie's father soon…"

Gregor's eyes widened. Valerie. She was here!

All thoughts of fear and uncertainty forgotten, Gregor ran over to the stairs and climbed them so quickly that if he had been tangible, his feet would have thumped loudly against each step.

"_Valerie!"_ was all that ran through Gregor's anxious mind as he searched around the multiple rooms, searching for his only friend.

He didn't search long, though, because he soon found her in one of the rooms farthest to the left. Surprisingly, she was awake. Only a night lamp kept her from complete darkness as she hugged a pillow close to her small frame.

Gregor smiled sadly as he approached her, but then stopped. He couldn't just appear out of nowhere. She would freak out at the very least.

The boy looked around, trying to find a way to justify his sudden entrance. And he found it when he spotted a window. He smirked. That would do.

Moving over to it, Gregor phased through it and was careful to keep his balance on the ledge outside the window. But he also had to suppress his powers, because if the girl touched him, she would feel his ghostly coldness.

He gulped as he looked down the three-story drop. He wasn't sure what would happen to him if he fell from this height without any ghost powers and he sure didn't want to find out. He clenched his teeth as he carefully put the ring back on while keeping his balance the best he could.

He shivered, now both from the cold weather and fear. But he ignored it and rapped on the window, calling quietly, "Valerie?" It took a few more knocks and calls before he finally got her attention.

At first, the girl gasped in fear, clearly thinking it was a monster or a burglar outside the window. But when she recognized the voice, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Gregor?" she whispered in disbelief.

Gregor grinned and nodded. "Open up! I'm freezing!"

Valerie's eyes lit up with glee and she ran over to the window. She quickly unlocked it and pulled her friend inside and into a tight hug. "Gregor! I'm so happy to see you! I didn't think I'd ever see you again! How'd you even find me? How'd you even climb up this high?"

"Valerie, shh! You're gonna get us caught!" Gregor said, though he was having trouble keeping down his own excitement and happiness. He didn't even remember the last time he felt such joy! Even with the tragedy that was his life, it didn't matter right now. All was perfect because he was with his only friend again!

Pulling away, Valerie saw how his friend was shaking from the cold—though she didn't know it was also because of his overwhelming emotions.

"You're so crazy! You could've gotten hurt climbing all the way up here! Or worse, frozen to death!" Valerie scolded him as she rushed over to her bed and grabbed her thick blanket.

Gregor shivered again as a draft crawled up his back, and he then remembered the open window. He quickly moved to close it.

As Valerie gave him the warm comforter, Gregor grinned and replied cockily, "I'm still here, right? I'd say being crazy isn't too bad if I made it up here."

Valerie giggled before she sat down on the rug and patted it to gesture to her friend to sit, too.

Gregor complied and brought the comforter closer to him to warm himself quicker. He hadn't realized just how cold he was until now. But seeing his friend exposed to the now chilled room from having opened the window, he scooted closer to her and moved the covers on her, too.

Valerie quickly hugged him under the covers, and Gregor placed an arm around her shoulder.

"I really missed you," Gregor told her with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're okay."

"How'd you find me?" she asked, though she kept her arms around him, enjoying the comforting warmth, something she had not felt since… her daddy had gone missing…

Gregor frowned as he admitted, "Tom helped me find you…"

"I'm glad you found me," she answered shakily. "I thought I was all alone now. My daddy… No one can find him, Gregor… People are saying that… that a ghost took him… And that he's… "

The girl couldn't finish and she began to weep in her friend's shoulder.

Gregor wrapped his other arm around the girl, trying to provide whatever comfort he could. He wasn't use to any kind of affection, but this just felt so familiar to him. It seemed… natural…

Gregor's mind suddenly hazed as a broken memory flashed through his mental eyes.

"_Gregor! We're stuck! We will die in here and never see our parents again!" Elliot cried out._

_Gregor's tail curled around his body and his ears flattened in distress as he looked around, trying to think of something to do. He knew this was his fault. He had wanted to venture into a new area of their home and they had gotten all turned around because of it. But what was worse was that they had fallen down some kind of hole and now they were stuck. They didn't have a lot of experience with flight, so there was no way they could fly straight up. Their symbols were already lit up with their distress, but he knew it would take his parents some time to find them and even more time to get them out of this hole._

_Hearing his brother weeping, Gregor focused back on him. He felt his brotherly love swell at the sight of his distressed sibling and he quickly moved closer and rubbed his face against his brother's, purring._

"_Do not be frightened, Elliot. I am here with you. I will not leave you. I will protect you until mother and father find us. It will be okay… It will be okay."_

Gregor closed his eyes as the memory faded back into the abyss in his mind. But opening his green eyes, he held his younger friend closer and whispered, "It's okay, Valerie. It'll be okay. Don't be scared. I'm with you and I'm not going to leave you. I'm gonna protect you until your dad comes back, okay? It's gonna be okay…"

Valerie looked up at him with watery eyes. "You promise?" she asked.

Gregor nodded. "I swear."

She smiled and hugged him tightly again. They stayed that way for a long time as they began to talk about lighter things, like Valerie's favorite games and what were the best tasting foods.

Eventually, the girl drifted off into slumber, though not before making Gregor promise to visit her every day. Surprisingly, he had agreed right away. It would mean sneaking out from his master's place on the nights that he wasn't with Tom. But for once in his life, the fear of displeasing his master was overridden by something greater—by something stronger that warmed his core and very soul.

Making sure the girl was asleep, Gregor pulled off his ring, and using his ghostly strength, he picked her up and put her on the bed. He made sure she was in a comfortable position and tucked her blanket around her before he left via the window.

As he flew off into the night, a sudden hope returned to his core. It wasn't one for freedom or for himself, but it was the hope that he would always have someone who truly cared about him. And that was enough to make him want to continue living.

His only friend would be his reason for living. He would protect and care for her, just as he promised her… and her deceased father.

* * *

"Sire… _Vlad_, you have been sitting here for hours. Please get some rest," Anĝela pleaded with Vladimir. "I can see how tired you are. I give you my word that I will alert you at once if there is any change with your son."

But like the various times she had pleaded him, he ignored her and just continued to silently stare at Daniel as he sat at his bedside.

Anĝela's wings sagged in defeat before she walked across the room and turned her gaze to the large window. There was a heavy snow storm outside. In fact, it was so thick that the sun was completely hidden, making it appear as if it was late at night instead of early evening.

It was amazing how different this world was from the one the female doctor knew. Oddly, though, she had imagined it would be more… populated. There were no other homes anywhere to be seen—just trees and mountains. It was so… empty.

"It feels like we are the only ones in this world…,"Anĝela muttered, glancing back at the older hybrid.

Vladimir looked up and glanced over at the doctor. But knowing what she was seeing and where they all were, he quickly guessed what she meant before he turned his eyes back to his son.

At first, it seemed he would not respond, but a moment later, he replied, "We are deep in the Rocky Mountains. It is an isolated part of the Human World, which is why I had this chalet built here. It is the safest place I could think of to bring Daniel."

Anĝela just nodded in understanding.

There was another long silence before Vlad spoke up again, saying, "I know there is something you are not telling me about Daniel, Anĝela. And I am sure the reason you have not told me is because Skulker told you not to tell me. But I do have a right to know."

Anĝela looked over at her human King and saw he was now staring intensely at her. And for that instant, it was like she was seeing the King she knew. His eyes were focused and certain, demanding attention and an answer.

But she had already seen how unstable her leader really was. In fact, she was almost frightened. His mood changes were so violent that they caught her off guard each time. Of course, she understood why it was. Anyone would be unstable after watching his wife die and being unable to do anything as his only child faded away, too.

Still, she was afraid to trigger anymore mood changes that could lead to her King's further mental, emotional, and physical deterioration.

Anĝela brought one of her wings forward and nervously combed through the feathers with her fingers. She usually was very reserved with her emotions around her patients, but things had gotten so personal now that she couldn't keep her feelings completely at bay. It was probably because the royal family—or what remained of it—was now more than her patients or her leaders.

"Skulker did not say anything to me, sire," Anĝela finally spoke up. "As I said, I stabilized your son but I cannot do any more for him. Awakening his core was too risky to try and do it again, let alone attempt to keep it awaken long enough for me to try to do anything significant. All we can do is administer ghost medicines and hope his core repairs itself."

Vlad sighed deeply and closed his blue eyes. But when he opened them again, they were blood red. This time, he spoke with a graver tone of voice. "You have already told me this. I want you to tell me what you have _not_ told me, Anĝela. And if I have to command you to do so, then so be it. I _command_ that you tell me the truth. What did you find out about my son's core while I was unconscious?"

The female doctor's eyebrows creased, "I only wished to prevent you further grief, my King. However… if you insist…" Anĝela walked closer to Vlad before pulling out the syringe with a black liquid she had taken out of Danny's core.

The older hybrid's eyes widened, instantly recognizing it as the black poison that had been injected into his wife and son. He had discovered about it when he had found his family at Axion.

"I removed it from Daniel's core," Anĝela said soberly.

"All that venom was inside his core?" Vlad whispered, staring in horror at the syringe.

"No, King Plasmius," Anĝela replied. "This is not the venom that was injected into your son… It is his core energy." The father could only swallow hard as the doctor further clarified, "Whatever venom was inserted into your son, it has consumed your son's core. And not only that, but it has further poisoned his human blood. You want the truth? I am sorry to say, it is this: Your son's core is beyond repair. I am surprised it has been able to survive this long. The medications might prolong how much longer his core holds out, but… medically speaking, there is no chance of his core surviving this… I'm sorry, Vlad, but only a miracle can save Danny…," she ended sadly.

The father just stared at the female ghost for another moment before he looked away. His hands clenched, clearly trying to restrain himself. But looking back at his son, he reached forward and grabbed one of his small and fragile hands.

There was another long silence before Vlad spoke up again, softly asking, "How long do you think he has?"

Anĝela bit her lip. "It is hard to say; but by the extent of the damage I saw in his body… a few weeks at most."

Vladimir took an even breath before asking, "Anĝela? …Could you leave me alone with my son for a moment?"

The female ghost's eyes widened and she quickly replied, "Sire, if you—"

"Anĝela," Vlad cut her off soberly. "Please."

Anĝela hesitated, not wanting to leave the father alone in fear that he might do something foolish. But she also didn't want to disobey her King….

Luckily, something else stopped her from making a decision.

Vlad abruptly gasped as a stream of red smoke escaped his mouth. He instantly jumped to his feet, knowing there was another ghost in his home. But it wasn't just any ghost. It was a very powerful ghost. He could feel its power: only a ghost with a high level of energy could make his usual inner ghost sense become the tangible red vapor.

"King Plasmius?" Anĝela questioned nervously.

"There is someone here," Vlad said as more red smoke leaked past his mouth.

"Another human?" Anĝela asked, her eyes widening with the horrifying thought.

"No…," Vlad answered, eyes narrowing, before he quickly walked out of the room. He headed down a hallway, following his ghost sense, but as he got closer, he realized that the energy was familiar—_very_ familiar.

Vladimir halted in his tracks just as Horris materialized in front of him.

The two stared at each other for a second before the older hybrid whispered shakily, "Horris…"

"Oh, my poor child," the Ancient ghost whispered back before he flew over and grabbed the human king in a tight hug.

Vlad just gripped at his guardian with all his strength, afraid if he even said anything he would break down—and he couldn't do that. But the immense relief he just felt at seeing the Ancient was beyond words.

"Vlad, why didn't you tell me about your son?" Horris asked sadly, though there was no accusation or anger in his voice. "I would have helped you somehow. I don't know maybe we could have done things differently—_together_."

"I-I'm sorry, Horris," Vlad was able to choke out. "I… should have told you. I… Oh, God. I-I couldn't save her, Horris… A-And my son… I…"

"I know, Vlad," Horris cut him off, hugging him tighter. "It's not your fault. You did all you could." The Ancient gently pulled the half-ghost from his arms, and smiled woefully within his hood as he took in Vlad's helpless expression. It was like his protégé was an orphaned teenager all over again, silently begging him to make everything better somehow.

If only he could.

"It's alright, child. I will help you through this," Horris said gently.

But Vlad looked away. He wanted to ask 'How? How could Horris—_or anyone_—possibly help him get through this?' But… he knew his childhood guardian meant well, and he was thankful for his support all the same.

Vladimir was quiet for a few seconds before he turned the conversation elsewhere, and confessed, "Anĝela is here."

"Anĝela? Your female advisor from the council?" Horris asked, his eyes wide with alarm.

Looking back at him, Vlad nodded. "I asked Skulker to bring her. You know she's also a doctor specializing in helping children, Horris. I had no choice. Daniel needs her help. But it's fine. She will not say anything."

Horris nodded quietly before asking, "What is her diagnosis for your son?"

Vladimir sadly shook his head, and Horris understood it was not good.

"Horris," the King spoke shakily. "My son… My six-year-old son is going to…_die_."

Horris pulled Vlad into a hug again, and he could feel his protégé shaking with the effort to control his sorrow. The Ancient didn't understand why the half-ghost was holding back his emotions so much. It was as if he was afraid of letting them out.

"Listen to me, Vlad. You have to remain hopeful," Horris said seriously. "You cannot give up. I'm sure we can find a way to help your son. Plus, he is a strong child. He can make it through this."

But Vlad shook his head, knowing Horris didn't know the extent of it.

"Come. I want to see him," Horris said, pulling away and placing a hand on Vlad's shoulder.

The man breathed in slowly, trying to calm his shaking limbs. And succeeding slightly, he nodded and led Horris to his son.

When they went in, Anĝela startled. "Horris. I didn't expect…," she began, but then she smiled weakly with relief, and instead said, "No matter. I am glad that you are here." She knew the head Ancient was like a father to the King, and he needed that support right now. Perhaps, even, Horris could help Vlad pull through this tragedy, much like he had when the half-ghost had lost his parents.

Horris only nodded at Anĝela before floating over to the Prince's bedside. But the Ancient's jaw tensed and his eyebrows creased within his hood as he looked at the human boy on the bed. Strangely, the child resembled more his father in his human form than he did in his ghost one.

Still, it was hard in some way to finally confirm with his eyes that Vlad's genetic alteration had been biologically transferred to his son. If it was difficult for Vlad to cope with his unique body, how could a six-year-old cope with such a thing? Horris could now further understand Vlad's fear of letting anyone know about Daniel. And that fear was so great that the father had kept that secret from his own son.

If the Prince didn't survive, he would never know about his uniqueness. But if the child _did_ make it through this…, having the young Prince comprehend his being half-human would be a challenge in itself…

Still, that was a thought for later. Right now, they needed to focus on saving Danny's life. Horris knew this child could not die. It would destroy them all, starting with Vlad.

"Oh, little one," Horris said sadly, placing a hand on the child's face and seeing the written scars on his cheeks. "What have those soulless beings done to you?"

Anĝela looked between the two males standing next to the bed. She needed to return to her abode, but she had not left because she had feared leaving the king alone. But now that Horris was here, perhaps she could go now.

"Excuse me," she whispered, moving closer to Vlad and placing a hand on his shoulder from behind. "Sire, I need to make a trip to my abode. I need to get my medical supplies and more ghost medicine. The only vial I had with me, I used it up to stabilize the Prince, and I am certain we will need more to give his core all the help we can…"

Vlad nodded. "I will meet you in the lab to open the portal for you. Just give me a few minutes here."

"Of course," she replied before she vanished from the room.

Once alone, Vlad told Horris what Anĝela told him. The Ancient never took his eyes off the Prince, partly because he was horrified with the child's appearance, but also because he didn't want to see the King's desperation when he could hear it in his voice.

But keeping calm, Horris said, "I am certain Anĝela will do everything in her power to help your son. But I will also look through the Ancient Books. Perhaps, there is something—a relic, a spell, _something_—that can restore Danny's core."

"Thank you, Horris," Vlad whispered. "Thank you for understanding; for being here…"

"There is no need to thank me. You have always been a son to me, Vlad," Horris answered. "I needed to come see with my own eyes that you and your son were still alive. I thought I had lost you, child…"

This time, Vlad didn't answer.

But already guessing the King's thoughts, Horris decided to change the subject slightly. Unfortunately, there were other serious matters to discuss…

"Vlad, I would like to hear from your own mouth what happened that led up to this tragedy…," Horris said soberly. "However, that can wait. Right now, there is something more urgent I need to discuss with you. It's about the current threat the Ghost World faces. I realize your son is what is most important to you at this moment. I understand. However,… we need to at least discuss what we are going to do now that all the portals are opened. We need to know how you want us to deal with this situation, but also… with your absence in the Kingdom…"

Vlad sighed. "I told Skulker to tell you everything so that you can make that decision, Horris. I cannot leave my son's side. And… I don't have the… frame-of-mind to make any decision regarding the humans or anything else. Just…. do as you think is best."

Horris didn't reply at first. But then he said, "You have to understand. I am in a very hard position. I have always been able to keep your secret because your absences have been defined and planned; plus, Desiree had been there to represent you…" The Ancient paused before further saying, "However, with this uncertainty of when you will return, with Desiree's… departure, with the portals opening, and with the threat of the humans over the entire Ghost World… Vlad, I cannot keep your secret nor your son's any longer—not when we are faced with a tragedy of this magnitude."

Vlad stared fearfully back at Horris, but didn't interrupt as the Ancient continued with more desperation in his voice.

"Everyone is wondering if their King and Prince have also met the same fate as their Queen. There is chaos already with the fear that the humans could invade the Ghost World at any moment. And the only hope I can give at least to the council is to tell them that their King is _still alive._ But that would mean they would ask me why you are not present… They and everyone else will want to know where you are, and the only answer I have to give them is… the truth."

Horris sighed deeply before saying, "Nevertheless, I do not want the kingdom, let alone, the Ghost World, to know about your and your son's half-human status. You have enough to deal with as it is. I will do all in my power to keep your and your son's secret intact. But I cannot do it alone. I need to at least tell the council. I… _had_ to tell _them_."

"You told the council about Daniel and me?" Vlad asked quietly, though there was no anger in his voice.

"I told the Ancients and the Observants. We have not made the decision to tell the rest of the council yet. We… wanted to talk with you, first," Horris replied.

But Vlad shook his head. "Horris… I cannot leave my son's side."

"I know," Horris answered right away. "It is why I have brought them here."

Vlad's eyes instantly widened. "What? You brought the Ancients and the Observants here? To the human world? To my home? Horris, why would you do that? You're not only placing yourselves in danger, but my son and I as well!"

"Calm down, Vlad," Horris replied. "They are not _in here_. They are just outside the portal—waiting for us. Waiting for you. Please. It will only take a moment."

Vlad glanced at his son, but then he nodded. He didn't want to leave his son alone for even an instant, but he knew he had to at least talk to the council—or, rather the Ancients and Observants—about all that was happening…

The two walked out of the room and they headed back down to the hidden lab. But when they neared, they could hear Skulker yelling.

"_I know it is urgent that you speak to him, but you cannot be here! You are placing the King, Prince, and all of us in danger!"_ the hunter yelled.

Vlad's ghost sense was already leaking out of his mouth, and from the amount of powerful ghosts nearby, it was going crazy.

"Horris! You said you didn't bring them in here!" Vlad exclaimed.

"I did not! I told them to wait for me on the other side," Horris replied, distressed.

But Vlad's hands fisted and he quickly walked into the lab, instantly seeing all the Ancients and Observants from the council floating around in his lab, arguing with one another, but also with Skulker and Anĝela.

However, at the sight of a human man, they all gasped in horror.

"What the blazes are you all doing here?" Vlad exclaimed, his eyes turning red. "Do you realize what could happen if your energies are picked up by ghost hunters by some unfortunate chance?! Together like this, you are all a blasted beacon that would easily be detected!"

But no one moved; they just stared at the human in the room.

"Oh good heavens…," Serenity suddenly spoke up. "Horris… is this… _the king?"_

"Yes," Horris answered firmly. "And he might be half-human, but he is still _our_ King. And you are all still to respect him as such! Furthermore, _I told you all _to wait for me on the other side of the portal! It is a great risk for all of us to be here!"

"So, it is true…," Justeco then spoke up, ignoring Horris and Vlad's angry words. "Our own King is… _human_."

"How could this have happened?" another Observant questioned.

"How is it even possible?" an Ancient member added.

Justeco shook his head before his eye narrowed. "Why, King Plasmius? You have betrayed us with your lies. How can we trust you now?"

"I do not need to prove anything to any of you!" Vlad snapped back. "Think what you want. Just get out of my house!"

"No, we want an explanation," Justeco replied firmly.

"I do not believe this human is our King. He could be an imposter for all we know," Konsilisto added.

"Change. If you are King Plasmius. Prove it," Serenity said, and the other Ancients nodded.

"You dare doubt my word?" Horris hissed.

"You have been supporting this deception all this time, Horris!" Justeco accused. "Can you blame us?"

Vlad's eyes narrowed even further as he watched the Ancients and Observants begin to argue amongst themselves again. In the back of his mind, he was troubled by how things were falling apart even within the council. But right now, all he wanted was for them to go!

"Skulker, how did they even get in here?" Vlad asked angrily, turning his eyes to his friend.

"I do not know, Plasmius," Skulker answered. "They were already in here when I came in. I assume the same way Horris got in. I'm sure with the amount of power they hold, they must have found a way to break open the protective barrier you put in this portal."

"This is absurd! I'm putting an end to this right now!" Vlad growled and a set of black rings appeared around his waist. But just as he was going to morph, a flash of blue light appeared in the air, followed by a clock face.

As Clockwork appeared, Vlad cut his transformation short and everyone silenced once more.

"Clockwork! At last, you are here!" Horris said in relief. "Please, help me convince the Observants that what I say is true! That this is indeed our King!"

The Observants gasped. "Clockwork! You knew about all this?!"

But before the Time Master could answer, Vlad suddenly hissed, "You…"

Everyone froze at the venom and hate in the older hybrid's voice as he approached Clockwork with fisted hands.

"How dare you? How dare you show your face to me, _you vile traitor!"_ Vlad snarled, his eyes going red.

"I know you are upset with me," Clockwork said soberly, "but you must understand…"

"**Understand what?!" **Vlad abruptly screamed. "That you did nothing when you swore to me that you would protect my son?! That you knew all this would happen and you just **watched it happen!** I even asked you days before, and you just lied to my face! I begged you to watch over them! **Curse you!** I trusted you to keep them safe!**" **

"Vlad, calm down," Skulker began warily.

"NO!" the King yelled. "I'm done being calm!" A dark shadow fell over the King's eyes. "I'm done being calm for _monsters like him_!" Vlad's claws suddenly slipped out and he narrowed his eyes further on Clockwork, saying, "I'm going to kill you for this…"

It was all the warning the time ghost had before Vlad lunged and attacked him with extended claws.

"**No!"** Horris yelled, quickly flying over to the King and wrenching him off Clockwork.

"**Let me go, Horris!" **Vlad screamed, fighting against the Ancient Leader's hold. **"He promised me! I trusted him with my family, and he did **_**nothing!"**_

Having dropped his staff somewhere, Clockwork struggled to his feet, clutching his bleeding face and his side where Vlad's claws had clipped him. And if they hadn't done worse damage, it had been thanks to Horris' quick reaction.

But Vlad suddenly morphed into his ghost form, and Horris gasped as he lost his grip on the younger ghost.

Plasmius instantly closed the gap between him and Clockwork before he fired a red energy blast at the time ghost's chest.

With no time to react, Clockwork was sent slamming into several lab tables.

The Observants and Ancients all backed away as the room began to shake under the King's uncontrolled power. Oh, they were now certain this was the Ghost King. But they were now seeing him in a new light—for the first time, they were _afraid_ of him.

But the King didn't even notice his elevated energy. He quickly flew forward, determine to make Clockwork pay for his betrayal! But just when he was about to throw himself over Clockwork again, Skulker flew in and grabbed the half-ghost from behind.

But the strong hunter could not subdue the King. In fact, Skulker was as frightened himself by his friend's display of power. But what was worse was the fact that Vlad seemed set on killing Clockwork!

"Plasmius…," Skulker gasped as his friend's normal white hue turned red and sparks of electricity began to cackle and bite at his armored body.

But right then, Horris stepped in again, and formed a sort of barrier around the King, trying to keep him in place so he couldn't move any closer to Clockwork. The Ancient begged once more for the King to stop, but Vlad was too far gone.

"**Let me go, I'm going to kill him for this!"** Vlad yelled in a mixture of hysterics and fury. He struggled even more, moving inches closer to the time ghost in spite of Horris and Skulker's attempts to hold him back. "**How could you? My son trusted you, you lying snake! My wife trusted you, and she's dead. She was killed and you did NOTHING! They tortured my son, and now he's dying! And you **_**DID NOTHING!**_** You promised to protect them! I TRUSTED YOU!" **

"Vlad, I'm begging you, _**stop!"**_ Skulker yelled, watching as the lights in the lab began to explode and the rumbling room began to crack. Not to mention, Horris' barrier was cracking and he was about to lose his grip! "For goodness sake! Look at what you're doing! You're going to destabilize the house! …Think of your son! **You're putting him in danger!"**

That seemed to snap Vlad out of his blind hate, and he abruptly stopped struggling against Horris and Skulker. The room just as suddenly stopped shaking.

Plasmius kept his eyes narrowed on Clockwork, who was flattened against the wall with his staff still on the ground. He still said nothing, and clearly, the Time Master was not trying to even defend himself. He had stopped holding his bleeding face, which had a cut over one of his eyes, making it hard for the ghost to see.

Suddenly, Vlad phased out of Horris and Skulker's hold; and before they could react, the King raised his own barrier around him and Clockwork to keep anyone else from interfering.

"Vlad, no! Think about what you are doing!" Horris yelled, while Skulker blasted at the barrier, trying to break in.

But the King ignored them, and he approached Clockwork, his claws out. Once he was right in front of him, he raised a clawed hand and aimed it at the Time Master's chest.

"Go ahead," Clockwork said soberly. "You will do me a great favor."

Vlad stared hatefully back. "No… Death is too good for you," he replied. "… You are hereby bashed from the Kingdom. And mark my words, Time Master… If you _ever_ come near my son again… I **will** kill you."

Vlad pulled back his claws and then turned human again before he demanded hatefully. "Get out." But then looking around, and seeing all the other horrified ghosts staring back at him, he added, "Get out, _all of you. _I am not returning to the Ghost World without my son. And if you all have a problem with that, or if you have a problem with _what_ we are, then go find yourselves another _**fool**_ to be your King!"

Vlad didn't even care to see their reactions, and stormed out of the lab.

Everyone stared after the King before they all turned their attention back to Clockwork. But at that moment, Clockwork had already picked up his staff; and with a flash of blue light, he vanished as quickly as he had come.

Horris closed his eyes in distress before he opened them and looked at everyone. "Let us respect our King's wishes," he said seriously before adding bitterly, "I think you all have seen enough proof of the truth to convince yourselves…,"

This time, no one protested and they began to file out via the ghost portal. Only Horris, Anĝela, and Skulker stayed behind.

But then Horris said, "Anĝela, I would like you to come with me. There are things we need to discuss. Skulker…." He placed a hand on the hunter's shoulder. "Keep an eye on Vlad. Keep me informed, please."

The hunter nodded but didn't say anything.

Once Anĝela and Horris were gone, too, Skulker locked the portal again, and then flew out of the lab in search of his friend.

He found him just as he was heading up the main stairs. However, before Skulker could say anything, Vlad obviously sensed him, and spoke without breaking stride, "Skulker, when I said for everyone to get out, it also included you. I need a moment alone, please."

But Skulker quickly moved in front of Vlad, stopping him. The hunter glared weakly and said, "I am not leaving you alone. You are clearly unwell. You… You just attacked Clockwork! You cannot blame him for all this!"

"No," Vlad answered angrily, "but I am blaming him for his betrayal! He…" But the half-ghost narrowed his eyes, and instead said, "I do not want to talk about this! Leave! I want to be alone with my son!"

But just as Vlad passed him, Skulker grabbed his arm tightly. The man's eyes flashed red, but the hunter ignored it, and seriously said, "Vlad, I know about Danny. I know how badly his core is damaged. And I know what you're _thinking_ of doing. But you must not go through with it. You will not succeed. _It is impossible._ You will die trying, just like your mother."

"I won't let him die, Skulker," Vlad answered gravely. "So, if I die, at least he will live."

"That is just it!" Skulker exclaimed. "He will die regardless! Even if you do succeed to do something no other ghost has, Daniel cannot survive without you! He is _human_, Vlad! He cannot even return to our world as he is! And if he stays here, he will be all alone, and eventually discovered! He will be taken to some ghost hunter lab and experimented on!"

Grabbing both the older hybrid's shoulders, Skulker said more desperately, "Do you not understand? He's too young, Vlad! Without you, he is doomed regardless! There will be no one to protect or help him!"

Skulker sighed before removing his hands from his friend. He then ran a hand through his flaming hair before begging, "Please, if you don't care about your fate, then think about your son's. Dying to let him live will condemn him to a worse fate. When you first found him, you told me that he needed you; that there was no one else who could take care of him. Vlad, you were right. You are _still_ right. Danny _needs_ you. Don't leave him alone in this world. He will not survive without you."

Vlad stared sadly at his friend before he quietly said, "Leave, please. Come back tomorrow, if you want."

Skulker sighed in defeat as Vlad walked away from him.

* * *

Clockwork stared at the comatose Danny. He knew he was risking his life by being near the child, but he had to come see him. Even when he had his viewing orb, it wasn't enough. He needed to _see_ _this_ to accept it as the truth.

But he had also needed to see Vlad. Even when he knew that the King was going to react as he did to his presence, he felt it was the least he could do—a few blows from the father was the least he deserved. Plus, it had been the quickest way to have the Observants and Ancients accept the truth about the Ghost King also being human. And even if they had not seen Danny, they would now believe it, too.

Of course he had known all this would happen. He had foreseen it since Daniel fell into Vlad's arms six years ago… But as much as it pained Clockwork, he knew if he had interfered the outcome would have been worse.

But… it didn't stop Clockwork from feeling guilty.

Making sure not to get any blood on the child from his bleeding face, he leaned forward and placed a hand against Danny's slowly moving chest.

Clockwork had seen so many horrific events over time that he had learned to control his emotions. He had learned to accept this curse and the gift of being able to see into the future and not interfering.

Yet, all his experience did not matter now. It had been painful to watch the Queen die when she had believed in him so much. And the King… to see his hatred after the father had entrusted his son's safety to him… But the worst of it all was this dying child. The pain and guilt riddling Clockwork's core at doing nothing to protect his young innocent ward from being tortured and then gravely injured was more than he could bear.

If only Vlad had really killed him. He really would have done him a favor.

"Danny…," Clockwork whispered, his red eyes glowing with utter sadness. "I am sorry… Your father is right. I failed you… I do not deserve to be your guardian."

He removed his hand and gripped his staff against him, whispering again, "I am truly sorry…"

The guardian closed his eyes and felt the sting of tears burn the gash on his face.

"All… is as it… should… be," he quietly recited to himself; but it brought no comfort.

With a bow of his head, the Time Master vanished with the knowledge that he would never be allowed near the child he had grown to love as a son ever again….

* * *

A moment later, Vlad entered the room, unaware of Clockwork's ever being there.

He moved over to his son, and sat next to him on the bed. He reached over and grabbed the stuffed badger on the other side of his son's bed and moved it next to his son.

He stroked his son's face for a moment as millions of thoughts ran through his mind. But they all centered on his son.

Vlad glanced at the heart monitor and noticed Daniel's blood pressure had dropped a bit.

"_Your son needs a miracle to survive this…"_

"_Don't let him die… Don't let our son die, Vlad…"_

Silent tears fell down the father's face before he suddenly morphed into his ghost form.

His hand shook as he produced a claw and touched the suit which protected his ghost body. He barely managed to cut into it enough to expose his glowing symbol. He then placed his hand against his symbol and looked at his other hand, still on his son's face.

But when it began to glow, too, he moved his hand lower and pressed it against Danny's own chest.

A white sphere began to slowly form on the hand touching his child. But at the same rate, his symbol began to dim.

Plasmius gritted his teeth as a pain began to grow in his core, much like how a heart attack would feel. Yet, he knew the pain all too well. It had been the same pain he had felt every time had tried to form a child with Desiree. It was the pain of killing his own core by removing the remaining half of his Life Energy.

But he had never tried it like this. Vlad was quickly discovering it was even more painful, because the more he connected to his son's dying core in order to make the transfer, the more he could _feel _his son's injuries.

Little black lines began to spread out from Vlad's core through the rest of his body, and he gasped in pain. But he closed his eyes. He didn't care. He would do this. He would give his life to his son.

As his mind spun, a sudden memory flashed in his mind. It was from years back, from his last attempt to form a child with Desiree. And… it had almost killed him.

"_Vlad, stop!" Desiree yelled, seeing her husband's symbol and glow growing weaker._

_Sweating, the King shook his head. "I can do this…"_

"_NO!" she exclaimed. "You'll kill yourself! It isn't worth it!"_

"_Yes, it is," Vlad replied._

"Yes, it is," Plasmius repeated as his whole body shook. "Oh, good heavens! You can't die, Daniel! You cannot leave me. I need you to live."

"_Please, if you don't care about your fate, then think about your son's. Dying to let him live will condemn him to a worse fate."_

Skulker's words suddenly rang in the father's mind, and he shook even more. He knew the hunter was right, but he just couldn't let his son die!

"_Danny needs you. Don't leave him alone in this world. He will not survive without you."_

With a heart-wrenching cry, Vlad yanked his hand away, severing the connection that was about to kill him. He just as quickly felt a weakness overtake him, and he unwillingly turned human again.

But the father stood on shaky feet, as something more debilitating than physical weakness threatened to consume him.

He choked on a sob as he exited his son's room, and continued down the hall, though he supported himself against the right wall. However, as another sob clogged his throat, he felt his weak knees give in under him and he dropped to the ground.

But Vladimir didn't even bother to stand up. Instead, he gripped at his burning heart and core, while he bit the knuckles of his other hand. It hurt. It hurt so bad!

And yet, it wasn't physical pain—though, his core still throbbed with what he had been about to do. It was his soul that was in agony. It was suffering from the fact that he knew his wife was dead and he would never see her again. It was in anguish because his son was dying and the only thing he could do to save him would just condemn his son to a similar—or worse—fate than his.

But though he wanted to scream away his sorrow, though he wanted to cry until his heart and core could take no more and die, he knew he couldn't, because Skulker was right. His son needed him. If he lost it now, he would lose whatever remaining strength and sanity he had left.

And yet, he couldn't stop the pain from tearing into his soul. He couldn't stop the tears from spilling out of his eyes as he sat alone in a cold hallway of an empty house.

So, he cried. Quietly. Silently. For fear of his son's somehow hearing how broken his father was. He cried for his deceased wife he was unable to save. He cried for his dying son, whom he was unable to help. He cried for the world that depended on their King to rescue them from an imminent threat but he could do nothing to protect them.

But he also cried for the darkness that was seeping into his core, destroying his hope and naïve belief in the goodness of the world.

And he cried for the hate that was coiling around his very soul, suffocating the goodness _in him…_


	39. Chapter 37: All Comes With Time

**Oh, wow! I actually updated on time for once. Two weeks! Yay! Well, let's just say this is one of my and Truephan's favorite chapters, and with very good reason! I hope you all agree! *winks***

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom; but this AU is my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 37: All Comes with Time**

* * *

Clockwork stared at Danny through his time orb. Four months had now gone by and the child still had not come out of his coma. He knew that Anĝela was beyond amazed that the child had survived for this long, in spite of the fact that she had given him no more than a few weeks. But she did not know what else to do, nor could she explain why the boy would not wake.

During these past months, Clockwork had further seen the negative effects weighing on Vlad. He could see from the Ghost King's waning appearance that the uncertainty of his son's fate was also slowly taking its toll within. It was a depressing sight. Clockwork was certain the King had lost almost all hope by now…and was even…slowly dying inside …

Then, of course, there was the fate of the Ghost World. The humans had already attempted to invade it. But for some reason, the attack had not been successful, though that was not reassuring. It almost seemed as if they had not been too serious in breaking through, as if they had been merely testing the waters as it were. Not only that, the ghost hunters that had attempted to enter had come from China, which could only mean that the rest of the world was now aware from all the recent earthquakes that the portals had opened. Even more troublesome, the humans were obviously taking further advantage of this knowledge and were taking action. But unlike in the time of Pariah's reign, this time, the humans were ready to be the first to attack their opponents.

Clockwork knew it wouldn't be too long before other countries of the world gathered their strengths and courage and would also attempt an invasion. But the worst scenario would be if the nations of the world were given a reason to combine their forces. The humans had made a fearsome enemy then, and certainly they would make one now. But, perhaps, now, it would be even worse because humanity had experience in dealing with their centuries-old enemy, and their technological advances in ghost weaponry were growing stronger every day.

For now, though, they seemed to be going down the route of 'what nation can bring down the Ghost World first and claim bragging rights'. They were certainly a threat as a whole; but separated, the humans wouldn't get too far—at least, for now.

Clockwork closed his eyes and he focused on something else, which soon he projected onto his orb. He opened his eyes but readily narrowed them as he stared at the evil man that started all this.

This 'Thomas Chrome' truly was the greatest threat to not just the ghosts, but his own species. He was playing with fire, and he would surely destroy everyone in its path once he lost control of it. What made him so dangerous, though, was his cunning and ruthless nature. Usually, aggressive and soulless beings like him were impulsive brutes. But this ghost hunter? He was good at the art of manipulation, and crafty at scheming. He was both clever and dangerous, not to mention the power he held at his position—not at all a good combination for the Ghost World's sake.

But unlike the other ghost hunters around the world, the Guys-in-White were taking a step back. But not in surrender, but in preparation. They knew full well what they had done, and they were getting ready for a full scale war. And unfortunately for the ghosts, they had more than one ace up their sleeves.

Not to mention the ghostly allies on their side.

It was why Clockwork had talked with Horris a few days after his unfortunate confrontation with the Ghost King. The time ghost knew he could not intervene to the point of telling Horris or anyone about Spectra and Walker, but he could protect Vlad and Danny to some extent. So, he had asked Horris to do all in his power to keep the Observants and Ancients from revealing the King and Prince's secret to the rest of the Council. If Walker, being part of the High Council, found out, Spectra would find out, and then the Guy-in-White hunter would find out. And that would surely lead to a bigger tragedy.

Horris didn't question his request, since he understood Clockwork's position. But the Ancient leader had been unable to make any promises, except to honor the Time Master's request and urge the Observants and Ancients to hold off on their decision to tell the rest of the High Council about the King and the Prince. In fact, he had been able to convince them to give the King about four months to see if by then the issue with his son would be resolved, and then the King would return home.

Unfortunately, the four months were up and Vlad had yet to return. It was time to make a decision. Clockwork already knew what the decision would be and how it would be… unpleasant. But it would be for the best.

The time ghost was not surprised when the Observants materialized in his abode, followed by the Ancients. He knew why they had made a stop here before the Council meeting in a few hours time….

Horris smiled weakly at Clockwork and greeted him, "Hello, Clockwork. Please forgive this intrusion, but the Ancient Clan insisted we come here first before proceeding to the High Council. But I also thought it would be important to come."

"I understand," Clockwork said with a calm nod.

Horris nodded. "Now, there are a few things to discuss amongst ourselves, so we can be in accord. Considering that without King Plasmius present we represent the higher power in the Kingdom, it is very important that we come to an agreement and show unity in front of the rest of the High Council."

Everyone nodded, and then the head Ancient continued, "We all saw the unfortunate… reaction the King had towards Clockwork's presence a few months ago. And in the King's current emotional state, perhaps, he did not fully… _comprehend_ the situation. Clockwork has been loyal to the Kingdom since he became the Master of Time. As an oracle, he is bound by certain celestial laws, which we all know. And, therefore, he cannot always prevent what is to come, even if his vision is… something tragic, as has been the case with the royal family."

Horris frowned. "I am certain that King Plasmius will understand this, once the Prince is well and he has been able to properly mourn the loss of the Queen. However, we cannot go against a direct command from our King, and he _has_ banished Clockwork from the Kingdom, and therefore, from his seat at the High Council. Nevertheless, I believe it is proper—for Clockwork has always been loyal to the Kingdom and as an oracle he has a deeper insight of what is to come—that we include him in our current decisions. We will respect the King's command, but we can still gather with the Master of Time and discuss things and ask for his insight as long as he can give it. Hopefully, by the time King Plasmius returns, we can speak to him and he will withdraw his hasty sentence on Clockwork."

No one said anything in response to this, so Horris took it as a sign of agreement.

"Now, we all agreed that we would come to a decision regarding the King and Prince's situation in four months' time," Horris then said. "I had hoped that they would have returned by then, but as we all know, it is not the case. Remember, then, that we work in accord and the majority's say will determine our final decision, which we will then present to the Council. As I said before, until King Plasmius returns, the Ancient clan will take control of the decisions of the Kingdom. However, because the situation with the King and Prince is so grave, we have agreed to include the Observants and equally weigh their vote in what we determine now in regards to their secret."

Horris paused once more to make sure no one had any opposition to this before he continued once more, "As Head Ancient, I am entitled to declare my stand in this matter. And I have further discussed it with the Ancient Clan, and they have agreed with me. So, this is what I believe our decision should be: for the sake of the ghost race and the order of the Kingdom, I believe we should keep the King and Prince's human status a secret from not only the Kingdom, but the rest of the Council. I further believe this is the correct choice, because I have previously discussed it with Clockwork, and he also believes it is the best choice. Remember, then, that the Master of Time can see into the future; so his opinion strongly matters."

Justeco's eye narrowed just a bit in uncertainty. "I can understand Clockwork and your belief that we should keep the King and Prince's human status a secret from the Kingdom. However, the High Council, too? Do they not have a right to know as the governors and protectors of the Kingdom's laws, Horris?"

Clockwork suddenly spoke up before Horris could, "It was my suggestion that this secret be kept from the High Council. I have served you, Justeco, and the other Observants all my life. And although I cannot always tell you why I do or do not do something or believe something, you and everyone here knows that I have never steered us wrong. My belief has always been that fate follows the best path in time. So, trust me now, then, when I tell you, it will be best that no one else outside of us knows that the King and Prince are part human."

Justeco nodded, but then said, "We have always trusted your wisdom and vision, Clockwork. However, I —and, I believe I can talk for the other Observants as well—am now uncertain of whether we should readily agree to your belief, especially on this matter. We cannot forget that you have withheld your visions and the King's secret from us. You serve us, Clockwork. And your responsibility was to warn us of what was to come and further tell us of the King and Prince's human status so that we could make a decision with you on these matters. Instead, you took it among yourself to decide the outcome of everything."

But the Observant counselor, Konsilisto, further said, "Perhaps, if you would have included us, as was your duty, things would have turned out differently. And the King would not have thought you alone were at fault for this. Do you see, then, the gravity of what you have done?"

"What is more important, that I keep my vows to you or that I protect the movement of time for the sake of the entire world?" Clockwork asked seriously.

"That is for _us_ to decide," Justeco answered. "No one here, not even the King, makes decisions on his own. You should know that you are not exempt from this rule, Clockwork. Your actions could be even classified as treason to not only us, but the Kingdom. You are lucky the King did not sentence you to a darker fate. And I sincerely hope, once he returns, he shows you mercy and allows you to… rectify your mistakes."

"Justeco, please," Horris suddenly intervened. "We did not come to assault Clockwork. This is a situation that will be dealt with once the King returns. We have come to make a decision in regards to the King and Prince. It is important that we come to agreement on this. We have to answer to the High Council in a few hours. All I ask is for you, and the rest of the Observants, to just look past this situation with Clockwork, and focus on making the best decision for the Kingdom."

He looked at Clockwork, who was now quiet, before looking back at the Observants. "You do not need to be an oracle to know that if we tell anyone that our leader and future leader are half of what is feared and hated in the Ghost World, then there will be mass anarchy. We could tell the High Council and vow them to secrecy on the matter, but even they might not understand; and it will lead to dissention and perhaps resistance against King Plasmius' rule. Be what may, he has been an exemplary King until now. And with the threat of the human race at our doors, it is not the time to cause distrust in our leader, if we can help it. I ask you, then, to please consider accepting this choice of secrecy—for it is the best choice."

The Observants looked at one another and Justeco asked, "All in favor of the Ancient Clan and Clockwork's decision of secrecy say 'Aye'."

"Aye!" the majority chorused.

Horris internally sighed in relief even before Justeco turned to him and said, "Very well. We will agree to secrecy. We will not tell anyone, not even the High Council, of the King and Prince's human status."

"I am relieved to hear it, Justeco," Horris answered. "It is best. So, then, we can all be in accord and proceed to the High Council meeting."

"No, Horris. There is more to discuss," Serenity suddenly spoke up, surprising the Head Ancient and the Observants. "It is for the very reason we insisted to meet here."

"And what is that reason, Serenity?" Horris asked, confused.

The female Ancient stepped forward and glanced at the other Ancients before looking back at her leader. "As second-in-command of the Ancient Clan, it is my right to tell you that the Ancient Clan is not completely in accord with what has been decided."

Horris frowned. "This is highly improper. Majority agreed to this decision during our private gathering. If there was any dissension on the matter, it should have been brought up then."

"At any other time, we would have discussed all this in our private gathering," Serenity replied. "However, we needed witnesses outside of the Ancient Clan for this current matter. And we also need the Observants' agreement for a second matter."

"I fail to understand," Horris answered. "What is it that you all wish to discuss that the Observants' audience is needed?"

Serenity nodded. "I will explain. You see, Horris, the Ancients have discussed this matter of the King and Prince's secret outside your audience. And, yes, we did agree to your decision, but there is a… _condition_ to our agreement. That is why we need the Observants as witnesses, so they can hear what is decided and there will be no disorder or confusion in the matter."

Horris frowned. "We work as one. Therefore, I respect the Ancient Clan and its decision outside my own decree. What is this condition?"

Serenity calmly raised an eyebrow and answered, "That you step down as our leader."

The Observants gasped but kept silent, knowing they had no say concerning the Ancients' internal affairs. But they now knew why they were needed as witnesses. This was certainly a grave matter.

"By deliberately keeping the King's secret from us, you have broken our pact of trust," Serenity continued. "You have acted on your own, and have forgotten that there are no secrets between the Ancient Clan. We can no longer trust you or look to you as a leader of integrity."

Horris did not reply at first. But he then glanced at Clockwork, who stared back soberly. However, the Ancient leader could see the hidden sadness in the time ghost's eyes. He had known this would happen, too.

"I do not believe I have committed any crime by keeping our King's secret," Horris finally said, looking back at his clan. "You all chose me as your leader because you trusted my judgment and believed I would always have the best intentions for this Kingdom. Therefore, _I chose_ to keep quiet _because_ I believed it to be the best decision."

Serenity answered without emotion, "No, Horris. You made the decision of excluding us from this important truth to protect the King—no, to protect _your protégé._ Your choice was made out of emotions, and not true wisdom. That is why we feel you are no longer adequate to lead the Ancient Clan."

"Then, why _ask_ me to step down?" Horris asked seriously. "Why not strip me of my leadership? As one, you all have the power to do so."

Serenity smiled compassionately this time. "We have a great deal of respect for you, Horris. Before this, you have been an exemplary leader. We do not wish to strip you of your position. However, your unfaithfulness to the clan must have a consequence. So, then, we leave your punishment in your hands. Remain as our leader, and allow _us_ to choose the fate of our King—including his and his son's secret. Or step down, and we will respect your decision to keep King Plasmius on the throne and protect his and his son's human-halves…"

"So, you are even considering dethroning King Plasmius? Why?" Horris asked a bit angrily.

"His disloyalty must also have a consequence," Serenity answered soberly. "As the ones that put him on the throne, we can take him off, too. But that is a decision that will be taken at another time. But that, of course, also depends on what your answer is to our condition. So, I suppose in some sense, the King's fate now rests in your hands, Horris…"

The head Ancient nodded. "As I said, I respect the Ancient clan's decree. But if I am to decide what it will be and if it involves the fate of my protégé, then my decision is very simple: I renounce my leadership of the clan," he said without hesitation. "However, _you will_ honor my last decision, and protect our King and Prince. And _anyone_ who divulges their secret to any other ghost, their actions will be considered treason to the Crown."

"Then, we have an accord. King Plasmius will remain on the throne and his and his son's secret protected in exchange for your resigning as our leader," Serenity answered, "Observants, you have heard and witnessed this agreement, and our word is our bond. Anyone who dares break it will be punished to the point of expulsion from the Ancient Clan."

The Observants nodded, but still said nothing.

Serenity floated forward, moving in front of Horris, as she then said calmly, "Now then, as second-in-command, I step forward as the new Ancient Leader." She looked over at Justeco and said, "And that brings us to the last matter at hand. I believe you had a decision to inform us about, too, Justeco. If the Ancients and Observants are to continue working in unity, then we need to know what you all have decided in regards to Clockwork."

Horris' eyes widened as he realized the Ancients had discussed something else with the Observants, and they had left him out of the loop!

"What is this you all speak of?" Horris asked with a displeased frown. "And what does Clockwork have to do in this?"

Serenity glanced at Horris and said, "The Ancient Clan agreed to proceed without your acknowledgement because we know you share a bond with Clockwork, and so, you would have attempted to interfere in this matter. We thought it was best to keep you out of it."

"And you all speak of unfaithfulness to me?" Horris answered, this time angry.

"There was no treason. The majority of the clan was in accord with the decision," Serenity said calmly. "Besides, I already knew you would choose to step down in favor of protecting your protégé. Therefore, since you are no longer our leader, you are to respect the clan's decision."

Horris looked completely affronted, but Serenity ignored him and turned her attention to the Observants and asked, "Your decision, then?"

Justeco sighed before saying, "You have to understand that this is not an easy decision for us, so at least permit us to explain our reason for it to Clockwork."

Serenity nodded. "Of course."

Justeco turned his eye to the Master of Time and soberly said, " Clockwork, we all heard of your banishment from the Kingdom. As I said, if you had included us in what had been happening, perhaps things could have turned out differently. However, you did not, and according to Ancient laws, if anyone breaks a vow, his action is seen as a crime. We do not particulary agree with the King in that you have committed a crime against the Kingdom for deliberately keeping what you knew would happen from him. But, you _have_ committed a crime against the _Observant Council._ You have broken your vow of loyalty to us."

"My vow of loyalty is to the time stream," Clockwork interrupted.

"_And to us," _Justeco said firmly. "Did you think we would not have eventually discovered what you have done? You know that together, the Observant Council can look through time and see the events that are happening. The difference between us and you is that your powers are more advanced; and you can look not only into the current timeline, but into future ones. You have willingly kept information from us, Clockwork; and worse, you used your powers _to block_ our sight of the events that happened so we could not know of them until it was too late. You have not only betrayed us, but you _deliberately prohibited_ our interference in what has happened!"

This time, Clockwork did not say anything. But Horris was not only looking highly distressed but was also surprised. He had known Clockwork had kept what was going to happen from everyone, but Horris had not known the time ghost had actually blocked the Observants view of it! Horris was sure his friend had a reason for doing so, but he did not like where this was going…

This time, Konsilisto stepped in and continued, "We had discussed the matter amongst the Observant Council, and had decided that the King's banishment would be enough punishment for your actions, Clockwork. However, that was until we looked into time and discovered you blocked our vision of it. Furthermore, the Ancients came to us without Horris' knowing and voiced their own concern in regards to your crimes."

"Like Horris, you, too, have chosen to act under your own will," Serenity added. "And that is a crime against the Kingdom. You have been disloyal; and so we feel your powers are a threat to the Kingdom."

"What? That's preposterous!" Horris suddenly exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing.

"Silence, Horris," Serenity commanded gravely, glancing at her ex-leader. "You have no say in this, especially when the Ancient Clan has agreed by majority vote on the matter. Do not speak out of turn again." The female Ancient looked back at the Observants and Clockwork, and said, "As I said, Clockwork's powers are a threat to the Kingdom. So, if the Observants and Ancients are to continue working in accord, we have asked the Observant Council to make a crucial decision." Serenity narrowed her eyes a bit as she voiced, "Either, the Observant Council renounces to their voice in the Kingdom's laws, or they deal with the Master of Time accordingly. What is the Observants verdict, then, Justeco?"

Justeco glanced at the Observants, who nodded, before looking at Clockwork. "Clockwork, Master of Time, you are hereby stripped of your position as protector of time. You are no longer affiliated with us. And because your powers are now considered a threat to the Kingdom, you are to handover your staff and everything else that enhances your natural powers—or the Ancients will be force to take more extreme actions against you."

Horris' eyes widened and he could not keep quiet anymore. "No! You all cannot do this!" he protested. "Clockwork is not a threat to the Kingdom! He has always protected it and the balance of life! And I am certain King Plasmius, once he has calmed down, will rectify his command against Clockwork, too! I will not agree to this!" Horris yelled angrily.

"I will repeat it once more to you, Horris," Serenity said, this time a bit more sharply. "You have been outvoted, and you are no longer the Ancient leader."

Horris stared at the Ancient female before whispering, "You planned this. You waited for me to renounce to my leadership so that I could not stop you from the crime you are committing against Clockwork. This is mutiny now, and when the King returns, he **will** hear of this."

"We are not against you, Horris," Serenity said with a small frown. "We are only trying to make the best decisions for the safety of everyone. If the King decides otherwise, then we will do as he wishes. Until then, we will keep to our decision—and so will the Observants. Clockwork…" She turned her eyes to the time ghost, who still said nothing, "Surrender your staff to Justeco."

"Justeco, listen to me," Horris pleaded, but Clockwork interrupted him.

"It is alright, Horris. Serenity is right," he assured him. "This is for the better." Floating over to Justeco, Clockwork handed his staff to him.

"I am sorry it had to come down to this, Clockwork," Justeco said soberly before he raised the staff and fired a blast at the Viewing Time Orb in the room, destroying it.

Horris shook his head, and vowed, "You all will regret this." And unable to take all of the injustice anymore, he teleported away.

Serenity glanced at where Horris had been before looking at everyone in the room and saying, "We still have a gathering to attend to with the Kingdom's High Council. If it is agreed by all, we will let them know officially that the King and Prince are alive. However, their whereabouts and their reason for their absence will remain a secret. We will inform the council that their inability to return is because they were severely injured and have yet to recover. Nothing more. And until King Plasmius returns, the Ancients are in charge of the Kingdom's decisions."

There were no words of objection, and the new Ancient leader nodded. She then glanced at Clockwork and said, "My dear Clockwork, I, too, am sorry that it had to come down to this. I wish you the best. We will let you know if King Plasmius disagrees with our decision against you… though, I highly doubt he will."

Glancing at the other Ancients, Serenity and the rest of the Clan vanished.

Justeco only glanced at Clockwork, though there was sadness in his eye this time. But knowing emotions had no place in the protection of the time stream, the Observant leader said nothing and just left with the rest of the Observant Council.

Clockwork lowered his gaze, looking at his now empty hands before turning his eyes to the destroyed Viewing Orb. Without his staff or the orb, he knew he had no way of organizing his visions or watching all possible future events at once. His gift had now been greatly limited. But then again, it also meant the weight of his curse had also been lessened.

Alone, he floated off to one of his broken clocks. He remembered this was one of Danny's favorites. How ironical. Perhaps now that he had _time_, he could fix it. The Time Master closed his eyes and smiled at the vision of the Ghost Prince that flashed through his mind.

"It is time, Danny," he muttered before opening his eyes, and proceeding to fix the broken clock.

* * *

Skulker knew he shouldn't be going where he was, but his core just needed to know—_needed_ to make sure Dora was alright. No one had seen her since he had broken off their engagement. And though he was fairly sure where she had gone—for there was only one other place she could call home outside the Kingdom—he had been troubled by her departure. He had not wanted her to leave the Kingdom, though he could understand why she had. After all, she had no one left there now.

Still, Skulker had tried to reassure himself that Dora would be safe and happy with her sibling, but he knew deep down it was unlikely—at least the 'happy' part. But… after four months, Skulker _just had_ to make sure that Dora was at least safe.

He glanced over at an Energy Nova, confirming he had about two hours left before the High Council meeting. That was another worry. He didn't know what the Ancients and Observants had decided to do yet about their discovery concerning the King and Prince. He really hoped they would keep it a secret.

But then, there was that other thing still on his mind: Aragon's lost son. And much to Skulker's frustration, he had had no luck in his current hunt for that certain dragon ghost.

It was strange. A ghost of that size usually radiated a strong ecto-energy reading. But there had not been a beep on his radar. He had also not found any footprints or picked up a scent of him… It certainly was odd.

The only lead he had on the child was from that tragic day. Skulker had seen the creature working alongside the human hunters. That had also been surprising in and of itself. Not only was it beyond comprehension that a ghost would betray its own kind, it was a complete shock that the humans would use a ghost as… well, a weapon!

So then, perhaps, the humans had the dragon child hidden—or were somehow hiding 'his tracks'….

Skulker narrowed his eyes before muttering, "No matter. They will eventually make a mistake. And I am not known as the Ghost World's Greatest Hunter for no reason… I _will_ find him."

The hunter only let himself linger on that feeling of hate and vengeance for only a moment longer before he focused back on his long journey.

He was certain Aragon would not take too kindly to his appearance at the Dragon Realm. But Skulker still had Aragon's amulet; so it was an excuse to visit his former friend—and make sure Dora was well.

It took him another fifteen minutes before he reached the outer edge of the dragon territory. He looked down at the amulet in his hand before he squeezed it, and it began to glow bright red. Skulker looked off into the distance, and it didn't take very long for him to see a cloud of black smoke approaching his location.

In the next instant, the black smoke crashed down onto the ground and reformed into the Aragon in his dragon form. His eyes narrowed on the other ghost, who just silently extended the amulet to him.

With a soft growl, Aragon reached forward and snatched it from Skulker. He then placed it over his neck, and quickly turned into his more human appearance.

"I was beginning to wonder when you would be returning my amulet," Aragon said coolly, though his gaze was lowered as he studied the powerful relic in his hold.

"I apologize," Skulker replied soberly. "I have been occupied with all that is happening…"

"I assumed as much," Aragon said dismissively; but then he raised an eyebrow and added, "It was wise, though, that you waited this long to come… Otherwise, I would have probably killed you instead of just doing this…"

Skulker gasped as Aragon suddenly sent a red energy blast right at him, which sent the hunter flying backwards towards the edge of the island. But before he could be hurled right off, the dragon ghost encased the other ghost in a red hue of energy and stopped his direction. But then with a swipe of his hand, Aragon sent the hunter flying in the opposite direction and slammed him against a tree.

Skulker groaned, all the while hearing his suit warning him of severe damage. But the ghost ignored it, and slowly got to his feet with the help of the broken tree behind him.

He looked over at Aragon, who was now standing in front of him with narrowed eyes.

"You disgraced my sister, Skulker. Believe me, it takes me a great amount of willpower to not truly slay you for your cruelty."

Skulker gripped his chest before muttering, "I thought you would be happy we are no longer getting married."

He must have said something wrong, because Aragon suddenly blasted him again, this time ripping off one of his robotic arms. At any other time, the hunter would have been furious and would have attacked right back… But, he knew he deserved this.

"Do not belittle your audacity against my sister, Skulker!" Aragon hissed. "I might not have approved of your union with Dorthian—and yes, I am certainly glad you have broken it, because you have never been worthy of her—but that does not mean I ever wanted her to be hurt! But as I told her, this will teach her to not heed my advice! I knew sooner or later you would make her regret her decision of accepting your _supposed love!"_

"You can think of me whatever you want, Aragon," Skulker growled back. "But I _do_ love your sister. And if I did what I did, it is because I realized that you were right. I do not deserve her. But do not doubt for an instant that my love for her was anything but true!"

Aragon scoffed in disgust. "You have no decency. You speak of true love when you have dealt her the lowest blow in the most difficult moment for her? Or did you forget she had just lost her dearest friend—someone she once considered a sister? In fact, her love for Desiree very well likely surpassed her own for me, considering she left everything behind to follow her."

Skulker's eyebrows creased. "It would not have been any better if I had waited longer—it would have probably been worse."

"Yes, you would think that," Aragon answered coldly. "But perhaps you should have thought of all this _before_ asking my sister for her hand in marriage. Perhaps you should have realized how unfit for her you were the moment you even thought of courting her. Honestly, Skulker, did you not think? What could a stone-cored and callous killer as yourself offer someone as fragile and naïve as my sibling? But, of course, your vile instincts surpassed whatever wisdom you have."

This time, Skulker lowered his gaze. He never liked showing vulnerability, but Aragon's words were like a knife to his core. He was right. What made him think that he could ever stop being the killer he was and be a caring husband for Dora? It had been a foolish dream that he should have not ever thought to be real.

"Anyhow, you have done my sibling a grand favor. Perhaps now, she will listen to me and marry someone of our kin—someone worthy of her."

Skulker looked up, feeling his core lurch at the thought of Dora with someone else. But he didn't say anything.

Aragon waved a hand in disregard before he walked past the hunter. But seeing he was about to leave, the hunter jolted and blurted out, "Wait, Aragon."

Aragon turned around and stared impatiently at the other male ghost. "What is it, Skulker?"

The hunter sighed before asking, "I just… I would only like to know if… Dora is alright… "

"What a foolish question," Aragon sneered, "You have shattered her core with your betrayal. And you ask if she's alright? You really are callous in all the meanings of the word."

Skulker sighed deeply to keep calm. The dragon ghost's constant insults were beginning to wear on his nerves. "_I meant,_ is she safe and comfortable here? She has lived outside of your terrain for as long as Plasmius has been King… It must be a difficult change… And, plus, you know the Ghost World is not as secure as it was before. I am worried for her safety, too."

"Dorthian is where she belongs. And, yes, she is safe with me. I do not see why you would doubt it," Aragon snapped before adding sarcastically, "Oh, yes. I had almost forgotten. Where you come from, you all lack the ability of protecting anybody—even your own leaders and their child."

"Not wait a minute," Skulker said, his eyes narrowing. "What happened was an unfortunate tragedy—no one but the humans were at fault! It was a trap!"

"Of course it was," Aragon replied mockingly. "You know, Skulker, I have seen a lot of horrors in my time, as I know you have as well. But we both are the wiser because of it; hence why I can say that these sorts of tragedies do not _just happen._ It takes careful planning, Skulker. And sadly, the easiest target to bring down his parents and their entire Kingdom was the Prince."

Skulker frowned. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that not all evil comes from the Human World," Aragon answered seriously. "Therefore, I would guard my back, Skulker; or else, you might be surprised when you feel a knife driven through your back and it turns out to be from a ghost—and one from the Kingdom you defend, no less…"

Skulker kept quiet, though the dragon leader's words worried him greatly. Was it possible? Was it possible that there was another ghost helping the Humans besides Aragon's lost son? Was it… possible the ghost was right within the Kingdom?

The hunter regarded Aragon for a moment before he raised an eyebrow. "I am surprised you have not asked me about Vlad…"

"My sibling has already told me all about him," Aragon answered emotionlessly, though obviously his suddenly tensing face could not hide them all.

Skulker also tensed. "What do you mean by that? What did she tell you?" Would Dora tell Aragon about Vlad's secret? He really hoped not…

Aragon raised an eyebrow. "What do you think she told me, Skulker? Is there something significant that she might know and you do not wish her to tell me?"

Skulker was about to respond, but he suddenly caught a glimpse of a shadow in his peripheral vision, and he turned his attention to it. But when he looked carefully, he saw nothing there. That was odd.

"Well?" Aragon pressed, now a little suspicious.

"No, I just was not sure how informed she was since, well, it has been four months since she left…," Skulker covered.

Aragon frowned, but then crossing his arms, he said, "Tell me, why has Vlad and his son not returned? I am certain you would not have lied to Dorthian about Vlad and his son's being alive. But I do not understand why they have not returned home. Is he still in the Human World, Skulker?"

The hunter consciously kept himself from tensing this time. He really hated sometimes how perceptive Aragon was.

"Why would Vlad be out there, especially with his son? It would be too dangerous."

The dragon leader shrugged causally. "Perhaps… Then again, where better to hide than in the lion's den—where the enemy wouldn't think to look?" Aragon retorted with a smirk.

"Come on, Aragon. You think Vlad would risk his son like that?" Skulker asked.

"Not unless he had no other choice," Aragon replied without hesitation. He then chuckled and added, "Honestly, Skulker, we grew up together. Do you think I do not know Vlad as well as—or maybe better than—you? If he has not returned, it is because something is keeping him from returning—and the only reason for his delay at this point would be his son. Something has to be wrong with the Prince. Those humans must have gravely harmed him, considering they killed the Queen... The child is dying, or am I mistaken?"

Skulker was a bit surprised by how Aragon's expression changed so quickly from a smug look to a troubled one.

The hunter sighed and nodded. "It is very unlikely he will survive…The humans damaged his core," Skulker admitted quietly.

Aragon didn't react, though he looked away. "Is there… anything I can do?"

Skulker sighed and answered, "Pray."

The dragon leader nodded before he soberly said, "I must go. Keep me informed if anything changes." And with that, Aragon's amulet glowed and he turned back into a dragon and took to the sky.

Skulker looked after him before turning around and walking closer to the edge of the island. He further looked down at his broken arm and frowned, realizing he would need to make a stop at his home to reattach it. He couldn't possibly go to the High Council meeting with a missing limb.

However, the hunter was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a shuffling sound behind him. Instantly, the hunter whirled around and pulled out a large gun. He narrowed his eyes at the thick foliage a few feet from him. He knew there was someone here. He had seen that brief shadow and now he heard the crunching of leaves from footsteps. This was definitely no coincidence.

Skulker moved closer to the bushes all the while sniffing the air. But when he caught a clear scent, he was both surprised and alarmed. He knew exactly who it was.

"Come out, whelp. I know you are in there," Skulker commanded, only slightly lowering his gun.

The hidden ghost nervously turned visible and his yellow eyes stared back at the hunter from his hidden place in the thick bush.

Skulker felt a dark emotion swell as he saw the carbon copy of his sister and brother-in-law's killer just feet from him. It took all his logic not to raise his gun again and destroy the child.

"Go home, pup, before you get both of us in trouble," Skulker snapped before reluctantly putting his weapon away and turning to leave.

Elliot seemed to panic at the hunter's retreat, and throwing all precaution away, he darted out of his safe place and ran after the foreign ghost.

"Wait, sir! Please! I just want to ask you a question!"

Skulker whirled back around and glared at Aragon's son. "You're testing my patience, ghost child. Leave or I'll drag you back to your father myself—in a net!"

Elliot's ears pressed back in fear and worry.

"I will return, but… I must know, for my father will never tell me and he will be furious if he knows I both followed and spied on him: is what you told my father true? Is… Is Phantom going to… die?" Elliot asked softly, eyes wide with glowing tears.

Skulker frowned. He stared at the dragon child for a moment. How could two creatures who looked exactly the same be _so different?_ While in one pair of eyes he had seen bloodlust and hate, in this pair he saw innocence and care…

The hunter sighed and calmed down a bit before finally replying, "Let us hope not."

Elliot lowered his eyes both in sadness and indecision. He was troubled by the thought of losing his good friend, but… there was another reason he was troubled. He was unsure of something else. He had never seen this male ghost in his life, yet… he knew him somehow. Or, at least, he had 'seen' him, but in his mind… And that only meant one thing….

Elliot watched as the hunter turned from him again; but making a quick decision, he blurted out, "You know my brother."

Skulker's eyes widened, and he spun to face the dragon child again. However, his eyes quickly narrowed again. "What are you talking about, whelp?"

Elliot took a few wary steps closer to the hunter and answered, "I… He knows you. He… I felt he was… afraid of you."

Skulker studied the child more critically. He really didn't understand how this dragon ghost knew that, let alone knew he had seen his lost brother… Wait. Didn't Dora once tell him that Aragon's sons had been telepathically linked?

Skulker's eyes turned to slits again as he replied darkly, "He should be afraid… And if you… 'talk' to him anytime soon, tell him I'm coming for him."

Elliot's eyes widened in fear. He only got glimpses here and there of what his brother saw and did, but he didn't know what his brother had done to earn this ghost's obvious hate. But although Elliot had known it all along, this was the first time he had confirmation from someone else that his brother was indeed alive—and that he wasn't crazy!

"I told my father," Elliot whispered. "He never believed me, so I stopped trying… I even convinced myself that it was all in my head, but now… I know. He really is alive…"

But Skulker shook his head. "No, pup. Your brother is dead; and by what I saw, he has been for quite some time. Believe me. He's gone. Whatever shadow is left of him… is too far gone to save."

Elliot's eyes filled with tears again. "But… But maybe… he's confused, or… Give him a chance, please!"

Skulker frowned. "Why, when he never thought twice about murdering my sister and brother-in-law?" He turned back around and activated his jets back. But before he flew off, he looked back at Elliot and said, "Perhaps you should accept the truth now, as your parents have…. Your sibling is _never_ coming back—I will make sure of it."

Elliot watched in shock as the male ghost flew away. His words reminded him of ones his brother told him telepathically not to long ago...

_"Phantom's dead... You'll **never** see him again..."_

But as the gravity of the male ghost's words sunk into the dragon child's core, he wrapped his wings and tail around his body and wept, feeling both helpless and saddened. For the first time in his life, he truly felt… alone.

* * *

"Damn it all!" Walker yelled as he threw everything off his desk in complete fury. "I should've known those pathetic human hunters would be _too stupid_ to do anything right!" He began to pace the length of his office as he continued to rant, "How hard could it be to kill Plasmius and his brat when we handed them the royal family on a golden platter! Damn it! Why did I even listen to Spectra?"

The warden growled and kicked the nearest thing to him—which was a vase—and it fell over and shattered on the hard concrete floor.

He still couldn't believe it. It had been four months since anyone had seen the Ghost King; and though there had been rumors of his still being alive, Walker had been certain they were lies in an attempt to keep the Ghost World inhabitants calm.

But he had just returned from the High Council meeting, and it confirmed what he had hoped was not true:

The Ghost King was still alive. But not only that, _the Prince_ still lived!

It made no sense, though. How could've they survived when everything had been so well-planned?

"Because those humans are weak and worthless scum!" he hissed again.

Nevertheless, Walker was still reluctant to believe it. If the King and Prince were still alive, then where were they? The Ancients had assured everyone that they were alive and safe; but because of their close brush with death, they were being kept hidden in a protective place until they fully recovered.

Then, they had further informed them that Horris had stepped down as Ancient Leader and that Serenity was now in his place. But on top of that, Clockwork, by order of the King, would no longer be part of the Council—or the Kingdom. The Observants and Ancients had refused to explain the reasons for both unexpected announcements. All they said was that it would be explained once the King returned.

But Walker wasn't stupid; and even if he was, anyone could see that there was something else going on and that the Ancients and Observants were keeping quiet about it.

It was troubling. But it was the news of the King and Prince's survival that had Walker on edge. It was in fact downright dangerous to Walker's plans and maybe even his life…

At least the Queen, who was the person with the most incriminating evidence that could have jeopardized him, had been killed…

But what if she had managed to say something to King before she was killed? Or, what if the Prince had seen something that could tie Walker to the trap laid out for the royal family? It would certainly mean his head!

"Excuse me, sir?" Bullet suddenly called with a knock on the door.

Walker looked towards the door, and ordered, "Get in here, Bullet!"

His right-hand guard entered, but instantly paused at the sight of his leader's destroyed office.

"Close the door," Walker further ordered. And when Bullet did, the Warden instantly asked, "Think carefully, Bullet. Did the Ghost Prince ever see you when you set up the energy-bomb to trigger the formation of the temporary portals? Did he ever see you at any point that could link you—_and me_—back to that trap we set-up?"

Bullet frowned, but he carefully thought back before he then slowly shook his head, "No, Warden. The Prince never saw me, and I played my part of 'concerned officer' with the Queen as you instructed… The only thing I could think of that could incriminate us—or, really, _you_—is the ecto-bomb. The Prince could've recognized it as your own device from that time you showed it to him and scared 'em off with it… But then, now that I think about it, I did give the Queen the ghost trap before she left. As you ordered, I told her it was a device to open a portal for her to return… She probably figured out we set 'er up when she tried to use it… So… there's a chance the Queen could've said something to the King before she was killed."

Bullet paused before asking, "Is something wrong, sir?"

Walker fisted his hands as he muttered "It seems that the King and Prince are still alive… That puts us in a very dangerous position, Bullet. At this point, we can only hope that, either, the Ancients and the Observants are lyin' and that that punk and his son are actually dead, or, that our snot-nosed Prince is too traumatized to remember anythin' that could incriminate us."

"And what about Spectra, sir?" Bullet asked with a worried frown; but he was concerned about their fate, not so much about the shadow ghost's fate. "It's very likely the Prince might be too stunned with all that happened to really put anything together. But I doubt he's forgotten it was his aunt that enticed him with the human items or used that _Negra Papillo_ to lead 'em to the spot where we set up the ecto-bomb. At the very least, the brat has to be suspicious of her. And if he realizes the truth, then he will tell his father, _and then_ his father _will_ put it all together. Of course, I don't care what that would mean for Spectra. But don't ya think she'll open her trap and tell the King of our involvement in all this?"

Walker narrowed his eyes. "I'll kill her myself before she even contemplates ratting me out!"

Bullet smirked. "Or, you could just cut off her tongue—both her and Bertrand's…."

Walker remained quiet in thought for a moment before he suddenly stepped past his top guard, saying, "I need to go talk to Spectra. You're in charge until I return…"

Bullet nodded. "Yes, sir."

The Warden wasted no time and walked down the halls towards the prison's exit. He then took to the air, heading straight for Penelope's abode. It took him about twenty minutes to get there; but once he made it, he quickly pounded on the front door.

Spectra eventually opened the door with an annoyed frown. "Just so you know, I have a horrible headache and your practically kicking down my door isn't helping the matter."

"Does it look like I care?" Walker snapped before pushing past the female ghost and entering her house.

Spectra quickly slammed her door close and narrowed her eyes on the male ghost. "I hope you have a good reason for coming because _I'm already_ sick of you being here."

"Why did I even think for a moment this would work?" Walker hissed out, ignoring the female's comment all together. "Honestly, they couldn't even kill a six-year-old brat?!"

Spectra frowned. "Wait… Are you talking about my nephew?" The female ghost's eyes widened, realizing instantly why the sheriff was here and furious. "Don't tell me my sister and nephew are still alive?!"

Walker scoffed, "Obviously, the Queen is dead, or haven't you noticed all the open portals? It is your brat-of-a-nephew and our punk-King that are alive! Do you realize the implications? Do you realize what'll happen if the Prince realizes the truth and tells his father? Or worse, that the Queen told Plasmius the truth before she died?"

Spectra snarled. "Damn it! That brat is supposed to be dead! Good for nothing Thomas!" She turned her angry gaze on Walker and demanded, "Well, where are they? If they're alive, then why haven't I seen Vlad or Danny around here?"

Walker crossed his arms. "That's what I'd like to know. According to the Ancients and Observants, the Prince and King were severely injured, so while they recover, they're in hiding."

Spectra frowned. "But why not come back home to recover? Where else would they be safer than in their castle surrounded by their guards and other powerful ghosts?"

"My thought exactly." Walker narrowed his eyes. "And even more suspicious yet, there's been a shift of power amongst the Ancients. Now Serenity is in front. And Clockwork has been banished by the King…"

"Seriously? Why?" Spectra asked, surprised.

Walker shrugged. "They wouldn't say." He sighed with annoyance before voicing something else he had been thinking about, "What if the King hasn't returned for another reason? What if somethin' is preventing him from returning?" The Warden paused before questioning Spectra, "Is there any chance that the King was captured by the human hunters? Or maybe it is the Prince who's been captured, and Plasmius is tryin' to get 'im back?"

"I doubt it," Spectra answered. "Tom was pissed off at me because he said I screwed up his plans. He's afraid Vlad's still alive…" She cringed. "Oh, when he finds out, he's going to blow another fuse…" She bit her lip nervously, remembering Tom's threat to her and Bertrand the last time they saw the hunter. She honestly was a bit afraid now of telling him the news of Vlad's survival…

"It makes no sense, though! Tom assured me Danny was dead!" Spectra hissed. "Are you sure they're alive?"

Walker glared. "I told you, it's what the Ancients told us at the Council meeting an hour ago! They could've lyin' to prevent panic, but they might not be, too! In fact, now that think about it, what good would it do them to lie? Yeah, it could buy them some time to figure out what to do without the King, but they still couldn't keep up that lie forever; so, chances are they_ are_ tellin' the truth and our punk-King and his snot-nosed brat _are_ alive!"

Spectra growled with frustration, but did not say anything else. Both villains remained quiet for a long moment before the female ghost sighed and reluctantly said, "I guess I have no choice but to go see Tom. Something doesn't add up, and maybe _he_ can help us make sense of all this crap!"

Walker frowned. "I need to take precautions in case yours and that human hunter's screw-ups have incriminated me or Bullet in all this mess!" He darkly narrowed his eyes at the shadow ghost and growled, "You'd better also start makin' your own plans in case your brat-nephew rats ya out. Get one thing straight: I ain't helpin' you if you get discovered—and I'll kill you and Bertrand if you even think about ratting me out."

With that, Walker turned and walked out of Spectra's house. However, as he flew back to his prison, an idea began to form in his mind. Well, since those idiots had failed to kill the King, perhaps, then, his best option was to switch tactics. Perhaps the safest course at this point would be to get on the Ghost King's 'good side'. At least, then, if any suspicion rose, there would be less chance that anyone would suspect him. Bullet seemed to have this approach down, since he had always played 'loyal guard' in front of the Royal Family. So, then, maybe Walker could take a few pointers from his best guard—at least until the waters calmed.

Walker smirked. "How does that sayin' go again? 'If ya can't beat 'em, then join 'em?' It wouldn't be too bad… All I need to do is give my naïve King a wake-up call, so that we can see eye-to-eye at last…" The warden grinned as he suddenly remembered something else. "Oh, yeah… And I think I've got just the prisoner to help me _instruct_ Plasmius…"

* * *

"Anything?" Vlad asked anxiously.

Anĝela shook her head. "Nothing, sire… I'm afraid our fear has been confirmed… Danny has stopped responding to the medications."

Vlad looked down at his unmoving son before quietly asking, "So, where do we go from here?"

Anĝela sighed. "Vlad, I'm afraid there isn't any other direction we have not already tried. Even the Ancient medicines Horris gave me seem to have done nothing for Danny. It really is a miracle he has survived four months as it is."

"Are you saying I should just give up on him, Anĝela?" Vlad asked seriously, turning his tired eyes on the female doctor.

The ghost's eyes glowed with utter sadness. "Of course not… But I think it is time for you to make a decision, sire. As I said, it's amazing that Danny has survived this long… But now that he has stopped responding to the treatments, then it can only mean one of two things…"

She looked over at the still child before continuing, "Either, his core has finally given up and the only thing keeping him alive are these machines and medication…. Or, his core has recovered from the poison, so it is not accepting the medicine because it no longer needs them. And if that is the case, then he's being kept in an artificial coma by these machines and the strong human sedatives for pain that he is on…"

Vlad's eyebrows creased. "Perhaps we can partially awaken his core again to see which of the two possibilities it is…"

But Anĝela shook her head. "I do not dare try awakening his core again. If his core has extinguished, trying to stir the dead organ would be… Well, it is something we do not wish to see. Plus, it would painfully kill your son on the spot. Sire… I think it's time to unhook him, and let whatever is going to happen with your son happen."

"I cannot take that risk, Anĝela," Vlad said fearfully. "What if he dies because I remove the machines and medications?"

"Then, he will finally be able to rest, sire…," Anĝela replied gently. She placed a hand on his shoulder as she further said, "You have done all you can for him. I know you do not want to lose him, but keeping him like this…. It's not fair to him, Vlad."

The older half-ghost didn't reply this time.

Anĝela sighed deeply before saying, "I will leave you alone for the rest of the day. I need to return home for a bit… But I trust you will have made a decision by then… I will see you tomorrow, sire…"

The female doctor did not wait for a reply, and just walked out of the room. If she had, the father would have seen the tears that had gathered in her eyes spill down her cheeks…

Vladimir looked at the heart monitor beeping steadily on the screen. He then glanced at the oxygen tank connected to the mask that was on his son's face. And finally, he looked at the IV machine, dripping all kinds of medicines—both ghost and human kinds—into his son's veins.

To say the father was emotionally drained after watching his son's unmoving form for months without any visible improvement was an understatement. Yet, he had now come to terms with the fact that he could do nothing to save his son at this point. Even if he could transfer his Life Energy, what then? What would his son wake up to? The news that both his parents were dead and that he was half-human so he couldn't even go home? Who would then teach his son to be human? Who would then teach him how to turn into a ghost again? Who would then protect him if any ghost hunters discovered what he was?

No, leaving his son to fend for himself was too cruel. It would be too selfish of him. Skulker was right. His son was too young. He needed him.

But Vlad needed his son, too. Danny was all he had now.

Vladimir quietly sat down next to his son on the bed before grabbing the stuffed badger on the other side of the mattress. He studied the toy for a bit, taking in its yarn-drawn smile and marble blue eyes…

"I should have told you…," Vlad whispered suddenly, though he was still staring at the badger. "I should have told you all you wished to know about the humans…. Maybe then, you would not have been so curious about them…. Maybe then, you would not have left the Ghost World…"

He finally looked at his son and added, "All I wanted was to protect you, little Phantom… I wanted to give you the chance to be normal—to not be burdened by the fact that we are so different. I wanted you to be happy, without a care in the world. I wanted you to believe the world was as perfect as you always believed. That there was only goodness… I just wanted to protect you from the truth, Son."

Tears gathered in the father's eyes before he said in a broken voice, "But I failed to do any of that. You… You got to realize how cruel life can be in the worst way possible… And now… now, I cannot even _try_ to fix your shattered world… because… you won't wake up."

He took a shaky breath as tears spilled over his cheeks and dropped on top of the badger in his hands. "I cannot even keep my promise to your mother now…. If you die, what am I to tell her when I see her again? Oh, God, I do not want you to die, Daniel. But I cannot bear to see you like this… Anĝela's right. I… I cannot force you to live if you do not want to…"

He pushed the badger aside and leaned forward and pressed his face against his son's own. He cried quietly for moment before saying, "I won't force you to stay alive anymore, but… but do me a favor, little Phantom…. If you die… take me with you," he begged in a sob.

The father didn't even notice the heart monitor speed up with his words; instead, he just wept. He didn't even know how long he sat there beside his son. But eventually he calmed down and pulled away. He wiped his face, though it was useless when his eyes refused to stop shedding tears.

He took a steadying breath before he said, "Alright, Daniel…. Let's take these horrible things off." He shakily pulled off the oxygen mask, and then unhooked the heart monitor. The rest of the medical tubing, like the draining tube and the IV, he just phased out of his son's body.

Vlad just threw all the things to the side and on the night tables. With a sigh, he sat back down beside his son and brushed his black hair back with his fingers.

He smiled woefully as he recalled a time when his son had been younger and had asked him about humans…

_"Okay... So, what's the same about them and us?" Danny questioned, more interested in that._

_"Uh…Well, they have hands," Vlad began, grabbing the child's smaller hands in his and showing him. "They have fingers, too. And-"_

_"Claws?" Danny supplied._

_Vlad smiled. "No claws. No fangs. Just regular teeth."_

_"Oh," Danny muttered. But then he smiled again and asked, "How about hair?"_

_Vlad nodded. "Just not as shiny and soft as yours," he answered playfully._

_Danny's grin only widened. "And a tail?"_

_"You mean like yours?" Vlad quirked, reaching down and grabbing the little ghost's spectral tail. "No. They have feet. Though, I can't say if they are as ticklish as your tail…"_

_The Prince fell back on his bed, giggling when his father tickled his tail. "Daddy! Stop! I get it already!"_

_"Oh, okay," his father said innocently, letting go of his son's tail. "Anything else?"_

_"Yes. Do they have a tummy?" Danny asked, though it was obvious that the child just wanted his father to keep playing with him._

_"A tummy…? You mean like yours again?" his father asked, playing along._

_Danny nodded excitedly._

_"Hmm…. I'm not sure…" Vlad began to probe his child's abdomen, pretending to think about it._

_Meanwhile, Danny laughed some more. But when his side started hurting from all his giggling, he raised his hands and grabbed his father's face, pulling him closer to him. "Okay, how about a head and a face?"_

_Vlad moved his own hands up to Danny's face and turned it from side to side, before nodding and answering, 'You know, I think they do. You know what else they have?" Vlad asked, grinning down at his son._

_"What?" Danny asked, though he had an idea already._

_"Well, they have a mouth," his father began, touching his son's curved lips. "And then they have a nose." This time he kissed him there before he added, "Though I am fairly sure that no one has one as cute as yours. Oh, and they must have eyes. Two. Though, again, nothing compared to your own…"_

_Danny giggled again and closed his eyes when his father also kissed them._

_"Am I missing anything else?" Vlad asked with a smirk._

_"Yes. Here, here, here, and here," Danny quickly said, pointing at his cheeks and his chin and his forehead."_

_"Oh, yes, definitely. They have all that," the King answered, before kissing the child in all those places._

Leaning forward, Vlad placed kisses on the child's body as he had once before. But when he moved to kiss his cheeks again, he paused at seeing the horrible scars left from the words that had been burned onto them… Even when they and all the child's wounds were finally healed, they had left their mark on his son… It hurt, because it was a sign that his core really was not working as it should be. Otherwise, his ghostly healing would have made even those scars vanish. It was an advantage about being a ghost; it was very rare that any wound left scarring—unless the injury was caused by something meant to leave scarring or the wound was very deep…

The human King took another breath before he kissed his son's cheeks. But then, he stood up and walked over to the open curtain. He had purposely tried to avoid thinking about all that had happened. He wasn't ready to deal with it all. But even with all the uncertainty, Vlad was sure of one thing. If Daniel died… so would he. He would have no reason to continue living—nor would he want to.

He would never be able to kill himself, though, Vlad thought. But he was sure of plenty of humans who would love to do it for him…

"_I take satisfaction in that whatever time you have left, you will have to live with the knowledge that, in the end, your family's death is on you. You see….you made a fatal mistake, Ghost King… You should have killed me when you had the chance…"_

Vlad's eyes burned red and he closed them as he drove that ghost hunter's words into the confines of his mind. He forced himself to focus on the view outside the window. The snow had now melted and it was spring. The sun was shining brightly outside and the birds were chirping. The world, unfortunately, was still spinning and happy even when… his son was dying.

Realizing his thoughts had come full circle, he glared at the bright sky before reaching up and closing the curtains. He turned around; and as if suddenly annoyed by all the 'brightness' he walked around turning everything off, wanting every single bit of light to go away.

It took a moment, but he was soon in complete darkness, even when it was barely mid-day outside. Still, he didn't care and he just walked back over to his son's bed. This time, though, he pulled off his shoes before getting into bed with him.

The father pulled his unmoving son against him and hugged him close. He breathed deeply against his locks of hair before muttering, "I'm really tired, Daniel…"

Vlad closed his eyes, letting his exhaustion from the past four months just take over him. And before he fell into a deep slumber, he whispered, "…Just wake me up when you do… okay?"

The sleeping man didn't see when an hour later, his son's cheeks began to turn pink, nor did he see the scars on them slowly fade away…

* * *

"Hello there!" Penelope greeted the receptionist at the front of the Guys-in-White's headquarters. "I am not sure if you remember me, but I've been here before. The name's Dr. Penelope Spectra, and I am Tom's psychiatrist!"

The receptionist's eyebrow hitched in surprise. She was unsure what took her more off-guard: the woman's perky attitude, or… the fact that she just said she was her boss' shrink.

"Uh, no. I'm sorry. I must not have been here the previous time you came…. Give me a moment," the woman answered before picking up the phone. She waited for the other line to pick up, but it never did.

"Sorry, Dr. Spectra. It seems Agent Chrome is out of his office. He might have stepped out for a moment. Perhaps you wish to return at a later time…?" she suggested.

Spectra frowned in displeasure, but she then sighed and shrugged. "I'll just wait for him. He's bound to show up eventually…"

The woman nodded. "Very well. There's some seats over there and past that door, there's coffee and vending machines," she informed, pointing in the direction.

Spectra glanced over and nodded. She moved over and sat down on one of the chairs and pulled out a compact mirror and a tube of lipstick. She crossed her legs and then began to reapply her lipstick. She suddenly frowned at herself when she noticed a wrinkle at the outer creases of her eyes.

Oh, that's right… She hadn't fed in many months… She pouted. She needed to get some 'supplies' from Freakshow. But with everything going on, she couldn't exactly give him the usual payment—a ghost for his collection of slaves…

She closed her compact and looked around the area. Perhaps someone around her might serve as a temporary 'pick-me-up'…

She suddenly smirked when she saw a handsome young ghost hunter walk into the lounge. It was daring, but not unachievable.

Putting away her lipstick and compact in her purse, she stood up and headed over to the door. But just before she went in, she hiked up her red skirt a bit more and then causally walked in.

Much to her satisfaction, there was no one else in the room. The man briefly glanced at her when she stepped in, and smiled politely.

She returned his smile before she strolled in and stood next to him and grabbed a paper cup. There were two filled coffee pots, and she reached to grab the one with less coffee. However, just as she expected, the man intervened.

"I would use the other pot. It's fresher," he said, picking it up. "Here, allow me…"

"Oh, well, thank you," Penelope answered as he poured the coffee into her cup. "That's good, thanks."

"It's no problem. Coffee here isn't that impressive, but it keeps you awake," he answered with a small chuckle.

"Oh?" Penelope replied, her eyebrow rising with intrigue as she grabbed some packets of sugar. "Seems you work long shifts…"

He sighed. "Yeah, I just started a month ago. I'm still in training, and new recruits always get the graveyard shifts. I was lucky, though. I get some morning shifts here and there, even if they're long."

Penelope smiled. So, Tommy was hiring more hands, was he? It wasn't that surprising, she supposed.

"Well, then, coffee is certainly a must! Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Dr. Penelope Spectra," she said sweetly, extending a hand.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm Philip Johnson. But I suppose around here I'm Operative Jo," he replied, extending his own hand and shaking the woman's.

However, the moment he grabbed her hand, he began to feel a bit lightheaded.

"Are you alright?" Spectra asked with mock concern, though she stepped closer to him.

He let go of her hand and grabbed his head. "Yeah…" He chuckled weakly. "I think I'm more overworked than I thought."

"That's too bad," she said, and suddenly placed a hand on his chest. "You seem like a strong and handsome stud… It would be a shame if you got wrinkles so young from lack of sleep…"

He glanced down at the hand on his chest. "Uh… Don't worry. I'll be fine," he said, confused and a bit nervous. The woman's forwardness was really unexpected. "But, anyways, I should get back to work…So, if you could…excuse me."

"No, stay here with me…," Penelope said with a slight whine in her voice. "Maybe I can give you a better… 'pick-me-up' than that coffee there…"

The man jolted in surprise when the woman suddenly moved forward, and with unexpected strength, pressed him against the counter and kissed him!

"Hmmph!" he protested, but as quickly as he had, he began to feel dizzy again and somehow attracted to the stranger in front of him.

Smirking into the kiss, Spectra gripped at the man's white suit and pulled him closer. Her body began to glow as she easily absorbed the man's youthful vigor. It wasn't as sweet as misery, but it worked just as well to give her a boost of beauty. Luckily, the young man in his inexperience was weak-minded. Otherwise, her little temporary spell to haze his mind with lust would not have worked.

Meanwhile, Thomas had returned. He walked into the facility and was about to head to his office when his receptionist stopped him.

"Oh, sir! There you are," she said, getting to her feet.

"Yes, what is it?" Tom asked distractingly as he glanced at a folder in his hand, which contained some sort of blueprints. Ever since he discovered the Fenton's invention of the 'ghost shield', he had been working on creating some of his own. But for now, he was testing the ghost shield around the 'GiW' headquarters—which he got from the Fentons thanks to Gray. He was trying to find a way of improving it and perhaps even increasing its radius…

"Your psychiatrist is here!" his secretary suddenly informed him.

Tom instantly looked up and narrowed his eyes at the woman and sneered, "You want to run that by me again?"

The secretary's eyes widened and her face turned bright red, "I, uh… That's… That's what she said she was, sir."

"Who?" Tom barked out.

The girl jumped. "D-Dr. Penelope Spectra, s-sir."

Tom instantly frowned. "My psychiatrist? Is that what she told you?"

The woman just timidly nodded.

The ghost hunter rolled his eyes but then impatiently asked, "Well, where is she?"

The woman silently pointed towards the lounge.

Thomas rolled his eyes again. He walked over towards the lounge. But when he then opened the door, he froze in surprise.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tom suddenly shouted when he saw one of his agents all over the female-ghost-disguised-as-human who was currently seated up on the coffee counter.

His boss' voice seemed to push the younger agent out of whatever haze his mind was in, and he gasped and violently pulled away from Penelope.

He stared at the woman in shock, but then turned and looked at his boss, "Agent C! I didn't— I don't." But the man was too confused to even know what to say. What the heck had happened to him? What was he even doing?

"You're lucky I don't fire you. Get back to work!" Thomas sneered.

Operative Jo quickly grabbed his white jacket when he realized it was on the ground and then all but ran out of the lounge.

Once he was gone, Tom glared at the woman on the counter. She calmly straightened her hiked-up skirt before crossing her legs and grinning at the ghost hunter.

"Hello, Tommy! Miss me?" she asked in a seductive and sweet voice.

Thomas walked right up to her and said darkly, "If I ever catch you messing around with one of my men again, I'll shoot you in your core, you disgusting wench!"

But Spectra pouted and replied, "I'm hurt, Tommy. I was only entertaining myself until you got back…." She suddenly leaned forward and whispered against the man's lips, "Don't be jealous, though. You should know by now that you're the only ghost hunter for me."

Tom startled when the woman suddenly kissed him and something strange ran through his body. But he pulled away and roughly grabbed the ghost by the neck, "Don't toy with me, demon."

"Ooo, rough," she said coyly. "I can do rough… Is that your preference?"

Tom narrowed his eyes and answered in a more serious voice, "You realize that your pathetic little 'come-ons' don't work on me, right?"

Spectra nodded and grinned. "Yes, that's what makes it so much fun… But you'll want me eventually. And I can promise you, you'll never want a _human_ female again…"

Tom scoffed in disgust before letting go of the woman, realizing it was pointless to continue with this line of conversation.

"You better have news for me, Penelope, because I'm so close to losing my patience with you."

Jumping off the counter, she abruptly narrowed her eyes at the man, and replied, "You're not the only one losing their patience, Tommy, especially when I'm beginning to wonder why I thought you were of any use to me!"

Tom reached for his gun, but to his surprise, it was gone.

"Looking for this?" Spectra asked darkly, raising the gun up before crushing it in her hand.

The ghost hunter glared; but unexpectedly, his angry expression melded into a smirked. "Lover's quarrel? Alright, then… We better find somewhere more private…"

He turned and walked out of the lounge room. Spectra frowned with uncertainty but followed him. They both said nothing until they reached the ghost hunter's private office.

After closing his door, the ghost hunter then moved over to a small bar and began to pour out two glasses of scotch. "So, any news on Plasmius?"

Spectra calmly strolled over to Tom's desk and sat down in his seat. She spun it to face the man before she calmly answered, "Yeah… He's alive. Seems like he got the upper hand on you _yet again,_ Tommy…"

Tom instantly slammed down the scotch bottle and whirled around to face the female ghost. "What? How? My trap was perfect!" He then paused before glaring furiously at Spectra. "This is **your** fault! If you hadn't withheld information from me about the King's demon spawn—!"

"Which you _**also**_ failed to kill!" Spectra cut him off, this time in a growl.

Tom fell quiet and stared at Spectra in pure shock. But then he shook his head. "That's impossible."

"Not according to the High Council," Spectra sneered. "Seriously, Tom? You couldn't kill a defenseless _six-year-old brat?_ Even when I practically handed him to you? What kind of ghost hunter are you?"

Thomas snapped. He quickly walked over to Penelope and grabbed a fistful of her hair and jerked her head to the side. He then opened a hidden compartment in the foot of the chair and yanked out a smaller gun there before bending closer and darkly replying in the female ghost's face, "The kind of hunter who wouldn't hesitate to kill a piece of ecto-slime like you! I don't know where you got your information from, but it has to be inaccurate, because I personally pumped a large dosage of ecto-poision into that demon spawn's core! It is meant to dissolve a ghost from the inside out, and I saw every drop go into that spawn's core. Oh, and let's not forget I rigged Axion so that no ghost could get out. I blew it sky-high with ecto-bombs, while surrounded by a ghost shield! So, you tell me, _how the hell_ that little demon could be alive?!"

Spectra gripped at the hand holding her hair and drew out her claws enough to prick the man's skin and draw blood. Tom hissed, but didn't let go, and instead, pressed his gun against the female's core in silent threat.

Still, she was too furious over her ruined plans to care, and she didn't hesitate to hiss darkly, "Sorry to break it to you, _Tommy_, but you overlooked something, because not only is the King alive, but he managed to rescue his son _and escape._ And now they are both alive! So, if anyone owes anyone an explanation, it's you! Now, let me go before I slice your hand off!"

Tom glared some more, but then let go and lowered his gun.

"I didn't overlook anything," the ghost hunter then muttered angrily. "You just failed to tell me something—something that I don't know about Plasmius. He must have some power or something to bypass the ghost security systems! Hell, he had to have bypassed the ghost shield! So, **you** tell me, how a ghost does that?!"

"I don't know how he does it!" Spectra snapped, standing up and walking over to the bar. She picked up one of the poured drinks and took a swig of it. She cringed at the burning liquid, but it helped her nerves. Oddly, alcohol was one of the few human substances that the ghost body also reacted to. The difference was that since the spectral body didn't eliminate or produce waste products, the alcohol stayed in a ghost's body much longer before it metabolized.

"All I know is that when it comes to stealth missions out here, the King always leads them because he can get in-and-out of any place without problems," Spectra answered in a frustrated tone of voice. "He… _somehow_ can get past ghost weapons and systems without being detected."

"Well, how do you do it, then?" Tom sneered impatiently.

"I might be able to drop my ghost energy down to almost nothing to keep me under radar while in this human disguise, but I can't do it for long periods of time!" she snapped. "With the King… it's different. Like, I could never get past a ghost shield! No ghost should be able to! So, I don't know how he does it! And honestly, I don't care!" She took another swig before throwing the glass across the room and sneering at Tom, "You were supposed to kill my nephew, Tom! We had a deal!"

"Yeah, we did, which you broke first!" Tom accused. "Admit it. You purposely hid from me the fact that the Prince couldn't call to his father! You never wanted me to kill Plasmius—just his family!"

Spectra raised her arms up as she finally exploded, "Fine, it's true! I didn't tell you on purpose! But it's because I need the King alive! I'm sick of living under the Kingdom's new stupid laws! I use to be able to come to the human world as I pleased! I use to feed on a regular basis, and maintain my beauty. Now, look at me! I can't even come out here for an hour without fear of being caught and punished! You know how long it's been since I've had a proper feeding of misery, Tom? **Months!** I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being controlled!" She narrowed her eyes darkly as she seethed, "I want to take the throne, so I can change all that! But _I need Plasmius_ to even have a chance at that! If you kill him before I can get him to hand me his power, I'll never escape all this oppression!"

Tom scoffed. "Why would the King ever hand you the throne?"

"That's my problem," Spectra snapped. "The point is that with my brat-of-a-nephew alive, I'll never take control of the Kingdom!"

Penelope's eyes suddenly turned red as she glared at something unseen and muttered, "If I only knew where he was…. I'd kill the little brat myself!" She growled before she exclaimed, "_**Damn it!**_ He's supposed to be dead!" She began to pace as she continued with her rant, "What if he remembers everything and he puts it all together? What if he tells his dad? Everything will be ruined, not to mention, Plasmius will kill me for helping you kill his family!"

Tom kept quiet. He had been watching the raving woman the entire time. He was both surprised and intrigued by her lack of composure. It was the first time he had seen her truly show all her colors… He realized at that moment that this female ghost was really one of the most evil and twisted demons he had ever encountered…

He made a mental note to tread more carefully while around her….

Suddenly, as if she had drained out all her frustration, Spectra sighed sharply and halted. Her wild look melded into an annoyed frown as she crossed her arms, and said mostly to herself, "None of this makes any sense… If you poisoned Danny with the same stuff that killed my sister, then how did that brat survive? And where are they?"

But Tom was struck by her first question, and his eyes widened as he instantly realized the answer…

"Well, I'll be damned… It's his core," the ghost hunter said with an odd sense of amusement.

"What?" Spectra asked.

"His core," Tom repeated. He smirked. "I took a sample and I found the Prince's core has regenerative properties. Somehow, his core must have repaired the damaged done by the venom faster than the venom could destroy it. That's how he survived!"

Spectra frowned. "Are you sure?" But when Tom glared at her in annoyance, she sighed loudly. She thought a moment and then something clicked..

"You know what… I don't think Danny's the only one with a regenerative core," Spectra muttered with growing amazement. But then she smirked herself. "Well, what do you know… I always wondered why Plasmius and his son felt so different… _so delectable_… If what you say is true, Tom, then what I've been feeling is that constant generation of pure energy… Tom… I think the King has a regenerative core, too…"

Tom's eyes widened, but then he frowned. "Maybe that's how he does it. Maybe the key in how he can evade detection is hidden in their regenerative core…" He paused, but then added, "And now that I remember, I found some traces of regenerative properties in your sister's second core, as well."

"Wait. What? My sister didn't have two cores. That's not even possible," Spectra said, confused.

"Well, you obviously didn't know your sibling as well as you thought because she had two," Tom drawled out. "I personally took samples of both. One in her chest and another in her stomach. She had two."

Spectra just stared in puzzlement at Tom. But she shook her head. "It must've been some spell to throw you off or something…"

"Look, I know what I saw, alright?" Tom's eyes narrowed as he then added, "But if Plasmius indeed has a regenerative core, it means my adversary is stronger than I thought…"

Tom suddenly touched the scar on his face before muttering, "I'll need to level the playing field, then…" He looked at Spectra and quickly said, "I want you to find out where the King and Prince are hiding. Once you know, I want you to find a way to lure or capture the Prince. I want you to bring him to me."

Spectra frowned. "What's with the sudden interest? I thought you wanted him and Plasmius dead."

Tom smirked. "Oh, I want Plasmius dead, and I will see to that eventually. But to be honest, I'm kinda glad his son is still alive… I have realized he's worth much more to me alive than dead. At least, until I get what I want from him. Perhaps, _Danny-boy_ can even provide me another way of bringing his father and his kingdom down. Yes… I want that little demon. Besides…" Tom touched his face again and added with a dark glare, "We have unfinished business."

"Don't tell me my defenseless little nephew caused that scar on your face?" Spectra said with a growing smirk. "Oh, wow, Tommy. That's just sad. Then again, I'm impressed at Danny. And here I thought he was a pathetic little thing…Seems he's feistier than I thought!"

Tom rolled his eyes, but remained quiet as he thought about something else. He then looked at Penelope and said, "Look, how about another deal? But this time, no more half-truths, alright?"

Spectra's eyebrow arched up sharply when the ghost hunter suddenly wrapped a hand around her waist and slowly pulled her against him. He lightly gripped her chin as he studied her features. But then thoughtfully said, "Perhaps, we can satisfy both our needs… I really want the Ghost Prince, Penelope… And you… you want him out of your way. You can see the common interest, can't you? Bring him to me, and I'll even give you time to fulfill your plans against Plasmius… I might even consider keeping you alive once I destroy the Ghost World… You could reign over what remains of it… That is, if you are willing to play the game… _my way_…"

Penelope was surprised when the man suddenly placed a light kiss on her lips. But liking this sudden gentle side of the hunter, she moved to initiate her own kiss. However, he moved his head back to stop her.

He smirked and asked, "What do you say?"

Penelope chuckled. "You're a strange human, Tommy. But I'm starting to like you more and more… Kiss me again, and it's a deal…," she added with a mischievous grin.

Tom matched her look before he moved closer, but instead of kissing her mouth, he kissed her ear before whispering into it, "I told you, your 'come-ons' do not work on me… I promise you, though, if I ever get in the mood to _try_ a demon, it'll be _you_ who will never want another male of your species again…"

Tom suddenly moved away from her, and off-handedly said, "I have things to do. I believe you know the way out…"

Spectra watched the human walk out of his office, leaving her alone. She was a bit stunned at first, but then she grinned widely. Well, Tommy certainly just got much more interesting…

* * *

Bright green eyes narrowed mischievously as they peered through tall purple blades of grass on an open field at the Forest of Emotions. They were locked on a floating figure who was calling his name.

"Danny!"

The boy barely suppressed his giggles. He knew he had gotten good at this game that he loved to play with his parents. At times, he even won, and this seemed to be like one of those times.

His ghostly tail curled around his body to keep it from twitching with his excitement as he watched the person he was hiding from turn his back to him.

"Come on, little Phantom… you can't hide forever," his mother's sweet voice said playfully.

Danny grinned, before he slowly floated closer to his mother, but kept himself low enough so that his white hair stayed concealed under the tall grass and didn't give him away. Ever so slowly, he shortened the distance, only stopping when his mom would turn to face where he was hiding.

But then, just as he was a few feet from a 'sneak-attack' on his mother, she vanished. He startled in surprise, but then gasped when he heard a voice right behind him.

"Gottcha!" Desiree announced before wrapping her arms around her son and pulling him into an embrace.

Danny squealed in a mixture of annoyance and surprise and further wiggled to get free. "No! No fair!" he protested.

Desiree grinned back as she managed to turn him around and pin him down on the ground. "Say uncle," she commanded playfully as she began to tickle him.

Danny gasped and laughed as he struggled to get away from the playful attack at his abdomen. "No! Stop!" he exclaimed between his fits of laugher.

"Ah. Say it," she pressed, not stopping her fingers' probes along the child's ticklish spots.

"Okay!" he barely yelled out. "Uncle Skulker!" he said before falling into a stronger fits of giggles.

Desiree chuckled as she stopped. "That'll do, I suppose…"

Danny stuck out his tongue, but he was still grinning. He raised his arms up, and his mom picked him up before falling back on the grass, now with him on top.

"I love you, little Phantom," she said, tenderly pushing back the white bangs shadowing his eyes.

"I love you, too, Mommy," Danny replied, placing a hand on her symbol. "I want you with me always!"

Desiree smiled. "Don't worry, Danny. I will always be with you."

Danny leaned forward so he was now lying on his stomach, still on top of his mother. He propped up his face on his hands before asking, "When is Daddy coming home?"

Desiree sighed as she reached forward and lightly touched her son's symbol. "Actually, Danny… it is you who needs to go home…"

Danny's eyebrows creased before he glanced around his surroundings, and confirming he was at his playing grounds, he looked back to his mother and said, "But I am home. I mean, we're close to home." He paused as an idea struck him and his tail flicked with sudden excitement as he asked, "Is Father at the castle?" He sat up and further said, "Let's go home to see him, then!"

Desiree's eyebrows creased as she sat up, too; but instead of replying to his comment, she sadly asked, "Where is the necklace I made you…?"

Danny looked down; and for the first time he realized that the necklace with the ice crystal, holding his mother's Life Energy, was missing from his person. His eyes widened as he tried to recall where he had left it.

"I… I don't remember," he whispered, though there was this growing anxiety in his voice.

"You must remember, little Phantom," Desiree answered seriously. "It's important that you do."

But Danny shook his head. "No, I don't want to." He squeezed his eyes close and whimpered, "Don't make me. I'm scared."

"Danny, look at me," Desiree said tenderly. And when her son opened his distressed eyes, she further said, "I know it's hard, but it's time to remember… and… it's time to wake up, little one."

Danny shook his head and suddenly lunged forward wrapping his arms around his mother. "No, please. I like it here. I want to stay here with you!"

"What about your father?" she asked sadly.

"He can come here," Danny answered right away.

"Little Phantom, your father cannot come here, because 'here' only exists in your mind. You are dreaming, my child. And you must wake up… Your daddy needs you very much."

"But... But I want to be with you also!" Danny begged.

"I told you, Danny. I won't leave you… I'll be here whenever you need me. We'll play and talk whenever you wish. As long as you don't forget me, little Phantom… I'll be here… I'll never leave you, as long as you believe it."

Danny's eyes filled with tears as he held onto his mother. He didn't want to wake up. Something told him waking up would be really bad! But… he missed his daddy, too. And he didn't want him to be lonely, either.

"Come on now," Desiree whispered soothingly as she pulled him away from her. "It's time. You must be strong now, okay?"

Danny trembled but nodded. "How do I wake up?"

Desiree smiled warmly. "It's easy… I'll help you… Go on, close your eyes… Take a deep breath and hold it… Good. Now exhale and open your eyes… open your eyes, little Phantom…"

And Danny did so, only to be greeted by utter darkness.

He blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to work, but much to his growing worry, he still could not see anything. The darkness was foreign to him. Even when it was nighttime, his ghostly eyes always let him see… So, why couldn't he now? There was only one place he had experienced total darkness like this… Where had it been?

A flash of light flashed and a scream echoed in the child's memory, and he gasped softly and squeezed his eyes closed. Now, a bit scared, he quickly forced himself to focus on something else…

He opened his eyes again and concentrated on trying to feel something. But… his hands and tail were not responding…

He opened his mouth to call for help, but nothing came out. He whimpered in his mind as his growing fear began to grip at him. He didn't understand what was happening!

Suddenly, he felt something warm tickle his neck. He froze as he focused on it… He realized it kept washing over him in a constant pattern. But then his senses began to awaken and he realized how warm he was. He never recalled feeling this warm before. Even bizarre yet was the feeling of something holding him close, protectively. Wait…. That was familiar. His parents always held him in a comforting embrace…

So, did that mean he was in bed with his mother or father? But then, why couldn't he see anything?!

Danny closed his eyes, hoping he could go back to his dream and escape this darkness. But it was no use. He tried focusing again on moving his body, and this time, he began to feel it coming back to life. He wiggled his fingers a bit, and though his movements were sluggish, he managed to turn around in whoever's arms he was in.

He needed to get his mother or father's attention. He needed to let them know something was wrong with his eyes and that he felt all stiff for some reason, too.

He opened his mouth and tried calling to his parents again, but his voice came out in a scratchy whisper that was barely there. He began to feel frustrated and he raised a hand up to the person's chest on the bed next to him. Maybe if he could touch his mom or dad's core, they would stir.

But when his hand pressed against what he believed to be the person's chest, Danny froze as he felt clothing and no feeling of any energy signature. Since when did his parents wear clothing over their symbols? But… But the worst of it was that if he focused enough, he could feel a constant movement under his touch… a sort of soft beating within the unknown entity beside him…

A wave of fear swelled inside the child as his mind triggered something… something hidden inside his brain… Why was that constant beating bad? It meant something… It meant pain.

Suddenly that warm air hit his face again, and he realized what it was… It was someone's breathing…

But… But ghosts didn't breathe. What breathed?

"_Hello, little demon…"_

"_Call daddy, and I won't hurt you anymore…"_

Danny began to tremble as those unwanted memories began to flash in his mind. They were like broken images, but they seemed to be coming together, trying to remind him of a horrible truth… No! He didn't want to remember! That's why he had not wanted to wake up!

_"Look, Danny boy. Your __panjo__ is crying. She's scared for you."_

"_Call him. Call daddy…"_

Danny's own breathing began to elevate as he realized what was holding him. A human. It was a human, just like the one that had hurt him and his mother… No, he didn't just hurt her, he…

"_NE!"_ he screamed and he somehow ripped himself out of the person that had been holding him.

There was a gasp of alarm in the darkness, and Danny knew he had woken up the human.

Now panicked, he forced his body to respond and he struggled to get away; but for some reason he couldn't fly!

He crawled away using only his arms because his tail refused to move. But he only made it a few feet away before he was greeted by the empty air. He gasped as he fell down and hit something cold and hard below.

"Oh my God! Daniel?!" he heard the human exclaim in the darkness.

Danny whimpered as he tried to pull himself up but he couldn't! His tail wouldn't obey him! The child reached forward, only to gasp when he felt legs instead of the tail he was use to.

"_Ne, ne!"_ he cried out as he gripped at his unwanted limbs. This was all wrong!

Suddenly a flash of light assaulted his eyes, and he cried out as he used his hands to protect his sensitive vision.

There were sounds of panicked shuffling, and the human in the room seemed to hit something as he approached him because there was a loud bang and he gasped in pain. But, unfortunately, that wasn't enough to stop the man, and all too soon he was in front of him.

"D-Daniel? You're… awake! You came back!" the man breathed in a mixture of emotions.

But when Danny felt a warm hand on his shoulder, he whimpered and recoiled, while gripping at his eyes even more, not wanting to see what was in front of him. If he didn't see it, then it wouldn't be real his childish logic told him.

"Shh… It's okay, Daniel. It's me. Your father. Daniel, it's me," the voice said tenderly, though it cracked terribly. But like everything the human had said before, Danny only understood pieces of the human dialect. And yet, the human's voice was soothing, maybe even familiar…

Danny shook his head. No! This human was trying to confuse him. He just wanted him to open his eyes, so he could then hurt him!

"_Panjo! Paĉjo!"_ Danny cracked out fearfully, reaching for a sudden feeling inside him. _"Helpo! Ne las li doloro mi!" (1) _

Vlad gasped as his son called to him through their recently awakened connection. But unused to its intensity, the father gasped in a mixture of surprise and pain and quickly gripped his chest.

"Daniel… Stop," he breathed out, trying to think past the feeling gripping at him. He looked back at the child, and gently reached forward, and grabbed his hands. His son tried to shrink away, but this time, Vlad didn't let him.

"It's okay… I'm not going to hurt you. It's me, Daniel. Please, look at me," he begged softly, and slowly pulled the child's hands away from his face.

Danny squeezed his eyes close and shook his head again, all the while feeling his fear stirring that connection inside him. He had no experience with it, but he instinctively knew what it was, and he quickly gripped it and called even harder for his parents.

The human in front of him suddenly pulled away with a hiss, and he began to breathe laboriously.

Vlad closed his eyes, as the feeling of his son's growing fear clenched his core—and even heart. He didn't know how to… Wait. What was he doing? His son barely understood Human Speech! And certainly, Danny wouldn't expect his father to speak it to him, either! How could he have forgotten? No wonder his son was terrified!

"Daniel…," Vlad said breathlessly, though he gently touched one of his son's cheeks and suddenly noticed the scars on them had disappeared. _"Ne timu. Estas mi… Via patro." (2) _

Danny's eyes instantly snapped open, not because of the human's suddenly speaking Ghost Speech, but because of what he had said. But now confirming with his eyes that the person in front of him was human, and certainly not his father as the man had claimed, the child panicked.

Danny screamed. He screamed in utter terror and the human in front of him recoiled in alarm and pain. But as another flash of broken memories hit the child's mind, he yelled even more, and he suddenly recognized the human in front of him as the one that had been there just before his mother…

"**Ne!"** Danny cried out, gripping his head and shutting his eyes. He didn't want to remember!

Vlad gripped at his chest, feeling his son's desperate call burning his core and heart even more. It was so intense that he couldn't focus. And worse than that, Daniel's urgency was making Vlad all the more desperate, because he didn't know how to help his son realize the truth.

The man gasped as the solution came to his overwhelmed mind. But when he tried to turn ghost, his core was hit by another overwhelming wave of his son's panicked calling…

"Daniel, please! It's me! I'm your father! You must believe me!" Vlad said in Ghost Speech, his voice now bordering on hysteria.

But Danny only shook his head, and dragged himself further away from the human, until he backed himself into a corner. However, the child didn't hesitate to cry out in his native language, "No! You're not my daddy! My daddy's a ghost! He's a ghost! Not human! No! _Help me, Daddy!"_

Vlad forced himself to his feet, and Danny recoiled even more. But ignoring the pain, the man went back over to the light switch, and in an instant, the room fell back into complete darkness.

Danny gasped in alarm, but stopped screaming. He pressed himself further into the wall, even more terrified as he heard the human's footsteps approaching him.

Suddenly, hands reached forward and grabbed him.

Danny screamed as he was lifted off the ground and pressed into the human's body. He struggled weakly as he continued to plea for his parents' help. But it was no use. The human suddenly sat down and pressed him even closer against him.

By now Danny was so freaked out, he was hyperventilating. But when the human moved his hand and slowly pressed it against his small chest, the child couldn't take no more. He broke down into loud sobs. He didn't want to be hurt again!

Vlad closed his eyes in anguish, but steadied his voice as he said soothingly in Ghost Speech, "Shh. Don't cry, Daniel. I know you're afraid. I know you don't recognize me, but just hear me out… Give me the chance to prove to you that it's really _me_."

"No!" Danny whimpered as his small hand was grabbed and then moved against the man's chest. He tried to cringe away from the horrible feeling of that thumping under his touch, but the man held his hand there.

"Daniel… you must realize it's me…Your father. You remember my feel, yes? I remember yours, little one. Please, forget about everything else for a moment. Forget about what your mind is telling you… Forget about what you have seen and about the unfamiliar sound of my voice… and just _feel me_… You know me. It doesn't matter what I look like or sound like. You know how I feel. You know how your father feels…" Vlad partially awakened his core, and just waited, hoping his son would realize the truth…

At first, Danny squeezed his eyes closed, trying to block out everything the human was saying, while wishing he could go back to his dream where he was safe and with his mother—and this horrible human wasn't telling him lies. His daddy **wasn't** human!

But then he felt something familiar caress his core. It was as warm and comforting as he remembered it. He remembered how much he enjoyed the feel, especially on those days when his ice powers had been acting up, and his father would touch him and make him feel better—make him warm…

Wait. What he was feeling was his father's energy! And not just his energy, but his very soul was trying to connect with his own, begging him to return the affection and reassurance…

Danny's sobs quieted but his fear melded into confusion. He didn't understand…. If this was his father… why was he… _human_?

"Daniel, please… I need you to trust me now, little Phantom…," the man quietly begged him. "It's me, Son."

Danny's eyes swelled with tears, but they were no longer of fear or sadness. It was from sudden relief, because he knew right then and there that this human was his father. Only his mother and father called him 'little Phantom', and only his father talked to him like this… And his feel… No one else felt like his father!

The child suddenly didn't care what his father looked like or sounded like. He didn't care to know right now why he was human or why everything was so confusing. He didn't even care about the scary memories trying to surface in his mind. All he cared about at that instant was that he was with his father, because… because it meant that he was… he was safe.

"Daddy!" Danny sobbed out before he quickly wrapped his arms tightly around the human and buried his face into his chest. He cried even harder from utter relief, knowing that everything would be okay now.

Vlad gripped his son back as he breathed shakily, barely able to keep his own need to cry from relief at bay.

"Oh, thank God! You came back to me, Daniel! You're awake! You're going to be alright! You came back!" his father continued to whisper in his ear.

It took a long while before the child's cries settled into quiet sniffles, but he didn't dare let go of his father and wouldn't remove his hand from his chest, not wanting to let go of that reassurance or the feel of his energy.

Vlad sighed deeply before he softly muttered, "I'm going to turn on the light again, Daniel. Please do not be afraid, alright?"

Danny didn't respond and he just kept his face buried in his father's chest.

Holding his son even closer to him, Vlad stood up, moved over to the switch and turned the light on.

Danny's eyes quickly squeezed tight, sensing the light just outside. He felt his father move back and sit again.

"Look at me, Daniel," Vlad urged him quietly.

Danny shook his head. He liked just feeling his father. If he looked at him, he would be confused all over again.

"Nothing is going to happen, my boy," Vlad assured him. "I promise it will be okay."

Danny whimpered as his father gently pulled him away from him. But he kept his eyes closed.

"You must be brave, little one. Come. Look at me… Don't you trust me?" his father gently asked.

The words rang with familiarity. And taking a shaky breath, Danny opened his eyes and stared straight back at the unfamiliar blue ones.

"I… do trust you, Daddy," he answered quietly, though there was a bit of fear in his voice.

Vlad smiled warmly at his fearful son before he slowly placed a hand against the side of his face. The child cringed but stayed still otherwise.

"Daddy?" Danny questioned anxiously.

Vlad nodded and bit his lip as he felt another wave of emotion swell inside him. "Watch…"

Danny gasped as black rings suddenly appeared around his father's waist. He had to squeeze his eyes closed for an instant and he shuddered as he felt a wave of energy touch him with the transformation.

Danny swallowed before daring to open his eyes again. But when his saw his ghostly father in the place of the human from before, Danny's eyes widened with happiness and quickly hugged his father all over again.

"See? It's me," Vlad said tenderly.

Danny nodded this time. He still didn't get any of this at all! But the child was just glad he could confirm with his eyes what he had felt before. This was his father! They were together again!

"I'm going to turn back now, okay?"

Danny wasn't happy with the news but he didn't protest. He felt the energy rings again and instantly the body he was holding turned warmer.

Vlad sighed as he wrapped his own arms around the child and just relished in the hope he felt again. He didn't know how, but it really was a miracle; because against all odds, his son had survived. Anĝela and Horris were right. His son was very strong. His will to live… whatever had brought his son back, Vlad was grateful.

Still, he remained worried for Danny's health. With his core being on the verge of dying and being in a coma for four months, his son could very well have suffered consequences that were not yet obvious or visible. He seemed alright, though; but then again, his son had yet to say anything about what happened to him. Did he even remember? Part of Vlad hoped not. But then, that would mean he would have to give Danny the tragic news of his mother…

Vlad quickly pushed the thought aside. For now, he just needed to make sure his son didn't relapse or didn't have any lingering threats to his health. Hopefully Anĝela would return soon.

"Why are you human, Daddy?" his son suddenly asked.

Vlad pulled away and smiled gently. "…It's a long story, Daniel; but I will explain later, okay?" His eyebrows suddenly creased with his next realization. His son still wasn't aware he was also human!

Should he tell him now? If he waited, it would just make it harder then. At least if he told him now, his son might not react too badly since he had just accepted the fact that his father was human—even if he didn't understand or know why yet. But… would it be wise to give his son two emotional stresses when he had only just woken from his coma? But… what if his son realized it on his own? Then, he would freak out. No, it was best to just tell him now…

"Daniel, give me your hand," Vlad gently commanded.

The child looked down at his father's human hand before timidly putting his own on top of it. But Danny startled when he finally saw how his own hand was also… human-like; at least, it wasn't glowing like it was supposed to be…

"Father?" he questioned, confused.

Vlad smiled sadly before closing his hand around his son's and moving it the child's own chest. He pressed it softly but firmly against it, and asked, "You feel that?"

Danny's breathing picked up a bit, which only made the thumping in his own chest louder. The child instantly knew what it meant, but he didn't seem to know how to react to it. He didn't know how to react to the fact that there was a beating heart inside his own chest!

Vlad realized he would have to _show_ Danny to get him to accept the truth and react. And luckily, with his son's scars on his face gone, there wouldn't be another unpleasant surprise for the poor child.

Wrapping his arms more firmly yet gently around his son, Vlad stood up again, went over to the dresser and pointed at the mirror.

Danny stared at him with wide eyes before fearfully looking over at the mirror. His breath hitched as he saw a blue-eyed boy with black hair in his father's arms.

"You are like me, Son," Vlad said carefully. "You are… human."

Danny suddenly shook his head before he looked away and buried his face in his father's chest. "No… No, I… No," he whimpered as he began to shake all over again. "That's not me! I'm not… I'm not human! I'm a ghost!"

"You are both, Son. Like me," Vlad attempted to explain in brief words. "But it's okay. You're still a ghost… just not right now."

Danny began to cry once more, this time in despair. "But I don't want to be human! I want to just be a ghost! I don't want to be _like them!"_

Vlad took the child back to the bed and placed him down. He really wanted to keep his son in his arms forever, but he knew Daniel needed to rest. He had suffered a lot of emotional stress in a short time, and the father didn't want to risk his son falling ill again or something worse…

"Shh. Don't cry, my boy. It's alright," Vlad soothed as he sat down beside him on the bed.

But Danny shook his head before staring at his father with large scared eyes. "Please, Daddy. I want to change back. I want to be a ghost again! Please turn me back! I don't want to be human! Please turn _us_ back!"

Vlad nodded. "I will. _Soon_. But right now, you need to rest." The father briefly stood with the intention of just putting the covers over his son; but the child saw it differently.

"Don't leave me!" he pleaded, reaching out to his father,

Vlad shook his head. "Never again, Daniel…," he vowed quietly.

The words calmed the child and he let his father cover him with the warm blankets. But his mind was whirling with everything he had discovered, and all he had not yet. His confusion was really overwhelming, and the only thing keeping Danny calm was his relief to be with his father again.

But the child knew that there was a lot he wanted to ask his father. Out of everything he wanted to ask, though, there was a very important question—or maybe a terrifying truth—that was nagging at his mind. He knew it was important. But Danny didn't want to think about it right now.

He just wanted to be happy. He wanted to just be with his father right now. Still, he couldn't be completely comfortable—not with the discovery that he was human.

Danny curled up on his side as his father sat down next to him on the bed again. The child wrapped his arms around one of his father's own, while feeling the soothing touch of his other hand combing his hair.

The little half-ghost's eyes dimmed with tiredness, but his mind was still on what was currently troubling him. "I'm a ghost," he muttered. "I'm not human. Turn me back, okay, Daddy?"

Vlad bit his lip but nodded, "I will, Son. Don't worry."

Danny calmed even more with his father's reassurance. His mind was almost completely hazed with tiredness, but a lingering memory surfaced, and he sighed softly.

"You came to get me…You found us, Daddy… Mommy said you would," he whispered with a small smile before he finally fell asleep.

Moving his hand away from his son's hair, Vlad raised it against his mouth to quiet the sobs that suddenly racked his body. He closed his eyes to regain control of his emotions, all the while asking himself how he was going to tell his young son that his father had found them too late, and because of it, he would never see his mother again….

* * *

Gregor and Valerie sat on the ground of her room, reading a book and eating cotton candy. The two had a blanket over them in a make-shift tent and were using a flashlight for light. The last thing they wanted was to get caught by Valerie's temporary foster parents, so they tried to make as very little noise as possible.

Luckily, Gregor's excellent ghost hearing kept him alert of any approaching visitors, so in all these months of his coming to see Valerie, they had not gotten caught yet.

Ironically, the book they were reading was the book Jazz had given Gregor. The boy had to admit it was a good book. It was completely unrealistic, but it was still good. In fact, this was the third time they were reading it.

Valerie was currently reading to him, though. He wasn't very good at it. But his friend had been helping him in the past months to get better at it. So, aside from reading, the duo also practiced writing—though, they usually ended up drawing since it was more entertaining.

Grabbing a handful of cotton candy, Gregor then leaned back against the bed's side and stretched out his legs.

"Hey, stop moving so much. You're messing up the blanket," Valerie scolded him, pausing in her quiet reading and pointing the light at the boy's face.

Gregor lightly hissed and quickly pushed the light away from his sensitive eyes. "Okay, just don't point that at me. It's too bright."

Valerie turned back to the story and continued to read. Considering she was only six, her own reading wasn't all that great; so she often stopped and asked Gregor to help her out with a word. Eventually, the two would figure it out. However, after a while, reading became too much work and Gregor began to lose interest—especially when they had already read the story before.

Tonight was one of those times in which he lacked interest in reading.

Gregor began to shred the cotton candy, trying to see how thin he could make it, as he wondered why the sweet just practically disappeared the moment he would put it in his mouth. He thought back to how he had seen it made at the circus. It was weird. It was almost like a spider web being spun…

"Hey, do you think they make cotton candy from spiders?" Gregor suddenly asked his friend with a grin.

Valerie who had been about to put a piece of cotton candy in her mouth, paused and briefly looked horrified. But then she quickly regained reason and replied, "Eww! No! That's gross, Gregor!"

The boy chuckled quietly. "Why? It tastes good, so why does it matter if it is?"

"Because it's not! It's candy! It's called cotton _candy_ for a reason, you know!" she snapped. But then she shook her head and said, "You're so weird. Now, pay attention. We're gettin' to the best part of the story!"

Gregor's eyebrow shot up. "And what part's that?"

Valerie grinned. "The part where he tells the girl of his dreams that he's really the masked hero!"

Gregor blinked. "And why is that the best part of the story?"

"Because now they can be together and get married and have kids! Duh!" Valerie answered, rolling her eyes.

Gregor's eyebrows creased as he asked, "And that's important?"

"Well, yeah!" Valerie answered, sounding surprised he was even questioning it. "I mean, that's what everyone does when they grow up. Even we have to do that when we grow up! You fall in love and you gotta kiss each other and get married. That's how you live happily ever after."

Gregor stared oddly at his friend. "I don't think everyone does that, Valerie. I mean… I'm not doing it, especially if I have to kiss anyone!" he quickly said, scrunching his face at the thought.

Valerie suddenly giggled. "Ha! You look like you ate something gross!" But then she smirked and teased, "You're just scared of kissing a girl!"

"Am not!" Gregor protested.

"Are, too!" Valerie answered with a grin.

"Yeah? Well, I'm not scared to do this!" he retorted before lunging forward and attacking her with her fingers.

Valerie burst into laughter and the book and flashlight fell to the ground. But she still teased, "Gregor's scared to kiss a girl!"

He narrowed his eyes and said daringly, "Maybe I'll kiss you. Come here!"

Valerie laughed louder as Gregor pretended like he was going to kiss her and she playfully pushed him away, saying, "Eww! No! Boy germs!"

Gregor laughed this time, but just as he was about to say something, he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. He gasped and said, "Oh, crap! Valerie get back in bed!"

The girl's giggles melded into a gasp of her own and she scrambled off the floor and jumped back on the bed. But right then, the door opened, and Gregor quickly dove under the bed.

"Valerie! What are you doing? You're supposed to be asleep!" her foster mother lightly scolded.

Valerie looked like a deer caught in headlights before she stuttered out, "S-Sorry! I couldn't sleep, so I was, uh, reading a story!"

"That's fine, Valerie, but it's almost midnight. You need to sleep. Now, turn off that flashlight and go to sleep, darling," the woman said.

Valerie reached down on the ground where the flashlight was and clicked it off. "Sorry. I'll go to sleep now. Good night."

"Good night, Valerie," she answered before closing the door.

Valerie waited a full minute before she clicked the flashlight back on and raised the ruffles on the side of her bed. She then pointed the light down as she looked under the bed.

Gregor bit back a yelp when the bright light burned his eyes. He quickly snatched the flashlight from her friend and threw it to the side. "I said don't do that!"

He crawled back out and stood up. The two friends fell quiet and just stared at each other for a brief moment.

Suddenly, they burst into giggles.

"That was too close," Valerie said, grinning.

"No kidding! You should've seen the look on your face!" Gregor taunted.

"Me? You looked like you'd seen the boogie man!" Valerie retorted.

"Well, maybe it _was_ the boogie man, and he just took the form of the lady that takes care of you. And now, she's telling you to go to sleep so she can eat your brain!" the boy said with an evil smirk.

Valerie's eyes widened in fear.

Gregor quickly said, "I'm kidding! Come on, Valerie. The boogie man isn't real!"

"The kids at school say he is!" she answered with a frown.

"Pfft!" Gregor said, waving a hand in disregard. "They're just a bunch of wimps."

Valerie giggled. "Yeah, they kinda are!"

Gregor grinned, but then he sighed and said, "I think I better get going. My ma… uh, my… caregiver won't be happy if he finds out I'm not in bed… Plus, it's pretty late, and you won't want to wake up tomorrow."

Valerie pouted, but she nodded, knowing he was right. She then got off the bed and hugged the older boy. "I'll miss you! Thanks for bringing me cotton candy!"

Gregor smiled again, and lightly wrapped his own hands around the girl. But then he pulled away and said, "No problem. There's always a bunch at the circus."

"You're so lucky you get live there! It must be so much fun!" Valerie said with a wistful sigh.

"Uh… yeah," Gregor replied weakly. He frowned briefly before changing the subject, "I'll come back tomorrow as usual, and I'll bring your toy so you can play with it," he said, referring to the stuffed unicorn Valerie had given him a while back.

Valerie grinned. "Okay! Yeah, bring Rosey!"

Gregor quickly helped her throw away the trash from the cotton candy and put the blanket back on the bed. Gregor then took the book, and put it under his friend's bed for safekeeping.

As Valerie crawled back into bed, he went over and opened the window. He had gotten use to climbing up and down, and already had a system going, so it wasn't as hard as the first time. He waved at her one last time before stepping out of the window, and closing it from the outside.

He then reached for the storm pipe a foot away and jumped on it. He quickly slid down and jumped to the ground the last couple of feet. Looking around for any signs of people and seeing it was clear, he ran over to a line of bushes and disappeared through them.

A second later, he was in the sky in his dragon form and flying invisibly back to Circus Gothica.

He moved higher and higher into the sky until he blended into the dark clouds and darkness around him. And sure that no one could spot him at this altitude—for not even airplanes flew this high—he reappeared simply to conserve energy. He didn't show it around Valerie, but he was very tired…

His master had been working him extra hard these past months; plus, he had to deal with Tom and his little experiments from time-to-time. At least the man hadn't attempted to shoot him again just to test one of his stupid weapons or potions.

Shaking his head, the dragon ghost flapped his wings a few times before gliding on the next air current. The remaining cold air had finally disappeared, and the moist and crisp winds of spring had taken their place. It was certainly a welcoming change. He hated cold weather.

Suddenly, from out of now where, a flash of light jolted Gregor out of his thoughts. And before he could even figure out what it was, a sharp and searing pain gripped his right wing before it expanded through his entire body.

The dragon roared in pain as he was further riveted across the sky. But unable to focus from shock, he couldn't regain control of his flight, and he was soon plummeting straight down.

Gregor cried out as he realized what was happening, and he tried to spread his wings back out; but every time he attempted to flap them, the biting agony returned and he was stunned by it.

All the child could do was squeeze his eyes closed as he slammed into the ground below. The impact was so great that it caused a brief earthquake and a fume of dirt and debris to rise up like a tsunami, destroying everything around the child's impact zone.

Gregor blacked out for a few seconds before pain and panic jolted his mind. He struggled to regain movement in his limbs again, but his head was spinning so badly that he couldn't remember how to even move them.

He cried softly once more when he finally found his legs under him. But the moment he tried to lift his sagging wings, he screamed as his right wing pulsed with fiery pain. Panting from his growing panic, the child craned his neck to inspect his wing, only to gasp when he saw a large hole in the middle of his wing. It was hard to see just how extensive the damage was, though, since there were pieces of melted membrane dangling from the wound and there was ectoplasm… _everywhere._

Gregor had hurt, even broken, his wings before, but nothing like this!

Despair and fear began to rise up into his core as quickly as hot tears sprang into his eyes. He didn't understand what happened. What had hit him to cause him this much damage?!

"Hello, Ghost Child…"

The deep cold voice sent a wave of dread running down Gregor's spine as he turned his head forward just as a ghost with flaming green hair and similarly-colored eyes landed in front of him. But if it wasn't for the fact that he was glowing, the ghost would have seemed like a robot of some sort. He wore a full metallic suit that was clearly equipped with deadly weapons, one which was currently humming and pointed at the dragon ghost's head.

"You are difficult to track down, pup. I'll give you that," Skulker commented emotionlessly, his large bazooka still aimed at the child.

But hearing those words, Gregor's mind cleared enough to realize he knew this ghost! At least, he had seen him before! He had fought him that day that Tom captured Phantom and his mother…

"You're the ghost from the harbor… But I… I killed you," Gregor whispered fearfully.

"No, you killed my sister and brother-in-law, and _thought_ you did the same with me—that was your mistake. Now, I've come for your hide," Skulker said darkly, quickly switching guns.

But recognizing the danger, Gregor reacted and charged his lungs with liquid energy to incinerate the ghost in front of him.

However, Skulker had long since anticipated the move, and he fired his glowing-blue gun just as the dragon ghost opened his mouth, sending a blast of cold energy straight down his throat.

Gregor recoiled violently and choked as the cold energy burned its way down his throat and then spread into the rest of his chest until it seized his core in a painful grip.

The hunter shot yet another blast at the child, this time to his chest. And barely able to focus, Gregor was thrown on his side, which so happen to be the side with his injured wing. But he barely felt the second attack because the first was consuming his core in agony.

The child cried out and gripped at his chest, fruitlessly trying to get rid of the painful cold energy jolting him within. He gasped, not understanding what was happening to him. But he felt as if his very core was being frozen over!

"That should keep you from trying to use your fire power again in some useless attempt to defend yourself," Skulker said with a smirk.

Gregor whimpered as he tried to get his core to produce fire and all he got was icy pain. He then attempted to get to his feet, but it was also useless.

"Relax, Ghost Child," Skulker said as he reached behind his back and pulled out a large green blade. "I will make this quick… That's more mercy than you showed any of the innocent lives you took."

Gregor tried to shrink away from the ghost as he moved closer. The child realized at that moment that this ghost was no ordinary ghost. He was a hunter of some sort. And not only that, but he clearly had experience in defeating and killing dragon ghosts. The hunter had easily defeated him the first time they fought, and now Gregor had not even gotten the chance to defend himself!

"Wait! Please!" Gregor suddenly begged when the ghost raised the knife to plunge it into his core. "I-I didn't want to do it! I didn't—!"

"Silence! You are not escaping your fate, Ghost Child," Skulker sneered darkly.

Gregor stared back in utter horror, but just as the hunter brought down the knife, an energy blast came from nowhere and blasted Skulker several feet away.

The child gasped as his eyes darted to see what had saved him. But he realized his saviors were anything but that…

"Freeze, Ghost!" Jack Fenton bellowed as he aimed his ghost gun at the large injured dragon.

Maddie Fenton, on the other hand, had her gun aimed at the other ghost she had blasted away. But she still glanced at the dragon ghost, her eyes wide with astonishment and even slight fear.

"It's a dragon ghost, Jack! I have only seen pictures of these creatures during Dark's reign!" she exclaimed.

"And he seems pretty beat up, too, Mads," Jack said with a confused frown. "Why would that ghost be attacking another of its own kind?"

"They're soulless killers, Jack. Their bloodlust has no bounds," Maddie said in disgust before she added, "Keep an eye on this one, while I finish off the other one… Blow it to pieces if it even moves its head."

Jack nodded and kept his gun fixed on Gregor, though, he also glanced at his wife as she moved towards the other fallen ghost.

Gregor's ears pressed back in fear as he tried to think of a way out of this. He needed to escape, but his core wasn't responding, and he couldn't fly away!

Meanwhile, Skulker groaned as he sat up and grabbed his spinning head. "What in the Ghost World…?" he asked, confused. But when he heard the whirling of a ghost weapon, his eyes snapped up and they widened at the sight of Maddie Fenton.

"You…," Skulker muttered.

Maddie's eyes also widened. This was one of the ghosts that had come with Plasmius to invade her house the day her son…

"**You!"**

Skulker gasped and raised a shield as a wave of blasts came at him. However, when the gun suddenly stopped to reload, he moved quickly, and flew up and behind woman.

"Maddie! Behind you!" Jack yelled.

Maddie whirled around and pulled out another gun strapped to her back. She fired an ecto-blast at Skulker with it. But the hunter quickly side-stepped the attack, and fired his own blast, but aimed for the woman's gun.

Maddie hissed as the weapon was knocked out of her hands, but hearing her first gun suddenly hum, now re-loaded and ready to use, she pressed the trigger and fired.

Skulker jolted, but managed to also shoot an ecto-blast. Both attacks slammed into each other, and pushed the opponents back. But while Skulker flew up to steady himself, Maddie did two back flips before she pulled out another weapon from her belt compartment.

The hunter stared briefly, stunned. He had forgotten how formidable this particular female ghost hunter was.

He scowled as the male hunter suddenly began to fire at him. Skulker flew sideways to avoid the shots and glanced at him. He was still standing next to the dragon ghost, clearly not wanting to take it out of his sights, but the male human certainly was intent on defending his wife, too.

But although Skulker was not hit, Jack's attacks were enough of a distraction for his wife to get the upper hand. She quickly moved forward and attacked the metallic ghost with the new weapon. Nine thin green-colored threads with grappling hooks on each end, which her husband aptly called his Jack o'nine tails, quickly spun atop its handle just like a sideways pinwheel in a hurricane.

A moment later, those grapple-like wires shot forward and embedded themselves into the hunter's metallic body before he could even react.

Skulker yelled in surprise as the woman pulled him down and slammed him to the ground. But she pressed a button on the device and the hooks instantly came to life with hot electricity.

Skulker cried out in pain, but quickly refocused and ripped the grappling hooks out of his body. He suddenly flew up again and grabbing the wire ends, yanked the device from the woman's hold.

Maddie gasped as the ghost crushed the weapon in his hand. Skulker narrowed his eyes darkly and growled, "I'm warning you now, human. Back off. My fight is not with you or your mate tonight."

"Too bad. Mine is!" Maddie hissed back before unexpectedly bringing a small gun forward. This time, a green ray shot out of it.

Skulker gasped as the ray sliced one of his wings clean off, sending him crashing to the ground. Now furious, he got to his feet and yanked out his glowing green blade. But before he could even make a move towards the female hunter, he heard a charging weapon right next to his head.

Skulker turned his head a bit and glared at the male hunter now next to him.

Clearly, Jack could no longer take sitting at the sidelines; and believing the other larger ghost was still subdued by his injuries, he had moved forward to aid his wife with this more dangerous ghost…

"Move a slimy-muscle and we'll get to find out if you're one of those ghosts that can grow back their heads, ecto-scum!" Jack growled, holding the weapon steady. He wasn't as good a shot as his wife, but at this proximity he knew he wasn't going to miss.

Skulker stole a glance in Gregor's direction, and was furious to see the child had not hesitated to take advantage of the human hunters' distraction with him.

The dragon ghost was slowly backing away from the scene; but then seeing a gathering of trees in the distance, the child turned and ran away as fast as he could, even with all his injuries.

But Maddie and Jack didn't notice since their eyes were locked on Skulker. They knew a dangerous ghost when they saw one; and this one with all its weapons was a threat that required their full attention.

Still holding his blade in one of his hands, the Hunter locked his eyes back on Maddie as she approached him with a newly-charged ghost weapon. Her features were hidden within a blue mask, but she was clearly glaring right back.

"You humans are fortunate I am an honorable ghost… Otherwise, I would slit both your throats for interfering in my hunt!" Skulker said darkly. The fact that he knew full well who they were was really the only reason he was holding back on these two human hunters.

"Honor? As if an ecto-manifestation of putrid evil would know anything about that!" Maddie sneered. "Now, you either come quietly with us or I'll turn you into a goop of ectoplasm right here—frankly, I prefer the latter!"

"I have no doubt of that…," Skulker muttered, glancing between the two hunters. But seeing the male human remove one hand from his gun to unclip some kind of ghost trap from his belt, Skulker quickly added, "But you will have to quench your own desire for revenge after I quench mine…"

"Jack!" Maddie exclaimed when the male ghost suddenly slammed an elbow into her husband's abdomen, causing him to drop his weapon and fall to his knees in pain.

Maddie instantly retorted with a blast, but Skulker was ready and used his blade to deflect the blast up into the air. He then turned intangible and switched on his rockets and blasted up into the sky.

"No!" Maddie yelled, blasting away at him.

Meanwhile, Jack had recovered and activated the ghost trap, which looked like some kind of thermos.

Skulker flew higher to evade the woman's attacks; but having caught the male human's intention of trapping him, he quickly whirled around to face them both. He quickly pulled out a smoke grenade and threw it down at them.

He ignored their cries of alarm as the choking fumes consumed them.

Skulker only lingered briefly as he frowned in displeasure at Ghost Prince's human parents before he took off after Gregor. The child couldn't fly with his injured wing and with his core stunned, he couldn't use his ghost powers. So, the hunter knew finding him would be easy.

And it was so. Skulker soon spotted Gregor trying to run through the thick gathering of trees, but his large and injured body made it cumbersome for the child to move swiftly, let alone have any chance of escaping.

Skulker quickly pulled out another gun, and taking aim from above, he fired a large net. It perfectly snared the fleeing dragon ghost, and the force of the spinning net further tripped him. Gregor rolled forward, entangling his limbs even more within the glowing-green netting before slamming against a tree.

Skulker swooped down and lifted the trapped younger ghost into the air, flying them deeper into the forest. He wanted no interruptions this time.

"No! Let me go!" Gregor cried in a mixture of anger and fear. He struggled as much as he could, ignoring his ailing body. But no matter what he did, he could not break free!

"I told you. You are not escaping your fate," Skulker growled. He flew them several miles away before finding a clearing. The hunter flew down but threw the trapped dragon ghost the remaining few feet.

Gregor gasped as his injured body slammed into the hard ground for the second time. He struggled to get to his feet, but he just continued to trip within the net entangling him.

Feeling the older ghost approaching, Gregor did the only thing he could. He barred his teeth at the hunter, snarling in threat as his red eyes narrowed into dark slits.

"Leave me alone, you bastard!" he hissed. "Or, I'll rip out your core and eat it!"

With a growl, Skulker produced a ghost weapon that jutted out from the shoulder area of his armor and fired.

The blast hit the child's face, and he yelled in agony as it burned the skin around his muzzle.

The child's red eyes dimmed, and whatever bravado he had left quickly left him.

"Please don't kill me!" Gregor begged, his whole body now shaking in fear and his bleeding wings wrapped around his body in an attempt to protect himself.

But Skulker wasn't moved in the slightest as he pulled out a bazooka this time and aimed it at the younger ghost.

Knowing he had no escape, Gregor hid his face under one of his wings and coiled into a tight ball. And like any scared child, he began to weep.

This time, Skulker paused, but then frowned angrily.

"Silence, whelp! Stop your sniveling!" Skulker yelled furiously. "Your innocent act does not fool me! I know what you are! I have seen the cold-blooded killer that you are! I saw how you took joy in murdering my sibling and hurting other ghosts! Well, then, I will then take joy in ending your life! Now, face me and accept your fate!"

But Gregor just kept his face hidden, too afraid to even look at the hunter.

Skulker snarled and gripped his weapon even harder as he moved forward and pressed it against the child's chest. "I said, look at me, Ghost Child!" he hissed.

"No, No. Please, no. Don't kill me. Don't kill me, please. Please," Gregor whimpered, cringing away from the cold weapon touching him and the sound of the humming gun. His sobs and pleas turned louder as he felt the hot energy ready to explode out of the deadly weapon.

But as he waited and waited for the pain to come… it never did.

Skulker's hand shook as he fought with what his morals were telling him and what the anger and pain in his core were screaming at him to do. He stared at the weeping and trembling child he was about to kill. He couldn't forget the darkness he had seen in this young ghost, but… but he couldn't ignore what he was seeing now, either. He was about to murder a_ defenseless child._

Could he do that? Even when he knew this creature deserved it? Even when he knew the dragon ghost was a threat if left alive?

Skulker had killed young ghosts in the past, but his hand had always been forced. He had taken innocent lives under Dark's evil command.

But if he killed this dragon ghost now, it would be all on him. He would have done it out of his own will… He should kill him. He _wanted_ to kill him… But, it would be wrong; because evil or not, this murderer was still _a child._ And it would mean having his blood—the blood of Dora's relative—on his hands for the rest of his life…

With a sharp exhale, Skulker suddenly withdrew his weapon. He closed his eyes as he muttered to himself, "I am a ghost of honor." He glared hatefully back at the dragon ghost, adding, "And killing you now… murderer or not, you are still a mere whelp…"

Skulker thought about what he was about to do for another moment before he suddenly scoffed in disgust. With a shake of his head, he put away his weapon. He glared back at the child who still had his face hidden under his wing, and muttered, "Consider yourself lucky, whelp. You get to live to see another day, after all…"

But narrowing his eyes even more, Skulker quickly reached for his blade before walking closer to the trembling dragon ghost. He kneeled down next to the child and placed the tip of the blade under the child's muzzle.

"Look at me, Ghost Child," Skulker ordered coldly.

Gregor gasped softly as the pressure of the blade forced him to bring his face out from under his wing and looked at the hunter.

"Take a _good look_ at me," Skulker said darkly. "I suggest you do not forget my face or scent, because I might have spared you tonight, but next time we meet, I will not. I vow upon my dead sibling that when you are no longer a whelp, I will come back to finish what I started. I will come back for _your head."_

More fearful tears sprang to Gregor's eyes, but all he could do was whimper a response as the blade pressed harder against his skin. But then, in the next instant, it was gone, and Skulker moved away from him.

Skulker quickly activated another weapon and fired a shot into the sky, creating a green portal. He activated his rockets before glancing back at Gregor and saying with a dark smirk, "You better wise up, Ghost Child. Because I will be counting down the years, and when I return for you, I expect a good fight out of you. It will make my killing you all the more honorable and satisfying…"

Gregor watched as the ghost then disappeared into the portal, leaving him alone.

Still shaking, he looked around at his surroundings, but he had gotten too turned around to know where he was. He tried to move his limbs, but he was still tangled in the net, and his powers were not yet working.

Choking on sobs of pain and fear, Gregor closed his eyes and tried to make some kind of mental connection to the only person he knew could help him right now.

It took several tries before he managed to get his physic powers to work and he mentally cried out, _"Tom! Help me!"_

But the effort left his head spinning, and he quickly broke the connection and curled into himself again. He knew he was pretty badly hurt. Not to mention, he still had both his ring and the Gem of Form stored in his stomach, and without them on, he had no way of hiding his energy signature or masking his appearance.

He was a sitting duck for any ghost hunter—and it was hard to forget two of the more deadly ones were only miles away!

He closed his eyes as silent tears mixed with the pool of ectoplasm he laid in. If Tom didn't find him, he wasn't sure what would claim him first—the blood loss or the ghost hunters searching for him.

But as he felt his mind falling into unconsciousness, his current danger wasn't what scared him most of all. It was that hunter, and what he said echoed in his mind just before he completely passed out…

"…_I vow upon my dead sibling that when you are no longer a whelp, I will come back to finish what I started… I will come back for your head…"_

* * *

**Translations: **

_**(1) Mommy! Daddy! Help! Don't let him hurt me!**_

_**(2) Don't be afraid. It's me… your father."**_

***** Crazy stuff, right? Well, it had some happiness! Our little Phantom is awake at last! Poor baby! He still has a lot to deal with; but at least he's with his daddy now! Heheh! **

**So, thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I am at over a 1,000 reviews! That's quite an honor. Your support means more than I could express in words, but let's just say if I could reach into the screen, I would hug each one of you and then have Vlad muse give ya a kiss! Haha! Vladdy kisses! LOL! Epp. Creepy.**

**Anyways, congrats to NewGhostGirl (Now, known as dgLari over in Devaintart) for winning the Checkmate Club contest! Her entry was very awesome, and so were the others! Thanks for the support over in these clubs, too! Oh, and for those interested, TheHiddenPearl Club is having a contest about Endgame. So, go check that out over at deviantart! **

**Well! That's enough for now! I'll leave you with Vlad muse for closing remarks.**

**Vlad muse: *grins evilly* Now you will all show your devotion to me by reviewing… or else. Ta! *vanishes***


	40. Chapter 38: Wounds of the Soul

**Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay, I had a lot going on; and it really kept me away from writing. I will also admit, I wasn't much in the mood for it, either. Just… stuff going on. But I'm good, and back to writing! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! **

**Just a quick note: Danny and Vlad are talking in _Ghost Speech_ the whole time; otherwise, Danny's vocabulary would be very limited. I think you all know this, but just in case, I wanted to remind you all. See ya at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot is my own—and Vlad muse's.**

* * *

**Chapter 38 Wounds of the Soul**

* * *

Tom nervously loaded and unloaded his hand gun as he sat on one of the many rows of audience stands at Circus Gothica. He only glanced up when he saw a bit of light peak into the darkened tent. He sighed. It was sunrise already.

He continued to play with his gun, a stoic expression on his face. And yet his mind was anything but calm. The alarm he had felt when he found Gregor after the boy summoned him with his telepathic powers was still fresh in his mind. He had thought for a moment the ghost was dead.

It had frightened him more than it should have.

Perhaps the dragon child should be dead with the amount of blood he lost. Then again, ghosts were resilient, and Gregor was that and more.

Still, that didn't make matters any less serious. At first, Thomas had believed that the boy had been attacked by ghost hunters. It was almost unbelievable, though. Gregor had been around hunters for so long now that the Guys-in-White leader had always been confident the dragon ghost could avoid capture or at least hold his own against any ordinary ghost hunter… Therefore, what had hurt Gregor so badly could not have been a human hunter.

It had to have been a ghost.

And that really troubled Tom. Perhaps if he had not found his weapon all tangled up in a glowing net, he would have never known. Then again, Gregor's wounds were severe enough for him to be almost certain they were made by another ghost. He already knew that ghosts were more resistant to human-based attacks than their own species. It was why hunters like him needed to hardness ghost energy for their weapons. It was the only way to seriously hurt ghosts.

But the biggest question was why. Why would a ghost come after Gregor? Unless… it was a direct order from the King…. Had he learned Tom was using one of the King's own kind against his race? Would Plasmius order someone to kill Gregor because he was a threat to the Ghost World?

One thing was for sure. _Someone_ in the Ghost World knew Gregor was working with human hunters against the ghost race.

"Damn Frederick," Thomas snarled under his breath. He had specifically ordered _that_ idiot—and his men— to make sure no ghost was left alive the day they ambushed the royal family. He had ordered it for a reason! No witnesses meant his weapon would be safe and still a secret from the ghost race!

This was all Freakshow's fault!—and his own men—though at least Tom had already punished his men for their failure.

Roughly loading his gun again, Thomas narrowed his eyes and vowed, "If Gregor dies, I'm putting a bullet right in between Frederick's eyes. I swear it!"

He gripped the base of his gun even harder with the thought, only to hear a 'crunch' right after.

Tom looked down at the gun and eased his grip a bit to inspect it. He was startled to see that he had dented the metal in his anger. He frowned in confusion, but before he could ponder the odd occurrence anymore, the sound of footsteps caught his attention.

He looked up and quickly spotted Freakshow walking over. Tom immediately stood up and walked down the bleachers, snapping, "Well?"

Freakshow glared as he continued to wipe his hands with a rag that was covered in green blood. "Well, what?" he sneered back. "Don't look at me like I'm responsible for this! If you wouldn't be motivating that wretched ghost to have his own 'will', then he wouldn't have snuck out of the circus and this wouldn't have happened!"

Tom hesitated. What was Gregor doing out all alone so late at night? Wait. The man mentally cringed. He had probably been visiting Gray's daughter. The GiW leader had encouraged Gregor to interact with her for a purpose; but… Tom hadn't even thought it could have backfired on him so drastically.

"I am not going to argue with you," Tom finally muttered. "Just tell me if you managed to stop the bleeding."

Freakshow continued to glare daggers at the other man before reluctantly replying, "Yeah, I stopped it. But that wound on his wing was really serious. Even with his ghostly healing, I'm not sure if his wing will heal properly; and if it doesn't, he is going to be as worthless to either of us as a race horse with a broken leg. If he can't fly, you might as well kill him."

"He'll be fine," Tom said seriously. "As soon as my men return from headquarters with the things I requested, I'll inject him with a dose of ghost energy. That will help him recuperate faster."

Unfortunately, because Gregor was in dragon form when he found him, Tom had to bring him to Circus Gothica. There would have been no way to get Gregor inside his facility since the boy hadn't been conscious enough to use intangibility. Plus, Tom knew how to handle small wounds on ghosts, but something like that gaping hole in the child's wing was too much for him… He had had no choice but to bring him to Freakshow.

As if guessing his thoughts, the ringleader smirked subtly and walked off. It was pleasing to know that this brut wasn't as self-sufficient and all-knowing as he liked to believe.

"Where are you going?" Tom suddenly asked him.

But continuing to walk away, Freakshow replied annoyingly, "To bed. If you didn't realize, we've been up all night dealing with _your_ mistake."

Tom was tempted to raise his gun and shoot the other man in the back, but he refrained and just glared after him.

Eventually, the hunter looked away when a feeling of uncertainty gripped his stone-cold heart. But then with a sigh, he pushed away the sudden emotion and walked off towards the entrance of the underground storage area under the stage.

He put his gun back on his hip and proceeded down the stairs. Ignoring the growling animals and the junk everywhere, he headed all way to the end of the room. He frowned when he saw Gregor, still in dragon form, lying unconscious in a small puddle of blood.

Tom immediately felt his blood boil. Was it so hard for that freak to clean up the kid?

Growling out curses at Freakshow, Tom looked around the area and soon spotted some large grey covers, probably used for the animal cages. Those would do; and he would be leaving them soiled for that freak to clean later…

Tom pulled off his white jacket and hung it somewhere before rolling up his shirts sleeves. Finally, he grabbed as many of the covers as he could drag since they were large and heavy. He then did the best he could to mop up the green blood on the ground. Once most of it was gone, he put other clean covers around the dragon ghost to give him some warmth and to soak up any lingering ectoplasm.

Satisfied with that, Tom walked over to a sink and grabbed a few rags nearby. He soaked them in the water and wringed them out before heading back to Gregor. Kneeling on one knee beside him—though he made sure to kneel on the clean grey covers—Tom carefully grabbed the ghost's snout and proceeded to wipe off the crusting ectoplasm from his face. There was a really bad burn on the side of his face, though it was slowly healing. However, the loss of ectoplasm was making the child's recovery extra slow.

He hoped his men returned soon with the things he asked for.

"You are certainly a handful, little demon," Tom said with a loud sigh. "How a powerful weapon such as yourself can also be such a fragile child is beyond me."

He moved the rag down the dragon ghost's neck, wiping away all the grime on his dimly glowing skin. But Tom's voice turned thoughtful as he continued to muse out loud, "I suppose that imbecile you call 'master' has a point. I shouldn't have assumed you could defend yourself against others. Yes, I have trained you to kill; but I see now, you lack experience and tactic. Whatever ghost attacked you must have been well-trained in battle. You didn't stand a chance against it, did you? The question is, how did you survive its attack…?"

Tom paused as he looked at the child's sagging wings; and seeing the one closest to him was the one with the gaping hole, he moved closer and carefully touched the wing. It was really soft and light, like the feel of silk against bare skin. He didn't recall ever touching the child's wings. He was always very skittish about them, and judging by the severity of the wound on it, Gregor had good reason to protect his flying appendages.

Tom frowned. What if Gregor couldn't fly again? Unlike other ghosts which had the ability to levitate, winged–ghosts did not have this power. So, they really did rely on their flying-appendages to get around.

"You'll heal," Tom said to himself, though there was a hint of worry in his voice. If worse came to worse, he would try using the Prince's core energy to help Gregor heal. However, he was leaving that as a last resort. The time he had tried the unique energy on Gregor, he had had a violent reaction to it. Yes, he had been fine after, but he didn't want to risk using that now as weak as the child was.

Removing his hands from the wing, Tom continued cleaning the ghost. He moved his rag down to Gregor's chest, just barely seeing his blue symbol since he was lying on his stomach. But when Tom lightly passed the rag over it, the child stirred a bit.

Tom raised an eyebrow before he put his other hand on what he could touch of the symbol. He watched it react just slightly. But what was surprising was that the dragon ghost began to purr, much like a cat, and he unconsciously leaned to his side slightly to give the man more access to his symbol.

Tom smiled with bemusement and lightly began to rub the child's symbol, and his purring only grew louder. The hunter had to admit, Gregor was a fascinating specimen. The moment he had laid eyes on him, he had known he was something special. Thomas really did hate ghosts, but if he had to pick a ghost he hated the least, it would be this one right here.

"You really are my best weapon, Gregor," Tom said with a smile. "You know what that means, right? It means you better recover because I need my weapon… Even perhaps as much as he needs me…"

Tom finally removed his hand from the child's symbol and continued to clean him up.

He didn't see the red angry eyes watching him from the darkness.

* * *

It was bright. Too bright. He didn't understand what was happening, where he was, or how he had gotten there. All he knew was that he was scared, and he wanted his mother and father.

Danny tried to float off the cold white floor, only to discover he couldn't. He looked down and his eyes widened when he saw human legs under him. He began to breathe quickly, only to gasp at the fact that his was_ breathing._

He was human.

"No…," he whimpered in distress as he tried to get on his feet only to drop back to his knees. Fearful tears began to prick at his eyes as he looked around the all-white room. It was terrifyingly familiar, but he didn't remember why… He didn't want to remember why.

"Mommy," he whispered, unable to get his voice to go any louder. He tried to stand again, and for a moment he managed; but as he tried to take a step forward, he lost his balance and he dropped back to the ground even harder. He cried out in pain as he grabbed one of his ankles, feeling he had twisted it.

He began to cry, and called out again, "Mommy! Where are you? Where am I? Help me!"

"Danny?"

The boy stilled in surprise before he quickly forgot his hurting ankle and his head darted around in all directions. "Mommy?" he whimpered with hope.

"Danny. Shh. It's okay. Don't be afraid. You're going to be alright," his mother's voice replied shakily.

Danny continued to desperately look around, but he couldn't see his mother anywhere. "Mommy, where are you?" he asked with growing panic. He managed to get on his hands and knees and slowly crawled forward.

Suddenly, he jolted as he felt something wet and slimy under his fingers. He paused and looked down, only to gasp when he saw it was ectoplasm. He was in a puddle of it. He scuttled backwards until he fell on his bottom and stared at his hands this time. He realized something horrifying: the blood… it was coming from his own fingers…

"Poor little Phantom….," a dark sinister voice mocked, and then he saw a foreboding human hunter come out of the shadows which hadn't been there before.

Danny just stared at him. He stared in horror at that familiar bleeding face.

The hunter's eyes glinted with evil, and he grinned his insane grin. "This is your own fault, you know… If only you would have listened to daddy and stayed at home… If only you would have listened to everyone who told you we humans are evil…"

Danny's breath turned into pants, but he couldn't move. He was too scared.

"You just had to like humans things, didn't you?" the man sneered in accusation. "You _just had_ to fly off and jump into a portal when your father told you to stay away from them…."

The hunter paused when he was a foot from him, and smirked down at him before pulling out a burning red device.

Danny all the sudden gasped in pain and gripped at his face. He could feel the stinging, burning raw flesh against his still bleeding fingers.

"What was it that your Uncle Skulker told you?" the hunter asked innocently; but he answered his own question. "Oh, right. _You better start listening, whelp, or you're going to end up in trouble…"_ he quoted mockingly. "If only you had listened… Maybe…" The man knelt in front of Danny and finished, "Maybe Mommy wouldn't be _dead_."

Danny shook his head. "No, no. She's not. I heard her! She's here!" he denied.

"Is she, really?" the hunter asked before he suddenly disappeared and appeared behind him.

Danny cried out when the man squatted and roughly grabbed his hair to pull him against him.

"Hmm… I think you're right…," he whispered evilly in his ear before jerking the child's head slightly to the left.

Danny's breath hitched in this throat when he found his mother on the ground, writhing in pain.

But noticing him, too, she reached out, crying, "Danny! Go! Fly away!"

"I-I can't," he sobbed out helplessly.

"You must! You must let me go, Little Phantom! You must fly as far as you can!" she yelled back desperately.

"If _only_ you had listened," Tom repeated once again with a fake sigh of pity. But just as quickly, the man jerked his head and growled, "See what happens when you _**don't listen!"**_

Danny's eyes widened when his mom began to scream in pain, and then suddenly, she melted into a puddle of green blood.

"NO!" Danny screamed, and lunged forward. He crawled towards the puddle, sobbing in desperation. And reaching it, he fell on the ground, crying, "No! Mommy, I'm sorry! No! Don't go!"

But a familiar whirling sound caught his attention, and his head snapped towards the sound. He froze when he saw the hunter holding a ghost weapon; but not just any ghost weapon. It was the one with the white light inside it!

"Tsk… Danny-boy," he said with a shake of his head. "If **only** you had listened…"

Danny gasped as the bright light came at him and quickly gripped him before it drove its pain into him. Even in his human form, he began to dissolve into energy. It felt as horrible as it had the first time, and then he was sucked into the never-ending darkness. But this time, he was awake.

Danny panicked and began to thrash within the confines of the ghost trap. "No! Let me out!" He didn't want to be inside here! He would never be found! He would never see his mother or father again. He would never see his friends! He would **die** inside here!

"Daddy! Mommy!" he pleaded as he squirmed in his confines; but seeing only darkness, he squeezed his eyes closed as a deeper desperation came over him. He could finally take no more and screamed as loud as he could….

* * *

Currently in the kitchen, Vlad grabbed some utensils and napkins before heading back to the tray of food he had prepared. He placed everything on the tray, but then frowned at his thoughts. He was really anxious. It was now morning, several hours after Danny had awakened from his coma.

Part of him still didn't believe it—part of him thought it was a mere dream that his son was with him again. It was why he was so anxious to have Daniel wake up again. What if his son had fallen back in a coma?

No, he couldn't think like that. He just had to be patient. After all, his son needed rest to continue to recover. It was good that he was sound asleep…

He sighed and closed his eyes. He really hoped Daniel had no lasting consequences from all of the trauma his core had gone through. It was still uncertain if his child's core was weakened or damaged. It was unknown if he had suffered any permanent damage that was not visible at first glance. He would not know anything for certain until Anĝela checked him over…

Vlad looked down at his watch. He really hoped the ghost doctor would return soon. He wouldn't be appeased until his son woke again and had been examined by her …

It would be beyond unfair if something was wrong with Daniel. He had already been through so much, and then there was all that he had left to go through.

Vlad tried not to think about all the implications that came with his son's discovering he was part human. There was so much to talk about, and Vlad didn't know where he would even start. He was also aware that his son had never used his legs before, and now, as a human, it was all he had and would have to learn to use them. His son also wasn't used to clothing. He wasn't used to human food. He barely even knew Human Speech!

Sadly, his son's changes and health were not the only issue that needed to be addressed. There were the emotional complications. There was… Desiree.

Vlad had been running over and over again in his mind the different ways of breaking the news to his son—that is, assuming he didn't remember yet. But the various ways and scenarios left the father emotionally exhausted and none of them seemed any good.

There just wasn't any 'good' way to tell a child he would never see his mother again.

Vlad took a deep breath and rubbed his aching temple with one hand as he muttered to himself, "One thing at a time…"

He needed to keep focused. First things first. Now that his son wasn't on life-support or IV fluids, he needed to get his son to consume nourishment as soon as possible. If his body was going to recover completely, he needed to recover his physical strength first.

He sighed again before finally picking up the tray and making his way out of the kitchen. Hopefully, his son would wake up soon. He wanted to see his innocent and sweet eyes staring back at him again. He didn't want to ever let him go. In fact, it had been painful to even walk out of that room to make breakfast. More than ever, his son was like the air in his human lungs. He needed him as much as his son needed him.

Vladimir picked up his pace and made it to the chalet's main staircase. But as he climbed the steps, his thoughts drifted to another problem, not so much relating to his son. There was this less pressing, but still important, matter troubling the man.

It was difficult to excuse King Plasmius' absence in the Ghost World, especially with everything happening; but it _wasn't impossible_. But _Vladimir Masters_ was another story.

Yes, he left on 'vacation' very commonly, but Vlad always made sure to show his face at least one day out of the month at his main businesses. And when there were very important things happening, he would stay longer in the human world to resolve them.

But now, with all that happened, he had not stepped foot into any of his companies for five months. He had postponed all his meetings until further notice, and told his secretaries to tell his 'partners' that he was very sick, and so on an extended medical leave of absence. But he knew it wasn't enough. It wouldn't be enough for much longer. His companies could very well fall apart in his absence; and it wasn't so much that he cared about that, but rather that it would bring a lot of talk—and a lot of gossip brought forth a lot of snooping. And with every day that Vladimir Masters was missing, the chance of his cover being blown escalated. And that placed not only himself in grave danger, but his son—for as long as they remained in the human world, there was a chance of their being discovered.

But he couldn't tend to his current problems here in the Human World because it would mean leaving Daniel alone, and he couldn't very well do that. He had thought of making a copy; but it was too much of a gamble. Using his powers meant his core would be activated and it meant his ghost energy could be traced. He also thought about leaving his son under Skulker and Anĝela's care while he dealt with business matters. However, as unstable as his son was, it was just as risky leaving him for any amount of time. Not to mention, he had no idea how long it would take him to check on his businesses; and the last thing Daniel needed was his father to disappear while he was scared and confused in an unknown world.

No, no matter how he saw it, there really was only one solution to his current situation: he needed his son to turn into a ghost once more and secure his safely back home before he could even think of resolving anything.

Vlad really hoped that—

A sharp jolt to his dormant core abruptly severed his thoughts and he dropped the tray in his hands. It crashed loudly against the wooden floor, creating a big mess.

But Vlad didn't care, because he suddenly knew something was wrong with his son!

"Daniel!" he gasped in alarm and pain, gripping his chest.

Panicked, he suddenly sprung forward into a run down the hallway and then down the next until he reached his son's room. He could already hear his son's screams within.

Vlad immediately threw open the door, and gasped again when he found his son on the ground entangled in his bed-sheets, his calls for help sounding more like hysterical cries.

Vlad quickly moved forward and phased off the covers in which the boy was tangled. But Danny had his eyes squeezed shut, pleading loudly in ghost speech**, "No! NO! Let me out!** **Let me out!"**

"Little Phantom, stop!" Vlad pleaded, picking up the thrashing child and pulling him against him. He then added in the tongue his son best knew, "Open your eyes! You're dreaming! It's only a dream!"

Danny quickly gripped against his father as he panted into his chest. His father's voice slowly brought him back to reality, and he finally had the courage to open his eyes again. He pulled away just slightly to look around his surroundings. He confirmed he was no longer in the white room, but back in the room his father was keeping him.

"A dream?" Danny whispered mostly to himself.

Vlad rubbed his back and nodded, "Yes, my son. Just an unpleasant dream. You're alright now."

But Danny suddenly began to shake, and he looked up at his father with desperate eyes. "Daddy… I-I saw… I remember… D-Daddy? Where's… Where's M-Mommy? She… She's back home, right? She's okay…?"

The father's eyes widened briefly but then his face melded into utter grief. "Oh, Daniel…," he could only whisper back, because he could see in his son's eyes how the child already knew the answers to his questions.

"No…," Danny whimpered as his eyes filled with large tears. He had not wanted to remember, but he now did. He remembered just about everything… . He remembered…

"Daniel?" Vlad asked fearfully as he saw the tears spill out of his son's eyes and his blue eyes darken with grief.

"It… It was no dream," he choked out. "It was true. It was all real… They… They trapped me and Mommy with the white light," he shakily voiced. "It was dark inside and… They hurt me," he whimpered this time. "It wasn't a dream. They cut… cut my…"

"Daniel, it's over now. Please, just—" Vlad began, not wanting his son to remember all that. He had hoped he wouldn't, but whatever nightmare he just had, had brought everything back.

But as if he hadn't heard his father, even more tears spilled out of his eyes as he gripped the older hybrid's shirt. But Danny's eyes glazed even more, reliving what he said next, "He touched my symbol and it hurt a lot. H-He burned my face, and then…. Then…. T-Then…"

"Daniel, please," Vlad begged, but it was useless.

"HE KILLED MY MOMMY!" Danny wailed before burying his face into his father' chest and sobbing. He cried harder than he ever had in his life.

Vlad just held him tightly, unable to say anything as a wave of sorrow hit him full force. He had avoided thinking about the loss of his wife because he didn't know if he would keep it together if he fully acknowledged it. But hearing the sobs retching his son's small frame almost drove Vlad over the edge. The only thing holding him together was the thought that his son needed him to be strong for the both of them.

"Daniel," Vladimir whispered, closing his eyes to keep the tears at bay. "I wish I could say it's untrue… " He took a shaky breath. "It will be alright, Son. You just must be very strong and brave right now. Your mother would have wanted you to be."

But Danny just cried harder, and suddenly sobbed out, "I'm sorry, Daddy! I'm sorry! It's my fault! **I'm sorry!"**

"What?" Vlad asked, surprised by his son's sudden feeling of guilt. But then the man sighed and shook his head, "No, Daniel. This wasn't your fault." But he thought internally, _"I should have gotten to you both sooner…"_

"It is!" Danny cried out in anguish. "I went after the butterfly! And then all the portals opened, and I tried to get away, but Cujo and Ember didn't! So, I went back for them! I had to! I then went into the portal when you told me not to! I shouldn't have disobeyed you, Daddy! I promise I never meant to! **I didn't mean to!** **I'm sorry! I promise I'll never disobey you again!" **

Vlad's eyes widened as Danny continued to weep. He really hadn't known how Daniel even ended up in the Human World. He had given it very little thought until now. Bullet had said he went into the portal near the prison. So, why was Danny talking about _multiple_ portals? Had his son and his friends been caught in a cloud of temporary portal formations? But those usually only occurred at night! And what butterfly was he talking about?

Vlad sighed. Did it even matter anymore? Nothing could bring back his wife or take back all the trauma his son had gone through.

"Daniel, calm down, please. I have nothing to forgive you for. Whatever happened, I'm sure was an accident. Besides, the humans had all this planned. If I am going to blame anyone, it would be them."

But in his mind, he added, "_And me…"_

Danny didn't say anymore and just continued to cry because he knew he would never see his mother again. He would never hear her sweet voice, or feel her comforting touch. She was gone, and even if his father didn't believe him, he knew it was all his fault.

Several minutes later, his son had exhausted himself and his sobs turned into hiccups. Vlad finally stood off the ground, and holding his son tight, he walked them over to the bed.

He reached over to the nightstand, and with a bit of difficulty, grabbed a jar there and poured a little water into the cup.

"Shh," Vlad said quietly as his son shivered and continued to hiccup. He gently coaxed the boy to pull away from him enough to unbury his face from his chest before whispering, "It's alright, Daniel. I'm here, my son. Come now, I need you to try to drink a bit of water. It will help you feel better."

Danny continued to hiccup even as his father put the glass against his mouth. He swallowed a few sips before he turned his face away from the glass. His hiccups continued, but they now weren't as violent.

Vladimir bit his lip at the grief-stricken look on Daniel's face. No child should wear such a terrible look.

He exhaled sadly before placing a hand against his son's tear-stained face. "Don't cry anymore, Little Phantom. It breaks my heart," Vlad muttered.

But silent tears continued to roll down the child's face. "I-I want my mommy," he whimpered before hiccupping.

"I know you do," Vlad answered sorrowfully before grabbing one of the boy's hands and placing it against his clothed chest. He then turned the hand intangible and pressed it against his hot core just as he awakened it enough to send through his son small waves of calming blue energy.

Danny whimpered again before pulling into his father again, though he kept his hand firmly against his father's core.

In turn feeling his son's sorrow through his touch, Vlad looked down at him and caressed his black locks as he told him, "I know this is hard for you, Daniel. I know it's going to be difficult to not see your mother again, but I promise you that she hasn't left you. She hasn't… left us. She wouldn't because she knows we need her very much. And… she will always be with us, Little Phantom. Inside your heart, core, and mind. She'll be with you in spirit. She will be with you in your dreams..."

"I dreamed about her… And she said that, too…," Danny whispered back, and though he sounded much calmer, he was still very sad. "S-She said if I didn't forget her, she would be with me. She said we could be together in my dreams, too."

Vlad couldn't keep a few tears from rolling down his own face as he nodded. "You see?" he said shakily. "It will be alright. You'll be alright, my son. I-I promise."

Danny didn't say anymore and just held onto his father.

Eventually, Vlad heard his son's breathing return to normal.

"Daniel?" he called, thinking his son might have fallen asleep. But when he pulled the child's hand away from his core and turned it tangible again, his son protested.

Vlad chuckled lightly. "Sorry, Son. I can't very well keep your hand phased through my clothing forever."

Danny pulled away and looked at his father, finally noticing he was fully dressed … and so was he.

Danny tugged against his father's buttoned shirt, before doing the same to his own pajama shirt. He immediately scowled.

"Why are we wearing clothes?" he grumbled, his sorrow turning into illogical anger.

Vlad smiled a bit more. "Because we are human, and we can't very well go around without anything on. It isn't normal. Plus, we could get sick."

Danny stopped tugging on the clothing and lowered his gaze. He was quiet for a moment before looking back up at his father and asking, "Why are we human, Father? We're ghost! I don't understand!"

Vlad frowned. "It's hard to explain, Daniel. And I will explain, but for now, just believe me when I tell you we are both human and ghost, okay?"

He knew he still owed his son an explanation for all this, but he still didn't have the mental strength for it; not to mention…. Where could he start?

"But I don't want to be both! It's not fair! I'm a ghost!" Danny protested.

"Yes…," Vlad nodded. "It probably isn't fair, but sometimes we must accept things we don't like. I know it's different, but I can assure you that it's not so bad. You will get use to it. I will teach you," he assured him with a small smile.

But Danny glared down at nothing in particular, and didn't say anything else.

Vlad stared at his son with sympathy, but then the man noticed something at the end of the bed. He smiled again.

"Look, Son," he said, reaching over and grabbing the stuffed-badger.

Danny looked up and his eyes widened a bit when he saw the fluffy toy in his father's hands.

"What is it?"Danny questioned with a bit of curiosity.

"A type of animal called a _badger_," Vlad replied, playing with the toy's whiskers.

"What's that?" Danny then asked.

Vlad's eyebrows creased. "Well… it's not a human or a ghost, but you find them only in the Human World. It's another species. There are many animal species. Maybe I will show you a few when you get better, okay? But this one is a toy…. You know, like Leono? Here, it's for you."

Danny smiled a bit at the thought of his favorite toy, but then he frowned. Wait. His father was giving him a _human_ toy. That's what it was…

Danny suddenly shook his head and looked away. "I don't want it," he whispered.

The older hybrid's eyebrows furrowed even deeper with confusion. "Why not?"

"It's a human toy," he muttered bitterly.

Vlad sighed, not really understanding his son's refusal, but in some ways he did. The man looked down at the toy in his hands as he muttered, "Daniel, I know it isn't Leono, but I did get it for you… Please accept it. I'm going to be very sad if you don't…"

Danny quickly looked at his father and saw he was staring pleadingly at him as he held the toy towards him. The child sighed but nodded. He took the toy and pulled it against him. Danny smiled a bit and said, "Thanks, Daddy."

"You're welcome, my boy. Now, how about we eat something? You need to eat so you can get better and then we can go home."

Danny's eyes brightened a bit with hope at that and he quickly nodded. "Okay."

Vlad grabbed a napkin from his pocket and cleaned up his son's face and nose before he kissed him on the cheek. Holding the boy a bit more firmly, he finally stood. But then he paused as he looked down at his son's bare feet and said, "Hmm…We better put some socks on, first."

He sat Danny back on the bed and walked over to a drawer. Once he found a pair of socks—one of the few things he had managed to get for his son since he had been here—he walked back to him.

Squatting in front of him, Vlad proceeded to put on the socks. Danny watched him before he leaned forward a bit and touched one of his socked feet.

Vlad suddenly asked, "Would you like to try to walk a bit? I promise I won't let you fall."

Danny shook his head and answered, "I don't need to walk. I can fly."

"Right now you cannot. I think you should at least try," Vlad replied, gazing at his son with a small frown.

"I don't want to," Danny answered, looking away with a pout.

Vlad shook his head. He forgot how stubborn his son could be.

"Would you do it for me?" the man asked, trying another route.

Danny instantly whined, "But I don't want to! I don't want feet! I want my tail!"

"And when you have it back you can use it all you want, but until then you'll have to use your legs," Vlad said seriously.

Danny didn't reply, but started unhappily at his father.

The older hybrid sighed in defeat, and said, "Fine. We should probably wait until Anĝela comes and checks you over anyways."

Danny's eyes widened."Anĝela? She's coming here?"

Vlad nodded. "Yes, and I'm sure Skulker will be coming with her, too."

Danny's eyes widened as another memory slammed into his brain at the mention of his uncle. "**Ember! Cujo!** Daddy, they were out in the Human World, too!"

Seeing his son about to panic, Vlad quickly said, "We found them, Daniel. They are okay. Don't worry."

Danny's shoulders sagged in instant relief; but then he smiled and asked, "So, will Uncle Skulker bring Ember with him? I miss her, Daddy! I want to see her!"

Vlad's eyebrows creased in sympathy. "I'm sorry, Daniel. But she cannot come here. It isn't safe. But I'm sure you will see her soon enough. So, come on. We have wasted enough time."

Danny frowned at his father's quick way of ending their conversation, but didn't say anything as he picked him up.

Danny looked ahead as he was taken out the door and down unfamiliar hallways. He immediately grabbed his father's shirt tightly and his breathing became a bit shaky.

"Daddy, are there humans here?" he whispered.

Vlad paused in his steps, and looked down at his son. "No, Daniel. This is a house. _My_ house as a human. There is no one here but you and me; so don't worry. Nothing here is going to hurt you; I wouldn't allow it, either way."

Danny calmed a bit, but he remained quiet as he warily took in the new views. The place looked nothing like his palace home. He didn't recognize many of the things he saw, and very little made sense to him.

Vlad suddenly paused again, and Danny looked at him to see why. But seeing his father staring down, the boy did the same and he blinked at some broken things on the floor.

"I'll have to clean this up," Vlad said to himself before stepping around and continuing on.

Finally, they made it to the kitchen, and Danny's eyes grew wide when he realized it was the most familiar area he had seen so far.

"Stay here for a moment, okay?" Vlad said as he sat him down on one of the chairs around a small table. But when Danny saw his father walk away, heading deeper into the kitchen, so much that he lost sight of him, the boy quickly cried out, "No! Don't go!"

Vlad paused and quickly walked back so his son could see him again. "Daniel, I promise. There is nothing to be afraid of. And I'll be just around the corner."

Danny frowned unhappily, but he nodded. He watched his father disappeared from view again before glancing around the empty area. He nervously pressed the badger in his hand against him, only for it to squeak.

Danny jolted, but then looked down at the toy. He squeezed it again, and this time, it 'chittered'. He giggled a bit at the weird sound before squeezing it again. It purred this time.

"_Bag-er?"_ Danny said, trying to recall what his father had called it. "_Badder? Badgy?"_ He smiled. He didn't know if that's how you said it or not, but he liked the sound of that.

He continued to play with the stuffed toy, and his anxiety all but vanished. Eventually, he heard his father's footsteps as he returned and the child looked over at him and exclaimed, "Daddy, look! Badgy makes funny noises!"

Vlad raised an amused eyebrow as his son squeezed the toy and it squeaked. But his amusement was for another reason.

"Badgy, eh?" the man chuckled. "Alright. And, yes, he does make funny noises," he then agreed.

Vladimir set down a large covered tray on the table. He was glad he had made more than one helping of what he previously made for his son, or he would have had to cook something all over again.

But when Vlad removed the cover on the tray, Danny's eyebrows creased in confusion as he stared at the steaming bowl of dark brown liquid in the center. There was also a small plate of white squares on one side of it; and another small bowl was on other side. But the small bowl's top had its own cover and he couldn't see into it.

"I didn't want to make you anything strong yet since your stomach has not had anything to eat for a while… ," Vlad explained as he sat on a chair and pulled it closer to his son. He then grabbed one of the five crackers he had brought and broke it in half. He ate a piece to show his son it was edible before offering him the other half.

But Danny just stared strangely at it. He didn't recognize any of this _supposed food._ The most familiar thing on the table was the steaming hot liquid. George sometimes made something that looked like that; but it was not brown and it always had lots of veggies in it. It also glowed and this… did not… This… It looked like dirty water! And that thing his father just ate looked like white hard clay!

Danny shook his head.

Vlad sighed but then said seriously, "Try it, Daniel. You have to eat. The food here is different, but it tastes fine. Come now." Vlad broke half the cracker in half yet again and brought the bite-sized piece to his son's mouth.

Danny reluctantly opened his mouth and ate the cracker. His face scrunched up as he realized it tasted _just like_ white dry clay!

"Blah!" Danny said swallowing the food and sticking out his tongue.

Vlad chuckled a bit. "You're so dramatic, Daniel. It's not that bad." He made him eat another piece of cracker, much to the boy's dismay.

Vlad pulled the bowl of broth closer as his son chewed on the cracker. He grabbed a spoonful and blew a bit on the hot liquid before bringing it towards his son's mouth.

"Daddy, I don't want that! It's dirty!" Danny whined.

"It's not dirty, Daniel. It's called _broth,"_ Vlad said dismissively, but then raised an expectant eyebrow. "Now, careful; it's hot."

Danny whined again but opened his mouth. He closed his eyes as the liquid touched his tongue and his taste buds were overrun by the salty taste. It wasn't so bad, but it was just strong.

What he didn't know was that as a human, his sense of taste was stronger; so it made him mentally believe everything had a potent taste.

"I don't want anymore," Danny said.

"Daniel, you are not winning this one. You must eat," Vlad said sternly this time.

Danny's shoulders sagged in defeat and just continued to swallow spoonful after spoonful of soup. In reality, Vlad had not served him all that much since he did not want to overfeed the child and make him sick.

Once he was done with the broth, Vlad reached over to the tray and finally uncovered the small bowl on it. "Here, you'll like this…" Vlad assured him.

But Danny gasped when he saw the wiggling red squares in the bowl. He immediately shook his head. "No, I don't want it! It's alive, Daddy!"

"What? Daniel, it's not alive," Vlad said with an exasperated sigh.

"Then why is it moving?" Danny argued.

"Because it's _gelatin_," Vlad replied. But when he remembered his son didn't know what that was, he said instead, "It just does, Daniel. It is not alive. Look." Vlad grabbed a Jell-O square with a spoon and brought it to his mouth. Danny gasped as his father ate it.

Danny then scrunched up his face in disgust. "Eww…. You ate it. We're not supposed to eat things that are alive! It's wrong!"

Vlad was tempted to tell his son that humans indeed ate living things—unlike most ghosts. But he didn't need to give his son anymore reason to keep protesting about the Jell-O.

"Fine, you don't have to eat the gelatin," Vlad gave up, and placed the bowl down. But then he grabbed the plate of crackers and put it in front of his son as he added sternly, "But I want you to finish the crackers."

Danny whined again; but preferring to eat the dry clay than the red moving squares, he grabbed one of the last three crackers and slowly consumed them all.

Finally done, Vlad smiled, "There. All done. I'll make you something better when we make sure your stomach can tolerate it, okay?"

In reality, he couldn't fully blame his son. He was pretty much feeding him hospital food, and he knew firsthand how unpleasant it was.

He gave his son some water to drink, and he at least had no problem with that. Even if the water here didn't glow, it was still water.

He picked up the child and made his way to a small lounge. He sat down on a sofa before he glanced down at his son on his lap, who was looking around and taking in the new sights.

Vlad moved Danny to sit on the couch beside him before the older hybrid sat back and ran a tired hand through his tied back white hair. He then propped an elbow on the armrest and rested the side of his face against it before looking over at his son again.

Danny was now staring down at his blue pajama top and tugging against it. "I'm hot, Daddy! Can't I take it this off?"

Vlad wanted to just say 'yes'; he really did, but Danny needed to get use to wearing clothes at least as a human. "You are hot because of the broth you just ate," he answered before turning a bit and unbuttoning the first three buttons from his son's top. "There. That should help."

Danny pouted but just sighed before snuggling against his father and wrapping an arm around his torso.

"I thought you were hot," Vlad teased a bit.

Danny grumbled something but it was incoherent. His father chuckled before reaching down and touching his exposed chest. The man smiled when the young hybrid's symbol appeared. In their human form, their Ectoplasmic Energy Signature was not visible. Only physical touch made it appear.

Danny relaxed and became drowsy as he continued to feel his father warmly tracing his symbol. At least this human body didn't prevent his core from feeling and reacting to his father's touch. It was relieving to some extent.

But it also reminded him that he would never feel his mother's touch again. He didn't even have the necklace he gave her that felt like her…

"I lost it," Danny suddenly whispered.

Vlad who seemed to have been nodding off, blinked his tired eyes and focus on his son. "What did you lose, little one?"

Danny took a shaky breath and answered, "Mommy's necklace. It broke and I lost it in the snow…"

Vlad frowned sadly. "It's okay, Little Phantom. Some things cannot be helped."

Danny didn't reply; instead he closed his eyes, feeling a few tears roll down his cheeks.

* * *

Skulker and Anĝela returned a few hours later to the Human World. The two were very nervous since they did not know if Vlad had taken the doctor's advice and had disconnected Danny from the life support. And if he had… what had been the outcome?

Skulker was also fearful for his friend. Plasmius' instability was more than concerning. He was afraid the older half-ghost would fall into such a depression that he would do something foolish. After all, when you lost the will to live, things could not get darker for that person.

Anĝela noticed how tense and quiet the hunter was, but did not comment. As they exited the human King's lab, they floated to where they knew the Prince would be. She had brought all the medications she thought she would need if by some miracle the child had survived.

But on their way to the room, they paused when they noticed a tray of food broken and its contents scattered on the ground. The two quickly looked at each other, before Skulker pulled out a scanner. He checked the area for any signs of ghost energy or even a heat signature from a human, but he found none. He briefly feared some kind of struggle, but when he sniffed the air, he quickly caught a familiar scent.

"Is it the King?" Anĝela asked worriedly.

But Skulker didn't answer, and just gestured for her to follow. They made their way back to the first floor and the hunter continued to follow the scent until they reached a small living room.

The two froze at the sight on one of the couches.

The currently human King was spread across the sofa fast asleep on his back, with the human Prince snuggled on top of his chest. The boy was on his stomach and had his face turned away from them; so it was hard to tell if the child was asleep or… something else.

Skulker could see the movement of breathing, but because Vlad had his hands wrapped around the child and he was also on top of the man's chest, it was hard to tell if the movement was just from Vlad's own breathing or the both of them.

"Skulker…," Anĝela whispered softly, uncertainly lacing her voice.

The hunter didn't reply, and for a moment he hesitated on what to do next. He didn't know if he could handle Vlad's son being dead, instead of asleep. But he needed to know.

Skulker sighed quietly before he floated forward. Anĝela did the same, and they were soon right next to the two hybrids. With another second of hesitation, Skulker then raised a hand and lightly placed it on Danny's back.

A sense of relief washed over him when he immediately felt the child's breathing and heartbeat. But before he could say anything, Danny further stirred and moved a bit in his father's hold enough to turn his sleepy gaze on the two visitors.

Anĝela quietly gasped in amazement, while Skulker's lips slowly curled into a warm and relieved smile.

"Welcome back, pup," he said quietly. Beyond all odds, the Prince had survived! For the first time since all these tragic events, the hunter felt a sense of hope.

Danny blinked his tired eyes, but then they widened when he finally realized it was his uncle who was touching him!

"Uncle Skulker?" Danny whispered before he quickly sat up and grinned.

But his sudden movement startled Vlad awake, and seeing two presences towering over him and his son, he shot up, too, and one of his hands burst aflame with energy.

"Easy, Plasmius. It's just us," Skulker quickly said.

Vlad blinked fully awake before sighing and relaxing, his energy vanishing instantly. "Skulker…. You both startled me." But then the older half-ghost instantly smiled as he turned his eyes to his excited son.

The little hybrid was whining at the hunter to pick him up, and for once, Skulker had no quarrel with that. He scooped him up in his arms and the child quickly hugged him with a happy giggle.

"I'll tell you, pup. You have more lives than a human-world cat," he teased, and then added more gently, "But I am glad for that." Skulker looked back at his friend, and smiled at him. The light that had returned to the father's eyes was indescribable.

Anĝela quickly moved forward and solidified her form enough so she could touch the human boy and rubbed his back, saying, "Oh, young Prince! I cannot express to you how happy I am to see you have finally woken up. It is a true miracle!"

Danny turned in Skulker's arms, so he could reach out to Anĝela. The doctor quickly grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.

"Hi, Anĝela! I guess I was really sleepy!" the child said with a grin. "Wait… How long did I sleep for?" he then asked curiously.

The female ghost smiled sadly and replied, "For quite some time." Her smile then brightened a bit as she playfully added, "But it's okay. You are right. You were probably really sleepy."

Danny smiled in return before he remembered something from a while back and abruptly said, "Anĝela! You can make my legs change back to a tail, right? You did it before with one of your feathers! Can you do that now? I don't know how to walk and I miss flying!"

Anĝela chuckled weakly. "Oh, so you still have not gotten pass that phase, hmm? Well, we will see. If it's alright with your father, I would like to check your health a bit, first…." She glanced at Vlad.

The man stood up and nodded. "Yes, I was waiting for you to do that."

But Danny suddenly exclaimed, "**No!** No, I don't want to!"

Vlad was alarmed when his son instantly wanted out of Anĝela's arms, and reached over to him. Realizing something was wrong, the man moved closer and grabbed him from Anĝela, who looked troubled and confused, too.

"Daniel, you know Anĝela would never hurt you. I don't understand…," Vlad said with a worried frown.

Danny cut him off, "No, Daddy! I don't want to be checked! I don't want to be stuck with needles again. It hurts! I don't want it **ever again!"**

Vlad's frown deepened. "Well, I understand that your first vaccines were an unpleasant experience for you, but that won't…" Vad trailed off as he quickly recalled something very important, and probably the true reason why his son was so scared now... Those human hunters had stabbed his son's core with painful needles, too. No doubt to take some of his energy, but also to inject that venom in him… He knew the latter was true since he had seen the needle on the ground…

The father instantly saddened, but then said comfortingly, "You have nothing to fear anymore, Daniel. Anĝela won't stick any needles in you. She just wants to check how you are doing. That's all…"

"You promise?" Danny whimpered.

Vlad nodded, though he mentally cringed. He knew that Anĝela had probably had in mind to give Daniel a few shots to strengthen his body again; but the man wasn't going to force his son to re-live his traumatic experience just by the sight of a needle.

"I promise. No needles," Vlad answered at last. "Now, go with Anĝela. You trust her, right?"

Danny glanced at the smiling doctor and slowly nodded. He knew she wouldn't hurt him, but he couldn't stand the idea of having to see another needle, let alone be stuck by one again! The one the human hunter had stuck into his core had been so very painful. He didn't know something could hurt that bad; it had been worse than having his claws… removed.

With a shaky sigh, Danny allowed Anĝela to take him again. "Don't worry, Prince. I won't hurt you in any way. In fact, once we are done, I have a surprise for you…"

Danny perked up. "Really?"

She nodded and began to float out of the living room with the child as she told him about the surprise.

"Plasmius," Skulker called, grabbing the man's arm before he could follow after Anĝela. The hunter was also anxious to know what Anĝela said about the Prince's health; but he needed to talk with Vlad about something. And it couldn't wait.

"What is it, Skulker?" Vlad questioned, turning his full attention to the ghost.

The hunter sighed before replying, "You do remember how I told you that the Ancients had agreed to give you a few months for you to return before they took the matter to the High Council?"

Vlad slowly nodded, though he didn't really remember. With his son being on the brink of death, very little else made it into his mind in the past few months…

"Well," SKulker continued, "It has been more than a few months, Plasmius. So, the High Council was finally gathered yesterday, and they had a meeting to discuss your absence and the next course of action…" The ghost paused. "The good news is that the Observants and Ancients have agreed to keep quiet about your son's secret and yours. In fact, they have vowed it to silence, or so Horris told me… Not even the High Council will know the truth. At the meeting, the Ancients simply confirmed that you and the Prince are alive, and told the council that the reason for your delay to return is because both you and your son were very hurt in the ambush; so you are both in a secret and safe place until you recover… I suppose it isn't untrue, and though it has not completely erased the suspicions and rumors about your being killed, most of the council believed what the Ancients said…"

Vlad nodded again, though he was relieved by the news. But knowing by his friend's look that there was something else, the half-ghost millionaire hesitantly replied, "I am relieved to hear all that, Skulker, but… I have a feeling there is bad news in this as well…"

Skulker nodded. "There has been a shift in power among the Ancients…. Horris has stepped down as their leader."

Vlad's eyes widened. "What? _Why?"_ he questioned worriedly.

"Well, the Ancients did not say much about it in the High Council gathering. All they said is that Horris had agreed to it. But I talked to Horris after, and though he had not wanted to tell me the truth at first, I insisted and he finally told me he was _forced_ to renounce. The Ancients were angry he kept your secret from them; so they asked him to step down, otherwise they would not have agreed to secrecy about your son and you…"

Vlad's eyes instantly flashed red as he growled, "Blasted Ancients! Let me guess, their new leader is _Serenity_." And when Skulker nodded, the man's hands clenched as he muttered spitefully, "She has always been waiting for a chance to gain control of the clan; and of course, this was the perfect excuse to take it from Horris!"

"There's more," Skulker said. "Serenity also forced the Observants into stripping Clockwork of his power and position."

Vlad's eyebrows rose in surprise, but then he narrowed his eyes. "At least they did something right."

Skulker quickly frowned. "Vlad, I know you are upset with Clockwork, but that is going too far and you know it! Clockwork helps keep the Observants under control. Without him intervening, the Observants' narrow-minded views could cause a lot of trouble for the Kingdom. Besides, even if he did not tell you about all this that has happened with your family, Clockwork has _always_ used his power for the best of everyone."

"All I ever asked him was to protect my son," Vlad said bitterly. "And instead, he did nothing to help him when he needed it most—when_ I_ needed him most! He betrayed me! Don't you see that, Skulker?"

"Maybe he chose the best of two evils and we just do not know it yet," Skulker replied seriously.

But Vlad glared at his friend and snapped, "Why do you defend him so much? Your niece was a victim in all this, too! Skulker, your sister could have lost her because Clockwork did nothing to prevent us of all this!"

Suddenly angry at the mention of his niece and sister, Skulker narrowed his eyes and growled back, "You think I do not know that? You think you are the _only one_ who has suffered from all that has happened? Tell me, Plasmius, do you really believe you are the only one who has lost something dear?!"

Vlad froze when he saw his friend's pain just behind his anger, and the older hybrid was suddenly really afraid.

"Skulker… you told me you found Ember and Cujo… You told me they are both safe. You didn't lie to me… did you?" he whispered.

Skulker sighed deeply and looked away. For a moment, he wanted to tell Vlad everything. He needed his friend's support more than anything right now, especially now that things were over between him and Dora… But… he was more afraid of how Vlad would react to the news of Lydia and Ghostwriter's deaths… They were both very dear to the King and Queen, and Vlad didn't need any more bad news. It could wait…

"Skulker," Vlad called before lifting a hand to touch his friend's symbol. But to his sudden surprise, Skulker stopped him.

"I have not lied to you," he said seriously before releasing his friend's hand and taking a small step back. "Ember is fine. In fact, she has fully recovered from her ordeal. You see, I found her and Cujo inside a lake, and you know the frigid temperature is taxing on anyone's core, especially those with hot cores."

"Are you sure?" Vlad asked worriedly. He didn't understand why his friend would not let him touch him, unless something was wrong and he didn't want him to feel it… "Skulker, whatever it is, I can handle it. You have helped me. Let me help you. Tell me the truth."

"Vlad, that is the truth," Skulker answered without hesitation. "Ember is fine."

The man frowned, clearly not convinced, but he still nodded.

There was a small silence before Skulker spoke up again. "I want you to think carefully about this whole situation with Clockwork, Vlad. You cannot ignore all he has done for us simply because you think he failed you now. If it was not for Clockwork, you and I would not even be alive. _You know_ he was the one who warned me about Pariah's trap meant to kill us and your father all that time back. Vlad, he also blocked the Observants vision to hide the night that you got your son. He has kept both your secrets all these years. You cannot forget about all that now. You cannot allow the Observants to do this to him. You _must_ help him."

Vlad looked away. He was aware of all that, but… it was just so painful to know that the one being who could have prevented his son's pain and his wife's… death, had done nothing.

"Hopefully, I can return soon, and deal with all these matters," Vlad muttered. "One thing is certain: with Serenity in control of the Ancient Clan and with my absence, I fear what decisions they may take for the Kingdom. "

"And… what are _your_ plans for the Kingdom—_for the Ghost World_—after all this?" Skulker hesitantly asked.

Vlad frowned but shook his head. "I don't know… I have avoided thinking about… anything outside my son's recovery. I… I don't think I could handle doing so right now." He fell quiet before sighing deeply and looking back at Skulker. "In the meantime, it is important that our home is as secured as possible. I assume Walker has already acted and has done his best to have at least the permanent portals monitored?"

Skulker nodded. "Yes, Nocturne and Frostbite's people are helping him with this. But you know that there are too many, and the temporary ones are impossible to control. Frostbite is using the Infi-Map to watch the portal formations the best he can; but as you also know, the map cannot alert us of any intrusions, and… without Desiree's spell, we can no longer control the portals…"

Vlad hesitated, but then asked worriedly, "Have there been any? Human intruders, I mean?"

"Only individuals and one small team scouting the areas. The small team was sighted near the Far Frozen, but they were quickly forced to retreat. What we are seeing more of are cameras and human contraptions to spy on us. The humans are not stupid, Plasmius. They are evaluating the 'enemy territory' first, and planning their strategies before attempting a serious invasion," Skulker said with narrowed eyes. "Not only that, the oxygen levels are slowly rising now that the portals have re-opened; but they still aren't high enough to sustain humans. It will at least take a year before the Ghost World becomes breathable for them; so that might also buy us some time…"

Vlad did not reply. He knew that as long as he was here, there was nothing he could do. In his absence, the Ancients had the voice of authority in the Kingdom. So, until he returned, he had no say in all these affairs.

"Come. Let us go see how Anĝela is doing with Daniel," Vlad said with a small sigh.

Skulker just nodded, and followed his friend out.

They walked on in silence until Vlad spoke again, "My cover here is also in jeopardy… I have been absent for too long, and with Daniel here, I have my hands tied. I could not possibly leave him alone in such a difficult time for him. So, until I can get him home, I cannot do anything about things here—or back home. It is a growing concern, Skulker."

"Indeed..," Skulker agreed, but had no words to appease his friend. He was right, after all. Things were getting more and more dangerous the longer the King remained bound here.

"When did your son wake up?" Skulker asked, changing the subject a bit.

"Last night. And I am immensely relieved. I thought I was going to lose him, too," Vlad said quietly.

"But you did not," Skulker reminded him. "Your son will recover and you will be able to take him home soon."

"Yes, he will recover physically…," the man agreed sadly. "I just don't know if he will ever recover emotionally and mentally. You saw him, Skulker. He is afraid of everything. It is not like him at all. If anything, he was a little too daring for his own good."

"Well, all this is new to him. It is understandable that he shies away from all the unfamiliarity," Skulker replied, trying to alleviate some of the father's worry.

"I understand that," Vlad answered as they climbed the stairs. "I just… I don't know. I feel it's more than that. I don't want Daniel to live in fear for the rest of his life, Skulker," he said with a bit more desperation. "And then there's his reaction to his human half… He wants nothing to do with it. It is understandable to some degree, but… it isn't healthy that he hates part of what he is."

"Has he recalled everything?" Skulker questioned.

"I think so. At least, he recalled what happened to his mother…" Vlad fell quiet but then shook his head and whispered, "It was horrible. I could barely console him, and he has this notion that it was his…. fault."

Skulker frowned. He hesitated before saying, "I hate to tell you this, Vlad, but it is better I do so you are prepared for it. As you know, there are already rumors on what happened. But what you do not know is that one of those rumors is that all this is your son's fault. They say his disobedience cost the Queen her life—and those that believe you are dead, blame him for your death and his own as well…"

"My son is not to blame for the human's attack on my person!" Vlad replied defensively, halting in his steps. "The only reason Daniel and Desiree were targeted was to trap me—it was so they could get to me and kill _me!"_

Skulker also stopped and looked worriedly at his friend. "You are right… This is not your son's fault… But it is not yours, _either_, if that is what you are implying. You could not have known what the humans were planning. But maybe someone did."

Vlad stared back in confusion. "What are you saying, Skulker?"

Skulker shook his head, uncertainty in his voice as he answered, "Aragon believes a ghost helped those humans set up the trap for you and your family…."

The human King's eyebrows rose up. "What? That's preposterous! I-I mean, even if someone hated me enough, why would _any_ ghost risk making a deal with the humans, let alone risk their well-being and home? Not to mention, no hunter would even stop to speak to a ghost. They would shoot before they could even try to utter a word!"

Skulker didn't reply. Although the possibility was hard to grasp, he knew it wasn't that farfetched. After all, he knew for a fact that a group of human hunters were working with a ghost. But the matter with Gregor was his to resolve—and his alone.

Vlad shook his head. "No, Skulker. Aragon just wants to blame the Kingdom for all this, as he _always_ does. Only he would think a ghost from the kingdom would do something so foolish," he scoffed before he resumed his pace.

Skulker still said nothing and just continued on with his friend.

The two finally made it to the room and entered. They quickly saw Danny sitting on the bed dressed only in his underwear. He had tiny electrodes made out of some sort of goo stuck all over his body, which pulsed softly with blue energy and created a blue hue around the child's body. Even his symbol, which was usually green, was now blue and visible under the blue aura.

Anĝela was standing beside him. She was watching him closely, but also writing something on a notepad. But Danny didn't seem to pay her any mind since he was busy with something called a 'Drawing Disk'.

There were actually two disks connected to each other. The first large flat saucer was a blank canvas upon which to draw. The second, however, was similar to a painter's palette. But instead of it having paint on it, there were a few black or white glowing dots imbedded into the board. Ghost children would then use their energies to change the white or black dots to other colors—blue, green, red, etc. Whatever color they could create depended on how much energy they drove into the white and black dots. Blue energy, for example, being the weakest energy, did not require a child to put forth a lot of energy to make the dot change to that color. But to turn it red, a much higher output of energy was required from the child. And after they got the desired color, they could then use that energy as 'paint' to create a drawing.

Danny was using two of his fingers to draw whatever he had in mind on the blank Drawing Disk.

Of course, Vlad could see Anĝela had given the toy to his son for more than entertainment. She was trying to find out if Danny could use his ghost energy in his human form, and if so, how much of it. The blue color Danny was drawing with meant he was using a very small amount of energy…

Vlad walked over to his son and sat next to him on the bed. Danny immediately looked up and said, "Look, Daddy! I'm drawing Cujo!"

The human King nodded and said with a small smile, "I can see that… But Cujo isn't blue, he's green…"

Danny frowned. "I know. But I can't make it turn green!" He touched one of the dots to show his father how it would only turn blue. "I tried, and I can't do it."

Vlad glanced at Anĝela, but she said nothing. They both knew Danny should at least be able to make the coloring pad turn green.

"Oh, well, that's alright. He looks good in blue," Vlad answered, and his son smiled.

But then Danny squirmed a bit on the bed, as if he was briefly uncomfortable with his position. But he just as quickly stopped and turned his attention back to his drawing..

He was actually feeling a lot better after eating, even if he didn't like what he ate at all. And though he felt a bit stiff because he couldn't move on his own, he could tolerate it. The only thing bothering him at the moment was this fullness in his lower belly and a slight stinging sensation a little lower. Squirming a bit helped relieve the feeling, so he was just ignoring it for the most part…

He also was no longer nervous about Anĝela checking him since all she had really done was touch him and make him feel tingly. The goo felt cold on his skin, but it wasn't uncomfortable. At first he had been curious about it, but when Anĝela gave him the Drawing Disks, he found it more interesting than what she was doing.

Moving off the bed, Vlad stood next to Anĝela and spoke quietly so his distracted son wouldn't really hear him as he questioned, "So, how is he? Or, is it too soon to tell?"

Anĝela continued to monitor the glowing goo, but still replied, "Well, his energy flow is looking good. It turns out his energy travels along with his human blood—much like it does with his ectoplasm when ghost. But that is convenient, because not only can I monitor his energy flow, but his blood flow, too. And it, too, is normal and being distributed throughout his body as it should be."

She paused as she wrote something down before further saying, "Skulker and Horris were helpful with providing me some human anatomy books; so I was able to check his pulse and blood pressure. According to the charts, that is also normal. All his muscles and organs, including his heart and lungs, are intact and functioning properly. "

She paused again, but still continued after, "The only thing I could see wrong is his core's strength. It is hard to check his core when it is dormant; so my readings are not completely certain. Still, by simply feeling his core and energy, and as you can see now with his game, I am fairly sure I'm right in that his core in very weak. It seems to have healed from the… _poison_," she said even more quietly, so Danny wouldn't hear. "There is more to tell you, but I rather wait until we are alone…"

Vlad nodded in understanding. "So, what are you doing now?"

"Neurological exam," she replied. "The goo reacts to the chemical and nerve impulses sent from his brain to his body. I am almost done, but I would like to see how he reacts when you touch him. So, if you could do that, I'd greatly appreciate it…"

"Of course," he answered and sat back down beside his son. He then got his son's attention. "Daniel? I'm going to touch you. Anĝela just wants to check something, okay?"

Danny nodded, and sat up a bit to let his father touch him. The child quickly smiled when he did, but then said," You feel warm, Daddy. I… like it." Well, his father's touch had always been warm, but as a human it was now more so.

Vlad chuckled. "Good to know," he answered.

Danny leaned forward and placed his own hand on his father's chest to ask if he felt warm, too; but when he touched clothing and he remembered it impeded any physical contact, he frowned unhappily.

"There. All done," Anĝela said before Vlad could say anything.

He smiled at his son before removing his hand from his symbol, watching as it quickly after faded from his human skin. But then he grabbed Danny's small hand on his own clothed chest, and lifted it to his mouth and kissed his hand. "You feel nice and warm, too, my boy," he assured him, and his son quickly grinned again.

"Mind staying with your uncle while I talk with Anĝela?" Vlad then asked.

Danny nodded. "Okay."

Skulker floated forward as Vlad said, "It'll just be a minute."

The hunter rolled his eyes. "Relax. I can watch a child for longer, even your squirmy pup."

Vlad glanced at Danny and finally noticed he was indeed squirming a bit. That was odd.

But when the child stopped, Vlad mentally shrugged it off and just walked out of the room with Anĝela.

Skulker watched them go before he sat down next to Danny and commented, "I'll tell you, whelp. You won't find a more devoted father than the one you have."

Danny looked up. "What's 'devoted' mean?" he questioned curiously.

Skulker just shook his head. "Never mind. What are you drawing?"

"Cujo and Ember!" Danny said with a grin.

"Oh. Thought it was Behemoth…," Skulker muttered, tilting his head.

"What? It's not Bemmy!" Danny answered offended. "Bemmy doesn't have flaming hair!"

"Oh, right. I see it now," Skulker quickly corrected himself with a nervous smile. Last thing he needed was to make the kid cry. That would make him the world's worst babysitter.

"I'm making it for Ember. Can you give it to her for me, Uncle Skulker? And can you tell her I miss her and that I'm sorry I couldn't stop the portal from sucking her in?" he added with a sad frown.

Skulker's eyebrows creased. His niece had not told him much of what had happened, and the hunter had preferred not to push her since every time they had tried to talk about it, his niece would cry with the reminder of losing her parents…

"I am sure she knows you did your best," the hunter replied quietly. "But do not worry, pup. I will tell her and deliver your gift."

Danny quickly wrapped his arms around his uncle and said, "Thank you, Uncle Skulker! I love you a lot! You're the best uncle I know!"

Skulker smiled weakly as he placed a hand on the Prince's back. "I'm your only uncle, whelp. But… I understand what you are saying, and well, you know I feel the same… I really am immensely happy to have you back with us."

Danny giggled. "So, you admit it at last? You _are_ my uncle and you love me! I _knew_ it!"

Skulker rolled his eyes. "Don't get too comfortable with it, whelp. I'm only being nice because I'm in a good mood. But annoy me enough, and I'll do what all 'good uncles' do to their nephews. I'll give you a hint. There is a gag and lots of rope involved."

Danny laughed and hugged him harder. "You'd have to catch me first, Uncle Skulker!"

The hunter grinned at the challenge. He had really missed the kid's witty mouth—not that he would ever admit it.

Meanwhile, Anĝela and Vlad were talking just outside the room.

"So, everything appears normal," Angela told him. "Even his brain activity checked out. It really is a miracle. But I think what saved him from any neurological damage from the lack of oxygen was his unique make-up. His body must have sensed the danger when he had turned human and his heart and respiration were not working. So, his body must have instinctively stayed in some sort of mid-morph state. It helped his brain and human body to withstand going without oxygen for so long. But his core clearly became dormant, too, to prevent any further damage to it from the venom." She then added with a small smile, "With all due respect, medically speaking, you both really are extraordinary."

But then she sighed and continued more soberly. "Still, the near-death experience has left his core very weak, as I mentioned. It will probably continue to slowly recover on its own. But there is no way to tell as he is now. As long as he is human, we cannot know if his core's regenerative properties or anything else were affected by all the stress. We won't know if… there has been any permanent damage to it until he turns ghost again and his core fully activates…."

"When should I attempt to get him to turn back?" Vlad questioned quietly and worriedly.

"Well, the only reason his weak core is having no affect on him now is because it is dormant," she explained. "But if his core is fully awakened, it might not be very pleasant for the prince—he could even faint from it. So, it is best to wait at least two more weeks before trying anything."

Vlad frowned with even more worry. Of course, his son's health came first, but he didn't know if he could afford staying here any longer, let alone two weeks….

As if reading his thoughts, Anĝela added, "I know things are very critical now, and like you, I wish you and the Prince could return this very day; but for his well-being, you should wait."

"Yes… that does come first," Vlad said with a sigh. "What about his legs? Will he be able to walk?"

"Eventually," she answered. "I did check his nerve response in his legs, too, and all is normal. He just needs to start using them, so they can grow stronger. I would say before the two weeks are up, he should be walking—That is, if you can convince him to do so."

She pulled out two hand-sized boxes from her coat, and gave them to Vlad. "These are a mixture of energy enhancers, vitamins, and a healing potion. I would have preferred to administer it as shots, but we don't want to add any more stress than necessary to your son, especially in his delicate state. Unfortunately, there is no medicine for emotional wounds but time, love, and support. "

Vlad didn't reply, but opened one of the boxes and smiled when he saw they were _Glacio Sukeraĵo_: his son's favorite fruit treat. The cherry-like fruit was coated in a thick sugary ice layer, while inside the fruit, it had a liquid center. To a human, the ghostly food would never give any nutritional value. But for him and his son, because they were also ghost, it gave some sustenance—just not as much as human food. But the treat would now serve its purpose, which was to get Daniel to ingest the medicines his core needed.

"As I said, since I cannot inject the medicine into his body, the next best thing is oral medication," Anĝela continued. "Fortunately, I thought of bringing these. I simply injected the medicines inside the fruit. Give your son two a day. I already gave them to him now. He didn't even taste the difference. So, he should be more than happy to take these. Of course, since it has to go through his digestive system and he is in his human body, the medicines will take longer than normal to be absorbed by his core. And it is very likely his core will only absorb part of the medications since it's dormant. But that is why I have doubled the dose. So, that should make up for it."

Vlad nodded. "I do have a question for you, Anĝela. But it is more in regards to me. You see… from all that happened, Daniel's link with me has been awakened. He can call to me now. But I don't know if it's normal or not; because when he calls me, it's so intense that it physically hurts. I can barely focus."

Anĝela turned thoughtful. "It could partly be because of his and your unique cores. They are more intense in everything they do, _and_ more sensitive to outside sources. There is also the fact that his link is delayed, so it's very much like a broken dam now. It is possible that since he still isn't used to the link, he has no control of how strong he 'presses' on it. Hopefully, it will stabilize after a few more times. If not, let me know, and I'll try to look into that a bit more.

Vlad nodded. "Thank you, Anĝela… for everything."

She smiled warmly. "No need, my King. I am just so happy that—"

"Vlad!" Skulker suddenly interrupted them when he pushed opened the door. "Something is wrong with your son!"

Vlad's eyes widened and he quickly ran back inside the room. He quickly found Danny hunched over on the bed, with his arms wrapped around his stomach as he squirmed uncomfortably.

"Daniel! What's wrong?" Vlad quickly asked, moving next to his son and placing a hand on his back.

Danny whimpered. "I don't know. My belly hurts!" The uncomfortable sensation had suddenly escalated, and now no amount of squirming could relieve it. It was hard to describe what he felt. But he was sure he felt like he was holding onto something and holding it was what was making his stomach hurt.

"What did you feed him?" Anĝela quickly asked.

"I… I gave him a broth and he had a few crackers and water. I didn't want to give him anything strong, but…," Vlad trailed off at a loss. Did he make his son sick?

Anĝela raised an eyebrow when she noticed Danny gripping somewhere lower than his stomach. "Prince… Are you sure it's your stomach that hurts?"

Danny nodded, but then he meekly added, "And… down there."

Vlad looked down at were his son pointed, and his eyebrows instantly shot up. "Oh. Oh!" The man's shoulders suddenly sagged in relief, and he chuckled a bit. "I know what's wrong. I don't know why I did not realize it sooner."

Anĝela and SKulker looked confused. They didn't get what was wrong.

Vlad didn't say anything else, though, and picked up his squirming son. "Come, Daniel. There's… something else you must know about your human body."

Danny continued to grip his stomach the best he could and replied, "What's that?"

"I'll tell you in the bathroom…," Vlad muttered and carried his son off to the toilet to relieve his full bladder. He had forgotten about it since his son had been hooked up to all sorts of tubes; so it wasn't until now that his son needed to use the bathroom on his own.

Skulker finally seemed to realize what was going on when Vlad closed the bathroom door after them.

"I fail to understand what is happening," Anĝela said.

Skulker frowned and replied, "Let's just say the human body can be… disturbing at times."

Anĝela just blinked in confusion.

* * *

Elliot hesitantly walked the castle's corridors towards his father's private room. His mother had told him where his father was, but had reminded him how his father did not like to be interrupted when he was in there. But Elliot just had to see his father now before he lost the nerve to do what he had in mind.

He soon reached the door and gulped. Still, he knocked.

"Who is it?" his father replied from within.

"It is Elliot, Father," the dragon child answered timidly.

There was a brief silence before Aragon at last answered, "Come in."

As Elliot entered, he fleetingly looked around. He could count on one hand the number of times he had come into his father's private room.

"Close the door, Elliot," his father commanded in his usual calm and stern voice. But once the child did as he ordered, Aragon further said, "What is wrong, child? You know I do not like being disturbed while I am here…"

Elliot looked up at his father from his place near the door. He saw how the older dragon—who was in his more human-look as everyone else always was while in the castle—had his eyes lowered and writing something on a scroll paper.

"Forgive me, Father," Elliot whispered, though he took a few steps forward. "I… I just needed to speak with you. It is very important, and could not wait."

Aragon didn't reply and instead continued to write. A minute later, he set his old-style pen down and finally looked at his son. He studied the child's troubled and fearful look before standing up and saying, "Let us take a walk. I think we could both use some fresh air."

Elliot nodded and silently followed his father out of the private room. They continued that way all through their walk down the corridors until they reached the front door of the castle.

But as their servants opened it, Aragon did something quiet unexpected. He grabbed his amulet and removed it, and placed it on his son.

Elliot gasped when the amulet flared red as it rested against his core, and as his father placed a hand on his back and walked them out of the castle, the child instantly felt its power circulate through him. It was both confusing and awing; but the first thing Elliot noticed was that for the first time in his life, he was able to stay in his human-like appearance outside the castle.

"Are you alright?" his father calmly questioned, looking down at his stunned son.

Elliot placed a hand against the amulet as he watched the red flare lower into a softer glow. He then looked up at his father who still had his hand on his back. "I do not understand…"

Aragon surprisingly chuckled. It was indeed rare when his father sounded so relaxed. "What is there to understand, my son? You are eleven years of age. It is time that you begin to accustom to the feel of your family's powerful heirloom. After all, when you become leader of our kin someday, it will be yours to protect and hold. But for now, I simply thought it would be more practical for us to walk in this simpler form… However, if you are uncomfortable…?"

Elliot shook his head. "No, I am fine. It is just new and surprising. I have never been outside in my disguise… "

Aragon nodded. "I know. And it is for good reason, too. You are still young and this simpler form has limitations. So that is why unless I am with you, it is best you remain in your true form. We both know that more than ever the Ghost World is not safe—not even our own land, unfortunately. "

Elliot just nodded; but then a sudden thought hit him and he asked, "How is it that you are in your simple form yet you do not wear your amulet, Father?"

Aragon smirked softly. "I am very powerful, my child. The amulet by now simply enhances my powers. However, I can tap into its own powers even when it is not on my person. So, although you currently wear it, as long as the amulet is close, I can still wield its powers. It certainly keeps it from falling into the wrong hands that way."

However, the dragon leader then lowered his hand from his son's back and gestured for him to follow. As they walked up a hill, Aragon said, "I am glad you have come to me. I had in mind to also speak with you of a few matters. "

"Yes, Father?" Elliot asked.

"Foremost, I wish to apologize to you," Aragon began.

"Father?" Elliot questioned in disbelief. He didn't ever recall a time his father regretted something.

"I feel I have unintentionally hurt you, my son," Aragon continued with a sigh. "Sometimes, it is difficult to have to think as both a leader and a father, you see. I must do what is best for our kin, and it sometimes does mean upsetting you. But now I ask myself, is it right?"

"I understand, Father," Elliot answered. "You must do what is best for our kin. It is the correct choice. I could only hope I am as wise and commendable as you are someday."

Aragon did not reply. He remained quiet for a long moment, and Elliot found his behavior odd. He still wanted to tell his father what he had originally come to say, but he could tell there was something important that his father wanted to say to him, too.

"It is difficult to be forced to keep away from someone about whom you deeply care," Aragon suddenly said as they reached the top of the hill and looked out into the horizon. They could see the steaming geysers from there and the beautiful foliage surrounding the barren and hot area.

"King Plasmius and his wife were like a brother and sister to me at one point," he admitted, and Elliot quickly stared at him in shock. He never thought his father would ever talk to him about his friendship with Phantom's father!

"It is why the Queen's death…," Aragon paused and sighed. "It has made me question a lot of my decisions, Elliot. I cannot help but wonder if I had been a better friend than leader if things would have turned out differently. If I had defended the King as fiercely as you once defended his son against Taur and those other adolescent dragons, perhaps I could have prevented yet another tragedy from happening in my friends' lives…"

Aragon suddenly turned to his son and kneeled down on one knee and placed his hand on the amulet resting over his symbol. Even with it, though, Elliot could feel his father's touch and his core reacted to it.

"I am sorry," the dragon leader said sadly. "I do not know what to believe anymore. I do not even know if I would change my decisions, even when I question them now. But I am certain of one thing, my child: I should have never attempted to make you believe that friendship is a foolhardy concept. I apologize because I have been so focused on being a good leader that I have neglected those I love. Perhaps then it is my fault your brother is gone, too… I was not a good enough father."

"No, Father!" Elliot suddenly exclaimed and quickly wrapped his arms around his father. "It is not your fault! You are a good father! I would not wish for anyone else. I admire you. I… love you." He hugged his father tighter as he assured him, "As I said, _I understand. _As a leader, you must put what is best for everyone over your own desires and emotions. It is a necessary sacrifice, and I respect you for being strong enough to make such decisions. So, please do not say you are not good enough. Not ever!"

Aragon placed his own hands gently around his son, though he was awed by the child's words. He realized then how blessed he was to have such a loyal and loving son. He was already a better ghost than he was. His son would indeed make a fine leader someday.

"You are wise beyond your years, my son," Aragon said quietly before pulling away and smiling. "And you hold a pure soul, which is an even more precious asset." Still on one knee, he pressed forward and kissed his son's forehead before saying, "Do not ever change, Elliot."

Elliot smiled back. His father might be very stern to the point that he could be down-right cold; but it was rare moments like this that reminded Elliot why he loved his father so much and why he looked up to him.

"Phantom is very sick, my son," Aragon suddenly said as he grabbed his son's hands.

Elliot's eyes widened, but it was more out of shock from his father's actual confession than the news about his friend. After all, Elliot had heard the ghost from the kingdom and his father talking. But he could not tell his father that, because he would be in so much trouble for spying and his father would probably tell him no more.

"How… sick, Father?" Elliot asked hesitantly, though he already knew.

"He might die, Elliot," Aragon said sadly. "He was very hurt by the humans, you see."

Even when he had already known the news, Elliot couldn't help the tears that swelled in his eyes. "I do not want him to die, Father. I care deeply about him…"

"I know. And I do not wish for his death, either," Aragon admitted. "Not only is he so young, but it would break the King's core, especially when he has already lost the Queen. But I do have a reason for sharing this news with you. I have thought deeply about all that is happening, and I have come to realize that… I want to try to make things right for you." Aragon paused before further saying, "I give you my word that if the Prince and King make it through this that I will try to fix things with the King so you two may be friends. "

Elliot's eyes went wide. "Truly?"

Aragon nodded. "I do not believe or trust in the kingdom, but I do know King Plasmius. I should have believed in him from the beginning. It should have been enough."

Elliot wrapped his arms around his father again, and whispered, "Thank you, Father! I will pray that the Prince survives. He will! He is strong! I know it!"

Aragon didn't reply. He was still uncertain of his decision, but he was willing to try. He wanted to make his son happy again. He wanted to try to be a good friend again. He owed his son that much. He owed… Desiree that much.

"There is something I must tell you, too, father…," Elliot said hesitantly, pulling away.

Aragon nodded and stared expectantly.

But Elliot looked away and fidgeted with his hands. He was afraid of his father's reaction. It had never been good in the past. But he had to try. At least one last time…

"Father, I know it is hard to imagine, but I need you to believe me. Please believe me, Father," Elliot pleaded.

"Of course, Elliot. Now what has you so upset?" Aragon asked curiously.

"Gregory," Elliot whispered. "Father, he is alive. I am certain of it. And… he is in grave danger."

Aragon instantly stood up before he sighed deeply and placed a hand to his forehead. "Oh, Elliot. Not this again…"

"Father, you must believe me!" Elliot begged him. "I am not delusional! I am not having mere dreams! It is real! What I am seeing is real! Father, I have visions of him! Our telepathic connection remains intact! I-I saw him when he was with Phantom when the white hunters were hurting him!"

"What?" Aragon asked, sounding frustrated and confused. "What does your deceased brother have to do with the Prince?"

"I-I don't know!" Elliot muttered, closing his eyes as he felt his head begin to throb. "I think… I think the same hunters that hurt the Prince have Gregor."

"Elliot," Aragon said firmly."If that was so, then it is all the more reason to accept that your brother is gone. _Think_, Elliot! If they killed the Queen and brutally harmed the Prince what makes you believe they would spare your brother for _nearly seven years?_ Why would humans keep a ghost alive for any amount of time, let alone a child who would be of very little use to them in terms of ghost energy?"

Elliot shook his head. "I… I do not know. I am confused about all this, too…"

"Yes, Elliot, you are confused," Aragon answered soberly. "You need to accept that your brother is gone. Please, child. Can you not understand it hurts me to see you so intent on something so impossible?"

"Father, you must trust me. No one but you can save Gregor!" Elliot said with tears in his eyes. He was tempted to tell him that the hunter from the Kingdom was planning to kill Gregor; but if he said that to his father, he would be too angry to even hear him. His father was never good at listening to reason when he got furious. So, Elliot knew he had to convince him without telling him that. His father _had_ to believe him!

"Please!" he continued to beg. "Gregor **is** alive, but he might not be alive for much longer if you do not believe me and help him!" But when his father did not reply, Elliot closed his eyes and suddenly screamed, "WHY WILL YOU NOT BELIEVE ME?!"

Aragon was taken aback by his son's shout, and at any other time, he would have severely punished him. But the anguish in the child's voice was so shocking. His son _really was_ convinced his brother was alive…

Aragon sighed and looked away, staring out into the darkening horizon. They would have to go back in soon. The portal formations were more unpredictable than ever without Desiree around…

"Elliot," Aragon finally said, but when his son did not look at him and instead choked on a sob, he said more firmly, "Look at me, Elliot." The child stared up with tears in his yellow eyes. His father regarded him for a moment and said, "Alright. I am going to believe you. I am going to go to the human world and look for your brother."

Elliot choked back more sobs before saying, "Thank you! Thank you, Father!"

But much to his surprise, his father leaned forward and cupped his chin in one hand and seriously added. "However, if I find nothing, you will forget about this. You will put an end to all these wild claims. I do not ever want to hear a word on this subject again. Do you understand me, Elliot?"

Elliot nodded. "Yes, Father."

Aragon nodded before letting go of his son's face. "Alright. Come, then. It is best we return. Dinner will be served shortly."

Elliot nodded, but wrapped an arm around his father's waist. "I love you," he repeated.

Aragon sighed deeply, his tense body relaxing a bit. "And I love you, my son."

Elliot smiled up at his father before they began their walk down the hill. But as they did, his father turned their conversation to something lighter, "So, tell me, Elliot. How is Ruĝa?"

Elliot resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing full well why his father was so interested in the dragon girl. Still, he answered him all the same.

* * *

Danny stared unhappily at his reflection on a dresser mirror across the room. No matter how many times he saw his human appearance, he could not accept that it was he. If the reflection did not move when he did, Danny would have not even believed it was he. It wasn't that he looked all that different, but that… he didn't look right. He also felt wrong. His body was heavy, almost sluggish. He felt too warm and… weak? He didn't really understand that because he was slowly feeling better and better. So, the weakness he felt had nothing to do with his health. He just… felt strange without the feel of his ghost energy at his fingertips.

The only time he felt anything ghostly now was when his father touched him or vice-versa. His core still reacted to touch like it did when he was a ghost, but other than that, he felt so weak… so _human_.

He didn't like the feeling.

Danny sighed quietly and shifted his gaze to his father who was currently sitting in front of him and messaging his legs. Anĝela had said his legs needed to be stimulated and he should try to slowly start trying to use them. Danny still didn't like the idea. Perhaps not so much because it meant _walking_—and not flying—but because of _what_ it really meant. It meant feeling even more human. And he didn't want that. He was confused and disturbed enough.

Danny's face scrunched in distaste as he remembered what had happened earlier today that had been _really_ disturbing to him. He never thought he would find his own body to be _so strange._ But this human body was! He had no idea why humans leaked… down there. But his father had explained that humans didn't digest everything they ate, so their bodies had the means of eliminating what they didn't need… His father had said it was a natural process. Danny just thought it was plain gross. He really wanted to be a ghost again. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go back to where things made sense again!

Danny sighed this time and looked back at his reflection. But suddenly his father tickled his feet and Danny jumped and giggled.

"Hey!" Danny said with a small smile, quickly forgetting his thoughts—just like Vlad had intended.

"Opps. My bad, Daniel," his father replied innocently, though he was smirking.

"You did that on purpose," Danny accused with a playful glare.

"What? I would never," Vlad protested, and then tickled his feet again.

Danny giggled louder this time and reached forward to grab his father's hands. "Stop, Daddy!"

"It's not my fault you're ticklish, now is it?" Vlad replied, tickling him again.

Danny squeaked and tried to wiggle his feet away from his father's hands. "No more!" he said with another laugh.

Vlad finally stopped and regarded him with a small smile. "Okay… Time for bed, then?"

Danny frowned, his lighter mood vanishing as quickly as it had come. He let go of his father's hands and began to draw circles on the mattress, before quietly replying, "I'm not sleepy…"

"I think you are," Vlad answered, watching his son's behavior. He hated seeing this new fearful and withdrawn side of him. It just simply wasn't like him.

"What if I have a bad dream again?" Danny whimpered.

"I will wake you up," his father answered calmly.

Danny didn't answer right away. But then he looked at his father, and asked, "When can we go home? I don't like it here."

Vlad sighed this time. "I told you, Daniel. We have to make sure you are fully recuperated. Then, I'll teach you how to change into a ghost again, and we can go home."

"But how long will that be?" Danny questioned anxiously.

"I hope no more than two weeks," Vlad answered. "Just be patient, alright? Besides, there are nice things here, too. Why don't you try to enjoy them? You might find things are not so bad here if you give them a chance…"

Danny shook his head before abruptly glaring at the older half-ghost. "You're confusing me, Father! You said there was nothing good here—that the human world had nothing to offer us!—and now you're saying something else!" Becoming even more frustrated, Danny added more angrily, "I don't care about this place! I don't like it here! It's too confusing! I just want to **go home!** I want to see Ember and Cujo! I don't want to be scared and confused anymore! I don't want to be human! I just want everything to go back how it was! I want… " Danny abruptly halted his rant, though his face melded into grief_. "I want my mommy,"_ he thought internally.

Vlad's eyebrows creased. Even if they were not going to be here long, he knew he needed to finally explain a few things to his son. At least if he understood, maybe things wouldn't be so bad for Daniel.

The man suddenly stood, and Danny quickly looked up at him.

Extending his arms, Vlad said, "Come here. I want to show you something…"

Danny blinked but still leaned forward and allowed his father to pick him up. But after doing so, Vlad also grabbed one of the blankets off of the bed.

"Wait," Danny said when his father turned to leave. The boy pointed at his toy on the bed, asking, "Can I bring Badgy?"

Vlad smiled. "Of course."

Danny grinned when his father gave him his new toy. He was quickly growing fond of the strange, fluffy and squeaking toy—even if it was a human one.

Vladimir quietly walked out of his son's room and went down a hallway Danny had never been in before. But when his father continued down more and more hallways, the child asked, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see in a moment," his father replied.

Danny frowned, but didn't reply. His eyebrows creased when they stopped at a set of small stairs. But his father only paused briefly before climbing them. At the end was a door and he opened it up.

Danny didn't know it, but he was now inside a large attic. All the child knew was that it was dark and scary. He quickly clung harder to Vlad and buried his face in his father's chest.

The half-ghost millionaire sighed for some reason, but just patted the child's back. He went to a window at the end of the attic and opened it up. He stepped out into a small veranda, located on the very top of the chalet.

"Look, Daniel," Vlad said as he stepped further out.

The child could feel a cool breeze caressing his exposed skin, and he dared to peek at where they were. But in that instant, different smells invaded his senses, and he found himself breathing them in. They were such new scents. But it was pleasant like when he would walk into the castle's garden; but it wasn't as overwhelming. It smelled so fresh. He could even smell the moisture in the cool air, mixed with something else he didn't know.

"It's pine, my boy. A type of tree," Vlad suddenly said, as if reading his son's thoughts. "This place is surrounded by them… See?"

Danny finally turned his head to fully look at where they were and instantly gasped in awe. They were so high up! And there were so many trees! But they weren't glowing or purple like he was use to. They were green and brown and spread so far that they were lost in the sea of darkness around them. But the darkness wasn't scary, like it had been for him since he had been in the Human World—the darkness was now captivating. Above him, he could see glowing orbs that twinkled and danced within their dark blanket. But there was also this huge white orb, bigger than the rest giving just enough light to illuminate the tree tops and make the other little orbs twinkle more. From where they stood so high up, it almost felt as if he could reach up and grab one…

"It… It's so… pretty," Danny whispered. "What is it, Father?"

"They are like the Energy Novas at home. The big orb is called the moon," Vlad explained with a small smile. "The smaller ones are stars. They give light at night, just like the sun gives it in the morning here… And past them are many more wonders… The heavens are a mystery, Daniel… It's what makes it so beautiful—a beautiful sight only seen in _this_ world."

Danny nodded, but just continued to stare at the sky in awe.

Vlad sighed deeply before he looked down and found a good place for them to sit down. Once they were comfortably seated, he grabbed the blanket and draped it over his son. He didn't want him to get sick, after all. It's the last thing they needed right now.

They were quiet for a moment, and Vlad just watched Danny stare at his surroundings. For the first time, the boy was showing something other than fear and disdain for the Human World… Regardless of how evil humans could be, Vlad didn't want Daniel to hate this world. After all, in all his time here, the millionaire had come to see how special it was in its own way.

But more importantly, he couldn't allow his son to hate humans, when they were part of him. Even Vlad had never hated humans in the past—he had disliked them greatly, yes. But he had never _hated_ them. Now, however, he felt this darkness growing in him, but he was trying to keep it subdued. It just wasn't right to hate them—and if he could help it, he would at least keep his son from knowing such a dark emotion.

"Daniel," Vlad said quietly, lightly resting his chin on his son's head. "I have so much to tell you… to explain to you…" He paused, clearly trying to find where to begin. "I… I know I have said nothing good can be found in this place. I know I have said it has nothing to offer us; and I know it is hard to accept all that is happening… But, there is more than I have told you… I just never told you because I never thought you needed to know. I… never thought you would be here…. that you would ever be human…"

Danny tensed at being called that, and he turned slightly to look at his father. "I'm not human, Daddy. I'm not. I'm a ghost."

Vlad's eyebrows creased. "You _are_ a ghost, Daniel. But you are also human—like me. We are both. The only two human-ghost hybrids in existence…"

"But… But humans are evil," Danny whimpered. "I didn't believe it before, but now I know it's true… And… I-I don't want to be evil."

"Oh, my son," Vlad said with a deep exhale. "You will never be evil. That has nothing to do with being human or ghost—or both. You see, humans are evil to us because they hate ghosts. And to some extent, their hate is justified… Do you remember the story I told you about my uncle and Aragon—Elliot's father?"

Danny nodded.

"I told you he was an evil King. But he didn't just hurt ghosts, Daniel, he hurt humans, too. Humans fear us, Daniel. They fear the unknown. They fear what can hurt them—and in this case, _has_ hurt them in the past."

"But that wasn't us, Daddy! It was your evil uncle! We didn't do anything to them, so why did they hurt us? Why did they hurt my mommy?" Danny asked, his voice quivering a bit with his escalating emotions.

Vlad shook his head. "There is no reason for what they did to us. Fear is a dangerous thing, my son. It hurts and destroys. It leads humans to do unspeakable things. It kills, Daniel. It is true evil. But…," Vlad placed a hand on his son's chest, but didn't turn his hand intangible to touch him. "—there is something more important I want you to understand. I want you to understand what _we_ are. And it all started back when my uncle was King. You see… he was very power-hungry, and he wanted to make sure no one could ever be as powerful a king as he. So, he cursed the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire—the royal relics. You remember them?"

Danny nodded, having heard of them many times in school and from other ghosts.

"When I put them on to defeat him, it was supposed to have killed me; but by some miracle, it did not… The curse… It instead made me part-human…," Vlad explained. "I didn't like it at first, either. I hated it, in fact. But… your mother… She taught me something very important…"

Danny could see his father's eyes glistening with emotion, and for the first time, the child realized he wasn't the only one hurting with his mother's lost.

"What she teach you, Daddy?" Danny asked quietly, placing his own hand against his father's chest, though he was disappointed when he felt nothing because of their clothing.

Vlad swallowed before answering quietly, "She taught me that what I had become physically did not change what I was inside. It did not change my soul, Son. It has not changed _our_ souls. You are still you—no matter if you are a ghost or a human or both. Your mother knew that you and I were half-human, Daniel, and she loved us all the same. So, then you see, we cannot hate what we are. We must _embrace_ it. We must use it for the better of those that depend on us. We cannot think of it as a curse, but as a gift, my son. We hold in our hands the ability to change the world—both human and ghost alike. We are special, Daniel. You, my son, are destined for great things, and _what you are_ is a gift—as your mother once told me. Do you understand?"

Danny nodded. He looked down thoughtfully for a moment, but soon turned his eyes back to his father and asked, "You said the crown and ring made you half-human, Daddy. But what about me? I have never put them on before…So, how did I become half-human?"

Vlad almost tensed, and he was suddenly glad his son could not feel him or he would have sensed his fear and uncertainty. But then the man looked away. He knew what he should do. He should just tell his son the truth.

It was what he had promised his wife.

She had made him to promise that if Danny ever found out that he was half-human that they would tell him the whole truth… But… how could he possibly do that now? How could he give his son even more devastating news…? How could he risk losing his son when he had just lost his wife?

"_I cannot do it,"_ Vlad thought. _"I'm sorry, Desiree. I cannot. I cannot keep my promise. I cannot risk losing Daniel when I have already lost you…"_

"Daddy?" Danny asked, confused at his father's sudden silence.

"It is difficult to explain…," Vlad muttered, though he didn't look at his son. "My change… It's down to the molecular level. The change is in our DNA—that is what makes us what we are… So, when you were formed… you…"

He had to lie. He had to do it. There was no other way…

Vlad hesitated for a moment longer before looking at his son and saying, "You got it from me… When you were formed, your mother and I found out you were also half-human…"

Danny's eyes widened, but then he frowned in uncertainty. He really did not want to be human; but… at least he wasn't so confused anymore. Still, it was scary to know he was half of what had… hurt his mommy… His father had said what they were was a gift; but if it was true, he couldn't see how it was. He just didn't know what he felt anymore. All he knew was the thought of humans—and being one— both frightened and repulsed him now… He felt so angry, too, and he didn't really understand at what or whom he was angry…

"I'm sorry for not telling you before," Vlad then said a bit louder. "I just… I never thought you would have to come here. But now that you have, now that you know that we are half-human, I want you to understand that it doesn't make you any less ghost or any less 'you'. We will always be ghosts. We will always belong in _our_ world, because that is _our home._ And our ghost half will always be our _true_ form. We are ghosts, _first;_ but we have to also accept the human part of us. Understand?"

Danny nodded.

"But while we are human, we can enjoy the good things here, too—because there _are_ good things here, too, my son. There are very beautiful things, as you can now see for yourself. The human world might have nothing to offer us as ghosts, but it can offer us many things as humans. And being able to see its natural wonders is one of them."

Danny glanced out at the starry sky and smiled. He might still be unsure of what his father had said about them being half-human and humans in general, but he had to agree with his father about this: the Human World really was a pretty place….

Danny suddenly yawned before he turned and leaned against his father. He felt better now that he understood a bit more of why he was the way he was, and it made him feel even more relieved to know he wasn't the only one—that his father was half-human, too. At least, it meant he didn't have to face the scary notion alone.

Danny turned slightly to rest his face against Vlad's arm before whispering, "I love you, Daddy. Don't leave me ever, okay?"

"I won't…," Vlad answered. "Just don't leave me. I would die without you. I love you too much to ever be without you…"

The man looked up at the sky and added, "And don't worry. Your mother will always be with you, too, watching over you—protecting you."

Danny felt his eyes swell with tears, but he just nodded. He knew his mother had said that to him, too; but the child could not help but wonder… Was it really true? Would his mother still love him and watch over him even when it was his fault she was gone?

If only Danny knew his father was thinking something along the same lines about himself…

He had just broken his promise to his wife… How could Desiree love him now?

"_I'm sorry, Desiree…,"_ Vlad thought again. _"I don't know what my soul will do without its mate now, but… I do know it will die if I lose our son… And I could not bear to lose you both. I'm sorry…"_

* * *

**I know a lot of you are wondering when we will have a time jump, and have Danny grow up. I promise we are slowly getting there. But as I've said before, this first part of this story is what makes the second part. So, be patient. We still have a few chapters to go. Hopefully, you enjoy all the Danny and Vlad bonding, and all the plot building. **

**Anyways, don't forget we are having a 'ask the characters program' at the Hidden Pearl Club over at DA. Next up is Serenity and Stephanie. So, if you are curious to know more about them—pass what you might learn from the actual stories—head over there and ask your questions.**

**Lastly, I did ask over at my last Endgame update how you all prefer the updates between this story and Endgame. So, I'll ask it here again, in case there are some who read this story and not Endgame. Would you all like me to continue updating two DoaS chapters for every one of Endgame? Or, do you all prefer, one for one?**

**Well, thank you all for reading, and your reviews! Even if I can no longer respond to most, I appreciate each one! I appreciate everyone's support more than I could ever express! Until next time, my dear readers!**

**Ta!**


	41. Ch 39: Desp Times Call for Desp Measures

**Hello, dear readers. Sorry for the delay. It seems as time goes by, it gets harder and harder for me to update on a regular basis. But at least I do update, and the chapters are mad long. So, hopefully that will make it up since this chapter could easily be three chapters. **

**On another note, I did ask you all about my update system and turns out most of you prefer DoaS, so it'll continue to be two to one. However, for those EG fans, I won't leave you completely out in the cold. I will from time to time change it up, okay? So, no sad faces! Heheh! **

**Okay, enough talk. Enjoy the chapter. It has A LOT in it, so happy reading. See you at the bottom.**

* * *

**Chapter 39: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures**

* * *

Gregor sat in his room, staring solemnly at the dragonfly toy on his lap. To say he was upset was an understatement. Not only had he ended up unconscious for three days from the hunter ghost's attacking him, but also for the past two weeks, he had been unable to speak. Whatever that ghost had shot down his throat that night to block his fire breath had severely damaged his vocal cords, too.

On top of that, his master was furious at him for sneaking out. But as soon as he had woken up, Tom had ordered him to return to his human-disguise and had taken him away from his master. He had not seen Freakshow since then, but Gregor knew that as soon as he went back he was going to get it.

Tom had not said much in the past two weeks. He had just been monitoring him closely. The man did want to know what happened, but since the dragon ghost could not talk, the ghost hunter had dropped his questioning him.

In some ways Gregor was glad he could not talk since he was still shaken up about what happened and did not want to relive the experience by retelling it. Plus, he was still having a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that Tom had saved his life. Well, maybe it had not been the first time, and Gregor had helped the man out himself that one time Phantom had slashed his face; but he hated the feeling of _needing_ the man—or even at times feeling something else besides hate for him.

Sadly, the ghost dragon's life had never been easy. It had never been simple, even when he had always wished it were. But the worse of it was that for the past two weeks, he had been unable to see his only friend who made him feel normal and wanted. Valerie had to be so upset. She was all alone, and she had no way of knowing why he had stopped showing up when he had been coming to see her every night…

He couldn't even go see her now that he was better. Tom had prohibited him from doing so anymore. At least, until the man said otherwise.

Gregor felt tears well up in his eyes, but he kept them at bay. He hated crying. Not only did his master prohibit it, but also it made him feel _weak_. But… maybe he _was_ weak. If he was alive now it was only because that hunter ghost decided he wanted a bigger challenge and was going to wait until he was older to exert his revenge. It wasn't fair! It wasn't like he wanted to kill anyone! He was just obeying orders! But, _of course_, no one cared about that or finding out what was going on! The ghosts just blamed him and now he had some crazy hunter ghost trying to kill him!

The ghost boy's green eyes suddenly flash red as he thought, _"Tom and my master are right! Ghosts think they are better than humans, when they're really worse! They think because they have these powers that they can do whatever they want! They just try to waste anything that threatens them just because they can! I __**hate**__ them. __**I hate ghosts!"**_

Gregor gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. He knew if someone heard him, they would think he was nuts for hating his own kind. But he had long since stopped feeling like one of them, and all they had ever brought him was grief. They were so primitive and narrow-minded. At least humans thought outside the box, and if _they_ hated ghosts, it was because the ghost race had it coming with all the attacks and killings they were responsible for in the past. Ghosts were stupid to think people would just forget about that. They were mindless creatures to think they could go on with their miserable lives in peace after everything they had done. Well, now they were going to pay for their stupidity!

Gregor hoped the humans killed every last one of those **demons**!

The boy's eyes widened and he tensed when he instantly realized his last thought! Oh God. He was beginning to sound like Tom!

Gregor pressed his face into his toy and whimpered; but he then was surprised when he heard his voice for the first time in two weeks! The boy wrapped a hand around his throat and tried to say something. He cringed at the pain, but his voice came out scratchy and hoarse.

He quickly thought back to last night. Tom had injected him with that clear ghost energy he had taken from Phantom. It had hurt as much as it had the first time. At least the hunter had waited until he was strong enough to bear the pain; but Gregor realized it might have been worth it. He had his voice back!

Sadly, there was one part of him that he was sure would not fully recover…

He looked at his bandaged arm with a worried frown. The wound had healed for the most part now, but he had a chunk missing from his upper arm—a sign that there was a piece missing from his wing…

Right then, Tom suddenly walked in with a tray of food, and Gregor instantly looked over at him.

"Oh, good. You're awake. Here's your breakfast," Tom said causally as he placed the food tray on the bed in front of the ghost kid.

The man then grabbed a seat and sat backwards on it, like he usually did.

Gregor looked down at the food and saw it was eggs, bacon, and French toast. The good thing about being at Tom's was that he did not have to eat raw ghost flesh for nourishment. The man simply added a dose of ghost energy and ectoplasm into the food so that his ghost body could absorb the nutrients.

But briefly ignoring his glowing food, Gregor just grabbed his glass of glowing green juice and slowly drank it.

Tom had his arms resting on the chair's back as he looked at his schedule on his PDA. He had a few things on his agenda today, and he needed to fit Gregor into it…

"After breakfast, we are going to headquarters. We need to check out how your real form is healing…," Tom muttered. But then he lowered the PDA, and looked directly at the boy, asking, "How are you feeling? Did the regenerative energy help any?"

Gregory, who had begun to eat his breakfast, swallowed his food and hesitated. But he then opened his mouth, and answered in a raspy voice, "Kinda. My voice is coming back…"

Tom instantly grinned, much to Gregor's surprise. But then the man got off the seat and moved to sit beside him on the bed. "Now, that's good news!" the hunter said, but added with a smirk, "I was beginning to think I would never hear anymore of your sarcastic remarks."

Tom chuckled; but Gregor just stared at him weirdly. "_Whatever_," the boy thought before turning back to his meal.

But when Tom didn't move from right next to him and just continued to watch him with this creepy smile on his face, Gregor felt his eyes flash red in growing annoyance and uncertainty. He soon couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay, seriously? What is it with you?" Gregor snapped as best he could, glaring at the man.

Tom raised an amused eyebrow. "I'm just glad you are getting better at last. Do you have a problem with that?" he retorted.

"Uh, yeah," Gregor answered with annoyance. "Since when do you care about anyone's wellbeing, especially a _ghost's_?"

Thomas rolled his eyes; but then he suddenly wrapped an arm around the boy and pulled him towards him. Gregor yelped in alarm; but he froze when the man answered, "But you're more than a ghost to me, Gregor. I thought you knew that by now. Remember? We discussed this."

Gregor finally was able to react and pushed the man away from him. "Yeah, I know. I'm your weapon or whatever. I just didn't know you got all clingy with them!"

Tom suddenly laughed loudly. "See? I missed that! Aside from being my best weapon, you, Gregor, make my day all the more enjoyable," he said, ruffling the boy's hair.

Gregor pushed his hand away and grumbled, "Goody for me."

Thomas chuckled again, but then he sobered up, "All joking aside, I am also glad to hear your voice has returned because now you can tell me what happened."

Gregor instantly tensed. He looked down at his unfinished food and began to move it around with his fork.

"I know it was a ghost," Tom pressed. "That much was certain to me. Did it say why he attacked you? Was he sent by the King?"

The dragon kid just shook his head.

"No, what?" Tom asked seriously. But when the boy didn't answer, the man reached forward and grabbed the child's wrist, stopping his nervous movements with the fork. "Answer me, Gregor," he commanded.

The dragon ghost felt his throat and chest constrict with fear. He did not want to talk about what happened, because it had really frightened him. But Tom was giving him no choice.

"I-I… He didn't say the King… s-sent him. H-He said… I-I killed his sister at the pier that day, and that… that he was g-going to k-kill me for it…" Gregor swallowed before he continued, his voice quickly growing louder, "I tried to fight back, but… b-but he was so fast and strong! I-I did not even see him coming! He had all these ghost weapons and they were so powerful!"

Tom's eyebrows rose up. "Ghost weapons? Since when does a ghost use weapons instead of its own powers?" he asked in surprise. Well, he had seen ghosts in the past with relics and other weapons that enhanced their powers; but for a ghost to have so many and use them solely? It was strange.

Gregor shook his head. "I-I don't know. He didn't look like any ghost I'd seen! He… He was like a… robot. He was inside an armored body… If he hadn't been glowing and if he hadn't had flaming green hair, I… I would have thought he was some human hunter… But he wasn't!"

Tom frowned, though he stayed quiet this time… Something about the ghost's physical description seemed familiar… Could the ghost that had attacked Gregor have been the same one Plasmius had saved from his facility the first time they met over a decade ago? But… that dying and decaying ghost had barely had a body left, let alone did he wear any sort of armor suit… But he _had_ been some hunter of sort with flaming green hair…

Pushing his thoughts away since he wanted to get more information about what had happened, Tom asked, "How did you escape?"

Gregor's voice choked up this time as he answered, "I-I didn't! He let me go…"

"What?" Tom asked, confused. Why would a ghost set on killing his 'weapon' just let him go?

"He could have killed me, but… h-he… didn't. He said that he was a ghost of honor, and that it wouldn't be right to kill a kid. But… But he said that he was going to come back for me. He swore when I was older he was going to come back and… finish it. He swore he was going to... to kill me!"

Tom's eyes were wide in disbelief and perhaps even a little fear.

Gregor was shaking by now, and he could no longer keep at bay the tears. He was so scared! He had never been so afraid in his life!

"Tom…," he whimpered. "I thought he was going to kill me. He was _so strong._ He's… He's going to kill me, Tom!" Unable to take it anymore, the child suddenly flung himself at the hunter and began to sob, saying, "Please, help me! Don't let him kill me! I-I don't want to die!"

The 'GiW' leader was utterly shocked by both what he was hearing and the ghost child's desperation and fear. But that shock soon melded into pity and slight regret.

The man sighed as he placed a hand on the crying child's back and muttered, "This was why I wanted no witnesses that day. Figures that the only adult ghost that managed to escape that day comes back with a vengeance… But I suppose this is somewhat my fault, too. I should have not assumed you could defend yourself when you had no prior experience in a real battle situation…"

Tom sighed again, but then lowered his gaze to the dragon ghost and assured him, "You have nothing to fear. This demon isn't going to harm you again, because I am going to find him first and kill him myself."

Gregor slowly pulled away from the man enough to look up at him. "But… he's _really_ strong, Tom. He was really good!"

Tom narrowed his eyes. "We'll see about that. But just in case, we are going to prepare."

Pulling completely away, Gregor wiped his tears and shakily answered, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Gregor, that I am going to teach you how to fight," Tom assured him with a small daring smile.

The dragon ghost frowned. "But… how can you do that when you don't have ghost powers and couldn't know how to teach me to use them?"

Tom chuckled. "You do not need ghost powers to defeat opponents more powerful than you. What you need is skill and cunning. I am going to teach you to fight like a _hunter_. If this ghost is indeed a hunter himself, then I am going to teach you to be a better one than him. Get it?"

Gregor nodded, but he still looked unsure.

"In the meantime, we cannot ignore your growing powers," Tom continued. "I have talked with Frederick, and we have an idea on how to help you improve your ghost abilities…. But all in good time, Gregor. First, we need to make sure you fully recover."

The ghost boy nodded again, but then looked away. He was still afraid. Even if he got better at fighting, that hunter-ghost could…

"Gregor," Tom suddenly called, grabbing his chin to get the boy to look at him. He then assured him firmly, "Nothing is going to kill you. Not as long as I'm around. Believe me, if this demon shows up again, I will put a bullet through his core before he can _even think_ of touching you again."

Gregor just stared back; but what was more impacting than the man's words was that the dragon ghost believed him. He believed Tom could keep him safe. He suddenly realized that he didn't really need someone to care about him. He just needed someone to _protect_ him.

So… maybe being the man's weapon wasn't as bad as he thought. In some way, it brought him and Tom to an unspoken mutual agreement. A weapon was meant to protect the user, and the user kept it safe and close to him at all times in return…

They needed each other. Gregor was beginning to not mind that so much. They might not emotionally care for one another, but he and Tom protected each other. They benefited each other.

Survival. That's what truly mattered. It finally made sense to the boy. What he had with Tom was simple.

And Gregor liked simple.

* * *

Danny stood nervously on his own feet, though he was holding onto his father's hands tightly.

"Good. Now come towards me," Vlad said in an encouraging voice.

Danny swallowed, his eyes glued to his shaking legs as he took small steps forward, while his father slowly moved back.

The boy had quickly learned two things about using his legs: one, it took too much concentration to make them move correctly; and two, it was _tiring_. Flying was so much simpler; and unless he was trying to go fast, it was effortless.

He really hated walking. But he had no choice here.

"I'm going to let go of your hands. You ready?" Vladimir asked.

Danny nodded, but he was still fearful. He always ended up falling at this part. As his father let go and took a few steps away, Danny stopped moving and just stood unsteadily on his feet. He focused on making them stop shaking so much; and it was only after he managed it somewhat that he tried to take a step forward.

He braced himself when his legs shook, but to his surprise he was staying upright as he continued to take steps all by himself.

"You're walking, little Phantom!" Vlad suddenly beamed, clearly more delighted than Danny himself.

But hearing his father sound so happy, Danny looked up at him and grinned. Suddenly wanting to make his father even happier, he was determined to make it to him. He walked forward, only pausing when he felt his legs shake too much under him. But for some reason, keeping his gaze on his father was making it easier for him to keep going.

He was just two steps away from his father when he was startled by a second voice.

"Well, will you look at that," Skulker said with a small pleased smile on his face.

With the sudden arrival of his uncle, Danny lost his concentration and tripped over his own feet. He yelped as he fell forward, only to be caught by his father, who then picked him up and spun him around in the air.

"That was amazing, Daniel! You did it!" Vlad exclaimed, before bringing him down and hugging him.

Danny, who had briefly been annoyed when he tripped, quickly forgot all about that and giggled at how excited his father was. If he would have known his father was so fascinated by him walking, he would have tried it sooner!

Skulker chuckled; but then crossed his arms and teased, "I cannot imagine your reaction when he learns to run, Plasmius…. You might have a heart attack."

Vlad rolled his eyes at his friend, but then he smiled back at his son. "I'm very proud of you, Daniel."

"Thanks!" Danny answered with a smile.

Skulker moved closer and casually said, "So, pup… I heard Anĝela say that you are finally strong enough to attempt to awaken your core… Are you excited to go home?"

Danny instantly perked up. "Yes! I want to go see Ember and Cujo! And then we can go play at the Forest of Emotions with Lu!"

But Vlad glanced at his friend with a questioning frown. He didn't know why Skulker was bringing this up now. After all, they both knew there was a problem with that:

Danny was unable to change back.

For the past three days, Vlad had been trying to trigger his son's transformation. He tried talking him through it. He tried stimulating the morph by driving blue energy through his son. He had even tried to hold the boy while he transformed himself. But nothing worked. Not even a spark of his energy rings appeared every time they tried.

Anĝela had come yesterday and Vlad told her about all this. She was also worried because Danny _seemed_ to be fully recuperated. But, of course, because he was human and his core was dormant, she could not really check it. For all she knew, the child just needed a bit more time; or worse, his core could be permanently damaged and that was why he could not morph! Unfortunately, there was no way to tell what was going on while the boy was human.

"Well, Ember is looking forward to seeing you, too," Skulker continued, ignoring his friend's look. "In fact, I think we should go see her right now. All we have to do is get you to turn to a ghost again, and I shall take you to her myself."

Danny's excitement instantly vanished. "But… I cannot turn ghost. I've been trying, and I cannot do it! I want to be a ghost again! I do, Uncle Skulker, but nothing happens!"

"Skulker, we have _already_ talked about this," Vlad spoke up, a bit displeased himself that the hunter was purposely upsetting his son. "Besides, he cannot try to change right now. He just did a lot of walking. He needs to eat now."

"No, I really think you should let him try now," Skulker challenged. He looked at Danny and asked, "How about it, pup? Want to give it another try? With my help this time?"

Danny smiled a bit. "Okay."

Vlad stared back unhappily at his friend, refusing to let go of his son. But Skulker frowned in response and said, "I do have a reason for this, Plasmius. You need to trust me."

Vlad sighed in defeat but nodded and handed his son to his friend.

Skulker walked them over to the bed and sat the child down on it. He then kneeled in front of him and said, "Okay, whelp. I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself as a ghost."

Danny nodded, but then he asked, hopeful "Can I imagine I'm with Ember and Cujo, too? And that we are playing at the Forest of Emotions?"

"Of course," Skulker answered with a small smile.

Danny grinned and quickly closed his eyes. But then his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Skulker waited a moment before saying, "Okay, now imagine you are using your ghost energy to… make a sphere to play with…"

Danny's right hand twitched, and Vlad's eyes widened when he saw it glow with green energy. The father quickly moved closer, his breath hitching in his throat. His son had never done that! Could it be that he was going to finally do it? Was he going to finally change back?

Rising to his height, Skulker quietly raised his right arm forward and typed something on the attached PDA system on it. He watched as his instruments began to indicate that the boy's energy signature was beginning to slowly come into radar… So far so good.

The hunter glanced over at Vlad and silently motioned at him to continue…

Vlad swallowed but then said, "Do you feel that, Daniel?"

Danny nodded. He could feel his powers. They were _right there._ Like an itch that he wanted to scratch but could not reach…

"Grab it, Daniel," Vlad softly commanded. "Make it grow. Bring it forward. Let it consume you, my son."

But although the child did as his father said, Skulker could already sense something was wrong. The boy's focus was going to something else, because his heartbeat began to speed up and… he could smell _fear_ rising inside the prince at the same rate as his energy was swelling within his core…

Desperate to stop it before it ruined their efforts, Skulker asked, "Are you still thinking about Ember, child?"

Danny's focus shifted and his fear went back down, but so did his growing energy reading… The boy hesitantly nodded as he tried to remember what he was supposed to be imagining again.

Skulker frowned. Everything so far was supporting his previous suspicions. But he had to make sure.

"Whelp, I want you to imagine the sphere in your hand again; but this time, you have to make it really big so you can throw it at Ember and she can catch it…" Skulker said, going along with the child's imagination.

Danny's ecto-energy returned once again, but now both his hands were glowing green. The feeling inside him grew and he welcomed it until something unwanted swelled along with it.

Danny's heart rate picked up once more; and although Skulker could smell the little hybrid's fear escalating, he did nothing to stop it this time. He had to be sure.

Danny suddenly gripped his chest and his eyes snapped open as he cried out in alarm. "No! No, no!"

Vlad startled as his son crawled forward on the bed and reached towards him. Vlad grabbed him in his arms and worriedly asked, "'No' what, Daniel? What's wrong?"

Danny shook his head and whimpered, "I can't do it! It hurts! I don't want to be hurt!"

Vlad stared over at Skulker as Danny buried his face in his father's chest while shaking and muttering unintelligible things to himself.

"I don't understand," Vlad whispered to his friend, though he finally noticed a trend. Every time his son tried to morph, Daniel always ended up upset. But this episode was the worst one yet.

Skulker stared solemnly at the young hybrid, but replied, "I do…" But he did not elaborate. Instead, he moved closer to Danny and placed a hand on his back. "Calm down, child. You do not have to do anything that hurts."

Danny breathed deeply, though he looked worriedly at his uncle and nodded.

Suddenly thinking of something else, Skulker turned his gaze to a device across the room. Yes, his suspicions had already been proven, but he now wanted to judge _how right_ he was…

Walking over to the large television he had noticed, Skulker grabbed the remote on top of it before turning back to the hybrids. He then asked Danny, "Whelp, look. Has your father shown you this human contraption yet?"

Vlad's eyes widened, perceiving his friend's intention. "Skulker, I do not think that is a good idea… There are… _things_ that Daniel might not like on there… Leave it alone, please."

Skulker didn't reply right away as he thoughtfully studied the younger half-ghost, who was staring curiously at the device in his hand. The hunter already knew that by 'things' Vlad meant the images of humans that would undoubtedly show up on the television. But that was exactly what the hunter wanted the child to see. He wanted to test _just how_ afraid of humans the prince was…

Ignoring his friend's warning, Skulker said, "Whelp, I am going to turn this on, but do not be afraid. None of what you will see is real. It's just a sort of… projection. You know, like those Memory Mirrors back home that project the images in your mind?"

Danny slowly nodded, but Vlad protested, "Skulker, I'm serious. _Do not_ turn it on!"

Skulker frowned. "You cannot just ignore the obvious, Plasmius. This needs to be done," he answered before turning to face the TV and pressing the 'on' button on the control.

Danny jumped when a loud sound came from the large black square that Skulker had pointed the remote at. In a flash of light, an image came on, and the first thing he saw was a human running down a road—towards him.

Danny screamed.

"**Blasted, Skulker!"** Vlad yelled angrily as he moved over to his friend and snatched the remote from him. The older hybrid nervously fumbled with it, trying to turn the TV off and calm his son at the same time. It wasn't working too well.

"Daniel, it's not real! It's just a picture!" he assured him.

But the boy was already shaking and crying, hiding his face in his father's chest

Skulker sighed before grabbing the remote back from Vlad, who still had been unable to hold the remote still enough to operate it. But instead of turning it off, the hunter flipped through the channels until he found an animal documentary about dogs.

"Whelp, look," Skulker said.

But Danny shook his head. That is, until he heard a bark similar to Cujo's. Sniffling, he hesitantly looked at the TV again. His eyes immediately widened at the sight of the creatures on the screen. They sounded like Cujo, but… they didn't really look like him.

"It's not real?" Danny asked quietly, a mixture of fear and curiosity now in his voice.

Vlad sighed to calm his own startled nerves. "As your uncle explained, they are images of real things, but it is all they are: _images_, Daniel. It will not hurt you. There is nothing to be afraid of," he assured his son.

Danny didn't reply as his eyes stayed fix on the TV. He was relieved that there was no human in sight, but he could clearly hear a human voice saying something about the animals on the screen. And although the child could not understand much of it, he continued to watch the dogs with a mixture of wariness and amazement on his face.

"Vlad?" Skulker called quietly; and getting his attention, he gestured silently towards the door.

"I don't think—" Vlad began, only to be cut off by Skulker.

"He'll be fine," the hunter assured the father before taking Danny from him.

Skulker then placed the boy on the bed, and Danny didn't even seem to notice. He was too transfixed by the images on the television.

Skulker then grabbed Vlad's arm and all but dragged him out of the room. Once outside, Vlad yanked his arm from his friend and snapped, "What the blazes is wrong with you, Skulker? Why did you do all that? You know Daniel is emotionally unwell!"

"Precisely," Skulker answered, "And ignoring it is not going to help the matter. I apologize for having to do all that to him, but I needed to be sure."

"Of what? How traumatized he is? I think it's obvious!" Vladimir retorted, still upset.

"I know why he cannot change, Plasmius," Skulker replied, his voice sober but calm. "I had been thinking about your son's inability to morph for the past few days, and this morning something occurred to me. I did all that because I wanted to see if my suspicions were correct… And, unfortunately, they are."

This time, Vlad fell quiet, though he continued to stare at his friend, waiting for an explanation.

Skulker sighed as he glanced towards the mostly closed door right next to them before looking back at the King. "Vlad, the reason your son cannot change has nothing to do with his core. It is his _mind_."

"What?" Vladimir questioned, confused.

"I was monitoring his energy, and his core was easily increasing it to make the change," Skulker continued to explain, "but he grows afraid every time—it is as if he is reminded of how he was hurt as a ghost. His fear is causing a mental barrier, and so he instinctively is not allowing his body to morph."

Vlad stared at him. "But… he _wants_ to be a ghost, Skulker! He is desperate to go home again! It makes no sense!"

Skulker frowned. "Fear can be illogical, especially in a traumatized child. I do not think he realizes what he is doing. But it makes sense if you really think about it. Your son is in an unknown place—_in the place he was hurt._ He subconsciously thinks that being a ghost in the Human World means getting hurt; so his instincts, which are controlling his morphing abilities at the moment, are trying to protect him by 'not allowing him' to turn ghost."

The hunter's eyebrows creased as he asked with more distress, "Do you see? His inability to morph is being caused by his strong fear of humans. You have to break that correlation. That is why you cannot just avoid this! You cannot just continue to keep him away from anything that remotely scares him! If he is ever going to turn back, he needs to get past his fear!"

Vlad pressed a hand against his temple. "Skulker, that could take months. Years! How do I even begin to undo the trauma those wretched humans caused my boy?!"

Skulker shook his head. "I do not know, Plasmius. But we better figure something out; or at this rate, you might never get him home…"

Vladimir closed his eyes as he despairingly whispered. "I have no choice, then. I had hoped things would not come to this but… I cannot afford to stay here any longer. At least, not _here_…"

Skulker's eyebrows creased. "What do you mean?"

Vlad sighed deeply and looked at his friend "I have been giving this a lot of thought, and I think at this point I have no choice but to leave the Rockies. I am out of time, Skulker. Obviously, I am not going to return to the Ghost World without Daniel; but I cannot stay in hiding here any longer… I need to go to Wisconsin. At least there, I can somewhat monitor my human companies and fix things for Vladimir Masters. I might even be able to find out if the human hunters are planning any further attacks against the Ghost World. It is a big risk, but I have no other choice."

Skulker frowned with worry. He knew what it meant if his friend left for Wisconsin. Wisconsin was highly populated and too close to human hunters; so he and Anĝela would have to keep away. The two half-ghosts would be all alone with very little contact with anyone there…

Not only that, but during all of this time the Ghost World continued to fall apart without their leader… He _really_ did not want Vlad to go to Wisconsin.

"What if… What if you forced his transformation?" Skulker suggested hesitantly.

Vlad frowned. "How, Skulker?"

"Anĝela has a spell to somewhat control a ghost's core. Maybe she could awaken it…"

But the human-king shook his head. "It would not be enough to make Daniel change… He would need more than Anĝela's persuasive spell to jumpstart his core. Perhaps a strong charge of ghost energy from an Energy Nova, but… Even _if_ it could work, those do not exactly form around here."

Skulker passed a hand through his flaming hair since he really was hesitating to say what he was thinking. He had been thinking _a lot_ about the Ghost Prince's problem. And he had come up with a less-than-desirable solution to it— but it was a solution all the same…

"What about the Maximus?" Skulker quickly blurted out before he could change his mind.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "You mean the device we made to short-circuit my powers when I first became part human? How will that be of any help?"

Skulker sighed. "Well, we designed it because originally you were unable to turn human, remember? You had no control of your morphing ability, _much like your son now_… So, we designed the device to expel a strong electrical, red energy charge that would temporarily stun your core into dormancy—well, it rendered you unable to change to a ghost for a few hours, but that's beside the point… My point is: what if we _reversed_ the process?"

But the older hybrid looked at him like he was crazy. "You cannot be serious, Skulker."

"Just hear me out, Plasmius," Skulker quickly said. "We could use a blue electrical charge since your son is so young. It would stun your son's heart without harming it; and if we mix it with Anĝela's energy-spell, it could push your son's core to activate. With his briefly stunned heart and increase in ghost energy, he would be forced to instinctively turn into a ghost."

"No, Skulker," Vlad said seriously. "Maybe what you are saying is theoretically possible and very likely to work; but do you really expect me to give my son a pseudo-heart-attack and shock him with painful ghost energy?"

"Well, when you put it that way," Skulker said with an annoyed frown.

"Skulker! That is incredibly painful! I would know!" Vlad exclaimed.

"It would just be a few seconds, Plasmius. He can take it. He's strong enough" Skulker pressed, not letting up on his idea.

"No," Vlad said sternly. "Absolutely not."

"I think you should consider it. At least for the long run…," Skulker said with a troubled look. He also didn't like the idea of having to hurt the child, but how long could his friend keep this up? They were at risk the longer they remained in the Human World—and so was the Ghost World.

Vlad did not reply for a moment. But then he asked, "Is Anĝela coming today?"

"Yes, around dinner time, I believe…"

The man nodded before further asking, "Could you stay with Daniel while I make him lunch?"

Skulker quietly nodded.

Vlad placed his hand on his friend's shoulder before walking off.

Skulker sighed deeply once he was alone. "He wants to go with the Ghost Prince to Wisconsin… This cannot bode well…"

* * *

Later that day Anĝela was with the human-King in the kitchen. She had arrived an hour ago to see how the Prince was doing. But she had found him napping, so she only took his vitals and did a quick check and then just allowed the child to rest.

She quietly watched Vlad busy himself before she finally asked what was on her mind. "Have you told him yet?"

Vlad shook his head as he picked up a hot pan and put it on a food cart, along with other dishes of food that he had prepared and was about to serve for dinner."Not yet…," he answered hesitantly. "But if I am leaving by tonight, I will have to do so soon… Perhaps after dinner."

Anĝela lowered her gaze and fell quiet for a moment. As one of the King's advisors, she was not happy that he was heading into a populated area of the Human World—instead of returning home. But she could understand why he was doing it. She understood that the Prince came first for the father.

"Skulker told me about his suggestion…," Anĝela suddenly whispered before looking up at her leader.

Vlad, who had just placed some plates and utensils on the cart, frowned sadly as he answered, "I cannot do that to him."

Without another word, he grabbed the cart and pushed it forward out of the kitchen.

The female doctor just followed after him as the man took the cart where he and the boy would be eating tonight. But once they arrived, Anĝela hesitantly spoke up again, "I understand your position, sire… But as your advisor and even as your son's doctor, I think you should consider Skulker's idea."

Vladimir turned and stared displeasingly at the female ghost. Why did everyone keep insisting he harm his son?

"I like to think of it as a shot—and you should, too," Anĝela quickly continued before her leader could say anything. "No one likes injections, because they hurt. But the end result is worth the brief pain. Some pains are necessary, my King." Her eyebrows creased in sympathy as she assured him, "I understand you are trying to spare him of anymore suffering, but… _he suffers here._ He wants to return to what he knows—to where he knows he is safe and loved. And after everything, it is what the Prince needs—and I think it is what _you_ need, too. So… "

Anĝela pulled one of her wings forward and plucked a medium-sized feather. She then placed her energy-controlling spell on it before extending the now glowing gold feather at the man.

"C_onsider it_…" she repeated gently.

Vlad looked down at the feather Anĝela was offering him. He knew the spell in it served many purposes—one of them being that it could influence a ghostly core. And he had seen her use it enough times to know how to use it himself…

With a sigh, the father accepted the feather. He was quiet for a moment before saying, "If anything happens, I will return here and call for you."

Anĝela nodded.

Vladimir smiled warmly at her before saying, "I best go check on Daniel. Hopefully he has woken by now. Not to mention, Skulker is with him and it's never wise to leave Skulker with a child for so long… "

The ghost doctor chuckled. "Well, I don't know about that. He's been learning pretty quickly with Ember in his care."

But the older hybrid raised a confused eyebrow before questioning, "Why is Ember in his care?"

Realizing her slip, Anĝela's eyes slightly widened. Her wings ruffled nervously as she attempted to correct her gaffe. "I-I meant, with everything that has happened, he has been watching his niece more closely."

It wasn't a lie; but it also wasn't the actual truth. Skulker had strictly warned her about telling the King about the death of Lydia and Ghostwriter. And although she knew it wasn't correct to keep things from her leader, she understood it was for the best at the moment. Once the King and Prince returned… Well, she was sure Skulker would break the news to them both.

Vladimir looked questioningly at her for another moment before nodding. "Yes, I would think Skulker would try to keep his family closer with the portals now all opened," he said carefully. He wasn't dumb. He knew Anĝela and Skulker were keeping something from him.

But, of course, the King could never imagine the magnitude of it. So, knowing he would find out sooner or later, Vlad just dismissed it.

Without another word, Vlad turned and headed back to his son's room with Anĝela following quietly behind him...

Meanwhile, Skulker had been watching Danny. The child had been asleep for a good hour, but had recently woken up.

At first, though, the little half-ghost had been afraid when he thought that he was alone; but once he saw Skulker was there, he relaxed again. But not for long.

Skulker had turned the television back on, and Danny quickly had hid under his covers when two humans came on talking about something he could not understand: it was the news.

"Pup, I told you, it is not real," Skulker said with a frown, glancing at the child from where he sat beside him on the bed. Well, at least the Prince wasn't screaming this time…

Danny peeked out, but still seeing the humans on the screen, he narrowed his eyes a bit and suddenly hissed at them, baring his normal teeth.

Skulker smirked in amusement. "Whelp, that isn't very human-like…"

Danny shot his uncle a glare before hiding his face back under the covers.

Skulker rolled his eyes before changing the channel. He found another documentary, but this one was about a large cat hunting down a gazelle… Maybe the news was better.

Unfortunately, the noise got the boy's attention and he was already looking. Danny's eyes went wide with horror as he watched one animal eating the other…

"It's eating…," Danny began, but Skulker quickly turned off the TV.

"Maybe Plasmius was right about this contraption…" Skulker muttered.

"It killed the other animal!" Danny whimpered as his eyes began to water at the suddenly triggered unwanted memories.

"Curses," Skulker grumbled, but then said to the human-prince, "It is not like that, whelp… Animals… Well, they are different from us. They do not all eat… non-living things. They eat other animals to survive. It is normal for them. Like humans, they eat animals, too."

"WHAT?" Danny exclaimed, and Skulker cringed.

"I mean…," Skulker said nervously, trying to fix his words "The animals are not _alive_ when they eat them. You know, like the chicken soup you ate last night. It had an animal called a _chicken_, but it's cut up."

Danny's jaw dropped and he stared back horrified.

Skulker's own eyes widened, realizing he had messed up really badly now. "Oh… So, I guess that means your father did not tell you of that yet…?"

Danny burst into tears.

"Whelp, it is a very normal thing in the Human World! Even your badger toy is made after an animal and part of the food chain around here!" Skulker explained.

But Danny only cried harder and said, "Badgy gets eaten? No!"

Right then, Vlad and Anĝela walked in.

And seeing him, Danny wailed out, "Daddy, I don't want to eat animals like Badgy!"

Vlad instantly glared at his friend with glowing red eyes.

Skulker smiled nervously. "Uh… I thought he already knew."

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes to control his anger. He supposed that his son would have found out eventually anyways.

With a sigh, he walked over to his son and picked him up. "Daniel, please stop crying. It is not as bad as it sounds. What your uncle probably failed to explain is that the animals we eat have already passed away. And so that they are not wasted; humans eat them. The human body needs protein, and you get it from animals. See?"

Well, it was not exactly the truth, but he was not about to explain to a seven-year-old who had always been taught to eat non-living things why it was suddenly okay to eat living things; let alone how humans harvested animals in slaughter farms specifically for consumption.

Danny's cries lessened but he whimpered out, "But the animals inside the black box were eating the other alive!"

"Well…," Vlad said, though he shot Skulker another glare at hearing he had had his son watching TV again. "They are animals… They are like the ghosts that live in Ancient Paradise. They eat flesh, too, but only because they just follow their instincts. Animals are purely instinctual, too; so they eat what they need to survive. It is not always… pretty, but it is a natural part of life here, Daniel."

"I don't want to eat animals again!" Danny sniffed. He didn't see how that could be normal around here. Eating other living beings was just gross and wrong!

Vlad nodded and rubbed his son's back soothingly. "Alright. I won't make you eat any animals. Now, calm down. Anĝela needs to check you once last time before she and Skulker have to go home."

Danny did not reply, still feeling upset about what he had just learned. As his father placed him back on the bed, the boy reached for his badger-toy and hugged it. He suddenly wondered why he had ever been so curious about the Human World. The more he learned about it, the more he realized how much he didn't like it.

Noticing the Prince's dejected look, Anĝela tried to distract him. She began to ask him how he felt while she checked him over. After a good fifteen minutes, she was done. She gave the child a ghostly treat with some hidden vitamins in it and the Prince quickly brightened as he happily ate it.

"Thank you, Anĝela ," Vladimir said with a small smile.

She smiled weakly back before whispering, "Please be careful, my King. And… I pray you and the Prince come home soon."

Vlad nodded. "So do I…" He then turned to his friend and said, "Skulker, I'll keep in touch with you as much as I can. Tell Horris I will do what I can to return as soon as possible."

Skulker sighed but nodded. "If you need anything… you know."

The older hybrid placed a hand on his friend's symbol before pulling it away and looking at his son, who had been too busy enjoying his treat to pay attention to the adults' brief conversation.

"Daniel, time to say good-bye to Skulker and Anĝela. They need to head home now."

Danny looked up and smiled as Anĝela walked over to him and bent down to give him a tight hug. "I'm sure I will see you soon, Prince. Be good."

Danny's eyebrows creased in confusion this time. He knew that tone of voice. His father would always use it when he went away on trips for a long time. But… where was Anĝela going? She sounded like she wasn't just going to come back tomorrow like usual.

But before he could ask, Skulker grabbed him off the bed and said, "I apologize for upsetting you, whelp. I did not mean to. Take care of your father for me, alright?"

Danny slowly nodded as he was put back down. He then watched as the two ghosts said their goodbyes to his father and left. But as soon as they did, he looked at his father and asked, "Um, why did they say good-bye like that, Daddy? Are they going on trip like you use to?"

With a sigh, Vlad sat on the bed and then placed his son on his lap before facing him. "They are saying good-bye because they will not be returning to the Human World anymore," he finally replied.

Danny's eyes widened. "Why not?"

"Because… They are not going on a trip… We are. We are leaving this place," Vlad answered carefully.

Danny perked up. "You mean we're going home? I can go home like this?"

Vlad shook his head. "No, Daniel. You cannot go home as a human. Your body would probably get very sick because the environment is different. And… other ghosts don't know about us being part-human."

The boy frowned. "But Anĝela and Skulker know. Why can't everyone else know?"

The father looked down at his son's hands as he grabbed them in his. "It is hard to explain, Daniel. But… ghosts… Well, as you know, most are afraid of humans, too. And they might react… badly if they knew their King and Prince are part-human…"

"They… wouldn't like us anymore?" Danny whimpered.

"Maybe," Vlad said sadly. "So, it is better to keep it a secret. Only a few ghosts know. Well, more than a few now. The Observants and Ancients know, but they are going to keep our secret. You already know Skulker and Anĝela know. But so do Wulf, Fright Knight, Clockwork, and of course, Horris. But no one else can know. It would be too dangerous to risk it."

Danny lowered his gaze before asking quietly, "Not even Ember and Cujo can know?"

Vladimir sighed again. "For right now, no. It is better so they don't get confused or scared. But when you and your friends are older, you can decide whether or not to tell them, okay?"

Danny frowned again as he looked back at his father. "I don't understand. If we are not going home, then where are we going?"

Vladimir bit his lip, knowing it was time to break the news to his son…

"Daniel, do you remember all the trips I did and how I was forced to leave you and your mother alone for a few weeks at a time, even months?"

Danny nodded.

"Well, those trips were here: to the Human World. I have… used my human disguise to keep an eye on things here. Sort of like… spying," he explained carefully. "It is the best way to keep an eye on what the humans do, especially the hunters. It lets me detect threats before they can try to do anything against the ghost race—At least I detect… _most_ threats."

Vlad paused and glanced away for a second to hide the pain and guilt he felt at remembering how he failed to do just that recently. But he forced the emotions and thought away and continued to explain the situation to his son. "My disguise is the reason why we can be here and be safe. The humans just think I am one of them and I have founds ways of earning their respect. But I have to take care of this disguise. I need to 'play my part'; or if not, I could get found out and bad things could happen. That is why we need to go to another place in the Human World—a place where I can continue to pretend to be the important man this world believes me to be. But that also means that in this new place… there will be other humans…"

Danny shook his head. "No…No, I don't want to go there! What if they hurt me or you?! No, please, Daddy. Don't take us there!"

"Daniel, no one is going to hurt you again. Not ever," Vlad vowed. "But we must go. We cannot just hide here forever. We would surely be found out. And if the humans discover who we really are, not only could they try to attack us, but they could try to do something bad to everyone back home. I need you to help me by being brave—I need you to trust me when I tell you that I won't let any harm come to you. But we _need_ to go, little Phantom."

Danny's lower lip quivered in fear, but he did not protest this time.

Vlad wrapped his arms around the boy and hugged him in hopes of comforting him as he whispered, "We will be leaving tonight. I wish there was another way, but there is not. This is one of those responsibilities I told you about, remember?"

"Yes… they are something that you have to do but don't want to," Danny answered quietly, remembering his father's words from some time back.

Pulling away, Vlad smiled sadly at him. "Exactly. But now it's_ both of our _responsibility. I need you to help me continue to pretend… That means, there are a few things you must know. First, my human name is Vladimir Masters. And you are Daniel Masters: my son. Our name is well-known and we are very rich—or in other words, we have a lot of material possessions. None of that should be too different for you, right? The only thing is that when you are a rich and respected _human_, you get a lot of attention. People are always trying to find out all they can about you and they will even sneak around trying to get pictures of you. But I have been playing this game long enough to avoid that attention. We cannot escape it _all,_ but most."

"Humans are going to come near us?" Danny whimpered.

"Hopefully not very many. We will try out best to avoid them," Vlad answered, "But if we do encounter any, you cannot forget what I am telling you now. Just in case anyone asks, you have to say what I am telling you. You are Daniel Masters. We just moved here from _Germany_—remember that human word. We are not royalty here—though, we might as well be by how much power I posses among the humans. Remember, _you are human._ You know nothing about ghosts and nothing about what the Ghost World. Understand?"

Danny nodded, though he looked terrified.

"Unlike in this home, there are human servants where we are going," Vlad continued, deciding to just get all this over with now. "But they just show up to clean and cook very early in the mornings and then leave. You probably won't even see them. The only one you might see is my driver. He provides all my transportation needs. But he will not bother you or ask you questions. Just ignore him, if you see him. One more thing…," Vlad paused this time before continuing more quietly, "If anyone asks about your mother, only tell them she has… passed away."

Danny's eyes fell, feeling the pain of losing his mother swell at her mentioning; but Vlad placed a comforting hand against his son's face. He stared back into those sad and innocent eyes before assuring the boy, "Everything will be fine. We will go to this other house; and for the most part, it will just be you and I. We will continue to work on getting your ghost half to awaken over there. I have a simulation room, which we can try out and see if it helps you. I'm sure we will not be there long. As soon as you can morph, we will leave for home. I promise."

But Danny just sighed, and kept his gaze lowered to his stuffed-badger.

Vlad frowned sadly but said nothing else on the matter. Instead, he stood up and asked, "Are you hungry?"

His son finally looked back up at him and nodded, replying "Kind of, but… you said we won't eat any animal, right?"

The older half-ghost smiled weakly. "That's right. I made pasta and it has no animal in it. Don't worry. Come."

But when Vlad extended his arms, Danny shook his head and said, "I want to try to walk down by myself."

The man was briefly surprised by his son's words, but then he smiled more genuinely this time and answered, "Alright."

Leaving his toy on the bed, Danny crawled to the edge of the bed before turning onto his stomach. He then slowly slid off the bed. With the help of the older hybrid and the support of the bed, he managed to get to his feet. He then carefully let go of the bed and slowly turned to face his father.

And seeing his father looking content with him, Danny grinned and then took one of the elder's hands.

Vlad made sure to take it slow all the way since walking was still an effort for his son. This was definitely the longest distance Daniel had walked.

But when they got to the stairs, Danny froze in dread at the new challenge. Of course, his father would never really let him hurt himself; but the stairs still were a daunting task.

"Come, my little Phantom. I will carry you the rest of the way. You have done plenty. We will try the stairs at another time."

Danny looked up and nodded. He liked seeing his father happy, but he was pretty tired from the walk; so the stairs could wait for another day.

Vlad picked the child up and continued on. But instead of heading to the kitchen like usual, Vlad took them down another area. Danny was surprised when they went through a door that led them out into the backyard and onto an open patio.

"I thought we could do something a little different being that this will be our last night here," Vlad explained with a small smile.

Danny grinned as he was sat down on a patio table facing the forest and the setting sun. In their time here, this was the second time his father had taken him outside. It was just because it was really cold here, and his father did not want him to get sick. But being out again, the boy realized he still found it breathtaking.

Vlad pulled the food cart he had previously set-up closer to the table and began to place the bowls and utensils on it. He then sat down next to his son and reached for a covered salad bowl.

Danny didn't take notice as his father put some plates in front of them and served them some salad first. Instead, he looked at his surroundings just before something caught his eye in the sky.

"Daddy, look! What's that?" the boy gasped out, pointing at the flying creatures moving across the sky.

Vlad briefly paused in what he was doing and glanced up. "Oh, those are called _birds_," he answered.

"_Ba-rds,"_ Danny attempted to repeat thoughtfully. He had seen those before when he had first come to the Human World. He had tried to talk to them even, but they had fled from him.

"Daniel, how would you like me to teach you more Human Speech?" his father suddenly asked.

Danny quickly looked at him in surprise. "But… you never wanted to teach me before…"

Vlad finished serving the salad before he hesitantly answered, "Yes, but… things are different now… And… where we are going, you will not be able to speak in Ghost Speech. The castle is pretty secluded, so we should be safe from prying eyes _and ears_. But… to be safe, it would be best if you attempted to speak in Human Speech once we are there…"

Danny frowned, and before he could reply, his father handed him a fork. The child looked down at the salad in front of him before stabbing a tomato with his fork. He ate it without protest. He still was not really fond of human food. But he had learned that his father was going obligate him to eat it anyways; so protesting was pointless.

Vlad looked down at his own plate of food as they both fell quiet and just ate. He hated having to make his son be something he was not—or rather, be something he did not know _how_ to be. It was bad enough that Daniel found out he was part-human; now, he was telling his son he could not act like a ghost or even talk like a ghost anymore! Vlad felt like a hypocrite somehow. He also felt bad because he knew how confusing all this was for his son… And the worst of it was that there was nothing he could do about it…

He had hoped they would be at home by now. Instead, they were going to Wisconsin.

It only mounted more emotional and mental stress on the father.

"_If Desiree was here… Daniel would not be having so much trouble adapting to all this_," Vlad thought mournfully. His wife had always had the ability of helping their son understand things better than he. She always had the perfect words to make everything alright for Daniel—and even for him as well. And… when she did not have the words, just her touch made the worst times look brighter…

"What's that called?" Danny suddenly asked, pushing his father out of his depressing thoughts.

Vlad looked at what his son was pointing at. He smiled a bit before answering, "Those are _clouds_."

"_Cla ots?"_ Danny questioned.

"_Kla-uds"_ Vlad corrected, sounding it out for him.

Danny tried it again and got it right this time. It was funny. Before all this, he knew he would have been thrilled that his father wanted to teach him Human Speech—like his mother used to. But now… Danny just didn't have that desire to learn anything relating to humans. But… even the seven-year-old could see his father was troubled by everything going on, too. And clearly, his speaking Human Speech where they were going was important to his father. So… Danny figured he could at least try to help his father out by doing his best to learn.

"Um… how about this?" Danny asked, pointing at his salad.

Vlad told him what it was called, and Danny tried it out. But when his father chuckled at his pronunciation, the child smiled and giggled.

Eventually, they made a game out of who could mispronounce the human words the funniest as they ate dinner. It really lifted both their spirits, even if it was for a moment…

After dinner, the two half-ghosts retired to the living room. Vlad read a story to his son, and as he expected, the seven-year-old fell asleep halfway into it. Not only had Danny been walking a lot today, but his son rarely slept well at night. He would wake up with nightmares almost every day since they had been here.

It was upsetting for Vlad as much as it was for his son.

But now that the child was asleep, Vlad could finish packing their things. He was careful to put his son on the couch without waking him and placed several pillows around him and on the ground in case the boy moved in his sleep.

He then quietly exited the living room and walked back towards the stairs. He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket as he continued onward. Dialing a familiar number, the millionaire placed the device against his ear and waited for the person to pick up. He didn't wait long.

"Carl? Is the helicopter ready?"

Vlad nodded as he entered his room and went to his closet. "Good. I am ready for you, then… Yes, at my chalet at the Rockies… An hour? Very well. Call me when you have arrived. Hmm… Yes. Ta."

Vlad hung up before dialing another number.

"Hobson… Yes, good evening. It's Vladimir Masters. Did you get me the things I asked for?"

Vlad grabbed a few of his suits and walked back to the bed where he had a brief case and garment bag laid out while his butler replied.

"Good. Then, everything is ready for our arrival?"

Vlad nodded as his butler confirmed all was ready. "Alright. Remember. I want everyone gone by seven in the morning… Very well. Ta."

Vlad hung up once more and finished packing his things. He then closed up his briefcase and garment bag and pulled them out of his room. He left them at the top of the stairs before he walked to his son's room. He grabbed a smaller bag since there was not much to pack for his son—In fact, it was why he had ordered several items of clothing, toys and other essentials to be delivered to his home in Wisconsin. Along with that, he had ordered his house staff to fix up the bedroom next to his own to accommodate and please a seven-year-old boy.

With the thought that everything was set for their arrival in Wisconsin, Vlad grabbed the wool blanket and his son's stuffed badger off of the bed. He zipped his son's clothes bag with his free hand before hefting the carrying strap over his shoulder. With the badger toy in hand and his son's blanket draped over his left arm, Vladimir walked out of the room.

As he made his way back towards the stairs, he ran down a mental list of necessities, trying to think of anything he could be forgetting. He would need his business documents and such; but all of that was in Wisconsin.

"Oh… speaking of which… there is one person I have not called yet…," Vlad muttered with a frown. He had already notified his secretaries for his two companies of his return sometime this week. They were in charge of setting up any appointments with his executives and anyone else. However, there was one person—a business partner to be more exact—that Vlad knew he would have to call directly…

With a sigh, Vladimir paused as he made it to the stairs and placed his son's bag down beside his own suitcase. But still holding his son's blanket and toy, he pulled out his cell and searched his contact list for a specific number. Once he found it, he dialed it as he stepped down the stairs.

After a few rings, someone answered, _"Hello?"_

"Thurston, good evening… It is Vladimir Masters…," Vlad said calmly.

The other man on the line gasped and said, _"Vladimir? I have been so worried! I have not heard from you for so long that I was beginning to think…"_

"Forgive my long absence," Vlad cut him off. "I was dealing with a serious and personal matter. But it has been resolved for the most part and I am back in Wisconsin. I wanted to call you to set up a meeting with you. We do have much to catch up on in terms of Manson and Masters Enterprise… I have heard of some expansions lately…"

"_Yes, I wanted to consult with you before going forward with them, but since I could not get in contact with you, I did what I thought best. I hope that is alright..."_

"Yes, it is fine. But about our meeting…?"

"_Oh, yes, of course. I can meet as soon as tomorrow. Will you be able to come to Amity?" _

Vlad's eyebrows creased. "No… In fact, because of my long absence, I will be unable to leave Wisconsin for some time… So, I had hoped you could come here. Of course, I would pay for your transportation and hotel and anything else…"

"Oh…," Jeremy Manson fell quiet for a small moment but then answered, "Yes, alright. But it will have to be after this week. My daughter is turning seven this Saturday, and naturally, we want to celebrate it."

"I understand," Vlad said. "And that would be perfect. How about Monday… You could… come to my castle and we can discuss matters over dinner?" But Vlad cringed as he said this. He knew it could spell trouble with his son around; but the millionaire had little choice at the moment… It was either go to Amity—which he was **not** going to do—or have the man come to his home. Vlad could only hope that by the time next week came by, his son would have been able to turn ghost and be at home…

"Oh, wonderful! Okay, then! I will put it on my schedule. I look forward to seeing you, Vladimir. Have a pleasant evening."

"You, too. Ta." He then hung up before he entered his hidden lab and momentarily placed his son's blanket and toy on a nearby lab table. He then walked over to the control panel to seal his ghost portal. But as he watched it lock up, the man closed his eye and took a deep breath.

"What I am going to do?" he whispered, thinking of the other world past those doors that needed him and the sleeping child in his living room that was keeping him from returning but needed him just as much.

Opening his eyes, he glanced over at a locked cabinet before slowly making his way over there. He typed in a password and the doors opened automatically. Inside, there were several ghost weapons and other technologies he had acquired over the years. Ironically, Vladimir Masters had acquired and _purchased_ most of these weapons from the very ghost hunters that had murdered his wife and tortured his son.

Not only did collecting anti-ghost technology help him know what he was up against when it came to facing his enemies, but he also used them for knowledge. In fact, he would study these weapons with Skulker and they had learned enough from the human technology to create his friend's robotic body and equip it with state-of-art weapons. Of course, the King would intervene and stop the humans from finishing any projects or weapons that were too threatening to the ghost race —like the man-made portals the Fentons attempted to build.

But pretending to support ghost hunters by buying their weaponry also kept Vlad 'in' these ruthless creatures' circle. He certainly understood what had been said about that: 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'.

Of course, there were other ghost hunters he kept watch on, and some of them were not even agencies at all. They were 'solo' ghost hunters.

Still, out of all the ghost hunting agencies and individuals he knew of, the Guys-in-White were the most dangerous because of the fact that they were the only ghost-hunting agency in the world funded and supported by their government. Any other hunting agency relied on self-financing to keep running, and so, they were not as fast-developing in their practices as the Guys-in-White. Then again, because the 'GiW' belonged to the U.S. government, those in control were quick to share their ghost technology and advancements with U.S. allies around the world in return for money or other 'favors'.

And then there was the worry about all the leading scientists that worked for the Guys-in-White. Two of those were also ghost hunters… Luckily, the Fentons had quit working for them since Daniel fell into his hands. Vlad still remembered the relief he had felt when he learned of this. In fact, after deciding to use his human-half to help his kind long ago, one of the reasons that he had gone to study at the Wisconsin University —aside from needing a college degree to justify his quick success—was so he could 'befriend' the Fentons. He knew it would open many doors to accomplish his purposes for his disguise as Vladimir Masters—and over the many years it indeed had.

In any case, Vlad now knew he realized too late that all his effort to infiltrate the humans had not been enough. After all, he had had no idea the Guys-in-White had partnered up with Axion Lab to create ghost hunting technology—like those ghost shields. At least, it was what Vlad had concluded when the Guys-in-White had used that very place to set up that trap for him and his family.

If only the older hybrid knew that mentioned ghost shields were in reality the creation of his son's biological parents...

Vlad sighed deeply. It seemed that was all he could do lately: think of his recent failures towards his loved ones and of the past—a past where things were bright; a time he now yearn he could return to. He might not have had the experience at that time, but he still had Desiree. Even when that past had been hard with his struggling with his human half and fixing the damage his uncle had done as King, at least back then he had not had to face the pain of failing as a King, husband, and father… Back then, he still had not had to be standing all alone in a lab, contemplating the idea of harming his son for the good of everyone else…

And it was that very idea that had brought him to open his weapons closet right now. He not only kept anti-ghost items in here, he also kept his more… dangerous inventions in this storage area…

He kept that one very exclusive device he and Skulker had made together that could short-circuit a half-ghost's core….

Vladimir pulled open a second drawer and stared gravely at the Maximus. Or, as Skulker would sometimes call it just to tease him, the 'Plasmius Maximus'.

Hesitantly, the older hybrid pulled out the device and activated it, studying its electrified prongs with growing fear… He still remembered how painful this thing was. He still remembered how many times he had had to use it because he could not consciously change to his human form when he first began to use his uniqueness to infiltrate the Human World. In fact, it had been a whole year before he had learned to morph back and forth on his own…

Is that how long it would take his son? Or worse. What if it took longer because of how young he was…?

Vlad shook his head. No, they could not stay in the Human World for so long. They would be discovered and their world destroyed. But… what if his son could not turn back without drastic intervention? Still…How could he ever use this on his own child?

He doubted he could.

Vlad bit his lip before he deactivated the device. But instead of putting it back, he took it with him, along with his son's blanket and toy. Nevertheless, he made sure to lock up his lab before he left.

After putting the Maximus inside his suitcase, he went back to the living room. However, his already heavy heart became heavier when he immediately saw that the little half-ghost was twitching and whimpering a bit in his sleep.

Wonderful. Another nightmare.

He moved over to the couch and placed his son's things to the side before he carefully picked him up, cradling him in his arms. He then turned his hand intangible and pressed his hand against his son's chest, letting his blue energy subconsciously relax Danny. Vlad was relieved when the child stopped moving and fell into a quiet slumber.

For the rest of the time, Vlad stayed seated on the sofa just watching his sleeping son in his arms; and yet with all that was on his mind, the forty-five minutes he waited there seemed like five minutes.

His driver soon called and came in.

"My things are at the top of the stairs," Vlad said quietly.

The young human driver named Carl paused in surprise to see a small child in his employer's hand. He had worked for Vladimir Masters for over five years now, and he had never seen him with a kid. In fact, according to the gossip and news, the man wasn't even married. Heck, no one had even seen him with a woman once!

But the driver knew better than to ask, and he quickly pushed past his surprise. He silently nodded at his employer and left.

Vladimir watched him go before sighing. He knew at least Carl would not say anything about his suddenly having a son; but the millionaire was sure that now that he was going to Wisconsin, it would not be long before the media learned of his 'sudden son'. It made him a bit nervous; but he had to remind himself that aside from the scandal that would emerge, nothing else that could be dangerous to him or his son should result from the news. After all, how many hidden families of rich men had been discovered, or worse, some lover outside their marriage somewhere? It was disturbing, but at least it would not be outside the norm. Plus, he had wiped the doctors and police inspectors' memories of Daniel being in the hospital and had legalized Daniel as his. There should not be any trouble…

With a sigh, Vlad grabbed his son's blanket on the sofa and covered him from head-to-toe. He then grabbed his toy and stood, making sure to hold the boy tightly against him. He really hoped his son would not stir while they were on the helicopter. He would probably get very scared, especially if he saw Carl…

Vladimir walked out of the living room and headed upstairs towards the room leading to his copter's landing pad. But knowing there had been a recent snow storm just yesterday and temperature was well below freezing, he held his son closer to himself before opening the door. As he stepped out into the cold and dark night, the man paused when he saw a little blue bird standing on top of one of the snow-covered reflector poles around the landing pad. The bird tweeted before it flew off.

Vlad only raised an eyebrow, not recalling ever seeing a bird at were usually fast asleep in the trees by now, especially in the Rockies where winter could last all the way to June. But he thought nothing else of it and just got into the helicopter to wait for Carl to load the suitcases and then take off.

After having a seat with his slumbering son, Vlad reached forward and pressed a button on a console to engage the automatic seatbelt. Now secure and ready for take-off, he glanced briefly at his son before looking out the open helicopter door and staring at the clear starry sky. It was a sight to see. There was something about a heavy snow storm that always seemed to bring the clearest and brightest skies after. But then he closed his eyes as a memory of a better time came to him. He remembered his last night with Desiree, in the simulation room. It had been perfect. The room had projected a beautiful night sky just like this one. They had been so happy together and alone. He had been overjoyed to share such a wonderful moment with her…. And now… he would never have moments like those again.

The older hybrid pressed his cheek against the top of the younger one's head and pulled him closer to him as he took a deep breath in order to keep his sorrow from overwhelming him.

"How will we ever be happy again without her, Daniel?" he asked his son quietly.

The grieving father just continued to silently hold his son, unaware that the little blue bird had returned and was currently perched on the helicopter's rotator. It tilted its head down as if looking into the copter itself and seeing the passengers inside.

Then, with a flash of white light, the bird turned into a pink sphere and soon vanished.

* * *

The next day, Sam and Tucker were at recess time at school. It was almost the end of the school year—a week away in fact—and the two friends were not happy at all for one specific reason…

"I'm gonna miss going to school with you, Sam…,"Tucker said with a frown as they sat next to each other on a swing.

Sam shuffled at the dirt under her feet and muttered, "Me, too… But my parents already made up their minds." She glared as she added loudly, "It's not fair! I don't want to get home-schooled by some stupid private tutor! I want to stay in school! I like it here! I like going to school with you!"

Tucker glanced at his friend and said, "But we'll still be friends at least, right? I'll try to come visit you every day and you can come over, too!"

Sam looked up at the boy and smiled sadly. "Yeah. We'll always be friends." But then she sighed and looked down again.

She had really hoped that her parents would have changed their minds about the private tutor, but since they met with the teacher in Wisconsin, they had been dead set on it—but now even more so with the increasing threat of ghost attacks. At least the private instructor had recommended that they let Sam finish the school year before pulling her out. It would make things easier all round.

But now that Sam was at the end of the school year and knew next year she would not return to school, she felt the days had gone too fast. And she was really upset about it all, too. At least she still had summer time before having to start with the private tutor. That meant she would have more time to spend with Tucker and not have to think about the fact that she would never come back to school again…

"Hey, Sammy… I mean, Sam?" Tucker corrected himself. Ever since they met Danny, her friend was set on being called 'Sam'. Tucker didn't mind the change, but he was still getting used to it.

Sam smiled amusedly at him, and replied, "Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask you, do you still have the… you know…?" Tucker asked quietly.

And knowing what 'you know' meant, Sam looked around before nodding back at her friend. "Yeah. I still have it. It's weird that it hasn't disappeared, though. I mean, Uncle Tom mentioned one time that stuff with ghost energy could not, um… exist for very long in the Human World and that it eventually dissolves away. But I've had Danny's necklace for months now and nothing's happened to it."

"It's really cool," Tucker whispered back, remembering a few weeks back when Sam had shown it to him in her room. "It feels like ice, but it's also tingly and it glows. It would make a neat night-light!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Only you would think that, Tucker. Plus, I can't keep it in the open. If my parents ever saw it, they would definitely tell my uncle and my uncle would take it away! I can't let that happen. I gotta keep it safe…" She lowered her gaze. "Danny would want that."

Tucker nodded. "Yeah… I remember he was really protective of it…" The boy fell quiet for a moment before asking quietly, "Do you think it hurt a lot? You know when your uncle… killed him?"

Sam shook her hand. "I-I don't know… Uncle Tom didn't t tell me how he did it… And I don't want to know…" Tears welled up in her eyes as she whimpered, "I hope it didn't hurt a lot."

"Aww. Tucker's girlfriend's cryin!" a sudden voice interrupted them.

Sam quickly wiped her tears and glared up at a large boy with blond hair and blue eyes.

"I'm not his girlfriend, dummy! I'm his friend! And I'm not crying!" she snapped.

"Yeah, that's just gross," Tucker added, making a face at the thought of being with a girl like that, especially Sam who was like his sister to him.

"Sure looks like you were cryin'!" the large boy teased back, ignoring Tucker's comment. "What? Did he dirty your ugly pink dress or somethin'?"

Tucker quickly protested this time. "What? I wouldn't do that! She's my friend!"

"And my dress isn't ugly!" Sam pouted. But then she cringed when she glanced down at her uncomfortable dress; and getting angry again, she yelled, "Just go away, Dash!"

Hearing the commotion, a few other kids join the large boy, and an Asian-looking boy asked, "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Qwan," Dash answered, "I just saw Sammy crying and I thought her boyfriend got her _very ugly_ dress dirty. But looks she was crying for no reason but being a girl!"

Sam got off the swing and yelled. "I wasn't crying!"

"Yeah, we were just talking about our friend that died!" Tucker blurted out, getting off the swing, too. But when Sam shot him a disapproving glare, the boy cringed and stammered, "I-I mean…"

"Whoa. What? A kid died?" Dash asked in alarm.

"It was a ghost, wasn't it?" Qwan asked. "I heard my parents talking about them! They like to kill humans!"

"I heard they were responsible for that earthquake and those glowing swirls in the sky not too long ago!" a girl in the group, named Star, added.

Then a Latino girl named Paulina said, "And I heard they were the ones that killed Valerie's dad and destroyed Axions!"

"What? That's not true!" Sam protested, though she wasn't sure about how all that happened.

"Wait. The kid that died… Was it Valerie? Did they come back to finish the job?" Dash questioned fearfully.

"Valerie isn't dead!" Tucker spoke up. "I mean, I don't know where she is, but she isn't dead. She just had to move away since they can't find her dad."

"That's what they want us to think!" Dash replied.

Sam looked around as the kids began to say so many crazy and wild things that she knew weren't true, and that _couldn't_ be true. And unable to take it anymore, she blurted out, "That's not true! None of that is true!"

"And how would you know?" Dash sneered. "All you know is how to live in a palace and play with stupid dolls!"

Paulina grinned and said, "Well, she sure dresses like an ugly doll anyways! Her rich mommy and daddy should package her up and sell her to make more money!"

Everyone but Tucker laughed at that.

Sam glared at them all and snapped, "Well, for your information I know more about ghosts than any of you!" But seeing no one believed her, she added, "My uncle happens to be the boss of the Guys-in-White ghost hunting agency!"

"Whatever! You're lying!" Star accused.

"No, she's not!" Tucker defended. "I've met him!"

"Yeah, I've heard Sammy's mom is related to the guy that runs that place," Qwan surprisingly said, backing up their story. "My dad is one of the weapon's specialists that work for him."

"See?" Tucker said smugly.

Dash frowned. "So, it doesn't mean you know anything! I bet you've never even seen a real ghost!"

"Yeah, I have!" Sam quickly fought back.

"Me, too!" Tucker added. "We were even friends with one!"

"Tucker!" Sam chided him. They had agreed they would not talk about that to anyone since their own parents had thought they were crazy with such a claim.

The boy cringed. "Oops…," he said and laughed nervously.

"Hold up. You were friends with one?" Dash asked in disbelief, before he frowned disapprovingly and added, "Yeah, right! Everyone knows ghosts are evil!"

"Actually," Star spoke up. "My dad says that's what the media and government _wants_ everyone to think. He said they just want to make money by keeping us in fear. But in reality, ghosts are like wild animals. They hurt people because they have no brains and just instincts. So, they don't know any better. The people that get killed by them are just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Like… shark attacks!"

"What? Ghosts aren't mindless!" Sam argued. "I mean… I thought they were like animals, too; but Tucker and I know now that they're not!"

Tucker nodded, "Yeah, they _can_ be kinda scary and even bossy; but when you get to know one, they're really nice. Weird, but nice."

Sam smiled at Tucker and said, "They are… like us."

Her friend nodded his agreement.

But Dash scoffed, before saying with a smirk, "Yeah, they're nice alright…. Once they've eaten your brains!"

Everyone gasped at the thought.

Tucker snorted, "Dude, you've watched too many zombie movies."

"And you're looking to have a knuckle-sandwich, wimp!" Dash sneered, and Tucker ducked back behind Sam.

Paulina suddenly said, "Well, my _papa_ said that ghosts are some government cons-conspi—"

"Conspiracy," Sam helped out, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, that!" the girl perked up. "He thinks it's that! That ghosts are not real! It's just the government wanting to keep us dependent on them or something!"

"That's dumb! Of course they're real!" Dash scoffed. He then suddenly smirked again and added, "And I heard that their favorite victims are _little girls._ In fact, the Ghost King himself has dripping fangs and long ugly claws; and he skins you alive with them before sucking out all your blood through his fangs, like a straw!"

Paulina and Star screamed and ran off.

Dash and Qwan instantly burst into laughter and high-fived each other.

"That's one way to get rid of cooties!" Qwan quipped.

Dash grinned, but then glanced at Sam, who was scowling at him, and replied, "Too bad it doesn't get rid of _weird_."

The two boys laughed again before they walked off.

Tucker watched them go before looking at Sam. "Geez, Dash is such an angry kid. I bet his mom makes him eat too much broccoli!"

"Tucker, broccoli doesn't make people angry," Sam said rolling her eyes, though she was also smiling at her friend.

"Makes me angry when I gotta eat it!" Tucker defended.

Sam shook her head, but then she frowned. "People really don't know about ghosts, huh? I mean, half the stuff Dash and the other kids were saying were crazy!"

Tucker shrugged. "My dad says fear makes you imagine stuff… I guess it's true." He paused before he asked his friend, "Hey, Sam? Um, I know Danny wasn't evil, but do you think that maybe Dash is kinda right? Like, you saw Danny's mom and those other ghosts with her. They were probably just defending themselves against your uncle and his men, but… they definitely had claws and could hurt people if they wanted! And… Valerie's dad was killed by ghosts, too…So, maybe, ghosts _are_ evil and Danny was just… different?"

Sam lowered her gaze. "I don't know…," she answered quietly, but then looked back at her friend. "That's what a lot of people say, but… it could just be people's imagination because they're just afraid of what they don't know, like your dad said…"

Tucker nodded; but like Sam, he also wasn't sure. They just had never heard anyone ever say something 'nice' about ghosts. The closest thing was indifference to or disbelief in their existence… The only proof they had had that not all ghosts were evil like most believed had been Danny…

And he was gone.

* * *

A woman in her forties stopped dusting a large living room of her employer's castle to look down at her wrist watch. It was a quarter to seven in the morning and that meant it was almost time for her to leave. That was fine. She just had this last area to clean and she could join up back up with the other three maids here and leave together. Perhaps they could go out for breakfast even. She knew she at least needed a strong coffee for the drive back to her house. It had not been easy to have to come in at three in the morning on such short notice and clean an entire castle before seven.

But it seemed that the owner of the house had suddenly called Hobson yesterday to tell him he would be returning and that he wanted everything clean and ready for his return. That was a bit odd, though, since their employer usually called in advance so that they could do things without having to rush. But… she supposed she couldn't complain when he was paying them double for having to come in so early and on such short notice.

Still, there was something much more shocking than their employer's unexpected arrival.

After being mysteriously absent for several months, the millionaire had arrived just an hour ago with a child!—or, so she was told. She had been cleaning a room when she heard of their arrival.

She found that unbelievable because although her employer was handsome, powerful, and young enough to have a family, he had never shown to be the type. In fact, the few times she had ever exchange words with him, he seemed cold and uncaring, even arrogant, like most rich men… Definitely not 'husband and father' material. After all, he had always shown to be more interested in increasing his power and wealth, which the maid thought was a true pity.

The maid shrugged to herself as she continued to busy herself with her job. Regardless of whether what she heard from the other workers at the castle was true or not, she knew their employer's personal life wasn't any of their business. All she knew for sure was that their employer had given specific instructions to all of them. He had wanted the entire house cleaned, the gardens done, and the room next to his own remolded for a young child for their arrival today—but he wanted this last order to be done before anything else and be done _before_ he arrived. He had furthered ordered children's clothing and other essentials. That was all done, of course. But his final order had been that they were to all be gone by seven. Apparently, he did not want anyone seeing this child.

Then again, the butler had said he had seen the small child. However, he had been fast asleep when he had arrived and he had been covered up so no one really got an actual look at him. Their employer had simply asked if all was in order; and after getting that confirmation, he had left for his room. No one had seen him or the child since.

The maid scoffed_. "He acts as if he has brought home the Holy Grail instead of a mere child…"_

It made no sense at all. They had even been prohibited from entering the child's room after their arrival for any reason—not even to clean. Perhaps,… her employer was afraid of a scandal? Yes, that had to be it. It made sense, then, that he was trying to hide this child. After all, when the media discovered the famous and single Vladimir Masters had a son… there was going to be a huge uproar.

"_I wonder who he got involved with…,"_ she thought with a smirk. "Unless… he adopted the kid…" But she quickly dismissed the idea. She was sure that the only reason her employer would risk the scandal of having a child was if he had an obligation to it. Besides, what man of her employer's age would pass up any kind of…_adventure or two_? He wasn't married, according to the media. So, that left the option that this child was the result of some fling.

"Well, at least he has _some_ moral decency, and he didn't just attempt to buy the woman's silence and make her and the kid disappear…," she muttered this time. But then her eyebrows creased. "Wait a minute… But what kind a woman just hands off her kid to a man, even if he is the father… Unless, she was forced by him, or…she's dead…"

The thought made the maid nervous, but then she shook her head and looked down at her watch again. She was just about finished, so she wasn't too worried. She just needed to finish dusting one last furniture set and then meet with the other three maids to make sure they were all done and good to leave.

Finishing up the east upstairs lounge, she soon exited and headed towards the stairs. On her way, however, she passed by her employer's room and his child's new room… She slowed down a bit, as her curiosity briefly got the best of her. She wondered what the kid looked like. Did he look anything like her employer?

She pondered the thought for another second before shrugging to herself and continuing on. However, just as she got to the end of the hallway, she heard a sudden scream.

The maid gasped in alarm and whirled around. It sounded like a child!

She quickly ran back to the origin of the scream, which was her employer's kid's room. However, now that she was closer, she could hear the child's screaming even more and it was growing more hysterical by the second.

Panicked herself, she moved to the next room and knocked forcefully on her employer's bedroom door.

"Sir? Sir! Something is wrong with your kid! Sir!" she yelled, but she got no answer. It then hit her… Her employer wasn't in his room.

Another loud scream and a cry for help jolted the maid. She quickly turned toward the child's room again…

Meanwhile, Danny did not know what had happened. In one instance, he had been dreaming nice things about his friends, and in the next, he ended up being chased by ghost hunters. Then, when he was finally able to wake up, he ended up phasing through his bed. But what had freaked him out was that his arm had ended up getting stuck in the mattress. So, although he had been able to crawl from underneath the bed, his hand was not budging. Intangibility, of course, was not foreign to him and he could control it for the most part. But never in his life had he been able to phase through objects, like his bed. It just wasn't normal! His bed at home and everything else in the castle was intangibility proof.

He was trying to make himself intangible again to get his hand unstuck, but it was hard to when he was upset about his nightmare and… it was pitch black. He still could not get use to the darkness. It reminded him of when he was sucked into that ghost device, which made him even more upset.

But the fact that his father was not around was the worst of it. He was scared and his daddy was nowhere to be found! He screamed again, only for the door to suddenly burst open.

His room was instantly shrouded in light from the outside hallway, but although he was relieved by that, it was short-lived when he saw that instead of his father at the door… there was a human. **An actual human!**

Danny screamed even louder, this time in utter horror. He felt his connection with his father flare to life under his PJ shirt and he pressed at it with all his might.

"_Ne! NE!"_ Danny yelled in Ghost Speech, forgetting all about his father's command about not using it once they got here.

"Oh my gosh!" the maid exclaimed as she watched the panicked boy trying to flee but his arm was somehow stuck in the mattress.

She ignored his increased cries of horror as she rushed over to him. She then grabbed him from behind as she tried to find a way to dislodge his arm from the bed.

"What in the world?" she gasped out when she saw it was actually embedded in the mattress. How did that even happen?!

Danny was bawling his eyes out by now as the human held him closely to her as she tried to do something with his arm. He began to plead for her not to hurt him, but she apparently didn't understand him—or didn't care. So, he switched tactics and screamed even louder for his father.

It seemed like forever when his pleas were answered.

It had taken Vlad only a minute to run out of his private study to his son's room at the feel of his distress. But it had felt forever, especially when his connection with his son was almost as painful as it had been when it had first awakened the day his wife was killed.

But the father's terror turned into pure fury when he saw one of his maids holding his hysterical son.

"WHAT THE BLAZES ARE YOU DOING?" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

The maid jolted at her employer's sudden arrival, and she attempted to stutter out an explanation. "Sir! I was trying to—"

"**Get away from him!"** Vlad snarled as he marched over to her and his son.

Terrified at how dangerous her employer looked, she quickly let go of the boy and jumped away.

"Sir… He was screaming. I was trying to—!"

"Get out!" Vlad interrupted her again, his eyes narrowed dangerously at her. He then quickly picked up his son and discreetly phased his hand out of the mattress.

Danny just buried his face into his father's chest as he wept and shook.

"Daniel, it's alright," Vlad attempted to say gently, though he was struggling to breathe from the strength of his son's connection. It was hurting his core so badly that he could barely keep on his feet.

But seeing the maid was still frozen in place, he snapped his eyes back to her and growled, "Did you not hear me? I said get out. You are _fired_. Leave my house immediately."

The maid gasped and instantly answered, "But, sir! I was only trying to help—"

"**I said, LEAVE!"** Vlad screamed furiously, only for Danny to cry louder at perceiving the level of anger within his father.

The maid's eyes became glassy with tears and she quickly turned away to leave. But as she got to the door, she paused and glanced back at the terrified child. She suddenly realized he had been more scared of her than he had been of having his hand stuck…

"I'm sorry… I… I didn't mean to scare your son…," she whispered before she quickly left.

Vlad just stared hatefully after her; but when he looked down at his son, his expression did a complete one-eighty.

"Shh. It's okay, Daniel. You're alright. She's gone," he whispered gently in Ghost Speech, ignoring his own rule about speaking it here for a moment in favor of comforting his shaken son.

Danny's cries subsided but they turned into hiccups. Still, he said nothing as his father walked them over to the bed and sat down with him.

"I'm so sorry," the older half-ghost suddenly said and pulled him closer. "I should not have left you alone…"

But Vladimir knew he was being impractical. It was impossible for him to be watching his son twenty-four/seven. He had just never expected this to happen. He had wanted to take advantage of his son's being asleep to work on his business documents and make a few calls. Apparently, that had been a bad idea. He should have waited for everyone to leave first.

"_Stupid woman. How dare she disobey my command! I told them all not to disturb Daniel!"_ Vladimir internally seethed.

But he still felt guilty. It seemed he was always failing his son now-a-days. In spite of Skulker's advice to help Daniel face his fear and move past it, the father didn't have it in him to cause his son anymore grief than he had already gone through. Vlad had blindly hoped to keep his son from ever having to see a human here again. Instead, the poor boy ends up facing his worst nightmare on his first day in Wisconsin and as soon as he had woken up. What was worst was that Vladimir was beginning to get the notion that this would not be the last and only unwanted encounter.

"Was… Was she a… hunter, Daddy?" Danny suddenly asked fearfully in his native language.

Vlad sighed deeply. "No, my son. She's just a human that works here cleaning the house, like what Martha and Patricia do back home. But don't worry; she will never bother you again."

Danny didn't reply at first, still very afraid and shaken up by the event. However, as his logic slowly returned, he realized something... Suddenly, he pulled away to look at his father and whispered, "I… I think she was trying to help me, Daddy. But… I was scared. My hand got stuck and she suddenly came and… I thought she was going to hurt me like last…"

"No, Daniel. That will never happen again," Vlad assured him, pushing back his hair and then gently wiping his tear-stained face with the palm of his hand.

Danny nodded but looked away again. He was so confused. He couldn't help but be terrified of humans because he could not stop his mind from reminding him of much they hurt him. But… after seeing this human, he began to wonder about his thought of all humans' being evil. The maid had not wanted to hurt him; she had been trying to help him… like… like…

A sudden memory appeared in his mind and his eyes widened.

…like Sam and Tuck!

How had he forgotten about them? How had he forgotten about the first two humans he had met when he ended up in this Human World? _They_ had been good. They had been nice. They… had tried to help him—like the maid! They had tried to save him from the… _bad_ humans.

"Are you alright?" his father suddenly asked, feeling how tense his son had become. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Danny shook his head when his father's question momentarily pushed aside his thoughts. "No, I'm okay. I had another nightmare and when I woke up, I fell through the bed. I tried to unstuck my hand but I couldn't! And the human came in and I got even more scared!"

Vlad nodded, though he mentally cursed the maid again. He was also upset to hear his son had yet another nightmare. It certainly wasn't healthy for a young child to be terrorized in his dreams almost every time.

"Daddy, why did I fall through my bed like that? That's not supposed to happen!" Danny said with an annoyed frown.

Vlad's eyebrows creased as he answered, "The Human World is different than our home, Daniel. There is no ectoplasmic energy here, so for the most part, nothing is _solid_ for us. Ghost energy can just pass through objects here, especially when we use intangibility, which makes our bodies even more unsubstantial. But hopefully, it won't happen too often. It's just that your core is getting stronger with every day that passes, and so your powers might react without you wanting them to, especially if you got upset or scared. But we'll work on that."

He paused as he stared at his son's still red and puffy eyes before adding more quietly, "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm sorry I left you alone."

Danny's thoughts shifted again as he thought about the human maid… and his human friends…

"Daddy?" he whispered uncertainly.

"Yes, Daniel?" Vlad asked, his voice sounding troubled and tired at the same time.

"Are there… good humans?" he questioned.

Vlad's eyebrows creased again. He didn't want to say 'yes' because he didn't believe that there were any 'good' humans. But he didn't want to say 'no', either, and feed his son's terror of them.

"It is not so simple, Daniel," he answered instead. "Humans can be 'nice' but they are nice to _other_ humans—not ghosts. That human female only tired to help you because you look human at the moment. You have no reason to fear them while you are in this form and with me. But they are not to be trusted, either. They can be 'nice', but humans can also be very 'cruel', too, and they will easily betray others if it benefits them to do so…"

But seeing his son just stare back in confusion, Vlad sighed and said, "Like I said, it is complicated. But you have nothing to worry about, my son. I will keep you safe."

Danny still didn't reply. It wasn't so much that he didn't understand what his father had said—actually, he _had_ understood—but it confused him all over again for another reason. If there were no 'good' humans, if humans were only 'nice' to their own kind, then… where did that leave Sam and Tuck?

They had been nice to him even when he had been a ghost. Sure, at first they had been afraid of one another and Sam had even been rude when she tried to touch him without his permission; but… they were nice and Danny was sure they had been good, too.

But maybe… maybe only human kids were good, then?

Danny frowned. Wait. Did that mean that when Sam and Tuck grew up they would turn like all other humans? No! That couldn't be! Not them! They were good! They would always be good, like he would always be good!

But… he would probably never see them again. The thought brought tears back into the emotionally unstable child.

"What's wrong?" Vlad asked worriedly.

"I'm never going to see my friends again!" Danny whimpered.

Of course the older half-ghost didn't know what 'friends' the younger one spoke of. So, Vlad rubbed his back and answered, "Of course you will. And soon, too."

Danny didn't reply and instead he rested his head back against his father chest. He was tired again.

Vlad frowned, realizing his son was not getting enough sleep with all his nightmares and emotional stresses. But just as he thought of getting him to lie down on his bed again, his phone inside his suit pocket vibrated.

Danny yelped at feeling it, too, but he quickly reassured the boy.

"It's alright, Daniel. It's just a device that I use to talk to other humans… Hold on." Vlad pulled out his cell phone while Danny stared strangely at the device in his hand.

The child's sensitive hearing picked up the voice on the other end even when the phone was against his father's ear.

"_Hello? Vladimir?"_

"Thurston?" Vlad replied, with slight surprise. "What can I do for you?"

"_Forgive me for calling you so early in the morning, but it seems I have managed to book a flight for Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon. I know we said we would meet after this weekend; but a few things came up and I would not have been able to meet until the end of the month. So, I thought it was better for us to move up our meeting to tomorrow, instead of postponing it…" _

Vlad frowned in displeasure. Tomorrow was _too_ soon. He just brought his son here! But… what choice did he have?

Vlad glanced at his son who was staring warily at the phone in his hand. Obviously, he could hear the human voice coming through it.

"Alright…," Vlad replied at last. But he then reluctantly asked, "Will you be requiring lodging? I could arrange for it at my castle as before…"

"_Oh, thank you, but no. I have booked a hotel and since I am alone this time, I am not worried about the time it takes. So, then, would eight tomorrow evening be okay with you?"_

Vlad held in a sigh of relief. He had not wanted the man to stay, since it would just mean more stress for him and Daniel. "Yes, that is fine. I will see you then. Ta."

Hearing the other man's own dismissal, Vlad hung up.

The older hybrid looked at the younger one who was now frowning in confusion before the child asked, "Daddy? Why is there a human inside that human toy?"

Vlad smiled weakly in response.

* * *

It was late at night as Aragon stepped out of the self-made portal and into the Human Word before the portal vanished behind him. Currently in his more humanoid form, he looked around his unknown surroundings with disgust and disdain.

"It has not been long enough since I have stepped into this loathsome and villainous world…," he muttered as his eyes continued to scan his environment. He briefly looked up at the starry sky and narrowed his eyes. Such darkness was a testimony of the evil oppression in this world. But it did not matter. He would tolerate this unclean and dark place long enough to keep his promise to his son.

He supposed his being here was a demonstration on how determined he was to fulfill Elliot's request. Not only was it prohibited by the King for any ghost to step into this world without permission, but Aragon had made it a decree to his own kin—and even he, as leader, kept this decree. So, in a sense, he was going against his own law. Not only that, but it was extremely dangerous. If he were captured or killed, it could very well mean the end of the dragon ghosts. That was why he had never sought to find his other son, Gregory, once he had found out his child was not in the Ghost World. Not only had the father been sure the child had been killed, but attempting to get him back from the humans meant putting the rest of the dragon ghosts in danger. And back then, he had been sure he could not risk the lives of many for the life of one—even when it had been his own son.

Lately, though, Aragon had been questioning his belief of that. That was probably the other reason he was here. It was probably too late, but he owed this to Gregory, too. Besides, if he wanted to at least know what had happened to his lost son, he could only do so by physically coming to this cursed place.

Aragon lifted his left hand to his amulet as his eyes moved past the tress and natural scenery and to the bright lights and unnatural display of the city in the distance.

If he had not done a bit of investigating, he would have never believed that in this part of the Human World—such an _insignificant_ part of it—was where the Queen had been murdered. Amity Park, it was supposedly called. And the hunters responsible: the Guys-in-White.

Aragon knew there were many ghost hunting organizations in the Human World, but he knew he was at the right place all the same. After all, Elliot had mentioned that the 'white hunters' that had captured Gregory were the same ones that that had harmed the Prince and murdered the Queen. How his son even knew this, Aragon did not know. But it wasn't hard to put two-and-two together, so to speak.

There was no doubt in his mind that the truth he sought he would learn here. But only those 'white hunters' knew the truth; so that meant he would have to face them. And there was only one way to get these pathetic humans to come out of their dark cervices and speak up…

Aragon smirked as his amulet began to glow a brighter red under his touch, but in turn, his symbol on his chest dimmed to the point that it was barely glowing. As he released the amulet, a flash of light shot out of the amulet and into the sky. His symbol remained dimmed as Aragon watched the beam quickly heading to the city lights in the distance….

* * *

Currently in dragon form, Gregor panted from pain and exertion as he stood in the middle of the weapon-testing room. One of his wings was sagged, all but lying on the ground, while his injured one was cradled against his large chest. He had his eyes closed and one of his large claws was wrapped around his throbbing throat. He was both hurting and tired. He had been straining himself too much and it was so late at night. He just wanted to stop and pass out on a bed—or even the cold ground.

"It's no use, Tom. I can't do it," he rasped out, opening his eyes and looking at the hunter several feet away.

The 'GiW' leader frowned, but it was hard to tell if he was angry, displeased, or worried. His expression was impossible to read, and it made Gregor a bit nervous as the man approached him.

Tom said nothing once he stopped in front of the large dragon and looked him over with that still unreadable expression. He had not expected the ghost to be able to draw out fire just yet since it was clear his throat and lungs were still healing. But… it was troubling that he still couldn't fly after two weeks. The ghost's injury to his wing had healed, but it had left a large hold in the delicate membrane…

It was unfortunately keeping the dragon ghost from even getting airborne. And that was both concerning and annoying the hunter. It wasn't as if he was asking the ghost to fly, but just lift himself off the ground and the child couldn't even do that!

Just when Tom was about to coldly tell Gregor to try it again, he was pulled out of his thoughts by a choked sob. The man frowned even more at the distress on the dragon ghost's face.

The child's ears were pressed back in distress and his red eyes were glassy with tears as he whimpered, "What if I can never fly again?"

"Of course you'll fly again," Tom answered coolly; but then he moved forward and reached up to touch the child's wing. But when Gregor slightly pulled away, the man paused and glanced warningly at him.

Gregor instantly realized the man was in a bad mood, and wasn't about to tolerate any misbehavior right now. Hesitantly, he relaxed his wing again to let he man do what he wanted.

Tom turned his attention back to Gregor's wing and carefully passed his hand against the membrane, tracing the area where the healed gap in his wing was.

"Perhaps there is a similar material as your wing which we can use as a skin graft…," Tom said mostly to himself. "Well, that would be worse case scenario… I think all you need is some more practice to regain strength in this wing…"

Gregor didn't reply, thought his eyes dimmed a bit. The touch felt surprisingly nice, and with how tired and worn out he was, it was quickly putting him to sleep. But just as the child's eyes closed, something jolted him awake.

"_**BOOM!"**_

Gregor yelped as he briefly lost his balance, while Tom gasped in surprise before he pulled out a weapon. There was another blast and the entire ghost facility shook before the ghost alarms went off.

"He's here! He came back! Tom, it's that ghost! **He came back to kill me**!" Gregor suddenly exclaimed in a panic and he quickly began to spin around the room, trying to find a place to hide.

Tom jolted as the dragon ghost almost unintentionally hit him with his tail. Luckily, he had ducked before that could happen.

"Gregor! **Gregor, stop!"** Tom yelled angrily at the panicked child. And finally getting his attention, he realized the child was so terrified he was shaking all over. The man frowned, but then firmly ordered, "Turn back into your human disguise and stay in here. _Do not_ leave this room."

Gregor quietly nodded before he pulled out the Gem of Form and fused it into his core.

As the ghost boy melded to his human disguise, Tom turned and walked out of the room. He paused to look at his two guards stationed at the door and said seriously, "Anything tries to get in here, you are to kill it. No questions asked."

"Yes, sir," they replied.

But right then, Opertative O ran over to him. "Agent C!" he exclaimed, skidding to a stop in front of his boss.

"What is going on? Who is attacking us?" Thomas demanded as the place shook again.

Being one of the only two officers who knew the identity of Tom's 'secret weapon', Operative O glanced at the other two guards before gesturing for them to move away.

"Report, Commander!" Tom ordered once they were away from anyone who could possibly overhear them.

"Sir, you are not going to believe it, but we are being attacked by a level ten ghost!"

"The King?" Tom asked in disbelief. It was the only ghost he knew at that level. Well, the King before him had been at an even _higher_ level, but Dark had not been seen since Plasmius took the throne...

"No, sir… a dragon ghost! And… And it looks just like your weapon, only… much older!" the young commander replied.

Tom's eyes widened. He had never seen a dragon ghost willingly step outside the Ghost World—let alone come out just to attack humans! In fact, the only reason Tom knew of their existence was because the former Ghost King would throw out their dead bodies here into the Human World. Tom could only guess Dark had made it a sort of sport to kill these creatures. He would slice off their heads to probably keep as trophies and then dump the rest of their bodies out here.

"Agent C? Do we shoot to kill? The shield is about to shatter!" Operative O said worriedly.

But Tom was still in shock and asked mostly himself, "Why is this creature here? And why…?"

"Perhaps it's your weapon's father, sir! Perhaps he has come for him!" his youngest commander suggested.

Tom tensed. His commander was right. It was the only explanation.

"_Damn!"_ Thomas thought angrily _"That hunter ghost must have told Gregor's father he is alive! Well, he isn't getting him back. That little demon is mine, and no one is taking him from me!"_

"Capture it," Tom suddenly commanded darkly. "I want that demon-monster caught so I can kill it myself!"

"Yes, sir!" Operative O replied before running off and quickly barking out orders through his communicators to the rest of the Guys-in-White on duty.

Tom watched him go before glancing back to where Gregor was.

"So… seems _Daddy_ wants you back, Gregor…," Tom muttered, a growing evil smile curling his lips. "Alright… We'll give him what he wants, then…"

With a chuckle, the Guys-in-White leader headed back into the weapons-testing room and went over to a drawer. He then quickly pulled out a syringe and needle and prepped it.

Meanwhile, Gregor had been hiding under a table in the far corner of the room. But seeing Tom return, he quickly crawled out of his hiding place and nervously walked over to the hunter. "I-Is it him?" he asked fearfully.

Tom looked down at the child and smiled calmly. "Don't worry. I have an idea. But… I'll need some of your core energy…:"

Gregor placed a hand against his chest and took a step back. "B-But don't you have some of it stored in your fridge in the lab along with all your other ghost _samples_?"

"Yes, but I need a fresh sample. Now, hold still," Tom answered as he grabbed the boy by a wrist and yanked him towards him.

Gregor squeezed his eyes close in anticipation of the pain.

Tom smiled evilly but cooed at the boy, "Trust me, Gregor. This will keep that demon from ever bothering you again…"

* * *

Currently in dragon form and oddly lacking his amulet, Aragon growled as he hovered above the ghost hunting facility which he was blasting. He had only been out here a handful of times in search of his kin that Pariah had killed; but he was sure the humans didn't have these strange shields they seemed to have now. In fact, it seemed they had advanced _a lot _since he had seen these creatures. Of course, that just made this all the more dangerous. But he was not backing out now.

His plan had been to get their attention with a bit of damage to their headquarters, but the shield kept his attacks from touching the place. No matter. He wanted to get their attention and by the looks of it, he had it.

"Such atrocious and insignificant ants…," Aragon sneered as he watched from above as the human hunters multiplied in numbers, all running out of their hideout with weapons aimed at him.

They quickly fired, but Aragon produced a shield around himself, which protected him from their attacks. However, he noticed that the blasts were really strong and clearly calibrated for a high-powered ghost like himself.

But it seemed that wasn't all these white-hunters had up their sleeves.

Feeling the wind pick up and hearing a humming sound, Aragon craned his neck behind him and narrowed his eyes when he immediately spotted a large contraption with a rotator on top coming towards him. He growled and raised a hand as the chopper suddenly blinded him with bright lights.

"Level-ten ghost, you are under arrest! Come quietly or we will be forced to open fire!" an amplified voice from below threatened.

"Fire…,"Aragon repeated, turning his eyes down to the humans below. And feeling more than a bit vengeful from what all these humans had done to his kind, he added, "I shall show you true fire!"

Aragon suddenly craned his head back and shot out a ball of fire from his mouth at the men below. They yelled in alarm as they dived away from the fiery attack's path, but not all managed to escape without injury.

In turn, the helicopter opened fire. But before any of the attacks could hit, Aragon became a black cloud and shot forward into the sky.

"Level-ten ghost is on the move! Agent C wants it alive. So, all agents turn your weapons to stun mode and engage!" Operative O commanded his men on the ground. But then using his radio, he connected with Operative K, who was leading the air strike. "Commander, this is Operative O. We might need more air support for this one. Over."

"_It's on the way, commander. Over,"_ Operative K replied.

Right then, an alarm went off just before metal doors embedded in the ground began to open and large land rovers and even a tank emerged.

"Sir," Operative O said when one of the rovers stopped next to him and he saw his leader was driving it. He further reported, "Level-ten ghost is on the move."

"Tail it, commander," Thomas ordered. "I'll flank in from the east." And looking at five other rovers with him, he signaled for them to follow.

Meanwhile, Aragon glanced back as the hunters quickly gave chase. He hated having to flee from such inferior creatures, but he was here with the goal of finding out the truth about Gregory—not a fight, even if the urge to annihilate all these creatures burned within his core. Besides, humans were like cockroaches. You could kill some today, but they just multiplied and came back with even more destruction and evil in their minds. And the last thing their world needed was another reason for the humans to try to invade their world. Vlad could decide what to do about these creatures once he returned. So, for now, Aragon wanted to do this as cleanly and quickly as possible. And that meant moving this 'quarrel' to a less populated area.

Aragon was pretty surprised, though, when the white hunters managed to get a few hits on him and even almost trapped him on a few occasions. He could see now that this particular group of human hunters was a force to be reckoned with. They were highly dangerous and highly equipped to take down any type of ghost.

"_They managed to trap the Queen, after all,"_ Aragon thought hatefully.

They certainly had numbers on their side; and the fact that they were so well organized and skillful in battle made them as dangerous as their high-tech weapons. No matter. Aragon was not to be intimidated, nor would he leave without his purpose being fulfilled.

He glanced up in time to see several vehicles suddenly coming towards him. He was greatly surprised at seeing these creatures had at last closed in on him.

Aragon hovered to a halt and glanced around. He was certainly about to be surrounded, but it wasn't as if he couldn't teleport. But he was in no hurry to do that. He could see he had flown out enough from the city that there were now only trees around him for miles. And that's all he wanted. Still, he knew he had to be careful in letting these creatures close in on him too much. He was strong and had many powers, but the human world's air was thick and gravity was stronger here, too. It made any quick-second movements impossible for his large body and wings, especially when his kind could not levitate. They needed air currents to fly.

Teleporting to face the closest threat to him, which was the group of hunters that had been giving chase all this time, Aragon expanded his chest and spewed out black tar down at the incoming vehicles below. All were forced to a stop as their wheels and other parts melted into goo from the hot liquid. But the helicopter, which had also been hot on his tail, quickly opened fire.

Instead of moving to avoid the attacks, Aragon turned into his vaporous form and lunged forward. The hunters in the helicopter gasped as the cloud of black smoke slammed into them and spun the copter out of control. They were quickly forced to do an emergency landing.

But suddenly two jets came zooming into the fray behind Aragon and each fired two missiles. The dragon ghost solidified in time to face them; but they were so fast that he was only able to dodge one set. The other set of missiles slammed into him, throwing him back. He barely managed to turn into a vaporous form to avoid colliding into several trees below.

Shaking off the pain from the missiles, Aragon solidified and stood back up on his four feet. He growled as large tanks surrounded him, demanding his surrender.

Aragon had been about to attack, but then paused as it dawned on him that these creatures were not trying to kill him. Otherwise, they would not be bothering to tell him to surrender and would just be using all their arsenal to destroy him. It seemed he had caught their attention alright—and _the kind_ of attention he had wanted.

They had taken the lure, which was himself. These hunters were looking to capture him; and that's exactly what Aragon needed…

Pressing his wings against his side and glancing around as the hunters surrounded him but did not fire, he subtly smirked. However, his attention turned to the land vehicles that had cut him off earlier and the dragon ghost noticed one of the vehicles had stopped just behind the others. But on top of it, there was a man watching him through binoculars.

Aragon knew a leader when he saw one, and that was he.

"We will not tell you again, ghost! Surrender or we will **make** you!" Operative K commanded from the front.

And to make it clear, another helicopter appeared in the sky, while the jets stayed nearby, all ready to engage and fire their deadly arsenal.

"Surrender?" Aragon hissed loudly. "Surrender I shall not, for you villainous maggots have something that belongs to me! And until you return it, I shall wreak havoc until each and every one of you is nothing but a heap of ash under my feet!"

Tom lowered his binoculars as he noticed the creature was looking right at him. He then smirked. How interesting… He could also recognize 'leaders' when he saw them. And this dragon ghost was definitely that. Could it be then? Was Gregor's father, the Dragon Leader?

"_I really do not give Penelope and Bertrand enough credit. They sure know how to pick em'_!" Tom thought with amusement. _"All the more reason why I am not giving up my weapon to __**anyone**__."_

Seeing his men about to fire at the dragon ghost after his obvious threat, Tom yelled, "Hold your fire!"

Everyone did so, and he climbed off the rover and made his way towards the dragon ghost.

Once close enough, Tom stopped and looked up at the large ghost. The hunter did not look intimated at all.

"I will admit: you have a lot of guts to forwardly attack us and then make demands. You must have a death wish," Tom said with slight threat in his voice as he studied the large ghost. This was definitely Gregor's father. He looked just like him, except the age and that Gregor had more of bluish sheen to his skin and hackles, while this ghost was more maroon in color.

"And _you_ have a lot of nerve, _insect_, taking something dear to me and standing before me now when I could easily trample you under my feet," Aragon growled back.

"Yeah?" Tom asked innocently. But then his eyes narrowed and he darkly challenged, "Try it."

Aragon, being as hot-headed as he was, quickly roared and raised one of his massive feet to destroy the pathetic human. He would squish each one of them until they gave him what he wanted!

But anticipating the move, Tom rolled forward, closer to the dragon ghost and crouched down right in between the creature's two front claws. He then pulled out a small silver-glowing card—the same kind he once used on Penelope when they first met—and threw it right at the ghost's exposed symbol.

Aragon jolted back in surprise; but when the card began to sink into his flesh, he roared in pain. But at the same time, he looked down**;** and seeing Tom, he lunged forward to snap him in two with his large jaws.

The ghost hunter threw himself out of the way before he yelled, "Open fire!"

Aragon roared as several blasts hit him from everywhere. But as he tried to teleport, he found his core protest as it quickly began to weaken. Just as suddenly, he found all his limbs tense up and he realized whatever the hunter had shot at him was some sort of paralysis-inducing serum. Well. This certainly was not in the plan.

"Hold fire!" Tom commanded as he watched the dragon ghost sway on his feet before he suddenly dropped to his side with a loud bam. The earth shook a bit from the massive weight, but all stilled afterward.

Sure that the creature wasn't going anywhere, Tom pulled out a large weapon and rested it on his shoulder as he approached the weakened dragon ghost. "I'm almost disappointed. I thought you would have been harder to subdue..," he voiced casually.

Aragon gritted his teeth against the pain in his core. Not only had all his muscles gone stiff with agony, but he could feel his core had been drastically weakened. He wasn't sure if he could even escape at this point. He was not sure who he as angrier at: these barbarians or himself for letting his temper get the best of him and falling for their trap.

But refusing to give in just yet, Aragon craned his neck up with much difficulty and glared at the hunter. The human was quick and cunning. The dragon leader would give him that. But he was still a mere mortal that could be killed with a swat of his clawed-hand… The idea was quite tempting, actually. But, first, Aragon decided he would get what he came for…

"I underestimated you, human scum," Aragon growled. "It would be wise of you not do the same towards me…"

"Advice noted. But that is why I have _this_ out," Agent C answered, patting the gun resting on his shoulder. "Now, before I kill you, tell me, what exactly do I have that belongs to you?"

"My child, you barbarian!" Aragon roared. "I know it was you and your followers who took him! I know you have him! Now, return him to me before I destroy you!"

But Tom chuckled. "You are either really stupid or really arrogant… Look around you. Do you truly believe you are going to survive this night, let alone have _even the chance_ to destroy me? You are in _my_ domain now, demon. You are at _my_ mercy, and if I have not destroyed _you_, it's simply because I'm curious to know what you are doing here…"

"Did you not hear me? I want the return of my offspring!" Aragon hissed in response.

"No, I heard you," Thomas answered, raising an eyebrow. "I just find it unbelievable that you would come here, risking it all, to seek out a son when you have no certainty that I really have him—let alone that he's even alive."

"Then, how do you know I am seeking 'a son'?" Aragon growled back, his eyes narrowing further at realizing Elliot was right. These indeed were the humans that took Gregory!

Tom smiled and replied, "Because you're right. I do have your kid."

Aragon froze and the glare fell of his face. Gregory… This human had him. He… He was alive!

A sort of desperation came to his voice as he said, "Return him. I will give you anything you want! I will give you my life in return for his! If you creatures have any goodness in you, I implore that you let him come home!"

But Tom only smirked cruelly. "Sounds tempting, but I'm not so sure I could that… I'll admit, I was intrigued—perhaps even _fascinated_—by your kid from the moment I saw him. I had never seen such a young ghost before. What was he, like four?"

Aragon just stared back fearfully.

"He didn't even know how to fly yet," Tom continued in fake sympathy. "Did not even speak a word of any kind of human language. Actually, he could barely even talk at all!" The hunter paused and smiled thoughtfully. "And yet… I learned so much from him… Really good specimen. Probably the best I've gotten my hands on…"

"You have no need for a child, human. They are weak. Their energies are barely developed and their cores unstable," Aragon attempted to reason again. "I, on the other hand, can be of much benefit. I am a very powerful ghost. My core is large. I heard you creatures harvest our life organs. It will be more than a fair trade."

Tom tilted his head to the side and rested a hand against his face in thought. "Hmm… You might be right. After all, young ghosts cry too much. You know, always calling for their parents and all. You can barely stick a needle in their cores without them screaming as loud as if you were cutting off their limbs! And believe me, I've had my share of 'little demons'."

He paused again, grabbing his chin this time before he voiced causally, "And yet I'm not sure who screamed louder: your kid or the King's when I _tortured_ them."

Aragon's eyes flared with rage, and much to Tom's surprise, the dragon got to his feet, something he should not have been able to do.

"**You are detestable! You loathing creature of darkness! You will burn for your wickedness!" **the dragon ghost roared.

"You want your brat?" The hunter suddenly snapped his fingers and one of his men stepped forward with a steel box. Tom opened it and pulled out what was inside the box. He then presented it at Aragon and said with a dark look, "Here he is…"

In an instant, Aragon's rage extinguished, like a flame drowned in cold water. All he could do was stare… stare at the dimly glowing ghost core in the man's hands. It was the same size as what it would be for a four-year-old dragon ghost…

"We have special storage units that keep cores _fresh_ until we use them," Tom explained causally. "When I was told of your _arrival_, I figured your son was the reason; so I decided to be generous and give him back to you… Here. _He's all yours_…"

Aragon gasped as the man threw the organ at him, and not wanting to see it hit the ground, he caught it. But the _feel_ of his son's energy coming from the slowly dying core only drove the cold truth further into Aragon's mind: this core was indeed Gregory's core. It was too much for him to bear.

A soft purr escaped the father's throat as he pulled the organ closer to himself and all but caressed it with his face.

"Now that you have your son, I believe you promised me your life in return…," Tom said smugly.

Aragon slowly lowered the dying core in his hands and raised his burning red eyes at the hunter in front of him. He stared into those soulless eyes for a brief moment before vowing, "You will die for this… I will watch you die _slowly_ for this…"

"I doubt that…," Tom answered, but then he darkly ordered his men, "Kill him."

In an instant, all the Guy-in-White agents raised their guns, quickly switching them into destroy mode.

They fired.

Aragon's roars of pain were quickly drowned out by the sound of guns, and his large form just as quickly was engulfed by smoke and debris.

"Sir, you do not want his core, especially when you just lost another?" Operative O asked, moving closer to his leader and frowning in uncertainty. He knew how hard it was to obtain an uninjured core. And yet, Agent C had just sacrificed one to make this dragon ghost believe his son was dead? And now he was just going to kill this dragon ghost when his core could be highly useful to them? After all, this was a level-ten ghost! Its energy would be perfect for making high-powered weapons!

But Tom just stared coldly ahead, watching the massacre.

Operative O frowned even more and insisted, "Agent C? Forgive me, but I feel I am obligated to remind you, sir, that this creature is a level-ten. Sir, we could have much use for his energy. I ask you to reconsider. We should at least harvest some of its energy before—"

"I want him _dead_," Thomas interrupted his commander. "_No one_ is taking my weapon from me."

Operative O stared back in surprise, but then he nodded and looked back at the barrage still going on. "As you wish, sir," he replied quietly.

It seemed like forever before Thomas raised a hand and the Guys-in-White ceased their fire. There was silence as they watched the smoke and debris slowly clear away. But just when it did and they expected to find a smoldering carcass, a bright beam of red light suddenly flashed within the crater before it shot up into the air where it soon vanished in the distance.

Tom's eyes widened as the smoke finally lifted completely and he was able to clearly see only an empty crater left. The dragon leader was gone!

"A clone?" the GiW leader gasped out. "No! It's impossible!" He abruptly turned to Operative O and pulled him closer by his white suit, hissing, "You said the detection devices picked up a signature!"

"It did!" the young commander exclaimed in alarm and confusion. "There was a full energy reading! There was nothing to indicate we were attacking a mere duplicate, sir!"

Roughly letting go of his young commander, he yanked out his radio and barked out, "Operative K! Report!"

Being that the African-American commander was airborne on the second chopper, he had seen what had happened from above. He readily answered, _"All indicators read that the level-ten ghost has switched positions, sir. I do not know how, but he is now on the opposite side of Amity Park… He has escaped, Agent C." _

"**Son of a jackal**!" Tom yelled angrily as he threw his weapon to the ground with such force that it broke in two. He had wanted Gregor's father dead—just like he wanted dead anyone else who threatened to take his weapon away! But whatever power the creature had just used to escape, it had been one he and his men had never seen. All they knew was that the dragon ghost should be dead after all those energy blasts and instead he had disappeared in a beam of light!

"Operative K!" Tom sneered back into the radio. "Take your team and head after it! If that creature is still around, I want it dead! I want its severed head or its bleeding core in my hand, do you understand me, commander?!"

"_Yes, Sir!"_ he replied and in a matter of seconds, the chopper and the two jets took off across Amity in hopes of catching up with the level-ten ghost before they lost him for good.

"The rest of you fall back," Tom said bitterly before he stomped back to his car.

He supposed he should at least be thankful for his quick-thinking. Who knew storing the ghost phoenix's core from all that time back when Gregor had killed a pair of them would have come in handy now? It had been pure luck that that creature had a core of the same size as what a young dragon would have. So, all Tom had had to do was inject the core with Gregor's fresh core energy and it passed perfectly as the child's own. Or, at least the father seemed to have been convinced it belonged to his son.

Still, he had not expected the dragon leader to escape. He had unfortunately underestimated the desperate father; it seemed the dragon ghost had planned this all out to ensure he learned 'the truth' and escaped at the same time. The damn monster had tricked him! He had underestimated him after all!

"_Fine. There are other ways to prevent Gregor from ever leaving my side,"_ Tom thought darkly. _"And his father might have escaped, but at least he is now certain that his brat is dead. And __**if**__ he ever finds out otherwise, it will be too late anyways! __**I'll make sure of it!"**_

Meanwhile, the beam of light had descended down at the outskirts of Amity—at the opposite side of where the Guys-in-White had attacked. But instead of the beam reforming back into Aragon, it instead headed into the _real_ Aragon, currently in human form. He had never moved from where he had first entered the Human World.

As soon as the red beam penetrated Aragon's amulet, the dragon ghost's core brightened once more.

However, at that second, Aragon gasped as he felt the pain he had sustained from the attack of the white hunters—even when he had never _physically_ been there for it. His powers gave him the ability to create _a projection_ of himself. It was not too different than a duplicate, except that a projection took his _full power _and so there was no difference in the amount of energy in his projection and himself. But although creating a projection weakened him more than it would to produce a clone, it also kept anyone from detecting it was not _really_ _him_ since his energy signature was present in his projection. Furthermore, a clone tended to be weaker than its creator, while a projection held the same amount of power that he had. So, while he could easily fool anyone into thinking his projection was him, it also meant he could put 'himself' in a dangerous situation and be safe from being captured or killed.

However, it was painful to his core, especially by how hurt and weakened his projection had been. But the physical pain was nothing like the emotional one.

Aragon closed his eyes as he placed a hand against his core. He had promised Elliot he would attempt to find Gregory, but he had never believed he was alive. Still, part of him had not been able to resist _hoping_… But to now know without a doubt that his son had been killed and in such a gruesome way was too much…

Aragon attempted to focus on using his powers to open a portal and go home. After all, staying here could get him really caught and he didn't have the power to fight off an army of hunters.

But… his son… _his child._ They had ripped out his core and had kept it as some sick trophy all this time! How could anyone be so cruel? How could anyone do such a vile thing? It had been so long since he had felt Gregory's energy; and now that he was given one last chance to feel it, it was only with the holding of his dying, bloody core—holding the very proof that his son was dead. It was the worst insult that could be added to his emotional pain.

There was no doubt anymore… Gregory was dead.

Aragon gripped his amulet, trying to focus enough to command it. But he couldn't.

Dropping to his knees, Aragon felt his sorrow consume him. He had never cried for his lost son. After all, he had had to remain strong for his other son and mate… He had always had to be the logical and strong leader for his kin. But it was as if all had come together now. And he felt the same raw pain that he had felt six years ago when he first lost Gregory. It was like it was happening all over again.

And this time, he couldn't stay strong.

There on the wet and cold ground of Amity Park, the father curled forward and gripped at his hair as he wept and mourned the child he lost six years ago…

* * *

Things went by as usual for Vlad and Danny the next day. After that whole incident with the maid yesterday morning, Vlad decided it was best to keep his son with him as much as possible. So, while he had worked at his private study on business affairs, his son had sat on the ground in front of his desk playing with some new toys he had gotten him. They had taken a break only to eat lunch. Then, they had gone right back to Vlad's study.

Now, it was around two, and while the older hybrid continued to busy himself with business papers and phone calls, the younger half-ghost was safely and quietly napping on a nearby couch. The good thing about being the owner of a company was that he could do most of his work at home and have others do the more hands-on things. Still, he had been missing several months now; so visiting his two biggest companies—Vladco and DALV Cooperation—in person was something he would need to do soon. But with the more important paperwork done, he could at least wait until the end of the week to do so.

Then, there was Manson and Masters Industries. Being that it was his newest business endeavor and being that he only owned half of the multi-million dollar business, it required more of his direct attention—especially when it had been going through many revisions and expansions since he had agreed to partner up with Thruston J. Manson. Luckily, his business partner was coming here—saving him an unwanted trip to Amity—and they could address more of the pressing matters.

_Unfortunately_, Manson was coming _here_—where his traumatized son was—and today no less. Vlad really did not know if he should be happy or upset by this predicament.

Vlad paused in his work as he glanced at his sleeping son. He had hoped his son would have been home before Thurston came to visit; but obviously that was not happening. The only choice he had was to at least _acclimate_ his son to humans—at least enough so that he didn't start screaming at the mere sight of them. Not only because Thurston was coming over, but also because he _would_ have to go visit his companies and have to take Daniel with him. And they would certainly run into many humans there.

"_Still, I do not know if Daniel will be ready for that type of exposure by the end of this week when I plan to visit Vladco and DALV… ,"_ Vladimir thought in worry. _"Perhaps in another few __more__ weeks…But then, that would mean I will have to find a way to keep Daniel safe while I go to my companies…"_

Could he risk one duplicate to watch his son while he attended to Dalv and VladCo…? Perhaps, but it could not be forever. Using his powers meant his ghost signature could be picked up by hunters if they were looking for it. It was very dangerous.

Yes, as much as it pained him to see the child upset and frightened, it was safer to just try to get his son to tolerate seeing humans while they were here. He could even start today. Vladimir had ordered his butler and chef to come in earlier than usual since he had that dinner-meeting with Thurston tonight. That meant Hobson and his chef, Andrew, would be around before dinner time. Perhaps instead of just picking up the meals from the kitchen like he had yesterday, Vladimir decided he could have Hobson bring him Daniel's dinner in person. It would be a brief exposure. And his butler would not do anything to scare Daniel; so starting with him seemed like a good idea. It was best to start small, and slowly help his son get past this strong fear of humans.

That actually sounded like it would work well. Then, once Daniel finished his dinner, he would put him to bed—before eight o'clock when Thurston was supposed to arrive. That way Daniel did not have to see him. He would be fast asleep by then.

He smiled lightly with his idea before turning his gaze back to his work.

When his son woke up half an hour later, Vladimir knew it was time for some fresh air. They had been cooped up in his study practically all day; so it was well past the time for them to stretch their legs.

Standing from his chair, he walked over to his son, who was now sitting up and rubbing his blurry eyes. He then yawned and stretched his limbs before smiling when he saw his father squat down in front of him.

"Such a lazy boy," Vladimir teased, speaking in Human Speech. "Here I am working hard and you're napping the day away like a prince…"

Danny giggled before throwing his arms around his father. "Hey, you make me sleep," he replied, automatically speaking in the same tongue as his father. "Your fault! Not mine!"

"Well, I just don't want to deal with you when you get grumpy from lack of sleep," Vlad retorted, wrapping his own arms around the boy and rising to his height with him.

"_Gumpy?"_ Danny questioned, "What that?"

"You mean, _What is that?"_ Vladimir corrected. "And it is pronounced, _grump-y_. It means, _malbonhumoran _in our language…_" _

"Oh," Danny muttered. But finally getting what his father was saying, he pouted, "Hey! I'm not grump-y!"

"_Looks_ like it to me," the older hybrid answered, mimicking the younger one's pouting face before grinning.

Danny smiled back and said, "I want to play. You play me?"

"Yes, I will play with you. In fact, I had precisely that in mind. We can go play outside, hmm?" his father suggested.

"_Jes!_ Outside!" Danny beamed, bouncing excitedly in his father's arms.

Vladimir chuckled. "It's '_yes'"_

"That is what I say. _Jes!_" Danny replied with a grin.

Deciding to let it go, Vlad just smiled and nodded. He then put the boy down, who quickly grabbed his toy badger on the couch before grabbing his father's hand. Danny bounced in anticipation as his father walked them out of the study, heading downstairs.

In the past two days, the older hybrid had shown very little of the castle to his son. And he made a mental note to do that tomorrow. But for now, he preferred to show the young half-ghost something he would appreciate more…

"So, what do you think?" Vlad asked, still holding the child's hand as they finally made it out into the castle's big 'backyard.'

Danny didn't reply at first and just stared ahead with his mouth slightly parted. He didn't even realize he had slightly loosened his grip on his stuffed-badger and was now dragging him a bit on the ground.

Although Danny had seen the outside a few times in the old place they had been at, this one was different in some ways. The large forest in the distance wasn't new to him. The other place, though colder than this place, had also been full of trees and natural scenery. But unlike that place, this place also had this open area before the forest. And… there were all these… structures he had never seen before.

Danny didn't know that he was actually looking at other facilities just outside the castle. There was an open terrace with a butterfly garden and bird fountains surrounding it. There was a large football field, soccer field, and basketball court on the far right. Furthermore, there was a greenhouse and even stables further out. But what caught the boy's attention was the large pool area just past the terrace.

The human-Prince's eyes widened, assuming that the pool was a large blue lagoon that sparkled and glowed, much like the mermaid lagoon at his playing grounds.

"_Marvirinoj!(1)"_Danny exclaimed happily, abruptly escaping his father's hold and sprinting forward.

Vlad gasped at seeing his son actually run for the first time, but it so happened to be towards his large outdoor pool.

"Daniel! Stop!" he yelled and ran after him.

Danny was so excited at the thought of finding some of his friends inside the 'lagoon' that he hardly cared that his legs were shaking under him as he continued to run forward. However, just as he was a few feet from the pool of water, he tripped over his own feet and fell forward.

Danny yelped as he dropped on his hands and knees, instantly feeling the sharp stinging from his flesh hitting pavement. But because he had been so close to the pool, his badger, which he had still been holding in his hand, flew forward and fell into the pool and slowly began to sink.

"_Ne!"_ he yelled and quickly crawled forward with the intent of going after his toy.

Right then, Vlad caught up to his son and exclaimed, "Daniel, no!" He picked him up in time to keep the little hybrid from going into the pool as he lightly reprimanded, "What are you doing? You cannot go in there!"

But Danny stared at his drowning badger before his lower lip began to quiver. "But… I dropped Badgy! I want to go get him!"

"Daniel, you don't know how to swim," Vlad answered seriously; though he then paused as he noticed his son's scratched hands. "And look, you hurt yourself." Luckily, the child was wearing jeans, so he avoided further damage to his knees.

Ignoring the second comment, Danny answered, "I can swim! I swim all the time with the _marvirinoj_!"

Vlad sighed to calm his tense nerves. "It's not the same, Daniel. You have legs now. Swimming is different with them. Plus, you need to _breathe_ as a human; so you cannot just go into the water and not worry about drowning. Now, let me see your hands. Are you okay?"

As his father grabbed his hands and inspected them, Danny finally remembered the stinging he felt from his fall. But his knees slightly throbbed, too, but not as much as his scratched hands.

He suddenly cringed in pain when his father lightly touched a slightly bleeding scratch on his right hand. But glancing back at the pool, Danny's eyebrows creased as he answered in distress, "I'm okay, but Badgy is not!"

"I'll get him for you, but you must promise me you will never attempt to jump in there again. Not without me. Promise me," Vlad said seriously. He was more than worried as he suddenly realized how many hazards there were here for his son if left alone. And since he didn't know any better, he could easily end up getting hurt… or worse. No, he definitely could not leave his son alone.

Danny nodded and placed a hand on his father's chest, even when the clothing impeded any real contact to his core and said, "I promise."

Vlad nodded and smiled. He then moved over to a small storage cabinet near the house and opened the door. Inside were gardening tools and pool supplies. He grabbed a long pool net and then walked back over to the pool.

He placed his son down and told him, "Don't move."

Danny nodded and just watched as his father used the large stick to get his toy out. Once he got it out, his father grabbed the soaked toy, and said with a smirk, "Watch." He then turned the toy intangible and all the water slid right off.

Danny gasped in surprise, not ever seeing water just fall off of anything. At least, back home if he got wet, he couldn't just phase it off. It didn't work like that; but here it seemed that intangibility was more than helpful. Well, kind of. He still didn't appreciate the fact that he could phase right through his bed if he was not careful.

"Nice trick, eh?" Vlad said with a wider grin.

Danny giggled as his father handed him his now completely dried badger toy. He hugged the toy against his chest and said, "I now like intangibility even more, even if it make me fall through my bed!"

"Yes, but I only did it because no one is around; but remember we cannot let anyone know we are ghosts," Vlad reminded his son, and the boy nodded.

He then kneeled next to the boy and lifted his pant legs up to inspect his knees. They were a bit red, but he had not broken the skin—though he might end up with a small bruise later. Still, he should be alright. Vlad decided he would just get some antiseptic to clean Danny's hands; but even the scratches on them were minor. In fact, they were already healing, thanks to his ghost half's quick healing.

"Daddy, there is no ghosts inside," Danny said dejectedly.

Vlad looked back at his son, and seeing he was looking over at the pool, the man replied, "That's because there are no ghosts here—_remember_? But also because it's not a real lagoon. It's man-made. It's called a _pool_."

"Oh," Danny answered, finally remembering where he was again. He had briefly forgotten that at the sight of the supposed lagoon and the thought of finding some of his friends in it… But before he could get homesick again, he squinted his eyes when he noticed something moving inside the pool.

"So, what is that?" he blurted out.

Vlad glanced at the pool and chuckled when he saw what his son did. "Oh, those are called _fishes_. They are another type of animal. Come here." He picked up the child again and moved them closer to the pool to show him.

"Wow…," Danny uttered in awe as he looked at how there were all different types of fishes of different colors and sizes swimming around the border of the pool.

"Yes, perhaps one of these days we'll go for a swim and I'll show them better to you. Right now, I wanted to take you somewhere else. To see… _other animals,"_ Vlad said with a smile.

"Other animals?" Danny asked with growing wonder.

"_Bigger_ animals," Vlad added, raising an eyebrow to entice his son even more.

Danny grinned and all but jumped in his arms. "Show me!"

Vlad chuckled and nodded as he walked them towards his original intended location. In a few minutes, they made it to the stables… There, he found a first-aid kit and cleaned his son's hands before anything else.

The young boy hardly noticed. He was too awed by the huge animals his daddy called 'horses' to care about anything else. Sure, he had seen bigger ghosts, but it was still amazing all the same. He quickly learned animals were nothing like primitive ghosts. They couldn't really communicate as humans or ghosts did; but they were as equally full of life.

And when his father let him touch one of the horses, Danny learned how true that was. Although he didn't feel a soul as he could feel in ghosts and humans, he could feel something inside it. He didn't understand what it was, but he liked the feel of the creature all the same.

And the horse seemed to feel something coming from him as well since it seemed to be curiously studying the little human touching it.

Danny was even more delighted when his father told them they could ride the horse—just like they rode Falco or Nightmare back home! And they did just that.

Vlad held the boy tightly against him as they went on horseback into the large forest. He took them to a stream and showed him even more different kinds of animals and other natural sceneries.

But the best of it was soon after they dismounted the horse—when they ended up spotting a pair of badgers digging around for food close by.

"Daddy, look! It's Badgy!" Danny exclaimed, and pulled his father towards the animals, wanting to get closer.

But his father stopped him, saying, "Those are indeed badgers, but it's best to watch them at a distance. They are not use to humans, and we don't want to scare them, hmm?"

Danny frowned a bit, but then nodded in understanding.

Vlad sat on a large rock next to the stream as he watched his son curiously watch the badgers from a safe distance.

But seeing how they were digging up something under the dry leaves, Danny looked down and realized there were little animals moving around the ground here and there.

"More animals?" Danny asked, pointing down.

Vlad nodded. "Yes, they are called _insects_."

Danny repeated the name as he took careful steps, afraid of stepping on the little creatures.

The father's lips curled into a tender smile. His son really was so innocent.

"_He literally wouldn't hurt a fly,"_ Vlad thought with growing amusement, but not without a bit of melancholy as well. It was unfair that fate had dealt his son such a cruel blow. He had done nothing to deserve all that had happened to him. Or maybe… It wasn't his son who was being punished, but he himself. He had done plenty of wrong in his life—yes, perhaps most of it was for the good of others… But it did not mean fate would not pay him back for it… He had taken his son from his very birth parents, after all… And in return, it seemed fate had taken from him his soul-mate; and his child had forever been emotionally scarred because of him…

Vlad's attention suddenly went over to a little blue bird which flew out of nowhere and landed on a low hanging branch near him and his son.

"Ooo! Pretty!" Danny whispered, taking steps closer to the bird, and holding his badger close as if to contain his growing excitement.

Vlad raised an eyebrow when the bird made no attempt to fly off, even when his son was only a foot from it.

Then, suddenly, the bird flew off. However, before it did it playfully made a circle around the boy before it vanished past the tall trees.

"Bye!" Danny said before he turned around and ran back over to his father. "Did you see? Did you see? It like me!" he beamed.

Feeling his dark emotions wash away by the mere sight of his happy son, Vlad scooped up the child and sat him on his lap. "I did see. Maybe I should let you stay out here, and you and Badgy can live with the other badgers and the birds," he teased.

Danny giggled. "Daddy, you are silly!"

Vlad grinned. "Hmm… I don't know… I happen to think you and Badgy share some similarities…I mean, you look alike," he simplified so his son understood.

Danny shook his head. "Naw-uh! Not true!"

"It's very true," Vladimir retorted as he grabbed his son's stuffed toy and lifted it beside his son's own face. "See? Messy black hair, bright blue eyes, a pink nose, and a funny smile… Maybe instead of being part human, you're actually part badger…"

Danny laughed even louder. "I'm not a badger! Badgy is!"

Vlad placed a hand on his son's chest and tenderly told him, "Well, you're _my_ little badger."

Danny smiled back, but then his eyes suddenly narrowed playfully. "Oh yeah? Then maybe I'll do this!" he exclaimed before he playfully growled at his father and 'attacked' him with his fingers.

Vlad jolted but then he used his own fingers to fight back as he replied, "Oh, so you're a tricky little badger, eh? Fine, then, I guess I'll have to punish you!"

Danny squealed and squirmed to get away. "Ahh! No! No punishing!" he giggled back.

Freeing himself, he ran around his father and tickled him from behind. But Vlad quickly jumped up and turned around to grab the boy, but he was too slow.

Danny darted away towards a tree and grinned back in challenge.

"Oh, you are _definitely_ getting punished," Vlad threatened playfully as he then gave chase.

Danny yelped and took off, though since he was only getting use to his feet, he ran around the trees to keep his father from catching him.

All the while, neither of them noticed the little blue bird watching their play. It chirped quietly, though it sounded almost like quiet laughter as it continued to watch the duo…

Sometime later, Vlad and Danny returned to the castle and went back inside. From there, they headed to the study. They had plenty of time until dinner would be served. Vlad used the time to teach his son more human words; and though the young hybrid still felt odd at having his father teach him, he wasn't as reluctant as before. It was certainly a good thing that Danny had always been a quick learner, and that at least made it easier for the child to adapt to all these changes.

Nevertheless, Vlad stressed to his son that he could not speak in Ghost Speech around other humans, and that he could not for any reason use his powers, either.

It was soon time for dinner; but before they went down, Vlad decided it was time to tell his son about what would happen in just a bit…

"Daniel," Vlad began hesitantly. "When we go down to dinner, there will be a human there. He is just a butler, you know, like Derek back home…"

Danny's eyes widened, and suddenly very nervous, he blurted out in Ghost Speech, _"Homa? Estas homa ĉi tie denove?"_ But when his father didn't reply, the boy frowned as he remembered he was speaking the wrong language. He quickly corrected himself, "A human? Why human here? I not want to go! _Ne!"_

"Daniel," Vlad said with a sigh. "Remember that I told you that humans are not going to hurt you while you are human. Plus, I will be with you. Nothing will happen. I know it is hard, but you will have to learn to at least tolerate seeing humans around. It is inevitable, my son. Just remember all I told you and trust me that I will keep you safe."

Danny looked upset all the same, but he said, "Promise you not leave me alone?"

"I promise. I will not leave you alone," Vlad assured him.

Danny nodded but then raised his hands up, this time not wanting to walk down by himself. If his father was holding him, then nothing bad would happen.

Vlad couldn't deny his son's need for comfort. He picked him up and headed to the dining room. But just as they were about to enter the room, Vlad firmly said, "Remember, not a word about ghosts and if you want to speak, you must only speak Human Speech."

Danny didn't reply and instead gripped his father tighter.

Once they arrived, Vlad attempted to place his son down in a seat next to him, but the boy refused. The man was growing highly nervous himself as he could actually feel his son barely able to contain his mounting fear at the thought of having a human near him again.

"Trust me, my boy…You will be okay," the older hybrid reassured him yet again before sitting down in his own seat with the younger one on his lap.

Soon, his butler walked in and asked, "Sir? Will you be…?" But the man trailed off when he saw a little boy on his employer's lap. And this time, he wasn't hidden underneath a blanket.

"Hobson, " Vladimir said, ignoring his butler's surprise. "Meet my son, Daniel."

At hearing his name, Danny pulled his face from his father's chest to peak at the human in the room.

The butler's surprise melded into a small smile as he answered, "Sir, what a delight. If I may say, he has your eyes…"

Vlad glanced down at his son who just continued to stare back at the human like a deer caught in headlights. The older hybrid slowly nodded when he realized his son really did look a bit like him as a human…

"Hello, there, young sir. My name is Hobson. It is my pleasure to meet you," the butler said, taking a few steps closer and smiling gently at the clearly timid boy.

Danny couldn't help but distrust the human, even when he was smiling. That hunter that had hurt him had also pretended to be nice before he did all he did to him. The child felt an instant flare of resentment and fear curl around his heart. He barely could contain himself. He wanted to growl and hiss in threat at the human male. But he didn't only because he didn't want his father to be upset with him. Not only that, but his uncle had told him that hissing wasn't human-like and his father told him he couldn't do anything that wasn't human…

Instead, Danny glared weakly before he buried his face back into his father's chest.

Vlad said in defense, "He's very shy. I'm sure he'll warm up to you in no time. In the meantime, could you bring me his dinner?"

The butler nodded in both understanding and in response. "Of course, sir. Would you care for your dinner as well?"

Vlad shook his head. "No, I will be dining with Mr. Manson in an hour or so. I just need Daniel's supper, so I can get him to bed soon after."

The butler nodded and excused himself.

Vlad looked down at his son and rubbed his back. He could feel Daniel almost shaking in his hold. It didn't bother him at all that his son did not speak to the butler. He was just glad that the child did not scream or start crying. It was a bit of an improvement. So, perhaps, eventually his son would get use to seeing humans and would become less afraid of them. And the sooner that was, the sooner he could go to his companies; and the sooner his son could get over his fear and turn back into his ghost self, the sooner they could then go home.

Still, Vladimir knew that this was easier said than done.

Even when they did not see the butler again after he had brought in Danny's dinner, the young hybrid was very quiet the entire time. Vlad was also having a harder time to get him to eat more than usual, so much that he was forced to literally spoon-feed the boy. And that only meant his son was highly upset.

"I not want no more," Danny suddenly said quietly, turning his face away when his father offered him another spoonful of rice.

"Daniel," Vlad began, his voice slightly reprimanding, but mostly troubled. "You have not eaten even half of your meal. At least eat a few more bites, alright?"

Feeling a sudden surge of irritation, Danny glared down at the food in front of him, answering, "I don't like it. I'm not ungry."

"_Hungry,"_ Vlad corrected him with a frown.

But Danny didn't even answer and just moodily looked away.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and it vibrated through the entire castle, startling even Vlad with its unexpectedness.

Danny yelped loudly in fear, never having heard such a loud and abrupt sound. "I want go! I want go back up!" he exclaimed in a panic. He had tried to stay calm but he couldn't! The thought of a human being around was just too scary for him and worse when loud noises were coming from nowhere.

"Shh. Calm down. It is only a bell. It means someone is at the door," Vlad explained; but when he said this, his eyes widened in realization. Oh. Just wonderful. It seemed Thurston had arrived earlier than planned.

"Another human? _Ne!"_ Danny whimpered. "No more humans! I want to go! Please, Daddy!"

Vlad looked worriedly at his son, but then he said, "But you barely ate anything, Daniel."

But the boy shook his head. "I not hungry. I just want to go back to the… hoom!"

"Room," Vlad corrected him softly. The man was then quiet for a moment before he nodded. "Alright, but I need to excuse myself from this other human before we go back up… You do not have to look or talk to him. Just stay calm, okay?"

Danny whimpered again and just buried his face into his father's chest.

Right then, the butler walked in. "Sir, Mr. Manson is here…"

Now Vlad was annoyed as well as barely containing his stress. His business partner was forty-five minutes early! The older hybrid had planned to have Daniel in bed before this fool arrived, and now thanks to his being early, he would have to put his son through further stress by having to meet this other human. Not to mention, he had hoped to get his son to eat a bit more; and now that was not going to happen.

Resisting the urge to tell his butler to kick Manson out, Vladimir just nodded and ordered coolly, "Let him wait in the foyer. I will be there in a minute."

Once Hobson left, the older half-ghost turned his attention to his son, feeling him really shaking this time. "It's alright, Daniel. I got you. You are safe," he repeated quietly.

With a sigh, Vladimir stood up and headed to the foyer with his son in his arms. He immediately spotted the other man.

"Good evening, Thurston. You are here earlier than I expected…," Vlad said almost coldly.

Jeremy opened his mouth to reply, but his words died on his lips when he noticed the young boy in the millionaire's arms. "Vladimir? Is that your child?" he asked in shock.

The older hybrid mentally sighed, but causally answered, "Yes, this is my son, Daniel."

"But… you're single. Since when do you have a son?" he asked, still in disbelief.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Since seven years ago. As I told you in the past, I just prefer to keep my personal life private. That means I don't _parade_ my child or wife around for the media to torment."

Manson blinked, but then smiled weakly. "Forgive me. I'm just stunned; but in a good way." He chuckled, before he added with amazement in his voice, "Wow… You, sir, are truly the master of secrecy. The way you have portrayed yourself all this time… I would have never guessed that Vladimir Masters really is a family man. I'm quite impressed."

Jeremy walked closer to get a better look at the boy who was clinging to his father with his face hidden in his chest. "Daniel, right?"

Vlad tensed with the other man's proximity but nodded and replied, "He's tired. So, he might not be in a good mood, per se…"

"Oh, that's alright. Samantha gets grumpy when she's tired, too," Manson said with another chuckle.

Danny had been hearing the other human talk the whole time, but he had been determined not to look at him at all. That is, until he said something that got his attention. That name he said… It sounded almost like 'Sam's' name…

With an uncertain frown, Danny slowly pulled his face out of his hiding spot and looked at the human male—much to his father's surprise.

And seeing the child looking at him, Jeremy's eyes widened in slight surprise. But then he grinned widely and clapped his hands together, cooing almost obnoxiously, "Well, hello there, Daniel! My name is Mr. Manson. My! Aren't you just _a handsome little fellow!_"

Quickly deciding he liked this human even less than the one before, Danny suddenly narrowed his eyes, and this time hissed at him before hiding his face in his father's chest again.

Jeremy blinked. For a moment, it looked like the child's eyes had flashed green but that was probably a trick of the light or something. However, he was equally surprised by the boy's reaction.

"Did he just hiss at me?" Jeremy questioned with a confused look.

Vladimir almost cringed, but then he cleared his throat and answered, "He's been watching too much television lately. You know how kids are…"

Jeremy slowly nodded, but then Vlad changed topics, "As I said, you are a bit early and I was about to get my son to bed. So, if you could excuse me for a few minutes while I do that."

"Oh, of course! Please, take your time. I just left the hotel early in case there was too much traffic or something. Better early than late, I always say!"

Vlad nodded, suddenly remembering how annoying he had always found this human to be. It was even harder now to keep it from reflecting in his voice as he answered, "Yes… Well, anyways, my butler will show you to the dining room. Please, make yourself at home and ask for anything you would like. You are welcome to start eating without me. I will return as soon as I can."

Without waiting for a reply, Vladimir turned and headed towards the stairs. Once he had finished climbing them and had disappeared into the first hallway, he addressed his son. "Daniel, you cannot go on doing that to people. It is not normal for humans."

Danny, still upset, looked at his father and angrily answered, "He show his teeth at me first! He threat me!"

Vlad frowned when he saw his son's eyes were green. "Calm down. Your eyes are glowing. You have to be careful. If you get too upset you could give away what you are if your eyes glow like that in front of someone."

Danny deflated with a sigh and his eyes faded back to blue.

"Furthermore, you know full well he was not _threatening_ you," the older hybrid continued, "He was just smiling—_overly_ smiling, but it wasn't in a bad way. Humans… Some of them are easily overexcited. They also think being overfriendly with children will win their trust…."

"He looked crazy," Danny muttered.

Vlad chuckled this time. "Well, between you and I, I think he is, too… But you don't have to worry about him anymore. Hopefully, we will not have to have him over again after tonight. In any case, it is time for bed for you, hmm?"

Danny's eyebrows creased as they entered his room. "You are going to leave me alone?"

"I will be right down stairs, my boy," Vladimir answered. He put his son on the bed before pointing at the child's chest and adding, "And you can always call me at any time if you need me, okay?"

Danny stared unhappily as he replied, "But I want you to sleep with me, Daddy. I not like sleeping alone. I get bad dreams!"

"I promise I will come to bed with you as soon as I'm done with that human," Vlad answered, patting the boy's head. "Now, go brush your teeth while I get your sleeping clothes.

With a sigh, Danny crawled off his bed and went to do that. Once he was finished, his father helped change him into his pajamas and then got his bed ready.

Danny just remained quiet the whole time, clearly upset. But Vlad said nothing else. He wished he could stay with his son every waking hour and night but there were problems he had to deal with as King for the sake of everyone else that depended on him.

Finally tucking his son into bed, Vladimir grabbed his stuffed badger and wagged it in front of the upset boy as he said playfully, "Tsk-Tsk… Come now, smile, _little badger."_

Danny's lips finally curved upwards with the nickname before he replied, "Badgers only smile when they get kisses."

Vlad grinned. "Really?" He sighed dramatically. "I guess sacrifices must be made, then…" He pecked the stuffed badger on the nose before saying, "One little badger down, one to go…"

Danny giggled as his father kissed him.

"Oh, look! It worked!" Vlad beamed, and Danny just giggled some more.

Handing the child back his toy, Vladimir said more seriously, "Okay, bedtime."

Danny's smile fell and he quickly said, "Stay with me until I fall asleep! Please!"

Vlad frowned. He could not keep Manson waiting until his son fell asleep. But getting an idea, he decided to risk it.

Suddenly, the older hybrid flashed pink and split in two.

"I need to go attend to the human, Daniel. But I'll leave a copy with you so I can watch you until you fall asleep. Okay?"

Danny nodded this time and quickly cuddled deeper into his blankets as his father's copy took a seat next to him and soothingly passed a hand through his hair.

Knowing Daniel would be fine now, the real Vlad turned and headed out of his son's room. He made sure to close the door after him.

He soon made it downstairs and headed to where he knew the man would be. And sure enough, Jeremy was waiting at the table with a cup of hot tea already in his hand.

"I apologize for the delay. Daniel has gone through several changes in a short time, so it is not always easy to get him to go to sleep," Vlad explained as he went to sit at the chair across from the other man.

Samantha's father nodded in understanding. "No need for an apology. I am a father, too, Vladimir. I know how that is. In fact, I had been having a similar problem with Samantha." The man frowned before saying, "You see, she had an unpleasant incident several months back… We were at the park with one of her school friends when ghosts attacked and she was caught up in the middle of it!"

Vlad just stared back before asking hesitantly, "You mean the incident that was all over the news…?"

Thurston nodded. "Yes. And there was that earthquake and all those portal things opened! It was horrible! A dozen people died at Axions. They even think the owner perished in that ghost attack. They cannot find him. So, they are beginning to believe Damon Gray perished in the fire, even when a body has yet to be found…"

Vlad unknowingly lowered his gaze. He had not known the owner of Axion was missing. It was possible he died in that fire. After all, he knew Thomas Chrome hardly cared for any civilian casualty. He cared only for himself and his men.

Still, the human-king would be lying if he said he didn't feel a little bit of satisfaction at the thought of this 'Damon Gray's' being dead. In his book, the man was as responsible for his wife's death and his son's torture as was the Guys-in-White. If Chrome had been able to use the facility to hold his family hostage, it was because Gray had agreed to it. He had helped that monster harm his family…

"Vladimir?" Jeremy asked.

Vlad turned his attention back on the other man and replied, "Forgive me. I was thinking of what you said…. It's quite a tragedy. But your daughter is alright, correct?"

Thurston frowned in confusion. It was a bit odd how his business partner had just spaced out. Still, he let it go and answered, "Yes. She was not hurt. Just frightened. But if you do not mind, I am a bit curious about your son… Has he always lived with you? Or… are you and his mother…?"

Right then, the butler walked in and said, "Excuse me, sir. I do not mean to interrupt…"

Vlad nodded. He was glad for the distraction, actually. Thurston had always been a nosey dolt, and if he tolerated him, it was only because his partnership with the man was beneficial in more ways than one. Not only was his wife related to Thomas Chrome, but Thurston's business in Michigan gave Vlad an excuse to further keep a close watch there, namely with Amity Park.

"It's alright, Hobson. Could you bring me a cold tea?" the half-ghost millionaire requested.

"Of course, sir. Would you like me to serve dinner now, too?" the servant asked.

Vladimir nodded. "Yes, thank you."

The butler bowed before he walked out.

Looking back at Jeremy, Vlad said, "You know, you did not have to wait for me to eat…"

Manson smiled politely. "Yes, but I was in no hurry. And I prefer that we could eat together and… catch up…"

Vladimir almost rolled his eyes, catching the other man's hint to continue their previous conversation. He did not want to give any details about Daniel. The less anyone knew, the better. But that of course would mean people would continue to be curious. So, he might as well give his business partner the shortened version of his story…

"The truth is, Thurston, I have been married to Daniel's mother for fourteen years—but in Germany," Vladimir casually explained. "And that is where she and my son have lived all this time. As I told you before, I prefer to keep my family a secret. That way they can live a fairly normal life—away from the press and the nonsense. So, you'll forgive me that I kept the truth from you. Then again, my personal life is my own."

"No, it is alright," Jeremy quickly said, though he was internally shock to hear his buisness partner had been married for so long. It was literally twice as long as he had been married to Pamela. It was quite surprising, considering Vladimir had always acted as if he did not care for such a sacred commitment.

"And I do understand," Manson readily continued. "Living in the spotlight all the time, especially with family, can get daunting. But forgive me for prying. You do not have to tell me anymore if you do not wish."

Vladimir did not want to say anything else, but humans liked to feel that the 'knew' those around them to be able to trust others. So, it was best to pretend, and have this fool think they were _friends_, which could be beneficial to his own purposes in the long run.

"Oh, no. It's fine. It is not as if I can hide it any longer… You see, I had to bring Daniel to Wisconsin with me because… Well, his mother… my wife… She passed away recently."

Vladimir fisted his hands under the table at having to say those words. It reminded him of the truth he was trying to keep from his mind.

"Oh no! I am so sorry!" Jeremy gasped out.

Vladimir nodded. "It has been hard on Daniel, as it is to be expected. Not to mention all the changes. After all, Germany is very different from the states… But… we'll get through it. "

"You have my deepest condolences," Jeremy said with a sad frown. That had to be horrible. He could not imagine ever losing Pamela and being left to care for their daughter alone… Jeremy almost wanted to ask his partner how his wife died, but he didn't want to pry any further into such a painful subject.

Luckily, they were saved any further discussion when the butler returned rolling in a food cart. He brought the two men their drinks and placed their foods on the table. He asked if they needed anything. And getting a 'no', he excused himself.

Once the butler was gone, Vlad changed topics. "So, how has Manson and Masters Enterprises been doing? You mentioned some additions…"

Jeremy jumped at the change of topic and quickly began to tell his partner about what had been happening at their business in the past months.

Vlad listened as they ate. But during that time, he felt his copy return to him and with it, the knowledge that his son had fallen asleep at last.

The father could only hope his son didn't wake up with nightmares tonight…

* * *

A month later, Gregor had fully recovered. His damaged wing was still giving him problems; but now it had gotten strong enough that he could fly again. Still, the remaining gap from the wound had severely decreased his agility and speed in flight. But there was not much he could do about that, except wait and see if it got any better over time.

Today, he was back with his master—the first time since he got hurt. And while he had been training with Tom for the past two weeks, today would be the first time he 'trained' with his master.

For the moment, though, Gregor was in his human disguise, sitting on top of some crates as he watched his master train his other ghost minions.

There were the two older male ghosts. They didn't talk much—if at all. He remembered from the first time he had encountered them and killed off their female sibling that their names were Eklips and Eta. But not really caring for the names, Gregor had given them his own nicknames. _Tiny_ was the biggest and tallest of the two—though he was the youngest, too. And the dwarf one—the oldest of the former three—he had named _Big E_.

Gregor smirked at the thought. He never said they were clever nicknames. But he found them funny.

It was also fun to… mess with them a bit. His telepathic powers were growing, so it was interesting to see what he could get away with… Well, as long as his master didn't find out. Thomas had ordered him to keep his mind powers a secret from his master. And although at any other time, Gregor would not have obeyed such a command, he was afraid of how his master would react if he knew…

Somehow, he just knew his master would feel threatened by his unique powers. After all, his master's own powers worked by controlling the minds of ghosts. If his master knew he had similar powers, it was likely his master would prohibit him from using them again—or even block his telepathy with the crystal's powers.

It was strange, really. Since he had obtained his freedom of thought, Gregor knew by now that his master controlled his mind. Perhaps not to the level he controlled Tiny and Big E, but his mind did belong to his master—_he_ belonged to his master. And yet, he felt no hate or anger towards his master. Perhaps it was the fear he felt for him that kept any other emotion at bay. Or… maybe it was the fact that he knew he would be lost without his master's guidance. Sure, he could think on his own; but sometimes it was a burden, and at those times, Gregor was glad his master made his choices. It made his life easier…

Still, though part of him was fearful of his telepathic abilities, another part of him—a growing part of him—was intrigued by it… By what he could do…

Gregor watched for a moment as Tiny tried to juggle some pins while riding on a unicycle. He had gotten better at it in short order. Then again, he knew firsthand how painful his master's power could be. It would make _anyone_ a quick learner.

It was why Gregor probably should have felt bad for what he did next…

Briefly closing his eyes, the dragon ghost used his telepathic powers and hissed into the large ghost's mind. _"Tiny…"_

In an instant, the ghost's eyes flashed between red and blue. It gasped just before he dropped all the pins on the ground and fell off the unicycle.

Gregor grinned maliciously before looking up at the other ghost on the high-wire. He then closed his eyes again before mentally saying to the small ghost, _"Now, don't go messin' up, too, Big E…"_

The dwarf ghost suffered the same reaction as his brother, only he ended up falling off the high-wire and slamming on the ground ten feet down.

The two incidents happened so quickly Freakshow had no time to react until both ghosts were on the ground groaning. But to his further surprise, he saw the ghosts' eyes were now blue—and not red as they should have been under his control.

"Ow…. What happened?" the dwarf ghost groaned in Ghost Speech as he slowly got to his feet. But he suddenly startled and he looked around with a gasp of fear. "What…? What's going on? Where am I?"

Freakshow was completely shocked. But realizing he had lost control of the two ghosts somehow, the man raised his staff and sneered at the two male ghosts, _**"Obey me!"**_

In an instant, their eyes turned red again. But now furious with confusion, Freakshow drove his power deeper into the two male ghosts' mind, and they both cried in pain as they dropped back to ground.

Meanwhile, Gregor's eyes were wide with disbelief. He had messed around with the ghosts before, but doing so had never pushed them out of his master's control! The child gulped and glanced at his angry master. Oh, he would so get it if his master knew…

"You! Drone!"

Gregory startled when his master turned his eyes on him, and for a moment the boy feared his master knew what he had done. But then the circus leader snapped, "Remove the Gem of Form!"

The dragon ghost didn't hesitate to obey and quickly pulled out the gem. With a flash of light, he turned into his true form. He watched as the two male ghosts passed out from the agony of Freakshow's punishment; and yet he felt no remorse for what he did.

"_Weaklings,"_ the ghost boy thought instead.

"Pathetic!" Freakshow growled out, unknowingly agreeing with the dragon ghost. But then he frowned in worry. That had never happened to him. It was very odd. The two ghosts were doing fine, and suddenly they both just startled and he lost control of them. It was… highly unusual.

He glanced at Gregor and studied the child for a moment. Was it possible that he could ever lose control of this dragon ghost like that? He hoped not. The creature was powerful. Even at his young age, he was already one level higher in power than his two male adult ghost minions. And _they_ were clearly at their peak of power and that meant they would not grow any stronger.

But Gregor… He still had many years before he reached his full potential… If he ever lost control of him…

Freakshow's frown deepened at the thought. But then he squashed the thought, and addressed the ghost child. "While these two useless pawns recover, we are going to work on your powers."

The man walked closer to the dragon ghost who bowed his head in submission.

Frederick smiled in satisfaction before continuing, "Thomas wants me to use my two drones here to help you improve your powers. But we both know that is a stupid idea. These creatures could not teach you more than you know when they are weaker than you. But we will let that ghost hunter think that. If he asks, you are to tell him I am doing as he has asked. Understand?"

Gregor nodded. "Yes, Master." But then he hesitantly asked, "So… does that mean you will not be training my powers, my Master?"

Freakshow smirked. "Oh, no. We are training your powers. After all, it would not benefit me for you to be killed by another ghost, now would it? But I know enough about ghosts to understand that you need someone _stronger_ than you to teach you…"

Gregor resisted the urge to frown, finally understanding what his master was thinking of doing. Or, rather, of _who_… he was thinking of using.

But when his master walked up to him and suddenly raised his staff at him, Gregor startled when he felt a painful pressure threatening to overtake his mind.

"M-Master?" he asked fearfully.

"I want you to remember something right now, slave," Freakshow suddenly said darkly. "I am going to allow you to grow stronger, but do not ever forget that you serve _me_. Your powers are my own. And you will only use them as I see fit. You will use them _for me!_ Because if I ever suspect you are doing otherwise, I **will** kill you, slave. I will use my power until your brain is nothing but a burnt raisin. Am I clear?"

Gregor swallowed down a whimper as he felt the slightest increase of pain over his mind. "Y-Yes, Master! I only serve you! I belong to you!" he agreed.

"Good," Freakshow said calmly, and released the child from his discomfort. But then hitting the ground with the butt of his staff once, he added, "Then, let us begin. **Lydia**!"

Gregory frowned this time when in the next instant, a swirl of green light appeared in front of his master and a female ghost wearing a purple cloak materialized. She quickly bent forward and bowed before the man.

Her presence did not surprise the dragon ghost. After all, he had been the one to help his master add this female ghost to his collection. And now that he thought about it, this must have been that ghost hunter's sibling, the one that the hunter had claimed he had killed. That would definitely explain why that ghost had attacked him.

Well, Gregor had purposely made it appear so—as his master had commanded. His master had wanted another powerful ghost under his control and this one had just happened to catch his eye.

The ghost boy recalled how it had not been too hard to subdue the female ghost; but only because she had been distracted with her attempts to defend her loved ones. But that was all Gregor had needed to grab onto her and deplete her core of almost all its ghost energy. It had left the female ghost in an instant comatose state, which could have killed her if his master had not brought her back and revived her by pumping a dose of ghost energy back into her core.

But it had worked. Even the Guys-in-White—including Tom—had thought this ghost dead like the others from that day at the pier…

It was hardly a thought to Gregor anymore. At least, not until this female's angry sibling had come back for revenge. So, while Gregor had been indifferent to this ghost before—as he had been for the other two males at his master's command—Gregor now had an instant dislike for her. In fact, if he could, he would kill the female just to spite that hunter ghost which tried to kill him.

Still, that wasn't all that bothered him about this particular ghost.

Not only was the female more powerful than he—which meant he could not even affect her with his telepathic powers—but his master seemed to have a huge fascination with her. Perhaps even more than with him. After all, he called the ghost by her name. He didn't even call _him_ by his name!

"You may rise, Lydia," Frederick said with a warm smile before he pushed off the hood off her face to stare at his prized possession.

But Ember's mother hardly looked like herself anymore. Her once long, loose black hair had been cut short and gathered into stiff black spikes, making her look almost bald. Furthermore, she had piercings everywhere on her face and body. And she was wearing a revealing black and leather outfit. But what stood out the most were her bright red eyes, devoid of the warmth and life they once held.

"I have a special task for you, but it will require that I partially awakening your reasoning," Freakshow told the female ghost. "It will only hurt for a moment."

The staff flashed red and Lydia suddenly shrieked as she dropped to her knees and grasped her head. But as quickly as the pain had come, it lifted away along with the darkness consuming her mind.

However, as she gained awareness, her mind remained murky, as if walking through a thick fog and she could only focus on what was presently in front of her, leaving anything else—including any remaining memories of her past life—beyond her mental reach.

"Master," she whispered as she slowly got back up. She glanced around at her surroundings for the first time. But her eyes briefly paused on the unconscious male ghosts some distance away.

"They made me angry," Freakshow explained, noticing that her eyes were focused on his unconscious slaves.

Lydia looked back at Frederick and vowed, "But I shall never make you angry, Master. I am yours. I live to obey and please you…"

Frederick grinned. "I know. You are perfect, Lydia. My most beautiful possession…"

Gregory narrowed his eyes, not liking his master's interaction with this female ghost. The way he looked at her was foreign to the child; but it disturbed him greatly, especially when his master had never shown _him_ such… kindness.

"Now, look," Freakshow said, pointing to Gregor, and the boy had to instantly wipe the glare off his face when his master and the female ghost turned their attention to him.

"This is another of my slaves… He is young… Inexperienced…"

"A child," Lydia muttered with only a hint of emotion.

"Yes," Freakshow answered, not bothered at all about being interrupted. "I wish for you to teach him how to use his powers. I wish you to help him develop his core."

Lydia suddenly floated up to the dragon ghost and raised her hand towards his chest. But seeing her intention, Gregor's ears flattened and he growled in threat at her. He was not about to let this ghost touch him!

"Drone!" Freakshow sneered.

Gregory startled, remembering his master. He felt himself tense with his mounting nervousness. But he knew his master would not tolerate his disobedience.

Seeing the child drop his threatening display, Lydia raised her hand again. But instead of just touching him, she whispered almost comfortingly. "Relax, little one. I will not harm you…"

Gregor was surprised, but even more so when she touched his symbol and he instantly felt this soothing comfort he had not felt in so long…

The boy closed his eyes as his mind turned murky and a hidden memory surfaced into his consciousness.

"_Gregory," a soft female voice purred from above him as large wings cocooned him against a warm and comforting body. _

_The little dragon purred back as he felt a soothing touch playing with his wings as he happily suckled from the very creature comforting him._

_But he then heard a whine beside him before he was suddenly pushed away from his feeding. Gregory whined back and lightly growled at the other little dragon beside him, who was clearly just as hungry as he was._

"_Now, now, children. Do not fight," the female voice said with a bit of mirth, her wings curling tighter around them._

_She then gently repositioned them so they each had a place to suckle, and two little dragons happily continued with their meals…_

"_There. See? It is alright…," she soothed. "No need to fight, my little treasures… I love you both with all my core… I am here for you both…" _

Gregory abruptly snapped his eyes open and he yelped loudly as he jolted away from Lydia's touch.

"No! Don't touch me!" he yelled at her in a panic as he backed away from her.

"What the hell is your problem, slave?" Freakshow suddenly and furiously growled before he raised his staff.

Gregory yelled in pain just as he was punished for his actions; yet for the first time, he welcomed it, because it pushed away the fear, confusion, and sadness he felt within him. It further drowned out the memory that had him feeling all these unwanted emotions.

By the time it was over, the child was curled into a ball, shaking in pain.

Freakshow glared some more at the dragon ghost. It annoyed him to no end when the stupid brat got these sudden emotional outbursts.

He turned his eyes to Lydia who had his back to him and was unemotionally watching the suffering child. He smiled to himself. That is how he liked his slaves. Completely in control. No emotions. No will. Just obedience.

And yet, he didn't see the single tear that slid down the female ghost's stoic face…

"He has a hot core," Lydia then suddenly said, turning to face her master at last. "It is still developing. But it is powerful. I should be able to help him along for the most part."

"Good," Freakshow said with a calmer nod. He then turned his eyes back on Gregor and commanded angrily, "On your feet, slave!"

Gregory quickly stood up, though he swayed a bit from the lingering pain in his brain.

Freakshow walked up to the dragon ghost and said, "I do not want anymore outbursts or tantrums from you, drone, or I'll punish you even worse. Now, do as Lydia tells you. I want to see results when I return."

Gregor nodded and bowed his head.

He watched as his master walked back over to the two unconscious male ghosts and aimed his staff at them. "Wake up!" he demanded, and the two jolted awake. He then ordered them to follow him to another part of the circus.

"You should not anger him so much," Lydia suddenly said, quickly getting the dragon ghost's attention. "It is unwise."

Gregory narrowed his eyes and growled back. "I don't need the advice of some mindless ghost, let alone some… _female_." He paused and blinked, wondering where the last part had even come from. It's not like he had ever thought himself superior to a female before. But… something had just triggered that belief.

Shaking his head, he then scowled at the female ghost and grumbled, "Still, my master thinks you can teach me something. So get started."

"Very well," she said, not at all affected by his previous insult. "We shall need to test your powers, first…"

With a flash of light, the symbols all over the female's body came to life and lunged forward to attack the dragon ghost.

"_Great!"_ Gregor thought in annoyance. He had forgotten how much he hated this female ghost's signature attack. And now, he would have to put up with it on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, just as the dragon ghost was doing his best to fight off all the small creatures without causing his master's circus serious damage, Freakshow watched from a distance.

He smiled darkly as he thought of his plans for Lydia and Gregor. In a few years, he would have enough power to get rid of Tom. And unlike Tom who was set on destroying the Ghost World, Freakshow had something more ambitious in mind… He wanted to rule it. And with his power to enslave those creatures, it would only be a matter of time before that whole world belonged to him.

He would be invincible, then.

And all he needed was these two powerful drones, the Gem of Life and… a certain amulet to enhance his powers. He had the first three items. All he needed was the amulet.

In with Gregor belonging to the same species of ghosts who had these amulets… that last relic was as good as his, too. In the end, all this waiting would be worth it. He would have all he dreamed of—and more.

* * *

**Translations:**

**1. Mermaids**

**... ... ... ... ...**

**Good Lord. This story is like CM all over again! It does not want to end! In this case, it does not want me to get to the end of this blasted arch! I had to split this chapter in two because it got too long. Gah! That's what I get for writing 'complicated' stories. Anyways, I hope you all at least enjoyed it. **

**So, to clarify. You all are not crazy. I indeed made Carl human in this AU! haha! But just him. The rest of the ghost staff from CM are ghosts and they live in the Ghost World. Carl just didn't fit in this story as a ghost. Vlad as King would not risk one of his own kind to be out in the Human World just to drive him around. So, our quirky and playful Carl gets to be human! Man, he would so be thrilled in CM! lol. **

**Heh. So, how many of you saw Lydia still be alive coming? I know at least some of you caught the hints from the chapter where she 'supposedly' dies. In any case, Lydia and Freakshow! Come on, that's just a must! Haha! Well, Gregor isn't too happy about it, but that's just how it goes for him. And Danny… oh, our poor traumatized Danny. But you gotta admit, Danny hissing at his future girl's father is priceless! *grins***

**Well! Thank you all for reading and for your reviews! You all rock my world! Ta! **


	42. Chapter 40: Uncharted Territory

**Hello, my dear readers! Heh! Well, I am proud of myself this time. I updated much more earlier this time. I do try to update every two weeks, so this one was close enough. And, of course, it wouldn't be a 'Pearl' story if the chapters were not mad long! Haha! I have given up on writing shorter. Blah. I could always split chapters, but I like things to happen in each chapter, so I make of plan on what I want to happen in every chapter and I write until I have all the things I want in it. Otherwise, instead of eight chapters per story, we would have 200 chapters! It would be insane! **

**Anyways, if you all did not know, there is a contest happening of at the 'Checkmate' club on DA. We are picking 'theme songs' for the CM trilogy. Very nice songs being picked, so go check em' out. **

**Lastly, I want you all to know Vlad muse and I **_**do not hate**_** humans! (Vlad muse just likes to manipulate them) We love people! But this story is mostly in the ghost race's PoV, so it's why they seem the villains. But eventually we will be focusing on the other side of the coin, and we'll see in the end who are the true villains—though I'm sure most of you know who those are. Heh. **

**Okay! Onwards! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU is my own. *glomps story***

* * *

**Chapter 40: Uncharted Territory**

* * *

It had been six months now since the portals had mysteriously re-opened, and since then, Maddie and Jack Fenton had had one single goal in mind: to take advantage of it. After all, when they had been working with Thomas Chrome in the beginning to build the man-made portal their main purpose and goal had been to step into their enemy's territory—and find a way to destroy them once and for all.

But unlike most hunters as of late who had been going into the Ghost World to either attack or capture ghosts, Maddie and Jack had a different goal in mind. They first wanted to get the tools they would need to secure their advantage over those evil creatures. And that meant preparation.

From what they knew, Thomas and his men had not attempted to go into the Ghost World, either. So, the two Fenton hunters had concluded that the Guys-in-White were going along a similar route of 'attack' as they.

Of course, there had been reports of other hunters' invading the Ghost World with the sole purpose of trapping, studying and then finding out how to destroy their captured ghosts. And though that was a positive note for any hunter, the fact that they had probably lost men or had been hurt by their enemies was not worth it, in Maddie and Jack's opinion.

No, you couldn't just stroll into an angry beehive without insect repellant or a way to block the _angry bees' stingers._ And that was what the Fentons had been working on for months now.

"That should about do it," Maddie muttered as she typed away on a computer console while she sat inside a vehicle, which looked like some sort of a mix between a spaceship and a submarine.

Jack was outside the vehicle, working under the hood. His suit and the wrench he was using were greasy from tightening the last sockets on the machine's power cell compartment. He grunted with the last pull he needed to finish before grinning down at the completed engine and proudly declaring, "There! All done! Start 'er up, Maddie!"

The woman said nothing as she quickly began to type a new command on the console before reaching towards a large red button. "Okay, Jack. Here we go! Cross your fingers!"

"Crossed, baby!" Jack beamed as he took a step back from the engine and raised his hands up with crossed fingers.

The woman took a deep breath before she pressed the button. In an instant, there was a rumbling as the engine attempted to roar to life. But it only sputtered before dying.

Maddie instantly frowned as a beeping light came on, indicating the vehicle's fuel cells required more power.

"Jack? Did you add the ectoplasmic energy component to the injector fuel line? The pistons are not firing enough to power the engine."

"I added one of the two vials Tom gave us, Mads," Jack answered. "I wanted to save the second for the portal."

Maddie bit her lip before saying, "Add the second one, Jack."

Her husband instantly frowned and moved over to the left a bit to glance past the raised hood to look at his wife. "But, Maddie. What about the portal?"

"We'll just have to get another supply of ectoplasmic energy. We need this to work, Hon," she answered.

Jack's shoulder's sagged in disappointment, knowing that getting another supply of the ghost energy wasn't easy to come by. But he knew his wife was right and nodded his agreement.

He went over to the bench and grabbed the remaining vial of ectoplasmic energy Tom had given them in exchange for their help with analyzing the Ghost Prince's strange core energy. He then returned and with a sigh, he added the vial into the vehicle's fuel compartment. For a brief second the engine glowed ghostly green before it faded.

"Alright, Maddie. It's ready," Jack said before glancing sadly over at a large storage cabinet pressed against the far wall of the lab. But when he heard the vehicle's engines attempting to start, he quickly closed the ship's hood and turned his attention back to what they were doing.

"Come on!" he urged as the engines struggled once more. But hearing it begin to sputter again, Jack quickly said, "Maddie! Turn on the fuel thrusters!"

"What? But we're inside!" Maddie protested.

"It'll be fine! The lab's automatic fire extinguishers will take care of any possible fire!" Jack said. "Hurry! Before it dies!"

Maddie hesitated, afraid of causing an explosion inside the lab; but then remembering her daughter was in school, she took the gamble and turned on the rockets. Besides, her husband was right. They had installed fire protection and the ghost-proof and titanium reinforced walls assured them that any possible explosion would be contained within their lab. The couple would never again take the risk of their home being destroyed by some unfortunate event; and, more importantly, their family being put in harm's way because of their work.

This time, the vehicle's engines roared to life and a blast of fire shot out from thrusters from behind it. However, the closest things were a few lab tables and a waste basket and all the flames did was scorch the metal and cause a small fire inside the basket. But a compartment quickly opened from the ceiling and a fireproof hose came down and blasted the fire with green foam, putting it out. The couple, however, was oblivious to this. They were completely focused on the roaring engine of their newest invention.

"Jack! It works! It works!" Maddie exclaimed with excitement.

"Ha! I knew it!" Jack said, pumping a fist in the air before running around to the passenger door and hopping in.

The couple grinned as they watched all systems come online, including the mapping and radar system on the front console.

"What are we calling it, Jack?" Maddie asked, eyes bright with happiness.

Jack's chest swelled with glee, and clearly having already thought of it, he didn't hesitate to answer, "The Fenton Specter Speeder!"

Maddie grinned back before she threw herself halfway off the seat and hugged her husband with an overjoyed laugh. "We did it, Jack!"

Her husband hugged her back and said just as happily, "We did, sweet cheeks! After so many years, we are finally going to do what we have dedicated our entire lives to!"

She pulled away and said, "With the speeder, we'll be able to enter the ghostly territory without detection! We'll be able to collect all kinds of samples, and with time, we'll have enough knowledge to find a way to eliminate their world once and for all!"

"Wait. Do the Invisibility reflectors work?" Jack suddenly asked, unsure.

Maddie quickly turned her eyes to the console and typed in the command. The screen lit up before an electronic voice announced, _**"Light reflectors engaged… Stealth Mode online."**_

The two looked at each other before they jumped out of the speeder to look at it from the outside. But the moment they did, the two were distracted by the green foam overflowing the trashcan and onto the ground, as well as the charred lab tables.

Maddie stared at her husband and dryly said, "_It'll be alright_, huh?"

Jack just grinned sheepishly.

Maddie rolled her eyes but then she glanced over at the speeder and gasped, "Jack, look!"

Her husband quickly did so, and he grinned in delight. "It works!"

The two just stared on in amazement at the invisible Specter Speeder. Of course, it wasn't true invisibility. It was just the manipulation of light and its reflection; but with this latest invention, it meant they were quickly leveling the playing field against their opponents.

Jack wrapped an arm around his wife and said, "This is gonna open some serious doors for us, Mads. Just wait and see. This is the beginning of the end for those ghost scums!"

"And if Tom is telling the truth and he killed the Ghost King and his family, their end won't take long," Maddie said, narrowing her eyes. "I swear on my life we won't rest until those vile creatures are all gone, Jack… They won't take anymore innocents lives—not ever again!"

Jack nodded, his face now solemn. But then removing his arm from his wife, he walked over to the end of the lab and to the large storage cabinet. With a grunt, he pushed it aside, revealing a large metallic opening within the wall.

Maddie walked over there, too, and stared at their completed portal. Tom believed that there was no more need for a man-made portal anymore since the natural portals were now opened up. But the Fenton couple thought differently.

They had been working on this in secret for years. And with Tom constantly spying on them, it had been difficult; but from what they could tell from their conversation with the government ghost hunter months ago, he had no idea they had rebuilt the portal. Still, the couple doubted he would care at this point.

"All it needs is the ecto-filtrator, Maddie, and it will be up and working. But…," Jack looked at her. "We just wasted our only ecto-energy supply on the speeder."

Maddie nodded. "I know. But I doubt it would have been enough to create an opening, Jack. We need a large dose of concentrated energy… But I wouldn't worry too much. After all, now with the speeder, we'll have a greater chance of getting it…"

Jack frowned in thought. "Guess you're right… We could capture a few ghosts. Take their cores and make our own batch… But wouldn't that attract unwanted attention? The speeder may have a cloaking system but it wouldn't protect us against attacks if we're found out."

Maddie smirked. "Then, we just won't get found out. And if anything goes wrong, we did install a really good defense system on the speeder. _But first,_ we need to map out some of the area. You know, get some kind of picture of what we are dealing with. After all, little is known about the Ghost World. The majority of the people that have gone in there have never returned; so this is our chance to get some _real_ data."

She paused as something else came to mind before she voiced it, "And maybe it's a good thing we can't activate the portal just yet. I think instead of just randomly opening it and hoping it will open on the other side in a 'good' place, we should find an _appropriate_ place for it—a place where it will be at least hidden from those vile creatures…"

Jack looked confused. "Er, how would we do that?"

Maddie's smirk returned. "Oh… just a little something I've been working on—on the side." She reached into her utility belt and pulled out a small hand-size cube with a tiny light on top. "It's a beacon, Jack. But not just any beacon. Once we got everything in place, we'll be able to lock the portal's electronic signature to it. In other words, wherever we position this beacon, the portal will open there. All we need to find is a _good spot." _

"And with the ecto-lock and ghost-proof doors, it will be undetectable and impenetrable to those ecto-scums!" Jack finished, finally getting it. "So, when do we start? When can we go in?"

"Are the weapons ready?" Maddie questioned.

Jack nodded excitedly.

"Then, we'll start tonight. Until we can open our own portal, we'll have to use one of the natural portals to get in; but that's what the speeder's stealth mode is for…" Maddie answered, turning to look at the still invisible speeder thoughtfully.

"I like the way you think, sweet cheeks! By the time they even realize our plan, those spooks will be toast!" Jack beamed.

* * *

"Six months…," Vladimir muttered, rubbing his tired eyes as he sat at his desk in his private study. How could time possibly go by so quickly and so slowly all at the same time?

Since he and his son had left the Chalet at the Rockies, Vlad had had very little communication with Skulker. The only means they had of keeping contact was through the older hybrid's spy-bugs. And unfortunately, the little robot cams did not allow much intel between them aside from letting each other know they were still alive and well. Everything else Vlad knew about his home came from the news here in the Human World—and even that wasn't much.

But apparently, the humans had tried several invasion attempts in the past months; yet none had really proven effective.

"Foolish creatures," Vladimir sneered, his right hand fisting on his desk. "Do they really think they can take down an entire world with a few guns and willpower? All they are causing is a blood bath with victims on both sides… They don't know the first thing about taking over a world…" The man fell quiet as he lingered on his last thought—a thought he had had on several occasions now. It… would be _so easy,_ wouldn't it?

"And that is what you are waiting for, isn't it, Agent Chrome?" Vlad muttered darkly to himself, now drumming his fingers on his desk. "You want me to prove you right…"

His eyes flared red as his thoughts darkened. But his fingers also stopped moving and the tips of his ghostly red claws began to protrude from them as he continued, "You wish for me and my kind to show we are the demon monsters you have made us out to be…"

Raking his claws lightly down his desk's surface, he watched how easily they carved through the thick hard wood. He smirked and his eyes narrowed more as he added, "You should be careful what you wish for…"

But suddenly his glare fell as his comment triggered an unwanted memory—a memory that reminded him of _how easily_ he could sound like the former Ghost King sometimes…

"_This is your own fault! You should not have interfered!" Pariah growled darkly as he entered his nephew's chambers. He had done quite a number on his nephew for attacking him at the ghost mage's house hours earlier._

_Beaten and hurt, Vlad pushed himself to sit up in his bed but was stopped when his uncle pressed a hand against his core. The teenager gasped with the unwanted feeling and quickly grabbed Pariah's wrist trying to push his hand away._

"_Stop touching me!" Vlad groaned, though he glared weakly at his uncle._

"_I am the Ghost King and your uncle, you rebellious child!" Pariah sneered. "And if you __**ever**__ dare to get in my way of anything again, I swear not even your mother shall protect you from my wrath!"_

"_I don't care what you do!" Vlad growled back. "Just keep away from my friends and family! You keep away from Desiree!"_

_Pariah's eyes narrowed and he grinned darkly. "Oh, are you in love with her, child? She is quite the lovely siren indeed. Well…" The King pulled closer and whispered in his nephew's ear. "I shall let you have her… once I have had my way with her, that is."_

_Vlad hissed and his claws sprang out as he attempted to attack his uncle with them. But the more experienced Ghost King saw it coming; and in one quick move, he dodged it, readily grabbed one of his nephew's wrists and yanked it behind the younger ghost. _

_Vlad cried in pain but managed to roll on his stomach to keep his uncle from breaking his arm. But then the evil King did much worst. He grabbed his nephew's restrained hand and slammed it into the solid headboard._

_There was a sickening crack as all Vlad's claws on his right hand shattered from the impact._

_The young ghost screamed in agony, but it was quickly muffled by his uncle's large hand covering his mouth. The king did not wish to attract the child's parents. _

_Pressing a knee into his nephew's back, Pariah grabbed the younger ghost's other hand with the intention of breaking his left claws; but Vlad seemed to have enough focus to quickly retract them. Still, the King slammed that hand into the headboard as well, relishing __in the sound and feel of cracking bones. _

_He ignored his nephew's muffled cries as he sneered down at him. "Do not ever raise a hand at me again, you wretch! Or, next time I shall break something that will never grow or heal! I am your King and you __**will**__ respect me!"_

_Choking back sobs of pain, Vlad squeezed his eyes shut as he whispered out, "I'll die first before respecting a tyrant like you!" _

_Pariah growled as he violently grabbed his nephew by the hair, lifted him up and spun him around to face him as he answered, "You should be __**careful**__ what you __**wish**__ for, my weak and insignificant nephew… Or… perhaps it shall not be you who dies, but that ghost mage or your beloved hunter friend…" _

_Vlad froze in quiet dread, knowing that deep down he was terrified of what he uncle could do to him and his loved ones._

_And seeing the fear, Pariah smiled darkly. "There, see? That is much better..." He placed a hand against the teen's symbol again, chuckling when the younger ghost cringed. "You really must not provoke me, Vlad. Truly_ _you would avoid yourself so much anguish if only you would behave yourself. Now, shall we let bygones be bygones?" He kissed Vlad's forehead, but then added darkly. "Not a word of this to your mother… __**or else."**_

_Vlad gasped in pain as his uncle threw him back on the bed before walking out. _

The older hybrid stared quietly at his claws still gripping against his wooden desk. Even after all his efforts, it seemed that he couldn't escape it. He didn't want to become his uncle, but… what was he going to do? How could he ignore this growing darkness gripping at his soul? How could he quench his forbidden desire for… revenge? Yes, he wanted revenge. He was fighting the urge by focusing on his son. It was the only thing keeping him sane enough to stop himself from just turning into Plasmius and finding that… _monster_ and ripping out his heart.

But he didn't know how long his love for his son could keep him from giving into this… bloodlust. He was afraid of it. He knew if he turned to that… there would be no turning back. What if…? What if one life wasn't enough? What if he indeed ended up turning into his uncle, unable to ever quench his thirst for death and destruction? After all, with his dual-identity he could easily succeed in where his uncle did not. But… what would happen to him then? What would happen to the Ghost World? What would happen to… his poor son?

His child would be raised in a world of chaos—of pain and death. And Vlad knew if he really turned into his uncle, then it would not be long until he also turned to hurting his own loved ones. But would he ever do that? Beat and abuse his own son, like his uncle had done to him? Would… his own son be forced to destroy his own father to end his evil reign like he had had to take down his own uncle?

Vlad closed his eyes as his claws retracted. No… He would tear out his own core before he ever became his uncle.

But what was he going to do? The humans would not stop until they found some way to destroy the Ghost World. And Vlad honestly feared that they would find a way soon and he would be stuck here unable to do a thing about it.

In spite of all his efforts, he had been unable to turn his son back into his ghost form. In fact, he had become so desperate now that he had been silently working on the Maximus. He would tell himself it was just to pass the time—to simply see if Skulker's theory would work. Maybe it wouldn't be as painful as Vlad himself had thought…. But, no, he wouldn't try it on his son… He just wanted to see if it worked… _Just in case…._

Vlad sighed deeply as he opened his blue eyes again. Somehow, he didn't believe himself. On top of that, his son was still emotionally unwell. And he feared Anĝela was right: his son would not heal from this trauma until he was back home, where he felt safe and loved.

In the past months, he had attempted a few times to take him to his companies. He had had no choice really. Vlad did his best to minimize their interactions with humans, and Daniel did _alright_ when his father was with him. He wouldn't burst into tears or hiss at them at least; instead, he would stare back in distrust or right-out ignore them. It was an improvement, the man supposed.

The problem was when Vladimir had to leave the child alone with a human so he could attend to his meetings—after all, he couldn't possibly take a seven-year-old into board meetings, especially when said child would refuse to be anything but being held when there were humans present.

At one point Vladimir had gotten so frustrated that he had ignored his son's pleas to not leave him alone with his secretary and had just walked out of the office. He had heard his son's wails from the elevator. Still, he had ignored it, sure his son would eventually calm down.

He had been wrong.

Vlad had not been able to even stay for the full meeting because his son had become so upset that he had triggered their connection. Vlad had almost passed out from the pain then.

That had been the last time the older half-ghost attempted to even bring the younger one to work with him again. Instead, he was now using a duplicate to make his meetings—meetings which he tried to minimize to once a week. He would just schedule them all on the same day. And although it was mentally and physically exhausting, leaving him with a massive headache from having to hold a clone all day, it was the lesser of two evils. But on those days, he and his son would stay in his underground lab all day to avoid his ecto-energy signature from being potentially traced. If any ghost was detected it would be his copy at his businesses and that was easy to fix by making it disappear.

Aside from his phobia of humans, Daniel was progressing well. He was now walking and running normally, albeit a bit clumsily. And his Human Speech—or rather, his _English_—had improved greatly in the past months. Furthermore when they were at home, the boy would wonder around on his own, giving Vlad a chance to just have some peace or work on his business affairs. Well, except on the weekends. That was when his human workers came to clean the house and give him a break from having to cook himself. His son had not been doing well with the workers coming every morning; so Vlad had had no choice but to take this course of action and make-do with just having them around two days out of the week.

If only he could get his son's mind to stop triggering his fear every time he would try to morph. If only there was a way to get him to focus on something positive instead of the thought of being hurt…

"But I have tried everything, and all it does is make him upset…," Vlad whispered sadly. Oh, what would he give to see his son completely happy again? He was indeed doing better, but his son just wasn't the same, and the father wondered if he ever would be? Of course not, but… he wished it so.

He wished Desiree was around. She had had a way with Daniel. It would almost make him jealous how easily she could get their son to open up and how easily she seemed to understand what he needed. Vlad remembered when Daniel was younger and he had fallen for the first time since he had learned to fly by himself. His son had been so upset that he had not wanted to fly for a week. Then, Desiree had taken him flying with her and made his son fall in love with it all over again. How his son loved to fly since then. He—

Vlad's mental breaks slammed to a halt. Flying…

"That's it!" he whispered, a grin forming on his face. He quickly stood, and ignoring his unfinished business papers, he headed straight to his son's room.

His son's door was opened so he could hear his son counting, "Six…. Seven… Eight…"

Vlad raised an amused eyebrow at finding the boy facing towards the window with his hands over his eyes.

"…Ten! Ready or not, here I come!" Danny declared as he spun around, only to jolt when he found his father standing in his room.

"Daddy?" Danny blinked, but then grinned in delight. "Are you playing the hiding game, too?"

Vladimir smiled. "I don't know. Am I? Who is hiding? You?"

Danny shook his head. "No, Badgy is!"

"Really?" Vlad asked bemused. How do you play hide-and-seek with a stuffed toy?

"Well…," Danny said, rubbing his neck and smiling sheepishly. "I kinda change it, bee-cause Badgy is no good at finding me…"

"I would imagine not," Vlad said, unable to hold back a small chuckle.

"_Jes._ So, he hides and I find him!" Danny finished.

"But wouldn't you know where 'he' is since I'm sure 'he' would need _help_ hiding?" Vlad questioned, playing along.

"No, bee-cause I close my eyes and spin really fast and then hide him. So, when I open my eyes I don't know where he is!" Danny replied, grinning proudly, thinking how clever his trick was.

Vladimir chuckled again. "Well, that is certainly imaginative… Alright, I'll help you find him."

Danny looked even happier as he beamed, "Okay! You look over there! I look over here!"

"Very well…," Vlad answered and walked over towards his son's closet.

Danny quickly went over to his bed and looked under it, but his badger was not there. He got up and went to search behind the TV. But after a few moments, neither he nor his father could find the toy.

"Um… He hides well," Danny muttered, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. Where did he put his toy? He had spun around a lot, so much that he had gotten all dizzy and almost fell. But he remembered he had held on to the closest wall and…

Danny looked at his room's walls and his eyes widened when he saw something sticking out of the nearest one. Oh-o.

"Um, let's not play anymore! I will just find him later. I am hungry now, so we go eat!" Danny quickly said, smiling nervously at his father.

But Vlad raised an eyebrow at the boy's odd behavior. Why was he so…? Wait. What was that?

"Daniel..." the older half-ghost began as he noticed the odd thing sticking out of the wall. He walked over to it, and he quickly realized what it was and why the little hybrid was trying to get him out of the room.

With a sigh, Vladimir grabbed the piece of fur sticking out of the wall, turned it intangible, and pulled it out of the wall. It was his son's stuffed badger.

"Daniel, what have I said about using your ghost powers?" he said, looking disapprovingly down at the child.

Danny blushed and answered, "Not use it here. Bee-cause it danger."

"It's _dangerous_," Vlad corrected him.

"But I didn't meant to! I got really spinny!"

"Dizzy, I think you mean," Vlad interrupted, still frowning.

"_Jes_, that! And I almost fell and I think I might have used my intang-bility and… It was an accident! Promise!"

And being able to tell his son was telling him the truth, Vlad sighed again and nodded. In way, it was good Daniel was slowly gaining control of his powers again, even in human form. It only confirmed to the millionaire that the child's core was more than ready to be used…

"Alright. I believe you. But you must be careful. We cannot risk anyone knowing what we are or having our ghost energies detected, Son."

Danny nodded as his father handed him his toy, but he then lowered his eyes to his feet.

Vlad's eyebrows creased, noticing his son's sudden dispirited demeanor. "How about we go to the forest for lunch?" he asked, gently lifting his son's chin.

"Really?" Danny asked, hopeful again.

"Yes, and then I have a surprise for you," he told him with a small smile.

Danny's eyes widened in wonder and he then grinned. "_Jes_! Let's go!"

Vlad huffed as his son ran out of the room but just calmly followed after him. They soon made it to the kitchen and got everything they needed before the two headed towards the backyard.

A quick horse ride later and they were at the stream. Danny helped set everything up before he went over to the stream and stared at the fishes. He was still amazed how there were living creatures in existence that were neither ghost nor human! And there were _all kinds_, too!

"Father?" Danny suddenly asked. "Why can't animals talk with us like humans and ghosts can?"

"I told you, Daniel. They are more primitive. You know, like some of your friends at the Forest of Emotion," Vlad answered as he pulled out two sandwiches from the basket of food he brought for them.

"_Jes_, but Lu and my friends still can understand me and they talk back," Danny retorted, looking over at his father.

"True. But your friends speak your language. And animals don't. They… have their own languages," The eldest half-ghost answered. "Come. We can play later. It's time to eat, little badger."

Danny made a face but he was hungry so he didn't protest and went to sit next to his father.

"Here, clean your hands," Vladimir calmly ordered, giving him a wet disinfectant wipe.

Though the child took the wipe and cleaned his hands, he was still in a questioning mood. He continued to interrogate the human Ghost King.

"Why do dirty hands make you sick, Daddy?" the little half-ghost wondered.

"Because there are germs and parasites in the dirt," Vlad answered, taking his son's curiosity in stride and handing him his sandwich along with a napkin.

"What is those?" Danny further questioned. He took his sandwich and began to inspect it, further asking, "It has meat?"

Vlad frowned lightly as he paused in mid-bite of his own sandwich. "Yes, it has meat, but it's only a little. You cannot even see it, so please eat it."

Danny pouted. His father had explained a bit more about why humans ate meat. But even if it was 'healthy' to eat some here-and-there, it was still strange to him. Just the thought that he was eating something that once was alive bothered him. But… he supposed a lot of things bothered him about the Human World. Not to mention, his father had once gave him 'fake meat' to try and it had tasted more horrible than the actual stuff; so he had given in to eating it _sometimes—_and right now would have to be one of those times because he really was hungry.

The young hybrid took a bite of his sandwich at last and swallowed before remembering his father had not answered his first question.

"Father? So, what is those?"

"What?" Vladimir asked, confused, lowering his sandwich a bit. But suddenly remembering the boy's original question, he quickly replied, "Oh, yes! But it is said, 'What _are_ those?', Son. Hmm…Germs and parasites are little organisms—_creatures_—that can get into your body and make it sick. Cleaning your hands reduces the risk of that."

Danny took another bite of his lunch as he thought over what his father had said. "Okay… But, uh… why can't I see them if they are other animals? Are they invisible?"

"No. They are just _really_ small—so small you need special instruments to see them, Daniel," Vlad answered calmly.

"Really? Smaller than a ant?" Danny asked with surprise.

The older hybrid nodded before taking a quick sip of his iced-tea. "Hmm… Yes. A lot smaller."

"Wow…," Danny muttered. He leaned to his side and scrunched his eyes at the dirt as he tried to spot these 'germs' and 'parasites'.

Vlad instantly laughed. "I told you, Son. You need a special instrument to see them."

"I know!" Danny said, a bit defensively. "I just… looking." He smiled as he noticed a small ant mound close by. He took a piece of bread from his sandwich and threw it in the mound. And seeing the little ants come out and begin to eat the bread, he grinned. "They like the sandwich!"

"And give them enough, and they'll be crawling all over us," Vlad answered with a raised eyebrow. But he wasn't too worried since it was a very small mound and they weren't the type of ants that bit. "Come, leave them be, Daniel."

Danny pouted but did as he was told and continued eating his lunch. His eyes eventually drifted over to the stream and another thought came to mind. "Father? Can we go swimming? You said we could and that you teach me how to swim with my legs?"

"Hmm…," Vladimir replied thoughtfully. "I did say that… and it is warm enough now… Alright. We'll go when we leave from here, okay?"

Danny grinned. It always made him happy to spend time with his father, especially when he was the only one he had to talk and play with… But the thought slightly dampened the boy's mood. He hated to think it, but even when his father was always with him, he… felt lonely sometimes. He missed his friends and his teachers and everyone else back home. But he especially missed… his mother. He missed her _so much._

Vlad noticed his son's change in demeanor, but didn't say anything. He had seen it so many times now that he didn't need to ask what had caused it. It was like this all the time. His son would be happy one minute, and then suddenly, he would become quiet or troubled.

"Chocolate milk?" the older half-ghost offered, hoping to distract the younger one.

Danny blinked, but then nodded and smiled again. It was one of the few 'human foods' he could say he _liked_, especially when it came in those little boxes with _straws_. Too bad they didn't have straws back home! They were _so much fun!_

Once they finished their sandwiches, Vlad put a small bowl of carrot sticks and baby tomatoes in between them.

Danny grabbed a carrot stick. These were not bad, either, but he stayed completely away from the red balls. He _hated_ the red balls!

"Um, Father?" Danny called, remembering something the older half-ghost had said.

"Yes?"

"What's the surprise you said you had for me?" Danny asked with a growing smile.

"Oh, yes… The surprise." The human Ghost King put down his tea and said with his own smile. "How would you like to go flying?"

Danny's eyes brightened with glee and he abruptly threw himself in his father's arms. "_Jes! Jes!_ Please! I want to! I want to!" he exclaimed.

Vlad cringed as his son almost knocked his tea down, but he managed to grab the cup before it fell.

"But…" Danny pulled away, looking confused. "Don't that mean I got to change and use my powers? And I can't change and you said we can't use our powers."

"Well, we will not really need to do either," Vladimir retorted with a knowing smirk. "There are other ways to fly you know."

"There is?" Danny asked, amazed.

Vlad nodded. "Mm-hmm." He looked around for a good place to do what he had in mind but he then decided to just do it on the blanket. "Hold on."

He put his son down and finished his tea before putting the remaining food inside the basket and closing it. He then spread the picnic blanket a bit better before sitting back down and then lying down completely.

Danny raised an eyebrow before crawling over to his father and looking down at him. He giggled a bit before questioning, "What are you doing, Father? Are you sleepy?"

Vladimir shook his head and said, "No, but come closer and I'll show you…"

Danny moved closer only to be grabbed by his father around the waist and lifted up at arm's length directly above the older hybrid. The boy gasped in surprise but then grinned.

"Wow. You are getting heavy," Vlad teased. "Good thing I'm strong, eh?"

Danny giggled some more as his father lowered him down and kissed him on his forehead. And yet, he held him just above him.

"Daddy? What are you doing? I'm not a baby!" he said with a small laugh. He still remembered when his father would grab him like this and throw him up and down. It was so much fun! But his mother hated it, saying it wasn't safe. But… he had been little and now he was not really little…

"Believe me, I know," Vlad answered, pretending to be struggling to keep him up above him. But then he added with a smile. "I am going to make you fly, little Phantom."

Danny's smile faded away and he titled his head a bit. His father had not called him that since they left the other house in the mountains… It really surprised and intrigued him.

"Close your eyes, Daniel," Vlad commanded gently.

Danny looked curiously at him for another moment, but then closed his eyes.

The millionaire hesitated, knowing he was going to take a small risk in doing this. But if this worked, it would be well worth it…

"Okay, Daniel. No matter what. Do not open your eyes, alright?" And getting a nod from the boy, the human Ghost King then lifted him back up to arm's length. He then asked, "Straighten out your legs and lift your arms in front of you, like when you fly."

Feeling a bit excited now at the idea of actually flying, Danny did so. "Ready!" he said with a smile.

"Alright… Just…Keep still for me…," Vlad muttered before he carefully positioned his right hand flat against his son's abdomen. He then did the hardest part of the trick. He removed his left hand, keeping the young boy above him with the strength of only one hand.

Vladimir smiled as he felt the wind around them pick up and he knew it was now or never. He instantly turned his right hand intangible, allowing the power to slowly transfer into his son. A minimal amount of energy was needed for this, so the older hybrid knew his signature being traced was not a problem. The only risk was someone seeing them. But that was why he was doing this here in the cover of the forest trees.

The little half-ghost gasped softly when he felt the feeling of his father's hand supporting him vanish—or that's what it felt like. But then his whole body became lighter, like when he was in ghost form and yet he could feel the wind blowing against his face… He was floating… No, he was _**flying!**_

"Daddy!" Danny gasped out, his eyes still closed. "I-I'm flying! I'm really flying!"

Vlad smiled softly at how thrilled his son was with the illusion, but then he answered, "You are. And you are _really_ high up!"

"I am?" Danny asked in delight, wanting to look and see.

"Ah. Ah. Keep your eyes closed" Vlad quickly said. "This only works if you have your eyes closed."

Danny nodded and asked, "Can I go higher?"

"As high as you want, little Phantom. I'm right beside you," Vlad answered.

Danny grinned and raised his chin up as the wind blew past him, making it feel like he was going higher. It was so wonderful! He felt like he was a ghost again! But the nicest part was that the more he felt like it, the less human he began to feel. And he suddenly also felt his core slowly waking up as the illusion became more real in his mind.

Vlad's eyes widened as he saw sparks of white energy appearing around his son's abdomen, as if trying to ignite a weak flame.

"That's it, Daniel," Vlad whispered, his lungs tightening with hope. "Fly… Fly, little Phantom!"

The words echoed in the child's mind, triggering a wave of memories...

"_Mommy! Don't let go! I don't want to fall again!" Danny pleaded as his mother flew above him holding him by the waist, while he faced down, seeing how high they were._

"_Do not be afraid, little Phantom. I will never let you fall," Desiree assured him. "And as long as you fly, you will never fall."_

_Danny's eyes widened. That's right! He fell before only because he had stopped flying! If he flew, he would never fall! He would never be hurt again!_

"_The wind is your friend, Danny. The world above belongs to you. And as long as you remain here, nothing can touch you," Desiree whispered tenderly. "So, fly, my little Phantom… Fly…."_

_Danny felt as his mom let him go but he wasn't afraid. Not anymore. Nothing could hurt him as long as he continued to fly…_

The human Ghost King's breath hitched as twin rings appeared around his son's waist and they slowly began to spread away from each other turning his son from human to ghost…

But then, unexpectedly, the rings stilled mid-way, and he felt his son tense in his hold…

"Daniel, you're doing good! Keep flying, little Phantom," Vlad whispered to hold back the anxiety crawling into his voice.

But he was unaware of how his son's memories began to twist into something darker… and more recent…

_"Fly up!" Desiree screamed at him in Ghost Speech, sounding very panicked. "Fly as fast and as far up as you can! Go, Danny! Now!"_

_But the Prince was frozen in terror. He didn't understand what was happening to his mother. She was turning transparent, while that weird beam continued to consume her._

_Desiree cried in alarm as she was suddenly yanked back some more by the beam that had her in its powerful suction._

_"Danny! Get out of here! Fly!" the ghost mage exclaimed, not wanting her son to be captured as well._

_But seeing his mother slowly disappearing into that device, Danny shook his head; and instead, flew at her, grabbing one of her hands, "No, Mommy! I won't leave you!"_

_And seeing his mother disappear into the small cube-like device, the Prince screamed, "MOMMY!"_

_"No, Danny! It'll hurt you! It's bad!" Sam exclaimed at him as he struggled to get to his mother. "Danny, you have to get away! Fly away, Danny! They'll hurt you!"_

_Danny finally listened and bolted straight into the air, his mind set on flying as far up as he could. "Fly… Fly, little Phantom," he heard his mother say in his mind. And he tried. He tried to get away, to keep flying so he could never be hurt. _

_As long as he kept flying, he would never be hurt… _

_But…he had been hurt._

Vlad saw the rings extinguish just as his son opened his eyes and they swelled with tears. "I-I don't want to fly anymore," he whimpered.

The older hybrid quickly lowered him back down and wrapped his arms around the younger one as he began to sob into his chest. The man didn't understand what had happened, but hearing his son as upset as he had been when he remembered his mother's death made him feel incredibly guilty. He should have never tried this…

"It's alright, little badger," he said sadly. "You don't have to fly anymore…. Not until you are ready again. I… I'm sorry."

But Danny just cried harder as he sobbed out, "Mommy… I want my mommy. I-I miss… Mommy!"

The older hybrid took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he rubbed his son's back.

"I know… I miss her, too," Vlad answered quietly.

* * *

Jazz sat in her bed reading a book with Bear-Bert tucked into the bed-sheets with her. But a few seconds later, she lowered her book with a sigh. She really couldn't concentrate on it, not when something that happened yesterday still pressed on her mind.

It was dumb really. She did not even know why it was bothering her so much. But it started when she had asked her father to take her to Floody Waters. She didn't really like going there much; but since she was out of school for the summer, she had been… a little bored. After all, with her parents always working on their ghost projects and being the only child, most of all her efforts and time went to school. She always did all her homework and more. And all her studying had made her the smartest kid in her school. In fact, her school had had an awards ceremony the last week of school and she had been given all sorts of recognitions. Not to mention, she always participated in as many activities as she could throughout the year, and all her teachers loved her for it—and her peers looked up to her, too. It made her feel good, especially when it was times like those that her parents would finally drop their work and focus solely on her. And it just made her so happy to see how proud of her they were whenever she was recognized at school. It made her want to do even better, if only to just be able to capture their attention for a bit.

But that was just it. School was pretty much her life. It gave her purpose. And that was why she hated summers. With no school, she had to find other things to take up her time. And she could only study so far ahead of her required level before even that waned to nothing. Of course, she was excited that in August she would be starting fourth grade, but that still left her with almost three months to kill.

And that led her to asking her parents to take her to Floody Waters for her birthday yesterday. She had turned nine. In the past, her parents would usually give her a small party with some of her friends. Her aunt had even come to visit at some of the others. But this year, she didn't care to have a party. Instead, she just wanted to spend the day with her parents. And she indeed had. All three of them had gone to the water park and it had been so much fun. It had been so long since they really had that much fun together as a family. Usually, when her parents took her places, it was either her mom _or _her dad who would go, while the other would stay behind to work. They rarely all went out together, unless it was for some big family vacation—which they did have one scheduled at the end of July. They were going camping.

But it had been nice. Her mom and she had ganged up on her dad in a splash fight. And her father had even gone to ride the big scary water slides with her! It had been one of the best days she had had. For once, she had felt like she belonged to a normal family—one that didn't have parents as ghost hunters or that their youngest member had not been killed by evil ghosts.

Then, she noticed a family next to them while they were at the 'wave pool'. What had been significant about this particular family was that they had reminded her so much of her own. The mother had had curly auburn hair and was very perky, while the father had been very good-natured and rather large. But these parents that looked like her own had had _two kids_ with them. A boy and a girl. The girl had been about her age… and the boy… her deceased brother's age—or the age he would be now.

It had been so long since Jazz really thought about Danny. In fact, when she had been younger she had felt resentment towards him. She had blamed him for her 'abnormal' family. But now that she was growing older, she understood it wasn't really his fault that he was killed and that her parents had become obsessed with their work because of it. Still, the last time she had thought of her young brother had been when that crazy moody kid named Gregor had come to visit with her parents' ex-boss—Agent C she believed it was what they called him…

But… seeing that little boy yesterday at the water-park, and seeing how the older sister would stay close to him, clearly protective of him, had made her a bit jealous. She wondered once more what it would have been like to have a sibling to play with and protect; to even teach stuff to. Would she have been a good big sister? Would her little brother have looked up to her like that little boy had clearly looked up to his own sister yesterday?

Sadly, she would never know. She would never know what any of that would be like because her brother had been killed.

She wished he was still here. Maybe she would not feel so… alone sometimes.

"Princess?"

Jazz looked up at the sound of a knock and her nickname before her door opened and her father peeked in.

"Hiya, Jazzarincess!" Jack beamed, walking in and then plopping down beside her on the bed. He ruffled her hair a bit before saying, "Your mother wanted me to come up and see if you were in bed yet. It's time for some shut-eye, you know."

Jazz smiled. "Yeah, I know. I was just reading. But I'll go to sleep now."

"Okay, then. I also came up to tell you that your mom and I will be going out for about an hour. We are leaving both the normal security system and the anti-ghost systems on just in case. And you got our number if you need anything and you know how to get to the OP center's safe room. But in any case, we won't be gone long, kay?"

Jazz nodded. "Okay, Dad. And don't worry. I'll be okay."

Jack smiled before wrapping an arm around the girl and giving her a hug and a smooch on her cheek. "That's my girl! You know we love ya, Jazzy-pants!"

"I know. I love you, too, Daddy," she replied with a warm smile as they let go.

Jack stood to leave, but Jazz quickly stopped him. "Wait. Dad?"

"Yeah?" Jack asked curiously.

The girl bit her lip with uncertainty as he looked down at Bear-Bert and began to play with his whiskers.

"You okay, Princess?" her father questioned, confused by her sudden shyness.

"I was wondering…," she began carefully. She looked back at her father and hesitated again before finally asking, "Do you think I would have been… a good sister?"

Jack blinked in surprise, but then his eyebrows creased and he moved to sit back next to his daughter. He wrapped an arm around her before seriously replying, "Well, of course you would have, Jazz. The best, in fact."

Jazz felt her chest tightened, but she didn't know why. Still, she confessed, "I-I don't really remember Danny, Daddy, but… but I sometimes miss him. I kinda wish he had not died…"

Jack nodded, though he was quiet and his eyes had lowered. He tried not to think about his poor son. It was too painful and it was hard enough to have to see how much Maddie had changed since that tragic night. She would still have nightmares. And it was hard to forget how only six months ago she had had another emotional breakdown, swearing that their deceased son was in danger. It took him days to convince her to see reason…

But… it was just as hard when he would sometimes notice how reclusive his daughter was. She wasn't shy or anything. In fact, she was very popular among her peers, but… his daughter often would prefer a book as to playing with kids her age. It was as if… she was mentally and emotionally older than what she physically was. And he had to wonder if it was a result of that trauma she suffered from seeing her house explode, knowing her brother had been killed in said explosion, and having to come face-to-face with the monsters that had tried to kill her and her family—and had succeeded in killing her brother…

"Dad?" Jazz suddenly asked worriedly. She now regretted saying anything. She hated seeing her parents get upset whenever Danny was mentioned. The worse of it was her mother. It had been hard enough to still remember those scary monsters which had harmed her brother. But she also remembered all those times her mother would cry-and-cry for days in Danny's room and her father looked so depressed and helpless with his inability to do anything for his wife or his remaining child.

Jack sighed before smiling sadly at her daughter. "I miss him, too, Princess. And we'll probably always miss him. But you know what? Wherever he is, I'm sure he knows his family loves him and always will. And I bet he is _proud_ of his big sister!" He pulled her closer before adding with a larger grin, "Plus, you know you got me and your mother, too! And just between us… you'll always be my favorite!"

"Oh, Daddy! You're the best!" Jazz beamed and quickly pulled in closer to cuddle in his embrace.

"Oh, shucks, Jazzy!" Jack answered with warm laugh. They soon pulled away, and after kissing her head, he said, "Okay, bedtime! Your mom's waitin' for me!"

Jazz nodded and said, "Good night, Dad."

"G'night, Princess," he answered before getting off the bed again and finally leaving.

Once he closed the door, his smile fell and he sighed deeply.

"Oh, Danny-boy… I would give anything if I could have just…," But the man didn't finish and he just sighed regrettably again.

Reaching the lab, he walked down the stairs and found Maddie inside the Specter Speeder. He walked over to it and hopped in, too.

"Weapons and all other systems are on online and ready to go, Jack," Maddie said, while typing in a command on the computer console. She paused and looked at her husband as she asked, "Is Jazz asleep?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah… Well, she was about to go to sleep, and I told her we were going out. So, she should be okay."

Maddie raised an eyebrow at her husband's subdued attitude. He had been all but bouncing off the walls before he had gone to check on their daughter.

"Is everything alright?" she questioned with a small frown.

"Uh… yeah…," Jack answered. But then he scratched his head, unsure if he should mention what Jazz had said to him. But… did he really want to bring up Danny right now? His wife got very emotional each time; and if they were going through with this, they needed to be totally focused… Still, his daughter's words had really made him think over some things, specifically, their priorities…

"Do you think we should maybe wait to do this, Mads?" Jack asked hesitantly. "I know we're prepared and all, but… we are riskin' a lot… And, well, we have Jazzy to think about."

Maddie's eyes widened. Now she knew something was bothering Jack. He had not thought much about the risk they were taking before… Why now?

"Jack…," she began, but she paused and changed her mind about what she was going to say. She understood what her husband was telling her. However, no matter how dangerous their profession was, they had always thought it was worth it—it was worth it because it not only secured the safety of their child, but of others around the world. And Maddie had also made a vow to herself when she had lost her son. She vowed she would kill each ghost responsible.

"Jack," Maddie finally said with a serious look. "You know our work has always been risky, but also why it's so important. We have been working on the Specter Speeder _for months_, and we have wanted to find a way into enemy territory for years! We can't back down now. Besides, we're doing this for Jazz… and even Danny. We can't let those putrid ghosts keep harming innocent people! You saw on the news all they did just months ago! What happened at Axions was a horrible tragedy! And that poor little girl—Valerie Gray! All she had was her father and those monsters killed him! Damon was a good man and they killed him! This is our duty! We have to stop them, Jack!"

Jack nodded and his eyes narrowed in determination. "You're right, Maddie! Those ecto-scums have gotten away with harming innocent people for too long! It's time we put an end to it! Come on! Let's shake a tail feather, mama!"

Maddie grinned as she turned forward and strapped herself in. "Lets!" she answered before she pressed a button and a downward-sloping opening appeared on the lab's floor.

The jets then burst with life before the speeder burst forward into the underground tunnel. The opening soon climbed upward and another door opened at the end of the tunnel, which was located right in their backyard under their external swimming pool.

"Woo-hoo!" Jack hollered as the speeder climbed into the night sky with ease.

"Oh, she flies wonderfully, Jack!" Maddie beamed, grinning in delight herself. Yes, all their months of work had been worth it. This speeder had to be one of their best inventions yet!

"Alright, Jack. Let's focus," the woman then said, pulling her mask forward to cover her face.

Jack also did the same, and he answered, "Right, sweet cheeks! Time to work!"

Putting the ship briefly on auto-pilot, she turned to the computer system. "I'm going to bring up the ecto-energy detection program. We need to find the closest permanent portal to use as an entrance. We cannot risk using unstable portals because we could get trapped in enemy zone."

"You mean, 'Ghost Zone'. Ha! Get it?" Jack grinned.

"Jack…" Maddie rolled her eyes but still chuckled.

"Admit it, it was a good one!" he retorted with a smirk.

"Yes, it was," she replied amusedly, though she shook her head. But then she sobered up when the monitor detected a faint trace of ghost energy. Portals gave out a very weak reading, which is how they could tell them apart from the energy an actual ghost gave off. And, of course, the stronger the ghost, the stronger the reading.

But detecting portals was tricky. The unstable—or temporary—ones were pretty much untraceable. They would not stay formed long enough to give off any sort of energy. The permanent ones, though, did, but their energy was so weak that they had to get their instruments very close to them before they could be detected.

But, luckily, they were picking something up.

"Hey, look, it's Vladdie!" Jack suddenly said.

"What?" Maddie asked, confused. But when her husband pointed at the large bulletin board coming up in the distance and saw the famous Wisconsin millionaire's face plastered on it, she quickly rolled her eyes.

"He has never been one for subtlety, has he?" Maddie muttered.

"Hey, maybe we should call him up! It's been like _years_ since we've seen him!" Jack commented.

But Maddie did not seem to care much for the idea. "It has, and I doubt he even remembers us, Jack. Besides, we were not really friends… More like… acquaintances. We pretty much shared some classes and he took an interest in our work…"

"Come on, Mads. It was more than that! I mean, the guy paid for our house to be rebuilt when… _all that_ happened," Jack said with a frown. "Only friends do somethin' like that!"

Maddie fell quiet. She supposed her husband was right. But she had never been sure of Vladimir Masters. He had always given her a bad vibe; and though the man had tried to mask it, Maddie had always been able to tell that he didn't like them very much—almost as if he was _forced_ to interact with them. She had always been suspicious of that. Plus, she had heard rumors that the man sponsored Thomas Chrome and his agency…

But even if that was not true, Vladimir Masters was a millionaire. The money he gave them to rebuild their home—which Maddie and Jack had paid back as soon as they had had the means to—was like pocket money to the man.

And yet… her husband was partly right. Vladimir didn't have to do something so generous, but he had. And she at least respected him for the fact.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see how he is…," Maddie reluctantly answered. "But right now, it looks like our point of interest is somewhere near that advertisement board…"

Maddie disengaged the auto-pilot and sped up the Speeder towards the place. However, as they neared it, the couple was confused. The scanner was picking something up in this vicinity… but there was nothing there.

"How strange…," Maddie muttered as she looked from the energy scanner to the advertisement board.

"Maybe the scanner isn't probably calibrated. It could be a mistake," Jack suggested.

"It must be…," Maddie answered as she flew the speeder around the large board a few times. But she saw nothing ghostly anywhere.

Of course, she did not know that the Ghost King had purposely paid to have the advertisement board placed there to hide this portal—for this portal was one of the five largest portals in existence and it happened to be the closest one to the royal castle; so the King knew he could not allow it to be discovered in a place heavily populated with ghost hunters. And since portals were practically invisible during the early daylight hours because of the brightness of the sun, it had been easy for the construction to take place without anyone knowing what was being hidden within the structure. Now, the only way to access the portal _within_ the advertisement board was with intangibility…

Maddie sighed in disappointment before she said, "Let us keep searching. I'm sure we will find a permanent portal somewhere…"

Unfortunately for them, an hour passed and they had had no luck finding a stable and permanent portal. All they would catch glimpses of were a few temporary portals randomly opening up for a few seconds at a time here-and-there.

They were forced to search outside Amity's borders. They were just about to call it quits for the night when just five miles out, they began to get a reading…

"I'm getting something, but I can't see it again," Maddie said.

Jack quickly searched around with his eyes and he suddenly spotted a weak green glow further above them.

"Maddie, go up! I think I see something!" he quickly said.

Pulling back the throttle, the ship ascended higher and higher. The couple began to tense as they continued to pass layers after layers of clouds. They were so high up that the speeder was beginning to reach its maximum height before the engines risked failure. But just before they reached that very height, they passed another layer of clouds which seemed to open up like draped curtains being pushed aside, revealing just what they were looking for…

Maddie and Jack stared in amazement at the swirling green vortex. It had been so long since they had seen a ghost portal of this enormity. They still did not know what had caused the permanent portals to reopen again all those six months ago, but the couple was partly glad they had.

At least now, they could bring the fight to their enemies—instead of they only having that upper hand.

"This is it, Maddie! We are about to bust right into these ecto-scums' territory! They won't even know what hit em!" Jack exclaimed with bravado.

"Now, Jack. Remember that for now, this is just a quick and passive trip, especially when we said we would return in a hour and it's already been more than that. We cannot leave Jazz alone for too long, so we need to hurry."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, we'll just gather as much information as we can now and make another trip at another time."

"Exactly, dear," Maddie answered as she got to work with bringing up the ship's stealth mode.

With a beep, the Specter Speeder disappeared from view.

"Jack, turn on the ghost weapon system. We need to have it ready to use just in case something goes wrong," Maddie said.

"On it, baby!" Jack replied and reached forward to the controls in front of him to do just that.

"Alright, Jack. Here we go," Maddie muttered, and narrowing her eyes, she accelerated forward, flying right into the ghost portal.

There was a flash of green light and then suddenly they found themselves in a world nothing like their own.

"Oh… my… God…," Maddie gasped out as she stared at the dark and green atmosphere filled with swirling dark purple clouds. "Jack, quick, get a reading!" she managed to breathe out.

But Jack was also filled with fearful awe of what he could see around him. He had always known that the Ghost World was nothing like the human one but… but this was beyond his imagination. It was so… immense; so dark and sinister-looking.

"Jack!" Maddie called more loudly, finally snapping out of her own shock.

"Oh, right!" he said, shaking his head. He reached towards the controllers again and turned on the Speeder's surveillance camera and scanner.

A few minutes later, the computer voiced:

"_**Temperature: minus 23 degrees Fahrenheit. Oxygen to Nitrogen to Carbon levels: 3 to 5 to 2. Toxic levels of the elementals fluorine and chlorine found. Conclusion: Oxygen level not breathable for **_**Homo sapiens**_**. Unable to sustain organic life. Ectoplasmic Energy levels detected: too variant for conclusive data. Gravitational acceleration reading: 1.4 meters-per-second-squared. Atmospheric pressure and precipitation levels…" **_

As the computer continued to read off its findings, Maddie quickly brought up another of the Speeder's features: a sonar mapping system. But this system not only recorded a map of their immediate surroundings as they went along, but it also detected fluxes in ghost energy, any moving entities, and real world items. After all, they hypothesized that human items got sucked into these portals all the time; so with that feature on the mapping system, it would allow them to prove or reject that theory…

"_**Warning. Incoming potential threat… Ectoplasmic entity: level four." **_

"Oh-o! We need to move!" Maddie whispered when she saw a ghost flying in their direction. It looked like some sort of guard by how it was dressed. But she was not sticking around to find out.

She silently moved the speeder towards the left and headed away from the ghost.

"Look, Maddie! Do you see that? It's like some sort of castle!" Jack exclaimed.

Maddie quickly saw what her husband was talking about. It was quite a distance away—miles, in fact—but the structure was so immense that they could still make out the general outline—and it was definitely a castle. Was it possible? Had they ended up _this close_ to the Ghost King's fortress?

What they didn't know was that the portals in Amity Park indeed opened up too close for comfort to the Kingdom's territory…

"That looks promising, but we need to keep away from any of these islands or structures. They are likely populated and we cannot risk being caught, especially on our first time here," Maddie replied.

"What do you suppose are all those doors on the right over there?" Jack asked, pointing to what he meant.

Maddie looked down at the computer screen and saw that the sonar was detecting some sort of weak vortex—similar to the readings ghost portals gave off, but vastly weaker. It was in fact only a bleep on the radar. And yet… the gravitational force near the doors increased slightly—but not significant enough to be able to physically pull anything in, which was the case with _temporary_ ghost portals.

"I think they might be openings to other areas of this zone," Maddie guessed, eyebrows furrowed deeply. "We would not really know unless we would go into one, but it is too dangerous to try right now."

Jack scratched his head and muttered, "They look like doors you'd find on normal houses—only they are all glowing purple… Hey! Maybe they are ghost homes!"

Maddie shrugged. "Maybe." But then her eyes returned to the sonar-and-energy radar as it began to beep strongly. "Jack, we are getting a massive energy reading from something up ahead—and when I say massive, I mean it could power all of Amity Park if it was regular energy!"

"What's causin' it?" he asked, though he was now busy pulling up the ship's camera. He wanted to take some live pictures of some of the structures they were seeing. It was just amazing how large islands were simply floating in the infinite vastness of this place! No wonder the Speeder read that this world's accelerational gravity was at 1.4 meters per second-squared. In the Human World it was recorded at 9.8 meters per second-squared. That meant the gravity in this ghostly place was nothing compared to their world!

Meanwhile, Maddie looked up and realized they were approaching one of those strange swirling clouds in the atmosphere—and there was no doubt it was what was giving off the large energy reading. They had seen the odd vortexes, but they had been far away for the ship to get anything on them—until now, that is.

"Jack, look at that…," Maddie said.

The man took a few more pictures before he turned his attention to what his wife was talking about. His eyes widened as they got closer.

"Whoa… What do you think that is…?" Jack wondered before taking a picture of the spinning energy mass.

"I don't know, but it isn't some simple whirlwind. Like I said, the energy detector is picking up a massive flux of ectoplasmic energy," she replied; but then she gasped as she got even more data from the ship. "Jack, this isn't just ghost energy, it is purely concentrated ectoplasmic energy! Not even normal ghost cores have such virgin energy! This is incredible… We could make a life-time supply of ecto-filtrators with just this single volatile energy cloud!"

Maddie gasped again as another idea hit her, "Jack, do you think these strange clouds are what _feed_ the Ghost Zone and its inhabitants their energy—as in they keep this world _alive_?"

"It's possible… But we can't know anything for sure until we can analyze all the data," Jack replied. But getting an idea, he smirked and added, "Come on, let's get some samples!"

"Jack, I don't know… We could be detected…," Maddie said worriedly.

"I'll keep an eye on the scanner while you get the samples. Come on, Mads! This is our chance to get the energy we need to finish the portal and further study these weird clouds!"

Maddie smiled and nodded. She flew them closer to the Nova before she put the vehicle into a hover. She pushed a button and the Speeder's sample-collecting apparatus jutted out from the nose of the ship. It looked like a single glass tube with a 't-shaped' nozzle firmly anchored at its end. There was an opening in the end of the nozzle, but it currently was closed and air tight. But once it was activated, whatever was near its mouth would be immediately sucked into the glass tube.

Carefully maneuvering it, Maddie got it right into the middle of the Nova before turning on the suctioning function, which worked similarly to their ghost traps.

But just like a vacuum, the sample-collecting apparatus began to suck in the Nova's swirling energy. But as if stunned, the Nova's spinning slowed to almost a halt and it began to flicker like a light bulb about to give out.

"Strange… the energy cloud's reading drastically decreased. Maybe it does not contain as much energy as the radar is detecting…." But just as she said that, the Nova began to spin again as if nothing had happened to it.

Maddie's eyebrows rose up. Either the odd reactions were in response to being disrupted, or these clouds could generate their own lost energy—much like what they discovered with the Prince's core energy that Agent C had brought for them to study. But as she thought that, she realized just how strange that ghost child's energy was… It was unheard of in ghosts—at least, she had never encounter energy like that in her studies until now with these clouds.

"Maddie, look! **Ghost!"** Jack exclaimed, pointing at another ghost solider flying around the vicinity.

But as she looked more carefully, she realized there were many more. And by their movements, they were definitely patrolling.

_"That castle we saw back there must be the Ghost King's home… It would explain all the surveillance…"_ Maddie thought.

But that also gave her another idea.

"Jack, I think we should drop the beacon for the portal somewhere in this area. I mean, what better place to hide our portal than right under their noses?" the female hunter said with a clever smirk.

"Baby, you're a genius!" Jack answered with a grin. He looked around and seeing an island far in the distance and more separated than the other structures, he added, "That place looks promising. We could drop it in one of the caves if there's any ghost-scum around there."

"Oh, sweetie! That's perfect!" Maddie beamed. She turned the speeder in the direction and they headed there. "Well, at least this area does not seem to be too guarded. I wonder why…"

The reason why not many ghosts ventured here was actually simple. _Antikva Paradizo_—or, in Human Speech, 'Ancient Paradise'—was the only place in the Ghost World known for its _carnivorous_ ghosts. Then, there was also its extremely hot and unstable environment to consider…

"_**Danger: temperature increase detected! Surface area: 140.5 degrees Fahrenheit."**_

"Jack, are you seeing this?" Maddie asked, bewildered by what the computer was reading. "How can a single place be so drastically different in temperature than the outer environment?"

Still, she continued to steadily lower the Speeder until they were about twenty-five feet off the ground. At least there were no ghosts in sight. Though, as she slowly crept the vehicle forward, she kept a wary eye open for any potential threat—both from possible ghosts and their current hostile environment.

Jack glanced up as he answered, "Well, look at the large amount of energy-thingies spinning above this place! They're everywhere and they are spinning a lot faster than the one we took a sample from."

There was an unexpected rumble and a hiss from a nearby volcano, and Jack frowned warily before adding, "And if that doesn't do it, then check out the volcanic activity! They're more rivers of lava than rivers of water in this place!"

"And you're right about those energy vortexes," Maddie replied anxiously. "The ship's readings say that their temperature is fifteen degrees higher than the one we took the sample from. I am already getting second thoughts about being here, Jack. In fact, I'm not sure if this place would be suitable for us to hide the portal, after all…"

Jack glanced around a bit more and had been about to agree with his wife when he quickly remembered something. "Wait, Mads…. Maybe the fact that this place's so dangerous is a good thing. Remember how from our studies we found out that ghosts have different kinds of cores, but they all still prefer colder temperatures?"

His wife nodded and he continued, "Maybe that's why this place isn't guarded by the King's army. Maybe only certain ghosts are adapted to this kinda place and the rest stay away—I mean, so far we haven't detected any ghost here with a level higher than three. They're more instinctual than the smarter kind, you know? And that means this would be a great place to have the portal open—the King's goons would never think—or _want_ to—look in this place! It'll be the best cover-up!"

Maddie slowly nodded, but then a loving smile curled her lips. "Oh, honey, you never cease to amaze me!"

Jack grinned goofily. "Aww, sweet-cheeks! You know I'm just babbling back what I've learned from you! You're the real expert!"

"Nonsense, Jack. You're a brilliant man!" She gave him a peck on the cheek before saying more seriously, "Come on. Let's get this finished and head home."

Maddie lowered the ship a few more feet, so now they were being forced to maneuver between the mountains and high trees. Still, they remained at a relatively safe distance from the lava flow and the ghosts inhabiting this place. They could now see that there were many ghosts here, but they all were no higher than a level three on the ecto-scale, and they all appeared ancient and animal-like—in fact, some of them looked a little too much like the dinosaurs that once roamed the human world but were now extinct. It was strange how similar the more animal-like ghosts were to _earthly_ animals.

"Gosh, look at those ghosts! They're eatin' each other!" Jack gasped in disgust.

Maddie also sneered. "Seems ghosts also exhibit cannibalistic tendencies… What monsters."

They were nearing some nearby caves, which looked promising for their purposes. They entered into a sort of valley with canyon walls on one side of them and smoking volcanoes on the other. Luckily the path wasn't too narrow and they were getting close to an opening before the caves…

But, suddenly, the ground shook violently, and the two hunters instantly inhaled sharply at the resulting rock slide on the right side of the ship—and it was coming right at them!

"Maddie!" Jack yelled.

The woman jolted and attempted to ascend to get above the avalanche of massive rocks. However, as the ground shook more, hot volcanic rocks began to come down from the opposite side and she knew it was too late. They would have to keep flying and hope they could get through it without being hit by the deadly boulders or hot rocks.

"Hang on, Jack!" she yelled, as the speeder's warning lights and sirens began to go off. Still, she slammed the accelerator down and gripped the steering handle tight as she zoomed at top speed, zig-zagging through the chaos.

"Oh crud!" Jack yelled as he gripped his seat just as his wife banked sharply to the right and then back to the left. It was as if they were suddenly on a scary roller-coaster ride minus the thrill!

Jack groaned and covered his mouth, feeling he was about to be sick as the Speeder dove lower before going right under a monster boulder and quickly ascending back up at an almost ninety-degree angle.

"We're almost there!" Maddie breathed out as she jolted the vehicle to the left and then back to center. She could see the clearing up ahead!

"**Boom!"**

Maddie and Jack yelled as the volatile environment gave another jolt and a volcano somewhere erupted. However, the explosion literally brought down a piece of the face of the outer canyon.

The couple screamed as the massive piece of rock shadowed the entire ship as it came down right on top of them; but then Jack instinctively reached forward and engaged the rocket boosters. And with a burst of flames from the back rockets, the Speeder bolted forward.

The massive rock missed them by only inches and the 'boom' of it slamming into the valley echoed for miles. But they had been so close to the impact that they were not able to escape the debris completely.

The Specter Speeder literally rocked as it was bombarded by small fragments of rocks and the alarms only rang louder. However, just as they thought they would make it through the aftermath, a larger piece of rock was sucked right into one of the wings rotating engines.

All they heard was a small boom before they lost control of the speeder.

"Jack! I can't steer!" Maddie screamed as she tried to get the speeder to respond as it continued forward like a car without brakes, only that it was quickly losing altitude.

The man gasped as he saw through the passenger window a trail of black smoke coming from the right engine. But before he could say anything, something else caught his eye and he snapped his head forward.

"Maddie, cave! _**Cave**_**!"** Jack hollered as the ship took a nose-dive, heading right for the massive cave formation.

"Oh my God!" Maddie yelled as she switched the speeder to full manual control to override the system. But the control switch came on too late.

The couple braced themselves for impact, sure they were going to smash right into the cave formation and were about to die.

Except that, instead of smashing into it—they went right through it!

"Maddie!" Jack cried as they found themselves inside the cave and now about to slam into the ground.

The woman gasped as she pulled up at the last second, and this time with the manual controls engaged, she managed to control the ship just enough to make a rough landing inside the cave.

The couple breathed heavily while the ship smoked from the damage on the right engine and from their rough landing. The alarms continued to sound.

"That was close," Maddie whispered before taking a deep breath.

"No, kiddin," Jack answered. "Are you alright?"

The woman nodded; but she quickly went to the Speeder's computer system as she added, "I just hope the Speeder isn't too badly damage." But as she realized their biggest damage was only to the right rotating engine on the wing, her tense face relaxed a bit.

"Looks like we're okay, Jack," she said with an exhale of relief. She turned off the alarms before adding, "The rotator engine on the right wing is really bad, but we should be able to head home with just the left one and the rear rockets as long as we keep it in manual drive."

Jack nodded, though he now seemed more interested in their location. "I don't get it," he muttered, confused. "How did we… go _through_ the cave?"

Now that they were out of immediate danger, Maddie remembered that fact and quickly referred to the Speeder's radar and energy readings. "I don't know, Jack," she slowly answered as she continued to go over the computer's analysis of their current location. But… none of it really explained how they had gone through the cave—and not crashed into it.

"How strange. It's almost as if we are unsubstantial to this cave… Like, ghosts are to human objects…," Maddie commented thoughtfully.

But seeing a warning light on the speeder's console come on, Maddie frowned worriedly. "It looks like we took a bigger hit by that rockslide than I thought. Now our left wing engine is losing power. It's really time to go, Jack, before we end up stranded in this place."

"Wait, let's get a sample of the rock cave and drop the beacon for the portal," Jack quickly said, unbuckling his seatbelt and hurriedly going to the back of the speeder to grab the energy-beacon his wife had made.

"Are you sure you want to put it here, Jack?" Maddie asked, still unsure, _especially_ after their close-call.

"Of course I'm sure! Trust me on this!" he replied, turning on the beacon. The metallic cube's single light began to flash green and a faint beeping sound emitted from the device.

"Alright, sweetie," Maddie relented. "Here, let me have that. I'll finish it up. Meanwhile, get that rock sample from the cave."

The two quickly got to work, and in a matter of minutes, they had taken both the rock sample and released the beacon for the portal within the cave. Not even waiting another second, Maddie then engaged the Speeder's rocket boosters and flew them out of the cave, once more just phasing through it.

"We need to figure out why we were just able to go through that cave, Jack," Maddie said as they left the unstable floating island.

"Yeah, it could be another advantage for us to use against those evil ghost-scum!" Jack agreed. But then he smiled at his wife and added, "In spite of that close-call back there, we did good, baby!"

Maddie smiled back. "We did…."

For their first time in here, they had gotten data to last them for months! They had accomplished more than their original objective! After all, they had never thought they would be able to get the concentrated energy for the ecto-filtrator so easily! They were definitely ahead of their plans. And maybe on their next trip, they could capture some live specimens for dissection!

Maddie smiled even more at the thought.

Without any further problems, the couple used their mapping unit to return to the portal in Amity and they flew out as easily as they had flown in.

"Jack, I really think we're going to do it this time… We're going to get rid of these evil creatures…," Maddie said with a hopeful smile as they flew back home.

"I think so, too. It's finally our turn," Jack replied, narrowing his eyes in determination.

* * *

Thomas was thrilled; no, beyond that! He was _ecstatic_! After so many years of being undermined by his superiors, after all those times the government had refused to provide extra funding and had threatened to shut-down the Guys-in-White division, he was finding getting the credit and recognition he deserved!

The ghost hunter was currently in Washington. He had received a call from his superiors two weeks ago, saying they wanted to meet with him in person. After all the media attention the 'ghost attack' on Axion Lab had gotten, Tom had suspected that his superiors were going to call him to take some sort of action against the ghost race—and he had been right! After all, the death of the youngest Fenton had also gotten a reaction from the government. It had been that brat's demise that had saved the Guys-in-White division from being shut-down. But though they had realized that ghosts were indeed still a threat and had continued to fund the GiW division, it had not been enough.

But now… _now_, the government was doing what they should have done from the beginning! They were finally taking some real action!

"Good news, sir?" Operative K asked with a small smile when he finally spotted his boss coming out of the conference room. Being that he was his leader's most experienced Commander, Agent C had asked him to come to Washington with him, but he had been asked to wait in the lobby while Tom was in the meeting with the Washington officials.

Thomas grinned, which surprised Operative K. The commander had never seen his boss portray so much emotion.

"Indeed, commander! More than good, in fact!" Agent C answered.

The two walked out of the 'GiW' headquarters in Washington before he added, "However, I would like to gather the rest of the commanders before I say anything. But believe me, Operative K. This is huge!"

Though he was a bit bummed he had to wait to find out what had happened, the official didn't say anything and just smiled back. The two got into the car and headed to the airport and their private GIW plane.

Agent C was anxious to get home after spending the last two weeks discussing and planning what to do about the increasing ghost threat with his superiors. But all those days and hours of deliberating were worth it. They had come to an agreement on their line of attack against the Ghost World. It would take time, effort and a lot of money; but Tom was certain that his division would be getting the government's full support from now on. That is, as long as 'the people's safety' came first in any plans they made. His superiors had been a stickler with that and the government wanted to ensure that first before they proceeded with anything else. Still, it was a small price to pay for what this could mean…

"_Finally! What I have been waiting for!"_ Tom thought smugly. _"And with Gregor still in my grasp, getting what I want is going to be too easy!"_

* * *

After that last episode with Daniel a week ago, Vlad knew that he would never get his son to transform on his own. Not as long as he was here and was constantly reminded of what he had lost. But they just couldn't stay here forever!

So, now desperate for some form of solution—_some way_ out of this trap keeping him with his hands tied—he had been working for hours in his lab for the past few days on the Maximus. He was _that_ desperate at this point.

With a sober look on his face, Vlad grabbed a small glowing gold capsule he had created with Anĝela's feather's energy. He had simply compacted its power into this tiny capsule so it could act like a sort of battery. But he had also created a second battery—one made out of his own electrical energy—and he grabbed that blue sparkling capsule as well.

He then moved over to another bench and stared down at the Maximus on top of it. He couldn't believe he was actually considering this… But first, he needed to test it. He needed to see if it worked… and 'how bad' it would be.

Picking up the foreboding two-prong-like device, Vladimir opened a small compartment on its side and carefully inserted both the gold and the electrical blue capsules alongside a red capsule already inside the device. He then closed the compartment and raised the device a little higher.

With a sigh, he turned it on.

The Maximus hummed to life before the two green prongs at the top of the device ignited with crackling red electricity that shot back and forth between each other.

But then the older hybrid flipped a small switch on the device and the green prongs melded into a gold color before the red electricity switched into blue electricity. It jumped between the prongs like the red had, but now the blue sparks were much less violent and steadier. And yet… it still promised pain.

Vlad stared at the device for a long while. According to his calculations, this should work, but… the only way to prove that was to… test it. And there were only _two_ people he could try it on—and testing it on his son was out of the question.

Clenching his teeth, the man quickly turned the device still in his hands towards him so that the prongs were now facing him. Then, he just as quickly pressed it against his heart. What happened next took mere seconds, yet to the older hybrid it felt like hours…

As if it were a bolt of lightning, the device sent a strong shock into the man's system, and he collapsed to the ground with a cry of pain. He suddenly couldn't breathe, and for a moment, he thought he was going to pass out from the lack of oxygen and the mounting pain caused by the jolts of electrical blue energy that had now literally brought his heart to a halt. But even all that was nothing compared to the horrible pain that the gold energy that came from Angela's spell relentlessly drilled into him in order to _force_ his core to fully awaken. He could only groan, gripping his waist as he writhed on the ground.

A second later, his core shot out energy throughout his body and black rings erupted from his waist, changing him into his ghost form without his willing it so.

Then—and only then—did the pain stop.

Stunned and disoriented, the older hybrid stayed on the ground. That had been horrible—_worse_ than when he had used the same device to short-circuit his powers to force him to turn human. And _that_ _had_ been painful! As his mind began to regain clarity, though, he realized it had _worked_. He was in his true ghost form. And the unbearable pain that had felt like forever had really lasted only seconds.

But…

Vlad turned his face to stare at the still activated Maximus on the ground.

"I can't…," the man whispered in despair. "I cannot use this on my son. I-I cannot."

But if he didn't use it, then that meant they would never go home. And their home and everyone they cared about was doomed.

Staring back at the ceiling, the man raised his hands and pressed them against his face.

It was hopeless.

* * *

Danny bit his lip as he stared at the television showing two little humans playing with a dog. They looked like they were having so much fun and they didn't seem evil at all. But then again, Danny had already concluded that human _kids_ were _not_ evil.

See, Ever since he came to the Human World, the seven-year-old had been trying to figure out humans. And this is what he had understood so far:

Humans were not formed—Wait. No, born. According to his father, humans were _born_—not that he understood the difference.

The boy shook his head and tried again. Humans were not _born_ evil. They were good. Like… Sam and Tuck. But when they became grown-up, they _turned_ evil and they hated ghosts. They killed ghosts simply out of hate. So, they didn't care if the ghost was good or didn't want to fight back. They just… killed _all_ ghosts. They thought he and his kind were evil without even giving them a chance…

So, in light of this revelation, Danny had decided that he didn't need to fear little humans. Just the grown-up ones. _They_ were evil… And yet… the boy didn't like the idea of _all_ human adults being evil because that would then mean that his two human friends would turn evil when they grew-up. And Danny just could not accept that. He was certain Sam and Tuck would _always_ be good. So, maybe that meant _some_ adult humans were not evil like… like the maid that had tried to help him!

Too bad he had not seen her again since then. He never got a chance to thank her and say sorry for thinking she was evil and trying to hurt him. But then again, he would probably be too fearful to say all that anyways.

Danny couldn't help it. He just couldn't bring himself to trust any human. Okay, maybe it was possible _some_ were not evil, but how would he know the difference? They could just pretend to not be evil—like that white hunter that had hurt him and his mother—and then attack and hurt him when he let his guard down!

So, Danny decided it was just better to stay away from all humans. He just couldn't risk it. Humans were just too strong and he… he was not. He could tell his father wasn't afraid of humans, but it was because his father was _powerful_. He couldn't be hurt by the humans, like Danny knew he could.

And yet, as he watched the two human kids playing on the television, he secretly wished he could play with them, too. He felt unsure of that, because he knew deep down he still was curious about these creatures that seemed so much like him but were not—well, when he was a ghost anyways. But even when he was currently human, he didn't feel like he was a part of them. He felt out-of-place. And even when his father kept telling him he was part human and because of it he also belonged here, Danny just couldn't _believe_ it because he didn't _feel_ it.

It was confusing, but also _frustrating_. He had never experienced such bothersome emotions until coming here. Frustration was an emotion that he didn't know how to react to or how to express it, and that made him even more upset.

Maybe… Maybe if he could find Sam and Tuck again, he could feel better. He could come to accept this human side of him because he felt that somehow they would make it okay. He… _trusted_ them. He knew for sure they were not evil and that they cared about him. They had not cared that he was a ghost; so they would be even happier if they knew he was part human, too!

But where would he find them…?

Danny's eyebrows creased as he felt a fear clench his heart. He would have to go… back there—back where that evil human and his helpers were. No! He didn't want to go there ever again!

But… it was _so lonely_ here.

Danny moved closer to the television, placing a hand on the screen, wishing with all his heart that it was real, but that the kids in it were _his_ human friends…

The boy pulled his hand down, lowering his head slightly and his bangs fell into his eyes. He didn't want to be here anymore. In fact, he was so lonely and frustrated that he wouldn't even mind going back to the mountain place. At least there Skulker and Anĝela could visit him and his father.

He suddenly perked up with the thought. "Hey… We can't go home because I am human, but… we could go back there!" Danny said with a growing smile. "Father said we had to come here bee-cause he had to 'play human' so no one would suspect nothin'. But he got to have finished all that by now!"

Jumping to his feet, Danny ran out of his room, heading to his father's room. He was so excited with the thought of simply seeing his uncle and doctor that he forgot his badger toy in his room.

"Father?" Danny called, knocking against the closed door before peeking in. But when he didn't see him there, he walked all the way in and looked around. "Not here…," he muttered. "Oh, right! The studying place!"

He ran back out and headed down the same hallway all the way to the end.

"Daddy?" he called and just walked in this time. But his shoulders sagged when he didn't find him there.

Where was his father? He was usually here!

Wait… It was almost lunch, right? Maybe in the kitchen? Oh, well. At least it was not the weekends when those human cleaners came. He did not like those days; but luckily, today he knew it was just him and his father, which meant he could roam the castle freely…

With an exasperated sigh, he left the study and this time walked out and headed towards the main stairs. He climbed down but as soon as he went down the last step, the front door opened.

Danny froze in place as he watched Carl, his father's driver, walk in.

But noticing the little boy staring wide-eyed and fearfully at him, Carl also froze, but in surprise.

"Oh, uh, hi," the driver finally said, though he now gazed curiously at Danny. Carl had seen the kid around a lot more than anyone else that worked for Mr. Masters since he would always drive his employer and the boy around to their destinations. But, actually, now that he thought about it, lately, Mr. Masters had been going out by himself—though Carl could guess why.

His employer's kid was _really_ shy—actually it bordered on fearful—of strangers; so it was always a problem when Mr. Masters took him out. So, he had to conclude that his employer had just stopped trying and that was why he had not taken the kid out for a good month now.

But noticing how terrified the child look, Carl raised an eyebrow and said, "Wow. You really _are_ afraid…"

He had to wonder if the child had been abused or something. But if so, it certainly had not been by his father. His employer was border-line obsessed and over-the-top protective of his son. Still, something had to have happened to the kid to make him this paranoid around strangers…

Meanwhile, Danny jolted with the human's words; but instead of making him even more afraid, it made him angry… _really_ angry.

Danny's hands fisted on his sides and his eyes narrowed as he growled, "I'm _not_ afraid of you, _human!"_

Carl blinked. The boy made it sound like the word 'human' was some sort of insult—not to mention his abrupt change in demeanor had come from nowhere. What an odd kid…

"Go away!" Danny further hissed, actually taking a step forward. "Go away or I tell my father to _make_ you!"

"Whoa! Easy, kid!" Carl said, raising his hands up to pacify the irate child. "I don't want any trouble! I just came to drop off some papers for your dad. See?" Carl pulled out two small envelopes from his jacket and showed them to the boy. "It's from his work. They couldn't be faxed over to him, so he asked me to get them for him and drop 'em off."

Danny watched him untrustingly as he placed the folders on the nearest decorative table and then stepped back towards the door.

But suddenly noticing the human smiling in amusement at him, Danny's glare returned and he snapped, "What is funny?"

"Nothin' at all!" Carl assured him, though he was still smiling. His eyebrows creased as he added, "Seems you're pretty tough, kid. I guess I was wrong about you being afraid. Your name's Daniel, right?"

Danny hesitated but then nodded.

Carl grinned. "Well, Daniel. My name's Carl. We haven't really formally met, so it's nice to meet you."

Danny didn't reply.

Carl chuckled. "Okay, kid, I'll get out of your space. Give those envelopes to your dad for me, okay? Later, tough guy."

Danny watched as the young chauffeur tipped his hat playfully at him before turning back around and leaving at last.

But realizing he had been holding his breath, the little boy sighed and fell back on his bottom on the stair step.

"Whoa… That was scary," Danny muttered; but then he smiled a bit as he realized: he had stood up to an adult human and… it felt _really_ good!

Suddenly giddy, Danny jumped back to his feet and yelled with fake bravado at the closed door, "You better leave! And don't come back!"

"Daniel?"

The seven-year-old jolted and spun around, "Uh, F-Father!" He instantly turned bright red in embarrassment.

But climbing down the stairs, Vladimir raised an eyebrow at his son and asked, confused, "Who in the world are you yelling at?"

Rubbing his neck, Danny meekly answered, "The um… human driver?" He quickly spun around and grabbed the envelopes on the nearby table. "He came to give this to you."

Vlad blinked at his son. "Carl came by?" But it wasn't _that_ fact that had the father so surprised. It was the fact that his son had not freaked out about it. Actually, it seemed like he had had the opposite reaction.

"_Jes_…," Danny answered a bit shyly before offering his father the envelopes.

"Well, why were you yelling at him?" Vlad questioned, still shocked about this, though he took the letters.

Danny's eyes narrowed a bit as he answered, "Bee-cause I am not afraid of him!"

Vladimir sighed tiredly, thinking he finally knew what had happened. "Daniel, you cannot just yell at people for no reason. It is rude—_mean_." His son was getting better with his English, but he still was learning.

Danny's eyebrows rose up. He thought his father would have been pleased that he had stood up to a human… but he wasn't?

"But… But you are mean to them, too!" Danny protested, suddenly upset.

"I am not _mean_ to them," Vlad snapped back. "There's a difference between being stern with someone when they do something wrong and just yelling at them for no reason, Daniel."

"Well, you're not _nice_ to them," Danny challenged back. "So, I'm not going to, either!"

"You don't have to be _nice_, but do not yell at someone just because you feel like it! People are going to think there's something wrong with you," Vlad answered.

"So?" Danny muttered back, stubbornly crossing his arms.

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew he was overreacting a bit, but his son's attitude towards humans was just getting so frustrating—and after the whole affair with the Maximus moments ago, he really did not need any more frustration.

"Daniel, I do not know what to do with you anymore," Vlad said seriously. "I understand why you do not like humans and why you have these… _reactions_ towards them, but you need to at least _try_ to control yourself. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that the ones around us—around _here_—are not going to hurt you! So, you really need to stop with these emotional outbursts. They are getting ridiculous—and honestly, I cannot tolerate them anymore."

"But… I was just—" Danny began only to be cut off.

"I don't want to hear anymore," Vlad said sternly. "Just stop with this nonsense. You need to get used to being around humans, because—_like it or not_—we are going to be here for a while. Now, come on. It's time for lunch."

Danny stared wide-eyed as his father walked past him without another word. But then feeling that he was being treated unfairly, the boy scowled and grumbled at himself, "I was just trying to be strong and brave like you…"

He glared at his father before reluctantly following after him.

Once in the kitchen, Danny went to sit on a stool while his father prepared them something to eat. There was a long silence with only the sound of Vlad cutting things breaking through it.

But as if finally noticing it, Vladimir glanced back at his son and asked calmly, "Daniel? Do you want macaroni-and-cheese for lunch? You like that, yes?"

Still moody about how his father had just treated him, Danny angrily pouted at nothing and shrugged with indifference as he continued to kick his legs against the stool.

The older hybrid stared at the boy for a brief moment, but then he rolled his eyes and turned his attention to what he was doing. "Fine. You'll just eat what I'm eating," he muttered coolly.

Danny only kicked his legs harder against the seat in response; but his father ignored it. The two didn't talk anymore after that.

Half-hour later, Vlad finished and the two headed to the dining table to eat. He had made chicken-stir-fry for the both of them; so after serving his son a glass of juice and putting his plate in front of him, Vlad moved to sit at his own seat with his plate and just quietly began to eat.

Meanwhile, Danny grabbed his fork and poked at his food with a disgusted look on his face. What the heck was this?

He stabbed something that looked like a carrot and took a nibble, only to spit it back out at the taste of the horrible sauce on it.

"Eww! I don't like this," Danny stated, putting his fork down and pushing his plate away.

Vlad instantly looked at him as he angrily answered, "Well, that's too bad, Daniel, because when I _asked_ you if you wanted something else, you just shrugged. So, guess what? Now, you're eating _that_."

Danny scowled back. "Not fair! I did not know you were going to make _brains_ for lunch!"

Vlad pointed his fork at his son and said sternly, "It is not _brains_. It is chicken and vegetables. So, _eat it._ I am not in the mood for this today."

"You never in mood for nothin' but being grumpy all the time," Danny muttered under his breath.

"Care to speak up?" Vlad asked, narrowing his eyes at the little half-ghost.

But Danny just yanked his plate back towards him and silently glared at his food as he began to stab at it.

Vlad took a deep breath before returning to his meal. He was still very troubled about the fact that he had no means of returning them back home; so having his son acting up was really not helping. His thoughts returned back to those same problems.

Should he begin to think about this in the long-term? What if it really was _years_ until his son could transform? He couldn't possibly continue to make copies to attend to his work affairs and keep his son cooped up in this castle, away from the world—from others…

And what about his schooling? He was only seven. His mind needed to be stimulated. Children needed school to help them develop mentally, socially, and for their own self-esteem. But here in the human world, taking Daniel to school and leaving him amongst humans was a really bad idea. What if his powers acted up and someone saw?

No, that was out of the question. But perhaps a private tutor would do…? He could pay her to both babysit his son and teach him while he spent that time at his office. All he would have to do is get his son to trust the human teacher enough to stay with her alone for a few hours…

"_Easier said than done,"_ Vlad thought with a deep frown.

Still, if he was not able to get his son home any time soon, he would need to do something meanwhile… At least, for the sake of his son and his cover-up as Vladimir Masters…

The older hybrid glanced at the younger one and noticed he was not eating, but instead, playing with his food.

But deciding to ignore it for now, Vlad calmly spoke up, "Daniel?"

"What?" Danny all but snapped back.

Vlad hesitated, trying to decide whether to correct him for his disrespect or continue with his thought.

He took a calming breath.

"How would you like to be schooled again?" he asked.

Danny's anger melded into surprise and he looked at his father. "Huh? By who?" But his eyes widened as he asked, hopeful, "Mrs. Pandora?"

"No, of course not," Vlad answered with a small frown. "It would have to be a _human_. But she would be very nice and would teach you how to write and read English and even teach you more about the stars and planets. Wouldn't you like that?"

Danny, however, looked uncertain as he replied, "But… can't _you_ just teach me all that?"

Vlad's frown deepened. "Daniel, as much as I want to, I cannot be with you every waking minute. Yes, I could teach you, but I have other things to do—and they are very important things which I am all but neglecting because you refuse to be left alone with a single human." He exhaled before his voice took a more worrisome tone as he said, "Please, I am _begging_ you, Son. At least _try_. You might even find yourself not so bored around here if you would try new things. And I think having a teacher around to teach you said _new things_ will be good for you."

Danny looked away and said nothing for a long moment. However, he then whispered, "Can't we just go back to the house at the mountains?"

Vlad, who had gone back to eating, paused and looked back at his son. "_What?_ Daniel, did you not hear a word I just said to you? I have important things to do here! No, we cannot go back to the Rockies!" he answered, now deeply aggravated.

"But, Daddy," Danny began sadly.

"No, Daniel," Vlad cut him off seriously. "We are not going anywhere. Until you can morph, we are staying here. Now, enough of this. And eat. You haven't taken a bite of your food."

Danny's anger returned full force and he snapped back, "I'm not hungry!"

"I don't care! Eat!" Vlad answered forcefully.

Danny's eyes flashed green before he purposely dropped his fork on the ground and crossed his arms, replying coolly, "Can't. Dropped my fork."

Vlad gritted his teeth before he rose from the table and walked out to go grab another fork from the kitchen. When he came back, he handed it to his son who angrily grabbed it. But Vlad did not let go. Instead, he leaned forward a little to lock his gaze with his son's.

"Do not drop this one, because I will make you pick it up and use it as it is," Vlad warned before releasing the fork and returning to his own chair. He then commanded, "Eat your food, Daniel."

Danny felt his throat clench as he whimpered, "But I don't like it."

Vlad suddenly slammed a fist on the table as he yelled, **"I don't care if you don't like it! Eat it!"**

Danny jolted in his seat with his father's unexpected display of anger. But then looking away, he blinked back tears of frustration more than anything else as he raised his fork and grabbed some food from his plate. He hesitated before putting it into his mouth. He felt his stomach recoil with the taste, but he still swallowed it down.

Vlad finally took his angry eyes away from his son and turned back to his own food.

But as soon as he did, Danny stopped eating and stared sadly at his own food, feeling really bad now. There was a long silence before the child suddenly placed his fork down.

The older hybrid heard the sound, and he immediately glared warningly at the younger one. "Daniel, I am so close to losing my patience with you…"

But instead of taking heed to that obvious threat of punishment, Danny got out of his chair and walked over to his father.

"Daniel, go back to your seat," Vlad ordered firmly.

"Okay. But… don't be mad. I'm sorry," Danny whimpered back.

Vlad calmed a bit, but he still stared soberly at his son and nodded. "It's alright. Could you go eat now, _please_?"

Danny, however, shook his head and instead climbed over his father's chair's armrest and sat on his lap facing him. "No, bee-cause you're still mad," he answered with a playful pout.

"I'm not mad anymore," Vlad replied tiredly. "I would just like you to eat."

Danny placed his hand on his father's clothed chest and replied, "Okay, I go eat and I also am okay with a human teacher… But…" The boy smiled mischievously. "I want us to go back to the Rockies!"

Vlad frowned, realizing his son was trying to manipulate him. And it really did not sit well with him right now.

"Go back to your seat, Daniel," Vlad said seriously, pulling the boy off him. Or, he tried.

Danny quickly wrapped his arms around his neck and pleaded, "Daddy, I'm lonely here! I want to at least see Uncle Skulker and Anĝela. Please? Just for a little while. One week? Please! Pleeease!"

"Daniel, enough!" Vlad demanded, his voice a mixture of anger and desperation. "I said, no!"

Pulling away, he looked at his father and quickly whined, "But why not?"

"Because I said so, that's why," Vlad answered, glaring lightly.

Danny scowled this time. "You are angry."

"_No_, I am _frustrated_ because my son will not do as I tell him and _go eat,"_ Vlad answered back firmly.

Danny lowered his gaze, though he was clearly upset. Then, he suddenly raised his hands to his father's shirt and began to unbutton it.

Vlad quickly grabbed his hands. "What are you doing now?"

"You say you are not angry, so I am going to see for myself by touching you," Danny answered seriously before phasing his hands out of the other hybrid's hold and then continuing to unbutton his shirt.

The man gasped in surprise, but then his eyes narrowed again as he said, "Didn't I tell you not to use your powers?"

Danny shrugged and continued to undo his father's shirt.

"Daniel, _stop it!_ I do not want you to touch me!" Vlad hissed as he began to redo the buttons his son had undone.

Danny suddenly glared. "Because you're angry!" he accused, though he worked even harder to undo the buttons again.

"_Yes_, I'm angry! Now, **stop!"** Vlad snapped, trying to fix his shirt once more.

Danny finally desisted, but this time he glowered at his father with bright green eyes as his chest heaved with his pent-up anger. But then unexpectedly fisting the top of the older hybrid's shirt, he yanked as hard as he could, suddenly screaming, **"No! **_**You**_** stop being mean!"**

And yet, what really rang in the half-ghosts' ears was the distinct '_RIIIIPP!' _of tearing fabric, while little buttons fell everywhere on the ground with quieter 'clicks'.

Vlad's eyes widened as he gawked down at his shirt and saw his son had actually ripped it right open.

Danny also froze, as if finally realizing what he had done. But when he saw his father's furious gaze return to him, he knew it was too late to take it back.

"**That's it!"** Vlad hissed before he pushed his seat back and yanked his son off him by one of his wrists.

Danny gasped in pain but it was quickly forgotten when his father unexpectedly brought his other hand down and struck him hard three times on his bottom.

The child instantly burst into tears. "No, don't hurt me, Daddy!" he pleaded.

But Vlad only gripped his wrist harder, and struck him once more as he yelled, "**Silence!** I am sick of you thinking you can do whatever you please! You are going to learn that when I tell you to do something, you are to do it, and if I have to resort to this to get you to listen then so be it!"

Vlad dragged his son back to his chair and forced him to sit back down. "**Pick up your fork!** You are going to eat every piece of food on that plate or so help me, Daniel!"

Choking on sobs, Danny quickly grabbed his fork though he still hesitated to eat from how shocked and upset he was. He couldn't believe it. His father had actually hit him!

"I said **eat!"** Vlad screamed, slamming a hand down beside his son's plate.

Danny jumped in fear but then quickly grabbed some food on his fork and brought his shaking fork to his mouth.

Vlad turned back around and stomped back to his seat. He sat down and stared furiously at his son. "_Stop_ crying, Daniel! You brought this on yourself!"

Danny did his best to swallow down his sobs and continued to stuff food in his mouth, though it seemed like he was forgetting how to chew and swallow.

Vlad took his eyes off the boy and turned his attention back to his ruined shirt. He couldn't believe the audacity of his own son! What the blazes had gotten into him?

But suddenly hearing a loud sound like a mixture of choking and gagging, the older hybrid quickly looked back at the younger one. His eyes widened when he saw how his son's cheeks were full of food and yet he continued to stick more in his mouth, while attempting to stifle his crying. Although he wasn't really choking, if he continued, he could or even make himself sick.

But then further noticing a bright red handprint around his son's wrist and also how the boy was shaking from head-to-toe, Vlad felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped on him. His son looked so pitiful… and it was all his doing. A wave of sorrow and regret slammed into the older hybrid and his shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Daniel… please, just… just stop eating," he suddenly whispered sadly, lowering his gaze.

But feeling his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him, the man rose from his seat and quickly walked out the room.

Thinking his father hated him, the boy's wails returned full force with the man's departure. But Vlad just kept walking until he entered the nearest living room, which happened to be in the same hallway of the dining room, just a few rooms down. He then dropped down in one of the seats.

"Oh, God… I can't do this anymore," Vladimir whispered as he leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. He was drowning in despair and he was dragging his son down with him! Why? Why didn't he just die instead of Desiree? He didn't deserve to live. He didn't even deserve his son! All he could do was push his own frustration on the young hybrid when it was clear that Daniel was more scared and confused than he.

He had never struck his son before, and he had just done so when his poor child had suffered enough physical trauma as it was! It made him feel so horrible! He had just not known how else to react! What kind of father was he? Yes, his son's actions merited punishment but… he shouldn't have struck him like that.

Maybe he just didn't deserve love. After all, he was _useless_. He had not even been able to save his own wife! And now… he couldn't even help his own son! If Daniel hated him after this… he would deserve it.

* * *

Gregor was fuming. In fact, he was so infuriated that he had to keep his sunglasses on to hide the fact that his eyes were bright red. _What the hell?_ Was Tom crazy or something? Wait. Scratch that. He was crazy! But after disappearing for three weeks to who-knew-where he had returned as a _bigger_ nut-job! Seriously, who the hell had a meeting at three in the morning?!

He had barely gotten two hours of sleep! His master had kept him up all day working him with the help of his _beautiful little Lydia!_ Gross!

Apparently, though, this meeting was a big deal because Tom had gathered every one of his commanders—though they hardly seemed content to have Gregor there. Only two of Tom's commanders knew of his true ghostly identity: Operative K and Operative O. The boy had had the misfortune of working with Tom's _two_ right-hand men during the whole event with killing the royal ghost family. So, while the rest of the human hunters kept glancing questioningly at the eleven-year-old, Operative K and Operative O were down-right sneering at him. Still, no one questioned their superior why Gregor was there. And the ghost boy hardly cared what they thought anyway—_especially_ not at three in the morning!

"Commanders, good morning," Tom said calmly as he stepped into the room. He only glanced at Gregor before turning his full attention to his men. "I realize it is quite early, but I wanted to meet with you all before everyone else reported to headquarters. I do not think I need to remind you that the information that will be released to you in this briefing is top-secret—at least until I permit you to disclose your individual missions with your teams."

The commanders all nodded, but did not interrupt.

"As you all know, I recently made a trip to our sister branch in Washington. Well, I am pleased to inform you all that I have really good news from the chief superiors. You see, in light of the impeding ghostly threat on our world, the U.S. government has decided to invest fully on our division. Yes, commanders, that means we will be seeing new bases of operation and HQs spreading across the U.S."

Gregor raised an eyebrow. So, that's where Tom had disappeared to? He was actually going through with the whole 'annihilate the Ghost World'? Well, okay, no, it shouldn't surprise him, but the dragon ghost never thought the ghost hunter would ever find the means… But it seemed he was off to a good start.

Still, that didn't explain why he was here. Gregor decided to listen if only to keep himself from passing out from sleep deprivation…

Meanwhile, the Guy-in-White officers' eyes were wide with excitement as they silently listened to their superior.

"In a month's time three new bases will be constructed here in Michigan, and then at least one will be stationed in every state in the U.S. Furthermore, some of the U.S. government's allies have agreed to team up with our division to deal with the ghost threat once and for all. As a result, 'GiW' HQs will also be established in our allies' territories and we can expect full cooperation with their own ghost defense agencies."

Tom paused. He could barely contain his smile as he announced, "Now, there will be some significant and even immediate changes in our division. You see, commanders. I was promoted to Chief Agent, which means I will be overseeing all the 'GiW' bases of operation—including future ones and those outside U.S. ground. With the help of our home base in Washington, new operatives and officials will be trained and added to our cause. In light of this coming expansion, I think you all can understand why increasing the workforce is necessary if we want everything to run smoothly. And that brings me to my next announcement."

The head ghost hunter pulled his hands behind his back as he pretended to calmly consider each-and-every-one of his subordinates. In reality, he was enjoying the quiet suspense that showed in their tense postures and unblinking stares. They were so eagerly clinging to his every word. It felt empowering to know how loyal his men were to him. It felt empowering to know that he now had full control of the entire Guys-in-White government division—not even his superiors in Washington were really his superiors anymore. Now, he was their equal—though Tom secretly planned on changing that equality someday, so he was the only one this division answered to.

"Tell me, commanders. Where does your loyalty and respect lie?" he suddenly asked.

And his men didn't hesitate to say in unison, "You—and only you, Sir!"

Gregor rolled his eyes as he mentally grumbled, _"I wish he'd get to the point already… God, Tom is so full of himself. If he'd have powers, he would probably think himself some divine entity. Pfft… Nevermind. He probably already does think that!"_

"And when you fight, who do you fight for?" Agent C continued.

"We fight for our country, for each other, and for you, sir!" they once again answered in unison.

Tom nodded. "And I, commanders, share your loyalty—but for each of you. I, too, fight for this country, but before that, I fight for you. We are a family and a team—and so we defend and protect each other. We depend on one another. You, commanders, are my right-hands. That is why I, as Chief Agent, have decided that from today on you will no longer be ranked as operatives—but as **Agents**. I will be placing each of you in command of the new HQs as they rise. I need capable men—men I can trust to run the different facilities with efficiency and results. So, then, _Agents_, can I count on you to rise up to the challenge?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" they yelled even louder, this time barely containing their grins. They couldn't believe it! They were actually being promoted! It was such an honor!

The dragon ghost cringed at how loudly the ghost hunters answered. What was wrong with them? Didn't they know what time it was? He growled. Stupid obsessive ghost hunters…

"Naturally, you will all report to me," Tom said, removing his hands from behind his back as he continued. "But I expect results, though I am confident I will see them—I am confident, gentlemen, that you will make me proud."

"Sir! Yes, Sir!" they chorused with bravado again.

Gregor frowned. Not that he cared what happened to the Ghost World, but even he could see this was going to really hit his kind hard. He just hoped Tom didn't put him in the middle of this 'expansion'. However, knowing the guy, he probably had that in mind. Or, he had something else in mind; otherwise, he would not have made him attend this stupid meeting.

"Now, as you all know, our priority is public safety," Tom said, shifting to another topic.

But Gregor rolled his eyes again, thinking sarcastically, _"Yeah, right! That is why you blew up Axion and killed Valerie's dad!"_

"Aside for our division's expansion, the government is currently planning a project all across the U.S. This project is an emergency evacuation plan and system of sorts. Of course, that is not our specialty. So, the U.S. military will be in charge of these plans. So far, all I am certain of is that they plan to build special underground and anti-ghost fall-out shelters at every major city, as well as come up with a pre-warning system and evacuation procedures and routes. It will take many years before this large-scale project is completed; but the first proto-type underground shelters will be constructed here in the Amity Park and Washington."

"Our job, meanwhile," Tom further said, "is to assist the ones in charge of this project with any ghost-related systems that will be part of the shelters. The second assignment, which is more relevant to each of you, is that it will be our mission to keep watch for any spectral activity while this project is underway—we cannot allow interference, as we experienced during the failed attempt to make a man-made ghost portal. That means, if _anything_ gives off the slightest beep on our ecto-radars it is to be immediately captured or destroyed. Until everything is up and running, we have to continue to ensure public safety—not just in Amity Park anymore, but the rest of the U.S. The enemy is stirring, gentlemen, and we cannot allow them to swarm out of our control. Does everyone understand, then, all I have discussed?"

"Sir, if I may speak freely?" Operative—or rather, now—_Agent_ M asked.

Tom nodded.

"Well, I do believe our superiors and the government are taking some smart actions to assure public safety and that we are more than ready to take out any possible threats…. However, I think we have all been wondering the same thing: with all these portals open and at our disposal, why do we not take a more direct approach to all this? Why not bring the fight to them? We should at least attempt to take some teams into the ghost territory and attack!"

Tom crossed his arms and quietly regarded his subordinate for a moment. But then he calmly questioned back, "Agent M, if I placed you in the middle of the Arctic with no knowledge of your location would you be able to find you way home?"

"Unlikely, sir. I would probably freeze to death before I could try," he admitted.

"And if I threw you into the ocean with nothing and tied a weight to your legs would you survive?" Tom continued calmly.

"N-No, sir…"

"And what if I dropped you out of a plane without a parachute, hmm?"

This time Agent M just shook his head.

Agent Chrome suddenly narrowed his eyes and said seriously, "Then, tell me, why would you—_any_ of you—believe it would be wise to go into a place where we could freeze to death, suffocate, or simply get lost? Our enemies can fly, gentlemen. We cannot. Our enemies thrive in that unstable and hostile environment. And we do not. Have you all not seen the news? Have you all not seen the result of those ignorant ghost hunters from other parts of the world who have tried a frontal attack and have failed with little gain? No, gentlemen. You do not fight cockroaches in their holes. You either lure them out to kill them, or you find the means of killing them inside their own homes without having to go anywhere near them. We are going to prepare. We are going to fight these creatures, but we will do so with intelligence and strategy. Yes, the portals now being accessible to us means a step forward. However, I never was interested in using these portals to simply go into these demons' world. No. I want them open because it will be the opening we will use when we find the means of eradicating them all once and for all!"

Tom smirked before he suddenly lifted out a hand towards Gregor and called to him.

The boy had been nodding off once Tom had stopped talking and Agent M had asked his question. Gregor had lost whatever little interest he had had in Tom's long-winded announcement, especially when the boy had been sure that it would take Tom forever to answer his men's questions. Obviously, he was wrong, and the dragon ghost jolted back to attention upon hearing Tom abruptly call to him.

"Come here, Gregor…," Tom repeated calmly.

The boy frowned warily, but quietly obeyed and went over to Tom.

"Agents. I know some of you have already met Gregor and have even had the privilege of working with him…," Agent Chrome began, wrapping an arm around Gregor's shoulders once he was at his side.

Tom didn't notice how Agent K and Agent O glanced at each other in disgust. They knew exactly who the little monster was, and they still did not understand their leader's decision of using it as some sort of weapon. But they knew better than to question it—not to mention, they were sworn to secrecy about Gregor's not being human. And Agent O and Agent K were not anything if not loyal to their leader…

"So, I wanted to officially introduce him to the rest of you," Thomas continued with a small smirk. "Gregor here is our newest breed of solider, I suppose you can say. Yes, he is still a child, but it has been in my experience that the best soldiers are the ones that start young. Some of you might eventually have the chance to work with him—and see his skills firsthand. But for now, I want each of you to be aware that he is _one of us._ And once he is strong enough and his training is complete, he will be taking a more… active stance in our cause."

"Well…" Thomas removed his hand from Gregor as he said more seriously, "That will be all, Agents. I will be meeting with each of you to discuss your individual assignments and where you will be stationed sometime in the near future. So, until then, you are all dismissed."

The commanders-turned-agents saluted and quickly filed out.

Gregor watched them go before scowling up at Tom and irritably saying, "I seriously hope you were joking. You think I'm going to be one of your little soldiers?"

"Believe me, Gregor. By the time I'm done with you, you are going to be much more than that," Tom assured him with an evil smile.

For once, the dragon ghost was stunned into silence. Sometimes, Tom scared him more than his own Master…

* * *

Danny didn't know how long it had been since his father left him alone in the dining room. But by now, he had calmed down enough to think about the incident. Surprisingly, he was more upset about his father leaving him alone than having been physically punished. He didn't know why but it had scared him to see his father just walk out. All he knew was that he didn't want his daddy to ever abandon him.

He was also worried about how angry his father had been with him. Was he still mad? He had never seen his father so angry, not even when he had gone to the Dragon Realm for the second time and his father ended up in a brawl with Elliot's father….

He didn't know what to do now. He had thought about just going to his room and waiting for his father to come see him when he wasn't angry anymore… But… what if it was _days_ before his father wanted to see him? Danny could not wait that long! He didn't want to be apart from his father. He needed him.

Danny rubbed at his stinging eyes before sighing sadly. He felt bad for what he did. It had been really mean… He just hoped his father would forgive him... and not _hate_ him. He didn't know what he would do if his father ever hated him.

He looked at his empty plate. His father said he didn't have to eat the food; but once he had calmed down, he decided to anyways. He had thought that maybe if Daddy returned and saw it, he would forgive him. Or, that's what he had _hoped_. But… he had not returned. And Danny really wanted to see him now!

Getting off the chair, Danny decided to risk going to look for his father. He was afraid the older hybrid would cast him away, but he could not wait anymore. He just wouldn't make his father angry anymore. He would just say he was sorry and leave him alone. Yes… He just wanted to say sorry.

Walking out of the dining room, Danny paused, realizing he didn't even know where his father had gone. Maybe to his room?

The boy headed down the hall, planning on going there; but he paused again when he noticed one of the two living room door's ajar. The doors around here were usual shut unless someone was in there…

Danny decided to check just in case, and he was glad he did, because he quickly spotted his father sitting on one of the couches. He was hunched forward with his arms resting on his legs and his hands in between. His gaze was on the ground, clearly in thought. But… it was hard to tell if he was still angry…

Nervously, Danny stepped in, but froze when his father raised his gaze at him. The boy quickly looked away, feeling even more unsure.

However, when the silence dragged on, he walked a little closer before whispering, "I ate all my food, Daddy…" He fell quiet again as tears sprang into his eyes again, but then he added, "I… I'm sorry I made you mad and ripped your shirt. I-I won't do it again, just… don't hate me!" he pleaded, looking up at him.

Vladimir shook his head and quietly answered back, "I could never hate you, little badger. Not ever." He paused, finding it very difficult to continue expressing his thoughts. The only reason he had not returned to find his son was because of his wavering emotions. He had already subjected Daniel to them in the dining room, he had been afraid of doing it again—of reacting badly. He was afraid of his son realizing just how unstable his father was…

"Daniel…," the older half-ghost said softly, his eyebrows creasing with his inner turmoil. "I am _so sorry_, too. Please don't hate _me_."

Unable to bear it anymore, Danny ran over to his father and threw himself in his arms. He whimpered as his father quickly hugged him back, but still muttered, "I don't hate you, Daddy! Never! I love you always!"

Vlad took in a shaky breath before he pressed his face into the side of his son's neck. He said nothing else for a while and just held the child against him like he was his life-line. And in a way, he was, because the man was so deep in despair that the only thing keeping him fighting—keeping him from throwing in the towel and giving up on life and everything else—was this innocent young child.

Realizing his father was still wearing his ripped shirt, Danny moved his hand and placed it against his core. It quickly stirred under his touch and the red star-shaped symbol reappeared even on human flesh. But instead of finding that confident and strong feeling that always made Danny feel safe and good, he felt this… sadness and maybe something darker within his own father. He didn't know what it was, but it scared and troubled the boy.

"Daddy," Danny whimpered, but just pressed his body closer to his father's.

"I'm just worried about you, little one. I'll be alright," Vlad lied, knowing his son could feel his unstable emotions, even if he probably didn't understand them all. With a sigh, he moved one of his hands from the younger hybrid's back and placed it against his head, rubbing the back of his scalp. "I really am sorry. I should not have struck you as I did… There is just a lot on my mind lately, and… I suppose I got in a bad mood. I did not mean take it out on you."

Danny pulled away to look at his father's guilt-stricken face. He placed a hand on the side of his face and smiled, "It's okay. I was being grumpy and mean, too."

Vlad smiled weakly back at him before saying a bit teasingly, "Just a little. This was my favorite shirt, you know…"

Danny giggled. "I don't know why. I think it is ugly shirt!"

"You and that witty tongue of yours," the man answered with shake of his head. But then he raised an eyebrow and further asked curiously, "Did you really eat your food?"

Danny nodded proudly.

Vlad smiled again before pulling his son back into his arms and hugging him with a loud sigh. "Thank you, Daniel. I don't know what I would do without you…"

Danny kissed his father's symbol in response before closing his eyes and letting the man hold him. Danny didn't mind at all. After all that happened in the dining room, they both needed the physical comfort. At least the little hybrid felt better to know the older one was not upset anymore, even if he didn't understand why his father had thanked him. But now that the child felt immensely relieved, he also suddenly felt really drained.

He didn't really take naps anymore unless it was one of those days when he had a nightmare and couldn't sleep at night and so was tired all day. But right now, he was still feeling tired enough to want to sleep…

He was just about to do that when his father suddenly pulled him away and smirked as he said, "You know what? I think you deserve a reward for eating all your food… We should go out and have dessert. Hmm… I have never given you ice-cream, have I?"

Danny blinked curiously back at his father. "Ice… cream? Uh, no. What's that?"

His father grinned.

* * *

Danny really didn't like human food. He just couldn't get used to it. After so many months, though, there were things he found _alright_. But nothing ever like the ghost food he had been used to. And he had been sure he would never find anything that he could ever _love_, like he did back home.

He had been wrong. He had been _really_ wrong.

Vlad chuckled as he watched his son eat his first ice-cream cone with way too much gusto. They were currently sitting on a bench located at Madison Park. It was just far enough from the crowd to give them privacy, but close enough that they could see the families in the distance, playing games or enjoying other park activities.

"Little badger, slow down. You are going to give yourself a terrible headache," the man said with another small laugh.

"B-ut it sooo go-od!" Danny answered between his licks of vanilla ice-cream. But unable to get enough in his mouth as he wanted, he tried to take a bite of the frozen dessert, only to regret it.

"Mmm! Co-ld! Too Co-ld!" he gasped, opening his mouth and not knowing what to do with the large piece of ice-cream freezing his insides.

Vlad laughed louder. "I told you."

Danny closed his eyes and swallowed it down before taking a deep breath. "Whoa…" He closed his eyes as he got brain freeze because of it. He made a mental note to himself not to ever 'bite' into ice-cream again.

Opening his eyes, he grinned at his father, saying, "I really like this! We should have it to eat all the time!"

Vlad shook his head. "If only… Too bad it would end up making you sick or too hyper… Or…" He suddenly poked his son in his belly and added amusedly, "—fat."

Danny giggled. But then he licked at his ice-cream some more before looking at the one his father was eating. It was another color.

"Why is yours other color?" he asked curiously.

"Because it's a different flavor. What you have is called 'vanilla.' This one is 'strawberry'."

Danny's eyebrows creased. "But I thought strawberry was a um… fot?"

"Fruit," Vlad corrected him with another chuckle. "It is. And this is made of that fruit."

"Oh," Danny answered before grinning expectantly at the older hybrid.

Vlad smirked before lowering his cone and offering it to his son. "Care to try to it?"

Danny quickly nodded and took a lick of his father's ice-cream. He blinked. It tasted really different. It was good, too, but…

"I like mine better," he answered and returned to his own.

The older half-ghost watched the younger one as he continued to simply focus on his ice-cream. It was pleasant to see how his son could take pleasure in something so simple. It was also amazing how easily Daniel could forget about everything else and be content with just one specific moment in time. Vlad supposed it was one of the benefits of being such a young child. At least it gave him hope that his son would eventually recover from all this.

Finishing his ice-cream, the millionaire eventually looked across to the humans playing in the distance. For a lack of a better word, it was… interesting to watch the humans in such a relaxed environment. It was not a sight he saw often since most of his interactions with humans were at his fast-paced companies or with dangerous ghost hunters… But to just see them simply enjoying interacting with each other so benevolently… It made the human race seem so… _inoffensive_. The currently human Ghost King could almost forget the darkness that lurked in the majority of them… In times like these, the humans even seemed _so much like his own race…_

But… Vladimir knew it was all it was: _appearance_. They seemed harmless and like them, but they were not—they never would be. They would never see the world as ghosts saw it. They would never understand the gift of life as they did. And more importantly, they would never love with the _intensity_ ghosts did.

A human could never truly know another human. They could even fake their feelings and hide their thoughts from each other. They were treacherous and dangerous creatures to not only ghosts, but to their own kind.

It was sad. Humans held such a meager existence. They took so much for granted. And there was so much they did not know, like the value of a soul. They could never connect to each other like ghosts could, to be able to feel someone's very soul and emotions through one touch… No, they truly did not know the meaning of true love and care.

That was why the older hybrid could never relate to them, even when he was part human himself. After all this time of _physically_ being part of what they were, he still felt emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually different from them. So now as he sat there sharing the same environment with them, as he observed them, it was as if he was simply looking at a picture on a wall, knowing it was real but in the end all he could do was _look_ at it and never really _belong_ to it.

He imagined that was how his son felt, too. And considering that this all was so much newer to him, Vlad was further sure the feeling had to be stronger for his son.

At least Daniel was getting better. He currently seemed okay with being here around other humans. He supposed as long as they kept a distance from them, his son didn't mind them, and that only confirmed his previous thoughts of his son feeling out-of-place here. It was probably why the child was so frustrated. _Of course._ Isn't that what Daniel had said to him? He felt lonely here…

He looked back down at little half-ghost, and was surprised to see he was no longer focused on his ice-cream, but on the humans in the distance.

"Daniel, your ice-cream is melting," Vlad said.

Danny jolted with the sound of his name, but then he blinked at his father. "Huh?"

"Your ice-cream," the older hybrid repeated, pointing at it and raising a curious eyebrow.

Danny looked down and seeing his ice-cream dripping down on his napkin, he gasped and quickly began eating it again. But as he did, he kept glancing over at the people playing. They were shouting and laughing with each other. They were playing... He had only seen that once before: where he met Sam and Tuck.

But what really captivated the young hybrid was all the human_ kids_ around the area. This was also the first time since he met his human friends that he had seen other children—well, aside from on TV. And… they seemed to be having so much _fun_.

Danny suddenly sighed wistfully.

But, of course, Vlad heard it and noticed his son's demeanor. The father could understand the reasons why his son would feel lonely here—even with him around. Back home, his son enjoyed playing with other children. And although his son had at times felt out-of-place back home, too, he certainly wasn't an _outcast_. He enjoyed others' company enough to be deemed sociable. Not to mention, he got to interact with all sorts of adult ghosts all the time, which would always show him love and respect. His son had never experienced hatred or rejection from anyone until he had come to the human world—until he had been hurt by those human hunters…

"Daniel?" Vlad suddenly called, glancing hesitantly at the humans this time.

"_Jes_, Father?" he asked, looking back at him.

"Did… Did you want to go over there?" Vlad asked carefully. "There are fun things to do over there. You could even… play with the human children… They won't hurt you, Son."

"I know," Danny muttered, glancing away from his father and back at the people.

"You do?" Vlad asked, surprised.

Danny nodded. "Humans only turn evil when they grow up," he answered.

Vladimir just stared at him. He wondered how his son had come to that conclusion. It was as if he knew about human children; but… he was sure this was the first time he had brought his son to a place where there were any…

"Then… did you want to go play with them?" Vlad slowly asked.

Danny thought about it. He really did. He had been thinking about it since he noticed them. But… playing with some strangers was not what he wanted. He wanted _his_ friends. He wanted Sam and Tuck. It was the only humans he was interested in playing with. He wanted to say that to his father, but he was afraid to tell him about them. He was afraid the older hybrid would get mad at him for being _friends_ with humans, especially when he met them the day he had disobeyed his father and come to the Human World….

Danny just shook his head in response and went back to his ice-cream. He didn't look over at the humans again after that.

Vlad mentally sighed, but didn't press the matter anymore. He really wished he could do something about Daniel being so alone here. He would give anything to make his child happy. In fact, even a companion would…

The man paused in thought, and he suddenly smiled when he realized a way to help his son…

"Daniel," Vlad quickly said. But whatever he was going to say was briefly forgotten when he noticed the young half-ghost eating his cone with the paper and all. "No, Daniel, you don't eat that."

Danny looked up as he continued to chew what was in his mouth. But then swallowing, he answered, "But you eat it."

"Silly badger," Vlad said with a chuckle. "I took off the paper first. See?" He showed the paper wrapping in his hand. He took the cone from his son and removed the wrapping before handing it back to him. "There. Now, you can eat it."

Danny giggled sheepishly but continued eating his cone.

Vlad then went back to his initial thought. "I want to take you someplace else I think you might like…"

Danny stared at him for a moment, but then asked nervously, "Are you… going to leave me alone there?" He was always afraid when he went out of the castle with his father because most of the times they would go out, it was to the older half-ghost's 'work places' and he was always leaving him alone, and Danny did not like it at all.

Vlad huffed in amusement. "No. Don't worry."

Danny perked up. "Okay! Will there be more ice-cream there, too?"

Chuckling, Vlad stood. "No, but you might find something just as good. Come on."

Danny stood and followed after his father.

Vladimir had not bothered to call Carl to drive them, so it was just him and his son. Conveniently, they were not far from their intended location, so the man got them there in no time.

However, as they reached the downtown area of Madison, Vlad began to slowly drive by the different shops, searching for a specific one. He was sure he had seen it around here somewhere.

"What are you looking for, Daddy?" the young hybrid asked.

Vlad smiled and replied, "You know, I just realized we never celebrated your last birthday…"

Danny nodded. "Bee-cause I sleep through it," he answered.

"You did," Vlad muttered, thinking briefly on the months his son was in coma. But not wanting to dwell on those dark memories, he focused back on searching for the shop and further said, "I think we should celebrate it…"

Danny stared down at his hands as his thought about his father's comment about his birthday. It suddenly made him even more homesick. He liked celebrating his birthdays; but what made them _fun_ were the reunions with all the ghosts from the Kingdom. He liked it because everyone wished him a happy birthday and he got all his friends together to play—so not even all the presents were the highlight. The Ghost Prince just loved the company above everything else….

But… there was none of that here, so his formation day—or as humans called it, his 'birthday'—didn't seem like a big deal anymore to him—not when he was here in the _Human_ World. And... not without his mother.

"It's okay," Danny mumbled eventually. "I don't really want to cel-ah-brait it."

Vlad quickly frowned at the child's response, but then he finally found the place he had been searching for. He drove into the parking lot before replying with a secretive smirk, "Well, would you at least let me get you a late birthday present?"

Danny perked up. "More ice-cream?"

Vlad rolled his eyes this time, somehow knowing that his son's discovery of the frozen treat was going to give him at least a few headaches in the future.

"No, not more ice-cream," Vladimir replied. He parked the car before getting out and going around to his son's door. Danny unbuckled himself as his father opened the door for him to jump out.

"Take my hand," Vlad said as they walked down the street towards the shop.

Danny did so and for once looked excited. He had no idea where they were going, but if he was going to get a birthday present, then it had to be a good place!

The door opened with a chime, and the boy jolted. He quickly glanced up trying to figure out where the strange noise had come from. But his attention went back to their surroundings when he was suddenly aware of how _noisy_ the place was.

"This, Daniel, is called a pet shop," Vlad suddenly said.

Danny stared in awe at the various kinds of animals. He had never seen so many at one place at once.

"Hi there!" a woman said as she came out with some boxes in hand from the back. "Is there anything I can help you both with?"

Vlad shook his head. "Not at the moment. I'll let you know."

"Okay, then! My name's Tracy. Just call me if you need my help," she answered brightly before continuing with what she was doing.

Danny briefly looked at the woman with a frown before turning his eyes back to the animals.

"Come," Vlad said, encouraging his son further into the shop and took him over to where the puppies were.

Finally pushing past his initial surprise, Danny gasped and said, "Wow! There's so many animals here! But… why are they locked up?"

"Well, because these are not wild animals. They are _pets_… It means people take them home to live with them."

"Really?" Danny gasped back, finding that completely amazing.

Vlad laughed lightly. "Really. Look here. These are dogs."

Danny quickly moved closer to the cages and grinned when all the puppies began to bark and whine for his attention. "Hey, I see these on TV! They are kind of like Cujo, except… " He stopped himself from saying 'ghost' and instead said, "Um, not."

Vlad smiled, knowing what his son was going to say; but he was also glad the boy was learning to keep quiet about anything related to their world. "Go ahead. You can touch them."

Danny's eyes widened. "I can? But… you said I can't touch animals."

"Well, not wild ones. _These_ are tame. It means they like people. And these dogs clearly like you…," Vlad answered calmly.

Danny grinned and quickly stuck his hand out. The puppies instantly began to lick him, and the boy giggled with delight.

"You like them?" Vlad questioned with a growing smile.

Danny nodded happily. "They are nice and slobbery!" He wanted to say they reminded him of Cujo but kept quiet about that.

"Well, how would you like to take one home to keep you company?" the older hybrid asked, watching his son for a reaction.

Danny froze and looked at his father with large eyes. "You mean… This is my present? I-I can have one?"

Vlad nodded.

Danny squeaked with happiness and instantly hugged the older half-ghost. "_Jes!_ _Jes,_ I want one! Thank you, Daddy!"

"Okay, then which—" But Vlad was cut off by a sudden 'bam' as what sounded like cans fell on the ground. It was followed by a shriek of alarm by Tracy.

"Oh no, not again!" she then exclaimed in distress.

Vlad frowned as he looked over at the clerk, wondering what was wrong with her.

"What's wrong with the human, Daddy?" Danny quietly questioned, his wary eyes now on the woman, too.

But seeing the only two customers in the store staring at her, the woman blushed and said, "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you both! It's…" She suddenly bent down and picked up a furry white kitten from the ground before she finished, "—this naughty little cat. I don't know how she does it, but she is always getting out of her pen!"

Tracy suddenly yelped when the kitten growled and swiped at her with her little claws, clearly not wanting to be held.

Danny gasped before whispering to his father, "Daddy, that animal has claws like ours. Can we go see it, please?"

Vlad seemed unsure but he then nodded and they went over to the cat section.

"Oh, stop it, Matty!" the woman scowled as she fought to keep hold of the kitten. But then unexpectedly, the cat bit her, and Tracy was forced to let her go. "Ah, no! Bad kitty!"

The cat bolted, but right towards Vlad and Danny. The older hybrid quickly grabbed his son's right arm and put him behind him, afraid that the seemingly aggressive cat would also attack them.

But instead of doing anything bad, the cat darted right in between Vlad's legs and hid behind him and Danny, hissing back at the woman.

Danny, however, thought it was the funniest thing. The cat didn't like humans, either!

"Dan—!"Vlad began in alarm when the boy pulled out of his hold and squatted down next to the kitten on the ground.

"You are funny animal," Danny said with a giggle, not afraid of the creature at all.

The kitten turned her yellow eyes to him and briefly looked him over, as if determining if she liked him or not. But then, the cat meowed and began to rub her head on the boy's legs, purring.

"Look, Daddy! The funny animal likes me!" he beamed, reaching forward and petting it, which only made the cat purr more.

"It is a cat, and I see that," Vlad replied, frowning down at the kitten. He really hoped this wasn't going where he thought it was…

"Can I have her?" Danny immediately asked as he picked her up and grinned even more when the cat rubbed her head against his chest, oddly stirring his hidden core under his shirt. The boy couldn't believe it! The animal even gave affection like ghosts did!

"Uh…," Vlad replied, cringing at the thought of a cat. He had nothing against them, but they were _so_ _needy_ and they scratched _everything_… Plus, you had to clean out their litter, unlike a dog which you could just let it go outside to do its business.

"Oh, no, sweety!" the woman interrupted them quickly, moving closer to the father and son "You do not want that cat. It's…" She cringed, rubbing her scratches on her arms as the word 'Mad' passed her mind. Instead, she said in a perky voice, "We have _nicer_ kittens! Why don't you go see them over there? They would be more appropriate for such a cute kid like you!"

But Danny frowned irritably at the woman. He didn't know why some humans talked like that to him. It sounded like _fake_ kindness—and it made the boy distrust them all the more. After all, that ghost hunter who hurt him talked like this to him at first, too…

Danny resisted the urge to glare and instead shook his head. "No. I like her. What is her name?"

"Uh… She doesn't really have a name, but…" Tracy grinned sheepishly. "I just call her _Matty_. I _used_ to call her _Mad-Kitty_, but everyone in the store kept giving me weird looks every time she escaped and I would go around screaming Mad-kitty! Haha!"

Danny blinked back before looking up at his father for an explanation. But the older hybrid looked just as confused and he shrugged at his son.

Seeing this, the woman blushed when she realized she was talking crazy. "Anyways! It doesn't matter! You can call her whatever you want, sweetie! But, really, we have—"

"Matty!" Danny beamed, cutting the woman off. He lifted the cat up towards his father and asked, "Can she be my present? Please?"

Vlad's eyebrows creased as he stared at the kitten which seemed to really like his son; yet he had seen that the cat could be quite aggressive and the little mischief maker… Still… His son really liked that cat, and he was sure it was because he was associating her behavior with his ghost-nature. After all, what better pet for a boy who was skittish of humans than a cat which clawed and hissed at them? Not to mention, his son looked happier than he had seen him in months…

"Oh, alright," Vlad finally said with a sigh of surrender.

Danny squeaked in happiness and pulled the kitten closer. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

The woman looked unsure, but then she shrugged. Oh well. At least she would be rid of the crazy cat.

"Here, I can put her in a carrier for you, then," Tracy offered, moving over to get the kitten from the boy.

But seeing this, Matty quickly turned her angry eyes on the woman and hissed, barring her little fangs.

Danny laughed at that.

But seeing the woman frown at the little half-ghost, Vlad cleared his throat and said, "That's fine. He'll hold her. Come, Daniel. Let's get her some things and then we will pay the fine lady and be on our way."

A good half-hour later, the two left the pet store with one extra member to add to their little family.

* * *

**Matty! Yes, I played off 'Maddie's' name from Vlad's cat. But it's still the same cat! It wouldn't be DP without **_**Matty**_** the cat! Haha! I just couldn't name her 'Maddie' when in this AU Vlad doesn't have a love interest in Danny's human mother. Pfft. **

**Anyways, thank you all for reading. Next chapter things will be changing a bit and picking up. We are close to that big time skip, by the way. I'd say about three more chapters? Maybe four…. Depends how much Vlad muse decides to add to my chapter drafts. Yeah, I blame him. Then again, he takes credit for everything I do.**

**Vlad muse: Indeed! I am the mastermind! And after I am done writing these pieces of art, I shall move to my ultimate goal: World domination! *evil laugh***

**Pearl: Sure… We'll be watching out for that. In the meantime, let's stick to writing for our nice friends. So, then, until next time, everyone! Thank you for your support and thoughts!**

**Ta for now!**


	43. Chapter 41: A Leap Forward

**Yay! Finally time for another DoaS chapter. Quick recap, then:**

**Danny and Vlad are still in Human World because Danny is unable to morph. The Ghost World is in danger and in chaos because they have no leader. The Ancients and Observants know the truth about Danny and Vlad being half-human, but they have vowed to secrecy. All they have told the council and the kingdom is that their King and Prince are alive, but hidden while they recovery from their near-death encounter with the humans. But after so much time, the ghosts are beginning to believe that that council has lied and that their rulers are really all dead. In short, there is a lot of uncertainity going on. Meanwhile, the ghost hunters are trying to take advantage of the now open portals. They are testing their enemies strength by attempting small missions to the ghost world. They are also capturing ghosts. The Fentons are also taking advantage of the vulnerable ghost world, and they are discovering new things at an alarming rate. The two sides are at a standstill, neither ready to fully engage in any serious battle. **

**And so it continues...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but this AU and its OCs are my own. **

* * *

**Chapter 41: A Leap Forward**

* * *

Vlad smiled softly as he stood at the front entrance of his Wisconsin castle, and watched his son pulling a small yet bright blue sled with silver trim into the snow. It was now December. Actually, it was just a week before Christmas again.

A year had gone by and they were still stranded in the Human World. Vlad had all but lost hope of their ever returning home. It still troubled him to no end. He worried for the world he had left behind—especially when he could see on the news how vulnerable the Ghost World was without him…

And his son…

Daniel had grown use to being here after a year, but the father could still see from time-to-time the emotional effects that still lingered from his encounter with the human hunters. The nightmares had lessened, but they were still there, especially as they got closer to Christmas—for obvious reasons. His son had gotten much better at dealing with humans, though he still distrusted them. And although in the many months that they had been stranded in the Human World, his son had been learning and growing quite a lot—in every sense—Vlad knew his son still was lonely and missed the home he knew.

The father sighed and banished his thoughts, wanting to just enjoy this nice Saturday. There had been a really bad snowstorm last night, but now that it was over, the ground and everything else was sparkling with a thick layer of fresh fallen snow.

It was the weekend, which meant his staff was at the house. So, it had been nice to not have to worry about making breakfast or any house work like the man did on the weekdays. Plus, the outside workers had done a marvelous job plowing clean the walkways and roadside on his private property.

Still, Vlad was not off the hook just because his staff was around to do everything for him. The weekends meant his son demanded his full attention, since it was the only two days the man also didn't worry about his business affairs, either. So, of course, his son had forced him up at the crack of dawn just so he could come out and play in the snow.

At least Vlad didn't mind all that much.

"Come on, Matty! Don't be afraid! It's just snow!" Danny called to his cat from a small mound of snow a yard from the driveway.

She stood at the edge of the bricked semi-circular driveway which led to the castle's front entrance. The dry ground was her raft amongst the sea of snow.

She hesitantly walked to the edge of the path and lightly pawed at the icy slush on the ground, as if it were a pond of water. Did her master really think she was going to step foot in this stuff?

Matty meowed and sat down on her rump, not budging.

Danny rolled his eyes and pulled his sled back over to the driveway by the rope tied to the front of it. His father had gotten it for him at the beginning of the winter, and he was always eager to use it on snowy days.

And speaking of which, today was the perfect day for some sled fun. There were several snow mounds close by. But past that, deeper into the tree-covered surroundings, there was a small pond that had completely frozen over. It was his favorite spot to use his sled! But he couldn't ride it alone! He needed a co-pilot. His father was too big for the sled and Matty tended to stay inside on snowy days; so Badgy was usually his helper.

But today, Matty had finally gotten curious enough to go out with him. However… it seemed his cat was having second thoughts. No matter. Danny would just have to encourage her to play!

But seeing the boy approaching her with the clear intention of making her to do something she did not want, Matty bolted towards the door, only to slam into it because it was closed.

Vlad, who had still been standing at the front of the entrance, chuckled as he told the cat, "Should have stayed inside, Matty."

The cat yowled in alarm when a pair of small hands grabbed her and lifted her up. She protested and pushed against the little boy as he walked her towards the cold frozen white stuff. Still, even if she was displeased, she didn't dare draw out her claws. She loved her little master. They had a strong connection. And she would never hurt him. But, she certainly could protest.

"MEOW!" she screeched.

"Don't be a scaredy cat, Matty!" Danny scolded. "It's just snow."

The cat yowled unhappily again as Danny lowered her down; and fearing he would put her in the snow, she drew her claws out this time but just enough to cling to his thick winter clothing.

But Danny still pulled her off and set her down. The cat tensed, expecting wet coldness under her paws. She was surprised when she was placed on something dry and hard. She looked down and blinked when she saw her master had placed her on the sled, right behind his toy badger.

Danny moved slightly away and grabbed the rope again and then began to drag the sled back towards the snow mounds just yards away.

Matty instantly embedded her claws into the sled, now with the fear of falling into the snow now surrounding her.

"Don't push her too much, Daniel," Vlad said as he walked a little further out, though he stayed on the driveway.

"I won't!" Danny replied before looking at his cat and seeing she looked as bad as when her father would make her take a bath. "Don't worry, Matty! You're going to have so much fun!"

Danny finally made it to the area and pulled the sled into position at the top of the hill. He then grabbed Badgy and got on. He sat behind his cat, which still was attached to the board by her claws, and then further placed his stuffed toy between them so it wouldn't fall.

"Okay, Matty! Here we go!" Danny used his momentum to move the sled forward. It quickly took off down the hill and he giggled as he hit another smaller hill and the sled bounced but still continued moving downward, closer and faster towards the frozen pond at the bottom.

Danny yelled in excitement, while his cat yowled, though it was out of fear. As they came to the pond, the sled picked up even more speed as it hit the slick ice. In fact, he was going so fast that the boy soon realized that he would run out of frozen pond before he ran out of momentum.

"Uh-oh," Danny said before he squeezed his eyes closed as the sled slid past the lake and towards a large pile of loose snow. Danny and his cat yelped as the sled became embedded in the snow and they were sent flying off. The boy, his cat, and stuffed toy landed into more loose snow and sank in.

Meanwhile, Vlad gasped in surprise at what had happened, and he jogged over to his son. But as he watched him sit up in the snow in a fit of giggles, he relaxed again and smiled.

"That was quite a stunt, little badger. I'm just not sure if Matty had as much fun as you did," Vlad said, smirking.

As if in response, the white cat growled as she attempted to climb out of the snow. But all she did was sink right back into it. Hissing, she suddenly jumped, much a like a rabbit, as she worked to get out of the thick snow. Finally, she found a shallow spot where she could stand. But she continued to growl as she shook off the snow from her fur and paws. The things she did for her master sometimes…

Standing and jumping in the snow himself, Danny laughed some more as he replied, "Nu-uh! She loved it!"

Vlad chuckled and glanced at the peeved cat. "Clearly."

The man walked over to the sled and found his son's toy close by. He picked it up before he pulled the sled out of the snow. He then pulled it over to his son before giving him his toy and further saying, "Climb on. I'll take you two for a stroll."

"Yay!" Danny beamed and hopped on.

Matty meowed in annoyance as she watched both her masters walking off without her. She quickly followed after them— or as quickly as she could with the all the snow in her way. Eventually, she caught up and quickly jumped on the sled, figuring it was the lesser of two evils.

Vlad rolled his eyes at the cat, but then turned forward and continued to pull his son on his sled. Usually, they didn't walk in this area since they preferred the private forest in their backyard. But the snow was really thick today, so it was easier and safer to walk in this area since it was marked by paths and roads.

He took them down a barely-visible natural pathway running parallel to the private road that led out of his estate. Just a mile out, that private road connected to a public road; but even _that_ road was barely used since the only home out here for miles was his estate.

Still, there were cow pastures along that public road; so on occasions, farmers, who came to check out their pastures, traveled along the road. However, with all the snow that had fallen last night, it was doubtful they would see anyone.

"Father? Where do all the birds go when it gets cold? There's usually a lot, but now that it got cold I don't really see any. Well, sometimes I see the blue bird, but…"

Vlad raised a curious eyebrow as he glanced back at his son. "The blue bird?" he repeated.

"_Jes!_ The one that always follows us!" Danny answered, sitting cross-legged and upright on the sled.

Vlad thought about what his son was saying for a moment, but he didn't recall any bird 'following' them. Yes, they saw birds here and there, but they were common around these parts. But he never noticed any in particular.

"I think you might be mistaking one bird for several, Daniel. Perhaps what you are seeing are blue jays," Vlad answered causally.

"No, it's the same bird!" Danny insisted with a slight pout. "I have tried to get it to come in, but it always flies away and disappears!"

Vlad shook his head. "Daniel, you remember what happened last time you brought a wild animal into the house?" But he quickly answered for his son, "The maids nearly died of fright, thinking the squirrel you let in had been a rat—then again, it might as well have been since it destroyed the kitchen and ransacked the pantry."

"But it looked hungry and it had been cold outside," Danny answered.

"Wild animals are meant to be outside, Daniel. So, please don't try to bring in anything—not even a bird. It would probably end up hurting itself anyways," Vlad answered. But then he glanced at Matty and added, "Or your cat might try to eat it, and we both know that would not make you happy."

Danny looked at his cat and frowned at the thought of her eating another animal. Well, she did eat 'meat', but it wasn't _alive_.

"Matty wouldn't eat the blue bird! She likes her!" Danny argued.

Vlad rolled his eyes to himself, thinking, _"Oh, yes. She 'likes her' alright... On a silver platter with a leaf of parsley on the side."_

"Father, look!" Danny suddenly jumped out of the sled and ran ahead when he spotted something that interested him. But as he neared, he suddenly tripped on his own feet and fell face first into the snow.

"Ow," Danny muttered sitting up and rubbing his sore head.

"Are you alright?" Vlad asked him when he quickly caught up. He grabbed one of the boy's arms and helped him up. It seemed his son would always be clumsy on his feet.

Danny nodded and pointed upwards. "Daddy, what is that?"

Vlad's eyebrows rose up as he spotted in between the trees a hot-air balloon moving slowly in the sky.

"That is a hot-air balloon," Vladimir muttered, "Though why it is all the way out here is beyond me."

Curious, the man let go of the sled and walked further ahead, towards the public road.

Wanting to see what the large thing in the air was, Danny quickly followed after him. All that he knew that could fly in the Human World were winged-animals, planes and helicopters—and none of the pictures he had seen in books matched the strange thing in the air.

Vlad finally stopped when he reached the public road and saw the balloon hovering just above one of the neighboring cow fields. It was hard to tell if it was trying to land there or if it was just hovering. The balloon was still many yards away, so he couldn't really tell. But he could see there was a single person in it, and that meant this probably wasn't some tourists looking to take pictures of the Wisconsin countryside….

"What is it, Daddy?" Danny questioned, sensing his father's growing apprehension.

Right then, a car came speeding down the public road, and Vlad grabbed his son's arm as he moved them back. However, the car didn't go past them but instead came to a halt beside them.

Vlad and Danny had visibly relaxed when they recognized the car.

Rolling down his window, Carl blinked at his employer and son. It was really strange to find them all the way out here, seemingly just walking.

"Sir? Is everything alright?" his chauffeur asked.

Vladimir nodded before his eyes returned to the balloon still in the sky some distance away. And catching his interest, Carl strained his head out the window and also looked in that direction.

"Huh? It's a balloon. Well, that's weird," the young driver muttered. "I wonder what it's doing all the way out here…"

"I think it might be a paparazzo…," Vlad answered, narrowing his eyes a bit as he wondered how long it had been hovering around his home.

"What's a _paperiko_?" Danny questioned, his face scrunching when he couldn't even pronounce such a strange word. His English had improved greatly in the past year, but it didn't mean the child knew everything already—not even close.

"Oh, they're vultures that flock around rich and famous people in hopes of getting something juicy to dig their beaks into!" Carl answered with a small smirk.

Danny stared up at the human in complete confusion. Why would birds get into a balloon in search of humans?

"Carl, enough," Vlad said as he briefly glanced at his bewildered son. But returning his attention to his employee, he ordered, "Do me a favor. Could you grab Daniel's snow sled and put it in the car. It's best we return."

"Of course, sir," Carl replied, and then put the car 'in park' and stepped out of the vehicle. Being that the sled wasn't too far away, the young driver spotted it quickly. But he also spotted the cat sitting on it.

Carl cringed, thinking, _"Great. The possessed cat's on it…"_ He sighed before he went to do as he was told…

Danny frowned in uncertainty as the human walked away towards Matty. By now, he knew the human wasn't dangerous and wouldn't hurt him; but that didn't mean he was willing to get too close to him. He still didn't trust him, and the boy couldn't imagine he ever would… But this human wasn't all that bad. In fact, he could be kind of nice…

Looking up at his father, Danny noticed he was really interested in the… balloon hovering in the air. Danny found it strange, too; but he was used to finding many things in this world odd and right now he was more interested in making sure Carl didn't hurt Matty or Badgy.

Or, that's what he told himself.

Danny quickly ran after the driver, catching up to him just as Carl was trying to coax Matty to let him grab the sled.

"Oh come on! Could you for once not try to bite me? I just want the sled!" Carl complained, clearly afraid of getting too close to the angry cat.

Matty had her ears back and she was lowered down on the sled, growling in warning at the human trying to take her off the only place not covered in wet snow. She didn't particularly like this person anyways; so his insistence of getting her off made her like him even less…

"Crazy cat…," Carl muttered under his breath; but a quiet giggle quickly got his attention and he looked behind him. He raised an eyebrow at his employer's son who was trying to squelch his amusement by covering his mouth with his hands.

"Care to give me a hand there, kid?" Carl asked with a small smile. He found the child quite odd, but he couldn't deny he had grown fond of him. And it was nice to see he wasn't as shy as he had been when he first arrived. In fact, he could now see the kid had spunk, which was what Carl liked most about his employer's son.

Danny blinked at the human. But then nodded and went over to his cat. "Come on, Matty. I'll carry you."

The cat's attitude instantly flipped, turning from a furious lion to an innocent cub. She purred as she was picked up and cuddled close to her little master.

Danny giggled some more but also grabbed Badgy, too. "Okay, you can take the sled now."

"Thanks. You just saved my life, little guy," Carl replied before grabbing the sled by its rope and pulling it towards the car.

Danny followed with Matty. But hearing his cat growl at the driver, the boy whispered mischievously, "Shh… Not now, Matty…"

Meanwhile, Vlad was still watching the balloon. If it was a blasted photographer trying to sneak pictures of him and his son, he couldn't tell from how high the balloon was. He knew that ever since the press got wind of the rich and powerful young millionaire of Wisconsin actually having a son, everyone had been trying to get pictures of Daniel.

Of course, the public scandal had been huge. Before everyone learned of his son, he had had the world and press believing he was a bachelor with no intention of ever marrying or forming a family. So, now that they had 'discovered' his hidden son, most assumed Daniel was a product of some fling. Everyone was dying to know with whom he had gotten 'involved'.

But there was a group, mostly in his business circle, that new the 'truth'. Or, rather, they knew the story he had fed to Thurston Jeremy Manson. And being that _Jeremy_ and his wife loved social gatherings and all their gossip, word had gotten around about his actually being married, and his wife's dying in Germany. Still, no one knew for sure; and the press had on occasions attempted to sneak an interview from him. But Vlad kept a tight lip on the subject.

He didn't care what the press or anyone believed. He wouldn't divulge anymore about his personal life. He had been forced to disclose far too much for his liking as it was. And if his family had been off limits while they had been safe in Ghost World, now that his wife had been killed and Daniel's existence was out in the open, Vladimir would guard his son from prying humans with fangs and claws—literally, if need be.

So far, he had managed to keep his son away from the press. But he knew it was only a matter of time before those… _vultures_—as Carl had properly nicknamed them—attacked his young son with their ravenous need to know the truth. Those humans had no respect for anyone. They were almost as bad as ghost hunters.

"Sir?"

Vlad slowly looked away from the hot-air balloon and to his driver. Danny was also standing beside him, but his son was now looking back at the balloon.

"The sled's in the car. Should we go?" Carl asked.

"…Yes…," Vlad muttered, looking back at the balloon.

But then Danny suddenly questioned curiously, "Daddy, how does that thing fly? Does it use an 'injine' like planes?" the boy questioned curiously.

Vlad at last dismissed the balloon and turned his attention to his son. "I'll explain it to you later. Come, let's head back. We can make hot chocolate with marshmallows," he said with a forced smile while placing a hand on his son's back and coaxing him towards the car.

"Okay," Danny replied. He was a bit disappointed that they couldn't play in the snow longer; but he could sense his father was nervous about something; and the boy knew better than to question his father's judgment by now.

Carl quickly opened the door and allowed the two into the car. He then closed the door and got back to the driver's seat to drive them back to the mansion.

The walk to the public road had taken them about half-hour, but by car it had been ten minutes. As soon as the car stopped at the entrance of the castle, Danny didn't wait for Carl to open the door. He quickly hopped out with Matty. But now on the dry driveway, he put her down and just held onto Badgy as he walked towards the front door.

Carl had stepped out by now, too. But his attention went to a hiss of hot air, and he frowned when he saw the balloon had actually followed them.

"Sir, I think you're right…"

Vlad, who had also stepped out of the car, narrowed his eyes at the balloon. "They have gotten creative. I will give them that… Well, if they got anything, then it's all they are getting for today…"

Carl scoffed as he quietly muttered, "Darn vultures…" But shaking his head, he then followed his employer to the front door. The boy had already disappeared inside.

"Sir? I got the things you asked me. Did you want me to unload them now? Or, later?"

Vlad glanced one more time at the balloon before replying, "In a moment. Once our unwanted guest grows tired of waiting for us to come back out."

Carl nodded.

Once inside, Vladimir relaxed a bit and headed towards the kitchen, guessing his son was already there.

Carl decided he would leave his employer and son alone, and just go to the car garage to polish the limousine since he had not gotten the chance to do so this week.

But unfortunately for him, he was unaware that he was currently being stalked…

Danny's eyes narrowed daringly as he stayed hidden under the decorative table in the foyer. He knew his father would soon discover he wasn't in the kitchen and would come looking for him; so he had to be quick.

Matty was also hiding with him and she even seemed to grin evilly as they watched their target head down the closest hallway, blissfully unaware.

Danny could barely contain his excitement, and it showed by how his eyes flashed green as he whispered to his cat, "Come on…"

They quietly followed after Carl with a stealth not thought possible for an almost eight-year-old. The boy knew his father would be furious at him if he knew what he was doing, but he couldn't help it! He enjoyed playing with his friends in this sort of manner back home, too. It was too much fun! Plus, he was always very careful…

Hearing Carl humming as he headed to his destination, Danny got the perfect idea. He suddenly turned himself and his cat invisible, and then started humming along with the driver, but the child's voice held a very evident echo…

But Carl didn't notice at first. He was too wrapped up in his thoughts. He was currently dating this hot babe that worked at his employer's company, no less. And he was looking forward to their date tonight.

Still, it was hard to miss the sudden echoing of what seemed to mimic his own voice, and he instantly stopped humming and moving.

The young man frowned in confusion when he was greeted by silence. He looked back but found no one there. Shrugging, he resumed walking and humming.

The weird echoing returned, but he dismissed it this time. The castle was huge, so some echoing here and there wasn't all that surprising.

But Carl then yawned. He was feeling tired all the sudden.

"I really need to stop staying up so late watching the car races," he muttered, lifting his arms and stretching.

He started humming again to keep himself awake… He continued to ignore the echo, but it was mostly from how relaxed he felt. In fact, he stopped walking when he suddenly couldn't remember where he was going and what he had been about to do…

Danny watched invisibly as his spell worked. He hadn't even realized he could use his voice to make humans drowsy and confused until recently. His powers had been really growing in the past year. And though his father only let him try them out inside his simulation room—which was well-hidden and kept any devices from tracking any ghost energy being used inside it—he could still feel his powers inside him—even if he still could not morph.

He had actually discovered that his ghost voice's hypnotism worked in his human form when he had accidently used it on Matty, and his cat had passed out. So, of course, he had to find out if it worked on humans, too. His father was out of the question. He would find out what he was doing before Danny could try. The maids that came here and there were too unpredictable to even try something so dangerous.

So, that left Carl.

He was… safe enough to try it on. Plus, Danny enjoyed messing with the guy. It was probably mean of him, but it was too much fun not to… He might not trust the human, but he enjoyed playing with—or rather, tricking—the human…

Knowing Carl was as out of it as he was going to get—Danny's powers weren't strong enough to fully knock out a human yet—Danny removed his hand from Matty and allowed her to return to visibility. The cat was crouched down, looking ready to pounce… All she needed to hear was…

"Okay, now…," Danny whispered to his cat, a mischievous grin on his face.

Matty suddenly yowled and lunged at Carl's legs from behind.

Carl jolted to alertness and surprise but quickly cried out in alarm as Matty's claws gripped tightly into his pants.

"Ahh! Let go! Let go you _**crazy possessed cat!"**_ Carl exclaimed as he tried to shake his leg to free himself from the mad cat.

He luckily got her off; but seeing her crouch down and getting ready to lunge at him again, Carl yelped and took off down the hall.

Matty quickly followed after him. But before she could catch up, Carl reached a nearby door, which happened to be a broom closet, and quickly hid inside.

Meanwhile, Danny was on the ground rolling in laughter, while Carl called for help from within the closet.

As if she were a dog, Matty sat in front of the closet door, growling and waiting for her trapped prey to come out.

Danny giggled some more before he turned visible again and then skipped down the hallway back towards the kitchen. He knew Matty would eventually get bored and let Carl out; so he wasn't worried.

Just as he reached the foyer again, Danny found his father.

"Daniel. There you are. ...Why are you so amused?" Vlad questioned, raising an eyebrow at his grinning son.

Danny shrugged innocently. "I was just playing with Matty."

"I see… Still want hot chocolate?"

Danny nodded and followed his father to the kitchen. But he began humming.

Vladimir smiled down at his son. "That's nice. Where did you learn it?"

Danny smirked smugly. Anyone looking at that expression would know he was his father's son as he replied, "Carl taught it to me…"

"Really?" Vlad asked, surprised. He knew his son had warmed up to Carl enough to be comfortable with him; but he didn't know he willingly interacted with the human.

"Yup…"

"And where is Carl? Maybe he would like hot chocolate, too," Vlad suggested, measuring his son's reaction to his idea.

But Danny shook his head. "No, I think he's busy right now. I saw him in the broom closet. He'll probably be there for a while…"

Vlad blinked. "If you say so, little badger…"

* * *

Walker paced angrily in his office, while Bullet and Spectra watched him with frowns on their faces.

"How long are we going to remain like this? Each day more ghosts are disappearin', either taken or killed by human varmints! Not even my own guards are safe anymore!" he fumed. "And meanwhile, the council sits on their high and mighty chairs, just watchin'! What is Serenity waiting for, huh? What are the Observants doing? **Nothin'! **That's what! We have more than enough groups of ghosts experienced in battle! So when will justice be served?!"

"I personally think we're doing pretty well," Spectra finally spoke up. "Sure, we've suffered some losses, but it's not like it's important."

"You think my lost guards are unimportant?" Walker sneered, pausing to glare at the female ghost.

Spectra rolled her eyes. "I meant that _compared_ to the humans that have died trying to invade us our losses have been minimal. No matter what they try, the fact remains that in our home, we have the upper hand. Maybe the council has a point in withholding from raging war against the humans on their turf. The moment we step out there, the tables would be turned."

"You just don't care either way since you have one foot on both sides, you traitor!" Bullet suddenly accused angrily. "I'm sure you've managed to get that human hunter you've befriended to offer you immunity by _screwing_ _around_ with him!"

Spectra glared at Walker's top guard and drew out her claws. "Why don't you come closer and repeat that for me. I promise you that _you_ won't be 'screwing' anyone again after I'm done with you…"

Bullet's hands fisted and he took a step towards the female ghost. "Try it, harlot!"

"That's it!" Spectra hissed.

But just when she was about to lunge at Bullet, Walker shouted, "Why don't you _both_ quit screwing around before I lose my temper with the two of you!"

"Ugh! Why did you even call me here?" Spectra snapped, annoyed.

"Because I want to know if you know anythin' about Plasmius!" Walker snapped back. "That human hunter _must_ know something! Is he really dead?"

"Come on, Walker! It's been a year! Of course he and Danny are dead! Otherwise, they would have come back by now!"

"Then why the hell are the Ancients and Observants so sure the King IS alive?!" Walker yelled.

"They just want an excuse to not act and cower behind their 'rules and proprieties'!" Spectra replied with a scoff. "Come on, Walker. Do you think if Vlad was alive he would leave his beloved kingdom to its own luck?"

Walker frowned. He really didn't know what to believe anymore. If Plasmius was dead, then he would be able to proceed with his original plans and have free rein over the law like he had under Pariah. He would be able to take full charge, maybe even convince the High Council to take action against the humans and destroy them all… But if the King _was_ alive, then… he would have to go with his newer plan. **But how could he proceed with either if he didn't know which way to go?!**

"So, that human hunter hasn't told you anything?" Walker asked more calmly, though his frustration was still evident.

Spectra replied with exasperation, "I've only seen the guy less than a handful of time since Desiree was killed! He has been too busy with his own plans to even bother to meet with me. And he keeps asking me the same thing you are. I don't know what makes you both think I would know if Vlad is dead or not!"

"Because I know _you_ need to know the answer to that more than anyone else," Walker answered with a sudden smirk. "If he's dead, what are you going to do, huh? The council _might_ consider putting you as this world's ruler, but without a King by your side, you would have no real power over the Kingdom. You remember the Ancient Laws I told you about, right? What? Are you going to marry Bertrand?" Walker laughed mockingly at the thought.

Spectra narrowed her eyes. "Don't underestimate me, Walker. My sister did, and look how she ended up."

Walker smiled, clearly unfazed by the threat. "Bullet. Leave us," he suddenly commanded.

Bullet frowned, but still muttered, "Yes, sir," and left.

Once he was gone, Walker approached Spectra, but then he pulled her towards him by grasping her hips.

"I don't underestimate you, Spectra. Believe me…," he said with a smirk. "Anyone who is coreless enough to kill their own sister and nephew is as dangerous as they come in my book. Tell me, what are you really doin' with that human? …You're not really sleepin' with him, are you?"

"And what if I was…?" she challenged back with a seductive grin.

Walker frowned and removed his hands from the female. "That's disgusting, Spectra."

But the female ghost laughed loudly. "Oh, what? Am I hurting your male pride? Do you want to know how he compares to you?"

Walker sneered with revulsion at the mental image, but Spectra suddenly giggled and pressed herself against him. "You males are all the same—regardless of species!" She laughed a bit more, but then said, "Relax. The guy is revolted with the idea as much as you. I am using _Tommy_ for other purposes. Plus, why would I want a pitiful human when I can have a strong and powerful ghost… like you?"

She turned around and placed her hand on his chest. "Don't you agree?"

"My thoughts exactly…," Walker answered before pulling her closer and kissing her. But he quickly pulled away and walked over to his desk. "However, if you think I can be your replacement for Plasmius, you are sorely mistaken. I'm not interested in marryin' you just so you can take control of the kingdom."

Spectra raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I was even thinking that?"

"Don't underestimate me, Spectra. I'm a lot smarter than you take me for," Walker replied with a smirk. "I know without Plasmius that your options are very limited. I, on the other hand, can make my plans work with or without him. And I don't even need you to fulfill them."

Spectra crossed her arms and replied, "But you do need that human I brought you? Is that why you've been keeping him alive in your human cell? What are you planning on using him for?"

Walker grinned. "And who told you I still have that human alive here?"

"Let's just say you need to ease up on your means of torture. Last time I was here, I could hear the human even in the halls. I'm really surprised he hasn't died yet…"

"That's because I'm not letting him die—at least not yet," Walker replied evilly. "I still might have some use for him. Actually, I'm _hoping_ I might have some use for him…"

Spectra raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? Why is some human so important?"

"Because he isn't just _some_ human, Spectra," Walker answered. "He's Damon Gray—the former owner of Axion Labs."

"Huh?" Spectra replied. How did Walker even know all that? She didn't even know that! Tom just ordered Freakshow to hand the human over as their agreed payment to Walker for helping them trick the Prince into the Human World. She didn't know or care who he was—and that name certainly didn't…

"Wait. Did you say _Axion Labs?"_ she quickly asked as she remembered something Tom had told her. "Isn't that the place Tom used to…?"

Walker just grinned back.

* * *

Maddie and Jack Fenton were known as one of leading ghost experts. Even the Guys-in-White with all their influence and technology did not match the wisdom the couple had. It had come from years of dedication to learning as much as they could on their ghostly enemies. But they used all their knowledge for one single purpose: to find ways of destroying ghosts.

They bestowed no mercy to their ghostly enemies, especially after the death of their son. They knew how evil ghosts could be. They knew how blood-thirsty they could be from personal experience. They fought to protect the innocent—to protect all humans from their lust to kill.

And when lives were on the line, all was fair in this time of war. They did what they had to. And going into the Ghost Zone—as they now called it, since the disturbing place could in no way be classified as a world—was necessary for laying the groundwork for defeating their adversaries. But then, their last visit just yesterday had presented them with an opportunity to capture one of their ghostly enemies. Of course, they had taken it.

But they had not killed it—not yet. Maddie and Jack knew that ghosts could offer more than just ecto-energy to their cause….

One of Walker's guards struggled against the ghost-proof bindings that held him against a large dissecting table. He did not even know how he had gotten here! One minute he had been patrolling his area and the next a flash of light blinded him and he found himself being pulled into some device. He had only just woken up to this nightmare before him.

"Mmm!" the guard tried to shout, but he was also gagged.

Maddie and Jack said nothing as they worked to get the instruments they would need. They had wanted to wait until today—while their daughter was at a friend's house—to do anything with their new specimen.

Capturing ghosts for questioning and experiments was not foreign to them. It was mostly why they knew so much about their enemies. But this was the first time they were going to do this since the death of their son. It made it harder not to just kill this ghost; but they were professionals. And they had much to do before they could destroy it.

"Jack, could you prep our test subject while I bring up the computer system…?" Maddie asked emotionlessly.

"Yeah," Jack replied, his face also serious.

The male ghost hunter grabbed a nearby pair of glowing scissors and approached Walker's guard. Of course, the ghost struggled even more, his eyes wide with fear.

"Don't bother, ghost," Jack said darkly. "I made those restraints strong enough for a level ten sppok, and you're just a four. Plus, they disrupt your core if you try to use your energy for an attack."

The ghost replied with an unintelligible response. But seeing one of the ghost hunter's chubby fists reach out and grab his glowing uniform, the male ghost feared the worst and squeezed his eyes shut.

Jack ignored the clearly terrified ghost, lifted the scissors, and began to cut off the guard's uniform until its torso was exposed. He clearly saw a glowing green symbol that looked like two joined rings on its chest. Jack, however, quickly looked away and continued to cut off a piece of the ghostly fabric and put it inside a small plastic bag to analyze later.

Putting the scissors down, he then grabbed some electrodes which looked like the ones used for an ECG test. The only difference was that the electrodes and cables were glowing green and were attached to the computer mainframe Maddie was working on.

"Ready, Maddie," Jack then said.

The woman didn't reply as she continued to type in a few more commands. But once finished, she turned on the recorder and began to read out what she was getting from her instruments.

"Test subject G2003. Gender: Male. Age unknown, but can be estimated by appearance and quality of ectoplasm that he is between fifty and sixty years of age. That is typically young for ghosts. Energy level has read at 4.2 on the ecto-scale. Core reading is normal. It appears to have no special properties, such as high or lower temperature reading, which is usually indicative of a pyrogenic and cryogenic ghost core respectively. Ghost symbol—or as it is called by these creatures: an Ectoplasmic Energy Signature—is two horizontally joined rings. Energy type: green—the most primitive form of ghost energy. Ghost appearance is humanoid, though facial features are very poor, except for the basic eyes, nose, and mouth. By how it's dress, it appears to be a guard, maybe a soldier, though it seems to be a lower ranking official. Observational data complete. We will now proceed with questioning the subject…"

Maddie left the recorder on, while Jack took some quick pictures of the guard for their records. But once finished he looked at his wife, and asked, "Did you want me to do this part?"

She shook her head before reaching for an instrument hanging on a rack. It was a long flexible tube with a metallic sharp tip. It had been among even more menacing-looking instruments, some of which were clearly surgical instruments.

"Thank you, Jack," she finally said calmly, "But I would like to do this part…"

"Okay," he replied, though he looked unsure. He was actually really worried about his wife. He knew more than anyone how emotionally unwell she was ever since their son's death. He was afraid she might lose her focus, which was really necessary for this kind of thing. But he didn't want to limit her, either. If she was willing to do this part, then he would let her.

Meanwhile, Walker's guard had been staring back-and-forth between the two hunters who now stood on opposite sides of the surgical table. He did nothing to hide his fear, since he knew all too well what awaited him in the hands of ghost hunters.

"Alright, listen up, ghost," Maddie said coldly, narrowing her eyes on her captured enemy. "Can you understand me?"

The guard fearfully nodded.

"Good, because then otherwise we would have had to resort to _physical_ communication to make you understand…," she answered. "Now, I'm going to let you speak, but only to answer my questions. I think you know we have no sympathy for vile ectoplasic scum like you. So, if you want this to be quick and painless, I suggest you cooperate, or I'll make sure to drag out your end for as long as possible. Understand?"

Again, the ghost nodded.

"Jack," Maddie called soberly.

Her husband just nodded before he reached forward to pull off the gag from the ghost.

Gasping out of fear, the guard quickly pleaded, "Please, I haven't done anything. I swear I've never harmed a human in my life!"

"Shut it, spook!" Jack snapped back. "That's what they all say. Now, pay attention, unless you want to be ripped apart molecule by molecule while conscious!"

"Who are you?" Maddie demanded.

Trembling, the guard replied, "F-Frug. I-I'm a simple guard. I-I just follow orders from Warden Walker."

"And who's that?" Maddie quickly asked.

"He… He's the main official of the k-kingdom. He oversees all laws and makes sure no rules are b-broken. He… He is also part of the High Council—the kingdom's ruling body and the King's right hand in all matters."

"Speaking of your King, where is he?" Maddie all but growled, her grip tightening on the instrument in her hand.

This time, the guard stayed silent.

Maddie's eyes narrowed even more. "I asked you a question. I suggest you answer it _willingly_."

"I-I don't know," the ghost said quietly.

"Are you sure?" she retorted before pressing a button on the instrument.

The guard gasped when a red laser about two inches long jutted out of the tip of the instrument. He could already see the smoke coming off it.

"I-I don't know! No one knows where he is!" the ghost exclaimed, now a bit panicked.

"How's that possible?" Jack demanded to know before his wife could speak up.

"The c-council has been keeping quiet a-about it. All I-I have heard was that the King and Prince were hurt, so t-they were in a safe place u-until they recuperated! B-But we don't even know if that's t-true. It's been a year without a-anyone seeing him or the Prince, so many ghosts are b-beginning to believe they are… dead!"

It was the truth, of course. Or, it was the truth that the High Council had told the members of the Kingdom. After the Ancients and Observants had agreed to keep Vlad and Danny's secret of their being half-human, Serenity had gathered the Council and had told them that the King and Prince were alive, but that they would not be able to return until they recovered from their close-encounter with the human hunters. This same 'news' was announced later to the entire Kingdom in order to avoid any mass hysteria and offer some hope to the terrified ghost population. But no one knew _where_ the King and Prince were hiding for the Ancients and Observants had vowed to secrecy in order to protect the truth about their rulers. It was for the best, in their minds…

"I don't believe you," Maddie sneered. "The King would never leave his despicable home unprotected! He's planning something, isn't he?! You all are just saying he is dead to make us lower our guard! **Tell me the truth!"**

"But that IS the truth! I swear it's true!" the guard exclaimed.

But Maddie was not convinced; and gripping the hot laser harder in her hand, she moved it towards the ghost's shoulder. The laser wasn't that large or long, but it was enough to make a two-inch painful cut through flesh if necessary.

"Please! Please, don't hurt me! I'm speaking the truth!" the ghost screeched, struggling to keep away from the laser _just inches_ from his flesh. He could already feel the heat and it wasn't even touching him yet!

"You know how I know you're _lying_?" Maddie growled, but she quickly continued, "I know you're lying because I know for a fact that Plasmius' family was killed. His wife and son were both killed together by the same ghost hunters; so you telling me that the King and Prince are alive can't be true! I saw the Prince's core energy with my own eyes! He's _dead_! So, I'm going to ask you one last time, _where is your king?"_

The guard suddenly screamed as Maddie finally moved the laser above his shoulder and its trong beam began to burn a line from it towards his core. "I-I don't know! I swear! I swear!" the guard screamed in fear and pain.

Jack frowned when he saw that his wife did not let up. They couldn't kill him yet! They still needed to ask more questions.

"Maddie," Jack quickly called worriedly, knowing that if the laser reached the ghost core, it would kill it.

But Maddie refused to stop. She knew this vile creature knew where the King was! And she would **make** him tell her! If Plasmius wasn't dead, like Thomas had said, then **she** would correct that and slay him herself!

"**Maddie, stop!"** Jack yelled, grabbing her hand to finally get her attention.

The woman released the button, and the laser disappeared. She looked down at the ghost on the table, and finally realized she had been inches away from killing it.

Jack took the laser from her as he gently said, "I'll take it from here, okay?"

Maddie frowned, but then slowly nodded and took a step back from the ghost.

Meanwhile, the guard whimpered and groaned at the painful burns and cut on its shoulder and chest. He didn't want to die, but maybe it was better than having to suffer through this torture!

"Hey, spook!" Jack snapped, slapping it in the face with his free hand. "If you don't know where your King is, then who does? Hey! Pay attention!" He hit him again.

Dazed, the ghost closed his eyes and whispered, "I-I don't know. Maybe Skulker or Fright Knight… or Wulf… or Horris… They are the closest to the King. They say he's alive…"

Maddie and Jack looked at each other, and they both came to the same conclusion. If those closest to the King were certain he was alive, then Tom had failed. He had failed to kill Plasmius.

"And his kid? Are they sayin' he's alive, too?"

The guard just nodded.

"But how is that possible, Jack?" Maddie spoke up. "Tom told us he had killed the Prince and the Queen together. We saw the energy sample. How could he have survived?"

But Jack had no answer for that. He looked back at the guard, and questioned, "And the King's wife? How 'bout her? She alive?"

The guard groaned, but then answered, "No…"

"How are you so sure? If the King and Prince are alive, then she could be, too!" Jack argued.

"No…," the guard answered again. "She…. She's not alive. The Infi-Map… "

"The, what?" Jack interrupted, frowning in confusion.

"It's a magical map… with the location of… everything in our world. The Queen had p-placed a spell over it to… to close up all permanent p-portals except for five. With her death…. The portals all re-opened."

Maddie gasped. "Jack! The earthquake! The sudden opening of all those portals! It happened the same day Tom said he killed the Queen and Prince! That's why! He really killed her, and the spell was broken!"

"And the ghost kid?" Jack asked, trying to make sense of everything.

Maddie was quiet for a moment as she thought over all they knew, and she came to a conclusion, "Tom said he used the King's family to trap him. Well, what if Plasmius somehow managed to save his son, but not his wife? Maybe their regenerative energy had something to do with why they were able to survive whatever Tom did to them."

"But his wife didn't," Jack said.

"Maybe he didn't reach her in time," Maddie replied with a frown. "But the question is how… How did the King manage to save his son and escape? Tom would have made sure there was no escape for them…"

"Um… Maybe Plasmius bypassed Tom's traps and weapons, much like he did to our ghost detecting devices," Jack replied, narrowing his eyes.

Maddie fell quiet, but then suddenly moved forward and grabbed the ghost's face and forced him to look at her. "How does your King bypass ghost instruments? Does he have a special power? Some ghostly spell or amulet? What?"

"I-I don't know," he answered fearfully. "I'm just a lower-ranking guard. All I know is that when the King travels to the Human World, he always goes with the same three ghosts: Skulker, Wulf, and Fright Knight. Everyone knows he does everything with them, since they are his most trusted warriors. But I-I don't know how they stay undetected."

"And are you going to tell me you don't know what the King or the council is planning? You might be a pitiful little guard, but your leader has to tell you _something_," Maddie insisted. "Even I'm sure the King won't let his wife's death go unpunished!"

"I-I don't know! The council is at a standstill until the King returns. There are rumors that part of the council wants to proceed in an attack against this world without the King, but others want to wait until his return. It's said that what is holding them back is the established law!"

"What established law?"Jack demanded. But when the ghost hesitated again, he suddenly punched the ghost in face and yelled, "Answer me, spook!"

The guard gasped in pain before stuttering out, "That… That no ghost is allowed to venture into the Human World without the King's direct consent. He passed a law that we would no longer fight against humans or step foot on human terrain ever since he took down the former King."

And feeling some sort of anger briefly flicker through him at how blind these humans were, he yelled at them, "Why don't you stupid humans understand! **He doesn't want to fight you!"**

"You're LYING!" Maddie suddenly screamed, yanking away the laser from her husband before he could stop her. She turned it back on and hovered it directly over the ghost's chest. The laser began to burn the ghost's flesh just inches away from his core.

"If he didn't want to fight then, why did he attack us almost eight years ago?! If he didn't want to fight then why did he KILL MY SON?!"

But the ghost could only scream in pain.

Fed up, Maddie threw aside the laser and walked over to the computer frame. She glared darkly back at the guard before sneering, "Since you know nothing, then you've outlived your usefulness."

She then pressed a button on the computer system and the electrodes that had been placed on the ghost's chest sent a deadly shock right to its core.

The guard gasped and convulsed once on the table before it instantly fell limp.

The lab fell quiet as Jack looked over at his wife. They could have asked it so much more, but… his wife…

"Maddie…," he began, but she quickly cut him off.

"I'm fine, Jack!" she snapped as she walked back over to the dead ghost and angrily yanked a cutting tool from the tool hanger. "Help me get its core out before it completely dies and becomes worthless."

Jack sighed, but didn't object. They worked silently to open the ghost and remove its core to harvest its ectoplasmic energy. They then used a special vacuum to suck up as much of its ectoplasm as possible.

Finally, they checked it over for any physical anomalies. But the structure of its body was what they usually found in ghosts. They didn't just have a core in place of a heart. They also had a set of small lungs used to push air into their vocal chords for speech, but weren't used for breathing. Their circulatory system was very similar to humans, except that instead of circulating blood, their bodies circulated ectoplasm. Finally, they had almost all the same vital organs as humans. But there were obvious differences. They had no kidneys since their bodies used all that went in and created no waste products. So, it was not surprising that their large intestines were also very smaller and their small intestines were much larger than their human counterparts.

Still, they found nothing else of interest. So, by the time they were done some hours later, they threw the body in a special disposal device that broke down the dead spectral waste into ghost ashes.

Now more relaxed, Jack placed a hand on his wife's shoulder as she looked under a microscope at a sample of the core energy they had gotten from the ghost guard.

Maddie paused in what she was doing and smiled weakly at her husband. She knew he worried about her, and she knew she wasn't the same since she lost Danny, but she was strong. She just wanted to do the best she could with what she was good at. She wanted to find a way to destroy these ghost threats so no more innocent people would be harmed by them.

"Sorry, Jack," she said with a sigh, turning around to look at her husband. "I just get so frustrated when we get so close to finding something important and it just…" She sighed again, her eyebrows creasing in pain. "He's still alive, Jack. The monster that killed our baby is still on the loose…"

"I know, sweetheart," Jack replied, pulling her into a light hug. "But that just means we still have the chance to be the ones to kill him."

Maddie nodded, but she pulled away as her hands fisted at her sides. "I want him dead, Jack. I want the Ghost King dead. But first, I want him strapped down to our dissecting table so we can make him suffer like we have…"

"Even with all that, he would never know the pain we've gone through—what he took from us," Jack whispered angrily.

But with Jack's words, Maddie's mind went to an even darker place. "The Prince is still alive, Jack. If he grows up, he'll be a worse threat than his father. We know he has a regenerative core, and that means his powers will be limitless. I think I understand now why Tom had been so set on killing him…"

"For all we know, he could be a threat as young as he is now. You realize…," Jack began.

But Maddie finished for him, "We'll have to kill him, too. We can't let another King more powerful than Plasmius take control. Or, worse, if both the King and Prince attack this world together, we won't stand a chance, Jack."

"Luckily, we've found a limitless supply of pure ghost energy in those Energy Clouds we've been studyin' in the Ghost Zone," Jack said with a small smile.

"And we've found an endless supply of ecto-ranium—the ghost equivalent of their Achilles' heel," his wife added.

After studying what the ghostly cave—which they had used to hide their ghost portal— was made of, they had discovered that the reason humans and manmade things could phase through it was because of a substance called Ecto-ranium. It was untouchable for ghosts, meaning _they_ couldn't phase through it and all their other powers were worthless against it. But although the ghostly element was not new to Jack and Maddie, it had been rare up until now that they had found an abundant supply of it in those ghost caves. But since the element was in compound form within the rocks of the cave, it wasn't harmful to ghosts. It just blocked their powers.

Good thing, then, that Jack and Maddie knew just how to break down the ghostly cave rocks and extract the _pure_ ecto-ranium from it. They used to do it all the time in the past. And with such an endless supply….

This discovery would revolutionize ghost weaponry. At least for them. They were not too keen on sharing their newly acquired information with other ghost hunters, most especially not the Guys-in-White. All they would do was take over their research and mess things up. No, they needed this to stay a secret, so the ghosts would not learn of their doings.

Maddie and Jack were sure they could tilt the balance in this war in their favor. The possibilities were endless. They wouldn't just have simple ghost weaponry, but with the addition of an abundant supply of Ecto-ranium they could have effective ways of ambushing and trapping their enemies in mass numbers.

Adding ecto-ranium to the Ghost Shield would not only keep ghosts from crossing them, but the shield would be physically harmful to them.

And that was just the beginning. With those newly discovered Energy Clouds, they could power large amounts of shields, weapons, and all kinds of technology against ghosts!

They were ready for a battle, and not even Plasmius with all his stealth and cunning would be a match for them.

All they had to do was make sure that the Ghost Prince never fought alongside his father—and there was only two ways to prevent that.

They would either have to capture him…. Or kill him.

* * *

Carl and the rest of the staff had long since left. In fact, it was already late at night; and so, it was just Vladimir and Daniel at the castle. But currently, things were not as lighthearted as they had been that morning…

"Daniel, are you sure you don't want to help me with this? I had Carl buy all these things just for you…"

But his son just sat on the couch and shook his head.

Vlad looked down at the ornament in his hand and sighed. He had asked Carl to buy a tree and a few other Christmas decorations for him. He knew how much his son loved Christmas back home, so he had wanted to make this coming one as special as it could be. But he knew it was very hard to look at this holiday with a cheerful disposition. After all, they were forced to celebrate it in the Human World, away from their friends and family. And—

—today was one year exactly since Desiree had been killed. Just a week from Christmas.

Vladimir tried not to think about his deceased wife, especially as of late. It was the only way to keep himself focused. Even after a year, his mind looked at the tragedy as some surreal event that he knew was true, but just didn't dwell on it. He supposed it seemed impossible for anyone to simply ignore that their loved one was murdered a year ago today; but being in the Human World helped the King do just that. He could _pretend_ his wife was still back home waiting for his return—like all the times before…

So, it came of no surprise that the older hybrid was trying to celebrate the holidays as if nothing had happened. But it was also for his son's sake. Daniel had been moping a lot in these past weeks, which was understandable. It was why Vlad had not hesitated to indulge his son this morning when he had wanted to go out to play in the snow.

Unfortunately, the young hybrid was back to moping. Because no matter what Vlad did, his son couldn't pretend like he could—Danny could not forget all that had happened to him a year today. He couldn't forget how his mother had been killed. So, the holiday that the Prince had once loved so much had now turned into the one he destested most…

It made Vlad very sad…

"Daniel… I know we are not home…," he began quietly. "And, well, I know it's hard to forget everything that happened, but… we should try to be happy. You know your mother loved Christmas—as much as you do."

"No… not anymore," Danny quickly said, glaring at the tree his father had put up. It had nothing on it, so it wasn't a Christmas tree yet. But the boy had no intention of helping to make it into one. He wanted nothing to do with it!

"I… I hate Christmas," Danny said angrily.

Vlad paused and stared at his son. "You don't mean that, Daniel. I know you miss your mother, but—"

"It's not fair!" Danny exploded. "Why can't we go home? I'm tired of waiting! I don't want to celebrate Christmas! I don't want to celebrate anything! I _just_ want to go home! I hate it here! I hate Christmas! And I hate humans! And I hate _everything_!"

"Daniel!" Vlad yelled.

Danny quickly silenced, but he just lowered his gaze as tears began to swell in his eyes.

The older hybrid looked at the younger one, unsure if he should be angry or troubled. Maybe both. It worried him to hear his son express so much resentment for things; but he also knew the boy was saying it out of frustration and probably didn't mean it.

"Fine…," Vlad said soberly, dropping the ornament in his hand back into the box. "No decorations. No Christmas. Off to bed, then."

Trying to determine if his father was angry with him, Danny looked up at the man. But his father just stared back at him with a closed expression. The boy was tempted to try to reach out and touched his father, but didn't because he was afraid doing that might anger or upset his father more.

Danny just sighed, jumped off the couch and left.

Vladimir watched him go before sighing himself and looking at the box full of ornaments and then the bare pine tree. So much for his idea.

"Meow…"

The man looked over at the cat, and found her rubbing herself against the base of the tree. "Well, at least you like it, Matty," he muttered.

Shaking his head, the man walked out of the room and headed to his room.

He quickly took a shower and got ready for bed. But instead of going to bed right away, he turned on the television to hear the news. He only watched it in his room when he was alone since he was afraid of his son's seeing the things they showed lately.

Vlad slowly sat at the edge of his bed as the news instantly showed images of the burning Axion Lab from a year ago…

"…_such tragic images where seven people lost their lives," the female reporter spoke. "But perhaps the most tragic of stories is that of Damon Gray, whose body was never recovered. His wife was already deceased, but he left behind a now seven-year old daughter. She is now in a permanent foster home. But, of course, she is only one innocent life of many who has been a victim of such cold murder. The ghostly culprits are still unknown, though there are sources that believe that the tyrant ruler of this race was at the front of it."_

Vlad chuckled bitterly. "Yes, _of course_, the 'tyrant' Ghost King is to blame…"

"_The U.S. government claims they are unaware of why Axion Labs was targeted by the ghosts. But it is suspected that the act was random and the facility was only used to make a statement. Still, there are some investigators who do not agree with that theory. They believe that the direct attack on the home of ghost experts, Jack and Madeline Fenton, over seven years ago—which resulted in the death of their one- month-old son, Daniel Fenton—is somehow linked to this massacre at Axions. It was confirmed that CEO Damon Gray was associated with the Fentons both personally and businesswise. It is thought that perhaps the Ghost King is targeting those associated with the Fentons, and so many local residents of Amity Park have taken measures to keep away from the ghost hunting couple—some going as far as moving away." _

"…_But for now, there is no solid evidence of what really happened at Axion a year ago. More importantly, though, is the question: will these sudden attacks on innocent lives continue? If so, how will the U.S. government's ghost hunting division, the Guys-in-White, handle this situation to prevent more tragic losses? Too many questions, not enough answers. But, finally, after a year of uncertainty, the government will be addressing the ghost threat publically. There will be a public interview tomorrow with the Chief Agent, Thomas Chrome, at Amity Park's City Hall in Michigan with the promise to finally answer the public's questions regarding the immediate ghostly threat to the World. Sources confirm that the government is developing top secret plans to deal with these dangerous creatures once-and-for-all. In fact…"_

Vlad abruptly turned off the television when he heard small footsteps approaching his room. A second later, he saw the door open and his son's head peak through it.

"Father? Are you awake?"

Vlad nodded. "Yes, come in, Daniel."

The young boy quietly walked in and went over to stand in front of his father. He stared down at his feet for a bit before quietly asking, "Can I sleep with you today?"

Vladimir's eyebrows creased as he replied, "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Danny shook his head. "No… I'm just… I don't want to be alone right now…"

Vlad smiled weakly as he placed a hand against his son's face. "Of course you can. Come on."

Danny quickly brightened and jumped on top of his father's bed, bouncing on it a bit. But then he quickly pulled the covers down and crawled under them.

Meanwhile, Vlad stood up and placed down the remote on top of the television before moving to the other side of the bed to get in as well. If they were back home, he probably would discourage his son from wanting to sleep with him so much. It's not that he minded, but he knew his son was at an age where he needed to start learning a bit of independency. And yet, the child still clung to him like he was a toddler. Then again, Vlad understood why that was, which was why he didn't correct the issue for now. Besides, he had to admit that he was probably needing to keep his son close to him as well.

On the few days a week when he left his son alone to head to his offices, Vladimir was always tense and stressed out from thinking of his son. Thankfully, Daniel had grown to tolerate Carl enough now to stay alone with him. So, though it meant driving himself to his businesses, it had at least solved that issue of having to bring his son to work and expose him to so many humans he did not know, let alone trust. Plus, his son had that link with him, and if he was like most ghost children, Daniel would have that link until he was ten-years-of-age. That meant the father could know right away if something was wrong with his son without having to be near him. Still, Vlad didn't like being away from his son for even a few hours. It was probably unhealthy, but he didn't care. It wasn't as if they were under normal circumstances.

After all, all they had was each other now.

As soon as his father was in bed, Danny snuggled against him with a relieved sigh. Vlad used the opportunity to phase his hand through his son's clothing and touch his hidden core. He knew today was a hard day for his son, so he wanted to feel him to make sure he was alright.

Though it saddened him, it didn't surprise the older hybrid when he felt that his son was very upset. He also felt frightened, almost like he used to feel when he had recently woken up from his coma and had been terrified of everything around him.

"I love you, little badger," Vlad quietly told him.

Danny nodded, though he kept his head under his father chin's as he answered back, "Me, too, Daddy." But his voice sounded broken, like he was about to cry.

Sensing why, Vladimir further said, "I know, my son… It's alright. But you do not need to be afraid. I am not going to leave you. Nothing could ever break our bond. As long as you need me, I'm going to be right beside you, protecting you; keeping you safe. Nothing will harm you while I'm with you, I promise."

"…It hurts, Daddy," Danny whimpered, clinging harder to him. "My heart hurts. I miss Mommy so much. I didn't mean to…"

"No," Vlad gently cut him off. "It wasn't your fault, so do not even think it. Even if you had not ventured out that day, those ghost hunters would have still found a way to do what they did. They hurt you both to hurt me… I'm just sorry I couldn't protect you both from them."

They had not talked so directly about Desiree's death in a while. And it jolted Vlad's heart with pain. But what was more distressing was how his son continued to blame himself. And as he got older and understood things better, he seemed all the more convinced. But the father refused to let his son linger on that sense of guilt. What happened to Desiree was not Daniel's fault… It couldn't be.

"I couldn't protect Mommy… I-I'm not strong enough," Danny whispered back sadly, tears sliding down his face at last.

"You _are_ strong," Vlad assured him. "You are very strong, little badger. Some things just… cannot be helped. But I am proud of you—and I know your mother is, too—because you have been able to go through all this and still be you. I can still feel all that goodness and purity that makes you 'you'. In spite of everything, your soul is unmarred by all the evil you have seen. That is why you are strong, Son."

Danny turned his own hand intangible and touched his father's symbol, and he knew in that instant that his father had meant everything he was saying. But suddenly, he wanted to also feel his father's soul, and the boy smiled when he could also feel that his father's soul was still good. It was true that his emotions were different. In fact, they scared Danny at times; but deep down, he could feel his father was still his father. And maybe as long as they remained united, that would never change in either of them…

"You're good, too, Father," Danny told him. "And strong. Mommy told me you would find us, and you did. And…" He choked. "Y-You tried to save her, too…. So, I know she still loves you, and I love you, too! I will always love you, Daddy!"

Vlad chuckled weakly, though his voice was full of emotion as he answered, "I know, Son. I can feel it."

Danny sighed tiredly, visibly relaxing since his father's words had now calmed him enough to find sleep. "I'm sorry I didn't want to help you put the Christmas tree up…," he muttered.

"It's alright, little badger. And to be honest, I'm not all that in the mood for Christmas cheer, either. But I wanted to at least try… for your mother."

Danny was quiet for a bit, and Vlad thought for a moment he had fallen asleep. But then the boy suddenly said, "Can we try again tomorrow?"

Vlad smiled and pulled his son into his arms. "Of course. But you know, I have a better idea. Why don't we go to the Rockies for the rest of the week? We will celebrate Christmas over there and… I'll have Skulker and Anĝela come visit."

Danny quickly pulled away and sat up on the bed, staring at his father with wide happy eyes. "Really?" But then he paused as he added uncertainly, "But what about your work? You said we couldn't…"

"I'm caught up," Vlad cut him off with a smile. "Besides, it's the holidays, so I don't have to worry about any meetings or extra affairs. We can go."

Danny squealed in delight and tackled his father with a hug and kisses while exclaiming, "Thank you, Daddy! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Vlad laughed this time before wrapping his arms around the boy. He then kissed him on the forehead before replying, "You're welcome, Son."

* * *

"Where are we?" Gregor questioned Tom as the hunter pulled his car into the driveway of a house the ghost boy didn't recognize. They were still in Amity Park, but it was on a secluded suburb on the east side of the town, at least an hour away from the city.

Turning off the car, Thomas answered calmly, "You'll find out in a minute. Come on…"

Gregor frowned as the ghost hunter got out of the car, and clearly expected him to follow. The boy sighed before muttering, "I really hope there's not another annoying, bratty girl at this house, too." He was, of course, thinking of Jasmine Fenton. It had been the only other time he had come to a human's private home that wasn't Tom's.

But the Guy-in-White agent had not given him any warning about watching his behavior, like he had when they had gone to the house of the Fenton ghost hunters. So, maybe the people that lived in this unknown residence weren't ghost hunters. But then why had Tom brought him over here? This couldn't be the Manson residence. The hunter had made it clear that he would never allow Gregor anywhere near his niece—Samantha. The boy drew a blank on who could possibly live at this house, or why Thomas had specifically brought him here. This was just so random and bizarre, even for Tom.

"Gregor!" Thomas suddenly shouted at him, annoyed that the kid was still in the car.

The boy glared in response, but still got out of the car. "Yeah, okay. Chill out already! You're gonna end up with grey hairs from stressing so much…" The boy suddenly smirked, adding, "Oh, wait. You don't have any hair. You shaved it off!"

Thomas stared at the grinning ghost kid before saying angrily, "Maybe we don't need to be here, after all. If you want to mouth off, I could always take you to headquarters and leave you there, while I go to the press conference."

Gregor's smile fell. He hated going to the GiW facility. It was just so boring! Not to mention, Tom liked to use him as a guinea pig when he was in the mood for experiments. But not wanting to look too upset about it, the boy rolled his eyes, replying, "I never asked you to bring me here. I don't even know _why_ I'm here! You should've just dropped me off at my Master's if you really wanted to get rid of me… Wait…"

The boy froze as realization hit him. "You're gonna **leave** me here?!" he exclaimed in alarm.

"I sure am," Thomas answered with a sudden grin, and then gripped one of Gregor's wrists and pulled him towards the unknown house.

"B-But I don't know these people! Tom, no!" he said fearfully. "Please, just take me to my Master's! Don't leave me with some strangers!"

But Tom ignored him and all too soon they were at the door. The man knocked, and Gregor tensed in his hold.

Suddenly, a well-built African American man opened the door.

Gregor took a step back, though he couldn't get far with Tom's gripping one of his wrists. It's not that he was shy or fearful of humans, but he had never been left alone with ones he did not know. He didn't know what he was going to do!

"Agent Chrome," the man greeted the ghost hunter with a smile and a handshake.

"Hello, Johnson," Thomas replied, using the man's last name. "How's 'retirement' treating you?"

The man chuckled as he gestured them in. Gregor was all but dragged into the unknown home. But as they headed inside, the boy noticed the unknown male was using a cane to walk. It was strange, because he didn't look too much older than Tom, but he seemed to be crippled.

"Well…. It has its perks," the man finally answered. "I do miss the action of the job, but Trisha is happy to have me home all the time now."

"I'm sure," Tom replied as they were led into a living room. "It's a shame that you suffered such a permanent injury, but at least I can count on you in other matters…"

"Once a hunter, always a hunter," the man replied with a smirk.

Gregory felt the ectoplasm drain from his face at hearing what the male had said. Wait. So, this guy was a ghost hunter after all? And Tom planned on leaving him alone with him?

Gregor looked up at Tom, silently demanding an explanation; but the Guy-in-White leader ignored him. Their guest invited them to sit down, and they did. And though he didn't like being near Tom, this time Gregor sat right next to him. He was so confused, and he really did not like being confused. It made him nervous and unsure…

"So, this is him?" the man suddenly said, his eyes finally locking into the young boy next to Tom.

"Yeah, this is Gregor," Thomas answered, placing a hand on top of the ghost boy's head. "The newest addition to the Guys-in-White agency. He's still a work in progress, but he's shown some promising results…"

Gregor stared back uncertainly at the former ghost hunter, who stared at him with an intense and scrutinizing gaze.

"Well, you know best, Agent Chrome," Johnson answered, finally looking back at the other man.

Thomas and the man shared a knowing smirk, which only confused Gregor more. But then Tom asked, "Your wife?"

"She's upstairs with our daughter…. Should we head up there?" Johnson asked.

Thomas nodded and stood up. "Come on, Gregor," he commanded before the two men walked back out of the living room with a reluctant ghost kid following them.

They headed upstairs and found Johnson's wife coming out of a storage closet with some folded blankets in hand. She paused when she saw the two men and the young boy approaching her.

"Hello there, Agent Chrome. How are you?" she said with a smile.

Tom smiled back and replied, "Busy, but doing well. I appreciate your helping me out with Gregor here."

She nodded. "Oh, it's no trouble. Jarred told me you required some help from us, and you know we are always willing to do what we can. But this must be Gregor." The woman focused on the boy and smiled before asking, "You're going to have a lot fun here. Did you bring your pajamas?"

Gregor jolted and stared up at Tom with large eyes. "W-What? I'm spending the night here, too?"

"Well, of course you are!" Tom said with a smirk. "Oh, did I forget to mention that? That's alright. I have your things in the trunk."

Gregor's eyes darted around the room, feeling a sense of panic creeping into him. He hadn't felt like this since he first met Tom, and it was taking all of him not to run out of this house.

"Oh, don't worry, Gregor. Our daughter will keep you company. Come on. I would like you to meet her…" the woman said.

She and her husband led the way, but Gregor stayed put this time. Tom quickly realized the boy wasn't following and stopped to address him. "Gregor?"

"What are you doing, Tom?" he whispered fearfully. "This isn't funny, okay? I'm not staying here with these people!"

Noticing their guests were not following, the Johnsons looked back. But Tom quickly said, "Could you give us a minute?"

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed Gregor's arm and pulled him a bit away so he could talk to him in private.

"This isn't up for debate, Gregor. You're staying here," Tom said seriously.

"But I don't understand!" he answered back, barely able to keep his voice down. "Tom, what if they find out what I am! The dude's a ghost hunter!"

The ghost hunter smiled calmly in response. "You're freaking out over nothing, Gregor. I know what I'm doing, and if I'm going to let you stay here it's because I'm sure you'll be fine. Now, come on. I want you to meet their daughter. Believe me, you'll be thanking me for this…"

Gregor opened his mouth to protest some more, but Tom quickly yanked him towards the room to meet the last person living here.

Trisha pushed open the slightly opened door and called, "Sweetie, we have a surprise for you…"

The little girl blinked, clearly not expecting any 'surprise'. But she still quickly jumped off the bed when she saw the group of people that suddenly came into her room. But her eyes were locked on the boy…

She gasped before whispering, "Gregor?"

The boy's eyes widened with disbelief as he looked back at the familiar girl. "V-Valerie?"

The girl suddenly shouted in happiness and lunged herself into Gregor's arms. It had been so unexpected that the boy was sent back on his bottom with the girl on top of him. She hadn't seen him for many months! In fact, she had thought he had disappeared like her real father and would never see her friend again!

"I-I…," But Gregor didn't know what to say. He was so shocked. After that hunter-ghost had attacked him several months ago, he never thought he would see her again, especially when Tom had prohibited him from going out at night by himself to see Valerie. Not to mention, he had later learned she had been taken away from her temporary foster home to a permanent one.

This had to be the permanent one.

"I missed you so much!" Valerie said, squeezing her arms tighter around the older boy.

"Me, too!" Gregor finally choked out. He finally grinned and quickly hugged her back.

Meanwhile, the three adults were smiling, though there was something hidden in their smiles as they looked at one another.

"Well, you weren't kidding that these two were close, Agent C," Johnson said with a chuckle.

"I want to thank you again for recommending we adopt Valerie, Agent C," Trisha then said with a pleased smile. "She really is a sweet girl! And I'm so happy to see your own adopted son is such good friends with her!"

Thomas nodded. "Yes… Well, Valerie's father was a close friend of mine. I wanted to make sure his daughter went to a good and safe home. Plus, I couldn't bring myself to separate these two…"

But then pulling out his car keys, he addressed the ghost boy, "Gregor? You want to go grab your things from the car? It's all ready for you in a duffle bag, including your favorite stuffed toys."

Sobering at once, Gregor got off the floor and stared at Tom with a mixture of confusion and gratitude. He didn't understand why Tom had done all this, but he couldn't say he was unhappy about it.

"Well, unless you still don't want to stay here?" Tom added with a smirk when the boy wouldn't answer.

The ghost boy quickly shook his head and grabbed the keys from the man. "I-I'll go get it." He looked back at Valerie and grinned before saying, "I'll be right back!" He then took off in sprint out of the room and down the stairs.

"Well, looks like everything is all set, then," Tom said, ruffling Valerie's hair.

The girl looked up at him and smiled shyly. "Thanks for bringing Gregor to play with me, Mr. Chrome."

"It's no problem, Valerie. You know your daddy and I were friends, and I wanted to make sure you're happy," the ghost hunter answered.

The girl's smile fell at the mention of her father. "I miss him, but I'm happy. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are really nice!"

"Yes, they are fine people," Thomas answered, smiling at the couple. "And don't worry, Valerie. I'm going to make sure those evil ghosts who took your father from you never hurt anyone again. I promise."

She looked away, but still nodded.

"Well, I gotta go. Can I have a quick word with you both?" Tom asked, addressing the adults this time.

"Of course," Jared answered for him and his wife.

But just as they walked out of the room, Gregor came back. He carried his bag on a shoulder and extended the keys back at Tom.

The man took them as he said, "I'll be back for you tomorrow morning. We'll talk some more then, alright?"

Gregor nodded but then he smiled and said, "Thanks, Tom."

The Guys-in-White leader grinned. "Of course, Gregor. Anything for you… See you tomorrow."

With that, he walked past the boy with the Johnsons close by. Gregor briefly looked after them. He knew he should feel suspicious of all this, but… he was just too happy to care. He had his friend again, and no matter why Tom was doing this, Gregor was just grateful for the fact.

With a grin, he ran into Valerie's room, already planning on all he wanted to do with her. They had almost a whole day to play!

Meanwhile, the Johnsons walked Tom to the door. He glanced towards the stairs to make sure Gregor was not in sight before saying, "He shouldn't be a problem. He is well-trained. But you both have my number just in case."

Trisha nodded. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Yes…" Jared replied, glancing towards the stairs. But then looking at Agent C, he asked, "Do you really think this will work? It's an interesting project, but… they are just kids."

"Trust me, this will more than just 'work'—it's going to be a success. We just got to keep them together, and time and a little influence will do the rest…" Tom answered with a knowing smirk.

"Alright," Jared answered. "Your confidence is more than enough assurance for me."

"Indeed," Trisha answered.

The two shook hands with Tom and bid him farewell. The GiW leader calmly walked to his car and climbed in. He glanced back at the house and chuckled, "Maybe Grey's death isn't as bad as I thought. This might be one of my better plans yet."

Grinning, he drove off, heading towards the press conference across town. It was an annoyance, but it was his chance to convince the public of fully trusting his division to protect them against that evil ghost race. There was much to do, and with everyone on his side, it would make his plans run smoothly.

* * *

Although Vlad was true to his word and had taken his son to the Rockies for Christmas week, Skulker and Anĝela had yet to visit them. Vlad had been quite worried because when he usually called to his friend, Skulker was quick to come, taking no more than a few hours. But it had been days now. And, unfortunately, he had no means of finding out what was keeping his friend.

Christmas came all too soon, and though the father and son felt more than just poignant about the holiday, they did enjoy each other's company and even exchanged presents—Danny had made his, of course.

The human Ghost King, however, was not planning on staying much longer. The place was too emotionally unsettling to him. Perhaps it was because in this secluded area he didn't have his work to keep him occupied and his mind away from his grief. Or, perhaps it was that he still remembered the despair he had felt while he watched his comatose son on a bed for many months here. Or, maybe the calm and serene environment reminded him too much of the Ghost World. Whatever the reason, he had been feeling very sad and homesick—for his real home—ever since they got to the Rockies.

But Vlad was at least glad that Danny seemed more relaxed at the quiet and peaceful mountain home. That alone had given the older hybrid the determination to remain at the chalet for a few more days.

It was the day after Christmas when Skulker finally arrived. Vlad had been working on something in the lab when his portal began to glow, a sign of it being activated. And Vlad knew that after him, only his hunter friend knew how to open the portal.

Skulker stepped out, his eyes squinting against the brighter light of the lab. It always took his vision a moment to adjust to the brighter Human World. But he didn't need his eyes to adjust to recognize his half-ghost friend, especially not when the man made himself known.

"Skulker! Where the blazes have you been?!" Vlad exclaimed. But his angry tone of voice and glare contrasted greatly to his suddenly grabbing the ghost in a tight hug.

Skulker blinked, but then he smirked. "What? Did you miss me that much?"

Vladimir quickly let go and scowled, "It's not a laughing matter, Skulker! I was worried! I called you here days ago! I thought something had happened to you!"

The Hunter ghost's smile fell as he replied seriously, "I apologize, but I could not make it sooner." He sighed as he glanced towards the now closed ghost portal. "There have been a lot of Human sightings in our home, and I have been helping the High Counsel with the problem. Not to mention, I had to be cautious. I cannot risk anyone, especially a human, discovering your hidden portals. I cannot be careless with something so dangerous."

But Skulker did not mention that his other reason for his delay was because of Ember. His friend still had no idea that Lydia and Ghostwriter had been killed, and as a result, Skulker was now caring for his niece. And he did not like leaving her alone for too long, especially with the threat of human hunters lately. Luckily, he had been able to find Wulf to 'babysit' so he finally got a chance to sneak out of the Ghost World to see the Ghost King.

Vlad quickly deflated and passed a hand through his tied hair. "…Forgive me. I… This whole situation just makes me feel… useless." He stared at his friend and tentatively asked, "Are things really that bad?"

Skulker gazed back at the half-ghost. He could clearly see the desperation and hopelessness in Vlad's eyes. Then what could he say? Things were more than bad. They were chaotic. The High Council was all but attacking each other as they argued and argued over the right course of action. And their inability to come to an agreement only made things worse. Without the King, the order and structure of their world was falling apart; and with the invasion of human hunters at their doors, the entire ghost population was in a panic. In fact, some families had all but barricaded themselves in their homes. They felt it just wasn't safe to venture freely in the Ghost World anymore. It upset Skulker greatly to see his kind giving into their fear and uncertainty to such an extreme. But in some way, the Hunter couldn't blame them. Without the royal family, without their pillars of power and security, the ghostly inhabitants were losing all hope.

But, Skulker was not about to say that to the already stressed King.

"It's nothing we cannot handle, Plasmius. Do not worry so much," Skulker replied with a small smile. "Luckily for us, the humans are disorganized. They are not working together, so their attempts are feeble at best. We are stronger, united, and have the home-advantage."

But the older hybrid's eyebrows creased and he responded, "Do not lie to me, Skulker. I might not be able to return, but I can see from this side what is going on. …How many ghosts have been taken by them?"

"Taken…?" Skulker repeated slowly, feigning ignorance.

The millionaire sighed before turning and walking over to monitor. He quickly turned it on, and then brought up some images from the internet of pictures of ghost hunters holding up dead ghosts like they were caught fishes or game.

The Hunter ghost looked away as he replied quietly, "About two dozen… maybe more."

Vladimir's eyes turned red as he slammed his fist against the consol. His kind was being murdered while he stood here doing nothing!

"Vlad…," Skulker began soberly, but he was interrupted by a sudden gasp and squeal.

"Uncle Skulker!" Danny exclaimed in Human Speech, standing at the top of the lab's stairs. With another shout of joy, he ran over to the ghost and wrapped his arms around his legs. "Uncle! I'm SO happy to see you! Oh my gosh! I missed you! I did!" The boy had been so thrilled to see Skulker that he didn't even notice how tense and upset his father had been before his interruption…

Surprised and delighted by how healthy the Prince looked, Skulker grinned and picked him up, almost throwing him up in the air before hugging him.

"Whelp! Look at you! You are getting big! I might just have to add you to my collection of fine specimens at this point!" the male ghost teased.

Danny giggled and gripped his uncle even tighter. But then he pulled away and touched the Hunter's symbol. And _feeling_ how happy the ghost was to see him, the boy grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Did I really get big? I don't feel all that big," Danny said, raising his free hand above his head, as if measuring how tall he was.

"Indeed! You look nice and plump, too. What have you been eating?" Skulker asked, smirking as he grabbed one of Danny's chubby cheeks.

But knowing his uncle was poking fun at him, the Prince just laughed some more. He then asked, "Where's Anĝela? Father said she would come, too."

He would never tell his uncle, but the female doctor was better at playing games with him than he. So, although she always subjected him to an unwanted medical examination when she visited, Danny would always forget about that and enjoyed spending time with Anĝela. Plus, he couldn't deny he missed being cuddled by a more… 'motherly figure.'

Skulker nodded. "Yes, she will arrive tomorrow. I just wanted to first make sure it was safe."

"Oh," Danny replied, though he smiled at the thought of his ghost doctor coming to visit, too. He didn't like being examined, but he had grown very fond of the winged female ghost.

"May I?" Skulker then asked, raising a hand towards the boy's chest.

Danny nodded, and his uncle phased his hand through his clothing to touch his symbol. The boy smiled some more at feeling the familiar affection that came with the Hunter ghost's touch.

"I am truly impressed, Ghost Child…," Skulker said with a warm grin. It was amazing how well the Prince had recovered in a year's time. Skulker could not say he wasn't relieved by it. "And I see you have adapted to the human language well… I hope that does not mean you have forgotten your native tongue…"

Skulker raised a playful eyebrow, and Danny smirked back as he said in Ghost Speech, _"Mi ne estas forgesita."_(1)

Skulker nodded, and answered back in their tongue, "Good. That is how it should be."

The Hunter ghost finally remembered his friend, and he smiled when he saw how Vlad had significantly relaxed with his son's presence and happiness.

"I am truly glad to see you both…," Skulker said, though his gaze was on the King.

Danny hugged him again before his uncle at last put him down. But the boy quickly grabbed one of the ghost's hands, saying excitedly, "Come on, Uncle Skulker! I want to show you my room! Oh, and Matty! You have to meet Matty!"

"Who is that?" Skulker questioned, curiously.

Vlad answered this time. "You'll see…," he said with a smirk.

Skulker raised a questioning eyebrow, but before he could say anything, Danny began to pull him out of the lab. Vlad chuckled and followed.

For several hours, Danny played just about every game he had and could think of with Skulker and his father. Skulker also took their time together to tell the hybrids about everyone in the Ghost World. Of course, he only told them about the good news, like how Box Lunch was developing similar powers to her parents. He told them about Ember and her developing ghost powers, too. The baby phoenix living on Skulker's Island was now eating on her own and growing stronger. The Hunter further assured the Prince that his companions Cujo and Lu were safe and well.

Danny had then asked about his favorite teacher, Pandora, and even asked about the two mischievous teenage ghosts, Kitty and Johnny. Of course Skulker answered the child. The Hunter had rolled his eyes as he told the Prince that Kitty and Johnny were as much trouble-makers as always. The fact seemed to delight Danny.

Eventually, their conversations steered to the ghost servants at the castle. Danny then quickly asked about Dora when Skulker did not mention her; but the hunter just assured him that she was well and left it at that.

Skulker quickly moved on to Horris and the other council members. He mentioned some of the things going on in the Ghost World, though he stayed far away from the topic about the human invasion. One thing in particular that got Vlad's attention had been how the Blood Blossoms that grew at the _Ruĝa Tero _were finally germinating again. It had been a problem in the past because the important food source, which grew most abundantly in this island, had been steadily declining in number in spite the Kingdom's best efforts to find a cause and correct the problem.

But since the portals had opened, Skulker was telling them how some of the dying landscape in the Ghost World was beginning to heal, and _Ruĝa Tero's_ Blood Blossoms were increasing in number again . Vlad wondered if the increase in oxygen coming in from the Human World had something to do with that… But he decided he could always discuss it with Skulker at a later time.

He was almost thankful when it was his son's bedtime. As much as he enjoyed seeing his son happy over Skulker's visit, Vlad needed to talk with his friend about things he didn't want his son hearing. So, after tucking him into bed, Vlad returned downstairs and asked Skulker to follow him to the library.

He quietly gestured for his friend to take a seat on a sofa before going over to a desk at the far end of the library. Vlad grabbed the laptop that was on top of his desk and brought it over. He sat next to his friend as he turned on the computer and searched for a file he had saved on it.

"There's something I need you to see…," Vlad finally told him.

Skulker frowned with uncertainty at his friend, but his attention went to the computer when a video came on…

It was the press interview with the head Guys-in-White agent, Thomas Chrome, that had occurred several days back in Amity Park…

"…_Greetings, citizens of Amity Park and those watching around the United States," Tom said calmly after he was introduced by the mayor and was asked to take the stage. The interview was being held in front of City Hall._

"_As Mayor Gomez has said, I am Thomas Chrome, one of the head Executive Commanders and Agents of the Guys-in-White Division of the U.S. Government's Protection Agencies. There has been a lot of talk and rumors since the unfortunate accident at Axion Labs just a year ago. Foremost, I would like to personally extend our division's sympathy for the lives lost and destroyed by that unfortunate event. Our only regret is that we were not able to save everyone that day…"_

_Agent Chrome paused, his expression showing complete professionalism and confidence. He just as calmly continued, "That being said, we must look towards the present and future, and I can assure every citizen of this country that our priority is preventing anything like this from happening again, here or in any other place. On behalf of the government, we would like to apologize for keeping you all in the dark for so long. I understand there is a lot of fear and uncertainty, as the threat of a non-human enemy hangs over our heads. However, our reason for silence has been to protect our citizens and to come up with an effective way of dealing with this supernatural threat. I am certain there is no one who doubts the real threat ghosts pose on humanity—a threat that must be dealt with quickly and efficiently."_

Vlad suddenly paused the video, and fast-forwarded past Tom's lies and arrogant talk of superiority that humans have over ghosts…

"What a despicable human," Skulker sneered. "He calls our kind a threat? He's more of threat to his own than we are to them!"

But when Vlad didn't reply, and just silently continued to fast forward the video, Skulker looked over at him. The Hunter suddenly realized that his friend was staring at the murderer of his wife, and his face was expressionless. Vlad was too calm.

However, before Skulker could think of anything to say, Vlad finally got to the part of the video he wanted Skulker to see…

"…_The Guys-in-White executive commanders and agents—including myself—have met and discussed the ghost threat. And in agreement with the president and legislative board, it has been decided to bring forth a series of anti-ghost laws for the protection of every American. These Laws will soon be made known to every person, and will be part of our National Security Protocol. A good part of these laws will dictate how we deal with the ghosts_ _according to their power-level and threat-level. There will be strict guidelines that will be enforced in events of attacks and how captured ghosts will be handled. But I will not go into detail about these new anti-ghost laws. For now, I want to talk about the first two laws that require immediate attention." _

"… _As we can all understand, it is important that we join together to protect our home. That is why, Anti-Ghost Law Act II, subsection A_, _states that all ghost-hunting agencies will now submit to and cooperate with the government's Guys-in-White Division. It will now be required from all individual and private group ghost hunters to share with the government's ghost agency any unknown information about our common ghost enemy. Ghost hunters who do not cooperate will be classified as rouge and will be punished as criminals, if need be."_

"So, they are coming together at last…," Skulker said quietly. He knew what this meant. If they were already having trouble with the human hunters now, if they joined together against them, it was really going to mean their downfall.

"He is doing this because of the Fentons," Vlad finally spoke up, pausing the video again. "They have always been the leading ghost experts, and Chrome has been bitter about losing them from the beginning. He is trying to force them to share their information with him… I'm certain the Fentons will fight this, but Agent Chrome has too much power and influence, especially now that the government is fully supporting his division again… The Fentons are a serious threat to us, Skulker. And their knowledge in the hands of Chrome will be deadly… We are running out of time."

"If we have not already," Skulker muttered back.

Vlad sighed and said, "There is more…"

Skulker turned his attention back to the press conference.

"…_Anti-Ghost Law Act I will compose of human safety. The Law will entitle the Guys-in-White Division to exercise anything from strict curfews— if we deem them necessary— to complete evacuation of entire towns and cities. We hope things will not come to that, but we are dealing with an enemy like no other, and so grave measures of protection must be taken. One of the rumors going around is about the 'government activity' that has been noticed both here and at Washington. I have come to reveal the reason for that…"_

_Thomas paused before saying, "As part of our protection protocol, we have decided to make anti-ghost fallout shelters…" _

_The crowd gasped and the press' lights and cameras flashed even more. In fact, one of the media people blurted out, "What do you mean fallout shelters? Are we looking at a complete invasion?!"_

_The voices grew louder in unmistakable panic, but Thomas raised a hand to signal for everyone to settle down._

"_Please… Hold your questions until the end. And there is no need for alarm. As I said, we are taking precautions. The underground shelters will take at least a year to finish, but eventually they will be in every main city and high-threat zones, like this town, for example. It is doubtful we will have to use these shelters, but as the saying goes,' we must hope for the best and plan for the worst'. There are a number of offensive plans underway to deal with the ghost threat once-and-for-all. However, I cannot divulge those plans since we do not want any possible important information leaking out to our enemy. But you all have my word that the Guys-in-White will not rest until we eliminate this threat from humanity. We will prevail."_

"He says that these are precautions," Vlad said, his voice darkening slightly. "But I can see through his elaborate lies… He is preparing for war."

Skulker tensed, but looked directly at his friend and replied, "But you need two sides for war, Plasmius… The High Council is at a standstill. No one wants to make the first move. They want to fight back, but they are too scared to try… They need you to make the choice."

"It is not a matter of choice anymore, Skulker," Vlad answered soberly.

"Why don't we just kill this monster-of-a-human?" Skulker growled, glaring at the image of Thomas Chrome.

Vlad's eyes suddenly flashed red as he hatefully said, "He _is_ going to die. But unfortunately, the threat we face will not go away with this monster's death… No. Someone just like him or worse would take his place, and the humans would have one more reason to come after us… This is bigger than Thomas Chrome, and I… I cannot find a way to stop it."

"You have found a solution to the human threats in the past; you defeated a tyrant everyone thought impossible to take down," Skulker reminded him. "You will find a solution, Plasmius. You just… need to clear your mind—think clearly."

Vlad fell quiet. But he knew that his friend's advice was easier said than done. His mind had been too fogged by grief and uncertainty that he felt he would never find any clarity. It was as if the more time passed, the murkier everything got—including his heart, core, and soul. He was losing himself. So, how could he possibly help anyone anymore?

"What else does that video show?" Skulker asked, interrupting the man's downward spiraling thoughts.

Vlad sighed deeply. "The press questions him about the same issue. There's nothing new."

The hybrid closed the laptop and placed it aside on the seat next to him. But when he did, he noticed his son's stuffed toy on the seat. He made a mental note to head upstairs before bed to take the toy back to his son's room.

Turning his thoughts back to the matter at hand, Vlad leaned forward and rubbed his throbbing temple as he asked his friend, "What am I supposed to do, Skulker? I see what is happening and I cannot find a way to stop it. I have never felt so powerless… not even when Dark was in control of our home…"

The man sighed again. "I cannot go home to find a way to protect the ghost race because my son cannot morph, and I cannot get close enough to the Guys-in-White as Masters to find out the depth of their diabolical schemes, either." Fisting his hands, Vladimir angrily added, "I am useless in both forms!"

"Did you even consider my suggestion regarding the Maximus?" Skulker asked tentatively.

"Yes… I even brought it because I had a feeling you would ask me about it," Vlad answered quietly. "I… was able to invert its functions. It works, Skulker. I tried it on myself, and just like it could short-circuit my powers to turn me human in the past, it now can force a transformation to my real form… It… works."

Skulker's eyes widened, and he sat up straighter as he quickly said, "Then it should work on your son! This is the solution, Plasmius! You both can return home!"

But Vladimir shook his head. "It's too painful, Skulker. I tried it on myself, and I almost lost consciousness. Could you imagine if I used it on Daniel?"

Skulker fell quiet.

Vladimir exhaled quietly as he picked up Badgy and placed him on his lap. He played with its bent whiskers while he said with great distress, "I've tried to find a way to make it tolerable at least, but it has proven impossible. It will not work unless the device shocks his heart to stop and then jolts his core to life with electrical energy. It is the only way to force the change. But I can't do that to Daniel. I cannot hurt my son, Skulker."

"Do you think he will ever change on his own, then?" the Hunter ghost asked soberly.

"Eventually. But… he is too young, Skulker. It will very likely take at least a few years for his core to mature enough—for his core to store up enough energy to make the change on its own. Right now his young body has no true need to take on his real form, especially not while in the Human World. Until he matures, his morphing ability will remain involuntary—directed by his body's instincts."

Skulker's eyebrows creased. "What will you do, then? Wait until he can change on his own? What will happen then? Your ability to blend among humans has been what has kept us safe from their attacks in the past. It has kept us one step-ahead of possible threats from them. Your leadership as King and Desiree's protective spell has been what has protected us from extinction and our home sealed from invasion… But now with the portals open and the direct threat of the humans, I don't know if our world can survive… I do not think we have a few years left… Not without you, Vlad. And especially not after what you have shown me…"

"I know, Skulker… I know."

The friends fell quiet for a long moment, but as they continued to converse, they never noticed the little boy staring at them from the cracked doorway.

Afraid and troubled, Danny slowly backed away before turning and running back towards his room. He was so upset he forgot the reason why he had come down in the first place. All he could think about was his discovering how in trouble his home was, and that… it was all his fault!

* * *

The next day, Danny was sitting inside the indoor garden with Matty. In spite of the freezing weather outside, in there it was a nice cozy eighty degrees. The place almost reminded him of the indoor garden back home, minus the strong aromas some ghost plants gave off that kept him from staying there for too long. Here, the perfume of the flora was evident, but it wasn't overwhelming like back home.

Home…

He felt upset ever since he accidently heard his father and uncle talking about the Ghost World last night. He had not known that his home was in trouble—that humans were hurting his kind… It scared him, but it also made him feel guilty. He knew that if only his father could return home, his father could find a way to stop those ghost hunters from hurting ghosts and destroying their home.

But his father couldn't return because of _him_.

Everything that was happening was his fault. If he would have just listened to his father and hadn't been so curious about the Humans, he wouldn't have gotten caught in that weird temporary-portal. If he wouldn't have gone to the Human World after his friends and would have left it to a grown-up, he wouldn't have fallen into the hands of those ghost hunters. He would still be safe back home. His father would be happy. No one would be in danger, and… his mother would be alive.

Why had he ever thought he was brave and strong like his father? That he could have possibly saved anyone, let alone his friends? No… He had learned the hard way that he was _too weak_ to help anyone!

All he did was get others in bad situations. All he did was let the humans use him to hurt his father and… kill his mother.

Danny bit his lip as he felt his chest quickly grow heavy. He was tired of crying. He was beginning to understand that it did nothing. But he couldn't help it. Whenever he thought of his mother, all the hurt returned and he felt so sad and so guilty about it. Not even the thought of how much he was hurt by the ghost hunters was as painful as the thought of not ever being able to see his mother. His worst nightmares were of her melting…

She got hurt because of him, because he couldn't even call for his father's help! Danny felt it was his own fault that his father didn't get to them in time to save his mother! And now… now everyone back home was getting hurt because he couldn't even turn ghost again!

Danny had stayed up way past his bedtime last night trying with all his might to change—to become ghost again! He wanted to so badly, and he just couldn't! It was like his mind was blocking his change! He could feel his powers, his core, _right there_... just ready to be used. He could even use his powers while human! So why could he not change back from his human form? Why couldn't he turn back to normal?!

He had exhausted himself and eventually cried himself to sleep when it all proved in vain.

But as he sat here now, thinking about all this, Danny knew he couldn't give up. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing. He had to change back so his father could keep everyone safe from the humans. He already knew he was too weak to do anything, but his father could make things better. But they needed to go home first! He needed to morph!

Danny glared at the ground as he realized his thoughts were just repeating in his mind over and over again. But then his mind stopped at what he heard his father tell his uncle last night…

_Vladimir exhaled quietly while he said with great distress, "I've tried to find a way to make it tolerable at least, but it has proven impossible. It will not work unless the device shocks his heart to stop and then jolts his core to life with electrical energy. It is the only way to force the change. But I can't do that to Daniel. I cannot hurt my son, Skulker."_

"_Do you think he will ever change on his own, then?"the Hunter ghost asked soberly._

"_Eventually. But… he is too young, Skulker. It will very likely take at least a few years for his core to mature enough—for his core to store up enough energy to make the change on its own. Right now his young body has no true need to take on his real form, especially not while in the Human World. Until he matures, his morphing ability will remain involuntary—directed by his body's instincts."_

_Skulker's eyebrows creased. "What will you do, then? Wait until he can change on his own? What will happen then? Your ability to blend among humans has been what has kept us safe from their attacks in the past. It has kept us one step-ahead of possible threats from them. Your leadership as King and Desiree's protective spell has been what has protected us from extinction and our home sealed from invasion… But now with the portals open and the direct threat of the humans, I don't know if our world can survive… I do not think we have a few years left… Not without you, Vlad. And especially not after what you have shown me…"_

"_I know, Skulker… I know." _

Danny reached for Matty and pulled her against him, hugging her. The cat, sensing his distress, purred and rubbed her head against his chest.

He was scared. From all he heard last night, he understood that the only way for them to go home before it was too late was for his father to use some device on him. But… his father had said it was really painful. And that terrified him. He didn't want to be hurt anymore…

But then his home and everyone in it was going to be hurt. It was either him or them…

Danny didn't know much about being a ruler or the responsibilities that came with it; but he now understood that being the Ghost Prince meant he was someday going take his father's place. He was going to be King someday. And he knew at least that the King was supposed to keep everyone safe. A King was brave and strong and powerful—everything he was not. But that's what everyone expected him to be some day. So, he couldn't let being scared of pain stop him from helping his home and everyone he cared about... He had to help, and this was really the only way.

Danny took a shaky breath and hugged his cat one last time before letting her go and standing up.

He felt his whole body quivering with repressed fear as he left the indoor garden in search of his father. Anĝela had yet to come; though she was supposedly coming today. He also knew Uncle Skulker was still around, but Danny had not seen him since breakfast that morning. Danny had been quiet throughout it, and both his father and the Hunter had noticed. But the boy had not wanted to talk about it right then, so he didn't tell them what had him upset. And eventually, his father had dropped the subject, though he had been keeping an eye on him since…

Still, it had been about an hour now that he had not even seen either his father or uncle.

But when Danny finally found his father in the kitchen, he was alone. He was clearly making their lunch, but Danny was too troubled to ask what they were eating—or where his uncle was…

"Father?" Danny called softly.

The older hybrid turned and smiled at his son. "Oh, there you are, little badger. Where were you?"

But Danny didn't reply; instead he walked up to him and raised his arms, silently asking his father to pick him up.

Vlad frowned. His almost-eight-year-old son rarely liked being carried anymore. So, the request was odd. But the man could tell his son was upset—especially when he had been quiet and withdrawn all day— so he didn't question it, and just picked him up. But when he felt the younger hybrid actually shaking, the older hybrid quickly tensed.

"Daniel…? What's wrong?"

Danny buried his face into his father's chest and whimpered as he tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to come out.

"Little badger? You're scaring me. What happened? Are you hurt?" Vlad questioned fearfully, forgetting the food and walking over to the kitchen table to place his son down.

But Danny refused to let go as he began to choke back sobs. Vlad sat down in a chair with him and rubbed his back. Had his son taken a nap and ended up having a nightmare? It was the only thing he could think of. But then again, his son had been troubled all day, and in spite his best effort, Daniel had not wanted to tell him why he was upset. But what could possibly have upset him this much since nothing unusual had happened today?

"Daddy?" Danny whispered. He pulled his face out of his father's chest and instead rested his right cheek against it.

"Yes, little badger?" Vlad replied hesitantly.

"I-I want you to do it," the child said in a quivering voice.

The human King's eyebrows creased and he gently pulled his son away enough to look at him. "Do what, Daniel? Why are you so upset?"

Danny lowered his gaze, though he felt more tears slide down his face. He had to be strong! He had to do this!

"I-I… I heard you and Uncle Skulker last night," he choked out. "I didn't mean to. I just came back 'cause I forgot Badgy, but then I heard you… and I know everyone is being hurt and that the humans want to destroy our home!"

The man's eyes grew wide, but he could not think of anything to say.

"I know you can't help because of me…," Danny whimpered this time. "Because I can't change back. Everyone is being hurt because of me!"

"No, Daniel. I have told you before: none of this is your fault! Little badger, you are as much a victim as all those innocent ghosts that have been hurt by the human's hate for us."

"But I'm the Ghost Prince!" Danny protested, surprising his father. "I'm supposed to be strong and brave and help everyone like you!"

Vlad chuckled sadly. "Oh, my son. You are still young. I know you love our kind and our home, and it's good that you feel a sense of responsibility towards them, but you are _not_ responsible for them. I am. You don't need to worry about this right now, alright? I will figure something out. You will see."

But Danny shook his head and said more determinedly, "No, we need to go home! And I don't want our home to be hurt anymore! I… I want you to make me change back!"

"I cannot make you change back, Daniel," Vlad replied seriously.

"_Jes_, you can!" Danny answered, his hands shaking. "I heard you tell Uncle Skulker about the device that can force me to change back! I want you to do it!"

Vlad's eyes widened once more, this time in fear. He finally understood what his son was getting at. And worse, why he was so frightened!

"No, Daniel!" Vladimir said right away. "You have no idea what you're asking for! You do not understand!

"That it's going to hurt? I-I don't care!" Danny replied, but the quiver in his voice said otherwise.

"No. No, I won't hurt you," the father said, beginning to look afraid himself. "I cannot do that."

Danny suddenly broke down, crying harder than he had when his father had punished him some months back. "Please, Daddy!" he begged. "I want to go home! I want everyone to be safe! I don't want anyone else to be hurt or killed because of me! Please change me back! Please!"

"Shh… Please calm down," Vladimir whispered as he pulled his son against him and held him tightly. "I know you're scared and confused, but… Oh, God, Daniel… I do not want to see you get hurt anymore. I cannot bear it, especially if I must be the one to cause you harm… Do not ask me to do that to you."

"Y-You said I am strong… Well, if that's true, then that means I can do this!" Danny countered in a shaky voice, though his words were spoken with true wisdom and courage.

Vlad stared back at his son, and seeing something beyond his age, some form of determination just glowing behind his innocence and fear… It was enough to give Vlad his own courage to do what he knew needed to be done.

"It's going to hurt a lot… Are you sure?" Vlad asked quietly, caressing one of his son's wet cheeks.

Danny nodded back.

Vlad smiled sadly. "My brave little Phantom…"

Danny grinned weakly and quickly hugged his father. Just hearing that endearment suddenly gave him even more courage. He could just hear his mother's voice behind his father's own, whispering how proud she was of him, too.

"I promise it will be quick. You are going to be alright," his father muttered, though it sounded like he was trying to comfort himself, too.

"You're going to be with me, right?" Danny quietly asked back, suddenly feeling just as unsure.

"Of course. I won't leave you for a second. I swear," Vlad answered.

Danny nodded and phased his hand through his father's clothes to touch his symbol. At least he wouldn't have to keep doing this once he was a ghost again.

He soon felt his father do the same, and they both just silenced, seeking comfort through their energy and touch instead of words.

After some minutes, though, Danny spoke up with an unexpected question, "Daddy, if we leave, then… What about Matty? Can she come with us?"

Vladimir sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, little badger, but she cannot. She would get sick if we took her to the Ghost World. She's not meant to live there…"

"What's going to happen to her?" Danny whimpered.

Vlas was quiet for a moment before replying, "Well, I would make sure she was well taken care of at the castle back in Wisconsin. Maybe Carl could take care of her for you."

"But she doesn't like Carl!" Danny protested.

"I'm sure she would warm up to him eventually. If not, there are plenty of others who could care for her. And you now know I make occasional trips to the Human World, so I would make sure she was happy and healthy…. I promise. Matty will be fine."

"I won't see her again…," Danny whispered, the realization dawning on him.

Vlad sighed again. "No, Daniel… Once you return home, you will never again step foot in this world. I will not risk you being hurt again."

Danny thought about that, about what that meant. He wouldn't just not see Matty again, he also would never see the stars again. He would never get to have ice cream or ride a horse or even… play pranks on Carl. And now, there was no chance that he would ever see Sam and Tuck again. But as much as that sadden him—because there were some things he had grown to love about the Human World—the thought of not seeing everyone back home was more frightening. He wanted to go home more than anything else, even if it meant never returning here.

Pulling away and smiling, he finally answered, "Okay, Daddy."

Vlad smiled back before saying, "Alright, well, let's eat and then we will talk to Anĝela and Uncle Skulker about this. We can then decide when to… make you change back to your real form…"

Danny swallowed but nodded.

Vlad put his son on the chair and went back to preparing their lunch. However, his mind was overwhelmed with the thought of hurting his son. He had agreed to it, but he wasn't sure if he would be able to go through with it.

Meanwhile, Danny was feeling just as unsure. He hoped he didn't back out. His fear of being hurt was bringing back unwanted memories and it made this even harder for him.

* * *

It was dark and cold… Too cold. The cold here was strange, not like the usual cold you felt on a winter's day. This cold penetrated his soul, like it attacked him from the inside out, instead of vice-versa.

He knew he should be dead. In some ways, he was. He had lost all perception of time. He couldn't even tell if it was day or night since in this demon world, no real light existed. Not that it would matter anyways. He was inside a sealed cell with no windows and a single steel door that when shut blended into the rest of the cell. There was nothing here, except for the occasional plate of food thrown at him by the guards and a wooden-type box meant for him to relieve himself. He didn't know how it worked, but it would almost magically clean itself out. It would have been an interesting thing—technology-wise—if he wasn't being held a prisoner.

Damon sighed and closed his eyes as he pressed his head back against the steel wall. He had heard horror stories about how the old Ghost King would abduct human victims and bring them into places like these to be experimented on and tortured them, and do who knows what other inhumane things to them.

He just never thought he would find himself as one of those unfortunate victims.

Part of him had wanted to curl up and die; but the part that thought of his poor daughter had forced him not to give up in spite of the physical and mental torture he had endured since he was brought to this place. His Valerie needed him. And though his logical side told him he was not getting out of here alive, his heart stayed focused on his little girl. He had to return to her.

Damon knew he was already broken, but at least that single hope was intact in him.

He was relieved that the torturing had significantly lessened. That pale-faced monster that loved to come in and harm him had surprisingly let up. At some point, Damon had thought the ghost was going to hurt him until his death. But for several months now, the ghost Warden would rarely torture him, and he was feeding him regularly now. Not exactly enough for him to put on the weight he had lost in here, but enough to keep him from starving.

But Damon wasn't sure if that was entirely good news. The evil creature was suddenly interested in keeping him alive. But… what for? What was he planning?

Damon opened his eyes, though he could see nothing. If it wasn't for the guards that would come in with green-glowing torches to bring his food, the man would be sure he was blind. The darkness here was so abnormal. It wasn't of the Human World. Here it was pure darkness.

No wonder these evil creatures thrived here. It was meant for them.

But in times like this when he had enough will and strength to think about things, Damon thought a lot of what had happened. In the end, it wasn't a ghost that was responsible for his misfortune.

It was a human.

Thomas Chrome had landed him here.

If there was anything he regretted, it was letting that horrible man talk him into helping him. He should have never gotten involved in this. The ghost hunter was worse than any ghost could be. He was a heartless man who had held no remorse of turning in one of his own kind to these vicious ghost creatures.

But were they _all_ vicious creatures?

Damon had learned that ghosts could certainly be vicious and evil—as monstrous as could be, in fact. The creature that was in charge of this prison was full proof of that, but…

What of the two ghosts Tom had captured at Axions—the Ghost Prince and the Ghost Queen? They had been getting tortured as he was now. They had been helpless victims of Thomas Chrome, just like he…

That poor little ghost boy. He had been only a child, and what Tom had done to him was unspeakable… He couldn't help but think of his own daughter, and he shivered at the mere thought of Valerie being harmed like the Prince had been…

And the Queen… She had begged him, pleaded him, to save her child. She had been a desperate and defenseless mother weeping for the life of her son…

Damon had stopped seeing them as ghosts from that moment and started seeing them as the vulnerable mother and child that they were. He had had no choice but to stand up to Tom, and try to stop that injustice—the inhumanity!

But that had brought him to where he was now. Still, he knew he could not have done any differently.

Unfortunately, Damon was sure his protests against Tom's doings were in vain. He had surely killed the mother and son… and perhaps even the King.

Damon felt like such a fool! He had allowed himself to be brainwashed by people like Tom—ignorant people who thought all ghosts were evil without ever trying to learn the truth.

But Damon could now see it. The Ghost World had not stopped attacking humans because they were 'plotting' something worse. No, the new Ghost King had simply not wanted to fight anymore. He had wanted to leave them alone so that they could be left alone, too…

Damon was now sure this new Ghost King was not an evil monster. He was good. And… And Damon had helped the _real_ evil monster to destroy this benevolent creature's life, his family, and home. In a way, he knew was just as responsible and terrible as Thomas Chrome.

It was a regret Damon would have to live with for whatever remained of his life.

"Valerie…," he whispered in the darkness as tears gathered in his eyes. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Two days later, Vlad was in the lab with Skulker. The millionaire had had to make some calls and cancel some pending meetings before he could risk returning home. He had informed his secretaries that he would be going to Germany for an undetermined about of time, and he trusted they would keep things in order as he always instructed them to do. He even had called Carl and ordered him to come by tomorrow morning to pick up Matty and take her back to Wisconsin. The maids and other staff at the house would tend to her.

All was in order for Vladimir Masters to disappear off the human radar once more.

But for the father, these past days had been absolute torture. He was terrified of what he was going to do to his son. In fact, Vlad had hoped for, even suggested to, his son to retract from his noble intention. He assured the child that he didn't have to do this. Vlad could just find another way of helping their kind…

But his son would not turn back on his decision. Vlad wasn't sure if it was determination or plain stubbornness. But whatever the case, he had never been more awed by his son. He really _was_ strong.

With everything now in order, Vlad decided to do it tonight when he knew everyone back home would be in their homes, asleep. He didn't want anyone in the Ghost World knowing of their return right away. He needed to first make sure his son would be alright. After all, he couldn't predict how the child's body would react after being forced to change, especially when the last time Daniel had been ghost, his core had been dying.

"I have to say, Plasmius… Your son is one of a kind…," Skulker suddenly said, breaking the silence.

They were currently rechecking the Maximus one last time. They wanted to make sure it was working properly. The charges needed to be strong enough to make the child change, but they wanted to keep it as weak as possible to avoid any unneeded harm.

"I don't think any child his age would willingly choose to go through pain to help others…," he continued. "It's almost heroic, if you think about it."

Vladimir nodded. "I am very proud of him," he said quietly, though sincerely. "I am just not sure if I should allow him to do this… He's a child, Skulker. He isn't…"

"—mature enough to make decisions?" Skulker finished for him. "Why not, Plasmius? He might be a child, but he is no longer blind to the cruelty of the world or to the evil of the humans. I think he understands now the danger they pose to our home. And he understands that his home needs their King and Prince to return. I think that makes him mature enough to at least make the right choice for everyone."

"I swore he wouldn't be hurt again…," Vlad said, staring at the Maximus in his friend's hands.

"Some hurt is necessary, Plasmius," Skulker answered sadly. "But your son will get through it, especially with such a protective father on his side." The Hunter smiled encouragingly when he saw his troubled friend look at him, and added, "Your support gives him the strength to endure it. And that is what he needs now. You need to hide your uncertainty, and show you believe he can do this, too."

The human Ghost King sighed deeply, but nodded. "You're right…" Pushing down his fear, he asked, "Are you almost finished?"

Skulker looked over the two battery-like energy components inside the Maxmius one last time. The combination of Anĝela's special energy and Vlad's electrical-blue energy would certainly do the trick. He was impressed with his friend's ability to reverse the effects of the device so efficiently. Skulker internally just hoped that the Prince's core was strong enough. He was worried, too, of course. But he was also convinced that the Ghost Prince could go through anything. He had survived all his misfortunes when others would have not. The child could do this. Skulker was at least sure of that.

Closing the battery compartment, Skulker then pressed a button and activated the Maximus. The humming of charging energy instantly sounded and soon there was two small blue and gold currents moving back and forth between the prongs.

"It's ready, Plasmius…," Skulker said, turning it off and extending it to his friend.

Vladimir hesitated but still grabbed the device. However, just then Anĝela walked into the lab with Danny.

Anĝela had wanted to check the child over one last time before they went through with this. And she had come prepared in case something happened.

"Doesn't he look handsome?" she said with an encouraging smile at the child beside her. She knew once he turned into a ghost, his human clothing would not stay on his ghost body. So, he had also brought some ghostly clothing for the child.

Vlad and Skulker looked at the Prince.

Danny wore a shimmering cloak that covered him from head to toe. There was a black strip outlining the otherwise silvery white cloak, while the underside of the cloak was black with silvery white trim. Black hair poked out of the white hood on his head, and he was only wearing a pair of loose black pants on his body. The entire outfit had a unique gold hue surrounding it.

Clearly, the clothing was Anĝela's own design, and the gold hue was temporary. It momentarily allowed the _human_ boy to wear the ghostly clothing; but once the child was ghost, the spell would vanish and the clothing would just naturally cling to the Prince's ghostly body.

"Quite fetching, whelp," Skulker complimented when Vlad didn't say anything.

Danny, who was staring down at his unseen feet, looked up at his uncle. And seeing the heartening smile on his face, the boy relaxed a bit and smiled back. He liked the clothing, too. It felt more natural, especially when he didn't have to wear a shirt. But he was too scared to feel excited about anything right now, and too sad about having to leave his friend Matty to say anything. Of course, he had said his good-bye to the cat, but it hurt to know he would never see her again...

The Prince turned his eyes to his father, but they were quickly diverted to the device in the man's hand. The boy tensed all over again when he saw how menacing the device looked. He felt his core stirring the connection he had with his father, and it took all his control not to let it activate from how afraid he was.

And yet, Danny didn't manage to control it completely because Vlad instantly felt his son's link within, alerting him of the child's barely controlled fear.

It only made the father more stressed. In fact, he didn't realize he was starting to shake. But Skulker did.

Grabbing the wrist of the hand holding the device, the Hunter called, "Vlad?"

The King slowly ripped his eyes away from his son to look at the ghost.

Skulker frowned in worry. Maybe it wasn't the Prince but the King for whom he should be concerned. The Hunter ghost was now doubting Plasmius could even do this…

"I can do it, if you want…," Skulker said quietly.

But Vlad quickly shook his head and phased his hand from his friend's hold. "No… He will take it better if I do it…. I'll do it." But his confirmation was directed more to himself, as if he needed to convince his own mind and heart that he could go through with this.

"Alright…," Skulker answered, though he still looked doubtful. "We will be right outside, then…"

He placed a hand on the King's shoulder before walking towards the lab's exit. But he paused in front of the Prince and placed a hand against his now exposed chest. He watched as the star-like green symbol appeared, and the child looked up at him.

Danny smiled, not needing to hear his uncle say how proud he was of him when he could feel it in his touch.

Skulker removed his hand all too soon, and gestured at Anĝela to follow.

"Good luck, my brave Ghost Prince," she whispered warmly before leaving, too.

Now alone, Danny and Vlad looked back at each other. The boy had never seen his father so tense, maybe fearful, and he didn't like it. It made him feel even worse.

But as if sensing it, Vlad forced himself to calm down and he smiled tenderly at his son. "Ready to go home?" he asked, as if it was something simple.

Danny nodded quietly.

"Come here, then," Vlad said encouragingly.

The boy walked over to his father who kneeled down beside him. The man placed down the Maximus for a moment and pushed off the hood on his son's head. He ran his fingers through Danny's messy locks and gazed thoughtfully at him.

"Do you trust me?" he suddenly asked the young hybrid, and brought a hand up to touch the boy's core.

"_Jes_…," Danny said right away. But then he said, "Are you scared, Daddy?"

But though it was a question, Vlad knew the child could feel the truth. The man's eyebrows creased as he whispered back, "I'm afraid for you, little Phantom."

"I'm scared, too…," Danny admitted. "But…" He smiled. "I'm strong, remember?"

The human King smiled. How ironic was it that his young son was trying to comfort him instead of the other way around?

"Yes, you are," the older half-ghost replied, feeling a sense of certainty wash over him. "Your mother would be proud…"

But before the child could answer, Vlad sat on his folded legs and then brought the boy into his arms. Danny quickly pressed into him, as if trying to disappear into his father's strong arms.

The older hybrid just held the younger one for a long moment, as the father pleaded in his mind, _"Help me do this, Desiree…" _

Feeling one of his father's hands move off him, Danny whimpered and shut his eyes. His father had not told him what would happen, and he preferred not to know. But he was really scared.

"Don't let me go, Daddy. Don't let me go," he pleaded as he began to shake.

"Of course not," Vlad assured him, his voice no longer sounding frightened but comforting. "I'm with you, my son. I love you, Daniel…"

He repeated those same words as he activated the Maximus, its humming echoing loudly in both their ears. But when his father assured him yet again how much he loved him, the device's menacing sound faded away, and Danny could just hear his father's soothing words.

With the promise that everything would be fine, Vlad did the hardest thing he had ever had to do in his life…

Meanwhile, Anĝela and Skulker were waiting nervously outside. The female was so upset that her wings were ruffled with anxiety.

"It is so unfair, Skulker," she said sadly. "Why must fate be so cruel? As if the Prince and King have not suffered enough…"

"If only this would be the end of their troubles, Anĝela," Skulker said with a sigh. "But I have a feeling this is only the beginning. They will be returning to so much. And if our home did not need the King, I would prefer they remained here…"

"We must remain hopeful," Anĝela said, forcing her despair away. "We must trust that love will prevail, and as long as the King and Prince remain together, I am certain they can get through anything. And we will be there to help them, too."

Skulker looked at the female ghost and smiled. "Thank you, Anĝela… Thank you for all your help and support. But most of all, thank you for keeping the King and Prince's secret."

"No need for that, Skulker," Anĝela replied. "I could not have done differently."

The two smiled at each other, but both of their faces fell right away since what they were waiting for weighed heavily upon them. They didn't wait all too long.

Skulker tensed and clenched his fists, while Anĝela wrapped her wings around herself as they heard the Prince's loud scream of pain. It seemed to echo through the entire house, and it gripped their cores with agony.

But knowing they could not freeze up, the two forced themselves to swallow down their sadness, and quickly moved to head back into the lab as soon as the screaming stopped.

They came in time to see white rings appear around Danny's waist and quickly split away from each other. In a single second the little human boy being held in his father's arms morphed into the Ghost Prince.

Danny didn't seem to be aware of it, though. He sobbed loudly, barely hearing his father's quiet apologies and soothing words. His body was hurting so badly, but most of all, his core. It was confused and shocked by the violation it had just suffered.

Anĝela and Skulker walked up to the hybrids still on the ground.

Vlad seemed lost in his own emotional turmoil as he continued to plea for his son to forgive him.

"Plasmius?" Skulker called to him, but the King would not even acknowledge his presence. "Vlad," he called a bit loudly, grabbing one of the man's shaking shoulders.

The human Ghost King seemed to snap out of it at last, and he looked up at his friend, but he didn't say anything. Skulker once again was reminded of how emotionally unstable his friend was. He really was afraid the older hybrid would snap if he was forced to continue to endure such painful burdens.

"Anĝela needs to see your son," Skulker said slowly. "It worked. Did you see?"

Vlad turned his eyes back to his son, and finally realized his son was a ghost again. The man closed his eyes and continued to hold the crying Danny in his arms. Vlad knew he would never forget his poor son's scream of pain from just now. It was sure to be one of the many things to haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Sire, I must insist. Your son's ghostly hue is too weak. I need to check his core."

But as if to prove her right, Danny's cries faded away and his hold on his father relaxed.

"Daniel?" Vlad quickly asked as he pulled his son from him to look at his face.

His eyes widened when he saw the child's eyes were barely opened, and… his symbol was going out.

"Anĝela?" Vlad said fearfully, standing to his height.

The ghost doctor quickly took the ghost child from the King and touched his core. But not liking what she was feeling, she grabbed a prepared shot from a pocket in her cloak and injected the child on his shoulder.

Danny didn't even feel it from how out of it he was. He was so dizzy and weak he felt like just going to sleep. And he was about to do just that when he heard Anĝela ask him to stay awake.

"Anĝela? Tell me what's wrong with him?" Vlad begged, growing more and more anxious by the second. If his son ended up dying because of him…

"Please calm down, King Plasmius," Anĝela asked, as she allowed her hand still on the child's symbol to glow with blue energy. "I suspected this would happen. Your son's core has been dormant for a year now and though it has healed from the poison that almost destroyed it, it is still weak and it is not regenerating its own energy. I injected a dose of pure energy. It will help for now, but we need to get him home quickly. His core needs the energy-rich environment to help it recover. But if we wait too long I am afraid he will become human again and all this would have been for naught."

"Then, let's get him home," Vlad said, his determination setting in. But instead of changing himself and taking his barely conscious son from the doctor, he moved over to the portal's consol and commanded it to open the portal doors.

"Sire?" Anĝela asked, confused.

"Go on ahead without me," the man ordered calmly. "I will follow in a minute. I just need to shut down this lab to keep it safe."

Skulker and Anĝela hesitated, but they did so.

Once alone, Vlad walked over to the Maximus on the ground and picked it up. His breathing grew raged and he gripped the Maximus with such force it was a miracle it did not break in two. But though tears began to spill down his face, the King's eyes were red with anger. He suddenly screamed in anguish, and though he wanted to throw the horrible device in his hand across the room, he did not.

Instead, he abruptly activated the Maximus and used it on himself. He clenched his teeth to bite back a cry of pain, but still dropped to his knees as the device forced his own change. He, of course, could turn human and ghost at will. But if his son had to endure the agony of the device, he certainly would, too.

He slowly stood back up, and resisted once more the urge to break the blasted device. He knew it was a valuable tool. He forced himself to put it away in a safe place before he floated towards the mainframe to finally shut-down the lab as he had said. But something stopped him.

"Meow…"

Vlad turned and stared at the cat sitting on the top of the lab's stairs. He had no idea how she had gotten inside, but her ears were pressed back in distress. Yet, she didn't seem afraid of him. She somehow knew that the blue-skinned creature was her older master.

Vlad walked over to the cat before bending forward and petting her. He then flew her out of the lab and to his private study.

"Good-bye, Matty. Thank you for keeping Daniel company. I'll see you soon."

The cat meowed sadly in response, but her master still vanished, leaving her all alone.

Shutting the lab and securing it at last, Plasmius finally went to the Ghost Portal. He didn't hesitate to fly into it. And as it shut behind him and was hid within a Nova, he stared at his surroundings, finally seeing his home after a year.

They were finally home. But that meant…

He could not pretend anymore.

* * *

**Translations:**

**1. I have not forgotten.**

**Notes:**

**Well, I hope you all liked it! Danny and Vlad are going home at last! Now, we just have two more chapters before the big jump! Yay! **

**So, my next update with be this story, but it won't be for at least a month. I have to take my GRE exam this month for graduate school, and I need to focus totally on that! Pray that I can a great score!**

**Well, thank you all for reading and your support. It means a lot to me, especially now-a-days that I barely have time to write anymore, let alone reply to reviews. But I love them so. It helps me see people still are following my work! So, please review! Makes my day!**

**Ta for now, my dear readers!**


	44. Chapter 42: Domino Effect Part 1

**Hello, everyone! Did you miss me? I sure missed you all! But I am done with my school stuff and back with an update! Turns out this chapter ended up coming out too long—what else is new, right? So, I split it in two parts, hence the 'Part 1' on the title. But the good news is that the next part is already written out. I just gotta edit and get it beta-ed. So, expect another update in a few days. Enjoy! This one is an 'interesting' one, if I say so myself!**

**Summary:**

**Last chapter, Tom took Gregor to see Valerie at her new home with her newly adoptive parents. Everyone believes Damon Gray is dead, when in reality, he is being held captive by Walker in his prison. Using this to his advantage, Tom has plans for the two kids, and it seems Valerie's adoptive parents might know something about it. Meanwhile, the Fentons captured one of Walker's guards and 'interrogated' him. They were able to get some information from him; but not as much as they had hoped. However, they are discovering things about the ghost world in quick succession thanks to the Specter Speeder and their secret travels into the Ghost World. Two of the more important finds is the Energy Novas and how they produce raw energy that feeds the ghost world. The second is the caves which they hid the opening to their man-made portal. The caves have an abundant supply of ecto-radium which is harmful to ghosts in its pure form. But in the mixed form as it is in the ghostly caves, it simply blocks ghost powers, but humans can go right through it; in other words, it is harmless to humans. Finally, Danny learned that there was a way to make him turn into a ghost again, and although it would be painful, he asked his father to do it, because he is beginning to understand the dangerous situation their world is in. Knowing there is no other way, Vlad does the unthinkable and uses the Maximus on Danny. It works, but Danny's core is weak after being dormant for an entire year; so Vlad, Skulker, and Angela quickly return to the ghost world with a barely conscious Danny in their hands… **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom; but this AU plot and its OCs are my own.**

* * *

**Chapter 42: Domino Effect Part I**

* * *

By the time the King had caught up with Skulker, Anĝela, and his son last night, they had already made it to the castle. Anĝela had stayed for another hour or so beside the Prince to make sure he would not take a turn for the worst. Fortunately, the ghost boy's core had slowly stabilized, and he seemed to be doing better.

So, eventually, Anĝela had retired to her temporary dormitory in the castle since she wanted to stay close to Danny for at least another day. But much to Vlad's surprise, Skulker had decided to head home instead of staying overnight at the castle, which was typical of the hunter when they were on a trip together and arrived late at night.

However, the King was too worn to really question his friend on the issue. Instead, the father had stayed at his son's side throughout the night. And though Vlad was exhausted, he was too worried and too restless to sleep.

Eventually, morning came in the Ghost World, and most of its inhabitants were still unaware of their King and Prince's arrival. But for now, this was best; because while Danny slept on in his room, Vlad's anxiety only seemed to grow…

He knew why that was, but he was not ready to come to terms with his reality. And yet, the King soon found himself walking out of his son's room and moving towards another…

He paused as he reached the hallway that led to both his and his wife's private rooms. He only briefly glanced at his own before floating over to his wife's. As if afraid to disturb someone in the room, he softly turned the door handle and floated it.

He moved forward at an oddly calm pace, looking almost as if there was nothing amiss. But when he arrived at the actual bedroom, he paused and looked around at the quiet and empty room. His eyes finally landed on the bed and noticed his wife had left her nightgown on top of it.

It seemed nothing had been touched even after a year. But Vlad knew by the lack of dust that the maids at least had come in to clean the room. It just seemed they had been unwilling to do anything more—probably out of respect or mourning.

His eyebrows creasing, the older hybrid floated forward. He gently grabbed his wife's nightgown before he sat down on the bed. He hunched forward as he touched the piece of fabric, focusing on its silky texture. He remembered this was actually one that he had picked out and bought for her. She always said it was her favorite.

Closing his eyes, he pressed the piece of clothing against his face, and felt his core clench with pain at realizing it still smelled like her.

But feeling his weakly-constructed calm bravado beginning to crumble, he gripped harder against the nightgown in the hopes of keeping strong. However, as his wife's scent penetrated his being once more, his body began to shake and the lights in the room began to flicker unsteadily. He could feel himself falling apart.

But knowing what that could mean, he exhaled sharply and abruptly put the nightgown back on the bed and stood back up. He glanced up at the still flickering lights before passing a hand through his hair and willing himself to regain control of his powers.

It took a moment but the lights eventually steadied again. Taking a breath he didn't really need, he floated over to his wife's dresser. There were a few things on top; and yet, what Vlad noticed first was his wife's hairbrush with a few strands of her rich black hair still clinging to it.

The older hybrid did not dare pick it up. Instead, he grabbed his wife's jewelry box and opened it. It had been the reason he had even dared to come here. He wanted to get something for his son…

Vlad quickly spotted what he had been looking for: his wife's crystal necklace. But it wasn't like the one Desiree had made for Danny. After all, _that_ crystal necklace had been made out of Danny's ice energy, and given powers through Clockwork and Desiree.

No, this necklace was the one they always wore to engagements. Vlad, Desiree, and Danny all had one, and they all looked exactly the same, except for the size. It always reacted to their cores. So when worn, the clear crystal—which was circular in shape—changed to the color of the wearer's core and reflected the symbol it covered.

But as Vlad picked up the necklace, he caught sight of _something else_ in the jewelry box. His eyes widened as he picked up the human-bracelet that his infant son had worn when he first brought Daniel into the Ghost World. It was still partly corroded from the concentrated Ectoplasmic Energy that had fallen on the human infant, and in turn had also fallen on the bracelet he had worn that fateful night. Yet, he could still see the name 'Daniel' written on the nameplate.

Vlad frowned with uncertainty and confusion. How did his wife acquire this? Wait. That's right. She had taken it from his private room. But… she had told him she had destroyed it. Why would she lie to him? More importantly, why would she keep it?

The King's hand began to glow with energy at feeling a sudden need to destroy such dangerous evidence of his son's origin. But… something stopped him.

He suddenly realized that if his wife had kept the human bracelet, it had to have had some importance to her, especially if she had resorted to keeping the truth from him. She had probably been afraid he would not have approved. But Vlad suddenly understood when he remembered about his gift to his wife on their anniversary. He remembered it as vividly as if it had happened only moments ago in the simulation room he had constructed at the castle. He had turned human for his wife and they had embraced. But also, with the help of Nocturne's spell, he had been able to share his memory of their son's human-half in that simulation room. Before then, the bracelet had been the only thing she had had to give her a sense of connecting with that part of their child.

Vlad sighed as he closed his hand around the small piece of jewelry, and his energy went out. He thought it over for another moment before he placed Daniel's human bracelet back into his wife's jewelry box. Of course, he didn't want his son to ever find it. But even if he would, Daniel would never be able to associate the human bracelet with any significant truth. Perhaps the fact that it had his name would strike the boy odd, but what could that prove? Nothing.

Still, it was better to play it safe. Picking up the jewelry box, Vlad turned the lock on it, and placed it down. Only his wife could open it now. So, there was no way anyone else would ever open it again.

He placed the box back in its place and walked out of the room with his wife's necklace in one of his hands. But as he reached the hallway again, he paused and glanced towards his and Desiree's matrimonial chamber at the end of it.

He floated in that direction, knowing it was time to face reality. He had to make himself understand that he wasn't going to find his wife asleep in their room ever again. But as he stood in front of the room, he hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to open the room and step in.

He gripped harder against the crystal necklace in his hand before he forced himself to go in. He wanted to still pretend his wife was here and waiting for him after one of his trips to the Human World. He would give almost anything to be able to continue _pretending_…. But for how long could he even do that now that he was back home?

No, it was best to just do this now.

But the moment he walked in and saw their empty bed, he knew it was too soon.

He took a shuddering breath, before he shook his head. "No… I-I can't."

As if suddenly afraid, he shakily turned back around and exited the room. He clenched his teeth as he felt his emotions wanting to take control of him. But he couldn't let that happen. There were more important things to deal with than his feelings of despair and loss.

He quickly floated back towards his son's room, knowing that once he was with him, he could at least push back all thoughts of Desiree.

He entered the room, and he slowly began to relax again at the sight of his slumbering son. Cujo was at the edge of the bed and had looked up when Vlad had opened the door.

The bi-polar puppy wagged his tail at the King; but Vlad raised a finger to his lips to signal to the creature not to make any noise.

The King was unaware that Cujo had only just returned to the castle yesterday. The dog had been keeping Ember company ever since those tragic events a year ago. But Skulker knew Cujo would be eager to see the Prince, and vice-versa. So, the hunter had returned him to the castle.

The older hybrid carefully sat at the edge of the younger one's bed before he glanced down at his wife's necklace still in his hand. He had thought of getting it because he knew how sad his son was about losing the crystal necklace his mother had made him. Of course, this simple one wouldn't replace that special one; but since it had been Desiree's, it was something.

Being careful not to rouse the child, Vlad lifted the boy's head off the pillow just enough to get one end of the gold chain behind Daniel's neck. Once he got it around, he clipped the chain in place to the other end and then grabbed the circular crystal and moved it around the chain until the pendant was resting against his son's symbol. He watched how the clear rock began to slowly turn green with his son's energy. And yet, the crystal had this pinkish outline, and the King knew it was the remnant of his wife's energy which had so often warmed the precious rock…

With sigh, Vlad gently pushed aside the boy's messy hair from his face. He briefly studied him, and was relieved to see his son looked a lot better than he had last night. His almost-non-existent ghost hue was now all but back to its healthy glow. He also looked very peaceful. The last time he had seen his son look this peaceful had been when their small family still consisted of three members… It seemed that subconsciously his son looked like he was glad to be home.

Even when it was emotionally painful, Vlad was also relieved to be home. He could now deal with his duties and responsibilities as King. He could address the human threat. And perhaps even solve the issue of all the open ghost portals… There just might be a way _he_ could control them somewhat… He wasn't sure yet; which was why he needed to speak with Frostbite and Horris at once. Then, he had to go see Walker to—

His son suddenly stirred, and Vlad smiled when he saw Daniel's eyes flutter open. The little hybrid had not woken up since he had fainted on their way back home. Luckily, since they had been in the Ghost World, his son had remained in his ghost form…

"Good Morning, Son," the King softly said as he placed a hand on the child's chest.

Danny stared sleepily at his father as his mind worked to regain full awareness. But it was all murky, so it took him a moment to understand what his father had said.

But just as he was going to reply, a big yawn escaped him. He was unaware of how his retractable fangs drew out as a result; though they just as quickly slid back into his gums again.

Vlad smiled a little more at the sight.

"Mm… Morning, Daddy," the Prince finally said, smiling back at his father as he lightly stretched. But then he rubbed his eyes as his mind fully focused, and he briefly looked at his surroundings.

The ghost boy's eyes widened as he whispered out, "I'm in my room…"

Vlad knew that by 'his room' the boy referred to his room in the _Ghost World._

"Yes… We're home," Vlad answered. "And… I think someone wants to welcome you home…"

He glanced at Cujo who had been eagerly watching his companion, and hearing the King's words, he took it as permission to finally get close to the Prince.

Danny gasped as Cujo was quickly on top of him licking happily at his face and hands.

"Cujo!" Danny squeaked out, but then he wrapped his arms around the puppy and said, "I missed you!"

Cujo barked back some response, and Danny giggled. Excited, the boy tried to sit up, only to gasp and fall back on the bed as he suddenly felt very weak.

"Daniel!" Vlad gasped in alarm. He then shooed Cujo away as he hovered closer to the boy. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Danny blinked back the spots in his eyes. "I-I'm okay… I'm just dizzy all the sudden."

Vlad frowned worriedly as he noticed his son's symbol had dimmed a bit. Perhaps the boy's core was not fully recovered after all. Anĝela had said it could take a few days for his son to get completely better again.

The older hybrid sighed and placed a hand against the child's symbol. He then let his blue energy seep into his son's body.

Danny closed his eyes in response to the soothing energy touching his core.

"Are you hungry, little Phantom? I think some food will help you feel better," Vlad suggested.

Danny cracked his eyes open as he slurred in response, "No… I'm just sleepy again. Can I eat later?"

Vlad's eyebrows creased, but he nodded. "Alright. Go back to sleep then, my dear boy."

He stared worriedly at Danny; but he also felt torn. He didn't want to leave his son, especially now that the King could see he wasn't fully recuperated. But… Vlad really needed to attend to his responsibilities…

He sighed. "Daniel?"

Danny's eyes slowly opened again and he stared tiredly at his father.

"I will have to leave you for a moment. I need to go do some things. But Cujo will be with you, and I will tell Dora to bring you a big breakfast once you wake again. Anĝela should come to check on you, too, once she wakes up. I want you to stay in bed, alright? I'll be back as soon as I can…"

Danny slightly nodded. He heard what his father said, but his mind was too tired to protest to anything.

And yet when Vlad intended to move his hand from the child so he could get more comfortable and sleep, Danny suddenly placed a hand on top of his, stopping him.

"Can you keep doing that and stay until I fall asleep?" he asked quietly.

"Of course," the older hybrid replied, and continued to caress the younger one's core with blue energy.

Eventually, the Prince nodded off, and Vlad carefully removed his hand from him. He slowly moved off the bed before glancing at Cujo and quietly ordering, "Stay with him. Do not leave him alone for a second."

The puppy wagged his tail in response.

With a last worried glance at his son, Vlad reluctantly left.

Closing the room's door behind him, Vlad floated down the hall towards Dora's room. But when he got there and knocked, he was surprised that he got no response.

He tried again, but no one answered.

"Odd. Is she awake already?" he muttered to himself. Then again, it was around seven already… Dora had always been an early riser.

Believing the female ghost was indeed just awake and somewhere else in the castle, Vlad moved off towards the kitchen; but before he could get there, he ran into two special ghosts.

"**My King!"** Wulf suddenly beamed and tackled Vlad in a hug.

Plasmius grunted at the constricting bear hug. Still, he then smiled and hugged back the large ghost. "It's good to see you, too, my friend."

Wulf pulled back and suddenly gave the older hybrid a big lick on the face.

The King cringed and half-annoyed half-jokingly said, "However, I cannot say I missed _that_… Honestly, must you do that, Wulf?"

Wulf grinned wider in response. Oh, how he missed his King!

However, another voice quickly replied, "You should know by now, my liege, that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks—let alone teach it new mannerisms…"

Wulf growled as he moved away to glare lightly at Fright Knight. But Vlad only smiled warmly. "Perhaps… But I am still hopeful for Wulf… And you, my good warrior? How are you?"

Fright Knight stepped forward before kneeling in front of the King on one knee and bowing his head. "Now that my own eyes can testify of your return and wellbeing, I can say my core is once again sound and at peace, sire. But it is also burden for your loss, my King… Please accept my deepest condolences."

With his ears sagging, Wulf whined in agreement.

Vlad smiled sadly at the large ghost dog before he squatted down in front of the ghost knight, and placed a hand on one of his loyal friend's shoulder. He replied, "Thank you, Fright Knight. I am also relieved to see you both are safe and sound."

Fright Knight nodded, and placed one of his own hands on the King's opposite shoulder. He dared not say anything else in fear that he would break character—after all, he was a knight. And knights were strong and in control of their emotions.

As if guessing his thoughts, Vlad smiled even more before standing back up. Fright Knight rose up after him, and Wulf then excitedly asked, "How is the Prince, sire? Can we see him?"

Vlad's smile faltered slightly as he replied, "Daniel is in his room, asleep. So, you might have to see him a bit later. He needs to rest since he has not fully recovered."

But then the King paused as he remembered what he was about to do, "But since you are both here, I do need a favor. It is important that the High Council meets. There are several things I must discuss with them, and it cannot wait a day more. Could you both go to the prison and tell Walker to have his guards send word to the council members that I request their presence at the High Tribunal at seven tonight? I am aware that this is short notice; so you would both do me an even greater favor if you could also assist Walker's guards with the task. With your abilities to travel great distances so quickly, it will be possible to hold this meeting."

"Consider it done, my liege," Fright Knight answered. "We shall make haste to the Kingdom's reformatory and deliver your message to Warden Walker."

"And we'll also help to make sure everyone gets the message," Wulf added, and willed out his large special claws for emphasis.

"Thank you. Now I must leave you both. I have my own errands to run, and it will likely take me several hours; especially when I must make the long travel to the Far Frozen to see Frostbite. But it is imperative that I speak to him at once about the portals." Vlad paused suddenly as he remembered something and said mostly to himself, "Actually, I first need to find Dora. Anĝela is here; but until she wakes up, I need to make sure someone can look after Daniel…"

He focused back on his friends to ask them if they had seen the dragon maid. However, the instant he saw how tense they suddenly were, the question died on his lips, and he instead asked, "What's wrong?"

"Um…," Wulf muttered; but then his ears flattened against his head as he looked at Fright Knight for help.

"Sire," Fright Knight said with a serious tone. "Lady Dorthian…. She has departed from the Kingdom's terrain and to the Dragon Realm, my liege. It has been several months now, and she has not returned."

Vlad's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What? She went back to Aragon's? But… why? She left her kin over a decade ago. _This_ is her home… Why would she go back to her brother? There must be a reason… Does Skulker know?" He paused. "Well, of course he knows. But… he never mentioned anything. I do not understand."

Wulf just looked away sadly, and Fright Knight didn't seem to want to say any more.

But seeing their reaction, Plasmius' face tensed, and he asked seriously, "What is really going on? I can tell you both know, and I want you to tell me."

"They do know," Anĝela suddenly interrupted, and all three ghost males turned to look at her as she approached them. "And I do as well. However, Skulker has asked us to withhold that information from you, King Plasmius. So, perhaps it is best if he gives you the answers you seek…"

The King regarded all three ghosts with displeasure; but then he focused on Anĝela and said in a reluctant tone of voice, "Very well…" He then quickly changed topics, and his voice's tone took on a different kind of seriousness. "Daniel woke a moment ago, but he became tired again and fell asleep once more. It was clear by his sudden weak spell that he has not recovered. As much as I would like to remain at his side, I have urgent matters which to attend. So, if you could watch him while I'm gone, I would greatly appreciate it."

"You need not ask, sire," Anĝela replied.

Vlad nodded in appreciation before he glanced at the other two male ghosts present, "Fright Knight? Wulf? Please be diligent. Do not worry about Horris. I will inform him of the council meeting myself. Thank you all."

Without another word, the King walked off. But now determined to get to the bottom of this whole issue with Dora, he decided to hold off his visit to Frostbite. And instead, he went to find Skulker.

His best friend had _a lot_ of explaining to do.

* * *

"But, uncle, I want to see Danny now!" Ember protested. "I haven't seen him in forever!"

She still could not believe that after so long her best friend had finally returned! She had been so excited when her uncle had told her a day ago that the Prince would be returning home at last. Today could not have come sooner! She had actually been a bit jealous that Cujo had been able to greet Danny as soon as he had gotten home, while she had to wait until today—and now her uncle was telling her she had to wait _even longer!_ It wasn't fair!

"Patience, child," Skulker replied. "You will see the Prince in due time. He was somewhat unwell when Plasmius brought him home yesterday. So, it's best we go tomorrow. It will give him the chance to rest up and regain his strength."

His reason was true enough, of course. However, his other reason for not wanting to take Ember to see the Prince was because he knew the moment Vlad saw the girl with him, he would ask about Ember's parents. And now that the King was home, he could no longer keep the truth from him.

Skulker knew he would have to tell him. But he wanted to wait until the Prince was better, and Plasmius got back into a calmer… frame-of-mind.

Ember's shoulders sagged in disappointment, but she still muttered, "Okay…" However, she quickly perked up as she added, "But when we go, I can take my guitar, right? I want to show Danny how much better I got!"

Skulker smiled weakly, and nodded. "Of course. Now, come along. Breakfast is ready. Then, we can practice your energy blasts as we discussed."

"Okay!" Ember replied; but as she walked off to the kitchen with her uncle, she further asked, "Can you teach me how to use my energy through my guitar? At school yesterday, Ms. Pandora told us that some ghosts can use special instruments or relics to make their powers stronger!" She paused as she said more soberly, "Like… my Daddy did. Remember, Uncle Skulker?"

The hunter nodded. "Yes, I remember. Your father had great skills at enhancing his powers in that form. He could do amazing things with that keyboard…"

"Yeah… He said when I got strong enough, he was going to teach me…," Ember whispered sadly.

Right then, they reached the kitchen; and not liking their gloomy conversation, Skulker changed topics, "Well, I will try my best to instruct you, young one. However, energy enhancement will have to wait until you are much older. In any case, we will discuss this later. Go retrieve the required utensils while I serve our food."

Ember nodded, and went to do as she was told.

Eventually, the two sat at the table and enjoyed their breakfast. The sadness that had come suddenly left just as quickly when Skulker encouraged his niece to tell him about school. Classes had resumed two days after Christmas, and though Ember did have school today, Skulker had allowed her to stay since they had planned to see the Prince later… But as he told his niece, it was probably a good idea to wait one more day.

After their meals, they had cleaned up. They had been about to head out to Skulker's 'backyard' when there was a sudden knock on the door.

The hunter's eyebrows creased with uncertainty. He had not been expecting anyone.

"Ember, could you feed Saphear while I tend to this?" Skulker asked.

The ghost girl nodded and flew out of the kitchen. Meanwhile, the hunter followed after her but he headed towards the door.

The moment he opened his front door and saw who it was, he tensed.

"Skulker!" Vlad said in a reprimanding tone. He floated into his friend's abode before turning his angry gaze on him, and further saying, "Care to explain to me why Dora returned to the Dragon Realm? And why you _kept it_ from me—and told _everyone else_ not to tell me?"

The hunter mentally cringed. He had forgotten about Dora! Well, no. He didn't forget about the love of his life. Of course not. He thought about her every waking minute. He had just forgotten that Plasmius would sooner than later learn that Dora was gone. After all, the dragon maid used to live at the King's castle!

"Calm down," Skulker said with a sigh before he moved to close the door. But then he briefly paused as he remembered Ember. If Plasmius saw her…

Skulker glanced down the corridor leading to the back of his island. He could only hope Ember would take some time to feed the baby phoenix…. Unfortunately, he couldn't duplicate like his half-ghost friend. So, he couldn't even ask the ghost girl to stay put without Plasmius finding out…

"Skulker!" Vlad snapped. But when his friend finally looked at him, the older hybrid's eyebrows creased, and he worriedly asked, "What is going on?"

The hunter sighed again before passing a hand through his flaming hair. "Look, Plasmius… I did not want to worry you. You have enough to deal with as it is…"

"Skulker. You are my friend. My brother. We do not keep things from each other. Whatever it is, just tell me," Vlad said seriously. "I know you. And you have been acting strangely for a while. I did not want to press you about it, but I have been patient enough. Now, tell me, why has Dora returned with Aragon? And why has all this troubled you enough to keep it from me?"

"After…" Skulker hesitated. "After Desiree… Dora was really distraught. You know your wife was like a sister to her—" He paused very briefly and quietly added, "—and to me, too."

The older hybrid's core once again was stabbed with a jolt of pain; but he ignored it as he answered, "I know, Skulker. But Dora would not just leave because of what happened. This is her home, Skulker. And if anything else, she has you here! She's your fiancée!"

"Not anymore," Skulker suddenly revealed, looking soberly at his friend.

Vlad froze. "W-What?"

The hunter was quiet for a moment before he explained, "I cannot marry her, Plasmius. I thought… I don't know. I had _hoped_ that I could leave my dark past behind me, and become a husband and maybe even… a father. However, I thought it over and it turns out I cannot. I am not ready for such a commitment, and it is not fair to Dora that I make her wait until I am… So, I broke off our bond."

Vlad just stared at his friend. He was so shocked he could not find words. This made no sense! It was completely wrong!

"No. I do not believe a word you are telling me," the King said soberly. He suddenly shook his head and glared at his friend, "Enough of this, Skulker! I know you are lying to me! You love Dora, and she loves you! You cannot just throw that away, and I don't think you would unless something has forced your hand! Wait. Did _Aragon_ threaten you? Because if he did…" The King's eyes flashed a brighter red.

"Of course not. And even if he would stoop that low, I would never submit to his threats—you know that!" Skulker replied, looking offended.

Vlad frowned at his friend's look, especially when it triggered a past memory. He recalled Pariah's torturing and threatening his best friend in the past and how the hunter never gave in, even when it meant certain death for him….

"Not to mention," Skulker continued more calmly, "Aragon has… changed. You know he helped me find you after, well, that ambush. He has been very concerned about you."

Vlad looked away. He didn't say anything at first; but then focusing back on the hunter, the King soberly said, "If Aragon is not the cause of your breaking engagement, then, what is? And _do not_ tell me again you 'changed your mind'. I am not going to believe it."

"Fine. You want the truth?" Skulker replied, annoyed. "The truth is I do not want the risk of creating a family in such an uncertain time for the Ghost World. If you have failed to remember, we are under attack. I have always been a hunter and a warrior, _foremost_—and that cannot change now! You need me. _This world_ needs my skills. I cannot in good conscience put my own desires before that fact!"

Vlad stared seriously at his friend, clearly unconvinced. He didn't understand, and he just couldn't believe Skulker would destroy his bond with Dora over the possible threat of the humans. No, it couldn't be.

"Look, Plasmius, this is my choice, alright?" Skulker snapped defensively. "I already feel enough remorse for hurting Dora as it is. I do not need you to add to it. I did what was best for her! So, you can look at me like that all you want, but I am not—"

"Uncle Vlad?"

Skulker spun around so quickly that it was amazing he did not get whiplash. This was not good.

"Ember?" Vlad replied in a mixture of surprise and confusion.

The ghost girl squeaked in happiness and tackled the King in a hug. "Uncle Vlad! You came! I missed you _so_ much—and Danny, too! Well, I actually missed Danny _more_, but you don't mind, right? Is he okay? Is he better? Can I go see him now?"

But the King barely heard the girl's rant. His mind was reeling, and a sense a dread began to swell in his chest.

He slowly looked back at the hunter. "Skulker… why is Ember with you?"

The older hybrid needed to hear from his friend that the girl was just visiting, and that the horrible conclusion dawning over him was wrong… It _had_ to be.

Skulker knew he could not hide the truth anymore. He lowered his gaze; but before he could answer, his niece did.

"'Cause I live here now," the girl replied.

Ember had no idea her uncle had not said a word to the King about her parents; so she innocently continued, "I can't stay at my home anymore 'cause… Well, you know."

The little girl looked away, but Vlad still saw the utter sadness and pain in the child's eyes…

Much like the pain he would see in his own son's eyes when Desiree's name was mentioned.

Vlad slowly put down Ember, though his red gaze was locked on Skulker. He felt his control slipping again. Suddenly, everything began to make horrible sense… But it was just too much to accept.

"No… I-It can't be. Tell me what I am thinking is wrong, Skulker," the King quietly ordered his friend.

But Skulker didn't reply right away. Instead, he glanced down at his niece and soberly ordered, "Ember, I need you to go to your dormitory for a moment."

But hearing those words only confirmed Vlad's suspicions. And instantly forgetting all about Ember's presence in the room, he exploded.

"You… You kept their… _deaths_ from me?!" Vlad hissed, his hands fisting. "Ghostwriter and Lydia were killed that day, weren't day? Curses, Skulker! **Answer me!"**

Ember gasped in fear when the house suddenly shook. She quickly bolted behind Skulker's legs and gripped him tightly.

"Yes," Skulker answered forwardly, though he lightly placed a hand on his frightened niece's shoulder. "Now, calm down and let me _explain_."

"How could you hide something like that from me? They were _my friends_, Skulker!" Vlad suddenly exclaimed, but his voice shook this time.

"And they were my sister and brother-in-law!" Skulker snapped back, feeling his own sorrow mix with anger. "With what happened to Desiree and your son, I thought it was best to wait to—"

"_They_ _killed them!"_ Vlad cut him off; though he seemed to be talking mostly to himself this time. But he quickly focused on the hunter once more as he added, "And you said nothing! _An entire year_…" He glanced at Ember before glaring back at Skulker. "How could you?"

Skulker's eyes widened as the King suddenly spun angrily around and began to retreat. But the hunter could also see that his half-ghost friend was shaking with repressed emotions.

"Vlad, wait!" Skulker quickly said. He let go of Ember and quickly caught up to the King, and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"**Don't touch me!"** Plasmius suddenly snarled, and Skulker jolted away when the lights above them exploded.

The King instantly took notice, but he also saw the fearful and worried look on the hunter's face.

"Just… I need a moment," Vlad breathed out before he turned back around and left.

Skulker didn't dare stop him this time.

Vlad knew that returning to his kingdom would not be easy, but he never could have imagined he would be facing _all this!_ He had no idea that there were other things just as tragic as or worse than what happened to him!

His whole body continued to shake as he flew through the green atmosphere. He wanted to scream in both anger and pain, but instead, a few tears slid down his cheeks.

Those monsters! It hadn't been enough that they had killed his wife in such a gruesome way and horribly tortured his son! No, they had to also leave another poor child orphaned! Lydia and Ghostwriter were benign and gentle ghosts! They hadn't even stepped foot in the human world before, let alone fought or harmed any humans!

They were innocent! And like his wife, they didn't deserve to be killed!

Plasmius stopped flying and gripped his head with both hands as he felt his mounting sorrow threatening to feed the dark feelings tightly coiled around his heart and core. He needed to stay calm. Nothing good would come out of losing his focus.

Sighing shakily, Vlad released his head and shook his head. No wonder Skulker had broken things off with Dora. He was emotionally distraught! He now had to care for his orphaned niece.

Suddenly, Vlad felt regret for getting angry at his friend. He knew Skulker had kept this from him to protect him, because they were both… emotionally unstable.

Still, something did not add up. And if Vlad wasn't so upset, he would have realized that. Skulker wouldn't have split up with Dora just because of what had happened to Ember's parents. Vlad knew that the dragon maid would undoubtedly support the hunter through this crisis…

If only the King knew of the existence of Aragon's long lost son and what Gregory had done…Or if the King had any inkling of Skulker's secret and personal vow to take revenge upon the boy. Only then would Vlad understand why the hunter had broken his bond with Dora…

But, of course, Plasmius knew none of this. Instead, his face scrunched up in pain as he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Lydia… Ghostwriter…" It was partly his fault, too. He should have never allowed them to go after their daughter. Surely, he could have done something to prevent their deaths. Yes… like Desiree, they had died because those hunters had wanted to kill him…

Shaking his head, Vlad forced himself to keep going. After discovering this tragedy, he needed to go see Horris all the more…

* * *

Spectra woke up to a loud banging outside. It sounded like someone was trying to break down her door!

Throwing off her covers, her black shadow face conveyed deep annoyance as she floated out of bed. "Whoever it is, I am going to blast them for waking me up like this. Honestly, what's so urgent that they need to knock down my door?"

With a growl, she left her room and headed towards the front entrance. But on her way, she paused at one of her many mirrors in her house and stared at her reflection. She immediately frowned in distaste, and passed a hand through her smoky hair. But then she leaned in closer and pulled at the bags under her eyes. If they were noticeable in her real shadow form, then she had to look hideous in her human disguise.

"God, what I wouldn't give for a shot of misery…. With all this craziness of the humans trying to come in, it's so hard to sneak out anymore. Everyone is now keeping watch. It's ridiculous."

But as she looked again toward the sound of another loud bang on her door her eyebrows creased. What if it was some ghost hunter trying to barge into her house? It was possible. After all, the humans had been capturing her kind at every chance they got. They had not dared invade any ghost homes yet, but anything was possible…

Letting her purple energy form around one of her hands, she continued forward until she was at the door. She then slowly unlocked it. Keeping herself protected by the door, she swung it open and then blasted the person on the other side.

"Ahh! What the hell!"

Spectra blinked at the familiar voice behind the purple smoke before the smoke cleared and the body behind it quickly came into full view of her open door. But when she saw that it was Walker, she relaxed and said, "Oh, it's just you."

Grabbing his smoking chest, Walker hissed before furiously replying, "Who else would it be, you stupid female? That hurt!"

"Well, next time you'll know better than to bang at my door like you're a rabid ghost hunter, hmm?" she said sweetly.

"Then I guess you don't need to know what I came to tell you," the warden growled.

But as he turned to leave, Spectra quickly grabbed one of his arms. "Wait! Don't go! It's not like I meant to hit you. I was sleeping, you know. You startled me."

"It's almost noon, Spectra. How are you still sleeping?" Walker asked dryly.

"I have to try to retain my beauty somehow! So, what's up? It's gotta be something important for you to leave your precious prison. You usually send Bullet to deliver your messages to me…"

Forgetting all about the throbbing pain in his chest, Walker's grin was nothing short of cunning as he said, "Guess who has returned?"

Spectra's eyes widened, but then she suddenly pulled Walker into her house and shut the door behind him. "No way! He's back? Vlad is back?"

"That's right," Walker answered, still smiling. "Fright Knight came by the prison this morning to tell me the news and announce a High Council meeting tonight…."

Spectra grinned herself, but then something hit her and she frowned. "Is… Danny with him?"

"Apparently," Walker answered. "Fright Knight mentioned something about the King's son. So, I'm pretty sure he's also alive and at home again."

Spectra's face twisted up into annoyance and hate. If there was one person she hated more than her dead sister, it was that little brat. He was a thorn in her side from the day of his formation! That little brat took away what little chance she had had at ever being in power—and in turn, gaining true freedom. Then, when she tried to kill him, he just _had_ to survive and return. Now, he was still an obstacle for her to get what she wanted, which was Plasmius and the throne!

Her thoughts instantly turned to Tom. He will want to know Danny was indeed alive—and she also knew that the ghost hunter wanted the brat more than ever because of what he discovered about the Prince's regenerative core. But there was no way she would be able to pull off another trap for the Prince; or even kidnap him. One, she was sure 'daddy dearest' would be even more obsessively protective of the child than he was before. And, two, there were too many ghosts keeping watch. Anyone could spot her if she tried to take Danny from the Ghost World. Her hands were tied… She had no choice but to wait. She just knew if she was patient enough she would get her chance again to get rid of the Ghost Prince… But, first… there was the whole issue of Danny possibly getting her discovered…

She doubted the brat had said anything incriminating to Vlad about her—otherwise, she would be dead or locked up. But… she couldn't risk it. Just one slip from Danny's tongue and she would be done for!

"Well… I guess I'll have to do damage control," Spectra muttered with a sigh of surrender.

She glanced at Walker and realized he was also deep in thought; and whatever he was thinking, he was enjoying a bit too much.

"And why are you so happy?" she questioned curiously. "I'd think you'd be upset that Vlad's alive after all."

Walker shrugged. "I would've preferred he'd be dead, but at least now I know for sure he's really alive… And that means, it's time for 'Plan B'."

"'Plan B'?" Spectra repeated.

"Yeah, it's time I make our King see things _my_ way…" Walker replied with a dark chuckle.

* * *

The moment Horris saw Vlad at his doorstep, the elder ghost shouted in delight and pulled the King into a hug.

"At last! You have returned at last! I was so worried about you, but I never stopped believing you would come home!"

For that single moment, Vlad felt all his tension ease as he gripped his childhood guardian back. He felt like a teenager again when just the fact that Horris would hold him would somehow make everything alright. It was a silly notion, but that's how it felt.

"I missed you, Horris," the younger ghost muttered with a shaky sigh.

But feeling all his emotions rising up and understanding he wasn't a child anymore and that too many souls depended on their King's being in control, Vlad pulled away and forced himself to swallow down his need to seek comfort from the elder ghost.

"As I did, too, child—Very much," Horris answered, though he was carefully studying the older hybrid.

He made a move to touch Vlad's symbol, but the young ghost unexpectedly said, "Ghostwriter and Lydia were killed that day, too…"

Horris sighed sadly before lowering his hand and nodding.

"And no one told me," Vlad finished a bit angrily.

"You had your own loss and troubles to bear, Vlad," Horris answered seriously. "And what could you have done at that point? Your son needed you more than Skulker—more than any of us."

"I know, but…," the younger ghost trailed off and looked away. He just wished he could have done something!

"They had a beautiful funeral, Vlad. The whole Kingdom was present," Horris said gently. "We honored their bravery, as we did with the other brave ghosts we lost that day. Ghostwriter and Lydia will be greatly missed, but they died protecting what they loved most: their daughter. And it was not in vain, Vlad. Their little girl is safe and sound."

He grabbed the younger ghost's chin and lifted it until they were looking at each other as he added, "Do not blame yourself for this. I am certain they do not regret giving their lives for her… " Horris smiled warmly as he let go of Vlad's chin and asked, "Tell me. How is Prince Phantom?"

Still upset over the death of his friends, Vlad quietly replied, "I had to force his transformation. It was the only way to get us home. But aside from his core still being weakened, he is doing better. He is very happy to be home."

"And are you happy to be home, Vlad?" Horris questioned calmly.

"I _needed_ to be home," the King replied seriously. "At least now I can address the problems with the humans and the portals. Horris, we must gather council. I already sent Fright Knight and Wulf to send word to everyone. We will be meeting tonight at seven at the High Tribunal."

Horris frowned. "Why so soon?"

"Why so soon?" Vlad repeated in surprise. "Horris, we are in a dire situation! Not to mention, after the meeting, I want to discuss with the Observants and Ancients what happened with you. Serenity forced you out of command! I will not stand for the injustice she has done to you!"

Horris' eyes widened. "You know?" But then he paused and realized Skulker would have told the King that. The elder ghost sighed. "There is nothing you can do. Besides, I could not allow them to reveal the secret you and your son share. And I could not allow them to dethrone you. It had to be done."

"No, I will not permit this! They can do what they want to me, Horris. I am not afraid of them!" Vlad said angrily.

"I know. But as much as I did this for you, I also sacrificed my position for the good of our home, Vlad. Do you not see? The Ghost World will be fine without me as the Ancient Leader. As cold and calculating as Serenity can be, she does have the best intent for our clan and home as well. But without you as their King? This world would be doomed."

Vlad hesitated this time, but he still shook his head. "I will still have a word with them. It is unfair."

"So is what you did to Clockwork, child," Horris suddenly said. "Serenity used your hasty decree to further force the Observants to strip him from his own position. Without Clockwork as the Master of Time, there will be no one to keep the Observants in line. You must retract from your command of banishing him, Vlad."

This time the King glared back at Horris. "He betrayed me. He betrayed my wife and son!"

Horris instantly reprimanded him, "He did no such thing! He chose the better of two evils! If he would have intervened with what happened to Desiree, you and your son would also be dead! It was her or all of you! And you do not need to see into the future to be able to understand that, child!"

Plasmius' eyes flashed a brighter red as something dark curled around his core and the room began to charge up with electricity.

"I have told you before, Horris, I am not a child! And that was not for Clockwork to decide! If _that traitor_ would have just…" But the King paused as he finally took notice of his unstable powers. He sighed, and regaining control again, he said instead, "We will discuss this tonight. I will… consider retracting his banishment."

"Yes, we will discuss all this, but not tonight," Horris replied seriously. He had not missed the younger ghost's lack of control. "Tell me something, Vlad. Have you even taken the time to properly mourn the loss of your wife?"

Vlad tensed, but he still replied soberly, "It would take me my entire life to mourn her loss, Horris. And I cannot afford that. There are more important matters at hand than my loss."

"I do not agree," Horris answered gravely. "You have been so focused on your son and now you want to focus on the Kingdom… It seems to me you are using everything you can to avoid focusing on _yourself_. And that is not mentally or physically healthy….You must acknowledge her loss, Vlad."

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Horris, I know you mean well, but—"

"The issues with the Kingdom can wait one or two more days," the elder ghost cut him off. "I want you to take some time to yourself, Vlad. It will do you good. Then, once you are better—"

"No, I need to speak to council now," Vlad insisted as he became angry again. "I have faced losses before! I will be fine!"

"You say that, and yet you are so unstable that you are barely controlling your powers!" Horris snapped back. "No, do not give me that look, child! I am not blind! And you are certainly not fooling me! You should know that by now!"

The younger ghost suddenly fell quiet. He looked away and briefly noticed Juukka was present. But, oddly, the ghost had not made any move to greet him. Instead, the creature was at the entrance of the room and was sitting on its back legs and staring at him. Ears pressed back in worry, his head tilted from side-to-side as if trying to understand something about the older hybrid.

Vlad knew what it was. The ghost had the ability to see into other's souls and cores, and Juukka could tell his was unstable at the moment.

"I am not trying to fool you, Horris," the King finally answered in a subdued voice as he looked back at his childhood guardian. "I just cannot be at ease until I address the human threat. Please understand. I do not want any more innocent lives being destroyed. Falling apart over Desiree will do no one any good. She would want me to protect our kind, and I must do that. Now, please, no more talk of my wife."

This time, Horris didn't reply, and Vlad took it as an opportunity to continue with his own thoughts. "I have been thinking of our situation, and I realized that if we are to protect our home, we must reclaim control of the portals." He sighed. "I know that it will be impossible to control them at the level that Desiree could, but perhaps there is a way to come close to it."

"How?" Horris asked curiously.

And set on his idea, Vlad eagerly continued, "Well, we know the portals are most active at night because of all the energy the Novas release at that time; so it will probably be impossible to keep them closed completely. _But_ what if we could keep them close for most of the time, and let them vent at night? It would offer some protection at least."

"How would we do this, Vlad?" Horris stressed.

This time Vlad hesitated to reply. "I… I remember when I was young, my uncle could open and close portals at will with the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage…"

Horris' eyes widened with horror. "Are you saying…? Vlad! Have you lost all your senses completely? You cannot put those cursed relics back on! They almost did you in last time!"

"But it did not! It instead turned me human!"

"By first destroying half of your Life Energy! And it almost killed you nevertheless!" Horris argued angrily.

"My core is different now, Horris," the younger ghost replied, though he looked a bit afraid himself. "I-I can regenerate my energy. I could handle the crown and ring long enough to command their powers. It will not be long, Horris. Five minutes. I will put the ring and crown on for five minutes, use its power over the Infi-Map, and force it to close the permanent portals for as long as possible. If we let them 'breathe' at night, then there shouldn't be too much resistance in doing this. Horris, I can do this. I know I can."

"Oh, you poor child…You are more unstable than I thought," Horris said sadly.

"**Confound it, Horris!"** Vlad snapped. "Stop treating me like I am some ignorant and fragile child! I know full well what I am thinking of doing! But the outcome is worth the risk! You must realize this!"

"Do you think so?" Horris retorted seriously. "Is your life worth closing these portals?"

"If it means the safety of this world, then, yes," Vlad replied firmly.

Horris knew it was not as black-and-white as the King was making this out to be. But the elder ghost could see there was no reasoning with the younger one at the moment.

"Fine, Vlad. You are the Ghost King, and I cannot stop you if you believe using your uncle's relics is the only solution to our situation with the humans. But before you touch the crown and ring, before you do anything else, I want you to take a few days to yourself."

"Blood Blossoms! Why do you keep insisting on this?" he asked angrily.

"Because it is necessary for your mental and emotional health!" Horris replied just as sternly.

"I told you I am fine," the older hybrid seethed. "I do not need to 'take time' to mourn. I do not need a blasted vacation! What I need is to fix our problems!"

The Ancient shook his head before staring sadly at his protégé. He tried another approach. "I told you we honored all those lost on that tragic day…. All except for Desiree… We have not even given her a funeral yet."

Vlad stared back at Horris.

"I thought it would be proper to wait until you and the Prince returned…" he further explained. "If you do not wish to take time to mourn, then at least agree to have a funeral ceremony in honor of your wife today."

But Vlad scoffed bitterly. "Now it's a funeral? And what am I supposed to be burying, Horris?" he asked angrily, as the lights began to flicker again.

"It will give you and your son closure at the least," Horris replied soberly.

"We already had closure," Vlad replied coldly. "It is hard not to have closure when you see your love one melt in your hands after watching her body slowly eaten and broken apart by some poison injected into her core by ghost hunters!"

Ignoring the rumbling the house gave, Horris' eyebrows creased in sympathy. He had not known about the gruesome details of the Queen's death.

"With even more reason, you need to mourn. Can you not see how affected you are by this?" But when he saw the King not swayed, Horris added with a sigh, "At least do it for your son. It will be good for him to properly mourn the loss of his mother amongst the presence and comfort of those he knows."

This time Vlad looked away and said softly, "But I already sent word to everyone about the meeting at the High Tribunal."

"There will be meeting; but for a funeral. As I said, I wanted to wait for yours and the Prince's arrival. So, I have had everything arranged for quite some time now. We will do it tonight instead of the High Council meeting. I will have Juukka announce it to the rest of the Kingdom so that whoever wants to join the ceremony will be there." He placed a hand on the younger one's shoulder and gently added, "Do not deny yourself and your son this need; and you would do good to honor your wife's life with this ceremony."

"…Alright," Vlad said quietly. But then looking seriously at Horris, he added, "But first thing tomorrow I will be speaking with the High Council."

Horris just nodded, though he clearly was displeased with the King's decision.

There was a tense silence between them, one that Vlad and Horris had never experienced before. But the King didn't have the desire to address it. Instead, he moved past the older ghost and approached Juukka.

The telepathic wolf-like ghost rose on his hind legs until he was equal with the King's height. He purred as Vlad placed a hand on his muzzle and quietly asked, "Why do you not wish to greet me, Juukka?"

The ghost's ears pressed against his head as he replied telepathically, _"I do… I just feel hesitant, my King…. I fear for you…"_

"Me, too," Vlad admitted before lowering his hand from the ghost and turning away.

He walked back over to Horris and soberly said, "I should go home now… I will see you tonight…"

Horris nodded. "Give my regards to your son."

Vlad nodded back, though a jolt of remorse gripped his core at the troubled look on his guardian's face. He had the sudden desire to reach out and touch the elder's symbol but quickly decided against it. Instead, he quietly headed towards the door.

He had planned to go see Frostbite and Walker after this, but he decided to just leave it for tomorrow. He had to go check on his son to make sure he was well enough to go to the funeral tonight. He also needed to prepare a speech or something; and… mentally prepare himself for this, too.

But just as he opened the door to leave, he startled when he found Serenity standing on the other side of it.

"King Plasmius," Serenity said with just a hint of a smile on her lips. "I had a feeling I would find you here… I was quite surprised when Wulf told me of your return… I had almost been certain you had abandoned the ghost race for that… other one."

"Serenity," Vlad replied as his expression melded into a deep frown. "It seems you have grown bold in my absence."

"Oh, my…How disorderly of me. Forgive me." She half-bowed with an almost dramatic flair of her arms. "Welcome, Ghost King."

But Vlad only narrowed his eyes more. They both knew he was not talking about her not 'greeting' him, but about her words, and the older hybrid did not hesitate to say, "If I did not know that you are too wise to cross such a dangerous line, than I would take your earlier comment as an insult."

"I meant no insult," she answered calmly. "I was simply sharing my thoughts on your absence. Forgive me, but it has been a year, King Plasmius, and not a word from you. And let us not forget, when we last saw you in the Human World, you were hardly the one showing respect or even stability."

"My wife had just been killed and my son was dying," Vlad replied coolly. "I doubt anyone could be respectful or stable under those circumstances. Besides, I had all the right to be angry. You all risked everyone's lives by coming to my human domain."

"And you have risked all our lives by lying to us and keeping from us something as significant as your and your son's… human condition," she answered calmly, though it was clear she was not backing down.

Vlad felt his ire slowly rising, but before he could say anything, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Why do you not allow Serenity entrance into my abode, King Plasmius?" Horris asked calmly. "It is more appropriate, as I am sure she has an important reason for coming…"

The Ghost King stared angrily at the female Ancient Leader for another second before he took a step back and gestured her in.

"You are most kind," she said with a small smile, and walked past him.

Once inside, Serenity turned again to face the King who was now standing in front of the closed door. "Contrary to what you may have perceived, King Plasmius, I am glad to see you have safely returned—you _and_ the Prince, of course. I am truly sorry for both your loss. The Queen will be greatly missed."

She paused as if waiting for some sort of response from the older hybrid; but when he kept silent, she continued in her ever calm voice, "It is also quite unfortunate that this world is in an unsteady situation. I am pleased to hear you are quickly reclaiming your leadership to deal with the threats to our race. Therefore, as the new leader of the Ancients, it is my duty to inform you that you have the Ancient Clan's full support."

"New leader?" Vlad replied, crossing his arms. "And how is it that you have taken control of the Ancient Clan, Serenity? By blackmailing Horris? By using his love of me against him?"

He ignored Horris' sigh of disapproval.

"I have not forced Horris to renounce his leadership, if that is what you are implying," Serenity replied smoothly. "Or, is that what he told you?"

She glanced over at Horris, but the male Ancient kept a stoic face.

"No, he did not," Vlad answered with a deep frown. "In fact, he seems to be comfortable with your leadership… I am not."

"You do not trust me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

However, instead of replying, the Ghost King suddenly demanded, "I want you to hand back the Ancient leadership to Horris, Serenity. You had no right to do what you did. And I will not stand for this injustice."

"I have committed no injustice," Serenity replied. "And I will not step down, King Plasmius. The Observants were witness to Horris' choice; and you should be grateful because if it was not for his selfless actions, you and your son would have been stripped of your crowns, and perhaps even banished from this world."

The female ghost's voice remained calm and her face was neutral of emotions, yet their surroundings began to heat up. Juukka, who was still in the room, felt it, whimpered fearfully and quickly backed up into a corner of the room.

Serenity paid no regard to the primitive creature and further said, "And perhaps you should also thank me. You have lied and tricked the High Council; you have placed this entire world in jeopardy; and have betrayed the trust of everyone. You are not the ghost we placed on the throne. You have been tainted. We both know that what you and your son are defiles the natural order…."

Horris gasped before he angrily said, "How dare you say—!"

"Silence, Horris," Serenity commanded, and the room only grew hotter. Eyes still locked on the older hybrid's she continued, "If I would have been anything but merciful, this whole world would now know of your… human condition. And believe me, they would forget in an instant you were once their King. You and your son would be treated just like any human. You would be seen as a threat to our existence. And _you know_ how we deal with threats, your highness…"

Her bright red irises seemed to flicker like flames as she vowed, "I will promise you one thing, King Plasmius. If you ever lie to us or keep anything from us again, I will not be merciful again."

Plasmius met her unwavering stare with cold eyes; but then he smiled bitterly, "You have indeed grown bold, Serenity… But I will not argue with you—not here anyways. But _you will_ answer to me at the High Council meeting tomorrow. _That_ I promise _you_."

"You are in all your authority to do so," she answered and the heat in the room abruptly vanished. "But the Ancient Clan's decision regarding Horris will not be changed by the High Council. It is an internal matter within the Ancient Clan that cannot be challenged, even by you, my King."

"We will see about that," Vlad answered. "But even if you do remain as the Ancient Leader, I am still the Ghost King. And you and your clan are required by the Ancient Laws to submit to _my_ rule. So whatever control you thought you had in my absence, I hope you enjoyed; because now I have returned to reclaim that control, and _my decree_ cannot be challenged, even by you, Serenity."

"Indeed…," she agreed. "And as long as the Ancients _allow_ it, you will continue to rule this world…"

"Then it is too bad that you need me, hmm?" Vlad answered with a smirk. He looked back at Horris and said seriously, "Horris… I will see you tonight." He looked back at the Ancient Leader and added a bit more sarcastically, "Serenity, a pleasure to see you again. Feel free to attend my wife's funeral, hmm? You know, show some actual emotion for once… Oh wait. You are incapable of it. Never mind, then. Ta for now."

Serenity watched the King leave Horris' abode before she looked back at her former leader. "I can sense the King is highly unstable. I must question if he is even fit to rule anymore…"

Horris glared in response. "You will not touch the King in any way if you want to keep the Ancient leadership, Serenity. That was our agreement, was it not?"

"Fear not, Horris," she replied, a small smile touching her lips. "I still believe your protégée is the kingdom's best choice. He is needed as King…At least for now."

Horris was about to reply to that, but Serenity suddenly changed topics and said, "Although I did want to speak with the King, I also came to speak with you as well. It is about the High Council meeting."

"It will be postponed until tomorrow," Horris answered with a frown. "If you did not hear, we are going to have the Queen's funeral tonight instead."

"I have no objection to that. What I came to tell you about the High Council reunion is not affected by when it will be. I have come to tell you that I would like you to lead the High Council meeting…"

Horris could only blink in surprise.

* * *

"Oh, there, there. Do not cry, Ghost Prince," Anĝela said soothingly as he held the saddened child against her. "Trust me. They will grow back."

"So, why haven't they?" he sobbed out, pulling away and staring at his hands—or more specifically, at the stubbed remains of his claws. It was a horrible reminder of what had happened to him and his mother.

"Well…," the female doctor said hesitantly. "It is possible since you have not been in your true form for so long that your ghost body has been unable to re-grow them. But the base of your claws look healed; so I am almost certain they will eventually grow back."

Danny didn't reply and just continued to cry. Cujo who was next to him whined sadly and licked the boy's hands, trying to comfort his companion.

Anĝela pulled the child back into a hug, and Danny let the female ghost comfort him. Yet, her presence also saddened him. The way she held him reminded him so much of his mother's embrace, and he missed it so much.

Anĝela sighed quietly as she gently rubbed the child's back. She felt terrible for upsetting the Prince. But it had been necessary to fully check him. She had been concerned with his core's slow recovery ever since they had forced his transformation. His energy at least should have regenerated completely by now.

After checking him over, though, she knew the Prince's missing claws were the least of their worries... Of course, she had not shared her findings with the Prince but she knew she would have to tell the King…

"Calm down, little one," she said softly. "You will be alright. I need you to relax and draw in your claws, alright?"

Danny tried, but he was just too upset to relax enough to retract his claws. "I-I can't," he whimpered as he pulled away from the female ghost and gripped his hands together in anxiety.

But right then, Vlad walked into the room.

"Daniel, what's wrong?" he immediately asked.

Hearing his father's voice, Danny's crying instantly renewed, and he sobbed out, "My claws are gone, Daddy! They're gone!"

Plasmius' eyebrows creased when his son showed him his hands and the stubs that remained of his claws. In that instant, a vivid picture flashed through his mind of his son bleeding profusely in Desiree's arms within Axion Lab.

It took all of the King's willpower to contain the wave of emotions that came with that horrible memory. Instead, he moved over to his son and picked him up. He was quiet as he let the child cry. He understood that what was upsetting his son wasn't just that his claws were gone, but it also stirred those traumatizing memories within him.

Anĝela said nothing; but she quietly gestured to the older hybrid that she was going to step out.

Vlad didn't reply and instead sat down on the bed with his son. He sighed deeply, feeling overwhelmingly weary in more ways than one. Still, he grabbed one of his son's hands and kissed it before lightly touching what remained of his claws.

Danny's sobs quieted as he felt what his father was doing. He pulled away to look unhappily at his own hands. He shuddered as his father continued to touch the remnants of his claws. It was so sensitive now, more so than when they were first coming out. But his father's caresses were still soothing.

"You know, when I was young, I… shattered all my claws in my right hand…," Vlad quietly shared. He paused as the memory of who had grabbed his hand and shattered his claws came to his mind. Still, he continued, "It was very painful, and for the longest time, I feared they would not grow back. I would check every day, and every day, I saw nothing. I was so upset that I sought my mother. Do you know what she told me?"

Danny sniffed but shook his head, though he was clearly listening to his father's story.

"She said: 'Why are you so upset, my son? I see nothing wrong with you. Or, are you still not my darling child with or without claws?'"

Danny stared as his father placed a hand against his face, and with a small smile repeated, "I do not see anything wrong with you, Daniel… Or, are you still not my little Phantom with or without claws?"

Danny whimpered before hugging his father tightly. A few more tears fell down his face, but his father's words made him feel so much better. What remained of his claws then slowly slipped back into his fingers as he relaxed completely.

Danny then pulled away and grasped the glowing crystal necklace with both his hands, and muttered, "Did you put mommy's necklace on me?"

"Yes... I thought you might want to hold on to it...?"

Danny held it close, barely feeling the remanents of his mother's energy still in the diamond. It reminded him of the special one he lost; but it was comforting to have something of his mother with him.

"Thanks, Daddy," the little half-ghost said, and smilled at his father.

Vlad quietly nodded; but as he watched his son rub at his stinging eyes, he changed topics, and asked, "Have you eaten lunch yet?"

The young hybrid shook his head. "Not yet," he replied, "Anĝela said she wanted to check me first." He then suddenly grinned as he further told his father, "But I ate a big breakfast! George made me my favorite and brought it to my room himself! It was really good!"

Vlad smiled warmly, though his son remained unaware of how forced it was.

"And did you eat it all?"

Danny nodded. "I had two plates!"

"I am glad to hear it. Do you feel better?" Vlad further questioned, and placed a hand on the child's symbol to feel his energy.

"Yes, but I can't use my powers," the young Prince answered, and his smile melded into a frown as he added, "It makes me dizzy and then I get tired again. Anĝela said I just need to rest more and I'll be better in a few days more."

But the older hybrid pretended not to be concerned with the news, and instead said in a light tone of voice, "Then, I better carry you to the dining room, hmm? I do not know about you, but I am quite hungry and I _really_ missed George's exquisite meals… So, shall we?"

Danny's grin returned and he nodded.

Vlad stood and then picked up the boy. However, as he stepped out of the room, he found Anĝela waiting for him outside. That quickly clued in the father that she wanted to speak with him.

"Anĝela, why don't you join us for lunch, hmm?" Vlad asked.

The female ghost nodded and smiled.

The three, along with Cujo, headed to the main dining room. Once there, Vlad put down Danny on a chair before he said, "I am going to go see George and tell him to serve our lunch, alright? Do you think you could stay with Cujo for a moment?"

Danny nodded, and did not question when Anĝela followed after Vlad.

But before the two ghost adults could leave, the Prince suddenly asked, "Father? Where is Dora? I haven't seen her at all!"

Vlad's eyebrows creased as he turned to look at his son. "Dora… had to go back to the Dragon Realm, little Phantom…"

Danny frowned. "How come?"

This time, the King sighed. "I will tell you when I return, alright?"

Danny nodded as he quietly replied, "Okay…"

At last, Vlad and Anĝela were able to step out and headed down the main hall towards the kitchen. The King paused and took a quick look around to make sure they were alone before he asked, "Will his claws grow back, Anĝela?"

The female doctor sighed. "Yes, but his claws were cut quite brutally. His nerve-endings there were damaged. I am pretty certain they will indeed grow back; however, there is no doubt they will forever remain overly sensitive. It's unlikely he will be able to use them for much… Not without causing himself severe discomfort."

Vlad shook his head, though his hands clenched at his sides.

"That is not what _truly_ worries me, though, King Plasmius…," Anĝela added hesitantly. And when the older hybrid looked at her, she revealed, "His core… It seems it has suffered some lasting damage after all…"

"What damage?" Vlad asked fearfully.

"His unique core is not regenerating his energy at a steady or normal pace. It is highly unstable but not in the way that a child's developing core is unstable. Its energy production is much too slow; at least from how his core was before."

"Is that way it is taking him so long to recover?"

"Yes…," she answered. "It is possible that his core will eventually heal these damages, but they could also very well be permanent. Unfortunately, as long as his core's regenerating ability remains unstable and slow, he will not be able to use his powers for long periods of time. He will also have to be careful because this could also impede his healing abilities. It will take him longer to heal, just as it will take him longer than normal to recover his lost energy. And this, of course, could leave him open to infection, result in sudden weakness, or even fainting spells. So, you will have to watch him closely. Perhaps as he grows older, he will learn his limits; but… we can only pray his core eventually heals completely; or… he will never be the same."

Vlad just closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple. He was so tired of hearing bad news today that he didn't even have the energy to react to any more.

The female ghost comfortingly grabbed one of the King's arms as she whispered, "I am so sorry, Vlad. I wish I could do more… I really do."

Vlad raised his troubled gaze to Anĝela, and stared thoughtfully at her for a moment. But then he suddenly raised a hand and lightly touched her symbol for the first time ever. In spite of the worrisome news about his son, the King couldn't help but feel so grateful at that instant towards his female advisor. She had been both loyal and supportive to him and his son in the hardest time of their lives, and for it she would now and forever have his trust and friendship.

"Thank you, Anĝela," he finally said. "I will never be able to repay all you have done for my son and I."

The female doctor smiled warmly and respectively touched the King's symbol back to silently express her response. Before now, she had simply been the King's advisor and his son's doctor. But she knew his actions were significant, and she was touched by his act of trust and friendship.

"There is nothing for which to thank me, Vlad. You will forever have my support and loyalty."

Meanwhile, the two had no idea they were being watched by a pair of jealous and angry eyes…

Spectra narrowed her eyes even more. She had come to seek out her little nephew and her widowed brother-in-law to play out her plans. But she had never expected to run into _this_ little number.

"_Anĝela?"_ she thought darkly. _"What did she do to get Vlad to cozy up to her? Did Vlad summon her to heal Danny and himself while they were in hiding? But she's one of his advisors in the High Council! Why would he...? It doesn't matter. I didn't have my own sister killed just to have some pretty little doctor steal what's mine now…"_

Scowling, she watched as Vlad and Anĝela floated off in the direction of the kitchen. Once they turned into the area, Spectra regained visibility and turned in the opposite direction.

"I'll deal with her soon enough. Right now, it's time to put on a show…" She smiled darkly. "By the end of it, my nephew will be too traumatized to even think of opening his mouth about what happened again…"

She chuckled before she continued in the direction of the dining room. She grinned when she spotted Danny sitting on a chair inspecting his feet. So, the brat had learned to form his legs at last.

She was just about to enter when she spotted Cujo. Drat. She would have to tread carefully…

Meanwhile, Danny had his eyebrows creased in concentration as he focused on his legs. It was so strange to see himself with them in his ghost form. But he wasn't sure how to change them back into his ghost tail… He tried concentrating even more on commanding his body, but this time, he began to think on how his tail felt and recall on all those hide-speed flights he enjoyed so much…

Suddenly, his legs turned wispy and began to merge and darken. He grinned when his tail reappeared and he wiggled it with a delighted giggle.

"Look, Cujo! I did it!" he beamed.

But instead of getting a happy response, Cujo began to growl threateningly, though his eyes seemed focused on something else…

"What's wr—?" Danny began to ask, only to be abruptly cut off.

"**You!" **

Danny startled at the sudden appearance of his aunt. "Aunt Spectra?"

"Don't you 'Aunt Spectra' me, you—you _murderer_!" she screeched approaching him angrily.

Danny's eyes widened with alarm and fear.

But Cujo instantly stood and snarled at the female ghost, warning her to stay back. He wasn't about to let anyone harm his companion again!

Unexpectedly, Spectra fired a small beam of energy at the puppy throwing him across the room.

"Cujo!" Danny exclaimed worriedly and attempted to fly out of his chair to help the ghost dog.

But a sudden hand grabbed him by the wrist, and stopped him. Danny yelped as he was then seized by both his lower arms, pulled out of his chair, and shaken.

"How could you? How could you?" Spectra half shrieked half-sobbed. "You killed her! You killed my sister! You killed your own mother, you horrible child!"

Danny began to shake as large tears swelled in them."I-I… No. I didn't meant to, Aunt Spectra! I swear! I didn't mean to disobey! I didn't mean for Mommy to get killed!"

"Be quiet, Danny!" Spectra yelled, shaking him again. "I will **never** forgive you for this! _**No one**_ will ever forgive you for killing your mother! I curse the day you were formed! You are nothing but a curse to our world! Everything was fine until you came along! Now, Desiree is dead and our world is being destroyed. All. Because. Of. **You!"**

"I'm sorry!" Danny screamed as his sob turned into heavy heaves.

But before Spectra could say anything else, Cujo suddenly lunged at her and pushed her away from the Prince. He snarled as he instantly pinned her under his large form which had now destroyed the dining table.

"Get off me!" Spectra yelled, her eyes narrowing darkly. "Can't you see the real evil is that brat over there?"

Danny didn't even hear that comment. He had now dropped on the ground and was weeping into his hands. He remained unaware he was now calling for his father.

Spectra turned intangible and managed to escape from under the dog. Floating up, she glowered at Cujo before turning her eyes back on the Prince. "Why did you even come back? No one wants you here! _Everyone_ hates you now, Danny; because everyone knows what you've done! And you're going to live with your mother's death on your conscience for the rest of your life! I hate you! **You killed her! I hate you!"**

"**Spectra!" **Vlad suddenly screamed furiously as he appeared in puff of pink smoke, and caught the female ghost's last words.

Spectra floated back down, but still cried even louder, "Go ahead! Do what you want, Vlad! But we both know that what I say is true! Your son killed Desiree! He killed my sister—**your wife!"**

Vlad quickly grabbed the female by her wrists and darkly hissed, "You will hold your tongue or so help me!"

Spectra stared into the King's furious gaze before she dropped on the ground and began to sob loudly, quickly matching Danny's own hysterical crying.

Vlad's glare faltered at the sight of the upset female before he glanced over at his son. He floated over to him and picked him up. But even as he pressed the child against him, Danny was inconsolable. Vlad had only heard the last of Spectra's scalding words, but it was not hard to imagine the terrible things she must have said to his son, especially if it had provoked Cujo enough to physically attack her.

Right then, Anĝela flew into the room. She gasped at the sight of the destroyed dining table. She had been really startled when the King, who had been speaking with her and George in the kitchen a moment ago, had suddenly gasped with the feel of his son's distress and teleported away. But she had never expected to find something like this!

"Cujo!" she said firmly as the large dog continued to barely resist the urge to kill Spectra.

But seeing the crying woman on the ground and then the sobbing Prince, she frowned, guessing what had happened.

She floated over to Vlad and offered, "Let me take him. I think it's best you speak with your sister-in-law…"

Vlad didn't want to let go of his son, but he knew the female doctor was right. She gave Daniel to her before floating over to Spectra.

He wanted to be furious at her, but seeing her so broken… He sighed before he knelt in front of her and said, "Calm down, Spectra. I understand you are upset because of what happened to Desiree, but you had no right to—"

"She was all I had," she choked out, cutting off the King. "I lost my parents, and now I have lost my only sibling! I'm completely alone!" She suddenly glared weakly at the King as she accused him, "You promised! You promised me you would save her!" But then she buried her face in her hands and cried even harder.

This time, Vlad hesitated as a strong pain clenched his core. "I-I know… And if you should be angry at anyone, it is me, for not keeping that promise." He slowly placed a hand on the female's right shoulder before he whispered, "Forgive me, Spectra…. I-I am so sorry."

The female ghost screamed in anguish before she unexpectedly propelled herself into Vlad's arms. **"I'm sorry, too! **I-I'm sorry for everything! I was selfish and stupid to do all I did to you and Desiree… and… and Danny! I'm sorry, Vlad! I'm so sorry! Please, Please forgive me!" she begged.

Meanwhile, Anĝela watched Spectra's little act with cold eyes. She hardly was buying it. She was furious at her for upsetting the Prince like this. He would not stop crying, and she didn't know what else to say to him. She had never felt the urge to physically hurt someone like she did at the moment. How dare this evil female take advantage of the King's emotional instability! How dare she upset the Prince this way!

Anĝela gently shushed the Prince as she continued to rub his back. But she then reluctantly left the dining room. She knew staying any longer would only continue to upset the child. And as much as she wanted to give Spectra a piece of her mind, she knew it wasn't her place.

Unaware of Anĝela's and his son's departure, Vlad hesitantly wrapped his own arms around the broken female ghost. He suddenly remembered his wife's words before she had died…

_"V-Vlad… Spec-tra… Vlad… you have t-to st-top…"_

_But seeing the effort his wife was making to speak, Vlad interrupted her, "Shh. Let's not talk about your sister right now, dearest. We'll work things out. Anything you want! Just… Just calm down and conserve your strength." _

Even to the end, his wife had been worried about her sister. Vlad knew Spectra had done horrible things to him and his family; but as Desiree had always tried to get him to understand, she was still family. And she had wanted him to stop seeing her as an enemy and at least tolerate her enough to accept her. Desiree had loved Spectra so much that she would defend her even when she did wrong. That had always angered the King; he had even had that terrible fight with his wife because of it; but… love really could forgive all.

Maybe it was time he did the same. Desiree would have wanted it that way… Plus, Spectra was clearly sorry for all she had done in the past. She had to be. Vlad had never seen her like this before.

The older hybrid sighed sadly before he said, "Look, Spectra, I know this is hard, but please do not blame Daniel. He was a victim in all this as much as your sister… I… I am also sorry. Not just about Desiree. But… about everything else. If… if you are willing, I… I would like us to start over. Let bygones be bygones… At least, I know Desiree would have wanted it that way."

Spectra pulled away a bit to look at the King. "I think so, too," she whispered. "Oh, Vlad… What am I going to do? I miss her so much! She was all I had… and I…" She gripped the King again and buried her face in his chest as she continued to weep again.

This time, the King tensed as he felt the female ghost's energy. And he realized… Spectra felt like Desiree. Of course not completely. There were clear-cut differences. Vlad knew no one would ever feel like his wife; but… since Spectra and Desiree had shared the same formation, there were similarities, too… and Vlad suddenly became aware of how much he missed it. How much he missed his wife's feel and energy. He missed _her._

Spectra almost grinned when she felt Vlad grip her tighter. This was turning out to be too easy. She let some of her powers sip through to entice the King just a bit more…

"It will be alright. You still have me and Daniel," Vlad muttered quietly before reluctantly letting go. He had this odd desire to hold his wife's sister, and it troubled him. He shook it off, and added, "I think the funeral Horris has arranged will help after all. It will be tonight. So, make sure to come. But please, do not resent Daniel. He needs you more than ever. You are now the closest thing he has to his mother…"

Spectra wiped away her tears and nodded. "You're right, Vlad. I'm sorry. I… I wasn't thinking. I am just hurting. I'll go apologize right away."

"No," the older hybrid said, standing up before helping the female ghost up. "Let him calm down first. Then, we will all sit down and talk about this, alright?"

Spectra sniffed and nodded. "Okay… And, thank you, Vlad. Thank you for being so understanding…."

Vlad nodded before he excused himself to check on his son. But when he got there, he found his son half-asleep.

"I gave him a relaxant," Anĝela immediately explained.

Vlad didn't reply, and instead squatted down beside his son's bed to look at him. He raked the young hybrid's white locks back as he quietly asked, "Are you alright, little Phantom?"

Danny stared at him with tired but teary eyes. "Aunt Spectra… hates me. Everyone hates me," he muttered.

Vlad shook his head. "No, my son. No one hates you. Your aunt… she is just confused. But she still loves you, and so do I. You believe me, right?"

But Danny lowered his gaze as more tears trailed down his face.

The older half-ghost sighed as he placed a hand on the younger one's face. But then he leaned in and pressed his forehead against the child's own and closed his eyes. He was _so tired_ of seeing his son cry. It was a blow to his already broken heart and core each time.

A few minutes later, the Prince fell into a weary slumber induced by his emotional distress and the medication Anĝela had given him.

Getting to his feet, Vlad rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I am beginning to wonder if returning was such a good idea after all," he said quietly to the female ghost in the room.

"The same thought had crossed my mind…," Anĝela muttered back. She stared worriedly at the slumbering Prince as she added, "He was inconsolable. What did she say to him?"

"She blamed him for Desiree's death," Vlad replied quietly. "She… She is highly upset. She promised to apologize later."

"And do you think that will make everything okay?" Anĝela asked angrily.

But when she saw the King's surprised look, the female ghost blushed and looked away. "Forgive me, King Plasmius. That was out of line. I am just so upset that she would say such a terrible thing to the Prince…"

"Unfortunately, she isn't the only one who believes that. Skulker told me there were rumors about others believing my son to be… responsible for what happened with Desiree…"

Anĝela studied him critically for a moment before she asked, "And what do you believe?"

"What?" he asked in disbelief. But then he glared at her and snapped, "I would never think Daniel is responsible for Desiree's death! Why would you even suggest such a thing?!"

"No, I did not mean—" But she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Vlad frowned at the female doctor before he moved over to the door. He was expecting to find Spectra, but instead, he found Bullet.

"Bullet?" Vlad asked curiously.

"My King! Oh, thank the heavens you and your son are home at last! We heard of it being true, but now that you are here in front of me…" He bowed his head respectfully.

"It is good to see you, too, but unfortunately, I cannot keep you company. I have to attend to my son," the King answered.

"I understand. However, I came by order of Warden Walker. He urgently wishes to speak with you."

Vlad sighed tiredly. "Tell him I'll come by first thing tomorrow. I cannot today. There will be a funeral ceremony for my wife; and my son…"

"Forgive me, sire," Bullet interrupted hesitantly. "But he insisted it was urgent. It cannot wait. And I assure you, my liege, it really cannot…"

Vlad frowned as he glanced back at his son; but then looking at the other male ghost again, he reluctantly agreed. "Alright. Just give me a moment…"

Bullet nodded and said, "I will wait for you at the palace entrance."

He then bowed respectfully and left. But Bullet had actually known where to find the King because he had run into Spectra in the castle. Walker's top guard smirked as he returned in the direction he had seen her. When he found her, she was draped sideways on the Queen's chair in the throne room.

"You are just moving right in, aren't you?"

Spectra grinned back at Bullet. "Did you convince him to go?"

"Yes," Bullet answered with a cunning smile.

"Shame I cannot see it for myself… You'll have to tell me all about it…"

Bullet's smile widened. "Don't worry. I will…"

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**Share your thoughts, please. I'll have the second part up in a few days...**


	45. Chapter 43: Domino Effect Part II

**Alright. Here is the second part of the 'Domino Effect' chapter, and it comes with a _warning._ It somewhat dives into some dark stuff, but I couldn't see this going any other way. Luckily, we are almost at the end of this dark climax. One more chapter before the time jump. I'm really excited. I want to write some action! Heheh! Okay, I'll let you read. And remember, read at your own discretion. This story is rated PG-13, which means, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone below that age. In fact, this chapter might just border on M rating on this sight. So, you've been warned!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU plot and its OCs are my own! **

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**Domino Effect Part II**

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Standing on the balcony of his room, Aragon stared soberly at his vast territory. He had one of the best views from here. Too bad he was hardly enjoying the sight. His mind was on something else entirely.

Only a moment ago, Fright Knight had come by to inform him of the King's return. But there was more. Fright Knight had also told him about being intercepted by Horris' companion, Juukka, who had relayed a special message from Horris... Apparently, the head Ancient had granted the dragon family entrance to the Kingdom and requested Aragon and his family's presence at a funeral ceremony for the Queen that was going to be held that night.

The ghost knight had then left as quickly as he came, not even waiting or caring to hear Aragon's response to the news.

It did not matter, though. He did not trust the Fright Knight—not when the ghost had once been Pariah's right hand in the past. Of course, the ghost knight insisted he was being controlled through some spell that forced him to remain at the evil King's side. But Aragon hardly bought that.

Still, the dragon leader did not doubt the Fright Knight's messages. He wondered why they had even bothered to come tell him—or why the Ancient Leader had invited him to a ceremony that was strictly meant for the Kingdom's members.

But although Aragon was still indecisive about the invitation, he could not deny he was immensely relieved to hear of the King and Prince's safe return.

And yet, he was troubled by this, too.

Skulker could deny it all he wanted, but Aragon was certain that Vlad and his son had been hiding out in the Human World. How they could have avoided detection for this long was beyond him, but it only made sense to the dragon leader that they somehow could.

So, Vlad's return had to be emotionally hard on him. If he knew his former friend like he did, he knew the other male ghost would try to remain strong; but sooner or later, he would have to acknowledge the truth… And that worried Aragon.

The dragon ghost was sure he knew better than anyone how much Vlad had lost in the past. Desiree had become his last pillar. She had meant everything to his former friend. So, now he could only hope the King was strong enough to continue on his own, or that at least his son would keep him grounded enough to get them through the ghost mage's death…

Aragon anxiously passed a hand through his hair. To most, it seemed his position was an easy one. But it was possible that he was in a worse situation than the King when it came to responsibilities. If he wasn't the dragon leader, he would have long since rushed to Vlad's side. In the past, Aragon had always been there for his younger friend—protecting and guiding him.

But now things were different. He had his kin to think about. Vlad's acceptance of the throne, and in turn, those cursed relics, the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage, still remained present in the dragon leader's mind. He knew his former friend had used them to defeat Pariah; but at what cost? Surely those horrible relics must have done _something_ to Vlad. However, that did not trouble him as much as before. Whatever the relics could have done to his former friend, Aragon was beginning to consider that perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps Vlad was still Vlad in spite of having used Pariah's cursed crown and ring.

What truly kept him away from Vlad now was the Kingdom itself. The Kingdom's ways posed a threat to his kin's way of life. Worse, Aragon didn't trust those around the Ghost King. That so-called High Council. Most of its members who now pledged allegiance to Plasmius had done the same to Dark! How could Vlad trust them?

All Aragon could conclude was that his former friend was just too close to it all to see the whole picture. Even Skulker, who was so quick to pick up on things, was blinded. But Aragon could see it. He could see all the evil still woven within the Kingdom. He could see how Desiree's death and the Prince's capture were not some unfortunate and unforeseen event. Those humans had help—and it had come from within the Kingdom. Aragon was sure of it! Just like he was sure a ghost from the Kingdom had been responsible for kidnapping Gregory and taking him to the Human World… And, of course, those wretched creatures were more than happy to finish the job of murdering his son—and the Queen.

But now with the opening of the portals, things had become even more dangerous.

So far, there had been no human sightings near the dragon territory. But that could be because there were not any permanent portals nearby. It seemed the humans were not ready to venture too far from their means of escape. Still, Aragon remained vigilant. He would not lose anymore kin to those savage creatures. And he could not risk involving himself with the Kingdom when there was danger lurking within it as well…

But… he really wanted to go see Vlad. Desiree's death had really forced Aragon to reflect on so much. And now with Gregory's confirmed death, he did not want to push his former friend away anymore. They… needed each other. And it was indeed pointless to feud over something that happened so long ago. If there was a time to come together, it had to be now… Perhaps there was a way to support Vlad without getting too close to the Kingdom…

Besides, he was weary of seeing his son so alone and depressed. He had not told Altiĝis about how he had traveled to the Human World, and he certainly did not tell her about his confirming their missing son's death. But since Elliot had known about the trip, he was forced to tell his son about his findings—he just kept the gruesome details out of it. Nevertheless, Elliot had been devastated.

Aragon had a feeling Elliot still was in denial; but just as they had agreed, his son had not mentioned Gregory to him ever since. Still, Aragon had made him a promise. He had promised that if the King and Prince returned alive that he would try to make amends with the King so his son could at least have a friendship with the Prince…

Aragon also felt it would help the Prince heal from the loss of his mother.

Of course, Aragon could not blame Vlad's son for Desiree's death. It would be ignorant of him to blame a child. But the Prince's disobedience did play a role in what had happened, and it had cost everyone greatly—especially the Prince and his father. He hoped the child would at least learn a lesson from this tragedy, and be more aware of the consequences of his rash actions.

Aragon's thoughts quickly went to someone else entirely at the thought of 'rash actions'. And this someone concerned him just as much as Vlad. It was his sister, of course. She had really been foolish to give her trust and core to Skulker. That dragon-slaying hunter was another reason why he now kept away from Vlad. And the thought of Skulker marking his sibling with his symbol still made him snarl in revolt.

And yet, Dorthian's broken engagement with Skulker did not completely please him. He could plainly see how much his sibling was hurting because of that undeserving fool-of-a-hunter!

She barely left her room. She had fallen into the role of the submissive and quiet female a little too well considering she had been living amongst those with no sense of balance for over a decade.

Aragon knew most ghosts did not understand his kin's way of life. But the dragon way of life had brought them peace and unity. Just because females and males had different functions and roles did not mean they were not as equally important in their society. But that was just it. Male and females existed with different purposes in life. The male from the beginning had been created to lead and protect his family. The female had the purpose of nurturing and instructing her family with love and wisdom. The male was the leader of his family, and the female brought unity to it. It created a wonderful balance. So, why was everyone outside his kin so insistent on disturbing that?

The dragon leader shook his head, realizing his thoughts were straying. He was pleased that his sister was home at last—where she belonged. Elliot was especially happy to have his aunt with him, and the only time he would see Dorthian show any semblance of happiness was when Elliot was present.

But all the same, his sister continued to be highly distressed. And although their different opinions had put them at odds often, Aragon genuinely cared for his sibling's wellbeing. He wished for her happiness and what was best for her.

"What will I do with you, Dorthian?" Aragon asked out loud with an exhale.

"Perhaps you should ask her…"

The Dragon Leader tensed at the unfamiliar male voice, and in an instant, he whirled around with his claws extended out. But Aragon jolted again when he saw Clockwork floating in front of him.

"You?" he asked, surprised. But then Argaon glared furiously. "How dare you enter my domain, my abode, _my private quarters_ without my consent! I will have you dragged into the dungeon for this!"

"Yes, well, before you do, let me say what I came to tell you…," Clockwork replied, unfazed by the angry leader's threat.

"And what is that?" Aragon hissed. He had never trusted Clockwork. He was part of the High Council, after all. And worse, he worked for those imbeciles—the Observants!

"I am sure you know the King and Prince have returned. Horris has been waiting for them to… hold a funeral ceremony for the Queen… It will be tonight around seven… I just thought you would be interested… in attending."

"_You know_ I have already been informed of that!" Aragon growled. "And whether I hold an interest in attending or not is not of your concern, oracle!"

Clockwork regarded him calmly and quietly for a moment; but he then suddenly said, "I like to think that hidden behind your cold and almost cruel outward personality is a caring core, Aragon. You are a wise ghost. So clearly you can understand that my _emphasis_ on your attending this funeral is for a reason… In fact, why not push away your pride, and seek out Vlad right now as you truly desire…?"

"I believe you have me confused with the Ghost King," Aragon said coldly. "I am not a patient ghost. I will not tolerate being toyed with by a ghost from the kingdom with his cryptic words. State your reason for trespassing, or I will call my sentinels!"

"I thought I just did," Clockwork replied dryly. But then sighing, he said, "I know you are aware of the evil that lurks within the very Kingdom. The King and his son are in danger. That is why I am speaking to you now."

"Then, why do you not protect them instead of wasting time telling me facts I already know?" Aragon challenged back. "If I heard correctly, you are the Prince's guardian. Or, did you forget that the day those humans killed the Queen and almost killed him?"

"I cannot explain to you my reasons for not interfering," Clockwork replied, keeping his face neutral.

"Of course you cannot explain it," Aragon answered sarcastically. "After all, how do you possibly justify sitting by and letting innocent children be harmed when you could have prevented it, oracle? You are as villainous as those despicable humans!"

The time ghost answered calmly, "I understand your resentment towards me, as I can understand the King's own. However, I can assure you that everything that has happened, even your son's tragedy, will not be in vain." Clockwork paused before the expression on his face became unreadable. "I suppose you are right. I am no better than the humans that harmed your son and the Prince. But… I do care. It is why I am here. And I believe you care, too. If you value your bond with Vlad, go to him as you have before in the past… Or you might not get a chance again… In the end, though, it is your choice."

Aragon opened his mouth but before he could say anything the time ghost vanished from his room.

He felt a sense of dread and uncertainty with Clockwork's words. But then he shook his head and scoffed, "I hate oracles."

Of course, he knew Clockwork was the most powerful of the ghosts that held the ability to look into time; the Time Master had the unique ability of looking into the future and seeing its many outcomes. There was no ghost like him.

And yet, that grinded on Aragon's nerves. No one should hold the power to see what has yet to be written. It was unnatural!

Still, Clockwork would not have come here to make something up. And if that was indeed the case, then Vlad was in trouble again.

"I cannot keep rushing to his aid every time he is threatened by something! It is absurd!" Aragon hissed. "I have my own problems to deal with!" He growled in frustration before deciding, "I will just speak to him at the funeral… "

* * *

"Warden," Vlad greeted the ghost sheriff as he and Bullet arrived at the prison.

Walker smiled before he tipped his hat. "King Plasmius… You're a sight for sore eyes." His smiled faded and he more soberly added, "I'm sorry for what happened to you and your family. I wish we could've prevented such a tragedy. I feel responsible somehow… Perhaps if I'd been at the prison, Bullet would've been at his post, and your son…" He trailed off.

"There is nothing you could have done, Walker," Vlad replied. But changing topics, he asked, "What is this urgent matter you must speak about to me?"

"It's… complicated," the ghost sheriff said with a sigh. "I'd originally thought of handlin' it myself, but… I felt it best to leave this in your hands, King Plasmius…"

Vlad just raised a questioning eyebrow.

Walker gestured for the King to walk with him. And as Walker, Bullet, and Vlad headed deeper into the prison, the warden spoke up again, "After you and your family went missin', the High Council was in a panic. We all were. Skulker assured everyone he'd find you…. However, as the days passed, I began to grow restless myself. I know we've had our differences, King Plasmius. However, I'm aware of how important you're for the order and health of our world. And seein' everyone so uncertain, I couldn't wait any longer for Skulker's return. So, I took matters into my own hands… I broke the rules out of desperation. I ordered a handful of my guards to search for you and the Prince in the Human World."

Plasmius' eyebrows rose up in surprise, but then he frowned, "You should not have done that, Walker. It was a dangerous and unnecessary risk."

"I know," Walker replied as they finally stopped at a solid prison cell with only a steal door with a small window in it visible to visitors.

"As I said, I was desperate with the thought of your loss… You may punish me for breakin' the rules, if you wish. However, I ain't sorry. You and the Prince are too important. I couldn't remain with my arms crossed, as the rest of the High Council did."

Vlad didn't reply at first, but then he said, "I fail to understand what this has to do with why you have summoned me here…" He paused as he finally realized where they were, and he asked curiously, "Why are we here, Warden?"

"In my search for you, we found two human hunters near the place Wulf told me he'd last picked up your scent. I ordered my guards to capture 'em."

Vlad's eyes widened.

"Unfortunately, in the process of detainin' 'em, one of the human hunters put up a struggle…" Walker continued before the King could speak, "My guards were forced to kill 'im. So, I was only able to capture one of 'em."

"And you brought him here?!" Vlad exclaimed, outraged. Considering they were currently standing in front of the only human cell in the prison, it was no wonder how the older hybrid had been able to put two-and-two together.

"I thought by bringin' 'em here, I could somehow force 'im into tellin' me some potential information that could help us find ya. I had feared those ghost hunters had captured ya as they had the Queen and Prince. I had to do somethin'!"

"Walker, it's been _a year!_ Are you telling me you still have that human hunter inside this cell?" Vlad asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah... As I said, I wanted to question 'im, and I did. I intended to kill 'im right after. After all, he was at the site where the Queen and Prince had been held captive! But then I learned somethin' else... Turns out, he ain't a ghost hunter at all."

"Then why do you have him here?" Vlad questioned impatiently. He couldn't believe Walker had actually brought a human into their world! That had not happened since Dark's reign!

"You know what? It doesn't matter," the King quickly dismissed. He was too tired to deal with another of Walker's wrongful captures. "I want you to get rid of him. Take him back to his own world, Walker! You know we do not go after humans unless they are a threat to us!"

"But _he iz_ a threat to us!" Walker argued. "King Plasmius, this human in here iz responsible for _the_ _Queen's death!"_

Vlad froze. It wasn't possible. Did Walker actually Capture Agent C?

The older hybrid swallowed before he quietly muttered, "You just said he isn't a ghost hunter. How could he..?"

"His name is Damon Gray," Walker replied. "I have kept 'im alive because he's the owner of Axion Lab. That iz where the Queen was killed, right? That's what I heard from Wulf anyways…"

Vlad stared in disbelief at the ghost sheriff.

"Am I wrong?" Walker pressed.

"No…," Vlad quietly answered as he turned his unreadable gaze to the human cell.

"He might not be a hunter, King Plasmius, but he helped 'em hurt you and your family… I wanted to deal with 'im myself, but I thought you might want to see 'im, first…"

The older hybrid didn't reply this time. He knew who Damon Gray was. And Walker was right. He was the owner of Axion Lab. In his desperate search for his family, he had looked for every possible place in Amity where his family could have been taken. And with its higher than normal amount of anti-ghost weaponry, Vlad had eventually ended up at Axion that day… And his family had indeed been there.

He had known that Chrome could not have acted alone that day. The hunter had had help. _Damon Gray_ had helped him set up that trap at Axions… It was the only logical conclusion. How else could Tom have set up such an intricate trap at Axion if Gray had not known about it? But from what Vlad had heard in the news while in the Human World, Damon had been killed in the destruction of Axion….

He never thought the human was alive, much less inside this prison cell!

Plasmius felt something dark curl around his core the more he thought about it. Everything he had been through in the past year suddenly came crashing into his mind, heart, and core. His wife's horrible death; the trauma and harm his son had suffered; the many months of uncertainty as he watched his comatose son at death's door; the sleepless nights as he watched Daniel unable to close his eyes without being plagued by nightmares; the desperation he felt as a father when he watched his son panic the moment he was left alone in a dark room or placed anywhere near a human; and now having to learn of Lydia and Ghostwriter's death and how his son's core had been permanently damaged by those monsters!

He had never felt as much hate, resentment, and hopelessness as he did at that moment…

"Open the door," Vlad ordered in a quiet, yet foreboding, voice.

Walker almost grinned but forced himself to hold it in as he nodded, pulled out the key, and handed it to Bullet.

The moment Walker's top guard opened the door, however, Vlad further ordered, "Wait out here."

The ghost sheriff frowned but did as he was told.

Closing the door after the King, Bullet asked, "Do you think he'll do it…?"

"Of course. He won't be able to resist it," Walker replied smugly.

Meanwhile, Vlad's hands curled at his sides as he stood inside the dark cell. There was hardly any light, which meant the human inside the cell could not see him.

But the older hybrid could see _him_.

"W-Who's there?" asked a weak and scared voice.

Blood red energy poured into one of Vlad's hands and the room instantly lit up and was bathed in its chilling color.

Damon, who was chained by one of his ankles to the far wall of the cell, gasped at the abrupt appearance of the red light. Sitting against the wall, he shielded his unused eyes as they tried to adjust to the brightness. He only barely managed it, and he scrunched his eyes at the figure in the cell with him. Damon's vision was very blurry but he could tell this ghost was one he had never seen before.

"Who… Who are you?"

Plasmius didn't reply at first as he regarded the human with cold red eyes. But then he replied in a strangely calm voice, "Surely you must know me when you murdered my wife and harmed my son…"

Damon's eyes widened.

"You… You're the Ghost King!"

Plasmius floated closer, though his eyes remained fixed on the cowering human at his mercy.

"Tell me, _Damon Gray,"_ Vlad said with a bite of venom in his voice this time. "How did you exactly end up here, hmm? Were you really just foolish enough to get caught? Or, did your partner, Thomas Chrome, betray you? That would be right up that snake's alley…"

Damon shook his head. "Please…," he said, his voice raspy from disuse. "I-I know what you are thinking. But I swear things are not as they seem! Agent C set me up! I had nothing to do with what happened to your family!"

"No?" Vlad questioned tersely. "So, you did not permit Agent C to use Axion Lab to set up a trap for me and my family? You did not grant him access to all your company's anti-ghost system and weaponry?" The older hybrid's eyes narrowed as he further hissed, "_Was it not you_, Mr. Gray, who helped kill my wife and torture my son just to get to me?"

"He tricked me! I swear!" Damon exclaimed in a hoarse voice. "I did not know what he was going to do!"

"You did not know he was using your facility to lay out a trap for me?" Vlad asked angrily. "I find that really difficult to believe, Mr. Gray."

"No, I… I-I did know," Damon confessed anxiously. "But I didn't know about your family. I would have never agreed to that; and I only agreed to help him because he made me believe I was doing the right thing. I thought you… I thought you were—"

"A monster?" Vlad asked coldly; but his tone turned into dark sarcasm as he added, "Or, is it a demon who seeks out innocent humans to drink their blood and rips children from their cradles in the middle of the night?"

Plasmius walked forward again, and then kneeled in front of Damon. The man cringed in fear when the King just as suddenly grabbed his face, and sneered, "You humans are all the same ignorant spineless brutes. _I am sick_ of having to tolerate your worthless existences! I should just prove you all right and be done with it!"

"Please, you must believe me. I was tricked by Agent C. When I realized his true intentions, I tried to stop him!" Damon whispered desperately. "It is how I ended up here! Agent C and this other evil man— Frederick something—with whom he's allied, attacked me because I tried to stand in the way of their plans! But instead of killing me, they turned me over to your race!"

Vlad fell quiet as he stared into the man's fearful and desperate eyes for a long moment. Suddenly, he let go of Damon's face and rose to his feet.

"You think you are innocent? Alright… I will give you _the chance_ to prove it…"

But before Damon could even attempt to make sense of that, Vlad turned and walked back over to the cell door and knocked.

Walker opened the door immediately, and the King stepped out. He glanced at the two expectant male ghosts before he locked his eyes on Bullet.

"Bullet, I want you to go to my home… Bring me my son," Vlad ordered seriously.

Walker's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything.

Bullet hesitated but replied, "As you wish, sire…"

Once the ghost left, Walker uncertainly questioned, "I don't understand, King Plasmius… Why'd you need the Prince?"

"The human claims he is innocent," Vlad said coolly.

"And you believe 'im?" Walker asked almost indignantly. This was not how things were supposed to go!

"No," Vlad replied right away, "But if anything, this fool will help me teach my son a lesson…"

* * *

Ember glanced back at the closed door before she quietly made her way over to her companion, Saphear. She knew her uncle was going to be very displeased when he found out she had snuck out; but she couldn't wait anymore! She had to see Danny!

She had been really nervous ever since the King had stopped by that morning and he and her Uncle Skulker argued over her parents' death. She had never seen Danny's father look so angry… and scary.

She could tell her Uncle Skulker was troubled and edgy over what happened; but he insisted that they would wait until later to go to the palace.

Well, Ember had other ideas.

She finally found the blue young firebird. She petted her on the head before she whispered, "You up for a small trip?"

The bird cooed in agreement. Even when this would be her first time leaving her keeper's island since she was brought here, she would gladly go anywhere with her little friend.

Ember smiled before she climbed on the bird. Its burning blue feathers seemed to have no affect on the ghost girl as she wrapped her arms around the young bird's neck and pointed the way.

With a strong flap of her wings, Saphear took off in the direction of the palace. Her uncle's island was about forty-five minutes away from where Danny lived; but thanks to her winged friend, she made it in thirty minutes.

She hopped off Saphear and asked her to stay outside before she turned invisible and flew into the palace. She knew she was welcomed here; but since she had snuck out without her uncle's permission, she felt it was best to go unnoticed.

Being almost a second-home to her, Ember flew through the halls without hesitation. But just as she reached the Prince's room, she halted when she saw the female doctor with the pretty wings step out of her friend's room. She quickly pressed against the nearest wall, in the hope that the adult ghost wouldn't notice her. After all, some ghosts had the ability to detect other ghosts even when they were invisible.

Fortunately, the female ghost seemed to be distracted by her thoughts, and she continued down the hall without any sign of noticing the ghost girl.

It was only after Anĝela disappeared into the other hall that Ember turned visible and snuck into Danny's room.

When she found him, she was surprised to see he was sleeping. Weird. Her friend never liked sleeping during the day. But then she suddenly remembered her uncle mentioned something about Danny being sick or unwell somehow.

She floated over to the side of bed. Leaning in close, she stared at him for a small moment before she lightly shook him. "Danny? Come on, wake up. It's me!"

The Prince unexpectedly sat up on his bed with a gasp.

"Danny!" Ember exclaimed in surprise when she barely missed her friend's head colliding with her own from how close she had been to him. But then she drew in again and placed a hand on his glowing symbol and said more softly, "You need to take it easy… You okay?"

The young half-ghost looked around in a daze from being awakened so abruptly. But when he finally noticed his friend right next to him, his eyes widened in a mixture of delight and relief.

"Ember!" he exclaimed before he abruptly lunged at her.

The girl squeaked in surprise as the force of her friend's hug landed them both on the ground. Cujo was also in the room, and he jumped to his feet and barked excitedly at seeing the two kids so happy.

"You're okay!" Danny said, gripping her tightly. "I'm so happy to see you! I missed you a lot!"

Ember grinned and answered, "Me, too! I was so scared and worried! I thought you'd never come back!" She pulled away as she stared curiously at him and asked, "Where were you? Why were you gone for such a long time?"

Danny opened his mouth to answer truthfully when he remembered his father's words… He wasn't allowed to tell anyone about his other side… About his human side.

"I… couldn't come back because…" He looked away. "…I was sick…"

"Oh…," Ember replied, though she clearly didn't understand why that would keep her friend from returning sooner. But she shook her head and said, "It's okay! You're home now! And we're together again!"

Danny turned his green eyes back to his friend and smiled. But his happiness just as quickly melted away when he finally remembered what had happened with his aunt a moment ago. Or, he thought it was a moment ago. He didn't know how long he had been asleep. Actually, he still felt a bit tired from the medication Anĝela had given him to calm him. But at least he didn't feel weak anymore.

"Are you okay, Danny?" Ember questioned worriedly.

The Prince shook his head. "I-I'm sorry…. I-I tried to stop the portal from sucking you in! I really did! I didn't mean to get you and Cujo hurt!" He bowed his head in shame, and gripping his mother's necklace, he added in a whisper, "I-I didn't mean to get anyone hurt… Please, don't hate me like my aunt."

Ember gasped, but quickly wrapped her arms around her friend. "What? No! I don't hate you! Never! And I know you tried to help me! So, it's okay! I'm okay. Cujo's okay! And you're okay! We're together again, so it's okay!"

But Danny shook his head again and pulled away from his friend. "No… Nothing will ever be okay again. Aunt Spectra's right. It's all my fault…"

Ember lowered her own gaze as she muttered, "It's not your fault. It's those evil humans and…" She stopped herself. She was about to talk about the dragon ghost that killed her parents, but she remembered her uncle asked her not to speak of him ever again, especially not to anyone else.

She didn't notice her friend tense with her mention of 'evil humans'. Danny suddenly understood why his father had told him not to tell anyone about his human half. If anyone knew, they would hate him for being human. _Ember_ would hate him.

Danny's eyes swelled with tears, but then he looked up when Ember placed a hand on his shoulder. "I-I know your mommy died…"

"They _killed_ her," Danny corrected her as he blinked back tears.

Ember nodded but her own eyes swelled with tears. "Yeah… My Mommy and Daddy… They… They were killed, too!" she suddenly cried out before she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

Danny's eyes widened in alarm, but he then quickly wrapped his arms around his friend; yet instead of comforting her, Danny began to cry with her. Still, understanding each other's pain, the two ghost kids shared an unspoken comfort in that—and on the fact that they were together again.

* * *

Meanwhile, and still deep in thought, Anĝela continued down the hallways. She sighed as she brought one of her wings forward and combed the feathers with her fingers.

She was worried about all the stress the Prince was going through—and it was only his first day back! She had checked him while asleep, and thankfully, his core had now fully regenerated its lost energy; but it was still weak. And, of course, all this stress was not helping the child at all.

At least the Ghost Prince had been sleeping soundly for a good hour now. He certainly needed the relaxation after how badly Spectra had upset the child. And it gave Anĝela a moment to tend to herself.

She had not eaten anything since breakfast, and it was close to three in the afternoon now. But that further reminded her that Danny also needed to eat. But she would let him sleep for a bit longer while she ate, and then she would get him something.

However, as she walked towards the kitchen, she ran into Derek. The head butler of the castle. He was carrying three covered trays and seemed to be in hurry.

"Derek?" she called, stopping him. "Are you alright? You look… flustered…"

The ghost butler rolled his eyes and replied, "No, I'm annoyed. Honestly? How many meals can one female ghost eat?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, confused.

"The Queen's sister. She's been in the grand dining room for the past hour, and she keeps asking for all sorts of food dishes! You would think she hadn't eaten in a year!"

"Oh, really?" Anĝela replied, her eyes narrowing. "Here, let me take one of those trays from you. Take the other two back."

"But… she asked…," Derek began hesitantly.

"I will deal with her," Anĝela assured him.

Derek shrugged and gave her one of the trays before he turned back towards the kitchen.

Anĝela shook her head in disgust. Honestly. Spectra could at least try some subtly.

Feathers ruffling in agitation, the female doctor forced herself to calm down before she turned towards the grand dining room—since the smaller one had been destroyed by Cujo just hours ago when Spectra had verbally attacked Danny. As a result, the puppy had reacted by growing in size, attacking the shadow ghost, and inadvertently destroying everything in his path, including the dining table.

When she entered, she instantly saw Spectra looking quite comfy in the King's chair. In fact, she had her spectral tail up on the table as she reclined against one of the armrests.

The shadow ghost had her right-hand claws drawn out, and was using them like kabob skewers as she ate some kind of reddish-purple pieces of fruit impaled on the tips of her claws.

"Gruberry," Anĝela causally said as she walked into the dining room. "It's a rare fruit. Very few ghosts have had the fortune of eating them…"

Spectra startled with the other female's appearance. But then she relaxed and grinned at Anĝela. "God, they're like melting honey on your tongue!" she beamed. "I could eat fifty of these! I need to dine at this place more often!"

"I'm sure… And it certainly looks like you could eat that many—or already have," Anĝela replied before she gestured to the chair closest to the female ghost and asked, "May I?"

Spectra shrugged, "It's a big dining table. Feel free to do whatever you want."

Still, the female shadow ghost made no move to remove her spectral tail off the table and continued to eat the fruits on her claws.

Anĝela stared at her for a moment before she sat down and placed the covered tray she had taken from Derek in front of her. She was hardly hungry anymore, but she still lifted up the cover and placed it to the side.

She found it was a sort of dessert, and she grabbed the spoon next to the tray. She took a bite, and made a mental note to get the recipe from George.

"You seem to be coping well," Anĝela causally said before she took another bite of the sweet dish. "If your good appetite is any indication of it, that is."

Spectra shrugged again before she finally took her spectral tail off the table. She then leaned forward and reached for one of the many plates in front of her before grabbing a ball of yellow bread which was clearly stuffed with something.

"Food helps me cope when I'm depressed," she answered.

"You don't say…," Anĝela replied, staring calmly at the other female.

"Yup." Spectra said, and then took a bite of the bread ball. But then scrunching her nose, she all but tossed the rest of it aside. She glanced towards the dining room's entrance and muttered, "Where the heck is that useless ghost with my food?"

"Derek won't be coming with anymore food, Spectra," the female doctor informed her.

Spectra frowned. "And why not?"

"Because I told him not to bring you anything else. Oh. Well, that's not completely true. After all, I am currently eating one of the dishes for which you asked. Good choice by the way. It's very good," Anĝela said with a small smile.

Spectra raised an eyebrow. And she suddenly realized the ghost doctor was actually challenging her.

"Oh," the shadow ghost replied as she sized up the other female. Anĝela really was very beautiful. She had those golden curls that seem to brighten her same-colored eyes. And, of course, there were those pure white unmarred wings of hers…

Spectra could just imagine plucking them, little-by-little, to pieces …

"You know," the shadow ghost began causally as she reached forward and dipped a finger in some sauce. "I saw you and Vlad in the hallway… He's really warmed up to you, hasn't he?" She sucked the sauce off her finger before adding, "Is that why you suddenly feel you have some sort of authority around here?"

Anĝela shook her head. "Only you would think of something as sick as that." The female doctor suddenly narrowed her eyes at Spectra. "I'm not you, Spectra. I actually have respect for the dead. I do not take advantage of others when they are going through difficult times."

"Look," Spectra said with an amused smile. "I do not care what a pathetic little half-bird doctor thinks of me. But I'll have you know that I cared about my sister, and I care about Vlad and Danny."

"Of course you do. That's why you forced your touch on the Prince some time back. That's why you poisoned him with your cold lies just a moment ago!" Anĝela sneered.

"I was upset a moment ago. And that whole fiasco with Danny a while back was an accident," Spectra replied dismissively.

"I did not accuse you out of respect for the Queen," Anĝela snapped back. "But I am no fool, Spectra. I saw what you did to Danny, and that was no accident!"

"Oh, it's _Danny_ now?" Spectra asked with a dark smile. "If I remember correctly, Danny is your _Prince_ and Vlad is your _King_. Maybe you should start remembering your place; because it's nowhere near the place I occupy in this hierarchy. I am above you, _sweetie_. And I won't allow you to get any little ideas in your head about Vlad and Danny, or I'll make your life a living hell."

"Think what you want," Anĝela answered. "But do not make the mistake of believing that just because the Queen is gone, you will be able to stroll in here and take over _her_ family. She might not be here to defend the King and Prince, but there are plenty of those that care for them who will!"

"Are you included in that list?" Spectra asked with an unfazed smile.

"Yes!" Anĝela hissed. She stood to her height, her wings spread with her ire as she warned, "You do anything to hurt the King and Prince again and I swear to you that it will be _I _who makes _your_ life a living hell!"

Spectra burst into laughter as she watched the other female storm out of the dining room. "Careful there! You might break one of your pretty wings by getting them so ruffled up!" she yelled after her before laughing some more.

Anĝela glared darkly upon hearing Spectra's words, but still left. She couldn't believe that female's audacity! But she wouldn't let her get away with whatever messed up plan she had formed inside her sick head!

As one of the King's advisors, she had always defended the royal family and Kingdom before; but now, after spending so much time with the Prince and King, she was even more willing to do so. She, of course, couldn't deny that she had grown more personally attached to the little Prince—and the King. But the love she held for him _and_ the boy's father was a respectful one!

She wasn't demented enough to 'move in' on the King as Spectra had suggested!

"What a sick and selfish female," she muttered angrily.

But her brooding was interrupted by the appearance of Bullet.

Seeing that Walker's head guard was now alone when she knew he had earlier left with the King, Anĝela quickly asked, "Bullet? Where is the King?"

She had been nervous all along about the King's sudden departure to deal with some supposed issue at the prison. She just had this bad feeling, and it did not help matters that the Ghost King had yet to return.

"He is still at the prison," Bullet answered. "I was actually looking for you. The King requested that I bring his son to him."

Anĝela's eyes widened. "What? Why does he need the Prince at the prison? He knows the child is still recovering!"

Bullet lightly shrugged. "I'm just following orders, Anĝela. And he wants his son…"

The female doctor was now highly troubled. Something just wasn't right here.

"I'll go with you and the Prince, then," she said.

"No," Bullet said right away. But seeing the female frown at him, he added, "I mean, it's a private matter. Don't worry. I'll take care of the Prince."

Anĝela was clearly reluctant to agree to the King's command. But it _was_ his command.

She sighed in defeat. "Alright. But he will need to eat something first. Then, you will have to carry him the whole way. He cannot use his powers, not even for flying."

Bullet nodded.

Anĝela excused herself and headed to the kitchen to get a quick meal for the Prince. With Spectra's asking for so much food, Anĝela was able to get something for the Prince very swiftly. However, when she at last made it to the Prince's room, Anĝela was greatly surprised to see the Prince not only awake but talking with Ember.

It seemed the two ghost children had calmed down enough to talk again.

"Ember? When did you get here? Where is your uncle?" Anĝela questioned right away with a confused frown.

Ember's cheeks flushed with a white glow as she replied to the latter question, "Uh…. Not here?"

* * *

Not trusting himself, Vlad had stayed outside the cell with Walker as he waited for his son's arrival. But it was taking Bullet longer than he had expected to bring him Daniel. So, in order to distract him from his mounting anxiety, the King had asked Walker to catch him up on the happenings in the Ghost World. Even so, the King had barely heard all of what the Warden told him. His mind was just too focused on one thing, and that was the human in the cell.

Finally, Bullet arrived with the Ghost Prince.

Danny had been quiet for the whole trip mostly because he was just so confused. He didn't understand why he was here, and though he had been to the prison a few times with his father, he had never come to any of the cell areas! Not only that, he had a very bad feeling about this. It didn't help that Bullet had refused to say anything to him, expect that his father requested his presence. And although Danny didn't mind that his father wanted him to come to the prison, he was still a bit upset that he had to leave Ember's side when he had only just seen her again.

"Father?" Danny questioned the moment he saw Vlad; but unsure of what to say, he fell quiet again.

Sensing his son's apprehension, Plasmius touched the child's symbol, and said, "I'm sorry, Son. I know you are confused; but I will explain everything in a moment."

He then walked away from his even more confused son, and nodded at Walker in a silent command.

The warden immediately moved over to the cell door and unlocked it once more.

Vlad wasted no time, and walked up to Damon. He squatted down in front of him before he forebodingly said, "I am going to allow my son to see you… You do anything to deliberately upset him, and you will wish you were never born."

The King didn't wait for a response. He stood back up and walked over to the door in one fluid movement.

Danny quickly looked at his father as he stepped out of the cell. If he had been feeling like something wasn't right before, now he definitely was. Something was going on with his father. He had felt it when his father had touched his symbol…

Taking Danny from Bullet, Vlad said, "Daniel, I need you to be very brave, alright? I am going to take you into that prison cell to see someone. I promise nothing bad will happen to you. I just need to show you something."

Danny slowly nodded. He had so many questions in his head, but he didn't even know where to start; so he kept quiet.

Vlad just nodded back; but the child continued to stare strangely at him. He was unaware that his son could sense something troubling in his energy. It was making Danny a bit edgy, actually.

Still, the Prince remained quiet, even as his father took him inside the cell. Danny tensed with the darkness in the room. It wasn't completely pitch-black since his ghostly eyes helped him see. Still, it did make him nervous. Really, it reminded him of being captured within that ghost trap, and he began to get even more upset.

But his father's presence kept him calm enough so that he grew more curious than upset. He began to look around. He had never seen a prison cell before. However, as his eyes traveled through the area, the Prince instantly spotted the being sitting on the other side of the room.

"F-Father?" Danny whispered with dread in Ghost Speech. Why was a human in the Ghost World? And why were they now in here with one?

"He will not hurt you, Son… At least not under these circumstances," Vlad said coldly in their language.

Danny looked at his father as he once again felt a strange sensation in the older hybrid's energy.

"I want you to take a good look at that human over there, Daniel," Vlad then said still in Ghost Speech, and Danny focused his enhanced vision on the human still across the cell from them. "Do you recognize him?"

The Prince frowned at the male human who seemed to be able to hear them but couldn't see them like they could see him.

Still, the child looked back at his father and shook his head. "No, but… Can we go now? I don't want to be here," Danny whispered nervously. He didn't know what it was but he was growing more and more uncomfortable about them being in here with this human—even if Danny had never seen him before. Not to mention, it was getting really hard to ignore the claustrophobia setting into him within this murky and dark place.

Vlad was quiet for a moment as he began to wonder if the human had actually been telling the truth. If his son had never seen him, then was it possible that Chrome had somehow tricked Gray? But he had no sure way of knowing that.

"In a moment, Daniel. But I need you to be sure that you do not know this human…" Plasmius said, and finally moved them closer to Damon. The older hybrid then lit up the room with the energy he released from one of his hands so that the human could see them, too.

But the moment Damon was able to see them, he gasped in disbelief.

"Y-You're… alive," Damon whispered, relief evident in his voice. "Oh, God. I thought they had…" Suddenly desperate, Damon tried to pull his weak body to his feet, only to fail. But he still pleaded, "Tell your father, little one. Tell him how I tried to stop them from hurting you! You must get him to believe me! I have a daughter about your age! I would have never willingly allowed Tom to hurt a child—ghost or not!"

But what the man didn't know was that Danny had been half-conscious when Damon had attempted to stop Thomas. And although the boy had heard him, Danny had not understood Human Speech at the time; so the boy really had no idea that Damon indeed tried to defend him and his mother.

But the way Danny tensed with the sound of Damon's voice, it was clear the child remembered _his voice._ And though he had never physically seen Damon, the boy was instantly certain he had heard his voice among the humans that had been hurting him and his mother…

Danny began to shake. "N-No…. N-No, Daddy! I want to go! He'll hurt me! No! Don't let him hurt me!"

Damon fell into shocked silence at the Prince's negative reaction towards him. He didn't understand! Why was the child so terrified of him?!

Vlad was also startled by his son's sudden panic. But though the King was alarmed, he quickly regained control of that emotion and his eyes narrowed on Damon. There was no doubt in his mind now that Damon had been present when Tom was hurting his son.

"Daniel, it's alright. Do not be afraid, Son. This human will not harm you again. Come on. Look at me."

Danny, who had buried his face in his father's neck, slowly pulled away enough to stare back at the older hybrid with wet and scared eyes. "I-I don't want to be hurt again… Please, Daddy. Let's go."

"Trust me, Son. Alright?" Vlad whispered, though his voice was very serious.

Danny nodded, but he continued to shake.

"Look at him, Daniel," Vlad said, but this time he spoke in Human Speech; and when his son looked at Damon, the King further said, "I want you to understand something… I want you to understand why you have no reason to fear these pathetic creatures. These ignorant humans—like the one you see before you—believe that they are invincible because they can hide behind their weapons and numbers. But take away their twisted toys and their false-sense of invincibility and you are left with what you see before you: a sniveling wretch at our feet."

The older hybrid's words grew darker as he said, "Just look how he cowers before us. Do you see, then? You do not have to be afraid of these creatures, my son. They are below us. Their arrogance makes them stupid and weak. They are worse than those primitive cabalistic ghosts driven by instincts. These creatures are just driven by their selfish desire, and need to feed off those weaker than them. They have no respect for even each other. They are incapable of ever truly understanding or feeling anything but selfishness. But they have no power here—_this human_ has no power here. That is why he cannot harm you now. He is at _our_ mercy now, Daniel…"

Danny quietly listened to his father's words, yet his eyebrows were creased together in a mixture of confusion and resentment as he stared at the human on the ground. The boy had never seen any human look so… weak… So, fragile. His father was right. They were only dangerous when they had the upper hand; but in the end, they really were powerless.

They couldn't hurt him while his father was here; while he was at home, among those that would defend him. But the Prince also realized one other thing…

He might be part of what they were, but he would never be _one_ of them. And that was what his father had tried to make him understand for so long. The humans might have some physical similarities to his kind, but _they_ would never be anything like them. And the young hybrid suddenly wondered why he had ever been fascinated by such horrible creatures….

Danny's eyes narrowed at the human before he suddenly barred his fangs at him and hissed. This human had helped that ghost hunter harm him and his mother; and the boy couldn't help the feeling of satisfaction to see him locked up where he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone again!

Damon could only stare back at the glaring hybrids. He still couldn't understand how the Prince could be mistaking him for one of Tom's men. All he could conclude was that the child had been so injured that he had been barely been conscious, and so now he was confused.

Damon shook his head, and lowered his gaze. Maybe they were right. He was responsible for what happened. He had let Tom trick him. If it wasn't for his giving into Tom's 'request' of using Axion to harm the King, none of this would have happened. He had never encountered a ghost before all of this mess; and yet, he had easily believed what he had heard from others about ghosts' being cold-blooded killers. Instead, the cold-blooded killer had turned out to be one of Damon's own kind. And he had helped him harm these innocent creatures who now hated him with good reason.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry, little one," Damon said sadly, his head hung in shame. "I was a fool to judge your kind without bothering to seek the truth. I should have never let Tom do what he did…"

Danny's glare melded into a surprise look. The human was saying sorry to him? But… he was evil, right?

"You helped him kill my mommy," Danny whispered sadly.

"And I give anything to take it back," Damon replied soberly, staring up at the Prince. "I would give anything if I could have stopped Tom from hurting you and your family as he did."

Danny looked away, feeling torn. He was angry and hurt, and yet… he suddenly felt bad for this human. He looked sincerely sorry.

Danny stared at his father, who unlike him was not swayed by Damon's words. The child suddenly realized what the odd feeling coming off his father was… It was hate. His father deeply despised this human, and it felt terrible to the young hybrid. He didn't want his father to feel such a bad emotion…

"Daddy?" Danny whispered, placing a hand on his father's symbol. "Can we go?"

Vlad at last tore his eyes away from Damon and looked into his son's pleading gaze. He could feel his son's worry for him. And something more. Fear? Did his son somehow know how his entire being was screaming for retribution, and he was barely containing himself at the moment?

Vlad hesitated as he looked down at Damon Gray. But he had known from the moment that Walker had told him that this man was here that he could not just walk away. Just staring at him brought back the images of his dying wife. It brought back all the pain and tears his son had endured and shed in this past year. It reminded him of everything he felt inside that was tearing him apart.

He couldn't walk away.

"Daniel, I want you to wait outside with Walker and Bullet, alright?" Vlad said quietly in Ghost Speech. "I will be out in a moment, and then we will go home…"

But Danny quickly shook his head, and his voice heightened as he whimpered back, "No, Daddy! Come with me, please! Let's go home—_together_."

"We will…. In a moment," the older hybrid assured him before he turned and began to walk towards the door.

But when Vlad knocked on the cell door, Danny suddenly grabbed his father's face. And with tears swelling in the child's eyes, he begged, "Don't. Please. Don't… stay, Daddy." And not sure why, he added in a trembling voice, "You're good, Father. _You're good."_

Vlad felt his resolve almost crumble with his son's words. But right then, Walker unlocked the door.

The King stared at his pleading son for a moment more before he looked at Walker and said, "Take my son."

Walker nodded and grabbed Danny from the King. But the boy's calm instantly snapped, "NO! No! No! Daddy, don't go back in there! Let's go home! **Daddy!**"

But even as he watched his son struggle against Walker's hold, Vlad had already made up his mind.

"No one comes in," the King commanded soberly. "I will be out in a moment." He then turned back and closed the prison door after him.

There was an eerie silence. Not even his screaming son outside could be heard within the sealed cell. But it wasn't the King who broke the silence.

"Are you going to kill me now, Ghost King?" Damon asked quietly, his eyes lowered.

Vlad approached the human on the ground, and stopped when he was only a few feet from him. It was then that he answered, "No... I am not going to kill you…."

Damon stared at the male ghost with disbelief.

"For the longest time, I have struggled to prove you creatures wrong—to somehow make you understand that all I wanted was for our races to simply co-exist… It was foolish of me to think it was possible. You will always see me as a monster no matter what I do."

"You're wrong," Damon answered before he gripped at the wall and struggled to stand up again. This time, he somehow managed it with the help of the wall. Still, as weak as he felt, he looked into the King's red eyes, and said, "I do not think you a monster. Not anymore. Your son is right. You are good."

"No, Mr. Gray," Plasmius answered. "You are wrong. I am not _good_. You see, you have taken from me that goodness—you helped _murder_ her."

"I am sorry," Damon repeated again. "And even if you might not believe me, I know how you feel… My wife was also killed, but in a car accident, by someone's careless mistake… I wish with all my heart that I could return your wife to you—that I could undo _my_ mistake—but I cannot. But you must believe me! If I had known all Tom was going to do I would have never helped him!"

"You mentioned you had a daughter my son's age…" Vlad said, ignoring the man's comment all together.

Damon nodded sadly. "My Valerie…"

"Do you love her, Mr. Gray?"

"More than my life… I am so worried about her," the man admitted with a sigh.

"Then, what would you do if someone would hurt her? If someone tortured her in unimaginable ways and then killed her mother in front of her? What would you do to those responsible?"

Damon's eyes widened and fear began to coil around his heart again. "Please. My daughter needs me. I am all she has in this world! I-I promise you that I will help you in any way I can to bring Agent C to justice! He has hurt too many for too long! He must be stopped! Let me go, and I swear I will help you!"

"I told you I would not be the one to end your life…"

Damon fell into quiet dread.

Plasmius glanced at the shut door before he suddenly looked back at Damon and let black rings wash over his form.

Damon gasped as he watched the ghost in front of him turn into a human!

"It will not be the Ghost King who kills you, Mr. Gray. It will be _me_," Vladimir said soberly. "A human, just like you…"

"Oh, God… How is this possible? Wait. I know you. You're that millionaire from Wisconsin! You're V-Vladimir Masters!"

"It's different, isn't it?" the older hybrid said coldly. "To know you willingly helped harm one of your _own_ kind? My son is also like me. So, you see, you helped Chrome torture a child _just like yours._ Now, I ask you again, what would you do to those who hurt your child?_"_

Damon's head hung as he felt so much remorse for helping Chrome. "… The same thing you are about to do now," he admitted. But he quickly stared back at the other human, and added, "But you're better than me. You're better than Agent C. Don't do this. You are not evil. You're not the killer that people like Agent C have made you out to be!"

"You are right," Vladimir replied, and yet he let his right hand's claws draw out. "I have never taken a life before… Perhaps if it was any other circumstance, I would have let you live. But I now see what a mistake it is—to be merciful towards you creatures."

Vlad gripped Damon by the collar of his shirt, and pulled him close. The older hybrid's hands shook as did his voice as he confessed, "If I would have killed Chrome when I had the chance, none of this would have happened… I cannot make that same mistake with you."

Damon's eyebrows creased in sympathy, but he still begged, "Please… "

Vlad's blue eyes suddenly turned blood red as he pressed Damon against the wall as said, "Don't worry, Mr. Gray. I will make it quick."

Damon's eyes filled with tears before he closed them. And accepting his fate, he thought of his daughter, and whispered, "Valerie… I am sorry…"

"I know… But it will not save you."

With a quick thrust, Danny's father thrust his right claws clean into Damon's chest.

* * *

It was past five in the afternoon now. It had taken Skulker about a half-hour to discover his niece had vanished from his island; but it took him only a second to conclude where she had flown off to. And he knew he was right when the moment he arrived at the royal castle, he found Saphear just outside the palace doors.

Skulker sighed and shook his head. He had no experience raising a child, but he knew that Ember's running off without his permission could not be tolerated—even if it was to just come see the Prince.

"Such an impatient child," Skulker muttered as he walked through the halls. But he supposed he would have ended up coming to the castle anyways. He had been worried about Vlad since that morning, and if he had not sought him out, it was because Skulker wanted to give the older hybrid some space. And, besides, Juukka had come by earlier to tell him about Desiree's funeral ceremony tonight. The hunter figured he would see Vlad at that time. But, of course, he was here now thanks to his niece. So, he might as well talk to his friend, too. Well, once he had _a word_ with Ember.

However, just as he was about to turn towards the hall leading to the royal chambers, Skulker heard angry voices in the opposite direction. Skulker raised an eyebrow as he went to investigate. To his surprise, he found Spectra and Anĝela arguing.

"Look, blondie! I can stay here as long as I want! So, why don't you take a hike! Or, better yet, go preen your feathers somewhere far away from here!" Spectra growled.

Anĝela's wings flared and she pointed a furious finger at the other female. But before she could say anything, Skulker interrupted her.

"Anĝela? What is the matter?" But he then frowned at the shadow ghost as he asked her, "And what are you doing here, Spectra?"

"That's what I want to know!" Anĝela hissed.

"Oh my God!" Spectra exclaimed, raising her hands up in exasperation. "What is it with you all? I have more right to be here than either of you! And I'm not leaving until Vlad returns!"

Skulker blinked. "Where is Plasmius? Isn't the funeral in less than two hours? I would think…"

Anĝela quickly interrupted him with deep distress, "Bullet came to get him because Walker had something urgent to address with him. But it's been over two hours since he left, and over an hour since the Prince left!"

"The Prince?" Skulker repeated, confused. "Why would Vlad take his son to the prison?"

"He actually ordered Bullet to come get him, and they haven't returned!" the female doctor replied. "I am really worried, Skulker! Danny is still recovering! I do not understand why King Plasmius would take him out for so long, especially to the prison!"

Skulker stared at Anĝela. He also had no idea what to make of Vlad's actions; but remembering his reason for coming, the hunter questioned, "Have you seen my niece?"

"Yes," the doctor answered with a sigh. "She was with the Prince when Bullet came to get him. I learned she came here without your consent; so I asked her to stay in the Prince's room until you came for her or until I had a chance to take her to you. But I've been so troubled over the King and Prince's departure… It's just too strange, Skulker…"

"Yes… it is strange that Plasmius would take his son to the prison. He must have had a powerful reason to do so…" Skulker rubbed his chin, but he abruptly paused and his eyes darted to the other female present. Of course… Why had he not realized it before? If Spectra was here, it was for a reason, and that only made the hunter even more suspicious of something being wrong.

He glared as he demanded, "Why did Walker call for Plasmius, Spectra? I know you know!"

"What? How is this suddenly my fault?" she protested, putting her hands on her hips. But when she saw the male ghost's eyes narrow further, she rolled her eyes and said, "Look, I don't really know. All I heard from Bullet was that Walker had captured some human. That's all I know."

Anĝela and Skulker gasped. But it was the hunter who said out loud, "It cannot be! But I still do not comprehend this! Why would Vlad take his son…?" The hunter trailed off and his eyes went wide with horror as something terrible dawned over him.

"Skulker?" the female doctor asked anxiously.

But Skulker's fear melded into fury, and his hands clenched at his sides. "Walker…," he sneered. "That conniving pathetic excuse-of-a-ghost! If he did what I think…" But the hunter didn't finish his thoughts, and instead focused on Anĝela and said, "I need you to watch Ember. I will return as soon as I can…"

Without waiting for a response, Skulker stalked out of the castle. He was so angry his white hue had turned green and his hair was blazing wildly.

He flew off in silent ire towards the prison, and though the trip usually took twenty minutes, he got there in ten. He stalked right through the prison halls, ignoring all the curious and wary stares he got from the guards. No one dared stop him, even as he descended towards the cells. He knew exactly where he was going.

As he neared the only cell that was meant to hold humans, Skulker immediately heard Danny's screams. He picked up his pace.

"Prince Phantom! You need to settle down! Your father will be out soon enough!" Walker said, annoyed. The brat had not stopped throwing a tantrum since his father had left him, and the Warden wasn't sure how much of the screaming his poor pounding head could take.

Bullet had Danny by the hand, trying to keep him away from the cell door. Not that the child could open it since it was locked. But Bullet did not want the Prince to harm himself by pounding and pounding on the door like he had been doing a moment ago.

"Hey, how about we go play a game? I have snacks, too!" Bullet added encouragingly.

"No! No! No!" Danny yelled angrily as he tried to get Bullet to let go of his wrist. "I want my father! Let me go! Let me go!"

"**Let him go!"** Skulker sneered as he walked into the cell hall and stared furiously at the two male ghosts.

Walker raised an eyebrow while Bullet immediately let go of the Prince.

But although he was relieved to see his uncle, Danny only cared about one thing at the moment. He instantly bolted to the door, and began to pound and pull on it.

"Daddy! Daddy!" he yelled. If he had not been so emotionally distressed, he would have been worried about all the energy he had been wasting.

Danny suddenly whirled around, and flying over to Skulker, he hysterically begged, "Uncle Skulker! You got to do something! My father has been in there for a long time! He won't come out, Uncle! He won't come out! He's in there with one of the humans that hurt me and my mother! I'm scared! I feel inside me that something is wrong with him! Please get him to come out! I want us to go home! I want him to be okay! I don't want him to be in there with that human!"

Skulker's hands fisted at his sides when the Prince confirmed his fear. Still, he replied to the ghost boy as calmly as he could, "It will be alright, whelp. I will take care of this."

He moved past Danny and stalked right over to Walker.

"Whoa. Easy there. You—Hey!" the warden protested when the hunter grabbed him by the front of his suit and yanked him forward.

"What have you done, Walker? Who is in there?" Skulker growled furiously.

But surprisingly, Walker's surprise melded into a calm frown, and he did nothing to get Skulker to let go of him. Instead, he replied, "If you must know, it's one of the humans responsible for the Queen's death. I thought it fair to let the King deal with him…"

"You thought more than that, you scum!" Skulker replied spitefully. "I demand you open that cell door!"

"The King commanded for no one to enter," Walker answered off-handedly.

"**Curse you! Open the door!"** Skulker screamed in his face, and gripped even harder on the Warden's suit.

"Let go of me, Skulker. You're testin' my patience," Walker said as his eyes finally narrowed with dark threat.

"I know what this is, Walker," Skulker sneered, not letting go.

"What do you mean? I am helpin' my King. I've done 'im a great favor." Walker smiled smugly as he added, "Com'on, Skulker. You didn' think you'd be able to protect 'im forever, did you? We all have ta grow up sometime. Even our naïve Ghost King…"

Skulker stared hatefully at the other male ghost. But as he slowly let go of Walker, he whispered angrily, "You are such a bastard."

"Let's agree to disagree," Walker answered, his smile still plastered on his face.

"If you do not open that door, I will blast it open, and you will be repairing this area for a month!" And to make his threat clear, Skulker activated one of his missile launchers.

The Warden rolled his eyes. "You're really makin' a big deal about this. But fine. You want ta disobey the King's direct o'der, go right ahead." He looked over at Bullet, and ordered, "Open the door."

Danny quickly moved over to the door the moment Bullet pulled out the keys. But much to his surprise, Skulker grabbed one of his wrists and seriously said, "It is best you wait here, Ghost Child. I will get your father."

Danny stared worriedly at his uncle, but didn't argue.

With a glare at Bullet, Skulker stepped in, though he made sure the cell door closed after him.

He had truly hoped that by some miracle he could have gotten there in time, but it did not surprise him when he saw he was indeed too late.

Skulker frowned as he stared at the unmoving human lying in his own puddle of blood. But as he turned his gaze away from the human corpse, his eyes widened in alarm at finally seeing his friend. But it wasn't the fact that he was covered in blood or that he was sitting against the corner of the cell wall. It was something worse…

"Plasmius! What are you doing?" Skulker exclaimed, quickly moving to his side and kneeling next to his friend. "Why are you human?!"

Vlad had his knees raised and his arms resting on them as he stared ahead at nothing. He didn't seem to be aware that his claws were still drawn out or that he had somehow gotten blood all over his face and white hair.

"Vlad!" Skulker called a bit more desperately, grabbing one of the man's arms.

The human Ghost King finally turned his blue, tear-redden eyes towards his friend. But now Vlad made no attempt to hide all the pain and sorrow he held inside him.

"She's dead, Skulker," Vlad whispered. "Desiree is gone. I will never see her again. I… couldn't save her. I couldn't save my own wife. I watched her melt in my own hands and could do nothing…"

The older hybrid glanced over at the dead human as he further said, "They killed her because of me. It isn't my son that is to blame for all this… It's me." He paused only briefly to take in a ragged breath before he exhaled out, "My poor Daniel… They hurt him so much. I-I was supposed to protect him. I was supposed to keep him safe. Now, he… he will never be the same, Skulker. His core is permanently damaged. I will never be able to take away all he has seen and been through… It's my fault my family was hurt. I-I should have killed that monster when I had the chance. I-I was weak… and now my wife is dead. She shouldn't have had to die. They had wanted to kill me. _I_ should have died. I should be dead, not her…"

"Vlad, none of what happened was your fault," Skulker said right away. He glanced back at the closed cell door before looking back at his distressed friend and saying more urgently. "I know you are hurting, but do you realize where you are? Bullet or Walker could walk through that door at any moment and see you! You are risking your secret. Please, turn back and we will go to my home and talk about this. I will help you…"

"Help me…?" Vlad repeated as his eyes unfocused for a moment. But he then sighed shakily, and as he closed his eyes, tears began to slide down his face. "No one can help me…"

"Vlad, you need to change back," Skulker pleaded in a mixture of worry and fear.

Opening his eyes again, the older hybrid stared sadly at his friend before he looked over at Damon. "I… had to do it, Skulker. I had to kill him."

Skulker clenched his teeth. He was going to make Walker pay for making his friend walk right into this. He was sure the ghost sheriff had planned all this just to… darken the older hybrid's core.

"I know," Skulker answered. "And I do not blame you. As I said, we will talk about this once you _return to your true form._ Please, Plasmius."

But Vlad seemed to grow more distressed as he acknowledged what he did. "I… I am a murderer… I've become like them… a cold-blooded killer. H-He didn't even fight back, Skulker! He-He… just slipped away. It was so easy. It… It felt _so right._"

The older hybrid closed his eyes as he began to shake. "But I'm not sorry. He deserved it." When he looked up again, his eyes had gone from blue to deep red as he sneered with hate. "He killed my wife! They took her from me! _**They**_** stole the love of my life!"**

Vlad's body suddenly turned ablaze with a bright red hue. And the man stood up so quickly that Skulker lost his balance and just barely managed to stop himself from falling forward.

The older hybrid didn't even notice as he furiously stormed over to Damon's unmoving body, yelling, **"I will kill them all for this! They are all going to pay! Every. Last. One!" **With a growl, he raised Damon's body up with inhuman strength and thrust his claws into the cadaver again as if it were still alive. "I'm going to kill him—all of these humans if it's the last thing I do!"

Skulker gasped at what his friend was doing, and quickly getting to his feet, he moved over to the human King.

"**Plasmius! Stop!"** Skulker shouted, grabbing his wrist to stop him from thrusting his claws into the dead human anymore.

"**NO!"** his friend screamed at him, and an electrical charge pulsed and surrounded the older hybrid, while the cell room began to crackle and heat up with the uncontrolled power.

Skulker gasped as he was jolted by Vlad's electrical energy. But he still did not let go of the man's wrist. The hunter knew that his friend's electrical energy was too raw and dangerous for him to produce in his human form. It could kill him if he let it built up too much!

"Plasmius! You must stop this! Your energy is getting out of control!" Skulker grunted out.

"**I will not stop!** **Thomas Chrome deserves to die!"**

"That is not him! And the human you're holding is already dead!" Skulker exclaimed. But unable to take anymore of the older hybrid's electrical energy, the hunter let go with a hiss of pain.

Vlad finally seemed to react as he noticed his friend's smoking suit and pained expression. But the human King's eyes turned back to the body in his hands, and how his claws were still inside it…

Something snapped within the older hybrid, and as he released the dead human, his eyes turned blue. He let out a small gasp as he dropped to his knees. Everything he had suppressed came forward in a single wave as he curled into himself and began to cry. His claws slipped back into his hands and his energy around his body burned out as he buried his face in his hands. His whole body shook with the pain of his loss.

Skulker stared in anguish at his friend. Not even when the older hybrid's parents had died did he see him so broken.

Skulker kneeled next to Vlad again, and placed a hand on his back. But the older hybrid only cried harder, though he could hear him saying 'Desiree' in between his sobs.

"Vlad, please… Calm down," Skulker begged sadly as he wrapped his arm more tightly around his friend's body.

"I have nothing to live for anymore…," his friend choked out.

"Of course you do!" Skulker protested.

"I-I'm worthless… I couldn't save my own wife… I don't want to live anymore, Skulker," Vlad whispered in shaky voice. _"Not without her._" He suddenly looked at his friends with wide teary blue eyes and begged, "Help me… Please, I-I can't… I can't do it myself. Just…" Vlad stared up at the sword sheathed on his friend's back.

Skulker's eyes widened at realizing what his friend was asking him to do. Vlad was worse than he thought!

"Are you crazy? I'm not going to… Vlad, you are stronger than this!" Skulker yelled, gripping one of his friend's arms.

But the man's choked sobs mixed with a sudden anger as he exclaimed, "Do you not understand? I have caused the death of my own wife! I have caused the death my friends—of your sister and brother-in-law! I don't deserve to be alive!"

"If you keep saying that, I am going to punch you, Plasmius!" Skulker snapped.

But Vlad only gripped at his hair and choked on a sob as he whispered mostly to himself, "Everyone in my life has been hurt or killed because of me! I-I'm a curse to everyone around me. My uncle was right. I will never be able to escape him…!" Vlad's crying grew heavy again as he whimpered, "I am no better than him…" He stared at his friend with desperate eyes as he added, "Skulker, I-I am going to turn into him. It's already begun. I can feel it inside me. This… darkness is consuming me, and I cannot stop it. Look at what I did, Skulker! I killed that human there! And… And I enjoyed it! I've turned into my uncle! I c-can't even control my powers anymore!"

But Vlad's emotional breakdown only got worse as another more terrifying thought took root in his troubled mind.

"What if… What if I turn on my own son…? Oh, God. Skulker, please! You have to stop me before it's too late! If I had the courage, I would do it myself. But I can't. Please. No one will know. It's just you and me in here. You can tell them that human killed me. Do it, please! _Please_! I don't want—"

"**Enough!"** Skulker yelled, shaking the older hybrid. "Stop! Do you hear me? Stop!" The hunter felt his own eyes swell with tears as he whispered, "I am not going to kill my best friend."

"But… can't you see?" Vlad whispered miserably. "I-I'm already dead. All I was—my very soul—died with Desiree in that lab…"

Skulker lost his own composure as he suddenly pulled his friend into him. Vlad's sobs returned as he gripped his friend back.

"I-I will not let you do this," Skulker said shakily as his own tears fell. "I will not let you give up like this. I will not allow it. You are stronger than this! This is not you. You are a warrior. You defeated the most evil ghost in existence. You have saved an entire world. You have kept strong in the face of death and destruction and turned it into peace and prosperity. I… I admire you, Vlad. So, do not do this. You have never lost hope before. You cannot now. Please."

But the words were lost on the older hybrid. The pain consuming him was too great for him to be able to pull out of it. He was in such a dark place at the moment that there was just no reasoning with him anymore.

But the hunter suddenly remembered something, and he quickly realized it might just be the only way to bring his friend back…

"Vlad, please," Skulker whispered. "I know you are hurting, but you must get a hold of yourself. If not for yourself or in the memory of your wife, then do it for your son. He is waiting for you just outside this cell, and he is very worried about you… He wants his father to take him home."

Vlad suddenly pulled away from Skulker and looked in confusion at his friend. "My… son?"

"Yes, your son! Daniel!" Skulker stressed, though he was even more perturbed by his friend's inability to remember the boy.

Vlad's eyes darted from side to side as he struggled to remember something—someone. The single reason he had not fallen apart sooner…

"Daniel…," he whispered, his sobs subsiding. He suddenly gasped and stared at his blood-covered hands. "Oh, no! Daniel! **I left him outside the cell!** I-I can't let him see me like this!" He jumped to his feet and began to frantically wipe at the blood all over him; but all he did was smear it more.

"No… No, No!" he yelled in a panic as he tried to phase off the blood on him, only to realize it still clung to his form. Tears returned to his eyes, though they were for another reason, and yet he continued to wipe at the blood on him. "He cannot know! He can't know! He'll see me as a monster! He'll be afraid of me! No! Please, come off! I-I can't lose him, too!"

"Vlad!" Skulker yelled, grabbing his friend by the wrists to get him to stop his crazed behavior.

But the older hybrid only shook more as he pleaded with the hunter, "Help me, Skulker! He can't see me like this! I can't lose him! I can't!" He paused as another idea came to him. "Take him, Skulker! Take Daniel with you. Please! I just… I need a moment to think. I need… I need…" He trailed off as he stared at his bloody hands.

"Okay! Just, stop, alright?" Skulker said seriously. "Calm down, please. I will take your son home with me. But I need you to turn into a ghost again and relax."

Vlad's eyes were still glowing with tears and his whole body was shaking, but he still managed to return to his ghost from. Even in this form, the blood clung to his body.

If he wasn't so upset, he would have remembered the unique properties of this cell. It was made of human materials because it was designed to keep humans from phasing through the walls. After all, the ghosts had already learned long ago that humans were like the ghosts here and could phase through walls made of ectoplasm. But the down side of it was that the walls of this human cell were also surrounded by supporting walls made of ectoplasm, which meant that _ghosts_ wouldn't be able to go intangible as well in this particular cell.

However, the cell's design did not block _other_ ghost powers. It would have done Walker no good to block ghost powers in this cell or any cell when he or his guards might need to use their powers to subdue their prisoners. It was also why Walker used power-inhibiting hand-cuffs when he had ghost prisoners. So, not having the ability to go intangible was a negligible side effect of this cell.

Skulker let out a sigh of relief. But his eyebrows creased back in worry at the emptiness in his friend's red eyes. He looked so vulnerable and lost.

"I can't stay here, Skulker," Vlad suddenly whispered. "I need to be alone to… think…"

The hunter did not like the idea of the older hybrid being alone as unstable as he was, but he also could see his friend needed some time to himself.

"Just promise me you will return. Promise me you will not do anything foolish," Skulker said desperately.

"Take care of Daniel," Vlad answered softly before he abruptly teleported out of the cell.

Skulker shook his head as he stared at Damon's body before he pulled out a napkin from a compartment on his suit and did his best to wipe off the blood that had gotten on him from touching his friend.

With the image of his broken friend fresh in his mind, Skulker's ire swelled as he headed out of the cell.

Danny quickly flew over to his uncle, and whimpered, "Where's my father, Uncle Skulker?"

But the hunter didn't even hear the child, and instead he locked his deadly gaze on Walker, and vowed, "I'm going to kill you for this, Walker!"

The warden gasped as Skulker unexpectedly lunged at him with such force that they both fell to the ground. Danny yelped in alarm, while Bullet's jaw dropped in disbelief.

Meanwhile, the warden raised his arms to block the hunter's angry blows; but when one of them hit him straight in the jaw, Walker became furious and his physical form grew in size as he hissed at the hunter, "Get off me!"

Suddenly, Bullet grabbed Skulker from behind and forced him to get off Walker. But the hunter simply whirled around and punched Bullet in the face with such force that he was sent sailing across the room.

The livid hunter pulled out his sword and raised it up to strike down Walker who had been unable to get to his feet fast enough. But just as Skulker was about to make good on his threat, something stopped him.

"No!" Danny screamed, grabbing Skulker's wrist holding the sword. "Stop it, Uncle Skulker! Don't kill him! No!"

The hunter shook with suppressed rage and something else as he kept his dark gaze on Walker.

"You scum!" Walker sneered as he finally got his feet. "I'm gonna have you rot in a cell for this!"

"You will not get the luxury because I am going to first take your head and mount it on my wall!" Skulker growled and aimed his sword again at the sheriff.

"No! Please!" Danny began to sob as he hugged his uncle around his legs this time. "Stop fighting!"

"You better listen to the Prince, Skulker," Bullet suddenly said as he aimed an electrical staff at the hunter. "If you know what's good for you…"

Skulker glowered at the two but then looked at the terrified Prince. He finally realized how unwell the child looked. It was a miracle he had not fainted yet. Knowing that killing Walker would only make things worse, he sighed sharply. He couldn't do it. He had promised Vlad to take care of the Prince, and the child clearly needed to be attended to by Angela.

"Let's go, whelp," Skulker reluctantly said, sheathing his sword behind his back.

Danny startled and he quickly asked, "But what about my father?"

"He had to go. You will see him in a few days."

Danny's eyes widened. "No! He can't leave me alone! Daddy!" The child moved to fly over to the cell door, but Skulker grabbed him around his right wrist and stopped him.

"Enough, Ghost Child! Your father is not in there! He needs some time alone. Now, come on!"

Danny whined as his uncle picked him up, but it was all the physical struggle he could put up. He felt really bad. Still, he cried out, "No, he doesn't need to be alone! He needs me! We got to be together! I can't leave him alone!"

Skulker ignored him and glared back at Walker, saying, "Make sure you clean up _your mess_, Walker."

Danny yelled in distress as Skulker turned and began to walk them out. "NO! Daddy! Don't leave me!" he cried.

But his father never heard him.

Walker watched Skulker disappear with the Prince before he walked calmly over to the cell. He opened it, and instantly smirked when he saw the mess the King had made.

Walker really had been upset at first that Plasmius had not been killed when he had been lured to Axion Labs. But… this was just as good. If he could not get rid of Plasmius as King, then the next best thing was to turn his soul as dark as Pariah's. Only then would the King at last see eye-to-eye with him. And nothing tainted someone's soul more than taking an innocent life… Things could not have gone more perfectly.

"Don't worry, Skulker. I'll gladly clean this mess…" the warden said with a smug chuckle.

* * *

A few hours later, Danny had recovered enough from his physical exhaustion from what happened at the prison to attend his mother's funeral. But although he was surrounded by those who cared about him, the most important person to him was missing: his father.

The child just couldn't understand why his father would leave him like this. He understood his father was also upset about his mother's death, but that's why they needed each other. So, why wasn't he here now? They were supposed to stay together always.

A silent tear rolled down the Prince's cheek, but his face stayed hidden within the hood over his head. Like him, all the ghosts wore black-hooded cloaks. It was meant to symbolize unity. They were mourning as one. At the moment, there were no Kingdom members or non-Kingdom members. There were no ranks or titles. They were currently all the same, joined by their care and love for their lost Queen. Many had brought flowers and other gifts to be placed around the beautiful tombstone that had been made for the Queen.

Danny had never attended a funeral. Actually, he had never even been to where he was at the moment, which was at the lower sphere of their world. He knew most ghosts didn't come down here unless it was for funeral purposes. The lower sphere of their world was just too desolate and cold. It was mostly due to the absence of Energy Novas which was what fed their world energy and life. So, there was no wonder why very little thrived down here.

But the place was still used for graveyards more than anything else. And that made the place significant in that sense. But what stood out most to the child was the little multi-colored orbs floating around the area. They were everywhere, and they seemed to be attracted to the graves, but also to the ghosts currently present.

It was probably another reason why everyone was dressed in cloaks. It kept the colorful spheres from touching their bodies, especially their symbols. Everyone seemed to ignore them for the most part; but the Prince could see that some of the younger children like himself would swat at them, only to be quietly reprimanded by their parents.

Danny thought they were pretty, but when one brushed against his cheek, he shuddered at the surge of energy that came from the sphere. It was so strange, almost like if he were touching another ghost. But the feeling was so foreign, it made him uncomfortable.

After that, he tried to keep them away from his exposed face and hands as much as possible without having to swat at them.

He quickly lost interest in the strange energy orbs when his eyes locked on his mother's tombstone for the umpteenth time. He had noticed that his mother's grave had been place at the top of a small mound and was completely apart from the other graves, which were at least ten yards away. The ghosts gathered around had filled the place with all kinds of flowers. And in the center of it all, was the large silver tombstone with his mother's name on it in glowing blue letters. But it also said, "In memory of the most beloved Ghost Queen. Gone but not Forgotten."

Danny suddenly gripped at his mother's necklace within his cloak, and sighed. Almost instantly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't even look up, though. He knew it was his Uncle Skulker standing next to him. Ember was right beside him, too; while Wulf, Frostbite, Horris, and Fright Knight were somewhere close behind him.

If he had really been looking, the Prince would have realized that everyone else he knew was there. Everyone, except for Clockwork.

But Skulker had noticed. And he made a mental note to ask Horris about the Master of Time. However, Skulker did notice someone present that he was somewhat surprised to see: Aragon. The Dragon Leader had actually come with his sister, wife, and remaining child.

The hunter felt his core clench in a mixture of pain and hate. Pain because his only love was present, and he did not dare to speak to her; and hate at the sight of Aragon's son, who only reminded him why he had broken things off with the dragon maid. Still, he forced himself to focus on the funeral. It was why they were there, after all.

But although everyone was also focused on the ceremony, they were also focused on the Ghost Prince, and on the fact that the Ghost King was absent.

It was why Danny kept his gaze lowered. He wanted to avoid looking into all the eyes that he could feel on him. The child had only looked up once, when he had first arrived. But while some looked at him with pity, others watched him with eyes filled with distrust and disappointment.

The Prince couldn't help but remember what his Aunt Spectra had shouted at him some hours ago…

But the boy had also heard the whispers. Whispers about him. About his missing father. About all the tragic events… It was slowly overwhelming him.

Luckily, when the ceremony started, everyone fell silent save for the sound of crying here and there.

Danny stood quietly next to Ember and Skulker as the ceremony took place; but though it was nice to hear all the nice things everyone had to say about his mother, the longer he stood there, the heavier his soul felt.

Maybe if his father had been with him right now, he would not feel so miserable… So alone.

That was it. For the first time in his life, he felt completely alone.

Danny blinked back the tears in his eyes. Eventually, the ceremony ended and the ghosts all began to approach the Prince to offer their condolences to him. Even Aragon came over with Altiĝis, Dora, and Elliot.

"Come. I wish to speak with you," Aragon said right away to Skulker.

The hunter had been looking at Dora; but she kept her eyes averted from his. But hearing the dragon leader, and guessing why he wanted to speak to him, Skulker nodded, and the two stepped away to speak in private.

Once they were gone, Altiĝis offered her condolences to the Prince, while Dora picked him up and gently hugged him. The child just quietly held her back, feeling some relief at having his mother's best friend holding him. Still, he didn't speak, which worried the ghost maid.

Reluctantly, the ghost maid let the child go, so Elliot could greet him.

Danny stared at his older friend for a moment. He had wanted to see him again for so long; and now that he was face-to-face with him at last, Danny felt so sad that their reunion had to be under such circumstances.

"Phantom…," Elliot said with a sad look. "I thought… you were dead."

Danny shook his head. "N-No…, but my mommy is. I'll never see her again, Elliot."

"I am sorry," Elliot replied before pulling the younger boy into hug. He felt really bad for the younger ghost, but he was also relieved—relieved that what Gregor had told him telepathically was not true. His friend was still alive, and Elliot felt guilty because he was actually _happy_ when everyone else was so sad.

Danny just whimpered and hugged his friend back. He also welcomed his friend's caring embrace, but like all the others he had received, he kept wishing it were his father's.

Elliot glanced at Ember, who was still standing next to them, and was surprised to see her glaring hatefully at him. The dragon child knew they had not exactly hit it off, but he didn't understand her deep resentment.

As if unable to stand his presence, Ember walked off towards Anĝela.

Meanwhile, Aragon was speaking with Skulker, and he urgently asked, "Where is he? Where is Vlad?"

Skulker frowned as he replied, "He needed some time to himself…"

"Time to himself?"Aragon repeated with an uncertain frown. "I do not think it was wise to leave him alone, Skulker."

But the hunter turned angry. "How would you know? You have brought Vlad nothing but grief since he took the throne, and suddenly, out of some sort of remorse for Desiree's death, you want to act like 'you care again'?"

"What happened?" Aragon demanded to know, ignoring the other male's verbal assault. He knew from Clockwork's having gone to see him along with the King's being absent at his own wife's funeral that something was very wrong.

Skulker deflated and shook his head with helplessness. He had only told Horris about what happened and why Vlad wasn't present at his wife's funeral. And like that time, his core once more clenched as he spoke about what happened…

"I have never seen him so broken, Aragon… I did not know what else to do but to let him go. Now, I fear he will do something foolish." The hunter's hands fisted on his sides as he hissed, "This is all Walker's fault!"

Aragon tensed at the mention of the Warden's name. Nothing good came out of that uncaring ghost's involvement. "Tell me what happened…"

Meanwhile, Danny was still with Elliot. He felt a bit better with Elliot comforting him. Somehow, the older child knew just what to say to make him feel better.

Too bad it was interrupted by the appearance of none other than Spectra.

"Danny?" she called to him softly, getting his attention.

The child tensed and looked uncertainly at his aunt.

She extended a hand at him and gently said, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Danny glanced at Elliot before looking back at his aunt and nodding.

Cujo was next to the Prince in an instant and growled in displeasure when Spectra picked up his companion and floated over to the Queen's grave with him. Still, he did nothing and just followed closely behind.

Spectra sighed sadly as she looked down at the tombstone in front of her. Everyone was already dispersing, so she knew she didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing her.

"Oh, Danny. I… I wanted to say I'm sorry," Spectra said in a tight voice. "I was really mean to you a little while ago…"

Danny kept his gaze lowered to the tomb in front of him.

"But… I want you to know that I still love you. I'm not sure if I'll be able to forgive you for causing the death of your mother—just like I'm sure no one will ever forget what you've done, but… you're still my nephew, and your mommy would have wanted me to look after you…"

Danny's eyes swelled with tears. "I-I didn't mean to… get her hurt."

Spectra hugged him tightly and cooed, "I know you didn't! It was an accident! And… I guess it's my fault, too. I shouldn't have trusted you with all those human toys… You were just too curious for your own good. I mean, I never thought you would disobey your parents and go into one of those portals!"

Danny swallowed hard. "But… But I didn't… The portal pulled Ember and Cujo in, and I was worried! It's why I did it! You have to believe me, Aunt Spectra! I didn't mean to disobey them!"

"But you did," Spectra replied with a disappointed look. "That's all that matters in the end, Danny. Does… Does your father know what you did?"

Danny looked at his aunt and whimpered, "He said it isn't my fault…"

"That's because he doesn't know the truth, Danny," Spectra replied, "I mean, you never told him about all those human toys, right? You never told him how you were so curious about the creatures that killed your mother? You haven't told him you had wanted to see the human world and see a human with you own eyes, _right_?"

Danny fearfully shook his head.

"Oh my… ," she gasped in fake worry; but then added seriously, "Danny, he can't know. _Ever_. If he knows… He will _hate_ you."

"No…," Danny choked out. "I don't want him to hate me!"

"Then, we'll keep this between us," she whispered gently. "No one will know the truth, okay? If he doesn't know the truth, then he won't know all this really was your fault. If he doesn't know, he won't hate you."

Danny lips began to quiver with suppressed sorrow.

"Where is Daddy dear, by the way?"

Danny tears finally fell as he said, "He left… Uncle Skulker said he wanted to be alone…"

"Alone?" Spectra repeated curiously. But then she sighed sadly. "Oh, Danny… Don't you know what that really means?"

Danny just stared back.

"It's not that he wants to be alone. It's that he wants to be _away from you._ I think your father might resent you after all, Danny. I mean, why else would he abandon you, especially today of all days!"

Danny choked back a sob, but said in a whimper, "No! He loves me! He's going to come back!"

Holding him close, she discreetly used her powers to drive the child's despair deeper into his core. She further kissed him on the cheek before sadly saying, "You're right. He does love you, but… he's _forced_ to love you because you're his son. But deep down, he resents you. I hate to say this to you, but it's the only thing that makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised if he never came back."

Danny began to shake, but Spectra suddenly hugged him tightly again. "It's okay. Don't worry, Danny. You still have me. _I_ won't abandon you."

She finally placed him down but in front of Desiree's tomb; and then she whispered in his ear, "You better apologize now while no one is looking…Maybe she'll forgive you."

With those words, she floated off, leaving the child alone. Cujo whined behind him, but the child didn't hear it.

Danny stared at the tomb in front of him as he lifted a shaky hand towards the tomb to touch it.

"Mommy," Danny whimpered out as he dropped to his knees in front of the tomb. He choked back sobs as he begged in his mind, _"Please... Don't hate me, too!"_

But right then something caught his eyes. He could only stare at the blue-and-pink butterfly that appeared out of nowhere and fluttered down to perch at the top of his mother's grave. It reminded him of the time his mother had used her energy to mold a butterfly for him and then turned it into their symbol to tease him.

He crawled a bit closer to the tomb so he could reach out to touch the butterfly. But the moment he did, the butterfly dissolved and became a glowing pink sphere.

Danny's face fell as he realized it was just one of the many weird energy balls in this place. He opened his mouth to say sorry to his mother when he realized… She wasn't even here. This was just a tombstone.

He… he couldn't even apologize to his own mother.

Danny whimpered and looked behind him, only to find several eyes on him. They all stared at him with different emotions; yet none of them dared to move close to him for some reason. But then, the Prince locked eyes with an Observant specifically, He could just see the accusation and _fear_ in his large eye.

His aunt was right. No one wanted him here. Everyone hated him for what he did!

The overwhelming sorrow returned, and the Prince could not stand it anymore. With sudden sob, he took off, flying straight up. It seemed like forever when he at last reached the familiar atmosphere of his home.

Suddenly, he felt as tug on his cloak and Danny then realized that Cujo had followed him. The puppy whined and pulled at his cloak, clearly urging him to return to where Skulker and Ember were.

But Danny couldn't take it anymore. He took off like a bullet, his cloak coming off and remaining in the dog's mouth. The child ignored the dizzy feeling he got from flying so fast and pushed forward.

He heard Cujo crying out to him from behind, but he was going so fast that the puppy eventually couldn't keep up.

In a few moments, he made it to the familiar Forest of Emotions. As he propelled forward, the island began to dim around him, matching his dark mood. But he didn't care, and he soon reached the place he was looking for.

He dived into the mermaid pond without even a glance at the ghost mermaids sitting on the rocks. He swam without stop until he reached the underwater labyrinth that he knew so well.

After navigating through the underwater tunnels, he made it to his hidden cave. He paused to stare at his untouched human toys. But after a year in the human world, Danny now knew that what he had were not all toys. They were human possessions, and one of them was actually a ghost hunter's weapon.

What had he done? How could he have ever thought any of this stuff was good?

Angry tears came to his eyes, though they were mixed with the drops of water soaking his body.

Hate. It was what he felt as he stared at his collection of human things. He wanted these bad things gone. He had lost his mother because of them! His father had abandoned him because of them!

With a cry of anguish, the child jolted forward and began to grab the human items he had collected over a few years.

It took him two trips to get them out of the cave, through the water, and back to the surface of the Forest of Emotions. But he wasn't done.

He gathered them all. Every single one, and took off in another direction, to a place he had only come to a few times in his entire life.

As he landed, his legs reformed without his willing them and his whole body shook as he walked closer to the bubbling River of Revulsion. It was concentrated ecto-waste. He ignored the smell and the heat, and one-by-one he began to angrily toss the human items inside the bubbling lake.

His head was spinning and his limbs ached by the time he was down to the last toy. He paused as he stared at the rocket-ship in his hand. It had been his favorite one. It had been the start of all this. He had thought it was good. He had felt so much wonder when he saw it.

But it was a lie. He had been stupid.

With a cry of pain, he suddenly threw the toy as hard as he could into the lake. But as the toy was eaten by the slim, Danny dropped to his knees as he began to weep and whimper, "I'm sorry, Mommy! I'm sorry!"

Alone as he felt, he cried and cried like his soul was being consumed by his pain and sorrow. He had lost his mother. Everyone hated him, and he didn't even know if he would see his father again…

He was completely alone. And it hurt so much.

* * *

***Vlad muse pats Pearl on the head* You have done well, child. You have done well.**

**Pearl: Be quiet you evil muse. *Yanks away Danny-doll from muse and hugs it tightly* I'm sorry lil' Danny! I still love you!**

**Vlad muse: *rolls eyes***

**Review Please!**

**Ta!**


	46. Chapter 44: The Road to Darkness Part I

**Hey, my fellow readers! I am back and I have both good and bad news….**

**Bad news. I lied. This is not going to be the last chapter before the time jump. Turns out the original 'last' chapter got too long to keep as one after editing, so I had to split it in two. I'm sure you are not at all surprised. Heh.**

**Good New! I have typed and edited 'Part 2' of this chapter and I am just getting it betaed now. So, you can expect another chapter**_** very**_** soon—and that WILL be the last chapter before the time skip.**

**So, enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 44: The Road to Darkness (Part I)**

* * *

It had been days since Vlad had left the Ghost World. He didn't really know exactly how many since the concept of time had all but gone from his mind. He was sure, however, that he had been gone long enough for Skulker and everyone else to be greatly worried. In fact, his best friend was probably searching for him by now…

But Skulker would not find him.

He would not find him because Vlad had not gone to any of the locations Skulker knew of. Instead, after a quick stop at his Wisconsin home to get a few things, Vladimir had headed straight for Amity Park, and had checked into its grand hotel—well, as grand as a hotel can get in this pitiful town.

Of course, he wasn't at the hotel on some pleasure trip. It had just been the first location he could think of in his chaotic mind that would keep the human media from bothering him and keep the ghost race from finding him.

The older hybrid couldn't recall what he had done in these past few days. He had thought a lot about his deceased wife; he had thought about his injured son back home… He had thought about all he had lost over the years because of evil creatures, like his uncle and Thomas Chrome. And he even thought about the conflict between humans and ghosts…

So many things had circled within the Ghost King's mind in the past days; and he was sure he had shed more tears of pain and anger in just this short span of time than he had in his entire life. He also recalled breaking a few of the hotel's things out of spite—not that he cared. He could easily replace them since he was a millionaire.

But it had not mattered what he did or how many times he thought of all that had happened. It left him with the same painful empty feeling inside. So, he stopped crying, stopped throwing fits of rage, and focused on something that brought him a sort of relief from his anguish. In fact, the more he contemplated this 'something' the more liberated he felt. The growing need for it was now making him ignore all possible repercussion of giving into this want that was becoming a _need_.

But he didn't care. All he could think about was how it would be _so easy_… so _satisfying_, and so _worth_ it.

Sitting on a large leather seat in front of the office desk in his suite, Vladimir leaned back comfortably against the leathery cushion and interlaced his hands against his stomach. There was a blank expression on his face while he tapped his thumbs against each other and stared at an object resting on top of his desk:

A gun.

It wasn't just any gun, though. It was a gun he had bought from Thomas Chrome. It was designed to harm both ghosts and humans. The older hybrid had to admit, the weapon was of great design. It was lightweight, so it made it easy to conceal and carry. It also had a silencer at the end of its barrel and he knew the aim was deadly accurate. Indeed, it would be a most effective and discreet killer of any being.

"_Promise me you won't do anything foolish…"_

Skulker's words suddenly rang in Vlad's mind; but it had not been the first time. In fact, it was probably the only reason he had not acted on his urge to use this gun sooner. But he knew he was past the point of resisting anymore. He simply didn't want to.

Slowly unraveling his joined hands, Vlad sat up and then reached for the gun. He quietly began to study it, including running his fingers along its intricate design. Strange how something that he could probably crush in one hand using his ghostly strength could be so lethal.

And yet, holding the gun, knowing what it could do, felt… empowering. Vladimir vaguely wondered if that was why humans liked weapons so much…

Moving his fingers down the butt of the gun, the human king found the switch on its side, and easily flipped it to 'human mode'.

Leaning back against his leather seat, Vladimir removed one of his hands from the gun and gripped it properly. Somewhere in the back of his head, there were alarms going off. He could just hear his deceased wife and fretful son begging him not to do what he was about to do. He could hear Skulker and Horris telling him to snap out of it and think about all he would be sacrificing…

But even his loved ones' pleas could not turn him back now.

He needed this. He would not be able to ever have peace again if he didn't do this. He knew with just one squeeze of the trigger he would make the hate, anger, and pain inside his soul vanish. It would be sweet. Justified.

The more he thought about it, the more determined he became. Yes. He would end this all with the very weapon that monster-of-a-man had put in his hands.

His mind was made up. There was no going back.

As if to solidify his conviction, the very sound he had been waiting for echoed around the hotel suite:

The doorbell.

Vladimir calmly stood from the chair. He stared at the gun in his hand one last time before putting the safety back on. He then tucked it securely in the belted waistband of his pants.

Having already expected the person at the door, all Vlad needed to do was grab his tailored suit jacket from the hanger by the entrance of the office. He slipped it on as if he had all the time in the world. Or… as if he were a man on death row walking to his final destination.

Straightening out any wrinkles, he finally opened the door of the office, and walked over to the main door of the suite. He soon opened it and was greeted by the sight of his chauffeur.

"Hello, Carl," the millionaire greeted him, yet there was no emotion in his words.

The young driver blinked, but then smiled awkwardly. "Hello, Mr. Masters. Did you call for me, sir?"

Vladimir nodded. "Yes. There is something I must take care of right away."

Carl nodded and moved aside to let his employer walk out of the suite. Carl closed the door for him before he caught up to the man as they reached the elevator.

A bit thrown off by the millionaire's overly calm attitude, Carl hesitated.

"Sir? May I ask? Where do you need to go?"

As they entered the elevator, Vladimir pressed the lobby button before answering, "The Guys-in-White headquarters. I have unfinished business with Agent Chrome…"

* * *

Currently in his aunt's dormitory and in his humanoid disguise, Elliot laid his head upon her lap. Because she had been living within the Kingdom when he was formed, he had not had much interaction with his father's sister in the past eleven years. And yet, Elliot felt like he had known her all his life. She had such a gentle and caring nature that the young dragon ghost had immediately developed a deep trust and admiration for his aunt.

"Where else have you traveled, Aunt Dora?" Elliot asked eagerly, though there was a quiet purr rumbling in his throat as his aunt raked her fingers through his black locks.

Dora smiled warmly at her nephew's wonder-filled yellow eyes. She had been telling him about the different places in the Ghost World she had visited. Since the child had only once stepped out of the dragon realm, he knew very little of what was beyond it.

"Well, there is a place called the Far Frozen. It is one of the largest land masses in our world. And it is completely covered in ice and snow," she explained.

"Really?" Elliot gasped out. "How do they keep warm?"

Dora smiled. "The ghosts of the Far Frozen eat in abundance. That in turn gives them plenty of energy to keep warm. And… having thick fur is beneficial as well."

"Were you cold? How do _you_ keep warm when you go there?" Elliot further asked.

"I just wear extra layers of clothing. And my amulet helps, too…"

Elliot suddenly rolled off his back and sat up to look at his aunt. He eyed the amulet the female dragon wore. It was exactly like his father's.

"It appears to be just like my father's," Elliot muttered, saying his thoughts out loud.

"Yes… However, your father's amulet is much more powerful."

Elliot perked up. "Oh, would you tell me the story of the amulets again, Aunt Dora?"

The female dragon chuckled but still nodded. "Well, as I told you, both amulets have been handed down our energy-line. As the story goes, your father's amulet was created by the first dragon ghost."

"You did not tell me where he came from yet…" Elliot said with a small curious smile.

"That is because some things are meant to be a wonderful mystery," she replied knowingly. "Yet, I would imagine that he came from where all living creatures do. But no matter the origin, we are here today because of our first ancestor and the decisions he made. Naturally, as the first dragon ghost, he had been lonely."

Dora smiled at her attentive nephew as she continued the story, "For that reason, my young nephew, this dragon ghost set out on a quest throughout the whole ghost world in search of his soul-mate. However, when he found her, she was nothing like him. She was like most ghosts from the kingdom—humanoid in appearance. But they loved each other from the moment they met. They somehow knew they were destined to be together even when they were so different. Some would even say they might as well have been from different worlds all together…"

"But that did not stop them from coming together, right?" Elliot added with a grin.

"That is right…," Dora said, and yet her voice drifted a bit as her mind went to something else… Or, someone else.

She sighed her thought away and smiled again at her nephew. "In order to be together, they knew a drastic action would be necessary. So, they combined their powers to create two identical amulets with the ability to make them alike—to give them the ability to alter their appearances. However, spells like those require 'life'. Therefore, to be together, they fused part of their Life Energy into each of their amulets. In turn, the amulets had the power to do more than just alter the couple's appearances…"

Elliot looked down at his human-like appearance before he questioned, "Is that why we can change our forms, too, Aunt Dora?"

She nodded. "Yes. As I told you, they had fused half of their life energy to the amulets. So when they formed offspring, they knew all that kept them alive at that point were those amulets. They could no longer remove them from their person or they would die. They formed two offspring, and before the couple passed away, they gave their children their amulets, so they too could find love without hindrance. But after the first dragon ghost and his mate's death, the amulet grew stronger by connecting its power to its wearer's core. Not only that, once its new masters would pass away, their life energy would be absorbed by the amulets; so with every generation, our ancestor's relics became stronger and more powerful. In some way, they developed a life of their own—able to adjust and understand its every master. Eventually, our kind became so numerous that we stopped marrying outside of our kind. In fact, it became a taboo, because after absorbing so many dragon ghosts' life energies, the amulets' powers only _fully_ activated in the presence of pure dragon ghosts. And so, eventually our race began to hand down the amulets to _one_ dragon-ghost energy-line—the one to which you now belong, my nephew."

"But if both amulets were formed at the same time, then why is one stronger than the other?" Elliot asked.

"That is because your father holds the amulet that belonged to the first dragon ghost. My own is the one which belonged to his humanoid ghost mate… So, you see, your father's amulet—which will one day be yours—remains untainted. It is pure in the sense that only _true_ dragon ghosts have ever commanded it."

Elliot fell quiet for a moment before he smiled at his aunt. "Well, I like yours, too."

Dora chuckled and pulled it off before she unexpectedly placed it over Elliot's head. The child gasped in surprise as the weight of the pendant pressed against his symbol and it flared blue.

"Aunt Dora! I-I am not permitted to wear the amulet yet!" the young ghost stuttered out, and reached to take it off.

But his aunt stopped him, and said, "Your father might think you are not ready, but I do. You have a kind core, Elliot. And if I have learned anything in my time around rulers, it is that what makes a _great_ leader is a kind core."

"It feels nice," Elliot answered with a growing smile as he lightly touched the amulet resting on his chest.

"It looks fitting on you, my darling nephew," Dora assured him with a warm look.

He raised a hand to his eye level and watched as his hand turned paler, losing that slight bluish tint to it and looking more human in color. He looked up at his aunt, and her eyes widened a bit.

"Odd. Your eyes have turned green, Elliot," Dora muttered.

"Really?" he asked, touching his face. "Is that normal?"

"Well…," she answered thoughtfully, "It is your father's power that keeps you in this form while you are within the castle. So, perhaps, with my amulet's power directly affecting you, it is altering your humanoid disguise somewhat. I am sure it means nothing."

Elliot willed energy into one of his hands and watched how it was burning a brighter blue. "It really does enhance our powers… I can feel it, Aunt Dora…"

Dora nodded. "Indeed. It—"

"Elliot."

The two startled at the sound of a sudden and third voice.

And seeing it was his father, Elliot seemed to recoil with his disapproving stare.

"Kindly remove that amulet, Elliot, and return it to your aunt," Aragon ordered sternly as he walked farther into the room.

"Yes, Father," Elliot whispered, and quickly took off the amulet and handed it back to his aunt.

Dora sighed as she accepted it. "Aragon, I was only sharing with him…"

"I have not inquired of an explanation," her brother interrupted. He looked back at his son and said, "You my take your leave, my son. I need to speak privately with your aunt."

Elliot nodded before he moved to kiss his aunt on the cheek and said with a weak smile, "Thank you for sharing your stories with me."

Dora lightly touched his symbol as she assured him, "We will continue them later."

Elliot brightened at that and nodded before he moved off the bed. He glanced timidly at his father one last time, and then finally left.

Aragon watched his son go before looking back at his sibling and saying soberly, "It is highly irresponsible of you to let Elliot play with something as powerful as your amulet, Dorthian."

"I believe your son is knowledgeable enough to understand that our sacred amulets are not 'playthings', my brother," she answered calmly.

"Perhaps; but he is too young to be allowed to use its power. Do not allow him to wear your amulet again. Understood?"

Dora quietly exhaled but nodded. "Very well. It is as you say…"

She stood up and walked over to her open veranda and stepped out. She gazed out at the dragon terrain and saw her kin enjoying the midday atmosphere. The Novas were shining brightly above, making it a perfect day to be outside.

"I take it you have well acclimated to our terrain after all this time?" Aragon suddenly asked as he appeared beside her. He also looked out at their kin with his usual calm and superior expression on his face.

Dora nodded. "Of course, my brother." She smiled a bit, though her gaze was still to the view outside, as she added, "You seem to forget I was formed and raised on this very land. It has always been my home; hence why I require very little acclimation. This is where I belong."

Aragon nodded. "It brings me great joy to hear you at last accept that truth. You should have never left."

Dora lowered her gaze to her hands as she placed them on the balcony's frame. "I thought I wanted something outside our provincial way of life."

"Our way of life has kept us alive and unified, Dorthian," Aragon said, finally looking at her with a disapproving frown. "You should not have forsaken it. Quite the contrary. You should feel fortunate to belong to this kinship."

"I am," she answered as she stared at him with creased eyebrows. "I will always love my kin." She sighed. "I just… I had wished for more. But I realize how right you were…" Her eyes glazed with tears as she whispered, "I should have never left."

Aragon stared at his sibling for a moment before looking away. He was quiet for a moment before saying soberly, "You are speaking out of grief, Dorthian—not honesty. If Skulker—"

"Please. Do not mention him to me," she cut him off quickly. She turned her back on her brother as she wiped a tear that escaped her.

Aragon turned around himself, and even if his sibling was not facing him, he still replied, "Why is that? Is your failure with him too shameful? Accept it, Dorthian. He never loved you. I know Skulker far better than you. And if one thing holds true about him, it is that his time at Pariah's side destroyed all goodness in him. He will always be nothing more than a hunter and a killer. It was foolish of you to even consider he could be a good mate, let alone the father of your offspring someday."

Dorthian said nothing. She still did not understand why Skulker had left her. No matter what her brother said, she had been certain that their love had been true. So, why? What could have been stronger in Skulker than his love for her?

"You will find someone else, Dorthain," Aragon suddenly said with a surprisingly gentle voice. "Someone who will truly appreciate and love you…"

"Yes, brother," she whispered, though she still kept her back to him.

Aragon was quiet again for a few seconds. But then he grabbed one of her hands, and forced her to turn to face him. Dora tried to avert her gaze so he couldn't see the pain in them. However, Aragon was having none of that.

He grabbed her chin and ordered calmly, "Tell me the truth, Dorthian."

She locked her red eyes on him and quietly asked, "What truth?"

"Do you truly feel the Dragon Realm is your home?"

"Yes… I… belong here," she answered nervously.

"Indeed you do," Aragon agreed seriously. "However, you have _never_ seen the Dragon Realm as your home. That is the true reason you left. You sought for a place your core could feel truly at home…. And you found it… within the Kingdom."

But when she didn't reply, Aragon continued, "It is ironic that you shared the story of the creation of our amulets with Elliot."

Dora tensed at realizing Aragon had been listening to their conversation.

"The first wearer of your amulet was a humanoid ghost. Perhaps it is why you feel out of place here…." Aragon let go of his siblings chin as he sighed. "I suppose it has always been easier for me to believe you simply enjoyed rebelling against me. And that you left our ways just to spite me… But… perhaps your reasons are deeper and more valuable than my arrogant conclusion."

Dora stared at her brother in surprise. She had never heard him admit he was wrong. But, was he?

She pulled away from her brother and shook her head. As she fought back tears, she wrapped her arms around herself and muttered, "It does not matter now. Even if the Kingdom had been my true home, there is now nothing left for me there…"

"And yet, I think we both know you are still needed there," Aragon suddenly said.

Dora froze and gazed at her brother in disbelief. "What…? I do not understand, Brother."

Aragon exhaled again before he turned to gaze out at the view once more. He was quiet again, but eventually said, "I will always believe this is where you belong, Dorthian. I will always want you to return someday and marry someone of our kin. In spite of our different views, you are my sibling and I care deeply for you. And God knows you have been a wonderful help with Elliot. I have not seen him this happy since his brother was alive. And yet, even with all that…" He turned to look at her. "I want you to be where you feel at home. I want to see you content again, Dorthian. But… I also wish for you to honor your friend—_your sister's_—wishes. We both know Desiree would not have wanted you to leave the palace. She would have wanted you to stay and look after her husband and child. Dorthian, they need you."

The dragon maid suddenly buried her face into her hands and began to cry.

"I-I miss her so much!" Dora cried out. "Why did she have to die, Aragon? Why did she leave me alone with this burden? How… How could _Skulker_ do this to me?" She suddenly lowered her hands and fisted them on her side. Her red eyes flared and her face became more reptilian as she yelled, "How could he leave me when I needed him most? I **loved** him!"

She suddenly dropped to her knees and wept louder. "Why?" she whimpered.

Aragon sighed before he knelt next to his sibling and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She shook her head as she whispered, "I cannot return. I cannot. It is too painful. It will be too painful to not see Desiree there… It will be too painful to have to see _him_ every day!"

"Yes… It will be. Just like it is hard for me to have to see Elliot every day and be reminded of my failure as a father and leader," Aragon replied soberly though there was just a hint of pain in his voice.

Dora looked at him in surprise.

"It is never easy to face one's losses, Dorthian. However, our love for those that are left has to be strong enough to keep us going. If you truly loved Desiree as a sister, if you care about Vlad and their child, you will return home. You will face Skulker with dignity and strength. And you will carry on as before. Desiree's child needs a mother-figure now that she is gone… And I am sure Desiree would have desired for you to fill that void."

Dora wiped away her tears before she whispered, "I never thought you…"

Aragon chuckled, already imagining what she was thinking. "Losing those you love can sometimes help one see matters in a different perspective, my sister." He frowned with worry this time. "I am deeply concerned for Vlad and his child. No one has seen him since he disappeared after he…"

Aragon trailed off as he thought with anger what Skulker told him Walker had done. Vlad had already been emotionally compromised. It had been villainous of that barbaric warden to present the King with one of the humans responsible for his wife's death. Walker had practically forced Vlad to kill that human!

Aragon shook his head before continuing with what he was saying, "The Prince is all alone, Dorthian. The child must be greatly suffering with the absence of both his parents…"

"My poor little Prince," Dora whispered sadly. "He had looked so lost and distraught at his mother's funeral some days back."

Aragon nodded in agreement before he stood. And extending a hand to his sibling, he helped her up. "I will leave you now. If you decide to return, do inform me. We will go together."

Dora's eyes widened. "You are going into the Kingdome's terrain?"

Aragon nodded. "It is most urgent that I speak with Vlad."

"But… you just said that no one has seen him. You do not know when he will return," she told him.

"It does not matter. I will wait for him as long as necessary. But I must see him," Aragon said with a strange conviction in his voice.

Dorthain watched as her brother suddenly walked out of the balcony; but she quickly followed him and called out, "Brother!"

He paused and looked at her.

Dora smiled warmly. "Thank you."

Aragon's eyebrows creased slightly, but then he nodded and left. He really did not want to see his sibling go. However, he knew she really was needed more at the Kingdom than here.

* * *

Tom was at his desk, preparing for another press conference scheduled in a few days. He was still in a bit of shock about what had happened yesterday. The public was in a panic, and the authorities were demanding an explanation from his division. He had to admit. It had been a well-played card on the Ghost King's behalf. However, Tom would not let it hinder his plans. He would just use this to incite the world into coming together at last to finish off the ghost race once and for all.

He was so focused on writing out his speech that the sudden ringing of his desk phone jolted him.

He quickly glared at the offending item before grabbing it and barking into the phone, "What? I told you not to disturb me!"

"_Forgive me, sir,"_ his secretary said right away. _"But there is someone here to see you."_

"Tell them to leave. I am extremely busy," Tom snapped.

"_Sir, he insists on it. He says it is urgent."_

Thomas frowned in annoyance. "Well, who is it? I don't recall having any meetings pending…"

"_I do not have anything on your agenda, either, sir. However, Mr. Vladimir Masters is requesting your audience,"_ she answered nervously.

Agent C's eyes widened with surprise. "Vladimir? That rich boy? What does he want?" he muttered mostly to himself.

"He will not say, sir," his secretary answered all the same.

Thomas slowly nodded his head. "Very well. Have someone escort him to my office."

"_Yes, sir."_

The Guys-in-White leader hung up the phone with a thoughtful frown. He did not even recall the last time he had seen Masters. He knew their last business had been when the man had bought a large supply of ghost weapons to increase his security for his companies. But that had been years ago…. Could he want more weapons?

Thomas rubbed his cheek with the claw scars on it. He supposed a little bit more money would never hurt his agency, especially with the threat of a war over their heads. However, he was not even sure if he had anything new for Masters. With his plans to kill the Ghost King, weapon development had taken a backseat in his division's priorities…

The ghost hunter's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Come in," Tom ordered as he stood from his chair.

Right then, one of his agents and Vladimir Masters walked into the room.

"Sir," his subordinate greeted him.

"Leave us," Tom commanded as he approached the millionaire.

"Yes, sir," the other agent answered before turning and leaving.

Vlad watched as the door was closed, leaving him alone with Agent C. He had noticed the moment that he had stepped into the facility that there were a lot more people, or rather, agents than the last time he had visited the place years back. The Guys-in-White had definitely been busy if the new hires had anything to do with it. That made what he was about to do all the more dangerous…

"Well, well, if it isn't Vladimir Masters… I heard you've been busy taking over the business world," Thomas said with a smirk before he extended his hand to the other man.

Vladimir looked down at the ghost hunter's hand before he slowly grabbed it and shook it.

"You should not believe everything you hear, Agent C," Vlad answered calmly. And yet, he could feel his heart beating faster as hate and anger began to coil around it. He barely could contain his ghost half just knowing that he was holding his wife's murderer's hand.

"Oh, it is no rumor, Masters," Tom answered as he let go of the other man's hand. "I heard from my brother-in-law that you are now partnered with him…. Manson and _Masters_ Enterprise… Hmm. There is no stopping your thirst for money, is there?"

"Money is trivial," Vladimir answered. "But power… The ability to invoke fear on your enemies and leave them defenseless; Or to just simply hit them where it hurts most… There is nothing more satisfying, is there, Agent C?"

The hunter frowned in confusion. The way the other man had said that. It was almost dark. Tom didn't recall ever hearing Masters speak like that.

"Indeed…," the hunter replied as he thoughtfully studied the other man. But then he raised an eyebrow at the millionaire and remarked, "You look different…"

But Tom didn't mean it in the physical sense. There was a different… _presence_ to the younger man in front of him that he couldn't quite place.

"So do you…," Vlad retorted. But the older hybrid was now focused on the claw marks on the hunter's left side of his face. "What happened to your face, Agent C?"

The ghost hunter reached up to touch the scars as his mind triggered the memory of his encounter with the King's demon spawn. But he quickly snapped out of it and dismissively replied, "It's a long story. Not important. Whiskey?" he then asked; but he didn't wait for a response and just walked over to his bar.

"It must have been painful…," Vlad continued as if he had not heard the other man.

But as Tom had his back turned and unsuspectingly continued making the alcoholic drinks, the older hybrid reached into his suit jacket and gripped the gun hidden within. He clicked off the safety.

"You must have really upset the ghost that did that to you…," Vladimir continued in this strange tone of voice, "Or maybe the ghost reacted out of sheer panic or fear. You have always been a ruthless man, Agent C."

Tom turned to face Vlad, but he did not really notice the other man's hand tucked under his suit coat. Instead, the hunter stared into Vladimir's eyes as if trying to read his thoughts.

Now, Tom was sure something was off about the millionaire.

"Why are you here again?" Tom asked carefully. "You told my secretary you had something urgent to discuss with me."

Vladimir nodded, and his voice returned to its normal calm as he answered, "Yes… We have unfinished business, Agent C. And we have left it unattended for far too long. It is time to put it to rest…"

"Really?" Tom answered with a frown. The millionaire was really beginning to set off his instincts. But instead, the ghost hunter remained calm, but calculating. He really wanted to know what this rich boy was up to.

Tom grabbed the two glasses of whiskeys he had poured and walked back over to the younger man. He then offered Vladimir one, but at that moment he remembered something.

"Oh, wait. You do not…," Tom trailed off when he watched the millionaire accept the drink and then unexpectedly down the alcoholic beverage. Hadn't Vladimir once told him he didn't drink?

The younger man in front of him really was different. Tom just couldn't figure out why it was making him uneasy. This was Vladimir Masters for goodness sake! He was a spoiled rich boy who probably didn't even know how to kill a fly since he had others to do it for him!

Vlad squeezed his eyes close as the whiskey burned all the way down before he nearly gagged and would have stumbled back if Chrome hadn't reached forward and grabbed one of his arms to steady him.

"Are you alright?" Tom asked. He was unable to hold back his amusement at what the millionaire had just done and added, "You realize that was pure whiskey you just downed like water, right?"

What Tom didn't know was that Vlad had taken the drink as a way to distract himself and keep himself from losing control of the hate burning inside him.

Too bad it didn't work.

"No more games!" Vlad suddenly growled as he snatched his arm away from the other man and glared at him. "It is time I finish this!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Tom snapped fed up with the other man's weirdness.

"This…," Vlad said, and pulled out the gun.

The millionaire knew what he was about to do was foolish. Even if he did kill Tom, he was surrounded by ghost hunters. And they would no doubt come to the man's aid. If he killed Tom, Vlad knew he would not make it out of this facility alive.

But he had to do it. He had to destroy this monster even if it was the last thing he did.

But just as he was about to aim it at the man's head and kill him, there was a knock on the door.

The two man froze but for different reasons. While the older hybrid had shifted his eyes to the door, the ghost hunter had his eye trained on the gun in the millionaire's lowered hand.

Tom slowly reached for his own gun as he questioned almost dangerously, "What are you doing with that gun, Masters?"

Vlad looked back at his rival, but before he could say anything, the person at the door knocked again; but then right after, the door creaked a bit and a young boy with green eyes peaked in.

"Tom?" Gregor asked.

Agent C kept his eyes on Vladimir as he slowly replied, "Come in, Gregor."

It took everything within the millionaire not to jolt at the sight of the twelve-year-old boy as he walked in. But he didn't know what shocked him more: the boy's presence; or the fact that he wasn't alone.

Valerie also walked in and smiled timidly at Tom. "Hello, Mr. Chrome."

Tom noticed the surprise on Vlad's face, and the hunter realized that whatever had been going through the other man's head a moment ago had been halted at the sight of the children. In fact, the millionaire had unconsciously hidden the hand with the gun inside his suit jacket again…

Relaxing only a bit, though he kept his hand on his own gun strapped to his back, Tom turned his eyes to the young girl, and calmly replied, "Hello, Valerie. Are you enjoying yourself?"

The girl grinned and nodded. "Yeah! Gregor showed me the play area you made for him!"

Tom smiled a bit. "Yes, well, he spends a lot of time here. We can't have him getting too bored and then into mischief, right?"

But when he looked at Gregor, he instantly frowned at seeing the boy wasn't even paying attention to him. He had his eyes fixed on Vladimir Masters…. But the man was also staring right back at him.

Gregor didn't know what it was. But the moment he noticed the stranger in the room, he got this deep instinctual feeling of fear. There was something supernatural about the man and yet he was clearly human. The boy didn't understand how that was possible, and it left him stunned with confusion.

Unknowingly to Gregor, Vlad was feeling something similar as he stared at the boy. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but he could not place it. But the older hybrid could hardly think about that with the sudden feeling inside him. This child was obviously human… And yet, he was getting this _vibe_ from him. Almost like his ghost half wanted to react to his presence but something was stopping it. That was odd in itself, not to mention that the boy was _human_, and Vlad had never gotten any type of supernatural feeling from a human before…

The Ghost King didn't know what to make of it. All he could conclude was that what he was feeling was just fear and alarm over the fact that this child was clearly associated with the Guys-in-White. He wasn't dressed completely in white; but there was enough resemblance for Vlad to see the boy was working with this agency.

What was going on? Was Tom employing children now?

Agent C suddenly cleared his throat and Vlad and Gregor snapped out of it. They quickly looked at the hunter as he said, "Have you two met… or something?"

Gregor frowned and shook his head.

But Vladimir also replied hesitantly, "No… I just…. I am surprise to see these… children here."

"Yeah, well, that is also a long story," Tom answered dismissively before adding, "Give me a moment, would you, Masters?" The hunter then moved closer to Gregor and asking quietly, "What do you want?"

Gregor stared at Tom before glancing back at the other man. "Uh…" But the child could not even remember why he had come here anymore.

"Gregor wanted to know if we could go down the street to get ice-cream!" Valerie answered for him in a loud voice.

"Oh," Tom answered, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he was about to reach for his wallet when he finally realized he still had a hand on his gun.

The ghost hunter glanced back at Vlad to make sure the millionaire still had his gun hidden before moving his hand away from his gun.

Tom finally pulled out his wallet and took out some money. He gave it to Gregor as he said, "I want you back in half-hour. Understood?"

Gregor just silently nodded before taking the money.

"Now, off you both go. I am in the middle of something very important," Tom added.

Without a word, Gregor and Valerie left. But Tom found it strange how the boy had glanced one last time at Vladimir before stepping out. He had not seen the dragon ghost that unsure about someone since he first exposed him to humans years back. It was really bizarre. But then again, maybe Gregor was also getting the same bad vibe he was about Vladimir Masters…

The door clicked close, and Tom didn't hesitate to say, "I am assuming you have a reason for having that gun with you, Masters…"

Vlad looked back at Tom before bringing the gun in his hand into view again. "Yes… I do…" He watched as the ghost hunter tensed, and stared at his every movement like a hawk.

Vladimir exhaled, "Our unfinished business…" he muttered yet he looked back over at the closed door.

The human king wanted nothing more than to quench the need for vengeance in his heart. He knew he could do it. Even if Tom was now suspicious and he had lost the element of surprise, Vlad knew he could take out the evil man. That is all he wanted. Even if it meant his life, everything inside him screamed for retribution…

But seeing those two children… Vlad suddenly remembered why he had never done away with this man before, and instead, had kept him close. He suddenly remembered the bigger picture… And the half-ghost had now seen that it was much larger than what he had initially believed.

"You are acting very strange, you realize…?" Tom suddenly said as his hand went back to his own gun.

"Yes. I was just a bit thrown off by the children," Vlad slowly replied as he looked down at the gun in his hand. He was quiet for a moment before adding in his usual causal voice, "This is one of yours. Do you remember?"

Tom lowered his own gaze to Vlad's gun. But then, the millionaire raised it back up, and the hunter tensed even more as the barrel was pointed at him this time.

"I have to admit, it is the best weapon I have purchased…." Vlad continued calmly.

Tom then noticed that the millionaire was just grabbing the butt of the gun. His finger wasn't even on the trigger.

The ghost hunter blinked as he realized: the man wasn't aiming the gun at him; he was trying to hand it to him!

He suddenly broke into a full-hearted laugh which rang with a mixture of amusement and relief.

"Jesus, Masters!" he exclaimed between his chortle. He then snatched the still pointed gun from the millionaire by the barrel. "You are such a rich boy! That's not how you hold a gun when you are trying to hand it to someone! For a moment there, I thought you were tryin' to shoot me!"

Vlad's face remained impassive as he questioned, "Why would I want to kill you, Agent C?"

"Especially when you're in a government facility surrounded by government agents!" Tom added with amusement." Then again, you probably would have missed, if the fact that you can't even hold a gun right has anything to say about it!"

He laughed some more, but this time at his own paranoia. He really thought that Vladimir had been about to kill him! What a ridiculous notion! The man probably didn't even know how to remove the safety lock from a gun! The millionaire might be powerful in the sense of his influence; but as person, he was as threatening as a child with a water gun!

"So, what's this about? Are you interested in purchasing more of these types of weapons?" Tom questioned as his laughter died down into a smile.

He expertly unassembled the weapon in his hand before just as quickly putting it together again. He then took aim with it at a dart board on the far side of his office. "It is a nice piece of weaponry. And I don't just say that because you bought it from me… It's very smooth." Tom pretended to fire the gun before lowering it to his side. "Quick. Efficient."

"So I've been told by my security," Vlad answered calmly. "Yes, I would like to purchase another three dozen…"

"Alright. Just place the order with my security. Actually… I should probably charge you more for scaring me half to death," Tom added with a smirk. He then turned the gun with the butt facing the other man, and said smartly, "And _this_ is how you hand someone a gun."

"My apologies," Vlad replied as he took the gun back. He looked at it for a brief moment but then put it away. He then looked back at the ghost hunter, and told him, "However, I did not just come to purchase weapons from you…"

"Oh?" Tom replied curiously. But then remembering they were standing, he said, "Forgive me. Please. Have a seat."

Tom grabbed his own forgotten glass of whiskey off his desk before sitting at his desk. He waited for Vlad to have a seat in front of his desk before asking, "So, what else can I do for you? Is it more… _unfinished business?"_ Tom chuckled before taking a drink of his whiskey.

"Yes," Vlad replied. But then he paused and asked forwardly, "Who were those children that came in here?"

"The boy is…," Tom waved a hand around as if trying to find the word he was looking for in the air. "Well, I suppose you can say he's my adopted son."

"You? Have a son?" Vlad questioned skeptically.

Tom raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh, please, Masters! Don't even play that card with me! Thanks to my sister and her love for scandals, I know all about _your_ recently uncovered son. If a man like yourself can have a kid, then I think I can, too."

Vlad tensed a bit. He had not been aware of Tom's knowing about Daniel.

"But unlike you, I haven't had an affair with anyone. The kid isn't mine. He belonged to two of my agents. Both his parents were killed by ghosts some years back. Poor Gregor had been going from foster home to foster home. No one wanted him. So, out of respect for my agents, I decided to adopt him."

Tom shrugged. "You know how it is. You get to a certain age where a large house just for yourself begins to feel empty. So, I figured I'd help the kid out and myself as well."

"Why not just get married?" Vlad asked, still skeptical.

But the hunter barked out a laugh. "Married? You're beginning to sound like my sister! No, Masters. I'm married to my work. Not interested in the whole 'family' thing. Gregor's enough."

The king-in-human-disguise knew the man was lying. First, no ghosts had come to the human world until recently. So, his story about Gregor's parents' being killed did not add up. If he did adopt the child, like he was saying, Vlad doubted it was because 'his house felt empty'. No, he was planning something with these children. But what? And _why children?_ And what could he possibly be trying to accomplish with them?

"And the girl?" Vlad then asked. "You adopted her, too?"

Tom frowned this time. "What's with the sudden interest in my personal affairs, Masters?"

"I can't help but wonder, Agent C. I have never seen children in your agency until now."

Tom leaned back in his chair and causally replied, "Well, if you must know, they're here because I have to keep an eye on them. I couldn't possibly leave them at my house alone, now could I? But the girl isn't mine. She is Damon Gray's kid. You heard of him, right?"

"_Please. My daughter needs me. I am all she has in this world! Let me go… Don't kill me…"_

The sound of Damon's voice instantly had echoed in Vlad's mind at the mention of his name. Vlad swallowed and he curled his hands within his lap. He could still feel that man's blood on them, even if he knew that had been days ago.

"Yes… The owner of Axion Lab," the older hybrid still answered off-handedly. "But why is his daughter here?"

"She was adopted by some people I know. I am just helping them out. They wanted to keep Valerie away until this whole thing with Gray blows over," Tom explained.

"What 'thing'?" Vlad asked, confused.

Tom frowned. "What? Have you been living under a rock or something? Don't tell me you don't know the whole affair with Gray? It's been on national news!"

"_Of course_ I know about Axion and how Gray has been missing since that tragedy…!" Vlad began impatiently.

"He isn't missing, Masters," Tom cut him off. "His body was found yesterday."

Vlad froze. "…What?"

Thomas rolled his eyes before he leaned forward to open a drawer. He then pulled out a file and handed it to the other man. "This is confidential, by the way. So, don't go telling anyone I showed it to you."

Vlad didn't reply and just grabbed the folder. He slowly opened it and suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and it wasn't because of the alcohol burning his insides, either.

Staring right back at him was a picture of Damon Gray's body. It was almost unrecognizable. Yet, he could see the gaping holes created by his claws.

"Sick demons threw his dead body right in the middle of Amity's Central Park yesterday…," Tom muttered, though there was a detached expression on his face.

He felt an inkling of guilt at knowing that Gray was dead. After all, he had handed him over to those vile creatures…Yet, it had never been in his original plans to kill Gray, and certainly not in such a gruesome way. No one deserved to be slaughtered by those demons… But Gray had to be an idiot and attempt to ruin his plans. Plus, Gregor had been becoming too attached to him. His 'live weapon' had almost turned against him for that man!

Gray had to go.

Forcing himself to breathe, Vlad slowly looked at the stack of pictures one-by-one. They were clearly forensic pictures from how vivid and accurately they were taken.

But as he reached the last picture, his eyes widened a bit as he stared at the glowing green note.

"You are all next," Vlad read quietly.

"If that is not a threat, I don't know what is," Tom said with a frown. "Note vanished a few minutes later, but we were able to photograph it… It's been quite the mess. There's public panic, of course. The media is in a frenzy; and my superiors want answers. But I am as shocked and clueless as everyone else. Still, Gray's funeral is in a few days. I'm supposed to give a press conference once it's done. I'm still not even sure what I'm supposed to say when I don't even know why Gray and his company were targeted by those demons!"

The hunter shook his head. "But you see, Masters? It's what I've been sayin' for all these years. Most people just thought these blood-thirsty creatures were gonna leave us alone… Now look at all they've done! And this is just the beginning. They've been planning this for years! _But_ so have I… I have been _preparing_." Tom's eyes narrowed. "They might have come close to winning while Dark was around… But this time will be different… This time, I have the tools to turn the odds in our favor…"

Vlad stared at the evil man in front of him before looking back down at the picture of the note again. He had no doubt this was Walker's doing, and when he got back, he was going to have a word with the Warden…

But…

"What are you planning, Agent C?" Vlad asked carefully as his eyes locked with the other man's.

Tom chuckled. "You don't expect me to tell you, do you? That's classified, Masters. But I can assure you that those demons do not stand a chance… It is _they_ who need to be afraid of us now."

The older hybrid lowered his gaze to the folder as he thought about all he had just discovered. And to his chagrin, he knew that killing Tom would not solve anything. It would only make matters worse. As his reason took over his broken heart and core, the older hybrid finally realized that getting revenge on Chrome was only a drop in the ocean compared to the Guys-in-White's threat to the Ghost World.

He had to do something. And though it vehemently gripped his soul with repugnance to do it, he knew there was now only one way to help his kind…

It was time to play a very dangerous card—one he had had reserved for a very long time as a last resort.

He closed the folder and gave it back to Tom before saying, "The other reason I am here is to tell you that I have changed my mind. I would like to take you up on that offer you did to me several years back… That is… if it is still on the table."

Tom at first was confused with what the other man was talking about; but then he quickly remembered and his eyes widened with disbelief, "You serious?"

Vlad nodded. "Yes."

Tom's face lit up with a grin. "Of course it is still on the table!" He couldn't believe his luck! Things were really working out in his favor!

Tom stood up and went back over to his bar and got two more glasses of whiskey. "We have to drink to this…"

Vlad stood, though he had to grab the chair when he felt his head spin from the strong drink he had had previously. The glass of whiskey had somewhat helped him soothe how sick with rage he had felt at having to restrain himself in front of his wife's murderer. But now the feeling of sickness and hate in his stomach was back with a vengeance. All he wanted to do was lunge himself on the man and claw out his eyes and heart!

But he couldn't. Seeing those two children had been like someone threw a bucket of ice water over him. He couldn't kill this man and kill himself in the process and leave his world, and more importantly, his son, to suffer the consequences…

When Tom returned, he handed one of the two glasses to Vlad.

"Hmm. I had almost lost hope on you, Masters…" Tom chuckled before lifting his glass in toast and saying, "To the start of something new…."

"…To the start of something new," Vlad agreed as he raised his own glass. But as he swallowed the glass of alcohol and felt the burn of it yet again, this time, it seemed to penetrate into his very soul.

And instead of soothing the ill-feeling within him, it made it worse. Because he knew he had just made a deal with the devil.

* * *

Vlad eventually left the Guys-in-White's headquarters. He had been unable to stand how disgusted he felt at what he had just done. It finally made him physically sick enough that he had thrown up at the nearest bathroom as soon as he had left Chrome's office.

Carl, who was waiting by the limousine, blinked in surprise at his ill-looking employer.

"Sir? Are you alright? You look really pale," Carl said as he opened the door for the other man.

Vlad just nodded. "I'm fine. Just a bit queasy. I am probably coming down with something…"

Carl watched as the millionaire stepped into the limo before asking, "Would you like me to stop by a pharmacy, then?"

Vlad just rubbed his forehead and muttered, "Perhaps later. For now, take me back to the hotel."

"Yes, sir," Carl answered.

As he waited for his human driver to start the car, Vlad pressed a button to raise the opaque window between him and Carl for some privacy. He then grabbed a bottle of water from one of the limo's compartment and quickly swallowed the whole thing.

He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes upon feeling them burn red. He was so furious that he could barely keep his ghost half suppressed. All he had wanted was to kill that monster-of-a-man! But he **could not!**

Opening his eyes, Vladimir reached for the gun on his side and pulled it out. He stared darkly at it for a moment, so lost in thought he didn't even realize the car was moving.

But as he turned his eyes slowly out the window, he caught a glimpse of Gregor and Valerie walking back towards the ghost hunter's headquarters. They both had an ice-cream cone in their hands, and were quite occupied with each other.

"What are you doing with those children, Chrome?" Vlad questioned out loud.

Could it be that Gray had been telling the truth? What if the GiW hunter had used and manipulated that other man? He then let Gray get captured by Walker and his guards to be rid of him….

No. No, it could not be. If so, that meant he had killed an innocent man.

Vladimir frowned deeply. It was obvious from the children's behavior that they were familiar with—and even comfortable around— Chrome…At least _the girl_ was. But that didn't quell the millionaire's suspicions. The Guys-in-White leader's adopting that boy? It was a lie. Perhaps the evil man even got rid of the boy's parents just to get… What was his name again? Gregor? But none of that answered _why_ or _what_ Chrome was planning with these human children…

"It seems I will have to keep close to this despicable human in order to get to the bottom of this….," Vlad growled. But his eyes turned back on the gun in his hands and his eyes turned red again as he added, "But he is very wrong if he thinks he will actually succeed… You have no idea who you are up against, Agent C…. I am going to destroy your entire agency and as you watch it burn under my power, only then will I kill you…"

Vlad smirked darkly at a sudden idea. "Two can play at this game…. And I know just who to use against you…" He reached over to a compartment and stored the gun in it. He then grabbed a phone attached to the limo and said into it, "Carl, I have changed my mind… I would like to make another stop before heading back to the hotel…. I would like to go to Fenton Works…"

After getting an acknowledgement from his driver, Vlad hung up the phone. He frowned at the thought of visiting the Fentons after all these years. It was not only dangerous; but more than ever, he didn't like to be reminded that the two humans had a genetic connection to his son…

But the Fentons were part of this, too. They kept creating ghost devices that were falling into Tom's hands and becoming too dangerous for his kind. And the latest were those 'ghost shields', which had contributed to his wife's death and almost done him and his son in. Vlad needed to find out exactly how that pair of hunters had created those shields….

All too soon, Vlad made it to Fenton Work. He sneered at the large neon display at the front of the house. "You would think these two humans would learn some subtlety after all they have been through…"

Once he got out of the car, he went to the front door. He then calmly knocked on the door as his face regained his rehearsed composure.

But no one answered.

He frowned as he knocked again. However, there was still no answer.

Vladimir glanced back at his driver in the limousine before giving a quicker glance to his left and right. Sure that no one could see what he was about to do, he moved closer to the door while blocking further view of his hand—just in case.

Using the most minimum of energy, he phased his hand through the door and unlocked it from the inside. He smirked when it was obvious that there was no alarm system. The Fentons seemed to forget that humans could be a threat, too. But he was sure that they still must have some kind of _ghost_ security in their home. He was fortunate that his core was dormant in human form, and that he also had enough experience with his powers to use them partly and still keep under any ghost hunter's radars. Without that, he probably would have never been able to foil so many of the ghost hunters' plots against his kind…

Too bad he couldn't stop them all.

Vlad clenched his teeth, but quickly focused on the matter at hand. He retracted his hand before opening the door and stepping in. He quietly closed the door behind him as he enhanced his hearing, trying to pick up any signs that someone was in the house. However, he heard nothing.

Walking further in, he glanced around and briefly noticed not much had changed about the Fentons' home. It had been a long time since he had been here, though—since that fateful night that he got his son. The most he had interacted with the Fentons after that had been when he sent them the money to rebuild their house. Of course, the couple had called him up and attempted to refuse the check; but he had convinced them to take the money as a 'loan.' They had paid him back only because they had insisted.

As far as Vlad was concerned, the Fentons were a bigger headache than Chrome, and just as dangerous. If he had any consideration for them, it was out of respect for his son. Well, he had respect _mostly_ for Madeline. Desiree would always be his Daniel's mother; but he could not pretend like he did not owe the human female his child's life. But even that was strained. He didn't like to think of the fact that these… _humans_ were connected to Daniel.

And yet, much like with Chrome, the older hybrid pretended to have some sort of 'friendship' with the Fentons just to keep a close eye on them.

Vladimir glanced towards the stairs before continuing on. If his memory served him right and the Fentons had rebuilt their house as before—which seemed to be the case—then their lab was at the far end of the house.

It turned out he _was_ right. But he readily frowned when he found that the usually bolted lab door was ajar. He hesitated, but still not hearing any sort of movement, he slowly pushed it open.

Confirming that no one was there, he finally walked down the stairs. And yet, he couldn't help but scoff in disgust. Did these humans not learn? How could they possibly risk themselves and their remaining child by keeping their work in their home? They were clearly obsessed with their hate for ghosts if they didn't see how foolish their actions were.

But his thoughts of their stupidity abruptly halted as his mind jolted with shock when he spotted one of his worst nightmares at the end of the lab.

"It can't be….," Vlad whispered in disbelief and his feet slowly moved on their own accord.

There, inserted into the wall, was a ghost portal. It was sealed shut, and yet by the beeping lights and the humming ecto-filtrator system, it was clearly on _and working._

They had done it. In spite of all his efforts to stop them, the Fentons had built a working man-made portal into his world!

"But where did they get the amount of ecto-energy needed to…?" But the answer quickly became obvious to the older hybrid. It had been easy for the Fentons to get the ecto-energy to turn on the portal when the opening of the natural portals had allowed the humans to capture and kill several of his kinds. He didn't doubt the Fentons were two of the hunters that had taken advantage of the Ghost World's exposure. And they had obviously killed enough of his kind to create the concentrated ecto-energy to power their unnatural portal….

Or, maybe, for all Vlad knew, _Tom_ had given the Fentons the concentrated energy required for the portal.

Placing a hand on the closed portal, Vladimir narrowed his eyes. He needed to destroy this thing, or at the least, find out where it opened to. In his own past studies of ghost portals, Vlad knew that one of the problems with creating a man-made portal was that, unlike natural portals, such an unnatural creation strained the fabric separating their worlds.

Up to now, the only thing Vlad knew about portals were from what he had studied or hypothesized. He had no way of knowing how this man-made portal could affect the Ghost World since he had never actually tried to create an unnatural portal. In fact, the portals in Vlad's home in the human world were naturally occurring. He had simply constructed his Wisconsin and Colorado homes at two of the largest natural portals to keep them hidden and give him easy access to-and-from the Ghost World.

One thing Vlad was sure of, this man-made portal was bad news to his kind.

Unfortunately, since it was active, the older hybrid could no longer just remove the ecto-filtrator to shut it down. Doing so could destabilize the portal, and not only would the Fentons home be destroyed again—not that he cared—but the destruction could very well _travel into_ the Ghost World. He had no idea where the portal opened to. It could very well open close to ghost homes, and an explosion could harm a lot of innocent ghosts.

He looked around for the control panel. He quickly spotted it and went over to it. But as he attempted to access the system, he was stopped by a computerized voice saying, "Biometric scan required."

"Blast!" Vlad growled, but still continued to try to hack the system. However, no matter what he did, he could not get into it without the required fingerprint reading—which, obviously, would only work with Jack or Maddie Fenton.

"I will have to seal it or destroy it from the other side, but… finding this portal, it will be like searching for a needle in a haystack…," Vlad muttered.

He attempted a bit more to somehow access the system, but it was in vain, and he soon had no choice but to give up. He stared worriedly at the sealed portal, but his eyes eventually drifted around the lab. He stared at all the different ghost weapons and equipment lying around, and it suddenly hit him:

Walker, Nocturne, and all those other ghosts from the council—whom had never agreed with his decision of ending the war in an attempt to co-exist with the humans—had been right… They were right in that he had made a mistake in his decision. All this time, he had just been holding off the inevitable…

"I'm such a fool," he whispered angrily.

His eyes suddenly landed on a large storage freezer at one corner of the room. But what had really captured his attention was the label on the door, which read, 'specimen samples.'

He quickly walked over and raised the cover, only to hitch in a gasp as he found the remains of ghosts. Most were of primitive ghosts, but one was of a sentient one. Specifically, it was one of Walker's guards.

"Pult….," Vlad whispered sadly when he recognized the ghost. His hands instantly clenched at his sides and his eyes turned bright red. Beasts. That is what they all were. Cold, soul-less beasts!

He slammed the storage freezer shut before he stormed out of the lab. He was done being merciful with these humans! It was time he gave them a taste of their own medicine!

Feeling his hate and anger threatening to overwhelm him once again, he decided to leave the Fenton house before he did something he would regret. However, just as he was at the front door, it opened and a young girl stepped in.

She instantly halted as she stared back at Vlad, her eyes wide with surprise and fear.

"**M-Mom!"** she screamed and turned to run; but she ran right into said parent who quickly placed a soothing hand on her.

The millionaire froze for a moment as he realized how careless it had been of him to sneak into the Fentons house like this… He needed a cover. And fast.

"Vladimir…," Maddie said with a mixture of weariness and surprise. "What…? What are you doing in our house? And how did you even get in?"

She had seen the limo in the driveway, but when she heard her daughter scream, she quickly changed directions from going to investigate who was in the car to going to Jazz's aid.

"Madeline…," Vlad began as a million thoughts ran through his head.

However, before he could say anything more, Jack finally arrived and exclaimed, "Vlad? Vladdie! I don't believe this!"

The millionaire jolted at being called by a name no human was allowed to use, much less by some ridiculous nickname. However, before he could protest, the larger man wrapped him in a bear hug.

"Jack!" the older hybrid gasped, but then a sudden hate coiled in his heart for the man for more than one reason, and he hissed out, "Let me go! You are breaking my spine, you oaf!"

Jack jolted and quickly let go. "Oh! I'm sorry, Vladdie!" He chuckled sheepishly. "I'm just so excited to see you! It's been years!"

Vlad had the sudden urge to destroy the man, but he controlled himself and instead fixed his attire. He then muttered, "Forgive me. You took me by surprise."

"Likewise," Maddie interrupted with a serious frown. "You have not answered my questions. Why are you in our house?"

Vladimir acted unfazed as he explained, "The door was ajar. I knocked and rang the doorbell several times without an answer. It had concerned me to see the door opened like that, so I took the chance of going in. Forgive me. I just wanted to make sure everything was alright…"

Maddie scrutinized the millionaire for any hints of deceive in his expression before slowly looking at her husband and asking, "Jack, did you forget to close and lock the door again?"

Jack frowned before he smiled guilty at his wife. "I don't remember… Maybe."

"Jack, I told you to always check the lab door _and_ the front door if you are the last one out. You know how dangerous that could be," Maddie lightly scolded her husband.

"Sorry, Mads. But, no harm done, right? Luckily, V-man was around and noticed it!" Jack answered with warmness in his voice.

He didn't notice Vlad flinch with suppressed anger at the pet-name.

Maddie sighed but she suddenly remembered her daughter who was hiding behind her and looked down at her.

"It's alright, Jazz. This is Mr. Masters. Your father and I met him in college some years back," she explained.

Jazz frowned as she slowly pulled away from her mom. The guy had scared her half-to-death upon finding 'some stranger' in her house. But even now, he gave her the creeps.

"Hi," she said quietly and untrustingly.

Vlad finally looked at the girl. He had known the Fentons had a daughter, but he had never seen her before. In the incident with the portal almost eight years ago, the girl had never had come near the lab and had fled from the house during the fight with the elder Fentons, so Vlad never saw her…

And yet, all he could think about was:

This was Daniel's sister. His only sibling.

"It is nice to meet you, Jasmine," Vladimir answered with a small but genuine smile.

But Jazz just stared back with the same untrusting frown.

"Oh. Looks like I forgot to close the lab door, too," Jack suddenly muttered when he looked down the hall and saw it was open. He usually bolted it when they left, but he and Madde had left the house in a rush. They had been so busy in the lab that they almost forgot to pick up Jazz from her after-school activity.

"Jack, we might have to start figuring out a way to get the doors to automatically lock when no one is home," Maddie commented with a displeased look. But then she shook her head, and looked back at the millionaire and asked, "So… Vladimir. What do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"More importantly, why did you disappear on us for so long?" Jack questioned with a pout. "I kept trying to call you to invite you over, but your secretary always told me you were either out of the country or busy…"

Vlad glanced at Jazz one last time before turning his full attention to his 'college friends'.

"Forgive me, Jack, but what my secretary told you is the truth. I have been traveling quite a bit in the past few years. I have been looking into expanding my businesses outside the U.S. And, of course, the times that I am in Wisconsin, I am busy overseeing my established companies."

"I heard you partnered up with Jeremy Manson…," Maddie said with a raised eyebrow, yet her eyes were now glowing with suspicion.

But Vlad pretended not to notice the change in her eyes as he replied, "Yes… just two years back actually. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"Hmm… An offer… Much like Tom Chrome's offers?" Maddie retorted coolly.

She didn't know what it was about it, but even when Vladimir had never given them any reason to distrust him, she felt uncertain about him. Maybe it was because she knew he had dealings with Agent C and his agency.

Vlad frowned. "I understand your dislike for Agent C, Madeline. However, I can also assure you that my dealing with him is strictly business. His agency happens to be one of best in weapons technology. As a businessman, I have to set personal opinions aside and seek what is most convenient for my companies. But outside of buying weapons from him, I have no interest in anything further with Chrome, especially when it comes to ghost hunting. I hardly trust the man, but it's good business."

The older hybrid pretended to look around as he then change topics and remarked, "You have a beautiful home… Very cozy."

"Thank you," Maddie replied before looking at her daughter who now seemed intrigued by the millionaire. "Jazz, why don't you go to your room to play? I will be making dinner shortly."

Jazz scowled. "I'm ten-years-old, you know! You don't have to use the excuse of 'going to my room to play.' If you want me to go, then just say so."

"Jazz…," Maddie began with a bit of warning in her voice; but there wasn't any real anger in it. She knew how touchy her daughter got at times.

The girl sighed in annoyance as she grumbled, "Okay, fine… I'll go 'play'." She made quotation marks in the air and rolled her eyes with the word 'play' before she left upstairs.

Maddie watched her go with a small smile. She didn't know what had gotten into her daughter recently. But she found it amusing that she wanted to pretend to be older than she was. Well, it was amusing _most_ of the time…

"V-man! Why don't you stay for dinner, so we can catch up?" Jack abruptly offered with a grin.

Maddie almost glared at her husband, but reminded herself of the millionaire right in front of her.

Vlad clenched his teeth. What was it with this buffoon and calling him 'pet names'? They weren't even that 'great-of-friends'!

"Please call me Vladimir, Jack. And thank you, but I must decline. I am a bit in a hurry. I just came to talk business…"

"What business? You have failed to tell us what brought you here after so long…," Maddie said in a direct tone of voice.

"Uh, shucks, I had hoped we could catch up," Jack interrupted with a pout. But then he grinned and wrapped an arm around the man as he suddenly led them over to the living room. "Come on, Vladdie! Take a load-off. I'm sure whatever's got you so busy can wait an hour or so. I mean, you are the boss of all those companies you got!"

Vlad pulled away, though he did follow the man to the living room.

"Really, Jack. If I could stay, I would. However, if I am here, it is because I am seeking some ghost security equipment…"

Maddie had followed the two. Once she had gestured for Vlad to sit down, she also sat down and continued with her suspicious questioning, "Ghost equipment? I thought you just said you were not interested in anything related to 'ghost hunting'…"

Sitting on a chair, Vladimir interlaced his fingers on his crossed legs, and then calmly replied, "I did say that. However, in light of the recent… ghost attacks, specifically to Axion Lab, I am worried for my companies' wellbeing…"

"Then, why not ask Thomas Chrome to supply you with ghost security equipment? You already get yours weapons from him, too, right?" Maddie retorted.

"Pfft! Tom's got nothing on us!" Jack answered while he sat next to his wife. "We've got the best ghost security system in town—possibly the world!"

"I could not have said it better myself," Vlad said with a small smirk—and yet, he wanted to punch the man as he thought of how his blasted inventions had indirectly harmed his family! Unknowingly to the Fentons, the two had created those ghost shields, which had been used against their own biological son!

The millionaire, nevertheless, continued, "Besides, you both have something that he does not… Well, he does have it, but I know he stole this piece of ghost technology from you both…" When Vlad saw the two humans frown in confusion at him, he revealed, "The ghost shields you recently created…"

Maddie's eyes widened. "How did Tom get his hands on one of our ghost shields…?"

"I knew it! That government scum is spying on us!" Jack exclaimed angrily.

Maddie was quick to throw another guarded question at the millionaire. "How do you know this?"

Vlad chuckled. "Just because I have no interest in involving myself in Agent C's ghost hunting affairs does not mean he does not share a bit of it with me… After all, I think we can agree that the man enjoys to… 'show-off' his accomplishments. He is looking to improve your version of the ghost shield. However, I know that he will never get it to work as effectively as you both. That is why I am here… I would like to purchase the technology from you… It will strictly be used to keep my companies safe should any unforeseen ghost attacks occur…"

Maddie looked unsure of how to answer the millionaire. She turned her eyes to Jack who was actually thinking about it, too. Even her husband understood that sharing their latest technology with Vladimir Masters meant a very likely chance that Tom would get further Intel on their ghost equipment. Although Maddie did not fully trust the millionaire to not be in cahoots with Tom, Jack was sure Vlad would not betray them. But still, Tom was sly and he could get the information from the millionaire without his knowing.

Still…

"Maybe it's time the ghost shield became public, Maddie," Jack answered his wife's silent question. "I mean, we are looking to keep people safe. And even if we don't like Tom, he's looking to do the same, too… It would be selfish of us not to share something that could save lives with others, especially with those trying to keep the public safe, right?"

"I suppose…," Maddie said with a reluctant sigh. She had to agree with her husband…

"You got it, V-man!" Jack said with a grin. "Just tell us how many of those puppies you need, and we'll start working on them right away! In fact…" He looked at his wife as he said mostly to her, "Maybe we can start trying out that ecto-radium additive!"

"Jack," Maddie said with a significant frown.

But Vlad caught on, and he quickly questioned, "Ecto-radium? What is that?"

Jack quickly answered, "It is an elemental substance found only in the Ghost Zone." And seeing the millionaire raise an eyebrow at the title he gave the Ghost World, Jack shrugged as he off-handedly explained, "I don't think that evil place deserves to be called a 'world'.

Vlad just kept a straight face.

"Anyways!" Jack continued with a grin. "It's one of the properties that keep ghosts from phasing through things in their world. It's mostly found as a compound, which is why it doesn't hurt ghosts when they come near it in their own home. But some time back, Maddie and I found a way to break down the compound and isolate the ecto-radium! It used to be hard to find; but with our… _newest invention_, we've been able to come across an endless supply of the compound form!"

"That is something…," Vladimir muttered. Inside, though, he was panicking. He had only come into contact with ecto-radium once in his life, and that was during his uncle's reign. Pariah, too, had discovered how to isolate the ghost element from its natural compound form…. And he would use it to torture ghosts…

Breathing slowly, Vlad focused on the matter at hand; and feigning curiosity, he asked, "And… just what is this… newest invention, Jack?"

The man's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as he jumped to his feet and beamed, "I'll show you!"

Vlad barely had time to get on his own feet before he was being all but dragged towards the Fentons' lab.

Maddie just quietly followed after the two with a displeased look on her face.

"Remember how in college I told you I would one day build a ghost portal so we could find a way to destroy those evil spooks in their own home?" Jack said as he led the millionaire down the stairs.

"Yes…" Vlad began before faking surprise and quickly adding, "Did you actually do it? Build the portal, that is?"

Jack nodded proudly as he waved in the direction of the ghost portal. "Yup!" But then he frowned as he added more soberly, "It… It took a lot of work and… sacrifice; but we finally did it…" He smiled sadly as he walked closer to the portal and placed a hand on it. "We dedicated it to our son… I knew I owed it to him to finish what we started…"

Vlad glanced back at Maddie, who now quickly averted her gaze. And yet, he had been able to see the pain in her eyes at losing her child.

A strange feeling of guilt briefly gripped the older hybrid's heart; but just as suddenly, he snuffed it out.

"We are going to stop those putrid creatures," Jack suddenly said with determination. "We are going to stop them from harming anymore innocent lives!"

"If… that is a door to the ghosts' world," Vlad began slowly, "and a door works both ways, then… what is to stop the ghosts from using it? Do see how dangerous that could be to you both… and your daughter?"

But Jack shook his head as he turned to look at the millionaire. "They can't get in here. We put a ghost shield on the other side to keep ghosts from coming through it."

"So, you have both been in there—in their world?" Vlad questioned with a frown; but it was mostly to hide his worry.

"You bet! And we plan on using it every chance we get. The more we can learn about our enemy's territory, the easier it will be to take them down!" Jack said with confidence. But then running over to the control panel, he raised his hand to the biometric scanner as he asked, "You wanna see it?"

But Vlad knew 'seeing it' would not gain him anymore insight into how to resolve this matter. He could always return to invade the Fentons' home and force Jack's hand over the scanner to gain access to the control system and destroy the portal. But he then realized, what good would that do? The pair of hunters would just rebuild it like they had now, and another encounter with the Fentons would probably end in disaster again…

He _had_ to find the opening on the other side!

"Actually, Jack. I'm out of time," Vlad quickly said. "Perhaps another time. I will keep in touch. You do the same, hmm? Just call my secretary when you have those shields ready for me. Set the price you want, alright?"

But Not waiting for a response, Vladimir turned back towards the lab's stairs and stopped briefly to address Maddie who was standing next to them. She was being unusually quiet, and he knew why. One, she didn't trust him, and two, she was still a suffering mother who got upset at the slight mention of her lost child…

"Maddie, thank you for your time…" But then Vlad hesitantly placed a hand on her crossed arms and added more quietly, "I never had the chance to give you my condolences in person in regards to… your lost son…. I am sorry."

Maddie smiled tightly and nodded. "Thanks…. I'll walk you out."

"No need. I know the way. And… I apologize for my boldness. I only entered your house uninvited because of how peculiar it was to find the door opened…"

Maddie nodded. "Don't worry about it. Keep in touch, alright?"

Vlad nodded back before he finally left.

Maddie waited until she heard the door open and close before glaring at her husband. "What are you thinking, Jack Fenton? How can you just reveal our most important findings to a complete stranger—a complete stranger affiliated with Thomas Chrome?!"

Jack blinked in surprise at how angry his wife was; but then he walked over to her and answered, "Come on, Mads. Vlad's not a complete stranger. We've known him since college. He's our friend."

"What are you talking about, Jack?" Maddie snapped back. "We only talked to him a few times during college! We don't know a thing about him except that he has made a ton of money in a little over a decade! Jack, we haven't seen or heard from him since then! You don't find it strange that he suddenly shows up after all these years?"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked with confusion. "He helped us rebuilt the house! He called us then!"

"That was one time, Jack, and it was almost eight years ago!" Maddie suddenly paused as she recalled with a heavy heart that her little boy would be turning eight next month if he were still alive.

"I don't understand, Maddie. Why don't you trust him? Vlad's never given us any reason not to…" Jack said with a worried look.

"Why? Because I don't trust anyone having to do with Thomas Chrome," Maddie sneered. "And because I can see that under his fake charm, Vladimir doesn't like us. He especially dislikes you!"

"Now you're being paranoid," Jack said with an angry frown.

"And you are being _impossible_, Jack Fenton!" Maddie exploded before she turned around and stormed off.

Jack jolted in surprise, but he could not even move from how taken aback he was. Why was Maddie so upset? So he had shared their latest victories with someone he felt he could trust and owed a lot to… How was that a bad thing? He didn't think Vlad would go tell Tom; and even if he did, it's not like he had said anything that Tom could use to steal anymore of their ideas and inventions…

But then it hit him:

Was it his mentioning of Danny to Vlad? Had she not liked the fact that he had shared with the millionaire how they had dedicated the portal to their lost son? But… he didn't think that was supposed to be private…

Jack sighed sadly before he headed back down to the lab. He knew trying to talk with his wife right now would be pointless. But he knew he owed her an apology once she was willing to listen to him again.

* * *

"I am at a loss, Horris," Skulker muttered as he sat in the living room of the former Ancient Leader. "I have searched for Vlad everywhere I could think of, and I have found no trace or scent of him… I should have never let him leave as he was…"

The older ghost's eyebrows creased in thought. "It seems to me… he does not want to be found. That can only mean his mind is lingering on dangerous ideas… Ideas that he knows those which care for him would stop him from acting upon… I am as troubled by his disappearance as you, Skulker. Most especially when he had this ludicrous idea before he left…"

Skulker raised an eyebrow in question, and Horris sighed and shook his head.

"He seems intent on regaining control of the portals," Horris said worriedly. "So much so that he came to me with the idea of using King Dark's crown and ring to do so!"

Skulker's eyes widened. "He wants to use the Crown and Ring again? After it almost cost him his life the first time?" The hunter sighed and passed a hand through his flaming hair as he added, "Plasmius has completely lost all logic…"

"Or, perhaps he is attempting to use too much cold logic to keep at bay his harrowing emotions…" Horris answered.

Skulker frowned. "Why do say that? Would it really work? Could he use the ring and crown to seal the portals again?"

"To some extent," the Ancient said. "Our world's natural portals are simply not meant to be contained or controlled. If you recall, even Desiree, with the help of the Infi-Map, could not seal all the portals. It was why the larger five have always remained open. Dark's powers were like nothing our world had seen. His crown and ring are capable of astounding things, and in those things, is the ability of controlling the portals to some extent…"

"But at what cost would Plasmius be able to use those relics to seal the portals?" Skulker answered. "His life is not worth such a thing."

"Agreed, young hunter," Horris said. "However, the Crown and Ring have done what they were meant to do…"

"I do not understand," Skulker said. "The Crown and Ring was supposed to kill Plasmius. It was a miracle it did not; and instead turned him part-human!"

"A miracle… Yes. But a known one," Horris replied. "You see, Skulker, things are not as you and Vlad have believed them to be all this time… Yes, Pariah cursed the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire so that whoever wore them in his place would suffer a horrible death… And that is what would have happened to Vlad if it had not been for his own mother…"

Skulker's eyes widened again. "Vlad's mother? What does she have to do with all this? You have never mentioned this before, Horris."

"I have not," Horris agreed. "And perhaps I should have before…But the truth was that I was afraid Vlad would resent his mother if he knew the truth. He had been so devastated when he was turned part human… "

"Horris…," Skulker urged him with a troubled look.

"Abigail discovered what her brother had done to his Crown and Ring, and she came to me with the news. We both were troubled with the likely possibility that Valkium or Vlad would one day take the throne and be killed by Pariah's relics. After all, they were the most likely to take the throne back then…"

Horris paused before continuing more quietly, "Abigail was very powerful, almost as powerful as her own brother… It only made it more understandable for us to come up with the solution we did. Skulker… It was not Pariah's curse that turned Vlad part human… It was his own mother's counter-spell. You see, Pariah's curse over those relics is meant to kill ghosts, not humans. Changing him had been the only way to stop Pariah's evil power over the Crown and Ring from destroying Vlad's core completely."

Skulker just stared at the troubled Ancient. He didn't know if he was upset with Horris for keeping something so important from Vlad or if he supported the older ghost for doing just that…

"Are you ever going to tell him the truth?" Skulker asked soberly.

"I do not know if telling him now would cause him more harm than good… Aside from Abigail and I, the only other ghost who learned about the counter-spell had been Dark himself. However, in his arrogance, he had been convinced that not even his own sister's powers could overcome his… He forgot just how powerful a mother's love can be…"

"So, does that mean that Pariah's Crown and Ring can no longer cause further harm to Vlad?"

"Unless he would wear the relics for a long period of time, it is unlikely to kill him if he were to use it to control the portals now that his mother's spell has taken effect on him … As I said, his human half now protects him from Dark's spell. However, the relics are tainted with Dark's evil, Skulker," Horris said gravely. "Going anywhere near them could worsen Vlad's unstable emotions… The Crown and Ring will sense his negative emotions and heighten them…"

Skulker frowned. "Are you saying what Aragon has said all this time is true? Pariah's relics could turn Vlad _evil_?"

"Vlad could never be evil," Horris said with confidence. "However, those relics could very well blind him to what is important. They could make him lose himself…"

"Then we will make sure that that does not happen," Skulker said seriously, and yet, he was very disturbed by what he had just discovered…

"Indeed. But I do have hope, young warrior; and that hope rests on the young Prince…" Horris said with a warm smile. "Vlad might have lost Desiree, but he still has his son. And that is how I know Vlad will not turn evil. The light within the Prince will not allow it."

Skulker nodded. "The Prince has more resting on his shoulders than his young mind can yet comprehend… After all, he isn't just keeping his father from darkness… But all of us. The fate of this world is in his hands…"

* * *

Deep in the woods of Wisconsin, Danny sat near a pond with his father. It was summer, so the air was warm. But because it was nighttime, there was also a welcoming breeze.

Danny loved the Ghost World. It might not be as visually appealing as this one, but it was his home. He felt safe and loved there. And yet, there was something about this moment that made Danny feel as if he were home. But as his father held him on his lap, Danny realized why. No one could make him feel safer and more loved than his father. So, it didn't matter where they were; as long as they were together, Danny felt like he was home…

They watched the stars as they sat. His father was telling him about them. Apparently, there was more to them than meets the eye. And each one was unique. It was hard to believe that there was so much more beyond what he saw.

"So… there's another world beyond the stars?" Danny asked with a confused frown.

Vlad nodded. "There are _worlds_, Daniel. We are only one small piece of an entire puzzle. And yet, we all have the power to make a difference. Just take a look at the earth we live in. It houses two very different worlds, yet they are as connected as the stars in the sky. There are many stars, but they come together to create the beauty you see above you."

Danny furrowed his eyebrows as he attempted to understand his father's analogy.

"So that means… the Human World and the Ghost World are important by themselves, but they are only beautiful together? Like, without one or the other Earth would be incomplete, right?"

"Very good, my boy," Vlad praised. "Earth would not only lose its beauty, but this very planet would die if the Human or Ghost World were ever destroyed. Much like our human and ghost halves. They cannot survive without the other. We are linked by an invisible bond."

Danny looked up at his father and asked, "But if it's invisible, how do we know it's there?"

His father chuckled before placing a hand on the child's chest. "You should know by now that just because we cannot see something does not mean it is not there."

"I know, but…," Danny frowned. "Ghosts can _feel_ bonds, at least. But what if you don't feel or see it? Can it still really be there?"

Vlad smiled mysteriously before he stood up and moved closer to the pond. He then kneeled down in front of it before gesturing for his son to come over.

Danny quickly did as he was told and knelt beside his father before leaning forward to look at the water.

"What do you see?" Vlad asked him.

Danny stared into the murky water. There was no moon, so there wasn't much light even from above to see past the darkness.

"Nothing…"

Vlad grabbed one of his son's hands and placed it just on top of the water's surface.

"And what do you feel?"

Danny blinked before shaking his head. "Um, nothing special…It's just cold water."

"Would you believe me if I told you that although you cannot see anything or feel anything from it, that these very waters are alive?"

Danny's eyes widened. "How?"

Vlad smirked. "As I said, just because you cannot see or feel it, does not mean it is not there. Sometimes… it just takes a little bit of faith and… light…"

Danny's eyes widened further in awe as his father's hand holding his began to glow blue. It was very soft energy yet it seemed to penetrate the darkness of the water, revealing an entire world below its surface. There were all types of fishes, and frogs, and other creatures swimming or moving about.

The energy in his father's hand then began to flicker rapidly, and something more amazing happened. The entire pond's surface began to light up with tiny little lights.

Danny gasped. "The stars came down!"

Vlad chuckled. "Look up, little badger…"

The child did so, and he froze when he saw all these little flashing lights all around them, which were hovering a few feet above the water's surface. He had just been seeing their reflections on the water's surface.

But as he watched the flickering lights, he realized they were actually little bugs making the light.

"They are fireflies," Vlad suddenly explained before removing his hand from the water's surface and extinguishing his energy. "They are quite remarkable creatures. For being so small, they can teach us quite a bit… You see, their time here is limited. In fact, some species are only around for one day out of the year. So, they have to make sure they all come out together at the right moment. They have no way of seeing that 'right time' or any way of feeling it, but they somehow know when that moment is. So, they wait, believing their moment to light up the darkness will come. And the most amazing part about it is that it only takes one brave little bug to shine its light and the rest follow..."

Danny smiled at his father's words. He didn't fully understand them, but they sure sounded nice.

"Show me how you did that!" the younger half-ghost asked with a grin.

His father chuckled and shook his head. He knew his son was more interested in the trick he just did than figuring out what his thoughtful words could mean.

"Alright… give me your hand…"

Danny was about to do that when suddenly everything disappeared, and his mind suddenly found itself somewhere else entirely.

Bolting up in bed, the little prince quickly looked around at his surroundings. He sighed when he realized he was in his room and all had been a dream… Well, it was more like a memory because he knew 'his dream' had really happened while he had been in the Human World with his father…

His father.

It had been two weeks since he had left him alone. So much had happened since then. He was now fully recovered, and had even started going to school again a week ago. It had been awkward at first because everyone kept starting at him with all these different looks. He didn't know if they were just sad for him, or scared of him, or what. But it had made him feel worse than he already did.

Aside from that, he at least had Ember and Amorpho to play with. Johnny and Kitty hadn't changed with him, and his teacher, Pandora, was as patient and kind to him as always. In fact, she was so happy to see him back.

He had been at his Uncle Skulker's house for most of the past two weeks. Angela would come almost every day, and Wulf and Fright Knight would come often, too.

But although they would come to visit him—and Angela to also check on his health—they also came often to speak with Skulker. And when they thought he was asleep, Danny would hear them talking about his father.

They were also worried about his absence. In fact, his Uncle Skulker had gone to search for him. But he didn't find him anywhere.

At one point, Wulf had asked, 'What if he never returns?'

Just the thought had sent Danny straight to the room he was staying in and he had cried all night. That had been days ago, but it was still so scary to think he would never see his father again—just like with his mother.

But something important had happened just three days ago. And it was the reason why he was now back at his palace home:

Dora had returned.

Danny didn't really know why she had left in the first place; but when she returned, she had gone straight to Skulker's house. Danny had been eating lunch with Ember and their uncle when she arrived. His uncle had not known that he and Ember had secretly followed him out of the dining room when the bell rang. They had been curious to see who it was.

The Prince had never seen Dora act so indifferent towards Skulker… It was still hard to forget…

"_Dora?" Skulker gasped as he opened the door and found her on the other side._

"_Skulker," she said with a straight face. "I have come for the Prince."_

_He readily frowned. "What? Why?"_

"_It is necessary for him to come home and return to his usual habits. Fear not, I will tend to him while the King is away. After all, I am sure you have your hands full with your niece…" _

_Skulker's eyebrows creased at the slight bite in her tone of voice at the end._

"_I promised Vlad I would take care of him until he returns…," Skulker answered carefully._

"_And you may do that," Dora replied seriously. "However, the Prince should return to the palace. I have always tended to the child before, and I intend to continue to do so until he comes of age. He is my responsibility as much as your niece is yours. I hope you will not go against my intentions. As I said, you are welcome to come to the palace anytime you wish to watch over the Prince…"_

"_I have no intent to argue against you taking him," Skulker assured her. "I know Vlad and Desiree trusted you with their child above everyone else. Just give me a few minutes. He is eating lunch and I need to pack his things… You are welcome to stay until then…"_

"_No, thank you. I will wait outside," Dora said, turning towards the door._

"_Dora, please," Skulker said, grabbing her arm._

_But she quickly turned it intangible and said angrily. "Do not touch me! You lost that privilege the moment you spurred my love for you!"_

_Skulker frowned sadly. "I do not want us to be enemies."_

"_You are not my enemy. But we will never be anything else but strangers again. I will wait outside," Dora said firmly and finally left._

_Skulker said nothing else, and as the door closed he pressed his head against the door framed and sighed. _

Danny latter learned from Ember that their uncle was not going to marry Dora anymore. But Ember didn't know why. All she was sure of was that they were mad at each other. And it made the Prince very sad.

But though Danny liked being at his uncle's house, it was more comforting to be at his home again. Well, it had been hard at first because his parents' rooms were empty, which only reminded him that he was all alone; but it was nice to be back to his usual stuff and be around everyone he knew at the palace.

Plus, Dora rarely left him alone. She had come with stories about the Dragon Realm and about Elliot. In fact, Elliot had sent a letter to him! Danny had been so happy to hear from his male friend again.

Dora also had been taking him almost every day to his mother's grave. They would put flowers and pictures Danny made for her. He tried to ignore the fact that he was just visiting an empty grave. He preferred to believe his mother could hear him and that she enjoyed his visits and gifts…

However, at the end of each day for the past two weeks, he would ask himself and those around him: Where was his father?

He needed his father; but he was also worried for him. He didn't like that his father was all alone somewhere, and worse, if that somewhere was in the Human World! What if a hunter found out who he was and tried to hurt him?

Danny sighed as he got out of bed and walked over to a large mirror on the far side of the room. Cujo quickly woke as well and followed his companion over to the mirror.

Danny sat crossed legged in front of it, just starting at his reflection for a moment. But then he reached over and touched the mirror with his fingers. In an instant, the mirror blurred in a swirl of green before a clear reflection of his parents holding hands showed up on it.

His mother had bought him the 'memory mirror'. He had loved it when he first saw it at the marketplace, so his mother had gotten it for him for his fifth birthday.

It now helped him ease the sadness in his core.

"Morning, Mommy… Daddy," he whispered to the reflected memory of his smiling parents.

"I had a nice dream… It was about when Daddy took me to the pond and showed me the fireflies. Do you remember, Father?" Danny stared at the still reflections for another moment. But then he frowned sadly and asked, "When are you coming back, Daddy? You said you would never abandon me; so you have to come back!"

Feeling tears gathering in his eyes, Danny forced himself to think about something else as he quickly said with another forced smile. "I don't have school today! So, I'm going to ask Dora if she can take me to the Island of Emotions…"

His eyebrows furrowed with uncertainty as he added more thoughtfully, "I'm not allowed to go by myself anymore because of all the open portals…" He quickly perked up. "_But_ at least that means Wulf and Fright Knight come by more often. Hey! Maybe they can take me to see Clockwork! I haven't seen him since…"

Danny trailed off. Wait. He hadn't seen his guardian since before the whole tragedy with his mother happened! Where was Clockwork? And why wouldn't his guardian come see him? Didn't Clockwork know he was back home now and that he needed him, especially now that his father was missing?

Looking at the reflection in the mirror, Danny realized that it had changed to Clockwork since he had been thinking about him.

Danny smiled at 'his guardian' before focusing back on his mother.

"I miss you, Mommy. Look, I have your necklace…" Danny lowered his gaze as his thoughts turned to unwanted ones... "I'm sorry I lost the one you made me…"

Danny sighed but when he looked up, he screamed at the sight of Thomas Chrome suddenly being reflected in his mirror. There was blood all over his face and he was glaring at Danny with his evil eyes.

"No!" Danny cried out as he bolted away from the mirror. He flew out of his room with the worried Cujo on his trial. The child zoomed down the hallways until he found his mother's room. He quickly opened the door and flew into the bedroom. He then dived under the bed's covers and hid there.

He shook in fear as he kept his eyes squeezed close as he attempted to purge the image of Tom from his mind.

Cujo suddenly jumped on the bed and crawled under the covers with the Prince. He whined at the scared child before licking at his cheek.

Danny let out a shaky sigh and he quickly grabbed Cujo and hugged him, "H-He can't hurt me here, right, Cujo?"

The dog whined in response.

Danny finally opened his eyes, but he stayed under the covers. He suddenly was aware of his heavy breathing and quickly stopped. It seemed his time as human had left him with the habit of breathing hard when he was upset. But it was just a reaction because he didn't need oxygen as a ghost.

Rubbing at his wet eyes, Danny then buried his face into the sheets and pillows, just letting the memory of his mother calm him.

"Prince Phantom!"

The sound of Dora's voice evaporated the child's remaining distress and he slowly pulled the covers from his head.

"Prince? Are you in here?"

"I'm here!" Danny said in a raspy voice.

Dora soon floated in, and she paused at the sight of the child on the bed with the blankets covering every part of him but his head.

"What are you doing, young one?" she asked with a concerned look.

Danny lowered his gaze as he confessed, "I got scared."

"By what?" Dora questioned and moved closer.

But the child didn't reply.

"Oh, Prince…," Dora said with a sigh. But then she smiled encouragingly and extended a hand towards him. "Do not be afraid, young one. You know you are safe here. Nothing will hurt you because everyone here loves and protects you. Now, come along. George prepared a special breakfast for you today."

Danny smiled and nodded before he flew out of the bed. He grabbed Dora's hand as she led him out of the room with Cujo behind him.

Danny soon forgot about his scare, and began to talk with Dora. The female dragon ghost was at least glad for that. Even if the child had these sudden episodes of paranoia, he seemed to get over them quickly.

However, right then, Wulf came running into the hallway and almost collided into Danny and Dora.

"Dora! Prince!" he said as he halted abruptly with the help of his large claws. "I have great new! The King! The King has returned!"

Danny instantly looked at the large male ghost in disbelief. But then a wide smile broke across his face. "He came back! He came back! He didn't abandon me!"

Ready to fly around in search of his father, Danny pulled from Dora, only to abruptly stop.

"Wait, Prince," Wulf said. His ears flattened as he explained. "Your father is not in the palace. In fact, I have not even seen him myself. I was told by Walker because the King's requesting a High Council meeting, and he wants me to help him spread the word. You will have to wait until your father is finished at the Realm Beyond Time. But I'm sure he will come to see you right after."

Danny's eyes widened as he whispered, "But… But why didn't he come home first to say 'hi' to me…? He… doesn't miss me?"

Dora quickly intervened. "But of course he misses you! I am certain that whatever he needs to do is most urgent. Just be patient, Prince. I am sure he will be here in no time!"

But Danny shook his head. "No, I want to see him now. I'm going to go over there!"

"No, you cannot," Dora answered seriously.

Danny's eyebrows creased as he pleaded, "Please, Dora! Please! I miss him so much! Can't I go wait for him just outside the High Council room? He's let me before!"

Dora sighed before looking at Wulf.

The male ghost shrugged and said, "After I return from giving the King's message to the rest of the council member, I could come back and take him there… I'm not part of the High Tribunal, so I could stay outside of the room and wait with the Prince for his father."

Dora nodded. "Very well…. But you first need to eat breakfast," she added to Danny. "It is a long journey, and you need to keep up your strength."

Danny frowned but still agreed. As long as he could see his father again, he would do anything.

* * *

**Well! I will see you all in a few days! Don't forget to shower Vlad muse with reviews! Ta for now!**


	47. Chapter 45: Road to Darkness Part II

**Hello, my readers! I told you I'd be back soon! I have to say, this is one of my favorite chapters! I just love development! Heh! Hope you like it! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. But this AU and its OCs are my own!**

* * *

**Chapter 45: The Road to Darkness Part II**

* * *

There were very few places in the Ghost World which were restricted to ghosts. And almost all the places that were restricted were because they were private areas that belonged to a particular group of ghosts, much like the Dragon Realm. Or, they were hostile environments, like the island known as Ancient Paradise.

But there was one place in the Ghost World that was restricted because of the darkness it contained within. This place was known as Pariah's Keep. It was actually what remained of the former King's old castle. The area was only accessible to the Ancients and the current Ghost King.

It housed two very dangerous relics: the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire. However, there was something perhaps even more sinister in Pariah's Keep.

With his ability and knowledge of dark magic, Pariah had not only created his cursed Crown and Ring to hone his powers, but also a dark dimension known as the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare. The realm contained one single doorway, but this doorway only worked one way. Once someone was sent into this dark realm, there was no way of escaping from it. And so, any creature lost within it was considered dead.

And yet, the dark realm worked so that the creatures trapped within would never truly die; instead, they would live forever tormented by the knowledge that they were locked within this realm for eternity.

Only the Skeleton Key had the power to unlock the door to this realm. But as a dagger, it had the power to enslave other beings or banish them into this Realm.

However, there was one other item of power that was created by King Dark, which shared similar qualities to the Skeleton Key-and-Dagger. In fact, both items were linked by the same power.

The Fright Knight knew of the other item enshrouded with Pariah's dark magic. He also knew all about the darkness of the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare; all because he had once been enslaved by Pariah Dark. In fact, he still possessed, prized and protected the sword known as the Soul Shredder, which was also capable of sending victims into the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare.

It was truly ironical that the creator of such a horrible place and its loathsome weapons should himself be banished there by the very things he had crafted.

But to Vlad, it had been justice.

Still, Plasmius knew it had to be done. In order to rid the Ghost World of his uncle's dark magic and his oppression, the evil King had to be banished to the only place he could never return and only then could his powers' curse be broken.

Too bad it had not fully worked. Pariah's evil still lived on in his Crown and Ring. And they were indestructible unless broken by the Skeleton Key-and-Dagger.

And that dangerous artifact was lost long ago.

Walking over to the Crown and Ring's resting place, Plasmius stared soberly at the horrible relics. He still remembered the suffering he had endured from them so long ago…

He could not help but to fear them—much like some part of him still feared his uncle…

But fear had never stopped him before—and it certainly would not now.

Stretching his hands towards the crown, he took hold of it with both hands and watched how the burning black-green fire above it turned reddish black under his touch.

He steeled himself mentally and emotionally before placing the crown on his head. In an instant, he felt a surge of power and his aura glowed with red energy. He could feel the crown's oppressing force.

But he knew he had to do this.

Grabbing the ring, Vlad slipped it on his right hand's middle finger. This time he gasped when at that moment his body was strengthened by the combined power of the Crown and Ring. Alone, the relics gave their wearer unspeakable power; but together, their master was invincible.

But it came at a price.

Plasmius gripped the sides of his head as the Crown and Ring's darkness invaded his core and mind. Demonic-like whispers echoed in his mind, and the Ghost King knew they were the voices of all the enslaved souls belonging to Pariah's skeleton army. And though they were as locked away as the former king, they were still connected to the Crown and Ring.

Plasmius gripped his head harder as the voices threaten to drive him crazy; but gritting his teeth, he narrowed his eyes and commanded, "Enough!"

The voices vanished instantly.

Exhaling deeply, Vlad inspected himself. There was red, fire-like energy curled around his fists and the ground on which he stood was burning with the energy around him.

He soon turned his gaze to a lone sarcophagus at the other end of the room. He slowly stepped towards it. But when he was right in front of it, the older hybrid hesitated once more.

The day he banished his uncle to the Realm of Forever Sleep and Darkness, he had been sure he would never again have to look upon his monster-of-an-uncle, or hear his tormenting voice. Now, he was about to do the unthinkable.

Raising his right hand, he touched the sarcophagus. The locked tomb began to turn dark, as if the top part of it was rotting off. However, it soon turned transparent, revealing a swirling darkness within.

Vlad was viewing into the Realm of Forever Sleep and Nightmare.

Although only the Skeleton Key could unlock the despairing realm, using the Crown and the Ring could let him peer behind its locked door…

The voices returned, but this time, they were echoing from behind the transparent door.

Narrowing his eyes, Vlad somberly called out, "Uncle."

There was an echoing evil laugh as the realm's darkness began to fill up with green smoke. The dark cloud swirled quickly just behind the locked transparent door before the vapor melded into the face of Pariah himself.

In spite of the projection being nothing more than dark green smoke, the expressions on the former King's face were as visible as day. And upon seeing who had summoned him, Pariah's face broke out into a toothy grin.

"Surely my eyes deceive me," Pariah purred. "Could it really be my one-and-only nephew? I had been sure you were dead… But here you are. My, how you have grown… So handsome. So confident. So… powerful."

Plasmius just narrowed his eyes further at his uncle's mocking tone of voice.

Pariah chuckled in response. "Now do not be modest, child. After all, if you have obviously survived the curse I placed upon my Crown and Ring, then you must be powerful… Or, perhaps, you were just fortunate…" Dark narrowed his eyes at his nephew as he added, "Fortunate to have such a loving mother…"

All too use to his uncle's mind games, Vlad did not give his words thought and he asked forwardly, "Where is the Skeleton Key, Uncle?"

Pariah stared silently at the younger ghost before he smiled again and remarked, "Something has changed about you, child… And since you are wearing and have activated them, I can sense it through my Crown and Ring. They can feel it…"

Vlad suddenly hissed as he felt his mind and body probed by the relic's powers.

"Yes…," Pariah said with some satisfaction. "It seems… your dear mother's intervention condemned you to a worse fate than death…"

This time, Vlad frowned with uncertainty. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, my darling nephew. You must know!" Pariah said with a grin. He probed Vlad's mind briefly again and laughed. "Or, perhaps you do not know. Oh, what shame! That guardian of yours… Always trying to protect you from harm, even if it means hiding the truth from you …Much like your mother."

Dark's eyes suddenly glowed brighter with anger as he hissed, "If it had not been for her interference, you would be dead!"

"And I would have _gladly_ died if it meant stopping your evil reign as I did!" Vlad growled back.

Pariah's face relaxed again and he continued as if the younger ghost had not said anything, "Nevertheless, your mother did me a favor…After all, there are worse things than death. Wouldn't you agree, my little freak-of-a-nephew?"

Seeing the younger ghost tense, Pariah purred, "How does it feel to know your own mother turned you into a half-human, half-ghost abomination?"

Vlad's confidence and defiance was instantly snuffed out with those words, and he could only stare in fear and disbelief at Dark.

"Now, that is much better," Pariah said smugly. "That pathetic lost look on your face has always suited you well, nephew…"

"**Silence!"** Vlad yelled, though there was a hint of fear in his voice. "I do not care for your lies! Now, answer my question! What did you do with the Skeleton Key-and-Dagger? I know it not only unlocks the Realm of Forever Sleep and Darkness, but it also awakens your Skeleton Army! And I know you have hid it somewhere! Tell me where it is!"

Pariah raised an eyebrow. "The Skeleton Key? And why would you require another of my relics, Vlad?" He added mockingly, "Surely you are not going to use it to let out your dear uncle?"

But when Vlad scoffed in reply, Dark only smiled and said, "Hate is a dangerous poison, child. And though its sweet elixir gives you the power to take vengeance upon your enemies, it comes with a high price… Are you willing to pay it?"

"Just tell me where it is," Vlad said soberly.

Pariah fell quiet for a moment before saying, "Such desperation, my nephew. What could have brought about so much change in you….?"

Vlad clenched his teeth and fists in growing frustration. He should have known his uncle would make it difficult to get from him what he wanted!

"Come on now, child. You can tell me," he whispered almost tenderly; but that drastically changed as he snarled with authority, _"Tell me…"_

Vlad cried out as a sharp pain invaded his mind and he dropped to his knees. In an instant, flashes of all that was tormenting him passed through his mind and all the despairing emotions he was trying to control overcame him like a tidal wave. It seemed like forever, but by the time it was over, he was extremely dizzy and distraught. In that instant, Vlad felt like he was a young ghost all over again with his uncle overpowering him in every way. It was a horrible feeling.

A loud laugh suddenly penetrated his troubled mind, and when he looked up, he realized it was his uncle.

"It cannot be! The ghost mage? Dead?"

Pariah laughed some more before he mockingly said, "Oh, my poor nephew… All alone again!"

But when he saw Vlad's eyes narrow, Dark realized his nephew was not completely broken.

The grin on Pariah's face held nothing but ill-intent as he added, "Well, not _completely_ alone… You have a _son_ now…"

Plasmius' eyes suddenly flared; and rising to his feet, he slammed a hand against the clear door. "Do not speak of my son, you wretched ghost!"

A surge of power came out of Vlad's hand and went through the barrier, and Pariah hissed as his projected face distorted with the blow.

Reforming, Pariah glared angrily but it quickly melded into a cruel smirk, "Well… Now I want to meet the child all the more. It just delights me to think how easy it would be to touch his young soul and taint it as I have yours…"

"**You will never touch him!"** Vlad sneered.

"Do not forget he will one day take your place, my nephew," Pariah answered sinisterly. "All it would take is for him to put on my Crown and Ring just once, and he will be mine forever. He will be as cursed as his father!"

"**Silence!"** Plasmius yelled.

Pariah just laughed. "It seems I was wrong about you, child. You are still the same hopeless pathetic wretch I knew…"

Pariah then narrowed his eyes. "Did you truly believe you could dethrone me and take _**my **_power without punishment? Directly or indirectly, I will take everything you hold dear. And just like I tarnished your little mage in a way I am certain she never forgot, I will tarnish your son until his soul is as dark as mine! I might be in here, but **I will destroy everything you hold dear, you wretch!" **

Vlad froze on the spot. He had barely heard the former king's threat. His mind had stopped at what he had just said about Desiree.

And seeing the confusion in his nephew's eyes, Pariah chuckled, "Oh… So, the ghost mage never told you, did she? Interesting… Well, let us just say that since I shared my Crown and Ring with you, I thought it was only fair that you shared the ghost mage with me…"

"No…" Plasmius whispered when he saw the lewd grin on his uncle's face. **"You monster! I should have killed you!" **he yelled suddenly.

"You might have locked me in here forever, but I can be satisfied because I know you will suffer until you die!" Pariah sneered. "Look at you now, groveling before me to know the location of the Skeleton Key just to use my Skeleton Army for revenge. Revenge on those you hate because you were unable to protect your wench from them! But you will fail! And just as you failed to save the mage from them, you will fail to save your son from me!"

"**Curse you!"** Vlad exclaimed and fired another ecto-energy at the doorway.

But the moment he did, another wave of pain gripped his head and he screamed. He dropped back to the ground as the Ring and Crown attacked him. The voices were now snarling at him, clawing at his mind.

"Admit it, you pathetic child! Your attempts to keep your soul pure have been for naught! And now it will only be a matter of time before your son shares your fate. Then, just like everyone before him, he, too, will die and you will be powerless to stop it!"

"Stop!" Vlad gasped out when he realized he was unable to take back control of the Crown and Ring from his uncle.

"You will never be rid of me, you wretch! **Never!** And you will never find the Skeleton Key! I made sure of it!"

As Pariah's laugh echoed through the area, Vlad gripped at the crown on his head. He fought to pull off the painful relic, and for a moment, he feared it wouldn't come off. But then, like an angry animal, the crown snarled at him just before it lost its 'grip' and Vlad yanked off the crown; thankfully, he was able to then easily slip the ring off.

In that very instant, the transparent door solidified and the sarcophagus returned to normal.

Plasmius panted as he sank to the ground. His mind throbbed from his uncle's power, and his heart and core burned with the horrible things he had learned. But the one that struck him most was about Desiree…

Vlad suddenly pressed a hand against his face as he whispered, "Oh, Desiree… Why didn't you tell me?"

* * *

Gregor frowned in annoyance at Tom as he watched the man walk up to the stage set up in the middle of Amity's Central Park. It had been the only place large enough to allow the multitude of people gathered to hear the Guy-in-White Leader's speech.

It had been a long day for Gregor. He had been overworked by his master; then, Tom came by to pick him up to come to this commemoration. It was bad enough that he would have to take listening to Tom's speech now when he had been barely able to control his irritation while listening to the human shooting his mouth off before that. It didn't matter to him if that speaker had been the President of the United State or not; and even though they had taken a short break before it would be Tom's turn, the boy couldn't be the least impressed either way…

"Sometimes I think you don't like him," Valerie suddenly said from where she stood, which was beside the older boy.

Gregor crossed his arms and answered, "I don't. Tom's annoying."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "But he's so nice to you—and to me! He lets us play together all the time! And he buys you nice stuff, and well, he takes care of you! He's a good dad!"

Gregor physically jolted, and he quickly glared at his friend and snapped, "He's not my dad! He'll never be my dad, so don't _ever_ say that again!"

Valerie was stunned into silence, but then she lowered her gaze and whispered, "Okay. Sorry."

Gregor's anger quickly melded into regret, and he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry at you. I just…" The boy looked over at Tom and said with some sadness in his voice, "Tom could never be my dad… He doesn't love me like a son. He never will."

"I think he loves you," Valerie spoke up. "I mean, it's hard because I know he's not your real dad, but other people that aren't your real parents can love you like you're their kid, right?" The girl played nervously with her fingers as she muttered, "My step-parents said so…. So, I'm trying to love them back, but I still miss my real mommy and… daddy."

Gregor looked sadly at the girl, but also in remorse. He knew it was his fault her father was dead. He had not been brave enough to fight against his Master and Tom for the sake of Valerie's father…

"I guess you're right," Gregor finally said, looking away. But he didn't really mean it. He didn't believe in love. He had never been given such a thing, so he didn't know what it was.

Valerie smiled a bit with the boy's words. "Hey, when this boring thing is over, can you show me your new dragonfly?"

This time, Gregor smiled, and answered, "Definitely."

The two children suddenly heard everyone around them begin to quiet down, and they turned their attention to the stage in time to see Thomas Chrome walk on stage. Two of the generals from the Guys-in-White headquarters in Washington accompanied him. Behind him were his commanders and other officials. They were all standing with their feet slightly spread and their hands clasped in front of them. And, of course, they were all wearing their white suits and sunglasses…

Gregor glanced around and he caught a glimpse of some policemen keeping watch for any trouble or danger. But some of Tom's operatives were also holding ghost guns and keeping an eye out.

All the different news channels were present and were supposed to be broadcasting these speeches to the world. But of course, Amity Park's citizens had a front row seat. Gregor had even seen the Fentons earlier. But… he had also seen Samantha and her parents.

At the thought, the ghost boy looked around to see if he could see her again. He barely spotted her and noticed that although she was with her parents, a dark-skinned boy had joined her. They were whispering to each other.

Gregor narrowed his eyes slightly before calling out telepathically, "_Sammy…"_

The girl jolted and quickly looked around in confusion; but suddenly, her purple eyes locked with Gregor's green eyes. She looked both confused and curious; but their connection was broken when something else caught both of their attention…

"Good afternoon, citizens of the world," Tom began. "I would first like to thank the President for inviting me to speak at this solemn event today, and also my superiors for putting their trust in me. It is both a privilege and burden to be the voice of the Guys-in-White today."

Gregor turned his eyes back towards Sam, but now people's flashing cameras were in the way. The boy frowned in annoyance when he was forced to focus back on Tom.

"Although the president has expressed the sadness we all feel for the lives lost just over a year ago, I would like to take another moment to remember those innocent lives we lost that dark tragic night. But above all, I would like us to pay respect to Damon Gray…"

As everyone bowed their heads, Gregor grabbed Valerie's hand when he heard her sniff beside him.

"As most of you know, four days ago at 11:32 pm, the ghost race proved how soulless they are. It is terrible enough how they have taken a father from a young girl," Tom said seriously, and he glanced over at Valerie who was now crying in Gregor's arms, "But to take this father's life as they did, and then use what they did to him as a threat to all humankind has truly been the last straw. I speak on behalf of the United States government and the Guys-in-White Agency that this monstrous action will not go unpunished!"

Tom's eyes narrowed as he continued, "They have used their unnatural powers to destroy and consume the good of this world for too long! It is time to take action! Listen, all ghost hunters and brave citizens! We must combine forces to take down this common enemy! For the sake of our children! For the sake of our own existence!"

Raising a hand to his heart, Tom said in determination, "I vow in the name of those who have lost their lives to these creatures that we will put an end to their reign of terror! Now that the gateways to their world are open, then let them hear our battle cry today! They want a war, we will give them one! They want blood, we will spill their ectoplasm instead!"

The crowds cheered and clapped in agreement.

Tom waited for the crowd to settle down before he said in a calmer voice, "Not only will we take direct action against the ghost race, but we will also insure the safety of innocent lives. Behold…"

Everyone turned their heads back to a sudden metallic sound and flashes of red light. The citizens gasped as they watched how at the very center of the park a structure began to rise from underground.

"We call them Anti-Ghost Shelters. As I had said in a previous press conference, these ghost shield enforced shelters will be distributed throughout the states and our allied countries. But do not be alarmed; these are a last resort. We will do all we can so that everyone can continue their normal life as we take care of the ghost threat. However, taking preventative measures begins with every person. We must be wise and alert. Do not seek danger and it will not find you. We will need everyone's patience and cooperation for us to destroy this threat and reclaim our safety."

Looking directly at Gregor, Thomas added with the slightest smile. "We will use their own strengths against them. The Ghost King and his kind will fall by our hand. And they will see why the human race is—and always will be—the top being on this Earth."

Somewhere in the crowd, Sam and Tucker just quietly listened and watched with a frown on their faces.

Not taking her eyes off her uncle, Sam muttered, "I don't like this, Tucker…"

"Me, neither," the boy replied, "My dad says fighting is never the answer."

"My uncle thinks so," Sam said worriedly.

Tom continued discussing new protocols and safety regulations for the citizens, but Gregor had stopped listening.

Tom was right in saying that there would be much ectoplasm spilled from now on; and Gregor was sure he would be helping spill it. However, he knew a lie when he heard it. These humans would not be safe if Tom moved forward with his plans.

But the boy had to wonder:

At the end of all this, what blood would be coating most of the ground…?

Human Blood or Ghost Blood?

* * *

Sometime later, the Ghost King landed down at the lowest and most desolate place in the Ghost World. He ignored the cold and dark environment, and just walked along as he searched around the different gravesites. The mysterious energy balls moved about him and even touched him here and there; but he, too, ignored them for the most part.

He was sure Horris had gone through with Desiree's ceremony without him. After all, he had delayed it enough, and Daniel had needed the closure.

Vlad had thought of leaving this for later. After all, there were more immediate things he had to deal with. But after discovering what Dark told him, he had needed to come and find his wife's grave right away.

He wasn't sure what location Horris had chosen. All the King had to go by was that it had to be somewhere close to the royal palace and that it was sure to stand out.

It took a few minutes, but Plasmius soon spotted it just a yard away.

The older hybrid frowned but continued forward. However, mid-way there, he briefly paused as he felt—_sensed_—something nearby.

He thought only momentarily on how to react to the presence before he invisibly sent out a clone. He then continued with what he was doing, and just ignored his ghost sense.

He stopped in front of Desiree's grave at last, and simply studied it for a moment. It was very beautiful. He had to agree with the words on the grave. Desiree had been the most loved Queen. Aside from the fact that she had been so supportive and loving to him, Vlad knew his wife had sacrificed so much for the safety and wellness of their world. Keeping the portals closed was just one of the many things she had done to protect their kind. She had been a natural born leader. Whenever he wasn't around, Desiree had been confident in making wise decisions in his place. She had been caring and compassionate to everyone in the kingdom.

She had been an amazing Queen—and a better wife and mother.

"I'm sorry, dearest," he whispered with deep regret. "I'm sorry I was always too late to save you."

He looked down and stared the single crystal rose in his hand. He was about to bring it up to his lips when his ghost sense alerted him of that other presence yet again. But this time, it was just a foot away.

Being that he was in the Ghost World and there were so many ghost energies around, he usually couldn't pinpoint specific ghosts in this world. However, he easily picked up on this one because the energy signature was very familiar to him.

It was why he didn't even react when a voice suddenly spoke to him from behind.

"I knew you would come here eventually…"

Plasmius lowered the rose to his side but kept his eyes on his wife's grave. There was silence for a long moment; but when the other ghost didn't say anything else, the King finally spoke, yet kept his eyes on the Queen's tombstone.

"How long have you been here, Aragon?"

Coming up beside the King, the Dragon Leader sighed before he calmly answered, "A few days. It was imperative I spoke with you upon your return. Therefore, I have vigilantly waited here upon concluding this would be one of the first places you would seek out after your arrival… It seems I was right."

When Vlad didn't reply, Aragon didn't hesitate to continue, "As you could imagine, we have all been very concerned with your startling disappearance again…"

"Hmm… We?" Vlad asked and finally looked at Aragon with an expectant frown.

The dragon ghost's eyebrows dipped inwardly as he seriously answered, "I refer to everyone—your friends; your kingdom; this entire world. And if your true question is if I include myself in such a sentiment for you, then your answer is, 'yes'. I indeed do. I have been concerned for you since the ill news of your mate. Then, to not see you at her funeral and… to hear from Skulker what Walker had done to you… I was even more troubled for you."

Plasmius raised an eyebrow, but instead of acknowledging the other ghost's worry for him, he asked instead, "And according to Skulker, what did Walker do to me?"

"He forced you to stain your hands with that human's blood," Aragon replied angrily.

The King silently regarded the other male ghost for a brief moment before he answered, "Walker has not forced my hand in any way. I killed him because he was involved in my wife's murder."

Aragon lowered his gaze, but when he looked back at the younger male ghost, there was deep sadness on his face as he uttered, "You must know I would have never wished such a fate upon Desiree nor all this suffering on you…"

Vlad showed no reaction to Aragon's display of emotion. Instead, he simply turned his gaze from the other male ghost and focused back on his wife's tombstone.

Aragon also turned his eyes to Desiree's tomb as a frigid silence surrounded them. But the dragon ghost could find nothing else to say. Not because he did not have more to tell his former friend, but because Vlad's calm indifference was troubling. For the first time in a while, Aragon felt unsure.

But then, Plasmius suddenly asked, "Do you remember the story you told me about the energy spheres that gather in these areas…?"

Aragon turned his eyes back to the other male ghost and nodded. "It is believed that the spheres are 'souls in waiting'," he replied carefully. "When two ghosts are connected to the point that they become 'soul-mates' and one dies, the soul of the deceased remains in the world of the living and waits until the other's time has come so that they may go to eternity together…"

But when Vlad didn't say anything or even glance at him, Aragon frowned and questioned, "Do you think Desiree's soul is still here?"

Vlad chuckled in response; but it was empty and almost mocking.

"I fail to understand why everyone still sees me as a child," the King said in disgust. He suddenly stared coldly at his former friend and added angrily, "Of course I do not think that! I am not that naïve as to believe such a foolish fairytale! My wife melted in my arms in the Human World. There is nothing left of her! We are standing before an empty grave!"

"I never said you were naïve or a child, Vlad," Aragon answered soberly. "However, you were who questioned me about the 'souls in waiting', and I am certain you did so with a reason. Desiree was your soul-mate… You know this, too."

Vlad calmed as he briefly regarded the energy spheres around them. "Yes… I did ask you for a reason…," he replied only to the first part of Aragon's comment. "You see…As I find myself here, around these… _things_, I cannot help but wonder how such a story came about."

For a moment, the King seemed to show some emotion as he asked, "….Is it supposed to be easier to believe your love one is still around in some form?"

Aragon knew that by 'it' being 'easier' his former friend referred to the pain one feels at losing a loved one. And in some way, the dragon ghost felt relieved to see Vlad showing some emotion, even if it was a sad one.

"Perhaps… Or, perhaps it is true," the Dragon Leader answered with a raised eyebrow.

But Plasmius suddenly grabbed one of the spheres and began to squeeze it. "No! These things are nothing more than lifeless specks of atmospheric energy!"

"Vlad!" Aragon exclaimed as he quickly grabbed the other ghost's hand to stop him from hurting the energy sphere.

The older hybrid raised an eyebrow in surprise at his frightened former friend; but then Vlad chuckled and released the energy sphere. It appeared disoriented at first, but then it continued on floating about aimlessly.

"Well… It seems it is _you_ who is naïve, after all," Vlad said with a small mocking smile. "I would have thought that with your son's death, you would have realized that your fairytale story is nothing more than some fake condolence for the _weak_."

Aragon's face melded back into a deep frown as he heard the other male chuckle mockingly again before shaking his head and turning his attention back to Desiree's tomb.

Vlad moved closer and knelt on one knee before his wife's grave. He placed a hand on the tombstone, and traced the engraving with his fingers. But even then, there was very little if any emotion in the King's face, and this troubled Aragon. This cold and uncaring attitude Vlad was hiding behind was unhealthy.

The dragon ghost knew he had to find a way to break through it, and fast.

"Vlad, you must have understood by now that if I have waited for your return with such urgency, it is because I have something meaningful about which to speak with you. There is much I wish to say to you…"

Aragon took a few steps closer to Vlad and raised his hand to place it on the other male's shoulder. But when Vlad tensed, the dragon ghost stopped himself from touching his former friend, and instead continued with a heavy core, "I have not been able to offer my condolences for your loss. I am truly sorry."

But when the King didn't react or even acknowledge his words, Aragon sighed and said more quietly, "I speak the truth, Vlad. I am greatly concerned for you. I had been tormented with the thought that you, too, had suffered the same tragedy as Desiree… That is why I trusted Skulker with my amulet. I had hoped you were still alive. And you were. You and your son survived, and I am certain that wherever your mate may be, she is as relieved as I that you and your son are alive and well."

Still on one knee, Plasmius just stared soberly at the tombstone, but it was clear he was tense from holding back some kind of emotion. And determined to control himself, he just replied, "Well… If that is all the 'meaningful something' you came to tell me and why you have been waiting for me for days, then you may be on your way now, Aragon. You have fulfilled your obligation. Your conscience can feel at ease now."

Aragon's eyebrows heightened in surprise, but then he narrowed his eyes a bit as he angrily answered, "I did not come here to clear my conscience, Vlad! Have you become so blind? Do you not see my true reason for being here? I am attempting to show you that I care! That I share your pain and loss! I know you are trying to hide behind this indifference because you are ailing! But you cannot close yourself off to those that are wishing to help you! I am here because I want to help you!"

"Why?" Plasmius suddenly hissed as he abruptly got to his feet and glared at the dragon ghost. And unable to hold back the anger he felt anymore, he all but growled, "Why do you care now? Why do you _suddenly_ want to help me?"

Aragon lowered his gaze and was quiet for a moment. But he soon looked right at his former friend, and regrettably replied, "Because I was wrong. I was wrong to have left your side when you needed me most. I was wrong to end our friendship out of fear and anger. I was wrong to have turned my back on you when I refused to be part of your Kingdom. I should have trusted that you were still my brother and my friend. I should have trusted that you would protect my kin as you have those in your Kingdom. Vlad… I am sorry. I will never be able to amend for all these years I have been so cruel to you, but I wish to try."

Aragon sighed and shook his head. "I want to honor your mate's death by letting something good come out of her loss… Allow me to help you get through this. Allow me to help you heal from all this… Allow me to be your friend once again."

Vlad's glare melded back into a sober look. He seemed at a loss for words at first, but then he said almost sadly, "I have wanted to hear you say those words to me for so long…" The King glanced away to look over at Desiree's grave, but the moment he turned his eyes on Aragon, they were cold again as he added, "But you were right, Aragon. Your reasons for staying away were all true. I _have_ changed. _I_ _am_ cursed. My soul was been darkened and tainted by my uncle's relics."

"That is untrue, Vlad," Aragon quickly replied worriedly. "You know not what you say. You are speaking out of grief."

"I am _done_ grieving!" he sneered. "And I have not been more certain of my words than now!"

But when Aragon only stared back in confusion and disbelief, Plasmius suddenly smirked. "You do not believe me? Alright… I will prove it to you…"

Aragon tensed as Vlad moved closer and oddly remarked, "Did you know that the reason humans were unable to breathe in our world was because the closing of the portals reduced the level of oxygen that entered our world from theirs…? However, if my calculations are correct, after more than a year of all the portals remaining open, the oxygen level has now rose enough to make our atmosphere breathable to the humans… Well, they would still be in danger of freezing to death, but that is beside the point…"

"Then, what is your point?" Aragon asked guardedly.

"This," Vlad replied as he grabbed Aragon's hand and placed it on his symbol.

The dragon ghost gasped when he instantly felt his former friend's feelings and soul. But the younger male ghost barely felt like he did before! He didn't know how to describe it, but it was unnatural. And even more frightening, whatever real emotions the King was feeling at the moment, they were undistinguishable amongst the growing… _darkness_ within him.

"You wanted to touch me, didn't you?" Vlad asked with an eerily calm smile. "Wish Granted." He leaned closer as he whispered in the dragon ghost's ear, "And if I have not convinced you yet, then, there is one more 'point' I wish to reveal to you…"

Aragon jerked his hand away from the younger ghost and took a step back as a set of black rings washed over the King and turned him into something completely different—it turned him human!

Vladimir took a deep breath and smugly said, "As I said, completely breathable…"

"Oh good heavens…," Aragon whispered in horror, and took another step back. "What…? What are you?"

"Human at the moment," Vlad answered calmly. "The crown and ring was meant to kill me, but my dear mother placed a counter-spell against Pariah's own curse on the relics… In order to protect my core, her spell turned me into a human-ghost hybrid." Vladimir chuckled sardonically as he added, "Such irony, is it not?"

Aragon just stood frozen in place, but then he quietly replied, "Now it all makes sense… All those times you would vanish. How you have kept hidden in the Human World all this time. How you managed to save yourself and…. And your son…"

The dragon ghost paused and stared wide-eyed at the King. "He is like you…," he realized with growing astonishment. "That is how he survived those hunters' attack. That is how _you_ survived…"

Vlad suddenly morphed back into Plasmius and approached Aragon. When he was face-to-face, he uttered darkly, "Yes. And breathe a word to anyone about what we are, and what Pariah did to your kin will fall short in what _I_ do to them… I will wipe them all off the face of this world."

Aragon knew he should be furious with the other male's threat against his kin; but as his core broke at realizing he had come too late to Vlad's aid, all he could feel was utter sadness for his former friend—and regret for not listening to Clockwork's advice earlier.

"Fear not," Aragon answered quietly. "I will never jeopardize the life of your son or you. So, there is no need for such a threat against my kin…" Aragon sighed before adding sadly, "Vlad, this is not who you are. Please. Let me help you."

"You are too late, Aragon," Plasmius answered coldly. "I want _nothing_ to do with you. Furthermore, we had an agreement. I would leave you and your kin alone as long as you stayed on your speck of land and kept out of my kingdom. I just want you to remember that the next time you consider coming here without my permission…" He glanced off in some direction before adding, "And just to make that clear…."

Vlad snapped his fingers and his clone suddenly appeared before him. The copy nodded at the real Ghost King before seeping back into him.

"Walker, I do believe Aragon is trespassing," he unexpectedly said.

Having been summoned by Vlad's duplicate, Walker and a dozen of his guards seemed to appear out of nowhere and surrounded Aragon.

The dragon ghost could only stare at his former friend in disbelief.

"He sure is, King Plasmius," Walker said smugly.

"Would you kindly read him what the rule book says about _trespassers_?" Vlad asked calmly.

The book materialized in Walker's hand and he read, "According to rule 233, any trespasser will be arrested and locked up for a minimum of one week. And if found a threat to the Kingdom, the penalty is death."

"Well… We don't need to go that far. After all, he is hardly a threat to anyone," Plasmius said condescendingly. "However, we cannot break the law; so I think two weeks in jail will help Aragon think twice before coming here again…" He then darkly commanded, "Take him away."

Walker snapped his fingers and in an instant, Aragon was apprehended by his guards.

Aragon didn't fight it, and just stared back at Vlad in a mixture of disappointment and sadness. "Oh, Vlad… Why must you always prove me right?"

"You should be glad for it," Plasmius sneered back.

But Aragon shook his head. "Have you not realized? I have always had hoped you would prove me wrong."

The King just stared soberly back at his former friend before glancing at Walker and nodding.

Without another word, Walker's guards took Aragon away. Vlad turned to the ghost sheriff and calmly asked, "Walker, have you done as I asked this morning?"

The other male nodded. "Yes, the High Council, including Clockwork, has been summoned to the High Tribunal courtroom and will meet in an hour from now."

"Good," Vlad answered; but then remembering something else, he added more seriously, "One more thing, Warden. I know what you did with that human's body. And we are going to have a word about your making decisions outside of my command later today, understood?"

"Yes…. Your Highness," Walker answered slowly.

Vlad nodded and turned to leave. But just before he left, the ghost sheriff called to the King, and when Vlad looked at him again, the ghost sheriff added, "It is good to have you back, King Plasmius."

Plasmius just nodded before facing Desiree's grave again.

Vlad didn't see the evil grin on Walker's face once the warden was on his way. The ghost sheriff had gotten exactly what he wanted. It was about time things changed around here…

Alone again, Plasmius silently continued to regard his wife' tomb; but then he watched as one of the many energy spheres nearby came closer and soon landed on the top of the tombstone.

The older hybrid's eyes filled with sadness at last as he brought up the rose still in his hand. He brought it to his lips and his energy slowly sipped into the crystal rose, turning it red.

He wished with all his heart and core that this grave wasn't empty. That at least there could be something that remained of his love… But there wasn't. The grave was a lie…

—just as Aragon's story was a lie.

He was alone, and now he depended on his own strength to carry on—to finish what he should have a long time ago.

Closing his eyes, Vlad reclaimed control of his emotions and he glared at the pink sphere resting on the tombstone. He was about to place the rose on the grave when he realized how pointless that was, too.

The Ghost King grabbed all of the petals at once and crushed them within his fisted hand before he infused hot ectoplasmic energy into the crumbled mass. The mangled rose soon lit up in flames. He dropped the still smoldering ashes on his wife's supposed grave and twisted away from it.

He silently vowed never to return to the lie that it was…

* * *

Vlad's next stop was his home. And being that his wife's gravesite was close by, he made it to the castle in no time.

He strolled into his home and all but ignored the ghost servants and guards as they greeted him or gasped in surprise at his return. It wasn't that he was angry with any of them, but he was in a hurry. He wanted to see his son before the meeting with the High Tribunal.

However, he first ran into Dora.

"Sire! You have returned! Oh, thank heavens!" she exclaimed in relief and happiness.

But Vlad regarded her with a frown before saying, "I thought you had left the Kingdom to live with your kin. Why did you return?"

Dora jolted at the almost cold tone of voice in the King's voice. "I-I…" But she was so taken aback she could not form a coherent sentence. However, seeing the King still staring expectantly at her, she nervously stumbled out a reply, "I-I had heard of you and your s-son's return, sire. I realized, I could not leave milady's family alone. She would have wanted me to remain here… with you and the Prince…. "

She paused for a reply, but when she did not receive one, she looked away as she sadly added, "However, if… if my presence is unwanted by my lord… I…"

"Where is my son?" Vlad cut her off.

Hesitantly, the female ghost looked back at the King and answered, "In the main dining room, sire. He is having lunch…"

Vlad nodded before walking past her.

Dora remained frozen in a mixture of confusion and fear. What was wrong with the King?

"Dora?" Vlad suddenly called

The dragon maid jolted out of her thoughts and quickly turned to face the King. "My Lord?"

"I want you to have the maids clean the matrimonial chamber and my wife's private chamber one last time. Then, you are to lock their doors. I do not want anyone stepping into them again. Is that understood?"

Dora stared worriedly at the King, but still nodded. "Yes… sire."

"You might also want to send your sister-in-law a message to tell her that Aragon will be in the Kingdom's penitentiary for the next two weeks. I would further advise her not to attempt to come to his aid, or she and anyone else with her will share Aragon's sentence," Vlad assured her seriously. "As of today, I am holding to the agreement I made with your kin. The only dragon ghost that is allowed to be in my Kingdom is you. Anyone else will be punished for trespassing. I will not tolerate any more blatant disregard to my decree or the Kingdom's laws."

Dora was shocked into silent horror, and before she could even think of how to react to what the King had done and told her, he turned and finally left.

"Oh, no," she whispered in distress.

Meanwhile, Danny was trying to hurry up and finish his lunch. Wulf would be back soon, and they were both going to go to the Realm Beyond Time. Danny really wanted to go find his father! He missed him so much!

He was eating so fast that he nearly choked when a familiar voice calmly called out his name.

"Daniel?"

The child jolted in his seat and whirled around to stare in surprise at his father standing at the entrance of the dining room.

"Father…"

The coldness in the older hybrid's eyes suddenly vanished as he smiled warmly at his son. "Hello, my dear boy."

"Father!" Danny beamed and flew out of his seat and into the other hybrid's arms. "I… I missed you so much! I-I thought you were never coming back!" He whimpered before whispering, "I… I thought you had abandoned me!"

Vlad suddenly pulled the child from his arms and frowned, "Why would you think that? I would never abandon you, Daniel. You are my son. You are all I care about now. I would never leave you."

"Then… why did you disappear like that?" Danny asked sadly.

Plasmius sighed before he placed a hand on his son's symbol. "I needed a bit of time alone to think, Son. I also needed to do a few things in the Human World."

"So, it was true? You went to the Human World?" Danny asked worriedly.

"Yes. And it will not be the last time. Daniel, a lot of things are going to change around here," Vlad said seriously.

"Like what?" Danny asked nervously. Even though he wasn't touching the older hybrid's core, the child could tell his father was acting very differently.

"I will tell you in due time. For now, I want you to remember that the Ghost World is not as safe as before. The portals are still open—though I intend to solve that problem today. However, I cannot resolve it completely. You know what that means. Until I eliminate the threat the humans pose on our kind, I want you to be careful. That is why I must forbid you from going anywhere alone again—not even to the Forest of Emotion. I will talk to Wulf. He will be your escort from now on. You are not to go anywhere without someone with you. Do you understand?"

Danny could only stare in fear at his father. What was happening?

"Daniel. Answer me. This is serious. You are not to disobey me on this. _Understand_?"

The child finally nodded and quietly replied, "Yes, Father…"

"Good," Vlad replied before putting him down. "We will talk more later. I have to head to the Realm Beyond Time. I have a meeting in the High Tribunal in less than an hour."

Danny blinked in disbelief with how quickly his father was intending to leave him again! But when the older hybrid turn to leave, the Prince jolted and said, "Daddy, wait! Don't leave me! You just got here!"

"Daniel, I have a meeting. I will return soon," Vlad said with a small frown.

"But… Didn't you miss me?" the boy suddenly whimpered.

The older hybrid's eyebrows creased before he moved back to his son and squatted in front of him. "Of course I did, little Phantom. I just… There are some things I need to do." Vlad lowered his gaze as he added, "There are things I _must_ do." He looked back at the younger hybrid before he further said, "I am doing all this for you. To protect you. I am going to make sure this world is safe for you once more."

Danny just stared sadly at him, and Vlad placed a hand against his son's cheek and smiled lightly. "I will return soon," he assured the child.

"Can I go with you? I will be quiet and wait outside until you are done. Please?" Danny asked.

"No. Stay here," Vlad ordered before rising back to his height and finally walking off.

Danny's shoulder's sagged when he found himself all alone again.

* * *

Everyone was gathered and seated in the High Tribunal as they waited for the King's arrival. The High Council members were chatting with one another about the King's return. Even the news of Aragon's arrest had already reached some of the council member's ears, and that topic was making a bigger commotion among the Kingdom's leaders.

In the corner of the back row, Clockwork stood near his previous employers, the Observants. He watched calmly as everyone continued to gossip and argue about the Ghost King and about other issues.

Pulling out a pocket watch from his cloak, Clockwork turned his attention to it and began to tinker with it. Since his staff had been taken, he had been feeling a bit empty-handed—literally. He was so used to carrying the staff that having nothing in his hands just felt strange. So, he had taken to carrying around a watch. Of course, it wasn't just a plain old watch. Most of his collection of clocks and watches had unique powers or features. A lot of them allowed Clockwork to open portals, or even jump into dimensions in the timeline. But unfortunately, he could only hone all his powers and abilities with his time staff. It also did things that no other item he had could do, like freeze time.

It had been a sacrifice, but Clockwork did not regret it. If it meant losing his staff in order for the timeline to continue on the right path, then so be it. At least, without the staff, some of his burden had been lifted. His once cluttered mind felt more relaxed than it had been in years. And that also put more 'time' on his hands.

He had been using his 'free time' to fine-tune a few of his forgotten clocks and watches. Without his staff, he had gone back to using his other special devices to get certain things done.

For example, the pocket watch currently in his hand had the ability to speed up time. Winding it up would move time forward in his mind and allow him to see specific events in time that had yet to happen. No one was affected by the clock's power but him. So, no one noticed as he wound the pocket watch or when an instant later, he was watching what was about to take place in the courtroom.

Clockwork frowned. He had seen it all before. However, it troubled him to see things had not changed from when he last saw it. Sadly, everything was as it should be.

The image stopped just as the entire High Tribunal silenced.

Clockwork raised his eyes and found the reason entering the room.

Plasmius floated in without a word. He didn't seem to care how everyone was deathly quiet and staring intently at him. For some reason, even when they had heard of his return, they seemed shocked to see him. It was as if they were seeing someone who had returned from the grave.

Well, they were not too off, Vlad supposed. He had at one point considered just curling up somewhere to die from heartbreak. However, after opening up his eyes, he now refused to do that. Too much was at stake.

"Hello, my fellow council members," Vlad spoke up. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I apologize for my second sudden disappearance. However, I am here now. And we will resolve all matters pending."

The Ghost King paused briefly before he continued, "First, I wish to remind you all that the main purpose for the High Council is to create order and solutions to problems. We—and I include myself as well—have the obligation to protect this Kingdom and our World. It is our priority—a priority above any other."

Everyone remained quiet, though they did agree with the King's comment.

The King paused as if he were debating with himself on where to start. But he finally said with a sober voice, "We are facing one of the most critical times in the history of our world. However, I believe everything but death has a solution. But in order to fix the problems outside of this council, we must fix the problems _within_ this council. We must be in accord and have the same goals if we are to function properly. And the first thing we must all agree on is my position as King."

"I want to make one thing clear," Plasmius said gravely. "I was chosen through the very laws you all approved to be the Ghost King. And though this entire High Council has a say in all actions and laws exercised within this Kingdom, I still remain the voice of authority. Everyone here directly—or indirectly—chose me to lead this Kingdom, and if anyone here is against my rule, say so now. You have my word that you will not be punished. I will gladly step down if there is _anyone_ here who is against my being King. So, by all means, speak up now…"

Everyone began to look around nervously. There had been a lot of gossip and rumors about Plasmius being mentally incapable of continuing as ruler because of his personal loss; and his sudden disappearances had not helped matters. But even with all that, everyone knew there was no one who could lead them better than Plasmius.

"Sire," Nocturne suddenly spoke before he stood up. "Though the Council and my King have had our differences, I believe I speak for everyone when I say, we could not have a better King. So, then, let us not waste more time on such a question, for you will find no one who would wish for you to step down as King. _You_ _are_ the Ghost King. You have proven to this council and this world that you are worthy of the throne."

Plasmius nodded. "Then, I can proceed with the reasons why I have gathered you all here on such short notice…"

As Nocturne sat down, the King continued, "It had been some time since I took a moment to read the Ancient and Royal Laws. However, I spent most of my day yesterday reading them in detail, and I found there are some laws that are not being completely upheld. I've already mentioned that before we can resolve the problems outside of these walls, we need to resolve our internal affairs. Therefore, I find it unacceptable that we are not upholding the very laws we established. That is my first decree to all officials in this room. Each of you is to reacquaint yourselves with the Ancient and Royal Laws because tomorrow, we will gather again to discuss the laws that are being neglected. More than ever, this Kingdom needs to have order and structure, and it needs to start with us. Once we have fixed our oversights, we will have the Kingdom gathered to discuss the complete enforcement of the Ancient and Royal Laws."

"I'll make sure all my guards and I do as you say, King Plasmius," Walker replied.

"It will be as you say, my king," Nocturne added.

"Respect the laws, we must," Frostbite agreed.

The rest of the officials quietly nodded as the King briefly looked over the High Council. He wanted to make sure every single member was present for what he was going to say next. His eyes eventually landed on Clockwork, but he soon turned his gaze away and continued.

"Very good, then. Let us continue with the next thing I wish to discuss. I am sure the council had expected this, so then it cannot be of any surprise that I now wish to speak about all that has happened within this council in my absence. I might be the leader of this Kingdom, but this High Council is the backbone," Vlad said seriously, "So, in the case that the Ghost King would be unable to exercise his duties, this High Council was created to keep the Kingdom from collapsing… So, you all can understand my disappointment in your inability to carry out your responsibilities."

Plasmius' eyes narrowed. "There was no reason for the dissention amongst this High Council in my absence. Instead of coming together in a moment of crisis, you all turned on each other! And it is why I hold each and every one of you accountable for the chaos in our world at the moment. If you all cannot keep united and confident in the face of danger and trouble, then this High Council is useless! Mark my words. This is the _last_ time this High Council falls into such a pitiful state. If it ever happens again, I will be forced to reconsider each-and-every one of your capabilities and your worthiness of being part of this council."

There were whispers amongst the Ancients and Observants, and Vlad quickly focused on them.

"Is there something you all wish to tell me?" he asked sternly.

The Observants and Ancients glanced at each other before Justeco stood.

"With all due respect, King Plasmius, you must not be so hard on the council members. This kingdom has never been left without a ruler. Even in Dark's time, and though he was a poor ruler, his presence gave at least a sense of structure to our world. So, you have to understand our panic at the belief that we had lost you _and_ the Prince. To make matters more critical, the portals opened, leaving us exposed to the threat that is the humans. It was difficult to make decisions in such dire circumstances. Not even we, the Observants, had foreseen this."

But Plasmius didn't seem moved, and replied sarcastically, "I am sure it was _difficult_ for the Observants to find themselves like all of us who cannot foretell future events; but that does not excuse your irresponsibility. Nevertheless, you are somewhat right, Justeco. I cannot blame everyone equally, for the blame falls mostly on a specific group of ghosts in this council…"

Without looking at Walker, Vlad said, "Correct me if I am wrong, Warden Walker, but doesn't the second Ancient Law dictate that in the absence of the King, _the Ancients_ are to take control of all the decisions of the kingdom?"

"Yes, sire," Walker replied.

Plasmius stared angrily at the Ancients and asked, "So, then, why did you all do _nothing_?" But instead of allowing them the chance to reply, Vlad quickly added, "I can tell you why. You all failed your duties to this Kingdom and were incapable of protecting and keeping everyone calm because you were all busy _fighting_ amongst each other. While the Observants were quick to place the blame on Clockwork for _their_ oversight, the Ancients found it convenient to attack Horris and turn against him. Well, you may all do what you want and attack each other like animals for all I care, _but not_ as part of this High Council!"

Serenity suddenly stood and said, "Your words leave much for interpretation, King Plasmius. I advise you speak clearly and forwardly."

"Very well, here it is," Vlad said coolly. "I refuse to tolerate the Observants' poor lack of judgment and the Ancients' inability to make sound decisions in my absence. Therefore, I have decided that the Observants and Ancients do not deserve any special position in this council. As of this moment forth, you all will be as everyone in the High Tribunal and expected to take _direct_ part in the matters of the Kingdom whenever necessary!"

"Sire!" Justeco exclaimed. "Are you suggesting we involve ourselves directly in the Kingdom's affairs? You know we have vowed to watch but not interfere! The Observants' purpose is to observe the flow of time, not decide it!"

"Indeed," Serenity spoke up right after. "The Ancients only get involved in the Kingdom's affairs when it is completely necessary, or when the time calls for choosing a new King. We oversee the order of the Kingdom, we seldom enforce it. That is the responsibility of your officials and law enforcers. Everyone knows this."

"Warden? Do you have the rule book in hand?" Vlad asked calmly. And when the ghost nodded, the King ordered, "Read rule number 342 of the Royal Laws and then Ancient Law Five."

Walker stood before the book materialized in his hands. He then flipped to the pages needed and began to read, "Rule 342: All members of the High Council are required to actively participate in all decisions, law making, and any necessary action for the good of the Kingdom and the Ghost World. Ancient Law Five says…. All ghosts of the Kingdom are to use their abilities for the good of the Ghost World. If any ghost—including Observants, Ancients, and the Ghost King—were to neglect the use of their powers to aid the Ghost World, they are to be banished from the Kingdom."

Everyone stared in silent disbelief.

"Everyone in this room is responsible for keeping our world safe. Observants… Clockwork," he added when he briefly glanced at the Time Master, "You have all watched on the sidelines long enough. From here on, you are to use your powers to protect this world. Your abilities to predict the future are to be shared for the benefit of this world. Ancients…" He looked at the other group of ghosts. "You are capable of more than what you have been doing all these years. You will no longer get involved in the Kingdom's affairs when you all 'deem it necessary'. Instead, you will be actively involved whenever _this High Council_ agrees that your intervention is needed for the wellness of this world. Is that understood?"

"No, it is not!" Justeco said angrily. "You cannot force us to abandon our vows! We do not interfere with the course of time!"

"Clockwork?" Vlad suddenly called, looking at that ghost. "I would be willing to revoke your banishment if you agree to use your abilities to protect this world… Do you agree to these terms?"

"He has no say in the matter," Serenity suddenly answered. "He has been removed from his position as Time Master."

But then another male Ancient stood and added, "Indeed! And by your own decree, he is not even part of this council anymore! You banished him, King Plasmius; so why is it that he is even here now?"

"As I said, I am willing to revoke my sentence on Clockwork if he agrees to the terms presented to you all," Vlad replied calmly. "That is why I summoned him here. His own fate rests in his hands… as does your own."

Serenity frowned slightly at the indirect threat. "Be careful, King Plasmius, the last King that attempted to go against the very beings that _choose_ this kingdom's rulers did not go without punishment for his crimes…"

Vlad stared coldly at Serenity before saying, "I am not going against anyone. I am simply upholding the very laws the Ancients and this Kingdom established. And as Walker read word-for-word, _every_ ghost in this Kingdom is to use their powers for the greater good of this world!"

"You are twisting the meanings of those laws to force us to break our vows!" Justeco protested.

"And you cannot—_and will not_—obligate the Ancients or the Observants to go against our own vows," Serenity added seriously.

"No, I will not obligate any of you to go against your vows," Vlad agreed calmly. But suddenly his eyes narrowed, and he added, "But if you will not agree, then by the very laws, I will banish each and every one of you from this Kingdom!"

An uproar instantly erupted throughout the entire room.

Skulker and Fright Knight had been quietly hearing the King's words; but the moment they heard what he intended to do, they both stared in shock at Vlad before they quickly looked at each other.

"Did he just say he is going to banish the Ancients and Observants from the Kingdom?" Skulker asked the other ghost nervously.

"Your ears do not deceive you," Fright Knight replied gravely. "The King is treading on dangerous ground, Skulker."

But before the hunter could say anything else, Horris suddenly rose to his feet and yelled, **"Silence!"**

The room instantly became completely still. It seemed that even when Horris was no longer the Ancient Leader, he still could bring order in a moment of chaos.

Horris had really attempted to keep quiet through all this. He knew it was no longer his place to speak for his clan, let alone make any decisions; but this had gone far enough.

"King Plasmius," Horris began worriedly.

But the King's hardened expression did not change, even when being addressed by his childhood mentor.

The Ancient ghost's old face wrinkled more as he knitted his brow. "Please," he continued, "Reconsider what you are about to do. You must know what you are suggesting is wrong."

"Is it wrong to upload the laws?" Vlad questioned seriously; but he answered himself, "No, I think not. I _will not_ reconsider anything. I am protecting this world, and if I have to protect it from its very founders, then so be it! But I strongly suggest the Ancients and Observants _reconsider their own decision_… Or, they will leave me no choice than to banish them."

Knowing he needed to find another way to get through to his protégé, Horris looked over at Serenity; and seemingly understanding what he was silently asking, the female Ancient nodded.

She then turned her eyes back to the King, and said, "King Plasmius, we wish for a moment in private to discuss our decision amongst the Ancient Clan in private before we say anything further."

"Yes, we need a moment, too," Justeco spoke up quickly.

Vlad regarded them all for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I will allow you all ten minutes to decide…. Everyone may leave. We will resume shortly."

Everyone quickly filed out, and didn't waste time to begin whispering amongst themselves. The only one who seemed content in all this was Walker. He actually whistled as he strolled out of the council room.

Skulker and Fright Knight hesitated to leave; but when they saw Horris frown at them, they knew it was best for them to step out.

It did not surprise Vlad at all when he found himself alone with Horris in the council room.

The Ancient stared at him for a moment, as if at a loss on what to say to him. But then he finally asked, "What are you doing, Vlad?"

"What I should have done a long time ago, Horris," he answered, crossing his arms.

"You cannot banish the Ancients and Observants just because they do not agree to help you and the Kingdom as you want!" he countered in distress. "There is an order to things. Yes, the laws are in your favor; and though they were not meant to be interpreted as you have done so, they are there and no one can argue that by law you have the right to obligate the Ancients and Observants to become actively involved in the protection of the Kingdom. But, Vlad, you must also understand that simply because it can be done, does not mean you should do it. What will happen to the natural balance if the Observants and Clockwork revealed to you all their visions of the future?"

"What will happen if the Ancients use their powers to deal with every single threat to the Kingdom?" Horris further questioned with deeper concern. "It would destroy the balance of all Existence! Vlad, you cannot obligate them to get involved, and you cannot banish them for refusing!"

"Why not?" Vlad replied coldly. "Tell me what law says that the Kingdom requires Ancients and Observants to be part of it!"

"There is no such law," Horris answered seriously. "If you are to do this, no one can stop you. But a Kingdom without Ancients and Observants… You would be destroying the very thing _your father_ help build. This Kingdom's balance depends on our unity, Vlad, and you are about to take that away."

Vlad suddenly grew angry and raised a hand as he snapped back, "You are wrong, Horris! I am _building_ this council's unity by removing those in it that refuse to uphold the purpose of this Kingdom's High Council! And I _refuse_ to depend on individuals I cannot trust! I rather destroy the Kingdom's hierarchy before continuing to depend on those that do not support my cause. In the end, it is not I who will be destroying what my father built." He pointed a finger at Horris as he accused, "It will be _the Ancients and the Observants_ that do so by refusing to help the very world they are part of!"

Horris shook his head before moving closer to the other ghost. "You speak as if you no longer trust anyone…. But you can trust me. _Listen_ to me, please. If you go through with this, you will regret it."

"Enough, Horris," Vlad replied sternly. "I am not changing my mind about this."

"Please…," the Ancient begged as he lifted his hand to touch the King's symbol.

But Plasmius instantly grabbed his wrist, and stopped him. His eyes narrowed as he growled out. "Do not touch me. You want me to listen to you? To trust you?"

Vlad suddenly threw the Horris' hand away from him as he snarled out, "You are the last person I will **ever** listen to or trust again! All this time, you knew my mother was responsible for my condition, and you hid it from me! You want to make this personal? Then, answer me this! What right did you have to lie to me all these years?!"

Horris stared at the King in alarm, but then he quickly said, "You have been using the Crown and Ring, haven't you? You talked with _Pariah_?"

"Yes, I did. And it will not be the last time I use the Crown and Ring, for I intend to use it to take control of the portals," Vlad said with determination.

"Vlad, those relics are dangerous. They feed of and increase your negative emotions," Horris said gravely. "And Pariah… He has poisoned your mind!"

"Am I an impressionable child, then, Horris? Have I fallen for my uncle's lies again?" Vlad asked sarcastically.

"No," Horris answered sadly. "I cannot say that monster's words about your mother were untrue." But when the Ancient saw the King's eyes grow colder with his confirmation, Horris added, "Please understand. I did not want you to blame your mother for your condition. She did it to protect you. She did not want you to die at the hands of your uncle. It was all she could do to counter the curse on his Crown and Ring."

"That still gave you no right to keep that from me," Vlad replied angrily.

"I did not want you to suffer any further, my child…," Horris replied sadly.

"**I am not a child!"** Vlad suddenly yelled in a harsh voice. "I am most certainly not _your_ child. If you wanted one, you should have had one when you had the chance!" The room began to tremble with the King's growing ire as he snarled, "I am **done** being treated by you and everyone as if I am incapable of handling the truth. I am done being disrespected! _I am not a child._ I am not _your_ _child_. I am the _Ghost King._ I am nothing to you but _your King! _And you will address and respect me as such from now on. _Do not ever_ talk down to me again, Horris, or I will forget you were once my guardian and I will treat you as anyone else who dares to disrespect me!"

Horris stared in sadness and disappointment at the King. But then he lowered his eyes, and bowing slightly, he said quietly, "You are right. You are not a child. But I will always love you as if you were my own… Forgive me, King Plasmius, if that offends you. I will not speak to you in such a way again and will never question your decree again… I… Forgive me."

Horris turned and floated away. But he couldn't stop the few tears that fell down his cheeks.

Vlad watched him leave, and it was only when he was alone that the hard look on his face fell. He closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple for a moment before looking around at the empty chairs around him.

He briefly wondered if what Horris said was true about the Crown and Ring affecting his emotions. But in the end, it did not matter. He had long since decided on his course of action before even touching those relics or even speaking to his uncle.

And nothing nor _anyone_ was going to change his mind now.

"Plasmius, what did you say to Horris? He looks very upset!" Skulker asked with concern as he suddenly walked into the empty council room.

But when Vlad just stared at him with an uncaring frown, Skulker scowled and he asked angrily, "Why are you blaming everyone for your loss? I heard you locked up Aragon! Plasmius, he has done nothing but show concern for you and your son since he found out what happened! He helped me find you when everyone thought you were dead! And now you are_ also_ pushing away Horris?"

"Horris is giving me no choice," Vlad finally answered. "As for Aragon, I thought you would be satisfied. You have always wanted me to treat him like he deserves."

"Vlad—" the hunter began to protest.

"Do not go against me, Skulker!" Vlad cut him off coldly. "Do not. Or, you will be the next person I push away. No one is going to stop me from doing what needs to be done."

Skulker stared at the older hybrid in shock; but then the hunter shook his head and muttered, "I have always supported you in everything you have done, even in times when I have not agreed with you."

Skulker's eyebrows creased in concern this time as he added more sincerely, "We are friends, Plasmius. Brothers. I know you. And I believe you want to do what is best for this world… But I also believe you are making these harsh decisions out of spite—out of your need for retribution towards those that hurt the ones you love most. And you have every right to seek revenge…. But do not let it darken your core, or you will also end up harming the very ones you love…"

The King's indifference melded into sadness as he looked away, "This isn't about revenge… If it was, I would not have returned." He looked back to the hunter and said seriously, "I need to make this world safe. I need to protect my son. And if I have to lose myself to do just that, so be it."

Skulker just stared in silence at him. He knew there was nothing he could say to undo his friend's now hardened core. Perhaps Vlad was right in some ways. And he further wondered if Pariah's relics really had no effect on Vlad anymore. However, he suspected that they at the very lease amplified his hate and this sudden obsession to fix 'his mistakes'. After all, Skulker knew the King blamed himself for Desiree's death.

Finally, the hunter replied, "I do not need to tell you how much I disagree with your mindset. However, I am not going to try to convince you otherwise. I will follow you where ever you lead us, even if it leads us to our demise…"

"It will not," he assured him. But seeing everyone finally coming in, Vlad's expression quickly melded into 'king mode' and he ordered the hunter, "Have a seat. We will resume shortly."

Soon enough, everyone returned to the council room and took a seat.

Everyone was quiet as they waited for the King to resume. Plasmius calmly placed his hands behind his back as he regarded the council members.

"It seems I, too, needed a few minutes to evaluate my thoughts and decisions… And I have realized, it is unfair to ask the Observants and Ancients to make so much change in their ideals so quickly," Vlad suddenly said, and everyone blinked in surprise.

Skulker raised an eyebrow. Why was Vlad abruptly changing his mind? Did he not just say he was set on doing things his way?

Vlad had to hold back a smirk as he added causally, "That is why I am willing to… _negotiate_ an agreement with the Observants and Ancients. I am willing to… _overlook_ the Ancients and Observants refusal to fulfill the Ancient and Royal Laws and I will allow them to keep to their _vows_, on _one_ condition…"

Serenity quickly glanced at Horris in question, but the male Ancient just shook his head. He also had no idea what the King was talking about.

But the Observants saw it as a light in their dark tunnel, and Justeco quickly stood and answered, "What is this condition? We are willing to negotiate with my King for the good of everyone."

"I think that is a wise choice, Justeco," Vlad answered, "You all can keep to your vows and continue to… 'observe' without interfering _only_ if Clockwork agrees to actively use his powers to aid this Kingdom whenever the High Council asks for his aid. If the Observants are to remain as part of the Kingdom, then my command is that Clockwork may no longer keep any vision of the future from this High Tribunal. That is my condition."

If Justeco's eye could get any bigger it would have as he stared in shock at the King.

Clockwork just watched everything that was happening with an unreadable expression. Of course he wasn't surprised by what the King was trying to do. In the end, the time ghost knew that Vlad was just trying to get back at him in some way for his 'betrayal'.

"And what is the condition _the Ancients_ must meet?" Serenity spoke up as she stood. "Are you also going to suggest one of us 'aids' you in your quest for vengeance as well?"

"No," Vlad replied calmly. "My condition for the Ancients is much simpler." The King's eyes narrowed as he said, "I am done tolerating your disrespect, Serenity. I think it is _you_ who needs to tread carefully because you obviously continue to forget to whom you are speaking. So, I will teach you to remember your place by putting you back where you belong. If the Ancients are to remain in this council and keep to their vows, I want you to _step down_ as the Ancient Leader and for Horris to resume said position."

For once, Serenity looked surprised. So, that is what this was about. The King was simply looking for a way to make her step down… She had to hand it to him. He was clever…

But though Horris was just as shocked, he quickly pushed past it and stood. His disappointment in the King now turned into anger as he sternly said, "No. I will not agree to that. I will not be part of such blackmail against my clan!"

"Then, if the Ancients are not willing to come to an agreement to my terms, then I await the Ancients' original decision to my decree," Vlad replied coldly. "Will you actively serve this Kingdom, or will you force me to banish you all?"

Serenity looked at her clan before looking at Horris. She sighed when she realized the King really had found a way to get what he wanted.

"No, there is no need to retract your willingness to negotiate with us, King Plasmius," Serenity said calmly. "We will agree to your condition, instead. I formally step down as Ancient Leader."

"No!" Horris protested. "I will not agree to this! King Plasmius, you cannot force the Ancient Clan to take me as their leader again! It is immoral!"

"I am not forcing anyone to do anything," Vlad answered. "The fate of your clan rests in your hands now, Horris. I think I have been flexible enough. So, make your decision."

"You must agree," Serenity told Horris seriously. "It is the only way to continue to assure this Kingdom's structure and order remains intact."

The other Ancients nodded their agreement. "We have no quarrel in having you as our leader again," one of them added.

Horris looked highly upset, but then he sighed, knowing they were right.

"Alright," Horris said quietly. But then looking at the King with a frown, he said in a louder voice, "I accept the role of Ancient Leader once more."

"Then, it is settled," Plasmius said calmly. "The Ancients will remain as part of the Kingdom and Council, and keep to their vows so long as Horris remains as the Ancient Leader."

The King turned his eyes to Justeco and asked, "And what is your decision, Justeco?" He paused only a moment before he turned his eyes to the time ghost and added, "… Or, should I ask Clockwork, instead?"

"It does not matter whom you ask," Clockwork answered as he spoke for the first time. "You will not get the answer you seek. Even if the Observants were to order me to do so, I will not serve you or this council as you suggest, King Plasmius. Queen Desiree understood the danger of my revealing future events or directly involving myself and affecting the flow of time; I had hoped you had understood it, too…"

Vlad tensed at Clockwork's mentioning Desiree, and it was clear that it took every ounce of control the King had for him not to lash out at the time ghost for uttering his wife's name to him.

Justeco nodded before all the Observants stood to show their complete agreement. Justeco then said, "We will not force Clockwork to interfere in such a way in the timeline. And we will not break our vows. For the sake of Existence itself, we cannot agree to any of your terms, King Plasmius."

"Is that your final decision?" Vlad asked coolly.

"Yes," Justeco answered.

"Then, you all leave me no choice… Observants. Clockwork. You are no longer part of the High Council. And you are no longer part of this Kingdom. You may keep your homes, but I hereby banish you all from this Kingdom. Kindly take your leave."

Unable to do anything about it because the King was not breaking any laws, the Ancients just bowed their heads, while the rest of the High Council watched on in dread.

Justeco shook his head before saying, "I truly hope you do not regret this, King Plasmius." And without another world, the Observants and Clockwork vanished from the room.

"Let us continue," Vlad said without skipping a beat. "As you all know, one of our main concerns is the open portals. It is why I have decided to use the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage to force the portals to close again. I will meet with Frostbite first thing tomorrow to resolve this. However, even the Crown and Ring cannot _fully_ control the nature of portals, especially during the night when the temporary portal formation becomes unpredictable. Therefore, we must also begin to prepare to protect our homes at those times when we will be left exposed to dangers from the outside—and, of course, I refer to the human threat."

"How will we do that, sire?" Angela questioned with uncertainty. "There are many portals. We would never be able to guard them all."

"We will not need to," Vlad answered seriously. "If there is one other thing I wish to rectify, it is my decision in regards to the humans. I realize now that they are simply too much of a threat to be ignored and left alone. We will not need to guard the portals because attempting to invade us will be the last thing on their minds…"

Even more wary, Angela questioned, "Sire…?"

Plasmius glanced at those around the room and could see the fear and confusion in their eyes. He knew he was throwing a lot at them at once. But he simply refused to waste anymore time.

"Officials. Advisors. Ancients…. Members of this High Council. We are to prepare ourselves for battle. If the humans want a war, we will give them one."

Everyone gasped.

"However," Vlad continued before the council member's could utter a word, "We are not the barbaric beings humans are, and therefore, our goal is not genocide. Instead, we will bring order to the Human World by controlling it. We will conquer their world and force them to submit to us. They cannot be trusted to their own devices any longer; so we will become their masters. Those that submit will be left alone and allowed to continue their lives under our decree. But those who oppose our power _will die."_

The King's eyes turned a brighter red as he said passionately, "We will create a new world order. One where both the Human World and the Ghost World will serve under one Kingdom and ruler! _I_ will be their King and they will submit to this Kingdom or they will be destroyed!"

Many council members unconsciously relaxed and their doubt began to melt away. A lot of them began to nod or muttered their agreement to the King's plans as he continued.

"It will possibly take years and much sacrifice; however, we are powerful enough to make the humans submit. We will regain order and peace in our world! And we will do it together! If this High Council is willing to trust in me and fight for the same cause, then I can assure you all that through our combined strengths and resources, we will end the threat called 'Humans' once and for all!"

The room instantly filled with claps of approval; yet about a handful of ghosts, including Skulker and Horris, remained silent as they wondered if this really was the correct course of action…

* * *

After a long discussion on the beginning plan of action for engaging in battle against the humans, the meeting finally adjourned. Vlad was talking to Frostbite and Skulker as they stepped out of the meeting room.

"Plasmius, are you sure you want to use those relics to control the portals? What if they harm you again?" Skulker asked worriedly.

"He speaks the truth, My Great King," Frostbite answered. "You above all know of the risks involved in using the former king's crown and ring again. It almost did you in the last time… Using it now to take back control of the portals… A dangerous risk, you would take."

"Pariah's relics cannot harm me anymore. I am too powerful, and therefore, immune to its spell," Vlad answered with certainty. "I will not continue to discuss this further. I have already decided. Frostbite, I will head to the Far Frozen first thing tomorrow to use the Infi-Map as a channel to help me target all the permanent portals. Skulker, you and Fright Knight will be in charge of announcing the gathering of the Kingdom tomorrow. I will formally address our engagement into battle to everyone then."

He then looked to Frostbite and added, "After that, I wish all of the commanders of any combat-ready group to meet with me. That would include you, as well as, Nocturne, Walker, and every other appropriate leader. It is important we organize and strategize our plan of attack against the humans… We need…"

But Vlad suddenly trailed off as something caught his attention. Specifically, it was his son… and he was being held by Clockwork…

"Plasmius!" Skulker exclaimed when the King suddenly stormed away from them.

Danny knew his father had told him to stay at the castle, but he really needed to talk with his father. So, when Wulf had come by, he had taken advantage of his arrival and begged the ghost to take him to the High Tribunal.

Yet unaware of the King's orders, Wulf had gladly brought the child. They had been waiting for the council meeting to finish outside of the High Tribunal courtroom.

But just as the meeting had adjourned, Danny had been pleasantly surprised when Clockwork suddenly materialized in the waiting hall.

Danny had been so thrilled to see his mentor after so long that he had instantly flown into his arms, and had briefly forgotten about his eagerness to see his father. Danny didn't understand why Clockwork had not even come to say 'hi' since he had returned to the Ghost World; but all that mattered right now to the child was that he was finally seeing his guardian again!

"I'm so happy to see you! I missed you, Clockwork!" Danny beamed.

"I did, too. But you must go now. We cannot talk right now," Clockwork said with a serious look.

Danny blinked. "Why not?"

"Daniel!" Vlad suddenly yelled.

The child gasped as his father abruptly yanked him away from Clockwork. But it shocked him more when his father then sneered at his guardian, saying, "Did I just not banish you? And I specifically recall ordering you to stay away from my son!"

"I only returned to give you this," Clockwork said, and pulled out a glowing golden feather from his robe. "I believe it was a gift from Anĝela. The Queen had asked me to keep it safe until your son was old enough to understand its power… However, I think it is best if _you_ keep it safe now, King Plasmius…"

Plasmius stared darkly at the other male ghost before he snatched the feather from Clockwork's hand. He then came closer and whispered, "Do not think I will not keep my threat to you, Time Master. Stay away from my son. If you ever come near him again, it will be the last thing you ever do." Then without looking at his son, he commanded, "Let's go, Daniel."

The shocked child gasped again as his father dragged him away from his guardian.

"Wait, Father! What's going on? Why can't I talk with Clockwork?"

But Vlad grabbed his son's wrist harder in reply; and once the time ghost had vanished again, the King stopped and whirled the child around to face him. "I thought I told you to stay at the castle! I should punish you for your disobedience, Daniel!"

Danny cringed at the angry energy he felt from his father, but he still replied, "Wulf came by! I came with him! I thought it would be okay because you said —"

"_I said_ to _stay_ at the castle!" Vlad hissed angrily at him.

But then suddenly feeling that eyes were on them, the King looked up and saw that the ghosts around them were all staring at him and his son. They had clearly noticed the commotion between the King and Clockwork.

Plasmius' eyes narrowed slightly, and it was enough for everyone to quickly turn their gaze away and continue on their way. However, the older hybrid then unexpectedly pulled his son closer and teleported them to the Forest of Emotions.

The trip was quite a distance and it took a lot of energy from the King, but he didn't seem to mind. Instead, now that they were alone, Vlad turned his attention back to Danny.

"I will not tolerate anymore disobedience from you, Daniel. This is the _last time_ you get away with it! Do you understand me?" Vlad asked angrily.

Danny was feeling very dizzy from the sudden and long teleportation. But he still frowned in displeasure at his father as he asked, "Why are you being so mean? You left me all alone! Then, you get angry at me just because I want to be with you! And now you won't even let me talk with Clockwork! It's not fair!"

"Not everything in life is fair, Daniel!" Vlad snapped back, and his son was stunned into silence. "I do not care if you think it is unfair. If I am angry at you, it is because I told you to stay put and you did not! As for Clockwork, get use to it. I _forbid_ you to go anywhere near him again!"

"But he's my guardian!" Danny protested.

"**Not anymore!" **Vlad yelled at him. "He is not to be trusted! And you are to stay away from him!"

Danny just looked at his father with wide eyes. But then he lowered his gaze and remained quiet.

Taking his silence as acceptance, Vlad grabbed the child by an arm and said, "Come. Let us head home. It is nearly dinnertime."

But when the older hybrid tried to get the boy to go with him, Danny suddenly yanked his arm away from him.

Vlad stared at his son in surprise; but Danny was now glaring at him.

"You think it's his fault Mommy got killed and I got hurt, don't you? That's why you hate Clockwork and won't let me see him anymore!" the Prince accused.

"I am done talking about this," Vlad answered sternly. But when he tried to grab his son by the hand this time, the child quickly floated back. "Come here, Daniel! We are going home!" Vlad commanded firmly.

But the young hybrid didn't move from his spot.

"It wasn't his fault," Danny said seriously. "It's not fair that you are blaming him for what happened to me and Mommy!" He suddenly fisted his hands before yelling, "It was MY fault! She's dead because of me! Not Clockwork! **It's my fault!"**

Vlad suddenly grabbed Danny by the shoulders and sharply shook him, "Silence! Do not **ever** say that to me again! Do you understand me?! It is not your fault! Say it!" he demanded furiously. But when the child just stood there in shock, Vlad became angrier and he shook him once more, yelling, "SAY IT!"

Danny's eyes swelled with tears and they quickly poured out of his eyes as he whimpered fearfully, "It's not my fault…"

The anger in the King's eyes suddenly vanished. And realizing how hard he was holding the child, he let him go. He sighed as he realized that for all his efforts, his emotions were still out of control. He could not deny it any longer. Ever since he put the Crown and Ring on and had spoken with his uncle, he felt _angrier_.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," he muttered before he turned away and looked down at the grass in front of his feet. But instead of turning red and vibrant in his presence as it always had whenever he came to the Forest of Emotions, the grass and everything close to him had become as dull grey in color as rain clouds that block out the light; only this time, it was from within.

The King sighed as he was reminded again about what he was slowly turning into.

He looked back at his son again and said more sincerely, "Forgive me. I just… I cannot stand hearing you blame yourself for something that was beyond your control…. I need you to listen to me, little Phantom. I need you to be safe. But I cannot keep you safe if you do not trust me enough to obey me."

Danny just lowered his gaze. He just didn't understand why his father was behaving like this.

Vlad suddenly kneeled in front of his son and pulled him into his arms. "Please understand… If I lose you too, I…" But he didn't dare continue.

Danny whimpered this time before placing a hand on his father's symbol. But when he did, he felt something he had never felt from him before. But because he had been exposed to it before he knew what it was.

He felt hate and… _darkness_.

Danny felt like his world was falling apart for the second time. And he couldn't help himself as he suddenly began to weep.

"No… No, Daddy." He gripped his father back and whispered in denial, "You're good. You're good!"

Vlad didn't know why but his son's words penetrated his very soul and he suddenly couldn't stop the tears from escaping his own eyes. He held his son closer and pressed the side of his face against his son's own as he whispered, "I wish there was another way, but there is not, Daniel. It is the only way to keep you safe… I cannot let anyone take you away from me as they did your mother."

But the child just cried harder.

"Don't cry, Daniel," Vlad begged, and then slowly pulled the child away from him. The older hybrid tried to smile as he added more lightly, "Look, you are upsetting the forest…"

Danny stared around them and realized how bleak and dark their surroundings were. But looking back at his father, he placed a hand on his cheek and whispered, "But… you're crying, too, Daddy…"

Vlad chuckled weakly, but tears still escaped his eyes. "So I am… I will stop if you will?"

Danny nodded before hugging his father again. But as he held his father, he felt a sense of determination set within his core, and it sounded in his voice as he said, "It's okay, Daddy. I won't let you be bad. As long as we're together, we'll both be good. And everything will be okay…" But then he asked almost pleadingly, "…Am I right?"

"Yes… everything will be okay," Vlad assured him. "I'll get us through this, I swear. It is just the two of us now, Daniel; but we will always be together. Nothing will ever separate us."

"I love you, Father," Danny said.

"And I love you, too, little Phantom…" Vlad whispered back.

Danny just held onto his father, but when he opened his eyes, he watched as the forest continued to darken with their sadness…

What the child didn't see, though, was that the darkness on the island was not just in their immediate surroundings. Their sorrow was so great that the entire island had become cold and bleak now that its overwhelming desolation had driven the warmness of the Novas away.

Neither hybrid knew this was only the beginning of a long road of darkness…

* * *

**And….. We are officially done with the first half of this story. Next chapter will take place about six-seven years later. Danny will be fourteen—almost fifteen. *winks* Hope all you who had been waiting for this moment enjoy the next arch of Doas! We will be focusing more on Danny now AND more on the human world rather than the ghost world like in the first half.**

**Anyways, let me stop before I say anything to really spoil you all. Next update will be for EG! So, see you then! Thanks for the continuing support!**


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Danny Phantom, Adventure, Romance