Wow...just..wow..

Instead of going on about how guilty I am about taking FOREVER to post this up...I'm just going to post this up.

Here's the fourth and last chapter of Ghostly troubles!

Disclaimer: Me? owning DP? No...Sadly that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Phantom had decided to take a break from the reading and was now just sitting upon his couch, thinking. The door was knocked upon five times. Phantom looked up to the door, waiting for a ghost to open the door and come in. After at least a minute, the door was knocked upon again, but this time the knock was more of a banging. After a few more seconds of silence Phantom had worked out that this ghost was waiting for him to answer the door, Instead of just barging in one way or another.

'Odd... no ghost that I know of would do that...' Phantom flew off the couch and towards the door, opening it up. As the door opened he saw the ghost that had been wanting access into his lair, most likely to talk to him.

This ghost had black hair, shaped into two points at the top of it's head. It had creme trousers and tunic. To complete the outfit, the ghost had black gloves, boots and belt around it's waist. A creme cape was floating behind it and it had menacing red eyes that were now looking upon Phantom. As the door fully opened, the ghost smirked, showing how it had fangs.

"Hello?... Are you new here or something. I don't recognize you." Phantom said, looking the ghost in the eyes.

"Why hello to you too, I was wanting to ask a few questions about the ghost zone and your door was the closet, mind me coming in?" The ghost's voice was rather calm and the ghost seemed quite logical in a way. Phantom nodded and stepped aside from the door. The ghost floated into the room, saw the couch and made it's way over to it and sat down upon it. It crossed one leg over another as it clasped it's hands together. Phantom shut the door and flew over to the couch also, sitting beside the ghost.

"Yes I suppose in a way I am new... See, I came from the human world through a temporary ghost portal. I've been trying to make one for the last what have you so that I could finally enter the ghost zone. I've read about it before in books. I finally seemed to come up with something, but it will only last for another ten minutes or so... so please, make this quick. I don't know when the next time I will be able to make it here be."

Phantom's eyes had widened during the ghost's explanation. "WaitwaitwaitwaitWAIT!" He held his hands up. "Y-you... how come you're DEAD but you were not in the ghost zone? When a ghost dies they end up here, it even says so in this book!" Phantom held up the book he was reading at the time to the ghost. Afterlife of ghosts, the title read. The ghost studied the book for a second, before taking it out of Phantom's hands and opening it up, flipping through it and skim reading it.

"Hello! Unanswered question here!" Phantom waved his hands in front of the book and the ghosts face. He didn't want to be ignored when he was asking an important question!

"Oh, terribly sorry. I couldn't help but be intrigued by this book you have." The other ghost snapped the book shut before looking back at Phantom. His eyes locked with Phantom's for a few seconds before he frowned.

"What?" Phantom wondered what had caused the ghost to frown.

"You seem troubled..."

"Troubled?" Phantom was interested on what the ghost had to say.

"Yes, it's in the air as well, in this room, lair it was called, I think...I can see it in your eyes... eyes are the key to the soul, you know." It seemed quite interested in Phantom now, oddly enough. "I don't want to pry but, what exactly is troubling you?" The ghost wasn't seeming to be wanting to use anything against Phantom. It just seemed that the ghost was too curious for it's own good. After a bit of thought Phantom decided to talk.

After all that time of confusion as to why he was sad...

Phantom had finally worked it out.

"I... can't fulfill my obsession." Phantom looked at his feet, how come out of everyone, even Ember, he told a STRANGER his trouble. Or at least one of his troubles.

"For how long?"

"Ever since I became a ghost, mostly."

"And how long have you been a ghost?"

"Two years."

"That's not possible, you wouldn't be talking to me right now if you couldn't fulfill your obsession. You would be long gone."

"Well, I can fulfill it. A bit... but not much. So I'm still here..." Phantom looked up at the other ghost again. It had a spark of interest in those red eyes.

"What is your obsession...?"

"That's another issue... I don't know."

The other ghost chuckled slightly. "Don't know your obsession... I thought every ghost knew their obsession!"

"What's your obsession, then?" Phantom changed the subject slightly, being laughed at wasn't nice.

"I have no idea."

Phantom frowned. 'Was this ghost a hypocrite or something?' He thought. "You don't know yours either.." At least he wasn't the only ghost who didn't know their obsession. This ghost was in the same boat as him with that. "Didn't you just say that all ghosts should know their obsession? How come you don't know yours and yet you just said that." 'Unless the ghost said that because he's dumber than I thought...' The other ghost was silent for awhile, till they finally spoke.

"I... I'm not exactly a ghost... a proper ghost."

Phantom's eyes narrowed. "What are you then...?"

"I'm half human, half ghost..."

Phantom's eyes widened for the second time during the meeting with this ghost. "Wa-wa-WHAAAAAATTTT!?" Phantom's eyes dilated, he was just about hyperventilating. Even if he didn't have lungs he still was in the habit of breathing.

The ghost placed a gloved hand upon his shoulder. "Calm down!" He shouted.

After a few seconds Phantom had stopped freaking out and was now breathing deeply as the other... creature...explained themselves.

"Five years ago...I was in university. Me and my two best friends were making a mini ghost portal into the ghost zone. But the calculations were wrong... but, one of my friends didn't even check out if they were right. Or at least warn me to get out of the way of the portal before he turned it on and ectoplasm struck me right in the face!" The ghost's hands were now fists, his fanged teeth clenching. Phantom, of course, saw these signs and knew that the creature was very angry. "I got dosed with ecto acne. I was in the hospital for three whole years! While in the hospital I came across my ghost half and powers." The half ghost, half human creature finished, a sad look in it's crimson eyes as it remembered it's past.

Phantom was almost speechless. That must've been hard. "I-...sorry." The half ghost and human creature looked at him, a shocked expression in it's eyes for a second.

"It's fine... I never thought ghosts could be so sympathetic."

"I'm different from most ghosts..."

"I'm guessing that has something to do with you not knowing your obsession?"

"I'm not sure... maybe."

There was silence for awhile.

Till the creature, halfa Phantom deemed the being to be called, lifted up it's black glove and looked at it's wrist watch. It's eyes widened."I need to get going! I have two minutes left before the portal closes." It stood up off the couch.

"Wait!" Phantom grabbed onto his arm.

He turned to look to Phantom. "What is it?"

"Can I come with? I've always wanted to go to the human world."

The halfa shook it's head. "Unless you plan on not returning here for a long time... I would suggest not coming."

Phantom sighed and nodded. It wouldn't be a good idea to leave the ghost zone for a long time.

Not at all.

The halfa held the book out to Phantom. Phantom pushed it back to it. "You keep it." The halfa nodded and flew towards the door, Phantom behind him.

"I never quite caught your name..." The halfa said.

"Phantom. And you?"

"Vlad Plasmius. I really do need to go now." And with that, Plasmius turned and flew towards a swirling green portal. He entered it just as it disappeared.

Phantom sighed. 'I finally met someone interesting and I won't even see them again. I don't think I will, at least..' He closed the door and flew over to his bookshelf.

"Well look at that, I finished all my books. I'll have to get some new ones." Phantom smiled as he walked over to his lair's door, and exited it.

So, let me guess: You guys thought that Phantom was going to talk with clockwork about his troubles, right? Noooooo...hehe... I decided to be unpredictable and throw Vlad in the mix. Hehe... ^_^ (I just HAD to add Vladdie! ^_^) And this, of course leads onto the next short story in this DP short story series. Based upon a VERY confused Vlad needing to get answers from a certain halfa. ;)

Someone did review saying they were looking forward to Phantom's conversation with Clockwork. (Which hasn't happened yet, BTW. That happens AFTER Ghostly Troubles.) So, I have decided to write out that scene and add it as a bonus chapter for GT! It will involve Phantom meeting clockwork for the first time, as well as a few other things.

I would like to thank: Fruit bat99, hcsp1, DannyPhantom619, Lmb111514, Faliara, DarkFoxKit and draken14142 for their awesome reviews!

Thank for all the reviews, fav's, follows and for just reading this.

This A/U is wayyy too long, isn't it? I'm not exactly sure when the bonus chapter is going to be out (I haven't exactly written it out yet...) But I will post it up!
Hope you enjoyed the story!