WoM- I can't believe I'm finally here! 'sniffs happily' Thank you everyone who reviewed and supported me! I love you all! 'huggles reviewers,'
"When you die, if you go somewhere where they ask you a bunch of questions about your life and what you learned and all, I think a good way to get out of it is just to say, 'No speaka English.'"
-Jack Handey
Conclusions
"You think they're okay?" Valerie asked Ember as they flew down the halls.
"Believe me, Hunter, they're fine," Ember said dryly. "That girl's harder to kill then she looks. So's dipstick for that matter," Part of Valerie wondered if the singer was speaking from experience while a bigger part of her wanted to go faster and ditch the ghost so she could help free Danny sooner, without the threat of another spook lingering around.
Before anything else could be done, though, the girls found themselves facing a blockade of mind-controlled High school boys. Both of them had to screech to a halt before flying into them, Ember apparently forgetting her intangibility.
"Great," Valerie sighed, leveling her ecto-blaster at them, "Well, I'd hate to do this to you guys, but you're not giving me much choice here." And with that, Valerie fired.
Only one of them managed to dive out of the way of her blast, and he was in motion as soon as it started charging. Valerie scowled as she had to dive and avoid the blunt metal staff he was trying to hit her with.
Ember was apparently annoyed too, as she tried to attack the boy from behind as Valerie circled around. He managed to block Ember's guitar, but couldn't avoid it when Valerie came up and grabbed him by the top of hit mask with one hand, bringing the other around to hold him steady.
"Now!" She called to Ember, bracing herself for the ghost's attack. Her captive didn't want to comply though, and jerked out of her grasp, his mask coming off in Valerie's hand as he did so. The ghost hunter growled.
"Why you little-!" She froze, then sighed in irritation. "Should've guessed…"
"You!" Ember yelled accusingly, glaring at Tucker sourly. She still hadn't forgiven him for his part in foiling her first world domination plot.
Tucker ignored both of them, his eyes still glowing under the influence of Siren.
"Is there any way we can just get around him?" Valerie called to her companion.
"And have him get us from behind when we're fighting Siren?" Ember snorted scornfully, "I don't think so. What do you care, anyways? You're notorious in the Ghost Zone for not caring about those around you when you're hunting ghosts, especially dipstick." Valerie glared at her bitterly through the mask. Process of elimination dictated that 'dipstick' had to be the ghost-boy.
"Of course I care!" Valerie snapped back, "And Tucker may be annoying, but he's still alive and I think it's best to keep him that way!" Ember rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah…" She grumbled, annoyed hat she wouldn't get her revenge on this ghost hunter's watch. Sighing she decided it was probably for the best anyways. While Tucker's safety hadn't been a part of their agreement, Ember had a feeling that killing the boy would be a deal breaker.
…Besides, she had to shudder at the thought of him as a ghost…
That last thought fueling her more then anything else, Ember became far more wary of the limitations of the boy's humanity under Valerie's watchful eye. Turning the dial on her guitar, Ember strummed a note. Tucker froze when he heard it, his eyes swirling with green and red energies.
"What did you do?" Valerie asked suspiciously.
"It's another mind control spell, genius," Ember snapped back, "I can't break Siren's spell over him like this and you say we can't kill him so I just put the same spell over him so he becomes useless to Siren."
"When will it break?" Valerie asked, still not very trusting of the ghost.
"It will break if we take out my psychotic baby sister!" Ember said irritably "Which isn't gonna happen as long as we stand around playing twenty questions, by the way." Valerie scowled at the ghost, casting Tucker one last worried look.
"Fine!" She said huffily, "But if he starts acting weird you can expect another call from me!" Ember rolled her eyes.
"Hate to break it to you, sweetie, but he was acting weird long before I came on the scene." Ember told her point blank, turning and walking down the hall at an unhurried pace. Valerie glowed slightly and glared at her back as she left.
This was so the last time she worked on the same side as a ghost…
"Danny," Sam said pleadingly, "Danny, it's me, it's Sam! I know you're in there Danny!" Siren chuckled as the girl's begging fell on deaf ears.
"Don't bother," She called out, taking a rather sadistic pleasure in the girl's breaking heart, "Danny-dear doesn't have anywhere near the training he'd need to throw off such a powerful spell." She laughed loudly as she made Danny level a hand at Sam in point-blank range and smirk.
"Maybe in your next life, Sam," he said cruelly as his energy began to build.
'Blam!'
Danny cried out in pain as he was hit from the side by a blast powerful enough to propel him to the other side of the room. Both mind-slave and mistress turned to glare at Neris, who now stood next to Sam pale and grim-faced.
"Are you alright?" She asked the human.
"Yeah," Sam breathed out, standing up. Hen, a little reluctantly, she added, "Thanks,"
"Don't worry, I was doing it for Danny, not you," Neris said, a shadow of her old arrogant smirk returning. "Therefore you are under no obligation to feel thankful." Sam glared at her dryly, but before she could comment, Neris turned serious on her again. "Stay out of the way and look for your opening. All of their firepower should be aimed at me after that little stunt."
"You can't tell me what to do!" Sam hissed even as she complied.
'Danny better appreciate this…' she thought sourly as she pinned herself against the wall next to a bookcase, watching carefully and waiting for her chance to strike.
Neris scowled at her sister as Danny broke free of the wall and flew back to face her again.
"And here I thought you claimed not to be a one-trick-pony," She sang out as she barely dodged Danny's blows. The necklace had made him faster, stronger. If she'd been facing regular Danny she might've stood a chance, but now she wasn't even sure if she could give Sam the time she needed.
And unfortunately for her, Siren knew it.
"In over your head, dear?" She purred out happily. Neris glared at her.
"You wish," She lied shortly. "You're no as infallible as you think you are, Siren. You're not the goddess you want to be," Siren glared right back at her, then smirked.
"We'll see about that, won't we?" She cooed as Danny took advantage of Neris' distraction to blast her. Neris yelled in surprise as the blast lifted her off her feet and slammed her into the door.
She groaned in pain before she threw herself out of the way as Danny charged in for what would've been the finishing blow. After that, though, she was left cursing the stupidity of such a move when Danny went straight through the hard wooden exterior without stopping.
'Now I have no way of knowing where he'll hit me from next…' Neris thought bitterly circling around in paranoia. However, while concentrating on Danny she forgot one vital factor.
'Wham!' Neris screamed in pain as she hit the wall.
"You above all should know how much I despise being ignored, little sister," Siren said out coyly. "Is that really any way to treat your twin?"
"Go to hell," Neris snapped, fury shining in her eyes as she turned and glared at Siren. That was when Danny attacked her from behind.
Sam clapped a hand over her mouth to restrain a yell for her temporary ally, cringing as she saw the seductress take the hit. She knew it was important for the attention to stay off of her during the fight until she could make her move, but it did nothing to quell her irritation of being left on the sidelines yet again. It also wasn't fair that the fight was two to one…
"Been there, done that," Siren said in a bored tone. Then she turned to Danny, "Finish her,"
"Yes, Mistress," Danny said, stepping forward.
'Blamblamblam!' Sam breathed a sigh of relief as Danny jumped away from the fallen girl, wary to avoid the blasts of energy being shot at him with a killer aim.
"Back off, ghost-boy!" Valerie said as she entered the room. "Next time won't be a miss!" Siren scowled at the ghost hunter as Neris breathed a sigh of relief, getting to her feet rather shakily.
"Took you long enough," She said, giving Valerie a dark look.
"Be grateful I took the time to save your sorry butt!" Valerie snapped back. Siren looked annoyed at the exchange.
"Cute as this pointless bickering is," She called out to Valerie, "Why don't you take your own advice and 'back off?' This is a sisterly dispute, as you can see…"
"Agreed," Ember said as she entered the room, smirking as Siren's eyes widened in shock. "Surprised to see me, Siren?"
"Not really," Siren responded coolly. "I should have known you'd be too much of a coward to face the unknown," Ember gave her a disgusted look.
"You're still just a spoiled brat, I see" She sighed, "Whatever. It'll make this easier."
"No sympathy for family?" Siren asked in a mock hurt tone.
"No sympathy for murderers who don't understand the value of life," Ember corrected. "If there's one thing you learn as a ghost, it's that nothing is worth a live sacrifice," Siren scowled.
"Gone soft, big sister?" She asked.
"Nope," Ember smirked. Then, before Siren could respond, Ember hit another note on her guitar, sending an attack at her younger sister.
But Danny was in front of the surprised seductress before the attack connected. Making a reflective shield, he warded off Ember's attack and sent it back to her. The singer went intangible and flew up to avoid her own power.
"See, this is when that list would've been helpful," She said sending Sam a glare.
"Behind you!" Sam yelled to the ghost singer. Ember barely dodged Danny's attack, backing away from the mind controlled halfa and being careful not to take her eyes off of him again.
Before Danny could attack again, however, Valerie hit him with another ecto-blast.
"I've got the ghost-kid!" She called to Ember, "You handle your sister!" Ember didn't bother with acknowledging the girl as she flew at Siren, glaring sourly. Valerie, however, smirked at Danny coolly.
"This is one messed up situation, you know that right?" Mind controlled Danny smirked.
"More then you know," He said in a cocky tone. Valerie sighed.
"Not even himself and he still manages to tick me off…" She muttered dryly to herself. She searched for a moment until her eyes found Sam, "Well, you saved me from Siren, guess I should return the favor…"
Then, before Danny could make another move, Valerie blasted him again, sending him skidding across the floor to Sam's feet.
"Nice shot," Sam said, looking impressed.
"Move!" Valerie yelled back. Switching to a determined look, Sam took out a small vial of glowing green liquid, uncorking it and taking a swig.
And nearly throwing up.
"God! This stuff is AWFUL!" She said in disgust, holding what was left of the vial at an arm's length.
"MOVE!" Valerie yelled again as Danny started to shake off her attack. Sam started to glow the same green of ectoplasmic energy, and after taking a deep breath, She grabbed Danny by the shoulder, only to have him literally slip from her grasp.
"Using the least conspicuous person to your side's advantage," Danny said in a voice that chilled Sam to the bones though she couldn't see him. "Do you honestly expect us to fall for something so obvious?" Before Sam could answer, she was hit from the left, the vial slipping from her grasp as she was knocked into the wall.
"SAM!" Valerie yelled. Then she glowered at Danny. Letting out a battle cry she tried to attack him, but Danny dodged easily, blasting her in the small of her back to propel her away.
With Valerie taken care of, Danny turned back to Sam, who was watching him with a pale face. He smirked cruelly then began to charge an attack, looking very intimidating as he stood over the fallen Goth. Finding the courage she had left, Sam took a deep breath and glared at Danny.
"You don't have to do this, Danny," She said softly, glaring at him right in the eyes, "I know you don't want to kill me." Gaining volume though her voice trembled, Sam added, "You're stronger then Siren takes you for, Danny, you can fight her off! Just because she says you can't break the spell doesn't mean it's true, she's lied to you before, hasn't she?" Danny blinked at her fro a moment, looking confused. Sam felt her heart rise in her chest.
"Sam?" He said uncertainly. His eyes faded for a moment, green bled through the haunting scarlet. "I- what are- Am I-?" Siren gasped sharply for a moment, turning to concentrate even more energy on the halfa. The green disappeared. "Don't bother," Danny said, his voice returning to the same cruel tone as before. "I don't need any inspirational speeches. I have a new life now."
"Some life!" Valerie yelled, "That girl's gonna kill you, ghost-boy! Now get your head out of the clouds and back on earth!"
Danny ignored her, though, instead blasting Neris as she tried to get back in the sprawl. Then, as Sam attempted to get up, Danny struck again with an ectoplasmic goo that glued her to the floor, blinding and muting her as well. Siren laughed as she watched him and evaded Ember's attacks.
"Give it up, ladies," She called out, "you can't win against us, not now, not ever!" Valerie scowled at her, shifting her position when something caught the light, diverting her attention.
Lying only a few feet away was the vial Sam's dropped, still partially filled with the disgusting liquid. Valerie hesitated when she saw it, her eyes going back to Danny who was now locked in battle with Neris again.
'No way,' She thought firmly, 'Absolutely NO WAY would I do THAT. There isn't one good reason why I-!' Valerie's thoughts cut off there as an image of the boys under the spell came back to her, Danny Fenton especially. The ghost hunter groaned pitifully, her shoulder's drooping in misery.
"Danny'd better appreciate this…" She grumbled to herself under her breath. Then, after one last breath, Valerie dived down and picked the vial up, turning to face Phantom.
"Yo, Ghost-boy!" she called out, catching the ghost's attention. The second he started to turn, Valerie shot him with some of the same kind of Ecto-goo that was currently pinning Sam down.
As it cleared the barrel of her gun, Valerie flew after it, pulling her mask off as she went. She narrowed her eyes grimly at the small container in her hands, Ember's words from earlier that day playing in her head…
"It's not gonna be as easy as just tearing the necklace off," The undead pop star told them, "That's a complicated spell that can weather almost anything,"
"Almost?" Sam repeated hopefully.
"There's a potion that should allow one of you three to take it off under special circumstances," Ember explained, "but it only lasts a minute, so you'll have to take it when you're in range."
"Special circumstances?" Valerie repeated, her eyebrow kicking up, "What special circumstances?" Ember smirked at the three of them in an almost sadistic way…
Valerie moaned for a second, then shook off her self pity to down what was left of the potion. She shivered violently as she swallowed the foul-tasting liquid, but would forever insist that she would drink a thousand vials of it if it guaranteed the event that followed would never be repeated again.
She ignored the ghost in front of her as he scowled when the trickery that'd just taken place caught up with him, urging her jet sled faster before he could go intangible and break free. She reached him in time, and grasping the medallion around his neck, Valerie completed the last requirement for the spell to take hold.
She kissed Danny.
Valerie ignored his sharp intake of breath in surprise (Though later she would wonder how a ghost could be able to breath.) Instead concentrating on the bright aura of light that now surrounded the two of them. As it reached its peak, Valerie tore the medallion off, jumping away from her archenemy as fast as she could.
Phantom was still enveloped in a blinding light, though, and Valerie and all the others in the room (With the exception of Sam, who was still blinded by ecto-goo.) Had to shield their eyes from the illumination.
It faded soon enough, though, an all that was left was a normal and very, very confused Danny Phantom, his green eyes blinking in shock as his mind tried to catch up with what had just taken place.
"No!" Siren said, aghast. Ember smirked.
"Welcome back, dipstick." She called out to him, crossing her arms. "You wanna do the honors?" Danny came back to reality as he saw Ember nod to Siren, his eyes going hard.
"Oh, it'll be my pleasure," He said as he glared at the seductress. Siren swallowed.
'Not good,' She thought dumbly, 'I don't have much energy left…' Before Danny could attack, however, Siren was shocked from behind, and was left screaming in pain. Neris gave her sister a similar cold look as Danny as she fell to the floor, energy cuffs locked around her wrists, mouth and ankles. Siren struggled for a bit before a violet energy encased her and she fainted.
"Sorry, Danny," Neris called to the young halfa, "But she needs to be taken back to the counsel for punishment," Danny frowned, then sighed in defeat.
"Just promise to keep her out of my hair from now on," He said dryly. Neris smiled.
"Of that you have my word," She said in a playful tone. Danny relaxed for a second until his eye caught Valerie's and he froze up.
"Uhh…" Sensing that the ghost was at a loss for words about what had just transpired, Valerie decided to cut right to the chase.
"Don't get the wrong idea about that," the ghost hunter snapped. "I did that for one of my friends who was under Siren's spell, and I was NOT happy about it! It'll be best for everyone if we pretend it never happened, got it?"
"Got it," Danny said, holding up his hands in front of him in a defensive gesture, "Ah… Thanks?"
"It's changes nothing, ghost," Valerie warned him, putting her mask back on, "Next time I see you, your butt's fried." And, before Danny could say anything else, Valerie took off.
"Well that wasn't normal," Danny said, blinking after her. There was a loud, angry grunting noise from Sam, bringing attention back to her. "Sam!" Danny shouted flying over to help her. As son as he got the girl free, Sam threw her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Danny!" She said, burying her head into his shoulder, "Scare me like that again and I swear I'll see to it personally that you become full ghost!" Danny smiled and hugged the girl back.
"I'm fine, Sam," He assured her, "Promise." Neris frowned as she watched them, taking Siren and slipping silently out of the room.
"Well," Ember said conversationally, "Guess this fulfills my quota for good deeds for this century," She waved at the two casually before floating up through the ceiling, "Catch ya later, dipstick. And I want the rest of my payment tomorrow, Gothika," Danny blinked as she disappeared.
"…Payment?" Sam cringed.
"I'll tell you later," She promised him. Danny smiled down at her, looking to the door when he hear the boys who'd been under Siren's mind control voicing complaints.
"Think you can take care of them?" Danny asked Sam as he stepped away, "I've got something else to take care of…" Sam smiled.
"I understand," She reassured him, "Just be back before dawn, okay? I don't want my parents flipping out," Danny grinned at her before flying off through the ceiling much in the same fashion as Ember.
"Everything set?" Neris asked the Commonblood as she finished loading everything into the limo.
"Yes, Milady Neris," The Commonblood said politely, "We're ready when you are."
"Then let's go," Neris said, reaching to open the car door.
"Think you can handle a few minute's holdup?" a familiar voice behind her asked. Neris' eyes widened as she turned sharply to meet vivid green eyes. She stood frozen for a minute, clearly stunned at his appearance.
"Milady?" The Commonblood asked curiously, looking between Danny and her fellow seductress.
"Wait in the car for a moment please," Neris ordered, not looking at the girl as she walked over to the ally where Danny stood.
"You're leaving," Danny stated simply.
"I was supposed to leave earlier, but I was… delayed." Neris explained, giving the boy a pointed look. "You're alright now, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Danny said, "Look, Neris… About what I said earlier…"
"Don't," Neris cut him off, "I deserved it. And I'm sorry for lying to you, I truly am."
"I believe you," Danny smiled. Then his look grew serious, "You're gonna get into trouble because of all this, aren't you?"
"Probably," Neris admitted, then she smiled. "But I think it was worth it in the end."
"…Siren kept insisting that you fell in love with me," Danny said softly. Neris looked at him pointedly.
"Would it be terrible if I did?" She asked. Danny sighed.
"Neris…"
"Don't," Neris said firmly, "I know what you're going to say, but please don't let me hear it," Danny looked at her then nodded, granting her at least an illusion.
"Guess you should probably go," Danny said, hovering up and preparing to fly away.
"Probably," Neris agreed softly. She watched him float away, then making up her mind she called out to him, "Danny!"
The halfa stopped and turned to face her, and the ever confident Neris strode forward, kissing him gently on the cheek.
"Thank you," She said softly to him as she pulled away, "For everything." And, slipping away silently, Neris got into the back of the limo and drove away, Danny watching her with sad eyes as she left…
"So she's really gone?" Sam asked, trying to keep the hope out of her tone as she applied more eyeliner on the annoyed Danny.
"Yep," Danny said firmly, "And do I really need that gunk? It makes blinking weird…" Sam smacked him across the head.
"Of course you do!" She said cheerfully, "It's Freak Week, remember?" Danny rolled his eyes.
"Like I could forget…" He said dryly. Sam giggled then stepped back to admire her handiwork.
Danny was wearing a black and silver spiked dog collar now, along with five or six other silver and black necklaces. His usual shirt had been replaced with an equally baggy black shirt with a burning blue skull on the front, and blue jeans had been thrown away for far baggier black jeans with silver chains hanging from the pockets.
He had on black bots, fingerless gloves and spiked bracelets, too, along with three fake earrings. Other then the eyeliner and black nail polish, though, Danny refused to wear any make-up. Though he had to admit, he was grateful that Sam's proficiency with make-up had improved since second grade.
"You look so handsome, Danny!" Maddie gushed when Sam dragged her reluctant son downstairs.
"This isn't fair public-wise, you know!" Danny told her sourly. Usually, Freak Week landed during vacation, but not this year. Danny was dreading the reaction his drastic change in clothes was sure to get.
"I know," Sam said happily, "Come on, we're gonna be late for school!" And with that, Tucker and Sam dragged the reluctant Danny out the door.
"See if I save you from evil mind controlling women ever again," Danny said sourly to Tucker.
"Don't worry, Danny," Sam smirked, "Paulina usually leaves Tucker alone."
"Yeah." Tucker agreed before he realized what he was agreeing to. "HEY!"
"Come on, Danny, lighten up," Sam said with a smile, "You've faced down worse things then the Casper High football team's mockery."
"Not helping," Danny grumbled. Tucker laughed.
"I'm gonna go on ahead to keep the crowds off," He told Sam, "You try and convince Danny to lighten up on the Goth sour attitude thing a bit. I think he's managed to overdo it." Danny scowled at Tucker's retreating back.
"I'm gonna get you for this, Tuck!" He called after the boy. Tucker's only response was to move faster.
"Freak Week isn't the only thing you're sour about, is it?" Sam asked smugly.
"I'm just worried about Neris," Danny admitted, "It's my fault she's in trouble…" Sam shook her head and sighed.
"Danny, Neris chose to stay and help," Sam reminded him, "You had nothing to do with that choice. We've already well established that it's beyond the realms of a halfa to control other people's feelings for them." Danny smiled at her.
"Point made," He grinned. "After all, I nearly went into shock when she kissed me…" Sam stopped walking.
"…She kissed you?" Sensing his mistake, Danny quickly amended by adding.
"Only on the cheek," Sam frowned slightly.
Then without warning, Sam leaned forward and kissed Danny, startling her friend.
"Sam?" He said when they parted, "What…?"
"Just keeping things fair," Sam said, blushing slightly, "Valerie kissed you, Neris kissed you… I felt it was only fair if I followed suit." Danny blinked at the girl as she started forward again, her pace a little quicker then before.
After she was a good ways away, Danny smiled after the girl and raced to catch up. He wasn't going to ask about what that kiss was really about. Maybe someday, but for now he's treasure what he and Sam had together. He couldn't help but add one thing to himself in a dry tone.
"Well, if anyone expects me to kiss Ember next, they're in for some serious disappointment…"
"Danny?" Sam called back to him when she realized he was no longer beside her, "You coming of what?"
"Yeah, yeah," Danny said as he ran to catch up.
And side by side the two continued on laughing and joking, knowing there was little else they could ever do.
WoM- Well, that's that! I might make a sequel someday, but for now I have other stories to concentrate on. Thank you all again for supporting this story, and I hope you liked it!
Thanks to;
DJ Rodriguez
Tetsukon
Rachel
Rosadina formerly Tima
THANK YOU ALL!