Author Note: Poker, the ghost who makes an appearance in this chapter, belongs to Spawn of Nerdom. This is the last chapter, don't worry though the next DP fic of mine will be up soon (like real soon). It's a Danny Phantom crossover with Ghost Hunt (one of my all-time favorite anime/manga). So please check it out if you get the chance and please review! I hope you enjoyed this fic!

~CWA

Chapter 18- Ghost Fights (London, England)

Danielle/Ellie

London, as it turned out, was not as sunny as I imagined. I mean, in the movies, they show London as a beautiful city (which it was) with dazzling skies (which there weren't). The rain was pelting down like no tomorrow and all the clouds hid any hopes of seeing the sun. I took shelter in a nearby café since it was kind of late and I was more than kind of hungry.

The café itself was nearly empty with only a few people. I took a seat that was off to the side and looked around. There was a couple making lovey-dovey eyes at each other at one table. There was an obvious drunk at another. The only people that seemed kind of interesting were the two men sitting in a corner. One of them was kind of ruggedly handsome with high cheekbones and curly hair and he wore a scarf. He was the one staring intensely at me. It made me feel like I was under a microscope as if he was analyzing me. What is he a detective or a cop? The guy he was with, however, seemed a bit embarrassed and talked in hush tones to the man. I didn't catch too much of the conversation, but it was pretty obvious he was getting onto the man for the staring. Eventually, the first guy stopped staring, but I could see him sneak glances at me every so often.

I ordered something with marmite (or was it mermite?) and it wasn't long before someone brought it over to me. I vaguely recall something like this… Wasn't it banned in Canada or something? I ate it with my eyes on the guy who still watched me. I crinkled my nose, barely able to swallow the first bite of it. Okay appetite is ruined. Mermite, or marmite, or whatever apparently is not my thing… I heard someone click their tongue and looked up to see the guy was looking at me with a slightly disgusted, judgmental expression.

Geesh, what's his deal, I thought a bit annoyed. I wondered if the rain had stopped enough that I could maybe go out. If anything to just get away from the guy who kept watching me; it was really unnerving. Okay, yeah that's it, I can't take this anymore. I could feel those guy's eyes on me as I got up and left the café. I even briefly looked over my shoulder just to make sure he wasn't following me. The rain was still pelting down thickly and the wind wasn't much help. Yeah I'll take this storm over that creepy guy.

I adjusted my backpack strap and headed down the street. I had to pull up my hood to keep the rain from getting me too bad. Even then the rain still soaked me and hit my face, practically blinding me. Man I just wish there was a way to… Duh… Intangibility. I had to focus for a second. Using my ghost powers in human form still took a bit of concentration for me sometimes. Though this time it was mostly because it took concentration to use intangibility without the invisibility. It worked. The water fell right off of me, leaving me (for the most part) dry and the rain just went straight through me. I grinned to myself. Ghost powers, gotta love 'em.

I walked with a small bounce in my step along the practically abandoned streets. I wasn't sure if it was because it was raining or if it was because that it was only two in the morning, but most people seemed to stay inside. It's almost creepy. I looked up at the sky, seeing just peaks of the moon through the rain and clouds. Like something from a werewolf movie. I squinted, but that's no werewolf… Something was up there- flying around. A blue wisp escaped my mouth. Ghosts in London- sounds like the name of a movie… Better go take care of it.

I sprinted for an ally and wasted no time in going ghost. The rings washed over me and now I was Marian. I flexed my fingers briefly and then took off toward the sky in the direction of the ghosts. As I got closer, I saw that it was not one, but two ghosts. Both of them appeared to be fighting. I dodged a stray ectoblast and continued forward with a bit more speed. I had to stop them before they hurt someone.

"YOU CANNOT DEFEAT THE GHOST ZONE'S GREATEST HUNTER," a very familiar voice bellowed.

I stopped flying and hovered there. Skulker was floating in the sky as well. He was far enough that I was sure he couldn't see me. Good… I can't have him telling Vlad where I am or anything… My chest clenched slightly. I can't go back to Vlad… I'd rather go to the Guys in White than him. The ghost that Skulker was fighting came into view. It was a feminine ghost, assumingly a woman, with white skin and black piercing eyes. Her hair was striped with white, black and red, the same colors of her cropped shirt which resembled a playing card. Even her ghostly tail was black, white and red checkered, but a thin belt was around her hips with a buckle that had a joker card on it.

She raised her hand and did a chopping motion, sending flying glowing playing cards at Skulker. He moved, but the edges of the cards created thick cuts into his armor. He glared openly at her, but she didn't seem concerned as she conjured more cards. They hovered beside her in a threatening manner.

"Get out of here," she growled, "Hurting humans is against the rules! Unless you want that pretty armor of yours cut into even more."

When she said 'against the rules', it struck a chord in me like some sort of déjà vu, but I couldn't quite place it. The cards moved forward just a few inches. She was willing to chop him into pieces, or at least his armor anyway. I hid my smirk. Anyone who was willing to chop Skulker's armor into pieces had to be a pretty good ghost in my opinion. Skulker grumbled to himself, something about how he had gotten what he came for anyway, and quickly flew off. Despite him leaving, she still sent a few cards after him, creating more cuts into his armor. He cursed at her and flew quicker in an effort to get away from the cards chasing him.

"That outta teach that punk," she huffed.

I guess I'll just get out of here then, I thought a bit uncertain, but before I could fly off she spotted me. I gulped slightly as I glanced to the cards that still hovered near her, unaffected by the rain. Something flashed on her face briefly- an emotion I couldn't place- before she smiled at me as she made her way toward me.

"Hello there. What are you doing out so late, kid?"

Her voice suggested that she was just being friendly, but it held a small threatening tone to it. I stood my ground.

"What's it to you? I'm not hurting anyone or anything," I said defiantly as I crossed my arms over my chest.

My answer didn't phase her. She just continued to smile as she hovered right in front of me, placing herself a few inches higher than I was.

"Maybe you're not, but I think any kid or teen staying out late is asking for trouble. And while you may not be trouble yourself, you can easily get mixed in with the group kinds of people or get caught at the wrong place, wrong time, if you're out in this weather this late at night. So why don't you go home? I'm sure you have someone worried about you."

I briefly thought of Danny and Valerie. I haven't called them in a while. I haven't seen them. Are they doing okay? Did Danny finally get together with Sam? Did Valerie forgive Danny yet? Are they friends yet? Did Danny's parents know his secret yet? I shook my head.

"Doesn't matter. I don't really have a home and I don't go to the Zone enough to know if I even have a lair so you might as well just let me be."

She clicked her tongue, her smile faltering.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right… Name's Poker. You?"

"Marian," I said simply, in this form.

She nodded at my name, mouthing it to herself briefly. She stood up a bit straighter and snapped her fingers. Just like that, the cards shuffled into a deck before they disappeared as if they were never there. Cool power, I thought briefly, I wonder what she's obsessed with to have that type of power? Poker maybe? Cards? As if reading my mind, she smirked slyly at me.

"Well, Marian, get where you need to go, but I better not catch you out this time of night again. Are we clear?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Whatever.

"Sure."

"Good. See ya whenever then," she waved briefly and then flew off.

Even from my spot, I could hear her muttering something about a ghost named Walker, but I ignored her as I turned in the other direction and flew off. I guess it's time I see Danny anyway…