Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Danny Phantom -- Return of The Reign ❯ A New Teammate and Alissa's Heartaching Choice ( Chapter 7 )

Yay, next chapter already!
But then, that was mostly because I was writing this chapter the longest and earliest so that I didn't forget it.
I think most of you will be pretty pleased with who shows up here! (Though most of you might be horrified) And if their character is wrong, I'm sorry!!
By the way, remember that strange red thing Alissa saw around Vlad like, a billion chapters ago? What that was is somewhat explained here; trust me, you'll get it...
Enjoy! (Oh...and bring a few tissues...)

 

~~CHAPTER SEVEN~~

~~A NEW TEAMMATE AND ALISSA'S HEARTACHING CHOICE~~

 

“NO!! NO, COME BACK!!” Alissa thrashed in her bed and finally opened her eyes, thrusting her body up with a gasp. She began to breath heavily, her fist clutching her thudding heart. Soon, she started breathing a bit calmer through her teeth and turned her head toward her alarm clock. 9:00 P.M.

 

Alissa turned her head toward the window. She threw the covers off her and walked over to the glass, watching the world outside.

 

 

“You have two choices: figure out how to control your powers or watch yourself turn more and more into what you truly are deep down in your heart!”

 

 

Alissa held her head as Nightshade's words rang through her mind like an angry bee. She didn't want to believe his words, but he was actually making clear points; she had been acting differently lately. But…my powers never started acting up like this until now! I never even knew I had so much darkness in my heart! She kept her hold on her head. That sting I felt in my heart earlier…that must've been my dark side…angry at Sam…actually wanting her dead…I'm…I'm scared…if I don't find out how to control my powers, she might just be my first victim! She winced her eyes shut. But I don't know how to control my powers! Well…let's try this: what exactly makes me go ballistic in the first place? She thought. She winced her eyes shut tighter. C'mon! What is it?!

 

In her mind she saw Danny's falling figure.

 

She snapped her eyes open with a gasp.

 

It was true. Whenever she went insane with her powers, it was when Danny had been badly injured.

 

Whenever she saw him knocked unconscious.

 

When Jack and Maddie had called him, not to mention every ghost, a threat.

 

When she learned that Valerie had broken his heart just so she could obliterate his alter ego.

 

When the kids as Casper High locked him in the Janitor's Closet, unaware that he was slowly losing oxygen…

 

Danny was the trigger.

 

Alissa backed away from the window; a broken gasp escaped her lips before she covered them with her hand. She slowly started shaking her head; it couldn't be. It couldn't be! It couldn't be!! She sat down on the bed and pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them. I…don't know how to control my powers…or how Danny's the one releasing them…so…I guess I only have one choice left…She slowly closed her eyes as one tear slipped down her cheek.

 

She picked her head up when she heard a scream.

 

The redhead ran to the window and looked around, trying to find the source of the scream. She then perked her up when she saw Dora and the others about to the leave the house.

 

Lisa Phantasm quickly flew out and stopped them. “No! I'll do this. You guys have to stay there no matter what!”

 

Dora looked upset, but nodded. She placed her hands on Lisa's shoulders. “Please be wary.” Lisa nodded and flew down toward the streets.

 

Lisa looked all around, seeing nothing. She crossed her arms. “Huh…” She said as she placed one of her hands around her chin. “I could've sworn I heard a…”

Another scream. Lisa turned and gasped when she saw a child--a ghost child--flying and screaming from four shadow ghosts.

 

Lisa quickly flew toward the attack. “Hey!” She called to the child, who turned their head to her, revealing herself to be a girl. “C'mere! I got you!” Lisa opened her arms. The girl looked unsure, but she ran into her arms, which wrapped around her, and the both of them disappeared.

 

The ghosts stopped and looked around. Growling a little, they left.

 

In a dark alleyway, Lisa reappeared, her left arm up against the wall and her other arm had its hand around the little girl's mouth. Lisa narrowed her eyes, listening hard. “…I think they're gone.” She whispered. She knelt down, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. It was incredibly dark in the alleyway, so she couldn't see her, but she smiled warmly all the same. “Hey, are you okay?”

 

There was silence. She saw a movement from the girl, a shift. She then noticed that she placed her hands behind her back. “…Yeah…”

 

Lisa kept her smile. “That's good…I--” She would've said more, but she saw a bright green light emit from behind the girl. She gasped and pushed her away right before she was hit by her ectoplasmic blast.

 

Lisa fell to the ground outside the alleyway and gasped as she watched the girl fly out, too, her hands still smoking. She looked so young, maybe just a couple of years younger than herself, but she proved herself to be dangerous. “W--wait! What're you doing?!”

“You don't fool me! You're with them!” The girl cried, blasting again and again. “You all wear the same ugly necklace!”

 

Lisa kept evading the attacks. “Please! You don't understand!” Lisa tried, but she was then hit right in the stomach. She was blown back against the wall. The girl slowly walked to her and was about to attack her again before she got a good look at her arm.

 

She screamed in horror and turned away from Lisa, holding her arm. Lisa was able to pry herself from the wall. “What? What's going on?”

 

“Get away from me!” The girl screeched, kicking Lisa in the leg. She cried out and knelt down to hold her attacked body part. She picked up her head to glare at the girl, but her eyes widened, seeing her arm.

 

“Your…arm's dripping…”

 

The girl whipped her head around angrily, her eyes hinting tears. “G…get away from me!” She cried again, her voice breaking as she backed away from her and fell to her knees.

 

I don't know why…but she can't attack anymore…“Hey, you're crying…!” Lisa spoke gently as she walked closer to the girl.

 

“N--no! Get away!” The girl choked. Lisa then knelt down in front of her and took her arm. She gasped; it was true, it was…melting?

 

“Who are you?”

 

“W--why do you care?”

 

“Because I'm not your enemy, kiddo.” Lisa outstretched her hand. “I'm not on their side. Yes, I have the same choker, but for a very different reason. Please. Trust me.”

 

The girl looked at the hand, then at the face of the young woman the hand belonged to. She then slowly smiled. “You…you remind of someone I know…I kept hurting him, and he kept begging to help me…” After another moment, the girl took Lisa's hand and allowed herself to be helped up. Once she got back to her feet, she looked down. “…Sorry. I was just…”

“Scared? Don't be. I'll make sure nothing happens to…” Lisa stopped, tilting her head a little as she examined the girl a bit more closely and noticed a few things.

 

“I wasn't--!” The girl started, but then Lisa placed her hands on each side of her face.

 

She had bright green eyes and a cute button nose. She had white hair pulled into a ponytail. She was also wearing a black and white outfit that a child her age really shouldn't be wearing. But what caught Lisa's attention the most was that fact that, upon her midriff, was an emblem of D and P merged. She gasped, quickly swiping her hands from the child's face and around her mouth.

 

“What?! What?!” The child asked.

 

“Who…who are you?” Lisa murmured. “You look…you look exactly like someone I know!”

 

(I'm sure you all know who she is now, right? Can I write her name now?)

 

Dani pondered over Lisa's words for a moment before widening her eyes with a gasp. She grabbed Lisa by the arms. “You know…you know Danny Phantom?”

“Danny Phantom's my best friend!” Lisa cried breathlessly.

 

Dani quickly rose from the ground so that the two females were at eye level. “Do you know where he is?! Please, take me to him!”

 

“Whoa, whoa!” Lisa said, holding her palms up. “Slow your road there, sweetie. I'd be more than happy to…if you tell me how you know him and just who the heck you are. And…why your arm was all drippy.” She finished, pointing to her with a raised eyebrow.

 

Dani blinked a few times, but then smiled. “Heh…he gave me that same look once…my back-story's kinda long, though…”

 

“Fine. Then give me the short version.”

 

Before Dani could, she gasped, screamed, and pointed behind Lisa. She turned and saw that the shadow ghosts chasing Dani in the first place had returned. They roared and lunged at them. Lisa gently pushed Dani beside her and held her hands slightly apart from each other, her fingers bending at the other set of bended fingers. A bright violet ball crackling with energy formed in her hands. She threw it with a grunt and it hit each ghost harshly. They all fell to the ground.

 

“Awesome!” Dani cried.

 

Lisa turned to her. “Thanks…but why didn't you help me? In fact, why were you flying from the ghosts in the first place if you could fight like the way you attempted to beat me up back there?!” Lisa demanded an answer.

 

Dani looked like her words pierced her, and Lisa immediately couldn't help but felt bad. Dani dipped her head down and answered. “…If I did, my entire body would've ended up like my arm…”

 

It took Lisa a moment to fully realize what the younger had said before she gasped in slight horror. “Oh, my gosh…” Before she could say anything else, the ghosts rose to their feet again (Well…tails, anyway…). They fired Ghost Rays at the two girls. Lisa grabbed Dani tightly and flew upwards, evading the shots, and flew all the way around, going upside-down, until eventually landing right back where they were before. Dani was a little dizzy.

 

Lisa fired at the ghosts again, but she missed, and unfortunately, they didn't. Lisa fell to the ground, holding her chest and looking up as the ghosts came closer.

 

Green Ghost Rays shot out and hit each ghost.

 

Both girls turned with a gasp and, indeed, they saw Danny floating above them.

 

“CUZ!” Dani cried happily and flew up, practically attacking him with a bear hug.

 

“D…Danielle?” Danny held her back; doing little twists and whirls in the sky as he did. “I don't believe it! What're you doing here?!”

 

Lisa flew up, a look of sheer confusion on her face. “Danny, who is she?” She asked.

 

Danny and Dani looked at Lisa, then at each other, and then back at Lisa. “Uh…she's…my…my cousin! She's my cousin!”

 

There was an awkward silence. Lisa broke it. “Your…cousin?” She asked, slowly raising her eyebrow.

 

“Yeah! She's my third cousin twice--”

 

Just as Dani thrust her elbow into Danny's stomach, she said through clenched teeth. “Once.”

 

“--once removed!” Danny corrected his lie.

 

Lisa looked at them, and her eyebrow slanted back down to her eye and her face was stern. “Danny, I…” She couldn't finish for once more, the ghosts attacked. After many blasts from the three, three of the ghosts were done for. The fourth one, however, jumped on Danny. He cried out as he was crashed into the ground, the ghost still on him.

 

“Get off of him!” Dani screamed as she blasted the ghost. The ghost indeed got off of him thanks to the hit, but Dani then fell to the ground.

 

“Danielle!” Lisa cried. She knelt to the fallen girl. “Are you…?” She gasped when she saw ectoplasm leak out from under her. “Uh, Danny…your cousin's kind of MELTING OVER HERE!!” Lisa screamed, whipping her head toward Danny at the word “melting.” Danny turned his attention from the ghost and gasped in worry when he saw that Lisa's words were true. He took one last look at the ghost and blasted a final ray at him.

 

Danny quickly flew to Dani, holding her up a little. “Dani! Hang in there! Dani!” Almost as in answer, she groaned and her head fell against his chest; she wasn't going to make it. Danny bit his lip so hard, the fact that it wasn't drawing blood/ectoplasm was astounding, but then he snapped his eyes open more, an idea striking him. “Dani! Change back!”

 

“…Huh…?” Dani groaned again, lolling her head a little.

 

“Please! Danielle, please! JUST CHANGE BACK!!”

 

Though confused, Dani closed her eyes and a bright blue ring appeared around her, de-transforming her. She now held the appearance of an ordinary 12-year-old girl with black hair pulled into a ponytail, a red hat, a blue hoodie, red shorts, and blue sneakers. Lisa just stared, mouth agape.

 

Now that Danielle was no longer using energy to keep her ghost form active, the melting ceased. Danny picked the unconscious Danielle up and hugged her. Lisa gave them a sad gaze. “Danny…it's too dangerous to bring her to your house; I mean, isn't it, like, Ghost-Signal Central over there?” Danny nodded. He then gave a pleading look to Lisa. “Jeez! Enough with the face! Fine! Fine! But…let's actually bring her to my room, not the abandoned apartment.” With another nod, Danny flew upward, Lisa following.

 

Danny flew through the window to Alissa's room and gently placed Danielle upon the bed. (“She better not have any leftover ectoplasm on her. If any gets on my bed…” Lisa fake-threatened; Danny giggled.) Alissa's body quickly rose up from the ground and yawned, for her spirit had returned to it. She got up from the floor fully and couldn't help but giggle at Danielle's sleeping form; she looked so sweet.

 

“Is everything all right?” Sapphire asked, poking her head from the window.

 

Danny and Alissa turned to see Sapphire and Dora looking at them in worry. (Zero, Wulf, and Cujo were told to stay behind.) The both of them went “SHH!” and the two ghosts fell silent.

 

Alissa walked to the two female ghosts. “Child! Asleep! On my bed!” She hissed. The two looked at Danielle (who had her back to them, so they didn't notice the uncanny resemblance between her and Danny.) and then back to the other two kids. After Danny and had explained to them what happened, leaving out the part that she was half-ghost and his “cousin,” they quietly apologized and left.

 

“Danny…what're you doing here?” Alissa asked quietly. “I thought…you were still at school…in the Nurse's Office…”

 

Danny was surprised, and a little confused, at how Alissa seemed to refuse to look at him. “I was, but she finally decided to let me go, telling me to pace myself for a while.” Danny said. “My family came over and took me home, and that was when I called you…”

 

“…I'm sorry. I'm sorry about what happened at school…I don't completely understand it, but…” Just then, Alissa quickly turned her head toward Danny. “Danny, I'm so sorry, but…”

 

They both turned and gasped when they heard Danielle start to stir. Danny cautiously leaned above her. “…Danielle?” He whispered to her.

 

Danielle moaned and her eyes blinked open little by little. “Danny…?” Her vision indeed showed the Halfa, but her vision was also slightly blurry. She blinked a few more times until Danny's face cleanly came into view. “Danny!” She cried happily, flinging her arms up to wrap around his neck. He chuckled slightly; he would've held her back, but he wasn't really accustomed on how to treat little girls.

 

Alissa just stood there, not really knowing what to do. Finally, she walked up to the two of them and smiled sweetly. “Feeling better?” She asked.

 

Danielle turned to her with a confused look. She then turned back to Danny. “Who…?” She started, pointing to her. Alissa giggled and picked up her choker. She then held it up at her neck and winked at Danielle. The younger girl's eyes widened. “It's you! But…how?”

 

“Like I said, I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours.” Alissa said as she placed the necklace on the table next to her bed, and then turned to Danny sharply, the back of her hands on her hips. “Okay…be honest. Who is she?”

 

“Huh?” Both Fentons said at the same time.

 

“W--what are you talking about? I told you; she's my cousin!” Danny said with a nervous laugh.

 

Alissa crossed her arms. “Babe…do you think I'm stupid?” She then extended her left fist and stuck up the index finger of her right hand. Each time she thrust her index finger downward, she stuck out another finger from her left fist so that the two fingers touched, counting. “1st of all, `my cousin' just happens to be the oldest cover-up in the book. Secondly, what are the odds that your cousin has the exact same hair color, eye color, clothes coloring andsuperhero side as you? Thirdly, `Dani--elle??' Danny, really…” Alissa finished.

 

Danny and Danielle shared a quick glance, eyes wide. Danny then shrugged with a nervous smile. “She's good.” He then knelt down more towards Danielle. “It's okay…you can trust her. She's a true friend.”

 

As Alissa overheard what Danny was saying about her, her heart started to shatter. Here he was, saying such a lovely thing about her, and here she was, planning to do something that would hurt both of them…

 

“Besides, haven't you ever wanted to talk to any one besides me about this whole mess?”

 

Danielle stared at him, and then nodded. Danny then called Alissa to sit down. All three of them were on the bed now as they spoke.

 

“Okay…the truth is…I'm…I'm not Danny's cousin…I'm his clone…” Danielle said quietly.

 

Alissa gasped and covered her mouth, turning to Danny. “It's true. And I bet you can't guess who “Daddy Dearest” was.”

 

Alissa looked down, thinking. But she then picked her head up and turned to Danny with wide eyes, holding her hands over her head to make her look like she had horns, referring to Plasmius' hairstyle. Danny nodded sadly. “…Please tell me you're joking…but…but how? Why? Why did he…?”

 

“Ali, here's the low-down: Plasmius is practically obsessed with me! He keeps saying that he wants me as his little apprentice and he keeps calling me `son…!' It's enough to make one blow chunks, I'll tell you…”

 

As she listened, Alissa's fists slowly started tightening. She could feel a familiar wave of cold, dark energy wash through her. No…not now…PLEASE…

 

“So then he decided to make a clone of Danny instead since he kept turning him down.” Danielle continued where Danny had left off. She was now sitting on the bed, but was still under the covers, and because she was so short, she was able to wrap her arms around her covered legs. Alissa saw her body trembling. “He made four of us…but we were all…unstable.” She said slowly, trying to find the right words. “If we used too much of our powers…”

 

“You'd melt into ectoplasm…” Alissa finished.

 

Danielle nodded. “And not only were we unstable…we were…mistakes…he only used us to get more information on Danny so he could perfect his prime clone...” She continued nastily. Danny gazed at Danielle forlornly. Alissa's heart had now completely shattered. As if she didn't hate that vampire-guy before…

 

“Well, anyway, that's pretty much it. Danny made me figure out what he was really up to and now I'm kind of…on my own.”

 

“Really? So you're kinda a Drifter, too?” Alissa asked with a smile.

 

Danielle perked her head up. “Huh?”

 

“Oh, that's right! I haven't told you my story yet!” Alissa realized.

 

Danny then gasped and looked at the clock hanging in Alissa's room. “Uh, sorry, girls; I gotta get out of here! It's 9:53!”

 

Danielle looked at him. “You have a curfew?”

 

Danny glared a little. “And?” He quickly turned to Alissa. “Listen, you gotta keep Danielle here for a few days or until this whole thing blows over! Great, good luck, see ya, bye!” He said as he zoomed off.

 

“WHAT?! HEY!” Both girls screamed, but they then groaned and rubbed their faces at the exact same time. They then slowly turned to each other.

 

“So, uh…you're my new roommate, now.”

 

“Guess so…” Danielle said, looking around.

 

“Well, listen, as I was saying…” Alissa sat down on her bed next to the younger. “My back-story's actually a lot similar to yours…just, y'know, without the clone part.” She laughed. “But anyway…there's this evil ghost named Nightshade, and he fought with Danny while my family and I attempted to move away. But we got caught in the fight and I went into a total blackout. The next thing I knew, my body was in the hospital and my spirit, or Lisa Phantasm, you girl you met earlier, was just floating there. Nightshade then came and placed this choker around my neck.” She said as she took the said choker in her hands again. “He made my soul his little apprentice, claiming he'd set me free if I brought him the Ghost Boy.”

 

“Why didn't you just fly back into your body?” Danielle asked, becoming extremely intrigued like a six-year-old being told a bedtime story.

 

“Well, before Nightshade came, I was too panicked and confused; after Nightshade came, since he put that necklace around me, I don't think I would've been able to go back into my body, and even if I could, I think he would've just pulled me back out and punished me somehow.”

“Jeez!” Danielle squeaked, eyes wide in wonder. “He really does sound like Vl--”

 

“So, that was that. Nightshade had two other slaves, if you will, Zero and Sapphire, and we all were ordered to bring Danny Phantom to Nightshade. I met Danny Fenton first, though, disguised as regular me, Alissa, and liked him a little. I met Danny Phantom as Lisa, and fought him a lot. But one fight, I was so close to completing my mission, but…

 

“But I took one look at the wounded Halfa and I completely fell apart. I didn't even know why, but I suddenly realized that what I was doing was so wrong…so then we agreed to a truce, which then turned into total friendship, and we defeated Nightshade together. He then returned me to my body, but I kept Nightshade's necklace because whenever I put it on, my spirit comes out of my body as a Drifter and I can fight with powers like a ghost, and some of my own, but I can't stay out for too long, or my body will die.”

“Ouch…” Danielle said. “So…why do all those ghosts have that choker, too? Does that mean…Nightshade's enslaved all of the Ghost Zone?!” She cried, bending up a little.

 

“I'm afraid so…but, we can stop him! I know we can! We did it once before…” Alissa said, and then sat down on the bed, just beside Danielle. “But…I wanna protect Danny so much…if something happened to him, preferably because of me, I'd…I'd…” She then sighed heavily and pulled her legs up to wrap her arms around them, her eyes looking downward.

 

Danielle got out of the covers and sat next to Alissa, gazing at her with her sky blue eyes shimmering in childish innocence, but she blinked a few times, realizing something. She then smiled at Alissa.

 

“You like him, don't you?” Danielle asked, lowering her eyelids.

 

Alissa jerked her body upward and whipped her head toward Danielle. “WHA-A-AT?!”

 

“Alissa, do you like my cousin?” Danielle asked again, her amused face never wavering.

 

Alissa just glared at her, but then her eyes seemed to show sadness. With another heavy sigh, she pulled her face from the younger and looked off, but then rolled her eyes back at Danielle. “…Am I really that obvious?” She asked softly.

“You try so hard not to be obvious, that…yeah! You are obvious!” Danielle laughed.

 

Alissa crossed her arms and looked away. “…S--so what? After I found out that he wasn't my enemy, and he was being nice to me…I started crushing on him. So what? He just had this…this…” She started to say, outstretching her hands and running them down, as if drawing the form of a person.

 

“…Aura?” Danielle asked.

 

“YES!” Alissa cried, pointing to Danielle, who backed away a little in surprise. “Yes! Aura! That's it! That's the exact word I was looking for!” Alissa then looked up at the ceiling. “I remember…I didn't see his aura at first…at first, I started to feel kinda bad for what I had done to him, and that's when I saw it slowly form around him…but I don't remember what it looked like…”

 

“I think I saw his aura once, too…” Danielle said, looking off as well. “I remember when I was gonna attack him, but then I started to melt, and he even warned me! So I started to feel really, really confused, especially when he tried to tell me I was on the wrong side. I think that's when I saw it…it was actually…kinda pretty…I barely even knew what it was, but I knew that it was telling me that he was a good person. That he was telling the truth.

 

“But I didn't wanna believe it. I didn't wanna believe that my “daddy” was evil. So, I accused him of being a liar and I attacked him…but…when I was ordered to do something that would literally KILL me…I saw his aura…”

Alissa gasped softly, bringing a fist to her mouth. “What did it look like?”

“I'm not gonna lie…it was scary. It was dark red and surged around him like fire. It told me how bad he really was…so, I helped Danny beat him.”

 

“I see…so, apparently, you and I can only see auras when we're extremely vulnerable, physically or emotionally…” Alissa then giggled. “Gosh, Danny sure knows how to fix a misled soul, huh?”

 

Danielle giggled as well. “Yeah…yeah, he does…there's just something about him…”

 

They stayed like that for a while, but then Alissa stood up. “Y'know, you should be asleep by now!” She pulled Danielle's beanie hat off and hung it on the door.

 

“Hey!”

“You can't go to bed with a hat on; you'll smother in your sleep!” Alissa said. “And…you can't go to bed in a hoodie, either…” She said as she started to remove the said piece of clothing.

 

“NONONODON'TTAKETHATOFFTHESEWERETHEONLYCLOTHESIWASMADEWITH! !!”

 

Alissa immediately tore her hands away from the rim of the hoodie, eyes wide.

 

There was an awkward silence between the two girls.

 

“…Oh…” Alissa said slowly. “…Well, then!” She suddenly regained her smile and ran to her dresser. She then pulled out a tiny nightgown with little stars and moons. “This is…well, uh…it's mine…well, I mean, it was mine…Mom refuses to throw it away…” She tossed it to Danielle. “See if it'll fit!” She said, turning away from her.

 

Though she couldn't see, Alissa heard grunts of effort and fabric brushing against her bed.

 

“Hey, it does!”

 

Alissa turned, mentally going “aww!” at Danielle in her old nightgown. She looked so adorable!

 

“…Thanks.” Alissa heard the little clone murmur quietly. Alissa couldn't help but smile softly and walked over to the younger as she pulled the covers over her. “But…where're you gonna sleep?”

 

“Ah, I have a couch that extends into a bed; I'll be okay.” Alissa then rubbed her hand gently across Danielle's black hair. “Now, how about this: the first thing we do tomorrow is go shopping! We'll get you some more clothes, and maybe we can just mall and stuff! Sound good?”

 

“…Yeah, sounds good.”

“Good. Now you get some sleep this instant, young lady!” Alissa playfully demanded with a wink.

 

“Gee, thank you, big sister…” Danielle said sarcastically as she turned on her side, closing her eyes.

 

Though Danielle had not meant it, what she said had left an impact on Alissa. `Big sister,' huh? She gently ran the back of her hand down the little girl's cheek. For some strange reason, having her here just felt so…so right, like she was a part of the family…but she barely knew the kid!

 

Alissa heard Danielle's breathing become more soft and even. She's sound asleep?! Already?! …No way…

 

Danielle seemed like an innocent, homeless little girl…who just needed love and protection. Alissa smiled and gently ran her hand against the girl's face again. But her face twisted, remembering her words about Plasmius' aura.

 

“It was dark red and surged around him like fire.”

 

 

That reminded her of the strange dark light she saw around Vlad a few days ago. Her eyes slowly widened; he couldn't have been…

 

The door knocked. Alissa quickly turned and saw her parents.

 

“Alissa, what's going…?” Kelly began.

 

Before they could finish, Alissa tried to shove them out the door as quietly as she could. “I'll explain downstairs!” She hissed.

 

As she pushed them out of her room, her face fell. As soon as I tell them about Danielle, I have to do something…

 

~

 

“Are you sure you're okay?” Jazz asked as she sat down beside Danny on his bed.

 

Danny looked extremely aggravated. “Jazz, I'm fine…am I still gasping and wheezing for breath? No. If I was, then act like your annoying, overprotective self, will you?” He said as he wrapped the covers around him.

 

“Alright, alright…” Jazz sighed. “…So…what happened over at school anyway? It's completely destroyed, right?”

“…Actually…I don't know…” Danny answered truthfully. “…I--” He was cut off by his phone ringing. He was going to get it from the bed-stand beside him, but Jazz grabbed it first and handed it to him. He flipped it open and spoke. “Hello?”

 

“Danny?”

 

Danny immediately shot up from his bed. (Much to Jazz's dismay) “Ali??”

 

“I'm sorry…is this a bad time?”

 

“Well, no…but what's wrong?”

 

“…Please just meet me in the sky.” The phone then hung up.

 

Danny stared at his phone is utter confusion. He then turned to Jazz. “I'll, uh…be right back.” Danny said as he bounced himself up on his feet and transformed.

 

“Danny, what're you--?!” Jazz tried to say as Danny flew off.

 

Danny flew high up in the sky, trying to spot his friend. He found her not too far from his own house.

 

“…Hey, Danny…”

“Ali, what's wrong? Is it Danielle?” Danny asked again, flying toward her with his arms outstretched slightly. Imagine his great surprise when Lisa backed away from him. “…Ali?”

“No, she's fine…she's fast asleep and my parents have no problem keeping her here for now…listen…Danny…I…I can't be with you and the others anymore…”

 

Danny's eyes nearly fell out of his head. “…W…w--what?”

 

“Danny, think about it: Nightshade's the one who caused all these problems. He woke the Ghost King, took the entire Ghost Zone under his rule and, as Wulf clearly stated, it's all because of me somehow.” Lisa lowered her head. “Danny…you can go on trying to defeat Nightshade and the Ghost King all you want, but…as of sunrise tomorrow…” She said, slowly bringing her head back up. “I resign myself from Team Phantom…to take on Nightshade on my own.”

 

Absolute silence.

 

Danny stared at her with such wide eyes, Lisa was worried he'd never be able to blink again. “…I…I…don't understand…”

 

“Danny, Nightshade is MY problem. He's always been MY problem. He's the one who enslaved me first, remember? I never told you this, but…he's been haunting my dreams since you rescued me…I'm always so afraid he'll snatch me back somehow…”

 

“But that's why I'm here!” Danny said as he quickly flew to Lisa and took hold of her arms. “Ali, I'm your friend! I promised you that I would never let anything happen to you! I…I meant that…” He pulled her in for a hug, his hold trembling. “I…I won't let Nightshade take you again…I promise…”

 

Lisa felt tears spring to her eyes and she was about to hold Danny back, but she widened her eyes, coming to her senses, and pushed him away. “N--no!” She cried. “If I want to stop Nightshade from haunting me, I need to stop him, or at least try to stop him, on my own…”

 

“But…Ali…we're a team…”

“…I'm sorry, Danny…but from now on…there's no `Lisa' in `Team.'” Lisa said as she then quickly flew away. [1]

 

“W--wait! Wait, no! Ali, come back!” Danny cried, trying to follow her. “Ali! L--Lisa! ALISSA!”

 

When Lisa was sure she was out of sight, she looked back to where Danny was, seeing him slowly fly away. Lisa's tears finally started to escape from her eyes. She had broken her promise. She had hurt him.

 

With a sob, Lisa flew off, her tears spilling across the sky.

 

~

Danny slowly came back to his room, surprising Jazz by his presence. He transformed back and collapsed upon his bed. “Danny, what happened?” Jazz asked quickly.

 

“I'm…not sure…” Danny said as he got up halfway; he then grabbed Jazz and hugged her.

 

Jazz was surprised, but she held him back. “…When you're ready…tell me everything.”

 

~

“…Yes…”

 

The crystal ball showed the gloomy embrace between Danny and Jazz.

 

“…Yes…!”

 

The crystal ball showed the retreating and crying Lisa Phantasm.

 

“Yes! YES! SHE HAS DONE IT!!”

 

Nightshade began to laugh maniacally.

~

[1] Based on the quote, “There's no `I' in `Team.'”


Jeez, short chapter...sorry!
Tee-hee, I added Danielle! She wasn't gonna be in my fanfiction originally because her episode hadn't aired yet, but now that I know `n' love her...welcome to Serenity's Stories, Dani! ^^
And as for her outfit being all that she had, I'm actually not too sure. I can't help but think so because recall that Vlad really had no intention of keeping her, so he probably didn't care much for giving her everything she needed...like more clothes. (*Rolls eyes*)
OMG!! POOR DANNY AND LISA!! (*GASP!!*) So THAT'S why Nightshade wanted Lisa to find a way to stop her darkness! So this would happen!
Huh...what happened between them sounds like a Sailor Moon plotline...if you don't know what Sailor Moon is...you're silly! XD
And why wasn't there a ghost attack tonight?
All will explained soon, I promise!!
Seeya!