Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Glitches in Time ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

"Come on, we've go a ways to go yet," Danielle said, as she and her brother lifted into the air once again and began floating away. Still a little nervous, the seven humans and one halfling followed.

"Where are you taking us?" Danny questioned as he drifted between Sam and Tucker.

"The Gate Grove."

"The what?" Danny asked giving his two future children strange looks. He had never heard of the Gate Grove at any time while in the Ghost-Zone.

"It's pretty much what it sounds like," Danielle said with a shrug, "A bunch of Gates all together in one place."

"Well then aren't we here?" Valerie said puzzled, waving a hand at all of the floating doors around them.

"No, not Doors, Gates." Danielle clarified, "There's a difference. Doors open into difference dimensions and they tend to change to where they lead to a lot, Gates however are designated to open up directly into the domain of an Old One."

"Where can you find this... Gate Grove?" Danny questioned, mentally picturing his map of the Ghost-Zone.

"Usually only by accident," Danielle informed them, "The Grove tends to move about."

"Then how are you going to find it?" Kwan questioned.

Danielle taped a gloved finger to the medallion resting against her collarbone, "These guide us. So don't worry, we know where it is."

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"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" A musical voice said from above, turning their heads upwards, they all looked at the blue-flaming-haired ghost that was hovering over them.

"Ember McLain?" Five voices who had not known previously that the rock-star was a ghost shouted in surprise.

"How interesting," Ember purred as her fingers lightly strummed the strings of her guitar, "Humans in the Ghost-Zone. And who do I spy but a certain… Ghost-Boy."

"Ember," Danny growled, his green eyes shifting to yellow.

 "I see." The ghostly musician said, her green eyes looking slyly at the girl next to Phantom, "Still heartbroken over your dark little girlfriend?"

Five pairs of eyes exchanged looks as those that did not know Phantom's identity made some mental connections. Was Ember referring to Sam? But she was with Fenton.... Wasn't she?

Danny shifted to stand between Ember and Sam instinctively, vividly remembering what had happened last time Ember placed him under thrall. A low growl resonating in his throat as unconsciously his greatest power began to build deep within his chest.

Two Phantoms who'd been ignored exchanged looks. They knew that sound when they heard it and it was their cue to cut in.

"Sorry to interrupt," Danielle said as she tapped the ghost rock-star on the shoulder, "But we really what to keep our hearing."

The ghostly singer screeched angrily, "Are you saying my singing's bad?!"

"Yes," Samuel growled.

"Especially compared to Lilith," Danielle chimed in.

"No one sings better then me!" Ember growled as her hand shifted a setting on her guitar.

"Bring it on," Samuel growled eagerly as a green blade emerged from his staff.

"Yeah, we've got some steam to work off," Danielle said as her staff also became a scythe.

Ember's green eyes narrowed as her blue hair flared up. Her fingers raked across guitar strings and unleashed a blast of sound waves comprised of ectoplasm.

The two Phantoms dodged to the side, forcing Danny to grab Sam and Tucker who where in the path of the destructive attack. The sound waves hit the pathway and disintegrated the ground, creating a gap that opened into the abyssal depths of the Ghost-Zone.

"Oops," Danielle cringed as she looked at the human party, "Forgot about them."

"Then lets get this over with quick," Samuel rumbled.

"‘Kay! After you!" Danielle said with a cheeky grin and a gesture of her hand.

"With pleasure!" Samuel growled as he charged forwards, the scythe's ectoplasm blade flaring larger. A few lightning quick movements of the scythe and Ember's guitar was firewood.

"You destroyed my guitar!" Ember shrieked, "You will pay for this!"

"Nah ah!" Danielle teased from behind as the staff end of her scythe bopped the ghostly singer on the head, freezing her in place as an ectoplasmic mist wrapped around her.

"I love this move," Danielle crowed gleefully. "I'm so glad Daddy finally taught it to us."

Danny blinked, he could do that?

"Yeah, but what do we do with her now?" Samuel grumbled.

Two glowing green eyes meet as two minds came to the same devious conclusion.

"Klemper."

Ember's eyes rolled frantically and one could practically hear her pleading though she was unable to speak or move.

Smirks adorning their faces the siblings turned and faced the abyss of the Ghost-Zone. Drawing deep breaths they unleashed a cry infused with the power of the Ghostly Wail, insuring it would be heard throughout the realm.

"Klemper! Wanna be friends?!"

Danny blanched, turning even more ghostly pale when far off in the distance after the echo of the cry had faded, an enthusiastic screech of glee was heard.

"You know, when we're evil, we're really evil." Danielle mustered to her brother as they turned back to face the group.

"Yeah!" Danny agreed forcefully.

Danielle gave a cheeky grin, "And now its time to leave."

"Why? Who's Klemper? Is he dangerous?" Valerie questioned as the two Phantom siblings hustled them away from the statuary form of Ember.

Danny rolled his eyes remembering his own difficulties with the overly friendly ghost and muttered, "Not really, but he's an annoying pest."

"Yep, you could say that again," Danielle agreed, "Klemper has one fault, he wants to be your friend."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Star said with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Sam and Tucker rolled their own eyes. They had had encounters with Klemper themselves and definitely sided with the Phantoms on their opinions regarding the pyjama-wearing ghost.

"With a friend like Klemper, you don't need enemies." Danielle said dryly.

"Oh," was the blonde cheerleader's muted response.

"If that was Ember McLain," Valerie began thoughtfully.

"In the flesh..." Danielle said, her face quirking into a funny expression, "So to speak."

"Then it's possible for ghosts to masquerade as humans, not just overshadow them?" Valerie questioned.

"Yes," Danny answered, "And before you ask, you've meet a few others, especially before you became a ghost-hunter."

"Who?" Valerie questioned, mentally running through her list of suspicious persons as she eyed the Ghost-Boy suspiciously.

"Do you remember Doctor Penelope Spectra and Mr. Bertrand?" Danny said.

"The school councillor and her receptionist Casper had a while back?" Valerie replied.

"Yep," Danny confirmed, "They were ghosts."

"Then who else is a ghost?" Valerie asked, voicing the question that was suddenly predominant on the mind of the other unknowing humans. They had all been possessed before by ghosts, especially when Phantom became the #1 Public Enemy and they did not want to think about them knowing people who were not overshadowed but genuinely ghosts.

"More then you know," was Danny's cryptic reply, "More then you know."