Ethereal

16

"How you holding up?"

Pacifica Northwest stared up at Wendy as they walked towards the shack. Her eyebrows furrowed as she studied the wolf's calm figure.

"Are you being serious?"

Wendy scoffed. "Hey, look on the bright side. At least you didn't wake up this morning next to a pile of flies and rotten animal meat."

Pacifica wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Thanks for that image."

"Just trying to give you a new perspective."

The two passed through branches and brambles until they came upon a clearing. It was the lake, the morning sun shining brightly off its surface. Pacifica's mouth opened as she looked across the water, studying the view. Never before had she ventured this deep into the woods. Wendy began walking towards a lone figure sitting cross-legged on the rotted dock. The preteen had no choice but to follow.

"Have you seen him yet?" Wendy asked, sticking her hand into her pocket. The other hand still desperately clung to the journal.

Jazz jumped, her head swiveling around to face the sudden voice. As her fear turned to confusion, she stood up to meet the two on the dock.

"Wendy, they've been looking for you everywhere! Where did you go . . . ?" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the snake-haired girl.

"Who is she?" Pacifica was the first to ask the question both of them had been wondering.

"Pacifica, Jazz. Jazz, Pacifica."

"Stunning introductions," Jazz commented.

"Oh, shut up. Her family is really rich and preppy. Like, if we don't get her home soon, everything is going downhill. We'll probably have federal agents on our tails."

Jazz rolled her eyes. "I know what that's like."

There was a splash in the water behind them all, and with a gasp they turned to see the head that had just popped up out of the water. Jazz ran towards it and fell onto the edge of the dock, leaning over the edge.

"Who is that?" Pacifica's eyes had widened at Danny's appearance.

"That's Danny Fenton. Usually he's just a teen, I promise."

Pacifica blinked. "Do my eyes look like that?"

Wendy shrugged indifferently and headed over to where Jazz and Danny were talking. Pacifica slithered slowly behind, watching as the merman slowly backed away as they approached.

"You look terrible," Wendy said.

"I can see you're feeling better," Danny retorted, shaking his wet hair. He noticed Pacifica and groaned loudly. "You just had to get someone else involved."

"Look, she found me. We also found the book, so we might be able to figure out how to cure us."

"We better do it fast," Danny said, his eyes widening in worry.

"What do you mean?" Jazz inquired.

"Apparently we're all going to get worse until we become entirely what we're turning into."

"We knew that from the beginning," Wendy stated, looking bored.

"Yeah, but some of us are going to be dangerous." Danny shifted his eyes, staring at Wendy. "I'm going to be the worst out of all of you."

Jazz sighed and Wendy could see the silent conversation in the siblings' eyes, talking back and forth with nothing but sympathetic and worrisome stares. She cleared her throat and gestures towards the Mystery Shack.

"Are you coming, Jazz? We could really use your help."

"No thanks." Jazz turned back to look at them. "I think I'll stay here with Danny."

"Jazz, you really should go," Danny said, nodding towards the forest.

"I have to talk to you."

With a shrug, Wendy and Pacifica walked away, casting worrisome glances at the two. The preteen murmured questions into the older one's ear as they walked. Jazz followed them with her eyes until they were out of sight.

"Jazz, what are you doing here? I'm just going to hurt all of you."

"I'm not going to let you hurt anyone, Danny, and neither are you. You aren't that kind of person."

"You've seen me around everyone else. You've seen me when I ..." He dropped his head, not able to finish the sentence.

"Danny, I know that's not you. I know that you would never give in to it."

"But I have before!" Danny lifted his hands out of the water and splashed, swimming anxiously.

"The only time you've spiraled out of control is when you were hypnotized, and even then you stopped yourself."

"What about Dan?" The teen murmured quietly.

"He's a ghost. You're a kid."

"I'm obviously not anymore. From what I can see, I'm just a merman. I'm already going downhill, it's only a matter of time."

"Danny, you're a kid. Ghost powers or not, you're still—wait, can you still use your ghost powers?"

Danny shrugged. "I haven't tried."

Jazz pointed at a random tree in the forest. "Do it now. Shoot at that tree, I just want to see if—"

The merman sighed slightly, sticking his fist out of the water. It glowed ecto-green before electrifying the water around him.

"Ow!" He yelled as he was shocked. A stray blast flew out of his hand and into a far away bush, which burned on contact.

Behind it, Pacifica and Wendy stared.

"Oh—" Danny started, but the two ran off into the woods before he could say anything. Jazz held a hand to her mouth.

"That was my fault," she whispered.

"Jazz, don't be ridiculous, just—"

The teen stood. "Don't worry, Danny, I'll fix this. I promise."

Before her little brother could object, Jazz was running into the forest, shouting after them.

* * *

Wendy and Pacifica entered the Mystery Shack, their breathing labored. Dipper looked up in surprise, standing as he studied Pacifica's body. Wendy held out a hand to stop him from asking questions.

"Guys," she breathed, studying the misfit group around them, "you're never going to believe what I just saw."

Thanks for all your unending support. I'm almost at 500 votes!