Ethereal

23

The group arrived at the Mystery Shack, carefully evading Maddie's and Jack's sight as they slipped into the wooden cabin. Setting the kids down in the living room, all of them stretched their arms before the Fentons rushed in.

"Oh, good, you're home," Maddie said, relaxing her grip on the gun.

"What's going on?" Jazz queried, eyeing her parents suspiciously.

"We saw Phantom in your home, Mr. Pines," Maddie offered, holding out her hand to stop her husband from saying anything more.

"Phantom?" Stan inquired.

"He's an extremely dangerous ghost from our hometown, Amity Park."

"We'll be extending our stay while we search for him, and any other ghosts that we need to tear apart molecule by molecule!" Jack announced, ignoring his wife's silent plea and swinging his gun over his arm.

Jazz glared angrily at Danny as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, earning several glances from Mr. Pines and his parents as he did so.

Wendy stirred behind them.

"Are they okay?" Maddie asked, her motherly instincts taking over. In a flash, she was by Wendy's side, checking her pulse and eyeing the dried blood on her skin.

"Eh, they're fine," Stan assured. "Just passed out after a long day. Wendy must've got a scratch."

"You sure they're alright?"

"Positive! Now, are you going to buy something or not? Phandlam's obviously not in here anymore."

"Phantom," Danny muttered, correcting him.

"Shut up, kid," Stan fired back, hissing it under his breath.

"Well, I suppose you're right," Maddie relented, standing slowly.

"Come on, Mads, let's go catch that ghost!"

Together, the two left the Shack, Jack eagerly running out the door. As the door slammed shut, the three of them sank onto the floor, lying down next to their unconscious friends.

Wendy groaned again, and her eyes blinked open. She squinted against the light and pushed herself off the ground, holding her head. "Ow, what happened?"

Danny shrugged. "There was a bright light, then poof! Everyone was back to normal."

Wendy looked down at her body and felt her face, grimacing as she noticed the flaky substance on her neck. Pulling away, she saw dried blood resting just underneath her fingernails.

"You need a towel, Wolfy?" Danny chuckled, going to stand.

"It's fine, City Boy, I'm perfectly capable of getting one myself."

Danny smiled cheekily at the nickname he had once despised. "What'd you get into, anyway?"

"I don't know. Must've happened when I went full wolf."

Danny snorted. "Full wolf."

"You gonna explain, kid?" Stan queried from the couch. He was eyeing the halfa warily, studying his movements.

"I'd say wait until everyone else is awake," Jazz responded, saving Danny from having to talk. "No sense in repeating the story."

"How am I supposed to trust you?"

Danny shrugged as Wendy walked back into the room, a moist towel in her hands. "I saved these guys, remember?"

Stan squinted. "Why don't your parents like you if you're such a wonderful ... thing?"