The Gloaming - 00 - Prologue

Prologue: The Hunting

I hate doing this. Running away with some lame excuse to protect them. I hate having to lie to the one who has become my closest friend, and all because of my job. But I know I have to do it. I’m the only one capable enough to keep this town safe. It is my responsibility. I’m the one who has to take care of the ghosts who terrorize Amity Park.

As if this day hadn’t been excruciating enough… It all began this morning when I was heading to my English class. First, I arrived late and was immediately given detention; then, during the pop quiz that Mr. Lancer so kindly decided to give us, my mind was struggling, trying to find answers to things I knew I didn’t have time to study for. Therefore, I know I failed. How does Lancer expect me to concentrate on Shakespeare when there’s a two-headed ghost on the loose?

To make matters worse, a couple of hours later, I had to turn in a science project with my partner but, apparently, he was too busy to bring his part of the report. Ok, so I didn’t finish my share of the task either, but I expected him to write at least a page to save our grade. What he does all day is way beyond me. The only guys I see that busy and tired have a job or a girlfriend, and I know for sure that he has neither.

Who am I kidding? I can’t get mad at him for not doing the homework I was also supposed to do. Besides, I can’t hold any hard feelings towards that boy because I really care about him. He has been there for me even though I used to be a jerk with him and his friends. With his heartfelt smile and his goofy attitude he has made me feel like I really have someone I can count on now, something that my previous group of so-called friends never managed to achieve. I still can’t believe I used to hang out with people like Dash and Paulina, or that I even dared to date Kwan. What was I thinking back then?

As much as I don’t like to admit it, I was a conceited snob at that time. I only cared about wearing the latest in fashion, keeping appearances, going to the best parties, and even making fun of the ones I used to call ‘losers’.

When I lost all of it because of a stupid ghost’s fault, it made me realize what my priorities in life should be. I came face to face with danger, so I knew I had to stop every ghoul that came along from ruining the lives of innocent people. That became priority number one: protect this town, like I said.

I also realized how much work my dad really has. So I took (for a short period of time) a job at the Nasty Burger, to help him with our financial problems. Things got better in that aspect soon after, so I was able to drop that hateful job. Still, I now know I have to be more responsible and supportive with my dad. After all, he’s all the family I have left.

Though, even when that is my main priority at home, it really is the second in the list after my ghost hunting. If I want to help dad and keep him safe, I have to make this town a better place first. If I stop fighting those sacks of ectoplasm, everyone –even my dad- can end up hurt by their attacks. But none of that will happen if I can help it.

So, after this crappy day (which, sadly, isn’t any different from the others), here I am, currently looking for a place to hide. Trying to change into my hunting gear to chase the menace that my ghost tracker detected a minute ago. I just came out of detention along with the friend I mentioned before, Danny Fenton. I was even having a normal conversation with him, but my job once again attempted to kill my social life. I had to tell him something quick to justify my sudden hurry to leave. I really hate lying to him, but sometimes it’s necessary if it means he won’t end in harm’s way.

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“The ghost child should be here by now,” I hear a voice once I reach the roof of Casper High. I am trying to sneak on him once my tracker indicated his location.
I never sneak behind my opponents, but I’m sure Danny’s still around and I don’t want him to get hurt because of this fight. I know his parents are ghost hunters, but seeing how scrawny he is, I really don’t want to put his ghost-hunting skills to test.

Thankfully, my new suit has an advanced stealth mode so that the enemy won’t notice me as easily. As I fly on my jet sled closer to the ghost, I notice that he’s holding a pair of binoculars to observe someone on the ground level. I also realize who this ghost is: Skulker. I’ll never forget his name. Not after what he did a few months ago. He had the nerve to pair me up with Phantom just to see who was worthy to be his prey.

That’s the first time I trusted the ghost boy. He made me believe he wasn’t that bad after all. Yeah, right. He’s such a friendly ghost that he had the kind gesture of exposing my identity in front of my dad. And not only that. He even destroyed my previous suit. Someone else was controlling it and Phantom attacked it thinking that it was me. He blasted it into pieces. That could’ve been me. I could’ve died because of that traitor. So much for holding a truce, I see.

My internal monologue is suddenly interrupted as I hear Skulker speak. What is it with bad guys always voicing their thoughts? “There he is. Why hasn’t he changed? He must be afraid of being seen by someone. My new surprise won’t work if he’s not suited for battle,” he says out loud, confusing me with every sentence spoken. What the heck is he talking about?

I prepare my cannon but I suddenly notice another object in his hands. It’s a small device with the words ‘Plasmius Maximus’ written on the side. I think I’ve heard that name before, but right now I’m more concentrated on the ghost in front of me than a possible cryptic message behind that name.

He holds it in a tighter grip as if to reassure himself that it’s still there. I finally make my decision and fire my big gun, which hits Skulker’s back and makes him fall from the roof.

I fly after my fallen enemy and I notice who he might have been watching: Danny. My blue-eyed friend is standing there, staring at Skulker and me. “What are you waiting for? Run!” I yell at him once I see that the ghost is standing up. Another good thing about my new suit is that my voice can have a bit of an echo added to make it sound different. I don’t use that feature often, but it can come handy sometimes.

Fenton looks at us with clenched teeth and fists but runs away towards the park across the street. It’s not big, but at least it can be used as a temporary hideout if he wants to.

Unfortunately, this distracts me and Skulker uses the opportunity to hit me in the jaw, which makes me fall from my glider. He turns around in Danny’s direction. “You’re not going anywhere,” he yells. I still can’t figure out what he wants with him. Maybe it’s just because he’s the son of two ghost hunters. Maybe he wants to use their portal to the Ghost Zone or maybe some equipment and the only way of doing so is by kidnapping the Fenton boy. After all, he’s the youngest and, therefore, the most defenseless member of the family, right?

I stand up as fast as I can and jump into my jet sled again. “No, YOU are the one who’s not going anywhere,” I exclaim enraged and shoot a net that traps the ghost. He pulls out a blade from his metallic hand and rips the net open.

“Is that the best you can do, hunter girl?” he taunts as he flies a couple of feet above me.

“No. I was just warming up,” I reply, making two missiles appear beneath my glider.

The self-proclaimed greatest hunter of the Ghost Zone smirks confidently. I fire the aforementioned weapons and he flies away, towards the park where Danny ran a couple of seconds ago.

The missiles hit the ground after the ghost dodges them. Now I’m even more worried about my friend than I was before.

Just as I’m about to chase Skulker, I see him floating above the trees followed by none other than the ghost kid. What if Phantom did something to Fenton? After all, Danny ran straight to him not long ago.

“So, at last you decide to appear,” Skulker says as he evades a blast from Phantom. “I was beginning to think that you were avoiding me”.

The ghost kid kicks him in the back and punches his face. “Just being cautious,” he replies and for a second there I think he glanced in my direction. “As far as I know, you could just have been the Box Ghost”.

That’s it. I’m not staying behind any more. They’re both going down. I launch another missile and it explodes between them, the blast sends them both flying backwards. “Thought you could leave me out of a fight?” I ask as I approach the ghosts. I grab two grenades, which I throw towards my two enemies. Skulker phases through the one thrown at him, while Phantom deflects the other one with a shield.

“Valerie, go away. I’m trying to beat someone here,” the ghost kid says as I try to blast him with my ecto-gun.

At this point, I’m so angry at him that I even allow myself to forget about Skulker. “Don’t you dare to say my name again,” I yell through gritted teeth. Meanwhile, one of my blasts finally hits him on the chest.

“Val, don’t—“

“Shut up!” I cut him mid-sentence. “Don’t talk to me like we’re friends. The only chance you had to redeem yourself is now gone. You humiliated and hurt me. You even tried to kill me. So, don’t ‘Val’ me. You don’t even have the right to do so. I swear to you, Phantom, I’m going to make sure your afterlife is a real hell before I vanish you from existence”.

As I said those words, we just floated in front of each other. I really didn’t know I had THAT much anger stored inside of me, but I feel liberated after I finally said it. Now as we stare at each other in silence, I can see something strange in Phantom’s eyes. Sadness? Fear? Guilt? Defeat? Hurt? It’s probably just his way to distract me.

I pull out my cannon again. Our gazes are locked though mine is fierce while his is… just a strange look I can’t figure out. I have my finger on the trigger, but someone I forgot to pay attention to cuts into the scene. Skulker uses the device he was holding before and attacks Phantom while he’s staring at me.

Skulker laughs. We both hear the screams of pain coming from the ghost boy. “It seems like people keep inadvertently trying to help me. Thank you, hunter girl, for giving me the chance to do my job,” he says with a triumphant smile and, with a last cackle, he disappears.

I return my gaze where my most despised enemy was, where Phantom had been floating, but he isn’t there anymore. He probably lost consciousness and fell. Or maybe he just disappeared. I decide to walk down to the park to find out.

Hiding my glider inside of my boots, I cautiously stroll into the small place where Phantom must’ve fallen and where Danny was also taking cover. My heart skips a beat when I realize the danger he could be in. I accelerate my pace, holding a gun in my hands. I don’t know what Skulker did to the ghost kid, but I still don’t think it’s safe to take any risks.

By now, the sun had begun to set. The sky is painted in different tones of pink and orange, preparing the city for the darkness that will come in several minutes.

I keep looking for something and I see a purple backpack lying on the ground. My heart is now beating like crazy as I recognize who it belongs to. I just hope he’s alright. “Danny? Are you there?” I don’t really care if I have to make up some excuse or if he actually finds out my secret. I’m more scared for his safety than a stupid double identity.

I grab the bag and continue walking, but not for long. I stop when I see a gloved hand behind a bush. I get closer and I soon discover the ghost kid’s bruised and unconscious body lying on the ground.

I can barely stand the sight. Not because of the ectoplasm coming out of the multiple cuts that the fall must’ve caused to his now battered body. I just can’t stand looking at him without feeling betrayed and enraged.

He’s not moving nor breathing, but what else can I expect from a ghost? This is not how I want it to end. I’m not going to finish his miserable afterlife while he’s out cold. If there’s a grand finale, it will be with a fight just between the both of us.

Unsure of what to do, I kneel next to him to check for any signs of awareness. I suddenly remember about Danny and how he left his bag behind. Maybe he just dropped it. I decide to call him to his cell phone, hoping it’s not in the backpack I’m holding.

As I dial his number, I glance once again at the broken figure of Phantom. His face wears a pained expression and I have to turn away from the sight to concentrate on the call. As I hear the dialing tone in my cell phone, I notice an echoing ringing every time the dial takes a pause. I turn around once more and follow the second sound. Danny has to be nearby. I freeze once I notice that the ringing is coming from Phantom’s pocket. I retrieve the object I feared to find from his suit. Sure enough, it was Danny’s phone. My eyes go wide as I stare at the now silent device at the same time that I hang up my cell phone.

The only thing I can exclaim during my shock is a single name in a weak whisper: “Danny”.