Fondest greetings to you all,
As you may or may not know, this is my first fanfic. If there are any critics among you, the readers, who have nothing positive to say to me, do us all a favor and hold your tongue. Understand? Good.
That being said, I feel that it is my duty to warn you beforehand: I might not have much time to work on this story due to my frequent writer's block and busy schedule. Also, any ideas or suggestions on how to move the plot forward will be greatly appreciated.
Well now...on with the show!
Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is the copyright of Butch Hartman.
The Phantom of Amity Park
Chapter One: Manson's Gift
GHOST BOY SAVES CITY!
Sam Manson read through the 72-point Copperplate newspaper headline for the fifth time. It had been three days since her best friend had defeated Pariah Dark and freed the town of Amity Park from the ghost king's clutches. The national press (and possibly international, Sam considered) was eating this up like candy. More importantly, Danny Phantom was finally seen as a hero in many people's eyes.
Speaking of which, he should have been here by now, she thought. She had invited Danny and Tucker to her house over an hour ago.
It's probably ghost trouble. Nothing Danny can't handle. If he defeated the Ghost King, anything else must be a walk in the park.
Just then, Sam heard the low revving of a car advancing into her driveway. Its unique droning sound immediately signaled it as her father's. He had been out on business for the last two days, partially because he need some time away from this town. Her mother and grandmother sympathized with this, yet stayed behind to aid in further repairs to the damage.
Sam put down the newspaper and went to greet her father. After all, her parents might have been uptight snobs, but she still cared about them.
"I'm hoooome!" her father's dry voice rang through the foyer. "Hi Pumpkin!"
"Hi Dad," replied Sam as she hugged her father.
"Good evening, sir," came the butler's cultured tones from behind Sam. "I trust your trip to Paris was satisfactory?"
Sam released her father so he could speak.
"Not really," her father said. "The investment fell through. I tell you, it's just not convenient to give money to some place so far away. On the upside, though, I brought a souvenir for you, Sam."
He opened his suitcase and produced a small wooden box lined with black velvet. It was embroidered with brass, and a bare spot on top signified where a figurine used to stand.
Mr. Manson handed the box to Sam. "My second cousin gave that to me," he explained. "Said it was an old family heirloom. He didn't explain anything about that song it plays, though."
"Song?" questioned Sam.
"It's a music box. Listen." She opened the top, and the box started to let out a soothing, somewhat haunting tune. Just the kind of music she liked. Her purple lips curled into a small smile.
"Thanks, Dad." With that, she took the box up to her room and waited for her friends to arrive, listening to the box's haunting song the whole time.
Moonlight covered Amity Park like a blanket that night. It had brought an eerie, unworldly miasma to the darkness, creating an overall mood of uneasiness to anyone unfortunate enough to be awake.
Danny Fenton was not one of those people. He, along with the rest of his family, had been exhausted from the ordeal with Pariah Dark. Yet while he slept, a thousand questions ran through his mind: How did Vlad gain the allegiance of the Fright Knight? What happened to the Ecto-Skeleton? What was he to do now that people no longer feared him?
As these thoughts clouded Danny's dreams, a giant mass of fog gathered on the roof opposite the Fenton residence. The way it was moving might have signified some sort of thought on its part.
Slowly, the fog compressed and materialized. Out of the haze stepped a dark, humanoid figure, silhouetted against the full moon. In the dim light, one could see that it was wearing a knee-length cloak and a slouch hat that enveloped its face in shadow. The only visible facial features were its glowing eyes: the left being sky blue, the right a darker, oceanic shade.
The figure delicately stepped towards the edge of the roof, staring down at the house across from it. After a few seconds, it clapped its hands together, materializing a glowing blue spyglass, which it used to peer into Danny Fenton's window.
"It must be somewhere in this town," the form said to no one in particular. It had a masterful, weary voice that seemed to come from everywhere at the same time. "If not, at least I have the famous Danny Phantom to point me in the right direction. These people are the main obstacle. All that equipment is apparently designed to detect ghosts, and I don't want anyone getting in the way of my affairs."
It lowered the spyglass, which vanished with a wisp of smoke. "However if they insist, they will meet the fate of all who dare to cross me." The form then let out a malevolent cackle as it took off into the night, its cloak whipping in the wind.
What do you think? I mentioned my writer's block already, so any helpful suggestions will be most appreciated. As I stated before, flames will not be tolerated, though helpful criticism is tolerable.
I thank you all again for reading my first work.
Your sincerest regards,
Monsieur Caracal.