Nothing to Fear
Note: In this RGB/XGB fanfiction, our heroes and heroines face their greatest fears and discover that none of them are ever truly alone.
"Courage leads to the stars, fear toward death."—Seneca
"The weapon of the brave is in his heart."—Proverb
Prologue
"That upstart Spengler has ruined my plans for the Einstein Award again !", Dr. Desmund Donavan belted, hammering his balled fist upon the counter of his working space. The disturbance he had caused with his outburst had caused him to break one of his glass flasks. "Oh, blast ! Why do I even trifle with the Physics Forum ? Or even the New York Scientist's Annual Meeting ? Feh !", Desmund shouted, storming out of his laboratory into his study, where he often liked to meditate in order to escape the world that didn't understand him, or his motives. Looking around his vast library, he came upon an exotic looking book that had Anglo- Saxon print on its cover. It said Pratical Majik: The Way of Necromancy in golden letters when Desmund blew the dust from its weathered face. The pages were hardened and the leather spine was hard to crack, but with a little effort, Dr. Donavan was able to delve into the black book and begin to plot his revenge against his nemesis.
Desmund flipped through the pages of the ancient text and found what he was looking for. In the runic language of Middle English, he placed a hex upon Egon and those who were close to him. With his rudimentary crystal ball, he could watch them squirm underneath his mental prowess, trapped in the abyss of their own fears.
Chapter 1—Encompassing Darkness
Gabriella heard the constant maniacal laughter of faceless, demon- like figures taunting her. "What's the matter, little Gabby ? Too frightened to kick our posteriors ?", one questioned. "I bet she couldn't do anything to whip us anyhow. After all, she is just a girl !", another shouted, its sadistic laughter resonating from its gullet. It didn't matter how angry she had become with these creatures. She was too frightened to do anything to retaliate. They continued to surround her, encroaching upon her territory and continuing to mock and taunt her unmercifully. All she could do was curl herself into fetal position and wait until the evil around her disappeared. Unfortunately, the monsters weren't going away any time soon.
Meanwhile, the other Paranormal Department members were stuck in their own horrible nightmares. Each nightmare seemed more horrific than the last, and it didn't seem like there was any hope of escape from the trepidation each one of them had to face in the confines of their minds. But, suddenly the paternal, rational voice of Egon could be heard by some of the group, even amidst all the screams of fear. "It's only an illusion. We are experiencing a unified night terror. Recall a pleasant memory ! That should ward off any 'demons' lurking about.", he shouted. Poor Hanna, Juanita and Ray Junior were the only ones who had not been able to dismiss their trepidation as illusions. Egon had done all he could, but Raphael and the other adolescents had a capital idea. "I'm sure if we call Vectre and Giselle they will be able to help the others. We need to join hands and focus our thoughts toward them.", Raphael said. Without further ado, the group linked hands and directed their pleas of help beyond the veil into the Netherworld.
Chapter 3—Enter Vectre and Giselle
In a matter of milliseconds, the immortals had arrived and they were able to lead the three teenagers to one another. At that precise moment, a howl was heard throughout the "nightmare". "Curse you, whomever you may be !", an adamant growl exclaimed as the "walls" of the illusionary world. Before the enclosure fell, Giselle and Vectre spirited the Paranormal Department out of the collapsing nightmare and returned them to the safety of their homes.
Meanwhile...
Dr. Donavan fumed, hurtling the ominous book across his study. Instantly, black and blue flames consumed the book and a chorus of otherworldly voices could be heard. "No longer in human hands shall this book be, we are spiriting it away to unknown lands for all eternity.", the chorus stated, solemnly. "Bah. I don't wish to have anything to do with this wretched book to begin with. Rid me of its abhorrent presence !", Desmund said, lowering his head a bit. As he watched the evil tome disappear, he found himself ashamed of the destruction his anger had caused. His study was an unholy mess. Yet, with some work he was able to put everything in its place and discard the runic crystal ball he had used to torment the members of the Paranormal Department. He wanted to repent for his actions, but he didn't know where to start until an exceptional thought came to mind. With some study and observation of his rival he could learn how to become a better scientist. First, he had to look past all of his flaws, especially when it came to an overbearing outlook and egotistic mannerisms. It would take a lot of effort, but he promised he would let the truth be known and make amends with his enemy. Little did he know that he and Egon were about to become sturdy in friendship and in trust. However, for the moment, he had issues simply dealing with defeat.
Epilogue
The lives of the members of the Paranormal Department began to calm down once they had realized they wouldn't be having any nightmares ever again, thanks to Giselle and Vectre. Giselle and Vectre had been thanked non-verbally by the PDNY, and the evil book that had once been possessed by Dr. Donovan was nothing more than ash scattered about the Netherworld. Magic could not be held by mere words alone, and the dust itself carried no power either, so it was no threat and only a memory.
After a long period of introspection, Desmund had come to grips with the person he really was. He had gathered the courage to speak to Dr. Spengler and come to know him on a personal level. Before he knew it, he was frequenting Egon's lab and being investigated by Slimer, the Spengler's resident free-floating specter. At long last, Desmund was able to reveal the deep, dark secret that he had placed Egon and his friends under a hex. Egon completely understood, being of thoughtful disposition and said, "Don't hearken too fully upon the past, Desmund. What we must focus on now is the future, and the infinite possibilities it holds." Desmund nodded and allowed himself to smile for the first time. He felt now that he was sincerely alive and experiencing the completeness of friendship. In the year to come, he was going to assist in Dr. Spengler's latest experiments and if, indeed they won the prize, they would share it.
Although Desmund was a lone wolf, people that genuinely supported him in his efforts to make the world a better place had surrounded him. He had completely repented and had been reconciled for any wrongdoing. In fact, he had recommended joining the Paranormal Department of New York. He would have to undergo some vigorous tests and learn the jargon and rules, but he agreed he would do his best to ameliorate as much as he possibly could. The Paranormal Department was always welcome to new members once they proved themselves mentally and physically and Desmund was able to do that and so much more as time marched on. No matter what the task, he would be available to lend relief, a keen wit, and his constant loyalty to the group. He was proof that even those set in their ways can renew themselves and turn over a new leaf with support from friends. And for as long as he could, Desmund would remember this manifesto that had been passed down by a wise mentor of his...
Without friends, man has no one to lean on
Without the advice of others, man can only rely upon his own thought
Introspection can bring light into the darkness,
But, man must also look beyond himself to eviscerate knowledge
You are part of a greater plan, my son
Thrust yourself outward into the world and discover what part you play
You might just encounter that without your guidance
The world might not have been blessed with such brilliance
Yet, don't become puffed-up with your own intellect
Know that it is the Divine Spark within you that yielded it
And that Divine power can be used toward the greater good of mankind.
The End
By: Elizabeth Berndt
September 5, 2003
Note: In this RGB/XGB fanfiction, our heroes and heroines face their greatest fears and discover that none of them are ever truly alone.
"Courage leads to the stars, fear toward death."—Seneca
"The weapon of the brave is in his heart."—Proverb
Prologue
"That upstart Spengler has ruined my plans for the Einstein Award again !", Dr. Desmund Donavan belted, hammering his balled fist upon the counter of his working space. The disturbance he had caused with his outburst had caused him to break one of his glass flasks. "Oh, blast ! Why do I even trifle with the Physics Forum ? Or even the New York Scientist's Annual Meeting ? Feh !", Desmund shouted, storming out of his laboratory into his study, where he often liked to meditate in order to escape the world that didn't understand him, or his motives. Looking around his vast library, he came upon an exotic looking book that had Anglo- Saxon print on its cover. It said Pratical Majik: The Way of Necromancy in golden letters when Desmund blew the dust from its weathered face. The pages were hardened and the leather spine was hard to crack, but with a little effort, Dr. Donavan was able to delve into the black book and begin to plot his revenge against his nemesis.
Desmund flipped through the pages of the ancient text and found what he was looking for. In the runic language of Middle English, he placed a hex upon Egon and those who were close to him. With his rudimentary crystal ball, he could watch them squirm underneath his mental prowess, trapped in the abyss of their own fears.
Chapter 1—Encompassing Darkness
Gabriella heard the constant maniacal laughter of faceless, demon- like figures taunting her. "What's the matter, little Gabby ? Too frightened to kick our posteriors ?", one questioned. "I bet she couldn't do anything to whip us anyhow. After all, she is just a girl !", another shouted, its sadistic laughter resonating from its gullet. It didn't matter how angry she had become with these creatures. She was too frightened to do anything to retaliate. They continued to surround her, encroaching upon her territory and continuing to mock and taunt her unmercifully. All she could do was curl herself into fetal position and wait until the evil around her disappeared. Unfortunately, the monsters weren't going away any time soon.
Meanwhile, the other Paranormal Department members were stuck in their own horrible nightmares. Each nightmare seemed more horrific than the last, and it didn't seem like there was any hope of escape from the trepidation each one of them had to face in the confines of their minds. But, suddenly the paternal, rational voice of Egon could be heard by some of the group, even amidst all the screams of fear. "It's only an illusion. We are experiencing a unified night terror. Recall a pleasant memory ! That should ward off any 'demons' lurking about.", he shouted. Poor Hanna, Juanita and Ray Junior were the only ones who had not been able to dismiss their trepidation as illusions. Egon had done all he could, but Raphael and the other adolescents had a capital idea. "I'm sure if we call Vectre and Giselle they will be able to help the others. We need to join hands and focus our thoughts toward them.", Raphael said. Without further ado, the group linked hands and directed their pleas of help beyond the veil into the Netherworld.
Chapter 3—Enter Vectre and Giselle
In a matter of milliseconds, the immortals had arrived and they were able to lead the three teenagers to one another. At that precise moment, a howl was heard throughout the "nightmare". "Curse you, whomever you may be !", an adamant growl exclaimed as the "walls" of the illusionary world. Before the enclosure fell, Giselle and Vectre spirited the Paranormal Department out of the collapsing nightmare and returned them to the safety of their homes.
Meanwhile...
Dr. Donavan fumed, hurtling the ominous book across his study. Instantly, black and blue flames consumed the book and a chorus of otherworldly voices could be heard. "No longer in human hands shall this book be, we are spiriting it away to unknown lands for all eternity.", the chorus stated, solemnly. "Bah. I don't wish to have anything to do with this wretched book to begin with. Rid me of its abhorrent presence !", Desmund said, lowering his head a bit. As he watched the evil tome disappear, he found himself ashamed of the destruction his anger had caused. His study was an unholy mess. Yet, with some work he was able to put everything in its place and discard the runic crystal ball he had used to torment the members of the Paranormal Department. He wanted to repent for his actions, but he didn't know where to start until an exceptional thought came to mind. With some study and observation of his rival he could learn how to become a better scientist. First, he had to look past all of his flaws, especially when it came to an overbearing outlook and egotistic mannerisms. It would take a lot of effort, but he promised he would let the truth be known and make amends with his enemy. Little did he know that he and Egon were about to become sturdy in friendship and in trust. However, for the moment, he had issues simply dealing with defeat.
Epilogue
The lives of the members of the Paranormal Department began to calm down once they had realized they wouldn't be having any nightmares ever again, thanks to Giselle and Vectre. Giselle and Vectre had been thanked non-verbally by the PDNY, and the evil book that had once been possessed by Dr. Donovan was nothing more than ash scattered about the Netherworld. Magic could not be held by mere words alone, and the dust itself carried no power either, so it was no threat and only a memory.
After a long period of introspection, Desmund had come to grips with the person he really was. He had gathered the courage to speak to Dr. Spengler and come to know him on a personal level. Before he knew it, he was frequenting Egon's lab and being investigated by Slimer, the Spengler's resident free-floating specter. At long last, Desmund was able to reveal the deep, dark secret that he had placed Egon and his friends under a hex. Egon completely understood, being of thoughtful disposition and said, "Don't hearken too fully upon the past, Desmund. What we must focus on now is the future, and the infinite possibilities it holds." Desmund nodded and allowed himself to smile for the first time. He felt now that he was sincerely alive and experiencing the completeness of friendship. In the year to come, he was going to assist in Dr. Spengler's latest experiments and if, indeed they won the prize, they would share it.
Although Desmund was a lone wolf, people that genuinely supported him in his efforts to make the world a better place had surrounded him. He had completely repented and had been reconciled for any wrongdoing. In fact, he had recommended joining the Paranormal Department of New York. He would have to undergo some vigorous tests and learn the jargon and rules, but he agreed he would do his best to ameliorate as much as he possibly could. The Paranormal Department was always welcome to new members once they proved themselves mentally and physically and Desmund was able to do that and so much more as time marched on. No matter what the task, he would be available to lend relief, a keen wit, and his constant loyalty to the group. He was proof that even those set in their ways can renew themselves and turn over a new leaf with support from friends. And for as long as he could, Desmund would remember this manifesto that had been passed down by a wise mentor of his...
Without friends, man has no one to lean on
Without the advice of others, man can only rely upon his own thought
Introspection can bring light into the darkness,
But, man must also look beyond himself to eviscerate knowledge
You are part of a greater plan, my son
Thrust yourself outward into the world and discover what part you play
You might just encounter that without your guidance
The world might not have been blessed with such brilliance
Yet, don't become puffed-up with your own intellect
Know that it is the Divine Spark within you that yielded it
And that Divine power can be used toward the greater good of mankind.
The End
By: Elizabeth Berndt
September 5, 2003