I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the characters and content of the original series.

This story has been rated T but is on the border of a M rating. Proceed with caution.

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Shall We Not Revenge?

"If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"
William Shakespeare

Green. Cold. Moaning.

Ask any of the residents of the Ghost Zone to describe it and those three words were always used. The green was sometimes darker with splotches of black, or lighter with a sickly yellow tint. The cold did vary from region to region, but it always chilled the body and soul. Only the moan remained exactly the same; low and haunting, stealing the courage from those weak of will. Those three things had always been the one constant in the zone for as long as any could remember.

Until today.

Wulf noticed the difference first. He was running through the zone, trying to avoid Walker and his goons as usual, when he heard it: a single word, barely a whisper, sounding like a desperate question. With his sensitive hearing he not only recognized the word but the speaker as well. Glancing around for the source he saw splotches of brown, like old rust stains, mixed throughout the background of the ghost zone. Before he could react to the change in conditions, he realized Walker's men were closing in on him. Wulf threw his head back and howled, "Mi funebras kun vi mian amikon."(1) then continued evading the pursuing guards.

A moment later the word echoed through the Ghost Zone again, this time higher in volume and intensity. Nearly every ghost heard it, and even those who did not couldn't ignore the russet brown stain spreading though the background. Neither was the sudden drop in temperature missed, chilling even the form of Frostbite in the Far Frozen. He recognized the voice that spoke as well, but could not believe the desperation and denial laced within the word.

Shaking off the wave of despair that struck him a hard blow, Frostbite immediately set out to help his friend in this time of obvious need. But as he gathered himself up to leave his realm he felt a sudden, irresistible command that demanded his presence. Unable to deny so powerful a will, he turned from his intended course to a place deeper within the Ghost zone. Anger at his own impotence burned within him, and he swore a silent oath that no one, not even the power compelling him now, would prevent him from doing all he could to aid the chosen one.

When the word rang out a third time through the Ghost zone, there could be no doubt as to its source. Pure anguish and loss washed through every corner of the zone, and with it mingled the fear of its inhabitants. Gone now was the familiar sickly green background, replaced by the red of freshly spilled blood. And the cold, more intense than any could fathom, stole through every realm like a malignant being in search of warmth to consume. The ghosts in the zone didn't know exactly what was happening, but they surely knew what to do.

Walker immediately called off pursuit of Wulf and ordered all his guards back to the prison, sealing it up tight from intrusion. Kitty, Spectra and Ember, busy plotting another attack on Amity Park together, scattered to their respective realms. The Box Ghost, usually as dense as his beloved cardboard, was smart enough to flee to the realm of the Lunch Lady Ghost for protection. Skulker, caught out in the open near the Fenton portal, immediately dove through the nearest door into Technus's realm. Both ghosts realized that there was safety in numbers and in unspoken agreement fortified their position. Every ghost in the zone hid itself as securely as it could, hoping to be ignored in the upcoming storm that was sure to be unleashed upon them.

Every ghost but one.

Desiree also huddled in her realm but out of sadness, not fear. She better than any knew the depth and feeling of the anguish, desperation and loss in that one word, and it tore through her heart as strongly as it did all those hundreds of years ago. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks now as they did back then. What surprised her even more was she found herself empathizing for a boy who was her most bitter enemy.

Looking out from the lavish tent that was her home in the oasis realm she claimed, she too spoke a vow concerning the ghost boy. It was conceived in the memory of a great man, a Sultan, a man she loved in both life and death and would do anything to be with again. More importantly, it was born out of a sense of compassion, and of the lost humanity rekindled within her.

"I swear upon the name of He who created us all that I will help you Danny Fenton. I will do all within my power to save you from the pain of a love lost. A pain that haunts me to this day."

With the completion of her declaration Desiree felt the same powerful command that Frostbite experienced, and she too was compelled to obey.

(1) Esperanto Translation: "I grieve with you my friend."