Who's Reality?

By Dan Ectodude Shannon

November 18th, 1995

Ghostbusters HQ

10:40 AM

It was a fairly quite morning, despite Peter's earth-rattling snoring. Winston was the first to wake up that morning. Winston sat up in his bed, and looked around. He noticed the Dan was not in his bed. Winston figured he wasn't the first to get up after all. He got up, and started to look where Dan was. The first place he looked was at Dan's computer desk... More than likely, there he was, asleep at the keyboard. He must of been on that Chatroom again... Parallel Universes.

Winston: ::Thinking:: I don't know why he's so fascinated with that kinda crap, but in this profession, these guys are fascinated with anything weird. Oh well. ::Tapping Dan on the shoulder:: Hey, Dan... DAN. Wake up.

Dan: ::Opens eyes:: Huh? What? ::looks up at Winston:: Mornin'. I think I fell asleep at the computer again. I don't feel good... I got a headache.

Winston: How long where you on last night? What where you on?

Dan: Oh... Time Travel, alternate universes... you name it, I was talking about it. I think I was on until... 3:45 the last I looked.

Winston: 3:45 in the morning? I would have a headache, too. Why where you on there anyway?

Dan: ::Rubs eyes:: I guess I was curious about other worlds... I mean same Earth, different people living on it, with there own type of thinking.

Winston: Sort of like a 'Sliders' type thing.

Dan: Yeah. Something like that. I was also watching 'Last Action Hero' last night. Think of it, what if your whole life was a movie? A story? A fanfic? How would you interpret that?

Winston: I wouldn't. I don't care because I know it's all bullshit. Something like that never happens, unless it's a biography.

Dan: Who knows? Maybe you becoming a Ghostbuster might of just entertainment to people in another world.

Winston: Yeah? Who?

Dan: Hell if I know. My life must be BS too, but it seems like reality to me.

Just then, Peter rolls over.

Peter: Hey, will you 2 Bozos shut up... there's scientists trying to sleep.

Winston:: To Dan:: I'm surprised anybody can sleep with that thunder he calls an upper respiratory problem.

Dan: Amen to that. So... what about getting the others up?

***

Main dinning area

11:15

Dan poked his out of the kitchen, and looked at the others, who where sitting at the dinning table.

Dan: Hey, who wants an omelet?

Peter: Uh.. No thanks. Can't have spicy stuff.

Winston: I'll take one.

Ray: Me too.

Dan: ::Looks to Egon:: Hey, Spengs, you want one?

Egon: No thank you. The pancakes where sufficient enough.

Dan: Okay. ::looks around:: Hey, where's Slimer? He's usually the first to be here for breakfast.

Peter: I think the spud is still sleeping. How come I can't sleep that long?

Dan: Hey, I didn't sleep until around quarter to 4 this morning, but do you here me complaining? ::looks at Peter for a short time:: Look, I got eggs to cook. ::walks back to the kitchen.::

Ray: Why was he up so late?

Winston: He was on the computer last night talkin'.

Egon: About what?

Winston: Something about alternate worlds. I swear, he's got to stop watching the Sci Fi Channel.

Just then, the alarm rang. All of the Ghostbusters ran out of the dinning room, and jumped down the poll, all but Dan. Dan shut off the stove, and dropped the pan with the omelet into the sink, then followed the others down to the garage area.

They all got dressed into their jumpsuits, put on there boots, and put on all the other small things on there belts on. Janine gave the address to Dan and Winston. They proceeded to the Chevy S-10 Dan called Lucky Black, hopped in, and drove off to the disturbance.

***

10 minuets later

East side of the Hudson River

Dan: ::Over Radio:: White Knight, this is Jupiter, come in?

Egon: ::On radio:: Copy, Jupiter, over. This is White Knight.

Dan: Yeah, you guys better get here A.S.A.P! We got an inter-dimensional breach! Over?

Egon: What's the reading, over?

Dan: It's a... ::Looks to Winston::

Winston: ::Looking at P.K.E Meter:: Class 7.

Dan:... Class 7 breach! It's getting' windy over here, Copy?

Egon: Alright. Just hang in there! We'll be there as soon as possible! White Knight out.

Dan threw radio mic back into Lucky's window and turned to Winston.

Dan: Now what?

Winston: We can try to do this... contain it, until they get here.

Dan looked at the sphere portal, and narrowed his eyes from the light.

Dan: We could. I wouldn't know... I've haven't been a Ghostbuster as long as you, so I figured you'd know.

Winston: No. Egon and Ray are the scientists, I'm just the translator.

Dan: I'm surprised you understand what they're saying. They might as well say it in Spanish.

Winston: Anyway...::grabs gun, and turns on pack:: lets get to it!

Dan: ::Repeats Winston:: Yep... Lets make like a rock, and roll.

Simultaneously, both men fired their neutron throwers at the sphere. The beams didn't seem to affect anything. A loud, thunderous growl was heard coming from the magnificent ball of light, and then, the wind started to increase drastically, as if the sphere was trying to suck something in. Dan and Winston shut off there throwers, and looked at each other.

Dan: I think we just pissed it off.

Winston: ::rolls eyes:: More good news.

The two started to feel the wind trying push them into the portal, but they braced themselves. Just then, a dead tree snapped from its roots, slid under the two Ghostbusters, and knocked them to the ground. The winds were almost at tornado speeds, and both men tried to hold onto anything they came across as they were being pulled along the ground. With the surface being only dirt and pebbles, there was nothing to hold onto.

***

East side of the Hudson River

12:10 PM

Winston found himself laying on the ground, looking at the sky. He sat up and looked around. He remembered what happened. He looked around again, and noticed that he was on the Hudson River. What about Dan? OH CRAP!

Winston: ::jumps to feet:: Hey, Dan! I hope the portal didn't get him! DAN! Where are you, man?

Winston heard groaning noises just of the left of him. He looked to find Dan in a pile of garbage bags. He ran over to him and pulled him out of the heap of rotten waste.

Winston: Hey, man... you okay?

Dan: Yeah, other than the fact I now smell like I just landed in a pile of dung.

Winston: I think you did.

Dan: No matter, I got another one in Lucky.

Dan went to get the spear jumpsuit, just to discover that the Chevy was missing.

Dan: HEY! WHAT THE HELL?!?! Somebody stole my truck!

Winston: Hold on... What time is it?

Dan: ::looks at his watch:: It's 12:13 PM. We've been out for over an hour!

Winston: Hey, where're the guys? It doesn't take an hour to get to the Hudson.

Dan: Well, it looks like we have to walk back. Better get started. And when we get their, I'm going to kick the crap outta Peter, Ray, and Egon, then I'm gonna file a stolen vehicle report.

Winston and Dan walked back to the inner-city, but every person they passed kept saying, "Who Ya Gonna Call?" at them. One dude said, "Halloween's over, guys! Take the costumes off!"

Every time somebody said anything to them, they just looked at each other baffled.

Dan: Are all these people smoking something?

Winston: Dan, it's New York. People are always stoned.

Dan: Sorry for asking. But, really, these people are acting stranger than your typical Dope Smokin', beer drinkin', gun slingin' New Yorkers. People didn't notice you when you walked down the streets like this before, did they?

Winston: You know, you got a point. Nobody's paid this much attention to us since Vigo and the slime over the Manhattan Museum of Art.

Dan: See where I'm coming from? ::stops and looks around:: Damn this place looks different when you're not in a car.

Winston: ::Stops and turns around:: What? You don't know your way around?

Dan: Hey, I've been in Chicago longer than in New York, Winston. Don't think I don't confuse the two.

Winston: Right. ::looks around:: You know, you're right. It does look a little different.

Dan: I don't know about you, but I'm askin' for directions.

Dan looked around. He saw a parked NYPD car on the side of the road with a cop in it. He walked to the window and knocked on the glass.

Cop: ::rolls down the window.:: Can I help you?

Dan: Yeah, do you know the way to the Hook & Latter #8 building?

Cop: ::looks at Dan's uniform.:: Another Ghostbuster fan?

Dan: What? I'm not a fan, I am a Ghostbuster.

Cop: Right. Look, Mac, Halloween is over with. Take the getup off.

The cop started the car and drove away. Dan stood there, looking after the cruiser, not to happy looking.

Dan: Prick. He's over-paid.

Winston: Welcome to New York. Besides, I know where we are now. Come on. ::Starts walking.::

Dan followed Winston.

***

30 Minuets later

Ghostbusters HQ

Winston: ::looks up:: Hey, what happened to the sign?

Both looked at each other. After a minuet of standing in front of the building, they walked in the doors. They noticed that the inside wasn't the same. Dan located the stairs, and walked up to the top. He found a group of men in dark blue tee shirts sitting in folding chairs, watching TV.

Dan: Hey, what the hell?!

All the men spun around to see Dan... Most of them got up at the sound of his voice.

Firefighter 1: Hey, how did you get in here?

Dan just stood in fright, and just blinked at the man's question.

Firefighter 1: Hey! Did you hear my question? What in the hell are you doing up here, Pal?!

Dan: Whoa! I don't want any trouble!

Firefighter 1:You walk into a fire station, and scare the hell out of a bunch of firefighters, what the hell do you think you're going to get?!

Winston ran upstairs from all the yelling.

Winston: Hey, what's going on? Who the hell are you guys?

Firefighter 2: The New York Fire Department, jack off!

Firefighter 3: Who or what are you guys?

Dan: We're the Ghostbusters, and you're in our headquarters!

All the Firefighters looked at each other, and laughed. Winston and Dan exchanged looks.

Winston: What the hell's so funny?

Firefighter 1: I'm sorry! I didn't know you where Ghostbuster fans here to check out the building!

Dan: Maybe you didn't read me. I said this is our headquarters, and we demand to know what in living hell you're doing in here!

One of the firefighters walked up, and stood inches from Dan's face. Dan didn't budge.

Firefighter 3: Okay, look asshole. It's one thing to be a fan of something, but kicking us out of our station just because you want to play with the fire pole, is another! Get your cheaply made backpack props of our property!

Dan: ::eyes widen:: Excuse me? You're talking like that to me, Mr. Hardass? Props? You want to see Props fire a Proton Stream?! Fine by me!

Dan unhooked his thrower, switched on the pack, and fired. The beam shot across the room, and hit the wall. The wall caught on fire as Dan shut off his pack and re-hooked the gun onto his pack. One of the firefighters grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher, and put out the wall. Dan turned back to the one firefighter that got in his face.

Dan: There's your fucking prop... Screw you guys, we're leaving.

***

20 minuets later

walking around in Central Park

Dan: I don't get it. Why are people paying so much attention to us? I mean people are staring at us funny.

Winston: Let me ask you something, what do you think is on your back?

Dan: Proton Pack. Why?

Winston: Think about it. If you're walking in Central Park, and saw a guy with a Backpack with flashing lights, would you look at him funny?

Dan: Winston, like I said before, people are looking at us funnier than usual. It's one thing to know who someone is, but it's another finding out who they are.

Winston: What are you saying?

Dan: I'm saying we did go through that portal. We're on a different world.

Winston: Say what? If we're in a different world, how do people know us?

Dan: I don't know. Not a clue.

Winston: This is tense. We're in a parallel universe!

Dan: No, it's not. We're just in a different dimension.

Winston: What's the difference?

Dan: A parallel universe is the flip-flop of the world you're on. Say like in our world, we bust ghosts, and the parallel world, ghosts bust people. A different dimension is when people did something different in there history then we did. Get it?

Winston: I guess.

Just then a cop car pulled up on the asphalt walkway behind the two Ghostbusters.

Cop: Afternoon, gentlemen. How you doing?

Without even looking at the cop, Dan and Winston ran for dear life. The cop turned on his siren, and started to pursue them. They split up, Dan taking the woods, and Winston taking the field. The cop broke pursuit on Dan, and went after Winston. He ended up stopped by another squad car that drove into the field to intercept him. Dan, from a safe distance, watched Winston get arrested. He wished he did something, but he would be arrested, too.

Dan: ::Thinking:: Damnit! What am I going to do? I can't just sit here! Hold on...

He grabbed a small notebook from his front packet with a pen, and took down precinct number off the back of the squad car.

Dan: I'll get him out, that's what I'm going to do.

***

29th Police Precinct interrogation room

6:12 PM

Interrogator 1: Okay Mac, how come nobody's heard of you? Your prints don't register.

Winston: I'm telling you, I'm from a different dimension! My name is Winston Zeddemore, and I'm a Ghostbuster!

Interrogator 2: Right, pal. Whatever you say.

Both Interrogators walked out to the hallway.

Interrogator 2: I'm telling you, Tom, these Ghostbuster fans get weirder all the time.

Tom: I know, Bill. Maybe Sony should of let Aykroyd make that 3rd Ghostbusters.

Bill: But still, that doesn't excuse him from trying to burn down a fire station.

Tom: Do you think the other one would be as weird?

Bill: I don't know, but you can count on this guy being locked up for the night. He's got to go to court tomorrow. Throw him in the cell.

***

29th Precinct building, Detention area

9:33 PM

Winston sat on the stiff bunk and just looked at the floor. He couldn't believe he got caught, and Dan didn't help him.

Winston: The next time I see him, I'm going to kick his ass. How could he just run away and leave me here to rot. The nerve of that guy.

All of a sudden, Winston started to hear taping noises on his cell wall. It was Morse Code. He knew a little of it, and tried to spell it out... S... T... A... N... D... End word. Stand? What did that mean? He heard more taping. New word... B... A... C... K... End word. Back. Stand Back. STAND BACK!?!

Winston: Holy Shit!

As Winston Jumped to the floor, the rock wall melted and exploded. He looked up at see Dan standing in the smoking hole.

Dan: Why are you laying around here for? Don't you know a jail break when you see one?!

Dan poked his head out of the hole to check if the coast was clear. It was. Both men proceeded down the alley. Just before they got to the end, they were stopped by a lone police officer. He jumped in front of them, and held up his gun. In quick reaction, Dan pulled out his Destabilizing Pistol and turned it on. Dan shot at the police officer's gun, and vaporized it.

Officer: Whoa, dude. I don't want a problem! I was just trying to go home, when I heard the wall blow up. Who are you?

Dan: My name's Dan Shannon, and this is Winston Zeddemore, we're Ghostbusters.

Officer: ::In a state of shock.:: Did you say Dan Shannon? Dan Ectodude Shannon? Site owner of We Got One.com? And Winston Zeddemore? Are you crazy?

Dan: What? Where did "Ectodude" come from? Do we know you?

Officer: No, you don't, but I know you. The name's Killakee, Lieutenant Gary Killakee.

Winston: How do you know us?

Gary: We've got to get out of here!

***

10:10 PM

Brooklyn Bridge

It was late at night, so the bridge was pretty empty. A 1992 Ford Explorer speeds across the bridge at 75 M.P.H. Inside the cab, Gary, Winston and Dan drove into the night. As they were driving into the New York/Brooklyn line, Dan explained to Zack what happened and how they got there.

Gary: Whoa... You mean you guys actually exist in another world? I can't believe this!

Dan: Okay, we told you our story, what is this website you say I own, and how do you know who we are?

Gary: Well, to start out with, Ghostbusters was a movie made by Columbia Pictures in 1984.

Winston: That's when the Ghostbusters got started. 1984.

Gary: 2 years later, a cartoon spin-off was created for the rapidly growing Saturday cartoons lineup, just so they can make some toys, and do the usual "This is the coolest thing ever" thing.

Dan: About the site?

Gary: Yeah, I'm getting to that. The cartoon lasted 6 years, making it the longest running cartoon ever, but was finally canceled because house wives thought the show was too violent.

Winston: Is that all? Violent? Come on! They show movies that have almost full nudity, and they say that the cartoon was violent?

Gary: By that time, it was 1992, and people were finally getting out of depression of the 80's.

Winston: Okay, I can see that.

Gary: After the cartoon was canceled, there were still fans of the show all over the place. When the internet was just getting started, many Ghostheads, which they called themselves, started to take it to the web. You, Dan, as a matter of fact, were one of them. You called yourself Ectodude. Most Ghostheads wrote stories about the Ghostbusters, and some of the writers would put themselves into the stories.

Dan: Whoa, whoa. Back it up... You telling me that both our lives was just a bunch of bullshit that my alter-ego wrote?

Gary: Just like in "Last Action Hero."

Winston: ::points to Dan:: That's exactly what you said this morning!

Dan: Are you telling me that this was my fault?

Winston: No, I'm saying that you said that this morning!

Gary: Yeah, it turns out that you and Lita...

Dan: ::cuts in:: Hey! How did you know about that?!

Gary: Your alter-ego wrote that story.

Dan: You mean that... I'm a... Phony?

Gary: No. You're still Jupiter Knight, but your alter-ego isn't. See, most people that put themselves in their stories, try giving there other selves stuff that could never happen in real life. I guess it's that SHV thing.

Winston: SHV?

Gary: Superhero Vision. That's what Dan calls it.

Dan: I don't say that.

Gary: Not you, the other you.

Dan: Oh... Still, in a sense... I am a fake. Sailor Jupiter will never know who I am.

Gary: ::Shakes head and chuckles:: Boy, do you have a lot to learn.

***

3:06 AM

Winchester, New York.

Dan, Gary and Winston sat on the hood of the Explorer in front of an old Shell gas station. Dan and Winston couldn't believe what they were hearing.

Winston: You mean that whole time we were in that building, fighting Jedite...

Dan: ...And me being sent to the Spirit Realm...

Winston: ...Was all bullshit?

Gary: I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you, but it's a lot better if I told you then you finding out yourself.

Dan: ::mouth wide open:: I can't believe I'm in love with an anime character. I want to find this other me, because I want to kick his ass!

Winston: Maybe. But what if this other you is the only one to get us back?

Gary: Yeah. This just might be another story, and at the end, you guys get back to where you belong. The only thing is, you might need to see him to get back.

Dan: Well, what are we suppose to do, drive to Chicago?

===========

7 hours later...

===========

The green SUV has just passed a sign saying, "Chicago City Limits, Please drive safely."

Dan: I was being sarcastic, you know.

Gary: Okay, where did you really live?

Dan: Tinley Park.

Winston: Where's that?

Dan: About 20 miles from the Loop.

Gary: Address?

Dan: I don't want to say it out loud, because if this is a story, I don't want people to start sending letters to my other self's grandmother.

Gary: Okay... I can respect that. Just whisper it.

Dan: ::whispers to Gary:: Got it?

Gary: Yeah.

20 minuets later...

The SUV that transported the NYPD officer and the 2 Ghostbusters, pulled up into the driveway of a white house with red shutters. Dan hoped out the back and looked at the address. Then he looked across the street. He saw a school building with a sign saying, "Kirby School, District 140."

Dan: I believe this is the place. ::To the others:: You guys stay behind a few steps... I don't know exactly how my mother is going to interpret this.

Dan proceeded the door. He knocked. The door opened to reveal a strawberry blond woman shorter than him standing at the door.

Woman: Can I help you?

Dan: Mom, this is going to sound crazy, but...

Dan's mother: Dan? I thought you where in your room?!

Dan: Yeah, that's true... um, pardon me. ::walks past his mother.::

Dan's mother followed after her son, and Winston and Gary followed after his mother. At the end of the hallway, loud music could be heard. Inside the room, a blond man was sitting at his desk, working on his computer. A knock came at his door. Then jingling of the door knob was heard.

Man: Hey! I'll unlock the door in a minuet! Hold on!

Unfortunately, that wasn't a good enough answer for the dude on the other side of the door, for it got kicked in. Dan stood in the doorframe and looked at the dude sitting at the computer. The guy fell out of his seat, onto the floor. The guy backed himself into the wall, and looked at Dan. After a minuet of looking at him, the expression of fear on the man's face disappeared. He stood up and came face to face with Dan.

Dan 1: I know why you're here, Dan. I take it you want to kick the shit out of me?

Dan 2: No. I just want to talk to you.

Just then, Dan's mother muscled her way into the room. She looked at Dan 1, and screamed at the top of her lungs...

Dan's mother: DANIEL PATRICK SHANNON! What in the hell has gotten into you?!

Dan 1: Look at the mirror image, mom.

He gestured towards is other self with a weak smile.

Dan 2: Hi, mom!

And with that, Dan's mom passed out. With quick reaction, Winston and Gary grabbed her before she hit the ground. They dragged her into the front room, and put her on the couch. They walked back into the room where the 2 Dan's were, and joined the conversation...

Dan 2: ... So you're telling me that you've been pulling my strings?

Dan 1: Now I wouldn't put it like that. I just had a sense of comfort when I write. I wrote about me being a Ghostbuster, because I live Sci Fi, the sense of adventure, the ability to do anything... you know, bullshit I could never do in reality.

Dan 2: Well, you know what, your idea of adventure is a pain in the ass for me! So far I've been thrown out of glass windows, been kicked into walls, had my head thrust through a metal and cement floor, and I've been thrown into a spirit realm. Does that sound like fun to you?! WHY DON'T YOU TRY IT!

Winston: Now, lets calm down, Dan...

Dan 2: NO! This man has made my life a hell! I bet he's never been picked on in his life!

Dan 1: Now that's uncalled for! Most of the shit that happened in your life is based on mine!

Silence filled the room. For 2 minuets, nobody said a word. Dan 2 Finally decided to say something in his defense.

Dan 2: Well if it's based on your life, how come I'm in love with an Anime character? Hum? If it's based on your life, why do you live here instead of in New York? Why don't you have any degrees in the stuff I studied in? WHY?!

Dan 1: Because you're the person that I've always looked up to. I couldn't look to real heroes of our time, more or less, those like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, ect. I want to be a smart, but mortal hero. Ghostbusters was the closest thing to the border of mortal hero and superhero as I could get. I wanted to be a hero; to be liked for what I did, and not of what I had. You have a part something I have, my heart, and got something I could never get, respect. Be lucky that in the world I create for you is one that you are respected in. In the world you're in, you get more respect than you do pain, where in this reality, it's the other way around. You should understand this, considering you are me.

Once again, the room was quiet. Dan Shannon, Winston Zeddemore, and Gary Killakee stood in aw as they thought about what Dan 1 had just said.

Dan 2: Look, are we going to go home, or what?

Dan 1: Yes. I have to warn you: once you return, you will have no memory of what happened here.

Winston: You mean, I won't remember any of this, either?

Dan 1: Nope.

Dan 1 sat down at his computer and started to type new sentences on Microsoft Word, and then stood up.

Dan 1: Boys, when I hit "Save" you will be transported back to the point you left. Ready?

Winston and Dan: Yeah.

Dan 1 sat at the computer and was ready to click the mouse, when Dan 2 stopped him to say something...

Dan 2: Dan... For what it's worth... Thank you.

Dan 2 extended his hand to Dan 1. The 2 Dan's shook hands and nodded to each other. Dan 1 went back to the mouse, and clicked the Save button.

***

2 large splashes were heard on the Hudson river. Dan and Winston found themselves splashing in the sewage-infested waters. The both of them were just about to drown when 3 sets of hands pulled them out of the water. As soon as they submerged, they saw who grabbed them. It was Peter, Ray and Egon. When Dan and Winston realized where they were, the others asked what happened to the portal.

Dan: The funniest thing... Me and Winston fired on the portal, and it blew up.

Winston: The explosion was so great, it knocked us in the river.

Dan: Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought I saw a vision of myself in the portal. Maybe it's just me.

The End