Spheres
By: Garnet Sky
Disclaimer: I don't know Danny Phantom.
Yellow Skull
We've caught him!" Bullet exclaimed, skidding to a halt at the sight before him. Walker, today, had decided to take on a new appearance.
"Caught who?" the strange ghost asked him, raising one dark eyebrow.
Bullet backed away. Gone was the sadistic gleam in Walker's eyes. Gone were the 30s pinstripe suit, boots, and hat. In his place was a tall young man with brown hair pulled back into a pony tail at the nape of his neck, pale wintergreen eyes, and close-fitted pants. The shirt was satin-finished with gold embroidery on the cuffs. It was the color of Bullet's eyes and was open at the front, showing off tan fleshed.
"You're not Walker!" he exclaimed. "Guards!"
The Rulemaker turned and flashed a smiled at the generic ghost guards who entered the room at Bullet's call. They saw him, looked at Bullet, and hesistantly bowed to the Rulemaker. "What would you have of us, Sire?"
"This young man has caught someone," the Rulemaker replied. "Bring him here."
"Yes sir," one of the guards said, a faint smirk on his face. "Phantom's gonna get it now."
Bullet saw the Rulemaker grab the guard, spin him around, and slam him into the nearest wall. "Phantom? You've managed to rescue my brother away from the ancient one who stole him before his birth. Why talk ill of him?"
The guard looked to Bullet for help. Bullet shook his head. He swallowed before speaking. "Rulemaker, much has passed since you last awakened. In your persona as Walker, our warden, a young half-ghost violated the rules of the Ghost Zone. You gave him a warning, which he ignored. So you turned his world against him. It is rumored that he is one of the Nine, recently awakened."
Bullet's jaw dropped. "Rulemaker? Phantom? The Nine? Good God, man, you speak of old legends and fairy tales."
"He does not," the Rulemaker said, before piercing Bullet with a cold, calculating stare. "I am the Rulemaker, one of the Nine. Bring Phantom to me," he added to the guard, who ushered everyone out.
Bullet found himself backed against a wall, with a yellow skull thrust into his face. The Rulemaker smiled. "This is what is left of the last Second who thought to defy me," he said. "I can sense changes in the psyche in the Zone. Themis, my mother, would have been pleased, to see this day."
Before Bullet could respond, two guards hurtled Phantom into the room and slammed the warden's office door shut. The boy rose to his feet and hurtled an ectoblast at the door which just absorbed it.
The Rulemaker chuckled. "Still petulant as ever I see, dear brother."
Phantom whirled around. "Rulemaker? You're awake." Fear flashed across his face. "Uh, what happened to Magnolia? Uh, sorry, I forget Mother says her real name is Thalassa."
The Rulemaker released Bullet. "Who is this Thalassa?"
Phantom cocked his head. "She has not come?"
"Who?" the Rulemaker repeated.
"Thalassa," Phantom replied, frowning a bit. "Your ghost tamer."
"WHAT!"
"Ouch, my ears," Phantom moaned, covering his ears. "Hold on a sec." His form blurred, causing Bullet's eyes to water. Moments passed, an older version of Phantom reappeared. He wore flowing black robes, and had short black hair and startling blue eyes.
Bullet groaned. "Now who are you supposed to be?"
Phantom chuckled. "I am the Lord of Light and Darkness, one of the Nine, Bullet. Perhaps you should seek out your bed?"
"And take about a gallon of aspirin," came the muttered reply from the pirate ghost. "When I wake up, I want all of this to be a dream."
The Rulemaker waited until Bullet had left the room. "Explain," he said, folding his arms.
And so Phantom did.
