Battery

…

4/17/2019

4 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 6 days since their town had been pulled into the alternate dimension known as the Ghost Zone. 4 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 4 days since Danny went in, alone, to stop the Ghost King and save them all. 4 years, 5 months, 2 days – since they officially pronounced him dead.

However, the Ghost King never attacked. His army never moved. His reign of terror never resurfaced.

People hoped that the evil ghost had simply lost interest. More speculated he'd instead focused on earth itself and their home planet was now completely overthrown. Leaving them stranded in the zone, never knowing the truth. Some thought the two had killed each other in battle, while others believed Danny Phantom had struck a deal for their continued freedom.

Either way, Amity Park was still stranded in the Ghost Zone. The people still struggled for basic survival – and Danny still did not return.

It had only taken a few days for Maddie and Jack Fenton to riddle out that their missing son shared this date with the once hero. Only a few more for them to go in after him. A month later, they too were declared dead.

It was also around that time that people began displaying strange ghostly abilities. As a result of continuous exposure to whatever manifested energy kept the Ghost Zone intact. Intangibility and invisibility were by far the most common. Speculated to be caused from their desire to escape or hide.

Of course, a few others developed more practical powers. Valarie Gray had earned herself superior strength and agility. Tucker and Jazz displayed an incredible capacity for intelligence, calculation and invention. At first, Sam's had been almost purely offensive in nature. But the ability to grow and manipulate plants soon proved useful to sustaining a city of people unable to grow their own food.

Between the four of them, they had ensured the continuation of their home. At least for the time being. But, between the two friends left behind, they had secretly constructed means to infiltrate the Ghost Zone, safely and without being detected.

Jazz was supportive, but had determined that she needed to remain focused on the city. They couldn't afford to put their entire team on a task that may never result in positive outcomes. That, and she just didn't want to know the horrible fate her family had suffered.

They didn't blame her.

And so – 4 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 6 days following the event that had started it all. The two left behind braved potential death or worse to search for their missing comrade.

It took an uncomfortably long time to reach the Ghost King's castle. But they knew better than to take risks or move too quickly. Their slim battle armor was enough to keep them hidden and safe. And would even provide a decent amount of offensive potential in a pinch. However, it was imperative their presence remain a secret. It was there only hope of finding Danny.

When their feet finally touched down on the floors of the grand lair. They were twitchy and paranoid. Though, not because of the threat, but rather the lack there of.

Nothing but darkness and endless piles of bones awaited them in the chambers. Soon, despite the danger, they were forced to activate their helmet lights, just to know where they were going.

An eerie quality of dust hung in the shadows and creeks of old wood echoed the halls like the voices of spirits. But there were none to be seen. No ghost was stupid enough to enter that castle. Not even the bats or bugs had dared come in.

"Sam," Tucker's voice spoke into her ear quietly and she hummed back. Her light still swinging across the space. Searching for anything out of the norm. "It's fair to say we would have received a welcoming committee, if the Ghost King were still around. Right?"

"I don't know Tucker," She admitted. stepping over a skeleton that had fallen against one wall and cringed when her foot crushed a loose bone she hadn't seen. Sending a crack of sound down the hall. But still nothing responded. "For all we know he abandoned it when he took Earth."

"True," He answered solemnly and looked down when his wrist beeped. Informing him that the scan he'd started upon their arrival was finished. Sam stopped to look back at him, as he fiddled with the device and looked around them for reference points.

"Anything?" She asked and he finally stepped forward to lead the way.

"I'm not certain, but I think I've got a reading on the sarcophagus."

That was enough to prompt her to follow him through the halls for the next couple minutes. Turning what seemed to be random corners, only to back up and go a different way when collapsed tunnels made the trip impassible.

Though they could have deactivated their suits to pass through as human. Without knowing what may await them on the other side, they didn't dare try it. And it wasn't as if time was sensitive. They didn't need to risk anything, if there were other possible paths.

What seemed like an eternity later, they finally came upon what appeared to be the doors to the main hall. Though they had been blasted off their hinges and left to lay where they fell.

Carefully walking over to one, Tucker ran a new scan and Sam caught a small smile appear on his face. "What?" She whispered and he looked over at her. A strange mixture of pain and pride in his eyes.

"This was Danny," He forced out around a lump in his throat. "I recognize the Ecto-Skeleton's signature – he made it Sam."

She offered him a little smile in return and touched his shoulder. Showing that she understood. But encouraged him to keep the bigger picture in mind. Thus they left the doors behind and finally entered the great hall. Weapons at the ready, more out of paranoia than anything else.

More skeletons cluttered the area. So deep in places that the floor could no longer be seen. Forcing them to fly to get around. It wasn't until they reached the throne that they finally found the army's commander.

The Fright Night, or what was left of him, sat leaning against the mostly destroyed chair. His armor crushed and forgotten by the soul that had once lived inside. His sword broken in half and laying several feet away. The skeletal remains of a flying horse crumbled in the corner nearby.

"Over there," Tucker whispered. Pointing at a place in the back wall, where the stone had been blasted away to reveal another large area behind it.

Making their way over, they both became irritable and uncertain. As a familiar energy swirled around the air. Something neither of them would ever forget. The Ghost King's power.

However, it wasn't this threat that they found themselves fearing. But rather what else they might find. Suddenly they understood all too well Jazz's reasons to remain behind and, for one horrible moment, maybe they wished they had headed her warning.

But it was too late now. They'd come too far to turn back. And so, they forced themselves to carry on. Walking over the crumbled remains of the wall in search of their target.

The main thing they noticed here was that the skeletons had all but vanished. Leaving only the dust behind, by whatever power had rendered them unable to keep their forms. The darkness that had prevailed up until that point was also suddenly interrupted as well. By a red glow from the far corner, where they finally located the sarcophagus. Forgotten and left leaning against the walls where it had fallen. Its lock not engaged.

Without the key, that had been an impossibly the whole time. They had learned that after speaking to Vlad, following Danny's disappearance.

However, the door was still closed. Held so by a strange amalgamation of white metal, almost completely fused to the ghostly stone tomb. It had been so horribly mangled that it took them a minute to realize what it was – the Ecto-Skeleton.

"Danny," Sam called on instinct and started toward the scene. Only for Tucker to grab her and pull her back. Shaking his head and insisting that they keep their cool. They couldn't risk losing their focus now.

Knowing he was right, she forced herself to nod in agreement and walked with him at an agonizingly slow speed, toward the resting place of the Ghost King. Tucker running another scan. Only to stop in his tacks when he got the results back.

"What is it?" She hissed. Whispering despite her helmet canceling out all the noise.

"He's in there – the Ghost King. He's in the sarcophagus," He proclaimed and Sam nearly dropped her weapon.

"Then – he was defeated? Earth is safe?"

Tucker smiled as he looked up at her, relief in his shoulders for the world they hadn't seen for years, but had always remained their home. "Yeah. He never made it."

They hadn't felt such happiness in so long, it almost felt foreign to them. But, as all things did, it came to an end. As they were reminded of the second reason for them being there.

"Let's do this," Tucker insisted. Walking up to her side and laced his hand with hers. Prompting her to turn and meet his eyes. "For him," He added and she smiled. Nodding in agreement. Before lifting her weapon again and they approached the mangled remains of the battle zone's ground zero.

The evil energy radiating through the broken seal of the sarcophagus was almost painful at this close range. But they forced themselves to get even closer. Until Sam was able to spot the location of the key hole.

"There," She pointed and Tucker quickly removed the protective case bolted to the back of his suit. Unlocking it with a passcode only he knew and it to feel open. Revealing the ghostly green key inside.

Leaving the case on the ground, he stood back at his full height. Focused intently on the hole and flew toward it. Being careful not to touch or look at anything else. He couldn't afford the distraction.

Despite some initial concerns that the lock had been damaged. He was able to force the key inside anyway and, with Sam's help, the two of them pushed and pulled the tiny thing into the locked position.

After all of the pain and misery and endurance of unknown loss that had boiled down to this one simple action. The resulting effect was depressingly uneventful. There was no wailing of anger from the king. No flash of bright light to signify that it was all over. Not even a real sense of relief from the energy leaking through the cracks.

All that had greeted them was an ominous thud of a thick lock falling into place and then silence.

In a way, it was almost fitting. For the two friends had always known this action would not save them. Would not save their town, their people. They would remain in their prison, along with the king. All this had accomplished was to simply finish a job left undone.

And, now that it was over, they could focus on the one who had started it all those years ago.

Floating back down to the glass dome of the Ecto-Skeleton still fused with the coffin. Sam attempted to look inside, but was forced to rub at the fogged glass that blocked her view. Only to find that it was on the inside and sighed.

But Tucker soon hovered down next to her again and offered a small hammer. Infused with the purified ecto-energy needed to break through. And so, taking one last collective breath as one, they struck together, causing the glass to crack from the combined swing. Leaving only one more strike needed for the protective encasement to shatter.

However, before they could get a good look inside, a release of steam and unknown elements washed over them and they were forced to pull away. Until it died down again.

That's when they saw it.

It had begun as a faint flicker of light. But it's color and glow made it obvious to the two what it was. A ghostly aura. And not just any ghostly aura. That of Danny Phantom.

"Danny," Sam cried out again. This time Tucker didn't stop her. As he couldn't stop himself either. Thus leaving them both to rush back to the tomb. Waving away the lase of the steam, until they could finally see what lay within.

Unfortunately, it was not a pretty sight.

The Ecto-Skeleton had been crushed around his body. His arms and legs pinned at painful angles inside their control nodes. Leaving his body hanging limp in their hold. The metal spinal column had all but fused to his back, wrapping around to penetrate flesh, as longs trails of glowing ectoplasmic blood to stain his suit.

However, by some twisted stroke of fate, the Skeleton was still active and had further encased its passenger with cords and wires, forced under the skin and down the throat. Keeping itself alive through the living battery it had imprisoned.

"Danny?" Sam whispered in horror. Reaching down with trembling fingers to brush his hair. But got no response. "Tuck – is he?"

"I don't know," He answered quickly. Flying around to get a better angle on the suit's computer console and wired himself into the system. Which didn't have enough power to put up a fight. He went quiet again, as he concentrated on the splurge of information. Leaving Sam alone to study their long-lost friend.

Though his body had remained relatively unchanged inside the Ecto-Skeleton's protective chamber. It was hard to see him as alive. There was no feeling of vitality that had always encompassed him wherever he'd gone. No spark in the eyes that rested just barely open. The normal brightness and color, greener than anything in known nature, were instead dull and severed from life.

The white aura that surrounded him was almost unrecognizable. When usually it had been exuberant, almost a living thing all itself own. Now it was just an effect. Something to show that there was power inside the body.

Reaching in again, her hand hesitated several times of its own accord. But, she forced herself to go farther. She had to know. And finally touched his face. Only for the coldness that greeted her to be completely void of that odd warmth at its core and she felt tears in her eyes, as a faint pulse also came through. But it no longer mattered.

The body still lived – but the spirit was gone.

"Sam," Tucker spoke up and she looked over to met his eyes. He had the results of his scan, but didn't feel the need to share it anymore. "What do you wanna do?"

"We bring him back," She whispered. Looking down again, as she absentmindedly ran her hand through white hair. Unable to stop herself. "We bring him home."

…

Egads… that got darker than expected.

I was kinda thinking about going farther with it. But I don't know if I want to now.

What do you guys think?