(A/N: Sorry it took so long, but my junior year at highschool has been tougher than I thought (and it's only the first week). Anyway, I'm starting to run low on ideas, so any that you guys can contribute will be acknowledged and appreciated.)
Danny jumped up from his prone position and dodged Skulktech's first blow, a massive hammer that crackled with electricity. He quickly fired an energy blast at him, but Skulktech just absorbed it into his armor. "You didn't think it would be that easy," sneered the Technus half, "did you, child?" Danny didn't reply, he just turned invisible. Unfortunately, the Skulker half switched his vision to detect to gamma rays, which Danny radiated in abundance, invisible or not. "Sorry, whelp," said Skulker, "but there's nowhere on earth that you can hide from us."
"Oh, man," said Danny to himself, "I'm in trouble. Invisibility is out, and my Ghost Rays just make him stronger. Maybe if I phase through his armor, it'll short-circuit." Just as Danny flew at him to try this, however, he was hurled back and onto the ground by a flash of light. Skulktech laughed raucously as Danny struggled to stand. "A micro-electric forcefield," said Skulker. "Prevents you from phasing through our bodywork," said Technus. A number of long, robotic tentacles extended from Skulktech's back, wrapping around Danny and pulling him close. "Any last words, ghost child?" said Technus and Skulker in unison.
Danny grinned and said, "Think of something really pretty." He gripped one of the tentacles and sent his Ghost Stinger through it, causing a massive overload of energy to surge through Skulker and Technus, causing them to separate and pass out from the pain. Danny unceremoniously sucked them into the Fenton Thermos and fell to his knees, coughing hard. When breath came to him more easily, he looked at his hands and realized that he had coughed up blood. "My aneurysm is getting worse," he wheezed to himself, "I can't go on much longer." Danny changed back to his human form and sat for a while, panting as his weak heart tried to beat fast enough to oxygenate his body.
"You sound like a dog, Baby Pop," said a voice from above him. Danny looked up to see Ember floating next to Hotep-Ra, who smiled oily and said, "Do you wish to die like one, on your belly? Or on your feet, like a warrior?"
Night was fast approaching on Amity Park, and the National Guard's seaside barrier hadn't seen anything for over a week. It was in this state of supposed in invincibility that they allowed a dark form to swim under their boats without being seen. The dark form reached the beach quickly, but waited in the shallows until clouds covered the moon, allowing him to enter the city completely undetected.
Meanwhile, Sam had gone looking for Danny, and hoped that he wasn't in trouble. Suddenly, someone came up behind her and covered her mouth while wrapping their arm around her chest. "It's okay, Sam," whisper a familiar voice, "It's just me." He released her and flicked on a flashlight. "Tucker!" yelled Sam, half angry and half jubilant. She hugged him and said, "How did you get here?" He pointed into an alley, revealing SCUBA gear, and replied, "I swam. Where's Danny?" "I don't know, Tuck," she said quietly, "but he's in trouble."
Danny sucked Ember and Hotep-Ra into the Thermos. Fighting against Skulktech had already exhausted him, and this battle had almost killed him. He bled from numerous wounds, and the swelling in his aorta had actually increased a little.
He fought to stay conscious as he breathed hard. Danny was usually an optimist, but he thought to himself, Another fight like this could kill me. But I only have one more borough to liberate. Then the Mansons can get me out of the city so I can have the surgery. Finally, he could take it no more, Danny lapsed into unconsciousness, changing back into human form as he did.
Danny awoke an hour later on his cot back in his hidey-hole. "You okay, man?" said Tucker, standing over him with bread and cheese. Danny grabbed the food and wolfed it down, pausing only for a minute to say, "It's good to see you, Tucker." Tucker held up the front of Danny's shirt and pressed his hand against Danny's chest. He sighed with relief and said, "Your aneurysm hasn't burst yet, but it will if you keep going like you did today. Danny, you need surgery."
Danny shook his head and said, "I can't leave the city, Tuck. With the other ghosts gone, the Fright Knight's borough is the only one I haven't liberated. And he'll take the others. I have to stop him. It's the only way to convince the government that Amity Park is worth saving."
Meanwhile, back in the Oval Office, the President is meeting with an old acquaintance of his from trade college. "So you see, Mr. President," said the man, "Amity Park can still be saved. I will personally finance the bulk of the repairs. I only need your approval." The president sighed and said, "It's not so simple to just revoke an NML. You know that."
"George," replied the man, voice laced with annoyance, "you HAVE to do me this favor. We went to vocational school together!" The President sighed again and said, "You have my approval, but it's not I you have to convince. If you're willing to put this before Congress, than I'll get the wheels moving."
Vlad Masters stood up and turned to leave, saying, "Don't worry, George. I think I can persuade them to give Amity Park another chance."
(A/N: Sorry it took me so long, but school has been very tiring. Only a few more chapters, I'm sorry to say.)
TO BE CONTINUED.
