Chapter 3: Moving On
The next morning; and an hour of persuading Wulf, a lone ghost portal appeared in the woods. From it, three silent figures stepped out. Wulf quickly told them to wait in the shadows, leaving the safety of the trees to survey the surroundings. He stalked through the pines, longs claws fully extended ready for a surprise attack. Now and again he froze, sniffing the air was his long ears twisting about. Every time Danny saw him pause he held his breath, ready for anything to burst from the woods.
This was stupid. If that ghost was still luring about he was putting Wulf and Dani in massive danger. And if Plasmius was still here then he was about to be destroyed for ignoring his plans. Already doubt was creeping into the back of his mind whether he really was a big idiot for wanting to go back to Amity.
Wulf took one final sniff and turned back to them, barking with a nervous twitch of his ear.
"Okay!" He called loudly, Danny slowly rose out of their hiding spot with a nervous breath. It shocked him how overwhelming the relief he felt was, and it was clear from her shallow sigh that Dani felt the same.
Walking over to his friend he noticed that Wulf was gazing around skittishly, clearly not quite sure that they were safe. But Danny pushed down his own unease, knowing that the worry would break his courage in a second. Peering about the forest, it was eerily still; small flakes of snow fluttering noiselessly in the air. Through the trees was the large mound of snow that he'd had sent tumbling over the cliff, pushing forcefully through the trunks like a monstrous sludge.
Waiting for Dani to catch up he took a deep breath, placing a firm hand on a tree trunk. "Where Wulf?"
The ghost didn't answer, only padded out into in woods. Following Danny noticed as they weaved through the thickly-knitted trees the ground began to turn up, clear indents in the snow that started to tell the tale of what had happened here.
A fight had clearly broken out, the ground scared with deep scruffy marks. Danny could see that the battle had moved further away from where he stood, one of the pines snapped in half and burned black. He gulped, imagining the scene that had happened while he had been unconscious. Slowly, as if stepping over landmines Danny moved within the worst of the battlefield, searching for anything. With dread, he spotted blood, little flecks of green dotting the now muddy dirt. He shuddered, somehow he doubted they were from that ghost.
Dani had caught up to him, "Wow…" she trailed off, clearly nervous at the marks of the fight. "That ghost must really hate Plasmius."
"That's putting it lightly…" he muttered, earning a puzzled look from his clone. Yet he didn't elaborate.
Wulf sniffed, moving back towards the giant pile of snow. Seeing the mass made Danny suddenly realised that if on a slim chance Tucker's bag had fallen down with him, it would likely be in that snow. It would take them days, weeks to find it. Time that they didn't have.
"So… what now?" She whispered low, something about the place made them feel that raising their voices was a bad idea. " You got a plan, right?"
"Plan…" he frowned, gaze going up the cliff face just peaking out from the trees. Had he even had a plan in the first place? He needed to go to Amity Park to close the portal so that this nightmare might be able to end. But everything else…he had nothing. The thermos was only an item that might prolong their survival, but it wasn't a solution. Would that version of himself even fall for the same trick twice?
"Danny?" She moved in front of him, eyes filled with worry and concern. He looked at her tiredly, holding back a chuckle. Did he really look that pathetic? Part of him wanting to follow Vlad's plan and just get out of here, yet the other part of him wanted to grab Dani by the collar and yell for her to get out of here. Get away from him until it was too late.
He swallowed, hesitated to say his next words. Watching her continually growing in concern, with eyes that looked too eerily like his own. They just couldn't stay with him. He had to protect them if it was the last thing he did, just like Sam and Tucker. As long as they were with him, their lives would be in danger. This… was between him and that ghost.
"Amiko!" Wulf's warning tone made Danny flinched, twisting sharply towards the ghost. He was digging in the avalanche. With one massive paw, he heaved the slush away, and Danny caught sight of what Wulf had found.
A hand.
Everything stilled as Danny felt time slow, starting at the pale, blueish thing sticking out. The worst theory crossed his mind, feeling a sick dread that threatened to root him to the spot. As Wulf began digging around the hand Danny forced himself to move. He hadn't even made it two steps before Dani grabbed his forearm, stopping him. The jolt surprised him, along with the tense look that was cast upon her face. But his clone gave him no answer. Instead, Danny looked back at the ghost, clearing his dry mouth in preparation for what he was about to see.
With a huff Wulf stuck his jaw into the snow and pulled hard, dragging the body to the surface. At once Danny relaxed if but a little when he saw that it wasn't Vlad, but what looked like a G.I.W. agent. The grip on his arm disappeared and Dani sighed in what he could only describe as relief. He sent her a questioning look, but she just shook her head and stomped over to the body.
Danny approached more slowly, a faint, sallow feeling settling in his gut as he recalled who that body was. It was that agent that had been about to restrain him. Not Agent Z, but Danny could vaguely remember him standing over him, just been before they had tumbled over the cliff. The man's skin had now turned a sickly blue, eyes wide and glazed over in death. Bile rose in Danny's throat at the sight; it wasn't Vlad, but that didn't make what he'd done any better.
That his avalanche had unintentionally killed someone.
"Oh Crud…Oh curd!" Danny gripped his head as the horror overtook him, sickening thoughts of the outcome of his dumb mistake filled his mind. After all that talk with Sam about not killing anyone, what a hypocrite he was! This dead agent would only prove to the G.I.W that he was some sort of dangerous ghost. This whole situation was going from bad to worse as his life crumbled before his eyes. He was so screwed!
"Friend okay?" Wulf grunted out, just as puzzled as Dani was to his friend's sudden panic.
"No I'm not okay!" Danny snapped as his voiced cracked, staring at the ground. "Oh man this is bad… they're never…never going to let me get away once they find out about this. I mean, how was I supposed to know that sending that snow down could kill someone! I-it's not my fault, right?"
The shock of everything washed over Danny causing him to fall to his knees. At once Dani was kneeling with him, gripping his shoulders to shake the sense into him.
"Whoa calm down cuz, what's got into you? It's just one of those dumb ghost hunters. Of course it's not your fault!"
But Danny wasn't listening. The pressured was crushing him, squeezing his chest and threatening to explode. It was all too much, this unknown of what he was supposed to do. " I can't do this…" He muttered, wrapping his arms around himself. Who was he kidding, he couldn't stop his alternative self this time, not like this. He was too powerful, too strong for him to fight. This plan of shutting the ghost portal down was just a way he could claim he was trying something. But it wasn't the real solution to his problem. The more he tried the more damage he caused, and this time he might risk losing his last remaining friends as well.
"Friend can to it!" Wulf barked loudly, catching Danny's attention. "Showed before friend strong. Now Wulf help you."
"You guys…" Frowning he looked at the two worried faces. " You don't get it… that ghost, the "evil" one, he's not like the other ghosts that I've fought before. He's making my life a living hell on purpose. It's… like a game to him. And he will not stop until everything and everyone I care for is dead. That means both of you." He broke his gaze, squeezing his eyes shut as the image that his words conjured. " I… appreciate that you both want to help me. But your way out of your league with this one. Don't you get it? He'll tear you apart if you face him!"
The hands on his shoulders tensed, Dani's sharp breath ringing in his ears. "Yeah…your right. I know if I fought him I'd have no chance. But I also know that I can't stand the idea of him winning either, especially if he's causing you to be like this. Alone I don't have a chance, but the three of us together… can think of something."
Wulf had clearly been struggling to follow their conversation, yet he leaned in closer to the half ghosts. " I not strong as ghost. But… can help friend. Understand… friend must fight but can not. We can find way."
The ghost ignored the pained look Danny sent him, returning back to the body to sniff about. With a gruff of surprise, he took something off the belt, passing it to Danny.
"Eble ĉi tio helpos?" Carefully, Danny held the cold metal device in his hands, turning the two heavy links. They looked like some sort of handcuffs, cool and held together with what like wire instead of a chain. Most likely they possessed some sort of anti-ghost energy tech in them, like the Plasmius Maximus did. So, he thought glumly, these must have been the restrains that almost had ended upon him. Double-checking that they were indeed off he looked up at the ghost, smiling sadly.
"Thanks buddy, but I seriously doubt that these are going to stop him."
Wulf's ears slumped in disappointment. Danny about to throw the dangerous things far away. But before he could Dani snatched them from his hands, stuffing them into her pocket.
"They still could be useful. After all they might work on agents too." She grinned, peering about the woods. " Okay, if you don't have a plan then I'll think one up… so it's clear that Plasmius and that guy are long gone. You want to shut down the portal right? Then that should be our main objective. Then after that's done we scram as far away as we can-"
"-But, other told us to go to Rocks!" Wulf cut in quickly, gaze shifting between the two of them. "Town dangerous, filled with human hunters. Should go to Rocks first, find other."
"You mean Plasmius right?"
"Plasmius?" Wulf rolled the new word through his jaws, testing it as Dani fumed at the ghost.
"Are you kidding!? We've got to be crazy going to that guy. Sure, Amity Parks probably crawling with agents, but we can't trust Plasmius will just keep his word. Right, Danny?"
But Danny wasn't so sure. Wulf was right in his own way, finding Vlad would give them some well-needed defence in case of an attack, whether from G.I.W or his future self. It had been the plan in the beginning to met up in the first place. If Vlad was making his way to the Rockies then there must be a reason why he thought they would be safer there. Perhaps there was a ghost shield or weapons that he stashed in the house, something that would give them a chance.
"You're not seriously thinking we should go with that creep's plan, right?" It startled him how horrified she sounded and he supposed normally it would be insane for him to agree to it.
Danny sighed. "Look… this isn't like before. Even if we shut down the portal and run, what then? That ghost will come after us eventually, and sooner or later he'll catch up-"
Suddenly Wulf gripped both of their shoulders, sniffing the air." Atendu, mi flaras ion proksime al ni…"
Blood running cold Danny froze, straining his hearing out for any noise. Yet nothing about the silent woods had seemed to change.
"What's going on?" Dani whispered as the ghost continued to search the shadows, ears twitching back and forth.
"Is it a ghost?" Danny breathed out, fear lessening when Wulf shook his head.
"Ne. Flaras pli kiel-"
At once a sharp bang broke the silence, Wulf pushing the three of them into the ground. Danny just had time to see a flash of neon green whizz past before it collided with a tree. Wulf snarled viciously as Danny managed to wiggle himself out of the ghost's grip.
"Human Hunter!" Wulf hissed, long emerald claws digging into the snow. Danny watched in amazement as the G.I.W agent staggered out of the forest. His jaw-dropped when he realised it was Agent Z. Somehow, against all possible odds he had survived the fall, unlike his colleague. At the sight of them, the man bared his teeth in pain, the ghost weapon swaying in his hand as he pointed it their way.
"There you are freak!" The man spat, swaying closer and steadying his aim. "I thought you'd come crawling back here and with another spook too. Finally showing your true colours now, huh?"
"Back off Human!" Wulf growled low and threatening, Danny quickly gripping the ghost's shirt in rising panic. He knew that Wulf wouldn't hesitate to protect them, the Agent no match for the ghost's wicked claws. Not only that, Dani would risk getting destabilised by transforming; one hit from the anti-ghost ray and that would be it. He needed to do something before things turned ugly.
"Wait, wait, Stop!" Without thinking, Danny bolted in front of his friends. When Agent Z centred the weapon to his chest he raided his hands up in a hopefully peaceful gesture. " Um…Hi? Wait um, I mean; you've got this all wrong. Where not the bad guys here. That ghost that destroyed Casper High is the real enemy that's causing all of this stuff to happen."
"Danny?!" Hissed his clone in warning, but he shot her a glare back. He wasn't going to let them get wasted because of a mistake that was his.
"Look; surely you guys can see that evil ghost is more of a problem than me. I've only ever tried to help the people of Amity Park-"
"Lies!" Agent Z roared, manic eyes never leaving his. " Don't feed me that crap, spook. You think that I would buy that human form and your fake sympathy? Your dangerous; just like the rest of your kind!"
"I'm human." Danny felt his voice grow in angry, struggling to keep his cool. "Why can't you ghost hunter wannabes see that I'm just Half ghost! I'm just as much human as you are!"
The man let out a burst of dark laughter, the effort leaving the injured agent gasping. "Human, it says. You're funny, spook. You might think you can trick the world into believing your innocent, but that won't work on me. I can see exactly what you are. Wait I get it now… you're pretending to 'help' the citizens of Amity Park so that they'll trust you completely. Making those gullible people believe that you were a good ghost was all part of your plan. Only to make it easier for you and your associates to kill them without them fighting back."
"What!? No! That nothing like me at all!" Pure fear set in as Agent Z began to look more unhinged, staring at Danny like he was nothing. Fearfully he took a step back, realising he was in grave danger. This man was never going to believe a single word that left his lips. Nothing he could say would change his mind. It never would. And it wasn't just him; all of the G.I.W would be the same. He could defeat his future self, close the portal; but in their eyes forever he would only be an evil spook.
As Wulf beside him began to growl louder, Danny clenched his fists, eyes flashing green in his anger. " Why can't you understand that I'm trying to stop that ghost just like you guys!? If you capture me, you're only sentencing the whole world for destruction! You'll be no better than the ghost that killed everyone at Casper!"
The Agent snarled in rage and fired, Wulf surprisingly made a small shield to stop the blast hitting Danny directly. With a roar, the ghost sprung forward, rushing at the man while dodging the wild rays.
"Wulf no!" Danny yelled as the ghost smashed the weapon out of his hand, pushing the Agent to the ground with a heavy paw. The man gasped form the pressure, gazing up into Wulf's gaping jaws. All that macho he had held up to now vanished in a blink of an eye. Pure terror broke over his face. Danny felt his breath hitch, knowing that Wulf wouldn't think twice about ending that man's life. Not thinking he leapt forward, white rings materialising around his waist.
"Danny don't transform!" He heard Dani cried out behind him but he didn't listen, going ghost. Kicking he shot off into the air. Quickly he reached the ghost just as his jaws were about to snap down and finished off the ghost hunter for good. Danny grabbed his jaws, locking them together within his arms.
"Wulf - no! Ĉesu mia amiko!" He grunted from the effort as the ghost swung his muzzle around, making him twist in the air with it. Struggling to bring him under control Danny tugged the ghost up, pulling him off the Agent. "Ni ne povas vundi lin!"
The ghost frowned, confused at his friend's request. But before he could try to ask why Dani rushed up to the both of them, her face pale. "We got to get out of here…now!"
Danny was jarred at the sudden change in her, Wulf reading the dread in her voice nodded. Taking Danny with him he lurched forward, scooping her up with a yelp of surprise. Without a backwards glace, the ghost flew fast towards the cliff.
Clinging to Wulf's neck, Danny felt the adrenaline fade away, leaving a cold, horrible feeling in his gut. But he was more worried when Dani wiggle her way to face him.
"Transform back!"
"W-why-"
"-Just do it!"
Nodding, he let the rings pass over as they zipped over the cliff into the forest beyond. Somehow he felt from her tone that he'd just done something terrible, more so than everything that had already happened.
As the three disappeared, Agent Z heaved himself up, watching their retreat. But even he knew it was pointless to pursue them in his current condition. The freaks would be too fast to catch…without a little help, of course.
Pressing down on the receiver in his ear, Agent Z waited till the earpiece connect, wincing as every bone in his body creaked in pain.
"Agent Z!?" a thin, static voice buzzed in his left ear. "Come in Agent Z!"
"Agent Z reporting, alive but injured. One man down." He hissed as he shifted his leg, barely feeling his foot anymore. "Immediate first aid is needed."
"Affirmative, Locating your position now, safe to approach?"
"Yes, but... bring a tracking team..." The man looked down at his glove, watching the glowing beast's fur dotting the fabric. " I have a ghost signal that needs tracking. One that will lead us to Subject 2." Agent Z grinned as he waited for his reply. That ghost wasn't getting away from him that easy.
###
Night was falling fast by the time they had stopped. In a fluke, as they drifted through the trees Danny had spotted the rotting church. He had called out for them to stop, a slim hope in his heart that somehow Sam and Tucker were waiting within. But upon entering the creaking place nothing stirred. Here, Danny had slipped off Wulf's back and refused to move on.
Wulf huffed in the different scents all around them, all blurring into his nose. There were the old scents of his friend and his companions, of Wulf and the ghost girl's own scent, along with the other half ghost. Yes, he remembered this place now. Muddled within all of them he could faintly sense the evil ghost, mimicking his friend's own scent confusingly.
Twitching his tail Wulf nervously looked around. They shouldn't be here, so far the from the path that they should be going. He didn't like the other half ghost; he'd been grumpy and mean and he hadn't like that one bit. But he wasn't a fool to not know that the other was strong, stronger than Wulf, stronger perhaps than Phantom. He had to be to survive a wound like that and still have the strength to fight. Wise they would be to find him like he had told them to do once they escaped through his portals. But for some reason, his friend had decided to return back home, which Wulf thought was a terrible idea.
He padded over to where Phantom and the ghost girl were, nestled between nasty-smelling benches. For a while, the girl had been trying to soothe his friend, though Wulf could tell from the look on Phantom's face something was tormenting him.
" Come on Danny, you can't take that loser seriously, right?" The ghost girl, Dani, tried to confine with him. " What he was saying was just rubbish. Those guys don't know anything about ghosts."
"It's not that…" Phantom sighed, resting his chin onto his raised knees. Wulf did not like his friend like this. The girl might not see, but he knew that something inside was hurting Phantom, his eyes pooled with it. He cut into their talk, speaking in his native tongue so that they could speak in private.
"I understand you're in pain, my friend; from what has been said or of sorrow. I am sorry that I could not help you on time. But we have to go."
Phantom shocked his head, shivering. The act puzzled Wulf, though he was in his human form, it couldn't be from the cold.
"It is too dangerous to stay here. The air is full of danger. Hunters must come quickly, that devil could return here."
"I know," whispered Phantom, closing his eyes. " But I don't… I don't know what I can do. You heard him Wulf; He thinks that I… I can't escape this. I told Sam I would try to go back. But I can't. Nothing, no plan. Now… I don't have a chance." He seemed to sigh, squeezing his eyes tighter.
"Okay; you two know that it's frustrating that I can't understand what your saying." The girl piped in, glaring at the two of them. " If this is about that guy, you need to forget about it."
"Dani; The G.I.W is going to chase me for the rest of my life. Even if I shut down the portal… they won't stop until they've got me locked up in a lab somewhere. I've got no plan at all. I don't even know how I can stop that ghost. And for all we know Plasmius is probably dead somewhere. Face it, I'm done."
"Wait, done?"
"I give up," He shrugged, suddenly coking out a laugh. "It's over. My alternative self has won."
"What... do you mean " Alternative self?" The girl breathed, stilling. Phantom only stared at her blankly, refusing to answer. Wulf frowned, worried at the defeated tone of his friend. Why was he so dishearten? This was the ghost who had saved his afterlife from Walker, who had defeated the most feared ghost in the Ghost Zone, Pariah Dark. So why had he now given up so easily? He knew had lost so much, but wouldn't that make him more determined to save the day?
He was not having it. " It's not over, my friend. We must shut portal, then find the other half ghost. After that, we can come up with a plan together to defeat the evil ghost. I'm sure we can overcome this."
Phantom's eyebrow curled up at him. "Seriously?"
"Yes! I will help you, just as you helped me in my time of need. We can win!"
His friend huffed, covering his face with his arms. " Whatever you say…"
Seeing that Phantom was done talking and that the ghost girl was staring numbing at the floor, Wulf slumped down himself. Gently he curled his paws comfortably underneath him. If they were going to continue to friend's home he was going to defend them from danger. Besides, Wulf thought with a nod; once Phantom shut down the portal he would begin to figure out the path he was meant to be on. They just had to get there in one piece first.