Downward Spiral by SupremeDramaOverlord

Chapter 20 - Collaboration with Dragons and Wolves

Danny's POV ~

The screaming wouldn't stop. It was a scream that I never wanted to hear. I ran through the dark, stumbling through dark corners. For once I wasn't worried about what could be hiding in them.

"Jazz?! Jazz, where are you?!"

Her screaming didn't stop but I found the door that separated us. Hysteria was all I knew as I pounded against it. The screaming only grew louder as I could hear her calling for me, begging for help. Blood splattered against the door where I slammed into it.

A chuckle I knew too well came from behind me.

This time the screams came from me when sharp talons cut into my shoulders, pulling me back into the dark and I free fell. Two red orbs pierced through the dark as Vlad's fangs shined with malice. The floor was cold. I tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn't obey me. From the end of a long metal tunnel, my enemy slowly prowled towards me with mutilated beasts behind him. A predator closing in for the kill.

A dim red glow was coming from the walls. Finally, finally, I stood up and turned to run away. A cruel laugh bounced off the walls that kept glowing brighter. Though I ran with all I had, I couldn't go faster than a snail. It was like I was running in place. But I didn't stop.

Ghostly hands emerged from the walls, reaching and clawing for me. Somehow I kept out of reach. The tunnel was bright now, the red light everywhere and the laughing wouldn't stop.

Make it stop!

Two figures emerged in my path. I tripped and tumbled to the floor in surprise. I stared up in horror as they lifted their guns, ready to shoot point-blank. The red light was near blinding now."No! Don't! Please-"

As my parents pulled the trigger, a white-hot light exploded throughout the room. I reached out for something, anything, to hold onto. My body seized as winter, as death, as ice shot through my veins.

"NO!"

"NO!"

I blinked. Then blinked again. I was in someone's bedroom, not the portal. A ghost - Dora - stood a few feet away from me, staring at me as if I lost my mind. She held her arms out in front of her, ready for an attack. That's when I noticed the power building up in my palms, ready to be unleashed. Self-awareness hit me like a ton of bricks. Heat flooded up to my neck and into my cheeks as I absorbed the ecto-energy and floated back down to the floor.

"Danny?" As if I were a ticking time bomb, Dora slowly lowered her arms and took a careful step forward, "What upset you? Have I startled you?"

"No, you didn't," I mumbled as I sat down on the chair I dozed off in. Hopefully, I looked causal, as if I hadn't just looked like a nutcase. "Just a bad dream. Sorry." 'Sorry' didn't really feel like the greatest thing to say to someone you nearly attacked in their own home, but it was the only thing I could think of. "I really am sorry."

I didn't expect her too, but she smiled and I knew she believed me. "Perfectly alright, Danny," Her voice was a little shaky from the scare, "Must have been quite the dream."

More like a nightmare. I shook my head, wanting to forget about it. "How long was I out?"

"Not long." An amused smile tugged at her lips, "You could have used the bed if you wanted. It is far more comfortable than the chair. After all these centuries, it could have finally gotten used for once."

"Wait, what?" I snapped to attention, "Centuries? You haven't slept in your own bed in centuries?"

Dora laughed as if I just said something incredibly funny. "I have not slept since I was alive and breathing! Ghosts have no need nor desire for sleep."

"But I did."

"Indeed but you are also human. Humans need their sleep. I can only assume that would make you an exception."

I from the bed then to her in confusion, "Then why in the world do you have a bed if you don't even use it?"

She shrugged, "Normality."

I glanced at the curtains covering the window. "How long was I out?"

"Not long. After I finished… talking to my brother, I stopped by the kitchens and got some food from the cook. It is for you."

I raised my brow but didn't ask about the pause in her sentence. Instead, I watched as she gestured towards a covered plate on top of a small table. I tried very hard to silence the paranoid voice in my head.

"So ghosts don't need sleep but they need to eat?"

"No, not really," with the grace that only a princess could have, she stooped down to gather the scattered bottles of ointments and unused bandages, tucking them neatly back into the box. "But it is a fast way for us to build up lost energy. You need the substance. You may be a ghost but you are also human and humans need food."

As if to emphasize her point, a low rumbling growl cut through the silence. I flushed as she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Desperate to change the subject, I coughed awkwardly.

"So, uh, what did your brother want?"

Immediately she clammed up as if I slapped her in the face, smile vanishing. Dora didn't respond as began to walk towards the door. Before she opened the door, she paused long enough to say, "Please, eat. I shan't be long."

Ignoring my call for her to wait, she hurried out the door and let it shut with a gentle 'click' behind her. I stared for a brief moment, dumbfounded at the interaction. One moment we were having a surprisingly pleasant and lighthearted conversation, the next was running from the room like I kicked her favorite puppy.

Dora was hiding something from me, I was positive of that. Problem was, I didn't know what to do. I didn't have a clue where I was in this dangerous new world and Dora was the only person I could turn to for help. The dragon princess hadn't done a thing to suggest an ulterior motive. She was interacted with me like a long lost friend. She seemed so nice and caring, just like my sister. I didn't want to admit it but it was comforting, otherwise I think I would have gone crazy with panic. She reminded me of Jazz. I don't think I could handle it if this was all just an act.

Another complaint came from my stomach which turned my attention back to the plate on the table. Hesitantly, I sat down and pulled the plate closer. Even though I wanted to follow Dora out the door, I felt sure I'd be putting us both into a lot of trouble if someone saw me. She didn't sneak me around without a reason. I'd just have to wait for her to come back. In the meantime…

Not sure what to expect, I wasn't surprised that the food here came in a variety of unnatural colors. Inspecting the food with the tip of a fork, I poked and prodded at it with more curiosity than disgust. If I was being honest, it didn't look half bad. Certainly seemed more edible than my mom's cooking, anyway. It actually resembled chicken, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Yeah, it looked alien, but it smelled good and my hunger reminded me that beggars can't be choosers. Still, I was nowhere near adventurous when it came to food. And I still had my doubts.

That suspicious, paranoid part of me that was born from ghost fights, sleepless nights, and a cabin in the Rockies reminded me of the consequences of letting my guard down. I had a lot of good reasons not to eat the food.

But I also had a few good reasons why I should eat it. For one thing, I had no idea how long I'd be stuck in the Ghost Zone. While I refused the idea that I could be stranded forever, I didn't know when I'd get another chance to eat something. It could be a while. For another thing, Dora was going through a lot of trouble for me. I didn't want to hurt her feelings by throwing her generosity in her face. And if she was going to attack me she probably would have done it already.

A pleading pain growled in my gut and I made a final decision.

I took a bite.

And then another, and another, and another.

It did taste like chicken, even if it did have a strange texture. I had to admit though, ghost food was pretty good. It left a weird aftertaste but I was too hungry to care. By the time Dora slipped back into the room, I had completely cleaned the plate. A smile returned to her face, seeming pleased that the food was gone. I quickly remembered my manners and thanked her.

"Happy to know the food is to your liking."

She strode over and draped a satchel over my shoulders. I didn't have to ask before she started explaining, "It has been a time since I was human but I am confident that there is enough food in there to last you a while. If my friend knows the location of a portal, I want you to have what you need. I will have to return home if we do and we will have to part ways. But if he can not help us, you are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need."

"Thank you, Dora. Really," I was filled with gratitude and wanted her to know it. She was going out of her way to do so much for me, a stranger who was half human and asking nothing from me in return. She smiled a warm smile and before I could say anything else, she took my hand and guided me back through the secret hallway.

"We must haste, my brother is quite agitated. The servants will not hold his attention for long."

"Wait, your servants?" I held her hand tightly, nearly blind in the passage. "They're distracting him? They know I'm here?"

"A few of them, yes. But they have my unfailing trust and they are well versed in what to do."

And then it struck me. I wasn't the first person she'd help and I wouldn't be the last. She helped others before me. The box of medicine and bandages,the closed curtains and locked doors, an entire meal the cook just happened to have on hand, the way she navigated the secret tunnel like a second nature - She did this a lot. Apparently enough that some of the castle staff and probably some of the villagers were in on it too.

"Why do you do it?" I asked the question before I could even think it, "Why go out there and risk your neck to help people you don't even know?"

"Because if not I, then who will?"

Even if she looked behind her shoulder, it was too dark to see my smile. Something I rarely ever did anymore. "I guess we have a lot in common, then."

And though I couldn't see it, I knew she was smiling too. We walked in silence after that but it wasn't long before she came to an abrupt halt. I tumbled into her.

I mumbled an apology as I stood up but she wasn't listening. "It is blocked."

"What?" I reached out in the darkness, feeling a hard pile of crumbled stones that towered up to the small ceiling. "This wasn't here before. What happened?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she turned us around and led us back the way we came. "My brother tends to be... violent when I undermine his orders. He must have caused a cave-in."

I wasn't sure what to say to that. I tried to picture a male version of Dora, every inch of them decked in dragon glory. The earth-shattering roar from earlier came flooding back. Her brother might be a king, but it sounded like he possessed a tantrum that a toddler could be proud of.

When we reached her bedroom, Dora slowly approached the door like the boogeyman might be on the other side. After peeking through a crack to make sure the coast was clear, she turned to me pleadingly.

"No matter what you see or hear, you must not make a single sound. If he catches us, run."

I stared. Her tone was grim, her face even more so. Her eyes weary and her frown so deep, you would have thought we were about to walk into a lion's den and poke it with a stick.

"If you're so worried he'll see us, why don't we just wait in here until he's busy somewhere else? Why don't we just phase through the rumble in the tunnel?"

She shook her head, closing the door back so no one would hear us talk. "He knows that I have been sneaking out. He will search my room for anything else I might be hiding from him. He could come in here at any time."

"But in the tunnel, can't we -"

"Ghosts can't do the same things in both worlds," while she explained patiently, her eyes kept darting to the door. As if afraid her brother would barge in at any moment. "A ghost can travel through walls and solid objects in your world but not here in our world."

"Wait, really?" My mind spun with new questions at this revelation, "What about-""There's no time," Dora peeked out once more before she led me out the door, "Try not to make a sound."

With a light touch on my arm, Dora guided me through the hallways with a little more speed than when we were in the safety of the tunnels. On alert, Dora cautiously kept up the faster pace while occasionally glancing behind us. Twice she had to push me behind a tapestry when someone would be crossing our path. We were just entering what looked like a throne room when it looked like we were almost out.

Keyword: Almost.

"DORA!"

Jumping a foot in the air, I whirled around to see probably the ugliest ghost I'd ever seen. Though the two looked nothing alike, I knew he had to be Dora's brother Aragon. The crown on his oily, black hair was indicator enough. One of them had to be adopted. Behind him in the large doorway, a few ghosts crowded around and if they were still alive, I was sure they'd be holding their breath.

"Who is that?"

Though he was referring to me, Aragon locked his simmering glare at his sister. Dora shrank under his scowl. Some of the other ghosts flinched.

"This is Danny," she sounded so small, not at like the dragon I knew she was. "He-"

"I don't care who he is, why is he here?!"

"You just asked her who I was and she answered!" I was surprised at the anger in my voice, "You can't treat her like that!"

I almost wanted to laugh at the stupid, dumbstruck expression on Aragon's face at he stared at me. His mouth opened and closed a few times like a fish, apparently not used to having someone yell at him. But then his mouth snapped into another scowl and when he blinked his eyes, his pupils had narrowed to reptilian slits.

I staggered back a step.

In response, Argon slowly started to stalk towards me, "You little-"

"Wait, brother," Dora had stepped between us, placing her gentle hand on his chest to halt him, "He is but a boy, he meant no harm. He was attacked and in desperate need of help! Look into your heart, show the compassion I know you are capable of. Please, brother."

Aragon was silent as he stared at his sister, face devoid of any readable emotion. It seemed that he was absorbing her words. He slowly placed his hand over the one Dora still had on his chest. She smiled.

From where I stood a few feet away, I could see Aragon's hand suddenly grip tight around her wrist. Dora winced and before anyone could do anything, Aragon violently backhanded her across the face. She yelped in pain as the force sent her sprawling to the ground.

I was frozen to the spot in surprised horror. Of all the things I expected to happen, that wasn't on the list. The image I had of Dora's brother being a snobby, over-privileged toddler faded away into something much more malevolent and destructive. Now it all made sense, why she was so nervous about Aragon finding out about her secret activities, why she avoided talking about him, and how anxious she was at the very idea of upsetting her brother.

This was abuse.

"How dare you!" Aragon towered over Dora, who was clutching her cheek and staring up at him with wide eyes. "You venture outside our borders, bring this outsider inside our walls, and now you become so insulted as to stand in my way and question me?!"

A few tears leaked from her eyes, "Brother… Please."But he wasn't listening. Aragon raised a hand that had grown long dragon claws. The ghosts watching from the doorway wore expressions of apprehension but none of them dared object their king. Dora covered her head and waited for the blow to come.

But it never came.

The silence was thick with high levels of fear as Dora and the other ghosts watched Aragon struggle to get off the ground. My hand smoldered from impacting his face. There had been a loud crack. Whether it was from his jaw or my knuckles, I'd never know and I didn't care.

Dazed from the hit, he stood up with that same stupid look on his face. He took two steps forward before I blasted him with an ecto-blast, sending him flying into across the room and onto a wall, "Back off, jerk!"

As he recovered from the assault, I turned and helped Dora up. Her face was a strange mix of awe and trepidation. Half her face bloomed with purple.

"Fight back, Dora!" I didn't have much time before Aragon got his second wind, "He doesn't get to treat you like that! No one does! Not now, not ever!"

"I - but-" She stumbled over her words as eyes darted from me to Aragon, "He is my brother."

"So? That's not an excuse! Brothers aren't supposed to act like that!"

"Aragon is king! I am but a princess."

I laughed in disbelief. "You can turn into a literal dragon! No one should have to put up with this. Not a princess and certainly not a dragon. You have claws and teeth the size of a baseball bat. Use them!"

At a complete loss for words, Dora stared at me. Her eyes were too shiny and too wet.

"You fool!"

I whipped my head around and suddenly felt incredibly small. Aragon was no longer a controlling, oily head, beanpole with sexism issues. Unable to stand to his full height inside the throne room, a dragon with scales that were darker than the night itself crouched low enough to stare me dead in the eyes. And wow, he looked pissed. Lips pulling back into a sneer, I got an up-close and personal view of his fangs. His eyes burned in fury as his voice rumbled like thunder in his new form. It was more than a little intimidating.

"Impudent mortal!" Do you have any idea what I'm going to do to you?"

"Accepting a breath mint from me would be nice."

This was one of those rare moments I wished I kept my mouth shut. Facing down a dragon that was eyeing me like a homicidal maniac was not on my bucket list. I had to cover my ears at the thunderous roar that came blasting out of his mouth. Hot breath and drops of spit flew past me as my hair pulled against my skull. The next thing I knew I was lying face-up on the cold stone, a heavy reptilian paw pressing me against the floor. I winced from the pain and the putrid breath.

"You think you can come into my home, turn my property against me, and insult me?" His face was way too close for comfort. Black spots danced across my vision and it was getting terrifyingly hard to breathe. "A big mistake."

The pressure increased and I gasped. With one arm pinned and on the verge of crushing right alongside my ribs, I flailed my only other arm in a weak attempt that I knew was useless. I could feel the bandages on my shoulder and abdomen grow wet, the wounds opening and leaking. My head lightened and my vision blurred. But even in this weakening state, I could hear the loud and angry words cut through the room.

"That. Is. Enough!"

The weight disappeared and as the spots vanished, I stared up at my rescuer. Standing defensively above me on all fours, in all her dragon glory, was Dora. She locked eyes with her brother and this time, there was no fear. Only hurt and rage filled those eyes.

Blood dripped from three, fresh, furious claw marks that stretched deep across his cheek. Aragon spewed with frenzied wrath, "What are you doing?!"

There was a calmness to Dora that was almost frightening.

"Something I should have done years ago."

Two dragons wage their war.

And the castle's foundation trembled.

Vlad's POV ~

"This is a bad idea, Plasmius."

Ignoring Skulker as best I could, my pace quickened as I made my way through the Ghost Zone. With Daniel stranded, shot, and possibly in danger, I had no time to waste and my patience was waning thin with the glorified tin can. Unable to take the hint, Skulker rambled on with no sign of stopping.

"That creature is uncontrollable! I can't believe you would even consider this! Do you have any idea how long it took me to track down that beast? I even needed help from that insufferable warden just to capture it! Besides, with those Nightmares lurking around, the Welp is as good as dead-"

"Enough!" Without warning I rounded on the unprepared ghost, freezing him in mid-sentence. My power flared and sizzled around us, causing the ghost to back away a cautionary five feet. Skulker's surprise was evident. I knew why. Through all exchanges and encounters with my ghostly allies, I have made sure to be collected and methodical. Expressions, emotions, they were both weaknesses. They held no purpose in these situations. But just the thought of what Skulker was implying…

No. Daniel was smart, resourceful, and stubborn to a fault. The boy can hold his own until I find him. And I would find him. Alive.

I forced in a slow breath of air and the burning energy retreated, yet remained simmering just beneath the skin. I needed to remain calm. Panicking would do no good. I did not know how but just the thought of the little badger aimlessly wandering lost in the Ghost Zone - probably seriously injured - had all my calm demeanor flying out the window. Right now I needed to keep my head on my shoulders. I could do this. For his sake.

"Your concern is unnecessary." Though I managed to be composed, there was a noticeable bite to my tone, "I can assure you that I know precisely what I am doing. Now if there are no further questions, attend to your business and I'll attend to mine."

Skulker opened his mouth but thought better of it and abruptly closed it shut. He seemed aware of just how frail the line he stood on was. He shook his head, "Fine. I'll get in touch if I get a lead on the Welp. Good luck with the warden and his mutt." Then as he flew off, he muttered, "You'll need it."

Unimpressed, I teleported the rest of the way to the prison. While Skulker could be irritating at the best of times, he was the most reliable ally I had. While I focused on the task at hand, he would be snooping around. If there were any ghosts who had seen Daniel, Skulker would know about it and persuade them to talk. Skulker may be annoying but he always got the job done.

Before entering the prison, I plastered an indifferent expression on my face. I wore it nearly every day but this was the first time it was hard. Difficult even. It was a difficult task to focus on while a useless emotion gnawed on my soul.

Guilt. What a horrid emotion. It persistently whispered in my ear that this entire situation was my fault. That I shouldn't have done the things I did. I couldn't help but growl. Rubbish. Utter Rubbish.

I was not to blame for this. If only he had listened to me! If only he had seen the truth! I was not to blame for this situation. His stubbornness and pride landed him here. Even more at fault were my two dear college 'friends'. They were the ones who shot him through the portal, not me!

Breathing deeply, I banished the distracting thoughts and emotions from my mind and focused. Placing my features into an indifferent facade, I straightened my shoulders and held my head high.

None of the guards blinked or dared made a move to stop me as I entered through the doors of the prison. I paid no attention to the tortured screams of pure anguish that rang from the countless cells.

Strolling idly through the halls of the prison, anyone who saw me would think I owned the place. From behind locked cells, the prisoners screamed and yelled tortured profanities and the guards I passed didn't dare halt me in my tracks. I practically did own the place.

Without bothering to knock, I stepped into the warden's office. The ghost I came to see was leafing through his ludicrous rule book. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Instead, I settled for an indifferent greeting, "Evening, Walker."

From his desk Walker looked up, his eyes narrowing at the sight of me. "Plasmius," he shut his book with an annoyed 'snap', "To what do I owe this unpleasant surprise?"

"I thought you would never ask. I have an urgent matter that requires your cooperation." Leisurely I stepped further into the room, idly fingering a few chains that hung from the ceiling, "Someone near and dear to me has lost his way in the Ghost Zone and you possess an asset that can help me find him."

"Sounds like a lot of trouble." Walker frowned deeply, "Who is he?"

"He is my son."

"Your son, huh? I don't reckon he's a halfa like you?"

"Indeed, he is."

Walker scowled, "So now there's two of you abominations running around. That's just what the Ghost Zone needs, another hybrid. Find the punk on your own."

"Careful, Walker," My eyes burned in warning, "We may be allies, but we both know our truce is primarily for your benefit. I, on the other hand, do not need this alliance."

Walker held my gaze without flinching but after a moment he looked away as he slipped his book into his pocket. "What exactly did you have in mind, Plasmius? Unless you want me to spread my men thin in the Ghost Zone, I assume you already have a plan to find the punk."

"You assumed correctly. The fastest way to find Daniel is to track him."

"And how do you expect us to do that?"

My lips curled upwards, "We use that charming bloodhound, of course."

Walker was momentarily stunned before he slammed a fist on the desk, "Are you mad?!"

"Relax," I waved a hand in dismissal, "I have a device that will keep him under our thumb and a plan to keep him obedient. The rouge will be as docile as a rabbit."

That last sentence earned a scoff, "Do you have any idea how hard it was to lock that thing up? The savage nearly escaped just last week!"

"I have it under control."

Catching the warning in my undertone, the warden wisely dropped his complaints. We were both silent as we walked through the halls, rows and rows of cells locked on both sides. The prisoners inside them never stopped screaming, some in despair, agony, anguish, most a combination. When we finally arrived at the cell we wanted, the prisoner inside stayed eerily quiet. This was the only cell in the entire prison that had twelve guards positioned around it, every single one of them armed to the teeth. With a grunt and flippant wave of the hand from Walker, the guards backed down but stayed close enough to take action if necessary. Every eye on the creature within the cage.

I stepped forward till the bars were an inch from my nose. Piercing through the dark shadows of the cell, a pair of eyes glowed and narrowed dangerously when I stepped into sight. I offered a grin.

"Good evening, Wulf."

A low, homicidal growl answered.

The guards inched closer, weapons lowered but ready. Walker shifted his weight and slowly pulled a pistol from the inside pocket of his jacket. My grin merely turned to a smirk.

"Remember me?"

Several things happened at once. The massive animal slammed against the six-inch bars, saliva flying as mad barking filled the air. Reacting immediately, the guards aimed their weapons but held back their fire at the command of the raised hand of the warden, who now had the barrel of his own gunned trained on the prisoner. I had merely raised a brow, smirk unfaltering.

"Excellent, you do remember me."

With ragged breaths, Wulf stood nearly nose to nose with me, the bars standing in his way. But even without them, I could see his features clearly. Prison had changed his appearance. His dark fur had turned ragged and matted, rips decorated the membrane of his ears, and the neon prison jumpsuit that was once far too tight was now looser around his frame. His razor claws and needle-sharp teeth were unchanged. Ignoring the mutt's vile breath, I leaned forward and reminded him that I had fangs too.

"I have a proposition for you, Wulf." His lips peeled back as his growl rose to new heights. It didn't faze me. Unbeknownst to the savage, I knew the one sentence that would have him wrapped around my thumb.

"I'll give your freedom in exchange for someone else's."

Silence.

And just like that, I had complete and unwavering obedience.

Soooo, been a few months but here's the next chapter. Not gonna lie this one was a little harder to write. As most of you figured out, I'm throwing a lot of the shows cannon out the window. Let me know what you think of the changes! In the upcoming chapters, you'll be seeing a few more characters from the show re-written. Let me know who your favorite ghost is. Who knows, maybe they'll be in the story :D

Thank you so much to everyone who offered me words of support when I lost my friend.
And now, on to reviews!

Olliepops16: Thanks for all the love! I'm glad the new plots and characterization are being well received. And to answer your request, here's a new chapter for ya!

ericaphoenix16: Well, Dora tried.

DarkFoxKit: Got a lot of questions, don't ya? Don't worry. All in due time, my friend. Patience is key. Thank you so much for the review!

Spades231: I really want to thank you, your reviews have really encouraged me to keep writing. It was nice to know that other people understand how hard it is to lose a close friend. And don't worry, you don't remember Nightmare creatures because they weren't on the show. I made them up. I hope you had an amazing Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Cyan Quartz: Let's be honest, holding back snarky comebacks is not Danny's strong suit ;P

Kelanio: That means a lot to me, thanks!

Rush721: Sit tight, cause it's about to get a whole lot more twisty!