Ember stepped over to Desiree. "Hi. Remember me?" she asked.
Desiree turned her smoky half back into legs. She looked at Ember for a long moment, then shook her head. "No, I do not," she answered.
"One of my first memories is finding myself in the Ghost Zone, and wishing I knew where I was. You suddenly appeared and granted my wish. I asked your name, and you told me, then flew off," said Ember.
Again, Desiree shook her head. "I grant many wishes. I do not remember all those I grant them to," she said.
"Well, Ember's the one we need your help for," said Danny, turning his back to the fire to warm it up.
Desiree looked at him, then Sam and Tucker. "In all the thousands of years I have existed, I have never heard of humans who help ghosts."
"Get used to it," said Sam, "Ember's our friend."
"I can see there is a story here worth listening to," said Desiree.
The five of them settled around the campfire, and told Desiree the story. When they were finished, Desiree was silent, taking it in. Then she looked around the campfire at them. "Quite a tale," she said.
"Now it's your turn. Will you help us?" asked Danny.
Desiree stood up. "I must consider," she said. Then looked at Danny. "To be clear: after I give my answer, weither yea or nay, I am free to go, correct?"
"That's right, you are," answered Danny, "Though if you say yes, you should grant the wish first."
Desiree smiled. "Of course. But now, let me think." She stepped away from them, and looked out over the bleak landscape.
Ember was suddenly nervous. She might soon know!
Tucker stepped over to Danny. "Can you trust her?" he asked in a low voice. "Remember what happened when she gave me ghost powers."
"Yeah, I remember," said Danny, "But we made a deal when I rescued her, and she's played it straight since then. So yeah, I think we can."
Neither of them realized Desiree could hear every word. She smiled to herself. 'These children are so niave,' she thought, 'But they have helped me, and are helping that other ghost. I am finding this most interesting.'
"I just wish we could be sure of her," said Tucker.
Desiree turned to them. "As you wish it, so shall it be," she said.
"HUH?" said Danny and Tucker together, looking at her.
"Yes, you may trust me," she said, "If I answer yes, I will grant her wish without tricks or evil."
"Why the change of heart?" asked Tucker, "I remember very clearly all the havoc you caused back home."
Desiree went back to the fire, gesturing for the others to join her. They all sat down again.
"When I was alive, I never got my heart's desire," she began, "When I became a ghost, I began granting others what they wanted. But after I would do so, I was ignored, or dismissed. So I became bitter, and cynical. I changed my wish-granting so that what they got would turn on them. I got much satisfaction from that."
She looked at the four friends; two humans, a half-ghost, and a ghost. "But you have shown me I am wrong to do so. Not all humans are greedy and self-absorbed. You are helping your friend," she nodded at Ember, "Because you want to. And you have travelled a long way into great danger to do so. I respect that."
There was silence around the campfire.
"What is your heart's desire?" asked Tucker, "If that's not being too personal."
Desiree shook her head. "A kingdom of my own, and a good man to rule beside me." She looked sad. "But it shall never happen, now. The world has changed too much."
"Well, for what it's worth, I hope you do get it, someday," said Tucker, and the others agreed.
"I thank you for that," answered Desiree. "Now I must think some more." She stood up, and walked away from them.
"The fire's dying," observed Sam to Tucker. "We'd better get some more wood."
"Good idea," he replied, "It's really cold here."
Danny turned to say something, and his eyes widened. "LOOK OUT!" he shouted, and tackled Desiree. They rolled down a slight incline, and separated at the bottom.
Desiree looked angry as she sat up. "I TOLD YOU BEFORE, GHOST CHILD, THAT NO MAN TOUCHES ME UNLESS I WISH IT!"
"Does that include him?" asked Danny, pointing.
Desiree looked in the direction indicated, and gasped. Skulker stood at the top of the rise, reeling back in a mechanical claw he had used to try to grab her.
He dropped the barrel of the weapon, and pointed at Desiree. "She is mine! Bought and paid for!" he shouted.
Danny ran back up the hill to the others, Desiree right behind him. "Yeah? Well, if you want her, you'll have to go through us first!" he shouted back.
Desiree stared at Danny. 'They will protect ME?' she thought.
"Fine by me, ghost boy," said Skulker. He walked down the rise toward them. "And while I'm at it, I'll add you to my collection."
Before he could go ghost, Ember stepped in front of Danny, and stopped him with a hand on his chest.
"My turn," she said, pulling her guitar into a ready position.
Skulker stopped. "And what are you going to do? Play me a lullabye, and rock me to sleep?"
"Something like that," replied Ember with an evil grin. She turned a knob on her guitar to the Ghostly Fist.
She hit a hard chord, and a large green fist materialized, and flew at Skulker. It hit him square in the chest, and knocked him over.
"OOOFFF!" he said, surprised. But before he could get to his feet, another fist hit him on the head. "OWWW!" he cried.
Ember played a song, and fist after fist appeared and flew at the ghostly hunter. They never gave him a moment to recover, slamming again and again into him. Pieces of his armor began to fly away from him.
"S-stop!" he shouted, but to no avail. He tried to press a button on his gauntlet, but found them all smashed.
Ember deliberately hit a very loud, hard note, and an exceptionally large fist appeared. It hit Skulker and a large crack appeared on the torso of his armor.
Ember sped up the song, and many fists hit him, again and again. His armor broke into pieces and fell to the ground, being broken into smaller parts by the fists.
The song ended, and the fists disappeared. They waited and watched. Finally, there was some movement, and the small green ghost that was the real Skulker crawled out from under what was left of the helmet.
He tried to flee over the rise, but Ember hit one last note. A fist materialized, and slammed into him. There was a 'SPLAT!' and green ectoplasm squirted in all directions.
"That's that," said Ember with satisfaction.
The others applauded loudly.
"I have made my decision," said Desiree, and the others turned and looked at her. "Your selflessness has convinced me. I will grant her wish."
"ALL RIGHT!" said Danny and Tucker, doing a high five. Sam hugged Ember, and the ghost girl hugged her back.
"Thank you!" said Ember.