I'm sorry.
Chapter 4: Act 1; Scene 2: Hunter vs. Hunter vs. Prey? (Part 1)
Inside a warehouse by Amity Bay, in the middle of the night, a blue-skinned ghost with gray overalls and matching hat floats up above the crates. Danny Phantom floats after him. "I am the Box Ghost! I controlled containers, cardboard, and square!" Zana stands on a tall structure of crates. Her posture is poise as she folds her arms across her chest. Her fingers drum impatiently against her forearm. He's the last ghost of the night and so far, he's quite the talkative opponent.
Danny rolls his eyes. "Yeah, that's great. Can we hurry this up? I have a lot of studying to do."
Zana tilts her head. "You study?" she asks to Danny. He tenses at her gaze. It's been a week since they partnered together. He appreciated the ghost girl the assist, but it's not easy keeping his secret in check with how perspective she is, especially trying to remain calm around her. Any moment now he could transform into his human self – NO! Don't think like that, Fenton! Just one more ghost and it'll be a job well done!
Danny nervously rubs his neck. "Yeah... I study... to learn about humanity?" Zana raises an eyebrow at his lie but shrugs, nonetheless. Guess she doesn't care all that much. Danny takes it as a relief.
"Study? There will be no time for study for you will find yourself crushed beneath the forgotten possessions of-" the blue-skinned ghost in overalls reads the name on the boxes he was lifting. "Elliot Kravits of Arlington Heights, Illinois!"
"How annoying", Zana says with a bored sigh. She lifts her arm and summons her circular shield. She tosses it like a disc. The shield ricochets the crates and hits the Box Ghost's head. The shield returns to her waiting arm; it vanishes soon after.
The blue-skinned ghost rubs his head. "Zana the White, you dare challenge me, the Box Ghost! Now you will be the first to feel my wrath of these boxes!"
"Does your wrath have a time limit?"
Danny rolls his eyes. "I don't have time for this. Hey Tucker, let's go!"
Tucker and Sam kick the door open. Tucker leaps forward with the Fenton Thermos in his hands. "Goodnight, everybody!" He shouts, aiming the Thermos at the Box Ghost before turning it on. The Box Ghost screams as he was pulled in. The African American smiles in pride. "Perimeter secured."
"Perimeter secured?" Sam scoffs, walking up to her friend. "What are you, a Navy Seal?"
Danny and Zana float down to them. "Seals are aquatic mammals that bark… They're canines, right?"
Zana shakes her head in dismay, while Sam checks her biology textbook. "Wrong", she says, closing it. "That's zero for twenty-one."
"If this is how you study, I feel sorry for your human friends teaching you", Zana quips. Zana was a bit tensed (still is, mind you) about letting civilians getting involved with ghost hunting, but Danny managed to convince her it would be okay since they'll be covering more on the ground. They could use a few eyes with how many ghosts popping up in town recently. However, she remains unhappy seeing them.
Tucker chuckles as he twirls the Fenton Thermos with his finger. "I'm no teacher, but I'm guessing that's an F."
The ghost hero sighs. "Come on, guys; if you're going to be my superhero sidekicks-."
"Ahem", Zana intervenes, "last time I checked, I'm no one's sidekick. If anything, you're more of my sidekick since I do most of the fighting."
"I meant to my friends, so chill!" Zana scoffs as she turns away. Sometimes he wonders why she wanted to join, but he could use all the help he can get if he wants to finish this before curfew. Danny floats to Sam in a hushed tone. "You're supposed to be helping me study for the test tomorrow." Then looks at Tucker. "And you're supposed to be helping me catch these ghosts, so I have time to study."
"Relax! They're all right here!" Tucker spins the Fenton Thermos in the air only for it to fall over landing on the release button.
"Oh shit..." Sam mutters, seeing all the ghosts escaping.
"Aha! I am the Box Ghost, and you cannot hold me within the confines of a cylindrical container!" The said ghost flies away. Now there's only four figures left in the warehouse.
Tucker checks his PDA. "That's weird. According to my schedule you should be done catching ghosts by now." He looks up and gulps. He sees two pairs of angry eyes. One in emerald and the other gold. Their aura clash in killer instinct. Tucker hopes his pair of undies can withstand the fear he's observing right before him.
What they didn't know was that they were being watched from the shadows. "Hm. Half human, half ghost. One of a kind." A robotic looking ghost with a green Mohawk made of fire smiles at his target. Behind him is a cage of various ghosts. His focus went to Zana. "So, the rumors are true. She survives. This game will be an interesting hunt, indeed." The Box Ghost appears and went to touch it. "Touch the box and your pelt will adorn my fireplace."
"…" The Box Ghost glances at the other ghosts. "Beware!" He shoots off like a bullet.
The robotic ghost peers through his binoculars again, observing his new target. With Zana alive the game will be most intriguing indeed.
~BC-Angel~
Zana walks around the entity of her host's mind. Searching through her memories was fascinating. Her adventures were interesting, especially meeting those Legendary Warriors. They hold such power. If only she could meet one in person, she could ask for their assistance. A click made her stop. She bent down in time for a laser beam to whip past her by a hair. She looks up to see a tall, armored man. Much taller than the average human male height. His armor clean and pure white, untouched of battle. His crimson eyes piercing through his wolf mask. His arm points at her direction, ready to fire another shot. Zana outstretches her hand. "I have come to do no harm."
The masked-man scoffs, a scoff she would've heard so familiar, and retorts, "You're wasting your time. Hurry up with your recovery and leave. You don't belong here."
Zana narrows her eyes. She feels her anger flaring, yet she takes a deep breath. She will not engage. It would make her look like an enemy. She takes a steady breath. "And who are you to make assumptions about me?"
"I am a part of Koji. You step in here like you own her when you're a walking parasite", the wolf man accuses. "What I don't get is why she accepted your offer after you controlled her like a marionette doll."
"She accepted because she wanted to be stronger and to protect others!" Zana proclaims.
The wolf man shakes his head. "Then she should've been more patient." And with that, he vanishes from Zana's sight.
"What did he mean by that?" Zana wonders. Was something supposed to happen to Koji if Zana didn't intervene into her life?
~BC-Angel~
Calvin walks into the library. He sent a text to Koji to know her whereabouts and recently gotten a reply from her that she is in the library. It's been over a week since she accepted Zana's offer. Since then, he noticed how different she became. Her skin was getting paler, dark circles were visible under her eyes, and he wouldn't be surprised if she were losing a few pounds. He tried to convince her to slow down but her reply is always the same: "I can handle it; it's no big deal." Maybe he should get a haircut; chicks dig bald guys. Wait, does Koji dig bald guys? It wouldn't hurt to casually put it into the conversation. He shakes his head. Now wasn't the time to think about changing his doo.
Calvin notices the Dweeb Squad (Fenton, Foley, and Manson). His eyes roll in annoyance. Great, he has to deal with them in the same room. No, do not think about them. Just find your friend. He walks pass them and keeps searching for Koji. It took him a minute to find Koji on a table with her head laying on its surface. Must be one heck of a long day for her.
He approaches her and says, "Hey Sunshine, how's your day been?"
His Japanese friend picks up her head. He notices dark circles underneath her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it", she replies with a weak glare.
"Did you pass your algebra test?" To answer his question, she shows him the paper she has in her grip. "Whoa!" Calvin shrinks in his seat as he hears the librarian as shushing him. He quietly apologizes. "I thought you said you had it in the bag", he says in his inside voice. The red ink of a failing grade imprints next to Koji's name.
Koji sits up straight. "I thought I did, too. Algebra is supposed to be a second nature to me. Now I feel like I am learning this for the first time. Not to mention this headache is driving me crazy."
Calvin might have an idea, but he holds his tongue for not to receive acid, especially with a tired teenage girl with ghost powers. Anything can happen. An idea comes through his mind. "Wanna get a heart attack?" he asks; the jock chuckles seeing his friend giving him a dubious stare. "Don't worry it's not a real heart attack. It is a special at The Nasty Burger; get two Nasty Deluxe get a third one free. They'll even throw in a medium Burpshake."
"I don't know what half of those mean, but you're making me hungry." The jock himself was having a hard time keeping his opinions inside. Putting on a smile with stiff shoulders, he and Koji walk side-by-side as they pass by Fenton and his friends. He could have sworn he heard "purple-back gorilla". He shrugs. They are not important to him; his attention is only on the exhausted girl who can still miraculously walk straight.
As soon as they were away from the library and into the empty hallway, Koji turns to Calvin with narrowed eyes and says, "What's wrong?"
The confused boy blinks. "What do you mean?"
"Calvin, I wasn't born yesterday. Since I got my powers, you kept cringing whenever you look at me. Your shoulders get stiff. And don't get me started on your smile."
"What's wrong with my smile–"
"I think I saw an overbite, but that's not the point." She would've laugh as she watches her friend checks his teeth, however, this was not the moment. "You're hiding something from me or you're afraid of what you're going to tell me. Just spit it out already."
Well, duh, he wanted to speak his mind, even though the thought of his Japanese friend pouncing on him like a lioness on the prowl. Seeing those dull, tired sapphire eyes, the African-American jock breathes in and out. "I think you should stop." He cringes after gazing into her eyes, which glares at his direction like he would either turn to stone or melt by her laser vision.
Koji, feeling anger bubbling inside her, glares at her petrified friend. "What?" she hisses in her English tone making Calvin cringes even more.
Calvin gulps. Here goes his life. "I think you should stop… ghost hunting…?"
The Japanese foreigner raises a hand. "I know what you meant… I just cannot believe you're telling me to stop. Do you know how many ghosts appearing in town like an anime convention? No one is going to stop them! No one is doing anything about it! It's up to me to send those ghosts back to where they come from!"
Abort! Abort! Pull back! You are in too deep! His brain yelling out in neon lights. No, Calvin needs to get his words through her. "I don't mean stop in general. I mean take a break… you moved into Amity Park a week ago, you agreed to help Zana – which I know she is incredibly grateful – and accomplished her tasks, but you are missing an important factor: you are HUMAN. We are not immortal creatures. We require rest and nutrients to thrive and survive. I mean… have you looked in a mirror? You have raccoon eyes, for crying out loud!
"Besides, what about that ghost partner of yours? Surely, he can survive a few nights without you."
"Fantomu? I highly doubt it. He barely knows simple defense maneuvers. But I get it… it's been a difficult week. It's a working progress. With enough practice and scheduling, I'll be able to handle a double life within a month or two."
"TWO MONTHS!"
"I said a month or two. Relax."
"How can I relax when you look like an insomniac zombie?!"
"…so… you're saying I can't handle it?" Koji's eyes slit. Even with dark circles under her eyes, her glares are much menacing.
"I'm not saying that! I am saying to slow down. You are human. Keep this up and you'll be a spirit", Calvin tries convincing his friend, yet his words are not going through her.
"You know what? I am not as hungry as I thought. See you later." Koji walks away without looking back.
"Does this mean you don't want a Heart Attack?" Calvin yells, not caring for the few passing students looking his way.
~BC-Angel~
It is late at night as Koji (transformed) rapidly jumps from building to building in anger. Her conversation with Calvin continues to burn in her cranium. He does not think she can pull off a double life! He thinks she cannot handle it! Well, she will show him. She can do all the ghost hunting herself, without Fantomu's help! She can do anything if she puts her mind to it!
"Please stop…"
Koji lands on a tall building in uptown. "What do you want, Zana?" she impatiently waits for the ghost inhabiting her body. A wisp pops out of her chest, and it transforms into Zana looking a bit healthier than a week ago.
"You should reconsider listening to your boyfriend's advice", Zana says, concern afflicting her golden eyes.
"First of all, Calvin isn't my boyfriend. Secondly, what are you talking about?"
"Your argument from earlier."
"It wasn't an argument. It was a disagreement."
"Regardless, Calvin made a valid point. You are pushing yourself to the brink of death." The ghost lays a comforting hand on her champion. "I appreciate what you are doing for me, truly I do, but I too am concern for your health. You and Phantom are young. Cherish your life as much as you can. They are two of you on the field. Perhaps you and he can work on a patterned patrol."
It does sound tempting… it really does… no, no. Koji does not need any help! She was a Legendary Warrior a few years ago! If she can be the Warrior of Light, then everything coming her way will be a breeze.
"No", she declines, "I can't rest… not until I can handle the routine. Don't worry Zana. I will take a nap after my patrol. I promise."
Zana becomes skeptical. She is only saying that to reassure her conscious. As soon as Koji is finish with her night shift, she will no doubt start on either homework or study, and it will last until two hours or until the sun rises. Before she speaks her opinion, both ghosts feel a twitch in their nerves. They feel another ghost's presence toward the west. "This discussion is not over", the pure white ghost sternly tells the Japanese girl and becomes a wisp to enter inside her host. Koji ignores it and leaps into action.
~BC-Angel~
At Amity Park Zoo, Danny, Sam, and Tucker stay overnight to observe Amity Park's purple back gorilla in an office. Danny is failing Biology, therefore, his goth friend suggested to do an extra credit assignment to lift his grade. It is simple, write a report on why the two last existing purple-back gorillas should be set free. The mammals are the only ones of their species; however, they are two of them and are both male so there is no hope in repopulation. Unfortunately, Sam is more into the assignment than the half ghost is.
"There he is: Sampson. So gifted, so…majestic." Sam says, admiring the creature as she looks through her binoculars before the gorilla scratched his buttocks.
While Sam is absorbing as much knowledge from Sampson the gorilla, Danny and Tucker looked ready to catch some Zs. "Uh, Sam, we've been watching the gorilla scratch his butt for…how long?" Danny asked Tucker.
"Six hours", he replies with a yawn as he checks his PDA.
Danny yawns, too. "Time flies when you're majestically scratching your butt."
"It's only a matter of time before you find out something about Sampson nobody's ever learned. You should go try and communicate with him", Sam suggests as she turns to Danny but found out that he is laying on the floor sleeping. "Oh, great. Tucker, you're his manager, can you-" But then she finds out that Tucker has also fallen asleep as well when he yawns and stretches his arms out before he and Danny hug each other subconsciously. Sam sighs in annoyance with an eyeroll. "I'll do it, but first…" she smirks as she brings out her camera and snaps a photo of her best friends sleeping and hugging each other. "Boys hugging makes every yearbook funny." She approaches Sampson's environment cage throughout after leaving her friends behind. What she did not notice is the metal ghost entering the office. Danny let out a shiver with his Ghost Sense escaping his lips. Before he captures his prey, he easily takes a step back dodging the sword piercing his armor.
"Hello Zana", he gives his opponent a toothy grin. He dodges two swipes with ease. "What's wrong? You're not happy to see your favorite rival?"
"Not really", she replies coolly. "Why are you here?" her rapier poise for another attack.
"Shouldn't you know the answer? We are one in the same. We are hunters."
"Depends on what we hunt…"
"Too true, Zana. Too true, but we do love a good game."
"I don't like repeating myself: why are you here?"
"You see that creature spooning with the flesh meat", the ghost gestures to Danny. Koji lifts an eyebrow. "He is the first of his kind. Half human, half ghost. A rarity indeed and I will be the one to claim him for I am Skulker: Ghost Zone's Infamous Hunter!"
Koji, trying hard to keep her stance, is slowly processing the information given to her. Fenton, her neighbor and the first boy she encountered, is half ghost? No, cannot be. She would have seen something out of the ordinary or some proof to the assumption. Fenton is plain, normal, and an average teenage boy; he is NOT a ghost!
…then again, his parents specialize in the paranormal. They are ghost hunters. What if…? She looks up to meet a giant hand clasping her face. Her head impacts the wall. Her golden eyes peer through his large fingers. She punches the strong grip with mild effort.
"If I didn't know any better, I say you've grown weaker the last we met", Skulker mocks, "then again… I could have sworn I killed you. A blow to the head would have killed a mere mortal… I made sure to end you. Permanently. Here's my question: how are you still alive?" his question strikes a core within Zana's core. A flashback encounters her vision. Skulker and Zana were fighting on an overgrown island; she was winning, Skulker was kneeling on one, his armor had dents and wires were peeking out of his arm, and one of his regna scans was damaged. Zana, standing tall, was about to deliver the finishing blow but she was struck by an electrical surge. She staggered before glaring at the second opponent who dared sneak an attack. The figure was blurry. No doubt the mysterious figure was Skulker's employer.
Who would want Zana dead (or more dead than she already was)? Zana needs answers. She needs answers! Who was that figure?! Three sets of anger bubbling in her core. She will get those answers.
She'll get those answers even if she must get her hands dirty. Koji's eyes turn red which surprises Skulker at the abrupt change.
Meanwhile, after the goth girl left her friends to sleep, she walks across the zoo. Sam ignores the eerie darkness surrounding her. Sam enjoys the darkness, in fact, she embraces it. As soon as the young goth gets close, she could not help but stare at the magnificent mammal. Sampson is as fascinating up close than through a pair of binoculars. It is cruel how he is isolated in a fake environment doomed by an unfortunate fate. No way it is fair for the purple-back gorilla. She witnesses Sampson suddenly become alert. "What is it, you fantastic creature?" The gorilla points at the office. "Do you want to be free?" the primate nods with eagerness. Sam went to the control panel and punch the open button. The gorilla escapes his cage and rushes to the office. Out of curiosity, Sam follows.
Back to the office, the two boys sleeping are unaware of the threat beforehand. Skulker staggers after his arm was damaged due to Koji's sudden strength. Her hands hold two lightsabers: her eyes once a dull amber which to hateful crimson. Each step on her heels clacking against the tiles closing in the stunned ghost.
Skulker slowly retracts. Something isn't right. He had the upper hand. He was going to end Zana again before his employer gets ahold on the discovery and claim the halfling's pelt. It was supposed to be a good night. Suddenly, Zana's energy shifted. Her aura is deadly and predatorial. It makes him feel small, insignificant, and powerless.
He was staring down at a true Hunter. A predator challenging her adversary. This wasn't how Skulker expect to win.
"What's the matter, ghost?" Zana sneers, her voice is a deep echo combination of her voice and a male, "Too scared to finish the job?" she mocks him knowing she has the huntsman cornered. He needs to act before Zana strikes.
The pale human girl bursts in. "Danny –!" Skulker quickly silences her by shooting ectoplasm at her mouth. The girl tries to remove the gag. Skulker is running out of time. Either drag the half boy away or suffer a defeat with his tail between his legs.
Suddenly, Sampson barges into the office and charges at Skulker. The gorilla rapidly hits the ghost's armor. Skulker retreats by phasing through the wall before he glares at his armored rival. The primate roars banging his fists against the wall where Skulker left which causes both boys to wake screaming twice. Fenton transforms and brings the escaped mammal back to his cage. Meanwhile, Koji was coming out of a daze along with her lightsabers. A fog is lifted. She looks around. The hunter escaped and she didn't recall on the event.
"Hey, Z, how you doin'?" Koji glares at Foley as he wiggles his eyebrows. The girl doesn't reply. She phases through the floor not bothering to respond to the boy's poor excuse of a flirt.
"Hey! Get back here!" Sam yells, but she couldn't reach Zana in time. "Nice going, Tuck. I was going to ask Zana what occurs."
"Uh, I think it was obvious she was protecting us from the rampaging beast you let loose." Danny returns and transforms to his human form.
"Wait until everyone hears you let loose a gorilla", Danny chuckles; he then stops seeing his goth friend pulls a photo of him and Tucker sleeping and snuggling together. "Then again, it's our little secret right?"
Tucker nervously chuckles as well.
"Right", Sam smiles, victoriously.
~BC-Angel~
What a night. As soon as Koji got home after her overnight search for the hunter ghost, the exhausted teenage girl transformed into her regular self and immediately collapsed onto her bed without changing her attire. When she finally closed her eyes, her cellphone started beeping for the morning alarm. She had half a mind to chuck her device across her room, but she would rather not use her anger onto her phone. She sluggishly got ready for another agonizing day. She decided to skip breakfast and simply grabbed an apple.
Koji nibbles her apples. Her backpack feeling like she is lugging a hundred bricks. The Japanese girl walks to school her lonesome.
"Geez, Zana, a little warning before possessing me. I barely remembered anything on what happened yesterday", Koji softly whispers.
"Apologies. I will let you know should the dire need is necessary." Zana says through the mind link.
"That would be great. Thanks." Koji stands at a crossroad waiting for the stoplight to switch until a force grabs her collar and thrusts her backwards dropping her apple. Her back collides with the stone wall. It was a good thing her backpack cushions the collision otherwise Koji would be experiencing back pain. She glances her setting. She is in an alleyway away from prying eyes and beside a big, green dumpster. She was about to see who grab when the same stranger grabs her front collar. They lift her up as though she weighs nothing but air.
Koji, in her human state, stares eye to eye with Skulker the Hunter.
Skulker smiles. "Hello... Zana."
End of Scene 2 part 1
[Ending song: Just Like Fire - Pink (short version)]
(Koji lays on the floor over a Gothic-themed clock, ticking backwards. Her right upper arm covers over eyes.)
I know that I'm running out of time (I want it all, mmm, mmm)
(She clenches her teeth without removing her arm.)
And I'm wishing they'd stop tryna turn me off
I want it all, mmm, mmm
(Koji walks alone with an extending shadow trailing behind her.)
And I'm walking on a wire, trying to go higher
(Transparent images of Paulina, Dash, Vlad, and many ghosts appear in the background.)
Feels like I'm surrounded by clowns and liars
(Koji looks up in determination and run down the path before her.)
Even when I get it all the way
(I want it all, mmm, mmm)
We can get ' running, running, running
(She pulls out her lipstick and transforms into Zana the Phantom Knight.)
Just like fire, burning out the way
(As Zana, Danny Phantom stands beside her in battle stance. Sam, Tucker, and Jazz are behind them armed with ghost hunting gear.)
If I can light the world up for just one day
(Phantom Knight stands ready to fight with Zana and Lobomon behind her as apparitions.)
Watch this madness, colorful charade
No one can be just like me anyway
Just like magic, I'll be flying free
I'mma disappear when they come for me
I kick that ceiling, what you gonna say?
No one can be just like me anyway
(Koji looks up to see Vlad Plasmius towering over her with a villainous grin.)
Just like fire, burning out the way
(The Japanese girl narrows her eyes and looks to Danny who smirks)
If I can light the world up for just one day
Watch this madness, colorful charade
No one can be just like me anyway
(Danny and Koji thrusts themselves to battle.)
Just like fire, fire!
(Danny flies to Plasmius with his fists burning ectoplasmic energy.)
Running, running, running
(Koji runs with gusto, her speed lightning fast. Her rapier glowing hot white fire. She leaps with a battle cry. Her eyes are heterochromia: left eye is gold and right eye is bright red. She thrusts her sword to pierce.)
Just like fire, fire! Fire!
(Koji's lipstick and rapier lays on the floor until everything fades to black.)