A/N: I don't own Danny Phantom or Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

The window felt like lifting a ton as Randy opened it. It had been a long night, and the Ninja's body felt like it had been put through a sea of knives and he needed a drink. It had been a rough night, then again, every night for these past eight days have been rough, so it wasn't any different than it was before. The freshly bruised shoulder made Randy wince in pain as he crawled into his room. The hero of Norrisville silently cursed the thug who had struck him with a lead pipe when he was stopping him and gang from mugging an old woman, but he made up for by breaking the punk's arm in three places. Thankfully, Randy still had more than enough pain meds to dull it for a time being.

Pain, that's all he had been Randy had been in these past few days. To say that the Ninja had been having a rough time was beyond an understatement, he was in hell. The years fighting robots, monsters and common street thugs had begun to take its toll on the young man's body. Bones had been broken, muscles torn and his mind was filled with doubt and anger. It was because of this that his body was starting to give way. The cartilage in his left knee had began to break up, he still hadn't gone to the doctor for the four fractured ribs he received after he had been hit by a car three days ago and he was pretty sure his spine was mess as well. He couldn't go to the hospital, not just because he wasn't insured, but because he felt that if he stop for just moment that someone might die on his watch.

At least, that's what he kept telling himself. In reality, Randy had been running himself ragged to try and make a statement to the people of Norrisville, especially Mcfist, that no matter what, the Ninja would be there. However, that goal came with a price, one that was starting to take its toll on the young hero in both body and mind. At first, the pills were meant to help Randy fight through the pain, but as the Ninja took on more and more injuries, the more the need for the pills grew. Then came the drinking. The addiction to the pills could be played off as a means to and end, but the amount of alcohol Randy was drinking was meant to dull his mind to the stress he took on a daily basis.

As one would expect, because of Randy giving into his vices, he was starting to get sloppy. His once lightning fast reflexes were starting to slow down and his senses were starting to dull. This lead to more wounds which, in turn, would lead to more drinking and pills. This path of self destruction lead to the only conclusion it would reach: with someone dying. It was just a late night patrol like any other when Randy came upon a trio of vandals breaking into a liquor store. Randy, fighting through pain and anger, the Randy leapt into action. This should've been a cakewalk, they weren't even carrying guns and only one guy had crowbar. A crowbar, that, once it struck Randy across the face, threw him into a rage. Fueled by anger, Randy unleashed an air-fist into the man's chest, sending him flying into a wall, where he then fell and cracked his head open on a nearby step.

Randy was so busy fighting the other two crooks that he paid the downed man no mind, thinking he had just knocked him out. It wasn't until he had gone home and heard on the news that the man had died. Shame and anger consumed Randy at first, but then he had epiphany: he didn't kill that ma, Mcfist framed him. So. with revenge in mind, Randy went to Mcfist's home to spy on him to get the confirmation he wanted. However, while Mcfist was aware of the murder, Randy overheard him taking to his wife that if he was the one behind it that would've been bursting at the seems to tell her. Randy sat there for nearly waiting for his foe to say he was guilty. It never came.

Since that awful night, Randy been on a path of self destruction that was leaving in a tailspin that would only lead to one ending: his end. He had been pushing away away those who cared for him, not wanting their pity. The only friends he had left were the bottles and the pills, and even then they didn't have his best intentions for him. So, with nothing left for him, Randy continued this cycle of self harm until it would reach its end.

The young hero went over to his bedroom table that had a half-full bottle of whisky sitting there with a dirty glass sitting next to it. Randy pulled up his mask just enough to uncover his face as he began to pour himself a drink. But before he could reach down and pick it up, the glass was suddenly pulled just outside his grasp by an unseen force. Though the Ninja jumped into shock at first, his surprise went away when he realized who was in his house as the room suddenly grew colder.

"Randy" a voice said in the darkness in a tone as sharp as steel

The owner of the unseen voice began to slowly martialize right in front of him. Randy's already sour muscles tensed up as the figure of a young man with snow white hair and glowing green eyes appeared before him. Normally, when Danny Phantom came to visit, t was normally a friendly gesture, but nothing in the half-ghost's stern visage said to the fellow hero that this was anything but that.

"We need to talk" he finished

The Ninja and Danny Phantom had been close friends in the superhero community. The to would would talk about the people they saved and the villains they fought like it was a game. But beyond that they had a deep respect for each other, and always had one another's back. But this time Danny wasn't here as a friend, he was here to speak his mind. Randy only scowled as Danny spoke once more.

"I heard about what happened with that man" Danny said

"You here to tell me it's not my fault?" his friend snidely asked

"No, it was your fault" the half-ghost corrected harshly "accident or not, you still killed that man. And rather than own up to it, you've just been raging at everybody around you"

"Oh, don't preach to m-"

"You don't get to talk, Randy" his friend cut off sharply "you just listen"

With a glare, Randy went silent .

"I understand this hasn't been the best time for you, but I'm here to tell you that your done" Danny stated "Your not trying to save anyone, not ever yourself. Your on suicide mission every time you put that mask on. I can't even try to understand what you're going through, but going on like is only going lead to someone else dying, and I get the feeling that you want it to be you. Neither of which I want to happen"

"If I had done something like this, I would hope to God that someone would put a hand on my shoulder and tell me that I'm done" he furthered "Right now? today is your day. This stops Randy. All of it. This little game of your ends right here and now"

"What if I say no?" Randy questioned tensely

Danny's answer came without the slightest hint of hesitation.

"Then I'll stop you"

On the outside, Randy only remained steadfast in his anger, but on the inside, he knew that Danny was more than capable of killing him if really wanted to. The half-ghost could fly at march twelve speed, lift a tank over his head with ease and vanish without a trace. He could go anywhere by simply walking through walls and remained untouched by anyone. Not only that, but his powers were had only grown since he had saved the planet years ago. He could now create blizzards with a simply thought or a legion of himself that were every bit as strong as him. With a wave of his hand, clear skies would become filled with furious storms and the periodic table of elements, the building blocks of life, were now a simply play thing to the spectral hero, who could now change lead to gold with a snap of his fingers.

Ladybug had once compared Danny to a god made flesh and blood, to which Danny laughed off, saying that he was to humble to be a god. The truth was that Danny was that not only did Danny know that he was the most powerful being on earth, but also understood the restraint that came with having such power as well. Even if Randy was at his peak, he knew that a fight with his friend was one he knew would never win.

"I'm putting the word out to the others, if any of us find out that your still being the Ninja, then we will put a stop to it" Danny informed him "and trust me, Snake-Eyes or Buttercup won't be as forgiving as I am"

"Well, if your so worried about me being such a fucking menace, why not drag me to jail right now?" Randy pointed out

Danny's cold expression soften only slightly before giving his answer.

"Because I have to believe that you'll do the right thing" he said in voice that was almost comforting "you get one chance, Randy. One. Don't make me regret it"

Before Randy could say another word, Danny faded away, all the while keeping his steely gaze on his friend. Once Danny had left, the cold went with him, leaving Randy with much to think about. Everything Danny had said to him was right. He wasn't the hero he once was, he had failed his city and himself and at this point was only making a mockery of the title of the Ninja. He needed to hear Danny's threat aloud so that it would be his wake up call. Randy needed to rebuild himself before every slipping on the mask again. It would not be an easy road, nor would it be one he was unsure he could stay on at this point, but he had to try. But the question remained: if he was out, then who would guard Norrisville without a Ninja to protect it?

Thankfully, Randy had prepared for this moment, perhaps not in this way, but he did have a contingency planned for who should take his place as the Ninja should anything happen to him. And thankfully, that person was more than ready to take his place. It was a quick process to, out everyone he had vetted to take his mantle, there was only one logical person who could properly protect Norrisville in his absence. She had been training under Randy's guidance for nearly a year now and had proven herself to his true successor. However, like everyone else in his life, Randy had pushed her away. As he pulled out his phone, he could only hope that she'd take his call. In those seconds of hearing the phone ringing, Randy prayed that his hopeful successor would answer his call to help him. Just as he had lost all faith, he heard a voice.

"Hello?"

"Heidi" Randy said "it's time"