Chapter: Comatose
THIS IS A SKIPPABLE CHAPTER IF YOU DO NOT CARE FOR SECONDARY CHARACTERS. THIS DETAILS DAN AND TONKS IN THE GHOSTZONE. IF YOU DO NOT READ AND HAVE QUESTIONS NEXT CHAPTER ABOUT DAN OR TONKS STATE OF BEING I WILL ANSWER AS LONG AS IT IS POLITE. NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE POSTED AT SAME TIME, SO MAYBE GIVE THIS ONE A CHANCE?
Daniel...please...you will die..." Vlad rasped out. The boy's reading were off the chart. What looked like a small pellet rushed past him, sticking to Vlad's chest.
"What is-" the man disappeared with a howl of pain. Dan whirled around in anger, only to have the crown knocked from him. The extra power boost that was keeping his soul tethered to this plane, but which was destroying his body slipped out of existence, the boy swaying on his feet. Severus caught the boy as he pitched forward.
"Hold on Dan, you will be fine. I am here for you." Severus said is hushed tones, looking for signs of a pulse. He forced the devices to shut down with the boy's own hand, but the white did not recede from his hair, nor the green from his eyes. The ice spear melted, the hand holding it trembling. "You will be fine. Relax, stay with us here." Severus nearly gave a sigh of relief when he felt a flutter of a pulse under his fingertips.
"You bastard." Dan grit out. "I had him."
"I couldn't Dan. I could not watch you take that man's life. I know it is not what you truly wanted. You wanted answers. Why you? Why the hatred, why the experimentation?"
"I will never forgive him for what he did. I will not forgive you for what you did." he whispered.
"That's alright. I will still love you regardless." Severus promised. Tears sprung in the teen's eyes.
"I…" half a sob escaped. Severus looked down at his fingers in confusion. A small beat ghosted his fingers. "I'm scared.".
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Dan awoke in a dark room. He looked down at himself, recognizing the jeans and white tee he used to wear. Slowly, he stood, disoriented by the new room.
"Hello?" he called out meekly. He hugged himself, surprised by the white glove on his left hand. "Wha-" The word died in his mouth as he saw his own body lying on the floor. He took a few steps back.
"Hello Daniel." Dan whirled around, coming face to face with a reaper donned in a purple cloak. "Or perhaps I should say, Phantom?" Dan's hand went to touch his hair, eliciting a chuckle from the reaper. He produced a mirror, letting the boy see himself. Black hair and heavy blue eyes. A white tee with a red circle, with a white glove and collar. Jeans went over white boots. "I will be giving you a few options now." The reaper said.
"Options?"
"The first is to love. The other is to lose."
"That's stupid, why would I pick to lose?" Dan argued. The reaper pinned Dan with a red stare.
"The first option, is to move on, I will take your human soul to be with your family in the afterlife." Blue eyes began to water. "The second is to lose all memory, even of those you held dear, in exchange for a new life." When the blue eyes shifted to the side in thought the reaper pulled the boy's attention back with the gleam of his scythe. "However, you will still be cursed with this parasite, and all will still remember you should they ever find you." Images of the torture he endured under Vlad flashed before his eyes.
"What if I don't want either?" Dan questioned, squaring his shoulders. He could barely believe that he was being so bold. Especially when the red eyes glared at him.
"You must choose." Dan felt as if he were past the point of moving on. He had already experienced life as a ghost, even if it was fuzzy. He realized however, with each passing moment all the events in his life were becoming all the more clear. He gave a slight cry as he remembered his reign as Phantom. His final moments unfolded in full and he saw the desperation of his brother, and his own foolishness. But most importantly he saw that Vlad had escaped, and therefore was still out there. Green eyes narrowed on the only thing that might be able to save him.
"I have made my choice." Eyes back to blue he looked as pitiful as possible. He took a step closer to the being, then lunged for the scythe. Predictably the cloaked figure moved back and, in that moment, Dan snatched the amulet from around its neck. With his left hand he overcharged it with ecto energy, opening a rift. The silver blade missed him by inches as he jumped with wild abandon into the portal, dropping through the green skyscape. The rift closed behind him as the amulet burned out in his hand. He let the remains fall into the abyss. Screwing his eyes shut he focused on his weightlessness, and gave a surprised laugh when he started to float. It was unlike when he had worn the boot enhancers. This felt like every atom of his being was telling gravity what to do.
For a long while he simply floated, as if on the surface of water, staring into the green. He thought of his family and friends. He remembered laying out in the fields with Sam and Tucker, staring up to the stars above. Feeling guilty, he wondered if they would know he had chosen not to move on.
'If you're fighting in there, keep fighting. You got your family on your side.' Dan startled at the sudden voice in his ear. After catching himself from the downfall, his heart swelled. That had been Bobby's voice, he was sure of it. Which meant that Severus had made it back home. Blue eyes gleamed with determination.
"It means I'm making it back home." Dan looked around, grasping at the hazy knowledge from his time as Phantom. Nearby was an island, seemingly covered in trees. He flew towards it. "I'm making it back home."
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Dan landed with a loud thud on the ground, rolling before coming to a halt as he hit the trunk of the tree.He shakily stood, holding his side with his opposite arm. There was a rustling before a mechanized suit jumped out at him. Instinctively he raised his left arm, green fire instantly consuming it. The suit stopped at the sight of the feral looking boy.
"State your business." It told him, letting the cannons on his arm load.
"I'm just trying to make it home." Dan told him, letting the fire die out, and his eyes turn to blue. The robot approached him, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him up to the air. Dan could feel the heat from the green mohawk.
"I know who you are." he growled. "Why do you look so pitiful!" Dan was thrown harshly several yards, landing roughly. He coughed loudly.
"I don't know who you are." he rasped out, eyes wide as the boots stalked towards him.
"I am Skulker! The ghost zone's greatest hunter!" He let a rocket fly, and Dan flipped out of the way, still holding on to his side. He took on a fighting stance. "I ended my contract with the demons to serve you!" Another rocket shot out. "And then you left us!" Images flitted through Dan's mind. He stood tall as the next rocket raced towards him. He raised his left hand, sending green fire to consume it.
"Cease at once!" he barked out, immediately taken aback by how much he sounded like Vlad. "I mean, cut it out, man!"
"We all followed you." Skulker said lowly, his suit surging with power. "Without you we are lost." Dan stared down at Skulker as the ghost fell to his knees, looking betrayed. The teen felt a flutter in his chest, the imprint of Phantom trying to reach out to his defeated subject. One of his eyes shone green, as he turned to argue with himself.
"That is my general. I don't even want to know what the demons have attempted to do to him in my absence."
"Why do you even care? From what I've seen you were not a kind leader."
"I never had the chance!" Skulker looked up from the ground to the bizarre sight of the teen taking both sides of an argument. "This is not only your body. You are dead! We must share this host!" The green died out as Dan took a step back in shock. He looked out to the endless green, the reality hitting him. He was dead. The body he saw laying in that room was merely a shell. Dan Snape was ice cold, without a soul within him. Meanwhile, he, Dan Fenton was a ghost in the ghost zone, with a ghostly parasite embedded into his being in the form of Phantom. Dan squared his shoulders, and approached Skulker, outstretching his hand.
"I am the one who is lost now." Dan told the general. "And it would be an honor to follow you back to my throne." Skulker took his hand, pinning him with a serious stare.
"A ghost by the name of Plasmius has claimed it."
"Well, I'm sure my general can come up with a plan of attack, otherwise I wouldn't be paying you." Dan released the ghost's hand. Skulker gazed in bemusement at the teen. The personality was more laid back, but he could tell that deep within him, his King was ready to rule.
"Of course." The ghost's form shimmered a bit, the inconspicuous logo on his shoulder plate disappearing. Dan watched in awe as a white flying ghost logo proudly appeared on the chest plate. Without thinking his gloved hand reached out to touch it. "Let's go strike some fear into their hearts."
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The symbol seemed to be powerful in its own right, several ghosts exclaiming when they saw it on the hunter's chest. Whispers spread through the ghost zone, of a boy who looked like their lost King. Skulker slowed as the prison came into view. He turned to look at Dan.
"One of our allies is within these walls. He will most likely be weak." Skulker informed him. "Of us all, he is one of your most loyal, refusing to submit to Plasmius." Dan floated a bit closer, seeing the guards displaying the insignia of Plasmius proudly on their chests. "Are you prepared to attack?" Dan let his left hand create a blazing green fire.
"Let's do it." The two charged, more guards pouring out from the doors as the alarms blared. Skulker was ruthless, spilling as much ectoplasm as possible, taking out his hurt on the enemy. Dan was holding his own, but would soon be overtaken. Skulker sent a net to capture a few of the guards, and Dan grabbed the end, swinging it around to take out ten more. Skulker raised a brow at the tactic, but it seemed to give the boy a confidence boost. His eyes went green, firing off beams of light. Skulker watched in amazement as Dan engaged in hand to hand combat with ease. A particular trick had him thinking of Madeline Fenton, his old competitor. He shook his head and continued to fight, thinking there could be no way that the King knew the human woman. He let free a large ectoball from his canon, blasting the front doors of the prison open. The prisoners watched in anticipation as smoke rolled into the foyer. A teen stepped through, flanked by a ghost with the insignia of their old King. Green eyes scanned the crowd, and they began to drop, bowing low to the floor. Dan felt a surge of self-confidence. He saw a sickly-looking ghost crawl towards him. He looked up at him through dirty black hair, revealing a bite on half of his face. The ghost reached out a green hand towards him.
"He is the only one of his kind." Skulker told Dan as the teen took the man's hand, bringing him to his feet. Murmurs burst through the prisoners. "This is Wulf."
"Mia rego!" Wulf exclaimed, pulling the teen into a strong hug. He pulled back and unzipped his green sweater, showing Phantom's insignia was still worn. Skulker pulled the ghost into a hug as well, giving him a hearty pat on the back.
"What shall we do with the prisoners?" Skulker asked Dan.
"How many of you are here because you refused to bow to Plasmius?" His eyes turned green as Phantom peered at those who stood. The only ones who did not had been imprisoned since before Phantom's time as King. Dan heard the judgement within his mind and nodded. He raised his left arm, charging up a blast. Behind him Skulker looked horrified, but did not intervene. Slowly, Dan brought his ungloved hand close to the flames, amazed when white appeared with any part that touched the flame. The charge doubled in size as the glove on his right hand was fully formed. He spun to face a nearby wall, letting the blast fly, destroying the bricks. Dan took a few deep breaths after, sweat rolling down his face. He gave the prisoners a stern nod, turning heel and walking out with Wulf and Skulker.
"Beware the Phantom! Beware the Phantom! Beware the Phantom!" was heard as a thunderous roar of voices, the message spreading through the ghost zone as the prisoners took off into their rightful domains.
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They were back in Skulker's home, attempting to restore some of the strength in Wulf. The man greedily ate at the soup. Dan was standing near the window, looking out into the dense jungle around them.
"Why is he called Wulf?" Dan asked.
"Wulf, is a werewolf. Which," Skulker looked over at the man. "means he is a monster." Skulker looked over at Dan. "He is the only werewolf ghost to reside in the ghost zone, ever."
"How is that possible? Werewolves must die all the time." Dan said.
"Yes, this is true. However, most choose to move on. Those who don't...are sent to Purgatory." Dan thought of his own options when he had died. "Wulf here, is a special case. The Reaper who collected him allowed him to stay here, yet he remains afflicted by the full moon."
"That sound familiar." Dan muttered to himself.
"The Reaper also gifted Wulf, because he died a hero. He embedded Wulf's claws with power from Death's very own scythe." Skulker pulled up a hologram of Wulf in his wolf form, with deep green claws on both front paws.
"Falcisto Purpuro." Wulf said between bites.
"What did he say?" Dan questioned.
"Purple reaper." Dan stared at the man. He felt a thrum go through his chest as anxiety got to him.
"And you Skulker? Did you stay as a product of the purple reaper?" Skulker let out a laugh.
"No, my own stupidity got me in that one." Skulker admitted. "I was a Hunter in the human world. After a particularly bad hunt a demon found me close to death. I made a deal to capture the creature that had almost killed me. It only took me a few weeks, and I thought I had won, seeing as I would have a whole ten years after that to do as I wished. But, as it turned out, the creature was a daughter I had left behind, many years ago. She was too far gone. So, I shot her." Dan gasped. "And then...I shot myself." Skulker opened the face of his robot, revealing the smallest ghost he had ever seen. "Demons had another thing coming when I appeared here. Hellhounds though, hard to fight." he closed the face mask. "My 'afterlife wife', as I call her, came to my aide, and eventually brought me to Technus, who fitted me with this suit."
"Where is your wife now?" Dan asked. Skulker looked down at the table.
"I don't know." he admitted. "We were separated when Plasmius took over." Dan slammed his hand down on the table.
"Then why are we sitting around?" he demanded, taking the two adults aback. "There are ghosts out there in need of our help." Slowly, the red circle on Dan's shirt began to shift. "It's time to take back the ghost zone." Wulf let out a wolf like howl of excitement as the King's insignia settled in red on the boy's shirt.
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Skulker continued to tell Dan about their allies, and the ghost zone as they flew through the expanse. They all slowed as the saw a gathering of demons near a strange dense spot.
"Another poor soul." Skulker commented. At Dan's look he explained further. "A pod is made, similar to the cocoon of a butterfly, which changes a soul into a ghost. When it is released, if a demon has claim to the person, a pack of hellhounds will be waiting for it. In cases like these…" he gestured to the collection of demons. "It is a tainted soul near death. At some point in this human's life they have been possessed, or willingly served a demon without a deal." He looked closer at the pod. "This pod is still in the early stages, but based on the amount of demons, it's been here a while. It is possible that the human is comatose and will die, or is struggling to stay alive, to which only a miracle can save them."
"I can be a miracle." Dan said, floating closer. He could feel the soul, and he had a flash of an image. "Pink." he said aloud, unaware that his body back home had broadcasted it. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
"We should go. It will be some time yet." Dan gave a reluctant nod. He wondered if he would have gone to a pod if the purple reaper had not come for him. The purple reaper sounded powerful, and Dan began to doubt that he had outsmarted him.
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"Plasmius had Jonathan and Katherine on his wanted list since he took over. I have known where they are since the second day." Skulker told Dan as they reached a small domain on the very outskirts of the ghost zone. Everything was run down and lower level demons ran around terrorizing ghosts. There was a roar of an engine, a beam of light catching several demons in its path. The demons immediately scattered. A motorcycle screeched to a halt, a ghost donned completely in black launching from the back of the bike, locking onto the nearest demon.
"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus," he recited, pulling out a flask from his belt. "omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii," The driver of the motorcycle pulled a cross from under his shirt, kissing it before joining in. "omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Ergo, omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te…" The demon fell to its knees, clawing at its meatsuit. A young woman appeared from behind an overturned bus, completing a triangle around the demon. "cessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare... Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciæ, hostis humanæ salutis... Humiliare sub potenti manu Dei; contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili nomine... quem inferi tremunt... Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, Domine. Ut Ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos!" Black smoke burst from the meat suit. The two males dealt with the freed demon as the female knelt and planted a kiss on the human, granting him breath in the ghost zone.
"Looks like you still got it." Skulker said, drawing the three's attention. The blonde ghost immediately lunged for him.
"Traitor!" He punched the robotic ghost, not caring that he could do no damage. His anger receded as he saw the insignia that he had just punched.
"Is that anyway to conduct yourself in front of our King?" The three new ghosts then noticed Dan standing among them, inspecting the human, who was panicking. "King Phantom, allow me to introduce Jonathan," he said gesturing to the blond. "Katherine," the female attempted a curtsy with her short skirt. "And Father Shane Doe." The ghostly priest inclined his head. Dan didn't think that Shane Doe looked much like a priest, but he figured he had merely adapted to the ghost zone.
"What are your stories?" Dan asked.
"Why do you keep asking that?"
"Because it matters." Dan hissed to himself.
"Think Romeo and Juliet, except the parents are rival pimps slash drug lords. Oh, and the poison is an excommunicated priest."
"I, uh, I never finished high school, so…" Dan said uncomfortably.
"We were a part of rival gangs." Katherine said. "I...well...I was more owned by the gang than a part of it. I was a prostitute at the age of 19. My name is Kitty. I met Johnny at church. It was the only place I was allowed to go alone."
"I fell in love with her instantly." Johnny said, taking Kitty's hand. "She looked so lovely in that flowing yellow sundress. It made her brown eyes sparkle." Johnny looked over to Dan. "I had only been in the area because I was dropping off a shipment for my boss. I saw her go into the church, and every Sunday after that I went. We had no idea we were meant to be rivals."
"We began to date, and a few months in, we revealed who we really were." Tears sprung up in Kitty's eyes. "I felt so terrible when I told him. When he grabbed my wrist, I was afraid he was going to kill me."
"I saw the butterfly on her inner arm, and I knew she belonged to the rival gang. I dragged her to the priest and begged him for sanctuary." Johnny pulled Kitty into his arms. "He said he couldn't. But he recommended us to Father Shane Doe. He had been excommunicated from the church due to his dealings with the afterlife, both as an exorcist and a medium." Shane nodded to confirm it. "We thought we could keep it a secret, we didn't think we had to take it that far."
"They found out, it was all my fault!" Kitty cried, collapsing against her boyfriend. "They had put out a hit on Johnny, and I opened my stupid mouth, hoping they would spare him. I had to run after that. Johnny picked me up on his motorcycle and we took off."
"Shadow answered our call and told us he could see us immediately." Johnny looked over at the priest, who gave him an encouraging smile. "He told us he could send our souls to this Soul Sector, where we could be together forever and never age. I thought I had lost the gang in my travel over there, but just as Shadow was finishing they showed up. He had no choice, he had to come with, but he paid a price."
"He doesn't talk much. All he knows is his teachings." Kitty explained, to which Shadow nodded. Dan touched his own throat, thinking of his language enhancer.
"We're surrounded." Dan muttered, feeling unease creep up his spine. The lower level demons had created a circle around them, preparing to attack. He met eyes with the group he had gathered and gave them a nod. Dan spun to face the demons behind him, charging up his hands without thought. The demon seemed taken aback by Dan's choice of close combat techniques. The three newer ones stared in shock for a moment at the sheer gall of the teen. "Incoming!" Dan shouted, throwing the demon towards Shadow. The priest muttered an incantation under his breath, throwing what looked like a card at the host. It landed delicately, but had the demon writing in pain, bailing on its host. Kitty swooped in, grabbing him and the other freed human. She started loading them onto a nearby bus, ensuring them they would be safe. Johnny grabbed the bat from his bike that Shadow had carved ruins into. "Hey, batter batter!" Dan called, tossing another one as if he weighed nothing.
"SWING!" Johnny finished, freeing another man. Johnny and Shadow worked almost perfectly in sync, easily exorcising the weakened demons that Dan and Skulker sent their way. Wulf and Kitty took care of the hosts, keeping them from the battle. Dan gripped the last demon by his throat, lifting up into the air. His eyes lit up completely green.
"Tell your friends that King Phantom is back."
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Dan was floating in front of the pod once again. There was not a single demon surrounding it any longer. The teen gave a cold smile. His message must have spread throughout the ghost zone.
"I am going to bring this soul here." Dan decided, surprising his entourage.
"What, why?" Kitty asked.
"To prove I am a being above you all." he explained. It had been about a day in the ghost zone, and the natural power around him was fueling Phantom's growth. Dan could feel himself become one with the parasite, in a way that did not feel like possession. He could not even begin to explain how enticing his powers were when they came from inside him, rather than electronic torture devices.
"It's dangerous." Skulker warned. Dan rolled his shoulders back, cracking his neck at the same time. He approached the pod, hands outstretched. The energy wrapped around him with the same surge as a bolt of lightning. He dove in. The others waited anxiously, all except Wulf, who believed his King could do anything. Two beings shot from the pod with the speed of a falling comet, one streaked white and the other pink. They drifted apart from each other several yards away from the group, floating listlessly. Wulf dove after his King, bringing the twitching boy close to his chest. His hair was now stark white, the outfit that many were familiar with infused to his body. The eyes popped open, a more intense green than even the ghost zone itself. Phantom stood tall, and with a snap of his fingers the crown of rage appeared on his head. He flicked his wrist and the ring appeared. Phantom stretched with a loud groan, setting out a shockwave of energy, the jewelry changing from red to green.
"Collect the soul." Kitty and Johnny came forward, the pink haired girl between them. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "You are here for a single reason. You will attract the Purple Reaper to me."
"How do you know he will come for her?" Skulker asked.
"He was already watching her."
"Who are you?" she shouted, voice cracking. She was tired of being at the whim of supernatural beings. Phantom gave her a side glance.
"I am King Phantom." he told her as if it were obvious. One of his eyes flickered back to blue. The disrupted pod was churning in on itself, creating a vortex. Bits of a nearby rock flew past them. Ice formed along the entirely of Phantom's arm. He touched a passing pebble, and once it touched the vortex the entire thing became encapsulated with thick ice.
"I want to go home." the girl whispered.
"There's no way back now." Johnny told her, staring at the ice ball. Her fists clenched at her sides, hair and eyes turning red. She glared at Phantom.
"That is it!" she yelled. "If you want me, you'll have to kill me!" she made a motion towards her belt, but looked down to it in shock.
"You're as good as dead already." Phantom turned to the others. "Take me to Plasmius."
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Wulf could feel his King growing weary as they progressed through the ghost zone. Whatever surge that the pod have given Phantom was wearing off, and Dan was fighting for control once again. The color slowly returned to the ghost, until blue eyes were looking at them in confusion.
"Where are we now?" he asked. Skulker noticed the lack of authority behind the voice.
"We are approaching Klemper's territory. Notoriously neutral. Not even Plasmius bothered with the ghost. We are slightly off track, but I was hoping to find my wife here. Klemper is a fan of hers." Skulker explained. Dan nodded in understanding. His eyes then fell on the pink haired girl.
"You look so much like-" she cut herself off, not wanting to jinx herself.
"Like who?" he pressed.
"Like Severus Snape. You must be his ancestor."
"You know my brother?" Dan asked in shock. He remembered going into the pod to get this girl, but after that everything was a blur. He had not imagined that she would somehow be connected to his life.
"Brother?" her pink eyes had gone wide.
"Yes, well, half…" the girl was amazed at how different the ghost was acting now that he had black hair and blue eyes.
"Yes, I know your brother. I was a student of his. My name is Tonks." she told him. If she could win his favor in this form, perhaps she could find a route to escape or even be let free.
"You know Klemper, you certainly appreciate a great golf joke!" came a voice from a few levels below. Dan dropped to his knees to peer over the ledge of the path they were on. A walrus like man was walking next to a pudgy ghost wearing pajamas.
"I've never seen that ghost before." Kitty whispered.
"This is the monster that injured nephew!" The teen hissed out, feeling an animalistic urge within him. Dan shook his head, not understanding, he did not have any nephews. "The mix breed!"
"Harry?" Dan looked back at the hulking man. He let that heat from his core spread through his body, eyes turning green.
"He has been hurt as we have!" Dan stood, calculating the distance. "Destroy this beast." Dan stepped over the edge, landing in front of the two ghosts. Tonks watched with rapt attention, taking note of how quickly the teen's mood had changed. She froze, recognizing Vernon Dursley from the Harry Potter investigations. Did the white-haired persona know where Harry Potter was?
"Are you sure about this? Harry never mentioned-"
"How idiotic can you be that you do not recognize someone like you?" Vernon Dursley made a face at what he assumed was a ghost off its rocker. "You see but do not observe. For all the snooping you did in the household, you never were able to get into the places that I could."
"Are you sorry?" Dan asked the man.
"I beg your pardon?"
"The boy was eleven! What did you do to him!" White gloves appeared as Dan threw his arms out to his sides, igniting them with ectoblasts. Vernon took a few steps back as the rest of the ghosts formed up behind Dan. Tonks also took the leap, even though it was a perfect opportunity to escape. She, however, landed in front of Dan.
"It is people like you that give Muggles a bad name." Tonks could feel her magic, as it was connected to her soul. "Harry Potter is our savior. I'm glad you're dead." she spat out.
"Oh, you're one of those freaks!" Vernon announced. "Didn't know they let you lot into Heaven." Dan gave a chilling laugh. He gestured widely to the green sky around them.
"You think this is Heaven?" he asked. He marched up to the man, pulling him down by the collar of his shirt. "This is my domain. You must have messed up bad to be here." he hissed. "Skulker, why was this man not torn to shreds the moment he appeared here?" Skulker stepped forward, inspecting the man. He placed a finger on his forehead, to Vernon's indignation.
"The bullet in his head is protecting him from demons."
"Good thing I'm no demon." Tonks said, throwing a punch, knocking the man from Dan's grasp. "I don't need my freaky magic to deal with you Dursley." The man waddled back to his feet, turning purple in the face. In fact, all of his skin was turning purple, his hair and mustache turning to white flames as he grew three times in size. "Bring it on!" she yelled confidently. Vernon charged, footsteps thundering. Klemper fled, crying. Dan felt the weight of the white neck piece as a cold mist passed his lips. The energy around his hands turned light blue. He threw a hand out in a slashing motion, sending a sheet of ice to freeze Vernon' feet in place. Tonks leapt, executing a perfect backflip kick, hitting the man dead under the chin. The ice cracked as Vernon stumbled back.
"Johnny, go gather up some demons, tell them they will have a new toy soon enough." Dan ordered. Johnny hopped on his bike, taking off to the distance. "Everyone else...weaken him. I'm taking that bullet."
"Roger that!" Tonks quipped. She continually advanced on the ghost, taking out all her frustration of the past few weeks out on the child abuser. She should have trusted her gut. A side swing barely missed her. How could she have known though? Skulker sent several rockets, creating a dust cloud. Did Alastor know about these things? She snapped back to reality when an ear-piercing roar filled the void. Dan had his left arm plunged into Vernon's forehead, the white glove barely peeking out. Tonks could see that the teen now donned white boots under his jeans as well, and wondered if he would slowly become the less reasonable persona. With a mighty yank Dan tore the bullet from the man. Demons descended at once, dragging the man away kicking and screaming all the while. Dan landed back on the ground, the white boots disappearing. For a while the teen stared down at the bullet in his hand.
"How powerful is Plasmius?" Dan asked. His followers could tell that the fight with Vernon took a lot out of him.
"Powerful, not to mention his allies. Some willing to fight for him, some bound to do so." Skulker informed him.
"And you said Klemper's island is neutral?" Skulker gave a nod. "I am going to need help from all of you. Teach me everything you know."
"Of course." Kitty agreed. Shadow gave a thumbs up. Johnny and Wulf both gave a nod.
"It would be an honor." Skulker said with a bow. Tonks took a long look at Dan. She had promised Alastor to never reveal his teachings. Yet, this boy looked at her with both brokenness and determination.
"I'm not the best teacher, but I'll give it a shot."
"You too Phantom."
"You wish to learn from me? Pathetic human. Give me control and the enemy will be destroyed."
"So will half the ghost zone." Dan countered. He focused on where he could feel himself connecting with Phantom. "You said it yourself. We must share this host. I will get us both out of here."
"Very well. I hope you're ready."
"Me too."
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"We aren't working as a team." Dan complained as he was knocked from the sky once again. It was a lot to think about keeping all his powers activated, without letting Phantom taking control.
"Why don't you take the sidelines then?" Dan rolled out of the way of an attack by Kitty. The teen would not admit it, but he was terrified. The corresponding piece of Phantom's attire would appear each time he used a power, and he worried that he would transform completely. Everyone had taught him a lot, but he felt paralyzed. What was worse, is that he could feel the crown and ring in his pocket. "In fact, GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT!"Dan's eyes widened as several attacks came at him at once. He maneuvered them almost expertly, but in his tunnel like focus, he did not notice the parasite slowly spreading over his entire body. He stood still in shock, trying to find a way out of the simultaneous attacks. Blue was the only thing left. He ducked into a fetal position, calling for Phantom to save him. A green dome appeared around him. Phantom unraveled, but did not get up from the ground, his green eyes staring up at the dome. Dan was not the only one who felt things. He could sense the others outside the dome, wondering if he was okay. He was stuck thinking about his creation. Yes, Dan had been experimented on for months before he ever appeared. It was a situation much like this, when his human counterpart could no longer deal with the abuse from Vlad. He was just suddenly there, eyes blazing, acid burning through Plasmius glove as he blocked the blow. He had hoped to see fear in the man's eyes, but instead there was nothing but glee. Dan would call him out when it was too much, not realizing that Vlad was abusing the ghost half just as bad. It was why he wanted the ghost zone back so bad. He wanted to rule by choice. Phantom stood, letting the dome fade away.
"It is time."
"My King, there is still much to learn-" Phantom held up a hand, silencing Skulker. Tonks caught the faintest glimpse of desperation in the green eyes.
"We don't have time." Snow began to fall, causing the ghost to look up. Tonks felt her eyes tear up in response. She looked around, finding a nearby tree, void of leaves. She tore off a small branch, turning it over in her hand.
"Let's go then." Phantom looked to her in shock. She stood tall, as the Auror she was slated to become. "Come now. You want to be all high and mighty. Lead us then. I want my freedom for this though."
"You were never my prisoner." Phantom whispered, creating a small figurine for her of ice. "You were only bait for the purple reaper." Tonks took the small ice figure, turning it over in her hand. "You may leave now, if you wish." She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"My body is wasting away up there." she said, looking vaguely at the skyline. "I don't want my training to have been for nothing." she let her eyes turn the same shade of green as Phantom's. "So, let's win this."
"Skulker, is there any outcome in which she does not pass away once her soul is freed?" Phantom asked. He could feel himself getting soft. His human counterpart was so insistent on knowing everything about his followers however. They all had something that made them desperate enough to try anything. Never before had he noticed the way Skulker's eyes searched the green expanse when they flew from island to island. Never before did he notice how Johnny had to bandage Kitty's hands when they grew too calloused. Never before did he notice that Wulf was in constant pain, his werewolf senses creating sensory overload. Never before did he notice that he was only seeking the purple reaper in order to make the hurt go away.
"No one can know for certain what will happen if you return her soul. This has never happened before." Never before did he notice how one acted when they knew they would die. He promised himself that he would get her home. Dan had spent too much time with the chipper witch for him to not care. He would admit that he also liked the witch.
"Skulker, how soon can we attack?" Skulker thought about it for a moment.
"Tomorrow is the Christmas truce, the day after would be ideal, many stay under the illusion that their enemies are too weak from festivities." Phantom's eyes lit up with hope.
"Perfect." Phantom floated up to a significant height. "I recommend covering your ears." When they had all done so, Phantom let out an ear-piercing whistle which echoed throughout the ghost zone. Moments later a large hellhound came barreling towards them, a blue haired ghost sitting atop it. The girl jumped off just as the hellhound pounced on Phantom.
"Ember!" Skulker called out in surprise. The girl reeled back a fist to punch the robotic ghost. Skulker avoided a few well-placed punches, finally enveloping her in a hug.
"You stupid robot!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Skulker placed a kiss on her forehead, causing her to cry softly, wrapping her arms around him. Phantom watched the display, a hand calming the hellhound. Skulker pulled away, noticing the claw marks on her neck.
"Your neck…" Ember looked down in shame.
"He knew exactly how to incapacitate me," she said softly, referring to her voice based powers. "I would have been destroyed if Cujo hadn't found me." The hellhound's large tail began to wag at the mention of its name. Phantom looked down at his hand, and back to Ember's neck. He could heal her, but he could lose control over Dan. Ember was a powerful ally however. With a trance inducing voice, that could convince almost anyone to do her bidding. It was the only thing she had, seeing as he had destroyed her guitar under Vlad's orders. He made a noise of disgust as he let a mixture of ice and ectoplasm create a goo in his hand. He was starting to get tired of human emotions. Ember blinked in shock when she felt Phantom place a hand against her neck, refusing to look at her. He sent a tiny surge of power through it, color returning to him almost instantly. Ember brought her gloved hand up to her neck, feeling the repaired body. Her green eyes scanned the teen, who no longer looked like their former ruler. Cujo started to growl, advancing on Dan.
"Cujo, is it?" Dan said playfully, kneeling down. The hellhound was three times the size of a bear, with glistening fangs and gleaming red eyes. The others watched with baited breath, as Phantom was the only one who have ever really controlled Cujo. "Who's a good boy?!" he exclaimed with a great amount of babying. Cujo tilted his head to the side. "Are you a good boy?!" Dan continued in his higher pitched voice. "Did you save Ember? You did?! Oh, you are a good boy!" The hellhound let out a loud bark, knocking Dan backwards. Dan laughed, standing up, holding his arms out to the hellhound. "Oh, I love my good boy!" Dan shivered as a large tongue swiped his entire body. Dan grinned, throwing a glance over at Tonks. She gave him a soft smile.
"We should continue on." Skulker told Dan. He gave a nod, creating a leash of ectoplasm to clip to Cujo. The single white glove on his hand seemed so out of place to Ember.
"Where are we going?" Ember asked.
"To the palace."
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The group landed on a deserted island to rest, after a day of travelling. Cujo began to drink at a nearby stream, the others setting up a small shelter. A sudden howl pierced the sky, and Dan turned to see Wulf transforming into a more wolf like form. Cujo for his part did not react, knowing that Wulf had a deep loyalty to Phantom. A second howl rang out, this time Cujo joined in. The others grabbed their weapons, unnerved by the behavior. Dan petted Cujo, trying to shush him. Wulf let out a beastly snarl as Kitty tried to do the same to him. A blue fog rolled in by their feet. Tonks moved closer to the group, brandishing the stick as if it were her wand.
"We're under attack." No sooner had the words left her mouth that several blasts came their way.
"What? But it's Christmas!" Kitty exclaimed.
"Doesn't matter." Tonks focused on the magic core to her soul. "Protego!" an invisible shield sprung around them, deflecting the blasts. From the crest of a nearby hill they saw the purple reaper appear. Dan latched onto Tonks middle.
"No, no… nonononono." he muttered to himself. Tonks tore her eyes away from him, matching the Reaper's red eyed gaze.
"Confringo!" she shouted, the spell bursting from the stick. The ball of light seem to slow as it reached the reaper, before he sidestepped, allowing the spell to pass him. "Stupefy!" A shield of black energy absorbed the blast.
"Black energy…" Kitty said in awe. Tonks gave an agitated yell as she sent another spell. "We can't win. That is the highest level of power in the ghost zone!"
"Yeah, well...I'm not from around here. Where I'm from, teamwork can take down any enemy." From behind the Reaper several ghosts who were merely eyeballs with bodies came forward, green energy crackling around their hands.
"You couldn't leave well enough alone." The Reaper told Dan. "I allowed your escape and you bring me more problems." he said, looking at Tonks. Dan pulled Tonks behind him, even though he was scared. He was not going to let her be hurt because of him.
"I should have never brought you here." Dan told her, before facing the Reaper again. The color change was slow, starting at his boots and working its way up. A few of the eyeball ghosts gasped when they saw the powerful green eyes. He snapped his fingers, the crown and ring appearing. The army descended upon them. Phantom went after the nearest soldier, freezing them over in seconds. All that he had learned from his companions was in full force. He could hear his own group moving into action behind him, Ember, Kitty and Shadow combining attacks to create powerful energy bombs. Phantom fell soldier after soldier, making his way to the reaper who had not moved from the top of the hill. His attacks grew stronger with each blow, becoming mixed with white energy. Tonks was suddenly right by his side, sending out her own attacks.
"Get back you foolish girl!" he snarled at her. His crown was changing from a dark green to a black.
"Can't do that. 'May not even death stop me', it's in the Auror Oath." she shot back. He noticed how she had copied his color scheme. The Reaper was getting close. He chanced a glance behind him to see his followers being forced closer and closer together. Raising a hand to her changed her determined gaze into one of betrayal.
"This is for your own good." he sent a small blast at her, sending her back towards the others. He whipped around to deliver a blow to the reaper, only to see his insufferable grin. Phantom glanced back down, seeing that the Reaper's soldiers had doubled in number, and he had effectively doomed the witch. He didn't think, he reacted, his legs turning into a spectral tail as he moved at top speed to the group.
Ember was holding onto her husband and friends, feeling more that seeing Phantom coming towards them. She looked up to see a blaze of white energy flying towards them. Cujo pounced on another observer, receiving a hit from the flank as he did so. Ember ripped herself from the group, hitting the soldiers when nothing but the motherly rage within her. "Cujo!" she cried out as several attacked the hellhound at once. The beast was insistent though, moving closer to the fallen witch by the second. Phantom landed with a crash, sending many of the soldiers to their knees. He was a pyre of pure white energy, stunning the rest at his power. They had never seen anything like it. He sent out a shockwave from his center, felling the rest of the soldiers. Cujo scooped up Tonks in its jaws, rushing to the group.
"Everyone on!" Phantom ordered. They were in the middle of nowhere. Cujo barely skidded to halt as everyone mounted. The attack had been planned. Phantom led them, clearing a path with a series of blasts. Skulker sent out rockets from the rear, for once terrified that he might not survive the battle. "Wulf get me a portal to her body."
"What? No." she argued, although Wulf had already run ahead, looking for a place weak enough to tear through. Phantom landed on Cujo, cupping Tonks face between his hands.
"You will go back, and you will protect my family. You will protect Severus, you will protect Harry, you will protect Adam, Sam, Dean, Cas and Bobby." Phantom heard the tear behind them. "You will never be fully alive again, having seen this place." Cujo deviated, and Phantom grabbed Tonks, floating above the portal. "That makes me your king, and makes this a direct order!" He shoved her towards the portal. She could see the Purple Reaper advancing on him from behind, and opened her mouth to warn him. She passed through the portal, and Cujo let out a bark and he snatched up Phantom. Phantom stood on Cujo, staring at who remained. Most were already wounded.
"I've never seen white energy before." Ember told him, alerting the others to what she had seen in their King.
"There' never been anyone or anything like me. Why should I abide by your rules?" he asked coldly. "Cujo, you keep running. Get them somewhere safe." He stepped off the beast, his followers shouting disagreements as they were whisked away. Phantom, stood tall as the Reaper approached. He raised his arms, drawing out the natural spirits from the swirling mass of green around them. He sent them forth with a commanding order, the divine beings overpowering the soldiers. The Reaper was within blasting distance, and so he began to attack. White ball after white disk after white blast, he could feel his core running into overdrive. The Reaper was barely holding his ground, each shield he erected shattering under the more powerful energy. Phantom took a large breath, letting out a ghostly wail, as he had done in the forest. The remaining soldiers froze in place, before abandoning the Reaper. The Reaper was reduced to a child version of himself. Phantom let a large charge form in his hand. It faltered, and he began to jerk in a spastic manner. He felt himself flickering in and out of existence like a poor tv signal. The red eyed child stared at him for a long moment, before he also left, leaving the ghost to die.
"We can't all escape time forever." Phantom dropped to the island several yards below, seizing, and feeling as if he was being burned by white hot pokers. For the first time, he was the one begging his counterpart to save him. One of his eyes turned blue.
"Phantom? Phantom?!"
"We're going to die." Phantom choked out, tears stinging at his eyes. "It was all for nothing…" His white hair faded to black, his skin becoming tanner. He felt a pair of hands on him, and was surprised to see Shadow chanting over him. One by one his followers laid a hand on him, lending a bit of their energy. The black turned back to white, and he grew pale. Green flecks invaded the blue eye, taking over. Ember scooped him into a hug, berating him on his stupidity. He realized, that somewhere along the way, they had stopped being his followers, and had become his friends. The crown and ring were gone from him, and for once he was not concerned.
"I thought I ordered you somewhere safe." he told them, trying to save face.
"Where safer than with friends?" Johnny asked. Phantom gave half a laugh, looking towards Skulker.
"Where is the nearest place for us to recuperate?" Skulker pulled up his map of the ghost zone.
"Desiree's isn't far from here. I hope she was not found in her domain, Plasmius would not be kind to her." Phantom imagined the shadowy false King, and his anger grew.
"For his sake, I hope she is safe."
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"How are you faring Dan?" There was no reply. Phantom wrapped himself in a half hug, moving away from the window he had used for a moment of peace. The rest were catching up with the genie ghost Desiree. He let out a sigh. His white boots were silent against the floor as he walked further into Desiree's lair. It was beautifully furnished, with many different items that radiated wish energy. A large ornate door drew his attention and he wrapped a hand around the golden door knob, entering. The room was dark, save for a single spotlight over a mirror.
"I show not your face, but your heart's desire." he read aloud from the top of the mirror. It suddenly shone with a green light, the dark room around him filling with a large group of people. Phantom got into a defensive stance, but they all crowded the mirror. Above the mirror a name formed. Harry Winchester. He shoved his way to the front, looking at the young boy in the mirror. He touched the mirror, smiling at the boy. Except, Harry was not looking at him, he was gazing at the two illusions on either side of him. A young red haired woman, and a brown haired man with glasses. He hit the mirror hoping to illicit a response. "Harry!" he shouted. He gripped either edge of the mirror with his hands, trying to disrupt the energy, but the artifact would not be swayed. He barely heard the door open behind him, and he took a step back from the mirror. His eyes lit up fully green as he charged the mirror, slamming into it as Desiree placed a hand on the frame. This time he was sure that Harry could see him, as the boy stumbled back. "Harry!" Desiree removed her hand, placing it instead on Phantom.
"The mirror cannot transfer sound." she explained. "Only I can allow it to show anything other than the illusion."
"Then send him a missive through script." Phantom demanded. Desiree moved her hair off her shoulders, the bells on her wrist jangling softly.
"That is not its use." A green hand gestured to the engraving. "This mirror is not for me, it is for them. Those who waste away before it...their energy becomes mine." The room went dark once more as Harry left the mirror's influence. Soon after though it lit up once more, this time the name Albus Dumbledore appearing. A single girl walked up to the mirror, smiling.
"Touch the mirror." Desiree obeyed his command, and Phantom relished the terrified look in Albus' eyes. He placed a hand on the illusion, staring blankly at the man, until he fled. "Alert me each time he returns." he said walking out.
"As you wish my King." she answered with a false curtsy, her black hair covering her face.
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"Wulf, I require your assistance." Phantom said, beckoning the werewolf. Wulf trotted over, green eyes watching him carefully. "I need a small bit of your claws." Wulf took a step back, unsure. "It is to protect my family. I am sure you remember Ruby." Wulf gave a deep growl in his throat, remembering the demon who had once helped higher ups invade the castle. They of course had lost to Phantom in the end, but Wulf did not take betrayal of a contract lightly. She was meant to be an informant, and in the end had informed the enemy instead. "She has gotten close to my family, and I cannot allow her to continue deceiving them. I simply need to shave off a small portion to create a powder for the ritual I am modifying." Wulf extended one of his claws, presenting it to Phantom. "Thank you." Phantom lifted to fingers, creating a small ectodisc and sent it whirring. He brought the spinning disc closer, gently creating a dust from the very tip of the claw. "You may return to the others. Let them know we will be moving out tomorrow." Wulf nodded, taking off towards the front hall once more. Phantom on the other hand delved deeper into the dwelling, back to the room where he had set up his modified summoning circle. With his free hand he ignited all the candles with a green flame, causing them to rise slightly from the ground. He let the dark green powder pour into the bowl in front of him. It combined with the other ingredients, a black light bursting from it to the ceiling. It took on the form of a devil's trap. He gave a murderous grin. Phantom floated up, plunging his hand through the artificial portal, latching onto the demon. He dragged her down, chucking her into a devil trap he had created.
"Phantom!" she gasped, attempting to escape. Phantom sneered at her.
"You certainly are hideous without a meatsuit." he told her. "Oh, please get comfortable. We are going to be here a while…"
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Phantom exited the room with a face devoid of emotion. Dealing with Ruby had been taxing for sure, but Dan had not spoken up the entire time. In fact, no color change had happened. Desiree was coming down the hall with a tray of food, giving a small smile when she saw Phantom.
"My King, you have been gone for a while."
"I wish your lair was spotless." he muttered as he walked past her. Her nose scrunched in confusion, before her attention was drawn to the room Phantom had been in. She made sure that Phantom was around the corner before she opened the door. The tray she was carrying clattered to the floor as a scream erupted from her. There was carnage throughout the entire room. It looked as if a pack of wild wolves had torn apart a helpless animal. He had completely disassembled the demon, even something as trivial as the finger segments were scattered. She took a few calming breaths before granting her King's wish. The pieces disappeared slowly, as did her ease.
Phantom had paused when he heard Desiree's scream, but as she did not run from the room, he allowed her snooping to go unpunished. He was going to start formulating a plot against the castle. As much as he did not want to trust any demon, he knew he would need to win the favor of a few.
"We've been able to leave all this time." Dan snarled from within his mind. Phantom gave a sigh of relief.
"I've missed you."
"Shut the heck your mouth!" Phantom chuckled at the way Dan got flustered when he was upset.
"Trust me, this is the most favorable of paths. Once I secure my place as King, we can find someone to separate us. You may return home and lead a normal life, and I may rule here." Phantom leaned against a nearby wall. "Unless of course, you wish to stay with me? No harm would come to you whilst you are at my side."
"I want to go home." Dan said sternly. Phantom gave a nod and shut off the communication to his other half. The human should have been grateful for such an opportunity. He entered the room with his followers. They all looked to him, awaiting orders. Desiree joined them a moment later, a bit more silent then normal.
"I wish I had never destroyed Ember's guitar." Phantom said aloud. A swirl of green smoke turned into the pick and blue weapon that the blue haired ghost had been missing. A black gloved hand grabbed it midair, a circle of blue flames bursting from under her feet as she reconnected with it. The others readied their weapons as well, realizing that when their leader had informed them they were moving out, he meant to the castle. Phantom walked down the line, evaluating each weapon, making minor adjustments. A quick burst of green flames around Phantom had him donned in more kingly attire, including a cape, and a more decorated armor. The flying ghost insignia appeared on his chest plate as the black crown and ring did. "We will do a full frontal attack. There is no need to fight every one of his soldiers. I simply need a path to this false King. Once I have gained control, I can use the castle defenses to eradicate the rest of the traitors. Any questions?"
"To where should we retreat if you fall?"
"If I fall, you leave me to die." Phantom lead them to the exit, gazing at the green sky.
"And if it's the other fellow that falls?" Skulker asked, giving Phantom a meaningful look.
"I expect you all to give your afterlife for Daniel." Phantom instructed. He let out a whistle, calling Cujo. His followers piled on to the hellhound. Phantom's legs turned into a spectral tail and he took off. He was going to reclaim the castle, and may God help whoever got in his way.
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The guards at the front of the castle, grabbed their weapons a little tighter as they saw a group approaching over the horizon. A bright light came racing towards them, whistling through the air.
"Incoming!" One shouted, alerting the others. The light landed with a crash, but did not detonate. One of the guards edged closer to the smoke-filled crater, until to be gasping for breath a moment later and a white armored hand wrapped around his throat. Phantom emerged from the smoke, with the guard dragging next to him.
"It's been awhile boys." he greeted with a bloodthirsty grin. He tossed the guard aside, unharmed. "Open the gate for your King." The others had arrived, standing menacing behind Phantom. The guards broke into excited runs, dismantling the security measures, the insignias on their wrist bands changing to that of the flying ghost. One by one they joined Phantom's ranks. Phantom scanned their faces, recognizing them from the lower class villages. Neutral ghosts forced to fight for a villain, now choosing to fight for their freedom. "How many more can you claim as friendly within these walls?"
"Only the Fright Knight is being forced to fight for Plasmius, because he holds the sword. All your other allies who were not in the main prison are kept in the dungeons and tortured." The lead guard provided.
"Dora?" Kitty asked. The guard nodded. "Frostbite, Pandora?"
"Pandora has been brainwashed into an unstoppable gladiator for Plasmius' entertainment."
"We can focus on rescuing them later. Right now, we have to take out this false king. Are you all ready?" A resounding cheer swept through them. Phantom turned to face the castle, lifting a hand and sending a blast to the main doors. The wooden doors were thrown from their hinges, skittering across the large entrance hall. Phantom sauntered into the hall, his followers charging in ahead of him, attacking the enemy.
"How dare you silence me?" Dan snarled.
"This is more important. Please Dan. Rest, I will come for you when the time comes." Phantom intervened. He did not here a complaint in response and he continued on. The throne room was just a few feet away. All he had to do was take a few strides and he could destroy the doors between him and the false king. He was going to go straight for the neck. Phantom broke out into a run that was abruptly halted as the throne room doors swung open, the imposing figure of Plasmius in the doorframe.
"Vlad?!" the two halves chorused in alarm. They were frozen to the spot, not able to do anything to dodge the arc of lightning that came crashing into their chest. The two screamed so loud that it caused a hush over the hall. His pale green ghostly aura was quickly becoming red, and with a loud boom, Dan and Phantom were thrown to opposite ends of the vast hall.
"Destroy them!" Vlad Plasmius ordered. Dan had hit the stone wall hard, feeling a crack in his collarbone. He landed in the midst of a crowd of enemies, who all gave him a leering gaze, thinking he was going to be an easy kill. Phantom had been able to slow his fall, but ropes had come up to tie him down, preventing him from getting to Dan.
"DAN!" he shouted. Dan stood, vision a bit hazy. Vlad's voice was echoing in his head, whispers of memories pat swimming before his eyes. He snapped back to reality when a fist was inches from his face. He instinctively ducked, sweeping his leg out to trip the assailant. He popped back up into a fighting stance, breathing heavy.
"I've always wanted to go to a fancy castle dance." he quipped, using a cliché hand gesture to beckon the enemies closer. They began to attack simultaneously, but the hand to hand combat that Tonks had shown him, along with what he remembered from his mother came in handy. He defeated three, but more kept showing up. From across the hall, he could see Phantom battling from the air, raining down blasts on his own group of enemies. Dan stood tall, he was going to get across the hall. His allies were all engaged in their own battles, but it did not matter. If he could reach Phantom, they could win. With all his might he tried to remember the ghosts around him, knowing he had defeated them once before. His blue eyes suddenly popped open. "I can do it." he went on the offensive, slowly but surely making his way to the center of the room.
Across the hall, Phantom was thinking much the same thing. He sent a blast, destroying Nocturne's mask. He could see Dan making progress, and it pushed him to fight harder, unconcerned with the casualties. An arrow sliced at his arm, and he turned with eyes blazing, obliterating the offender. He saw his allies begin to overpower their adversaries, coming from the center of the room towards both him and Dan, clearing the path. Cujo was a war machine, mowing down ghosts with his mighty jaws. Ember sat utop the dog, defending his flank with her well aimed attacks. Johnny and Kitty were circling the room on his motorbike, preventing any enemy from escaping the room. She lived up to her nickname, pouncing on fleeing enemies, kicking off of them to land back on the bike with such ease that it looked rehearsed. Skulker and Shadow were making their way towards Phantom, working in perfect sync despite the priest's lack of communication. Desiree was above the mess, straining with her powers to keep Plasmius immobilized. Her arms were beginning to tremble. Phantom wiped at his face in confusion, realizing a tear was trailing down. He locked eyes with Dan, and both of their efforts doubled. If not for them, for their kingdom, if not for their kingdom, for their friends.
"Get behind us!" Skulker ordered, as the created a circle of them and the guards. Vlad broke free from Desiree's power, and blasted her from the sky.
"Cujo fetch!" Dan shouted, as Vlad rose into the sky, eyes leaking red ectoenergy. Dan slid into the group, halting roughly when Phantom dive bombed him, wrapping him into a tight hug. White gloves pressed the sides of his face, green staring into blue.
"How touching." Vlad mocked, causing both boys to look up. Pink flames raced towards them. Phantom pulled Dan close, creating a shield above them. He was being pressed down though, his green no match for the red.
"I'm gonna get you home. I'll distract him, take the others and flee." Phantom urged, shaking under the exertion.
"Never." Dan replied, placing a hand against the shield as well. Together they were able to raise it until they were standing. With a mighty shove it flew towards Vlad, and in that same instant they joined hands, doubling their powers. Vlad shattered their shield with a single fist, diving down towards them.
"I can do it." Phantom assured Dan. The last effort to get him to leave.
"I can do it." Dan replied, referring to staying.
"We'll get through it." they chorused, hugging each other tightly. They began to glow white, a blue core appearing in Dan, and a green in Phantom. The two specks of color collided, creating a shockwave of pure white ecto energy, forcing everyone to the ground. The ring stayed, separating up and down, the two forms slowly melding into one. Vlad reeled back a fist, aiming for the unstable matter. HIs fist only collided with the palm of a multicolored Danny Phantom. Danny smirked, squeezing the black gloved fist in his own white one, throwing the other halfa across the hall as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. The insignia on his chest was no longer the flying ghost, but a white D, with a smaller black P within it. Danny stalked towards Vlad, allies and enemy alike separating for him. He pulled a sword from a nearby pumpkin, charging it up with pure white energy. Vlad was stumbling to his feet. Looking ragged. Danny placed the tip of the sword to his neck. "Surrender." Vlad grabbed the sword, sending electricity through it, hoping to break apart the duo once more. Ice rushed to insulate Danny's arm, allowing him to push forward against Vlad. Plasmius hit the sword away from his neck, lunging at Danny. Danny leapt backwards, blocking Plasmius ectoenergy sword. They began to duel, Plasmius getting more desperate by the second. Plasmius jabbed once more, and Danny flipped over the sword, landing briefly on Vlad's blade, before kicking the false king in the face. Vlad turned away, clutching at his face, turning back with a snarl, fangs elongating. Danny allowed the man to get angry. He was now at peace. The things Vlad had done to him, no longer mattered. He didn't need to defeat Vlad to make his life better. He was in charge of his life now. It could be whatever he wanted it to be. Vlad discarded the sword, appearing at Danny's side in a puff of red smoke, pulling the teen ghost up above everyone else.
"This is no King!" Vlad announced. "He is a mere child! What could he offer you?" he demanded. Danny struggled against the ironclad grip on his neck. HIs mismatched eyes looked out at all the subjects beneath him, all watching with baited breath. "Kill his troops." The battle resumed, Vlad's heavy hitters taking the offensive. Vlad turned Danny so they were face to face. "How pathetic." he hissed. "What is this mess?" Mismatched eyes looked deep into the red ones.
"It's love." Danny whispered. Vlad laughed in his face.
"Look at you." Vlad sneered. "Your uniform has been sullied by the colors of your human half. Your hair...you look like a dalmatian. Separate, now Daniel."
"It's Danny!" he shouted, blasting the man with twin eye beams. Vlad dropped the boy, yelling in pain. Danny snapped his finger, the crown and ring appearing. He provided cover for his friends, fighting alongside his soldiers. Vlad soon found him again, ferocious in his attacks. Danny barely dodged a fist that left a crater in the palace floor. Vlad turned, unrelenting, swinging his sword with wild abandon. A small voice that sounded like his mother was telling him to disarm Vlad. He scanned his immediate area, breaking into a run away from Vlad. Predictably Vlad followed. Danny stepped up onto the wall, flipping over Vlad, sending a well aimed blast at his back, sending him crashing into the wall. The sword clattered away from him, being crushed underfoot by Cujo.
"You little brat!" Vlad encased his entire body into a burst of red flames, sending fireball after fireball at Danny. Danny was amazed at how easily the powers came to him as he created ice shields in the blink of an eye. "Where is this power coming from?" Danny blinked in surprise. Vlad was the one who had given him all his powers, why was he shocked? He dodged a blast, but it was not meant for him. The pillar behind him crumbled. Danny turned his legs into a spectral tail, dodging the chunks of stone. With a mighty yell he tackled Vlad, transporting him to a separate room. Armed with an ice shield and an ectoenergy sword, he took his stance, waiting for Vlad to stand.
"This is your last chance Vlad." Vlad began to get up. "You are fighting with anger. You will not win." Danny said, echoing Skulker's words from training. "I am fighting for the love of my family and friends."
"What family?" Vlad questioned. "What friends?" He created twin blades. "I am your family. I made you!" He swung his blade, a wave of flames spurting from it. Vlad advanced step by step, forcing Danny into a corner. He had to cut off a scream as he felt several hands touch his back. The sword he wielded doubled in size with a razor sharp edge of ice. His hair became whiter, and ice blue invaded both eyes. The swords clashed, Vlad pressing with all his might, determined to kill the boy. Danny gasped slightly as fangs poked his bottom lip. The flames began to bite at his skin, which slowly turned light blue in response. Danny pushed up against the attacking force, each step sending a tremble through the ground. Fear was present in the red eyes, and Danny couldn't help but let out a murderous laugh. In a puff of red smoke Vlad was on the opposite end of the room. Ectoplasm was leaking from the walls as the integrity of the castle began to deteriorate. Danny turned intangible, sinking down through the floor. Vlad kept still, listening for any hint of where an attack would come from. He was suddenly surrounded by a circle of Danny Phantoms. He attacked the one in front of him, and it disappeared in a puff of smoke. He gave an aggravated grunt, moving onto the next one. Vlad snarled loudly, creating a tornado of flame that took out all the copies at once. He was breathing heavy, confused because no one stood against him. The blade was suddenly against his throat.
"Checkmate, old boy." Danny jerked his arm back, slashing...nothing.
"Hello Danny." Danny turned apprehensively, seeing the purple Reaper standing calmly, accompanied by a few spirits. He recognized the three, Snape's mother, as well as the red haired woman and bespectacled man that appeared to Harry. "I see you fused."
"I am not separating." Danny growled, brandishing his sword. A chuckle escaped the Purple Reaper.
"I would never dream of it." The spirits disappeared. "You have proved to the higher powers that you deserve to exist, despite fusing with Phantom."
"Why does that matter? Because it makes me half ghost?" Danny asked. The Purple Reaper brandished a mirror, much like the first time they had met.
"Does this look like Phantom to you?" Danny touched his blue skin, and experimentally flicked out his serpent like tongue. The Purple Reaper tugged at one of the pointed ears playfully.
"I...I don't understand." Danny admitted. The reaper wrapped an arm around his shoulders, waving the other hand across the screen. It rippled, showing a scene from nearly 14 years ago. It was one he remembered. He was four years old, laying in a hospital bed with a fever of one hundred, several ice packs on him. His parents were pacing around, talking in big grownup words that he didn't understand. Except, he was eighteen now, and he did understand.
"Maddie, what you're proposing is insane. To infuse such a volatile substance to him on a molecular level? It would take-"
"60 amps, at 5000 volts?" she finished, looking over at the defibrillator. "It could work Jack. He is going to," she glanced at Danny. "D-I-E. With the ectoplasm already within his system, his soul will be drawn to it, and he will never pass on."
"We will have a son possessed by his own ghost." he argued, gripping her by her shoulders. He shook her slightly. "You realize this is crazy right?"
"It's better than having no son!" she shouted back, shoving him. Jack looked defeated.
"Okay…" he whispered. He opened one of the pouches on his utility belt, handing it to her. "I'll guard the door." She nodded. They would have to leave town again, which was fine. She was used to it, being a hunter and all. She moved to the head of the bed, inserting the needle of ectoplasm into his IV bag, letting it slowly drip into his bloodstream. Danny started to cry, reaching for her. Maddie smoothed back his black hair, planting a kiss on his forehead. His temperature dropped abruptly. She snatched the defibrillator off the wall, charging it up.
"I'm sorry baby." Danny screamed in pain as she shocked him. She did it again, and once more before the monitor flatlined. "One more time." she told him, discharging the paddles on his chest. His skin turned blue, and his hair into ice cold flames of white. His eyes were a lighter shade of blue than before. Maddie picked up her son, holding him close, crying softly.
"Mama!" Danny said with glee. "No sick!"
"You're right baby." she told him, hearing the ruckus outside as her husband struggled with the staff.
Danny was staring at his reflection once again.
"She...she never told me. They hunted ghosts their whole life. I don't…" he stuttered.
"Your fear of ghosts was the only thing that kept your powers locked in your core. She was afraid if you were seen as a ghost, that others would hunt you, or that your father would want to keep you away from them."
"Why would Tobias want a ghost baby?" Danny asked in confusion. The Reaper once again chuckled at him, lowering his hood to reveal white hair.
"It was honor to watch them raise you, son." Danny felt tears fill his eyes as the reaper pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry I couldn't intervene when Vlad got a hold of you. I'm sorry that you had to go on this journey."
"You have been saving me, all my life." he pulled away. "I don't know if I can call you Dad…"
"Clockwork will suffice." he said. "I believe your friends are waiting for you." Danny's eyes widened in alarm and he raced out of the room, to find that the fighting was still going on.
"Enough." he announced, his voice echoing through the hall. Everyone stopped, turning to look at him. They were in shock. Their King looked like no other than...the purple reaper stepped up behind Danny, placing a hand on his shoulder. A black cloak settled on Danny's shoulders, with his new insignia on the back. With the other hand Clockwork pulled the last of the traitors forward, binding them at Danny's feet. "I have killed Plasmius." he told them roughly. A white sword tipped with ice appeared in his hand. "Pledge your allegiance to me, or join him." Most allowed the flying ghost logo to appear on their person, except for one. The hook-nosed dragon Prince turned his face from Danny. Danny swallowed nervously.
"Well." Prince Aragon sneered.
"Desiree, I wish I had a Fenton Thermos." Danny said, not breaking eye contact with the enemy. He felt the weight of the thermos in his free hand. Aragon smirked, assuming he had proven the King wrong. The look slid off his face when Danny placed the opening of the thermos directly over his core. Danny tapped the button, removing the ghost's core. Aragon lost all color, but most importantly he lost all his powers. "Enjoy your afterlife." He turned to his allies with a large grin. "Let's get this place cleaned up, establish law, and get back to haunting!" he announced. The crowd cheered. Danny took a few breaths to himself, the blue receding from him. He looked up at Clockwork with green eyes. The ghost took out two time gears, one silver and one gold.
"I must ask you to make one more choice." Clockwork said. Danny looked between the gears apprehensively. "Would you like your appearance in Spinner's End to be subtle." the silver gear gleamed. "Or, dramatic." the gold gear gleamed. "I prefer dramatic." he whispered, winking his scarred eye.
"Like father like son, I guess." Danny said, pointing to the golden gear. Clockwork surrounded the gear with black energy.
"This may hurt." he warned, fusing the gear to Danny's core. Danny braced himself, gritting his teeth. "With this gear you can travel between the human world and the ghost zone as I do. Only you. Once you return to the human world, you may lose the instincts that came from the whispers of the ghost zone, also expect a decrease in power. Your heritage may be occluded by Phantom's presence, but do not fear, it will always remain within you." Clockwork assured, placing a finger over Danny's chest.
"Will...will I ever see you again?" Danny asked. Clockwork stared wistfully over the subjects cleaning up.
"It depends. There are many paths life can take. It is quite possible that you may never see me again. There will be times where I don't even exist in this reality. I trust that you will be fine on your own, but know that I will always come to your aide in this reality, for only in this one are you my son."
"Thank you."
"Run along now. You have a kingdom to run." Danny nodded, rushing over to help his friends lift something. When he turned to ask one final question of the purple reaper, he was gone.
"So long...Dad."
END