'Ngh...my head' I thought as I felt myself leave the comfort of my sleeping state. I opened my eyes only to close them as a bright green light shined its way into my eyes. "Ow…" I said as I began to squint so I can somewhat get adjusted to the light. Looking around, I see all the devastation around me. The entire lab was just trashed, all cages deactivated and broken, unknown chemicals oozing onto the floor, it sorta looked like my basement after my first encounter with the Box Ghost, if it was you know...ten times worst…

However a sudden jolt of aching pain resonated throughout my entire body. "Fuckkkkk…." I closed my once squinted eyes just to see if I can escape to the sweetness of unconsciousness, but sadly it was not to be. "Sigh…"

I opened my eyes fully, not bothered by the still ever shining vortex in front of me as I see a down figure. It was my Godfa-...my parent's friend. I looked on with a bit of contempt before letting it go, the fatigueness outweighing my emotions; so I decided to go a different route. "Hey Fruitloop you awake?"

The body didn't move, I'd assume he was dead if not for his chest rising and falling, albeit a little slowly. Releasing another sigh, I was about to stand before I immediately was forced back down, not realizing a person was resting upon my legs. "Shit! Shit! Shit! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" However I had no response back, as the person continued to sleep peacefully.

"Oh…" I laughed at myself, this entire situation was over. After all the fights, after all the psychological turmoil, after all the ghosts have been freed…

"I think I'm done being a ghost."

I smiled as I looked at the ghost portal, 'You know, if you look at it long enough, it kinda looks like a sunrise.' However my musing was broken as I heard groaning in front of me. "Andddd you just had to ruin it, didn't you?"

The man in front of me, Vlad Plasmius finally gained consciousness after twenty minutes of me being awake. He opened his eyes and stared at me. He looked down at his wrists and ankles to see them shackled with his own technology, and could physically feel the collar bearing down on his neck. He stared at me once again. Hatred, Unadulterated hatred. "TRAITOR"

I could feel my emotions flare up, but I decided to just once again let my fatigueness overshadow them. However, it seems Vlad didn't want that, because he began cursing up a storm, talking about how he'll kill me, reveal me to the public, and kill my entire family with me watching. 'Pfft as if I'd let that happen.' But with all this commotion going on, I realized that it was beginning to stir the person in my arms awake. "Yikes, can't have that happen."

Two silver rings appeared around my body as I transformed into my Ghost Form. I duplicated myself, and decided that I, the original stays with the sleeping person, and the duplicate goes kicks Vlad asleep.

"HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON'T GET ANY CLO-" My clone kicked Vlad in the side of the jaw, knocking him out as he looked towards me.

"The Pub?"

I nodded "The Pub." My clone proceeded to fly into the Ghost Portal, so he can deliver Vlad to the bar that I had recruited ghosts from. 'A promise is a promise' I looked down once again to get a better look at the weight on me.

It was a girl around my age, sporting a black one-shouldered crop top, one long black glove that covers most of her right arm, a black bracelet on her left, black leather jeans with a silver belt, and skull combat boots. 'Nice touch.'

However problems began arising as I looked at her face. It wasn't that she was ugly, NO she was far from that. The way the black makeup emphasized her eyes, the way her blue fiery hair falls around her face kinda angelically…"Oh God I'm creepy…" I said,but one thing that really caught my eyes, was on her purple lipstick lips, was the most peaceful smile I've ever seen.

"OKAY!" I said as I picked up the girl bridal style. "That's enough thoughts for one day, maybe even a year, maybe even a LIFETIME." No one was around me, but I still felt really embarrassed. I carried the girl all way to the Ghost Portal, but as I stepped into the portal, one thing crossed my mind.

'Wait a minute...since when have I ever been embarrassed by a girl!'

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Kitty and Johnny after having a near after-death experience with Phantom, just decided to get away as far away from the area as fast possible. It's been nearly a week from the run-in and honestly they have been spooked (no pun intended) to the point they didn't want to spend two nights in one place, and it has been physically exhausting to the ghostly couple.

However, imagine to their relief that due to the help of Kitty's best friend and a rag team of drunkard ghosts managed to defeat Vlad Plasmius with apparently a suspiciously newly powered Ghost boy…

However whenever the couple thought of Ghost boy, they only imagined how Phantom before dealing the final blow, reverted into a similar face Skulker has been raging about nearly everyday before Vlad took over.

The Ghost boy was The Phantom...and that was something Kitty and Johnny were still confused about. Kitty was honestly just thankful for them staying alive, however Johnny was very angry, livid in fact.

"THAT FUCKING PUNK!" Johnny yells as he continues reading the headline on the newspaper.

GHOST BOY RETURNS AS HERO OF GHOST ZONE

KItty attempted to calm down here boyfriend down by placing her ghostly hand on his shoulder, but it only seemed to enrage him further. "WHY AREN'T YOU MAD AT THIS?!" Johnny said as he aggressively pulled his shoulder away from his girlfriend's hand.

"HE NEARLY KILLED ME! AND HE NEARLY KILLED Y-" But Johnny didn't finish his rant, because soon a portal opened up near the location they currently were at and out stepped the last person who should have appeared.

"Johnny wa-!" Kitty's plead died down when she saw the state her friend was currently in. She still had cuts and bruises that were still slowly healing even with their ghostly healing factor. She narrowed her eyes at the silhouette in front of the portal, and saw her boyfriend look back at her for confirmation. She nodded.

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I stepped out of the portal after getting information from Clockwork as to where I can drop the blue haired ghost off, not wanting to be seen as a pervert in the Ghost Zone. He told me that she hung out with Kitty and Johnny...well this was gonna be awkward as hell.

Imagine to my surprise when I saw a gloved bike glove currently coming at my face.

'Awe shit'

A loud crack resonated as Johnny's fist connected with my chin, as my grip on the sleeping ghost was lost, making the blunette fall towards the floor only to be caught by Kitty. I couldn't let out a sigh of relief as Johnny kept the punches raining down at me. And I could do something...but at this point there wasn't really anything I can do. I know what I did, and I can't change anything about it.

I think I should feel something, maybe stinging of my busted lip, perhaps the bruising of my eye, or maybe even my nose that I was pretty sure was broken after so much abuse, but still nothing…

I feel Johnny get off my battered body and went to the side of Kitty as ectoplasm dripped from his knuckles getting it on the ghostly pavement.

I stood up shakily and breathing labored, but still...nothing, the pain I only felt didn't resonate from my body, but my inside…

Guilt

I looked at the couple, my nose already fixed giving me a somewhat presentable appearance, if not for the ectoplasm dripping from both my nose and lip as I gave them a tired sad smile. "Heh..I guess...I had that coming huh?"

Both the couple stared at me intently ready to strike again as I let out a labored sigh. "...I'm sorry for what I did...and I know this won't change anything...just please take care of her…"

Kitty looked at her sleeping friend to see a small peaceful smile. 'What the…'

After a couple of struggled gasps, I finally managed out a whisper. "...I don't want anymore death and despair…" I turned around, feeling a slight bruise in my rib area 'I'm hurt badly huh…' I began to walk which soon turned into a jog before a full out sprint, however soon my legs turned into a tail and I was flying away from the area.

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"What an asshole. i'M sOrRy fOr wHaT I dId" Johnny mocked as he did a chicken like stance and put his lips over his teeth in order to mock the fleeing hero's form. However this exchange went to deaf ears as Kitty looked at her friend with wide saucers.

"Johnny SHHH!" Johnny stopped his chicken dance and was about to question before he looked at the bluenette in his girlfriend's arms. She seemed to be displeased about something, she was starting to shift in her arms, and her smile turning into a frown.

Johnny looked up to Kitty to ask what was happening before they heard something that they would never dream of hearing.

Amidst all the shuffling, there was only a phrase that was repeated over and over again.

"...come back…"

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AND Chapter 17 Done, honestly don't know what to feel when writing again. I appreciate all the support or like three reviews in my author's note, and hope everyone had a Happy New Years. Will Chapter 18 come out soon? I'm not sure, but this is my story and I'll update who knows when. Leave reviews/criticism, PM anything I guess.