Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does, and I somehow doubt that will be changing any time soon. Since I'm not making any money from this, there is nothing for the law-ninjas to sue out of me.
Author's Notes: I'm again so sorry for taking two weeks to get this chapter done! I can't even blame the Wii for it this time. No, this time it's all been schoolwork, since the semester is almost over and I have a ton of projects due by the middle of next week. Still, at 11 pages, this is the longest chapter of the story, so hopefully that will hold you guys over. As always, reviews are appreciated!
Chapter 9: Time's Up
"I have lost the path before me
The one behind will lead me"
-"Ghost Love Score" - Nightwish
"If I hadn't already seen your handiwork elsewhere, I don't think I would be quite so surprised by this pathetic display." Vlad taunted as Phantom peeled himself out of a nearby wall.
To say that the fight wasn't going terribly well would be an understatement. It was evident that Vlad was hardly trying, a fact emphasized by the one hand the billionaire kept tucked neatly behind his back. Jazz had even caught sight of the man yawning once or twice in the brief lulls between Phantom's frenzied attacks. All the intensity in the world couldn't compensate for the fact that since the trip through the Ghostcatcher, the ghost's power had been crippled.
Phantom spat a curse, idly realizing that the profanity was something he'd overheard Valerie use in that sick future. One of many colorful invectives that he had been the target of. The ghost shivered at the recollection, leaving himself open just long enough for Vlad to strike again, a fist to the head sending Phantom tumbling to the ground and adding a fresh round of bruises to the abuse he'd already taken.
"Honestly, this is nearly shameful." Vlad scowled as Phantom got back on his feet. "After what-"
Vlad was cut off by an ecto blast to the face, the attack's abruptness catching the billionaire off guard and knocking him over, though not seriously worse for the wear. Phantom wasted no time before springing at the man, looking for all the world ready to try and throttle the archvillain.
"You can just go to-!" Phantom snarled, interrupted by Vlad tumbling hurriedly out of the way and catching the ghost in the side with one foot.
"Go where?" Vlad retorted, using the opportunity to get back on his feet while Phantom was sprawled on the concrete. "Wisconsin?"
Meanwhile, the three teens could only watch from the dubious safety to be had behind Jazz's car. Sure, Danny was on his way; but from what was seen so far, Vlad Masters was in a spectacularly foul mood. This was no archvillain playing out an elaborate scheme; this was a guy who lost his house and was really cheesed off about it, and with good reason.
"Man, he's getting pounded." Tucker had to cringe when Phantom was sent sprawling, though the ghost was able to get his feet beneath him to spring into the air, barely dodging a follow-up attack from Vlad.
"I know, but do you want to try and get in the middle of that?" Sam glanced at her friend, one eyebrow raised as they watched Vlad go sailing by, Phantom in hot pursuit.
"But if what Danny said is right, by fighting he's just going to shorten how long he has until..." Jazz couldn't finish the statement, wincing at the thought.
The aspiring psychology expert could hardly stand the idea that she had made such progress with Phantom and in such a short time, only for it to apparently be for nothing. Phantom wouldn't likely agree to going back to that fused existence; despite his progress it seemed he had a nearly reckless disregard for his own survival. If only Vlad hadn't shown up, maybe they could have come up with a better solution to the problem. In the end though, all the "if onlys" in the world wouldn't matter if Phantom got himself destroyed in a deranged attempt on Vlad's life.
"He might be getting pounded, but look at him." Sam shivered visibly, pointing at the ghost.
Another look at the battle indicated what made the goth shiver. Phantom was standing, crouched and ready to pounce. That wasn't what was eerie however; it was the look of nothing short of murderous rage on the ghost's face that was. This was nothing like Danny's battles with Vlad, where the teenage half-ghost was merely trying to thwart whatever scheme the man was up to. This was a blatant desire for bloodshed, every move of Phantom's body broadcasting clearly his desire to not simply thwart, but to kill the billionaire. Given how hard Vlad was fighting back, that murderous intent had not gone unnoticed; the half-ghost was rapidly escalating his own actions in response to the threat on his life.
Phantom cried out when he hit the dirt again, Vlad planting one foot firmly in the ghost's exposed back and pinning him against the asphalt. The billionaire did not look pleased. Indeed, his expression was little better than the ghost's. He had been livid before, but Phantom's stubborn resistance had clearly pushed the half-ghost far beyond merely livid.
"I don't know why you're putting up such a fight." Vlad scowled at the ghost. "When clearly you are outmatched in nearly every way. If you were smart, you'd simply stay down and tell me what it was I originally came here to find out."
Phantom didn't respond, visibly seething and trying not to yelp when Vlad dug his foot into the ghost's spine. He was about to retaliate when three sets of footsteps interrupted the fight, and suddenly the pressure on his back was gone.
"Leave him alone!"
"Hands off my brother, fruit loop!"
"Stop hurting him!"
"Blueberry muffins!"
"Ow!"
Phantom cringed and got back to his feet, wondering what had just happened. He knew all the voices, but they couldn't possibly have tried to take on Vlad to protect him, could they? He snapped back to alertness when it registered on him that one of the teens had been hurt, if the short cry of pain was any indication. Almost immediately he was tensed to leap at Vlad again, virtually airborne already.
Until he saw that Vlad held Sam aloft by the arm in one hand, Tucker in the other, and Jazz was struggling to sit back up at the billionaire's feet. He skidded to a halt midair, his scowl matched by Vlad's fanged grin.
"Ah-ah, I don't think you want to jump back into a fight." Vlad tsked, jostling the younger teens for emphasis. "After all, you don't want them to get hurt because of your carelessness, now would you?"
"Don't listen to him!" Jazz yelped from where she was on the ground, immediately realizing that Vlad had just managed to push all the wrong buttons. "It wasn't your fault!"
"You..." Phantom hissed at the billionaire, cringing at a burst of pain coursing through his nervous system. What is wrong with me?
The thought was little more than an undercurrent, the ghost's conscious thoughts primarily a torrent of wordless rage directed at Vlad, and a helping of self-loathing aimed squarely at himself. The billionaire's words, though unintentionally so had hit a subject that shook Phantom to his core. That day ten years in his past, the stench of burning Nasty Sauce, the screams cut all-too-suddenly short. All because of him. Because he had to cheat, because Mr. Lancer had found out, because even with his powers, he had been useless, helpless to save the people most dear to him. And just like that time, he was helpless to protect them.
No, no I'm not! Jazz said so, all those other times I did help people! He mentally cried out, in a panic about what to do. He needed to get them away, somewhere far from that mall and far away from Vlad. Sure, nobody ever bothered parking in the Zears parking lot, but someone was bound to notice the commotion eventually. Which meant it was almost guaranteed that either Valerie or his parents would show up. The ghost was absolutely terrified of the idea of trying to deal with Valerie. None of his memories of the young ghost huntress were pleasant, the recollections evoking nothing but fear, anger, and that murderous hatred that terrified him. The way the huntress had violated his trust in his weakest moments was something that he thought he could never forgive.
"Oh please, Valerie, don't hate me for this, please-" His explanation of that day a few months ago when he fooled around with the ghost portal had been disjointed and bordering on incoherent, Valerie didn't yet grasp what he was trying to explain. He was left with one way to make it clear. "I'm going ghost!"
He showed her.
Were the circumstances different, the expressions vying for control of the girl's face would almost have been funny. He'd occasionally wondered before how Valerie would react upon learning that a guy she kind of liked was the very same ghost she'd been trying to vaporize for weeks. Now he was taking a gamble on her understanding, on the kindness she'd begun to show his human self. With everyone else he cared about reduced to senseless ash on the wind just the day before, he was desperate for a friendly shoulder to lean on, a kind friend to help him bear his burden that had in one explosion become so very heavy.
" It was your fault!" The emotional roulette apparently landed squarely on rage, for he found himself staring down the barrel of Valerie's gun, his classmate replaced with the red-clad vengeful huntress. "YOU did this!"
He yelped her name, backing away from the hot-tempered and heavily armed girl. It wasn't supposed to be like this, how could she continue her hatred of all things ghostly after learning the truth of her own friend? How could she bear to level a gun at him, knowing the terrible things he had been through?
"You LIED to me, ghost! You ruined my life, you lied to me, you USED me!" Valerie shrieked, her words punctuated by blasts from her weapon.
"Valerie, you promised-!" He cried out, dodging the hail of firepower directed at him. His words fell on deaf ears however, the huntress was in a complete rage. He would find no help here, from this girl he had mistakenly trusted. He only had one option left.
He ran, and he never stopped running.
"Leave them alone, Plasmius." Phantom bit out, straightening slightly as he landed. I'm not going to run. I won't.
Something in Phantom's tone made the three captive teens exchange looks. Though the voice was obviously deeper, the ghost's tone, the inflection carried a familiar echo. That murderous intensity was still present in the ghost's glowing eyes, but it seemed as if a great deal of Phantom's frenzy had suddenly subsided at some internal realization.
"You know when you get like that, you could be quite convincing as Daniel." Vlad sneered at the ghost.
"Lemme go!" Tucker tried to kick Vlad in the side, but his angle prevented the techno-geek from being able to land a solid blow.
"What he said!" Sam snarled, swinging her legs. Unlike Tucker, the goth was able to get the momentum up to make impact with the billionaire's ribcage. The fact she was wearing combat boots certainly helped.
"Fortune cookie!" Vlad yelped, dropping both teens to clutch at his apparently bruised midsection.
The billionaire looked ready to dish immediate retaliation, but Phantom wasted no time, tearing forward and shoulder-slamming the man. With a grunt Vlad went sprawling away from the group, crashing squarely into the Zears sign and spraying glass shards for several feet all around. Phantom slid to a halt midair and landed between Sam and Tucker, with Jazz getting back to her feet behind the ghost.
"We've got to get out of here." Jazz cringed, she suspected she'd be wearing a few bruises from her tangle with Vlad for the next several days. "You can't fight him, Danny. If you do, you'll-"
"Look out!" Phantom yelped, grabbing Sam and Tucker and tackling Jazz, turning the four of them all intangible just in time to avoid a pink ecto-blast that carved out a gap in the asphalt where they'd been standing just seconds prior.
"I am rapidly losing what patience I had for your antics." Vlad snarled, landing a few feet away, one fist still surrounded by the pink glow.
"Danny?" Sam cast a worried glance at the ghost, who seemed badly worn out from the effort and nearly ready to fall over.
"I-" Phantom gasped out, legs going limp. "You guys... you're okay?"
Jazz and Tucker caught the ghost before he could hit the ground, Vlad only momentarily forgotten. It was evident to the outside observer that the fighting had taken a vicious toll on Phantom. His jumpsuit was ripped in places where impacts with the ground or wall had torn the elastic material, revealing bruises and gashes beneath. There was an awful lot of glowing green ectoplasm oozing from the wounds, and it was obvious that Phantom was in no condition to keep fighting. He needed to rest at the very least; though it was likely that even had he a chance to really rest, it was only stalling the seemingly inevitable.
"Yeah, we're fine." Jazz ignored Vlad's approach for the moment, giving the exhausted ghost a warm smile. "Thanks to you."
"I'd hate to interrupt such a sappy little scene, but-" Vlad was almost on top of the group when a pink blast from above caught him squarely in the face and sent him slamming back into the wreckage of the Zears sign with a startled yelp.
"I'd ask you to step away from the ghost." He heard his own voice echo down from above. "But knowing me, it would be rather a waste of time."
"Jazz! Sam! Tucker! Are you guys okay?" Danny landed next to the group of teens, worry all over his face, immediately followed by confusion when he got a look at his alternate self's condition. "Whoa, what happened to him?"
"Just a little bruised, but yeah, we're fine." Sam responded as Jazz and Tucker carefully laid Phantom flat on the ground.
"He was tryin' to take Vlad on all alone." Tucker cringed. "And wasn't doing so hot."
"And we would have been toast if he hadn't been trying so hard." Jazz gave the younger teens a pointed look.
"That too." Tucker noted lamely.
Danny looked more than slightly incredulous at that claim, but the proof was lying there in front of him. His sister and friends were lightly battered but no worse for the wear, yet his alternate self was a wreck. From the various damages visible in the parking lot, it was apparent that the fight though badly one-sided was intense. Assuming he and Plasmius could drive Vlad off, just maybe it was possible that Jazz's psychology-babble could be used to resolve the split ghost halves' fatal problem.
"What the-?" Vlad openly gaped at the intrusion as he got back to his feet, lightly scorched. After all, he had no way to know about the fused ghost that had actually destroyed his castle. As far as he had been aware, there was only a single ghost that could alter its appearance. The billionaire had not been expecting to deal with a second one.
"Surprised?" Plasmius smirked, touching down a few feet away, fist still glowing from the blast he'd flung at the billionaire. "After all, it's not every day that you come face to face with your future, is it?"
"Who-how-?" Vlad stammered momentarily before regaining some of his earlier composure, though he was still clearly confused by the situation. "Well, that explains quite a lot then."
It was a bit disconcerting to see Vlad and his alternate future self staring one another down. Unlike Danny and Phantom, there was no drastic difference in height- the billionaire and his future ghost self were very nearly perfect mirror images, though Plasmius did look older and slightly slimmer. At a distance however, the casual observer would be hard pressed to tell the two apart.
"Yes, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" Plasmius retorted, surveying his past self warily. "Now I don't suppose you could be convinced to do the intelligent thing and leave Daniel and his little friends alone?"
"And if I refuse?" Vlad raised an eyebrow, clearly not taking his older self seriously. A green blast then caught Vlad in the side, knocking the billionaire to the ground with an annoyed grunt.
"Then we do this the hard way!" Danny flew up alongside Plasmius, fists still glowing from the blast.
Plasmius regarded the teen with a look of mild exasperation. "Couldn't you have waited before doing that?"
"What?" Danny quirked an eyebrow. "You don't honestly think he'd just say 'Sure, see you later!' and leave, do you?"
The look on the older ghost's face clearly indicated he had no counter to that argument. Really, if anyone there knew how Vlad was going to react to the situation, it would be Plasmius. Judging from the look on the billionaire's face as he got back to his feet for the umpteenth time that day, his reaction was going to be considerably unpleasant.
"I figured you had something to do with this, Daniel." Vlad growled, apparently ready to resume the butt-kicking he had been giving Phantom prior to the teen's arrival.
"I suppose we've already handled the 'ghost attacks' and 'exchange witty banter' portions of the program." Plasmius quipped, glancing at Danny. "I suppose this is the 'kick ghost butt' part, then?"
Danny almost fell out of the air at the wisecrack. "You weren't even here when I said that!"
Plasmius simply gestured back at Phantom. "Perhaps so, but if you'll recall he and I have been sharing a single consciousness for the past decade. I've had far more exposure to your particular brand of wit than I care to think about."
Further banter was cut off when a bright pink energy beam sent Plasmius tumbling. Danny reacted far more quickly, managing to get a green shield up before a similar shot could send him reeling. Apparently Vlad's patience had completely run out, and the man was simply in the mood to deliver some serious smackdown.
Plasmius cringed and rubbed his head as he got back up, having come to a halt near where Jazz and the others were trying to do what they could for the battered Phantom. A quick glance confirmed that Daniel was keeping his past self otherwise occupied, the two half ghosts already several dozen feet in the air above the mall. Figuring the boy could handle things for the moment, the older ghost took the opportunity to see how his allegedly better half was faring.
The teens trying to tend the wounded ghost all cast uncertain looks when Plasmius closed the remaining distance. The older ghost knelt next to Phantom, surveying the multitude of injuries for a long moment of awkward silence.
"Um... he got beat up bad fighting... uh..." Tucker broke the silence, frowning and gesturing overhead. "... other you?"
Plasmius nodded absently, trying to figure out how to turn the situation to benefit his current goal. Clearly, the first priority was dealing with present-day Vlad, and that would likely entail rendering the billionaire unconscious. Plasmius understandably had his doubts that Daniel would be able to do that alone. He had little qualms about joining the fight himself, but if Phantom's grievous injuries were any indication, he would have to be exceedingly cautious in how he used his powers.
"Do you have to hover like that?" Jazz inquired, a surprising degree of annoyance in her tone as she cradled Phantom's head in her lap. "He's in a delicate emotional state, and your presence is only going to upset him!"
Plasmius gave the redhead a baffled look. He was accustomed to defiance; after all, he clearly recalled being on the receiving end of it from Valerie for ten years, as well as the rest of the huntress' future defense force. He hadn't been expecting something akin to it from Jasmine.
"You do realize, Jasmine." He addressed the girl, unsurprised when she flinched slightly under his stare. "He and I will have to address our... issues... and rather soon, if his condition is any indication of how much longer he and I both have to exist."
Given the looks on the teens' faces, all three had already been informed of the unhappy ending that awaited the split ghost halves. Given how Phantom's eyes widened in shock, the ghost abruptly rousing to full alertness again, it was clear he hadn't heard this particular bit of rather vital information.
"To what?" Phantom yelped, sitting bolt upright before whimpering and clutching at his injured shoulder. He cringed, eyes clamping shut and trying to repress a spasm of pain. "What... what is going on?"
At least it seemed the news had shocked Phantom enough to keep him from going into a panic about Plasmius being in close proximity. The apparent rate of the younger ghost's deterioration had the older ghost considerably worried however. Things had been on a timer already counting down to what Plasmius assumed would be a most unpleasant demise, but Phantom's attempts at combat seemed to have only accelerated that countdown. If the younger ghost faded to oblivion, Plasmius knew his fate would likewise be sealed, doomed to wither to a terrible ending. There were no other options, the two would have to be fused back soon if at all, meaning Phantom would need to be talked into it, and in very short order.
"Since you've asked, I won't beat around the bush." Plasmius addressed the startled ghost. "Since we were split, haven't you noticed you've been in steadily more pain? Periodic spasms, an ongoing headache?"
Phantom stared at Plasmius with wide green eyes, managing to nod numbly. "... Yeah... I think so."
"And you said transforming hurt, too." Sam pointed out.
Plasmius quirked an eyebrow at that information. He could transform? Surely the act of doing so hadn't helped the slender ghost's integrity at all. It also revealed something Plasmius had suspected but didn't want to admit. Ten years ago when it all began, Phantom had always seemed to be the more complete, the dominant of the two halves. The idea that Phantom was a more complete ghost than Plasmius was seemed to be supported by the gaps in the older ghost's memory, the fact that Phantom could still transform, and the fact that a great deal of the younger ghost's attitudes and abilities seemed to have rubbed off on the older ghost.
"Simply put, Daniel, unless something is done, you and I are both going to meet the same unpleasant fate we gave everyone else in the future." Plasmius declared flatly. "In other words, game over, the curtain falls, and the fat lady sings."
Phantom yelped and scrambled back from Plasmius. "We're what?"
"You heard me." Plasmius repeated, cutting straight to the point. "Unless you and I go back to that fused state, we are both as good as annihilated. Dead, past tense."
"No!" Phantom yelled, scrambling back until his back thumped against the side of Jazz's car. "No, not again, not that-!"
"Daniel, calm down!" Plasmius barked.
Jazz got up and moved a few feet over so she was again next to Phantom, one hand on his shoulder. "Danny, relax. He's not saying you have to do it, or decide right now."
"Danny-!" Tucker yelped, pointing skyward.
The interruption sent everyone's attention airborne, where a particularly bad hit from Vlad sent Danny reeling, the half-ghost barely catching his footing on the side of the building in a blatant affront to physics.
"Do I honestly need to beat you so badly before you submit?" Vlad sneered, likewise landing on the side of the building.
"Y'know, Plasmius, you've got really bad timing." Danny retorted, catching his breath and watching to see what the billionaire's next move would be.
A white and red blur came flying up the side of the building, a roundhouse kick catching Vlad off-guard and knocking him face-first into the asphalt below. Plasmius cast an irate glare down at his past self, much to Danny's evident surprise.
"Mood swing much?" Danny quirked an eyebrow.
"We don't have time for this!" Plasmius retorted. "While you're wasting time dealing with him, your alternate self is getting worse, and we still have to convince him that the fusion is necessary!"
A pink blast from below interrupted the ghost, and Plasmius went sailing through the air with a pained yelp. Vlad flew back up, scowling and clearly displeased by the situation he couldn't understand.
It didn't take Plasmius long to regain control of his flight and even less time to rejoin Danny. The two-on-one odds weren't much better however, given Vlad's seemingly boundless stamina and Plasmius' reduced strength. A drawn out fight wasn't going to stop the angry billionaire, some sort of decisive action was required.
On the ground, Phantom huddled against Jazz, still in a panic at what Plasmius had told him. Jazz did what she could to try and soothe the ghost, stroking his white hair and trying to ignore the occasional spasms that wracked his slim frame. Phantom really was in bad shape; though she had no way to accurately gauge it, Jazz suspected that the 20-something ghost wouldn't last for more than a few hours if that long.
"I don't want to go back." Phantom whimpered, the sound muffled by Jazz's shoulder. "Not again, never again, not that!"
"But if you don't..." Tucker's tone indicated that the techno-geek wasn't fond of the concept or the consequences either. "... Then you'll... disappear."
"It's better that way." Phantom whimpered, ignoring the sounds of the three-way fight overhead. "Then I can't hurt anyone ever again."
Sam frowned, mildly surprised to find her temper rising at the ghost's cowardice. True, he was badly traumatized and had done a lot of bad things in his past. But the Danny she knew would never back down, never run away from an enemy. Even if that enemy was himself. Scowling, the goth marched over and grabbed Phantom by one shoulder, spinning the ghost to face her with a yelp.
"So you're just going to run away?" Sam demanded.
"Sam!" Jazz protested.
Sam cut the redhead off, continuing her verbal assault on Phantom. "After all the stuff you did, you're just going to take the easy way out?"
"I-" Phantom squeaked, staring wide-eyed at the goth. "But if-"
"But what?" Sam gestured up at the aerial melee. "The Danny that I know would never take the easy way out, just because he was scared he'd fail!"
Phantom stared gaping at Sam, then looked skyward where Danny and Plasmius were still trying to fend off a very displeased Vlad. Despite having the billionaire outnumbered, it was evident that the half-ghost and the older spook were badly outclassed. At the rate things were going, it seemed likely Vlad would wear his two opponents out long before they would be able to stop him.
"Yeah, Danny'd face it head-on!" Tucker chipped in. "I mean look, he's getting his butt kicked but he's not running!"
Sam would have high-fived her friend for the unplanned tag-teaming were the circumstances different. Instead, she kept a stern eye on Phantom, casting worried glances at the fight overhead. Plasmius cried out and hit the ground nearby, staggering to his feet and clutching at a large wound the impact raised on his arm. The older ghost tumbled out of the way of several more attacks before he could get airborne again, during a brief lull triggered by Danny managing to kick Vlad in the face.
"Really, even Plasmius is sticking to the fight." Sam pointed out. "Do you really want to be upstaged by that fruit loop?"
Phantom winced, and not from a spasm. They had really good points, but still; he was terrified of what would happen if he and Plasmius were put back into that fused state. He was feeling better about himself than he had in a decade to be sure, but ten years worth of those memories were not easy to overcome. First the present-day Vlad Masters had to be dealt with, and then... what? Another trip through the Ghostcatcher? Or oblivion?
"It's risky." Jazz broke into the conversation again, seeing an opening to temper Sam's blunt statements. "But things change, right? Present Danny was able to change his future because of a second chance. Maybe that's all you need? Another chance?"
"I..." Phantom trailed off, wincing and nearly falling over as another spasm attacked his nerves, pouring searing pain throughout his body.
Danny dodged around one of Vlad's attacks, darting over near where Plasmius was so that he could talk to the older ghost without being overheard. Both were roughed up from the fight so far, bearing a variety of scrapes, bruises, and burns. Vlad had sustained quite a few hits himself, but the attacks had done little but mar the man's white attire. It was clear that the billionaire was slightly winded from the fight first with Phantom, and now with Danny and with Plasmius; however it was also clear that he wasn't anywhere near as winded as his opponents.
"This isn't working." Danny cringed, wiping a bit of ectoplasm from a small scrape on his face.
"I hadn't noticed." Plasmius retorted dryly, wincing as a burst of pain shot down his spine. "Are there any other obvious things you would care to tell me about?"
"I've got an idea." Danny admitted. "But I don't know if it'll work."
"As though that's ever stopped you before." Plasmius scoffed as the pair dodged one of Vlad's blasts. "What is it?"
"If you can keep him busy for a second..." Danny frowned, shielding both of them with a barrier. "I think maybe my Ghostly Wail can knock him out. Maybe. I hope."
Further discussion was interrupted as Vlad came flying at Danny, forcing the younger half-ghost to dodge hurriedly. Plasmius saw the opening and slammed a fist into Vlad's back, sending the man tumbling with a grunt.
"If that's all you've got, you are certainly a very shoddy copycat!" Vlad snarled, whirling and smacking Plasmius across the face with a square-shaped ectoplasmic barrier.
Despite the impact triggering another pain spasm, Plasmius managed to dart around a second attack to rejoin Danny.
"Never thought I'd ask you this." Danny quirked an eyebrow. "But are you okay?"
"Do I look okay?" Plasmius growled, clearing his throat, stern look replaced by a slightly thoughtful expression. "... We should try that Wail plan of yours. Only we'll need to hit him at the same time."
"Wait, where is this we coming from?" Danny looked baffled.
"Suffice to say that after ten years, your alternate self has rubbed off on me." Plasmius flashed a nearly out of character fanged smirk. "And if one Ghostly Wail isn't sufficient, perhaps two-"
"You can do that?" Danny yelped, clearly having not expected that.
"Perhaps not as powerful as I would like, but yes, I believe so." Plasmius frowned. "It will take a lot out of me however. If this little plan of yours fails, your alternate self and I are both doomed, you realize."
"Wow, never thought I'd hear you talking all noble." Danny quipped.
"Don't get any mistaken notions, Daniel." Plasmius retorted with a glare. "There is simply no alternative option at this point. Everything else that we've tried hasn't done enough, which clearly leaves drastic measures as the only remaining option."
"Right." Danny rolled his eyes. "That sounds more like the fruit loop I know."
Plasmius didn't respond, instead flying in a wide arc, trying to flank Vlad, darting around the billionaire's attacks. Even the older ghost was somewhat surprised at the intensity of Vlad's anger at the situation. He always did have a short temper when a situation seemed beyond his control, but his alternate self must have been extremely angry about the house and the confusion regarding the so-called copycats.
Phantom watched from the ground, eyes wide. His past self and Plasmius looked to be trying to circle Vlad, almost as if lining up an attack. Sam's words had stung badly, though not because she was basically calling him a coward. The goth's words stung because they were true. Existence was painful, but oblivion... was running away. Taking the easy way out, the cheater's way out. Wasn't he a cheater though? Ten years ago, his cheating had set in motion the terrible chain of events that led him to this fate, wasn't he simply getting what he deserved?
"Get back-!" His human half cried out, backing away, radiating panic and fear.
"Or else what? What can you do? You're useless, a waste of time. You can't do anything." He retorted, looming over his human half, scowling at the very representation of his weakness.
"I can too-! I'm-" Even in a panic, even powerless, Danny Fenton was nothing if not defiant, sliding into the familiar battle crouch he had assumed hundreds of times before. He paused, eyes going wide when he realized just how powerless he truly was.
"You're what? Going ghost? What could you possibly do? You can't save anyone." He darted forward, punching his human self hard enough to send the boy flying backwards and into the wall of the lab. "You couldn't save Tucker, you couldn't save Jazz, you couldn't save Dad, and you couldn't save Sam OR Maddie."
Words uttered ten years ago to his human half came back to slap Phantom in the face. Had he really been saying those things about his human self, or had he really been talking about himself? He had been equally as useless and equally at fault for the deaths that led to that fateful decision. Certainly death was the least he deserved for everything he was responsible for. But then again...
You've given everyone else in your life a second chance. Why not you?
He'd heard Clockwork saying that to his alternate self, though the words had been muffled by the sides of the Thermos he was trapped in at the time. And Jazz seemed distraught at the idea of his coming to an unpleasant ending. Even Sam and Tucker didn't seem to like the idea, and those two had seen the future he had caused.
He hadn't been powerless this time though! He'd protected his sister and his friends against Vlad, hadn't he? Didn't that count for something?
"NOW!"
Danny's shout was almost immediately lost in a sonic maelstrom that left the teens cringing and covering their ears, and Phantom gaping openly at the display, wincing at the noise. Apparently Danny and Plasmius had managed to line up an attack, each flying on opposite sides of Vlad, and slightly above the billionaire. Vlad was busy trying not to get flung down by the dual Wails, a seemingly futile effort as the sonic onslaught drove the man toward the ground.
It's not working-! Phantom mentally shouted. From his vantage on the ground, he could tell that while the attack had the billionaire pinned down, the man was still clearly conscious. Even after the black energy rings flashed over the archvillain, he was still awake, though pinned flat against the asphalt. As soon as the attack ended, Phantom knew that the billionaire would be back on his feet, while Danny and Plasmius would both be left vulnerable. Once they were dealt with, that would leave only him, and Phantom knew he wouldn't stand a chance.
The attack needed more power, and rather immediately. Wincing at his injuries, Phantom got back to his feet. He knew he still had enough power to add that extra punch to the group attack. He wasn't sure he would survive it. The thought was amusing in a twisted sort of way. He had first seen the attack demonstrated by a clone girl, and while it hadn't been enough stop him in his fused state, it had finished her off.
If it stops Vlad, great. Then everyone can worry about my running out of time and stuff. If it takes me out... Phantom mused, crouching to spring into the air.
"Danny, wait-!" Jazz's worried shout was all but lost in the roar of the attacks overhead.
...Then I guess I won't have to worry about it anymore.
Ignoring the shouts from the teens, Phantom mustered his remaining strength and jumped into the air, a wide arc that placed him above the action, directly above the pinned billionaire. Inhaling sent liquid fire racing through his nerves, but Phantom ignored the pain. All that mattered was stopping Vlad, stopping the man that was a threat to his family and friends... and his past.
If two Ghostly Wails at once had been a powerful onslaught, three was absolutely vicious. The asphalt creaked ominously, windows shattering in a wide radius as Phantom added his own Ghostly Wail to the previous efforts. If people weren't aware of the ghost fight outside the mall before, there was little doubt it was now widely known. Vlad's yell of pain was utterly lost in the noise, but after what seemed nearly an eternity, the billionaire went limp and the three ghosts in the air finally ended their group attack. For an instant, there was a false silence; a void of tinkling glass and distant shrieks of panic that only seemed like silence if only for the loud noise that had preceeded it.
Then three forms fell out of the sky, and then there was silence.
Author's Notes: Wow. Next chapter is the final chapter, followed by the epilogue. To be honest, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. I guess I figured the Big Fight would have been... well, more fight-y or something. Vlad actually ended up with a lot less dialogue than I expected. I had counted on him getting increasingly irrational and ticked off like what we see in Kindred Spirits, I just didn't expect him to reach that level so quickly. Eh, I suppose it makes sense, considering he was fending off a really pissed off Phantom. I will say, writing Plasmius is just fun. His attitude is obviously a lot like present-Vlad, only he's got this really dry sense of humor and a lot more of a cynical outlook. I'll almost be sad to see him go.
Anyway, many thanks and lots of those little gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins to my awesome (and merciful, considering all the gaps in my update schedule lately!) reviewers: Pieling, Sapphire Wolf Master, Punker88, Arabic Blessing, i AM the Random Idiot, Tornada Silverwind, WTFWonder, The Fluff Ghost, Sasia93, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, CharmedNightSkye, PotterPhan21, and StarsofTwilight! Thanks for your continued patience despite my erratic updates and often evil cliffhangers!
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