A/N: A wild update appeared!
I was heading home.
It was nice, actually, to be returning to Amity Park. But it also scared me a bit. Phoenix told me that everything would be fine, but I knew it had changed dramatically. As far as I knew; there wasn't a totalitarian ruler dictating Amity Park when I died...No, wait, I take that back. But I don't think Vlad would've gone crazy and killed Halfas like what was going on.
"Are you sure about this?"
My mind snapped to Phoenix, whose amber eyes were laced with worry. "Huh?"
"Are you sure you want to go back?" She held her bag closer to her. We were riding the bus to as close as we could get to Amity Park. Nothing went in or out of the city. Radio signals, TV, cars, trucks, nothing.
I paused, biting my lip. What would my family think? If they still lived in Amity Park, would they think it was a miracle? It was a miracle for me to be back from the dead. Did my parents ever forgive themselves for what they did? I've thought it all before, but I'm still not so sure.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "I need to help the halfas in Amity Park." I said. "It was my town, it was my duty to protect it. I don't want to let them down again."
Phoenix smiled, though she remailed solemnly mute. She glanced out of the bus' window, watching the city scenery roll into desolate hills and forest. The entire bus became a silence you could've only heard in detention.
However, it soon skid to a half, the wheels making a loud skree noise, snapping Phoenix out of her trance. Confused murmurs echoed through the bus, and I peered over the seat at what was going on. Two kids with masquerade masks decorated with exotic feathers were on the bus, glaring at the driver.
The bus driver was protesting with the two kids, and I strained to hear their conversation.
"Let us get on, sir. We need to get out."
"Willowbrooke has a treaty with Amity Park, kids. I can't let you board or else I'm fired."
"Please! Don't you care that our lives are in danger?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm asking you one more time. Get off."
Phoenix looked to me, sympathetic eyes digging into mine. "We should help them, Danny." She said. "They're from Amity Park. They could help us."
I was still watching the entire thing; the kids decided to get off before more trouble happened, and the bus began its drive again. "Grab your bag, Phoenix." I told her, wrapping my hand around her wrist. She slung the bag over her shoulder, and I grabbed mine, and in a swift motion, I turned us intangible, and we toppled through the bus and onto the pavement.
It didn't hurt as much as it could have, but Phoenix rubbed what seemed to be a sore spot on her head. "Did you think that through?"
"Yes." No.
We stood up, surrounded by tense woods and thick foliage, only one road to the city we planned to enter. Somehow. The kids, still dressed in their ornate masks and black clothes, sat on a beat-down bench, not too far from us.
They were huddled together, hands locked, trying to plan something. Phoenix began walking towards them, but I grabbed her by the hand. Thinking through the bus exit wasn't that much of a chore. But walking up to two potential halfas with dangerous powers we don't know about, with no defense? That would be worse.
She understood the look I gave her, but shook her head. "I can protect myself just as easy." She whispered to me, and approached the two kids. One of them, whose mask was decorated in purple feathers, looked to Phoenix.
"What do you want?" The kid- who sounded more feminine than anything else- demanded.
"I was curious about your masks." Phoenix began. "Where did you get them?"
The girl crossed her arms. "Is it any of your business?"
Phoenix smirked. "Actually, yes. You're from the resistance in Amity Park, aren't you?" The two kids remained silent, before the girl slowly nodded. "My friend and I need help getting into Amity Park. Do you know how?"
The girl laughed after glancing back to me. "Into? That's a suicide mission for sure. Out of, now that's different." She stood up, her yellow eyes from behind the mask glowing. "Who are you people, anyway?"
Phoenix gulped, but replied, "I'm Phoenix, and that's my friend Danny. We need help getting into Amity Park."
"If you're going on a honeymoon, then pick another place." The other kid, a male with iridescent feathers, replied. My face turned red, and I remembered how people always thought Sam and I were dating. Now it was different, because there would be a twenty-year age difference in us. It would be weird.
I stood next to Phoenix, ignoring the urge to yell, we're not lovebirds, and I said, "We're going to help Amity Park. At least, if we can get into it."
The girl laughed again. "You two, help Amity Park? I doubt it." She seemed to love to aggravate us, and it made my face turn another shade of red.
Before I could retaliate, Phoenix rested a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. The auburn-haired girl turned to the masked kids. "Please, we need to find the resistance you're in. Danny and I...We can really help."
The girl's face turned red under the mask. "Why would you bother with the resistance, anyway? In the end, it's going to fall. That's why I got my brother and myself out of that damn place before we all get killed. My best friend Nettie got captured by the mayor and now she's working her life off in a factory. She'll probably die, and the resistance said we couldn't rescue her. Find another way in, and leave us alone."
The boy suddenly spoke up, looking to his sister. "What my sister says is right, but…" He trailed off, as if looking for the right words. "The least we can do is help you get in."
Phoenix's eyes brightened. "Really? Thank you so much!"
The boy nodded; before explaining to us where to go. There's an abandoned sewer not far from here, and we could get into it by squeezing through the bars. It led directly underneath the city's barrier to inside of Amity Park. From there, we'd be on our own.
"Thank you so much." I said. "And good luck with finding somewhere safe."
The girl looked up from her glare upon the ground, her eyes filled with wonder as Phoenix and I walked away, following her brother's directions. As I turned, I could have sworn I heard her whisper, "Doesn't that kid look familiar?" to her brother.
Sure enough, it led us inside the city. Due to ghostly powers, Phoenix and I weren't inside the icky sewers for long, and then we were safely inside Amity Park. As safe as possible, at least.
Amity Park had changed drastically. It reminded me much of the dark future I had in store- which, by now, probably wouldn't happen anymore. No Dan, I thought. But there was still the nagging presence in the back of my head that I needed to be careful.
Just because I was dead for two decades doesn't mean I could suddenly turn chaotic and evil, kill everyone then rule the world.
"We're back."
We made our way down the street, and I noticed I was instinctively keeping an eye out for the neon FENTON sign that was attached to my house, or the OPS Center resting calmly on top, but it was nowhere in sight.
Just as I was about to ask Phoenix a question, bags were placed over our heads and we were dragged off, with no way to fight back.