CHAPTER 38: ICONOCLASM, PART 1

Throughout the course of their natural history, human beings have often had dreams and visions of gods; creating ideas of otherworldly beings as social constructs to keep their populace in line and held to a certain moral standpoint. The concept has prevailed even in the days when such claims can now be proven false, but it is on the sharp decline by the day.

There have also been many who thought of themselves as gods, believing to have powers and abilities that no other human being on the Earth possesses. Whether genuinely possessing these beliefs through deep psychological issues, or knowingly falsely claimed as a means to gain financial support, this, too, is a false belief that declines by the day, and successfully reached a point of zero.

Except in the labs of Fenton Works, where that fantasy is at last made a reality.

Utilizing technology created by various governments across the world in the hopes of creating their own gods to worship and keep control over their own populace, the ghosts now occupying Fenton City, the flying aerial home of Fenton Works, have set on using the technology for its intended purpose, but to the end of using the new gods to destroy the Earth.

The occupants of Fenton Works are not the Fentons themselves, for they have been long since killed by those who would use the technology for evil rather than for good. They are the ghosts who have fought against Danny Phantom and his family for years; Skulker, Ember McLain, the Fright Knight, and Technus.

Their leader is a being calling itself Demon Phantom. He is a fusion between the ghosts of Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius, hailing from an alternate future. It is his will that has driven the ghosts to pursue the current task they are set on, creating artificial gods to produce the means to his end.

For now, his mind is many miles away from his ethereal form in the present, focusing his consciousness on a spiritual offsplit of his own self, using it to remotely pilot the deceased body of Valerie Gray. The battle he is putting the body through takes almost all of his concentration, leaving him standing alone in a corner of the hangar of Fenton City, and leaving his subordinates to continue their work.

To see their leader standing so still and contently alone is a sight that brings worry to all the other ghosts, keeping a safe distance between him and themselves.

"So, what do you think the boss is up to now?" Skulker asked.

"I don't know, and I don't wanna know. That guy is one scary mother. He just gets creepier every second we're with him." Ember said.

"Our lord grows restless with our chattering, and whatever state is in now cannot possibly be improved by chattering again now. I would advise we return to work." Fright Knight said.

"He's right, the master made it clear that all he cares about is getting these people fully processed by the God Machines. The sooner we get that done, the better chance we have of him not taking out his anger on us." Technus said.

"Yeah, I know. Just wish we had some idea of what's going on with him. When I work for a guy like that, I like to know if he's not just gonna snap at any given moment. Besides, didn't you say we're almost done here?" Skulker asked.

"Yes, this is the last one. Funny, I didn't even know how you'd make an evil god out of Buddhism, but the master somehow figured it out."

"You know, that's something that always bothered me. How come here in America, all these people wake up one day and think they're Jesus, but none of them wake up and think they're Buddha? Especially in the South, where more people are complete fatasses like Buddha." Ember asked.

"Another guy you slept with, or is it just some rock-and-roll trivia that gave you that knowledge?" Skulker asked.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho. So funny. At least the crazy Jesus freaks brought their level of crazy in bed. Way better than you thrusting away like a sad, old man."

"Easy for you to say. I was using a sad, old man, and you had the fertile and young woman."

"It ain't the equipment, it's how you use it. I should've known all that fancy gear was contemplating for something."

"I didn't hear you complaining earlier."

"Well, give me some slack, I've been dead for decades. It was better than nothing. Old saying goes: 'There's no such thing as bad sex or bad pizza'."

As the meaningless banter made itself through the metaphysical mouths and ears of the ghosts, a flash of ectoplasmic energy has made its way through the walls of the hangar, aiming straight for Demon Phantom. Feeling the energy come to full impact with his body, he opened his eyes in shock, stepping back in response.

His body had not seemed to take on any damage from the energy, but instead it seemed to absorb the energy altogether, incorporating it into himself as a whole. A sense of completion came about from the absorption of the energy for Demon Phantom, feeling an entire snippet of life experience download itself into his head.

The energy itself had originated from the split being he had sent off to the White House in the body of Valerie Gray, then subsequently was defeated following its next assigned task of fighting, and failing to, eliminate Danny Fenton before he could regain his powers.

Now that he knows that both of his efforts have failed, the time has come for a new strategy.

His initial reaction to the energy assimilating into him had made him stumble back with a grunt, leading his subordinates to drop their present tasks and come to his aide. Their efforts are ultimately lost on him in his silent moment of contemplation, and goes further unappreciated by his own matters taking precedent in his mind.

"Hey, boss? You okay?" Ember asked.

"Never mind that. Danny Phantom is back." Demon Phantom said.

"Yeah, yeah, we know that, but what's going on?" Skulker asked.

"No, you idiot! He's gotten his powers back! And the turncoat Vlad is on his side!"

The other ghosts looked to each other in disbelief following the news of Vlad's treason, none coming to it in disbelief, but coming to the same understanding that Demon Phantom has as well: They know that, with Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius working together...

"...then they could take us on more than easily." Skulker said.

"And that's not counting Jazz coming back, or that girl Danny you told us about." Ember said.

"That would form a great counteroffensive on us, my lord. What other options do we have at store to defend ourselves?" Fright Knight asked.

Demon Phantom's response is to look at the machines which the other ghosts have been working on tirelessly, finding his solution more than obvious.

"You of all people should know that, Fright Knight. You and the others have been working on our own offense for the past few days." Demon Phantom said.

"But Technus said they're not ready yet!" Ember said.

"I said there's one left to go! We might be ready soon!" Technus exclaimed.

Technus' quick answer to appease Demon Phantom paid off successfully, bringing a smile to his face at the opportunity to use his weapons at last.

"How much time on the last one?" Demon Phantom asked.

"Ah... hour, hour and a half, tops." Technus said.

Taking the news into account for his new plan, Demon Phantom looked to the television, watching the latest news report to further his plans. Its reporting focused greatly on the chaos unfolding across the country with the death of President Foley and mayhem being carried out by the nation's many religions, but it also took its time to address another matter that affected his plans:

Replacing the president.

"As the National Guard continues to curb the many riots and insurrection attempts across the country, Congress is quickly scrambling through the process of implementing a new president into office to quell the violence. The speculation is that both the Senate and the House are set to elect presidential candidate Ellis Robertson as the new commander-in-chief, declaring him the winner by default in the event of his opponent's death. The normal procedure in the event of a president's passing requires the duties to the vice president, then secretary of state, and onward by chain of command, but, in the unprecedented event of having President Foley's entire cabinet, Congress has called this an extreme circumstance which required extreme action. Their decision is set to be made within the hour. Coming up next, Egypt's Supreme Court rejects yet another case of reparations brought by the government of Israel, citing that the Book of Exodus is not admissible as evidence in court." The reporter said.

Hearing the news of a new president coming into office soon, effectively undoing the slight advantage that he still held over the American military, Demon Phantom once again took to making new plans in his mind, concocting a new path to victory through the situation as it stood.

"What? They're putting in a new president, what's the big deal? He'll be just as corrupt as the last guy." Ember said.

"He'll also have command over the country's nuclear arsenal, and he'll know that we're the ones who killed the last president. That makes us his first and practically only priority." Demon Phantom said.

"Hold on, what do you mean 'we'? You were the guy that killed him." Skulker said.

"My lord, of what I've learned of these 'nukes', they should not have any effect on us. They harm only living beings and physical objects. We are neither." Fright Knight said.

"Well, then, allow me to bring you up to speed on modern technology yet again, my medieval moron: A nuclear missile operates on the ability to perform nuclear fission on a radioactive material. What is the one radioactive material on this planet that can harm us?" Demon Phantom asked.

The very conception of such a weapon brought dread upon all ghosts present, none able to stomach what destructive power could be possible. The power of the nuclear bomb is one that is well-known to every human being across the Earth, and that knowledge has followed the ghosts here past their graves, so they are reminded once again of that fear with the very idea of...

"Ectoranium nukes? You're saying they made Ectoranium nukes?!" Skulker asked.

"I found it on the backfiles of the Fentons' inventions. I had a feeling someone would have a crack at making one; I'd be more surprised if they didn't pull it off by now." Demon Phantom said.

"But... But to use such a weapon would not only kill civilians, but destroy their souls. They would be forever erased from the cosmos. Would the American government really be willing to do that?" Technus asked.

"Of course they would. Just ask the Japanese. When they invented the bomb, the war was already won, and they wanted to use it to display their power over the world. Boom goes Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and boom goes stock in the United States dollar. And those were human beings they killed, disregarding the fact that most people didn't see anyone who wasn't white that way. Just imagine what they would do to ghosts, the most hated beings in the world, especially to one of the ones that single-handedly killed and entire branch of the government. They've already been having problems with other countries trying to make their own ghosts, just imagine them using this as a means to flex their own power over everyone else."

Disbelief now became certainty that the weapon would be used against them, leaving all the subordinates of Demon Phantom to look to their leader for direction.

"Then what do we do now?" Skulker asked.

"Not to worry. I have a plan. And it starts as soon as the new president makes his announcement." Demon Phantom said.


Time passes for all parties still at play in the grand scheme of the world, and the time that is best spent is that of the time for Danny Fenton and Danielle Phantom, who both rest peacefully in the grand, luxurious manor of the deceased Vlad Masters, each taking a chair and a sofa, respectively, to sleep off the long journey put on both of their human bodies.

Those without any human bodies to rest have no need for any sleep or rest, the deceased Vlad Plasmius and Jazz Fenton, choose to spend their time watching over the sleeping Phantoms, taking some peace out of their afterlives in the assurance that two of their accomplices are safe and sound.

They also have chosen to spend their time catching up on current events, with Vlad Plasmius doing most of the work to catch up.

"Prohibition." Vlad said.

"What?" Jazz asked.

"This whole scenario with religions trying to hold onto their relevancy reminds me a lot of prohibition in the 1930s. Once something stops becoming mainstream and acceptable, it gets pushed underground and holds onto its power through unregulated, non-governmental means. They practically become a government of their own, and they get free reign to do whatever they want without check."

"Didn't take you for a history buff."

"I'm a businessman. Well, was a businessman. I understand how business works, both over and under the table."

"More under than over for you, wasn't it?"

"Yes, quite so, I'm afraid."

"Hmm. Well, at least you're honest about it."

"Just trying my best to do right this time. Best I can do is at least be honest about when I was wrong."

"I'll take it. But your analogy's still off. Prohibition gave way to the mob because alcohol was made illegal, and it was pushed to the black market where it could be sold unregulated. We've never banned religion in this country."

"No, but showing the real answer as to what happens after you die has made them all the more desperate to hold onto the power they did. They showed their true colors when the mask was ripped off. They practically were already the mob from the beginning; miniaturized, illegitimate governments, selling a product that was totally unregulated by the government where it could potentially harm the public."

"How do you see a church operating like a government?"

"They take a tithe, that's a form of taxation. They have members of their congregation, that's their citizenship. They have laws and rules that they make their congregation follow, that's their law."

"But you can join and leave a church anytime you please. I'd say it's more like a business in that sense."

"A business is just a government that looks out for the interests of its owners rather than its people. Believe me, I used to run a business, and then a government. It's fundamentally no different in practice. Besides, you can still have a business regulated under federal law to ensure it doesn't overreach its authority, start cutting into the rights of others."

"Last I checked, murder and gang warfare were still illegal."

"So is pederasty, but the Catholic church still got away with it for so many years. Of course, that's beyond cases of discrimination of gays, genital mutilation, and spreading anti-science disinformation. If any major corporation was caught doing any of those, they'd be tried and fined out of existence."

"So, what? Your solution is regulating religion like a business?"

"Practically, yes. You don't think people should be held to accountability when their misinformation leads to other people committing crimes?"

"Suppose a guy who likes video games decides to shoot up a school. Do you blame the video games for what he decided to do? Because that's the same argument that happens when something like that actually does happen."

"Video games are just a work of fiction meant to entertain, no different from comic books or movies."

"But you can also draw the same kind of moral lessons from those as you can with religion. Danielle made that point a few times, and made it interestingly well, I might add."

"But those still make themselves clear that they're a work of fiction. Otherwise, the companies that publish it would find themselves in hot water legally if they advocated any of what their artists actually published. If someone decided to make a video game that simulated the act of mass murder, and explicitly said in the game that it was intended to make people do the same, then, yes, that would be grounds to sue if someone followed the game's instructions. But if it was published saying that it was a work of fiction not to be imitated, then there's no problem. But churches and religions often say that they're the 'absolute truth', and that their moral guidelines should be followed. And upon further inspection, you find out that for every verse it says about loving your neighbor, it says verses that instruct you to kill a specific group of people. Wouldn't you find that to be more than enough grounds to sue?"

"The First Amendment of the Constitution says that it doesn't prohibit religious beliefs. You can't really sue a person based on what they believe, and you can't discriminate against them for it, either."

"Well, consider why the First Amendment was written like it was. Who were the first people who settled to this country? The pilgrims. Why did they come here? Because they were oppressed by the Church of England, a state-based church, and they wanted to practice Christianity in their own way. Granted, some of the founding fathers were mostly deists and not explicitly Christian or of any other faith, and, in fact, spoke out against many of them, but the genesis of the amendment itself is clear nonetheless. Likewise, look at the intent of the Second Amendment. It was originally drafted to craft 'well-regulated militias', not explicitly the right to own any firearm you want, and done so with the intention of suppressing slave rebellions. That same line in the Constitution is used to justify any and all opposition to gun regulations, despite the many mass shootings that happen all across the country. Is it fair for the First Amendment to be used to excuse atrocities done in the name of religion in the same way?"

"Religion can be a big part of people's identity, too. It would be hard to deconvert with a mindset like that."

"Identity isn't completely unchangeable. Genetic and mental factors like sexual and gender orientation, those things are set in stone and aren't changeable. How you understand the world is based on education and what information you receive about it. That's not an unchangeable part of identity. That part is still malleable, provided you know how to educate correctly to reach the person in question."

"Then how does that play into your own right to believe whatever you want? It isn't exactly giving people freedom if you're not letting them believe what they want."

"I never said anything about making beliefs illegal. It's not illegal to be a flat-Earther or a holocaust denier, but those beliefs do carry negative consequences that should be changed to provide a better society. Besides, the First Amendment, by extension, also provides freedom from religion. If someone believes that they should be able to stab their neighbor to death, they may be free to have that belief, but if they act on the belief, then the neighbor's own freedom to life and liberty has been inflicted upon. Is it healthy for society to carry beliefs that could potentially inflict harm on itself, when they could be acted upon at any time to cause harm? That's a question that's very difficult to answer while still trying to maintain a free society."

"I don't remember seeing you this nuanced and introspective during your debates while running for mayor."

Vlad let out a laugh at Jazz's joke, finding relief from the complex conversation after the more serious point made.

"Well, I've had what might very well have been eons of time to become more introspective. You know what they say; the older you get, the wiser you are." Vlad said.

The conversation, put to a momentary pause with the joke, was put to a more permanent ending with a soft moan from Danielle's mouth. Hearing at last the first signs of consciousness out of one of the two resting parties in their group, the two ghosts catching ear of her awakening moan, moved to her to see her rise once again.

Getting up from her resting place of the room's sofa, Danielle opened her eyes to see Jazz and Vlad looking back at her, both eagerly awaiting the moment she woke to see her well again. The sight of Jazz is only slight comfort when coupled with the sight of Vlad, leading her to retreat back to the sofa when seeing him.

"Great. You're still alive. Kind of." Danielle said.

"You're welcome. As you recall, I did most of the work on taking out Valerie. Er, Demon Phantom in Valerie's body, if you want to be exact." Vlad said.

"And Danny finished the job."

"After I helped him get his powers back."

Unable to win a defeating argument against Vlad, Danielle turned away with a 'hmph', refusing to address him any further.

"Come on, Danielle. He literally saved us here. We wouldn't be standing here wtihout him." Jazz said.

"And you'd still be alive if it wasn't for him. And we wouldn't be in this situation at all if it wasn't for him." Danille said.

Vlad, too, turned away from being addressed any further, taking on a shameful criticism from his own creation.

"Look, Danielle. Remember what you were saying to me the entire time we started this whole journey in the first place?" Jazz asked.

"I don't know, what did I say?" Danielle asked.

"You were going off on me for how I ruined the whole world, along with my family. You pretty much hated my guts."

"Yeah, so?"

"Do you still hate me like that now?"

"Well... I guess not. Maybe you're not as bad as I thought."

"So you were willing to give me and Danny a chance and you let us in."

"If you're suggesting I do the same with Vlad, you're out of your mind. Your mistakes, you made because you grew out of touch with the problems of the world, but you still meant well. I can accept that. But Vlad was always out for himself and only himself, and he didn't give a damn who he hurt. That's a whole different beast than what you did. I shouldn't even exist, and he's the person who made me exist. You know what kind of life I have. You know I didn't ask for it. You expect me to be thankful for the kind of stuff I've had to put up with in my life? Being a copy of somebody else? Seeing his face everywhere I turn, reminding me of how he's the person who made that happen to me?"

"What about those kids we helped out? You think they asked for the lives they had? You think they wanted what they had?"

"No."

"But they had their lives anyway, and you helped them see a better way to live. Do they have any reason to just stay hateful?"

"I didn't send them back to the assholes who raised them. Who gave them the life that they had to live."

Rather than let Jazz defend him on his own behalf, Vlad stepped in to speak for himself in the conversation.

"Listen. I get it. I made you only because I had my own agenda with you, and I hadn't cared for you like I should've. That was my fault, and I did something that harmed you during your life." Vlad said.

Danielle at last looked to Vlad with some degree of interest; her attention now fully secured with the admission of his wrongdoings.

"Go on." Danielle said.

"I also know that you've come a long ways, and you've developed into your own person. Whatever you may think of me or Danny, I know for a fact that you're not him, and you shouldn't let what I did define who you are. I was a lot of things in my past, but I am choosing to try to undo what I can now. You can believe that or not if you want, but I am doing it, and I've already shown that with what I've done so far. That is a fact. Now, like it or not, I also happen to be your only support, and someone with more than enough power to serve a purpose to you. Right now, the only thing that's holding up any progress is what we share for a past. The fact is, I am choosing to make a change now. Do you actually believe you can't trust me, or are you choosing to hang onto anger over what needs to be done?"

"Maybe my anger is held for a reason."

"And maybe my change is for a reason. Maybe I've got a reason to do what I need to do."

"Oh, yeah? And exactly what reason might you have that could possibly make a change here and now?"

"Jazz, come closer. This is the part where I tell you both something very, very important."

Carrying enough trust in Vlad for whatever his own end goals might be, Jazz stepped closer to hear, leaving the sisters waiting to hear the rest of his speech.

"Now, listen. After I left Fenton Works..." Vlad started.

The rest of his sentence, and a full recap of the events he has gone through before, are all shared in full with Danielle and Jazz, sparing them no details of what has become of him as of late and what the two of them shall go through later. Not one portion of Vlad's explanation is any of what either of them expected to hear, and what they hear is beyond Jazz's logic and even Danielle's liberated sense of belief...

...but they cannot help but hang on every word of what he says, and they take heed to the information he shared with them with weight felt on every implication.

But the information, shared with almost all members of the party, iis still kept out of the ears of Danny Fenton, who continues to sleep, and would be even more personally affected by the knowledge shared. His slumber has lasted long and heavily enough for him to be spared with the true lineage of his father, and of future events that lay ahead for him and the group, and it is for the best that this is done so.

Though he is unawares of his own part in the play that Vlad has now shared with Danielle and Jazz, Danny is nonetheless still a player in the grand scheme, and he has stepped in for his current part with his current awakening from his sleep. Rising up from his chair, taking his blanket away, he woke to see his two sisters talking to Vlad, who all three looked to his rising with a mixture of dread and anticipation.

Danny's eyes and concerns are placed solely on Vlad for the moment, however, even above his greater concerns for his sisters and their own uneasy faces; perhaps it is his eyes that hold the most dread that catches his attention, and to see him in a state of dread is a rarity so hardly seen that it warrants his full attention.

But it perhaps could also from his natural inclination to know what has happened during his rest, carrying worries for the rest of the world with the threats on its hands. Needing to carry out his own part, Vlad cleared up what dread was still in his eyes, keeping a more stoic and focused look with Danny.

"What? What happened?" Danny asked.

"You saved my life, that's what happened." Vlad said.

"No, I mean what happened while I was asleep? Has Demon Phantom done anything yet?"

"We don't know. We were watching you and Danielle as you were sleeping. Those were the biggest concerns on our hands at the moment."

Looking for a way to obtain more information about the state of the world, Danny grabbed the remote the room's television, turning it on with the push of a button.

"We can walk and chew gum at the same time, Vlad. There's bigger problems going on right now than me." Danny said.

"You're the only way we can even take on these bigger problems. I consider seeing our best chance of taking them on the most important problem to see to." Vlad said.

"Spare me your fake concern. Shut up and help me find the news channel."

Danny's request to find the latest news channel was made premature to any chance for others to assist; soon he found the closest news channel, and was given his first feed of information on the state of the country and world since learning of the death of President Foley.

The news feed he selected gave him a televised showing of Ellis Robertson, President Foley's primary opponent in the presidential race, being sworn into office by congress as his successor. The footage was also provided with a narration describing the news, keeping the public up to date with each new development.

"In an unprecedented move, Congress has officially sworn Ellis Robertson into office as President of the United States, declaring him the winner by default against the formerly incumbent Tucker Foley before his death. Since his emergency inauguration, he has been in a meeting with his cabinet members, hiring them in a process at breakneck speed, discussing the official matter of the new ghost calling itself Demon Phantom and his claims that he has murdered superhero Danny Phantom and the Fenton family. In light of the Danny Phantom's controversial remarks to the leaders of the free world during former President Tucker Foley's conference regarding various countries' attempts to create their own version of Danny Phantom, the general public has has a mixed reception to the alleged murder of world's most famous family, with many even going so far as to praise Demon Phantom as a revolutionary of sorts. Here's what some of the general public has to say." The news reporter said.

The feed then showed an interview with a citizen in a random town, allowing him to speak his thoughts on the subject.

"Demon Phantom? I think he's completely right. What Danny Phantom did at the U.N. was not the work of a hero. President Foley was no saint either. The man was completely bought into office in the first place, why should billionaires be allowed to just appoint anyone they want into office just because they have the money-" The citizen tried to say.

The feed cut off before he could make his full point, allowing the news channel to conveniently switch to another citizen, this one a ghost.

"Ghosts have been an oppressed minority in this country for far too long. If anything, I'm surprised that this didn't happen sooner. We've had so much injustice done to this poor community that's already suffered enough, especially at the hands of Danny Phantom. It's about time this community got its own Malcolm X, especially one that took action into his own hands. Whatever Ellis Roberston does, he should sit down and talk with the guy, maybe even give him a medal of honor." The ghost said.

"But even with the living and dead alike coming together to agree on this position, there are still plenty of people who stand by Danny Phantom and the deceased President." The news caster narrated.

The feed then switched to another citizen again, this one sharing a dissenting sentiment to the public discourse.

"Listen, I voted for Tucker Foley, and I would gladly do it again in a heartbeat, and I never vote for black poli- I mean, liberal politicians. He's been tough on ghosts since he was a kid, and I admire that moxie. America needs a strong leader to keep it safe from undead psychos who hadn't had enough sick thrills since before they got snuffed. Danny Phantom's also one of the best Americans to ever live. I celebrate everything the guy's ever done for our great country. I just wish he would go after the living criminals and the illegals, too." The citizen said.

The feed then showed yet another citizen, expressing her discontent in a more sentimental way.

"I think it's absolutely disgusting, what people are saying about the murder of our president. I may have disagreed with many of the decisions he made while in office, but he was still a human being, and he still deserves dignity. Wishing death on a president is not an acceptable form of dissent in this country. We can protest and make our voices heard, but we cannot resort to violence, and we should always stand behind our leader, no matter what happens. At the end of the day, he still won the election, and he is still the leader of this country. Likewise, I will make my voice heard to Mr. Robertson when he takes the helm, but I will still respect any decision he makes." The citizen said.

The feed then finally returned to the newscaster, allowing her to speak on the mixed public opinion regarding the death of the former president and his assassinator.

"Just as Tucker Foley has led a long, controversial presidency, the controversy has followed him to his grave, but, as his successor prepares to hold the office next, the country can still hope together that no drama will come from or follow this new administration, and that it can begin on a high- Wait, what's this? I'm just getting news that President Ellis Robertson is preparing to make his first speech to the union, we're going live to the floor of Congress, where the newly sworn-in president prepares to speak on the matter of Demon Phantom." The news reporter said.

The feed then moved to the floor of Congress, where the newly-elected President Robertson prepared to make his first speech to the country, and announce with it his first official act. Forced to make the announcement in the rushed set of circumstances, and not having the White House available in its current state, the television stage is barely set up properly, keeping focus on substance rather than style.

It is a mindset more than appropriate for the political challenger named Ellis Robertson, and a clear reflection of his campaign and platform, following him to his unexpected and unorthodox victory. Stepping to the hastily-set podium and screen behind him, the now President Robertson began his speech.

"My fellow Americans, first and foremost, I acknowledge the unprecedented and very unexpected situation that has led me to take office, and I would not have willingly chosen to take this office in this way were I given the choice, so I wish to make it perfectly clear that the actions I take now are made for the best interests of my country and my fellow citizens, and I will serve this call of duty no matter how it came to me. Most importantly, I understand that not everyone in this country had given me their vote, nor would have liked to see me as president, but instead would have preferred to see President Tucker Foley continue what he started when he first took office. Had we the chance to come together in a proper presidential race, and had he succeeded in achieving his re-election, I would have been glad to concede and put my own politics aside for the good of our country, even if I had preferred a different outcome to our race. But I will never have that chance. I will never have that chance because it was stolen from me by an undead man who believes himself above the law, and believes that he had the right to end the life of the leader of this country and cause chaos and death for the American people. I have been well known for my positions on ghosts' rights and fighting for the undead in the country, but that does not mean I will excuse or be soft on this most heinous crime. I know and I understand that this man is a threat, and I will use my newly-instated powers as president to eliminate that threat. That is why my first official act as President of the United States is to order an Ectoranium nuclear strike on Fenton City, and eliminate the ghost calling himself Demon Phantom." President Robertson said.

President Robertson allowed a pause to come in his speech to let the gravity of his words and the threat they carried fully impact the audience watching, knowing that such a beat would be necessary for any and all watching to fully come to terms with what they had heard.

Those in Vlad's manor are among those who need it as well, who all took to the news with looks of horror and shock.

"It was not an easy decision to make regarding this issue, and I know that it comes with the heaviest of heavy hearts that I declare this decision, let alone make it my first official one as president. But the threat we face is unlike any we have previously seen before, and cannot afford to allow to return. If a ghost is capable of eliminating an entire branch of the United States government so easily, as well as depose the world's first and only superhero, then this is a threat that we cannot take lightly, and must respond to swiftly and certainly. Without Danny Phantom or the Fenton family to give us the means or knowledge on how to deal with this ghost, we are left with the only option of attempting to eliminate the enemy by obliterating them completely. Evacuations for Amity Park have already come underway, and we are doing our best to move as many people we can out of the city as possible. If you are living in Amity Park, now is your time to get out, and we strongly ask that you do so now. For those currently in evacuation now, we ask that you do so in an orderly and civilized fashion." President Robertson said.


The newly-elected president's request is one that rings ultimately hollow in light of the ears of the people of Amity Park. Having the threat of not only nuclear annihilation, but even the threat of their very afterlives coming to an end as well, to be erased from the cosmos itself, there is a panic that no leader's words can placate or pacify to order again.

Coming in droves out of Amity Park, escorted out by the Army and Illinois National Guard, are many of its peoples; the first to go are the upper-class and wealthier, who can afford the safest and quickest passage out from the city. Only following their exodus is the lower-class and middle-class, most of whom are refugees out from the insanity of the holy war still brewing in the city.

But even with their departure, many are still left in the city, unfortunate enough to be left behind and unable to escape. Some are bound to stay because they are still at war for the dominance of their own religion over others, claiming their territory and keeping until the end in defiance of the imminence of death and death beyond death.

And there are some who simply cannot or cannot bring themselves to leave for other, more sympathetic human reasons. Some, having spent their entire lives in Amity Park and holding too much sentimentality to the city, refuse to leave outright, and would rather face death than leave all that they know in hopes of living for an uncertain future.

They are the ones most in need of the reason for help and convincing to leave, but, like many who reside in Old Amity Park, they are too far set in their old ways to break tradition for change and see their life go on. In their own refusal to listen to reason, they have damned themselves to the ultimate demise.

Left forgotten and unsung even to the end, the remaining citizens' doom comes at last with the Army taking their first steps towards the military strike. Slowly driving through crowds of Amity Park's emigrants, an APC (armored personal carrier) arrived to the outskirts of the city, inside a platoon keeping watch on the city.

Their main focus is kept towards the floating fortress of Fenton City, where the enemy lies in wait for them to destroy.

"Command, this is ground watch, we are in position. Tracking and visual recon online, standing by." The driver said.


Miles and many states away, there is one place holds the most power and sway on the planet Earth through sheer will of military force, housing generals and commanders who, at the behest of so-called defense contractors, are employed to make war with any country they so choose for their own personal gains. This place is called the Pentagon.

Contrary to its primary usage as a hive of scum and villainy for war-mongers and profiteering off death, it is put to use by the newly-elected President Robertson to order the destruction of Demon Phantom and save the Earth from his ilk at last, using his own politics to show that military force can be used for good.

His attempt to convince the American people of that sentiment is intended for himself as much as it is them, for the use of a destructive force as powerful as a nuclear weapon is never so easy for any one man to use, let alone one that also carries the ability to obliterate any and all souls in the area.

But he cannot turn back now, for he knows that any room for indecision is already long gone since he first ordered this operation, and made more clearly by the next development of the operation reported to him. Receiving a signal from the observers on the ground, the staff of the Pentagon relayed the message to the President.

"Sir, recon is in formation, we have visual confirmation on target." A staff member asked.

"Sir, if you have any second thoughts, this is the last chance to back out now." A general said.

Once again, the temptation to call off the strike is at the top of his mind, with all his own personal ethics and human nature calling him to cancel the attack. But, acting against his own morals for what he hoped and was partially convinced was a greater good, President Robertson pressed on, speaking out his confirmation to the staff.

"Attack is authorized." President Robertson said.

"Attack is authorized, launch code Sierra-Mike-1-2-1-7." A staff member said.


Flying into the airspace of Amity Park, a bomber jet began making its approach to the skybound fortress of Fenton City, carrying with it a payload of an Ectoranium nuclear missile, intended to be fired directly on the technological installation. Receiving the launch code from the Pentagon to activate the weapon beyond mass destruction, the pilots entered the sequence, arming the missile.

"Locked on target, preparing to fire." The pilot said.

Maintaining a sharp focus on his target, the pilot grabbed the firing mechanism to the missile, keeping his hand tightly gripped in his fingers with the full intent to fire.


All around the world is this historic event watched; to see America bomb one of its very own cities, perhaps even its most popular city with its historical significance towards the rise of ghosts, to see it commit an act of self-destruction in the name of saving the world, like a body gutting an organ from itself to remove a cancer.

Copious amounts of pain and agony can easily be associated with such imagery by anyone, even though most would never have to go through such measures, but the analogy is comparable to what emotions that President Robertson now feels, having made a decision that will stay to his name for the rest of his life, and after.

"If there is a god somewhere, may he forgive me." President Robertson thought.

His prayer is silent and in vain to any undiscovered forces of supernature, and answered only by another of the staffers, carrying out his order.

"Fire at will." The staff member said.


Over the city of Amity Park, the bomber plane comes into view for the few people remaining below, looking up to see the aircraft fly straight towards the skybound Fenton City. The appearance of the bomber plane instantly gives them an instinctual assumption as to why such a piece of military equipment should be seen over a populated city...

...but, like all Americans caught in their old, naive ways, they cannot believe that the bomber would possibly attack them; that their own government could possibly dare murder them on their own home soil just to defeat one perceived enemy, sacrificing them in the name of some greater good...

"Firing payload, missile deployed." The pilot said.

...but, they see the missile fired, the facade of denial had left, and they had resorted to their old ways of their religions once again, hoping that their faiths would bring them salvation from the death that awaited them now. The chance to leave their old ways and move somewhere anew, to be truly saved from their own damnations, is gone.

Likewise, the Pentagon is also just as heavy as they carry on their marching orders, forced to carry out a leader that was barely elected to office, all to defeat a threat so dire to the country that no other cause of action is in the cards. Though nerves of steel have gotten them far into their careers up until now, they all feel their hearts sink heavy with their own actions.

The American people, likewise, also share cause for concern and heart-wrenching sorrow. Glued to their television screens, they are in disbelief that they could ever see the day when nuclear weapons are used, hearing about the destructive power of the weapon only in movies and history class. They know that they are witnessing the beginning of a new era, and can barely comprehend it, much less stomach it.

Among them are also the residents of the Masters manor, all watching their television screen with mixed reactions. They all know that the destruction will undoubtedly end the lives and afterlives of all in Amity Park, a concern which holds the most with Danielle, and shudder to think of the lives lost.

But Danny holds a different emotion with the news. Instead, he holds a silent hope that the missile will completely eliminate Demon Phantom as it is projected to do, and eagerly awaited the anachronistic apparition to receive its just rewards. As a man who was once a hero to nearly everyone on the planet, he would not dare let a single soul know that he could possibly welcome mass destruction...

...but, having lost his entire family as horribly as he has, there is little room for guilt in his heart to stave off the pleasure.

So, sent without any means or reason to stop it, the missile began to approach Fenton City, the holocaust it promised seconds away from realization.

"Impact is projected in 3... 2... 1..." A staffer said.