Chapter 24: Cursed No More

Jack and Maddie opened the door, running out to see for themselves if the explosion was indeed in the direction they thought it was. Both ran out of the house, facing that direction.

"Do you think that was indeed Danny?" Maddie asks.

"It had to be…" Jack said before a sound caught their attention, not in a good way. "Please tell me that what I hear is someone's motorcycle…"

Both of them turned and saw one revenant snarling at them. The two pulled back, questioning what to do next.

That's when the creature suddenly paused, not making any more nose or moving its jaw. Both Jack and Maddie glanced at each other briefly, unsure what to do, before it happened.

The creature's body turned dark before crumbling. The dust that was once it scattered away as a blue light shot up to the sky from where the dust once was.

Both of them gasped at that before looking up at the street.

The same thing was occurring. 5 of these revenants turned to dust and fell apart before lights shot up.

"What… what just happened?" Jack asks.

Throughout the city, revenant creatures were going through the same process. All of them just seemed to shut down before crumbling to dust, blue lights shooting up to the sky.

People were exiting their homes in droves, watching the creatures dissolve and leave nothing left of them.

It seemed without their master, they were no longer able to exist.

At the Shelter

The victims of the wendigo's curse were no longer acting vicious.

One by one, they all dropped to the floor, groaning in pain but seemed to be returning to normal.

One woman held up her husband, seeing not a trace of red in his eyes or fangs in his mouth.

Dash awoke, leaning his back into his father's as both groaned and shook their heads.

"Ow... my head. What happened? And why do I feel like I wanted to eat a lot of meat, and not just for bulking up? Dash asked, but no one answered him.

Paulina pushed people aside, looking at her hands in irritation.

"What happened? I broke most of my nails?! And who bruised my totally flawless skin?! And why do I feel like eating meat? And not just the lean kind?" Paulina demanded, upset that her so-called beauty was diminished.

Kwan, who had been awake for a while and kept his shoe in his hand as a weapon, let out a breath of relief.

"Thank goodness..." He said before falling to his back

Meanwhile

At Fenton Works.

The lights shooting up at the sky was seen by not just Jack and Maddie, but all those inside the house yet not locked away by ice.

All of them were beautiful, filling the sky with a strange sense of joy and warmth. Nobody but those aware knew it, but even they felt whatever suffocating despair they had lifting. People were smiling at the lights, thinking in some way they were a sign that it was over.

Achak himself looked up in awe.

"I have never seen so many souls freed… I had long given up hope this day could ever happen…" Achak said with a hushed tone.

"Does this mean… it's gone?" Jazz asks.

"Yes… your brother has won." Achak went.

Everyone let out breaths of relief before Jazz recalled something.

"On my gosh.. Danielle and Sam." She said.

"I shall be of aid." Frostbite said as he followed her and Tucker to the stairway to the basement.

Once they were gone, Achak stepped out, looking up at the sky.

"So many years… so long of waiting…" He said in a tired voice.

"Father?" A young woman's voice asks.

Achak froze up as Jack and Maddie saw who said that.

"Who is that?" Maddie asks, pointing ahead while being as surprised as her husband was.

Jack was about to pull out his blaster, only for Maddie to rib him into stopping.

Achack slowly turned his head. His mouth hung open as his eyes widened.

In front of him now was a young woman in traditional Algonquin attire and hair in braids. She smiled at him, arms closed to her chest. She was also translucent blue as he was.

"Kanti?" He asked, voice trembling as he took a step forward, hoping this was not a trick. "My… my daughter?".

"Yes, Father, it's me..." She said in a warm tone.

That did it. For the first time, he smiled. Achack rushed to her and pulled her into a hug.

"My Kanti… I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you. I should have stayed. All I had hoped for these years was to free you, save you… I'm so sorry I wasn't there." He said, tears streaming down his face.

His daughter remained in his arms, tears falling from her eyes as well as she smiled in relief.

"I forgive you, Father. I forgave a long time ago..." She said in a gentle way, hugging him back.

Hearing that brought a warm feeling in him. Achak laughed a bit as he held onto his daughter before the two disappeared.

Jack and Maddie witnessed the whole thing and tears were forming in their eyes.

"They've dispersed peacefully…" Jack said before blowing into his handkerchief.

"They're finally together..." Maddie said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Achack and his daughter, no longer plagued by guilt or a curse, were now free and can rest in peace

10 minutes later

Danny had arrived back in Amity Park, he had been flying slowly as he felt exhaustion and how his body felt like it was on fire. The injuries have healed, but the pain is still there.

"I'm going to sleep forever after I get in that bed…" He muttered.

As he flew, he looked up, seeing the clouds were gone. No doubt, when the Wendigo was destroyed, his spell was gone as well. He saw no revenant wendigos, though the blue lights he saw rising to the sky made him realize that they might have been destroyed once their master was no more.

His thoughts were confirmed as he passed the shelter, where a certain news anchor was there.

"And so it looks like these… zombies or whatever they were, have completely disappeared. Word from the Fentons is that Danny Phantom himself went to deal with the creature responsible. And so… with a heavy sigh of relief, we thank you, Danny Phantom." Lance Thunder went with a smile. However, once he took a step away from the camera, he slipped. "ACK! It's so cold that the ice formed on the ground here hasn't melted yet! Couldn't that ghost kid have done it sooner? Or at least get some salt or sawdust to make it easier not to slip?!" He complained.

"Uh… we're still rolling…" The camera man went, much to Lance's embarrassment as he realized the camera was still looking at him.

Danny paid no mind as he spotted his home miles away. Despite how he felt, he sped up.

Once he made it, he phased through the door and collapsed onto his knees before taking a deep breath.

"I'm back!" He called out.

As if on cue, his parents slid in and raced to hug him.

"Danny!" Jack and Maddie went as they hugged him tightly, unknowingly hurting him.

"Uh… guys?" He went, getting their attention. "Just so you know… my body is tired and a road map of pain…" He went.

Hearing that, they realized they were hurting him and put him down.

"Sorry, Son." Jack went.

"But you did it." Maddie went, sighing in relief.

"Is that Danny?" Sam was heard going before she ran into the living room and saw him there. "Danny!" Sam went, ready to hug him, only to stop as Danny held his hands out, much to her surprise.

"Sorry… I'm happy to see you, but I've been clawed more times than a cat's scratching post, and bitten, along with being exhausted and almost getting blown to Kingdom Come. I'm probably gonna need to go to the hospital in case of internal bleeding…" He said.

"Oh… I see…" Sam went, pulling back as she did not want him hurting anymore.

Jazz and Tucker also ran in.

"Danny!" They went in relief as they ran to hug him as well.

"No, wait!" Maddie went, trying to stop them.

The two ran into him, hugging him and knocking him to the floor.

"Ow! Ow! OW!" He went, getting their attention. "You're touching where he bit me!" He went before he hissed in pain.

Both of them got up, stepping back and looking away in regret.

"My mistake…" They said in unison.

Danny flinched as he tried to get up, the pain searing. He then saw an icy hand being offered to him.

"Allow me, Great One…" He said.

As Danny was helped up, he realized Sam's presence meant one thing.

"Where's…?"

Everyone pointed to the kitchen.

Despite the pain he felt, Danny rushed to the kitchen.

There, he saw Danielle sitting at the table, a warm blanket around her as she ate ice cream.

"Had to eat raw meat once on the streets… never doing it again." She said to herself before seeing who had entered the room from the corner of her eye. Dropping the spoon, she slowly turned her head. "Danny?"

Time froze for them before Danny, despite the pain he felt, race towards her and hugged her tightly as he could.

"You're... You're okay?" He asks, trying to fight the tears in her eyes.

Danielle, her mind now processing she's being hugged as it happened so soon, smiled and hugged him back.

"Yeah… and you?" Danielle asks.

"Oh, doing this is hurting as I've had claws and fangs pierce my skin more time in the past hour than in my entire life… but yeah… I'm fine… not physically but you know what I mean…" He said.

They two said nothing further as they hugged tightly.

Morning

Danny was in his parents lab as his mother was still checking his injuries. He was sitting on a chair as his mother had taken photos to see his x-rays with mechanized arms that had cameras on them.

Thankfully, there seems to be no internal damage that his body isn't already healing.

"Well, a little rest and TLC, you should be good to go..." Maddie said.

"All this on a weekend too..." Danny said bitterly.

"Be thankful you have powers." Maddie said in a scolding manner.

'Believe me, I am after all the times Dad shot me in the b-"

"Y-Yeah… right." Maddie went, rolling her eyes away in embarrassment.

As Danny laughed it off, his eyes darted to the rocks from the Wendigo's lair that were on the examination table.

"So… what are you gonna do with those?" He asks as he points to them.

Maddie, seeing the rocks, let out a bitter breath as she pressed a button that deactivated the arms and retracted them to the box-like machines they came from.

"While I'm happy that thing is gone, it means those rocks are useless. I asked your friend Frostbite about taking them… but he fears taking something not from Earth into the Ghost Zone could be a huge risk. Those observer guys…"

"Observants." Danny corrected her.

"Right, them. Anyway, some law Frostbite mentioned that things outside of Earth or the Ghost Zone are strictly forbidden. So, I'll have to find some other place." Maddie said.

Danny looked to the rocks, recalling how Rich wanted him to get them. He figured this small amount would do.

"I could get rid of them for you. I can bury them somewhere." Danny offered.

"Thank you." Maddie said sweetly.

As Danny nodded, his mind wandered to something that he didn't realize was a miss until now.

"I realize that the Wendigo himself couldn't have taken the rocks, seeing as he didn't leave a mess. He also didn't teleport or anything. So, any clue who took them or where they are?" Danny asks.

"No. I even tried tracking their radiation. I can only assume they're in some kind of container that blocks it." Maddie explained.

It was then Danny realized he forgot someone.

"Wait… where's Achak?" He asks, having realized he hadn't seen him.

"With his daughter…" Maddie said softly.

Hearing that caused Danny to get up from the chair.

"So… he's gone?" He asks.

"Dispersed peacefully. He and his daughter are finally at peace. Which reminds me, I made your younger sister breakfast. Please take it to her." Maddie said.

"Sure." Danny said.

With that, he went to the kitchen to get the plate of pancakes, an excuse to check on his little sister.

Danielle was still in her room, but she was stuck in bed. Their parents wanted to make sure that she really was uncursed or didn't leave any diseases. So far, it seems she had nothing to indicate any lasting negative effects. Still she was told to remain in until school, something that bummed her out.

She heard a knock at her door.

"Open." She said.

Danny then opened the door and entered.

"How are you feeling?" Danny asked.

"I don't look at you like you're a cheeseburger if that's what you mean..." Danielle answered. Danny sent her an unamused look. "Too soon?" She asks.

"Yeah." Danny said flatly before he brought the plate to her. "Anyway… here's your breakfast."

Danielle looked down at her pancakes with a happy smile and her tongue slicking her lips in anticipation. However, that enthusiasm left as she recalled who she was with.

The same brother she had been rather unpleasant and frankly dishonest with.

"So.." Danielle went.

"So?" Danny asks.

"I'm sorry, bro...about everything..." She went.

Danny said nothing, only looked at her silently.

I don't think that's enough… She thought.

"You want more? Fine...I'm sorry I acted so crazy...and I'm sorry I wasn't being honest about the Carly and Sophie thing. It's just... I love being your little sister...way more than being your cousin. I love living here with Mom, Dad and Jaz, and I love all the fun things we do together...when Jazz told me that you'd find a new girl and probably spend more time with her...I was… I was afraid that...that if you spent more time with her, we wouldn't be able to be as close anymore and I didn't want to lose what we have. I was selfish…" She admitted.

To her surprise, Danny put a hand on her head. Danielle looked up, seeing an accepting smile on his face.

"It's okay. I was selfish too… I kind of got too into getting over Sam that I didn't stop to think if you were okay with me bringing someone new into our lives." He admitted.

"No… it's… it's not that selfish. You deserve to meet someone. You're a great guy who deserves a great girl. It's not that selfish to want to experience happiness… provided you're not a monster who likes to hurt people like the Wendigo…" Danielle added the last part with a bit of disdain.

"Yeah…" Danny said as he took a breath.

"So...are we okay?" Danielle asks.

With a smile, Danny pulled her into a hug.

"Danielle… nothing's gonna break apart our relationship. Maybe it's because you came from my DNA, but you and I are family. And nothing is ever gonna change that. I promise to be more open when I meet people and when I spend time with them." He said.

To his surprise, Danielle shook her head.

"No, you don't have to. But I promise to be more accepting of whoever you like, and wish you luck." Danielle said.

"Even Ember?" Danny asks.

Danielle flinched before adopting a more accepting expression.

"Sure, even her… provided, I won't step aside if she causes trouble." She said.

"That I can agree with." Danny said as he got up. "So, I better go. I'm helping with melting the snow as there's still some left." He went, not hearing the sounds of eating as he spoke. "If you wa-" He looked at her and, to his mild surprise, he saw she had finished her plate of 4 pancakes quickly. "I see you're back to your usual level of gluttony…"

"More please." Danielle went, holding her plate up.

With a slight raise of his eyebrow, Danny laughed as he did as she asked.

"I'll be back." He said, taking the plate with him as he walked.

"And Danny?" Danielle went, getting his attention.

Danny turned around.

"Ye-"

He then felt her hug him around his waist. She had gotten up and smiled sincerely at him.

"Thank you, big brother. For saving me… again." She said.

Hearing that made the ghost boy smile.

"Anytime, Danielle." Danny said.

Elsewhere

Sam was home right now.

The kitchen was filled with joy as her parents immediately hugged her upon seeing her.

"Oh Sammy, we were so worried..." Pamela said.

"I take back 80% of every terrible thing I ever said about your ex's family..." Jeremy said.

Sam rolled her eyes before a smile slowly appeared on her face.

"I guess I can put aside Goth indifference for now." She said as she lightly hugged her parents back.

Ida came in on her scooter.

"Well… considering what you two did just now for Sam, I can let your cowardice slide this time." She said.

"What you did?" Sam asks as the hugging stopped.

"We ordered all of your favorite foods..." Jeremy said.

"Yes, tofu, salad, soy nuggets and a bunch of other vegan stuff you're fond of..." Pamela said.

"You did?" Sam asks, deciding not to correct them about her being an ultra-recyclo vegetarian.

"Today's all for you, Sam. Though the doctor says no real big changes to your body, we'd rather you stay home until school." Pamela said.

"Really?" Sam asks.

"We'll even let you be and read your books, if you'd like." Jeremy said.

"For real?" Sam said.

"For real." Pamela said.

As her parents left the kitchen, Sam enjoyed her vegan breakfast buffet.

"Never thought I'd be so happy they make more money than regular parents to afford all this..." Sam said as she began to stuff her face.

As she did so, her grandmother rolled in closer on her scooter. It took Sam a moment to notice the serious look on her face.

"Bubeleh, I think that you and your folks should find some common ground with each other, try and get closer instead of apart..." Ida said, getting her granddaughter's attention.

"Huh?" Sam went, mouth full of food.

"I know what I said is contrasting how I usually am… but it's what I think you should do." Ida said.

"But Grandma..." Sam said as she wiped her mouth clean. "You know what they're like…"

"They're not perfect, I'll admit. But still. They are your parents, so I say you should at least enjoy them while you can…" Ida says.

"Grandma?" Sam asks.

"Sorry… it's just…" Ida looked away, looking crestfallen. "One of those things made me drop my guard when it emulated the voice of my Grammy Mabel."

"Grammy Mabel?" Sam asks.

"She passed away long before your parents married. She and I… didn't always get along. But, as the years went by, we started to grow closer…" Ida said with a sad smile on her face. She then looked at Sam. "I know your parents have a few too many flaws… but maybe you can find some common ground with them. I'm all about that independence and freedom… but maybe a little compromise with each other will keep your relationship from going sour."

With that, Sam knew of another person she should perhaps find some common ground with.

I'll have to worry about Kwan when I see him… She thought as she took a bite of her tofu.

At Noon

There was a ceremony being held at City Hall.

After Danny Phantom had helped melt more than 75% of the snow remaining, he was called to appear. He didn't know why, but he did now.

He was surrounded by more than 400 people, including news anchors, who came to thank him for what he had done.

"I could get used to this…" He said under his breath in relief.

Montez wore his politician smile as he held the key to the city in front of the crowds of citizens and reporters.

"City of Amity Park! It is a great honor and a great photo opportunity to present the key of the city to town hero, Danny Phantom!" Montez said as he grinned upon photos being taken.

Danny was quiet as he held the large key.

Guess he's feeling better after what the Wendigo made him say on the news. He thought.

"So, where do I use this thing? I don't know many locks for keys this size, are there any?" Danny asks, prompting people to laugh at the assumption he was joking.

He could hear Dash and Paulina sending him cheers, though he ignored that in favor of seeing his parents and elder sister, along with Tucker, applauding for him. Seeing that brought a smile to his face.

As they did so, Jack and Maddie huddled closer.

"He's had to take that thing down, just like those Goblins… He doesn't seem… bothered." Jack commented in worry.

"True… but at the very least… it had a positive outcome for everyone. The town's people are cursed no more." Maddie commented.

Jack shrugged, figuring she was right as he continued applauding.

From Afar

Danny's ghost enemies watched thus event from afar, atop the hill where he and Sam started their boyfriend and girlfriend relationship that was no longer present.

Most, if not all, looked rather vexed.

"Lucky punk..." Johnny said with arms crossed.

"We should nab him now..." Walker said, pointing ahead.

"No..." Skulker said, raising a hand without looking at anyone.

"No?" All of them asked.

"Come on, he just got lucky. That's all." Bertrand said.

"Be that as it may… he has slain his foe in battle. He deserves a break… for now…" Skulker said..

All but Ember and Kitty groaned at what he just said.

"This stupid team with the stupid name was a bust… I'm dealing with him myself later." Spectra said as he left, Bertrand following.

"Same." Technus went.

"I wish I didn't say yes to this." Desiree muttered.

As most were leaving, Skulker looked over his shoulder to take a quick glance at Danny waving.

"Odd how he doesn't seem particularly bothered that he took a life…" He commented before shrugging and flying off.

Ember and Kitty were left, the latter giving an encouraging pat to the former.

"So… city hero? He sure seems like boyfriend potential." Kitty commented.

"Then you date him." Ember responded with sarcasm.

"Oh, but I have Johnny." Kitty reminded her, prompting Ember to send her an unamused look. "Okay, fair… but still." Kitty winked at her before leaving.

Watching Danny being praised as a hero made Ember question some things.

"Dipstick really is a goody two shoes...and I guess sometimes it can be cute...when he is not using it against me, but, would we really work?" She wondered if they even should be in a relationship

Meanwhile

While Danny was being cheered, he didn't know that someone in the crowd had their eyes on him. However, it was not for the same reasons as everyone else.

It was a man in a strangely out of place Summer Tourist outfit. He held his handheld camera up. He was not taking pictures, he was filming the entire event.

"Got it." He whispered before he vanished within the crowd. Once he was out of it and walking ahead, he got on his phone. "Target scanned and filmed, sending information."

"Roger. Return to base." A deep voice said on the other side.

"Yes sir." He responded upon leaving.

Penultimate chapter, thank to Flower Princess11.

One more to go.

RonaldM40196867: Yes. No spoilers. They're already in this story. I know you must read a lot... but it doesn't hurt to skim to past chapters.

danifan3000: 1. Overkill was necessary. 2. Bare in mind they're creatures with alleged real world appearances, but I've already done the poster for it.

Daniel6: No comment/spoilers.

Fiction Realm: 1. Of course, I am devoted to improving his love life outside of his universe. 2. As I told danifan3000, I've already done the poster for it, though you'll have to find out, hopefully Sunday.

Invader Johnny: As of right now, he doesn't seem bothered. Considering the monster he's slain, probably not the kind of deed that makes one lose sleep.

Guest 1: 1. She's learning. 2. Yup. 3. Thank you.

Guest 2: 1. From the looks of it, no one is blaming him for what he did. 2. We shall see.