Avant la fin 1

With the hospital in severe damage, the soldiers were brought to the tents, where many were being treated.

And as they're being treated, Larissa was being bandaged. She felt a sharpness as the bandage was tightened, but her years of combat meant she treated it little more than a bug bite.

She had two things in mind. Namely, what she saw, and the fate of Rex "Razor" Callaghan.

She recalled what happened mere minutes ago.

"Lieutenant… I'm afraid that in the wake of the chaos… the prisoner disappeared." The young soldier said to her.

Upon hearing this, pain and tiredness were replaced with anger and outrage.

"HE WHAT?! HOW DID HE JUST LEAVE?!" She shouted, attempting to strangle the young man before being held back by two medical officers. "WHAT IDIOT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING HIM?!"

"Lieutenant! Please! Calm down! You need to be treated!" One of them said.

That's what happened.

Her intended target was gone, leaving her embittered and shocked.

Her fists clenched, tears began to fall from her eyes. Not from the pain, but from what Razor's disappearance meant. That someone she was searching for was once again out of her reach.

"Lizzie…" She said under her breath.

Meanwhile

As many were still being treated, Danny sat far from everyone, his mind a state of unrest.

The Beast was somewhere in Dunkirk, fighting Frostbite. His friend assured him that he didn't need to get involved, but that didn't sit right with him.

The Beast of Gévaudan, formerly Cedric Devereux, walked the Earth because of him, and he felt responsible for all that happened. He felt he should at least be there to see it end.

"Hey?" The familiar voice of Kwan spoke up.

Looking up, Danny saw both him and Alain there. Both of them looked fidgety, unsure of what to say or do at the moment.

"Hey?" He said.

"What… what happened out zhere?" Alain asks.

"A lot…" Danny flatly responded before groaning and getting up. "A friend of mine is going to take care of him…"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Kwan asks.

"You'd think but…" Danny paused, unsure what to say.

"But what?" Kwan asks.

"...I don't really wanna talk about it." Danny said as he suddenly turned and walked away.

Kwan was about to ask, but Alain raised his hand.

"I do not believe our friend wishes to discuss what he is going zhrough at the moment. zhere is a turmoil in him and it iz best we give him some time to collect his zhoughts." Alain whispered.

"Uh… huh?" Kwan questioned, being unused to his accent.

"Leave him alone for now." Alain responded.

"...oh." Kwan said.

The two were then joined by Sam and Tucker, both of them sharing the same expression.

"Guys? Appreciate what you're doing but… I think he needs his space for now." Sam said.

"What exactly happened out there?" Kwan asks, not out of cluelessness but growing hope to help Danny feel better.

Tucker was about to speak up before Sam raised her hand.

"Sorry… but we don't exactly have the okay to share." She said.

As that went on, Star and Chloe both overheard that. Both girls shared a look as they decided to follow where Danny went.

Elsewhere

The Beast released a howl-like laughter as he evaded the icy projectiles fired from the Frozen Ones, taunting them as he moved faster than the eye can see. The Beast easily dispatched the Frozen Ones, slashing at their backs to mock them. Soon, all were on the ground, trying to stand up.

With a growl, Wulf charged at the Beast, knocking him off the beaten guards. The two tumbled on the ground like rabid dogs, biting and clawing each other. Wulf clawed at the Beast's eyes, though he kept healing from the deadly scratches. The Beast then chomped on Wulf's right shoulder, making him howl in pain before the Beast stabbed him in the chest, stunning Wulf. With a grin, the Beast tore off a chunk of flesh from Wulf, making him howl louder before he kicked the Beast away.

Wulf fell on his knees, holding the wound. The Beast spat out the chunk he bit from Wulf. The taste of Ghost flesh wasn't as alluring as living flesh.

With a growling smile, he rushed towards Wulf on all fours, only for a tail to get in his way. He looked up and saw Dorathea growl at him, smoke coming out of her nostrils. She blew out fire, and the Beast quickly ran away. More focused on the giant dragon, he didn't notice Frostbite appearing in front of him.

The Beast met a face full of ice in the shape of a hammer. He was sent flying towards Dorathea, who spun around and used her tail and slammed him to the wall. With a pained grunt, the Beast fell on the ground. He pushed himself up, but then, he was restrained by poles of ice intersecting at the joints of his body.

He managed to look up and saw the Ghosts in front of him, all with cold looks in their faces.

"This ends now, Beast of Gévaudan." Frostbite said as he made a sharp, broadsword and lifted it in the air. "This time, you will see oblivion… PERMANENTLY!"

The Beast's eyes were wide as he struggled to get free from his restraints, growling like a desperate animal. Frostbite just had a cold look in his eyes as he stepped forward and swung the sword.

With Danny

Away from everyone, Danny looked up at the night sky.

I should be happy… shouldn't I? I don't have to worry… He thought.

He knew that, deep down, he wasn't fully satisfied. He wanted to at least see the Beast meet his end.

"I should see him croak…" He muttered before a thought of horror came to him. "Wait… do I… do I want to be the one who… finishes him?"

Suddenly, a different feeling came to him. One of fear. Not for his life, but for what he's becoming.

Before the Disasteroid incident, the only lives he played a hand in ending were the clones, but those were imperfect creatures with mindless devotions to Vlad and had such short lifespans anyway, so it barely counted.

The Goblins, the Wendigo, and now the Beast. These creatures were not his usual challenge, his usual threats. He tried to push most of that aside, but now that the Beast had done so many terrible things that he felt responsible for, he worried that he was slowly losing his will to avoid killing.

He feared he was getting a taste of it. And that thought terrified him more than any ghost he has ever faced

"Danny?" His mother's voice called out.

Snapping back, Danny let out a breath of relief as he saw his parents approach him, both looking equally relieved and scared for him.

"Yeah?" He asks, hiding what he felt with a smile.

"Your sisters told us what happened out there, son." Jack said with a small grin. "Gotta say… big relief. Never thought I'd live to be happy we didn't waste any ghosts…"

A moment of levity from the turmoil inside him, Danny laughed a quiet laugh.

"Welcome to my world." He said.

"Outside of that… how are you?" Maddie asks, putting a hand on her son's shoulder.

"I'm… not bleeding hard, if that's what you're wondering." Danny responds.

"I meant…" She gestured to his head. "Up there… not head trauma, mental trauma." She further clarified.

Danny's small smile dropped, eyes darting away from them.

"I'm… not sure…" He admits.

He pulled away from his parents, turning his back to them as he leaned on the wall.

Jack and Maddie both shared the same worried expression for their son's dilemma.

But before they could say something, someone walked past them, going between them. Someone whose stride was filled with fury and pain

Before Danny knew it, he was violently pulled from the wall, his collar pulled by the suddenly present Larissa Headley.

"Talk!" She angrily demanded. "What in the world are you?!"

There was a look in her eyes, one he was used to. One that made it clear this person intended to do him harm.

As Danny tried to pull free, his mother sent a fist into Larissa's face, making her let go.

"How DARE you! Keep your hands off my son!" Maddie would snarl like an animal, standing in front of her son protectively.

Larissa only wiped her face clean from that.

"As if Phantom needs your protection…" Larissa scoffed, earning shocked expressions from everyone. "I saw the smaller Phantom turn into your little girl… so I put two and two together…"

"Uh... It was...uh...probably a hallucination from all the head trauma you probably got In the fight..." Jack weakly lies to her.

Clearly unconvinced, Larissa stepped back, hand on her sidearm.

"You're hiding something. And I don't like secrets." She threatened.

As she remained glaring daggers at him, Danny felt his heart pound.

"Are you... threatening to aim a weapon... at my son?!" Maddie was ready to fight.

"Is he or is he not Danny Phantom? Answer!" Larissa shouted.

Unwilling to give their son's identity up, Jack and Maddie remained silent.

But before the situation could get any more tense, Danny chose to step forward.

"I am." He admitted, taking a deep breath. "And if you're going to do anything stupid, then you're going to have to go through me first. Fair warning... I'm not my usual quippy self tonight." There was a look in his eyes that didn't make him look so fun and carefree.

Larissa was about to speak up, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the look in Danny's eyes, maybe it was the sheer confidence in his voice. Whatever it was, her anger seemed to subside a bit.

"Just tell me this..." She whispered. "What do you know about Cold?"

Danny remained there a moment, lost at what she just said.

"...that it's the opposite of warm?" He joked weakly.

The grip on her gun tightened.

"I'm being serious!" Larissa snapped. "I know the MIB have been keeping an eye on you, keeping you out of the public spotlight since that stupid asteroid! Making sure to not anyone know who you are... or even let them think it was all some hoax."

"Lady... I don't work for them." Danny said, his eyes never leaving hers.

"But you know something..." Larissa accused.

Danny didn't deny it, his expression never changing.

"Maybe. But if I do, I'm not sharing it with you." He responded, his voice cold and firm.

The silence was deafening as Larissa's eyes narrowed before she huffed and turned away.

"Fine." She said, walking away. "But know this. If you're hiding something... I'll find out."

"What exactly is your beef here, lady?" Danny asks.

"My beef is that because of that mangy monster... Razor got away..." Larissa's voice grew cold. "And that means..."

There was a pause, her back turned to the Fenton family as she seemed unsure whether or not to share what she was about to say.

"Means... what?" Maddie asks. As Larissa remained quiet, Maddie grew impatient. "You can't just threaten my son and expect me to let you walk away!"

Larissa looked over her shoulder.

"I don't expect anything from anyone." She said calmly, then turned back. "But when the time comes and I need you when I find that dirtbag... I may as well tell you."

"It's about Razor, right?" Danny asks. "You two used to be partners?"

"Not just partners..." Larissa quietly admits. "...we were married."

The revelation hit the three like a ton of bricks.

"You?! Were married to that pig?!" Maddie spat out, her protective instincts for her son temporarily overridden by shock.

Jack was equally taken aback, his eyes wide as he looked at Larissa.

"But... why would you..." He was cut off by her looking over her shoulder.

"It's complicated." Larissa said, her voice filled with a mix of anger and sorrow. "I don't know if he actually had feelings for me... or he just found me fun... but during his time as a double agent, we were romantically involved..." Her hand was shown tightening into a fist. "But after he turned on me, betrayed me, and sold secrets for money... I can't say I care anymore." She whispered. "I've been trying to track him down since..."

Jack and Maddie both nodded, knowing the feeling of someone they were close to betraying them. The bitter taste of Vlad and his actions still lingered in their mouths.

"But why are you telling us?" Danny asked.

"Because I need help." Larissa said, turning back to him. "You're obviously capable of fighting these... monsters. And if you know anything about Razor, or where he could be... I need to know. Before he hurts anyone else."

Danny was torn. He had no love for the man who had caused so much pain, but he wasn't sure if he could trust Larissa. But something told him that she was genuine in her pain, but also not fully being honest with them.

"Okay." He said, crossing his arms. "I get the feeling it's not just that he betrayed the squad or whatever..."

Larissa let out a bitter laugh.

"He took the only thing about our marriage that still mattered to me..." She admits.

"The car?" Jack absentmindedly joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Larissa glared at him, making him cough awkwardly.

"No." She said. "Our daughter. Lizzie."

Silence broke out between the three Fentons.

Despite the anger she felt for this woman assaulting her son, Maddie felt a twinge of pity. No one should ever have to go through that.

"Lizzie... she's... she's with Razor?" Maddie asked, her voice filled with sadness.

Larissa nodded solemnly.

"He's had her for years... I've been looking for her since the day she was taken. She was 5... I've never stopped... And every lead... every... every single one... was either a dead end or led me to another one of his... jobs..." She trailed off, her eyes barely holding back the tears of a terrified mother.

Danny felt something stir within him. The Beast was a literal monster, yes, but Larissa's pain with her daughter was something Razor did out of selfishness.

"Not to be unsympathetic but... what do you want me to do? Specifically?" He asks.

Larissa took in some air.

"Look... I'll keep your secret... but you have to promise me... when I find Razor... you'll help me get Lizzie back." She pleaded, her eyes wet with unshed tears. "Whether you want to help or not, he's going to come crawling out to cause trouble eventually. And when he does, I need you to be ready."

Danny nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I can do that." He said. "But only if you promise to keep my family safe. That's the only deal I can make."

Larissa nodded.

"I promise." She said, extending a hand. "For Lizzie."

Danny took it, feeling a strange kinship with her.

"For your daughter..." He took her hand.

With that, Larissa pulled back.

"Now... I have to debrief everything to my superior... and figure out where that monster went..." She walked away with her expression still stone cold, leaving the Fentons to discuss among themselves.

"Can we trust her?" Maddie asks.

"...for now." Danny responded.

As she walked away, Larissa had flashes of a small baby girl with her hair color, but Razor's brown eyes, happily reaching out for her.

Her daughter, whose disappearance brought about a change in her. One that brought out her worst qualities, having made her far more abrasive and confrontational.

She couldn't help but give a bitter laugh at how, like Devereux, she too became a worse person from a betrayal, only hers was out of a broken heart and not perceived due to a huge ego.

I'll find her… She thought.

Elsewhere

Frostbite swung his sword, intending to cut off the Beast's head. There was a clang, and Frostbite saw the Beast catch the blade with his jaws. He tried to pull it out, but his jaw was gripping it tightly. With a strong twist from his neck, the Beast tugged the weapon out of Frostbite's grip before throwing it to the ceiling. The ice weapon broke through the rusty roof. Debris fell on him, but it didn't hurt him. As the dust cleared, light from the Red Moon shone through the hole, shining right at him.

Once Frostbite got his bearings back, he saw the moonlight shining on the Beast. Realizing that, he quickly made another sword and swung at his neck. Just as the blade was about to reach the Beast's neck, he managed to break free from his restraints and caught the blade with both hands.

With a wicked grin, he shattered the blade and slashed Frostbite away, sending him flying. Feeling invigorated by the Red Moon's light, he licked his teeth before baring them, staring at his targets.

Since Wulf was the injured one amongst them, he quickly rushed towards him. Startled at his increased speed, Wulf was blindsided by the Beast, who punched his injured shoulder. He let out a painful howl before the Beast threw him towards a pillar. The pillar broke from the impact and heavy debris fell on Wulf. When the dust clear, Wulf was unconscious, buried in broken metal.

Dorathea landed beside the Beast and started slamming her claws on her intended target, followed by a torrent of fire. As fire burned at the spot, the Beast suddenly jumped towards Dorathea's face, his body covered in flames. He crashed into her snout, causing her to stop spewing flames, and he got on her back, his claws digging on her scales.

With a growl, Dorathea took to the air, trying to shake the Beast off her back. He used his claws to cling to her back, growling in annoyance. He then noticed her wings. With a smirk, he jumped towards her left wing, grabbing the edge. Holding on with one hand, he used his other hand to slash at her wings. He kept slashing until he finally damaged her wing, causing her to become unstable and crashed on the ground. Before she could recover, the Beast grabbed her by the tail and started spinning her around, hitting any pillars that were in her way. He then slammed her to the ground, her head slamming on the concrete floor, making a hole in it. He let go of her tail and walked past her, slapping her in the rear mockingly.

Frostbite charged at him, making an ax. He swung it, intending to cut the Beast in half. The Beast swung his claws, and the ax shattered in Frostbite's hand. The Beast swung his claws again, and Frostbite's ice-made arm shattered. Beast then drop-kicked Frostbite, sending him to a wall. The wall broke and Frostbite was buried in broken bricks.

The Frozen Ones were shocked as their leader and two of the strongest fighters were beaten by the monster before them, who was licking his claws in satisfaction. They flinched when the Beast turned his attention to them.

"Next?" He asks with a sinister grin, gesturing for the terrified yetis to approach him.

As this went on, none were aware of a figure watching from afar, atop a barren cliff. A figure in black who turned around and left.

With Danny

He had caught up with his two sisters, having now caught them up on what transpired moments ago.

"I knew it… those two did have a child." Jazz whispered, a hint of smugness that her assumption was accurate.

"Super… you have the power to detect bad relationships." Danielle rolled her eyes.

"So… looks like we have another problem to deal with" Danny said, still feeling a little numb.

"So… that's it then? We can all go home now?" Danielle suddenly asks.

Her question caused him to think.

Should they leave? Or stay to help? The idea was unclear to him.

Before Danny could speak up, Jazz raises a finger.

"We should at least make sure Frostbite takes care of the Beast." She said.

"Y-Yeah… good point." Danny said.

At the very least, knowing the Beast is going to be finished seemed to at least made his shoulders feel lighter.

"All we got is… some place in Dunkirk." Danielle pointed out. "That could be anywhere…"

"True." Jazz said.

"Well… Tucker could look up news on any ghosts or monsters scaring people away." Danny points out.

"Then let's ask him." Danielle suggested.

"Who knows, maybe Frostbite needs some help cleaning up the place." Jazz added.

"Sure, I guess that's the least I could do." Danny said.

"The least we can do." Jazz corrected him.

As that happened, Danny nodded as he felt nature calling him.

"I guess I should find a bathroom that still works before we decide to go to Dunkirk." He said.

"Most of them are pretty used up." Jazz said.

"Use your powers to go find an abandoned alley to pee in?" Danielle suggests.

"Eww!" Jazz went.

"I did it when I was living on the streets." Danielle insists, not seeing why Jazz was so grossed out by her suggestion.

"...you are never doing that again." Jazz reprimanded her with a disgusted expression.

That's when Danny suddenly gave a small laugh at this. This caught their attention. Seeing him not being all moody made them give a small smile, happy that he was feeling better.

"Glad to see you're not bitter right now…" Danielle commented.

"Same…" Danny said before he started to step back. "I better find a spot to pee…"

Jazz made a gagging expression as Danielle only gave a thumb's up.

He went to find a spot to morph, turn invisible and fly to a place.

He flew until finding a deserted alley. There he figured he could do his business without being spotted or getting in trouble.

"That'll do…" He said.

He would phase in and do his duty, making sure no one was in, he did his business. As he let nature run its course, he thought about Frostbite handling the Beast. He knew Frostbite was strong, being one of the strongest Ghosts he knows, so he knew he would be alright.

Once he was done, he made his way out when someone got on his path.

"What're you doing here?" An impatient Rich in his disguise asked.

"Rich?" Danny said in surprise. "What're you doing here?"

"Never mind that…" Rich went. "Why aren't you handling the Beast?"

Danny paused, thinking of why he wasn't dealing with the Beast.

"...someone… someone I know is handling the situation for me…" Danny said.

"Don't be a coward." Rich went unsympathetically. "You're the reason that thing lives… so you should actually be the one to finish it."

Having felt a bit better earlier, Danny's internal turmoil returned. Rich was now scolding him, demeaning him for choosing not to take on the Beast himself.

"Dude… I'm tired…" Danny said with a sigh.

"Tired? Hmm? Need a rest? Like that police officer?" Rich suddenly said.

Hearing that caused Danny to clench his fist tightly.

"...that… was low." Danny hissed.

"And yet… you're in need of a reminder of what you're responsible for… and for what you should be doing right now." Rich viciously continued. "Or do you want another Hank or whatever that idiot's name is to fall? Hmm? Who's next? You sisters? Parents? One of those little ladies you choose to fool with?"

Anger rising in him, Danny chose to throw a punch, aiming for Rich's face, not caring about the harm his ghost form would cause.

Instead, somehow, Rich caught the first with ease.

In that second, Danny's anger was replaced with shock. A seemingly normal human was about to react to his blow in time to catch it and, judging by the lack of a head tilt on Rich's covered face, no injury.

Not only that, but Rich's grip on the fist tightened, causing some discomfort that made Danny pull back, his other hand on his knuckles as a means to soothe the pain.

"How… how did you do that?" Danny asked in a shocked voice

"You have a Beast to deal with. Don't leave the job to some hairy idiots and a princess with some stupid jewelry…" Rich scoffed as he turned around and started to leave.

Before Danny could attack again, he took notice of what he just said.

Princess with jewelry? Does he mean Dora? He thought, suspicious of how he knew her description.

"Wait… how do you know that?" He asks.

"Just get to Dunkirk already…" Rich didn't bother looking back, just going around the corner.

Angered, Danny flew after him.

"Hey!" He called out as he went around the corner. "Don't igno-"

He paused, seeing no one down the street.

Suspicion and panic filled his mind. How does he do that, he wondered. Not only does this man disappear and reappear at random, but he seems to have no issue catching a fist from a half-ghost hybrid and shows no issue with it.

It took moments before he decided to rise back to the sky, deciding to get going. He looked to where his family and friends were before going in a different direction. He pulled out his phone and searched for where Dunkirk was located. After what Rich said, he didn't want to risk anyone else.

As he left, appearing out of the shadows was Rich, who nodded.

"My work here's done... may as well let those two have it out..." He said to himself.

A special thanks to Flower Princess11 and TheWhiteTitan.

Invader Johnny: Not just yet...

RonaldM40196867: I don't have a least, but my fave so far is this one. Wait and see. Not the monsters. Kinda already did at this point. I want to use alleged real world monsters. Maybe.

Daniel6: He is.

danifan3000: Well... we shall see.

ZeroTheOne: We do briefly. I had plans for her, but those will wait for the next chapter.

Luffy is king: Unfortunately, Rich makes it clear that it's Danny's role to do the deed. Also, we'll see for the rest.

Skully13: I only played a port of the first game but sure...