//------------------------------// // No Rest For The Weary // Story: Guilt of a Phantom // by Powerdrainer //------------------------------// Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, and Clawder. No Rest For The Weary <<>><<>><<>> "Wha- what just happened?" Scoot Blaze stammered, looking at the hovering human while water dripped down off of everything; her mane sticking to her face and covering one of her eyes.  Sky Rider, completely blinded by his waterlogged mane, turned towards her voice.  "What we came here for, I think. Wasn't expecting an explosive shower, though."  Shaking himself like a dog, he sprayed the surrounding area with a new layer of water. Some of which, much to her loudly vocalize protest, landed on Scoot Blaze.  "Eh hehe, oops," Sky Rider chuckled awkwardly.  "You're an idiot," Scoot Blaze groaned, then turned intangible and all the water soaking her fur fell to the ground.  "Huh," was the only response Sky Rider gave as he saw what she did.  Mimicking her, he too allowed intangibility to let the water still soaking him to fall to the ground. All the while, Scoot Blaze gave him the stink eye.  "You two done?"  Both ponies turned back to the human, noticing he looked at them with a deadpan.  "Ehh… Yes," Sky Rider said after a moment's hesitation.  Rolling his eyes, Danny hovered to the edge of the now empty, and surprisingly deep pool, where he dropped to the ground.  "So, are you okay now?" Scoot Blaze asked, looking at him, worried.  "I honestly have no idea," Danny said with a shrug. "But after everything that has happened, I doubt it. There is still a lot left that can go wrong, and I know it will bite me in the ass just saying that." Scoot Blaze frowned. "Are you always this pessimistic?" "After the day I've had, I think I'm allowed to be," Danny said simply, a hand on his neck while pulling his head from left to right, releasing some satisfying cracks. "A massive city returning out of nowhere after a thousand years. An equally old ghost pony king tyrant who enslaved the entire population of said city through mind control. A group of mares being send in to stop this threat, without any idea what they were doing, or what to expect. My shadow becoming its own entity, because of this parasitic being who was slowly taking over my mind and body just to get to my powers. The possible threat of Sombra still being out there after his defeat," Danny summed up, paused for a second, then continued. "And then I got home. But instead of going to bed like I wanted to, I spend the night looking for three fillies who had gone missing. All of this accompanied by the sighting of a ghost near town, which quickly steered any and all thought to the idea they were taken by said ghost. Then I find out there is a frost giant living in an old barn, that Cujo is here and, a seemingly permanent open portal is found in an ancient castle. And then, of course, the fillies are somehow involved in all of this madness in one way, or the other, while busy trying to save a dying species of shapeshifters, which somehow leads to me merging with a wolf ghost, before getting stuck in a body of melting ice, and chased through a castle by guards and an angry princess... Which is where I met you." Danny exhaled after his rant, groaning. "And that's just what happened to me… And it's not even a Tuesday. Sky Rider and Scoot Blaze looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "And that's not even counting the mess the fillies got themselves in," Danny snorted, frowning. "Which raises many questions on their own." Shaking his head while sighing out tiredly, he looked up at the passage they had entered through.  "Though any answers will have to wait until after this crisis has been resolved." He then focused on both ponies before him. "And what about you? No doubt there is something for you in all of this, or you wouldn't have taken such a huge risk in helping me." "There is," Sky Rider confirmed.  "But that is an answer that will have to wait as well," Scoot Blaze quickly added.  "Of course," Danny groaned through a sigh, rolling his eyes. "But not like I have the time for this anyhow." Clenching and unclenching his hand, he looked in the general direction to where the Hive was, frowning deeply. "No time at all." Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he turned back to the two ghost pegasi, lingering on Scoot Blaze for a bit as another pang of familiarity struck. "I take it you're not going to stick around for much longer, right?" "That wasn't the plan, no," Sky Rider answered. "We just did what we had to to keep us ghosts from being found out," Scoot Blaze said with a sour look. "A lot of good that did, with you running around like you did in plain sight." "Yeah, that's on me," Danny admitted ruefully, posture slumping. Straightening himself, Danny levitated himself up.  "Either way, thanks for helping me out back there. Don't know, nor do I want to know what might have happened if you guys hadn't shown up. So, uh… thanks, again." Both ponies gave a nod of acceptance. Spreading their wings, they joined him in the air, both looking at Danny intently. "Good luck, Danny," Scoot Blaze said, hesitating for a bit as if she had more to say, then closed her mouth and gave another nod. "Go and help my Mayfly," Sky Rider said, before snapping his mouth shut, eyes wide; Scoot Blaze shooting him a look while both ponies quickly retreated. "Wait, what?" Danny asked, confused, but was left with no answer as both ponies faded from view, leaving his voice to bounce off the walls. "Mayfly?" he wondered aloud, looking at the now vacant spot. Shaking his head, and releasing a throaty groan, he slowly moved up to the ceiling. "You know. I've just about had it with all these unanswered questions." Not wasting any more time, he flew through the rock above, and made haste return, back to the changelings' city.  <<>><<>><<>> With a low groan, Dani stirred.  Shifting from side to side, uncomfortably warm, becoming increasingly aware of a weight pressing down on her and, a dull throb in her head, which quickly increased the more she noticed.  A gasp came from somewhere far, followed by a faint, yet still far too loud clopping (from hooves hitting the floor and nothing else, you dirty minded reader,) which only worked to agitate the throbbing pain her senses began to focus on more and more.  Turning her head away from the offending noise, an involuntary hiss joined by a flinch, followed from a sudden lance of pain shooting through her.  "She's waking up," a far too loud voice spoke up. "Alert the princesses." More sound followed: metal clanging together, more clopping, and lastly, the familiar sound of a door opening and closing.  Struggling to open her eyes, her lids feeling as if they weighed a ton each, a sliver of light managed to shine its way past the minute crack her effort had managed to create.  Its blinding radiance quickly forced her to stop and turn away, only to be painfully reminded that moving was a rather bad idea.  "Please stay still," the voice said, pounding in her ears. "You've been through a lot." "Stop... yelling, please," Dani croaked, turning her head away, grimacing, now realizing just how dry her throat had become. "Yelling? I'm not… oh," a subdued sigh followed. "Is this better?" Was asked at a more reasonable volume, allowing Dani to process the feminine tone. Dani took a deep breath, held it for a bit, then slowly exhaled. "Yes,"  Feeling the throb in her brain diminish slightly, she once again tried to open her eyes; this time with more success and slowly, a blurred shape revealed itself to her. "Wha… What happened?" Dani asked, blinking slowly to clear her vision while, against her body's protest, she began to push herself up. The blur moved and, within moments she felt a gentle, but firm hoof pressed her back down, while a soft chime, and light blue glow drew her attention, while a strange tingle spread around the back of her head as it was slowly lifted.  A different blur now filled her vision; the sloshing of water and the cold touch to her lips revealing to her the glass that was being offered. "Drink this." Not resisting, she allowed the still undefined blur to tip the glass, allowing the cold water to soothe her parched throat.  A short coughing fit later after drinking too greedily, joined by the now expected pain from moving, Dani lay her head back down on the soft pillow; her vision finally starting to clear out. Which was unfortunate, as a small flashlight then shone in her eyes, one at a time, now filling her sight with numerous spots.  "Pupil reflex looks normal," she saw a chestnut brown, white maned mare say past the spots as she put away the light, fidgeting for a moment with a stethoscope around her neck. Picking up a thermometer, and using her magic to move aside some bandages Dani now realized covered her head, the mare placed the device's tip in the woman's ear to take a reading.  "Core temperature normal," she said after a moment, inspecting the readings on the device's display. Setting aside the thermometer and putting the bandages back in place, the mare took a step back, and moved better into Dani's line of sight. "How are you feeling?" Dani blinked, then slowly looked around as best she could, taking in the room she was in. "Bruised," she answered. "... confused. Where am I? And, what happened?" "That is something we would like to know as well," a new voice spoke from out of Dani's sight, the loudness of the voice making her flinch once again.  "Princess Celestia," Dani saw the mare bow, then fumble to catch the stethoscope as it fell from her neck. "Princess Luna," she bowed again after she caught the medical tool.  "Please rise, Stable Pulse," Princess Celestia addressed the now introduced mare, voice light, but with hidden tension woven in her words. "There is no need to bow, especially considering current circumstances." Dani let out a pained hiss and pulled her head away from those speaking, unbeknownst drawing the attention of both alicorns entering the room. "I understand, Princess. But, please, keep your voice lowered. The patient seems to be sensitive to sound." "I see. Is she able to answer some questions?" "I believe so. But please, keep it brief." Nodding in understanding, princess Celestia approached the bed, allowing Dani to see her; joined seconds later by her sister; Celestia looking at the woman with a gentle smile, while Luna held a hard, calculating gaze. "Greetings, Dani," Princess Celestia began. "We have not met personally, but my sister and I have been keeping a close eye on proceedings down in the caves. As you may already know, I am Princess Celestia and this is my sister, Princess Luna," she introduced. "Now, when we entered, we heard you ask where you are and what had happened. You are in our castle's medical wing, being treated for your injuries sustained when the construction site was attacked by a ghost," she explained, making Dani tense immediately. A pained hiss escaped her because of this. "As for the other question thou posed," princess Luna picked up after the young woman composed herself. "As mine sister said, a ghost attacked, in which thou were gravely injured. However, the true extent of events still eludes us and We hope thou could shed some light on these matters most dark." "A ghost attacked?" Dani repeated, confused, frowning deeply. Then her memories came to her all at once; the giant anti ghost crystal, her duplicate, her attempt and subsequent failure to re-merge with her other half, Pete accidentally walking into her, and the combined wail she and her duplicate utilized to destroy the crystal. Then, darkness. "We see thou remember something," princess Luna commented, noticing the widening of Dani's eyes. "Bits and pieces," Dani said, slowly pulling a hand free from underneath the thick, sweltering blanket, she carefully prodded at her head; able to suppress a wince when she touched the bandaged wound. "That explains the headache," she muttered, letting her hand fall down to the bed. "Indeed," Luna gave a stoic nod.  "Wh- and what about the rest of the workers. How are th-" "Fret not," Luna stopped her, a hoof held up. "Save for some minor injuries, none were harmed." "Now, as we understand it, you, and one other human, were present in the chamber the ghost attacked. And we have already learned his side of events. Your side, however, is one we still need to know. And we hope it may provide answers to some of the most urgent questions," Princess Celestia explained.  "I see," Dani groaned uncomfortably. "Can I lose some blankets first? It feels like I'm melting under here," leaving out the part she spoke from horrifying experience. "That shouldn't be a problem anymore." Stable Pulse interjected, using her magic to remove most of the downy layers insulating Dani. "Anymore?" Dani shot the doctor a questioning look, but it went unanswered. "Now then, what exactly had happened down in the caves?" Celestia preempted any other question Dani might ask, steering the conversation back on track. Dani sighed out, her painful mind trying to figure a way out of this mess without revealing anything about herself, or Danny. "I was down in the cave, in the chamber where they found this large crystal. The guys think it might be powerful enough to power this entire project of yours, and they were in the main chamber running some tests on the equipment, to make sure." "But if everypon- pardon, everyone was present elsewhere, why were you there, alone?" Celestia asked. "To stay out of their way," Dani answered simply. Both princesses raised an eyebrow in surprise to this answer. "I may be the project leader, but I barely understand the tech those guys use." "If that is so, then how is it thou were placed in such a position of responsibility?" Dani gave a pained chuckle. "You're not the only ones who've asked that question." She paused for a moment, trying to ignore the pounding in her head. "It's because they are the brains, while I am here to make sure everything gets done correctly," Dani grunted, shifting in a more comfortable position. "To keep some oversight on what's what, while everyone is busy trying to figure out how everything goes together in an environment we're not familiar with. Which brings us back to these crystals, because we definitely weren't expecting them to be what they are." "I see," Princess Celestia said thoughtfully, studying the young woman before her. "This, however, does not explain why thou chose to separate thyself from the rest, and go to the one place in which Our ponies found the single greatest asset in Our fight against ghosts. Especially in light of the sudden and unexpected attack mere moments later." Dani shifted her gaze to the lunar princess, staring into her calculating eyes, able to see her own bandaged reflection in them. "You think I'm responsible for this ghost attack? How?" "We are not claiming thee to be responsible, nay. It was a ghost, or ghosts, that did this. Witnesses have confirmed as much. Yet thy presence at the site of the attack when it happened, while alone, does raise concerns." "Ah, so that's how it is," Dani sighed out, looking away and allowing her head to sink deeper into her pillow. "You think I was possessed. Makes sense." "And it would explain much," Princess Celestia spoke up. "If it wasn't for the fact that none of our ghost scanners showed any signs of spectral energy surrounding you. Which is a problem." "So, not possessed then?" Dani looked at the solar princess. "I honestly don't know what to say here. It's not like I planned for any of this to happen." "The reason for this to be a problem, would be the fact that mere hours ago, at the start of sunset, a ghost occupied this very room," Princess Celestia revealed. "WHAT!?" Dani shouted, bolting upright, before groaning loudly in pain. "And that's enough of that!" Stable Pulse said sternly, looking at the princesses while using her magic to slowly lay Dani down again. "We have yet to finish Our questioning," Princess Luna countered with authority. "And you will do so, later. First my patient needs some time to recover. I've allowed this to go on for far too long already. She needs rest, and-" A hand on her withers stopped her mid-sentence. "What ghost?" Dani asked, pulling her hand back while staring intently at both alicorns. Both princesses looked at Dani with unreadable expressions, neither saying anything. "What ghost!?" Dani demanded. Celestia looked at Luna, who in turn gave a barely perceivable nod. "It was the Terror of Amity Park," Dani's eyes widened dramatically. "It was Danny Phantom." <<>><<>><<>>   "Do you think it was wise to tell such a lie?" Celestia asked her sister after they had retreated to her private chamber. "You know just as well as I do that she knows more than she is willing to tell us, Tia. Besides, 'tis not as if it is a complete lie. The Phantom was seen in Our castle, near the room miss Dani occupies. And though the ghost seen in her room and, hunted by Our guards and I was not him, it cannot be a coincidence that these two entities were here at the same time." "True. But what worries me more is the way Dani reacted to this news," Celestia pondered. "Indeed. 'Twas as if she expected for him to be here." "If so, that might mean her presence here is for something other than managing proceedings down in the caves. Which would suggest a hidden agenda." "But from whom? Her own, or others, not known to Us?" "It would also explain why she was put in charge of this endeavor. Such a position would allow one to gain access to numerous guarded locations without much question," Celestia surmised. "So, a spy perhaps?" "Maybe? But from who? We have established good, if not limited relationships with the humans, which has allowed us access to technology more advanced than this world has ever seen." "Yet it has also exposed our world to a new and still largely unknown threat, which requires their very technology to properly defend against." "True. But it was not them who forced this necessity upon either of our worlds." "Nay, 'twas not. If what they told Us is true." "They did show compelling evidence to their claims." "Indeed. Which forces Us to ask several questions above all else: Who is Dani Spectral really? Who does she work for? How does Danny Phantom fit in with all of this? Why is the Phantom here? How does this fit in with everything transpiring over at Ponyville? And, most importantly, what evil does he plan to unleash upon Our world? Celestia released a worried sigh, walking towards one of the large windows overlooking the valley below Canterlot, and in the distance, Ponyville. "I just hope we have the time to find those answers. I feel a lot of lives will be saved if we do." "And if not?" Celestia's eyes narrowed, staring off in the distance, memories flashing back to that day in Baltimare, and those opposing her. "Then I'll teach those ghosts just how hot the sun really is." <<>><<>><<>> "You know, for once it would be nice for me to go to some city and it not being on fire," Danny deadpanned as he hovered before the changelings' city; screaming and shouting filling the massive chamber as he saw a swarm of the insectile ponies flee from some unseen threat. 'They do appear to have a running streak of bad luck,' "So, you're back among the non-living," Danny stated, not even flinching when Eclipse suddenly spoke. "Fenris, you're doing alright now, too?" 'I am,' was his clipped reply. "Okay," Danny sighed out, a hand placed against his head while he slowly took everything in. "At least that's normal again… What goes for normal, at least. Now, what the hell is going on here this time?" ""DANNY!"" Two panic-filled voices slammed into him, and he saw both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo run full tilt towards him. Dropping down to the ground, the liberated Fenton thermos still clipped to his belt rattling slightly, he waited for the pair to cross the distance and come to a screeching stop before him; both fillies sucking in air with great heaves. "Girls, what is going on this time?" "It's Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo managed between breaths. "Somethaing's seriously wrong with her!" Apple Bloom added in urgency.  "She's gone all evil spirit on us. And she doesn't even recognize Apple Bloom and me!"  "WHAT!?" Danny shouted. "What are you talking about?!" A chance to answer, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo didn't have as, at that moment, a bone chilling screech shook the city. "... Oh, that can't be good," Danny remarked as he looked wide eyed at the approaching group of changeling younglings, and pursuing them from the air, Sweetie Belle. Or, the pony Danny knew was Sweetie Belle, even if she had transformed into something clearly not like her. "What happened to her?" He asked, shocked by her physical transformation; the dark gray, almost black coat, shadow like mane and eyes burning such a toxic green, it almost hurt to look at. 'Fear,' Fenris rumbled. 'She has been consumed, corrupted by fear.' "YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?!" Danny yelled, seemingly at himself, only adding to the chaos unfolding. "No, never mind. Can you stop this?" 'I can cut out the fear, much like I did the hate with the shapeshifters,' Fenris informed, right when another ear piercing screech slammed into them; the city shaking once more, while a distant bridge collapsed. 'But we must catch her first,' he added far too calmly for Danny's liking, watching through their shared eyes as Sweetie Belle flew past the group she was hunting, firing several bolts and beams in the ground around them, at the same time, greedily sucking in a sickly dark red energy flowing from her victims. "... So, it has come down to this then, huh?" Danny muttered grimly, his hand moving for the thermos out of long forgotten, but quickly rediscovered reflex before he caught himself and let his hand fall to his side; slowly closing it into a fist. "Fine." Looking down at the two fillies still by his side, at their friend in fear, worry, and even horror, Danny knew what needed to be done. "Apple Bloom, Scootaloo," he said authoritatively. Both fillies turned to him with a snap. "You go help the changelings. I'll deal with her," he instructed, flying off to meet his unwanted foe before he finished. "PLEASE DON'T HURT HER!" Scootaloo yelled after him, and unintentionally alerting Sweetie Belle, who hissed and snarled at Danny as he approached with speed. "I don't have to," Danny said, only those sharing his mind able to hear him as he watched in pity at the tormented filly. "When this is over, she'll be doing that herself." <<>><<>><<>>   Bright flashes illuminated the city as beams and bolts of searing green were fired wildly, impacting on walkways, walls, or were lost in the darkness below the hanging city, as the one firing snarled angrily at the one pursuing her; Danny easily avoiding every shot fired at him due to inexperience of the young pony, combined with her corrupted state of mind, further agitating the filly.  "Sweetie Belle, snap out of it!" Danny shouted, quickly dodging another bolt of searing green. "You don't want to do this!" Sweetie Belle's response was a low growl as her horn glowed a sickly green.  Seeing the attack coming well in advance, Danny easily avoided being hit, looking at the young pony in pity.  "Do you even understand what's going on right now?" He asked, looking into her slitted eyes, trying to find any sign of recognition. 'Her mind is too clouded by the fear she absorbed,' Fenris rumbled. 'All she does is acting on instinct.' 'Instinct, not her own,' Danny replied somberly. 'Yet it is hers. Untrained, overwhelming, but hers all the same.' Snapping up his right arm, Danny projected a shield around him, absorbing the trio of spectral orbs Sweetie Belle had flung at him.  'And until she learns how to control all aspects of her own self, this will continue to happen. 'Let's just stop her first, then deal with that problem.' 'Agreed.' Sweetie Belle slammed into Danny's shield, knocking into it with hooves aglow; trying to brute force her way through the energetic sphere with little success.  Sighing out while shaking his head, Danny lifted his left hand, knowing what he had to do.  In an instant, he let his right hand fall, the shield flickering for a moment before dissipating. But before Sweetie Belle could react, a small orb of icy blue impacted on her body, flash freezing the pony in a block of ice which Danny quickly caught; his blue glowing eyes looking at the frozen filly with sadness. "Why didn't I see this coming? They said something was wrong, but I told them not to worry." 'Don't blame yourself for something you could not have known,' Eclipse said comforting as Danny slowly descended down to the bridge on which Scootaloo and Apple Bloom waited; looking up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "But I could have done more. Maybe prevented th-" 'CEASE YOUR SELF PITY! IT IS AGGRAVATING AND DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE.' Fenris bellowed angrily.  'Grandfather is right, Danny. Besides, you've been on this path of self doubt before. Please don't go down this road again.' Releasing a deep, suffering breath, Danny shook his head. "You're right. I know, but-" he looked down at the block of ice under his arm, only to come to a dead stop mid-sentence and descend.  The ice was empty. Slowly Danny looked forwards, eyes flat as he stared out in the distance. "Well, shi-" A burst of green slammed into his unguarded back.