Guilt of a Phantom

by Powerdrainer

Shadow of the Night. Part 3

Danny looked around in confusion as he found himself in a familiar room. He tightened his grip around the thorn he just pulled out of the manticore's claw, his hand shaking almost imperceptibly. 

"Wait, we're back here?" Tucker said.

"It looks like it, but why?" Danny replied. "Whoa!" He yelled out as the thorn he was still holding started to glow with a pink light. The shock made him lose his grip on the object, yet it didn't fall towards the ground.

Instead, it rose up out of his hands and flew towards the pedestal they saw in the center of the chamber. Hovering above one of the empty bowls, it slowly descended, while its shape changed. At first it was nothing more than a wooden thorn, covered in the blood of the manticore. But gradually it became a pink butterfly made out of crystal. It hovered slightly above the bowl, as if it did not wanted to allow gravity to take full hold over it, while it slowly rotated in place. 

"Wha... What’s going on?" Danny asked as he stood there absolutely confused.

"I don't know!" Tucker half yelled.

"Kindness." 
'Sam' said in an amazed whisper.

"What?" Danny asked, not hearing what she said.

"Nothing, nothing. Just wondering what this is." 'Sam' deflected. 

"So what do we do now?" Tucker asked as he stared, mesmerized at the rotating crystal.

"Well, if this thing is any indication, I'd say we need to find the remaining pieces to fill up the bowls. I guess it is the only way we can beat her at her own game." 'Sam' said as she observed the pedestal.

"Ok, so where do we go now?" Danny asked.

"That is a good question." 'Sam' said, before a loud rumble could be heard.

Everywhere they looked, they could see the structure around them collapsing. Walls broke down, and massive fissures formed across the floor they stood on. With a deafening rumble it all fell apart. 

Danny, 'Sam' and Tucker screamed out as the floor gave way beneath them, revealing nothing but a seemingly bottomless chasm. Darkness surrounded the trio as they fell. The dim glow from the room above grew fainter and fainter as they continued to freefall.

Danny screamed, they all screamed, as they continued down into the inky space. 

Danny tried to use his ghost powers, but they seemed to have left him. No glowing eyes, no ecto-blasts he could shoot from his hands. No ability to fly. 

Danny's throat felt raw after what seemed like minutes of screaming, and yet they still fell deeper and deeper into the endless void. No longer able to see the others. Unable to save himself, let alone his friends as darkness continued to consume them until he could no longer hear 'Sam' and Tucker

He was alone again. He knew that the others were close by, but in this darkness they might as well have been miles away. 

'Is this it? Is this how it is all going to end?' He wondered as he felt the air rush past him. 'I just hope that it is going to be quick.'

It would seem that his wish was granted, but not as he expected it. 

A pained, weak groan left his mouth as the air was forced from his lungs The impact with a solid surface knocking him out. Seconds later, the dull thud, thud of two more bodies could be heard, had anyone been conscious to hear it.

In the darkness he grew. In the darkness he gained shape. In the darkness he twisted and turned as he dragged himself back into existence. He made a mistake, he knew that now. A mistake that costed him dearly. 

Anger, guilt, rage, vengeance. Feelings he wasn't accustomed to coursed through his being. They gave him strength, strength he needed to hold on to the last few strands of his former self. The last few pieces that could guide him back. 

It took all he was. The scarce amount of energy he still had was spent trying to drag himself out of the depths he found himself in. But he succeeded. He succeeded in dragging himself back to existence, back to consciousness. Yet he was spent. His energy gone, used up. 

He lay there, unmoving, gathering his strength. He would need it, all of it. It was by his doing that all of this happened, and it would be by his doing that it would be undone. 

He hoped. 

A ripple went through his form, a small surge of energy that molded his distorted form into something slightly more recognizable. 

Slowly he lifted himself off the ground, completely invisible in the darkness that surrounded him. A darkness that was absolute, save two faint glowing green eyes. His eyes. Eyes that slowly grew in luminosity as his strength recovered.

Looking up, he could see it all. And most importantly, he could see her. The one responsible. His mistake.

His eyes glowed with pure hatred, but he was still too weak to do anything. At least, nothing direct. But maybe he could do other things, bring her out of balance, and tip the scales for both himself, and his master.

With a look of determination he slithered away in the shadows surrounding him, the glow of his eyes fading as he departed. 

With a grunt, Danny came to. Placing his hand against his head and slightly shaking it to regain focus, he sat up and looked around. 

Wherever he was, it was dark. It was impossible for him to see where he was. Even with his ghost vision, he was unable to pierce the darkness that surrounded him. Nor was the light of the full moon overhead able to lift the darkness he found himself in. 

Shaking his head more vigorously, Danny slowly stood up.

"Hello?" he called out into the veil of darkness covering him. "Is anyone there?"

With a loud, mechanical thunk, a large panel of lights snapped on, blinding Danny as he found himself bathed in a harsh white light.

More loud thuds sounded around him, and Danny could sense that more light screens shone their light over him.

Blinking his eyes rapidly, he tried to clear his vision of the many spots that hindered his sight. Slowly, the surrounding area became clear to him, and he got his first look at where he was. He didn’t take time to absorb the area around himself, as he saw 'Sam' and Tucker laying on the ground not too far from where he stood.

Quickly making his way to his friends- or whatever they really were -he hurried to make sure that they were unharmed. 

Kneeling besides 'Sam', he was relieved to find that she was still breathing, and a quick check on Tucker showed he was alright too, albeit both of them were still out for the count.

Glad that both of them were alive, though unconscious, Danny took a moment to finally survey the surroundings he found himself in.

"Hold on....." He said nervously as he looked around. "I have been here before, haven't I?"

Eight large light panels illuminated the football field the three landed in. A large tribune was placed on one side, while a massive mansion could be seen on the other. A mansion he knew all too well; a place he hated almost as much as the person living there. 

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Danny groaned as he realized where he was.

Slowly, he walked to the edge of the field. He had his suspicions, but he needed to be sure about this. If this place was based on his memories, then there should also be....

With a muted hum, an electric blue ghost shield formed in front of Danny, confirming his suspicion. He was sealed in this place, especially considering that he was in his human form while the shield stopped him. 

"Drat." He sighed as he stepped away from the shield, causing it to disappear in thin air, creating the illusion of freedom only a few steps away.

Turning around, Danny saw that 'Sam' was regaining consciousness. Hurrying towards her, he helped her back up.

"Are you alright?" he asked as she shielded her eyes from the harsh light that blinded her.

"Yeah, I am." She groaned as her vision slowly adjusted to the bright light, and she got her first look at the place they were now.

"I’m fine too." Tucker said with evident irritation as he pushed himself up. "If anyone is wondering."

"Right, sorry." Danny said as he pulled Tucker back up on his feet.

"So, where are we?" Tucker asked as he looked around.

"Beats me. I don't know this place." 'Sam' said with a shrug.

"I do." Danny said with a bitter tone, looking at the mansion near the edge of the field.

"I really don't like the sound of that." 'Sam' said as she picked up on the harshness of Danny's voice.

"Me neither, but that still doesn't answer where we are." Tucker added.

"We’re at Vlad's estate." Danny answered, shooting a sideways glance at Tucker. "More specifically, we’re on the football field where he forced Jazz and me to fight each other to the death."

"He did what!?" 'Sam' and Tucker both shouted in outrage.

"Yeah… You remember that, shortly after Jazz joined our team, she and I had a little... disagreement?" Danny asked.

"Ehh, I think I remember." 'Sam' said.

"Well, after that she went to Vlad in an attempt to take him down herself, and show me that she was more than a bother. And boy, did things escalate quickly after that." Danny continued as he refocused his attention on the dark mansion.

"And he made the two of you fight each other?" 'Sam' said incredulously.

"And the fight is not over yet!" 

Danny, 'Sam' and Tucker all turned around in surprise. 

Danny's eyes shrunk to pinpricks, while his mouth contorted into one of horror and confusion at the sight before him. Tucker's mouth fell open, while his eyes widened and a blush formed on his face. And 'Sam' could only stare in shock while one of her eyes twitched. 

Before them stood Jazz, but there were some things different about her. Her hair, which was usually red, was now a rainbow of colors, while the color of her irises had changed into magenta. A pair of cyan wings extended from her back, giving her an angelic appearance. Yet none of this was what drew their attention. No, it was the outfit she was wearing. A dark blue and black, skin tight latex suit, with yellow lightning stripes around the neck, arms and legs, and what seemed to be an image of a human skull with a wing attached to it on her hips. 

"We still have a score to settle, my little brother." She said with a cold tone.

"Jazz? What happened to you? Why are you wearing that?" Danny asked in a panic, trying his best not to look too much at his sister. That suit she was wearing left nothing to the imagination.

"Yes, it's me." She began coldly. "You happened to me." She said with rising anger, pointing a finger at Danny. "And this is the consequence of your actions." She almost shouted as she indicated herself.

"What!?" Danny said, taken aback.

"You left us, Danny. All of us. The citizens of Amity Park, your friends... Your family. What did you think would happen to those you left behind? What would happen to the city with you gone? You hurt all of us with your selfish actions!" Jazz yelled heatedly. "You once stood for something. Something great. But then you ran away after things got just a bit too difficult. With you gone, the city, and all those living in it, were an open target for any and all ghosts. So, some of us had to stand up when Danny Phantom had so obviously failed. I am what I am now, all because of you. I took the responsibility that you abandoned all those years ago. I might have lost some of myself in doing so, but I did it with my head held high, instead of cowering underneath some rock like you did."

"No, that’s not true." Danny said in disbelief as he took a step back.

"Really, then how do you explain this?" Jazz asked as she once again indicated herself.

Danny looked down at his feet in shame at his sister's words, guilt crashing down on him all over again. Then, sudden realization struck him, and with it, a rising anger.

"I don't need to explain this, because it isn't real. I may have made some mistakes in the past, but I know that you would never turn on me. You were always there to help me, even when I didn't want you to. You could never be like this. My sister will always be there to help me. She already helped me not too long ago," Danny spoke with surety in his words as he looked Jazz square in the eyes.

"Pfhu... In your dreams." Jazz mocked.

"Exactly!" Danny said triumphantly, before crouching down in a fighting stance; his hands glowing with green energy as he turned back in his ghost form.

"What!?" Jazz said in surprise, not expecting this. But before she could say or do anything else, Danny jumped up, and flew towards her. 

Acting on reflex, Jazz dashed to the side, rolling aside to dodge Danny’s attack. 

"Hah, you've got to do better than th- Ghaa!" Jazz yelled as she was hit with one of Danny's ecto orbs, knocking the wind out of her.

"You traitor!" Jazz wheezed. "Is abandoning everyone not enough for you? Must you attack me, your sister, as well?"

"I will never hurt my friends or family!" Danny snarled in anger towards the woman before him. "Lucky for me, you are neither of those."

"So that’s how it is, huh? Don't expect any mercy from me."

"I wasn't expecting it to begin with." Danny replied coldly as he charged his hands for another attack.

"Fine!" was all Jazz said before she burst forward with impossible speed, slamming her shoulder into Danny's chest, and sending him flying across the field.

Danny slammed head first into the ghost shield, and slowly slid down the shimmering, translucent wall of blue. 

Sprawled out on the ground, he slowly stood up, his head spinning.

"What the..." Danny mumbled as he shook his head, and turned around in time to see Jazz's fist slamming into his head.

"What the? Why is Danny fighting her? And what memory is mixed with Jazz that could cause her to be like this?" 'Sam' wondered aloud as she watched Danny and Jazz fight each other, or more precisely, she watched Jazz beating the crap out of Danny.

"Do you have any ideas?" she asked Tucker, standing next to her, never watching away from the ongoing battle.

"Eehhh..." Was all the response she got.

"Yeah, you're a real help here. Come on, Tucker. You’re part of him. You should have at least some ideas." Said 'Sam', still not looking away from the battlefield.

"Eehhhh.."

"Oh for the..." She nearly shouted, finally turning to look at Tucker. "What!? Eewww!" She shuddered as she saw Tucker, and the expression he wore while watching Jazz. 

"This is just wrong."

"Eeehhh." Came the same mindless reply as Tucker was unable to avert his gaze from Jazz.

With a groan, 'Sam' slapped Tucker across the face, snapping him out of whatever mindset he was just in.

"Wait, what?" He asked in confusion, rubbing his cheek and looked around, trying to find out what had hit him. His heart skipped a beat as he saw 'Sam' standing next to him, the look on her face sending tremors through his spine.

"Sam... I uh.. I can.." Tucker struggled to come up with an explanation, but 'Sam' stopped him as she rose her hand.

"I don’t want to know. Ever." 'Sam' said with forced calm.

"Right, got it." Tucker blushed awkwardly.

"Just tell me if you have any idea what’s going on with Jazz?" 'Sam' said with a groan.

"Well... Her hair is different, and she has wings. And then there is the suit... she is... wearing." Tucker managed to say, before his mind shut down again as Jazz moved by them.

A wet 'smack' sounded over the noise of combat as 'Sam' left another red mark on Tucker's face.

"I should have figured as much." 'Sam' groaned as she gave Tucker the evil eye. "Boys and their hormones."

Stars filled his vision as Danny flew through the air in a wide arc, then slammed into the ground with a heavy thud. 

'What the…' He thought as he pulled himself up with a groan. 'It’s like she’s using the Fenton ecto-skeleton.'

Rising to his feet once more, he barely had the time to react as Jazz came out of nowhere and tried to tackle him. 

Jumping out of her way and flying up in the air, he hoped that he would be able to catch his breath for a moment as he thought about how to deal with her. This, however, was a luxury he was not allowed.

"Don't think you can run away again, you traitor!" Jazz yelled at him. With that, she jumped up as she spread her wings. 

Danny looked on with wide eyes as Jazz flew towards him with a speed that defied logic. Before his brain could form a plan, his reflexes acted. With a blast and green flash, Jazz was hit in the chest with an ecto blast, causing her to scream out as she plummeted to the ground.

Gazing down to the prone form of Jazz, and then his hands, Danny let out a small laugh of disbelief over the lucky break. Wasting no more time, he hurtled toward his sister, and froze her body into a large lump of ice, immobilizing her. 

Feet planted on the green field, Danny glared at Jazz with glowing hands. 

"You think you're so much right now, huh?" Jazz said weakly as she slowly raised her head, and looked defiantly at Danny. "Tell me, do you feel pride? Or powerful perhaps? Whatever it is, it will never hide what you really are, coward."

"Gimme a break, you brought this on yourself." Danny countered without a second thought.

"Really? Then tell me, who was it that threw the first punch?"

"What?" Danny said in confusion.

"Who. Threw. The. First. Punch?" Jazz repeated slowly, as if Danny were an imbecile. While unbeknownst to him, she slowly freed her right hand by absorbing the energy that existed in the ice imprisoning her, causing it to grow weak and brittle.

"I.. I... ehh." Danny stammered for a reply as he tried to come up with an answer. 

"Exactly. You. You were the one that started all this. Back then, all those years ago when you pushed me away, while all I wanted to do was help. And now, the first thing you did when you saw me was attack."

Danny took a step back in stunned silence after she said that. He knew that she wasn't really his sister, but what she said was true all the same.

"You claim to be a hero, someone that helps others, but in the end, you only think about yourself. Either you push those close to you away, or you leave them behind yourself. You are a traitor,and a coward." Jazz taunted as she clenched her hand into a fist, cracking the ice around it as she absorbed more and more energy trapped in the ice.

The energy charged into Danny's hands died down as they fell limply to his side. Physical strength aside, her mind was still the most powerful weapon she had, and she used it to break down Danny in a way no punch or kick ever could.

"It's funny, actually. You keep denying it. You keep fighting it. You run away from it every time, but it is always there, waiting for you. And you know what? The more you do that, the stronger I become." Jazz said as the ice around her started to crack.

Nightmare Moon was watching the events play out before her with a sadistic grin. 

This time things were working out much better. The first bit of damage this ape managed to inflict on her pawn sent a small bolt of delicious energy to her. Nothing that would help her in the long run, but a nice appetizer all the same, and she hungered for more. She was afraid, however, that her pawn might be too rough on the human, and make it impossible for him to even use his abilities. 

This fear wouldn't last long though. It was a lucky shot for him, and for her as well. The memory she had dragged out of his mind, and altered with one of her own, got hit with another, desperate bolt of energy, and she shuddered in delight from another burst of energy. But things got even better when her prey used even more of his energy. Energy used directly on her pawn to trap her.

This foalishness was exactly what she was looking for. He had all this power, but he didn't think things through. No. It would seem that that role was reserved for this other being that she saw, whose presence she was unaware of, until she noticed that she did not obey any of either her own, or Danny's mental commands. 

She was different, an unknown factor. Something, or someone, that could and, by the looks of it, would cause her a lot of trouble. This dark haired girl, this Sam; she must be dealt with, and soon. Danny was enough trouble on his own, but she could control him, guide him to do what she wanted. But the female ape was different, outside her control, and a danger to what she wanted.

Using the energy she already had, she changed the dream once more. Or she added something to be more precise. Something, or rather, someone that would be able to take control of things. And his memory showed that Sam knew all about this being's ability to control.

But, as Nightmare Moon was focusing on changing the dream, she didn't notice the pair of glowing green eyes almost directly behind her, looking at her with anger, before they faded into the darkness.

The pop of cracking ice could be heard over the silent field as, in a sudden blur of motion, Jazz burst free of her frozen prison, grabbing Danny by the collar of his suit, hoisting him up. 

"You always run away when things get too difficult for you! You always leave your friends and family behind! You never think of others, only yourself! You are the most untrustworthy, most Unloyal person I ever had the displeasure of knowing!" Jazz yelled. She then pulled back with her free arm, preparing to deliver a crushing blow to Danny's face. Before she could do so, her eyes glazed over, and she just stood there, holding Danny up, as her mind was slightly changed; new "memories" were given to her.

A snarl formed on her face as she lifted Danny higher, her free hand dropping slightly. 

"But you know all about this already, don't you. You ran away before." She began, a low rumbling sound started to fill the otherwise silent area, "You left us, all of us, when we were in danger. We were unable to defend ourselves, and the only one that could help us ran away because he was too weak." She continued as she tightened the grip she had on Danny. All the while, the rumbling picked up in volume as tremors surged throughout the ground. 

Danny's eyes grew round in sudden realization as he processed what she was dredging up. 

Gasping for air, he watched, horrified, as a large figure erupted from the nearby building, destroying the roof of Vlad's mansion. The walls collapsed onto themselves as large vines burst out of them, and the debris of the roof flew through the air, before slamming into the ground surrounding the mansion. Some of the stray pieces must have crushed something important, because Danny could see the ghost shield that surrounded the field flicker and die as it lost power. 

Slowly, the dust settled, and the imposing figure became clear for everyone to see.

A large figure, composed of vines, and other plant-like materials. Red eyes glowed in the dark as their piercing gaze fell on the field, observing what was going on, before their attention shifted to the black haired girl its master demanded be dealt with.

'Sam' and Tucker were watching the fight between Danny and Jazz, not fully understanding what was happening. 

Jazz, or more precisely, the memory of Jazz was changed. That much was obvious, but whose character traits she now showed they didn't know. Or 'Sam' didn't, seeing how Tucker was more focused on a particular hand shaped mark on his face to pay much attention to what was going on. He really had the same short attention span as Danny. 

Both of them reacted with surprise when Jazz flew up into the sky, but 'Sam' was quick to adjust to this new development. Tucker, however, was a different story, and it earned him another red mark on the face. 

'Sam' just shook her head at him this time, not knowing if this particular character trait was something that came from Danny, or if Danny somehow remembered him like this. Not that that was unlikely, seeing some of Tucker's more colorful behavior around the girls at their school.

A green flash brought 'Sam' back to the ongoing fight, and she saw Jazz fall to the ground, a small trail of smoke coming from her as she crashed into solid terra firma. Still, something was off. It was staring her right in the face, and she knew it. Something so obvious that she would feel stupid over it later. 

She watched as Danny froze Jazz's body, trapping her. Then Jazz did something she wasn't expecting, but should have. She started to talk. 'Sam' knew that Jazz always had a way to reach out to others through her logic and words, and now this was being used against Danny. It was then that she saw something, and she realized what it was she couldn't place a moment ago. Jazz's hand was moving, slowly breaking the ice, and freeing herself. She was absorbing the energy trapped in the ice, absorbing it for her. 

'Sam' wanted to yell at Danny to stop, to get out of there, but before she could, Jazz broke free. She grabbed hold of Danny, and lifted him up, preparing to finish him off. But then something changed. Jazz stopped moving. Standing frozen as a statue. 'Sam' felt a chill go down her spine as she could feel a pair of unseen eyes on her, and she knew something bad was about to happen. 

A faint rumble could be heard, slowly picking up in volume as the ground started to shake with it. A loud crashing noise followed shortly thereafter, and a massive figure rose up from the mansion not too far away from them. 

'Sam's' eyes shrunk to pinpricks as she recognized the shape of this being, someone that had once taken control over her, making her turn against Danny, the only one who had not fallen prey to this monster.

'Sam' looked up at the ghost, as the ghost looked down at her.

"Undergrowth!" 'Sam' whispered.

Undergrowth looked down at the small field below, and those standing there. She knew what to do, her master ordered so. Take down the black haired girl, stop her before she could lead Danny to the core of his being. She must not be allowed to succeed, or there would be dire consequences. 

But, as she looked down at the small figures below, there was something that made her stop in her tracks. Something so horrible, that she couldn't help but be appalled by what she saw.

"Oh good grief, Jasmin. Is that really what you are wearing?" She asked in an overly dramatic fashion as she focused her attention on Jazz, and the outfit she wore. 

"Ehhh.... What?!" Jazz, 'Sam', Danny and Tucker all proclaimed in confusion, definitely not expecting this as they looked up at the large plant like ghost.

"What!?" Nightmare Moon shouted in confusion.

This was not what she ordered. Why did this happen? Perhaps she put too much of that whining pony in this memory. Yes, that has to be it. Sloppy, but an easy fix. 

Focusing her energy, and preparing to undo this mistake, she connected to the massive memory and focused on the part that she added to the mix. But as she tried to alter the portion based on the Element of Generosity, the opposite of what she wanted happened. 

With a force she was not expecting, the fragment latched onto her energy, and siphoned more and more of it to make itself stronger. 

As Nightmare Moon was slowly drained by the construct of her own creation, she cursed out in the ancient language long forgotten. 

With effort she managed to break the connection before she lost all her newly gained energy. But before she managed to do so, she heard a voice in her head. A voice saying only one thing:

"Mine!"

Four individuals looked up at the towering figure, and she looked back at them. A look of disgust showed on her face as she observed the suit Jazz was wearing.

"Eugh, Jasmin. Please tell me that that is not really what you are wearing?" Undergrowth said with disdain, her voice sounding harsh, but refined.

"Eeeh... What?!" Jazz uttered in confusion as she partially lowered Danny, who she was still holding up. 

Danny could only blink dumbly as he looked up at the ghost he remembered from all those years ago, but who was acting in a way he didn't recognize.

"Why are you asking me that?" Jazz asked as she let go of Danny and fully turned around to face the giant plant ghost.

"Why, because I... I.." She began, but trailed off as the light from the moon intensified, covering her in a harsh white. 

Before them all, her appearance changed. The cape hanging over her back, and the spikes sticking out of her head and shoulders, warped and shifted. Their color changed into a deep purple, while the spikes grew longer, and flowed down over her back where they merged with the cape. They continued to grow, while twisting into an almost elegant curl, in stark contrast with the less than elegant looking ghost.

"... Because I cannot possibly let such a crime against fashion go unnoticed." She finished as she beheld her surroundings.

Her face scrunched up in an irritated scowl as she saw the mess of rubble she was standing in, as well as the football field, and the harsh electric lights.

"Ugh. It seems that your... attire is not the only crime against good taste." Undergrowth said, unpleased, as she used one of her large tentacle-like vines to pick up some of the rubble lying around, "Where is the natural beauty? Why is there such a hideous, empty field  filled with all this rubbish?" 

"Hey, Sam. What’s going on?" Danny shouted in confusion, not understanding anything of this as he gave her a sideways glance, too nervous to take his eyes fully away from the oversized weed.

"How should I know?" She yelled back as she saw Jazz fly up towards Undergrowth's head.

"Well, this is all my memory, isn’t it?" Danny asked as he could see, but not hear, Jazz talking with the giant plant ghost.

"Well, mostly. But I doubt this is a part of it. Unless you remember Jazz and Undergrowth like this."

"What!?" Undergrowth yelled offendedly at Jazz. 

"Not really. Not like this." Danny answered as he snapped his head back towards the towering figure.

"Then this is Nightmare's doing. I think. But why would she make Undergrowth act like that." 'Sam' wondered as she saw Jazz stick out her tongue towards Undergrowth.

"Don't ask me. I am just along for the ride." Danny replied. "Hey Tucker! Do you have any ideas?" He asked, momentarily ignoring what was going on between the other two.

"...nt..cle..." Tucker mumbled as he looked up, lost in thought.

"What!?" Danny said out loud.

"...Tenta..cles...." Tucker replied more clearly, but his mind was still zoned out.

"Yeah... What of them?" 'Sam' asked wearily as she gave Tucker a suspicious look.

Tucker slowly shifted his gaze between Undergrowth and Jazz.

"I’ve seen enough hent-" 

'Sam' cut Tucker off before he could finish, and Danny could only stare at him in disbelief.

"What is up with him?" Danny asked in shock, while straining to focus his attention between his friends, Undergrowth and Jazz.

"Beats me. He’s been like this ever since Jazz showed up." 'Sam' answered.

"Really... Yikes." Was all Danny could think of saying.

"Actually. It is more an 'Eww." 'Sam' corrected.

"Okaay... But that still doesn't answer what’s going on between these two." Danny mentioned as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder, indicating Jazz and Undergrowth.

But no sooner had he said that, then the sound of yelling reverberated over the surrounding area. Looking up, Danny, Tucker and 'Sam' could see Jazz attack Undergrowth.

"Ugh. It seems that your... attire is not the only crime against good taste." Undergrowth said, unpleased, as she used one of her large tentacle-like vines to pick up some of the rubble lying around, "Where is the natural beauty? Why is there such a hideous, empty field here filled with all that rubbish?"

Undergrowth unceremoniously threw the chunk of debris over her shoulder, sending it flying towards the horizon. 

"Hey, you!" Jazz shouted as she flew up towards Undergrowth's head.

"Who, me?" she asked, confused. Not having noticed Jazz flying up to her until now.

"Yeah, you. What do you think you’re doing?" Jazz shouted.

"Why, isn't it obvious? I am merely assessing the damage done to the natural beauty here. Someone has to step in and fix this horrible transgression. Clearly it has to be me. Surely no one else has both the knowledge and skills to do it. And there would most certainly not be another that can do it with the same grace and elegance as I." Undergrowth said boastfully while combing one of her claws through the purple strands flowing over her back.

"Look, you oversized weed. The only thing you are good a-"

"What!?" Undergrowth yelled, offended. 

"-t is annoying others." Jazz continued as if she wasn't interrupted. "You are here for a reason, are you not? Now do what you are supposed to do."

"Why, how dare you call me a weed? Humph… The arrogance. Insulting me, while wearing such horrible drapes yourself. Have you no shame?"

Jazz's eye twitched in annoyance, perfectly mimicking Nightmare Moon who was watching this buffoon through her pawn's eyes.

'Just deal with this pest. Now!' came the mental command through Jazz's mind.

"Very well. If you do not want to do as you are told, then there is no use for you to be here." Jazz said menacingly. She then closed the last few meters between herself and Undergrowth's face, delivering a massive blow to the head, causing Undergrowth to reel back from the force.

Undergrowth roared out in anger as her vinetacles swung around widely. Jazz flew up, down, and from side to side to avoid the wild undulations, clearly unimpressed by it all.

"If that’s all you’re good for, then you better admit defeat right now." She said smugly, pretending not to be interested as she looked at one of her fists.

"Why you uncouth ruffian. Don't think I will stand for such behavior." Undergrowth all but growled, managing to keep her composure; but only just.

The many vines that made up the tail she used to stand upright, began to twist and turn as they grew larger and thicker. Growing down the base of her form, and creeping over the ground like the tangled roots of a tree. 

Tucker, Danny and 'Sam' shouted in confusion as they saw several of the thick vines come towards them. Tucker even whimpered in fear, muttering something along the lines of: "Not me, not like that." But nothing seemed to happen to them, as the vines moved around them, ignoring them. It would seem that Undergrowth wasn't interested in them.

"Sam, what’s going on?" Danny yelled.

"I think you got tagged out!" she shouted back.

"What! Why? Not that I am complaining, but I wasn’t done yet." Danny replied, not sure if he was annoyed, or relieved.

"How should I know? None of this makes any sense." 

With a shout from Undergrowth the vines that lay on the ground shot up, all of them aimed at Jazz, who was hard pressed to avoid all of them as she was also dodging Undergrowth's thorny claws.

"Fair enough. But still. I can't shake the feeling that I’m missing something here." Danny said as he looked at the surreal fight.

"How do you mean?" 'Sam' asked, seeing Jazz moving with such speed that she appeared to be a blur.

"It's just... Well, Jazz is different. She’s faster, stronger, and she can fly. It’s almost as if she’s using the ecto-skeleton. Plus her hair, something about that is really familiar. And Undergrowth... Well, wasn't he supposed to be a guy... I think. And he- eerr- she certainly wasn’t like this back when we first dealt with her. Yet there is something about it all that seems... familiar."

"Hmmm." 'Sam' hummed as she thought this over.

Looking up at both Jazz and Undergrowth, keeping in mind what Danny had just said, she realized that the same feeling had been nagging at her, but she didn't realize it until now. There was something oddly familiar about them, but what? 

She took away the things she knew about Jazz and Undergrowth, and looked at what remained. Who fitted with the fractured personalities that were left? Who were mixed with the two memories now fighting each other? She knew the answer, she was sure of that, but it wouldn't come to her. 

She then went over what Jazz had said to Danny. 

'You always run away when things get too difficult for you! You always leave your friends and family behind! You never think of others, only yourself! You are the most untrustworthy, most Unloyal person I ever had the displeasure of knowing!' There was something there, something that pointed her to where she needed to look. But what? 

'You always run away when things get too difficult for you!' 

"That is not true," 'Sam' muttered to herself. "Danny might not always have made the best of decisions, but he never ran away. At least, not until..." she left that last part unfinished as she sighed out. A sound that went unheard as several thick vines slammed into the ground with crushing blows.

'You always leave your friends and family behind!' 

"Also not true, he would always be there for others, especially his family or friends." 

Crazed laughter filled the air as Undergrowth picked up several large pieces of the destroyed mansion, and threw them at Jazz.

"Here, take these. They’re on the house!" Undergrowth yelled with anger.

'You never think of others, only yourself!' 

"Eehh… It’s probably somewhere in between." 'Sam' had to admit, ignoring the distraction, and the lame pun Undergrowth just made.

'You’re the most untrustworthy, most Unloyal person I ever had the displeasure of knowing!'

"Wait... Unloyal." 'Sam' thought, "Why would she say that.. Wait.. Could it..." 

Looking up at Jazz again, she paid special attention to the things that did not belong to Jazz. 

"Magenta colored eyes, cyan blue wings, hair colored as a rainb...  Oh for the love of... Of course. Then Undergrowth must be another one of them." 'Sam' realized.

"Hey, Sam. You alright? You've gone quiet all of a sudden." Danny said worriedly as he vaulted over several vines to get to her.

"Yeah, I’m fine. It's just that I think I know what you were missing."

"Really?" Danny questioned, not entirely convinced.

"Yes. Don't they remind you of someone else? Or should I say somepony else?"

"Some... pony?" Tucker said, finally deciding to talk.

"Glad to see you’re finally able to join us." 'Sam' said, sarcastically. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. But what do ponies have to do with all of this?" Tucker asked with a raised voice as the sound of the ongoing battle rose in volume. "Wow, she is really giving it to her," he added as he refocused his attention back at the two fighters.

"I'm with Tucker here. What do ponies have to do with it?" Danny asked in confusion, before all of them flinched as they heard Jazz cry out after being swatted out of the air by one of Undergrowth's vintacles.

"Danny, think. Where do you live now?" 'Sam' asked, forcing his attention back to her.

"Eh, Sam. Don't you-" Danny started, but was interrupted as Jazz slammed into the ground not too far from them.

"Why you pesky weed!" Jazz spat as she flew back up.

"- think that we have bigger worries than wondering where I live?" he finished.

"Danny, this might just be the most important thing you can do. Try to remember. Your mind is partially clouded thanks to Nightmare Moon, your memories are just playthings for her." 'Sam' said urgently as she pointed at Jazz and Undergrowth. "Right now, your memory is the key. If you remember, then maybe you can shape things for the better. So, tell me. Where do you live? Who have you met there? And what do they look like?" 

"Shape things for the better!? How am I supposed to do that? Look at all of this," Danny said with his arms held wide. "How am I supposed to change this for the better?"

"Indeed, look at all of this." 'Sam' said, focusing her attention on Undergrowth. "Does it look like Nightmare Moon is in control? I don’t know what’s going on, or why, but this might just give us a chance. Please, Danny. Just try?"

Danny sighed out in frustration as he thought about what 'Sam' said to him. Looking up at the fight, he could see that things were rather out of control. 

"Fine. I still don't know how this is going to help me, but I’ll give it a try." He said, momentarily turning intangible so a stray piece of debris could pass through him.

"Okay, good." 'Sam' said, sounding relieved. "Now, tell me. Where do you live?" 

"That's easy. I live... I live..." Danny began, but slowly became silent as the ground he stood on began to warp. "I live in a crappy apartment." He began hesitantly, not sounding sure as the grassy field he stood turned into a trash covered floor. "There’s junk everywhere, mostly old pizza boxes.... I think." 

As he said that, the floor became littered with just that. 

"There are more holes in the roof than there are in swiss cheese." Danny continued, his voice sounding more and more depressed as he continued. And, all the while, the area he stood in shaped itself to his description. 

"The plumbing doesn't work half the time, and when it does, there is almost no pressure behind the water."

More and more he described the place he used to live, and with every detail he added, the more detailed the construct of his memory became. 

"This place is a dump." Danny said with a hollow voice, his eyes glazing over as he was lost in his own memory.

"You know, I think the Box Ghost would feel right at home here." Tucker said as he looked over all the pizza boxes.

"Danny, this isn’t right." 'Sam' said, ignoring Tucker. "You don't live here anymore, remember? You moved out of here and went somewhere else. Where did you go? Where do you live now?"

"I… moved?" Danny said with a slight hesitation. "Yes… I did, didn't I?" The building he stood in faded away into thin air, revealing Jazz and Undergrowth still fighting each other.

"Did they not notice what just happened?" Tucker said, scratching the top of his head in confusion.

"Quiet." 'Sam' hissed. " Danny, where did you go after leaving that place?" 

Danny didn't answer as he stood there with glassy eyes, yet the terrain around them shifted and warped; forming different images, all of them picturing his path to the tear facility on Earth, and ultimately, showing him stepping through the rupture in reality itself.

"I... I left. I left all of it behind." Danny said quietly as his eyes flashed a weak green for a moment. Unbeknownst to them, Jazz, who was still fighting Undergrowth, stopped in midair for a split second, a similar flash of green showed in her eyes as well, before she resumed her fight with the giant ghost plant.

"Jazz... Jazz was right. I did abandon you all," he said weakly.

"Danny, don't think like that. Focus on where you went after that." 'Sam' urged him on.

The images disappeared, and were replaced by a single room filled with humans and ponies. A dark shadow was flying through the room, scaring everyone there, while security tried to deal with the threat. Then, it too faded away, and the image of a very colorful train appeared. 

'Sam' and Tucker couldn't help but cringe at the sight of the overly colorful vehicle, but they remained quiet as they observed the image shift once more. They saw a happy looking village appear before them, filled with multiple colorful ponies walking around, going about their business. 

"Now we're getting somewhere." 'Sam' muttered as she squinted, not liking all the bright colors that filled her vision.

"Okay, I’m confused. What’s going on?" Tucker finally asked, not quite getting what this was all about.

'Sam' sighed out, "It seems that Nightmare Moon, that menacing looking shadow pony thing from before, is losing control for some reason. And Danny is using the slight void in mental control to fill up the blanks with his own constructs." 'Sam' explained as she and Tucker watched Danny get tackled by a mint green pony who grabbed hold of his hand. "But Nightmare Moon has been messing with his memories, changing and distorting them. Plus, we're in a dream, and in a dream our memories are always mixed up somewhat." They were entering Danny's new house, and everything was pitch black. "All of this has caused Danny to lose track of his own history, on how things are, and how they once were." Danny shouted out in surprise as he flicked on the lights, and a room full of ponies all shouted: "Surprise!", causing him to turn off the lights in reflex as he also turned invisible. "Going through his memories step by step will help him see what is really going on, and, hopefully, will help us all in the long run." 'Sam' answered 

Silence

"You didn't understand any of that, did you?" 'Sam' groaned as she saw Tucker's confused expression. 

Tucker merely shook his head in response.

'Sam' sighed out exasperatedly, "Nightmare Moon is like a computer virus, messing things up with Danny's hard drive. And now Danny is going through file after file to sort out the crap," she clarified.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Tucker said, causing 'Sam's' eye to twitch.

'Danny, I know that your mind isn’t working all that well right now, but really. This is how you remember Tucker?' 'Sam' thought, annoyed, watching Danny being pulled and dragged around by a pink pony with a curly, bouncy mane and tail. Said pony was introducing him to everyone present in the room.

"They're all here." 'Sam' realized as she observed all those present. "But when will he realize?"

''Oh come on. You must have heard of me!" a cyan pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail said while flying in front of Danny.

"Well, It looks like it will happen faster than I thought." 'Sam' muttered.

"Rainbow Jazz. The Rainbow Jazz. Fastest flier in all of Equestria, and the only pegasus that can perform a sonic rainboom.''

"Wait, what did she just call herself?" 'Sam' wondered as she heard the pegasus introduce herself.

"Wait, what did you say your name was?" Danny said as his eyes regained a bit of focus.

"What, are you deaf? It's Rainbow Jazz." she repeated.

"No, that's not it." Danny said, another small flash of green showed in his eyes. And the same happened with Jazz, who was currently struggling to escape from the many vines that had wrapped around her body.

"What do you mean: That's not it? Don't you think I don't know my own name?" Rainbow Jazz said, sounding offended.

"This is not right." Danny said, ignoring her as his eyes were slowly gaining more and more focus. "It’s all mixed up." 

Slowly the room filled with the various ponies faded away as Danny's mind returned to the here and now. All of them, save the cyan blue pegasus still hovering in front of Danny's face.

"Your name is Rainbow Dash, not Jazz." Danny stated as his eyes locked with those of Rainbow Dash. "And my sister is Jazz, Jazz Fenton.... A sister I left a long time ago, just as I did so many others." He said, saddened as he finally closed his eyes.

He let out a small gasp as he felt something press down on his shoulder. Opening his eyes and looking at what it was, he saw a blue hoof holding him in a comforting manner. 

"Then set it right." Rainbow Dash said as she pointed her free front hoof at the struggling young woman trapped in a mess of vines.

"What?" Danny said in confusion, not fully understanding the sudden change in behavior.

"Danny. I’m not gonna try and make you understand, because I don't understand it myself. But I do know that you would never leave those close to you hanging."

"But she isn’t even my sister." he nearly shouted as he pointed at Jazz.

"Yes, she is. She is a part of you, just as you are a part of her. She may not act like it right now, but remember what you said. 'She was always there to help you, even if you didn't want her to." Rainbow Dash blinked dumbly after she said that. "Wow, that did not sound like me at all. Since when did I become so sappy?"

"She is right, you know." 'Sam' spoke up, "This Jazz is a part of your memory, and thus, a part of you. But there is still something you’re missing."

"And you are?" Dash said as she turned to look at the young teenager.

"Just a friend trying to help." She replied.

"Hmmmm... Meh, fair enough." Rainbow Dash said nonchalantly. "But I don’t like the look on his face," she added as she pointed at Tucker, who was giving Dash a rather strange look. "What’s up with him?"

"Many things. Oh so many things." 'Sam' said without humor.

"Yeah... We'll figure him out at some other time, but for now, what was it about me still missing something?" Danny asked, diverting their attention back at him.

"Danny, just look at Jazz, or more precisely, look at the things she is not supposed to have. You'll see that the answer is quite literally in front of you." 

"Look at the things that she isn’t supposed to have?" Danny repeated quietly as he looked up to Jazz, seeing her fighting her way out of the hold Undergrowth had over her. 

"Hold on!" Danny said as he finally fully noticed Jazz's change in appearance, his mind no longer clouded to see fact from fiction, for now "Her hair is supposed to be red, and she doesn't have wings…. In fact, they almost look like-" Danny fell silent as realization kicked in. 

"WHOA!" Dash yelled as she suddenly fell to the ground, landing on the back of her head, with her backside hanging over her head.

"What happen-... MY WINGS!" she yelled as she saw her wings -her pride- were missing. Another change, something she missed due to this fact, was that her mane and tail had also changed. From their original rainbow of colors, they were now a single toned red hue.

"What happened to me?" She said with barely suppressed fear in her voice, as her eyes locked with Danny's. Looking back, Danny could see the faint green glow of his own eyes in her, suddenly, blue eyes.

"The memory of you is mixed with that of his sister." 'Sam' cut in, trying to explain the situation to the frightened pony, "And now that Danny realizes this, the changes also apply to you."

"So turn me back!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she pressed her face into Danny's.

"It's not that simple." 'Sam' told her as she pulled the angry pony off of Danny.

"Why not?" 

"Because Danny is not the one that did this to you."

"Then who is?" Rainbow Dash growled.

"Nightmare Moon." Sam' answered without any hint of emotion.

"WHAT?!" Rainbow Dash yelled, a sudden surge of energy coursing through her form. Yet this went unnoticed by all of them, as it was not a part of either Danny's mind, or Nightmare Moon's.

Meanwhile, outside in the real world, high up in a mansion built solely out of clouds, a sleeping, rainbow maned pegasus twisted and turned uncomfortably in her bed. And, unseen by any save a watchful owl, a certain lightning bolt shaped necklace, locked away in a case found in the town's library, started to glow a faint red; where it joined the soft pink glow coming from the crystal butterfly set in a different necklace found in the case.

For a split second Rainbow Dash's eyes flashed red, before returning to their unnatural blue color. 

She reared up on her hind legs, placing her front hooves onto Danny's shoulders and he could see a look of anger and determination in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Is this true?" she said slowly.

"Ehh, I guess, yes."

Breathing in deeply and closing her eyes, Rainbow Dash sighed out loudly as she looked up at the woman who had her wings.

"If she is under Nightmare Moon's control, then you have to help her." She finally said. "And not only because she is your sister, even though she might not act like it. I don't understand it, but somehow I know you. I know you in a way that doesn't make sense. But I know that you would never leave anyone hanging, especially your family. You're too loyal for that." She said as she pressed her hoof against his chest, close to where Danny's heart would be. 

Unnoticed, a small streak of red lightning sparked from her hoof into his chest.

"It must be the part of Jazz that is mixed with you that makes you feel that way about Danny." 'Sam' said after thinking about what Rainbow Dash had just said.

"Well, she can have it back. And make sure I get my wings back while you're at it." Dash said as she pushed away from Danny.

"And my mane as well," a new voice suddenly cut in.

"WHAAA!" Tucker yelled in fright as he fell backwards onto his rear.

Before them stood a pristine white unicorn, with three diamonds for a cutie mark. And a mane made of dark green vines. 

"Rarity?" Rainbow Dash said in confusion as she looked at her friend for a moment, "Pfhaahahhahaha!" She burst out laughing, and fell to the ground as she saw the wiggling mass on her friend’s head.

"Eugh. Rainbow Dash, do you have to be so rude? I am not making fun over the fact that your wings are gone, or that your mane and tail are red." Rarity sniffed.

"They're what?" Rainbow Dash shouted as she first grabbed her mane, then walked in circles on the spot to see her tail. Both of them were a deep red color, her trademark rainbow mane and tail were gone. Looking up, she swore as she saw that Jazz's hair had the colors she was missing.

"Oh, when I get my hooves on that Nightmare Moon, I will buck her from here all the way to Canterlot, and back."

"Huh, somehow that sounded familiar." Danny muttered.

A cough brought all their attention back to the white unicorn standing before them, an unamused look on her face.

"Right, back to business. While you could go all out like some ruffian, as Rainbow Dash so eloquently put it. Might I suggest that you not do anything rash. At least not while that… thing... still has my precious mane." She said as she pointed to the large green mass with dark purple vines flowing over her back.

"Wait, you mean that that thing is mixed with you?" Danny partially shouted in disbelief.

"Why, yes. Isn't it obvious? Her poise, her sense of beauty," Rarity said. "Her mane." she added flatly. "And in return, I get this." she whined as she lifted one of the vines. 

"Eugh. Green really isn't my color." She said with a shudder.

And in the real world, resting in a large bed made with the finest materials, Rarity was fast asleep. But it was not a peaceful slumber, as she twisted and turned in her bed, holding onto her mane, and muttering: "Not green." in her sleep.

"I wouldn't call that beautiful." Tucker said out loud as he observed Undergrowth.

"Well, she was talking about the natural beauty when she first showed up." 'Sam' pointed out.

"Who cares!" Rainbow Dash half shouted, "Just get out there and get my wings back." 

"And my mane, don't forget about my mane!" Rarity said with a slight panic.

"And how am I supposed to do all that?" Danny asked.

"I don't know." Rainbow Dash said with a shrug, "You're the one whose mind we're in." 

"Well, that certainly explains a lot." Rarity said, before slamming a hoof over her mouth. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" She asked, ashamed.

"HA, yes you did." Rainbow Dash said, laughing. "But don't blame Danny here. It is Nightmare Moon who is causing all of this."

"WHAT!?" Rarity shrieked.

"It's true." 'Sam' told Rarity. Looking over at Tucker, she noticed he wasn’t paying any attention to what was going on once again. Instead, he was looking at the ongoing fight between Jazz and Undergrowth.

"Tucker, keep your head in the game!" she yelled as she slapped the back of his head.

"I am. It's just that... Well, how did they not notice what is going on down here. It is not like we’re even trying to stay hidden from them. Really, what’s up with that?"

"Tucker’s right." Danny said as he stepped next to Tucker, looking up at the two combatants. "There is no way they could have missed us, even if they are fighting each other. So why is that?"

'Sam' just blinked dumbly at that. How did she miss something so obvious? And here was Tucker, a memory she thought was just screwing around, seeing the blatantly obvious problem she herself missed. Perhaps her memory of how Tucker was supposed to be wasn’t entirely accurate. But then again, it might just be a lucky break for him.

"Well, whatever it is, we're not going to find out just by standing here." Danny said as he levitated of the ground, his legs turning into an intangible tail. "Let's go find out, shall we?" and with that he shot off towards the two fighters.

Nightmare Moon observed her constructs fighting each other. One obeying her commands, the other not. Why that was, she didn't know. But she would not stand for such a transgression. 

Her first attempt to bring the massive memory back under her control had failed miserably. Even worse, the construct became all the more powerful as it, somehow, managed to steal the precious little energy she had managed to steal from Danny. 

This would not do. Sending a mental command to the pawn still under her control, she commanded Jazz to deal with this nuisance.

At first, things went just as she expected them to go. But slowly, things turned against her. 

It started small, like a twitch. Something changed with her pawn that still obeyed her. Something in her behaviour changed. She still listened, but she became… troublesome. 

Why?

Nightmare Moon extended her reach, observing not only the fight between her constructs, but also the surrounding area.

Her breath came out in a seething hiss with what she saw.

How? How did this happen? How did this construct form without her knowing about it until now? 

She saw a building she didn't place there. A building that shouldn't be there. 

A small house with thatched roof.

Looking closer, past the walls of the building, she could see that the building itself was only the shell of a much larger problem. Dozens of ponies filled the room inside the mental image. Ponies that she had seen before, but only a select few did she recognize. Those six ponies that had thwarted her plans in the past, they were also present in his memory. But why? Why would they be here, and why now. But more importantly, how did all of this appear here in the first place? She was still in control of Danny's mind, save for that little slip with her own construct a moment ago, so how could this be here?

A chill went down Nightmare Moon's spine, a feeling of being watched descending down on her. Turning around, and frantically searching, she tried to find the source of this disturbance, but she found nothing.

"What is going on?" She muttered as she returned her attention back to the fight, and the construct that should not be there.

But the moment she looked away, and her attention was focused elsewhere, a pair of glowing green eyes faded into existence in the shadows that surrounded her. A ripple went through the dark void that she placed herself in, not noticing what was happening behind her, save for the unease of being watched she felt before. 

Glancing behind once more, she could only see the shadows that comforted her, the eyes faded away once again. 

Shaking her head, she refocused on the construct that had formed without her permission. It was clear that it had to do with the human whose mind she had taken over, the portion of him that was still his own, the part that would not surrender either himself, or his powers. The part of him she couldn't corrupt.

Gritting her teeth, she saw this ape being dragged around by the most frustrating pony of those six. That pink menace. She watched as the putrid pink pony introduced Danny to all those present, while his own associates stood at the side, viewing the scene with a mixture of confusion and surprise, especially the dark skinned one.

Then the pony with the rainbow mane came into play, talking to Danny, bragging about her feeble accomplishments. The same pony who she tried to turn against her friends those few years ago. That pony that declined her more than generous offer. An offer she turned her back on, just because of her friends.

Nightmare Moon spat at that from the disgusting taste the memory left behind.

Wait, something changed. The construct they were in faded away. Leaving nothing but the three humans, and the blue pony that caused Nightmare Moon the latest batch of frustration. But there was something else, a twitch. A twitch that started with Danny, but which rippled through to her pawn.

Again, something changed in the behaviour of Jazz. Where before she was calculating and ruthless, she now was only ruthless. She let down her guard in favor of speed, and agility. Trying to overpower Undergrowth with brute force. It wasn't long until Jazz was captured by the giant ghost, caught, and constricted with one of the many large vinetacles. 

Nightmare Moon connected with her construct, trying to find out what had changed.

There, her personality, which was a mix between the memory of Danny's sister, and Rainbow Dash, had gone out of balance. The calculative side of Jazz, which was responsible for her ability to plan ahead, was suppressed by the part of Rainbow Dash. This resulted in her being more reckless, and more likely to make a mistake.

'Listen fool. Free yourself, and deal with this pest like I ordered you.' Nigmare Moon shouted at her through her mental link.

'Oh shut up! I’m busy right now!' came the angry reply.

Nightmare Moon reared back in shock. Another one of her constructs was rebelling against her. Why? How?

A flash in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Snapping her head to the side, she could see the fading light of a pair of angry green eyes, but she also noticed a hint of satisfaction in the glowing orbs before they faded away.

"Impossible." she whispered.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" she yelled as she slammed a hoof on the floor.

"You can't be here! I absorbed you! You are a part of me now!" she roared at the shadows that surrounded her, but received no reply.

"This can't be. There is no way that mindless drone could have outsmarted me. It's not possible." She said angrily, but a hint of fear could be heard behind her words.

It would seem that Shadow was still out there, still fighting. 

Still causing trouble.

Nightmare used her power to sent out multiple pulses, trying to find the mental print of Shadow. But she was unable to find him, or what was left of him anyhow. 

Growling in anger, she returned her attention back to the other problem at hoof, and she could see that her lapse of attention had cost her.

Danny was more confident, stronger somehow. And Jazz had managed to break free from her hold, and was once more mindlessly fighting Undergrowth. But there was something else as well. Or rather, somepony else. A white coat, three diamonds for a cutie mark, and a mane made of green vines.

"What? Where did she come from?" Nightmare shouted in confusion, and frustration as she observed the white pony. Shifting her attention to the side, she saw the dark skinned human looking at the fight once more.

"Tucker, can you please keep your head in the game!" The dark haired girl yelled as she slapped the back of Tucker's head.

"I am. It's just that... Well, how did they not notice what is going on down here. It is not like we’re even trying to stay hidden for them. Really, what’s up with that?" He responded.

"But I did notice what is going on!" Nightmare roared to the image before her, knowing that they couldn't hear her. 

"Tucker’s right." Danny said as he stepped next to Tucker, looking up at the two combatants. "There is no way they could have missed us, even if they are fighting each other. So why is that?"

"Because of you, and that infernal shadow of yours!" Nightmare Moon shouted in manic rage, causing energy to spark from her horn.

"Well, whatever it is, we're not going to find out just standing here." Danny said as he levitated of the ground, his legs turning into an intangible tail. "Let’s go find out, shall we?" And with that he shot off towards the two fighters.

"GRUHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" Nightmare Moon shouted in anger, wanting nothing more than to simply strangle this blasted human with her bare hooves. But she couldn't, not if she wanted his powers.

Again the green eyes blinked into existence behind her. A humorous glint shone in them, then they disappeared again.

Jazz was dodging attack after attack from Undergrowth, taunting her as she did so. 

She was less than impressed with the gargantuan ghost. Despite her strength, despite the fact that she was taller and stronger than Jazz in every way, her attacks lacked skill and planning. Something Jazz used to her advantage as she looped around another vine inbound to her. Flying away with speed, making the vine follow her as she weaved and twisted through the air, flying right towards Undergrowth's face. 

Undergrowth, wholly focused on hitting Jazz, was oblivious to her tactical error.

Time seemed to move in slow motion for her, as she saw Jazz suddenly shoot up, avoiding a collision with her. The last thing she saw was the smug smirk on Jazz's face, before she hit herself with the vine meant for that infuriating human.

"GHAAA!" Undergrowth yelled as she stumbled back, holding one of her hands against her face.

"Pha. Is that the best you can do? Come on, show me some action." Jazz taunted as she flew deliberately slowly, and well within reach of Undergrowth's grasp.

"Why you little-" Undergrowth yelled as several vines shot towards Jazz, intent on strangling her.

Jazz shot from side to side, making loops, corkscrews and various other acrobatic feats to avoid the wriggling green vines.

"Too slow!" She teased. "Come on, my father is faster than that."

Again, Undergrowth attacked. And, again, Jazz veered off, avoiding the hit. But this time something changed. For a split second during her escape, Jazz slowed down. A green glow showed in her eyes, then it disappeared, and she resumed her aerial maneuvers, albeit a bit more erratic than before.

But the split second that Jazz slowed down cost her, as Undergrowth was finally able to connect one of her vinetacles with Jazz. 

With a scream, Jazz spiraled out of control and slammed into the ground not too far from Danny, 'Sam' and Tucker.

"Why you overgrown crabgrass!" Jazz shouted as she flew back up.
 
Flapping her wings until they became a blur, Jazz flew through the mass of vines trying to knock her down again. Gritting her teeth while narrowing her eyes, she flew around Undergrowth's body, punching and kicking away without much thought. But her single minded focus, partially blinded by the dented pride from being knocked down, caused her to lose track of what happened around her.

A long, slim vine whipped into her gut like a switch. 

The air left Jazz's lungs in a silent scream as she plummeted to the ground once more. Only to come to a jarring stop as a green vine wrapped around one of her legs. With a jerk, Jazz was lifted up right in front of Undergrowth's snarling face.    

"Can I help you?" Jazz asked without humor as she hung upside down in front of Undergrowth.

"The better question would be if I can help you." Undergrowth said with forced calm as she looked at the small human hanging before her. "Such rude behavior and talk, not to mention your… attire. Clearly you need help from someone with a feminine touch." She told Jazz, trying to regain her even, more sophisticated voice.

"Well, that rules you out." Jazz snarked, making Undergrowth glare at her. "Now, let me go!" She demanded as she struggled and kicked her one free leg in an attempt to break free.

"And why would I do that?" Undergrowth said coldly as she wrapped several more vines around Jazz, fully constricting the woman. "So you can kick and hit me like some punching bag? Humpf. I am a lady, and I demand to be treated as such." She said with refined pride as Jazz continued to struggle in her grasp. Not noticing the split second where Jazz slowed her struggles as her eyes flashed green.

"What, no witty retort? I should have known you weren’t much." Undergrowth mocked as she tightened her grip on Jazz, smiling demurely as she listened to the painful wheeze of air being forced from her victim’s lungs. "Normally I am not one to get my vines dirty, but for you, I’ll make an exceptio- WHAA!"

Undergrowth yelled in pain as a green blast of ectoplasm hit the vine Jazz was trapped in, causing her to loosen her grip on the woman. 

Jazz slipped through the vines, falling down as she lacked the strength to save herself. 

"Gotcha!" Jazz heard Danny say as he caught her.

"You… Why... Why are… you helping me?" Jazz struggled to say as her lungs protested against her efforts to speak. But Danny could still hear the accusing and angry tone behind her words.

"Because I was wrong, and you were right. I did leave you all behind, I caused all of this. But more importantly, because you’re my sister. I just didn't realize it until now." He answered as he flew Jazz down to the ground. "We all make mistakes, and we need to live with the consequences. But I haven't. I ran away from them—" he sighed deeply "—and look where it got me." He finished as he landed, and helped Jazz to stand on her feet.

"So, you finally figured it out then?" Jazz gasped with a pained smirk as she held her hand against her side.

"Yeah, I guess I did." Danny answered, "So, we're cool?" He asked, unsure if she was going to attack him again.

Jazz gave Danny an angry look, thinking about what he had just said. A small smile found its way back onto her face, and Danny relaxed his stance, thinking that he was in the clear. Seeing her chance, Jazz punched him in the shoulder, making him stumble back a few steps.

"Hey! What was that for?" He shouted as he rubbed his shoulder. 

"That was for taking so long to figure this out." Jazz replied with irritation. "I knew you had a thick skull, but I didn't know it was that thick." She said. Then she relaxed her stance as she grinned a bit. "I guess I should have hit you more in the head when I had the chance. It might have sped things up."

"Wait, what!? You mean this was all an act?" Danny shouted in disbelief.

"Yes." Jazz answered simply.

"Then why did you hit me that hard?"

"Well, duh. It was supposed to be believable."

Silence. 

Danny stood there in silence as Jazz's words registered. A small burst of memories filled his mind, as he remembered a similar event happening several years ago.  

"....Clever girl."

"You know me." Jazz said smugly. "But maybe we sho-"

"GHRAAAA!" With a roar, Rainbow Dash tackled Jazz to the ground, cutting her off.

"Give me back my wings!" She bellowed as she pressed her muzzle against Jazz's face, blue eyes glaring into magenta.

"Ex...cuse me?" Jazz said, dumbfounded, as she looked into the angry, blue eyes.

"My. Wings. Give them back!" Rainbow Dash growled.

A blue glow suddenly surrounded Rainbow Dash's body, and lifted her off of Jazz.

"Rainbow Dash, please behave yourself." Rarity scolded the wingless pegasus. "There is no need for such behavior."

"No need?! Rarity, she has my wings!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Yes, dear. I can see that. But slamming her on the ground like some wild animal is not going to help you get them back."

"Ehhh. What is going on?" Jazz asked in utter bewilderment as she pushed herself back up in a sitting position.

"Apparently your form is mixed with Dash's here. Resulting in you having her wings, among other things." 'Sam' explained as she offered her hand to help the woman back up on her feet.

"I… see." Jazz said hesitantly.

"You don't believe me, do you?" 'Sam' said.

"I'm doubtful. But with Danny here, anything is possible. Besides, this is all a mental projection made by an invading force in Danny's mind, is it not?" 

"Ehh… Yes…. How did you know that?" 'Sam' asked in shocked confusion.

"Please. Are you forgetting who you’re dealing with? Jazz Fenton. The Jazz Fenton." Jazz said boastfully. ".... And I take it that that was part of Dash's personality."

'Sam' only nodded her acknowledgement, not able to find the words.

"Well… Never a dull moment with you, right?" Jazz said, slightly awkwardly as she looked at Danny.

"Ehhh..."

"And what’s up with Tucker?" Jazz asked uncomfortably as she noticed his unnerving stare, not giving Danny a chance to respond.

"I really have no idea." 'Sam' answered after a few seconds, trying to catch up with Jazz’s quick pace.

"Hmmm." Jazz hummed as she stepped closer to Tucker and bent down slightly to observe him better. "Aha… I knew it." she said with a snap of her fingers.

"Knew what?" 'Sam' asked.

"This is a clear case of pent up sexual frustration." Jazz answered as she turned around and faced Sam.

Silence. 

"... And wearing a suit that leaves nothing to the imagination, and standing in front of Tucker like this is not helping either." She added after an awkward pause. The full realization of the situation hitting her.

"This is just wrong." 'Sam' grumbled as she facepalmed.

"So he’s not getting any, so what? Just gimme back my wings!" Rainbow Dash shouted, annoyed that she was forgotten that quickly.

"Oh, righ-."

"AHUM!!"

All of them turned to the source of the sound, seeing a very large, very annoyed plant ghost towering over them.

"Am I interrupting something?" Undergrowth asked sarcastically. "Perhaps I could come back some other time? Humph. The nerve. Attacking a lady like that, and then just ignoring her as if she isn’t even there. Have you no shame?" 

All of them looked up at Undergrowth with a mixture of reactions. Danny was more shocked that he’d forgotten the giant than anything else, while Tucker looked with fear at the wriggling vines spreading out from Undergrowth’s base. Jazz also looked surprised at first, but it was soon replaced with indifference as she was not impressed with the weed. 'Sam' wasn't sure whether she should be worried, or annoyed with the ghost. And Rainbow Dash looked like she was ready to pounce the giant, only to sourly remember she was missing her wings. This made her scowl towards Jazz, who completely missed it as she was still looking up, her wings twitching in anticipation, waiting for action.

But Rarity was taking it the worst. Seeing her precious mane on the horror before her, seeing it so close, yet so far away was torture for her. And the ghost's pathetic attempt to mimic her refined behavior was all the more insulting. She stood there growling, her composure and ladylike behavior all but forgotten as she wanted nothing more than to squish the giant plant to a pulp underneath her hooves.

With a shout she ran towards the abomination, all reason forgotten as she was going to get back what was hers. Her shout surprised the others, and they turned in surprise to see the once composed pony run towards Undergrowth with a feral look in her eyes. 

Her size was nothing in comparison with Undergrowth, but she didn't care, oh no. This thing would find out what would happen if one messes with her precious mane. With all the strength she could muster she jumped towards her opponent, not reaching a tenth of its height. But she made little headway towards the ghost plant as, with a sudden jerk by her tail, she slammed back down on the ground.

Looking back, Rarity could see Rainbow Dash holding her tail in her mouth, her hooves dug in the ground with drag marks following them. 

"Bwawity, alm dwn." Rainbow Dash mumbled as she held onto the tail.

"Rainbow Dash." Rarity said with as much calm as she could muster. "Please let go of my tail this instant so I may stomp this overgrown vegetation to a pulp."

"N- bway." Rainbow Dash grunted as she slowly dragged Rarity back to the others. "A wittle helpf!" She asked the others.

"Oh, right." Danny said as he snapped out of his bewilderment. The others also jumped into motion at the pegasus’s request, all of them helping to hold the enraged unicorn back. 

"No, my mane! My precious mane!" Rarity wailed as she was slowly subdued by the others.

"Pfhuwa. And you tell me to behave." Rainbow Dash said as she spat out Rarity's tail, "Bleh, I've got hair in my mouth." She added, then looked up as a shadow fell over her. "Oh."

"Man, what is going on around her?" Danny asked, scratching the top of his head as he observed the mess he found himself in.

"I don't know, but we have bigger problems to worry about!" Rainbow Dash answered as she pointed at the now furious ghost standing behind them.

"Ow, right. I forgot about her… Again." Danny muttered.

Undergrowth snarled as she looked down on the group of humans and ponies, her vines lifting off the ground, looming menacingly above them. 

"Eh.. Should we run?" Tucker asked with a high pitched tone as he looked around nervously, trying to find a way out.

"To where!?" Rainbow Dash shouted as she also tried to find a way out of their predicament. "We're surrounded.”

"You." Undergrowth growled. "You insult me and attack me, thinking that you can get away with it?"

"Actually, that’s mostly Jazz's doing." Tucker remarked without thinking, earning him a slap against the back of his head from ‘Sam’.

"...And you interrupt me, only to ignore me afterwards. You ignore me, just like you ignore nature. But no more." She lifted the vines that hung above the group even higher in the air, before launching them down, threatening to crush them all.

"Everyone, hold on to me!" Danny shouted as he braced himself. 

Everyone reached out to Danny except Jazz. "You too, Jazz!" he added as he noticed Jazz was hesitating to do so. She wasn't moving, so he acted instead.

"Danny, no!" Jazz screamed as Danny grabbed her by the wrist, but it was already too late.

Danny strained himself as he channeled his intangibility through everyone, his eyes glowing a toxic green, making it impossible to see his pupils. One by one, they became intangible, and Danny could feel the strain on his body. But when the energy also flowed into Jazz, Danny almost lost consciousness from the sudden sharp pain that shot through his being. Only through sheer willpower was he able to stay conscious, but he grunted then screamed in pain as he could feel his energy being drained. 

With a deafening crash, the vines slammed in on the group, passing clean through them thanks to Danny. A white glow formed at the side of the heap of vinetacles, and Danny stepped through with obvious strain as he led the group out of the mess.

The moment they were all clear, Danny let go of Jazz, as the rest let go of him. 

With a flash of light, Danny returned to his human self and slipped into unconsciousness. 

"Danny!" they all shouted in concert as he fell. Only through the quick action of Rainbow Dash was he saved from the uncomfortable embrace of the ground. 

Dangling limply across Rainbow Dash's back, and surrounded by his friends, he was rushed away from the enraged plant, before she could attack again.

"What happened?" Tucker yelled to no one in particular.

"How should I know?" Rainbow Dash answered. "Let's just get out of here."

"I have to agree with Dash on this one." 'Sam' replied as she ran behind Tucker.

"Indeed. But I would like to know, what happened with dear Danny just now?" Rarity replied. "Maybe Jazz knows something. Do you, Jazz?" She asked the winged human, but no reply came.

"Jazz?" 'Sam'  looked around, not seeing her with the rest of the group. 

"Over there!" Tucker yelled as he pointed back towards the spot they exited the jungle of vines.

Everyone came to a dead stop, Danny almost fell off Rainbow Dash's back from the sudden shift in forward momentum. Those who were able to, looked back, seeing Jazz standing on the same spot they were just a moment ago, not moving an inch.

"Jazz, what are you doing? Get out of there!" 'Sam' ordered as she ran back for her.

"Don't!" She yelled, a green glint could be seen in her eyes. "I’m what happened to Danny. I drained him. It’s why I came to be in the first place." She revealed, making Sam's eyes widen in understanding. "It’s Nightmare Moon's doing. I am still her creation; still her pawn." She said as she looked down at her hands, a faint green glow formed around them. "But sometimes, a pawn is all that is needed to checkmate the queen." 

"Wait, what are you doing?" 'Sam' shouted as she saw Jazz lift off the ground.

"What Danny would do."

Nightmare Moon didn't understand the human's thinking process, nor did she care. All she cared about right now, was the energy she could feel coursing through her being. 

They disobeyed her and they revolted against her, but they still did what they were supposed to do. It was an honest mistake from this ape. His misguided sense of heroism made him do as he did, and it cost him. His attempt to save his friends also meant he had wanted to save the construct that resembled his sister. And, in doing so, his powers were drained from him. Not all of it, but still enough for Nightmare Moon to gorge on.

She could feel her strength grow as more and more energy flowed into her. The specks of green in her mane and tail became brighter, and her eyes grew in luminosity as well.

Yet, before she could finish, something changed. The flow of energy slowed down. It was not because Danny had let go of her construct, she had still a formidable amount of his energy stored in her form, but it was no longer flowing into her.

Nightmare Moon looked closer at the woman that held the power that she wanted. Something was different. Even if she didn't obey her, she would still transfer any and all energy she managed to absorb from that ape. But she didn't. She didn't do the one thing that she was made to do.

Looking closer still, Nightmare Moon gasped out. In Jazz's eyes she could see a green glint. The glow of two eyes she knew all too well. The eyes of Shadow.

"No!" she growled.

Jazz flew up, an angry glare in her eyes. She may have been a construct made by Nightmare Moon, but her loyalty would always be with her family. She would deal with this threat, just as Danny would have. Just as he should have, if it wasn't for the fact that she had drained him of his energy. She knew that not all of it was gone from him, but the damage done to him was still substantial. And to make matters worse, the energy that she unwillingly stole was transferred to Nightmare Moon the moment it interacted with her. She couldn't stop it, yet fate seemed to have been on her side, as, somehow, a large portion of Danny's energy remained with her. She didn't know why it happened, only that she could feel the link between herself and Nightmare Moon being severed. And that she somehow knew how to use Danny's powers, despite her lack of experience.

It was strange, and any other time she would stop and study this strange phenomenon. But not now. 

Now she would use this strange turn of events to fight her maker. 

She flapped her wings with such speed that only a blur could be seen. She dodged and weaved past the wild swings from Undergrowth, and, with a fury filled scream, she slammed into Undergrowth's lower jaw.

Undergrowth roared out in rage and pain as she reared back from the impact. The force of Jazz's hit was so great that the thick, fiber like skin tore apart, and Jazz flew clean through, emerging on the other side of Undergrowth's head.

"Eeeuw." Jazz cried out as thick, viscous liquid dripped down from her body. 

Rubbing her eyes to clear the mush that obscured her vision, she didn't notice that the wound she inflicted had already started to heal. Blinking several times to clear the last of the gunk, she saw the furious face of Undergrowth right before her.

"Oh," was all she had time to say, before a giant claw swatted her out of the sky.

Dazed, she fell to the ground. But something inside her acted without any effort from herself. She could feel her body twist around, facing the giant ghost. Her hands lifted up, pointing at Undergrowth's face. She felt energy coursing through her body and flow into her cupped hands, making them glow green. A large green beam of energy shot from her hands and passed clean through the recently healed hole in Undergrowth's face. 

Jazz didn't know what was happening, or why, but she didn't stop it as her hands slowly moved up, blasting a path through Undergrowth's head, splitting it in two. 

The air exploded out of her lungs as she hit the ground, her hands flopping at her sides, and the energy spent. She wheezed and grunted as every muscle in her body protested against any effort to move, and for a moment she could only look up, seeing the damage she had inflicted on her opponent. Damage that was already starting to heal. 

She saw the deformed, split face join together, and she could feel a shiver go down her spine as two glowing red eyes looked down on her with pure, blind rage.

'I guess even in his mind I am not much of a ghost fighter.' Jazz thought as she saw Undergrowth raise a giant fist. "Danny, please. I need your help." She managed to say with a weak voice.

The last thing she felt as darkness consumed her vision, was something leaving her body.

He was cold. 

He was alone. 

He was surrounded by darkness so dense, a night sky would seem bright. He didn't know who he was. He didn't know where he was. His senses were numbed. All he had was a feeling of loss. 

He lost something, but what? 

Sure, he didn't know who he was, so it had to be his mind. But something deep down told him that that wasn’t it. He also felt drained, he realized. Drained from something. Something he could feel was close by, yet impossible for him to reach. 

What was it?

He looked around, trying to find something, anything in the darkness he found himself in. But nothing could be seen or heard. There wasn't even a floor underneath his feet he realized, just inky darkness that, somehow, felt solid underneath him, but was non-existent all the same. 

Suddenly, the sound of walking could be heard from all around him, and he turned left and right, trying to locate the source of the noise. 

"Hello." He called out, but received no reply. "Is anyone there?" The walking stopped.

"Can you help me? I seem to be lost." He said nervously, not sure what was going to happen.

"Lost." A male's voice said almost next to his ear, and he yelped in fear as he jumped away from the sound, heart pounding. 

"Who said that?" he stammered in fright as he raised his hand in self defense. "Show yourself!" 

Somehow that felt familiar, as if he had done such a thing many times before. Yet, it was different all the same.

"Yes. You are lost." The voice said, coming from behind him.

He yelped again as he backed away in a reversed crab-walk.

"You are lost in many ways. As am I." The voice said, coming from his right side, but further away than any previous times. "I have been there for a long time, watching, learning. You are lost. Lost in the darkness of our own making. A darkness you created, and a darkness I let grow. You forgot who you were, as I discovered who I am. Two bodies, one mind. Joined together, but separated. You forgot who you are, because you wanted to forget. And I? I could only watch, learn. Learn from both our mistakes, and grow from them. I know who I am, but I am not yet complete. But you. You were complete, and now you are broken. Broken because you tore yourself apart." The voice spoke, and the footsteps resumed, slowly walking closer to him. 

"But that which is broken can be restored, if only you would let it." The voice continued, and he could see the faint glow of two green orbs in the darkness.

"You are lost, because you forgot who you are, what you are. Yet you act as if nothing has changed." The voice said as he stepped closer to him, finally revealing himself as a shadowy figure with glowing green eyes. His form familiar to him, as he realized he had seen it before. 

"You want to regain what you have lost, don't you?" The voice asked, and he nodded slightly. "Then you only need to see. See for yourself what you are." The voice answered as the darkness lifted, absorbed into the shadow-like form of the voice. Light slowly reached his eyes, and finally he could see more than the faint outline of the shadow-like form with his glowing green eyes. 

"Look." The voice said, pointing a dark finger to a group of beings seemingly frozen in time. A blue, and a white pony stood together with three tall bipeds. One, a dark skinned boy, and one a dark haired girl. And there was also an adult, slumped across the back of the blue pony. And, looking in the distance, he could see a giant plant-like creature, preparing to finish off an injured woman lying on the ground. 

A spike went through his mind as he saw the woman lie on the ground. A feeling of anger going through his being.

"Who are they?" He nearly screamed as he fell to his knees, holding his head in his hand. "Who is she?"

"They are you. A part of you. Just as you are a part of them. With some more than others, but still a part all the same. The humans, you left them. You tried to forget about them. But a small part of you couldn't. It held on to the last small part of your former self, a part that couldn't die. That is why you are here. That is why I am here. I am here because I am the result of you trying to deny the truth, and to forget. A mistake that changed you. A mistake you now need to live with."

"You are lost, and the road home is before you. All you need to do is take the first step. But in order to do that, you need to remember. Something you are already trying to do, it seems." The voice remarked as he pointed out that he was still holding his head.

"Memories are a curious thing. They can give one great strength, or they can hold one back. They can fade away in the darkness of one’s mind, only to return years later. But you forced them away. Now you need to allow them back into your life. Both the good, and the bad. All it takes is a single question. A simple question, but with no simple answer."

"Wh-... What is it?" He asked.

"Who am I?"

"Who am I?" He repeated.

"Yes. The question we all need to ask ourselves. Who are we really? What makes us who we are? What drives us to do the things we do? Who are the ones most important to us? Who are we to them? Who are we? Who are you? Who am I? Look at them." The voice instructed. "Tell me, who and what are they to you? How do they make you feel?"

"Who are they to me? How do they make me feel?" He repeated absently as he looked at the group of beings. 

He looked at the white pony. A trio of diamonds were imaged on both her flanks. She had a purple tail, and a mane of green vines. Vines that didn't belong to her, he realized. A feeling of recognition came to him as he looked at her. A feeling of embarrassment as he pictured himself standing in only his boxers with the rest of his clothes floating around him. 

His attention shifted to the blue pony. A lightning bolt with a trio of colors shooting from a cloud was displayed on her flank, and she had a deep red mane and tail. 

He felt anger and grief, and a feeling that she had to stop talking, to stop asking questions. He felt the need to run away, just so he wouldn't have to remember. 

He looked at the dark skinned teenager, and a mixture of feelings assaulted him. Joy, sadness, anger, jealousy, laughter and much more. He felt as if he had known him for years.

His attention shifted to the dark haired girl, and he fell to his knees as a knife pierced his heart. 

"Sam." He whispered as many emotions and feelings assaulted him. 

Tears flowed from his eyes as he grasped his heart. Feelings that he knew all too well crashed down on him. Feelings he had tried so hard to bury. 

He forced himself to look away, lest he drown in the sea of guilt. Breathing loudly, he shifted his gaze to the last two beings out there. The giant plant, and the woman lying on the ground.

He could feel rage rise up as he recognized the giant. His fury doubling as he finally recognized the woman lying on the ground. Seeing how she was moments away from being crushed. 

"Jazz!" He yelled. "I have to help her!" he shouted as he stood up, and ran towards the still image. Only to be held back by a shadowy hand on his shoulder.

"Let go of me!" He demanded.

"Who are you?" The voice asked, not letting go of Danny despite his struggles.

"I don't have the time for this. Let go!" 

"Why? What are you going to do? And why are you going to do it?"

"I have to save her! I need to save all of them!"

"Why?"

"Because…… Because it is who I am." His eyes opened wide in comprehension as he spoke, his strugglings slowing down until they completely stopped.

"That is part of who you are, yes. But who are you? What are you?"

He looked out at the beings standing before him, struggling to answer the question.

"Who am I?" He said aloud. "What am I?"

Deeper and deeper he plunged into his mind. Moving past the memories that broke free when he observed the image before him. Forcing, breaking, tearing through the wall he built himself so long ago. 

"Who am I?" He asked once more as the memories started to unlock, memories he had worked so hard to forget.

"Who are you?" The voice asked again, feeling a stir in his master's mind. 

His eyes snapped up, and he stared at the group before him with a triumphant glare in them. 

"I am Danny Phantom!" He said as a white band of energy formed around him, turning him into the ghost he was. 

"And I have been gone for far too long."

"Danny, please. I need your help."

They all heard the weak cry for help coming from her, yet they were unable to help. They couldn't get there in time, even if they tried. All they could do was watch in horror as they saw the giant fist move down, seemingly moving in slow motion.

A white flash came from Rainbow Dash's back, and she cried out in shock as she fell backwards. 

All of them watched in amazement as Danny suddenly shot forward with a speed that he had seldom reached.

"What happened?" Rainbow Dash cried out as she picked herself up.

"I.. I have no idea." 'Sam' answered weakly as she stood there, wide eyed.

Danny raced towards Jazz, his eyes squinted as the air cut into his face. Time moved at a crawl for him, as he saw the fist move closer and closer to his sister. And still, time seemed to move too fast. The gap between him and Jazz seemed to increase, instead of decrease as he pushed himself as far as he could possibly go. 

He had to save her, he couldn't let her down. He would never let his friends or family down. Not if he had any say in it. 

With a wordless battle cry he forced himself to go even faster, and a red spark of lightning coursed through his intangible tail. The green and white striped terrain shot by as a blur, as Danny managed to close the gap between him and Jazz.

He could see as she slowly turned her head towards him. He could see his own reflection in her eyes. He could see the look of sheer determination on his face in her eyes. And he could see the look of belief in hers. 

In a blur of motion, faster than anyone could see, Danny grabbed Jazz and pulled her out of harm’s way an instant before Undergrowth's fist pummeled into the field.

A massive temblor jolted through the earth, and large fissures spread out from where Undergrowth hit the ground, a fist sized crater at its center. 

Undergrowth looked down in confusion as she was unable to find any trace of Jazz in the hole she just created. 

"Over here, ugly!" Danny called out.

"What!?" Undergrowth called shrilly as she turned to her side, seeing Danny flying above the rest of the group while holding Jazz in his arms.

"You know," Danny began as he descended to the ground. "I have taken a lot of crap lately. Heck, some of it was even my own fault, but I always had my friends there to back me up." He said as 'Sam' and Tucker took hold of Jazz, helping her stand. "But it would seem that I let those closest take the hits meant for me." He went on as he levitated off the ground, slowly moving towards Undergrowth. "I acted as if I knew what I was doing, as if I understood what was going on. Heck, I still don't fully understand what I got myself involved in, but I do know this: You tried to kill my sister." He growled as his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his hands glowed with an icy blue light. "You just made a very big mistake!"

Danny shot forwards, cool blue streaks trailing from his hands. Undergrowth roared out as she swatted at him with her thorny hands and vines. But Danny either dodged them, or blasted them with his ice shaping, freezing them solid, then shattering them as he tore through them. 

Undergrowth cried out in pain every time Danny did such a thing, mirrored by the cry of rage from Nightmare Moon. 

A cry of rage that none of his powers were transferred to her. A cry of rage cursing that blasted human and his shadow. A cry of rage that went unheard, save for Shadow. He could hear every profanity uttered by her, and a satisfied smirk found its way onto his face.

Danny hit Undergrowth with everything he had; freezing and blasting away, guaranteeing as much damage as possible. Undergrowth had let go of any pretense of sophistication, grunting and hissing every time she swatted her hands or whipped her vines at him. Several times she almost managed to connect, but he was able to evade her attacks, turning intangible and allowing her limbs to pass clean through him, or he would get a bit more creative. 

One time, vines came close to hitting him, but Danny froze it with his ice shaping. Not stopping there, he created a chain of ice, linking the frozen vine to him. Then he flew towards Undergrowth's head, dragging the vine with him, sending it on a collision course with her head. The painful connection making her roar out as frozen pieces of herself flew all around her; the mangled stump still attached to her jerked around in an uncontrolled spasm.

Recovering quickly, Undergrowth saw an opening in Danny’s defenses. But as she prepared to strike, a crazed battle cry derailed her plan. Turning her head, she saw Jazz and Rainbow Dash flying towards her. Or rather, Jazz was carrying Rainbow Dash, holding the mare up by her barrel. 

After building up enough speed, she let go of the maniacally grinning pony. 

Rainbow Dash twisted around in mid air, and delivered a solid buck to the giant plant's torso, sending her off balance. But she had not planned for her back hooves to bury knee deep in the slick, fibery skin of Undergrowth. 

Rainbow Dash hung upside down -awesomely- with her hind legs firmly planted in Undergrowth's body.

"Oh, pony feathers!" She grunted as she crossed her forelegs in annoyance, waiting for Jazz to pick her up.

"You know this is a one time thing, right?" Danny could hear her mutter to Jazz after she pulled her free, and flew off with her.

Focusing his attention back on the giant ghost, he saw a very large vine heading straight for him. Acting fast, he froze the wriggling mass with one hand, and blasted it to pieces with the other.

"You attack my friends! You destroy everything around you! You tried to kill my sister!" Danny shouted as he circled Undergrowth, freezing her at the base.

"Don't forget about my mane!" Rarity shouted, making Danny stop in his tracks as he, Undergrowth, and everyone else turned to look at her.

"What?" Rarity asked, genuinely confused, earning her a collective face- and hoofpalms from those present, while Danny hung in the air; his arms hanging limply by his sides, mouth half open. Undergrowth only cocked her head, making her mane bounce on her shoulders.

"Right, where were we?" Danny asked as he dragged his hand over his face. "Oh yeah!" He said, attention snapping back to Undergrowth.

After the brief lull, Undergrowth also returned to her attempts to swat Danny out of the air, and to break free of the growing ice. But it was a losing battle, and before long she was fully coated in a thick layer of ice, completely immobilizing her.

"Now to finish this!" Danny said as he landed in front of the green and purple ice sculpture. "No holding back." 

He planted his feet firmly into the grass, widening his stance for more stability. He sucked in as much air as his lungs could hold before unleashing his most devastating attack: The Ghostly Wail. 

Everyone- and pony- covered their ears, shielding themselves from the cacophony Danny produced. His adult voice lending more power to the massive destructive force. 

The ground shook and warped, the carefully tended turf blasting clean off from the shockwave. Undergrowth's ice prison began to shatter like the field she stood on, and her body broke with it. The sound of the ice breaking was completely lost to the absolute violence of the Ghostly Wail. As was the sound of the larger chunks crashing to the ground. 

Rainbow Dash, Sam, Tucker, Rarity and Jazz all stood mouths agape, unable to comprehend the destructive force they saw Danny utilize. And Nightmare Moon, she could only stare in utter disbelief at the amazing power this human possessed. Her mouth hung wide open, and her slitted eyes were the size of dinner plates. All coherent thoughts had left her for the moment. She couldn't move from shock.

She knew she had underestimated him, severely, and she felt the hold over this mental layer slip from her grasp. She watched as Danny fell to his knees, his attack stopping as there was nothing left of her pawn, aside from millions of shattered pieces of plant material. She saw the rest of the group, and the treacherous construct run towards Danny, helping him back up as he gingerly rubbed his throat.

Slowly the environment changed, reverting back to the hall with the pedestal in its center. And that cursed element hovering above one of its five bowls.

She knew that she had to do better next time if she wanted to gain what she desired. Her resolve strengthened as she watched what happened next.

"Danny, are you alright?" Jazz asked worriedly as Sam and tucker helped her back up.

"Yeah, I’m fine." He replied, slightly hoarse.

"Fine?! Fine?!" Rainbow Dash babbled excitedly as she reared up on her hind legs, placing her front hooves against Danny's chest. "That. Was. Awesome!"

"As a rule I prefer to keep myself away from such brutish behaviour. However, I have to agree with Rainbow Dash. That was indeed marvelous, Danny." Rarity said with a sincere smile."But it is still a shame you were unable to save my precious mane."

Jazz gave an annoyed groan at that, and Rainbow Dash was about to rebuke, when the environment changed; shifting from the demolished football field and the obliterated mansion, into the now all-too-familiar room housing the strange pedestal at its center.

And as an added bonus for a certain pony, Rarity's mane also changed, reverting back to the full, stylish purple mane she so clearly held dear.

"My mane!" She squealed as she jumped around like a foal on Hearth’s Warming morn, not noticing the eye roll she got from both Jazz and Rainbow Dash. But what she did notice, as did everyone else, was the sudden red flash coming from the mare and woman. They all jerked away in reflex. 

As they looked back, they could see the woman and pony had changed, too. 

Jazz’s wings were gone, as was her rainbow hair color. Both of them could now be found on their rightful owner, who squealed and jumped around not unlike a certain white pony had done mere moments ago. As Jazz accessed her own natural form, red haired and without wings, she was less than enthused.

"Ok, that solves that." Danny remarked as he scratched the top of his head. "But why are we back here?" 

"I thought we had to find more of those crystal thingies?" Tucker replied, equally confused.

"Somehow, I think you did." 'Sam' said as she noticed the red glow coming from Danny's chest.

"Huh?" Danny hummed as he looked down. "What the!? What is this?" He asked loudly, trying to rub the glow off of him.

All six watched as the glow gradually intensified when, slowly, a small orb of red light came out of his chest. It hung in the air for all to see, and gradually gained form. 

Rainbow Dash looked at it intently, and a spark of recognition came to her. 

"That's my element!" she yelled as she saw a red crystal, shaped like a lightning bolt, hover in the air before her.

"Your element?" Danny asked.

"Yes. It is the Element of Loyalty." Rarity concurred. She too was transfixed to the sight before her. "And I hold the Element of Generosity. Rainbow Dash and I, as well as four more of our friends, are the living embodiments of the Elements of Harmony. We each represent an aspect. As I said, I am Generosity, and Rainbow is Loyalty. There is also Laughter, Honesty, Magic, and… And Kindness." Rarity trailed off, noticing the pink glow coming from the crystal already in place.

"Where did you get that?" She asked, galloping to the pedestal, head angled to better see the slowly rotating crystal butterfly.

"Eh. It used to be a thorn lodged in the claw of a manticore." Danny answered. "I pulled it out, and it turned into that thing."

"Kindness." Rarity breathed barely above a whisper. "Loyalty." she murmured as she turned to look at the levitating lightning bolt shaped crystal.

"Is everything alright, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash asked as she averted her gaze from her element to her friend.

"Yes, yes. I am quite fine. It's just… I think that I have to give Danny something as well. It seems rather obvious, now that I think about it."

"You said that Nightmare Moon was involved with all of this, yes?" She asked Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, so what?" 

"It would seem that the Elements are necessary once more to deal with her. Though we are not the one that shall wield them this time."

"Wait! You don't mean…. Danny?" Dash said with shocked confusion.

"It would appear so. He has claimed Fluttershy's Element, and he said he did it by pulling a thorn from a manticore's paw. That does sound familiar, doesn't it? And now Loyalty presented itself to him." They all nodded at that, even Rainbow Dash had to agree with what she was saying.

"Not to mention all the sacrifices you have made to help and protect us from that horrid Undergrowth." Rarity continued as she looked at Danny, slowly walking to him. "Why, to sacrifice one's self to protect those around him. That has to be the most loyal, most generous thing I have ever heard of."

After this pronouncement a purple glow formed around her neck, and a golden necklace with a diamond shaped crystal nestled at its center appeared. The glow condensed, focused on the crystal slowly levitating out of its setting to join the lightning shaped jewel. The both of them rotating around each other. 

"Danny, I give you my Element. From one generous being, to another." She said as she reared up, and pulled Danny into a hug. "I feel you have more need for it than I do right now."

Danny stood frozen, not sure what he should do as he awkwardly placed his hands on Rarity's back. And despite the seriousness of the situation, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smirk and make kissy faces at them. Jazz had trouble stifling her laughter at the look on Danny's face, while Tucker didn't even bother holding himself back. And 'Sam' had turned away from the sight, one balled fist shaking in frustration.

"Erm… Thanks." Danny finally managed to say, weakly, as Rarity released him and returned to all fours. 

"You’re most welcome, darling." That set off Rainbow Dash as well, her mirth rolled her over onto her back, her legs kicking spastically in the air. 

Their attention was pulled to the two crystals gently hovering in the air as their glow suddenly intensified, reacting with the pink glow of the butterfly shaped gem. 

They watched as the two gems gently flew towards their respective places on the pedestal, slowly rotating in place besides the one already there as they returned home.

"So, now what?" Tucker asked suddenly.

"I think now is the time for us to leave," Jazz said as she looked at her hands, seeing them slowly fade away.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash also looked at their hooves, seeing the same happening to them.

"Whoa, this is so weird!" Rainbow Dash said as she faded to a translucent image.

"Danny, please take care of yourself!" Jazz said desperately as she, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity faded away, leaving Danny, Tucker, and 'Sam' behind.

"Well, that was weird." Tucker said, utterly baffled.

"Really. That was weird?" 'Sam' asked with sarcasm.

"Yeah, kinda." Tucker answered, and 'Sam' only sighed out as she rolled her eyes.

"So, now what?" Danny asked as he looked at the three rotating elements, their glow acting as a beacon in the dimly lit room they found themselves in.

"I think we’ll find out soon enough." 'Sam' answered as she turned to look at a shadow in the corner, knowing that she was being watched.

"Not again!" Nightmare Moon screamed as she slammed her hoof onto the ground, "Not again!"

"Oh, you're going to break, human!" She spat. "I will make sure of that. I will drain every last drop of power from you. And when I am done, I will make sure your end will be as painful as I can make it."

Shadows twisted and turned around her as she unleashed all the power that she had.

"You dare defy a god!? Now you will deal with the consequences!" 

Princess Luna stood on her balcony, vigilantly watching the dreams of those who slept. 

As anticipated, she could feel the disturbance from poor Danny's troubled mind, and she prayed that he would be all right. She didn't understand why she couldn't help him anymore, and it took its toll on her. She started to doubt herself more and more with every passing night, thinking that she was unfit to watch over those who slept if she was unable to help those in need. 

This night started the same. There was the disturbance, and her inability to help. The questioning doubt, and the guilt she felt for her failings. But this night would turn out to be different than those before it, as, with a shocking realization, she discovered that Fluttershy, her friend and savior, somehow shared in the same disturbance as Danny. 

Luna reared back in shock, fear evident on her face as she reared out to the shy pony's mind, dreading what she would find. 

Luna was caught wrong-hooved by what she found, or the lack thereof. Just like Danny, Fluttershy's mind was completely closed to her. But, similar to the first night with Danny, Luna was able to discern the emotions through the cracks in her subconscious.

Anger, rage and pain dominated the shy pony's mind. A mixture of emotions that did not belong in a dream, and was completely out of character for her friend.

Luna spent a long time watching her friend, reaching out to her repeatedly. She was, however, unsuccessful. 

She worried, she feared, she felt completely useless. Useless, because she now also failed Fluttershy. But it also showed a greater problem to her. Whatever was happening to Danny, it was spreading. Fearful of a time she would be unable to help anypony at all. 

Then, a change. Fluttershy's posture relaxed, and a happy smile spread out over her face, and she was… Licking her pillow as she held it tightly in a hug. 

For the third time that night, Luna was shocked beyond words, not to mention, very confused. As she reached out to the sleeping mare's mind, she found that she could once more see the dreams of the sleeping pony. But as she dug through her memories, Luna was unable to find any trace of the dream that could tell her what happened in the pony's mind. 

She was baffled, stunned, and utterly confused. 

"What is going on!?" She shouted, before picking up on the disturbance again. Now in three places.

Danny's house was the origin, but it now also resonated from Rarity's boutique, and Rainbow Dash's cloud mansion. 

"What is going on?" she said barely above a whisper as she tried to enter the ponies mind's, but was repelled by both of them.

She was afraid, confused, and even angry. Angry with Danny. It may be unintentional or not, but somehow his… condition was spreading to others.

"I will get to the bottom of this! Mark my words, Danny Manson!" Luna said with conviction as she made herself up for a very, very long night.