• Published 2nd Jun 2013
  • 15,794 Views, 1,431 Comments

Guilt of a Phantom - Powerdrainer



Danny Phantom, Terror of Amity Park. Blamed for the murder of one closest to him, Danny runs away in an attempt to rebuild his life. But disaster is always close behind, as a horrible truth lost to time demands to be heard.

  • ...
70
 1,431
 15,794

PreviousChapters Next
A Truly Diverse Group Of Voices

Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, and Clawder.

A Truly Diverse Group Of Voices

<<>><<>><<>>

"Open your mind, Danny Phantom," the Elder said, her staff glowing brightly, blinding and consuming Danny with its light. "And see the truth hidden within!" And a bright flash of red filled the room.

"So how do we know this will work?" Asked Sweetie Belle after a short pause, blinking the spots out of her eyes.

"As long as it's quick!" Abella snapped as she rubbed her own, compromised eyes.

"These matters are not something to be rushed," Wind Chill explained to them, to which Abella snarled in answer and the giant took a concerned step back.

The Elder, eyes closed in concentration, frowned deeply. "Indeed," She said through small groans of exertion. "The Great One's mind is firmy locked in conflict. It will take him some time to free himself."

Abella gave a throaty groan from irritation, dragging a hoof down her face.

"Please be patient, Abella," Sweetie Belle placed a comforting hoof on her back. "I know you are in a hurry. How could you not be? But this needs to be done, so that we can help all of you later."

Abella merely glared at the young pony beside her, who slowly shuffled back after a moment's pause.

In the silence which followed, Zecora approached the young shapeshifter.

"What do you want?" Abella muttered, frustrated.

"To learn about the child of change with whom I speak, I must know, is your situation truly this bleak?"

Glowering, Abella grumbled something incoherently.

"It is," Sweetie Belle answered for her, ears drooping. "That wave which, ehh, forced them out of Canterlot poisoned them with hate. Now most of the changelings are sick, very sick. A lot have even died, I'm afraid."

Zecora stood speechless, eyes wide as she looked back at the troubled changeling, finally understanding the dire situation no child should have to go through.

"Now we're hoping the Elder can fix Danny and Fenris, so they can help again." Sweetie Belle finished, looking at the tall wolf as he remained standing rooted on the spot; eyes unfocused and dim. "At least they were able to do something… unlike me."

"Young Spirit, you have done more than you think," Wind Chill told her. "The moment you learned of the changelings plight, you didn't hesitate to come to me for help. You even went as far as to reveal yourself to them because of it. Not to mention the bravery you've shown to stand and fight the, ehh, windigos besides me, or to seek out Fenris. And, even if it was indirectly, if you hadn't done all this, the Great One wouldn't have found us either. No, it is because of you that we are here, now, with a chance to help them. A chance they wouldn't have had, if not for you and your friends. So don't sell yourself short, Sweetie Belle. Regardless of the outcome, you have done more for the changelings than you realize."

Abella huffed at this, quietly muttering to herself while Sweetie Belle smiled broadly. A smile which slowly fell as she noticed something, slowly looking around, only to come to a worrying realization.

"Wait… where's Cujo?"

"WE'VE GOT CONTACT!" A stallion shouted some place down the hallway, and everyone able turned to the dark passage from which they heard shouting, blasting, and even more worrying, barking.

"Oh, crab apples," Sweetie Belle swore.

<<>><<>><<>>

A few steps back, and somewhat to the left.

Slowly he crept forwards, body lowered to the ground, quietly approaching his prey he heard coming, covered in the darkness around him.

Cujo, ears aimed forwards, listened intently as the intruders conversed with each other, voices low, but still loud enough for him to hear them.

They were on edge, but unaware.

His lips pulled back in a feral grin, his training still strong in his mind, he swiftly moved through the hallway and into the adjacent room; stepping behind an overturned pillar, sniffing the air.

Silent clip clopping on the stone floor gave the intruders away, and he moved closer to intercept, but then, a silent beep caught his attention, and he froze mid motion.

They all stopped.

"Wow, this place is lit," he heard a bitch's voice.

"How bad we're talking about?" The bark of the pack leader came next.

"Jack Fenton near an all you can eat buffet kind of bad."

"Oh Tartarus. I still have nightmares about that," a third voice answered, and Cujo crept closer, closing in from behind, and got a better look at the group of four equines.

"Can you pick up anything specific?" The leader, a bulky pony with dull orange fur asked.

"It's all just one big spectral hotspot. No way to pinpoint the source of it," the ice blue furred bitch answered.

"Alright, everypony. Stay on guard and keep your eyes open. We're getting close to something, and I don't want any avoidable surprises."

Having heard enough, Cujo closed the distance, drawing the attention of the pony near the back of the group.

"You mean like a big, green glowing dog?" The steel gray furred equine asked with a faint waver in her voice.

"Oddly specific, but yes," the leader replied, turning to look at his subordinate and locking eyes with Cujo.

Cujo growled loudly.

"WE'VE GOT CONTACT!"

<<>><<>><<>>

"Crab apples…. What do we do now?" Asked Sweetie Belle, looking nervously at the dark passage.

Abella huffed as she calmly looked around. "This place is falling apart as it is. Maybe with a little push, a most unfortunate accident could happen to these ghost hunters."

Looking back at Sweetie Belle, Abella saw the ivory filly staring at her with wide, horrific eyes. A look shared by most others in the room with her.

"What?" She shrugged.

"That's horrible," Sweetie Belle told her. "We can't do that."

"But if they were changelings it would be no problem to blast them halfway across the land, poisoning them in the process," Abella snapped back at her.

"Of course not," Sweetie Belle said, horrified.

Abella stared at her with a mixture of anger and hate, and Sweetie Belle flinched back as if kicked in the gut.

"Right, sorry," Sweetie Belle said with a quiet voice.

"You ponies are all the same,” Abella hissed. "Fine, what incredible plan do you have which would save everyone and didn't come out one of these childish books you ponies like to read, always with a happy ending. Because I know for a fact life does not work that way."

"I ehh... " Sweetie Belle faltered. "I'm sure we can come up with something if we work together."

"No we won't. Even that damned dog knows it," Abella pointed at the dark passage from which they could still hear barking, shouting and the discharge of weapons.

"Well, at least he's keeping them busy," Sweetie Belle sighed out, then perked up. "Hold on, we don't have to stop them, or anything, just slow them down until the Elder is done with Danny.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Abella asked with clear disinterest in the pony's plan.

"Well, they came here looking for ghosts, right?" She asked, then transformed with a flash. "But what if they found a spirit instead?"

Abella blinked, so did Wind Chill, Frostbite and Zecora; the latter three all bursting out in protest at the same time, with a noticeable shout of surprise from Zecora upon seeing Sweetie Belle transform, while Abella merely muttered: "You're crazy. All you ponies are crazy."

"Well, what else can we do?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

"Collapse the roof on top of them," Abella droned flatly.

"Besides that?" Sweetie Belle shot her down.

"But young spirit, you only just learned to use your powers. Some of them don't even yet work as they should. You can't rush into a fight with trained hunters, this will surely end badly for you," Wind Chill told her.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm not the only one here now, am I?"

Frostbite looked at the filly with a mix of pity and worry. "Sweetie Belle-"

"She's right!" Zecora stopped him before he could say what was on his mind, eyes sharp and standing tall. "Stop wasting time and join this fight. You all keep saying we should help the Phantom, but refuse to act when things look glum. So are you a ghost worthy of your name, or will it be henceforth known as one of shame?"

For a moment, it was deathly quiet, all eyes locked on the resolute zebra who looked unblinkingly up at Frostbite.

Then a blast, followed by a pained yelp came from the dark passage and Sweetie Belle jumped up.

"CUJO!" She yelled and ran off into the darkness.

"Ancestors," Frostbite muttered grimly, then, releasing a shuddering breath, followed after the young pony.

For a moment, Wind Chill struggled with himself, unsure if he should leave the Elder and the Great One alone. But finally, chose to join Frostbite and Sweetie Belle.

Now left alone, Abella groaned heavily as she shot a glance at the Elder and the transformed human.

"This better be worth it," she mumbled, then halfheartedly followed after the rest. And, while conflicted with her own lack of involvement, Zecora chose to remain behind instead; knowing that, should the hunters see her, it would only complicate things further. And so, with a weary sigh, she instead turned back to look at the Elder working on Danny; seeing one of his dark furred claws twitch slightly, then close slowly.

The frown of the Elder deepened as she sensed a change within the mind of Danny and the glow of her staff increased as she guided the troubled minds of the human and wolf at odds.

<<>><<>><<>>

Running through the dark with all the speed and courage she could muster, Sweetie Belle lit up her horn with spectral energy to help illuminate her path, while also preparing herself to fight the moment she ran into one of the hunters. Of course she didn't know exactly what it was she was heading into, and the thought of what those hunters might do to her should they catch her only added to the nauseating nervousness she felt. So, eyes clenched shut, she pushed forwards while yelling a less than heroic battle cry.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

She then proceeded to trip over her own hooves, yelping out as her charged horn sparked and sputtered a fine spray of diffuse energy while she tumbled over the ground; coming to a stop in a heap halfway across the room.

"YOUNG SPIRIT!" Frostbite called out as he clumsily barged into the room; the hall's ceiling too low for him to stand upright.

"I'm okay," Sweetie Belle groaned, slowly rolling to her side, then pushing herself to a sitting position.

"Young spirit! Frostbite!"

And then Wind Chill entered the room with as much grace as his village leader had shown before him.

"Where is everypony?" Sweetie Belle wondered as she gingerly rubbed a hoof over her bruised muzzle.

"I have no idea," Frostbite informed her, looking around the room with a calculating gaze.

"There are numerous scorch marks on the walls," Wind Chill noticed.

"On the floor as well," Frostbite added. "Clearly there was a fight here."

Slowly, quietly, Abella entered the room with dragging hooves, flat annoyance clearly showing on her face. "You don't say," Abella grumbled. "What gave it away? The shouting? The barking? Or maybe the shooting we've heard?"

"You don't have to be sarcastic about it," Sweetie Belle muttered, pushing herself back to all fours.

"Children, please. There is no need for this," Wind Chill stepped in between. "Right now, we need to focus on the problem at hand."

"You mean my sick and dying family and friends?" Abella asked bitterly.

"Euhhh, no… I mean, yes. That too, of course. But the hunters firs-"

Slamming a hoof on the floor in absolute outrage, producing a shockingly loud crack which echoed around, Abella's eyes seemed to glow; even more so in the darkness-covered chamber.

"NO!" She hissed, seething. "We will not go look for these hunters, or that damned dog! You… whatever you are, have postponed things long enough! You will go back in there, fix whatever the BUCK is wrong with that wolf guy and save my kind. NOW!" And despite her small size, both giants took a fearful step back; the air seeming to shimmer around the enraged filly.

Sweetie Belle, surprised by the sudden outburst from Abella, couldn't stop the feeling of anger welling up from her unkind behavior, and before that, Erlea's less than friendly attitude towards her and her friends. Still, she forced those feelings back, eyes closed, when she was suddenly overcome by a strange, dizzying sensation, shuddered visibly, taking a deep, calming breath.

When she opened her eyes again, for a fraction of a second her pupils looked almost slitted as she glared at Abella.

"HEY, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN!" She yelled in anger, eyes glowing brightly as Abella reared back in shock and fright, eyes wide. Then, just as sudden, Sweetie Belle deflated, her eyes dimming as well. And though it passed quickly, a most troubled frown creased Frostbite's rough face.

"Look, I know this is not what you wanted," Sweetie Belle sighed tiredly. "Heck, this is what none of us wanted, all of this craziness just happening right after each other… It's not like we're doing this on purpose, or anything. It's just… it happens, and all we can do is try to make the most of it. Just like we ponies always do. It's just… It's who we are. And I'm sorry if that is not how you changelings do things, but, please, we're only trying to help."

Silence.

Silently, Abella looked at Sweetie Belle with an air of suspicion, as if she expected her to burst into flames right then and there.

"Abella… Is something wrong?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

Slowly, Abella's eyes slid up, locking with Sweetie Belle's.

"How did you do that?" She asked slowly.

"Do what?" Sweetie Belle said, confused.

Abella didn't answer as she slowly, carefully, stepped closer to Sweetie Belle, circling around the silver filly who followed her movement with a slow turning of her head.

"What are you?" Abella wanted to know, sniffing the air, then recoiling while scrunching up her muzzle in disgust.

"What?" Sweetie Belle said, worried, even a bit insulted.

Abella hissed and recoiled away from Sweetie Belle.

"Hey, what's your problem!?" Sweetie Belle demanded to know.

"You," Abella hissed as she glared at the silver spirit. "You radiate hate off of you. Hate, and fear."

"No I don't," Sweetie Belle shot back defensively, frowning.

"Perhaps it would be better if we deal with this new development after the Elder has helped the Great One," Frostbite quickly intervened, swiftly turning to Wind Chill. "I'll take the children back to the Elder. You go and destroy this bridge I understand you created outside. At the least it will prevent anyone else from crossing easily. If you're able, look for this Cujo, and more importantly, any sign of these hunters. They may very well still be somewhere in this castle. Or, if we're lucky, Cujo has led them away from here. If it's the latter, don't go and search for either one of them. We've got enough problems already. No need to go look for more before at least some of them are resolved."

For a moment Wind Chill looked down at the two fillies staring at each other in silence, able to tell there was more going on than he'd picked up, and that Frostbite had some understanding of the continuously worsening situation.

"Very well," he nodded, taking a single, large step towards the castle's gate, then stopped. "Do be careful yourself," he added as he looked back over his shoulder. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"That makes two of us, brother," Frostbite agreed with a rumble. "Now go!"

Nodding, Wind Chill quietly moved outside, inspecting his surroundings as he went.

"Children," Frostbite said after a tense pause. "Please follow me back to the Elder. Maybe she has some good news for us?"

"Yeah…" Abella stretched the word as she slowly moved for the dark hallway, keeping her eyes on Sweetie Belle the entire time. "Maybe."

"Seriously! What's wrong!?" Sweetie Belle demanded to know, frowning when Abella didn't answer; grumbling to herself in irritation.

Resigning herself to be left hanging, Sweetie Belle followed after the two as they preceded her into the darkness between them and the Elder, Danny and Fenris. And as she stepped into the absolute shadow of the hallway, her eyes seemed to glow just a bit brighter as she saw through the inky dark with slitted pupils.

<<>><<>><<>>

With as much stealth as his large frame would allow, Wind Chill made his way outside; keeping a close eye on all other dark halls and half rotten doors he passed to make sure none of the hunters would catch him unaware. Fortunately, he made it out and to his bridge without incident, but the question where the hunters and Cujo had gone to, remained unanswered.

As he approached the frozen construct of his own creation, however, it was impossible to miss the numerous holes and water filled potholes; steam rising up from the still warm water.

Kneeling down, he stuck a finger in one of the small puddles, pulling it out almost instantly afterwards.

"Forced molten by a high powered spectral discharge," he realized. "They were here, hunting Cujo guns blazing."

Standing back up, he looked into the forest on the other side of his bridge, frowning deeply.

'He did save us from being snuck up and being found out by these hunters. But what happened to you next?' Wind Chill wondered, looking over his shoulder back at the ancient castle. 'Frostbite did order me to look for them,' and with a nod of determination, and a duty bound by honor to help those who helped him, he crossed the bridge, stopped on the other side and channeled his powers to destroy his frozen construct, then disappeared into the forest.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Elder, please tell me you have succeeded?" Frostbite asked before he even managed to pull himself out of the hallway fully; stumbling a bit as his foot caught on to something, and he rumbled in frustration as he pulled his appendage free. "I could use some good news right about now."

"You're not the only one," Abella grumbled as she entered the room, looking back at Sweetie Belle from the corner of her eyes as she followed a moment later.

"I understand," the Elder answered calmly, no strain to her voice. "But I am not the one you should ask."

"What do you m-" Frostbite's words got stuck halfway out of his mouth as, from behind the Elder, Danny stepped into view.

"Great One," Frostbite gasped upon seeing the human.

"DANNY!" Sweetie Belle shouted as she ran towards him. "You're you again!" An excited spray of sparks shot from her horn as she jumped up and down in front of him.

Grinning, Danny patted the energetic filly on the head. "For the most part, at least."

"Wait," Sweetie Belle stopped mid bounce, hovering in the air. "What does that mean?"

"Who cares," Abella groaned, already seeing this as a derail into yet another long conversation, while something much more urgent demanded attention. "Just tell me where that wolf went, so I can take him back to the Hive."

"Yes… about that," Danny said, his grin gone as he looked at his right hand; closing it into a fist, then stretching out his fingers. "Things didn't really work out as expected."

"... What do you mean?" Frostbite asked, worry lacing his voice.

"Eclipse," Danny said, looking off at a dark corner of the room.

"It would seem—" Eclipse's voice resounded from the darkness, two orange glowing eyes with green glowing irises lighting up, before she smoothly stepped into view, "—that Fenris has decided to join me and my master through… Well, ehh… I'm not really sure what to call it?" She halted, pouting as her grand reveal fell through due to a lack of imagination on her part.

"... Shadow Bond," Danny suggested after a moment.

"Yes, that will do wonderfully," Eclipse agreed gleefully. "Fenris has joined me and my master through Shadow Bond; existing within the two of us."

"... Great One… this is your shade?" Frostbite asked, awed, amazed.

"Yeah. Frostbite, Eclipse. Eclipse, Frostbite," Danny introduced them. "And that's about all we have time for," he continued without pause, then fell silent as he looked around. A tired sigh followed next. "Where's Cujo?"

"Euhh… our best guess is that he scared off the ghost hunters who found their way here. Though we have no idea where he, or the hunters are as of now." Frostbite informed Danny who, midway through the explanation, had already placed his hand firmly onto his face, dragging it down.

"Okay," he sighed through an annoyed groan. "While we're on the topic, is there anything else that will go wrong tonight?" He asked at the ceiling, once again wishing he'd gone to bed when he had the chance.

"I should probably add that Wind Chill has gone in search of Cujo and the hunters," Frostbite said with noticeable hesitance.

"And there it is," Danny sighed out exasperatedly, throwing his hand in the air. "Fine, seeing we're short on time, and answers will have to wait for everyone, again, for the countless time… Right, changelings. Eclipse," he turned to his shadow, "Take Sweetie Belle and Abella back to the changelings' city. I'll catch up in a moment. It seems like Cujo is once again out for one of his signature walks…" He was silent for a bit. "At least there is no high tech, secure facility here for him to thrash, leading to the social downfall of one who would become one of the fiercest ghost hunters I've ever met as a result."

"Are you sure this is the wisest course of action?" Frostbite asked, concerned.

"A ghost dog that can quadruple in size, a team of pony ghost hunters who, at the best, are trained by my dad, the worst by my mom, and a frost giant chasing them down; all of this in a creepy, dark forest in which Twilight and her friends may, or may not still be running around in fear over the supposed ghost sighting a while back, not to mention the crap we had to go through earlier today with Sombra and the Crystal Empire, and with no plausible explanation for my sudden disappearance, while my time and attention are needed elsewhere." Danny snorted. "Honestly, it sounds like a pretty regular day to me… just, with ponies."

"It does?" Sweetie Belle asked, surprised and amazed.

"You have no idea."

"HEY!" Abella shouted. "What the HAY do you think you're doing? I need that wolf, here, NOW. He is the only one who managed to make a noticeable difference, and I am not going anywhere without him. Getting him fixed, just so we could go back, is the only reason why we came here in the first place. And now you say he somehow joined you and… her through this shadow thing. NO!" She stomped a hoof on the floor.

'Phantom, allow me to speak with her.'

Danny knelt down before the distraught filly, looking her in the eyes. But when he spoke next, his voice was much heavier, darker, more powerful and his pupils had all, but consumed his eyes.

"Fear not, child of change. Salvation will come to your kind before this night is over."

And as Abella skidded back in fright, Sweetie Belle stepped closer to Danny.

"Fenris?" She asked, head tilted to the side and eyes narrowed slightly.

Danny, or in this instance, Fenris nodded, then looked out of one of the surviving windows in the throne room; the moon visible, if only partially and its light reflected in the black of Danny's shared eyes.

"This night is nearing its end, but much must still be done before the moon is laid to rest. And though I understand your plight, child, we cannot ignore the guardian's sacrifice to keep us safe." He then looked at Eclipse. "Do as the Phantom told. Take the children, we'll catch up. But neither he nor I can ignore what that pup has done for us, nor can we abandon him because of it. And as for those hunters," he rumbled as his eyes turned back to Danny's normal blue. "I think it's time they met a real ghost for a change." Danny finished, transforming in a flash of white.

<<>><<>><<>>

Shortly after the group had left, only Frostbite, the Elder and Zecora remained, as well as the still unconscious timberwolves; a tense silence having taken firm hold over the chamber while Frostbite seemed to struggle with a matter weighing down heavily on him.

"Please, Frostbite. Just speak your mind," the Elder told him.

"I'm not sure I should," he said with a surprisingly soft voice, looking at Zecora.

"Ah, yes. Our newest cohort in this increasingly difficult to keep secret," the Elder chuckled lightly. Zecora looked up at the two with calculating, but no less confused eyes. "I do believe some answers are due. Though, knowing our other brethren in all things spectral, currently off to tend to their own devices, more questions will soon follow. Which brings me back to you, Frostbite. Whatever trouble is on your mind, it may do you well to speak of it now. Who knows, perhaps our new friend can be of help as well?"

"I will admit, I am confused. Though, after everything that has happened, to as much I am used. Still, if my assistance is that which is required, help I shall, as is desired," Zecora enforced her desire to help, despite not fully understanding the situation she was currently in.

"Well, I, ehh," Frostbite faltered, dragging a hand through the fur on his head. "It's about Sweetie Belle, I'm afraid. Back there," he looked at the dark hallway leading to the room the hunters and Cujo had been. "There was a…. change of sorts. I can't say for certain what exactly, but I can't shake the feeling it brought over me when I glimpsed at it."

"Is that so?" The Elder hummed thoughtfully, taking a step towards the hallway.

"Wait, hold on. Do I understand this right? What matter of concern about young Sweetie Belle could cause you a fright?" Zecora asked, worried.

"Elder?" Frostbite turned to her, hoping for an answer to both his and Zecora's question.

"I am afraid I can't shed much light on this matter," she finally answered. "As much as my sight allows me to see what lies before us. Sweetie Belle... Her path is shrouded in uncertainty and, as of yet, poorly understood choices. I cannot derive any coherent understanding of the path she is currently on. Which is as expected from one who represents choice in such a manner as she does."

"But… what does this mean…? For her, I mean," Frostbite asked almost immediately.

"Everything," the Elder told him. "And nothing at the same time."

"Euhh…?" Frostbite blinked, confused. Looking at Zecora, she too didn't seem to understand what was going on.

"As of now, Sweetie Belle is on a path of uncertainty," the Elder explained. "And because of this, no one, not even Sweetie Belle herself can foresee the consequences of the choices she makes, and the ensuing ripple of reactions to these choices. What does this mean for her, us, everyone involved? I do not know. All we can do is prepare."

"Prepare… for what?" Frostbite worried.

"Exactly," the Elder said sagely. "Now, Zecora. I do think it is time for you to receive some answers," she continued without interruption, shifting her focus on the tiny zebra when a low growl diverted it to the Alpha of the timberwolves, seeing the wooden wolf twitch as he regained consciousness. "Ah, right on time. Frostbite, be a dear and stay on guard for the hunters. Should they return, I will blind them from the truth. But for now, it is time to push events into a new direction."

"And which direction would that be?" Frostbite asked, and the Elder's eyes seemed to gleam for a moment as she looked at the village leader; a warming smile visible through the shadow obscuring her visage.

"The return of Danny Phantom, of course."

<<>><<>><<>>

Danny flew out of the ruined castle, his eyes glowing brightly in the dark of night as he crossed the chasm between the castle and the rest of the forest; coming to a stop when he noticed the numerous tracks left behind by Cujo and the hunters in the dirt and leaf covered ground.

Kneeling down, Danny scraped a pair of fingers through one of the many large paw prints belonging to Cujo, following the tracks leading past the edge of the ravine before veering off into the forest.

Levitating himself off the ground, Danny followed the trail; phasing through trees and tall bushes wherever Cujo had done the same.

"And what have we here?" Danny murmured as he stopped again, looking down on the mangled remains of what was once a ghost scanner.

Picking up one of the pieces, Danny barely suppressed a groan as he flicked his wrist and thick globs of dog slobber flew off.

"Well, at least now we know what he did to have them go after him," Danny said, standing back up, dropping the twisted piece of machine to the ground.

'Drawing away a threat while we were unable, and crippling their ability to find us. Truly he lives up to the mantle of responsibility entrusted upon him' Fenris rumbled his agreement.

"Not that this will stop them for long, though," Danny sighed out, jumping back in the air. "If anything, he pissed them off, and it won't be long until he, or they make a mistake. And knowing both Cujo and my luck, a mistake for them will be a whole world of trouble for us."

'Agreed. We better make haste and intercept them before this can happen.'

"My thoughts exactly," Danny said, continuing his pursuit.

It was only after another minute that he came to a stop again. This time, however, because of the absolute mess of prints running over one another, as well as still slightly smoldering scorch marks on nearby trees.

"Round two," Danny murmured, looking around. "Damn, where did they go to next?" He moved around, unable to find a clear set of tracks leading away from the mess he hovered above.

'Stop relying on merely your eyes, Phantom.' Fenris told him.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, confused.

'Use your ears, your nose, your sense of touch. Listen to the voice of the forest, its smell, and the wind on your skin. They will tell you more than your eyes ever will.' Fenris explained.

"And how would I do that?" Danny asked. "I don't thin-"

'Exactly, don't think, Fenris spoke over Danny. 'Just do, and let instinct take over.

Danny tried to retort, but a resounding bark coming from the depths of his mind made him think otherwise. Instead, he lowered himself to the ground, and stood still; waiting, listening, taking deep, calm breaths.

'What am I trying to do?" He asked, yet Fenris remained silent. "Fine," he muttered, and closed his eyes. Waiting, listening, breathing.

Inhale.

He felt the cool night air on his skin.

Exhale.

A calm breeze blew through the trees, the wood creaking while a distant owl hooted.

Inhale.

Leaves made themselves heard as they were swept away in the currents of moving air.

Exhale.

The breeze swept over him, brushing through his white hair; carrying with it a strange scent. A distinct scent. A familiar sc-

His breath got stuck halfway out, his eyes snapping open; the world around him suddenly brighter; colors now clearly defined instead of the comparatively muted world he saw with his ghostly vision. Yet this was not all, as, to his increasing astonishment, he saw the wind as much as he felt and heard it. Each ripple in the air, spreading out, colliding with the trees and foliage, picking up the scent of everything it touched with colors all of its own, before carrying it to Danny who stumbled back by the sensory overload, the world returning to the muted pastel he was accustomed to with night.

"Wh- what was that!?" He gasped, panting.

'The voice of the forest,' Fenris answered. 'Or a glimpse of it, at the very least. Try again, but this time don't shy away like a frightened pup.'

Controlling his breathing, Danny nodded as he closed his eyes, slowly breathing again.

It only took a moment, and this time, when his senses revealed a world unseen, Danny did not recoil immediately.

'Good, hold on to your focus,' Fenris told Danny as the latter slowly looked around in astonishment.

"This is the voice of nature?" Danny asked, amazed yet confused. "Have to say, this is one weird voice."

'Nature speaks in more ways than merely sound. Only those who know to listen understand this.'

"Uhu… So, I take it this is one of your abilities, which I now somehow have as well now with you stuck in my head?"

'In some ways, yes. In others, no.'

"Great, more vague answers. Like I didn't have enough of those already," Danny deadpanned.

'My answer is only vague because you don't understand what it is I just told you, despite the knowledge you already showed to possess.' Fenris replied.

"Meaning?"

'You are correct with the assumption this ability comes from me, but only from a guiding perspective. We ghost all have this gift, stronger in some than others, but few ever learn to use it.'

"And why's that?" Danny asked.

'For the same reason you need to ask for the answer which was already given. Only those who know how to listen understand this.'

"... Yeah, walked right into that one," Danny sighed out. "Okay, focus. How do I use this to find Cujo and the hunters?"

'Focus on the scent which drew you into this state,' Fenris instructed. 'Smell it, taste it, feel it. Allow it to consume everything else, leaving only that which you seek, and nothing else.'

Nodding, Danny slowly inhaled again; quickly picking up on the scent of wet dog and focusing on it with dedicated focus.

'Come on, Cujo. Where are you?' Danny thought as all other colors faded away, leaving only the trail of moss green. "... Green dog, green scent…" He sighed out. "Of course."

Putting the matter beside him, Danny quickly took to the air and followed the trail deeper and deeper into the forest; soon encountering more signs of weapon discharges. Shortly thereafter, nature began to whisper to him further, carrying the distant shouts of combat, blaster fire, and Cujo's familiar bark on the wind.

'There!' Danny and Fenris joined voices.

Now with a clear target, Danny flew without any further delay, coming up on a small clearing littered with bones and partially rotten carcasses. A feeding ground of one of the many dangerous beasts living in the forest. Though the animal itself couldn't be found anywhere, which was most likely the result of the fight between the four ponies firing their spectral blasters, and Cujo barking and growling while dodging their attacks.

Turning invisible the second he saw them, Danny dropped down; taking cover behind a large moss covered rock, despite his current transparency.

'Well, there’s Cujo, and the hunters' Danny noted. 'But where's Wind Chill?'

****

"Eeuhhhh…" Wind Chill moaned in confusion as he looked up at the tall creature; staring into a partially open mouth filled with sharp teeth while the beast snarled.

"I fear I may have taken a wrong turn somewhere," he said, more to himself, as two more, identical heads joined the other; hissing, snarling and growling as they looked down at the sizable, but nonetheless smaller giant.

"Eehhh… Has either one of you three seen a green dog, or four ponies chasing after said dog?" Wind Chill asked with an awkward stammer, backing off with slow, small steps.

Two more heads rose up to join the first three as the hydra closed in.

****

'Best leave him for now. He's a capable warrior and can take care of himself. Our attention should be focused on the threat before us.'

'Not much of a threat,' Danny snorted. 'Four ghost hunters, who by the looks of it have never even fought with ghosts before until now.'

'Thinking like that will cost you the fight before it even begins. Besides, if it wasn't for the guardian, these hunters would have gotten the drop on us when we weren't able to defend ourselves. Remember that!'

'Noted,' Danny quickly answered, knowing Fenris to be right.

'So, what are you planning on taking out these hunters? It may be easy to dispose of them merely by incapacitating them and allowing the beast which resides here to cover our tracks.'

'As gruesome as that sounds,' Danny quickly shot back, shuddering from the thought. 'I think I have a better plan. A much worse plan.'

'Which is?' Fenris asked, intrigued.

Danny grinned deviously as he grabbed one of the numerous bones. 'Cujo and I are going to play fetch,'

<<>><<>><<>>

Rolling Stone and his team were struggling, the ghost they were hunting proving to be more cunning than they initially thought; slipping out of their grasp time and time again, even managing to steal and destroy some of their equipment during one of the many engagements they had everytime they managed to close the gap between themselves and it.

This time, however, they were determined not to allow this unholy abomination to escape them again.

Having chased after the ghost dog until they reached what seemed to be a manticore's feeding ground, they fired their weapons in short controlled bursts; forcing the ghost to the center of the ground while they surrounded the spectral entity on all sides; Sound Wave flying above in case the undead beast decided to take to the air itself.

"We've got you now," Rolling Stone muttered grimly, blaster primed and ready to fire. "Ornate?" He barked, never taking his eyes off the target.

"Ready!" The dark pink mare confirmed her position, her spectral containment unit, better known as the Fenton Thermos at the ready.

"There's no way he's getting away from us now!" Blue Ice shouted with confidence while Cujo growled, eying the hunters one at a time.

Closing in, Sound Wave fired his blaster near Cujo's paws, drawing the large dog's attention and forcing his back to Ornate Charm.

"GOTCHA NO-" A loud whistle cut her off abruptly, and everyone, including Cujo, turned to the source.

"What the!" Blue Ice shouted in surprise as they all saw the sizable bone wave around in the air.

"THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!" Sound Wave yelled.

Cujo barked loudly, wagging his tail while the hunters were reminded of the ghostly hound in their midst.

'Yeah, definitely trained by dad,' Danny concluded as he saw the foursome trip over their own hooves as they scrambled to get Cujo back in their sights while trying not to turn their backs on the new apperition.

Snorting, Danny threw the bone with a wide arc over their heads; watching it pirouet through the air before disappearing somewhere in the darkness. A soft thud followed moments later, then all that remained was silence.

'Three. Two. One.'

Cujo barked loudly, only Danny and Fenris being able to understand the single, but reverence filled word: "BONE!"

Before the hunters even knew what happened, Cujo stormed off, toppling over both Ornate Charm and Sound Wave, the latter falling to the forest floor hard while Rolling Stone and Blue Ice shot their blasters without much aim. Yet as loud as they shouted in the unexpected turn of events, trying to regain their bearing, most of what they shouted to one another was lost to Danny by the even louder, and over enthusiastic whoops of joy Cujo barked as he ran after the bone Danny had thrown.

'This guardian…. Does he always behave as such?'

Danny chuckled. 'Oh, you have no idea,' he sighed out as he followed Cujo's path of elated destruction; taking a single large step to the side as a small tree toppled over; slamming into the ground where he'd just stood while also crashing into a pile of weather stripped bones, kicking up a cloud of dirt, leaves and bone splinters. 'Man, this brings back memories….. Not all of them good, though.'

Following Cujo for a moment longer, Danny then settled his aim on the hunters as they finally managed to regroup; blasters and scanners at the ready. But, seeing Blue Ice's growing frustration, she was having a lot of trouble getting a read on Danny as her scanner just wouldn't show any contact other than Cujo.

"Celestia damnit!" She cursed.

"What is it!?" Rolling Stone barked.

"Don't know!" Blue Ice shot back irritably. "This thing, it just won't show us where this ghost is. I'm not getting anything!"

"Did that dog break it, or something!?" Ornate Charm asked quickly, eyes flicking from left to right as she scanned her surroundings.

"No, I'm still detecting that cursed dog. Whatever this other thing is, though. It ain't showing on this thing!" Blue Ice practically shouted at this point, glaring daggers at the infernal device which just kept letting her down.

"Buck," Rolling Stone muttered grimly. "Regroup on me! Keep your eyes and ears open, and don't allow this thing to sneak up on us!"

"What about that dog, sir?" Sound Wave asked while scanning the darkness surrounding her.

Eyes shifting to the green dog, now occupied with the bone this other apparition had thrown, Rolling Stone muttered several obscenities under his breath before making a decision.

"Forget it for now! The scanner can still detect it. This other thing takes priority. We must capture it, and find out why we can't detect it. The lives of many may very well depend on it!"

Snorting, Danny crossed his arms while raising an eyebrow. Unseen by any of the hunters, of course. "Being dramatic much?" He asked, sighing out, and all four hunters snapped towards where they had heard the voice coming from; seeing a pair of green glowing eyes floating in the air.

"Right there!" Blue Ice shouted in anger, pointing out the invisible ghost to the others.

"And thank you, captain obvious," Danny said, rolling his eyes, not even showing a hint of surprise when all four ponies aimed their blasters at him, firing without a second thought.

All four of them missed; the beams of energy cutting through nothing but air as the body they aimed for wasn't there.

Danny, having expected as much from the start, hung upside down in the air; knowing that without any form of reference, merely seeing his eyes would not reveal his actual position to the hunters.

"You know," Danny said with a shake of the head. "This would be a lot more productive if you actually knew what you were doing. Have any of you ever faced a ghost before today?"

"Don't listen to it!" Rolling Stone shouted. "It's trying to confuse us."

"Not really," Danny said flatly. "You guys seem to be doing that just fine on your own."

"What!?" Sound Wave shot back, irritated.

"My point exactly," Danny replied smartly, swinging himself around and dropping to the ground.

Realizing this, and connecting the dots to their previous failure, the hunters quickly took aim and fired again.

A green glowing shield easily blocked the incoming beams; illuminating the forest with the same light for the duration of the hunters' attack.

"Look," Danny said after they stopped firing. "Let me just make this as clear as I possibly can. You four don't pose much of a threat to me. Not to say you're bad at what you do, but other than your training, it's clear you have yet to actually face a ghost in combat like this, and I'm not even fighting you. Heck, you were struggling with Cu-, eh, this dog over here and all he really did was just run around for you to chase him. So, how about this. You lower those weapons, and try talking instea-" A searing beam of energy sizzling just an inch from his head cut him off.

Cujo, before content on chewing on his bone while watching Danny deal with the hunters, jumped up aggressively, growling loudly.

"Down, boy," Danny told him, then fired several narrow beams of spectral energy from a finger; knocking all four blasters out of the ponies' grasp; partially melting the casing as well.

"Just a tip, don't stand all bunched up like that. Makes it real easy to take you out all at once."

All four hunters' eyes widened in shock, first from having their weapons so easily taken from them, then from what the ghost told them.

"We won't go down without a fight, freak!" Rolling Stone barked with confidence, taking a bolt step towards Danny.

"Seriously, I'm not even trying to fight you!" Danny groaned, pulling a gloved hand down his face. "Look, I'm not your enemy, despite what you may think. And I don't have a lot of time either, so here is what's going to happen. I will go my way, you will go yours, and we'll all forget this ever happened. Dea-WHOA!" He yelled when Ornate Charm fired a capture beam from the Fenton Thermos, only just managing to evade as he caught the movement at the last possible second; firing a beam of spectral might into the container on pure reflex, blasting it out of the pony's grasp and flunging it through the air before they all lost sight of it somewhere in the pile of bony remains.

Danny rolled to the side, slowly pushing himself back up while keeping his eyes locked on the hunters.

Sighing dejectedly, he shook his head. "Can't say I'm surprised. Just make sure that, when you report back with your tails between your legs, you mention you were the ones to shoot first." And as he slowly rose up above the ground, his eyes burned a fierce green; two wavering orbs of the same intense green contained in his hands. "Last chance to run, cause this won't take long!"

<<>><<>><<>>

With a shout, Rolling Stone jumped back to avoid a bolt of green; the energy slamming into the ground with surprisingly little force, and dissipated almost immediately. Long to think about this he didn't have, as with a sideways swipe, a green glowing, but otherwise invisible fist connected with his jaw.

"Gha!" He shouted, head snapping to the side from the blow, a small amount of blood spraying from his mouth as he stumbled back; quickly recovering and shooting a heated glare at the ghost who, invisible, or not, did still reveal his menacingly green glowing eyes.

"You're leaving yourself wide open!" Danny barked, dropping down and swiping his leg around, kicking Rolling Stone's legs out from under him, dropping the large pony to the ground.

Jumping up and backwards in one smooth motion, Danny easily avoided the couple of green bolts Blue Ice shot from her slightly charred and deformed blaster, which she had retrieved in the moment Danny had focused his attention on the group's leader.

"Too slow!" Danny shot back verbally, almost tauntingly so as he slowly turned to the surprised, then angrily frowning mare. Raising an open hand, aglow of course, he intended to fire another weak beam of spectral power when a flutter behind him caught his attention; his head turning marginally to the side as he glanced back.

Dropping down from above, Sound Wave whirled around and kicked her hind legs where she thought the ghost to be. Of course this did little to deter Danny, as he simply side-stepped her attack.

"Physical attacks like that won't work on a ghost, unless you catch them unaware!" Danny shouted after the mare who cried out in pain after kicking the dirt; unable to avoid the beam of green Danny fired at her, stinging her flank as she flailed her legs in an attempt to get moving again despite the pained protest after such a hard landing.

Ornate Charm was next in Danny's sights, and she knew it. Eyes wide, she rapidly looked left and right until she found what she was looking for. What followed next was a mad dash for her blaster, still lying discarded and blackened on the ground, while Danny chased after her, firing several beams and bolts; some of them hitting their mark, but never in such intensity to cause any permanent damage other than singed fur. Of course, with the unavoidable and distracting threat Danny seemed to pose to Ornate Charm, it was only when she had almost reached her blaster when she noticed it lay directly in front of Cujo.

The Green hound looked up, mildly interested at the mare as she dug her hooves in the dirt and grinded to a halt; staring into the partially open mouth of the enormous hound as he crunched down on the bone he had.

Carefully backing away, Ornate Charm ground to a halt as she felt herself bump into a pair of definitely not pony legs.

Freezing up, her head slowly, unwillingly angled up. Danny's green glowing eyes stared down onto her.

"If this is all it takes for you to lock up in fear, you don't have what it takes to be a ghost hunter." Danny said with scolding disappointment. "Or is it because you don't have your fancy weapon?" He wondered aloud, stepping towards the blaster, phasing through the mare as he did so, and picked up the weapon in front of Cujo.

Turning the weapon from end to end, Danny casually studied it as he turned around back to the hunters, catching them in the middle of a mad scramble to regroup; two of them having used the opportunity to regain their own blaster, and were now aiming and firing them at both him and Cujo.

Raising a hand, Danny easily deflected the charged energy with a shield of his own; the forest illuminating a sickly green with each hit the shield absorbed and it didn't take long for the hunters to realize the futility of their attack. The moment they did, Danny dropped his arm, the protective barrier fading away and making the already dark forest seem suddenly that much darker and his glowing eyes that much more pronounced.

"Standard issue, with small core, handheld spectral discharge, Fenton Blaster," Danny spoke, rotating the weapon around some more. "Modified for you ponies to use. Practically useless against us ghosts. Sure, it hurts when hit, but still only comparable with a low level attack. Nothing serious, and definitely not a real threat to a ghost who knows what he is doing."

Stepping closer to the hunters, weapons aimed at him and shaking noticeably despite the hunters' attempt to keep a steady aim in the face of this threat, Danny's eyes shifted color to icy blue; the hunters gasping upon the sight and backing away from Danny as he dropped the now in ice encased weapon to the ground with a solid thud.

"An elemental," Blue Ice said with a lowered voice.

"You're fighting a ghost using training from a mortal. Simple three dimensional thinking won't work against an enemy who can literally come from anywhere," Danny said, then his eyes vanished as well in invisibility as he quickly flew to and over the group; possessing the blue furred mare at the back of the group.

"Anywhere!" He spoke through Blue Ice and the three remaining hunters whirled around as they aimed their blasters at their possessed comrade, but never firing in fear of hurting her, and not the ghost who overshadowed her.

"And again, you're all bunched up. If this was a real fight, none of you would have made it for more than ten seconds," Danny told them as he left Blue Ice's body through the ground; reappearing on the group's back, taking immediate notice of the same sensation he also felt when held aloft in Twilight's magic, but much more pronounced. Almost as if he suffered from a full body sunburn, but which faded in a matter of seconds, and was quickly dismissed for now.

"What you guys just don't seem to understand, this is a ghost fight. Plain and simple," Danny continued without pause; his eyes once again visible. "This goes down by our rules, not yours. So stop thinking three dimensional and, maybe next time, you will have a better chance. For now, though," he fired a couple more weak beams into the pair of blasters the hunters held, knocking them out of their grasp once more. Then, in a show of power, he fired a searing beam of concentrated energy into each and every one of the weapons; the devices sparking and sputtering as the internal circuitry fought to stabilize itself, then blew up as it utterly failed; one time accompanied by a fine spray of water as the ice encasing it vaporized.

Not stopping there, his eyes quickly turned blue again as he channeled his arctic powers; aiming his next attack at the four ponies' their hooves, freezing them together into a large sheet of ice.

"Don't worry, I didn't use my full strength; it will turn brittle soon. When it does, go back to your princesses, tell them what happened," Danny said as he slowly flew up, looking down at the foursome. "And tell them this as well: Not all of us ghosts are evil. Some of us just wish to be left alone." And with those words, Danny flew off, only to stop as he spotted the Fenton Thermos he'd blasted away earlier. Dropping down, he picked up the device, rubbing a thumb over the slightly dirty label carrying his family name as he looked at it with a pang of regret. "And some of us just wish to help."

<<>><<>><<>>

'Are you sure it was wise to leave them like that?' Fenris asked while Danny flew deeper into the forest, followed closely by Cujo, bone in mouth.

"They won't be any more trouble, for now. Nor will they be stuck for too long. I wouldn't do that, not here," Danny answered with a tired sigh. "I've got their containment unit—" he said as he attached the thermos to his jumpsuit's belt "—and destroyed their weapons. Not to mention the scare I gave them. Yes, it will also serve to push them, probably increase their hate towards me, Cujo, us ghosts in general, but that's fine. I just hope they took my words to heart."

'About that, why even bother pointing out their flaws? Why help the enemy at all, even?'

"Because they're not my enemy, even if they think I am. Besides, no matter what I do; what I have done so far, it's obvious ghosts will show themselves here… Worse, they’ve been showing here, for longer than the ponies, and I, have realized. Heck, a major part of their formative history details about windigos; which is one of the larger problems we're currently dealing with. So, yeah. I rather have them lose a 'fight' with me, than lose for real when it truly matters."

'So you broke them yourself so they may rebuild themselves into a worthy opponent.'

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Danny nodded. "Though, knowing my luck, it will first be put into practice on me." He sighed out, pulling a hand through his invisible hair. "Still no sign of Wind Chill, and I don't have any more time to look for him as well. Not to mention Twilight and the rest," Danny groaned in frustration. "If only I knew how to duplicate myself without it failing most of the time."

[color]'Not that creating a double of yourself would aid us in the matters at hand. You need to be whole, along with Eclipse and myself if we're to succeed in saving the changelings.'

"I know. It's just frustrating," Danny replied. "Just, with Sombra and the whole mess in the Empire at the start of today, and now this… I could do with something, anything just going our way for a change."

Sighing out tiredly, Danny rubbed his burning eyes.

"Cujo," he turned to his trusted companion; Cujo's ears perked up at his voice. "Can you go and find Wind Chill; steer him towards the changelings?"

With a half muffled bark, joined by a crunch and the sound of the bone in his mouth finally snapping, Cujo agreed with Danny's request.

Finally allowing himself a small smile, Danny gave Cujo a pat on the head, to which the eager canine gave him a slobbering lick over the face; revealing his otherwise invisible facial features through a layer of saliva mixed with bone fragments, after which Cujo ran off with a bark.

"... Uhughhh," Danny shuddered as he wiped off his face with both hands. "Ghost dog slobber."

'He seems to hold you in high regards,' Fenris remarked with humor lacing his voice.

"Don't get any funny ideas," Danny grunted as he removed the rest of the saliva.

A chuckle came from someplace deep within his mind.

'The guardian's enthusiasm aside, there are still a couple of questions I have.'

"Which are?" Danny asked as he hovered up, moving above the treeline to get a better idea where he was; allowing himself to become visible again.

'Firstly, why didn't you allow these hunters to see you. You did actively engage them, so why keep yourself hidden while still revealing yourself in such a way?'

"For one very simple reason," Danny answered grimly, frowning deeply. "Despite their lack of skill against a ghost, they have been trained, which means they know without a doubt who I am. My supposed crime ensures as much. Right now, they know for certain there are ghosts around here, and this will have consequences in the long run. However, if they knew who this ghost who attacked, and easily defeated them truly is… Honestly, calling it a shitstorm would most likely not cover the load. We are, after all, dealing with a nation full of magic wielding ponies. That alone is troubling, as magic is a hostile opposite to our spectral powers. However, their leaders, princess Celestia and Luna wield power great enough to move the sun and moon. If they know who I am… Well, I doubt I need to finish that sentence."

'... I see… It would seem there is more to this world than I initially thought,' Fenris murmured, deep in thought.

"Just rushed into this mess, huh? Yeah, I know what that's like," Danny half joked as he turned around, spotting a recognizable landmark and went on his way. "But this magic probably also explains that strange feeling I had after possessing Blue Ice. Though I'm not sure what it means, or what effect it will have over time."

'It would seem that with each answer we get, more questions arise as well.'

"Yeah...." Danny sighed out, his intangible tail twisting and flexing in his wake. "That, at least, is one constant that will not change any time soon. Let's just focus on saving the changelings for now. We'll deal with the rest later… hopefully after I've had a chance to actually go to bed first."

'Back during my life, we avoided such speech as it always ended up biting us in the rear,' Fenris told him.

"We've got the same thing back where I'm from," Danny answered readily. "But honestly, after the day I've had, I doubt it can actually get any worse." And with those words, he continued onwards to the Hive in silence; unaware of the slight shiver Fenris felt over such a blatant challenge to the forces unseen.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Not. A. Word!" Danny groaned as he watched the latest unexpected event play out before him; hand placed firmly against his head.

Sighing, he shook his head while dropping his hand back to his side. "I don't know what I was expecting with them. Of course they would do something like… this."

'I'm impressed above all else,' Fenris said. 'It takes strength of both mind and body to accomplish such a feat.'

"Please don't tell them that. Last we want is to encourage them," Danny groaned as he watched the spectacle..

Shaking his head a final time, he carefully approached the hovering group comprised of ponies, a changeling, Eclipse, and a massive herd of windigos; one of which being ridden by Scootaloo who, unless he completely misinterpreted the situation, seemed to be controlling the spectral equines.

Also, Abella seemed less than thrilled over this current unfolding development.

"WHY DO YOU PONIES ALWAYS DO THIS!?"

Not just seemed, it seemed.

"Alright," Danny half groaned in annoyance as he came to a stop behind Eclipse, scaring both Sweetie Belle and Abella as he spoke, while Scootaloo merely looked up at him in excitement as she saw him approach. "Though I'm sure there is a story to be told here, I find myself currently short on time and sleep. So, why don't we instead just ignore what is going on here for now, and just do what we've been trying to do from the start? Meaning, helping the changelings."

"FINALLY!" Abella huffed, then leered at Danny. "You've better brought that wolf guy!"

"Hey, yeah. Where is Fenris?" Asked Scootaloo, seemingly oblivious to Abella's mood as she looked down, scanning the ground despite it still being too dark to see anything from that high up.

"And where's Wind Chill… and Cujo?" Added Sweetie Belle.

"Long story," Danny told them, the tiredness in his voice palpable. "Wind Chill will come later, I hope. Cujo's looking for him last I saw him. As for Fenris, let's just get down there and you'll find out soon enough." He then stopped, blinked, then looked at the filly riding the windigo. "You do know how to get down, right?"

"Do I?" Said Scootaloo, a competitive edge to her voice. "Watch this!"

Before Danny even fully understood what happened next, Scootaloo had somehow managed to steer the windigo down into a steep dive; followed not even moments later by the rest of the herd while the pale human and Fenris in the backseat, Eclipse, Sweetie Belle, and Abella looked at the clearly insane filly as she whooped in unadulterated joy and excitement; steering the windigo with worrying skill, the spectral equine's hooves lightly scraping over the snow and ice covered ground as Scootaloo leveled out their fall at the last possible moment.

'Not. A. Word!' Danny repeated to Fenris as he himself felt a fearful shiver go down his spine.

"Let's just get this over with," he finally sighed out, diving down after Scootaloo as Eclipse did the same.

Dropping down, breaking through the thin crust of iced up snow, Danny's feet sunk a bit into the frost before settling down near his ankles; clumps of snow sticking to his boots' soles as he stepped towards the cave entrance leading to the changelings' city, Scootaloo already eagerly awaiting him and the others with perked wings and winning smile, while the windigo she'd ridden stood near her. The rest of the frozen equines all surrounded the small rocky hill, leaving only a small clearing for Eclipse to land besides Danny.

Sighing out, Danny looked at the entrance tiredly, knowing there was still much left to be done. "Eclipse," he glanced back, seeing Abella had already jumped off her back, Sweetie Belle standing next to her. "You ready?" He asked.

"As ready as you are," she answered, stepping closer to her master.

"Then let's not waste any more time," Danny said to all. "Let's go!"

<<>><<>><<>>

With echoing footfall, Danny entered the once grand city, which was now only moments away from becoming a tomb.

Frowning, with two closed fists at his side, he looked out into the hanging city with a mind set to determination; Eclipse joined him by his side, sharing his thoughts and feelings.

"We're running out of time," she said, looking around and spotting the few fires which still burned in the distance; their light noticeably weaker than last time they were here.

"Removing the cold only bought them a short moment longer," Danny added. "I just hope it was long enough."

'I won't be. Not for most of them. All we can do is focus on those who are still within our power to help.' Fenris said the grim truth they were all aware of.

"Let's go," Danny ordered, and he and Eclipse flew towards the castle; Sweetie Belle going as far as carrying Abella in her legs, much to the shapeshifting filly irritation. But the added weight, combined with the exhaustion of a truly long day slowed Sweetie Belle down considerably.

"Where do we even begin?" Asked Eclipse as she scanned the numerous sick and dead.

"Only one place I can think of; only one changeling," Danny grunted.

'Their queen,' Fenris agreed.

"Right," Danny nodded.

"But she's one of the weakest, maybe the weakest. Why start with her?" Eclipse asked.

"Because she's the weakest," Danny told her. "She has less time than all the others, yet she's also their leader. Imagine what a blow it must be to them should she die; what this would do to those still trying to hold on, and those desperately helping those still clinging to life?"

'This disease is not only one of body, but one of mind as well. Most of them have no strength left to go on, and would have succumbed if not for this last life line.' Fenris explained to her through their shared minds.

"They have a connection much like we have now," Danny added. "Something I noticed a while back; only saying so much around us, while continuing their conversations and whatnot without uttering a word."

"Of course, a hive mind," Eclipse realized, embarrassed she didn't notice this herself.

'Indeed. And sick as they are, their minds are still linked.'

"And if Chrysalis were to die, they would all know immediately," Eclipse realized.

"One final blow. One they would not be able to recover from," Danny muttered grimly. "But if she lives, the rest might be able to pull through as well… maybe."

"So we try to save the queen first, then go for the rest."

'That would be the best way to do this.'

"And which is why we are now here," Danny concluded as he barged through the throne room doors; dropping down, and skidding to a halt amidst wide eyed changeling colts and fillies, and one earth pony

"Danny!?" Apple Bloom shouted her surprise, then a relieved smile replaced her surprise as she ran towards the human and Eclipse. "You're back!"

"I am. So is Eclipse. Fenris is here too, but I don't have time to explain why he's nowhere to be seen," Danny said quickly, looking around. "Where's the queen?"

"Here," Erlea's voice came from his right, and he saw the filly leer at him, standing before the prone form of her mother. "Where's Abella!?" She demanded to know, despite her connection with her friend.

"I'm here!" Abella said, gasping, out of breath as she stormed into the throne room with Sweetie Belle.

Quickly stepping towards Chrysalis, Danny knelt down as he looked at the unmoving mare with worry and concern. "Is she-" a faint, ragged gasp answered his unfinished question, though it also showed just how close to the brink she was.

Standing back up, Danny's frown of worry was replaced by a glare of determination.

"Eclipse, Fenris, it's time to do our thing!"

"Right."

'Indeed.'

'Now, do any of you know how to do this thing?' Danny added mentally, standing still in what he hoped was a confident pose; all eyes on him. '... Anyone?'

'You mean you don't know?'

'Didn't you already go through this once before?'

'So did both of you… and it was in reverse. Now we're trying to undo, eh, redo, eh… whatever this thing is.'

'Shadow Bond,' Eclipse reminded him.

'Yes, that,' Danny replied, a nervous sweat starting to drip down his forehead as tense, long seconds ticked by with nothing happening.

'Well, what did either of you do for this bond to happen in the first place?'

"Ehh, Danny?" Apple Bloom said hesitantly.

"Hold on," Danny said hastily. "Trying to sort something out with the others… It's really crowded up here right now."

"Our lives are in the hands of a nut job!" Abella said in disbelief, staring at Danny with shocked, wide eyes.

"And this is how we changelings die!" Erlea cried out. "Fools amidst fools."

"Hey, don't give up like that!" Sweetie Belle yelled back.

'Guys, things are escalating. We need to do this, NOW!'

'Fenris stabbed through me before you! Maybe that's how it's done?'

'If that's so, then this is no longer possible as I am now contained within Danny.'

'Hold on. What if it wasn't Fenris stabbing us that caused this mess? What if it was the three of us mixing, so to speak?'

'You mean—'

'Hate mixed with darkness, infecting a body wracked by guilt.'

'But the only way that would be possible is if I were to possess you!' Eclipse said, uncomfortable.

'I know what you're thinking. I'm thinking it myself.'

'Then why are you even considering this? You know the dangers of a ghost possessing another ghost.'

'True. But you're not just another ghost. You're a part of me, regardless of anything else. Besides, do you have a better idea?'

'Well, no… But—'

'Now is not the time for doubt. Lives are at stake. We either take the risk, or risk losing not just the changelings, but any honor and dignity we have for not even trying. THAT, I will not accept. Not after everything we've gone through.'

'Me neither,' Danny agreed strongly. 'We've come this far. Might as well go all the way.'

Standing tall, Eclipse nodded her understanding. 'I understand. I shall do what must be done.'

'Good. Eclipse, possess me. NOW!'

"Right!" Eclipse said loudly, eyes flashing brightly for an instant. She then flew up, losing form as she arched up, then back down to Danny; becoming a column of darkness which slammed against, then seeped into his chest.

Danny gasped out as he staggered back; an alien sensation overwhelming his senses as he felt Eclipse shliter inside.

On instinct more than conscious thought, he grasped at his chest with both hands, shocking himself as he couldn't feel anything.

Looking down, the reason revealed itself immediately: his chest was no longer there. Instead, what greeted him was nothing more than a wavering cloud of toxic green smoke to which the rest of his body was connected to; a pitch black stain dead in the center, spreading out like an oil spill.

With a roar, Danny fell to his knees, his eyes burning fiercely as the stained smoke spread out, consuming his lower body and shoulders first; then continuing further and further as his entire being fell apart, even taking in the thermos still attached to him, until it reached his eyes. The last he saw before it consumed him wholly was the terrified looks of the foals around him. Then he lost form completely, and all that remained was a shapeless but coiling mass of black smoke which fell to the floor.

PreviousChapters Next