Back in the present, York sips his soda as the story is finished.

Star: After a couple of sessions, Danny eventually mellowed out more. And after the special assembly the other students started to talk to Danny more.
Tucker: There’s also been activity going on with certain cliques.
York: ah, I see now why some of the staff was so uneasy to discuss the policy changes. The incident in that other school also helped to spur the change, or so Lancer told me.
Star: There are some who think Danny wants to overthrow the cliques & start a new order within the high school.
Tucker: That’s going a little too far.
Star: Trust me, most of the popular kids are more paranoid than you think.
Sydney: The Dark Danny incident changed things in the Ghost Zone too. Many feel wary of Danny while many more see him as a new hero.
York: What surprises me is that he has that power you told me about.
Tucker: The Spectral Sword you mean?
Sydney: I think Banshee Blade is better!
Star: Wait, why not call it a Spirit Sword?
York: Someone else has that trademarked. Point is, I’m surprised he’s been able to restrain himself from using that power for so long.
Tucker: He killed someone with it, I think that could be the catalyst.
York: Yes, I see. Anyway, thanks for the info, all of you. I’ll be off now. Oh, before I forget…
Tucker: I swear, I didn’t forget about the essay! I’m only human man!
Star: Chill out babe.
York: Weird outburst aside, do me a favor& tell Danny whatever happens do not enter the Ghost Zone.
Tucker: Uh, sure.
York: Well, good day. (York leaves the money for the food on the table & leaves.)
Star: So…2100 years old.
Tucker: Give or take a century. Sydney, can you explain that?
Sydney: There is one possible explanation, but even I have a hard time believing it.
Star: He could be an alien.
Tucker: Or a demigod.
Sydney:  Perhaps. Ember once told me that he was the last of his kind. If I remember correctly, there was a group of people whose specialty was ancient magic. He could be one of them.
Tucker: This looks like a job for Tobin’s Spirit Guide.

(Sometime later, in the Ghost Zone, at the front of the Phantom Sanctuary, Youngblood paces back and forth.)

Youngblood: What’s taking him so long? (A portal opens up & York, in his Monk attire, steps out)
York: So, you’re the one who called me?
Youngblood: Yeah, that I am. We’ve got problems
York: Obviously. Clockwork filled me in on the finer details. How does it look?
Youngblood: At the rate it’s been the gate will open in…(Youngblood looks at his watch.) 5 minutes. If you have a plan, now is the time to tell me.
York: Wait, I’m confused. Since when do you trust adults?
Youngblood: I don’t, but Danny’s cool with you, so that must mean you’re alright.
York: Ok then, this will be a bit tricky. What do you think, Ember? (Ember pops out from behind a rock.)
Ember: You knew I was here?
York: Hello, mage who can detect spiritual energy! Does that surprise you?
Ember: No, I suppose not.
York: Right. Now, I’m gonna work on sealing that portal back up when it opens. I need you to run interference.
Ember: Rock on!
Youngblood: Oh crap, here we go!

(Part of the fabric of reality is distorted as a black portal gate is literally ripped open. From within, reaching out & clawing his way into the Ghost Zone is Phantom. His eyes are blood red &on his chest, there is a huge glowing scar from where Danny fatally stabbed him.)

Phantom: Ah, it feels so good to be back! Now isn’t this pleasant, a welcoming committee. Looks like I get to start the killing in earnest.
Ember: Like spit you will.
Phantom: Oh really Ember. Do you have a short memory or do you not know what I did to you so easily last time.
Youngblood: Wait, you died! Danny stabbed you in the chest!
Phantom: Yes, that pesky little human did score a lucky hit. Sheer hatred alone was what brought me back.
York: Actually, I believe it’s different. Judging by the wound on your chest, you’ve been absorbing the energies of Limbo into your body. It’s the only other way you could have come back to life & rip a hole back into this plane.
Phantom: You seem…familiar? Are you someone I killed?
York: I’m sealing the portal. Ember, take him down! (York makes several hand signs & begins to chant.)
Phantom: Take me down? I think you trust her too much! (Phantom creates several clones of himself.) I’ll kill all of you, right here & right now.

(Ember, raising an eyebrow, unstraps her guitar, twirls it over her head several times & sticks it right in the ground in front of her.)

Ember: No. You’re not even gonna lay so much as a finger on any of them.
Phantom: What makes you so sure you can even be a match for the copies of me?
Ember: This.

(As quick as a hiccup it begins and ends. With vicious speed & precision, Ember rushes & elbows one clone in the throat, kicks the second at the base of his neck & yakuza kicks the last one hard in the face before returning to her spot behind the guitar. All three clones fall down & disappear.)

Phantom: That’s not possible.
Ember: Oh, it be possible!
Phantom: Ok then, if it’s speed you want.

(Suddenly, Phantom appears before Ember. He tries to land various blows on her, but Ember manages to evade & parry all of them.)

Ember: See, I’ve been training with Dip Stick’s gal & I’ve steeped up my game a lot. I’ve been forcing myself though hell just to be stronger!
Phantom: Stronger than me?
Ember: No! Stronger than him!
Phantom: That weakling? You should set your goals much higher!

(Phantom goes for a haymaker, but Ember actually catches his fist in one hand)

Ember: For the record, that ‘pathetic weakling so going to be so far beyond you it’s unbelievable! So I’m gonna get stronger to show him I have what it takes to keep up with him! Oh, by the way…THIS IS FOR DESTROYING MY VOCAL CHORDS!!

(Ember’s left arm is set ablaze as she delivers a rising uppercut that sends Phantom to the ground. Ember takes a deep breath, waiting for his next move.)

Youngblood: Shoryuken!!!
York: Ok, I got the portal sealed! No worries there.
Ember: Cool, but what about this joker?
York: Let me handle the cleanup.
Phantom: Urgh…wait, now I remember. You’re Altair York. You were the friend of my parents.
York: I seriously think you need to refrain from calling my friends your parents.
Phantom: You were also a meddlesome person. I had to seal you away in the future to stop you from coming after me. It looks like I’ll just have to find a way of killing you later.
York: Sorry. You don’t have a later to look forward to. (York unsheathes the sword in his staff. Suddenly, red kanji becomes visible on the side.)
Phantom: You seriously believe you can stop me?
York: Yes.
Phantom: Your future self didn’t have the nerve to try, he believed in reforming me. What makes you different from him?
York: There was one thing that version of me had that I lack: mercy.

(Phantom rushes forward, energy blasts ready, but York blinks, takes a single breath & in a second, slashes Phantom across the chest. Phantom is frozen in place.)

Youngblood: WHOA!! That was so Mifune!
Ember: And that was…
York: This technique is called the Edge of Judgment, a high level Shinigami technique that can only work on spirits. What ever ghost is hit with it, the past deeds they have done will be used against them.
Youngblood: Ok, so is he going back to Limbo?
Ember: That will be a pain in the ass, he’ll break out again.
York: No, not this time. Dark Danny has so much damage here & in his era. The sins he has committed are unforgivable and there’s only one place to send him. By the way, we all need to step back about 5 feet. Yeah, that’s good.
Youngblood: So what now? Where do we send him.
York: Where else? Straight to Hell.

(Suddenly, a red circle forms beneath Phantom’s body. Black chains erupt from the ground & bind him head to toe as much as possible, before a giant skeletal hand grabs him. Phantom is dragged down, screaming in terror, as an ominous voice laughs. When he is taken deeper into the circle, flames shoot up & the circle closes up. All is silent.)

York: Well, so much for him
Youngblood: Dude…freaking METAL!!

(Back in the human world, Ember & York arrive at the abandoned cathedral via a portal.)

York: So, when did you know I was gonna show up.
Ember: Right after I got a call from Youngblood. He said he was detecting some weird activity in that area & wanted to call in Danny. I convinced him to get you instead.
York: Right, right? Uh, why?
Ember: Look, the kid killed him and he feels plenty bad about that. I can’t fight a guy who keeps on kicking himself when he is down.
York: Oh, of course not. I guess I should focus on sword training then, get him to not be so hesitant about that power. It could be useful.
Ember: Will that affect the plans for Japan? I mean, the kids have been looking forward to that.
York: No, actually it fits in rather well. We need to see my sensei anyway. When we get there, it’ all gonna make sense. I’m going home. I just hope Tucker & Dani didn’t destroy the lab.
Ember: Meh, it could be worse. Later teach.
York: Yeah, later.

(As York walks off, Ember sits down at a pew & looks up at the statue of the angel.)

Ember: Come to think of it, it was a night like this…

Back 6 Months. Maddie adjusts Danny’s covers for him as he lies asleep in the hospital bed.

Maddie: You get some rest dear. I’ll come visit you first chance I get tomorrow.

(As Maddie gets up she sighs before turning off the light & leaving the room. A few seconds later, Ember appears next to Danny.)

Ember: Yeah, um…look, I know you’re asleep and all, but it makes this much easier for me so… (Ember bends down & kisses Danny on the forehead.) Thank you.

(Sighing, Ember goes & sits on the window sill with her guitar & strums a few chords, watching over him.)

Ember: Why is it always the nice ones?

END OF VERSE 4


And now, for a very long, LONG overdue session of Filler Theater!


Dani: Hey, did you miss us?! (I walk in.)
Me: I’m so, SO SORRY I MADE YOU WAIT!!! THE WAIT TIME FOR THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE!!! AS A WAY OF MAKING AMENDS I WILL HAVE A RANDOM PERSON COMMIT SEPPUKU RIGHT NOW!! (I grab Box Ghost.)
B. Ghost: Wait, no I’m too young to have my belly slashed open for ritual suicide!
Dani: This was one hell of a long chapter!
Me: Oh yeah, I know. The planning for everything took so long, and there were so many false starts too. And the discs I used kept on getting corrupted, so I had bought a flash drive to save it all.
Dani: Well, the important thing is you lived up to your word & chapter 4 is done. And what a doozy too.
Me: Tell me about it. Now I can focus on what we all know I’ve been waiting on for the past year. Don’t make me say it…(Timmy & Aang pop in.)
Timmy: Allow us.
Aang: It’s time to BRAWL!!!! (All three of us hold up Wiimotes.)
Timmy: Wait, where is DarkDp? He usually has a cameo at the end of these things.
Me: He has bought the Japanese version. I haven’t seen him since Groundhog’s Day.
Aang: Say no more! Come on, let’s play!
Mysterious Voice: NOT SO FAST!

(Everyone looks up on top of the building to see, standing majestically, Prince Eragon.)

Me: Uh, can we help you?
Eragon: You dare to feature that weakling of a sister instead of me in your story! I challenge thee to a round of real Smash Bros!
Me: Uh…ok. Dani, can you please kill him before I have to?
Dani: Oh, sure, why not? I didn’t get to do too much. (Dani flies atop to the roof and reverts to her Dani Phantom persona.)
Timmy: Ok, the rules are one round, one stock life, all items on. And no, we don’t allow wave dashing.
Eragon: Prepare for a sound thrashing, small one!
Dani: Sure, whatever.
Timmy: Ready…GO!!!

(As Eragon runs towards Dani, a Smash Ball floats above her.)

Dani: Well, this was quick! (Dani grabs the Smash Ball & glows blue.)
Eragon: There is no one in this realm that can stop me from destroying you!
Dani: Oh really?

(Dani activates her Final Smash. As Eragon comes into range, she forms a giant glowing green sphere & slams it into Eragon’s gut. It explodes & sends him flying skywards.)

Aang: Wow that was quick!
Timmy: Dani wins! (Anita walks in.)
Me: Is it me…
Anita: You’re wondering too whether she just used her own version of Rasengan.
Me: I would not be surprised if they watched Naruto a lot.
Dani: Well, that’s it for Filler Theater. See you guys later!
Anita: Wow, 100 pages. You had way too much spare time on your hands.
Me: Yeah, and thanks to this game, it’s all going to good use.
Anita: Yup. I can’t help but think this ending is missing something.

(Speeding by on a motorcycle similar to Wario’s, Tootie rides in, grabs Timmy & rides off into the sunset.)

Anita: Never mind.

Theme Songs for Phantom:

Rain- By Yoko Kanno, Vocals by Steve Cante
Scattered Rain- Tsuneo Imahori (From ‘ Trigun- The Second Donut Happy Pack’ OST)

Afterword:

Well, the first story arc is finally complete. And, I am proud to say, it turned out better than I expected. I mean, seriously, I had a lot of fears about half assing this one, and the length of this one really had me on edge. I mean, damn, it's 54 pages. I NEVER did a chapter that long. The paper one was twice as long. Eventually I had to do some editing and the final results are before you. Now then, more thoughts before my need to Brawl consumes me again...

-Writing Dark Danny was apparently the easiest thing to do. Let's be frank: we're not really dealing with a villain that has certain complex emotions like Vlad or Magneto. We are dealing with a sociopath who has only one desire; to hurt as many people as possible and to do it as much as possible. The guy is a true blue asshole, no doubt about it. Writing the scene for Danny letting loose with all of his anger however was tough, because Danny by all accounts really doesn't let his anger consume or overwhelm him that much. However, I wanted to illustrate that over time, the stress of being Dany Phantom & Danny Fenton was slowly beginning to creep up on him. The added factor of his admitted dislike of Dash only helped further this little change. Of course, the events of this story actually have a ripple effect, as it will be revealed in the next story arc.

-I gave a lot of characters some equal footing in tis story to expand the universe & give the story more life. I mean a good story is only as stong as it's denziens and the DP universe has a variety of characters. The Ghost Zone characters, as well as the people in Danny's school, are gonna see a little more action soon, and there will be a focus on certain characters & their relationships to the heroes.

-I see that I did indeed comment on the Danny/Sam shipping aspect a lot. Seriously, I didn't even notice until I read some of the comments I received when I initially released the first version of this. Of course, now that I reflect on it, it does seem fitting I address it like I did, eh? Oh, and the next story arc will feature Sam a bit more

-The Danny & Ember rivalry/friendship, that will also be looked at too, but not right away. I don't wanna spoil too much, but I think I have a good idea on how it will develop.

-Chapter 5 will be done as soon as I finish some research on Japanese schools, Japanese ghost stories & certain other aspects. So don't worry too much about Brawl eating up all my time  

-There are a few sneaky little references to certain Shonen Jump titles, one not so subtle and one that is almost easy to miss. See if you can find them all...