Phantom Prime

by Moocow

Chapter 10: Afterthoughts

"Ordering! I need a Epic-sized Caesar Supreme with the works, and a box of Hot Nero Nuggets!" the cashier said.

Danny pulled the ordered pizza out of the oven and got the side of wings out from under a heat lamp. Ironically, the day he went to work at Nero's Gnarly Pizza was the day that he swore off fast food. "For good reason," Danny reminded himself, attempting to swallow his gag when he tore off the post-it note that stated the time the wings put on under the heat lamp. Still, Spaz needed the money, and they had the same lunch hour. "One epic heart-attack and a box of 'euuuyuck,' to the front," Danny whispered to himself. Unfortunately, the Manager overheard his complaining.

"Private! Front and center!" Danny shot to attention at the mention of his rank given, seeing as the manager didn't have the time or the social skills to memorize names. Nearly dropping the food, Danny went up to his "commanding officer", who ordered, "Recite the first of 'Nero's Non-Neglections!'"

"Non-Negection Number One:" Danny stated confidently with more than a tinge of weariness, seeing as he had recited this particular rule a million times before. "Any revelation to the public about the ancient traditions of Nero's Gnarly Pizza, will therefore have there pay docked equal to profit lost, double when the health inspector's involved, sir."

"Very good," he said, ushering Danny to the counter, but not before he spoke in Danny's ear, "Honestly, I don't like you, Private. If I could have my way, you would be fired so fast, you could've felt the burns the day beforehand. Ever since Day One on the job, you have been complaining about 'hygiene,' and 'the customer,' and 'cockroaches.' But since we have been so shorthanded thanks to these hooligans vandalizing the city..."

One of the employees walked in on the conversation, "You mean the ghosts, sir?" This seem to throw the Manager for a tailspin.

"They are not ghosts, Comrade, they are vandals. How many times do I need to tell all of you, Ghost's are as real as cockroaches on this facility! Dismissed, all of you." The crowd that gathered up around the conversation gradually dissolved back into their jobs, save Spaz.

"So, Dude?" he asked, walking up to the How is it like to have the James T. Jerk experience?"

"'James T. Jerk?'" asked Danny, stifling a laugh, "I thought he was 'General Jerkwad'?"

"He was demoted for disorderly contact. He is now, 'Major Jerkwad.'"

"It fits, I guess." Suddenly, the 5:00 bell went off, signaling the end of everyone's shift. "Finally," Danny said, as he started for the door with Spaz. As he walked, Danny was a little to somber for Spaz's tastes, so he tried to chat him up.

"So, big ghost hunting plans tonight? Can I test out my new 'Tepee assault rifle?' I just got it working properly. I just need some ammo now, cause the generic stuff unrolls too easy, and Fenton wipe is too soft for projectile use, and..."

Danny couldn't take the rambling any more. "Quiet, Spaz! Sheesh, you're worse than Jazz!"

"Jazz?"

"Jazz. My sister. In the Nasty Buger Incident."

Spaz looked Danny up and down, and eventually he asked, "Is she hot?"

Danny rolled his eyes, "Forget it. Anyway, It looks like I'm pretty clear for the night." He said, looking at the schedule on the watch. Of course, he didn't tell Spaz about his run in with his evil self. He was still lost about how he could make a deal with him. How could he have done such a thing with almost no second thought? It was almost like he was forced to do it, but alas the deed was done. He was mulling it over when Spaz interrupted his thoughts.

"So, Danny, I, um, had something I wanted to tell you."

Danny looked up, confused. Spaz was not one to stumble over his words, "Yeah?"

Spaz took a deep breath, "Well, for the past couple months or so, I had a fund drive at work for the town hero, as we call him. So anyway, we got up a decent amount or so for you and I just wanted to give it to you as a way to say 'Thanks for protecting the city.' The city is starting to come back together and everyone is not having to fend off ghosts just to walk down the street. You saved us and if you ever left, I don't know what we'd do or even if we'd recover.

Danny was in tears at this point, all justification of leaving lost in his mindframe. Spaz, of course was oblivious, "Ah, don't cry man. If you cry, I'm gonna cry. And then, we just be sitting here crying our heads off. How stupid will that look? I mean, somebody walks by and..."

Danny couldn't take it any more, "SHUT UP!" Spaz stopped his monologue just in time to catch Danny's face recover from it's surge of anger back into it's depressed state. "Just shut up and leave me alone, okay?" He said, as he ran down the street, and tried to sort out his rampant emotions. A frown came over Spaz's face, which became a raw fear when his own breath became tight and cold. "Danny, wait." He said, catching up with him unusually quickly. "Look Danny, I know all about the the deal with Phantom, and you shouldn't go through with it..."

Danny scoffed and moved into a sprint, "So now your spying on me? Watching my every move, now?"

Spaz kept up, feet almost not touching the ground, "Danny, stop now. You don't know what you are getting into, I..." He was returned with a sock to the face. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M NOT INTRESTED IN BEING HERO, I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE."

"Perhaps, I can help," a voice said, with the source not far behind. As the intangible ghost walked outside the deserted building he was hiding in and made himself known, both Danny and Spaz's knew the owner.

"Well, well, well." Phantom said, looking over the pair, "I would have never seen this coming. What an unlikely teamup for you." He said, eying them both. Spaz said, "All right, Phantom, what do you want. You have your prize, now where is she?"

Phantom laughed with glee, "Patience, Servent. All will be revealed in due time."

"Servant?" Danny repeated to himself horrified.

Spaz eyes lit up in rage, his fist tightening until Danny couldn't tell where hand and finger began or ended. "I told you I did not want her involved in this. Now give. her. back. Now!"

"Or what," the evil ghost laughed, "You'll entertain me with your pitiful attempt to fight me? Not when she could possibly be right under our very noses." With that, a ecto-dome materialized behind Phantom with Tammy inside it. Only, it wasn't Tammy exactly. Her blond hair had been replaced with green, and the faded blue remains of her blank eyes were now red. Also, her body glowed with a faint ghostly aura. She was a ghost.

Danny was shocked and taken aback, "You killed her?" He exclaimed, reaching for his watch. Spaz grabbed him and put him into an arm lock.

Phantom rolled his eyes, "Moi? Never. I assure you this is her natural spectral form and she was a ghost long before we were even born. She is not the only one," he then turned to Spaz. "It's nice to know you have some loyalty left, or common sense. If Mr. Fenton was to rain on my parade, then what would be of your friend here?" He said, tightening the ecto-dome around his prisoner.

"You release her now!" Spaz demanded, and suddenly something Danny couldn't have expected happened. Suddenly, in a flash of light, Spaz was gone and a green, ghostly bear was in his place. The bear started his accent to tackle the ghost with an intent to tear him limb to limb.

"He's a ghost, too?" Danny wondered, "They are all ghosts ?"

"Calm down, you unstable bundle of nerves," Phantom said, snapping his fingers, and the lion was flung back to earth in a cloud of green smoke. When it cleared, all that remained was a naked ectoplasmic blob with red eyes, similar to any other shapeshifting ghost floating around the ghost zone. The green cloud lingered on, immobilizing him and keeping him on the ground.

Phantom resumed his monolog, "You do remember I have all the cards now, right?" With a wave of his hand, Danny found himself engulfed in a similar cloud and immobilized as well. "And as long as you both are settled in, I have a couple of things I want you do to for me..."