Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Danny Phantom -- Return of The Reign ❯ Lisa's Return ( Chapter 16 )

A couple things I'd like said before we begin...

* You may have noticed that Nightshade and Dark Lisa have the ability to fire two different types of Ghost Rays: red and black. In case that confused you, I'll explain: when the Ghost Rays are red, that's their actual ghostly energy, but when they're black, that's their energy mixed with the very power of darkness!
(*Public domain female scream of horror*) XD

* If I write like this, "WHAT?!", that obviously means that someone is screaming, but if I write it like this, "WHAT?!", that means that they're saying it with extreme force/exaggeration. Same principals apply if it's written in lowercase. ("What?")

*When this chapter begins, remember this: Lisa's hair is loose, her eyes are blue, but she's still in the Dark Lisa attire. (To see the Dark Lisa attire, please refer to this link: http://emikokohana.deviantart.com/art/Darkened-Drifter-39489211

Ok ay, enjoy!

 

 

~~CHAPTER SIXTEEN~~

~~LISA'S RETURN~~

 

Lisa groaned as she awoke.

She had no idea where she was. All she knew was that she was lying on her stomach, her head almost hiding behind her arm before she awoke and peeked her eyes over it.

She saw that she was within a ghostly forest. The trees were enormous, the bushes were thick and prickly, and she heard running water; a waterfall was nearby.

The Drifter's midnight blue eyes widened when they locked onto another black-haired being wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

“D--Danny!” Lisa struggled to get up, but couldn't. She then proceeded to crawl toward him instead; this she succeeded in. “…Danny?” She gently called out to him as she positioned herself above him. When she received no response, she took hold of his left hand by the wrist, wincing her eyes as she felt it helplessly limp in her grip. Tears blurring her vision once more, she let out a quick sob before burying her face into his chest, interlacing her fingers with the fingers of the hand she was holding, and wrapped her other arm around the back of his neck until her hand met with his shoulder. She remained in that position, unable to make even the tiniest weep, though tears continuously flowed down her cheeks.

Lisa didn't notice Danny's eyes slowly blink open.

Gradually raising his head, Danny's gentle blue eyes steadily rolled downward until they met with the mourning Drifter. Seeing that one of his hands was occupied, he slowly raised his right arm and placed his hand on her back.

“…Ali?” The boy weakly spoke as his hand gently ran up and down Lisa's back.

With a barely audible gasp, Lisa's eyes instantly snapped open. After blinking a few times, she slowly raised her head until her eyes met with Danny's.

“A…Ali…!” Danny said again with smile.

Lisa remained unable to speak with her eyes remaining wide.

“How are you? Are…are you yourself again…?”

At that moment, Lisa suddenly burst out into sobs and wrapped both her arms around his neck as she buried her face into his shoulder, throwing him back to the ground.

“Ali…Ali…shh…it's okay…Ali, you're hurting me…”

~

As Nightshade flew toward the strange forest island, he slowly came to a halt, holding his head. “…Grr…I'm still weak from the fight…no doubt that by the time I get there, those two fools will back to full strength…I'm going to need a plan…”

Nightshade created a duplicate of himself. “Go back to the castle and fetch the girl's body!” He commanded. His duplicate immediately flew off to complete his task. Nightshade turned his head to the side slightly, but did a double-take when he saw the Specter Speeder zooming toward the forest island.

“Ah! The Ghost Boy's family!” Nightshade realized. “There is no way I can let them get to the children before me…!” Clenching his fists and concentrating, he was able to make another duplicate, but it took out more than half of the rest of his strength. “Keep that vehicle far away from the Ghost Zone Forest for as long as you can!”

The second duplicate nodded and quickly flew toward the Speeder, firing a black Ghost Ray at it. The whole Speeder briefly tilted to the side before regaining balance. Jack stopped the Speeder and all of them looked forward, seeing the duplicate.

Summer gasped and ran forward. “Y--YOU!” She yelled.

“You know him?” Jack asked.

“Let me put it this way.” Summer then slammed her fist onto a certain button. Soon afterwards, about five gun popped out from all around the Speeder and they all started firing rapidly at the duplicate, though he was dodging all of them.

~

The first Nightshade duplicate returned to Pariah's Keep and soon had Alissa's body in his arms. But as he tried to depart, he was blasted by a red Ghost Ray. After regaining his balance, he looked up and saw Pariah not too far across from him, his fist smoking.

“I've found you…” Pariah growled, his eye flashing.

Baring his teeth in panic, the duplicate flew away at top speed while making himself invisible.

“You cannot hide from me!” Pariah roared. “I can still sense you!”

~

As the second duplicate continued to fight against the Specter Speeder, the first reappeared before Nightshade and quickly handed him Alissa's body before pointing toward the approaching Pariah and remerging with Nightshade. He quickly turned toward his second duplicate and called out to him. “Forget the family for now; distract the Ghost King!” He ordered before once more flying toward the Ghost Zone Forest.

The second duplicate was about to follow his orders, but before he did, he cloaked the entire Specter Speeder in darkness.

“Hey! Who turned out the lights?!” Jack cried as he looked around the now dim inside of the Speeder; the spell had caused the inside to become dark as well.

The second duplicate then flew toward Pariah with his fists glowing as the real Nightshade flew toward the forest. It may have been cheap time I bought, but I'll take what I can get…

~

“But I still don't get one thing…” Lisa began as she and Danny were sitting on a tiny hill and she ran her hand up and down his right arm, healing the wounds. “I mean, I'm not complaining, but I don't get what happened…I mean, you had no pulse.”

Danny's eyes widened and he shivered a little. “I didn't?”

“No, you didn't…”

“…Well…” Danny pondered. “…I can't really say it woke me up, at least not fully, but I do recall one big huge ZAP going across my body a little after everything went black…”

Lisa's eyes heightened slightly as she couldn't help but remember that too. “…I…I think that was me…”

“Huh?”

“After I finally pulled myself together and saw what I did to you, I…well, it's a blur, but I remember screaming and…and a whole lot of energy crackling out of me…”

“That must've been what jolted my heart back up!” Danny said, pointing to Lisa. “Ali, you saved me!”

Lisa widened her eyes before wincing them slightly. “…Saved you…?” She turned to Danny. “Saved you?! Danny, it was BECAUSE of me that you were almost KILLED!”

At her last word, Lisa stood up, her fists shaking. Danny immediately got up after her and grabbed her by the arms. “Ali, listen to me! None of this was your fault, none of it!”

Lisa's head fell as more tears spilled out. “But…if I hadn't left you…oh, Danny, I'm sorry…”

“Okay, okay, fine; you made one mistake. So what? That alone wasn't what made you attack me! The only things that are at fault here are Nightshade, that, and that.” So saying near the end of his sentence, Danny pointed to the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage still on Lisa.

Lisa's mouth gaped open as she looked at the ring and then the crown; she had completely forgotten about them! Glaring and baring her teeth, she growled in anger and frustration as she ripped the items off of her and practically slammed them onto the ground. “It doesn't matter how it happened or who's fault it is that I did it…the point is I did it.”

Danny sighed sadly before taking Lisa's hand. “C'mon; let's go get your body and get outta here.” He began as he headed forward. “I'm sure once you become Alissa again, everything will…” He didn't finish for shock struck him when Lisa pulled her hand from him. He turned back toward her, but she turned away.

“…I can't.”

“What do you mean??”

“I…I just can't! So what if I get back into my body?! All of us will still be in danger because of my dark side! She'll pop out again whenever I'm nearby the choker!”

“Not every time! Remember your early days as Lisa?! You seemed fine to me!”

“I know! But--but something changed…”

Danny looked away, as if thinking, but then widened his eyes and snapped his fingers. “That's it!” He cried.

Lisa jumped. “Huh?”

Danny grabbed Lisa's hands. “Don't you get it? The only reason why you went evil is because the things that Nightshade and the Ghost King were doing overwhelmed you and, um…err…” He paused, as if the rest of the explanation was hard to get out.

Lisa looked down and finished for him. “…Made me weak enough for my dark side, amplified by the choker, to take control?”

“Um…sure, you can put it that way.” Danny chuckled nervously. “But maybe you could…I dunno, keep a particular goal in mind that's good and positive, so your bad side won't be able to get at you!”

“…Okay…” Lisa spoke as she knelt down and picked up the crown and ring, feeling that it probably wasn't all that wise to leave them lying there. “But what?”

Before Danny could ponder on that, Lisa gasped and held her arms at her chest. “Are you okay?!” Danny cried.

“Y--yeah…” Lisa answered. “It--it wasn't painful…it was just that weirdo jolt I get whenever…” Lisa stopped abruptly and widened her eyes, realizing something. She sprinted forward.

“Ali!” Danny called before following her.

~

“Okay, seriously, how do we get out of this?!” Tucker cried as he tried to look around the darkened Specter Speeder.

“Well, for starters, you could get off my foot!” Sam cried before shoving Tucker off her, hearing him crash and crying out as he did so.

Summer held her head as she thought. She then snapped her fingers. “I got it! What pierces darkness?”

Tucker and Sam eyed each other. “Uh…” They both turned back toward Summer. “Light?”

“Exactly!” Summer ran to Jack and Maddie. “You guys! Please tell me that you installed that Ecto-Lightening thing into the Speeder!”

Maddie blinked before facing Jack. “Did we?”

“Uh…I know I did; I just, uh…” Jack began to sweat as everybody's staring become more intense. “…Okay, OKAY! The memory of which button it was seems to have left me at the moment! Just stop with the eyes! They burn!”

Everybody groaned.

“I know it's one of these two.” Jack said, motioning toward two buttons that were pretty close to each other.

“What's the other button do?” Maddie raised an eyebrow.

“…I don't remember that, either.

Everybody's eyes went wide. “Oh, for the love of Heaven, press the right button!” Summer cried.

“Well, here's hopin' I do.” Jack said as he faced the buttons in front of him. “Cross your fingers, team!” Jack pressed the button on the left as he and everybody else held their breaths.

Suddenly, a beam of lightening burst out and continued to zoom throughout the Ghost Zone, and the hole it left through the dark dome that surrounded them began to expand until the whole dome disappeared.

Everybody cheered as the Speeder continued its journey. “I wonder just what that other button does do…” As he more than certainly would, Jack pressed the other button.

“NO!!” Everybody screamed.

A bigger gun appeared from the top of the Speeder (scaring Dani! XD ^^; ) and began shooting relentlessly all around, causing the Speeder to start toppling around and around.

One the gun stopped and settled back into the Speeder, and everybody was all disheveled, Jack laughed nervously. “Oh, now I remember; that's the weapon I keep…for…emergencies…” He spoke slower once he caught sight of the death glare his wife was giving him.

Grabbing a sticky-note, Maddie scribbled something and then stuck it to Jack's forehead. He pulled it off and read it. “`The next time you use that, take into consideration ZERO GRAVITY.'” [1] He then turned back to Maddie, seeing her with her arms crossed and still glaring. “Okay, okay, I will, I will!”

~

Running through another patch of tall grass, Lisa came to a halt and gasped at what she saw. Danny came up just a moment afterward and gaped his mouth open. “It…can't be…” Lisa murmured. “It wouldn't just be lying there…”

The two teens were staring at Alissa's body.

It really was just lying there; her face peaceful and her hands gently interlaced upon her chest.

Lisa began to walk forward, but she quickly pulled herself back. “No…no…it's a trap…I'm sure of it…it's gotta be a fake…”

“Ali, two things; one: it wouldn't be a fake if you could sense it. And two: it's not being protected, y'know!”

Right on cue, Lisa gasped and held her sides, only this time, in pain. She fell to one knee and Danny knelt beside her, getting ready to help her up. “You're right…”

“Look, run, okay? Run to it like an idiot; I got your back!” Danny said reassuringly, and even made his fist glow to further prove his point. Lisa smiled and sprinted toward her body, Danny following her and keeping his eyes around the area, his hand still glowing.

Lisa placed the crown and ring on the ground, took a deep breath, and flew into her body, which glowed violet briefly.

Seeing that it was still safe, Danny knelt down. “…Ali?”

Groaning gently and pressing her already closed eyelids tighter together for a moment, Alissa blinked her eyes open three times, each time, her eyes being more shown. She lolled her head to the side and smiled. “…D--Danny…”

“ALI!” Danny cried in bliss before taking Alissa into his arms and hugging her. “Aw, man, I missed you like this!”

“Danny…you're suffocating me.”

“…Oops.” Danny said as he released the girl, but was thrown slightly off balance when she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him.

“Gotcha!” The redhead giggled. Danny couldn't help but giggle too and held Alissa back before spinning around and, as such, took her along for the ride. She shrieked and squealed with glee and held onto him tighter as he did so.

After their little moment of absolute ecstasy, Alissa was able to get her feet back on the ground and looked up at Danny, smiling together with him. “Oh, Danny…I--”

Before another word could be spoken, a black Ghost Ray shot out, struck Danny, and caused him to skid across the grass until he hit a tree.

“DANNY!!” Alissa screamed with both hands covering her mouth. Suddenly realizing that she recognized that Ghost Ray, and realizing who it came from, Alissa eyes went wide in horror and she slowly turned around.

To Alissa's horrified expectation, Nightshade stood not too faraway from them, his fist smoking with black energy. “It must feel good to be back in your own skin, isn't it?”

Gulping while trying to summon up all her courage, Alissa clenched her hands into fists and glared darkly. Nightshade laughed. “Are you trying to scare me? If you are…” His playful face disappeared in a split second. “…You're failing.”

“No…I'm not trying to scare you…” Alissa said as she made a battle stance. “I'm just showing you that I'm gonna stand my ground no matter what you do.”

Alissa and Nightshade remained in their stances before a bright green Ghost Ray came out and threw Nightshade to the ground; Alissa turned, seeing that it was Danny who did that. He was on his knees and right hand, but he had his left hand out and it was smoking green energy. Alissa quickly ran to him, helping him up. “I can handle him.” Danny began. “Are you willing to go find a safe place and bring Lisa out?”

Alissa gasped. “What?!”

“Ah, yes.” Both teens saw Nightshade reemerge a cruel smirk on his face. “Why don't you go and make this a fair fight for the two of you? I'm more than willing to wait.”

“Aw, heck no, you're not waiting!” Danny growled as both his hands began to glow. “I am SO gonna get you for all you put Ali through!” He turned to Alissa. “Ali, if you don't want to, it's okay; I mean, you did just get back to your body…”

“I--it's not that…” Alissa tried as she held her arms, but when she saw Nightshade fire at Danny, him dodge it, and then fly toward him, she bit her lip, ran forward, picked up the choker, crown, and ring from the ground, and ran into the trees.

“You do realize that soon, one of two things will happen…” Nightshade said as he and Danny got into a hand-lock. “She will soon let her desire to destroy me get the better of her and she will become mine again…” He chuckled lightly after that, giving Danny time to grit his teeth more in his anger. “Or, she will lose her nerve to become Lisa Phantasm for that very reason and give herself up to me should I not harm you. Either way…” Nightshade's crimson red eyes glowed. “It will be because of you.”

Danny glared harder and, with a harsh cry, pushed more of his strength into his hands, causing them to glow green, and thrust Nightshade to the ground. He winced his eyes shut in pain, but he looked up to see the Ghost Boy about to punch him into the ground. He quickly moved out of the way and they continued to battle.

~

Meanwhile, Alissa ran more and more until she tripped in front of a pond and accidentally let go of the items she held; the crown and ring landed safely on the grass but the choker plunked into the water. Gasping, she quickly plunged her hand into the pond and grabbed the choker before it hit the bottom. “Whew…” She breathed as she pulled the choker out of the water and put it aside. She stared back into the pond, finding the water pretty eerie. Suddenly, she pushed herself back with an almost traumatized gasp, reminded of her inner vision of seeing her dark side reveal herself to her by coming out of a pond.

Slowly crawling back toward the pond, Alissa looked at her reflection again, seeing something that her vision didn't give her a chance to see; her own eyes. Not glazed over by darkness and always giving a hateful death gaze, but her own gentle and kind eyes.

As she looked into them, she slowly began to tell herself: You can do this. You can. There are many people who need you, and one of them needs you NOW. He believes in you…you should, too!

Gently bringing a fist to her heart and lowering her head, Alissa slowly rose it again, her eyes narrowed with determination.

~

Danny cried out as he was once more blown back against a tree. As he lied down in half-defeat, and his only slightly cracked open eyes staring up at his opponent, Nightshade loomed over him and was about to blast him again before a violet Ghost Ray hit him in the side. He clutched his side and turned toward the source of the blast, his eyes heightening slightly.

Lisa Phantasm (in her regular attire, too! ^^) stood proudly on the battlefield, her eyes cold toward her foe.

Danny smiled brightly, though it was weak.

Nightshade smiled evilly and began to applaud the Drifter. “I must say, I'm impressed. I could tell that you were afraid to bring out your spirit once more.”

“Shut it.” Lisa said as she walked over to Danny and stood right in front of him, her fists spread somewhat apart. “Stay away from Danny; your fight is with me.”

“Well, doesn't that sound familiar? Oh, where have I heard it from…” Nightshade mocked before snapping his fingers. “That's right; that's what you told the Ghost Boy, and broke his heart as you did, may I add.”

Lisa's fists clenched harder. “As you're well aware, when I said it that time, it was a complete load so that Danny would stay away from me. But this time, I mean it, so that you'll stay away from HIM!”

“Ali…” Danny murmured to himself.

“Such strength…” Nightshade smiled. “Oh, how fortunate I was to run into you during my plan…”

“Plan?” Lisa raised an eyebrow. “You mean, all the way back to when we first met?”

“Yes, but there's a certain something that you didn't know…the entire thing was staged.”

Lisa gasped harshly along with Danny. “Wha--wh--what--what do you mean?!” She choked.

“Yes, the curse was real, as you could plainly see, but I wasn't expecting to be able to complete it. I knew that one of the three of you would be able to defeat me; and whoever did would be the one who would assist me in this plan…the one would become my apprentice…and that one was you.” Nightshade's eyes narrowed as he smirked. “Congratulations.”

Lisa was blown away. “You mean…the car crash…the bonding…the attacks toward Danny…the medieval curse…”

Nightshade smirked. “It was all planned ahead of time.”

Lisa's eyes were wide in her shock. But they soon narrowed darkly. “How dare you use us like that…” After a moment of silence, she charged toward Nightshade with a battle cry and attempted to slash her sword across as she came closer to him. He, unfortunately, drew his own sword and blocked hers with it. As they pushed their swords against each other's, Nightshade spoke again.

“Are you angry? Do you hate me?” Nightshade went on.

Lisa didn't answer, but as she growled during the struggle, her eyes began to flash red.

Danny gasped. “ALI!!”

Lisa gasped, Danny's cry making her realize the cold feeling washing over her heart, and the flickering in her eyes stopped. She glared at Nightshade once more. “Nice try, Nightlight, but I'm not making the same mistake twice!”

“You'll have no choice.” Nightshade said. “Your power comes from the dark and only the dark!”

“IT DOES NOT!”

“Oh, really? The only reason you have your power is because of my choker. Though you broke free from me, you haven't broken free of what gives the choker its power, which is the darkness from around and within you. As long as you have the choker, you have all my power…haven't you noticed that the only times you ever really feel strength is when you wish to do harm against someone? Face it; the more you attempt to strike me, and the more intense your strikes become, you'll just end up falling back into the darkness of your heart.”

Lisa's face fell and she suddenly began to feel weaker. Taking that as his chance, Nightshade thrust Lisa against one of the trees. She cried out in pain and slumped against it, her will gone. Smirking still, Nightshade flew toward her at top speed, about to strike again. Lisa's eyes cracked open a bit and she bared her teeth with a gasp and she watched him come closer…

Danny jumped right in-between them and released a Ghostly Wail.

Lisa gasped and tried to scream out the Ghost Boy's name, but it was barely heard through the wail. Nightshade was able to hold his ground for about ten seconds before he was blasted back into the trees, the ones he had been blasted through crashing down.

When he finally ended his attack, Danny's arms fell to his sides and he fell against Lisa, transforming back. “Danny!” Lisa cried. “Say something! Anything!”

Danny's eyes cracked open and he smiled weakly. “Sorry, Ali…but…I just had to cut in…”

Lisa bit her lip and held Danny closer. “It's okay…I'm not mad…”

A black Ghost Ray suddenly shot out and struck Lisa, though she wasn't struck away; instead, as she screamed in pain, she was risen high in the air, the energy still around her , and was flung backward (Just in front of the fallen trees where Nightshade was blasted back.); she remained there, unmoving.

“Ali, no!” Danny struggled to get up, but a sword striking the tree he was leaning on and being just inches away from his head made him freeze.

Nightshade once more loomed over him. “That is the last time you play hero, little boy.” He said.

Lisa blinked open her eyes and looked up, gasped, and narrowed her eyes with clenched teeth. She grabbed her Ecto-Blade and struggled to get up.

As Nightshade raised his sword higher and higher, Danny clenched his teeth and turned his head away with eyes shut, unable to watch his demise.

Nightshade smirked as he struck his sword down…

He froze.

His sword clattered to the ground.

Wondering why he was still breathing, Danny peeked an eye open but fully turned his head back toward Nightshade as he gasped at what he saw.

Nightshade remained in his frozen position, but he looked down, seeing Lisa's sword dripping with his ectoplasm.

Lisa was panting due to her struggle to gather up all her strength as she kept her hold on her sword, which she had thrust through Nightshade's stomach.

Nightshade slowly rose his hands up to the area where the end half of Lisa's sword was sticking out, his palms open and his fingers curled and twitching as he began to gasp and groan.

“Oh, knock it off.” Lisa said. “It's not like you're gonna die.”

Nightshade swiftly turned to Lisa, his eyes wide in both hatred and shock. “What--what are you doing?!” He stuttered. “All this detestation you have towards me…I can feel it…why are you letting it take you?!”

“Because this time, my rage has a better reason for being here.” Lisa explained. “Before, when I let my anger get the better of me, I only wanted to hurt whatever I was battling; I had no other reason than to just inflict pain and that's no better than you!” At the last word, she twisted her sword around while it was still within Nightshade, and he cried out in pain. “But this time…I'm willing to harm you…but with much better meaning behind it…” She looked beyond her villain and smiled sweetly at Danny. “And it's to keep people like you from hurting the people I love.”

Danny's form began to ease with a returning smile toward the Drifter.

Lisa kept her smile, but she swiftly turned back to Nightshade and regained her glare. “And that's why the dark won't take me again, because all my motivations will be to my friends and family…to Danny…TO MY LIGHT!” With that, she suddenly ripped the sword from out of Nightshade, causing him to cry out again, and began to attack him from almost all sides.

Once Nightshade became unconscious and fell to the ground, Lisa grabbed Danny's hand. “Hurry! While he's out!” The two of them, hands still held, ran through the trees.

Once they departed, a large shadow loomed over Nightshade as he began to come to. He looked up, and his face would've paled if he were alive.

“Did you really think he could escape me with a duplicate?” So saying, Pariah held up his left fist, showing the captured duplicate, though he squeezed it, causing it to disappear.

Nightshade tried to get up, but it knew it was hopeless to try and escape the king. He suddenly began to glow red. He screamed. Pariah smirked…

~

“You just left them lying there?!” Danny cried.

“Well, nothing happened to them, right?!” Alissa cried back as she grabbed the crown and ring and shoved them into her pockets. “Now listen, can you transform?”

Danny concentrated and the bright blue ring appeared and almost went all around him, but it disappeared and he fell to the ground, landing on his rear. He sighed heavily.

“Babe, don't push yourself!” Alissa said as she helped Danny to his feet. “Give yourself some time. I'm sure Nightshade won't be up again for a while.”

Danny smiled weakly. Alissa smiled back, but the smile faded when she looked behind him. “Whoa…”

Confused, Danny turned, seeing more of the forest, but it looked much, much darker, deeper, and dangerous. “Wonder what's in that half of the place…” Alissa murmured.

“I don't know, but I'm not hanging around to find out. C'mon, let's move.” Danny said as he gently pushed Alissa forward. They both froze, however, when a bright red Ghost Ray hit a tree nearby them.

“MAN, I'm getting sick of that!” Danny cried before turning around, but his eyes went wide when he and Alissa saw Pariah looming above them.

“…Crud…” Alissa whimpered.

“Run.” Danny's command was promptly followed. The two teens raced forward, but Pariah grabbed Alissa and pulled her up to his face level. “ALI!!”

“I see you've returned to you body…” Pariah began dangerously. “…And you have my crown and ring…”

Alissa gulped. “…Double crud…”

“Give them to me!” Pariah roared.

“N--no!” Alissa cried as she attempted to thrash around.

Danny just stood there, his hands now fists and clenched, trying to figure out what to do. Before he could think of anything, he heard a loud crash from behind him, turned around, and saw the Specter Speeder coming through the trees! A gun shot out from the top and fired ectoplasmic goo right at Pariah's eye, causing him to stumble backward and drop Alissa, and she landed onto one of the tree branches.

“Danny!”

The said boy jumped up and ran into the joyous arms of his parents. The rest of the group ran out of the Speeder as well, Tucker, Sam, and Jazz rushing to Danny and hugging him.

“Wait…where's Alissa?” David hastily cried.

“Um…up here…”

Everybody looked up to see Alissa tangled up on the branches, waving pathetically.

“Ali!” Summer cried. “Is…is it really you?”

“In the flesh!” Alissa beamed. “Literally!”

As Jack and Maddie stared at each other in confusion over Alissa's remark, David and Kelly ran to the tree, David outstretching his arms. “It's okay, sweetie! Fall into my arms!”

Alissa whimpered momentarily before slipping through the branches and into her father's arms, though he stumbled briefly. Once he got her to her feet, she stared silently at the rest of the group.

Summer slowly walked closer to Alissa and she did the same. When they were a few inches apart, they suddenly rushed at each other and embraced tightly, Alissa sniffling softly.  Summer felt unshed tears in her eyelashes. “…I'm so glad you're back…”

“Did I hurt you?” Alissa whispered back.

Summer held Alissa tighter, knowing the answer wouldn't help. “That doesn't matter anymore…”

Dani, trying not to blow her cover by jumping out and embracing Danny and Alissa, looked up and gasped in horror when she saw Pariah finally succeed in pulling off the goop from his eye. She pointed toward him. “LOOK OUT!!”

Though they were confused as to who cried out, everybody looked up and screamed when they saw Pariah fire a Ghost Ray at them. They scrambled out of the way, Summer still holding onto Alissa as she jumped out of the way and, as such, took Alissa along with her.

“What now?!” Kelly cried.

“Everybody back to the Speeder!” Jack cried.

Everybody got back to their feet and ran, but Danny tripped and crashed back onto the ground.

“DANNY!” Everybody screamed. Sam and Alissa quickly ran to his aid, but Dani beat them to it, slinging Danny's arm around her shoulders.

“Danielle?!” Alissa cried in surprise.

“I got him! Keep going!” Dani cried before quickly zooming toward the Specter Speeder, the other two girls running alongside her.

But Pariah wasn't about to let them escape so easily. Roaring, he fired another Ghost Ray, but the Speeder immediately began to rise. Unfortunately, though Alissa and Sam got back into the Speeder, Dani succeeded in only getting half of Danny through the door; once the Speeder began to rise, Danny was unable to climb up, though Alissa and Sam grabbed his arms and attempted to pull him up as Dani held onto his leg. Soon, the Speeder began to fly forward.

“You okay, Danny?!” Sam asked.

“Could be better!” Danny answered.

“Danielle! Can't you fly up here?!” Alissa cried.

“I don't think so! The Speeder's going too fast!” Dani cried back.

Alissa bit her lip before turning back to the others, seeing Maddie coming up to help her son as Jack drove the Speeder. “Maddie! Grab Danny's arm! I'm going for Danielle!” So saying, Alissa released Danny's arm, handed it to Maddie, and leaned over Danny's right shoulder (She's right next to Maddie; she has Danny's right arm). “Danny, raise your leg up! Danielle, when he does that, grab his shirt and climb up!” She outstretched her hand. “I got you!”

“Good plan, but hurry!” Danny yelled as he looked down, seeing Pariah fly after them. He raised his leg and Dani grabbed the bottom of his shirt and climbed toward Alissa, reaching out her hand as well.

“Tucker! Summer! Help!” Sam cried. Tucker and Summer ran up and Tucker grabbed Sam's waist as Summer grabbed his, and they all pulled.

Pariah was gathering energy in his hand.

“Ali, I can't reach!” Dani cried.

“Yes, you can! Just keep going!” Alissa cried back.

Danny was almost all the way through; Dani and Alissa's hands almost touched…

Pariah fired.

The ray hit the back of the Speeder and it began to drop.

“No no no no NO NO NO!!” Jack cried rapidly as he failed to get the Speeder to go forward.

Hit slightly by Pariah's ray, Dani slipped off Danny and screamed as she fell.

“DANIELLE!!” Both Danny and Alissa cried. Danny tried to reach out to her, but the change in his position as the Speeder fell more and more and faster and faster caused him to slip from Maddie and Sam's grip.

“DANNY!!” Alissa tried to grab Danny's shirt collar, but that caused her to slip out as well. Summer released Tucker and tried to catch her, but she, Tucker, and Sam shortly followed the plummeting figures. Smiling, Pariah followed the kids, mainly Alissa.

Maddie, David, and Kelly all screamed out for their kids, but they were able to grab hold of the doorway so they didn't slip out.

“It's--it's no use…” Jack slammed his fists onto the buttons with eyes winced in failure. “Prepare for crash landing!”

The Speeder spiraled as it fell; it, and the falling, screaming kids, all heading toward the dark half of the Ghost Zone Forest…

 

 

CRASH!!!

 

~*~

[1] When Jack's reading this, imagine that the camera is showing the note and that's how it was written; Jack's not really saying it that way. He's reading it quickly, quietly, and kinda monotonely.
Just wanted to get that across! ^^

Wow...that was a lot...
Jeez, with all this talk about Light and Darkness, it's like I'm turning DP into an Anime! XD
Ooh, what happened to Nightshade?! And did everybody survive?! (Well, they'd have to, otherwise my story would end...XD)
Seeya!