The Apprentice of Thanatos

Chapter 25: Ultimate Enemy Part 5

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WARNING: Some heavy stuff is talked about in this chapter. Things like wars and mass murder. Please read at your own risk.

We do not own Danny Phantom or Percy Jackson, only this story and our original characters.

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Danny POV:

     Danny didn't exactly know where he was going. In his haste to get away from Demeter, he had gotten himself lost in the boundless wasteland of the Ghost Zone. Well, more lost than he had already been. He didn't have the slightest idea where he was—if he was somewhere new, or if he was backtracking the way he had come. He was worried he was going to come across his enemies again. Not that they would be able to do much. Not after what I—

     No, that wasn't me, it wasn't—

     Danny tugged at his hair and let out a growl somewhere between pain and frustration as his head throbbed. He was struggling to process everything that had happened in just the past few... what, hours? He didn't know how much time had passed since he had been thrown into the Ghost Zone, but it felt like it had been forever.

     Thoughts tumbled around Danny's mind like leaves in a windstorm. Everything that had happened to him since he entered this stupid future... Everyone he had met... No matter how hard he tried, Danny couldn't push the distressing memories of Demeter from his mind. Her heart-wrenching sobs...

     And it wasn't just Demeter that he couldn't get out of his head. Everyone he had met in this timeline so far—Valerie, and all of his ghostly enemies—they had all been irreparably hurt by—even killed by...

     By him.

     No! That's not me! A part of Danny defended, echoing loudly throughout his mind.

     But... what if it is? Another part lamented quietly. What if I can't change anything? Is this meant to be my future? What if—

     THWACK!

     "Ow!" Danny reeled forward as something smacked him right upside the head. He glanced back to see what had struck him, and was quite surprised to see the Boo-merang—though it was far more battered and worn down than he remembered. It was dented and scuffed, and there was a torn piece of blue fabric tied tightly around its middle.

     Danny grabbed the device before it could float away, hesitating as he recognized Jazz's headband—that meant she was still alive, right? He untied the headband and caught the folded up piece of notebook paper that was uncovered as it floated up in front of him. Unfolding it revealed a short note written in Jazz's hasty handwriting.

      Danny,

      Your evil self is here and I think he's planning to kill us. Find Vlad. See if he can help you get back home. If he can't, try and find your way back through the Ghost Zone. I'll hold off Evil Danny until you return. Good luck.

     —Jazz

     Danny released a sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Jazz's note brought him a sense of relief that he hadn't known he needed; his friends and family were still alive. There was still time to save them. There was still hope.