The Return of the Phantom

Strike for the Heart

Hey only a week late right? *Sigh* Enjoy the final installment of this particular story arc! Be prepared for a new story arc next week! LOVE!!!

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After saving the frightened teams from falling car debris, and carefully turning invisible to avoid being seen, Danny flew back into battle, ghostly tail streaming behind him. He was glad to know Jackson was being looked after, but he regretted that it wasn't him who was doing it. But he had to worry about later. It was time to finish this.

As he watched the monster continued to smash more cars in the parking lot, honking with glee. Danny decided it might be a good time to call Tucker again. Some "friendly" advice would be useful right about now. Tucker picked up immediately.

"Yes?" His annoyance was clear in his tone. Danny sighed and placed a hand on his forehead.

"Look, I'm sorry for-"

"For what? For ghosting me?" Tucker snapped. Danny snorted, then caught himself. "Don't answer that." Tucker quickly added, before Danny could tease him. "But you can't just keep hanging up on me like that! None of my constituents would hang up on me like that! Actually, that was a little egotistical. I'll rephrase that. I-"

"Right. I know. You're right. I really do value your advice." Danny tried not to sound too rushed- time was running out before the monster might notice him again or go after more park goers. But wait- did Tucker just admit he was being egotistical? "Tuck, I know when you're really upset what humility you have starts to show." Desperation started to creep into his voice. "I really need you right now, man. I don't know what I'd do without you." And he really meant every word this time. He could hear Tucker give a dramatic sniffle on the other end of the line.

"I'm touched; really I am." He choked out, then he cleared his throat, returning so quickly to seriousness Danny had to hold back another laugh. After a brief explanation of the battle so far, Tucker was ready to get down to business.

"Alright. First things first: every beast, no matter how ugly, has a heart. We just need to find it." Danny darted downward behind the cover of the treetops; the monster had started to amble in his direction. Despite not having a head.

"What do you mean, its heart?" He asked, thinking hard he spoke. "Is it like some sort of central place within him that powers everything? 'Cause it doesn't make sense that he'd need that if he was able to make cars float separately and throw tires at me."

"True." Tucker acknowledged. "But if we've learned anything from Technus and other ghosts that strategize like him, they all operate from some central vantage point, usually within the machine."

"Because the closer they are the stronger their control." Peering through the branches, Danny scoped out the monster, scanning its build for any place strongly resembling what Tucker described. The beige family van that could probably carry ten people lay surprisingly intact in the area where the monster's chest would be. Easy as parallel parking. Just needed to dodge the truck pincers and car claws. And the flying tires. Always the flying tires.

"I think I see it." Danny told Tucker, floating closer. He was still well hidden among the trees.

"Great. Well, call me after its over," Tucker replied, and though smirks cannot be heard, without a doubt Danny knew Tucker wore that expression. The last thing he heard was Tucker's faint laughter as hung up on Danny this time. The thing about Tucker was he took little victories whenever he could.

Clenching his fists, Danny shot into the air and plunged directly toward the monster's chest. It desperately tried swatting him away with first one claw then the other, but Danny corkscrewed around them with ease, his arms outstretched in front of him, and white hair whipping behind him. He flipped around so he feet first as he turned intangible, landing with a soft thud in the interior of the van.