Behind Unknown Eyes

11

Everyone around stared at the thermos in curiosity and fear. Dash looked at the hunk of metal, then at Phantom. 

Danny, he thought. What life have you been living?

The green, ectoplasmic dome-like shield seemed to be the obstacle that kept the boy's family from reaching him, from helping him. Maybe even saving him.

As Vlad's charcoal, black cape flowed in the air, he looked down upon his arch nemesis. Oh, how he had waited for this moment. This sweet moment when despair was present in the young teen's eyes and when the whole town knew of his secret. He had longed for the moment that his life was forever ruined.

The thermos had been hard to get out of Clockwork's lair, but Vlad knew his way around the ghost zone and had some fancy tricks up his sleeve. It sent chills up his spine to think of the battle that future Danny would give young Daniel.

In the end, it will all be worth it, he thought to himself as Danny got off of his knees and stood up.

The teen's mouth had now closed and his eyebrows knitted together. He was ready. 

The small container shook as it laid on the pavement. It began to start bouncing up and down. As of right now, his friends and parents were screaming for him to get the heck out of there, but he could no longer hear him.

Danny Phantom was officially in the zone and no one could get him out of it.

He knew what he had to do. If he didn't win this time, his family and friends, heck, even Amity Park wouldn't stand a chance against Dan. 

Everyone's eyes looked over towards the family of the ghost boy. There were tears in Maddie's eyes. She pounded repeatedly on the shield, only causing little damage. Jack tried too again and again as Jazz wrapped her arms around Tuck and Sam. Jack and Maddie both were huffing and puffing as they came to a stop. There was no getting him out of there.

Jazz let go of Danny's friends and they all watched helplessly from outside the dome. It felt like a living hell for her. 

They all watched Danny as his fists clenched and his jaw tightened. His sister and friends had faith that he would be fine. But faith was all they had, sadly. They didn't have some fabulous, well thought out plan, nor did they have the luck that they usually did have. It was all up to Danny.

Vlad finally spoke. "And to add just a bit of fun." He rose his hands and the dome began to expand outwards, causing everyone to be pushed back. He wiped his hands together. 

"Now you'll both have more playing room." Vlad chuckled. But Danny didn't hear this taunt, nor did he even know that the dome had expanded. His eyes were on the thermos.

Vlad quickly flew outside the dome and stood in the crowd. Everyone was too scared to try and fight Plasmius, so they just stood there, frightened that he was a foot away from their bodies.

They all watched as Phantom's eyes were glued to the bouncing thermos. But then the bouncing suddenly stopped. The crowd exchanged glances. Was it a hoax that Plasmius had given them? Was it to frighten all of them?

No.

All of them flinched when a stream of a bright ecto-ray came plunging out of the thermos at the speed of light. And it was right at Danny. But Danny was expecting something like this. 

He shot his own ray at the ectoplasm as his feet slid back from the force of the ray. The two powers fought back. At one second Danny's ray would be succeeding, but then the next second it was switched.

His father and mother were yelling once again. They didn't want to give up on their only son. "You can do it, Danny! You've already beaten him once!" Jazz yelled. Everyone took an interest in that statement. 

This would be his second time fighting this ghost?

Casper High's students were still in shock that the geek was in there fighting.

Danny's brain was locked in battle mode, maybe even a bit of survival mode. Suddenly, the ray stopped coming out of the thermos. It started to bounce again.

Danny's eyes widened. He looked around at the people around the dome, then back at the thermos. He didn't have much time. He had an idea. The ghost boy flew into the air. "Everyone! Get out of town! Now!" They were all startled. Phantom could take this ghost, right?

Maddie wasn't going to leave her baby behind. Tucker and Sam weren't fond of the idea either. "No Danny! We- we can help you-" She yelled out to her son. 

Danny quickly looked back at the thermos, then at her family and friends. He shook his head. "No. You guys are leaving. You too, Sam and Tuck. You guys have risked your lives enough for me." Sam shook her head. "We've stuck with you-"

"No! If you stay you'll die!" The thumping of the thermos was getting louder. 

They need to get out. Now. 

Danny flew around and pointed his hands at the huge crowd. "You guys have no idea who I'm dealing with. Now get out and let me deal with it! You'll have a chance-" Danny stopped. 

There was no sound of the bouncing thermos. Everyone's eyes watched in fear. Maybe they should've left when he said so.

A large ghost shot out of the container, immediately shooting upwards in a spin. He stopped at the top of the dome. His evil, red eyes looked straight at Danny as his hair flamed. The boy tried one more time to get everyone out. 

As he faced the ghost, his hands began to glow. "Everyone out! Right now!" He screamed. The ghost only laughed. 

"Oh how funny, Danny. You're still clinging to your good ways. Too bad those ways will die with you after I'm finished with you."

The crowd was frightened and chilled to the bone from the new ghost. But the more they looked at him, the more questions they had. The suit? It was just like Danny's.

Who in the world were they seeing?