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Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Johnny 13 (8)

[Third Person POV] 

Jazz charged forward, her blaster whining as it built to full power. A crackling sphere of green energy burst from the barrel and slammed squarely into Johnny, the blast knocking him off his feet and hurling him backward. He crashed against his spectral bike with a metallic clang, the machine skidding across the torn asphalt in a shower of sparks.

Danny staggered upright, eyes wide. For a heartbeat he just stared, stunned by Jazz's words and what she called him. Jazz didn't flinch. She turned her head, meeting his gaze with a steady, almost mischievous smile.

"Go and help Mom," she said, voice sharp and calm all at once. "I'll handle Johnny."

Danny nodded before he even realized it, still too shocked to argue. They split without another word—Jazz sprinting toward the wrecked biker ghost while Danny shot through the air in a blur.

As he flew toward the battered Fenton RV, Danny cast one quick glance over his shoulder. Jazz was already closing in on Johnny, blaster raised and eyes blazing with determination. A knot tightened in his chest, but he forced himself to focus.

He phased through the RV's metal shell, emerging on the other side with the writhing shadow creature gripped tightly in his hands. The inky specter hissed and clawed at him, its teeth flashing. Without hesitation Danny reached to his belt, pulled a small orb, and jammed it into the creature's snapping mouth.

The shadow bit down—and the smoke bomb detonated with a muffled pop.

A thick, acrid cloud burst from the specter's throat. Its black cheeks puffed out comically before it doubled over, gagging and coughing. Thin tendrils of smoke curled from its mouth as it wheezed and flailed.

"Careful there," Danny quipped, pushing down the tight coil of anxiety building inside him after Jazz's revelation. "Smoking kills, you know."

The shadow's eyes narrowed to slits. With a guttural snarl it lunged forward, fist cocked. Its knuckles smashed into Danny's chest with the exaggerated force—only to stop dead as if it had punched a wall. 

Danny didn't budge.

The ghost blinked in confusion, then swung again. And again. Each blow landed with a dull thunk but achieved nothing. Danny tilted his head, a mocking smile tugging at his lips.

"What's the matter?" he asked in faux concern. "Tired already? Don't worry, I'll help you get the rest you need."

The shadow's movements slowed, its eyes blinking heavily. Its punches grew weaker, sloppier. Through the haze of smoke, Danny's figure wavered and distorted, as though the creature's senses were shutting down. A low, bewildered growl escaped its throat.

Danny calmly raised his Fenton Thermos, the nozzle gleaming with power."I could make another joke about not eating random things you find," he said with a smirk, "but I think I've milked the bit enough."

He thumbed the switch. The Thermos roared to life, its vortex of suction dragging the dazed shadow inward. The creature didn't even struggle as it was pulled inside with a final hiss, the cap snapping shut with a satisfying click.

A sudden thump landed on the RV roof. Danny looked up in surprise just as Maddie dropped down beside him, visor gleaming.

"Ah, you already took care of it, Dan—" she began, then stumbled over her words, "I mean… random ghost boy that I don't know. Good work!" She flashed a nervous thumbs-up, her laugh just a little too high-pitched.

Danny froze, face twitching as a cold realization settled in. "Does literally everyone know?" he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temple as his stomach twisted into knots. "Am I really that bad at this?"

He shook it off, forcing his focus back to the chaos outside. "We'll talk later. Right now, let's go help Jazz."

Maddie nodded sharply, and together they vaulted off the RV.

They landed just in time to see Jack and Jazz pummeling Johnny in perfect tandem. Jazz fired a charged blast into Johnny's back, the green energy cracking like thunder. The biker ghost stumbled forward—right into Jack's massive fist. Jack grinned wildly as his punch sank into Johnny's gut with a whump, sending the ghost skidding across the ground.

Before Johnny could recover, both Jack and Jazz closed the gap. Their combined strikes hit like a wrecking ball, launching him into a violent tumble that left deep furrows in the cracked pavement.

Johnny groaned, clutching his abdomen as he rolled to a stop. Neon-green ectoplasmic blood streamed from cuts across his face and arms, soaking the shredded remnants of his jacket. He spat a mouthful of glowing blood onto the dirt, the splatter sizzling faintly where it landed.

Slowly, he dragged a sleeve across his mouth and lifted his head. His defiance flickered, but his eyes still burned with stubborn fury.

Surrounding him stood the entire Fenton team. Jazz and Jack loomed in front, blasters humming and fist raised with anti-ghost energy. Danny and Maddie flanked either side, weapons ready, hands flaring with green ectoplasm. Sam and Tucker emerged on opposite ends with their own ecto-guns raised, green lights casting eerie shadows across Johnny's battered form.

Six pairs of eyes locked on him, every attacked trained squarely at his face.

The biker ghost spat another streak of green blood and gave a ragged, breathless laugh

"Come on, babe—seriously? Did I not treat you well?" Johnny groaned pitifully from where he slumped on the cracked pavement. His eyes widened with feigned hurt, as if he couldn't believe Jazz would reject him.

Jazz let out a slow sigh, lowering her blaster but keeping it ready. "You did, Johnny… you treated me fine," she admitted, her voice edged with steel. "But you were messing with my mind from the start. And you hurt my family. That's something I'll never forgive."

Johnny threw up his hands, his voice cracking in protest. "I was defending myself!"

"Enough talking." Danny stepped forward, his Thermos already humming with a rising charge. A pale green glow filled the cracks in the street as the containment field spun to life. He leveled the nozzle squarely at Johnny.

Johnny shut his eyes and braced himself. But before Danny could release the trigger, the ground lurched violently beneath them. A deep, bone-rattling boom rumbled through the asphalt, nearly knocking everyone off their feet.

"Whoa—whoa! What's going on?!" Tucker yelped, arms flailing for balance as he felt onto his backside.

"I think it's an earthquake!" Sam shouted, grabbing Danny's sleeve as the tremor grew stronger.

Jazz widened her stance, eyes narrowing suspiciously at Johnny. "What did you do this time?!"

"It's not me!!" Johnny barked, genuine panic breaking through his usual swagger.

The pavement split with a deafening CRACK. Jagged fissures raced across the street, swallowing chunks of concrete as cars tilted and tumbled into yawning sinkholes. The screech of twisting metal and the shatter of falling glass echoed through the collapsing neighborhood.

"Uh… not to freak anyone out," Tucker said, voice climbing into a terrified laugh, "but I think—I think the sky is breaking."

"What?!" everyone shouted at once.

They looked upward—and froze.

The heavens themselves were fracturing. Black cracks spiderwebbed across the blue night like shattered glass, and chunks of reality began to peel away in glittering shards. Through the widening gaps bled an eerie, pulsing green light, cold and otherworldly.

"Is… is the world ending?" Jazz whispered, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound brave.

From the glowing fractures poured a storm of ghosts—spectral shapes bleeding into the human world as buildings groaned and tilted around them. Windows burst outward in showers of sparkling debris. Streetlamps flickered and died.

Danny's chest tightened until he could barely breathe. A single dreadful thought clawed its way to the front of his mind, 'But… I still have time.' His pupils trembled as the sky continued to splinter.

Behind them pieces of clothing Jazz's discarded scarf and jacket which Johnny had given her, rose gently into the air as if caught in invisible currents. The garments hovered for a moment, then shot skyward in a sudden blur, spinning above the group in a slow, mesmerizing spiral.

Johnny jerked upright in shock as his own pocket began to vibrate. He fumbled inside and pulled out a small ring—the very one he'd intended to give Jazz. The ring tore itself from his grasp and streaked upward to join the scarf and jacket.

The three objects twirled together, spinning faster and faster until they fused into a violent whirlwind of green spectral energy.

A triumphant voice cut through the chaos.

"Finally! I'm free at last!"

From the swirling light Kitty burst forth, stretching her limbs in wild celebration. Her spectral hair billowed as she hovered above the broken street.

She glanced down, her eyes locking on Jazz, and her mouth curled into a venomous sneer. "Listen, you little slut—Johnny's my man. I'm not letting you steal him."

Jazz's grip on her blaster tightened, her face flushing with outrage. "I don't even want him! Take him for all I care!" she snapped, her anger flaring at the insult.

"Cupcake!" Johnny exclaimed, startled. "You—you're out of limbo!"

Kitty swooped down in a blur of green light, scooping Johnny up with ease. "I don't know what's happening, but limbo's breaking apart. I managed to escape, so let's go. We have no reason to stay here—right?" Her tone sharpened into a threat as she shot Johnny a look that promised pain.

Johnny chuckled weakly, throwing an arm over her shoulders for support. "You know it, babe. You're the only girl for me."

"I better be," Kitty scoffed, already turning to leave.

"Hold it."

Danny's voice cut through the air halting them. He stepped forward, the Thermos still glowing in his grasp, his posture tall and unyielding.

Kitty stopped midair and turned, eyes narrowing into a predatory glare. "What?" she spat.

Danny's own eyes flared bright green, his chin lifting in defiance. "Did you really think I'd let you manipulate my sister's mind, try to take control of her, insult her—and then just be allowed to walk away?" His lips curled into a hard, dangerous smirk. "I don't care if the world is ending or not, you're not leaving here unpunished."

A tense silence fell over the ruined street. The fractured sky hissed above them, emerald light bleeding through the cracks, as Danny and Kitty locked eyes. 

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