Portals

Cornered

The bird screamed as it broke into the Sorcerer's cavern, shocking everyone inside. Danny jerked, the ice encasing most of the black gunk pinning him to the wall cracking and spreading just a bit faster. He risked opening his mouth, a puff of condensation escaping. "R– Ninja!"

The Sorcerer glanced at the half-ghost. "Phankasm–"

"On it." She darted down, sweeping the puff of blue into a jar she had for that purpose. She had Danny's ghost sense, which she rushed to the Sorcerer. He sent a burst of red into the jar, turning the blue mist a foul purple.

Phankasm drifted backwards, panting. "Well? Now what?"

The Sorcerer grinned. "This."

And he hurled the jar at her. It hit her square in the chest and sent her spinning backwards, the purple stank rushing up her nose.

The Ninja stopped dead, reeling back the Tengu. "Double stanked? Is that possible?"

Phankasm dipped back, inhaling. Purple smoke drifted out of her nostrils, her eyes flashing violet as she grinned. "Apparently."

She opened her mouth and screamed. Rings of purple burst free, sending shudders throughout the cavern. The Ninja helped the Tengu avoid crumbling stalactites before they were impaled on one.

Danny finally felt the goop binding him to the wall give under the pressure of the ice. It crackled, cracked, then splintered and he yanked himself free. Black shards fell to the cavern floor around him as the silver ring shot over his form.

Danny Phantom regarded Phankasm with brilliant green eyes, watching her aim another ghostly wail at the Ninja. "You learn fast. I passed out after using that the first time."

Phankasm whirled, purple smoke curling off her jacket. "You."

"Me," he echoed, drifting higher in the cavern. "You want to try that on someone who can actually fight back?"

She snarled, winding up, but Danny was just as surprised as she was when all that came out was a vicious plasma beam. Even though it scored a deep gash into the rock wall, both half-ghosts stared at the damage in disbelief.

It was the Ninja that broke the silence, hopping off the Tengu's back onto the ledge that Dan called his. "What the juice? No black stank?"

The grin on Danny's face was small at first, then stretched his features. "Finally. A fair fight."

And he threw a snowball into her face as hard as he could.

She fell back, reeling, as Danny darted to the Ninja's side.

"I have an idea, but I need to get Phankasm and Dan in the same place."

The Ninja's eyes widened behind his mask. "So I'll distract the Sorcerer?"

Phantom grinned. "Trust me, you'll do fine." He shot towards the cavern roof, legs disappearing into a tail. "Hey, Ghosty! You want to stop me? Have to catch me first!" He turned intangible and dove into the rock layers.

Phankasm hissed. The Sorcerer stared at her for a moment before shouting, "Well? Go after him!"

She whipped away after Phantom, leaving the Sorcerer reaching after her. "Wait! Free me first... eh, forget it." He started to slowly get larger, until his thin frame filled almost the entire wrecked cavern. "I can take down the Ninja, shackled or not."

The rat scampered out of his clothes, chittering in his ear.

"I know that! Go away, you're ruining the moment!"

The Ninja took a few startled steps back, then threw himself onto the Tengu's back. This was going to be the fight of his life.