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Ghostbusters: Regenesis Chapter 27 (Ghost Writer) Written by Leo_Todrius Commissioned by Draegon1993

The sound of Portland's light rail MAX trains was like a loud, faintly rumbling wind tunnel that echoed against the surrounding buildings, humming as it slowed to a stop beneath the overpass. The white boxy caterpillar like vehicle stopped in front of the burgundy marquee indicating the destination, the Skidmore Fountain. The doors opened and everyone filtered out to join the crowd already assembled. Once the passengers had disembarked, the MAX train started to move again, the whooshing engine noise building and building until it clattered down the track and out of sight, revealing what was waiting on the other side - The Portland Saturday Market.

Countless tents, stands and displays had been set up, stretching from the track all the way to the waterfront. There were artisans, merchants, performers, all engaged in the day's activities. The crowd started meandering across the tracks, dispersing into the displays under the bridge and in the courtyard beyond, leaving one young man standing behind. He was five foot eight, his hair a very light platinum blond that came down to the nape of his neck. The young man's eyes were an icy blue, a credit to his Norwegian heritage. He wore skinny jeans that didn't seem too skinny since his legs were so thin, and his upper body was clad in a forest green long sleeve t-shirt under a white short sleeve shirt on top to preserve his limited body heat.

The teenager watched the crowd disperse before his eyes drifted to one of the local landmarks, a copper and bronze drinking fountain with four bowls, a Benson Bubbler. Fresh Bull Run water bubbled out of the silver colored spout, rounding the edges and collecting in the bowl before disappearing once more. The young man moved over and bent down, sipping from the water out of familial duty. The fountains had been granted to the city by his ancestor, Simon Benson. He had been a philanthropist, a businessman, a teetotaler. Even though he had eventually moved away and died in LA, he had been buried in Portland and left a legacy. Simeon Benson was part of that legacy, carrying on his name at the very least. He wished he could carry on more than that.

Simeon crossed the tracks, brushing his light blond bangs out of his face. He passed the neon sign for the Portland Saturday Market, rounded past the tents for piercings and wood carvings and moved toward he Skidmore Fountain. The courtyard like area seemed almost like a slice out of Versailles. The fountain depicted a woman holding up a large upper bowl where water spilled out into a lower reservoir, and there were arch and pillar facades that made partial walls, making it feel like some ancient ruins had been preserved as the city grew up around them.

There was an odd peace to going to the Saturday market. Life was different for Simeon at Pioneer High School. There, his life was a constant barrage of bullies, tormentors, and hostile rivals barely constrained by indifferent teachers. Come to think of it, his home life wasn't much better... His family had maintained a reasonable degree of wealth, but the history of philanthropy and generosity had long since died away. But here, it was different.

Simeon moved through the crowds, brushing shoulder to shoulder. Here he was anonymous, a 'normal' teenager rather than a freak, a coward, a disappointment. There was a great peace to that, a relief that was well needed. Simeon enjoyed just looking at everything that was on display. It was all so unique, so interesting. Some of it was the same old kitsch stuff that showed up at every marketplace, but most of it was unique. There was something about local tie-dye that stood out, and the paintings were all the most amazing local vistas.

It was a cold winter day, but bright out. The sun shone down across them all with a welcoming embrace... Though the wind threatened to change that. It picked up from the water front, crossing the park and blasting between the buildings. Clothes swung on the racks, a few paintings clattered to the ground, papers flew off of tables and a small dark green leather clad notebook fell onto Simeon's foot.

Simeon shivered sharply, his already pale skin looking almost translucent as the icy blast cut him to the bone. His fingers felt numb, but as he shook for warmth, he reached down and picked up the notebook, his eyes widening a bit. The cover was obviously leather to the touch, but it looked almost as if layers and layers of leaves had fallen in a forest only to get pressed together into the binding. He opened the cover gently to find parchment like paper inside, faintly yellowed but with an amazing semi-rough texture. It was charming, hand made, it had great personality... It felt almost like him, like great materials that had a rough life.

"How much for this?" Simeon asked, looking up at the seller on the other side of the table. The seller had been frantically trying to pile her wares back up from the wind blast. She looked up quickly as she stacked her postcards.

"Uh, five." She said, trying to see where her crystal paper weight had rolled. Simeon fished out his wallet and took out the only bill in it, a five, and handed it over. The woman nodded her head before she ducked down under the table. Simeon hugged the notebook to his chest with an odd sense of fulfillment as he wandered away. The clerk found her paperweight and came back up from under the table, setting it down. She slipped the post cards back, counted the stacks of card stock and then blushed a little. None of her merchandise was missing; she hadn't actually sold any of her wares. Whatever the kid had grabbed had come from somewhere else. She looked around, but the kid and the item were gone.

---

Each breath that left Eli's lips formed a cloud of vapor as he moved down the sidewalk, the lights on his slime tank shimmering in the cold mid-day air. His blond hair was tied back into a short ponytail and he had on a stocking cap. He glanced up at Nico perched in the tree, holding a proton pistol and a disc trap, ready to deploy. Nico kept adjusting his stance, trying to get comfortable. His transformation into a dragon stacked with the last few changes had given him more length and girth than he was used to dealing with. Seth crouched on the porch of one of the university buildings, his proton pack fully charged, the lights blinking in sequence. His long goatee was frosted with ice, but he seemed to be coping with the cold rather well.

The three had been waiting, preparing, and then they felt it... A slight vibration in the ground, a rumbling that was growing. Pebbles and bark dust started to skid and slide across the pathway before the source became visible. A herd of miniature bronze horses were galloping along at full stampede with Grayson coming up behind them, screaming, waving his proton blaster in the air.

Eli bit his bottom lip and fired ahead of the stampede, laying out a slurry of sticky purple slime. The metal horses hit the slime and stumbled, rolling and clanging, legs flinging about in every direction before neon orange crackling energy escaped from them, stumbling up and coalescing into a whirling mass of ectoplasmic tentacles. Seth opened fire, the air sizzling as the zig-zagging red and orange energy struck the ghost and started trying to wrap around. Nico opened fire as well, adding another beam from the opposing angle.

The remaining horses clattered into the slime bath, inanimate once more, but more and more legs were sprouting out of the orange ghost, trying to stand up on the ground as well as slash at the captors. One tentacle hit the tree and Nico grunted, trying to brace himself. Grayson got to a good position and opened fire, his blast arcing over, wrapping around the beast. Eli started circling, letting off slime tethers that hit the ghost and then the ground, tightening like anchors.

"Alright, he's not going to get much more immobile than that!" Seth called out. Nico powered down his proton pistol and switched to the trap, hitting the switch. The dome snapped open into segments and a column of light swept out, wrapping around the beast. It struggled and snarled, but its body was stretched toward the trap as the slime tethers dissolved, its mass swirling and disappearing into the device. The doors snapped shut and a gust of steam ushered forth from the seams. Nico panted a bit before he dropped back down to the ground, slipping a little on the ice but Eli swept over and caught him.

"Well, that wasn't all bad." Seth said, stretching as he moved over.

"It's nice sometimes to just have a nice extra-dimensional ghost that falls for the old protons and ions." Nico said.

"I'm just glad we caught it in time for my lecture." Grayson said, dusting himself off.

"You're still going to do that lecture? We could let this leggy lad out for another lap if you want an excuse." Nico chuckled. Grayson's brows furrowed.

"Don't joke about that." he said, "Besides, I like giving lectures."

"Oh trust me, he does." Seth said. Grayson pouted, slapping Seth in the stomach.

"Be nice or we won't go out to dinner after." Gray said. Seth held up his hands in apology. Eli paused, looking back at the slime puddle.

"What are we going to do about the mess?" Eli asked. Grayson considered.

"Rope it off with caution tape, I'll use it as a volunteer experience for my class. The art installation will be by for the horses before too long." Gray said.

"Just imagine what he'd do with interns." Nico said, whistling in appreciation of the spin involved. Grayson shook his head again, thinking about the notes he'd have to finish preparing.

---

Simeon moved up towards his house, the rose bushes tugging at his sleeves as he navigated the narrow path. He slowed as he got to the porch and moved with care and precision, making as little noise as he could as he unlocked the door and edged it open. He'd barely ghosted his way through when a throat cleared from the kitchen.

"Simeon, we need to talk." The voice was firm, commanding, belonging to a woman of experience and hard work. Simeon froze, his shoulders slumping as he turned to face what was coming next. He moved toward the kitchen and grimaced when he saw his homework spread out on the table.

"How did you even get those, mother?" Simeon asked.

"A question that betrays your insolence..." The woman responded, "I suspected that you were assigned more work than you told me, so I asked your teachers to send me copies... Once they were graded, of course."

"But I'm passing, I'm more than passing. I'm getting an A in every class!" Simeon groaned. His mother pursed her lips, the diamonds dangling from her ears swaying wider.

"The devil is in the details Simeon. A ninety percent is-" She was interrupted.

"It's an A, mom, it's still an A!" Simeon countered.

"It is a joke, a minus, a deviance, a lucky break. It's a hollow victory and your father and I expect more out of you. I have spoken to Mister Percival and he will accept a re-write of your paper by Friday. I trust you will erase this blemish from your record." She replied, looking at her son, "Am I understood?" she asked. Simeon's lips tightened.

"Yes ma'am." He responded before he turned and moved up the old stairs to the second floor. His shoulders were throbbing and his knuckles were white. No matter how hard he worked, how much he struggled, nothing he ever did was good enough for his parents. They were impossible to please. He moved into his room and slammed the door behind him, turning and falling back onto his bed.

Two narrow beams of light came in through the old window, fanning out across the bed. He was still holding the notebook from the marketplace tight to his chest. Even after the confrontation with his mother, it felt comforting to hold the book... The craftsmanship was just so nice, it felt strong and sturdy almost like a shield. Simeon's pale eyes opened slowly. Maybe that was how he should use the book, as a mental comfort, a shield from the harsh truths of reality.

The young man rolled onto his stomach and grabbed a pen from his nightstand. With care, he opened the green leather binding up and ran his fingers across the yellowed parchment interior, feeling the coarse hand made paper texture against his fingers. He thought for a moment before he closed his eyes and lowered the tip of the pen down to the paper. Ever so slowly, he started to write.

My parents respect me and my accomplishments.

Just the thought of such a truth was comforting. He wondered if that was what other kids felt... What if an A was good enough? What if getting straight A's in every class was something to be praised? What if the lack of extracurricular activities wasn't a detriment? No, his parents respected him and his accomplishments. It was a truth, an irrevocable truth at least for the moment, in his journal. He sighed happily at the thought... but it already didn't seem like enough. He wanted to expand his mental therapy just a little more.

It isn't easy being hung like a horse, but I enjoy it.

Simeon smirked a little. It felt frivolous, but the smile on his lips was a pleasant change from how down he usually was. He could live with the fantasy as long as he was in his room. He could cling to the imagination of it, and he could move on. Simeon closed his book and slid it under his pillow before he grabbed his laptop and set it on his mattress. He loaded up his paper and started revising, going through, looking for weak points. If his mother had taught him anything, it was how to target weak points.

---

The lecture hall was dark for the most part, red and amber wall sconces sending up oval pillars of light up the side of the space. Stadium seating like rows stretched up toward the back and the small stage was made of a red wood with a black background. The slide show seemed sensational, showing countless supernatural creatures from human ghosts to otherworldly monsters. Gray stood at the front wearing a black suit with a red tie, looking up at the audience as he gave his lecture.

Not every seat was full, in fact almost a quarter of the seats were empty. Grayson was used to that, there had been fluctuations in the Ghostbusters' popularity over the years. It always seemed to come and go. There was the pair of professors that had invited him to the university for the lecture, one of their classes with about fifteen students, a trio of reporters recording everything just in case there was anything juicy, and a red headed teenager sitting off to one side.

"Much in the same way that scientific study of a specific species of animal will illuminate details regarding their habitat, their diet, even geological evolutions supporting the present system, the study of ghosts has brought insights into other sciences as well." Grayson said, bringing up a slide showing a tornado forming inside the Lloyd Center Mall, "A long standing theory posited that the majority of supernatural entities faced by Ghostbusters were alien to our dimension, entering via numerous gaps or holes. This was later proven when Ghostbusters from three separate chapters crossed into other realms."

"Excuse me, Doctor Kale, are you saying that... people have traveled to other dimensions?" One of the reporters asked. The red haired teenager groaned, his green eyes a bit indignant.

"Try to keep up... They traveled to other dimensions multiple times. That isn't the news, that's the build up." he said, brushing a long copper bang back over his shoulder.

"That is correct, Mister...?" Grayson asked.

"Mercer, Nine Mercer." The teenager replied. Grayson looked at him with his samurai pony tail and long bangs on the side. He lacked a Portland State University lanyard or ID badge. He was apparently just a true fan, not forced to attend.

"The presence of other dimensions was only evidence that helped us to understand the nature of our multiverse. Interdimensional Cross-Rips, here and in New York, demonstrated that these universes are buffered by Psycho-kinetic energy itself, and that that energy bisects the universes like veins and capillaries through what many call lay-lines. The functional nature of that system means that our interactions with ghosts can fundamentally impact reality itself. The rules, the laws, are not always going to be completely iron clad."

"So is the climb in the number of ghosts recently a... response, or a prelude?" Nine asked, looking a little less confident and a bit more worried as he shrunk back in his chair.

"That is still the question. We know the integrity of our universe was weakened by the parasitic being known as Zytu. He punctured our reality, started to feed off of it. The evidence we have of a world drained completely of PKE energy by Zytu is just a childhood exper...ience..." Grayson slowed to a stop, putting together pieces of the puzzle that he had never thought of before. He swallowed a bit, wondering if it had any bearing. He grabbed a pen and quickly wrote down Seth's name in the ledger of his notes next to the mention of Zytu. What if there really was a connection?

---

Night had fallen and the narrow semi-circle window above Simeon's bed was pitch black. He had neglected to turn the light on, leaving the only illumination to come from his laptop screen. The paper on it had been meticulously edited, trying to strengthen his points and bring out the sharpest critique he possibly could. It hadn't been easy, but he had succeeded. Then he had fallen asleep. Thankfully the word editor had saved his progress automatically. Simeon's slumber was disrupted by a gentle knock at the door. He gasped and pushed himself off his mattress, a string of drool connecting his mouth to the comforter he was on.

"Sim, my love, dinner is ready!" His mother's voice drifted in, sounding oddly gentle. Simeon's brows furrowed in hesitation. Had she ever referred to him as her love? Maybe they had company and she was putting on some sort of show... He tried to adjust his shirt so it looked less wrinkled as he emerged, moving down the stairs. As he descended, an odd scent hit him... It was the scent of home cooking. Actual spices, cooked in an oven. Simeon stopped at the base of the stairs and peered around the corner, looking into the dining room.

Sitting on the table was a meatloaf, well browned with a layer of tomato paste on top to protect the moisture of the loaf. There were green beans and a baked potato. There even was a little bar of cups holding grated cheese, chopped chives, and a dollop of sour cream. Simeon moved in, seeing his mother slicing the meat loaf and serving it onto three plates. Sitting at the head of the table was his father... reading his paper. Simeon froze. Maybe the meatloaf was his mother's attempt at calming his father.

"Simeon, this is really good... An A, congratulations my son." his father said, setting the paper down, "I bet that felt good on a Friday. Did you have a good weekend so far?" The question fell on Simeon like a ton of feathers - shocking, but unexpectedly light individually. He blinked several times.

"Y-yeah? I went to the Saturday Market." Simeon said, moving to the table, sitting down slowly as if he expected some mine to go off.

"Oh, that does sound fun!" His mother said, "I remember the Saturday Market. It's been ages since I've gone." She said, sprinkling chives onto her potato.

"What is all this?" Simeon asked, looking at the food. His mother shrugged a little.

"We've all had a hard, long week. I figured we needed a little bit of a reward. I haven't been cooking as much as I should have, and I thought it'd give us a chance to just enjoy each other's company." his mother explained. Simeon's heart was barely beating. His mother and father weren't just being civil; they were treating him as an equal, with respect. The paper his father had read was the first draft, the A minus paper... and they were fine with it. His parents respected him... and his accomplishments. His wish had come true. Did that mean his other had as well?

"This looks absolutely amazing, maybe the best meal you've ever met, but I forgot to wash up. I'll be right back." Simeon said, standing back up.

"Alright, we'll try to pace ourselves so we can have some good conversation." his father said. Simeon felt conflicted again. He didn't want to leave this perfect family. What if they disappeared? Still, he had to know. He turned and moved back up the stairs, entering the bathroom at the end of the hall. He flicked on the old light and locked the door, reaching to unzip his jeans. With careful ministrations, Simeon lowered his briefs and withdrew his shaft. It was modest, pale, normal. He held the tube of flesh, feeling its light weight. It was a disappointment to be sure, but if his family was better, that was all he could ask for.

Simeon let go of his manhood, letting it drop down and hang. As it slapped against his balls, though, something changed. Sim grabbed onto the edge of the sink, breathing a little deeper. It felt like he was getting hard... without it actually getting hard. There was a tingle in his cock, and it was started to hang down lower and lower, stretching out centimeter by centimeter... but it was still soft. Simeon backed up, looking at the mirror, then looking down, a grin crossing his face.

He said he had been HUNG like a horse; his cock hadn't been hanging loose until just then. He licked his lips and grinned, not wanting to touch it yet. Simeon moaned softly as his shaft unspooled from his groin, the flesh stretching out longer and longer, draping over his balls, descending downward. It had to be at least seven inches soft, then nine, then eleven... but seeing himself like that, it was impossible to stay soft. The shaft started to bloat, growing wider, lifting away from his body. It hoisted itself up, jutting out from his lap as it continued to grow longer and wider.

As Sim's cock lifted up, it seemed that his testicles finally had the room they needed to grow as well. His sack loosened, relaxing and sagging more. For a moment it seemed almost sad, but then the sack began to grow fuller. The balls inside were becoming more complex, larger, more developed. The sack became plump and respectable, just a bit bigger than seemed right on an adult human male, let alone a teenager.

Simeon moaned louder, unable to resist. He wrapped a hand around it, shocked by how big he felt. He was raging hard and hot, and his fingers barely brushed against one another for a moment until his shaft widened again, prying his hand apart. He added his other hand, stroking them both back and forth across all fourteen inches of his shaft. He panted hard, moaning as the shaft turned from pale to pink to red and then purple, but the color was still darkening.

At first the teenager didn't notice, but as his eyes opened part way, he gasped in shock, watching splotches appear on his cock... turning from purple to jet black. The flesh was tough, thick, veined... and oh so sensitive. Simeon took his hands off his cock, watching the splotches spread until it was solid black from base to tip... a tip that seemed to be a little oddly shaped. Simeon reached for it but then suddenly fell to his knees, groaning, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Flesh pushed up around his shaft, moving out from his body, writhing around the ebony meat extending from his pale groin. Some of it stopped as it reached the middle of the meat, leaving a ridged ring around the middle expanse, but the rest kept traveling. As it hit the base of his mushroom shaped head, the flesh evened out, erasing the seam between the two portions. It then kept going, growing out the rounded edges, stretching and stretching them until the head of his cock was blunt, flat, and wide. The edges flared out a little more and his urethra grew thicker, the teardrop shaped gap widening.

So much blood had left Simeon's body to fuel his massive black erection, but as he started to come back to his senses, he looked down. Climbing up from his lap was a fourteen inch equine phallus, a dick worthy of a fine steed growing out from pitch black huge balls. He truly was hung like a horse. Simeon blushed bright red and then moaned, throwing his head back. His huge cock splattered out a small load of human cum before something thicker and yellower gushed out, splashing against his chest. Heady, animal musk filled the air. Simeon moaned at that before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed onto the bath mat.

It took a few moments for him to come back to... He felt such odd physical pride, but also an ache in his head, and then his heart raced. His parents just thought he was washing up for dinner! Simeon grabbed onto the toilet and the sink to pull himself to his feet. He tried to stick his cock back in his skinny jeans, but that was going to be impossible. He blushed again, remembering how he had written it... It wasn't easy being hung like a horse.

Simeon cracked the bathroom door open and peeked out. Making sure the coast was clear, he rushed into his bedroom. He pulled off his cum covered shirt and tossed it in the hamper and peeled off his skinny jeans and briefs next. He rummaged through his closet desperately, trying a pair of shorts only to realize his cock stuck out past the bottom pant leg. Eventually he found baggy navy blue lounge pants and an extra long t-shirt he had used for pajamas when he was a bit younger. Pulling them on, he secured his tool and adjusted the cloth to try and hide it. With one hand to slick down his wild bed head, he took several deep breaths and moved back out of his room, taking the stairs one at a time. Life was going to be a lot more interesting.

---

Simeon returned to his bedroom, nudging the door shut quietly, sliding a shoe in front of the door to make it harder to enter. Dinner... had been fantastic. He had spoken with his parents about politics, religion, generosity, college, sexuality... and he had even told them he was gay. They had respected him and his accomplishment of coming out. The food had been eaten, the night had grown late, but his parents were still talking. They were talking more than they had in twenty years of marriage. Whatever he changed, it was beyond just him. He had improved their lives as well.

The teenager flopped down on his bed, wincing a bit as he landed on his huge cock. It was rubbing against his kneecap. Sim reached down and took a hold of it, rotating it up so it ran up along his stomach, stopping at his nipples. As he started to slowly rock side to side and forward and back, using his own bodyweight to stimulate himself, Simeon fished out his notebook and opened it up again. He looked at the words he had written, the ones that had reshaped reality. It was an awesome power, one that could make up for all the injustices he had faced in his life. He grabbed his pen and contemplated.

Johnny DeMarco will never make fun of me again. He'll be too busy being the horny ass... donkey boy I always knew him to be.

The words were empowering as Simeon wrote them. He blushed and got even harder. The notebook had been literal and given him the cock of a horse, and now his classmate was going to be part donkey. It was kind of hot in a weird way. Simeon was aware of the existence of furries, but he'd never really dove deep into it before... At least not consciously. Simeon looked up at his wall, seeing his poster of zebras on the plains, and the stuffed zebra on the shelf, and a zebra action figure from a computer generated movie he'd loved. They were his favorite animal... Simeon rolled onto his back and contemplated for a moment. He'd already taken a step to reshape a classmate. There was no reason that he couldn't see how far he could push things.

Everyone thinks it is so cool that I have a zebra mohawk now, even if they don't know it goes down all the way to my ass. Anthros are all the rage. It's almost as cool as my new Mustang car.

Simeon moaned a bit as he put a period on that truth, that entry. It felt so good to get what he deserved after such a hard life. Simeon closed his eyes and hugged the notebook close. It was meant to be, it was meant to come to him. Everything that he wrote would come true and the world would be a better place.

---

The Ghostbusters sat around the dining room table in the upper floor of their firehouse. Their tea and coffee had long since gone cold. Sitting on the table were the artifacts they had retrieved from the other dimensions to defeat Zytu, to kill the parasitical ghost that consumed all beings both living and dead.

"For so many years, I thought it was a dream." Seth said softly, "Even when we met Rerun, I didn't put it together all at once. It was just this... feeling."

"What was it like, the other world?" Grayson asked, taking notes.

"It was the strangest place I've ever been in my life. There isn't anything like it to compare to. It was almost like sensory deprivation. The entire world, the entire universe was sterile. No germs, no plants, no animals. Not a single sound other than sterile water flowing between lifeless rock." Seth said softly. Rerun shifted a little, uncoiling his table to float around the table as if he was pacing.

"There were ruins there, carved into the rock, and a statue of a time wyrm... It felt like father, but I don't remember my father." Rerun said, his voice melodic but lower with the severity of the situation.

"I remember you showing us the pictures you drew as a kid, but what's that have to do with things now?" Nico asked. Gray set down his notebook.

"PKE is more than just a frequency that our life force gives off. We know that it becomes stronger when we die, we know that it makes up the barriers between dimensions, that it powers the supernatural elements of the dimensions themselves. We know that Zytu fed on this energy and stripped it away until nothing was left." Grayson said. Eli looked at Gray and then Seth.

"And Seth has been having more problems with PKE than anyone." Eli said softly. Seth looked a little puzzled at that and then at Gray. Grayson swallowed a bit.

"I think that going to a dead world, a completely dead world, may have wounded you." Gray said, "I don't know if... it leeched off to that world, or what, but that's the one thing that separates you from us, the one experience you had that we didn't." Gray said. Seth was silent at that for a long moment. He thought about all the things he had been turned into, how hard it was to turn back.

"So what does that mean?" Seth asked. Nico and Eli looked back to their leader. Grayson considered for a long moment.

"We need a way to confirm our theory, and we need to be able to consider ways to experiment with it on a higher level. We need to go to New York and ask headquarters if we can use their dimensional arch." Gray said.

"Really? Like, all of us?" Nico asked, his eyes lighting up.

"I've never been to New York. This is going to be so cool!" Eli exclaimed. Seth looked at Gray and, despite everything, smiled a bit. Somehow at least having a theory was progress.

---

Sunlight streamed through the windows of Pioneer high, shining on the tan and gold linoleum. The windows outside showed just how cold it was, the green grass frosted over with white ice particles. The school's rose bushes were trying to remain resilient, but even the thorns were iced over. The normal flow of students into the school had changed, however, when a white mustang with black stripes pulled into the parking lot and Simeon Benson had emerged.

No longer was he dressed in simple skinny jeans, no. His pants were baggy and thick, covered with straps and chains. He had on a leather jacket, and his platinum blond hair was now short stubble on the sides, contrasting with the tall, immensely thick foot long mohawk mane of blond and black striped hair running across the crest of his skull, getting shorter near the base of his neck, but disappearing down into his collar.

Even Simeon's ears had changed. They were no longer slight or thin, they were black, furry, teardrop shaped and pierced with silver rings. They twitched as he walked, looking every bit equine. The other students murmured in awe at the display, though a few realized that his baggy pants weren't just full of air, impressed by the shifting bulge that seemed to favor his right leg. Simeon pushed the doors into the school open and strode down the hallway, heading for his locker.

The whispers and murmurs of the other students were music to his ears. He loved hearing it as opposed to the insults and rumors from before. It was everything that Simeon had wanted, but as the pressure on his own life lessened, he was starting to look around at the school, realizing there was so much he could do. Simeon swung his backpack around to his chest and slid out the notebook. He walked over to a short retaining wall that ran around an indoor planter that held the school's tree and sat down, opening the notebook. He pulled out his pen and looked around at the school, his eyes settling on the library.

Pioneer High school had been built in the new millennium. It had state of the art computer labs, integrated technology for screens and projectors, but the library had always been a bit small. It was included as part of a checklist, but the focus had been on electronic literature. Still, their limited collection had been enough for Simeon. He had enjoyed countless hours of solace in the library, hidden away from his persecutors and his family. Still, he wanted the thing he loved to be even better. Once more the pen lowered to paper.

The Pioneer library is so much bigger and better than I remember. It's the perfect place for intellectuals to relax.

As Simeon finished writing, he looked up at the library with its light, sand colored bookshelves, the wide tables for studying, the motion sensing LED lights... But nothing happened. Simeon leaned back against the trunk of the school tree and thought about it. The change to his parents hadn't set in right away, nor had the change to his member. It had taken time. Maybe there was some warm up period on the book, or maybe the bigger the change, the longer it took to manifest. The car and his mohawk hadn't appeared for a full day after he wrote that detail. The best way to test that detail would be to think of something big, something really profound.

Simeon leaned against the tree, inhaling the air. The rotunda was one of his favorite spots with the raised bed, the library alcove and the view of the main hall and some of the side classrooms. It was an oasis. Simeon really loved nature. In fact, that was one of his over-riding problems with the world at large. The mechanization, the pollution, the general impact of man-kind. Simeon opened his eyes and brought down the pen again.

I can't wait to see the city's new park network. It is a bunch of rooftop parks connected by sky bridges between the different buildings.

The more he wrote, the less it felt like lying about reality. It was feeling more and more like a journal... a journal about the truths he wanted to be real about his life. Simeon sighed happily and closed the notebook, holding it to his chest for a long moment. Somewhere down the hallway he heard a heavy door click, then a squeak of shoes on the linoleum, then a muffled grunt.

"You fucking pervert, what in the hell were you looking at?" The deep voice sounded. Simeon scrambled to his feet and peeked around the tree. Down the hall at the far end he saw Johnny DeMarco blushing, cowering against the lockers. Across the way was Billy Shaw, the captain of the Wrestling team. Billy pushed past DeMarco and disappeared into the cafeteria. DeMarco lingered for a moment before he reached down and started to grope himself. Just watching it from a distance, Simeon felt his huge equine member getting hard, stretching down his pant leg, deforming the material around it. He hid back as DeMarco looked around, and then he ducked into the locker-room.

Simeon felt his heart racing. He'd come to school early, way early, to have some time to adjust and see how people were going to react, but now? Now he had a chance to see something else. He swung around the tree and jogged down the hallway, making it into the gym. He was careful about using the heavy door, trying to avoid making a sound. He moved down the steps and into the dark gray cement space. Tall burgundy lockers made several rows, each side with a long wooden plank bench. The air smelled of sweat and rubber.

Simeon sniffed a bit, groaning as his cock got even harder, straining against his pant leg. He looked around before he stopped, spotting movement through the tiny holes int he locker grate. He crept up and looked through, catching the sight of Johnny. The jock was leaning his back against the lockers as he fumbled with his basketball shorts, slipping them down before his cock sprung out. The jock grabbed a hole and started to stroke fast and hard, his hand sliding up and down the length.

Johnny had dark tan skin, his black hair buzzed short. His caramel colored eyes were shut as he worked his length, but as he did he was starting to moan louder and louder.

"Hnhhh... Hnnnh... Haw.... HAW! HAWWWW!" Johnny brayed suddenly, grunting hard. He moaned and whimpered as his hard cock started jutting out of his groin, spreading out longer and longer, the tip blunting and flattening. His balls descended, getting leathery. As much as he wanted to stop, Johnny added on a second hand. He stroked his immense shaft with both hands even as his fingernails turned black, getting tougher and thicker. Simeon was enjoying every moment. He had brought out his own ebony zebra meat to work off as he listened and watched as best he could. This was fantastic. His bully was turning into a horny donkey boy, just like he wrote.

Johnny was panting hard, working his meat with both hands. Gray hair had started to crop up from the collar of his shirt, getting soft and thick, turning into fur. Patches of fur sprouted from his shoulders, and his black hair had turned into something a lot messier and shaggier, growing down the back of his neck to his shoulders. Even his ears were changing, getting longer and longer before they flopped down, taking on points and covering with fur.

The sound of tearing leather came next, the sneakers the jock wore splitting out, revealing a mutated, misshapen foot. The toes had fused, the skin had grown together, and soon the messy soup of keratin spread out to form dark, thick hooves. Johnny's posture changed as his pert bubble ass was pulled apart, revealing a quivering, hungry pucker behind.

"HEEEHAWW! HEEHAWW!" Johnny brayed, stubble pushing out of his cheeks, becoming soft furry black sideburns. His teeth blunted and flattened and his nose widened, becoming broader, his nostrils taking on an animal shape. He shuddered hard, slamming into the locker over and over again.

Simeon's heart was racing, but this had to be his time. He stepped around the corner, black zebra cock in hand.

"Hey Johnny, you want to feel this inside you?" Simeon asked. Johnny nearly stumbled over. He looked up, terrified at first but the look soon evolved into one of need.

"Si... Sim? Is that you? Oh dude, you look fine... Hella fine. God, I need that in me. Please, could you do a bro a favor? I need a good fuck. Please!" Johnny moaned. Simeon wondered if that was the first time the former bully had ever said please to him. He moved closer, then closer still. He reached out, rubbing a hand over the bully's giant cock. Johnny brayed again before he turned, showing off his ass. Simeon looked at that donkey pucker and he couldn't resist. He brought his shaft up, already oozing with pre. He smeared it over the bully's entrance before he started pushing in.

Both teenagers called out in shock. It was Simeon's first time to put his cock in anything, and it was Johnny's first time ever getting filled. The jock grabbed onto the lockers with both hands and bent forward. Simeon pushed in deeper, sliding in inch after inch, his shaft sliding up into his partner. As he eventually got near the base, he wrapped one hand around Johnny's waist and took a hole of his donkey meat and started to thrust back and forth.

The boys moaned and panted in unison, their bodies growing hotter with each passing second. Simeon thrust faster, harder, deeper. He loved the way Johnny brayed and moaned, like a bitch in heat. His horny donkey boy made a good slut. Simeon thrust faster and faster until the lockers rattled, but he didn't care. He leaned in, sniffing the smell of Johnny's hair, his musk, everything about him. He groaned hard, using his other hand tot ease the jock's nipples.

"S...Sim! I never... knew you... were this... fucking good. I'm so sorry I was a jerk... I'll let you fuck me however you want." Johnny panted.

"Like you have a choice? You love it now, my cock... You can't get enough, can you?" Simeon asked. Johnny shook his head, clenching his ass around the huge zebra shaft in him. He brayed again.

"Oh Sim!" He groaned, his own cock leaking precum. Simeon let him do that, grinding hard, trying to take it to that next level.

Somewhere in the distance they could hear more noises... Students arriving to school, the janitor polishing the gym floor. The chances of getting caught were going through the roof, and that's when it hit Simeon. He had just lost his virginity, his real virginity, by fucking his bully in the ass and making him a slut. The surprise was too much for Simeon. He threw his head back and let out a yell that echoed through the locker room, his immense cock unleashing an unholy flood of hot protein into Johnny's tan ass. DeMarco brayed more, his own donkey cock spraying spunk against the lockers, filling the little holes with the spooge.

The two writhed and panted, riding out their long, intense orgasms. Johnny was the first to collapse, laying against the bench. Simeon felt his load end, his cock shrink just a little. He pulled out of the bully and stood there for a moment before he blushed fiercely. It took effort to get his tool back into his pants, but he buckled his belt and stumbled out of the locker room and back into the hall, though by now there were a lot more students coming into the building.

"Woo, Sim, looking good! Love the hair!" One girl said, batting her eyelashes. One of the lacrosse players gave him a coy grin as well from where he was playing with his stick and ball. Simeon blushed even more, moving down the hall back toward his locker, though he stopped seeing a familiar figure. Sitting on the other side of the raised planter bed was a red headed teenager, his long wavy copper hair pulled back into a fluffy ponytail. A few strands hung down over his face, his green eyes looking at the red delicious apple he was biting into. He looked up, a grin crossing his face.

"Dude, the mohawk! You finally did it!" he said joyously. Simeon nearly felt like crying and he wasn't sure why.

"Nine, I'm so glad you're here." Simeon said, moving over to slump next to the red head.

"Simeon, what is it?" Nine asked, wrapping his arm around the shoulder. Simeon looked at his classmate, one of the few people that had been nice to him before the changes, the friend he could count on. He'd been so down on himself that he hadn't thought about priorities, and he'd given something precious away to someone that wasn't worth it, even if it had been gratifying in the moment.

"You ever get caught up in something and not really think things through?" Simeon asked. Nine considered for a moment before shrugging.

"I mean, I guess we all do at some point. Why, did you get in trouble or something?" Nine asked. Simeon shook his head.

"No, I just thought I could have made some better decisions." Sim replied. Nine shook his head and pated his friend.

"All we can do is try to make better choices going forward, and I think one good choice right now would be to make it to Western Civ on time. We're starting on the Mythology unit." Nine said. He stood up and offered Simeon his hand. Simeon took it and let the red head pull him to his feet. He smiled and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He knew he had to give Nine something really amazing to thank him for the kind of friend he had been. That was going to be a fun gift to think up.

---

School had let out, the busses had rolled away and the skies were filled with a beautiful mix of deep dark blue storm clouds against a more picturesque salmon sunset. The winter solstice had come, bringing impossibly early sunsets. For Nine Mercer, it was just a hallmark of winter. He leaned against a street lamp, checking his phone. His copper color hair was back in its ponytail, two thicker bang strands hanging down on either side of his face. In the darkness it was easier to see the freckles spread across the bridge of his nose.

A chill wind blasted against him, but his orange and black leather jacket deflected most of it, and his black jeans were enough protection from his legs. He looked up and around, sighing a bit that his parents had forgotten him yet again. It seemed to cold for a walk home, but he was going to have to endure. Nine turned and took a few steps, but something stopped him... A strange sensation around his neck.

Nine reached up to feel his throat and felt an odd object, a black spiked collar that had appeared. His eyes widened in shock and he nearly dropped his phone. He slipped it into his pocket before reaching up, trying to pry at the collar. He tugged, he pulled, he searched it for a clasp, but he winced as something sharp nudged his neck. At first Nine thought it was one of the spikes, but as he brought his hand down, he saw his fingernails had stretched to sharp points. Inky blackness spilled across them like paint and the claws grew longer.

"What is happening to me?" Nine asked, his voice sounding deeper with each word, his teeth sharpening into fangs. He grabbed onto the light post for support and groaned as his head throbbed and ached before sharp, black, thick horns ruptured through his skin, pushing out, up and then back, curving along his skull. Nine's ears began to stretch into points and the green in his eyes turned brighter and brighter until it shifted yellow.

Dozens of super soft red hairs erupted from his chin, descending down in a thick tuft. Similar soft red hair ruptured from his cheeks, spreading across and down his jaw. Nine panted harder and harder, groaning as his jeans grew tight, a huge bulge forming in them. The pressure was getting stronger and stronger, but it proved too much somewhere else first. A painful snap came from his foot, then another and another. The first few pops had come from inside his body, but the next came from his shoes as the leather tore and the rubber split.

Furry red toes popped out, tipped with claws. The feet grew longer and wider, broader and bigger. The heel melted away, forcing his center of gravity onto the toes as his legs reshaped, taking on a more animal shape. Nine fell forward, catching himself with his mutating hands. Red fur grew across the knuckles, then the back of the hand. His fingertips and palms swelled as paw pads formed, his feet taking on similar changes. Nine was grunting and growling with the changes as his pants tightened even more before the denim tore slowly.

No longer restrained, a long prehensile tail snaked out of the ass of the torn black jeans, flexing its spade tip as it unfurled. The pants continued to tear and split out, revealing Nine's hard member. The human flesh was throbbing, but the skin at the base moved faster. His copper colored bush turned red, the hair becoming fur. The fur got longer and wrapped around the expanding sheath as it shot up over Nine's cock.

Like a butterfly in a cocoon, Nine could feel his manhood growing, changing, metamorphosing. His balls descended in their new furry sack and the red fur spread across his chest, his back, his neck and throat. His leather jacket slid off and his under-shirt tore, revealing huge furry red pecs, his nipples turning black in the midst of the fur. He threw his head one way, then the other as his jaw snapped and popped, growing bigger and bigger, his fangs growing to take up the space. His tongue slipped out of his maw, hanging over his fangs as he took on a muzzle.

Nine's nose turned black and wet, sniffing the air, smelling a fiery, spicy musk. It was his scent, his new hellhound body. As he took the scent in, his sheath let out a gush of supernatural pre before his huge, proud, very red canine cock began emerging in its pointed glory. Nine was left there on all fours, his raging cock exposed. His glowing yellow eyes turned, looking around before he saw a figure on the hillside past the school. With a few sniffs of the air, Nine knew who it was.

The hellhound broke into a sprint, jumping over dumpsters, fences, and a car before landing a few feet away from the figure. As he moved up he slowed, bringing his muzzle down, sniffing a little more before he looked up at Simeon. Simeon's zebra mohawk was taller, his nose a little darker, his shaft on display and his horse pucker quivering. His feet had morphed into hooves and a tail flicked above his ass.

"I thought you could use a little reward for your good friendship..." Simeon said before he turned, showing off his tight, thick black ring. Nine couldn't resist. His hellhound cock was drooling and so was he. He charged and knocked Simeon onto his chest, mounting him from behind. Simeon gasped and screamed out as the hot, huge hound cock entered his ass, but Nine was already thrusting like a demon.

Simeon howled and his fingers dug into the frozen dirt... but somehow, being fucked in the ass by a two hundred pound hell hound felt more right than what he had done with his bully. He moaned and clenched his ass, hearing the dog behind him growl and pant, fucking even faster. Simeon's body shook forward and back, forward and back, but he couldn't get enough. He groaned hard, inhaling more and more before Nine threw his muzzle back and let out a deep howl.

The sudden gush of demonic semen nearly burned Simeon as it poured into his ass, but he welcomed it deep. He let it spill and pour around his intestines, feeling the base of Nine's cock bloat and bulge until they were locked together. Simeon sighed with bliss at that, loving every second. He reached back as best he could to stroke Nine's furry side, reassuring him, feeling that connection. It was something he had no idea how much he had been longing for.

---

The ground trembled and birds took flight, heading in several different directions. The tremor had been enough to set off car alarms. The door to the firehouse opened and Nico moved out first, his dark eyes darting from one end of the horizon to the other before he paused, seeing a different skyline than the one he was used to. He turned and leaned back into the building.

"Eli, bring the goggles!" Nico shouted. Eli made his way over, handing Nico a pair of blue ecto-goggles with red lenses and a yellow ring around one side. Nico slipped them on and adjusted the zoom, looking at strange stone bridges spanning the rooftops of several buildings with rather exotic looking large leaf prehistoric plants and surprisingly large trees jutting out of the top.

"We're going to need to break out the gyro, get a closer look, aren't we?" Eli asked.

"There's residual PKE, but... it's like a fog. It barely targeted the rooftops." Nico said as Gray appeared in the doorway. He looked out carefully at the changes, seeing the huge park network that had sprung up.

"If that's a side effect that took barely any energy, what is the fog building up to?" Grayson asked with concern.

---

Nine's consciousness was slowly returning to him. His greenish yellow eyes opened slowly, looking up at a strange rock outcrop with water cascading down the side of it... and recessed lighting. He blinked a few times before he sat up, his whole body throbbing. He reached up to rub his head and felt horns, then it all came back to him... The demon dog dick, the paws, the collar. He reached up and felt that the collar was still there, though the spikes were gone. He looked around, trying to figure out what was going on.

The teenager found himself in some sort of penthouse, though it seemed taken over by lush plant life and natural elements, like the planet itself had grown up through the building, taking root. There was no bed, but a hammock made of vines was stretched out in one corner. Simeon was deep asleep in the hammock, a smile on his face, his ears twitching in his sleep. His blanket seemed to be some sort of mossy mesh providing cover.

Nine rose to his feet, feeling a bit of relief that they were in fact feet again, and he walked to the edge of the penthouse. It was missing one wall and the entire patio outside was covered in lush grasses, tropical plants, and an arching stone bridge sloped over to the next building over. The building itself was coated in thick ivy, obscuring the glass and steel beneath. It seemed that nature was reasserting itself with a vengeance.

It had seemed at first that everything was as it always had been, but things were starting to conflict in Nine's head. The copper haired youth closed his eyes and tried to focus. There were no such things as animal hybrids, there had never been bridges connecting the buildings, and his friend certainly didn't have a Mustang. This was just one more in a string of strange phenomenon to strike Portland, like the Nidhog metal band or the recent dragon sightings. Whatever it was, it was clear Simeon was at the epicenter.

Moving on quiet feet, Nine made his way to the zebra boy's hammock and looked around, spotting a green leather bound book at his bedside. Nine carefully picked it up and opened it, finding his friend's handwriting with affirmations, statements, comments... All of them bold, pointed, and with odd accuracy. Nine stopped when he saw an entry with his name in it...

Nine has always been a hellhound at heart, his rebellious side kept in check by his wits.

Nine reached up and rubbed at his horns again. Had Simeon caused his change just by writing in the book? He flipped through the pages, finding mentions of his family respecting him, of him getting a car, of various other students at the school. There were words of fame, fortune, daring, and then another entry a few pages in... an entry that started to scare Nine. He ran his fingers over the word as if touching it would help him understand.

The city will shudder as nature reasserts herself, growing up out of the ruins and birthing a world where we can all be what we were meant to be - part man, part nature.

The shaking, the tremors, it was already starting. Nine turned and moved back out onto the open terrace, looking out at Portland. Vines were snaking down streets, cement was cracking, power was flickering. It was tearing the city apart already. As amazing as it felt to be changed, Nine knew that human lives couldn't survive such an abrupt change. The rules of the animal kingdom were firm, it was survival of the fittest. Maybe he had time to fix it. Nine turned to move back into the penthouse, but he froze when he saw Simeon in the doorway.

"It's wonderful, isn't it? I can do anything... I can make you anything, get you anything." Simeon said with a smile, walking over, reaching up to caress Nine's cheek, "You've always been so smart, you've always known what you wanted."

"Simeon, this is too much." Nine said, gesturing to the city, "People are going to die out there." Simeon shook his head.

"People already die. Homeless, those in need. This is going to be a better chance for them. I can give them better lives. No one will have to be bullied like I was. Give me back the book and I'll show you. The big changes take time to set in, but I can get something amazing started." Simeon said, reaching for the book. Nine backed up.

"Sim, this is taking things too far. We aren't supposed to have power like this." Nine replied. Simeon's expression tightened. Nine had never shortened his name before, he'd never demeaned him... and he'd never said no. Maybe it was a mistake not keeping the notebook against his chest as he slept.

"Nine, you need to give me my book. You don't understand what you're messing with here." Simeon said. Nine looked conflicted for a moment. He took a breath and started to offer Simeon the book. As the zebra boy reached out for it, Nine snatched it back and jumped to Sim's side, ducking around him and into the apartment. Simeon let out a roar of betrayal, lunging after him. Nine pulled open a nightstand, fumbling for a pen before he brought it down to paper.

This notebook disappeared before the changes could harm the city or ruin any lives.

Simeon tackled Nine from the side, knocking them both to the ground. The notebook slid across the floor, the pen rolling under the bed. Simeon grunted and growled, diving for the notebook. Nine snarled and showed his fangs, grabbing onto Simeon's leg. The mohawked teenager yelped as he was pulled back from his prize, but he stretched one arm out, snagging a corner, sending it spiraling toward himself. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and flipped the book over, writing something as fast as he could, but the green leather binding was already turning black, the paper getting thinner and thinner before it started to disintegrate, turning to dust and catching on the wind.

"NO!!!!" Simeon shouted with fury. He rolled over and looked at Nine with eyes full of rage, "What in the hell did you do? Do you have any idea what you did?!"

"I did what had to be done! What did you do? What did you write?" Nine asked, gasping as he suddenly felt ice cold. His back arched and his muscles tightened. The horns disappeared from his head like light washing over shadow. His collar faded away as well. The waterfall in the room disappeared, then the rock outcrop. Furniture that had been destroyed or erased reappeared, and the wall rebuilt on the penthouse.

Simeon whimpered as his tall, prideful mohawk went limp and fell down across his skull, the color disappearing out of it, leaving it platinum blond. His clothes shifted, looking more worn out and threadbare than they had. The teenager fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself, shaking slowly. Nine moved over and crouched next to him.

"Sim, I... I know it's hard, but... We can work to make your life better together. It's harder without magic, but it's more rewarding. The improvements actually mean something." Nine said. Simeon slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me... Don't even talk to me. Why would I care what the changes actually meant if my life was any better?" Simeon asked, rising to his feet, "I thought you were my friend." he whispered before he took a step and paused. The fury in Simeon's eyes dulled just a little as he took stock, feeling the immense weight and stiffness of an equine member resting down his leg. Feeling reassured by that, he exited the penthouse, walking past incredibly confused hotel staff. Nine took a step to follow after him but froze as well, feeling a strange mass pressing against his legs.

"Simeon, what did you do?" Nine asked as he opened the fly to his pants and looked down, finding a thick sheath where his human cock had once been... and sticking out of the tip was a decidedly canine tip. Somehow Simeon had stopped all the changes from reversing, even without the book existing anymore. He'd drawn a line in the sand to preserve some aspect of the happiness he had found.

---

The Ecto-11 pulled into the Portland Firehouse, coming to a stop in front of the parking block just in front of the reception desk. The engine popped and snapped as it cooled down, the metal shifting ever so slightly. The door opened and Seth got out, wearing a red and white Santa hat. Nico got out of the passenger side and jogged around the SUV, moving over to where Eli was sitting by the phone.

"Is he still up there?" Nico whispered.

"Just finishing up." Eli said softly, nodding his head. Nico turned, watching the copper haired teenager move down the stairs with Grayson behind him.

"I know it wasn't easy, but you did the right thing. Thank you for letting us know about it, we'll be sure to keep our eyes open." Grayson said. Nine nodded and made his way past the car, looking around a bit. He'd always idolized the Ghostbusters. He'd never expected his first visit to their establishment to be under such conditions. Seth and Nico watched as he let himself out, shutting the door behind him.

"So that guy solved the case himself?" Seth asked. Grayson nodded.

"Right place, right time I guess. He was at my lecture the other night, and he went to Pioneer High with the suspect." Gray said.

"That's where Lucas went to school." Nico murmured, "You think the school is being targeted?"

"I'm not sure. All of Portland is a hotbed for activity." Grayson replied.

"Not just Portland, the whole world's bustling with activity. We just got some more out of area calls for coverage." Eli said.

"What's that make, ten? We don't even have coverage for our own area to pull off this trip we're planning." Grayson said softly.

"Oh no, don't cut us out... I've never been to the New York branch..." Eli said with wide eyes. Nico shrugged.

"If someone's gotta stay, I guess it can be me." Nico said. Seth's shoulders slumped.

"I wish you didn't all have to go to such trouble over me." Seth said. Grayson reached up, running his fingers through Seth's thick, bushy brown goatee.

"It's okay lover... I'd do anything for you, and we don't leave a man behind. We're going to do this as a team." Grayson said. Seth smiled at that, nodding with relief.

"Alright... But pack a scarf, it's cold in New York." he said, pulling Gray into a tight hug.

---

[Salt River, Arizona]

Stillness, absolute silence. The building was shrouded in darkness, lit only by a dull yellow glow that rose up from beneath the metal grates that covered the floor. A fine dust had collected on the undisturbed tabletops. The heat and cold outside had not penetrated the thick walls of the structure, trapping everything inside in a state of limbo. The building had been built to withstand the elements, to wait out nature's wrath. The structure housed an enormous piece of equipment, the huge trapezoid device painted fire engine red, a massive circular plate dominating the front with a line bisecting the lower third. It was one of many across the nation, patterned off of the Ecto Containment unit in New York. But this one sat in utter silence, just as it had for three weeks.

The Mesa Ghostbusters had disappeared while on mission, leaving no one to attend to their off-site containment unit. It had numerous defenses, redundancies, and backups, but they had all been stripped away one by one. The power had been cut, the generators smashed. All that had been left was to wait out the steady drain of the battery, and somewhere deep down in his chest, the young spirit could feel it. His gray eyes watched as he felt the energy dwindle lower and lower... every joule used up was a tantalizing morsel lost to entropy - and then came the blessed sound.

The light coming up from beneath the grates of the floor faded away, and a flashing red light snapped on the containment unit. All power reserves had been depleted. The laser containment was failing, and the immense pressure that was held inside was going to be released. A deep klaxon sounded, reverberating through the empty facility. Even as it tried to warn anyone close, a deep deafening rumble was coming from under the floor and behind the wall, dropping in pitch until the dust on the tables was vibrating off the edges.

Steam started to leak from vents, the bricks in the wall started to shake, and light seeped out from the seam in the front of the containment unit. The rumbling was so loud the klaxon was inaudible, and then the first brick shot out of the wall and sparks erupted through the grating on the floor. Pink light spewed out of the front of the containment unit, then more erupted from the top and sides. The light tore through the brick wall, the led shield, and the corrugated exterior.

The tidal wave of psychokinetic energies was unfathomable, and it washed around the grey eyed boy like the waves of an ocean hitting a great stone, splitting around him and heading off in new directions. The boy held out his hands, playing with the energy, letting it filter through his fingertips. He could feel the specters, ghouls and demons that had been trapped. They were free and their captors were trapped. Fate had been reversed. His destiny had been fulfilled, at least in part. The boy shuddered with bliss.

His mission had been slow, painfully slow, but he had to enjoy his victories were he found them. Not all Ghostbusters were as easy to bring down as these desert dwellers had been. No, the ones in the Pacific Northwest had proven more of a challenge. But little by little, he would wear away at them until he had avenged all of the spirits that had brought him into existence, until no mortal could hold dominion over the spirit world. He let out a laugh of joy as the energy spooled out of the building, spiraling up into the sky high above.