[Third Person Pov]
“Do you still believe the Ghost Zone to be some form of junkyard?” Death asked, glancing over at Danny with a gentle, knowing smile. Beside them, Boston continued to playfully entertain the small cat cradled in his arms, scratching behind its ears as it purred contentedly.
“I obviously know there’s more to the Ghost Zone than that,” Danny replied awkwardly, scratching his cheek in embarrassment. “I meant no disrespect. I was just trying to put it in the simplest example I could think of to compare it to.”
“Good,” Death said warmly, placing a supportive hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Because this place has a rich and extensive history—one that I hope you’ll one day have the opportunity to personally discover and explore in depth.”
“Every zone and region is like that,” Deadman added thoughtfully. “After all, it’s the accumulated experience and knowledge drawn from countless different worlds and realities. And like every community, they have their bad parts… but they also have their good parts.”
“I’m sure you already know and are aware that not every ghost born here is necessarily evil or bad,” Death continued, smoothly expanding on the nature of ghosts within the Ghost Zone. “They are, after all, born from the raw emotions of the dead.”
“Wait, so how are ghosts born in the first place?” Danny asked, looking between Boston and Death with genuine curiosity.
“Like how any ghost is—they’re born through the power of resentment,” Deadman replied with a light shrug.
“There’s more to it than that,” Death said, rolling her eyes fondly at the simplification. “They arise from accumulated strong and powerful emotions.”
As she spoke, the very fabric of the newly formed section of the Ghost Zone began to shift and churn. Volatile, aggressive entities started manifesting all around them—ugly, monstrous creatures made of swirling, unstable ectoplasm. They slashed wildly at the air and screeched in high-pitched, ear-splitting voices that echoed through the spectral void.
“These creatures are nothing but raw emotions given form,” Deadman stated casually, observing the chaotic scene alongside Danny and Death. “That’s why they mostly fight and attack purely on instinct. They’re like wild animals in that regard… and why they’re not exactly friendly.”
“But what about all the other ghosts I’ve met and encountered?” Danny asked, clearly confused. He quickly blasted one of the aggressive creatures away with a bright green ghost ray as it lunged toward him. “What makes them different from these?”
“The answer comes down to one single thing,” Death replied. She floated gracefully over toward a large, floating rock formation nestled within the endless green spectral void.
Danny and Deadman followed her, settling comfortably on the ledge together as they hovered peacefully in the vast, glowing expanse.
“Ego,” Death answered simply, kicking her feet idly over the edge.
“Ego?” Danny repeated, blinking in confusion.
“It’s the thing inside of you that makes you… well, you,” Deadman explained matter-of-factly. “In other words, it’s your sense of self. To put it into perspective, have you ever had those existential crisis moments where you become too deeply aware of yourself and start wondering if anyone else feels the same way?”
Danny nodded slowly, understanding all too well exactly what Boston was referring to.
“Yeah, that’s your ego,” Deadman confirmed.
“Some egos are simply too stubborn to fade away, even after the cleansing process,” Death continued, leaning back and lying down comfortably on the floating island. “When they end up here, they manifest as ghosts. Take Ember, Johnny 13, Kitty, Youngblood, Desiree, Skulker, and so many others—those are ghosts who managed to keep their egos after death. Technically, you can be counted among them as well.”
“Are they all like that?” Danny asked as he joined her, leaning back beside Death and gazing up into the swirling, infinite skies of the Ghost Zone.
“No, not all of them,” Death began, resting her hands behind her head in a relaxed pose. “Sometimes certain feelings and emotions linger and accumulate on such a massive, collective scale that they grow powerful enough to touch upon—and eventually become—the concept itself. Beings like Time, Dreams, Vegetation, and even Death develop strong egos of their own.”
“I see… Thank you for clearing all of that up for me. I really appreciate it,” Danny said sincerely, addressing both Death and Boston with a grateful smile.
“No problem, kiddo. This has been a rather interesting journey, to say the least,” Boston replied warmly, still gently petting the green ghost cat curled contentedly in his lap.
Death simply nodded, her expression soft and pleased with how the tour had unfolded.
“Ah, wait—I have one more question,” Danny said as he sat back up, his curiosity clearly not yet satisfied. “What exactly does it mean for a ghost if I help them clear up any possible resentment they may have? Since you made it clear that they’re not really ghosts, but they kind of are at the same time.”
Death chuckled lightly. “They are ghosts, Danny. They are the ghosts of people who once were, but not quite in the way you’re thinking. That’s why I called this place a preservatory.”
“And to answer your question,” she continued candidly, “helping them means you’re assisting them in letting go of the resentment that shaped who they are. Their egos would finally be allowed to rest, especially since they remain ghosts in every meaningful sense of the word.”
“Speaking of helping,” Deadman interjected with a hopeful grin. He held up the small green ghost cat toward them. “You guys mind if I keep this little guy? I feel like he and I have developed a special kind of bond.”
Death and Danny exchanged a quick glance before both of them burst into soft chuckles.
“You can keep him,” Danny sighed, shaking his head with a mix of amusement and relief. “You’d actually be doing me a favor. Just make sure that little rascal learns to behave and stays out of trouble.”
“So you’re a little rascal, eh~?” Deadman cooed in a silly babying voice, nuzzling the cat gently. “Yes you are! Oh yes you are, you little mischievous rascal!”
Danny and Death quietly chuckled as they watched the tough-looking hero completely melt over his new furry companion.
“I think you’ll need a fitting name,” Boston continued, utterly enamored. “How about Rosco? Eh? What do you think—do you like it?”
…
After saying their warm farewells to Boston and his newly adopted pet, Death guided Danny back to the familiar entrance of his parents’ ghost portal within the Ghost Zone. The swirling green energies of the portal hummed softly nearby, a gateway back to his world.
“Before we part ways, I think I should give you a warning,” Death said, her expression turning serious as she looked directly at him.
“A warning…” Danny echoed, suddenly feeling uneasy. “From Death herself?”
“Although I know you meant well and were doing a good thing when you freed Desiree from her resentment, you accidentally ended up upsetting someone you really shouldn’t have.”
“What?” Danny asked, panic beginning to bubble up inside him. “Who the heck did I upset?!”
Death offered a weary smile. “One of my siblings…”
“WHAT?!” Danny exclaimed loudly, his voice cracking into a high-pitched squeak as he started trembling and pointing at himself. “I ended up upsetting one of the Endless?!”
“Yes… by accident,” Death replied with a stiff smile. “Desire.”
“...”
“Can I ask you for a favor?” Danny asked, lowering his head in resignation, his voice suddenly small.
“Huh?” Death asked, blinking in mild bewilderment.
“Can you promise to make my funeral special?” Danny said, looking upward dramatically as a single theatrical tear slid down his cheek.
“He or she won’t kill you, Danny,” Death reassured him with a light chuckle. “I can definitely make sure of that.”
“Really?” Danny asked, his voice filled with fragile hope.
“Absolutely… but—” She paused, wincing slightly.
“Oh boy,” Danny muttered quietly, already sensing the incoming complication.
“That doesn’t mean I can stop him or her from causing you trouble,” Death admitted apologetically. “You see, Desire had a special fondness for Desiree, believe it or not. My brother or sister adored the chaos that Desiree caused whenever she granted the desires of others. So what you did was really no different than… well, killing their dog.”
Death paused, tilting her head in confusion as she watched Danny suddenly cross his arms over his chest, shake his head solemnly, and interlock his fingers in front of him in a mock-funeral pose. He then placed one arm stiffly down by his side.
“What are you doing?” Death asked, both amused and puzzled.
“I’m trying to decide which way to lay in my coffin once my time comes,” Danny replied, his voice and eyes both hollow with exaggerated despair.