#also yeah the title isn't a typo it's a pun

[echoghost1]

Black Hole Son

Summary: The ever-elusive Phantom was finally caught and the scientist couldn't wait to see what secrets the ghost kept inside. Unfortunately, they were going to get more than they bargained for.

Characters: Nameless Scientists & Danny Phantom

Word Count: 1,518

You can read on AO3 or down below the cut!

Each cut had been made with practiced precision. The skin pinned back with textbook perfection.

The rib bones were even cut apart to give the doctor easy access, even if they weren't expected in the specimen.

The doctor sighed as they looked inside the open body cavity and found another surprise. "Why are ghosts so weird," they asked rhetorically.

"Are you asking or just making a personal note?" The doctor's assistant asked.

The doctor sighed again, "making notes. Since there is an audio recording I'll note exactly what makes this ghost so odd."

The doctor picked up the previously discarded rib cage and turned it in their hand as they spoke, "not only did I have to use a bone saw, but the bones are an unusual color. Pitch black. At first glance, I thought they were charred but they aren't flaking or even dusty. Almost as if they were meant to be this way." The ribs are set back into the tray before the doctor turned back to the body on the table.

"Now onto the inside of the ghost. Which also appears to hold even more surprises." The doctor stared pointedly at the body and frowned, "where do I even start?"

The doctor's assistant came closer and peaked inside, "Oh, that is weird."

"I'm not sure what's throwing me off more," the doctor started, "is it them being there, or is it the colors?"

"Honestly it's the color for me. I could see an argument for the organ's existence as a way to perpetuate his play at being human, but why go the extra step with the colors?"

"Yeah, I suppose if they were all green it would be less weird."

"This one is certainly going to be memorable."

"You know what? I think I know why this is pissing me off so much. Granted we don't know why it's like this, but the color-coded organs are reminding me of a children's anatomy kit. It's like it knew we were going to open it up and it wants to make sure we put it back together correctly. That's just insulting! As if I didn't go to medical school."

"I don't think that's the reason."

"Yeah, you're probably right. This ghost hasn't shown that much foresight before."

The doctor's assistant chuckled at the jab at the unconscious ghost's expense.

"I suppose we better catalog these ghost guts."

The pair double-check their gloves, goggles, and masks are adjusted probably before returning their attention to the ghost.

"It appears that all organs you'd expect in a human are here and are in the appropriate places and sizes. The difference, as already noted, is the coloration. I suppose I'll start with the intestines. They are two shades of purple. The small intestine is lighter than the large. The stomach is bright orange but is slightly less of an eyesore compared to the hot pink of the liver." The doctor lifted the stomach to note the kidneys but stopped short.

"Is everything alright?" The assistant asked as they lean forward.

"Something is moving in here."

The assistant flinched at the statement but waited for further instructions.

“Scalpel.”

The assistant nodded and handed the tool to the doctor.

The doctor carefully lifted the stomach a little higher so they could sever the organ from the body only to find the instrument is unneeded.

The stomach broke free with hardly any resistance at all. As if it wasn’t attached to anything and merely resting in place.

Once the doctor recovered from the shock of the incredibly easy organ removal, they got back to work. The stomach is set in the sterile tray and held firmly as the scalpel is dragged across the flesh.

The doctor set the scalpel aside so they can pry open the organ. Once the flesh is pulled apart far enough, six ectoplasmic green butterflies flew out.

"You know, I think I hit my threshold for surprise. Of course, there are literal butterflies in the stomach. Why not?"

“Should I capture the butterflies?”

The doctor tossed the scalpel into the tray with the stomach. “Yeah go for it, “ then they pointed to the body, “I’m going to finish cataloging this.”

The doctor refocused on the ghost and listed the rest of the organs and their colors. “And finally we have the heart. Green, and unlike the rest of the organs, this is not anatomically correct. It looks like a children’s version of a heart. ” The doctor sighed, “Also, the heart looks like it’s been broken, but still appears to be in one piece.”

The doctor checked to see that their assistant is done wrangling up the little ghost butterflies and waved them over.

“I want to take a closer look at the heart.” the doctor explained as the assistant approached. “It has a crack in it and I want to see if it goes all the way through or not.”

“Are those band-aids?” the assistant asked once they are close enough to the table.

“Yeah, there’s two crisscrossed over each other and another larger one over here too. The band-aids are different colors.” The doctor noted as they reach inside to pick up the heart. ”The pair has one yellow and one purple and the other one is teal.”

Then the doctor hesitated again.

“What is it doctor? More movement?”

“No. It’s just this feels different.” the doctor gently squeezed the heart before continuing, “the stomach felt like I had expected but this doesn't feel like a heart. This feels softer? It feels plush. Like a toy.”

“I have so many questions.” the assistant admitted.

“You and me both. Usually, I’m able to get all my answers from opening them up, but not this one.” They say as they go to remove the heart but they end up being stopped as the organ doesn't come free as easily as the stomach had.

The doctor slowly looks up to the assistant, “I think there’s something else in here besides the heart. Feels almost like a marble, but ice cold.” the doctor slides their hand out of the body cavity and grabs the scalpel. “Oh I know what this is!” The doctor grins as they line up their instrument, “go over there and fetch one of the sample jars with the purified ectoplasm. Keep your hand on the opening, but don’t open it until I tell you. That stuff doesn't last long in an oxygen-rich environment.”

The assistant quickly follows their orders and is back in place in no time at all, “ready when you are.”

“I’ll make the incision here and I should be able to pull it out. These things aren’t generally attached to anything.” The doctor continued to speak as they worked, cutting the heart open along the crack and severing the band-aids that kept it together, “Which is honestly pretty surprising given how important this piece is to a ghost. You’d think they’d guard it better.”

The doctor reached into the heart and pulls out the object they had described. A large round orb, so cold that thick fog emanates from it like dry ice. The ghost’s core.

The assistant clicked the container open so the doctor could deposit the ghost’s icy core but the pair of scientists were interrupted by the very body they were currently dismantling.

The mist trailing off the core shifted into a darker and thicker mass that reached back towards the body.

The doctor tried to swat the ever-thicking mist away but it wrapped around their hands and brought them together like they were being handcuffed.

The doctor swore as their hands were forced towards the body again.

When the core, and by extension, the doctor’s hands, were merely inches away from the open heart what remained of the ribs slowly opened wider and unpinned the flesh as the torso contorted well beyond its normal size.

“I guess I spoke too soon.” the doctor said softly as they failed to free themself from the ghostly bindings.

Then they were dragged into the body faster than they could scream.

The assistant shook as they watched the nightmare unfold before them.

One of the ribs nearest the tray grew and twisted like a tree branch before it found the discarded stomach, stabbed it, and threw it back into the open body. Somehow the organ found its rightful place.

The assistant screamed as the extended rib reached towards them and pierced the containment unit they were still holding onto.

They let go immediately and let the ghost take the device. The ectoplasm leaked out and ran down the bone as far as it could before it dissipated.

The rib bone flicked the device off of itself before attacking again. This time it was reaching for the butterflies.

Unfortunately for the assistant, the rack that held the butterflies and several other ectoplasmic samples were directly behind them.

Ten minutes later all that was left in the room was broken glass, destroyed machinery, a blood-stained floor tile, and one unconscious ghost boy with a y-shaped incision on his chest that was slowly fading as it sealed itself shut.