Power Trip
"Tucker, grab the Fenton Thermos now!" Tucker picked himself up from the ground he slammed into seconds before and raced to the thermos. Sweat, grass, and filth carved into his face, making the once clean geek look rugged and wild. Two hours has it been like this: Tucker holding off Skulker with his PDA while trying to not get murdered and eaten by the Lunch Lady's Mystery Meat. Two hours it's been since it had been Tucker and Tucker alone fighting them off while Danny was trying to enter the Ghost Zone and retrieve some item he won't mention. Tucker's body, on auto-pilot, grabbed the Thermos and sucked Skulker and the Lunch Lady simultaneously. Before he could gloat, he was smacked into a brick wall by Mystery Meat. As Tucker looks into the monstrosity that calls itself meat, he thinks of how convenient it would be to be a vegetarian. As his life flashed before his eyes, he was once again saved by Danny Phantom, in the midst of a cheering crowd, but it wasn't for Tucker. It was for Danny, as usual.
"Thank you, thank you, but the credit shouldn't go to me," Danny began. Tucker dusted the rubble off of him, looking at Danny hopefully.
"If it wasn't for Sam telling Tucker to grab the Thermos, these two wouldn't be alive right now."
That hit his nerve right in the kill zone.
Applause roared, and then Danny flew Tucker and Sam back to their headquarters in the blink of an eye.
"What was all that about?" Tucker asks Danny. Danny lied on his bed with Sam snuggled to him, playing with each other's hair.
"What was what?" Danny replied.
"That whole 'if it wasn't for Sam' bit. While you and Sam were gone, I was fighting off two ghosts by myself. I deserve a little more credit."
Danny snorts.
"Tucker, you fought them off with your technology. I wouldn't consider it by yourself,"
"But I still held my own, with and without it. You didn't bother to notice it." Tucker glared.
"What's wrong with you lately, Tucker? You've been acting like you've been eating lemons all week."
"Because I feel like you're not appreciating me as a friend. You've been acting like I'm some useless sidekick when I've been pulling more than my weight in this trio!"
"What are you talking about? Of course I appreciate you!"
"No you haven't! Every time we battle some ghost and rescue the world, the world applauds you and Sam, while I fade into the background. It's all about you and Sam lately! Inviso-Bill and his trusty Goth Girlfriend! Danny Phantom and Samantha Manson, power couple of Amity Park! Where do I fit in? They don't even know I'm a part of this team!" Tucker stomped his foot.
"Who works the technology? Who covers for you when your parents come knocking? Who takes the fall for every stupid stunt you've done? Who has been modifying and creating more efficient tech for you to catch the bad guys? Who has been getting their ass kicked playing bait while you fight?" Tucker's in Danny's face now, nostrils flaring and eyes full of pent-up frustration.
"And who has been trying to cope with being the unwanted third wheel when you and Sam decided to be a couple? Who always pulled you and Sam out of doom when you two were too wrapped up in yourselves time and time again? And who has been there for you regardless of how much of an asshole you've been? " he whispered gravely. Before Danny could answer, Tucker stormed to the front door of his room.
"And the sad part is I don't get as much as a thank you. I don't get any credit, any recognition, and any different title other than, Tucker the Weakling Tag-Along." Tucker said.
"Are you seriously getting angry at us because we don't congratulate you for every time you fight a ghost and live? Well thank you, Tucker, for putting yourself in danger!" Danny replied.
"That's not what I meant at all!" Tucker bellowed.
"I'm sick and tired of you doubting me. Tired of you treating me as your errand boy because you think I'm not strong enough to be a formidable fighter and companion. I'm not that wimp in Junior High, Danny. I'm strong; I've proved to you time and time again that I can hold my own and still you treat me like a sidekick! I don't want to be your sidekick anymore, Danny." Danny looked at Tucker, waiting for what's next.
"I want to be your equal. And if you can't see it that way, then you can see yourself with one less ally."
SLAM.
Danny looked back at Sam, then back at the door. They did not realize the shit-storm they just started.