Disclaimer: Really, what was up with the ending of "Fright Knight"? It's one of those things that you can't believe was conceived of by sane, intelligent people.
"Danny, be serious." The look on the girl's face was a mix of disbelief and anger.
"Sam, I am serious. It's a good plan."
The girl slammed her hands on the table. "It's a stupid plan and I will have no part of it." She folded her hands just as Tucker sat down.
"Hey, guys, what's happening?"
"I'm just laying out tonight's trick-or-treating plan." He motioned to the makeshift blueprint in front of him. "Maximum planning for maximum rewards. I sketched it during study hall."
Sam huffed as Danny started tracing a finger along a path. "So, we meet at my house, criss-cross the streets over the next three hours and, before you know it, we'll be rolling in candy."
"Danny, we're 15. Don't you think you're a little…old for trick-or-treating?"
Tucker glanced at her. "Sam, you're a Goth. I thought that you, of all people, would love this holiday."
"I do, but I'm not very big on humiliating myself just for a few pieces of stale candy."
Without a word, Tucker turned back to Danny. "So, what are you going as?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out." Confidence coated the boy's every word.
"Still haven't picked a costume, huh?"
Danny folded his arms. "It's in the planning stages, yes. And what about you?"
"It's a surprise."
"You haven't picked one, either, have you?"
"I have and it's a really good one. It's sure to impress them at the contest tonight."
"You're entering that contest?"
"After I grab my haul o' candy, that is."
"I'll see you there."
Sam ran a palm down her face. Boys could be so immature.
XxXxXxXxX
Instead of trick-or-treating, Sam had opted to do a little reading at the library. Books of the occult were, to her, much more fascinating - not to mention scarier - than rubber spiders and silly costumes. She carried a couple of those books under her arm.
On her way home, she ran across a number of kids in costumes. She shook her head; could she have been so…childish in the past? It's not that she hated trick-or-treating, but she felt that she outgrew it.
In childhood, before her fascination with the Goth lifestyle, Sam would dress-up every year: a cowgirl, a flower and the Statue of Liberty were among the more memorable costumes.
As if the fates were mocking her, three little girls in those very disguises ran by her, yelling and getting carried away with the spirit of the holiday.
Sam continued on her path, unaware that someone was watching her from above.
XxXxXxXxX
Covered in silly string, Jazz closed the door and set the candy dish aside. "Dad, I don't think I can handle anymore overgrown children in costume."
She bumped into her father, who looked down at her.
"Oh, come on."
Jack was dressed like Herman Munster. "What do you think, Jazzie?"
Jazz bit her tongue. 'You don't want to know what I think', she thought.
Maddie, dressed as Lily, of course, walked in. "We figured, what the heck? 'Tis the season."
"We're running out of candy. I was thinking about getting more, but the stores might be sold out."
"Well, you could always stay here and help us catalogue our ghost gadgetry."
Jazz twitched a little. "Say, there's a thing going on at school; a costume contest. I was thinking about going to that."
"Suit yourself, dear. Have a good time."
The couple disappeared down the stairs. Jazz wiped sweat from her brow; one bullet dodged. Now, if only she could find a costume…
XxXxXxXxX
The girl sighed. Her house was just a few feet away. She walked up the steps and rang the doorbell.
The door flew open. "Trick or tre--!"
"Yeah, yeah." The girl rolled her eyes.
"Samantha, why didn't you go trick-or-treating with your friends?"
She plucked a lollipop from the candy dish. "Dad…I just wasn't in the mood. I'll be in my room."
"You think it's just for kids. You don't want to grow up too fast, or you might end up missing so much."
The girl simply waved her hand as she walked up the stairs. "No problem."
XxXxXxXxX
Sam kicked her boots off and flopped onto her bed. She opened one of her books. It was a tome on mystical creatures and how they were able to summon great powers.
Unbeknownst to the girl, a shadow appeared at the window. It cast itself throughout the room, reflecting off of the moonlight. It spread onto Sam's relaxed form. As the darkness enveloped her, she snapped her head towards it. It disappeared as quickly as it formed. It was as if nothing was there at all.
Sam shook her head and continued to read. She took the lollipop out of its wrapper and placed it in her mouth. "Mmmm. Lemon."
The shadow crept into the room once again. If one was paying attention, one could see that it had a tail…much like that of a ghost.
"Man, it'd be awesome to have powers of a genie or something like that." Sam closed the book and tossed it aside. "I wish!"
The being responsible for the shadow appeared out of the darkness. Her hands lit up with energy and pointed at Sam. She felt herself lifted from her bed. Her eyes went wide as she looked over at the being firing at her.
"Desiree!"
She forced herself to look down at the Fenton Thermos resting on the floor next to her nightstand. Danny had given her one in case of emergency. It wasn't going to do much good inches away from her grasp.
The body of the girl fell onto the bed. If it wasn't for the softness of the mattress and the blankets on it, she'd have been seriously injured.
The body of the ghostly genie put her hands down, clearly exhausted. It floated past a mirror in the girl's room. It reared back at seeing the reflection.
The ghost's luxurious hair no longer fell behind her back. It was replaced by a shoulder-length cut, the same one that the girl had. In fact, the genie now resembled the girl, only the ponytail was much longer; obviously the location of the rest of the hair.
The girl turned over, revealing that she now looked like the genie, if she looked a few years younger (in spite of her many centuries of life, Desiree very much resembled a young woman). The girl groaned and put a hand to her head.
The genie floated in the air, her hands on her shapely hips. "What did you do to me?"
She sat up and removed the lollipop from her mouth. "You spoke the works 'I wish' and 'to have the powers of a genie…or something like that'. A little gratitude is not unwelcome."
"I was just thinking out loud."
"Perhaps, you should be more careful when you speak."
"So, I'm a genie?"
"For the most part. You are still yourself, only with the abilities of a genie. I am myself, but I'm just a regular girl."
"Can't I wish us back to normal?"
"You grant the wishes. You're not allowed to make them."
"I'm going to get some help. Danny will take care of this." Sam flew through the wall.
Desiree rested on the bed and picked up one of Sam's books. She sighed. "I've always wanted a night off."
XxXxXxXxX
Even with the ghost problem their town had, the students of Casper High loved Halloween; the opportunity to dress up and, of course, the free candy. The gym, as with a number of functions, seemed an ideal place to hold the party.
Danny and Tucker stood against the wall.
"That was your costume? Yourself?"
Danny shushed his friend. "I'm not me. I'm…Danny Phantom."
"And you're not worried that anyone will make the connection?"
"They haven't so far."
"Good point."
Paulina walked by. If she wasn't in costume, one could sweat that she was the real Cleopatra. "Wow, Danny. You look just like the ghost boy..."
"That's what I was going for", he said as he winked at his friend.
"…only not as good-looking." She turned to Tucker. "And who are you supposed to be?"
"Gomez Addams." He surely was; the suit, the hair and even, the penciled-in mustache.
"Never heard of him."
"'The Addams Family'? 'They're creepy and they're kooky'? Cara mia."
"Creepy. Well, that definitely suits you." She walked off, leaving a frustrated Tucker.
"That went well." He pulled out a bubblegum cigar to complete the effect.
"A bubblegum cigar?"
"My dad wouldn't let me use any of the real ones."
Paulina walked by Star. She was wearing a cheerleading outfit and holding a tennis racket, both of which were splotched with blood...okay, corn syrup.
"Star, who are you supposed to be?"
"I'm the heroine of Zombie Cheerleaders. This was the scene where the girl barricaded herself in the sports equipment locker of the school and she fought her way out with just a tennis racket."
The Queen of the Nile simply nodded her head. "Okay. That's really nice."
"Ladies, ladies. Never fear. The Dash is here." All the meat-headed jock needed was a mask and a red jumpsuit and he became incredible.
Paulina walked over. "Ooh. I just love a man in uniform."
From across the room, Danny groaned. "I'm gonna get some punch."
Just as the incognito ghost walked away, Tucker felt someone else stand next to him.
"I cannot believe he went as himself."
"That makes two of us." He looked over. It was Jazz. Tucker could barely stop himself from laughing.
Jazz was dressed as a ballerina. Her long red hair was done up in a bun. "Oh, yeah. Laugh it up. It still beats staying with the Munsters cataloguing ghost-catching items."
"Wait, your parents dressed up?"
"Yeah. I'm surprised that I was able to find something…and that it still fit." Years ago, Jazz had taken up ballet. The tights still fit, but the tutu was a little snug. "And let me guess? Gomez?"
"You're, like, the first girl to get it right. People don't watch classic television anymore?"
Jazz smiled a little. "It's kind of too bad you didn't tell me ahead of time. I'd have been your Morticia." Tucker gulped. "Mon cher." She ran her fingers along his arm. This completely unnerved him…which was just fine with her. Jazz saw, in rare moments when he wasn't trying to be so hip, how wonderful a person Tucker could be.
"I'm…gonna get some punch." Tucker hurried off, leaving Jazz to shake her head at him.
A loud, throaty cackling interrupted the mood. The students looked for the source of the voice, which seemed to come from everywhere.
Pink smoke gathered in the gymnasium, forming into a feminine figure. The figure became more defined, by green skin, a dark tail which split and formed into two panted legs and a devilish expression.
"Greetings, Casper High!"
Danny turned from the punchbowl, nearly spitting out his drink. "Sam?!" He swallowed suddenly, causing him to cough.
Noticing this, Sam flew over to him. She wrapped her tail around him. "Calm down, honey bunny. I'm here, now."
"What's gotten into you?"
"The spirit. I wasn't too crazy about going out before, because I didn't have the perfect disguise." She whispered into his ear. "And neither do you."
"Now, let's get this party started."
Paulina fumed. She stepped through the crowd. "What do you think you're doing, Manson? I'm the one who gets the parties started."
Sam shook her head. "Cleopatra. The more things change, the more they stay the same." Scales grew all over her body and her teeth turned into fangs. She hissed as she surrounded Paulina. "No hard feelingsssss, but you're cramping my ssssstyle." Sam's forked tongue caused the Queen to faint.
Dash stepped toward her. "That's not funny."
The snake disappeared and Sam reappeared behind Dash. "I'm sure you can teach me about funny. I mean, dig that haircut. That's hilarious." She wrapped an arm around him and gave him a noogie, tousling his hair…and, in the process, making him look more like Dash Parr.
Sam looked around at the stunned faces. "Come on? Is this a party or what?" Her form changed into that of a flamenco dancer, complete with castanets and a rose in her mouth.
The partygoers ran around, obviously frightened by the shape-shifting wild woman who resembled the wise-cracking Goth girl they knew.
Danny ran to Jazz and Tucker. "Something's wrong with Sam."
"Not exactly breaking news, Danny." Tucker pointed as smoke gathered around the dancer. She disappeared, leaving the smoke behind.
Tucker and the Fenton siblings did their own disappearing act behind the door.
XxXxXxXxX
Desiree lied on Sam's bed, reading another of the borrowed books. She turned the page and laughed at the contents.
A shadow cast over her. It was Sam. "So, how was it?"
"Incredible", she stated in a purring voice. "I can't remember having so much fun."
"And so, you must be sick of it, right?"
"Are you kidding?" Sam performed a mid-air somersault before lying in a resting position with her hands behind her head. "I could do this forever."
"But if you don't become human again, you'll be forever lost to the powers."
"I don't mind. This is fun. Besides, what's so wrong with being all-powerful? Not having to put up with those meaningless pinheads that comprise the human race--"
Desiree stood up and folded her hands. "I wish that I was the genie and you were the girl." She buffed her fingers on her blouse.
"I can…wait! No! Nooooooo!" The same light that emanated from Desiree's hands earlier started to illuminate Sam. She groaned as she put her hands up, shooting light at the girl.
Desiree floated into the air and smiled. Her facial features changed, as did Sam's. The hair of the genie fell out of the ponytail, landing behind her back.
The girl fell onto her bed. She put a hand to her head. "Oy. My head."
Desiree put her hands on her hips and smiled a superior smirk. "Serves you right."
Sam looked up at her. "How did…you…?"
"When you've been doing this as long as I have, you pick a few things up, like how my powers affect humans. Their darker impulses take over and they become shells of their former selves." She floated toward Sam. "I just know that this was a memorable night for you."
Sam's eyes widened. Everything she did at the party lingered in her memory. "Oh, man. I wish that everyone in the gym had no memory of what I did tonight except for my costume."
The genie stared at the girl. "Done."
Sam took a breath. "Thank goodness." The doorbell rang. She felt compelled to go downstairs and see who it was…or, perhaps, sneak a couple of Jolly Ranchers from the candy bowl.
Desiree, meanwhile, disappeared in a puff of smoke.
XxXxXxXxX
The front door opened. Standing outside were Danny, Tucker and Jazz. They looked at Sam standing on the stairs.
Danny, out of costume, stepped inside. "Sam, are you all right?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" She decided to be careful about the night's events. She felt guilty about wiping her friends' memories, but the shame of what she did was, in her mind, far worse.
"Well, there was this thing at school…"
Sam cut him off and jerked a thumb upstairs. "I was just in my room, reading."
"…this party, and…well, we just wanted to check up on you." Jazz and Tucker nodded.
"I'm fine, Danny."
"That's all I needed to know. Happy Halloween, Sam."
"Happy Halloween."
Danny started to walk to the door, but turned back to the girl. He whispered in her ear. "Good night, honey bunny."
Sam blushed deeply as Danny strode to the door. This was a memorable night for her, indeed.
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A/N: There was this picture at deviant art: http:// dieddead46. art/ DP-Halloween- Wishfull-Thinkin- 67969523
Given how Sam was presented, I couldn't help but build a story around it. I had a lot of fun finding costumes for the different characters.
Thanks for reading and reviewing and have a nice day.