Author's Notes: Haha, so I've noticed that my chapters for this story are growing progressively longer... I don't know why. =) -big shrug- And I know I'm cranking this out fast. What's the opposite of writer's block? I have that, I think.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman who belongs to Butch Hartman, otherwise known as himself. Nick studios belongs to themselves, as well. And I also don't own SpongeBob SquarePants, (which I find very difficult to type, by the way... hmm), Avatar:The Last Airbender, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, or Invader Zim. Huh. I actually don't own much of anything.

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The "next step" as Butch had called it was actually going to the Nick studios. I was feeling more glum, even after the fan girl high and kissing Sam, and did not want to go see the people that were ruining my life. When the car pulled up to the grand layout of buildings, Maddie oohed and ahhed over everything. Good old Mom.

As we tried to walk in, however, a man stopped us. I could see Butch tense a little, like he didn't like or trust this dude. I tensed some, too, just in case. (Even without my powers, I still knew some killer fighting moves) The guy let me, Sam, Tucker, and Butch into the building then said, "Sorry guys," (without any sadness or understanding at all in this voice), "but we're all done with these 'toons. I'm going to send them along, Butch."

I instantly panicked. "Send them along? What does that mean? What are you going to do to my family? Butch? Aren't you going to do something?"

Tucker put his hand on my shoulder to keep me from bolting out to my family right then and there. Butch sagged as he said quietly, "They were only semi-main characters, Danny. I can't do anything to help them."

My voice grew more menacing as my family got farther away. Why are they just going along with it? "But where are they going to go? Why aren't they fighting? You know, any minute Mom's going to break out her lip stick gun or something!"

Butch looked at me, eyes seeming to go harder to protect them from sadness setting in, and said, "She can't, Danny. They're just walking drawings now. No more then if I drew a stick figure. They don't have personalities anymore."

Sam exploded. "What?! No personalities? What the crud are you talking about?! They most certainly do have personalities! I've seen them, talked with them; I know them, Butch! We all do! What the crap are you talking about?!"

He shook his head and ran his hand through his dark hair. "That's just it, Sam. You knew them, talked with them, laughed, cried, lived with them because of what somebody was writing. Yes, you experienced their personalities, but they were not real people. Just like Danny's powers, their personalities could have been taken away whenever we wanted them to be. Although I didn't want them to be…" His voice trailed away.

I reacted. "What'd going to happen to them?" I'm afraid of the answer.

Tucker looked up from his PDA. "I just looked it up. Correct me if I'm wrong, Butch."

He nodded and motioned the geek to continue.

"When a cartoon is cancelled, the characters are divided up into categories: Main, Semi-main, Pop-ups, and Extra. We, that is, Sam and I and you Danny, are the mains from Danny Phantom. Your family was in the semi-main division, and," he paused, his eyes widening a bit, "after they are stripped of any personality, they are, at least in the case of a Nick 'toon, stuck to the Wall of Toons. Dude," Tucker said, looking at me, "They're going to be wall hangings!"

I looked at Butch incredulously. "Um, hello? You were supposed to correct him, dude. That can't be right!"

It can't be.

Danny was in a state of disbelief. I wished he could be as happy he had been with all the fan girls, or even while kissing me, now. For the rest of his life. Seriously, like, forever! I scooted over by Tuck while Butch led us to an elevator. I knew Danny was spaced out again, but I whispered anyway.

"Tucker? What about the main characters?" I asked, hoping beyond hope I'd get to keep my individuality. That they wouldn't strip me of my Goth-ness and redraw me as a stupid prep. That I could keep my sanity.

He shook his head a little. "It doesn't say for sure." He scrolled down a bit. "All it says about the Nick studios 'toons is that it varies according to the popularity to the 'toon."

I shivered. "Do you think we were popular enough, Tuck?"

Neither of us knew the answer.

We were led into a large conference room. A bunch of old dudes and ladies stood up and clapped for us. I came back to reality a bit and raised an eye brow at Butch. He smiled and nodded to me like, Yes, this is for you. I faked a smile, (which by now I feel like I've learned how to do really well), and we were motioned to our seats. One of the old guys said while I pulled Sam's chair for her,

"So Danny, we understand you got to speak with some of your fans today." He laughed, (like one of those creepy, practiced laughs), and strode casually around the room. Looking out the large wall of windows, he said, "And they actually decided to protest. Do they really think they can change our minds?"

The business men and women laughed like it was a cue. The man turned from the window. "Because they can't, Daniel. Our minds are made up."

I raised an eyebrow at him. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like all the people in the room, excluding us and Butch, were sharing a brain and this guy just had the biggest share. And the way he called me Daniel. Honestly, I was having flashbacks of my fights with Vlad in the show. Was he trying to do an imitation? Pretty soon he'd be asking me for my mom's number. I began to crack a smile at that until I remembered where mom was. That sent me back to the trance I had been in.

"But they are determined, aren't they?" Sam put in, glancing out at the crowd gathering at the Nick gates. "The fans we talked with today seem pretty set on having their Danny doses." She spread her hands like the matter was settled and gave the man a sugar smile, "I guess we'll just have to continue the show."

Tucker, on his own cue, stood up and went to the windows. "Doesn't that crowd out there mean anything to you? Every person out there represents money you'll lose when you cancel Danny Phantom. Do you really want that?"

The man, who was named Mr. Retsam, laughed again. "They'll come back. We've have protests like this for every show we've ever cancelled." He began ticking off things on his fingers. "And those idiotic petitions, and the buckets of letters…" he trailed away and shook his head like it was some big joke. "Invader Zim, Jimmy Neutron, Avatar, you know the drill. People never want their shoes to end."

I was just sitting there, in a stone-like silence. I almost felt like I wasn't feeling anything. Just then, my right pant pocket began burning, (metaphorically, of course), and I remember the photo in it. Pulling it out, I look at the delighted faces that surrounded mine. They'd want me to at least put up a fight. It's in my 'toon blood.

I stand up. "I don't care what you think, Mr. Big Shot, but the fans really do want this to continue." I let my head fall and I feel myself sagging. "Just one more chance. A half season, maybe. And if the ratings aren't up – "

"- It isn't the ratings, Daniel. It's not about that at all."

Butch sprang up. "It's not about the ratings? What on earth could it be about then? My show was making you money!"

Everyone looked at Retsam expectantly, like they were at a tennis match. He raked his hand through his almost-nonexistant hair. "Mostly it is about money. It always is, Butch. You knew that this show would come to an end." My neck prickled as he said 'show' like it was some dirty word.

"But why is it that my show is being cancelled?!" Butch demanded, slamming his fist on the table. Sam crossed her arms defiantly, Tucker glared at the man, and I praised myself for actually bringing this up. Now we can get to the truth.

"Alright, you want me to tell you?" We all nodded. The executives around the table began to nod too, then stopped nodding, and finally just looked at their boss to tell them what to do next.

Brain sharing!

Retsam grinned a little, looking ever more like Masters. "The creators of SpongeBob SquarePants, you know how that show's producing a bunch of new shows, didn't want their show cancelled. I told them that some show needed to get the boot."

I noticed Tucker subtly pointing his cell phone at the man. What the heck?

"Anyway, they offered me a lot of money. More money then Danny Phantom was making. And SpongeBob makes a lot of money even without the extra, but all the same, it's just a better deal."

Butch nodded at me, like a signal. I was really angry. My eyes flashed their bright green. Sam's eyes widened. Wait a second, my eyes flashed green?

"Look Retsam," Butch said, narrowing his eyes, "those fans out there mean buisness."

My eyes gleamed, as I transformed. "And so do I!"

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Oooh suspenseful. (Or not really...) The next chapter is going to be completely different then anything I've done so far, so keep your reading eyes open for more! Also, did you guys notice anything... well, interesting about the boss's name? -big wink- Try turning it backwards. There probably isn't going to be any plot pertaining to that, so it's mostly there for your guy's enjoyment of Vlad owning Nick. (I mean really, wouldn't that be a big step in taking over the world? Taking over a kids animation studio... nevermind. I guess it wouldn't...) See you guys on the review board!