OMG I am sooooo sorry! I have been completely busy it's not even funny. I was soo mad at myself when I couldn't post this on Wensday. I hope you all forgive me. Enjoy ch. 25!

Chapter Twenty-Five

Melissa vs. Shadow

"Well, well, well. Look who finally figured it out," Sam said. Tucker finally realized what was going on and ran up the stairs and out of the house. "He always was a wimp."

"Don't talk about my friend that way!" Melissa yelled still holding her shoulder.

"I'll talk however I want. By the way, I have a little surprise for you." Sam took off her Cherry outfit. She was now wearing what she normally would have. She seemed the same yet she felt powerful. Something had changed but Melissa couldn't figure out what.

"So, you changed your clothes, big surprise huh?" Melissa said sarcastically. Sam looked pissed off her eyes were turning purple but went back to normal. Sam walked over to the doors with the red painted skull. She looked up into the air then locked her eyes on Melissa as her head lowered.

"Here's my damn surprise… Vlad now!" she commanded. Out of nowhere, Vlad Plasimus shot an ecto ray at Melissa, completely off guard, and sent her flying into a painful pile of metal scraps.

Plasimus! But why didn't my ghost sense go off? I would have known that he was here, unless… Melissa shivered. Of course! It has been going of its just too cold to notice. Vlad and Sam walked over to her. Sam grabbed her by the collar and lifted Melissa up.

"Oh yeah. I have another surprise for you." Sam dropped Melissa and stepped back. "Try not to stare." A shadowy aura enveloped Sam and soon enough she changed. Her hair was blacker and her skin was paler than the moon. Sam's lips and clothes were the color of charcoal. Sam's suit was skin tight and one pieced. She still wore her black combat boots. "My name is Shadow. I have all of your powers thanks to Vlad's machine and together we are going to kill you." Melissa gulped as the duo came closer. She felt the air becoming thinner and she blacked out. The last thing she heard was the sound of Danny yelling her name. "Melissa!"

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What was happening outside the home…

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Tucker was screaming like a little girl as he ran out and you could tell he was completely freaked out. Danny grabbed his arm and reeled him in.

"Whoa, take it easy Tuck. What's going on." Danny pulled Tucker down to sit on the outside steps.

He breathed really heavily and once he could control himself he looked Danny dead in the eye. "Danny, Cherry is actually Sam. I think she's going to kill Melissa."

Danny was silent and stiff. He was about to barge right in there when he heard a familiar tone of voice. "Danny, Danny, Danny. You think your wits will save her this time. Oh how adorable. I can't wait for the day when you and her are dead."

Danny turned sharply, "Shut it Maskerade!"

Maskerade was floating about five feet into the air. He was wearing the colors red and silver. His suit, hat, cape, and scepter were all silver. The inside of his cape, the skull on his hat, and the skull on his scepter were all red. His mask was red with silver swirls coming off the eye.

"What the hell do you want?" Danny growled. His eyes grew green.

Maskerade just began to laugh as he came closer to the ground. "Oh Danny you must realize that this is all a trap." Danny went ghost. "You see," Maskerade's skull on his scepter was glowing green with energy it was storing, "Our plan was to trap her down there and you up here."

Danny's hand became a glowing fist. "What do you mean 'our'?"

Maskerade swiftly grabbed Danny's arm and threw him against the house. "I mean me, Sam, and Vlad. Together we are going to wipe you out." Maskerade began laughing. Danny turned to the wall next to him and blasted it. He saw this strange girl and Vlad cornering Melissa. He turned sharply and blasted Maskerade before flying over to Vlad and the strange figure. "Melissa!"

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The darkness was leading into the light. Maybe I was never meant to even last the full fifty days. Melissa thought as she continued to head for the light. All of a sudden she stopped where she was.

"Melissa Ghost. Please do not give in. You are stronger. Find the strength, find the will. You must get up. Do not let them win." the voice spoke. As soon as Melissa nodded her head she felt a hard slap across her face. She jolted back to reality. She saw Vlad, Shadow, and Maskerade towering over her. She turned her head to the right and left. She was strapped onto a lab table. Danny was on a table next to her left.

"Let us go!" he yelled as he struggled to get out of the straps. Shadow floated over to him.

"Shut up Danny," she said as she slapped him.

"How the hell do you know me?"

"Well it's not like we dated or anything," Shadow said as she changed back into Sam, "you remember now, don't you?"

Danny fell silent and emotionless. Sam stared at him with a look of hate then she walked over to Melissa. I can get through this. I can take whatever they throw at me. Sam changed back into Shadow and stood non-blinking at Melissa. She's trying to read my thoughts, my memories. Shadow was boring into her mind and Melissa felt the pain. Her most precious memories were being seen by the one person she hated the most besides Vlad. Melissa fought back, her mental powers kicked in and defended any further information to be relieved. Then suddenly, Sam was blasted backwards. Maskerade sprang to her side.

"Shadow, are you alright?" Maskerade asked worriedly.

"I will be but that's more than I can say for the both of you," she directed towards Melissa and Danny, "Come, we have much to discuss." The trio went upstairs into the living room.

"Danny, are you alright?" Melissa asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen her like this…like this…she really has turned evil," he replied. There was sadness in his voice. The room fell completely silent and just as Melissa was about to speak someone interrupted her.

"Pssst…pssst…hey!" Melissa and Danny didn't know who it was until he walked over to them.

"Tucker!" they said simultaneously.

"Shhh! You don't want to let them know I'm here." He walked over to Danny's table with a wrist ray. The sound of footsteps began and was growing louder.

"Tucker, no. Get Melissa out of here!" Danny said with urgency, "They'll kill her if she's still here and I don't think they're trying to kill me." Tucker freed Melissa and they stood looking at the trapped hero. The sound of footsteps was just behind them. "Go!" Melissa turned Tucker and herself invisible and took off into the sky.

A longer chapter was definately something you all deserved. This is gonna get really confusing in the next chapter so until then. See ya. Also, if you have not taken the poll on my profile please do because I need more than 4 of 5 opinions. Thank You!