I do not own Danny Phantom.

Oceanbreeze7 suggestion! Again!

Chicken Score: Tucker: 1 Sam: 3 Danny: 1

Swimming with the Penguins

Danny, Sam and Tucker shuffled after the rest of their class. "Why are we here again?" asked Tucker, glancing around at the multiple animal habitats.

"I guess we have some sort of research assignment to do. Apparently, we get our research from the zoo exhibits."

"And of course Lancer has been appointed our tour guide," said Sam. "After Poluka's little…accident."

"Did he really break his leg?" asked Tucker.

"I think it's just a fracture," replied Sam. "Danny, do you think Poluka would mind if we visited him after school?"

Tucker snorted. "If I were him, I'd want to get as far away from us for as long as possible."

"So it's settled. We'll visit him after this boring class trip," decided Sam, ignoring her friend.

Danny lazily glanced around the crowded zoo and his icy blue eyes came upon the penguin exhibit. Grinning slyly, he turned to his two best friends. "I dare you to swim with the penguins."

"Are you insane?" Sam cried.

"Yeah, man. We just sent our science teacher rolling down the stairs three days ago."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "So are you both using chickens?"

Tucker scowled. "You know I have a fear of penguins!"

Danny smiled innocently. "I had no idea."

Sam whooped. "I'm in the lead! YES!"

"Lovebirds," grumbled Tucker.

"We are not lovebirds!" they snapped.

Lancer turned around at their outburst and raised an eyebrow. Tucker looked furious, Sam looked victorious and Danny looked amused…which could only mean one thing.

"Oh no!"

Smiling apologetically, Sam waved before darting off towards the penguin house. Lancer glared at her two best friends.

"Please tell me Samantha is not on her way to free every animal in this zoo."

Tucker snorted. "She can do that any day. This is much more entertaining."

That does not make me feel better, Lancer thought.

Sam snuck through the crowd until she found the maintenance guy with a penguin on his shirt. She carefully slipped behind him as he was scolding a group of kids for something or other. She picked the key out of his pocket and quietly opened the door.

She shivered at the icy conditions and left the door ajar behind her. Creeping down the musty and damp hall she finally found the entrance to the penguin habitat. Spotting a parka on a hook by the door, she snagged the fluffy white coat and threw it over her shoulders.

Lancer scanned his charges and grew increasingly panicked when the Goth did not appear in his sight.

Suddenly, loud shouts and laughter caught his attention. He whirled around and groaned.

Sam stood atop an iceberg, penguins squawking around her. She waved to the crowd and dived daintily into the freezing water. Sam coughed as the cold shocked her bones, but she shook it off and swam under the water alongside the penguins.

This is pretty cool, she thought happily.

A garbled shout that sounded a lot like Danny's pulled her to the surface. Danny and Tucker were leaning over the guardrails, grinning. Tucker pulled a gummy bat out of a plastic bag and tossed in the air. Sam jumped up and caught it in her mouth, clapping her hands together along with the cheers.

"Miss Manson! Get out of there before you freeze!"

Smiling sheepishly, Sam waved to her English teacher. She reached her arms out and Danny and Tucker grabbed them and pulled her out of the water pit.

Sam shivered, her legs numb and lips purple, although not from her lipstick. Lancer shook his head and handed her a blanket, which he had gotten from one of the wagon vendors. Sam wrapped the fabric around her and grinned at the warmness that engulfed her.

"Thanks."

A shout came from across the bricked path. "The penguins are loose!"

"Samantha."

Sam widened her violet eyes innocently. "I must have forgotten to close the doors. Silly me."

Please let this be over soon, Lancer thought. I can't take much more of this.