RiverFox237: Yes, at least one more. One of them helps here, but it's not quite a rescue. As for Skulker's ego... I'm rather fond of New York, so I slip in refs when I can. ;-P And yes, it basically is like controlling a vehicle for them; they're independent but need to work in tandem for certain attacks. Oh, and thanks for the shrimp. :-D
BlackDecember: Well, thank you!
CherrySparklez: Okay, I'll keep at it... ;-P
Kraven the Hunter (6-8): Yes, foreshadowing is fun. Tucker and Jazz weren't having so much trying to keep Danny and Sam's skinny hides safe! Yeah, I thought the Ember ep was pretty good, and it seems the Skulker one's proved popular too. You'll see the move again at some point in the future, though not necessarily a dragon.
Kenastar101: I've heard that a lot for 8. Thx.
GhostsRule: Er, actually, there IS no main plot. This was only meant to be a one shot, for one! This is episodic, like the actual series, save it's an AU where Sam's infection in Doctor's Disorders ended up with her being turned into a halfa. Besides, didn't you just describe a normal episode of the real series just now:-P
Titanwolf: I seem to have struck a positive chord with you. I'm happy to see. As for characterization, well, that's what I'm trying to do. D/S is very adorable, and there's some fluff here. So, enjoy.
Okie doke, gang, this week sees Technus updating an old scheme. I also want to point out that I'm returning to Susquehanna this week (I'm actually a hotel as I type these responses near campus waiting to move in), so updates may be slowing down soon.
"Stay close to me, Sam..."
"...pretty sure I'll be doin' that, Danny."
Danny and Sam peered cautiously around the corner of the wall they were hiding behind for any threats that may be in their way. The coast was clear.
"You ready for this?" Danny messaged to his companion.
"As I'll ever be..." Sam replied with a sigh. She tightened her grip on the weapon in her hands. "Let's do this." Danny nodded, and they jumped out.
An eerie stillness hung over the teenagers as they crept slowly through the room, sweat beading on their brows. They were only a few feet from the door...
The realization was dashed by a tremendous roar from behind. Danny and Sam whirled around to see a massive hydra bursting out of the floor. The spooked duo gave a yelp of surprised fear and readied their weapons for battle. But before they could even swing, the hydra swallowed them alive. It licked its lips and crept back into the hole, content with its meal.
"Ah, man! We lost AGAIN!" Danny groaned as he hurled the game gloves off in an angry huff.
"Well, look at it this way Danny..." Sam sighed as she took off her helmet. "At least the hydra isn't going hungry."
"Yeah, yeah..." Danny grumbled as he check his watch. "Ooh, it's five... I should get home," he replied as he jumped up from the computer. "Got the history test tomorrow to study for..."
"If it's a slow night for us..." Sam replied.
"Good point," her sweetheart grumbled. "Well, here's hoping, them," he finished as he leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Danny, why don't we just study for it here together?" Sam interrupted.
"Well, wouldn't we get distracted?"
"Nah. If you do, I'll plasma ball your butt to get you focused again," the girl smirked defiantly.
"Threatening me. How nice of you," Danny groused. Sam was opening her mouth to reply when a shiver ran through them as mist issued from their mouths.
"You know, Danny, ghosts really tick me off sometimes..." Sam grumbled.
"Trust me, it gets that way a lot," the boy replied as they transformed and flew out of the Mansons' mansion.
"Oh, it's this jerk again," Sam sighed.
Danny and Sam screeched to a halt as the familiar visage of an electronics-crazed ghost appeared who was gleefully playing with a satellite dish.
"At last I, Technus, lord of all things electronic, has established a beachhead from which to control the world's technologies!"
"Okay, Brainiac, enough with the power lusting..." a voice sighed. The ghost stopped his gloating and turned to see two small forms floating in his face, arms crossed.
"So, it is the ghost child again!" Technus cried. "But, who is this?" he continued as he jabbed at the girl floating next to him. "You look familiar."
"Well, I have helped Danny kick your butt twice now," Sam snarked.
"Now I remember! You are the one who ordered the operating system that destroyed my suit and defeated me in my game plot!"
"Pretty much, yeah," Sam answered as she mockingly rubbed her knuckles up and down her chest and blew on them.
"I have not forgotten that, child... now face my microwaved wrath!" With that, he turned the dish towards Sam. A red beam lanced out, hurling Sam across the city. Danny clenched his fists in anger and dove for the ghost before he too was blasted away. He landed smashed against a wall in an upside down spread eagle next to Sam.
"...okay, new idea. Direct assaults don't work on satellite dishes," Sam coughed as she shook her head.
"No, really? I had no clue..." Danny replied as they flopped to the ground. "Ow," he added sarcastically.
"So, how can we do this..." Sam continued as she got up, rubbing her nose. "I guess we need to out smart ol' Locutus there, but I dunno how..."
"We could kill the power to the building, I suppose," Danny shrugged. "I don't suppose you know anything about power systems for television stations..."
"Can plasma balls cut a power line?" she replied.
"Now that I control the largest satellite in Amity Park, I can continue my plans and take over... Wyoming!" Technus cried in glee. His glee was cut short by the sudden deactivation of all equipment on the roof, including the dish. "What! But, how could this b-" He trailed off as the two halfas phased upwards, arms crossed, smiling.
"You did this, didn't you..." Technus asked.
The two nodded.
"And now you're about to hurt me," he continued.
Danny and Sam nodded again.
"And, there's no way I can avoid it, is there..."
The teens shook their heads.
"Well... uh... Bye!" Technus yelped. He dove into the ground and out of sight. The two started to fly off in pursuit before they glided to a stop.
"Oh, forget it Danny, he's long gone," Sam sighed.
"Right, right... we better get to studying," Danny answered. "You know," he continued as they flew for Sam's house, "it would have been nice if it was, say, Napoleon or Lincoln or something instead..."
Technus stewed quietly to himself as he drifted through Amity Park's basements and ground works. Once again, the insipid little ghost hybrids had defeated him. It was getting on his nerves. How could he ever gain new technologies if those small whelps continued to foil his plots? He fumed quietly to himself. He thought back to his previous tangles with the two, before the girl got her powers. The first time, he provided the muscle, and she the dead operating system. When he tried to invade a WON system, he again routed them, although this time he almost succeeded.
He slowed to a stop as he mused this realization. He almost stopped them that time. Maybe if he did it again, but with a different twist. He thought as to what would be a more deadly environment for half-human half-ghost creatures. He remembered passing a Renaissance RPG as he he took over the game; surely people in such a time would not hesitate to kill them. But, it needed a more personal touch to have proper revenge. All he needed to do was wait for several people to be on their computers...
"...so, Franco won the Spanish civil war, right?"
"Yup. The boy learns," Sam grinned evilly.
"You love being mean to me, don't you..." Danny huffed.
"What? Moi?" Sam said, feigning offense. "I thought you were a true gentleman, Daniel!"
"...don't call me that. You know how I feel about the person who calls me that... Samantha."
"Ugh. I hate that name regardless of who says it," the teenager groaned, sticking out her tongue in disgust.
"Then we're agreed, we stick with nicknames, Intagi-Betty?"
"I'm going to smack you, Inviso-Bill," Sam sniped as she lunged at Danny. The boy leaned away to deflect the blow, but the Goth still collided with him. Sam plopped on top of him with a giggle and gave him a big hug which Danny returned. They were just giving each other a smacker when Sam's computer announced an new e-mail.
"That's odd," Sam said more to herself as she pulled her laptop off her bed. "I wasn't expecting an e-mail from any e-lists or people..."
"Maybe there was an emergency..." Danny shrugged as Sam's slender fingers danced along the keyboard. Her brow furrowed.
"'Enjoy your game?' What kinda message is t--" Suddenly, her screen blacked out, turning into a dark, swirling vortex that began to pull Sam towards the monitor. Sam's yelp made Danny jump into action, and he grabbed his girlfriend's waist. But it was to avail; both of them vanished into the laptop, which returned to normal after the teenagers' disappearance.
"Rise and shine, rise and shine..."
Danny and Sam groaned and rubbed their heads as they regained consciousness. After their eyes adjusted, they saw the familiar sight of Technus in the unfamiliar sight of a medieval robe.
"What..." they managed.
"Well, since we had so much fun the last time we played, I decided to do it again... a rematch if you will."
"Is that so..." Sam replied as began to stand up. "Well, maybe you should rematch th--" The girl was cut off as she tripped on something made of cloth. Looking down, she saw the robe of her mage costume from the RPG she and Danny had been playing earlier. "What the heck...?" she asked, almost dazed. A glance to her left showed Danny was a equi-confused paladin.
"Okay, what's with the get ups..." Danny growled.
"Well, like I said, a re-match! And, to make it more interesting, you'll be seeing some familiar faces along the way. Oh, one more thing. If you die... which you will... they all go down with you. Bye now," he finished before vanishing.
"So, ready for an adventure?" Sam said sarcastically as she picked up her staff and twirled it experimentally.
"As I'll ever be," Danny replied as he pulled his sword. "You think we have a chance?" he asked as he tried a thrust. The sword flew out of his hand.
"I dunno, Porthos, you tell me," Sam sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Well, let's calm down a minute," Danny replied. "Now, you said this is just a mod of that older game, right? The one Lancer kicked our butts on?"
"...that was a motivator right there," Sam groused. "But, yeah."
"Well, if we still have the loophole that allowed me to go ghost, we may have a chance to beat Technus."
"Well, let's try it," Sam shrugged. The two closed their eyes, and to their relief they did indeed transform. With their in-game costumes on, the only suggestion that something was different were their glowing eyes and shyly peeking white hair. "All right," Sam said as she made another experimental thrust. "Let's do this." Danny nodded, and the two raced off down the street for town.
The town was strangely deserted as they entered.
"That's odd," Sam said in confusion. "Usually this place is bustling with activity when we come here to heal or get power-ups."
"Yeah, something's not right," Danny nodded in agreement.
"What ho, there! What brings you travelers to our humble lands?" a young, familiar female voice called out behind them. The two turned and boggled in shock. There, dressed as a medieval shopkeeper was none other than...
"...Jazz?" Danny blinked. The girl's brow furrowed.
"'Jazz?' I know not this 'Jazz' you speak of, good sir," Jazz replied. "May I interest you in my wares?"
"Uh... sure," Sam replied. "This isn't good, is it?" she asked Danny via their psychic connection. Danny didn't need one to show what he thought as they followed the girl into the store.
"What do you need for your quest, pray tell?" Jazz continued as she got behind the counter. "Armor? Weapons? Food and drink for your quest?"
"Uh, we could use some of the last stuff," Danny said as he reached for the modest coin purse under his cloak.
"Of course, good sir. I no doubt think you are en route to Iso Castle?"
"We are now," Sam answered, picking up on the 'iso.' "Tell me, for what reason would we want to go there?"
"'Tis a horrifying place, m'lady," Jazz answered with a shiver. "Lights and sounds, smoke and steam... horrifying."
"Well, we'll see what we can do, uh, good shopkeep," Danny answered as he took his goods. "We'll see you anon."
"Fare thee well, good friends!" Jazz called with a wave. The halfas returned it as they left the store.
"The castle," Danny said out of the corner of his mouth as they left, "is that the one where..."
"Hydra chow? Yup," Sam whispered back.
"Great," Danny moaned. Still waving, they didn't notice the person they were walking into until it was too late.
"Hey! Watch it!" a voice snapped. The two whirled to see an angry Dash readjusting the weight on his back from the collision.
"Uh, sorry," Sam muttered.
"As you should be," the boy muttered as he stormed past. Danny and Sam looked at him for a minute more before hearing an accented voice wailing in the town center about her plight.
"Oh, woe is me! I used to be the richest girl in town, but now I'm reduced to this!" Paulina cried as she shouldered the brace for buckets and trudged away from the well. Sam had a wide grin on her face.
"You're enjoying this too much," Danny scolded.
"Please let me do something to her," Sam pleaded as she brought her staff to bare, still grinning.
"No, Sam..." he replied, tugging her arm. Sam huffed and reluctantly followed. By this time, Paulina had reached her destination and was pouring water to clean. A bolt struck her in the back. The Latino stiffened, then turned into a frog with a flash. She croaked in shock, then hopped into her house. Sam chuckled as she lowered her staff and tucked it away.
"What are you giggling about?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing," the mage returned with a sweet smile.
"I know what you did, Sam. Mental connection. Turn her back."
"Aw," Sam mumbled as she changed Paulina back to normal. She stood there, blinking numbly.
They continued their walk through town. To their left was Valerie, tending to horses, brushing them down with a comb. To the right was Kwan, pulling a fresh rack of rolls from an oven. They were just reaching the outskirts of town when they heard the clank of metal against metal in a forge. They turned to their right to a blacksmith shop, and the all too familiar person working in it.
"...Tuck!"
"Who is 'Tuck?'" the blacksmith asked, stopping his work to look up.
"Technus is SUCH a jerk," Danny muttered under his breath.
"And who is that other person you spoke of?" Tucker asked again.
"Okay, look here, Chaucer," Sam snapped as she jabbed an accusing finger at the surprised boy. "You're not... whatever you are of medieval England. You are Tucker Foley, of twenty first century America... which won't exist for another four hundred odd years, but my point remains. Snap out of it!"
"Four hundred odd..." Tucker dropped his equipment as a hateful expression formed on his face. "How could you foresee the future unless you're a witch!"
"Witch? I'm not a witch! Sure, I had a relative in Salem, but..."
"A witch!" Tucker cried, jabbing a finger at Sam. "Burn her, burn her!"
"A witch?" Valerie called as she stuck her head out of the stall. "Are you sure, blacksmith!"
"Yes! We must throw her in water to see if she floats!"
"And she turned me into a frog!" Paulina yelled, running up.
"A frog?" Kwan asked.
"I got better," Paulina replied defensively.
"I don't suppose Graham Chapman's going to suddenly appear..." Sam muttered to Danny through her teeth.
"No... but like him, we should, uh, RUN AWAY!" Danny screamed as he turned tail for the village exit. Sam ran off in pursuit, but Tucker blocked their escape with a broom upside their heads, and they fell to the ground.
"I never get tired of waking up being captured," Sam hissed as she and Danny struggled with the glowing chains tied around them.
"It's pointless to struggle, witches," Dash smirked. "They are enchanted. Even the Devil incarnate himself could not break them."
"Nor can he can he phase through them. I already tried," Danny whispered.
"Yay," Sam replied sarcastically.
"For being witches and threatening to corrupt our town," Kwan cried as he picked up a flaming torch, "You are hereby sentenced to death by the stake! Have ye any last words, heretics?"
"Can we get an appeal?" Danny asked. Without any sort of reaction, Kwan touched off the kindling around the stake, and it roared into a fire. The teens squirmed as high as they could up the piece of wood.
"Why don't they just light themselves on fire," Sam growled.
"Who knows," Danny sighed.
"What is going on here?" Jazz suddenly called as she walked out of her store. "I heard a scuffle and... wait, I recognize those people!"
"Of course you do, they were in your store..." Dash replied. "No matter, Goodie Shuster, we have this under control. You will be free of their influence soon."
"No, it's not from that," Jazz said as she shook her head to think. "I've seen them somewhere else... that I know them well... that... that..." Her eyes widened in realization and horror. "Danny! Sam!" she shrieked.
"Oh, NOW she recognizes us," Danny huffed.
"You know their names?" Valerie asked.
"Yes, and we must let them go! They're innocent!" Jazz cried.
"Nay, they are not!" Dash replied. Desperate, Jazz grabbed a spare piece of wood and began to incapacitate the crowd with it."
"Goodie Shuster's possessed!" Paulina screamed before she went down. With the crowd out of commission, Jazz grabbed a bucket and doused the flames. She scrambled up the woodpile and, after checking they were cool, untied the chains.
"Cut it closer next time Jazz, wouldja?" Danny grumbled as he stumbled down the pile. Sam smacked him in the arm. "Ow," he whined, rubbing it.
"Are you guys okay?" Jazz asked, worried.
"Yeah, we're fine," Sam nodded. "What about you?"
"Well, except for wondering why I'm wearing this and where I am, yeah, I'm okay," she replied with a nod. "So, since I beat them up... what's with the others?"
"This ghost imprisoned us in an online RPG," Sam replied hurriedly. "He possessed a bunch of people to populate the town."
"I remember I was typing a paper for Markle about leopard anatomy, then I'm here..." the redhead said in confusion.
"I wonder how she managed to break free..." Danny said, rubbing his chin.
"Well, I get so worried sick about you two, so when I saw you about to impersonate Joan of Arc, I..."
"Why would you be worried sick about us?" Sam asked, confused.
"Um... terrorism?"
"Yeah, I'm sure Amity Park is a top target for those guys," Danny said with an eye roll. "Look, Sam and I need to, uh, get a crystal to win and free us."
"Well, I'm coming with you," Jazz insisted.
"Um, that's okay," Sam insisted. "We need you to watch these guys, 'cause if they get themselves killed... they die."
"Well... all right, fine," she sighed with a groan. "But, I'm probably going to be torn about when they get up."
"I think not," Sam replied with a nod of staff. A dome of pink energy flashed into existence, enclosing the knocked out teenagers. "There. Now, just keep an eye on 'em, and we're good."
"And, whatever you do, don't die!" Danny snapped.
"...I'll keep that in mind," Jazz said wryly with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.
"Well, good," the boy added. With that, the teenagers nodded to her and ran down the path for the castle. Jazz sighed as they vanished over the hill.
"Stay safe guys," she said softly. "Please... be careful..."
"Well, I think this is it," Sam said as she gazed upwards.
"What was your first clue," Danny scoffed. "The lightening or the thick aura of danger in the air?"
"Shut up," Sam replied as she walked careful to the castle's doors. She tried to phase through the door, doing so as if she were testing pool water. Her hand went through painlessly. "We're clear, Danny," she called. The boy nodded, and the two phased into the main hallway.
"Stay close to me, Sam..."
"...pretty sure I'll be doin' that, Danny."
Danny and Sam peered cautiously around the corner of the wall they were hiding behind for any threats that may be in their way. The coast was clear.
"You ready for this?" Danny messaged to his companion.
"As I'll ever be..." Sam replied with a sigh. She tightened her grip on the weapon in her hands. "Let's do this." Danny nodded, and they jumped out.
An eerie stillness hung over the teenagers as they crept slowly through the room, sweat beading on their brows. They were only a few feet from the door...
As if they were playing the game, the hydra burst out of the floor before them. Except this time, it looked more like the Borg had assimilated ancient Greece; the massive was accented with several implants and a more humanoid set of faces.
"Hello, kids!" Technus trilled. "I've been looking at your save files... it seems that this is the place where you, how shall I say this... share lunch."
"Yeah, well, not today pal," Sam replied as she pulled out her staff and started twirling it like a bo. "The mage is going to do some mage-or butt kicking."
"Sam, that was terrible..." Danny groaned.
"Yes, I have to admit that wasn't one of your best," Technus agreed.
"Shut up," Sam muttered as she zapped at the beast. It spread its mighty necks and the blast passed harmlessly by it.
"Would you like to try, boy?" Technus said mockingly. Danny pulled his sword, but it flew out of his hands and clattered across the room.
"Nice move there, Samurai Jack," Sam muttered, rolling her eyes. Danny blushed and rubbed his nape.
"Yes, yes, well, this has been quite entertaining and all, but it's time for you to get the 'game over' screen, and there's no continues," Technus drawled as he snatched the two up. "Any last words."
"Um, curse you?" Danny shrugged.
"Yeah, you're so much better than me," Sam snarked.
"Whatever. Bye now," Technus smirked as he stuffed the unfortunate teenagers into one of his mouths and swallowed. He frowned. "Hmmm, I thought human had a bit more zing to it... must be the ectoplasm."
Danny and Sam slid into the beast's cramped stomach, compacting against the other with a grunt.
"This is so disgusting..." Sam moaned, sticking her tongue out.
"While I like being close to you... it doesn't have the same intimacy when we're about to be digested," Danny replied as he squirmed.
"Well, I guess that's it for us and everyone else," Sam sighed.
"Sam, this isn't a game," Danny said.
"Uh, hello, we're about to die horribly? I know that."
"No, I mean, this isn't a game... we can still do something?" he pressed.
"Oh, right!" Sam said in realization. "I hope hydra flesh is phase-proof..." The two went intangible, and phased out of the smug beast.
"Now that those two runts are out of my way, and all their little friends are dead, I can continue my search for technology to augment myself with!" Technus gloated happily to himself.
"Actually, the majority of those guys aren't our friends," Danny commented as he and Sam delivered a plasma barrage to the monster's backside. The angry ghost whirled with a growl to see the halfas bobbing before him, their clothing soaked and acid torn. He shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what he saw.
"But... I ate you!" Technus sputtered.
"We didn't agree with your stomach," Sam replied as they ripped off their costumes to reveal their intact jumpsuits. "Now, let's dance."
Technus growled and lunged at the small halfas, hellbent on destroying. They effortlessly moved aside, and the hydra slammed into the wall behind them, bringing it crashing to the ground. The angry ghost charged once again, and again they moved aside, this time tripping down a staircase and skidded to a halt, groaning.
"Oh, my CPU..." he moaned. The hydra shuddered, then deflated into his normal form and a useless pile of implants. The stunned ghost was still lying there when two pairs of white boots entered his point of view. He gulped and whimpered "If I just go in the thermos, will you not hurt me again?"
"Maybe," the young teenagers singsonged.
"Works for me," he sighed. Sam uncapped hers, and Technus was sucked away into imprisonment. The deed done, she recapped it.
"Good work, Sam," Danny grinned.
"That it is," Sam said as she turned to head back up the stairs. "Now, let's just get outta h-- Woah! Danny, look!"
"What, what?" the boy asked, scrambling to see what she was seeing. His jaw dropped as low as hers; there in the hole knocked open when they first struck Technus was the same exact ring from the game Lancer had booted them from several months earlier. "Our mod must have been corrupted during our fight with Bill Gates' lost brother," he continued. "Should we...?"
"You're darn right we should," Sam nodded. "But, Lancer's gonna kick our butt again, Danny!"
"Ah, but this time, we're ready for him," Danny grinned as he went invisible and intangible. "Shall we...?"
Sam smiled as she followed suite, and the two strolled through the hole, up to the rock, floated up, and with a hand each on the prize, pulled. It came out, and they floated down to the ground, elated.
"We won!" Danny and Sam cheered, hugging each other tight as they phased back into view.
"WAR OF THE WORLDS!" a voice screamed. They turned to see an irate Lancer glaring at them. "FENTON! MANSON!" he continued. "You just took away one of the only joys in my life!"
"Sorry, Mr. Lancer," they teased.
"Oh, you'll pay..." he hissed.
"Oh, sure we will..." Danny smirked.
"Four weeks detention!" Sam spat.
"For WHAT!" Danny added.
"For... shall we say... CHEATING?" Lancer replied with a touch of anger.
"Okay, we so did not cheat," Sam muttered, crossing her arms.
"Oh, of course. That's why didn't see you coming until you were already there," Lancer scoffed. "I'll see you two at three today."
"Well," Sam sighed as she looked at the red paper, "Lancer was right: We're paying for it."
"Yeah," Danny nodded. "But, the more important thing is, Sam, that we totally destroyed the self-esteem of a balding middle-aged high school English teacher by whooping his butt in a game."
"I dunno, Danny," Sam teased. "You're getting a little optimistic for me."
"Am I now..." he replied as he leaned in and pecked Sam on the cheek, causing her to giggle happily.
"I saw that," Lancer called. "Another three days for public displays of affection, you two."
Danny and Sam crumpled the papers and growled.