Hey one and all,

Considering Danny Phantom is a ghost-oriented show, I figured it would only be apt to post a quick short in honor of the season. Before you read this, I want to make clear that this is a standalone that will have no bearing on the rest of the series, and no continuation. It's like the Simpsons Halloween eps: They're just for fun. What happens in them doesn't stay that way! It's my way, to quote the great Orson Wells on his War of the Worlds broadcast, of putting on a sheet and shouting "Boo!" from behind a bush. I'll respond to reviews for "Falling into Darkness" with the next episode. The events of the two parter will come up again soon, but I figure we all need a silly one before that.

And to close the author's note, stay safe, get few apples... and Happy Halloween.

"Aw, c'mon guys... aren't you gonna go trick or treating?"

"Not really, Tuck... last Halloween, I got Dash's, uh... please no," Danny managed, turning a pale green at the memory.

"Don't be stiffs..." Tucker sighed as he took his bag out of his locker. "Just because you had one lousy experience..."

"If you think about it, every day is Halloween for the two of us," Sam countered as she phased her books through her locker. "Besides, I dunno what we'd be this year, and it's too late to decide."

"You could always go as you," Tucker smirked.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to be suicidally stupid lately," Danny groaned.

"For all we know, Danny's parents are going to be lookin' for good ol' 'Inviso-Bill' and 'Intagi-Betty' for blood tonight. I'm still quite fond of being at least half alive. Besides, Danny and I are going to the movies tonight," Sam added.

"If you insist," Tucker shrugged. He squinted, peering over Sam's shoulder. "Hey, is that the new kid?"

"Who, him?" Danny replied, jerking his thumb. "Yeah, it's Vladimir Feratu. Came earlier this week." Before Tucker could respond, the boy in question strolled over.

"Hello, fellow students," Vladimir said with a cheery smile. "I trust all is well with you on this fine All Hallow's Eve?"

"Yeah... hey, have we actually met? Danny Fenton," the raven haired boy said, shaking his hand.

"Sam Manson," the girl added.

"Tucker Foley," the last teenager affirmed with a smile.

"Thank you very much," Vladimir replied with a smile. "It's been rather hard making friends for me here in Illinois."

"Where you from, Vladimir?" Tucker asked.

"Boston, originally... we moved here last month for my mom's new job in Chicago," the new student answered. "Amity Park's okay, but you can't get any cooler than New England for Halloween."

"Ah, yes, with the ax murderers, witch hunts, and cursed tombstones..." Sam snarked with a smirk.

"And formerly cursed baseball teams..." Vladimir replied with a grin under his Red Sox cap. "I didn't need any candy that Halloween."

"I bet," Danny nodded. "Not my team, though."

"That's fine... as long as you're not a... Yankee," Vladimir groaned in disgust. He looked up at the clock. "Oh, crud, I better hurry back to get homework out of the way... let's have lunch sometime?" The three had barely nodded before the boy ran out of the school for home.

"He was fun," Tucker observed.

"Danny, you and Sam need to like, leave town."

"What is it this time, Jazz? Your parents are going to set off some sort of mega neutron bomb for ghosts?" Sam smiled.

"Um... yeah."

"Darnit," Danny spat. "I miss the days when Mom and Dad were only trying to kill me over bad grades!"

"Yes, well, I think their invention needs an adjustment. I'm thinking something wet..." Jazz smirked, sloshing some water in a cup.

"How are you going to pull that off?" Sam asked. Jazz held up her fingers as if she were doing a countdown.

"Jazz, dear," Maddie suddenly called, "can I have some water?"

"Mom always gets thirsty when plotting ghost genocide," Jazz smiled. "I'm gonna disable the machine, then head for a party. And stay safe you two, okay? Who knows who could be out there tonight," she finished, giving both a hug.

"Stop being touchy feely!" Danny snapped, crossing his arms in a huff.

"Oh, you like it Danny..." Jazz teased as she smiled, then went downstairs. Halfway down, she began to speak in a painfully fake way. "Oh, hello Mother. Here is your water. Oops, I'm tripping on the cord."

BZZZZZZZZT

"Jazz, you ruined it!" Maddie cried.

"The ghost world wins again!" Jack growled

"Oh, how horrible of me. I am so ashamed," Jazz said in monotone.

"I think we're good here," Danny smiled as he tugged Sam's arm.

"Agreed," Sam nodded. They were just heading out when both felt a sudden chill in their bones. "Danny, your parents need to turn up something called the 'thermostat.' It prevents people from freezing."

"Dad thinks this temperature keeps the ghosts away... whatever the heck that means," Danny sighed. He pocketed some candy for the two of them, and they went on their way.

What no one had noticed between Jazz's "accident" and Danny and Sam's departure was the invisible form that skirted overhead from the short circuiting portal and up through the living room. Now free and out of range of the young ghost fighters below, the ghost reformed, becoming Bela Karloff, the jilted actor of yesteryear horror movies. He had so wanted the role of Dracula in a production, that his ghost now actually roamed the earth as a vampire.

"Ah, Halloween," the ghost sighed happily. "Now I can do what I was never allowed to do in life... play the great Count Dracula. Unfortunately, I am without an actor of the flesh. I must remedy this if I wish to be taken seriously..." he said to himself, scanning the crowds below. He frowned in disappointment.

"No one seems suitable for audition tonight... it seems that once again, my callback will go unanswer-- Hello, I believe we have a winner," Karloff smiled as he dove towards a boy in a painstakingly accurate Noseferatu costume. Without another word, he entered the victim's body from behind. The boy, holding a bucket with the Red Sox logo on it, stiffened as his body was taken over, eyes flashing red and his costume became actual flesh.

"Now," Vladimir Feratu said in Karloff's voice, "I believe it's time for an award winning performance." With that, he took flight, shocking the people in the street around him, who gazed after him in shock.

"Now THAT... is a costume," one man breathed.

"Aw, Dad, why can't I have a flying Dracula costume?" his son asked.

"It's called 'capitalism,' Walter," he said curtly.

"So, any particular movie you wanna see?"

"The Weather Man looks pretty good," Sam shrugged.

"Yeah, news reporters are so scary," Danny rolled his eyes.

"Ah, c'mon, Danny! Nichols Cage! Michael Caine! It'll be great! Besides... let's go against the norm tonight," Sam smiled.

"I'm afraid my host would not like your choice... after all, it is set in the home of the hated Yankees," a voice called from behind. Whirling, they saw Vladimir hovering behind them with red eyes.

"Vladimir?" Danny asked, squinting.

"No, Bela Karloff. I'm here to portray the great Count Dracula this fine evening. And you'll will be helping me by playing the first victims. You won't be around to be awarded for it unfortunately, but I'll think of you on Oscar night."

"No, we won't," Danny replied.

"Yes, you will. Now, your motivation is fear..." Karloff urged.

"And yours is preparing to get your butt kicked," Sam growled as she and Danny raised their arms in the air. Flashes of light appeared, and the teenagers were replaced by white haired, neon green replications. Karloff frowned.

"...you're the ghost kids, aren't you."

"No, we're Laurel and Hardy. Of course we're the ghost kids!" Danny snapped. "Now, get out of our classmate."

"Or what? You'll hit me?" Karloff smirked. "The only one that'll feel it is Mr. Feratu here, you know."

"He's right," Sam told Danny mentally. "How are we gonna do this?"

"Good question, Sam," Danny replied. "I think we need to take this from a more intimate approach... Have you ever knocked a ghost out of a human?"

"I might have... why?"

"'Cause that's what we're gonna do," Danny replied. "Count of three. One... two... three!" he cried aloud as the two charged.

"What the devil do you mean, th--" Karloff managed before Danny and Sam dove through Vladimir. They came out of the boy's back, the possessing ghost clamped tightly in their arms. Dazed, Vladimir passed out and collapsed.

"Show's over, Vaudeville," Sam said as she pinned the ghost to the ground.

"No! I've barely done the first act's opening scene!" Karloff cried.

"You're scene's been cut," Danny replied as he pulled a Thermos from his jumpsuit pocket. Karloff frowned.

"So, this is it... I'm washed up," the ghost said in sincere sorrow.

"Pretty much," Sam nodded.

"Oh, cruelest fate!" he sobbed in overacted Shakespeare. "That I may never truly get the role that I wished for!"

"Maybe you weren't good enough," Danny shrugged.

"I wasn't good en-- You arrogant brat!" Karloff snapped, eyes flaring.

"He's got a point," Sam added. "You're hammier than a pig sty."

"And you as well..." Karloff snapped, now trembling in anger as he sailed up into the sky, energy crackling from his hands. "You have angered me for the last time, ghost children. May this entire city, and you especially, feel my wrath!" he screamed as he turned bright white and seemingly exploded, his ectoplasmic remains scattering themselves far and wide over the city with a concussive blast. Danny and Sam barely managed to throw up a shield to prevent themselves from getting hit, but the blast was strong and sapped their strength, leaving them panting after it passed.

"Ugh, that guy was as moronic as the Box Ghost, but as tough as Skulker in the end. Sheesh, what a drama queen," Sam wheezed. "I gotta change back, Danny..."

"Me too," Danny gasped as they returned to human form. Just as they did, they heard the groan of Vladimir waking up behind them. They ran to his side and helped him to his feet.

"You okay?" Sam asked. "We were walking to the movies, and we found you on the sidewalk..." she white lied.

"I... I think so," the boy nodded, dazed.

"Here's your candy," Danny offered as he handed him his bucket.

"Thanks, Danny, Sam... I'd stay longer, but I'm running behind and you're going to be... I'll see you in class!" he called as he ran off to make up time.

"Nice kid..." Danny thought aloud.

"Yeah, but he doesn't know we can fly," Sam grinned. "I feel up to it now if you do, Danny."

"Let's roll," Danny smiled. The two crouched... and nothing happened.

"What the..." Sam muttered.

"I'm not going ghost," Danny said, examining his gloveless hands.

"Me neither," Sam nodded. "It must be that loony thespian," she sighed. "Oh well, we're probably fine, and we can still make the movie if we hurry this way," she added with a quick glance at her watch while pointing the way. Danny nodded, and they walked down a long side alley for the theater.

"Gee, it's kinda creepy here..." Danny observed suddenly.

"Yeah, I forgot this was a bit seedy..." Sam mumbled as she took Danny's hand. The boy grasped hers back, and they walked slightly faster.

"Imagine, us. Creeped out about the dark," Sam giggled nervously.

"Yeah, heh heh, crazy us..." Danny smiled weakly. "Must move faster."

"Oh, yeah," Sam nodded as the two began to run. They were just hitting their stride when a black form and a familiar voice called out to them from ahead.

"Cripes, Jazz!" Danny gasped as they stopped. "You scared us!"

"I did? I'm sorry, Danny..." Jazz replied as she walked into the faint light, her red eyes glowing. "I certainly didn't mean to," she added with a smile, fangs glinting.

"You..."

"How..."

"It seems your little friend Bela got a bit... scattered," Tucker offered as he, too, stepped from the gloom besides Jazz. "He was so angry, you made him explode."

"Hey, he did it himself," Sam managed, shaking.

"And it's a great thing he did," Valerie said as she walked up, her own fangs visible now. "We're all able to share the joy."

"...no..." Danny and Sam muttered as they backed away. They jumped back with a yelp when they hit something behind them.

"We're stronger," Paulina said as they whirled around.

"Faster," a vamped Dash added.

"And immortal," Kwan concluded, his red eyes searching them.

"This isn't happening..." Sam squeaked.

"I'm surprised at you, Samantha," Lancer sighed mockingly. "You used to be able to figure these things out on your own..."

"What do you want with us!" Danny croaked, hoarse with fear.

"You defeated the one who gave us life," Vladimir smiled as he reappeared. "We're in need of fresh leadership."

"And with you two as our leaders," the mayor continued, "we'll have domination over the earth within a week."

"No!" Danny cried as he watched the circle closing around them. "We'll never help you!"

"Yeah!" Sam gulped. They blinked as a two final sets of footprints approached them. Their eyes widened in horror as their owners appeared.

"Don't worry, hons..." Maddie smiled as she and Jack filled the second to last gap in the vampire circle.

"...you'll do just fine," Steve finished as he and Michelle filled the other. The ring complete, the denizens of Amity Park began to slowly close around their prey.

"Don't..." Danny and Sam pleaded in a whisper. "Stop!" they added in a hoarse cry as their former neighbors, friends, classmates, and family continued to close in slowly. The helpless teenagers cowered on the ground, hugging each other so tight blood was threatening to be drawn. Danny and Sam let out a last, blood curdling scream as the monsters finally descended upon them with a bestial cry.