Instead of wandering in search of the convention hall, the trio chose to follow the masses of costumed individuals from the train to a large building where banners and posters were displayed on every available surface.
Tucker was in love, an excited grin prominent on his face as he peered around outside, various groups all over talking and taking pictures and posing. There were characters from television shows he recognized, like Spock and Kirk, and someone had even dressed as a crying angel.
On one side of the massive lot stood two boys dressed in flannels and carrying fake guns while spritzing people with water every so often. One girl had her long hair braided down her back and wore a long blue dress with furred boots while she walked hand in hand with a boy who'd painted a scar on his face and dressed in a dark red outfit.
"Wow."
Sam muttered beside him as he turned, following her gaze to a man dressed in a bright red suit with a lightning bolt stitched on the front who was pointing and cheering at a boy, dressed in a long black coat with a blue scarf tied around his neck, that was balancing precariously on the edge of a railing.
The more he looked though, the more dejected he became. In the midst of all the dressed up characters, there was an abundance of people dressed as Sam and Danny, but he had yet to see one person dress like him.
"Still no Tuckers, a crying shame." He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he kicked at the ground. "I even come with gadgets!"
He wailed, shoving his hands inside his pockets and revealing multiple devices including his PDA, his phone, a pager he'd modified, and a gaming device.
"Everything here looks normal."
Danny commented, ignoring his friend's outburst as Tucker pouted, shoving the items back into his pockets as a young boy ran past them laughing, his outfit reminiscent of a patchwork dragon which included a pair of glowing red goggles.
"Compared to what?"
Sam scoffed, folding her arms and wrinkling her nose up in disgust. Tucker had gotten past any offense he felt from her opinions after being friends for so long. After all, she was the one who was severely missing out on all the awesomeness.
"Well, you know what I mean!" Danny frowned, gesturing around at the crowds. "I don't think anyone has triggered the Gem of Fantasy yet."
They exchanged a look before Tucker shrugged and led the way towards the front of the hall. He'd reserved their tickets online weeks ago when he'd found out they were going, and with a simple wave of his phone they were allowed to go inside, the man not even blinking at their strange attire. Not that it was strange there, a fact that Tucker personally reveled in.
"See! You need Tucker's in the world!"
He said over his shoulder as he tucked his phone back into one of his pockets. Once they'd passed through the main entrance and entered the spacious hall, Tucker found the grin back on his face once more.
Inside the building were so many people, with ninety percent dressed up in some form for the event. Booths run by creators and vendors were spread about and a stage could be seen near the back of the hall where Tucker knew panels would be held later in the evening.
"Heaven, I've died and gone to Heaven."
He practically swooned, stopped at one booth offering a list of all the events that he eagerly read through.
"We're not here to play around, Tucker, we have to find the gem remember?"
Sam reminded him, rolling her eyes as he held the parchment up excitedly.
"My favorite comic book author is here!"
"Behold!" A kid's booming voice echoed towards their group as Tucker lowered his paper and looked around, spotting a small cluster of kids standing a few feet away. "The Crystal Leviathan's life sustaining Kleptonian gem!"
"The what?"
Sam hissed, confusion scrawled across her face as Tucker took a step closer, trying to see what the boy was holding.
"Wow! Where did you find that?"
A second boy said, standing up on his toes to see what the bigger was holding.
"Lemme see, lemme see!"
The third person in their group yelled, the voice belonging to a small girl wearing a homemade wolf costume. Taking another step around Danny, Tucker could just barely see the glint of a blue stone they held, and a weight settled in his stomach. Wasn't the gem they were looking for blue? Reaching back and tugging at Danny's arm, Tucker started to point at the group as a blinding flash of light emanated from the gem, sending fragments of cerulean light all around the hall.
"Ow, take it!"
The girl screeched as Tucker shielded his eyes, trying to peer through his fingers as the girl tossed the gem into the air at the shorter of the boys who leapt up to catch it.
"Ow, ouch, ow!"
The light grew brighter and Tucker was forced to fully look away, spots dancing in his vision as he tried to blink away the mini strobe lights burned into his retinas.
"No I don't want it!"
The bigger boy yelped, the sound of his scuffling feet stopping abruptly as the light began to fade and Tucker dared to peek through his fingers again.
He couldn't help the way his jaw fell open as he watched the bigger of the two boys shudder, his body curling in on himself before he let out an angry growl and threw out his arms to reveal the blue hue his skin had suddenly taken. Spiked rocks had begun to protrude from his body, sticking up on his arms and neck and face while some split through his shirt and decorated the entirety of his back.
"What the hell.."
He heard Sam mumble near him as the light transitioned and the second boy began to transform. His red costume, which had looked very much like pajamas to Tucker, had begun to grow and tighten around him as he grew taller and lankier, his shoulders broadening and hair falling down his back before the fabric wrapped up and around his face to create a mask.
At his side, a foam sword extended and narrowed, the glint of steel sparkling in the blue glow before it caught aflame, red fire dancing across the blade though it never seemed to touch its owner.
"Oh no."
Backing up a step, Tucker's hands fully fell as the light shifted a final time, expanding around the girl as she herself began to stretch higher and hunched over, her face elongating into a partial snout as her faux ears and tail grew bigger and bushier.
Stumbling back another step, he stared in awe as her hair stretched longer and longer, each strand a deep gray shade that moved against her back. In the girls hand a plastic dagger grew into a jagged blade that looked sharp enough to cut through thin air as her eyes narrowed, crimson mixing with demonic yellow until an animalistic gaze locked onto the three of them.
"Awesome!" His friend's voice cheered behind him, the boy's head snapping in Danny's direction as the halfa gaped excitedly. "The Gem of Fantasy turned three regular nerds into superheroes! They can help us rescue our parents!"
He was practically bouncing up and down with glee as the light faded entirely, the gem held fast in the blue rock monster's hand as Tucker shook his head.
"You need to read more comic books. Those aren't superheroes, they're supervillains!"
Danny's smile disappeared entirely, his face falling as the words dawned on him and his head turned back to their newest problem.
The wolf girl had darted off, baring her sharp teeth and slashing at the screaming masses with her dagger, seeming to enjoy the constant game of chase presented before her. Tucker looked back just in time to see the Samurai lunge at Danny, the halfa realizing almost too late as he jumped out of the way, landing and rolling into an awkward heap right in front of the rock monster.
"Gotta get that gem before these geeks do some real damage."
Danny grumbled, lifting his hands and firing an ectoblast that sent the gem flying out of his meaty hand.
The stone flew high in the air and straight over Tucker's head as the boy tried to track its movements while being jostled and nearly thrown to the ground by one of the cosplayers running away. He regained his balance just as Danny flew past him, reaching outstretched hands towards the gem before the giant came flying at him, tackling the halfa to the ground with a sickening crunch.
"Danny!"
Sam yelled, starting towards him as Tucker lunged and grabbed her arms.
"We don't stand a chance against them."
He shook his head, locking eyes with her as her face fell, a small nod her only response.
"Look."
She spoke, her voice weak as the giant picked himself up and grasped their struggling friend within two clubbed fists and threw him across the hall. Just as the gem had flown over them moments earlier, now it was their friend soaring through the air. The boy came to a crashing halt into a booth that sent two kids who had chosen that as their hiding place screaming to the front doors.
"Hey, I never approved this!"
Danny shouted, holding up a comic book that displayed him on the front cover.
"Come on!"
Sam urged, tugging on her friend's arm as she ran for the gem that had been abandoned in the middle of the floor. Tucker ran straight for it with Sam by his side, the two nearly within reach before the wolf girl landed between it and them, bearing her fangs as she released a menacing growl.
"You shall not pass, so speaks the Empress She-Wolf!"
She howled, slicing her blade towards the two as they stumbled back, the faintest smile appearing on Tucker's face.
"That may be the hottest geek I've ever laid eyes on."
He commented, feeling Sam's fist slug his arm as he looked the villain up and down. Letting out another howl, The She-Wolf's hair began to grow thicker, covering her arms and legs and traveling up her face until she was covered in a thick, grayish colored fur. Fangs that dripped moisture and eyes that gleamed with hatred glowered at the two teenagers as Sam scowled, glancing his way.
"Yeah? How about now?"
She asked in disgust as Tucker tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, looking her up and down again before he shrugged.
"Yeah, still hot."
He decided, jumping back as the halfa appeared from their left and tackled the wolf girl to the floor as she morphed back to her previous form.
"Our comics have come alive!"
A boy shrieked, running past Sam and Tucker with a look of pure terror in his eyes.
"I don't know whether to be horrified or run and report this on the internet!"
A second screamed, clutching his head and diving behind a booth to avoid the Samurai's attack.
"Always the internet, but only if you have video proof!"
Tucker called, though he doubted the boy could hear him, or that he even cared.
"Danny!"
Sam yelled, her head tilted up to the ceiling with Tucker following her gaze, spotting the halfa just as he phased through the roof and disappeared outside.
"What's he doing?" Tucker asked, his whole body jumping in surprise as all the villains flew into the air after the teen and crashed through the roof, sending chunks of debris falling into the middle of the convention hall. "Get down!"
He yelled, grabbing Sam's arm and jerking her to the floor as they both covered their heads protectively. Once the crashing had stopped Sam was on her feet and pulling Tucker up, a fine layer of dirt and dust covering them as she dragged him to the door.
"Come on! We've gotta go after them!"
Bursting through the doors and looking to the sky, Tucker pointed at Danny who was in a chase with the three villains, leading them away from the mass population as the two began to run after him. Tucker wasn't sure how all of them had the ability to fly, but he decided if he was ever possessed by a magic glowing gemstone then he too would choose that as his super power.
"Oh no."
Sam gasped, stopping suddenly as the She-Wolf threw a roped lasso through the air, catching ahold of Danny and sending him tumbling to the ground below.
"They're gonna kill him.."
Tucker huffed, running faster to try and catch up to them. Rounding a corner and climbing up the world's most rickety fire escape, Tucker and Sam climbed on top of a building's roof top in time to see Danny rolling to the side and barely escaping the crushing weight of the rock giant landing on him.
He wasn't sure how Danny was even still going, he could see the halfa's chest heaving even from the distance they were at, and the green ectoplasm that dripped from his head wasn't just a piece of a costume like other's they'd seen had been.
The boy was close to trying to intervene when a hard look crossed Danny's face and the halfa was rushing the giant, knocking him off balance and grabbing ahold of his foot, carrying him towards a flag pole. In a move that Tucker could barely see or register, Danny had tied the blue monster against the metal rod and turned back to deal with the other two.
"Now to finish off the rest of the Legion of Super Dweebs."
Backing up a step, Danny launched himself into the air and flew straight into the red Samurai, the two colliding and falling back to the roof with a loud crash. Tucker started forwards then, only to have Sam's hands grasp his arm and tug him quickly to the ground and behind a large air conditioning unit.
"He's hurt!"
Tucker objected, pointing to where Danny had sat up, a dazed look in his eyes as Sam jerked her finger to the sky.
"I know, but look!"
She hissed, crouching down to hide. Turning to look up at where she'd pointed, Tucker felt his blood run cold and his heart hammer in his chest.
The Guys in White had found them. They hovered in the air a few feet from Danny and the Samurai before landing and hunching over, sucking in heavy breaths.
"Man," One huffed, running a ragged hand down his face. "These cross country ghost chases are like, totally exhausting."
He forced out, struggling to stand back up straight. Tucker almost felt pity for them with the haggard and beat down look they had about them. He almost did, until they leveled their guns at his best friend.
Before he could even blink two shots fired and two capsules shot forward, breaking apart and expanding into nets in the air as they hit their targets and confined both Danny and the Samurai to their own ghost net.
Satisfied that they'd hit their mark, the two men turned and were in the air once more, firing shots at the two remaining villains who were easily dodging their terrible attacks after She-Wolf freed the giant.
Starting to creep towards the boy, Tucker stopped in his tracks when he met Danny's gaze, the halfa's head shaking the slightest 'no' while glowing green eyes stared fearfully at his hiding friends. Tucker's hands clenched into fists as he forced himself to remain hidden, knowing that the other was right. If anything happened, it would be up to the two of them to get the gems back to save their parents.
He felt awful just sitting there watching them though, and almost like he was answering the boy's unspoken wish, the red Samurai produced his flaming sword and cut himself free of the net holding him. Danny's shoulders slumped for a moment, his body curling in as if to make himself smaller and unnoticeable before he was breaking himself free and sending the pieces of the net flying across the rooftop. Sam let out a soft 'yes!' beside him as they leaned closer to watch.
"Not so fast!"
Danny yelled, bolting into the air to chase after the relentless villains. The red Samurai, obviously annoyed at the attempted capture, had made it his priority to screw with the Guys in White; a fact that Tucker found himself cheering for happily.
With two quick slices of his blade, the jetpacks the men wore began to malfunction, sending them spiraling through the air with horrified screams until they crashed heavily onto the roof.
"I think I'm going to start rooting for him."
The boy said, smirking at the Goth who bit her lip to keep from laughing. Danny in the meantime was still chasing after the three changed kids, never able to catch up enough to retrieve the gem.
The She-Wolf turned abruptly, and Danny was about to follow when a single, massive blast hit the trio and sent them tumbling through the sky and back to solid ground as Danny rushed after them, securing the glowing gem as soon as it flew free from their grasp.
One of the Guys in White dropped his gun with a heavy breath, a streak of crimson dribbling down from behind his cracked shades as the three kids landed in a heap at the far end of the building, their transformations fading away with a dull glow.
"Hey! You're just geeks!"
One of the men yelled, limping closer to the kids piled on one another.
"Technically," One of the boys groaned, staring up at the men wearily. "We're enthusiasts."
"Let's go."
Danny's voice murmured behind Tucker, his hand falling heavily on his friend's shoulders as he carried them off the roof and back to the convention hall.
Most of the people had cleared out and there were sirens in the distance that promised police intervention in mere minutes, although the threat had already been taken care of. Tugging off his pack and rummaging through it, Tucker retrieved the Fenton Thermos and passed it to the halfa.
"Nice work, Danny! We got all three gems now!"
Sam cheered, relief clear on her face as Danny took the thermos and dropped the gem inside. In that moment with Tucker's eyes assessing the damage that had been done to his friend, he wondered briefly if everything had been worth it. Aside from the usual torn jumpsuit that occurred after almost every fight, Danny's white hair was stained with green blood on one side.
His jaw was bruised with a greenish blue tint, and ectoblood dripped from a gash above his eye. One of his gloves had been partially ripped off, and Tucker hoped it was just his imagination that made it look like one of his fingers had been broken, the digit swollen and curved at an odd angle. But despite his injuries, Danny was breathing, and he was actually smiling; something the boy hadn't seen much of the past few days.
"And Freakshow only has one," He nodded, holding the thermos triumphantly. "That means once we find him, we can beat him and take the Gauntlet!"
"Uh, guys?"
Sam said, taking a step closer to Tucker as the boy bounced once on his toes.
"We can save our parents!"
He grinned, an expression Danny easily matched, stepping closer and nodding.
"Guys."
"And we can change reality so that nobody remembers my secret!"
"Guys! Shut up and look!"
Sam yelled, grabbing their arms and turning them, the three huddling together as a woman stepped forward from behind a destroyed booth, her red cloak covering her entire face except for two glowing red orbs that gleamed out at them.
Frozen in their spots, they watched dumbfounded as the woman lifted her arms, a series of green hued tattoos lifting from her skin and growing in midair, the black lines becoming lifelike while red eyes blinked into existence as a hoard of deformed bats, birds and snakes descended upon them.
"Oh, fu-"
The words are ripped from Danny's mouth as the hoard swarmed around them and created a funnel, a strong wind forcing the three kids closer together before it was suffocating them Claws and teeth snapped in Tucker's ear and bit at his skin as tiny pricks of pain shot through his body until it burned uncontrollably.
His scream mixed with the other's as his eyes squished closed, a chunk of skin ripped free from his side as the funnel began to sway, dizziness washing over the boy as he found himself unable to move, his body forced still by the haunted creatures still picking away at his flesh.
He felt his stomach lurch and something hard hit the side of his head, knocking one side of his glasses loose as he heard Sam's scream fade out. He wanted to speak, wanted to call to her or Danny, but he found his own voice fading, just as his world was.
Too much, it was too much. Pain and fire and blood and suddenly the world was a haze of red and green and he let himself fall into the blackness and the numbness that released him from the horror his reality had become.
A/N
How many fandom references did you catch in this chapter? I tried to put quite a few in! Also, we are finally at the end game! Only six more chapters left and I'm really excited to write them! The next one will be a chapter from the Guys in White perspective, which will be an interesting one to write given I HATE them BUT it could be cool, too. Than the final five are end game! Thanks so much for reading, hope you guys enjoyed!