Chapter III: Press Conference and Newsflash
The camera zoomed over the audience and back into Vlad, who actually seemed more smug after what happened in the last game. "Welcome back to Whose Line Is It Anyway? I'm pleased to announce that I brought in my lawyers, and I will now be made aware of all the cards before the games. So… yay for me."
"Yeah, yay for you. I'm the one who vomited backstage during the break." Danny grumbled, and the audience laughed.
"You're a riot, Daniel." Vlad said, glaring at him. "Anyway, let's move onto our next game: Press Conference. This one is for all four of you." All four of the participants stood up and made their way down to the stage. Valerie took a quick detour and picked up a podium that had been set off to the side during the break. She carried it across the stage and set it down, standing behind it. Danny, Sam, and Tucker gathered around a stool that had another card placed on it. "How this game works is that Valerie will be giving a press conference, but she has no idea who she is or what the press conference is about. It will be up to the reporters: Danny, Sam, and Tucker, to feed her clues through their questions. Hopefully, Valerie will be able to guess her identity and the purpose of this press conference at the end." Danny picked up the card, glanced at it and laughed before showing it to Sam and Tucker. They smiled and then all three lined up in front of Valerie.
Valerie placed her hands on the podium. "Thank you for attending today's press conference." On the monitor facing the audience, Valerie's identity was displayed. It said: "Maddie Fenton announcing that she and Jack are starting the world's first Ghost Fan-club." "I'm sure you've got a lot of questions, and I'll answer as truthfully as I can."
Tucker raised his hand, and Valerie pointed towards him. "Tucker Foley, Amity Park Times… Why?"
Valerie stared at him for a few moments while the audience laughed at what was very commonly the first question asked during Press Conference. "Well, why not?" She gave the expected response. "I think this has obviously been a long time in the making."
Danny raised his hand. "Danny Fenton, Spectral Weekly. Do you believe that any of your past endeavors will reflect poorly on this new project?"
"You know what they say, you've got to leave the past in the past." Valerie said. "From now on, I'm focused on the future."
Sam raised her hand. "Sam Manson, Society for the Protection of Spectral Entities. So you really have no remorse for what you've done in the past?"
Valerie slammed her hand down on the podium. "No! I'm not sorry!" She yelled in feigned anger. "Now, back off, Manson! I have my eye on you!" Valerie glared at Sam, but could barely stop from laughing.
Danny raised his hand. "So, to be clear, your husband supports this new project?"
"Yes, my husband has been supportive of me one hundred percent." Valerie answered. "In fact, it was his idea in the first place!"
Tucker raised his hand. "Has there been any word from Danny Phantom on how he feels about your sudden change of heart?"
"You know, Phantom has nothing to do with this." Valerie fake-glared at him.
"He really kind of does, though." Danny commented.
"Look, Danny Phantom is just going to have to deal with my decision. If he doesn't like it, he can go back into the Ghost Zone through the portal any time he wants." Valerie said.
Sam raised her hand. "Do you have any members yet? Perhaps Dash or Paulina?"
"I've been looking at several candidates which I think would be great for my project. People who like Danny Phantom would obviously be a plus." Valerie answered.
"But, of course, it's going to be open to more than Phantom Fans, right?" Danny asked.
Valerie's eyes brightened. "Of course. We'll accept anyone who loves ghosts of all kinds."
Vlad pressed his buzzer to stop the game. "And I think you've figured it out. Valerie, who are you and what is this press conference about?"
"I think I'm Maddie Fenton, and I'm starting some sort of ghost fan club." Valerie answered.
"That's correct." Vlad pressed the buzzer again, and the foursome went back to their seats. "A million points to Danny, because if he ends this game with negative points, I know he's going to come after me."
Danny grinned. "You got that right, Fruitloop."
"You still have zero points." Vlad laughed. "Let's move on to our next game: Newsflash! This game is for Danny, Sam, and Tucker." Valerie settled into her chair as the other three stood up. Sam and Tucker remained on the stage while Danny went off stage, grabbing a fake microphone from a stage hand and taking his place in front of a green screen. "How this game works is that our field reporter, Danny Fenton, will be covering a breaking news story. The catch is that he's in front of a green screen. We'll be able to see what's going on behind him, but when he looks back, he sees nothing but that god-awful green color. Sam and Tucker are anchors in the studio, and they will attempt to feed Danny clues about what's going on behind him. Take it away."
The camera focused on Sam and Tucker, who pretended to be in such deep conversation that they didn't notice the camera was on them. "Medicated lotion is really the only cure for ecto-ice frostbite." Sam told Tucker.
"And I'm sure you go through lotion like..." Tucker trailed off, pretending that he had just noticed the camera. Sam jumped to attention as well. "Welcome back to this late-breaking news story! We're going to Danny Fenton who is live in the field. Danny?"
The camera switched to Danny. Of course, he was still in front of the green screen, but now everyone but him could see what sort of footage the producers had chosen to play behind him. Apparently, they thought they were being funny when they picked a montage of ghost scenes from horror movies, mixed in with a few YouTube clips of some of Danny Phantom's own battles.
"I can barely hear you over the chaos that is happening behind me right now!" Danny yelled into his microphone.
"Danny, can you tell us how this all happened?" Sam asked.
"This whole thing started twenty hours ago, and it still hasn't stopped!" Danny yelled. The audience screamed in shock as it seemed that Skulker had shot whoever was holding the camera in the clip, and Danny instinctively ducked, glancing behind him. "Things are really heating up now!"
"Well, Danny, it appears that you are in a rather spooky situation." Tucker said.
"Yes, I..." Danny stopped short when the audience gasped in shock as the famous 'head turning' scene from The Exorcist played on the screen. He looked back at the green screen in shock. "I can't believe what I've just witnessed! I'm not sure if I'm safe being this close to the action!"
"Actually, Danny, I think you're pretty safe." Sam said.
"I… Of course I know I'm safe. I was worried for… my camera man!" Danny corrected himself. "I'm actually not scared." But his body language said different when the bed scene from The Grudge played, causing some of the audience to scream in fright. Danny jumped, looking back and forth between the green screen and the camera.
"That certainly appears to be quite an infestation." Tucker commented.
"Yes, and they keep coming up through the wood works!" Danny yelled. "This has got to be the worst infestation I've ever seen!" A couple of scenes played from The Ghostbusters, causing the audience to now laugh with nostalgia, which confused Danny. "And… the funniest infestation… apparently."
"No… now it actually does look dangerous for you." Tucker commented, as the Ghostbusters on the screen fired their blasters to trap a ghost.
Danny ducked, and the audience laughed again at the implications of Danny Phantom being captured by the Ghostbusters.
"At least we know who to call." Sam commented.
"Danny, do you think you have a ghost of a chance to get out of there alive?" Tucker asked.
"I thought I did, but now my hopes are dwindling." Danny said. "Tell my girlfriend I love her." But the moment was ruined when the screen was filled with footage of Vlad Plasmius attacking Amity Park.
"We haven't seen any sign of Danny Phantom. Is there any word on his ETA?" Tucker asked.
"No, but after twenty hours, he'd better get his lazy ass out of bed and come save everyone!" Danny yelled.
Vlad hit the buzzer. "Danny, do you want to take a guess at what's going on behind you?"
"I'm guessing… ghost scenes from movies." Danny replied.
"Oh no!" Sam gasped, as on-the-screen Vlad destroyed a building. "Phantom better arrive before Plasmius completely destroys Amity Park!"
"And some of my ghost fights." Danny finished.
Vlad hit the buzzer and the game ended, Danny returned his microphone and the trio returned to their seats. "I'm going to be nice to you again, Danny, and give you 10 points for your impressive cowering reflexes." Danny got a smug look on his face. "And a hundred points for each Sam and Tucker, because I can."
"Fruitloop." Danny grumbled now that he was firmly back in last place. Not that it really mattered in the end.
"We'll be back with some more fun after the commercial break." Vlad said, waving to the camera.
LES: Still taking suggestions for Scenes from a Hat. As of right now, I haven't 100% decided on what the next game will be, so if I need suggestions, I'll edit this.