I do not own Danny Phantom. Duh :-o

Chapter Seven:

The Chase

……………………………………..

Friends.

That's what they really were. Despite all of her doubt, the negative energy she created daily, she could not deny that they were her friends. Not only were they close, but they all now shared a secret. It was really Danny's, but all of them played a part with the exception of Taylor, though she had every intention of learning.

And what better time to learn than now?

However, if they were going to teach her how to fight ghost's, they would need to also learn a valuable and benefitting art.

The art of running.

All four kids were nestled under one of Sam's large black umbrella's, the rain pouring over them like a raging rapid. For some reason, the cold December air had cooled, leaving puffy rain clouds in the air. The coldness did not turn to snow, but silky shiny rain that shot to the ground like liquid bullets.

Taylor took notice quickly to the fact that all of them weren't exactly in good cardiovascular shape. Sure, Sam could run for a short amount of time pretty quickly, but none of them for the most part would be able to run three or four miles. Today they were at the local track. Casper High did have a track team, but it was very underdeveloped and underappreciated. The grubbiness of the track reflected that, for there was barely a track at all. Still, the kids grudgingly followed a bright eyed Taylor to the track and were ready to run.

"All you guys have to do is try to run five laps today."

They all groaned involuntarily.

"I still don't see why I have to do this! I have superpowers!" Danny tried to explain sourly.

Taylor smirked a bit.

"Super powers or not, your body needs to have tons of endurance. Endurance gets you through everything!"

Sam rolled her eyes and glared at Taylor.

"That's easy for you to say. You run track all the time and no one really beats you at it."

Taylor felt a bit annoyed.

"Sure, I never come below second, but I still get second. I get beaten all the time by people! Last year a freshman on my team beat me a few times."

"Ooo second! How horrible!" said Sam sarcastically, starting to feel as though Taylor was trying to brag without showing it.

"And uh dude, if you haven't noticed, it's raining!" said Tucker pointing up to the clouds.

"That makes it funner!" said Taylor starting to jog.

"Comon you guys! Nasty Burger afterwards on me!"

Scowling, all three kids followed their annoyingly in shape friend on the track and began to jog with her.

"I can't- believe- we're-doing- this," said Danny as he tried to keep up with Taylor's pace. The track splattered on them all as they ran, Danny feeling as though his legs were freezing up.

"My legs are being murdered," groaned Sam as she went on the other side of Taylor, Tucker panting close behind.

"Cheer up! We're almost done with lap one!"

The four friends looked like beady little ants from the sky, all running uselessly around in circles.

"How adorable. The little runts are doing something as dumb as running!" drawled an intangible Vlad Plasmius as he eyed them. One in particular caught his attention, and he quickly realized it was that Taylor Hecter brat. Apparently the children had taken a great liking to her, especially Young Daniel.

"It might be time to give them something to run from," he said as an evil smirk spread across his face.

However, down below, the kids did want to run from someone, and it wasn't Vlad.

"Come on! Go Go GO!" shouted Taylor as Tucker collapsed on the track.

"We only have three more laps to do!"

"Legs. Burning. Must. Rest!" groaned Tucker as his teeth chattered.

"That's no excuse Foley! MOVE move MOVE!"

Taylor groaned and jogged in place beside Tucker as he got to his feet and then looked up in fright.

"AHH!"

He began to run now, a very fast pace indeed.

". . . I should be a coach." Taylor observed as the terrified teen in front of her ran at a 5 minute mile pace.

"Or you should join your little friend and run." came a smooth voice from behind her. Taylor turned around to spot the real reason Tucker suddenly became a champion runner.

Vlad Plasmius floated in front of her in all of his evil glory, an evil smile with bright red eyes to match.

"Plasmius." growled Taylor in recognition. "Plasmius, yes." he confirmed with a suddenly sweet smile.

"What do you want?!" she cried, her eyes slits and her face scrunched up.

"Well first, I would like to say thank you."

Vlad looked at the miserable Danny and Sam, both who didn't realize he was there at the moment.

"It looks like you're torturing Daniel and his friends for me! Very impressive."

"Running is not torture!" stated an indignant Taylor.

"It is quite useless however." He smirked at her discomfort.

"Is not!"

"Is so."

"Is not!"

"It is so child!"

"Is NOT!"

A quarter mile away, a hypnotized Sam and Danny were greeted by a panting Tucker.

"Danny, Plasmius, Taylor- Look!"

Danny looked over and gasped and heard faint shouting in the distance, watching the two figures arguing.

"Is not a million!"

"Is so a billion!"

"Is not infinity!"

Vlad let out an aggravated yell.

"Ha I won!"

Taylor's enthusiasm was answered as a giant ectoplasmic ray came speeding towards her. Luckily for Taylor, she ducked, and the blast missed her by an inch.

"Infernal girl! I will finish you right now!"

"Oh man!" Danny said, eyes narrowing.

"I'm GOING GHOST!"

As soon as he said this, he raised his thin arms and brilliant spectral rings formed around him, turning him into his alter ego Danny Phantom. With the same look of determination and cockiness, Danny flew off in the direction of Vlad and Taylor. When he arrived, he sent a blast at Vlad.

"Picking on a defenseless kid?" said Danny with gritted teeth.

"That's low. Even for you Vlad."

Vlad looked over at Danny.

"She is anything but defenseless!"

". . .YEAH! What he said!" Taylor shouted over the rain indignantly.

"And now I will destroy her!"

"Yeah! I mean. . .no!"

Vlad looked over at Taylor and sped at her again, grinning evilly. Screaming, Taylor began to run her fastest pace down the track, Vlad following her blast after blast. Danny growled and followed behind.

"Talk about a work-out." Sam observed with a scared frown as she watched the chaos ensue.

"And I think we're about to be a part of it!" said a shivering Tucker as the group came closer and closer.

"RUN!" he sputtered as he grabbed Sam's arm. Both teens screamed as they ran around the track, desperately trying to avoid the speeding Plasmius, Danny, and Taylor.

Meanwhile, Taylor was finding it hard to dodge the blasts. They seemed to come every moment, and she was starting to lose her cool.

"DANNY!" she shouted.

"DO SOMETHING!"

Vlad growled and sped closer to her until he reached out and took firm hold of her thin neck.

"I'll do something gladly dear!" he growled into her ear as he snatched her into the air.

"Let go of me!" she gasped as he tightened his hold.

She was suddenly soaring in the air with him, legs flailing and kicking in an attempt to break free from his grasp.

"LET GO!"

Vlad chuckled darkly and placed both hands on her thin waste as he flew with her in the air. She was able to breath again, but now had to face one other very deadly issue.

She was hundreds of feet in the air, in the complete mercy of her new arch enemy.

This was NOT good.

"Danny!"

"He can't save you now girl."

"Fuck you dickhead!" she shouted, turning her head to face him. The look she gave was evil and mutinous. Vlad raised an eyebrow as he felt the negative energy radiating from her body.

"Someone's a bit cranky are we? Tell me child, would you be even crankier if I flew higher?"

"Wait.. no don't!"

She didn't like heights and wasn't used to them, so when he flew higher she screamed in fear.

"And would you be sorry if I happened to . . . drop you?"

"You sick son of a bitch!"

Vlad let one of his hands drop so his massive hand was the only thing holding her steady.

"Na ah ah!" he scolded as he waved one of his fingers.

"You wouldn't want me to slip would you?"

Taylor now felt petrifying fear flow over her. She realized she was going to die.

"Danny.. Please come." she whispered as she closed her eyes. Vlad laughed evilly in response, amusement dripping from every gasp of air he took.

"How sweet! Little girl praying for her boyfriend!'

"Shut the fuck up!" Taylor shouted as she looked up at his smirking face.

"Child, you look so hideous when you're mad. You wouldn't want to ruin such perfection of a face. . . unless you would like me to do it faster!"

She was now frozen as Vlad suddenly came to a stop, holding her suddenly by both frail shoulders.

Where is Danny.

He felt the waves of fear pass through her, which stimulated him. Now she was in his complete mercy, ready to die.

"It's been fun girl, but there is such a thing. . . as too much fun."

Tears streamed down her face as well as rain, her curly hair blowing in the wind. She knew it was almost time to go. She could feel death beginning to descend, and her heart almost gave out with the fear."Any last words?" he asked gloatingly.

Taylor gulped, and gasped with a shivering voice.

"Yeah. Fuck. You!"

Then he let her drop.

She was flying, soaring, down down down down.

She screamed, she went hoarse, her heart fell, stomach bursted open with the fear, the drop.

"DANNY!"

And then cutting through the clouds she saw his face, and suddenly she was safe in his arms.

"Danny!"

Her heart was racing, her mind completely going. The fear of death just moments before had almost caused her a heart attack, and now her body was feeling the strain.

"It'll be alright Taylor!"

Distantly up in the sky she heard Vlad growl in anger.

"Must you always foil my plans brat?!"

"Leave Plasmius! You've already caused enough damage!"

"Not likely!"

Vlad then came after them. Danny shielding Taylor with his arms as he began to fly away. The city was nearing now, and they perhaps could escape behind the various buildings. Taylor groaned into Danny's stomach and felt the hard metal of an ecto ray in his shirt. Tensely she reached up and took it, trying not to let it slip out of her hands.

Danny was too busy twirling and spinning to avoid the blasts from Vlad who was gaining more and more speed. Below citizens had noticed and were gasping and groaning as Danny took a few hits.

She knew he was weakening. He had limited time before the older ghost overtook him, and her with him. Vlad was stronger and better, but she knew what she had to do.

Then Danny fell as a blast hit them, engulfing them in bright purple light. Taylor closing her eyes as she felt the drop again, them landing on a high building they luckily didn't pass. Danny slid across the ground, Taylor's thin back being cut up by the asphalt of the building. She opened her eyes and groaned in pain and fear for Danny's life.

"Taylor.. run!" advised Danny in delirium as blue rings passed over him turning him into Danny Fenton.

Vlad flew low and landed on the building, the sound of cars and air rushing in his face.

"What to do what to do. All alone with no where to go!"

Mud covered Taylor's face as she slowly stood, her ecto gun behind her.

"I wonder what I should do with you. You've turned out to be more of a nuisance than I thought you would be."

Vlad walked closer, his human arrogant self coming through. Taylor began to back away as he tried to corner her. She felt like a small mouse in the presence of a jaguar, ready to pounce.

The look on his face was evil, pure evil, and something sick was shining in his eyes as he closed in.

"I wonder how much fun we can have Miss Hecter."

"You know, before I kill you."

Then he looked serious, and she slowly pulled out her gun.

"Any second last words before I defile you?"

Her voice was quiet and hoarse, but he caught every word.

"You may be better than me, stronger, perhaps even powerful. But even you can lose!"

And then she shot him, faster than he could react, and he flew a hundred feet away.

He was gone.

Taylor wobbled over to Danny, emotionless.

She was a murderer, or at least she thought she was.

Somehow, it didn't feel so bad.

"Danny."

She curled up in his limp arms and sank into his wet skin, mind numb, blood almost completely lost.

And she was a murderer, and now she would die.

She would become a Specter, a simple ghost.

And either way it would happen.

Blackness overtook her as she joined Danny in unconsciousness, the smoking ecto gun in a frail hand.

……

This was just a weird chapter. A real fight I hope ya liked it! More coming Sunday!