I do not own Danny Phantom.

Ember's Revenge and a Bad Beating

"We so rocked that presentation!" Sam said, her spider backpack hanging off one shoulder as she and her friends headed down the sidewalk. It was the day after their presentation and she was feeling good about theirs. "Maybe we'll actually pass this class without having to do extra credit work."

"Most likely," returned Danny. "But I hope we didn't make anyone suspicious. We did have things no one else would be able to get in a million years. Speaking of which, Sam, you got the stuff?"

Sam handed him the bag of ghostly items. "I nominate Danny to return the guitar. Ember should have been freed by someone by now."

"Let's hope not. Why didn't you return them last night?" Tucker asked his friend.

Danny sighed. "First off, Sam had them, so I couldn't just slip into the Ghost Zone to return them. Plus, my parents got this weird idea that we should bond as a family and I couldn't leave their sides for a minute, let alone a few hours. I really wish I knew how split myself into two."

"Technically, you can," pointed out Tucker.

Sam rolled her violet eyes. "He means being able to duplicate his ghost form, not using the Fenton Ghost Catcher to separate Phantom from Fenton."

Suddenly, a blue mist escaped Danny's mouth and he whirled around, frantically scanning the area. "Cover me."

Sam and Tucker put themselves in front of Danny and watched as a figure sped towards them. One flash of blue light later and Danny Phantom appeared. He picked up his friends and flew them off to a safe distance.

"Looks like Ember is back for revenge. Stay here, and when I give the signal toss me the Thermos," he ordered before flying off. He returned to the spot where he had seen the rocker ghost incoming, but found the morning sky and the area below empty. He frowned. Where'd she go?

"Hello, whelp."

Before he could turn to face the owner of the familiar voice he was knocked back with a violent force, crashing straight into the ground. "Ugh, Skulker?" he groaned. "How'd-?"

"Your father kindly pressed the button and allowed me to escape. Of course, he thought it was a button for something called the Fenton Fudge Dispenser."

Danny winced, hauling himself out of the imprint he had made in the pavement from his impact. Dad, I love you, but you need to stop giving ghosts a free ride into Amity.

"Anyway, enough about me. I believe you were very ungentlemanly to my girlfriend. And for that, you shall pay...with your life and her beloved guitar."

Danny avoided the green blast and sent one of his own, hitting the cyber-ghost right in the chest. "I was going to return her guitar after school!" he insisted. "I'll even apologize! This really isn't necessary!"

Skulker rammed into Danny and lifted him up by the front of his black jumpsuit. "Your little geek friend blasted Ember, so you can thank him for the beating you will get in return."

Danny groaned, kicking Skulker in the shin and knocking him down. "Why do all you ghosts feel the need to talk so much? I prefer short banter." He delivered a roundhouse kick and sent the ghost sailing.

Tucker and Sam peered around the side of the building and watched Skulker land in a heap a few blocks away. "Where's Ember?" whispered Sam.

"Right here, dipsticks."

Danny had just used his ghostly wail to knock Skulker back another distance when twin screams sent him flying over to where Tucker and Sam were hiding. He gasped in horror at what he saw. "No!"

Ember had managed to steal back the guitar from Tucker, who had collected the bag of ghostly items from Danny before he transformed. She blasted them with a green fist and his two friends flew backwards, crashing into a dumpster sitting on the curb.

"Who puts a dumpster on a curb? Recycling bins and garbage cans yes, but a dumpster?" Tucker rasped as he got to his feet and helped Sam up.

"Guys-" started Danny, floating near them.

But Sam shooed him away, removing the Fenton Thermos and Blaster from her backpack. "You take care of Skulker. We'll handle McLame."

Ember snarled. "Very original, dipstick." She reared back for another blow, only to have Tucker fire three rapid plasma shots from his Fenton Blaster.

Danny bit his lip and hurried back to where Skulker had landed. He sighed in relief when he saw that the ghost hunter was still out cold. Well, this makes things a lot easier.

He grabbed Skulker under the arms and flew him back to where Sam held the Fenton Thermos.

Sam and Tucker were doing a pretty good job of smacking Ember silly. Sam had wrestled the guitar from her grip and was now whacking the rock star whenever she attempted to get it back. The Goth managed to land a hit upside her head and Ember struck the ground, moaning softly.

"Nice job, guys." Danny took the Fenton Thermos from Sam and sucked Skulker into it. Sam tossed the purple guitar on top of the unconscious Ember and he sucked the rocker into the container as well. He transformed into Fenton and stuffed the Thermos into his bag.

"Great. We're late," Tucker grumbled. He felt something sticky on his lip and he touched it and pulled back his hand to see what it was.

Blood.

He gripped Sam's arm to keep from passing out. "Ugh."

Danny winced. "We really took a beating, huh? I'm so sorry guys. If-"

Sam held out a hand, silencing him. "Danny, me and Tucker are getting just as good as you in battling ghosts. Just because we get banged up doesn't mean you should feel like crap. It's not your fault we got hurt. Right Tuck?"

"Yeah," Tucker mumbled, still a bit lightheaded.

"Well, what are we going to tell Lancer?"

"We have three blocks to figure it out."

Lancer had indeed noticed the absence of the trio. He frowned at the three empty seats that were normally occupied by the three teens. Being late was one thing, but by a half hour? He knew the trio often walked to school, and they also didn't hold any qualms about ditching every once in a while.

Not this time, he thought grimly. He was about to page the office to get the secretary to call their parents when the doorknob jiggled. Slightly relieved that he would not have to be the bad guy yet again, he crossed his arms.

"Late again, you three. One more-" he gasped when they walked in fully, as did the rest of his class.

Danny, Sam and Tucker were quite a sight. Tucker had a fat lip, Sam had a black eye and a bloody nose and Danny's face was black and blue. All three looked tired and weak.

"What happened?" Lancer demanded. He was used to Danny showing up bruised and beaten, but not his best friends. It always worried him how Danny always came in hurt, and his concern grew at the sight of the troublesome trio.

"Um...we ran into a little trouble." Tucker grinned sheepishly.

"No kidding," said Lancer dryly. "Were you beaten by a gang?"

"Nah, it was just ghost trouble. But they quickly left when I started screaming," Sam replied. "They only got a few hits in before I scared them off. No big deal."

Lancer could tell they were lying. Danny was avoiding eye contact and Tucker was smiling too broadly for someone who just got a heavy beating.

Something was wrong.

But now was not the time for questions. "Nurse's office. Now. I'll call your parents-"

"No!"

Lancer blinked in surprise. "Why not? Your parents have a right to know what's happened."

"Yeah, but we don't need to worry them. This was an once-in-a-lifetime thing," assured Danny.

Tucker snorted in amusement but quickly covered it up with a coughing fit. "Yeah. Won't happen again," he agreed, trying to sound serious.

Lancer frowned, but nodded. "All right, but if you need to be sent to the hospital because of the severity of your injuries, I will be calling your parents. Now get going."

The trio rushed out of there, leaving behind a very concerned-and suspicious-teacher.