I do not own Danny Phantom.

Invasion and a Close Call

"Why do we even have assemblies?" asked Sam, sitting back in the bleachers that lined the side walls of the gym, where the entire population of Casper High was gathered for an assembly.

"To teach us something," replied Tucker. "Though I don't know what that 'something' is."

"Has Valerie been acting, I don't know, weird lately?" questioned Danny, sneaking a glance at the ghost huntress, who sat on the other side of the gym.

"It could from the brush-off you gave her a few days ago," Tucker commented.

Danny sighed. "I didn't mean to be cold, but she nearly killed Youngblood with absolutely no emotion other than anger." He paused in thought. "Well, he's already dead. But too many hits from the ecto-weapons and they can be erased out of existence. Does that mean you can kill a ghost?"

"One of life's great questions," said Tucker.

Sam rolled her eyes and was about to add her own remark, but Principal Ishiyama stood at the podium and she fell silent.

"Settle down, students," she ordered, and soon the buzz of chatter disappeared. "Today's assembly is going to deal with Health and Safety."

"Didn't we just have one of these stupid things?" muttered Tucker.

"We're probably the instigators," returned Danny. "Lancer is the vice-principal. They probably want to make sure no one else decides to go out ghost hunting and get their butts kicked."

"We are going to begin by-"

But Ishiyama didn't get to finish her opening sentence, as two ghosts phased through the wall behind her and everyone went crazy. Startled, the principal cleared the stage and the students jumped up, frantic to leave before the attacks started.

"So much for beginning," joked Tucker.

Danny's blue eyes widened. "Typical. Just typical. Hunker down, guys."

The three slipped down the bleachers and merged with the surrounding crowd, their conversation masked from others by the constant screams.

Sam crossed her arms. "I guess it was only a matter of time before they teamed up."

"What do you mean?"

"The whole Dark Dan thing, remember? In that future, Skulker and Technus were fused together."

"Okay, that's not going to be the outcome of this battle," said Danny flatly. "Because that was creepy and I don't need to deal with it on a daily basis."

Skulker and Technus flew above the panicked crowd, searching the fleeing students intently. The teachers were in the process of evacuating of massive group of teens, but it wouldn't be in enough time. The duo would spot Danny sooner enough and then the blasts would be flying.

Sam narrowed her violet eyes and glanced at Danny. "You and Tucker find a place to hide. I'm going to distract Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb."

Danny hesitated. "But Sam-"

Sam waved her hands, shooing the two boys away. "We'll work on our excuses later. It won't be long before Valerie shows up and complicates things."

Obeying, Danny and Tucker slipped through the crowd and hid under the bleachers to wait for their opportunity.

Skulker scowled. "I can't find him anywhere! There are too many humans milling about, he blends right in!"

Technus allowed two wires to come from his back, sparking with electricity. "Then we will blast them out of our way!" He laughed manically.

Skulker eyed him. "I can't believe I agreed to team up with you."

"Hey, morons!"

The two ghosts whirled around to see Sam grinning at them from the stage. "Looking for someone? I think I know where he is."

Skulker allowed a plasma cannon to stretch from his armour. Lancer noticed this from his place across the gym, where he was in the middle of ushering a group of students out the gym fire escape doors.

He widened his eyes in horror. "Samantha!"

Sam didn't hear him, as she was focussed on the two threatening ghosts before her. Well, one. Technus was more of an annoyance than a threat.

"No games, child. Where is the whelp?"

Sam smirked. "Well, I'll tell you. If you can catch me!" She reached out and pulled a piece of rope that hung from the ceiling. Instantly, a trap door opened up under her and she disappeared just in time to avoid the plasma blast.

Skulker swore. "Technus, you follow the child. It's obvious she's trying to lead us away from the whelp."

Technus blinked. "Why do I have to go into the trap?"

"Because I said so, that's why. And if you don't, I'll download you into a little girl's music player."

"Not teenybopper music!" Technus cried out.

"Exactly. Now go!"

Technus shot after the Goth girl, cursing softly under his breath.

Danny poked his head out a few minutes later and he noticed that the gym was empty, with the exception of Skulker, who seemed to know that he was lingering somewhere.

He turned to Tucker. "Okay, let's make this quick. Sam's got Technus taken care of for now, so we have to delay Skulker and help her before Technus catches her. And we have to do all this before my parents or Valerie shows up. Got it?"

Tucker nodded, his fingers flying across the tiny P.D.A touchscreen. "Almost there," he informed. "Distract Skulker for a minute and it'll be ready."

Danny transformed and he flew out to the middle of the gym. "Hey, if it isn't the Greatest Hunter of the Ghost Zone. Wait, scratch that. If you were so great, you'd have me as your pelt!"

Skulker snarled, the plasma cannon firing up. "You insolent whelp!"

Danny easily avoided each blast, but with each evasion Skulker grew more and more furious.

Hurry up Tucker! Danny thought. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up before he nails me.

"Got it!"

Skulker whirled his head around and widened his green eyes as Tucker came out from behind the bleachers, brandishing his beloved P.D.A.

"No! I swear, if you-"

He was cut off as his armour beeped and blipped before he shot through the roof and sped off. Danny grinned. "Let me guess, the purple-backed gorilla wild reserve?"

Tucker smiled. "Yup. He should have fun."

Danny lifted Tucker up and phased them through the roof. "He deserves it. Now, let's go and get Sam before Technus fries her and Skulker comes back from his little field trip."