DP: Return of the Hero Chp 21

The Ghost Keeper watched as the people came out that day. He waited patiently for the power to give in, all the while keeping an eye out for any signs of Danny Phantom and his Phantom Crew.

He frowned softly. "Come, come now, Daniel," he said aloud. "Don't be shy. I told you that I would be here on the third day, so why have you not shown your face? Has Amity Park's hero finally lost all of his courage?"

The lights around the town suddenly went out, and people shouted in fright.

The Ghost Keeper smiled. "Ah, about time," he said. He held out his hand and stuck it through the shield. "Now it's time to begin the attack. We'll start with a fight for the citizens. Let's see how Danny Phantom handles this."

*****

Tucker ran out into the park as people rushed passed him, screaming in fright. He looked at them all and then noticed that the Ghost Keeper had sent his hand through the shield. Pouring out from it was black smoke, and once that parted, hundreds of ghost figures and skeletons bearing deadly weapons came marching out towards them.

Tucker grinned and raised his wrist to his mouth. "I've got mundo trouble on my side," he said. "How about you, Sam?"

"If I told you that I had double your amount, would that mean that I'm winning another competition or that I'm in need of some assistance?" Sam replied.

"Where's Danny?" Jazz's voice wondered.

"He's hiding out until the right moment, Dear," Maddie announced. "He'd rather not say where in case the Ghost Keeper overhears it."

Tucker pulled out a gun and pointed it at the ghosts that were walking towards him. "We'll worry about Danny later on," he said. "For now, it's time to kick some phantom butt!"

He fired ecto-plasmic ghost rays in their direction, knocking down several ghosts at once. He fired attacks from his suit while dodging attacks sent to him by the ghosts.

But to his dismay, for every ghost he managed to break, another one was created.

Tucker rolled over the ground after an explosion and got up into ready stance. "Are you guys killing any of them?" he asked.

"I shoot one, and five more pop up!" Jack exclaimed. "It's like they reproduce!"

"Tucker, can't we activate your ghost zappers now?" Sam asked frantically.

Tucker dodged another attack and ran towards the trees in the park. "It only runs for three hours, Sam," he said. "If we don't use them wisely, Danny will miss his chance at properly destroying the Ghost Keeper!"

"If we don't use it now, he won't have any backup until then!"

Tucker turned around and shot at the ghosts that were pursuing him. "Man, I wish I could have told what kind of crazy minions this ghost could conjure up," he said. "But with Dark magic, he can do anything. Even recreate copies of-!"

"Tucker!"

Tucker halted in his steps and stared ahead. There, standing before him, was Danny, in human form.

Tucker lowered his gun. "Danny, you should be hiding," he said, hastily walking over to his best friend. "It's too dangerous for you to be out here just yet."

"I had to come and check on you," Danny replied.

"Out of ghost form?" Tucker said in confusion.

But just as he reached for Danny, Danny smiled deviously and grabbed Tucker's arm. Tucker gasped in shock and cried out in fright when Danny twisted his arm and tossed him to the ground.

Tucker groaned painfully and gasped in fright when Danny leaned down and held a ghost weapon at his head.

"You shouldn't be meddling with affairs that don't concern you, Tucker Foley," Danny said menacingly. "I asked for Daniel, not for any of you. And because of your meddling, you will pay dearly…" Danny's eyes glowed red. "With your life."

"Hey, Bonehead!"

Evil Danny raised an eyebrow and turned around, looking up at the tree tops.

Danny Phantom stood up there, holding back a large slingshot made of a vine and two large branches. The ghost with white hair smiled cleverly and bared his teeth. "You know what you should learn?" he said. He let go of the sling shot, sending several ghost bombs with it. "Not to impersonate a hero!"

The ghost copy of Danny gasped and dropped his weapon before breaking into a run. But the bombs reached him before he could get too far and exploded. The ghost screeched menacingly, and when the dust settled, nothing remained.

Tucker sighed of relief and looked up at Danny. "Working on your aim, I see?" he said with a grin.

Danny saluted him. "Just a little," he replied. He crouched down in the tree and looked at Tucker seriously. "Are you gonna be okay?" he asked.

Tucker got to his feet. "I'll be fine," he replied. "You?"

Danny looked upwards for a moment. "For now, yeah," he replied. He looked at Tucker again. "I'll keep layin' low, like you said, but if you ever need any help, just buzz me on your suit. Mom installed an alarm that I can hear in my earpiece when someone's in trouble."

"Is that how you found me in the first place?"

"No…" Danny paused for a moment before worry settled in his eyes. "I just wanted to follow you first and watch your back. Considering all the work you've done for me so far…"

Tucker grinned in reply and held up his gun. "No worries, Pal," he said. "It's good to know that you're still my best bud."

Danny stood up. "Just be careful, okay?" he said. Before he left, he looked at Tucker once more and smiled timidly. "Oh; and thank you, Tucker," he added.

"For what?"

"For giving Sam that push we both needed." Danny winked in reply and crouched down in order to jump. "I know you were the one behind it. She would have never done that on her own." With that, he leaped out of the tree and disappeared into thin air.

Tucker blinked a few times before grinning and running off. "I knew I was a genius," he said to himself.

*****