-The Ghost Boys' Meeting.

The Ghostly Trio carried an awful lot of snow and hovered over Danny, who was still recovering from the previous attack. Then, they let it fall over him, and, once he was totally covered, the ghosts moved at supernatural speed to make a snowman.

"This has to be our best job ever!" Stinky said proudly.

"You can say that again!" Fatso chuckled.

"But turn when doing it, can you?" Stretch said as holding his nose, since some of Stinky's odor came out from his mouth when talking. A moment later, Stretch returned to his cackling mood, and talked in his leader-like way.

"So, who rules among ghosts? Skulker?"

"No!" Fatso and Stinky chorused.

"Technus?"

"No!"

"Spectra?"

"No… but she is pretty."

"In deed… so, who rules then?"

"The Ghostly Trio!" The three ghosts chorused and laughed loudly, ignoring the green glowing coming from under their snowman.

BOOOM!

The trio stopped laughing as snow covered them. When their heads emerged, they saw a very pissed Danny Phantom glaring at them.

"I had been on an excellent mood lately… and you guys ruined it!" Danny snapped, "If you were looking for troubles, congratulations, because you found them!"

"Ah, shut up and smell the roses… or better, smell me!" Stinky released a large amount of his burping gas, but this time Danny was ready; the halfa used his freezing ray on the gas, condensing it and making the substance to fall harmlessly to the ground.

"Okay… that was unexpected." Stretch wide opened his eyes in surprise while his companions yelled in fear at the speeding glowing fists heading against them.

WHACK!

Stinky smashed against a wall.

POW!

Stretch landed the other side of the street.

THUD!

Fatso made a large dent on a nearby car's door.

"So, you still aren't leaving, or what?" Danny directed to the stunned ghosts, clenching his teeth and fists.

"Tough guy, uh? Well, take this, boy!" Stretch turned both his arms into lassos, and trapped Danny as previously. However, when the thin ghost was about to make him to spin again, Danny reacted by flying as fast as he could, yanking Stretch. The halfa passed next to a light post, and made circles around it; when ending, Stretch's body was made a messy knot around the post.

"Here I come to squash the boy!" Fatso said in an opera singer-like tone as charging against Danny, who moved away from Stretch, and then formed a ghost shield around him at the last moment, right when Fatso was about to hit him.

WHAM!

Fatso collided with the shield and was sent several feet up because of the impact's force. He then shook his head to clear it, and started looking for Danny as Stinky was doing his best to release Stretch.

"Looking for someone, Marshmallow Belly?" Danny made himself visible behind Fatso, who tried to hit him again. Danny avoided the attack easily, and grabbed Fatso by his arm; then, Danny made him spin at large speed, in an Olympic throwing fashion.

"Hurry up, Stinky!" Stretch said to his companion as he ended getting rid of the hardest part of the knot. Stretch got free a moment later, and he and Stinky were about to help Fatso with Danny when the boy released his prey, heading him against the other two ghosts.

"NOOOOO!"

MEGAWHAM!

The trio got smashed against a wall, their bodies somehow combined in a white paste except their heads.

"See the bright side, guys; I'm sure you had never been closer." Danny joked as landing next to the mumbling ghosts.

"Once we can get out of this mess…" Stretch glared at Danny, who responded with an icy beam, freezing the ghosts so they couldn't separate.

"And for the final touch, my own companions," Danny said in a smug tone, and, a moment later, the ghosts were caught by a sucking force, coming from the Fenton Thermos Sam was holding, with Tucker right next to her; during the battle, even if Danny couldn't talk with them, Tucker could use his PDA to track down the earphones' signal, so he and Sam could be there to finally trap the specters once Danny had weakened them enough.

"YEEEEAAAARGH!"

Sam smiled slightly when the three ghosts got sucked, and closed the thermos, the specters' voices still perfectly audible.

"Get us out of here!"

"We can't share a room this small with Stinky!"

"At least I don't need as much space as you, Fatso! And get your finger out from my nose!"

"That's your own finger, you fool!"

"It's a big happy family or The Three Stooges on disguise?" Tucker mockingly asked Danny.

"No idea; I just know they're a major pest, especially the short one." Danny commented. "I'll need to shower a few dozen times when getting home."

Danny's ghost sense got activated again at that moment.

"Oh, it's just great! A few days with nothing at all but peace and relaxation, and now two ghostly emergencies one after the other!" Danny rolled his eyes.

"Well, at least I don't think this ghost will be as annoying or disturbing as these three." Sam shrugged as holding the thermos.

"Guess you're right; okay, let's do this fast." Danny then flew away, searching for the new ghost he just detected. Sam then looked down at the thermos, and got a little deep sniff.

"Danny is right; this thing stinks."

"I have something to cover that smell." Tucker pointed as taking a little bottle out from his backpack and smiling widely, "'Foley', from Tucker Foley."

Sam arched an eyebrow at her friend.

"I'm taking the ghostly stench better, thank you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Valerie's shot missed the ghost child's head by less than an inch; the boy could feel the blast's heat, and, realizing a full impact would be the last one, dashed away at maximum speed. Val, of course, kept chasing him, shooting whenever her prey seemed to be a good target.

"I need to find a hideout!" The boy thought out loud, and then looked at a hiding place that, ironically, was also his final destination.

"If I weren't so much in a hurry right now, this would be a great moment!" The boy said to himself as avoiding another blast. He then flew behind the school's clock tower, and, the moment he got out of the huntress' sight, turned invisible and intangible, phasing through the tower's wall; he hoped the girl would think he had escaped or hide in the schoolyard.

The boy reached one of the school's corridors, and turned visible and tangible again. He gave a good look to the deserted school, and smiled slightly as flying through the corridors and phasing through the classrooms' doors.

"It's so big!" The boy exclaimed as looking inside one lab. "I'm sure he would love this place."

"Looking for a new haunting place, ghost?"

The boy's happy expression changed to a shocked one when turning and spotting the huntress aiming at him with a little pistol-like weapon, not nearly as destructive as the bazooka-like, but the kid guessed its blasts would be painful, to say the least.

"How did you find me so fast?" The kid said as moving his hands in front of him in defense.

"I have a ghost alarm… and you had met your doom!" Valerie snapped at him as shooting what seemed to be some sort of ectoplasmic glue. The girl decided to use a non-lethal weapon (something she rarely ever did) to secure the ghost before eliminating him, a move done obviously for the school's sake instead of the specter's.

The kid avoided the glue shot, and, in at amazing speed, flew between the girl's legs, keeping him self close to the floor. The huntress turned and made a new shot, this one avoided by the boy's phasing inside the closest locker.

"Ugh! When was the last time this guy cleaned his locker?" The kid said to himself when finding a spoiled bologna sandwich.

Valerie growled in anger, and then took out a second pistol; she pressed the barrel against the lockers' line, and pulled the trigger, releasing an electric-like energy.

"AAAAH!" The kid got expelled out from his hideout, and was sent through the end of the corridor. The young ghost shook his head to clear his vision, and the first thing he could see was a slimy substance heading against him.

PLOOORG!

The boy got covered on glue; he tried to escape by phasing and flying, but the substance held him still despite his efforts. Valerie smirked, and advanced slowly towards her prey, preparing her other gun.

"I don't know what are you looking for in here, ghost, and I don't care. Your haunting days are over!" Valerie growled while setting her weapon on the highest level, and then aimed at the kid's head.

"Please, I can explain everything!" The boy begged, but it seemed his voice made little effect on the huntress, because she ignored him and placed the barrel right in front of his nose.

BLAST!

The gun fell from Valerie's hand thanks to a well placed ghostly beam courtesy of Danny, who was hovering right over the girl.

"You already caught him, Val, and he's just a child! There's no need to destroy him!"

"Maybe, but I need to destroy you!" Valerie snapped and shot at Phantom with her glue's gun. Danny protected himself with a ghost shield, and then phased through the ceiling; he reappeared right next to the little boy, and used an icy beam to freeze the glue, making it to break apart so the kid could escape by phasing through the floor. Even if Danny had no idea about the boy's intentions, he just couldn't ignore his begging for mercy.

Once the kid was safe, Danny tried to escape by phasing as well, but Valerie's next shot got his right hand, sticking it to the wall behind him. The huntress then leaned quickly to recover the pistol Phantom had shot previously; luckily for her, it wasn't badly damaged, so it could be used against her prey. On the meantime, Danny shot an energy blast from his trapped hand to get rid of the glue, succeeding. He was about to escape when finding Valerie's gun right in front of his face, and, by mere instinct, Danny moved his still glowing right fist in front of the huntress' face.

"I don't want to hurt you, Valerie. I'm retiring my hand if you promise to retire your gun, okay?" Danny said in his most serious tone.

"You think I'm stupid, ghost? You'll blast my head off the moment I stop aiming!"

"What about we do it at the same time? That way we'll both be safe."

"Yeah, right, as if I'm going to trust a ghost who seems to get a new power whenever I see him!" Valerie snapped, "I mean, freezing beams?"

"Well, what about you? You got a glue gun!" Danny replied, and then both he and Valerie chorused.

"Where do you get that kind of abilities/weaponry?"

The halfa and the huntress got thoughtful expressions, and then replied, again, both at the same time.

"Uh… Internet?"

"I need to work on my witty banter." Danny said as returning to his serious mode.

"And I need to finish you before I get contaminated with more of your stupid sense of humor!"

"Stop, please!"

Danny and Valerie turned at the same time, forgetting about each other for a moment, because of the pale boy standing behind them, showing a very sad look.

"I never wanted this to happen; please, don't hurt each other because of me." The boy said as getting teary eyes. "If your fight is my fault, I'll leave now and none will see me again."

The boy sounded so hurt at the last part that Valerie couldn't avoid feeling a little pity on him, even if still conserving a battle stance.

"What do you want him anyway? You look too young to have attended this school before turning into a ghost." Valerie asked him.

"Yes… but my father funded this school's construction many years ago." The kid said as pointing at a large picture on the wall behind Danny. The halfa and the huntress looked at it, and gasped; of course they knew who that man was.

"T.J. McFadden?" Danny raised an eyebrow, and then looked back at the kid.

"You mean the legend is true?" Valerie did as Danny. "I thought it was a myth; the whole thing about him and the will leaving all his wealth to fund this school on the condition it was named after…"

"His deceased 12 years old son," the kid sighed sadly, "Casper… glad to meet you."

Danny was more than surprised; according to Jazz (who studied and researched the school's history for a special project) McFadden was considered an eccentric inventor, but a very successful one that made several improvements on various machines, including trains and cars' engines, electric generators, and the prototypes for water's purifiers. Also, as Danny's parents confirmed, he was one of the first scientists to take paranormal studies seriously and designed several ancient devices for ectoplasm's analysis and spectral detection that were a strong basis for Jack and Maddie's current research.

"Wait, if you're McFadden's child, why you hadn't been haunting this place previously?" Valerie asked, her curiosity beating her rage for once.

"Well, basically, because not every deceased person turns into a ghost." Casper explained, a little more relaxed as noticing the girl wanted to hear his story rather than blasting him, "After I… turned into a specter, I kept company to my dad, and even helped him a little with his research, but, when he… passed out, and didn't turn into a ghost, I was alone for the first time ever. Even before my demise, my dad was my only friend, and when I turned into a ghost, he was the only one who didn't fear me; without him, and everyone in town running away whenever I tried making a friend, I had nothing left here, so became an errant ghost."

"And why you didn't go to the Ghost Zone?" Danny asked.

"I had been wondering the same about you." Valerie frowned at Phantom, who simply rolled his eyes, and Casper answered him.

"Because it seems most of my deceased relatives had gone to either Heaven or the other place, so there's none at the Ghost Zone. And I'm afraid of going in there alone; as you had noticed, I only have basic ghost powers, so I'm no match for some of the most aggressive specters." Casper shook his head as looking down, "The only relatives I have that are ghosts as well are my uncles Stretch, Stinky and Fatso, and they enjoy scaring humans so much they have no intention of leaving this realm, so I'm stuck here with them, and they aren't willing to help me get a lair at the Ghost Zone because they enjoy having me around so I can serve them. I'm sure I'll have some serious problems when they find me; I had been trying to come here and see the school my dad helped to build ever since it got finished, but they never allowed me, and after doing it without permission I'll be lucky if getting just a grounding."

Danny got a sad expression, and then a surprised one when noticing Valerie was giving Casper that same look as well; the girl, despite hating ghosts, knew the pain of losing a loved one (her mother) as an early age, so somehow she felt some sort of connection with the little ghost.

"Valerie, can I propose you a deal?" Danny asked her, "Look, just give me an hour to show Casper the school, and I promise to escort him to the Ghost Zone when finishing. I know a place where he can be safe and well."

"You really would do that for me?" Casper's expression brightened as Danny nodded.

"Yes, and don't worry about your uncles. I found them a while ago, and gave them a lesson; they'll be fine, but I'm sure I can convince to stop bullying you. And I have many enemies at the Ghost Zone, but also a few friends that will be more than happy to receive you."

Danny and Casper then turned at Valerie, both of them with begging looks, which obviously was a very awkward situation for the huntress. After a few seconds, the girl frowned at them as gripping strongly her gun.

"Nice try, but I still don't believe the whole 'friendly ghost' routine." Valerie groaned, making Casper to get a scared expression and Danny to get his battle stance back.

"So, I'm staying with you two during your tour, and then escort to the Fentons' place to be sure you'll keep your word, ghosts." Valerie got a more relaxed posture and smirked playfully at the ghost boys. Danny and Casper gave each other a fast glance, and then smiled at the girl.

"Thanks a lot!" Casper said in happiness and gave Valerie the tightest hug he could. The huntress got a surprised expression that made Danny to chuckle slightly.

"Okay, enough; cut the sugar before I change my mind." Valerie said to Casper as gently pushing him back.

"Fine then; come on, Casper, I'm showing you the gym." Danny said to the little ghost, who walked next to him. Valerie placed herself the other side of Phantom, keeping a cool attitude yet still holding her gun, just to show them she wasn't kidding.

"And how do you know the school so well, ghost?"

"Hey, there's plenty of spectral activity around here, remember? I chase The Box Ghost through this same corridor at least twice a month." Danny got really proud of himself when thinking about a good excuse that wasn't a lie.

Once at the gym, Casper started flying around the place and having fun with the various exercising equipment. Valerie couldn't help but chuckle at the little ghost's enthusiasm, which gave Danny the chance to walk back a few steps and whisper at his earphone.

"Sam, Tuck, you guys heard everything?"

"Every single word, dude."

"Are you sure you can trust Valerie on this one, Danny?"

"I guess so, Sam. Anyway, I need both of you to hide the thermos with Casper's uncles at the alley behind my house so I can retrieve it later; I need to have a little talk with that trio before dropping them at the Ghost Zone." Danny's friends agreed, and, after wishing him good luck, cut the communication.

"What are you doing back there, ghost?" Valerie turned at Danny.

"Just looking at Casper, same as you," Danny shrugged. Valerie didn't totally believe him, but the interrogation got cut by Casper, who had phased through the gym's closet, and emerged with a basketball.

"Hey, guys, can we have a fast game, please? I like baseball better, but basketball is fine with me."

"Well… sure, if Valerie agrees."

"Maybe… but I can't play against you two. My sled doesn't give me a ghost's maneuverability, and I can't phase or turn invisible."

"Then you can play referee if you want." Danny proposed. Valerie pondered about the idea for a minute, and decided it wouldn't hurt; Danny and Casper spent the next half hour chasing each other and doing several cool tricks to best each other. Valerie had to admit it was extremely amusing to see one player disappearing to surprise the other, and even the best NBA players couldn't match the speed of a real aerial game.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that same day, Danny and Casper entered a ghostly lair, finding a huge icy scenario, and were greeted by a large blue ghost on white and red pajamas.

"Oh, will you be my friend, please, please, please?"

"Cool down, Klemper." Danny said to the huge childish specter, "You know I can't stay here for long… but I brought you a playing partner."

Casper offered his hand to Klemper, smiling widely.

"Hello; I'm Casper. Want to be my friend?"

Klemper got his happiest grin and hugged Casper tightly.

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll be your friend!"

Danny chuckled at the scene, and then took a little paper out from his outfit's pocket.

"Well, I have to leave now; this is a map of the Ghost Zone I had been working on. I marked on red the dangerous ghosts' lairs, so you can avoid them, and on green the friendly or, at least, less aggressive ones. I'm sure you'll make some pretty good friends in no time."

"Thanks, Danny," Casper grabbed the map, and then shook hands with Danny, "I don't now how to pay you for this."

"Just keep Klemper here at the Ghost Zone so he doesn't freeze any Amity's block, and I'll be more than satisfied." Danny said, and, then, waving bye to both ghosts, he left the lair.

Back at Fenton Works, Danny opened the thermos containing The Ghostly Trio, releasing them at the lab, with the portal open right behind him.

"Uf! At last I can stretch again!" Stretch said as stretching his arms in relief.

"Those thermoses don't come on a larger size?" Fatso rubbed his neck.

"And all this just because of that Bulb Head!" Stinky said as shaking his head.

"Funny you mentioned him."

The Trio turned to see Danny, who was glaring at them.

"Before you try anything stupid, let me inform you this place is a ghost hunters' lab, and I know how to use every single weapon here, so you'll better listen carefully what I'm going to say, or I'm freezing you guys again, and once I shoot you with something extremely painful, leave you here so the hunters can find and then perform experiments on you three; they're eager to tear apart a ghost molecule by molecule."

The ghosts gulped in fear, and nodded.

"Good. Okay, this will be fast; I found Casper a while ago, and had a good chat with him. He is currently at the Ghost Zone, finally free of your harassment, and I want him to stay that way. I can't allow you guys to be on the loose and scaring people, so I'm tossing you through the portal, but if I ever heard you mess with Casper again, I'll not be so kind with you next time."

"Eh… don't we get a second option?" Stretch asked, gulping.

"Yes… leave this place on the next five minutes and never return Amity again." Danny pointed. The ghosts looked at each other, and then phased in a hurry through the closest wall.

"Danny, you think that was a good idea?" Jazz, who saw the whole scene hiding at the stairway and holding the Fenton Ghost Peeler (just in case Danny needed back-up), entered the lab. "You just set free three mischievous and highly antisocial ghosts."

"I know, Jazz," Danny said as getting a cocky smile, "just as I know Valerie is still patrolling around here to be sure neither Casper nor yours truly get out from the portal."

"I'LL GET YOU, GHOSTS!"

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

BLAST!

Danny and Jazz heard Valerie's battle cry and her shooting, and he then looked at his hand, counting with his fingers.

"Five, four, three, two, one…"

On a perfect cue, the three ghosts, scared, bruised, and aching, phased back into the lab.

"You said no more bullying Casper, right?" Stinky asked in a hurry. Danny nodded as he and Jazz got sly smiles.

"DEAL!" The ghosts chorused, and dashed through the portal, with Jazz closing it the moment they disappeared.

"That was mean, little bro." Jazz grinned at Danny, who simply shrugged and changed back to human.

"What can I say? Ghost boys must stick together."

THE END.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hope you guys enjoyed this little story. (And here's the second disclaimer; Casper and his uncles are copyrighted by Universal Pictures and Harvey Comics.) You're right, Tuck. (Also, Casper's last name and some details mentioned in this fic were taken from his first live-action movie.)

Thanks for the extra information. Anyway, this story is also a little homage to one legendary cartoonist and producer who left to the great toonland in Heavens recently; Joseph "Joe" Barbera. (That's right. The Hanna-Barbera studios produced a Casper's Saturday morning cartoon in the sixties, as well as a Christmas special where he shared the screen with some of the studios' main characters, including Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound.) Wherever Mister Barbera is, he's surely proud of the magnificent job he and his partner did for so many years.

Please, drop a review before leaving. (And thanks again for reading this story).

Keep the good writing.