Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
Out of all holidays, Vlad Masters hated Halloween the most. It was ridiculous, honestly, children banging on doors, screaming for candy and little pranks that were supposed to be 'frightening'.
It was so incredibly stupid that Vlad couldn't fathom how people, adults and children alike (well, Jack Fenton was an exception) actually enjoyed such foolishness.
Alright, maybe it wasn't that ridiculous; seeing people happy made Vlad feel a little… at peace. Even if he was an extremely evil ghost, he did have feelings. He was the mayor of Amity Park, after all; seeing his people with joy painted on their faces gave him a certain pleasure.
To be honest, the main reason Vlad disliked Halloween was that he didn't have anyone to share it with. He didn't have any loving wife (oh, Maddie, why couldn't she have chosen him over that bumbling buffoon? Why?) or children (Daniel would be the perfect son, in all honesty). Vlad couldn't watch his family walk around with bags full of sweets and their teeth covered in half-formed cavities. It was so isolating and frustrating.
Vlad moodily picked up the bottle of fine, vintage red wine and poured some of it into the wine glass. The rich red liquid filled the smooth inside of the goblet without spilling over the sides.
"Reduced to drinking," Vlad muttered to himself, "how incredibly fittingfor the mayor of Amity Park." His voice was tinged with bitterness and sarcasm.
Just as he was about to take a sip of the crimson alcohol, a voice said, "You know, talking to yourself is a sign of madness."
Vlad, who had tensed up at the sudden intrusion, slowly let his shoulders drop. It was Daniel.
Daniel Fenton was the son of Jack and Maddie Fenton. He, too, was a half-ghost, or halfa (the more common term) like Vlad. That was what made Vlad pity the boy, if ever so slightly. The only way (known to him) to become a halfa was through electrocution from a ghost portal, or in Daniel's case, a ghost zone.
As Vlad and Daniel were similar in some ways, they were extremely different in others. When Vlad had gotten his powers, he had used them for his own personal gain; what was the use of helping humans? If his secret should be revealed, the normal mortals may act grateful, but they would always think of him as a freak, an abomination.
Daniel, on the other hand, used his powers to help the humans. His ghost half, known as Danny Phantom, was a common favorite of all the humans except Jack and Maddie Fenton, who thought of him as a menace waiting to strike them all at the opportune moment.
Truth be told, Vlad was a little apprehensive of the boy. Daniel's powers were growing at a vast rate; he had almost reached Vlad's level by this point, and he had only had his powers for two years! He even had a power that Vlad hadn't gotten: something called a 'ghostly wail'.
Vlad would have given anything to have Maddie and Daniel. Why did they choose that idiot, Jack Fenton, over him? Surely he was better than Jack; he didn't waste all of his time on fudge, he didn't make rash decisions, he appeared sane to the public, he was rich and successful, and he wasn't bad-looking for a man over fifty. And Daniel; Vlad could have been a wonderful father: responsible, caring, nurturing…
But Daniel didn't accept him, and that hurt. It hurt so much that the only person like him in the world rejected him.
Vlad had wanted Daniel to love him so much that he had even created a clone of him. In the end, the experiment had gone horrible wrong, leaving Vlad with a bunch of mindless drones and one female version of Daniel, named Danielle by Vlad.
Danielle was Daniel's female counterpart, and Vlad could respect that. Instead of having the son he had dreamed of, he could make do with a daughter. Both Daniel and Danielle had the same abilities, why couldn't he train her so she could be better than Daniel already was? Vlad had had plans for Danielle, improving her speed, aim, strength, and knowledge. Then he could rub it in Daniel's face, proving it to him that it was too late, and what he could have become if he had just taken up Vlad's offer.
Unfortunately for Vlad, the girl had starting melting into a pool of ectoplasm whenever she overextended herself. In short, Vlad was extremely disappointed. Vlad started to loathe Danielle; she was just weak and mindless. True, she wasn't stupid and mentally defected like his other clones, but she had no mind of her own; Vlad had to give her instructions and he had to tell her how to do things. So Vlad simply used her to get Daniel's DNA to make a better, male clone, one that wasn't defective. Danielle Fenton/Phantom was a tool, nothing more.
Vlad's plan had failed, obviously, and he was alone again. Looking back on it, it was a little obsessive-compulsive to actually want Daniel as far as to actually clone him.
And now the boy was standing somewhere behind his comfy armchair by the fireplace, waiting for Vlad to acknowledge him.
"What do you want, Daniel?" Vlad sighed. "To insult me once more?"
"No, actually, I wanted to… thank you," Daniel muttered, so softly that Vlad thought he had imagined it.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Vlad asked for confirmation. Had Daniel hit his head? Did those idiots in the factory put alcohol in the sweets that were consumed on Halloween as a joke? Did Daniel's two personalities finally make him lose his mind?
"I wanted to thank you," he repeated, louder. "Um, I guess you think I'm crazy, right?"
Vlad turned to face the boy. To his surprise, Daniel wasn't in ghost form; his messy black hair fell onto his pale face, concealing his bright blue eyes. Vlad had to suppress the urge to brush the dark locks away from his skin. His baggy T-shirt hid his leanly muscular frame, and his jeans did the same for his legs.
Vlad studied the boy, searching for injuries. Could Daniel be so delirious from pain to come here and thank him for something he probably didn't do? Was he on drugs?
"I think you've had a sudden lapse in judgement, Daniel," Vlad finally responded. "Are you feeling alright?"
Daniel's lips twitched, the ghost of a smile flitting across his face. "I'm perfectly fine, thanks. Um, can I sit down?"
"Of course," Vlad obliged. He motioned towards a plush red chair. Daniel took it gently and dragged it across the deep crimson rug to the fireplace, where Vlad's own chair was standing.
"May I ask what led up to the non-violent circumstances of this visit?" Vlad asked. "Why aren't you with your friends? Miss Manson and Mr. Foley, are they not?"
"Yeah," Daniel acknowledged. "Tuck and Sam." Vlad felt a surge of pride in knowing the boy's friend's names. Jack Fenton couldn't have known them! This just proved that Vlad would be a more attentive father than him.
Clearing his throat, he asked, "So, not to be rude, but what is the purpose of this visit?"
Daniel laughed nervously. "Okay, this is a long story. So, if you have to something, or if you're busy, I'm sorry."
"No, every one of my employees is with their families tonight. Celebrating Halloween, I suppose. Or perhaps Samhain," Vlad told him. "Even the ghosts. This is the only night they can terrorize humans without being arrested."
"Okay, wow, uh," Daniel mumbled. "I didn't know that ghosts celebrated Halloween."
You would know so much more if only you stayed with me, Daniel, Vlad thought. He didn't speak aloud. Silently, with his eyes, he urged the boy to continue.
When he didn't say anything, Daniel cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. Two other habits we share… "So, um, you know when the students of Casper High took our C.A.T.s?" he asked, rambling.
"Yes," Vlad said hesitantly. "And you want to talk to me about your C.A.T. exams because?"
Danny exhaled nervously. "In an alternate timeline, I cheated on that exam," he whispered. His hands trembled; it was clear that the boy was upset. Shakily, exhaling once more, he continued. "I didn't do it willingly. In that timeline, I was so tired from fighting ghosts and saving people that I didn't have time to study. So I cheated."
"And you feel guilty?" Vlad asked softly. He would let Daniel take his time. He was honored that he would come to him just to confess something he didn't even do.
"Yes," Daniel whispered. "Not just for cheating, for so much more, too. In that timeline, Mr. Lancer caught me." His mouth twitched up sadly in a self-hating smile. "He asked my parents to meet him in the Nasty Burger the next afternoon. Jazz, Sam, and Tucker came in when he was about to tell them, saying how the sauce in the kitchens had overheated. Before any of them could leave, the Nasty Burger exploded."
Daniel took a shaky breath, fingers clenching. His teeth were gritted. "That must have been quite traumatic," Vlad heard himself say. He couldn't get over the shock that Daniel had seen everyone he cared about die just like that.
"It was," Daniel said humorlessly. "I wasn't in the explosion since I was on my way there. I couldn't save any of them. I was too slow, and they were just… gone. I was so angry and ashamed of myself, so… I came to you."
"What?" Vlad asked. "But you…"
"I don't hate you, Vlad. I respect you now. Before I found out, I didn't understand," Daniel whispered.
"Before what?" Vlad questioned. "Daniel, please stop the suspense." He meant it as a joke, but it didn't diffuse the tension. Daniel ignored him and opened his mouth to continue.
"I came to you because… you were alone, too. You were the only person who understood. You were like me," Daniel said. "I went to you, and I asked you to get rid of my ghost half."
"You what?" Vlad exploded. "But that could seriously harm you, Daniel. The consequences could—"
"I know, Vlad," Daniel interrupted. "But when the Nasty Burger exploded, I couldn't react. I was too slow. I was just like… a normal human being.
"I was ashamed at how slow I was. I wouldn't have cheated on that exam if it weren't for my ghost powers, right? They're the only reason that I fight ghosts," Daniel muttered, looking at the thick carpet under the soles of his shoes.
"What about watching over the humans?" Vlad prompted him, trying to cheer him up. It made him uncomfortable, seeing Daniel so desolate. "You are a hero, after all."
"Yeah," Daniel repeated. "Yeah. So, I asked you to rip my ghost half out. You said yes. I think you did it out of pity, sort of."
"So you want to thank me for almost killing you?" Vlad asked incredulously.
"No, I'm not done yet. After you took the ghost half out, he ripped your ghost half out, and they combined. Basically, it was my body, kind of older, with your personality. Your human half survived," Daniel added at Vlad's shocked look. "It was alright for you."
"What about you?" Vlad demanded. "What happened to your human half?!" Vlad realized that he sounded a tad hysterical, but that couldn't be denied. He was worried about Daniel, and he was letting it show, even if it was against his will (well, most of the time).
"I think I died," Daniel replied tonelessly. No, Vlad thought, I wouldn't let that happen, I couldn't… Daniel continued his story. "So the combination of our ghost halves called himself 'Dan'." He laughed bitterly. "That's why I can't stand to be called that anymore. Anyway, Dan razed Earth to the ground. The only city left standing was Amity Park."
It took a moment for Vlad to absorb all of that. "Why are you thanking me?" he choked out. "I killed you, my personality made you destroy everything in the world. Why?"
"For giving me kindness," Daniel told him gently. "For helping me when I needed it. And for being a good person."
"But I'm not a good person!" Vlad exploded. "Every time I've seen you in the past, I've attacked you! I've tried to kill your father and steal your mother and you for myself! How am I a good person?!"
"When you were completely human again, you realized your mistakes. Clockwork, the ghost of time—"
"I know who he is," Vlad snapped tonelessly. "I've been a halfa for about thirty years now."
"Of course you have." Danny smiled at him. "Sorry for insulting your intelligence, Fruit Loop." The familiar phrase made Vlad smile a little bit.
"I thought you weren't going to insult me, Little Badger."
I think we can call this a term of endearment for once, can't we?" Danny protested. "And you just called me a badger!"
"Think of that as an endearment as well, Daniel," Vlad joked back. "It does fit you, you know."
"Oh, shut up," Daniel snapped back, blushing. "So, anyway, Clockwork sent me to the future to defeat my evil self, and I met your future human self. You'd seriously mellowed down, and you'd realized your faults. And I realized… you just needed a second chance."
Daniel stopped talking to let Vlad think. "So… " he continued, "Thank you, for helping me, for giving me guidance. And, I wanted to say; maybe I need a second chance, too."
"For what?" Vlad asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I think I should take up some tutoring from you," Daniel stuttered out. "That is, if you'll accept me as your student."
To his surprise, Vlad didn't feel any malice. He didn't feel like rubbing the matter in the boy's face and saying, I told you so. He felt, for the first time in years, truly happy and loved, and he was grateful.
So, in a voice that held only joy, he said, "Of course, Daniel." And, just to mess with the boy a little, he added, "On one condition: you clean out Maddie's litter box."
Daniel's face had paled now brightened once more at the joke. "Who's Maddie?"
"My cat," Vlad replied, flushing. "I took your advice, after all."
Instead of teasing him, Daniel simply smiled. "Sure, I'll do it." At Vlad's expression, he added, "Oh, don't be so surprised. I had a pet gerbil in sixth grade. But I'll only clean the litter box on one condition."
"Oh, and what's that, Daniel?" Vlad asked, his eyebrow rising.
"You have to call me Danny."
"Deal," Vlad laughed, and he shook, Danie—Danny's hand. "And, just for public appearances—"
"Act the same," Danny finished the sentence for him. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you actually have feelings."
With that, he phased into ghost form and took off from a window Vlad hadn't even realized was open When Vlad had finally comprehended that last sentence, it was too late.
"Daniel!"
The boy ignored the protest, and soared in the sky, laughing, even performing a few loops to goad the elder halfa into joining him. "C'mon, Vlad! Wanna play?"
"I would," Vlad replied, mirth in his tone, "If your friends weren't waiting for you in that car outside the gate."
Sure enough, a white car was parked outside the premises. Sam Manson had a video camera and Tucker Foley was laughing his insides out. When Danny realized this, he could only say one thing: "Oh, crap!"
And Vlad couldn't help but say, "Mind your language, Little Badger!" and close the window, helplessly chortling at the boy's stream of curses.
The end.