Phanniemay15 Theme: Alternate Universe.

Cheater, Cheater

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"Who's to say that I play fair when I can so easily not?" -Unknown

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Vlad masters was a literal genius.

He was the richest man on the planet not due to luck, or even shady acts. He wasn't just there because he knew how to play the game; he knew how to manipulate it. He knew how the companies and inner workings of business systems worked. How they could be tightened, plucked, wound, and rubbed. He played everything like a fiddle, made sweet music. Whats more, Vlad was an engineer, an inventor, a mathematician, a biologist, and had dabbled in physics at one point.

If he knew how it worked, he could use it.

He could complete complex equations for quantum physics, he could build things that did impossible things. He could manipulate the very fibers of life to his benefit. Bacteria, DNA, ectoplasm—he knew the rules and laws, and pushed them to their limits. Adjust the variables until something happens, until you get what you want or something unexpected happens. What can't I do, what can I get away with.

It was as simple as that.

Which was what he was thinking, as he hovered, invisible, behind the ghostly teen. This was a variable he hadn't expected. The plan had been mapped out to the smallest of details—Host the reunion, break down what Jack Fenton's family thought of him, kill him, catch Maddie in her confusion. Never had another halfa been intended into this equation. He gave Vlad a choice, altered the predicted results tenfold.

Vlad didn't know in what way the boy would affect things.

He thought about revealing himself, to give the child a reason to fear him, to get out of his mansion until the reunion was over. Perhaps even find out who his human half was. But doing so would turn the only other half ghost into an enemy; he wouldn't take kindly to the treatment and that was something Vlad knew would take time to erase. Could he afford that time? Did he even care to be on the boy's good side?

Too many variables.

Vlad decided against doing anything.

He phased into the floor, returning to the lab. Minutes prior, he'd ordered the vultures to see if they could manage to bring him the moron. He'd fallowed because he had a gut feeling the answer was no. He'd been right. It was why he always trusted his instincts. They'd saved his life numerous times before. He leaned over the keyboard of a computer, bringing up the castle's security camera feeds. The ghost boy was searching around, presumably for the vultures. After a while, he seemed to give up, and flew into another room—one Vlad recognized. He'd assigned that room to Daniel Fenton for the night. The room was dark, but Vlad didn't need much light to see. He saw clearly the fact that Daniel was missing from the tussled covers

The realization hit him like a truck.

Daniel Fenton, Danny Phantom.

How stupidly clever.

True to his assumptions, white rings surrounded the teen's middle and split, the spandex replaced with pajamas. He messed up his hair as he shuffled back into bed, pulling the covers up to his ears. He was asleep within minutes, and Vlad felt his lips curling into a smile. This was good, this was very good. He pulled up the recording he had from Amity Park's news, on the few times Daniel had been caught by the cameras. He was a protector, that much was obvious. He willingly put himself into danger to save those around him, regardless if he even knew them or not. He wasn't very strong, Vlad assumed he'd only had hos powers for a couple of months or even less, but his determination made up for what he lacked in offensive capabilities. He was incredibly clever as well. Skulker had told him how the brat had lured him into a trap, used the situation to his advantage (though the ghost had failed to mention the halfa part, something Vlad would need to have a stern talk with him about.) All in all, Daniel was the noble heroism type who saw things at face value and who was still learning how to fight.

The question for Vlad was, what couldn't he do, and what could he get away with?

Vladimir Masters was a genius. If he knew how something worked, he could use it.

He stood, and walked over to the several whiteboards he'd used to plan out all the possibilities of what could have gone wrong with the reunion that he could think of. It needed updating. His plan did as well.

Danny was not having a good time.

He didn't really expect to, what, attending a reunion for a bunch of forty-year-olds that was somehow a horrifying blend of formal and Packers themed. But expectation was often different from reality, and it was even worse in reality. The image of several people in cheese hats dancing was only funny for so long. He wished his cell hadn't been confiscated earlier. At least if he was playing whatever ridiculous ghost-hunting themed games Tucker had synced into it he wouldn't feel like his brain was melting out his ears.

A warm hand touched his back, "Well, son, you're looking rather unimpressed."

Danny looked up into the grinning face of Vlad Masters. Uh oh.

Danny flashed a smile, hoping it wasn't too fake, "Oh, no, Mr. Masters, it's a wonderful reunion. I'm just—"

Vlad waved his hand, "No need to lie. I kind of expected you to be rather bored, given you and your sister are the only children here—where is young Jasmine anyway?" He looked around a little, searching for the sixteen-year-old. Danny shrugged, and jabbed a thumb towards the door.

"The Packer's documentary screening room. She thought it a better option that doing what I'm doing, somehow."

"Ahhh, I see. She seemed the knowledge thirsty type," Vlad said, wringing his hands together, "I was actually wondering if you would do me a favor? In the kitchen, third doors to the left o the main parlor, I have some back up refreshments and food in case they were needed, and it's looking like they are. Could you fetch a box of the diet cola soda, perhaps? I'd like to remain here, to oversee that no one sets anything on fire"

well, that was unexpected, but he nodded, "Oh, sure, Mr. Masters, but I don't think you have to worry about any fires. Seems unlikely."

Vlad chuckled, "Oh I assure you, it's a perfectly viable thought, I remember quite a few of these people setting the science building aflame at the university," Danny's brows shot towards his hair line. Vlad grinned, and nodded towards the dance floor, "Your mother was one of them; twice."

"Oh man, she never told me that! Now how can she get angry a me for dropping so many beakers, at least I haven't set my school on fire."

"I should hope you never do, it's less fun than it sounds."

"I'll try not to, really," Danny smiled, and the older man returned it. He pushed himself you of his chair and jogged over to the main door, "I'm gonna go grab that box for you, I'll be back!"

"Many thanks, Daniel," Danny heard calling after him as he jogged down the hall, but just barely payed any mind to it.

He dashed around the parlor stairs and through the left door, going down three doors. At least all the doors had gold placs next to them saying where they led to, if he had forgotten which one he was looking for. He popped open the double doors, and immediately reeled. There was an absolutely horrendous amount of chrome everywhere. On the counter tops, covering the stove, trimming the wall tile, making up the handles of everything. It was bright, it was ugly, and it hurt his eyes. Mr. Masters really needed to hire better interior decorators—if he hired any at all. But true to the billionaires word, there were all sorts of party refreshers lining the cabinets. The sodas in particular were on the middle islands, and he walked over to them, scanning their flavors.

"Okay, Root beer, Sprite, Pepsi, crème, black liquorish—Eww why is that even a thing?!" Danny stared at the offending soda, nose crinkled, "Ughhh, old people are weird...not diet not diet not diet...AH?!"

A chill ran through him and his throat tightened. A cold mist pushed its way out of his throat, and Danny watched the blue wisp fade into the warmer air. His eyes scanning around, searching for the threat. He lowered himself into a fighting stance, though he really didn't want to fight in Mr. Master's mansion.

Something clicked on the shiny metal the kitchen was platted in, and he whirled around to face whatever made the noise. Flaming green birds faded into existence, their ruby eyes dulling briefly as sideways eyelids flicked over them. They tilted and bobbed their heads, never quite sitting still, and Danny could feel their eyes always on him. They surrounded him, the leader on top of the over overhead, the other two perched on a chair and a hanging pan rack respectively.

"Aey, remember us, ghost boy?" Hissing laughter escaped their hooked beaks, their tails twisting.

Danny snarled, "Oh not you three again! Listen, why don't you just get out of here, we both know how this is gonna end! You can't murder my dad, so just shoo!"

Their eyes flashed with amusement. The leader hissed in laughter again, "E's got a bit of a mouth on him for someone so naive. Riddle us this, kid, do you ever think that things aren't alvays as zimple as you know them as?"

"Funny, sounds like you're just prolonging your beat down," Danny snapped, transforming into his ghost half, "Let's just get this over with!"

The vultures ruffled their feathers, their wings spreading open wide. The bright neon fire eating away at their feathers glinted harshly off the chrome. Danny had to squint and tried to hide his eyes with his hair. They were reflected everywhere, the flicker of movements way too much for Danny to handle. He couldn't fight them in here, he'd be at a disadvantage. The leader hopped onto the counters, sidestepping down them slowly. Its eyes never left the halfa, but Danny divided his gaze between the three of them. He didn't want to be caught between them. Danny move opposite of the leader, and the only thing the other two did was lower themselves, their wings still outstretched.

The leader beat his wings once, snarling, "If you vant a fight, then come at us!"

Danny snarled, gritting his teeth, "If you insist!"

His legs merged into a spectral tail and he charged the leader. Ectoenergy gathered in his fist, and he arched it back to swing at the bird. The Vulture clapped its wings, jumping backwards onto a table, his first meeting empty air. It beat it's wings again, hovering in air before charging out the ceiling.

"Hey! Get back here!" Danny snapped, shooting after it.

The other two fallowed him. The leader flew upwards, riding the currents of the winds displaced by the stone of the castle. Danny fallowed, shooting a blast at it's wing. The specter easily rolled to the side, tucking its wing then flaring them as it caught itself on the air. It dove upwards, then finally paused, hovering in mid air. Danny tried to hit it again, but it dodged out of the way. His talon tipped feet hung loose beneath it, its wings making it nearly impossible to get closer without being kissed by fire. The followers screeched, and Danny swiveled. Claws sliced the air where his back had been, and he shot at the offending avian. The blast skipped it, and the vulture squawked in surprised pain. Danny felt a smirk grace his lips, but his satisfaction was short lived. The third, out of nowhere, charged down his arm. White hot pain burned into his nerves and he clutched the arm. Green blood freckled with red dripped from the three shallow cuts, staining the white of his suit. He glared at the birds, his lip raising into a snarl. Before he could speak, however, the leader began to sing.

"For vant of a nail the shoe vas lost," It said, and charged off into the night air again.

"What?!" Danny bolted after, throwing and shoot energy blasts in some vain hope of trying to take it down. It dodged, but many grazed it's flanks. The other two flew by his sides, boxing him in.

"For want of a shoe the horse was lost," A follower sung.

"For want of a horse the rider was lost," The third added.

"You're all not making any sense! What nail? What horse? What rider?!" Danny snapped. The song was nonsense to him, and he was barely paying attention as it was. Higher and higher they flew, all around over top of the main castle tower.

The leader continued, "For vant of a rider the battle vas lost."

"What battle?!"

"For vant of a battle the kingdom vas lost."

Danny snarled, "Just shut up already, I don't have time for this!"

"And all for the vant of a horseshoe nail."

"I don't get what your saying! Just shut up and-" Danny formed a large ecto blast in his hand, his irritation fueling it. Shrill, piercing screams shattered the calm night air below the battle. Danny spun and stared at the estate in horror and confusion, "Screaming?!" His eyes widened, "DAD!"

The vultures hissed in laughter, "Riddle us this: did you ever think that things aren't always as simple as you know them as?"

He bolted towards the reunion, but the Vultures moved into his way. He snarled, trying to move around them but they blocked him, shifting and stopping him from getting anywhere. Their claws caught on his suit as they sometimes grabbed a hold of him so they could get back into his way again. They were the decoy, Danny thought bitterly to himself, the distraction that he stupidly fell for. He clenched his teeth and sent a swift kick into one of the avians haunches as it hovered into his range. Still, they did not stop.

"Get out of my way!" He screamed, tearing himself off the sharpened talons. He could hear more screams now, crashes joining them.

The vultures snickered, "If you insist."

Danny shot down, phasing into the castle. He didn't slow as he wove his way into the hall. The walls shuddered around him, loud blasts erupting from the room. He passed through the door and stopped dead in the air.

Everything was ruined. Several walls were reduced to rubble, the huge windows nothing but shattered glass across the cracked floor. Banners ripped down, DJ equipment trailed through the entire room, paintings battered and twisted. The tables, the ones that weren't broken into pieces, were strewn about the room, some even embedded into what little wall remained. Huge chunks of the walls were piled everywhere. The chandelier swung precariously as another blast rocked the mansion foundation. Cracks spiderwebbed further up tot he ceiling, stone and dust falling onto the teen. Several people seemed to be caught behind things they couldn't get around or over, their crying and calls of desperate panic terrible to Danny's ears. Everything smelled of smoke, so thick it made his eyes water. He dropped to the ground and transformed back to human, charging into the room. His dad had to be here, there's no reason why the vultures wouldn't have distracted him otherwise. This was a trap, and a trap is nothing without the intended target.

"Dad?! Dad?! Answer me if you can hear me!" He screamed, cupping his hands to the sides of his mouth.

He climbed over a piece of rock, sliding down its smooth surface tot he floor again. The fine particles drifting in the air irritated his bleeding arm, and he trailed his nails over the wound to itch it, ignoring the pain. Fractured glass and broken silverware crunched under his shoes. He called out again, spinning in a circle to look around. His eyes met nothing but destruction and a few brave soles trying to help those who couldn't get themselves out. None of them were his dad, so he pushed deeper.

"Daniel!" Danny tensed, freezing. His eyes swung around to meet his mother's face. Her eyes were wide in horror at seeming him there, and she thrust her hand out to him, "Get over here, it's not safe!"

He obliged, hoping beyond hope that she would tell him that his dad was okay. He staggered up the small pile of rubble diving her from him, hooking his fingers into her palm. Her fingers tightened around his hand and she pulled him to her chest. Her hair was in her face, smudges from soot and dirt staining her skin. Her jumpsuit was torn in several places, even burnt sometimes, but she was otherwise alright. The normal lavender smell he'd always known to be her scent was gone, replaced with the odor of burnt laytex and sweat. She hooked her fingers into his hair, his lips kissing the top of his head. He returned the embrace, trying to hold back his panicked tears.

"Where's dad?!"

His mother shook her head, he could feel her hair brush his, "I don't know, I lost him after he just...went berserk! I don't know what happened, one minute it was all fine then he pushed me and started yelling at me and then something exploded and people were panicking to get out. I couldn't find you or—Oh god, where's Jasmine?!"

Danny swallowed, "Jazz wasn't in here, she was somewhere else—the screening room. We need to focus on—AHH!"

Another explosion rocked the castle. The floor dipped, and a large section of wall came tumbling down. Danny stared at it as it came their way, his nails digging into his mother's side. He froze, he couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't—

Maddie shoved him—hard. He landed on the jagged floor, her form falling next to him. She cried out, a sound almost lost to the thunder of collapsing stone. He scrambled onto his elbows, the sharp stones under him going ignored. Stone rested where they had been standing before. His mother had saved their lives. His eyes trailed to the piece of wall that was right beside his mother: on top of her left arm. She shifted and pushed herself up, hissing sobs of pain slipping through her bared teeth. He was at her side in seconds, giving her support to take her weight of the crushed limb. He stared at the stone, and his heart hammered in his chest. It was too large for him to life, half ghost or not. Horrified terror at not making it out with either of his parents gripped him like a vice and the tears slipped from his eyes before he could get a grip on himself. Someone had wanted his dad dead, so who's to say they weren't trying to kill his mom too? Were they after him? All of his family? Black laytex fingers furled around his chin, and his mother turned his face to look at her. The pain in here eyes was easy to see, despite the fact that she tried to hide it.

"Danny, listen to me. You need to get out. There's a window several feet to the left, behind that pile. Go, we're on the first floor, it won't be that big of a drop-"

"I'm not leaving you to die!"

"I'll be fine, I promise! Go! I won't have you trapped too!"

Danny shook his head, refusing to budge as she tried to push him away. He knew she wouldn't be okay, not if another explosion went off and she was still under this debris.

"Maddie?!" A loud voice called, and Danny jumped. That was Vlad Masters voice! "Maddie?! Is that your voice?!"

Maddie craned her neck to look behind Danny, "Vlad! Over here! I—We're pinned!"

Vlad appeared from behind the rubble, his suit torn and slick with grime. Long strands of silver fell out of the tangled pony tail, and his face twisted with horror when he saw them. He skidded down to them, saying things that Danny didn't catch as he turned back to his mother.

"Hold on, I need to get you out of here, just bear with me!" Vlad hooked his fingers under the rock.

Maddie shook her head, the tears clearing trails on her face, "Vlad you can't possibly—"

Vlad ignored her and heaved. The rock inched into the air, the billionaire's arms shaking from the effort. Danny took his chance and pulled his mother back, trying not to hear the sharp scream as the damaged limb dragged on the floor. Vlad released the stone, pressing his weight into it as it thumped loudly to the floor. Rocks higher on the pile shifted, the balance upset. He turned back to mother and son, kneeling by their sides.

"We need to leave." He said, looking them both over. His eyes lingered on the cuts on Danny's arm and the tattered tears in Maddie's suit. Her arm needed no looking over, it was already well obvious that it was crushed, "Are either of you too hurt to walk?!"

Danny shook his head. Maddie shook her head, rubbing the back of her good hand on her forehead to clear her eyes of hair, "No, not badly, Danny's just shaken."

Vlad nodded, hooking his hands under her arms. She didn't protest as he helped ease her to her feet. Danny took her other side, her arm curling around his shoulders. Her nails dug into his shirt, sharp hisses and gasps escaping her as Vlad gently used his tie to tie her wrist close to her neck. Carefully, they braved the wall of rubble blocking them from an escape. Once they touched down on the other side, Vlad began looking around for an exit. The window Maddie had mentioned earlier was out of the question, twisted metal poles that had been the DJ's light fixture blocking getting close.

"Come on, we need to get out of here." Vlad repeated, carefully navigating them through the destruction.

Danny froze, "I am not leaving until we find dad! He could be hurt!"

Vlad reeled on him, eyes ablaze with disbelief, "There's no time Daniel! The entire tower's going to collapse without the support of this room! That's twenty seven floors coming down on our heads! We need to go, now!"

"No, We can't, dad-!"

Danny shook his head and made to charge back into the fray. Vlad's fingers tightened around his arm, pulling him back. Danny dug his heels into the floor, pulling away from Vlad. He needed to find him! Vlad snarled, fighting to keep his grip on the boy's flailing limb. He yanked, hard, and Daniel lost his grip.

"DANIEL!" Vlad grabbed Danny's shoulders, shaking him, "We just need to trust he got out already! We need to get out, now!"

Danny struggled in Vlad's hands, trying to pull away back into the buckling room. The older man wrapped his arms around Danny's stomach, picking him up and dashing back towards Maddie. She'd managed to shove a table out of the way of the main door. Danny screamed, twisting and writhing as he tried to break free of the iron tight grip. Vlad refused to let him go, not for all the kicking and screaming in the world.

"Let me go, let me go! I can find him, I'll be fine just let me go! Please, stop, LET ME GO!" The teen shrieked. He clawed at everything he could get his hands near, "DAD!"

They charged down the main hall, Danny's screams and cries ricocheting terribly off the walls. Through the parlor and out the main doors, where most of the other gusts were scattered. Some looked up at the new escapees as they stumbled down the steps. Danny's wails broke the loud confusion that had amassed between the people, drowning it out. Not ten seconds later, a blast echoed in the night air from inside. The horrible stink of smoke and dirt wafted out over the front driveway. Stone groaned, and then hitched it's breath. Danny stared, in silent horror as the stone of the main tower broke, and it all came tumbling down. It fell sideways, taking out the east wing and every tower on that side of the mansion. There was no mistake that the entire reunion room had been held it was now ground into dust.

The tears ran down Danny's face, cleaning it of some of the grime. He couldn't stop starring.

"N-no—oh g-god no—"

Behind him, his mother swung around, scanning the sea of only vaguely familiar faces.

"Jazz?! JASMINE?! JACK?!" She screamed, side stepping and standing on her tiptoes to try to see anyone who may be hidden.

Small sharp steps sounded on the smooth pavement and Jazz weaved her way to the front.

"Mom!" She charged into her mother's arm, clinging to her.

Maddie hugged her daughter tighter to her, ignoring the searing agony of her arm between them. She released her grip only to grab Danny and pull him to her and his sister. He fell limply into her embrace, his eyes wide and glazed over. Jazz's shoulders hitched and she began to cry into her mother's hair.

"Oh thank god, y-you're okay," She clung to her children, freely letting her sobs burst free. She kissed the tops of their heads, whispering her thanks over and over again. Danny tensed at the sound of her voice, and he snapped out of his reprieve, pulling away from her, "Daniel!"

He dashed into the crowd, clumsily running around the crying and the wounded. His eyes searched for the familiar day glow orange. It shouldn't be hard to find him, he stuck out; always did. Colors blurred before his eyes, from maroon to periwinkle to lime, yet absolutely no orange. His breath stuck in his chest and his breaths came out in short ragged gasps. People turned to him with worry, but he ignored them when they tried to reach out to him. They weren't his dad, he didn't care about them.

Finally, he gave up trying to search and began turning in circles, screaming, "Dad?! Dad! Where are you?!"

No one answered him. Nothing but the sound of crying and the sirens of emergency response in the distance surrounded him. The wind blew against him harshly, cold and uncaring. Everything smelled of ash. Danny stumbled backwards, shaking his head.

"N-no...n-no th-this...thi-this can't be happen...th-this i-isn't—n-no nononono p-please n-n-nonono—o-oh g-god no—" He stuttered, his voice catching and cracking. He dropped to his knees, clutching his head. His eyes screwed shut so tight it hurt, "This can't be happening, this isn't right, this isn't happening!"

Something touched his back an he flinched violently away, curling into a ball on the ground. Whatever it was touched his shoulder again, it's warmth gently rubbing circles over his spine.

"Daniel—Daniel it's me, hush, calm down, shhhh..." The voice of Vlad Masters drifted into Danny's ears. The elder man slowly uncurled him, wrapping his arms around the lithe form. Fingers carded into his hair, the quiet soothing voice in his ear, "It's okay, everything will be alright."

Danny snarled as he sobbed, "No it won't!"

"Shhh...Let it all out, your distressed, it's okay..." Vlad whispered, continuing to rub gentle circles on the boys back. The teen began to twitch, fingers curling into expensive black fabric. Danny pressed his face into Vlad's collar, his gross coughs and sniffles were muffled against it.

"I sh-should've...! I-i sh-should've b-been the-ere! I c-could've...!" He cried, snot and tears staining the fibers under his face

"Hush shhhhh..." Vlad said, resting his chin on Danny's hair, "This isn't your fault. There wasn't anything you could have done."

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AN: Hello yes I am Vox and I try to fix things I find broken about an 11 year dead kids cartoon.

Bitter Reunions, while being one of my favorite episodes, has always rubbed me the wrong way. Vlad's actions just...don't make any sense. Not that his actions ever many coherent sense, but Bitter Reunions ranks super high on the list of episodes where all his logical thinking seems to have just flown right out the window. The reason? Vlad has been shown to be a genius capable to being really good at a fuck ton of things. Business, Politics, Science, Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Ghoststuff—He's got skills to back him up. So why the hell does he sometimes act so STUPID?! Most of these times are just his inability to think that far ahead, him loosing his temper/patience, his inability to properly see how Danny affects things, ETC. He's got his flaws, and just plain bad luck. But Bitter Reunions...Vlad, you had it all in your goddamn haNDS AND YOU FUCKED IT UP LIKE DON'T YOU KNOW THE NUMBER ONE RULE IS TO NEVER ACTUALLY SAY YOUR MASTER PLAN OR REVEAL YOUR THE BAD GUY?

Vlad "That Wasn't One Of My Best Ideas" Masters.

So I wanted to wrote a story about Vlad being a little more...intelligent. Also I am so sorry to Jack.

The song the vultures sung is a little proverb called "For want of a nail", I couldn't find the source of the thing for all my researching in the world. It's rather old, though, as early as the 14th century.