Just needed to write this to get rid of my Writer's Block...
On a side note, damn, I missed this fandom...
Disclaimer: pfft... like I own anything...
"It doesn't take the death of your whole family to turn you evil, you know... It just has to be that one specialperson." Danny grit his teeth together in an attempt to stop himself from attacking the monster standing behind him. He ignored him as best he could, focusing instead on the blood staining his hazmat suit and gloves, and the owner of said red-liquid.
"You can try all you want to ignore me. But in the end, we both know it's your fault he's dead." He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears from escaping his eyes as he pressed himself closer to the corpse in his arms. Hearing the other's dark laughter echo through the ruined throne room, the halfa tried to focus more on the good despite the fact is was becoming very difficult to do so. Danny bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed again as he tried to calm down. Opening his eyes again, he narrowed them into a hateful glare when heappeared right in front of him, lips curled into a smug grin and eyes glittering like the blood on the floor.
"Though I can easily guess what happened here, I'd like to hear it from you. I want to hear your lovelyrendition of the chain of events that eventually lead to his death." he purred maliciously, having the audacity to run his forked tongue around his fangs in childish glee. Danny growled when his alternate future self gently touched the dead man's cheek.
"Such a shame... He looked so much prettier with his hair down..." Danny slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch him!" He yelled as he pulled the dead man away from Dan, who only looked at him with amused red eyes.
"My, my... You are rather protective of him... just like he was protective of you... And that's why he's dead now..."
"Shut up..."
"All because you forgot the most important rule about fighting; never turn your back on your enemy..."
"Shut up."
"But that wasn't the only thing you did wrong, Danny... What ultimately killed him was your choice to face Pariah Dark alone when you clearlyweren't strong enough."
"I said shut up!" Before Danny could even begin to charge up an ecto-blast, his future self hand already grabbed him by the throat and tightened his grip just enough so he could barely breathe.
"Now don't start picking fights you can't win; you barely have enough energy to stay transformed... Now, will you tell me what happened?" He asked, basically purring the last of the question. Danny looked away from the other, staring at the bloody sword laying several feet away and the sarcophagus that was permanently shut standing in the corner.
"He... woke up..." Dan's grip loosened around his neck, letting him breathe and talk better. "All... Fright Knight's doing..." Dan scoffed.
"I know that part... I want to hear the good part, Danny." He smiled maliciously, "Tell me how he died!"
"He... died protecting me-" he choked as the grip on his throat tightened.
"I want every single detail, Danny... Every. Last. Excruciating.Detail..." He loosened his grip, and the younger halfa gasped for air. Regaining his composure, he cleared his throat.
"He... He heard from Skulker I was going to face Pariah Dark alone... so... he came to help... he took... forever... to get here..."
"Oh, that's because he had to fight off Pariah's soldiers... Even had to slay one of the dragons... now... go on..." Danny looked over at the sarcophagus again, remembering how he had looked for the ghost king after weakening him with the battle suit.
"I... found him in the throne room... I had to leave the suit... it was totaled..." He remembered walking up to Pariah as he sat on his throne, making his speech about stopping him once and for all and scowling when the ghost only mocked him in response.
"We... fought..." Though, to be honest, it was more like he had to shield himself from Pariah's heavy blows and powerful attacks. He couldn't recall most of it, and, judging by the way all of his body ached, he didn't know how he could still keep his transformation. A dark chuckle snapped him out of his musings.
"And let me guess, before he could deliver the finishing blow, our favorite cheese head flies in and saves you?" He asked in a mocking tone. Keeping his temper in check, Danny muttered a 'yes' and continued.
"He blasted him hard enough to drop me..." That was an understatement; Vlad practically melted the king's shoulder armor with all the power he had put in that blast. He remembered the unfiltered rage he had only seen once on lionesses protecting their cubs in a nature show.
"We fought him... managed to knock him out..." he ignored the other's statement on how it was his 'favorite part' as he remembered what happened and if there was any way he could've done anything different. He remembered collapsing to his knees out of exhaustion and an excruciating headache from all those times Pariah Dark slammed him against the walls. Vlad said something about missing a Packers' game as he transformed back to his human form. 'To preserve energy', he had told him as he checked on him.
"He... checked to see if I was alright..." Danny was too busy complaining about his headache and trying to ignore his arch enemy to even notice the fact that Pariah Dark had started getting up.
"Pariah Dark... Woke up..."
"Go on~" He bit his lip and looked at the sword, remembering nothing but being shoved rather roughly by the man he swore to fight against.
"He... threw his sword..." He remembered being mad at him, demanding to know why he was pushed so roughly he fell back and hit his head against the wall.
"Yes?" Danny looked at his older self with saddened eyes, narrowing them in anger when he saw the excitement in his face. He looked away, closing his mouth to say he wouldn't talk anymore.
"Ah, my favorite part!" Dan let go of his throat and grabbed the dead man in his arms instead, tearing him away. Danny cried out in protest and tried to get up, but fell over into the pool of blood instead. He pushed himself up on his elbows and looked up to glare at the other.
"Give him back!" He cried as he pushed himself up on his knees. Dan smirked and tightened his hold.
"Tell me what happened and I'll return your precious uncle to you..."
"What do you want me to say?" He screamed, not caring if a few tears fell from his eyes. "That he pushed me out of the way? That the sword got him instead of me? Is that what you want?"
"No..." he replied calmly as he walked closer to his younger self and kneeled down to his level. He then grabbed him by the chin and made look down at the dead man in his arms.
"I want you to tell me how he bled; how he coughed it up as he told you his last words!" Danny tried to pull away but the grip was too strong, even if his chin was wet from all the tears he was shedding. Dan's mouth curled into a fang-bearing grin at his distress.
"I want you to tell me how he said he loved you... even after all you did to him..." Danny openly sobbed now, remembering Vlad with the sword through his chest and Pariah Dark's laughter echoing through the castle.
"Tell me how his blood just kept pouring out like a river~" Vlad's sapphire eyes were wide in shock and pain, and it was at that moment Danny realized he much rather preferred it when his eyes were half-lidded and smug.
"Tell me how he coughed up blood." 'Don't give up, Daniel.'Vlad said as blood dribbled down his chin and onto his crisp white shirt. The tips of his loose gray hair was stained red, he remembered it was because he was in the middle of getting ready for work when Skulker found him.
"Tell me his last words, Danny~" Dan purred darkly as he gently took Vlad's head and lifted him up slightly. Danny looked at his closed eyes and blood- stained face. It scared him how the man looked so peaceful and... Normal... despite the blood around his lips and chin and messy hair framing his face. Since when did Vlad look so mortal?
'I've always been proud of you, Daniel. I believe in you... I... love... you...'He remembered how Vlad's eyes closed slowly and gracefully, because the man practically did everything with grace. His sobs died down into quiet sniffles as he dwelled on Vlad's words; they were a strange comfort to him. Dan let go of Vlad, letting him fall into whatever position as he stood up and began walking away.
"I'll be seeing you around, Daniel." He smirked darkly as green fire began to swirl around him. Danny let out a shaky sigh and he pulled Vlad close to him.
"No… you won't." He replied bluntly as he stood up, carrying Vlad's body with newfound strength. Dan's smirk fell to a frown.
"It's unavoidable; you willbecome me." Danny glared at him.
"I will never be like you! If Vlad believed in me, then I can believe in myself, too!" He turned around and made his way to the exit, ignoring the other's angry yells as he teleported away from the castle to wherever the dark phantom was hiding out. Danny paid no attention to anything except whatever was in front of him. Vlad was surprisingly light for his age and strength, but Danny decided to dwell too much on that fact and continued forward until he stepped outside. It wasn't until Frostbite ran over and placed a hand on his shoulder did Danny fall to his knees and let out the rest of his unshed tears.