Dakota sighed lying on the couch her head on Vlad's thighs staring at the TV while he slept quietly; arms folded across his chest. Her head raised slightly glancing up to the older man with a soft smiling stretching out across the top of his legs making sure not to wake him glancing back to the TV, eyes drooping slightly a yawn escaping her mouth. She flinched feeling the older man move slightly lifting her up a little with his legs, eyes fluttering open glancing down to her smirking slightly as her cheeks grew red. Turning her head her attention was averted back to the TV muscles tense as Vlad stroked a hand through her lilac hair, a smile appearing on his face looking at the gentle brown roots emerging from her scalp. His eyes wandered through her hair a small smile on his face as he looked over her glancing to her forearms the smile disappearing in an instant. Dakota sighed slightly picking at a scab on her arm not noticing Vlad's eyes on her self harming scars some covered by bandages others out in the open. She yawned slightly eyes glued to the TV in front of her glancing back to Vlad who had stopped brushing his hands through her hair his eyes wandering to hers a small sigh escaping his lips.
" Little badger," he muttered gently.
She turned her attention to him watching his hand move to her forearm grasping it gently thumb rubbing over her scarred skin. Her eyes diverted from him looking back to the TV that was more interesting than talking about her past, keeping quiet about the horrors. Chills ran down her spine, but held still not wanting to worry the older halfa.
" Why did you do these little badger?" he asked her tenderly.
Her eyes didn't move from the screen though her vision began to waver as the tears built up. A frustrated sigh came from the older man's mouth as he grabbed her shoulder twisting her around slightly to see her face stopping when he saw the tears brewing. His thumb grazed under her eye gently wiping her tears away whilst she blinked. Her sweet-tempered eyes locked onto his holding back her tears not wanting to cry once more the fear of weakness bubbling in her stomach. Something deeply rooted in her soul kept her from telling him the truth of her scars it was the only thing that kept her quiet in her darker times. She pushed her face into her arm sighing out longingly staying still while Vlad's hand ran through her hair keeping her calm and collected. A thought tumbled into the older man's mind a smile appearing on his face pulling his hand away from her lilac locks.
" How about I take you down back to Amity Park little badger so you can see your friends again?"
" I'd love to see them again," she said head springing up eyes filled with hope.
" Then go pack some bags we'll leave tomorrow morning."
She hopped up slightly from his lap arms wrapping around him tightly her head nuzzling into his chest a smile on his face once more.
Dakota sighed squinting slightly blocking the sun from her eyes standing in between Tucker and Danny as they waited in line for one of the new water rides at the local water park; happy to be with her friends again. She smiled joking around with the two of them a little disheartened that Sam couldn't come along, but going with the two boys anyways since she was in town.
" So how's it feel to be rich?" Tucker asked with a chuckle.
" As long as I'm away from my real family I'm good with anything."
She laughed as someone yelled while going down the ride glancing behind her when she noticed two larger shadows beneath them. Her eyes flickered between both Dash and Kwan as they stood behind them in speedo's with water guns in hand, raising an eyebrow at the two.
" Isn't it illegal to wear something as nasty as that in public," she said folding her arms across her chest.
The two ignored her beginning to pick on the others boys winding them up drenched in water Dakota getting a little annoyed at the fact she was ignored. She stepped in front of the boys not listening to their soft pleas for her not to, shoving the quarterback sending a glare his way surprising him to the recent bravery in her aiming his gun at her being yanked back by an older person. He whipped around to yell at the older man stopping when figuring out Vlad was standing in front of him with a very distasteful look on his face. The boy ran off the other following Vlad looking down to Dakota softly as she smiled up to him giggling gently at him.
" Who knew you were so ripped for being so old," she giggled drawing attention to his body.
Even though he was an older man with grey hair his body looked nothing over the age of 30. The girl had bribed him to wear something other than a thick suit the notion of him blending in more settling well in his mind as he watched her from afar. She giggled when her put his hand on her head messing with her hair, glancing over to the boys narrowing his eyes slightly giving them a warning which they heeded. When he left she looked to her friends smiling getting back in line with them watching the people shoot out of the mouth of the slide. She jumped at the sounds of screams as a shadow floated through the air snarling at everyone it saw the screams growing louder. Her eyes locked onto it figuring quickly what it was glancing to her friends who one was running off while the other stood frozen eyes fixed on the ghost above them.
" Tucker we need to get out of here," she murmured grabbing his wrist beginning to tug him away.
The boy followed her finding a place to keep out of sight, a sound making her head pop up, eyes widening. Another ghost attacked the shadow with full on force, his fangs clenched as he drew another back producing another pink blast of energy at the shadow. Her heart pounded in her chest watching the familiar ghost fight effortlessly, grin forming on her face her feet moved out from under her blocking out Tucker's yells at her heading towards the older ghost. She watched the two battle in the sky glancing over to another ghost joining the scene looking a little confused something finally snapping in her mind knowing she'd seen the boy before, the younger boy preparing a blast aiming at the other two her heart pounding. Rushing out from behind cover she scolded the boy; catching all of the ghosts attentions, jumping back as the shadow reeled towards her the younger boy in shock hurling himself to try and protect his friend. Her eyes shut tightly blocking herself with her arms flinching at the sound of fabric rippling through the air, eyes opening seeing a larger figure stand in front of her Plasmius blocking her from the shadow its wavering hand clenched in his. She smiled watching the older halfa smash the shadow into the ground beneath, kicking it away for the boy to deal with it. Slowly the older ghost turned to her being taken back when she lunged at him playfully pulling him into a tight hug, slowly wrapping his arms back around her running a hand through her hair. A smile glued itself to her face as she looked up to the older halfa staring into his red eyes a weight being lifted off of her finding that he was alive again. Her mind raced the thoughts of him being back as well as why he was here in the first place, her mind going a mile a minute trying to conjure up reasons for him to be with her again. He kissed her forehead gently bringing her out of her thoughts watching him pull away, frowning slightly at the lack of his presence when he disappeared the ghost boy looking around for him, glancing down to Dakota who stood there watching him for a moment turning away. She jogged back over to where Tucker had stayed hidden bringing him out telling him it was okay to get out, smiling when he began to brush himself off the two going off to find Danny. They looked to each other when Danny jogged back to them Paulina running after him confused at why she was with him Danny pulling Tucker away to go talk to him. Dakota glanced over to the popular girl who stood next to her slightly slouched, uncomfortable with her presence not noticing the girl's eyes flash red when the ghost looked at the heterochromia iridum girl. Her head turned smiling as Vlad approached her hopping over to him giving him a hug; surprising him taking a step back to brace himself.
" Vlad did you see the ghost?" she asked her voice filled with excitement.
" I did little badger I was looking everywhere for you, are you okay?" he murmurs stroking her hair noticing the other girl behind her.
" I'm fine not a scratch on me," she chirped.
The older halfa examined the girl sensing the ghost dwelling within her, his eyes narrowing flashing red to her watching as she returned the warning to him making him tense up slightly, pulling Dakota closer to him pushing her head against his chest showing his fangs at her. The ghost infested girl smirked at the older halfa not scared of him turning her attention away to something else. Dakota cooed softly at Vlad having him ease up his grip her, smiling when she wiggled free looking at the boys who walked back Danny a little on edge glancing to the popular in slight fear, then glancing to the smaller lilac haired girl giving her a small smile. She glanced to the other girl looking to Danny who shrugged walking out with them, the water park getting closed for the day since the ghosts had shown up looking to the other two grinning leaning closer to them.
" How about we get some lunch at the mall," she whispered glancing back to Paulina as she followed them, " And lose her on our way."
They both nodded as she smiled happily walking out with them into the parking lot, glancing to the boys sighing slightly walking over to Vlad smiling kissing his cheek. He glanced down to her a little confused why she kissed him, eyebrows furrowing as she bounded away back to her friends the car keys in her hands. She grinned running to the car with the boys unlocking it hopping in, waving to Vlad as she started it up giggling at his confusion as he looked for his keys. Stepping on the gas she pulled out of the parking spot, Danny hanging his head out the window to stick his tongue out at the older halfa his eyes blazing red, sticking his head back into the car giving a thumbs up to Dakota. The boy knew Vlad was also a halfa, but didn't mind the older man being part ghost on the account that he could protect Dakota if he needed to as he demonstrated a few minutes before. She smiled as she drove the expensive car, Vlad wouldn't have anything less, around the streets of Amity Park getting a few glances from people she recognized from school ignoring them gloating to herself in her head. Parking in a further parking space she hops out of the car watching the guys climb out locking it up, smiling beginning to walk towards the large building haven't being there in almost a year. She glances over to the other two smiling, walking into the large building getting hit with a wave of nostalgia, sighing out gently at the sight of the Amity Park mall complex happy to be inside its walls once more. They chatted happily walking back towards the Nasty Burger in the food court, Dakota happy to see her friends once more a little lonely up in Wisconsin not knowing how Vlad could live with it. She paid for their lunches even though they had money; scolding her for it later only making her laugh. As they ate Dakota stared blankly out the large windows happy to be back with her friends, missing all the things they did when she lived in Amity Park. Her attention turned to the two boys who were joking around with each other, causing her to smile gently glancing away sighing out softly thoughts of how everything was before she left. Blinking her eyes she felt a tear slip out, quickly wiping it away eyes focusing back on her friends returning back to a happy stature acting if nothing was wrong.
Dakota's nose dripped snot building in her nose; sniffling to keep it in, watching the sky sighing as the street lamps began to turn on picking her pace up jogging back towards the hotel. She stopped when her feet landed on her old street something in her stomach turning her feet moving without her control making her way to the fire exit on the outside of her old house, slowly climbing up it reaching her window tugging the window slinking into her room; tears welling in her eyes as she looked around her spotless room in the same way it was when she left. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked through everything keeping quiet, making her way to her old closet sliding the door open dropping to her knees digging through some of her old things pulling out a box full of photographs. Searching through the pictures she picked up a picture of Danny, Tucker, Sam and her as kids on the first day of middle school more tears sliding down her cheeks looking at her clean, little arms as the boys pushed at each other, Sam holding up a peace sign with her fingers. Her head snapped to the door as the knob jiggled slightly her father stepping in looking to her, her eyes widening as he smashed a bottle against her head the shattered glass spewing all over the floor.
" Get the fuck out before I shove the rest of this bottle down your throat," he hissed.
She got to her feet the box of photos clutched to her chest jogging towards the open window putting the pictures outside crawling out getting half way out before being dragged back in hitting her head in the process, turning around to stare up to her father eyes shifting to the switch blade in his hand shaking. A scream rippled through her throat her father slapping her across her face, wrenching an arm away from her bringing the blade to it holding her down with his foot against her chest, digging the knife into her forearm a louder scream ringing into the night sobs echoing from her mouth, making her father draw another line in her skin more screams coming out. She sobbed as he cut into her arm squirming under his weight the best she could hoping someone would hear her screams, letting out one more pain filled defining scream having it ring out into the street below, hearing something hit her father her vision blurred as someone tackled him to the floor disarming him. A shocking thud spun into the air followed by another, then another figuring out that whoever was on top of her father was punching him with a lot of force. She blinked tears away eyes focusing slightly seeing the other person standing up, their knuckles stained turning around to show their face. Danny. He rushed over to her pulling her into his arms minding her injuries slowly getting out through her window glancing down to the box he passed earlier picking it up, placing it in her lap, jogging away towards the older halfa hoping he could help her. His eyes wavered down to her his, heart pounding knowing that he had to save her.