The phone startled Vlad, who had decided sleep would be better than lab work while intoxicated. He looked at the caller I.D. and groaned. He recognized the area code and figured it would be that idiot, Jack Fenton, calling to impose on him somehow. He almost didn't answer, but his curiosity (and hope that it was actually Maddie) got the better of him.
"Hello", he answered condescendingly.
"Help me", was all Vlad heard before the phone went dead. He recognized Daniel's voice and knew something had to be seriously wrong for the boy to be calling him.
He tried calling the number back, but the call went to voicemail. This left the billionaire with a problem. Daniel called him for help. This meant it had something to do with the secret he kept from his family, although why he didn't call one of his annoying little friends, Vlad couldn't guess. That was, until he remembered his visitor from earlier in the evening. Surely this had to do with the issue Clockwork came to see him about. Sighing, Vlad got up, got dressed and headed to his lab.
"This, I do not need", he grumbled as he transformed into Plasmius. He started tapping away at his computer keyboard. In a matter of minutes, he was able to get the exact location the call came from (thanks to the superior technology his money afforded him).
He then opened the portal and went into the Ghost Zone to find Clockwork.
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In the Hall of Time, Clockwork was waiting for Plasmius to show up. He hadn't counted on the Soul Splitter getting to Daniel Fenton as quickly as he did. This being was a variable, which meant he was not bound by the same laws of time and space that most beings were. It also meant that the being was unpredictable and in the present, it had caused much damage by injuring the ghost child. The ghost half of Daniel Fenton was able to destroy the Soul Splitter with a class of energy he shouldn't possess for another 5 years. Clockwork knew that the ecto-blast the boy had been hit with caused the power increase, but would ultimately kill the halfa, unless he was able to rejoin his human half. Daniel would die from the fever and Phantom alone would not be allowed to survive. Plasmius, being a variable himself, might not heed the call for help and time was growing short for the brave young man lying sick and injured in that alley. As Clockwork watched the screens of past, present and future, Vlad materialized in the Hall of Time and said "What happened to him?"
"He's been attacked. The Soul Splitter found out about him and went on the hunt.
He is going to die."
"Attacked? What did it do? Why won't he survive?"
"He has been ripped in half. Both will perish. Phantom surviving is too risky. He can still become the ultimate evil."
"Do something!" Vlad shouted.
"It is too late" Clockwork told him.
Vlad couldn't believe what he was hearing. After everything Daniel had done for the good of all, he would die? Vlad refused to accept what he was told and disappeared from the Hall of Time without a word. If Clockwork wouldn't help Daniel, he would step in and try to save the boy. He, Vlad Masters, would alter destiny for Danny Phantom.
Alone once again, Clockwork smiled. "Plasmius, your redemption is at hand."
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Plasmius found the pair in the alley, both unconscious. He contained Phantom in his version of the Fenton thermos, picked up Daniel and transported everyone to his home in Wisconsin. Once he was in the lab, he became Vlad Masters once again. He was glad that he never got around to clearing out the clone tanks from the failed experiment. He was able to salvage one and he released Phantom into it, sealed it and filled it with the ecto-matter that would keep his form stable for the time being.
As for Daniel the human, Vlad needed to drop his temperature if he had any hope of being able to reunite the two. In the shape he was in now, Daniel would never survive the fusion. He packed Daniel in ice and kept a constant monitor on his temperature. While his two patients were still out cold, Vlad did some reading. He knew of the inventions Daniel's parents made. There was one that would actually help. "Well, even idiots have their moments, I suppose" he thought. He searched his computer until he found the page containing the Fenton Ghost Catcher. Vlad wouldn't have time to build a replica, so he would have to be able to get the two Daniels back to the Fenton lab in Amity Park. Once he worked out the logistics of the plan, he sat down next to the tank and looked at the ghost inside. Vlad was so lost in his thoughts that he never saw Phantom open his eyes.
"You actually came" he said to Vlad.
"Lucky for you" he sneered.
"Where is he? Is he ok? Why am I in this tank thing again?"
"Calm down Daniel. He is here. I'm trying to bring down his fever."
"I never saw that ghost before. I don't know how it was able to do this. The separation…hurt."
"Well, dear boy, for what it's worth, you did manage to destroy it. Did it tell you what it wanted?"
"Yeah. It said "You are mine". Phantom moved around in the tank, hating the confinement, hating what had happened and worrying that he made a bad decision in calling Vlad Masters for help. He stayed silent while Vlad worked on his human half, yet wished the man would talk to him. He couldn't recall ever feeling this alone and afraid. Vlad could feel those green eyes watching his every move. He knew Phantom hated not being free and he wished he could let him loose, but he dared not. He had no intentions of losing his other half to Phantom. Vlad knew the tale of the Ultimate Enemy and knew that though circumstances were different, it could still happen. When he could take no more of the watching in silence, Vlad walked back over to the tank.
"His temperature had dropped to 100o. Once he hits 94o, we leave for Amity Park."
"How are you going to get me back there?"
Vlad put the thermos on the counter and smiled ruefully.
"Oh no you don't."
"It's the only way, Daniel. I can't take the risk of letting you loose. Besides, I doubt you'd have the energy to make the trip on your own."
"Why is letting me loose a risk?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you are separated from your human half, leaving you free to fuse with another." Vlad answered sarcastically.
"Certainly you know what the outcome of such an undertaking can be, don't you? I'm not going to be responsible for that."
"I'm not going to turn into him. All of the things that were supposed to make me him never happened. Let me go. I want to help."
"All I'm going to tell you is that it can still happen. I like Plasmius and I'm keeping him. You will be let loose once you're back in the lab. You need to pull Daniel through the Ghost Catcher with you."
"I thought you were going to help."
"I am helping. I can't be anywhere near that thing once you're free. Let's just call it steering clear of temptation."
"Yours or mine?"
Vlad didn't like where this line of questioning was headed, so he went to check Daniel's fever. "He couldn't know, could he?" Vlad wondered. He stayed out of Phantom's line of vision for a few minutes. Those green eyes were burning their way through Vlad's defenses. He was torn between what he should do and what he wanted to do. This posed quite a problem. It was either satisfy his soul, or do what was right. He sighed softly and walked back over to the tank.
"We should be able to leave soon", he said to Phantom.
"Is he ok?"
"For now. When we get to the lab, I'm going to open the release on the thermos and then I have to leave. You will have just enough energy to pull him through the Ghost Catcher with you. I've never been separated from my ghost half, so I can't tell you if it will be painful or not. Once you're through, try to call your sister or your friends. I imagine you'll be out of commission for a while, but you're young and should heal quickly."
"He won't live without me, will he?"
"No. And without him, neither will you. What are you thinking, Daniel?"
"Maybe…I don't know. Maybe I should just give up. I feel like I've been at this forever and it's only been two years. I can't…" He stopped speaking suddenly. Vlad looked at him questioningly.
"This is really messed up. I'm here talking about how hard it is being half-ghost with my enemy, who never misses an opportunity to remind me of how much more experience he has at this than I do."
Vlad smirked at the boy. Since their first fight, they had been trading insults and injuries. To some extent, Vlad enjoyed watching Daniel grow into his powers.
He had really come a long way since their first meeting.
"I don't know that this will be much consolation Daniel, but how do you think I feel? I'm here helping you, the one always ruining my plans, reminding me of my solitude, threatening to get me a cat. I've offered to train you, show you what…" Vlad stopped speaking, because at that moment, he realized that if Daniel had ever agreed to join him, the Ultimate Evil would have been a reality long ago. This truth hit him hard and he sat down, feeling completely lost. He now knew that he would never have what he desired most. Phantom watched as the spark left Vlad's eyes. After a few minutes, Phantom asked "Are you ok?"
"No, Daniel. I'm not." Vlad replied softly. He checked the human Daniel's temperature again, hoping against hope that they would be able to leave. He needed to be alone, He needed to think. He needed to not be in the same room with either Daniel. The thermometer read 95o. The older halfa breathed a sigh of relief. This would all be over soon. He prepared the thermos with ectoplasmic energy, to help keep Phantom stable for the trip, even though it would be short. He knew the extra energy he gave Phantom would help him heal afterwards.
"Are we ready?" Phantom asked.
"Yes. I am going to attach the thermos to the tank. Out of courtesy, I won't be using the vacuum. Once the valve is open, just…go inside. The trip will be short, so don't whine about being cramped inside this thing".
Phantom nodded. He looked at Vlad, wondering why he stopped talking earlier. He knew that some idea or revelation had come to the man, but it had to be pretty bad for it to make him go pale. He felt sorry for Vlad, because he knew how it felt to feel alone and outside of everything. He wanted to say so many things, but didn't. The man's mood could turn volatile in a heartbeat and the last thing he wanted to do was piss off the one person who could help him. As Vlad was connecting the thermos to the tank, he heard a moan coming from the table where the human Daniel lay. This was a good sign. This also meant that he had to get moving before he regained consciousness.
"Ok Daniel, time to go".
"Do you really hate me that much?"
Vlad was speechless for a few seconds. This question came out of nowhere. He thought for a minute, took a deep breath and answered "Let's just say that you're my favorite pain in the ass. We need to leave. Now."
Phantom flew into the thermos which Vlad locked. He transformed into Plasmius, scooped up the boy from the table and grabbed the thermos.
"Ok in there, Little Badger?" he asked, knowing that his pet name annoyed Daniel to no end.
"Oh yeah. I'm just great. Call me Danny Origami."
Vlad laughed. Who knew Daniel had such a sense of humor? In a cloud of pink mist, Plasmius disappeared with his precious cargo.
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Whew. I was hoping it would happen in this chapter, but…it looks like we're gonna have to wait 'till Danny is feeling better and is up to some company :D
Standard disclaimer applies. I own nothing. I have nothing (but imagination). Please Mr. Hartman, don't sue me. I'm only having fun.
