As the trio entered Fenton Works technus was grinning evilly. He had successfully gained a small portion of the boys trust. The impressionable child was going to be easy to fool indeed! He followed the Halfa into the living room and sat on the couch at the opposite end as the ghost child's Gothic girlfriend. The boy went to the fridge to get them all something to drink.
"So..." She started slowly. This situation was awkward for more than one reason, "how's... Afterlife?"
Techus shrugged nonchalantly,"Not too bad when I'm not being assaulted by your boyfriend or trying to avoid being arrested."
The teenage girl laughed nervously in response. "He means well at least. If you two had gotten to know each other better maybe you could have gotten along. My names Sam Manson by the way. If you didn't know." He was surprised when she leaned over and reached out in a gesture of good will.
"I am Technus, as I am sure you know." Technus smirked and shook her extended hand briefly and crossed his arms, " And need I remind you that HE put the idea of world domination in MY head."
"He did?" She looked over at him with wide violet eyes as she absently wiped her hand on her skirt, "He left that bit of information out."
The ghost master if technology smirked, "Well this WAS long before you two became an item. I'm sure he didn't tell you everything."
The girl managed a smile for a moment before she frowned and redirected her eyes away. She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly before speaking.
"Danny may not admit it but I'm sure he wants to make this work out," she told him quietly, "Do me a favor and take this seriously. This is a big deal to him. Finding out you were his biological father and not Jack hurt him."
Technus hummed thoughtfully. So the boy was vulnerable. This could help him. And this female, who was obviously special to the boy would unknowingly help technus get close to his new found son... That was still a disturbing thought for the ghost turned to the girl and nodded once in reply. He had to keep up this nervous act in order to be convincing.
She perked up slightly in time for the whelp- er, Danny walked back in the room.
"All we had was cola. That okay?"
"Works for me." Miss Manson answered taking one of the cans.
Daniel held out a can to Technus and he took it without a word. The ghost boy joined them on the couch with a tired sigh. He looked absolutely worn out. Technus took this opportunity to notice how much the boy had grown since they had met. He'd grown significantly taller from the prepubesant kid Technus had done battle with. He was almost a man now in age and size. His hair was longer now and was just as messy as the ghosts hair had been at that age. And those blue eyes... They were definitely Technus' own. Readings popped up on the insides of his sunglasses as he scanned over the teenager.
When Danny noticed him looking him over Technus looked away. He opened his soda can to drink from it. No one spoke for almost 5 minutes. They just sat drinking their beverages.
"So... How old are you now?" Nicolai asked wiping his upper lip from his previous sip.
"Seventeen" Danny answered dryly, "My birthday is coming up soon though."
"I missed everything then," the father chuckled slightly, "So I take it you're a senior in your school,"
The boy nodded slowly,"Yup."
Technus nodded as well and noticed the shiny brass badge on Daniels jacket. He snorted slightly at the thought of the boy actually enjoying his new occupation.
"So how are enjoying working as law enforcement?" Nicolai asked humorously.
"It's kicking my ass!" Danny Fenton groaned putting a hand on his tired face, "I would quit if I hadn't already promised I'd do it."
"And me and Tucker are proud of you for making the mature decision." Sam said placing a pale hand on her boyfriends knee, "Well I'm proud of you at least."
Danny scoffed and put an arm around the girl. Technus wasn't used to seeing his mortal enemy in such a calm setting. He wasn't sure how to react when Daniel had shown up at his lair out of the blue... Or green, he should say. But Technus treated him as he did any other ghost when he entertained. This must be his bastard sons way of returning the favor.
Then something occurred to him. He hadn't seen the ghost boys parental units yet.
"Where are your parents?" Techus asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Probably down in the lab." Danny stated taking a swig of his soda.
"They should meet you," Sam suggested managing to force a smile at the ghost that had always been their enemy. Technus had had minor interactions with her in the past. In his first attept at world domination she had distracted him while the nerdy boy with the funny hat shut down his battle suit. The time after that was in the video game world of 'Doomed'. She'd used a cheat code to smash him.
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Sam." Danny frowned at her, "my mom knows who he is but my dad would try and attack."
"Emphasis on try danny." Same commented with a smirk at the other teen, "Your dad is a really bad shot,"
"Yeah. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn" Danny agreed with a tired blink before turning to his father,"up to you."
"I would like to meet the people who chose my DNA to create their offspring," Technus smiled, using this as a better opportunity to get close to the family.
The younger male looked slightly creeped out but stood and waved for the other two to follow him. As they entered the kitchen Technus overheard a loud banging noise and a cry of pain from a deep voice. The boy's incompetent "father". Nicolai heard Danny groan as they all walked down the stairs. Well, Dnany and Miss Manson walked. Technus casually floated.
The half ghost turned back to look at him with a slight glare, "No ghost powers. I don't want to freak them out."
"alright then." Technus dropped to the ground as they entered the he saw a large man in an orange outfit rubbing his head like an idiot and what could only be his wife patting his shoulder.
"Oh hi, sweety!" A woman in a blue Hazmat suit called as they entered. Technus had a feeling she was talking to the boy, "What are you doing here I thought you would be out with Sam to-Oh hello Sam!"
"Hi, Mrs. Fenton." The girl waved with a smile.
"Soemthing came up." Danny said thumbing behind him at the Technology ghost.
Mr and Mrs Fenton stared at Technus for a moment. The mother walked over to Danny and whispered something that Technus couldn't hear at first. Mentally he adjusted a device he'd implanted in his eardrum to increase his hearing capability. He managed to catch the last bit of what they were saying.
"What is he doing here?" The woman asked with a nervous look in her lavender eyes.
"It's fine, Mom. I told him." Daniel explained, "He wanted to meet you and I figured you wanted to meet him in person."
"Well, alright... We'll just keep the fact that he's a ghost from your father, er... Jack for now. Okay?" She smiled kindly at her son and patted him on the head. Hearing that Technus suppressed his white glow. From the looks of the man he wouldnt even notice Nicolai's green skin.
"Who are you supposed to be?" jack Fenton walked over to technus with his gloved hands on his hips.
"I am Technus! Master of Technology!" Technus announced proudly and held out his hand to shake with the other, "And you must be Jack Fenton! I have heard so much about you."
The human man instantly smiled. Flattery worked. They shook quickly before Technus pulled back his hand. He didn't really want to touch the mortal but it was a formality. He already had to force a disgustingly happy smile for the family. He glanced back at Danny from under his sunglasses and saw the Halfa glaring at him a bit. This was going to be difficult winning the child over.
"Dad, this is Nicolai Technus." Danny walked up beside the taller ghost, "He's the donor you and mom used."
Jack's face paled a bit in awe. Technus looked over when he felt a hand land on his arm. He saw Danny looking up at him with narrow eyes. It was a warning glare telling the other not to do anything he'd regret.
"You?... But how?" Jack wondered looking between the teenager and the practically middle aged ghost.
"Daniel went out and found me." Technus smirked, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder that was closest to him, "I was more surprised by the news than you are I assure you."
He felt the shoulder under his hand shift in an attempt to shrug him off. He ignored it for a moment before removing it.
"Well it is so nice to finally meet you, sir. You did so much for our family," The mother said with a tender smile, "I'm Maddie. Danny's mom."
The technopath nodded once with a smile.
"I heard you were an inventor. What kind of things do you invent?" Maddie asked with genuine curiosity.
Technus hesitated before answering, "I engineer computers."
"Oh, how interesting. Danny's actually taken an interest in building things too." Mrs Fenton said cheerfuly motioning to her boy.
The clearly smartest of all the scientists in the room glanced over at Daniel to see him trying to signal his mother to shut up.
"Has he now?" Technus smirked at him.
"Oh yeah. He made a new version of the Fenton Thermos," Jack said proudly, putting extra emphasis on the word 'Fenton', "It's a device we use to catch ghosts.
Oh, Technus was very familiar with the containment unit. He'd been forced inside it more than once and it was not a comfortable place to be. That had to be inhumane!... Not that Nicolai was one to talk.
"Mom, Dad, can we let it go now, please?" Danny pleaded.
"I know, since it's so late why don't you stay the night Mister Technus?" Maddie offered.
"WHAT?" Danny and his girlfriend shouted at the same time.
"I can't imagine you... driving home this late at night." The curvy woman explained covering up the fact that in order for Technus to go home he'd have to use the ghost portal.
"Mom, I dont think that's a good idea." The youngest male in the room pointed out, "We don't know him that well."
"Well then we'll have to get better aquainted then, won't we?" Jack said with a broad grin, "You can sleep in our daughters old room."
The evil ghost beamed at the other man of almsot equal height, "Thank you. I would be delighted."
"Danny why don't you show Nicolai to his room. Then you can take Sam home," Maddie told the boy, "It's late."
"Fine..." Danny grumbled, grabbing the sleeve of Technus' trench coat, "Come on."
He was led up the stairs and to a room that had been cleared out except for the bed, a dresser and a lamp. Apparently this daughter of theirs had moved out. Technus walked into the room a bit then turned back to look at the adolecent with him.
"This makes you uncomfortable." He stated getting an eye roll in return.
"Duh. You've done nothing but try and kill my family. You're lucky my mom is so accepting of family." Danny spat.
"Relax, child. I won't cause any problems here. I only want to get to know you better." Technus lied through his collected exterior.
"You're right. You won't cause any problems." Danny smirked and reached in his pocket to pull out a cylinder that looked an awful lot like that other trap he used.
"Oh that must be the new thermos that man downstairs talked about." Technus clapsed his hands behidn his back, "Are you going to trap me in it to keep me out of trouble?"
"Maybe," Danny narrowed his blue eyes threateningly.
Technus sighed, "Well get it over with then." He knew he'd have to put up with it for the night for his plans to work.
Daniel uncapped the thermos but didn't point it at the enemy ghost. Technus watched the boy for a moment in silence. The expression on his son's face was contemplative.
"Having second thoughts?" Technus humorously asked.
The seventeen year old held up the thermos and sucked the man inside wihtout another seconds delay. It was just as small on the insied as it was on the outside. Daniel recapped it and smirked with satisfaction.
"Not quite." Danny spoke to the metal container, "I was just wondering if I should let you change first. I decided against it."
Danny tossed the thermos onto the pillow of the empty bed, hearing a shou of pain and discomfort as it landed. He turned off the light and exited, shutting the door behind him with a laugh.
"Sweet dreams Technus."
