First, I wanted to say thank you to truephan for all the help you have given me to get this chapter all fixed up! Here's a cookie, they are less painful then my hugs! Second, I apologize for the delay with this one, but I had a lot to work out in this next chapter as well as some unexpected personal stuff. Third and lastly, is my long chapter warning; this is thirty pages, so be prepared to have your eyes glued to your computer screen for a good amount of time! See you at the bottom!
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom
Chapter 14: The friends of my enemy are my friends
"Vlad" Sam called, catching up to the half-ghost. With a tired sigh, he turned to face her. "I want to know what Skulker meant by reconsidering your decision?" she demanded suspiciously.
Vlad crossed his arms and gave her a bored look. "You've got nerve, girl, I'll give you that. Luckily for you I don't have the time to teach you your place."
Sam scoffed. "Nice threat, I hope you don't mind if I don't shake in fear from it," she stated sarcastically.
Vlad took a step towards her. "Perhaps I should take the time then…" he said calmly, his cold red eyes piercing through Sam's.
Danny's flashing eyes narrowed at hearing the man's threat. Although his friends didn't show it, well, the girl didn't, the badger could feel their fear for the half-ghost. The teen felt something spark within him, something that made him completely forget his own fear for the man. He quickly stood to his height and growled menacingly at Vlad. "Back off," he warned, his body lighting with a green hue.
Vlad's eyes immediately went to Danny and faster then Sam could react, he grabbed the badger away from her, by the neck. "And what are you going to do if I do not?" he asked dangerously, his calm demeanor clearly gone. "Bite me? I'm starting to reconsider my decision already," he threatened, even though none of them knew what he was talking about.
"Give him back!" Sam yelled angrily.
"Yeah, what she said," Tucker added, while hiding behind his female friend.
"Let me go," Danny chittered, his vulnerable position causing his anger and self-confidence to deflate.
Plasmius ignored the badger's plea and glared at Sam and Tucker, before turning away from them and taking to the air. He let out a frustrated growl as he continued to make his way out of the ghostly forest, purposely ignoring the two teenagers' protests behind him. He was so sick of them and the rat he currently held in his hand. "All this is your fault, Daniel, do you know that?" he hissed at the badger.
"Um…no," Danny replied nervously.
Vlad shook his head at the teen's answer and took a calming breath. He couldn't let his anger cloud his judgment…. or was it fear? The billionaire quickly dismissed the question for the sake of his own sanity. "I'm going to ask you several questions and I want you to answer me," the man ordered.
"I want to go back with them," Danny whined.
Vlad rolled his eyes. "They are coming with us. Now, do you remember who you are?" he asked, spotting the Specter Speeder up ahead and descending towards it.
Danny thought about it for a moment before looking up at the billionaire. "I'm…Daniel?"
A frown appeared on the man's expression as he landed. It was clear the teen only knew that from hearing him call him this. "Yes, that's your name," he replied worriedly, finally looking down at the young badger. "Do you know anything else?"
The moment Danny met his gaze, Plasmius saw that the teen's eyes were still flashing green and brown. "No… are you going to eat me?" Danny added warily, unable to think of another reason why the man was so interested in him.
Vlad raised an eyebrow at him, but then his attention turned to the Specter Speeder. He turned the door handle and walked in.
Danny squeaked when he was dropped carelessly on one of the seats. The badger quickly stood and stared after Vlad's retreating form.
The billionaire's eyebrows creased as he studied the vehicle's controls. He needed to get to Desiree's lair and this contraption was the quickest way, being that he didn't have the energy to fly all the way there. To his mounting bad luck her home was pretty far from here.
A moment later Sam and Tucker ran into the speeder. "Danny!" they said in relief as they approached him. Of course the half-ghost badger was more then happy to see them.
"Are you alright?" Sam asked as her friend climbed up on her.
Vlad rolled his eyes at hearing her question, but didn't say anything nor acknowledge their presence.
Tucker frowned as he turned his attention to the billionaire. It was obvious he was trying to determine everything the speeder did and how. "Hey, I can lend you a hand with that if you want," the teen offered.
Vlad didn't answer.
Sam crossed her arms and glared at the man's back. "You know, things would go a lot easier if you'd let us help."
Still no answer.
"Sam" Tucker said warily as she placed Danny in his hands, before stomping over to the older half-ghost.
"What is your problem?!" she shouted, stepping in front of him.
Vlad slammed his hand down on the dashboard, causing the girl to jump from the unexpected display of anger. "Why the blazes are you two even here?" he hissed. "I told you not to come looking for, Daniel; I told you to stay at my house; I told you there was still Desiree to worry about! You want to help? Then help by not helping, because all your help has done is waste time!" he yelled before turning back to what he was doing.
Sam stayed silent. It wasn't that she had given up, but that she realized her approach wasn't working. The girl was pulled out of her thought by a hand touching her shoulder.
Tucker gave her a small smile, before handing her Danny, who had his ears lowered with worry and fear. He turned towards the man and took a step towards him. "Listen, Vlad, Danny's our friend. You gotta understand that we can't just sit here and do nothing. If we left your house it was to find a way to get Desiree out of the Ghost Zone."
Vlad sighed tiredly "At this point of time, Mr. Foley, the only way to get her to our world is that I confront her."
"But she'll kick your butt!" he exclaimed
Vlad turned to him with a glare. "I-I mean, your powers are not working too well. What would you say if I told you we found an easier way to get her to our world?"
"I would say, I do not comprehend why you are asking me such a foolish question instead of telling me what this easier way is," the half-ghost retorted dryly.
"Here, show him instead," Sam said, giving Tucker the bazooka she had just retrieved.
"Look, this is the Fenton Bazooka. It-"
"I know what it does," Vlad interrupted, his arms crossing impatiently.
"Oh… well we are planning to use it on Desiree…but we need your help…We're hoping you can reverse the gun's energies so that instead of opening a portal to the ghost zone and sucking a ghost in here. It can open one to the human world and-
"Send a ghost there," Vlad ended with a look of astonishment. He turned thoughtful for a moment, before looking at the two teens with a raised eyebrow. "You two thought of this?"
"Actually, Jazz and I did, but it was mostly me," Tucker said proudly.
"So can you reverse it?" Sam asked, ignoring her friend's remark.
Vlad gazed at Danny's friends for a moment, clearly debating whether to go with their plan. The man's decision became evident when he grabbed the gun from Tucker's hands and inspected it. "Yes… I should be able to."
Sam gave Tucker a small smile which he didn't catch since his attention was to Vlad. "Tucker ceases to amaze me, Danny," she whispered to the badger before walking off to sit down.
Tucker curiously watched Plasmius study the weapon, but his attention went to the man at seeing him take an unbalanced step backwards and shake his head, before looking at the gun once more. "Uh…Shouldn't you turn human?"
"Yes" Vlad answered airily, walking over to the pilot seat and sitting down.
Tucker fixed his hat nervously before talking again. "So… why don't you?"
Vlad raised his eyes towards the teen. "You have already convinced me to let you both help, so why don't you go sit with your friends while I work on this?" he asked coolly.
Tucker looked back at Sam who was sitting on the floor with Danny. "Yeah… good idea," he mumbled before heading over to them.
Vlad shot a glance over to the trio and noticed Sam was looking at the Danny's paw. "Does it hurt?" she asked worriedly.
It was clear the badger had figured out her question because he soon said. "It doesn't really hurt anymore."
"That's because your ghost powers healed it, Daniel," Vlad answered the younger half-ghost.
Danny looked over at Vlad who had returned his attention back to the bazooka. The billionaire had phased the circuitry out of the weapon and was currently sorting through the wires.
"Wait… you can understand him?" Tucker asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Vlad answered, "and before you ask, yes, he can understand me too."
"But you said-"
"Skulker somehow managed to awaken his ghost half. That is why I can understand him," Vlad informed off-handedly, earning quizzically looks from everyone.
"What? I don't get it. Why would his ghost powers suddenly let you understand him?" Sam asked.
Vlad lowered the gun and finally turned his full attention to the teenagers. "Because, Ms. Manson, all spirits are capable of understanding each other. Animal ghosts are still ghosts and so they too hold the same underlying form of communication found in all spectral entities." Of course, the older half-ghost knew that there were exceptions and there was also the matter on what exactly allowed spirits to interpret each other, but he had no interest in trying to explain something as complicated to fourteen year olds.
Sam and Tucker immediately were reminded of all the animal ghosts Danny had faced in the past… they never understood them. "But Danny's never understood ghost animals even when he's in ghost form, I mean, take those vultures that work for you. Danny's never heard them speak," Sam argued
Vlad rolled his eyes. "Have you asked him?"
Well, no, not really," Tucker answered with a pondering frown.
"Just because all you hear are squawks doesn't mean that's all he hears. I know for a fact he can understand those vultures as clearly as we understand each other. The same applies to all the animal ghosts he's encountered," he explained, before continuing with what he was doing.
"What's ghost powers?" Danny suddenly asked, cocking his head.
Vlad sighed. "It's the reason you are currently glowing, Daniel."
The young badger looked down at himself, before looking back at the man. "You're glowing too. Do you have ghost powers?"
"Yes," Vlad replied tiredly, while he clipped two wires using a bit of ecto energy.
"Is that why you're sick? …Am I going to get sick too?" Danny questioned worriedly.
"No, to both," the billionaire replied in a monotone voice.
"What's he saying, Vlad?" Sam asked, unable to remain quiet any longer.
Plasmius gritted his teeth. What was this? The twenty question game? "You never answered why you were after me. The other glowing guy wanted to chop of my head, skin me, and then eat me!" Danny exclaimed, shuddering at the memory "So…does the glowing mean you're a… predator?" the badger asked fearfully, getting a bit closer to Sam.
Vlad let out a frustrated groan before glaring at the boy turned animal. "No, Daniel, I am not going to eat you, so quit insinuating that I am. I am glowing because I'm a ghost or half-ghost rather. And just because I know your next question will be, why those two aren't glowing, then let me tell you the reason beforehand. Your friends are human. The girl's name is Samantha-
"Sam," she corrected, crossing her arms.
"Fine," the man growled, "her name is Sam and the other's name is Tucker. You are a half-ghost half human hybrid, but I wished you into a badger which is why you don't look human at the moment. You can not remember any of this because it's a side effect of the wish and I being sick, is also a side effect. We are currently trying to change you back and to do so we need to find a ghost named Desiree. Now as for your question, Ms. Manson, Daniel is asking me everything possible. There, I told you everything, so stop talking to me or so help me I'm going to gag all three of you; I don't care if it is the last thing I do!" Vlad shouted, before turning his eyes back to the device.
"Hey, Sam, I got it!" Tucker exclaimed. Sam gave her friend a quizzically look; she didn't even realize Tucker had left.
Vlad shot the trio a quick glare. "First they interrogate me, now they ignore me. These brats are lucky I have more important things to do then strangle them!"
Danny watched as Tucker sat back down with a device in his hand. "The ghost gabber?" Sam asked confused.
The badger stared fleetingly at the strange device, but his curiosity was too strong and he approached the metal box.
"Yeah! I brought all the equipment I thought could help us and this was one of them." Tucker answered, looking for the 'on' switch on the gabber.
"Uh, how was this thing going to help us?" Sam retorted with a raised eyebrow.
Tucker gave her a sheepish grin. "I don't know… it just seemed like a good idea."
The goth girl rolled her eyes. "Only you would think that," she said dryly.
"Hey! It might help us now," her human friend defended. "This thing translates a ghost's language into words we understand, right?"
Sam's eyes filled with realization. "Hey, you're right!" she stated, looking eagerly at the device as it lit up and began to beep.
Danny yelped before running back towards Sam. "What is that?" he asked fearfully.
"What is that? Fear me."
Sam and Tucker gasped, while Vlad lowered the gun and raised an eyebrow at hearing the device repeat what Danny said. "It works!" Sam exclaimed.
"See? I told you it was a good idea, because Tucker Foley always has good ideas!" the techno geek proudly proclaimed.
Normally those types of comments earned Tucker some dry comment or at least an eye roll from Sam, but this time she was too happy to bother.
"Well, it seems not all of Jack Fenton's idiotic inventions are useless," Vlad said off-handedly.
"Well, it seems not all of Jack Fenton's idiotic inventions are useless. Fear me, I am evil."
Vlad frowned, while Danny laughed at the strange sounds the machine made after the man had spoken. "I take that back," the billionaire said under his breath, turning back to the device in his hands… comically, it too was Jack's invention.
"We already know his evil," Tucker thought wryly
"I wish it would stop saying Fear me after everything it translates," Sam said annoyed.
Realizing something this funny couldn't be dangerous, Danny walked over to the device once more. "I like this toy," he chirped at his friends.
"I like this toy. Fear me"
Tucker burst into laughter. "Hear that Sam? Danny thinks it's a toy!"
The badger cocked his head at the laughing boy, but soon after he laughed too. Although, it sounded like excited clucking noises to his friends' ears, the device immediately translated it into what they interpreted as laughter. "Sam might be fun to cuddle with but Tucker looks like I could have a lot of fun with."
The goth blushed at hearing the device translate Danny's words, while Tucker fell to the ground laughing once more. "Oh man, I knew it!" he exclaimed, clutching his side and rolling from side to side.
Sam glowered at her amused friend, but then she smirked evilly at noticing something Tucker didn't. Danny's ears had lowered in mischief and he was slowly approaching his male friend.
"Ahh!" Tucker shouted, feeling something pounce on his stomach.
"I want to play too!" Danny exclaimed, interpreting Tucker's actions for a game of tumble. He nipped playfully at Tucker's shirt and arms, earning himself startled yelps from the human teen.
"Danny! Dude, what are you doing?!" Tucker cried out.
Danny just laughed and continued his assault which quickly increased when Tucker attempted to grab him. The badger took this as a personal challenge. "Too slow, Tucker" he chirped, nipping his friend's side.
"Ouch! That one hurt! Stop!" the boy yelled, attempting to escape his friend's assault, but the badger was too quick. "Sam, help! Tell him to stop!"
Sam crossed her arms and smiled calmly. "I would... if he could understand me, but don't worry, he's just thinks you're fun to play with."
Realizing his female friend wasn't going to help him anytime soon, Tucker skidded to his feet and ran from the badger. Danny tilted his head to the side at seeing the boy flee. His confusion, however, quickly disappeared. "Oh, I get it. New game… I like chasing games," he thought as his eyes narrowed in a playful, but predatory fashion.
Tucker gasped at seeing Danny pursue him towards the back of the speeder. "What? No! It's not a chasing game!"
Vlad couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his lips as he witnessed Danny chase his male friend around the ship. He knew he should be concerned with how much like a badger the young half-ghost was acting; the boy didn't even recall he was human anymore, but seeing him so carefree made the billionaire feel …light hearted...
His friends too acted like nothing was occurring. How could these children so easily push aside everything that was happening…everything that would happen in a few hours if their plan failed?
He found himself wishing he could feel as carefree as they did at the moment. Heck, he wouldn't even mind having the badger's memory loss so that he didn't have to cringe at every minute that passed by. Danny didn't feel what was happening to him… Vlad did.
He pushed his thoughts aside and continued with the device. It was more complicated then he first thought, but he was almost done. This whole time Vlad had also been piecing together the rest of this plan. Maybe if he planned it carefully it would succeed. That was why they had not left the Ghost Zone; they would have to split up in order for it to work. As for his own plans… well those didn't need any piecing together; they were simple.
Feeling Tucker had been tortured enough, Sam stood to grab Danny, who was climbing a seat to reach his playmate standing on top of it. "I think you punished him enough, Danny," she said with a smile, while extending a hand towards the badger.
Danny let go of the bottom of Tucker's pant leg and jumped on Sam's hand. He quickly climbed up on her shoulder and rubbed his face on the girl's neck. "I'm hungry. Got any food?"
Tucker warily climbed down. "I got some beef jerky" he informed, pulling out a bag from his pocket. Sam's face scrunched in disgust as Tucker offered Danny the strip of dry meat. She turned her head away and gagged as the smell of animal flesh reached her nostrils.
Danny sniffed it curiously. "What's this?" he wondered. It smelled somewhat appetizing. Deciding to taste it, he licked it before his nose wrinkled at the odd taste. "It tastes weird" he told Tucker, who scowled in response.
"It's meat. I thought being a carnivore like me would make you appreciate high quality beef jerky," Tucker said offended.
"Actually, last time I checked, badgers are omnivores, Tucker," Sam enlightened.
"Well, that's all I have, Sam, and I doubt you have a bag of apples in your pockets," the meat lover replied with an annoyed tone, before pulling out another strip of jerky and taking a bite of it.
Danny observed Tucker as he ate and argued with Sam. "Well if he's eating it…"
Tucker yelped as the badger snatched the piece of jerky from his still extended hand. "Dude, chill, you almost bit off my finger," Tucker stated, lifting his right hand and wiggling his fingers to make sure they were all still there.
Sam shook her head. Tucker was so dramatic sometimes. Her attention quickly went to her other friend "Uh… Danny? Can you eat that somewhere else?" she asked, trying to pick up the badger and move him off.
"No!" he quickly whined, grasping onto her shirt just a bit tighter to keep her from moving him. "I like it here."
Tucker gave Sam a smirk. Danny was now "torturing" her. His female friend gave him an irritated look before sitting back down on the floor.
Sam ignored the chewing of meat close to her ear the best she could and turned her eyes towards Vlad. "I don't even think he realizes how strange he's acting," Tucker suddenly said, his worried gaze towards Danny, while he chewed on more jerky.
Sam turned her attention to her half-ghost friend and sighed. "We just have to change him back and he'll be himself again… I'm more worried about Vlad, Tucker. I can't shake the feeling that he's planning something else or hiding something at the least. We need to watch him," Sam said, her voice falling to a whisper.
"Hey, you're not eating. Here, have some of mine," the badger told Sam and placed his front paws on her cheek as he attempted to give her some of his jerky.
The vegetarian yelped at having a piece of meat near her mouth and instinctively turned her head away. Danny let out his own startled cry as the girl's action made him lose his footing and roll down on Sam's lap. "What was that for?" he asked her angrily.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Danny," Sam quickly said. "I don't like meat, remem-" She stopped, recalling he didn't remember nor did he understand her. She sighed sadly and decided to give him an apologetic pat on the head.
Danny's ears perked up with happiness at her actions. He rolled on his back and looked over to the side where Tucker was. "Hey, you want to play again? You can chase me around this time," Danny chittered excitedly. He turned his eyes back to Sam. "Do you like to play?" he asked her, rubbing his face on her hands, still on his back.
Sam and Tucker gave him nervous smiles, but Sam's fell at finally noticing Danny's eyes. "Vlad?" she called fearfully.
"I thought I made it clear that I did not want to be interrupted," he said coolly.
"It's important" she said with heavy annoyance. "Why are Danny's eyes flashing brown?"
Vlad didn't look at her but still answered. "I believe it has to do with him becoming more badger-like. It was only a brief occurrence before, but now, it seems to be constant. His eyes have been flashing like that since I found him here. There it's done," he announced standing up. "Alright, this is what we will do. First, you two must go to Desiree's domain and use this weapon on her and before you ask why I don't go, I will get to that. The device should open a portal into our world-"
"Should?" Sam cut off with a frown.
"Yes, should; it's not like we have the means or the time to test it," Vlad said with a glare. "Problem is, there is no telling where it will send whatever it captures in its suction. I did manage to set it to Amity's coordinates, but that's as exact as I can make it in such a short time. This is the reason I can not go. If I'm already in our world, then I can get to her faster. Fortunately, I have a mapping system and a spectral finder that key into specific ghost signatures. Desiree's is one that I can track. As soon as she touches the human plain, I'll know where to find her. Now, you must be careful with your aim. Being that the energies are reversed there is a possibility that it can capture more then spectral energy so try not to hit anything but Desiree, hmm?… Now, let me have, Daniel, we've taken enough time."
Danny, who had been absently licking his paw, abruptly halted his actions and looked at Vlad. "Why do you want me?' he chittered nervously.
"Yeah" Tucker added, hearing the device voice his friend's words. "Why do you need Danny?"
Vlad rubbed his temple. "Because the wish is against him and so he must be with me to undo it!"
"I-I don't want to go with him," Danny said nervously, quickly climbing down Sam's shoulder and seeking shelter in her hands.
Vlad glared at the badger. "You don't have choice! Do you want to be a badger for the rest of your life?"
Danny's ears lowered. "What's wrong with that?"
His reply earned him incredulous stares from everyone. Vlad shook his head. "Give him to me, Ms. Manson," he asked.
Sam looked worriedly down at Danny before slowly walking over to Vlad. "No! I don't want to go with him!" the badger hissed.
"Danny, you have to go with Vlad. I promise we'll see you soon, okay?" Sam said, trying to calm him.
The young badger just gazed at his friends and whimpered. "Please, I don't want to be alone again."
Sam's and Tucker's expression grew heavier with sadness at his plea. "Dude…"
"Oh bread crumbs! Just give him to me!' Vlad growled, making his way to Sam
Danny's hair stood on end as he growled at the man, his fangs in full view. "Get away!"
"Stop, Vlad!" Sam said angrily, quickly holding her half-ghost friend closer. "You're just making it worse!"
"Fooish girl! Stop trying to reason with him because you can not! For one, he can not understand you, and two, he has lost all logicality! We can stand here and explain in countless ways why this is what's best for him, but will never understand!"
Danny's aggression vanished and his ears drooped at seeing his friends gaze down at him with sadness. It was the first time he had witness them not return Vlad's glare. He didn't get why it was so important for him to be human. Wasn't it enough that they were together? Why did it matter what he was? …Vlad was right; he didn't understand, but he didn't want Sam and Tucker to be sad, especially if it was his fault…
The badger climbed down Sam's form and slowly walked over to Vlad. "I'll go with you; just don't make them sad anymore," Danny asked, sitting down next to the man's feet and looking as submissive as he could.
The billionaire was truly shocked by the teen's actions. All this time he had observed the boy, not once did he show any type of human reasoning… but now…. he was actually doing something against his acquired animal instincts. He was doing something he had seen the human boy do countless of times. He was putting those he cared about before himself.
It was clear to him, Danny didn't trust him (not that he ever did) and feared for his life around him, but he was now pushing all that aside… for his friends…
Vlad bend down to pick him up, causing the young badger to tremble the moment the man's hands reached him. The billionaire couldn't stop a wave of sympathy from passing over him. "You'll see them soon enough, my boy," Vlad assured, bringing him up to eye level.
Danny nodded sadly, before looking back at his friends who gave him reassuring smiles.
Vlad floated past the teens and towards the ship's exit, but suddenly he halted. "Oh, just a bit of advice for both of you. Try to surprise her. Like I mentioned earlier, in the Ghost Zone, she has no obligation of granting wishes and she is also capable of casting spells through her own will."
"In other words, shoot her before she turns us into toads," Sam said dryly.
Vlad smiled in genuine amusement. "Precisely; I'm sure you two will be able to handle it… If there is one thing this little badger seems to be capable of its picking sidekicks… or should I say friends," he said, before leaving the ship.
Sam and Tucker watched as the man flew away into the Ghost Zone with Danny. "Did… he just say something nice? To us?" Tucker voiced in disbelief.
"Oh, you heard it too? Good, then I wasn't imagining things," Sam replied, before heading over to the co-pilot seat.
"So, what's the plan?" her friend asked, taking the pilot seat and turning on the speeder.
"It's more of an approach then a plan, considering I've only had a few minutes to think about it," Sam answered calmly as she looked at the map in her hands.
"Well, let's hear it; its better then nothing, right?" Tucker said, before taking off.
Danny remained quiet as Vlad flew through the eerie atmosphere. He kept casting fleeting glances at the man who held him in his hands. The teen wanted to go back to Sam and Tucker; he felt safe with them. There was something about this guy that put him on the edge… He needed to find out why. "So… what's your name?" Danny asked.
Vlad rolled his eyes. "I think I liked it better when I couldn't understand him." The badger shifted nervously at not receiving an answer. The man let out a helpless sigh. "My name is Vlad, Daniel."
The teen's ears perked and he looked up at him again. "Vlad" he repeated in a contemplative tone. "How do we know each other?"
The billionaire frowned as he pondered weather it was wise to answer that. "It's a long story; one that you do not need to know at the moment," he decided to say.
Danny cocked his head. "Why?"
"Just trust me, Daniel, alright?"
The teen rolled his eyes. "I can't trust you if I don't know who you are" he retorted.
Vlad chuckled at the irony in his words. "Actually, it's the very opposite, my boy."
Danny studied him for a moment before speaking again. "We didn't like each other, did we?"
Vlad looked down at him with a bit of surprise. "What makes you think that?" he asked out of curiosity.
Danny moved his flashing eyes away from the man's red ones. "I'm… not sure." The badger's attention alerted towards his surroundings, upon realizing they were losing altitude. "Um… Vlad? You're falling."
"What?" the man asked dazedly, his dull eyes opening a bit wider. He quickly recognized what the boy meant and regained their normal altitude once more. Vlad yawned, but was unable to cover it since he had his hands occupied. Danny cringed at the sight of the man's fangs. "Excuse me" he mumbled tiredly, oblivious to the badger's uneasiness
"So…what do you eat?" Danny finally asked.
Vlad smirked. He was tempted to answer 'little badgers', just to scare the teen out of his wits, but doing so would surely cause him to panic… and the billionaire couldn't risk such a thing… the badger was nearly impossible to trap when he fled. "Strictly fruits and vegetables," he calmly lied.
"But you have fa-
"We're here." Vlad interrupted, glad to have an excuse to end the boy's constant questioning.
Danny gazed warily at a large whirling vortex coming up in front of them. "W-Where are we going?"
"To the human world, Daniel. That's where you live," the older half-ghost informed
"Is Sam and Tucker there?" he asked hopeful.
"They will be," he replied, before swooping down and flying through his portal.
Jazz had been pacing in front of the ghost portal for the last couple of hours. She was beyond panicked. Vlad had completely vanished and Sam and Tucker had yet to come through the ghost zone. "I told them not to wonder off!" she yelled in frustration, her hands rising above her. She halted her movements, glanced at a small clock in Vlad's lab, frowned, and then resumed her pacing. "Where is everyone?" she pondered, biting nervously at the inside of her cheek.
Suddenly the lights on the portal came to life and she gave a startled jumped at the hissing sound following after. Her eyes widened with a mixture of emotions at seeing who it was. "Vlad! I never thought I'd say this but I'm so glad to see you!"
Vlad raised an eyebrow at the beaming girl, who abruptly stopped beaming. "Where have you been?! Do you realize what time it is?! We have about an hour before sunrise!"
The half-ghost's right eye twitched at having yet another person throw questions at him. Jazz's anger then switched into worry. "We left to get something to help us trap that ghost, but Sam and Tucker haven't returned! Have you seen them? And what about Danny I thought- What?" the girl wondered as Vlad cut off her ranting, by shoving something soft and warm in her hands.
"The raving girl is your sister, Jasmine" Vlad threw back over his shoulder as he moved towards a large mainframe on the other side of the lab.
Jazz moved her attention away from the man's retreating form and looked down to see what was in her hands. She gasped at seeing two flashing eyes looking curiously up at her. "Danny?" she questioned in a whisper.
"My sister? Really?" the half-ghost chittered questioningly before it turned into excitement. "I knew it! I knew I had a fam- hey!" he yelped when Jazz pulled him into a bone crushing hug.
"Oh, Danny!" Jazz exclaimed in relief. "I'm so happy to see you!"
"Let go! I can't breath!" the badger squeaked, attempting to wiggle out of the girl's hold. Sure, he liked affection, but this one was over doing it!
The teenage girl lifted her brother up and stared at him with worried eyes. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? I was so worried about you! I can't believe this is really you! How do you feel? And why are your eyes flashing like that?!" She pulled him closer at the last question.
The badger just gazed at the shouting girl in disbelief. "What the heck is wrong with you?" he questioned.
"She inherited too much of her father's personality," Vlad answered dryly, his eyes not leaving the computer he was using.
At hearing the billionaire's sudden remark, Jazz turned to him with a quizzical look. It was like he was replying to someone, but she hadn't said anything to merit his words and her brother couldn't… "You can understand Danny?" she questioned.
Vlad sighed deeply. He really wanted to be angry, but he just didn't have the energy it required. "Yes, and if you control your mouth for two minutes I'll explain everything," he said turning to face her. "I went to Skulker's after…"
"…Now we must wait until her signature appears on the map," Vlad finished, showing her the map on the computer screen.
Jazz studied the map for a moment, before speaking. "This is cutting it very close; what if Sam and Tucker can't get her out here in time?"
Vlad looked grimly at Danny, who was currently playing with his sister's hair after growing bored of the conversation the man was having with her. "Then you will need to think of a way to convince your parents to allow you a pet badger."
Jazz frowned deeply. "Hold on, are you telling me you don't have a back up plan!" she asked skeptically.
Vlad smirked at Jazz, but she could see he did so with the purpose of hiding something else in his expression. "Of course not… I just prefer to avoid it." He then turned his attention to a nearby cabinet and walked over to it.
Jazz observed the man pull out a watch-like device from the cabinet, but she didn't pay it any mind; her interest was in Vlad himself. Something told her this alternate plan of his was bad news. "You're going to be your old self again, Danny; I promise," she whispered, kissing the top of his head which earn her a soft coo from her brother.
"Is this the place?"
"If Danny's map is right, then yeah, this is the place," Sam replied.
"I'm gonna stand on top of the speeder to get a better view," Tucker informed her as he turned off the ship. He then turned to her with a worried look. "Are you sure you want to go out there?"
"Don't worry, Tucker, I can handle Desiree, just make sure you hit her. Vlad didn't say how many shots the bazooka has, so try not to miss," she answered, strapping on a jetpack with the word 'Fenton' on it. Sam grabbed an assault weapon, before pressing a button on the jetpack's controls. The flying device's thrusters quickly came to life and the girl was lifted off the ground. "Good luck, Tucker," Sam said with a smile.
"You too, Sam, and be careful," he asked her with a sober expression. The girl nodded and then flew out of the speeder.
Sam's hand tightened around the gun as she approached a floating purple door. Swallowing nervously she knocked on the door and then quickly moved away from direct sight.
Soon after the door opened, revealing a very tired and irritated wishing ghost. "Who dares to wake-" She halted her words at not seeing anyone there, but she did see a floating vehicle not too far off in the distance. Desiree stepped out of her domain, looking confused and intrigued at the aircraft.
"Morning!" she heard a voice chirp right before something struck her side and pushed her a feet back. The ghost quickly gathered her bearings and turned towards the voice.
Sam gave Desiree a daring smirk, earning a dangerous glare in response. The wishing ghost's right hand grew and stretched out towards Sam, sharp claws forming on each fingertip. The girl quickly evaded it with the help of the equipment strapped on her back and laughed teasingly "Come on! Is that the best you got?" Sam taunted
"Foolish human, you have no idea who you are dealing with" Desiree hissed
Sam fired another attack at the ghost, but this time Desiree dodged it and then threw an ectoplasmic blast in response. The teenager too escaped the assault, but just barely. "Sure I do. You're that ghost who stinks at making wishes!" the girl retorted, covering her nervousness with a smirk.
Desiree's eyes narrowed even more. "I'll make you eat those words" she assured, before charging at the girl.
"You're going to have to catch me first!" Sam exclaimed, taking off towards the speeder.
Desiree lit both her hands with ecto-energy and fired blast after blast at the fleeing girl, who dodged them all. "Wow, you shoot as bad as a guy!" the gothic teenager quipped over her shoulder, knowing that the comment would tick off the man-hating ghost.
To her dismay she was too right.
The ghost's aurora flared and her red eyes glowed brighter with rage. Desiree halted her pursuit. She lifted both hands above her head and produced a green mist that quickly reached out towards Sam.
"Sam!" the girl heard her male friend shout before something struck her hard in the back. The teenager let out a startled cry as she tumbled in the air a couple of times.
She quickly righted herself, confusion spread on her expression; Sam didn't understand what had just happened. She didn't feel any pain, just a strong push. So what had the ghost genie done?
Her answer came in a form of something hissing in her left ear. Sam's eyes widened as they locked with a medium-sized, green snake slithering across her shoulders. With a yelped, she knocked it off, only for it to then dissolve into green goo.
Sam turned around, finding Desiree a few feet from her. "Sorry, but you gotta do more then that to scare me," she said calmly, her smirk returning. Sam knew she only needed to get the ghost a few feet closer to the speeder and she would be home free, but when she went to push the button on the jetpack to propel her towards the floating aircraft, she found the jetpack had vanished. The girl gasped when she looked down her frame and confirmed she had just lost what gave her mobility in the empty space around her.
"I wasn't trying to scare you… not yet anyways," Desiree informed, a dark grin appearing on her features. Sam's now fear filled eyes moved towards the evil spirit. Desiree had turned her jetpack into a snake and without it she was just a floating target! Sam quickly lifted the gun in her hand and aimed it at the wishing ghost, who was slowly advancing the immobile girl. "Tucker! Now!" she screamed to her friend.
Tucker, who was standing on top of the speeder, holding the bazooka, aimed it at Desiree, only to find his target was too far. "Sam, she's too far! I might hit you!" Tucker shouted.
The interaction between the two friends caused Desiree to halt and finally notice the other teen. Her expression filled with understanding and she smirked at the floating girl. "I presume you two found the ghost boy… "
Sam shot a blast at the ghost in response, but Desiree easily avoided the expected attack and laughed. "I'll take that as a yes." She crossed her arms in front of her and studied the teenager. "So what is all this? Some pathetic attempt to help him?" she mocked.
"Change Danny back, Desiree!" Sam ordered, her hand tightening on the gun from anger.
The ghost laughed loudly. "It seems you don't realize you are in no position of making demands, human."
Sam held her glare. "You can't hurt me here," she replied boldly.
An evil smile spread on Desiree's face in response to the girl's words. "Are you sure?"
Sam's face paled as she watched the spirit's right hand form a pink mist, which slowly grew denser and swirled around said appendage. The trio had discovered a while ago that ghosts couldn't harm humans in the Ghost Zone, but they had only proven that with physical attacks… she didn't know if she was immune to magic as well…. the jetpack hadn't been…. "Tucker!" the teenage girl screamed with fear, firing an attack at the wishing ghost, but missed.
"Sam!" her friend shouted back. Tucker helplessly saw as the spirit floated closer and closer to Sam with wicked intentions. "I'm going to have to take the shot" he voiced nervously, lifting up the bazooka and aiming it. To his dismay, he found there was no way he could fire without hitting his friend. She was right in the line of fire.
Desiree turned intangible as she avoided another green blast from the girl, who was clearly beginning to panic. "You have doomed yourself in vain, human. Even if I wanted to return your friend back to normal, I could not. Only the one who wished him that way can do anything to aid the ghost boy, and judging by the last time I saw that pompous fool, he can not even aid himself!" the ghost stated with a smug expression. Sam screamed as Desiree fired an ecto ray from her left hand and struck the ghost gun, destroying it into pieces and throwing the girl back from the force.
Sam was severely dazed, but now, Tucker had his chance.
"Hmm… I think I'll turn you both into worms and then feed you to the ghost boy," the wishing ghost said sinisterly, finally extending the mist in her hand towards the girl.
"Tucker! Shoot her!" Sam screamed. Right after, she let out a choked gasped as the mist wrapped around her frame and she began to fill dizzy.
"Hey, Desiree!" Tucker called out, catching the ghost's attention. "Enjoy your trip!"
The evil spirit gasped in surprise as a green ball of energy came at her, smashing directly into her right shoulder, in turn stopping whatever she was about to do to the girl.
She hissed in pain, before glaring at the now very nervous Tucker. "Sam, it didn't work!" he exclaimed.
Desiree took off after the male teen, but abruptly something jerked her back by the arm and she let out a startled cry. The ghost growled upon finding her arm restrained by an invisible force; she pulled and even turned intangible, but try as she might her arm would not budge.
Her eyes broadened as a circle of white light appeared on the shoulder the blast had struck her in and quickly expanded into a swirling vortex. "What is this?!" she screeched as it began to pull her within.
"A free pass to Amity Park" Sam informed with a smug look and crossed arms.
Desiree screamed as she was completely sucked within the portal, before it disappeared.
"Yes!" Tucker shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Tucker Foley rocks!"
Sam rolled her eyes, but held an amused smile on her face. "When you're finished worshipping yourself can you come get me? I'm starting to get air sick."
"Oh, right," he replied sheepishly, before opening a hatch and jumping back inside the floating ship.
Sam sighed in relief. That was too close for comfort. "Now the rest is in Vlad's hands" She cringed at the fact.
With the help of her friend she quickly got aboard the speeder. "Floor it, Tucker. We need to get to Danny," she said, buckling up.
"Don't need to tell me twice," Tucker replied, whirling the ship in the direction of the billionaire's portal.
"Staying like that is just going to make things worse for you and Danny," Jazz reprimanded, stopping her pacing and looking at the man, who was currently sitting on a single seat couch
"I'm aware of that, Jasmine," Vlad retorted tiredly, "but things will be much easier if I confront that wretched ghost in this form and if I change now, I know I will be unable to summon my ghost form again," he explained while observing Danny play with his cat's toy ball on the ground. Maddie too watched the teen, but she did so from the relative safety of the living room entrance.
It was clear the white cat was afraid of him, but unlike before, the badger didn't seem to take too much interest in the cat…. as long as she stayed out of his "territory", which at the moment, consisted of the entire living room and everyone in it.
Jazz didn't reply and instead looked towards the grandfather clock. "They've taken too long," she voiced. "The sun will be up in less then twenty minutes."
Vlad didn't answer. He knew that getting to Desiree's lair would take a good amount of time; the place was fairly deep inside the Ghost Zone, but despite that, it had been too long. The half-ghost thought about his other options, but all of them required Desiree to be in the human world… well, all except for one.
Vlad crossed his arms and stared intently at the badger once more. He didn't understand his hesitation; all this was Danny's fault after all. He was the one who started this with his childish arrogance. …Yes, the billionaire had to admit to himself that he was a bit rash and had ignored the very possible repercussions of seeking the aid of the wishing ghost to punish the teen, but how else was someone of his stature supposed to react after the overconfident teen had the nerve to humiliate him in his own home?
Not only that, but when he attempted to give the teen his well deserved punishment, Danny attempted to humiliate him yet again, but this time, in front of the love of his life. How dare he?!
No, he had every reason to act how he did, and so, he had every reason to let Danny pay for this alone.
Jazz halted her pacing the moment she noticed the dark expression Vlad was staring at her brother with. She purposely cleared her throat and effectively pushed the man from his thoughts. "So, what's this second plan of yours?" she questioned suspiciously.
Vlad didn't remove his gaze from Danny, although he had noticed Jazz's tone of voice. As the badger neared him, the man quickly snatched the small ball from him. The teen, of course, let out angry protests at this. "Why so interested?" Plasmius asked causally, mild amusement on his face as the young hybrid climbed on him to get his ball back.
Jazz frowned as she watched Vlad tease her brother with the cat toy. "You know," Plasmius began with a contemplative expression, "humiliating someone loses its significance when said person doesn't realize he's being humiliated," he stated, before giving the badger his ball back.
Jazz's heart rate accelerated as she realized what the billionaire was currently doing. "Danny, get away from Vlad," she ordered.
Danny glanced over at his sister, upon hearing her voice, but then turned his attention back to Plasmius. "Don't take away my toy again!" he warned with a growl.
"I told you, Jasmine, he can not understand you," the man said, finally looking at her and smiling ruefully. Vlad immediately stopped Danny from leaving by grabbing him. He knew what the girl was thinking, but he had no intentions of alleviating her fears. Her conclusions were right for the most part.
"Come, Daniel, there is something I must show you," he informed, getting up with Danny in his hold.
The badger, who had been fiercely struggling, stopped his attempts of escaping and gave the man a curious look. "What is it?"
"You'll see," Vlad replied calmly.
"Hold on, Vlad." Jazz said firmly, blocking his departure by standing in front of him. "You're not taking my brother anywhere!" Whatever he was planning, she wasn't about to let Danny be part of it. He'd have to go through her first!
The older half-ghost said nothing to the girl in response. Instead, he lifted a watch like contraption on his wrist. "Status?" he questioned, his attention on the device.
"Sorry, pumpkin, but Desiree the wishing ghost is not in Amity Park."
Vlad looked back at Danny's sister. "Time's up, Jasmine," he said soberly.
The girl gasped as the man flew up and phased through the ceiling with her brother in his hold. "Danny!" she yelled.
Jazz raced out of the living room and up the stairs. She reached the place where the lab was, only to find the door was locked. "Vlad! No, you can't! Vlad!" she screamed, her eyes filling with fear induced tears. "DANNY!" she cried while she pounded desperately on the door.
What? It's the second to last chapter; you had to be expecting a cliff hanger! So yes, one more chapter left and it's half-way completed, fun eh? That reminds me, I know I didn't update CM this Saturday, but fear not, it is coming, just got a bit behind, cause of stuff happening in my life as well as my beta's. Anyways, everything should make sense by now, regarding this story, but if it doesn't and you have questions, let me know and I'll clear stuff up. Oh, and the whole ghost communication thing, I was going to add an explanation for Wulf (who would be an exception), which Vlad was going to give, but I felt it was more information then THIS story required, same thing goes with Vlad dying b/c he's losing his ghost half theory. I know it seems it isn't cannon with TUE, but I can assure you, I came up with the theory with it in mind. So, if you want more info on either of those theories or on anything else, you guys know how to get it! Thanks for reading and for all your support! Loves you all!