Hello everyone! It's story time again! Heh-heh! I am very content, despite that I feel like I just got beat up with the Fenton Anti-creep Stick! Yes, colds can make you feel like that! But I'm happy, cause I have one week left of school! And I don't have to go back until August! –cracks fingers—It's time for my ten little fingers to forget about school work, and focus on fun story typing! Yay! But enough chit-chat! See at the end!

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but my evil little Vlad muse is mine! --gets blasted--

Chapter 25: Unstable

Danny's eyes slowly opened, and with a yawn, he sat up. He rubbed his eyes to clear his blurry vision from sleep, but the second his eyes came into focus they went wide with fear at finding a pair of green pupil-less eyes staring right at him.

"AHH!" Danny screamed, quickly backing away from the presumed danger in front of him. But when he collided into something hard and cold, he gasped and looked back. The teen stared at the cage bars behind him, and as he looked around his surroundings his mind quickly recalled Vlad had thrown him in here last night. Now fully awake, Danny's attention went back to the being currently laughing loudly in front of him.

"You look good in there, whelp," Skulker stated as he looked evilly at the half-ghost while kneeling on one knee in front of the cage.

Danny growled and quickly attempted to shoot an ecto-blast at the ghost, only to be electrocuted by the cage. "Ouch!" he yelped, quickly clutching his hand which had received the worse of the shock.

The hunter's laughter filled the lab once more, but he soon asked, "Tell me, ghost child, what did you do now to get my employer to throw you in there?" Skulker stood back up, but continued to stare at the trapped boy with amusement.

Danny glared at the ghost, but then an evil smirk spread on his lips. "Let's just say I gave him a night to remember," he answered, inspecting his nails as he thought of everything he had done last night to his enemy. Even though he was now stuck in a cage for it, he didn't regret any of it in the slightest.

Skulker chuckled. "I never would have imagined it… You're quite evil, whelp."

"I'M NOT EVIL!" Danny abruptly screamed, grabbing the cage bars in anger. "HE DESERVED IT! HE'S THE EVIL JERK!"

Skulker raised an eyebrow at the boy's words and abrupt change in demeanor. "You feeling alright, whelp?" The ghost smirked, "Because if I didn't know any better I'd say you're losing it."

"I suggest you leave before I lose it on you!" Danny exclaimed furiously.

Skulker laughed full-heartedly. His prey really was acting irrational! "Look around you, pup. Do you even realize where you're at?"

Danny ignored the ghost's question, and just stared at him spitefully. But then he said, "You tell Plasmius he better let me out of here, or I'll tear down his house WITH HIM IN IT!"

Skulker just laughed louder, but nodded "Alright, I'll tell him. And I'm sure he'll gladly comply!" he added sarcastically, before flying out of the lab, laughing once more.

Danny let out an enraged scream, before he covered his face with his shaking hands. For a moment, the boy's depression threatened to overwhelm him, but his anger quickly suppressed and subdued it.

Vlad was currently training in the stimulation room, which was something he usually did regularly... But with everything that had been going on with the young hybrid, he had not had the time or desire. However, his pent-up energy and anger had finally driven him to exercise. Unless he got rid of it, he felt he would explode from all of his frustration.

Letting out as much energy as he could into each attack, Plasmius sent ectoplasmic blasts at the different obstacles that the stimulation room threw at him. He expertly moved forward, dodging and weaving away from anything that came his way. He never once made a mistake in his actions. And yet, his mind was not on what he was doing in the least. It was focused on his current troubles; or more specifically, the cause of them: Daniel.

To put it into a few words, the boy was uncontrollable! Every day, Daniel and he would end up in a quarrel that the teen always started somehow! But lately, Vlad had made sure that their fights ended quickly because he was really beginning to fear Daniel would indeed bring down the house on both of them. Not only that, but the boy was making him so angry that he knew if these violent fights continued, it would end badly for the young half-ghost, and then for himself… It was the only reason why Vlad did not attack him for what Danny did last night. It was why he locked him in that cage instead. If the teen did anything else to anger him, he wasn't sure if he would be able to restrain himself any longer.

The older hybrid couldn't lie to himself. He had never expected the boy to take on this overly aggressive and defiant attitude. Maybe at first, but not now, and definitely not having it become progressively worse! And if that wasn't troubling enough, the boy's physical instability was. Yes, he had noticed it. Danny's ecto-signature was completely off the charts. At first he thought it was due to stress, but now…he wasn't sure what it was from… Perhaps from not using his powers?

Vlad shook his head. No, that couldn't be it. Daniel was constantly in his ghost form, perhaps even a little too much… Whatever the reason for Danny's instability, Vlad was too angry now to really care enough to find out. Besides, the boy looked to be physically fine.

"A little too fine," Plasmius growled as he produced a shield to block some green quills coming his way. But then he sighed tiredly as he thought of the disaster the boy made of everything yesterday. Danny had ruined an important business deal for him, one that he had been working on for over a month now.

"I can probably still salvage it," he mumbled, multiplying into four, before countering the numerous blasts coming his way. He bit his bottom lip in worry, but a voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry to interrupt, Plasmius, but I have something to tell you," Skulker said through the overhead intercoms.

"What is it, Skulker? I'm busy," Vlad replied angrily, not pausing with his training.

"The whelp wanted me to relay a message to you."

"I don't care what that rat has to say!" the half-ghost fumed as he blew up one of the weapons that had come out of the wall.

"He insisted I tell you," Skulker replied, a grin growing on his face. He simply couldn't pass up the chance to see his employer's reaction to the whelp's threat.

Vlad rolled his eyes, knowing the ghost was going to tell him despite his objection. Still, he said nothing and just continued exercising as he waited for his ally to tell him whatever the boy had said.

Skulker chuckled as he quickly programmed his suit to replay Danny's words. Luckily, his suit had a new upgrade that allowed him to either holographically project things he had seen, or repeat things he had heard. And so, he pressed replay.

"You tell Plasmius he better let me out of here, or I'll tear down his house WITH HIM IN IT!"

Skulker's grin widened as his employer growled and let out stronger ecto-blasts in response to "the message". The hunter quickly addressed him, doing nothing to hide the delight in his tone of voice. "So, do you want me to say something to him for you? Or maybe a small blast to his head will be sufficient?"

Vlad's anger exploded as he screamed, "What I want is for you to let me exercise in peace!"

Skulker grumbled in annoyance, and exited with an angry pout.

"Increase training by ten more levels!" the furious half-ghost shouted to the room.

"Training level 54 initiated."

Danny was huddled at the corner of the cage, his face buried in his knees. He had no clue what time it was--not that he really cared. But it was hard to ignore his stiff and cold body, and his grumbling stomach. It had to be past lunch time if he was this hungry. He let out a soft sigh which sounded like a foghorn in his ears from how quiet the lab was.

Then suddenly, his ghost sense went off. He looked up, and saw the reason why. Niane was currently floating in front of the cage he was trapped in. Danny just glared at her before burying his face into his knees once more.

The young maid said nothing for a moment, but then she softly called out to him, "Master Danny?"

"What?" he responded venomously without lifting his head.

"I…I brought you a piece of cake," Niane replied in the same quiet tone of voice.

Danny looked up angrily, this time noticing the tray in the ghost's hands. "I don't want anything from that--"

"It's not from him," the maid interrupted, which received a bewildered and stunned look from Danny. Niane looked around nervously, before turning back to the boy. "I-I thought you might be hungry so I-"

"Why?" Danny asked, frowning suspiciously at the girl.

"I'm sorry?" Niane replied, not understanding the question.

"Why would you risk getting in trouble for me? Or is there a catch? What do you want?" he demanded, his anger returning.

The ghost sighed sadly as she shook her head. She placed the tray in her hands, containing a piece of chocolate cake and a cup of milk, down on the floor next to the cage. "There is no catch, Master Danny. I-I just don't think you're all that bad, i-if you'll excuse my honesty."

Danny looked at the ghost, trying to desperately understand why she would care. He just didn't know what to think of her; how to react to her. He was torn in his thoughts. The ghost worked for his archenemy, and yet she seemed so harmless, so nice… She had always been nice to him.

Danny looked down at his sneakers, the feeling of anger suddenly vanishing. "Can I ask you something?" he asked almost timidly.

"Of course, sir," she replied with a small smile he didn't catch.

"Why do you work for him? How can you work for someone that's so …evil?" Danny asked, looking back up at her with hate, but it wasn't directed towards her.

Niane instantly frowned at the question. She just stared at him for a moment, making Danny believe she wasn't going to answer him. But then she floated down and sat in front of him with her knees tucked under her. She looked away from him, nervously straightening her dress. But her expression was unreadable as she whispered her response, "Just because he's evil in your eyes doesn't mean he's evil in everyone else's."

Danny looked at the ghost in disbelief, but then his anger exploded at the absurdity of her reply. "Of course he's not evil in everyone's eyes! HE'S A HYPOCRITE!"

Niane cringed at the boy's outburst, which Danny immediately regretted. "I'm sorry," he said softly, looking back at his shoes.

"You don't have to apologize," she said calmly. "I know it's hard for you to understand. We all have different reasons why we are with him. But, Master Plasmius… he treats us kindly. Sure he has his temper, but he has given us a home outside the Ghost Zone, and we get to live a peaceful afterlife here, doing what we like… well, most of us…" Niane quickly looked back at her fiddling fingers, expecting another outburst of protest from the teen.

But it didn't come. Instead, Danny just sighed sadly. Without a word, he reached forward and grabbed the plate and drink. As he ate he contemplated Niane's words. "Hard to understand" was an understatement. Vlad Masters, Vlad Plasmius, his arch-enemy… kind?

He shook his head. "He doesn't even have a heart to be kind with," he thought angrily. How could Niane talk like that about Vlad? She obviously had no clue who she was really working for…right? So then, why were she and all these other ghosts so loyal to him? Maybe the benefit of it was so great that they didn't care what their employer did. But… they didn't see him as the evil guy Vlad was, or at least Niane didn't after hearing her talk like that.

There had to be something wrong with all these ghosts… And yet, Niane seemed different to Danny somehow. There was something about her that had caught his attention from the moment he met her. Problem was, he had no idea what it was. Maybe…Maybe it was how normal she acted. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was a human teenage girl. He had yet to see her act obsessive in any way, unlike the other maids with their bickering, the cook with his need to cook, Derek with his extreme desire to serve…Danny was almost certain he could name the obsessive nature of every ghost he had met in his life, except… for this one sitting quietly in front of him.

Danny had so many questions he wanted to ask Niane, but he never asked them. He remained quiet the rest of the time, knowing his pent-up frustration would cause him to yell at the ghost if he attempted to converse with her. And she didn't deserve that from him.

He soon finished off the milk and cake, and placed the cup and plate back on the tray. "Thanks," he said sincerely.

Niane smiled and nodded in response. She grabbed the tray and floated to a standing position. She moved towards the lab's exit, but then looked back at Danny and said, "Ta, Master Danny. I'll return--"

"What are you doing, child?"

Niane gasped as she immediately turned towards the voice. "Skulker!" she said in alarm, quickly backing away from the hunter.

Skulker momentarily glanced at the tray in the maid's hands, then at Danny, before returning his eyes to Niane again. "If I heard correctly, my employer said he didn't want anyone near the whelp." He raised an eyebrow as he studied the ghost in front of him in a contemplative manner. But then he grinned at her.

Niane tried to think of something to say, but the predatory expression on Skulker's face had her too nervous to speak. Danny, too, caught the spark in the hunter's eyes, but he wasn't keeping quiet.

"Don't even think about it!" Danny threatened, grabbing the cage bars so hard that his knuckles turned white.

Skulker laughed at seeing the ghost-boy's anger and protectiveness flare. "Well, well," he stated evilly, "I see you have a new helper."

Danny growled in response, his green eyes narrowed menacingly.

Skulker smirked cleverly at the half-ghost as he took a few steps closer to him. "You know, since my employer won't let me have your head perhaps your little helper's here could provide a substitute…."

"NO!" Danny screamed as in an instant Skulker was upon the girl ghost, and had wrenched her up by her neck. Niane squeaked and closed her eyes in fright, the tray in her hand falling to the floor, dish and glass-cup shattering into pieces.

"SKULKER, STOP! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Danny shouted when he saw the hunter pull out his glowing green blade.

"SKULKER!" another voice suddenly yelled, just as the desperate Danny attempted to 'go ghost' and painfully failed.

Panting from pain, Danny looked up through blurry eyes, and realized the other hybrid was now in the lab.

Vlad glared at the hunter. "Put her down," he ordered angrily, and Skulker immediately let go of the maid.

Niane fell with a thud on the floor, and quickly backed away from the hunter, while trying to address her employer. "S-Sir, I-I c-can ex--"

Vlad held his hand up, stopping the girl from continuing her stumbling explanation. "Get a broom to clean up this mess," he ordered calmly.

"Y-Yes, sir" she replied, and speedily flew out the lab.

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, before looking back at the hunter with a bored expression. "Skulker, I believe you have a job to do."

"Yes, of course," the ghost stated nervously as he put away his blade. Without any further words, Skulker opened the ghost portal, and then flew into it.

Vlad watched the portal's doors close behind the ghost, before casting his eyes over to Danny, who was surprisingly quiet, but glaring at him from within the cage. Vlad didn't hesitate to return the hateful look, before turning around and exiting without a word.

Once Vlad was outside the lab, he let out a weary sigh. But his attention quickly went to the young maid who was returning with a broom. "Niane."

The girl looked up at him nervously. "Sir, I'm sorry. I-I just thought--"

"Don't be," Vlad interrupted. "Make sure he eats dinner," he added without emotion, before turning away towards the main stairs.

Danny looked around at his surroundings, but not out of curiosity, but out of boredom. In fact, he had scrutinized Vlad's lab so well by now he knew the number of lab tables, storage cabinets, and even the number of glowing-green bars that made up the cage he was in—which was twenty-eight, by the way; seven on each of the four sides. The top and bottom of the cage was solid and made up of the same cold and hard material as the bars. There were two openings, one on top and one on the side, and both contained a very well-built locks that he found out were impossible to open without the key.

Another thing Danny had noticed was that the weapons—including the Plasmius Maximus-- that had once been lying in full view when he first came in here were no longer around. There was no doubt Vlad had hidden all the weapons he believed Danny could use against him. If the teen wasn't so down at the moment, he would have been amused by the fact that his enemy had become so paranoid after the 'goo incident' that he had made sure to hide most of his ghost weapons.

Danny's eyes were currently studying the Ghost Portal in front of him, when suddenly, the lights went off, and he was left in pitch darkness just like last night. Apparently, the lights in the lab were automatic and set to turn off at a certain time…Perhaps that's how all the lights in the mansion turned off… Before his mind could ponder further over this, it quickly slammed its brakes, and then backed up. The lights had gone off! That meant it was night-time again!

"You gotta be kidding! How long is he going to keep me in here?" he thought fearfully. Knowing his ghost vision was more adapted to the darkness than his human one, he willed them forward, and stared nervously at his quiet surroundings.

He didn't want to be in this cage anymore! It was so cold in here and his body hurt from being in one position for so long. Not to mention, he was a few feet away from a ghost portal and was practically defenseless. Not the most comforting place to be.

Also, he had felt all tingly the entire day. He wondered if it was the cage, but he didn't really think so. He was feeling anxious as always, only that today it seemed to come in waves. Really strong waves; and it was at their peak that the tingling sensation came. At one point the tingling had been very strong, and the weirdest thing happened: the cage had reacted and electrocuted him as if he had been trying to use his powers! That had made him even more worried the rest of the day. The last thing he wanted was to be barbecued in this trap. But luckily, it had only been a one-time thing.

Danny sighed, the action once more sounding deafening in the silence of the lab. He grabbed his stomach, feeling the dull ache of necessity knocking at his door. Fortunately, he had not had too much to drink the day before or today. If he had, he would be in even more trouble right now. But that didn't mean he didn't need to go to the bathroom. In fact, when Niane came for a second time today with food for him, Danny did not have anything to drink, afraid of what that could do to his already uncomfortable system.

The half-ghost slumped against the cage as he let his eyes turn back to their natural blue, which, in turn, caused his visual range in the darkness to fall to nearly zero. Maybe some sleep would do him some good. At least it would keep his mind off his pained body.

Vlad slammed the book close he was reading on his bed, and mentally cursed. He had forgotten all about Daniel. Well, not really. What he had forgotten completely about was the boy's bodily functions. He had been planning on keeping the boy locked in that cage for a few more days. For one, it was the least the little rat deserved, and two, Vlad needed some peace and quiet to clear his mind. But now he realized he was going to have to settle for just one Danny-free day…

Vlad sighed as he stood up and went over to his closet to put on a robe. He might as well release Daniel. He couldn't keep him in there forever …unfortunately.

The billionaire soon made his way downstairs and to the lab. He walked in, not bothering to turn on the lights. Instead, he willed his eyes to glow red, and moved towards the sleeping teen. He glared darkly at Danny for a moment, before reaching in his pocket and pulling out the glowing-green key. He kneeled on one knee and unlocked the side door, before reaching in and lightly, but uncaringly, slapping the boy on the cheek.

Danny was roused by this, but not enough to alarm him in any way. The young half-ghost looked sleepily up at Vlad, before rubbing his eyes into focus. It was soon after that that his brain seemed to register the angry pair of red eyes staring at him through the darkness.

"Ahh!" Danny screamed as he backed himself into the cage, now fully awake.

Vlad rolled his eyes, before glaring again. "Get out," he growled as he grabbed the boy by his shirt and threw him out of the cage.

Danny yelped as he landed on the floor in a heap. But he quickly stood up... well, as quickly as his stiff body would let him. Willing his eyes to glow their ghostly hue, the teen narrowed his eyes at the billionaire. "You could have at least turned on the light," Danny growled, angry at Vlad's insensitive "wake-up" call.

Vlad ignored the comment as he walked up to the younger hybrid and looked down menacingly at him. "You cross me again, in any way, Daniel, and you can be sure you'll find yourself back in there, permanently!"

Any other time, Danny would have blasted the man across the room to show him his threats didn't scare him. But he knew Vlad wasn't kidding, and his tired body and mind couldn't take being locked up like that anymore. Plus, he had to go to the bathroom…

Danny swallowed his pride, but not his anger, and pushed his enemy out of his way and stomped out of the lab.

Vlad glared after the boy's retreating form, resisting the urge to blast him for his rudeness. He gritted his teeth and growled, before following behind Danny and exiting the lab himself.

Both hybrids found the double-flight stairs and climbed them at their opposite wings, staring each other down the entire time. With one last spiteful look they unlocked eyes and headed in opposite directions on the second floor, both angrily cursing the other all the way to their respective rooms.

"Danny, wait up!"

The blue-eyed boy turned around and smiled at his male friend who was running to catch up to him.

"Dude, I thought I would never reach you. I called your name, like, ten times!" a seven-year-old Tucker said in between pants, after stopping in front of his friend.

Danny chuckled at him. "Sorry, Tuck, I didn't hear you."

"Come on, let's go to lunch!" Tucker stated as he slapped Danny on the back.

"Hold on, Tuck. I told Sam I would wait for her," his friend said.

"Who?" Tucker asked, confused.

"Oh, I met this girl in my homeroom class. We were paired up for an arts project, and, well, she's really nice. So…I asked her to eat lunch with us. I'm just waiting for her to get out of the bathroom."

"A girl?" Tucker asked with a frown.

Danny laughed at the look on his friend's face. "Come on, Tuck, she's really not bad for a girl. Trust me, you'll like her," he said, just before 'the girl' came out of the bathroom. "Hey, Sam?" Danny called, "I want you to meet Tucker; he's my other friend I told you about."

"Hi!" Sam greeted Tucker with a smile and a wave.

"Sam? Isn't that a boy's name?" Tucker asked confused.

"It's short for Samantha," she answered with a shrug, but then suddenly glared at him, "But you call me that and you're gonna be in big trouble!" She then smiled cheerfully again.

Tucker nodded fearfully, before looking over at his male friend and giving him a bewildered look.

Danny shrugged in response, before smiling at the girl. "Come on, guys, I'm starving!" he stated as he walked off towards the cafeteria.

"Wait for us!" Tucker and Sam exclaimed at the same time, quickly falling in step and to each side of their blue-eyed friend.

"Are you coming over to my house today, Tuck?" Danny asked. "We can play with my rocket ship collection!" he added happily.

"Yup to both!" he replied just as enthusiastically. "And we can also play with a new video game my dad got me!"

Danny grinned, but then looked over at Sam, who was unusually quiet. "How bout you, Sam? Wanna come over my house and play?"

Sam's face immediately brightened and she nodded fervently. "Okay! But I gotta ask my mommy and daddy first, but I know they'll say yes!"

"We're not playing girlie stuff, just so you know," Tucker quickly assured her.

Sam gave him an angry look. "Who said that? And I can do boy stuff, too!"

"Well, just in case, Danny can get you some of his sister's dollies," Tucker replied.

Sam stuck her tongue out at Tucker, causing Danny to laugh at his squabbling friends.

"It's okay, Sam, you can play with whatever you want," Danny said with a smile that the girl returned. As they arrived at the cafeteria, he asked, "So what are we gonna eat?"

"Meat! / Salad!" Tucker and Sam responded respectively, before immediately frowning at each other.

Danny tiled his head in amusement at them, "We could always--" He stopped and frowned at feeling a small tremor under his feet. He looked up at his friends only to find they were no longer there. Before he could wonder why, the floor underneath him began to crumple and he gasped in fear. In an instant, it gave way and he fell through the floor, plummeting down to what seemed like an endless black pit.

"Ahh!" Danny shouted, sitting up. He panted heavily as he looked around his surroundings. It didn't take long for him to realize he was on the floor in the employee lounge.

Danny glared upwards, now knowing he had dropped through the ceiling while sleeping again. He didn't understand why this was happening to him, but it was getting on his nerves!

He stood up angrily and turned into Phantom. And with a grumble, he phased through the ceiling, grabbing his lodged covers as he flew by. He changed back above his bed and dropped on it with a bounce. He let out a groan as he rubbed his sore head.

"At least the coffee table wasn't there this time," Danny mumbled. Resting his elbows on his knees, he supported his face with his hands and sighed. "Maybe all the stress is really getting to me," the teen suggested to himself, before sighing louder. This was the last thing he needed or wanted at the moment. He was in no mood to go through the whole 'powers malfunctioning' thing again.

Danny looked up at the clock and his eyes widened. "Four AM?" he screeched, but then groaned and fell back on his pillow. What annoyed him more was that his body wasn't remotely tired. In fact, it felt way too energized. And yet, his mind felt murky, like it did when he was sleep-deprived.

"You would think after being locked in that cage for a full day I would be exhausted," he mumbled in confusion as he placed his hands on his face.

Danny decided to close his eyes and attempt to fall asleep again, but two hours later he realized it wasn't happening. And so, he decided to get an early start on the day… Not that he had anything to do, per se, but if he couldn't sleep, he didn't have much of a choice.

Poor kid's a mess, huh?

Well, the next CM chapter is one of those that you might want to consider strapping on your seat-belts to read. And that's all I'm saying about it! But moving on to another story, 'DoaS', to be more specific, I have not forgotten about it! But rest assured the next chapter's length with make up for the wait!

Please share your thoughts! Until next time!