Danny was still curled up in his room when his ghost sense went off, and someone knocked on the door. He didn't answer, but they phased their head through anyway.
"Dinner is served," said a voice. "Master Vlad said he expects you shortly." Danny's fists balled as he forced himself to get up. He did NOT want to go down and facethat managain, but before his feet had touched the floor, the thought that he would have to put up with facing him for a long time yet had melted his resolve. Sighing and unable to fight off the depression, he trudged out the door, and down the hall and the long stairs. He tried not to look glum as he entered the enormeous dining room, and walked up to a seat a few chairs away from Vlad, who sat at the head of the table.
"Ah, Daniel," Vlad said, checking his watch. "I wondered when you'd grace me with your presence." Danny could only nod as he sat down, and picked up his fork. The first course of the meal had already been layed out before them. Vlad watched him for a few moments before leaning forward.
"I hear you had some visitors today. May I ask what happened?" Danny sighed. He'd known this was coming.
"I told them not to come back again," he said. "I don't need friends like that."
"Ah, old friends," Vlad nodded. "Indeed, you need to put your old life behind you. You're with me now." It was all Danny could do to not cringe at his words.
8 8 8 8 8
"Only ectoplasmic shields and blasts today," Vlad said, taking his usual seat. They'd come to the now familiar training room. Danny looked at him suprised.
"So, I'm done with the intangiblity?"
"Daniel," Vlad shook his head and picked up the paper sitting next to the chair. "You are never 'done' with any of the training aspects." He began looking over the paper, all the while talking through it to Danny. "It's just time to move on for now."
"Oh," Danny sighed. Why did everything seem so hopeless? Was it really that bad here? He didn't want to answer his own question, and began the transformation just in time to throw up a shield, blocking the robots coming after him. It took him a few seconds to get into the battle...and the familiar, addictive feeling of forgetting everything else and focusing on the battle took him.
He barely noticed that the last droid had been destroyed, when he looked around, ready to send blasts everywhere, but nothing came for him. Looking at the rubble, he stood, slightly shocked in the center of the mess.
"Wow, that was fast," he looked down at his hands.
"Indeed it was," he heard Vlad behind him. Danny turned to see him leaning foward, an unreadable expression on his face. "How long have you had your powers again?"
"I...er..." Danny counted on his hands, "Almost a year, sir."
"Call me Vlad, son." Vlad sat back in his chair. Danny shot a look at him.
"Don't call me son," he said slowly, and dangerously. Vlad didn't respond, but he still sat with his hand on his chin. Danny stood there for several minutes before Vlad snapped out of whatever trance he was in.
"That will be enough for tonight," he said, getting up and tucking the paper under his arm. "The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please." Danny glared at Vlad as he walked past, all the way to the door. There, he turned and looked at he prodegy. "I don't want you tiring yourself, so take the night off from working out." Danny watched in confusion as he left. He didn't feel tired at all. He couldn't help but think that Vlad was planning something.
"Would you come with me?" A voice behind him caused him to turn, ectoplasmic blast ready.
"Alesha?" He put his hand down. She smiled and floated up to him.
"There's something I want to show you," she smiled. It was the first time he'd ever seen her smile, of course it was only the third time he'd seen her at all, but that was beside the point. Her already pleasent features were only enhanced by her smile.
"I guess," he shrugged. It wasn't like he had anything else to do.
