WoM- So, we meet again! 'laughs,' I'm in a good mood now that I'm on break! And so, let's take a peek into the future with V-man!
WARNING; The content here gets a little more mature. Please note that this story has been rated Teen for this reason.
Vlad: I've forgiven Jack for many things. Causing the accident that ruined my life, stealing you, the backwash incident…
Maddie: Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up. What was that last one?
Vlad: Um, causing the accident that ruined my life?
Maddie: No, after that.
Vlad: The backwash incident?
Maddie: (Annoyed) No, in the middle!
Vlad: You mean the 'stealing you' part? Oh, Maddie, you could always see right through me! I'm just going to come out and say it! Maddie, please dump Jack and stay here; you and Danny both can! What do you say?
(Scene cuts to Maddie storming out angrily with Danny trailing behind here)
Danny: Bye, Vlad! And as a lonely single's man in your forties, might I suggest Internet dating? Or a cat!
Vlad: Mark my words, Maddie! Nobody says no to Vlad Masters! You will rue the day you spurred my affections! AND I WILL NOT. GET. A. CAT!
Christmas Future
"Hello?" Bonnie twisted around, frowning every which way in the barren house. "Danny? Danny?" Bonnie sighed. "Aw, man! I never got to ask his number…"
"I think you have bigger things to worry about, my dear…" An unfamiliar older voice told her. Bonnie's attention snapped to the man in front of her, smirking down and looking quite evil with his billowing white cloak and vampirish looks.
"Okay, Past… Present…" Bonnie frowned, "I'm going out on a limb here to say you're Future?"
"Ah, so you can be taught!" The ghost said, making Bonnie glare, "Very well then, I am Vlad Plasmius, and yes, I am the Ghost of Christmas yet to come. Ten years from the present time, to be more precise,"
"So, you're really showing me my future?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow, "Can you do that?"
"I can," Vlad said, leaving out that it was only because Clockwork granted him the power, and that was only for Christmas Night. "And this isn't your future, per se, merely what will be if you do no chance your ways."
"And if I sit through this, you'll let me go home?" Bonnie asked hopefully.
"Precisely," Vlad said.
"And get me Danny's home phone number?"
"That I can't guarantee," Vlad said, sounding amused.
"Urg, let's get this over with…" Bonnie grumbled begrudgingly. Vlad gave her an evil grin.
"Let's," he agreed.
There was a brilliant flash of red light, and Bonnie found herself in a nice looking building, tastefully decorated with lovely furniture, art pieces and a big window with a gorgeous view.
"Is this my place?" Bonnie asked, her jaw going slacked.
"Actually, no," Vlad smirked, leaning against a wall. Moments later a beautiful red haired woman walked in, frowning into a phone as she began shuffling through the desk.
"I understand, but you have to realize that I'm not gonna take a job on Christmas!" A pause. "Yeah, but my son was two then, and that was a major case!" Another pause, "No, it's not! Get another agent to handle it, I'm spending the day with my family!" And, after giving the phone a vicious scowl, the red head turned it off.
"Bad day?" an amused voice asked. Bonnie, Vlad and the red-head all turned to see a fairly handsome blonde man enter the room, glancing around.
"The worst," the woman gave him a dry smile before scowling. "Just what made him think I would work on Donny's birthday!" the woman sighed, "What about you? Are we going to the studio or what?" The red head smiled as she crossed her arms, putting her weight on her right hip and leaning against the desk.
"Nah, told them to reschedule," The man said, "What, you think I forgot what happened last time I worked during a major family event?" The man made a face. "Jeeze, Kim, you're the wife who makes sleeping on the couch look like a blessing!" Kim laughed as Bonnie's jaw dropped.
"That's what you get for marrying a GJ agent," She said teasingly.
"That's Kim Possible?" She asked Vlad, "This is her house? Why are we here?"
"Actually, if you want to get technical she stopped being a Possible five years ago," Vlad told her, "But that is your little high school friend. We are here because you are supposed to compare the differences between a life of virtue and a life based on selfish, petty desires."
"Then that…" Bonnie blinked dumbly at the man in front of her, "That's…"
"Mr. Stoppable?" a woman knocked before entering, "Ms. Strong called again. Something about a dinner party she's throwing at eight for the new years…?"
"Tell her to talk to my agent," Ron said, "She knows my scheduled better then I do, and I don't want to make promises I can't keep,"
"Yes, Mr. Stoppable," The woman said, making a note, "Oh, and Mrs. Stoppable? Will Do, your five-o-clock, is here early." Kim rolled her eyes and straightened.
"Send him in," She sighed. Then she smiled at Ron, "Sorry, Hon, I'm still booked with a few meetings for a while." Ron grinned.
"As usual," He teased. "I'll start dinner, you finish up here. And don't worry, Don and Ann will be right in there with me," Kim raised an eyebrow as Ron left.
"And this news shouldn't worry me because…?"
"I can't believe those two got married!" Bonnie more or less shouted, "And they have a son?"
"And a daughter," Vlad added, "On top of being a secret agent, the future Mrs. Stoppable is also a successful businesswoman of her own company for sporting and safety gear, clothing and other less notable items. Possible Inc. is one of the leading powers in the business industry."
"And what about Mr. Stoppable?" Bonnie asked doubtfully.
"A world-class culinary expert, and one of the greatest chiefs in the world," Vlad answered, "He still helped with the secret agent thing as well,"
"Just when I thought those two couldn't get any weirder…" Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"One of your other friends, Monique, is their top designer." Vlad added. "And they sponsor several of your rivals."
"Rivals?" Bonnie repeated.
The scene morphed, and Bonnie found herself in a place that had her brightening.
"A runway model?" She smirked, "I'm a runway model and you're trying to convince me I'm in for a bad future?"
"Don't get too comfortable yet," Vlad said, frowning at the girl's impudence. "Wait. Watch…"
"Bonnie!" a scowling man in an expensive suit glared at the girl in front of him as three other women helped her into her dress. "What's taking so long?"
"I'll be right there, Dirk," Older Bonnie said, we're having trouble with the zippers…"
"What? Did you put on weight again or something?" The man demanded. Young Bonnie inhaled sharply in insult (Especially since the older her looked to weigh less then she did now,) but her elder counterpart seemed unfazed.
"No, Dirk, I swear!" She said, "I've followed the diet and everything!"
"Yeah, right," Dirk's scowl deepened, "Just know that if you put on too much, I'm dropping you in a heartbeat, contract or no contract!"
"Why do I put up with that?" Bonnie demanded.
"Because you must," Vlad answered, "You can't walk away from him, Bonnie. He's all you will have."
"What!" Bonnie said, turning sharply to give Vlad a wide eyed stare. "That can't be right!"
"You have no family left." Vlad told her grimly. "You lost all contact with your sisters after you mother died when you were nineteen. Your grades were never good enough to get into college, so you took up modeling, hoping it could earn you enough money to pay your way for acting classes."
"And?" Bonnie said, paling, "Why didn't that work out for me?"
"…Let's just say you took up a very expensive habit…" Vlad said vaguely.
Bonnie didn't have to ask him to elaborate, though. She saw the older version of herself open her purse with shaking hands. She saw the pills that disappeared into her mouth…
"All this because I didn't want to play Secret Santa with an orphan…?" Bonnie asked softly as she watched herself wipe away tears that were threatening to spill before holding her head high and heading out as she was called.
"Amazing how things can snowball," Vlad agreed, turning to leave. "By the way, before I send you back to your own time, would you like to know exactly what happened to Katherine?" Bonnie laughed bitterly.
"Lemme guess, she became a fabulously rich and famous young woman?" the cheerleader said coldly.
"Certainly not," Vlad said airily, "Her pain was far too much for her to bear. She committed suicide about two months after Christmas. Walked straight into an oncoming car…" And, not bothering to turn and register the girl's shock, Vlad cut the scene off then and there…
"You know, I think he could've been a little colder," Danny said sarcastically. "And isn't the ghost of Christmas yet-to-come supposed to be silent?"
"Actually, he's quite talkative after he drinks a cup of coffee or two," Clockwork said casually, "Funny ghost, that one…"
"Did she pass?" Youngblood asked.
"That," the master of time said with a slight smile, "Is for time to tell…"
"And that leaves Future…" Red X said as he eyed Vlad suspiciously, "Or whatever you really go by,"
"Plasmius," The ghost answered, "Don't bother remembering it, this will be brief."
"At least you get the point," Red X said casually. "So, Plasmius, how will my evil deeds leave me? Rotting in a jail cell?" Vlad snorted.
"Please, child," He said scornfully, "If you were truly 'evil' there would be no point to these tests. I'm sure the Master of Time knows you well enough to see the darkness has not yet completely consumed your heart."
"We'll see about that," Red X challenged, "Let's get this over with. Show me what I'm doing in the future," Vlad smirked.
"Very well" He said smoothly, "Keep in mind, though, that you did ask…"
The scene morphed, and Red X found him standing in a place he knew instantly.
"A graveyard?" the thief frowned, a chill going down his spine as he read the date of death on the tombstone in front of him.
His tombstone.
"Damn. I was expecting to live longer then that…" He said, making it sound as casual as possible, "Who got me in the end?"
"You'd rather not know," Vlad assured the boy, "trust me,"
"Sorry, I don't trust anyone but myself," Red X responded. Still, a part of him really didn't want to know. "So? If I don't have a future, what was the point of bringing me here?"
"Surely, child, you know of the ripple effect?" Vlad asked. Red X snorted.
"Our actions and choices influence those around us," He answered, "But that wasn't an issue with me. I had no one."
"Oh?" Vlad smirked at something behind Red X, and the thief turned.
Walking towards them, decked in a black overcoat with a blue scarf and hat to protect herself from the harsh winds of December, was Anna. Her face was lined with exhaustion, and pain lit her eyes. Not seeing her brother or his ghostly companion, the woman walked right through them, stopping in front of the grave.
"Hello, Jason," She said softly. "Been a while, huh?"
"She's been looking for you since she was old enough to start searching on her own," Vlad told Red X, "And, as you can see, she's finally found you."
"Why would she do that?" Red X asked sharply, "Why would she even care, after what I said and did?"
"Because of the snowball effect, fool," Vlad told him, turning to look off in the distance again, "Because you impacted her life, even if such was unintentional…" Red X frowned suspiciously, and turned to see what Vlad was looking at. His eyes widened when he saw to thugs dressed in all black approach them.
"You Red X's sister?" One of them asked Anna gruffly as soon as they came close enough.
"What?" Anna said, standing and turning to meet their hard glares. She gasped in horror as one of them took out a gun, aiming in at her.
"Life for a life," He said grimly, "S'only fair, toots,"
"…And even if that impact isn't always pleasant," Vlad finished to the wide-eyed Red X as a gunshot rang out. And, just as with Bonnie, the scene faded away abruptly…
"…Intense…" Youngblood said, frowning. Danny seemed suddenly quiet himself.
"Evil begets evil," Clockwork told them, "It is as Vlad said, no one can go through life without effecting others. It is merely that some people have a greater impact on the world in general," Danny still said nothing, knowing the comment was, directed at him.
"Yeah, right," Youngblood snorted, "Nobody cared when I died," Clockwork gave the boy a mysterious smile.
"Did you ever wonder, child," he asked, "Exactly why you didn't pass into the next realm?" Youngblood shifted uncomfortably.
"Uhh…" He said. Then, sounding far more relieved, he shouted, "Hey, look! The next scene's starting!" Clockwork looked mildly amused, but he let the boy's pitiful attempt at a chance of subject slide…
"NOW where am I?" Vicky demanded irritably.
"The future." The teenager jumped and screamed as her answer came from behind, scowling at the ghost she was now confronted with.
"What is it with you ghosts and sneaking up on people?" She demanded.
"Comes with the job," Vlad answered. "I am Vlad Plasmius, the current Christmas yet-to-come."
"What, you mean like the future?" Vicky asked doubtfully.
"Precisely." Vlad told her, smirking cruelly.
"Well then, Mr. Future," Vicky said in an overly sweet tone that immediately turned ugly, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
"Patience," Vlad told her, "You'll leave as soon as you see one person." Vicky blinked.
"Who?" She demanded. Vlad grinned at the question.
"Yourself," He answered. Before this clicked in Vicky's mind, the scene changed to a littered alley, dark and cold. Huddled together here and there were homeless people, an older and extremely depressed Vicky among them.
"Wh-what?" Vicky said dumbly, "I don't understand…"
"Your grades were inadequate," Vlad explained, "And you couldn't keep a job for over a week due to your lack of proper social skills. Your parents and Tootie moved away the second you moved out, and you haven't seen or heard from either or them since,"
"What about the babysitting gig?" Vicky asked desperately, "What about the Twerp?"
"They either grew up or the parents began getting wise to your ways," Vlad explained. "The Turner child among them,"
"My savings!" Vicky said, realization striking her, "I had a ton of money saved up, what happened to that?"
"You spent it on frivolous things," Vlad explained. "You have nothing. Homeless and alone at 26…"
"I can't believe it!" Vicky wailed, tears coming to her eyes, "There has to be someone…"
"Why would there be?" Vlad asked, "You've been cruel almost your entire life, Vicky. Why should you expect any kindness in return?"
"N-Nobody cares about me?" Vicky said, her eyes going wide, "Nobody would help me?"
"Well…" Vlad sighed, turning to glance at the street of bustling people.
"Vicky?" Both older and younger Vicky blinked at the buff kid staring at the older Vicky in surprise.
"You know me?" Older Vicky asked.
"It's me, Timmy Turner. You used to baby-sit me when I was little…"
"TWERP?" Young Vicky's jaw dropped, "What the heck happened?"
"Growth Spurt," Vlad answered.
"Oh!" Older Vicky seemed almost as stunned as her younger counterpart. "Didn't recognize you…"
"Well it's been almost ten years…" Timmy said, "Uuh… guess things haven't been going too well for you…" Timmy suddenly looked very awkward.
"Guess you can say that," Vicky was with a wry smile. Timmy hesitated for a moment, then sighed.
"Here," He said, taking off his scarf and giving it too her. Then, as she stared at him in surprise, he also gave her several twenties. "Merry Christmas, Vicky…" And, with a slight wave, Timmy stared away.
"Wait!" Vicky called, stopping him. She looked from the money and scarf to the man she'd been so cruel to in childhood. "Why would you give me this? I was always terrible to you! If I was you, I'd probably laugh at me right now…" Timmy smiled at her warmly.
"Just because you were malicious doesn't mean I have to be." He answered, "Besides, Christmas is a time of new beginnings, of forgiving those who hurt us." Timmy's smile widened, "And anyways, I learned how to be a better person after the things I went through as a kid," Older Vicky's eyes welled up with tears.
"Thank you," She said softly. "And… and merry Christmas, Timmy," Timmy grinned at her, apparently very happy to hear those words.
"I can't believe he'd do that for me," Younger Vicky said in a near whisper.
"Because you were too busy being cruel to notice him," Vlad said, "Not that it matters. You got enough money from him to buy food for a month, but that was the last time you ever saw him, and the last kind act anyone ever gave you in your sort life…"
"Can I change that?" Vicky said, her eyes going wide, "I don't want to die alone on the streets!"
"That," Vlad said, "Is up to you,"
And, before Vicky could question him more, the ghost and everything else around her faded away.
"She finally sees," Clockwork said, smiling.
"Finally," Danny repeated, "Wow, that kid's pretty noble…"
"Remind you of anyone?" Clockwork asked Danny with a knowing smile. The young halfa blushed.
"Now just the ghost hunter's left, right?" Youngblood asked.
"Yeah…" Danny said, looking more serious.
"Let's see the results, shall we?" Clockwork said, his mysterious smile widening.
"Okay, where's this one coming from…" Valerie muttered, looking around her.
"Behind you," A voice supplied. Valerie turned, tensing and glaring at the ghost. She frowned, recognition lighting her eyes.
"You're Phantom's friend," Valerie said accusingly.
"Hardly," Vlad snorted, "Young Daniel doesn't appear to like me very much…" Valerie frowned.
"Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" She asked uncertainly, "Your voice and the way you talk is familiar…" Vlad stiffened.
"Uh, of course not!" He said quickly, "How could I be anyone you know? I am, after all, a ghost," Valerie didn't look completely convinced, but let the subject drop.
"Can we finish this now?" She asked.
"Gladly," Vlad said, looking relieved.
"So where are we going now?" The girl asked.
"We're already right where we need to be," Vlad told her.
Valerie noticed then that they were in some sort of high-tech looking place, with flying cars, moving sidewalks, and giant, flashy billboards with all sorts of pictures Valerie didn't recognize.
What really caught her attention though, was the building in front of her. Or, more specifically, the sign on the building.
GREY GHOST HUNTING
Amity's Best Ghost hunter
"So I go pro?" Valerie said, smiling widely. "Excellent!"
"Not quite, my dear," Vlad said, flying into the building, "Come along, you're the one who wanted to get this over with," The ghost hunter sighed and followed the halfa reluctantly.
The first thing she noticed was that her collection of ghost pictures had grown, and several of them had ominous red Xs through them. These included Skulker, Spectra, Johnny, Kitty, Ember and several other ghost she either didn't know, recognize or care about.
One thing she also noticed was that Phantom's picture was X-less.
"Ten years and I still can't catch him?" Valerie scowled at this discouraging news. "Oh, THAT'S nice to know!"
"You're only human," Vlad snorted, "Phantom is one of the most powerful creatures in the afterlife now, who knows how powerful he'll be in ten years." Valerie blinked at him.
"You don't know?" She asked, surprised.
"Phantom is impervious to the normal patterns of time flow," Vlad admitted reluctantly, "In a romantic's terms, he's one of the few powers out there able to willingly withdraw himself from the timeline and change the fates of all those around him, to create his own destiny, if you will. This includes yourself, by they way," Valerie frowned.
"Then how can you be sure this will happen?" She asked, motioning around her.
"This is how things shall be if they continue upon the path they are currently set to take," Vlad explained.
"And what's so bad about me being a great ghost hunter?" Valerie demanded.
"Because," Vlad said, annoyed, "That is all you are,"
"…huh?" Valerie's eyebrow kicked up.
"You have nothing but your job," Vlad explained, motioning to the older Valerie as she passed by, stern-faced and deep in thought. "You abandoned everything else. friends, family… you have nothing,"
"I wouldn't do that!" Valerie said defensively, "My dad and I-!"
"Got into a big fight the day you opened your business," Vlad finished for her, "You've refused to speak to him since then, completely cut off all contact. You don't even know he died three months ago," Valerie paled.
"What?" Valerie said, her eyes going wide, "No, I'm not… That's not… There has to be some mistake!"
"No mistake, Valerie," Vlad said grimly.
"But I'm not like that!" Valerie said desperately, "I love my dad!"
"He was not the first person you loved and pushed away," Vlad told her, "young Daniel Fenton often expressed concern for you when you went to school together, so you cut off contact from him as well. You're alone, Valerie, and you're colder then the creatures you hunt." Valerie swallowed as she watched a young woman approach her.
"Merry Christmas, Miss Grey," She said warmly. Valerie snorted coldly.
"Do you have the new scan of the Ghost Zone?" She asked shortly.
"No, ma'am," The woman responded.
"I want it at noon, Laurie, don't make me tell you again," Valerie snapped. "Thomas! Any new hits?"
"Nothing," Thomas answered, "We received one about two minutes ago, but apparently it was a false alarm,"
"What kind of a false alarm?" Valerie asked suspiciously. Thomas flinched.
"Well… another ghost took care of the problem before a hunter had to be called in…"
"Phantom," Valerie growled. "Damn him!"
"It's all his fault, isn't it?" Valerie asked Vlad, sounding almost desperate, "He's the reason I turn so cold!" Vlad snorted disdainfully.
"Quite the contrary, he tried to save you," Vlad answered, "But your pride only made his effort worse. You cannot blame another for your own faults, my dear, no matter how you try. Doing so only shows weakness."
"But…" Valerie turned back to look at herself, no longer seeing a successful young woman, but a cold-hearted ice queen, worse then how she was before Phantom and the ghost dog. Then, she thought of how desperately she wanted to join the fun at the Fenton house "…I don't want to be alone," She realized out loud. "I don't want to lose dad, or Danny…" Glaring at the scowling older version of herself, she added, "I don't want to turn into her!"
"Then don't," Vlad said, giving the girl a softer look, "It's your choice, Valerie. It's always been your choice…" And, with that, Vlad and Valerie faded away.
"I think that settles everything," Vlad said as he swept back into the room.
"Indeed," Clockwork smiled. "Plasmius, Danny, you two are free to leave," Relinquishing their time medallions, the two halfas vanished.
"What about me?" Youngblood demanded.
"I was hoping you'd like to stay for the final scene…" Clockwork said with a knowing smile, "The conclusion of all the work you three did…"
"Last scene, huh?" Youngblood said, with poorly veiled curiosity, "I mean, that sounds okay I guess… When does it start?" Clockwork smiled.
"Right… now,"
WoM- How is everything gonna end up? Stay tuned for the Epilogue to see!
Thanks to;
epobbp
Ant Crown
Queen S of Randomness 016
phantomgirl07
ChaosSora99
Tetsukon
conan98002
DannysGirlForever
Firehedgehog
Light Dragon SunsSong
A Karswyll
LAST CHAPTER; December 25th (And yes, I did that on purpose,)
See you then!