(Don't) Say My Name - CHAPTER 6


"Maybe I'll have a sick day…" A quiet mumble comes from under the covers.

Danny groans and reluctantly pulls himself out of bed, "Ha. Ha. Must be nice for everyone else to fake sick…" he pulls his legs through a fresh pair of boxers and jeans, grumbling miserably, "Stupid scientist parents… had to be scientists, couldn't be shoe-makers or some shit…"

Last time he tried to fake sick, Danny let his ice core bleed out onto his skin to give him 'chills.' Danny's parents just gave him an ugly, bulky sweater to wear, injected his arm with something and sent him on his way. "The chills aren't quite a cold yet dear, just a warning that it's coming! You can still learn before the cold starts, in case this shot doesn't do it for you."

Plus it's kind of hard for him to fake an illness when his immune system is so much stronger now with him being a ghost.

Plus-Plus, he's apparently a really bad liar. He's trying, okay?

Plus-Plus-Plus, His parents would run tests on him and he couldn't have them looking in on his ghostly DNA.

In the end it just isn't worth the day off (and it's not like the ghosts would stop harassing Amity just because he's off his game).

"Could've even been dentists… or fucking mall security…" he pulls out a shirt and hoodie, slipping them over his head. It briefly muffles his string of obscenities, "or cooks… or… or um, mail sorters… fuck!"

Danny Fenton, evidently, is not in a good mood today.


"Should I call in sick?" Vlad paces his study, house slippers moving noiselessly along the carpet, "No. No, he would know right away, seeing as we apparently have the same immune system…" Vlad frowns and passes his desk again, "I could say I have an important meeting? Ah that won't work, he's not stupid…" Vlad turns and crosses the room again, "I could - Oh peanut brittle! I can't keep fooling myself! I'm not 'giving him space,' I'm merely nervous to face him…" Vlad sighs.

"Since when has a plan ever made me nervous or doubtful? Bah! He was standing in my way and the spell was the best way to get rid of him." He reminds himself, straightening his shoulders, "Or at least, I'm doing my best to get him to step aside."

He thinks back to their conversation the previous night, "Okay, I will try to help myself without hurting someone first, but if it ends up causing me more grief than it's worth… well, there's always Plan B." He nods to himself in the mirror, fixes his tie and smoothes out his already perfect hair.

He does his absolute best to not think about all that potential being wasted in Plan B.


"Good morning everyone! Please pull out your homework that was due yesterday. I'd like to hear how you all felt about ahh, where's my notes... here! Chapters 11 and 12. Ah Frankenstein, what a great read! Any volunteers?"

Vlad Masters sits comfortably on an empty desk front row and centre, facing the class. His jacket is off again and a teacher's book poised delicately in his hands.

Sam and Tucker keep nudging Danny, at first out of amusement but now out of concern for their catatonic friend. "Danny?"

Apparently, he missed the part when Lancer said Vlad would be there all week.

"Uh Danny?"

He was really hoping things could go back to normal and he could forget the whole Vlad-fiasco.

"Danny, what the hell? Snap out of it!" Sam throws a bat-shaped eraser at his head. It bounces off with no impact whatsoever.

He should know better than to hope anything at this point in his life.

"I know you think he's pretty and all but you shouldn't act like this in public." Tucker stage-whispers, "Save your earth-shattering confessions for behind the bleachers like all the rest of the star-crossed lovers."

At the front Vlad suddenly chokes on his next few words, doing his best to hide his shock and amusement. Danny notices it (since he's been staring), is quite intimate with how good ghost hearing is and realizes what Tucker has just put into Vlad's head. 'Shiiit.'

He glares at Tucker, eyes green with murderous intent, and pulls his books out without breaking eye contact. Tucker sweats.

Sam snickers at Tucker, patting him on the back in sympathy. Having been on the receiving end of a few 'scary eyes' looks herself, she is well aware just how much Tucker is shitting his pants right now.

"S-sorry dude. Ahh, but you're back! Th-that's good!"

Danny growls and points to his ear, "Really good hearing, remember?"

It takes a long moment but both friends finally click with what the fuck Danny means by that. Their cheeks puff out and faces turn slightly red, doing their damnedest to not burst out laughing at Danny in all his furious embarrassment as Vlad hears all about his little crush. Oh, this was too fucking good!

"Oh for f- stop! It's not like that!"

Sam snorts, "Well if it weren't like that then you wouldn't care so much, right?"

"Don't you dare channel Jazz right now, we are in English, not Psychology." He furiously whispers back.

"Just sayin'... you're a little wound up Danny, got any pent-up aggression you need to work on?" She teases.

Danny, utilizing a massive amount of self-restraint, rolls his eyes and faces forward. Almost afraid to look but needing to know if he heard, he looks to their impromptu teacher's assistant.

Yep. He heard. Vlad's face is bright red and he's doing his very best to NOT make eye contact right now. 'Wonder what's up with him, shouldn't he be enjoying my misery? Or are teenage hormones where idiot villains draw the line?'

Little does he know just how accurate his thoughts are. Vlad, thanks to dinner the other night, now knows what exactly he's been doing to the poor teen this past week, and is slightly uncomfortable.

Slightly.

So slightly he's impersonating a tomato and doing his best to not wonder along the lines of Danny 'relieving pent-up aggression.' And, well, since Vlad has been the cause of the all the teen's ... ah, stress... it's only natural that his thoughts would be about Vlad, right?

Unfortunately, at that moment his mind helpfully supplies a very creative auditory example of a breathy, quiet moan coming from behind a shower curtain: "Vlaaad~" He feels all the blood in his face rush to his cheeks, 'Dear God, NO! I'm in a classroom, for goodness - ah don't make eye contact! Get it together, Vladimir! You can't be thinking like that! Class only just started…' He internally frets and externally starts the classroom discussion.

The class progresses normally, the students take turns talking about their weekend homework assignment. Everyone seems pretty ecstatic for the extra day Vlad caused them by having his little meet-and-greet take up the whole period the day before. An extra day for homework has them all uncharacteristically prepared to share. Mr. Lancer beams with pride from his desk, already formulating a new pop-quiz for the students.

Vlad recovers from his thoughts quickly; he's an influential leader in science and commerce for more than just ghost powers. He can put up a fake smile any time necessary. Vlad prides himself in his ability to set aside any scenario and act as required of him within a moment's notice. He takes bad news with grace, good news with humility, and he appeals to the people in a way that won't require any overshadowing for subsequent elections.

Not all superpowers are ghost-related, after all.

But nothing, nothing at all, could have prepared him for 08:04 am that Tuesday morning, in a room full of students, for a simple, quiet question to come from the back of the classroom. That's when all hell broke loose.

"Mr. Masters, may I go use the bathroom?"

Considering both their ghost senses had just gone off, the request didn't come as much of a surprise. But Vlad has pretenses to keep up and an ego that relishes a chance to lord it over his favourite rival.

"Come now Daniel, is it so hard to drop the formalities?"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously, Daniel."

"Oh my God, why do you care so much about everyone playing along with your stupid game?" He rubs the bridge of his nose, already feeling the familiar headache start up again.

"Daniel Fenton! You WILL contain your ridiculous amount of sass and do as-"

"Now now, Lionel," Vlad cuts the tirade off with an amused wave, smirking cooly at the teen, "You can't blame the boy for being a little intimidated in my presence. But in all seriousness Daniel, it's okay to set social standing aside and treat me as an equal. In fact, I insist on it. If that helps you at all."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." he grumbles quietly to his friends, knowing Vlad can hear it but not giving a damn. 'Id love to wipe that stupid smug look off his face with the heel of my shoe.' Danny stares the man down, ignoring the muffled snickers all around him and even from the two traitors at his side. 'How could I ever let myself think I liked him? Jesus Christ, what is wrong with me?'

"Alright fine," he stands, "whatever. Can I please go use the bathroom, Vlad?"

Huffing in exasperation, he closes his bookbag and pockets his phone. Expecting a positive response but not receiving anything.

"..."

The silence causes him to look up, irritated. Does he have permission or not? He's knows there's a ghost so... ?

But he catches Vlad looking at him in panic. Like full on PANIC. His stubborn, impervious cool is shattered. His mouth is slightly open in protest, eyebrows gone up to kiss his hairline and body completely frozen. It might have been comical if not totally terrifying for Danny.

What do you do when your totally unflappable, unmovable, does-everything-on-purpose enemy that shares a pretty crazy secret with you is suddenly very much glitching out in public?

Quick reflexes and quicker thinking have Danny already in motion to create a distraction.

He steps away from his seat, hooks his leg around Tucker's chair and 'trips' to the ground.

The momentum tugs Tucker along for the short ride as he suddenly gets flung backwards. Danny sees his friend's wrist is going to break on impact and latches on to it, passing it harmlessly through the floor. He quickly releases when they land.

"Whaa- oomf! What the fuck Danny?!"

"Jesus Tuck, why would you trip me like that? You trying to get us in trouble?"

"Say what? Your dumb ass just tripped all by yourself and now you're blaming me?" Tucker gets up and dusts himself off, "Listen here friend, you better apologize, or you and I are gonna have a problem." He flicks his eyes to the front and then tuns to face Danny fully. Ah yes, Tucker has become a quick learner over the years too.

"Guys GUYS! Relax! This is obviously a simple misunderstanding. No one wants to see you two fight over something as dumb as this, right?" Welcome to the party Sam...

Sam's question has everyone's attention safely on the trio in the back of the classroom. After hearing Dash call out "Nerd fight!" Mr. Lancer magically appears between the two 'affronted' teenagers, uttering threats if they choose to embarrass him in front of their honoured guest. The boys roll their eyes and "make up" by shaking hands - much to the rest of the students' disappointment.

The entire display doesn't take longer than a couple of minutes but Danny can tell it was enough for Vlad to reign in whatever the fuck was going on with him. Danny winks at him before being ushered out by the Vice Principle, being warned that if he tries to start anymore fights while in the bathroom then he will get detention for the rest of the semester.

Finally locking himself away in a stall, he reaches for his transformation.

"I shouldn't have to do this anymore, the school is a neutral zone now…" Grumbling, he chirps quickly and pinpoints a now familiar aqua-blue dot next door to his classroom.


"Heya Babypop! What can we do ya for?" Ember drawls, lounging on a science lab desk.

Freakshow jumps at being caught unawares and spins to point an accusing finger at the white-haired halfa. "How do you keep doing that?"

"Uh, doing what?"

"You find us so quickly, how are you able to notice whenever we come near?"

Danny pauses, confused, "What? Isn't it obvious?"

Ember sits up to swing her legs over the side of the desk, "Actually that is kind of annoying. I never asked you before I got locked up. But yeah, how do you always know?"

Danny just stares at her. "What? You don't have a ghost sense?"

"A what?"

"… A ghost sense? Mine goes off every time a ghost comes near…"

"Huh." Ember grunts thoughtfully, "Nope, don't have one of those. Sounds kinda like a spidey-sense! Haha!"

"Um, what exactly is 'spidey-sense?'" Freakshow butts in.

Ember slaps a palm to her forehead, "Oh yeah! I forgot for a moment that you're no fun!"

"Excuse you!" Freakshow squawks, offended at the declaration, "I am VERY fun! Thank you very much!"

"Riiight, I'm SO convinced now. Anywho, Danny, this has been exciting but you're ruining our mission."

He crosses his arms, weirded out by the strange familiarity between the two, "You mean spying on Vlad again?"

"Yes that. It's a promising show that we don't want to miss."

"Why is he suddenly so interesting?" He thinks of the weird behaviour Vlad displayed only moments ago, "What's wrong with him?"

"What isn't?" Both laugh and high five each other.

Danny gestures between the two, "And since when do you guys hang out? It's super weird. Like, I get that you're both performers and all but aren't you," he points at Freakshow, "a little manipulative of ghosts and you," he points at Ember, "against sharing the limelight?"

"We have been 'hanging out' only recently but so far have been enjoying our newfound comradery immensely."

"Yeah, Dipstick. Besides, people can change ya know? We just spent a long time locked away and now that we're out again maybe we wanna do things differently."

"Exactly my thoughts, Ember dear. Isn't that what incarceration is all about? Rehabilitation and second-chances?"

"Huh… Look this is nice and all but can we catch up another time? I have to get back to class. Without you. You do realize you're not supposed to be here righ - oh shit! You just said you were locked up, so you wouldn't know…" Danny slaps a hand to his forehead, "Yeahhh so long-story-short: I made a deal with everyone at last year's Christmas Truce party to leave the school as a 'neutral zone.' No one attacks here so I can focus on my grades and I won't immediately suck you up in a thermos on site if you're actually behaving." He looks at Freakshow, "I know you aren't a ghost and not under obligation of the truce but it's still weird for you to be here, ghostly accomplice or not." He gestures to Ember. "Most people here are under-age and you aren't related to anyone who goes here soooo... ya know, awkward?"

"All of that makes sense, absolutely. We will be on our way then, wouldn't want to add to your distractions today, hmm ghost boy?"

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you did seem pretty distracted studying Dracula in class…"

"Uhh what? We're studying Frankenstein, Bram Stoker was last year."

"Could've fooled me! You seem wayyy more interested in Vla-sorry-Dracula." Ember winks playfully.

"… I'm not gonna dignify that with a response. Also, I really gotta get back to class. Please leave. Don't start shit here, the other ghosts are allowed to hunt you for breaking the truce if you do. The school is off limits now, so, ya. Um… bye?"

Ember laughs and grabs Freakshow's arm, both smiling knowingly and sink into the floor. Dany breathes a sigh of relief and heads back to his stall to transform again. He wonders briefly if he should send out one last chirp, just to be sure they actually left the school grounds. But Lancer chose that moment to knock impatiently on the bathroom door and Danny hurries to heed the summons.

Had he checked, he would have noticed Ember stuck close so as not to set off another 'ghost sense' from the teen. She drags Freakshow over to a far corner in the classroom and they settle in for the show…


Danny returns to class, irritated beyond all measure. He stalks in and shoots a poisonous look at Vlad as he moves to his spot in the back of the classroom. He ignores Vlad's carefully nonplussed eyebrow he gets in return and flops down next to his friends.

"So? Who was it this time?"

Danny watches his teacher's 'honoured guest,' knowing if he talks to Tucker and Sam about anything that Vlad will hear it all. 'Maybe I can use that to my advantage.' He thinks, 'This will force Vlad to hear my side of things without us cutting each other off or getting pissy…"

"Ember and Freakshow, again."

Yep, that got his attention. Vlad and Danny lock eyes for a moment, Danny challenging him to shush them. Vlad turns away from him with a defeated expression.

'Huh, that's new.'

"What did they want?" Sam presses.

"Same as yesterday, to spy on Vlad." That seems to cause the slightest jerk from the man, Danny knows it's too small a motion for his human friends to notice.

Tucker sighs, "I wish he would've told you last night what this is all about."

A quick flash of blue shows Vlad is a bit surprised to know his friends are already up to speed. 'Yeah, comes with the territory of being one of the good guys, there's nothing sketchy to hide from your friends.' Danny sighs as well, "Me too. I felt like we were so close to taking a step in the right direction."

"You honestly think he'd go 'good guy' so quick?"

Vlad calls on Valerie to share her thoughts on the assignment. He can make multiple clones, he's used to splitting his attention.

"Honestly, no I don't." Danny's whisper earns him three pairs of curious eyes. He hastens to explain, "Look guys, it's basically second nature for him now. Vlad's been doing selfish shit for as many years as we are old, give or take a few." He can't help the jab, no matter how creepy it makes his newfound 'lust.' Ugh. "And I can't expect him to change over night. It would take time, and a lot of trust. But if we were to truce then that means we could help each other. If Vlad needs a nudge in the right direction and a little encouragement, then I'd be right there to do it."

His friends digest this, Tucker finally says, "And that's super nice and all Danny, real 'kumbaya' of you, but what would YOU get out of this?"

"Tucker's got a point. You seem awfully willing to set aside all the horrible shit he's done to not just you, but literally everyone here and give him a chance to redeem himself. That's very big of you and we're all very impressed, but tell me you'd get more out of this than just some self-satisfied hero-complex stimulant."

"Wow Sam, I didn't realize you thought of me that way." He acts wounded, hiding his grin.

"Oh shut up, its nothing new."

Danny pauses, pretending to listen to Dash horribly explain his understanding of Dr. Frankenstein's emotional turmoil in Chapter 12. "Well, I'm a little embarrassed to admit it buuut" he rubs his neck sheepishly (It's a habit he can't break. So he wears his emotions on his sleeve, sue him), "I have been thinking that letting Vlad teach me about our powers and halfa history would be pretty cool, and a smart move… There's still so much I don't know and every time I ask any of the full ghosts about halfas, no one seems to know or care. But like, guys! There's absolutely no way we are the first and only halfas in existence." He looks to his friends passionately, "You cannot tell me we are the only to people to ever be partially-killed by ectoplasmic blasts or flair-ups!"

"Shh, you're getting that look in your eye. Save it for when we don't have to whisper." Tucker grins, elbowing his friend in the ribs.

"Sorry, right. But yeah, I would want knowledge from Vlad. Ghost powers and halfa knowledge."

Danny flicks his gaze to the front, shocked to see traces of a hot flush on the man's skin. 'Why is he sweating so bad? I thought he'd be excited to finally convince me to 'apprentice' with him. Seems like he prefers his lies and plots above all else…' As much as it doesn't surprise him, the thought certainly is sobering. 'Is it that hard to be honest with me? Is he really so against it?' He catches the man's eye and notices the flinch. Danny feels his heart clench in disappointment. The more he thinks of the truce, the more he wants it.

"You sure you don't just want this because you'd get to be closer to Hunky Uncy Vlaad?"

Danny feels his eye twitch and slowly turns to his treacherous friend. Sam is the offender this time, she must be masochistic.

"Don't. Call. Him. That. Ever. Again. Samantha." Her hackles raise in response to her trigger word.

"Oooooooh youche!" Tucker nervously chuckles, looking between the two and wishing he hadn't chosen the middle seat today. "Um guys? Remember I'm still here, right?" He closes his eyes, "Please don't fight, Mom and Dad…"

That got their attention. Sam rolls her eyes in exasperation and Danny huffs in amusement.

"It's just 'Vlad.' Nothing else. 'Vlad.' Got it?" He stresses slowly and clearly.

Sam backs down when she sees how deadly serious his body language is. "Got it."

"Jeez, you're so protective of him now." Tucker grins and flutters his eyelashes at him, "How sweet."

Realizing he isn't going to intimidate them out of teasing him, Danny chooses to just cross his arms and lean back in his seat, "You are both still too loud."

"Uh, yeah. We know."

All three flick their eyes to Vlad, the man seeming very uncomfortable in his seat. No longer the picture of ease, he is bent forward, hair obscuring some of his face but not enough to hide the blush he is obviously losing the battle to. He keeps half-heartedly answering homework questions but contributes less and less to the discussion on a whole.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Tucker whispers conversationally.

"Honestly I haven't got a clue but he better get it together before someone else notices. I can't pull another distraction like that in class or I'll get detention for the rest of the semester."

"Lancer?"

"Lancer."

They lapse in silence for another few minutes before Sam breaks it again, "So he can hear everything we're saying?"

"Yep."

"And he knows that we know everything."

"He does now."

"And he also knows I demand to chaperone your first date, right?"

Danny chokes on his next breath and Vlad coughs, suddenly fascinated by the light fixtures.

"Oh my god this is too funny!" Sam tries to hide her laugh behind her hand.

"He's not denying anything…"

"Duh, he can't Tuck. It'd be too suspicious."

"Well he could tell us to stop whispering in class." Tucker points out.

"Nah, I think he's either too interested in hearing us embarrass Danny or he's actually letting us tell him what we think without interfering."

"Trying to be good?"

Sam thinks about it for a moment, "You're right, that's not his style. He definitely wants to hear more about us embarrassing Danny."

"Guys… really…" Danny lets out a strangled whine from somewhere buried underneath his arms. He's not even trying to be subtle, he's just face-down on the desk, hiding from the world.

"Danny, be less obvious buddy." Tucker pats his back oh-so-helpfully. "Ok, so here's the facts as I understand them: you want a truce, Vlad - apparently – wants one too. In exchange we don't really know what Vlad wants – suspicious. You want honesty about his thoughts and plotting – I'm assuming so you can help steer him in the right direction – and you are willing to set aside your differences in the past to work with him on a common goal aka apprentice training and halfa knowledge. Bonus for him. And the main pivotal point that's stopping all this is because he won't tell you one embarrassing secret?"

"Mhm, yeah – wait what? Embarrassing? What makes you say that?"

"Well when has Vlad ever been shy about revealing his plans?"

Sam snorts, "Never. I wish he was more shy sometimes."

Danny smiles and nods to Tucker to get to the point.

"Well, if he's so hell-bent on not telling this time, especially now that you're willing to give him a totally undeserved chance, then it has got to be embarrassing. Either he's ashamed or scared of what you'll think." He looks up at Vlad and the other two follow his gaze, "Am I right or am I right?"

"Right, very good." Vlad suddenly cuts off Star, pretending to praise her insight but cautiously flicking his eyes to Tucker and Sam. He avoids Danny entirely.

Tucker basks in his rightness as Danny and Sam mull it over.

"Wow, shame, huh? I didn't think he was capable of that." Sam muses.

"Alright seriously, cut that out. Vlad's a person just as much as I am. And everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves." He thinks about Ember and Freakshow, "If you make an honest effort then that's the most important thing."

"Yes, true. But if he had an ounce of humility, he would just suck it up and tell you the truth. He gets more out of a truce with you anyway. Then you guys can finally move on and be all buddy-buddy like you so badly want."

"Ugh, stop. I refuse to beg for a truce. If he doesn't want it then I can't force him. This isn't just some rhetorical question guys, it's a very serious thing. It means we would have to trust the other in honouring their side of the deal. And if he is forced into it then I can't trust him, which ruins the whole point." He sighs and stares at his hands morosely, "Not everyone wants to be friends with us and that's alright. Some things just aren't meant to be, I guess."

Sam and Tucker share a look.

Sam can't stand this side of their friend, "Look, a pity-party isn't gonna do anyone any favours. You're already writing him off without letting him defend himself. And - I can't believe I'm saying this but - don't give up on Vlad just yet."

"You're right, I can't believe you're saying that."

"Sam… dude, have you been overshadowed?" Tuckers asks fearfully, waving a hand in front of her face.

She smiles and grabs the offensive appendage, pushing it into the desk with bruising force. Tucker winces, "N-nope! That's the Sam we all know and love! Also, please-don't-hurt-me."

She releases him and smiles creepily/pleasantly at Danny, "Just have another heart-to-heart with him tonight and if he still can't tell you what's going on then you have your answer."

"That's a great idea Sam, thanks." Danny stares Vlad down, the man seems a little more composed but definitely not comfortable. And now he's avoiding eye contact entirely. "I hope this works out."


The limo pulls out of the school parking lot, speeding away one very disgruntled looking Vlad Masters. Ember and Freakshow high-five and turn to each other laughing.

"Nine times. He said his name nine time!"

"Oh my god, did you SEE his face? That shit was hilari-"

"YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" A blur of blue, white and furious roughly slams into them, dragging them through the ground to crash into the floor of the school's boiler room.

(Seriously, what is it with the halfas and this room?)

Ember recovers first (being a ghost helps) and shakes a fist at the floating blue mass of rage, "What, do you have a ghost sense too? How did you find us, old-timer?"

"I will not tolerate your sass! You will tell me right this instant what you have done!"

Vlad is so angry his fists are glowing without him realizing it. But he isn't attacking, not yet. He really does have some questions and Ember can tell he's holding back to get his answers first.

She crosses her arms and Freakshow finally joins her, "We did as you asked, Plasmius." He grins, "With an added bonus for the kid."

"But why?!"

"Uhh, you were being a dick?" Ember states, as if it were obvious.

Vlad seethes, doing his best to calm himself. Losing his cool right now would be very unwise. But god damn it was tempting to just bash their heads together. With an impressive show of self-discipline, Vlad reigns in his temper and takes a deep breath. "While I am absolutely furious that you have trapped me in my own scheme, I have to commend you both on your trickery. It may be petty but it's still quite amusing I'm sure for anyone else besides me." He pauses, "That being said, I need you to remove it. Now." He relaxes, he will be in control again soon. Everything will be alright.

"We can't do that without removing the kid's half of the spell too. It's either all of it goes or nothing." She smirks at him, eyebrow raised.

'Smug little shit.' Vlad fumes. He almost tells them to call the whole thing off but takes a moment to reflect on the pros and cons of the spell. By giving it up, he would lose the small amount of control he finally has over Daniel. Because of this whole ridiculous spell, they were actually able to have a civil conversation! About a truce! In just a few days! The spell is doing exactly as he had asked, and faster than he had ever hoped. Imagine if he held out for another week or so…

As soon as he has the teen's full trust, he'll be able to do whatever he wants without anyone trying to stop him. Daniel will stop being suspicious of Vlad and stop keeping an eye out for his schemes. "At least he doesn't know about it, so he can't use it against me." He reasons aloud. He thinks back to the disaster that was class this morning. One particular thought nags at him, "Now answer me this: why did I have such a ... uh strong reaction in comparison to Daniel? I know for a fact that he doesn't have nearly the same level of self-control over his emotions as I do my own. Yet he was able to remain mostly undetected while I needed... a distraction." He begrudgingly admits.

"Ha ha! Yes, that was spectacularly embarrassing I'm sure." Freakshow laughs.

Ember smiles sweetly, "Maybe now you'd like to hear the details of the spell you ordered? Since you seem much more interested today?"

Vlad, pissed behind belief but at the mercy of their pettiness, bows his head and mutters a curse under his breath. "Yes, I would like to hear the details now." He grinds out.

"Well first we evened it out by also using your first name as the trigger. Don't worry though, only Babypop can activate it."

Freakshow speaks up, "We also made both spells stackable. As you've observed for yourself already, the more often you utter his name in a single interaction, the stronger the affect of the spell." Vlad now realizes why these two have been spying on him lately and it boils his blood.

Freakshow smiles a creepy, toothy grin, "But, we made sure your side of the spell stacks exponentially quicker than his. It's only fair, the poor lad wears his emotions on his sleeve, as you've already pointed out."

"We wanted to give him a fair chance in your stupid scheme."

Vlad digests this with growing dread. He hates this latest 'stupid scheme.' He hates these two petty assholes. He hates his decision to use them instead of Deseree. Thinking the risk to use her wishing magic and all its negative consequences might have been worth it after all.

He sighs, "Alright, tell me one last thing before I make up my mind. What you did to our... feelings." He cringes, not sure how else to word it. "I asked that you make him think his thoughts are his own about the whole matter, but you've done something there too. Have you tampered with our emotions as well? I keep having these… thoughts… and it's worrisome. Is he having them too?"

The two look at each other in confusion, "Uh what kind of thoughts? What do you mean?"

"Just thoughts!" He aggravatingly flusters, waving a hand in the air vaguely. 'I guess I have no choice but to say it. Well it's not like I'm admitting the thoughts are of my own creation. They did this to me'. Reassured, he explains, "This past week I've been having... amorous thoughts." He flushes but pushes on, "I focus less on my purpose for the spell and more on the subject. My mind keeps conjuring up unhelpful imagery in the most inconvenient times. How else have you bewitched me and have you done it to Daniel as well?" He imagines Danny's utter embarrassment as his two little friends insinuate Danny finding him attractive and even dating. "That little aspect I didn't ask for and yet you added it anyway. That's the most troubling part of all this, I think. I wanted his feelings to be his own, not fabricated. And obviously I don't much enjoy mine being tampered with either."

Vlad crosses his arms, eyeing the pair sternly. 'How will I get out of this mess? I don't like Daniel having an ounce of control over me, let alone my thoughts.' He shudders, 'No. I can't lose control. I will FORCE THEM to fix this.'

But his worries quickly escalate to alarm when his two employees suddenly burst out laughing. Hard.

Ember falls backwards she laughes so hard, Freakshow is even worse off. He is currently crouched on the ground and emitting a mixture of freakish cackling and snorting.

Vlad taps his foot and waits impatiently, worry gnawing at his belly.

Eventually he tires of their continuous fit, both now clutching each other and attempting to communicate but only able to just point at Vlad and roar louder.

Vlad snarls and calls forth pink ecto-ropes. He lashes his employees together and strings them upside down from the swinging light fixture.

"Enough!" He blasts the ground beneath their heads. Both stop laughing and look at the floor in nervousness.

"Explain to me this instant what has you both in hysterics or I will wring it from you myself!"

Freakshow coughs and takes a deep breath. One wrong word to the enraged half-ghost could leave his very-much-human-body in pieces. He assumes Ember would also suffer, albeit in a different form. "About the ah, feelings portion Mr. Plasmius... um, well, we didn't include that bit, sir."

"What. Do. You. Mean?" Vlad growls out slowly.

"He means that we never messed with your mind. Or the kid's. You wanted his feelings to be genuine and they are." Ember shifts uncomfortably in the ropes.

"We did as you asked, in that regard." Freakshow adds hopefully.

Vlad freezes, "What?" He asks quietly.

"The spell doesn't stack your feelings about each other, only physical reactions. And, even if it did, you wouldn't have had any 'thoughts' until he said your name today anyway." Freakshow rushes to explain, seeing their would-be torturer falter, "The spells rely on auditory cues." He pauses and gently finishes with, "Your ah feelings... are your own."

Ember turns her head to hide her smirk. Both suddenly drop to the floor in a jumbled heap.

Freakshow looks up to see Vlad has shut down. He hasn't moved a muscle, even his subconscious floating has frozen. Freakshow nudges Ember and tilts his head towards the catatonic ghost. She wordlessly grabs his sleeve, and they quickly retreat. The grim expression on her face and terror in her eyes is clear: Vlad is about to spontaneously combust and neither of them want to be there when it happens.

'These thoughts… are… my own?'