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3: Crazed-up Ideas

Cujo was safely back in the Ghost Zone as he went into the kitchen for a snack. Whipping up a small sandwich he munched on it as he made his way up to his room. It was about an hour until midnight and his parents were nowhere in sight. Probably up in the Op Center. He thought with a smirk. By getting his ghost-half involved, it would hopefully get his parents suspicious of the connection between the two. Though, they will miss it, if they are narrow-minded. He knew he would drop a few hints here and there, hopefully his parents weren't too dense to figure it out. Glancing at the clock to see it was close enough to midnight, Danny went ghost and floated up to the top of the Op Center. There he saw his parents sitting down next to each other looking up at the stars. He remembered as a kid they used to sit up there as a family and star gaze. It was quite fun.

"Danny said you wanted to see me." Phantom rubbed the back of his neck. He wouldn't admit it but he was nervous. If his parents didn't listen to him they wouldn't get anywhere.

"Yeah, we are playing this game and Danny said to talk to you about ghosts." Maddie answered with no hatred in his voice.

This was a pleasant surprise but also worried Danny. He thought that would put up more of an argument. "Are you okay?" Danny asked letting worry lace his words as he landed on the Op Center.

"It's kind of interesting to hear that your son is associated with ghosts and then have him tell you that practically everything we know is wrong." Maddie sighed but quickly changed topics. "That's enough about my problems, I hope you realize the only reason we are keeping an open-mind and talking to ghost scum like you is to figure out what has my son acting so strangely." Maddie replied her voice turning hard and giving off a slight warning tone.

"I'm flattered." Phantom deadpanned before lightening up the conversation. "So what ghosts have you encountered?" This questions seemed to do the trick, for Jack began to blabber on about ghosts. Danny smiled at this and engaged in the conversation with his dad. Eventually, Maddie became interested and jumped into the conversation as well. Danny gave a ton of information about his enemies but avoided anything that related to him or would seriously harm his enemies. His parents couldn't find out he was a halfa just yet. They talked for a while before Danny began to lead the conversation toward him. Maddie seemed slightly hesitant about Phantom guiding the conversation but quickly disregarded this when he talked about himself. He talked about his thoughts on the ghosts and relationship with them.

"Oh yes!" Danny snapped his fingers when a fitting hint came to mind. "You should really figure out why your inventions work on Danny. He knows why but do you?" Phantom smirked as he went intangible and disappeared, leaving his parents in silence.

"How does Phantom know about that?" Maddie asked Jack who just shrugged. It was a very interesting clue for she didn't think Danny knew why their inventions worked on him. It was something they would have to figure out. Both husband and wife sat there for a while reviewing everything that was said with one another. It was easy to conclude Danny had something to do with ghost, specifically Phantom but what? It's not like their son could be a ghost right?

Danny woke up the next day around ten o'clock. Not ready to get up, he rolled over and snuggled deeper into bed. However, this attempt to fall back asleep was all for naught. His father entered the room exclaiming Danny's name. Danny had his back turned so he failed to see a Spector Deflector in Jack's hand that was still accidentally turned on.

"Rise and Shine!" Jack exclaimed as he went to nudge Danny to wake him up. As soon as Jack touched him, electricity rocketed through Danny's body. He cried out in pain and quickly jumped back from his father, irritation on his face. Surprised by Danny's reaction, Jack realized he had the Spector Deflector turned on. "Sorry, Danny-boy." He smiled sheepishly before turning off the device.

Danny sighed before forgiving him and went downstairs to eat some breakfast. Maddie was making some waffles today. She hummed as she worked only stopping in her melody to greet her son when he entered the kitchen. Mumbling a greeting, he sat at the table.

"Is something the matter, sweetie?" Maddie asked then clarified. "You look like you just got shocked with electricity."

"Hmm, you know, I think you are right. I did get shocked by the Spector Deflector a minute ago so I guess that could explain it." Danny's voice was oozing with sarcasm. He was grumpy from the rude awakening. Knowing it wasn't his parents' fault, he sighed before muttering a quiet "sorry".

"Don't worry about it, honey. Though speaking of inventions, I heard a funny thing from the ghost boy." Maddie began as she finished the waffles and sat down across from Danny. "He said you know why the inventions work on you. Care you tell me?"

Danny looked up at his mom and simply replied, "it's because of the portal accident a while back." He didn't give any details as he started to shovel fluffy waffles into his mouth.

Maddie remembered the accident well. She was glad her baby boy was not in the portal when it happened but what Danny just said it sounded like he was in the portal. "Weren't you outside the portal? If you were outside then you wouldn't have been affected in anyway besides maybe a good scare." Maddie reasoned, the scientific side of her taking over.

She looked up at Danny who just gave her a pointed look. "You know, I am a terrible liar…" Danny trailed off as he took another bite of his breakfast but his eyes never left her own.

"Are you meaning to tell me you were inside the portal?!" Maddie exclaimed in surprise. "Danny the amount of electricity would have…" Maddie trailed off when realization hit her, "killed you…"

"I'm not dead," he exclaimed then muttered just low enough for Maddie to no hear him, "well no fully…" He then reassured her, "don't freak out. The ectoplasm and electricity just gave me an ecto-signature. That's why your inventions work on me." Danny said nonchalantly as he finished his meal.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Maddie was hurt that Danny didn't come to her but she hid it from her face.

"You're really asking that?" Danny said in disbelieve still apparently grumpy from before. "You two are so closed minded you would have thought that I was possessed or something and tried to get the fake ghost out of me. Which, might I add, would have probably killed me." He finished what he said and left the house but not before he was hit in the back of the head by Jazz. "Ow, what was that for Jazz?" Danny grumbled turning to glare at his sister.

"I wanted to find you quicker. You want some company?" Jazz asked as she picked up the Boooooomerang and set it on the table.

"Sure," Danny answered back and the door closed lightly behind him.

Maddie eyed the device for a while before picking it up. It was keyed into Danny's 'ecto-signature' but in order to have one that would take a large amount of ectoplasm to be infused into his cells. She would have to do more research on this. Going down into the lab, she checked the security camera tapes to find Danny's accident. Not really surprised, the tape was gone along with a few other here and there. Making her way into Danny's room, she quickly scanned for the tapes in any hiding spots she could think of. Little did she know that Danny had phased the evidence in between the walls. Her fruitless search only made her more curious. She looked down at her hand to look at the Boooooomerang. "It would be impossible to have that much ectoplasm infused into your DNA and not have other consequences. Yet, he said he wasn't dead." Maddie reasoned as she went up to the Op Center to think about this.

Meanwhile, Danny and Jazz were walking down the street together chatting. The reason Jazz wanted to talk to Danny was to figure out why their parents were acting so weird. "That's the dumbest idea you have ever thought of, Danny. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Jazz shook her head. When Jazz questioned her little brother about her parents he proceeded to tell her what game he had cooked up, much to her horror. "I'm all for you telling our parents but do you really think this was the best way?"

"Of course, Jazz!" Danny exclaimed frustrated as he threw up his arms. He lowered his voice so nobody passing by would hear. "By only giving clues as Fenton, it lets Mom and Dad have time to accept the facts. Plus I have a less chance of being 'ripped apart molecule-by-molecule' because they are now forced to have an open mind. In addition to this, I also set rules that they cannot break so my secret will only be revealed to Valerie, Mom, and Dad. Nobody else. See Jazz, it's a great idea!" Danny explained to his sister who seemed pretty impressed he had deeply thought it out.

"Alright, I'll trust you. I still think it's a dumb idea." Jazz submitted with a small smile. To be honest, it wasn't that bad of an idea but she would never admit that.

"Relax, Jazz." Danny assured his sister before his ghost sense went off. Before he could find a place to 'go ghost', he realized it was only the Box Ghost. "Are you kidding me?" Danny laughed as he pulled out a thermos and Jazz pulled out a small ecto-ray that he had given her along with Sam and Tucker who also had one. It took only about two minutes for them to capture the ghost. "Hmm, that took longer than suspected." Danny muttered as they continued walking.

"What, two minutes? Oh no! Danny you're slipping." Jazz dramatically exclaimed as if it was some terrible thing.

They both shared a look with each other before bursting out in laughter. "Jazz, no!" Danny mocked, referring to the time Vlad had pitted her and him against each other.

"What have I done? Danny, could you ever forgive me?" Jazz quoted before they once again busted out in uncontrollable laughter.

"Well, I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves at my expense." A sinister voice spoke behind them laced with malice but yet smooth as velvet. Danny and Jazz turned around to face the familiar voice that could be no other than Vlad Masters.

"Vlad! What are you doing here?" Danny demanded to know his hands curling into fists.

"Oh relax, Daniel." Vlad told the boy, rolling his eyes. "I'm not here to fight."

"If your not here for our weekly fight then what are you here for?"

"Oh, I'm pleased you look forward to seeing me, Little Badger."

"As if! What are evil plot are you planning this time, Plasmius?"

"Oh? I can't just say a friendly hello?"

Danny scoffed, "no."

"Very well, it seems the young Ms. Grey suddenly quit her ties with me after the whole Danielle incident. I was curious to see if you knew why." Vlad asked nonchalantly but kept his gaze on Danny the entire time.

"Yeah, she figured out you and Dani were both part ghost. I don't know how she figured that out. When she told me I was pretty surprised. You must have slipped up somewhere V-man." Danny replied seriously until the last sentence. It was just too much fun to not poke at the older hybrid. He also knew lying to the man would only anger him, causing trouble for both him and Valerie.

"Mmhmh, and you wouldn't have anything to do with her discovering now would you?" Vlad looked at Danny with condescending eyes.

"Excuse me? You're accusing me?" Danny said in disbelieve. "I never said anything. She's on my tail now."

"Well, you are playing a game with her now regarding your secret." Jazz pointed out correcting Danny without realizing it.

"After she accused me of being a halfa!" Danny exclaimed. "If she is going to find out anyway why not have some fun with it?"

"Maybe I'll join in this game…" Vlad mused aloud, instantly getting a protest from Danny.

"No way! You are not going to ruin my fun this time!" Danny got up in Vlad's face. "Don't you dare." Danny's eyes flashed green, warning Vlad to step down but this only fueled Vlad more. There was no way this Fruitloop was going to ruin is one true fun this summer!

"Oh? The scary eyes!" Vlad exclaimed putting up his hands in mock fear. "I'm so scared."

"You should be. Sam and Tucker aren't here to hold me back. This is the only entertainment I have been getting this summer." Danny growled his eyes still a brilliant neon green. Whatever anger he had was instantly disappeared as he decided to take Vlad's approach. "You're a respectable business man," He began. The change in demeanor and what Danny said got Vlad's attention, immediately. Maybe he was teaching the boy something. "Let's make a deal. You don't come anywhere around me and disrupt my game. That means pretending you never knew about it and not having any of your pawns partaking in the game. In return, I'll spend a day with you." Danny finished his own lips twisted up in a sinister smile.

Danny's change in behavior startled Jazz but once she saw Vlad become interested in what Danny was saying she knew what he was playing at but Vlad's rules. His change in tactics was impressive but it was scary how well he could pull it off. Jazz was distracted from her pondering when Vlad spoke.

Vlad paused for a moment considering what Danny had said but he knew he would be getting the short end of the stick. With a smirk he looked at Daniel with slight pride in his eyes. Yes, he was definitely teaching the boy, even if he didn't realize it. "A very interesting deal, Daniel. However, I will only comply if you spend a week with me. Merely one day is clearly not enough."

"Three days." Danny instantly said knowing that if he shot low in his little speech Vlad would shoot high so he came out on top.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. The boy wanted to bargain now? "Very well, four days. It takes time to travel, dear boy."

Danny paused for a moment thinking the offer over in his head. Deciding he could survive four days with the older hybrid, he agreed. "I will call you two days after the game has ended. You can pick me up the day after I call." Danny informed him extending his hand to Vlad. "If the deal is broken then the person who broke it can expect punishment from the other." Danny added before Vlad reached out to shake the younger hybrid's hand.

"Deal." Vlad confirmed. The two pulled their hands away. "It seems I have been teaching you something after all." Vlad praised. "I'll be waiting for your call." He smirked and walked away casually.

Once Vlad was out of sight Danny let his shoulders drop into his normal posture. He looked at Jazz who was watching him with her usual analyzing gaze. "Do you always do this with Vlad now? You seemed pretty used to it."

"Nah, that was my first time trying that tactic. Seemed it worked pretty well. It's worth staying four days with Vlad if that means being able to complete the game on my terms." Danny reasoned as they continued to walk around. "The game should probably end in a day or two anyway." He shrugged. By the time they had finished their little walk it was around lunch. "Want to go get some food at the Nasty Burger before we go our separate ways?" Danny asked as they walked past the restaurant. Jazz agreed and they went to eat. One thing was for sure. Nothing would ruin Danny's game. Not even a crazed-up Fruitloop.

Please review. If you have any ideas for other stories or one-shots let me know!

Ghostfudge160