This chapter was quite a bump in the road for me, but I had reviews to read and make me smile with happiness. Boy, I'm glad I threw that twist in there. Anyways, I'm so sorry for the wait on this. Writer's block blows.
Might be slightly confusing chapter…
Thanks for reviewing Auroral Eclipse, Hordak's Pupil, Dante Inferno, NarutoxxAddict, piloneo, Captain-Mad Dog Vane, Plushiemon, MutantLover09, PhantomGirl712, pearl84, babydragon11, moonlightwaterdragon
10. Labyrinth
Danny's head was on the table, the crunching of French fries heard from Sam. The Nasty Burger was a typical place for teenagers to hang out in these days. It was one of the few places where you could talk about low key things or secrets that may kill you. Unfortunately, the hybrid was holding the latter- a secret that could destroy him. He lifted his head and yawned. Tucker observed this worriedly. "Dude, we want to hear about this secret of yours. Why is it so bad that you have to whisper in the Nasty Burger?"
Sam popped another fry in her mouth. "Give him some air, Tucker! Honestly, he's been quiet all week. His parents are dead, he's a ghost…"
"Half a ghost," the raven-haired teen interjected wearily.
She continued without stopping. "…a half ghost, and Vlad Masters is treating him like a chew toy!" A rumor was flying around the city that Danny had been to see Vlad for more than a week and was his new 'son.' Disgusted, the teenager vehemently protested these rumors, and in return, he received backfire for denying that he was with Vlad. And with this, his nature and fighting ghosts became more aggressive.
Danny sighed and glanced up at his friends. "Look, I'm sorry I haven't been better these past few days, but when I met up with Vlad a week ago, a lot of… strange things happened. He wants me to live with him, he told me about the 'revised' version of the angel story Mom told me when I was younger, and I… I finally learned about who killed my parents."
Sam's eyes widened with shock, the French fry stopping near her mouth. "You learned who killed your parents? But how?"
"Because he told me," he replied, tears welling up in his eyes. "He told me he was there. He told me that I was right in my assumption of who killed them. I just can't believe…" He swallowed. "I just can't believe he killed them."
Both friends looked as if they had been struck by a thunderbolt. Tucker's mouth had dropped open like a free-falling elevator, and Sam's face now had a slightly greenish hue. Never in their fifteen years of being alive had they heard of such a sick and twisted truth as well as a terrible plot from the dictator of the city- or anybody else for that matter. Danny's head hit the table, sobs now beginning to escape his lips. There was nothing Sam and Tucker could ever say that would make him feel better at that moment.
Tucker finally took a slow deep breath. "Did he say how he killed them?"
Sam swiftly kicked his shin under the table. Tucker bit back a yelp of pain.
Danny's voice was muffled. "His ghost self."
"Hold the fort," his best friend told him, a confused expression coming through her still-sickened features. "Ghost self? Are you saying the leader of Amity Park has a ghost form just like you?"
He nodded, lifting his head slightly and resting his chin on the table. His eyes were red from crying, his voice slightly cracked. "Vlad Plasmius. He's worse than his human self- evil, cruel, sadistic… everything you can ever imagine about that is the equivalent of his ghost form. I hate him- every fiber of his being could go and die right now for all I give a damn. He can go to hell."
It was only after Danny finished explaining this that the trio finally realized the whole burger joint was empty. The sound of the wind through the windows made an eerie creaking as they looked around. Something must have happened. It wasn't for a few moments until Sam turned around to look at the booth behind them. Her eyes widened, her voice terrified. "Guys?"
Her friends turned to her.
"Pink ghost ray at seven o'clock!"
Danny dived out of the seat, pushing Tucker out of the way as the beam collided with Danny's spot where he once sat. Smoldering cotton could be smelled as he looked up and saw Vlad Plasmius floating above them, arms crossed and a look of fury in his features. Danny stood up and morphed into Phantom, emerald eyes shooting daggers at the male hybrid that floated above them. "Eavesdrop much, Plasmius?" he snarled.
"You told them Masters and Plasmius were one of the same!" he roared back, firing a pink energy disk in their direction. "You little rat! I swear you will pay for this!"
The boy turned to his friends, pointing to the door. "Run!" he screamed, jumping away from the attack. "Get out of here!"
Sam and Tucker didn't have to be told twice. Both people bolted for the door as Phantom suddenly leapt towards Plasmius and slammed into his foe with a shoulder tackle. The Goth took one look back before Tucker finally pulled her out of the Nasty Burger. She feared for his safety- she feared it so much.
Meanwhile, Phantom stared at Plasmius through the rather large hole in the wall of the burger joint. "I told them you were both the same because I knew I could trust them with my life! They're my best friends! Unlike you, who have no friends!"
The dictator merely smiled as he broke out of the hole. "The half-dead have no friends, Daniel," he whispered, "nor do they have a life. How can you trust anyone with your life when you only have half one?!" At this, he flew up and landed a punch square to his jaw, sending the teen flying backwards. Phantom careened with another wall, dust gathering around him.
He struggled to keep his consciousness about him as he stood up, knees shaking. Blood tasted in his mouth. Feebly, he put up a ghost shield to protect himself from any other attacks that Plasmius could've thrown at him. Tears stung his eyes again. 'I have to try and get out of here alive,' he thoughts, taking a deep breath.
But just as his shield went down, his world faded into black…
-Archangel-
The sheets on the bed felt so inviting and comforting. He smiled slightly, snuggling in deeper, allowing the fluff to envelop him. No noises could be heard as he flipped onto his side. He could live here forever, with the exception of having to get up every few hours to grab something to eat. And speaking of food, he was hungry.
Danny yawned, opening his eyes slightly and seeing pillow in his face. He swung his feet over the bed slightly, getting on his knees besides the king-size sleeper. He took his head out of his pillow and looked around. The room was large with no computer or closet. The bed had a canopy over it, the window overlooking a rather large yard. He frowned. This wasn't his room.
He walked over to the door and opened it, steeping into the hallway. Either way he looked, the place seemed endless. Danny definitely knew this wasn't his house. Besides, when was the last time he saw pictures of Vlad and a football team lining the whole stretch? A blue stream came out of his mouth.
He turned around and gasped, morphing into his ghostly counterpart. Ember floated there, raising an eyebrow at the gesture of shock. "Cute," she told him. "But you didn't scare me."
Phantom shot a ghost ray in her direction, which she gracefully avoided. He gave her a strange look. "What are you doing here anyway, Ember?" he asked, disbelief in his tone.
"You nearly blew me to pieces, ghost kid," she snapped, dusting herself off. "Why should I tell you anything?"
He forced himself to stay calm as paranoia began to take a hold of him. "Come on! Tell me!"
Ember merely stared at the teen. He looked desperate, worried, frightened among other things. Quietly, she floated there, contemplating if she should tell him. Finally, she rolled her eyes and spoke. "All right, whatever. It can't hurt to tell you the truth.
"Plasmius took you after you decided to try and defend yourself from him. He morphed into his human half and made his entire castle here into a labyrinth- something that only happens when a citizen seriously ticks him off- but that's not the point. The idea of this maze here in Wisconsin is to battle all the ghosts you find along the way and learn about yours and Vlad's past lives." She leaned in closely. "You can't faze through here. He's got it completely ghost proof."
"That sucks," Phantom grumbled.
She nodded. "It's probably going to be some ghosts you've faced and some you haven't. Learn about Plasmius' history, learn how to defeat him."
He blinked. "Defeat him?"
Ember left without another word.
Sighing in defeat, Phantom turned to the left and began to fly down the corridor, looking for any signs of ghosts. The hallway was like a long line of insanity- the same green and gold wallpaper for who knew how long. He floated cautiously, quietly, as to not disturb anyone in the house. It was eerily quiet as he looked around.
Until…
"BEWARE!"
Phantom was jolted out of his thoughts as a ghost floated in front of him, waving his hands like someone trying to wave down a taxi cab. He wore blue overalls and a blue beanie, boxes now floating into the vicinity of the hallway. The ghost grinned at Phantom's shocked-turned-annoyed expression. "I am the Box Ghost!" he hollered putting a hand forward. The boxes flew towards the teen, who merely turned intangible.
The boxes sailed right through him as he turned back to his physical self. He sighed and slapped his head. "I get trapped in a labyrinth by my newest enemy, and all he sends after me is the Box Ghost?" He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, well. I can't complain." He stook a casual pose as he stared at the phantom in front of him. "Is there anything you can tell me about Vlad's history?"
"Never!" he hollered, his hands glowing blue. "The Box Ghost will not reveal his secrets to you!"
Phantom pulled out a Fenton Thermos. "It's simple. You tell me about the old man's life, and I won't shove you inside this thermos."
The Box Ghost contemplated this deal for a moment before finally speaking. "Fine.
"Plasmius was once a human being like many are before they turned into a ghost when they die. Not a full human being, but a sort of cross-breed. And then he got zapped by the portal!" The Box Ghost's hands flailed again. "And he became a ghost and human and other breed!"
The teen cocked his head. "Another being?"
"I cannot say!"
Phantom sighed and opened the thermos. A blue beam shot out and grabbed the Box Ghost. He was sucked inside, screaming, "BEWARE………!"
Another wall. It led to either the left or the right.
Phantom made a swift turn to the right.
-Archangel-
What the hell was she thinking?
Plasmius slammed his fist on the desk in the capital building around sixty miles away from his castle and gave Ember a piercing gaze. "You're rooting for him, aren't you?"
The female guitarist ghost merely flipped her hair slightly. "Not really. I figured I'd give him a little boost on his way to trying to get out of that stupid labyrinth."
"Did I ever ask for your opinion or to give the boy information supposed to do?" he inquired softly, his hand now glowing magenta. "My orders were clear. Merely tell him I dropped him in that house of mine and tell him about the labyrinth challenge. Nothing more."
Ember rolled her eyes. "Why are you so upset? I did what you requested."
Plasmius' hand shot forth a ghost ray in the girl's direction. Surprised, she couldn't move and was hit head on with a powerful beam of hate and energy. She rubbed her arm in pain, seeing the fire in the leader's eyes flare. "You might have done what I said, but that wasn't enough! You told Daniel he could learn about my history!"
"It's for his own good! And ours!"
A hand shot to her mouth. She mentioned other people.
The man sent a wave of energy in the form of a kick towards the ghost. It collided with her and the wall, and she proceeded to meet the concrete. "This isn't about you!" he screamed inhumanely. "It's about me and the boy!"
The girl couldn't say anything. As she fazed through the rubble and out of the building, she hoped that the dipstick might actually have a chance to get out of the mansion…
-Archangel-
Phantom narrowed his eyes at the weather ghost, who floated there laughing. "So you're telling me that it was because of my father that Plasmius is the way he is today?"
The green ghost waved a hand, wiping a tear from his eye from laughing so hard. "Oh, no, ghost child. It isn't your father's fault. In all realistic terms, it's actually yours! Your father had fun banishing him to the city, and that's how Amity Park came to be!"
"My mom always told me that he helped to build the city. He was his best friend until he had absolute control! I don't know what all this is about my dad being an angel and crap like that, but how does that pertain to the fact that my parents are responsible for his ghost state?!" Phantom snapped back.
His name was Vortex. He took deep breathes between almost every fourth or fifth word when he talked. It was his nature, but the reasons weren't very clear why. Taking a deep intake of air, he sputtered out, "Because… it was all Jack Fenton's fault for making him the half ghost he is today...! Cherubim only wanted to make Amity Park the most powerful place in the world...! And now, he rules with an iron fist!"
"So I've heard."
Vortex grinned. "It's you're fault, to-ooooooooo!"
The cap was stuck on the thermos once again as Phantom rubbed his right arm. There was a growing pain as he floated up and contemplated these words. His father was responsible for both Amity Park's problems and his half ghost abilities. But wait- for the city of Amity Park? He was responsible for the fact that Vlad had taken control of the city?
His dead father who he never really knew of?
Swallowing, he made his way to the right, looking around for any signs of ghostly activity. The warm, stagnant stench of humid mold in the hallway was beginning to affect him as he willed himself to stay awake. It hadn't been as powerful in the first two corridors, but now it was almost overpowering. He shut his eyes slightly. A cold wave of dread washed over his body like a cold shower, his mouth emitting another blue stream.
'Great,' he thought angrily, swallowing. 'Now what?'
Out of the shadows, a pair of red eyes appeared. The rumbling of a baritone voice sent a shiver down Phantom's spine- worse than when he had faced Vlad last week. He called into the dark depths. "Who are you?"
"Your future, Danny," the voice intoned, no kindness in it whatsoever. "I know what's going to happen. He told me about my past life, and now I can tell you about your future life and what's going to occur." White fangs gleamed in the blackness of the hallway. "Dare you see what little piece of history there is left to offer?"
Phantom really hated that voice. He had never heard it before, but it sounded almost like a cross between Plasmius' sadistic tone and his own heroic voice. Except… deeper. And darker.
Besides, wasn't this the only way from him to get out of this castle? It had to be.
He slowly floated towards the eyes, fangs, and voice.
He continued in an wicked manner. "Related- both of the same blood. One is the light, the other is the dark. He embraced what his new strength gave to him and let it shine on Earth in the way of a city. Your city. You were born anew in the city, left to die in the Fields of the Forgotten. But then he came along and found you. And the Council relented to place you on the Earth."
Phantom was getting angry. "I don't understand any of this! What are you saying?!" The voice laughed silkily. Phantom shot a ghost ray in his direction, flying more quickly in his direction. He took a deep breath. "I don't even know who you are! Show yourself!"
"I cannot do that," he replied smoothly.
Phantom unleashed a powerful blast. There was a loud grunt, followed by the slamming into a wall. No noise was made until the red eyes appeared in front of him- less than two feet away. Gasping, he put his glowing hand up to his face… and saw a pale-blue skinned figure with red eyes grinning. His hair was a whitish flame, his emblem that of Phantom's on his suit. His tongue was forked as he licked his lips. "Hello there, Phantom."
The boy screamed and fired off a ghost ray at the creature. He went flying back and hit another wall…
…revealing the light of day outside.
Phantom merely stood there, mouth ajar and relief swelling in him like a helium balloon. The light at the end of the tunnel- the end of the labyrinth.
It was right in front of him.
And then he remembered the creature that was there as well. He had disappeared.
Phantom flew out of the hole, looking up at the castle, a feeling a pride swelling throughout his body. He had escaped. He was alive. And he had learned more about Vlad Plasmius- as well as Vlad Masters.
The air was cool and dry, no humidity to be detected. Phantom smiled slightly and willed his body afloat. He took to the skies and began a long flight home.
Home was where the heart was…
-Archangel-
So he had escaped now, had he?
Plasmius merely narrowed his eyes, morphing into his human self. The legends were true then. He really was Seraphim, the angel of legend.
How disgusting. He was related to a fifteen year old teenager.
He closed his eyes, thoughts of evil rushing through his head. It was time. And he knew what had to be done. To convince the teenager to join him was no longer enough. He had to go and hurt him dearly, to the heart. Make him suffer. Make him wish he were dead.
And then, he'd grant his wish.
But first, some unfinished business to attend to.
Vlad smiled and stared at a picture of Valerie Gray and her father. "Damon." he rumbled lowly, his eyes flashing. "I think our little meeting is long past overdue…"
-collapses- That was the hardest chapter I ever had to write. And the longest. Good god, over 3,000 words. I've never done this long before. Something must be wrong with me.
And that mysterious someone in this story is, um... oh, okay. It's Dan. Sowwie. Couldn't help it.
I'm really sorry for the wait. Hope this made it up to you. Probably not, but I can dream. I'll get the next chapter out in a few weeks. No three months wait this time around…
Thanks for reading…