A/N: truephan here: Hello, everybodee! Whew! Man, am I glad this chapter is done! My Ms. Hyde muse and Pearl's Vlad muse were really at each other over this one! But now that they have knocked themselves out, we could finally post. And, of course, we hope y'all like it! Enjoy and see you below!
Pearl: Ha-ha! Well, said, my dear Truephan! Our muses sure had a go at one another with this one! But while they are both unconscious, let's get on with this! Thank you all for your thoughts and support as always! Another fun filled chapter with Vlad and Danny in jail! *snickers*
Disclaimer: We do not own Danny Phantom. But the OC characters are our own.
Chapter 22: Grit and Determination
Iluzisto and Okulo hurried toward the Tribune's quarters. Each of the spirits hoped that this wouldn't take very long since they were anxious to get onto the final stages of their plans.
They had just reached the last hallway that would lead to Justeco's room when a messenger met them from the other direction.
"Master Prison Head, Master Liaison," the other Observant hurriedly said, "I am glad that I found you! The High Tribune has been detained once again and will not be able to meet with you until a little later, Master Prison Head. He commands that you return to the prison until he calls you."
"I should have expected as such, foolish bag of hot air that you are, Justeco," Iluzisto thought, irritated; though outwardly, he merely silently nodded.
"However," the messenger continued, "he was insistent that you see him at once, Master Liaison. It concerns the matter at hand with which he is detained."
Okulo glanced briefly at Iluzisto, who met his gaze before replying to Okulo's unspoken question, "I will see you at the proper time during your proper prison rounds, then, Master Liaison."
Okulo also nodded in silence, though he knew that Iluzisto had secretly conveyed to him that they were to meet back at the prison as soon as he was through speaking with the High Tribune. He then floated after the messenger while Iluzisto turned back toward the prison.
But as Iluzisto floated down the hallway, he slowed at his next thought. Then glancing briefly at his wrist bands, all of the sudden he felt quite satisfied as he mused, "Heh-heh. Ironical, is it not, Justeco? That even when you meant for me to dwell in punishment, I am superior to you. You failed to realize that by putting me under the constraints of time, you have 'awarded' me with the senseof time. Quite an advantage here, as it had been in the past—as we both know. I suppose I should also be grateful that you have delayed our meeting. That now allows me to return to my nearly-completed plans. However, my sense of time makes me aware that I have not yet given the crossbreeds enough time to prepare themselves for my usage. So, though I must wait, I can always absorb the energies from the newly acquired prisoners—and torture a few of my old prisoners!" Iluzisto chuckled quietly as he decided, "I think I shall do the former, first…"
He quickened his pace at that delicious thought.
Iluzisto didn't take too long with those 'newly acquired prisoners', since taking their energies was pathetically easy, especially when like so many others, there was not much to take before their cores would burn to a husk. Not too long afterward, he visited some of his the inmates that he kept for the sheer sick pleasure of torturing them. But fairly soon the illusionist spirit was finally at the door of the last prison cell he would visit while 'killing time'. He quickly unlocked the door and went in.
The prisoner within the cell sat up in attention as soon as he had heard the clang of the unbolting lock. It did not matter that his solid cell did not afford him to see who was entering. He never had a doubt in the end who it would be….
"Master Prison Head," Kvargvid quietly regarded the illusionist spirit, all four of his heads then bowing to him.
Iluzisto's eye shifted, full of evil mischievousness as he smugly replied, "No need to address me as such, Kvargvid. We have known each other for quite a long time, have we not? Not that I had planned it that way. After all, your very thick and unusual hide does not allow me to get to 'know' you more, am I not right?"
Kvargvid's ebony head narrowed its yellow eyes in distain for an instant before he looked away toward his other three silent brothers. The four-headed creature knew from all these years in this prison what the Prison Head had done to most of the prisoners here. And that was to eliminate them one-by-one, absorbing their energy as easily as a spider sucked its victims dry.
The ebony head's eyes then melted into sadness. It did not matter that what Iluzisto said was true. He and his brothers had survived here not because of pity, but because the Prison Head's weapon could not penetrate his ghostly hide—a mere technicality in the end. It did not help, either, that Iluzisto also could never accept the fact that the illusionist spirit had not been the one to capture him. Instead, the creature had been captured by another's power…
That, however, was incidental to what the Prison Head had soon discovered about him once he was in this cell. And that was that Kvargvid was always affected by every illusion the spirit threw at him. But because of that, the illusionist spirit had made it a point to visit him even more often than the other 'short-termed' prisoners—and once again, it was not because of pity. Not that pity would matter here, anyways. After all, if pity had mattered, he would not have become a prisoner in the first place…
Kvargvid hitched in his sigh as he turned back to face Iluzisto. Perhaps, then, those long-destroyed prisoners were the lucky ones, for they were spared of much of the torture that he had had to endure these many years…Still, there was nothing for the four-headed creature to do but bear what he knew would come in short order.
The side of the large creature's black mouth hitched slightly at the irony of it all. In spite of the torture, he was not totally defenseless here. And that was because that in spite of the chains on his legs, the collars around each of his necks and the locked cell, he could still access a minute amount of his own powers. It had actually pleased the Prison Head to 'allow' that. Iluzisto had once said that 'sparing' him of total defensiveness made the torture 'sport' and somehow reminded him of his 'old times of glory'.
As if any of that mattered.
Still, Kvargvid squared each of his jaws and the black head finally answered his tormentor, "It is suffice to say that it has always been clear how you have regarded us. On many occasions, you did not so much as appear to us or speak with us before you threw your cruelty at us in many different forms. So, the least you can do is spare us of the formalities and get on with it."
"Very well, then, worm!" Iluzisto growled as he disappeared from sight.
And in the next instant, several very large black scorpions oozed out of the walls, floor and ceiling. But before the large beast could react, one of the scorpions landed on the ebony head's neck and drove its stinger right into it.
Dizziness and pain immediately overcame the leader of the heads as the scorpion's poison quickly made its way into the four-headed creature's system. In spite of the throbbing sting pulsating within them, all of Kvargvid's heads howled in anger before they engaged Iluzisto's illusions...
However, the poison proved effective, for Kvargvid could not think clearly enough to engage his attackers with any significant line of attack, especially when he was being stung at every opportunity. So, even though the large creature put up as worthy a fight as he could in spite of all his 'built in' handicaps, ultimately, the large creature was subdued by all of the penetrating stings of the illusions... As he lay panting in weakness, Iluzisto reappeared.
Muttering in glee, the illusionist spirit said, "How is that for 'formalities' Kvargvid? Such as they are, since this was not as entertaining as usual. Nevertheless, you make it too delicious. In fact, I think I'll see how much you and your brothers can take before pleading for me to stop…"
Kvargvid's black head gasped when three of the scorpions suddenly turned into large boas; and in an instant, the three of them clamped their jaws down on the three other mute heads and coiled their bodies tightly around the heads' long necks, constricting them slowly.
Kvargvid's black head, the only head not being harmed by the snakes, rose up in alarm as he watched his brother's ectoplasmic flow cut off completely, causing the glow around them to quickly begin to ebb and their coloring to turn a dull gray—like a person slowly being suffocated to death.
"You know, I've never found out what would happen if I destroyed your brothers… Would they grow back?" Iluzisto asked with evilly curiosity.
Kvargvid gasped at hearing inside his head the dying cries of his brothers and he turned his black head to the evil illusionist spirit, pleading, "Stop, Master Prison Head! I beg of you to desist! Do not take my brothers away from me!"
"And what could you offer me in exchange for sparing them?" Iluzisto retorted, as the illusions continued to squeeze the heads, which were now on the ground barely moving, looking more transparent by the second.
Kvargvid lowered his head in helplessness before raising one of his clawed hands to his mouth. His hide may have been able to prevent the evil spirit from taking his ghost energy, but… he could give up some of it willingly, and it was what the power-hungry Observant always wanted…
Closing his eyes, Kvargvid opened his mouth and expelled out a ball of red energy from his mouth onto his hand. The creature's aura instantly dimmed, but it hardly cared as long as the evil spirit would leave him and his brothers alone…
Iluzisto's eyes curved with triumph before he took a step forward and touched the sphere in the creature's hand with one of his own. In an instant the sphere seeped into the illusionist spirit, his own aura flashing red for only a brief moment.
"Tsk. What a pitiful offering," Iluzisto commented with disappointment. He really wasn't all that interested in this creature's energy being that he was not able to penetrate its core. So, really, the energy he could obtain from it was a mere appetizer. Nevertheless, Kvargvid was indeed lucky for his thick hide; though, torturing him and his brothers and forcing him every-now-and-then to bear him an offering was a good way to keep the large creature under his submission.
"Still, I will be merciful and spare your brothers," Iluzisto continued before he dissipated his illusions.
Kvargvid's freed heads instantly curled behind his body, as if trying to hide from the evil spirit. But still suffering from the effects of having their ectoplasmic flow ceased and the scorpions' poison, as well as their lost of energy, the heads just as quickly limped down on the ground, unconscious.
Kvargvid's remaining black head quickly lowered to inspect his brothers, only slightly relieved to know they would recover in spite of their falling senseless.
Iluzisto sneered at the brotherly love the black head showed the others before suddenly raising his staff and blasting the ghost unexpectedly in the chest.
Kvargvid cried out before his remaining head limped above the others, now fully unconscious.
"How boring," Iluzisto muttered in distaste before turning around and exiting the cell, locking it after him. It seemed none of his other prisoners were as interesting as the crossbreeds. At least they put up a decent fight before falling unconscious…
"How unfortunate for them to have caught my attention so…," Iluzisto said evilly as he walked down the hallway with a new purpose. "I believe I have given them enough time to recover…"
As soon as Danny had willed his transformation rings with the intention of turning human so that he could start the healing process for his central core, he unexpectedly grew dizzier from the effort. Then losing control. he fell to his knees and unwittingly reverted back fully to his ghost half again.
Vlad, however, had easily turned human; but just when he was about to call forth his energy rings to repair his ghostly core, he saw what happened to the boy. Immediately, Vlad transformed back into his alter ego, only to gasp and grip his chest at the sudden sharp hot pain that gripped his core. His eyes slightly widened in disbelief and fear, but he forced himself to keep steady and take in a slow breath.
Plasmius swallowed as he then turned his attention back to the teen, now even more anxious to get out of here, and suddenly understanding how very grave the situation was becoming.
Danny had not noticed what had happened to Vlad, since he was still on his hands and knees trying not to pass out.
And hesitating to approach the boy for more than one reason, Vlad slowly said, "Daniel,…"
But Danny firmly interrupted him. "I'm all right! I guess I'm weaker than I thought. But I can't—and won't—give up!"
The boy immediately pulled himself back to an unsteady stand. He then tried to morph again, gritting his teeth as his rings momentarily bathed him in light. He panted as he tried to hold them steady, but he readily failed and remained in his ghost form, clearly having a hard time controlling his body with how damaged and weak it was. He tried again and this time was able to change into his human form; but, then, he almost instantly changed back to his ghost form with hardly a thought. He gasped at his lack of control, but he paused only a moment to muster his concentration and strength.
"Come on," he said through gritted teeth and then tried again. This time, just as he successfully turned human, he didn't hesitate again. He went right into going to his mid-morph state and was able hold it steady while willing the repair of his ghostly half just as Vlad had shown him when they first got to this hideous place.
But he was only partially successful just as he finished the task at repairing his central core. And even though he had successfully morphed back into Phantom afterward, the effort still left him panting and his head partially swimming.
Vlad looked upon the boy, suddenly struck by his actions, even as he noticed that the younger hybrid's ghostly aura was slightly flickering. Yes, Daniel could be pig-headed, but he had to admit that this type of determination was admirable.
Still, the man was now worried for himself since his core was still throbbing painfully inside him. But that made him even more determined to fix his own ghost half and he told the boy, "Give me a moment and then we can begin."
No sooner had he said this when Vlad turned human again, feeling the pain in his core vanish now that he had made it dormant. However, as he went into his mid-morph state, Vlad almost cried out at the intensity of the pain that spread through his body at the same right as his black rings.
He stumbled back, the wall preventing him from falling down, as his rings finished moving through him. But the instant that they vanished, the pain also vanished. Still human, he just breathed for a moment before looking back at the young hybrid and finding he was staring at him with wide eyes.
"What…? What was that?" Danny finally blurted out. He had never seen Vlad have a single ounce of trouble repairing himself; and although the man had managed it on his first try, it had clearly hurt him a lot!
Danny frowned when Vlad just took another breath in response, his hand unknowingly placed against his chest.
"Vlad?" the teen called again more seriously this time. "Are… Are you alright?"
The older hybrid replied by morphing into his ghost form again. And much to his relief, he only felt a very small sharp pain at his core, but it was nothing like before. He also felt almost at full strength now that he was Plasmius, but not quite. In fact, this felt...different…weaker.
When he finally looked back at the boy and was about to tell him he was fine, however, he paused when he saw how drained Daniel still looked. Vlad wondered if he looked as drained now that he knew he still wasn't feeling right, either. Still, the man knew he would be able to carry on, but now…He wasn't certain if Daniel was going to be able to help after all, especially when he suddenly remembered that Iluzisto had replaced the boy's old damaged collar with a new one and they had only been able to damage it slightly—not enough to allow the teen to use any of his powers.
Of course, neither Vlad nor Danny had yet to discover that the teen's 'new' collar had been damaged in Iluzisto's two most recent attacks on the boy…
Vlad finally spoke up, though hesitantly, "Daniel, I want to get out of here as much as you. But, perhaps it would be best if…"
But guessing what his rival was going to say, Danny pushed aside his brief worry over Vlad's moment of weakness and instead once again firmly interrupted him, "No, it wouldn't be best, Plasmius. You said you needed only a moment and then we could begin. And you and I both know that Iluzisto will be back sooner than we want him to be! So, let's get on with getting these neck restraints off!"
Vlad then frowned in irritation. He just knew the stubborn boy would push himself, even dangerously so once he made a decision on what to do. And especially on such an important decision as this one. But he also knew that the boy would just continue to argue rather than do what was best for him at this moment. But he wasn't about to let the boy get away with his bravado, either.
Though his tone betrayed his growing irritation, Vlad finally said, "All right! And since it's painfully obvious that you're too stubborn to listen to me and that you need more time to recover than me, let's start with trying to get your neck brace off of you."
Danny glared at the man for his barb, but he didn't care in the end which of their neck braces got off first. All he cared about was getting out of here. Still, he couldn't resist the urge to counter the man with his own barb, "Okay, whatever, cheesehead! But it looks 'painfully obvious' that you forgot that my collar is new and I can't use my powers!"
The teen then wanted to emphasize that point to the man. As he tried to form an ectoplasmic orb around his hand, he smugly quipped, "See?" But to the surprise of both hybrids, especially the younger one, a small orb formed around Danny's hand! It was weak, but it was definitely there. Danny then uttered in disbelief, "Uh, how did that happen?"
Though privately excited at this development, Vlad rolled his eyes and quipped back, "Once again, it's painfully obvious that you haven't checked on that for a while."
Danny immediately frowned at the man, but Vlad then said more encouragingly, "Maybe one of Iluzisto's too-many-jolts from his weapon on you since you first got that neck brace must have accidentally hit it. And, we had damaged it slightly beforehand. Well, let's not try to ponder that too much, hmm? All that matters is that your neck restraint was somehow damaged enough for you to access part of your powers."
He then went right over to Danny, but suddenly hesitated. However, before Danny could ask why, the man readily frowned in resolve as he grabbed onto the boy's neck restraint. He tersely asked, "Ready?"
"Way ready," Danny replied, still irritated with the man. But then without another word, he grabbed the neck restraint with both of his hands.
A moment later, they both activated their ectoplasmic energies and tried to pour them into the neck brace. But, the older hybrid could plainly see that Danny's energy was flickering even more than it had been during their last attempted escape at the trial, and as it had only moments before. Still, the man said nothing and concentrated, ignoring the increasing throbbing from his own core as he continued to firmly pour his ghost energy into the boy's collar.
Suddenly, however, Danny groaned and stepped back when he lost his balance after suddenly feeling very dizzy. And in that instant, his energy orb dissipated. He groaned again and reflexively holding his head, slowly said, "Sorry! Looks like that effort took more out of me than I thought!"
But then, Danny's knees suddenly buckled and Vlad immediately grabbed the boy by his shoulders, supporting the weakened teen's weight before he could fall to the floor. Glaring a bit at the nearly spent teen, he said more firmly this time, "You need to rest!"
Danny recovered slightly and then realizing that Vlad was supporting him, shoved him off and growled, "I'm fine! We need to get out of here before Iluzisto gets my parents!" But suddenly, his breathing and his spinning head didn't agree.
Noticing that the boy's eyes weren't focusing well, Vlad growled back, "Blast it, Daniel! You're not going to be any good to either of us the way you are right now. Obviously, your ghost half hasn't fully recovered, and all that nourishment still wasn't enough. Much as time is of the essence, you need to rest!"
Danny gritted his teeth and said, "Don't tell me what to do, Plasmius! I'll…" But the teen couldn't complete his sentence. Everything in front of him was suddenly whirling rapidly. His spinning head had won the battle of wills and in the next instant, Danny completely collapsed, instantly turning human again as he did.
Vlad caught the boy's fall again and quickly picked up the limp teen and laid him on his bed. The older half-ghost smirked a little as he looked down at the senseless boy and said, "Glad you finally agreed with me, my boy, on getting that much needed rest!"
Vlad then sighed and went over to his own bed. He closed his eyes as he lifted a hand against his chest, gripping at it. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he wasn't fairing too well himself.
And as if it were a coincidence of proof, the man abruptly lost control of his body and he instantly lost his ghost form. He hissed in frustration and pain, this time feeling a throbbing discomfort even as human.
"We need to escape," he whispered worriedly to himself before he held back a grown and instead laid down, his mind now whirling with its own thoughts. Neither he nor Daniel could do anything while these blasted collars were on them; and now he didn't know if Daniel was going to be able to recover fast enough for them to attempt any escape any time soon. He searched his mind, but he simply had just run out of ideas. Really, he had exhausted every angle.
Suddenly, he heard a noise coming from down the hallway and he tensed before cursing under his breath in recognition of what had made that noise: Iluzisto! He immediately stood up and waited.
Iluzisto's silvery-blue eye narrowed; he was obviously greatly perturbed when he saw the senseless younger crossbreed. Addressing Vlad, he growled, "Why haven't you repaired yourselves, crossbreed?"
Vlad sneered back, "As you can plainly see, Iluzisto, the boy hasn't been able to do much of anything now that you've weakened him so! He needs more nourishment! But he couldn't even consume that right now unless he has had enough time to rest!"
In the next moment, however, Vlad yelled in pain and his knees buckled slightly when his neck collar was activated. Still, in spite of the pain, he steeled himself, rose to his full height and glared at the Prison Head.
This time, Iluzisto's eye conveyed slight surprise at this creature's tenacity. Perhaps, then, the crossbreed was right. But he didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
In an instant, Iluzisto opened the older half-ghost cell door and used his staff to slam the man against the wall.
Vlad cringed but quickly glared back as the spirit drew even closer.
"What of you?" Iluzisto questioned wickedly as he stopped a foot from the cornered man, disengaging the collar's electric attack. "Are you ready to give me what I want? Or… will I have to painfully rip it from you?"
Vlad's eyes flashed red in utter hatred; but much to his misfortune, his body ruined the effect by abruptly turning ghost.
Iluzisto chuckled at the man's stricken look before saying, "Oh, looks like your own body has betrayed you, crossbreed…"
Plasmius tensed as he saw Iluzisto raise his ghost staff to his core with the clear intention of jabbing that sharp and damaging tip into his core.
But then suddenly, the illusionist spirit was interrupted by the quite noticeable sting coming from the bracelets around his wrists. And that could only mean that Okulo was summoning him!
"Blast that spirit!" Iluzisto instantly thought, though he knew he had to go.
He glared back at the crossbreed who was staring down in surprise at the spirit's glowing bracelets. However, Vlad looked up when Iluzisto quickly sneered, "I see through your ruse, crossbreed! So, since you have so miserably failed to get the younger crossbreed to cooperate, you will have to stew in your own feeble thoughts until I can return to finish this business—with him and you!"
Before Vlad could comment, Iluzisto raised his weapon. At first, Vlad thought that the spirit was going to zap him again. But a moment later, he was being shoved onto his bed. And then he could see by its reflective sheen that Iluzisto had reactivated the invisible barrier instead. He turned his eyes back to the Prison Head, only to see that Iluzisto was already in retreat.
Without another word to the older half-ghost, Iluzisto locked the cell; however, just as he was in the process of closing the cell, the zaps to his wrists increased so much that he inadvertently released the door handle and dropped his staff!
Reaching down and scooping up his staff in spite of the pain, the Prison head growled under his breath, "This had better be good!"
He turned to go toward the door leading to the rest of the Observant complex when the pain in his wrists stopped for some reason.
Though still irritated by it, he did not question it. Instead, his thoughts drifted to his mission, and he drifted down the hallway…
"Blasted spirit!" Vlad immediately thought before sighing. Nevertheless, he was privately thankful, of course, that was gone. He sat back down on his bed as his gaze drifted over to Daniel. The boy was still out of it!
Vlad abruptly jolted in surprise when out of nowhere his black rings appeared and he turned human. But then just as quickly, the rings appeared yet again and turned him into Plasmius.
"Gahh!" he yelled in both pain and anger. "Curse that illusionist spirit! Curse him and all his blasted kind!" The man gripped the edge of his bed as he shook for a moment with his overwhelming emotions. He hated this. He hated not having control of his powers—of his own body! It reminded him of when he had been in the hospital all those years back. And he hated it!
"No," he growled to himself and forced himself to calm down. He couldn't lose it again. That's what Iluzisto wanted, and he wasn't giving him that pleasure again. Eyebrows creasing in distress, Vlad leaned back against the wall and sighed again. He closed his eyes, trying to analyze everything that had happened to him and Daniel so that he could somehow come up with another plan of getting out of this mess. The Observants' purpose in getting him and Daniel locked up on trumped up evidence—well, on Daniel's part at least—definitely had its darker purpose. Those spirits had been too confident that they had the boy and him right where they wanted them. But why go through such a circus just to condemn them? From what he could see, they weren't really too involved with the proceedings. They let Clockwork do all the 'dirty' work. And Spektanto had been completely useless—and even that had been in the Observants' favor in the end.
He tried to think what made these Observants tick. His only experience before this whole mess was when he wanted to get Vortex as a servant. And the Observants seemed to give only nominal resistance to his efforts. He had gotten away too easily; yet, it definitely wasn't so easy now.
He suddenly thought about Iluzisto and what his role was in this. Obviously, Iluzisto had been having no trouble fooling those other Observants all along, including orchestrating this whole 'trial' thing just to get his—and the boy's—powers. But, then what? Not that he really cared. That was just his natural curious part that was wondering…
But then again, the Observants were foolish enough to reject it all when he and Daniel had pointed it all out to them earlier in their last session…
Plasmius scoffed in disgust. These infernal Observants deserved everything Iluzisto had in store for them! If he ever was to get out of here, the last thing he would do was have anything to do with these imbecilic spirits again!
The next moment, however, Vlad was pulled from his thoughts. He opened his eyes and sat up straight again, throwing his gaze at the boy right afterward.
Daniel was stirring.
Danny groaned as he regained consciousness, reflexively bringing one of his hands to his head. His head was still spinning, but he immediately pulled himself up to a sitting position when his memory came into some focus. He looked over to where Vlad would be and wasn't surprised to see the man sitting in his bed and staring at him again.
"Doesn't he ever sleep?" the teen mumbled to himself.
His eyes then widened when he saw that the familiar reflective sheen that usually separated him and Vlad was back! His eyes widened even more and he bit his lower lip at his next thought. Iluzisto must have been here again!
But now he knew he couldn't afford to waste any more time. He still hadn't fully repaired his ghost core and he had to do that! He closed his eyes and willed his transformation rings. But as soon as he did, he became even dizzier.
"Whoah!" he inadvertedly blurted out while reflexively cradling his head, and losing his balance a little.
Vlad, in the meanwhile, silently watched what the boy was attempting to do. Why did Daniel have to be so obstinate? Was it really that difficult for him to just rest some more? There was nothing else either of them could do right now anyways! And even though he knew he was strong enough to help the boy repair himself in spite of the pain in his core, he couldn't since the barrier was back. Foolish child. Why didn't Daniel just rest? Still, what else could he expect from the stubborn boy? ...He suddenly smirked with a hint of pride at his next thought. Of course, he expected nothing less from the boy.
Nevertheless, the man said nothing and continued to watch.
But before Danny was able to attempt to repair his ghost half, he unwittingly reverted back to his human form. He panicked when he became even dizzier and wrestled with the fleeting thought that since he was so weak, it might be impossible for him to maintain his transformation rings, much less even change back into his ghost form.
He lay back down and tried to relax a moment. He had to get a hold of himself if he was going to repair his ghost half in order to escape and rescue his parents.
But after only a few minutes, when the dizziness let up some, the young hybrid thought, "Okay. Better do this now if I'm going to try to do this!"
Once again, he slowly willed his transformation rings, struggling to hold them steady. But then, he felt his control quickly ebbing, and they disappeared. Now panicked, he willed his transformation rings again, holding them as best as he could. He grunted with the effort, tightly closing his eyes and gritting his teeth in determination to heal his ghost half this time. But not a moment later, he knew he had failed, as he had inadvertently morphed back to his human side before there had been enough time to repair his ghost half.
He panted heavily from the effort. And he was sure glad he was lying down. From all this dizziness, he sure felt he was falling through his bed right now. And he just knew if he opened his eyes, he would see the vortex that was enveloping his mind—and now even his stomach. He sure hoped he didn't blow it and loose whatever was left in his stomach. He draped his arm over his eyes, though he knew that wouldn't help in stopping this whirling sensation. In fact, he knew it was all going to end in his losing consciousness again.
But then, he heard a voice softly say, "Good try, my boy. But maybe you should just rest some more?"
It was, of course, Vlad speaking. But just hearing the man's voice say anything—even if it weren't the usual irritating goading—gave Danny a strange surge of strength.
Not changing his position or even opening his eyes, Danny growled, "That's all I've been doing since we were thrown out of the trial this last time! And I don't think my parents would understand that when they're being vaporized by Iluzisto!" He suddenly choked on his next words, "I can't let them down like…like I did my sister and friends. I've just got to repair my ghost half!"
Vlad quietly commented on the boy's first reply, "I know that your parents would not only understand, but they would be proud of all your efforts now, Daniel." He paused a moment before adding, "And you've never let your sister or friends down…Their…demise wasn't your fault."
But the man suddenly threw any semblance of feelings behind those thoughts away. The boy would never think he meant them anyways. Instead, he added with irritation, "But you're no good to me right now unless you give yourself a little more time to rest! You've probably burned up most of those calories you just consumed with all those ridiculous tries to repair your core right now. You have to conserve what's left of them and rest so that any more effort will be worth it. Unless you're still pig-headed enough to completely exhaust yourself so much that your ghost half might never recover!"
Danny's eyes jolted open with those words. Could he permanently damage his ghost half? He hoped that Vlad was bluffing. It would be just like the fruit loop to say something like that just so the man could manipulate him.
If only the boy knew the man was speaking out of experience…
Danny silently growled in frustration. Still, he hated to admit that Vlad might be right, that he had used up most of those calories in all these failed attempts. But he didn't want to give in to either his exhaustion or his need for more food. And most of all, he didn't want to make the fruit loop think that he was going to just fall in line with his advice. He was just too upset to do that.
He then sat up and ignoring the sudden increase in dizziness it had caused, growled back, "I'll be all right! All the time-outs in the world won't help if it takes too long!" But then he found himself admitting defeat, "Besides, I need more than that. I-I just don't have the energy."
Vlad said nothing to that at first. It was enough that the boy was listening and in his own way, agreed. Nevertheless, there was nothing either of them could do about the fact that Daniel still hadn't gotten near the amount of calories he needed and that because his body was in constant flux, all of Iluzisto's attacks affected him more than Vlad. But then, Vlad thought of what Daniel had last said. And the man had a sudden thought that Daniel just might have that something 'more' he needed.
The older hybrid hesitated at first, but then decided to just come out with it. He quietly replied, "But you do have that energy, Daniel."
"What do you know or don't know about me, cheesehead?" Danny hissed back, narrowing his eyes in anger.
Vlad immediately hissed back, "Will you just listen, you little rat?" But then, he got a hold of himself and slowly added, "Remember, uh, that I had once been…monitoring you and your abilities…during that time…"
He paused.
Danny frowned in confusion, then, suddenly, caught his drift. Vlad must have been referring to the time when the man tried to make a clone of him. So, even though now he both did and didn't want to know the answer because he was sure it would creep him out, the boy made himself reply, "Yeah. Go on."
"As you know, we both have very unique central cores, my boy, ones that can actually create or regenerate energy. But you… well, you have an even more special core because you can create more of it, more than what your energy level should allow… Perhaps it's because both of your halves are so dynamically changing because you're in your teen years. But in any case, you might be able to tap deeper into your core to get it to produce more energy not only to fully heal your ghost half, but also to regain whatever strength and power that blasted collar will allow."
Danny frowned in irritation this time and his tone of voice mirrored that, "But in case you haven't noticed, I've tried that several times already and failed!"
Vlad also now grew annoyed at the boy's thick head and tersely replied, "That's because you're using the technique that I showed you!"
Danny jolted a bit at that comment. Just what was the fruit loop thinking? Of course he was! And healing himself was what he was trying to do!
"But I thought you said that it was the way to heal our ghost halves!" Danny protested, now getting exasperated at the man.
"Yes. It is the way, Daniel," Vlad began, his tone becoming a little sarcastic. How could this boy be so stubborn and still need everything spelled out to him?
The man huffed in annoyance before saying, "But think, boy, think! All those times when you must have reached what you thought was the end of your strength, something you did tapped into that well of energy within your central core and…"
Danny's mind instantly clicked and he excitedly interrupted the man, "You're right!" The memory of all those times flashed before him. "And I never thought much about it before; but I just, uhm, sorta concentrated and dug into…into my 'inner strength' each time!"
He was definitely more encouraged now.
Now catching some of the boy's excitement, Vlad interjected, "That's it! Yes, that must be it, Daniel! Now all you need to do is attempt to heal your ghost core with the method I taught you while doing whatever you did whenever you felt you could do no more."
"Okay, I'm going to try it," Danny said with more determination in his voice this time.
He closed his eyes; and feeling more focused, willed his transformation rings. He ignored the sudden drain of strength from the effort. He then commanded his rings to hold steady; but at the same time, pulled all of his thoughts and concentration into digging within himself, reaching deeper inside his core for his inner strength and power…
He struggled with his desire to give up when he felt more of his strength suddenly being sapped away, but he grunted with more grit. Not a moment later, and a burst of white energy both encased and jutted out from his ghostly aura as he returned to his full ghost form. And if it weren't for the neck restraint, his aura would have returned to its normal luster. In any case, Danny felt his dizziness swept instantly away; as if he were well-nourished and had never been drained.
Vlad resisted the urge to yell in triumph.
But the ghost teen inadvertedly squelched any more of the man's thought on doing that when Danny exclaimed his own excitement. "Yes!" But then looking back at Vlad with a mischievous smile, he added, "It worked! Thanks, cheesehead!"
With a smirk, the older ghost countered, "Whatever, little rat."
Immediately after that, the two hybrids shared a knowing smile that hadn't happened before and may certainly not happen again. But at this moment, it didn't matter. They had both acknowledge their appreciation of each other for the first time in their lives.
And, secretly, even if it were fleeting, that meant a little something to each of them more than anything else.
"What is the meaning of this?" Iluzisto all about growled to Okulo once he had caught up with him. But when the Prison Head could somehow read panic within the other Observant's eye, he then said, "What is wrong?"
"J-Justeco w-wants to see you immediately! He might suspect what our plans are!" Okulo stuttered.
Iluzisto didn't believe that Justeco knew any more than what Okulo implied. Still, he had to keep things under control. He tersely said, "There is nothing to worry about, Master Liaison! If what you say is true, then the prison would be swarming with Observant guards!"
Okulo finally calmed at the Prison Head's words. He then said, "Perhaps, then, you are right. Maybe I was imagining things. Nevertheless, we must not tarry any longer with our plans. Are you not ready yet?"
Raising up his wrist bands as proof, the illusionist spirit could barely contain his irritation with this fool in front of him as he replied, "You will be the first to know whether or not I am ready. But we must wait for the crossbreeds to fully recuperate."
"If you had just left them alone instead of giving into your impulses, that would have already been possible," Okulo retorted.
Iluzisto's eye narrowed with his ire. Still, he remained calm as he said, "It will not be long. In fact, why do you not check on the crossbreeds yourself while I assure our illustrious High Tribune that there is nothing to worry about….?"
"Yet..," Iluzisto added only to himself.
"By myself?" Okulo blurted out.
Iluzisto rolled his eye and replied, "Take one of my guards with you when you check on them if you are afraid. Remember, the crossbreeds still have their restraining collars on, so you have nothing to fear." He paused before uttering his next thought with a bit of a teasing glint in his eye. "Oh, you could always just use that unique orb of yours. I am sure that offers you as much protection as any of the Observants' fine weapons…"
Okulo paused a bit, instantly knowing that the Prison Head was referring to the orb he had used to brand the prisoners. Still, he finally got a hold of himself and said with more firmness, "I am not afraid of those abominations, Iluzisto! And I do not need to have a guard with me. But since it is proper to remain ready when we are within the prison, then I will use my power orb if need be...Still, I do not want you to tarry any longer than you need to with Justeco. You know how impatient I am."
"As am I," Iluzisto silently thought as he nodded in agreement with his confederate just before he turned and headed to the High Tribune's quarters.
Okulo, on the other hand, paused in his decision to go check on the crossbreeds. He had almost forgotten that Justeco had ordered him to oversee that everything was in proper order for the hybrids' execution tomorrow…
"I will have to go make a trip to the execution chamber, foremost," Okulo decided, turning back around and heading away from the prison. He would pay those abominations a visit later…
Offering a bow to Justeco as he stepped into his office, Iluzisto then said,
"Honorable Tribune. I am here before you as you requested."
Justeco stood up from his seat and floated closer to the illusionist spirit before saying, "I apologize for having to move this reunion until now. As you can understand, I am quite busy with the rest of the High Council preparing everything for the crossbreeds' execution." His voice then grew more somber as he added, "However, it was most urgent that I spoke with you…"
"You have my undivided attention, High Tribune," Iluzisto replied, though internally he frowned. Was it possible that Justeco was suspicious of his doings as Okulo had suggested…?
However, just as Justeco was going to continue, the door opened without so much as a knock and the High Tribune's advisor came in.
Justeco's eye quickly narrowed in irritation as he told the intruding Observant, "Konsilisto, how many times must I remind you to knock?"
"Forgive me, b—" Konsilisto began, only to pause when he noticed Iluzisto's presence. He cleared his throat before continuing, "I apologize, High Tribune. I was unaware you were amid a reunion."
Justeco was tempted to point out that that was exactly why he needed to knock, but instead he waved a hand in disregard and replied, "Very well. Since you are here, you may stay and listen. After all, you know to what this pertains."
Iluzisto resisted the urge to glare at the Observants. If there was one Observant that he despised almost as much as Justeco, it was his 'advisor', Konsilisto…
The advisor nodded as he floated over to his leader, who then turned his attention back to Iluzisto as Justeco continued, "I have summoned you here because the High Council remains unappeased in regards to the display of power which you demonstrated during the crossbreeds' trial."
"If I may remind you, High Tribune," Iluzisto answered, "it was you and the rest of the council who agreed to grant me an agreeable amount of power so to ensure that the crossbreeds would not be a threat to the council in these past days. Need I mention that I have only done with what you have generously granted me what has been asked of me—and only that? So, I do not understand why the council is troubled. Has my work as Prison Head not been satisfactory?" Iluzisto questioned, feigning hurt, though inside he was fuming.
"It has been proper, Iluzisto. I am not reproaching you in that sense," Justeco replied.
But then Konsilisto readily interrupted them, adding, "However, I am one of those that are displeased with the amount of power you displayed at the half-ghosts' trial. In spite of your satisfactory work, we cannot forget your position, Master Prison Head."
"So, what do you propose is the solution to this?" Iluzisto asked with a serious tone of voice this time.
"Although my advisor here wishes for the immediate removal of your current privileges, we have to keep in mind that we have a more important matter to which to concern ourselves foremost. Therefore, although I have agreed to the High Council's request of securing your energy inhibitors to full capacity once more, in turn, removing any further use of your powers, they conceded to my advice of waiting until after the half-ghosts are dealt with. I merely felt it proper to make you aware of the High Council's decree."
Iluzisto just stared between Justeco and Konsilisto before uttering, "How am I, then, to carry out my duties as Prison Head if you strip me of my limited access to my energy?"
"That is what that staff which you carry is for, Iluzisto. It is a weapon on its own, is it not? Therefore, it should work as effectively without the addition of your energy directed into it."
Iluzisto lowered his gaze to hide the fact that his eye suddenly burned red; but taking the action as a sign of submission, Justeco further said, "I am pleased to see you understand and respect the High Council's decree."
Iluzisto didn't reply at first; but forcing his voice to remain calm and steady, though he kept his eye lowered, he said, "If that is all, then, I shall return to my post."
But much to Iluzisto's growing indignation, Konsilisto intervened once again, "We understand you must return to attend to the half-ghosts and the other prisoners; however, there is one more thing to be discussed."
This time, Justeco gave his advisor a questioning look, clearly not knowing what else there was to say. But then as if reading it in the other Observant's eye, the High Tribune ready said, "Oh, yes. There is indeed one more thing."
Iluzisto finally raised his gaze, his pupil having already turned back to its normal purple-silver hue, before he replied, "Yes?"
"It is in regard to the half-ghosts' execution," Justeco continued. "We had left it to your judgment to decide if the crossbreeds will be ready to carry out their sentence tomorrow. As you know, everything is being prepared for tomorrow. However, if you speak now and advise for us to postpone for a further earthly day, then we will do so. As you know, we want no risk of injustice. We, the Observants, believe in a fair creed, which extends even to the way we conduct executions."
Iluzisto could not believe his eye! Justeco was only going over formalities, not any suspicions. ….He should have guessed that the imbecilic 'High Tribune' would only be so caught up on the 'proper' governship of the realm that he would never suspect anything awry in his 'perfectly ordered' province. Fool.
Still, the Prison Head prepared himself to answer with as much aplomb as he could muster. "I am aware, High Tribune," Iluzisto finally answered. "However, I have been watching and caring for the crossbreeds with upmost attention. Therefore, I can say with certainty that there is no need to delay the carrying out of their sentence." Iluzisto's eye almost curved into a wicked grin as he assured the two Observants. "They will be ready for tomorrow—as will be… everything else."
Quickly floating over to the barrier, Danny said, "Okay, now that I feel much better, let's see if we can do that 'power combo' thing and get rid of this stupid thing!"
With a smirk on his face, Vlad got up. The boy had at least noticed the barrier! And he could tell that the boy was certainly rejuvenated enough so that they now stood a chance. He floated over to the barrier.
Once Danny was in front of the invisible barrier, he immediately brought his hands in front at his chest level and touched the barrier.
Having a hunch on the boy's plan, Vlad likewise brought his hands up so that each set of hands mirrored the other, with the barrier in between their hands.
"Ready?" Danny finally asked.
"Always!" Vlad smugly said.
Both hybrids took that as their cue and at almost the same time, charged up their respective green and dark pink orbs. Both of them also ignored that their glow wasn't as bright as it would be without the neck collars, even damaged ones. Nevertheless and almost immediately afterward, energy beams from each of their hands pushed forward, penetrating the barrier.
The invisible shield immediately began to light up and vibrate under the combination assault by both hybrids. Then, as they had hoped—but not this quickly—the barrier dissolved, and before either one of the hybrids could stop, they both had shot at and repulsed each other away. Their energies, though weakened by the collar, were still able to push the other with enough significant force that both hybrids were shoved to the floor and ended up on their bottoms.
Though slightly stunned by their unplanned blow, both of the half-ghosts laughed. They weren't harmed in the least.
"Are you all right, Daniel?" Vlad finally asked, his laugh finally subsiding since it hurt a bit to laugh due to his still throbbing core. Still, he then slowly pulled himself up off the floor.
"Yeah. You?" the boy replied between efforts to slow his chuckling before standing back up.
Even though that put more of a drain on him than he wanted the boy to know, he smirked and moved toward the teen before lying, "Fine. But it's a good thing we have these neck braces on after all, or else we might not be laughing right now. The jolt you gave me is still running up and down my spine."
"And I think my teeth are still rattling from yours!" Danny quipped back.
But both immediately became more sober and went right to their next task now that they had successfully knocked out the barrier. They knew that removing their neck restraints was a priority, of course, as they stood no chance at all of escaping with them on.
"Let's sit down so we can concentrate better, all right?" Vlad suggested, still trying to hide the fact that he was feeling weaker.
Danny nodded and both of them sat on the boy's bed. However, the teen readily frowned when he noticed Vlad had one of his hands against his chest.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Danny asked tentatively.
Realizing what he was doing, Vlad lowered his hand from his chest and nodded soberly. "It's just a small ache. Iluzisto's last attack really packed a punch, not to mention that impressive jolt of yours."
Danny briefly stared with uncertainty at the older hybrid, but then he just nodded and returned his focus to what they needed to do. "After you," he finally said as he gripped the man's neck brace with both of his hands.
"Why Daniel, I do believe you have manners after all!" Vlad responded with another smirk as he also grasped his collar with both hands.
In the next heartbeat, the two hybrids poured their dampened energies into the device. And as before, when they had done the same thing during their escape attempt at the trial, the combined powers of the two half-ghosts encased Vlad's neck collar.
This time, it was Vlad who heard the crackling and felt the heat as their ectoplasmic energies weakened his restraining device. But he wasn't nervous at all about it. Though he and Daniel were still rivals, after what they had been through together so far, he knew that he could trust the boy on this one.
"Okay, now pull, Daniel," Vlad finally commanded and he could hear the protest of the neck brace as it was yanked by two sets of determined hands.
But just as they could both feel the collar give, they both immediately yelled in immense pain when each of their neck collars unexpectedly jolted them with its white energy. In spite of both hybrids' efforts to pull away, their hands were glued to Vlad's neck brace, as if they had grabbed a live wire with their bare hands, which, for the most part, was exactly what was happening as the electricity penetrated both of the half-ghosts.
Before either of the hybrids knew it, the white light in front of them had melded into total blackness, as the strong, angry energy had finally jolted them into unconsciousness.
A moment later, the energy in the collars dissipated and Vlad and Danny fell off the bed and onto the ground, though they both remained in ghost form.
A fuming growl instantly erupted right afterward. But of course, neither hybrid had uttered it nor was capable of hearing who had uttered it. In fact, neither had even heard anyone's approach before their collars were activated because they had been concentrating so intensely on removing Vlad's collar.
Still, a moment later, the owner of that irritated sound had unlocked the door of Danny's cell and floated in.
Iluzisto had returned.
And looking at the two senseless hybrids over, the spirit growled again, "If I still did not need your unique energies, I would exterminate you both right now! But no need to worry! Your demise will come soon enough!"
He then floated over to Vlad and sneering down at him, he abruptly backhanded the man across the face, demanding, "Wake up, you conniving freak!"
Vlad just groaned in response.
Even more angered, Iluzisto raised his hand again and struck the man again, growling, "I said wake up!" The spirit leaned closer to the disoriented older hybrid on the ground as he further sneered, "Though I do not know how you got through the barrier, I am certain that you were the instigator of all of this once more, crossbreed! Your power must somehow been able to overcome the neck brace as well. I should have thought of that before. Still, it does not surprise me that you even forced the younger one beyond his strength to help you!"
Vlad was too out of it to notice Iluzisto's presence, let alone hear anything he had said. Instead, he focused whatever willpower he had left into sitting up. And after a bit of a struggle, he managed it, though he groaned again as he gripped his spinning head, while his other hand went down to his chest. What in blazes had happened?
Iluzisto glanced over at the boy before moving towards him and giving him the same rude awakening. However, unlike the older crossbreed, the younger one remained just as senseless.
Iluzisto twisted violently around when he heard a gasp coming from Plasmius, who had finally regained enough awareness to realize what had happened and that he was now in serious trouble.
"Tsk-Tsk," Iluzisto said mockingly. "You and the other crossbreed were trying to escape again." But then he paused when he noticed how the man was holding his chest and was not even trying to get up. "And…it seems you wasted all your strength into it…How very foolish of you…"
Vlad's eyes widened as Iluzisto moved closer to him; but though he attempted to get off the ground to move away, he only managed to roll over before Iluzisto was upon him. And grabbing him by the shoulder, he forced the man on his back again before grabbing him by the neck.
"Oh, no. You are not going anywhere," Iluzisto sneered darkly at the billionaire. "Not before I get from you what I want…"
As if renewed when he saw Iluzisto raise his staff to his chest, Plasmius gripped Iluzisto's hand on his neck and struggled against him. "Unhand me!" he growled out with a hard glare.
Iluzisto surprisingly laughed at the hybrid's demand. "You creatures are strange as you are fascinating. After all this time, have you not realized that your attempts to escape and struggles against me are futile?"
"I told you from the day we met; I do not take kindly to threats!" Plasmius grunted out, still trying to wrench the spirit's hand away from him.
"Plasmius," Iluzisto said in amusement, stunning the older hybrid at hearing him address him by his name. "Surely in our time together you must have learned the most important thing about me…" Iluzisto's eye narrowed and turned blood red as he whispered evilly, "I do not threaten. I carry things through… And now, I am going to carry through what I assured you all this time. First, you. Then… what is it that you call him? Ah, yes…" He chuckled mockingly, "your little badger."
Vlad managed a fleeting glance at the unconscious boy before he suddenly desisted in his struggles and turned his eyes back on Iluzisto with a sober expression now on his face.
"I suppose you are right. It is pointless to resist any longer. However," Plasmius' eyes narrowed, while he discreetly moved his free hand just to the right of Iluzisto. "There is one thing you have yet to learn about me…"
"And that is?" Iluzisto questioned back with an amused expression, knowing that his prey was just delaying the inevitable.
"I rarely lose, Iluzisto," he assured the spirit. "But when I do, you can be certain I make sure my enemy loses with me—and you will not be the exception. Allow me to prove it…"
Iluzisto gasped when the older half-ghost unexpectedly raised his arm and shot a pink ecto-blast to the right of the spirit. Further confused by this, the Prison Head spun his eye around in time to see the man's blast hit the unconscious teenager, slamming him into the wall behind him.
Iluzisto's eye widened in disbelief, not understanding at all why the man had done that. But then he soon found out when he saw the boy's white rings wash over him, turning him human.
No… The man had weakened the boy again just to keep him from siphoning his ghost energy… The older crossbreed had just delayed his plans yet again! What if the boy didn't recover before tomorrow—before Iluzisto could get a chance to escape!
"NO!" Iluzisto exclaimed before turning his eye back around to face the older crossbreed. But just as he did, the spirit gasped when he saw a blue sphere right at his face before it was fired right at him.
"Ahh!" Iluzisto cried out as he dropped his staff and gripped his eye.
Now that Iluzisto had inadvertently loosened his grip on his neck, Vlad pushed himself away from the evil spirit before pulling himself to his feet. But he was breathing heavily with the burning pain inside his core. What he feared was true. His ghost core had reached its limit. It was no longer healing completely and every attempt to use any ounce of energy was like scratching at a bleeding wound trying to scab over…
Still, seeing his last chance of escape on the ground, Plasmius forced himself to push aside his pain and moved to grab the Observant's staff.
But just as he grabbed it, Iluzisto managed to open his eye; and with a furious yell, he raised his hand and a wall of fire engulfed the older hybrid.
"Ahh!" Vlad cried out as he whirled his cape around himself, trying to protect his body from the burning inferno around him. But it was not only painful, but suffocating, and he soon dropped back to his knees, struggling for his every breath.
Iluzisto's bloodshot eye glared viciously at the man being affected by his illusion. "That's the second time you damage my eye, you fool!" he exclaimed before storming over to the older hybrid.
Iluzisto quickly grabbed his staff again before wrenching Plasmius up as he allowed the illusion to dissipate around him.
"And now, you are going to pay for it with your every last remaining drop of energy!" he roared before raising his staff and thrusting it into the half-ghost chest.
Plasmius' scream echoed down the entire cell hall, and while Iluzisto's black restraints on his wrists began to smoke and their glow flicker, Vlad's remaining ghost hue dimmed… until it extinguished completely.
This time, instead of the black energy rings quickly reverting the man to his human form, his ghost form peeled away, racing downward; and starting at his head, his hair turned white, his blue face and skin melded into a human flesh-tone color and, finally, his clothing fell away.
Vlad's scream was the last thing to come to an end as his head lolled back and he fell limp in Iluzisto's hand.
The spirit just glared darkly at the senseless man for a long moment before he released him, not caring at all about his rough treatment or the strange way the older crossbreed had turned human again. In spite of the fact that Iluzisto could feel the amount of power he had just gained, especially now that his ghostly hue had definitely intensified, he was fuming.
Iluzisto was furious because he could further feel how close he was to being able to destroy the controlling bands on him; and if it hadn't been for the older freak's little stunt of turning the younger one human, he would have been able to also take the boy's energy this very instant—and he would be a free spirit right now!
"I should kill you this second," Iluzisto sneered as he aimed his shaking staff at the man on the ground. The crossbreed had provoked him so much again that he would definitely deserve it!
Still, he stopped short of ripping Vlad's core right out right then. Not because he didn't want to, but because of what drove him to go after these two creatures in the first place... Hunger. Obsession. Revenge. He was still hungry for their energy but he was even more obsessed with gaining their full powers; and he lusted for his revenge. And he could only do that when he had all of their power.
He was so close in succeeding that he just couldn't give into his anger now and end up throwing it all away. After all that meticulous planning during all that…time. Every minute, every hour, day, year of time passing as slowly as if they had been eons…No, he could not stand another second of waiting unless it would be fruitful and he would have all that power…And he could taste that all that power was nearly his for the taking…He could tell from how the older crossbreed had just demonstrated his power that they must be getting stronger… He was sure the two would recover in short order….if he left them alone for a little while longer.
He would have to wait… Blast it!
Iluzisto's eye flashed red as he continued to stare down at the man. "At least, this should keep him sufficiently compliant from now on! Nevertheless, his power is intoxicating! And now I can see how it must have been his power that was able to overcome his neck brace. But now, I have corrected that. If he is to recover from this, he will no longer be able to resist me!" Iluzisto sneered just before he pointed his staff at the unconscious man. A moment later, an unseen force lifted Vlad up and deposited him onto his bed.
Once more, Iluzisto summoned the invisible barrier and then turned his sights on Danny.
He floated over to where the younger crossbreed still silently lay. He would have to wait now until the creature woke up and took his ghost form—or Iluzisto would force him into it. Either way, he would get this little freak's energy; and this time, no one would stop him!
He growled at the boy, not expecting any answer, "And you! You are as stubborn as one of our muloj! (1) Still, your energy is really the more powerful of the two of you because of its dynamic nature. Yet, it is because of that same dynamic nature of your energy that taking it from you affects you ten-fold! And, therefore, it does not surprise me—though it greatly infuriates me— that you will not wake up. Nevertheless, I will wait until you have fully recharged and I will take it all! Consider yourself, then, fortunate that your demise will not be slow and painful as I desire it to be for your more arrogant counterpart! That fool has only delayed the quick, though just as painful, suffering that is to come for you…"
Without any more hesitation, Iluzisto flicked his staff and the same unseen force lifted the boy's body up and deposited him onto his bed. He greedily looked down on the hapless boy; but then reluctantly, he finally left the boy alone and exited the cell.
Locking it securely, he had another thought. He then uttered, "Until next time, crossbreeds. But to make sure that you both will have no other opportunity to try such foolishness again, I will post a guard here, especially since I have to return to that inferno High Tribune for whatever foolish orders he now has!"
He promptly left, hurrying to the Tribunal Hall, unaware that he had been totally wrong about Danny's current power level, and that the boy's ghost aura was only momentarily dampened from the combination of the neck restraint's effect and the Prison Head's only most recent harsh blow. Vlad knew that; and that was why he had used his energy to push the boy's body just enough to turn him human. But… the boy's core was still strong from having repaired it just a moment ago.
In fact, a few moments after the Prison Head had left, Danny's rings appeared on their own accord and turned him back into Phantom, his ghost aura brightening just as quickly….
(1) Esperanto for 'mules'
A/N: truephan here: Well, y'all, are you biting your nails yet? Good! But, really, I hope you didn't bite them too close so you can't push that little button down there and tell us what you think…Uh, about the chapter, not how badly you bit your nails! In any case, thanks for all your support and don't forget to wrap those fingers!
Pearl: Hybrids can't get a break, eh? Heh-heh! Well, at least now you all can't just blame Vlad muse for this evil chapter. Ms. Hyde is as equally responsible. Good thing our muses did wear themselves out, though; or this chapter would have been worse—like, it could have ended with a horrible cliff-hanger... At least, the ending here isn't too bad, right?
Anyways, thanks for reading; now as Truephan said, feed us your reactions! We thrive off them! Ha-ha!
Ta, my dears!