A/N: I will try to update Thursday's in the evening (where I live) so this will be the normal upload time I hope. Anyway, here's chapter 2!
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom
"Don't move Daniel."
I stiffened, recognizing the voice. It wasn't the one I expected. A gloved hand wrapped around my throat. I tried to phase out. He laughed. The hand started cutting off the little airflow my ghost form needed. I grabbed at it.
"I said don't move Daniel," venom dripped from every word.
"Plasmius," I choked out.
"Let him go Vlad," my mom spat his name.
"Oh Maddie, this has nothing to do with you. I wouldn't want such a beautiful woman to get hurt so please, just let the men handle this." I could practically hear the sick, twisted smile on his blue face.
"Let my son go you evil freak," dad nearly shouted with a seriousness I had never heard. I winced at the use of the word "freak." Plasmius noticed.
"Now, now Jack; is that a nice thing to say? After all, your son is just like me," Vlad laughed evilly.
"I'm nothing like you," I rasped. Stars had stared to litter my vision.
"Oh shut up you," he slammed my head against the table.
"Danny!" Sam shouted. I was dazed. Vlad used this opportunity to change his grip. He grabbed me by the front of the throat and lifted me up. I raised my shaking arm and charged an ecto-blast.
"You wouldn't dare," he smiled. A duplicate split out and forced my hand in a different direction. I let the blast seep back into me. He had aimed my hand in the direction Sam's voice came from. Suddenly, a different blast whizzed by my head and hit the duplicate, dissipating it.
"You will let my boy go Vlad," mom threatened.
"No," he stated. "In fact, I'm not letting any of you go," Vlad laughed evilly again. Duplicates popped up behind everyone, grabbing them as he dropped me. I hit the ground on my hands and knees, coughing and gasping for air. I rubbed my throat as I got up.
"Let them go Plasmius. Whatever this is, it's between us. Not them," I tried to reason. I should've known better.
"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. Always so naive. Of course this is between us. You and I have danced for years. But this is also between your oaf of a father and I," he walked past me and turned to dad. "Jack, I never did get to properly thank you for leaving me to rot in space for two years," Vlad laughed again. I caught my dad's eye. Stall I mouthed.
"You're welcome for that. You deserved it, ghost scum," dad said, making me wince, again. If we were in a different situation I would've wondered if he really accepted me like it seemed he had. Now was not the time. I shook my head and started charging up a large ecto-blast. But I forgot a little too late how duplication worked. His duplicates silently alerted him to my actions.
"Not so fast Daniel," Vlad met my blast with his own like a lightning bolt. The connection sent us flying back. I flipped and caught myself in the air. He was slightly slower and I shot. He dodged by an inch. It hit the wall behind him. Vlad's duplicates forced everyone into a circle around us, making a fighting ring.
"Ya know, I always thought pink was such a fitting color for your girly personality," I taunted as his hands lit up in ecto-energy. His red, pupil-less eyes lit up with fury.
"I'll have you know I am actually very manly. And pink is a very powerful color," he defended.
"Sure, sure. That's why they make tutus that color. At least mine's green. Ya know, a boy's color," I teased again, a smirk spreading across my face. This earned a laugh from my friends and family, until a pink blast clipped my shoulder. It knocked me back, onto the ground. "First of all, ow. Second of all, not cool," I said.
"All's fair in love and war Daniel," Vlad said slyly.
"This is only war," I shot back. "Let's take this outside. So we uh, don't wreck the house maybe?" I suggested.
"And give you the advantage? I think not," Vlad spat. He was right. If we were outside I would have the advantage of my ghostly wail but here in the kitchen it was too crowded, too dangerous. Someone other than Vlad would get hurt.
"Fine," I growled. I tried to blast him but he blocked. He returned with his own blast, which I also blocked. Then, quicker than I could respond, shot a second pink ecto-blast that hit me square in the chest. I was knocked to the ground. Looking up, I realized Vlad had disappeared. Then a gloved hand found its way around my neck again as he reappeared.
"Such a short fight. How disappointing. Why are you always so easy to defeat Daniel? Perhaps if you had renounced your father and joined me you would actually be a formidable opponent. You would actually be able to fight me instead of relying on that dastardly wail of yours every time we go toe to toe," he glared into my eyes. "The offer still stands boy. Renounce your fool of a father and-"
"I would never join you," I forced out through his grip. Closing my eyes, I dipped into my core energy.
"You ungrateful brat. I give you the offer of a lifetime and this is your thanks? You just-" he was cut off again as ice started seeping into his hand. I tried to phase out of his grip and succeeded this time.
"Plasmius you need to chill out," I shot ice at him, freezing the rest of him instead of just his hand. As soon as he was encased in ice though, he dissipated. A hand grabbed my hair.
"Very funny Daniel. Now sleep," prongs stuck my neck, electrocuting me. I screamed, accompanied by my mom, Jazz, and Sam screaming my name. As the prongs moved away, the hand left my hair. I swayed and then fell. Everything was black before I hit the ground.
I woke up and tried to rub my head, only to find my arm was tied down. In fact, all of my limbs were tied down. My eyes shot open. The walls had a pink/purple glow on them. Plasmius's lab, I thought. I was strapped to his examination table in ghost proof ties. The sound of sobbing reached my ears. Tilting my head up I saw Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and Mom sitting in the corner with red-rimmed eyes. They gasped. Then I saw why. Dad was approaching me with the hood and goggles of his jumpsuit on and a scalpel in hand. He pressed it into my chest creating a small bubble of ectoplasm. Hot tears streamed down my face.
"Dad... Please don't do this."