Danny woke up feeling different.
Blinking, he was surprised and then alarmed when his eyes didn't adjust to the dark. He warily tried to sit up, wondering how long he'd fallen asleep for, before realizing he was strapped down. And, after a moment, he realized he couldn't activate his ghost powers.
Oh, boy.
"Hello?" He called out, anxiety beginning to increase.
"Hello, Daniel."
Wait… Was that-?
Lights flickered on; Danny flinched, shutting his eyes in annoyance and discomfort. He blinked blearily, eyes beginning to adjust, and strained his neck up to look around-
Tall, white cape, blue skin, overdramatic hair.
Yep.
Danny strained against the ghost-proof cuffs, annoyed to find himself pinned to a slab in Vlad's lab. "Vlad, what the heck? Let me go!"
Vlad held his hands up appeasingly. "Relax, Daniel. You're strapped down so you wouldn't fly away the moment you came to. Let me explain myself."
"Can you unstrap me first, then?"
"I should think not. Now, let's talk."
Danny groaned, head thunking back onto the table he was held to. "Not like I have a choice." he grumbled.
Vlad didn't even try to hide his smirk. Danny once again wanted to punch the look off his face; Vlad just had a way of inspiring him.
The man stepped forward so there were only a few feet of space between them before looking down at his captive.
Danny frowned, resisting the urge to squirm.. "... So are you just gonna stand there and try to intimidate me, or…?"
Vlad sighed. "I'm not here to play any mind games, Daniel. I want to find out what's wrong with you."
Danny scoffed. "Yeah, you and me both. Doesn't mean you should abduct me. How'd you even do that, anyways?"
Vlad answered dismissively. "With your friends distracted with Skulker, it was easy- It was practically stealing a baby from a cradle."
Danny balked. "You sent Skulker to set off my ghost sense? We just put him back in the Ghost Zone!"
Vlad inspected his gloved hand for a moment as he spoke. "He's a very loyal employee, Daniel. You'll find I have various connections."
Danny didn't really care to find those connections. He forced himself to move past it, knowing his friends would be alright, but still peeved on their behalf.
"Okay- whatever. Anyways. Why do you want to help me?"
"Who says I'm helping you?" Vlad asked. "This is in my best interest as well. If this is related to halfa business, than I'm merely watching out for myself."
Danny felt his face heat up in embarrassment. Duh. "Okay, yeah, sorry, I forgot that you're a mega-jerk for a second there, my bad." Danny snapped, before adding, "Oh by the way, you kidnapped me, let me go now?"
Vlad shook his head, as though he was dealing with an especially troublesome toddler.
Danny huffed. "Come on, Frootloop," He grumbled.
"Just tell me your symptoms, Daniel." Vlad said, visibly trying not to roll his eyes..
Danny sighed, pausing as though in deep thought. "Well… I guess it all started at this reunion party one of my parents' classmates put on. You know, I was doing okay before then… It was there that I met the single biggest pain in the-"
Vlad slammed a hand down on the table, cutting Danny off effectively. "Try to be serious, Daniel!" He snapped.
Danny grimaced, trying to untense. "Ugh, I think you just got some spit on me."
Vlad was fuming. "You are incorrigible lately, Daniel."
"... Isn't that a compliment?"
The older halfa visibly had to hold his tongue. Danny took immense pleasure in baiting the man.
"Incorrigible," Vlad said, unable to resist correcting him. "Hopeless. Not encourageable. There is a vast difference."
"C-Average student, Vlad."
Vlad closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose. "Alright, Daniel," He said instead after a few moments. "Since this is clearly beyond your comprehension. I'm just going to give you an exam without telling you anything else. Well done."
"What? Wait, no sharp objects-"
"This will be little more than a physical, now quiet-" And suddenly Vlad had his hands resting over Danny's light blue pajama shirt.
For once, Danny was at a loss for words as his arch enemy expertly, gently tapped around his upper abdomen and chest. It was one of the single oddest moments of his life. He swallowed roughly, however, when Vlad's prodding hands travelled closer to his belly button. He could feel himself becoming queasy as his stomach seemed extra tender there.
"Uh, stop," Danny said, surprising himself at how small his voice sounded.
It was his tone of voice that made Vlad pause and observe his captive's face.
"... Are you… did that hurt?"
Danny thought he must be hallucinating from lack of eating after all. Because not only had Vlad just sounded concerned, but he had good reason to: Danny felt torn between puking his guts out and crying. And he could tell, horrified, his face was showing the latter. He felt suddenly desperate. Vlad's behavior was too erratic, too far from the normal, and it was rocking him to the core.
"Let me go, now," Danny begged, blinking away any trace of weakness.
Vlad seemed both stunned and alarmed.
"Please."
And though neither truly knew why, but Vlad listened.
Danny made his back home feeling more feverish and ill than ever. His stomach twisted uncomfortably and he collapsed into bed, trying not to puke, or worse, cry. He felt mortified.
Instead, he lay on his bed, sweating, hating himself for being sick and hating Vlad for messing with his head again.
Mostly, he just wanted to stop being sick.