Epilogue: Reaper
A halfa with pale green-blue skin, black hair styled to resemble two thick horns, and red eyes that lack any other color is sitting on the gray couch. He had been absently drumming his fingers on his thigh but looks up when I enter the room.
"Vlad Plasmius," I greet, sitting in the chair across from him. "It has been a long time."
"It has," Vlad Plasmius agrees. "But, I have no time for niceties."
If the Gargoyles were here, they would tell him to speak to me with more respect. But, I do not mind. "So, what brings you to my lair, Vlad Plasmius?"
Vlad Plasmius leans forward a bit, his hands folded in front of him. "I'd like to speak with you about a certain ghost. I assume you're familiar with the name Danny Phantom?"
Coincidentally, Danny Phantom was here twice in as many nights. Once to ask for my assistance and once to reveal that he had cured his sister's ailment with the Healing Touch. But, I will not tell Vlad Plasmius this. From what I hear, and not just from Danny Phantom himself, the two are…not fond of one another.
"I am familiar with Danny Phantom," I summarize, resting my hands in my lap. "Is there a problem?"
"I wouldn't be here if there wasn't." Vlad Plasmius straightens in his seat. "I don't know how well you know him, but Daniel can be rather," he twirls his hand thoughtfully, "volatile. Emotionally, I mean."
"When you say volatile…?"
"I mean that he is highly over-sensitive and even more temperamental. Combined with how powerful he is, and how much greater his strength will no doubt become as he ages, frankly, I fear for him." Those vibrant red eyes narrow further. "Specifically, for when he comes of age."
I know exactly what Vlad Plasmius is referring to. However, "Age is not a factor in this. Yours occurred mere months after you became a halfa. Danny Phantom has gone the past two years without it."
It is difficult to tell, but Vlad Plasmius appears to roll his eyes. "You know what I mean. Reaper, as the Master of Death, may I assume you can tell me exactly, when it will happen for Daniel?"
I can. "Why do you wish to know?"
"Because he needs to be prepared. As I've said, the boy is far too emotional and that makes him unpredictable. I shudder to think what he could accomplish if pushed too far."
"Then, the solution is obvious," I say. Vlad Plasmius raises an eyebrow expectantly. I raise my hands in a shrug. "Simply do not push."
Vlad Plasmius gapes at me for a moment then pinches the bridge of his nose, struggling for patience. "With all due respect, sir-" He frowns. "Ma'am? Master?"
A chuckle escapes me. Vlad Plasmius's face greens. "Mx is satisfactory," I inform.
Vlad Plasmius hums in acknowledgement. "With all due respect, mx, I don't know how often you deal with teenagers, but you have to really knock sense into them to have any hope of making them listen. Especially Daniel. He's as stubborn as a bull with a grudge! I've tried to harden his heart before he is forced to do it himself, but he just keeps getting worse!"
Ah. Now we are at the root of the problem. I cup my chin in my hand, contemplating how to phrase this. "My advice is the same. Do not push." I hold up a hand when Vlad Plasmius begins to argue. "Emotions by nature are unpredictable. I have met Danny Phantom in person, and he does strike me as someone who feels very strongly."
Vlad Plasmius throws his hands in the air. "Exactly! And, he acts on those emotions whether they are good ones or not. And when the time comes, the aftermath will-"
"I would thank you to let me finish speaking. When you welcome others into your home as I do, you hear many tales. I have heard talk of your rivalry and of your," I let the disappointment leak into my words, "past deeds."
"I am who I am," he says without apology. "What does this have to do with Daniel?"
A prickly fellow, this one. "Let me ask you this. Did it ever occur to you that by antagonizing him, you are only making him more volatile, as you put it?"
Vlad Plasmius crosses his arms and speaks almost condescendingly. "You misunderstand. I've seen his eyes turn black, so I know his time is coming. I am simply trying to toughen him up. I will not have him broken by things that are out of his control."
Perhaps I am still misunderstanding, but I believe he has contradicted himself. I cup my chin again. "Forgive me, but I am a bit confused. You do not wish to have him broken…yet you are trying to break him?"
There is a flash of something on Vlad Plasmius's face, but it is gone too quickly to identify. "It's different. Daniel understands physical threats, things that he can see and do something about. Mental warfare sets him on edge. I'm letting him tap into the unfamiliar so that the fallout won't destroy him."
"It seems that you are the one who is confused." I rise and don't let him argue. "I will not say this again. If you wish to help him, stop antagonizing him. You will only make things worse in the long run. When the time comes, I will help him through it."
Vlad Plasmius bares his fangs in a snarl and shoots into the air so that we are at eye-level, his cape billowing behind him. "You'll help him, you say? Ha! Your 'help' is utterly worthless!"
"Only when the recipient does not follow my instructions," I say pointedly.
Vlad Plasmius turns his head away and says nothing. I know that I have no reason to feel guilty, seeing as how this man chose not to listen to me, but I cannot help but feel oddly responsible for how that day went.
"When the time comes," I say, "I will make sure that Danny Phantom is prepared."
"He won't listen," Vlad Plasmius says.
"That will be his decision. Just as it was yours."
I leave him to his thoughts.
Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed and stuff! I'm not sure when Part Four will be up. I have two stories I really want to write, but I can't decide which one to use. One has spooky elements for October, but the other is the light-hearted break we all need. I'm leaning toward the latter, but we'll see. (And, I'm still neglecting that Pokemon fic, lol.)
Whatever the case, I'm mid-way through a plot bunny one-shot that coincides with this story. Kind of a Part 3.5, if you will. That should keep you all pacified for the time being. See you then!
