Hello! I was going to wait to post this one until I posted some other drabbles, but I've had this written out for a while now, and I was in the mood for some... gore. Yes, be forwarned, this one is... gorey and dark. So, you know... proceed with caution and all that...

Timeline in relation to Endgame [and in their respective order]:

1. The Path of a Guardian Half-Ghost—Step 1: Instincts [2 months after Vlad's departure from Amity in Endgame]

2. Mutualism [Months after Endgame but prior to the last epilogue scene with Skulker]

3. Masks [Same Halloween day Skulker is released in the Endgame Epilogue]

4. Compromise drabbles [Starts same Halloween day Skulker is released in the Endgame Epilogue, Compromise Part 1, right after Masks]

5. A Day at a Time [Several months after Endgame, and a couple months after 1 through 3]

6. Powerplay Part 1 [Many years after Endgame. Danny is twenty-six]

7. Powerplay Part 2 [2 years after Part 1]

8. Powerplay Part 3 [continuation of part 2]

Note: This is a future drabble. Danny is 28. Not babe. Big boy now.

PowerPlay Part 3

"Daniel, calm down. You are giving them exactly what they want," Vlad said as he sat at the opposite end of a dark and damp room from the other half-ghost. It was not by choice, of course. His wrists—Like Danny's own—were shackled above his head with what felt like freezing metal chains.

Vlad had woken up about ten minutes ago. But according to Daniel, the older man had been out for several hours.

The first thing Vlad had noticed was the freezing cave they were held in. It was so cold that there were icicles hanging down the rock walls and the air felt like cold liquid nitrogen as it traveled through his body with his every inhale and exhale.

This led him to realize just how cold he was… And how human... He had forgotten he lost his ghost form before he had lost consciousness….

At first, he had been surprised he had not frozen to death. That is, until he realized he was still alive thanks to his protégé.

As mentioned, Danny had been awake for a while now. And after realizing his mentor was trapped in some ice-producing cave with him and not able to get a response out of him, the younger half-ghost had immediately begun to pull into his own core the cold energy around him, trying desperately to raise the ambient temperature so the other half-ghost would not die in his sleep.

Vlad was glad he woke up when he did, because the boy had been accumulating so much cold energy, he was already starting to turn blue and was shivering violently himself.

It took some effort, but the older man forced himself to turn into Plasmius. And Phantom immediately halted his efforts with a sigh of relief.

But that also meant that the cave's temperature was once again dropping to dangerous levels. And with Plasmius' core weakened after what that horrid creature had done to him, he was barely keeping the cold at bay.

And yet at the moment he was more concerned for his protégé.

As soon as Danny saw the other man wake up and back in ghost form, his worry and relief turned into outright fury as he struggled fruitlessly to break the chains keeping his wrists against the cold cave wall.

Of course, Vlad was angry at their current situation, too. But he had not seen Danny this angry in a long time.

"I am perfectly calm," the younger man replied through gritted teeth as he continued to freeze his own pair of shackles over and over again with no success of shattering them. Now that his guardian was awake and not in an immediate risk of freezing to death, he was focused on trying to escape.

But with every failed attempt, Phantom grew even more furious; and he poured more power into trying to break his confines. He was going to pummel that slobbering ugly-faced son of cheese as soon as he got free!

Vlad was going to reply but with a sudden throb in his chest, he momentarily turned his focus away from his protégé. The older hybrid might not be freezing to death right now, but it did not mean that he was not horribly cold. And his violent shivering was a good indication of it.

With a hot core, he rarely experienced being cold. He simply elevated his core energy to counteract his environment. But after having his core so abruptly weakened and in such an odd way, he was struggling to keep his core temperature stable. And his core was letting him know.

There was something… strange about this room. It somehow felt like it kept getting colder and colder the harder Plasmius tried to combat against it. And worse… he could feel his protégé's energy everywhere. Unfortunately, it wasn't his normal energy but that… disrupted, corrupted energy that creature had somehow created by stealing their gold energy.

Vlad had a strong feeling the room was being powered by the same tampered energy. And that meant… Danny was just feeding the room more power the more he struggled. In turn, the more Vlad fought against the chilling force, the more the room seemed to attack him. It was taxing his already weaken core, and he wasn't sure how long he could keep this up..

"Ugh!" Danny exclaimed in frustration, his eyes a dark angry blue as he continued to expel his cold power; but the shackles would not even crack!

Danny didn't see how the walls were cracking and the sharp stalactite above them were growing larger with the more energy the boy kept pouting out. By the now, the temperature was well past subzero…

"Stupid Gargoyles! When I get my hands on those slobbering crusty-skinned jerks, I'm going to—!"

"I told you to calm yourself," Vlad cut him off through clench teeth, fighting his own losing battle.

"I am calm!" Danny snapped back and let out a wave of ice energy that traveled up the wall and broke off one of the stalactites.

The two hybrids jolted when the large ice spike dropped down in between them with a loud crack and a rain of ice temporarily obscured their vision of each other.

Breathing heavily, the older hybrid just stared soberly back at the now alarmed younger half-ghost.

With a sigh, Danny instantly deflated and slumped against his shackled wrists. "I'm sorry… You're right…It's just that…This is my fault…."

The truth was Danny was mostly angry at himself. Vlad had warned him about getting too cocky. He should have seen this coming. Of course, the gargoyle leader would come back seeking revenge! But he had not taken the threat seriously. He had not even bothered to tell Vlad that frostbite had never captured the gargoyle leader because he had been sure he could handle him if he did show up.

Then those monsters set a trap for them at their own terrain!

Now here they were. He could feel Vlad was struggling to keep his hot core stable… and Danny was not helping the matter by making it colder with his fit of rage.

Closing his eyes, Danny focused on his core and began to pull in the coldness within him like he had been doing before the other had woken up.

"Stop," Vlad immediately commanded.

Danny stared back at him, the blue glow around his body fading away.

"I told you… this is what they want…," Vlad said seriously. "If you pull energy into your core, you will only strengthen it further, and then those creatures will…"

"Eat me?" Danny finished quietly. "Maybe I'd deserve it for being an idiot."

"I will not let that happen," Vlad assured him back quietly.

Danny just stared sadly at his guardian from across whatever cave they were trapped in. He could feel those creatures' attack had disrupted their bond enough for them to be unable to create gold energy at the moment. But he could still sense the other half-ghost. That comforting presence that had become a part of him so long ago was still there with him.

So while even at his older age Danny still wore his emotions on his sleeve, Vlad had always been better at hiding his. That is, except from the other half-ghost.

Danny could feel how troubled Vlad was about all this, too.

"It will take some time before they think I'm 'ripe'," Danny finally said as he realized just how worried the man was about him… And realized how unwell he was, too.

Phantom had been so angry, he had not been paying attention to his mentor's steadying decline…. So, the last thing Vlad needed right now was feeling Danny's emotional breakdown.

"In the meantime," Danny continued much calmer though just as serious, "I can pull some of the cold energy in this place enough to make it bearable for you… I can feel you're struggling, Vlad. And this place is only getting colder."

"No, Daniel… It's too risky. I…I'll be fine," he answered soberly though another tremor violently passed through his body. He could not remember the last time he had felt so cold.

Plasmius sighed shakily as he tried to slow his heavy breathing. He couldn't let his protégé pull anymore energy into his core, because it was exactly what these creatures wanted. They knew Danny would try to help him. In other words, they were trying to 'plump up' the younger hybrid's cold core by forcing him to pull in more and more cold energy for Vlad's sake…

The man would not allow them the pleasure.

"I did not think it was possible… for someone to use our own bond against us," Vlad muttered with a frown.

"I didn't either," Danny replied, worried. "And why is it so weakening? I mean, in the past when we fought each other our attacks affected us like any other attack from another ghost… But what he did… It felt like my core got paralyzed and then just… shut down when he shot me with your energy…"

"It seems because that creature unnaturally separated our synchronized energy, it resulted in a highly destabilized version of our own normal energies. In other words, it's corrupted energy. And if that is not bad enough, hot cores are more affected by cold cores and vice versa… He has discovered the perfect attack against us…"

"We are each other's weaknesses… That's what he said… And that creep is taking full advantage of it…" Danny growled.

Vlad closed his eyes again as another wave of painful shivers coursed through his body; and he was once again forced to draw on what little remained of his energy to keep his core from freezing inside him.

It was so exhausting and painful.

The man suddenly chuckled weakly as he said, "This was not how I had anticipated my Friday night to go…"

"Our lives are always so full of surprises, aren't they?" Danny replied with a weak smile.

The two laughed but it was forced.

Danny's smile fell away as he gripped and yanked at his chains again. "Gosh, Vlad… I really am sorry…"

"It's alright, little badger. You didn't know," Vlad cut him off. He didn't need his protégé to apologize. He could already feel his remorse flowing off him in waves. "…I also got too comfortable…"

Vlad glanced up at his chained hands above him when he felt a thin layer of ice slowly creeping in on the steel cuffs and in turn on his wrists.

At this rate, he was slowly going to freeze over…

"Vlad…?" Danny called, concern obvious in his voice.

But before the younger half-ghost could say more, there were suddenly footsteps in the dark cave, echoing closer

Someone was coming…

More tense than ever, the pair of half-ghosts pulled even harder on their restraints even when they knew it was futile.

"Oh, good. You are both awake…"

It was the gargoyle leader.

Instantly, the two hybrids glowered at him.

But he just laughed. "Oh, I have definitely upset the two cubs… How unfortunate I will have to continue to do just that… Who should I start with?"

Danny felt fear clench at his heart when the creature's eyes locked with his own. But the smirk on the evil ghost's face foretold of his ill intentions…

If only those ill intentions were for him…

And Danny's fear was confirmed when Chief Grošek turned his eyes to his guardian.

"No!" Danny exclaimed as he struggled against his chains again. And with a sneer, exclaimed, "Stay away from him!"

But the creature ignored him and walked on two legs over to Vlad who bared his fangs at the creature.

"You are certainly resilient…," Chief Grošek remarked. "Most hot cores I have met would have been snuffed out by just the ambush attack… Then again, you are not like most hot cores, are you…?"

"You have no idea what I'm like," Vlad muttered darkly. "You will regret this."

The gargoyle grinned before he suddenly bent forward and slowly wrapped one of his clawed hands around the older half-ghost's neck. "Is it true you halfas need to breathe…?"

Vlad grunted as the creature began to slowly squeeze. And with his arms trapped above his head, he could do very little.

"No! Stop! Stop it!" Danny yelled angrily at him as his energy began to expand again.

The creature glanced back at Danny, amused. It was obvious the creature was getting what he wanted by the triumphant gleam in his eyes as he watched the younger hybrid continue to swell more energy within his core.

Daniel, calm down!

But Vlad kept his eyes narrowed when Chief Grošek focused back on him, and squeezed just a bit harder, enough to still let him breathe but make it extremely difficult.

"I am going to enjoy watching you die, guardian…," the leader said darkly to the older half-ghost. "You see… Once you are gone, your energy will no longer be around to taint your younger counterpart's delicious core… It will taste so good…"

His mouth began to drip blue slobber as he continued, "I am almost tempted to take a bite right now… What do you think? He can survive without a limb, right? Eat the non-essential pieces first just for your enjoyment… Give you a nice show before you pass away…"

"Touch him, and it will be you who gets slowly ripped apart but by me…!" Vlad wheezed out.

"Is that so?" Chief Grošek mocked before he completely cut off the man's ability to breathe. "Come on, then… Let me see… Give me an example of what you will do… Or how you will do it when you can't move or breathe…?"

Danny shouted in absolute fury and his wrists began to grow raw as he pulled at the shackles with all his might.

Plasmius' vison began to spin; but he refused to die with this monster's claws around his neck. And gripping at his core with all his might, he suddenly forced energy out and released it around his neck where the creature held him.

The leader screamed as his hand abruptly caught on fire and the flesh began to melt off. The attack cost Plasmius dearly but it was worth it because he quickly gasped and choked in air…

Using cold energy to snuff out the flames, Chief Grošek gasped in pain as he stared at his melted flesh. It was not so bad it wouldn't heal, but it was still painful.

The gargoyle sneered back before he suddenly lunged forward and drove his clawed hand into the older hybrid's chest. The attack was so violent, the creature's claws cut into the man's flesh like daggers. It was fortunate they were not long enough to pierce his core.

But being virtually stabbed by five razor sharp claws was nothing compared to when the monster suddenly released cold energy into his core.

Vlad screamed this time.

"Vlad! No! STOP IT!"

But the creature would not stop and Vlad's skin and even eyes began to turn a dark blue tone while his extremities began to freeze over.

Then, just when he thought he could take no more, the beast suddenly let go, and Plasmius' head dropped forward. There was now a thin layer of ice all over the older hybrid's body and the holes in his chest from the razor-sharp claws drew green lines down his ripped white suit.

"I'll destroy you!" Danny screamed at the creature as it turned its eyes to him. "I'm going to beat you until you're nothing but ecto-goop, you demented freak!"

But the leader just grinned and went over to Danny. He grabbed the young man by his hair and slammed his head back against the cave wall.

Danny just hissed back, his eyes glowing blue with his fury.

"That's it… Let me see how powerful your core is… I am going to enjoy eating you bit by bit… Did you know? Ghosts can survive being slowly consumed as long as their core remains intact. I imagine half-ghosts will not last as long but… we will still try…."

Suddenly, the leader's hands glowed, and he created a glowing shackle from the top of the ceiling and then connected it to the younger hybrid's legs.

Danny gasped as the shackles keeping his hands tied up against the wall disconnected from the wall, though they kept his wrists tied together.

"You remember how this goes, yes?" Chief Grošek said before he abruptly levitated him up until he was hanging upside down from his legs. His bound hands uselessly hanging below him.

Danny just glowered even more when the creature ripped off his upper suit. And then pressed a single claw against his ribs.

"D-Daniel…"

The older hybrid stared with hazy eyes at his protégé.

Danny tried to reassure him through their bond because they both knew what was about to happen… But his mind went blank as pain erupted through him when the creature cut a vertical half-inch deep cut from his stomach to his upper chest right over his core

"No," Vlad weakly whispered.

Danny had clenched his teeth against the pain only to gasp out when the creature finally stopped. All he could do was continue to pant as he watched how his ectoplasm began to dribble down to the ground.

"Oh, but you were so full of clever words and wit the first time," the creature mocked Danny. "Could it be that you are actually scared this time?"

Although his breath was still unsteady, Danny glared at the monster and muttered, "No… just waiting for the chance to clobber you…"

"Then, wait you shall," he answered amused. But Chief Grošek's expression suddenly melded into a thoughtful one as he studied the angry Phantom.

"…I wonder…," the creature began before he glanced over at the older hybrid. "Will your guardian live long enough to watch me slowly eat you? Or… will his core freeze over before you are ready to be consumed..?... He certainly looks quite wretched, doesn't he?"

Chief Grošek stared evilly at Vlad who was shaking violently as more ice gathered over his body. And yet, past that, Plasmius looked like he wanted nothing more than to murder the ghost.

"Hmm, let's… even the odds…"

Before Danny could even understand what he meant, the creature turned back to him and bit into his shoulder.

Danny screamed as the creature clamped down then tore off a piece of flesh from him.

"You beast! No! STOP!" Vlad cried out in horror.

But the monster did it again; this time, on Danny's side way too close to his ribs.

The younger hybrid didn't know if he screamed or not with the second bite because his vision went black for several seconds. And when he became aware enough to remember what was happening, he just barely heard the creature sloppily chewing and swallowing what he had bitten off.

"Oh, you are delicious!" the leader said as he looked back at the boy with hunger, wanting another bite.

Danny was clearly in shock because all he did was stare at the ground as he watched his ectoplasm spread in a large puddle below him.

"No, please… Please… stop," Vlad begged the creature who was trying to decide where to bite next. "Stop it… He'll die… You… You can't…"

The chief paused in taking another bite as the other hybrid's pleas caught his attention. "Oh… This is an interesting turn of events… Are you afraid, guardian? Are you now realizing your mistake?"

But to the creature's surprise, it was not Plasmius who answered him.

"T-The only… m-mistake is…yours," Phantom suddenly wheezed out. "I'm going to… make you beg me for mercy… But… you won't get… any…"

"Really?" The creature suddenly gripped at his bloody arm and then slowly began to bite down into the same spot he had just torn off a piece of flesh

Danny cried in agony, tears unwillingly forming around his eyes and falling to join the puddle of his blood below him. This time, the younger half-ghost could feel every single one of the monster's sharp teeth tearing through his flesh.

Vlad was shouting at the monster to stop again, clearly panicking.

To both their surprise, the creature did not tear off anymore flesh. Instead, he released his jaw's grip, leaving little puncture holes all along Danny's torn shoulder.

"Next time I come back… I am taking your whole arm, little cub…" the leader assured him before glancing at Vlad and adding "Don't die too soon… I want you to watch."

And then the creature left them alone.

"D-Daniel? Talk… Talk to me," Vlad begged.

But Danny could only shake as he did his best to stifle his sobs. It hurt so bad! He had never felt anything like it.

"Danny, please…"

Please… Tell me you're alright… Look at me!

The young man gasped and took a few shaky breaths before finally answering, "I-I'm fine. I am… Just… He actually…. Oh my gosh, it hurts!"

"Can you… focus your power? You need to cauterize the wounds… before you b-bleed out."

Danny tried to focus past the pain and his spinning head. He was losing ectoplasm too quickly.

He suddenly heard Vlad pulling against his restraints; but it was weak. Yet Danny could feel his panic.

Don't die! … I can't let you die…!

Danny closed his eyes and forced himself to concentrate for his guardian's sake. He pulled ice energy from his core and focused it to travel to his arm and his torn side. He groaned as he concentrated it right over the wounds, and then turned it so cold it literally burned his flesh.

Danny cried out as he held the burning power until he could no longer stand it. His whole body then just sagged as he lost consciousness for several seconds.

Unfortunately as he jolted awake the pain was even more unbearable. He let out another pained sob before he forced himself to calm down enough to look at his guardian.

Plasmius just stared at him with despair; but he then whispered, "You will be okay. When…. we get home, I'll skitch you up… I… I have the Ives plant. It… It will help you heal… You will be okay, little badger. I… I won't let them… I-I can't let them… I'll get you…hmm… out of here, Danny. I… I promise. Just… hang on, o-okay?"

Danny continued to look at the other half-ghost through hazy eyes. The sound of his own ectoplasm still slowly dripping on the floor was loud in his ears. Yet, it was not as prominent as the feel of his guardian's failing core.

Danny was terrified of being eaten alive, but… it did not compare to fear he felt with the possibility of losing his guardian like this.

"We're both… going to need… one of your teas after… this," the boy whispered back.

Vlad let out a shaky laugh that choked into a sob of his own because those creatures were going to eat the younger hybrid alive… and… and he…could do nothing right now because he could feel his core shutting down!

"That sounds… really good… right now," Vlad whispered all the same.

Suddenly black rings appeared around the man's waist and he became human. Vlad groaned as his head hung low and he closed his eyes. The freezing room was like sharp knives against his now human flesh. But his core was done. If he tried to keep it going anymore, he risked permanent damage. But he also knew his human body was not going to survive in subzero temperatures for very much longer.

He could also feel wet warmth slowly expanding through his chest. His ghost half had not been strong enough to heal the dagger wounds from the creature's claws…let alone had he been strong enough to burn them close like Daniel had his own wounds.

"Vlad…," Danny called out fearfully. "Vlad? You… You need to stay in ghost form. Come on… You'll freeze. Change back…"

Vlad didn't bother to open his eyes. He was too exhausted.

"Masters, hey…! Did you hear me? Change back! Vlad… your chest… you're bleeding, change back! Please! Darn it! Just please! Plasmius, change back!"

The man let out a shaky exhale before answering, "I'll be fine, little badger. I'm not even that cold anymore."

Danny's eyes widened. He remembered the few times his own cold core had gotten so out of control even his own human body had almost died from the icy energy. And he vividly remembered what frostbite felt like… how at the end, your body grew warmer, how you were so numb you didn't even feel the cold anymore.

"Vlad…," Danny called, this time his voice cracking as more tears came to his eyes. "Please… You can't… Look at me, please? We're going to get out of here, okay? The teas, remember? I-I need you to stich me up and then we'll have some tea… Just wait, we're gonna look back at this and laugh… You'll tease me about my shark bites and I'll tease you about… you being a fruitloop popsicle… Just please… You have to stay awake, and morph. So… So, we can escape… We'll escape."

"We… will, little badger," Vlad agreed softly, though he did nothing to raise his head. His skin was now covered in an even thicker layer of ice and his skin as pale as…

You can't die here!

Danny began to sob as he squeezed his eyes closed because he could feel it. His guardian was dying. And he didn't know what to do!

Danny felt his head spin as his own energy felt like it was seeping out…. His heart was even struggling now… like his guardian's own.

But he refused to give up now. He wouldn't let his guardian die like this. Especially when this was his fault.

Forcing himself to calm down, Danny focused on his core and pushed it work. He had to raise the temperature in the room enough to keep his guardian from freezing, and he only knew of one way…

Taking a shaky breath, Danny opened his core and began to draw in the cold energy in the room. He pulled it quickly and steadily, and the ice gathering on the walls and Vlad's skin began to sweat.

Vlad felt through his bond with the boy what he was doing, and he forced his head to raise up, ignoring the pieces of ice that broke off his skin and hair from the movement.

"No… Danny… no… It's too much ice energy, and it's corrupted, too… Y-You know it will destabilize your core… Please, stop… Danny, s-stop!"

Phantom's own skin began to turn blue as he kept drawing in energy. He started shivering and he felt himself growing weaker. But he didn't care.

"I-I have to… or you'll… d-die."

"You will, too!" Vlad choked out. "And worse, you will be giving that monster… what…what he wants. Danny… he's going to take… his time. You will die s-suffering… And I… I can't.. save you. So… please. Stop."

The tears in Danny's eyes froze right at the corner of his eyes this time.

His guardian was right. They were going to both die here, and that creature would get what he wants.

Unless…

There was something Juukka once told him about supernatural bonds, and how they could manifest in different ways… allow different things between those that shared such bond.

He only briefly had considered this possibility, but it was always a fleeting thought because of how dangerous it was. It had never been worth the risk.

But they could not let this monster win.

I won't let us die here…

"Vlad…?" Danny whispered and holding the older one's gaze, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

Naturally, by now, they knew and felt their trust in one another. But Vlad knew his protégé only asked him out loud when he was about to do something drastic.

"With my very core," the man replied without hesitation.

"And… I trust you with mine," Danny answered with a sad smile. "I… I have an idea. If it works, we might have a chance… If it doesn't… at least that beast won't get what he wants."

Vlad felt as Phantom's idea washed over him.

"Do it, little badger…"

"Can you turn ghost? Just for a moment?" Danny asked.

Vlad took a shuddering breath as he nodded. He closed his eyes and forced his body to turn back into Plasmius. The tremors began as he felt his core flickering on and off.

Hurry…

Danny hesitated for only a moment before he whispered, "Stay with me...Please."

Always…

Danny sighed shakily but he then closed his eyes and focused. But this time, instead of pulling in the cold energy around him, he focused on his guardian's hot core. He could not remember the last time he had been this terrified, and he shivered no longer because of the cold.

He hesitated only another moment but kept his eyes closed as he reached out—not to take a small amount or even large amount of his guardian's hot core energy but—to take all of it.

But at the same time, he focused on releasing his own cold core energy.

And while he did not see the bright white spheres coated in gold energy expel from their chests at the same time, he felt as his guardian's heart began to slow down; but his did the same… both struggling until they came to a stop at the same time.

The last thing Danny felt was the feel of his guardian's body freezing over completely….and his own… swallowed up in flames.

Then, there was silence in the cold dark cave.

*Hides*