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The Life We Fight For
Chapter 11:The Sower and The Reaper
The day had finally come. Amity was abuzz with the latest polls and the people rushed as quickly as possible to the voting stands which were full to overflowing with last-minute voters. Today was the final day. Each ballot would be carefully collected and counted at exactly noon, and the winner would be announced precisely at 3pm.
Anxious though he was, Danny could barely register what emotions he felt as he helped Godfrey and a crew of decorators and assistants deck out the Masters' Mansion ballroom in red, white and blue. Vlad planned to host a grand celebration upon his winning, or at least, that's what he told the press. Though it would take a miracle, Vlad could still very much lose.
The gift of a silver tongue and charming yet cunning attitude made Vlad a challenging opponent, both in politics and in combat. For though he would never admit it, Danny was always on his toes when fighting Vlad and learned to defend himself against the many different styles of fighting the man employed. You would be surprised how quickly one learned when in extremely dangerous situations.
Danny had been watching Vlad like a hawk the whole day. The man had given him his word that no ghost powers would be used to win the people's vote, but the amount of trust Danny had in Vlad wouldn't fill a teaspoon.
So throughout the day the young half ghost took it upon himself to shadow Vlad everywhere he went. First to the offices where he'd been thoroughly exhausted with boredom, and now to this ballroom, where Vlad was barking out orders for decorations to be moved or changed.
The ballroom was already quite the sight, with its tall ceiling that curved inward akin to a dome, where Packers memorabilia once hung, expensive paintings and décor trailed along every wall. The red white and blue streamers and tablecloths were added for the theme of the day, along with chairs that each had a back that formed the letters 'V' and 'M' in swooping cursive.
"Red, white, then blue! Is that so difficult to understand?" Vlad snapped, his hands clasped firmly behind his back as the cowering head decorator stood before him. Danny wanted to pity him, but knowing that Vlad was far from actual anger and holding back most of his irritation, he found it hard to.
As the decorator scurried off with a stuttered apology Danny pondered the things he'd learned so far, being with Vlad for hours each day. He now knew Vlad was actual not a bad teacher, he somehow made the lessons seem more interesting than they were, utilizing his own experience and intelligence to better explain and expand on topics Danny would have otherwise completely misunderstood. On the other hand, he also found out just how strict Vlad could be, demanding obedience at all times and respect no matter what. A single trip over the man's knee had taught him that.
Danny's thoughts drifted as he hung up a few streamers to the image of Vlad's face right before Danny had almost been directly hit with the man's more deadly attacks. While he felt slightly relieved Vlad had been shocked and panicked to have almost struck him, it also reminded the younger halfa that should he push Vlad too far...
"If I find a single chair askew I'll make sure you regret it!"
It could be deadly.
"Hey Vlad..." Danny said, abandoning the decor in favor of trailing behind the billionaire as they left the ballroom. Vlad had his eyes glued to his phone as he walked, no doubt watching the poll numbers as they were recorded.
"I'm listening, little badger."
Danny cringed and glanced behind him, praying no one heard the awful nickname. "Shouldn't you be, you know, in a viewing room or something, or preparing a speech? I mean, I don't know much about politics but...-"
"Not to worry, Daniel." Vlad said, turning a corner and heading in the direction of the front door. "I've had everything prepared for my official win since I began running. As for appearing to the public..."
The two left the mansion and Vlad gestured for Danny to follow him into the awaiting limousine. As they pulled away from the extravagant house, Vlad continued.
"I have everything arranged, and Danny Phantom should have no problem standing beside me when the time comes, correct?" Vlad said, and Danny frowned.
Danny had enough time in the limelight without a billionaire by his side, the amount of hate he would receive for even getting close to the mayor again would beyond overwhelm him.
"I'm not really into politics, V-man..."
Vlad chuckled and passed a hand through Danny's dark, shiny hair, surprisingly with nothing more than a glare. "You won't have to say a thing, this time your presence will be enough. And who knows...if all goes well with my election, and the people of amity are swayed in my favor, I could portray Danny Phantom as a ghostly hero instead of the public menace the media has made you out to be."
Danny looked down, thinking of how tempting the easy life of a billionaire and feared ghost's ally sounded. But the younger knew very well that if something looked too good to be true, it most likely was.
"Sorry unkie Vlad," Danny replied with a passive smirk. "But Danny Phantom can get a good rep all on his own. No assistance required. I'll stand with you if you win, but I don't want any favors."
Vlad seemed as if he was going to argue, but instead looked out the tinted windows with a calculating expression, keeping his eyes off Danny as he change the subject.
"You're aware that should all go smoothly, you are expected to hold up your end of our deal, as I'm sure you still remember?"
Danny tensed before letting out a sigh and slumping in his seat. "I was kind of hoping you'd forgotten about that..."
The edges of Vlad's mouth twitched in amusement. Daniel could be quite sneaky when he choose to be, however Vlad was quite serious about their little 'bet'.
"I am very much aware of your desire to reconcile with your family, despite the events that occurred, but with the information that has come to light- that being that a third party could and most likely is involved here- that in itself is a dangerous development." Vlad looked at Danny and frowned at the disappointment on his face. However it did not stop him. "Simply put, you're safest residing here with me as you have been for the last week, laying low. I'm sure you can understand that much."
Oh yes, Danny understood... He just didn't want to accept it. Perhaps another week with Vlad he could handle, but what about two weeks from now, or a month? Danny Phantom was already itching for a fight, and Fenton couldn't stand staying indoors for too long either. His frown deepened.
"You haven't won yet, Plasmius." Said Danny, though he wasn't sure he was referring only to the election anymore. He let his gaze fall to his lap, and silence reigned for the remainder of the ride to Vlad's temporary office near the city hall building.
As the two of them met with security and were escorted to the office Danny began to feel the anxious flutter in the pit of his stomach that was now beginning to grow familiar. He tried his best to stay silent, and when prompted by staff or polite reporters, Vlad would only introduce him as his nephew- which Danny was slightly annoyed with- (any relation real or fake with the fruitloop was irritating!) But he powered through dozens of introductions and even managed to avoid reporters, who seemed to be mostly fixated on his 'uncle' and getting a reaction from him before the announcement of the winner. No one noticed when Danny slipped away as soon as the crowd got large enough to push him from Vlad's side. He welcomed the intrusion, and used it as a chance to find a nice, damp broom closet to hide in. Danny quickly took out his cellphone and called his sister. She picked up on the first ring.
"Danny? We're already outside city hall, where are you?"
"I'm close, but I can't get too far, call me paranoid but I have to make sure Vlad doesn't make a ghostly move to manipulate this thing." Danny grit his teeth before adding under his breath. "If I'm going down, it's going to be fair."
Danny was more or less resigned to the fact that in a few short hours he wouldn't have a choice whether or not he'd be staying with Vlad for the unforeseeable future. However he was determined within himself to figure out his predicament before the fruitloop and without his aid. Danny and his team had come far together, the boy had faith that he could do just as much detective work as Vlad with or without a short leash.
"You've lost me a bit, little brother. Care to explain?" Jazz asked, her voice uncertain.
"We made a deal when I first came here, that if he could win this thing without the use of ghost powers that I would stay with Vlad and voluntarily lay low until we figure this whole thing out." Danny explained, keeping his voice low as a few chattering assistants clamored by his hiding space.
"I just hope you know what you're doing, Danny." Said Jazz, a hint of worry in her voice. "It's getting rowdy over here, I better go. See you soon!"
Danny sighed and stood to his full height. He transformed into his ghost half with mild resistance, and shivered as a wave of cold swept over him. Just another painful reminder that he was still experiencing the after-effects of three events that had caused his current situation.
He forced himself to take a deep breath, something he did not usually do so in ghost form. It still helped calm his nerves.
Danny flew back to where Vlad was exiting a room and joined him at his side, exceedingly grateful to see that there were significantly less reporters and journalists around to buzz around the two. Only a handful of Vlad's own team were following them at the moment. They had all seen Danny Phantom around before, luckily for Danny everyone seemed more interested in doing their jobs much more than caring about a ghost.
"I expected you to disappear for a while," Vlad said. "I must say I'm surprised you haven't become mad with boredom as of yet."
Danny resisted the need to exercise teenage sarcasm and simply shrugged. He had to admit he wasn't as bored as he thought he would be, what with all the excitement and anticipation practically rolling in waves off of every person around him. Politics may not be his 'thing' but with the prospect of Vlad Masters using the influence of mayor to actually help him rather than hurt him Danny had plenty of reason to be interested.
Vlad guided Danny to what looked like a simple lounge and it was as the two were sitting down that Vlad's advisors began to relay the current standings, their eyes glued to their laptops and cellphones.
"It's looking good sir," Said a woman in a crisp gray suit. Danny recalled seeing her making phone calls for Vlad when he needed something scheduled, and she seemed like a strict character. "You are ahead by a long shot, into the double-digit percentages."
Vlad nodded in approval and turned on a television near them and the local news appeared on the screen. It seemed like all they were talking about was Vlad's projected win. Danny couldn't help but frown. His freedom would be gone within hours now.
When Danny had agreed to the deal Vlad gave him that evening that seemed so long ago, he had been fueled by his need to make things normal again and passionate in his belief that he couldn't live without his parents in his life. Now, he had been away from the Fenton home for a week and not only was he seriously doubting his ability to return there but he was also beginning to think long-term about staying with Vlad. Especially now that he was obligated by his own given word to stay in his house.
Danny was finding it increasingly hard to imagine his life being safe or stable living with the billionaire in question. Vlad Masters had already proven that he was a stubborn, obsessive person, just like any other evil ghost. How much reliability could Danny put into someone who would do anything to tear his family apart?
The dark, silky voice of his doubting mind was practically yelling at him to further question and contemplate his situation, but his rational self continued to remain still but attentive as time passed and Vlad's team began to prepare the proper arrangements for Vlad to appear before the people gathered at City Hall. It was painfully clear now that the votes were in,
Vlad had won.
The billionaire escorted Danny to City Hall meanwhile the boy had serious objections to the idea of appearing alongside him.
"Danny Phantom isn't a political figure!" Danny argued once they'd reached the holding rooms. "I can't just walk out there and act like I know what I'm doing, I get enough if a bad rep from the local news. I don't want more publicity."
Vlad had been attempting to get Daniel to walk out with him and be at his side during his speech but Daniel was suddenly adamantly against it. The older halfa was sure that the boy's irrational fear of being discovered had something to do with it but he couldn't allow a silly phobia to ruin a perfectly good chance to aid their plan.
"Daniel please, I promise you won't have to say a single thing. Simply walk out there and stand still for a few minutes, what is so difficult about that?" Vlad replied. Danny glared at him in contempt for a few seconds before sighing, his shoulders slumping.
"I... I'm just not sure about all of this." Danny said. He wasn't used to being in the public eye (willingly at least) whereas Vlad was a professional celebrity.
Suddenly a short man with a bright name tag came over to them and informed them that the public had been made aware of the winner and it was time for Vlad to go out and speak. Danny swallowed thickly and avoided Vlad's eyes which were staring intently at him as the man scurried away. He felt his face being pulled upward and soon found himself forced to look into the medium blue eyes of the billionaire-turned-politician.
"Trust me." Vlad said, before standing back and giving Danny his space. Danny's face still held uncertainty, but he took a deep breath and looked around quickly, making sure no one was around to witness his transformation.
As the rings appeared at his waist Vlad turned toward the stage and gestured for Danny to follow. It was time for the show to begin.
... (With Sam and Tucker)...
Standing in a crowd of stiff-looking adults was definitely not the way Sam had wanted to spend her day, but here she was, waiting for the billionaire half-ghost himself to make his appearance so that the plan they had worked so hard on could begin its process.
If Jazz had not been on board with the teens from the beginning they may not have even got this far. To this moment she was monitoring the perimeter in case certain ghost hunters decided to come and cause a scene.
Tucker sat beside her, looking equally uncomfortable, and had finally put away his PDA as the votes had come in and the race had come to a close. He had been following the polls carefully and they had both come to the same conclusion,
Vlad had won, fairly and within the rules.
When Vlad finally walked out the crowd erupted in cheers. Many shouted out their support for him and his campaign till their throats were sore. Sam and Tucker however were mystified, for they seemed to be the only ones to notice that beside the billionaire was their best friend, in ghost form, trailing behind Vlad like a silent shadow. He stayed back and remained resolute in his stance behind the man, but it was painfully obvious to the two teens that he most likely didn't want to be there.
As the noise died down and Vlad stepped up to give his speech all the previous cheerers and shouters now were incredibly silent, hanging off Vlad's every word. Still, Sam and Tucker could only watch Danny with increasing interest. Did they have some sort of trick prepared, or was Danny trying to show support For Vlad as his ghostly counterpart? There were so many unanswered questions Sam was barely even listening to the cliche gratefulness that seemed to be the main theme of Vlad's speech. She could only watch her friend unceremoniously fidget in front of the press who barely even seemed to notice him.
"Do you think he's gonna speak?" Tucker asked her in a whisper. Sam contemplated for only a moment before the answered,
"I doubt it." She replied in a quiet voice. "I don't know what Vlad is thinking, putting Danny up there, but at least he isn't being called a public menace and being chased out by all these pompous money-makers."
Tucker simply shrugged and the two continued to listen to Vlad's classic speech with mild interest. They were only there to make sure Vlad kept his word after all, politics was most definitely not a teenagers main focus in life.
At least, they had been content to half-listen until a topic they were definitely familiar with came up.
"It with great horror that I have witnessed the dear people of this town attacked by harmful Ghosts, with hardly any organization to the defense and security of the people. These so called 'hunters', such as the Fenton's and their 'aid' in the fight against rogue entities, has hurt the people more than it has helped. I plan to change this, to a system of safety for the people of Amity..."
Sam and Tucker exchanged looks of skepticism. Sam knew Vlad Masters was still their enemy, anyone with brains would realize their truce would not last as soon as their plan was complete. Should Vlad decide to make all of their lives a living hell in the name of 'safety' there would be no one to stop him. Except perhaps her ghostly friend, who seemed to be his right-hand man at the moment.
As Vlad's speech was nearing it's end, Sam's Fenton Phones screeched in her ear and she cringed, scrambling to fix them somehow. Through the static, she could hear Jazz's voice.
"Sam!" Jazz's voice rang out clearly, But the rest of her message was broken by static. "You have to-! no time-! Tell Danny to-!"
Sam was beginning to get strange looks at the noise and Tucker was looking at her in worry. He could hear Jazz's frantic voice through the device, though he too couldn't understand the broken sentences.
"What?" Sam hissed as quietly as she could. "Jazz I thought you were supposed to be watching-"
"FREEZE GHOST SCUM!"
Sam jumped and whirled around in her seat just as the doors were blasted away to reveal the eldest Fenton's, Jack wielding a Fenton Bazooka and Maddie holding up a weapon Sam had never seen before. Jack looked ecstatic even through his goggles, But Maddie's expression was unreadable.
Vlad was surprised for all of a moment before jerking back to look at Daniel. As expected he'd frozen in place, his eyes wide and in clear shock. Vlad took a step to the side to cover him and made eye contact with the woman of his dreams. Though now she seemed anything but the person he'd fallen in love with.
"There is no need for your interference here, I'll ask you only once to leave." Vlad said loudly, and with as much authority as he could muster. Somehow he knew however, that a simple command would not suffice. Not for Maddie, and definitely not for Jack.
"He has hurt our mayor before, we can't let him do it again!" Jack exclaimed, his hands tightening dangerously on the weapon. "You gotta move V-man, so we can tear him apart molecule by-"
Sam stood up and held her wrist ray out to the couple, her eyes full of rage. Tucker hesitantly did the same.
"We won't let you near him!" She shouted, with Tucker nodding furiously from behind her. Jack seemed stunned and almost backed down, but he spotted Danny moving toward the room he'd come from and instantly plowed forward, pulling a second, smaller blaster from his hip to point at Danny.
"Stop right there spook!" Jack shouted, and Maddie was right behind him. Vlad again quickly side stepped into the path of the gun and set a hard gaze on Jack, before realizing something.
"Jack..." Vlad prompted carefully. "Don't you remember who that is?"
Jack seemed confused for barely a second before his face grew cold again and he replied in a booming voice,
"Phantom! That no-good ghost punk that terrorizes people, or something...!"
Vlad was about to reply when Maddie quickly interceded the conversation and got close to her husband's side.
"Exactly. He's a menace, and we need to get him, Jack! Before he hurts anyone else!" Maddie said.
Danny had been in a near panicked state, but he snapped out of it as he saw his two friends getting ready to fire at his parents, who in turn were about to physically move Vlad to get to him and capture him.
'I've got to do something' Danny thought. He took a deep shaky breath and flew a few feet into the air, putting on his bravest smirk. His insides were shaking with fright, bit his eyes were determined, playful even.
"You want me?" He taunted. "Come and get me!"
Danny took off as fast as he could through the demolished wall created by Jack and through the building, with the Fenton's right on his trail. He zoomed through the building and out into the street with adrenaline coursing through his body, forcing him to keep going. He heard a few gunshots and struggled to look back and dodge as fast as he could while his parents shot at him with their ecto-blasters, trying to shoot him down as he fought to think where he could lead them that was far away from people and structures. His closest option was the pier. There would be hardly anyone there as it was a Monday, and he could easily deal with his parents there.
Danny continued to dodge shots and the occasional glowing net, every once in a while turning to taunt or exchange banter with his pursuers in order to keep them following. He was completely terrified, every fiber of his being was screaming at him to turn invisible and get as far away from these people as possible. However as the neared the pier and Danny stopped to face them, he focused on putting on the bravest face he could.
"I don't believe you can't remember me." Danny said evenly. "That's just an absolute load."
Maddie seemed enraged by the suggestion and growled, shouldering the gun Danny had earlier seen her holding. She must have put it away to blast him with normal guns, but now he was seeing it again, and he still could not recognize it.
"This," Maddie said. "Is a weapon specifically designed to ensnare ghosts, and drain them of their ectoplasmic energy- or in other words, their life force. And once I get you with this, it'll be all over, half-breed."
Danny was confused at the nickname she'd used, not having ever heard her say it before. However he was sure he'd heard it recently. Where, he couldn't remember, but it sounded familiar, and unfortunately it was not in a good way.
"Not this time, mom." Danny said, in a more quiet tone. He lowered to the ground and got into a defensive stance. One he used only when fighting an opponent he knew he could not mess around with. The effect was immediate.
Jack opened fire on him with his blasters and Danny instantly pulled up an ecto-shield. Maddie ran up to his side and attempted to shoot him with her weapon, but Danny ducked and went intangible just in time. His heart was pounding, he wasn't sure he could defend himself alone after all. He flew back a few feet and blasted the blaster in Jack's left hand with ice, causing him to drop it and move his hand to steady his remaining weapon, while Maddie reached into her pocket and produced what looked like golf ball sized metal spheres, which she then flung in Danny's direction. Smoke exploded out of the devices and Danny coughed violently, waving his hand around his face to clear it from his vision.
He felt a harsh, burning impact to his side and he was suddenly skidding across the wooden floorboards of the pier, his side throbbing in pain. He gasped at the dizziness it caused and fought to push himself up onto his elbows. He looked up and sure enough, as the smoke began to clear, his mother towered over him with a serious look on her face, and a grinning Jack just beside her.
Danny couldn't have been more terrified in his entire life. His eyes were wide, showing off his bright green irises that were clouded with fear and pain. Maddie raised the weapon, her eyes focused on Danny.
"Goodbye, Half-Breed."
Danny flinched as the weapon shot and with it came a deafening sound of energy hissing through the air toward where he lay, frozen, unable to move or think. But instead of being trapped or in pain, he heard a loud grunt as the energy impacted something- or some one- followed by a shadow coming over him and blocking the midday sun.
Danny forced himself to his knees and saw Plasmius, encased in a cube of glowing energy. It took all of a moment before the trap's glow grew brighter and Vlad gasped in pain as his body too began glowing brightly.
Danny assumed this was what his mother meant when she said the trap drained the energy from its victim.
The hunters paused in shock and disbelief, but after several moments Maddie let out a feral growl of frustration and turned to Danny, aiming at him with the weapon once more.
"Daniel, move!" Vlad shouted, seeing what was about to take place. It was just enough to snap Danny out of his daze and scramble to his feet before taking to the air, his hands clasped to his aching side.
He thought Vlad was strong enough to free himself from the trap, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he shouldn't count on such probabilities. He stayed close to his original position and tried his best to shake off his pursuer, the complete opposite of what he'd been doing earlier.
But Maddie was quick to slow him down with well timed shots and her quick movements that seemed almost superhuman. Danny's heart began to beat faster as he realized he was running out if energy and would have to land soon, he couldn't take many more hits from his mother's ectoblaster.
With a shuddering breath and nervous eyes he landed close to the edge of the dock, turning and standing straight and tall as Maddie neared him, a sneer marring her features.
"Enough cat and mouse, ghost boy." She said, her eyes glistening a color Danny had not noticed before. Her irises shined with a bright magenta hue, instead of the usual lavender purple pools that often looked at him in a variety of emotions throughout the years.
"It doesn't make sense." Danny said, exasperated. "You were supposed to accept me, to love me no matter what! Human or ghost, I'm still Danny! Your son!"
Danny's outburst only seemed to enrage her further and she aimed her entrapping weapon at him, not hesitating before she fired. Danny dodged and flew towards her, as she recoiled and tried to blast him with her second, smaller blaster.
"You just won't die, will you half breed?!" Maddie shouted as Danny went intangible to escape the shot.
'That's the third time she's called me that...Where do I remember it from?' Danny thought. Suddenly, an all too familiar voice came from memory, and he remembered, deep within his ever-present nightmares, a dark, smooth voice saying:
"We meet again, little Half Breed."
Danny's eyes widened in recognition and he snarled, dodging another round of gunfire before getting as close as he dared to his mother and all but shouting at her.
"I won't let you mess with my family!" He said, before turning intangible and flying right at Maddie.
He immediately felt resistance and pushed with all his might. He felt the force fall through and dropped intangibility as they both went diving over each other onto the hard wood ground.
Danny groaned and pushed himself up. He caught a glance of bright magenta eyes shining under a dark hood a short distance away before he heard his mother's all but desperate voice crying out to him. He turned and saw her toss her weapon to the ground and shout,
"Danny, run! I've got blo-!"
The ghost flew at top speed to her and before Danny could move she was again possessed and charging towards him, as she produced a pouch from her belt. Danny jumped up and back peddled, too weak from fright to fly, and wasn't fast enough to dodge a string of Blood Blossoms being thrown at him.
Danny cried out immediately at the sight of them and collapsed to the ground. However, he wasn't the only one in pain.
"I didn't w-want to resort to this because I can't be around to watch you w-wither and cease to exist." The ghost said, using it's own pained voice. "But I'll say this one final time: Goodbye Danny Phantom."
Danny watched as the ghost pretending to be Maddie Fenton took off running away from him and the dreaded plant as fast as possible, Leaving Danny in agony on the dock.
He tried to crawl away from the flowers but the effect they had on him seemed to be even worse than before. He could barely even see straight.
'No way...' Danny thought, writhing in a cold sweat on the ground. 'I'm really going to die.'
...(With Vlad)...
The device encasing his body was truly a stroke of genius, Vlad had to admit. But rather than dissect its usefulness the half ghost's main objective was to free himself from it. A more difficult feat than it seemed.
"Not a single move, Wisconsin Ghost." Jack sneered from his right. "I don't know what you're doing here, but you messed with the wrong family!"
At this, Vlad scoffed. His anger surpassed his better judgment, and he all but growled at Jack through the green tinted trap. How could this buffoon claim to be protecting his family when it was he, Vlad Masters, who had attended to their son when he was broken and bruised beyond belief? It was he who deserved to be the parental figure in Daniel's life! Not some overweight simpleton who was manipulated so easily by anyone with half a brain!
"You know nothing of family!" Vlad proclaimed, his royal blue eyes boring into Jack's own lighter ones, eyes that so reminded him of Daniel's. And with the reminder came to memory a face of despair, and those same eyes clouded in turmoil. Vlad became livid.
"Your family has been crumbling beneath your hulking figure all this time, and you dare act as if you care about them!" He didn't care if he was going overboard, nor did he give a single thought to his situation. He wanted so badly the titles Jack Fenton had ripped away from him, his anguish could not be quelled.
Meanwhile Jack was completely oblivious to the meaning behind the declarations, his eyes only burned with hatred. A ghost, telling him he didn't care for his own family? Jack Fenton would protect his family no matter what!
"You don't know what your talking about, scum!" Jack retorted. "A ghost like you couldn't even have a family, much less know how important they are. All you do is terrorize good people and bring misfortune to our town!"
As idiotic as Vlad found them, he couldn't help but feel a prick in his heart at the man's words. True, he hadn't before been sensitive of the meaning of family, and even friends. He only needed allies, benefactors that would lead him to his goal. It was only now he could see, after years in a hospital surrounded by no one but doctors, how important a family was. It is for that reason that deadly anger fueled his words, for Jack Fenton had what he could now never have, and didn't fully appreciate it.
"I deserved to be by her side. You ruined everything for me, my dreams, my love life, my humanity. You took it from me." Vlad said, his voice softening slightly as he calmed down, and the device's effects began to take their toll a bit. "But I cannot look to change the past now, not now, knowing the fact that without you, he wouldn't exist."
Jack was beyond confused. He was about to attempt to reply, when a loud shout was heard, and he was suddenly blinded by smoke that exploded around him in a thick cloud, flying into his lungs and forcing him to cough in an attempt to clear it. He turned and caught a glimpse of purple and black before a metallic 'Thwack!' was heard and pain blossomed at the back of his head right before he stumbled and fell, losing consciousness.
"Vlad! Brace yourself!" Was all the man received as a warning before a loud shot was heard and a powerful ectoblast struck his confines, forcing it to dispel and release him.
"Phew, glad that only took one shot." Tucker said, patting his modified blaster. Sam, who stood beside him, simply rolled her eyes.
He let out a soft groan and stood, stretching slightly as he straightened his cramped muscles. That box had clearly been made specifically for a more petite, white haired individual. And with that thought Vlad almost gasped, trying to remember which direction the other two had been heading in when Daniel took off.
"Where on earth did Daniel get to?!" Vlad said. "He could be in danger, you two, search the area west and south of here, I'll head in the opposite directions."
The teenagers did not need to be told twice and split up, running with their hands to their ears trying to get through to Danny's FentonPhones. They couldn't get a signal from him through, and their worry began to grow.
Vlad flew high above the ground and search the area for any signs of a fight or panicking citizens, who literally looked as if they'd seen a ghost. But he could see no such sign. That is, until he turned his attention to the docks, where a faint, red glow was just barely visible and no humans seemed to be around. Vlad dove for it, his chest swelling with hope he desperately tried to squash down. Hope that he wasn't too late, that Daniel had somehow gotten away, that he wasn't hurt...
He cared for the boy. Before, he wouldn't admit it, but he could now. All he wanted was Daniel to accept him like he did Jack Fenton, not some rich uncle, or just a mentor, but that oh-so-coveted position of parental advisor, someone who could make a difference in the little halfa's life.
As he neared the edge of the dock and saw, to his horror, Daniel's unmoving body on the ground, his heart jumped to his throat. He swiftly landed beside him, but suddenly felt a sharp pain surround him. He gave a short cry and doubled over, his eyes searching for the source of his pain. They stopped at the sight of the string of black and red flowers and he immediately brought forth energy to his hand and burned them to ashes in seconds. The pain subsided and Vlad was able to properly kneel beside the unconscious half-ghost and feel for his pulse. In his ghost form it was weak and hard to even find if you didn't have the skill, but Vlad pressed his fingers desperately to the boy's neck and let out a sigh of relief when he felt a very fast, but very weak pulse.
Vlad quickly took the Fenton Phone from Daniel's ear and told Sam and Tucker to meet him at his Mansion, and that he'd found Daniel.
After that he scooped up the light teenager and flew swiftly and determinedly to his home, his teeth grit tightly together in worry and anger. Vlad forced himself to think optimistically. Daniel would survive.
He had to.
.
Next Chapter: As Danny's condition worsens, the truth of his torture is finally revealed to Vlad.
Hm. Is this angst? Or just suspense? meh, probably just a bit of both :P sorry-not sorry- for the cliffie.
Review please! And if you're review-shy (like moi) just say 'SPARKLE!' so I know you exist and actually read this word blurb.