Hoi~ How are you all? Thanks for the lovely reviews I received last chapter, you are all so nice it kills me ^.^
WARNING: THERE IS NON-SEXUAL DISCIPLINE OF TEENAGERS IN THIS CHAPTER. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS, PLEASE SKIP THIS CHAPTER.
The Life We Fight For
Chapter 16: In the Beginning There Was Godfrey
Danny stood stock still. Unable to move, barely able to breathe.
His house seemed to be devoid of color, everything around him was slightly blurred and dark.
He was dreaming, Danny was sure of it. But he couldn't do a thing about it. All he could do was watch.
She was there, no- it was there, using her, deceiving everyone. It stood in the kitchen, a sadistic smile on its face as Ivix washed a scalpel coated in green ectoplasm. Danny wanted to vomit, or maybe scream, he wasn't quite sure which.
Maddie's form shifted to face him, lavender flashing magenta for a brief moment before settling again. Danny felt anger bubble up inside him. His mother's freedom relied on him, and so far he'd done nothing to rescue her. He was supposed to be a hero, but lately it was Danny himself that needed the saving.
Jack walked into view, hazy looking and blurred like he was moving at supersonic speed. He hugged 'Maddie' and spoke in an echoing voice.
"Hey honey! I heard some ghostly screamin' from the lab. Did ya tear apart another ghost, molecule by molecule?" The big man said, his voice excited and childlike.
Danny rolled his eyes. His father's ignorance was usually endearing, but right now Danny could hardly tolerate the sound of the larger parent's innocent ideals being spoken.
"You know it, hun." 'Maddie' said cheerfully. "Did you find the ghost boy yet? You know how much our son means to me, every moment that ghost has him I'm so worried we'll find him dead!"
Danny opened his mouth to shout 'LIAR!' but no sound came through. His body tensed and he fought to move. But it was all useless. He never did get free during a nightmare, it was always the same. He would be forced to become a spectator to the destruction of his life, with absolutely no choice in the matter.
"Sorry Mads, there's been no sign of him since the mayor's speech." Jack replied.
"Oh I know he's still in town, but we have to get him to come out of hiding. He's using mayor Masters as a shield. But it won't work for long." Maddie forcefully slammed the scalpel onto the kitchen table. "I'll get him. I'll get him in my grasp if I have to burn down all of Amity Park!"
Danny's body suddenly grew burning hot and he screamed, writhing under the intense gaze of magenta eyes piercing into his blue, human ones.
Danny bolted upright, sweaty and panicked. Once he realized where he was, he sighed dramatically and then groaned. It seemed to be impossible to get a good night's rest unless he all but passed out from exhaustion. But last night he'd fallen asleep normally, forgetting about his 'minor problem'.
That problem being these intense dreams that refused to leave him alone!
Danny turned back and looked at the clock in his bedside table. It read 4:58 am. Almost a whole 2 hours before he was supposed to be woken up. Great.
He slid out of bed, thoroughly bothered. There was no way he was going back to sleep now. Danny dressed quickly and made his way down to the first floor. Heading to the eastern side of the house, Danny's dream replayed in his head. What did it mean?
Danny shook his head to clear the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings and opened the door to the music room.
The young halfa made his way to the large instrument towards the centre of the ensemble of instruments, sluggishly moving his feet with severe tiredness.
Piano was something he was still getting used to, the only thing he used to listen to at home was Dumpty Humpty, and the occasional Classical music Jazz had forced him to listen to.
Despite all that, Danny found it easy to learn when he had a single teacher tutoring him one on one. Admittedly, he felt the same way with the rest of his subjects when Vlad would tutor him in the mornings. He imagined that if he could just have Vlad tutor him, he would be able to pick up his grades in school in no time at all.
As Danny plunked notes from an unknown melody he thought of the horrors that were occurring in his home at that very moment, and also the differences he'd noticed between being at Fenton Works and being in Vlad's care.
The major difference was plain to see. He wasn't fighting for his life here. He didn't have to hide, to lie, to be ashamed of what Vlad would do if he found out about Danny Phantom. Vlad lived with the same condition as Danny, things were easier to explain when you had someone who understood where you were coming from.
Small details and actions has made big impacts between the two of them. Danny was still livid that Vlad used him to get to Walker (although he did explain everything to him after they woke up in Danny's bedroom, where Vlad had patched him up) and he was still not ever going to get used to Vlad's embarrassing punishments. Though he was determined he wasn't ever going to give the man a reason to punish him again.
Danny sighed and let the final note die into the silence. He dropped his aching, unfocused head into his hands and rubbed at his forehead. Just remembering his situation gave him a headache.
"Rough night?" A gentle voice said from behind him.
Danny jumped and whirled around as best he could while sandwiched between the piano and bench and tensed. He spotted the grey blue eyes of Godfrey and relaxed.
But, Godfrey was a ghost. Why couldn't Danny sense him? Danny sighed once more realizing his sleep deprivation was affecting him in more ways than one.
"I'm fine." Danny said, standing. "Just woke up too early, that's all."
Godfrey smiled knowingly as Danny walked towards him to exit the room. He planned to go back to his bedroom, but the butler had other plans.
"Would you like some tea?" Godfrey offered, continuing before Danny could object. "It is the chef's day off and I must prepared breakfast, so the kitchen is ours. Besides, tea helps to clear the mind. 'Waking up too early' tends to make one anxious."
Danny resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Sure, I've got nothing better to do." He said.
The ghost butler led him to the kitchen where the faint scent of cinnamon was drifting in the air. Danny sat on a tall stool next to a counter. Godfrey turned to the source of the smell, a small covered plate, and revealed deliciously made French toast. He handed the plate to Danny who accepted it gratefully, his stomach now making its hunger known.
As Danny munched on the toast Godfrey began preparing tea, with the air around them soon morphing into a calm, sweet vanilla smell.
"You know," Godfrey said conversationally. "I cannot help but notice the...tension, between you and Mr. Masters at times. Are you not allies?"
Danny watched Godfrey's back from under his dark lashes, wondering what the old ghost was getting at. He sighed and shifted uncomfortable on his seat, swiping crumbs from his lips before replying.
"Well," Danny began. "Vlad just likes things to be his way, and...I can't fit into his perfect fantasy, no matter how nice he is to me."
Godfrey hummed in affirmation. He turned from the pot to look at Danny, his usual content smile replaced with a serious tight lipped expression.
"Do you not think that perhaps these circumstances- however macabre they might be- have given both you and Mr. Masters somewhat of a second chance?" Godfrey paused and Danny seemed reluctant to reply, so he continued.
"Things do not happen without reason. People change, circumstances change, change is what makes our world thrive. We must only accept it and make the most of it, it is usually for our benefit."
Danny hesitated to answer. Godfrey's words made sense... but with all of his being he wished to have things go back to normal than change permanently. He was happy before, his friends supported him, his secret was safe, he was a hero.
Now, he felt weak. As if he had no purpose.
"But how can I give someone a second chance if I can't even succeed at doing my job as a hero?" Danny finally mumbled. He stared at the tile floor with a blank expression.
Danny knew more than anyone that bad things happened to good people just like everyone else, and not everyone was destined for a happy ending. People sometimes changed for worse rather than better, and sometimes things had to be sacrificed for the sake of greater good.
"As a hero, is it not within your moral code to give people second chances?" Godfrey said softly. He poured the ready tea into a mug and handed it to Danny who idly sipped it.
Danny looked up into Godfrey eyes full of sincerity and thought about the question. How many times had he, even as Danny Phantom, allowed people to walk all over him and not allowed himself the pleasure of revenge? He knew in his heart that it was only fair he do the same for Vlad, but his head screamed at him to do the opposite.
"I...I know I should forgive him." Danny admitted. "He's supported me for over a month of this without asking for much from me, I'm grateful. But...I don't know if I'm ready to have him in my life as something other than an enemy."
Godfrey chuckled and Danny blinked at him dumbly. What was so funny?
"The thing about humans is," Godfrey explained. "They're never truly 'evil' and not always 'good' either, they are just people. One's actions may lean a bit towards one side at times, but life is not quite so black and white."
Danny yawned and nodded, putting down his tea while his brain was trying to decipher what his ears were hearing. He was used to things being categorized as Good and Bad. Heroes and Villains. Right and Wrong. But he supposed there was some truth to what Godfrey was saying.
"I guess you're right." Danny concluded, leaning his elbows onto the counter top and dropping his head onto them. "How'd you learn all this stuff anyway...?"
"I am a ghost, child. I've been here for quite a while."
Danny's eyesight went blurry and he slid them shut. To the fading sounds of Godfrey washing dishes, he quickly fell asleep.
When Vlad Masters woke that morning he felt unusually refreshed. He felt in control for the first time, having gained information on his target and now holding the reigns behind one of the largest organizations in the Ghost Zone.
He felt ready and excited to begin the day and began thinking of his lesson plans for Daniel that afternoon while walking to the boy's room in one of his favorite and most expensive suits. He planned to spoil Daniel today after the ordeal he'd been through, if he felt up to it. He wasn't sure exactly what Daniel would like to do, but it was nice out today, perhaps he could convince him to get out of the mansion for a bit.
Vlad knocked on Daniel's bedroom door just loud enough to wake him up and called out to him through it.
"Daniel? Wake up, it's time to get ready and down to breakfast."
He waited a few seconds for Daniel's customary groan or shout of affirmation, but received none. Vlad sighed, thinking the boy was being stubborn, and opened the door.
Vlad frowned in confusion seeing Daniel's bed vacant and turned to the boy's bathroom. He knocked on that door with the same results.
Now panic began to rise and he quickly left the room and speed walked down the hallways to the dining room, all while calling Daniel's name. No answer came, and he forced himself not to freak out when he approached the dining room without having seen him at all.
He walked into the dining room and see his breakfast steaming on the table alongside Daniel's but neither has been touched. He senses Godfrey in the kitchen. At this point Vlad is panicking and he all but runs into the kitchen babbling like a madman upon seeing Godfrey standing there.
"Godfrey have you seen Daniel I can't-"
The butler moved, putting his finger to his lips. Vlad spotted the sleeping Daniel and his shoulders dropped in a silent sigh.
"Find him." He finished.
He walked over to Daniel and noticed something disturbing. Daniel's ectosignature was very faint and weak. It had been almost completely masked by Godfrey's signature.
"What is he doing here?" Vlad asked Godfrey.
"Just relaxing. He seemed stressed when I found him in the music room an hour ago." Godfrey replied, cleaning up the remnants of breakfast.
"He was in the music room? Why on Earth was he up so early...?"
Godfrey simply shrugged and Vlad sighed, audibly this time. He supposed he would be lenient and give the boy some extra time to sleep, he clearly needed it with his signature being so exhausted. Although the counter didn't look too comfortable...
"Keep his breakfast warm, Godfrey." Vlad instructed, bending down and gently picking up Daniel.
As he walked out Daniel seemed to recognize him in his sleep for he moved to wrap his arms around Vlad's neck and use the man's shoulder as a pillow. Vlad carried Daniel to his room and prayed that God would be merciful to him and make Daniel sleep soundly and would not cling to Vlad like a blood-sucking tick.
He phased into the child's bedroom and Danny shivered, waking up slightly. He looked around in a daze.
"What...?" Danny mumbled.
"Go to sleep." Vlad said simply, laying the boy down on the unmade bed and pulling the covers over him. Danny's eyes slowly slid closed as he mumbled something under his breath.
"Thanks -ad"
Vlad couldn't catch the last bit since Danny's speech had been slurred. Had he said Vlad? Or...
He shook his head. Of course Daniel had said Vlad. He couldn't have honestly just called him 'dad'!
But perhaps he had. Maybe he had thought Vlad was Jack for a moment. He had been quite out of it. It was completely possible he could have made a slight slip-up in that regard.
Vlad forced himself to distance from the younger as quickly as possible, deciding not to think on the possibility of Daniel saying something so significant while half asleep.
Besides, what difference would it make? Daniel most likely wouldn't remember come later, anyway.
Mood now dampened, Vlad growled and changed into Plasmius. He fully intended to go down to the lab and perhaps gather some more information. He turned the corner and almost ran into Godfrey ascending up the hall.
"Ah, sir," Godfrey said, taking note of the man's posture. "I noticed you had not returned to finish your breakfast. Am I to save it alongside Mr. Fenton's?"
Vlad took a deep breath to calm himself. Godfrey's zen effect on everyone around him was almost unnerving.
"No, I'll head down there now." Vlad answered, changing back. "Call my associates, I'm coming in to work."
Godfrey's eyebrows lifted. "Of course, sir. But weren't you taking the day off to tend to our guest?"
Vlad's eyes darkened. He squeezed his hands into fists and stared resolutely into Godfrey's calm eyes.
"Daniel doesn't want me around him anymore than a rabid animal!" Vlad said. "I'm leaving as soon as possible."
As Vlad walked away, Godfrey put a hand to his chin and thought aloud,
"Is the young sir's nightmares the cause of this tension perhaps...?"
Vlad stopped. What? Was this why he was so exhausted? Daniel was having nightmares?
And he hadn't said anything?!
"What?" Vlad said softly, turning only his head to look back.
"Oh dear..." Godfrey lamented, realizing his mistake.
"Godfrey." Vlad said, turning fully. "Explain."
The older ghost sighed and began to tell Vlad what he knew. Daniel was exhausted and ill-tempered all because his sleep was being impeded on by night terrors that kept him from getting a rejuvenating sleep. It was only his ghost powers and sheer dumb luck he hadn't passed out yet. Daniel hadn't wanted help in this area and tried to hide it. Godfrey had put two and two together upon finding him in the music room and assumed the boy didn't want to lower his pride and ask for assistance.
"That foolish child!" Vlad roared, his eyes snapping to the area he'd just come from. When he got ahold of that child he was sure he was going to rip him apart!
"Sir, you surely aren't considering confronting this issue right now, are you?" Godfrey fretted. "Oh dear me, no, there is a proper method for these things."
Vlad crossed his arms and wondered how on Earth Maddie dealt with not one, but two teenage children alongside her idiot spouse. Still seething, Vlad responded.
"And what, pray tell, do you suggest?"
"Firstly," Godfrey began. "You cannot confront and certainly not punish a child in anger. It does none of you any good. Secondly, I think in this particular circumstance you should give Mr. Fenton a chance to come clean before any confrontation. It might push him to trust you more."
Vlad remained silent for a few moments, taking in the feeling of his ward actually testing him in such a way. He wanted to interrupt the boy's much-needed sleep and shake him into repentance. But he knew that Godfrey was right, he had to earn Daniel's trust while still being a consistent, authoritative figure. Vlad sighed.
"You really believe he can trust me?" He asked his employee.
Godfrey chuckled, his eyes sparkling like the sun glinting off a body of water.
"He already does, even if only slightly ." The butler replied.
Vlad nodded and turned away. He had much to think about. But right now, he had something to do in the lab.
Danny woke up feeling refreshed for the first time in weeks. His head wasn't pounding, his eyes weren't bloodshot or watery, and he didn't feel like snapping the bed in half in frustration.
Although, how he even arrived at his bed was lost on him. Though he supposed it didn't really matter in the end. He'd gotten a good rest for once in his life! Danny wasn't about to start asking questions.
As Danny followed the ache in his stomach to the dining room, he was met with an atmosphere he didn't quite understand.
Vlad was in his usual spot at the head of the table, but he held the morning paper in his hands in a tight grip and his eyes didn't seem to be actually reading it. His empty plate was pushed to the side, very un-fruitloop like, and his body was tensed like a coiled spring. He lifted his royal blue eyes to the teen's for one fleeting moment and Danny finally understood.
Vlad was pissed.
"Sit." Vlad commanded, keeping his eyes away from Danny.
Danny didn't dare disobey and walked as calmly as possible to his seat at Vlad's right. He now wished he wasn't seated so close to the man. Whatever had set him off must've really gotten under Vlad's skin.
"Eat." Vlad seemed to be limited to single word communication this morning. Danny silently devoured his breakfast, filling his stomach but not enjoying any of it.
The tension in the air was thick as smoke and Danny was starting to believe this wasn't a regular 'something at work annoyed me' or 'an invention isn't working as it should' sort of vibe coming from Vlad.
As soon as Danny finished the last bite of food Vlad snapped his fingers loudly, making Danny jump. Godfrey entered, and began clearing away the table.
"Are you...mad at me?" Danny finally asked. Vlad set the newspaper down and stared at Danny squarely.
"Go to your room." Vlad ordered. Danny's eyebrows creased in confusion.
"But-"
"I said-!"
Godfrey interrupted him with a soft clearing of his throat and once Vlad looked at him he mouthed the word 'gentle'. Vlad took a deep breath and returned his gaze to Danny's confused ones. Godfrey exited the room and Danny felt like his only hope of survival had just abandoned him.
"I will only say this once." Vlad said. "You are to go to your room, and wait for me there. When I arrive, I'm going to ask you to tell me what it is you've been hiding from me. What happens after that depends on your answer."
Danny's mouth slid open in confusion and-though he'd loathe to admit it- a bit of fear. Vlad was the absolute worst person in the world to be on the bad side of.
"Wait, I did do something?" Danny said, his voice low and timid but growing more frustrated with every word he spoke. "What did I do? I haven't been doing anything besides what you tell me to-!"
Vlad's eyes flashed red. Danny's mouth snapped shut. He was tempted to counter with toxic green, but thought better of it. Besides, he probably just sealed his fate mouthing off like he had.
"Fine, I'm going." He said, standing and leaving the room.
Danny went ghost once he was a few feet away from the dining room and flew intangibly up to his bedroom. He dropped down onto his messy bed with a frustrated grunt. He ran a gloved hand through his hair and tried to figure out why Vlad was so ticked off.
Had it been because Danny hadn't gotten a good grade on that quiz Vlad had given him on the Renaissance period? No, the man had praised him for his good work, that couldn't be it. Did his music teacher tell Vlad he wasn't progressing fast enough? It was possible, but not likely. Mrs. Cienfuegos wasn't that much of a hands-on tutor. So then, what...?
Maybe Vlad was angry that Danny had woken up late? Wait, what if Vlad had come to wake him up, found him gone, and assumed the worst? Maybe he had gotten upset that Danny had been up early and disappeared? That also would answer the question of how Danny got back into bed earlier.
So, Danny just had to apologize and everything would be fine, right? Vlad couldn't honestly be that angry that Danny had been up before sunrise. Definitely not angry enough to... Danny shuddered. Nope, he didn't even want to think about that possibility.
Vlad entered the room after a few minutes and Danny watched his every move for his cross-legged position on the bed. Vlad didn't acknowledge him until he moved Danny's desk chair to the bed and sat in front of him. Danny hadn't been nervous before, but he could feel his breakfast churning in his stomach looking into Vlad's steely blue eyes.
"I am giving you a chance to confess before judgment is passed." Vlad said formally. "But I'll let you know my patience is wearing thin, so I suggest you speak quickly."
Danny found his earlier feeling of anger growing while listening to Vlad's tone and huffed. He didn't even understand what was going on here!
"Look," Danny snapped. "I don't get why you're so ticked off, but if it's because I wasn't in bed this morning; how was I supposed to know you'd get mad about that? Why can't you just tell me what you're so upset about, instead of making me play these stupid guessing games?"
Danny finished his little rant and felt a tad bit better. He looked back up from Vlad, wondering when he'd lost eye contact, and suddenly he didn't feel so well.
His eyes widened and he slapped a hand over his mouth. He was so dead. Worse than just dead, he was obsolete, done for, terminated.
"I had sincerely hoped to do this the easy way." Vlad said. His hand rose into the air and ectoplasm glowed around his fingers. Danny flinched back, thinking he was going to be attacked and preparing to run, when Vlad pulled his fingers back longways and the ectoplasm shifted into a small solid object. The object dropped into his open palm and Danny's stomach flipped at the sight of it. Vlad held a thin, smooth, glowing paddle.
Before Danny could start protesting Vlad spoke again.
"When you agreed to live with me you became more than just a guest, Daniel. You are, whether you like it or not, my responsibility. This includes matters of your health." Vlad saw that Danny still seemed lost, staring at the floor, so he continued. "Occasional nightmares, though uncomfortable, are not a serious thing. Everyone experiences them eventually, and they are inevitable. Especially with people like us with plenty of subject matter with which a nightmare could be formed. However."
Danny looked up, nervousness clouding his ice blue eyes. He knew what Vlad was getting at, now.
"Night terrors, ones that occur every night and cause one to lose sleep, are dangerous. Many people have to take medication or go to other extreme methods to keep themselves from hurting both their own selves or someone else." Vlad's body tensed with emotion. "Right now we are up against a ghost that has gotten the best of you more than once. You must be in your top form at all times if you want to be with me when I go take this thing down."
Danny couldn't bring himself to look up from the floor. He didn't understand why Vlad's lecture was getting to him like this, but all he wanted right now was for the ground to swallow him up and rescue him from the situation.
"I was going to be somewhat lenient with you, but since you decided to rant at me and did not confess when given the chance, I will be stern with you. Not more than you deserve, but I can't go easy on you." Vlad said. Danny saw him shift a bit and looked up. Vlad patted his knee. "Come here."
Danny bit his lip and slowly uncrossed his legs and slid off of the bed. He hesitated, staring at the paddle in Vlad's hands. That looked...unpleasant.
"I really don't- don't think that's necessary." Danny said. "It was just a mistake, I promise I won't-"
"Daniel." Vlad interrupted. "When a matter involves your health, the punishment will be a harsh one every time. Your health is important. Now, let's get this over with."
Vlad reached forward and had to guide Danny over his knees. thankfully the boy was small for his age otherwise he wouldn't have fit in his lap. Finally Vlad began to go through with his reason for coming to the child's room.
The billionaire was a firm believer in leaving all discipline to be taken care of in the boy's room. Aside from the first moment Vlad had been physical with Daniel, of course. Though, the teen had been possessed, there wasn't much negotiation to be had then.
Danny remained mostly stoic through the first six Vlad counted, that being the punishment for snapping at Vlad earlier. Then another six for lying when Vlad confronted him, and this time Danny hissed and grunted when the paddle landed on his now stinging posterior. Vlad braced himself for the ten he had to deliver for the initial crime. Upon the third swat Danny was crying silently. The fifth landed and he was sobbing with his hands clamped over his mouth in embarrassment at the sound. On the seventh he went limp and just cried out his pain at the last three strokes.
Vlad allowed the implement to dissipate and let his hand rest on the boy's back. Danny didn't seem to want to move yet and Vlad didn't blame him. But he wasn't quite finished yet. He helped Danny up to stand in front of him, Vlad keeping a firm grip on Danny's forearm with one hand, and tilted Danny's chin up till watering, icy blue eyes met his.
"'m sorry." Danny stuttered through hiccup-interrupted breaths. Vlad sighed silently.
"No more hiding things from me." He said.
Danny nodded, his shoulders heaving from trying not to cry too loudly. Vlad released him with one final pat on the arm and stood.
"Then all is forgiven. I'll be back soon. Try to calm down." Vlad didn't wait for Danny's reply, figuring the boy was too upset to give one even if he wanted to. He left the room, heading down to the lab.
Meanwhile Danny stood in the same position in front of the desk chair trying to stop the flow of hot tears that cascaded down his flushed cheeks. The sting was already fading, and in an hour's time he probably wouldn't even feel it. That was what made Danny so emotional. Vlad had gone easy on him. He could've beat the living daylights out of him and Danny probably would have let him, but for some reason Vlad had done...that instead. Though Danny didn't like it at all, it was better than an ectoblast to the chest, or a punch in the gut. Besides, everything was over now, right? Vlad had said he was forgiven. But maybe Vlad wanted to punish him for something else now...
When Vlad reentered the room he found Daniel in the same spot he'd left him, only now his arms were crossed and he was staring at the wall beside him. He was probably reluctant to sit anywhere at the moment.
"Here, this is for you." Vlad said, approaching the teen. He opened his hand, holding it up to reveal a small, black and red box. Danny cautiously picked it up and examined it.
"Uh, thanks?" Danny said.
"There's a button on the side, Daniel." Vlad explained, rolling his eyes.
Danny found the button and hesitated. "It's not going to blow me up, right?"
Vlad simply shook his head. Danny shrugged carelessly and pressed the tiny button. The box pulsed red for a few seconds and a blue wisp waded out of Danny's mouth. He panicked for a moment before realizing the 'ghost' was coming from the tiny box. He relaxed. But now he was somewhat confused.
"How do you feel?" Vlad asked suddenly. Danny thought for a moment.
"Relaxed? I don't know, what is this thing?" Danny replied.
"It's an ectoplasmic signature simulation device. It will keep the nightmares at bay if you turn it on at night and keep it within a 30 foot radius." The businessman explained.
"So it's sending out a ghost signature? Like a satellite?" Danny said. Vlad nodded. "This is...yours, isn't it."
"After wondering for hours how I could've missed you having these nightmares," Vlad began. "I realized that you must not have had any when I was around because you had somehow subconsciously felt safe. The logical explanation was that your ghost half had become accustomed to mine, as evidenced by the way you sometimes cling to me when you're asleep. This device was the obvious solution to our problem."
Danny turned off the device and put it on the bedside table. He didn't know what to say. No one had really cared so much about him before. Not in this way, at least. His friends and sister we're fascinated by his ghost half, but they didn't especially care about the inner workings of his other half, so Danny had simply put off everything else besides growing his powers. But if Phantom was now depending on Plasmius...
"Why is my ghost half 'attached' to you?" Danny asked. Vlad chuckled.
"The most likely reason is because ghost's are more instinct and nature driven. You are young in human years, and as a ghost you are little more than a toddler, at best. I'm the only other Half ghost there is, not to mention I'm twice your age and strength. It's natural to want to stay close."
Danny wasn't sure he liked that answer but he swallowed down anymore questions.
"Now," Vlad said. "I had intended for today to be a day off for both of us to get out of the manor, but I think we'll remain indoors for today, to relax a bit."
"Do I have to stay…in here?" Danny asked, somewhat timid.
It took a few moments for Vlad to understand the boy was referring to his room and smiled.
"No, I think you've been sufficiently punished today. You may join me in the bowling alley, if you'd like."
"Whoa, you bowl?" Danny said incredulously.
"Why else would I have a bowling alley?" Vlad questioned.
"I just can't picture you doing it, you know, actually having fun."
"It is a strategic game despite popular belief, Daniel. It is not that easy." Vlad defended.
"Uh-huh." Danny smirked. "We'll see what your 'strategy' says when I totally beat you!"
Vlad smirked back and gestured for Danny to lead them out. Danny strutted out of the room and Vlad chuckled behind him, wondering how the boy's mood could bounce back and forth so effortlessly.
Life with a teenager was definitely more complicated than he'd originally thought...
Next Chapter: Vlad is convinced Danny could never trust him without an ulterior motive, but will Danny prove him wrong?
It is 4:28 am. Let that sink in.
Ah but seriously, this was too much angst for moi, but hey, that's superhero teenagers for ya.
...Sparkle?
-P