Danny POV
He was so cold…
Danny didn't even try to pretend he wasn't shivering as he stumbled through Fenton Works.
The entire town was overrun by plants, his friends and family were taken over and possessed by plants, he was currently being pursued by plants!
And despite that, all he could think about was how mind numbingly cold he was.
Danny crash landed in his basement, nearly collapsing as frost spread all over his body, but he forced himself to get up.
The portal... The Ghost Zone… It was his only shot. He just… Needed to get there…
Honestly, he couldn't even groan at the sight of Sam appearing in between him and the portal. It was just that kind of day.
"Stay Danny," the possessed form of Sam murmured with a smile. "I will protect you, as you have me. We can rule, side by side."
Danny shivered, and only partly because of the cold. This was a really stupid time for his mind to be unable to decide if the way Sam spoke was either hot and creepy.
"Y-y-yeah, I d-don't…" his retort was cut off as another violent set of chills came over him.
Ok, he got the message. No time for witty remarks or one-liners.
Danny charged towards the portal, going intangible with the intention of just going through Sam, when the stupid cold overtook hit him. Hard.
He gasped, letting go of his intangibility as his vision darkened. He could see icicles growing on his eyelashes, and he could barely even think past the cold and despair.
The last thing he felt was something wrap around him and hold him gently, and then he knew no more.
Sam's POV
Sam caught Danny before he could crash into the ground. She held him gently as she allowed herself a brief feeling of victory and affection.
He was with her now. And here, he would stay.
She hadn't been lying. She had every intention of letting Danny rule alongside her in the new world.
She was still herself - all Undergrowth had done was help put things into perspective. Of course humans were destroying the planet - she already knew that - thus, destroying them was clearly the best option for the planet.
That answer was so obvious. Sam wasn't sure why she hadn't realized it before.
By that same note, bringing Danny onto their side was simply the best option as well. His strength and abilities were obvious, as was his personality. It was undeniable he was a goof sometimes, impulsive, but in the end he always did what was right. Her father's goal was right and just, therefore, why wouldn't he join them?
Danny was a protector, a defender. Had been for as long as she had known him. His character is what she fell for, even before he became Danny Phantom.
Some of her memories felt fuzzy and distant, but they were probably unimportant. What remained was her love of nature, her desire to do something about it…
And her feelings for Danny Fenton.
Sam could feel her cheeks blush slightly as she looked down at the unconscious boy in her lap.
She couldn't really pinpoint when she truly fell for Danny. They had been best friends for years before he had gained ghost powers. He would support her, and she in turn would have his back. Somewhere along the way her feelings had grown to the point that she truly wanted to be with Danny.
Long before her new father had shown her the light, she had felt this way. The only reason she hadn't made a move yet was she was afraid that Danny wouldn't feel the same way.
Yet now, thanks to her father, her fears and insecurities had finally been put to rest. Without those fears restraining her, she felt free to actually follow through and do something about it. How foolish had she been! The time they had together wasn't something that should be squandered, and she felt an urgent need to rectify that.
His rejection of her offer though…
Sam wasn't going to lie, it hurt. A lot. But she understood. She did! Danny wasn't necessarily rejecting her, but The Growth. He thought she was being controlled, and therefore in need of saving - and so long as he thought that, he would never stop.
A noble, if unnecessary gesture. Sam just needed to show him why she was right. Same as always.
She brought one of her father's mind vines up to Danny's head when a surge of cold caused her to shriek in surprise. She barely had enough time to push Danny off of her when a surge of frost burst from his body, freezing the vine and ground around him solid.
She looked at Danny in concern. Even while he was unconscious?
The entire time he was running from her he looked like he was in pain. Over and over he had frozen her father's vines and even the environment. She had thought it was a new ability he had unlocked - could it be something else?
Was... Was he ill?!
Sam couldn't prevent a surge of panic within her before she shoved it back down. Surely father could help him. He was ancient and knowledgeable; he could fix this.
She brought another mind vine up, only to growl in frustration when another surge of cold froze it before she could get close enough.
Ok, that wasn't going to work…
The presence of another bumped up against her senses, and Sam turned as more vines flooded their way into the basement. She bowed in subservience as the vines melded together, eventually forming a smaller version of her Father. Undergrowth.
"Father," She murmured, "I have captured Danny Phantom as you have asked."
The Great Being slowly chuckled, something that quickly escalated into a cackle, "excellent my child," He crooned. "You have done well."
Sam basked in the praise before the worry filled her once more, and she gestured towards Danny. "There seems to be something wrong with Danny. He's unwell, and the cold makes relocation difficult."
Undergrowth watched curiously as he sent a batch of vines to wrap around Danny, only for the cold to burst out and freeze everything once more, causing both Sam and Undergrowth to jerk backwards in the limited space of the basement.
Her father's eyes glowed for a moment as he observed Danny, shifting closer slightly to get a better look. Multiple flowers grew around him and seemed to be sensing something from Danny, before Undergrowth letting out another cackle, "The fool! He has neglected to care for his core."
There, she was right. Sam relaxed slightly at the confirmation that her Father did indeed know what was wrong. Now he would fix it. She should have known she had no reason to worry about -
"Kill him."
...
Huh?
Sam blinked in incomprehension.
Do… What?
Those words, spoken dismissively by one who she looked up to the most concerning the one who held the place closest to her heart, shook Sam to her core.
"K-kill him, father?" Sam asked, her confusion evident, "but, your plans? Danny is powerful. Would he not be a major boon at your side?" At my side?
"Yes, my daughter." The mass of vines that was the plant ghost turned and gave her a look, "but it is precisely because he is as powerful as he is that I make this decision. An imbalanced core, if left unattended, is dangerous. Extremely so."
Each Word felt like a hammer driving a stake into her heart. Unknown to either ghost or human, deep rooted feelings lashed against mental conditioning.
"But, you could fix it, could you not?" Sam asked desperately as she looked at her father adoringly. "None are more powerful than yourself - you could save him, I know you can!"
The chuckle he gave rolled ominously through the dark basement. "Your confidence is comforting, but I'm afraid in this case it is not to be."
What?
"Father?" Sam asked in confusion.
"My daughter, his core is unstable." He crooned, "While only a nuisance for now, it has the potential for widespread destruction. The longer we wait, the more damage he will cause. It would be better to end this sooner."
Sam stared at her father, "B-but if you healed him…."
He looked at her carefully. "Are you doubting me, my daughter?"
She jerked back with eyes wide, feeling as though she just got punched in the gut. "O-of course not father," she murmured hastily.
"Good. I am not unsympathetic, but for the good of The Growth, the boy must die. Now," he created a mutant cactus with a gesture and took one of its spines before handing it to her.
"Kill him."
Sam stared at the spike in her hand for several moments, noting the purple liquid along its sharp point. Poison. With Danny unconscious, it would be a quick thing.
Swift. Merciful. Most importantly, an order from her father.
Death.
"May… May I have a moment alone?" Sam asked quietly.
He stared at her impassively and she felt a surge of panic. "J-just to say goodbye." She couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her father, but she needed… something.
He eventually gave a nod. "Of course, my child." He dissipated amongst the foliage in the lab with barely a rustle. "I know you'll make the right decision."
And just like that, it was just herself and Danny.
The lab was dark, only the green of the Ghost Portal to light the area. Vines and other foliage had burst through the ceiling and floor and were now mixing with the various technological paraphernalia, something that Sam knew she should be able to take comfort in, yet couldn't.
How could things turn so bad? Just a couple minutes ago Sam had been on the top of the world. Now, she was at the bottom of the pits of dread.
Sam stared at the still form of Danny. Her friend. That she had feelings for, something she could now freely admit without fear.
Now, the person she was supposed to kill.
Sam knew she had to obey her father. It was practically written into her very being, her mind practically screaming at her to do so. Yet her chest felt like she was the one being stabbed, the pain almost physical.
It felt like she was being ripped in two from the two intense desires.
Her head jerked up when Danny shivered violently on the ground, and after a moment she went through some of the shelves and dragged out an electric Fenton-Blanket she knew that Danny's dad kept for 'emergency naps'. She carefully laid it over Danny before backing away from the cold.
A part of her immediately berated herself for doing so.
Was it not cruel to draw things out like this? If her father was correct (and obviously he was) then death was the only way to stop the pain. Killing him was simply the more merciful approach. Better. She hated seeing Danny in pain.
Which was ironic, considering she was the cause for much of it. After all, wasn't it her that had been responsible for Danny's portal accident in the past?
Just because said 'death' didn't stick, just because he never blamed her, didn't mean that she felt any less guilty for that.
And now she was expected to kill him once more.
Would he come back as a full ghost? Would he hate her this time?
Sam couldn't help the gasp of pain as her insides twisted unpleasantly.
She couldn't go against the words of her father. He was the most important part of her life. After all, he had… Uhm, he… Didn't he…? He was important. He was.
On the other hand, Danny was also important. Stubborn and foolish at times, but noble all the same. Her best friend for years.
Memories of everything they had gone through flashed through her mind; a history of friendship warring against her devotion to her father. The pain became intense, her breath coming in short gasps as her mind was lit aflame.
She… She couldn't kill Danny… but, she couldn't disobey her father…
Sam dimly realized she had fallen to her knees, teeth gritting as the two powerful desires warred inside of her.
All around the plants rustled and shook at her pain, some even reaching out to try to comfort her, but she couldn't recognize any of that as her mind and heart burned within her.
She had to, for the Growth… But she couldn't…
If only Danny didn't have this issue with the cold, then - !
Wait.
Her breath stopped as her mind latched onto that last thought, the pain dissipating into a dull throb.
Her father… He hadn't wanted Danny's death till he discovered the ice problem, right? He had no issue with Danny otherwise.
Logically then, if the ice was no longer a problem…
Sam wouldn't have to kill Danny.
Sam's breath exploded outwards as her reality readjusted to the new realization.
Her father hadn't said it wasn't possible to help Danny - just that it was too dangerous and not enough time. She… Sam could work with that. She didn't like disobeying her fathers instructions, but it was clear he would worry about her and would deny her if she brought it up. But if this succeeded, The Growth would gain a powerful ally!
The fact that Danny would be by her side was just a happy by-product.
With both sides of her psyche finally at peace she hesitantly stood up, mind going through everything that she knew.
First and foremost, she needed more time.
Already Danny was shivering under the electric blanket, and her father was expecting her to come out with word of Danny's death.
What to do…
Undergrowth's POV
Would she do it?
The towering form of Undergrowth waited for his servant, idly stretching out his roots ever further while plants overtook the dwellings.
He was an ancient ghost. One of the oldest, existing long before flesh walkers figured out how banging rocks together made fire. As such, there was little that he had not attempted with his, admittedly, substantial set of powers.
Controlling a flesh walker in a manner such as this, however, was a new and novel experience.
It was similar in concept to how Pariah Dark created his Ring and Crown, if on a lesser scale. Undergrowth had been there when it happened. Not as enemies (at the time) but as ally's of circumstance. Thus, he knew the theory, even if he hadn't done it before.
He had taken a small fraction of his power, and Undergrowth had grafted it within the human female.
It contained little risk. The power he gave would regrow in time, and it would be no great loss if the girl perished. An annoyance at most, yet with the potential for so much gain.
It was also a lengthy process. Thankfully, the ghost child had been restrained already, so Undergrowth had been free to work uninterrupted. As it was, it had been close. Had the female's soul been a fraction different than what it was, the process would have ripped her asunder.
As the Ring and Crown were extensions of Pariah's will, so too would this female become an extension of his. Like a seed planted away from the plant it came from, that power would grow.
This wasn't the mindlessness that came from the mind-vines, nor was it the complete control that came from overshadowing. The power fused within her would reshape her thoughts to align with his own goals. A devoted servant, one imbued with power yet would require no oversight.
She would be his Gardner
Undergrowth might not know her thoughts, but her emotions were plain as day through their connection.
The girl's initial reactions were promising, her dedication a sight to behold! The earth, too, seemed to enjoy her presence, plants leaping to follow her will.
Undergrowth was about ready to say the experiment was an overwhelming success.
And then her friend happened.
Honestly, for the halfa to have an ice core of all things… Undergrowth could work around many obstacles. Earth, air, light, dark, water; if not helpful, at the very least he could resist a great many things. But ice?!
Ice?!
The only way it could be worse was if it was a fire core!
Undergrowth couldn't even use the boy's body as fertilizer anymore - not without that hideous cold infecting everything and causing untold damage.
No, it was better to just kill him off. A simple, if disappointing conclusion.
Or it would have been, Undergrowth growled angrily, had his chosen caretaker not began to waver in her conviction. Began questioning his orders.
That, Undergrowth would not allow.
A test was in order. By ordering her to personally kill the last link to her previous life, the girl would cement her allegiance to him. And if she couldn't?
Well, it would be a shame to kill her after spending the time and effort to convert her properly. But better she nourish the garden with her flesh than become a pest that would ruin his work.
Undergrowth had just begun to grow impatient when he felt his thrall's conviction solidify and grow exponentially. Within moments, the ghost child's energy signature vanished, and Undergrowth grinned.
Within moments, the female walked out and bowed. "Your will is done, father."
"Excellent," he all but purred, the plants up and down the street quivered and grew an extra foot, betraying his happiness. "Now that that unpleasantness is behind us, we have much to do. We've taken much, and we need to focus on what we have before expanding further. While I reinforce the existing plants, I wish for you to root out the remaining humans."
He had expended quite a bit of energy to expand as much as he had so quickly. To attempt more without rest was foolish, especially with how much he had already accomplished. There were still forces out there that could contend with him. Not much, but enough.
"Of course, father, it will be done." She agreed submissively before turning and riding on a wave of vines using the power he gave her.
He chuckled to himself as he moved underground, amidst the roots of his burgeoning kingdom.
Everything was going according to plan.
Sam's POV
Everything was going according to plan.
She felt guilty for how naturally she deceived her Father… But it was for a good cause! He would thank her once she presented Danny at her side, willing to help them.
It would all be worth it… But first, she had to actually take care of Danny.
Sam quickly doubled back to Fenton Works, easily bypassing the vines and other obstacles as she made her way to the basement.
Danny lay where she had left him. Still shivering, despite the electric blanket, but around his waist was a Spectral Deflector. It had been a bit of a scramble to get it, but as she had expected Jazz kept one in her room.
"I'm sorry Danny," Sam apologized mournfully to the unconscious boy as she moved to his side. She knew he didn't like the feeling of weakness it gave him, the pain it caused. But it was the only thing she could think of to hide his energy signature.
She lifted Danny tentatively, bracing herself just in case another surge of ice happened, before breathing a sigh of relief.
That would have been… Unfortunate had Danny accidentally froze her before she had even started.
As fast as she could, she made her way to her former house, yet she didn't spare the building anything more than a passing glance, her memories of the place faded and unimportant.
Instead, she focused on a building that had a far greater importance to her. Her greenhouse.
Unlike the house, her memories of the greenhouse remained crisp and clear.
Sam had always been sensitive to nature. More-so than anyone else she knew of. Becoming an eco-activist was truly less of a 'rebellion' that people thought it was, and a genuine desire.
It made sense to her - this was probably why her father had chosen her out of everybody else to be his daughter.
As the years moved on her frustrations and anger at the injustices of the world grew, her greenhouse became her outlet. One of the few places where she felt truly happy and relaxed.
Moving inside, she couldn't help a smile as the place practically burst with life in her presence. "Hello, my dears," she murmured happily as each plant seemed to turn in her direction.
She swiftly moved in with Danny in her arms and looked around.
The linoleum floor had already been taken over, grass tickling her bare feet as she glided through the area. She could feel the energy of every plant thriving in the area, branches and vines brushing against her in greeting while bushes and flowers bowed to her.
The plants outside might be Undergrowth's children, but she had raised most of these since they were seedlings. They were hers.
She had bought some time, but that was only the first step. The end goal was to figure out a way to heal Danny. To do that, she needed to find somebody she could question about his condition. And before she could do that, she needed to stabilize Danny so she could find said person.
One step at a time.
With a gesture of energy, every plant in the greenhouse focused on her.
"I need your help," she told them as she lay Danny on the ground carefully. At her request, every plant perked up and listened. Bowing low, she looked to her plants, ones she had named, and felt the undeniable connection between them. "Please - help me take care of Danny." She entreated.
She didn't need to ask, but it felt appropriate. Sam had always thanked them for providing for her in the past, why would now be any different?
Sam felt the very air shudder, the atmosphere becoming charged with purpose.
As one, they moved under her direction.
Within moments the greenhouse had been completely rearranged. The center had been cleared, the floor ripped open and a trench formed while all of her plants maintained a careful distance. Sam carefully lay the shivering Danny on a bed of soil and moss, along with the blanket from the lab, a beam of sunlight directly on him.
Standing up, Sam took a deep breath and focused on the energy within her. She felt it as best as she could, directing it through her body.
This was probably the best they would get with mundane efforts. Now it was time for a little imagination…
It took some time, and quite a bit of trial and effort, but within an hour Sam was able to imbue a few of her flowers with the same spectral energy neutralizing ability her father had used to restrain Danny previously. She positioned them along the perimeter of the greenhouse, preventing any ecto-energy to be felt from the outside save for what already existed. Another imbued flower was positioned as close as she dared to Danny, hopefully draining any excess energy from him would help.
Danny was currently unconscious, so she didn't think she had to worry about his emotions getting out of control… but just in case, several flowers began releasing a calming scent that should help. A variant of the sleep spores her father made previously.
It had taken a couple of hours, but Sam eventually looked at the results with pride. "Thank you so much." She thanked fervently, stroking the foliage of the nearby plants, all of which preened at the praise.
Sam looked down at Danny and knelt down, stroking his cheek carefully. He looked slightly better in that he was no longer freezing things solid, but he was clearly cold still. "Please be ok…" she whispered before getting up and walking to the door before stopping and turning around.
"Please don't tell father about this." She implored her plants before continuing the walk out the door.
Undergrowth could find out if he tried - but it was like seeing what was under the couch. You could easily figure it out, but in order to do it you had to make an active effort to do so. So long as she gave him no reason to look, he wouldn't.
She hoped.
She was taking a huge risk on this, if she couldn't find a way to cure Danny…
She shook the negativity out of her head as the various plants rustled comfortingly. Now was not the time for doubts. The field had been planted, and she would reap whatever harvest sprouted.
But first… She turned her gaze towards the Town Hall.
Sam had given herself more time. Now she needed to figure out a proper solution. And unfortunately, she only knew of one other half-ghost.
Time to interrogate a fruit loop.
Author's Note:
An interesting idea I had a while ago that I'm only now posting. The main idea pushing it was that there are hardly any stories out there where Sam has and uses her plant powers, and I wanted to expand on that a little bit. Please let me know what you guys think! I have a couple chapters written out now, and I'll be posting them once a month.
As usual, I'd like to thank those who are currently supporting me on pa tr eon; I'm super grateful for the support they provide (like, I can't even describe it. Thank you guys). For anybody that is interested or would like to support me, the link to that page is P a treon . com (slash) shdowstep. (remove the spaces).