Sibling Secrets

10 - Two Sides of a Fruitloop

"Ah, Danny Phantom, hero of Amity Park. We meet at last." Danny stops at the sound of a strange new voice. He turns slowly.

"What are you, a ghostly reject from Twilight?" The tall, pale blue-skinned ghost before him, Danny thought, was acting bolder than most. Most ghosts would have tried to take a cheap shot at him by now, or snuck away while they had the chance. Still, Danny was unconcerned.

The ghost's fanged smile dropped. "Your manners, boy, leave much to be desired. Ah, well, living with a man like your father, one can't be surprised."

"Wait, you know about my father?" Danny frowned, and floated closer. "Wait, you're the stupid ghost that keeps sending those vultures after my Dad!" He pointed angrily at the ghost, who smiled and waved it away.

"You're welcome! The name's Plasmius. Vlad Plasmius." Vlad extended a black-gloved hand. Danny considered it a moment. Then he drew back his own hand, glowing with green ecto-energy.

"This is for-"

Vlad caught his hand an inch from his face, grinning maliciously in the stunned Danny's face. "Tut, tut, tut, Daniel. There is so much room for improvement. Frankly, I'm surprised 'the hero' has held out this long." He raised his eyebrows at Danny's struggles.

"You're a little stronger than the others, fine!" Danny glares, his eyes glowing green. "But I bet you don't expect-"

Vlad's hands glowed pink and he shocked Danny. "This is even worse than I thought; one hand still behind my back! Then again, what should I expect?"

"What - do you – want... Plasmius?" Danny panted, exhausted. Vlad caught a leg and held him, upside down.

"Join me, boy." Vlad raised Danny's face to be level with his, fangs flashing, red eyes burning. "Leave your idiot father and-"

Something green hit Vlad in the shoulder, sending him flying. Danny looked down.

"Danny, run!" Jazz dropped the Blaster and cupped her hands around her mouth.

Danny looked back at Vlad, who was nursing a hole in his cape but otherwise seemed unharmed. He looked up and glared, not at Danny, but at Jazz. "You will pay for that, child."

Danny flew and grabbed his sister, who had started running already. "Hey!" She complained.

Vlad growled and fired a pink blast at the siblings, but they were already gone. "Oh, sugar cookies!" He floats to the ground, and rubs his shoulder, where a distinctive hole in his cape was visible. "I just got that cleaned as well. Jasmine, Jasmine, Jasmine, you do not fare well with first impressions. Then again, neither have I." He paused, beginning to grin again. "But,"

Two dark rings appeared around Vlad's waist and transformed him into a white-haired, ponytailed, smartly dressed man. He straightened his tie, a small smirk forming on his lips. "you do not have the opportunity to make another first impression on me, whereas, I do."

Danny set Jazz down in front of Fenton Works, transforming as he went. He glared at Jazz. "What was that all about? You could have gotten killed!"

"Excuse me? Team Phantom?" Jazz brushes herself down. "Besides. You needed the help. I don't think you could see how badly you were getting beaten there. I mean-"

"But you're, like, my backup! You can't fight!" Danny instantly regretted those words. Jazz's eyes blazed, and she crossed her arms, tilting her head dangerously to the side. Danny braced himself.

"What did you say, little bro? I can't fight? What about that time when you were getting mauled by those ghost dogs, huh? Who was saving your butt then?"