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Everything Had Its Place. It was a sentiment that had brought him far in life. Even before his incident, he enjoyed organization, the writing of notes, and details that lead to conclusions.
He was not a fan of chaos, not much at all anymore.
Though it seemed it was thrust upon himself nonetheless.
Case in point. This situation.
He stood tall. One must do as best they can when facing adversity.
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The castle was massive, even driving up made him feel small and inadequate as it loomed over him, its shadows were long and reaching. It looked like something off of one of Sam's Gothic thriller novel covers.
“So…this guy is like…rich rich? And you knew him in college?”
Thanks Jazz. Very helpful.
“Know him? He's your Godfather! I used to send update letters and everything before life got hectic!”
The Fenton RV skidded to a halt, tires screeching on the pristine pavement.
The double doors were huge, the kind it would take two people to open. But only one man stood in the entrance, the shadow cast over him dropping as he stepped to greet them.
He made Danny feel cold.
He was polished, he wore a suit, Oxfords, a vest, a red tie. Not a button undone, not a wrinkle to his frame.
Danny could tell he was muscular, not like his dad but in the way swimmers were. He was strong all over which made the long silvery hair that cascaded over his neck in a loose braid such a stark contrast.
He was smiling at his parents.
It didn't reach his storm blue eyes.
He tried to lower his hackles.
“VLADDIE! good to see you man!”
Danny winced sympathetically as the man was scooped into a crushing hug.
It spoke to Vlad's grace that he just tapped Jack on the back to signal his desire to be let go.
“I am glad you are both well.”
His cold eyes scanned and landed on the teens.
“And I see you brought Jasmine and Daniel.”
Yeah, no shit Sherlock. Danny hid a little behind Jazz who just walked over to Vlad and shook his hand.
“It's nice to meet you Mr Masters.”
His eyes gained something…it was weird. Like a distortion of an emotion kept just hidden.
“Young lady, you may drop the formality and just call me Vlad. I am your Godfather after all.”
His mom smiled lightly and shook Vlad's hand as well.
“It's good to see you again. It's been ages.”
“Indeed it has.”
“Danny, come and greet Mr Masters, don't be rude.”
He grit his teeth and reached out his hand. Keeping his head drooped so he had no need to look at those cold stormy eyes.
He watched the hand as it engulfed his own. It was warm unlike the man's eyes, which he felt landed on him too heavily.
“I didn't know I had a Godfather.”
It was so quiet he was certain no one would hear.
Yet the man chuckled as he released his hand.
It was…nice? But over too soon.
He wished he had seen the man's eyes as he laughed. He wondered if they actually melted like ice in the springtime.
“Well then, shall I give you the grand tour before our little get together tomorrow?”
The man ushered them in, all elegance in his strides. His parents following and tittering away until they reached a particular room wide and open tastefully framed in green and gold.
Jerseys and flags were hung, memorabilia in glass cases dotted the room.
The whole castle had a Gothic imposing vibe, but this room?
It felt like a person owned it, not an unfeeling statue.
“Vlad! Your collection has gotten bigger!”
His dad laughed and his mom looked around happily, commenting on the good old days when they would all attend games together.
There was genuine warmth in His Godfather's gaze as they reminisced.
Emotion was a good look on him, made him look younger and not like polished stone.
“Would you like to stay for dinner? It will give us a chance to catch up.”
It was said with the formality of a business transaction but his mom agreed, even if she rubbed her arm warily.
Danny knew they were hiding something…neither of them had been talking about ghosts or said anything like that to Vlad…
Dinner was going to be something all right.
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“Jack.”
“I'm just saying V-man you should see some of the stuff we have in the lab these days! You were such an amazing ectobiologist, you would love it!”
Danny stuffed potatoes in his mouth. Here we go again. Him and Jazz shared a look waiting to be thrown out.
“It's true Vlad, the portal is up and running, but Jack, we should really not bother Vlad with all this.”
His mom looked nervous…
She NEVER was nervous.
“Maddie, this is Vlad! Even if he had a setback he has to be interested!”
Danny saw the man clench his fists. The emotion not reaching his eyes.
“Jack, Maddie. Is this why I have not received any updates on my Godchildren since Daniel was two?”
It was quiet…and his parents didn't hear, Jazz didn't either as she tried to calm them down.
But he met the man's eyes. Sad and furious.
Vlad cleared his throat.
“Well, I am not really let us say ‘into’ ghost hunting anymore. The…incident did make me want to steer quite clear of any unstable ecto.”
He was back to crisp professionalism and Danny felt like he had whiplash.
What was going on here?
“I'm so sorry Vlad, maybe we better go turn in for the night. Come on kids.”
Mom was doing her best to wrangle them for another cramped night in The RV.
“Great, just what we need. Another night in that deathtrap.”
Jazz snarked and mom shot her a glare Mr Masters interjected.
“Deathtrap?”
“Oh Vladdie! It is just the Fenton Assault recreational Vehicle. It is perfectly safe for humans!”
Dad laughed but the billionaire grimaced and looked at the children.
“You may stay the night here, after all, I do want to reconnect with all of you. Estrangement was never my goal.”
His mom looked tight lipped while his dad bounded up to give the man a hug, agreeing whole heartedly.
Danny couldn't complain anything was better than the RV that could kill him again with just the press of an errant button.
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They were given rooms on the third floor. The fourth was off limits because Vlad had his personal study and some old art prices up there.
Fair enough.
A chill ran from his spine and out of his mouth. But something kept him from going ghost…like that would be the worst thing he could do.
It was weird, it made his chest go tight.
“Okay…I just have to use my powers. No full ghost stuff needed. C'mon Fenton…”
He crawled out of the opulent four poster bed with its soft sheets and crept silently out of the room, his ghost sense leading the way.
“This is bad…”
It was floating just inside the stairway.
A nightmare on wings, some great bird of prey staring right at him.
“I…I've seen you before.”
Glassy red eyes met his.
“The boy thebothebotheboy”
It croaked over and over again like a signal.
He went invisible on impulse a strange fear over taking him.
Not a moment too soon as the bird was soon caught in the clawed hand of a nightmare.
The ghost oozed power and its deathly pale skin highlighted its deep red eyes. No pupils and no emotion. He watched in horror as its jaws opened. It ripped a wing off the bird first…and the screeching was too horrible to bear. He curled up, closing his eyes and covering his ears.
Go away..please…please go away.
He could hear the ghastly sounds of the second death. No one knew he was half ghost, not even his closest friends, but he was sure if this thing knew he would die.
And no one would find him.
Fear does funny things, like messing up already weak powers keeping you hidden from murderous ghosts.
So when his invisibility wore off he didn't know it until the ghost was breathing on his face.
“Oh? How interesting. What are you doing here little boy?”
His eyes lit up at the comment, electric, green and angry.
It just made this ghost laugh at him.
“Leave me alone.”
“Does asking that ever work?”
He paused.
“No. It makes me feel better though.”
The creature hummed and scruffed him like a cat. Floating upwards while he struggled. Trying to go ghost in his panic.
He was set on a large overstuffed armchair, a fire glowing in front of himself.
“Now then child. I will commend you on trying to be polite in another ghost's haunt, but do you realize even stepping foot in one would be considered rude?”
Danny…didn't. He squirmed out of the chair only for it to float over and scoop him up again.
“Ah ah ah.~ Manners my child. Do tell, how did you die? You feel too new for it to have been long.”
“I'm…I'm not dead.”
The ghost looked at him then slid from where he was floating into Danny’s personal space. A warm clawed hand pressed to his chest.
“Oh. A heartbeat and a core. You are quite special aren't you?~”
He shuddered, transformation taking hold.
“Get away from me!”
“My my. Such a temper, and for one so young too.”
Even as Danny swung this ghost just dodged him and then grabbed him pulling him close.
He was being held…hugged tight but not suffocating.
Then he felt it. A pulse next to his heart. Picking up speed, like it was excited.
No….nononono!!
He tried to push away but was held immobile in this ghost's arms as a part of himself seemed to find a weird comfort in it.
“Let me go!!”
“Why would I do that? A shadeling with a new core? You need someone to keep you.”
He struggled, trying to fight against this creature. Against how safe its arms began to feel
“There we are little one. One last push. I am surprised no one tried to resonate with you before though I suppose feeling empty of a core would do that.”
He had no idea what was going on..why he was beginning to feel…so sleepy.
Safe
His eyes drooped and he felt clawed fingers card through his hair.
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“My poor boy…what did they do to you?”
Vlad was not a good man, he knew that very well…but he had tried to provide for his Godchildren, even if they had been unwanted at first he still put money into college funds for them…he had sent a stipend monthly before but now he knew those two fools had been siphoning it away for their damned obsessions.
His core lit with anger.
Then he looked at the boy, sleeping in his arms too young to know anything of what happened to him.
It must have been a fast death, he hoped even the Fentons knew to take their son to the hospital if such problems occurred.
Though he wasn't holding his breath, and he could do so for a very long time.
Jasmine was already an adult. After this vacation she was on her way to college. Thankfully.
But that left his boy.
His in all but blood.
All he had to do was prove negligence.
Gentle prodding. A few favours here and there.
Then Daniel would be safe. The boy was easy to catch even as a halfa. His core small and un-nurtured, crying out to be cared for. Vlad was not friendly as a ghost, but it was like watching a kitten struggle to jump, it was cute if not a little sad.
And Daniel being a halfa did make him a bit impulsive in his parental claim.
The boy would want to be near him, ghosts were clingy emotional creatures after all, and the Boy's emotional needs were obviously not being met.
The child was like velcro already. Curled up on him, the human side winning out as he snuggled on his Godfather's lap.
It reminded him of the picture he had of Young Daniel when he was only two. He remembered feeling strange, the boy's eyes so like his, not the same blue as Jack's or the violet of Maddie. Even his sister sported an aqua.
A recessive trait perhaps, but it had sparked a specific type of possessiveness in him.
He hummed, lifting the boy up.
“Don't worry son. I will take care of everything. You won't have to worry about a thing”
The boy just murmured in his sleep, turning his head so he could listen to Vlad's heartbeat.
Everything would be in its place. Of that Vlad Masters had no doubt.
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