You're Still A Fruitloop Though.

1. Year one

Danny is fifteen.

After the events of Ultimate enemy, Danny has been wondering if he should give Vlad Masters another chance. After all, Clockwork taught him the importance of second chances.

The creation of Dani set him back again. The fact Plasmius was willing to go so far as to steal his DNA and create clones of him. He shudders at the violation.

But their semi-frequent team ups, especially the one to defeat Pariah Dark left him feeling conflicted.

Danny can't help but think back on what exactly Vlad has and hasn't done. How much was orcestrated, what did Vlad actually lie to him about?
Yeah he definitely lied, the question is more what truth did he try to hide from Danny.

After Phantom declined the offer of having Plasmius train him, it's as if the older halfa decided the best course to train him anyway was to play the villain and push the young hero to become stronger that way. Since he's always bragging about how much he teaches Danny in their fights, it's not that far fetched a thought.

Not to mention the bs he's pulled on Dannys family. If he realy wanted Danny's father dead, with all the wealth and power Masters has, there is no way the young halfa could stop him.

And how often has the older halfa thrown a fight or let Phantom win? Danny knows Vlad is stronger than him. He's always holding back, pulling punches, letting Danny get hits in he knows Plasmius could have dodged.

Pehaps even with the full power of the crown of fire Danny might not be able to defeat Plasmius as he is now. And isn't that a terrifying thought?

Danny is tecnically Ghost King now, having earned the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage in combat. At least that's what Clockwork has told him. Being king feels like too big a responsibility at the moment. He barely knows how to lead a class of roudy teenagers. He is too busy with trying not to fail school and keeping to city safe to rule an entire realm.

Yet the older halfa hasn't challenged him for the crown. Its a strange thing to wrap his mind around that Vlad Plasmius Masters wouldn't want the power over the ghost zone when its so close within his grasp. Surely Vlad knows Danny is heir to the throne, its not like its a well kept secret in the ghost zone.

Did Vlad figure that it was only a matter of time before Pariah Dark would be let loose and did he decide to control it himself? Did he always plan for Phantom to rally the other ghosts and defeat the ghost king?

"What? That I used two fourteen year old pawns to turn a knight and topple a king? It's chess, Daniel, of course you don't understand." Plasmius' words echo trough his mind.

So many unawnsered questions he can't just walk up to Vlad and ask. Danny feels like he's getting closer to he awnser, but he still doesn't realy get it.

~

Danny opens the front door of his house to Vlad Masters on the other side.

After Dannies fifteenth birthday whenever Vlad would visit the Fenton Household, Danny has decided to make an effort to at least be cordial with the man. Vlads schemes seem to have lessened, or at least no longer of the build-up-to-world-domination scale he was pushing before.

"Hey fruitloop," Danny steps to the side to let the older halfa in. "if you're here to snoop can I suggest you don't, unless you're realy confident in your ability to dodge like a gold medal gymnist." He says as a greeting.

"Come now little badger you know how well I can dodge. You shot at me plenty of times for me to prove it." Vlad wears a smug grin on his face as he walks into the home confidently.

~

Vlad Masters doesn't heed the warning. In fact, he becomes curious what the Fentons are hiding. So, ofcouse, he snoops. He doesn't find much of interest, util he opens a specific cabinet in the living room.

"Wait Vlad not that one!" Danny sprints towards the elder halfa and tackles him away. Just as he opens the door a net shoots out, inbeds itself into the opposite wall with force and sparks with electricity.

"Ecto signal detected." A robotic voice sounds from the open cabinet.

Danny and Vlad end up sprawled in a undignified heap on the floor from the teens quick safe.

The Fenton parents come rushing out of the kitchen, weapons drawn and jelling about ghosts.

"False trigger. Again. This time it wasn't me, but Vlad." Danny tells his parents angrily as he scrables up from the floor.

The Fentons are left scratching their heads at yet another false alarm.

"Thank you little badger, though I'm surprised you bothered to save me."

"Don't mention it. Realy, don't. It'd be bad for both of us if you got caught in the Fenton anti-ghost energy trap." Danny knows from experience, that thing hurts, and its a struggle to stay human when caught inside of it.

~

The biggest step Danny took in their informal semi-truce, was on a day when the elder halfa visited his home, he asked Vlad to help him study for an upcoming test. One he couldn't afford a bad grade in.

Vlad seemed plesantly surprised and eager to help. Though he ofcourse did have questions.

"Can't your parents help you study?"

Danny shakes his head "They're busy with work. Usually Jazz helps me but she's got tests upcoming too and I don't want to bother her."

So the two halfas ended up sitting next to eachother on the couch, books and papers spead out over the coffee table. Vlad lectures him better than any of his teachers could, as Danny takes notes.

Danny got the best grade he's had all year on the test.

______________

Half a year passes. Danny Fenton wouldn't say his relationship with Vlad Master is great. But it's not the worst it has been, far from it. Their fights are few and far between. For the most part they can speak civily with each other.

Vlad even seems to have lost a lot of interest in persuing Dannys mom. Not stopping entirely, still sending gift baskets and making double meaning flirty comments whenever he visits, but far from the agressive persuit he'd displayed barely a year ago.

Then the incident happens.