The next day came and night arrived relatively fast.
When Vlad was not busy trying to gain the attention of Maddie, he would spend time with Lina in his library. She was allowed to go there on her own and read, which she did for the biggest amount of time during the day. She had planned to do that during the night, not wanting to be around adults, who danced to old music.
Ironically, Jazz had found her isolation place, the screening room and she was busy watching football clips. That had left Danny alone, waiting bored with nothing truly to do other than watch adults dance around to old boring music.
However, there were plans for both of them.
Lina was busy reading when her ghost senses went off. She looked around, trying to spot the source when she noticed three familiar ghost vultures phasing through the room.
"Not you again" she muttered as she places the book on the coffee table before taking her ghost form and following them.
She flew right after them and she was eventually led into what looked like a lab, only when she did look around; they were gone. However, the screen of one of the computers showed the words:
'Results Ready'
Her curiosity got the best of her and she landed in front of the keyboard and the big screens, wanting to see what this was all about. Was it wrong? Oh, that was certain but she had to know and she did promise to just have a small glimpse and leave it be.
Not to mention that despite Vlad's personality, she had yet to forget all those red flags she had noticed on their first day. Plus, if that ghost dream was more than that, perhaps it was connected somewhere or with someone in the castle.
She tapped a few keys, knowing the basics after working with and watching Maddie for so long. Once the results the machinery talked about were shown on the screen, she could not help but gasp and cover her mouth with her hands.
She slowly backed away from the computer, wide eyes staring at the screen and what they had just unveiled in front of her red eyes. Suddenly, she sensed something behind her and she quickly dodged to the side by instinct. A pink ectoplasmic ray missed her by inches and she quickly turned to spot Plasmius levitating not far away.
"Fast reflexes. Good" he said, a smug smirk on his face and hands folded in front of his chest.
Now she was certain that she had not imagined that battle.
How she got into bed remained a mystery to her, but now it was not the right time to wonder about it; for she had a very dangerous and skilled opponent to deal with.
"What is this?" she asked, confused as to why he was there and what were those results. She was not sure why she questioned him specifically but she was in too much shock to properly think.
"Impressive right? Ghosts and humans do not mix but halfas" he smirked and suddenly he turned back to Vlad, landing softly on the ground. "Those are a new category of their own"
"I do not understand," Lina said, lowering herself to the floor fully.
How did Vlad become a halfa? And a powerful one? How did that connection happen? She had so many questions in her mind, looking between the computer screen and him as if suddenly everything would make sense to her.
"Mistakes do happen Angelina. I paid for mine to ensure it would never come to life but..." he turned his back on her, looking at the screen. "Here you are. Somehow, you are like me...no, you can become better than me" he then turned to look at her. "You are different from Daniel, different from me"
"No, I am not" she quickly argued back, not liking what he was insinuating.
She was the same as Danny, not to mention her adopted brother seemed to have more skills than her, like the ectoplasmic ray coming from his hands.
He wanted to roll his eyes but he held himself, deciding to try a different approach. That girl was simply too modest for her good. "Think my dear. You are faster than him, more powerful and genetically you are superior to him. He is a first-generation but you...you are a second...you can become so much more powerful. But not if you stay with Daniel"
She blinked, turning back to human form as she now had her full attention on Vlad. "So what? I should stay with...you...?" she slowly started to understand where this talk was heading, looking at him with a conflict of emotions.
Vlad extended one hand for her to take. "I can teach you. What you saw in our previous battle was just a fragment of what I am capable of. 20 years I have practised and I can teach you those tricks" he showed her a few quick moves to emphasize his point, like shield and duplication. "If you leave the Fentons, leave Jack and join me"
She was quiet for a moment, looking at his extended hand and then at him. It all made so much sense now; from her appearance to their shared interest. If she were to stay with Vlad, she could become stronger and protect Danny. She could not even learn how to do a simple ectoplasmic beam come from her hand and yesterday, she was helpless to protect and help him against Plasmius.
But then again, he was dangerous. He could easily go after Jack, and he must have planned to do so.
Suddenly, the reunion and the attacks by the birds, the way he looked at Maddie and his past with Jack... he had not invited Jack back to mend burnt bridges...no. It was something more. He wanted something more and she started to finally put the pieces together and get the answer to this well-hidden and complicated puzzle.
"I see you contemplate. You can take your time. I have things to deal with" with those words, something was thrown at her feet.
It took just a blink of her eyes before she found herself trapped in a small cell-like box. She was shocked but then snapped into reality when she realized she was trapped and could not get away. Her first thought was to transform and faze through it but she found herself unable to change into her other self.
"What is this?" she asked, demanding an answer.
"Just something to make sure, you do not try and spoil my plans. We will talk later Angelina" with those words, he transformed back to Plasmius and phased through the ceiling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She did not know how much time had passed. It was less than an hour but it felt so much more to her. Her mind kept thinking and rethinking everything that took place so far, and Vlad's offer. She also thought of Danny. If he was also trapped or worse, forced to fight Vlad alone. She struggled hard to free herself but she was unable to do so.
This box kept her human and for the first time since she changed, she wanted to be a ghost.
To her surprise, Danny phased through the wall and was out of breath as if he had been running to escape from Dash or Skulker.
"Danny/Angel!" they called each other, the male halfa rushing quickly and pressing the release button on this odd cage, allowing her to be free.
Once free, she quickly hugged him tightly, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She was so worried for him, it almost drove her crazy. To her surprise, Danny hugged her back too, for he also had to deal with a lot, especially with the new set of information he got.
"Vlad is Plasmius," he said as they broke apart.
"I know" she quickly replied, already aware of that.
"He is after Dad"
"I know"
"He sent the octopuses and Skulker after us"
"Wait what?" Lina repeated, blinking, not expecting such a revelation.
Danny gave a nod. "Well, not us but Dad. But we stopped it before it happened"
She blinked again, now more things making sense. However, one thing remained still the most shocking revelation of all. She grabbed his wrist. "Danny, Vlad is..."
"Jack!" Maddy's voice was heard, in alarm.
"Dad!" Danny exclaimed and remembered that he was the main target of Vlad. "Come on Angel!"
He grabbed her wrist and they both flew up, phasing through the ceiling. Lina decided to tell him later after they had dealt with the new threat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the dance floor, Vlad had taken possession of Jack's body and was busy terrorizing people. Several guests were running out of the room, screaming and one even jumped out of a window. All while, the possessed Jack threw tables around while flying and scaring people.
"If you live to tell the tale, remember that big, fat Jack Fenton did this to you!" he shouted, only for someone to disagree.
"Guess again, cheese head," Danny shouted as both he and Lina showed up.
Quickly, fast and efficiently they turned intangible and flew through Jack's body. Their combined effort and momentum were enough to knock a screaming Vlad out of Jack and phase through a wall before anyone could notice.
They once again end up in the library and they tossed him to the ground, letting him there. Danny, not wanting to take any chances tried to punch Vlad but only ended up being kicked away.
Plasmius started to levitate again. "Daniel, Angelina, stop. Think about the things I could show you, the doors I could open for you. You, Danny and Angel Phantom, and I, Vlad Plasmius. Together, we could rule"
The two siblings looked at one another and they both knew, what was their answer or their decision.
"Forget it, pal. Your money can't buy my mom, it can't buy the Packers, and it can't buy me or my sister!" Danny said, making Lina smile for calling her his sister.
The Fentons might not be perfect but they had always been a family for her, in their way. She would never go against them, not even for power or acknowledgement. No, family meant way more to her and Vlad could not understand that.
Danny fired an ectoblast at Vlad who absorbed it with one hand and shot it back at Danny with the other hand. However, Lina appeared and back-slapped the blast, making it change direction and hit the wall instead. Her eyes glowed red and so was her hand, which she had used to redirect the blast.
"I know who you are. I'll tell my father. I'll tell everyone."
Vlad smirked. "And so will I. Honestly, if you expose me, you expose yourself. Both of you"
That made Lina exchange a look with Danny. This was true, for it could get them exposed, and that did not mean that Vlad would just go around and tell people. No, he was smart and powerful and he had both resources and ways to expose them in real action in front of everyone.
The sudden silence was disturbed by the honking of the GAV.
"Huh?" Lina exclaimed when suddenly, the GAV burst through the walls of the Library with Jack behind the will.
The female halfa pushed herself and Danny out of the way, while Vlad simply moved himself to safety. However, he was quick to simply keep causing trouble as he phased his hands down through the top of the GAV and pulled Maddie out of the middle seat.
"Mind if I cut in?" he asked rhetorically.
"Let go of me!" Maddie shouted as they both turned intangible
"Never again, woman."
"Danny, Maddie!" Lina said, nudging the other halfa with her elbow and pointing at Vlad who flew away with Maddie in his grasp, and Jack trying to follow them on foot.
"Wait here," Danny said as he turned intangible and phased into the GAV sit in the driver's seat.
Lina, not wanting to just wait for Danny but having understood enough of what he wanted to do; decided to follow Vlad. She found them in the next room, with Vlad holding Maddie or better say, dangling her by her foot, high up in the air.
"Don't you know this way you won't win her heart?" she said as she was invisible, flying past Vlad and making him stop mid-air.
She only had to win time for Danny and she was succeeding.
"Stay out of this" Vlad hissed, not enjoying having his mood ruined by her.
His pink eyes looked around, trying to sense her but she kept flying around and it was making it hard for him. Having Jack from beneath shouting at him and Maddie struggling, did not help either; and Lina knew that.
Suddenly the VR came out of nowhere and stopped right beneath Vlad and Maddie. A laser cannon appeared out of the top of the GAV while the steering wheel was converted into a weapons-tracker battle mode for Danny to use. Danny first fired an "energy beam" option at Vlad, who knocked it away.
He then shot "lightning" at him, but Vlad lets it phase through him. Finally, Danny fired the "ectoplasmic goo" option, which did hit Vlad as he recoiled in disgust and also, the force knocked him back, causing him to drop Maddie.
Danny quickly phased out of the GAV and overshadowed Jack, then used him to catch Maddie.
"Jack! You did it!"
"It was nothing, Mom- uh, Maddie. Sure, heh, Maddie. You make sure Harry's okay *Sets Maddie down* while I finish this."
Maddie ran towards the GAV while Danny, still overshadowing Jack, lifted a goo-covered Vlad off the ground. At the same time, Lina appeared and trapped his hands behind his back, all while being in her barely visible mode.
"How's it going, V-Man?" Danny asked, making Vlad realize what was going on.
"Ooh, you've overshadowed Jack. And you stayed invisible. Smart" he said while looking above his shoulder at where Lina was. Then focused back on Jack/Danny. "Ooh, I'm so scared. Now, what's next? A card trick?"
"Listen to me. I swear I'll walk out of my dad right now and expose us both unless you agree to a truce"
"You're bluffing. What about Angelina?"
Danny/Jack lowered Vlad a bit and Lina let his arms go. "I am with Danny. If it means taking you down and keeping them safe, I will do it."
Danny/Jack gave a note. "Our parents will accept us, no matter what. *Lina smiled at that* But if I expose you...well, what would my mom think of you?"
"Yes," Lina agreed. "Especially after the trick and small kidnapping you just pulled. Not to mention she hunts ghosts"
Vlad made a worried face at the thought of Maddie's reaction. This made Danny/Jack let him down. "You'll be miserable and alone for the rest of your life unless you call a truce."
Vlad smirked at what had just taken place. "Using your opponent's weaknesses against him. I am teaching you something after all. Very well. Truce. Eventually, you will join me by choice, you, Angelina and your mother. But for now... " He cleared his throat and floated up dramatically. "Curse you, Jack Fenton! Your world-renowned expertise of all things ghost has defeated me! ...Until next time, daughter." he whispered the last part, just enough for her to listen to him; since she was the closest one.
To Lina's surprise, he dramatically screamed as he dissipated into a green mist until he disappeared. Danny then phased out of Jack's body and flew off with Lina following, while Maddie and Harriet came up to Jack's side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days later and our heroes were at Sam's house. All sitting on the bed in her room, the two Halfa explaining what took place and what Vlad exposed about Lina.
"Wow," Sam commented, hugging a pillow and listening intensively.
"Man. That was one heck of a reunion" Tucker commented right after, trying to process everything that took place; sounding more like a movie or a TV series than real life.
"Tell me about it," Danny said, falling on his back and laying with his arms spread.
"And what will you do about it, Lina?" Sam asked, looking at Lina who was hugging a different pillow and was busy staring outside the window.
She let out a sigh and turned to look at her friends. "Well... it is quite a big reveal...but I will continue normally. Maybe try and prepare more, for when we meet again"
The goth placed her hand on her friend's knee, offering a passive comforting grip. "We are here for you"
Tucker smirked. "You bet. That Plasmius is lucky he did not have to deal with us"
Lina smiled, chuckling at the humour along with everyone else. It felt good to be home and as she was surrounded by her friends, she knew she had made the right choice.