(no subject)

[a1enzo]

Enzo's been skiing a few times, including on Game Simulation field trips. It's one of those concepts that have made it down to sprite level by being copied from Games, so he's accustomed to doing it on synthetic terrain. He just hadn't expected that, in the off-season, so would Users.

"How do they make it?" he asks in fascination, digging his ski pole into the artificial snow.

Comments

[a1enzo]

Enzo matches him grip for grip.

"Yes, sir. I wanted to thank you for creating the most amazing, wonderful, perfect girl in any world."

He gives this about half a second to sink in. Then he hauls on Vlad's hand, hard, dragging him down and forward so his head meets Enzo's left fist coming the other way at speed.

[ghostzone_npc]

Vlad doesn't have time to turn intangible. His head snaps back, and as Enzo releases his hand, he stumbles backward, hits his head on the mantelpiece, and sits down hard.

[a1enzo]

Enzo shakes out his fist.

"Actually, I mostly wanted to do that. He's all yours, Dani."

[ami_imperfect]

The smile that appears on Dani's face could be called anything but happy as she cracks her knuckles and advances towards her creator.

While he's still down, she unleashes an ecto blast at him point-blank.

[ghostzone_npc]

Vlad screams with pain and rage.

He manages to shield himself again after a moment, but it's clearly a strain. The scream becomes a snarl. "You'll pay for that, daughter," he says, struggling to his feet.

[ami_imperfect]

"I'm not your daughter, Plasmius." There's more calm in Dani's voice than she's actually feeling as she advances on Vlad, firing another rage-filled ecto blast at him.

"My name is Danielle Patricia Fenton; Dani Phantom when I'm out kicking ghost butt." Yet another blast.

"And you don't get to call me Dani- with an 'I'."

[a1enzo]

Enzo gapes at the fight for a moment, but Dani is clearly holding her own. He tears his gaze away and hurries back over to the cage.

"I'm sorry, I needed him to buy it and I figured he'd go for it if he thought it'd hurt you and there wasn't a way to tell you what I was doing anyway..."

[amity_npc]

"Forget it, it worked, all's forgiven if you get us out of here!"

[a1enzo]

"Right, right!" He looks frantically around the room for a way to get the cage open.

His eyes light on the cobwebbed bookshelves. The vultures had been there, hadn't they? He darts over and shoves the few remaining, dusty books aside.

There's a rather obvious switch set into the back of the shelf. It's even clearly labelled "Corporospectral Cage". Sometimes, villains make things way too easy. Enzo flips it, and the ghost shield dissipates as the cage slides back into the floor.

[passthefudge]

"Attaboy, Enzo!" Jack steps off the carpet, brandishing something metallic and green with too many prongs. "Now let's take care of that no-good..."

[ilovebearbert]

"Uh, Dad?" Holding one arm out in front of her father to block him, Jazz points with her other hand to where her little sister is still wailing on Vlad.

She's not sure whether to be worried or impressed.

"I think Dani's got it under control."

[ami_imperfect]

Dani most definitely has it under control.

She's standing over Vlad now, ecto energy gathered around her clenched fist but not throwing any more punches.

"I think its time to take the trash out."

[notjustcookies]

Her mother, with some ceremony, unscrews the cap of a Fenton thermos.

"Mind if I do the honors?"

[ami_imperfect]

Dani grins, steps aside and gestures to him.

"He's all yours, Mom."

[ghostzone_npc]

Vlad struggles to raise himself up on his elbows. He doesn't look remotely menacing anymore.

"Maddie," he wheedles. "Please! You know that everything I did, I did for you..."

[notjustcookies]

"Exactly," Maddie snarls, and pushes the button.

[ghostzone_npc]

Vlad howls with rage as his ectoplasmic substance is stretched out thin and spiraled into the flask.

"I will have my revenge! Mark my words, all of—"

The rest is silence.

[amity_npc]

Danny is the first to break it.

"Danielle?" he asks tentatively. "You okay?"

[ami_imperfect]

Anger and adrenaline spent, Danielle drops wearily to her knees, panting for breath.

"Yeah," she says after a minute "yeah, I'm okay.

"I'm just glad it's over."

[a1enzo]

Enzo kneels beside her and puts his arm around her shoulders while his other hand reaches for hers.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani doesn't say a word, but leans her head against Enzo's shoulder and takes his other hand.

[notjustcookies]

Maddie sighs.

Then she shoos the others off the carpet and carefully places the thermos in the middle of it. She crosses to the bookshelf and reactivates the cage, making Vlad's containment doubly sure. Then she gets out her cell phone. (At least this time she has one.)

"Hello, Damon? It's Maddie. Yes, we've taken care of it, but you'll never believe which ghost it was..."

[amity_npc]

"Looks like you were right after all," Danny tells Dani. "This was... pretty much the worst vacation ever."