After the dust settled, and the smoke cleared, the hero collapsed on the ground, exhausted and physically destroyed. The explosion had happened, he was right all along. He couldn't protect them, but now it was a painful truth. No bodies were left, barely anything from the victims were left, except for one thing.

A spiked bracelet, left by a girl of purple eyes, which now sat beside the teen hero.

All around, the townspeople came out from their homes to check what had happened, but when they saw the scene, it was mixed reactions. Some looked in horror at the sight, seeing the first real death in the town. Those who had hated the hero looked in sorrow and regret, feeling terrible for trying to make him look bad.

However, when the young hero still later upon the ground, he couldn't feel anything. Not the stares from the people, but the smoke and fire nearly a foot next to him, not even his faint heartbeat. All in all, he felt numb. Empty. Hollow. But what he felt most of all: Useless. Someone who was fast enough could've stopped the bomb, yet he didn't. Someone who was strong enough would have defeated the evil person sooner, yet he couldn't.

He had...was...lost.

However from the shadows, came more ghosts. All of them, old enemies and friends, and even neutrals, came out of the woodwork. The residents looked in worry, some running away, but none of the ghosts attacked. None charged. None even held a fist. They just stood there, and, for the first time for many of them, felt regret for their actions.

Then came forward the mayor of the city, not fearing the ghosts in anyway, shocking the civilians. In fact, they parted ways for him to walk, and he didn't stop till he was beside the hero. Once he saw the emptiness in his eyes, he saw that he finally hit the breaking point. Nothing else mattered, for he had nothing to go from. He lost he family, his friends, and his teacher. Nothing else could give him that spark again.

Feeling like the worst Uncle/Godfather, the mayor gently bent down and picked up the broken hero, as well as the spiked bracelet. Holding him close to the chest, he walked out, the ghosts parting ways for the duo, and he walked far to his mansion. The residents looked in horror, but then looked down in shame at the sight. When they arrived at the mansion, the ghosts who had came now created a perimeter for the pair, not letting anyone, dead or alive, inside.

Inside the place, the older man looked in despair at the teen, who had changed forms inside. His snow white hair changed to a raven black, his spandex shifted to a shirt and jeans, and his eyes morphed from a broken green, to a hollow blue. He laid on the couch, not moving, not shifting his gaze from the ceiling at all.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Little Badger," the mayor tried to plead, seeing that his smug attitude could wait. The teen didn't reply, not moving and barely breathing. The mayor knew that the teen couldn't stay here, not if he wanted to get better, so he did what he should've done. With a sad glance, the mayor walked to the phone and dialed it.

After a few rings, the voice on the other picked up. "Fujioka residents." A man's voice, but was slightly higher than most, answered.

"Hey Ranka," the mayor took a breath, feeling the weight on his heart and core finally catch him. "it's...it's Vlad. Vlad Masters."

A small gasp came from the other end, "V-Vlad? W-What's wrong?" Now the other man had a slightly shaky voice, feeling the emotions from his older cousin.

"..." Vlad took a pause, not knowing how to proceed. After collecting his thoughts, he finally gained enough nerves to do it. "It's...Your sister, M-Maddie."

Another gasp came from the other end, but the man stayed silent. The silence was starting to kill Vlad, both the silence from the younger halfa and now Maddie's brother, who moved to Japan when he could. He did eventually speak again, but it was in broken sentences, so Vlad helped him and explain that she, her husband, and their daughter had just perished in an explosion in town. A tear rolled down Vlad's cheek, feeling the years of obsession and near stalking finally get to him and pull him down.

"T-There's something else..." Vlad said after some time, turning and glancing to the teen, who was still lying on the couch with the same empty look. "One of the F-Fentons survived...M-Maddie's son, Daniel."

"What a-are we going to do?" Ranka sniffled, due to crying a ton on the other end of the phone.

After a long pause, and much reflection on Vlad's end, Vlad did have a solution. "He can't stay in Amity, or America in my opinion. It would never help him, which is why-"

"Yes." Ranka cut the older man off, already knowing what he would ask. Vlad let out a sigh of relief, feeling a small amount of hope rise for Daniel in his old heart. "When can you get him here?"

"I'll send my private jet," Vlad said, slowly filling with determination to help the last reminder of both the woman he loved, and the son who never backed down from it. In a way, it gave the teen a load of respect from Vlad, but he was never good at showing it to him. "He'll be there in three days." They talked some more, hashing out details, before the line went dead.

Thousands of miles away, a man held the phone tightly. Tears swelled into his eyes, making the remnants of makeup on his face run down his cheeks. With a shaky hand, he put the phone back in the receiver, and felt his heart eating at him.

His own sister...gone…

His own memories of the redhead sister flashed in his eyes, always there to protect and help him when he needed it. In school, she tutored him when he needed help and was always there to congratulate him whenever something good happened to him. Her laugh would brings sparks into his heart on his saddest days, and her smile warmed even the coldest of moods.

Yet it was when they grew up that they began to drift. Being the smarter one, Maddie went into science and discovered her true passions there. That lead her to college in America, which she won at an international science fair in Japan. For a time they kept in contact with letters and phone calls, but time hits hard especially combined with distance. The calls became shorter, the letters became rarer, until both were nonexistent, the only thing telling them that the other was alive was the wedding invitations. However, circumstances with work and money on both sides made it impossible for either to attend the other.

But the memories never faded from him, and he remembered her fiery mind, only matched by her caring nature. Now they're only pictures in his head though, and they were hitting his heart hard.

Standing in his kitchen, Ranka was bent over the counter, his arms barely holding him up as he sniffled. Oblivious to the outside world, he failed to hear the floor creaking from pressure and the soft pattering of feet. It wasn't until he heard a voice did he come back to Earth, and he turned to see his own daughter standing in a night dress, looking at her father with worry in her eyes.

"Dad," her voice, soft, had a small tinge of worry. Slowly, she walked around the apartment till she stood beside him. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Choking back a sob, Ranka turned to his daughter and sighed. "I know I never told you this, Haruhi, but I had a sister growing up." That statement had his daughter, Haruhi, surprised, having never heard of this before. Ranka smiled, though it was filled with grief and exhaustion, but stared at nothing in particular. "I never told you, since we grew apart in our passions. She was...the brightest person I ever knew, and also the most caring one. Years ago, she went to America for schooling and we fell out of contact." Ranka paused, wiping a tear away from his eyes, before turning fully to his daughter. "Until a few minutes ago."

It took a minute to collect himself, but Ranka managed (with the help of Haruhi) to move to the couch, sagging into the cushion. Haruhi watched her father with confusion and genuine worry seeping into her heart. Normally, on any given day, her father was emotional and eccentric, often times giving her a migraine. Yet she knew that he loved her, and that he cared about her a great deal ever since her mother. So she always smiled internally whenever he was crazy to her, even if she showed more annoyance than love. However, seeing the man broken down and fighting back tears of grief, it broke her heart to see such an ebullient man become a shell.

"Dad?"

"I got a call from a friend, the mayor of the town they lived in," Ranka looked at his daughter, and her eyes widened. Seeing the hollow look in them was an eye opener for her, and it made her heart shake a little. "He went to college with her and her husband, and worked with them. But...something just happened. She-" Ranka sniffled again, fighting back tears, "She died." Ranka then broke down in tears, not able to hold it back anymore.

Haruhi instantly held her father close, his head shaking in her shoulder as she ran a hand up his arms. She hadn't seen him this heartbroken for years, and it brought back some memories of her own of him. They sat like this, quiet sobs from the grieving man and the soft words of his caring daughter.

Clearing up his eyes, he sighed as he looked at the floor, hand gripping one of Haruhi's. She watched him, and saw a flash in his eyes, "What else is there?"

Ranka paused, clearing his throat before replying. "T-The entire family died...and the only survivor was her son…"

'An orphan' Haruhi felt her heart clench. She might not have been one, but she could sympathize, in a way, about losing family. "What's going to happen to him."

"Vlad, the m-mayor, thought it best to...get him out of the States." There was a long pause, and it took a moment for Haruhi to understand it. When she did, her eyebrows creased as she thought about it.

"When will he be here?"

"Three days." Haruhi sighed. 'Not much time to prepare.' She might've been tired, but she knew better. Seeing her father speak highly of his sister, if she would've protested he most likely would've said 'She would've done the same if it happened to me and you'. So she nodded and helped her grieving father to bed, watching as he just about fell asleep as soon as he was covered.

After that, she went to her room and sat on the bed, thinking over the last hour. She rubbed her forehead, feeling exhaustion take over as she looked at her alarm. It was too late for descent sleep, and it made her yawn.

'I hope the hosts go easy tomorrow'.

Although it was only three days, it felt like an eternity to the raven who sat on the plane, still as a board. For three days, he hadn't said anything, nor eaten anything, nor slept a wink, nor stood straight. Three days of hunched over, empty and hollow, the shell of the halfa he used to be. Across the aisle, not seeing or noticing it, Vlad sat with a newspaper, but that was only a mask.

For the entirety of the 7 hours they've been on the plane, he watched his nephew with baited breath. Any response, any emotion would be an improvement, and he had longed for the boy who defied him. It was that fire that battled the older man's obsession that drew out his admiration, but it was snuffed out within moments. The newspaper was barely legible to him, all his focus diverted to the teen sitting mere feet from him. Seeing the dejected, empty and emotionless teen, he internally sighed.

'Where is the fighter' he thought, now looking at the paper. 'The one who fought till his last breath, the one that fought till his bones broke. The spirit that ruined all my plans with a smile on his face, the one who made me think twice about my power. At every turn, he fought tooth and nail to stop me. I would give my entire array of powers just to see him show any emotion'. With a huff, though a tired one from the elder man, he folded the paper and placed it on his lap. It took him this long to think of something to say, and it took all his experience in politics and speeches to think of the right words.

Sighing he turned to face Danny, who was still hunched over and hadn't moved, and took a deep breath. "Daniel...I have spent the majority of my life talking to people, with the right words to say just about every time...Yet now, I find myself at a loss of even the simplest of words to say." Vlad watched the young boy, hoping for any response, but got no reaction for it. Danny just kept staring at the seat in front of him. "Where is the boy I knew who would thwart all my plans...would annoy and defeat me at every turn ...the spirit that defied me around every bend and every turn?" A split second, but Vlad saw it. Danny's shoulders tensed, a mere nano second, but the elder man saw it. Internally he smiled. He was making progress. "I cannot speak for heroes, for reasons that are obvious, but I speak for someone who had a...setback many years ago. They hurt, yes, and they are not meant to be pushed aside and forgotten, but all we can do is push on from there. Tell me, Daniel, do you know why we fall?" He let the question hang for a couple of seconds, seeing confliction in Danny's eyes, before risking something.

He placed his hand on Danny's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "It's so we can learn to pick ourselves up." With that Vlad went back to his seat, now being able to focus on the newspaper he had.

Danny, for the first time in three days, realized where he was. With a deep breath, he sank into the seat and slept for the first time in days. To his left, Vlad smiled and enjoyed the peace.

Most people would think that cleaning was a chore and a hassle. Unlike most, Haruhi quite enjoyed it, but for a different reason. In her apartment, it was for two reasons. One was that it gave her something to do, for she was someone that rather disliked too much down time. She was a woman that was active and bordering on workaholic, and she couldn't sit there and do nothing. That was not her, and she got that from her mother, which Ranka told her with a smile.

The other was that it gave her time to unwind, to collect her thoughts, and to calm down from the lunacy at the school she went to. With the craziness if rich people, the girls at the club, and Tamaki (who had a picture right next to the word 'lunatic' in the dictionary); she needed time to calm herself and regain what sanity she had.

Sighing, she was cleaning the coffee table they had, humming to herself a little tune she remembered. Not known to anyone but her father, she actually had a nice singing voice, which her father reminded her whenever he caught her singing. Though she always rolled her eyes, internally she would blush and go back to doing whatever she was doing. God help her if the hosts ever find out, it would be a nightmare. Kyoya would find out how to make money off it, the twins would bother her nonstop, and Tamaki...she shuddered at the thought.

Back to cleaning. Haruhi had just finished the coffee table, wiping her hands from the soap, when a knock came from the door. Confused, she looked at the clock and frowned. It wasn't her father, it was both too early and he had a key with him. Walking to the door, she tried to think of what was behind the door, but couldn't figure it out. Twisting the knob, she pulled the door to reveal two people, and her confusion deepened

One of them, an older man, had a slight air of upstanding, something she picked up from dealing with rich people daily. This man was rich, and his clothes showed it. A black suit, cleaned and shining in the sun, with a red bow tie and matching handkerchief. His eyes had the look of experience, in what she didn't know, but they held wisdom in them as well as power. Grey hair, but not a dull grey, tied in a ponytail. The man stood in an impeccable stature.

Next to him, Haruhi gasped at what she saw. A teen, some years older than her, hunched over slightly with a duffle bag in one of his hands. Compared to the man, he was foil to him. Shorter, raven black hair, blue eyes, simpler clothing but had the same eye color. Yet his eyes were different; they had experience and power in them, just as much as the older man, but were also filled with deep despair and grief. His clothes consisted of a white t-shirt, red trim with some red design on the front, simple blue jeans and red shoes.

Startled, Haruhi collected herself and looked at the older man. "Can I help you two?"

The older man studied the girl in front of him, for a moment, before smiling and bowing his head. "Why yes, my dear, you can. I was wondering if this is the Fujioka residence?"

"Yes it is, sir."

"Splendid." He clapped his hands, smiling a little brighter. "Then I am to assume you are the wonderful Haruhi your father told me about?"

She perked up at this, relaxing at the stranger and smiling back. "Yes I am, can I ask who you two are?"

Vlad bowed, "I am Vladamir Masters, mayor of Amity Park in America, and this," Vlad gestured to the teen next to him, who still looked a little grief stricken. As such, Vlad's smile turned sad, and his eyes filled with pain and regret. "Is my...nephew Daniel Fenton."

"H-Hi."

It finally clicked in Haruhi's head, and it all made sense. This was her dad's friend from America, the one that called three days ago, which made the teen the...Her eyes widened, but she bowed back to the pair. "It is nice to meet you. Please, come in." Vlad smiled and, with a gentle push for Danny, the pair entered the apartment, taking off their shoes as they walked in. The duffle bag was placed next to the couch, and the pair took seats at the couch, and their differences showed even more. Vlad sat straight, hands in his lap and one leg on the other. Danny, however, looked defeated in his posture. Hunched over, ankles crossed, arms hugging his sides and head looking down.

"Do you know when your father will return, miss?" Vlad asked, glancing every now and then at Danny, checking him.

"Please, call me Haruhi," she said, before looking at the clock. "Not for some time I think, he doesn't get out till-"

Suddenly the door opened, and behind it was a disheveled woman who was breathing deeply. Composing herself, she looked at the occupants, before seeing Vlad and Danny. "Vlad?"

Vlad stared at the woman, before hearing the voice, and his own eyes widened. "Ranka is that you?" There was a little disbelief in his voice, before he looked over the man's outfit. "Your earrings are slipping."

"Vlad." His voice was tired. Both of the older men had pain in their eyes, yet now they showed the years they put in this world as well. "My boss let me out early...have you been here long?"

"Not at all, Ranka." Vlad stood up, and helped the other man to a chair. Haruhi, who had been watching silently, made everyone a set of tea and they ended up sitting around their table. It was a tense silence, since the topic was so heavy, but someone had to start.

"So...how have you been Daniel?" Ranka asked, putting on a brave face (with makeup on as well).

Danny looked up and, upon seeing all eyes on him, rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I've b-been alright." A little stutter and shake in his voice, and no ability to even force a smile on it.

Ranka nodded, trying to get a lay for the child, even if he was older than his daughter. He looked a bit pale, but so did Vlad, and he looked lean, yet not skinny. Actually if he looked closer, he swore he saw muscles in the loose shirt and on his arms from where the sleeves cut off. A plan was forming in his head, but he didn't speak about it.

"I know you probably never heard about me before...this." Ranka began, taking a sip of tea. "But I did grow up with your mother here, and she was the best sister I ever had." Danny's heart clenched, hearing the word 'sister' brought back flashes of Jazz, and it made his hands tremble. "One thing I do remember was her fudge...even before she left it was amazing to see her cook her specialty. Sometimes I think that if she didn't go into Science she might've opened a bakery." He chuckled to himself, though it was humorless, and looked straight at Danny. Said boy was staring at his tea, nodded but not really hearing him. So, he tried a different move.

"I know this is a hard time you have been forced into, but it's one you are not the only victim of." Danny's eyes harden, wanting to refute, but stayed silent. Ranka only sighed. "You see, Haruhi didn't just come out of nowhere...I once had a wife." The man sighed, putting his tea down while Danny's angered stare softened. Ranka now adopted Danny's grieving look, and the teen filled with a little regret. "She was...much like Maddie was. Bold, stubborn, but determined and smarter than anyone I ever knew. The only real difference was that Maddie went into science, whilst Kotoko was a lawyer with a backbone. Even though I was six years younger, she said she found me cute and fell in love instantly."

A tear had spilled from Ranka, and all of Danny's anger vanished as he filled with more regret. He had judged this as an empty comparison, but it was true. Sighing, Danny looked up at the man.

"I'm sorry, sir." Danny began, wiping a stray tear from him as well. "I just feel...alone, and seeing my family and friends...it's been hard to keep calm."

"Indeed it is, Daniel." Vlad said, standing up and fixing his suit. He gave a smile, though sympathetic when he saw Danny, and turned to the door. "Now I know we've just arrived, but I'm afraid that I am still a mayor. I can't stay away for too long, or the towns liable to…" the joke died on his lips when he saw Danny's face, remembering what just happened. Clearing his throat, he said goodbye to the Fujioka's, wishing them luck, then turned to Danny.

To his eternal surprise, Danny stood up, walked over to him, and wrapped his arms around him. The older halfa was stunned at the action, but feeling his suit get a little wet, he wrapped his arms right back and held him close. "Goodbye...Little Badger," and for once, Danny didn't correct him.

Reluctantly, they separated and Vlad threw one last smile to the group, and headed out the door, one last farewell flying in the air as he disappeared behind the door. The trio inside stood, a moment or two, before Haruhi started to clean up. Ranka stood back, and was surprised to see Danny head back to them and pick up his cup and walked over to the sink.

"That's alright-"

"You may have taken me in," Danny cut off Haruhi, turning to her with a sad smile. "But I'm no bum. I'm someone who hates idling, and helps anyone I see."

Haruhi paused, before a smile graced her lips and the duo started to clean up. Usually she would protest the help saying she could do it herself, but one look in those eyes told her otherwise. A skill she prided herself on was a judge of character in the eyes, and Danny's told her something. When he said 'helps anyone' they held firm, meaning he spoke the truth. For that, she smiled and took the extra help she usually denied. In the background, Ranka watched with hope in his eyes as daughter and his nephew worked together. In his eyes, it was a good sign for the future, he just hoped that they worked together.

And that those boys don't push Danny when they meet him.