It wasn't something Vlad noticed at first, after all Danny was fourteen and probably just tiny for his age, even if he looked to be half the older hybrid's size. But as time went on he didn't seem to gain any height or weight. In fact, in their last few battles he looked… gaunt. Dangerously so.
"Don't they feed you at home boy? If I didn't know better I would say you were a full ghost!"

Danny rolled his eyes, of course he did, though Vlad wasn't the first to notice. He had been getting concerned looks from all kind of adults, though he could hardly call what Vlad just expressed concern, seeing as he was aiming another ectoblast for his face.

"Yes fruitloop I do. Maybe if you ate three squares instead of plotting revenge you wouldn't be so cranky all the time."

He earned a few poorly aimed blasts for that quip and he smirked.

"You're losing your touch old man, maybe you just need to get your eyes checked."

Before Vlad could retaliate he sunk into the ground and flew towards home. It was almost curfew and his parents were going to kill the rest of him if he missed it again.

Vlad let him go, despite the digs at his age Danny's appearance weighed heavy on his mind.

What was going on with that boy that had him looking so pathetic?
Danny got home just in time and his mom let him off with a stern look and a comment about not cutting it so close in the future.

The next morning he woke up somewhat on time. He got dressed and when he came back into his room…

There was a mouthwatering looking assortment of pastries in a basket on his desk. They hadn't been there when he'd left to shower, so where did they come from?

He grabbed a poppy seed muffin, still warm, and took a bite. He blinked, it was good, really good.

He noticed a tag on the side of the basket and inspected it while munching on the food.

Please try to eat more

-Vlad

Danny choked on a bite of muffin and spit it out. These were from Vlad? Who knew what was in them! He threw the whole basket in the trash and got dressed for school with a sense of dread. What if those were poisoned? He didn't feel any different but with Vlad you could never tell.

He went through most of his school day without incident. Only a dodge ball to the gut in gym. That was until lunch rolled around.

He was sitting with Sam and Tucker when none other than Vlad Masters walked up to the three of them looked positively pissed, holding some kind of box. Students from across the schoolyard were gawking at the mayor. What was he doing at the high school?

Vlad handed Danny the box without a single word and left.

Once he was gone both Sam and Tucker looked at the box with the same curiosity Danny felt, though he had an idea he knew what it contained.

"Well aren't you going to open it?" Tucker finally broke the silence.

"What if it's some kind of trap? Would he pull a stunt like that in public?" Sam looked wary but also slightly curious.

Danny decided that Plasmius probably wasn't stupid enough to try and attack him in public. So he opened the box.

Inside were several sandwiches and some more pastries along with another note.

I spent the better part of my morning making these, don't you dare throw them away again. Eat something for heaven's sake.

-Vlad

Danny looked at the note incredulously. What did the fruitloop have to gain from bringing him food? If this was some attempt to sway him it wasn't going to work. He looked to Sam and Tucker for advice on what to do with it.

"Well, if something is wrong with it and you get sick, nearly half the school saw him hand it to you. I say eat it."

Danny looked to Sam to see if she had any better, non hunger related tips but she just shrugged. So he decided to dig in.

Before the bell even rang for class to continue he had devoured the whole thing, all three sandwiches and the various baked goods all on his own. He had felt full for the first time in what seemed like a year or two. Tucker made a comment about how if he didn't die he could probably enter any eating contest and win no problem.

When he got home that evening he ate dinner and went up to his room, only to find another big basket of food waiting for him.

He had a feeling this was going to become a regular thing.