A/N: Okay, so I'm writing this while the internet's down. Lucky you people. Introducing book four, As Everything Changes!
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Danny sighed at the quiet. Danlie had been officially tired out yesterday after playing air tag across the whole city. Now, it was too quiet.
There's a death-time nearby, Demo declared suddenly. Danny jumped, sitting up straight in shock. He'd never seen Demo this alert before.
Where? Danny knew better than to ignore him.
Not sure yet. It's tomorrow, though.
You're sure?
Yes. Positive.
Should we tell Clockwork?
Definitely. Jo's still on the loose. We need to get there first, and we can't be sure without Clockwork's help. Make a portal, qui—
"Danny?" a soft voice asked from across the hall.
Now she wakes up, Danny thought, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, Danlie?"
The girl came into the room, twisting a piece of her short black hair. "Sam just called to check in. She was asking about your arm."
Danny grimaced. There was a bandage wrapped around half his arm, from halfway to his wrist to his bicep, reminding him of the shootout. "It's fine. I'm fine."
Now Danlie rolled her eyes. "Sure you are. Just like you were fine when Ian locked you out that one winter."
He winced at the reminder. That was the only problem he had with his little clone, the fact that she constantly spewed out information, pain he wanted to keep locked up in his mind.
At the risk of sounding like your sister, you shouldn't keep that go se bottled up.
Psychologist much, Demo?
Only sometimes.
"Danlie, what did Sam say?" he bit out, his eyes flashing bright green in warning to her.
She blushed. "She wants you to call her back."
He bit his lip. "I'll call her later. First, I need to visit someone."
"Who?" she asked, following behind him as Danny moved into the kitchen.
"A friend," he said cryptically. He handed her some money. "I'll be out all day, so you're on your own for food. Order something. I'll have Jay check in on you."
"Uh, okay."
He turned fully to her. "I'm sorry about this, Danlie, but something very important just came up. You understand, yeah?"
She knew the look he was giving her. It was desperate, begging her to listen to him and not ask questions. She knew that look too well. She'd used that look to hitchhike to Amity Park. She knew the only answer she could give him. "Yeah. Go ahead, Dan."
She knew that relieved look, too. "Thanks," he sighed. "I'll be back in a few hours." He disappeared through the front door.
She knew he'd tell her in time. "You better…."
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After a quick explanation to Jay, Danny found himself in an abandoned alley in ghost-mode. He checked to make sure no one could see before waving a hand in the air in front of him. A glowing green portal opened up. With another glance, he decided it was safe and jumped in, the portal closing behind him.
The greens and purples of the Ghost Zone surrounded him immediately. A shiver ran down his spine as the death-cold sunk into his bones. He always hated when he first landed in the Ghost Zone. The chill could—and would—kill any human unfortunate enough to fall in without protection. As a half-ghost, it still had more effect on him than the other ghosts.
He looked to the right, seeing a giant tower in the distance. With a slight smile, he flew towards it. He landed on the floating rock nearly an hour later, angry with himself for not being able to pinpoint a location for his portal to show up. Clockwork was hovering there, waiting for him.
"Hello, Daniel, Demogorgon. What brings you two to my home?"
"A death time," Danny said, allowing Demo to speak through him.
Clockwork's expression turned grim. "I see. Where?" He led the way inside, stopping in a room full of mirrors.
"I'm not quite sure," he answered, glancing into one of the mirrors. He caught a glimpse of Demo's time before Clockwork raised an eyebrow and waved his staff, causing the mirror to spin around. He grinned sheepishly. "All I know is, it's near my home."
"So, you are saying it is in Amity Park, yes?"
"Yeah. And, I think Jo knows about it." Another mirror caught his attention now. This one, too, showed the past. A dark shadow was looming up, red eyes shining out as a brown-haired man beat someone angrily.
Clockwork sighed and spun the mirror with another wave of his staff. "She does, but it is not your fault." Clockwork glanced up at him, saying, "Can I speak with just Daniel for a moment, Demogorgon?"
Both gaped for a moment before nodding. Danny felt Demo's presence fade away to the back of his mind, like he'd fallen asleep. A faint echo of Good luck reached him.
"Wh—What, Clock—ckwork?" he asked weakly.
"Daniel, I must warn you."
"A—About what?" Now, he was really nervous, and not just because of the vision he'd seen in the last mirror. He didn't need those memories surfacing. But it was never good news when Clockwork had to warn you.
"Everything will come back," he said cryptically. "It will all come back to haunt you."
That was another thing about Clockwork. When you wanted him to be blunt, he fed you riddles.
"What's coming back?"
"All of it."
Danny tilted his head, and instead turned his attention to a third mirror. He saw a vague shape and a bed, then heard crying echo through his mind. A flash of light flew at him from the mirror, and he was shocked to find himself suddenly on the other side of the room, Clockwork having teleported him and taken the blast himself. "Wh—What was—?"
"Some of these mirrors, Daniel," Clockwork bit out in a rare display of anger, "are of violent things to pass. You cannot see these, and they will make sure you never do see them."
"But, what was that one?"
"It is not important now! What is, is that you know and heed my warning!"
"But all you keep saying is that it's 'all coming back'. I'm no good at riddles, Clockwork. That was Jackie."
Clockwork sighed. "Keep it close to you, Daniel."
Danny blinked. Did Clockwork seriously think that wasn't a riddle? "Wha—?"
"Keep your promise close."
He gasped as the memory caused him to pull down the collar of his usual high-necked shirt. His hands fumbled for a moment before grabbing onto a chain choker. Dangling from it was a silver, half-rusted padlock that shone dully.
Danny glanced down at it, remembering everything. Remembering his promise.
I will never go back. I will never see him. I will never be that.
"A—Alright, Clockwork," he gasped, barely above a whisper as his face paled in realization. "I—Is that a—all?"
"No. Please, will you call Demogorgon back? I must warn him, too. Alone."
"Okay." He closed his eyes, letting his hand fall from the choker and his collar, hiding it once again as it was hidden every day. He felt his mind switch places with Demo's.
His bright orange eyes looked up at Clockwork. "Yeah?"
"I want to warn you. Stay calm through all of it." Instead of allowing Demo the temptation of looking in the mirror that had just begun showing a glimpse of the future, Clockwork moved in front of it. Demo raised an eyebrow at this, but ignored it. "Stay calm, Demogorgon."
Not quite understanding but knowing this would be important, Demo nodded.
"Something is coming, Demogorgon," Clockwork continued. His eyes seemed weary, and Demo suddenly realized he looked older, even older than his normal old form. "Something from Daniel's past. Something he has been keeping from you. You will need to keep him from going insane during this. He will need you and Danlie both through this, whether he realizes or not. Whether he wants to or not. You must pull him through this. You cannot fail."
"Got it. And, Clockwork?"
"Yes, Demogorgon?"
"Thank you, for helping us."
"I am glad I could."
Demo brought Danny's mind back and told him to make a portal back. Both hid their memories of Clockwork's warnings from the other. Both knew the other would explain when the time was right.
Danny quickly made the portal, arriving right in the same alley they left from.
C'mon, Demo told him cautiously, trying to refrain from letting his worried thoughts seep through their connection, you still have to call Sam. His mind slunk back to the shadows in his head.
Confused by Demo's sudden quiet, Danny tilted his head before deciding it was nothing. After all, Demo had probably been given worse news before they'd been joined.
Right, he said instead. And Danlie's probably spent all the money I gave her on junk food.
She's a kid, Dan. Let her live a little.
I never ate that bad when I was her age!
Dude, you were a health nut when you were her age!
And she's my clone. She should be a health nut, too.
Only slightly worried now that they were joking again, Demo laughed as Danny entered the building, checking in quickly with Jay.
"…well, she didn't burn anything down…."
"Oh, that makes me feel better," Danny said, rolling his eyes.
"Dan, she's like you. She's stubborn, but she means well."
"…I know. I just…." He sighed. "I'm not used to being an older brother."
"Just wait 'til she starts picking up guys."
Danny groaned.
"Dan, Sam called three more times while you were out."
"Chikoshu…. I'll go call her now."
" 'Kay, Dan."
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Danlie had crashed on the couch after, apparently, pulling out everything she could find. Danny had to step carefully around all his things, putting some back into place, just so he could get to the phone and dial.
"Hello?"
"Sam? It's Danny."
"Oh, you're finally back!"
"Yeah, sorry about making you wait so long."
"It's fine. Things are actually pretty boring around here."
"No murders?" he gasped in mock-shock.
"Not today, at least."
"I'll be back in tomorrow, okay?"
No, you won't, Demo said, glazed over in his mind. You'll be in the museum to stop Joaqui.
"Er, sorry, day after tomorrow."
"Oh? Why the change?"
"My arm's bothering me again," he said, managing to not stutter. There was a flash of guilt for lying through his teeth, but he forced it down.
"Really? Do you want someone to come over? Or call a doctor?"
"No, it's not that bad. I just think it'd be best if I wait another day before coming back in."
"…oh." She sounded vaguely disappointed. "Okay. So two days?"
"Yeah, two days." Guilt popped up again, and, this time, he couldn't find the strength to force it back down.
"Alright. See ya then."
"Yeah…. See ya."
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A/N: Wow, I threw in a lot of random stuff in there. I think it's like twice as long as it is in my notebook. It certainly seems like it.
Anywayz, there be the first chapter of book four, some random foreshadowing, and a glimpse (not really much of one, but…) of Demo's and Danny's pasts. Yay! Byez, y'all!