It had been several months since Vlad had become mayor of Amity Park and he was tired. Tired of work, tired of his mayoral duties, even antagonizing Daniel had lost its zing. Danny had noticed too and it seemed to draw the boy to him even more. With Vlad's track record it made sense, he had never given Danny a break from their fights. He always had some bigger plan, some bigger idea. But not this time. He was down, out, done. Yet still the damn boy wouldn't leave him alone.
This was one such encounter.
"Give it up fruitloop! I know you're planning something, I just don't know what yet!"
Vlad dodged the punch thrown at him with ease and sent back one of his own, knocking the boy back.
"If I was planning something, do you think I would tell you? I may be old but I am not senile Daniel."
Vlad caught sight of the clock and made an exaggerated motion to his wrist.
"It's almost ten, don't you have a curfew to keep? Or at least someone else to annoy?"
Danny looked back at the clock which afforded Vlad enough time to get another punch in. Cheap shot maybe, but it was probably the best thing that happened to him all day. That was sad.
Despite getting knocked into the wall, Danny didn't retaliate. He was right about the curfew.
"Don't think this is over, I know you are up to something and I will find out what." He promised, the same promise he was given every time they parted, Vlad considered committing some kind of petty crime just to make Danny feel like he was right so he would leave him alone for a while. The costs really outweighed the benefits however, so the same song and dance continued over and over. The boy was quick to leave so Vlad collected his papers to finish his work for the night.
As soon as he sat down however, he felt another presence in the room.
"I don't know if the brat told you on the way out, but i'm not accepting anyone else today."
He didn't feel the ghost leave however so he looked up, eyes flashing red. "In case you didn't catch the context I said get out now."
The ghost had a powerful aura around him, even though he didn't look powerful. Sure, he had the muscles and the overall physical prowess but he was blind, something he had never even seen in a ghost before. It might have to do with the strange scar over his right eye. The ghost was also fixing him with the most disappointed look he had ever seen.
"You know it's rude to just stare at someone… right?"
Surprise showed briefly on his face before he put his mask back on.
"You know it's rude to come into my office unannounced, right?"
He quipped back.
"Do you know what happens to ghosts who cross me?"
"I only know of the rumors you, yourself spread." The ghost cracked a smile. "You can't fool me. The most you have done to anyone is knock them around, even the ghost boy. Your reputation precedes you Plasmius."
Well this ghost seemed to know a lot about him. A lot more than he was comfortable with anyone, ghost or human, knowing.
"Who are you?" and how easy will it be to get rid of you?
"I am Clockwork, Master of Time, and judging by the sudden change in your future, the best being a broken arm and the worst being hospitalization, I'm guessing you think you can take me. I would suggest you change your plans if you don't want to be incapacitated for several weeks." The self proclaimed master of time just waited, and slowly but surely one by one the violent futures dropped away from the man in front of him.
"That's more like it. I mean you no harm, I assure you." He sat down in one of the chairs meant for meetings with important clients and figureheads. Obviously he wasn't worried about Vlad at all.
"What kind of powers do you posses that makes you think you can take me?" Vlad asked finally. It had been a while since anyone of note challenged him, mostly because of the.. inventive truths that were spread through the zone. He was curious to know exactly what he was up against.
"Ah, I am afraid I am going to disappoint you for now. Have to maintain some element of surprise, don't I?" Again the ghost flashed that infuriating smile. The kind that said he knew more than Vlad did. Nothing made him mad faster than that.
"Okay, well may I at least ask why you are here? Or is everything but your name off limits?" Vlad sassed.
"I told you my title too, didn't I?"
He asked with a raised eyebrow, obviously messing with the mayor.
"I guess you want to know a bit more than that though, hm?"
Vlad nodded wordlessly, he was more than a little irritated, though this was the most interesting thing that had happened to him in a long time now,he did not like being out of the loop.
"What topics are on limits? Are there things I can ask you or is this whole conversation dominated by you?"
Clockwork laughed. "The second would be more accurate, though I would think I am a far cry from a ruthless dictator. How about we start at the beginning, or more specifically your beginning. I have known you longer than you have known yourself Vladimir. You have always been of interest to me. Not just because you are half ghost but because time twists around you in very interesting ways. You have made a lot of… interesting choices in your life. Not all of them have been the best route but each of them led to an interesting result. Only recently, it has been quite unusual. Not in a very good way either. Your timeline has almost flatlined. I have been wanting to meet you for quite a while so I feel like it's just the right time."