HELLO TO NEW READERS! This is the first installment to a running series that began with two other books. While the first books are not highly needed reads, "A Stroll Through the Mall" "A Stroll Down Main St." are recommended, for readers who may want to know the the nitty-gritty details of Danny's new powers, and of the characters Pele, and Tara.

For those whom are joining me once again, thank you, and fair warning: there will be a bit more violence in this book. Here, I will introduce Oblivion, which occurs when a ghost is killed and dissolves into non-existence. Kind of dark, I know, but I'll try not to lay it on too thick. Now, I won't keep you!

I don't own Danny Phantom. I hope you enjoy!


Operations and Origins.

Chapter 1: Life and Loss.

(POV: of Danny Phantom.)

"Foul!" Dani shouted from the sidelines.

Tucker and I ceased shooting at each other. We sparred, so Tucker could tinker with his battle suit. It was going just fine, and Tucker had even bulked up a little over the months as a result.

"Foul what?" Tucker exclaimed, "I didn't use lock-on!"

"Not you Tucker," Dani pointed at me, "Danny, you used your wind core again!"

"What?" I exclaimed, "How so? I wasn't trying to do anything! I can't keep it from flaring up every second of the day, you know."

Dani frowned, "I know, it's flared up a dozen times, but it was oddly strong that last time, and I didn't want you to hurt Tucker."

I rolled my eyes, "Then, why don't you shove him around for a while?"

"Hey!" Tucker interrupted.

I smirked at him; "I need to see Tara and Pele for a second, anyway. They've got to be done chatting by now."

Dani shook her head, "You know nothing about women, Danny."

"I know about as much as the next guy," I said, and then flew off to find the girls.

After the Halloween festival, Pele had Tara stick around for a while to teach me to use my fire-core. It was a good idea, since Tara's fire was unique, and burned in the form of flames like mine, not a magma-beam like Pele's always had. Because her fire burned that way, she had to move in a certain way. I needed the same style to get a jumpstart on my skills.

I found Pele and Tara under a small patch of trees. Pele was in her dog form, a white German shepherd. Tara wore her regular outfit, a flared purple cloak, a long sleeved shirt flayed at the sleeves, a belt, leggings, and boots with heels that made my feet hurt as I looked at them.

At that moment, her hood was down, and her fiery-red hair hung around her blue-face, all the way down past her waist. Her sapphire-like eyes watched me as I landed.

"Danny, we need to talk to you," Tara said.

I paused, "About what?"

Pele sat up reluctantly, "I have been summoned by the Observant council. I am due to leave soon, and I am not sure when I will return."

I paused. The Observants usually left me alone, so I didn't know what to think about her announcement.

"So, what about it?" I said, and figured that I was treading lightly enough.

"Danny, I'm not sure if they want me over for tea, or an errand that will take me a century to complete!"

I was taken slightly aback, "They can make you do that?"

Pele snarled.

"They've done it to her before," Tara said. "I'm not as…dependable as Pele has always been, so I wouldn't know what's it's like to take orders from them."

Pele stood up, "Well, I'm off. Please continue to train hard, Danny. Tara, run this Stripling into the ground."

I groaned. Tara smiled, "You can count on me!"

Pele mentally communicated with the medallion that kept her, and all of us, in the dimension where we trained. She vanished in a mist.

I frowned. Tara stood up, "You heard her." She charged a black teardrop ball of flames in her hand. The black light shadowed her face in such as a way that I found to be downright creepy.

I frowned again, "Oh, crud."


(Narrator.)

Pele appeared in Clockwork's tower after she commanded the medallion around her neck to do so.

"Shall we leave, then?" The master of time said calmly.

Pele glared. "You? You come with me? Why? What do they want with you? I can go by myself."

The Ancient ghost held a slight frown, "If you prefer, we can go separately."

Pele snarled, and darted out Clockwork's tower, determined to go alone.

Clockwork sighed, and prepared a portal for himself. "Hopefully, the run will help her to release such incredible tension." He walked though the portal, and into the hall of the Observants capitol.

Pele arrived at the Observants Capital in a short amount of time. She came running though the door, much to the surprise of the guards, who did not recognize her in her k9 form.

In shock, they tried to block her with their spears, but the fast ghost easily maneuvered around the motion. She landed on the other side and immediately morphed into her young lady form.

The guards exclaimed various words of shock as Pele's form changed into that of a black-haired, tan-skinned young lady, dressed in a simple red cloth with white and yellow highlights at her collarbone and ankles. A slit on the right side of her dress, allowed her more convenient movement.

Pele turned back to the guards, and for the purpose of her own entertainment, she flashed her red eyes dramatically.

The guards fell to their knees. The robes of their uniforms dragged unceremoniously on the ground.

"P-Pele! We are sorry, we were not aware that it was you. Please forgive our fault!"

Pele stood for a second, turned on her bare-feet, and then strutted away, "Whatever."

The guards relaxed and collected themselves for the rest of their shift.

Pele strutted down the hallway, "Where am I to meet the Observants who summoned me?" She asked one of the many servants.

"T-the main hall, Mrs. Pele. They've called you in for questioning."

Pele's hair sparked, "So, they want me for questioning? What right do the Observants have to call me in for questioning?"

The servant cringed, "I-I do not know! They're expecting you now, please go to them, or they may be upset." With that said, the servant ran away.

Pele rolled her eyes, "I grow tired of fear. I never thought I would say it, but I miss the Stripling and his overconfidence in himself."

Pele turned and headed through the various halls until she came to the grand entrance to the council room. A place she had become quite familiar with.

Two guards stood at the door, one on each side.

"Pele!" One of then said in surprise. "Excuse me, shall we announce your arrival?"

Pele continued towards the door, "Nope."

Pele extended her right leg and smashed at the center of the door hard enough to break it in. From the inside, many exclamations could be heard. Pele strutted though the now open doorway while the dust still had not settled.

She appeared like a ghost, even to the Observants, as she strode out and made her way to a small stage, where she would stand for her interrogation.

The Observants stared in utter shock.

"If there will be no questions, then I shall leave," Pele said arrogantly.

One of the Observants snapped out of his trancelike state, and rose to his podium where he would relay the set questions.

"Pele, high-ghost of the fire-core, we have summoned you to question you of a subject that you have much experience in."

Pele's expression became that of humor, "Fire away."

The Observant was taken slightly aback by Pele's lack of her usual words. He soon shook off the feeling, "You recall "Mission: Recover the Scales," do you not?"

Pele wore a mock-thoughtful look on her face, "No, I'm afraid that I've forgotten the events that spanned an entire century of my existence."

The Observants' eye closed into a mere slit, "Pele, do not forget, that while in this room, you are to give the truth, and nothing else, lest we place you under arrest. I ask again, do you recall the mission?"

"Yes, I do," Pele, said flatly.

"Who gave you your orders during your involvement in that mission?"

"Clockwork," Pele replied bitterly.

"Do you recall the objective of that mission?"

Pele's face turned slightly to that of concern, "The objective was to find, retrieve, and return an object of significance, that once belonged to an Ancient."

"Can you describe the object?"

"Do you ever think to say, please?" Pele asked irritably.

The Observants' hands tightened at his side, "Can you describe the object, please?"

Pele smiled with satisfaction, "During the brief time that I had the object in my possession," this she said in a bitter tone while she fidgeted at her side, "I found that it was a journal."

"Can you be more specific?"

Pele tilted her head.

"Can you be more specific, please?"

"It was a simple, leather, hear-backed book, with a very complex lock that was invincible to all attempts of lock-picking, and breakage."

"How do you know this?"

Pele ticked, "Because no one has ever been able to pick the lock and because I tried to destroy it when-"

"What became of the journal when you recovered it?"

Pele's hair shimmered red, "After I recovered the journal that you Observants had so foolishly let slip though your fingers, the journal was taken from me by-"

"Why exactly had you tried to destroy the journal while you had it?"

Pele's hair had turned red at the scalp, "Look here, Buster," she said with rage, "the journal was so obviously important, seeing as how you stored it in a LIBRARY to hide it. When I got my hands on it, I had chased the thief into Bone Valley, where then, he had obtained the Skeleton Key, the only key capable of opening the stupid book. When I realized this and was STABBED IN THE BACK! I quickly attempted to destroy the journal, but was unsuccessful, and was left to face Oblivion. Meanwhile, the pathetic book was taken away from me, by the partners that YOU HAD SENT to help me. It was then, that I turned on the thief and sent him to Oblivion myself."

Some of the Observants had stood up in protest to her outburst, "The journal was placed under the greatest guard!" They exclaimed wastefully.

Pele was not fazed. "By some stroke of luck, I survived, and learned that the journal was taken to safety. Meanwhile, I had the Skeleton Key, which you entities ordered me to guard, because you tend to FAIL at the protection of things. Then I placed the Key, with a creation of my Mother's, so that it would be safe. That was the end of it. That IS the end of it."

The Observants held a collective silence. One of the unsure members of the Observants leaned closer to his neighbor, the movement caught Pele's attention.

As quietly as he could be, but not quietly enough, the Observant spoke to his neighbor.

"Would now be a bad time to tell her that the journal has, once again, been stolen?"

Pele's hair shimmered red, "I heard your words, fool," she said harshly. The Observants glared at the offending member of their council.

Pele turned to the council; "I have served you FAR beyond your right to have me do so. You no longer have any business with me, nor I, you."

The Observants glared and dropped their formal behavior. "We do have the right to question you. Who was the thief?"

"I don't know. He was cloaked and did not speak. He only screamed as I destroyed him."

The Observant appeared to swallow, "So you do not know, whether or not he was aware of anything in that journal?"

"I sent him to Oblivion before I could ask questions. Whatever he may have learned from the…journal, was sent to Oblivion with him. Besides, there was no possibility that the thief could have read the contents of the journal, whatever they were, unless he had the…to unlock the."

"The what? Pele, High-ghost of the fire-core, elaborate on this, "what?"

"Unless he had the skeleton key…Oh my Lord, Behemoth! Where is my dear pet, at this time? !"

The Observant stuttered, "Well, he is..."

Pele threw her hands into the air, "That is it! I am leaving!"

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the open doorway, much to the shock and displeasure of the Observants.

"Clockwork!" She shouted through the empty hall she trotted through, "Clockwork, darn you, I know that you hear me! I know that you are aware of my calls! Answer them or so help me, I will burn you, and not even you will ever see the day when those burns heal!"

Pele heard a knock on the wall behind her. She whirled around in rage.

There Clockwork floated, closely to the wall. His eyes were large, and his skin appeared a lighter shade than normal. He had frozen in his adult form and did not change his age for a moment.

"I'm here," he said simply.

Pele rolled her eyes, "I noticed. Where is my Behemoth?"

Clockwork cleared his throat and regained his normal age-shifting cycle. "He is somewhere in the Swamps of Regret, that is all that I can say." Clockwork said, in a slightly depressed tone. As if he knew he would regret that he told her such a thing.

Pele stormed back down the hall without a word. She charged though the main exit, and flew at her top speed to where Clockwork had indicated. A few Observants sent guards to follow Pele, and some Observants themselves came out as well, much to the shock of those they passed by.

Pele charged though the open space of the Ghost Zone and came to the Swamp of Regret. The marshy, wet piece of matter stood out against the otherwise void space around it.

Pele darted through the trees. The Hawaiian goddess ignored the state the terrain had turned her dress into. She ignored her hate of dark, grimy swamps and plowed forward.

"Behemoth! Behemoth!" Pele shouted out again and again. Her cries became increasingly panicked, and heart wrenching, as they were not answered.

Pele finally came to a clearing in the trees, which only lead to a marshy pond. Her eyes darted around until her eyes came across blotches of green ectoplasm in the pond. Her face went blank, only her eyes betrayed her panicked state. She said a silent prayer out of habit, and then floated up, and over the water.

The sight she came across when she rounded a small island in the pond, made her insides freeze.

"Behemoth!" She croaked out in disbelief. She fell from the air and scrambled to the form of her beloved pet.

Memories flashed in her mind, the same as when a human faces death. Behemoth; when Pele's Mother had first created him for her. When the horrible battle with her sister had left Pele in a fading state, and Behemoth had given her the strength to help her form a new body. The times they played, mourned, and all the like. So many of them spent with him.

She collapsed onto his form, "Behemoth," She croaked out, as green tears welled up in her eyes. "I am so sorry… It's all my fault, I should have never given you my troubles, God, I am so sorry!"

Tears flowed freely down Pele's cheeks. Behemoth rustled beneath her. Pele's eyes shone for a brief second, with hope, but it was soon lost when the movement revealed extensive gashes along Behemoth's belly.

His red scales were harsh on Pele's soft skin, but it didn't matter to her. Behemoth looked into the eyes of his existence-long companion, and a look of pure happiness shone in his eyes.

"Yes, I'm here now, Behe," Pele said gently.

Behemoth made a weak purring sound, the sound he reserved only for Pele, and her Mother. The happy look in his eyes turned to that of acceptance. With the last bit of energy that the great-ghost had left, he put himself on his belly, with his four arms, and gave one last roar.

Behemoth locked eyes with his master, and his lips curled up in what was always his version of a smile.

Then he dissolved into Oblivion.

Pele shut her eyes and screamed. Her shoulders shook violently, and she buried her face in the mud. Her arms cradled the dirt above her head, and they shook violently. Her hair lay carelessly on the ground, all previous concern for it abandoned.

She cried.

The key was gone. The journal was gone. A century of her existence was in vain. Behemoth was no longer a being in her world.

And she was to blame.

There was rustling in the brush behind her, but Pele paid no attention. Through the vegetation, stepped out the Observants and their guards.

They watched as the remains of Behemoth's form dissolved and finally, left no trace.

At first, they were stunned into silence. It was not often that ghosts were sent to Oblivion. Few ghosts could cause the type of damage it took to destroy a ghost. Since the ghost in question was Behemoth, who was a creature created not only to be a companion, but to be one of the toughest ghosts in existence, it only made them more frightened.

At once, the four Observants relayed what they had seen to their fellow council members, by way of a telepathic connection that all Observants shared. It was both a blessing, and a curse. All at once, hundreds of Observants not only knew of Behemoth's destruction, but they also knew that the Skeleton Key had been taken.

Then came the curse, every Observant became enraged, and their angered thoughts and emotions of nearly one-thousand Observants flowed into a mere four.

The Observants gripped at their heads and became enraged.

"Pele." The Observants said in a collective, malicious voice. "You dare to allow this to happen? Do you not realize the repercussions of your IDIOCY! ? You left such a priceless artifact in the hands of a mere BRUTE!"

The Observants tore at Pele with insults and accusations. She was shocked at first, but soon, her hair shimmered and turned a pure, intense red. Her hands balled into fists, and her lips parted in an animalistic snarl.

She turned on the Observants.

"SHUT UP!"

Pele was on her feet, she charged at the Observants.

Time seemed to slow. Even though she was blinded with rage, she still could see the purple of his cloak, and the mechanics of his torso. Clockwork got between her and the Observants and sent her away, though a portal, to a dimension where she was totally alone.

Enraged at the Ancient she hated the most; Pele slashed out and cut the time-master's face with claws of intense heat.

Clockwork collapsed and gripped at his face a half-second later. He shifted ages irregularly, and made unsteady noises that would have had his Phantom wards terrified, and worried.

Clockwork had searched through every single option there was, but for the most necessary key to the good timelines to be obtained, they had to start with being clawed by Pele. He tried to heal the wound, but Pele's power made it difficult, and the Ancient knew that he would need to save his strength.

The four Observants had calmed down, but their anger was still great, and this time, more their own.

"Clockwork," one of them said with a tone of warning, "Why did you not warn us? Why have you allowed the Skeleton Key to be stolen? Such a blunder can be perceived as treason!"

Clockwork had regained his composure. He turned to the Observant, who flinched at the condition of his face.

"If you do not recall the reason why I cannot clearly foresee any matter involving the property of such a powerful Ancient: then you are forgetful, or you have highly overestimated my power."

The Observants' eyes grew large, in fear. They were stunned. "You will explain this personally to the council, Clockwork. We must make a plan of action."

"As you wish," Clockwork replied…


I laid it on to think. Told you It'd be out by the 26th, and there you have it!

-I drew out Tara Wilkins, and I have given the image to her creator, known on this site as Chopsuzi. You can just google Deviantart and type - Tara Wilkins – into the search bar if you'd like to see. She should be at the bottom of the first page.

- You can find some of my other pieces at the same site under the name artists-block-Bgone (I'm still not sure how to get past fanfictions link blocks, sorry) where I'de put up DP and other fantasy related works of mine.

NOTE! My family and I are going to spend the next two weekends on trips, and I won't have any internet access. So I've decided to update this Thursday and the next, and then I'll go back to regular Sunday updates. Sounds fair enough, right?

So, I'll see you Thursday! I hope you enjoyed. I'm glad to be back!