Hello again! Okay, this is my first chapter story on FF. The first chapter is kind of short and I didn't really know where to start with this. I'll try to make chapters longer if people like this. If you like it, lemme know! I'd be glad to continue and if you have any suggestions or ideas, I'd be interested in hearing them! R&R and enjoy~!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Chapter 1 Start!

Vladimir Masters was very different. Since his college days - where he lost his two closest friends, was hospitalized with a case of acne from a lab accident, and had his very being altered - Vlad has had a secret. A secret so large and dangerous, that it would be a risk to his survival if he told anyone. Not that he had anyone to really tell at that point. So, he never told anyone. He opted to keep it hidden, pretend it didn't exist. But that was hard. It was a part of him, he couldn't push it into a corner and keep it there with a playpen you use to keep toddlers and infants in an area you can keep track of them and hope it stays there with no opposition. It wanted out, it wanted free to run rampant and do whatever it wanted, as was its instinct. It kept getting harder and harder to ignore. He knew it was there, he wanted to ignore it. He really did. He didn't want to be different from everyone else. The thought made him feel... lonely. Loneliness isn't fun, Vlad knows this well. The whole time he spent in the hospital, no one visited. Not the people he used to call his friends, not the girl he had feelings for, not even the doctors wanted near him. They didn't know what was wrong, it was unheard of and unseen. Vlad spent his time alone for the most part, waiting for his body to heal itself. It did.

He worked hard to continue his research, the very research that had reduced him to the state he was and still is in. Once he finally made a breakthrough, his eyes were opened to a new world - the very same world that he was trying to hide away. At that point, he decided to nurture the new part of him and try to understand it. He wanted to know what he had been pushing away for so long, and maybe see if it wasn't such a horrible thing after all. Years went by dedicated to exploring his new boundaries, pushing them. Somehow, that landed him billions of dollars. But still, he had no one to share it with.

More and more time passed, no great feats accomplished. The odd bit of happiness popped up every once in a while, but nothing that lasted. As Vlad continued research and practice, he began to lose hope of ever finding true everlasting happiness. He was beginning to see his future doomed to loneliness and regret.

That was until he met his son. The son that inherited his secret, became the only other person who carried it.

And suddenly his world wasn't full of gloom and rain clouds.

Vlad stared down across the table at his son's mentor. He could swear this man was absurd. What was he thinking? Why should Vlad, or even his son for that matter, care? Vlad could not for the half-life of him see the logic in the man's request.

"You want my son to do what?" he asked, not liking the idea at all.

"I would like for him to take the place of a boy who has just died. I request this because this is the only way to keep the time stream on the right path." he explained slowly, knowing already how the conversation would pan out. "You know the boy's parents, they're your friends. Couldn't you do this one thing for them?"

"Friends? You think they're my friends? You are mistaken, Clockwork, they are nothing even remotely close to friends. You know what they did to me, you know very well." Vlad hissed. "Those people may have meant something to me in the past, but now they are nothing."

"I don't believe it is completely your decision to make, Vladimir." Clockwork stated lowly.

"I am his father. Until he turns eighteen, I may make whatever decisions I may or may not please."

Silence enveloped them after that statement, leaving nothing but the sound of Vlad's quiet breathing. Neither wanted to speak, one because he already had knowledge of what was to come, and the other because he knew he would lose this battle anyways no matter what he said. Vlad looked down at the polished mahogany of the table, thinking about the current situation. How could he just send his son off as a stand-in for people he didn't even like? His son hadn't even been told about this yet! Clockwork could at least let him talk it over with him. Maybe his son was strongly opposed, maybe he would rather remain at home with his real father. Not some overgrown oaf! And Vlad knew his son wasn't going to be a good enough actor for something like this. He couldn't even lie without stuttering. He also knew Clockwork knew as much too. So why was he requesting this? And he especially didn't want his son in a house full of ghost hunters! That could be extremely dangerous! Vlad had already had his mind made up, it was just his boy. His son had high morals - Vlad had a vague notion that those had come from Clockwork's influence - and tended to strive towards doing the right thing, even if it had the potential to turn around and bite him. Vlad sighed inwardly. He knew that if he made the decision without his son's consent, his son would be upset with him. Probably grumbling something about treating him like an infant or such. Vlad looked up at Clockwork, who had looked satisfied from the beginning, and scoffed.

"Fine, I will speak with him. That does not guarantee a yes, Clockwork."

"Perhaps." Vlad resisted the strong urge to blast him as he walked out of the room. He walked down long hallways carpeted in lush red, and lit with small but dazzling chandeliers hanging at even intervals along the length of every hallway in his mansion. He turned a corner and climbed his - probably too extravagant stairs - and continued on towards his son's room where he was most likely doing homework. He gripped the shined gold knob of the polished wood door, sporting the same wood as the majority of his castle, and turned it. He pushed the door open, greeted with the sight of his son sitting at his desk working diligently on his school work.

"Hey dad." he said upon hearing his father's entrance.

"Hello, Daniel." Vlad smiled at his son as he approached. He leaned over his shoulder to take a look at what his son was currently working on. "Ah, working on an assignment for math?"

"Yeah, it's easy but it takes a while to do. I'm almost done though. So, was there something you needed?"

"Yes, Clockwork is here and he has a mission of sorts he would like for you to do for him." Vlad winced at the reply.

"Sure, I'd be happy to. I can take care of it pretty quick."

"Daniel, it's more of a long term assignment. You'd be away from home for quite a while."

"Well, how long would it take?"

"You would be taking the place of a boy who has just died in an accident. Clockwork has told me that you look similar to this family's son, and you are the best candidate. He says that this would keep the time stream running smoothly. He didn't give me much information, just the bare minimum." Vlad explained, already having a feeling that his son was going to stick with his decision.

"Well, if it keeps the time stream going pretty well, I guess I'll do it. I'm guessing this will take a long time though. What about school?"

"I'll have to pull you from your current school so you can attend the public school in the town you'll temporarily be living in."

"Oh. Won't my friends here wonder where I'm going?"

"Most likely."

"Can I have some time to think this over?"

"I'm afraid that you don't have a significant amount of time. The boy has only died a few minutes ago. No one knows, but if you don't make a decision soon, the ones who were with him during this accident will get tired of waiting and figure it out."

"Oh... Well, I guess I can do it. It doesn't sound great, but it can't be horrible."

Vlad's expression grew slightly grim, even in having prior knowledge that this was the probable outcome. He nodded and turned to find Clockwork again, but instead found him hovering behind him.

"It's settled then. Are you ready to go, Danny?" Clockwork asked with a warm smile. Danny looked to Vlad, and then back to Clockwork.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

Clockwork nodded and then he and Danny vanished from view in a puff of smoke. Vlad sighed and left the room. He might as well get started on pulling Danny from school and everything else he may need to do to make sure this mission works.

He still didn't want to believe that he was plunged into loneliness again.

End Chapter 1!

P.S. If you want me to continue, please review! I don't want to keep posting chapters if no one reads them!