Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. The show and characters belong to Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. I just own this story.
This is a post-PP story with minor ending spoilers. This is the end of the emergency spoiler warning system.
Chapter 1: Choices
Tick Tock Tick Tock.
The clocks' in the castle continued to tick away, showing that time was still flowing within the lair of a certain ghost. Said ghost didn't seem to pay any mind though, his red eyes focused on the portal in front of him. Clockwork obviously didn't like what it was showing him, apparent by the frown adorning his aged blue face.
"This cannot happen."
Clockwork floated over to his time staff, which was more like a pole attached to a large stop-clock, and picked it up. His ghostly body shifted through time, changing from a wrinkled old man into a small child in the blink of an eye, before he opened a hole to travel to the mortal world.
- (Amity Park) -
It was night in the town of Amity Park. It was so peaceful that a pin falling across the room could be heard. However, Amity Park's nights weren't always so quiet. Some nights, there were dangerous creatures out in the streets.
"BEWARE"
Tonight was obviously not one of those nights.
Flying through the sky, a pale man wearing factory mandate uniform screamed out warnings from the top of his lungs. His flight was cut short though, when a green burst of energy hit him in the back. The source of the green energy came from a young, white haired boy wearing a black jump suit. This boy was the Earth's greatest, and Amity Parks resident, hero.
Daniel Fenton, a.k.a. Danny Phantom.
As the man fell to the ground, Danny pulled out a small thermos that looked as though it had more wires than a fuse box. He uncapped it before turning the opening of the thermos towards the falling ghost, sucking the being up in one shot.
"And there goes the Box Ghost. Again." He said, sounding a bit exhausted.
Danny floated to the ground, landing with ease. As soon as he landed, a boy and girl riding mopeds drove up to him, stopping as they got close. As soon as they came to a stop, they both approached him. The first to reach him was the dark skinned boy wearing a yellow shirt, light green khakis, and a top hat.
"You'd really think he would have learned not to come through the Fenton Portal by now. He's never out in the open for long before we get him." The boy said, taking the thermos from his friend. The boy was Tucker Foley, computer genius and youngest mayor, both to serve and be re-elected, in the United States. Before that, however, he was Danny's oldest friend.
"Well what do you expect? He is the Box Ghost. And will you take off that hat already?" The girl remarked; sounding a bit annoyed at the end. The girl was Sam Manson, inherent rich girl and eco-Goth. She was dressed in either black or purple, the only change of which was the green lines in her black skirt.
"Yeah, Tuck, it's been months since you were re-elected and you've only taken off that hat for school. Would you give it a rest already?"
"You're just jealous that I got elected again," Tucker replied before sticking his tongue out childishly at his friends.
As the argument began, Danny smiled as he remembered, once again, the incident from 2 years ago. Within a matter of days, Danny turned from Amity Parks' resident enemy/hero into the worlds' savior. He also turned from Sam's friend into her boyfriend.
After the Disasteroid passed, Danny's life started to get a bit easier. With the secret of his ghost powers out, it was a lot easier to change and fight ghosts. Though with the change, a few others changed as well.
"Freeze Daniel Fenton." Like that for instance.
In an instant, two men in white coats jumped out from an alley, aiming their weapons at Danny.
"First the Box Ghost, and now these guys? Tonight is just not my night," Danny sighed to himself. He turned to his friends, "I'll see you guys in the morning." Finishing his goodbye by kissing Sam, he took the thermos back from Tucker and flew off, dodging the energy rounds being shot at him by the men.
Danny knew that flying would give them the slip. They couldn't risk being spotted chasing after the Earth's hero, no matter how much they didn't like ghosts. It's why Danny was only careful at night and in dark alleys.
As Danny flew home, he spotted something unusual. A small bird was stopped, floating in mid-air.
"Well there's something you don't see every day."
Danny looked closer, seeing that it wasn't moving a single muscle. The bird obviously wasn't a ghost, yet it was frozen in the air. Only one thing he knew could do this. Clockwork.
"Danny." A deep voice spoke behind him. Before he could turn around, he was thrown into a recently opened portal.
Danny traveled through the portal, knowing it would probably lead to Clockworks' castle. Soon, the space in front of him took shape, and dropped him into a room he previously knew. Around him were castle walls, covered in clocks, except for one wall which showed a mirror larger than he was.
Danny stood and dusted himself off before turning to look at the ghost that had dragged him into this place. The time ghost floated in front of Danny, looking like an adult, just one of the three forms the ghost boy knew. No matter what form he was, however, the Older ghost always had a scar over one of his eyes. Danny was always curious as to how he got it, but knew better than to pry into the much more powerful ghosts' past.
Knowing Clockwork wasn't a ghost of whim, Danny knew what question to ask right away."What's happened, Clockwork? Why did you just rip me from my world?"
Clockworks face was serious. There looked to be no emotion in his eyes, though Danny knew that he was merely hiding them. His job being what it was, the time ghost had to hide it. It wasn't easy to play the puppet master when the puppets knew what he wanted.
Clockwork gazed up at the mirror before letting out a sigh and looking at Danny again. The older ghost paused for a moment, changing into an old man while he waited, trying to think of the best way to break the news. Finding no other way, he spoke gravely. "Daniel, you are going to die."
A/N (9/18/11): Newly edited and made better, I'm getting back into things. I'm going to try to edit the other chapters up a bit before making any new ones, so hold on tight, all you readers.