Twelve Years Later: Shadows Searching
by Futuramakid and Anthiena
DISCLAIMER: WE OWN NOTHING.
The renewed Phantom would awake in a room unfamiliar... to a great many clocks chiming the hour. At the foot of his bed, awaiting his consciousness, an old man... no, a young child... no, just a man, floated. The young ghost sat up. It felt like someone had carved a great deal from his head with a dull knife.
"Ugh... how much did I drink...?"
The man chuckled. "I shouldn't know. A young man dropped you off here, unconscious." That much was indeed, true.
It felt like his head was filled with sand. "Why is everything so muddy... where is this...?"
"This... is my home. As for you... I'm afraid I can't say. I'm just an old man... One who cares for the vagrants."
Phantom shook his heads, running his tongue over his teeth. "...why the hell do I have fangs, was I some freak...? Nevermind. Uh... lesse..." He tried to think, but it hurt. Everything seemed to be tinged in a haze of almost distant pain.
"Don't try too hard, son... For now, focus on the now. I... can offer you this place to stay, but... I would need you to do things for me. Earn your keep."
He nodded.
"I guess... don'... remember. Hurts. Can't even dig up my name..."
"...It doesn't matter for now... it may come back to you later... For now, I can just call you friend, hm?"
"Friend. Whatever." He shrugged, not caring. It hurt...
"Are you... hungry?" Clockwork was unsure how much the transformation had affected Phantom, he at least appeared human again...
Phantom breathed evenly.
"Yeah... a little," he admitted.
"It's been long since I've had one such as you as a guest... but I'm certain I have something," Clockwork said, "come."
Phantom got up, feeling heavy as lead and followed. Nothing was clicking. Nothing at all. Clockwork led him to a small, disused kitchen... That seemed familiar, at least, but dimly so. Clockwork rummaged in the cupboard, and managed to put together a plate for Phantom... chicken soup, and a little bread. He made a note to restock it in the future... or the past. Phantom inhaled the first few bites, but seemed to recall manners. That was better, at least, but he seemed like he hadn't eaten in ages... which was, to say, technically true. He hadn't eaten in ten years.
Clockwork was mildly amused at the man's appetite...
"Well, since I'm not used to keeping this place stocked... That can be your first errand for me," he reckoned.
Phantom shrugged.
Clockwork pondered a moment, before asking with a small bemused grin... "I... presume you know what you like, correct?"
He reached in his coat, looking for currency with a good date...
"I think I'll know it, anyway." He shrugged.
The ghost handed him a couple hundreds, in date to 1996... "Well, then. All there is is to send you off, then."
"So how do I get out of here and how do I get back?" Phantom asked.
"Come, I will instruct you..." The ghost led him to a large room, with a screen in the center... He waved his staff, the image turned to a supermarket. He grabbed a time medallion from the rack- Phantom's original had been merged inside to anchor his existence.
"Put this on... And then step through the screen. When you're done, remove the medallion, and you'll be pulled back here, Along with anything on your person."
He took the medallion. "This thing looks weird, but okay. I'll just hide it in my shirt." He spoke, pocketing the money as well. Any robber would be very unpleasantly surprised if they tried for it...
Clockwork nodded.
"Do not tarry long..."
Phantom hopped through the portal, somewhat surprised by his nimbleness, but not too much. The supermarket was a plain store, and he arrived by its side.
He entered, finding a basket, carrying it, wondering a moment why the old man didn't need food, but decided not to worry about it; why borrow trouble? He went through the aisles, picking randomly, almost. He remembered some things went with others, at least... On one rather crowded aisle, he may have noticed a small girl- no older than seven, with a round ebony face framed by raven hair - seeming rather lost, and anxious... She made her way through the crowd, though she seemed unsure of where to head...
"Yo, kid, who are you looking for?" he asked.
She looked up... Her expression was unsure.
"...Daddy said not to talk to strangers..."
Phantom shrugged. "I'm called friend. Now I'm not a stranger. What's he look like? You know his name?"
"...My dad... he was just here... He's a grown-up, he's got a mustache... He wears glasses... he has black hair like me..." She paused a moment, concentrating... "An'...I think his first name's Damon."
"Damon..."
He thought. "Well, I think I saw him pass me over..." He led her to the back.
"Here."
Damon was in view.
"...Thanks, mister," the girl said, before rushing to her father.
"Valerie, there you are!" her father said relievedly, noticing her, and picking her up, "what have I told you about staying close to me, sweetie?"
"Whatever..." Phantom shrugged... and then paused. He turned back.
"What's her name?" Phantom asked.
"My name's Valerie," she replied, smiling, "Daddy, this man helped me find you." She smiled happily.
"Well, then, I'm much obliged," he said to Phantom, "thank you, sir."
"It's... nothing... gotta go. Just remember Mr. Friend."
"Okay, buh-bye, Mr. Friend," she said, waving as he walked away.
None were aware of the irony of the situation...
Phantom purchased the foods he had bought and found a spot to take off the medallion where it wouldn't be much noticed and returned to the tower. His head didn't hurt as much, now.
"Welcome back, friend," Clockwork said, "I trust you had no trouble."
Phantom shrugged.
"Nope. Just saw some little girl named Valerie. Cute kid, but whatever. Random."
The man smiled cryptically... "Well, then, that's good... you know where to put the goods..."
Phantom felt hazy on a lot of things... like things were blunted as he packed away things. He felt his body and once things were put away, he looked into a mirror. He had no idea what he actually looked like.
"I look... like a creep," he spoke to himself.
"You are odd, for a human..." agreed the man's voice from the door, "but then... looks can deceive."
"You are not human," Phantom spoke. "Am I?"
He felt at his fangs and brushed long black hair from his face.
"You... I do not know," he said," you arrived unexpectedly... and you appear human, for the most part. But there may be something else as well..."
He felt his face, looked into the reflection of cerulean blue eyes, a small beard and long black hair for a man in a ponytail... wild and a hard man's eyes.
"I don't know if I care... but I can learn what I am, I suppose. I'm probably not going to remember any time soon, am I." It was not a question. The man shrugged, and left Phantom alone... He would be useful, but his future... was unpredictable. Outside of time, Clockwork could see very little of his destiny... A wild card... but the experiment was in earnest motion. One that Phantom would not-could not- fail...
