WARNING: Self-indulgent mess.


"You're late. By sixteen and a half seconds, at that."

Danny sputtered, "But you're the master of time! You know exactly when we'd be here."

Clockwork, in the form of a toddler, smirked, "Yes, but you would have been here sixteen and a half seconds earlier if you had gone around the left side of that island instead of the right. Therefore, you're late."

With a collective sigh, the trio of teens stepped fully into the Clock Citadel. Clockwork floated to the center of the main chamber, shifting into his adult self.

"Now then, what have you come here for, Daniel?" He asked.

"You already know what."

"Yes, I do. I ask for your benefit."

Accepting the reasoning, Danny nodded, "Alright. Well, obviously, I now have wings, and Tucker said it might be because I'm an angel. We came to ask if that's true and figure out some other stuff based on that."

"Good."

Sam spoke up, "So? Is it true?"

"To put it simply," came the answer, "Yes. Though, before you ask, Heaven is not a part of the Spirit World. Ghosts who pass on peacefully may go to heaven, but Angels are not residents of Heaven. As Tucker suspected, ghosts with obsessions like yours who don't become possessive and corrupted by it have the potential to become Angels."

Danny perked up at that, "So there are more? And because of the criteria, they'd be friendly, right?"

"Yes, they would..." Clockwork confirmed, before his face darkened and he shifted to an elderly man, "Though no Angels have been seen for a long, long time. You are the first I have seen in person for several centuries, and the rest have either been disguised as humans for as long or have vanished altogether."

"Oh." Danny's wings drooped as his spirits fell. But then another thought occurred to him, "Wait! If the other Angels can disguise themselves as humans, why does my human form still have wings?"

"Ah, yes. I ask you, when you have been injured in ghost form, will it not also harm your human half?"

Danny nodded, though he was still confused. Clockwork continued.

"This situation is similar. Your ghost half and human half are not two separate bodies, but instead one body represented as two different things: energy and matter."

"And..?"

"If your ghost half is altered in any way, what would happen to your human half?"

Danny frowned, "So because I'm only using two versions of the same thing, the wings I got as a ghost of protection need to also be part of my human self?"

"Precisely."

The trio looked thoughtful at that. It was Tucker who spoke first, "Why isn't Vlad like that? He doesn't have fangs in human form, and he looks a lot more buff as a ghost."

Clockwork chuckled, "Actually, he does have fangs in both forms, they are simply retractable. As for his build, it's only an illusion created by thick clothing and a frightening presence."

"Aha!" Danny crowed, "So he really is a vampire! Called it."

The master of time smiled as he shifted back to the form he had greeted them in. "Be careful, you're insulting the real vampires. They're nowhere near that unpleasant or bloodthirsty, as irony would have it. Anyway, there is another question you intended to ask me."

Danny nodded, ignoring the fascinated whisper of 'real vampires' from his goth friend. Returning to the floating position he had adopted in his room, he relaxed as he questioned, "Why did this only happen now? And while I'm at it, how come I can still fly normally?"

"I'll start with the simple one. You can still fly as you usually do because while your wings will provide you with greater speed, your ghostly flight offers better maneuverability. When used together, it is unlikely you will ever meet a superior flyer."

"Coooool!" The trio commented in unison.

"As for the other question," Clockwork sighed, an old man once more, "Do you remember what today is?"

Sharing a perplexed look, all of the teens shook their heads.

"It is the exact two-year anniversary of the first time you voluntarily threw yourself into harm's way for the sake of protecting others. The anniversary of your first real ghost fight."

"Oh, right!" Sam said, eyes wide in realization, "I remember that fight, actually! That was two years ago, wasn't it?"

Danny smiled at the memory of his clumsy start. "So what now?" He asked his ghostly mentor, letting himself drop to the floor in a standing position.

The time ghost floated towards his viewing portals, seemingly deep in thought. After a pause, he turned back around and declared, "For now, it seems it would be wisest to keep this development a secret. Before your family returns, practice with turning your wings -only your wings - invisible and intangible for long periods of time. You should also attempt to get a handle on your new abilities as they develop. Yes, that will happen. Otherwise... Do not actively seeking other Angels. That will not end well."

The small group decided not to question the Time Master, and simply nodded.

"Before you leave, I have some gifts for each of you," Clockwork stated, "Samantha, you will appreciate these, I'm sure. They will turn you each invisible as you please, even when Daniel is human. The clasps double as time medallions." He summoned three pitch black cloaks and handed them to the gothic girl. Sam grinned and swiftly pulled one on, fastening the gear-shaped clasp and pulling the hood over her head. The shadow it cast made her face nearly indescribable even to the boys standing next to her.

"Awesome."

"Tucker, this one is a bit more in your area of expertise. It is capable of converting anything you input into a ghost-compatible material. Have fun playing around with that, why don't you?" This time, what looked like a glowing item scanner was called forth. Tucker immediately began dismantling and rebuilding it with his eyes.

"I now name you... Genevieve."

"And finally, Daniel. Firstly, do not hesitate to ask me for help if you should need it. Unless those detestable Observants prevent me from doing so, I will be there to assist you. Second, you will not immediately be able to hide your wings with your powers while unconscious, so this will render them invisible until you can do so yourself. Don't be reliant on them; they can't turn your wings intangible after all." Clockwork entrusted Danny with a silver necklace with a gear the size of a quarter for a pendant.

"Thank you, Clockwork!"

But the powerful ghost wasn't done, "One last thing. Though it has been so for a long time, I knew not to tell you until now. You have proven yourself to be ready, and those wings of yours only prove that." Clockwork retrieved the Crown of Fire - recovered from Plasmius - and the Ring of Rage.

Catching on, Danny shook his head violently, "Oh hell no."

"After your defeat of Pariah Dark, it became your right and obligation to rule. An angel on the throne presents the potential for the Spirit World to heal from the fragmentation it has suffered under previous rulers. This is your future, and it will likely be bright." Clockwork urged.

"But... I won't be able to live peacefully and I'll need to leave home, right? And can't these artifacts corrupt me or something? That seems like it would be a thing." Danny argued, not noticing the silence from his companions.

If Sam and Tucker had to be honest with Danny, they would tell him to accept the title. The two had discussed the possibility in the past, after Sam had mentioned the old tradition for the victor of a one-on-one duel between a king and a challenger would earn the right to rule. Though Tucker had needed some convincing, they eventually agreed that he would most likely excel at the job.

"No, Daniel, once you have formed a proper council, you need only to visit once or twice a week. Until you are ready, the true title of king will be waiting, and you will remain the Prince of Spirits. If anything, the position would deter many of your enemies from attacking you. Besides, the Crown and Ring can't corrupt the holder. They shift and change to better fit the needs and nature of their master. I suspect that your Ring will help you to keep calm and think rationally, thus helping with your angel issues." Was the explanation.

Danny bit his lip and took a step back, his wings fluffing up in discomfort. He wasn't as sure as everyone else seemed to be, but this guy was the literal Master of Time. If Clockwork, of all people, believed that he was the right choice…

"...Alright, fine," He answered reluctantly, shuffling his feet, "I'll do it. But promise me that if I start to turn evil, you'll take the Crown and Ring away from me before it's too late, okay?"

Clockwork presented his young charge with the ring and a smile, "I promise."


Yep, see? More ideas that will become a huge mess later, that's on purpose.

Word Count: 1516

Thanks for reading, again, and have a nice day/evening!