It was the day following the massive attack, and Mr. Lancer was calling roll in one of his classes. Everything was going without interruption, until he came across one particular name. "Sam Manson," he said.

"Here," the girl replied.

"Memoirs of a geisha!" the english teacher exclaimed. The girl he was looking at was not what he expected. The normally dark dressed teen had short blonde hair, green eyes and was wearing a green t-shirt with blue jeans.

"What?" Sam said, sounding indignant.

"Um, nothing," Lancer stammered.

------------------------------

Several hours later, it was lunch time at Casper high and Sam had gathered to eat with Danny, Tucker, Valerie, and Michael. They were all looking at her strangely.

"Sam," Danny said, "are you all right?"

"Yes," she said, "and if you're wondering why I'm dressing so ungoth-like, I'm currently in the middle of a bet."

"What kind of bet?" Michael asked, and Sam told them about her meeting with Pualina the previous day.

"Okay, but why did you change your hair and eye color?" Tucker asked.

"Oh, this my natural hair and eye color," Sam said, and everyone widened their eyes in shock. "I would have told you sooner, but it never came up."

"I guess I shouldn't be that surprised," Danny said. "I mean, your parents have blonde and red hair, so you couldn't possibly have natural black hair. As for your eyes, no one as lilac colored irises."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Sam, but it looks like you just lost the bet," Valerie said and pointed towards Pualina. The latina was wearing a black t-shirt with black pants, both with pink strips along the sides. She still had her normal pink hair clips, but also a day glow orange skull choker. She also had black makeup on the sides of her eyes in the shape of a butterfly.

"Crap, I hate it when I lose," Sam said, admitting defeat.

---------------------------------

School was out, and Sam was going to meet Pualina at their predetermined meeting place to discuss the outcome of their bet. They were meeting at a cemetery, and Sam saw Paulina standing in front of one of the graves. Both of them were still in the clothes they selected for the bet. Sam walked over to Pualina and looked at the grave they were standing in front of.

Maria Sanchez

1985-1999

loving daughter and sister

"Is this the sister you talked about yesterday?" Sam asked.

"Si," Paulina replied. "I hadn't thought about her in months before yesterday. I was only seven when she died."

"How did she die? If you don't mind me asking."

"Its all right. She got really sick. I was visiting her in the hospital when she died. But before that happened, she told me to be happy."

Sam let this story run through her head. She had never imagined that something like that had happened to Pualina. Her sister's last words reminded Sam of the last words she received from Ember.

"So, Paulina," Sam said, "since you've won our bet, what do you want?"

"Before we get to that, I have a confession I need to make," Pualina said, then faced Sam and gave her a peck on the lips. "I'm bi."

"What?" Sam said, eyes widening in shock.

"Bisexual. It means I am attracted to both boys and girls."

"I know what it means. I'm bi too, but the thought of you being bi had never occurred to me."

"I know what you mean. For a long time, I thought I could ignore my attraction to other girls and it would just go away, but it never did."

"While this is all very informative Pualina, what does it have to do with our bet?"

"What I want from you for winning our bet, Sam, is one date."

"Okay. But why me. You could get any guy or girl you wanted, but why do you want a date with me?"

Pualina thought about this for a moment before responding. "What I saw yesterday reminded me of my sister's last words. Despite my best efforts, I am not as happy as I think I could be. So I want to branch out, and pursue possibilities that I have not. Part of that is dating people different than what I have been going after."

"All right," Sam said.

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In the ghost zone, Danny had gone to Clockwork's citadel to speak with the ghost of time and deposit the crown of fire for safe keeping. He arrived at his destination and approached the temporal spirit.

"Clockwork, first I want to thank you for your help with the battle yesterday. It was really appreciated," Danny said then pulled out the crown of fire. "If its not too much to ask for, could you hang on to this and keep out of the wrong hands?"

"Of course Danny," Clockwork said, then took the flaming headpiece. "I have news regarding the evil version of you from that alternate timeline."

"He didn't break out, did he?"

"No. He has ceased to exist."

"Now I'm confused," Danny said and placed his hands on his head in a sign of frustration. "Why would he cease to exist now, and not back when I changed history?

"Allow me to explain. He did not cease to exist when you changed history because as long as you still lived, you could become him and he had the potential to exist. But you must remember that he was a combination of your ghost self and the ghost self of Vlad Masters."

"Now I get. When Plasmius was destroyed, I could no longer become him and he disappeared. But I'm not sure why Plasmius was destroyed in an explosion of purple fire."

"When Plasmius used the crown of fire, it gave him power but then weakened him because he was not powerful enough to use it properly. Do you understand?"

"I do. Thanks for the explanation," Danny said, then headed back to his home in the human world.