A/N: I figured a quick note on ages was in order: Danny, Sam, and Tucker are 15, Jazz is 17, Lynn is 14, and Timmy is 11.

Also I feel that Timmy is a lot smarter than we make him out to be. This is explored in this chapter.

And this is actually a really fast update for me. Don't expect such quick updating in the future. (Sorry.)

Chapter 2

There were not a lot of places for privacy in the Fenton household, Timmy discovered. Sure, he could use the bathrooms or even sneak into Lynn's guest room, but the Fenton siblings weren't the problem; the ghosts were.

The Ecto-Exodus alarm had sounded around midnight the day he and his cousin had arrived, and ghosts were constantly streaming through ever since. The Box Ghost had been comedic with his "Power over everything cardboard and square - and the bubble wrap of DEATH!", but the others - like Skulker, the hunter, or Desiree, the wishing ghost - could prove a problem. Timmy was apprehensive about wishing with her around - when she first appeared, she'd asked if he wanted to wish for anything. Danny and Jazz, thankfully, had threatened her (and the other ghosts) with an array of (cool-looking) ectoplasm-based weapons, but it had struck a sore spot in Timmy.

It was like Norm the Genie all over again, only Desiree wasn't bound to one person; she granted every wish she heard.

That was definitely going to be a problem if he needed to make any wishes while here.

(Oh, who was he kidding; he'd definitely be making wishes at some point or another.)

With this in mind, he whispered a quick wish - a paper cup. There was no ominous pink smoke, like when the wishing ghost had first appeared, and after a moment a light poof sounded, and a cloud of smoke appeared only to quickly disperse into...a paper cup.

Timmy arched a questioning eyebrow at the pink, green, and purple books he had set down next to him. The pink one sighed. "Well, sport," she said as another poof echoed in the library bathroom, "you said I wish and since the wishing ghost didn't grant it, we were obligated to."

"I know, I know," Timmy chuckled as the green and purple books were shrouded with smoke as well. "So what's the deal with that, anyway? Not all ghosts are like that, right?"

The pink book-turned fairy - Wanda - rolled her eyes. "No, sport, of course not."

"But they are all creepy as heck," Cosmo stated, fluttering next to his wife. "They can all fly, and they all glow, and they all can pass through stuff and go invisible."

"Exactly, Cosmo," Wanda agreed, nodding as Poof floated next to Timmy, absorbing the information like his godbrother. "Then each ghost gets...specialized. Like Desiree grants wishes, the Box Ghost controls boxes, Skulker has a specialized hunting suit...and so on."

Timmy nodded slowly. "Alright, makes sense, I guess," he muttered. "But so why do you think they're all suddenly coming out of that portal?"

Wanda shrugged. "I'm...not sure. But...I don't like it. It'll be dangerous for us."

"Dangerous?" Timmy asked, eyebrow arching again. "How so?"

Wanda opened her mouth to explain, but Cosmo cut in before she could speak. "See, Timmy, a long long long time ago - before Wanda and I were born, in fact - there was a big war between all the magical creatures and all the ghosts. No one ever won but a truce was called and so we don't trespass on ghost's homes and we don't fight with them, and they don't bother us or try to kill us, and everybody's happy!"

"Er...that's exactly right, Cosmo," Wanda said, blinking incredulously. Turning to Timmy, she explained further: "It's also why fairies are rarely assigned to Amity Park, especially nowadays."

"Is...is this some ghost's home, then?" Timmy asked, eyes going wide with a mix of wonder and fear. "Are you guys gonna get in trouble?"

"No, sweetie, no," Wanda rushed, shaking her head frantically. Cosmo had floated over to Poof and was holding the baby close, for Poof had started to tremble with the beginnings of terror. "The town is not officially claimed by a ghost. But...it's where the ghosts congregate, because it's where the Fentons have their portal, as you've seen. And Phantom is the resident ghost - he's just yet to claim this territory officially."

Timmy nodded, then slowly, his buck-toothed frown turned into a smile. "But, hey, if we see him after a ghost battle, maybe we could talk to him! Be like, 'Hi Phantom, so this is like your territory right, and according to Da Rules we need to ask you to be here so-'"

"It's not according to Da Rules."

Timmy stopped short, staring at his godparents. "What?"

"It's not Da Rules that say that, Timmy," Wanda repeated. She paused. "Well, it's in there, but it's more for godparents only to know since most godkids don't realize ghosts exist and none would ever really wish to meet one and anyway, no - it's according to the Treaty of Clockwork."

"The...Treaty of Clockwork?"

Wanda nodded. "It's the truce, basically. At the end of the war, there were four ghosts we all know worked with Jorgen to create the peace accords: Prince Aragon, Princess Dorathea, Pandora, and Frostbite. The ghost Clockwork was always a major player, but no one for sure knows how much of a role he played...still, the truce treaty is named after him as a sign of respect, since he's always a neutral figure in any major war."

Timmy frowned, nodding slowly. "Okay, but why is he so important?"

"He's the Ghost of Time."

"Trust me, you don't want to mess with him," Cosmo cut in suddenly. "I mean, I've never met him of course, but he knows everything! Past, present, future - he knows it all, and he's just so powerful...that's why, whenever possible, he stays neutral."

"Okay, guys, I get it," Timmy said, feeling more than a little nervous about this town now. It was going to be one heck of a month...

"Can I ask you guys something, though?"

Wanda blinked and Cosmo tilted his head curiously. "Sure, sport. Ask away."

Timmy fidgeted now. "Okay, well, you know my cousin Lynn, her snake? It was purple, but I've seen garter snakes before and the weirdest colors they come in are orange creamsicle, candy cane, and a few others but they're all brown, black, white, or green colored. There are no purple garter snakes. So I was thinking - is her snake really her fairy godparent or something?"

Wanda fidgeted, looking to her husband and son, before nodding. "Yeah, Timmy. But, don't confront her about it yet! Lynn first needs to figure out that you've got fairies-"

"Then we'll tell Ione about it!" Cosmo finished. Timmy, at this, tilted his head.

"Wait, so you guys were talking to that snake when it was hissing at you!" The fairies nodded their head, sheepish, but Timmy still beamed his buck-toothed smile. "Cool! That's so cool..."

Timmy turned to the bathroom door, ready to leave, and on cue his fairies waved their wands and transformed into books, secure in Timmy's hands. He rested his hand on the doorknob, then stopped, causing concern to rise in his godparents.

"Timmy?"

"Guys, last night, when the portal sounded, I saw you watching Danny with these...weird expressions. What's up with that?"

Wanda bit her lip, glad Poof was the top book so that Timmy couldn't see it. "Well...we'll, we'll tell you later, sweetie. I promise. Just...not right now, okay? Not right now..."

"Their pets give off a weird vibe."

"You think they're ghosts?"

"No...my ghost sense didn't go off. Well, until the Ecto-Exodus alarm, anyway."

"Hmm...what kind of 'weird vibes' are you getting from them?"

Danny arched an eyebrow at his sister. "Please don't go all psycho-analyst on me."

Jazz rolled her eyes. "Come on, Danny, just spill. Please?"

The raven-haired teen sighed. "Fine, whatever. Well...I mean, the snake wasn't too familiar or anything, and the smaller fish didn't feel that familiar either, but the other two...I feel like I've seen them somewhere before. Like, their auras...they were really familiar, you know?"

His sister shook her head. "Not really, Danny... But, what do you mean by 'auras' anyway?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't know...not ghost auras, obviously... It's just really, really weird, Jazz. But I don't want to say anything to them - I don't want them freaking out over some vibes I got from their pets."

The red-head nodded slowly. "Alright, Danny," she said, rising from their table at the Nasty Burger. "I'm gonna go and pick up Timmy from the library. I'm pretty sure Lynn is still around somewhere - she's got her snake with her, which is odd, but if you see her just tell her to be back at the house by five. And help her home if she needs it, got it?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Of course, sister dear."

Jazz shook her head in amusement as she left the fast-food joint, right as Tucker and Sam entered through the doors. The duo beelined to their usual table, and sat down with Danny, completing the trio. "Hey, dude, what's up?"

"What were you and Jazz talking about?" Sam added.

"Nothing important, guys," Danny said. "Just my two cousins who are staying for the month while all our parents are out of town. Jazz just left to get Timmy - he's the youngest of us, just turned 11. Lynn - she's a year younger than us - she's walking around town."

"Actually she's right next to you."

Danny yelped, and Tucker and Sam were thankful neither had sat with him because he ended up sprawled half-way off the booth. The brunette girl giggled, grey eyes sparkling with amusement. "Hey, cousin. Mind if I join you guys?"

"Uh, er, sure," Danny said, righting himself as Lynn slid into the booth. She waved with her left hand and smiled at Tucker and Sam, who questioningly waved back.

"Lynn, these are my friends, Tucker and Sam. Guys, this is my cousin Lynn."

"Nice to meet you guys," Lynn chirped, raising her right hand this time. Tucker yelped upon seeing the snake wrapped around it; Sam, meanwhile, cooed softly.

"Aww, what a cute little garter snake!" The goth suddenly stopped, frowning. "You didn't dye his skin, did you?"

"Her, and no, of course not!" Lynn replied, shaking her head. "This is Ione, and she's a very rare coloration of garter snakes. I went through a lot of trouble to get her. The breeder is very meticulous about creating new color variations for garter snakes."

Sam nodded. "Alright, that's cool."

"Cool?" Tucker asked indignantly. "Sam, it's a snake. In a restaurant! Is that even allowed?"

"Relax, I was just gonna grab something and go, no need to make a fuss," Lynn said, rising from her seat. "Nice meeting you, Sam, Tucker. See you later, Danny!"

Danny waved, before remembering something and shouting after the brunette, "Be home by five or Jazz'll have my head!" He received a thumbs up as his cousin joined the relatively short line for food, and Danny relaxed slightly. Until his ghost sense went off.

"Urg, I hate this so much," he muttered, watching Lynn take a bag and exit the fast food restaurant. "At least my cousin isn't here to see this, though..."

"Just go already, man!" Tucker cried, rising in unison with Sam. Danny nodded and began to rise himself before he heard the ghost who was causing the ruckus.

"I AM THE BOX GHOST! BEWARE!"

"OH COME ON!"