Funniest typo while I wrote this chapter was, "Cluckwork."

I don't own DP.

Chapter 6.

"The Arsenal," Clockwork said.

"Arsenal?" Dani questioned, "We have don't need weapons."

Clockwork nodded slightly, "That is true, but you will need one to serve as a useful tool. Strength cannot cut fruit without a knife to wield."

Dani made a face, "Okay…"

Clockwork signaled us to fly faster with him. We had to fly to the backside of the building and exit though the massive back doors. That was where the blacksmiths worked tirelessly on their floating spaces. The noise was incredible and the smell of coal hung in the air like a heavy fog.

The ghosts paused for a second to stare at us. Then, they quickly resumed their work before their medal went cold.

Clockwork took us though to a large arrangement of tools and anvils, "The Head Blacksmith will not be so shocked to see the three of you. It'll be easier to deal with him rather then anyone else," he said.

Dani and I followed obediently. We struggled to hold back shrieks when a plume of sparks blasted up in our faces. I heard a hardy laugh.

"Youngsters, these days. They just don't have the same backbone as mine generation. No, they're not so."

I rubbed my eyes and glared at the massive ghost in front of me. Dani nearly cowered behind me. His green, massive arms met a bulky torso, along with a good-sized potbelly. He wore a tattered shirt and a hefty apron. His lower body was nothing but a tail, so he looked extremely unbalanced on top of it all.

"And shy to boot, eh? Well Lord Clockwork, you's had better got yourself a reason for bringing them here for my works, even if they've got spirit in their eyes, they do."

Clockwork shifted his staff from his right to his left hand and then extended his hand for a casual handshake. Dani and I were a bit thrown off by the gesture. It wasn't the same for the Blacksmith. He shook Clockwork's hand with familiar rhythm.

"Bart, it's good to see you. These children are being sent on an official mission for the Observant council."

Bart nodded, "Aye, the rumors have spread fast, they have. Not a thing gone unforeseen, no, if these pigs spent half their time working as they did gossiping, we'd be in a much better place, we would be."

Clockwork nodded in agreement. Dani leaned in and whispered, "Are we getting some big old pirate swords or something?"

I snorted lightly, "Wouldn't surprise me."

Bart smiled broadly and floated up to us, "And speaking of loose-tongued chatter," he said knowingly.

We shut up.

Bart sighed, satisfied. "Well then, let's sees what I can't pull out of the old rust bucket, eh?"

Dani and I shared a sorry glance. Clockwork looked at us with an amused expression plastered on his face.

"We can trust his decisions, we can," Dani said. "Darn it! It's rubbing off!"

Clockwork chuckled as we followed Bart to the back of his tent, "Bart has that affect, he does."

Bart leaned over a large chest at the far corner of his tent, "Blades of the modern age are not to my liking at all, nor are they the easy to make, but the greatest in history thus far, they are." Bart opened the chest and glanced at Dani and me. "Daggers, for the two of you, I'd say. Practical, small, efficient, and not all too hard to fight with, if need be."

He pulled out two leather pouches of different sizes, "The Council actually restricts the amount of blades of this fashion I make, they does. Things of deadly beauty, and artistry, they are." He handed Dani the smaller of the two pouches and me the larger.

"Well? Pull 'em out and see for all its' worth."

We did and were stunned. I stared at the crazy dagger in my hands that was more like a small sword. The black, blunt side of the blade ran about ten to twelve inches long, not counting the hilt. The actual blade faded to silver, and looked almost wicked with is initial curve at the tip, which then ran along smoothly to a serrated base. The handle was smooth to the touch, betraying the design on it, and the green gem placed at the very end made the thing look extravagant.

Bart's voice shook me out of my stupor, "I's got pride in those, I do. Especially yours, little miss. That was the last my Love ever carved before she gave up the craft. A blade of true beauty, that is. Take care of them for me, please."

Dani stared at the beautiful double-edged dagger in her hands. She held it out flat, so she could run her eyes along the detailed carved work of the metal handle. It ended in a blue and yellow diamond, which kept shifting as if the two colored mists in the diamond were being mixed. "I- I can't accept this," she said quietly.

Bar's eyebrows raised on his wrinkled face, "My, do you have but one manner in you, sweet young lady? It's a gift. A treasure that I wouldn't trust in the hands of any other ghost."

Dani glanced up at Bart. His face softened, "I mustn't dwell in the past, Little Miss. Few ghosts can understand and appreciate a thing of beauty. Let alone use such a beautiful weapon for the greater good of another, and your caution of accepting it is proof. You, the great Phantom…the great Phantom's…you have both spirits in you. That is why I give these weapons to you. For my sake and yours; but also, for the sake of those whom I know you will protect."

Bart floated down to a height that suggested that he was kneeling before us, and looked us straight in the eyes, "You would be doing me the greatest honor that a blacksmith could ask by accepting these gifts. Few knights of measurable honor come around these days."

Dani nodded shakily. I did the same.

Bart smiled and handed us sheaths. I attached my blade to my belt, while Dani managed to slip her dagger into her right boot. It occurred to me then that Bart had given Dani a dagger designed for use when forced into a corner. Mine was much more suited for cutting to kill.

I glanced at Bart just before we left. We said goodbye, and then Clockwork and Dani stepped out of the tent. I stayed for a second and just stared at the calculated look on Bart's face.

"I understand," I finally said.

Bart nodded. I left the tent. My conclusion rang though my head a million times. Bart's voice in my head, clear as day…

You deal with dirty business, so that she won't have to.

I glanced a Dani. She really is more fragile then she pretends to be, isn't she? I thought.

…

Clockwork suggested that he create a portal to get to the place where the Observants wanted us. We agreed and waited for Tara to come back.

When she did, she grinned, "I'm stocked up on herbs for the next century thanks to the Observants," she said.

We laughed and Clockwork took us through the portal. On the other side, we met up with an Observant and his guards.

Dani and I took the time to study our environment. The area around us looked like the Ghost Zone, that's for sure. Swirls of green, black, and grey surrounded us in a cylinder formation.

The Observant waved us over, "This is the door where we last detected the thieves."

We stared at the black and white door. The main part was black, while the edges and center were covered in intricately patterned white metal. There were too many patterns for my eyes to follow.

Tara stared at the door, "You're joking, right? What thief in their right mind would go in there to get away from danger?"

The Observant glared at Tara, "A thief that is prepared and willing to go great measures for whatever is in that book."

Tara bit her lip.

"What's so special about the door?" Dani asked cautiously.

The Observant fixed his gaze at Dani, "This door is unique in its' properties. Firstly, it has no known set owner or creator. Secondly, once inside, it restrains powers at random, and some particular traits completely. Once you enter, you may find that you cannot fly as quickly as you normally could, or you won't be able to become intangible or invisible at all. It is also possible that you will develop new powers."

"Don't forget the part where a ghost can easily be sent to Oblivion in there…" Tara interrupted.

"What?" Dani and I said in unison.

The Observant flinched, "Oblivion is a term used for ghosts who are completely dissolved into nothingness. To put it simply, a ghost is mortal once he makes his way though this door, because much less damage can destroy him."

"Don't forget that some of the plants in there can actually poison ghosts!" Tara added loudly.

The Observants glared at Tara, "That's why we're sending you. No other ghost has enough strength while also having enough knowledge, to be sent on in."

Dani and I looked at each other. "And you put the two Halflings with "little" experience on this case because?"

The Observant cringed, "The Observants have sent teams of on explorations though this door. Those who survived observed that their teammates downfall was their forgetfulness and lack of instinct to protect themselves as if they were fighting for their lives."

The Observant looked at the three of us, "We selected you three because you Phantom's are protective of your lives, and your human nature allows you to adjust to whatever disadvantage that the lair may bring to you." He went on, "In a similar way, Tara, you once felt what it was like to be human and that nature stayed with you. Furthermore, your survival skills are very sharp, as you have proven on your last adventures though this door. Your use of recourses will no doubt come in handy."

The Observant retracted, "I wish you the best of luck. Notus and Zephyr have had much luck in the area that you will enter. They await you from the inside. There is one way in and one way out, though this door. We will post guards constantly."

I gulped and looked to Clockwork who nodded at me.

"Whose door is this?" I asked the Observant, trying to push more for any kind of answer.

The Observants' eye darted downward, "We're not sure. This door merely contains the entrance to a portal that gave us many problems in the past, much like your Fenton Portal does."

"Wait…I though that the Portal broke into the Ghost Zone by it's own means?"

The Observant blinked at me, "Actually, no. Your portal perfectly captured a natural portal that occurred in the Amity Park area, and maintained it."

I nodded, "Fun fact."

The Observant closed his eye, probably to hide his annoyance, "Yes, now will you please leave?"

We glared at the Observant.

"Please?" He repeated.

Tara gave a chuckle and opened the door, "Ladies first," she said.

"Beauty before fleas," Dani said and jumped in first.

Tara grabbed my hand and threw herself through the door, "Darn right, Dani!"

I tried to resist and then remembered something, "Wait, Clockwork! I need to ask you about a guy called J.F!"

Tara's momentum pulled me through the portal. The door was shut before I could even blink. I landed on my back. I heard Tara and Dani cry out in a chorus of 'umph.'

I blinked at the green hue that passed for light. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust before I could get a good look at the heavy vegetation around us.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in and spat out," I heard someone say. I stood up and helped Tara and Dani stand up.

The voice belonged to Notus, "Bout' time you showed up. We've been here a full hour, and now we'll have to wait another six while you figure out what's up." Notus took a swayed stance, and pulled his short braid across his shoulder, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't detect the presence of ghosts when I'm in here."

"And I cant fly," Tara said and then became really pale. She stared at her feet, "I wore the wrong shoes for this journey."

Dani walked up beside her, "Yeah, heels might've been a bad choice."

"Well I'm set either way," I said boastfully.

Tara rolled her eyes, "Seriously though, you two better figure out what powers you don't have, and what new ones you do have in here."

Dani went wide-eyed, "Wait, so we do get new powers?"

Tara shrugged, "Not really new, maybe advanced powers or powers that you'll get in time." Tara turned to face a large vine about five yards away. She set her sights on it then it burst into flames. "Pyrokenesis," she said.

Dani stared in awe. Notus snorted, "Watch this," he said. He stared at the same spot where Tara's black flames still burned, and the flames were stifled. "I don't have a name for this yet," he said with a humorous smirk.

"Congrats," Dani said blandly, "you can blow out candles with your mind."

Tara snorted, "Like I said, you guys at least need to figure out what you don't have."

"Shall we go though the standard check-list then?' Dani asked me.

"Sounds like a good start," I replied.

"Flight," Dani said. We both flew of the ground and flew circles around each other. "Check," she said.

"Intangibility and invisibility, and ecto-rays," I said. We both turned intangible, though it didn't really matter anyway since we were in the ghost zone, and then we both went invisible. Finally, we shot off some ecto blasts at some rocks.

"Check, check, and check. I don't see any problems and I don't feel any different either," Dani said.

"Same," I replied, and landed on the ground.

Tara gave us a look, "That's really odd. All ghosts I've even seen come in here loose a standard power, or at least a unique power."

Dani pondered for a second, "Danny, let's try our ghost senses."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I relaxed as my conscious lapsed into my cold-core and blasted out like a submarine's radar. While my conscious was reserved in my cold-core, I couldn't help but feel a strong flicker in my fire-core. It made the sensation more chaotic, but I still managed to check my cores.

After that, I examined the area within a mile of our group and noted that there weren't any ghosts around aside from us. I pulled out of the trance with a gasp, "Nope, that still works for me."

Tara stared at me with wide eyes. Dani came out of her trance seconds later, "Still fine here too, I can see everyone's energy just fine."

Tara's jaw sagged, "I had no idea you could do that! That's so cool!"

"You could tell?" Dani asked.

Tara nodded, "It's rare for a ghost to have such a tight connection with their core. My core's mostly pure energy with no set form, so I don't have anything like that myself."

Notus shrugged, "Not too rare actually. Yes, most ghosts can't do anything like that, but most ghosts aren't of their caliber either."

Dani cocked an eyebrow, "Am I mistaken, or did he just compliment us?"

Notus took in a sharp breath, "I give credit where credit is due," he said quickly.

"Well," said a voice, "I prefer to give credit where merit wants it."

We all turned to the source of the voice, Zephyr. "Feeling better?" I asked knowingly.

Zephyr glared at me, "Those abilities of yours will come in great handy. At least the girl's will, if she can sense the thieves, then she can take us to the objectives."

Dani blinked, "Wait, where did you come from? Danny and I didn't sense you at all."

Zephyr smirked. He wore the same standard outfit as his brother did, and he wore his blue hair in the same braid. "It's this place. It makes me impossible to detect by physic sense, but on the downside, I can't go invisible."

"Good to know," I said quietly.

Tara interrupted, "Either way, maybe since this place can't take away any standard powers, it can't give you any new ones either. So don't be disappointed."

"We won't be," Dani said. "We'll be fine."

"Shall we go, then?" Notus said.

"Sure thing, but who's going to carry me?" Tara said with a pointed look at me.

"You can't just go out and get a different pair of shoes?" I asked.

"Where would she get new shoes?" Zephyr asked sarcastically and pointed to where the door was.

I turned, "What? Where's the door?"

"Not there," Zephyr said.

I glared, "So we're stuck until we get the stupid stuff AND find the door?"

Everyone nodded numbly at me.

"He's awful slow, isn't he?" Notus asked out loud.

I slumped my shoulders, "This is going to be one long camping trip…"

Took me long enough in the story, but the trio finally made it to their destination! I'd go on, but school's strained me enough even at this point. From here on out, there will be obstacle after obstacle for the Phantom's and even some trouble for Tucker, too. But that's for another chapter.

See you Sunday, as usual! Fair warning, my Mother has me booked for trips in October, so I'll have to start posting on weekdays at some point. :)