Ch. 7
At the observants' headquarters in the Ghost Zone, Danny Phantom and Clockwork, who had received treatment for his wounds, were walking down a hallway to the meeting room to discuss the Dark Danny situation.
"You sure you feeling alright?" Danny asked Clockwork.
"Of course, Danny", Clockwork assured, "I'm a ghost after all."
"You know I've heard of the observants before. But I sometimes wonder who exactly are they? What do they actually do in the Ghost Zone?"
"The observants observe, of course. But if you really want to know, they record events that they observed throughout time and space, but after the Ghost King, Pariah Dark, was first overthrown long ago, the observants have acted as the new ruling body of the Ghost Zone since then."
"If they do rule the Ghost Zone, why is there so much chaos going on out there?"
"It's because of their oath, 'To watch and never act', so they put Walker in charge of maintaining order for them letting him enforce his rules over the Ghost Zone's citizens."
"Yeah well I've seen how well that's worked out." Danny remembered his unpleasant past with Walker.
Danny and Clockwork entered the meeting room where observants were sitting around with the two observants they were with stood in the center.
"Good, you two are just in time", one of the two observants said, "Now the meeting can begin."
Clockwork and Danny stood back while the two observants gave their speech to the rest of the observants.
"My fellow observants, a dark day has come", announced one of the two observants, "The evil future Danny has escaped and is now free to wreak havoc once again."
The other observants in the room gasped, horrified by the news.
"Therefore, we must call for immediate action to protect our world."
The observants in the audience talked to each other, fearful of the evil Danny's wrath.
"This can't be happening", said one of the observants.
"What do we do", said another.
"We're all doomed", said a third observants.
"Calm down my brothers", the other observant in the center, "All hope is not lost yet, for Clockwork and this timeline's Danny Phantom are here with us."
The two observants floated back for Danny and Clockwork to step forward and speak.
"Hello", Danny started, "I know many of you are afraid of him, and you're right to be. But I've made sure that his future will never be mine. And while he may look it, he's not invincible, I've beaten him before and I can beat him again."
"So until this dilemma is over we should recall all ghosts back into the Ghost Zone and then seal off all portals leading to Earth", Clockwork said.
"I promise you all I will ensure the safety of both Earth and the Ghost Zone."
The observants cheer now that their hope is rekindled, while Bullet peered behind the door listening to the whole meeting.
"So that's what this is all about", Bullet said and closed the door.
Meanwhile at Axiom Labs, Damon Gray had finally finished fixing the machine.
"There, the Infusion Chamber is now fully operational", Mr. Gray informed Dark Danny, "Now let my daughter go."
"I'll let her go when I know it works", Dark Danny replied and turned to Vlad, "Now then, shall we get started?"
"Absolutely", Vlad said. He took out the thermos and uncapped it to release Undergrowth, who immediately tried to attack Vlad. "Catch!" Vlad threw a black cube right at his stem. The cube engulfed Undergrowth, with his head exposed. Undergrowth struggled to break free, but he wasn't able to phase through his prison. "You can't break free, that is a spectral energy neutralizer that renders your ghost powers useless as long as you're contained within it."
"Release me!" shouted Undergrowth.
"I don't think so." Vlad pushed Undergrowth into the nearest pod of the Infusion chamber and closed it. Vlad opened the thermos again, releasing Vortex and Nocturne, who also tried to attack Vlad until he threw spectral energy neutralizer cubes at each of them trapping them both and rendering their ghost powers useless. Vlad pushed each of them into the two remaining pods, closed them, and walked back to Dark Danny to review their plans. "Now if my theory is correct, when we've placed each of these ghosts into these three pods and you inside the chamber, I will activate the machine and you should gain the powers and abilities of each of these ghosts, making you more powerful than you already are. After all, those powers are wasted on them, since they do not have the cunning and imagination that you and I have."
"Excellent", a pleased Dark Danny said, "But before we activate it, I need you to complete one task for me."
"Very well then, son."
"I need to go find the Fenton family and bring them here to watch."
"It shall be done." Vlad started walking away to complete his new mission.
"Hold on", Dark Danny pulled Vlad back to inform him of his conditions for the mission, "I want you to bring them here alive, all of them, including Jack Fenton."
"What?!"
"I want my old family to be the first people to witness my new ghost powers. That means no exceptions!"
"Uh, very well then." An intimidated Vlad regained his composure, "I will bring them all here alive."
"One more thing, be sure to leave a message for Danny to come here. I don't care how you do it."
"Consider it done." Vlad whistled to summon the ghost vultures who phased through the wall at his service immediately after, "We have a mission to accomplish." Vlad and the vultures phased through a wall to carry out the evil Danny's demand.