Chapter 9: Discoveries

A/N: Blue portals represent exiting and entering time. The first blue one they left time. The second one they will be entering time again.

Sam's POV

Being pulled into the portal felt as though there was a strong force sucking us to the other side. Nothing like going through a normal portal where there was just a slight tingle. Appearing on the other side we were thrown onto a small island. The new surroundings looked like the Ghost Zone but instead of being green it was a bluish color and there were strange caves all over the place instead of islands.

"What's the next clue Sam?" Tucker asked.

I looked at the paper and read, "The Palace of Fire is where the Griffin spirit lies. To find it follow the Griffin's path." Looking around again I saw there were paths leading off the island. Seeing as we had left the Speeder at Clockwork's tower we had to go by foot on the trails. Each trail was marked by a symbol. One had a Dragon, another a Phoenix, another a Pegasus, and another the Griffin. There were many others all in the shapes of other mythical creatures but we started down the one with the Griffin. At first nothing was different. Then we started noticing purple fire and strange creatures. The further we went the more we saw. At last we reaches a huge castle surrounded by fire with a small path in the flames made by water forming a tunnel.

"Is it just me, or is this place even weirder than the Ghost Zone?" I asked.

My reply was a "It's even weirder" from Tucker and a shaky meow from Danny. We quickly passed through the tunnel and entered the castle. We were greeted by what looked like mutants. Half one creature half another or some were completely unidentifiable. Hurrying on we passed more strangeness before finding a Griffin like one.

"RRRRREEEEOOOOOOWWWWWWW!" Danny started freaking out and hissing and growling. He crouched down obviously getting ready to attack. Before I could stop him he launched himself at the griffin and grabbed onto its dragon wing with his claws. The griffin swept the wing forward flinging Danny off and onto the ground. The griffin calmly pinned Danny to the ground, the long claws acting like a cage. Then to our amazement it spoke.

"You do not need to speak so harshly to me and attack like that" it growled. "If you simply ask then it is more likely I will help you. And my name is Ana Morphis, not those other nasty names you just called me." Now I had an idea as to what he said and why the spirit was so angry with him right now.

"Uhh, Miss Ana Morphis? Sorry to butt in but if you could just change Danny back for us we'll be on our way and won't bother you again." Tuck said. I was impressed. For once Tuck didn't say something totally stupid. The spirit glared at us, picked Danny up using Telekinesis, and pulled out a strange crystal with animal forms floating inside it. It held the crystal in one paw while touching Danny's head and chest with the other paw. Danny suddenly glowed a bright blue and promptly passed out. Ana then dropped Danny in front of us as he began to change. He slowly turned human again with the ears and tail going last.

"Be sure I don't see you around here again." Ana said, then turned and walked away.

"That was A LOT easier than I expected." I said. Deciding to make Danny hurry up and wake up I took my water bottle out of my bag and emptied the contents on Danny's face. He jolted awake and frantically looked around trying to figure out where he was.

"Where am I? Wait, I just spoke? Am I normal again? Am I-" His ranting was cut off by me pulling him up and smacking him lightly in the face.

"Be quiet. We're in the Realm Beyond Time looking for a spirit, remember? And yes, you're back to normal. Well, as normal as you can be, being half ghost. Now let's get out of here." I said. On the way out we were suddenly pulled into another blue portal. We landed back in Clockwork's study, flung from the mirror we had originally gone into. We went back to the main floor but stopped to look for Clockwork because apparently, Danny wanted to have a word with him. We found him in front of his viewing portals.

Danny's POV

"Hey Clockwork!" I shouted. "What was the idea of getting me turned into a cat by Vlad just to end up getting changed back?"

"Now Danny, you need to control your temper. You don't want it coming back to get you now do you? The reason I allowed you to be transformed was because Vlad simply needed some companionship for a while. Whether it was you being a cat or if you had visited him anyway." That was Clockwork's reply.

"I was there because he needed some company?"

"Exactly."

Review please! And check out this deviant by Strangeressesses!

art/Poke-poke-poke-poke-poke-poke-poke-poke-poke-422703091

Hopefully one last chapter after this. An even ten chapters.

~Misty