Well, I'm back, I hope to get some big plot development into this chapter, well, here we go... Well first I'd like to thank my reviewers who have allowed me to waste their time for this long, this is my longest running story yet and it is easily the most popular. I hope that you'll allow me to waste more of your time in the future, now lets go!
Clockwork stood quietly in his chamber, placidly twiddling the long staff of time in his fingers as he gazed into the massive crystal ball like orb that stood in the center of the room. One would think that he'd find the events that had so recently unfolded shocking, horrifying, gut wrenching, and just plain awful, but, no.
As he often stated to Danny, Daniel, or any other person who instinctively questioned his wisdom, he knew everything, and that meant EVERYTHING. Time was his element, his habitat, and sadly enough his hobby. Anything that had ever happened, was happening, would or even just could happen Clockwork knew, he was the master of time, and he did his job well.
But he was more than a being of omnipotent power and ability, he was a living (not really) breathing (kinda…) paradox. You see, he knew all that was, is, and will be, but where does his own birth come into play? What happens when he does not step in at the proper moments in time as he foresaw that he would? If he knew that it would be, how could he not act?
The answer was simple yet incomprehensible, time would unravel. This however, did not worry him, he was a being of action, who knew his place and when he was needed, after all he was an all knowing entity.
It actually annoyed him at times, that there were no surprises and everything was expected. The only real exciting events in recent millennia were his associations with Danny, nothing was ever boring with him around.
Danny's coming was something he had looked forward to for eons, because he knew of the true destiny that he held. Hell, you had to have something of a destiny going for you if there were multiple alternate timelines created simply for your own existence to play out as fate saw fit.
Now Danny's evil persona had escaped, gained incredible power beyond reckoning, and usurped the throne of Lucifer himself. It didn't make matters any better that the most recent devil had held his throne for nearly ten thousand years, the longest of any infernal king. He knew this would happen, the date and the time down to the exact second, he knew that everything had to fall into place perfectly, but there were some who didn't understand that.
As if on cue the entrance to the tower exploded in a flurry of wood splinters and ecto blasts. At least two dozen forms leapt into the chamber, moving in elegant formation. They were dressed like ninjas, in star white clothing that covered their entire bodies including their eyes. On the chests of their uniform was embroidered a green eye, the symbol of the obeservants, and these were their Special Forces operatives.
They formed a fast moving circle around Clockwork, who just yawned, bored out of his mind. Each held his hand above on the hilt of a green katana, ready to strike. As a single entity they each drew their weapon, all pointed directly at the master of times neck.
"I assume you know why we're here Clockwork", a deep voice spoke into the silence. Clockwork lazily turned his head, avoiding the blades poised at his throat. Two being entered the room, each wearing an elaborate cloak with a decorative collar and their head were nothing more than massive, unblinking eyes. These were the observants, the highest members of government in the ghost zone, and they were very, very angry.
"Ah, my big eyed friends, how nice of you to visit. Can I offer you any refreshment?" he asked innocently, changing to his infant form.
"You know precisely why we are here, Clockwork", the head observant hissed in a low ominous voice dripping with disgust and hatred.
"You have purposefully neglected your responsibility and have let the one called Dan to escape", the other observant declared angrily, pointing to the remnants of the thermos on the table against the opposite wall.
"And what is more", the head observant continued. "You have allowed him to defeat Lucifer, and for three copies of the same being to meet, when you knew all of this would happen! It is your duty to prevent the darkest events of the future and you have failed, if not only to defy us!" he roared. It was surprising to both observants and all of their agents that the aged ghost simply chuckled.
"Yes, I knew all of it would happen, and yes, I let it. But am I really to blame? You also access to future events, but never once have you acted upon your own accord. You have always come to me." He turned to addressed the special agents with a smirk as he became a middle aged adult. "What do they have you do anyway? They have their own special agents and the only thing they've had them done in a century is arrest me" He snickered. "If you think arresting me will reverse anything then you are greater fools than I thought. I will not resist, as I know that no matter what I say I cannot make you see the truth".
"Very well, but first, your staff, surrender it to us" the head observant demanded. Clockwork gazed at his eternal tool as if saying goodbye to an old friend, and tossed it across the room, to where the lesser observant caught it. The two massive eyed observants approached the crystal ball as Clockwork was led away, the head crossing his arms, staring into its contents.
'Sir?" his subordinate asked after a long while. "What if he's right? I mean, he proved us wrong the first time. Phantom changed the timeline. But what if this was supposed to happen?" The head twitched his face to his lesser counterpart.
"We have sworn to watch and preserve time, and it seems that Clockwork has slacked on his duties, and in the process has allowed the devil himself to walk the earth. Yet you dare to question the wisdom of the council?" he turned away in disgust, gazing into the orb where Daniel, Danny, Dani, Sam, and Vlad sat recovering on a floating rock.
LINEBREAK!
Clockwork was led down a dark corridor inside the fortress of the observants. Clockwork simply followed his captors, not attempting to fight back even though he could easily destroy them all, even without his staff. The fortress looked like a stereotypical medieval prison, except that the torches glowed with a green fire, giving a surprisingly eerie tone to its halls.
The master of time allowed himself to be roughly shoved into a cramped cell with a tiny bed in the corner. He sighed as he sprawled out on it.
"I needed a vacation", he said to himself, resting his head on in his arms behind his head, closing his eyes. This was exactly the kind of break he needed, time to sleep, which he rarely ever had, while the fate of the world and all its conjoining dimensions were in the hands of someone else.
"Good luck Danny, Daniel", he whispered to the silent walls. "I know what challenge awaits you and you'll need all the luck you can get if you are to succeed…"
LINEBREAK!
The last couple of hours had been hectic, not that Danny wasn't used to that. But this was becoming too much. Not that all of it was bad of course, since apparently the future held many wonderful things, marriage to the girl he loved, a beautiful family, and a great life. But of course it would come at a great and terrible price courtesy of his darkest enemy.
And now his future counterpart was leading him, his girlfriend/future wife, his clone, and his apparently redeemed arch enemy, not that he completely trusted him though, into only God knows what. Since nothing in his life could be normal, of course they were attacked by something big ugly and scary on the first ten minutes, and he just had to ask…..
"What the hell was that!" he bellowed. The quintet was still on the rock on which they were recently attacked. Sam sat beside him on an icy bench, Dani sat cross legged on the ground before them, Vlad sat across from them patching a wound from the fight, while Daniel sat Indian style in midair, apparently in a meditative position. Daniel sighed, looking up from his reflection.
"I suppose I never did pay attention in literature class, or when I fought in Pandora's realm. That was a Cerberus, a copy of the original three headed dog that guards the underworld. However this one is different. Different as it was composed completely of negative energy". He scowled. "It seems Dan is watching us. Although he shouldn't be able to see us anymore for long".
"Why is that?" Sam asked curiously."Because", Daniel answered. "He can only see the wicked, as that is his domain." He gazed over at Vlad. "And since Vlad's heart is returning to the light, Dan's ability to see through his eyes is fading." Everyone nodded in understanding.
"So," Dani began. "What do we do now?"
"Originally ", Daniel said. "I planned on going to either the far frozen or Dora's realm, but now they must be assembling their armies, and will not open up to anyone. But, I have an alternative. There is some special training that I must give you Danny, but at the same time there is information to be gathered." He turned to Vlad. "I'll entrust this to you, as it's something of your expertise". Vlad nodded.
"I know just the place, but what is it you require information on?"
"The celestials". Daniel said. Vlad simply gaped at him open mouthed, before reverting to his usual smirking demeanor.
"Very well, I am always up for a challenge."Daniel smiled.
"Glad to hear it". He turned to the girls. "I want you two to go with him. The teaching I need to pass on are potentially dangerous, and I wont put either of you at risk." Both female halfa's opened their mouths to protest, but Sam spoke first.
"No, I'm staying" she said firmly.
"But Sam it's-" Danny tried to cut in, but she gave him the 'Sam' look that always made his heart and brain to mush, rendering his judgment utterly useless. He looked over to Daniel for support, but he held his hands up in defeat.
"Don't look at me, she's been doing that to me for twenty years and not once have I been able to resist". Sam nodded in 'damn right' sort of way.
"Why cant you just teach me? I need to learn to control myself anyway". Daniel rubbed his chin, deep in thought. At first he hesitated, but eventually he gave his answer.
"All right" he said. "This technique is unique to the person, and you've told me how you did it in the future, so I may be able to help". He turned to Dani. "However, I know nothing of how you achieved it, you did, but you always said it was too embarrassing to talk about. Nonetheless I need you to go with Vlad, he'll need someone to cover him while he's researching. "
Dani visibly huffed, but nodded.
"Oh well, I need some target practice anyway", she said, smirking over at Vlad, who either didn't hear her or chose not to react. The pair flew off into the black distance, leaving Daniel, Danny and Sam alone.
"So," Danny said. "What is it that's so dangerous to teach us you want to get everyone out of the way?" Daniel sighed, and took a seat, gesturing for the other two to do the same.
"Well Danny, I'm going to teach you to master your ghostly obsession."
Ok, there's a chapter done. Next chapter you'll learn more about the background of the infernal and the celestial, as well as the ghostly obsession training for Danny and Sam, guess what Sam's is, and how it will affect her and Danny's power….. well see ya soon!
