Clockwork: That depends on how you write it.
SS: I know! But I don't want it to end.
Clockwork: Then write a sequel.
SS: Ok, I guess, that is if anyone wants one.
---
Silence was key. His prey was totally unaware of him, completely memorized by the clock. Probably half asleep, but from his position he couldn't be sure.
A small shift but not one of wakefulness. Years of practice kept him from freezing up. He let the stillness of the room and the sound of the clock flow through him, disguising his energy. The excitement of the hunt store for latter instead of seeping out and disturbing his prey.
Ten minutes passed as he slowly let the energy drift him over to the bed. His prey's toes twitched slightly due to a small shift in the air current. He steadied his breathing smoothly and the foot relaxed.
Five more minutes passed as he crept his hands down to the covers, always relaxed.
Flip.
The boy didn't have time to make a sound before he met the grandfather clock up close and personal. Laughter rang in his ears, making it hard to piece together what had happened. He had been about to fall asleep when wham!
Now he was upside down, Danny place his good hand on the floor, managing a decent handstand, and kicked off the top of the clock. Planting both feet firmly on the ground he turned to face his attacker…
The red head from earlier held the deep violet sheet in both hands, bed between the two. "What was that for!"
"You owe me. Besides, it was fun."
"Who are you?" Danny wanted to hit him again, but he doubted that Vlad would be happy with him if he did.
"You don't recognize me? I'm hurt. I've helped you out more than once." the blanket rose between them and landed neatly on the bed.
"Nope. Think I'd recognized someone as crazy as you, especially with red hair and the Santa's elves look going on."
"Really, let me help you." A very shiny and very pointy sharp arrow head was pointing right between his eyes. The bow to fire it was bent almost full circle, bloody red and very elegant. "I am the world's greatest hunter, and I never miss my mark. I can hit the eye of a beetle from six hundred feet; don't compare me to that childish fantasy again."
The twange of release echoed through the room and the clock stopped. Danny didn't need to turn around to know that the arrow had pierced though the face of the clock, effectively killing time.
"Um, yeah…" Danny attempted to edge around to the door. He suddenly would rather take his chances with Vlad.
Seeing that his prey was attempting to escape the hunter blocked the door. "Now, now, I won't kill you… yet. Besides, you still own me."
"You're psycho."
"Thank you. Much better." A suddenly cheerful grin crossed the hunter's face.
"What do you want from me?" Danny wanted nothing more that to be out of that room. He'd rather fight Pariah Dark all over again, at least then he knew what he where they stood.
"Nothing rally, you are a pain to keep track of though, you know?"
"Who are you?" the boy's hands twitched, drawing power into them.
"You really don't know? I though you were smarter than that."
Danny stared at him… "Helen War Buck Keller?"
"You are a lost cause. Vlad should just kill you and make another one."
"Tried that, I say he should just get a cat."
"Ah, yes the clone thing. Told him it was a bad idea. Did he listen? Nooo."
Danny relaxed a little; maybe this guy wasn't that dangerous. Just crazy. "So, are you going to tell me your name, or am I just going to call you Shego."
At first Danny thought that he was going to get hit, instead the older man laughed. "Shego, I'm going to have to remember that one. Heh. Well brat, I have been called many things, Orion, Arden, Phantom panther… I've forgotten more names than you've ever heard. But the one I go by in this day and age is Skulker."
---
Vlad walked by his most annoying employee, who looked far to pleased with himself. He didn't want to give Daniel up, but there wasn't much choice in the matter. Now that Maddie knew the full extent of the problem, a horde of demons wouldn't be able to keep her from protecting her child.
Said child was sitting on the bed, staring at the clock, which had an arrow sticking though where the hands connected. 'Skulker!' Only the long history they had together kept Vlad from hunting him down and killing him.
"Daniel, I will take you home, but you will tell no one about this." It wasn't that the boy was stupid; he knew that here would be no secrets reveled, but the boy was too young, and not even trained.
"Just because I'm a C student doesn't mean I'm going to be that stupid!"
And that he couldn't keep his grades up… "Your mother knows too much. No matter what she says, keep your mouth shut. She does not know everything, just enough to make the situation sticky. Which means, do not transform around her, and stay in the house."
"What! Why? This is my fight. Stay out of it."
That headache that was from Daniel started to get worst. 'I know that teens never do as they are told, but this is ridiculous.'
"Because I said. Maddie is not going to let you out of the house until I say it is safe so get used to it."
---
"The enemy leader is leaving with the target." the blond said from his perch in a tree.
"Where are they heading?" Tomowashi cracked over the head set.
"Due north." he said after another look in his binoculars.
"Back to Amity? Good, this will make things easier. Does he have any escorts?"
"None."
"Good, follow them, on my signal, you attack."
---
Danny knew Vlad was ignoring him, yet he continued to glare regardless.
'Only a few more blocks till I'm home free, and away from that creep.'
Finally bored with glaring, it was making his eyes hurt, he turned to stare out the backset window. The familiar streets passed by when something blue caught his eye. It disappeared before he could identify it.
Turning around, Danny searched for it through the back window. That feeling that he had been having since the beginning of this circus intensified slightly.
"Daniel! Sit right! The last thing I need is a ticket because of you."
Another flash, his time he got a small glimpse of a human figure before it disappeared behind a roof edge.
"Daniel!"
"Someone is following us." he cut off he older man.
A small shift fell about the car like a curtain and Danny felt all of his senses intensify. "Did you recognize who?"
"No one I know."
"Hopefully it is just the scout."
Another flash, landing on the building next to them. "Scout?"
"They have been watching you for some time. How else would they know when and where to attack?"
"Are we going to have to fight?" the hair on the back of his prickled as Vlad stopped at the sign.
"You are not fighting anyone. If we do get attacked, you are staying behind me. However, I doubt that they will. We are in the middle of the city and I am far stronger that anything they could throw at us."
A second later that thought was disproved when someone landed on the car.
"What were you saying?"
The right window smashed in and Danny flung himself into the oppose seat, twisting his seatbelt around his feet.
Vlad turned around but the front window smashed in, courtesy of the big red bear. Vlad started to change but the paw hit its mark mid transformation.
Tomowashi pulled the door off and leaned into grab Danny.
"I appreciate you dropping in like this, but I got to say twang you later." Danny blasted the buckle and the belt snapped into his attacker's face.
A hand pulled him back, though the car door. A small sound leapt from his throat as his good swung around, to hit nothing.
"Daniel, I am on your side. Run home. I will take care of this little problem."
Vlad dropped him on the ground and flew into Tomowashi, knocking her off balance. Then he flung her into the bear.
No way was he staying out of this fight. It was too dangerous to bring home.
Danny started to transform when something solid hit the back of his head.