Chapter 6

(Post D-stabilized, before PP.)

After Danny had finished, Dominic just sat there for a minute, amazed at the story Phantom, no Danny, had just told him. To think there was a dimension that was literally the proverbial flip-side to Earth that the planet could not exist without (and vice versa), inhabited by a new type of supernatural entity the Soul Society didn't know about, just boggled the mind.

"Wow, just … wow," said Dominic with an amazed look on his face. "I CANNOT believe what you just told me."

"I know it's a lot to swallow, heck, even I didn't believe in ghosts when I was still human, and look at me now," he said while pointing at himself in an exaggerated fashion. "All the same, I would appreciate it if you didn't blab about me and what I told you to the other Soul Reapers, OK?" he asked a little sheepishly.

Dominic was about to ask why Danny didn't want him to tell anyone about him, but then he remembered what Danny had told him about the GIW, a group of government funded ghost hunters that were out to destroy all ghosts forever. They had even tried to destroy the ghostly world (or more of a zone, as Danny described it), and would have destroyed both worlds if he hadn't managed to stop them. He also remembered how Danny had said that they, and other ghost hunters, though of ghosts as inhuman beings of evil, and thus had no moral qualms whatsoever towards the thought of ripping them apart, molecule by molecule.

"Oh," Dominic said, realizing why Danny didn't want a group that hunted evil spiritual entities knowing about him. "Don't worry, as long as you don't go around eating human souls, I won't tell anyone about you, OK?" he said.

"Fat chance of that," Danny exclaimed. "I would rather let that bully from when I was alive and at the bottom of the social food chain make me eat his underwear again", he said with a laugh. "When he pulled them out of his pocket, I wasn't sure if I was more freaked out by that, or the state of them!" With a sigh, he looked down at his hand and said "you know it's kind of ironic."

"What?" Dominic asked, confused.

"I was socially invisible and pretty much powerless when I was human, but as a ghost, I have tremendous power and I'm pretty much famous," Danny said with a shrug.

"I guess that's just how that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes," said Dominic. "At least you help people with your powers, instead of using them to try to take over the world or something," he laughed.

Before Danny could answer, he noticed something out in the main warehouse. Hovering over to the windows of the room, he saw a quickly growing black area in the air that looked like the rift the Hollow had come out of, that Dominic had called a Garganta, what Hollows use to pass between their world, Hueco Mundo, and other realms. He was about to tell Dominic when his black ghost sense (or Hollow sense) went off again and something quickly darted through the opening.

"Dominic, look out, Holl," he started to shout, but then the floor beneath Dominic gave way and he fell into the clutches of a Hollow that looked like a humanoid cheetah with red eyes and an extra set of limbs.

"I'm coming Dominic!" Danny shouted as he flew toward them. Just as the monster crouched over to take a bite out of the Soul Reaper's head, Danny, remembering that Dominic told him that no matter how much a Hollow can regenerate, destroying their head and mask will always destroy them, fired a ghost ray and blasted its head to bits!

"Hissssssss," the Hollow seemed to say as it started to disintegrate. As it died, however, its thrashing tail hit Danny across the chest like a whip.

"Danny, no!" cried Dominic in horror. Shocked, even with shunpo (or flash step), he could only watch as Danny was knocked into the rapidly closing Garganta right before it completely sealed.

"Dominic, are you there?" asked Danny when he found himself in a black void. "What is this place?"

Not getting an answer, he used his ice powers to create a platform to stand on, then transformed back to his human form. Before he had a chance to do anything else, however, a clock shaped portal opened and Clockwork, the ghostly Time Master emerged.

"You are in a place between worlds Danny," Clockwork said as he shifted from child form to adult. "This is the space in-between Earth and Hueco Mundo."

"Clockwork!" Danny exclaimed. "Boy I'm glad to see you! Can you help me get back to Amity?" he asked hopefully.

"I am sorry Danny, but I cannot. You must go to Hueco Mundo, where the fate of the various worlds hangs in the balance," he said with a serious look on his face. "I can, however, provide you with some tools so you can better accomplish what you must there."

"What?" Danny asked, confused. "What about Amity Park and my friends? Will they be safe while I'm gone?"

"They will be perfectly safe, young Phantom," Clockwork said reassuringly. "Now, let me explain how these tools will help you."

Taking a case out of his cloak, he opened it. The first thing he took out was a bundle of extra Fenton Thermos's. Next, he took out a vial of glowing green liquid that reminded Danny of the Ecto-Dejecto he had used to cure Dani's instability. Finally, he took out a case of markers, much to Danny's confusion.

"Uh, while I'm grateful for the help Clockwork, how will these help me?" Danny asked. "The Thermos bundle I have a good idea about, but I'm not sure how the rest will help."

"The vial is a special elixir that will boost your duplication abilities to the point where you can create several duplicates that will be equal to your normal power level, and give a mental connection between them, but will wear off after a week." Clockwork stated.

"COOL!" Danny shouted excitedly. "I hate it when I try to duplicate and it goes wrong,"

"Next," Clockwork continued, "we have the Thermos bundle. You will need at least one on each duplicate, and the markers are so you do not put any of the Arrancar enemies in the same one, as that could weaken the containment."

"Dominic told me about the Arrancar, Hollows who removed their masks, in many cases with the help of a traitorous captain named Aizen, to gain more power, but he made it sound like they had it under control," Danny said. "Why do you need me to help?"

"Because, you are needed to help prevent them from losing their comrades and friends, and save some of the more benevolent Arrancar as well, for they regain at least some of their morality post-transformation," Clockwork said. "This will also help protect Amity Park from Hollows, quite possibly forever".

"OK, I believe you, so how do I get there from here?" Danny asked. "It's hard to tell up from down in this place!"

"We have been slowly floating on the currents of reishi, or spiritual particles which make up spiritual objects and beings in a similar way to ectoplasm composes ghosts, and are about to arrive at Hueco Mundo," stated Clockwork. "Fly through the crack you find, and you will be in the land of the Hollows. Be careful Danny, Hueco Mundo is not a hospitable place for most, and has many hidden dangers."

"Got it," Danny said confidently. "See you soon Clockwork!" he said as he scooped up the case The Time Master had brought, transformed, and flew off into the void towards the speck of light he saw.

"I will see you again as well, Danny," said Clockwork with a grin. "In due time…" he said as he opened a portal back to his tower and vanished into it.

Meanwhile, Danny flew through the opening and found himself in Hueco Mundo.

That's all folks! I am not doing any more of this series or any of the others I am working on, as I have lost all inspiration, and will be taking an infinite hiatus. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but, as I have said, I'm EVIL!

JUST KIDDING! APRIL FOOLS! It WILL slow down, since school is starting up again, but I hopefully should be able to update on an irregular basis. Remember; check out my story Danny Phantom Messages for The Ultimate Guide to Danny Phantom, which when complete, will have all the information any DP fanfiction author (or anyone else, for that matter) could ever need on the show!