This is a Bleach and Danny Phantom crossover fan fiction story that I am teaming up with scrletfyre to write. We do not own anything associated with the Bleach or Danny Phantom series and/or its characters. Please leave your comments and reviews telling us what you think. Thank you!

Key guide: "regular speech", 'thinking', *mental speech*, italics- ghosts/zanpakuto/spirits speaking, bold- hollows speaking, CAPS- attacks, (author notes/translations)

Chapter twelve: Dan Phantom

After speaking with Clockwork, the three heroes left the Ghost Zone to head home. Byakuya returned back to the Seireitei as he promised to keep Danny's secret. Ichigo also went back to Uharara's shop to tell Kisuke what was happening. Danny on the other hand had a lot on his mind. Most of it dealt with his older future self. It has been years since he last saw or did battle with his future self. He found it strange that he has changed as Danny wasn't certain if he could trust him. What was even stranger was that he could sense that his future self had definitely changed. Could it be because of Clockwork? So many questions rattled his brain as all Danny knew for certain was that he had to stop the future that Clockwork had shown them from happening.

Danny had fallen asleep in his bed but when he opened his eyes he found himself floating in a place that was unfamiliar to him in his ghost form. Vast skyscrapers towered towards an endless sky as some clouds moved across the sky despite that there was no wind blowing. Down below him he could see the skyscrapers meeting with dark blue water. Danny couldn't figure out how he got here or why he was even in his ghost form.
'Where in the world am I?' Danny thought to himself. Suddenly a blue cold chill escaped from his lips as he could sense the spirit of a ghost nearby.
"Danny?! what the hell are you doing here?!" called out a dark voice just as Danny was about to create his ectoplasm scythe. Danny turned about to see Shiro standing sideways on one of the buildings without falling off.
"Shiro?!" he asked in shock flying over to the white hollow version of Ichigo. "Where in the world am I and how did I get here?" Danny asked.
"You're in Ichigo's mindscape. I can't answer to how you even got here in the first place." answered Shiro.
"It would seem as if his powers allowed him to transport part of his consciousness here much like Master Ichigo does." spoke a voice that Danny was unfamiliar with. A man wearing a long black tattered trench coat and grey glasses also walked sideways on the buildings. He had long wavy jet black hair.
"Man is King going to love this. I assume that you all ready called for him Zangetsu?" Shiro asked.
"Yeah he did. Why is that I have this feeling that half if the time you have no clue about all of the powers you possess Danny?" asked Ichigo as he also stood sideways on the buildings approaching both Shiro and Zangetsu.
"Cause half of the time I don't. My powers are always changing, becoming stronger, as I develop new abilities. Well since I am here, I can tell you about my future self. The ghost you saw back in Clockwork's zone, Dan Phantom." Danny stated as he sat down Indian style in the middle of the sky.

Danny told them all the story about Dan and how he came to be. He even told them about his female clone counterpart Dani Phantom. Danny hid nothing back from Ichigo as he felt like he could trust the older teen who came from an alternate world. Despite what little he knew about Ichigo as he barely knew the older teen. Danny felt like he could trust Ichigo with the truth.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Ichigo asked bluntly.
"To tell you the truth, I don't know. I can sense that he had changed. What I would give to have the kind of relationship that you have with Shiro." Danny stated. This caused Shiro to laugh uncontrollably.
"Hate to burst your bubble. But at first I hated Ichigo with a passion as I tried to kill him a number if times." Shiro stated. Danny looked at Ichigo as he nodded his head saying that what Shiro spoke was true.
"I guess I could give him a second chance." Danny stated.
"Then I think we should try to get him to fight on our side. If he has changed, he would not want the future to be the way it's heading now." Ichigo suggested. Danny sighed as nodded his head. He wasn't sure if trusting Dan was a good thing to do, whether they think he has changed or not. But, if they are ever going to save the future, he is the best bet for saving it.

In the morning, Ichigo had retrieved Byakuya from the Seireitei and brought him to Danny's basement. The plan was to go and see Clockwork again and see if he could create a portal to the future which he showed them the day before. They would then find Dan. As much as Danny hated the idea, they would ask him for help.
"Are you sure this is something you want to do? If you happen to fail at your plan? Then that could alter the future into something far worse." Clockwork warned. Danny nods.
"It's the only option we have. If we waste time looking for that lever right now, then the future you showed us might happen. I must stop it from happening."

Clockwork obeys Danny's wish and waves his staff. The portal behind him shows a purple swirl of ectoplasm, leading to a time in the future. Danny stepped through, being surrounded by the cool feel of the purple goo. On the other side of the portal, everything seemed normal. Clockwork was standing in the same place as he was in present time. A man stood beside him. His staff raised and pointed at Danny and his friends.
"Who are you…... intruders?" Dan snarled holding his staff towards Danny's face.
"Calm down. They are here to see you, after all." Clockwork stated in a calming voice. Dan Phantom lowered his staff enough for them to finish coming through the portal. Danny sighed in relief.
"We need your help. We can stop this future from even happening. But we need your help to do it." Danny stated. Dan looked at Danny as he could sense something familiar about his younger self.
"I know you. You are the younger me aren't you?" Dan asked Danny. Danny nodded his head yes. "You are possibly wondering how I have changed?" Danny nodded his head yet again. "It is thanks the Clockwork. His clocks allowed me to somewhat regain a part of my humanity. I was fighting against myself for the longest time. After I had fought against you, my past self. I remember those words you spoke to me before I was sealed away. When I was released, I asked Clockwork to help me regain my humanity." Dan stated touching the clock that was fused on his face. "If I am to help you stop this future from coming about, I am going to need someone. He reminds me a lot of your orange haired friend." This statement caused Ichigo to raise his brow in question.

"How so?" asked Byakuya.
"It's his presence. I have never in my life meet a Vasto Lorde who still clung on to a bit of his humanity." Dan's words stuck a core deep within Ichigo.
'Can it be possible? In this future I am that being once again? If so why?' Ichigo thought to himself. Both Shiro and Zangetsu remained silent as they had the same thoughts. No one besides a few chosen have ever seen Ichigo become a Vasto Lorde. If Dan was correct, they would be seeking the help from Ichigo's future self, as he became a full hollow Vasto Lorde once again. But why and how come remained unanswered.