The tower was quiet. There was no ticking, no bell chimes, or even slight creaking. A week, Danny assumed anyway, had passed since the day the halfa had retreated to his room to think about his fate, and that week broke him. He'd concluded that, even if he managed to kill Dark, there would be no one to watch over the time stream, no matter how messed up said ghost actually made it. It didn't help that he had the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage either.

Not only that, but it wouldn't accomplish anything. With or without Dark, Danny would become evil and break his promises. He had no say in the matter, he just would, and that terrified him. It wasn't like he could die before it happens either. He was immortal, he wouldn't ever die of old age, and he was far too afraid to kill himself. He had no choice… He submitted.

"Come on, Daniel," Dark said to the numb boy, who blankly stared up at him. "at least try to look happy for me."

Danny merely continued to stare at him. He'd also started speaking less over the past week, which Dark found mildly annoying, but could easily work around. After all, even when all is quiet, time moves forward, and everything else with it. Even stubborn, depressed, young halfas like Danny.

"Alright, fine. Be that way. But whether you're silent and frozen like a statue, or as loud and obnoxious as Clockwork when he laughs and shakes that damn thermo- Ahem... You will still do as I say." Danny couldn't help but chuckle a little, as Dark remembered his other half's time in the Fenton Thermos. "See, now was that so hard?"

Danny rolled his eyes, before he looked at the floor, the gaze of his blue orbs now sad once more. "I just… I still don't want to become evil, Dark. No matter how much anyone liked me, I made a promise."

"Daniel, you really have to stop painting your world with two colors. There are many shades of grey in between when it comes to morals. Besides, evil is good in the villain's eye, isn't it?" Dark offered his words to the boy, before he held up his staff. "Now, follow me; we have some training to do. That should help you clear your head."

Danny didn't like the look in Dark's eyes as he said those words. "T-training?"


"Gah!" Danny flew backwards, effectively landing on his butt. He groaned, before he realized part of his suit was on fire, and quickly patted it out, only to turn and glare as the dark time ghost chuckled.

"What's the matter, Daniel? You can't land a hit on an old man?" Dark asked, completely calm as he floated there in his elder form. You could faintly see his ribs through his black robes, and his hair and beard were much longer, while his flaming hair merely flickered instead of blazed. And yet, despite his appearance, he was thoroughly kicking Danny's ass. "I thought teenagers were good at killing time."

Danny narrowed his eyes as the dark time master floated above him, a smug smirk on said ghost's face. "It's not like I can fly at the "speed of time," you know!"

"Well," Dark started, returning to his adult form. "we can work on that another time. Until then, let's work on your stamina next, if you have any left of course... I want you to release a ghostly wail into this portal for... let's say 5 minutes."

"What!?" Danny exclaimed, as Dark snapped his fingers. Concave appeared with Wulf's hand on his like a glove, and opened a portal for his master. "I can barely hold it for 5 seconds, let alone 5 minutes!"

"And that's why I'm training you. Once you're done, we'll be going to Amity Park for a… let's say a day trip." Dark said. Danny tried to protest, but was cut off. "No argument, Daniel. Besides, screaming into a void is very therapeutic."

Danny just stared at the man, before he sighed and sucked in a breath, deciding it best not to argue. His eyes flashed their red color for a moment, as the halfa released his Ghostly Wail into the portal, while trying his best not to wonder where it led, or who could've been behind it. He held the attack for nearly a minute, before he abruptly stopped and fell forward, reverting back to his human half almost instantly.

"I hate you…" Danny managed to say, as Dark rolled him over with his staff, making him lie on his back. Blue eyes now leered upwards, and into solid red ones. "I hate you more than anyone else..."

"I'm glad you think me worthy of such attention, Daniel. Being of such importance in your life is very gratifying. Now, shall go?" Dark questioned, lifting the halfa by the back of his shirt.

The boy just groaned, too tired to say anything about what Dark said, or to do anything at all for that matter. Dark sighed, transferring some of his energy to the halfa as they stepped through another portal Concave had created. The ghost then dropped the boy onto the ground, making him narrow his eyes in response, before he sat up and looked around. He then frowned, seeing that Amity Park was little more than mostly destroyed buildings and fire at this point.

Slowly standing, the halfa turned to face Dark. "Why are we here?"

Dark smirked, before he looked into the sky. Danny followed his gaze, and was surprised to see Valerie, fighting off a small horde of ghosts. "I want you to kill her."

Danny froze. He stopped breathing. He stopped thinking. He stopped.

And then he started again, turning to face the dark time master with fear and worry, while said time master continued to look up, and into the sky. "I can't do that! I won't do that!"

"Either you get the chance to say goodbye and kill her, or I torture her and force you to watch. It won't be short either, so why not be the one to end her, and make it so she doesn't suffer? Isn't that the right thing to do?" Dark looked down at Danny, a smirk on his face as the boy battled himself. He'd managed to appeal to both ends of the spectrum that was Fenton and Phantom with that one.

"I… I…" Danny glanced at the young woman, who had just finished defeating the group of ghosts. "… I'm sorry, Valerie."

Danny allowed the white rings to wash over him, frowning at the claws now accompanying his red eyes. He could feel his very core shifting, seeming to hum at the thought of fueling it's obsession. His ghost half had given up on protecting people, so maybe it was his turn to do the same. Whether it was his ghost half influencing him, Dark, or Danny just wanting the emptiness and pain to go away, it didn't matter. All that mattered was his obsession.

No longer would he protect. He would only endanger.

The faintest smile formed on Danny's face, as he floated up to the ghost huntress. She seemed to pick him up on a radar, and turned quickly, ready to shoot, but she never stood a chance.

The halfa dodged each blast, eyes focused and determined, as he was now a breath away from her face. He fully allowed himself to enjoy the moment. The temperature dropped several degrees, as Danny stood on the hover board, noting how the huntress's ghost equipment was quickly freezing over, along with the board beneath his feet. Holding out his hand, Danny let his ghostly instincts take the reigns. Many of the ghosts whom had been attacking stopped to watch the ghost boy, the hero, as he stepped forward and caused the Valerie to inch closer to the edge of her hover board.

"Hello, Valerie." Energy ran down his arm, and into his palm, gathering into a small, powerful, green ectoblast. Red eyes met green, and it was suddenly clear that Danny's intentions were cruel and unwilling to change. Valerie then became one step away from falling to her death, just as Danny clenched his hand into a fist, the energy around it strong, while the young huntress's feet froze where they were, and the hafa did as Dark said he could.

"And goodbye."