A/N: truephan here: Uh, are you all right, Ms. Hyde?

Ms. Hyde (weakly): Why of course, dearie, why did you ask?

Truephan: Uh, heh-heh, because you look worse than you usual bad self.

Ms. Hyde: Thanks for the compliment. But, it's just that this time I got caught right in the crossfire of this chapter and its other two or three revisions. Do you know how it feels to get squashed by several pounds of paper all at once?

Truephan: Uh, not really. So, that would explain the cuts…

Ms. Hyde: Paper cuts, dearie. And you know how much those bite!

Truephan: Uh, don't you mean cut… *winces at Ms. Hyde's hairpin eyes* Uh,…*gulps* Hope you feel better soon? In the meantime, dear readers, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Pearl: Oh, it wasn't so bad….

Vlad muse: *glares* Girl, you say that again and I'll blast you. Do you know the bruises I got after battling it out with Ms. Hyde over this blasted chapter!

Pearl: Oh, a lover's quarrel! How cute!

Vlad muse *eye twitches* What did you just say?

Pearl: Epp! Um, nothing! I said,… I love squirrels. Yes, that's what I said. *ignores muse's glare* Um, oh, heh. Hello all. Just, you know, another day with Vlad muse. Ahem! Anyways, enjoy this chapter! It was… fun. Yeah. Fun… *runs off*

Chapter 29: Coming to Terms, Part One

Vlad opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling before breathing slightly in relief. He hadn't been dreaming after all: he was still in his home in Amity Park. Still, when he moved, he was certain that not all of it had been a dream.

He groaned as he pulled himself up and sat up on the side of his bed. But he only felt even dizzier and he groaned a bit more and reached for his forehead. That's when he suddenly startled a bit as he realized that his forehead felt hot. He looked down at his still bandaged chest and lightly touched it. It still hurt. And how odd. It, too, felt unusually hot. Was he running a fever?

He looked at the clock. How long had he been sleeping? He hadn't looked at the time when he took his first dose of ghostly medicine…something he would have been sure to have done if he wasn't feeling so badly... He would have to check with Skulker on that one.

He slowly stood up, but wished he hadn't since that only compounded his vertigo. He immediately sat back down and thought of just lying back down as well. Maybe that first dose of the Ives Ghost Plant formula was stronger than he thought…But he didn't think it would cause a fever.

Suddenly, there was a slight rap on the door of his bedroom.

"Come in," he said, his voice sounding hoarser than he thought it should.

He smiled weakly when Skulker emerged into his room.

"How are you feeling, Plasmius?" the Ghost Hunter asked, already suspecting that the answer wouldn't be that positive since the man looked a bit peaked and flushed at the same time.

"I have been better," the man replied, clearing his throat right afterward. "And I'm a bit thirsty and hungry."

"I shall summon Derek for you, then," Skulker began, turning around before Vlad interrupted him.

"Just a moment, Skulker. I would like you to check something for me first."

Skulker turned back and waited in silence.

Vlad cleared his throat again and then swallowing thickly, said, "I, uh, need you to come over here."

One of Skulker's eyebrows shot up in some surprise, but he walked over to his employer and stopped when he was about a foot away from the man.

Vlad nodded before saying, "I believe that your new suit has the ability to monitor temperature."

"Indeed it does. I have been taking the liberty of checking some of its features and, uh, fortifying your home just in case it should have to face some sort of invasion while you were recuperating," Skulker replied, almost sounding like an excited child with a new toy.

"Yes, it is best to be prepared," Vlad agreed, ignoring his still swimming head. "And I would like for you to use that feature right now. Can you tell what my body's temperature is?"

Once more, one of Skulker's eyebrows rose in both surprise and now some concern. That was definitely a very strange request the man just made. Nevertheless, he didn't comment and pushed a button.

A light blue beam immediately shot out and engulfed the man before it quickly dissipated.

Once the results were in, however, the Ghost Hunter hitched in a gasp before he commented, "Your human body's temperature is 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit. I believe that is highly above what humans would call the 'normal temperature'.

"Yes, it is. I thought I was running a fever," Vlad said. "I hope that this is merely the effects of that first dose of the Ives Ghost Plant."

"I hope so, too, Plasmius, because that is not all what my instruments told me," Skulker replied, his metallic face etched in concern.

"Oh?" Vlad replied, trying to sound casual, without complete success.

"Your central core….it is even hotter and its temperature is rising."

Vlad swallowed hard. Though he was now worried, he calmly remarked, "Rising did you say? Well, normally, it is just a few degrees higher than my human body temperature when it is dormant. But it doesn't get hotter until after I morph. This is unusual."

"So then, I hope you are not going to say that this may also be caused by that concoction you insisted I give you? I should think you were getting better," Skulker said with a frown. "This cannot be welcoming news."

"Well, as we both know, that 'concoction' as you call it might have been a bit stronger than I anticipated," Vlad replied, unconsciously rubbing his forehead a bit. He felt a headache coming on. "So, we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, could you summon Derek? I would like to get something to eat and drink. And then, I think I might have another dose."

"Another dose? You cannot be serious, Plasmius!" Skulker objected. "Should you not wait a bit more to see if at least your central core's temperature comes down?"

"I don't think I have that luxury, Skulker!" Vlad suddenly snapped.

But then, Vlad unexpectedly stopped before he grabbed his head and his chest at the same time. He had been suddenly seized with even more dizziness and a new pain in his chest. It was burning.

He then said with a bit more weakness eking out of his voice, "Maybe you're right, Skulker. I might give it a bit more time…"

"Plasmius?" Skulker immediately gasped, stepping a bit closer and grabbing the man before he could fall off the bed.

"On second thought, I think I'll just skip eating and drinking for the moment and just get a bit more rest," Vlad weakly said, not even aware that Skulker had actually helped him to lie back down.

Though concerned, Skulker dryly remarked, "Glad to see that you are seeing reason this time, Plasmius. I shall make sure that everything remains secured until you feel more recuperated."

But the man could not answer him. He had fallen unconscious again.

Skulker frowned in discontent. He didn't like this one bit. His employer had felt very hot to touch when he had helped him lie down and now the man was perspiring. He was now regretting even more that he had volunteered to give the man that medicine.

But little did Skulker know that in reality, the medicine had been helping Vlad and he would have been a lot better by now had he not been so injured in the first place. But even more, there was another kind of mischief behind Vlad's slow recovery….

In fact, about an hour later, the older hybrid was tossing and turning, yet remained unconscious. There was a cold pack on the man's forehead, which Skulker had brought in when he had returned to check on his employer and found the man's temperature had gone up several more degrees.

The hunter was indeed worried, but unable to do more, he had readily left Plasmius alone. And Skulker had reason to be worried, for Vlad's body temperature was so high that the ice pack had completely melted in a matter of minutes and the man was drenched in sweat.

Even so, Vlad remained unconscious, though he continued to toss-and-turn and moan incoherently.

Then, suddenly, a purple beam came out of nowhere and hit the unsuspecting man, and his body lit up with the odd energy. A small gasp slipped past Vlad's lips, but then he sighed and settled down into a calmer slumber…

Tucker slightly rapped on his best friend's bedroom door. When there was no answer, he turned to Sam with a shrug and a frown.

She motioned for him to try again.

Still frowning, Tucker obliged her and knocked again before quietly asking, "Dude? Are you awake? It's me and Sam."

"I am now. Come in, guys," Danny groggily said as he pulled himself up to a sitting position.

Tucker winced in guilt at having woken his best friend and slowly opened the door and went in with Sam close behind him. As soon as Tucker saw Danny, he apologetically said, "Sorry, dude. Jazz asked us to try to wake you up. She's making breakfast for everyone."

"Breakfast? Have I been out of it that long again?" Danny asked, surprised. "I knew I needed the rest, but that doesn't seem right."

"Well, then, how do you feel?" Sam finally asked, studying him a bit. She had noticed something right away, but hadn't said anything yet since she didn't want to jump to conclusions.

Danny thought about it a moment. He still felt tired. And he was definitely hungry and thirsty. But…there was something weird that he couldn't put a finger on…That is, until he suddenly shivered—violently!

Sam and Tucker looked at each other, their eyes wide with concern. They immediately ran up to him and each of them grabbed his blanket. But as Sam and Tucker placed it around their friend, they brushed his arms and both of them gasped.

Danny felt ice cold!

"Dude! You're…," Tucker began, only to be interrupted by Sam.

"Freezing! I knew your skin looked a little bluish, but I didn't think you would be this bad. Something's very wrong!"

But Danny didn't answer them right away because he was concentrating on getting warm.

Just then, Jazz came in with a plate of food for Danny. But when she saw how dusky her brother looked, she almost dropped the plate.

"What's going on?" she blurted out as she rushed over to her brother and quickly put the plate down on his bedside table.

"We don't know, Jazz," Tucker hurriedly replied. "Danny seemed to be all right until just now. He feels and almost looks like a human popsicle!"

"Shut it, Tucker!" Sam demanded as she went to get another blanket out of Danny's closet and hurried to wrap it around her friend, who was still shivering.

"Maybe we should give him something hot to drink?" Tucker still offered.

"Or something hot to eat," Jazz countered, reaching for the plate again.

"W-Will y-you s-stop fussing over me?" Danny stuttered, more irritated that he was still shaking from the cold than with his friends. Plus, he was still tired and sore. "M-Maybe my central core is finally recuperating and is just overdoing it a bit with the cold stuff."

But Danny really wasn't positive about that since his central core was actually hurting more.

His sister and friends, however, weren't convinced about Danny's explanation because they could see the pain written all over his face. They were about to say more when…

The Fenton alarm went off!

All of the teens' eyes widened, instantly thinking what they had dreaded. The Observants had finally caught up with Danny!

Jazz, Sam and Tucker reflexively went over to where the Observant weapons still were and grabbed them.

Danny, meanwhile, now charged with adrenaline, concentrated in digging into his inner strength. He ignored how it actually hurt to do that just as he cried, "I'm going ghost!" He immediately felt a rush of cold energy surround him as he burst into his alter ego, Danny Phantom.

But at the instant he did, he gasped and dropped to his knees as he shivered even more violently while he gripped at his painful core. He didn't understand it. He was freezing!

"Danny!" his friends and sister exclaimed and rushed to his side.

However, Danny readily swallowed his pain and forced himself to his feet as he stuttered out, "I-I'm fine."

"Danny," Sam began, only to be interrupted by her friend's determined face.

But then seeing his friend's worried look, Danny said more gently, "I'm taking the shortcut. Meet me there as soon as you can, okay?"

And before they could reply, they watched Danny charge up energy around his fisted hands, turn intangible, and phase through the floor.

"Are we here, brother? And why did we come here?" Konsilisto asked, suddenly very frightened when the portal closed and he gazed around the empty Fenton lab.

Since the ex-counselor—and for that matter, Justeco—had never been in the Real World until their imprisonment in that cave, he was still very skittish about being in such a strange and hostile place. Not to mention that he had already noticed that this place was much different than the one they had escaped. For one thing, it was much warmer. But more than that, he was intimidated by all the wicked-looking devices along the wall or strewed upon some of the tables. And those machines' lights blinking at him unnerved him even more. He was even more painfully aware, then, that this was so outside of their nature to even be here. They had done more than not being passive by coming here. They were actively involved in these events in which they found themselves! And that just sent shivers of dread up his ghostly spine.

But before Justeco could answer him, an alarm blared!

"Ecto-level nine ghosts detected. Containment program commencing!" a mechanical male voice announced over a loud speaker above the alarm.

Soon after, large mechanical arms jutted out the ceiling and the walls, and charged right at them!

The two Observants immediately froze, stunned as if they were deer caught in headlights. Before they knew it, their arms were pinned and bound at their sides with thick green ectoplasmic metal cables. And an instant later, those same glowing bindings sent an ectoplasmic charge through them. Each of the Observants yelled in pain before their lone eyes glazed over, now seeing only stars float in front of them. Finally, another mechanical arm then connected itself to their bindings, securing them where they floated and thus preventing them from fleeing even when only their arms were bound. But since they were still dazed from that hard ectoplasmic zap, fleeing hadn't even crossed their minds.

The alarm then stopped, as the mechanical voice reported, "Intruder ghosts secured!"

Justeco was the first to recover and just as he was coming back to his senses he looked up at nothing specifically. But at the very next moment he saw two bright green balls of light coming out of the ceiling! And then, he spied….Danny Phantom attached to those energy orbs and phasing into the lab through the ceiling!

The young hybrid had already poised himself to throw two fully-charged and powerful green ectoplasmic energy orbs at whatever ghost he spied just as he had rematerialized. But as soon as he saw who the invaders were, he halted in mid-flight, just as stunned as the two Observants had been when they had first heard the alarm.

And just as the Ghost Boy, his hands still surrounded by his bright ectoplasmic energy orbs, floated down so that he was at eye-level to the two intruders, Justeco turned his head to the nearby stairs. He could hear a lot of noise coming from it! But Danny didn't even flinch at it.

A moment later, Team Phantom had bounded down the stairs—armed and ready to help Danny. However, once Danny's sister and Sam caught sight of Danny and the bound spirits, however, they, too, halted at the foot of the stairs, too astounded at the scene.

But Tucker hadn't seen the sight at first. He had been programming his PDA as he ran. Angry at and speaking to himself, he chided, "Darn it! I didn't think about the portal when I enhanced the ghost shield around Danny's house so that he could recover without having to worry about any ghosts—or spirits for that matter! Still,.." He suddenly clammed right up when he finally saw what was happening, as stunned as everyone else.

At first, no one spoke. They didn't know what to make of it.

But then, Danny snapped out of it because he could feel the pain in his central core worsening. And that —along with seeing the two spirits most instrumental in causing his injuries—made him angry. No, it made him furious!

"No, don't tell me!" he hotly sneered. "Your creepy minions were all tied up so you felt you had to come here to give my execution a more personal touch?"

Before Justeco could answer, Danny pressed on, "Oh, wait a minute! Looks like you're also definitely too tied up to do that at the moment. Then I suggest you scratch that and leave—permanently!"

Justeco could only stare back at the young hybrid in utter fear as the energy in the boy's glowing green hand turned darker. And the… hate in his eye was just as frightening. It was almost as if Justeco was looking into the eyes of that other 'future' Danny Phantom…

Just then, Konsilisto groaned when he finally began to come to his senses. And when that Observant finally opened his eye, he gasped in fear when he saw a very angry Danny Phantom looking at him, orbs charged and ready to fire upon him!

"P-Please! D-Do not hurt us!" he blurted out in fear.

"Don't hurt you?" Danny then gasped in indignation, just as he dispelled his energy orbs. That made him feel a bit better, but he was still aching as he practically growled, "Why shouldn't I hurt you, now that I have you in my world and on my terms? After all, isn't that exactly what you did to me—and Plasmius—when we were first 'welcomed' by your world?"

"Yeah, Danny, you tell them!" Tucker excitedly said, encouraging his friend. But then, Sam jabbed him in the ribs. He groaned, but took the big hint of shutting up for now.

But all three human teens still kept their weapons ready—just in case.

"We admonished Iluzisto for his violent capture of you. He was not supposed to do that!" Justeco then offered.

"Oh, I see! So then he was only supposed to torture me after he already got me there, right?" Danny sarcastically replied. "Sorry, I don't see the difference!"

"We were tricked and did not know that he tortured you until he told us himself just before…," Konsilisto sadly began. But he could not say anymore since he was still so sorry for he had done.

"He is correct," Justeco insisted, confirming what Konsilisto had said.

"Oh, c'mon, you don't think I'm going to fall for that?" Danny said, still clearly irritated and sarcastic. "And, oh! I just bet that now you would also want me to think that you didn't put me on some lame trial bent on condemning me, then, huh?"

The two Observants didn't answer him at first.

But then, Justeco quietly but firmly said, "Yes, we knew that you had to be forcefully, uhm, prepared for the trial. But as Konsilisto said, we did not know of the torture until just recently!"

"Oh, yeah right! What did you think 'being prepared for the trial' meant? Wearing a tuxedo?" But the young hybrid didn't react to Justeco's lost look. Instead, the teen, still livid, continued, "First you tortured me—which, by the way, I told you about and you didn't believe me! Then you condemned me to the oblivion—which was all a set-up from the very beginning anyhow! But that was child's play compared to sending Iluzisto to kill my family and friends! I'd say you had three strikes, jerks!"

"We ordered no such thing!" Konsilisto finally had the guts to say.

The boy's glare was as potent as if he had thrust daggers right at the advisor Observant instead; and the spirit immediately cowered.

Danny was still steamed, but that was also compounded by the fact that now that he was beginning to pant from the mounting pain in his core. "Don't try to lie about that! Maybe I should just push that 'replay' button on how all that came about on that stupid time viewer, like you were so good at having that traitor Clockwork do at my trial!" the boy spat back, definitely not believing them and now even angrier at the two spirits. "And don't think for one second that I believe you! And don't dare try and tell me that you never noticed how awful Vlad and I must have looked after you had Iluzisto torment us before we were finally able to get out of your putrid world!"

The two Observants looked at each other, instantly remembering what Iluzisto had told them. They now knew beyond any doubt that the illusionist spirit did trick them into believing something totally different than what the half-ghosts had been pleading for them to see. And Iluzisto had been right yet again. They also knew now that Iluzisto had been able to not only physically scar the young half-ghost, but he had succeeded in scarring the boy mentally! But what hit them even more squarely now was the dishonor which had all of the sudden gripped their central cores. Both of the brothers then just as suddenly lowered their gaze in shame.

Danny gasped in indignation when he had mistaken their silence for concession, "You didn't even care to notice! Ugh! You're even worse than all those jerks at high school!

Justeco and Konsilisto blinked in confusion at his very last remark.

"Never mind!" the young hybrid impatiently growled back before floating over to the controls on the Fenton portal. "You're just as bad as Iluzisto! But consider yourselves lucky I'm not as putrid as you, who go about wasting others, just because you think they're less than you. Still, I don't feel like looking at your ugly eyeballs any longer. So, in case you don't notice—again—I'm going to send your ugly non-faces back to…"

"But you cannot do that!" Justeco desperately interrupted him.

This time Danny looked at him in surprise, but then thought he knew what the spirit meant. After all, Team Phantom had been able for the most part to talk to him about all that had happened to them before these two jerks came. And part of that conversation was about the remoteness and the elusiveness of the Realm Beyond Time's entrance.

Danny firmly replied, "I might not be able to send you back to your creepy realm, but I'm going to send you to the furthest end of the Ghost Zone that I can reach! And I hope you never find your way back!"

But the boy really had misinterpreted to what Justeco was alluding.

"Please, you cannot do that!" Justeco repeated.

"Oh, yes, I can—and will!" the teen spat back just before programming the command pad.

"But you must not, Danny Phantom —"

"That's Prisoner Four-Eighty-Five to you!" the boy firmly interrupted him, still angrily punching on the keys. But he was not aware that he had suddenly grasped at his hurting chest and was beginning to feel light-headed. He knew his adrenaline kick would not last much longer.

The portal then opened up, and its green glowing mass seemed to swirl in sync with the young hybrid's anger.

Konsilisto's eye widened in fear but he was still too terrified of the Ghost Boy to speak.

Jazz, Sam and Tucker, meanwhile, had been looking on in silence. They knew that Danny had a right to be angry at these two and felt that it was his call on how he wanted to handle them.

But then, Sam had a sudden thought. Just why were just these two here? And they came from their hard-to-reach world just to be here? And there was something…else. They weren't armed and had no guards with them. And they looked…different than any other Observant she had seen, but she couldn't put a finger on it. Not only that, they…they seemed so…so desperate.

She finally said, "Uh, Danny, not that you don't have a right to be livid over this whole thing, but don't you wanna know why they're here?"

"I don't care why they're here, Sam! I just want them gone—way gone!"

But then, Jazz piped in, as she approached her brother. "Sorry, Danny, but Sam has a point. Why would they come here when they knew they probably wouldn't be welcomed by any of us?"

"Yeah, why didn't they just send Clockwork to you like they usually did?" Tucker added. But then he cringed when he got those lethal looks from both Sam and Jazz.

And now he completely understood why they had given him those looks. He had just riled Danny right back up!

The Ghost Boy's green eyes unconsciously flared in even more anger this time. "You're right, Tuck! Why didn't they send Clockwork? Don't answer that! They forgot to take him off of his leash before they came here, that's why! So, just where is your lap dog, egghead? Uh, scratch that again! I don't care what kennel you put him in!"

This time, the still bound Justeco narrowed his eye in irritation before he firmly replied, "You should not speak of your mentor in that manner, young half-ghost!"

"Mentor?" Danny scoffed, stopping momentarily in his task. "Whatever gave you the lame idea that he was any kind of mentor to me? Seems the way you pulled his chains during my trial that he was more mental than being any mentor!"

"He did not prosecute you…." the former High Tribune began, only to be forcefully cut off by the Ghost Boy.

"Oh, so are you saying that he was really playing innocent 'word games' during all that time he was trying to get me condemned? Or didn't you notice that I saw right through your crud right away, thanks to my sister?"

Jazz smiled a moment before resuming her frown at the scene. Her brother had already been able to tell her soon after they had gotten together again that it was from her special report that he realized that he was being framed all along.

The annoyed teen continued, "Oh, hold on! You did notice that—just to let Iluzisto torture me even more when I pointed out just how unfair you all were during the trial! Heaven knows that idiot Spektanto certainly didn't even try to defend me—or even Plasmius! So, then, the next time you see Clockwork, tell him to stick to playing video games—or better yet, to tinkering with watches. They are way more indifferent than what he was playing at my trial!"

"You have it all wrong, young half-ghost," Justeco said with both chagrin and irritation.

"Oh, do I now?" Danny seethed back, trying to keep his head together since his pain and wooziness were worsening. "You know, I'd hate to admit that you're right! I do have it all wrong! I'm still talking to you instead of sending you back to wherever!"

Danny resumed programming the portal right after that.

Finally, in desperation, the former High Tribune blurted out, "All right! Send us to 'wherever'! But can you live with your conscience knowing that you have condemned all of the Observants and Clockwork to extinction once you have sent their desperate emissaries to a place where they will have no hope of finding or getting any help?"

Jazz, Sam and Tucker gasped at the news, but Danny was still too angry to even want to give them any kind of break. He heatedly answered, "As if that was true, since I really don't believe anything you're saying!"

"But it is the truth!" Justeco insisted.

Danny huffed, not in the least bit convinced and not at all aware that his next breath was frosty. And his next words were just as deathly cold, "You know, if that's true then, I don't care how that happened, but since it did: good, then! Serves you all right, as far as I'm concerned! You're just trying to get out of what you deserve! So, it's about time that you arrogant, close-minded spirits got a taste of something that'll really bite—permanently! Have a nice existence—or, what remains of it!"

This time, all the other teens quickly put their Observant weapons aside and ran up to Danny's side. They could understand Danny's being very angry—even bitter—about what had happened. After all, they were still pretty riled up about everything they had endured. And Danny had been very hurt and the damage done to his central core was worse than they had expected, especially when they could see that Danny was getting worse by the second. But if what these two spirits were saying was true, this was too much for even them to believe about their brother and friend!

"Danny! You can't mean that!" his sister gasped.

"Yeah, dude, I mean, don't you know what you mean by that?" Tucker said, and then cringed that he didn't mean to give Danny any more ideas.

Then Sam placed her hand on her friend's shoulder and turning him so that she could look right into his eyes and ignoring how very cold he felt, quietly but firmly said, "Danny, look. Every one of us is still very upset about what happened. And you're right that maybe they deserve what's coming to them, especially after what they put you through, and especially when it looks like it has really affected you more than any of us thought. But, darn it, Danny, listen to yourself!"

"I am, Sam!" Danny exclaimed, though mostly still from his anger. "You cannot imagine what these jerks did to me and—"

"No, I probably can't," Sam interrupted him quickly. "But I can see by how upset you are that it was horrible for you; but, look!" His female friend then let him go, and pointed to Justeco and Konsilisto before continuing, "Look at them and listen to what you're saying. From what you already told us about what happened to you, you're beginning to sound just as evil as they when they were on the judgment end of the table when they weren't listening to you! And if I didn't know you better, I'd say that it's like you don't want to listen to their own kind of defense… and that's not like you at all!"

Danny gasped, jolting to more mental clarity at her words. And then, suddenly, he remembered—of all spirits—Clockwork's words! The ones the Time Spirit had said to him on the first day of his actual trial when Clockwork seemed to be accusing him of being evil after reviewing the evidence about his putrid alternate timeline grown-up self:

"Danny Phantom, by the earlier evidence presented against you, would it be just to say that you learned nothing from these future events? From this mistake?" Clockwork asked, pointing at the viewing glass as an image of the boy's evil self returned on it.

Danny stared at his evil self for a moment before looking back at Clockwork, "You know I learned a lot from that! You know that I'm not evil! I use my powers for good!" he defended himself fiercely.

"Are you sure about that?" the time spirit asked calmly. "How do you know? How can you prove you are not evil? That you are different than your alternate future self? You need solid evidence in a trial, Danny. Show this council evidence of what you claim with so much assurance."

Suddenly, Danny sighed and lowered his eyes. He finally understood what Clockwork was trying to tell him. His anger quickly sloughed right off his drooping shoulders even as he was just as suddenly aware how drained he felt. But, oddly, he also felt the pain ease within his central core. He quietly said, "You're right, Sam! I do sound as evil as…." But he didn't say what was truly on his mind. He hadn't sounded as evil as the Observants…he had sounded as evil as that vile future self he so wanted to avoid becoming.

Once more Danny sighed as he morphed back to his human form. And he noticed that doing that had also made him feel better. Nevertheless, he had to stifle a groan. He tried to swallow his pain and shame down before looking back up to his sister and friends and saying, "I-I'm sorry, guys! I let my anger get the best of me! I didn't mean what I said. It's just that…that I did go through so much there that just seeing any reminder of it just freaked me out. I should have known better."

He then raised his head squarely; and looking at the Observants, he said with conviction, "But I'm not evil!"

"I knew you meant that!" Tucker said, and then cringed again. "I mean, uh, you know what I mean!"

Danny smiled weakly at his friend. He did know what he meant.

He then looked at Sam and she merely nodded a little, though a hint of an encouraging smile did peek out from one of the corners of her mouth.

"You do know better and did the right thing in the end, as you always do!" Jazz said, trying to make him feel better. Then she smiled mischievously and added, "And now you sound like my little brother!"

Danny smiled a slight bit at her as well before walking over to the control box on the Fenton Portal.

At first, the Observants' eyes widened in dread, thinking that the boy hadn't changed his mind about sending them to their doom. But in the next instant, their bonds disappeared and they inadvertently fell to the floor.

The other teens instinctively rushed to help them up, but each of the Observants lifted their hands to stay them off and floated back up on their own.

Suddenly embarrassed and uncomfortable by their gesture, Justeco then said, "U-Uh, t-thank you. We are unharmed."

In the next moment, however, Danny unexpectedly groaned just as a swirl of cold smoke drifted past his lips, turning them blue. A heartbeat later, he suddenly cried out in pain and fell to his knees, clutching his chest and shivering violently.

The Observants and the three other teens gasped in alarm just as Danny then fell prostrate and senseless before ice began to form around him!

Jazz, Sam and Tucker immediately ran up to Danny's side frantically calling his name.

But before they could get to him, they gasped once more and stepped back when Danny's entire body was suddenly engulfed by a purple energy beam!

When the three teens twisted back around to see where the beam had originated, their eyes widened and they gasped again.

They couldn't believe it! The Observants were shooting at Danny!

"What are you doing to him?" Sam immediately cried, reflexively raising her Fenton wrist ray gun at the Observants while her two friends were running to get their Observant weapons. Her heart had constricted with the memory that Danny had told her when she had seen what the Observants were doing….the one of which Okulo had branded her friend with some kind of energy orb!

"No, please, wait!" Justeco desperately gasped out even as he was suddenly losing power. "I swear we are helping him! Konsilisto, I need your help!"

Though Sam still wanted to attack them, she hesitated. She had an odd, sudden gut feeling that they were telling the truth. And her friend definitely needed a lot of help now that even more ice was forming around him!

The raven-hair girl was quickly joined by her friends and the three teens desperately watched on, torn between waiting as asked and wanting to interfere...

Konsilisto hadn't hesitated a moment as he went to his brother, knowing exactly what to do. He placed his hands on his brother's forearms, making sure not to interrupt the violet beam that was emanating from the small crystal orb that Justeco had earlier retrieved from the secret compartment in his chambers.

In fact, now that the two Observants had combined their powers, the lone beam split, becoming two beams as each of the beams intensified… One of the beams was still encasing the Ghost Boy and the other shot upward and through the ceiling…

And even as the two Observants' arms shook with trying to control the beams with all the strength they had been able to muster, the three conscious teens could hear Justeco's desperately calling out some kind of incantation. Only Sam and Tucker, however, knew it was spoken in Esperanto:

"De ĉiuj Potencoj asignis min de ĉiuj Sentempa Magio en nia Sfero kiel Alta Tribune, mi komandi ke la Malbeno de la Forgeso esti tuj forigita de la Kaptitoj En la okazo se Nombro 789! Majo Danny Fantomo kaj Vlad Plasmius est plene kompensita dnove kaj iu kloera forto est de nun slovita!" (1)

Several anxious seconds passed and it seemed as if nothing was happening.

Justeco's eye bulged in apprehension, silently praying that he and his brother hadn't been too late! Nevertheless, he and his brother didn't expel the beams.

Jazz, Sam and Tucker, meanwhile, were beginning to get a creepy feeling crawl up their spines as even more ice formed around Danny.

Even more intense seconds later for all the alert parties, the ice surrounding Danny finally began to melt before it all together disappeared!

And after just a few more moments, Danny began to stir.

Finally, Justeco cut off the energy beams and both of the Observants lost some of their balance under the strain. They were obviously drained after using more of their powers than they could afford to do. But, really, they both had felt that they had had no choice but to act rather than explain what they had needed to do. They knew that the curse they had placed upon the boy was well on its way to taking a firm root in him. Had they waited any longer, the curse would have been completely unstoppable.

Once the beams dissipated, the teens reflexively responded and flew to Danny's side, but not before Sam had thrown a suspicious but queried look at the two obviously weakened Observants.

Danny had already opened his eyes and his vision was clearing by the time his sister and friends had gotten to him and were already helping him up.

Though feeling weak, Danny frowned in confusion. One moment he was in excruciating pain and was sure his central core was freezing him to death and the next, he was feeling...so much better. In fact, he felt almost normal—but he also felt that he wasn't completely healed yet.

"What happened?" Danny asked, searching his sister and friends' eyes.

"W-We don't know," Jazz shakily said, still upset at what had just happened.

Tucker also frowned and nervously added, "They shot you with some kind of weird beam…Are you all right, dude?"

Though confused by his friend's remark, Danny slightly nodded and replied with a slight sigh of relief, "I think so. I feel a lot better as a matter of fact—though I still have some pain in my central core."

Finally satisfied that Danny was looking and sounding better—especially when he no longer felt cold to the touch—Sam turned back to the Observants and frowned before she half-asked and half-demanded, "Why did you do that?"

Before either of the Observants could answer, however, Konsilisto all of the sudden plummeted to the floor and his pupil rolled upward until all that was left was the white of his single eye before it closed.

"Brother!" Justeco cried in alarm as he rushed to the Observant's side. He tried to squelch his panic when he saw an oozing crater open up on the upper part of his brother's closed eye!

The humans and half-ghost looked at them and then at each other, stunned. These two were brothers? And what just happened to the Observant that had just fallen?

"What's wrong with him?" Jazz then asked, and the Justeco could tell that the concern in her voice was real.

"He is being ravished by Time! And really, at this very moment, all we Observants are! We were imprisoned in the Real World by Iluzisto and since we have never experienced Time before, now that it is being very rapidly thrust upon us, its effects on us are rapidly and effectively destroying us," the spirit sadly responded. "But not only that, we are also trapped no matter where we are. And that is because we are under a time spell, as you can see by the fact that our auras are no longer white, but blue. Iluzisto casted it on us! And worse, he made it so that time is affecting us twice as fast!"

Sam hitched in a gasp. She knew there was something different about these two when she had first seen them but couldn't put a finger on it. And now, she could! Their auras were not right. And the two did not look well, if that was possible for a spirit. Nevertheless, she and the other three teens were stunned to silence at what the Observant had just said.

Just then, however, Justeco panted under the strain of activating his energy orb once more. With the help of the orb, he successfully lifted his senseless brother's ghostly body and deposited him on one of the nearby examining tables.

Once Justeco was satisfied that his brother was comfortable and he had done all that he could do for Konsilisto, he turned to the teens. But suddenly, he was frightened once more. He really couldn't bring himself to ask for any more help after all of this...intrusion he had thrust upon these young innocents. He felt himself totally helpless within the grip of his utter shame.

But before the High Tribune could say any more, Danny slowly walked right up to him. Nervously grabbing and then rubbing the back of his neck, the teen said, "I am, uhm, I'm sorry that I threatened to hurt you; though, really, I couldn't help but be angry with you for what happened."

"You might find this hard to believe, young half-ghost, but I…I understand," Justeco sadly began. "And in many ways, you were right in saying that we deserve everything that has—and is—coming to us." He paused a moment at the significance of his next thought, but he said it anyway. "And in the end, you did not harm us, which is really the most important outcome in the existence of things… But even that does not right our wrongs here."

Danny's eyes widened a bit, still haunted by similar words spoken by Justeco during his trial. When the Observant accused him, he had dismissed anything right he had done against his perceived wrongs…But the way the Observant said it just now, it was different….Somehow, Danny felt that Justeco was apologizing in his own way.

Danny paused a bit before slowly replying "I sorta understand that as well. And though I don't know why, I kinda know that you did something to help me yourself a few minutes ago and I feel a lot better because of it. I…I have to admit, though. I'm still upset and even a little angry. I know I'll get over it eventually, but…" The teen trailed off as he looked at some random spot on the ground before shaking his head. He looked back up at the Observant judge and said soberly, "I might be upset, but that doesn't mean I have the right to wish or do anything bad against you—and it certainly doesn't mean I should stand by and let Iluzisto destroy the entire Observant race."

Danny sighed sharply before adding, "Even with everything, I can't deny that Clockwork was right about one thing: Everyone deserves a second chance…" But smiling a bit, he further added, "And I'm pretty sure, 'everyone' includes Observant spirits, right? So, let's let bygones be bygones and not waste anymore time. Didn't you say that the Observants are in trouble? We should get going, then."

Justeco's eye blinked in disbelief. Not only had the young half-ghost been actually listening to what he had desperately blurted out about his endangered race, but now he had already made the decision to help him? He didn't understand that at all. If he were Danny Phantom, he would still be demanding more of an explanation about coming here or what he did to him with the orb; or even still have him groveling at his feet for having them intrude upon his…time and…existence…

Justeco halted in thought. How ironical was that? He jolted once more with his very next thought. He wasn't Danny Phantom! Even though the young half-ghost had every right to demean him and demand an explanation for all the wrongs done to him, he hadn't. And the young half-ghost even had every right to reject his plea after everything he and all the other Observants had done to him. But instead, Danny Phantom was going to help him…because…. simply because it was the right thing to do!

...Obviously, this boy was something special, just as Clockwork so poignantly and annoyingly pointed out to him time and time again! Suddenly, the Head Observant felt driven to speak once more. But he still didn't feel he had a right to be too forward with the young half-ghost.

Now recalling how the boy wanted to be addressed, Justeco hesitantly replied, "I see I misjudged you all along, uh, Prisoner Four-Eighty—"

"Danny," the boy gently corrected him.

Justeco's eye glistened a bit before he continued, "I have been…a fool, young Danny." He then lowered his gaze slightly and added, "And all of us Observants are as…as evil as everything you rightly accused us about. We could not see past our blind lone eyes that other beings…ghosts, humans, and….half-ghosts have their purpose in Time and Existence, no matter how unconventional a role that may be. I am, uh, we are sorry for what we did to you…and to the other half-ghost. But,.. I am not sorry for trying to ensure that good things will happen more than bad ones."

"No argument there," Danny said with a slight chuckle.

The former High Tribune looked back up at the teen and then added, "I am now certain of your goodness, Danny Phantom; so I am not surprised that you would not argue that point, especially when I now see that Clockwork was right about you."

Justeco's eye widened in surprise when Danny's head and eyes lowered and that the boy had suddenly frowned in sadness when he heard the Time Spirit's name. He then guessed at what the boy might be thinking. "I still suppose that you think Clockwork is no longer your friend?"

Danny nodded slightly but didn't look up at the Observant.

The former Tribune continued, "I can understand that perception. And you were rightfully too angry to listen when I tried to tell you the truth about him."

This time, Danny lifted his head and looked at the spirit, wondering what he meant by that. But he was still too upset about what Clockwork had done to bring himself to ask.

But seeing that the boy didn't object to his remark, Justeco said, "As I told you, Clockwork did not prosecute you…But what I wanted to add was that he did not prosecute you with a consenting will to do so. And I am now ashamed to say that we made him prosecute you."

"Made him?" Danny finally uttered, his voice sounding more hopeful.

The other teens, who had been listening with great interest at Danny and Justeco's conversation, were even more 'all ears' about this.

"Yes. You, of course, were not there, and therefore could not know that after we appointed him the Prosecutor during your first hearing, he objected to our appointment of him in this matter. But we insisted back and he relented, though now I understand he did not fully admit with how much duress that he had relented—or I must shamefully admit now that it was more likely that we did not listen to him. In fact, I think the only reason he actually relented was because he… knew—as unorthodox as this may sound—that the only way he could help you was by being your prosecutor…So you must understand, young half-ghost, that how Clockwork conducted himself at your first hearing when he accepted being the Master Prosecutor was a pretext. We had also insisted that he had to use his wonderful air of neutrality in accepting any appointed task that the Council had willed at the beginning..."

Danny's eyebrows creased in confusion. That made no sense. How was Clockwork helping him by prosecuting him?

And seeing the uncertainty in the boy's eyes, Justeco paused a moment before adding, "There is much about Clockwork that you may not know. He is mysterious, yes, but he is also head-strong about certain ideals. That makes him very qualified to work for us. But, sometimes, that same quality puts us at odds with each other when our interpretation of certain ideals…clash. And when they do, he is very clever about manipulating things to suit his way of interpreting those things…Uh, in other words, he cheats!"

Danny's eyebrows shot up a bit, though he really wasn't surprised. Clockwork did manipulate time for his sake on more than one occasion.

Justeco then continued, "And I now realize that you were too upset to see that when I first tried to tell you."

Suddenly, Justeco chuckled slightly and all of the teens' eyes widened in surprise. None of the teens had imagined anything but one emotion that the Observants were capable of expressing, and 'amusement' definitely was not on that radar.

And then Justeco said, "But since Clockwork was very upset at having to be made to prosecute you, the old rascal was able to manipulate his presentation. He made it vague enough that, for the most part of the trial, it was slanted in your favor! As I look back now, I realize he twisted all our accusations and instead of prosecuting you, he defended you! He… He even went as far as blaming himself for some of your crimes against time, by saying he was responsible and pointing out you changed everything back to its correct order! Indeed he defended you the entire time, young half-ghost. But…." Justeco sighed, "it did not matter….We…we had already decided your fate even when we saw what Clockwork was doing."

This time, Danny hitched in a surprised gasp. He didn't see that at all!

Justeco continued, "But that is not all. As I told you, we made him prosecute you. And our intent was not noble. We were in many ways getting back at him for all those times he did cheat—especially when it came to that evil alternate timeline ghost that I now know is not you. And we also really wanted to use him…to do our 'dirty work' once again. But, again, he performed his charge against his will. After all, as he so poignantly pointed out to me again not too long ago during our continuing exile of doom, he should have been your defender, because we also made him responsible for you after your alternate evil-self affair! And to that charge, I assure you, he embraced it with his entire central-core!"

Danny suddenly felt a large lump in his throat, speechless at the spirit's words. And then he remembered Clockwork's own words: 'I do what I must, Danny.' He should have known better and trusted Clockwork! And as the teen quickly flipped through those times during the trial in his mind, he could also see that Clockwork really had kept throwing him hints to aid him out of this mess.

But Danny felt even worse at what he hadn't realized until now. Not only had Clockwork helped him all through his time in the Realm Beyond Time, but he now realized why Clockwork had sent Iluzisto after his friends… If Iluzisto had not gone after them, his friends, sister, and Skulker would have never found out where he was and they would have not been able to rescue him! Why hadn't he seen that before? Clockwork must have known all along that his friends would have escaped being killed by Iluzisto, so Clockwork had never tried to hurt his loved ones. Instead, he was trying to show them how to find him so they could rescue him!

But before Danny could even sort through all his mixed emotions over all of this, Justeco sadly added, "We broke our own laws then, but that was not the first time. We still broke them for another shameless reason…." This time, the former Tribune could not go on. He lowered his gaze once more, suddenly overwhelmed with his guilt.

"W-What do you mean?" Danny blurted out, now wanting to know as much as he could before they needed to go—and before he started to feel badly again.

Justeco looked back up at the young half-ghost and knew that since he brought it up, he had to answer the boy. He finally, yet sadly, replied, "I will try to be brief, as we are still at odds with time."

But with the comment, Danny remembered how every second was counting for the Observants and he hesitantly objected, "Um… maybe we should continue to talk later. I mean, if the Observants are being harmed by being within time, then…"

But Justeco suddenly sighed deeply, cutting the boy off.

"Yes, young Danny. Every second is a second closer to extinction for my kin, but… I have to sadly admit that we will have to wait for my brother to stir. You see… I cannot return to where the other Observants are being held without my brother's aid. My power is now too weak and I need his help to make it strong enough to re-trace our steps, so to speak… So, then, allow me to spend this time we are forced to remain here on speaking the truth to you."

Danny frowned, now even more worried for the Observants. But… it seemed they had no choice right now but to stay put until the other Observant woke up. Besides… Danny himself was feeling more than a little exhausted. And although he really did feel a whole lot better, his dormant core was still hurting…

"Maybe we should sit down while we wait," Sam suddenly suggested gently to Danny.

And seeing her, Tucker, and Jazz staring almost pleadingly at him, Danny sighed, but relented. He knew they could tell he was not fully recovered.

"Alright," Danny finally said as he and his friends and sister took a seat on the floor. "Tell me everything."

"Yes, I will tell you everything —," Justeco agreed. "for it is time for you to learn of the Observants'… shamed and dark… history…."

Just as Danny, Jazz, Sam and Tucker sat down and the three latter teens put their weapons down on the floor beside them to listen to the former High Tribune, Justeco began, "Once again, I am ashamed to admit we broke our own laws. But we did something more sinister than that. We broke our own laws concerning another Observant, and then we tried to bury the facts so no one would know!"

All of the teens' eyes widened at the news, enthralled by the Observant's admission; yet, they kept silent.

"You probably do not know that we Observants have existed since before the beginning of your time. We were all formed at once. But each did not emerge at the same time. That is why there are some younglings among us —though they are few. However each of us emerged from his own unique energy sphere, with similar, yet unique personalities. Also, some of our spheres split in two—one larger and one smaller —before we evolved from them, therefore creating twins. My brother, Konsilisto, and I are such beings. It was a very rare occurrence, but when it did occur, the two are both opposites in temperament and yet, inseparable. In a way, we are privileged to share such a bond…"

He glanced briefly at his still unconscious twin, but then turned back to the teens and continued, "And since the Observants were created before Time, the Realm where we dwelled was outside Time and its ravages. But also, since we were outside of Time —and Existence for the most part —we were charged with protecting both of them—as are a few other kinds of spirits."

He paused at his next thought, but pressed on nevertheless, "I wish I could tell you that all of us had noble personalities, for we did not. But, for the most part, those who had less than desirable personalities were able to be molded when we created our laws. All save one…."

"And it seemed that this one was especially stubborn in his ways. And evil…He did not like our laws and felt that we were too superior a kind of creatures to need them. In a way, I have to say in shame that I had agreed with him. I, too, had believed that we were superior to all creatures until….until I was just recently 'molded' by you, young Danny Phantom, and, of course, Clockwork…."

Danny smiled slightly in embarrassment, but didn't say anything.

Suddenly, however, Justeco, groaned and the brightness in his eye dulled. And then suddenly, a small crater opened up on the upper part of the spirit's eye.

The teens gasped.

"What's wrong?" Jazz anxiously asked, and she, along with the other teens, tensed with worry.

"I am sorry. But as I told you, I have a twin. And he was of the lesser sphere, which is why he is succumbing to Time more rapidly than I. But now that he is getting weaker, I share his pain. What is more, however, I feel compelled to share my strength with him as long as I can. I cannot resist it."

"Then maybe we should get…" Danny began, but Justeco gently interrupted him.

"No, Danny Phantom, this will not take any more time than what is needed for you to understand. Please, let me continue."

Danny looked to his sister and friends. Seeing their silent nods voting for a 'yes', he replied, "Okay."

"Thank you," Justeco replied before continuing, "As I was saying, this Observant not only did not agree with our laws, he wanted more. He wanted something that we Observants had sworn an oath against: Power. But not the kind of power we have shown to maintain the protection of Time and Existence. But the kind of power that subjugates and destroys for its own sake. It is a lust for total control of every creature and every dimension that exists in Time." Justeco paused a moment before continuing in a hush laden with shame, "In other words, this lone Observant wanted to become the supreme being…a… god unto himself."

"But this Observant was very clever about his plans. He did not dare challenge us as a body. He would have been easily defeated. But he would start his revolution with, forgive me, the weakest of species: Humans. Once he controlled them, he would have an enormous army that stood a good chance in tipping the scales of victory over us in his favor. But only if he could control all humans in the Real World."

The former Tribune stopped once more and groaned. But he then pressed on, "And once he defeated us, defeating all other ghosts and spirits in the Ghost Zone would be inconsequential to him. And how could he accomplish all of this? Through two talents he alone possessed. And one of those was the ability to create illusions!"

"Iluzisto!" every one of the teens suddenly blurted out loud in unison.

Justeco nodded before replying, "Obviously, not all humans can be fooled. But, yes, it was Iluzisto. And he plans were so clever that he did not attempt to control all humans all at once at first. He wanted to see how he could do that without too much effort before conquering all of humanity. And he did not want to be too obvious. However, he also knew that his illusionist powers are not as potent against humans as they are against ghosts and spirits. So, he used another of his powerful gifts: his illustrious and clever mind."

"You see, Iluzisto chose foolish evil men who also lusted for power, and who, without his aid, would have been easily snuffed out of history, not even worthy of a footnote. But these men were not contemporaries. They were spewed about different centuries and different places in the Real World, so that Iluzisto could use yet another form of deception in order to hide his tracks and deceive these men."

"Iluzisto used his illusionist talent to make the armies of his chosen vile pawns seem larger, or made the opposing forces confused over their own strength, or over the position of any effective defense. If only the humans of good intention had realized that those illusions were fake; and that as such, said illusions would have no effect on them in the least, those good men would have not cowered nor surrendered to those evil forces."

"I knew it!" Jazz suddenly yelled, only to blush in embarrassment. "Sorry, guys! You remember our own experiences with Iluzisto and how we figured that his illusions wouldn't hurt us!"

Sam and Tucker nodded.

"Yeah, I got that when I was in prison," Danny said, speaking to his sister and friends.

Justeco's eye fell in remorse again, but pressed on, "One of these humans was Xerxes the Persian who lived in the Spartan times in your Real World history. And that history told us that Xerxes defeated the Spartans under the leadership of Leonidas because he had more show of force. But Iluzisto made Leonidas think that Xerxes had twice the amount of men with his illusions, even when it was quite the opposite."

Jazz, whose brow was furled in thought as the spirit spoke, suddenly brightened again, "The tapestry! In Iluzisto's room!"

The others startled at her outburst.

She blushed in embarrassment again and said, "Uhm, sorry! But there was this tapestry…of a one-eyed ghost, surrounded by four human battles. And their names were stitched on the bottom of each of the battles. One of them I'm sure was Xerxes the Persian!"

"You're right, Jazz!" Sam piped in. And now that you mention, I remember seeing that one of those leaders was Attila the Hun! And Vlad the Impaler! And…"

"Ivan the Terrible!" Tucker added.

Danny just blinked in confusion. But, of course, he hadn't ever been in Iluzisto's quarters.

"You are all correct, young humans," Justeco confirmed. And as you can also see, each of these were ruthless rulers who were not only terrifying warriors, but altered history and destroyed civilizations with their despicable tyrannies."

"And each of them was from a different century and from different times in history as you said," Tucker pointed out.

"Once again, it looks like you know your history, young one," Justeco replied. "And Iluzisto helped all four of them rise to their terrible power using his illusions effectively during their decisive battles. No doubt that the tapestry you saw in Iluzisto's quarters depicted those very same crucial battles."

"No doubt," Sam grumbled, frowning at the memory of the picture on the tapestry.

"And Iluzisto could very well have gotten away with his plans except for two errors," Justeco continued.

The four teens were glued to his words.

"One concerned the last two leaders, Ivan the Terrible and Vlad the Impaler. Though they were helped in two different places, their victories were too similar and occurred too near each other in time. As you well know, they existed in less than a century of the other. Whereas, the first two leaders were several centuries apart, as was the second from the third leader."

The teens nodded in understanding.

Justeco then said, "But because there was an error in timing…."

"Clockwork! Clockwork caught him!" Danny suddenly uttered, making everyone else in the room jump a little at his outburst—except for Konsilisto, who was still unconscious.

"Yes, young half-ghost," Justeco confirmed, squelching another groan. "Not only did Clockwork notice the oddity, he was able to actually see Iluzisto in action. It had been difficult, considering that Iluzisto was an Observant and, like us, has certain amount of power to 'influence' time, if desired. But Iluzisto also is a spirit, which made him invisible to ours and even Clockwork's eyes—that is, until he made those mistakes and Clockwork was able to catch his meddling in person. In fact, Clockwork was instrumental in getting Iluzisto convicted in his crimes against Time and Existence."

Danny suddenly gasped. Why was Iluzisto not condemned to the oblivion as he was going to be?

Justeco noticed the Ghost Boy's reaction and anticipated his thoughts. He slowly replied, "I understand your reaction to this part, Danny Phantom. Iluzisto was not condemned for his actions because he was an Observant. And our laws prevented us from executing our own. But now I see that our laws were flawed, because they did not make any exception to other races for the same crimes."

All four teens frowned with chagrin.

Justeco sighed and continued, "So, you see, young ones, you have every right to be upset with us and wish us ill-will. We have been very hypocritical and even dastardly in our eagerness to condemn others when we ourselves not only shared the greater guilt of the crimes against Time and Existence because we were their protectors, but yet, also conspired to keep our crime a secret."

Justeco suddenly lost his ability to hover a little and groaned again. But then, he waved away the two males who immediately came to his aid. "I am almost finished. But as you can also see, we did not leave Iluzisto to go unpunished. We no longer claimed him as one of our own and relegated him to Prison Head, to perform the most disdainful duties for his crimes. He was also bound by a device that prevented him from using his powers of illusions among others...and bound him to Time so that Clockwork could monitor his actions—unlike before."

"However, we erred in judgment yet again. And I do not think it is an excuse anymore for us to say that he had fooled us from the beginning to want to punish you, Danny Phantom, and the other half-ghost. We had been just as guilty as Iluzisto to lust after…revenge. And in our blind haste to capture you and the other half-ghost, we allowed him more power. Rightly so, then, he fooled us into thinking that the power we gave him was weakened enough that he could not be effective with it any more than what needed to be."

"I can tell you all about that!" Danny suddenly remarked. "He used Plasmius and me to gain more power by sucking our ectoplasmic energy from us. And he almost wasted both of us several times in the process…"

Justeco gasped. "We knew he could acquire power from siphoning energy from other ghosts. That was his other unique talent. But, those ghosts usually never survived the attack. However, plainly, you have survived the ordeal. That is most fortunate."

Danny answered with a slight gulp, "Well, he did say Plasmius and me were the only ghosts that seemed to have lots of energy."

Justeco thought a moment before saying, "That must have had to do with your unique half-ghost central energy cores. But that is another little evil secret about Iluzisto. He had actually eliminated a few spirits who had discovered his plans to conquer the humans before those same spirits could warn us. He did that by totally absorbing their very central cores and energies, and then creating illusions that they were lost or had succumbed to freakish accidents. We did not find out about this until we had already condemned him to his punishment. Not that the spirits he obliterated were not important, it is just that the law of not executing him still applied. But after that, most Observants could not make themselves treat him with the remoteness of deference."

He paused a moment before continuing, "And I hate to reveal this to you, but I will no longer hide anything from you, Danny Phantom…."

Danny looked right at him before the former Tribune continued, "But it was from the error of judgment of my brother that you and Plasmius were finally put on trial. Iluzisto had tricked my brother into thinking he was Clockwork and told him that if we did not put you and Plasmius on trial for your offenses, then we would become extinct—that you both would rise against us and destroy us and all Existence. And because my brother is my advisor, he urged me to pursue the matter…which, of course, shamefully I did…And as you can see the irony of it all, for it was because we put you on trial, we are condemned…So, we not only sealed our own fate, but literally gave Iluzisto the two keys to his escape and evil plans: you and the other half-ghost."

"That would explain things…." Danny muttered.

"Yes, it would," Justeco agreed. "And it would also explain how Iluzisto was able to bring that about and to acquire enough power to subdue us and place us in exile—and ultimate extinction. He is now free to pursue his plans for ultimate power once more—of your world, our realm and countless other dimensions! And finally, that would be even easier for him because he was able to steal Clockwork's Time Staff from him and place him in the same peril! In fact, we had to flee from Clockwork's Tower while in the midst of its being attacked by Iluzisto's forces!"

"WHAT?" all four teens said again in unison.

"Clockwork's is in danger?" Danny gasped.

"And how did he get his Time Staff taken from him? I didn't think that was possible," Sam added.

"It doesn't matter!" Danny firmly said, now worried about Clockwork. "And even though we're glad you told us all this stuff,…uh, Justeco, uh, sir…"

"I understand. Please just call me 'Justeco'," the Observant pointing to the unconscious other Observant, he continued, "And my brother's name is Konsilisto."

"Right. Thanks," Danny replied, his face suddenly looking more determined. "Anyhow, even though we understand everything now, we can't waste any more time. We have to help the Observants and Clockwork."

"And defeat Iluzisto!" Tucker chimed in.

Justeco replied, "I agree! But thank you for letting me explain everything. I needed to because you deserved to know, especially since you shamed us more when you tried to tell us during the trial and we did not listen. I felt we owed you at least an explantion, even if does not justify our wrongdoings. And yet you still have offered to help us subdue Iluzisto and save us from our peril simply because it is the right thing to do. And because of that, we offer you more…."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, frowning in confusion.

"Even if you cannot rescue us from our fate and defeat Iluzisto, Danny Phantom, all of the Observants would wish to extend our uncompromising pardon to you….and to the other half-ghost… on all your just and unjust crimes against Time and Existence, relatively speaking, of course. In other words, consider yourself and the other half-ghost free of all our accusations."

"Oh, uh… thanks," Danny said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "I mean, I'm glad to know I'm not going to be executed… Heh. I kinda prefer to stick around for a few more decades."

"Yes, well, there is more… I will have to sadly admit, Danny, that we were fooled yet again by Iluzisto," Justeco said with a sigh, deciding to just come out with it. "You do remember your execution ceremony was scheduled two days back, yes?"

"Yeah…," Danny replied slowly. "But we escaped the day before our execution day—er, I think it was the day before anyways."

"Yes, well, that is when Iluzisto attacked and captured us," Justeco explained. "All the Observants had gathered to see through yours and the older half-ghost's execution. However, he used… Okulo. You see, Okulo was—"

"—helping Iluzisto with his plans," Danny finished for him, crossing his arms and frowning at the thought of that other Observant.

"You knew?" Justeco replied. But he sighed in shame before the boy could answer and said mostly to himself. "Of course you knew. You were not blinded by arrogance as we were…"

Danny's eyebrows creased in sympathy, but Justeco finally focused back on him and continued, "Okulo tricked us into beginning the execution ceremony without you or the other half-ghost present. We… casted our timeless spell to send you and Vlad Plasmius to the Oblivion. It was possible to do when you and the other half-ghost bear our…marks."

Danny reflexively placed a hand against his forehead, knowing the spirit referred to the brand on him.

"With our spell over you, even when you had escaped," Justeco further explained, though he lowered his gaze, "our final sentence against you both was destined to be carried out. We sentenced you to execution, and the spell would assure that fate."

Danny's eyes widened as he finally understood what Justeco was saying. "You mean, there's some spell on me that's going to waste me? But I thought you just said you were going to pardon me!" he exclaimed, more alarmed. "And how can that happen now? Plasmius and I aren't anywhere near your realm right now, so how could we be in any danger of getting zapped out of existence by any of your hocus pocus? Uh, ahem, sorry. No offense."

"None taken," Justeco replied with a slight nod of his head. "But you do not understand, young half-ghost. Once a sentence had been laid down in our realm, it could not be undone by anything those condemned do. The Timeless Magic that reverberates throughout our realm would not rest, even if it meant crossing into other dimensions, until it had carried out that sentence. Timeless Magic is very powerful and its effects should have been instantaneous. In fact, though I was both thankful and relieved, I am still slightly confused why you seemed relatively well when I first saw you…." He paused before he loudly mused to himself, "Perhaps, thank the heavens, that…"

"Oh my gosh! Is that way Danny hadn't been getting better?" Jazz suddenly blurted out, while Sam and Tucker gasped in dread at the sudden realization. No wonder Danny hadn't been getting better before the Observants had used that orb on him! But then… what did that mean now?

"Be calm, young ones," Justeco said, this time with a pained voice. He was feeling weaker and weaker. "Yes, the spell was meant to carry out our sentence against you and Vlad Plasmius. And now I believe that it is only because of your human half that it has been slowed down enough to grant me the time to get here in time and at least rectify that mistake."

"I'm sorry. I still don't understand how you took that spell off of me," Danny said with a troubled frown, though he sounded calmer. After all, he had been unconscious when Justeco had taken the curse off of him.

Justeco's eye lowered a bit in embarrassment before he looked at the boy again and now more flustered, continued, "Forgive me. I had forgotten that you were indisposed at the time the curse was dispelled... I speak of the orb that I had drawn out and used on you, Danny Phantom." He turned slightly to Sam and added, "I wish to extend my thanks to you, young human. Though I had deserved any form of attack in defense you must have had in mind and desired to do, I and my brother had to…to act quickly or else it would have been too late."

He turned back to Danny and continued, "So, you see, the purpose of the orb I had drawn out and used not only extended your pardon, but by doing so, it cured you of the fate our sentencing curse had issued. Fear not, with my orb and our pardon, the timeless spell was lifted. Ant that is because we Observants are connected to that Timeless Magic. And each of us has his own unique abilities in manipulating Timeless Magic. But only the High Tribune can undo the Timeless Magic surrounding a verdict of condemnation...Forgive me for not explaining this in the beginning—or being too forward to you— because time was of essence at the moment. You were nearly within the death grip of the spell when I and my brother had intervened."

Danny and the other teens gulped at the Ghost Boy's narrow brush with fate.

Now totally relieved, Danny suddenly found himself uttering, "T-Thank you."

"No, young half-ghost," Justeco replied, gently chiding the boy. "It is we Observants who should be thanking you….for making me see what an arrogant fool I and my kin have been."

Danny blushed a bit, and the crimson brand momentarily flared with his embarrassment. But then he said more seriously, "Thanks again, Justeco, but I want to make it clear. Even if you hadn't done that for me, I would still help you because it is the right thing."

Justeco nodded slightly in agreement, not at all surprised by the young half-ghost's answer. "I do assume you feel much better, correct?"

Danny smiled this time. "Yeah, since you zapped me with your orb, I don't feel all cold and weak anymore… But there's this… pain in my core…"

"How odd…," Justeco muttered. "Now that the spell has been lifted, you should be completely well. But that is good that you do not have any more feelings of coldness, Danny; so I am sure the spell has been dispelled."

"What do you mean that it is good that he doesn't feel cold anymore?" Sam piped in.

Justeco replied, "You see, young ones, all ghosts—and spirits for that matter—have different kinds of central cores. Some are of the cold nature—such as yours, Danny Phantom; and some are of the hot nature—such as the one Vlad Plasmius has. And, of course, some are somewhere in between, depending on the kind of ectoplasm of which they are made. But the curse destroys a core using its own makeup and depending on what its makeup is. And since your core is naturally cold, young half-ghost, its temperature would have continued to have dropped until your extinction."

"So Vlad was going to burn up from his core overheating unless you had stopped the spell with your orb? Wait. Did you remove the spell off Vlad, too?" Danny asked in dread.

"Yes," Justeco simply answered. Then addressing Jazz, Sam and Tucker, he added, "That second beam that you saw emanate from the orb was for the other half-ghost. He, too, should be recovered." He paused a moment and added, "But I still do not understand why you have any more pain, young Danny."

Danny shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I'm sure it's some lingering pain from Iluzisto's jabbing his weapon in my core or something. I'll be fine."

Justeco felt another wave of guilt, but this time, admiration as well. It was amazing how optimistic and strong this young boy was…

"Um, what about that brand on Danny's forehead?" Tucker suddenly blurted out.

Danny glanced annoyingly at his male friend, and Tucker shrugged sheepishly, saying, "What? I'm sure we're all thinking it…. right?"

The other kids just rolled their eyes, but Justeco's eye curved a bit higher in mild amusement. However, it was quickly gone as he said, "I am afraid that I cannot do much about the brand. You see, it was placed on your friend and the other half-ghost by Okulo. And as long as his orb exists, the brand will remain on them. Unfortunately, after Okulo outlasted his usefulness, Iluzisto… destroyed him and stole his orb."

"What?" Danny exclaimed.

"Yes, Danny. Okulo is gone and now his powerful timeless orb is also in the hands of Iluzisto!" Justeco said with great trepidation.

"This is really bad," Jazz muttered, while Sam and Tucker silently agreed, now even more frightened by all this.

Danny, however, looked away and said nothing. He was also troubled with hearing that Iluzisto also had Okulo's orb, but… to hear Iluzisto destroyed Okulo? Danny honestly didn't know how to react to that. He didn't even think it was possible to destroy a spirit… But… Iluzisto somehow did it and… Danny was sure he didn't like it. Sure, Okulo was a big evil jerk, but in the end, he was just another of Iluzisto's puppets.

Danny finally said, "Well, apparently the least of our worries was getting this stupid brand off. But you're sure Vlad is okay? I mean, just because we don't get along, doesn't mean I would want him to explode from his core heating up. And maybe it's a good thing you weren't anywhere near him to take the curse off of him. And that's because—though I hate to admit this—I think I kinda know him. And I can guess that he wouldn't have wanted you anywhere near him even if you were there to help him. And I know he doesn't want to have anything more to do with any of you, much less care what Iluzisto is doing to you all."

Justeco groaned in chagrin this time. "That is most unfortunate, Danny Phantom."

"Why?" Sam suddenly piped in.

"It is very important that the older hybrid not only survive, but also comply with the events happening here," The Observant quickly continued when he saw the confused look on all of the teens' faces. "With all due respect, young Danny Phantom, there is no possible way you can defeat Iluzisto on your own, even with your friends' help. Iluzisto's power at this point is such that he would surely and easily destroy you—all of you."

The four teens frowned in worry.

"But," Justeco continued, "If you combine your powers with Vlad Plasmius' powers, especially since you each can restore your energy loss at a much faster rate than Iluzisto can his, then your chance at victory is indeed a more viable option. We knew all along that together, you and Plasmius could be virtually undefeatable, which is another reason why we kept you separated and put neck restraints on you while you were in our realm. You see, there is something about both your energies that when combined are both compatible and opposite. And, somehow, that simultaneous connection and repelling of your energies creates a stronger level of energy when combined.… I know this for a fact because… well, that future evil version of yourself is solid proof of the results of your joining forces with the other half-ghost. And, I must now admit, why we feared you and stacked the trial so heavily against you. Not only that, but I need now point out that you both proved me right with that fact when you both were able to escape from within Iluzisto's very clutches probably for that same reason."

Danny should have been flattered by that remark. But all he could do was groan in annoyance. If what Justeco said was true, then that would mean that he would have to somehow convince Vlad to come help him….something he definitely hadn't been expecting—or wanting. Especially after just being able to get a breather from him!

The teen finally said, "Okay I'll try to get him. But I can't guarantee he'll agree at all. But even if he doesn't, I'm going to help the best I can."

"I somehow knew you were going to say that, Danny Phantom," the Observant replied.

Danny smiled weakly at the comment but then suddenly, everyone heard a weak groan. They turned to see that Konsilisto was finally stirring!

Justeco's eye glistened with relief, even when he had to stifle his own groan from his efforts to help his brother. He was relieved to see his brother was regaining consciousness at last!

The four teens sighed a bit in relief before Danny continued,

"Okay, let me go and talk to Vlad . Sam. Tucker. Jazz. Do you think you can help take Konsilisto back to his home so that when we get Clockwork's staff back to him, he'll be able to recover and help Justeco find the Observants again? And then even if I can't convince Vlad to come, can we meet up in about an hour and go with Justeco to wherever the Observants are and free them? We can get the Fenton phones so we can keep tabs on where we all are."

The Observant hurriedly remarked as he helped his still dazed brother sit up, "Though I appreciate what you are willing to do, I have to warn you young humans that there is more peril in my realm. There are many confederates of Iluzisto still there."

"That's okay," Tucker said smugly, lifting his weapon up and cocking it. "We're experienced with this sorta stuff!"

The girls rolled their eyes and then Sam said, "Don't worry. We've made sure that our weapons are powerful enough to put up a good fight if necessary."

Justeco then said, "You are indeed very worthy humans, and Danny Phantom is lucky to have such loyal friends."

All the teens blushed before Danny suddenly commanded, "Okay, everyone! Now it is definitely time to go!"

(1) Translation of Esperanto:

"By all the Powers granted to me from all of the Timeless Magic in our Realm as High Tribune, I command that the Curse of the Oblivion be immediately removed from the Prisoners in Case Number 789! May Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius be made whole again and any angry force be henceforth dissolved!"

A/N: truephan here: Well, everyone, did this play out as you had envisioned it? I really don't blame Danny for getting all steamed up at first and even being on the verge of doing something wicked to the O's. But, we know how much of a hero he is, especially when he has such a terrific sister and friends to help him over the 'weak' times. This is definitely one of my fav chapters. And I'm looking forward to all of your wonderful thoughts. Just push that little blue button and it'll all be all over! Until next time, dear readers!

Pearl: Yeah, you know you gotta do something very bad to Danny to get him to resent you as much as he resented the Observants here. Not that I blame him. But as always, our hero does the right thing and forgives. Heh. Let's see what Vlad says about that…. I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for some more Vlad and Danny scenes! Ha-ha! Sorry, that's my Vlad muse talking. Anyways, thanks for the support everyone and we are slowly getting close to the final climax! Fun, eh? Well, let us know your thoughts please! Until next time!