Author's Notes: Okay guys this chapter is short. It also happened in book two as a chapter taking place 10 years into the future. But remember Lady Time made it to where she died 3 months earlier than she would have, so the conversation will run a little differently.
Man time travel is such a headache.
Anyways, thanks for reading and please enjoy.
[Location: Lady Time's Tower]
It had not taken a long time to arrive at the tower of Lady Time.
The Phantom Knight suppressed a growl as they entered, it wounded him to see that Lady Time had literally stripped any evidence of Clockwork from the place.
Suddenly the Ghost wolf, Wulf appeared from the shadows, growling savagely. The old friend of Danny Phantom was much different than he had been literally hours before, his once green eyes were now blood read as saliva dripped from his vicious mouth, and he was also wearing a control collar similar to the one he wear in prison.
"Know your place dog." The Phantom Knight warned giving the mutt a good kick.
Wulf continued to growl but backed off.
"For someone who doesn't believe in cruelty you do it quite well." Pariah Dark mused.
"I must, you deserve a Knight that is able." The Phantom Knight answered simply. "What did she do to it?" He asked wonderingly.
"I told her to find something to guard the tower, just in case Clockwork tried to come here from the past." Pariah Dark explained. "Apparently she saw this mutt as able."
"Well he is now." The Phantom Knight said. "Must be the collar."
"Oh it is." Lady Time answered as they entered the main room. "Walker is letting me test drive the latest model it even teaches him new languages as he hears them." She than notices Pariah Dark and bows. "How may I be of service?"
"I would like to see how my Old Knight was defeated." Pariah Dark said simply, he looked sideways, expecting a reaction from his current Knight. However, the Phantom Knight didn't seemed bothered by the request.
"Are you sure you want to say that in front of him?" Lady time asked.
"We have no secrets." Pariah Dark assured her. "Right?" he looked to his knight knowingly.
"Of course I too am curious." The Phantom Knight said. "Did I win by my own wits, are did I win because he wanted me to."
Lady Time seemed to nod at this. "Very well." She turned to her rifts knowingly. "I've actually already been looking into the matter." She admitted.
"You expected our arrival?" Pariah Dark asked.
"Of course." Lady Time answered. "I had just figured out the date of your Knight's defeat. According to my calculations it was nine years and nine months ago."
"Yes that sound right." The Phantom Knight confirmed.
"I did not ask for you to concur!" Lady Time snapped.
Pariah Dark waited to see what his Knight would do, but surprisingly he did nothing to challenge her obvious display of ill manner towards him.
Lady Time does not wait for the Knight to react, she had already heard enough about him to know that he was overzealous, and completely full of himself. Walking over everyone like he owned them all. She pointed her Staff at the Past Rift and wound it back to the precise date only to be met with static. "Clever crow." She mused.
"What is the meaning of this Lady Time?" Pariah Dark growled at the sight of the messed-up rift. "I want to see how Fright Knight was defeated."
"I am sorry my king." Lady Time answered. "The old crow must have foreseen his demise and did not want his replacement to meddle in things." She reasoned. "I'm afraid he's going to block me from the past for now on."
"But why blocked that day?" Pariah Dark asked.
"It's possible Clockwork manipulated time in a way that would cause the two knights to cross paths." Lady Time answered. "Most likely to buy more time for his hero. Not that it makes a difference either way you still defeat him in the end. "
"Well your job is to make sure it stays that way." Pariah Dark hissed.
"Why wait?" Lady Time mused. "I say we beat the crow at his own game and buy ourselves time."
"How?" Ghost King Pariah Dark asked.
"It's obvious he's trying to make the boy stronger, and if he succeeds you will lose." Lady Time informed him.
"Then eliminate the problem all together." Pariah Dark ordered. "Lady Time I order you to kill my foe in the past so that I may never be opposed."
"Not only that; but Ghost and humans will never mix." Lady Time added. "Excellent idea your Highness I shall get on it at once." She moves to do just that as Pariah Dark takes his leave.
The Phantom Knight does not join him, and Pariah Dark decides to listen from the doorway, just out of sight.
For a moment there is silence…
It does not last long.
"So I am guessing you did not find what you were looking for?" The Phantom Knight mused.
Lady Time turned to see he was still standing there, looking rather smug. "And what was I looking for perhaps?" She asked.
"A way to discredit me." The Phantom Knight said the obvious. "It seems everyone wants me gone."
"Well your arrival is shrouded in mystery how are we supposed to feel?" Lady time argued.
"I didn't ask for your feelings!" The Phantom Knight snapped. "I don't care for them, nor do I care for your tone. I saw an opportunity to move up in this waste land and I took it. It's Fright Knight's fault for letting his guard down."
Pariah Dark smiled at his words. "A chance to move up?" He whispered. "Well what's stopping you from wanting to get higher?" Yes, perhaps Vlad and His Knight had the same goal after all.
"So you admit to wanting power." Lady Time pointed out.
"If you're hinting at the fact that I want the crown then you got the wrong hand." The Phantom Knight told her. "Plasmius is the one you wants that; I simply have big ambitions."
"So you don't want to be king?" Lady Time asked.
The Phantom Knight openly laughed at this. "King? If I wanted that I would have struck the fool down before he released him." He scoffed. "His royal highness can keep his throne; I can barely stand what little interaction I have with the likes of you all now. No thank you." And it was true, the last thing the Phantom Knight wanted was to be king.
Sure maybe at one time he took the role in the alternate past, before he had change, but now he did not find the job appealing. No most of the ghouls here had quite a history with him, and old enemies would not enjoy having him as king, and he would not enjoy ruling over them.
Lady Time visibly rolled her eyes. "I guess we'll just have to take your word for it." She retorted.
The Phantom Knight snickered. "What's this? I thought you were supposed to know everything witch."
"I do!" Lady Time snapped.
"No you know what he wants you to know." The Phantom Knight mused. "Nothing more."
"That maybe." Lady Time seemed to agree. "But know this fool, I may not know how or why, but I know you are not who you say you are." She hissed. "And the moment I find proof is the moment that you are dead!"
The Phantom Knight shook his head. "Dead?" he scoffed. "Do you know how long I have been by his side?"
"10 years." Lady Time Answered.
"And how long have you been the Master of Time?" The Phantom Knight asked.
"What's your point?" Lady Time asked.
"You won't last long." The Phantom Knight hissed. "He'll see to that."
"Careful I'm starting to think you admire the old crow." Lady Time warned.
"Admire that time wizard?" The Phantom Knight scoffed. "Don't make me laugh, however you can't deny the facts. He's been doing this a lot longer than you."
"Don't speak as if you know, I've already out maneuvered him." She boasted proudly. "I was supposed to come along much latter in this game, now look at me."
"You bought yourself more time how impressive." The Phantom Knight scoffed, not in the least bit impressed.
"Then perhaps it's time that I become even more proactive." Lady Time insisted, and with a wave of her staff Wulf entered the room. "Go cause trouble my little Wulfy." Lady Time cooed as she place a time medallion around his neck.
The Phantom Knight watched as the wolf jumped into the Past Rift seconds later, off to cause mischief for his master. He then turned to walk away.
"Going so soon?" Lady Time mussed.
"I have no need for you witch." The Phantom Knight snapped.
"Just remember I'm watching you." Lady Time warned.
"Careful I'd hate for you to miss something crucial because you're so busy watching me." The Phantom Knight chuckled and then he took his leave.
"Interesting what you can learn when your subject has no idea your listening." Pariah Dark mused as he stopped before him.
"In my defense you never asked." The Phantom Knight pointed out. "It's as if you didn't care for Fright Knight at all."
"I did not." Pariah Dark said. "And I'm not sure how I feel for you either." He added. "Tread lightly my Knight, because if I sense one ounce of deceit from you."
"I killed the most respected ghosts of the Ghost Zone for you without hesitating, trapping their souls in an eternity of their own personal hell and you would question me now?" The Phantom Knight pointed out.
Pariah Dark struck him across the face, so hard that he was forced down to his knees. "You speak too freely." He warned. "You must learn when to hold your tongue or you will not last long either."
The Phantom Knight found a smile slipping to his lips. He was beginning to learn that the King would change his rules to his liking, and The Phantom Knight could get use to this. Vlad on the other hand would lose his patience with the King's ways sooner rather than later.
Meaning Vlad's own stupidity could get him killed by the King, leaving the Knight without having to do anything.
"I understand my king." He answered.
Pariah Dark found his anger fading, his new Knight was a fast learner, however he was proving to have a temper of his own. Perhaps he had loosen the leash far too soon, it had only been a day, but the Knight had proven his worth.
Besides Pariah Dark had learned an awful lot about him the moment he gave him the freedom of speech. The knight was ambitious, but not so much that he wanted to be in charge, He was cruel because he needed to be, not because he enjoyed it.
Fright Knight had a problem with being so cruel that Pariah Dark subjects actually began to revolt. Yes, Fright Knight used his name to justify everything he did, and that did not vote well for his master. However this new Knight showed much need restraint.
Still he had to be sure, perhaps another test.
"Watch Plasmius for me." He ordered. "Give him an impossible task that will test his loyalty. The moment he slips up, bring him to me."
The Phantom Knight smiled openly. "It would be my pleasure…"