Danny Phantom landed. It was time to talk to Father. He knew his secret and as a result the talk would help him to understand what the new hunter was doing here. Getting through the ghost zone was awkward at the best of times, but there was something different today. Something about a survivor. He had to dodge so many ghosts. He landed down carefully.

"I met a strange hunter today, Father."

"Yes, Daniel?"

"She was dressed in Red armour, which seemed to be Dalv tech, but somehow felt too natural somehow. I don't understand who she is and what she's doing here."

"I'll think upon it, Daniel. Talk to you later." Vlad replied, and soon started thinking, "So Valerie Grey, how did you survive to be in this world? You should not even exist anymore. I don't understand why you still do. For now I remember you, and I remember whose daughter you were. I hate having pieces that should not be upon the board, they're loose ends. Someone deliberately moved you here as a gamble. Yet if I remove you I may draw the attention of someone more powerful than I could easily deal with. How do I stop you from interfering?"

The next day, after a few strings had been pulled by the Fentonworks, Valerie accompanied Sam to school. Then Sam waved at Daniel. Val kept this person as Daniel to distance him from her Danny, who no longer existed. Valerie tried hard to stop a chuckle exiting from her mouth, but she just couldn't. This was too similar to her relationship with her Danny.

Sam looked daggers at Val, and Daniel's eyes flashed green. "Sorry. It's just for a short while I had a similar relationship, but we diverged on vital opinions."

Somehow Daniel noticed the stress on the words. She wanted to talk to him in private. He wondered why, but he'd better do so just in case it was important to his secret. He was going to be shocked by how much the new girl knew about him. Once they were private enough for humans.

"Not good enough, halfa. We need better privacy." Val stated. At this Daniel wanted to ask questions immediately but knew that better privacy was needed- this girl knew what he was. He decided to talk to her.

"You register as human so how the hell did you know that? We're harder to detect than pure ghosts."

"Look, Daniel. I'm trying to calm Sam down, but she's more obstinate than I am. I've got her to admit that some ghosts can be bargained with. I hope to let her see that things are not as she sees them, but I have my work cut out for me."

Daniel glared at Val. "You're avoiding my question."

"I'm from another timeline. I was in Sam's position there, though I was never as bad as she is."

"That's all, is it?"

"No, but it's all I can tell you." Val states before activating her board and suit at which she barrels off. Daniel grimaces, he had just been talking to a Valkyrie. A Chooser of the Slain. And worse she knew who he was. Yet not only was she was keeping his secret from Sam, she had left without attacking. Why would one of her kind ever do that? On the down side she might let the Fentonworks know about him, and that would be a disaster, even if they also were not likely to tell Sam. Once he returned home, he was about to speak.

"I know, Daniel, the new girl's a Valkyrie and knows your secret, and somehow you failed to detect her. It's not the first time you're ghost breath hasn't worked, and it won't be the last. But tomorrow I think I'd like to meet this Sam Manson, and play some chess with her."

That night Valerie settled down. She was catching up on work that needed to be done. So far nothing seemed to be too bad. In fact in many respects this world seemed to be better. Her Mom and Dad were together. The Fentonworks had a good reputation. There were negatives such as the Fentons' divorce, but life was odd like that. She couldn't see any reason to switch the time back.

Deep in the ghost zone, Clockwork sighed. Valerie Grey had learnt but for once this was the wrong decision. This world was doomed, but hers could be returned to, and saved. Yet she would want to save the people here. He'd have to do some research to try and work out the best he'd manage. For Valerie was the spanner in the works: - a being who should not exist in this world, yet somehow did. This meant he would have to persuade her. So what were the options? How come she survived the twisting world? She said the Ritual of Chronos had been used. But for it to be successful the hair of an active Valkyrie had to be used. Val was part of this world, because she was one of the pillars upon which it stood, despite the change in her status. And Damon and Ember's desire for a child was so powerful that she had found a way in rather than being stuck outside for want of a better description.

The next day both Sam and Valerie arrived at the Axion labs. Sam and Valerie were both frostily polite to Vlad. The chess game started in earnest, but another one was going on in the words both spoke to each other.

"So you've changed you position on ghosts, Sam?" Vlad used as his opening gambit, as he took one of Sam's pieces

"Slightly, but all ghosts are evil." Sam replied placing her rook in the trap Vlad had left for it.

"So your new friend is evil, then?" Vlad hinted obliquely at Valerie's spiritborn status, while taking the rook.

"Sometimes, but then she's generally good." Sam replied, moving her knight. "Humans aren't just one thing."

That was an unexpected move from Sam. Still the next one, while it would leave him vulnerable to some players, Sam would walk into it. "She isn't even hiding what she is, and you don't notice it. I thought you were smart."

"Of course she isn't she's human."

Vlad laughs, this time with some humour. "Valerie- Grey- Ghost hunter. Valkyrie. Alien. Chooser of the Slain."

Sam laughs in disbelief. "Rather a thin case there, Vlad."

"True, if the names were the big evidence. They're just corroborative evidence. It's her board, and before you say it's a wing. It shouldn't enable her to fly, let alone carry your weight as well."

At this Sam leaves in a huff. She calls out "Coming Val?"

"In a bit, Sam, I just want to finish the game."

"You expected Sam to believe you, Vlad? She's more stubborn than I am." Val moves her queen and waits for Vlad's move.

Vlad takes the queen. This would work against the Valerie he knew and this Sam, even if he had left a weakness in his play. "Yes. She does seem to hate ghosts a lot."

"Indeed. She does." Valerie replied, leaving the threat unspoken, though Vlad got it. Reveal me or Ember and I will reveal one of you. The move she had made on the board was not possible for one her psyche. Vlad counters the move as best he can.

"You're forgetting one thing Vlad. Check." Val smiles.

"What's that?"

"I'm not the same as the Valerie you remember." Valerie moves the games last piece. "Checkmate."

Vlad stares at the board. He had never lost a chess-match before now.