A/N: On this random Thursday I gave to people, Chapter 4! That doesn't fit in with the tune at all.
Phil: Fascinating. You're still keeping up with your update schedule even though it just took you a little under a month to write one chapter.
Torch: I'm going to keep up my updating schedule for as long as I can, so yeah, I'm still updating every week.
Phil: And you're writing this Author's note on a Tuesday during your week off from school because you have no social life.
Torch: That's not true! I have a social life!
Phil: Really? What were you doing today?
Torch: …Trying to find a transcript for Phantom Planet because my friend is trying to write an AU of the series…
Phil: And did you?
Torch: You'd think, it being the end of the series and all, there would be at least one transcript of it somewhere on the internet and my friend would not end up eventually forcing me to re-watch the bane of my existence.
Phil: You just don't like that episode because of the Masters' Blasters.
Torch: They made Danny take his powers away, okay?! And then Danny revealed himself to the public! No, just…
Phil: Just what?
Torch: If you know it, I don't own it. Except for Infinite Hour, Stopwatch, and Hourglass. Those belong to my friend Hollyflash!
Chapter 4;
By this point I had come to the conclusion that my friends were idiots.
It was getting dark, and we didn't have anywhere to stay, so what did we do?
We went into some rundown neighborhood and broke into someone's house, of course!
"Hey, at least there's nobody home." Darry offered for what would be at least the fifth time, and I glared at him. I hated this, and Kelsey wasn't very comfortable either. She kept her head lowered and her mouth full of chips from a bag I had found.
"Yes, because breaking into someone's house when they aren't home makes everything so much better." I mumbled, and Kelsey gave a tiny nod in agreement.
"Relax, Liz," Darry sighed, "you look like an old crow when you're worried."
"I do not!" I shouted, looking myself over. "Seriously, I do not!"
"How does she look like a crow?" Kelsey mumbled, looking up. "To me, she looks like a human."
"Stop the literal trolling and go back to eating your chips," Darry muttered, and Kelsey rolled her eyes before stuffing some more bacon and cheddar chips in her mouth. As soon as Darry looked away, she opened her mouth with a "blah" to reveal the crushed up chip pieces.
"Oh, gross!" I groaned, "Kelsey, don't act like a child! We need to figure out why nobody has come to bring us home! Clockwork could've even sent Tempest or something, but still, there's nobody!"
"...That may be our fault." Darry spoke up, and I raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"Well," he started to rub the back of his neck nervously, "think about it. The invisible wall, the fact that Vlad couldn't hit us no matter what he did, the glowing charms... come on girls, I can't be the only one who finds that weird."
"So what?" I frowned, "Are you saying that the charms have magical anti-ghost powers or something?"
"That's over the top even for me, Dar." Kelsey mumbled, "I know it was weird that they glowed, but I don't think they could prevent Clockwork from showing up. I honestly don't think anything could."
"Dan probably could." Darry mumbled so quietly that I almost didn't hear it. Who was Dan?
"Wait, what? Darry, who's Dan?" even Kelsey didn't know who he was. That's strange, considering that between knowing Mr. Fenton and Jaclyn's secret identities, the time she spends with her grandparents, and helping her older brother with his job, she knows the most about ghosts out of us three. It would have to be a bigger family secret than the halfas for Kelsey to not have figured it out by now. "Uncle Danny hates it when people call him Dan that I know. Who is Dan?"
"Evil," Darry muttered, "he's evil, powerful, and should not exist. Can we talk about something else?"
Okay, the depressing mood that was around the three of us was getting annoying. "Hey, I know!" I smiled, causing Kelsey and Darry to stare at me in confusion. "Okay, so we need something to get our minds off of all this, right? So, let's play a game! Kelsey, truth or dare?"
Kelsey looked up from her chips, "Is that a trick question? When have I ever chose anything besides truth?"
"She has a point there," Darry replied, stealing some of his cousin's chips.
"Fine," I rolled my eyes and asked the first question I could think of, "do you have a crush on the Red Huntress' apprentice, Shadow Hunter? I saw you flying with him after we got out of ghost jail."
As it turns out, it is possible to do a spit take with semi-chewed chips.
XxXxX
After that disgusting attempt at truth or dare, it was decided that we should try and get some sleep. Darry offered to sleep in the main room, while Kelsey and I took the bedrooms. I was still uncomfortable with the fact we had broken in to the person's house, and therefore found it nearly impossible to get to sleep. Plus, I was worried about my mom and dad.
I didn't normally let them cloud my thoughts, mostly because I used to get homesick as a kid. If I let Kelsey or Darry see me getting upset, well, it wouldn't be for the best. I tossed and turned until sometime after one in the morning, when I finally gave up on sleep and decided to take a walk. I left a note with the still-sleeping Darry saying when I left as a precaution, and then headed out into the night air.
Amity Park was actually really amazing at night. In this time, there was a lot less light pollution. I still couldn't really see the stars, but at least it wasn't so strangely bright. As I moved along the streets, I let my mind wander.
Had I changed anything by being in the past for this long? For all I knew, I could've erased my friends. Meeting you parents when they were your age couldn't be good for you. But what about my parents? What would happen if I met them?
I shivered, this was getting ridiculous. I just needed to clear my head and wait it out. Mr. Fenton was probably on his way to come get us right now. Yeah, in fact, I'm probably just wasting time by walking around. If I go back, and get some sleep, I'll be able to see Mom and Dad again soon.
With that thought, I came back to my senses and turned around, only to realize I had no clue where I was.
Well, fudge. This can't get much worse.
And then, as soon as I thought that, a ghost crashed down beside me. Three guesses to who it was, and the first two don't count.
"Hey, Skulker, watch where you're throwing me!" Danny called as he stood up, rubbing his head. "You almost made me hit an innocent... bystander..." he trailed off as he recognized me, "oh, it's you."
"Yeah, whatever," I shrugged, "so, fighting ghosts? Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"Shouldn't you?" Danny replied, and a rocket blew up at our feet. I fell back and let out a couple coughs at the smoke, but when it cleared the first thing I saw was Danny being held up by Skulker. The ghost looked different from when I had last saw him, which made sense considering the fact that the last time I saw him was the future.
"Where's the boy, Whelp?" Skulker was asking as I stood up, "I was told to fetch him, and that you would bring me right to him! I'm not allowed to hunt you until I find the boy so where. Is. He?!"
"I don't even know who you're talking about!" Danny answered, kicking Skulker away from him. "Just... just go away! I have more important things to worry about than helping you hunt someone so that you can get back to hunting me!"
"No, Whelp! I need to find this boy! His powers... they are a higher level than Pariah Dark's!"
"I still don't know who you're talking about! And anyway, if you're hunting him he can't be too bad!"
"I was told you would lead me to him, so start leading!"
"No! I wouldn't even if I knew who you're talking about!"
"Okay, this is weird." I mumbled, backing away. "I should probably just keep walking... yeah, bye." I turned and started to run, which didn't last long as something exploded behind me and Skulker shot me with a net.
"I have a hostage now, Whelp! So lead me to the boy!" Skulker was shouting, and Danny face-palmed. I started to mess with the net, rolling my eyes.
This is the second time this has happened to me in two days. Who in the same situation and their right mind wouldn't be irritated? Well, at least the net wasn't electrified this time.
"Skulker, one, you just caught a ghost hunter who works with two other people. They're probably going to come find you and use your suit for a footrest or something." Danny replied, and I cringed. I knew saying that we were ghost hunters would come back to haunt us. No pun intended. "Two, I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" I expected his yell to turn into a ghostly wail, and was surprised when it didn't.
"Very well, Ghost Child. No need to shout." Skulker replied, and I felt the net pulling back. My breath caught in my throat, and I turned my head slowly. Skulker lifted the net up higher, and my eyes went wide. "I'll just take the hunter and go, then."
"Wait, what?" I looked over at Skulker, which was fairly hard to do considering how much the net was constricting me, and basically started to imitate a fish. "You- no! No, don't! Danny, Mr. Fenton! I... I don't know! P-please! H-help!"
"Don't you think that me helping you would be ironic or some...?" Danny was crossing his arms when he froze, "Wait, did you... did you just call me Mr. Fenton?"
"As entertaining as it is that a fellow hunter knows both your identities," Skulker interrupted, "I'll be taking her and leaving. If I am forbidden from hunting you, someone else who hunts you should do just fine for a rug. But don't think I'll stop hunting you."
"Uh, ew," Danny replied, and I nodded.
"Yes, very much so. Now please, help me!" I paused, "Mr. Phantom! Danny! I... I still don't know what to call you! But please, hel-" I didn't finish before Skulker blasted off, leaving me screaming as I was dragged through the air. I caught sight of Danny flying after me, exchanging fire with Skulker while I kept screaming. Something exploded underneath us from a stray blast, blasting us upwards. I could barely hear anything over my own screaming, but I was aware of the fact that Danny wasn't very happy with whatever had exploded. Skulker started laughing, and the next few moments were a series that seemed to move in slow motion.
First of all, Danny was caught in a net as I stopped screaming.
Secondly, I shouted his name as the net electrocuted him.
Third, he started to fall towards the ground, looking as if he was in pain.
Fourth, a golden aura surrounded him, setting him gently on the ground while ripping the net from him.
I actually spoke in sync with Skulker when we said, well, minus a few colourful words, "What was that?!"
Moments later, the same coloured aura that had set Danny on the ground was surrounding me, and I found myself suddenly on the ground. It wasn't like I had fallen or anything, I was just suddenly... there. I looked over at Danny, hoping for an explanation.
"What just happened?" Danny asked, and gave me a confused look. Well, there goes my explanation. "When did you get out of the net?"
"When I was surrounded by gold aura." I deadpanned, and Danny raised an eyebrow.
"So it wasn't one of your ghost hunting things?"
"If it was, don't you think I would've used it sooner?"
"...True. But if it's not you, then is it one of your friends?"
I looked upwards to where blasts of gold were assaulting Skulker, knocking him around. The weird part was, I couldn't tell where the blasts were coming from. "...I don't think me or my friends have any weapons that shoot anything of that colour."
"So it's someone else?" Danny asked, standing up.
"I guess so, but I've never even seen anyone fire that kind of energy before." I answered truthfully, standing up beside him. I took a step back, about to try to find my way back to my temporary home, but decided against it when Skulker crashed into the ground. The golden energy was all around him, holding the shocked ghost in place. I stared in disbelief as what I assumed to be another ghost literally flickered into place under a streetlight a little ways away from me and Danny.
It was about Darry's height and wearing a hooded black cloak, clasped at the side with golden clip that resembled two crossed knives, so that I couldn't see its face aside from the two glowing golden eyes that seemed impossible to miss. Its arms were bare, muscular, and holding the front of the cloak open. Its exposed skin was relatively normal, if not slightly pale, and its hands were bandaged while dark blue guards were on its wrist. Covering its chest was an armless black t-shirt, and covering his legs was a pair of light gray, loose-fitting pants tied with a black martial-type belt. On its feet were black combat boots, tied together with golden laces. When it spoke, its voice had a strange quality to it, almost as if it was being suppressed and wasn't really there.
"Skulker of the Ghost Zone, hunter of the rare and valuable..." I can't explain it, but the voice held a sense of power. It seemed to draw me in, and it looked like it had the same effect on Danny. "You were tasked to find me, true? No, I will not be captured. And you..." it reached a hand forward, which slowly became covered in golden sparks. "I sentence you to the Ghost Zone; do not disturb me again, lest you wish a second demise."
It turned it's hand a quarter of the way around, and the golden energy around Skulker suddenly just... well, I suppose the best way to explain it would be to say it came alive. The energy was sparking... it seemed to be laughing... and then, Skulker was gone, leaving the mysterious stranger standing under a streetlight.
"Interesting, he poses less threat than the Box Ghost." I could almost hear the smirk in its voice. "Skulker's power was clearly overstate-" the stranger's form flickered, "oh? Very well. Liz, Phantom, do not ask who I am or what I do. I am not at liberty to tell you." Its form flickered again, "My time is limited. Two blocks east, there is a fire. A house with two teenagers inside. They awoke to flames, and one was knocked unconscious protecting the other. They are trapped... go... Darry and Kelsey have little... time... go... together... save... them..." its form flickered out of sight, and it took me a moment to register what it had said.
"Darry and Kelsey... fire... trapped... oh no. My friends!" I took off running, not even bothering to check if Danny was following.
XxXxX
I smelt the smoke, heard the sirens, and saw the flames before I even reached the house. Once I had, my first thought was something along the lines of how am I supposed to get them out of there?
"If I go intangible and pull them out, will they try to attack me?" Danny's voice. I guess he did follow me after all. Then again, I wouldn't want to disobey that creepy golden-eyed guy either.
I didn't even bother to look over at him. "Have I?"
"Oh, right... I'll get them out," Danny promised, and I barely took notice of him flying past me. I shouldn't have left. I should be in there, with my friends...
A short scream brought me to attention, and I stared fearfully at the burning house. About a minute later, I noticed that flames along a certain path were being extinguished. I stared hopefully along at where the path seemed to be leading, and let out a cheer when Danny burst a hole in the side of the wall, leading Darry and Kelsey out as patches of ghostly ice melted behind them. Darry was leaning on Kelsey's shoulder for support, favoring his right ankle, had a trickle of blood going down the side of his face, but he was smiling. Kelsey, on the other hand, looked completely terrified, kept giving Darry confused looks, and seemed to be slightly annoyed. I rushed towards them, bypassing Danny completely and enveloping them in a hug.
"Blah! Liz!" Darry protested, and I just hugged him tighter. Kelsey let out a quiet laugh. "Please! I need air!" I let go, and took notice of Darry's smirk.
"Do I want to know?" I asked, and Darry held up the chain that held the charms Vlad had given him. "...What happened to the D charm?" though the F charm was still there, the D charm was missing. Darry held out his hand, which revealed that he was holding the charm between two of his fingers.
"Watch," he smiled, and moved the charm close to Danny, who tensed as it caused his gloves to disappear. When Darry moved the charm back to his side, Danny's gloves reappeared. The half ghost stared at his gloved hands in confusion for a moment before looking back at Darry, who's smile somehow got even bigger. "See? The charms have anti-ghost powers. I was right."
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow, "I was attacked by Skulker and rescued by some guy who used golden energy, yet mine never activated."
"Golden energy?" Darry looked really interested, "Did the guy who fired it look like an assassin and keep flickering in and out of existence?"
"Okay, as interesting as this is," Danny cut in, and the three of us turned to face him. "If you three were some kind of ghost hunters, you guys would've probably re-killed me a long time ago. Who are you three, and honestly this time."
"Well, you see," Kelsey started, looking sheepish. "I'm Kelsey... Folia. The blonde is Liz Moore, which is where I ripped off the "No Moore Ghosts, two O's in the Moore" thing from. The guy on my shoulder is-"
"Darryll Fenton, though I go by Darry." Darry spoke up, and Kelsey looked horrified. I'm pretty sure that I just looked confused.
Danny raised an eyebrow, "Fenton? Really?"
"...Well, I like to say it is. Because it's either that or..." Darry shivered, "Masters. Blah, there is no way I'm going by Darry Masters."
"Masters?" Danny frowned, "Okay, do I want to know why you have to choose between that and Fenton?"
"You haven't figured it out?" Darry sighed, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to spell it out, but... I'm a clone of you. Not a very successful one, since I'm purely human, but a clone of you."
Well, I didn't see that one coming.
Tempest, who had unconsciously taken the form of a seven year old, was annoyed to say the very least.
Timeline 10-4 had multiple problems that she knew would fall on her to fix, and would take a while to fix, causing her to more than likely be absent from her job as Clockwork's Apprentice for a period of time. Clockwork had noticed that fact too, and had called in someone to take over for her while she sorted it all out. Not just any someone, one of the Alternate Dimension versions of her created by a different whatever-the-boss-of-the-Observants-was-called. At the moment, Tempest didn't care about the name of the apparently all-powerful deity.
Groaning, Tempest decided that it was best not to wonder which of them it would be and to instead look over points in Timeline 10-4 once again. She pulled up a window through time and fought the urge to face palm. Darryll Lee Fenton telling the younger version of his dad that he was not a random ghost hunter, but one of his clones. Oh boy, that just could not end well. It was kind of clever, though. Tempest had to give him that.
Adding that instance to the list of things she'd have to fix, and by fix she meant creating some random documents, Tempest moved from the past to the present and almost broke out in laughter. Daniel James Fenton-Phantom, who the last time Tempest had seen him had been trying to brutally re-murder her with his gloves, was sobbing like a little kid, as he had been from the past few hours. Then again, his son was missing thanks to Vladimir Yermolai Masters-Plasmius.
Tempest snickered. Yermolai. That was one of the funniest middle names she knew.
Back in the Real World, a name which Tempest found incredibly stupid and demeaning, Tucker Marcus Foley was trying to comfort his friend, Samantha Annabelle Manson-Fenton was trying to figure out how to get the missing people back, and Jasmine Alexis Fenton-Foley was trying to explain to young Tucker Junior Timothy Foley where his sister was. It was about as interesting as eating dirt. Though, Tempest caught part of the conversation in which it was mentioned that someone would have to explain to Star Winona Garcia-Moore and Tanon Fredrick Moore that their only daughter was missing. Oh, that would be fun! Tempest knew for sure that she'd definitely be looking into that!
Switching to a different area of the present, Tempest chose to skip over Madeline Susan Walker-Fenton's and Jackson Bradley Fenton's attempts at figuring out if they put a reverse switch of their Fenton Time Machine, which they hadn't, and move on to the inevitable.
Jaclyn Lilith Fenton-Phantom, in her ghost form of Jackie Phantom, and Mark Dylan Foley, under his ghost hunter persona of Shadow Hunter, were going to be paying the Clock Tower a visit within minutes so that they could time travel back and bring the missing three home.
Of course, judging by what Tempest had seen of the future that was not going to happen for a while. Although, since she was only Clockwork's Apprentice and as such was not allowed to see more than a few glimpses of the future, Tempest knew she could be interpreting it wrong.
Though, in the meantime, Tempest knew she could laugh about the fact that the two cousins who should logically be mortal enemies, had no idea of the other's secret identity, and were more than likely rivals were working together.
Of course, that was interrupted by the alarm that signaled unauthorised time travel.
Locking in on the time of the disturbance, Tempest held up her staff and bumped it against her head.
Oh, of course it was done by Golden Eyes, better known by the name Tempest had jokingly given him of Greg. Of freaking course. Mr. I-Look-Like-An-Assassin-With-Golden-Eyes-But-Can-Look-Like-Some-Freaky-Teen-So-Fear-Me-And-Stuff-While-I-Use-The-Powers-I-Magically-Stole-To-Travel, was in the wrong time, again!
Though, Tempest still had no clue how the kid managed to... What had Clockwork called it? Time teleporting? Something like that. Though she had no clue how he managed to time teleport since there was nobody but Clockwork in this Dimension who had that power, she had to admit that he never did anything wrong when he time traveled, and considering everything else going on right now, it would be best to ignore the mysterious time traveler for the time being and focus on those two who were to arrive in three, two, one...
"Okay ghost, are you Tempest or Clockwork?"
"Shadow Hunter, could you be any ruder?!"
"Trust me, I could go a lot worse."
"I'm Tempest, Shadow Hunter. I thought Jackie would have told you that Tempest is the girl one." Tempest rolled her eyes as she turned around, smiling at the ectoplasm blush that was on the youngest halfa's cheeks. "Heh, I'm kidding Jackie. I don't really care what you say about me considering that this is the first meeting we've ever had."
"Wait... first meeting? And, uh, you're a little kid. How is a kid going to help us?" Shadow Hunter, who Tempest decided on calling Hunter for short, pointed out her current form which caused Tempest to groan and smack her staff on her head once more.
"I look like that sometimes. I don't really feel like switching forms, so you get this one." She shrugged and twirled her staff, deciding to completely ignore his first question. "So, you guys want to time travel, huh?"
"Um, yeah..." Jackie seemed nervous. "Uh, where's Clockwork?"
"Fetching some hired help," Tempest shrugged, "the three time travelers are messing up the balance, so I'll have to go fix it because my Master isn't supposed to interfere with the Timelines, which will leave the other Timelines in danger... yep, fun. I guess I get the bad luck because my name basically means bad storm."
"The other Timelines?" Hunter interrupted. Tempest opened her mouth to explain, but Jackie beat her to it.
"Tempest and Clockwork look after a bunch of different Timelines. Each of them is slightly different. In the one that Tempest showed my dad, the present was about twenty years ago and he wore a cape."
"Thank you, JLFP." Tempest smiled, "I see you've perfected not mentioning DLF in that story even though he's the one who I actually sent there."
"...I don't get it." Hunter was probably raising an eyebrow behind his mask. "JLFP? DLF? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Uh, those are just nicknames Tempest thought up!" Jackie sounded nervous, and Tempest felt a smile tugging the corner of her lips.
"Yeah, sure, why not? They're abbreviated nicknames. And no, I will not tell you who DLF is." Shrugging, the Time Apprentice called power from her core and transformed into her teenage form. "I'll just go get some things, and then we'll be off!" she smirked as she caught Hunter seemingly checking her out, "Like what you see? Necrophilia must be a wonderful pastime." Jackie snickered as Hunter looked appalled. "Ah, I'm just kidding! I like this form more, too. It fits me better. I'll grab some things, okay? Don't touch anything!" flipping up her cloak's hood, Tempest flew towards her chambers. Grabbing two of her medallions, her staff's holster, and three of Clockwork's medallions, Tempest was just about to fly back to Jackie and Hunter when...
CRASH!
Reverting back to her little kid form in shock, Tempest turned to face the direction where the sound had come from. After a moment, she heard a scream.
Tempest knew that if she had a beating heart it would be pounding. A scream in the Master of Time's Lair? There were only a few things that could mean, and none of them were good. Flicking her staff, Tempest teleported herself back to the main room. Jackie and Hunter were staring at a corner, where a thin line of smoke was coming from a broken thermos...
Oh.
Oh no.
This was bad. This was very, very bad.
Why did Clockwork keep that one out in the open? Why, why, why?!
"I told you not to touch anything!" Tempest called with her eyes wide as she zoomed forward and pulled the two of them back. "Oh no, where is he? Please tell me that was just a fake thermos. Please, please tell me that's all it was."
"Hello, Tempest."
Darn it. Gosh flippin' darn it.
She was going to re-die.
Turning around, Tempest felt her eyes grow wide. Of all the ones it could've been, it was that one.
It was Dan Phantom from Timeline 10-7. One of the few Dans who knew that she helped Clockwork, and the Dan who she had sent Darryll Lee Fenton to help fight because she had learned that the teenage Daniel James Fenton-Phantom wouldn't be able to do it alone.
Well, fudge.
In other words; Tempest was sure she was doomed. However, that didn't mean this Dan had to know it.
"Dan," Tempest greeted the ghost curtly, "you're out of your thermos, I see. That is against the laws of the Observant High Council. I'll have to punish you, you know. Another thousand years should do the trick." Holding up her staff, Tempest started to say goodbye to her afterlife. Fighting one of the Dans? Suicide. But she had to do it that was for sure. Her only chance otherwise was for Clockwork to get back, and even then, the Observants would end him if Clockwork ever actually fought one of the Dans.
"Hey Jackie, he looks kind of like your dad." Hunter spoke up, and Tempest fought back a wince. If this Dan figured out who Jackie was, well... it would be bad, to say the least.
"What's this? A young Phantom. How cute." 10-7 Dan stared at Jackie with a creepy smile, "Hello there, care to introduce yourself?"
"Uh, no, she doesn't!" Tempest broke in, floating in front of the young halfa. "Neither of them are going to introduce themselves to you, so don't even try!"
10-7 Dan just smirked and placed a hand on Tempest's head, "They might not, but you will."
"What is that supposed to-" Tempest cut herself off as a feeling overcame her body that was unlike anything she had ever experienced, other than the tension in her mussels which prevented her from moving, that wasn't too strange. She felt like someone was moving around in her mind, looking at her private thoughts, her memories, the knowledge she had required about time...
"Jaclyn Lilith Fenton. Also known as Jackie Phantom. Current age; ten. From Timeline 10-4." Dan's voice seemed to say, but his mouth didn't move. "Father; Daniel James Fenton. Also known as Danny Phantom. Current age; thirty-six. From Timeline 10-4. Mother; Samantha Annabelle Manson, now Fenton. Current age; thirty-six. From Timeline 10-4. Sisters; none. Brothers; one. Darryll Lee Fenton. Current age; fifteen. From Timeline 10-4. Oh, this is perfect!"
Dan removed his hand, and Tempest slumped to the ground, feeling drained. "What... what is this? What did you do to me?!"
"Something I learned while in confinement," Dan smirked, "it allows me to learn all I want by looking into another's mind. It does seem to drain them a little, though."
"How did you learn that while you were in a thermos?!" Tempest tightened her hold on her staff, ready to use it as a weapon, but the only reply Dan gave her was a smirk. Tempest felt rage bubble up inside her, not just at Dan, but at the similarities of the smirk and that of a certain Alternate Dimension version of her. Infinite Hour was a cocky annoyance, whose smirk was creepily similar.
Well, Chaos was too, but at least he didn't try to weasel his way into her group of friends. Stopwatch and Hourglass had welcomed Infinite Hour into their circle the first time they met him. Tempest had spent ten years trying to make friends with the Alternate Dimension versions of Clockwork's Apprentices, and Infinite Hour earned friends the second he showed up!
Wait, bad Tempest! She mentally shook her head as she scolded herself, why are you thinking about Infinite when there's a powered-up Dan in front of you?!
"Okay, ghost, I don't know who you are or what's going on," Hunter entered the conversation, "but the longer this goes on, the more time my rescue mission has to wait! You may have the symbol that identifies you as a Phantom, but you weren't there when the truce was set in, meaning I have every right to kick your butt!" he pulled out a weapon and lunged towards Dan, only to be stopped by the same trick that Tempest had fallen for.
"Shadow Hunter, be careful!" Jackie called, diving forward, only to be knocked back by a ghost ray. Hitting a wall, Tempest watched in horror as a halo of white light appeared around the halfa's midsection. Reacting on impulse, Tempest tossed her staff towards Jackie, causing a black dome to appear around her when it landed. Feeling her remaining power drain, Tempest collapsed, hoping that would be enough to protect the young Phantom.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed, an oddity for the Time Master's Apprentice, but after a while Tempest could hear someone shouting at her. She forced her eyes open, and groaned at the sight in front of her.
Of all the Alternate Dimension versions of Tempest there were, Clockwork had to go and choose the most inexperiencedand cocky one of all. Plus, he had ripped off her cloak idea, even if his was white while her's was blue.
"Tempest! Are you okay?! What happened?!" oh yeah, and another point against Infinite Hour was that he was so annoying!
To say the least, Tempest was very much annoyed. Her staff was missing, Jackie Phantom and Shadow Hunter could be in any of the Timelines, a Dan was loose, she knew she was about to be forced to work with the annoying and cocky Infinite Hour, and Clockwork hadn't told her that this would happen.
To say the most, as soon as this was all over Tempest was going to be using a thermos as a maraca.
Torch: Chapter 4 and the title character finally has an actual appearance. Well, that worked out.
Phil: You know, I find it strange that one moment you're complaining about your friend and the next your using three of her characters and her Alternate Dimensions theory.
Torch: Well, Infinite Hour fits in the plot and I felt like it would be a good idea to mention the other Time Apprentices. Plus, the Alternate Dimension theory I'm using, which still needs to be added onto my profile, to create an army was created with Infinite Hour as the central character. By using this theory, it also made sense to use the character that is the reason it was created.
Phil: …What?
Torch: On another note, there's a very amazing author who everyone reading this should check out. Her account name is Spectral Angel, so go read her stories. Go, shoo.
Phil: Wait for it…
Torch: Oh, wait! Thanks to princessbinas for favoriting and following this story, Diana Lily for reviewing, and Hollyflash for reviewing!
Phil: There it is.
Torch: Please review, follow, or favorite. It'll be very much appreciated!
-Torch