Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or anything else I reference.
Chapter Three: An Important Mission (Edited)
"What do you mean the world is in danger?" Danny asked.
As long as the conversation was not about erasing him from the timeline, he was all for it.
"It concerns that teacher of yours. Otto Scarbaach." Clockwork said conjuring a portal above them.
"I knew he was evil.' Danny thought feeling the urge to jump for joy so high that he could reach above the city. "What is he up to?"
If Clockwork was coming here than that meant he was certain of it.
"He is involved with forces that are aiming to bring terror to this world and would enslave the portion of mankind that survived." Clockwork said.
'Wow.' Danny thought.
This is far better than he had been hoping for. Now all he had to do is get Clockwork to say it in front of the others.
"If you wish to take him down, you must be prepared." Clockwork said.
"Tell me what I need to know, and I will go after him right now." Danny said more than ready to take down his teacher.
He could feel his heart beating faster as the anticipation built up inside of him.
"No, he is too dangerous and too protected to go after him right now. In preparation for this venture Otto has performed a ritual."
"What kind of ritual?" Danny asked.
All that he knew of Magic is what he had managed to pick up from Sam. There was the stuff that Vlad was involved in, but he preferred to ignore those. It was better for his mental state.
"This ritual protects him from damage or harm until the ceremony to summon his master is finished." Clockwork said.
"He is protected from everything. Even from Time? Even from you?" Danny asked.
"I am bound by rules that prevent me from interfering." Clockwork said.
"What about if I bury him in a coffin of cement and drop him to the bottom of the ocean?" Danny asked ready to move on to other options.
Because if it was just a matter of that Otto could not be killed than all he had to do was come up with a solution that kept him trapped for the rest of his life.
"If you wish to stop him you must save the sacrifices." Clockwork said.
"Sacrifices? Who are they?" Danny asked instantly as he had no problem believing that Otto had would kill people.
He probably owned a tacky altar and sacrificial dagger in that creepy house of his.
"The sacrifices are these four students that go to your school." Clockwork said projecting images.
He knew two of the group. Brad Chiles and Judy Reeves. Brad had moved here three years back in eighth grade. He had been in classes with Judy since elementary school. The other two were a mystery to him.
"How must I protect them?" Danny asked.
"I have already begun taking steps. You must join their club and keep a subtle eye on them." Clockwork said shifting to his child form.
"What club is it?" Danny asked.
There were a lot of them at Casper High as the school required that for students to graduate that they must be part of a team or club.
"They call it Mystery Incorporated." Clockwork said.
"So, they read mystery novels?" Danny asked.
It sounded easy enough.
"That is how it started and how most believe the club to be about." Clockwork said.
"But they are wrong?" Danny asked confused.
"They have moved from reading mysteries to intending to go and solve actual crimes." Clockwork said.
"Are they crazy?" Danny asked.
There were lots of things in this city alone that could prove dangerous to people with too much curiosity and not enough sense in their heads. He feared that if he had to protect such a group that he would end up having a heart attack from stress and become a pure ghost.
"They are filled with curiosity and are being manipulated by evil. It will drag them in all the while making them think it was their idea." Clockwork said shifting to adult form.
"What steps do I need to take exactly?" Danny asked.
"The next step is that you will need to tell your friends Sam and Paulina." Clockwork said.
"What do you mean?" Danny asked.
"You will have to tell them what is happening and the dangers that you are facing." Clockwork said.
"Why do they have to be involved?" Danny asked.
He would rather not risk his friends in his dangerous adventures, and this sounded like one of those. He told them about his powers because he knew the two of them could keep a secret. The original had shared his secret with his friends, and they kept him from becoming like Vlad. It seemed more than good enough of a reason to tell them.
"They have skills that you do not and can go where you cannot." Clockwork said.
"How about you be less cryptic." Danny said.
"You need to watch over Cassidy and Judy, and they would be more trusting to fellow girls than you." Clockwork said.
"With how Paulina and Judy treat each other I am not sure that would make them any safer." Danny said.
"Have more faith. They will be much help to you in the coming struggle. When you have told them I will summon you to me." Clockwork said shifting to adult form and opening a ghost portal.
It must be serious if Clockwork wanted visitors. He tried his hardest to make sure no ghost could ever find his lair.
"Alright I will try it your way but before you leave can you tell me if I have gotten every gnome?" Danny asked.
"There are still eight roaming the town." Clockwork said before leaving him alone.
"I had to ask." Danny said to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. He wondered how he is going to explain it.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Time to wake up Master Daniel." Carmine or CR-V5 said.
Carmine was designed to look like a teenager with red hair and blue eyes.
When he was younger, and Vlad had to go on trips with Sebas Carmine was to play the role of babysitter for anybody that was curious. Now that he is seventeen Carmine only looked a few years older than him.
"Where is Sebas?" Danny asked as he walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.
It was rare for another android butler or maid to come and wake him up.
"He is tending to the guest downstairs." Carmine responded.
"Very well. You may return to whatever you were doing before you woke me up." Danny said as he got ready and walked down the stairs.
"Morning." Danny said as he took a sip of a mango smoothie as Vlad's guest walked into the kitchen.
Queen Maeve said nothing just went through the cabinets looking for something to drink.
This was not the first time that this has happened, so he was more than used to it. Queen Maeve for some reason held a large amount of affection for Vlad. They spent nights together as gross as that was to think about.
"You know the rule. No talking to me before I have my morning drink." Queen Maeve said as she ran a hand through her blonde hair.
"Whatever just tell Vlad that I am going to be out for most of the day." Danny said tossing his smoothie, picking up his bag, and walking out of the kitchen and to the garage to get his car.
"Whatever." Queen Maeve said dismissively.
Seems like she did not take his advice. Therapy would probably do wonders for whatever issues she had. Alcohol was not going to solve any of her problems. Either way he had his own problems that he had to deal with.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"I have good news." Sam said from the back of the car.
"What is it?" Danny asked glad for something good to be happening. It would probably be the best time to tell the girls.
"Circus Gothica is coming to town." Sam said.
"What?" Paulina asked looking from her travel-size makeup mirror to her cousin.
"Circus Gothica. You both promised that if I could get tickets you would come with me no matter where it was taking place." Sam said.
"I don't doubt you, but I have no recollection of making that promise." Danny said.
For some reason the name of that circus was ringing bells in his head, but he just could not remember why. Maybe it was the promise he had made with Sam?
"Me neither." Paulina said.
"Well, the both of you promised and now I am cashing it in." Sam said.
"Alright." Paulina said though reluctantly.
"It is going to be amazing." Sam said with a smile on her face.
"What type of things will be there?" Paulina asked.
"Carnival games, roller coasters, bumper cars, and the main attraction." Sam said.
"Which is?" Danny asked.
"I want that to remain a surprise." Sam said.
"There won't be clowns though, right?" Danny asked and the moment he did he could see a wince on Paulina's face.
Ever since they were kids Paulina has been deathly afraid of clowns. Personally, he was not fond of them either. Those painted faces usually only hid deep sadness or a sadistic monster.
"Not there will be no clowns." Sam said. "What are you doing? School is the other way.".
"We'll get there but I have something I need to tell you guys first." Danny said as he took a turn that brought them under the bridge.
This was a secure place where he could make sure that no one was spying on them. Too much noise above them and to the side of them a construction yard.
"What is the matter?" Paulina asked as she reached for his shoulder.
"It seems that I am right about Otto." Danny said.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"I have learned that Otto is planning on sacrificing our classmates to some horrible evil." Danny said as he told them what Clockwork had said.
"So, you have to join their club to protect them?" Paulina asked with a frown on her face.
"Seems like it. Clockwork would not come to me if this threat was not real or fast approaching." Danny said.
"Do you need help?" Sam asked.
"Will we need to join the club?" Paulina asked with distaste.
"He said that you two should help me, but he did not say anything about that." Danny answered.
He could adapt the easiest as his schedule had planned games and he could attend practices while also keeping an eye on the group.
"How can we help?" Paulina asked.
"I have no idea. I assume when we go to Clockwork, he is going to tell us." Danny said.
"How are we going to get there?" Sam asked.
Before them a ghost portal opened under the bridge.
'I should have expected this.' Danny thought.
Clockwork was constantly watching the world so he would know when he told them. "Seem that is how."
"What about the car?" Paulina asked.
"The duplicate can take it to school." Danny said as he unlocked the doors so they could walk to the portal.
Clockwork could see through time there was no reason to doubt that he could make it, so they arrive on time despite the time it took for them to listen to him.
"So strange." Sam said as she touched the portal.
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Ghost Zone)
"You two, okay?" Danny asked as he looked at Paulina and Sam.
They had not taken the journey as well as he had and laid in a heap upon the floor. This was their first trip through a portal before, so he was not surprised.
"That totally sucked." Paulina said as she took his hand.
"I give that ride a two out of ten." Sam said as she took the other.
"It takes some time to get used to going through a ghost portal." Danny said.
"Welcome children." Clockwork said in his old man form as he floated to them.
"Hello Clockwork. Since you know I told them can you explain how they can help with the mission?" Danny asked ready to get to how they are going to take Otto down.
"It is no good to rush this. First, I have to tell you about who your teacher serves." Clockwork said conjuring a screen.
On the screen is the image of some sort of flying tentacle monster.
"This is Nibiru. It is an ancient monster that came to this planet during the Babylonian Era. He used the people's belief to amass treasure and to wage war." Clockwork said.
"If he is such a bad guy how come we have never heard of him?" Paulina asked.
"Nibiru was an ancient and powerful evil before he ever arrived at Earth. He made sure that he had plans ready in case he lost the battle. When the last battle was waged and was Nibiru was certain he would be sealed away he took one final action. He used his power to cast a world altering spell. To erase the memory of himself from all of his enemies." Clockwork said.
"Then how did you manage to remember?" Sam asked.
"I am the ghost of time. I am always searching what has happened and what could happen." Clockwork said.
"How does Otto know of him then? Was he at the battle?" Danny asked wondering how old their teacher was.
"No. Otto Scarrbach's family has served Nibiru for millenniums." Clockwork answered.
"Then why wait so long to release him?" Danny asked.
If he had a family of servants on this planet for over three thousand years, then why not come back earlier?
"That is a question your friend can answer." Clockwork said as he looked at Sam.
"Me?" Sam asked.
"You had to study celestial bodies for your studies, so I ask you what the next mystical celestial event to occur is?" Clockwork asked her.
"The Harmonic convergence is approaching in a years' time." Sam said.
"How did you know that?" Danny asked.
"Grandma forced me to learn when all celestial events are to happen in the next decade. They can affect witchcraft, so she wanted me to know when it was safe to practice and when it wasn't." Sam said while looking at Clockwork.
Danny glanced at Paulina who looked to the side and gripped her arm. He knew that Paulina had been resentful of the fact that unlike Sam she had no talent for magic. He put his hand on hers and gave it a rub with his thumb to reassure her.
Paulina looked at him with a slight smile before turning back to Clockwork.
"Yes, the planets of this system and the sun will align. The event will bring great power and Nibiru is planning to tap into that power to be freed back into the world. Then he will try to regain all that he has lost. He will enslave mankind and start an age of darkness that will last for millennia." Clockwork said.
"That sounds horrible." Paulina said.
"That is why the three of you must work together. You represent the factions that were there at the final fight. The living, the dead, and the magical." Clockwork said as he waved his hand and a book appeared in it.
"What is this?" Sam asked as she looked at the cover of the book.
"This is a grimoire that I had personally created. It is made from countless spells across time that will be useful." Clockwork said.
'Wow.' Danny thought amazed at the kind of gift that was and also kind of jealous.
"This will aid you in your defense of the sacrifices from the Cult of Nibiru." Clockwork said.
"We won't let him get away with anything." Danny promised.
"I promise to learn everything inside of it." Sam said as she looked at the book in wonder.
"How can I help?" Paulina asked.
"Open your compact mirror." Clockwork said as a green circle appeared in his hand.
"Why?" Paulina asked as she complied with his request.
"Back during the war there were many humans that wished to fight. They were given power thank to the Kwami Nooroo. He is unavailable currently so I will have to make do." Clockwork said.
"That looks like one of Hawkmoth's akuma." Danny said as the green light in his hand took the shape of a butterfly.
"That is no surprise. Hawkmoth is the current owner of Nooroo." Clockwork said.
That was not something he wanted to hear. He might be reaching but if it was similar to Nooroo than the way to activate the power might be similar as well and that concerned him.
"You have to know the problem that can come from that." Danny said.
During his adventure in Paris, he saw the type of people that Hawkmoth could change. Those who had fallen into deep despair or hatred. The longer the akuma was connected to the person the worse their emotions got.
That was probably why the word akuma in Japanese meant demon.
"That will be a challenge for Paulina. She will have to fight those emotions every time she uses the power. If she gives in for even a moment the powers could run away with her." Clockwork said.
"What happens if things go wrong, and she does give in to her negative emotions?" Sam asked.
"In case she falls there is a ritual in the book to cleanse the butterfly and bring her back." Clockwork said moving his hand.
A gasp from Sam gained his attention. He turned to see that the book she was holding had opened and flipped to a certain page.
Danny walked to the book to see what kind of spell Clockwork wanted them to perform.
"It will take time to get all of these ingredients." Sam said.
"Then make sure you have the ingredients prepared before such a situation could arise." Clockwork said.
"How do I activate the mirror?" Paulina asked.
"When you open the compact say Mirror, Shine brightly." Clockwork said.
"Do I get a gift Clockwork?" Danny asked.
"Your gift will arrive during the final battle." Clockwork said.
There was a part of him that felt like that was unfair, but he knew better than to say that. He had been worried about Sam and Paulina but now the two of them could protect themselves just as much as he would be able to if nor more.
"Now it is time that the three of you headed to school." Clockwork said as he opened another portal.
"Just great." Paulina and Sam muttered in unison.
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Caspar High)
"The hallway looks clear." Danny said as he closed the door and turned back to Sam and Paulina.
"Good. It seems that we have made it before first period." Sam said as she pointed at the clock above the chalkboard with her index finger.
First period would begin in about ten minutes.
"That's Clockwork's style. Taking you when he wants you and bringing you back before anyone notices that you are missing." Danny said.
The ghost was a master in the art of kidnapping.
"Seems fitting for the Ghost of time." Paulina said.
"You seem rather happy." Sam said.
"I finally have powers of my own." Paulina said holding her makeup mirror close to her.
"Now we just got to make sure that the thing does not corrupt you." Sam said as they walked out of the room and to their lockers.
"You worry too much." Paulina said.
"She's not. I will show you what the people of Paris have to deal with when they mess with Akuma." Danny said.
"Meaning we will be talking about this later." Sam said as she opened her locker to take out her books.
"What class do you have right now?" Danny asked.
"Science." Sam answered.
"Ours is literature with Lancer." Danny said.
"This is so cool." Paulina said looking at the makeup mirror that clockwork placed the butterfly.
"Please do not transform before we buy the ingredients necessary to cure you." Sam said as she took the mirror and put it in Paulina's bag and then she turned towards him "Danny what is your plan?"
"Not sure yet." Danny answered.
"Danny and I have our first class today with Judy. When it is over, He can ask her if he can join her club." Paulina said.
"Do you think it will go that easy?" Danny asked.
"I don't see why not. Judy and Brad are simple people. Judy especially." Paulina answered with a smirk.
"It is not a bad option..." Sam said
"I think that it is a great plan." Paulina said.
"...but we can talk about it later during lunch." Sam said as she walked through the door.
"C'mon." Danny said as they started walking.
"A Voice in The Wind..." Lancer began and Danny gave a sigh.
Principal Strickler had their schedules constantly moving so each day the last class they had would be tomorrow's first. The forty-year-old teacher was a strict man. Always with a literary reference in his mind.
Danny wondered if he really read all those books he always talked about or just looked them up online to figure out which book to go with an exclamation.
He took his seat next to Ilana Lunis a recent transfer student last year from a country that she never described except that it was in a civil war. She was a kind girl with a head that in his opinion looked a bit like an onion. She had two brothers in the school. Her twin brother named Lance and another in twelfth grade named Newton.
Lance was in the martial arts club and Newt was part of the science team and dating the head captain of the cheerleading squad Kimmy Mysner.
Paulina took her seat next to Judy. If she had given a choice, he knew that she would have preferred to sit next to anyone else. She even tried bribing Lancer, but the man was dedicated to his seating chart.
It was very weird given that none of them could figure out how it was arranged. It was not decided by where they sat the first day, alphabetical order, or gender. Beth sat next to Lorenzo, Kitty sat next to Jay, Courtney sat next to Topher, Sammy sat next to Amy, Kwan sat next to Scarlett, Leshawna sat next to Harold, and Tyler sat next to Eva.
There were bets between the school on how Lancer created his seating charts. His opinion was that the man put on a blindfold and played a game of darts with the student's names attached, Paulina was of the opinion that the man used name cards and paired people when he turned over their names, and Sam was of the opinion that the class seats were chosen by pulling the names out of a cup.
"Hey Danny." Ilana said with a smile and a wave.
"Hey Illana." Danny said back.
"Have you heard about this circus coming to town?" Ilana asked.
"Yeah, Sam is forcing us to go. Are you going too?" Danny asked.
"Jason asked me to go with him." Ilana said.
"Cool maybe we will see each other around then." Danny said.
"Alright class open your books. Yesterday I assigned you to read ..." Lancer said as he began his lesson.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Hey Judy." Danny said as he walked out of class and up to her.
He could feel Paulina glaring at them even though she knew why he was doing this.
"Yeah Danny?" Judy asked turning to him.
"I heard that you and some other have started a club. You read mystery novels or something?" Dannya sked like he had no idea.
"Yeah, what about it?" Judy asked.
"I was wondering if I could join?" Danny asked.
"Are you thinking of leaving football?" Judy asked.
"No but my dad has been telling me that colleges like well-rounded applications and so I figured why not try one more mentally challenging." Danny said.
He had used the time Lancer had been talking to come up with a believable lie.
"Brad is president so if you want to join you are going to have to talk to him." Judy said.
"That's fine." Danny said with a smile.