Inkaliber: I'm back guys! I know it's been a while but a lot has been going on over here on my end. Starting a new job, having other story ideas, family time, and other such stuff. Hopefully you guys can still enjoy the story like before.
Rose: Please don't be mad at him! I'll use a new skill Mr. Wayde taught me. Puppy Eyes Attack.
Inkaliber:... Yeah, let's not spend too much time around Mr. Wayde. He's about to be very busy, sweetheart.
Alix: That's nothing! I now know two hundred ways to kill a guy if he cheats on me. He also bought me a gun.
Inkaliber:...We'll talk about this as the chapter is playing. Speaking of, only one thing left to do. Time to answer some reviews and comments.
deathfang1920- Thanks! I'll try to keep it going.
LunarCouncillor- I'm glad that the more lax chapters have still been fun for ya! Sam just needs a little more help.
XxXNightcoreQueenXxX- Yeah… That was an awkward conversation with the versions of Danny and Jules in the studio. You brought a little something to light here, lol!
Njistar- Sam does make a habit of trying to dictate what other people do. She indeed has good reasoning to want to stop Danny, even if they're a bit misguided.
Willowskeith- LOL! Now that's funny.
Fuyu_FoxWriter- There are indeed some funny comments here. Danny has indeed let out his secret. I will say that investing in Jason stocks is about to be rather interesting.
OceanaMM- Wow! I'm glad that the story boosted your vacation!
ThatCreepyGuy- Sam does have issues that need to be addressed. I will say I laughed out loud when I saw your little bit of Ellie visiting in on Danny and Juleka having some couple time. Also, LOL on that Clockwork moment.
darknessslayer- She indeed went for some, ROFL! I can see what you mean. Still, it would have felt out of place for him to do it that way. If I wanted that kind of reveal, it would have had to be on Karaoke night.
Fregreg- I'm happy that you enjoyed it! It was nice to have the reveals written down. There will indeed be some interesting responses.
glennish1966- It is indeed Danny's choice whether he shares his secret or not. I guess you'll see what Tucker does.
Fvni- It has not been revealed how exactly Marinette and Donnel are twins yet. I'm not sure what to say about Danny and Marinette.
Speedykitten1643- Thanks! Tucker will indeed try to talk with Sam. There will be interesting responses to things all around.
The_Keeper_of_Worlds- Lol! I might be having a bit too much fun with the relationships. I'm happy you're enjoying everything so far.
Classiccartoon27- Well Sam has other issues that need to be worked through. Talks with Clockwork will definitely be interesting.
Crazy_Swedish_Viking- Hey Viking (or do you prefer Swedish?). Thanks for the hearts! Hope you've been doing well.
Fleet_796- If you are indeed correct, he'll definitely look into getting a jetpack.
Lilyofthestars- I'm glad that you've enjoyed it! It was nice to write down the duo telling the Guild about their reunion. Those are some interesting theories as to what Sam's big deal is. We'll just see if the Paris group gets a break or not. Here's the new chapter!
Rocky- Indeed it is.
Gwen- LOL! Wow indeed.
Chase- In the words of a movie villain, "UN-PRE-DICTABLE!". Sam would need to be in Paris to be Akumatized.
Smouke- Like I said above, a lot has been going on in my life. Now I've finally been able to get this chapter ready and find the best path forward for the story. Hopefully it was worth the wait.
Inkaliber: Everything's been covered so let's get started. I don't own Miraculous, Danny Phantom, Marvel, DC, or any other series that show up here. I do own any original characters, concepts, creatures, and places that work their way into the story unless stated otherwise.
Username List
Miraculous Gamer Guild
Moderator:
CircusMouse- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie/Mousie)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
Paris People:
CircusMouse- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie/Mousie)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
LadyTigress16- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix (Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
MajorScaless- Luka (Scaless)
DrumSkull- Ivan (Skull)
SmellyWolf10- Mylene (Wolf)
AresArt01- Nathaniel (Nath, Ares)
DJShell- Nino (DJ)
NekoModel- Adrien (Neko)
YuganaRyu- Kagami (Ryu)
Haunted Folks
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GQueen- Sam (G)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
JazzyTime- Jazz (Blue)
Jay-Bird- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
ValkyrieGray- Valerie (Val)
ShadowRider13- Johnny 13 (Rider)
KissyKitten- Kitty (Kitten)
Kids of America
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
WallMan- Wally
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
TheCoolerKent- Connor
HelloMegan- M'Gann (Megan)
SpiceMaster- Jack (Spice)
Tech Guru
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
SpiceMaster- Jack (Spice)
Watchlist
SpiceMaster- Jack (Spice)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
GhostWatchers
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GothQueen- Sam
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
Miraculous Mysteries
BugFighter- Marinette (My Lady, Ladybug) & Tiki (Sugarcube)
Chataclysm- Adrien (Chat, Chat Noir) & Plagg
BeeFriend22- Chloe (Bee) & Pollen
Gotham Knights Communication
Oracle- Barbara (Babs)
DarkKnight- Bruce (Batman, B, Father)
AgentA- Alfred (A)
Hood- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
Robin- Damian (D, Robin)
Red- Tim (Red Robin)
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
OperativeH- Harley
Super Kids
BloodRobin- Damian (D, Robin)
Duckling- Jon
PhantomChild- Danielle (Dani, Ellie)
PinkDragoon- Haley
Bat Boys
MrHood- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
Mini-Bruce- Damian (D, Robin)
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
CircusBird- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
War Room
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
LadyTigress16- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix (Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
MajorScaless- Luka (Scaless)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
JazzyTime- Jazz (Blue)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
Paranormal Paladins
Robin- Damian (D, Robin)
NeoSuperboy- Jon
Geist- Danielle (Dani, Ellie)
Ryuna- Haley
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
Raven- Rachel Roth/Raven
Other
BluePassion- Jazz (Blue)
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, surprise at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Rand: Chat/text message
Rand: Chat/text message in irl sections
"Talking in game and out of character/Talking in flashback."
"YELLING IN GAME AND OUT OF CHARACTER/YELLING IN FLASHBACK!"
"Whispering in game and out of character/Whispering in flashback."
Ghost Zone
A citadel with ancient Greek architecture could be seen resting in the midst of the vast space that was the Ghost Zone. Vlad flew through the area, a smirk on his face as he heard the growls and cries of ghosts that had been locked away by heroes of old. He soon happened upon one that seemed to be amongst the most guarded, one depicting a bull's head. He heard a growling inside, a dominant aura being displayed as the powerful Halfa actually shivered. Plasmius grinned, pointing his finger upwards as a pink ghost ray formed in it.
"You shall do quite nicely," stated the lunatic. "There is a place I want destroyed, and the rest of the town will be yours for the taking so long as what's mine is not touched." He fired his blast at a lock on the door, causing the metal to creak as the door slid open. A dark and twisted laugh soon came from the cell, glowing red eyes seeping out of the darkness. A hand with hoof-like nails grabbed the doorway, the laughter growing stronger as the stone cracked in his grasp.
Amity Park, Illinois
Danny walked through the halls of Casper High, feeling a glare on the back of his head. He opened his locker to change out his books, noticing Sam in the reflection sending a scowl towards him. He turned around to talk to her, only for the girl to turn her nose up and walk away from him. He later tried to talk with her while they were walking out of class, only for her to hold up a book to block her view of him. Things eventually got to where she was outrunning Danny in a running section of gym class just to avoid him, the boy tiring out as he slumped down in a chair.
"How are we supposed to handle this if she keeps avoiding me?" questioned the ghost boy. "Ever since I told the Guild my secret, she's been giving me the cold shoulder. I don't want to force her into a conversation as that could look bad. I just-" He gasped as he felt a slight static shock, Tucker placing a hand on his shoulder.
"What you need to do is focus on anything you need to get done, be it with the ghost stuff or school," argued the buff geek. "Like I said a few days ago, leave Sam to me. I will get through to her. I just need good timing." Danny rubbed the area of his shoulder, huffing in pain.
"Dude, is this even the shirt anymore? That felt so weird." Tucker smiled sadly, shaking his head.
"I'm figuring that out too. I… I don't want to say what it is until I have a better understanding of it. I promise, I'll tell you when I'm ready. I just need time." The ghost boy looked towards his companion, only to sigh as he nodded his head.
"Alright. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here." Kwan began to walk over, a blonde girl walking alongside him.
"Yo, Dan-the-man!" cried the football player. "What's up with Manson? She's avoiding you like the plague. It's one thing for her to talk smack at us or ignore us but you two always seemed close." The blonde girl tilted her head, looking a little down casted.
"Is she mad because you and your girlfriend are talking so much?" questioned Star. "I haven't seen any pictures but I know it can be hard for a girl to get over a guy." Danny shook his head, a small frown on his face.
"Sorry about her treating you guys rough," apologized the ghost boy. "She's like that with people that come into our group from the popular crowd. As for me, let's just say I told our online friend group a secret only a few people knew and she's mad at me for it. It's not something I feel like I'm ready to share right now so-" Star huffed at this, crossing her arms.
"Like, unless you promised to keep it in your group or it's something special it's not her place to get mad at you. It's your life, something I wish I would have thought more about when I was Paulina's satellite." Kwan rubbed her shoulder, a small smirk on his face.
"We're both learning to grow up, Star," reassured the jock. "At least we can do it together, especially now that we actually have a chance out in the world instead of peaking in high school." The bell suddenly rang, causing the students to begin making their way through the school. Danny spotted Sam again, only to sigh as she was still avoiding him. Remembering Tucker's words, he decided to just move on with his day.
As soon as school was let out, the boy flew back to the mansion he now called home. He sat his school bag down in his room before heading to the kitchen to grab something to snack on. He spotted Jason on the couch, smiling with a strain as he waved to the guy.
"Hey, Jay," greeted the ghost boy. "Whatcha working on?" The Red Hood looked back, a small frown on his face.
"I'm looking over a case back in Gotham," stated the Gothamite. "If you try to look at it, it'll close out on me." The man then smirked, his eyes narrowing. "So, Sam still upset that you spilled the beans?" Danny then groaned as he leaned against a wall, taking a bite out of an apple before swallowing the bite.
"Don't get me started. Tucker says he'll handle it but I feel like this is between me and her and she just keeps avoiding me." Jason closed his laptop before standing up, nodding his head.
"Technically it's between all three of you, seeing as he was there when it happened. Just take a step back and wait for her to be ready to talk. Besides, I remember someone saying that he was gonna try talking to a certain time-powered ghost about our little Maria case. Can't go into the Zone with your head not screwed on right." Danny sighed at this, shaking his head.
"Right. That. I knew Tucker was trying to hint at something. This'll either be a short drop in or a long trip that's long only for me." He had his hair ruffled, causing him to cry out before Jason let go.
"Just make sure you come back alive, for both Jazz and Jules. Now get on out of here. I can look after things while you're out." Danny nodded his head, making his way towards the lab elevator. Jazz walked into the room as soon as Jason sat back down, a small frown on her face.
"Was that Danny?" questioned the redhead. "I wanted to ask him how his day was." The Red Hood smirked at this, shaking his head.
"He had to go talk with that clock guy. He shouldn't take too long." He went to open his laptop, only to stop as he frowned slightly. "...Hey, how about we do something fun? I need a break from this to think more and it's not very often we get a lot of time without the others around."
He looked back, noticing how Jazz shared the same smile that he had. "We could even stay in and do a movie or something." The redhead placed a hand on her hip, her stance drawing a grin from the Gothamite.
"Jason Todd. I dare say you're asking me on a stay date." Jason leaned his arm on the back of the couch, a small grin on his face.
"Maybe I am, Doc. Is it wrong for a study case to end up dating his psychologist?" Jazz sauntered over, placing her hands on the sides of his head.
"Alright. You pick the movie and I'll make dinner. We'll play it by ear."
Sam walked along the sidewalk, grumbling to herself as she had her book bag slung over her shoulder. She had been rather cross with Danny, trying to avoid talking with him until he approached with an apology. Each time he had tried to talk with her, however, she had heard none of what she was looking for. As such, she would continue to go without talking to him unless it was important for an assignment or a mission. She turned a corner to head for her house, only to jerk as Tucker was suddenly in front of her.
"Sam," greeted the geek. "Care to talk for a bit, just the two of us?" The goth girl huffed, looking away.
"If you're actually Danny or you're going to make me talk to him, you're wasting your breath," growled Sam. "Besides, you were encouraging him." She tried to move past, only to jolt as she felt a slight shock.
"I think talking about this has been long overdue. You'll wish it was Danny talking to you about it because I'm at my wit's end with this. We can go somewhere that no one will eavesdrop on us if that's part of the problem. It'll just be the two of us as I sent Danny off to the mansion after school and I promise this won't get out to him or anyone in the guild, at least not from me." Sam crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh really? And what do I have to make sure you keep your word?" She found something thrown at her, catching it mid-air. She looked the object over, her eyes widening as she saw Tucker's PDA was in her grasp. She looked towards the well-built geek, watching as he nodded his head.
"The life of my PDA is now in your hands. If I lie or if Danny's spying on us, you can break it into pieces with anything you want. I won't even try to rebuild it. I'd have to start all over and either buy a new PDA or suck it up to buy something newer. Now do you see how serious I am about this?"
Sam rolled her eyes, nodding her head before following the boy to a different spot. They stood on the other side of a wooden fence, the girl having her back against the object. "So, let's start from the beginning. You remember that day, right? The one that's got you all stirred up?" She looked away, a huff leaving her throat.
"How can I forget? It was one of the most horrifying days of my life. Part of me wis-I mean feels like I shouldn't have convinced him to go into the portal just for a cool picture. Even if it led to a lot of good in the end, I still feel guilty about it." Tucker hummed at this, slowly nodding his head.
"Right. It was a pretty scary day at the time. I honestly thought I caused it somehow by doing something stupid. We both promised to keep Danny's secret that day and we never went back on that, not even to our folks." Sam looked up, sighing a bit.
"Then he had to go and tell everyone in the Guild. Doesn't he know how dangerous that is? Then there's the fact that Juleka KNEW and he never told us! I would have been more understanding if he-" The geek before her suddenly laughed dryly, shaking his head.
"Sam, we both know that's a bold faced lie. You would have hounded her harder for trying to get with Danny because of his secret. You're probably thinking about that right now, along with how much you want to strangle me. You're easier to read than you think." The goth growled, gritting her teeth as her shoulders tensed.
"WELL I might not be wrong! The point is that Danny took a huge risk without even talking to us about it! We're a team, have always been way before the Titans got involved, and we should be making these decisions as a team. Doesn't it make you upset?" Tucker crossed his arms, frowning seriously.
"Honestly, not one bit. I can understand how he's feeling and the group has been showing themselves as people that can be trusted with this kind of thing." Sam took a turn to laugh, waving the device in her hand back and forth.
"Oh really? You think you understand Danny more than I do? Maybe you are Danny and you're just toying with me to get some kind of confession." Tucker took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he clenched his fists. He then opened his eyes, placing a hand on his chest.
"Sam, imagine that you've had something you needed to get off your chest for years. It doesn't have to be anything huge like Danny's secret but it's been going on for so long and you start to feel anxious about hiding it all the time. Now imagine your friends see something that ties back to that secret and people you trust start to try dissuading the answer but you feel that you need to be open with them as it begins to eat at you. Danny chose to tell them HIS secret because he trusts them, something that we both knew could happen if someone gets close enough to him. I had thought we agreed to support him and look out for him when a day like this comes."
Sam looked away, gritting her teeth at the mention of something Danny wouldn't know as Tucker continued to speak. "Sam, you feel responsible for what happened to him and want only a few people supporting him so that you can be the main person he leans on. You've been getting better about letting him have his own life when you let go of him so that he could be with Jules. Now you're falling backwards because he's trusting a big group of people and you can't handle being lost in the crowd." The girl turned away from him, her eyes hardening.
"Well I'm sorry if I have experience with the popular crowd to know that a large amount of people knowing a secret can be a bad thing! It usually leads to that secret getting out or the one holding the secret being used. That or you start falling into a stereotype and become trapped there. Why do you think I dye my hair?" Tucker moved to stand in front of her, the serious look still on his face.
"Sam, stop making every part of Danny's life about you. I, for one, am tired of you shoving your way down everyone's throats just because you feel vindicated. You don't control every aspect of Danny's life and he has a right to share his own secret with the people he trusts. All we can do is be there for him if and when something happens because of this. Everyone keeps their secrets for a reason and has a right to share them if and when they feel ready to do so." The goth pushed past him, still holding his PDA in her hands.
"I'm done talking about this. I'll give you your stupid pad back after school tomorrow." Tucker turned to watch her walk, growling as he quickly followed behind her. The girl turned down an alleyway, trying to get to her house faster. She came to an abrupt stop when some men that were hanging around the area began to box her in.
"Well, well, well," began a gruff voice. "Looks like a little doe found her way into the wolves' den. Pretty cute for a goth. Nice size too." Sam reached for her bag, only to choke as she found herself in a choke hold.
"What're we gonna do with her, Boss?" questioned a skinny goon. "She might be too stubborn to sell." The man in charge laughed, cracking his knuckles.
"What else would we do with a free dame? We'll keep her and have a little fun." The secret rich girl began to panic, feeling hands slowly grab at her limbs.
'NO!' mentally cried the girl. 'DANNY, HELP ME!' The man that had her throat in his arm cried out as electricity actually arced around his body, releasing her as he fell back with singed skin.
"OH SHIPPING 101!" cried one of the grunts. The men gasped as the phones in their pockets began to go haywire, the devices exploding as electricity shot out of them and towards the back entrance to the alley. A foot stomped on the ground, the electricity still hanging in the air.
"Step away from the girl," growled a voice with a heavy accent. The men looked towards the source, Sam doing the same as she was on the ground. Tucker stood firmly in place, his eyes narrowing as a menacing aura was felt. "I will not ask again." The leader of the group growled, pointing towards the boy.
"Kill him," ordered the man. The biggest guy of the group ran towards the boy, his fist reared back before he struck the teen. Tucker's glasses flew off, the glass cracked from the impact. The man suddenly howled in pain, the same thing that happened to the other buff guy happening to him as he fell backwards. Three of the goons opened fire, launching metal slugs at him.
The projectiles suddenly became electrified, stopping in place as if their momentum had been stolen. "What the Hellion is going on here?" Bolts of lightning began to arc off the boy as he slowly walked forward, the bullets following behind him. The light from his hidden marks began to glow through his shirt, the paste hiding the marks on the back of his hands burning away as well. Sam couldn't believe her eyes as the "powerless" geek had electricity flowing around his fists.
"I warned you. You did not move, so now you will be moved." He held his arms out, the bullets whizzing past him as they dug into the skin of the people that had fired them. The men fell to the ground, crying out before the jolt sent throughout their form caused them to fall unconscious. The boss growled as he pulled out a bigger gun, aiming it at the boy.
"It's a mutant freak! Looks like I'll be doing Uncle Sam's good work today!" He began firing rapidly, a manhole cover being lifted by electricity in order to block the onslaught. Sam held her head as she kept her body as low as possible, screaming as the entire situation scared her. Tucker finally had enough, throwing the cover like a certain shield so that it would slam into the man's gut.
The criminal cried out in pain, feeling like he was nearly torn in half before he fell backwards with burn marks on his stomach. He groaned in pain as he tried to reach for his gun, only for a stomp to the head to knock him out. Tucker suddenly jumped on top of the floating manhole cover, wobbling before he finally found his balance.
"Like I said, everyone has a reason for keeping secrets. If I tell you mine, will you finally start listening to me?" Sam slowly pushed herself up, looking both shocked and frightened by the scene.
"TUCKER!" cried the girl. "WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FULL HOUSE!? YOU BETTER START TALKING, MISTER!"
Ghost Zone
Danny flew through the Ghost Zone, being careful not to disturb any of the doors that floated around. He knew better than to chance a nasty encounter with a strong ghost that wanted to be left alone. Then again, many would consider his current trip a hypocrisy to that statement. He flew towards a massive clock tower, taking a deep breath before he slowly floated inside. The boy looked around, growling under his breath.
"CLOCKWORK!" cried Danny. "WHERE ARE YOU!? I NEED TO TALK WITH YOU! I KNOW YOU CAN LITERALLY MAKE TIME IF YOU'RE BUSY!" He jerked a bit as time stopped around him, only for an amulet to drape over his shoulders to where he could move again.
"Must you always yell when you arrive?" questioned a man's voice. Danny looked back to see a ghost man with pale blue skin and glowing red eyes, the look giving off an ethereal and otherworldly presence. He wore a purple robe adorned with clock and gear motifs that wrapped around him, a darker purple cape with a hood, a clock in the center of his torso, and black gloves with several watches wrapped around them. He held a staff in his hands, the face of a clock floating in the head of the staff. Danny crossed his arms, a small frown on his face.
"You know why I'm here so let's skip the small talk. Why did you turn Maria Grayson into Marinette Dupain-Cheng? We both know that it's rare for you to do something out of the kindness of your heart, and the ghost the Dupain-Chengs mentioned shifted just like you do." Clockwork sighed, his body turning into that of a little boy with a smaller staff. He flew past Danny, gesturing for him to follow.
"In truth, she was both Maria and Marinette. To save her, I merely pulled one of the identities her soul could have taken to the surface. It was a really simple act, though it is one that usually requires the agreement of the Observers, or parental guardians as a bit of a work around. In the case of Maria, the authority of the Dupain-Chengs superseded the authority of the Observers. Of course, you are about to say that doesn't explain the why."
Danny kept his arms crossed, used to the time master predicting his next move. "Some factors in time are so important that timelines without them tend to fail before they can truly begin. In our branch of time, one such factor is the survival of Maria Grayson or Marinette Dupain-Cheng. As such, when Sabine Cheng became infertile due to her accident, I had been given the permission to have Maria be born to the Grayson family instead." Danny uncrossed his arms, taking another deep breath.
"So, you gave Maria her life as Marinette in order to save our timeline. I guess that makes sense, given you are in charge of keeping time." Clockwork smiled back at the boy, his body shifting to that of an old man as he leaned on his cane.
"To think, you would have had a hard time understanding this only two years ago. I do believe Miss Couffaine has been a good influence on you." The time spirit then fully turned around, his smile still remaining. "I know you have more to ask or even to say." Danny placed his hand on his chest, allowing himself to breathe calmly.
"Clockwork, I want my memories. The ones that keep popping up that I can't place where they came from. I feel like there's something important that I'm missing and it's tearing me up inside. They've flown more easily after that visit to the Barber Ghost but-" Clockwork turned around, a frown on his face.
"It still bothers you, even hurts, to know there's something you can't remember that you feel is important. I'm afraid there is only so much I can tell you, Daniel. As I'm sure you understand, some things are so important to time that any alteration can change the course of history. Even revealing something earlier than is necessary or required can cause a chaotic shift that no one will be prepared for, not even me." Danny sat on the floor, sighing as he curled into his legs.
"I know. It's just, I have to know what the heck is going on with me. I'm starting to feel like… like…" The halfa clammed up, the very thought scaring him. Clockwork looked back, his eyes narrowed.
"Like what? I am choosing not to see the future so as to determine the best course of action as fairly as possible." Danny sighed, his body loosening as snow began to flow around him.
"I'm starting to wonder if I'm even Danny Fenton."
Titans Dark Manor, Amity Park
A movie played on the screen of the TV, plates of half-finished chicken set out on the table. Jazz and Jason sat on the couch, simply taking in their time together. Jason, the man who was usually cool headed outside of his anger, felt a slight twitch of nervousness as the redhead beside him simply had her eyes on the movie. He looked towards her, mentally cursing himself as it had to be at the same time she looked at him. Jazz then smirked, the look in her eyes having the Red Hood feel like he was dying a second time.
"Never thought Big Red would be the nervous type," teased the psychology student. "What happened with all that 'physical training' talk?" Jason frowned, leaning forward a bit.
"Have you seen yourself?" questioned the brute. "Anyone who's not a lovestruck quarterback would be nervous about messing things up with a girl like you. Besides, you stick close to the rules most of the time. I wouldn't want to cross any boundaries." Jazz giggled at him, taking his hands in hers as the look in her eyes became more alluring.
"Guess I need to lay down the law then, seeing as you got me excited." She turned off the movie before turning fully towards the Gothamite and taking his hands again. "Normally you'd have to ask permission before trespassing on a woman's property. There's a good way to tell when a woman is inviting you and when your eyes are playing games with you. There's the longing looks, the change in apparel, the constant stretching and accentuation of the feminine curves, and then there's the more bold and obvious actions."
She then carefully guided Jason's hands under her shirt, feeling his sturdy hands on the skin of her sides. "Such as guiding your hands where she wants them…" The redhead had the Red Hood turning to lay under her as she crawled over him, quickly laying on top of him as she felt his every muscle on her. "Lying on top of you and making sure that everything is felt… And then she gets in close, looking to claim something she was denied by some disgusting blobs."
Jason gulped, his senses going into hyperdrive as every word and action had him on the edge of his seat. Jazz grew closer and closer, her eyes closing as she parted her lips slightly. Before either of them could fully enjoy the moment, the door of the portal was bashed against. The alarms began to blare, causing the redhead to shoot up as she growled in anger. "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
Jason flopped a bit as the girl jumped off of him, watching as she grabbed the Ecto-Knuckles that she had hidden in case of emergencies. "Can't I have what I want just once!? Don't just sit there and stare at my butt! Get moving!" The Red Hood quickly shot up, grumbling to himself as he ran after his hot date.
The door continued to budge from the hits, the sound of loud mooing coming from the other side. The two heroes geared up, a tense air flowing between them. Red skinned hands with black nails suddenly began to push the door open, the ground quaking from the force. A red ghost minotaur burst through the portal, roaring as a simple brown loincloth and a black nose ring with a skull carved into it acted as his attire. The monster flexed, looking up towards the sky.
"THE MINOTAUR RISES TO CAUSE TERROR ONCE MORE!" cried the Minotaur. "I WILL TURN THE WORLD INTO MY LABYRINTH, LEAVING ONLY THE PROMISED ONE UNSPOILT! NONE SHALL ESCAPE MY DOMINION!" Jazz gulped as she pressed a button on the sides of the knuckles, causing a Fenton Peeler suit to encase her. Jason spun his pistols, clicking his teeth.
"Bad time for Danny to be away, huh," huffed the Gothamite. "I can't get the others either. We'll just have to hold out for as long as possible. We need to talk with the others about keeping their communicators on." The ghost before them began to bust up different tables and objects, roaring as he began to display his power.
Jason immediately opened fire on the beast, causing it to roar out in fury as the blasts nicked its form. "HEY HEIFER! That's private property! You better have good insurance!" The Minotaur looked towards the duo, growling in rage.
"YOU DARE DEFY ME, YET YOU DO NOT CARRY THE STRENGTH OF HERACLES!? I WILL GRIND YOUR BONES INTO DUST TO FEED THE FIELDS WITH!" The huge monster charged at the duo, Jazz crying out in fear as she threw a hard punch forward. The ghost power of her weapon barely kept her from flying back, her feet dragging a bit as the monster tried to grab her. The Red Hood quickly hit him with the butt of his pistols, however, causing him to cry out as a ghostly electricity shocked him.
The Minotaur then slapped them away, sending the duo crashing into a wall. "THIS PLACE SHALL BE YOUR TOMB!" Jason groaned, grabbing at his head in pain.
"Ya know, I wish the Justice League wasn't so busy. This is gonna hurt." The warrior cried out as he was grabbed by his foot, being dragged across the ground.
Sam followed behind Tucker, a deep scowl hiding her confusion and uncertainty at what was going on. Only moments ago, he had used powers he clearly never showed before to save her from an unruly group of criminals. Now she was following him to his parents' home, only getting the reply of "you'll see" from her longtime friend. She still held his PDA in her hands, ignoring a notification on it as she mentally tried to think about what was going on. They soon reached the building, Tucker skipping the front door as he made his way towards the back yard.
"Come on," stated the buff geek. "I already called my folks beforehand to tell them something like this might happen." Sam winced as she followed after him, still feeling unsure as he looked into the eyes of a panther statue. The nearby wall opened up, revealing poles that could be slid down. The girl made her way down first, her eyes widening as she saw the training area before her.
"This… this is Wakandan in design," stated the goth girl. "My folks always keep books on different architectures around the world and the Wakandan architecture is usually a top tier design. Never seen hawks depicted before though… Tucker, what is all this?" Tucker sighed, placing his hands on one of the hawk statues.
"The panthers represent our nation and my father. The hawks represent my mother. I…I never really knew them. I've always called my caretakers my parents because they've been what I've known for most of my life." Sam suddenly turned around, her eyes wide as dishes.
"Wait, THE FOLEYS AREN'T YOUR PARENTS!? Tucker, who…" The girl suddenly stopped, looking towards the panther statues again. She noticed that many of them were made from onyx, a black gemstone. "...Who are you, really?" Tucker looked down, a sorrowful look on his face.
"Tucker is who I am, but it is not all of who I am. My father was the Black Panther: T'Challa. My mother…" The geek removed his shirt, revealing the markings on his torso. "Was Ororo Munroe: Storm."
Tucker then looked towards Sam, noting the growth of her shock. "And I am Azari, son of T'Challa." The goth actually set the boy's PDA down on a table, holding her arms as she walked past him.
"This whole time… you were the son of Wakandan royalty. You're also a Mu… I mean a Metahuman. How long did you have your powers for? How long?" Tucker crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing.
"To be honest, not long before we all met when we were little. At the time I got my powers, I went by Virgil Hawkins. It was the first identity I was given, a name I thought I was born with. I lived in a different city, had some good friends, and even had a good reputation. When I got my powers, I was trying to save my friend Richie from one of Brainiac's attacks."
Sam winced, remembering the stories of the Brainiac attacks that she had been too little to remember. "I… I ended up accidentally destroying a building by igniting a gas canister. Richie… Richie got taken by Brainiac. He was rescued by the League just like everyone else but… we had to leave to hide my identity. I had to learn to control my powers and hide them away, becoming the dorky geek that would drive most people away."
Tucker then chuckled, looking at his hands. "Then you two came along, making friends with me anyways. It honestly helped me to grow, seeing as I was always scared of hurting you guys with my powers. The day I made m around Desiree, I was secretly wanting to be able to use my powers so freely and easily like Danny could. I was scared of losing you guys like I did Richie, so I never said anything about who I was or how I related to Danny so much."
Sam actually began to look guilty, looking down as she held her hands together while listening to Tucker continue. "Then everything with the situation in Paris started happening, ghosts became more dangerous, and other heroes were beginning to notice Danny. I was tired of not being able to do anything while the people I care about are put in constant danger. So I started doing something about it: I started really training to actually start using these powers. Today was my best run using them, but I have to keep getting better."
He put his shirt back on, picking up a spare pair of fake glasses as he put them on as well. "I wasn't sure that I was ready to tell you guys, least of all Danny. I decided to share my secret because you were in danger, but I was willing to throw it out the window and face moving again if it would get you to stop and listen because I trust you. My folks are probably ready to grill me about telling you but even they'll understand why I did once I tell them what happened. That's what you need to do for Danny right now, understand why he revealed his secret and do your best to support him while being there when he eventually makes the wrong choice."
He carefully placed his hands upon the girl's arms, causing her to look up at him. "Powers can be a blessing, but they also come with a heavy burden no matter where they come from. Having people who know and can be your anchor when things go wrong, that means more to people like me and Danny than anything else in the world. You will always be important to both of us because, without people like you to be there for us and keep us grounded, we'd lose ourselves and become people we don't want to be." Sam sighed, lowering her head as she nodded.
"I'm sorry, for accidentally forcing you to reveal your secret and for being such a-" Her words were cut off, the PDA sounding off the notification as she had accidentally turned it off silent. The notification came with alarm bells, making her gulp. "In my defense, I was extremely shocked." Tucker ran over to the PDA, picking it up as he read over the message.
"TROUBLE AT THE BASE! JASON AND JAZZ ARE UNDER ATTACK!" The duo quickly ran for one of the room's exits, serious yet concerned looks on their faces.
The Minotaur winced as he raised his arms, blocking ecto-blasts from Jason's guns. He roared as he picked up a table, preparing to throw it when Jazz socked him straight in the gut with her Ecto-Knuckles. She hit him again as her partner fired another shot, hitting their opponent in the eye. The monster roared in pain, dropping the table on his head to where it splintered into pieces. The ancient villain growled, gritting his teeth.
"FOOLS!" roared the Minotaur. "WHERE ONCE I WAS BOUND TO MORTAL FLESH, I NOW STAND BEFORE YOU IMMORTAL! DO AS MUCH DAMAGE AS YOU WISH! IT ONLY SERVES TO ANGER AND THRILL ME! I WILL QUELCH MY RAGE WITH YOUR BLOOD!" Jason winced, watching as Jazz jumped out of the way of the monster's charge.
"Never introduce this guy to the Red Lanterns," quipped the revived hero. He rolled out of the way, watching as the beast slammed into a wall. "And now I'm quipping like Phantom. Thanks a lot, Danny." The Minotaur went for another slam as the Red Hood jumped back, only to grin as he kicked the hero into a metal container of ectoplasm.
"JAY!" cried Jazz. She flew at the Minotaur, slugging his face with her weapon before using her recent training to actually flip him over her shoulder with the help of her suit. She cried out as she was then slammed in turn, being held against the floor as the peeler was ripped off of her. The redhead winced as her skin was cut by the tearing metal, her shirt snagged in some places. Fear began to form in her eyes as the monster chuckled at her.
"A FRESH HEIFER. YOU HAVE THE SCENT OF THE PROMISED ONE, YET YOU ARE CLEARLY HER KIN. I MADE NO PROMISES TO SPARE HER KIN FROM MY WRATH, OR MY CONCUBINE." Jazz wriggled under the monster's hand, beginning to whine in fear as his other hand began to reach for her. The Minotaur gagged as a chain wrapped around his neck, a coating of ectoplasm keeping him from phasing through it as Jason pulled him back with all his might.
"PAWS OFF MY GIRL, YOU WALKING COWPIE!" roared the Red Hood. He tied the chain to an experimental motorcycle wheel, making it activate as it began to reel the huge beast in. The man then began unloading the ammo of his guns into the villain's back, the cart moving to drag him back into the ghost zone. The villain roared as the chain began to snap, turning around as he began to run with the object. The chain snapped before Jason could jump away, slapping him hard in the side as he winced.
His breath suddenly left his lungs, a sharp stabbing pain running through his gut as he was lifted into the air. Jazz felt the whole world shatter as she saw Jason's body skewered on the horn of the Minotaur, the beast simply chucking him off and into the same container as before. The ectoplasm began to spill out of the object, pouring all over his body as it began to mix with his blood on the ground.
"NO!" cried Jazz. She crawled over to the man as the monster began to laugh, taking off his helmet to see the look on his face as he showed barely any signs of life. "Jay! JAY! DON'T LEAVE ME!"
Jason couldn't even find the words to say, his mouth frothing up from the pain he was in. Jazz growled, her body clenching up as the Minotaur continued his laughing spree. She picked up one of the downed man's guns as the monster posed in celebration.
"KNOW YOUR PLACE, KUR!" roared the Minotaur. "NONE CAN STAND AGAINST THE MIGHT OF THE MINOTA-" The beast cried out in pain, the shot that was fired not hitting anywhere above his belt. Jazz then began to shoot up his form, roaring out as both guns were primed on the monster. She then picked up a pipe that was coated in the ectoplasm that had leaked onto the ground, veins being visible on her head.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, YOU FREAK! I'LL TEAR YOU APART, MOLECULE BY MOLECULE!" Jazz then began to bat the pipe against the Minotaur, the beast stumbling back as the gun wounds had yet to heal over like the others had. Any reason she would normally have was gone, her mind crying out for vengeance as she continued to bash her weapon against the object of her fury. She gasped as she was backhanded, slamming against the ground as the Minotaur slowly stood tall.
"YOU HAVE A WARRIOR'S SPIRIT. YOU SHALL MAKE A FINE COW." Jazz tried to push herself up, only to choke as she was held by her neck. Her shirt was ripped from her form, bits of it flying off as a black lace bra was on full display. Jason weakly gritted his teeth, his body not responding to him as it took much effort to keep him alive as long as he was.
'Get… get your hands… off,' mentally growled the Red Hood. 'Have to… save her… PLEASE!' Time crawled to a standstill, the Minotaur in the midst of going for Jazz's pants next. The sound of boots stomping against the floor filled the air, a black leather clad being making his way past the fight. He had a skull for a head, the fire around it burning strongly as he looked over the dying Jason.
"We feel your rage and your desire," stated the burning spirit. "You present a rare opportunity, an escape from the contract that binds us. You have but one choice. Justice, or VENGEANCE?" Jason coughed up blood, the entity's fire burning in his eyes.
"I-I choose both. I will bring justice to those that need it, and vengeance to those that deserve it. Justice to Jazz for being manhandled and abused. Vengeance upon the Minotaur for hurting what's MINE!" The entity hummed, looking the boy over as the flame on its head swapped back and forth from red fire to blue fire.
"Justice and Vengeance both burn strongly in your soul. It is impossible to tell one from another, and the strength of your soul is immense… Very well, RIDER. A pendulum of Justice and Vengeance, borne from the fire of pain and betrayal yet strengthened by the flames of life. Stand at the edge… AND BURN!"
The entity breathed fire onto Jason, the energy flowing into him as the hole in his gut began to close over with coals. His helmet burned to ashes, said ashes spinning around the man's head as his body began to convulse. Jazz winced at her legs being grabbed, a wet tongue licking at her torso.
[Play Renegade By Daughtry]
"NO!" cried the redhead. "LET ME GO!" The Minotaur simply laughed at her plea, only to scowl as he sniffed the air. A pulse of intense heat forced him to drop Jazz, the girl silently screaming as she held her back. Jason slowly stood up, a ring of blue and red flames spinning below his feet.
The flames traveled up his form, singing his attire as it turned ash white. The brown of his jacket turned black with crimson highlights, a chain wrapping around his torso as skull-design guns holstered upon his waist. The red symbol on the chest of his attire changed to have a more fiery design, being a brighter red in color. The ashes around his head became a red metallic skull-helmet, blue flames burning in the eyes. The Minotaur stood up, a furious snarl on his face.
"YOU!?" roared the villain. "I HAD SLAIN YOU! YOU WERE DEAD AT MY FEET! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO CHALLENGE ME BEYOND THE GRAVE!?" The helmet caught fire, the flames starting out blue before ending in a red trail.
"I'm the Red Wraith," growled Jason in an ethereal voice. "I'm sending you where you really belong: HELL!" The Minotaur roared as he attempted to punch the burning man's head off, only for his fist to simply be caught by the man's hand. A battle of dominant auras caused shockwaves in the room before Jason punched the monster up into the area above.
Both of them went intangible as they flew through the manor, the heat given off by Red Wraith causing a few loose papers to combust. Jason then unwrapped the chain from his torso, wrapping it around the Minotaur's neck before pulling him along in a fast flight. The hero then slammed the Minotaur onto the ground a few times, quickly slinging him down the road where he rammed into a lamp post. The monster roared in fury as he stood up, a demonic red flame rising from his back. He then pointed towards Jason, the undead warrior pulling out his pistols.
"IT MATTERS NOT HOW MANY TIMES YOU COME BACK TO FACE ME! MY DOMINION IS INEVITABLE! YOUR PUNY TOYS WON'T SAVE YOU!" The Minotaur rushed forward at high speed, only to cry out in pain as a fiery skull was blasted through his arm. Another one hit his leg, causing him to stumble as Jason then combined the two guns into a rifle.
"THIS IS FOR RUINING MY DATE NIGHT!" He fired the blast, causing a spire of flames that sent the Minotaur high into the air. The Red Wraith then summoned a motorcycle, the ride being metallic crimson with a burning bat skull on the front. "THIS IS FOR ALMOST KILLING ME FOR A SECOND TIME!" The bike flew up, crashing into the spirit bull as it tore his legs into ectoplasm.
Jason then threw his chain again, the tip turning into a batarang of his own design as it stabbed into the neck of the monster. He then drove circles around the Minotaur, fully enveloping all but his head in chains before driving to where he'd be slammed into the ground. The villainous beast roared, trying to wriggle his way out of the burning chains.
[End Track]
"GO AHEAD! SEND ME BACK! I WILL BE FREED ONCE MORE! I SHALL HOLD DOMINION WHERE THE GODS HAVE FAILED!" The Red Wraith actually lifted the monster up by his horn, a hiss in his throat.
"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm sending you to HELL. This one, this is for laying a hand on MY Jasmine!" He stared directly into the eyes of the monster, the burning in them intensifying as blue flames began to dig their way out of the bull monster's body. The Minotaur finally looked frightened, unable to look away as his horns began to crack.
"YOU-YOU'RE THE RIDER! GET AWAY FROM ME! I SAID GET AWAY! LET ME GO!" The blue flames that came out of the villain extended towards the ground, creating a symbol with a cross that burned both blue and red.
The Minotaur wailed in fear as his form was slowly pulled inside, parts of him fading as the demonic fires on his back began to lessen. His cries began to sound like the mooing of a dying cow, the sound echoing throughout all of Amity Park. Jazz winced as she pushed herself up, holding her stomach as she groaned.
"I'm going to take a sick pleasure in eating steak from now on," moaned the redhead. Her eyes suddenly widened as she looked around. "JASON! JAY!" She looked towards where his body was, only to find it missing.
The sound of a motorcycle revving filled the air, Red Wraith phasing through the ceiling on his bike before it began to dissipate. He landed on the ground, standing tall as Jazz rose to meet him. "Jason?" The man took a deep breath, the flaming circle from before flowing down him as his attire returned to normal. Jason smiled sadly, wincing as he knew the look on the girl's face from anywhere.
"And cue the slap," sighed the man. He gasped as said attack hit him in the cheek, causing him to rub it. "I know. 'You should have been more careful and jumped out of the way.' Can't exactly do that when the girl of your dreams is about to be r-"
His words died in his mouth as Jazz forced him into a makeout session, not caring that her chest was squeezing against his. Jason couldn't help but hold her by her lower back as he melted into her show of affection, his fingers slowly reaching a place they didn't belong. Tucker and Sam burst out of the elevator door, their Peelers already activated.
"We're here, guys!" cried Tucker. "What's the… situ…ation?" The two adults finally separated as Jason looked back to send them off, only for Jazz to jump to where her legs wrapped around his waist.
"You two, clean up this mess," ordered Jazz. "YOU, take me to my room. We are going to have a long 'discussion' about dying on me. NOW!" Jason gulped as he powered up, leaving the others stunned as he looked towards them.
"You heard the lady," stated the Red Wraith. "Get it done. I'll detail the events later. We have… important business to discuss." Jason flew through the ceiling, taking Jazz with him as Tucker grabbed the sides of his head.
"JASON HAS HALFA POWERS NOW!?" cried the geek. "WHAT THE FUDGE WEEKLY IS GOING ON HERE!?" Sam sighed, realizing that her life would only get more and more complicated.
Clockwork's Tower, Ghost Zone
Danny sat in the middle of the room, having stayed there for longer than he had intended to. Clockwork had floated off somewhere, time having resumed around them as he went. The boy thought back on his earlier declaration, the one where he felt like an imposter in his own body with these memories. The more he waited, the more frustrated he became. He eventually stood up, snow covering the ground from where he was stewing in his dilemma.
"Screw this," growled the boy. "If he's not going to help me-" The boy stopped as a staff tapped against the ground, time stopping around him again.
"Patience would do you well, Danny," greeted the voice of Clockwork. The halfa turned around, noticing that the time ghost had cycled back to his child state. In his free hand was a pocket watch, one that hypnotists would use to put someone in a trance. "This is a matter I also have wanted to get to the bottom of, surprisingly enough. While I was indeed responsible for the survival of Marinette, I am not responsible for these memories you are withheld from remembering."
Danny scowled as he crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes as the young spirit turned old again. "I fibbed only a little to coax your true feelings from you. It is rare that anything relating to time slips by me, yet the range of my capabilities is not infinite. Whatever is affecting you, it escapes even my sight as if anticipating my gaze." The halfa winced, his teeth showing a bit.
"Yeah, that's never a good sign. What the heck will we even do about it?" Clockwork held out his hand, letting the pocket watch swing as small waves began to fly off it.
"We will be traveling into your mind, specifically into these memories of yours. With any luck, we shall find the answer in there. Now, fall into slumber and return. Return to the circus, to the sounds of delight and excitement." Danny slowly began to close his eyes, gasping as he woke up in the circus from his memories.
He looked around, watching the same figures running around the tents. Clockwork was soon behind him, taking his child form as he grabbed a cotton candy from the memory. He chewed on it, humming. "Blue raspberry flavor." Danny gasped, scowling at the miniature time spirit.
"Maybe don't mess with my memory, please? I'm already dealing with a lot here." Clockwork shrugged before putting the treat back, the memory growing to replace what was lost as the two of them made their way towards the big top. "Watch, this is when the fire wall pops up." As soon as he said this, the entrance to the tent caught fire and barred entry.
"The fools. To go this far without consulting the Ancients…" Danny looked towards the time spirit, noticing the look on his face as he turned back into the old man form. "Just keep walking, Daniel. The flames will not harm you now."
The halfa gulped, noticing the burning faces in the flames. "Your soul is stronger than the flames now. Let your core resonate with you as you pass through the veil. I will follow shortly." Danny nodded his head, slowly taking a deep breath.
He walked towards the flames, a blizzard swirling around him both in his mind and around his physical body. The flames then screamed as they were put out, the boy pushing the curtain aside as he saw a blurred out poster in front of him. Unable to make out the image or what was said on it, he slowly made his way into the area. A single light shined down, the center of the ring being lit as a young boy began to play an ocarina.
The boy's skin was entirely white, most likely due to body paint as he also had tear marks painted on his cheeks. Danny immediately recognized the song, citing it as the one he had played when trying out Ms. Couffaine's ocarina. He heard laughter again, watching as a black energy entity running from a red energy creature around the same height as the young musician. The closer he got, the more he began to make out features on the running duo. The music suddenly stopped, as did the little duo when Danny approached them.
"Are these… Dick and Marinette?" He felt out the features of the beings, quickly noticing that they looked like kid versions of the duo he knew. "What is all this? Why am I seeing this?" He suddenly heard sniffling, looking towards the center ring as the young boy was beginning to cry.
"MOMMA!" cried the young boy. "PAPPA! WHY DID YOU LEAVE!? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO!?" Danny slowly approached, his heart wrenching for the child.
"Um, hey. Is there… anything I can do to help you?" The boy continued to sniffle, the halfa placing his hand on the kid's shoulder. "I'm talking to you, little-" The boy stood up as he turned around, looking Danny in the eyes.
"You can see me?... I can see me." Danny felt his mind shift, watching as his own eyes looked back at him. The boy's eyes were blue as crystals, his hair being black as the night and curly. The halfa took a few steps back, his breathing beginning to increase.
"You-You're me!? What the heck is going on here!?" The tent began to catch fire, the little Danny's eyes widening as he looked around.
"NO! LEAVE MY HOME ALONE!" The boy held his hands out, cold beams firing out as his skin turned to ice. The freezing energy made the flames go away, only for them to come back with faces. Danny growled, his own hands beginning to do the same.
"WHOEVER YOU ARE, I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU!" He fired beams from both his eyes and his hands, pushing the flames back as the faces looked scared out of their minds. The young Danny growled, mirroring the older one a bit as his body became entirely ice.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" cried the duo at once. They fired their energies into the tent, the whole place turning white as the flames turned into small orbs that shattered. The ice then shattered, the world shifting to a dark hall that looked like it belonged in a horror movie or a detective film. Danny looked around, getting a bad feeling as terrible memories began to rear their ugly head. His little self suddenly jumped up to hug him, causing him to choke as he had to spin around.
"IT'S ME!" cried the boy. "IT'S REALLY ME! I THOUGHT I'D NEVER FIND ME! THERE'S SO MUCH I NEED TO KNOW!" Danny chuckled nervously, holding his miniature self in his arms.
"Yeah, I think there is," agreed the older Danny. "Let's start with what the heck is going on in here?" The little guy sighed, landing on the ground as he was still made of ice.
"When the scary lady started using the ucky shampoo, scary robe guys came in and started messing with my head. They said they were doing the same for Jazzy, that it was for the good of everybody. I didn't like what was happening so they put me in the tent and forced me to fight the fire orb thingies from burning everything down. They never thought my super awesome ice powers would still work in my mind." Danny looked down towards his hands, his eyes widening.
"Wait, you mean the ice DOESN'T come from my ghost core? I'm a mutant?" Little him gasped, turning around with a scowl.
"BAD WORD! Momma said never to call myself that! I'm just super special like some super special people! It's a bad word like calling myself Danny!" The older boy was taken aback, a shocked look on his face.
"But… that's my name. Isn't it?" The little Danny shivered, shaking his head.
"No. That's what the scary demon lady calls me. I only let Jazzy do it because the ucky stuff started hurting her if she tried to call me by my name. The demon lady and the big fatty made me wash with the ucky stuff every day." Present Danny shook, his eyes slowly widening further.
"Scary demon lady… ucky stuff? Little me, who am I?" The little guy looked ready to answer, only for a nearby door to creak as a girl screamed.
"MARIA!" Danny watched his younger self run into the room, quickly following before the door slammed shut. He growled as he tried to make it open, only for ancient runes to shock him.
"Stand back, Daniel," ordered the voice of Clockwork. Danny did as told, watching as the now young man scowled at the marks. "As I feared. The Observers are deliberately blocking out your memories and trying to destroy them. This is a failsafe for if your younger mind escaped the tent." Danny growled, his fists turning into ice.
"WHAT!?" roared the boy as the horns on his head began to grow out. "WELL I WANT THEM OUT OF MY HEAD!" Clockwork held up his hand, stopping the teen from progressing.
"You would sooner destroy your entire mind than get that door open. Only an Ancient has the power to remove this and these runes specifically keep me from affecting it." Danny groaned, grabbing his head as it throbbed.
"What am I supposed to do then? The answer to all of my questions feels so obvious to me but this HOOVER DAM door is practically splitting my head trying to keep it from me." Clockwork nodded his head, becoming a child again as he scowled.
"And hearing it before this door is dealt with will likely kill you in body and mind, sending your spirit straight to the great beyond… In a month's time, you and others who care about you will seek out aid in the Infinite Realms. You will know when the sister bear mentions looking for more use. Follow the natural flow of events until a place with an Ancient in charge is mentioned. These instructions will be repeated one by one for each step before you have the full answer."
Danny gasped as he suddenly awakened, the instructions being locked away in his mind to where he wouldn't recall them. "You must leave immediately. I have much to prepare for, as do you. Do not speak with anyone of this or else the Observants will finish the job themselves. Now, TIME TO GO."
The ghost boy gasped as a bubble wrapped around him, warping him away as clock hands spiraled around. Clockwork suddenly took on a darker form, a black robed figure with a scythe in his hands that still had the clock face in it. "The fools. When the month passes, I shall remind them why the Greeks call me Thanatos. They should consider themselves lucky that Jason Todd disposed of the Minotaur."
The clocks in the tower began to spin violently, the realms shifting as the chimes rang out. "This is an act of war, one that will not be taken kindly. They have already lost. It is only a matter of TIME." The time spirit sat on his staff, pondering what to do as the cycle of old to young began once more.
Inkaliber: And that's the chapter, everyone! Tucker reveals himself as both Virgil Hawkins (Static Shock) and as Azari, son of T'Challa! There was also a harrowing fight with the Minotaur, one that caused Jason to become the Red Wraith: the newest Ghost Rider. Danny also comes one step closer to figuring out the answers to these strange memories, including the fact that he had his ice powers before becoming a ghost. With things getting more and more chaotic, only time can tell what will happen.
Clockwork: Which I will not.
Inkaliber: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD! Dude, you have to stop doing that! Between you and Paradox, I'll be trapped in a book for weeks!
Clockwork: Apologies. I figured it would be best to keep anyone here from saying something that could alter this timeline. I understand you're simply watching over events but I feel one amongst you should be barred from seeing the events for the rest of the story.
Inkaliber: It's Wayde, isn't it?
Clockwork: Yes.
Inkaliber: I'll keep him busy with the other stories. Just please, at least ring a bell to let me know that you're here. It would scare me less.
Clockwork: Perhaps. In any case, you have a chapter to end. Farewell.
Inkaliber: Show off. In any case, he's right. It's time to end this chapter and start preparations for the next one!
What did you think, everyone!? Did you like the development for Jazz and Jason? What the heck is happening with Danny? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to respond ASAP, the next chapter at the latest. This is Inkaliber, signing out.