Training Day
Edits done by NightmareKnight, Vates Despero, and Halusm.
Training Day.
<<>><<>><<>>
Danny awoke with a start, feeling neither rested nor sleepy. It was as if his body wasn't sure how to feel, and thus, just made him feel like he was hanging somewhere in between the two. Slowly sitting up in his bed, wide awake, but unable to find the energy to actually get moving, he groaned out like a zombie. Yesterday was troubling enough, and he didn't feel like trying his luck today. This truly was one of those days where you just knew you would be better off staying in bed, and he muttered several swear words under his breath as he forced himself out of his bed and into a standing position.
Swaying a bit on the spot, Danny stumbled over to the bathroom, hoping a shower would help him focus. At least he didn't have to worry about freezing himself up anymore, so he knew, somewhere in his foggy mind, that he could at least enjoy the warm water this time.
A pleased sigh left his mouth as the warm water fell onto him, and his groggy mind finally shifted into second gear, picking up speed, and reminding him about certain things done yesterday. Mainly, his ice windows.
They would make a mess if he didn’t remove them. Not to mention what the ponies would say if they saw them. From a distance they looked normal enough, but up close... Well, it would be difficult to explain that one. Of course there was also the recollection of his boss telling him to haul his flank back to work today, and work extra time to make up for the time he was gone.
This brought a groan out of him, as he didn't especially look forward to working an even longer shift. Not because he didn't like his work, but because, for some reason, Danny had this urge to get out and work on his duplication ability. Why that was, he wasn't sure. But he knew it was most likely the result of seeing Pinkie Pie having duplicated herself like that. He couldn’t help but feel really annoyed that Pinkie Pie had been so successful at a trick he had never been able to master himself… even if he had decided not to use his powers like that anymore.
But, as was so often the case, training would have to wait until all the other things he needed to do were done. First off, the windows. Removing them would be simple enough, but finding replacements would be somewhat more difficult. He was sure that he would be able to find some glass setter in town, as there would be more residents whose windows had broken, but he didn't know where to start. So he would have to figure that one out as well.
He groaned again as his to do list grew and grew with every passing moment.
<<>><<>><<>>
Celestia walked out of her sister's chamber, exhaustion and fear showing on her face. Whatever it was that had frightened Luna last night must have been terrible indeed, as she was unable to get anything more than muttering about orange glowing eyes from her sister. Although, Celestia suspected that this was all Luna knew about what she had seen. After all, if there was anything more, she was confident Luna would have told her. Still, even the small amount of information Luna had managed to impart in her terrified state was enough to send a chill down her spine.
The first, and one of the more important things, would be the fact that Luna was so badly shaken from a mere pair of glowing eyes. She had gone through a horrible ordeal herself when the corruption claimed her, and Celestia knew her sister would be able to withstand at least something like that. So the fact that she would react like this showed there was more going on than one would suspect.
The second reason for alarm was the description of those eyes; glowing orange. There were several creatures on this world that had glowing eyes of sorts. Timberwolves, for one. And of course those changelings that had attempted to take over Canterlot several months ago. There were some others, but none of them had eyes that would glow orange.
And then there was the fact to consider that Danny was from Earth, a place where ghosts caused chaos and mayhem. Another shiver went through the solar princess, connections beginning to form in her mind that brought her to a startling conclusion.
It would seem, given the limited information she had, that a ghost had managed to slip through their defenses, and was actively haunting Danny Manson, even going so far as to drag her ponies down with him.
Celestia froze on the spot, taking a deep breath to calm down. Just jumping to conclusions wouldn't help her at all. If she were to act on mere suspicions based on incomplete information, she could send everypony out on a wild goose chase. No. Startling as her theory might be, she could not afford to be rash. If she wanted some concrete answers, she would have to investigate further. And involving Twilight or her friends any more than they already were wouldn't do either. If she was correct, then she would not send those innocent ponies to face a ghost, despite the fact that they are the Elements. No, this was something more suited for a specialized force. Ponies who had a better understanding of what it is they could potentially face.
Her mind made up, Celestia resumed her pace. She walked towards the guards’ barracks, heading to a specialized section of the compound. At first she wasn't all that sure about this particular project; it was more for prestige, to have ponies and humans working together. But now she was glad she had these ponies ready for her command.
The trainees of the Fenton corporation.
The Ghost-keteers.
<<>><<>><<>>
After removing the sheets of ice from the windows, which was easy as Danny could simply vaporize them, he now faced the next challenge of the day. Mainly, working his ass off while trying to stay on Quick Grill's good side.
Danny was walking on thin ice, no pun intended, after the supposedly heroic stunt he pulled. And to make matters worse, it would seem the entire town decided to show up today. Apparently none of the ponies whose houses were damaged seemed to be in the mood to make their own breakfast and, instead, they left that task for the hard working ponies, and human, found in the few food establishments in town.
Even with the use of his powers, Danny had a hard time getting around, as the entire place was swamped with hungry, somewhat irritated ponies. It would seem that today was not a good day, for anyone in town. Especially for the parents who were now forced to take their foals who were too young for school with them, as their foal sitters also had to deal with the aftermath of the Pinkie tsunami.
Having foals running around, pushing and screaming, impatient to get their food, wasn't really helping to improve the mood. It also proved to be a small hazard every now and then, as Danny found himself almost tripping over an unnoticed filly or colt that was moving around, trying to find something to do to while waiting.
And, at one point, he was even forced to turn his left leg intangible, just so he wouldn't trip over one of the foals, and spill the food he was carrying. He just hoped the pony didn't notice it in the surrounding chaos, because if he did... Well, Danny doubted he would be staying in Ponyville for much longer.
Fortunately for him, the young colt didn't notice it at all. And he only thought Danny to be funny as he stumbled around, trying not to fall down.
Placing the ordered food on the table in front of three hungry earth ponies, Danny was immediately called back for another round of serving food. Sighing mentally, he knew that today was going to be a very long day indeed.
<<>><<>><<>>
"Your highness," sounded a chorus of voices as all the guards found in the barracks, a total of sixteen ponies, stood at attention.
"Mares, stallions. I have an important task for you."
"Ma'am, what is it?" One of the guards asked; an earth pony who stood as one of the leaders of this group, and who had earned the respect of the others through several feats performed during his training.
"First Lieutenant Rolling Stone," Celestia began. "We, my sister and I, have reason to believe that, despite measurements taken to prevent such a thing, a ghost has managed to breach the tear facility and enter Equestria."
A ripple went through the group of ponies at this news, yet they remained standing as stoic as ever.
"Unfortunately, we do not know how this might have happened. What we do know, however, is that this entity seems to be active in Ponyville. I need you to go there, undercover, and investigate anything out of the ordinary. Although my sister and I have a strong suspicion, we do not know for certain, and I want to avoid causing a panic."
"Yes Princess," came the collective reply, and Rolling Stone turned to his ruler.
"Ma'am. Where exactly do we need to look for any spectral activity? All of Ponyville, or a more precise location?"
"It would seem it is more complicated than just that," Celestia answered. "There is a human living there as well. And, as it would happen, the strange disturbances detected by my sister are circulating around this individual. Keep a close eye on him as well. I doubt he knows about this himself, but he might prove to be useful as a way to find this ghost. If there is a ghost to begin with."
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am!" Came the collective response.
"And please, do whatever it takes to keep my ponies safe. This also includes the human."
"Yes Princess!"
<<>><<>><<>>
Twilight and Rainbow Dash were standing at the edge of the still frozen lake, but small puddles had formed in the time since they were last there as the ice had begun to melt. But by the looks of it, it would still take at least several more days before all of the ice was gone.
"Who, or what, could have done this without the entire town noticing?" Twilight wondered out loud.
"No idea," Rainbow Dash said, a frown on her face. "But I do know it would be a lot of work for a pegasus to change the weather in such a localized area to freeze just the lake without affecting everything else. Not to mention, I would have noticed if one or more were doing so. Maybe it was a unicorn?"
"Doubtful. Elemental magic like this takes a lot of skill and magic, not to mention the large magical hoofprint left behind. And I am not sensing any traces of magic other than the normal background levels. I'm not sure how this is possible or who, or what, could have done such a thing without anypony noticing. But this clearly was not done through magic, I'm sure of it."
"Then what should we do now?" Rainbow Dash asked, annoyed. "We can't just leave this here."
"Oh, don't worry about that. I've got this," Twilight said with a smirk as she lit up her horn.
A powerful beam of magic shot from her horn into the ice, breaking and melting it until all of the ice was gone, replaced with a steaming, bubbling body of water.
"WHOA! I thought you said that elemental magic was very difficult?"
"Oh, that wasn't elemental magic. It was just a spell to heat up soup, somewhat supersized for the job," Twilight said with an awkward smile, and Rainbow looked at her with disbelief written on her face.
"Say what?"
"You've heard me," Twilight said with a blush, looking away.
"For heating up soup?... SOUP!"
"Yes, soup. Now drop it," Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. "Still, I better report this to the princess. She was very clear in her last letter to be on the lookout for any kind of strange phenomena, and this would definitely fit in that category," she finished before starting her walk back to the library, leaving a dumbfounded Rainbow Dash behind.
"Heating up soup?" Rainbow Dash said as she looked at the steaming, bubbling lake. "Since when does Twilight know how to cook?"
<<>><<>><<>>
Celestia was sitting on her throne, trying to stay awake as she was working her way through her seventh cup of coffee. Staying awake all night to comfort her sister was catching up to her now, and she knew she would have a hard time fulfilling her tasks for the day. She just hoped she would be able to make it through day court without falling asleep. That would not be a good thing, nor would it send the right message to her subjects. At least she still had twenty or so minutes left before the day court began, and she quickly refilled her now empty cup.
A swirl of green, sparkling magic flew through an open window and in front of Celestia, who looked at the swirl of magic with interest as it poofed a scroll into existence. Catching it with her own magic before it could fall, she opened the message she knew came from Twilight, a smile on her face as she looked forward to hearing from her beloved student again.
Her smile quickly vanished, though, as she read the contents of the letter.
Dear Princess Celestia.
I write you to report a strange phenomenon found near Ponyville. A lake not far from the town was found completely frozen by my friend, Rainbow Dash. This, of course, is out of the norm as we are still in the middle of summer. Rainbow Dash also made it clear that it couldn't have been a single, or even multiple pegasi who changed the weather in such a localized area, as she would have known about it. And, as I have confirmed myself, it was not done by one or more unicorns either, as I could not detect any trace of magic, save for the already standard ambient magic found all over Equestria. Whatever, or whoever, did this clearly did not use any magic of any kind that I know of. It should also be known that, after my investigation, I melted the lake to restore the natural balance using the soup heating spell you taught me when I was just a filly.
I hope the report I have sent is satisfactory, and that it is what you were looking for. And my friends and I will keep our eyes open for anything else strange.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.
Celestia's mouth had formed into a thin line as she read the letter, and a worried frown had found its way onto her face.
This was troubling news. First the strange disturbance surrounding Danny, then what happened to Luna the night before, and now this. It was all too much of a coincidence to actually be a coincidence. There had to be a connection, she was sure of it. And the one standing in the center of all of it was Danny. Although Celestia didn't know how Danny fit in with this frozen lake, if he was connected to it at all.
Still, it was obvious something was going on in Ponyville, and it all coincided with the arrival of Danny Manson.
Rolling up the scroll, Celestia stood up from her throne, leaving her cup of coffee behind, her tiredness gone in the surge of adrenaline she'd gotten after reading the letter. Walking towards the guards standing beside the double door of the throne room, she gave one quick order.
"Day court is canceled. Something much more urgent has come up."
And she teleported in a flash of light.
<<>><<>><<>>
The Ghost-keteers were rapidly preparing for the mission given to them by Princess Celestia. They were busy grabbing and filling their saddlebags with the various gadgets used to hunt and capture ghosts. They had trained extensively for several long months in their use back on Earth, and, to better use them, most of the devices had been modified to be used by ponies. But there was a problem. They could only take the smaller, easy to conceal devices. This was so they wouldn't give away their presence by wielding large ghost hunting weapons. Still, if their job was only to scout Ponyville, then they didn't have much need for any of the larger devices. There was also the fact that they couldn't all go, as their group was too large for any covert ops. So, after some internal debate, Rolling Stone chose the seven most suited of his team to come with him.
In a flash of light, princess Celestia teleported into their midst. None of them shouted in surprise or fright, all of them too well trained to react like that. They did, however, turn to her with lightning fast reflexes, standing at rapt attention.
"Princess," Rolling Stone called out.
"Guards. I have just received word from Ponyville about a strange occurrence discovered there. It would seem that something has frozen a nearby lake. Who or what is responsible for this is unknown. But my student, Twilight Sparkle, has managed to rule out both pegasi and unicorns. I need you to investigate this site when you arrive in Ponyville to make sure it is not caused by what I fear it might be."
"Yes Princess," Rolling Stone said while giving a crisp salute.
Giving him a curt nod, Celestia vanished in another flash of light, teleporting to her sister’s chambers.
"Alright all of you. You heard the lady. Get your flanks moving so we can double time it to Ponyville!" Rolling Stone barked, and all the mares and stallions in the room scrambled into motion.
"And remember. We need to do this fast, clean and unseen!" He said, starting their well known motto.
"To catch a ghost, be the ghost!" All the others called out in reply. "It's time to be invisible."
<<>><<>><<>>
It was late in the afternoon, and Danny had only just finished his work for the day. He had managed to keep Quick Grill happy, and keep his job for just a bit longer. All he wanted to do now was just go home, kick back on his couch, and do absolutely nothing. But that was not meant to be, as he still had several things to do.
First off, the broken windows. He was lucky Ruby knew where to go, and he was now walking through the streets of Ponyville in search of the pony she said could help him. It was at the edge of town, on the opposite side of where he lived according to Ruby's directions. It was only a short walk, and it didn't take long for him to find what seemed to be the right place.
A small workshop of sorts presented itself to him, and he could see all kinds of glass standing on display. From normal panes of glass, to simply beautiful pieces of art using glass of all shades and hues. There was a pony there as well; a unicorn stallion with a white coat and chestnut brown mane. A rather strange color scheme, Danny thought, seeing how all the other ponies seemed to have a much brighter color coats and manes.
But he didn't dwell on this for too long, and he made himself known to the pony that seemed to belong with this place.
"Hello!" he called out, drawing the stallion’s attention as he walked towards him. "Are you the guy running this place?"
"Yes, yes I am. Shattered Glass is the name, how can I help you?" He replied, introducing himself.
’Shattered Glass? Well, that figures,’ Danny thought, but didn't say out loud.
"Yes, or at least I hope so. This is where I can buy some new windows, right?"
Shattered only raised a comical eyebrow as he looked around, surrounded by all kinds of glass.
"Take a wild guess," he replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"Right, thought so," Danny answered with a small chuckle. "So, I would like to buy some replacement glass for my broken windows."
"Let me guess. Pinkie Pie?"
"You got it."
"That would make thirty seven," he muttered with a sigh. "Okay, just look around and see if there is anything you like. Just give me a holler if you do, and we'll discuss the finer details about when I am able to come and repair the damage to your home."
"I just need some plain glass, nothing more. I saw some over there that would work," Danny told him, pointing over his shoulder.
"Fair enough. Now, how many windows were broken?" Shattered Glass asked as he picked up a quill and scroll, writing down the details.
"Seven of them, including a couple of larger ones," Danny answered.
"Humhmm," Shattered Glass hummed as he wrote this down. "Anything else?"
"No, that's all."
"Huh. 'Twould seem you're luckier than most of the town folks. Okay, not too much of an effort. I am a bit swamped at the moment though; a lot of customers lately."
"I wonder why?" Danny asked sarcastically, and they both shared a short laugh.
"No idea," Shattered Glass answered with the same level of sarcasm. "But still, it's good business for me. I'm just glad all of those Pinkies missed my place entirely, or things would have been a whole lot more difficult for all of us."
"I bet. So, when can you come over to fix the damage?"
"End of the week. Unless you want to take a crack at it yourself?"
"I guess I can do that. But I don't know the measurements needed."
"No problem. Just go home and see what you need. Then come back and I'll happily cut the glass to size."
"Huh, I guess that'll work. Okay, I'll be back, with measurements."
Shattered Glass gave a nod in response and went back to his own work as Danny headed back home. Yet another thing to do before he could start his training.
<<>><<>><<>>
A group of ponies were sitting in one of the train's carriages, heading to Ponyville to investigate any and all spectral activity. None of them were wearing their armor, as they were supposed to blend in with the crowd. Which was another problem, seeing that they were in a somewhat large group. Therefore, they had decided to separate into two teams of four. The first team would mix in with the population, while the second team would keep their distance and camp out somewhere in Whitetail Woods, twenty minutes outside of town. This way they could cover more ground unsuspected, and keep an eye out for any strange behaviour among the citizens of Ponyville, or the human.
They did have to be careful though. If even one of the ponies there saw their scanning or ghost hunting equipment, all hay would break loose. That was something they would have to avoid. Not only because they didn't want to start a panic, but also because they didn't want to scare away a potential threat. Therefore, most of the more obvious tech would be taken by the team that would camp out of town. And the others would make do with the simpler, easier to conceal devices while staking out the town from one of the local hotels.
With their plan made up, and orders given out, the Ghost-keteers were now waiting for the train to arrive so they could get started. All of them eager to begin, because this was the first time they were put into action, and they wanted to show their princesses what they were made of.
Rolling Stone knew this, and he understood it. He just hoped the friendly rivalry wouldn't interfere with their job, as some of them could be a bit stubborn with how they did things. But for now, everything seemed to be going according to plan. He just hoped it would stay like that.
If there were ghosts involved, however, that would be unlikely.
<<>><<>><<>>
Twilight was sitting in her library, looking through her books for anything that could shed some light on the mystery revolving around the lake. Separating everything she had into three piles, she tried to get an idea of what she had to work with. First off, there was the pile of everything that was of no use, which was quickly dismissed. Spike was already reshelving this, rather daunting, collection with an annoyed scowl. The second pile contained anything that mentioned elemental magic. Unfortunately they would, more often than not, refer to the Elements of magic instead of natural elements. And third, there was the pile she was now going through, levitating multiple books before her at the same time.
"Ghaaa!" She yelled as she slammed all the books shut. "There is nothing in here that could explain what happened to the lake. Nothing. Nothing at all!" She shouted with a crazed edge to her voice, her left eye twitching.
"Whoa, calm down Twilight," Spike said as he put one of the books back on the shelf, moving over to his older sister. "Just take a moment, then try again. I'm sure the answer is somewhere in these books."
"No it is not!" She shouted, her ears now twitching randomly as well, "I have checked, double checked and even triple checked. There is nothing that could explain what happened without the use of high level magic. MY. BOOKS. DON'T. HAVE. THE. ANSWERS!"
This was bad, and Spike knew it. Fleeing for his life, he ran into the kitchen, grabbing the pots and pans for his carefully crafted armor, along with a frying pan to help Twilight with her fried mind.
Peeking through the open doorway to make sure Twilight wasn't looking his way, Spike quietly made his way towards her, holding the frying pan as high above his head as he could. Standing behind the wildly twitching unicorn, Spike took a deep breath before doing what he knew he needed to do.
"Sorry, Twi."
*CLUNK*
Twilight collapsed on the floor, unconscious, a lump slowly forming on her head. Spike, standing next to her, shook his head sadly.
"That's the seventh time I needed to do that," he said with a sigh, before shrugging. "Oh well, better to let her sleep it off. Right now, there is a tub of ice cream with my name on it."
<<>><<>><<>>
With a groan, Twilight came to, her head hurting with the familiar feeling of being hit with a frying pan. She wasn't happy about it, as she knew exactly what it meant next. Sighing, she used her magic to remove her headache. Then, knowing what happened next after she was knocked out, she moved to the kitchen, expecting the worst.
Aaaand, yes. There he was. Lying on the ground, sound asleep with melted ice cream smeared around his mouth and an empty tub of the frozen goodness lying upside down on his belly, moving up and down with his breathing. Sighing again while shaking her head, Twilight zapped Spike with her magic, waking him from his food induced coma.
"Spike..." She grumbled in a less than pleased tone. "You hit me on the head with a frying pan again, didn't you." It wasn't a question, as she already knew the answer.
"Ehhh. I might have," he answered lamely.
"Spike, what did I tell you? When I have one of my moments, you don't hit me on the head. Instead, you throw chunks of chocolate at me while slowly retreating to a safe distance."
Spike only gave her a flat look, crossing his arms, and shooting a glance at the frying pan lying nearby.
"Now, clean yourself up. We have a lot of research to do," Twilight said with a huff, taking the frying pan with her through her levitation.
"Oh, what's the point. Like you said, these books don't have the answers. And every time you pull them out of the shelves I have to put them back," Spike complained with a clear tone of annoyance as he wiped off his mouth, following Twilight back in the library.
"Then do you have a better idea?" she asked with a bitter tone, not liking that he said her books didn't have the answer, even if she had said it as well.
"I dunno," Spike said with a shrug, before scratching his chin with a thoughtful look. "What about Danny? He lives near the lake, maybe he's seen something?"
Twilight stopped on the spot, eyes wide in realization.
"Why didn't I think of that?"
"Maybe because you had your muzzle stuck in your books the entire time," Spike offered, earning himself a glare from Twilight.
"And for that, you have to put every book back in their proper place while I'm out to see Danny," she said sternly, but a bit of enthusiasm entered her voice as she finished.
Cocking a puzzled eyebrow over the small shift in tone, Spike gave Twilight a curious look.
"Why the excitement to see the ape that doesn't know a lizard from a dragon?"
"He is not an ape!... Well, he is, but you shouldn't call him that. And I am merely excited at the prospect of finally finding an answer to this mystery. Plus, there was something else I wanted to talk about with him. Now I am able to combine the two, making this visit even more efficient."
"Right… sorry I asked," Spike said with a groan, starting to pick up some of the books.
"SPIKE!" Twilight said loudly. "What is it with you and Danny?"
"I don't know. I just don't like him," he answered with a shrug.
"Is it the lizard thing?" Twilight asked with a sigh.
"Kinda, but that’s not all of it. He seems nice and all, but there is something that just doesn't feel right about him, you know?"
"No, I don't know," she answered. "But that doesn't mean you should treat him like this. Whatever it is you think you feel about him, I'm sure you are just imagining things. Now, I am going to go see him, and when I get back I expect to find a clean library."
"Yeah, yeah. Just go already," Spike said, waving a claw in a 'go away' manner.
"Fine, I will," Twilight huffed, but didn't do anything else.
"You're still here," Spike said flatly.
"I know that. And I am leaving as of right now!" She stomped a hoof to put emphasis to her words, glaring a bit at the young dragon, who could only look at her with crossed arms and an unimpressed look.
"Sooo… when are you leaving, exactly?"
Twilight's answer was a teleportation spell, sending her to the other side of the front door, only ten steps away from where she was. The flash of light shone underneath the door, and Spike knew what to expect.
"RIGHT NOW!"
Silence.
"You're still there," he managed to say one last time before a magical zipper closed his mouth.
<<>><<>><<>>
"There, good as new," Danny said proudly after he had installed the last of the replacement glass in the windows. "And I still have some time left to get some practice done."
Hovering up in the air, Danny turned his legs into an intangible trail, while turning himself invisible as well.
"Now, let's do this thing." And with those words, Danny flew through the wall and out to the Everfree Forest. It was, by his reckoning, the safest place for him to do this. There wouldn't be any ponies there, save for maybe Zecora, but he could work around that. Besides, it was a big forest. The chances of her finding out about him would be very small.
He flew through the air with his arms held wide, enjoying the moment before heading to the forest.
The trees began to surround him, and the light of the low hanging sun was obscured by the thick foliage above. Shadows reigned supreme, and it was only thanks to his enhanced ghost vision that he was able to see anything.
Confident that he could no longer be seen, Danny turned visible again. Weaving left and right to fly around the trees, looking for any suitable place where he could practice using his powers.
It took some time, but not as long as he thought it would. It was a small clearing, an area covered with only the leaves of the trees, but nothing else. Trees also surrounded the clearing, acting as a wall of sorts, obscuring whatever was happening there to some degree. Not entirely, but more than enough.
Satisfied with his find, Danny landed in the center of the clearing, and a strange sense of déjà vu hit him. It was almost as if he had been here before, but he knew that wasn't possible. The only time he had ever been in this forest was back when he came here to help find the crusaders, and he had never been here before. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity as he looked around.
Shaking his head, he just ignored it, not sure why this place looked so familiar, or why he suddenly had a craving for cake.
"So, we’re really going to do this, huh?" He asked himself, questioning his decision to come here.
Nightmare Moon, watching his every move from the subconscious part of his mind sent another jolt of mind controlling power into his consciousness, stopping him from second guessing "his" decision.
Danny's eyes flashed, and he shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"Right, let's do this thing," he said, and a band of energy surrounded his midsection, turning him into Danny Phantom.
"I better start off simple to get back in the game,” he muttered, and made his right hand glow green with energy.
Looking around, he saw a large boulder lying near one of the trees, and aimed his hand at it. The forest lit up with green light as a beam of energy shot out of his hand and against the boulder. A shudder went through Danny from the sudden rush of energy coursing through him, and a small laugh escaped him.
"Wow. I forgot what that felt like," he said excitedly as he looked at his hand, green vapor billowing off of it. "Let's do that again," and this time two beams of energy shot out at the boulder, one coming from each hand.
Energy hit the stone, and more and more was blasted into it. Cracks started to form on its surface, and the green glow seeped into the weak spots. In a small explosion of green light and smoke, the boulder blasted into pieces. The sound echoed through the forest, and the animals nearby fled in fear. Birds squawked as they flew away, and rabbits, squirrels and other small creatures fled to the safety of their burrows. Even the nearby manticore, which was slowly creeping closer to his prey, fled, recognizing the power as that which had hit him the night before last. All creatures fled, except two. Two pairs of glowing green eyes looked at Danny from a distance, far enough away so they wouldn't alert him to their presence, but close enough to see everything he was doing. For now, they lay in wait. But should it be required, they would be on him in mere seconds, taking out the threat they feared.
"Wow. I might have overdone it just a bit,” Danny said, laughing as he scratched his head, looking at the small crater the boulder used to be. "Oh well, at least I still know how that works. Let's go for something a bit more challenging."
Spreading his legs a bit, and planting his feet firmly on the leaf covered ground, Danny concentrated as hard as he could on his energy while channeling it through his entire body. It was why he came here in the first place, and he was determined to at least try it before the day was over.
A glow surrounded his body as he forced himself to be in two places at once. And, like a cell dividing itself, Danny began to duplicate himself. A fully formed upper body with head and arms sprouted out his right side, his other self pushing away from him to break free. However, Danny lost focus, and the glow vanished, and the two of them were now stuck like that.
The both of them looked at each other with a flat, annoyed look before face palming, hard.
"This is going to take a while,” they both said, knowing this was not going to be easy.
<<>><<>><<>>
The sound of the explosion echoed through the forest, scaring away all the animals nearby. The sound of the blast, as well as the fleeing animals, made for a frightening cacophony. This in turn caused the ears of the nearby zebra to twitch, homing in on the direction the sound came from.
Zecora turned to look to the place she roughly estimated the disturbance came from, and she was conflicted with what course of action to take. Certainly something that could create such noise that scared away all those animals could pose a danger, and she would be wise not to seek out the source of it. However, there was also the problem that if she didn't find out what it was and deal with it accordingly, it could come back to bite her in the flank.
Knowing the forest like the back of her hoof, she knew that if she didn't deal with whatever this was, it could potentially be catastrophic for her. This forest had a tendency to be lethal to those that didn't heed its warnings, and Zecora knew how to listen. Which is why she was having this conflict with herself to begin with.
Knowing that there wasn't all that much choice, she slowly and quietly made her way towards the area she heard the sound come from, pulling a hefty club from the saddle bags she was carrying. It was fortunate she was out to gather ingredients for her potions, and as such also had her club with her. It had often proved to be effective against the more aggressive creatures that didn't know when to back off. She just hoped she didn't have to use it. She preferred to avoid violence if she could, and instead to live in understanding with the rest of nature around her. Don't hurt me, and I won't hurt you. A simple, but effective means of survival in this forest.
Zecora pushed aside several branches blocking her path, making sure no sound was made by them as she quietly moved them back in place, avoiding the loud whiplash caused by simply letting them go. Keeping to the thicker foliage so she wouldn't be easily spotted, she found herself coming closer to a small clearing she knew all too well. Mostly because it was the spot where Rarity's diamond named Tom ended up after certain events that she would deny any knowledge of. But, coming to the edge of the foliage, and being able to see the clearing from her hiding spot, Zecora was unable to see Tom. All that was visible was a small crater, some scattered debris, and a ghost.
Pale white skin and a pale white glow coming from it. Hair as white as snow, and a suit blacker than the night's sky. It's eyes glowed green, which she could see as it looked her way for a moment, but didn't see her. She held her breath, not wanting to make any noise and draw this unholy abomination towards her. But, there was something else as well that caught her breath. It's eyes. Glowing green, deathly and, for reasons she didn't understand, very familiar.
It was as if she had seen those eyes before, but where? She would know it if she'd seen a ghost; it was not something you would easily forget.
The ghost moved, and Zecora was snapped out of her thoughts as she looked at what this entity was doing. The ghost spreaded it's legs, taking a firm stance and a glow surrounded it's body. She could feel her blood run cold as she saw this being split in two as if it was a cell dividing. She looked in fear as there were now two ghosts, instead of one. However, before the split was fully complete, the ghost seemed to struggle, and the two beings slammed back together with blurring speed, knocking it back onto his flank.
"OH, COME ON! Not again."
It spoke. He spoke. And in a voice that was eerily familiar to her.
She didn't know what was going on, or why. All she knew was that she needed to act, and fast. If it… he got away, who knew who would become a victim of this spawn of Tartarus? With his back turned to her, Zecora quietly crept towards him, holding her club up in her mouth.
'Please let this work, or I fear he might go berserk,' she thought to herself as she closed the distance, coming into striking range.
A small rustle of leaves under her hooves drew his attention, and Zecora watched with fearful eyes as he began to turn. Acting without thought, she swung her club, hitting the ghost squarely in the face, knocking him out.
A low groan escaped his mouth as he slumped to the ground, and Zecora couldn't believe her luck; this actually worked. But, what would she have to do now? However, before she could even begin to answer that question, a flash of white light surprised her and she reared back on her hind legs in fright. But it was quickly replaced by shock when she saw a band of white light move over the ghost's body, leaving behind the only human she had ever met. Danny Mason.
"By Luna's star, I know who you are,” she whispered in shock as she looked at the unconscious human lying before her, a trickle of blood seeping from his head.
She never noticed the two timberwolves slowly move away from their hiding spot and move deeper into the forest.
<<>><<>><<>>
A train stopped in Ponyville and all the passengers on board stepped off, while the next group was waiting to step aboard. A group of ponies, eight in total, were the last to leave the train, and immediately half of the group left the platform and headed out to Whitetail Woods. The remaining ponies, two unicorns, one earth pony, and a pegasus, moved into town. They were heading to the nearest hotel, motel, or any other establishment where they could rent a room and set up shop.
Rolling Stone, the earth pony in this group, led the way. He had taken the time back in Canterlot to see where they could find anything that suited their needs, and he was now heading towards the first option on the list. A local guest house that provided a room for traveling ponies visiting the town. It would be useful, if, of course, they had enough rooms to house the four of them. Privacy would also be a concern, as they couldn't just have anypony walking in on them while they were, say, calibrating their equipment. But the intel he had gathered about this place indicated it was run by a pony who seemed to care about other ponies’ privacy, as well as her own.
Rolling Stone just hoped that this Bellflower, as the earth pony running the place was called, lived up to his expectations. If not, they would have to find someplace else to set up their base of operations.
Moving through the town while stopping here and there to 'browse' some of the wares on sale in the market so they wouldn't draw any suspicion to themselves, the group arrived at the guesthouse after almost half an hour.
Rolling opened the door, causing a small bell above it to ring, telling the owner that somepony had entered.
Walking down the stairs, Bellflower, an earth pony mare with a light blue coat and lilac mane and tail, greeted the group of visitors with a kind smile.
"Well, good day to all of you. Can I be of some assistance?" She asked as she stepped behind the registry.
"I believe you can, Ma'-.. Ahum, Miss. My, ehh, friends and I are looking for a place to stay for several days, and we were hoping we could stay here. If there is room, of course," Rolling Stone said, having a hard time shaking his training and staying in character.
Bellflower looked at the dull orange pony with a stone gray mane and tail quizzically before shaking it off.
"Yes. As a matter of fact, we do have several rooms free. But not enough to accommodate all of you, unless you're willing to share?"
The group looked at each other, before giving a nod of confirmation to Rolling Stone.
"That will be fine, miss. What do you have?"
"Well. We have three rooms available, so we can set up two individual rooms and one room for two, would this be acceptable?"
Sharing another look with each other, the ponies shrugged and nodded their approval. With them all close together like this, there would be less risk of something vital being "misplaced", and potentially compromising their mission.
Rolling Stone knew this too, and, sharing a knowing look with his fellow Ghost-keteers, he accepted the offered rooms on their behalf.
"Very well," Bellflower said. "It will cost three bits per room for two days. Is this also acceptable?"
"Perfectly,” Rolling Stone answered. "Money is not an issue, but my friends and I do require a certain level of privacy. It is to my understanding that this is not a problem?"
"Absolutely. Although you might want to look out for my daughter. She can be a hoof full from time to time. Nothing too serious, but still something that might be of some inconvenience. Should this happen, though, just let me know, and I will deal with it. Also, I do expect you to keep your rooms clean during your stay. This is not a hotel, nor am I your maid. Also, should you break something, let me know. If it is something small, I can forgive it, or charge a small amount of bits to replace it. But don't lie to me about it."
"That will be fine, miss,” Rolling Stone replied with an appreciative nod.
"Very well," Bellflower said, as she grabbed three keys from a rack behind her. "Here are your keys. They are the second, third, and fourth rooms on your right, up the stairs."
"Thank you," Rolling said with a curt nod, before he and his friends moved up the stairs and to their rooms, preparing to set up their equipment and start their work.
<<>><<>><<>>
The sound of a computer beeping and a finger tapping on the screen of a tablet sounded in the otherwise silent office. Tucker was reading the extensive list on the tablet, given to him by the pony sitting before him, a professional, and yet somewhat giddy, expression on her face.
Technal was more than a bit eager to be here, as she was able to talk to her role model who inspired her to learn and use technology she could never have dreamed of before humans and ponies first met. It was a struggle for her to keep a professional composure, but she managed. Although the repeated tapping on the tablet's screen did unnerve her a bit.
"You know," Tucker suddenly spoke up, not looking away from the device in his hands. "When they told me earlier today that some pony was here with a rather extensive shopping list, I had a somewhat difficult time believing it. When they told me this pony specifically requested to see me about it, I was even more confused. But" —he finally looked up, a faint smile on his face— "seeing who it is that made the request, and going on the little interaction we had back in Equestria, I can say I'm not that surprised."
Technal couldn't stop the quiet squee that escaped her mouth when he said that, knowing she had made some impression on him.
"So, tell me exactly what it is you're planning. I have seen the schematics, and the required parts, but I want to hear it from you."
Taking a deep breath, Technal prepared to blow her role model away.
"Certainly. As you are no doubt aware, there has been a breach of security back at the tear facility recently. Although security has since been improved, it has proven that the ghosts are becoming more cunning in avoiding and slipping through the defences. Therefore, I came up with the idea for a machine to detain any ghosts that could potentially slip through the cracks. It won't be able to stop them, mind you. And, should the worst happen, and a ghost does manage to enter the population, we will still have to rely on the expertise of the Ghost-keteers," she said, and Tucker mentally flinched over that name.
"No, this device is more of a holding cell of sorts. Something we can put the captured ghosts in, but they won't be able to get out. This way, should it ever be required, we can hold and interrogate any spectral entities, and find out exactly how they slipped through our defenses. With, this we will be able to not only improve our safety, but gain valuable intel about the ghost world as well."
"Zone," Tucker muttered quietly.
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind that," Tucker said hastily, and looked at the diagram of the proposed build.
"You make a valuable point with this, but the question is: Do you really need it? The security is improved, as you said. And your side of the tear doesn't have any of the points of entry these ghosts seem to use. It would make more sense if we build this thing here, instead of there."
"True," Technal said with a nod. "But wouldn't it be better to have it and not need it as opposed to the opposite?"
"Prevent the disaster before it happens, but be ready when it does," Tucker answered sagely.
"Exactly."
"Hmmm..." Tucker hummed as he went through the list of parts required once more.
"Most of the things listed here are simple to get, as we have more than enough of them in stock. But some of the other things I see here… It would be difficult. Very difficult. A negative ectoplasm core is not something we keep lying around like that. Not to mention how difficult it is to get the required amount of N-ecto. It is mostly used in those battery formats, with the only exception I know of being the factory's reactor. Building another one will be costly, very costly."
"Money is not a problem. I have the full support of Princess Celestia, and any funding required will be taken care of by her."
Tucker's eyes widened a bit at that, and it would seem that one of their biggest problems was solved by this single mare.
"I see. Well, that takes care of that. However, doing this will require a lot of expertise, and you will need a team of us there to help with the building. Not to mention someone to keep track of everything while it is being shipped. We can't have anything getting lost in transit now, can we?"
"I can see how that would be a problem," Technal said with a chuckle.
"Fortunately, I know just the person for the job. But she would require a pass to enter Equestria. Not to mention the rest of us when we're required over there. But she will do at first."
"That could easily be arranged," Technal said with a nod, making a note in her PDA about it.
"Of course there is also the time needed to get everything, but most of it should not take very long. But we both know the other things will be more time consuming. I can't make any promises, but I estimate that, if we start now, it would take roughly three to four months to get them. Five for the N-ecto core, though."
"That long?" Technal asked in disbelief, her ears folding flat on her head.
"I'm afraid so. Unless you have a surplus of negative ectoplasm lying around," Tucker joked.
"I'm afraid not," Technel said with a sigh and chuckle.
"Thought so. So we will have to manufacture it ourselves."
"Very well," Technal said with a nod, her voice firm and certain. "I will relay this new information to Princess Celestia, and request a pass for your employee to enter Equestria… Ehh, and for what name should I put in this request for?"
Tucker answered, using the name they came up with years ago when someone would ask for her full name.
"Dani. Dani Spectral."
<<>><<>><<>>
Knocking on the door, Twilight received no response whatsoever. She had tried for several minutes now, but it would seem Danny was not home at the time. Still, not wanting to give up just like that, she knocked again, hoping he was simply asleep or something.
She knocked on the door again and again, but never got a reply. Sighing, she decided to try one more time and go home if nothing happened.
Something happened.
The door, which was unlocked, opened before her, and Twilight looked inside the slowly darkening home of Ponyville’s resident human. The only light came from outside, and the sun was slowly setting. If only she hadn't spent the entire day looking through her books… No, she took it back. One could never spend enough time with their books. Still, she now had a choice to make. Should she go inside and try to find out if Danny might have seen anything from his home, or close the door again and go home.
Of course, the first idea was flimsy at best, as she could clearly see that the lake was not within the field of view of Danny's home. But her curiosity got the best of her as she stood before the open door. Besides, it's not like she hadn't been inside before. But after Danny's party she didn't really spend much time getting to know him. And, somehow, she felt like she should fix that, immediately.
Looking around to make sure nopony was watching her, Twilight stepped inside, closing the door behind her. With the door closed, the house became just a bit darker, and she lit her horn with a simple illumination spell to help her see. Looking around in the familiar place, she could see Danny had made good progress in fixing the place up. Before, it was mostly an empty home, filled only by the food laden tables Pinkie Pie brought with her for his party. Now though, the place was filled with furniture, giving it much more of a homely feel. Although, it would also seem Danny was a bit of a slob, as she could see several dirty dishes standing in the sink in the nearby kitchen, as well as a few carelessly discarded items lying on the floor.
She felt the need to clean it up, but she knew she couldn't. Not if she didn't want to give away that somepony had been inside his house. Slowly moving around Danny's home, Twilight felt a sense of foreboding, as if she was about to discover something significant. There was also a feeling of guilt mixed in with it, as she knew she shouldn't be here, but she was unable to stop herself.
The sun dipped a bit lower behind the horizon, and the light shone in through a window at an angle that made the light reflect off the glass covering a picture hidden away in a cabinet. The reflection drew Twilight's attention, and she could see a framed picture tucked away, mostly hidden from view. Knowing she shouldn't, but her curiosity getting the better of her, she used her magic to pull out the framed picture, holding it in the light to see it better
The smiling faces of three young humans, clearly in their teenage years looked back at her, and Twilight felt her hind legs go weak. She knew the human on the left of the picture, as it was clearly Danny Manson. The dark skinned boy on the right seemed somewhat familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it. But, what made her legs go weak, dropping her lower body to the floor, was the girl shown in between the two males. She knew her, maybe more than most other ponies. She had tried to learn as much as she could about ghosts after the Baltimare incident, and one of the things she learned of was the horrific fate of Samantha Manson, the girl shown in the picture.
But that also led her to another startling conclusion. She also picked up the names of her closest friends. Tucker Foley, who she now recognized as the dark skinned boy, and one of the lead developers of Fenton Corporation. And… And Danny Fenton, long lost son of the Fenton Family.
Danny Manson is Danny Fenton.
Time ticked by as Twilight sat on the floor in shock, staring at the picture with her mouth slightly open.
She needed answers, now more than ever.
<<>><<>><<>>
With a low groan, Danny came to, a throbbing pain shooting through his head. Moving to sit upright, a stab of pain made him cringe and a pained gasp escaped his mouth. Choosing to just remain lying for now, he opened his eyes, seeing the world unfocused and blurry. Moving his hand to his face to rub his eyes, he felt a bandage wrapped around his head, and the sound of jars clanging together came from somewhere behind him. Slowly, his vision started to clear and he was beginning to see some of the objects in his field of view with more clarity.
A large, blackened cauldron stood in the center of what looked like a hut of some kind. Odd looking masks hung on the walls, reminding him of those ritual masks found in Africa. Shelves filled with various jars filled with things he could only guess at. And two light blue eyes that appeared in his vision, belonging to the zebra Zecora.
Danny flinched when she suddenly appeared in his vision like that, making him groan as another lance of pain shot through his head. He wondered how she did that, as she hadn’t even made a sound despite the many golden bands looped around her neck.
"Z- Zecora?" He muttered as he held his head, looking at the zebra questioningly. "What happened?"
Zecora didn't answer. Instead, she tilted her head as she studied Danny for several long, tense minutes. Walking away again, she moved to one of the many shelves nearby, rummaging through the various potions and elixirs she had there.
"For a long time I have wondered what you could be, but I must say, you truly are a mystery," she spoke as she picked up a small vial containing a dark blue liquid.
"In my time I've hit several creatures on the head, but never a being both alive and dead." This made Danny's heart skip a beat. "Knocking you on the head had the desired effect, but what came next was something I didn't expect. The ghost I hit before he flew, turned out to be no one else but you," she continued, standing before Danny with the vial in her hoof.
"I admit I am more than confused, but first I shall fix the head I have bruised," she told him as she held out the vial for him to take. "This elixir will swiftly heal your head, and in return I want to know how you are both alive and dead."
Accepting the vial with a shaking hand, Danny slowly pushed himself upright, ignoring the stabbing pain as he looked at Zecora with fear in his eyes.
"But don't hold your tongue after this heals your head, or I can only presume you're one of evil, biped." Zecora finished, and Danny's eyes widened just a bit more. Images of his past flashing before his eyes, the cries of fear from all those people back on Earth who thought he was evil and came to harm them. A shudder went down his spine when all those memories came back, and he knew there was only one thing he could do.
"Of all the things I am, evil is not one of them," he spoke as he popped the cork of the vial. "I'll talk." And he poured the contents in his mouth.
<<>><<>><<>>
Clockwork hovered before one of the many viewing portals, a frown showing on his ever aging face. Sam, standing behind him, had trouble seeing what he was looking at. But she knew it wasn't good, if his irritated humming was any indication.
"Clockwork, what's happening?"
"Something that should not have happened, yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Danny's true identity has been found out, both of them. And by two different beings."
"What!?"
"Hmmm. One I knew of, and happened as I expected. The other… What has changed? What happened that I didn't expect to happen?" He muttered, using his cane to switch the contents shown in the viewing portal. "What the… How did this happen?" He asked out loud.
Sam, no longer just wanting to stand on the sidelines, moved forwards, claiming a spot next to him to see what happened.
"What!?" She shouted as she watched the events of history play out before her.
The town was overrun by a multitude of Pinkie Pies, causing all kinds of chaos as they bounced through the town. While, at the same time, down in the basement of Twilight Sparkle, a filly, no more than eight or nine, maybe ten at most, was turned into a half ghost. A Halfa.
"How did this happen?" She asked, and Clockwork’s eyes narrowed as he zoomed the image shown in the viewing portal.
"A very good question indeed,” he said, looking at the old black book he knew all too well.
"But how does this lead to Danny being found out?" Sam continued, not making the connection.
"Their fates changed, and with it, the choices they would have made. They did not do what they were supposed to do, as they were now placed in a position that made it impossible to do so. They should have ran around in panic like the rest of the town, trying to find shelter in one of the more remote places found there. And, in their own style, they would manage to get their limbs tangled up and crash their way into Danny's home through one of the windows. The pegasus, Scootaloo, should have hit the cabinet where Danny had hidden the picture of you, Tucker and himself. By doing so, she would have closed its door, while the frame would have fallen flat." Clockwork spoke as he showed the original timeline to Sam.
"Twilight would have come to his house, as was supposed to happen. But with this supposed chain of events, she would not have found the picture of you and your friends. She would have been found out by Danny after a while, and apologies would have been made. Then, after all was said and done, Twilight would find out Danny knows almost nothing of their world. And, her being the scholar that she is, she would take the opportunity to teach Danny as much as she could. What happens after this, though, will be definitive for events to come."
"... Wow…. So, because they didn't crash in to Danny's home, Danny was found out?"
"Indeed," Clockwork answered as he stroked his beard, still looking at the changed events in the viewing portal.
"Sam, I need you to get me a book. There are some questions I need answered. Go to the librarian and ask for the Necronomicon. I just hope it has a good answer."
"And what will you do?"
"Fix the damage caused by this ripple in the pond,” he answered, and Sam flew away after giving a nod in understanding.
"Some secrets are not yet meant to be found out,” Clockwork muttered under his breath when she was gone.
<<>><<>><<>>
"And there you have it. That is how I am what I am,” Danny said with a sigh after he finished his tale, his head completely healed.
Zecora sat before him, eyes closed and breathing deeply as she tried to keep her composure.
"I'm amazed you are still sane, as one so young should not have gone through so much pain," she said sadly while shaking her head, the golden bands around her neck clanging together.
"Yeah, welcome to my life,” Danny muttered bitterly, clenching one of his hands into a fist.
"Your path has been filled with pain, sorrow and guilt. It is clear you came here to see your life rebuilt. I'm sorry I hit you, for I didn't know. I hope you can forgive me for the unfortunate blow. To add to your misery is something I hadn't meant, but at the time you hardly looked like a gent."
"It's alright,” Danny said, rubbing his head. "You didn't know, and you only did what you thought was right. But please, can you keep this a secret? The last thing I want is to start over again, nor do I like being hunted down like some wild animal."
Nodding her head, she assured him, "Your secret is safe, don't you dread. I will keep it locked away, tight in my head. But I must ask, before you go. What brought you out here? This I must know."
"Why was I out here?" Danny repeated more to himself than Zecora, then continued with a sigh. "Ever since the whole thing with Pinkie Pie duplicating herself yesterday, I have had this strange urge to... to… I don't know. Get better in using my own powers I guess."
"Hmmm. Bettering oneself is never wrong. But tell me, don't your powers already make you strong?"
"Heh, only if I know how to use them," Danny said with a humorless chuckle. "I know the basics, and some of the more difficult things. But how to control everything without it blowing up in my face is a whole different story."
Zecora gave a nod in understanding and looked out of the window of her home.
"The sun is setting, it shall soon be dark. Before long the night will be filled with the timberwolves’ bark. In the forest at night is when they roam. I would suggest you swiftly head home."
Nodding, Danny stood up, but he was forced to crouch down a bit, or he would have hit the ceiling.
"Yeah, that would seem like a good idea. Thanks Zecora."
Giving a single nod with her eyes closed, Zecora bid Danny a farewell and led him out of her abode. And, as Danny moved through the forest back to Ponyville, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the troubled human.
"He told the truth, of that I am sure. The brew he took was more than a cure.
Go home for the night, and don't be glum. Your secret is safe, Danny Phantom."
<<>><<>><<>>
"Clockwork!" Sounded Sam's voice, before she flew back into the time hall, holding a black book in her hands.
"Sam, you have what I asked for?" Clockwork asked, still looking at the swirling vortex of the viewing portal.
"Yes, and it has been a pain taking it with me. It keeps shocking me every few minutes,” Sam muttered darkly, feeling the urge to simply blast the book with some of her own ectoplasm.
"Why am I not surprised,” Clockwork said flatly as he finally turned around, looking at the book Sam was holding.
Making it hover before him, he looked at the skull found on the front of the cover. His red eyes boring into the skull’s own glowing green eyes.
"So, care to explain yourself, Necky?"
The book didn't answer, nor did it do anything else. It just hovered on the spot, held aloft in the grip of Clockwork’s power.
"Ehh… Clockwork? It's just a book. Maybe you should just open it,” Sam said, confused.
"Sam. There are still a lot of things you don't know. This is one of them. Now, be quiet. I am trying to have a conversation here,” Clockwork said with a frown as he looked at the book. "So, Necky. Mind telling me why you did it?"
Silence.
"I could always erase you from history and undo everything you did."
The skulls eyes glowed a bright green, and the book opened. Its pages turning rapidly as if struck by a fierce wind, and it lay open before Clockwork at the centerfold.
It would be unwise to do so, Clockwork.
"And would you mind telling me why."
Yes.
We all have our part to play, even if we don't know the rules. I did what I did, because it was my part in this chess game. I kept you in the dark, just like you did with Sam. And for the same reason. Should you have known, you might have done things differently. I don't make the rules, and neither do you. But we can bend them, from time to time. I bent my rules, just like you did yours. What you do next, however, will be up to you. But the dice have been thrown, and my choice has been put to motion. Will you cheat, and wipe her off the board? Or will you accept this new player into the game, and try to work with it? We all have a choice to make, and this is mine. She, is mine. Silver Spirit might just make the difference all our worlds need. Or she might not. Destiny is a curious thing, but the choices we make will determine how it will play out.
"That may be, but you still upset the balance, and secrets have been revealed that should have been kept hidden. Plus, one pony being a Halfa is already difficult enough. What will happen when she heeds the calling?" Clockwork said angrily, shifting through his various forms much faster because of it.
Destiny.
And with that, the book closed with a snap and vanished in a burst of green energy.
Silence.
"... So… What do we do now?" Sam asked quietly after a moment, keeping a bit of a distance between herself and Clockwork.
"We wipe clean the board and start again with this new development. I can't undo this change without undoing everything done by the Necronomicon, even though I wish I could. Instead, I can at least change the outcome of one event." Clockwork said as he turned back to the viewing portal and lifted his cane.
"Some secrets are not yet meant to be found out."
<<>><<>><<>>
Danny walked through the Everfree forest, coming closer to the edge of it. He wasn't sure how he felt about Zecora knowing about his secret, but there was nothing he could do to change it. He would just have to see where all of this would go, and hope for the best.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, and an almost hurricane-like gust blew through the trees, making them groan in protest, while Danny was blown away, his shirt pulled over his head by the force of the wind. A reality warping ripple moved through the forest and spread outwards over the world, leaving nothing untouched. And, as suddenly as it had come, the crazy storm vanished without a trace.
Pulling his shirt back down, Danny noticed it was a whole lot brighter for some reason, but he didn't know why. Picking himself up, and dusting the dirt off his pants, he moved to the edge and out of the forest, looking around for anything out of the ordinary.
Nothing. Everything was just as it should be, and nothing seemed out of place. Except the sun, which seemed to be higher than he thought it should be.
Shrugging, Danny believed it to be nothing more than his mind playing tricks on him as he had spent so much time in that dark forest. Still, that didn't explain what had just happened with that crazy wind. It would seem it was yet another mystery of this world.
"Man, I really need to find out more about this place. Maybe I can prepare myself for any other surprises like this,” he muttered as he started the walk home, seeing a purple pony standing before his door.
<<>><<>><<>>
Knocking on the door, Twilight received no response whatsoever. She had tried for several minutes now, but it would seem Danny was not home at the time. Still, not wanting to give up just like that, she knocked again, hoping he was simply asleep, or something.
She knocked on the door again and again, but never got a reply. Sighing, she decided to try one more time and go home if nothing happened.
Something happened.
After she knocked again, she heard somepony call her name. Turning to look at who it was that called her, she saw Danny walking towards her. Smiling and waving a hoof at him, she waited for Danny to come closer.
"Hey, Twilight. What brings you here?" Danny asked after he had closed the distance between them.
"Hi. I came here to ask if you happened to see anything out of the ordinary around the lake yesterday?" She asked, and Danny tensed up for a moment.
"Ehh, no. Can't say I have. Why?" He asked, trying to keep his cool.
"Well. Somepony, or something, has frozen the entire lake. And he, she or it did so without any magic I could detect. It just isn't possible, and I want to know what did it, and how."
"Ehh… Freak snowstorm maybe?" He offered lamely, which earned him a flat look from Twilight.
"We don't have those here. The pegasi control the weather all over Equestria, and a freak snowstorm does not happen in the summer. Maybe in the winter, when they lose control of a storm, but never during spring, summer or autumn."
"... So pegasi control the weather here?" Danny said in amazement. "I did not know that. Huh, well, you learn something new every day. Anyway, do you want to come in, or would you rather stay outside?" He asked as he opened his door, looking back at a dumbfounded Twilight.
"You didn't know about pegasi and their weather controlling abilities?"
"Ehh, no," he answered hesitantly, not sure what he thought of the look in her eyes. "Nor do I know all that much about this world to begin with."
Twilight's eyes widened in horrified understanding, and she pushed Danny inside his home, following closely behind.
"Oh, I'm coming inside. And I won't leave until you at least know the basics about Equestria and its inhabitants. Who knows, if you're good, I might even show you around some places to help you learn more about our world." She said with a manic edge to her voice, making Danny gulp as he found himself in a very precarious position. Twilight, however, felt a strange feeling as she pushed Danny inside. Somehow, the fact that she could spend time with him and teach him as much as she could made her feel rather giddy. More than she normally would when she got the chance to teach somepony.
Closing the door behind her with her magic, Twilight prepared herself for a long night of fun teaching and learning.
And, as he looked in the viewing portal, Clockwork couldn't help but feel sorry for the young human. But that didn't mean he didn't find it funny, and a grin showed on his face as he looked inside Danny’s home, seeing him sitting on his couch while Twilight started her lecture on Equestrian history.
She would go on like this for many hours to come.
<<>><<>><<>>
Technus, Ember, Spectra and Skulker were hovering before the ghost shield that covered one of the many cities. All four of them had one of the devices made by Technus, ready to try it out on themselves. It would be the first step in breaching the tear facilities, and entering a new world to haunt. Eager grins showed on their faces as they looked at one another
With one last check by Technus, they were ready. Hovering before the shield, they each held out one of their hands. Moving forward, they could feel the energy from the device covering their limb, and the shield seemed to melt away at the spot they were trying to go through. Flying through the hole made, it closed behind them as they moved away.
A chorus of evil laughter filled the night as they breached the shield. Today they had the city, soon they would have a new world.
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WOOP! I NEEDZ MOAR!
Did the "Necky" nickname for the Necronomicon come from 'Blue is Magic'?
Bombinomicon
4202614 ...Maybe.
quickmeme.com/img/52/52041e19bbad963cfd8cd52895703dcb7201ff3d592c09e71392532edf336405.jpg
Zecora found out and more Clockwork.
This is so cool!
Oh man, I'm excited. I feel really bad for Danny, it looks like everything is gonna get way worse before it gets better for him. He needs a little happiness. Hopefully twilight helps with that.
SO GOOD!
Logging on just to say how much I love this fic! 
Ahhhhh, I wish all the other fics I read where this good! 
.... I have to stop now, or the mob of authors I read from will start to chase me with their torches and pitchforks 
... Keep up the good work! 
So now there is a filly that's half ghost like Danny?
4205641 Apparently. I kinda hope she sets off his ghost sense at some point. That way he can mentor her and hopefully preventing her from accidentally alerting the Ghost-keteers. (that is such an unbelievably terrible name)
Plus, Dani's going to equestria! I kinda wonder how Tucker's going to get her past the ghost scanners, but considering what he did with those handheld scanners it shouldn't be too much trouble. And I can't wait for Danny to find out that Tucker and Dani have a thing for each other. His reaction ought to be priceless.
4202614 Probly. If you see something you think is a reference it probly is, I've been 'playing spot the reference' for the last three chapters... it's fun.
4205641 4206140
Seriously, you need to read Silver Spirit. It is so closely intertwined with this one that it really isn't optional.
Luna is totally the her Clockworks is rambling about, just look at her! She is sooo obviously half ghost! NMM is her shade for Pete's sake!... Who the hell is Pete anyway and why does everyone care about his sake?
Because you're stupid that's why! Everyone knows the cake is a lie, and only an idiot would crave a lie....
Wait, never mind.
4206287 Already went to do that after I posted my comment.
4206140 The ghost keteers name comes from the actual show. Can you tell me where?
4205641 Okay, you did read the previous chapter, right? If you did, then there is no way you could have missed both the scene with the crusaders, and one of them setting of Danny's ghost sense, or the very LARGE picture found in the author's note with the link attached to the fic that is the side story of this fic. It should have been impossible to miss it, seeing that several of the readers of this fic have also found it.
4205126 Only one thing comes to mind after seeing the angry mob heading your way.
Great chapter.
4207660 Oh, oh! I know, I know! It was will episode 15, season 1, "Public Enemies". And I feel bad for Danny. He has to deal with Twilight in lecture mode. That doesn't bode well. We all know how Danny gets when it comes to school lectures. And Celestia knows what Twilight will do if he falls asleep during her lesson.
Strategic moustache is random! Muhahahahaha!
4207660 oops.
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I'm sorry.
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Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
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4292680 No. It was the line said by Technus in the Danny Phantom movie finale Phantom Planet.
4294369 Teru a Newon. Tear u a new on.
"Hey hey hey, I'm not dead; I'm just living impaired."
Loved the chapter, though, I have to call slight BS with how Zecora captured Danny. In canon, Danny gets thrown through walls on an almost daily basis without any trouble, and yet, Zecora manages to knock him out with a glorified stick. Bit of an issue there. You might have been better served having Danny decide to take a nap out in the woods and have Zecora capture him that way than effectively putting a cap on his durability, meaning that should he be sent flying through trees or stuck in the middle of an explosion, I would expect it to kill him outright if all it takes to put him down here is small knock to the head.
8381748
Although it is true for Danny to phase through numerous solid objects, this happens most of the time when he is actively aware of what is going on, and uses his intangibility. But despite all of Danny's abilities, even he can be caught unaware. And he did not expect Zecora to show up, let alone for her to sneak up the way she'd done, and thus he was fully tangible when she hit him. And ghost or no ghost, getting clubbed on the head will do some damage to most people I know. And Danny is still human, despite his ghostly nature. And before you comment on the fact that Danny has been hit on the head numerous times in the show, it is also a fact that one is able to endure a lot more physical damage when they are aware of it and brace themselves for it. After all, being caught unaware is a weakness we all suffer from in one way or the other from time to time. Does this mean Zecora is OP, or that Danny suddenly became a lot weaker just to let this happen? The answer is no. It is just one of those whimsical things that have a tendency to happen when you least expect it. Just like it happened to Danny. Unexpected, and unaware.
Besides, Danny has been out of practice for years now, so he is more than a little rusty.
Spike has learned a valuable lesson: sometimes you just gotta knock a bitch out.
Although you normally used a fist but ehh.
Just like when my cousin's on her period.
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8381786
Plus getting tossed into a brick wall is a lot different than a blow to the head. When you get tossed into a brick wall the damage is spread entirely through your body which means the shock is absorbed by all of you. However whenever a blow is focused like when being struck in the head it's more isolated and less of your body absorbs the impact, because of that it causes more damage and unconsciousness.