"What do you mean you won't let me go back and time and fix this?!"
They had reached Clockwork's tower in the Ghost Zone. Danny, Sam, and Tucker were back to human forms, and the ponies were still ponies thanks to Twilight Sparkle. Danny had begged Clockwork for the opportunity to go back in time to about an hour or so ago and prevent the portal from being turned on early. Clockwork switched from adult form to child form and shook his head.
"Daniel, do you remember the last time I allowed you to try something like this?"
Danny sighed. "My mom ended up marrying Vlad and my dad ended up turning half ghost. Right."
"Woah! When did this happen?" Rainbow Dash asked. Danny rolled his eyes
"Vlad got ecto-acne again and then infected Sam and Tucker with it a while back, a bit before I met you all. I tried to go back in time and stop Vlad from getting in his accident in the first place, but I accidentally caused my dad to have the accident instead. So I had to fix that, obviously. Go back to Clockwork and make sure I didn't meddle that time. However, I did find out my dad spilled soda into the filtration system, causing the acne and my parents managed to cure it."
"That's why you don't mess with time. Like that time I used a spell to try to go warn past Twilight to not worry so much, which ended up causing the worry in the first place." Twilight said.
Clockwork smirked. "Oh ho ho, I remember that event. The observants nearly had a stroke when they found out you tried to go back in time or even stop it." he said. Twilight blushed.
"Oh...hehe. Sorry. So not only do you monitor Earth's time stream, but Equestria's too!" she said. "This is so fascinating!"
"So you knew about Equestria the whole time?" Danny asked, surprised. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't need to tell you, Daniel," Clockwork said, "I try to keep the two worlds apart. Time revealed that that separation wasn't going to last. Prince Blueblood's meddling with the connection enraged the observants."
"So why not stop him, then?" Applejack asked. Clockwork shook his head.
"I almost never interfere. Danny's been a prime example of that. The first times I interfered were necessary, but not the second time. But yes, I keep tabs on Equestria as well."
"Are there any other worlds, then, that we're not connected to?" Rarity asked. Clockwork frowned.
"Miss Rarity, that is not mine to tell. The worlds generally stay apart; Earth was naturally connected to the Ghost Zone, so our merging was predictable. We knew it was going to happen. However, now that Equestria is connected to the Ghost Zone as well, natural portals are going to become more frequent there."
"Why is Earth connected to the Ghost Zone naturally?" Fluttershy asked curiously. "I mean, um, if it's okay I ask..." she asked timidly. Clockwork cracked a smile.
"Ah, Miss Fluttershy, you always seemed like such a sweet pegasus. Earth has been connected with us for millions and even billions of years. No one knows for sure why Earth and ghosts are so intermingled."
Fluttershy shivered. "So...that means...we'll be getting ghosts?"
"Yes, but the greatest chance for you to get them is that portal that was just opened. Natural portals have a much lower chance of producing invading ghosts due to their infrequency and the fact they open and close so fast. Some only open for a millisecond before closing forever."
"Oooh!" Pinkie Pie called, staring at a beaten thermos that had Dark Dan's face imprinted in it. "What's this?" She tapped the glass container around it, and Danny gasped.
"Don't touch that!" he said, pushing her away from it. He sighed. "Sorry, but please...don't even touch it. Ever. This thing makes up my nightmares I still have..."
"What's in it?" Rainbow asked curiously. Danny, Sam, and Tucker shared nervous looks, and Clockwork gave the thermos a cold stare.
"This is the result of a twisted timeline. It's also how Danny got his ghostly wail."
"I'd have the ghostly wail taken away just for that thing to never have come into being." Danny said harshly. Pinkie Pie hopped up to him.
"Oh! Is this from that dark and scary adventure thingy?"
"Yeah. The one time where Clockwork intervened...you can see his face imprinted on it. He's tried to bust out, hasn't he?" Danny asked Clockwork. Clockwork nodded.
"Yes. But he is getting weaker all the time as time wears on. When the ten years is up, he shall no longer exist."
"What is he?" Applejack asked. Danny stared at it.
"The bane of my existence and the darkest ghost of all. I just wish you were there with your Elements of Harmony; it's possible they could've stopped him."
There was sudden silence. Everypony stared at him. Danny wasn't sure what to say for awhile, but eventually he gave in. "Because you guys will never stop wondering, I'll tell you...because I trust you won't tell anyone. Not even the princesses. And definitely not my parents. It would kill me for them to hear what happened..."
Danny recalled the tale. The ponies were horrified, yet sat in silence and listened. Cringes, gasps, and horror was the reaction. When Danny was finished, it was evident how much the hard story had taken out of him. Twilight Sparkle looked at the thermos. "It sounds a lot like what happened with Nightmare Moon...except with much more murder. Danny, don't you ever worry about this guy. If he escapes, we'll be ready. He has no chance against harmony."
The boy nodded and steered clear of what he just talked about. He turned back to Clockwork. "So you won't allow me to go back?"
"No, Daniel. You should head home and get those thermoses and weapons your parents told you to get...and tell the guards in Equestria to make them standard issue."
They returned through Danny's portal at home and retrieved the requested ghost hunting items and went back to Equestria. When they got back, Maddie and Jack had already distributed blueprints for the thermos and guns. Danny did not have nearly enough to equip all the guards, but a few got them.
On the way out, they stopped at the doughnut shop. Joe had their doughnuts ready, and as soon as he looked at them, he frowned. "Rough day?" he asked. Danny groaned.
"You don't know the half of it."