Different Effects of the Past

Chapter 1: Everyone In Between

A.N. Now, 'What Happens in the Past Doesn't Have to Stay There' takes place after the episode 'Masters of Time', so right now, in this timeline, Vlad is living in his Wisconsin Castle, he is NOT the mayor and Danny has no ice powers yet which means I get to have some fun with it later on.

Also, from everything I looked up, for my story I put Amity Park around about in the North of Minnesota. Just for reference. Now please enjoy the chapter.

It was now three weeks since Vlad had first been afflicted with his second bout of ecto-acne and though he was still quite weak he was well enough to be soaring through the Ghost Zone. He'd spent the last week reading and rereading through everything he could find that had a mention of Clockwork the Master of Time in it. Having never met the ghost before he was apprehensive to say the least but now at least he knew everything he could possibly know about him via the written word and the boy thing left was to go hunting for him. He wasn't foolish enough to believe that he could defeat the Master of Time, not after everything he'd learned about Clockwork's powers, but he could at least voice his disapproval.

It took him longer than he would've liked, but eventually, Vlad flew down to the floating tower surrounded by wheels and cogs and he found Clockwork waiting for him.

"I've been expecting you," the Master of Time turned and smiled at Vlad, his appearance changing to his elderly state, "I am Clockwork, Master of Time, but you knew that."

"If that's indeed the case," Vlad began, planting his feet firmly on the ground, not wanting to waster energy floating when he didn't need to. "Then you know what I'm going to say," he frowned.

"I do," Clockwork nodded briefly, "And believe me when I say that I am sorry and that had there been another way to accomplish what was necessary I would have done it."

"I don't want to hear your excuses," the hybrid scoffed, angered further when the ghost only smiled again.

"No, you want to complain, well, you don't need to, I've heard it all before you've even said it."

"Well you can hear it again, and perhaps it will sink in this time," Vlad shot back, "The Behemoth, I assume was your doing as well."

"Of course," Clockwork nodded, "But that's not important, what is important is that you listen to me and start setting aside your grudge against Danny's father."

"I think my grudge is more justified than most," Vlad snarled, "I can't simply set it aside."

"Some some might call it 'fate', that things happened the way they did."

"Fate?!" Vlad yelled, "What possible reason could there be for me to deserve such a 'fate'; to be bitter and alone, the only one of my kind for twenty years?"

"You choose to be alone, just as you always have, the fault lies with you."

"I had no other choice," the hybrid snarled.

"Danny seems to think differently about his own situation."

"He's still a child, I wasn't."

"Yes, and as such, he has much to learn, much he could learn from you, if you would but teach him."

"If you really do know all, then you know that I've offered and he has declined, several times, I might add. What more can I do?" Vlad shrugged.

"You and I both know that the price you ask for your guidance is too high. Danny will never give you what you desire and so it keeps you from the one thing you desire. You know he will never renounce his father or his moral code and I can't help but wonder if it's your jealousy that keeps this vain hope afloat."

"Jealousy?" Vlad raised an eyebrow.

"Danny has the potential to become much more powerful than you; the energy that caused his transformation was much more potent and unpolluted than yours. I believe you've more than once thought about how powerful he could be once he matures. Is that why you ask such a high price, because you don't actually want him to learn from you and surpass you someday?"

"I want more than anything else to teach Daniel," Vlad growled.

"Really?" Clockwork narrowed his eyes, "I'm relieved to hear it.

"Surely you already know that."

"I know you are confused," the Time Master replied, "I know you deeply care for the boy even if you can't explain why you care. You've gotten so used to the idea that your wealth can buy you everything and you've been faced with the opposite. You are an intelligent man and yet your actions over the past few years say anything but."

"I'm also a man who doesn't appreciate criticism."

"I know," Clockwork smiled, "That's why you need it. I had important reasons for doing what I did and I don't expect you to understand them yet, but what you do need to understand is that your actions have consequences. I've seen a hundred different futures for both you and Danny and just know that not all of them are antagonistic."

"What proof do I have of these 'different futures'?"

"You will have to settle for my word, I cannot show you," the Time Master replied.

"How convenient."

"If you continue on your current path, mark my words, you will regret it. Not only will you isolate yourself from Danny, but from the entire world as well."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means what it means. There are limits to what I can and cannot tell you; ultimately, the decision to change must be yours alone, there's only so much 'help' I can offer."

"So far you've 'offered' nothing but criticisms to me and insights into my past to Daniel when you have no right to give either."

"I have every right, it is my duty, I am the Master of Time, both human and ghost time...and everyone in between."

"And that gives you the right to display my life like an open book to a group of...of...of teenagers?!" Vlad breathed heavily, his furry surfacing again.

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't! It's my life, not yours, not Daniel's, you have no right show anyone anything! That right is mine alone!"

"So, if I were to offer you the same opportunity...say...a chance to understand Danny's life a little more, what would you say then?" Clockwork asked suddenly with a smile.

"What?"

"You've studied Danny extensively, you know his limits, you know his mind better than he knows it himself and yet you don't understand him as a person, just like he didn't understand you until I did what I did. It seems only fitting that I give you the same chance."

"Don't even think about it!" Vlad exclaimed quickly and the Time ghost tilted his head with a knowing smile. "I understand the boy perfectly well, I don't require your 'opportunity'."

"Is this in deference of his privacy or in regards to your own ego?"

"Don't you know?"

"Humour me."

"You've no right to ask that of me," the man sneered.

"And nor have you any right to treat Danny as you have done, but that doesn't stop you, does it?"

"I am training him."

"Like you were 'trained'?" the ghost replied, making Vlad catch his breath, "You still resent your father for what he did...is that how you want Danny to see you...forever?"

"He...won't learn any other way..." Vlad insisted, looking away

"How do you know?" Clockwork asked gently, "You haven't tried...but it's not to late to do so."

"I'm too old to change."

"No one is ever too old, believe me, I know. You don't need to trust me, Vladimir, you need to trust yourself," Clockwork replied enigmatically.

Vlad scoffed and shook his head in frustration; the conversation wasn't gong as he'd planned and he'd learned nothing. He didn't want to stay in the presence of the Master of Time any longer because the ghost was speaking to him as a superior and to Vlad that was unacceptable. He knew that nothing he said would make Clockwork see things his way and that any further 'discussion' would be a complete waste of time. So without any further thought, Vlad let out an exasperated breath and teleported away, leaving the Master of Time with a knowing smile on his face.

"...An adults only ghost conference in Indiana?" Danny repeated incredulously. He was sat the the kitchen table, his hand frozen half way up to his mouth with milk and cereal dripping from the spoon he held. Blinking in confusion he dropped the spoon back int the bowl and stared at his parents who were looking very, very excited. Both Maddie and Jack Fenton were all but jumping up and down in uncontrollable joy as Maddie held the invitation in her hand ad they smiled at their two children sat at the table.

Danny and Jazz shared a look of confusion and turned back to their parents, "Erm...who sent this...invitation?" Danny asked them.

"Who cares?! It's adults only!" he laughed, "I'll go pack the Fenton gear!" he cried and went running through the house in joy.

"Don't start without me!" Maddie giggled and ran after him.

"...Y'know..." Danny sighed, "Sometimes I wonder who the adults are supposed to be in this house."

"You're not the only one," his sister smiled kindly back, "But it's not like they go away much - let them have their fun."

"I don't know if it will be fun," Danny shook his head, "What if this is one of Vlad's schemes, I mean, he hasn't done anything in a while so maybe this is his way of saying 'Im still here, and I still plan on making your life miserable.' He's pulled this stupid stunt before, Jazz," he said, "He did this before and then he made the plane crash so me and mom had to stay in his stupid, creepy chalet...it didn't exactly go according to plan."

"I don't know...it's seems a bit..." Jazz shrugged, "Maybe this isn't Vlad," she suggested, "It's not very smart to try the same thing twice after all, if it didn't work the first time."

"I guess, but..." Danny shrugged, unconvinced.

"Just don't remind mom and dad about getting us a..." Jazz began when their parents came crashing back into the room.

"By the way, kids," Maddie began, "You'll need a babysitter."

"I knew it," Jazz moped, "Mom, I'm old enough to look after myself and Danny..."

"I don't need 'looking after'," Danny protested, "...And what about all the ghost equipment here? It scares away the mailman let alone a babysitter!"

"He's got a point," Jack said to his wife.

"Well, we can't leave them on their own, Jack," Maddie replied.

"I've got it!" he grinned, snapping his fingers in a eureka moment, "They can stay with Vladdie!"

"What?!" Danny and Jazz exclaimed simultaneously.

"We will have to drive past Wisconsin anyway...it won't be too far out of our way," Maddie mulled over the idea.

"Why can't we just stay with Sam or Tucker?" Danny asked quickly.

"One of you maybe, but not both of you; we've got enough trouble with the neighbours without asking for favours," his mother answered quickly.

"If you had some friends you could've stayed with them," Danny muttered to his sister who scowled back.

"I'll call Vladdie!" Jack grinned, running off again and Maddie followed.

"Just great," Danny pushed away his long forgotten bowl of cereal and flopped down onto the table, "I'm going to stay with my arch enemy...just great."

"I thought things weren't so bad now," Jazz said.

"Well, he hasn't tried any stupid stunts like I said, unless this is one of 'em, but that doesn't mean that everything's okay."

"And mom and dad still don't know that we know that he's our go..."

"Don't say it!" Danny quickly stopped her.

"Why not?"

"Because," he muttered.

"Because what?"

"Just because, Jazz, that's why."

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I think you should've asked them about it."

"Oh really, and how would I explain how we found out? Should I tell them that a ghost told me?!" Danny scoffed, "That'd go down really well, what a good idea, genius."

"Well, it's better than ignoring it, it's not a problem that's going to just go away if you ignore it for the rest of your life."

"I won't ignore it for the rest of my life...I'll just ignore it for the rest of his life," her brother mumbled pedantically.

"Danny," she sighed, "I know you care about this, just like I know that you kept that pocket watch he gave you."

"How'd you know that?"

"I know where you hide it too," Jazz grinned.

"How?!"

"I'm supposed to know these things, I'm your sister," she answered.

"You've been snooping in my room again, haven't you?" Danny asked flatly.

"Danny!" Jack yelled out and Danny sighed as he walked through into the sitting room where his father handed him the phone, "Vladdie wants to talk to you."

"Erm...hi..." Danny said, after he took the phone and before he could get in another syllable, Vlad spoke up.

"Daniel - finally some sanity - what took you so long?" Vlad demanded and Danny frowned.

"Huh?" the boy blinked in confusion.

"Your father has been blathering on about a new stupid invention or other without any explanation for five very long minutes and if you don't tell me what's going on, I'll..."

"...He didn't mention the conference then?" Danny asked slowly.

"No," Vlad answered curtly.

"The conference in Indiana?"

"No."

"Oh..." Danny sighed, "...This is awkward..."

"Explain," Vlad ordered.

"See...there's a conference in Indiana..."

"I gathered."

"...And mom and dad are going...and dad says...we - me and Jazz, are supposed to stay with you," Danny explained quickly, "It wasn't my idea, okay, so don't go crazy or anything, I said I'd stay with my friends, but because Jazz doesn't have any friends, mom said...Jazz! Knock it off!" he broke off when Jazz threw a cushion at him. "Sorry," he turned his attention back to Vlad, "Mom said because they'd be driving through Wisconsin it be easy for us to stay with you, and she didn't want to ask the neighbours for any favours since they don't get along anyway, and dad said he'd tell you about it but he must've got distracted so...erm...that's it..."

"I see," Vlad said.

"Look...you didn't plan this, did you?" Danny sighed, "Because I remember that last time you..."

"No," Vlad rolled his eyes, interrupting Danny, "In fact I was planning on going to the conference myself, but when I heard that your parents were invited I...naturally changed my mind."

"You mean when you heard dad was going."

"...Yes, that."

"And you knew about the conference before I even said anything?"

"Yes."

"So you didn't really need me to explain anything?"

"Not really, no," Vlad chuckled.

"Not funny."

"Very funny," the older hybrid corrected, "The thought that I can terrify you even over the telephone is a very reassuring one."

"Fruitloop," Danny muttered, "I wasn't scared," he mumbled after.

"Of course not."

"I don't care whether you let us stay or not, I'd rather stay at Skulker's, and that's saying something," the young hybrid shot back angrily. "In fact, I'd rather fight the Ghost King with both my arms tied behind my back..."

"In that case, I'd be delighted to let you and your sister stay at my castle," Vlad replied cheerfully.

"...You do realise how warped that whole statement was after what I just said...right?"

"Naturally."

"Argh!" Danny gritted his teeth, "You're such a fruitloop!"

"You've said that so many times, Daniel, it's lost all meaning," Vlad deadpanned.

"Then I'll just come up with some new insults."

"I would advise you to use your head this time round, but I wouldn't want my favourite godson to give himself an aneurism."

"Say what?!" Danny yelled, "Now see here, you no good, lying, stupid..."

"Danny..." Jazz coughed lightly, cutting off her younger brother before their parents could hear as they walked into the room.

"Sorry, mom, looks like we'll be staying home after all, Vlad doesn't want us there," Danny said quickly.

"I said nothing of the kind," Vlad replied, but of course no one else heard.

"That doesn't sound like Vladdie," Jack scratched his head and marched over to take the phone from his son.

"No, dad, don't..." Danny protested and was ignored.

"Vladdie, Danny says..."

"I heard what he said, Jack, it was just a small misunderstanding, I told him that the children of my friend are always welcome at my home," Vlad told him and Jack beamed.

"There, see Danny, no worries, Vladdie says he'd love you to stay over," the large man in orange smiled.

"But I..." Danny began.

"Thanks, V-man," Jack smiled, "We'll see you soon," he said, putting down the phone.

"...Oh, nuts," the young hybrid muttered to himself and he was sure that Vlad was laughing over in Wisconsin; laughing at him.