A/N: Well, dear readers, (sniff) here is the Epilogue as I promised. Not much to say, (sighs) except that I don't own the Danny Phandom franchise, though I wish I did. But I do own this story and the OCs in it! So, without further ado, enjoy the show!

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Entanglement—Chapter 33—Epilogue—Adjustments

Dan Phantom tried to blink the spots away from his eyes and unconsciously clutched at his still-aching chest when he reappeared in the future, alternate Amity Park. Time travel had never bothered him before, but apparently it did in this case because his core was still injured.

His thoughts of revenge against Clockwork and Danny faded as he looked all around him. It didn't help that his vision was still blurry as he tried to orient himself to where he was. He frowned as he slowly floated forward. He was not familiar with this part of Amity Park. It certainly looked like it should be part of his turf because there was the usual debris all over the place.

Finally, as he was approaching what looked like a large wall made up of twisted concrete and steel, his vision began to clear. Still, he was not satisfied about where he was.

"Have things gone to pot, well, gone more to pot since I've been gone?" he privately mused.

The ghost then smirked. "Maybe a few ghosts got uppity and tried to take over when they realized I was gone…well, they've had their fun, but it's over now!"

He floated closer to the odd-looking wall.

But after he examined it and other areas, he muttered in confusion, "This damage is fresh because it's still smoking."

He twisted violently around and re-scanned the area. But there was no other living being around right now.

Dan flew up higher toward the top of the wall and checked over the entire area and that's when he saw the…

"Ghost shield!" he said to himself before he wryly smirked. "So, the Old Man brought me right back to the time and place before I left this area. And that would mean that I'm at the edge of the neutral zone shortly after my ghostly wail destroyed this part…And so, that would also mean that I have time to plan on how I'm going to make sure that the other ghosts know that I'm still boss here."

But then, Phantom grimaced slightly when he felt a pain shoot through his still-damaged core, "Of course, that will take a lot of planning now since it might take a while for my core to heal."

The ghost had a sudden sick feeling about it as he growled "That is, if I'll be able to get to my former power level or redevelop those powers that that witch ripped out of me!"

A flutter of mourning suddenly passed over him as he thought about his lost powers: his ghostly wail and his ability to replicate. These two were not only his most powerful ones, but they were also the ones he would most likely used during his battles with other ghosts, the humans and…Valerie!

And now, he couldn't use them anymore. But then he scowled in dissatisfaction when he thought about using his invisibility and intangibility powers instead. Unless he was willing to renege on his agreement with Valerie, he couldn't use them either! Besides, if he did use them—at least when he was fighting with the humans—Valerie might discover the reason why: because he would need them now that he was a level-eight ghost.

Though he wasn't happy about that, he couldn't help being more upset at the thought of Valerie finding out about his…changes.

The future ghost suddenly clenched his teeth and hissed when he felt more pain stab at his core, followed by a sudden loss in strength. Now focused on that, he grunted in anger and frustration, "Being here and not in the Ghost Zone must be compromising my overall strength and endurance more than it did in the past. So, I might have to disengage in any battles sooner than I want and be forced to take longer recovery times in the Ghost Zone."

But then, he threw his discouraging thoughts away and smirked, "Might mean that my battles will be more interesting from now on…After all, they had become so easy that it was boring…"

Phantom suddenly halted in that thought before continuing with a new train of thought, "Well, then, it's time to get to planning how to keep any future battle more on the 'interesting' side and less on the 'harder' side!"

Suddenly, however, he noticed a slight shadow move across the wall of debris at the corner of his left eye. He reflexively charged up his red energy within his hands and whirled around to face…

"Skultech!" Dan uttered in both surprise and relief as he deactivated his energy. But then, he frowned when his red ghost sense eked out of his nostrils several seconds late. For the first time, it had failed to alert him of a ghost beforehand! And he could only guess that it must be because of his still-injured core!

Nevertheless, Dan bit the inside of his lower lip and steeled himself from any other emotion when the cyborg ghost addressed him.

"We were getting worried," the Technus-part whined through the aperture at the robot's abdomen. "A lot of ghosts heard all the ruckus coming from here right after that bratty kid from the past stirred up all that trouble. They came snooping around asking questions."

"But we managed to bluff them into thinking that you had everything in control even though you had been missing," the Skulker-part added. "They all just left in fact."

"Of course, I had everything under control," Phantom smugly replied. "But when and how did you get here and how long have I been gone?"

"We were sent back here by Clockwork shortly after we arrived at his tower," the Skulker began, "and you've only been gone thirty minutes after that. So, what happened to you?"

Dan smirked wickedly at the thoughts whirling in his head before he said, "Never mind about that. All that matters is that I'm back….and have a lot of plans to make!"

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Vlad Plasmius grumbled under his breath after the time bubble landed within the foyer of his mansion before it disappeared. Not only was his vision still blurry, but he could also tell that his face was still flushed and his core hadn't stopped throbbing.

As he changed back into his human form, Vlad hitched in a gasp and clutched at his chest. Even morphing hurt!

The last time he had felt this…powerless and hurt was when he was a prisoner of the Observants! And he had never gotten over that bitter taste out of his mouth, much less expect it to intensify from all of this!

"Blast it all!" he growled, trying to ignore his hot face and the pain in his chest. "It was already bad enough what that conniving time spirit did to me during my trumped-up trial with those imbecilic Observants! But for him to have the audacity to get me out of Ĉasista's lair and use the opportunity to show me up with Daniel again is too much!"

The very flustered man gritted his teeth and added, "If he thinks that I feel one ounce of indebtedness to him, he's sadly mistaken! And the nerve of him calling me 'pompous'! If ever there was an over-inflated ego, it's Clockwork's!"

Suddenly, Vlad realized that he was actually panting with his fury. And the pain in his core seemed to be scorching him. Now more upset that he let the time spirit indirectly control him even at this moment, he narrowed his eyes and concentrated on slowing his breathing.

After a few more seconds, the older hybrid felt the steam lessen in his core and face.

He was still very upset… but after getting a hold of himself, he felt a drain in energy.

The man didn't realize until this point that he was exhausted and famished.

He quickly walked over to the intercom, pushed the button, and grumpily barked, "George!"

"Sir? You're back already?!" the ghost chef blurted out in excitement before he caught himself and replied, "Uh, I mean, yes, sir?"

"Back already!?" Vlad snapped back. "Just what day and time do you think this is anyways?"

"Why, it's still Saturday, sir and around seven-thirty in the morning," George answered. "Derek said you left only a half-hour ago without leaving any instructions. I was wondering why you had left in such a hurry without breakfast, only now, you're back!"

"Saturday? And only seven-thirty in the morning?" Vlad muttered incredulously to himself, quickly ignoring his ghost chef's last comments.

"Y-Yes, sir," George hesitantly replied, a bit spooked by his employer's tone. "Would you like to finally have some breakfast, then, sir?"

Still not listening to the ghost, Vlad continued in disbelief, "Why did that devil of a spirit send me back only thirty minutes before I initially left to search for…"

"Skulker!" he practically gasped, realizing that he had forgotten all about him.

"Uh, I haven't seen him for days, sir," George confessed. But privately, the ghost chef was afraid to add anymore because he immediately thought that maybe his employer hadn't fully recovered from that Spectre attack after all. Nevertheless, he offered, "Uh, but if you would rather wait later for something to eat, I would…"

"No!" Vlad grumbled, more irritated with himself than with his ghost chef. "I mean, never mind what I just said. I really have to get something to eat before I go look for Skulker again. Just fix me a quick omelet and some toast, George. I'll be in my lab."

"V-Very good, sir. I'll make sure that Derek brings it to you."

George grew more nervous when Vlad didn't say anything to acknowledge his comment. He was about to ask for further instructions when Vlad then answered more quietly, "Thank you, George…as always. And yes, have Derek bring it down to the lab."

Little did George know that the man had finally calmed himself enough after being upset only with himself for forgetting about his robot ghost friend again.

"You're always welcome, sir," George hesitantly replied.

He cut off the intercom and began to prepare that light breakfast….

Vlad was next to his computer already booting it up when there was a rap on the door.

"Come in," the older hybrid said without looking away from the computer's monitor.

"Your breakfast, sir," Derek softly replied.

"Just put it at the usual place, Derek," came the casual reply.

"As you wish, sir," the butler quietly said before he made a hurry retreat. The butler wasn't going to press his luck even after finding the man more civil right now after having been out of sorts for such a long time.

After the computer was fully up and running, Vlad mused out loud, "Daniel got Skulker out of Ĉasista's lair, but where did he actually put him?"

The older hybrid pushed a few buttons, which sent out a signal to the robotic ghost.

When there was no response a few minutes later, Vlad sent out a fresh set of signals.

The man's brow furrowed in disappointment soon afterward and he uttered in worry, "Where are you, Skulker?"

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The real, tiny Skulker grunted with the effort of pulling on the manual lever within his robotic head that would release him from his essentially gummed up robotic suit.

That crude portal he had been thrust into was long gone. And it had taken awhile before the speed of his unplanned trajectory had slowed to a stop, which was bad enough. And now, he had been floating helplessly for a few hours somewhere completely unknown to him in the Ghost Zone. But what was worst was that he had no way of finding out or doing anything about it because all of his instruments and robotic joints were stuck by Ĉasista's webbing. And that only meant that he was a sitting, well, okay, a floating duck for any kind of vile creature which might stumble upon him.

"Come on! Come on!" he grumbled as he continued to struggle with the lever without success.

Then, Skulker stopped at his next thought.

"Of course," he concluded grumpily, "The lever will not work because the seam and hinge of the robot's head were severely damaged by that witch before she glued them down in place!"

He let go of the lever and grunted in exasperation, "Now look what you have done to me, Ghost Child! And if you think this means that I am indebted to you after throwing me into a foreign place in such a disadvantaged state, you are sorely mistaken! In fact, I would say that this makes us even as far as…"

He quickly cut himself off in slight confusion as he completed his thought, "…as far as what? It is not like he and I are keeping score on who does what to whom, as if this was some kind of friendly competition!"

But even that conclusion didn't satisfy the ghost and he quickly threw it all away in annoyance for having lost control of his emotions.

He took in a deep ghostly breath in and slowly let it out before commanding himself, "Enough! And think like a hunter!"

Suddenly, the diminutive ghost startled slightly when he heard a strange beep coming from one of his robotic arms. He shifted slightly over to the binocular-like device mounted to the floor in the center of his robotic head that connected to his robotic eyes and peered through it. He strained to look down at that glued down arm because he still couldn't move his head very well from all of its damage.

Finally, he caught a glimpse of the area and instantly frowned. He hadn't recognized that beep at first because the slime covering it had muffled it. But now, he was sure that that beep was a signal from Plasmius.

"What does he want?" Skulker first thought in irritation. "He is probably calling just to complain about some trivial thing, as usual…"

But then, the ghost's eyes widened at the realization. "Wait! How can Plasmius be calling…unless he somehow got free?! Ha-ha! The pup must have gotten everyone out after all!"

Encouraged once more, the tiny ghost grabbed a hold of the emergency manual lever and renewed his efforts in getting it to budge.

But then, the beeping stopped. Though feeling his core sink a bit with that, Skulker pressed on until he halted in exhaustion several minutes later.

He panted to himself in frustration, "Oh, what is the use?! There is no telling when—or if—this spirit webbing will even wear away! And I cannot believe that I actually wished that Plasmius had implanted some kind of tracking device into this suit…"

The ghost puckered his face. Did he?

"That would be just like him to do that and not tell me…" he mumbled in annoyance, before he dismissed the thought. "I am just going to have to float around here until…well, I do not know when!"

Now tired and upset, the ghost yelled out into the cosmos, "Could anything get any worse?!"

Suddenly, Skulker heard a loud, unsettling whooshing sound just ahead of him. He anxiously peered outward and saw a small ball of light jutting out from, but attached to, a large, green blur that was rapidly approaching him!

He tensed; and both sets of his eyes widened just before he finally saw what was a gigantic angler ghost fish opening its mouth, only moments from engulfing him!

In the next instant, the monster practically inhaled the hapless ghost hunter.

Now that Skulker was within its belly and surrounded by total darkness, he sarcastically added, "Of course, I just had to say it!"

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The time bubble containing Clockwork, Danny, Sam and Tucker quickly dissipated and softly deposited them on the ground in Central Park.

A tense, unusual silence surrounded the foursome.

Old Man Clockwork could see that all of the teens were completely exhausted—and Danny looked the worst of the three. And really, underneath, the time spirit didn't want to say too much more. After all, he had already revealed a lot about himself that he usually kept to himself, especially those things that he wasn't proud of, like his past role when it came to the Angeli. He couldn't afford to have those things bother him or distract him from his duties...Still, he couldn't help but be a bit…worried about in what light these three special people might see him from now on. Because in the end, they depended on him and he would never want to lose their…trust.

At least, however, the Time Master could be a little more at peace knowing that he didn't influence Angelus-alvus's decision about his kin. And though he didn't want to waste any more time, he still had a few things to say to the teens, which was enough of a cue for him to break the silence.

As he morphed to his youngest form, Clockwork finally said to the threesome, "Just so you know, none of you have not been missed any longer than when Danny and Sam left Valerie's house to go look for you, Tucker. You should be able to get home and get some much-needed rest without worrying any of your parents."

He turned to the young hybrid in particular and continued, "It is truly unfortunate that nothing could have been done to prevent that injury to your ghost core, Danny. I was unable to penetrate the Sfero de Ĥaoso any sooner than the moment I did."

Tucker and Sam instantly gasped and looked at their friend in worry because they, of course, had been unaware of what had happened in Ĉasista's lair while they were either gone or indisposed.

Danny blushed and rubbed the back of his neck in spite of the pain still throbbing in his core and stammered, "I-It's not your fault, Clockwork…And, er, even though I know that I don't have to say this, I kinda want you to know that I still think you're awesome, no matter what has happened—all of it. I know you did, uh, your best, as you always do and as you're allowed to do."

Though the adult time spirit was touched, he pursed his lips slightly and hesitantly pressed, "Even if it is very possible that you might not be able to heal from that wound since you were injured by a spirit?"

Once again, Tucker and Sam gasped in concern since they were burning to know what happened. But they managed to hold their tongues.

Danny, meanwhile, swallowed hard at the news but still replied, "Well, honestly, I never thought about that. And in some ways, maybe I kinda deserved it 'cause we wouldn't have had to go through all of this crud if I hadn't been such a jerk."

His lower lip suddenly quivering, Tucker immediately erupted, "Don't say that, dude! If anyone's to blame, it's me!"

The oldest form of the Time Master raised his hand to signal them to be quiet again, and the boys obliged him—though neither of them were satisfied.

Clockwork then turned to Sam and said, "I know, however, that you are on your way to recovery, 'Mistress Sam'. And don't worry. You will be able to return to where you want to be."

The boys' faces lit up in confusion as they looked between the spirit and the girl.

Sam merely blushed and slightly nodded, since she knew from her still-uncontrollable powers that Clockwork had somehow sensed her anxiety over not being able to overcome this new problem. Still, she managed to softly reply, "Thank you, Clockwork."

Once again, Danny and Tucker, trying to understand the spirit and girl's exchange, shot glances between them. Nevertheless, they opted to let it go for now.

Finally, young Clockwork addressed Tucker in particular, "And so, Tucker, it looks as if you had the most adventure of us all."

Tucker, however, was still upset over what Danny had said. He certainly didn't deserve the break that Clockwork seemed to be giving him at the moment. Instead, he swallowed hard in a mixture of embarrassment and shame as he blurted out, "Well, uh…uh, I never wanted that kind of excitement…but…I'm so sorry for everything! This is all my fault! And…"

The teen suddenly stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look and saw that it was Danny's hand on his shoulder before Danny said with a weak grin, "Hey, Tuck, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were sounding just like me!"

Tucker, however, didn't laugh or smile back. Rather, he choked back the pressure around his eyes and throat and continued, "I can't believe that I got you permanently hurt, dude! And Sam! I thought you were going to die! And I don't even want to think how even more badly all of this would have turned out if…"

Danny was quick to gently interrupt him with a slight smile, "Yeah, everything could have been much worse if it wasn't for you somehow convincing the Angelus to help—which from what I remember about him, was almost impossible to do! That took a lot of guts, man."

"And that would make you the hero!" Sam piped in.

"And if I recall, you were able to tap into some unexpected resources that didn't come from your—what do you call it—oh yes, your 'PDA'," the adult Time Spirit added with a slight lift of one of his eyebrows.

Tucker paused when he realized that everyone was trying to make him feel better, since, in reality, it was his fault that all of this happened.

"Well," the bespectacled teen replied, "About that, uh, 'unexpected' stuff, Clockwork. I don't really understand it and don't even know if I can do it ever again."

"What are you talking about?" Sam then asked.

Tucker hesitated when he realized that his female friend had never seen what he thought might be his spirit energy in action. He said, "Well, it's a long story and…"

Suddenly, a red beam of energy struck the ground very close to the oldest Clockwork and carved out a small smoldering crater!

The three teens reflexively whirled around to face their attacker, while Clockwork remained stationery and calm.

Sam and Tucker then dove behind a bush. Danny, however, though upset that his ghost sense hadn't warned him, threw himself up into the air. But, no sooner had he done that when he hissed in pain. Nevertheless, he steeled himself and searched the darkening skies.

Sam saw another red beam rapidly approaching the youngest Clockwork again and she yelled out, "Look out!"

Yet again, the beam barely missed the Time Master!

Exasperated, Tucker yelled out to the time spirit, "Clockwork, aren't ya goin' to freeze time or shoot back or something?"

All of the sudden, everyone still on the ground looked upward when they heard Danny cry out:

"Valerie!"

A few moments later, both Danny and the Red Huntress were landing near the grounded group.

Valerie was still in the midst of apologizing to the young hybrid, "I'm so sorry, Danny! I didn't know it was you, honest!"

But when the girl hunter got a better look at her friend, she gasped, "What happened to you? Ohmigosh, are you all right? Did I hit you?! It's just that I decided to go out looking for Tucker myself when this really cool new hoverboard appeared out of nowhere! And then, my sensors picked up a level-twenty ghost!"

"Spirit," the adult Master of Time casually corrected her before adding, "And the energy level is…temporary." He would not say anything to suggest where that new hoverboard had come from.

Valerie gasped and her eyes widened at the sound of the foreign voice, and then her mouth dropped open when she actually turned in the direction of where that voice came from and saw Clockwork.

"Valerie, this is Clockwork, the Master of Time," Sam smugly said as she came from behind the bushes. "Clockwork, this is our friend, Valerie."

Keeping her eyes glued on the spirit, the Red Huntress stammered, "Uh, uh, y-you're Clockwork?"

"In the flesh," Danny quipped before he slightly chuckled, "Uh, I mean, in the ethereal flesh!"

Sam rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"And you're not a ghost but a spirit? There's a difference?" Valerie asked incredulously.

"Yes, Valerie," Tucker then piped in, who had also come out from behind the bushes right after Sam.

But before the boy could continue, Valerie excitedly yelled out, "Ohmigosh! Tucker! You're here! They found you! Where have you been? We've been worried sick and…"

"I am sorry to interrupt," old Clockwork then seriously injected as his face grew more somber. "But I have to be going now. I just have one more matter of concern to discuss with Tucker."

"M-Me?" Tucker barely choked out in surprise and sudden worry. He then desperately thought of the possible reason for the spirit's sudden stern gaze and quickly added, "Uh, Uh, if it's about what I did to your castle, I will do whatever…"

Once again, Clockwork the Youth cut off the conversation, and narrowing his eyes, seriously added, "I see that you will take your actions seriously and willingly accept any consequences starting from now on, then."

Tucker gingerly gulped and shook his head in agreement. His voice squeaked as he choked out, "Y-Yes, s-sir, and, boy, am I ever so sorry. A-And if I had it to do all over again, I…"

Suddenly, Tucker stopped in mid-sentence when he focused on the Time Spirit's hand in particular. His mouth then dropped open briefly before he haltingly continued, "Uh, I-I, uh, I…"

All of the other teens could also clearly see what Tucker saw: the adult Time Spirit was firmly holding a…PDA!

With no emotion in his voice, the spirit said, "No, it's not the same one, if that is what you're thinking…Let's just say that the fifteen-years-from-now Skultech Nine-point-Nine did not fare well from my very short little fight with him after he made himself a most unwanted guest and abruptly left several pieces of him behind!"

The Time Spirit then motioned to Tucker to take the device from him.

At first, Tucker took an eager step forward before he stopped dead in his tracks.

Everyone was surprised by his actions except for Clockwork.

Tucker swallowed hard and said, "It was because I was so wrapped up with my old PDA that all this bad stuff happened….I really don't deserve having an even better one. Maybe I should just be plain me and try to help the best I can as a regular guy….Uh, maybe…"

"Maybe you can stop worrying about letting things go to your head when you have us—" Danny piped in before he glanced at the girls and continued, "—all of us— to bring you down to earth again. Trust me on this one!"

The dark-skinned boy bit his lower lip before he released it into a small grin. "Thanks, guys!"

He continued to step toward the morphing Clockwork and when he was close enough, he gingerly took the device from the spirit.

His smile widened as he eyed the PDA and sweetly said, "Glad to meet you, baby!"

When he had a strong feeling that all the other sets of eyes were focusing intently upon him with that remark, he looked up at them, smirked, and added, "Just kidding!"

Now satisfied that all his tasks were done, Old Man Clockwork raised his Time Staff up and announced, "I have taxed time too much."

Knowing that was their cue, Danny, Tucker and Sam chorused, "Thank you, Clockwork!"

Though a wisp of a smile tugged at one of the corners of his mouth, Clockwork only replied, "Time out!" before he disappeared within a portal shaped like a clock with its minute hand spinning…

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Young Clockwork sighed. He had arrived in the Realm Beyond Time within a blink of an eye, but he wasn't finished yet.

In fact, he had stopped at the entrance of his designation precisely at the same time he entered his home realm.

In some ways, he was relieved because he knew that he could no longer bear the extra power given to him because wielding it had really been a strain on him. He had had a throbbing ache in his core from the moment he increased in power and that pain had been slowly intensifying throughout the entire ordeal in the Sfero de Ĥaoso. Most ghosts and spirits would be puzzled by the fact that he could have commanded it at all in the first place, since each realm's amulet only responded to its corresponding spirit race. But only a few beings knew that as Master of Time, with his own special amulet, Clockwork alone had the privilege of wielding any kind of talisman that had ever existed, even if he knew it was only temporary. And that was because he had to admit that La Unua was right: only she could command all of the spirit amulets indefinitely and without harm because of her unique nature, whereas his wielding too much Timeless Magic would overwhelm and destroy even him in the end.

He paused as his mind shifted back to his task. He really dreaded this moment because he would have to deal with the Observants over this matter—even when he suspected that they had a hand in all of this.

Nevertheless, he raised his staff with the intentions of pulling off the morphed Observant orb from its top when he stopped to look at the palm of that same hand, which was his left one.

He slightly smirked as he looked at the still slightly glowing red scar the shape of the gem of the Sfero de Ĥaoso that was in essence branded onto that hand, "Looks like Danny and Tucker won't be the only ones who have a lasting reminder of this ordeal…Maybe I deserved it as well…"

The spirit then pulled the Timeless Magic orb off of his Time Staff and slipped the Timeless Magic orb into one of the pockets of his cape. He immediately felt a tremendous drain of power and the ache in his core lessened. After another slight pause, he tiredly rapped his staff against the door in front of him.

An Observant servant quickly opened it.

Just as Clockwork melded into his adult form, he frowned in puzzlement. The servant had said nothing to him while opening the door, before then quickly ushering him in, and leading him to the High Tribune's chamber.

Once the two arrived at the chamber's door, the Observant silently raised his hand in signal for Clockwork to wait, which the spirit obliged before the servant went in and closed the door.

Finally, the same Observant came back out and simply said, "You may go in, Time Master."

"Thank you," Old Man Clockwork politely replied just as the two passed each other before Clockwork entered the room.

At first, Clockwork and the Observant twins—Justeco and Konsilisto—merely greeted each other with no words.

But then, the young Time Master broke the silence and said, "I see that you were expecting me…"

"Indeed, we were," Justeco said.

However, Clockwork could tell by Justeco's tone of voice that the Observant was upset. But he didn't comment about it.

"And we are so glad that you responded to our signal," Konsilisto added with some trepidation in his voice.

Though puzzled by their comments—since he had received no such recent signal—Clockwork the Adult remained silent.

With his eye conveying dismay, Justeco continued, "Remember the last time you were here?"

Clockwork slowly responded, "Yes?"

Justeco then glanced nervously at his brother and Konsilisto fretfully remarked, "We will have to tell him, brother. We cannot let this disaster be known to the others!"

Now Clockwork was worried that some kind of disastrous time anomaly might have occurred during his recent mission, something that he could very well have missed because he had been so…distracted by that mission. Still, he waited for the brothers to go on.

After a few more tensed moments that made it clear to everyone that the brothers dreaded continuing, Justeco anxiously spilled it out, "We somehow misplaced one of our Orbs! We don't know how that happened! True, when you were last here, it had accidentally fallen to the ground, but I know I put it back in its receptacle! But after you left, and I went to put it fully away, it was gone once again!"

"We looked everywhere for it, all in vain. And so, Clockwork, we were hoping that you could look into your Time Viewing Orb to see where it might have gone," Konsilisto added in exasperation.

Though the youngest form of the Time Master eyed them in suspicion, he slowly said, "I'm sure you did not need me for that. And though this is indeed serious, it has to be here somewhere—unless you have left your lair with the gem."

"No, I assure you that we have not!" Justeco insisted before he floated over to his desk, where the closed receptacle that housed the orb was sitting.

He began to open it and gestured with his bony green hand the proof that it was gone. And indeed, it was.

But then, the High Tribune suddenly gasped and reached down. He then brought the orb from up off of the floor, and nervously stammered, "O-Oh, m-my! H-How embarrassing! H-Here it is! I-I cannot explain it!"

"Yes! This is most awkward!" Konsilisto chimed in, the sides of his eyes actually blushing a bit!

Though the mature Time Master would never admit that he had taken advantage of what he suspected was another trumped-up scheme by these two and momentarily froze the brothers so that he could place the orb on the floor near the desk—something that he could temporarily do even in the Realm Beyond Time—he tersely replied, "Obviously, you both had somehow overlooked the fact that you did not put it in the receptacle correctly as you had thought and it must have rolled off the desk once again…."

Old Man Clockwork's eyes glinted in slight mischievousness as he continued, "But it is interesting how different it looks. If I recall, I believe the Orb was reddish in color, not a deep purple that it is right now."

He, of course, was hinting about the fact that he knew that the twins had morphed two orbs together—the Orb of Power and some Orb of Time.

Without missing a beat, Justeco hurriedly said, "Oh, that must be from the second blow it took from the more recent fall! I am sure it will return to its original color in no time."

"Indeed," the Time Spirit said in a tone that did not point out the obvious lie.

After a brief pause among the threesome, Clockwork tiredly said, "And now, if you will excuse me, I have neglected my time duties for far too long!"

"Indeed," Justeco said with a glint of mischievousness in his eye.

The youngest form of the Time Spirit turned to go, but then he turned back around when he heard Justeco speak again.

"And Clockwork?"

"Yes?" the time spirit tiredly replied.

"Thank you!"

"Yes, thank you, Time Master!" Konsilisto softly echoed.

A barely noticeable smirk tugged at the corner of the Time Spirit's mouth, though he did not reply and, instead, resumed leaving the room.

And once the door closed between them, the twins and the time spirit breathed outward in relief. All of them had the same feeling about this encounter. Usually their little mind games were a façade for the Observants' irritation with Clockwork's bohemian ways and for Clockwork's edginess in having to deal with the Observants. But now, all of them could not deny that in the midst of their usual seemingly indifferent banter, they sensed that each of them was preserving their pride and dignity.

For the first time, they treated each other with honest respect, which opened the path for what could be a beautiful friendship in due time…

THE END

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A/N: Well, dear readers, (sniff), there you have it: the end of this story! I sure hope you enjoyed the ride. And I want to thank all of those loyal reviewers who stuck with me through all of the delays with posting. I cherished all of your thoughts and think y'all are special to me because you took my wacky responses well! Seriously, I thank all of those loyal reviewers for their support. You make me want to write more! Sorry I didn't hear from the rest of you readers, but I thank you for your support as well. I have a few more ideas for stories in my repertoire, but when I post again is uncertain because, duh, I need to WRITE the next story before I can post! But I do have a working title. So, I hope you will tune into my next story, In the Thick of It, when it finally comes around.

Until next time, dear readers! truephan