Author's Note: This takes place a few months after The Ultimate Enemy. Also I apoligize before hand for any typos, misspellings, etc. that I may or may not have missed. Please bare with me, kay!
((Depths of Ghost Zone))
Clockwork's lair was located on the very fringe of the Ghost Zone. Although he generally liked to work alone a few eons ago he had decided he could really use some help monitoring the time and space continuum. Thus he had hired some assistants to do the more menial jobs involved with protecting the time stream and pestering The Observants. However they didn't leave the castle much so not many knew that Clockwork actually had help.
The first person Clockwork had hired was an ancient looking ghost with pale blue "skin", red eyes, and an extremely long white beard that floated around his ghostly figure like drapery in the wind. He was an extremely wrinkled specter and was very hard of hearing. Like Clockwork he wore a long robe but his was in tatters and smelled of moth balls because he didn't believe in new clothes. He was called Timekeep and has is name may imply, he was in charge of monitoring the time stream for any splits, loops, paradoxes, and any other time related problem that might pop up. Unfortunately this job didn't let him get much sleep so he was usually cranky as well.
Along with Timekeep, Clockwork had hired two other assistants as well: Tick and Tock. Tick and Tock were mischievous young twins who were constantly bickering with one another. Tick was pale white with spiky blue hair and red eyes while his brother Tock was pale white with smoothed down red hair and blue eyes. Tick and Tock were Clockwork's informants. Tick's memory is what one might call backwards as he could "remember" or see the future but more recent events and the past were difficult for him to remember. His brother Tock was just the opposite. Tock could recall any historic event in the past but if you asked him to meet you next Tuesday he would probably, ultimately, forget the appointment. Tick and Tock dressed in long robes that looked like Clockwork's except they weren't fitted properly, the sleeves hung well past their hands and you couldn't see any feet because the robe hung well past their legs (though they floated all the time anyway so that didn't matter).
One day while Clockwork was out "visiting" the Observants he had left Timekeep in charge of things as he usually did. Timekeep loved when Clockwork went on one of his visits because it meant that he could take a much deserved nap. Leaning back in his chair in front of the Time Monitor, Timekeep closed his eyes and began to snore.
"Tock…Tock, look the geezer's asleep," Tick whispered, hovering behind the old ghost.
Tock looked up from his history book, "Leave him alone Tick…that old man need's his sleep while he can get it."
"Tch. I ain't gonna bother him. I was just going to point out what a perfect time this would be to go see that thing Clockwork brought back a few months ago."
Tock's jaw dropped, "You actually REMEMBER something?"
Tick glared at his brother, "It's not often Clockwork brings things back here…come on I know where he keeps it."
Tock sighed; he knew there was no point arguing with Tick. He closed his book and followed his brother deep into the bowels of Clockwork's castle. After a few minutes wandering aimlessly through the halls of Clockwork's castle and many wrong turns, Tick came to an abrupt halt in front of a large, intricately carved bronze door. On the handle hung a sign that read: DO NOT ENTER…THAT MEANS YOU TICK! Tick went to open the door but Tock stopped him, "Can't you read dummy…it says not to enter. Clockwork will be angry if he finds out we went where we weren't supposed to."
"He's not gonna know…just don't touch anything," Tick said as he pushed the door open.
"Yeah…well that goes double for you," Tock retorted as he followed his brother into the dark room.
Tick flicked a switch and instantly dozens of torches sprung to life with blue flames. He rolled his eyes, "Honestly, Clockwork can be so dramatic sometimes…would regular light bulbs be SO hard to get?" Tick glanced around the room and then his eyes fell upon a cylindrical object set upon a pedestal in the near center of the room. Tick flew over to it and smiled evilly, "This is it Tock!"
Tock followed over to his brother and gazed disappointingly at the object, "A thermos? Wait, I recognize this…it belongs to that Ghost Kid right?"
"Who," Tick asked.
"Danny Fenton…he's the half ghost kid that Clockwork worked with a few months ago because The Observants were worried about him…I don't know why though," Tock muttered in awe, circling the thermos.
"Whatever…do you want to touch it," Tick asked, reaching a finger towards the shiny, chrome surface.
"Right…and release whatever horrible spirit is trapped inside…I think not," Tock protested.
"Oh come on…you don't think Clockwork would actually let whatever spirit the halfa trapped in here STAY in there do you," Tick said picking up the thermos. Unfortunately for Tick Clockwork HAD kept the something trapped in the thermos and upon picking it up Tick invariably touched something that released it because the next moment a bright ray of light shot from the thermos and a being appeared before the twin ghosts.
The ghost before them was tall and imposing with a white and black costume, complete with billowing cape. His skin was a sickly blue green and he had pointed ears. His hair was stark white and floated around him like a ghostly aura. His fanged teeth gleamed as he smiled down at the boys; it wasn't a warm smile though and sent shivers down their spines. "Well, well who do we have here…a couple of ghostly whelps? Were you boys' kind enough to set me free?"
Tick and Tock managed a weak nod.
"Well boys I really must thank you and as a show of my thanks…I won't destroy you…yet anyways. Now if you don't mind…I need to get back to my future, ciao," the evil ghost said and with a swish of his cape he flew straight for the nearest time portal and the future.
"This isn't good," Tock muttered, "Clockwork's going to kill us when he finds out!"
"You mean IF he finds out," Tick added numbly.
"If…if is good."
To Be Continued…
AN: Well then how was THAT for a prologue? Do you guys like Tick, Tock, and Timekeep? They're all OCs of course but I couldn't figure how else Dan Phantom could get free. Anyways those last lines are taken from Disney's Hercules and more importantly Pain and Panic, probably the best evil villain henchmen every. I love those two and just HAD to use that line. So please review my fic…it'll only get better from here. Also, next chapter, THE NEW AND IMPROVED FUTURE. Guess who's married and who has kids! XD
REVIEW AND THEN CHECK OUT MY OTHER PHATOM-ABULUS FICS!