A/N: Good afternoon! Hope you like this chapter, you've waited long enough.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Interesting

"Back during the trials," Danny had started. "The last one, more like it, it felt as if I was only searching for something to take my anger out on. Technus was there so I took it out on him. I didn't realize it at first because the change was so small. But when Vlad tricked me into think he killed Sam...I lost it."

"It is only normal, Daniel, she was your friend."

"Yeah, but it couldn't be natural," Danny said. "It's like I could control everything I was doing, but I didn't have a choice in the whole thing. As if I were watching a movie where I'm the main character, but I can't do anything to change the plot. Do...do you understand?"

"Yes," Clockwork nodded. "But, Daniel, do you understand?"

The question had left Danny very puzzled, more puzzled than ever. But Clockwork was right, just like he always was. Danny didn't understand. He'd come to Clockwork because of that. He wanted to know where he'd gotten so much power. How and from who. The answers weren't clear, nor was the problem itself.
"But..." Danny had continued.

"Daniel, how can you want to find an answer to a question that you have not yet discovered? Do you know what you are looking for?"

"Yes," Danny said. "I want to know where I got so much power from."

"And do you know what power it was?"

"No, that's what I need to find out," Danny said. He was getting impatient.

"There are many types of powers in the world," Clockwork said. "I cannot answer any question that is unclear."

Danny sighed. "Fine," he said. "Then, Clockwork, can you tell me about something else?"

"What is that?"

"During the trials, I was sent to a place called the Warriors' Grave. Is it real?"

"Very real," Clockwork said. "It is a region in the Ghost Zone long forgotten by most. They say warriors inhabit the area. Some good, others bad, but mostly strong and powerful."

"So then the Negatives must be real too?" Danny asked. Clockwork nodded. "There's someone I met there, her name was Keena. She was about eighteen, has been in the Ghost Zone since primitive times? Do you know her?"

"It sounds familiar, but I cannot say I do," Clockwork said. "Maybe researching is at hand. Anything else?"

"No. That's all I wanted to know..."

Now Danny lay in his bed, tossing and turning, trying to get in a few hours of sleep. He finally groaned and turned onto his back, staring at the ceiling. It was only about five in the morning, and he was really tired, but he just couldn't get to sleep. He bolted straight up at the sound of his door opening. Someone peeked in. Danny tensed, then relaxed at finding who it was. He sighed. "Sheesh, Sam, you want to give me a heart-attack?" he asked.

"Sorry," she said. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I've been awake for a while. I can't sleep," he said.

"Me neither," she said, and closed the door quietly behind her and she made her way to his bed and sat down. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

"I've been thinking about whatClockwork said," Danny replied sadly. "I just don't understand what he meant by not even knowing what I want to ask. I know perfectly what I want to ask."

"Maybe he's speaking in riddle," Sam said. "He's supposed to know everything right?"

"Well, yeah, but..." Danny trailed off.

"Then you having to find this out must have something to do with it," she said. "Just trust him, okay?" Danny looked at her, but nodded. He sighed.

"Okay," he mumbled.

"So," Sam said. "Scoot over, will ya?" Danny blinked.

"Say again?" he asked.

"Scoot over!" she repeated, getting up and pushing him to the side. "It's cold!" Danny couldn't believe she pushed him a clear five inches from where he was sitting before. He scooted over uncertainly. Then he watched as she sat back down, but this time beneath the blankets and perfectly beside him.

She looked at him. "What?" she asked. Danny gave a small, uncertain smile. She laughed. "I won't be here too long. Just wanna talk, sheesh, not like I'm asking for you to-" Danny put a hand over her mouth.

"Please, don't say it," he said. "I really wouldn't be able to handle it!" She smiled as he removed his hand.

"So how exactly did Clockwork's talk with you go?" she asked.

"Well..."

Soon after ten, Sam's parents called that they were already home and that Danny should bring her over. He did just that. He could tell they were angry too, probably because she spent the night with him. If they only knew exactly what had really gone on. Well, maybe it's best they didn't. Right after Danny got back home his parents arrived too. They brought with them a story of how one particular Ghost hunter had invented a type of device that would literally tear the ghost into a million pieces. Trust me, not a pretty picture. Once they'd asked him how their day had gone, Jazz and Danny merely shook their heads and said nothing important nor interesting had gone on. As for Tucker, well, let's find out ourselves.
Next day. Monday. School. Sam and Danny were standing at Tucker's locker, waiting for their techno geek friend to arrive. "Class is gonna start any minute," Danny complained.

"He'll be here," Sam assured him. "You know he's always late."

"Not as much as me, and I'm early!"

Sam sighed. They leaned against the wall of lockers and waited for Tucker. Sure enough, he came into view, running towards them faster than they thought he could run.

"Guys!" he called.

"Finally!" Danny and Sam exclaimed. Tucker skidded to a stop, caught his breath, and turned to his locker. "My...parents took...away my...technology...last night," he said, still panting.

"Surprise, surprise," Danny mumbled.

"But...I got Jazz's...message this morning," he continued. "What happened?" He finally got his locker open.

"Nothing special," Danny said, shrugging one shoulder. "Why'd you get all your technology taken away?"

"Two words: Family. Reunion." Tucker's tone was one of slight amusement and anger.

"Cassie?" Sam asked. Tucker nodded. Cassie was Tucker's youngest niece. She was also the most active and never got tired. She loved to mess with Tucker's technology and sometimes got him in trouble. Cassie was extraordinarily smart so she could do anything Tucker could on his PDA from breaking through a security system and turning off the cameras to resetting his alarm clock to afternoon instead of morning.

"She switched my alarm off this morning too!" Tucker said.

"How'd you get in trouble, though?" Danny asked. He looked tired and Tucker noticed.

"I don't even know anymore," Tucker said, looking at him. "You sure you guys are okay?"

"We're fine, Tucker," Danny said, rubbing his eyes. He yawned and, as if on cue, the bell rang for class. Time for the most boring class in school history: history. I said history twice! Oh, wait, anyway, the trio sighed and started their way to class. Danny hoped he wouldn't fall asleep in class...

...and he nearly did.

They were reading from their textbook, Danny falling asleep already as the teacher read. "Many warriors died in this battle, of course, but there were some who led their warriors into victory," she read. She paused and looked at Danny. His book was open, of course, but his head was down, cradled in his arm on top of the open book. "Mr. Fenton." No answer. "Mr. Fenton!"

Danny snapped awake, eyes blinking rapidly to clear his vision. "What?" The class snickered at his response.

"Mr. Fenton, will you please join us on the next page," the teacher said. Danny looked at his book, noticed he was on the wrong page, and turned it. He nearly gasped, but stifled it. On the page was something he never thought he'd see. He could only stare at the warrior and her two companions. "Three of these warriors, the most well known were-" the teacher began again, but stopped at Danny's small remark.

"This is wrong," he said.

"Pardon, Mr. Fenton?" she asked him impatiently. Danny scanned over the next few sentences before answering.

"The information in the book," he said, looking up. "It's wrong."

"Well, I guess mistakes do happen," the teacher said, looking at him strangely. Sam shot Danny a look that said to shut up. She'd recognized the girl too, but had said nothing towards the matter.

"Ms. Simpson, are there any books on these warriors in the library?" Danny asked then, glancing at Sam, then back at the teacher. He held up the book and pointed at the picture. She looked astounded.

"I'm sure there are," she said. "But I'm sure the library near Berry Street would be a much better choice if you want to do research on them." Her voice held a slight tone of disbelief. Fenton interested in history? Especially this particular era. It just wasn't heard of.

Danny nodded and turned the page in his book, reading again. The teacher went on with her own reading to the class, still glancing at Danny every once in awhile. For a guy with low grades in history, he sure seemed interested.

After school, Danny found himself canceling his plans with Sam and Tucker so he could go to the library. He now sat on the floor in the historical biography section of the library, leaning against the bookcase lightly, book in hand with three other books piled next to him. He didn't know why, but he felt he owed it to Keena to learn a little more about her. Who knows, maybe they'll meet again someday. And maybe they can become allies too.

"Keena the Warrior was said to have had two loyal companions to fight by her. They were given the names of Kent the Skillful and Dean the Strong. Together they made an almost unstoppable team during war between neighboring tribes and cities..."

Off in Madison Wisconsin, let's just say Vlad is a little preoccupied with his own studying. Danny had left him pretty beat up, but with no broken bones luckily. A few bruises here and there, but other than that he was doing great. The dim light coming from the lamp next to him so he could read illuminated only a small area of his lab. The place was really messed up after receiving so much power from Danny. Vlad wanted to know everything about it.

Then a sudden wailing coming from the portal sent him getting tpu from the chair he was sitting on and to his feet. Smoke came the portal, alerts and alarms and sirens wailing that an extremely powerful energy source was coming the portal's way. Then it came. the portal doors burst open, flying off their spot on the portal opening, one door nearly knocking Vlad over. But just because he wasn't in his best condition, didn't mean he didn't have the reflexes to move out of the way quickly. He landed without any balance and fell onto his knees.

The smoke from the portal cleared, revealing an oddly familiar figure. Was that...Danny? No, he looked much older and didn't look in the least bit like the Danny Vlad knew to be. He looked stronger, and had a look on his face that said he as here to take care of unfinished business and was not going to show mercy.

"Who are you?" Vlad asked in awe.

The figured stepped closer. "Well if it isn't Vlad Masters," the figure said. "Nice to see you again."

"We've met?" Vlad asked, raising an eyebrow.

The figure smirked. "I guess you can say that. Now out of my way," he said, walking forward.

Vlad got in his way. "You're not going anywhere!" he said.

The figure sighed. "If it must be the hard way," he said. He raised one hand, shot Vlad with an ectoplasmic energy beam. Vlad was knocked to one side onto the desk where he'd been reading.

The figure sneered at Vlad's motionless silhouette and then spotted the book. "What's this," he mused to himself. He read the title. "Gem of Possession. Sounds interesting." He skimmed through and smirked broadly. "Very interesting. Looks like this reunion is going to get much more interesting that I had ever imagined." He laughed a wicked, evil laugh that was accompanied by the shorting out of the reading lamp on the desk.

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The End

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E/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! You've delivered praise and critique and I appreciated every ounce of it! Until next time in my sequel. I hope to get it up as soon as possible, but it may take me awhile. Well, thanks again!

--Airamé Phantom