Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Glitches in Time ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16

"Is it safe to enter?" A masculine voice asked dryly, eyes of green looking speculatively at the scene before him. A black haired teenager of about fourteen years was glaring at an older, smirking white haired gentlemen dressed in an expensive Italian silk suit.

Their attention caught by the newcomer, the group turned to look at the brown-skinned man who stood in a doorway wearing a white lab coat, identity-revealing PDA in one hand. Tall and well built, giving testament that he did not spend all his time in front of a computer screen, he was an attractive man who currently had a black brow quirked quizzically at them all.

"That's me?" Tucker exclaimed in surprise, extremely pleased with how he turned out.

The man blinked in confusion, his green gaze moving among them before recognition dawned, blossoming on his face as he whirled towards Clockwork, glaring at the Old One.

"You—"

"Had your memories erased," Clockwork cut of the technical genius before he could begin his rant.

"Mnemosyne erased whose memories?" A deeper male voice, resonating with command rumbled from behind future Tucker.

"Ours," Tucker Senior said grimily as he stepped aside to let his friend enter Time Tower.

Dressed in a military uniform, his ranking badge of colonel upon his arm sleeves, he was an imposing sight. Also tall and didn't appear overtly muscular with eyes of intense blue and black hair that in his childhood had been an unruly mod was now cropped crew-cut short.

"Oh, I see," Dan Fenton said with amusement, taking in the scene before him with lighting quickness, his mind just as quickly shorting out what was going on as his own memories were returned. "So that's why when I first met Mnemosyne all those years ago she said it was nice to meet me again."

"You're not upset?" Tucker Senior gaped, momentarily switching his attention from the Old One.
"No," Dan moved his shoulders in a shrugging motion, "there's nothing to be upset about."

"I would be, learning that my mind had been messed with," Tucker Senior muttered darkly, turning back to glaring at Clockwork.

"Compared to other things," Dan replied nonchalantly, "it rates pretty low on my upset radar."

"It would—for you," Tucker Senior grumbled still glaring at the Master of Time.

Vlad arched an eyebrow at the discussion between the two adult friends. Daniel had indeed grown as he noted the changes with a critical eye. He was pleased to note that though Daniel was as tall as the idiot he did not have that stockiness and appeared to be built more like himself, though he could not be sure because of the military uniform. Future Daniel had an air of authoritative confidence and did not project the same impression as his younger, clumsier, and scrawnier self either. He would indeed make a fine son.

"We're here for a reason, remember?" Dan reminded his friend, looking at a messy pile of gears the dominated the center of the room.

"Oh yeah, alright T.J., what did you do this time?" Tucker Senior asked of his son as he reached into a cupboard and hauled out a toolbox. As he moved towards the pile, he passed the floating table and snatched a cookie from the container, dropping his PDA into one of his great white coat pockets.

T.J. turned to the mess he had created, understanding that his father was not asking what trouble he had created but how he had created it.

 "I was applying oil to one of the main gears," T.J. began explained as the two Foley males set to work repairing what had been damaged.

Turning his attention from the two who were now industrially working, Dan quirked an eyebrow at his two eldest, a little bemused by the fact that Samuel was hovering protectively over Danielle was the floating in the air with their staffs on the ground beneath them.

"Flower paper," Samuel explained; the family's code for floral prints.

"And she didn't go reaper?" Dan asked in bemusement.

"I think she didn't because we we're here," Samuel hypothesised dropping to the ground and picked up his staff. Straightening out of her curled up position, Danielle held out her hand commandingly as a soft glow enveloped her glove. Her staff raddled against the flagstones momentarily before lifting smoothly into the air and into her hand.

"Ah," Dan said wisely shifting his attention to the rest of the group, looking with interest at the people from his past. "It's interesting to meet you all, even if you won't remembering anything."

"But we're you and why are you remembering this then?" Danny protested.

"It is Mnemosyne's decision on how to erase your memories of this incident," Clockwork answered, "her powers are fluid and just because she 'erases' a memory does not always mean that it's gone for ever."

Danny muddled through that, still slightly taken aback by the appearance of his future self—as well as wary. Evil Phantom was something to make anyone worried and when you find out that you would become that... well, he had grown mighty cautious when dealing with the Old One of Time.

Sam eyed future Danny with quite appreciation as he conversed with his past self. Though she had never admitted it to her two friends, she did at times admire a guy's figure. She was quite pleased to note that Danny wasn't as stocky as his father nor did he have that over muscled appearance of Evil Phantom and though she could not tell because of his uniform exactly how he was built, he appeared to have quite an attractive body when grown.

"Have to admit," Valerie muttered aside to Sam, "you've got good taste if that's how Fenton turns out."

Sam looked strangely at the black haired girl, "I though you hate him now that you've found out that he's Phantom."

Valerie grimaced, but did not look away from the gothic girl's pinning violet gaze and muttered. "I still haven't quite got that—that Danny's the Ghost-Boy."

"What's not to get?" Sam almost hissed, eyes narrowing.

"I know it," Valerie muttered defensively. "It just hasn't really sunk in."

Sam nodded thoughtfully, still hostile but accepting of the ghost-hunter's answer.

"How'd you find out?" Valerie muttered curiously, maybe learning how the Goth had handled it would help her, just because she did not like the vegetarian did not mean she could not learn from her experience.

"I'm the reason he's a halfa, twice none the less," Sam snorted softly, eyes going unfocused with memory.

Valerie blinked—well that was not what she had been expecting. 'Sam's the reason Danny's a ghost?' She though incredulously, 'how the hell did that happen?'

"How'd that come about?" Valerie questioned in a more sensible tone of voice, barely coping with the shock.

It was Sam's turn to grimace, "Long story best explained without so many eager ears."

Valerie blinked again and then looked at the two that Sam as alluding to, ah yes, the cheerleaders, she had forgotten about them. It was bad enough that they knew Ghost-Boy's identity, they would been blabbing it all over school and—wait a minute, was she worried about the Ghost-Boy?

No that could not be... he was aghost for heaven's sake! But what about Danny, he was her friend... that couldn't be right though, he was a ghost, or was the ghost Danny? 'Argh! It's just all too confusing,' Valerie though with a snarl, 'maybe I should be glad this Mnemosyne is going to remove my memories of this.'

"Look out!" Two male voices shouted.

Sam and Valerie looked up and found themselves frozen at the sight of a massive gear sailing through the air—right at them.

"Move!" More voices shouted gallivanting the two girls into action moments too late.

A large black and silver figure inserted itself between the metal disk and two females, hands glowing as a green ectoplasm shield bubble encased the careening object and halting it in midair.
Released of their paralyse Sam and Valerie blinked and looked agape at the person before them. Lean muscles, strong enough to withstand the gravity force of fighter jets doing mach three were clearly defined by the skintight hazmat suit they rippled beneath. The two girls had a pretty good idea suddenly at what future Danny looked like without his clothes.

"I take that back," Valerie croaked, "You've got excellenttaste in men."

All Sam could do was nod dumbfounded, his air force uniform had givenno indication that he looked like this! He had been hot before, but now he was downright drool worthy.

"You okay?" Dan Phantom asked as he turned to the two girls with concern, glowing green eyes and flaming white hair creating a striking contrast and accenting an incredibly handsome face.

"Sure," Sam's voice was faint as she stared up at him, her face still mirroring her shock. He looked even better from the front then from behind!

"Yeah," Valerie's voice was also faint, her eyes also locked on him, "just peachy."

Suddenly the two girls looked at each other and in a rare moment of communication between them they grinned impishly. It was however a look that was quite common among their future selves and one Dan recognised with wary familiarity.

"Good to hear that," he said suddenly nervous, beating a hasty retreat by grabbing the gear and flying it towards where Tucker and T.J. where waiting for it, "I'll just deal with this."

Valerie giggled as Sam smirked. Well it seemed that they, or teenage girls anyway, still had the ability to fluster Danny, adult or not. Clockwork was right, apparently some things never changed.