#: has no friends outside of danny out of necessity and being viewed as an ‘Outsider’ by pther children

[lavenite]

i love making stories bc half the time im not making anything. im just thinking about my stuff as if someone else did it and then i get to analyze and discover new connections to add into the original story as if that was my plan all along

[phantomphangphucker]

Time’s A Game That Plays Us All

ClockWork sees all the plays that can be taken, then substitutes their own. And Danny’s always been their king.

Using the tropes: Play-Along Prisoner and Take A Third Option

There’s a legend of old, from a long time ago. Something you could find if you flipped through a ghost hunters book selection. Having been written about in the first incarnation of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, still remaining largely unchanged outside of language from this original copy, in every subsequent edition. This legend so vital that the creature behind it was listed as a co-author in the book itself. If you asked any ghost hunter why, they’d say it was obvious, much of the information came from this creature. Their work, their profession, was spurred by the very same creature.

See back in the day, before ghost hunting, before any knowledge of ghosts, there had always been stories and rumours of strange glowing creatures. Some humanoid, some animalistic. They caused havoc or skittishly avoided the humans, though most wrote them off as visions or the ravings of the mad/ill. That is except for a select few, eventually anyway. The select few who knew, came to know, when a small little creature who held age in their eyes yet the form of a small buck-toothed child made their presence known to these select few. The first being Galvion Ingride Whitefoot, Adrian G. Groove -ever followed by an albino tiger-, Exterian Slav Break, and Josephine D. Fetonightingal. Of course they had all known each other, to some degree. Met on occasions, even if their respective families grew apart to the point where eventual modern relatives were unawares. But together they had written the first edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, after the glowing floating child -with no legs to speak of- had offered their hand and words. Had spoken of another world, filled with creatures of wonder and horror much the same as the creature themselves. Had told them of the nature of these creatures' existence, the dead yet given ‘life’ anew. How they had pointed where they needed to go to find such similar creatures in their living world. Allowed them to witness the power these creatures could wield and how to protect against it.

At first all had questioned the small, well-spoken and mild-mannered creature; and of course they contained/trapped it as best they could. Why would they tell them such things? Give them tools to fight or defend? But they learned that this one, who used their dark purple cloak to hide, instead of invisibility. How they floated around not through things. How they never fired off one of those ecto-blasts, as they said they were called. They all came to realise that this creature did not possess the abilities of the others. And not only that, but none of the other creatures seemed to know the child-like ones’ name; yet they often knew each other’s. These four also noted how every creature they encountered seemed to represent something: sleep, plants, weather, water, electricity, and so on.

Leaving them all to come to the conclusion that this blue-skinned one, with their words of guidance, represented humanity's defence against these creatures. That they were nature’s way of defending her living children and revealing, through the presence of this weak yet wise creature, who would do it best. It was also decided that the strange ticking thing in the ghost's chest represented the growth and time needed to develop and guide a new ghost hunter. Every human who saw this creature, captured it, came to these very same conclusions; and as the story goes, as soon as they did, that very creature would appear with their soft smile and crimson eyes and tell them the name of these creatures they were to fight ‘ghosts’. Then they’d be seen no more. This final appearance came to be seen as the universes seal of approval for the ghost hunter. Their graduation from a young apprentice, learning their role in the world, to ghost hunter in true; and every single one would go on to be masters of their craft, pioneers.

Of course, in the many years that followed, not every ghost hunter saw and caught this small wise ghost, but every single one that did went on to be influential. Those that didn’t, regardless of drive, never seemed to stick with the field, never excelled at creating their own weapons, never made any new discoveries. So it was something of an understood truth that this ghost knew who would make a good true ghost hunter, and simply did not waste their time with any others.

For Jack Fenton, he had seen the ghost in his early youth, had learned everything with wild abandon. Of course his family had always known of ghosts and of the legend, to say they had been ecstatic when Jack claimed to have captured the ghost, would be an understatement.

Maddie Fenton, on the other hand, met this ghost only shortly before meeting Jack. But the knowledge the small ghost gave seemed so obvious to her, so right. Meeting Jack had been easy and obvious after that. The two lovers had felt a little bad for their friend Vlad, having never seen or heard of this ghost. But they knew even those not chosen could be good ghost hunters, and who were they to reject someone’s passion? Though neither was truly surprised when he seemingly dropped out of the ecto-field all together, especially with the accident. Though Maddie’s pretty sure she saw him flipping through a Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book and scoffing at the small ghost, muttering that clearly this little ghost was nothing but a silly myth.

And now, Jack finds himself flipping through his Fenton family edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, smiling fondly and reminiscing slightly over the sketch of the old wise ghost. Though frowning slightly as he traces the scar on the ghosts face. He remembers asking how that happened, after all it was known that he did not use to have it. The only answer he had ever gotten was ‘such is the marks of old beasts that watch, the foolish and power-mad who can not tolerate what they can not control’. Jack gathers it was from another ghost, one who somehow knew of and how to find the small ghost that no others seemed to.

He turns his head and smiles as his wife sits down. Maddie looking at the book and smiling herself, speaking quietly, “wonder if either of the kids will see him”.

Jack chuckles, “surely one will! At least one Fenton child always does. Heck! Both me and my brother did”.

Maddie giggles slightly and nods before frowning a little, “I do worry though Jack dear. Neither seem to have any interest. In fact, they almost seem put-off”.

“I wouldn’t give up faith yet Mads. You certainly had no interest when you were their age after all!”.

Maddie giggles and nods, silently joining her husband in flipping trough the heirlooms pages.  

ClockWork watches the interaction through one of many viewing portals, smiling ever so slightly. Turning their head to another, watching Daniel teasing and insulting Walker before flying lazily home.

Everything had worked out as it should. Everyone was where and who they needed to be. And yet there was a roadblock. A problem. Daniel’s skill at lying and hiding was a much-needed one, a true necessity. But even a fool could see the rift it caused and how it blocked the future of progress.

Ghost hunters, though needed for their purposes, had become advanced enough to pose threats. Not just to single ghosts, but every ghost, the world even. Such a level of advancement was needed of course, had resulted in Phantom. But now, the Observants were nervous, many ghosts were. Enough so that the Zone itself was being affected by all the negative emotions. That wouldn’t change if change didn’t happen. ClockWork chuckles over such phrasing, they had a plan of course, always did. Ghost hunters needed to change, their opinions needed to change. It had to come from the influential of course, not from ClockWork themselves, that wasn’t their purpose. They were a guider not a symbol of change. No, that was Phantom’s place, Daniel’s place.

Phantom couldn’t be exposed yet, not quite, but the forming rift with his parents would cause issues if it continues to grow before the day came for them to know exactly who and what Daniel was.  

Looking back to the portal with the two parents, this provided an opportunity of sorts. ClockWork knows that while they look at this scene, the book, with a slight smile the Observants instead frown. More than a little displeased with ClockWork’s past decision.

See ClockWork always has some plan or another, some idea for the future. That was part of their purpose after all. So of course they did back when humans had first come into existence in genuine, started making the world their bitch so to speak. All the other ghosts at the time, ClockWork’s fellow Ancients, firmly refused the idea that these weak fleshy creatures would ever pose any kind of threat to them. They existed in two different dimensions, sure there were occasionally natural portals between the two planes but all the other mortal creatures never paid any mind to any ghosts causing mischief or hanging about; why would these ‘humans’ be any different.

ClockWork knew better, saw better; so they acted better. Humans would know of ghosts, of course they would, there was no possible future where they would not. And humans were egotistical creatures, things that would steamroll over all other species they could. They also would grow to have a never-ending love for knowledge, that was something ClockWork could appreciate; feel fond of.

So while the other ghosts dismissed these humans ClockWork made plans, made themselves known to the humans. The other ghosts that even knew of ClockWork were uneasy with this but even back then no one questioned ClockWork, well...besides those foolish Observants; who thankfully did not yet exist.

ClockWork appeared to them with careful forethought, let the human capture them, and the knowledge that there really was only two options. Neither of which ClockWork paid any mind. Though fine, technically humans could be blocked out from knowing about ghosts, eliminate any who truly became knowledgable; ClockWork could certainly do that, but that would be far less interesting.

So either humans would know and live in fear, or they would know and come to make it impossible for new earth ghosts to be formed. Both options would make halfas impossible, coexistence impossible. So ClockWork hardly considered them actual options.

Instead letting humans know ghosts, but with the added effect of appealing to their pride. The human belief that they where the top species. That they could crush anything. Simply by showing them weaker ghosts, by altering natural ghost portals, by appearing to them as a guiding hand and without their staff visible, by allowing themselves to be seen as ‘trapped’. And so ClockWork became the stuff of legends to them, and an utter unknown to ghosts; excluding those eyeballs of course.

And why did they exist? The Observants? Well, because their fellow Ancients felt there needed to be overseers, never knowing they already had one in ClockWork. Leaving them with more decisions to make, plans to enact. Of course these knew ghosts would know of ClockWork, be insulted and fearful of the master of time’s power. All beings fear the powerful that they can not control. So these new ghosts would try to control ClockWork, try to force their hand, try to remove or alter them. The Observants, like all creatures, would have motives of their own; would lack objectivity. So either ClockWork was to find a way to hide from them or accept their future actions towards them. Or ClockWork could interfere, alter them to ClockWork’s own design. Bar them from being able to act, from being able to harm. They would be watchers and watchers only. The ghosts would get what they want, and ClockWork would do as ClockWork pleases. Sure ClockWork could just stop them from successfully creating the Observants at all, but where’s the fun in that? Plus, annoying them would become a beloved past time.

So ClockWork lets the other ghosts see these Observants as all powerful overseers; as judge, jury and executioner. Let the Observants fool themselves too. Sure they had enough power to lock up any ghosts that ClockWork, unknowingly to them, let them lock up. But ClockWork would stand as the only executioner, and they knew that.

This decision also helped ClockWork remain an unknown to other ghosts, the Observants didn’t want their lack of power, lack of ability to act, known; and ClockWork was the proof of that. But since ClockWork exists in every different possible future there was, the Observants could never truly control who knew and who didn’t. Only ClockWork could, simply manipulate toward the future they wanted in such a way that the Observants couldn’t so much as object beyond complaining pointlessly.

Smirking at the viewing portal as the two parents head to the lab, it was showtime. ClockWork never appeared to ghost hunters after they finished their apprenticeship, humans need to bloom and blossom of their own accord; else you hurt their egos. But rules were there to be broken and rules couldn’t hold ClockWork. In short, they were a dirty little cheater.  

Jack’s leaning over a microscope while Maddie jerks up and gapes, absentmindedly pushing the button to activate the ghost containment cell right where the familiar purple-cloaked ghost floated. She knew shapeshifting ghosts existed and both her and Jack’s time with him was long past. This couldn’t possibly be? Could it? She speaks softly while the ghost just floats there with a soft smirk, “Jack dear, I think you should look at this”.

Jack looks up, a bit caught off guard by his wife’s cautious but awed tone. He promptly drops the slide he was holding, it shattering as it hits the ground, “you? but it can’t be. Why?”.

ClockWork grins, and gives their typical half-truths, “oh I’m not here to play guide for you. I’ve merely made use of the weakened veil here”, gesturing to the Fenton portal, “that is why you find me here”.

Maddie tilts her head, this was clearly not a fake, “we always just thought you stayed in the mortal world somehow or travelled through natural portals”.

“Not all means bare the same outcomes”, ClockWork glances at the stairs, “and maybe you ought research through more wandering means. You might find something interesting”.

Maddie squints slightly, “and what are you going to do. You never need to go through such indirect means to get to new hunters”.

ClockWork smiles, of course this confrontation was completely avoidable but they had a test to give, “you’ll understand in time. There are plenty of paths one could take. Most often the path I point along is walked with me alone. But every so often that road must open to accommodate fellow travellers”.

Maddie and Jack exchange a look before Jack gets up, asking with barely contained excitement, “are you saying we get to help who your guiding! Oh this is so awesome Mads!”.

ClockWork smiles as the two head up the stairs, “we’ll see how the road forks. They’ll find me, no worries about the shield”. Maddie squints back at them, clearly wondering how whoever was going to find them but deciding that they hardly could do harm in the shield and were trustable enough to leave alone. Unaware they could simply teleport out.

Ten minutes later Danny comes home and phases through the ceiling invisibly to empty his thermos, only to pause and gape slightly before chuckling and shaking his head at spotting ClockWork inside the ghost containment cell. Emptying the thermos as he speaks, “hey CW, um why? Not that I’m questioning your ways, but I’m questioning your ways”.

ClockWork floats towards him, separated only by the shield while Danny transforms back human. ClockWork speaking with a slight smile, “you’re mortal guardians are as paranoid as expected to the appearance of ghosts, even those they think fondly of”.

Danny blinks and jerks slightly, “wait, my parents know you? ‘Think fondly’ of you?”, Danny’s not surprised his folks would trap some ghost in the containment cell, that was literally the point. And it’s not like ClockWork actually needed help getting out.

ClockWork gives a slow nod, “but of course. Many ghost hunters do”.

“Why???”.

“The same reason I involve myself in anyone’s existence, to guide them on their path”.

Danny shakes his head, this was a little absurd, “so you’ve been responsible for people becoming hunters? Why would you do that? Wouldn’t it be better for the people that want to obliterate and tear apart molecule by molecule, every ghost, not to know things?”.

ClockWork holds up a hand and gestures around, “dealing with such things, with antagonism, strengthens us and our defences. Of course, only to so many degrees. With humans, we’ve always had two options, bar the mortals from knowing of ghosts or have them know but fear our power. I merely ensured they’d instead believed they could face us in might”.

Danny snorts and rolls his eyes a little, “so you let them believe a lie?”, shrugging, “and fine, if anyone knows that fighting and experiencing all the ways people can come up to hurt you, can make you stronger; then it’s me”.

ClockWork sticks up a finger, “indeed you do, and I let you believe your family would die; lies have their benefits”.

Danny glares slightly, “that was low”.

ClockWork completely dismisses his displeasure, “good truths are always low blows”, smiling slightly, “besides, how better to control who gets to be a hunter and harvest a collection of apprentices”.

Danny blinks at that, “wait, what?”.

ClockWork smirks, Danny could be hard to really surprise or confuse nowadays, “how do you think any of them know anything about ghosts? I’m a wise fellow”, ClockWork gestures to the ghost shield.

Danny blinks at them, “oh my Ancients. Do you just let hunters capture you to teach them random things?”, sure Danny had done the dumbshit and let his folks capture him but they were his parents, family, it was different.

ClockWork just responds like this was perfectly reasonable and expected. “precisely”.

Danny facepalms, speaking with slight humour though, “my guardian is an idiot”.

ClockWork waves him off, “oh hardly, I always know the outcomes. Plus it’s high time your family knows your guardian”, Danny instantly looks rather panicked and disbelieving, so ClockWork continues, “they won’t be bothered, in fact, they’ll find it quite the good sign. A sign you’ll be a ‘helpful’ spector, seeing as they believe you’ll be a ghost”.

Now Danny’s gaping again, “excuse?”.

“Daniel, you set off their detectors and literally can’t be de-ecto-contaminated. Of course, they think you’re going to become a ghost”.

Danny throws his hands out to the side and walks in a little circle, “well that’s news to me”.

“They don’t mention it because they don’t want to scare you”, floating to follow Danny as he walks around the room a little and holding up a finger, “but now you can get them to open up through revealing you at least know the same, without giving away that you know because you already are”, smirking, “thanks to a helpful guardian”.

Danny blinks, realising this’ll pretty much get him off the hook for tons of weird ghostly shit, “you sneaky bastard”. ClockWork gives a devilish grin just before Maddie and Jack come down the stairs.

Jack beams, thinking back on the earlier words of the tiny ghost, “Danny-boy! So you’ve seen the little guy!”, walking up and patting Danny on the shoulder, who just looks confused and a bit freaked out. While Jack keeps talking, hopefully explaining this particular ghost will make his rather ghost fearing son less seemingly freaked, “this one’s the spirit of hunters! Our profession! Always appears before and guides those destined to be hunters! This is great!”, wiping a tear from his eye, “my boy’s gonna be a fine hunter”.

Danny has to hold back a laugh at calling ClockWork ‘the spirit of hunters’ while also deciding to not jump the gun on what his parents actually know about ClockWork, “er and what do you call them?”, Danny deadpanning, “if you say ‘Hunter’ I will be deeply disappointed”.

Maddie shakes her head with a smile, “don't be silly sweetie, this is an important day in your destiny of being a ghost hunter”, smiling at the tiny spirit, “we call him Herne”. Jack butts in, “which is why the name means mythical hunter!”, smiling some, “even if he’s a tiny thing with no abilities to actually hurt anyone with”.

Danny looks at ClockWork, firmly realising humans know goddamn nothing about them. Maybe they weren’t too much of an idiot. Flicking his eyes back to his parents, “no abilities?”.

Jack nods, surely this ghost being weaker will ease his son up some, “being able to form and float is really all he can do”, smiling at the little ghost, “not that that matters, he’s a wise little guy”.

ClockWork chuckles, “yes, foresight and a keen mind makes up for much. Doesn’t it”, holding up a hand, “but I am here for a different reason of sorts”.

Danny’s instantly nervous as his parents look ClockWork with confusion and slight caution.

Jack and Maddie exchange a glance, surely this explained the strange way the little ghost had appeared. Why they caught the ghost and not Danny. Maddie asking, “his paths a little different, isn’t it?”. While Jack frowns slightly, “is he not going to be a hunter?”.

ClockWork smiles softly, “to you I am but a giver of wisdom and guidance, a mentor of sorts and a hand to point in the right direction”, turning to Danny and smiling, while Danny just looks nervous as ClockWork continues, “but to him I am guardian. A mentor in truth and spiritual parent of sorts, for a young little ghost”. Danny does his damnedest to not outwardly cringe over being point-blank called a ghost by a ghost, in front of his parents.

Jack and Maddie go a little wide-eyed before smiling again, Jack beaming at ClockWork, “that’s great! So he’ll be like you then!?! A guiding spirit, rather than like all those malicious ghosts!”, Jack taps his chin, “though that still doesn’t explain why we needed to be seeing you again”.

While Maddie looks more softly at Danny and holds her hands to her chest then, picking up that he seemed a bit nervous but not exactly surprised, “and you’re alright knowing this? That you’ll be a ghost some day? You don’t seem all that surprised”.

Danny rubs his neck, “heh, well I mean, half your stuff already calls me one and all that”. ClockWork thankfully takes mercy on him and adds in, “and after all, we have met before”.

Maddie and Jack both blink at Danny, Jack instantly asking, “well why didn’t you say so Danny-boy?!?”. Though Maddie clues in that Danny not telling them about this was exactly why Herne showed up to them. He decided that they needed to know about this, likely for Danny’s future development. Which means that Danny likely wouldn’t have told them on his own.

Danny glances at ClockWork and gives them the stink-eye, officially not very thankful. Before looking back to his parents, “well, you’ve never actually talked nice about any ghost. And I didn’t want to get into an argument about them”, rubbing his neck a bit and knowing his folks will be a little more than not happy about this in one regard anyway, “they saved my life after all, so it would bug me someone talking bad about them”.

Both of them instantly look to ClockWork, practically beaming at the ghost though fretting over their son even needing his life saved. Maddie nodding at them, “thank you. If we weren’t already on good terms, we would be now”.

Jack throwing an arm around Danny and hugging him a bit protectively, “but what could have put his life in danger? Especially in a way for you to be saving him?”.

Maddie nods and looks a little sheepish, “you’re not exactly a powerful one”.

Danny sends ClockWork a bit of a pleading look because his folks calling basically the strongest ghost ever 'weak', was too absurd and funny for him to not eventually break down laughing over.

ClockWork eyes the ghost shield they’re ‘trapped’ behind, wondering which path the two will take. Trust them and let the shield down or hold on to their ghost bigotry and keep it up. Be the first to really be around them without them being captured in some device or shield. Smirking slightly as Jack, noticing ClockWork’s eyeballing of the shield, promptly deactivates it. ClockWork floats over to pat Danny’s head before turning to the two parents, ClockWork speaking while Danny’s a bit in shock from his parents actually smiling over a ghost touching him, “indeed, there are some ghosts who fear other ghosts with influence. Seek to get rid of them before they can gain said influence”.

Danny knows damn well ‘influence’ is just a subtle way to say ‘powerful’. And he’s also feeling a slightly renewed distaste for the Observants.

Maddie scoffs, “of course those spooks would dislike any ghost,”, glancing at Danny, “or ghosts, that help humans”.

Jack taps his chin, looking to ClockWork, “I imagine these ghosts can’t destroy ones like you?”, looking at Maddie before looking back to ClockWork, “we always thought you avoided being harmed or bothered by other ghosts by simply being unknown to them”.

ClockWork chuckles, “most don’t know of me. But there are other reasons”, looking to Danny, “and they’re welcome to really know me, Daniel. It would be rather mean to have your mortal family not know your ghostly one”.

Danny tilts his head back, “oh thank Ancients”, though he knows damn well ClockWork isn’t fine with them knowing because it would be ‘mean’ otherwise.

ClockWork smirks, “no need to thank me”, Danny makes a face at them for that before chuckling.

Jack smiles, “well I’m glad you have similar humour!”, looking at the little spirit and tilting his head some, “are you saying we don’t know everything about you? That we’re missing a lot?”.

Maddie smiles sweetly at Jack, “Jack dear, he’s never so much as told us if he has a real name. It is expected”.

Danny shakes his head, “I'm kind of amazed you trust them at all then”.

Maddie ruffles Danny’s hair, “well, he is why we are hunters really and he’s harmless”.

Danny chuckles and eyes ClockWork, who nods, “you can tell them much of what you know of me”, smirking mischievously, “I encourage it in fact”.

Danny squints at them and chuckles, “you just want to enjoy causing confusion and startling them”.

ClockWork nods with a slight smile, speaking almost cruelly, “and piss off the Observants, of course”.

Danny blinks and turns fully to them, “you really did just name drop them huh?”, turning back to his parents and rubbing his neck, “Observants, those are the ghosts that tried to ‘get rid of me’”.

Jack scowls, “well we hate them then”.

ClockWork nods, “good, now you’ll never help them”. ClockWork doesn’t need their viewing portals to see the Observants shrieking in annoyance and trashing five different plots to restrict multiple different ghosts.

Danny squints at them, “do you always have to have five different reasons for doing things?”, shaking his head and looking back to his parents and gesturing his arms out to ClockWork, “this is weird but, um, this is ClockWork and they are not even kind of close to the definition of weak or harmless”.

Maddie tilts her head at ClockWork then Danny, “but we’ve scanned him, them, nothing but floating really”. While Jack beams and tries out the name ‘ClockWork’ a few times before asking, “does your name have any meaning?!? Ghost’s names often do”.

Danny squints at ClockWork, Danny knows how he himself tricked their scanners but ClockWork was a full ghost, “how did you even pull that off?”, Danny squints more and really looks ClockWork over before facepalming, “your staff?”. ClockWork’s power was focused in their staff after all.

ClockWork grins and summons their staff, making Maddie blink and get slightly closer to look the staff over quickly; though never actually touching it, “oh! You do actually have some kind of weapon”.

While ClockWork nods at Maddie, “yes and no, this is much more a conduit than a weapon. I do have a scythe as well though”, Danny can’t help but chuckle at that a little; full well knowing that weapon was used exclusively for reaping ghosts that needed to be removed, which was a bit hilarious. While ClockWork promptly startles both of the parents by suddenly changing into their adult form, speaking while they gape at the ghost they only ever knew as a small child-like ghost, “as for my name, it indeed holds plenty meaning. It is, after all, my job and purpose to ensure that the hands on the universe's clock go round and round, until oblivion can no longer be chased off”.

Danny chuckles and shakes his head at ClockWork, who changes to the form of an old man. Danny speaking to his parents, “they mean time control, guys. The very fabric of time is basically theirs to bend and alter”, rolling his hand, “add in being able to see all of the past, present, and every future possible”, looking at ClockWork, “they’re arguably one of the most powerful ghosts there is, not to mention oldest”.  

The two adults raise their eyebrows a bit at ClockWork who nods ever so slightly, “I’ve been around since the beginning, guiding the universe along on its most lengthy path. Watching everything grow along exactly as its supposed to be. Of course that also means I plan when each being eventually stops and falls, guide them to when it is best they be destroyed”.  

Maddie mutters a bit startled and less than pleased, “so you’re more neutral than good, less altruistic and more manipulative”.

Danny instantly shakes his head, “no, they’re just more altruistic on a universal scale, the bigger picture kind of thing. A true neutral, completely objective, I guess”.

ClockWork nods and speaks while patting Danny’s head, “precisely”, sending the parents a small smile, “I have no interests towards ghosts, nor humans, nor earth; but rather existence and time itself”, chuckling a little and side-eyeing Danny slightly, “and I must say, I’ve certainly pushed and pulled many a thing to ensure Daniel exists precisely as he does and will”.

Jack blinks at Danny and pats him on the shoulder, “is he really going to be that important?”, chuckling at Danny, “no pressure son”.

Danny barely stops himself for muttering ‘too late’ and instead just nods slightly. While Maddie’s releasing that this ghost can’t truly be trusted, humans were not where their priorities lay. But that they absolutely did have her son's survival? benefit? well-being? happiness? -well, maybe not that last one. Something tells her that ClockWork would harm or traumatise anyone for the sake of the universe- at their metaphorical heart.

ClockWork smirks, “that is for time to know and the world to see. But if you must know, him simply existing as he does has saved the world more than once”. Danny has to resist cringing at that, seeing as they were pretty effectively leaving out him causing it once.

Jack beams at that, his boy was already doing good! Somehow. Promptly hugging Danny, “good for you Danny-boy! Though I wonder how you managed that?”.

Everyone looks to ClockWork then, full well knowing they know exactly how. They simply smirk, “now that would be telling, wouldn’t it. The simplest of things can change everything, even picking up a rock verses not, could alter everything. Even how much someone knows or doesn’t, can”.

Danny chuckles a little fondly, which his parents definitely pick up on, while Danny speaks, “you’re always an enigma huh”.

Jack and Maddie smile a little fondly, though feeling like outsiders a bit as the two seem to one-up each other in sounding confusing. They both knew their boy was a bit odd, an enigma, so clearly they were two of a kind. That makes it clear Danny’s future lied with this ghost, rather than their profession; whatever that actually meant. Maddie decides to push that, he’s their boy, they should know what his job/future was/would be. Looking at ClockWork, “you’ve still got a way with words, but what are you even guiding Danny with?”.

ClockWork gives both the honest answer and the most confusing one, “everything and nothing. The same as that which you do, except with less restraints and a finger in every pie”, smiling at Danny, “a Guardian has the role of parent when dealing with ghosts”.

Jack’s a bit confused but that’s pretty come-by, “but ghosts don’t need to be taught how to ghost?”.

Maddie shakes her head slightly and tilts her head, “But what is he going to be doing?”.

ClockWork pats Danny’s head, they were not wrong, even with a halfa. Though no ghost just knew how the Zone’s politics worked. But the existence of many levels of law and government within the Zone was not for them to know, not yet. “But of course, ghosts know themselves well, but not so much other ghosts. After all, have you met any who know of me? And”, holding up a finger and smirking at Maddie, “everything. He’ll find there’s little he won’t do”.

Maddie blinks and mutters, “are you trying to say he’s going to be all powerful or control ghosts”.

Danny makes a damn point not to react, considering the whole High Ghost Prince thing, meaning his mom was absolutely right. Though he then gapes at ClockWork and throws his hands out to the side as they promptly teleport away with a twirl of their staff and a wink. Danny groans at the thin air where they used to be, “seriously time-pants?”.

Jack and Maddie both can’t help but laugh while Danny grumbles more while looking at them, “they always make their timing dramatic”.

Jack nods a little, “I did nearly face-plant into them when they showed up for me”. Maddie giggles a little but nods, “they startled me enough that I set my original college application on fire”.

Danny snorts, “tossed through a time portal and slammed my face into a giant bell, five times”. Jack chuckles, “that’s way more silly”.

Maddie nods but looks Danny over, “do you know what that wink meant?”.

“Probably five different things. One part is definitely just to cause mischief and drama. Could be referring to a possible future or just wants to let someone think that’s the case”, is Danny lying a little? Yeah. Is he just going to out the whole prince/future king thing? Ancients no.

Maddie shakes her head and mutters, “now I'm questioning everything to do with them“.

Danny snorts and goes to walk upstairs, “either question everything or accept everything. Both at the same time? I go with that”.

Jack mutters as Danny leaves fully, “I don’t think you can do that really”.

ClockWork watches through a viewing portal, the questions were in place and, watching with a slight smirk as pissed off Observants inadvertently knock a very particular book from the future through a strategically placed portal and lands on the Fenton lab floor, said questions would be answered.

While Jack spots the glowing book and gets a little excited, the two instantly start flipping through to find it’s a storybook, a book telling the tale of a legend.

A king of youth in a castle of dark brick, lording over a word of mythical creatures of the dead persuasion. Spoken of as kind and just, yet powerful and resolute. A black and white dragon, with eyes that see every shade. Who proved his strength through countless battles, and a battered body that moved with pride. Who proved his mind through quick-witted wordplay, and hiding amongst the enemy.

But what really caught the parents’ eyes were the black and gray pictures, the sketches. Largely of landscapes, the castle of course and the flora filled land surrounding it. But also some of a blazing crown and extravagant cape, a sword of ice carved with flowers and skulls. Though they trace their fingers over the silhouette drawing of this king, swinging the sword at another figure with a near-identical physique but flaming hair and snake tongue. It’s titled ‘First Trial’. The king could easily be an older Danny, but they couldn’t be certain.

But what really makes them pause and share a glance is a landscape piece, where a strange clocktower could be seen in the background. Surrounded by floating gears, much the same as the one ClockWork wore for a clasp.

Maddie squints down at the image and runs off looking for a microscope, coming back and hovering it over one of the windows in the clocktower to see ClockWork -in child form- winking right at her with a circular something showing the image of her and Jack leaning over this very book. Maddie jerking back and whispering, “Zone that cheeky bastard”, before flipping to the last page. Both parents blinking down at a familiar-sounding quote signed with a fanciful yet nearly illegible ‘CW’.

“Existence is a story we weave, but a story unread is a story yet to be solidified. What we know can change everything, and once knowledge is written and known, it becomes something to last forevermore”.

Jack scratches his head and mutters, “did we just ensure Danny would become a king or something, or a paradox would happen?”.

Maddie knits her fingers together and speaks into her hands, “I think we did”.

Neither parent’s sure whether they should scream and be pissed or be proud.

ClockWork simply smiles while two Observants float in demanding, “ClockWork, what did you do”.

“My job”.

“It’s your job to watch time, not play favourites. He will destroy us”.

ClockWork turns and levels them with an unreadable gaze, “you mean further restrict and take your power? Precisely. Just because I am not a player on the field doesn’t mean I’m not in control. Time is the field board, and I tilt as I please. You’re simply referees, you are nothing without the players and you’ve been betting on the wrong ones. All in the name of your search for dominance. For those you could control or who lacked the strength to ever stand against you. But in the end”, ClockWork floats to be closer to them almost menacingly, “this game is played in a grandiose casino, and the house always wins in time”.

End.

[foofygoldfish]

all of them at you too!! I will not be alone in this

 … i deserve this lol

Far Cry 5 Deputy Ask Meme

The Basics

1. Give their full name, and describe them or post a picture! (Height, build, hair, eye, and skin color, etc.)

Deputy Alice Riley! She’s smol, 5′ tall, and has naturally black hair that is always either dyed pink or blonde.

art by @leavenopathuntaken

2. How old are they?

At the start of the game 26, but her birthday is in the middle of the events of the game.

3. Sexuality and gender?

Bi, female.

Pre-Game

1. How did they end up at the Hope County Sheriff’s Department? How long have they worked there?

Alice moved back to Hope County almost exactly a year before the game starts. Initially, she was doing dispatch part-time with Nancy, and Whitehorse offered her the deputy position after Hudson’s partner Danny died. She’s been a Junior Deputy for a month and a half.

2. Relationship with Pratt, Hudson, and Whitehorse?

Good with all - Hudson is her mentor and an inspiration. Pratt is her brother’s childhood best friend, so they’ve known each other since they were literally toddlers - they view each other as siblings, and become very close during/after the game. Whitehorse is a father figure, and she is heartbroken when she realises that Whitehorse had been taken into the bliss and she didn’t know.

3. Do they have an education?

Yes - Bachelors in Political Science from Mount St Mary’s University.

4. Where are they from? Did they speak a different language there?

Alice was born in Hope County, though she spent ten years in Los Angeles.

5. Is there anyone outside the valley that might have come looking for them?

After a while? Her brother and uncle. They aren’t alarmed by the lack of communication from her till the holidays come around and were getting ready to come to Hope County to check on her when the bombs went off.

6. Did they have a religious background of any kind?

Raised Catholic, though she stopped going to church while in college.

Inside Hope County

1. What was going through their head when the helicopter went down and during the subsequent chase?

“oh fuck” (/pimping out my fic, since it’s in the first chapter…. :) )

2. Were they afraid of Joseph and Eden’s Gate? Angry?

Angry. She’s hated the church for a long time, and the escalation of events just made it worse.

3. Did they trust Dutch?

Out of necessity. Her reasoning: either he’s a good person who can be trusted, or it’s an “an enemy of my enemy” situation.

4. How did they feel about their team being taken by the cult, did they count them as lost, did they want them back, did they not care?

She was hurt and tried as hard as she could to get them back, though she does take her time and plan things out properly.

5. How did they take to the idea of being part of, if not leading, the resistance?

It’s not something she really thought about - people were asking for help, she helped, and then… Suddenly she was the de-facto leader. Being the fighter? Not something she was a fan of. But the actual leadership? Cool beans.

6. Which companions did they recruit, and who did they travel with the most?

All of them lol - She mostly travelled with Grace and Jess, since they’re much better with distance/precision than her. 

7. Did they have time to find romance amidst the chaos? How did they do it?

She was dating Faith Seed at the start of the game, and she manages to keep their relationship going (with some fights) over the course of the war. After, she convinces Faith to leave Joseph, and they stick together for a long-ass time because fuck canon 

8. Feelings about Joseph?

Ugh.

9. Feelings about the other Seeds?

Ugh, Ugh, and pretty swell

10. How did they handle having to kill animals and other humans? Had they done it before?

Animals? She doesn’t like it, but her favorite hobby (in Hope County, at least) is fishing, so it wasn’t too hard of a transition. Humans, on the other hand? It was rough. She does whatever she can to avoid killing.

11. Which canon ending did they choose in-game, and would you have changed the ending at all?

She chose the resist ending. Uh, if I could change the ending? Everyone would live.

Personal

1. Favorite weapon(s)?

Throwing away practicality? Her dad’s shotgun.

2. Stealth or firepower?

Stealth.

3. How did they spend their time, when not fighting peggies?

Fishing, taking pictures of anything she could, hiking, rock climbing, netflix ‘n chilling with Faith....

4. Where did they live during the events of the game?

Her house behind the auto shop in Fall’s End.

5. Any other facts you want to share about your Deputy!

She’s hipster trash and I love her lol

[stunudo]

Sum of Our Pasts

A Criminal Minds Fan-fiction

Featuring: Alex Blake x OC (don’t ask why)          Setting: The mid 1980s

Requested: @tarciau

Prompt: ❝ i’m gonna tell her that i love her. ❞

A/N: This gif has nothing to do with Criminal Minds, but I can definitely see a young Alex Blake haughtily smoking in an off campus apartment while she attended Berkley. xoxo Stu

She didn’t know why she had chosen today to return home. Thoughts of the migration patterns of Canadian Geese sloshed inside her head, how their pilgrimages were made by some deep programmed necessity to return to their source. Each season and stop necessary and completed. Maybe this was the start of a new season, maybe the need she had to be here ran deeper than even her understanding. Maybe it was all crap and what she did or didn’t do meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Despite everything; today Alex Blake was driving into Missouri.

Three years prior

Scottie was being short with her. All she needed was some help to clean up the kitchen, but that would be too much trouble for her petulant little brother. She reminded herself that she only had seven months until graduation. She finished the dishes and went to her room.

Can you hear them They talk about us Telling lies Well, that's no surprise Can you see them

Alex blared the GoGo’s as she stomped around her room. Her thoughts drifted to the upcoming football game and if her friends would make her go again. There was a chance she could get out of it, if she convinced Cheryl or Lori to skip it all together. She didn’t understand why she would rather hang out at the local drive up burger joint than at a school event, but she did. The waitresses were a little older and one in particular stood out on her cool scale. Usually there were enough older guys cruising that her friends agreed to ditch the high school scene.

Lori was able to borrow her mom‘s station wagon and the girls were free for a night of adventure. Until their respective curfews at least. Being a cop’s kid, Alex always had the earliest at 10:30. The late fall air kept the teenagers huddled together on the rear facing seat, their assorted wrappers and cups spread out  on the open hatch. Alex watched the crowded parking lot, hoping to see her, she always worked Fridays.

At first Alex would bum cigarettes off of any waitress who was on break. Slowly over the summer she began to wait for a specific waitress’s shift each week. Josey was from out of town, that’s all she would say. Her sun-kissed skin and almond eyes caught everyone’s eye. Her no nonsense attitude and leather jacket had a young Alex Blake following her around like a stray dog. Alex had slowly been able to piece things together about Josey’s life out side of the Dog N Suds.

She was twenty-three, her family was from North Vietnam, she spoke with a clipped accent which only added to her appeal. She seemed dangerous, despite her petite stature. There were true horrors in her past, but somehow night after night she put on a smile and served countless obnoxious patrons. Alex was staring at the kitchen entrance, waiting for Josey to make an appearance.

“Earth to Alex, come in,” Lori teased playing with her fries instead of eating them. Alex nodded, she wasn’t sure what she was agreeing to, but it sure got her friends riled up. Lori shared a heavy look with Cheryl and they burst out laughing.

“What?” Alex asked, her dark eyes squinted in suspicion.

“So you gonna do it?” Cheryl pressed.

“Am I going to do what?” Alex repeated as if to a kindergartner.

“Go see if those guys will share their beers.” Lori continued. “That’s what we were talking about while you were looking for your smoking buddy.”

Alex looked at the truck full of college guys one row back. They were loud, although some seemed to be fairly sober still. This was not how she had seen her Friday night going. Alex gave in and brokered some beer for her friends, being the only one of the girls with the guts to talk to strangers. Before long it was time for curfew, much to Alex’s relief.

As she expertly unwound Cheryl from one of the guy’s clutches, a familiar voice called to her, “Alexandra Marie, what do you think you’re doing?!” Danny had put his cop voice on.

The bright side was that Danny didn’t force Alex to sit in the backseat of his squad car, but he did insist on driving her home. Immediately and in front of both her friends and their college flirts, Alex shoved her tongue into her cheek and stormed off to plop in the empty passenger seat. Was it too much to ask for one night out without a knowing commentary from her dad or an over reaching escort from her big brother?

Apparently it was.

As the two oldest Miller kids pulled out of the crowded parking lot, a flash of a lighter caught Alex’s eye. There, standing in the shadows was a pair of teak colored legs below a waitress’ uniform and an oversized leather jacket. Alex immediately ducked behind her hand, hiding her face from her crush’s penetrating stare.

The household was lit from every side, leaving no unnoticed entrance for Alex. Worse, Danny insisted on coming inside to see what leftovers were waiting for him in the well stocked refrigerator. Her parents’ welcomed Danny in like the prodigal, thanking him for getting her back safely. The entire exchange was cordial, if slighting patronizing. Finally, Alex was allowed to escape to her room for a good night of over-analyzing if Josey had seen her and what Lori and Cheryl would say Monday morning.

“You get in trouble the other night, then?” Josey called out to Alex from the small alley between the dumpsters and the staff entrance. It was the next Friday night and Alex was pacing in hopes of spotting her. Unfortunately Alex hadn’t seen her come outside and the shock had paralyzed her language receptors. Joseys’ thick hair was in two long plaits, giving an air of youthfulness that undermined every fantasy Alex had half formed in her endless daydreaming.

It was then that Alex realized that she had not answered the woman’s question. She shook her head, slightly overplaying the tough girl routine, “Nah, that was just my brother, showing off.” She shoved her hands in the front pockets of her corduroys, thinking of something witty to say. 

“Do you see him often?” Josey’s voice sounded agitated. Alex shook her head and pursed her lips, suddenly feeling foolish. “Listen, kid, I can’t keep slipping you smokes. Not if you’ve got cops in the family. I don’t need that.”

Alex understood the brush off, why would Josey put her neck on the line for some kid with a crush? She smiled without teeth, the traitor tears breaking free from her burning eyes. “You don’t have to explain,” Alex stopped Josey’s forced apology as the waitress saw how her words had struck the edgy teen aged girl. They shared a soulful glance, heavy with regret and rejection.

Alex didn’t return to Lori’s car, she didn’t even tell her friends she was leaving. That autumn night Alex walked home to find her house, lit again from all sides. The scene inside the living room was anything but cordial, however. Her mother rocked little Scottie on her lap as her father cried the silent tears of grief.

Back to 1986

Alex checked her bangs in the rear view mirror, she rolled her eyes in frustration. The parking lot was half filled as she passed with her head down and walked into the glass turn style doors. The candy striper at the reception desk used an exuberant whisper to give her the room number. She gave her gratitude and headed for the elevators off the main corridor. The wallpaper was awful sea foam and peach stripes, which clashed with her black on black ensemble horribly.

She talked herself through the motions. “I’ll just go in there, no muss, no fuss,” Alex told the empty elevator. “I’m gonna tell her that I love her.” The bell pinged on the fourth floor, Oncology. She inhaled and marched to room 417, the generic wallpaper now had seashells adorning the stripes. She wrapped her knuckles on the ajar door.

[newyorktheater]

Britney Spears, 20 years ago

Will Roland in Be More Chiil

Cast of Mean Girls

Andrew Barth Feldman in Dear Evan Hansen

Isabelle McCalla and Caitlin Kinnunen as high school girlfriends in The Prom

“I’m not a girl, not yet a woman…I’m in between,” Britney Spears sang some two decades ago, and it could almost be the new anthem (gender-adjusted) for Broadway. The opening of Be More Chill this week adds yet another to the New York stage shows that focus on teenage characters (mostly portrayed by non-teenage performers), many of which attract a large teenage audience. These include Dear Evan Hansen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Mean Girls, and, yes, ok, Wicked. (The Prom has a dual focus; and the audience for, if not the characters in, Frozen skew younger.) Teen angst has made its way Off-Broadway as well, with Superhero.

Shows about teens and tweens are hardly new: 13, Bye Bye Birdie, Carrie, Hairspray, Matilda, Newsies, School of Rock, Spring Awakening come to mind. But we’re seeing a particular trend now, and not an especially welcome one. It’s of course a good thing to broaden the demographics of the Broadway audience, and at least one of these shows is widely viewed as of high quality.  Yet their focus is largely on angst and on stereotypes.  How accurate or fair are the depictions of teenagers in these shows?  Yes, high school may be a time when some people are trying out identities, and too many of them might like to assign reductive labels to their classmates or even to themselves.  But surely this is not the full picture, nor a constructive one. As I say in my review of Be More Chill, the actual high school students we see regularly in the news are  taking the lead in attacking such crucial  problems as climate change and gun control — problems that have stalemated adults.

Incidentally, “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,” along with “Baby One More Time,” Spear’s first pop single when she was 17 years old, are likely to be two of the 23 songs from her repertorie that will be in the new musical “Once Upon a One More Time” aiming for Broadway, announced today.  The book, thankfully, is not about teen angst. (For more details, see Week in NY Theater News, below.)

The Week in New York Theater Reviews

THE B-SIDE: “Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons,” A Record Album Interpretation

In “The B-Side,” three men sing along with an album on a record-player —  or, as people prefer to say these days, a vinyl on the turntable. But there’s a reason why the Wooster Group’s encore presentation of its simple and odd hour-long piece, first performed at the Performing Garage in 2017, is filling St. Ann’s Warehouse every night. The album is “Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons”…

Austin Scott as Alexander Hamilton and Carvens Lissaint as George Washington, the new cast members of “Hamilton” on Broadway.

  Hamilton on Broadway 2019: New Cast, New Clarity

I recently saw Hamilton again on Broadway, during a rare open captioned performance, and it was a revelation in several ways.

  I would love to see this show but there are not enough OC performances for those of us who want to attend. It’s nice to pat yourself on the back about access, but the reality is that an occasional Wednesday OC performance with limited tickets is not access. #captionallshows

— Dr. Petrified Tree Sap (@a_joy_martin) March 9, 2019

The Cake Review: “This is Us” writer on Christian baker’s Lesbian wedding dilemma

In “The Cake,” Debra Jo Rupp (the mother on “That 70s Show”) portrays Della, a Christian baker in North Carolina who refuses to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding. If the story is inspired by the Supreme Court case decided last year, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, playwright Bekah Brunstetter, who is a writer for “This Is Us,” makes it personal in several ways…One of the future brides, Jen (Genevieve Angelson), is the daughter of Della’s best friend, who died five years ago. Della, who is childless, views Jen like a daughter…Bekah Brunstetter has told interviewers that she wrote “The Cake” as a way to explain her support for gay rights and same-sex marriage to her parents. Her father, Peter Brunstetter, is a Republican politician from North Carolina who supported an anti-gay state bill that defined marriage as between a man and a woman.

Be More Chill on Broadway

Somebody wrote “NYC Loves BMC” in chalk on the sidewalk outside Broadway’s Lyceum Theater, the new home of “Be More Chill,” the high energy, high decibel pop-rock musical that stars Will Roland as a self-proclaimed high school “loser” who swallows a pill containing a supercomputer and becomes cool. I tweeted a picture of the scrawled public love note; the tweet was retweeted nearly a hundred times. “Be More Chill” has some seriously devoted fans, most of whom seem to be 15 years old. It’s a thrill to see such teenaged enthusiasm for live theater.  I wish I could share more fully in their ardor for this show

  The Week in New York Theater News

The first annual Rave Theater Festival is asking for submissions. Artistic director @kendavenportplans roughly 20 plays, musicals, multimedia, and cross-disciplinary projects, as well as family shows, which will each receive up to five performances, August 9-25, 2019 at Clemente Sito Velez Cultural and Education Center on the Lower East Side.

Simpsons theme song composer Danny Elfman will make his Broadway debut by composing music for “Gary: The Sequel to Titus Andronicus.”

Twenty-three of Britney Spears’ songs will form the score for a new Broadway-aiming musical, “Once Upon a One More Time” with will have a try-out in Chicago from October to December of this year. “Once Upon A Time… Cinderella, Snow White, and the other fairytale princesses gather for their book club, when – oh, baby baby! – a rogue fairy godmother drops The Feminine Mystique into their corseted laps, spurring a royal revelation.” The Times reports that the run at the Chicago theater “had been set aside for “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” a Michael Jackson jukebox musical that canceled its Chicago plans on the eve of an HBO documentary detailing abuse allegations against the pop star. That show’s producers say they are still hoping to come to Broadway.”

The Arts Are Good For You

Three articles that show that the arts are a good thing.

Article 1, by Isaac Kaplan in Artsy:  Arts Sector Contributed $763.6 Billion to U.S. Economy—More Than Agriculture or Transportation, New Data Shows

Article 2, by Tom Jacobs in Pacific Standard:  How arts can help struggling science students do better

A large study released last month found that Florida middle-school students who study music, theater, or visual art subsequently get higher overall grades than their peers.

Article 3 by Robert Ruffin in HowlRound (from 2018) We Need Theatre to Exist, and Maybe Research Can Prove Its Necessity

A new Broadway By The Year, musicals of 1943 and 1951, will be presented at Town Hall of March 25th, “created, written, hosted and directed” by Scott Siegel — for whom 2018 was not a great year, having gotten into a bad bicycle accident. Here is an article about his accident and his show in the Times, written right before the last Broadway By Year, last month.

Alexa’s new skill lets you scour Ticketmaster using your voice

  Robert Barry Fleming has been appointed artistic director of Actors Theater of Louisville, the theater that brings us the annual Humana Festival. He’s been an actor, director, choreographer, arts administrator (at Arena Stage and Cleveland PlayHouse), and championed or commissioned such shows as Dear Evan Hansen and Sweat.

Daryl_Roth – Producing with a Purpose. Theater producer for 31 yrs “Marvel action hero” – Paula Vogel. One of the few female producers on Broadway…she chooses work by women, LGBT folks, and people of color not usually seen as commercially viable

Daveed DIggs is back in New York, for the play White Noise at the Public Theater, and he’s happier to be here than last time.

The last few years I have had not a great relationship with New York, but this time feels really good. The Hamilton experience here was so intense, and it became a pretty stressful place for me to be. That was a show that, at the bottom of it, it’s a bunch of friends getting together and making rap songs. I was involved with that show for a long time because my friend wrote it and asked me to come along for the ride. Everything on the inside of it felt very small, and everything on the outside of it felt very big.

…I love performing in smaller houses. I think you get a different kind of connection there. I’m excited to be doing any play, period, after spending a couple years being in front of a camera. This is a very welcome return. You get a different kind of intimacy in a small space, and I think everybody gets to know each other a little better.

As much as I loved performing on Broadway, I don’t care if I ever do that again. I like telling stories in places where everyone is part of the storytelling.

Oskar Eustis and Suzan-Lori Parks chat with one another about their new collaboration as director and playwright, White Noise, It begins: Oskar Eustis doesn’t believe in giving audiences a heads-up. “When you have a trigger ­warning, you’re implying that people need to be protected from pain,” says Eustis, the artistic director of New York’s Public ­Theater. “I think real art says, ‘No, you don’t. What you need is the chance to face it.’”

If you’re working on a play– especially a new one– and you’re not checking in with your ushers on a regular basis during previews, you don’t actually know how it’s going.

— Evan Cabnet (@evancabnet) March 11, 2019

Thanks Broadway Twitter for having my back. Being a working parent in any profession is really challenging. I never want to disappoint audiences as I am beyond grateful to them, but the health of my family will always come before my job. Thanks to those who understand that 💛

— Laura Benanti (@LauraBenanti) March 11, 2019

.@FosseVerdonFX cast includes: Sam Rockwell as Bob Fosse & Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon@kelli_barrett as Liza Minnelli@biancamarroquin as @Chita_Rivera +@BranUran as Dustin Hoffman @TheTylerHanes as Jerry Orbach@ethansaslater as @joelgrey Premieres on FX April 9th. pic.twitter.com/lvokxwZUFl

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) March 11, 2019

If you’re an aspiring playwright, this thread by @MikeLew4 might change your life. https://t.co/WouQGQXNUh

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) March 8, 2019

My favorite line: “Get that EXT/INT shit outta there! Dead giveaway your “play” is a pilot.”

Play Formatting PSA: In undergrad one of the 1st things Donald Margulies did was teach us proper play formatting. Which felt like a huge bummer. Shouldn’t it be story first? Who cares about formatting?! Don’t you see that l WILL CHANGE THE FORM, WITH THE POWER OF ART? 1

But now that I’ve done a ton of reading committees, I can see he was right. In the same way you wouldn’t show up to a job interview dressed wrong for the job, when I’m reading a ton of plays my first cut rejections boil down to, “Does this manuscript LOOK like a play or not?” 2/

And the most screwed up thing is that published plays don’t look like manuscript-form plays, so you can’t just learn by picking up an acting edition at the bookstore or your submission’ll look weird. To wit, a thread about formatting. ARE YOU EXCITED?? 3/

A full-length play is approx 100 pgs in length (50 pgs per act). Sure your length may vary. You may have a lean 75 pg straight-through-no-intermission piece or a 120 pg 2-act that “should read really really fast”

Now the formatting nitty gritty! *character names in all caps & centered *dialogue left-justified *in-dialogue stage directions like “(she exits)” should be in parentheses and italics *longer stage directions should be tabbed in and (optionally) italicized 10/

New scenes get their own line (i.e. “Scene 1”) – bolded and numbered *Get that EXT/INT shit outta there! Dead giveaway your “play” is a pilot. *Start a new pg for each scene *End the act on an all-caps “END OF ACT 1” “END OF PLAY” etc – and bold it too cuz that feels GREAT 11/

Teens Take Over Broadway (but is it real?). A Britney Spears Broadway musical? Hamilton Reconsidered. #Stageworthy News of the Week “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman...I'm in between,” Britney Spears sang some two decades ago, and it could almost be the new anthem (gender-adjusted) for Broadway. 2,063 more words

[phantomphangphucker]

The Bindings Of Time - Chapter 4. To Throw Off The Sands Of Time And Education - PhannieMay - Day 23 Graduation and Day 22 Memories

Summary: Graduates got to have a bit of fun

(Multi-chapter fic, each chapter falls under the Memories prompt as well as another day’s prompt)

Danny yawns as he wakes up, it’s definitely strange having his body sleep while his minds doing time shit. But while his body needs the rest he can’t just check out from time for hours on end. Rubbing his ring and patting at the chessboard before heading down for food. It’s quite impressive the amount of introspection and problem solving one can do while sitting at a simple chess board. Well, ok, his chessboard wasn’t exactly simple but whatever. 

Smiling at his mom softly as he walks into the kitchen. Knowing she’s still not too pleased with his job and feeling rather uncomfortable with all his changes, “mornin’, making eggs?”. She nods but frowns a little, “I’m sure you already knew that”. Danny sighs as he takes his seat, “don’t do that. I don’t know everything while human and even when I do know, I still want to hear about it and ask. Holding contempt or resentment over my powers isn’t good”. “Are you just saying that for the timeline?”, Danny can practically feel the displeasure in her voice. While he gets that his powers might be confusing and even downright frustrating for others, he would like those close to him to at least be ok with them. He can’t help but glare a little at the back of her head, “it’s rare I’d have to do anything specifically for time. I’m being genuine, my title and powers are part of me. Having disdain for part of me or any of my powers would and will never have been or be good, for any of us. Jazz would say it’s not healthy or whatever mental psychobabble”. Danny makes a point of not schooling his expression as she turns around and reads his face, letting her see that he’s not really pleased with her displeasure. She hands him his food after a beat and sighs, “sorry sweetie, it’s just really strange and it’s changed you. Which I know you understand and are ok with, but I think it’s fair to say everyone else doesn’t really get it”. “Of course, I expected no different, even before getting time powers. I figured adjusting would be difficult for everyone, what I hadn’t expected was that it would come easy to me. One thing ClockWork’s not good for is warnings���, chucking faintly as he continues, “the very first thing I even said was “fuck ClockWork, better warning needed”. And yeah I know, swearing, but I think swearing was pretty suiting at that moment”. Though she looks a bit unimpressed it’s clear she agrees, “if you ask me, you should have had full warnings beforehand”. Danny finishes off his mouthful before responding, air-quoting “Sometimes warnings are non-necessities and only serve to discourage us from doing what we must” end air-quoting. Shuffling a bit, “having forewarning isn’t always that helpful and while yes I had a choice in all of this, there was no other who could do the job. But ClockWork wouldn’t have faded unless the universe itself knew I was ready and willing. Plus, I don’t always heed warnings, even ClockWork’s”. Putting away his dishes as he looks at the time, it’s always been a bit odd going to school with no one even having a clue who or what exactly his classmates were going to school with or his teachers teaching. Now it’ll be even more odd, before he was just the overpowered ghostly town hero. Now he was more or less a god, though he didn't exactly care to be referred to as one. Just a powerful halfa with lots of responsibilities, some just happened to be outside of other people’s understanding. Though the omniscience and omnipresence made it kind of hard to deny the god title. Chuckling, “I am probably going to freak Mr. Lancer, and every other teacher, out for the remainder of school”. This actually gets his mom to snort, amused, “school literally has no purpose to you, does it? You could probably teach the teachers”. She’s not wrong, heck he could make corrections to the history books. That would be a really dumb idea though. Smiling at her as he grabs his backpack, “the teaching never really did, I was always fated for this. But school carries socialisation and the creation of support networks. That’s one area where me and ClockWork differ, I don’t thrive under solitude. Fostering connections and all my bonds with people, good and bad, make me well. School does that, so there is still a purpose; it’s just a bit different”, smirking, “like everything else about me. Utterly unique and wholly different”. Catching her mutter as he walks out the door, “a little too unique and why couldn’t you just say it’s nice having friends and hanging out?”.

Danny high fives Tucker as they sit down in class, “dude, if you don’t confused the shit out of every teacher I will hate you. Specially since school’s almost out”. Danny rolls his eyes and mouths “duh” while sitting down. And he can’t help a mischievous smirk as Mr. Trent walks in. Though he knows this teacher won’t even care, pretty well numb to the antics of the weirdo trio. By fourth Danny’s pretty well amused with himself, sure he’s had to check in with time a bit excessively to make sure his fucking around was all well and good. But making Ms. Jetsin snort her tea out her nose was very very worth it. Smiling as his homeroom and English teacher, Mr. Lancer, comes in. He really does like the man, he’s both eccentric and wise, plus he knows how to work people. If he wasn’t so strict and pushy, they’d probably get along great. Though he does get along with him pretty well nowadays, even if Mr. Lancer did get on his ass about stuff an awful lot. That was another thing that caught him off guard, finding out just how much Mr. Lancer actually cared, especially about him. He’d have figured all the teachers would have given up on him by now, but no. Danny can tell that Mr. Lancer knows he’s going to be trouble today, purely by the face he pulls. “Now I know I’ll be seeing you all on you’re way soon but there are still things this old man can teach you about the real world. So do try to pay some attention”, Danny will give him props for trying but no one really cares anymore; and Danny hardly cared to begin with. And now there’s really nothing he can learn, experiences is all he’s got to gain. Danny pretends to be having a nap while Mr. Lancer goes on about philosophy essays. Hearing how people interpret things that don’t have solid answers was much more amusing now, since it was actually possible for someone to come up with something he hasn’t heard before. While human anyway, otherwise he’d know their opinion before they even thought it. Unlike biology or history, all that stuff was old news to him. Heck, he knew it before it even became human knowledge or happened. Smirking slightly as Mr. Lancer finally calls on him, “since you seem to find this tiring, Mr. Fenton, care to provide an interesting take on belonging to the world rather than a country and living without excess?”. Danny can’t help but snort, kind of ironic to ask that of the guy who couldn’t have loyalties to a specific country. “I can’t claim to ascribe to stoic cosmopolitanism personally, but viewing humanity as one central state to belong to is quite logical, if a bit obvious. Of course all humans ought to feel endearment towards humanity as a whole, otherwise humanity would be much more actively self-destructive”, really the only reasons Danny doesn’t view himself as in the community of humanity is the whole halfa thing and his job. That kind of required viewing himself as outside of every community, making himself in community with only himself. Though free to mingle with others. Lifting his head up and lazily resting it on his palm as he continues, while half the class looks completely lost and are actually paying attention to him purely out of mild shock. Most having never heard him give more than couple word answers or just not having an answer at all, “and the idea of excess is so beyond relative that it’s almost not worth pondering, but Diogenes’s idea of excess is quite extreme. While sure using your hands to drink water instead of a bowl and forgoing shoes, can make you feel connected with nature; intentional inconvenience for the sake of minimalism is, in and of itself, excess in a way”, twirling his hand in the air, “further, ascribing meaning and values to things is innate in the behaviour of nearly all sentient beings. So to live with nothing would be rather unhealthy, unless you make that nothing your everything. Which I’m sure is what he did, having nothing was his niche. So his opinion was not exactly objective”. Smirking slightly as he decides he’s just going to keep rambling until someone speaks up, “don’t say I blame him for picking a staff and cloak of all things to keep and be attached to. It’s very easy to be pragmatic with such tools”. Continuing to speak over Tucker’s snort, “though living with excess of material goods is definitely debilitating and reduces the worth and attachments you can have drastically. In the same way as things gain value in rarity so too does the personal value of what you have grow with scarcity. But going so scarce as to live in pottery instead of owning a home is just plain absurd, if a bit amusing”. Tapping at his chin, “Diogenes was an all-around absurdist really, too bad none of his work survived; I’m certain it would have been highly entertaining for you all. Well, for people who care for unusual eccentrics anyway. People are far more content to write down all their weird musings than actually act on them, so imagine the utter abnormality of the writing from a guy who peed on people, plucked a chicken for a joke and walked backwards just to confuse people? He may have been against excess and belonging to a group of one or a small community, but his personality was his excess and being that odd makes you one against all”. Chuckling, “definitely not a good portrayal of humanity, quite misleading actually. You’d think ascribing to and pretty well creating the idea of humans all belonging to humanity, would make someone more, well, average”. Danny leans back and yawns as he can tell Mr. Lancer’s going to speak up now, “well Mr. Fenton, you clearly saved your most baffling behaviour till the end. As half of that even I did not quite get. However, I’m inclined to agree. Humans are materialistic by nature and I doubt we are that way for no reason”. Danny can’t help but laugh into his hand as Mr. Lancer addresses the rest of the class, “after that I think it might actually be embarrassing to call on anyone else, so we’ll move on”. Mr. Lancer drones on about linguistics and symbolism’s, while Star kicks Danny’s seat. Talking to him as he turns to her, “who are you and where’s the out of the loop oddball that only gets called on to embarrass?”. Smirking slightly at her, “he’s a little extra dead and flaunting it. I’m weirder than you all know, but there’s no point in not being so in our final few days of school”. Catching Mr. Lancer point at him from the corner of his eye, looking both slightly excited and scared, “Mr. Fenton, since you seem to be actually talkative today. What do you think of the difficulties of learning a new language but how it makes it so people more readily spot symbolism in their lives?” Tilting his head a bit before deciding he’s going to build up to being utterly baffling, “well besides the obvious of it getting harder with age. Aged brains just simply don’t pick up as easily and your first is always the easiest. Besides we’re all surrounded by our mother tongues, not the case with a second language. Though the idea of universal grammar in human DNA is a pretty darn absurd take on the ease with which we learn our first language”, shrugging loosely, “but speaking multiple languages improves nearly every aspect of the brain, so it’s expected that someone would recognise symbolism more effectively and have greater appreciation for it”. Flicking his finger at the abstract painting of an Arbutus tree and Ash tree, “you could argue, someone frequently using and recognising symbolism is enough of precursor for being bilingual. And yes it is a bit on the nose to have the image of an Arbutus tree, for depth or knowledge, and Ash tree, for mental growth and connection; inside a classroom”. Sure him guessing at Mr. Lancer knowing multiple languages isn’t really a guess, as he knows that man speaks four. Smiling slowly Danny speaks in a language he knows Mr. Lancer knows and then repeats himself in ghost speak just to confuse, “obwohl die symbolik ziemlich amüsant ist. Æłthœügh thę ßÿmbõłįßm įß qūïtę åmüßįñg”. Mr. Lancer coughs, effectively caught off guard, but has a playful glint in his eyes, “wo hast du überhaupt deutsch gelernt? Das wird hier nicht gelehrt. Ich bin mit der anderen Sprache, die Sie verwendet haben, nicht vertraut”. Smirking back at his teacher, “expected, helping my parents build a translator for ghost speak rather required learning their language. And you’d be surprised the things you pick up when traveling, see I’m a rather memorious or you could say semi-eidetic memory”. Shrugging at his unimpressed teacher while Dash speaks up, “so you’re even more of a freak?”. Danny can’t help but be amused at how right Dash is but he doesn’t even get a chance to respond as Star turns to him, “what even is eyedeckit”. Smiling softly at her, “I learn fast and have nearly flawless memory. I just don’t really focus effort on schooling so it doesn’t show”. Technically he’s not even lying, he’s always had a quick learning ability. Just now it was universal and instantaneous knowledge instead but he couldn’t exactly say that. And going with photographic memory would be a little too suspicious, heck no one’s even really been confirmed to even have that. Mr. Lancer looks even more unimpressed but doesn’t get to comment on that, as the bell goes off. He does, however, ask Danny to stay. Rubbing his neck awkwardly, “yeah I know, I should care more about my schooling. Things happen and not everyone’s priorities rest in the same vein. Furthered education really isn’t in my playbooks, so just enough to graduate is where my caring ends”. Mr. Lancer sighs, “you’re barely managing that, when it’s apparent you could easily be near or even surpass your sister. I hope whatever you are focused on is worth the intellect but I still think you should strive for more”. Danny does wish he had more time in the past to actually study and learn. He’s not exactly proud of the poor grades, but his place as protector and, now, job as Overseer of the timestream, took precedence. Smirking slightly as he rubs his ring, “my new job requires it actually and yes it’s very much worth both the intellect and the brutalised academic standing”. Danny makes sure his pride is clearly palpable which Mr. Lancer responds to positively, “then I’m glad, a student filling into a satisfactory and fulfilling life is the best a teacher could ever wish for. I guess my worry over you has been rather misplaced, but for that I am proud”. “You’re worries been highly appreciated, the concern and meddlings of others in my life has been and is justified, not to mention gratifying. How else would I have been aware of available support networks?”, Danny can’t help but smile as Mr. Lancer nods fondly at him before shooing him off to lunch. Danny really does like the guy and making Mr. Lancer feel like he did some good and affected Danny positively, was more than pleasing to Danny; and he knew Mr. Lancer would sleep very well tonight.

Tucker slaps Danny on the back as he sits down for lunch, “dude that was great, no damn clue what you were talking about but oh my god”. Danny smirks, “just a guy with a minimalism kink who doesn’t believe in people calling themselves Americans or Canadians. That, and knowing many languages makes you smarter”. Sam smirks, “well, we all know at least two so yay for our brains”. Tucker pokes at Danny, “dude, you talked for a solid ten minutes and just summed it all up in, maybe, two sentences. Your mind is officially terrifying”. Danny shrugs playfully, he’s not exactly wrong.

Danny’s in the middle of going on about half-angle trigonometry, which wasn’t even how he was supposed to solve this equation, when his ghost sense goes off, “can’t really say how doing it this way would ever be useful though. Anyway, I’ll be back or more than likely not”. The one good thing about this going on for four years is that practically none of the teachers cared or were surprised anymore. Stretching lazily as he gets up, speed walking to the bathroom. Pulling off his white belt before transforming, forgoing the cloak and staff, then putting the belt back on to cover his clocks, before flying through the ceiling. He could throw on white gloves to cover his hourglasses but he’s got a joke to make and Skulker is the perfect target. Floating over to Skulker with his hands behind his head and smiling devilishly, “can’t say I’m surprised you’re the first one to officially get back to business”. “Always whelp! I’ve got a pelt to pouch”,  Danny easily avoids the harpoon as he changes to his ghostly tail. Skulker clearly notices his far more erratically and energetically pulsating tail; looking more like glitching static rather than loose waving. “You are in good health and power it would seem, makes for a finer pelt!”, Danny can easily read the genuine concern there, even if Skulker voices his worry about his well-being rather oddly. Suitable behaviour for a ghost though, if he got that from a human he might actually be concerned. “Oh you have no idea, all’s well with time”, Danny fully knows Skulkers frowning because you’re not really supposed to make references to faded ghosts so blatantly so soon and he knows the triple meaning was majorly lost, he doesn’t really care though. Avoiding another shoot from Skulker as he slinks up behind him, punching him clean in the gut, sending him into a wall. Chuckling, “you’ve been hit by, you’ve been struck by, the smooth sands of time”. Danny can’t help but laugh exaggeratedly at Skulker incredulously sticking his arms out and pointing at his hands, “you’re pelts changed?! And not in a Phantom way!”. Wiping at his eyes, “time always makes its modifications! But it is so very Phantom, the Phantom of times future”. Now Skulker is crossing his arms, “okay what’s going on here? You’re never this bad”. Waving Skulker off, “I’ve been saving them up, built quite the repertoire. And really, how could I not? But hey, you get to be the first one I hit with the unyielding stick of time”. Skulker just throws his hands up before going after Danny again. Danny let’s Skulker get his blade less than a centimetre in front of his face before teleporting, with the usual hands of time portal, behind him. Skulker spins around to face the cockily grinning Danny, “did you just teleport? And in that manner?”. Danny grins wider, “and I’d say I timed it pretty well, though I planned that out days ago. But don’t worry, it’s not that you’re predictable, more that surprising time is rather impossible”. Spotting Skulker’s slightly wary stance, Danny decides now’s the time to really shock him. Phasing off the belt seconds before letting the purple transformation rings spring out to form his cloak and staff, grinning wide, “it’s both impressive and a little sad that none of you realised I was times apprentice. Time’s my bitch now”. Danny takes Skulker’s stunned shock to quickly fly up and full force slam him on the side of the head with his staff. Chuckling as he floats down to the decapitated helmet, “in time, time beats them all”. Picking Skulker up by one of his tiny green legs, while Skulker gapes, “I could have kept going and you would have figured it out, in time. But this was more fun, so in case this isn’t obvious”, Danny shakes his time staff which Skulker glances at, “I'm the new Master Of Time, always was going to be. But well, only time knew that. Oh and don’t worry, all my little scuffles will continue to be more or less fair. I’m just flaunting now as a more humorous way to reveal my graduation from apprentice to master”. Skulker’s high pitched voice is clearly more than just startled, “so that, that’s what that Observant wanted with you. I’ll still have your pelt whelp, but take the advice; you’re not him so don't try to be. Time Master or not”. Danny has no intention of copying his faded Master but he knows no one really knew just how alike they were. Smiling loosely, “I don’t have to try, we’re birds of a feather; scarily similar actually. I’m just not so solitary and slightly more of a joke. In regards to the outfit, he made both himself”. Danny knows full well what Skulker’s about to say but there’s no way he can’t laugh his ass off as Skulker speaks, “he was no jokester ghostchild! Handled everything with serious composure”. Putting Skulker down on a rooftop as he bends over wheezing, “he was a good seventy percent jokes! We had prank wars! Got him drunk off of chess! Half the reason he was so confusing was because he found it insanely funny!”. Whipping at his eyes and bending down to be more on level with the tiny ghost, “his name, like mine, was a literal pun, dude. He fought with a scythe purely to be extra and used symbolism out the wazoo. He was a massive jokester, just a sneaky one”. Pulling out and shaking the thermos, “now hold your tongue so I can have my, it’s the Time Master bitch!, moment”, smirking, “and the Observants were right, I am going to be just as insufferable to them as he was”. He can tell Skulker’s confused but he doesn’t really care, as he sucks him in.

The rest of the school day goes more or less the same as the morning. Danny isn’t surprised no other ghosties showed but could anyone really blame him for hoping? Yawning and stretching lazily while a good portion of the school gawks at him as he heads home. Walking inside and poking his head into the kitchen; while knowing full well that Skulker won’t hold his tongue for more than a day and was having a mild freakout, “you probably shouldn’t hold supper for me, it’s time for the new Master Of Time to be known. Could go long, could go short; see how I feel like playing it”. Clearly his mom’s feeling better as she reaches up to ruffle his hair some, “Ghost Zone I’m assuming? And anyone would know I’d prefer you make it short”. “Of course mom, on both accounts. But I’ll see. Taking things fast usually isn’t the best option when dealing with startling things or talking to large crowds”, her sigh makes it clear she understands and agrees. “Oh, and school was very amusing, for me anyway, bemusing for everyone else though. Well, Mr. Lancer was tickled pink actually, but he’s weird”. Maddie snorts, “I’m glad you impressed your teacher, especially that one; he genuinely cares about you”. Danny smiles warmly as he heads out the kitchen, confusing his mom unintentionally, “uh, I thought you were heading out right off the bat?”. Summoning out his staff and responding only slightly confused, “yup, why?”. She sticks her head out and glares a little but relents at his raised eyebrow, “did I actually confuse you? Wow okay. It’s just that the labs down the other way”. Danny chuckles as he facepalms, dragging his hand down his face and letting it fall to the side before responding, “I’m just going to make my own portal. That’ll get me where and when I need to be. And yes I can still get confused or miss stuff, at least while I’m human. I’m only omniscient and omnipresent when I’m in ghost form. My awareness and knowledge is optional while human, well, sort of. It’s complicated”. Now his mom actually looks intrigued and excited, smirking at her, “yeah you can watch”. Danny knows the staff spinning is really not necessary but it’s very extra and thus worth it. Tapping his staff on the ground to bring a little more attention to it before rather dramatically swirling it, catching his mother say, “more clock imagery?”.

Smiling at the mirror in his clocktowers bedroom after pulling down his hood and ruffling his hair. Tilting his head back to look out one of the windows, “getting a lair as a graduation gift is a bit extra but it is nice to have a true home here”, before it had just been sort of a home, like being a permanently invited guest; now it was his. Floating out into the main room, it’s probably a little odd he hasn’t been back since getting his new role and powers. All the gears and swinging clock bits are a pretty heavy reminder and he fully intends to leave ClockWork’s scythe exactly where it is, Danny does have some shame after all. Using a scythe is too on the nose even for him and that was all ClockWork’s thing, while Danny’s got his thermos. Plus, unlike ClockWork, Danny has real offensive powers. Heck, his clawed gloves were probably as sharp as the scythe. Sighing before turning to the screens, making them display different sections of the zone. Chucking hollowly at Skulker debating with himself over whether it was even a sane idea to try and skin the guy who controls and protects time. Danny thinks it’s a pretty sane thing for a ghost to do, because really he was just even more of a prize now; and Skulker’s got an obsession to follow. Besides, it’s not like Danny really minds anymore, the witty banter and sparing is his bread and butter. Skulker’s one of the best to trade blows with, even if it will all be less exciting now. Chuckling more genuinely now as he sends a little paper airplane note through the viewing screen turned portal. Watching as Skulker yelps and reads out loud, “don’t fret about it, tinman. It’s all in good fun, for me anyway. Hover about the Gathers Colosseum if you wanna watch me freak some ghosts out”. Smirking at Skulker looking around incredulously before flying out his clocktower.

Pulling up his hood all the way and closing the cloak before becoming visible while sitting on one of the damaged pillars. Only smiling as a couple ghosts around jerk in surprise at his sudden return to visibility. Following Johnny’s bike with his eyes as it jerks to a stop, Danny knows the cloak plus gear clasp will instantly make pretty well everyone think ClockWork for a second before realising the colour’s wrong. And that’ll be enough for them to make the connection that this black cloaked figure is the new Master Of Time; seeing as time couldn’t exactly go without a master. They’ll assume he’s a brand new ghost or someone who was in the clocktower but never left. Sure, quite a few had seen his cloak at the afterdeath ceremony but his hood was down, effectively covering the gear clasp, and his hood was rounded and snug before; now it was long, pointy and zig-zagged. Plus, no one was exactly focused on his clothing that day. Smiling softly under his hood as an older ghost, Brextik, is the first to approach him, “so you finally make your presence known, young Time Master”. Chuckling faintly, “I’ve been around. Pestering occasionally and basking in the afternoon sun”. Brextik only looks confused for a second before smiling warmly, “well, you are certainly he. May we know your name?”, at this point there’s a fair amount of ghosts around but not quite enough. He’s aiming to tell practically everyone in one fell swoop, “oooo, antsy are we? Just wait out the clock sometime. But”, Danny pauses just to be a bit of an ass, “there is one who already knows here. They’ll hold their tongue though, not that that’s going to discourage you”. Unsurprisingly, that effectively gets most of the gathered ghosts to start pestering each other and Danny can see Skulker groan as he hides away from everyone. Of course, the commotion draws in more ghosts, all having varying degrees of reactions to his presence. Some excited, some cautious, some even look insulted or angry, the ones that draw his attention most of the ones that glare disapprovingly and turn their backs to him. A clear show of how Danny’s not going to take ClockWork’s place, which Danny doesn’t aim to. That’s why he couldn’t become The Master Of Time right away, he had his own ghostly shoes to fill. Had to establish himself outside of the shadow of ClockWork, else he’d never stand on his own and would have busied himself with the impossible task of filling ClockWork’s shoes. Trying to be just like him and fulfil the same role in everyone’s (after)lives that he did. Not to mention, filling the role of protector amongst humans is what moulded him into being so selfless. Plus, also forged a close bond and connection with humanity, so he would be equally tied to both worlds and species. Smiling as Ember finally arrives and eyes Walker accusingly, before even looking to the black cloaked figure. He finds it amusing that Walker’s one of the ones to turn his back to him. Especially knowing why, smirking as he floats lazily in-front of the white-suited ghost; who promptly turns the other direction. The two go back and forth like this for a bit, with Danny floating in front of Walker and Walker turning away, before Walker glares at him as he floats in front of him again, “Phantom better be the one who knows who you are, those two were close and I have nothing but respect for how he acted those days ago. The least you could do, newcomer, is honour that respect and behaviour. Even if it’s not a rule”. Danny chuckles lightly, be pretty sad if he hadn’t been the first non-omnipresent ghost to know. Sighing faintly, “he knew when you saw him last, walking tall and proud with a makeshift funerary flag in his hands and a time medallion in his pocket”. Walker eyes him suspiciously but Danny doesn’t give him much of a chance to ponder as he teleports back to his broken pillar. Curling his energetic tail around the pillar, peeking the bottom of his staff out the side of his cloak and letting it hang there for a bit before pulling the whole thing out, with his hand coming into view to everyone in the process. Swinging it down to bop a younger ghost, who’s a little too handsy, on the head. He’ll give Brextik props for being so pushy, guy really wants to be the first to get a good look at the new Time Master. Danny elects to satisfy him in a way, lifting his other hand out of his cloak to flick time sand out his pointer finger at the old ghosts ghostly tail, which promptly freezes in time. Brextik clearly is impressed and shocked but is trying to not show it. And Danny forces himself not to laugh as he overhears a couple ghosts muttering about how he’s got more powers and thus, obviously more powerful. Danny discretely calls “time out”, as he catches Ember giving the, now found, Skulker a disbelieving but knowing look. While Skulker just looks apologetic and startled. Floating over to stick his head between theirs, “time in”, smirking as both of them jump. He knows that pretty well every ghost knows that him “teleporting” without a teleportation portal meant he had fiddled with time. Chuckling lightly as Ember pokes at, but doesn’t dare move, his hood, “it’s been a few days but I’m certain your fashion-forward mindset won’t hold the initial reactions of disapproval towards a change in forms”. Now Skulker looks even more embarrassed while Ember just looks impressed, “of course it would be you, you over-sized weirdo”. Danny smirks, muttering just to them “well, duh”, before flying upside down and flipping to land on the back seat of Johnny’s bike. Johnny gapes from the drivers seat and Kitty from the handlebars, it was nice to see they were in a good mood towards each other; actually behaving like the lovebirds they are. Danny switches to his legs and crosses them, the whites of his boots visible under the bottom of the cloak. “I’d say sounding alike is quite expected. Knowledge begets wise words and truly understanding what confuses others make someone rather confusing themselves. Oh, and by the way, it was time for the true Master Of Time so the guider and keeper of the role had to take his leave. Somethings and beings exist to mould and maintain till the rightful owner comes along”, he knows even the Observants didn’t properly understand just what ClockWork’s role had been, and it’s unlikely anyone other than the two beings of time ever could. Johnny stammers a bit, “so you’re, saying, the oddball we’ve all been picking fights with, was the true Overseer of time?”. “A responsibility to watch over time of both worlds could only be fulfilled by a being of both worlds. A title that requires self-sacrifice and attentiveness, falls in line with the very nature of any who truly take up the mantle of hero and protector. And I’ve always been protecting both”, Danny takes this as the time to push back his hood by running his right hand through his hair. Ears flicking out as the hood rests in its natural spot just behind his ears, while he smirks playfully at the couple. Turning his head to the crowd at hearing their gasps, pushing down a laugh at the mutterings of how they wouldn’t believe this if they hadn’t just seen him use his time powers. Which is precisely why he hid who he was and he can tell Skulker realises that’s the main reason he was told to hold his tongue. Smiling softly, “I’m still to go by Phantom but yes, I’m the new Master Of Time. I’ve been times apprentice for years, I’ve simply self-actualised into my rightful place now”. Switching to his tail and floating back to the broken pillar, smirking with a playful glint in his eyes, “the clocktower is my lair now, I will know, of course, if any of you show up there for whatever reasons you may have. I expect that the same formalities will still apply to only paying visit to there in times of requirement, so I will show if you arrive at my door”. Danny continues after nearly everyone nods very noticeably and at spotting most of those who’ve picked fights with him looking guilty and like they’re about to get scolded, “oh and for those of you who’ve made an opponent of me, don’t waste effort on worrying about anything to do with that. It helped me to become who I needed to be and it is thoroughly enjoyable. I’ll continue to be relatively fair in future skirmishes. Besides, even before you could never have really won or destroyed me”. With a massive toothy grin, “I’ve been immortal for nearly all of my existence as a halfa”. Danny grins a bit wider at the shock on basically everyone and Skulker throws his hands up dramatically. Which Danny is thoroughly amused by, since getting his pelt would require Skulker actually killing him. Thus Skulker pretty well just found out his efforts had been in vain. Though Danny knows the guy does actually enjoy the sparring, so he’ll keep showing up to fight. He spends well over an hour getting peppered with questions before most ghosts leave. Johnny, Kitty and Walker stick around, with Johnny walking up to, the still perched, Danny, “well man, you being a confusing mess from the get-go makes way more sense now”. Kitty nods, “yeah, Plasmius always made sense even if he’s more of a human. You’re a ball of odd that just got odder”. She smiles softly before continuing and Danny matches that smile, “but if anyone should do this job, you do make the most sense for it. Calling you selfless might be an understatement, even your selfish actions aren’t really selfish. Same goes for protective”. Danny only nods as of course she’s right. Before turning his head to Walker, encouraging him to speak what he knows the man wants to, “the rules really don’t apply to you, so it would seem, we have no quarrel now. You rank above me anyway”. Danny chuckles a little, “my very existence defied the laws of reality from the start. Now there isn’t one natural law that can even be considered to apply to me. There was never really any jail that could hold me, not even the confines of time and the supposed inevitability of mortality”. Johnny groans a bit and points at him, “you talking like that is still creepy”. Sticking his tongue out at the biker, “you try having all of time inside you and not sound like an eccentric compilation of insight and knowledge”. Kitty shrugs loosely, “no one really gives any thought to time powers, Phantom”. Which Danny knows is honestly for the best, dealing with a couple humans trying to wrap their heads around it was hassle enough. Switching to his legs and hoping off the pillar, sending away his staff and crossing his arms lightly, “best keep it that way, you can’t understand it. But, bless their hearts, some humans are trying”. Sighing, “well anyway, I’ve got supper to eat since someone didn’t take my advice on not saving me some”. All three of them snicker, before Kitty hops back on Johnny’s bike and they speed off, Johnny two-finger waving as they go. Danny turns to Walker, “once what you’re about to do would have very much confused me, so I guess take some amusement in that”. Walker sighs but he does smile, which pleases Danny, before handing Danny three gold rifle shell casings each engraved with gears and cypress flowers, filled with purple liquid gold. Danny honestly likes that it’s not perfect and all the little crinkles in the gold, plus he will admit to being impressed with Walker over the symbolism. Smiling as he rolls the shell casings in his fingers, “the meanings here would have been lost on me before and I never did peg you for a military man before. Seems obvious now”. Danny knows Walker actually researched symbolism rather than knowing this beforehand, excluding the three-volley shell casings anyway. He can read the slight and heavily veiled embarrassment on Walkers' face, “he was a man of meanings so meanings were required. You shocked me back then and such a behaviour is done by two people not one, so consider me an honour guard for that”. Danny nods respectfully and he knows that Walker’s aware that the meaning doesn’t need to be explained. But Danny does startle the man by teleporting home directly in front of him.

Appearing back in his human bedroom, sighing at the shell casings. The gears meaning would be obvious to literally everyone, same with the purple. Gold for wisdom and a strong bond, with the cypress flowers for death. Plus, Danny likes to think the crinkled look of the purple gold represented how time doesn’t exist or flow smoothly for a Master Of Time. Putting the casings on the prior fabric and patting them before heading down to eat. He doesn’t really blame his parents for wanting to stay up, blatantly curious about how things went, since what he did was pretty well like a graduation ceremony; just for one and done oddly. Wearing a body covering gown, cloak in his case, talk some to a crowd and throw off your hat, hood in his case. Ending everything of with mingling and congratulations. Sticking his head into the kitchen, “I’m back and yes things went smoothly. Also yes, caused mass confusion and shock”. Both them nod at him while Maddie heats his food back up, Jack pats his shoulder as he sits down, “well, you were already well known as Phantom so that’s expected. But are you going to make this job of yours public to the town too?”. While the reaction would be humorous, that would be a bad idea. A large portion of humanity already disliked how powerful they believed ghosts to be, him especially, making the overwhelming power ghosts were capable of really known was bad. Currently, there’s no chance of humanity even remotely accepting one ghost having the power he did. A god sure, but they wouldn’t see him as a god and he didn’t want them to; that would also be bad. Humanity still needed major work on accepting ghosts before they should be allowed to even slightly grasp how ghosts really are. Shaking his head at his dad, “no, the only humans to know are the ones who already do. Well, for now”. Maddie raises her eyebrow at the last bit as Danny starts mixing his food up, “so like being a halfa this is a secret too. Well, can you at least tell us when it’s going to become public knowledge?”. Danny frowns and sighs, “it’s a very long time away”. Just judging by how she frowns, she understands that he means they’ll be long gone before then, as she quietly mutters, “oh”.

The next few days are relatively normal, Danny being a startlingly intelligent and all-knowing bastard at school, occasional ghost fights where his opponents get confused by his lack of using his time powers, and both intentionally and unintentionally confusing the people close to him. Danny smirks down at his red grad gown, flicking at the black tassel. He’s come to see both red and blue as representing his human half, with green for his ghost half, so it’s hard to not find the red amusing. “What you looking like that for, Fentit? Stunned stupid the local freak actually graduated?”, Danny honestly was, sort of, he kind of hadn’t expected to since he was fifteen. Way too much time taken up by ghost stuff, wasn’t quite so bad for his friends; even if their grades had suffered some too. Least they never failed shit. Rolling his eyes at Dash, “that never even mattered, Dash. Red’s just an interesting colour”, Danny grins devilishly which promptly makes the jock scurry off, looking to avoid Danny assaulting his ears. The guy really wasn’t much of a bully to him anymore, which shocked no one really with Danny being taller than his dad and rather muscular. Being mentally hard to handle just deterred the man even more. Though Danny does feel a little bad that Dash was right about life being kind of a let down for him once Highschool was over. Highschool really was Dash’s golden years. Even if there was so many ways that guy’s future could go. Turning around to smirk at Tucker, who looks even more scrawny and short in the large gown and Sam, who’s gown barely fits over her eccentric, and extremely expensive, dress. Funny enough, all of them had expensive clothing, far more expensive than even what Paulina wore; which she was both confused and annoyed by. Tilting his head back to wear all their parents were before looking at Sam, “I’m still amazed your parents actually paid for all this shit”. “They just wanted you all to make me look good, some bullshit about the people around me needing to be in the finest else it’ll tarnish me”, Sam rolls her eyes exaggeratedly and Danny’s glad they’ve all gotten over pointing out or being bugged by him knowing everything already. He did actually prefer to just be told, a little bit of normalcy was nice. The ceremony is, expectedly, boring; but Danny smiles as it’s his turn on stage. The principal clearly still hates him as she just glares while shaking his hand, but Mr. Lancer is straight up beaming, “never thought I’d get to do this young man, but I’m glad I can”. Danny nods with a mischievous smile, as they shake hands, “and I knew you would, you’ll never have another quite like me though”. Sitting back down, he can’t help but smile proudly when Valerie gets her diploma as well, he was a bit worried about her actually graduating. Her grades got nearly as brutalised as his did, and they were very much friends. It was a bit sad to him that she could never know about who he really was or that Phantom had time powers. He’d honestly always hoped to tell her eventually, but that was one dream he had to give up. That’s the thing with graduating, while you move on and grow into bigger roles, you have to leave somethings behind. Sometimes it’s experiences you’ll never get to have at all or again, sometimes it’s friends and lovers, sometimes it’s hopes and dreams, and other times it’s all the possible futures that might have just been better. But no one could ever really know if they were living one of the better futures for sure, except The Master Of Time. And he knew there could never been anything better or more wonderous for him, than the existence he’s graduated into. End.