Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based upon subject matter that is not my own. Pop culture references also do not reflect ownership by me.
Seven – The Rumination of Royalty
Sam was thoroughly calm by third period to Danny's visible relief. She was sure she'd have no problems being friendly again during lunch. That is, until a chill shot down her spine and her nails dug into her desk-top. Sam caught blue mist out of the corner of her eye before there was a groan and Danny's hand shot up into the air.
"Bathroom Mr. Fenton?" Mr. Lancer asked, looking at Danny dryly, recognizing not only the groan but the usual request of Danny's commonest ploy.
"Please?"
Lancer heaved a sigh, "There's less than ten minutes of class, if I let you go now you'll miss the rest of it. Can't it wait Mr. Fenton?"
"No Mr. Lancer, I-I really gotta go."
"Very well." Lancer beckoned him forward for a hall pass and Danny bolted for the door. Mr. Lancer was right, Danny didn't come back by the end of class.
"Hey, Danny not back yet?" Tucker asked Sam on their way to lunch.
"Still after the ghost. I take that to mean you don't know which one it was?"
"Nope. Wanna eat outside?" It was still unseasonably mild, feeling more like spring than winter so Sam wasn't about to turn that down.
"Yeah. If there wasn't an attack here then we might catch Danny on his way back in." They went through the lunch line and Sam grabbed all of Danny's usual choices, gagging as she paid for his meatloaf surprise.
"You really do love him, you're buying him meat!" Tucker crowed in glee.
"Shut it, Tuck." she growled at him. They headed out to the picnic tables outside to eat and wait for Danny. After a while Sam got tired of Tucker eyeing Danny's lunch so she sent him back in for more, her treat. Tucker wasn't gone two minutes before Sam's nails were scratching the tabletop and she had goose bumps all over. Not Danny, but not too bad a reaction.
"Ah, My Lady, I have found thee!" Surprised, Sam turned to see Pyre smiling down at her.
"Pyre? What are you doing here?"
"I am looking for My Lord Phantom. Perhaps ye could inform me as to his whereabouts?"
"Uh, probably looking for you. His ghost sense went off in class about twenty-five minutes ago. "What did you need Pyre?"
"First, please allow me to bestow my most sincere apologies for my barbaric treatment of ye the other day. The action was most unbecoming for a gentleman. I really had not meant harm, just fear."
"Um, okay. Just, I wouldn't mention that to Danny, he was kinda pissed when he saw the bruise. Actually, I'm certain that when he sees you he's going to be really angry with you all over again. That's not something he was happy about me trying to hide from him."
"May I inquire My Lady, why did ye come to my aid and hide my actions from My Lord?"
"You didn't strike me as being all that bad compared to what Danny usually has to put up with. I figured since you were being so cooperative I could cut you a little slack and Danny wouldn't have to fight you."
"Ah. I would also like to bestow my most sincere gratitude for thy actions. After ye were safely ensconced in thy home, My Lord had several…warnings for me to not repeat my actions or there would be…most severe consequences. Had he been aware of all my actions…I do not believe I would have entered the Ghost Zone at all, let alone unharmed as I did."
"Um…I'm sure Danny wouldn't have done anything permanent, he was just really angry. Uh, what exactly do you need to talk to him about; you might want to wait until he's in a good mood."
"I have come with warning of an uprising in the Ghost Zone that My Lord must be made aware of."
Sam's eyes widened, "An uprising?" she asked alarmed.
"A minor incursion only, My Lady. Do not be alarmed. However I felt it must be brought to the attention of My Lord so that it does not get out of hand. Do ye perhaps know where I might find him?"
"I'll call him." Sam dug out her cell phone and punched her first speed dial, hoping Danny had his cell with him.
"Sam!" She whirled around to see Tucker's half eaten meatloaf surprise splattered at his feet and him groping desperately for his bag and Fenton Thermos that was not with him but sitting at her feet
"Tuck—" She was cut off by Pyre swooping down upon Tucker and snagging him by his shirtfront, hoisting him in the air.
"How dare ye address My Lady so casually underling!" he snarled in Tucker's face.
"Pyre no!" she yelled at him, hoping Danny wasn't about to pick up just yet.
"My Lady?" he asked her surprised, momentarily forgetting Tucker in his grasp.
"Please, put him down, he's my friend!" Tucker's eyes were bulging at this point.
"My apologies My Lady!" Pyre swooped back to her carrying Tucker before setting him on the bench and straightened his shirt and skewed hat. "My apologies Sir Friend-of-My Lady, I thought ye a ruffian bent for mischief against My Lady."
"Uh, Sam, what's going on?" Tucker asked, not taking his eyes from Pyre.
"I'll explain—" Danny's voice over the phone drew her attention from Tucker, "in a minute Tucker. Danny! Where are you?"
"On my way back to school, I couldn't find any ghosts."
Sam glanced up at Pyre, "Oh, uh, yeah that's, uh…"
"Sam?" he asked suspiciously.
"Don't get mad." she winced, that was one of the worst ways to start a sentence with Danny.
"Why? What happened?" he sounded alarmed.
"It's…a friendly ghost. He has a message for you from the ghost zone."
"Oh. That's not so bad…why did you sound worried?"
"You…you're not his biggest fan. But he's being perfectly polite," she caught a glance at Tucker's glare, "right now, and it's an important message."
"Who is it?" he asked suspiciously.
She looked at Pyre and he winced, "Um…Pyre."
"Damn it!" the line went dead.
"Uh oh." she breathed looking at her phone.
"So, this is Pyre?" Tucker asked, his old smirk tugging at his lips. "This is going to be good."
Sam glared at him, "Not helping Tuck! Danny sounded pissed and he hung up on me."
Tucker raised a surprised brow before smirking again, "Oh, I doubt he did it that on purpose."
"Huh?"
"Danny wouldn't hang up on you Sam; he'd want you on the line making sure you were still okay until he got here."
"And?"
"I think he probably crunched his phone on accident."
"Shit." she groaned clutching at her head.
"Yeah, Danny doesn't always remember just how strong he is. So, what's this message you've got for Danny?" Tucker asked, his PDA magically in his hands. Sam looked up, he was actually addressing Pyre.
"Are you My Lord's Minister?"
"No, I'm not part of the clergy. It's Tucker, not Friar Tuck, unless we're playing Doom." he added as an afterthought.
"I think he means like a Minister of affairs, Tuck. He thinks Danny is an actual Lord."
"Of course, My Liege is a Lord. Is he not the ruler of the Human Realm as he is the—"
"Sam!" Uh oh. Sam looked up at an angry Danny flying almost too fast to see in their direction. She jumped up in front of Pyre before Danny could do anything rash. He pulled up short; Sam wouldn't be surprised if he'd given himself whiplash. "What is he doing here?" Danny demanded angrily, his green eyes glowing far too brightly.
"Danny, calm down right now." She demanded, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently, on the bench she was standing on. She was actually at eye level with him, him being so close to the ground.
"Sam." he growled in warning.
"Oh no, don't you 'Sam' me, Mister! You calm down and be rational. Pyre has an important message and he can't give it to you if you're kicking the crap out of him. He already apologized for his actions and he isn't causing trouble. You will leave him alone."
"You're defending him?" Danny demanded, gesturing wildly at Pyre.
"Damn straight I am. He's been nothing but polite, apologized, and come of his own free will to do you a favor. You will calm down and listen to him or so help me I'll stop talking to you for a week!"
"Sam!"
"I mean it Danny! Change back."
"What? I will not leave you vulnerable by changing back!"
"Prove you're calm enough to change back and you can stay Phantom."
"Sam! Will you please be reasonable? Just because he's being nice right now doesn't mean—"
"Guys! Will you both calm down before you draw attention to us!" Tucker hissed at them. "Just hear Pyre out so he'll leave before someone sees Danny Phantom flirting with Danny Fenton's girlfriend while a ghost watches!"
"I'm not flirting!" Danny didn't seem to catch the girlfriend part at all and Sam didn't really see the point in throwing out a loud denial since he'd missed it...
"Whatever dude!"
"My Liege, perhaps…"
"What?" Danny snapped.
"I came with news of an uprising in the Ghost Zone, My Lord."
"What?" Danny forgot to be angry, and snapped to attention. "What happened?" he demanded. "Tucker, notes?" he shot him a look and Tucker nodded.
"Walker has been rounding up his so called 'rule breakers' and it has gotten out of hand. His rules make no sense and he has angered some of the Ghost Zone's stronger inhabitants. I believe you are familiar with one Frostbite?"
"Yeah, what of him?"
"He is the leader of his people and Walker's arrest of him has his people roaring for war."
"Walker arrested Frostbite?"
"Indeed My Lord."
Danny rubbed his face with his hands, "What else?"
"Frostbite ordered his people to stand down and that they should contact the 'Great One' for he would straighten this out. I was informed My Lord, that this is thy title amongst those of the Far Frozen."
"Yeah, it is."
"Frostbite's people cannot enter the Human Realm easily and thus I volunteered my services in informing ye."
"Why would you do that?" he asked suspiciously.
"I wanted the opportunity to seek thy Lady's forgiveness and prove my loyalty to ye My Liege."
"Uh…" Danny looked rather lost so Sam leapt in.
"Of course you're forgiven, especially since you're here to help Frostbite." Sam turned to Danny, "Are you going now or after school?" Keep him on his toes, he'd be too distracted for his temper to get the better of him.
Danny debated, "I'd like to go now, but I'll get detention for sure if I skip. One more detention and my parents are going to ground me. It's hard to patrol when they check on me every half hour." he grumbled.
"Pyre, how's the situation; you said Frostbite told his people to stand down. Does Danny have a few hours to uh, order his affairs here before going to straighten everything out?" she asked.
"I do believe so My Lady. Perhaps if My Liege wrote a decree I could deliver until his arrival?"
"Decree?"
"Yes, we can do that! Tucker!"
"What?" he looked up from his PDA and his note taking.
"We are in need of your unparalleled computer skills. Pyre, go invisible, Danny we need in the computer lab." Danny looked unsure but he trusted Sam so he scooped both her and Tucker up and took them to the computer lab, but not before Sam had scooped up his lunch. Sam shoved Danny's lunch in his arms and told him to eat it while she booted up a computer and brought up a word processor program. "Okay Tucker, we need an official sounding decree to cease and desist all hostilities until Danny shows up to negotiate the problem. If it's official from Danny the Far Frozen will listen and Walker will be so pissed off at Danny he'll stop hunting for more rule breakers and focus on how many broken rules he can slap Danny with." Tucker was already typing away madly, changing the computer font to something that looked like written script and even adding clip art so that the decree would look as if it was written on a scroll; never mind the scroll would be printed on white computer paper. Tucker had several web browser windows open to different old and official looking documents so that he could get the wording right.
"What is this ingenious contraption?" Pyre asked looking over Tucker's shoulder.
"It's a computer." Sam explained, calling Pyre's attention back to her, "It is ink and parchment via a machine rather than a scribe's hand and has an extensive archive, so that there are no mistakes made. Now, how did you get out of the Ghost Zone and are you going to be able to get back in?"
"A large man in an orange tunic was doing something to the machine My Lord sent me through into the Ghost Zone. It is still open."
"Crap!" Danny exclaimed, choking on his bite of ecto-reheated meatloaf surprise.
"Worry not My Lord. There is much chaos in the Ghost Zone at the moment and the portal between realms is unnoticed."
"For now." he grumbled, shoving his food down faster.
"Done!" Tucker announced, triumphantly hitting print on the computer.
Sam skimmed quickly over his shoulder, aware that there was only about five minutes of lunch left before smiling and hugging Tucker. "Good work Tuck! This looks great!" Sam snatched the paper from the printer and rummaged about for a calligraphy pen amongst her art supplies. All she could find was one with violet ink…that was close enough to black. "Okay Danny, you need to sign this thing." He looked at the pen dubiously. "Here," she snatched some scratch paper from her bag, "practice first, it takes a while to get used to this kind of pen." Sam slashed out a reasonable looking signature for Danny to copy over.
"Uh, why don't you just sign it Sam?" Danny asked when he'd accidently blotted out his already smeared name with dripping ink from the pen.
"But My Liege, an official decree must bear an official signature!" Pyre sounded shocked at Danny's suggestion. "Are ye perhaps not literate My Lord?" Pyre asked as if this was an acceptable reason his Lord would need his consort to sign his name. Tucker snorted, and didn't bother to hide it from Danny's glare.
"Here." Inspired, Sam wrapped her hand around Danny's and leaning around his shoulder guided his hand into a passable signature of his hero name, trying to mimic his handwriting as best she could. Since it was fair by both their standards she did it again for the 'official decree'. "We'll get you more practice in case you ever need another official decree officially signed. I'll even break out my emerald green ink for it." she gave him a cheeky grin as he glared over his shoulder at her. She kissed his cheek, on impulse, and while he was distracted whisked away the decree to hand over to Pyre. "I trust you know what to do with this?"
"Of course My Lady," he accepted the rolled paper with a bow to her, "I shall deliver it straight away."
"See that you do. Thank you for bringing this to Danny's attention Pyre."
"Of course My Lady, My Lord, Minister." Pyre bowed to each of them before flying off towards Fenton Works.
"Do you really think we can trust him?" Danny asked, fidgeting nervously.
"I do, what reason would he have to lie about that?" The bell signaling lunch was over sent them towards their next class, Danny having changed back to Fenton. "Are you going to be able to get through the rest of school?"
"Yeah." he affirmed, seemingly confused at her question.
"I mean, are you going to need Tucker and I to take really good notes because your head will be in the Ghost Zone worrying about Frostbite."
"Oh, um, if you didn't mind?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Consider it done."
"Sam, about earlier…"
"We should probably wait to discuss it until later." He nodded and went to enter the classroom before Sam snagged him. "Danny, you do want Tucker and I to go with you right?"
"Actually, maybe it'd be better if—"
"You want to go in without back up?" she demanded.
"Guys, later, let's go!" Tucker ordered, shoving them into the classroom.
Danny was visibly anxious through the last four periods of school before he was hauling them to their lockers, practically vibrating with concern to get going. They were halfway to Fenton Works when Sam's phone rang. She ignored it knowing it was her parent's checking in. They wouldn't be pleased but this was more important. Danny phased them into the basement and like Pyre had said, Mr. Fenton was fiddling with the portal machine while the portal itself was sitting wide open. Danny plunged in.
"Ah, My Lord, thou hast arrived!" Pyre greeted them once they were through.
"Have you been waiting her the whole time?" he asked surprised.
"Of course My Lord, as soon as thy decree was delivered I returned to be thy escort and make sure none entered the Human Realm to cause ye trouble when ye had the uprising to worry about." Pyre looked to Danny's passengers. "My Lord, if I may be so bold, I understand the presence of thy minister, but thy Lady? Is it not too dangerous for—"
"Excuse me? Listen here pal, this is the twenty first century not the Dark Ages, and I will not be left behind like some—" Danny slapped a hand over Sam's mouth causing her to glare black death at him.
"Sorry Sam, but we really don't have time to argue about this right now. You can yell at me once we get Frostbite out." She nodded before turning away to sulk. "Pyre, if you'd lead the way?"
"Would you like me to carry one of thy charges My Lord?"
"Sure, you can carry me." Sam piped up.
"Sam!"
"Ah…I was actually implying thy Minister so that ye and thy Lady might discuss her role once we reached Walker's prison."
"Look here Pyre, you'd best get this straight, I—"
"Okay, okay! Dude, you drop me and Sam's anger isn't the only thing you'll learn to fear!" Tucker interrupted. From the sound of it, Sam had a sneaking suspicion Danny had been trying to convince Tucker to go with Pyre. She was not staying behind.
They set off for Walker's prison, Sam checking her weapons cache as Danny carried her. She fastened on her Fenton Wrist Ray, made sure she had her bright green Fenton Utility Weapon—or Fenton Lipstick as Tucker liked to call it—tucked into her boot, and had a handful of quartz crystals in her pocket. Those would be good for her scattering of souls spell…she just hoped that one wouldn't be needed because it would affect Danny just as much as their enemies. "Sam, I think Pyre might have a point…this could get ugly and I don't want you and Tucker in the middle of it."
"You're not leaving me behind Danny. End of discussion."
"Not behind per se, but off to the side, you know, as back up…in the case that I need help, you'd be in the perfect position to charge in. In the middle of the negotiations you'd be an easy hostage target."
"What about Tucker?"
"He'd be with you; he's just as much hostage material."
Sam looked into his eyes and saw his conviction as much as his pleading. Danny had been pretty forgiving and understanding of late and she really kind of owed him. Sam sucked in a deep breath and with its release, consented. "Okay, but at the first sign of danger I'm coming in banner flying!" Danny smiled in thanks and relief and Sam was mollified that that was pretty much worth it.
Walker's prison was surrounded by pandemonium. Far Frozen Yetis were everywhere as well as a number of other ghosts who seemed to be angry at Walker for some reason or other. Walker's goons had set up a barricade and were geared up for a riot. A riot didn't seem too far off at this point. Once they'd reached the outskirts of the crowd Danny stopped off at a floating rock platform, signaling Pyre to deposit Tucker as well. "Okay you two, I want you to stay here and keep an eye out. If things get ugly you can back me up, but I'd rather you wait until I actually need you alright?" They nodded. "You've both got Fenton Thermoses?" They nodded again. "Alright. I'll be back as soon as I can, hopefully with Frostbite."
"My Lord."
"Uh, yeah?"
"I request permission to stay by thy Lady as guard and protector in thy stead." Danny looked torn, he obviously like the idea of keeping someone close by to his friends, but he also didn't like the idea of a ghost he didn't really know being that someone.
"Humans are the ghosts of the Ghost Zone." Sam supplied dryly, irritated at Pyre's opinion that she needed a man to protect her but also knowing it would put Danny at ease. Danny smiled at her before giving his consent and zipping off to Walker's prison.
They were far enough away that they were unable to hear anything, but they could definitely see. The ghosts outside the barrier cheered at Danny's approach while those on the prison side waved their bully clubs and threw, most likely, insults in his direction. Danny changed to Fenton and phased through the prison. All they could do was wait. Danny was wearing Fenton Fones as were Sam and Tucker, but Danny had warned them that since they would most likely only be able to hear his side of the conversation he'd have his mike out of the way unless he needed to contact them. Tucker leaned back against a boulder and settled in with his PDA. Sam paced the small width of the outcropping of rock closest to the prison. She didn't like being out here. She didn't like Danny being out of her sight. Yes, she was fully aware that he could more than handle himself, but that didn't really stop her from worrying.
"My Lady, ye need not worry. I am confident My Lord will be able to handle this in no time at all and will return safe and soundly."
"You're probably right." she agreed, still pacing.
"Sam, you're making me dizzy, sit." Tucker ordered her, not bothering to look up from his PDA. Sam shot a glare at him. She wanted to demand how he could sit there so calmly. She wanted to argue that they ought to be inside. She wanted to be with Danny. Since she wasn't likely to get anything she wanted at the moment she opted to sit quietly and brood. There were a couple of tense moments where explosions rocked the prison, but Danny didn't call for help, and Walker's goons looked far more nervous than the Yetis so she quieted her protests that Tucker and Pyre didn't want to go investigate yet. They'd been there for longer than Sam thought necessary, certainly long enough that Tucker snapped if she asked one more time he'd find a way to install a PDA into her arm like Skulker which would annoyingly alert her to the time. She was just gearing up for another attempt at riding in as Calvary when the gates of the prison opened and ghosts came marching out, Danny flying up over the prison and hanging there as if supervising.
There were a number of ghosts Sam recognized, quite a lot actually, which might explain why even with the portal open none of them had come through. "Ah, see! My Lord has been victorious!" Pyre cheered before scooping up Sam and Tucker and heading over to Danny, far faster than Sam was used to flying. She felt incredibly rattled and frazzled when they reached him, clinging to Pyre and hoping she didn't do something embarrassing like lose her lunch.
"Hey guys." Danny greeted them tiredly.
"Hey Dude! Everything work out okay?"
"Yeah, finally. Walker put up quite a fight but I did eventually get this." Danny held up a book.
"No way, Walker's rule book?" she asked disbelievingly.
"Yep, I have to re-write the whole freaking thing, but he'll only be able to enforce those rules written in here. He also has petition rights to add in new laws, but I only have to meet with him once a month to decide whether they'll get added or not."
"Huh, I thought Walker didn't like you, why would he agree to let you re-write his rule book?" Tucker asked. Sam wondered that too, and she was starting to get very suspicious of all of Danny's sudden titles.
"My Lord's word is law." Pyre answered when Danny didn't seem inclined to.
"And why is that?" Tucker asked cautiously.
"Apparently it has to do with defeating Pariah Dark."
"I don't get it, you defeated him years ago. Why would your word suddenly be law?"
"I'm eighteen now, apparently that makes a difference since I'm half human."
"Does your ghost age matter?"
Danny rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. "Five years. I take full possession of all of Pariah Dark's, the King of Ghosts, holdings when I've been a ghost five years."
"And you're only finding out about this now?"
"It's apparently common knowledge amongst ghosts, just like Ghost's Obsessions."
"Oh, so you know what those are now?"
"No, I've got a meeting set up with Frostbite. As 'thanks' for getting him out, he's going to start giving me ghost lessons. Ghost's Obsessions are apparently the first lesson." Danny looked unbelievably weary, bags and shadows that hadn't been there mere hours before darkened his eyes.
"Got enough energy to get us back? Your guy's parents are probably worried sick; we've been here for hours." Sam reminded them, thankful that her own parent's were currently overseas.
"Yeah, Sam would know, she only asked what time it was every five minutes since we got here."
"I would be most honored to escort ye and thy companions back to the portal My Lord."
"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks Pyre." Danny agreed, rubbing his face tiredly with his free hand. Wow, he's not even putting up a fight, he must be tired. Danny handed her Walker's Rule book before scooping her up in his arms. Once Tucker was securely in Pyre's arms they were off.
"Are you okay Danny?" Sam asked concerned. He looked like he'd aged a decade in only a few hours. "We heard explosions and you were gone for so long."
"I'm fine Sam. Actually, I'm surprised you never showed up." he gave her a tired, but genuine, smile.
Sam crossed her arms and pouted, "Tucker and Pyre refused to move unless you actually called for help. Pyre said those were your 'orders'." she grumbled.
Danny chuckled, "I'm kinda glad I left him with you guys then." Sam just grumbled. Danny sighed, "I'm not really sure what to do about this whole situation though. I can't be the Ghost King, I'm not even a real ghost. I'm still in high school for crying out loud!"
"I wouldn't worry too much if I were you." she reassured him with confidence. Danny would recognize false confidence so she needed to believe in this whole-heartedly.
Danny cocked a brow, "Oh, why exactly should I not worry about being responsible for the entire Ghost Zone?"
"Because you won't have to look after it all by yourself. You've got Frostbite who's a leader of his people. A role model and an option for rule. Have leaders for different groups of ghosts and those ghost leaders answer to you. Walker, once you've straightened him out, will be your law enforcement. Really, you wouldn't have all that much to do. You'd meet with the leaders once a month or so like you will be doing with Walker and the Ghost Zone will practically run itself. Not to mention the likes of Clockwork and other Guardians being on your side. Then there are the Observants." Sam grinned, "I'm sure Clockwork would get a kick out of you ordering them around."
"You make it sound so easy." he told her tiredly, his smile equally tired.
"Do you really think Tucker or I would let you face this alone? It isn't as if you haven't already been policing them as it is." Her smirk faded a little, "It won't be easy. It'll be tiring. It'll cause you grief and trouble, but you'll do it. It's just who you are. Once you've accepted a responsibility you stick by it no matter what." She sighed, this was just what he needed, something else to worry about.
"What makes you think I've accepted it?" he questioned.
Sam held up Walker's Rule book. "You wouldn't have this if you hadn't already agreed that this was your responsibility. Maybe if it had been anybody but Frostbite…but for better or worse you've taken up the mantle."
Danny snorted, "You make me sound so noble."
Sam wrapped an arm around him in a sorta-hug, "I don't make you out to be anything you're not." Danny's grip tightened a little but otherwise he didn't react. Sam cleared her throat, "About earlier…I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"It's no big deal." Danny sighed, "I'm just worried you're going to get yourself into trouble Sam. Vlad is dangerous."
"I never said it was Vlad." she hedged. Danny gave her a flat look. "Okay, it is Vlad, but I never actually said it. You know I do it because I care about you, right?"
"And you know I worry because I care right?" She nodded. "I just don't want anything to happen to you Sam. You're not the only one who doesn't know what they'd do if something happened." he admitted quietly.
"Nothing's going to happen to me." she reassured him.
"You can't promise that."
"I can promise I will always be looking out for you Danny." Danny simply rolled his eyes.
"So, would you really dedicate your entire fortune?"
"Nah, I wouldn't need all of it to do a thorough enough job. I'd have plenty left to spend on you."
Danny grimaced, "When you say it like that you make yourself sound like a sugar-mamma."
Sam laughed, "Of course, how else am I supposed to keep hot, young things around to be at my beck and call?"
"What exactly are you implying since you just said you'd be spending it on me?" Danny cocked a brow. Damn his Phantom cockiness! Fenton would be blushing and sputtering at that thought.
"Why, that I'm a total cougar, of course." she replied cheekily with a grin.
"Because you're a whole month older than me?"
"But I'm also a girl and it's been scientifically proven that we mature faster than boys, so really that's a month's exponentially larger growth so I'm theoretically many months, if not years, older than you. Older and wiser, young grasshopper." she nodded sagely. Danny smiled and rolled his eyes. Sam's grin faded, "When are you meeting with Frostbite?"
"In two weeks. I was planning on coming to the Ghost Zone anyway, like we talked about, to ask what was going on. Looks like I get my wi—desire." he finished hastily looking around just-in-case, for Desiree.
By this time they'd reached the Fenton Portal, Pyre was waiting, Tucker still in his arms. "Geeze, took you guys long enough. We're been waiting forever." Tucker complained.
"I'm sorry Pyre, did you have to deal with his complaining long?" Sam asked sarcastically.
"Actually, I believe that Minister Foley was being facetious as he was actually commenting that it was good that ye and My Lord were, 'talking it out' I believe was the phrase."
"Oh really?" Sam lifted a brow in Tucker's direction. Tucker was coincidentally really preoccupied with his PDA at the moment and didn't seem aware of Sam's sarcasm. "Anyway, thanks for your help Pyre. It was really awesome that you took it upon yourself to help Danny out like you did."
"Yeah, thank you Pyre. I'm sorry I was so harsh towards you; but I'm sure you can understand why I was?" Danny asked dryly.
"Of course My Lord. I would never hold thy fierce protectiveness for thy consort against ye." Pyre reassured him. Tucker let out a series of snorted giggles but didn't say anything. Danny grimaced. "Ah, I take it that it is still not official?"
"It's everything but dude. Why they can't just admit they like each other and be done with it I'll never know. Lovebirds." he muttered to his PDA. Sam felt heat rise to her cheeks and Danny's grip tighten almost uncomfortably but couldn't bring herself meet his eyes.
Danny cleared his throat awkwardly, "Well, thanks again Pyre."
"Of course My Lord. I am most happy to be of service to ye. I have heard only good things as to thy character and have experienced thy mercy first hand. I am most delighted at the chance to serve such a wise man as My King."
"Uh, let's not get ahead of ourselves now. I'm barely an adult among…my people."
"Ah, but ye are of two peoples now My Leige. All Kings must start somewhere. Thy beginning may be humble but thy journey has been full of bravery and valor. Ye have proven thy nobleness through deed and a fine King ye shall make." Danny was clearly uncomfortable with such lofty praise. He was surprisingly humble for a superhero.
"As much as I'm sure we'd love to hear you sing more of Danny's virtues, we need to get back or we're all going to be in serious trouble." Tucker chimed in. "I don't get any service in here but I'm certain I've got several angry voicemails by now." Sam thought to her own ignored call. That was going to be fun.
AN: Sorry about the wait! Chapter 8 just feels too angsty and I was distracted by it and forgot to get Ch7 up. But Ch7 is up and I don't know when Ch8 will be up but no promises since I have no idea if I'll post it as is or wait til I have time to rewrite. Sorry folks. Give me fuzzies anyway? I'll be more inspired for Ch8 I swear! P.S. Writing updates are to be found on my profile.
