Time in the Heart
By: Wilona Riva
Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom.
In politics, stupidity is not a handicap. - Napoleon Bonaparte
Entwined Prophecy
Phantom was greatly relieved to be out of those clothes. "I don't understand how you keep those things up," he whispered to Ember, referring to the tights he had to endure.
"Garters," she replied back.
"I thought Medusa was the only one who used snakes for underwear," Danny commented, only have to have the whole room hear him. He flushed red with embarrassment, as a few people in the throne room, who shall not be named, twittered slightly.
The Time Master chuckled. "Well, now that we have that out of our systems, tell me you two. Have you ever danced before?"
Ember shook her head no, then elbowed Danny, who followed her lead.
Pariah Dark inwardly smiled at the boy. He was already wrapped around the girl's little finger. "So at the ball, what are you supposed to do?" he asked them.
Danny looked helplessly over at his parents, who shook their heads. He would get no help from that quarter, nor from his friends either, by the looks of things.
"Bow to each other," The Time Master said, indicating the steps for the first dance between the betrothed couple.
Phantom and Ember bowed to one another.
"They're cute," Sarah whispered to Frostbite.
"I think so too," Frostbite replied.
"Danny, you're shivering. What wrong?" Ember asked, alarmed that his lips were turning blue.
"Don't know," he said, alarmed at the sudden freezing temperatures.
"Here," she told him, " I have a fire core. Let me warm you." She pressed her lips to his and brushed her hand lightly over his heart.
A sudden spark jolted them back to reality, when they realized silence had fallen over the room.
The Time Master was grinning at them.
"And the first dance is complete," he answered their puzzled looks.
"But we didn't even dance," Danny protested.
"The first and last dances are not dances per se," Clockwork explained. "They are more rituals or formalities. The first dance is the uniting of the heart cores."
"Please tell me you're going to wait for the last dance, when they're older," Pariah Dark pleaded.
Clockwork chuckled. "I'm sorry, my liege, but time is of the essence, if Aragon's plan is to be foiled and the boy's life to be spared. Ah, you're late," he told the robotic ghost standing stone-still in the entrance way.
"Well, I didn't want to make a splashy entrance," Skulker answered.
"So, Plasmius wants the boy?" the Fright Knight growled. "No one is taking my son from me ever again." He drew his sword while saying this.
"He only wants to teach the boy," Skulker protested, turning pale at the sight of the Soul Shredder.
"He wants the kingdom, you mean," Sarah snarled, her hands glowing blue as she reached for her ice powers.
"Careful," Frostbite cautioned.
Unbeknownst to the commotion going on around them, Danny was completing the last dance with Ember. Ember encircled her arms around his neck and drew him in for a kiss. Danny moaned and without thinking about, drew her closer to him. A thread of light glowed between them, as Danny's icy core melded with Ember's heartfire. Ember, likewise, felt the intense flames dampen as Danny's latent cryokinesis cooled them. The kiss between the lovers deepened.
The Time Master was pleased.
"All is as it should be," he murmured, adjusting a knob on his chronostaff.
Aragon, seeing his plans foiled, threw the silver bowl at the wall, splashing the wall with the water. "Damn Plasmius and that meddling Clockwork! All for naught!" He also knew any further plans would bring the Ghost King's wrath down on his head.
Princess Dorathea hummed to herself as she cleaned up the mess. She hadn't wanted to marry the boy anyway and was secretly glad the Time Master had stopped everything before it got worse.
"Wait until you're much older before you go any further," Clockwork interrupted Danny and Ember. "You might not like the consequences," he added, causing them to both blush.
"It's time you went back to the human world, Prince Phantom," Clockwork told the boy. "Your family and friends miss you."
Ember nodded. "Sam and Tucker and the ghost hunters," she explained, as it dawned on him. "Until we're old enough, you still have to stay with Jorge and Alice, when you come back to visit."
Youngblood, Apricot and Plum all bobbed their heads in agreement. "We'll be with you all the way," Youngblood added.
"Plum want a plum!"
"Jazz should never have taught him that," Danny grumbled. Then he saw Wulf grinning, well like a wolf.
"I will open the portal for mi amigo," the lycan said.
"But first, a word, my apprentice," Pariah Dark commanded.
"Yes, my Master," Danny gulped, remembering to give the proper respect for his Master.