DISCLAIMER:
I, Impudent Miscegenation, of Fanfiction (dot net), do not own or have any affiliation with the creators of Danny Phantom. All rights respectfully go to Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. I don't gain material profit from my works featured here, I write for my own amusement.
I OWN THE O.C.'s. IF THERE IS A GUEST O.C., THE OWNER OF SAID O.C. WILL BE MENTIONED.
Surprise! I'm not dead! :x So, I've kinda fallen out of the fandom a little bit. I promise I'll get back to this story, as I DO have a working plan for it; I will not abandon this!
Previously on Royally Screwed: Danny's okay! Huzzah! I mean, I feel like it was obvious; I don't think anyone expected him to kick the bucket quite yet. He had a touching moment with mom and dad as soon as he woke up and wasn't dead. Surprise, surprise, Maddie and Jack love their kids more than anything else and just want them to feel as such. They even promised Danny that they'd strive to make some changes around the lab and their inventions, too. Will they hold up that promise? I don't know, but we might be able to find out! Also, last time, Clockwork was visited by a member of the Observant council and was promptly scolded for nominating Danny to be King. It seems that Danny is the only one currently contending for the throne, but the other Ancients still have time to put up their own nomination against Clockwork's appointment. If one of the Ancients chooses to do so, the vote will be held sooner. Lastly, Danny and company need to plan another visit to the Far Frozen in order to return the Infi-Map. Now that all that is out of the way, let's begin! Chapter 10 is finally here!
Royally Screwed
Chapter 11: Relics and Readings: Part I
"Great One! I must admit, I'm surprised to see you so soon after your trip to the Burning Sands; I assumed that you would take more time to recuperate, though I had no doubt you would return safely." Frostbite beamed at Danny as he drifted into the Far Frozen's training grounds, where Frostbite was overseeing a large group of training ice warriors. Danny waved and held out the Infi-Map.
"Well, I figured you'd want this back as soon as possible, given what happened the last time I had it." His grin turned sheepish as he recalled the time Vlad stole the Infi-Map and led him and his friends through a number of portals. Even though it eventually turned out alright, it was still an action-packed series of events that he'd rather not repeat. Frostbite chuckled and ruffled Danny's snowy hair, relieving him of the Infi-Map.
"We thank you, Great One. Even though I wasn't worried at all, it still pleases our people to have our relics returned to their rightful place." Frostbite then paused, as if realizing something. "I notice your companions aren't with you today, are they alright?" Danny scratched the back of his neck.
"Yeah, um, they're alright. I mean, they stayed up all last night 'cause I, uh, wasn't in the best of shape when we left the Burning Sands. I feel better now, but I figure they need the sleep and the trip doesn't take too long anyway… Plus, I kinda also wanted to maybe ask you about some things." Danny nervously shifted and Frostbite faltered for a moment before regaining his composure.
"Of course, Great One!" He turned and whistled, calling someone over. Another large yeti creature bounded over. They bowed their head.
"Sir?"
"Ah, Iceclaw, would you mind looking over our new warriors? I have important business to tend to." Frostbite's 'command' was met with a firm nod from Iceclaw.
"Yes, sir."
"Very well. Come along now, Great One. We'll put away the Infi-Map back where it belongs and we can talk there-we shouldn't be disturbed." Danny bobbed his head and followed Frostbite. As they entered the cave, Frostbite made a barrier of ice around the entrance, giving the open cave a bit more privacy.
Frostbite gingerly placed the map back on its pedestal and then turned to Danny, who stood with his arms crossed, looking concerned. The leader of the Far Frozen approached and placed his hand on Danny's shoulder.
"Great One?" Danny sighed.
"I… I need to know more about the amulets. One of them is safe in the Burning Sands, but… The other one…" Danny trailed off and Frostbite grunted in acknowledgement.
"I see. The amulets were lost to our world many years ago. The fact that you were able to find the Amulet of the Fallen Moon is a feat in and of itself."
"But I didn't find it; that's the problem! Vlad gave me the amulet, probably in some sick attempt to convince me that I need to be his little apprentice or whatever. He also-ah-wait." Danny dug around in his pocket and produced the crumpled up letter that he'd thrown away. "This." He handed the letter to Frostbite who read it with a furrowed brow that quickly turned to a look of concern.
"Oh, I see… Well, this proves to be… Problematic." Frostbite murmured and handed the paper back to Danny. "It seems that Plasmius has made a habit of locating and hoarding ancient ghostly artifacts. It's no wonder that he was after the Old King's crown and ring; he likely sought to add them to what seems to be a growing collection. One can only imagine what he has already located and squirreled away." Danny frowned and stuffed the note back into his pocket.
"Right? … I need to know more about the amulets. I want to know what I'm up against if I try and get it away from Vlad. No doubt he keeps it on him at all times; he probably never takes the thing off." Frostbite nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I would very much guess the same. Unfortunately, while I can tell you about their forging, and the history of the Moon before it was lost, I am no expert on these matters." Danny's expression fell before Frostbite continued. "However, I might know someone who can help you in your quest."
Danny must have been wandering for hours, adamant on not taking the infi-map from the Far Frozen again, instead following very specific directions from Frostbite. He'd already passed older realms in the Zone, stopping by for a quick lunch with Pandora who seemed pleased to keep his company.
Danny was glad to have a good deal of friendly companionship in the Ghost Zone; odd as it seemed, considering how he spent his free time in the human world. He drifted along in the Ghost Zone, recalling that Frostbite had said to watch out for specific landmarks that would let him know how close he was getting. Pandora, as well, had pointed him in the right direction and Danny was sure that he knew enough about the Ghost Zone to not get lost.
After a good deal of time drifting through empty parts of the Zone, Danny came upon a massive building. It looked ancient; held up by aging columns and polished stone. It almost resembled the Ghost Writer's lair, now that Danny thought of it.
Steeling himself and clearing his throat, Danny approached the massive doors, only to have them open before he could knock.
Before him stood a tall, unfamiliar ghost with a long navy cloak. His face was aged and he had a trimmed, graying beard. His head was devoid of hair and the light of the lair behind him made his bald, stone-colored head shine. He held a long wooden staff with ancient engravings on it. The ghost looked at Danny curiously before the halfa cleared his throat.
"Um… You're Quillus, right? I-"
"Yes, Phantom, I know why you're here. As luck would have it, Clockwork informed me of your arrival a time before you were aware that you would need my help." Quillus stepped aside with a welcoming gesture and a knowing smile. Danny, surprised, blinked before stepping behind the door as it closed itself behind the two.
"Wait, you know Clockwork? Is he here?" Quillus shook his head.
"Ah, no. Currently, I believe the Master of Time is attending to important matters at present, but he did ask that I give you something." Before Danny could wonder what that 'something' was, he was whacked on the head with Quillus' staff.
"Ouch!" The teen exclaimed, hands immediately rubbing the sore spot developing on his head. "What was that for?!"
Quillus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "If I were to guess, I'd say that you did something that Clockwork desired you be hit for."
"Wait - that was what Clockwork wanted you to give me?!" Danny pouted but was unsurprised, and he had a feeling that he knew the reason behind the punishment. Clockwork had a tendency to whack Danny atop his head using his Time Staff whenever the Time Master knew that Danny had done, or was about to do, something stupid. Danny assumed that he told Quillus to administer said whack because of the events that took place in the Burning Sands. Danny huffed. Sure, Clockwork was too busy to visit, but not too busy to make sure he got hit for his impulsivity. Quillus chortled at Danny's indignation.
"Yes, actually. Among other things." He drifted from the entrance through a large arch and Danny followed. "I should introduce myself, pardon my lack of etiquette." Quillus noted as they came upon an unfathomably large room. It was a massive library, with bookshelves stretching beyond where one could see. Books fluttered about the room, organizing and rearranging themselves. Danny didn't have time to marvel at the scenery as Quillus led him through the library, twisting and turning around and between the shelving; Danny stayed close so he wouldn't get lost.
"My name, as you know, is Quillus. I am an ancient and have been tasked with keeping records intact. Since the Ghost Zone's formation, all that has happened is recorded within this library somewhere. Every novel, essay, and encyclopedia that has been written, by ghost or human, is in this library somewhere. Within the Ancients, my title is the Scribe. I am tasked with not only keeping this library safe, but also with keeping records of important events in this world and the next." Quillus stopped when they came upon a seating area enclosed amongst bookshelves; two plush, comfortable chairs and a short, round end table between them. On the end table was a massive, leather-bound tome, currently closed with a dark blue ribbon to mark a place within.
The elderly ghost turned, bowed his head, and gestured for Danny to be seated. Not having a bad feeling about this ghost, a friend of his mentor, Danny did so, delightfully noting a filled candy bowl and a tea set on the table as well as the book. Only after Danny was seated did Quillus do so in the adjacent chair.
"Help yourself." The elder gestured to the candy bowl, taking a yellow one for himself. While keeping the candy in his mouth, Quillus continued his monologue.
"I know that you have met Amaryllis the Oracle. She's rather vague, I find. A thousand metaphors and flowery words, but nothing of substance until there is. Oh, now I'm doing it. Anyway, I have the answers you need. I also have answers that you don't know you need. So, if you'll indulge me in prattling a bit more, I will answer your questions, best as I am able to." Placing a blue candy in his mouth, Danny gave Quillus a look that encouraged the ancient ghost to continue. Quillus got comfortable in his seat.
"Amaryllis called upon you for good reason but she avoided telling you, in blunt words, why. I'm afraid that there is much preventing me from saying as much as I would like to, but you will know what you can." Danny looked puzzled and Quillus gave the young man a comforting smile.
"As Amaryllis told you, the Ghost Zone that you know is not the way it has always been. What you see now is the byproduct of an unending war that has wrenched apart the natural order of things."
"Like humans, ghosts require a certain order in their world. Almost a loose set of rules to define what can and cannot be done. You've encountered the ghost prison warden, Walker, yes?" Danny made a face and Quillus chuckled quietly, pouring himself a hot cup of tea. He gestured to the other cup in askance and Danny readily accepted the warm cup, basking in the soothing scent of the drink. He recognized the scent as the tea that Clockwork usually had on hand and wondered if ghosts only had the one variety of tea leaves.
"I've had a couple run-ins, yeah. He's tried to imprison and execute me a few times, taken over my town to turn everyone against me, and also kidnapped my entire freshman class on more than one occasion." Danny informed the other ghost, taking a sip of his tea and Quillus hummed good naturedly, leaning back in his seat with an unreadable smile.
"Walker wasn't always so antagonistic, you know. He's simply trying to cling to a bygone era of peace, as it was his family line that had been, until King Pariah, the official leaders for a sort of security department. They acted similarly to knights of the realm, though they weren't Kingsguard, like the Fright Knight."
"The Old Sir Walker was tasked with keeping the peace among the people. Prevented border fights and so on. His rules were passed down and reformed and changed before eventually becoming lost."
"The Walker that you know found these rules upon his early years of death and took his own moniker after the original author of the rulebook. His prison and the rulebook that he abides by are a desperate attempt to regain the lost control over the Ghost Zone." Danny frowned and was about to interject when Quillus continued.
"I do not excuse his actions against you or other ghosts, young halfa, nor do I begrudge you for holding him accountable for said actions. Your dealings between one another are of little concern to me."
"Before I stray too far from the subject of what I wanted to initially say, allow me to reiterate: the chaos that is now the Ghost Zone hasn't always been such. Before the reign of Pariah Dark, a time which is now all but lost to all but my records, our world coexisted with the human realm-to a moderate point. Relations had, in fact, been getting increasingly better until the Old Ghost King Regulus Morghulum was slain."
"Regulus Morghulum? I've never heard of that name before." Quillis sipped at his tea and snatched a purple candy from the dish.
"It is unsurprising. As I said, records from a time before Pariah Dark are all but impossible to find. My library is absolute, and I alone bear the written testimonies of ghosts from that time. King Regulus was the ghost king that reigned just before the crowning of Pariah Dark. It brings me to my next subject." Quillus paused briefly to sip at his tea.
"The crowning of the next monarch of the Ghost Zone." Danny's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot to his hairline.
"What? A new Ghost King? Are you freaking serious? After everything we had to do to get Pariah Dark back into his sarcophagus? And you just wanna crown a new king?" Danny's voice increased in pitch and intensity with every question and he was now hovering a good five inches above his seat as well. Quillus sipped at his tea.
"Yes, in fact, we do. With the Old King away, and without either of his artifacts, it is high time that a new monarch be selected. The problem with our lack of selection was that, before, there were no eligible candidates for succession. The difference is that this time, someone threw a figurative gauntlet at the feet of the Ghost King and challenged him for the succession." Danny frowned as he guessed who it could be before a look of horror spread across his face.
"Oh no… Not Plasmius. That crazy, messed-up fruit loop is gonna be the next king of all ghosts?" Quillus, much to Danny's surprise, started laughing. The half-ghost felt ectoplasm flush into his cheeks and he crossed his arms, drifting back down to the seat cushion and waiting for the ancient ghost to collect his composure. Thankfully, Quillus settled down rather quickly and smiled indulgently at the half ghost teenager.
"No, Phantom, not the ghost you know as Plasmius. The man never laid a finger on Pariah, much less challenged him for the throne." Danny felt an almost mind-numbing sense of relief and picked up his teacup to drink from.
"It was you who stormed his palace, alone, and accepted the Mad King's challenge. You, who bested him in single combat and enabled the masses to seal him away. It is you, Phantom, that the council has put forth to potentially be named as successor."
Danny did a spit take.
My god, how long has it been since I've worked on this? Two years since an update?
My bad guys, my bad. For those of you still interested, I hope this gives you some measure of hope that I do plan on finishing this, no matter how long it takes or if it kills me. I hope you guys liked the chapter, even if it's anticlimactic after waiting so long! I'll always take comments, if you wanna leave one in a review!
Stay fab!
~IM