Happy Halloween! A little something based on the film A Corpse Bride that I write for fun. Enjoy!
The sun rose over the grey, boring town, casting shadows and making the dull stone buildings seem even duller. The hard cobblestones of the square were hard underfoot. Everyone was going about their meticulous tasks of the day and Elsa Arendal watched all the unexciting events unfold from her carriage window.
"You've hooked a winner Elsa," her mother smiled as she fixed her daughter's dress.
Her father nodded, "Now all you have to do is reel him in."
"I'm already reeling," Elsa sighed, "I've never even spoken to him mother."
The coughing of the driver cut her off. "Kai!" Agnarr yelled, "Silence that blasted cough!"
"Tucker," Danny asked his friend from across his room, "What if Elsa and I don't… like each other?"
His friend opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by his uncle opening the door. "Like each other?" Vlad Masters scoffed, "As if that has anything to do with marriage." Tucker shrunk under the lord of the house's gaze. He was a servant after all and this was a very important day for the household. "My dear boy," Vlad said as he crossed to his nephew, "When your parents passed, I could have left you for dead. You were of common blood. But, for you to marry and produce an heir…" he trailed off and left the statement in the air before turning and leaving the room.
Tucker huffed and moved to help Danny with his coat, "I really wish Lord Masters would stop holding that 'I took you in from the streets' thing over your head."
"As much as I wish that too," Danny sighed, "He's right." They both began to make their way down to the foyer where Vlad was no doubt receiving the Arendals. "Who knows," he tried to be optimistic, "Maybe she'll be nice and friendly."
"Or," Tucker stopped at the top of the stairs and nudged his friend, "She's easy on the eyes as well."
Danny stared as he watched the blonde girl look around the foyer. Her wide blue eyes seemed to brighten the dull house, though he can't help but feel a sense of familiarity as he looked at her. Tucker had abandoned him at the stairs and Danny watched as her eyes found the piano that sat to the left of the staircase. She surveyed the room around her and moved towards it.
Reaching out, she ran her fingers delicately along the ivory keys. She then began to play the few scales that she knew, smiling at the pretty sound that instrument made. It was when she felt a presence beside her that she gasped and jumped in surprise. "Do forgive me," Elsa said quickly, flushing bright red at the stranger who she knew instantly was her fiance.
"Do you play?" he asked.
Elsa's blush intensified from more of this handsome stranger's attention, "N-No, I-"
"Wait a minute," Danny peered at her, "You… are you… the little blonde girl? From Casper Music Academy?"
Elsa blinked before she nodded slowly. Memories came flooding back to her. She was little and had wanted to learn to play the piano so much that she would sneak into the nearby music school and ask kids about their lessons. She then remembered the little raven haired boy that she had befriended. "You," her face broke into a small smile, "I remember you. You were the one who taught me about scales. The young protegee."
"Protegee is a bit of an exaggeration," he said humbly with a slight tint in his cheeks, "Though, I have been writing music for quite some time."
"Wonderful," she smiled before it faded a little and she looked wistfully at the piano, "Mother won't let me near the piano," she looked back up at him with a shrug, "Music is improper for a young lady. Too passionate."
Danny quirked a brow at this revelation before he heard the clattering of tea cups from the parlor. "If I may ask Ms. Arendal," Danny began, suddenly nervous, "Where is your chaperone?"
Elsa shyly looked down, "Perhaps, i-in view of the circumstances, you could call me Elsa?"
Danny began to fidget a little, nervous now that he was alone with this beautiful young woman, "Well then, Elsa… t-tomorrow, we are to be… well, we're… we will be-"
"Married?" Elsa offered. When he nodded sheepishly, she smiled a bit and sat down on the piano bench, "Since I was little, I dreamt of my wedding day. I had always hoped to find someone I could spend the rest of my life with… silly isn't it?"
Danny gently sat down next to her, "No… not silly at all." But when he sat, he accidentally knocked over the white rose that sat in a small vase on the piano. He opened his mouth to apologize for his clumsiness but Elsa only reached out and picked up the flower gently. She stopped and held it to her nose for a moment before her eyes met Danny's. They stopped and just stared at each other for a bit before Elsa's mother burst into the room.
"What is this?!" she gasped, "You shouldn't be alone together! The pastor is waiting! Come at once."
Elsa and Danny only shared a look before following the woman.
"From the beginning, again," the pastor said with an annoyed tone, "'With this hand I will lift your sorrows.' Then Miss Arendal says, 'Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine.' Then you pour the wine. 'With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.'" The pastor took a breath, "Now, again."
Elsa then struggled in pouring the wine without spilling it… again. Danny just gave her an encouraging smile as he put down the goblet he held for her.
A loud gong suddenly rang. "Get the door, Voltaire," Vlad waved to his butler. He returned with a card and handed it to Vlad. Lady Paulina Sanchez it read.
"I don't have a head for dates. Apparently I'm a day early for the ceremony." A tall, voluptuous woman waltzed into the room. Her dark hair and skin contrasted her bright teal eyes and she surveyed the scene before her.
"Voltaire," Vlad snapped his fingers, "A seat for Lady Paulina."
Danny and Elsa both stared as the woman sat at precisely the time Voltaire had put her chair underneath her. "Do carry on," she urged, forcing both of them to turn back to the pastor.
"Let's try it again shall we?" the pastor droned. Elsa reached over and relit the candle that Danny held in his hand, seeing as it had gone out.
However, when they got to the part when they were to take hands and walk forward, they both, too lost in each other in the moment, stumbled into the table.
"Three! Three steps!" the pastor shouted, "Did you even remember to bring the ring?"
Danny just nodded and reached into his pocket for it before pulling it out and showing it to the pastor. The old man just sighed and nodded towards Elsa, telling him that he should practice putting it on her.
Elsa, however, had glanced back at the new guest at the wedding rehearsal audience to find a beautiful woman smirking back at her condescendingly. She felt her nerves well up in her and her hand shook as she held it out for him to place the ring on. Because her hand was shaking, it made the ring fall out of Danny's hand as he tried to put it on her.
The pastor growled, "This woman does not wish to be married!" The old man slammed his hands down on the altar, startling Elsa and causing her to let go of Danny and step back. "Until you learn to be obedient and submissive there is no hope for you as a wife!"
Elsa felt everyone's eyes on her at once and her anxiety grew. She stumbled back and ran out of the room.
"Elsa wait!" Danny called after her. He knew she was nervous, hell he was too, but everyone in the room judging her didn't make her feel any better.
"Well," Paulina drolled as she brushed invisible dirt of her dress, "She's quite the catch."
Danny gave a small glare to the nosy nobility that had weaseled her way into his wedding rehearsal. Memories come back of that blonde braid that bounced up and down whenever she played a new scale. A soft smiled came to his face. What his fiance didn't know was that most of the music that he had composed had been written with her as his muse. Her light attitude and eagerness to learn had inspired him, his affection for her only growing over the years.
He looked back at the open door. He knew Vlad would never let him search for her. He sent a silent prayer up to the sky that she was safe.
Meanwhile, as night began to fall, Elsa took refuge on the nearby bridge. She pulled out the white rose from earlier and looked at it wistfully. "Oh, Danny," she sighed, "I'm sorry you got stuck with such a fool for a wife. This day couldn't get any worse."
The town newsman then suddenly began shouting about the failed wedding rehearsal. Elsa rolled her eyes and threw up her arms, stuffing the flower back into her pocket. She began to wander toward the line of snow covered trees. The only sounds were that of owls and her feet crunching on the snow.
"It's not that difficult," Elsa chastised herself, "It's just a few simple vows and actions."
She just walked further into the forest, pondering why she did everything wrong. Without realizing, she ended up in a small circular clearing. "It's simple," she said to herself, "All you need is confidence."
She took a deep breath and began to speak to the air, her voice ringing on the trees, "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows." She broke off a branched and used it to mimic pouring wine into a cup, "Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine." She broke off another branch and pretended to light it on another, "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness." She saw something glitter in the snow and in the heat of the moment she grabbed the gold ring off the forest floor and placed it on her finger, "With this ring, I am now yours."
She paused as suddenly, crows surrounded her but sat in the trees soundlessly. A greenish fog soon rolled through the trees. Elsa looked around and moved to avoid it but found she couldn't. It surrounded her and she began to cough because it was so thick. She blinked a few times, thinking that maybe she saw a glowing figure before her. Eventually, the world began to fade and her fainted onto the snow covered ground.
"A new arrival!"
Elsa heard clattering and laughter all around her as she blinked, her eyes adjusting to the weird light. "She must have fainted," she heard a male voice above her and she felt arms hold her against a hard chest.
She took a deep breath, trying to regain her senses, "W-What happened?"
An eco-green ghost was soon up in her face, "By jove man. Looks like we got ourselves a breather!"
A smaller, much creepier, little boy skeleton pushed the older one out of the way and poked Elsa, "She's still soft."
Elsa squealed and jumped out of the stranger's arms, backing away slowly. "A toast then," a dead body called out from the crowded bar party of ghosts, "To the newly weds."
"Newlyweds?" Elsa asked.
Her eyes suddenly landed on the ghost that had been holding her. He was tan skinned and had bright white hair with piercing green eyes. He could almost pass for human were it not the glow of his eyes and body. He leaned against the bar with a devil-may-care smile. "Back in the woods," he explained, "You said your vows very well," he sent her a killer smirk, "You sounded very enthusiastic. You're even wearing my ring."
"I am?" Elsa looked down to her hand to find a gold ring with emeralds sitting on her finger. "I am." She bent down and banged her head on the table a few times, "Wake up. Wake up!"
"Coming through!" a floating head suddenly drifted over to her, "I am Dash. I am the head waiter. I will be creating your wedding feast."
Elsa gasped and jumped back yet again. She was suddenly fully aware of the fact that she was surrounded by the living dead. As ghosts started to approach her, she reached for a sword that was stuck inside a small skeleton and pulled it, only being able to pick up the whole skeleton and not unsheath the sword. "Stand back, I have a…" she paused, "A dwarf… and I'm not afraid to use him! Could I please have some actual answers?! Who are you?!"
The white haired ghost rubbed the back of his neck, "That's kind of a long story."
"What a story it is."
Everyone's eyes suddenly turned to the rock and roll ghost with flaming blue hair in a ponytail. "A tragic tale of romance, passion, and a murder most foul."
"This is gonna be good," the dwarf told Elsa. She gasped and dropped the ghost to the floor.
Ember just looked to her skeleton backup dancers, "Hit it boys." The singer began to knock on skulls, creating xylophone sounds. As the background singers began to play… themselves, she sang.
Hey! Give me a listen, you corpses of cheer
'Least those of you who still got an ear
I'll tell you a story make you wallow in gloom
Of our own ecto-eccentric dashing ghost groom!
The skeletons popped up around the white haired ghost who only smirked in amusement of the whole thing.
Die, die we all pass away
We don't wear a frown 'cause it's really okay
You might try 'n' hide
And you might try 'n' pray
But we all end up the remains of the day
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeahhh
Ember smirked and pulled the ghost up on stage and pretended to bat her eyes at him.
Well there was a charmer known for miles around
'Till a mysterious lady came into town
She was plenty good lookin', but down on her cash
She smirked and pretended to faint in his arms, the ghost catching her.
And our poor handsome suitor he fell hard and fast
When his family said no, he just couldn't cope
So our lovers came up with a plan to elope
He lifted her back up and she moved to dance with her skeletons. Ghosts then surrounded Elsa as the crowd began to sing and dance. One ghost made Elsa join in by grabbing her shoulders and swaying her side to side to the beat.
Die, die we all pass away
We don't wear a frown 'cause it's really okay
You might try 'n' hide
And you might try 'n' pray
But we all end up the remains of the day
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeahhh
The skeletons then began to take themselves apart, using bones and each other to make instruments as Ember took center stage again.
So they conjured up a plan to meet late at night
They told not a soul, kept the whole thing tight
Now he had a suit, it fit like a glove
You don't need much when you're really in love
Ember came up and grabbed Elsa and leaned in as if she were whispering.
Except for a few things, or so I'm told
Like the family jewels and a satchel of gold
The shadow on the wall then morphed into shaped of a young man by a tree.
Then next to the graveyard by the old oak tree
On a dark foggy night at a quarter to three
He was ready to go, but where was she… ?
An African American girl with teal eyes smirked at Elsa, "And then?"
"He waited," Ember smirked
"And then?" the dwarf from before continued.
Ember looked around, "There in the shadows, was it his girl?"
The two ghosts looked at each other, "And then?"
"And then baby," Ember smirked as the lights went out, "Everything went black." When the lights came back on, she was laid across the bar, continuing her story.
Now when he opened his eyes, he was dead as dust
The jewels were missing and his heart was bust
Ember made her way over to Elsa and wrapped an arm around her shoulders
He found himself trapped there, under that tree
Waiting for a lady to come set him free
She pushed Elsa into the white haired man's arms and smiled at them
Always waiting for someone, it soon got shady
When out of the blue comes this pretty young lady
Elsa was suddenly swept away by the dancing crowd. She pretended to dance along but snuck out the back door.
Who vowed forever, let love blossom and bloom
And that's the story of our ghost groom!
Die, die we all pass away
We don't wear a frown 'cause it's really okay
You might try 'n' hide
And you might try 'n' pray
But we all end up the remains of the day
Yeah!
"And she's gone," the ghost sighed, "Thanks Ember."
Ember nodded at him with a smile, "Anytime, dipstick."
"Mystery man?" Iduna Arendal gasped, "She doesn't even know any men!"
Pauline smirked, "Or so you thought. Please, call if you need me…" she stopped and eyed up Danny who sat by the window, "In any way." With that she left the room.
Vlad glared at the two parents across from him, "A scandalous turn of events for us all. We are one bride short for the wedding tomorrow."
"Give us a chance to find her," Agnarr pleaded.
"Uncle Vlad," Danny stood from his seat at the window, "We should give her a chance. After all, we shouldn't trust every rumor we hear." Truthfully, Danny was hoping it was just that: a rumor. His heart longed for the small bouncing braid he knew from his childhood that had grown into a beautiful young woman.
Vlad thought about this for a moment. "Very well," he compiled, "You have until dawn."
Elsa panted as she leaned against the railing. She stood on a balcony that overlooked… well, wherever she was. She took a few moments to breath and collect herself.
"There you are."
She froze when she heard her "husband's" voice behind her. "I'm sorry about all that," he said, "Ember can be a bit much sometimes."
He came to stand next to her at the railing, looking out at the view. Elsa took one last deep breath before looking over at him, "Look, I'm terribly sorry about what's happened to you and I would like to help but I really think there's been a mistake."
"I don't make the rules," he shrugged, "You were the one to free me. And you were the one to initiate the vows."
"But I don't even know your name," Elsa shook her head.
He stopped for a moment and thought about it. "Phantom," he answered, "Everyone calls me Phantom."
A shrill bark soon sounded through the air. Elsa and Phantom both looked down to find a small green dog barking happily up at them. "Cujo," Phantom scolded the dog for ruining the moment.
But Elsa's heart just about melted in her chest. She gasped, "Aren't you the cutest thing ever." She bent down and began to pet the happy dog, who eagerly accepted her affections. He smiled fondly down at them. "Mother never approved of dogs," Elsa said, "But then again, she never approved of anything."
"Do you think she might have approved of me?" Phantom joked.
Elsa let out a small laugh, "You're lucky you'll never have to meet her." She paused, an idea suddenly forming in her mind. "Now that you mention it," she stood from the ground, "I think you should. Since we're… married, you should meet her, my father too. We should go right now."
"Sure, that sounds like a good idea," Phantom responded before looking out at the… town, "Where are they buried?"
"Oh," Elsa said, "Um, they're um… well, they're…"
He looked at her funny before his eyes lit up with realization, "Oh, they're still alive? Oh, that is a problem. Well, maybe Clockwork can help." Phantom held out a hand to Elsa.
She raise a brow, "What are you doing?"
He rolled his eyes with a smile, "I'm going to fly us there, of course."
Without waiting for her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. He took off into the sky, earning a squeal from the woman in his arms. She clung to his shoulders as they flew over the ghosttown, her eyes squeezed shut. But as she felt the cool breeze in her hair, she peeked her eyes open and gasped at the scene below her. Thousands of lights and colors lit up the world below and Elsa watched with eager eyes with a smile growing on her face. Phantom glanced down to find her entranced by the city beneath her. He smiled at the sight of her face lighting up and made quick work of landing on the ledge of Clockwork's tower.
"Clockwork?" he called into the giant mechanical space as he set Elsa down, "Are you there?"
They wandered further into the tower when a ghost appeared before them, making Elsa instinctively step behind Phantom. "Ah, there you are, my boy," the ghost said fondly as his form shifted into an old man.
"I brought my wife," Phantom smiled and he took Elsa's hand, "Elsa."
She smiled a little, "A pleasure, sir."
Phantom stepped forward, "We need to go up. Upstairs? To visit the land of the living."
"Land of the living?" Clockwork scoffed as he turned into a child, "Now, why go up there when people are dying to get down here?"
Phantom looked a little deflated but Elsa stepped in. "Please, sir," she said tenderly as she moved towards the ghost, "We're only going to visit my family," she glanced back at Phantom before looking back at the shifting ghost, "It would mean so much to us. Surely there must be something you can do?"
Clockwork looked at her big blue eyes and felt his resolve soften, "Well… I do have something." Elsa looked back to Phantom with a smirk and he nodded in approval, mildly impressed. "A Ukrainian haunting spell," the old ghost said as suddenly a crow flew above them and Clockwork caught it.
The two winced as he squeezed an egg out of the poor bird. "Here we are," he said as he floated above them, "Now, when you want to come back, just say 'box ghost.'"
Phantom raised a brow, "Box ghost?"
"That's it," he cracked the egg above their heads and smoke poured out of it, surrounding the two. When the fog finally cleared, they stood in the moonlight by the graveyard in the woods. Elsa breathed in fresh air, loving the refreshing breeze on her face. But she stopped as Phantom stared up into the sky, his green eyes caught on the moon.
"I've spent so many years trapped under that tree in the darkness," one side of his mouth lifted up into a smile, "I almost forgot what the moon was like." He turned to Elsa and caught his breath. Under the moonlight, every one of her silvery features were highlighted and, for the first time in ages, he had hope that maybe there were angels out there and one was there standing before him. "Dance with me," he offered his hand in a moment of pure adoration.
Elsa just blinked at him, the moon behind him, making him seem like a dream, "Bu-But there's no music."
He laughed and shrugged, "Who cares?"
She stopped and stared at the man before her. Eventually, she lifted her hand and placed it in his. He smiled and pulled her against him, leading her in a waltz. The cold beneath her feet faded as she let herself be led and she laughed at the silliness of them dancing in a snowy forest with no music. But, for the first time since she was a child, she was having fun.
They soon slowed to a stop and stared at each other, smiles on their faces. They both panted slightly, their breath visible in the cold air. Their smiles faded as they began to lean into each other slowly, their eyes closing.
"Wait," she said stepping away, "My town isn't… used to ghosts visiting. Why don't you stay here and I'll go get my family and bring them here. That way, we won't cause a disturbance."
Phantom, although a little disappointed, nodded. "No problem," he said as he leaned against a tree.
"Good," she started to back away from here, "Stay right here and I'll be right back." Once she was out of his sight, she sprinted for her town. Her boots smacked against the cobblestone of the bridge. She sighed in relief when the Master's house came into view.
She approached the front door but heard the lock bolt the door shut for the night. Thinking it best not to disturb the likely angered Lord Vlad Masters, Elsa crept around to a balcony on the side of the house. She grabbed onto the branches that crept up a pillar of the house and began to climb. When she reached the balcony, she found Danny's room. He sat at a desk by the fire, scribbling on a page with furious concentration.
Elsa knocked softly on the door, causing him to look up. He blinked at her for a moment before getting up and letting her in. She shut the door immediately behind her and leaned against it with a heavy sigh.
"Elsa?" he asked softly, taking her hand.
She looked up at him and beamed. "Daniel," she breathed heavily, "I'm so happy to see you."
"You're as cold as death," he hurried her over to the fire and had her sit down next to it. "What happened to you?" he asked before his eyes landed on her skirt, "Your dress."
Elsa looked down to find the bottom of her dress ripped, probably from running through the woods twice.
But Danny's eyes narrowed, "Did someone hurt you Elsa?"
"No!" she shook her head, "No, no, I'm alright, really. I…" she sighed once more, slouching before meeting his eyes again, "Danny, I must confess. This morning, I was terrified of marriage…" Danny's heart sunk but Elsa gripped his chin and lifted it so he would meet her eyes again, "But… upon meeting you… you, the boy who I'd fantasized about meeting again even as I grew up, the boy I… I grew to love, I found that our wedding day couldn't come soon enough."
Danny's eyes widened and a goofy smile spread across his face. "Elsa," he laughed a bit as he took her waist and pulled her closer to him, "I…" he laughed at himself, "You've taken the words right out of my mouth."
She beamed up at him and she leaned up to kiss him but stopped as she spotted a figure at the balcony door. "Danny," she gripped his shoulders and her eyes became fearful, "I-I seem to find myself already married. And I need you to know that it was not my intention to-"
The door then burst open and a cold wind blew into the room, causing both Elsa and Danny to stand.
"Elsa, I just wanted to meet your-" Phantom stopped as his eyes met Danny's. They both stared at each other and Elsa looked worriedly between them, silently noting how similar they looked. "Elsa," Phantom took Elsa's hand and pulled her to him, possessiveness in his eyes, "Who's this?"
Danny looked over at Elsa, "Who's he?"
"I'm her husband," Phantom glared, bringing up Elsa's left hand that bore his ring.
The raven haired boy stared for a moment, ignoring Phantom's self satisfied smirk, before looking back to Elsa for an explanation.
"Danny wait," Elsa tried before poking Phantom's chest, her hand phasing through for a brief moment, "He's dead."
The ghost glared at the both of them before pulling Elsa back to him, "Box ghost."
There was nothing but a whirlwind of green before Elsa was pushed out of Phantom's arms. "You lied," he said through gritted teeth, "Just to get back to that… that other man!"
"Phantom, you're dead. That just… you and I… it can't work!" Elsa tried, "Don't you see? You're the other man."
"No," he shook his head, "I'm not. You're married to me. He's the other man." He clenched his fists and growled to himself as his eyes glowed bright greem, "And to think, I actually started to-" he stopped when he met her eyes. He sighed before turning intangible and flying off.
"That could have gone better."
Elsa jumped ten feet in the air and turned to find Clockwork staring at her sympathetically. "Why don't you go after him?" the wise ghost offered.
"And what?" Elsa huffed, "Try to fix our marriage?! No."
"Why not?" Clockwork floated over to her.
"It was bad enough I had one arranged marriage that I had no control over but a second one?!" Elsa sighed and leaned against a stone wall, "You don't know what it's like, being a woman in a man's world. Marriage means I become someone's property, powerless to anything the want from me. Being married to a man I never even knew I was going to marry is the single scariest thing I've ever encountered."
Clockwork hummed to himself. "Did you tell him about these problems?"
"Well, no," Elsa shook her head.
Clockwork nodded. "Perhaps," he began, "You should try to see his point of view. He was killed at the hands of his fiance and was cursed to not have peace until another woman accepts his ring. When one finally comes along, after years of waiting, she rejects him multiple times. You can understand how hard that must be, even on someone who is no longer living."
Elsa stopped and thought about this for a moment before mentally slapping herself. She growled to herself, "Why do you have to be right?"
"What's got you so glum?"
Phantom looked up to find his gothic ghost friend Sam sitting next to him at the bar. "Marriage," he answered simply.
Sam nodded, "Pretty little miss perfect not work out?"
"Worse, there's someone else," he huffed, "I mean really, what did I expect? For things to be different?" he sighed and slumped in his chair, "Maybe she's right. Maybe we are too different. Maybe she belongs with him," he growled, "Stupid mister living, with his bright eyes, rosy cheeks, and beating heart."
Sam scoffed, "Those guys are a dime a dozen. Take it from me." But Sam noticed that he still seemed angry and she stood, "What does he have that you don't? Working lungs? Please, that's overrated. I bet he can't fight half as well as you can. He can't fly, or turn invisible, or even shoot eco-rays. And he certainly hasn't saved as many people as you have."
"Then why do I feel like my heart's be ripped out?" Phantom asked.
She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Because you were hurt. It's best to cool down and clear your head before approaching each other."
Phantom smiled a bit and turned to his friend, "Thanks Sam."
"Anytime. Now," she smirked and rubbed her hands together, "I've got some stupid teens to scare out of an old abandoned house."
Phantom laughed as she evaporated into thin air. He looked over at Ember who was packing up her skeletons for the day. "Hey Ember," he pointed towards the piano, "Mind if I play a bit."
"Just don't break it, babypop," she waved him off as she left the bar and soon, the place was empty, save for the workers.
"I can't believe that girl has tossed away a man like Daniel," Paulina smiled sweetly over her cup of tea at Vlad, "Why, if I had a man like that on my arm, I would obey his every word without question like a good wife. I wish for nothing else."
"Your lord and husband is a very fortunate man, Lady Paulina," Vlad said dismissively.
Paulina's shoulders slumped, "Alas, I'm unmarried," she gently set down her cup and saucer on a nearby table, "I was once engaged but… tragedy struck my poor fiance. I've been lonely ever since."
Vlad raised a brow and seemed to ponder this. Later that night, he ventured up to Danny's room.
"Tucker, you're looking at me like I'm crazy," Danny deadpanned to his friend.
The boy nodded, "That's because what you're telling me is. Elsa was kidnapped by a ghost?"
Danny rolled his eyes, "You really think I have the imagination to think of something like that on my own?"
"Okay, fair enough."
The door suddenly opened and Vlad came marching in. "Marvelous news, Daniel. There'll be a wedding after all."
Danny jumped up from his place on the couch, "You found her?"
"Hurry, little badger, our relatives will be arriving soon," Vlad stated as he walked further into the room, ignoring his nephew's question, "We need you presentable for Lady Paulina."
The room fell extremely silent as Tucker and Danny looked at each other. "Paulina?" he asked.
"She will make a fine wife," Vlad stated, "You will marry her tomorrow according to plan." With that, he left as quickly as he had come.
Danny and Tucker made eye contact again. "Did… Did that just… happen?" Danny asked, still a little shocked from the whole thing.
Elsa wandered up to the Ball and Socket bar. She walked in to find it empty except for Phantom, who sat at the coffin shaped piano, using only one hand to play a few keys at a time. She carefully approached him, though she knew he sensed her presence next to him when she saw him stiffen ever so slightly.
After a few moments of nothing but a few chords and notes, Elsa spoke. "I'm sorry," she sighed as she sat down on the bench next to him, "I've been so terrible to you. I've only thought of myself through this whole ordeal and that wasn't fair to you at all… I don't blame you for hating me."
Phantom paused for a moment. A short, humorless laugh escaped him. "My name was Danny too," was all he said before he started playing again.
Elsa gingerly reached out and copied the last few notes he had played. He looked at her for a moment before repeating the pattern but using a second hand to add chords. She copied him once more.
She stopped and took her hands off the piano, realizing she had gotten a little carried away. She could practically hear her mother scolding her in her head. Phantom noticed this and played once more. When she did not copy him, he tried again. He huffed and watched her as he began playing a full melody now.
It didn't take long before Elsa met his eyes. He nodded toward the piano. She smiled and reached out, creating the harmony that he had involuntarily taught her. They smiled at each other as they played and laughed together, ignoring a few missed notes here and there.
When the song came to an end, their hands ended close to each other. Elsa soon blushed under his gaze. "Pardon my enthusiasm," she offered.
He smiled and took her hand in his own, "I like your enthusiasm."
They shared one blissfully private moment before a loud bell rang through the empty bar.
"New arrival!"
The space was suddenly flooded with corpses ghosts and skeletons, all loud and celebratory of the new ghost that now joined them. But passed all of them, she saw a familiar green jacket. "Kai?" she asked, a smile forming on her face as she stood to go greet him, "Kai, it's so good to-"
She stopped when he turned and had a greenish ghostly glow around him. "I-I'm so sorry," she fumbled.
"That's alright," he smiled, "I actually feel great."
"Oh," Elsa nodded as she followed him to the bar, "That's… great." She paused as he was handed a drink. "Kai, I have to get back," she said, "How is everyone?"
He shrugged, "They're still wondering where you slipped off to. Oh and um, Mr. Daniel."
"Yes?" she asked, "How is he?"
"Well, he's getting married this evening," Kai admitted.
Elsa's heart sunk in her chest, "What? Married to who?"
"Some lady or other, a newcomer," he took another sip of his drink. "I guess they didn't want to waste the cake," he tried to joke but noticed how sad she still looked, "It'll be alright. Time to pick up the pieces and move on, I suppose."
But Elsa just pushed herself away from the bar and rushed out of the place, tears threatening to leave her eyes.
"Tucker," Danny called as he looked at himself in the mirror, He stood wearing a neat and perfectly fitting suit, but he felt himself suffocating in it.
His friend came to stand next to him, looking worriedly at his sad friend. "I thought…" Danny tried before rolling his eyes at himself, "Well, I had hoped that… maybe we could've grown to be best friends again, even… love each other."
Tucker sighed and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "There are all types of love," he tried to cheer up his friend, "Maybe you'll find something better."
Elsa sat in an empty wood coffin by the kitchen entrance of the Ball and Socket. Her hands were clutched to her heart as the last of her sobs died out. She moved her hands to her lap, revealing a half-crushed white rose. Elsa shook her head, "And to think, I was in-" She gripped the flower angrily and threw it across the alleyway, losing a few petals on it's way. Elsa stood and took a few cleansing breaths. She wiped her tears away and collected herself. A man who would easily take any woman over her was not worth her tears.
"Do you think Elsa is going to be okay?"
Elsa perked up at the sound of Phantom's voice. She walked back towards the door to the kitchen and opened the door slightly, peeking through. "She looked really upset after talking to the new arrival," she heard him say to a cook.
Soon, Clockwork appeared in the room, a gothic ghost with him. "My boy, we need to talk," the old ghost said.
Sam came up next to Phantom, "Oh come on, let me tell him."
The green eyed ghost raised a brow, "Tell me what?"
"There is a complication to your marriage," Clockwork said, opening the book he had and placing it on the table in the center of the kitchen, "The vows are binding only until death do you part. However, death has already parted you."
Phantom's eyes widened. He could not go back to the dark topsoil under a tree. "Is there something we can do?" he asked.
Clockwork hummed, "There is one way. It requires the greatest sacrifice."
Sam laughed, "Oh, please let me tell him." The goth smirked at her friend, "We have to kill her."
"What?!" Phantom practically yelled. Elsa clamped a hand over her mouth to stop her gasp from revealing her.
Clockwork turned the pages of his book, "Elsa would have to give up the life she had forever. She would need to repeat her vows in the land of the living then drink from the wine of ages."
"Poison," Phantom whispered to himself as he turned away from the other ghosts and faced the burning green fire.
Clockwork closed the book, "This would stop her heart forever. Only then would she be free to give it to you."
"No," Phantom shook his head and sunk to sit on the floor, "No, I will not let anything happen to her… I could never ask her to give up her own life."
"You don't have to."
Everyone in the room turned to see Elsa standing at the door. But her eyes stayed on Phantom. "I'll do it," she said as she moved towards him.
"My dear, if you chose this path, you may never return to the world above," Clockwork warned, "Do you understand?"
Elsa looked back at Phantom and sat down on the floor with him. "All my life, I've dreamed of finding true love," Elsa said as her eyes drifted to the fire, "But all my life, people have laughed and pushed away that idea. I was so close to having my own love only to find that… even that wasn't real." She looked up the the ghost across from her, "But now, now I know what I want. And for the first time in my life, I can have it."
He shook his head, "But Elsa, I couldn't let you-"
"You've helped me live more in the last few days we've known each other than any other person in my life," she beamed at him, "With you, I have fun! So, I am willing to give this a try." She took his hand and shook her head, "There is nothing left for me up there. But down here, I can start over and build my own life. Will you help me do that?"
He sent her a smile before turning to his friend, "Alert the town Sam," he looked back at Elsa with a killer smirk, "We're taking this thing upstairs."
It was funny to see the ghost town so lively with ghosts floating about and corpses rushing to get the wedding preparations done. Elsa smiled as she watched two skeletons rush by her with a flower girl basket. "This is… completely crazy," she laughed at herself before she was caught by a bunch of black widow spiders.
"Are you really going to get married in that?" she asked. If Elsa hadn't just been married to a ghost, she would have screamed but nothing seemed to faze her now. Elsa looked down at her tattered dress but gasped as spiders surrounded her. "Don't worry dear," the spider said, "We'll have you ready in no time."
Within no time, Elsa was thrust back into the crowd of ghosts and they all stopped. They stared at her adoringly, a few cooing at her. She stood in a glittering lace strapless gown, her hair down in a braid and a spider web veil covered her face.
"Woah," Phantom breathed as he looked at her. She smiled sheepishly at him and a pink blush dusted her cheeks. But they were soon separated as the crowd continued their flow of movement "upstairs."
It seemed like a good idea at the time but once the newsman yelled, "The dead walk the Earth!" it was complete chaos. The living were screaming a running around. That is, until one little boy found his grandfather in the sea of corpses and ghosts. After that, the public seemed to calm down and the living joined the dead on their march to the church.
Within the walls of Master's Manor, Danny and Paulina sat alone in the wrecked dining room, trying to process the fact that the dead just stormed through the house. "Alright that's it," Paulina said standing up, "We're going to take whatever money we can and get out of here."
"Money?" Danny asked, "What money?"
Paulina stared at him, "Your inheritance! It's my-ahem your birthright."
"My parents died when I was little," Danny stated, "My uncle adopted me, remember? The inheritance isn't valid until Vlad reaches his fifties. Then the money is mine."
Paulina's eye twitched for a moment before she grabbed his shoulders and shook him, "You're lying! It isn't true!"
He raised a brow with a small knowing smirk, "Did things not work out like you planned, Lady Paulina?" He shoved her off of him and glared at her, "Well, in disappointment we are perfectly matched." He turned and made his way to the door. When he opened it he found a parade of ghosts heading for the church. After a moment of taking in the fact that the dead were right in front of him, he followed the procession.
"Begone, ye demons from hell!" the pastor called at the steps of the church as the ghosts approached, "Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here! Back! Back!"
"Keep it down. We're in a church," a corpse shushed him.
The pastor only gawked as the dead just entered the church and got themselves seated. Wedding music began to play and soon enough, Elsa was making her way down the aisle. Her and Phantom smiled at each other before turning to Clockwork, who stood at the alter. "Dearly beloved, and departed, we are gathered here today to join this ghost and this woman…"
As he continued, Danny crept up the stairs of the open church. He gasped when he saw the scene before him. "Elsa?" he asked quietly before he was shushed by a dead person.
"Living first," Clockwork nodded to Elsa.
As she spoke her vows, Danny make his way up the side of the church before coming to stand behind a pillar on Elsa's side, her back to him. She stood readily with the goblet in her hand as she finished her vows.
"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows," Phantom smiled as he picked up the bottle of the poisonous wine. "Your cup will never empty," he poured the wine into her cup, "For I will be-" but he stopped as he made eye contact with the heartbroken man behind the pillar. "I will be…" he looked back at Elsa, "Y-Your cup will never empty, for I will be…"
Elsa nodded at him to go on. When he didn't, she finished for him, "I will be your wine." She then lifted the cup to her lips but a hand stopped her.
"I can't," he shook his head as he pulled the goblet from Elsa's grip, setting it down.
Elsa took his hand and forced him to look at her, "What's wrong?"
He gently cupped her cheeks before pulling her in, kissing her. The whole congregation gasped and one person even whistled. Clockwork just scratched his head at the two, "I don't recall saying you could kiss the bride."
Phantom pulled away from her and held her close to him. "This is wrong," he said to her, his voice a whisper as his hand on her cheek kept her from turning her face and seeing Danny behind the pillar, but the tears gathering in his eyes kept Elsa's attention, "I was a groom. I had hopes for love and a happy life. My hopes were taken from me… Well, now," he glanced back at Danny, "Now I've stolen them from someone else."
He let out a deep breath, "I love you Elsa," but he shook his head as a tear fell, his voice shaking, "But you're not mine."
The ghost then looked behind her and gestured for Danny to come out. When he did, the congregation gasped again. So did Elsa. "Danny?" she asked.
Phantom took Danny's hand and Elsa's and placed them together. He smiled at both of them reassuringly before a nasally voice echoed from the doors of the church.
"Isn't that touching?" Paulina sauntered into the church and up the aisle, "I always cry at weddings. Our young lovers together at last. But you forget, he's still my husband!" she smirked triumphantly at the trio, "And whether he likes it or not, the law binds him to me!"
But Phantom just blinked at the woman. "You," he said in a hushed whisper.
Paulina stopped and looked over at him. "D-Danny?" she asked.
"You!" he said louder, getting angrier.
"B-But I left you," she said.
His eyes narrowed and thunder cracked through the church, "For dead."
The congregation gasped and a skeleton's jaw fell off. "It was you?!" Elsa growled, getting just as angry as everyone else.
"What?" Danny whisper to her. She leaned over and summed up the story in one sentence in his ear. He looked up and glowered at the woman, "Oh, that is so not okay."
Paulina thought quickly and grabbed Elsa's arm. With her other hand, she unsheathed a sword from a dead military officer. "Sorry to cut things short," Paulina smirked as she held to blade up to Elsa's throat, "But we must be on our way."
Both Dannys glared murderously at her but the raven haired one was the one who spoke through gritted teeth, "Take. Your. Hands. Off her."
Paulina rolled her eyes, "Do I have to kill you too?"
Elsa growled, "Not if I can help it." She jammed her heel into Paulina's foot and pushed her off of her. She went to catch a knife the dead cook had thrown her but found it was a long fork. The dead cook shrugged sheepishly but Elsa had no time before she had to block a strike from Paulina.
They maneuvered around a few people before Paulina swished the utensil out of Elsa's hand and knocked her to the floor. She raised the sword to stab her but her sword flew through another victim.
Phantom stood above Elsa protectively and threw the sword that had phased through his chest to the side.
"Touché," Paulina blinked
His fists glowed green as he glared at the woman. "Get out," he bit out to her as Danny helped Elsa to her feet, all three of them giving her deadly stares.
"Oh, I've leaving," Paulina said, only mildly phased but Phantom's show of power as she waltzed up the the alter. "But first a toast," she called as she picked up the goblet of wine, "To Danny! Always the groomsman, never the groom. Tell me darling," she smirked evilly, "Can a heart still break once it's stopped beating?" Phantom anger faltered to sadness for a moment. With that, she triumphantly lifted the cup to her lips.
"Lemme at her," Sam growled as she moved forward with the other ghosts.
Clockwork stopped them, "Wait, we must abide by their rules. We are amongst the living."
Paulina threw the goblet to the ground when she was done and moved to go out the church's back door but stopped, her own breath seeming to choke her.
"Not anymore," Sam sing-songed with a devilish smile.
Paulina then turned around confused, her skin now having a ghostly glow to it.
"Yep, she's right, she's all yours," Clockwork said and moved out of the ghosts' way. They all pushed her back through the door, maniacal expressions on their faces. Sam paused and looked back at the trio with a smirk on her face.
"New arrival."
The door then shut and the three were the only ones left in the church. Elsa and Danny looked at each other. "Elsa," the young man smiled, taking her hands, "I never thought I'd see you again."
She smiled back at him but paused when she noticed Phantom moving to the church doors. "Wait," she called to him, following him, "I made a promise."
Phantom turned back to her and smiled, "You kept your promise."
Elsa smiled sadly at him as tears began to fill her eyes. "Husband or not," she said, stepping closer, "You will always be the best friend I've ever known." She tackled him in a hug and buried her face in his neck, clinging to him as if he might fly away. He was shocked by the human contact but held her anyway, cherishing her warmth and love. He pulled away when he noticed the ring on her finger glow.
"A lady to come set me free," he said to himself as he felt a large burden lift from his shoulders. He took in the sight of Elsa and sighed, brushing her cheek, "You've certainly done that. You've set me free, Elsa."
She smiled softly as a few tears fell and she reached down to take off his ring.
"Keep it," he stopped her and wiped away a few tears, "So you can remember me in the darkest of times."
Her smile grew and she nodded, transferring the ring to her other hand. He took that hand in his own for a few moments before smiling over her shoulder at Danny. "Keep an eye on this one for me, will you?" he joked, "She's a handful."
Danny just smiled and took the hand that Phantom had offered him "I wouldn't dream of doing anything else," he said, looking at her.
Phantom smiled fondly at the two before nodding at them. "Goodbye," he shrugged, "And good luck."
He backed away slowly and soon, a green mist rolled into the church, surrounding the young ghost. He smiled one last time at them before closing his eyes and disappearing amongst the fog, his soul finally free.
Elsa and Danny looked up at each other after he had gone. They both knew that they had a lot to discuss, a lot to say to each other. But they both silently agreed to let it wait, for it had been a long day and they had both learned life was much too short to not treasure every second.
As they exited the church hand in hand, the emerald on Elsa's finger gleamed in the moonlight.
Happy Halloween