Original Prompt: Pariah Dark decides Danny has all the qualities he wants in an heir and forcibly adopts him. (Danny can either lose the fight to put him back in the Sarcophagus, Pariah can get out again later, or something else can happen.)
It was a normal day in Amity Park, well as normal as things could get in the nation's most haunted city. The Lunch Lady had made the first ghostly pack with Casper High's superintendent. He would allow her to curate and serve the menu for the rest of Casper High's existence, in exchange for protecting the student body from ghosts, the Guys in White, and other threats. And Danny was loving every moment of it.
For the first time in two years he almost felt normal again. His grades were above a D+, he could eat lunch without worry, and even Dash's bullying had let up. The Lunch Lady had instituted a no bullying zone in the cafeteria, and would drag any offending student into the kitchen and force them to clean her dishes. Danny could only smile in dispitable delight as Dash was dragged through the room, through the lunch line, over the counter, and into the kitchen by a tentacle made of raw frozen meat (It had a plastic glove on the end, which meant it was safe to serve food. Nobody knew if that was true, but who was going to ask, not Danny!).
It had been a stroke of guinness to suggest the idea to her. And this time Sam didn't even come up with it first. Nothing could go wrong.
"That woman is on my last nerve!" Sam slammed her tray on the table.
"What did Paulina do this time?" Tucker asked between mouthfuls of sloppy joes.
"It's not Paulina, it's the lunch lady, she refuses to accommodate vegetarian or non-meat eating students in her food planning," Sam grumbled. If Danny's eyes were not connected to his body, the two balls would roll out of his head and run a marathon.
"Doesn't she have a salad you can choose instead of the main dish?" Danny said.
"Half the time the salad has chicken or ham in it," Sam said.
"Yeah, Sam, that is what we call a chicken caesar salad or a chef's salad." Tucker began to eat his second sloppy joe.
"Tucker you know I can't eat meat, this is discrimination!"
"No discrimination is if she refused to provide kosher meat, which by the way, she has kosher meat in the back. You just got to ask for it. You just choose to not eat meat."
"I choose not to eat meat because it's the right thing to do for our dying planet! The meat industry contributes more than 60% of greenhouse gasses in all of food production. Your obsession with killing poor animals is causing our planet to die, Tucker."
"You know the more you say that the less of an impact it has. Plus my parents split a cow with our neighbor at the local butcher. We don't buy meat from the store."
"How privileged of you. Many don't have that choice, they have to buy from Wally-world and the Buck General."
"And how would changing the lunch menu change that?" Tucker bowed his head down and began licking the remaining sloppy joe off the lunch tray.
"It would be a step in the right direction and -"
"Tucker, have you ever wondered why every girl rejects you?" Danny had enough of this.
"I think they are threatened by my manly aura," Tucker had meat and juice running down his chin and staining his shirt. "Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering," Danny said.
"Well wonder no longer, for I have a plan for getting a date for junior prom," Tucker Said.
"Woah woah woah, don't try to change the subject! This is a very serious issue!" Sam said.
"Sam, you have enough money that you could get a vegan dish delivered to the school every day. Why does it matter if she makes sloppy joes once in a while?" Danny said.
"Because, she has no good alternatives for those who don't have the money to buy lunches from restaurants every day,"
"What does Paulina think of this?" Tucker asked, washing his face with a pocket wet wipe that appeared to be used. Or maybe they came pre-stained now?
"One, that is gross. And two, my girlfriend agrees with me. There should be a good alternative for anyone who doesn't want to eat meat."
"Didn't we discuss this two years ago when you convinced the school to do vegan Fridays or something?" Danny said.
"I know what happened two years ago but this is different. She made a pact with the school to not harm students. So, now she has to listen to reason." Sam said.
"Sam, I'm sorry but that's not gonna happen." Tucker said. Danny agreed with him, it was hard enough going through the pact talks between the Lunch Lady and the school board. Her having a no meat day? Sam would have a better time convincing a boomer to have empathy.
"That is where you're wrong. I have started a petition to convince her to start offering tofu based dishes. I already have fifteen signatures," Sam held out the paper, and Danny could see that Paulina had made the cheerleading team sign it.
"I wish you luck," Danny said.
"Thank you Danny."
"You're welcome Sam."
"Well don't come to Danny and I when she turns you into next week's lunch," Tucker said.
"She can't harm the students. If a ghost violates a ghostly pact a part of their core breaks off. And for weaker ghosts that could mean a final death," Danny said.
"She could wait till graduation day to turn you into ground meat,"
"You know Tucker, I'll start taking advice from you when you stop caring around used wet wipes."
"I'm being eco-friendly. Reduce, reuse, recycle Sam."
"You do know you have to do the last part eventually right? You can't keep the same rag for more than a week?"
"Don't worry. This one is only a week old," Sam and Danny gagged. "I'm joking! I've only had this today, and it's still moist! Did you two actually think I would do that?"
"Do we have to answer that?" Danny sighed. He leaned back on the table's bench, resting his eyes in a sliver of afternoon sun that shined through the cafeteria's tall windows. When a shadow came over him, blocking the sunlight. "This is a no bullying zone Dash," Danny said..
"Danny…" Sam said, before leaning over and slapping his shoulder.
"DANIEL JAMES FENTON, OR SHOULD I SAY YOUNG PHANTOM!" A deep voice boomed over the school.
Pariah Dark, King of the Ghost Zone stood at the window, his bleach white face taking up most of the window pane.
Jumping to his feet Danny yelled, "How did you get out?"
"CEASE CHILD, FOR I AM NAUGHT HERE FOR BATTLE. NAY, I HAVE COME FOR A REASON OF MY OWN CREATION. NOW LISTEN TO ME, FOR I HAVE GROWN OLD AND WEARY AND WISH TO SEE ANOTHER TAKE OVER IN MY STEAD. A PRINCE OF THE GHOST ZONE THAT WILL CONTINUE MY EFFORTS," Pariah spoke.
Tendrils of frozen glove-covered meat swept across the laminate flooring, shielding students from the sight of the King's large blood red eyes. From the wall of meat, The Lunch Lady floated towards them, her large green body shaking like a leaf.
"Your Majesty," Her voice was small and quiet, for once true to the old woman she was. "I'm afraid I can not allow you to talk to students without their parents permission first. I-I would suggest you go to the main office and sign yourself in. Please!"
"BEGONE WOMAN, FOR I HAVE NOT GIVEN YOU PERMISSION TO SPEAK!"
"I cannot sir. You m-might be king b-b-buttt…" Her hands were twisted in her dress, sweat began dripping down her face. "You need to follow school rules! The rules are in place to protect the children, and, and, and it's my jo-b-b to" Pariah's gaze focused upon her. "Protect them." Tears freely flowed from her eyes. Danny watched his first real enemy, turned into a babbling old woman, putting on a very brave face.
"YOU DARE TO THREATEN ME? I HAVE NOT COME BRING VIOLENCE AMONG YOU BUT IF THIS FOOLISHNESS PERSIT I WILL BE FORCED TO REMIND YOU WHO IS KING!"
"How about you pick on someone your own size!" Danny yelled. He stood in front of the old woman, arms ready.
"I AM MERELY PUTTING HER IN HER PLACE,"
"Well maybe it's time someone showed you your place!" White rings shined from his waist, and covered his body, turning his clothes into a black jumpsuit and his hair a vibrant white. The cafeteria erupted into murmurs and whispers.
A red head in the back yelled, "I told y'all so!"
This business was quickly left behind as Danny flew through the air, phasing his body through the window and sending a blot of green energy into Pariah's remaining eye.
"AUGH! DO YOU NOT LISTEN?" He yelled.
"According to my teachers, no," now outside, he could see that the King had to kneel to see through the window.
Rising to his full height, the Ghost King stood a head taller than Casper High's famous clock tower. Danny thought that if the King was a tad taller, his ego would form its own gravitational pull.
Fire lashed out, spreading through the air. His body twisted around the flames before plugging close to the grass. Black filled his vision as a gloved hand grabbed him.
"LET ME TEACH YOU YOUR FIRST LESSON!" Pariah said.
"Can you say that a little louder? I don't think the Chinese heard you!"
"Sorry. Let this be the first lesson I teach you, to listen when another is speaking," pariah's voice dropped several volumes. "I, Pariah Dark, King of the Ghost Zone, wish to name you my heir."
"What? Why? I locked you back in that box!"
"That is one of the reasons I have made this decision. Only you were strong enough to assemble an army of other ghosts, attack my castle, and defeat me. That should be enough to prove your worthiness. Now let us go to my castle. We have many things to discuss and many lessons I must teach you before you take the throne."
"How about no! I'm only sixteen! I haven't even gotten my driver's license yet!"
"You will not need any human tools in the Ghost Zone."
"I haven't graduated high school yet!"
"Fright Knight can teach you about battle strategies and the castle has many books on politics."
"Well… I deny your claim!" Danny's eyes shot green bolts into Pariah's hand. With a shout Danny was free from his grasp. "And I refuse to be your Heir!"
"I am offering you control over the entire Ghost Zone boy!"
"And I said no! I'd rather hang out with the Box Ghost!"
"One day you will change your mind boy! And I will be waiting!" Pariah's body was engulfed in flames, his form disappeared in its bright light before the flames extinguished themselves.
"I didn't think it would be that easy," He mumbled to himself.
"FENTON! Or wait, PHANTOM! No, augh, Moby Dick, DANIEL FENTON PHANTOM! GET DOWN HERE BEFORE I GIVE YOU A YEAR'S WORTH OF DETENTION!" Lancer screamed from the ground.
"Oh boy. I'm in for it now."
BANG! BOOM! SHREECHH! Legacies had to be maintained and preserved for future generations. Which require vigorous upkeep and gentle care, both had been neglected in Castle Dark for over a thousand years. Skeleton warriors and unlucky ghosts had been forced into its reconstruction. They filled the empty halls with a calamity of sounds and dust. Tarps covered anything that was worth protecting. A few Skeletons had started a burn pile in the dead garden. The fire was fueled by decaying furniture, tapestries, mold filled books, and dead plants.
Pariah stood at his balcony observing the flames below. His black armor had been replaced with a black undershirt and black leggings. While time had taken its toll on the castle, Pariah's all black wardrobe had survived. The royal chambers had not, and everything was replaced with items he ransacked from the older halfa's domain. The gaudy green and golds were thrown into vats of black dye, before they were allowed to be in his castle. Whatever couldn't be dyed was painted gold. Pariah examined his new room, and while he did not understand what memory foam was, he enjoyed the feel of it upon his back. Too bad its previous owner was not something the king enjoyed. Pariah thought the older halfa was a conniving rat, sneaking its way into power and posing whoever got in his way. Killing with poison or other sneaky means was below Pariah, he preferred to fight in an open battlefield. Where he could see the life drain from his enemies eyes.
If only the younger halfa would let him teach him this. Pariah sighed, for the announcement had gone terribly. He had considered smacking the boy but according to the Fright Knight, this day and age frowned upon beating children. Speaking of the Knight.
"Fright Knight!" Pariah called.
"Yes, your Highness?" The knight appeared in a haze of purple smoke and flames. His armor carried on the ends of his smoke trails, waiting for its owner to reassemble itself before the master of the castle.
"I require your advice once again. For I went to young Phantom and proclaimed his right to rule. Yet the boy rejected me! What does your book tell of situations like this?"
"The book? Let me see," Fright Knight pulled a white book from the depth of his shadows. Its cover read "How to Discipline your Children without Spanking or Hitting" in bright blue letters. "It says that if a child is of the age to be reasoned with, one should try to reason with the child, walking them through the pros and cons of a situation. One should also be open to feedback and comments the child might make. For a child will not follow a situation that does not benefit them as well."
"I do not understand. Prince is the second highest title in all of the Ghost Zone, no other would deny such a request."
"The young can be quite foolish you Highness, maybe if you explained to him what a privilege this chance is? The young today like to have things laid out for them. It may also be good to mention that he would not be able to freely leave the Ghost Zone once the coronations happen."
"I can already foresee him objecting to that."
"But if you let him know now, he is more likely to trust you. Plus it might be good if you let your wife and husband know before you bring the boy here."
"I am sure my husband already knows, and if he had any objections he would've shown himself by now. As for my wife, I find it easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Additionally her and the young Phantom are similar enough that I foresee them getting along quite well."
"Before or after her anger resides?"
"I- '' Pariah's word drawled out into an unsure silence. "I have already destroyed the sarcophagus of forever sleep, and I doubt she would actually kill me."
"Your Highness, the Queen would never attack your core. But I fear her words are much sharper than her flames. As for your husband, I have heard rumors that he is mentoring the young Phantom."
"That is probably why he has not interfered yet, Fright Knight. He is waiting for me to bring the child into our family. Once the two of them apologize for locking me in that damn box."
"Your Highness may I be blunt with you?"
"Depends on how blunt you intend to be?"
"Then I will conceal my comments."
"A wise choice. Now before Phantom comes we will need to pick a title for him. Each Ghost King has had a title. Solomon was the blessed, Caesar was the Terrible, Wu Zetian the graceful, TenKamenin the Great, and myself the Dark one. Phantom will need a title that describes him," Pariah said.
"Sir, you forgot King Henry the tiny."
"I will not acknowledge the fool who dared to try and steal the throne from me."
"Of course, my liege, forget my words. May I suggest Prince Phantom the white? It would contrast your title of dark."
"No, my heir must have a more impressive title."
"Prince Phantom the hero prince?"
"Bah! Too long, suggest another one."
"Prince Phantom the undaunted?"
"Perfect! That will be the name we spread throughout the lands!"