MONDAY 8:30 PM
"Okay, sit still."
"For the record, I think this is a bad idea." Sam hovered somewhere behind them. They had moved to the bathroom, and brought a stool from the main room so Tucker could sit in front of the mirror. Danny caught Sam's gaze in the reflection. She looked uneasy.
Danny stepped back for a moment.
"What do you think's gonna happen?" He asked. Sam's face scrunched up. Danny could see the cogs turning in her head. After a minute of thinking she threw her hands up in the air.
"Oh I don't know! Nothing good, though." She walked closer and leant against the counter, so she had eye contact with Tuck.
"You sure about this?" She asked, tone full of concern. Danny watched Tuck in the mirror. He broke eye contact and looked away for a moment, before his uneasy gaze was replaced with determination.
"Yeah, when else will I get a chance? Besides, my parents think we're on a road trip. So I have plausible deniability for getting them pierced." He nodded, then looked in the mirror at Danny.
"Ready when you are."
Danny looked down at the little gold moon earring in his hand (borrowed from Sam) and the dark blue towel laid across Tucker's shoulder so, in case he ended up bleeding, it wouldn't get on his fancy new clothes. Even with intangibility, blood was a stubborn stain. That struggle was one the entire trio knew all too well.
It was just an ear, nothing real bad yeah? If Picasso could survive cutting his own off, there wasn't much damage Danny could really do. Maybe they should've started with the left ear? Too late to back down now.
Danny braced his left hand on the back of Tuck's head and leaned in close, turning the earring intangible in his hand. He stuck it into Tucker's ear and waited a moment.
"A bit to the left?" Tucker suggested. Danny did what he wanted and Tucker gave a thumbs up. Go time.
Danny cut off the energy and his hand blipped back into existence. Well, he didn't hear any screaming. He looked at Tucker's reflection and only caught a grin.
"Just a pinch," Tucker marveled. He grabbed the earring backing from the countertop and put it on. The smallest little bit of blood dribbled down Tucker's ear. Danny wiped it away with the towel. Tucker winced slightly at the jostling, but the smile never left his face.
"Remember to keep them in for at least six weeks. And that's my gold-plated pair, so I want them back."
"Wait they're what?!" Tucker exclaimed. Sam remained nonchalant.
"Some people are allergic to normal earrings, so those kinds are the least likely to have some kind of reaction. I have tons more at home, that's just the only gold pair I brought with me."
As they talked Danny moved the towel to Tucker's right shoulder and grabbed the other earring. Sam swapped places with him. Danny felt a lot better now that he knew nothing horribly bad would happen.
"All good?" Danny asked after Sam was done talking. Tucker had turned to argue but Danny successfully sidetracked him. Tucker gave Sam a look and she nodded.
"Yeah, fire when ready." Tucker chuckled a bit at his own joke. Danny turned it intangible and Tucker guided him, repeating the same process.
Somebody pounded at the door, making Danny jump. Luckily he held onto his intangibility, and didn't accidentally leave an earring in his friend's brain. That would've been a nightmare. Imagine trying to fish it back out. Too morbid?
Sam left the bathroom to get the door. Danny calmed his racing core, still shaken from the sudden sound.
"We can just do the other one later," Said Tuck. He set the towel in the sink, which was filled with warm soapy water. Danny put the earring on the countertop. Together they went out into the main room. Briar stood -floated- in the doorway.
"The rooms aren't ready quite yet, but I imagine you are all hungry. Supper is ready in the Dining room." Briar said matter-of-factly. They raised a brow as they caught sight of Sam and Tucker's outfit changes. Danny felt suddenly underdressed.
"Not too shabby. Much better than the schmattes you walked in wearing." Their gaze lingered on Danny for another moment, but they didn't say anything. At least, audibly. Their look seemed to say everything. Danny was glad he was in ghost form at least, he couldn't imagine their reaction to a t-shirt and jeans. Briar turned and gestured for the trio to follow.
"I guess that answers one question." Tucker said, as though to keep it from Briar. Why did it feel like they were being taken to the principal's office? Briar just gave off those vibes.
Danny shut the door behind them with a touch of energy. It slammed on accident, heavier than he expected. Danny cringed and his friends jumped, but Briar paid no mind, like they had eyes in the back of their head.
MONDAY 9 PM
Briar guided them through the maze-like halls, and eventually they came to the dining room. It hadn't been on their earlier tour, so the trio weren't really sure what to expect. Danny certainly didn't expect to see Dora sitting at the table. She sat directly to the left of the head chair. She smiled when they came in.
"Welcome," She said cheerily. She sounded tired, even if she didn't look like it. She looked pristine as always.
The dining room was quainter than the other places they'd seem so far. There was a rectangular table in the middle of the room, with a chair at either end and only three along each side. The walls were a deep red, which looked even darker in the partially dimmed lights. Not so much that it could be considered 'dark' but enough that it felt cozy. The tablecloth was maroon, which added to the atmosphere.
"Thank-you," Sam replied. She made her way over to the table, Tucker and Danny trailing behind her. Sam sat next to Dora, then the other two at the other side of the table. Dora seemed to search for her words for a moment.
"It would be customary for Phantom to take the head of the table, and for Sam or Tucker to take his current seat." She said lightly.
"Is it that important?" Danny asked. Dorathea didn't offer a response. Slightly begrudgingly, Danny moved. Sam took his old seat. Dora simply looked pleased.
"In living royalty," Dora began speaking.
"There are of course regular meals. With ghostly such, that is not a normal practice. Food is mostly reserved for events, as it is not a need. Only an indulgence. It was a trial finding someone to act as chef who was still familiar with human cousine, but I am told that she is a familiar face to you all." Barely a moment after Dora had finished speaking a set of doors burst open. It was indeed a familiar face.
Lunch Lady burst into the room, expression that of triumph.
"A meal fit for a king, even better than that for teenagers!" She roared. But her tone quickly turned sweet.
"But still containing all the necessary nutrients for a growing child." She looked rather proud of herself.
"I thought your whole thing was school lunches?" Tucker questioned.
"Well that is indeed something I enjoy, but it is not the only thing I do. In fact, Lunch Lady isn't my real name. I sometimes go by Eleanor."
"Richard calls me Ellie," She swooned. So much so in fact that the tray she carried almost fell to the ground.
"Wait so Box Ghost's name is Richard? Do you ever call him Di-"
"-Moving on," Sam interjected before Tucker could finish.
"Do you want to talk about the food?" Sam offered a much needed change in conversation. The less Danny had to hear about Lunch Lady's love life, the better. Just the thought of Box Lunch made him sick to his stomach. He didn't know technically how ghosts… 'reproduced,' but he could certainly muster up a mental image.
Lunch Lady -'Or should he call her Eleanor? Would that be rude? She gave the name, but not in a way that invited its use. Ugh.'- lit up at the invitation. A sharp-toothed grin spread across her face. She approached the table and set down the tray, lifting the lid.
Presented before them was a small menagerie of plates, each with a different dish. Such flavors involved mashed potatoes, rolls that were still steaming, and a plate that was just piled with different steaks and various other meats. It looked like way too much for them all to eat in one sitting. Of course there were vegetables as well in the mix, but they didn't garner nearly as much attention.
Danny couldn't remember the last time he had seen this much food, or of such quality. The closest thing to it was probably that one year they had turkey for christmas dinner, but it did not go down without a fight. Jazz ended up heating some of it up in the microwave for 4-year-old Danny because the fight had been taken out into the snow, and the turkey had gone cold. It was quite the memory, and really Danny thought he'd dreamed it all until very recently. Jazz brought it up, saying that she thought it was a dream but now she wasn't so sure. They compared recollections and, sure enough, it actually happened. Knowing that's what occurred, while his parents argued in the lab, certainly didn't help their already-decaying relationship.
"Do I want to ask where you got the ingredients?" Tucker said, despite the fact he was salivating at the meat that was on display.
"Probably not, deary." Replied Lunch Lady.
"I even have a vegan option. Though I don't respect the girl's choice, I respect your conviction." Lunch Lady half-sneered as she spoke.
"Maybe we can get along." Sam smirked.
"Don't push your luck." Lunch Lady said flatly. Sam wasn't dissuaded, and just appeared content with herself.
Danny's own stomach growled when the plate was placed in front of him. The smells drifting from the food were enough to make his hunger increase tenfold. But he held off until Lunch Lady had distributed all of the plates to dig in.
The food was delicious, much better than any cafeteria food that had ever come before Danny's taste buds. He didn't know she was this good of a cook!
"Thank-you, this is delicious." Danny said.
The conversation lulled as they all dug in. Danny was starving.
"Hey, we can't say my house is the fanciest anymore," Sam said. It took a moment for what she said to click.
"This isn't my house, Sam." Danny replied.
"From what I know, the Keep functions largely the same as a house." Dora interjected. A light-lipped smile graced her face.
"It seems like a house to me," Tucker agreed as he stuffed his face with food.
"Well, it's not." Danny said with a tone of finality. But he realized a moment too late that that was a bit too gruff of an answer. He caught Dora's expression falling, and was hit with a wave of guilt. Dorathea and her people had been working so hard to get the Keep back in living condition. Sure, he didn't like the way in which he'd come into ownership of a castle, but it wasn't Dora's fault that happened. If anything, being back here probably made her sad. He recalled how Dora's grandfather had been a king in the past. She likely had memories of the Keep from his reign. He was being a brat.
"I'm sorry," Danny apologized.
"I'm just still not really used to all this, and I didn't really want to be King in the first place. It's a crappy situation but I didn't mean to take it out on you."
"Thank-you for everything you've done, Dora."
"I understand your reservations, and I accept your apology." She still appeared a bit hurt.
"Thanks," Danny said dryly. He pushed his food around his plate.
"-but I'm glad it was you, Phantom. I couldn't think of a better candidate." Dora continued.
"I'm sorry that you have to take on such responsibilities when you are still alive, but I need you to understand how important it is," She spoke. Danny looked down at his plate. It was unfair. He still had a life to live, a chance to breathe and have a heartbeat.
"You're going to be in command of the realms, but not only command- it'll be your duty to ensure the realms flourish. To keep things running smoothly, and maintain order. Things are in disarray as it is, and you will have a large role in helping to mend that."
"The realms shall depend on you, and your core, and simply you as a person. It will reflect you," Dora took a deep breath.
"-and if you remain the way you are now I fear for their health." She sounded solemn.
"It is a difficult thing to come to terms with, but you need to. It is not only your future at stake, but those of every individual who call the Realms their home."
"But you aren't alone in this, Phantom. You have your friends, and Clockwork, and I. If there is any way I can help, just say."
Unshed tears crowded Danny's eyes. At some point during Dora's speech his plate had turned blurry.
He felt alone. The room had gone cold.
"I'm not feeling well," Danny said to excuse himself. He got up from the table and fled the room.
"Danny!" Sam and Tucker exclaimed at the same time. They both shuffled to leave their seats.
Dora set a hand on Sam's arm.
"Perhaps it would be best to wait a moment? He may need time alone," Dora suggested.
Tucker looked to Sam for a decision, but the concern was clear in his eyes.
"That's the opposite of what he needs." Sam steeled herself. She shrugged off Dora's hand and set off out the door. Tucker followed suit.
Dora was left at the table, surrounded by half-eaten plates. She sighed to herself. She hadn't meant to be unkind, but it was something Phantom needed to be made aware of. This wasn't a matter of life and death, but of afterlife. Which made it even more impertinent.
For a moment she began to doubt Clockwork. But truly it wasn't her place. This was Phantom's responsibility, and she simply had to do what she could to lighten the load. But he still needed to be prepared to bear the full weight if push came to shove.
Dora began to draft a plan in her head as she left the room. She needed to show Danny that he was stronger than he thought. She might have to pull a string or two, she needed to add a lesson to Danny's day.