Danny sits at his desk in his room, chewing on a pencil as he tries to remember how to do the factoring in his homework. Sam told him that solving factoring is kind of like a puzzle, that it's sort of fun for her, but he has yet to see the appeal.
He thinks he might finally have it but just as he goes to start solving the problem he was on, a ghost suddenly appears right next to him, arms cordially folded behind his back. Danny jumps and falls backwards out of his chair.
Once he gets a good look at the ghost, he lets out a groan.
"Phil. How many times have we talked about this? You can't just sneak up on me like that."
Phil bows down before Danny. "Sorry, your majesty, but this is quite an emergency. We have someone at the castle who wishes to challenge you for the throne."
Danny furrows his brows, confused. Danny hasn't had trouble with ghosts questioning his rule in almost a year now. Once he defeated Pariah Dark and they all learned that the throne was his to rule, many of the ghosts were upset that he'd become another dictator and kill them all, because so many of them were his enemies. When they realized he was more focused on keeping the residents of both worlds safe, they let up on it. Who could possibly be challenging him to the throne now?
"Alright, Phil. I guess I'll go talk with this challenger. As long as I get home in time to finish my math homework." Danny transforms and Phil grabs onto his arm. "Who is it anyways? Skulker? Ember? Is it Dani again? She has my phone number, she doesn't need to challenge me everytime she wants to hang out."
"She has no cell service in the ghost zone, your majesty."
"Ah, that's right." Danny rubs his chin with his hand. "Who is it then?"
"They have asked me to keep their identity a secret until we get there, your majesty."
"Why-" Danny starts, but Phil sweeps his hand out in a half circle motion and suddenly the two of them are in the throne room of the castle. Danny sways, dizzy, and glares at the other ghost.
"Phil, man, we have also talked about that so many times already. You gotta give me a warning before we teleport. I do not wanna get sick in between space and time again."
"Sorry, your majesty."
"It's fine." Danny rolls his head around, stretching out his neck. "Okay. Where's this challenger you've been telling me about?"
"Right over there, your majesty." Phil gestures across the room towards the throne.
Standing in front of it is a tall, lanky ghost wearing strong but light looking armor. But this is weird, he's never seen this ghost before. Actually, the closer he looks, the more he doesn't think this is a ghost at all. He watches as they take the helmet off and long red hair falls to their waist and a very stern expression is on their face.
"Jazz?" Danny exclaims. "You're the one challenging me to the throne? How did you even get here? I thought the specter speeder needed repairs?"
"I have my ways." Jazz turned her nose up into the air. Giggles could be heard echoing throughout the throne room. Danny groans.
"Danielle, did you put her up to this? If you wanted us to all hang out, you guys could have just come to my room!" Danny shouts into the air, unsure where Dani is hiding at this time.
Jazz stomps her foot. "She didn't put me up to anything! I'm here because I decided to be."
Danny looks back at Jazz. "So you're really challenging me for the throne? Why? You're not even a ghost."
"You're not even an adult, Danny!" Jazz shouts. "Why is a sixteen year old the ruler of the ghost zone? You're not even done with high school yet!"
Danny crosses his arms. "Because I defeated Pariah Dark, Jazz. That's just how things kind of work here."
"Wait." Jazz starts. Suddenly Danny gets the feeling he said something wrong. "How long have you been the king of the ghost zone for?"
Waving his hand in a so-so motion, Danny looks up at the ceiling in concentration. "About two years? My coronation wasn't for a couple months after I defeated Pariah Dark. They were trying to find loopholes that prevented a halfa from ruling the ghost zone, but here I am."
Jazz starts fuming, balling her hands into fists. "Two years? Since you were fourteen? That's crazy, Danny! What about school and your friends and your life? The rest of your teenage years?"
"What about it?" Danny shouts. "My life has been wasted by ghosts since I was fourteen, Jazz! At least now I don't have all these different ghosts coming to Amity Park anymore! They respect me and my leadership now! Isn't that good?"
"But you're just a kid!" Jazz yells.
"You're just a human!" Danny retorts back. "You don't even know half of what I do about the ghosts in the zone! How would you hold meetings? Events? Disputes? When you don't know what the issues are?"
Jazz glares at him and pulls a sword out of the sheath at her side. "I can learn."
Rolling his eyes, Danny forms his own sword out of ice. "Yeah, and Phil here can remember the notes that everyone in the castle gives him."
"I'm doing my best, your majesty." Phil calls.
Danny sighs. "I'm sure you are."
Suddenly Jazz is filling up Danny's vision. He backs away and blocks before Jazz's sword can hit him.
"Christ!" Danny shouts. "Are we really doing this?"
"You bet your astronaut we are." She lunges at him again.
They go back and forth for a while, Danny finally taking this seriously. He didn't know when Jazz got so good at sword fighting. Not when she was preparing for every college related thing in the world right now.
"Wait!" Danny shouted, startling Jazz in her lunge towards him. "What about you? What about your life and dreams? Going to college? You can't do that and rule the ghost zone. Not when you don't have a portal."
"Phil can take me back and forth. He just did it for you."
Danny fought back a gag. "Yeah, but it feels absolutely awful. I can't imagine how it would feel for a regular human."
"Probably not pleasant, your majesty." Phil quipped.
"I don't know!" Jazz said. "I'll figure it out!"
She was running at him again, sword raised. But suddenly her feet were slipping out from under her and when she raised her head the ground was covered in a sheet of ice and a sword was pointed in her face.
"I know you want to do what you think is best for me." Danny panted. "But I'm already in this mess. I don't want you dragged into it too. Besides, I'm doing the best I have in school in years. I must be doing something right here."
Jazz sighs. "I guess you're right. I just don't want you to keep losing things to this."
Danny shakes his head and holds his hand out, helping Jazz off the floor. "Come on! I mean, sure, becoming a half ghost and unleashing evil ghosts onto Amity Park was kind of terrible. But now look at me! A whole kingdom filled with former enemies, some of whom now respect me and are my friends! And hey!" Danny gestures across the room to where Phil was standing. "I got this guy too!"
"Thank you, your majesty."
Jazz chuckled, and shook her head. "I hope you know what you're doing, little brother."
"I do. It was hard at first but I'm finally in a good place."
"That's what I like to hear." Jazz elbowed Danny in the ribs.
"Okay, well, who wants to go out for ice cream?"
"Me!" Dani shoots out of her hiding spot on the ceiling, barreling into Danny.
"Me too." Jazz says.
"Okay. Hold on." Jazz steps between Danielle and Danny, grabbing onto their hands. "Okay, Phil. Don't burn the place down while I'm gone."
"I can't make any promises, your majesty."
Together, the three of them fly out of the castle and through the zone.
