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Trust
Compared to the actual engagement ceremony, the afterparty was a relatively quiet affair.
Not that it was much of a surprise; very few ghosts were extended an invitation, and even fewer actually showed up. Out of those who had dared to tempt fate or jinx the Ghost King's almost pleasant disposition, only Skulker, Ember, Ghost Writer, Johnny, and Kitty had stayed. Walker, who was disgusted over the whole 'child-bride' thing, had left soon after the Ring was given to Danny, and Technus just couldnt bear to take anymore, and had flown off in a fit. A fit of what, no one knew, but Skulker had reason to believe it was of angst that nothing horrifying had happened.
For the first hour, everyone walked about on eggshells, no one really having the nerve to actually congradulate Danny, let alone to have casual chatting. It was Skulker - ever the singular first line of duty - who at least started some conversation, starting with Fright. He asked the former Knight about what he had seen three days prior, with Vlad being carted away shouting in agony.
Fright's expression went dark, and he told Skulker about what had happened; Vlad's disrespect, the challenge, the duel - everything.
Skulker was shocked and impressed; he knew that Vlad craved power, but he didnt know that the older halfa would go to such lengths and risk both life and afterlife to be the Prince. He was impressed when he heard of Danny's power, though. Internally, he craved for the days of hunting the young halfa, and the tale of power display only made that craving more intense. But Fright mentioned Danny becoming a 'permanent resident' in order to become a legitimate Prince, and knew that the days of hunting the boy were over. Not only would he actually hunt a fellow ghost...that was his new Prince-to-be. Still...he couldnt help but glance wistfully over at Danny, eyeing the boy over like a rich heiress pining after a mink-and-baby seal-coat she wanted but couldnt have.
The first one to actually approach Danny was Johnny 13, who gathered up all the courage he had to ask Danny how he was doing.
Danny gave his friend a smile. "I'm doing alright, Johnny," he replied honestly. The fingers on his right hand kept fondling the Ring on his left, as though almost entranced by the power the Ring could produce in the right hands. "I mean, granted, it was tough at first..." He shrugged. "But we found some common ground, started talking...and we're getting to know each other better now."
"Yeah, but...how did it HAPPEN?" Johnny asked, the poor ghost close to twitching from his fragile mind being warped with all this new development. Danny took pity on Johnny and made him sit down at a table.
"Well, I think that he originally wanted to destroy me," he admitted, glancing over at his fiance, who had separated himself from the others as so not to intimidate them with his presence, something Danny found a little sad. "But he told me to transform...I dont really know what he saw, but he then asked me to display some power for him. After I gave him my Ghostly Wail - " He bit back a snicker at Johnny's flinch. " - he told me that I would make a fine consort for him. That's...pretty much how it started."
Johnny stared blankly at Danny. "...Wow," he finally said, then snorted. "How romantic."
"Oh, like your 10th anniversary with Kitty, when you went to Vegas and got so drunk you - ."
"Dont EVEN bring that up!" Johnny hissed, glancing around. "If Kitty even hears someone MENTION the word 'Vegas', she starts hitting me over the head with her purse until I'm out cold!"
Danny snickered before laughing; he remembered the last Christmas party he went to, when Technus - very and deliberately loudly - mentioned a show in VEGAS he wanted to go see, and Kitty started twitching before beating Johnny unconscious with her purse. Not even Walker saw fit to send her to jail for a few days for technically breaking Truce because as ornery the warden was, he was a true Southern gentleman who wouldnt have DREAMED of putting a lady through what Johnny did in Vegas, and on an anniversary, even.
Luckily, Kitty was too busy chatting up with Dora, Ember, and a few other female servants in the castle, and didnt hear the dreaded 'V-Word'.
After Johnny had slipped off to get more food, Danny approached Ghost Writer, who was gazing at the tapestries and decor on the walls with almost longing in his eyes. "Pretty ancient, arent they?" he stated. Ghost Writer tore his eyes from a tapestry and nodded.
"They are," the 'Writer replied. "This history that's been lost in this castle simply because of fear...it's almost criminal that some of these treasures havent been seen for centuries..." Danny nodded; he'd always loved looking at the castle's decorations, marveling at how old, yet new they were.
"If you think the halls are nice," he said slyly, "you should see the library." He almost broke into undignified gales of roll-on-the-floor laughter when the Ghost Writer actually began to DROOL. "Of course, you'll probably appreciate it more than me," he continued. "I cant even read a fraction of what's in there...English really isnt that old of a language, you know..." Oh, now the poor librarian was twitching... "But it hasnt been organized in God-knows-how-long..."
"I can organize it!" Ghost Writer blurted out, unable to remain silent. "All I need to do is be AROUND books, and I can reorganize them, decipher the languages, clean the dust off of them - !"
"Whoa, calm down, GW," Danny said, putting a hand on the 'Writer's shoulder. "I'm sure Pariah Dark wont mind if you organize his collection." He gave the librarian a smile. "Hey, we started to be friendly not long ago, and I consider you a friend. You're more than welcome to come visit and oogle over the library. There's no one else I'd trust with all that knowledge than you."
The Ghost Writer stared at Danny as though Athena Herself had handed him a golden book on a platter, and smiled. "You're too kind, Prince-to-be." Danny saw tears come to the 'Writer's eyes. "...Just too kind."
Danny had been flustered, naturally, and left the Ghost Writer to revel in the idea of looking at books thought lost to the ages, and walked up to Skulker, and hunter and prey had a stare-off for a few moments.
"Glad you could make it, Skulker," Danny finally said, smiling. Skulker returned it, looking a little wistful.
"I suppose this means I cant hunt for your pelt anymore," he replied. Danny snorted.
"Like you even had a chance before," he barbed back playfully. "Dont worry, Skulker. If you're as good with a sword as you are with your hunting knives and guns, we can play hunter and prey." He scowled in Fright's direction. "My asshole teacher over there likes to play that. And he never lets me be the hunter."
Skulker laughed and fetched himself another drink. "I just may take you up on that, kid," he said, leaning casually up against the wall. "So...how have you been." Danny glanced at Skulker, surprised at the touch of concern the mech had in his voice.
"...Truthfully, it started out really rocky," he admitted. "...But we've started getting along." At Skulker's incredulous expression, Danny added, "I think it has something to do with me actually having the balls to argue with him." The sip of drink Skulker had in his mouth was spewed out, and the hunter slapped a hand over his mouth to prevent unmanly giggles from escaping.
Danny waited until Skulker had his humor under control before getting serious. "I sent out invitations to a few others," he said, "but they came back since the guards couldnt find them."
"Which ones are you talking about?" Skulker asked, crossing his arms. He pretty much had the scoop on most everyone in his quadrant.
"Wulf, the Far Frozen, Amorpho, Pandora...I even sent one to Clockwork, Nocturne, Vortex, and Undergrowth, just as a courtesy."
Skulker nodded. "Right. Well, you know that Wulf can create portals on his own, so he probably fled the Ghost Zone. Amorpho probably turned himself into a guard and escaped that way. As for the Far Frozen beasts and Pandora, they have 'outside' realms within this one that they have the power to lock away, and that's probably what they did. As for the other four..." He shrugged. "As ghosts of higher calibur, the probably had means to either escape, lock themselves away into other realms, or simply didnt feel the need to come."
"...Yeah, but Clockwork?" Danny mused to himself, "I thought at least he would come."
"He's a busy spirit," Skulker put in helpfully. "Besides, if what I think I know is true, he's already seen it." Danny snorted, knowing that was true, and turned back to Skulker.
"...You want to meet him?" he asked, nodding to his fiance, who was still keeping himself separated from the guests. Skulker visibly paled, an astounding feat for someone with a mechanical body.
"I...I dont really...I'm fine," Skulker stammered, fighting not to inch away for extra measure. Danny frowned.
"Skulker, he's making a real effort to be kind," he said softly. "He wont disintegrate you for introducing yourself, you know."
"...I'm not into suicide, kid, but thanks for offering," Skulker replied with an air of finality. Danny sighed, but conceded.
"Fine," he said. "But all you really had to do was bow, give your name and profession, and offer a compliment. Hell, even Ghost Writer did it." He pointed his thumb behind them, where the Ghost Writer indeed had just straightened up after bowing to the Ghost King and saying a few words, his love of books overriding his fear of Pariah Dark. The Ghost King nodded back, having heard about the Ghost Writer from Danny, and knew of the ghost's inevitable infatuation with his personal library.
"...Yeah, well...that's the Ghost Writer," Skulker replied stubbornly. "It's not like I have anything to offer the Ghost King." Danny snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you say, Skulker," he said, turning to go talk to someone else. "I mean...it's not like there's an opening in the Royal Guard, or anything..." With that, he left, keeping his back turned so Skulker wouldnt see the smirk on his face, knowing he had caught the hunter's attention.
Skulker just KNEW the little brat told him about the Royal Guard job on purpose. He just KNEW it.
He was sitting at home, having just gotten back from the engagement party, and was contemplating over everything that had happened that day. First the public engagement, then the party, which was more interesting than he thought it would have been. It hadnt been just him and those few others who had come in; the servants and guards had attended too, and he had observed that those who worked in the castle seemed almost at ease around the Ghost King, especially the former princess Dorathea.
He had heard about some ghosts being brought to the castle to become servants to the Ghost King, but he didnt think he'd see them happy to work there. Dora and the other lady servants were laughing and having a good time with Ember and Kitty, talking and gossiping about girl stuff, and while Fright mostly kept close to Pariah Dark or Danny, he too was mingling and having a good time.
Close to the end of the party, it seemed that the ghosts that had been invited to the party had all caught the interest of the Ghost King for something or the other. The Ghost Writer had been given a book brought by a servant by Pariah Dark's orders, and was coddling it like his firstborn child and was close to tears, having been told he could explore the Ghost King's library on a later date.
As personal friends of Danny's Johnny 13 and Kitty were introduced, and Danny made mention that Johnny was a master mechanic, and could fix almost anything. Kitty was a loyal informer of events around the Ghost Zone, and Pariah Dark actually asked her on the other ghost's opinions on the matters that be.
From urgings of the other girls, Ember began singing Christmas songs in her melodic voice, and when she led the girls through 'O Come, All Ye Faithful', even Pariah Dark seemed enraptured. When she finished, she was shocked when the Ghost King actually smiled and nodded his approval at her.
Though Skulker didnt have a personal audience with Pariah Dark, he had still bowed respectfully when he and Ember left at the end of the party. When he straightened up, he noticed the Ghost King staring at him appraisingly, as though sizing him up for something. Danny was glancing between his fiance and Skulker, and the hunter had a feeling that Danny had mentioned Skulker about SOMETHING...
Ah, well.
Back to the present, Skulker had to admit that it wasnt as bad as it could have been. It had been an overall good Christmas; he got to witness the proposal of the Ghost King to Danny Phantom, attended an exclusive party that he couldnt wait to brag to Technus about, got a sweet mistletoe-related Christmas present from Ember, who was no curled up against him on the couch, sleeping off her excitement of the day while he sipped the good ectohol he kept in the cabinet just for special occasions.
A beeping from the communication device on his arm broke the peaceful quiet, and he sighed, put his drink down, and pressed a button. "Skulker here. Talk to me."
"Skulker," came the familiar voice of Vlad Plasmius, making Skulker visibly cringe. He hoped it was nothing that would cause him to break Truce.
"Plasmius," he replied. "What can I do you for? It's still Christmas."
"Forget that for now!" Plasmius snapped, making Skulker wince again and turn the volume down so he wouldnt wake his girlfriend. "I need you at my portal as soon as possible!"
"You know I dont work on Christmas, Plasmius, and I especially dont do anything to break the Truce..."
"Forget the bloody Truce! And it's not a job, I just need to show you something!"
Skulker frowned; yes, he was not exactly the Ghost King's biggest fan, but Pariah Dark had been very kind and decent today, and had made a vow to continue to be throughout his reign.
"It's not anything...destructive, is it? Because I am NOT risking my ass for you, Plasmius...!"
"It's nothing like that. Now get over here!" Before Skulker could reply, the connection was cut.
Skulker sighed and looked down at his girlfriend before gently slipping away and lying her down on the couch, covering her up with a fur blanket and silently exiting his lair. He noticed that there were no guards at the portal, but it didnt make much of a difference; Fright told him that Pariah Dark had branded Vlad with the Mark of Exile, which forced ghosts branded with it to say in the human world, making it nearly impossible to cross into the Ghost Zone.
He stepped into the portal and looked around, shocked, at the state Vlad's lab was in. It was totally demolished, and everything save for the portal was broken. Sitting in a chair was the disheveled form of Vlad in Plasmius form, the angry red X mark on his forehead glaring like a beacon screaming EXILE to the whole world. Skulker forced himself to avert his eyes from the mark, and instead addressed Plasmius. "What did you call me here for, Plasmius?" he demanded, crossing his arms.
Plasmius gave Skulker an almost terrifying insane grin and stood up, walking over to a shelf and taking a box off of it. Skulker put himself on guard; if it was anything dangerous he was supposed to deliver to the Ghost King, he was out of there faster than a man in Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Vlad turned to Skulker and leaned in close like he was sharing a government secret. "You are the closest thing I have to a friend, Skulker..." he said, his voice cracking slightly with insanity. "...I just needed to show this to someone..." He cackled and opened the box, and Skulker nearly felt like vomiting. Inside the box was the Crown of Fire.
"What the HELL is wrong with you!" Skulker hissed, glancing behind him like Pariah Dark would pop out of the portal and destroy them both at any moment. "Do you have ANY idea what Pariah Dark will do to you if he finds out you have this?"
"Ah, but that is the beauty of it, my friend," Plasmius said, closing the box and holding it to him tightly. "I heard that Pariah made a vow to stay out of the human world...him, AND those who work for him!" He laughed insanely, and Skulker took a step back. "I wont give him his precious Crown, and he cant do a damn thing about it!" His laughter increased both in volume and insanity, and Skulker had had enough.
He turned and dove back into the portal, feeling his systems overheat with stress. That insane bastard! He was practically signing his own death warrent, keeping that Crown on him! Ye gods, if Pariah Dark ever found out...
Halfway back home, he suddenly froze midair. He couldnt keep this a secret, he realized. It would be considered high treason if he did, and he'd heard stories of what happened to those who betrayed the Ghost King. He slapped a hand to his face, damning hindsight for not snatching the Crown from Plasmius when he had a chance. That Crown was a dangerous weapon, and anyone besides the Ghost King who had it might as well kill themselves before Pariah Dark could get his hands on them.
But he couldnt NOT tell Pariah Dark about it, either!
After a few minutes of self-flagellation, debate, and reflection, he swore out loud and raced toward the Dark Castle.
Pariah Dark sat in his sitting room, in an unfamiliar-felt good mood. That party had actually been enjoyable, despite its small size. He met a few of his subjects-to-be, and found out just how talented and loyal they were; albeit they were loyal to his fiance, but he could live with that.
His fingers caressed a box in his lap; it was a 'Christmas gift', as they called it, he had intended to give to Danny, but between the party and his young fiance almost passing out from lingering ghost core-exhaustion and over-excitement from the party, he hadnt yet had a chance to give it to him. He was debating over whether or not to give it to Danny in person, or to leave it as a surprise next to his bed to open later...
A frantic knocking at his chamber doors brought him out of his pondering, and he called out a soft, "enter" before being surprised when Fright shoved the doors open and stumbled in, looking like the world was coming to an end.
"MY LIEGE!" he shouted, his face etched with terror, "I HAVE TERRIBLE NEWS!"
Wondering what could be so terrible when the Christmas Truce was still in effect, Pariah Dark put the gift to Danny aside and stood up. "What is it, Fright?" he demanded. Fright took a moment to compose himself before bowing his head in submission, as though to plead mercy from his King.
"One of your subjects, the one known as Skulker, has just informed me of the whereabouts of your Crown of Fire!"
A coldness seized at Pariah Dark's insides, and he began to walk toward the front hall, where visitors were instructed by guards to remain. Fright hurried after his King, muttering frantically to himself. Pariah Dark opened the doors to the front hall, where Skulker was indeed waiting, looking emotionally worse for wear. When the Ghost King stepped forward, Skulker bowed as low as he could in the same submissive, mercy-seeking manner as Fright.
"My page tells me you know the location of my Crown of Fire," he said, keeping his voice as calm as he could muster. Skulker nodded.
"Y-yes," he replied, visibly shaking from fear. "My...my FORMER employer...Vlad Plasmius...he possesses the Crown...Your Majesty." Dead silence rang throughout the front hall from all parties present. After a few moments of the silence, Pariah Dark spoke in a deadly quiet tone.
"When did you discover this?" he asked, his voice making everyone shudder violently. Skulker resisted the urge to faint from terror.
"...Mere minutes ago," he replied truthfully. "I was called to him...he said he wished to show me something..." Skulker had to put a hand on the ground to brace himself up from his knelt position, he was shaking so bad. "...I had no idea it was the Crown of Fire until he showed me...he..." He paused, forcing himself to say what he had to say. "...He said that...he had you...beaten...because you vowed not to enter the human world, nor could any of your people...and that he would not return it..." Suddenly feeling a surge of terror and fear for his afterlife overwhelm him, he prostrated himself before Pariah Dark and cried, "I'm sorry I didnt take it from him when I had the chance! I wasnt thinking! Please, have mercy!"
There was more silence for several minutes before Pariah Dark stepped up to Skulker. "Rise," he commanded, and Skulker quickly obeyed, not daring to look at the Ghost King. After a few more moments, Pariah Dark sighed. "You are forgiven. Return home."
Skulker's head shot up in shock, and he was further surprised to see an expression of weariness on the Ghost King. There was no anger toward Skulker in his voice or visage. Skulker decided not to press his luck, and quickly bowed in gratitude. "Thank you," he said, before turning and leaving. Pariah Dark silently stood in the front hall for a few more minutes before turning to head back to his wing of the castle.
On sheer nerve and concern for his King, Fright followed. "My Liege," he said, taking quicker strides to keep up, "what are we to do?" Pariah Dark clenched his fists and stopped just short of his chamber doors.
"What CAN we do, Fright?" he demanded, his remaining eye burning with green fire. "The false-ghost bastard is right! We can do nothing!" At Fright's incredulous expression, he added, "I promised Phantom that I and my men will stay out of the human world. We are not to interfere with that world's affairs." His fists clenched tighter, and Fright could hear a cracking of bones from them. "I exiled Vlad Plasmius from our world, without thinking about whether or not he knew of my Crown's location. It is by my own foolish lack of foresight that my Crown if forfeit, and no one else's."
"...My King, there are ghosts who will gladly retrieve the Crown of Fire for you - !"
"That is the PROBLEM, Fright!" Pariah Dark shouted, turning to his page, who flinched back. "...There. That. THAT is the problem! They will NOT gladly retrieve it! The strong majority of my subjects would rather I not gain full power back by having my Crown back in my possession, and are content with the way things are!" He turned and leaned a weary hand against the wall, sighing. "...Even my own fiance draws back in fear of me from time to time. I will not feed that fear by betraying his trust in me. If Plasmius does not return the Crown...I will consider it gone forever, rather than go back on my vow to Phantom."
With that, he reentered his chambers and shut the doors behind him, leaving Fright to his own devices.
A few moments after the hall cleared, Danny stepped out from around the corner, his shaking hands barely holding onto a box wrapped in parchment paper he had colored over in colored ink he intended to give to Pariah Dark. He had heard every word of the situation, and could barely beleive any of it. Vlad having possession of the Crown of Fire...Pariah Dark unwilling to retrieve it at the risk of betraying Danny's trust...
Danny bit his lip and looked at the Ring of Rage that adorned his finger, feeling an almost overwhelming sense of emptiness inside.
In one of his stories, Pariah Dark told Danny that the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire were the only two things the Ghost King had with him when he died, and were infused with the most powerful of ghost-magic that responded only to the true master's will. Separate, they were simple adornments of great value. Together, their power was almost godlike to anyone with enough power to handle such magnitude. And Danny knew only Pariah Dark possessed enough raw power to control the artifacts.
But it wasnt the power, really, that Pariah Dark was attached to. Like he had mentioned, it was the sentimental value of the Crown and Ring that he longed for. The crown and ring he had worn in the final battle of his life had come with him to the afterlife, and they were priceless treasures he would gladly cut his remaining eye out for.
...And just after proposing to Danny with the Ring of Rage, he was willing to let the Crown - the very symbol of power to the Ghost King - go...to keep his vows to his fiance.
Danny deposited the gift to his fiance in front of the door, then turned and practically ran back to his room, tears streaming down his face; the pain and sadness he felt not only came from himself...but also the forlorn Ring on his finger, which called out for its partner, but was left unheard.