Old and New Love
By: Wilona Riva
Disclaimer: Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, etc.
Short Stack, Sausage and Coffee
"Short stack, sausage and coffee, please," Danny said, placing his order at the breakfast table.
His mother turned around and gave him a half-smile. "Coffee's going to stunt your growth. Cereal and milk are on the table."
Danny laughed; something he'd rarely done in the last few months since the accident. "Humans are wonderful. Can't digest fiber, but have to eat it."
Maddie smirked. "We humans eat what we can, Mr. Phantom, so eat up."
Danny paused in the act of opening up the box of cereal. She couldn't know, could she? After all, he did have two memories flowing through his veins. Nah, he didn't think so. Besides, if he didn't hurry, he'd be late to meet Tucker at the carnival.
Barring any ghost attacks.
The fortune teller stared down at the exotic lamp sitting on the table in her booth. It had come into her possession some time ago by an old gentleman who was very good at telling what was to come. And he didn't need the cards to do it.
The wishing ghost would live again soon. All she had to do was wait for the boy.
And here he came. Right on time, with his mortal friend.
"Hello, Prince Phantom," came the greeting as Danny and Tucker walked by the fortune teller's stall.
He froze, then backtracked. "What did you just call me?"
"Your name is Daniel, Prince Phantom," came the reply. "And your friend is Tucker Foley, one of only two who know who you truly are."
Tucker stared at her. "Huh?"
"I am a fortune teller. I know these things," she told him flatly.
"Oh."
"Prince of all ghosts, I have a gift and a message from Father Time for you," she said.
Clockwork, here, now? Does this mean...Father!
"What is the message?" he asked the gypsy woman.
"To return home, you must complete the rite of passage," she quoted, noting the blush staining the boy's cheeks a nice strawberry. "And take this bottle as a gift. It contains one who can make all your wishes come true."
The bottle was thrust into his hands.
"Uh, thanks," Danny stammered, not sure what to do with the odd gift.
"Here's two dollars," Tucker said, throwing the bills at the fortune teller. "I want to try the color wheel game. Come on, Danny." Saying that, the African-American teen dragged the unprotesting son of the local ghost hunters away.
Clockwork, in the meanwhile, was meeting with King Vlad and Queen Nicole to give them an update on their son's whereabouts.
"He will come home soon," he said, changing from an old man to a child. "I have sent Desiree to him. Once the rite of passage is complete, he will return. But be forewarned, he has been forever changed."
"In what way?" Vlad asked, red-rimmed eyes swollen with dried tears. He'd long ago given up hope of finding his son, despite the rumors floating around the Zone from the peskier ghosts who swore they saw him-and fought against him-in the mortal world.
Clockwork shook his head. "I am forbidden to say by the Observants."
Queen Nicole looked up demurely at her lord. "Shall I try once more?"
"No," both ghosts told her.
"Events must play out as they were meant too," Clockwork added. Vlad nodded.
"Thank you, Time Master, for everything," the Ghost King said.