❛ Phantom Hazards ❜

19 | Gathea The Great

A/N: GUYS IM NOT DEAD— I'm so so so so sooo sorry I haven't updated in forever! I've been really caught up in school and Trollhunters, but I'm back now! I have been active on Danny Phantom Amino though, which is where this came from. I hope you guys enjoy!!

Published: May 11th, 2018
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Summary: Dora gives Danny a book that contains the history of the hierarchy to the Ghost Zone.

Writing Prompt: A Book You Can't Put Down

Characters: Dora, Danny Fenton/Phantom, Jazz Fenton

Type: Bonding(?), random

Words: 1,071
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"What is this?" Danny asks, looking from a large book Dora had just dropped on his desk to her face. The ghost gives him a toothy grin. "Its a book, your majesty. A history book." Danny's jaw drops open and he groans. "History? I'm already failing that class in school..."

He leans back in his chair and sighs, his legs uncrossing as he reaches for the book. The castle is quiet, seeing as there isn't exactly a lot of ghosts around at the moment besides the knights and Danny himself, so the only noise is his chair squeaking as he leans forward.

Gathea The Great Ghost King, the title reads. Danny blinks in surprise. This... is not like any of the books he's reading in class. "What-" He begins to ask but Dora cuts him off. "It's the history of the castle you now own, along with all the kings and queens before you. Clockwork came by and told me you should read them."

The ghost boy's head snaps up. "Clockwork?" Dora nods. "Huh." He mumbles, thumbing the leather of the book. It's very old and covered in dust, the edges wrinkled and bent. He slips his finger under a page and opens the book, the cover making a thud as it hits the surface of the desk.

"I'll leave you to it, then." Dora says and walks towards the door to leave his study. "Wait, Dora!" He calls. She turns, hand twitching on the doorknob.

"Yes, my king?"

"Thank you... f-for the books."

"Anything."

She leaves then, the door clicking shut behind her and Danny sighs once again. The books are leaking an ancient smell into the room and he can't say he minds. "Guess i'd better start reading now, huh?" He whispers to himself, mindful of the ghosts who could listen in and wonder who he's talking to.

His green eyes scan over the words of the first chapter, and if anyone was watching him, they'd be able to see the moment the wrinkled old book had truly caught his attention.

[I] The story of the hierarchy of the Ghost Zone is a long one, but one that needs to be told. Before the Kingdom was created, ghosts roamed free around the ghost zone, no law, no discipline. It was chaos.

[I] But then Gathea stepped up, a young man who believed the Ghost Zone could be better. He spent his life creating a castle and making plans for ranking, and when he introduced his plans to the whole Zone... things didn't go too well.

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"Danny?"

[I] -"What is it you request sire?" "I apologize for being late, your majesty." The ghosts quickly caught on to Gathea's level of authority, and adjusted to it appropriately.

"Danny!"

The book goes flying out of his hands as Danny jumps, his feet hitting underneath the coffee table and his eyes flashing green in surprise. "What? What?" Danny says, glancing around before his eyes land on Jazz, the older sister staring at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Wow, it's been forever since I've seen you so focused on a book. What gives?" She asks. Danny rubs a hand down his face then back up through his hair before reaching down to retrieve the over-turned book. "It's a history book about the Ghost Zone, y'know, like the first king and all that?" He explains. "It's... actually really interesting."

A ghost of a smile appears on Jazz's proud face. "Good to see you finally find something you enjoy to read, little brother." She tells him. "But don't get too caught up in it, you have other responsibilities too, you know." Danny nods vigorously and smiles. Jazz gives him a nod before she spins on her heel and walks back up the stairs to her room, Danny watching her go from his position on the couch.

His blue eyes drift back to the book. Who knew the history of his castle could be so interesting? Gathea tried very hard to right himself when the ghosts initially shot down his idea, and an actual pang of sympathy and hurt ran through him when one of the ghosts destroyed Gathea's progress.

At least the guy finally managed to convince the ghosts of his idea and become king.

He grabs the book again and resumes reading; staying in the same position for hours, his eyes moving from word to word, page to page, until almost the whole book is finished.

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"Are you alright?" Dora asks, watching her young king as Danny stands still in front of a portrait on the wall. The painting is one of Gathea, the ghost sitting on his throne with a smile on his (rather handsome) face.

"I wish I could have met him. I feel like we would have gotten along really well." Danny mumbles. Dora nods. "As do I. You two appear to have a lot in common." She admits. Danny's face turns sad for a moment before he looks away from the painting to shoot Dora a smile. "Do you have any more of those books?" He asks. Her face brightens up. "Of course! Why, there's quite a lot! Should I go fetch them, my king?"

Danny shakes his head. "Ah... Dora I know I'm the king, but you don't have to do everything for me. Just point me in the right direction and I'll go get them myself. And call me Danny, please."

The ghost huffs and shakes her head. "As you wish... Daniel," She lets out a laugh when his eye twitches at the name. "The books are in the old section of the library. They're the largest ones there; hard to miss." She explains. Danny gives her a thankful look. "Thank you, Dora."

She waves him a dismissing hand gesture.

"Just don't starve yourself because you were to focused on reading."

"I'll try my best."

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