Chatper 1
The Beginning
"Class, listen up." The teacher spoke from the front. "Today we have a new student joining us from the country side. Please kindly welcome Jooli into our class."
Next to the teacher stood a 5 foot 3 Asian girl. She had dark caramel brown hair. She styled her hair as a side split with bangs and upper layers. She wore light blue jeans with a grey graphic tee.
"Hello. My name is Jooli Le." Jooli smiled shyly at the class, bringing up one arm to slightly wave at the class.
"Let's see..." The teacher looked around at the class, looking for open seats. "Ah, Rain, can you raise your hand?"
A red hair girl raised her hand.
"You can sit next to Rain, Jooli." The teacher pointed over there while gathering out notes for today's class.
Jooli nodded and headed over to the open spot next to Rain. Showing a soft smile to Rain before she sat down and then resting back against the chair, relaxing.
"Okay class, let's open our history books and we'll start learning about Chinese history." The teacher pulled down the overhead projector screen.
Jooli opened the desk to already find a history book there, opening to the 13th century chapter.
"Jooli, this is my time." A deep voice spoke from behind Jooli.
"Wanna do the test for me then?" Jooli whispered, smiling.
"No, why would I do a test for you? You don't even know me." Rain whispered harshly at Jooli.
Jooli turned her head to look at Rain. "I wasn't talking to you." The shyness gone from her voice, replaced by a harsh tone.
"Not like you were talking to the guy behind you." Rain rolled her eyes.
Jooli blinked, turning around to find no phyiscal human being behind her. "You can see him?"
Rain looked at Jooli strangely. "See who? There's a man standing behind you and you can't see him? Are you blind?"
"Mm... You're a strange person." Jooli turned her attention back to her history book.
"You're the strange one." Rain shook her head and turned her attention out the window.
After school had ended, students began to head home or head to their after school activities. Rain sat herself at a table in the library with a ghost book.
"Those who have the ability to see ghosts, beings are that unseen by others, are known to have a second gift. To use this gift, one may begin to take a hold on their ability. A good way to start is to begin to talk to the spirits that you see. After talking to many spirits, you can pick from a number of areas to specialize in. Being a shaman, where you can unite with a spirit. Being a spirit medium, where you can help spirits cross into the afterlife. Be-" Rain was cut off from reading when she heard the bell, signaling that the school would be closing down for the night really soon. She packed up her stuff and began to walk out of the library with the book in hand.
Instead of heading on her way home, she decided to stop by the cemetery, where most people claim to see spirits following them. When Rain arrived at the cemetery, the gates were unlocked and opened. She took a careful step in and began to look around, searching for spirits to try and begin to communicate with them. Finding none yet, she began to head up a trail that led up to a hill.
"Hey Moon, do you think we'll find him here?" Rain recognized the voice that came from the opposite side of the tree at the top of the hill.
"This is where I heard he will be." A deep male voice answered the question.
"I hope he will be. I don't think grandpa would be happy if we returned home empty-handed." The female voice laughed.
Rain tipped toed around the tree, taking a glance at who was talking. "You! What are you doing out this late?!"
The head turned to looked at Rain, it was none other than Jooli, the new student. "I could be asking you that."
"I'm here trying to find spirits to talk to you. I answered you. Now answer me." Rain compromised.
"… I'm waiting for someone." Jooli turned away from Rain, staring off the hill and looking up at the night sky. "So many stars."
"You can talk to him and see him?" Rain asked, looking down at Jooli.
"Who? Him?" Jooli pointed to the space next to her, where a spirit of a man sat.
Rain nodded. "Yes. Him. He was the one behind you earlier today as well."
"So you can see them. Well. I guess I should introduce you then." Jooli looked at Rain, thoughts floating into her head . "Rain, meet my guardian ghost, Moon. Moon, I'm sure you remember Rain."
"… He has a name?" Rain was confused.
"Of course he has a name." Jooli answered. "Why exactly are you here? You aren't really trying to talk to spirits, are you?"
Rain blushed. "O..o… of course not!"
Jooli smirked, "Right. You just happen to be holding that ghost book too. What does it say?"
Rain frowned, not happy where with this was going. "What does it matter to you?"
"Just curiosity really." Jooli answered, holding out her hand. "If you're not going to say it, why not just let me read it then?"
Rain pondered for a moment on what would be the best option. "Fine. It talks about what someone should do if they have the gift of seeing ghosts."
"Oh? What does it say to do then? Talk to them first?" Jooli smirked.
Rain blushed, getting embarrassed. "Yes it does. Got a problem with that?"
"What does it say after that?" Jooli asked, keeping her eyes on the sky.
Rain blushed even more. "It says that after words, someone can pick an area to specialize in."
"Specialize?" Jooli was confused.
"Yes. Like being a shaman or a spirit medium or… whatever else is mentioned." Rain answered, feeling smart then Jooli for a moment.
"Well then. I'll tell you this. That book is partially lying." Jooli turned to look at Rain in the eyes. "You've been standing for a while, do you want to sit down?" Jooli patted the spot next to her and Moon moved over to the other side.
Rain paused for a few seconds before sitting down at the spot. "What do you mean lying?"
"You can 'pick' an area to, so called, specialize in." Jooli answered. "You have to train and practice for it. Or at very least, be compatible. People can see spirits, but they may not be compatible enough to share a body with a spirit."
"Train? How do you know this stuff?" Rain was confused, where did Jooli learn all of this?
"Train, getting your mind ready, practicing the powers you have." Jooli made a small list. "And I'm a shaman so that's how I know."
"A shaman?" Rain opened her book to look up the definition of being a shaman. "You can unite with spirits."
Jooli nodded. "Yes. So did my father, and his father and his father before that, so on and so forth. It's rather a hereditary thing it seems."
"Then does that mean that one of my parents can see?" Rain wondered which of her parents had the 'gift'.
"No, not entirely. You could just be sensitive to spirits." Jooli shrugged.
"Wait, you said he is your guardian ghost. What does that mean?" Rain asked.
"It just means that he's the one that works best with me. Moon watches over me, helps me when I'm in need and stuff like that." Jooli answered.
"How do you even get a guardian ghost?" Rain became curious.
"Talking to spirits and finding one that works best with you. Moon I got on an expedition trip to China. He used to leading general of the Emperor's army." Jooli answered.
"What do I do if I want one?" Rain asked.
"You want to become a shaman?" Jooli looked at Rain, slightly shocked.
"If not a shaman, what else can I be then?" Rain asked.
"Well… You can't be a spirit medium par say. It's a gift to be a spirit medium and seeing spirits don't cut it. You could be a doshi.. Where you work with talismans and control… how to say.. zombies. Most people are shamans though. Oh there is dowsing.. But that's almost a gift as well." Jooli answered.
"… Zombies are real?" Rain was shocked, she couldn't understand how that was possible.
"They're sort of zombies. Spirit controlled bodies. But the body won't decompose." Jooli answered.
"I think a shaman sounds the safest… I want to be a shaman!" Rain exclaimed.
"Mm.. Well first, you'll need a guardian ghost and you need training." Jooli turned back to look at the stars.
"How do I get one?" Rain asked.
"Talk to spirits. Any spirits work really." Jooli shrugged.
"Please. Pretty please can you help me find one?" Rain turned cutesy on Jooli.
"… Help you find one? I don't know what spirits work best for you. You just have to go out and find one that fits you. You could start by talking to the spirits you see here at this grave yard. There are some here who are Native Americans." Jooli shook her head.
"But… Fine." Rain got up and started to walk down the hill.
"Should I go and see how she'll do?" Moon asked.
"If you want to, I won't go anywhere." Jooli answered Moon.
"Yes!" Moon wrapped his ghostly arms around Jooli, giving her a hug before following after Rain.
Rain followed the trail back down to the graveyard. Trying first to find a way to get the attention of the Native American spirits. "Savages!" She called out loudly.
Screams and the footsteps of running people were heard as Rain felt wind circling around her.
"Who dares to call us savages." A deep male voice called from behind Rain.
She turned around quickly but saw no one there.
"You have to be faster than that, savage." Another male voice spoke.
Turning around again, but this time, she saw the silhouettes of tall, broad shouldered men circling around her. "What do you want. How dare you trespass on our land, white one."
"I'm looking for a guardian ghost." Rain stated. "And I want one of you to be my guardian ghost."
"Why should we? You and your people destroyed our land, kill our people and stole our women." One man step forward, but he continued to stay a black silhouette.
"I want to become a shaman." Rain answered, trying to keep her body from shaking. She's never been around this many spirits before, not to mention, almost angry spirits.
"Hn. We have no reason to help you. You have done nothing to help us." The man that stood out from before spoke again.
"Finally, I have found you savages." Another male voice spoke.
The circle around Rain split and moved apart as she saw the silhouette of another man walking towards her.
"Who are you?" Rain asked.
"I am Toshi. A spirit banisher and I have finally found the savage spirits that bring fear to this community." Toshi answered, snapping his fingers and a small flame lit above them, bringing some light around his face.
Toshi had green eyes and auburn hair. He was tall as well. In one hand, he held a yellow paper.
"What are you holding?" Rain noticed the yellow paper.
"This? This is a talisman." Toshi answered. "And with this, I can banish all these savages here into the spirit world, cleansing them from ours, where they don't belong."
"Why? Don't they leave only when it's their time to?" Rain questioned.
"Yes, but there are those who need to be forced. These savages here are an example." Toshi smirked, bringing the talisman up to his face, and using his other hand, his thumb, first and second finger held up, he began to make seals.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Rain screamed when she heard Jooli's voice.
"And who might you be?" Toshi asked.
"Jooli's the name." Jooli stepped in front of Rain and pushed a wooden sword into the ground. "Now, kindly leave these spirits alone and let them be in peace."
"Sorry, I can't do that." Toshi began to chant.
"Step back, Rain." Jooli held up her hand. "Moon, Spirit form. Unity!" Moon began to form into a ball above Jooli's hand. After the ball was formed, Jooli pushed it into her body, uniting her spirit with Moon.
"Whoa hey, a shaman eh? No worries, your little spirit friend can join these savages in the spirit world as well." Toshi closed his eyes for a second.
The area where the three were standing was soon shined with moonlight. Rain looked up and saw the clouds moving away, allowing the moon to shine down. With the new light form, Rain took a glance at Toshi, who was wearing a shaolin robe.
"That won't be happening. Moon won't be going anywhere." Jooli pulled the wooden sword out of the ground and charged towards Toshi. Toshi jumped out of a way, making Jooli skid as she turned around to chase after Toshi again, hitting him in the back and causing him to crash into the ground.
"Heh, looks like you're stronger than you look." Toshi quickly whipped out another talisman as Jooli charged towards him again. He chanted quickly and the talisman soon had black writing on it.
Jooli raised the wooden sword and as she did that, Toshi stuck the talisman onto her chest. Arching her back and letting out a scream, the wind began to pick up and circling around her.
Rain watched from the sidelines. She saw Moon getting pulled out of Jooli's body.
"Hehehehehe." Toshi laughed and stood up, dusting off his clothes. "Your little spirit is now banished to the spirit world, rightfully where it belongs." The talisman fell off of Jooli's chest.
Jooli fell to the ground once the wind died out. Panting as she forced herself to get up. "Run, all of you, run!" Jooli yelled at the spirits in the cemetery as she tackled Toshi into one of the tombstones.
Toshi grunted as his head collided with the tombstone, attempting to throw Jooli off of him. "Off of me you Shaman dog."
"Shaman dog? That's a new one Spirit hunter." Jooli punched him in the face as she heard a loud snap, hear his nose break.
Toshi let out a blood curling scream as his nose began to bleed. He shoved Jooli off to the side and stood up. "I'll be back, savages. Be warned." Toshi threatened before he ran out of the cemetery.
Jooli sighed, standing up and turning around to look at Rain, seeing her lean against a tree. "Are you okay?"
Rain slowly nodded, confused as to what just happened. "What.. was he?"
"He. Was a spirit hunter. Someone who banishes spirits to their spirit world." Jooli answered, looking around to make sure the spirits were gone.
"Err.. umm.. What about the yellow paper thing? What was that?" Rain continued to ask.
"The 'yellow paper thing' as you call it, is a talisman. It can be used in different ways, but Toshi's use for it was to capture a spirit and force it to the spirit world." Jooli frowned.
"Then.. What about your spirit?" Rain asked again.
"He's in the spirit world." Jooli sighed.
"Are you able to get him back at all?" Rain finally stood away from the tree.
"I can't but I can get someone else to get him back from me." Jooli answered.
"I'm sorry." A familiar male voice spoke, the sound of it approaching closer to the two. "It is my fault that you have lost your spirit."
"Mm. It's not your fault." Jooli denied the voice.
The spirit of the chief appeared in front of Jooli, following Jooli as she walked to Rain. "I owe you my service, what is there that I can do for you in return? You have saved not only me, but my people as well."
Jooli looked at Rain, smiling softly as she thought of something. "There is something you can do for me. For her actually."
"What is it? I would be delighted to help." The chief said.
"Well. Rain here is looking for a guardian ghost. Are you interested in being her guardian ghost?" Jooli said.
The chief became quiet. "I cannot leave my people. Without me, they are lost."
Jooli nodded, understanding. "Than my friend, I don't need your service at all." Smiling to the chief. "Go back to your people, then. I'm sure they must be worried about you right now."
"Please, let me do something in return for you." The chief asked again.
"It's alright. I don't need anything as of now. Go back to your people." Jooli looked at him, smiling.
The chief bowed. "Thank you for protecting us. Even though you do not know us and we do not you know, I thank you."
"It was nothing." Jooli laughed, waving bye to the chief as he walked into the shadows.
"That.. was… what just happened?" Rain was confused.
Jooli blinked at Rain, "What? He wanted to help but the only help I needed was that you wanted a guardian ghost so I asked him if he wanted to be yours. He can't leave his people so." Jooli shrugged. "I guess it's back to hunting for a different guardian ghost for you."
"Ohhh." Rain nodded, understanding what that exchange was.
Jooli nodded. "It's getting late, you should head home." She turned around and began to head towards the entrance of the cemetery.
Rain paused before following Jooli out of the cemetery and heading on her way home.
The next day at school, Rain sat at her desk, her ghost book laid opened as she continued to read it. The bell rang and the teacher began the lesson. Rain stared at the empty spot next to her, Jooli didn't show up.