A/N: Why this story? Because I need to get back into writing, I have an unnatural desire for fan fiction competitions, and because I love making weird pairings work. So this is for the SK contest being done by SK-fan7 at the moment. Originally when I drew names the pairing was "Mansumi O. and Seyram M." But some things should just not exist.

Worry

Master Yoh was one of the greatest shamans a spirit ally could ever ask for. His bloodline was stellar, to say the least, and he trained his entire life almost exclusively to participate in the Shaman Fight. Although that made him sound like an iron-blood worker and nothing could be further from the truth. Ren Tao also had a stellar bloodline and trained intensely, but his heart lacked the clarity and purity of Master Yoh's.

Naturally, Amidamaru could not bring himself to bemoan his situation. Even as Yoh's judgment grew cloudy due to doubts in his heart as he discovered the truth about Hao.

Luckily for the ancient samurai, his master was not the only one experiencing doubt—far from it. Mic was constantly tossing about worriedly over how quiet his master had grown over the course of the tournament, Bason silently fretted over the slowly-but-surely returning ice to his master's heart, and the smallest companion among them, Kororo, stressed over the frustration of her master.

Amidamaru found a good friend in all of them, despite their very different backgrounds, because they were brought together under the same odd circumstances—this Shaman Fight. However, as one was an animal spirit and the other was a man (a manly man, as it were), none of the three felt comfortable really speaking of their distress to each other.

Kororo was different though.

Amidamaru had quickly learned (thanks to Anna) that females were far from weak, but they did tick a bit differently than men did. He never really had the opportunity—the luxury to speak to females during his lifetime. He focused on rising through the ranks of the land in order to survive, and then his life had been cut unexpectedly short just as he was about to reach his goal.

So the first time he approached Kororo, he really wasn't sure where to begin. Did he come right out and tell her what was on his mind? Should he ask what was on hers first? Would that be considered rude or polite—forget the fact that they both knew the other was worried without even saying a single word.

"Uhm, Kororo?" he asked cautiously as their masters slept soundly in the other room.

"Ko?" she responded and Amidamaru panicked—what if she couldn't speak? Or at least speak his language? Then how would they communicate, when the very basis for communication itself was severed by circumstances outside of their control. Oh gods what if—?

"What did you want Amidamaru?" came a soft, girlish voice timidly. The samurai nearly jumped out of his skin, not expecting the, well, the language she spoke to form actual, understandable words.

"I thought you couldn't speak!" he gasped stupidly, earning a slight smirk from Kororo.

"Ghosts speak through different means than humans do, especially nature spirits," she explained. "What did you think Horohoro simply knew what I was thinking all this time?"

"Well, possibly," he stuttered. "I mean, that is, the possibility existed, correct? Ah, I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

"It's okay," she said with a soft smile, understanding his nerves. It was a bit awkward for her as well, to speak to a ghost she had traveled with but never actually paid much mind to, but that was only natural—they were here for their masters, not to socialize.

"Yes but I do sincerely apologize," he responded with a bowed head. "I just wanted to—that is I had hoped—you might want to talk to me."

"Hm?" she cocked her head to the side then smiled at him when the panicked look from earlier started to return. "Let's go on the roof and speak so we're not disturbing anyone," she suggested, floating up towards the aforementioned destination. Amidamaru followed suit, figuring he could watch out for enemies up here easier than he could inside anyway.

He sat down next to her, legs folded and sword resting against his shoulder, and peered out into the darkness. An attack by Hao could come at any time, and he knew that even if the situation were hopeless, Yoh would want every opportunity to confront him—. No. He wouldn't confront him that made it sound like a large conflict. Yoh avoided conflict and that much would never change, right?

"Is this about Yoh or Horohoro?" came that same soft voice from before. Amidamaru turned his attention to Kororo once more, embarrassed by his wandering thoughts and obvious actions.

"Both, to be honest," he whispered, looking away sadly. A moment of silence passed between them before she spoke again.

"Are you worried that he's going to turn on your master? Did you want me to warn you and give you a fair fight?" she asked calmly, looking up and the lumbering samurai fearlessly.

"W-what? Master Horohoro is planning on attack on Master Yoh?" Amidamaru gasped in shock.

"No of course not," Kororo answered, smiling gently. "Not that I would tell you if he were planning something like that. Just like you would never give your master away, right?" He had to admit she had a point there. The only one Master Yoh trusted more than his ghostly companion was Mistress Anna, most likely.

"I would never expect you to betray your master," Amidamaru agreed easily. "I am an honorable samurai after all. That wasn't what I was prepared to ask you tonight."

"Then what is it, Amidamaru?" she asked, frowning in curiosity. If he could blush, he most certainly would be at that look as she floated towards him. It was hard to resist her cute charms, as many male and female humans had already shown.

"It—it is hard to speak to a man about another man's feelings," he started awkwardly, staring out towards the moon. "And even more difficult to express a man's feelings to a dog or—or a large cat, for example." She giggled, cutting off his hastily thrown together and stiffly presented speech.

"You're worried about your master and wandered if I could offer any words of advice?" she asked, floating down to rest on the tiles of the roof.

"Something of that sort," he agreed, drumming his fingers on his knee. "It can be hard to read a ghost's emotions, or even a human being's—maybe especially a human being's—but I know I must not be the only one worried about the young masters. And I was perhaps hoping a higher spirit such as you might have more insight than a lowly, dishonored samurai."

"You're not the only one worried, I'm certain," Kororo agreed, fiddling with the edge of her tiny dress. "But I'm hardly a higher spirit, I'm just a small nature spirit—nothing compared to that Spirit of Fire that Hao has."

"Maybe not yet, but you certainly will grow that powerful someday," Amidamaru insisted quickly, surprising the small sprite with his sudden fierceness.

"That is kind of you to say, but someday will likely be many days too late," she answered sadly. "But you too will grow stronger, so that can't truly be your worry. Defeating Hao is something for Yoh and Horohoro to worry about too, not just us. What's really bothering you, Amidamaru? I've never seen a samurai so shaken."

"You're very direct for a girl," he laughed—then quickly cut himself off and waved his hands anxiously. "Not to insult you—that is to say, I didn't mean it as such!"

"It's okay, it's okay," she reassured good-naturedly. "Just tell me what's really on your mind." Amidamaru glanced down at his hands and clasped them together. Master Horohoro had never been Yoh's strongest allies in terms of loyalty, so should he really share his burdens with this particular spirit?

A bad time to consider it now, since he was sitting there with her and she was waiting patiently for his response.

No, if Master Yoh had taught him anything throughout their time together it was that you make friends before you make enemies. Violence, causing it or instigating it, were strongly frowned upon by Master, and he never sought needless bloodshed while living. He shouldn't start now.

"Do you ever fear you've lost touch with Master Horohoro?" Amidamaru blurted out in a whisper. For a moment he worried she hadn't heard him, but then her questioning look melted into the saddest frown he had ever witnessed.

"That fear—I confronted that fear long ago," she whispered, the atmosphere suddenly feeling heavy and rather solemn. Somehow, even knowing that his question was a serious one, Amidamaru had the distinct impression that there was something in her answer that he could not grasp.

"You don't worry about him now? Even when they're all under such dire circumstances?" he whispered.

"Of course I worry about him," she answered quickly, looking up earnestly at the samurai. "I will always worry about him—about his health, if he's eating well, if he's getting enough sleep, if he's putting his dreams in the right place in his heart… I worry constantly about him! It's my duty, just like worrying about Yoh is yours!"

"I had no idea you felt so strongly," Amidamaru admitted, taken aback. "You always seem so calm and non-imposing. I just thought you didn't…"

"Didn't worry?" she asked, shaking her head sadly. "I've chosen a path where worry is my constant companion, but I think we've all done that to a certain degree. What kind of ghost would ever choose to run the risk of grieving after his death?"

"Perhaps foolishly I believed a nature sprite such as you would not have such a deep worry and care for her master," Amidamaru admitted, still surprised by the fact that she could talk to him, let alone have such deep emotions. He hung his head in shame for judging someone so cruelly.

"A nature sprite…" she mumbled thoughtfully, eyes glued to the roof beneath them. "Amidamaru?"

"Y-yes?" he asked uncertainly as their eyes met.

"Thanks for spending the time—thanks for even considering talking to me," she said slowly, not daring to break eye contact. "I hope we can talk again sometime."

"I—!"

"And don't brood over it so much—we're all worried that our masters might lose themselves through this fight," she said, finally looking directly at the heart of his fears. "And I know we're not as worried about their bodies as we are their souls, but they have each other, they all have us, and…

"We have each other."

With these final words Kororo stood up only to float through the roof and returned to her master's side. Amidamaru turned out towards where he expected the moon to be, only to see the tips of the sun arching over the horizon.

"Amidamaru?" a familiar voice called up. He peaked over the edge of the roof to see Yoh standing there, stretching his arms. He looked up to see his companion on the roof and grinned. "Come on, it's time to go!"

"Y-yes Master Yoh!"

The samurai floated down to follow Yoh silently as he thought back to the gentle yet heavy words Kororo had spoken. His master would stay grounded because of the good friends surrounding him for the time being, and hopefully it would be enough once the time came to end this fight once and for all…

And she was right, for every other worry they always had each other.