One more thing, I recently came across a listing of sound effects, and because I have two
characters based on friends, one speaks only sound effects, and I'll have those listed at the top
of every chapter along with anything else that needs to be translated or explained.
Cross my Heart - second ending to Ayashi no Ceres (upbeat and enjoyable)
pori pori - crunching, like someone eating cookies
agi agi - bite, gnaw, sing kawaii lil' fangs into
kiiii - long, high-pitched sound (hysterical scream?)
meso meso - "whimper" or "sniffle"
Part One :: Mystery and a Picture
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Most days start and end the exact same way, as one long, very boring pattern, and whatever happened between those two moments were what varied on a daily basis. For Anna Kyouyama, the life of a spirit medium was never boring; add in an aspiring shaman to the mix and suddenly nothing was the same. The name of that shaman: Yoh Asakura. Talented, but slighted directed, he gave her the daily challenge she enjoyed. Then there was little Manta. He could be surprising when he wanted to be, but he played such a little role in the big picture.
Anna walked down the usually serene dirt road, on her way back to her current home. She stayed at Yoh's home, along with Amidamaru. The tune of Cross my Heart played itself continuously in her mind and occassionally escaped her lips. The sunset seemed perfect, as it did every night about this time as she watched it while waiting for Yoh to return home after his exercises, and for Manta to make them dinner.
Every aspect of this day seemed average for her, with the exception of the nagging suspicion that someone was following her, watching her every move. But no one would think that the medium had noted an unusual presence from her calm and powerful demeanour as she kept a steady walking pace.
She stopped suddenly, and in a swift movement spun around to face the one who was following her.
Nothing. not a trace of anyone in view. Probably just some harmless, curious spirit.
Her heart was racing as she scanned everything in sight, though her expression remained calm, reserved and revealed no proof that she was shaken. She would not reveal her fear; nothing would strip her of her well earned respect.
"I guess you're just afraid to show yourself," she stated, then continued on her way.
"Hey, Anna," Manta called out to the young woman as she entered the household, "you got some mail. A package."
"Oh," came her reluctant response.
Manta sighed and shook his head. He pactically lived with the two, three if you counted Amidamaru, and was almost never at home anymore. As far as the 'ice queen' (as he called her in his head) was concerned, he was hired help, but without the pay. He considered it a small price to pay for the chance to have real friends and live the exciting life as the best friend of Yoh Asakura, even if not every moment was exciting in a good way.
He shuddered, recalling his first encounters with shamans like Ren and Faust. There was more than one moment in there he never wanted to experience ever again.
"What would you like for dinner, Anna?" he asked politely as she entered the room, carrying the small parcel lazily in one hand.
"Whatever," she replied distractedly. "I don't care."
He turnedaway from the sink and stared at her in slight disbelief. Anna Kyouyama had just given him permission to make them the dinner of his choice, and did not place any restrictions. Something had to be wrong.
"Oh, Yoh's relaxing out in the hot tub," he told herm still watching her, but with more curiosity now.
"I'll get him later," she snapped, leaning against the counter as she examined the dull, light-brown wrapping of the package.
The package was small, and fairly thin, with an off white string tied around it. At first it seemed as though it might have been a picture frame or maybe a box holding some sort of trinket, but Manta was not sure anymore. She ignored him as she tugged on the string and carelessly ripped the paper away from the object hidden inside.
"Huh?" the both cried out as a picture frame was revealed.
Manta looked up to examine Anna's expression, full of shock and seemingly horrified. She slammed the frame, face down, on the counter. The sound of glass cracking echoed throughout the room. She was breathing heavily and shaking uncontrollably. Confused, Manta tilted his head to the side and blinked. What was wrong with Anna today?
"YOH!!" she screeched, leaving the picture on the counter as she made a break for the hot tub.
Manta hopped down from his step ladder and went to examine the picture that seemed to bother Anna. He ran his fingers along the cracks, curiously, trying to identify the three figures. The two on the outside were obviously Yoh and Anna, smiling as they playfully posed for the picture, probably about the age of five. Anna clung to the right arm of the middle figure and Yoh had his arms lazily drapped over its shoulders. His best guess was that it was a young girl, about the same age. She had a pale skinned face lined by dark ebony hair, which only made the blue orbs that were most likely her eyes more apparent. Her body had less cracks in the glass; she was dressed poorly in comparison to the two.
"I wonder who this is...?"
Amidamaru and Yoh curiously headed down the dark stairwell, with Anna and Manta close in tow. Manta had decided to spend the night. It was probably around one in the morning; the sound of something heavy and made of glass crash to the ground echoed throughout the downstairs.
What do you think it is?" Manta asked. "A burglar?"
"Don't be stupid," Anna hissed, "a burglar wouldn't waste time in this kind of place. And if he would, he's pretty stupid."
"C'mon you two," Yoh chuckled, "let's just find out then go to bed."
"Sounds good," Manta agreed.
There was no proper light on so the group found themselves stumbling around in the darkness until Yoh found the lightswitch. Once there was light the boys discovered that Anna had taken it upon herself to pick up up a baseball bat. She had it lazily resting over her left shoulder as she watched the kitchen.
There was a series of chirps, squeaks and the clatter of whatever kept falling to the ground.
"What is it doing?" Manta asked, shuddering as an awful slurping-slash-chomping sound came from the other room.
"I sense the presence of another spirit," Amidamaru observed, crossing his arms.
"Check it out, Yoh," Anna ordered, thrusting the bat at him.
He shrugged and took the bat then headed into the darkness of the kitchen, with Amidamaru following closely.
"Pori pori..." There was the strange giggle before the sound of something noisily scarfed down, then was repeated, "pori pori!"
"It sounds sorta cute," Yoh laughed.
"Keep your guard up, Lord Yoh," Amidamaru warned.
Agi agi!"
"Where's the lightswitch?" Yoh sighed.
The voice continued to laugh and declare random things, seemingly oblivious to their presence as it ate away. Yoh grinned to himself as he listened to it and searched for the lightswitch. He could tell the Amidamaru seemd annoyed by it and was on his guard, but being too tense was just not his thing.
Yoh smiled upon finding the lightswitch and flicked it on.
"There!"
"Kiiii!"
There was a flash of purple or pink to accompany the cry, then nothing. Yoh placed his hand over his now racing heart. He had not been expecting it to have such a wild, scared reaction. He looked over to Amidamaru and saw that the ancient spirit was also shaken.
"Where did it go?" Yoh asked softly.
"What was that sound?" Manta gasped, peeking in.
"It was a Nekokuku," Amidamaru said darkly. "A rather strange one, at that."
"Meso meso... meso meso..."
Anna walked into the room and gave it the once over. There was so sign of the supposed Nekokuku. Its location was hard to determine, but there was no denying that it was in the room. Manta and Yoh fell back as she began a thorough search of the kitchen. Amidamaru's gaze was intensely fixated on one cabnet.
"Lord Yoh, leave some warm milk for it in a saucer on that counter," he instructed, pointing to the left.
Anna stopped and stared at the two boys.
"Hey, do you think this has anything to do with that picture?" Manta asked suddenly, recalling the parcel.
"It might be," Yoh agreed thoughtfully. "Maybe a shaman trying to shake us up."
"If that's the case, then let's just get rid of the pest," Anna hissed.
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Alright, that's part one. Dedicated to the first four people who reviewed when I placed the temp. part up. I hope that I get some reviews, and the second I find that first one, the next part will be in progress!
Ja ne,
- Nekura