The Way of Go

by Platinum Man

What would happen if Hikaru had known how to play Go before he had meet Sai. And what would happen if he also meets Sai earlier too. How would the meeting with Akira Touya change by this? And how would this affect the world of Hikaru no Go.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Hikaru No Go.

The Way of Go

Chapter One- Fujiwarano Sai and the Journey into the world of Go.

By: Platinum Man

Summary: What would happen if Hikaru had known how to play Go before he had meet Sai. And what would happen if he also meets Sai earlier too. How would the meeting with Akira Touya change by this? And how would this affect the world of Hikaru no Go.

'Thinking'

"Talking"

/Mental Talking/

0/0/0/0

"Grandpa? Can we go and get some ice cream… please?" a six-year-old boy asked and old man that turn from the goban. And smiled at the boy that had called him grandpa.

"Hikaru, you know that you can't have any ice cream until after you have supper." he reminded his grandson. He knew that Hikaru was bored that he had been left with his grandparents for the entire week as his parents where of a cruise. He was as surprised that Hikaru parents had won a week paid free cruise for two. That had left Hikaru out. So Hikaru parents had decided that Hikaru would spend the week that they would be gone with his grandparents as they went on the weeklong cruise.

It was made worse because Hikaru best friend Akari had caught the chicken pocks. And was stuck in bed. That left Hikaru without a friend. Hikaru had no one to play with and his grandparents couldn't play with him as a six-year old boy needed.

The boy pouted at that. "Then when is supper then?" he asked. Hoping that they would eat soon then he could get some ice cream.

His Grandpa turned around to look at the clock on the wall and checked the time. "Hmm… It won't before another two to three hours, Hikaru."

"That to long, can't we eat now." Hikaru suggested.

'Chuckle' " Sorry Hikaru, but no." seeing his grandson look down at that. Looking at the Kifu that he had been replaying on his Goban, then he looked at his grandson he had an ideal suddenly popped in to his head. "Hikaru how about I teach you how to play a game?" he asked his grandson.

Hikaru perked up at that, a new game that he could learn. " What kind of game, Grandpa?" he questioned his grandfather.

"Go, Hikaru." he told his grandson.

Hikaru brow furred at that. Wasn't Go a game for old people, like his grandpa? He then told his grandpa that.

His grandpa just chuckled at that. "No Hikaru a lot of young people play the game." Seeing that his grandson still wasn't sure he had an ideal that sure would make him learn the game. It would be nice to have someone that wanted play him.

"How about this Hikaru…" seeing that Hikaru was paying attention to what he was saying. "? After dinner we will get some ice cream as much as you want. But for that you must sit down a learn how to play go?"

Shindo face lit up so fast at that. "OK!" he yelled out.

His smiles at him " alright come here Hikaru. Let me show you how to play the best game that there is…"

And with that Hikaru Shindo began down a path that would change his life, later on.

0/0/0/0

Five Years Later…

Hikaru Shindo now eleven years old was going through his grandfather's stuff in the attic. He remembers his grandpa motioning that he had a special Goban up here, Hikaru had never seen it but he was bored. His grandpa was out so he had to wait until he returned so they could play some go.

Every since he had been taught on how to play go. He came over at least twice a week to play against his grandfather. Hikaru enjoyed the game but it just that he had yet to find an opponent that could get him really into the game. He had already been able to play against his grandfather in an even game and win nine-out-of-ten games.

Sure when he had started playing his grandfather defeated him all of the time but he had finally won and kept winning until now. Since he could defeat him regularly the games just wasn't that challenging to Hikaru. His grandfather for the awhile had been suggesting that he become an insei and take the pro test. The old man was confident that he would become an insei but Hikaru was doubtful that he could become one. That wasn't even taking the Pro Test into account.

So he just played with his grandfather a couple of games twice a week or he would play at the go salons that his grandfather took him to on occasion even at the go salon he would ninety-nine percent of the time. When he had first started losing to his grandfather and at the salon it was challenging to Hikaru so he study and practice his go until he was the better player but now it wasn't all that challenging.

'Ahhh… their it... is.' he thought as he pulled the Goban out. Brushing off the dust of the board. As he continued to dust it off he noticed that there was a stain on the board. Looking at the board even closer, he notices that the stain was what appeared to be blood.

Hikaru frowned at the bloodstain on the board. Why would his grandpa think that a Goban with a huge blood stain be a treasure? Well he always did think that his grandpa was a strange.

"Well unless the blood stain was as to why gramps thinks that this Goban is special," he said out loud. Shaking his head at that thought that was stupid. Who would think that a bloodstain would make a Goban valuable?

/Can you hear my voice/ A voice said.

"Huh… who said that?" Hikaru said as he began to look around trying to find the person that had said that.

/You hear my voice, can't you/ The voice said.

Shindo Hikaru stood up and began to look around even more frantically. "Who is it? Grandpa? Come Out!!" he cried.

/You can, you can/ The said it carrying a joyous tone. /All-powerful Kami-sama, I thank you. / The voice said. This time Hikaru could tell that the voice was coming from behind him.

There standing before him was something that shocked Hikaru to the core of his being and then some. There was a young man that looked to be in his early twenty's he notice something strange, he could see right through the man. That would mean that the man was a ghost. G-G-Ghost?!? His mind screamed.

/I now will Return…/the ghost said… /Return to the Living World. /

"…!" Before Hikaru could say anything he felt something entering his mind. It became too much for him and with that Hikaru fell down onto the floor.

/W-who are you? You're… inside my…/ Hikaru thought.

/Yes, inside your consciousness. / Ghost said inside his head.

/What…/ That was Hikaru's last thought as unconsciousness took him.

"Hikaru! Are you up there?" an elderly man voice called up. The face of Hikaru grandfather peeked into the attic. As he looked around seeing if he could find his grandson. His wife had said that Hikaru had come up here, looking for something. What his grandson was looking for his wife had said that she didn't know.

As he finished climbing into the attic he began looked around looking for his grandson. "Hikaru? Where are you?" he called.

He then caught site of something that looked like a foot. Moving closer to the foot he saw his grandson on the floor of the attic. What he saw made panic rise quickly.

"Hikaru? Hikaru!!" his grandfather cried to his grandson as he rushed toward him and got down on his knees. He began to shake him trying to arouse him. Hikaru was unresponsive to the shaking.

Quickly he picked up the eleven-year-old and moving into a firemen's carry. Then quickly carrying his grandson down from the attic. "HONEY CALL THE FOR AN ANAMBULANCE! HIKARU FAINTED!!"

0/0/0/0

The Next Day…

'Ugh… School I hate school…' Hikaru thought to himself.

He couldn't focus on his teacher as she talked about something.

He just couldn't believe that his parents had made him go to school after he fainted yesterday. He had hoped he could stay home and try to figure out how the hell he had a ghost connected to him.

Turning his gaze to the invisible being that was floating right beside him. It seemed that no one but Shindo was the only one that could hear him or see him. In Hikaru's opinion that was just perfect.

/Sooo… what do I call you/ Shindo asked his ghostly companion. As study the ghost more closely. He was very tall about 5'11" and he had purple eyes, he wore a white kariginu, his black hair went all the way down his back, and he wore a black eboshi cap.

The ghost in question bowed politely to him as he introduces himself to Hikaru. / I am Fujiwarano Sai. /

/Sai…? Weird name. Who are you/ Shindo asked.

/I taught Go for the Emperor in the Heian Capital. /

/Go? Heian/ Hikaru questioned. It seemed that this ghost had been a previous go player. Part of Hikaru wonders how strong the ghost was.

/I played Go everyday, and I was happy. There was another who also served as the Emperor's go teacher. And one day he commented to the Emperor. /

/"Only one instructor is needed. Why don't we play and the winner can remain?"/

/Hmm… So you played him? So who won/ Hikaru questioned. Excitement coursing through his thoughts, his ghost companion had been a go teacher to the Emperor. And this contest was interesting.

/The game continued evenly. With everyone was watching it was a coincidence that only I saw it. A white stone had been somehow mixed in with his basket. /

/Ohhh… that isn't a big deal that usually happens sometime with go stones. / Hikaru said to Sai. That had happen several times when he had been playing Go against his grandpa and at the go salons. / All you do is tell your opponent that one of our stones had been mixed into yours and just hand it over. /

Sai looked at Hikaru with a new eye. It seemed that his companion knew about the game. /Your correct Hikaru. But he waited for the right moment and… he added it to his captured stones. /

/He cheated…/

/When I raised my voice. "You just…"/ his opponent interrupted Sai. /!"Hey, you just added a black stone that was added to your basket into your captured ones!!"/ The cheater lied.

/"What?!"/ Sai had said.

/"I saw you!! While everyone was focused on the board, you tried to cheat!!"/

/"What are you saying/ Sai cried in outrage that he was the one who was being the one that had cheated when it was the other way around. /"That was what you just did!!"/

/"What a horrible lie!!"/ The cheater returned.

Murmuring soon was going wild as the Cheater and Sai accused each other of cheating.

/"Quite down you two!!"/ The Emperor snapped at the two. /I don't even want to think that something like that would happen in my presence. Continue/

/"…"/

/"Hehe… Well then…"/ the cheater said.

/With my mind still unraveled… I Lost. Also branded a cheater. I was driven from the capital. I no longer wished to live; I drowned myself two days later. /

/…/ Hikaru was silent.

/My soul was unable to rise to heaven… I wanted… to play more go. /

/So I was right you're a ghost. / Hikaru said.

/Yes. / Was Sai sad reply. /My spirit attached itself to a goban. Time passed until I could hear the voice of a young boy. /

/"Nobody else can see the stains. Why am I the only one who can see these stains that look like tears?"/ The child said.

/" Young child, if you are able to see my tears of sorrow… then let me occupy a part of your mind. / Sai asked the child.

/The child was interested in Go and took me on willingly. And I was able to play as much Go as I wished. He would be come a Great Go player but died of a disease at the age of 34yrs. Old. His name was Honinbo Shusaku. He was a good person."/

'Honinbo Shusaku…' Hikaru thought in shock… he stared at Sai in shock. He knew who Honinbo Shusaku was hell any fan of Go knows who he is. The Greatest Go player of all time. And if what Sai was saying true the true ability behind Honinbo Shusaku strength was this ghost that was connected to him. A part of Hikaru Shindo that had wanted to play a strong Go player and if Sai was really telling the truth then he had just gotten the chance to play against the strongest to ever.

/Sooo… the reason that you're hunting me is because you want to play some more Go/ Hikaru asked.

/Yes. For I have… Yet to achieve the Hand of God. /

/The Hand of God/ Hikaru right eyebrow raised at that. Sai was trying to achieve the ultimate move in go.

/Yes. /

/You like Go that much/

/Yes. /

/Hmmm… if you can wait til after school you and I can play a game at my house. / Hikaru inform Sai.

/Really!? Yes, yes/ Sai cheered, that he could finally play Go again after so long.

/Sai, calm down. / Hikaru said. But it was useless; the ghost from the Heian Era wasn't listening to him. He was dancing all over the place. Maybe I shouldn't ask if he wanted to play go. He thought to himself.

/GO! YA/

Oh yeah, not to self-make sure Sai doesn't come out at school anymore. And don't mention go.

0/0/0/0

"I am home!" Hikaru called out as he entered his house.

"Ok, I am in the kitchen Hikaru." his mother called back to him. "Do you want something to snack on? Dinner is going to be later then usual."

Hikaru stopped at that. They usually at a little bit after his dad got home, if mom was asking if he wanted a snack then supper was going to be really late. "Sure! And can I have some tea, can you bring it up to my room?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll bring it up in a few minutes." his mothers reply.

With that Hikaru ran straight up the stairs and headed straight to his bedroom. Quickly entering his room and shutting his the door behind him. Moving over to where his bed was. There between his bed and the bookcase was a goban with two bowels sitting on top. The Goban looked like a one made out of Kaya wood, but it was a fake one. His grandfather was made out of kaya.

His grandpa had gotten him this goban for Christmas two-years ago. That day he and his grandpa had played go all day long, that happen to be the first time he defeated his grandpa without a handicap. They had joked that he could only beat him on this goban. Witch so happens to be wrong; he had gone to his grandparents home the next day and defeated his grandfather at go on his grandfather's own goban. Proving that he had become stronger.

But he wasn't just going to let be the only times that he would beat the old man he then bought several weekly go magazines an several books that had kifus form Shusaku and other Go pro's. About five to six months later he could beat his gramps five to out of ten matches. And now he could win nine out of ten.

Moving the goban out and turning to the side he could see Sai dancing about and acting all giddy that he could play go again. Shindo smiled at that part of him was glad that he could help this strange go loving ghost out and the other was part was raring to go against a strong opponent. It had been a while since he had a true challenge.

/Sai sit down. / Hikaru mentally said.

In a flash Sai was sitting opposite of him on the other side of the go board. Sai reached for one of the bowels but his hands passed right through it. /I forgot that I couldn't touch anything. / Sai said with a frown.

Hikaru rolled his eyes at that, of course ghost can't physically touch stuff they were no longer of the physical realm. /Don't worry Sai. Just tell me where you want to play and I'll place the stone for you. /

Sai brightened at that. /Thank you Hikaru. /

Hikaru removed the lids from each of the stone bowels but as he did that how where they going to decide who would get what color.

Seeing the puzzled look on Hikaru. /Hikaru, what's wrong/ Sai asked.

/Ummm… I don't know how well be able to nigari? Sai you can't touch the stones, sooo… how are we going to do this/ Hikaru asked his opponent.

Sai blinked at that. /Umm… I don't know/ He never had this problem before with Shusaku.

Hikaru cradled his head in his hands. Just great. He thought in frustration. I finally have a chance to play a person…err… a ghost that strong and we can't even figure out who get what color. If he could just figure out a way that they could determine who got what color.

…

… …

Ugh… why couldn't this be easy as flipping a coin! Huh… flipping a coin… of course. That was it! How stupid could he be? A way that was both fair and easy as to decide who got which color.

/Hey, Sai. I figured out away that we could figure out who gets what color. /

Sai perked up at that. Hikaru had found away that they could do nigiri. / How Hikaru/ He asked excitement could be heard from him. After so long he would be able to play go again.

Reaching into his pocket Hikaru pulled out a coin. /This is how. / Hikaru stated as he showed Sai the coin.

/Uhh… Hikaru how is a piece of metal going to decide what color we play/ Confusion was clearly visible on Sai face. He was wondering if his host was insane or not.

Hikaru chuckled at that. /It not a piece of metal Sai. It a coin, money. The way it going to help us is where going flip it to find out who get what color. /

/How is flipping a coin going to help/ Came the confused response.

/Look, Sai. / He said. Holding out the coin to Sai so he could see it then he turned it over so he could see the opposite side. /As you can see Sai the coin has two sides. A heads and a tails, what I am going to do are flip it and what side comes up that person will play black. Ok. /

/ok. / It sounded fair. It shouldn't take to long either.

/Ok, if it comes up heads I'm black. And if it comes up tails your black. / Hikaru told the go loving ghost.

Sai nodded his head to Hikaru showing that he understood his host ideal. With that Hikaru flipped the coin up in the air. As it came down Hikaru caught it.

Smack

And slapped the coin onto the back of his left hand the coin covered by his right hand. Removing his hand it revealed that it was Heads.

/I am black. /

Studying the goban Hikaru contemplated his move. Reaching in to his go bowl he pulled out a stone and placed it on the 3-4 stars.

Pi-chi

/4-3... Umm… Hikaru/ Sai question.

Hikaru just shook his head. "Oh yeah, I have to do It." he muttered to himself. He had completely forgotten that Sai couldn't touch anything. How could e have forgotten that already?

Reaching into the other go bowl. /4-3, right? Sai/

/Yes. / Came the reply.

Klack.

Klack.

/17-6/ Klack.

Klack.

/10-3/ Klack

/Hikaru that wasn't the spot I said. / Sai informed Hikaru.

/No this is 10-3/ Hikaru replied. /See here the ten mark and here is the third spot. See this is 10-3. /

/Oh No. I was always standing behind Shusaku/ Sai exclaimed. Starting to panic that he wouldn't be able to play a game against Hikaru because he wouldn't be able to have him place the stones to the right spot.

/Sai…SAI/ Seeing the Heian Ghost calm down and not panicking. /Just point with your fan where you want the stone and I'll place it their. /

Pointing to the spot that he had wanted the stone. Hikaru picked up the stone that he had just placed for Sai and moved it to where he had wanted it.

Klack.

Klack. Klack.

Klack. Klack.

Knock, knock " Hikaru can I come in." the voice of his mother came through.

"Yeah" he called back.

Hearing his bedroom door open and his mother entered. "Hikaru here your tea that you asked for." his mother said.

Turning from the goban he took the tea that his mother had brought him. Taking a drink of the hot bitter liquid. "Ahh… Thanks." he said.

His mother smiled at him. "Your welcome." looking at the goban and the game that Hikaru was playing. "Hikaru? What're you doing?" she asked.

'Oh shit.' he thought. What was he going to say? Oh I am just playing a thousand year old ghost. If he said that he would be thrown into the physic ward. "Oooh… I am just playing a game that I had seen at school." he lied.

Blink. "How are you doing that?" She asked. She didn't see a piece of paper that said what moves he had to play.

"Oh… I just remember what was played. Its not that hard." he kind a lied, it wasn't a full lie but it wasn't the full truth either. He turned back to the goban and the game that he had been playing. /It's your move, Sai. /

Point. Klack.

Hmm… He was trying that. Grabbing a stone from his he played it trying to cut off Sai move to connect his stones. If he couldn't he would lose any chance of keeping that corner.

Klack.

Point. Klack.

Klack. Klack.

Sigh. "I just don't get why you and your grandfather, enjoy this game. To me its just a bunch of slapping stones all over a board." his mother said to him.

Hikaru rolled his eyes at that. His mom had been saying that ever since his he had been pickup from his grandparents home, when he was six. They had shown up as he and his grandpa had been playing a game of go. It was that or 'Hikaru you need to study more then play go. How are you going to get a good job.' It wasn't that he didn't study it was that he preferred playing go.

"I like playing go. That all it is." he muttered as he studied the board. His palms where getting sweaty. Damn Sai was good, in just these past few moves he had lost the control of the left bottom corner. He could see nothing that would give any chance of saving it. Since there was nothing that he could do he would have to try something else.

Klack.

Klack. Klack.

Shaking her head as her son began to ignore her. Moving to the bedroom door, Hikaru would get like this when he would play that game. No matter how hard she or her husband tried they just couldn't get a grasp on to why their sons enjoyed go. Sometimes she wonders if it had been a good ideal to leave Hikaru at his grandparents that time. Ever since she would find Hikaru studying go, in order to defeat his grandfather. She had hoped that when he started to defeat her father in law in go so often that he would start to play go less but it seemed that was going to happen anytime soon.

"If you need me I'll be down stairs," she told her son.

"Ok." came Hikaru muttered response.

Closing the door behind her she wished that Hikaru would put that much effort into his schoolwork. If he did he could be the head of the class.

With each move he made Sai was able to counter his every move. Still studying the board. He couldn't see any way that he could turn the tables against his opponent. It had been years since he had been this out matched in a game. When he was nine years old he had been able to play an even games against his grandpa and win the games that he played against him and the people at Go Salons he would practically win the games before he even played the first stone. He hardly had to try anymore.

But here for the first time in almost two years he was struggling in a game. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears; his palms were sweating and most of all he was enjoying himself more then he had in a long time.

This feeling that he was up against something so strong he hadn't felt it since he had defeated the old man in go for the first time. When he over came his grandpa it was like he had over came the strongest person that he could play. But now, before him stood a go player so strong that it made Hikaru want to play the game forever.

Even though he might not be able to over come this person. Ever.

Turning his attention back fully to the game he couldn't find any thing he could do. He had only one choice. "I Resign." came his quiet voice. A part of him wondered if Sai was holding back or not?

Sai bowed to Hikaru and said. /Thank you for the game. /

"Sai?" Hikaru said.

/Yes Hikaru/

"Tell me Sai? Where you playing me full out or where you holding back against me?" he asked. He had to know if he was this weak? Or was he even weaker?

Sai smiled at Shindo. / Yes, I was playing full out against you. / He told Hikaru the truth. /It wouldn't be honoring our game if I held back. /

Hikaru looked up at that. Sai had played him if he had been an equal. That made the defeat that he had just been handed by the thousand-year-old ghost sting a little less.

'If this was Sai true strength. No wonder I had lost.' Hikaru thought to himself.

Looking at the board he could say without a doubt that Sai playing style was just like Shusaku. It was just like the kifus that he had in books that showed some of the games that he had played.

Sai style was perfectly identical.

… He had just played the one that many said who was the best go player of all time. Sure he had lost but he had played full out against him.

"Thank you, Sai." Hikaru said. His voice carrying a tone of gratitude to the ghost.

/Your welcomed, Hikaru. / Sai said, the smile still on his face.

Snort. / I have to say that you might be stronger then or just as strong as Touya Meijin. /Shindo informed the ghost that had just kicked his butt.

/Who/ Sai inquired. There was someone as strong as he was he need to meet this man. And play him.

Hikaru looked at Sai if he was crazy. Until he remembered that Sai had been in a goban until just yesterday. Of course he wouldn't know who Touya Meijin is. Getting up he moved over toward his desk. Opening one of the dowers he shuffled through the things in the drawer.

"Where the hell is it? I know I put in this drawer. Damn it! Were is it?" he muttered. Sai looked on from his seated position as he watched as Hikaru looked for what ever he was looking for in that drawer.

"Their it is!" Shindo said as he pulled out something from the drawer.

/What is that? Hikaru-kun/ Sai asked as he watched as Shindo flipped through what appeared to be a flat book.

"It's a magazine Sai. It called Go Weekly. They print kifus of the pro's games."

Blink. / Pro's games/

Looking up from the magazine that he was leafing through, he explained what he meant by pros games. "Sai, there are people that play Go for a living. These people are considering being Professionals of Go. Understand."

Sai stared at Shindo in shock. People were playing go for a job. Just as he had done during the Heian period for the Emperor. Then some of the words that Hikaru had said repeated in his head. 'These people are consider to be Professionals of Go.'

/Hikaru. /

"What Sai." he muttered as he continued to search through the magazine.

/Hikaru are these Go Pro's strong/ He asked hopefully. He hoped that they where, then maybe he could be challenged. And maybe he would finally be able to play the divine move.

"You tell me, Sai." came Hikaru reply. As he came back to the goban and removed the stones from the board and put them back into their respectable bowls. Then turning the magazine towards Sai so he could look at what he had searched for so that he could answer both of Sai question. Pointing to a Kifu in the magazine. "This is a match between Touya Meijin and Zama Oza for the Meijin Title."

Sai studied the Kifu that Hikaru was showing him. The game that was being displayed was a magnificent one. /Hikaru, can you recreate the game for me/ He would love to how the game had unfolded before his own eyes. Instead of looking at a piece of paper.

"Sure." and with that Hikaru started to recreate the game between two titleholders for Sai.

As Hikaru made sure that he didn't misplaced any of stones as he finished recreating the game. Looking towards his ghost companion he watched as Sai studied the board with an intense look of concentration.

"Sooo… Sai what do you think?" he wondered what the go playing ghost would say about what people now a days called the 'Modern Shusaku'.

/What a splendid game. / It seemed that he was impressed. /But, if black had gone here. / He pointed to a spot on the board. /it could've ended the game much sooner. /

Hikaru looked at the spot where Sai was pointing. If black went there and worked it way to the right it could've for white to quit about ten moves soon then what it had been played. Hikaru wouldn't say that he could read far ahead like Sai or the Touya Meijin but what Sai had just done, made Hikaru shudder at the level of strength that this ghost had.

/Hikaru/

/Yeah Sai/

/How can I play this Touya Meijin/ Sai casually asked his living counter part.

/The only way that you could play the Meijin, Sai was if I became a pro and got lucky so you could play him. / He dryly informed the ghost.

/Ok then. Just become a pro, and then I'll be able to play him. /Sai said cheerfully as if it would be no problem at all for him to become a pro.

Heaving a sigh as he shook his head at that. "Sai if it was that easy to become a pro then everybody could become one." he stated.

Tilting his head to one side Sai looked at Shindo curiously. /Why/

"Sai to become a pro one must first pass the pro test. Before you ask it a series of games against other that want to become a Go Pro. But they only take the best three of the test. After that to play people like the Meijin you have to work your way up to the higher dan players. It could take me years until I reach the Meijin." He explained to Sai.

Sai brow furred at that. /Hikaru is that the only way to become a pro/

Hikaru tilted his head to the side. "Wellll… one could become an insei and he could then get to play in the pro exam. But no matter what, one must pass the Pro Exam." he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

/Insei? What that/

"Sorry Sai I forgot that you been inside of a goban for the last hundred years. An Insei is someone that tries to become a pro while his or her still in school. They have class that they go to improve for the exam. That would be the best way for me if I wanted to become a pro." he adds as an afterthought.

The thought of young strong Go players made Sai want and go play them. /Hikaruuuuu!!! Let's go play them… Ne, ne. /

Taken back by Sai sudden desire to play the Insei's. It made him realize just how much Sai loved this game. Sure dying and staying, as a ghost was one thing but wanting to play any go player. It just blew his mind. He never thought someone could have such a drive to play Go.

"Uhhh… Sai. I hate to tell you this but I don't know if I want to become a Go Pro."

Sai suddenly stilled. /But… But… But why? Your go is strong I know that you could become an insei. / Sai told him with conviction.

Rubbing the back of his head at Sai's praise of his strength. "Thanks Sai, but that's not the reason."

/Then why, Hikaru/

Sigh. "Sai the reason is I not sure if I want to play go all my life. Sure I enjoy playing go but I don't think that I'd be good enough." Hikaru said.

Sai studied Hikaru for a while not saying anything. His gaze was starting to freak Hikaru out. /Hikaru, you're lying. /

"W-what?"

Staring Hikaru straight in the eyes. / 'Your lying' I said. Hikaru the way you played against me showed me that you love playing go. And when you say that you're not sure that you want to play go all your life, you lied to yourself. What wrong is that you doubt that you're strong? That what's holding you back? Not wanting to play goes."

Hikaru turned away from Sai. How could he have seen the truth, so easy? How? No body had been able to see that not his parents, his grandfather or even Akari. But Sai had done it just after playing him in just one game. Could he read his thoughts? No he couldn't talk to Sai unless he wanted him to hear him. "No I am not," he muttered.

Sigh. / Hikaru if you're going to lie to me, fine. But stop lying to yourself. / He stated.

He garnished his teeth at Sai. "Fine you want the truth... Hmm… Fine here the truth. Your right. I know that I wouldn't be able to pass the pro test or even become an insei. Does that make you happy Sai?" he snapped.

/If you fear that your not strong then before the game even starts you'll lose Hikaru. But, if that's what you fear then I shall help you. /

Raising his brow at that. "What? You want me to let you play the games?"

Shaking his head at that. /No, Hikaru. I shall help you to become stronger. I while teach you. /

"Huh, teach me?"

/Yes. I will teach you and help you. Don't forget Hikaru I was a Go teacher to the Emperor. /

"Ya think that I could Sai?" he asked. Part of him denying that he could but a part of him hopes that Sai was right.

/Yes, Shall we begin/

He started at Sai for a minute then he nodded his head to his Go teacher. " Let's Sai-Sensei." he said with a smile.

Sai returned the smile. / Hikaru, you can just call me Sai. /

"Alright then lets begin, Sai."

They both bowed to each other. "Please." /Please. / They said together. And Hikaru began his first lesson under the Go Ghost.

0/0/0/0

(The End…)

Author Notes: I cannot believe that I just written this story. This is my first time trying to write a Hikaru no Go story. I am unsure when I'll update this though. Now maybe now I can focus on my other stories and finished the chapters that I been writing.