Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

Chapter 9

It was well after school and Michelle had to rush home before Francis worried too much, but her mind was more distracted on other things to worry about that. It had been several days since she last met with the mysterious boy at the dock, and part of her wondered how he was fairing. Due to this wonder, she decided to take a quick detour and check on him; even though it was only dusk.

Once she reached the entrance of the harbor, she was shocked to find her friend also there, staring worryingly at the firm ground right ahead of him. Michelle smiled when she saw him and ran towards him. As she ran she called out, "Hey, you're somewhere new! How have you been?!"

Emil smiled up relieved when he saw Michelle stop in front of him; causing her to smile back. He then exclaimed, "Michelle, you came back! I was starting to think that that wizard made it so you couldn't come see me?"

"Wizard? Anyways, what have you been up to?" Michelle wondered but instead tried to change the conversation.

He fell silent at this, causing Michelle to simply look him over. A thought then came to her, causing her to ask, "Hey, what's your name anyways?"

"My name? It's Emil," Emil answered. It had certainly been some time since anyone asked him that, a ghost or not.

"Emil? That's a cool name. I know! It's getting close to dinner time so why don't ya come to my cousin's and my place? You look like you could use a good meal," Michelle asked, trying to be convincing.

"I do? Um, actually I…can't. I know! Why don't you just stay here with me? Just like you said you would last time," Emil answered pleadingly.

"Stay?" Michelle asked as a flicker remnant from the past spell came to her eyes.

"Ya! Stay here with-,"

"Hey you two! Don't kids these days have anything better to do than meet here? Get to your own homes before I call you in for trespassing!" A voice called out, causing the two to look and see that they had caught the attention of the manager of the harbor.

"Oh, okay, I'll just be going then. You sure you don't want to come too?" Michelle answered, the flicker of the spell gone.

"No…I, ah, can't," Emil answered.

"What do ya mean you can't?" both Michelle and the manager asked at the same time.

"I'm a ghost okay, I just can't!"

"A…ghost?" Michelle asked uncertainly.

"You're not a ghost! You're not floating or anything," the manager answered sternly as he circled the boy.

"Well, apparently that's something you get taught and no one's bothered to tell me how," Emil answered embarrassed.

"Emil?" Michelle began unsure as she reached out to grab at him.

"Hey!" Emil began, moving away as Michelle's hand moved through his wrist. Michelle paled as she pulled her now frigid and damp hand away, confused more by how it went through her friend.

By now Emil was on the defensive, causing him to glare at the manager and say, "You can't make me leave," then turning back to Michelle and saying, "And I refuse to let you leave me!"

With this said, a thick bank of fog appeared, causing the manager to lose sight of the teens and for Michelle to get lost in it. She tried running the few feet out of the fog and the harbor, but before she knew how it happened she found herself standing next to the ferry with Emil standing next to her. He then muttered, "I'm not going to let some stupid humans stop me from having my friend over," before Michelle suddenly fainted.

"Hey, Artie? You free right now?" Alfred asked after hearing Arthur answer the phone.

"At the moment yes, why?" Arthur asked cautiously.

"I just really need you right now," Alfred answered bluntly, catching Arthur surprised.

"…What?" Arthur asked confused by what was happening.

"You heard me, I really need you. Right now! Come on, it's really important!"

"Do I want to know why you need me?"

"It's for work okay! The manager of the harbor called us saying that there were some trespassers which sounded like that ghost-kid from before, and now they want me to go and look into it," Alfred complained.

"Okay…and is this the first time the police have gotten called about this kid? He must be slipping, or becoming unstable. Good luck with your job," Arthur answered casually.

"What do you mean good luck?! I thought this ghost stuff was your responsibility, so you gotta come out and help me with it!"

"If a ghost is going unstable, the last thing you want to do is mess with it. So just go buy a burger and lie to your boss or something. Or…wait. Did the manager say 'trespassers?' as in plural?"

"Ah, ya, why?"

"Hold on one second while I call someone else quick," Arthur answered, only to then quickly call Francis' number.

"Bonjour, who is it?" Francis asked cheerfully.

"Hello, Francis? I need a concise answer: is Michelle at home right now," Arthur requested.

"Arthur? Non, Michelle hasn't come home yet. Why? Hoping to have another meal with her?" Francis answered light-heartedly, but Arthur could tell from the tone that the other thought something was wrong.

"Dammit, I told her to stay away from there," Arthur scowled to himself, causing Francis to grow more on edge.

"Away from there? Wait, where is she? Tell me what is happening!"

"Look Francis, just stay at your house and if she comes home before I arrive call me right away got it!" Arthur ordered only to then hang up before Francis could ask any more questions. He then looked back at the screen reminding him that Alfred was still on hold. With a sigh, he reattached to Alfred and said, "Alright Alfred, it looks like I'll go to the harbor with you. Now come pick me up at my house."

"Wait, I thought you said that I should go get dinner instead?" Alfred asked confused as he stopped at the ordering station of a drive-thru.

"Well that's changed so pick me up NOW!" Arthur ordered as he heard the muffled sound of the electronic waitress ask what Alfred wanted.

"Alright, alright, just give me a couple minutes to get there. Cars can't teleport ya know," Alfred muttered as he picked up his food and exited the parking lot. Several minutes later, he reached Arthur's house to find the other impatiently waiting outside.

"French fries?" Alfred offered as Arthur entered the passenger side.

"Just start driving," Arthur answered, pushing the fast food out of his face. His mind was too focused on what was waiting for them to worry about a hunk of fried potato.

As always, please review~