Disclaimer: *releases Amidamaru, glomps Hao* MINE!!!
Hao: ^__^ Yours!
HT: :( Okay, knock it off...
Hao & GS: ;__; Awwwww...
Author's Notes: Heh...that's my best disclaimer yet! Anyway, I'm hoping to finally type up the rest of my stagnant Yu-Gi-Oh story "Dark Magician", so after this fic don't expect any new SK stories for a while. Just a warning...
~***~
A Dream Come True?
Chapter Seven
~***~
Yoh and I raced up the stairs with Amidamaru at our heels. We opened the attic door to find Manta's soul cowering in the corner while a little boy ghost was trying to talk to him. The boy looked up, saw us, and the entire room immediately went cold.
"Go away," the little boy snapped. "We're just having fun."
"Fun?!" I shouted. "Can't you see he's scared to death?"
The boy narrowed his eyes at me. "I hate you."
"Sticks and stones," I replied. I walked right up to him and transferred Manta's soul to spirit orb mode, holding it protectively in one hand. "You can't just yank somebody's soul out of their body. Manta's getting weaker every time you do that."
Shiro stood up. "I don't care. Why shouldn't I have friends of my own to play with? My parents never understood either!"
"Hao!" Yoh shouted. "Something's wrong! Yoh should be on your guard!"
I turned and placed the little soul-orb in Amidamaru's hand. "You should return this to its rightful owner. I really don't think this kid is all he seems to be."
Amidamaru nodded and disappeared through the floor.
I looked back at Shiro to see a ball of dark energy enveloping his hand. "You shouldn't have done that," he hissed. The ball grew in size and then exploded inches from my face.
At the last minute something yanked me up and away from the blast. My eyes popped open. I was enveloped in the bright red ectoplasm of the Soul of Fire. I looked over at his other arm. It was badly burned from the ghost kid's negative energy.
Then I realized why the Soul of Fire never had to speak. He communicated through his mind, and only to his master. 'Are you safe, Lord Hao?'
I stared at him in awe. What I felt in that creature's emotions was- -among other things- -total and unconditional loyalty. I don't even think Amidamaru is that loyal to Yoh.
"You didn't have to do that," I whispered.
'You needn't concern yourself with me, Lord Hao. I feel no pain.'
He set me down carefully, as if he believed I was made of glass and would break. I looked back at Shiro. "Bit mistake, kid. Just pack up your bags and depart for the afterlife."
For the first time that kid looked at me in sorrow. "I've already tried, but I can't. I can't leave the house where I was a prisoner my entire life- -and where I'm still a prisoner."
Both Yoh and I stared at him. "WHAT??"
"My parents were afraid they would be punished for my death. They hid my body in one of the secret passages that are all over this house. I can't leave for the afterlife until I'm properly buried."
"No wonder Manta can see ghosts," I said incredulously. "He's been picking up spirit energy from this kid."
"Not only that," said Yoh with a shudder. "He's got dead people in the walls!"
~***~
"WHATTAYA MEAN I'VE GOT DEAD PEOPLE IN THE WALLS???!!!"
I winced and covered my left ear. "He's certainly taking it well."
"All we have to do is find the bones and take them to a Shinto priest for blessing," Yoh explained. "Then you'll be free from Shiro."
"And who's going to go into these 'secret passages' and find a bunch of bones?!"
Yoh grinned. "We draw straws, of course."
"There's no straws in my house."
"Oh. Then rock, paper, scissors."
"Fair enough."
For the first five rounds all three of us tied. Then I got the not-so-brilliant idea of changing from rock to scissors when it was working so well... Let's just say that I was the one who had to go crawling through the dusty, moldy secret passages.
Shiro guided us to a hidden doorway in Mansumi's office. I knelt down to peer into the crawlspace. "Brr...that's cold!"
"Want your cloak?" asked Yoh.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll live. Besides- -knowing my luck it'll get stuck on a nail or something. Flashlight?"
Manta handed it to me.
I switched it on, then paused to brush a strand of hair out of my face. Two more fell over my left eye. "Gaah... Hey Manta! Doesn't your mom or sister keep any hair ties around?"
"Dunno. I'll check."
When he left Yoh stared at me oddly. "What's the hair tie for?"
I held up one whole side of Hao's bangs. "Your brother SERIOUSLY needs to cut his hair."
Yoh winced. "Please don't cut it yourself. He'd go on a killing spree."
"Somebody should tell him that hair grows back."
"I got it!" Manta announced. "I had to sneak into Manuko's room. All I could find was a scrunchie though..."
"It'll work."
I pulled Hao's incredibly long and annoying hair back and then looked at the Soul of Fire. "Stay."
He only nodded.
I cleared the cobwebs from around the crawlspace's entrance. "Well, here we go. Wish me luck- -I'm going to need it."
"Luck!" Shiro said happily.
I glared at him. "Not from you!"
"Sorry..."
Hao: ^__^ Yours!
HT: :( Okay, knock it off...
Hao & GS: ;__; Awwwww...
Author's Notes: Heh...that's my best disclaimer yet! Anyway, I'm hoping to finally type up the rest of my stagnant Yu-Gi-Oh story "Dark Magician", so after this fic don't expect any new SK stories for a while. Just a warning...
~***~
A Dream Come True?
Chapter Seven
~***~
Yoh and I raced up the stairs with Amidamaru at our heels. We opened the attic door to find Manta's soul cowering in the corner while a little boy ghost was trying to talk to him. The boy looked up, saw us, and the entire room immediately went cold.
"Go away," the little boy snapped. "We're just having fun."
"Fun?!" I shouted. "Can't you see he's scared to death?"
The boy narrowed his eyes at me. "I hate you."
"Sticks and stones," I replied. I walked right up to him and transferred Manta's soul to spirit orb mode, holding it protectively in one hand. "You can't just yank somebody's soul out of their body. Manta's getting weaker every time you do that."
Shiro stood up. "I don't care. Why shouldn't I have friends of my own to play with? My parents never understood either!"
"Hao!" Yoh shouted. "Something's wrong! Yoh should be on your guard!"
I turned and placed the little soul-orb in Amidamaru's hand. "You should return this to its rightful owner. I really don't think this kid is all he seems to be."
Amidamaru nodded and disappeared through the floor.
I looked back at Shiro to see a ball of dark energy enveloping his hand. "You shouldn't have done that," he hissed. The ball grew in size and then exploded inches from my face.
At the last minute something yanked me up and away from the blast. My eyes popped open. I was enveloped in the bright red ectoplasm of the Soul of Fire. I looked over at his other arm. It was badly burned from the ghost kid's negative energy.
Then I realized why the Soul of Fire never had to speak. He communicated through his mind, and only to his master. 'Are you safe, Lord Hao?'
I stared at him in awe. What I felt in that creature's emotions was- -among other things- -total and unconditional loyalty. I don't even think Amidamaru is that loyal to Yoh.
"You didn't have to do that," I whispered.
'You needn't concern yourself with me, Lord Hao. I feel no pain.'
He set me down carefully, as if he believed I was made of glass and would break. I looked back at Shiro. "Bit mistake, kid. Just pack up your bags and depart for the afterlife."
For the first time that kid looked at me in sorrow. "I've already tried, but I can't. I can't leave the house where I was a prisoner my entire life- -and where I'm still a prisoner."
Both Yoh and I stared at him. "WHAT??"
"My parents were afraid they would be punished for my death. They hid my body in one of the secret passages that are all over this house. I can't leave for the afterlife until I'm properly buried."
"No wonder Manta can see ghosts," I said incredulously. "He's been picking up spirit energy from this kid."
"Not only that," said Yoh with a shudder. "He's got dead people in the walls!"
~***~
"WHATTAYA MEAN I'VE GOT DEAD PEOPLE IN THE WALLS???!!!"
I winced and covered my left ear. "He's certainly taking it well."
"All we have to do is find the bones and take them to a Shinto priest for blessing," Yoh explained. "Then you'll be free from Shiro."
"And who's going to go into these 'secret passages' and find a bunch of bones?!"
Yoh grinned. "We draw straws, of course."
"There's no straws in my house."
"Oh. Then rock, paper, scissors."
"Fair enough."
For the first five rounds all three of us tied. Then I got the not-so-brilliant idea of changing from rock to scissors when it was working so well... Let's just say that I was the one who had to go crawling through the dusty, moldy secret passages.
Shiro guided us to a hidden doorway in Mansumi's office. I knelt down to peer into the crawlspace. "Brr...that's cold!"
"Want your cloak?" asked Yoh.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll live. Besides- -knowing my luck it'll get stuck on a nail or something. Flashlight?"
Manta handed it to me.
I switched it on, then paused to brush a strand of hair out of my face. Two more fell over my left eye. "Gaah... Hey Manta! Doesn't your mom or sister keep any hair ties around?"
"Dunno. I'll check."
When he left Yoh stared at me oddly. "What's the hair tie for?"
I held up one whole side of Hao's bangs. "Your brother SERIOUSLY needs to cut his hair."
Yoh winced. "Please don't cut it yourself. He'd go on a killing spree."
"Somebody should tell him that hair grows back."
"I got it!" Manta announced. "I had to sneak into Manuko's room. All I could find was a scrunchie though..."
"It'll work."
I pulled Hao's incredibly long and annoying hair back and then looked at the Soul of Fire. "Stay."
He only nodded.
I cleared the cobwebs from around the crawlspace's entrance. "Well, here we go. Wish me luck- -I'm going to need it."
"Luck!" Shiro said happily.
I glared at him. "Not from you!"
"Sorry..."