Yay! The beauty of reviews! Thank you, Helene-Jeanne-Chibi, for reviewing- and reminding me the miniature tombstone thingy is called a memorial tablet. Big Amidamaru plushie for you! Okay, on to Chapter 3! And I do not own any living or spirit people in Shaman King, 'kay? 'Kay!
Chapter 3
Little Games
Manta came to the Asakura homestead the next day just in time to see Shiori begin her training. Instead of the usual menial household chores, Anna had assigned Shiori a long list of...good deeds. That annoyed Shiori even more than the chores, so Anna was satisfied.
Shiori's first task was to reunite a lonely ghost haunting the park with his true love. Yoh and Manta accompanied her, much to her added annoyance. Shiori silently listened to the ghost relate his story through tear-filled eyes. "I've loved Naoko since daycare...and when she accepted me, I was the happiest man alive...then came that fateful night. I heard her scream and I ran as fast as I could...but it was too late. Naoko had gotten mugged, and when she resisted..." The ghost's voice broke, and he had to swallow, tears running down his face. "The gist of it I lost her. My darling, beautiful Naoko was gone forever. I couldn't live without her, so I took my own life a week later." He looked up at them hollowly. "And I've been haunting this park ever since, searching for her soul so we can be together again...but I never find her."
"Man, that's harsh," said Manta. Lin wiped away a tear from her eye. "That's so terribly, romantically sad..." she said in a tremulous voice.
Shiori looked at them, then at the ghost. Finally she exhaled derisively and said, "Oh, please."
Everyone stared at her in disbelief. (picture sweatdrops here) The ghost was aghast. "How can you say that?! Naoko was my one and only true love!" he hiccupped.
"Well, I certainly don't know what she saw in you. You're an idiot."
The ghost became quite offended. "Look, little girl, can you help me or not?!!"
"Only because I have to." Shiori's gaze darkened dangerously. "And if you refer to me as 'little girl' one more time, I will place one of my favorite curses on you and rearrange your spiritual form so that your intestines protrude out of your forehead and your ear is a festering boil on your tongue."
"She's kidding, right?" Manta whispered to Yoh.
"No. I've seen her do it lots of times." Yoh grinned. "Even to living people." Manta looked sick. So did the ghost, who shrunk back and said meekly, "Yes, ma'am."
Shiori stood and touched the ghost's forehead, her hand giving oscanned the horizon. "What are you-"said the ghost. Lin put a hand on his shoulder. "Shiori is concentrating," she said quietly.
Finally Shiori sighed and rolled her eyes. "I thought so," she said. "I could hear both of your caterwauling the whole night last night all the way from Asakura's house, and it's five blocks away."
The ghost stared at her. "Both...?"
"I'm sensing a spirit aura that matches the description I took from your memories. Naoko is here. Not that far away, in fact." She began to walk towards the bridge. "This way." Everyone followed Shiori until they came to a small dark clearing. A ghost girl was on her knees with her head in her hands, sobbing quietly. Shiori looked at her gravely. "Stop crying and stand up, Naoko."
Naoko looked up at Shiori, her cheeks wet with tears. "Who are you? How can you see me? And how do you know my name?"
"My name is Shiori. I am a shaman. And your idiotic boyfriend has been crying his eyes out because he can't find you." At that moment, the rest of the crowd came running to the scene, including the boy ghost. His eyes filled with joy. "Naoko!"
Naoko stared at him, then she beamed, tears falling down her cheeks anew. "Shuichi...!" she breathed. They ran- or floated, really- to each other and locked in a tight embrace. "Oh, Shuichi, I've been searching for you for so long!" said Naoko.
"But I've been searching for you too!" said Shuichi. "I've never left this park!"
"What? Neither have I!"
Shuichi looked troubled. Then he smiled. "Well, both of us never had any sense of direction, remember?"
"Yeah..."said Naoko, fondly recalling the memories. "Remember how we always got lost in museums?"
"And shopping malls?"
"And the supermarket?" They both laughed, then sighed contentedly, holding hands.
"I changed my mind," said Shiori. "The two of you are perfect for each other." "How strange," said Amidamaru, materializing. "They must have just kept missing each other in this park all this time." "What are the odds of that?" said Manta. "I'm just glad this has a happy ending," said Lin, smiling. Yoh turned to Shiori. "Those two would've probably never gotten back together if not for you? Doesn't that make you warm and fuzzy inside?"
Shiori gave him a fake insanely happy smile. "Yes, it does." She burped. "Oh, wait, it's just heartburn."
I'll end it here. This is turning out to be more funny than serious right now, but it will get darker towards the end. It will have a happy ending, though, I promise. Keep reading and PLEASE REVIEW!
