I See Dead People
"Ghosts? Well I suppose I've seen enough weird ass things to believe in them." Rika said with a smirk on her face as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. She'd met a lot of strange people over the years too but she was pretty sure this was the first time someone had seriously asked that question and meant it. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. A lot of people don't and I suppose that's why they never see them, even when they're right in front of them. Since they're the type who need to see something to believe in it..well you can never really prove it to them, now can you?" Yoh said with a sweet, child like smile despite the fact that he was being rather philosophical at the moment. "But even though you say you believe in them you can't see my ghost which is right behind us either. The supernatural world is funny that way. Some people can see them only when the ghosts allow it, even if that person believes."
Blinking at him Rika raised an eyebrow then smirked at him. Most people wouldn't advertise that they saw dead people but apparently this guy was more then a little off his rocker. Not for believing in ghosts but for advertising that he did. In other words he was just asking to be sent off to the loony bin. He seemed harmless enough though and so Rika didn't see the harm in answering him honestly. Besides, she was starting to like him even if that made her a little off her rocker too. After all if given the choice she had no doubt no one would believe his word over hers so there was really no harm in giving her honest opinion. "Just because I can't see him doesn't mean I don't know he's there. There's another spirit that's been following us too but he came in with Jun. I may not be able to see them but I have a killer sixth sense."
"Really? That's great! The spirit behind us directly is Amidemaru and the one with Jun is Bailong." Yoh said, always thrilled to make another spiritual friend, especially one who got along with Anna. Anna didn't really have many female friends after all. "A strong sixth sense is always a good skill to have."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rika." Amidemaru said respectfully, having a feeling that she'd be able to at least hear him.
"Same goes." Rika said, surprised to find herself surrounded by people who seemed to all believe and see ghosts. About to comment on the fact that they were surprisingly open and talkative about the whole thing Rika opened her mouth then closed it as two figures came towards them. Here they went again, Rika thought as she braced for a fight.
)
"Well I see you found her. We can go home now." Ren Tao said with the faintest of sneers, raising an eyebrow slightly when he saw that his sister and their friends had been joined by an attractive redhead who watched him with old, purple eyes. There was something oddly familiar about her, something that made him think that she was more then what she seemed. This was a pretty face with a great deal of darkness just below the surface. Someone who'd known great pain and what it was to hold lives in her hands. Now what on earth was she doing here with them?
"Hey ya, Anna. Boy was Yoh ever worried about you. He was about ready to call on every ghost in the region to come help him look for you. Glad to see that you're alright. The guy would have had a mental breakdown if you weren't." Horohoro said with a grin as he sent Anna a happy thumbs up. "And who's your friend?" He added, coming closer to get a look, noticing absently that Yoh and Anna were holding hands. Score one for the engaged couple, Horohoro thought with a slightly wider grin before turning his attention to the attractive redhead. "Hi. I'm Horohoro, and you are?"
"Rika...nice to meet you too." Rika said thinking that this was getting kinda weird as she shook his hand carefully before withdrawing, sensing a great deal of power behind that grin though not nearly as much power at the one that stood slightly off to the side watching her quietly. He was obviously Chinese and around her height though he gave off an energy that made him seem bigger and stronger then he physically appeared to be. "Hi." Rika called out to him, nodding her head in acknowledgment which he returned though he didn't say anything.
"That's Ren, I'm afraid he doesn't talk much." Jun said as she sent Ren a questioning look. He wasn't what you'd call shy so why wasn't he joining them and acting like his usual icy self? Throw a couple of biting words Anna's way for running off? Was there something about this Rika person that was putting him off or was he just avoiding the chance of Yoh saying something stupid that would bring Anna's wrath down on everyone? "He's my younger brother and he's not what you'd call the most talkative type."
"No problem." Rika said with a shrug as they started walking again with Ren walking at his sister's side while Horohoro walked on his other. She wasn't much for talking either and there was something about this Ren guy that sent off warning vibes. She couldn't place it but she was starting to get the strangest feeling about him. Almost like she knew him from somewhere but didn't. In other words really screwed up vibes.
)
"So, Rika can we walk you somewhere?" Anna said as she spoke up for the first time since the other two had arrived. Her hand still in Yoh's she was pleased he hadn't removed it even though his male friends had joined them. That meant something, didn't it? "Like everyone's been saying tonight this isn't exactly the safest place to be, even for an ass kicker like you. It's no problem getting you somewhere or loaning you money for a cab."
"No, it's cool, but thanks for the offer, Anna. One of my idiot friends will be meeting me at the front gate of the park in ten minutes or so. There was an emergency order at the bakery where he works so I told him to get here when he could." Rika said with a shrug, imagining Takato would use her as an excuse to leave the bakery as soon as possible. Takato would much rather be driving his new car then kneading bread dough, Rika thought with a small smile, having a slight affection for the googlehead even if he was too nice and preppy for her tastes. "He'd get eaten alive here."
"Not much of a fighter huh?" Jun said with a knowing smirk, not at all surprised by the idea. Boys today were really such pathetic wimps. Their ancestors might not have known how to treat women right but at least they could actually themselves in a bad situation. Most men, boys really were all sissies. Normal boys anyway, Jun corrected as she glanced at the men currently in her company. Then again without their ghosts and over souls Jun would imagine some of these guys would be easily taken to the cleaners permanently or end up as someone else's ghost, Jun thought with a slight smirk. Her brother was likely the only one who could actually kick major ass alone if the need was there. "And there's that gate up ahead." Jun added as she pointed in front of them having just noticed it in the pale street lights near it.
"No he's not..at least not really. He's one of those guys that will put his whole heart into trying to though. A real jump into things without thinking hero type." Rika said with a smirk, fond of the idiot gogglehead though she wasn't ever going to admit it. "He'd get an A for effort anyway."
"Sounds like some guys we now." Yoh said with a laugh as they came to a stop by the rusty gate doors.
)
Talking about various things the large group had only been there for about two minutes before a car pulled up and a familiar figure came hopping out of the front with a curious and slightly cautious look on his face. "Uhmm..Rika?" Takato said hesitantly, taking in the odd group of people that was surrounding Rika. Not sure what was going on Takato's eyes narrowed when he settled on one of the guys then had to grin hugely when he placed the guy. "Horohoro! Hey ya, man! How's it hanging?" Takato said as he came over to exchange back slaps with the snowboarder. "Didn't catch you so much at the hills this year, where ya been?"
"Here and there, been doing some boarding all over the place. How ya doin, T man." Horohoro said with a wide grin then making the connection and remembering Rika's description had to grin. "You're a friend of Rika's huh?"
"Since we were kids but I didn't know you knew her." Takato said with a smile, pleased to see that Rika had been in good hands while he'd been getting here even if the other people looked find of weird. "That's so weird."
"Well I didn't know you knew him either. For that matter I just met him." Rika said with a roll of her eyes, typical Takato. "So how do you two know each other? Snowboarding?"
"You better believe it. You're friend here can really handle himself on those hills, let me tell you. He's almost as good as I am." Horohoro said with a grin then had to laugh when Takato argued that he was so much better it wasn't even funny. Soon the two were good naturedly insulting each other's techniques and boards while everyone watched with bemused looks on their faces. This was certainly unexpected.
)
"I don't understand half of what they're saying." Jun said with a raised eyebrow as the two chattered away in their own language it seemed. "Someone care to translate?"
"I don't speak snowboard, sorry." Rika said dryly as she shook her head at the whole thing. "Talk about weird too. I called two other people for that ride before I got Takato. Guess this was a fated meeting."
"Shouldn't we all be heading now that her ride is here?" Ren said coldly, speaking up for the first time as he stood there with his arms crossed looking none too pleased to be there. "I for one have better things to do."
"Like what? More training and reading?" Jun said dryly, well aware that her brother had nothing resembling a social life. "Fresh air won't kill you, Ren."
"As always your sarcasm falls flat, sister." Ren said icily, sending her a dark look through narrowed eyes. "If you've forgotten we aren't exactly in the most appropriate place to stand around and chat."
"Whoops, yeah, forgot." Horohoro said sheepishly as he caught Ren's last remark. "We should all be heading, huh? Oh wait but I've got to introduce everyone before we go."
"Well I think I know who most of them are from your descriptions, Horo." Takato said with a grin as he smiled at everyone. "I'm Takato by the way and the guy with the headphones would be Yoh right?" When Yoh grinned and called out a hello Takato continued. "Then the girl with you would have to be Anna and the guy in the Chinese clothing would be Ren. I'm sorry but I don't know who you are, miss." Takato said with a sorry look in Jun's direction.
)
"It's no problem. I'm Tao Jun but you can call me Jun. I'm Ren's older sister and it's a pleasure to meet you, Takato." Jun said with a welcoming smile that had Takato grinning back at her. He seemed like a harmless nice guy, rather like Yoh if he didn't have shamanic powers, Jun thought with a slight smirk.
"Nice to meet everyone." Takato said with a grin then turned to look at Rika questioningly, unsure what to do next since he didn't quite know what the situation was now. "Are we giving everyone a ride? I didn't know I needed to bring the bakery van."
"No, we don't need a ride but thanks for asking, Takato." Yoh said with his usual grin. "We don't live that far away and we were just staying here with Rika until you got here to make sure she got home safe."
"Oh, well in that case thanks for looking after her." Takato said with a grin. "She's pretty tough but there are things even she can't handle by herself even if she would never admit it."
"I am right here ya know." Rika said dryly as she sent Takato a you have no idea what you're talking about look. "And I handed the trouble Anna and I found just fine."
"Some guys were bothering you? Were they shamans?" Yoh demanded to know, looking Anna over with an edge of panic even though she seemed absolutely fine. "What happened? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"We're fine and it was just a few idiots who were looking for trouble and found it." Anna said with a surprised look, off balance at the show of concern for her well being. After all everyone usually assumed she was tough enough to handle anything that came her way. It was kinda nice to be worried over. "Trust me, they won't be causing any more trouble for a while now that Rika and I got through with them."
)
"Are we going to be haunted by their ghosts any time soon?" Horohoro asked dryly, able to imagine it easily enough. Anna was brutal when it came to laying out punishment and he didn't know anyone who didn't mentally cringe at the idea of pissing her off.
"Not any time soon, no." Rika said dryly, nothing about these guys surprising her anymore. Shamans, ghosts, nothing seemed to be too unusual for them to accept as fact.
"Well that's good since we have so many ghosts coming by the house already." Yoh said with a chuckle as he absently rubbed the back of his neck. "Well anyway I guess we should all be heading out before we find more trouble."
"Yup, guess so." Takato said with a shrug as he waved at them while Rika said her good byes. "Bye everyone and thanks again." Takato added before heading for his car and soon he and Rika were on their way, disappearing into the nightly shadows while the shamans, over souls and ghosts watched.
)
"Takato forgot to mention how utterly hot his friend Rika was. I mean damn!" Horohoro said as he whistled under his breath, elbowing Ren teasingly. "She even stole your voice away, huh, Ren? Never seen that happen before."
"You continue to impress me with the amazingly thoughtless and stupid drivel that comes out of your mouth, Horo." Ren said dryly as he shot Horo a look that said plainly he thought that the snow boarder was a complete idiot for even suggesting the idea. "Why don't you try something new and actually think before you speak."
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today." Horo said with a grin, use to Ren's attitude by now. "Either that or all that hair gel you use has finally solidified on your head and given you a major headache."
"Do I need to remind you how easily I can kill you, baka?" Ren said with narrowed eyes, his stance going slightly aggressive as he froze Horo with the force of his chilly gaze. "I'm sure there are plenty of places in this area where I could dump your useless corpse."
"Sometimes you just overwhelm me with your love and affection, Ren." Horohoro said with a smirk before shrugging the comment off. "So lets start walking huh?"
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Jun said as she set a controlling hand on Ren's shoulder before her little brother did something rash. He was in quite the mood after all. "I for one am ready for bed."
)
"Yeah, lets get going." Yoh said with a thumbs up as they started walking, Anna's hand still firmly in his. Walking for several blocks it took Yoh a little bit to realize that he and Anna were walking solo. Looking behind him he saw that everyone else was at least half a block away from them. "Boy, everyone else is sure slow tonight, huh?"
"So it would seem." Anna said quietly though mentally she was thinking that they were being slow deliberately. When someone walked as slow as Yoh it took effort to walk slower. "I appreciate the fact that you went looking for me." Anna added, a bit stiffly but at least she'd said it. "You didn't have to, you know."
"Well of course I did but you're welcome." Yoh said as he looked at her with faint surprise. She was always confusing him though so it really was nothing new. "I guess we'll have to get cell phones or something so that next time I can't find you I can just call you."
"You'd lose yours within a week." Anna pointed out dryly, shaking her head at him ruefully. She knew her Yoh, he was notorious for losing things that were even remotely expensive. He never lost his headphones or his favorite shirt but give him a watch and it was toast. "Either that or it would get broken during training or battle."
"Well since you're usually there when I'm training or battling I can just give it to you for save keeping until I'm done. Besides if you aren't there then Manta is." Yoh pointed out, for once talking sense. "And I wouldn't lose something that important."
)
"You've lost cell phones before, Yoh." Anna pointed out dryly, smirking at him slightly. There was very little she didn't know about him whether he realized it or not. "The last one you sat on the wrong way and busted it."
"Yeah but this would be the phone to use if you ever needed me." Yoh said, his face drawing into serious lines, thoroughly warming up to the idea now that he thought about it. "And then I wouldn't get scared like I was tonight when I didn't know what had happened to you. Next time you go off I'll know that you can reach me if you need me and that I can reach you...if I need you."