Okay, before I get on with the chapter, I just want to point out the last chapter (chapter 4) got more reviews than all the other chapters so far. That either means more people are starting to read this story, or people who haven't been reviewing are, and either of those was enough to make me smile.

Even though this is probably the fastest I've ever posted a chapter, I don't want to keep you waiting, so read on!

That afternoon, Garu was back at his own house for the first time that day. All was silent, save for the wind blowing outside, and the ninja was practicing his swordplay (as he usually did this time of day). His eyes were closed as he moved through his memorized routine with amazing fluidity, and it seemed to him that nothing could disturb him.

But, of course, something did.

In the middle of the sequence, Garu heard something scratching at his door. At first, he thought it was the wind and ignored it. However, as it persisted, he began to worry; what with how his day had been going so far, it could be anything.

Garu raised the sword he was already holding, preparing to battle if necessary. As for whatever was at the door, it stopped scratching, and from the other side came a faint meow.

Garu lowered his sword and sighed, both with relief and with amusement at his own overreaction.

Oh, Mio, he thought as he dropped his sword and crossed the living room to the front door. He slid it open and looked down to find his loyal cat sitting on the porch, his eyes gleaming slightly in the darkness. Mio scampered into the house, running straight into the kitchen, and Garu closed the door behind him.

As he followed Mio into the kitchen, Garu wondered where he had been off to this time. He wasn't worried; after all, Mio had been gone for more than one day before, but that didn't stop him from wondering.

Maybe, he thought, Mio left because he sensed… No, I'm not going to think about it. Besides, it's over now.

Garu looked down at Mio, who was now tearing through his food bowl as if he hadn't eaten all day. He chuckled to himself, surprised by just how alike they could be sometimes. He then decided to leave him to his meal, and returned to the living room to finish his training.

A few hours later, after Garu and Mio had both had dinner, Garu lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking. He thought about all of the ways Shaman's spell could have gone wrong, and about how much Tobe was going to enjoy controlling him for a week, but most of all, he thought about the ghost. Before, Garu had repressed the image from his mind, but now, after it had all blown over, he couldn't help but notice how familiar he looked. He was certain he had seen his face before, heard his voice perhaps, but he couldn't place where.

Mio meowed, breaking the silence, as if he had sensed Garu's frustration. When Garu looked down to find him sitting on the floor by his bed, the cat hopped up onto his chest and lay down there, purring loudly. He smiled as he stroked his beloved cat, closing his eyes and feeling completely at peace.

Several euphoria-filled minutes later, Garu opened his eyes and slowly took his hand off of Mio, and the warmth and peace left him as a chill ran down his spine. At that moment, all that had happened that day seemed to hit him all at once, and Garu became very tired. He didn't try to stay awake; he let his eyes close, instantly drifting into his dreams.

The air was still and the sun was high in the field where Garu stood. The green grass grew up past his ankles, stained in some places with patches of bright red.

Garu himself was wearing a black ninja jumper, complete with headband, waistband, and, of course, a mask. He didn't know how he got there, but that didn't matter; all that mattered now was fighting, and winning. Staying alive was optional.

He looked ahead of him and saw three white ninjas running at him. He instinctively jumped over them, landing behind them and sweeping his foot beneath them to trip them. While they were down, he took their swords and pinned them to the ground. He decided not to kill these ones; instead, he walked away, leaving them there to struggle.

He continued fighting like this for several minutes, merely immobilizing or disarming (and sometimes incapacitating) his opponents, until ninjas stopped coming near him. He was walking through the field looking for more challengers when he heard someone talking behind him. He didn't care to eavesdrop and was about to walk away, when another voice caught his attention.

"Why should I believe you? You are my enemy!"

Garu gasped; it was his father's voice. He turned around and saw two ninjas, a black and a white, facing each other. The black ninja, his father, stared coldly at the white with intense fury, while the white ninja had his back to Garu.

"Please, Mato," the white ninja said. "If you'll just listen-"

"I'm tired of listening to your lies. And how dare you still speak to me as if we're friends!"

"But we are friends! Mato, you have to believe me; don't you recognize me?

"I see only a ninja with no heart and no honor who doesn't deserve to live!" At that moment, Mato took out his sword, and with no warning, stabbed it right through the white ninja's chest.

Garu looked away quickly and flinched in pain as he began to feel it, too. He felt intense pain, as if the cold metal of the sword had cut open his chest and pierced his heart, and he even felt his clothes become wet with blood, even though when he looked down, he saw nothing there. His eyes squinted shut as he clutched his invisible wound, when he heard Mato gasp. He looked up just in time to see his father running in the other direction, the white ninja's mask now thrown on the ground.

Garu walked over to where the lifeless ninja lay. He didn't know whether he wanted to see his face, but he forced himself to look…

He, too, gasped when he saw him. The blood that had stained his clothes was already gone, and the wound on his chest had somehow been stitched together. But what surprised him most was his face.

Garu had seen the exact same ninja in his house that morning.

"Excuse me?" he heard his father say. Garu turned around to meet his eyes, which lit up as he saw him. At first, he thought he was glad to see him, but then he saw Mato had raised his sword, and in the next instant, he felt the cold steel against his neck. The last thing he saw was the reflection of his own eyes in the blade, which, to his horror, had somehow become slitted…

Garu's eyes flew open as he jerked upright in bed. He breathed heavily; he was terrified by the dream, but even more terrified of the new and horrible realization it had given him.

Shaman's spell had failed.

And now the ghost was inside of him.

You're right, although, I'd appreciate it if you called me by my real name, Botan.