Soulless Ones

Chapter 2

Meeting The Cover

"Mm?" He blinked at them with now cleared eyes. "Your dream?" He took a second to lift the rest of himself from under the covers, revealing his green PJs with the yellow and light purple belly pattern. He looked around to see it was his room. His normal yellow walled room. He then closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate only to discover he could not fly or change shape. "I like my dreams better Luwy-san…" He mumbled disapprovingly.

"Mm, right…" The once blue haired teen frowned at the green haired child. "My name is Ludwig actually and zis is my younger bruder, Lemmy." He motioned to the other that was currently playing with a soccer ball. "Ve apologize for ze rude awakening…"

"Brood-er? Does that mean you're related? Lude-wig-san, do you know Gachapin? Are you related to him too?" He sat on his knees and leaned to get a better look. He almost forgot his polite mannerisms he was taught so he hurried his own introduction out. "I'm Ryuto but everyone just calls me Gacha."

"Sorry, but most certainly not. I don't know any Gachapin, Ryuto." He seemed off-put by the large curious, innocent eyes as he backed away. "And it is pronounced Lood-Vig."

"But…You look just like him, but small, like my stuffed toy."

"Your…toy?" He did the equivalent of raising an intrigued brow.

"Yeah. It's-." He began to look around only to seemingly come up empty. "I, I always have him right here…"

"Do have a toy zat looks like him too?" He said as he pointed to the yeti. He already knew the answer but was still coming to the realization of what it meant.

"Yeah, Mukku." The child tilted his head, reaching the same conclusion. "So you did come alive, but you're not Gachapin? Who are you? Are all of my toys alive now?" He looked around for the closest thing, a figure of a creature from his favorite TV show and held it gently in his hands. "Hm, Greymon? Can you talk too?"

"Eh?" Ludwig shook his head. "I'm sorry to inform you zat ve are to be ze only two. Ve are not zis 'Gachapin' and 'Mukku' you speak of. Ve-."

"Gacha?" A man's voice came from through the door. "Are you up already?" The handle of the door began to turn.

"Ah!" Ludwig's eyes widened (Not much considering his current body) as his mind raced, finally deciding the best option would be to go limp.

The door opened to reveal a tall, thin man in red pajama bottoms and red rimmed, red tinted glasses. He had short pink hair, eyes that had red irises, and a kind warm smile. "Where you going on an adventure with your trusty pal?" He said with a giggle noticing the bipedal creature the boy was still holding.

"Uh, Papa…I, I guess-."

"Wow mister, you're so tall!" A very confused and curious look appeared on his face as he turned to the creature in the corner sitting on the ball. "You're about the tallest human I've seen! Like that one purple guy."

"Did, did that come from you little guy?" There was a barely detectable shake in his voice.

"Who else?"

"Lemmy…" The other growled. He should have known he wouldn't follow along so easily. He closed his eyes as he pinched the space between them. "Vhy do I even bozer?"

"Spirits?" Matsu said under his breath. "Gacha, come here, now." He had a look of the upmost seriousness.

"O-OK."

"I assure you ve mean no harm." Ludwig knew once he grabbed a hold of the boy they would be gone and they couldn't risk getting too much attention. For all he knew what ever attacked the castle could still be looking for them. "Bitte, ve have no ozer place to go."

"Yeah, we don't really play with humans unless they're plumbers!"

"You're not helping Lemmy!" He growled before turning to the two humanoid males. They were paused at the door frame, a good sign. "Just let me explain. Ve didn't have much of a choice."

"Why are you here?"

"Maybe it's Ojiichan! Um, well, what was his name? Besides Ojii?"

"Your grandfather was more like the Mukku one then him…"

"I should have known it vould be Japan…Wunderbar." He grumbled. "I haven't been here since I vas four…"

"Then how did you get here and what are you exactly?" He held up Ryuto protectively.

"How did we get here?" Lemmy tilted his head. "The last thing I remember was everyone in the tomb…"

"Then you are spirits then?"

"Not in ze sense your zinking of Mr.-Uh."

"Matsupoid."

"They're Bruders Papa." Ryuto stated with helpful intent.

"Brothers?" Matsu had a look of sympathy. "That's unfortunate for both of you but at least you have each other in this difficult time."

"Ve're not dead."

"I'm sure it may seem that way at first but, you have to realize-."

"Hu-, er, Matsupoid, trust me, I know more about zis zan you." He stated firmly. "Ve are not nor vere ve ever part of your species. Perhaps ze closest ve have come is in appearance alone as disguise."

That statement earned him an even more suspicious look but at least they were convinced he was worth listening to. He started to mentally gauge how much he should keep to himself. There was only so much anyone could take in one go, human or not.

"And you can't disguise yourself now because…?"

"No wands." Lemmy chimed eagerly as he stood on the ball with his perfect sense of balance intact.

"Somezing viz a great amount of power attacked us, attacked our home…And in turn triggered a sort of unpredictable defense mechanism in our veapons, our vands, to protect us. At least zat's vhat I believe happened anyvay…I don't remember much..."

"So once you find your wand you'll return to normal?" Ryuto couldn't help but find this sounding like a show he would watch on TV.

"It vould be a good start, but ve vouldn't be back to normal. Ve still vouldn't have our bodies. I'm not entirely sure vhy but ze mechanism somehow vent vrong and transported only our souls, vich leads to our current predicament. Since our souls did not have bodies ve had to find vessels to house us before we did expire, permanently."

"Something took your bodies?" Matsu couldn't help but buy it. Besides seeming very sincere the story didn't sound like something that one could just think up on the spot. "And you need a temporary body to keep you alive?"

"Most likely, I can't zink of a more reasonable explanation…" He sighed as he rubbed the top of his head and then mumbled. "If only I could find 'Him'. He vould be able to confirm my suspicions for sure."

"What do you want from us?"

"Nozing, you didn't ask for zis ve don't expect any zing from you…Except, perhaps, keep our secret…Not zat any one in zis 'Human Vorld' vould believe your story anyvay. It's just possible if you do say some zing it vould attract our assailant and I doubt vhat ever it vas vouldn't have too much problem adding two more victims to its list. I'm sorry, but trusting us is ze best chance you have right now.

"…Alright…Maybe you can stay until you find your…Wands. You'll be fine then, right?"

"Yay!"

"Ja, Danke. You're doing us a great courtesy."

"Hold on now. I have to tell my wife first before we fully agree on this."

"Vife?...Zat is vise, I suppose…She's not a screamer, is she?"

"Um, No." Ryuto and Matsu glanced at each other before responding at the same time.

"Great! Where is she?" Lemmy looked out to the hall for any sign of life.

"She's supposed to be coming home today from a trip."

"Watch out for Kami-Chan!"

"Who?" Ludwig looked at the boy with questioning glance as he walked out into the upstairs hall.

"Kaminari, She's our-." There was a loud succession of thuds and light scratching of heavy feet before a large beast of a dog resembling a Bernese Mountain breed climbed up the stairs eagerly to greet them.

"Puppy!"

"Vhat a majestic beast, it's been so long since I've seen one…" Matsu had to double take the sight of Ludwig smiling even as the beast's wet nose investigated. He merely chuckled in his deep laugh and petted her lovingly. "For ze love of ze Stars I hope Wolfgang is alright…"

He felt a wave of guilt as he realized he left his own pet behind. He couldn't bear to see the poor little thing attempt to defend itself against such a deadly foe, an enemy he could not even properly identify. He was only able to see the puppets and what it did to his father. He tried to convince himself everything will be fine and ended it by burying the terrible thoughts with the prime objective; blending in as well as an animated stuffed animal can.

"You should get dressed Gacha. We have to pick up a few things before Ryouko-Chan gets home so we'll be leaving soon."

"OK Papa." The boy ran off into his room to retrieve his clothes and bag. The man also left to the hall bathroom where he had already placed his choice of clothes.

Ludwig lightly pushed the animal away forcing her to turn her attention to Lemmy. He saw this as an opportunity to scout the house and see what it had to offer. The top floor consisted of the hall that was their current position. The area around the stairs was open enough to see the lower hall. There were five rooms on the second floor; the bathroom Matsu was in, Ryuto's bedroom, Matsu and he assumed this Ryouko woman's room, and what appeared two bedrooms all of which were decently sized and roomy.

The bottom floor was slightly bigger. The hall started at the front door as a room with a small area to sit and a place to neatly organize shoes and outerwear. The room ended at the stairs but the hall continued around it to the end of the house and forming to a traditional dining room along most of the length of the house with a foldable wall to the outside. Next to that was the kitchen that connected to the living room. It was the biggest in the house, the second being the back dinning room. There was also a down stairs bathroom and another bathroom split between the guest rooms. Pictures of people and landscapes of either snowcapped mountains or cherry blossoming trees decorated the walls and side tables. He didn't dare look at them beyond a glance for fear of feeling like he was snooping. Unlike his sister he did not like being too nosy.

Ludwig slid open the living room doors to see if there was anything of interest inside. There were a few comfy chairs arranged around a TV, a book shelf, a desk with a laptop, and then-. He instantly lit up at the corner of the room consisting of a few instruments including a black grand piano.

"Ah, just vhat I need." He said as he passed everything else without hesitation. He was anxious for some stress relief. Lemmy in the meantime was content with juggling a few small items he picked up around the room as Kaminari spectated. The poor boy liked his brother's music but his hands were difficult to keep still at times and this was the usual way of calming them.

"Ugh. Ngh." It took one or two clanks and tinks, but after getting used to his new fingers the air filled with a soothing sound that danced about them. He closed his eyes to shy away the outside. To drive away the doubt. To hide the guilt he felt for failing his siblings. He needed to clear his mind and think of a solution. He was playing for a while before the door slid open again.

"You play extremely well." His eyes remained closed as Matsu spoke to him. He was now wearing a red coat with white circles on the upper arm, an electrical pad over the heart of the coat and the left bottom half sleeve being black with a thin green screen and three orange buttons under that, white gloves, red bowtie, yellow and orange stripped socks, a white shirt, a black belt with a glowing green rectangle in the middle, brown dress pants, and his red knitted hat with an orange fluff at the top and two white circles near the bottom facing the front one with an X the other having a triangular swirl.

"Zere is nozing more beautiful zan a vell tuned instrument nor is zere anyzing more powerful zan a vell constructed melody."

"It sounds so pretty." Ryuto watched Ludwig's fingers skip upon the ivory like it was as simple as breathing and for Ludwig it was.

He wore a black T-shirt with a print of a wolf like creature with blue stripped silver and white fur with what looked like bits of fur coming from around the head, three from each shoulder, and three more from each upper area from the back leg complete with a long lightly twirled tail. He also wore knee length cargo shorts and light purple and yellow stripped socks.

"Zank you, Ryuto, it's nice to hear zat."

"I should start making something for breakfast…" Matsu stated as he glanced at the wall clock. "You do eat, right?"

"Let's hope I still do. I am getting a little hungry…" He felt some relief at the realization that hunger meant he was certainly not dead and hopefully the others weren't either, wherever they were…

Author Note

That's one way to distract him...The other being chocolate.