CHAPTER 3: The Favor
The Next Morning
Arthur's POV
I woke up and resisted the urge to groan from my aching stump and my body. I realized that something was lying on me. At first I thought it was Mystery, but the size was too big. Plus Mystery doesn't have arms. Also it's definitely not Vivi. She never sleeps with me.
I then raked my brain and remembered the events of the night before. Vivi, Mystery, and I came to a haunted mansion. We were greeted by a young female wraith and singing ghost. The wraith then took me away from my friends. While they were distracted.
I remember as she dragged me deep into the mansion. My fear increased the further we got from my friends. The Wraith giggled and I for some reason found it familiar like I should know the wraith, but I didn't get a chance to ask if I knew her.
When we entered a new room with another Wraith that I could tell was male. He was standing there, as if he was expecting us. Then…
Arthur: "Right, I found out that both of the missing Peppers. That I've been searching for the past few years are both dead. One I was forced to kill, the other had been my crush and I don't know how she died, but she had died before I could find her." I felt myself start crying.
Arthur: "I really am pathetic aren't I, crying here at what I did to my best friend and my crush and useless to do anything." I hadn't realized that I had spoken out my thoughts, until I felt my tears being gently wiped away with soft and warm hands.
???: "Arthur… You're not pathetic or useless, and it's not your fault for what happened to Lewis. You were possessed by a demonic spirit. No one would have been able to fight off a possession of a Demonic spirit." A soft voice spoke from next to me.
I was then hugged tightly by them. I opened my eyes and blinked as I let my eyes adjust to the person hugging me.
Once my eyes adjusted. I was able to recognize who was in bed with me. It was my crush Luna, she was in her human form. I felt my face heat up.
Arthur: "L-Luna what are you doing here?" I stammered out, she giggled softly.
Luna: "I was told that you were having night terrors every night since Lewis's death, and you haven't been able to get enough sleep. So I thought that sleeping with you would help and it did! You slept soundly all night, there were a few whimpers, but I was able to stop you from going into a full blown nightmare." Luna said, with a big smile.
I looked down in shame. Thinking that I kept her awake. I really am just a burden.
Arthur: "I'm sorry for keeping you up…" But I was cut off by a hard flick to my forehead.
Arthur: "Ow… what was that for?" I said, rubbing my forehead.
Luna: "It was cuz I heard what you were thinking, Arthur." I looked at her.
Arthur: "Why were you reading my thoughts?" I asked, she looked at me with a deadpan look.
Luna: "It's really hard not to. When you are thinking them so much. Plus I can't exactly control it. The best I can control it is by listening to one person or else I'll have to deal with hearing what everyone is thinking and that's a pain to deal with literally. I'll have a headache for a while." She explained, I thought about it before nodding seeing how it was the best solution.
Arthur: "I see, well what power allows you to read minds?" I asked, she looked at me.
Luna: "Telepathy and Empathy. Telepathy allows me to hear the thoughts of others. While Empathy allows me to both read and feel what emotions or moods other people are currently in. Like at the moment you are depressed, upset, distressed, sad, embarrassed, worried, and now surprised." She said, I looked at her in shock.
Arthur: "Well that's cool. You'll have to tell me about your powers some time." I said, she giggled at this.
Oh how I love her melodic and harmonical laugh. I didn't realize how much I had missed both her and her laughter.
Luna: "I missed you too, Arthur. Also Arthur, stop apologizing. As for keeping me up, you didn't. I don't really need to sleep, but I choose to. Tho I rest my eyes until I find something that requires my attention, like making sure you get your full rest." She said, I was silent for a moment before I chuckled.
Luna: "What are you laughing about?" Luna asked, I signed, as I looked at her with a small smile.
Arthur: "I forgot how childish you were." I said, Luna puffed out her cheeks in a pout, before she let out a sigh.
Luna: "Anyways, I've been here for almost 4 years now and Lewis has been here for about 2." She said, I looked at her with shock which immediately changed to realization.
Arthur: "Wait, you mean to tell me that you've been here since you died?!" I exclaimed, Luna just nodded.
Luna: "Yeah, I created this mansion a month after I had died and I trained with my powers. When Lewis decided to live with me he had added some of his powers to the mansion to allow weaker spirits to be drawn to it and ask for protection or become a Deadbeat." She explained, I nodded.
Arthur: "Those little colored ghosts, are known as Deadbeats?" I asked, she nodded and smiled.
Luna: "Yes, both me and Lewis have our own Deadbeats. I have 4 kinds and Lewis has 3 kinds. Would you like to know what they are?" Luna asked, I nodded and she smiled.
Luna's POV
I mentally called out for 4 of my Deadbeats one for each element I can use. They came out of my anchor chirping excitedly. Arthur yelped out in surprise at the 4 cute little Deadbeats.
Luna: "Arthur allow me to introduce you to my Deadbeats Dusk (), Snowbell (), Wave (), and Skylar (️). My Deadbeats are an extension of what elements I can use. Which are Shadows/Darkness, Ice, Water, and Air/Wind. I also have the ability to use flames and electricity a little, but they're not as powerful as Lewis's are." I said, Arthur looked at me with slight awe.
Arthur: "That's so Cool… so *hiss*." He released a pained hiss. I already knew what was going on, so I got up and went over to him and helped him sit up.
I sat behind him and added some soft pink flames mixed with my ice flames to my hands. Before I removed his shirt. I gasped at the scars on his back.
I could almost immediately tell that they were not done by accident. I could tell they were cause by a dream haunter. Most likely it was caused by what was left by Reverb.
( A/N: Dream haunters are ghosts or spirits, that haunt people in their sleep. So when they hurt you in your dreams, that when you wake up you'll have scars where you were hurt in your dreams.)
Arthur: "Luna what is it?" He asked, instead of answering.
I added some of my regeneration to the flames to give them some healing properties. I then started messaging his shoulders, his back, and his stump.
I then had him lay on his stomach and I started popping his bones.
Arthur: "Ohohoh… right there, yeah. *pop* ahhh yeah…" He released a content sigh, as I continued to pop his back.
When I was done doing that. I started giving him electric and flame therapy to help relieve him of his aches and pains all over his body.
He had fallen asleep while I was doing this with a relaxed and peaceful look on his face. When I was finished I looked at the time and was surprised that it was just past 8:30 a.m.
Lewis normally wakes up at this time and starts preparing breakfast. I smiled and looked at Arthur's sleeping form. I then left, leaving Dusk to watch over my King.
Once I had finished getting ready. I flew down to the kitchen and found it empty except for Mystery who had just trotted in.
Luna: "Morning Mystery. Where's Wiss?" I asked, Mystery held back a laugh.
Mystery: "Vivi has him trap and he doesn't want to wake her." He said, I giggled.
Luna: "I should have known he would sleep with her." I said, before I released a sigh of concern as I remember Arthur's back.
Mystery noticed this and came over to me. He looked at me.
Mystery: "What's wrong Luna?" I thought for a moment before nodding deciding it would be best to tell Mystery what I had found.
Luna: "Mystery did you know that Arthur had been being Dream Haunted?" I asked, Mystery eyes widened in shock.
Mystery: "No, I didn't. I only knew that he was having night terrors. But I didn't noticed any marks that would have told me that he was being Dream Haunted. Unless…" I finished for him.
Luna: "Arthur hid them from sight or the demon was smart enough to make the marks where no one would see or notice them." I said grimly, Mystery nodded with a grim expression on his face.
We were quiet for a while before I decided to change the subject.
Luna: "Aside from that, I have some questions for you Mystery and I appreciate it if you answer them honestly." I said, he gave me a nervous nod.
Mystery: "I try my best to answer them, as long as they aren't to personal, that is." He said, I nodded.
Luna: "That's understandable. My 1st question is what is your name and titles." I asked, Mystery sighed.
Before he transformed into his true form all 7 tails flowing majestically behind him and he held himself up straight and posed as if he was speaking to royalty.
Mystery: "I am, Shiroi Yuki Yukino, Protector and Guardian of the Yukino family. Guardian of Fate, Loyalty, Luck, Honesty, Honor, Justice, and Winter. The Seven Tails. The Lucky Fox. Magic Trainer/Teacher. Keeper of Balance. Ruler of The Light and Darkness Yokai Realm. Heir to the Kitsu Realm, and Prince of all Kitsu." He finished, I bowed to him and waited for him to give me permission to rise.
Mystery: "You may rise, Luna Fayetteville Pepper, Wraith of Shadows, Ice, Water, Air, and Plants. Pink Bounty Hunter. Former Shadow and Plant Witch. Now Matrien of Shadows and Queen of all Plant Life." I immediately raised and looked at Mystery in confusion.
Luna: "Plants? I don't remember having a affiliation with plants." I said, Mystery chuckled.
Mystery: "It was a gift from my sister Sakura. The Six Tails. Guardian of Spring, Love, Beauty, Life, Hope, and Family. She and myself also gave you the ability to control and calm Yokai that are related to or are close to any elements you can currently use." He said, my eyes widen at hearing this.
Mystery: "Also I have a huge favor to ask from you, that only you can fulfill. If you achieve it I'd be in debt to you just like I am to the Yukino family." Mystery said, bowing his head to the floor.
I walked over to him and placed a hand on his head and scratched him behind the ear. Mystery's tails wagged excitedly at the scratching. I smiled as I patted his head. Gaining his attention.
Luna: "Mystery… I can still call you that, right? *Mystery nods* I'll accept your request to help you, but I need to know what it is you need from me." I said, Mystery nodded and raised up, then returned back to his dog form.
Mystery: "I'm grateful you accepted my request." He said, as he took a deep breath as he made a picture appear of a Zombie Plant Yokai holding what appears to be a red Lotus flower in her hand.
Mystery: "This is my mate. Yes, I know it's weird. Tho we love each other. Her name is Shiromori. She became a yandere, after I was made the protector of the Yukino family."
Mystery: "She had often killed female members of the Yukino family household. If I didn't stop her. I tried to get her to see reason, but she never listened. In the end I was forced to chase her off. She continues to chase me even now…"
3rd Person POV
A green arm with an eye on the palm of the hand appears from the side of a cave entrance. When red petals flew by landing on the ground in front of the cave.
Then a white bonsai tree broke out from the ground in front of the cave's entrance. The arm noticed this, and when a head of a woman appears. The possessed arm ran off, but it was noticed by the tree lady.
Mystery: "I can feel her getting closer to finding me."
But she ignored it and emerged from the ground and entered the cave. Taking the upcline path, when she got to the end. She held her hand out and watched as a red Lotus grew, but soon wilted and turned to dust.
The tree lady grew angry and slammed the side of her fist into the side of the cave.
Lady: "God damn it! Another dead-end. Why do you have to make this so hard my Yuki. I miss you so much it hurts." She starts to tear up, but growls and throws down the remaining dust from the lotus from her fist.
She then started to make her way to leave. Suddenly a pink mist floats up from the spikes below and gains her attention.
Mystery: "And when she does."
As a flower with purple and magenta petals sprouts in the same hand, she used to make the red lotus appear in.
Mystery: "I'll need you to stop her."
The lady grinned a freakish smile. As she could feel a connection to her target and this spirit, no wraith.
Mystery: "But don't kill her, please.
She blew the flower and the petals flew off into the direction of the source. She dived underground following the petals.
Mystery: "Unless you don't have any other choice."
The arm noticed this and it's eye shown with amusement and madding glee. It followed after the tree lady.
Luna's POV
Mystery: "I trust that you understand my request." I nodded, and immediately took a knee.
Luna: "I understand and I accept your request, Lord Shiroi Yuki of the Light and Darkness Realm." I said, Mystery chuckled, I felt his nose butted against my forehead.
Mystery: "As a small reward for accepting my selfish request I gift you a new power. It's called Shadow Clones. It originally needed chakra to be able to use, but I was able to adjust it to use mana of a shadow user." Mystery said, as I felt the new power merge with my shadow powers and I received the information on the new power.
Shadow Clones are clones that are exact copies of the user. They have the ability to think and act on their own. They will address the original as either Boss or Mistress depending on the gender of the user. They are able to send the user the memories and experiences when they dispel.
Depending on the size of the user's mana pool. Will determine how many clones the user can make. The larger the user's mana pool is the larger amount of clones the user can make. The clones can also dispel if they take too much damage.
This power used to be used with chakra. It was 1 of 5 signature moves that was used by the ninja war hero named, Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki, in the Nindo period. The other four were Rashingan, Harashin, Chakra Chains, and Kyubi Cloak/Nine-Tails Cloak.
To activate the spell make a two finger cross seal and pour your mana into your lungs and throat and say "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu".
I blinked at the detailed information. I then smirked at the potential of this power. I made the hand seal and poured my mana into my lungs and throat. Then I spoke the spell.
Luna: "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu." I said, there was a puff sound.
Mystery's POV
My jaw dropped at the amount of clones that appeared and I looked at the original Luna and saw she wasn't even tired.
How the hell was she able to make over 5,000 clones on her 1st attempt of the jutsu. I remember my grandfather Karuma saying that Naruto had made more than 1,500 Shadow clones on his 1st try of the jutsu. It might have to do with it using mana instead of chakra.
Luna: "Alright I want 3,000 of you to hide outside a mile within the mansion. Dispel if you see something unusual, so the myself and the others can get the information. I want 5 to stay with me and help me with breakfast. I want 750 of you to look for and capture Arthur's possessed arm it will be a venomous green color and will most likely have a eye on it. I want 725 of you to go look for Shiromori also keep an eye out for flower petals in the air. See if you can redirect them to a trap to capture her. Mystery we'll need some of your blood for the Trap. The rest I want you to go to the following places, The Pepper Paradiso, Kingsmen Mechanics, The Kitsu Shrine, The hospital, The Yukino family household, and My ex's house home. You all know what to do." She said, we watched as almost all of her clones disappeared.
I handed blood bags to the ones who were making a trap for Shiromori. Once they left I watched as Luna and her clones were cooking everyone's favorite breakfast and they made sure to make plenty of extra servings for me and Vivi.
When she was almost done I decided to use a bit of my magic to carry the delicious scent throughout the mansion to wake up the others.