Good
Morning. This story is sorta a sequel to No Shaman Required. I had this story sitting on the harddrive of my old computer for a few months and then I decided to finish it. I hope it makes sense.
Also, I want you to know that
this is the very first time I tried to write from the first person's point of
view. Do I sound Mosuke-ish enough? Please let me know if I did okay,
alright?
One Night's Ghostly Contemplation
A Shaman King short-fic
By Niki 'NeeP' Paradis
I would like to tell you a
story.
My name is Mosuke and I am, ah,
I mean I was a sword-smith. I was
brutally killed over six hundred years ago while trying to keep a promise to my
friend. It took a long time but I was
able to finally keep my promise with a help of a young shaman by the name of
Asakura Yoh, and I was able to rest in peace.
But this isn't the story that
I want to tell.
Many things have happened
since I have finished the sword, Harusame with the help of Asakura Yoh. I was dragged back to this world by a trio of
exorcists, bound and sent to possess another boy by the name of Oyamada Manta, who
was the best friend of Yoh. Things were
straightened out soon enough, but because of everything that had happened, I
was unable to find my way back to the final peace. But with the help of my friends, I was able
to find my peace on Earth.
Currently I reside in an
interesting technological wonder called a notebook computer. Or you could say that I haunt Manta's
laptop. Heh. I am aware that seems to be a bit odd,
especially since a tool like a blacksmith's hammer and something as advanced as
Manta's machine are technologically worlds apart. But Manta came up with an idea that my old
hammer and his computer are both important tools of their respective times.
It's night now, and as a
ghost, I don't require sleep. As I drift
around the spacious room that I find myself in, I ponder over my current situation,
and that of one other.
The room in question is very
large, larger than any of the rooms in my ungrateful former lord's manor. There is a large shelf along one wall, filled
with books, which have replaced scrolls a long time ago. Against another wall, there is a television
set, which is sort of like the computer but mostly used for entertainment. There is a large table or desk under a huge
window. The laptop is resting on this
along with more books and other papers, which I am unable to read --yet. The window is open, allowing the night air
in. There is a large bed against the
fourth wall. This bed is different than
the futons that I have seen at Asakura's En Inn. It does look comfortable though. But like I said, I don't need to sleep.
The boy, Manta, is asleep in
the middle of this huge bed. He has much
to do with what I need to think about this night.
My true friend, Amidamaru, is
the spirit partner to Asakura Yoh, who is, as I said, a shaman. The two of them have been working together
for some time now. The things that they
can do together are amazing.
I have met other spirits and
their shaman partners as well. Like
Bason, a Chinese warlord from a different time than mine and Amidamaru's. I have also been impressed with what he and
his partner, Tao Ren can do together. I
admit that I am jealous. Heh.
There are others still. I have met the Ainu, Horohoro and Kororo, his
leaf-sprite partner. I have met the
dark-skinned Chocolove, and his cougar spirit, Mick. There is also the poppy spirit, Morphine, and
her quiet shaman partner, Lyserg. Um,
who else..? Ah, Tao Jun and her kyonshi,
Pyron Lee. There are others, but I
cannot remember them all.
All of these people are
friends of Yoh and Amidamaru. In fact,
practically all of the mortal friends of young Yoh are shamans... All, except for Manta...
I have talked to various
spirits on the topic of shamans, and I have received plenty of information of
the subject. However, the one thing that
everyone was able to agree on was that Shamanism isn't something that can be
picked up overnight. It involves a lot
of intense training which would begin at an early age. They also said that normal humans usually
cannot see ghosts at all.
I didn't know all this at the
time when the young shaman boys were fighting the evil Hao and his great Spirit
of Fire. Yoh was unconscious at the time
and his team mates had believed him to be dead, and thus they were attacking
Hao and his shikigamis (paper doll demons) without any plan and only revenge in
all of their hearts. So when I suggested
to Manta that we should work together to catch the attention of his friends, I
was unaware of the risk that I would be putting the boy through.
We performed an Oversoul,
using Manta's laptop. It was in the
shape of an unusual looking hammer, but very powerful. Together we were able to knock the shikigamis
senseless long enough for Manta to talk sense into his friends. He just needed to get their attention and I
guess by the blank and disbelieving looks that the boys were giving him --at us
both! --I'd say that he had succeeded. The
others had known, deep inside, that Manta should not be able to do what he did
do with me. But he had managed to prove
them wrong. My partner at the time then gasped
out his warning to the others about not losing their heads and then fainted
from overexertion. But it worked.
I have been told afterwards by
the others that Manta shouldn't have been able to perform an Oversoul. They said that it should have killed him, as
he was just a normal human being. They
have also said that Manta shouldn't have been able to be possessed by me, way
back when I was forced to come back to this world to do that very thing.
Strange...
Maybe there is more to the boy
than what others think.
And in the last couple of
days, this same boy, who isn't a shaman, helped a ghost finish her mission and
rest in peace. Last night, with the
others, I listened to Manta's recounting of the events of the previous few
days. Apparently the final parting
between Manta and the ghost priestess, Misa, was not a happy one.
Poor kid...
Then the girl, Anna, suggested
that Manta could probably be a shaman if he wished it. Amidamaru and Yoh both applauded the idea,
saying that Manta would do very well.
But he protested and said that he wouldn't do very well at all. Anna then pointed out that Manta has already
performed Soul Integration and Oversoul, both very advanced techniques and
beyond the ability of a normal human.
Then the young hellion girl stated that if Manta was planning to remain
friends with Yoh, then he better learn how to defend himself from those who
would use him against Yoh and his quest to become Shaman King. Yoh protested against such a harsh demand and
Manta simply said that he would have to think about it.
Which brings me back to what I
need to think about this evening.
If Manta should decide to
become a shaman, he would then need a partner ghost. And because I have worked with him
previously, I suppose that I would be the most logical candidate for the
position.
Hah, that's funny. Me being logical about anything... If I was a logical person, I would have
knocked Amidamaru out and carry him away a long time ago instead of promising
him a sword. His honour as a samurai be
hanged!
But to be serious, I have to
think about how I feel about the possibility of becoming this boy's spirit
partner.
Um, where to begin..? What do I know about this Oyamada Manta? Let's see, he's nearly fourteen years old and
is currently attending school. He's
shorter than any boy of the same age, but that seldom held him back from doing
anything. He comes from a rather wealthy
family, but I have yet to see him boast about it.
He is as loyal to his friend,
Yoh, as I am to Amidamaru. He is not a
fighter by nature, but it has already been proven that he would fight for his
friend, as I would have for mine. I have
seen this for myself; this boy would lay his life down for his friend.
Like I have said, physically,
he is very short. Or small,
actually. Smaller than most children
half his age in fact. The bed that he
sleeps in is much too big for him, but then, so is everything else in this
room. But then again, I guess the whole world
is a bit oversized for this boy. But
that never seemed to pose a problem. To
say that he manages to get by would be an insult to his character. There is no self-consciousness when he has to
jump on a chair to reach a higher shelf.
He is pretty much at ease with himself in that regard.
But his body belies the size
of his spirit. And of his intelligence
and courage as well. I would be honoured
to become this boy's spirit partner --that is, if he should so choose to be a
shaman. But it is not my decision to
make.
It may be because Manta has
grown --um, ah matured believing that he was an ordinary person, and he didn't
really believe in ghosts until almost a year ago. Then he spent a few months being a little
scared of ghosts, and I think it is only now that is starting to feel
comfortable around them --lucky for me.
But despite his reluctance to
embrace shamanism, we have begun a friendship.
I have been sharing stories from my childhood era and he has, in turn
been teaching me how to read. Soon, he
says that he will find a way for me to use the Internet on his laptop. I cannot wait!
A stray breeze blows through
the open window, stirring up some of the papers on the desk. Manta stirs and opens his eyes.
"Is everything okay,
Mosuke-san?" he asks of me. This
boy is too polite, even half conscious.
"Everything's fine,
Manta," I tell him, "I'm just thinking."
"Okay, good
night." He then turns over and
falls back asleep.
I cannot help but smile at
this boy. Despite our many differences,
we also have so much in common. We are
both loyal to our friends and will do anything within our power to help them. Yes, I would be honoured to become Manta's
spirit partner, but for now, the honour of being his friend is more than
enough.