Shaman King Fan Fiction ❯ One Night's Ghostly Contemplation ❯ One Night's Ghostly Contemplation ( Chapter 1 )

Good Morning. I just 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'sGhostlyContemplation

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.