DANCES WITH GHOSTS

He didn’t owe Yoh and explanation  — he didn’t owe anyone an explanation. Besides, how would his twin understand him? Perhaps they were two halves of the same soul, but the other hadn’t been through his lives. He hadn’t seen or experienced the same tragedies. 

They weren’t the same.

      “I’ve already told you all that needs to be told. A shaman only kingdom is the best hope for this world, and I will make it that way.”

His brother didn’t need to understand. It didn’t matter. Hao would still press forward, and he would still ensure that his vision would become reality.

Slowly, he began to move away from the other.

      “I don’t need you to listen.”

❝ I disagree. ❞  Yoh says, bluntly.  There must be a reason Hao is so adamant on preserving this world for shamans only.  But it was a foolish decision.  Shamans can be just as cruel and cowardly.  What is stopping them from losing the sight,  losing their connection with nature and the other world?  Nothing.  They were fallible,  sinful,  just like the humans they tried to help.  They were not pure and untainted.

❝ I want to listen. ❞  Yoh steps forward.   ❝ And then,  we can disagree. ❞  Because that’s what will happen.  Yoh experienced cruelty of this world,  of humans,  but he didn’t want to wipe them out.  All he wanted was a world without loneliness.  And he really didn’t want his twin to be lonely either.

But he can’t force change.  So even though he takes one step forward,  he doesn’t go further.

     "Humans have unlimited potential, so long as we do not have a worldly attachment hindering our abilities. I do protect her, I help with her work when there are requests, but I am best considered a mentor. That is how I see myself. She is capable of summoning nature spirits and she has come into contact with spirits and demons of even higher powers, but… The girl prefers handling everything on her own. She knows… that she is too strong at times and can attract very dangerous spirits. She doesn’t want anyone else to be involved in trouble if she can prevent it.“

     “…She is the second in our family to see auras. Only once have we ever had someone in the family line that could before her. He was a psychic. It seems she inherited this from him after it skipped some generations. It attracts otherworldly beings. I cannot begin to tell you how many times she was nearly eaten as a child.” But she stopped there, dropping her gaze to the ground. If she hadn’t been there, who knew what could have happened to Takako back then? “Don’t misunderstand. She could tell you this herself. She has no problem bringing it up. My point in all of this is that… she is a very strong itako, and I do protect her, but it can be difficult when the child is even stronger than I must have been when I was alive and attracts a number of obstacles.”

❝ That is a dangerous attitude to take.  One must know when to ask for help.  Not knowing when you are over your head and to ask for help is how you perish in this world,  if I may be so blunt.  That is a fate I do not wish to see from some one who has become a coveted friend of Master Yoh’s. ❞   Plus,  it would be a blow to Hanako’s pride,  would it not?  Amidamaru...  didn’t want to see that either.

❝ Then... what exactly do you do? ❞  Maybe he’s just not getting it?  Ah,  well,  though he’s seen many shaman come and go,  most of them were not Itakos.  Although he is familiar with what Anna does...  Anna doesn’t really have guardian ghosts.  She simply utilizes spirits to do her bidding.  Most of them just kept tabs on Master Yoh.

“Nah I hang out with myself. Which is the only kind of people I know. Minus the jerk wads in my family. I’m just generally seen as a bad kid. Which I don’t mind, I’m use to it. Ain’t nobody wanted to waste their time on me. I ain’t needin’ them to start now.” He mutters and after their waiter comes to take their orders, he blinks at his reply. “Nah–I can’t. But I mean….I ain’t exactly all connected to spiritual stuff. In that way at least. I just–carry around what me and my family carries around. But that’s cool though. Didn’t know ghosts liked french fries.”

   ❝ So you’d be the one to work out their issues for them? Wouldn’t it get kind of tiring if you’re the one doing all the work all the time? ❞

 ❝ Will people still be able to work out problems in their relationship or is this going to be banned as well? ❞