Disclaimer: Eerie Queerie (Ghost!) belongs to Shuri Shiozu, Shinshokan & TOKYOPOP. Rally owns Emma Blair.
Author's Note: AAC stands for Anime Assassin Corps. It's the web personalities on the Anime Hit List, one of my alternate websites. On that site my personality is Kawaii. Here I'm just using the name as a prop, but if you'd like to know more about the AAC and the Anime Hit List click here.
Mitsuo's panic transformed into outright paranoia. First the potential of multiple possessions without the aid of a highly trained priest in the area and then a witch! A WITCH!?! And she said it with such a happy look on her face, too! Without a thought, he latched onto the only thing in that godforsaken country that gave him any sense of security at all.
There was a flash of surprise in Hasunuma's eyes when Mitsuo snatched Hasunuma's hand and buried his face in the taller man's shoulder. Mitsuo felt Hasunuma stiffen just a bit before his calm voice broke the silence of the car. "A witch? You mean like with the pointy hat and flying on broomsticks and stuff?"
Emma-chan laughed. "No, not at all. I don't melt when you throw water on me and I don't have a black cat. Have you ever heard of the Wicca?"
"No."
"I didn't think so. It's more of a western practice, but it has characteristics similar to Buddhism and Shintoism. This is going to be a long discussion. Wouldn't you prefer to have it in your room?"
There was silence for a moment and Mitsuo considered revealing his face, but Hasunuma's shoulder was just so warm and comforting. Hasunuma shook Mitsuo's elbow, gently. "That okay with you, Mitsuo?"
Was it? Go into the big, scary hotel or stay in the limo and just snuggle... with... Hasunuma?
Snuggle with Hasunuma?! The hell?!
Mitsuo pushed himself away from Hasunuma blushing profusely. "Yeah! That's fine." He climbed over his friend to claw at the door handle, until the door popped open, spilling him on the asphalt.
Before he had a chance to recover from the shock of hitting his head on the blacktop, Hasunuma was out of the limo and perched precariously close to Mitsuo's face. "Are you alright? Can you move? How many fingers am I holding up?" He waved three fingers next to Mitsuo's nose.
For some reason, Mitsuo lost his breath again. This only fueled his desire to put some space between Hasunuma and himself. He pushed himself to his feet. "Yes. Yes. Three and let's get going. The woman said the room was warded, so the room is warded or doesn't chivalry apply in this situation?" He stomped off toward the front entrance, leaving Hasunuma and Emma-chan staring after him.
Emma-chan giggled and mumbled something in English.
"Excuse me?"
Emma-chan waved a hand in front of her face. "Nothing important. Let's go." She hooked her arm around Hasunuma's, nearly dragging him into the hotel. It was an unusual experience, walking arm in arm with a woman who's stride was a match to his own.
They found Mitsuo at the front desk, still flushed, and looking a bit panicked. "I forgot that I don't speak English."
"Don't be silly," said Emma with a wink. "It's just that they don't understand Japanese." Then she released Hasunuma to speak with the concierge, a tall, impeccably dressed man with glasses and a haughty air.
Well, they were in the building. If any ghosts were around, they'd be sure to make an appearance soon. Mitsuo looked even more frantic than usual. His face was still red and his breathing was a little heavy. "Mitsuo, are you okay? Is anything bothering you?"
The blond focused on Hasunuma for a moment. Then, he forced a painfully false smile. "No nothing at all. I don't sense a thing."
"That's a little strange for a building this old, don't you think?"
Mitsuo's smile faded. "I guess... But, I really don't feel anything."
"That would be me," said Emma-chan slapping Mitsuo on the shoulder and flashing a couple of plastic cards. "I've got the room keys! Let's go."
It was the common room that they had made themselves comfortable in. Mitsuo and Hasunuma were seated on the overstuffed sofa and their host had taken a plush armchair.
A quiet settled while the group arranged itself and was only broken when Emma-chan spoke. "Can we start again? Hello, I'm Emma Blair. I'll be your guide, interpreter and spiritual protector while you are here in America. I work for the Apparitional Ability Coalition, the AAC. We welcome you to our country."
"The Apparitional Ability Coalition?" asked Hasunuma.
"Allow me to translate. Apparitional means 'of a ghost' or 'ghost-like.' Ability means 'power' or 'skill' and Coalition means 'committee' or 'unified group.' Originally, the AAC was a group of people who studied ghosts and ghost phenomena, but now it's mostly made up of psychics."
"But aren't you a witch?"
"Psychics, fortune tellers, espers, clairvoyants, witches. 'Witch' is just a general term. I asked you before if you knew what Wicca was. I asked that because most of what I know comes from the Wiccan teachings. They believe that the Earth and nature is sacred. Their power is derived from the earth's energies. Hence the warding techniques I've used on this room. I've sprinkled salt in the four corners of the suite and at every window and the main door. There's a white candle and sage incense burning in every room for purification. Simple really."
Mitsuo felt his lunch try to make a reappearance. That's what she used to seal the room? Salt and candles?! "I'm dead!" He clawed around for an ofuda, before realizing that he hadn't seen his luggage since the airport.
Emma-chan caught his hand, then his gaze with her green eyes. "Listen, nothing is in this room. Nothing can enter this room without your express permission. This room is like a shrine. It's safe. I'm sorry that I'm not a priest, but I am the closest thing you're going to find to one here and I've no intention of letting anything possess you.
"Remember, downstairs. You didn't sense anything. It isn't because this place isn't crawling with unrestful spirits. It was because of me. I shielded you with my energy. Crap, what's the word? They use it on Dragonball Z? Ki! I shielded you with my Ki.
"I'm not quite so useless, after all, eh?" She smiled. It was more of a sincere gesture than her previous smiles and it made her eyes glow.
It made some sense. Who says that the Shinto teachings are the only way to exorcise a spirit? "I guess not."
Sometime during Emma-chan's speech, Hasunuma had managed to cross his arms, his eyes fixed on Emma's hands. "I'm not convinced, yet."
"That's fine," she said, slowly releasing Mitsuo's fingers. "Feel free to plaster ofuda anywhere you like. What doesn't hinder can only help. I'll be in my room if you need me." She disappeared into the brown and green room closing the door behind her.
Wait a minute. She'll be in her room? Then that means...
Mitsuo and Hasunuma made eye contact, then, sprinted for the blue room at the same time. One bed.
"Emma-chan!!!"