Shaman King Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Shaman Tournament ❯ Only One Guardian Ghost ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3- Only One Guardian Ghost

While Yoh had his conflict over the phone with Anna downstairs, Yugi stood awake but not bothered by the argument the floor below. He even heard Solomon trying to keep it down and tried to reason to Anna that Yoh had nothing to get him back to Tokyo. Yami came into a faint image standing off in the corner with a concerned look, "Yugi, something wrong?"

"I'm just thinking what Yoh said about the Shaman Tournament." Yugi answered and plopped on his bed with the chain of the Millennium Puzzle in his hand. "The Tournament is held every 500 years with the world at stake. All these centuries we could have ceased to existed in a matter of seconds."

"We could sit this one out. After all, the Battle City seemed to take it all out of us." Yami still stood off, "On the other hand, we can't let the world be in the crossfire of destruction. According to Yoh, him and Ren will be in this as well, and Miranda appeared more than ready, even holding four spirits and Raikoukou."

"But that's what I'm also worried about, Yami. How can Miranda willingly hold Marik's darker half after the Battle City tournament?" Yugi worried more that sweat slid through his fingers holding his Millennium Item. He soon recalled some of the incidents of his new friend struggling against the dark spirit. "How can Miranda control him when Marik couldn't?"

"I can't say I have the answers, Yugi. But when I asked her the similar question, I got some of the puzzling answers as to anyone who would risk keeping a spirit like that." Yami recalled on his own back to when he was ready to leave the Duel Tower.

`It's all about one's emotions and one's past. Marik's darker spirit is his reminder of his abandoned past and revives Marik's resentment towards you.' She answered with the memorial tablet in her grip, `This one is persistent to cause damage, especially those that feel their emotions greatly. Marik may not show it, but deep down his heart was being squeezed of his life and his sanity while he was united with his dark spirit. I am through suffering my losses now that I've known both of my parents have cleared their journey so my emotions aren't as strong as they used to. Yami Marik can't feed off of mine because I barely feel anything anymore. I can't afford to'

"Though I was hoping Marik's dark spirit would remain in the Shadow Realm, Miranda has seen before he can enter souls that have strong ties to it." Yami broke the silenced after his flashback, "I'm sure Miranda can secure that dark spirit so he'll never emerge again."

"Maybe you're right. Miranda's tough, knowing she's a Samurai in training. And she'll also have Kikaita, Miran, Raikoukou and Tsunami to help her restrain him." Yugi appeared to calm himself and stare at the ceiling. "The Shaman Tournament…it could be anyone's guess to who wins it." Yugi nearly fell asleep when the argument downstairs blasted in volume and shook the house.

"That wasn't me!" Yoh's voice cried after the explosion of sound. Yugi finally got sense to head downstairs.

"Yoh, can't you just tell Anna you'll be back tomorrow?" Yugi asked as he came into the living room.

"That wasn't me, but someone's been at the door for you." Yoh pointed to the front door where a large towering figure waited in shadow behind the glass. Yugi turned pale at the shadow itself but edged to the door anyway.

"At this hour?" Yugi asked with a trembling voice and opened the door. The one waiting for him now stood under the streetlight, wearing a tan throw with black strip patterns over his body and finished with a red bandanna right over his eyebrows and long black hair tied back in a low ponytail.

"You are Yugi Motou?" He asked in a deep voice.

"I am. Who are you?" Yugi answered and demanded info from his third unknown visitor.

"My name is Ironac of the Patch Tribe. More specifically, I am here to see if you will qualify for the Shaman Tournament." He stated.

"So you're of the Shaman Tournament?" Yugi asked and turned around behind him. Yoh was leaning on the doorway with his arms folded and shrugged his shoulders. "Then what about Yoh, he's aiming to be in this Shaman Tournament."

"Each of us officiates have a list of Shamans we must try for ourselves. Silva had to deal with Yoh, but you're on MY list." Ironac answered.

"Well, can't we do this tomorrow, not in the dead of night?" Yugi asked and rubbed his eyes.

"Very well, I will give you a day for rest. Meet me at Domino Park after sunset tomorrow, then we will see." Ironac said before revealing his right hand lined with iron rings of animal figures. The ring on his middle finger lit up and spread out into an owl spirit and carried Ironac away into the night.

Both Yoh and Yugi stared in awe. "I've never seen spirits do that before." Yoh gasped.

"Yoh, you might want to give me more details on this whole Shaman Tournament thing." Yugi looked to Yoh.

"Hate to say, but you're going to have to ask Anna on that. Even I don't know what's up with Ironac." Yoh answered, "I suggest to take his advice and hit the bed."

"Hm, guess you're right." Yugi agree and came inside.

In the standoff, Raikoukou leapt from Miranda's shoulder and grew past its normal length to the size of a horse with its top-jaw fangs about eight inches. Immense voltage sparked from its tails and claws. Even Miranda's other four spirits looked ready to fight.

The figure jumped from her home to the sidewalk in front of her. Miranda prepared herself with her right hand wrapped around her Millennium Sword and Tsunami's beads coveting Yami Marik's tablet ready in her fingers.

"Four human spirits and a Yokai, impressive for a girl your age." He complimented, not taken.

"The Shaman Tournament? Yoh Asakura told me about it, but he knew little of it." Said Miranda but kept her stance.

"I can tell you more, but you'll have to fight me first."

"How so?"

"We'll fight in your backyard, it seems big enough. If you can land a hit on me within ten minutes, I'll tell you all you need to know. Just one hit is all you need to gain admission to the Shaman Tournament." Chrom said while remaining in his cloak.

"One hit?" Miranda cleared it for herself and her allying spirits. "Fine then, these four spirits have never failed me before."

"What about the fifth one?" Chrom asked.

"Well… I have to keep him, but he's too powerful so I won't use him." Miranda covered Yami Marik's memorial tablet from Chrom's eyes.

"You will have to use all of your spirits if you wish to make contact with me. That much I can say right now." Chrom uncovered himself of his clad; revealing a tough, rugged body under a vest of leather, and fur collar and tan leather pants equipped with small pocket belt and dagger.

"We'll see." Miranda got confident as the three sidestepped into the mossy ground. Not much grass or shrubs covered it. Chrom didn't do anything to prepare except stare her down, Miranda still kept her sword at hand and Tsunami's necklace entwined in her fingers, and Raikoukou prowled past Miranda's back and vanished. Tsunami and Miran should be all that I need. Their Double Tidal Attack should be more than one hit against Chrom. She thought.

"The time will begin when you make your first move." Chrom stated.

"Then I'll start the fight now." Miranda charged for him with Tsunami and Miran ready to make the attack.

"You may use your Pisces to join us in the assault." Tsunami said.

"The more the better, mom." Miran agreed.

"Right." Miranda nodded and leapt up from the middle of the distance they created. "Tri of Water Tidal Submerge!" Miranda called the attack, jumping Chrom. Her sword, beads, and herself glowed in a blue aura before exploding into a flash flood of spirit energy crashing towards Chrom. He only took one step back and Miranda saw him get plowed by the blast of mana. "That had to hit him for sure."

"Not quite, Miranda!" Chrom called. Miranda looked up and saw Chrom flying on chrome wings. "Though I admit that was a powerful attack, but it was my animal familiar, Chrome Raven, that has saved me."

"Flying in the air like that, it'll be hard for you to dodge. Raikoukou!" Miranda cried. Her fox-spirit sprung from the ground with full teeth baring brightly in the first quarter moon. 'Blue Lightning Strike!' Raikoukou released all nine tails and let loose scattering thunderbolts. One even landed its mark on Chrom and brought him to the ground. 'Direct hit!'

"Missed again. Chrome Fish has shielded me from your fox's attack." Chrom stood straight on his feet with now chrome scales covering his left arm like a shirtsleeve. "You're missing the point, Miranda. This isn't a test to see how powerful your spirits are, but how powerful you are. Your spirits only reflect how powerful you are, and for carrying so many, you appear weak."

"What?!" Yami Marik tried to resist the restraints placed upon him. "Miranda, if you know what's good for him, you'll let me take care of him myself! I'll send him to the Shadow Realm!"

"No Yami Marik, he's right. The Tidal Submerge nor Raikoukou's Blue Lightning made a hit. If we want to beat this guy, we have to concentrate everything we have. Unfortunately, that means you and Miran have to work together." Miranda said, making both of them stress.

"There's no way I'm working with this psycho assassin! He tried to kill you!" Miran pointed her sword accusingly at Yami Marik.

"And you have a better chance getting sucked into the Shadow Realm before I work with this coward!" Yami Marik fired back. Tsunami and Kikaita both look more nervous with each insult from the two fighting spirits.

"Coward?! You enslave Miranda and hide behind her when things get rough! And you're calling me a coward?!"

"You were more yellow in our Duel than you were black and blue 5000 years ago!"

"I'll show you who's black and blue!" Miran lunged at Yami Marik. Miranda refused to watch them, but saw three more figures appear on Chrom: A chrome bear claw on his right hand, a chrome wolf head equipped on his right leg, and a chrome buffalo head shielding his left leg.

"Where'd those come from?" Miranda questioned.

"Chrom, forget this. I like the girl's spirit and all but she can't control five spirits at once." The chrome wings suddenly grew a talking head. "If anything, she should only be controlling one spirit like all the other Shamans, it'd be easier on herself and on them."

"Nonsense Chrome Raven, she's of the water elements, I feel it. She'll have more, I know it." Chrome Fish said in a small voice. "Her potential lies with more spirits uniting."

"You always fall for the water-attributed shamans, Chrome Fish." The wolf said next. "But it doesn't look like these spirits are uniting."

"And two of her spirits are very incompatible with each other but with her? There is a catch somewhere, Chrome Wolf." The bear claw roared next, "What do you think, Chrome Buffalo?" But the Buffalo only grumbled.

"You have five minutes left. I suggest getting your spirits together before time runs out." Chrom suggested. Yami Marik and Miran stopped fighting right before they were about to slit each other's throats.

Miran slowly removed the blade from Yami Marik's neck. "You got her into Battle City. How about you get us into the Shaman Tournament?" Miran asked and sort of edged Yami Marik to remove his materialized Millennium Rod from her.

"Miranda, Sword of Souls!" Yami Marik suggested with a bark.

"Better late than never!" Miranda agreed as five spirit flames slammed into the sword. The sword roared with an aurora of spirit flames and Raikokou's Blue Lightning.

`The girl already knows Over Soul. Impressive, maybe I have underestimated her after all.' Chrom smirked. "Congratulations on achieving Full Over Soul, but now I must raise a level myself." The Native American warrior commented as his animal disengaged and stacked onto each other.

"What the?" Miranda asked with her sword still fiery with souls. The animals went metallic and soon appeared with Chrom finishing it with his dagger implanted into the metal totem pole made up of his five animals.

"This is my Totem Pole Spirit Cannon." Chrom announced and held his weapon like a massive semi-automatic. "This is the ultimate weapon in my spirit arsenal. You cannot dodge it. You might as well die from it if you don't know how to correctly defend yourself. It fires a blast of spirit energy capable of depleting any Over Soul. And considering how exhausted you are from holding all five of your spirits in a single sword, it will be little effort." Chrom challenged, raising the determination of all six of them.

"Give us all you've got. Don't pull any punches, Chrom." Miranda said and held her blade steady. "Come at me with all you have!" The flame surrounding Miranda's Millennium Sword flared up and grew twice as long as the blade. Still, it was a struggle to keep her spirits in one object.

"You'll regret those words! Totemic Spirit Cannon Blast!" Chrom fired his cannon.

"Sword of Souls, Zodiac Aurora Slash!" Miranda's blade flashed in dazzling colors and stopped right in the middle of the blast. All six of them went through the Chrom's attack with everything they had.

"I'll regret doing this for the rest of my afterlife!" Miran and Yami Marik both shouted in unison with Raikoukou in front of them and Kikaita and Tsunami backing the rear. The blast and counter flashed into a light as bright as the morning sun but dimmed quickly to a flared right against the sword. All six of them defended with everything they had of the single attack.

Chrome Raven cawed again. "There's no way she can avoid that without losing all of her Over Soul in that blade. She had no chance in the Shaman Tournament with those two warring spirits."

In the shield, Yami Marik heard Chrome Raven and his anger rose to a fever pitch. "Miranda, release your defense."

"What?!" The other five shocked and Miranda was resorted to defend the attack herself.

"I knew you were crazy, but I thought you hated to lose." Kikaita said.

"I know, but there's something you've forgotten of the Zodiacs. Pisces can manipulate spirit energy into anything they wish. With that much spirit energy in that attack, she can absorb and resume Over Soul; however, we'll be separated into solid being using her mana." Yami Marik tried to explain to the girls.

"Wait a minute, what?" Miran wanted a better translation. Tsunami provided it.

"Miranda can manipulate the spirit energy from that blast to create four separate bodies we may absorb into while keeping Raikoukou in the sword to perform the resuming Over Soul." Said Tsunami. "While she has Over Soul with Raikoukou, we'll have our own bodies to move as we please."

"Exactly." Yami Marik agreed.

But if anything happens to Miranda in result, you'll be heading straight back to Kyoto's memorial tablet storage. Raikoukou threatened, Miranda, do it. Miranda was uneasy to agree with her five spirits, but was weakening fast of holding the attack. She let the blade move aside and the blast hit head-on, throwing her off her feet while at the same time absorbing the attack.

"That's a direct hit, Chrom! She's a goner!" Chrome Raven cawed.

"Not quite, she advanced another level." Chrom thought otherwise. Four flares of light escaped the blast and circled into a small tornado, muffling the totemic spirit attack and allowing Miranda to recover. Raikoukou remained in the sword and surged it with electricity.

"What the?! Only one spirit left." Chrome Raven said in its annoying parrot tone.

"You know I'm really getting sick of hearing your voice!" Yami Marik faded from his spirit flame into his dark cape and standing blonde hair, including the third eye of light on his forehead. "Shadow Assailant Strike!" Yami Marik used the Millennium Rod that appeared and struck Chrom's five spirits to separate. Chrom's spirits returned to their armor in attempt to protect him.

"We're on the offensive now! Blue Lightning Strike!" Miranda swung the sword down and commanded several bolts of lighting to hit Chrom, though all missed.

"Is that the best you can do? I'm impressed you can use another's spirit energy as your own, but even six against one, you're losing." Chrom folded his arms, "Two minutes left."

"Yeah kid, you might as well give up now. There's no way you're going to hit Chrom, not with us protecting him." Chrome Raven annoyed them again.

"Oh really? Yami Marik, Shadow Spell Technique!" Miranda commanded.

"My thoughts exactly!" Yami Marik took his height of the air and opened a dark vortex. Chrom tried to evade in the air but the dark chains captured Chrome Fish. "Yes, no defenses now!"

"Chrome Fish!" Chrom cried. Tsunami prepared her arrow and aimed it.

"The Chrome Raven is next." She muttered and aimed for its head, "Guiding Arrow of Sagittarius!" She called her attack and fired a flaming arrow. Chrome Raven was shot right off and forced Chrom to the ground while his Raven hung in the air with the arrow through its chest. "Kikaita, Miranda, Miran!"

"Triple Blade Slash!" The three Samurais said at once and sent three blades of light his way. Another light blinded all of them briefly as Miranda staked her sword into the ground. She looked us exhausted and saw Chrom still standing.

"No, I didn't even make a scratch." Miranda shuddered and kneeled to the ground, her absorbed mana quickly depleted. Kikaita, Miran, Tsunami, and Yami Marik reassembled themselves behind her and Raikoukou evacuated the sword. Miranda knew, for sure, time was up. Yami Marik seemed disappointed while the rest of them looked like they've given up. Miranda managed a smile in her bowed head. "Well, maybe I wasn't cut out into this Shaman Tournament. Duel Monsters was my thing." She said before collapsing into Chrom's arm.

"Miranda!" All five of them exclaimed.

"Do not worry, she made the Shaman Tournament." Chrom said while still holding Miranda.

"How? I don't even see a scratch." Kikaita said. By then, Chrom's five spirits retreated to his rings and his belt, his dagger holster, and shreds of his vest fell to the ground with near invisible scrapes on his skin.

"Well, there's your scratches." Tsunami pointed out the obvious.

"But what will happen to my daughter?" Kikaita jumped Chrom at her question.

"You're her mother?" Chrom asked but look back down to her. "She will be fine. Just exhausted from manipulating your spirits and weak of mana. A good night's sleep should take care of that. Though I'm quite surprised you use Zodiacs in your fights."

"Well, four of us are of Zodiac Clan traits." Tsunami looked to the females.

"And what of him?" Chrom looked over to Yami Marik.

"Assassin that spared me 5000 years ago and nearly destroyed the world about a month back." Miran simply answered. "Miranda's the only one that can contain his spirit."

"I see." Chrom reviewed the group once more. "All five of you see to work well together in Miranda's fight. However, I'm afraid there is some downside with it..."

Inside after sneaking in, Yami Marik provided the privacy of the Shadow Realm to discuss matters further. Miranda slowly recovered to conscious and had Raikoukou for support. Everyone was in silent shock but Miran after hearing the bad news.

"Shamans can only have just one guardian ghost?! You're talking nonsense!" Miran roared.

"She can scream in the Shadow Realm all she wants, Chrom." Yami Marik added in Miran's angry pacing. "No one can hear her scream in the outside world."

"Mirandragon, listen to Chrom." Tsunami tried to calm her daughter. "I too was in the Shaman Tournament with Raikoukou, and won by default to someone who had a hidden second spirit not authorized by the Shaman Fights."

"But one?! Mother!" Miran wanted to argue and huffed. "Just let it not be the psycho with the third eye." Miran squatted to the ground.

"Well, it'll most likely be the one who has the most experience with her." Chrom suggested.

Then I'm out. Raikoukou said.

"I decline position." Tsunami stepped down.

"I do to. I haven't been a fighting ghost for long, but I haven't passed on to the other side either." Kikaita followed.

"Then that just leaves Miran and Marik." Chrom said aloud.

"I'll fight in the--"

"Forget it." Miranda intruded on Miran's self-nomination. "Despite I've regained my heart, I still don't see you to be a warrior for fights of this magnitude. You always wait until the last second to make a comeback, but that's not what the Shaman Tournament is about. It's about keeping it, wire-to-wire, or at least making the opposition tire out before you do."

"Miranda..." Kikaita tried to assure.

"Mom, please. I've been making my own decisions for nine years, and this is no different." I turned my attention back to the rest of the group. "I can understand Tsunami, Raikoukou, and my mother to step down since I haven't known them for long. However, I haven't known you for long either. You just came to me before Battle City started."

"And He didn't come in until after you defeated Odion." Miran pointed to Yami Marik. "You can't say He'll be your guardian ghost. He tried to kill you throughout Battle City."

"But he hasn't." Miranda shot back. "You know, I know, everyone here knows it and so do Yoh and Yugi: A partnership between a spirit and a human have to be close. And I don't mean when you had my body while Yami Marik gave me a body to go out of the Shadow Realm. If anything, Yami Marik have been more of a spirit ally than you."

"Miranda, you're talking crazy! You all are!" Miran argued as seeing no is objecting to Miranda's foregone answer.

"Miran, my mind has made up." Miranda silenced her and began to walk on her own. "I don't care how much you dislike it. Everyone has accepted to not participate in the Shaman Tournament. All except you, and Yami Marik hasn't spoken a word through this."

"True." Miran looked to the male standing off to the side. "Well, don't you have anything to say about this, Triclops? You're probably glad Miranda's about to pick you. If she choose you, you'd be using the same tricks you used through the Battle City tournament and make the opponent sympathize by toying with Miranda's soul! Huh?! Answer me!"

"Enough now, Mirandragon!" Chrom tried to stop her until Yami Marik intervened.

Yami Marik faced them with a tilt in his head position. "You're more naive than I thought. Of course I'd be honored to be Miranda's guardian ghost. Through Battle City we were well together."

"Hardly, but continue." Miranda barely agreed.

"In any case, I am the perfect match for Miranda. Sure I may not look like much, but compared to you four, I have the most experience in magic manipulation." Yami Marik proved one point. "I have seen the way Ren fights with brute force and relentless assaults, and he shows no mercy to his opposition. Sympathy is not an attribute in the Shaman Tournament."

"No kidding." Kikaita rubbed a sore on her arm from defending Ren's attack earlier.

"I'm sure there are more Shamans like that and maybe some more ruthless than that. Technique is only part of this tournament." Yami Marik finished.

Technique is one. Other aspects include teamwork, trust, and training. Raikoukou followed, almost appearing to agree with him. This is Master Miranda's decision, a decision she alone must make and one that will decide her proceedings in the tournament.

Yami Marik took one step back. "Unless Mirandragon would like to argue some more, I suggest you decide now. No pressure necessary."

"No pressure?" Miran grumbled and everyone else awaited the answer.

"I have decided..."

To be continued...