#anyway this didn't go how I hoped and man Kafka's little advice at the end is so. I don't know?

[discoknack]

Kikoru's Spirit Guy Part 2

Part 1 here

For @sonicasura 's ghost!Kafka AU. Also, to clarify, Kafka's character-color is currently green, not yet cyan - that's why his thought paragraph is green.

Also also, I don't know what the floor plan of the mansion looks like so I'm just making things up as I go along.

I have one two more posts in me. Not about this particular storyline, but the ghost AU more generally.

Kafka completely forgot himself.

For a while that day, he had been stalking around for Kaiju souls to consume - awful quiet on that front for now - and beating back some delinquent desire to decorate the outside of the mansion like a haunted house. Again. He noted Kikoru's arrival and her sprint for the door, but didn't think much of it. Until he soon realized: he was bored. Then he figured he might see what Kikoru was up to before mischief sounded too enticing.

Simply phasing through the wall, he heard it: the kind of scream that had him frightened! He merged with the shadows and slithered fast. Kafka sweeping closer, the scream had evolved into a sob before he reached the kitchen.

His urge was kind in nature. Which was a great thing, as he was overwhelmed by it and had lost his usual sense of discretion.

Overwhelmed so much so, that when he spotted the distressed pre-teen Kikoru - red in the face, tears flowing, and gripping her chest as if she was about to go into cardiac arrest - he completely spaced on the fact he resembled some screwed-up worm-on-a-string made of darkness, with human-like hands and a face that glowed green like a Jack-O-Lantern.

Lunging, he shouted, "Kikoru!" And grabbed her shoulders. Partly in an attempt to physically stabilize her in the case of a medical emergency, and partly because he was all wound-up. Kikoru drew in a deep gasp, opening her eyes at the same time, as Kafka shouted, "are you okay?"

No, she was not. Her eyes widened at him, horror striking her face. Kafka realized his mistake too late, as Kikoru's eyes rolled upward and closed. She went limp in his hands.

Kafka exclaimed, trying to be gentle as he shook her slightly, "Oops! Oops! Oops! Not good!"

He paused. Keep it cool, Kafka. I'll just check her pulse and make sure she's breathing. Her soul is still in there, so that's a good sign.

But before he had the chance, he heard rapid footsteps approaching.

"Kikoru-Sama?" It was the butler! Sebasu. The gentleman entered only to see an empty kitchen. He called for her again, looking around, and fidgeted with his collar when he heard no response.

Kafka was hiding in a corner of the ceiling, of course, having wrapped Kikoru and himself in shadow. He watched Sebasu continue marching. But before leaving the room completely, Sebasu looked in the direction Kafka was hiding. Looked right at him! A shadow too large and too dark for the atmosphere. But it wasn't enough to make Sebasu pause - he slowed down but did not stop - and he disappeared through a door.

Kafka waited, listening. He could tell by this point that Kikoru was fine, her breathing steady as she slept. Now, what to do with her?

Sebasu called for her again, his voice anxious.

Kafka considered taking her to her room as soon as the butler was far enough away.

But the gentleman paced through the kitchen again, muttering, "Perhaps the mistress ran to her room!"

Of course he would think that!

Kafka had to be fast. No, not just fast, but nimble and quiet. Slinking away from the wall with Kikoru in bridal-carry, he followed the quick butler through the house. Kafka knew where Kikoru's room was, but needed an opportunity to get there first.

The stairs were a literal turning point. If he was too slow, Sebasu would turn at the landing and easily spot either a floating Shinomiya or a dark spirit carrying her. Luckily, Kafka had no need for stairs to ascend, so he flew himself up in a back-flip - coiling to minimize his presence and keep Kikoru secure - over the banister at the second floor.

Once at the top, he spared no pause and glided straight to her room, opening and closing the door with a wave of his ghostly tail, and gently set her down on her bed.

Just in time, too, because before Kafka could really stop and think, Sebasu knocked on the door. "Kikoru-Sama?"

A moment was long enough for Kafka to hide under the bed.

Sebas opened the door a crack, half-entering. He whispered, "Ah, you're asleep. Not wearing your blanket?" He hummed thoughtfully. He tiptoed to her bedside and remained there for some small amount of time. Then he turned in no particular direction. Perhaps he was looking around for something. He walked back to the door and paused, humming again. Finally, he left.

Kafka finally had time to reflect. In the kitchen, Kikoru had screamed. And this brought the attention of Kafka, Sebasu, and Hikari - who saw most of the situation unfold and now materialized at the head of Kikoru's bed, glittering with an almost divine aura. Kafka knew this because he could sense her presence and now saw her foot.

The one person who didn't show up to check on Kikoru at all? Mr. Shinomiya.

Chaos boiled inside of Kafka, and he considered pouring every ounce of his venom into Web That Makes You Go Insane 100%. His fingers itched as he imagined storming the man's office and spraying him right now.

Hikari stage-whispered, "Kafka!" Startling him from his thoughts. "You are like a cat who hides and throws up. I sympathize with you, I do." And she huffed a sigh, growling a little. "Heaven knows I do - but you're making a bit of a mess here, bud!"

Kafka looked down and saw, mortified, that he had been leaking Web That Makes You Sufficiently Paranoid 35%. In this room, of all places! How irresponsible.

Exclaiming, he rapidly wiped it away, muttering something about restraint or clumsiness. He phased upward through the bed, still embarrassed, "my bad..." He also clipped through Kikoru's leg, and she pulled away and curled up on herself a little more. No harm done, though.

Hikari was stroking Kikoru's hair, deep in thought.

That's right. Putting Isao in the psyche ward would leave Kikoru alone, and leave no one to pay the butler (who was a real-one for providing his service keeping Kikoru safe and happy). Plus, it would piss off Hikari to no end. If Kafka had no quarrel with her, but she had plenty with him, the ensuing fight would be at least a little one-sided. And even if he survived, the loss of their friendship would devastate him.

Not sure what to do with himself, Kafka sat at the foot of the bed, coiling his tail under him.

Hikari spoke, frustrated and gloomy. "How did things wind up like this?"

Kafka's mouth quirked, his sharp green smile a touch ironic. "You can say that again."

Hikari threw sarcasm, "Ha, ha. Common complaint!"

Kafka interpreted this as anger and he shrank, hands in surrender. "No no! I meant...!"

"Just messing with ya." Hikari stuck her tongue out. Then she bent down to kiss Kikoru's head, and the girl smiled in her sleep. "A lot of us do have similar feelings. It's natural."

Kafka had watched her display of affection, and now hummed in the affirmative.

-

"Kiiiikoruuu... Kiiiiiikoru-chaaAAAaan- oh! I'm saying it like that again..."

Kikoru stirred, groaning and lazily opening her eyes. She sniffed. "Smells... candy?" She licked her lips and hummed, suspicious. No trace of the treat she had earlier. What was that scent?

A man's voice greeted her from the foot of the bed.

Kikoru lifted her head, wide-eyed, and scooted herself backwards. It was the shadow monster from earlier! But she didn't shout, and after some moments, she relaxed against her pillow. She simply watched him, slowly slipping on her best attempt at a poker face.

The ghost explained that he had woken her up in case she needed to do homework today, but he'd let her sleep if she felt she needed it more.

Kikoru wanted to go back to sleep; she had a wonderful dream. But thinking about it too much now would make her cry, and this thing in front of her looked nefarious. Kikoru had displayed enough weakness already and wanted to deal with this monster sooner rather than later. She didn't understand the situation, but supposed that if the ghost did have evil intent, he probably had to follow some set of rules, or else he would have enacted his plans while she slept. "What do you want from me?"

"Eh?"

"You can’t have my soul. I need it." She didn't tell him why beyond the obvious. If, for example, she told him she needed it to save the country, he would probably try to barter her soul for something that would accomplish a similar goal. This is how she thought of the situation: From her perspective, she was an unlikely folk hero up against a mysterious being in a deadly game of wits. Then she realized she might already have enticed him, if he were the more mischievous type that wants to take something personally important from his victims. But she tried not to let her mistake show on her face.

Kafka barked a laugh, which came off a little sinister given his looks. "I'm not hungry. -Uhh! Bad joke, not funny..." he waved his hands as if shooing away even the mere suggestion. "I don't eat people~."

He almost sounded tired by the end. But even so, that was exactly what a ghost who ate people would say. Kikoru held her suspicion. This ghost might be able to lie.

Kafka made a casual gesture like he was thinking. "Maybe you could think of me as, an undead body guard!" He held up a clawed thumb, nodding to himself once and making a hmph noise, like he got it perfect. "I'm here to make sure you're safe."

"Why?" Kikoru narrowed her eyes.

"'Why?'"

Though she acted brave, Kikoru hugged her knees. "You're not my mommy."

Kafka's smile widened and he squinted, seeming shy. His voice was warm. "Nah. I wish I could be as cool as her."

Kikoru kept scrutinizing. "You're no angel, either."

His smile became more like a grimace. "...no..."

"Uh huh. You scared me really bad, Obake-san*. You're lying about protecting me."

*Obake-san means Mr Ghost, basically.

"Nuh uh!" Kafka protested. It hurt, but ultimately didn't matter if she believed him or not. Sighing, he began to uncoil. "Whatever. I'm doing a favor for a friend by watching over you. Expressing my gratitude. That's why. I'm off now, so," the ghost set his posture, ready to fly off. "You don't have to worry about me anymore."

Kikoru couldn't come up with a response. It seemed like she won for now, but didn't resolve the situation. He would come back, she was certain.

Kafka stopped at the wall. "One more thing. Actually, two." He turned around. "Call me what you like; I don't mind. But know my real name: Hibino Kafka."

Kikoru returned to scrutinizing him intensely. "Shinomiya Kikoru." The ghost used her name before already, so she wasn't giving more information away, but this seemed to be some more formal introduction.

Kafka raised a finger. "And, I heard you got a 'B' on your test." His smile returned. "The first failure is always the hardest. Try not to let it discourage you."

Kikoru watched him phase through the wall, growing frustrated. What kind of preachy nonsense was that?