Honda's Ghost Part 2

It was probably a good thing my mind shut down in terror.

I think, I’m not sure, but I think that because of how I reacted to finding myself in the wrong body I shut Honda out.

Iron tight control is great, until it isn’t anymore.

There was a sense of confusion as I slipped control and Honda took the driver’s seat, but Honda put it down to not having properly woken up yet.

I don’t know how he reasoned me away that day, but I was privately thankful.

I needed to think.

Yugi Moto. The King of Games. The one to solve the Millennium Puzzle after Five Thousand years. Saved the world too many times for me to count while my mind was whirling with possibilities.

Only, not Yugi Moto. Yugi Motou. Honda’s memories prompted me.

Honda hadn’t paid a lot of attention to Yugi, he was the weird kid who wasn’t good at sports and always preferred to play one of his games. Not too bright judging by his grades, but then neither was Jonouchi or Honda.

I already knew that was a lie, so what else was wrong?

Honda got through the morning’s lessons. I don’t know how, I wasn’t playing attention.

The lunch bell went and the class rushed out.

“Let’s play basketball!” One of the boys yelled, I know that because Honda’s mind suddenly perked up.

He nudged Jonouchi and indicated the classroom.

Curious, I watched.

Honda entered, and just as he knew there would be, Yugi was sitting at his desk.

Huh. Had all my thinking triggered something? Honda hadn’t shown much interest before...

Oh.

There was a box on Yugi’s desk. The box had the Millennium symbol on it.

My curiously spiked. If Yugi hadn’t solved the puzzle yet...

Honda crept around, all Yugi’s attention was focused on that box. Jonouchi watched, smirking.

Wait. What was Honda going to do?

Yoink.

“Heh heh... What are you talking to yourself about, Yugi! You win the prize for creepy!”

Rage. How dare he? How could he? What was the little idiot thinking?

I completely missed hearing what else Honda and Jonouchi said, I was so furious.

How Honda didn’t sense a thing, I’ll never know.

They were playing piggy in the middle.

I couldn’t decide wither to be more furious that they were throwing around something that was Five thousand years old, bullying Yugi, or messing with forces beyond their comprehension.

Idiots! Complete and utter fools! How dare they!

I was so furious I didn’t even consider taking control, even if I could.

“I HATE FIGHTING!” Yugi screamed at the top of his lungs.

I flinched, and tuned back in on what was actually happening.

“Oww! Shut up!” Jonouchi had his fingers in his ears, “You got no guts.”

“Anyway...” Yugi slumped, and held out his hand, “Please give it back.”

Honda grinned, and my rage cooled. Revenge would be mine, just not here, not now.

“What’s in here anyway?” Jonouchi muttered examining the box.

Okay, maybe revenge wouldn’t be mine, but I was going to take satisfaction in it anyway.

“Let’s take a peek!” Jonouchi said, opening the catch.

Yugi looked panicked, “You can look, but don’t lose anything!” I was impressed he was still trying to reason with them, “It’s really important to me!”

What? Already? But if that was the puzzle... I felt like an idiot, it took eight years to complete, no wonder Yugi was frightened if he had worked on it that long.

“How dumb.” Jonouchi shut the lid with a click, “Here Honda.” And tossed it over.

It was snatched out from under his nose.

“If you think it’s dumb, give it back to Yugi!”

Thank Ra for Mazaki Anzu. Honda’s memories supplied me with details, she was Yugi’s friend and one of the most morally upright students in the school. Or so I inferred.

Yugi’s oldest friend, female, brown hair, brown eyes and tough. Was she this world’s Tea?

Whoever she was, she chased Honda and Jonouchi away and I was thankful.

I needed to think.

Why was I a bit character in Yu-Gi-Oh? Had I offended someone powerful? Had I run afoul of magic in some form? Was this a strange piece of technology? A total immersion experience? If so, why Yu-Gi-Oh? I didn’t know, I couldn’t guess, nothing made sense.

I tried to aim a whole load of guilt at Honda, who was already feeling bad. I have no idea if it worked, but until I worked out my revenge plan (if the pharaoh didn’t get there first), it was the best I could think of.

“Damn she makes me mad!” Jonouchi muttered, “Who’s a bully?”

You, you utter idiotic fool of a dead man. I thought as loudly as I could, glaring at Jonouchi and where I thought Honda was in my head... his head, whatever.

Honda’s guilt flared, “Uh, Jonouchi, that would be us.”

Oh. Had I done that? Was that me? Could I convince Honda to turn his life around and do something that didn’t involve bullying those weaker and smaller than himself?

The boys ran into what felt like a brick wall.

Ow.

I slipped into control again while Honda was dazed.

Wow, that guy was big, what was he doing still in school? All my warning lights were going off. I did not like the look of this guy, and Honda’s memories confirmed he was bad news.

“What were you saying about bullies...?” He asked with narrowed eyes.

“Nothing!” Jonouchi said, and I had this sudden sense of déjà vue, “Keep out of this you...”

I yanked back my friend and slammed a hand over Joey’s mouth, then blinked as I realised, this wasn’t my Joey.

I met the eyes of the walking wall fearlessly. “We were saying...” I said, and reached for a plausible lie, “that if we catch anyone bullying our friend we were going to report it.”

Apparently Jonouchi hadn’t much experience with people gagging him, since if it was Joey or any of my other friends, I would have expected to have been licked by now.

He grunted, and looked us over. I had the feeling he was judging us, and finding us lacking. I didn’t care, his judgement was worthless.

“You should.” He growled. Ushio, my mind suddenly supplied, hall monitor, dangerous. “Picking on people is bad.”

I nodded, refusing to be intimidated, but on this point I could agree. “True. But bullies are cowards at heart, aren’t they Hall Monitor Ushio? If someone stands up to them...” I trailed off, and I know my face, Honda’s face, had gone cold and unreadable despite the small smile.

He stared at me intently, but I didn’t back down. Look at me, ignore my friend, be it Joey or Jonouchi.

He snorted, “Right.” And walked off. I watched him go, before releasing Jonouchi.

I stared at him, my friend. Or rather Honda’s friend.

“Jerk! I couldn’t breathe!” Jonouchi exclaimed angrily.

I raised an eyebrow, still angry at him, at Honda, at this situation.

“Idiot.” I said and Jonouchi growled and looked away.

“Ushio! I’m going to get you someday!” Jonouchi yelled after the hall monitor.

I hit the wall, “Stupid, useless day.”

“Heh.” Jonouchi called, “Want to see something interesting?”

“What?” I almost snarled at him.

He was holding a puzzle piece.

That utter fool was holding a puzzle piece.

“You stole that from Yugi.”

“Yep.” Jonouchi grinned, “If he can’t find a piece, he can’t solve it!”

I looked skyward. Ra save me from these damn fools.

“You need to give it back.” I said flatly.

“What?” Jonouchi said, sounding surprised. “No! Why should I?”

“You stole it Jonouchi.”

Jonouchi’s eyes narrowed, “You didn’t care before.” And isn’t that a lovely thing to have dropped on you? I’m friends with a thief, and apparently my current host has been condoling that behaviour, and probably helping on occasions.

Jonouchi tossed the piece with a growl. Straight out the window.

I looked down on the swimming pool.

Oh.

Jonouchi. The names were different but...

“You are going to get that back.” I said.

“What? No!” Jonouchi replied.

“Trust me.” I said, turning away from the window, the bell rang, lunch was over. “Call me when you want help searching.”

--__--

Jonouchi didn’t talk to me the rest of the day, and I didn’t make an effort to talk to him.

We still sat together, but I focused on the lessons, and we walked home in silence.

Honda probably would have congratulated Jonouchi on his great idea, like bullying the class’s loner is a good idea.

Currently Honda was panicking, just a little.

I hadn’t let up my grip, and I had tried to narrow my focus to the lessons and the path ahead.

I guess there was no hiding the fact I was there from him anymore.

I got in the house and retreated to Honda’s room.

Getting out the homework, I stopped and considered. It wouldn’t do Honda any good if I did all his homework.

I looked over the room, if it was mine there would be at least a few empty notebooks lying around.

There was. A thin exercise book that was probably a left over from school, pages had been torn out, but it was suitable.

I started writing.

Honda. I know you are scared, I know you don’t know what’s going on. That’s fine, I don’t either. I’ve never been in the habit of talking to myself, so I hope this will suffice. Just so you know, I am furious at you for bullying Yugi, it is never acceptable. Well that and Yugi has some pretty strong magic heading his way and

I trailed off. Thought about the implications. Oh. That would be... I checked through the memories, and yes, Honda and Jonouchi had been bothering Yugi for a while.

And I might just be someone’s revenge. Probably not Yugi’s, he’s not the type to curse someone. Thank you for small mercies.

You have messed with magic. Welcome to the consequences.

Now I’m going to release you in a bit, I want you to get on with your homework and go downstairs when tea is ready. Tomorrow we’ll discuss what we’re going to do about this situation. I’m sure you’ll want some time to think about it.

Robin.

I let go, and a wave of exhaustion hit, it had been a very long day.

--__--

I woke up and was disappointed. Part of me had hoped it was all a dream.

Well it wasn’t, not that I really expected it to be. I normally knew when I was dreaming.

Honda had left the notebook on top of everything else on his desk.

I stared at it, suddenly fearful, which was stupid. I had never been afraid of the written word in my life.

Get it over with.

I opened the book and smirked. Honda had been afraid, or at least nervous enough to completely black out his false starts.

I traced the hidden words, their indents hadn’t been erased. Later maybe I would show Honda how to completely erase his words, but for now I would leave these ghosts alone.

Robin.

Leave Jonouchi alone. Leave my family alone.

Agree, and I’ll do what you say.

Honda.

I stared at the small note, compared to the three pages full of scribbles.

That... didn’t make sense.

Irritation flickered.

Fine, okay. It didn’t mean anything.

It wasn’t an attack, he wasn’t trying to hurt me.

It still hurt.

There was nothing I could do about it at the moment. Be reasonable, I told myself, if I suddenly had something take over my body...

I didn’t know how I would react. I was the invader. The unwanted guest.

He was afraid and angry and I shouldn’t blame him.

I knew this, but it still hurt.

Be useful, I thought, and checked over his homework.

That was a story by itself. Emotional distress written in the slate of a number, the heavy stoke of a pen.

He must have put his feelings away at some point, as he improved.

I marked things in pencil, making notes in the margins, lightly, ever so lightly. There would be no sign if he decided to erase things.

He had struggled, and I guess that was partly because of me.

I must have terrified him.

There was nothing i could do at this point. I refused to have cordial relations with a bully. I wasn’t even going to try to fix this until he had improved his ways.

He didn’t trust me, but what worth was the trust of a bully?

On the other hand, my actions...

I felt guilt. I hadn’t thought. I could have waited, let my opinion be known.

Honda hadn’t known I was watching.

No. He knew now. He had to find out at some point. Better it be earlier rather than later.

I would have to earn his trust. I could only do that by deed, not by word. Prove that I could be trusted.

It would be difficult.

I checked the time. It was still early.

Well, one thing I knew, there was going to be a lot of running in my future, best to start now.

--__--

Jonouchi was waiting for me at the same place as yesterday.

I nodded at him, but we didn’t speak as he fell into step beside me.

My mind whirled as I considered what I could say.

Honda stirred at the back of my mind, and I poked him, loosening my control, offering him the reins.

I guess he really isn’t a morning person.

“Jonouchi...” I hesitated.

“Yeah?”

“Yesterday...” There were so many things I could say, so many excuses on my lips, so many accusations. I couldn’t tell him the truth. At least, not the whole truth, not yet.

Jonouchi grinned, and slammed me on the back, “Don’t worry about it Honda, you were having a weird day, I know.”

I could have let it be forgotten. I nodded, “Just let me know when you intend to get that puzzle piece back.”

“What?” Jonouchi looked surprised.

I grinned at him, “You’re not a bad guy Jonouchi, I bet your conscious will be needling you sooner or later, just call when it does, alright?”

He looked at me suspiciously, and I was fine with that. Hopefully Honda would be too.

School was tense.

Honda didn’t say anything to Jonouchi about me, I wasn’t sure what I would do if he did.

I think he was a bit surprised to find my notes in the margins, because after that first class he quickly flipped through all his work books.

I hadn’t left notes in every last one, but the English and maths work had only taken an hour. It had been grunt work for me, between English being my first language and my maths skills being years ahead...

It beat my current loop of thoughts.

I could see he was thinking, but whatever it was, he didn’t share.

I suppose I should have expected something to go wrong.

Honda wandered away from his classmates at lunchtime, still thinking and wanting some place quiet to do so. Jonouchi followed, I think he knew something was up with Honda and just waiting for him to be in a sharing mood.

Well, that’s what I thought.

Until the walking brick wall interrupted.

Ushio. Honda flinched and I seized control.

“I want a word with you two.” Ushio said, gasping us by our shoulders and leading us around the back of the school.

I had a bad feeling.

“I hear you have been bullying Motou.” Ushio continued, and I felt a disjointed sense of relief and terror all at once.

“Says who?” Jonouchi protested, and that was the wrong thing to say.

At this point I don’t think there was a right thing to say.

Jonouchi was slammed into the wall. I lashed out. That was probably the wrong thing to do.

“Leave him alone.” I growled. Also the wrong thing to say.

As the sudden flash of pain proved to me.

Ushio was bigger than us, faster than us, stronger than us, better trained than us.

I suppose letting him beat us up would have resulted in far fewer bruises, if we had gone down and stayed down...

I don’t know. I just know he left me dazed and probably concussed, and Jonouchi in too much pain to move. I know Jonouchi, even if it’s second hand knowledge, too much pain to move is a lot of pain.

Then he returned with Yugi.

No! Yugi!

My head was spinning, there was black spots in my eyes.

I couldn’t protect him, I couldn’t protect Jonouchi, I couldn’t even protect Honda.

What was I doing here?

What use was I?

I blacked out.