“I don’t think I should have shaken that hand.” Dalton told Maya a few hours after Jack left.

Maya continued to chew her food, undisturbed by what Dalton said. She took a drink of water and then spoke.

“It’s a very disgusting hand. If you want, I can clean your hand for you. I can also cut off Jack’s hand. Just give me the signal, and I will do it.” Her eyes shined as she said that.

What was her relationship with the Director?

“No, not that Maya. I meant I probably should not have accepted his deal.” Dalton stared at his half-eaten dinner. “I saw Ozul take out everyone. How am I supposed to fight back with Riot?”

[Hey!]

But Dalton ignored Riot’s outburst.

“Are you going to finish that?” She pointed at Dalton’s plate with her spoon.

Dalton sighed and passed it over to her. She was delighted and started to gobble down the curry.

“Can you at least take this conversation seriously?” Dalton felt a little irked.

She swallowed and wiped her curry-stained lips. “I am taking this serious. What do you want me to say Dalton? Give you a speech that will rile you up and make you march towards your possessed co-worker?”

“Well…I was hoping for something.”

“If you’re sure that you cannot beat him, you can always just call me.” She shrugged. “I get your having second thoughts, but you should at least try.”

Dalton thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I was hoping to have some ability that would save me from this.”

“You do.” She gave an impish smile. “Riot’s ability will save you. I promise.”

“I don’t like the look you just gave me. Is this a prank? Are you messing with me again?” Dalton asked horrified. “Is this going to be like that time you had me kidnapped to a scary hospital that was infested with zombies?” He turned to Riot. “Tell me your ability now!”

[No,] he said it so playfully.

He wanted to shake him, but his hands went through the ghost. Riot threw up his head, laughing like a madman.

Dalton was having third thoughts about this.

He turned his head to Maya. Sweat dripped down from his face. “Can you give me some magical items?”

Maya was in mid-chew, but she gave him a nod and thumbs up. That was at least better than nothing.

#

Maya was gone when Dalton woke up the next morning. All she had left was a note, a tie, and a ring.

Dalton

I had to go somewhere.

-Maya.

Riot looked over his shoulder and snickered.

[Sucks for you Dalton! It looks like you will be my ghost rival!]

Fear hit his heart. “Like I’m going to let that happen! I’ve decided, I’m just going to stay here…wait there is something written behind the letter.”

PS

I have attached a teleportation spell on you. You will teleport in front of your office to meet your boss. Good luck!

Dalton tore the letter in tears. He was going to become a ghost, or worse, he was going to get eaten by one. Riot laughed at him.

[Excellent! Ghost buddies! By the way, do you want to have ghost sex when you die? I have heard only good things about it!]

“I’m not going to have ghost sex with you!”

[I wasn’t talking about me-]

The floorboards below him started to glow forming a glowing white circle. Dalton stepped out of it, but it followed him over. Before he could try again, he was lifted in the air and then teleported right in front of Jack.

“Oh, good, you actually came.” Jack seemed surprised. “The Demon Bear idea did not turn out well. She actually joined the Best Men.”

He turned towards the building, and Dalton spotted a broken glass door that was hanging by its hinges, and several claw marks the size of three soccer ball stacked on top of each other that tore through the metal door frame.

“Good luck.”

The door crashed onto the ground.

#

It had to be one of the stupidest decisions he’s made…so far. Like walking into the mouth of a sleeping dragon. Dalton did not know what to do if he were to confront a ghost user. Riot seemed to know. He was bragging about what he would do if he met one.

[I shall pummel the life out of any fool who dares cast a shadow towards us!] He mimicked a few terrible jabs.

He couldn’t pummel pudding if his life depended on it.

Riot must live in a very nice little world inside his head. Dalton wondered why he didn’t deny reality too.

[Best Men!] Riot laughed. [Where are these fools that dare to stand against Riot and Dalton!]

Dalton stopped in his tracks. His hands wound into tight little balls. He couldn’t believe what this idiot was saying.

“Will you stop yelling,” Dalton said. “Are you trying to have them appear?”

Riot crossed his arms, giving him a disapproving stare. [Dalton. Where is your courage? Where was the man that vowed to do this on his own?]

Dalton was a bit taken aback by what Riot said. It sounded…well sound.

[What do you desire Dalton? Do you truly wish to save your friends? Then buckle up. Courage is only found in times of fear.]

“Who are you?” Dalton asked, not believing that this ghost was actually Riot.

Riot beamed. [I am Riot Labyrinth! The man that shall defeat any creature-]

He stopped yammering when the giant shadow stepped into the hallway. Even though it was mostly in the shadow, he could make out that its brown fur. He could see its muzzle and claws wet with blood.

It was no doubt the Demon Bear Jack failed to train to kill the ghost users.

Dalton took a careful step back, being as quiet as a dead man so he would not become one himself.

Riot continued to float there, dead silent, probably shocked by the prospect of a Demon Bear. When he beamed in joy, Dalton felt his death flag being raised. He could feel the esctacy from their link, and Riot pointed at the bear.

Before he could make a speech, Dalton willed Riot through the wall. The ceiling lights shook above him. The Demon Bear turned towards him, and Dalton stayed perfectly still, hoping that maybe he would not be seen.

The light above him turned on.

“Well, well, well.” The light in front of the demon bear turned on as well. The man wearing a blue shirt with his midriff exposed and hot pink pants stepped in front of the Demon Bear. The man that had the ghost ability Light Show smiled. “And here I thought we had another mouse, but it seems we have a scaredy cat. What are you doing here, scaredy cat?”

Dalton swallowed. His hands touched at the tie Maya had given him. Today’s tie had patterns of a pink flower with a blue background. He would be safe with it. Light Show narrowed his eyes in disgust as he spotted the tie.

“What kind of abomination is that? That tie needs to be scrubbed from this world.”

#

An hour earlier, Ozul saw that a Demon Bear had come in. He went to talk to the Demon Bear, who at first attacked him, but he stopped in midair. That was nice.

The Demon Bear shook as if it heard something it should have not.

He has decided to be a Best Man.

“What a friendly bear. Do you want to be a Best Man?” Ozul smiled, patting the shaking teddy bear. “I shall give you one of the strongest ghosts I have. He used to be king…of the goblins.”

#

“No joke, tie man. She has inherited a ghost.” A figure behind Light Show became visible. It was his ghost.

It was a half-naked man wearing Christmas lights and a red shining nose. The underwear he wore was brown and yellow, Dalton could see that it had been originally white.

“What is that!” Dalton pointed behind Light Show.

“Oh? You can see my ghost? Do you see his superior form?” Light Show sat on his knees, posing. He pulled up his shirt to show off one of his breasts.

“Why are you showing me your nipple?” Dalton asked.

A figure behind the bear appeared. It was a hulking giant…

“Goblin King?” Dalton yelled out.

[I am not the Goblin King. I am the Priestess of a Pure Heart.] The Goblin King crossed his arms. [My ghost ability is….changing my user into a Priestess!]

It was alright. He told himself. He had the tie, and a ring to protect him from attacks. He wasn’t going down so easily. Even if the Goblin King was a ghost for the Demon Bear, and the crazy guy in front of him was now showing both of his nipples in a weird pose, while his ghost was smoking a cigarette and speaking in soliloquy.

[I used to be a Santa Claus, and now I’m a Rudolf.]

Then, at the absolute worst time, Riot came out.

[Sacrificing yourself does not suit you, Dalton!] Then he noticed the two ghost users in front of them. His eyes shined. [Are these our enemies?]

“Hmph. Your ghost looks weak. A big talker who could only flip cardboard at best.” Light Show was now in a pose with his ass high up, and his chest on the ground.

“What’s with those poses? Why are you making them?” Dalton asked him.

“This is called the Zack-O,” he said.

His ghost took another puff of his cigarette.

[My wife used to make that pose to me. But when I became Rudolf, my Christmas Eve became foggy, and even if my nose was bright, she would never split her ass like that again.]

The atmosphere felt heavy by that one comment. No one was sure what to say and silence only added to that heaviness.

Light Show attempted to cut through it.

“Rudolf.” He winked at him. “I will do that pose for you.”

It became even heavier.

[Dalton,] Riot said quietly so that Dalton could only hear. [If you split your ass like that for me, I will leave you.]

That might be worth it.

[Your ass is too flat.] Rudolf blew smoke at it.

That hit Light Show hard. He faltered and his ass fell with him.

“My…ass….is….flat?”

This might be his chance.

“Riot! Ghost Punch!”

Riot flew through the air, screaming like a kid on a roller coaster. He hit Rudolf in the face.

[Your punch was like a woman’s slap.] Rudolf landed a blow in Riot’s gut. It transferred to Dalton, and he doubled over in pain.

The Goblin King noticed and laughed. [Friends! Attack the ghost! We can’t attack Dalton, but his ghost is not protected by the charms on him!]

Dalton reached to call Riot back, but it was too late. Rudolf shot a beam through his crotch striking Riot in the chest. It reverberated back to Dalton feeling like he had been slammed by a train. The Goblin King posed, shaping his two hands into a heart.

[Pure Priestess!]

The Demon Bear was wrapped in a cocoon of light, transforming into a human woman. She wore the traditional priestess outfit, a white kosode and red hakama. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail.

[My ability allows my user to become a priestess. With it, she can blast you with purification energy.]

Dalton felt like weeping. These powers made no sense. A Demon Bear just transformed into a very beautiful woman, and Rudolf was shooting beams of red light through his crotch. What was happening here?

The only one happy by all of this was Riot. Who lit up in delight by the prospects of the newly transformed Demon Bear.

[It’s over ghosts! You have lost!] He held his hand up like it was set on fire. [You shall behold the power of the heart!]

He never did tell him his ability. Dalton perked up. Maybe it will be good.

[Behold! My ghost ability, created through the smelting of friendship! Witness, the Glorious Heavens!]

The Bear’s breasts grew another size.

Dalton wept, as there was nothing more that could make him so damn embarrassed.