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Part 3 of Ghost Skully Fics , Part 1 of Anemone
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i bow before these fics
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2024-12-19
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2025-01-01
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Unwelcome

Summary:

Perhaps upon taking Ramshackle as collateral and deciding Yuu was banned from its premises until they suceeded, if they succeeded, Azul should have considered its resident ghosts. Particularly its fourth.

Notes:

 

This particular flavor of ghost Skully and context:
https://www.tumblr.com/twstyuna/770128719633317888/wanted-to-try-drawing-skully-then-wondered-if-i

He has, basically, been in Ramshackle for centuries and it's muddled his memories. Can't remember much, but he's fond of Yuu and Grim.

Chapter 1

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

For someone suddenly deprived of house and home, Yuu left Ramshackle rather meekly. 

Jade expected a bit more fight in them (especially considering the whispers about Savannaclaw and the Spelldrive tournament), but they obediently packed up the little they had, all their earthly posessions tucked away into a meager knapsack, and left with little anemone-ed Grim in their arms. It's a shame really, a shame for them, that they had picked such poor company, that they had such a tender heart when they were in such a precarious spot already. It was more difficult not to know their situation- a poor, magicless human, living only on the school premises out of the Headmaster's benevolence. The Ramshackle Prefect, soon to be Prefect in name alone, was an unfortunate soul indeed.

He has to wonder though, if perhaps Yuu's nonchalance was because of this-

Floyd laid on the ground, and considering how dull he'd been proclaiming the inspection to be, that wouldn't have been so strange if only his eyes weren't so wide, teeth bared as he clawed at his throat-

"Floyd?"

His brother found himself lifted up then, by the neck, and flung at him. 

Jade staggered back at the impact, and still clinging to his brother, was then dragged by the ankle harshly backwards into the hall. Floyd writhed out of his hold, and punched at the space where their assailant had to be-

It hit empty air, just like Jade's kicks. A bolt of magic fared better in having him released, and he scrambled up to stand back-to-back with Floyd as the air turned frigid, the hall darker-

"I think," Jade said, voice calm as it had to be, smiling. "That we have a ghost."

"You think?" Floyd snarled, eyes frantic as the pen he brandished about, a grin and grimace on his face.

Jade chuckled, vaguely aware of something dampening his ankle. Ah, and blood was such a pain to clean-

"I don't believe staff are allowed to use force against students," he said into the dark.

There was a violent gust of wind that rushed down the corridor and blew the double doors open. It blew Floyd's hat to the ground too, upon which, it was crushed.

"This guy's getting on my nerves," Floyd grumbled. "Show yourself so I can squeeze ya!"

"Please do make yourself visible, so we can discuss things civil-"

"HEY!"

A pen hit the ground and Jade glanced back. Floyd's was using his left hand to jerkily hold back the right as its nails inched towards his throat.

Jade fired a scattering shot of magic that must have hit because Floyd's revolting arm went slack. His brother grimaced as he clutched the bent limb-

There was something like a hiss in his head, and the reflective barrier he put up did nothing against a strike that was pure force.

Jade was knocked into a wall, and the air knocked from his lungs as dust rained down. He gasped, and he had never wished he had gills more than he did as he choked on the filthy air, at the sharp pain like vines binding around his heart. Through hazy vision, he found Floyd aiming at him, gem gleaming and ready to fire-

"Now now, pal, you can't go around doing that!"

Sweet, dust-speckled oxygen entered his lungs. A ghostly arm held Floyd's arm up (whatever he shot left a mark on the ceiling), and was wrestling the pen from him. Two other ghosts were pinning something to the wall that was unseen but clearly thrashed-

"Oi, that smarts, ya brat!"

Floyd had his pen back, and the thing took advantage of the other spectres' distraction to break free. Something rammed into Floyd only to be rammed back by the ghost that had been dealing with his brother, and the three ghosts were piling upon the invisible entity then, pushing it back every time it lunged for him or Floyd.

"C-calm down, buddy!" said a skeletal spectre.

"Don't go making a mess now!" boomed the biggest.

The ghosts flinched, and the distant wail that he may have heard was indecipherable but sent gooseflesh prickling up his arms.

"I'm fine!" declared the ghost that dealt with Floyd. "Look! See? Not a mark on me!"

"And I'm sure Yuu's fine too, the- they what-?!"

Two spectres glared at them. The last continued to hold fast. "Even if they're rascals ya can't just murder- no that ain't better!"

"We are here," Jade said, pen in hand, "on perfectly valid grounds-"

"I'll turn them into perfectly valid grounds-"

"Floyd."

"What? I'm in a real bad mood now. . ."

Floyd stayed behind him though, despite the glower. Jade composed himself, brushing the dust off his shoulders to smile. Perhaps too much teeth showed, but he had to deal with the urge to tear something apart somehow.

"You must be the resident Ghosts of Ramshackle."

The trio dragged back the inch their fourth gained.

"Yeah? And what about it?"

"I am Jade Leech. This is my brother Floyd. We're here on behalf of Octavinelle to safeguard the collateral Yuu provided on their contract with our housewarden."

"Collateral?"

"Indeed. Yuu's signed a contract- in exchange for performing a certain task, they'll free their friends from service to Mostro Lounge. They put up the use of Ramshackle as collateral."

"And you kicked them out, huh?" 

The skeletal one's skull angled down. "If you're gonna kick us out too-"

"Maybe we should let this fella go-"

"Don't be hasty, boys," said the largest of the specters, the one who thankfully seemed to have the strongest hold on their violent fourth. But he shot Jade a dirty look all the same.

"Yuu specified allowing the ghosts of Ramshackle to remain in the building. They said nothing of themself."

"So you turn em out into the cold?"

The three visible spectres looked remarkably less benign then.

"They agreed to it," Jade replied. "You all made no objections when they packed earlier-"

"Cause we were resting!"

"Can't you let your elders have some shut-eye?"

"You made a real ruckus down here, to wake the dead-"

"My brother and I were merely defending ourselves. Your companion there attacked us unprovoked."

"I'd say it's pretty provoked."

"Real justified for being real heartless."

"Doesn't mean you can maim em though!" snapped the largest, glowering up." And can ya stop squirming? Even if you're mad and these two're no-good leeches, you think Yuu'll be happy to know you've been mean?"

The smaller ghost scoffed. "These two seem pretty rude and mean themselves-"

"I could say the same for you. You are staff of Night Raven College, yes? Yet that one attacked us first-"

"He ain't an employee."

"Got no contract, got no rules-"

"He's a slip of a thing. A ghost to us ghosts!"

"I figure you can't see im?"

". . .I cannot," Jade confirmed.

"Couldn't squeeze it either," Floyd grumbled.

Jade tensed as the ghosts let go, but he wasn't struck or strangled, and neither was  Floyd.

A ghost laughed. "Don't worry, he's calmed down now."

"Better not provoke him though," said the lean one, wagging a finger.

"He can only get ya if he's real mad. . .well you're not mad enough to make a mess now are ya? Yeah, good, happy thoughts, right buddy-?"

"If he ain't staff," Floyd said. "Can't we have the Headmaster kick 'em out?"

That had the ghosts lunging as something scratched his cheek. Jade brought a hand to the skin, and the finger came away red.

"What did I just tell ya about provoking him?" 

Jade chuckled. "Ah but,  such a violent ghost should be expelled, no?"

"Can't expel someone who ain't a student-."

"Can't fire someone who ain't staff either-"

"Fella's an alumnus, far as we can tell-"

"Pretty sure Headmaster's tried to exorcise him already, but there ain't enough of him to banish!"

"It's never been a problem."

"He's usually sweet as pie!"

A pie of glass shards perhaps. "He certainly seems friendly now," Jade said dryly.

"It's your fault for riling him up!"

"This is the first time he's been so. . .disagreeable?"

"Yeah see, he's usually sleepin- the fella's only woken up a couple a' times the past hundred years before snoozin' again! But when Yuu and Grimmy came here, he took a real shine to them! Hasn't gone back down since!"

"And we just evicted Yuu and Grim," Jade hummed. "May I ask how we might appease him to let us do our jobs? We're only acting on behalf of our boss."

The ghosts glanced at each other and muttered in a spectral conference.

". . .no we can't hurt em . . .no you can't either. . ."

". . .contract's gotta be valid, or Yuu would've made a fuss. . ."

". . .he's right, Yuu ain't failed yet. . ."

". . .collateral. . .reason. . ."

The ghosts stopped ringing each other. Their leader floated over. From the empty space behind that spirit, he felt distinctly glared at.

"Bring Yuu back in!"

"Poor thing doesn't have a home-"

"Contract or no, let them have a bed, at least!"

"You're here to check and safeguard the property, since it's collateral?"

"Well Yuu's been Ramshackle's caretaker!"

"And you guys've done more property damage in an hour than Yuu has in months!"

"Not like they could bring the value down, you know!"

"So let em in!"

". . .and if I do, we will treat each other civilly, yes?"

A ghost grinned. "Depends. Are you still planning on kicking them out after three days?"

"We can be pretty mean ourselves you know, hehehe!"

Jade smiled back. "I suppose I can try to come to a compromise with Azul about that, but for tonight, I'll do my best to inform Yuu that they can return. In exchange, will you allow us to inspect the property?"

 

~ ~ ~

 

Jade did put an honest effort in reaching Yuu, but by the time he and Floyd left the building, they had found refuge in Savannaclaw. It probably wouldn't be wise to return to Ramshackle empty-handed, but Azul kept Floyd and him quite busy then, up to and with the Overblot. Truly, what a mess. 

He does remember though, when everything's settled down.

"It is probably for the best," Jade says, "That you don't have Ramshackle."

"And why is that?" Azul asks from his desk, because even if the Atlantica Museum photograph had been his main goal, he did consider Ramshackle's capacity as a second branch.

"It is haunted-"

"I am aware-"

"By a malicious spirit, neither student nor staff." 

"Oh yeah," Floyd chimes from the couch, and with the gravitas of seeing something odd at Sam's, adds, "It tried to murder me too."

". . .did it now?"

"Magic works against it, but apparently, the Headmaster's exorcisms have failed. Neither Floyd nor I could perceive it."

Azul looks at them, tired still from the day's events. He hums. "That is more trouble than it's worth, with present circumstances."

"What a shame that you've lost your contracts- there was a sensitivity to ghosts somewhere in there, yes?"

Azul blinks. "Actually, I believe I still have that one."

The ability to perceive ghosts year-round was one unwanted, and its owner had been all too happy to trade the ability away for a pittance. Without fear of theft, Azul left that contract among a handful of others in an unattended safe in his home at the Coral Sea. 

The next day, Azul manages to collect that contract when he steps away from the group during the tour. 

"If a magicless human dies," Azul says, "There will likely be an investigation. If it's particularly vengeful for the abandonment, well. . ."

A chain of things, one after another. The discovery of Azul Overblotting, that he had caused the inky scars marring Yuu's rough skin from his Phantom's bursts of magic.

"What do you propose we do, if it is vengeful?"

"Handle it," Azul says primly. "We can still make some use of Ramshackle, even if only partially. It will be an investment."

An investment in both the dorm and Yuu, surely. Yuu did have Riddle and Leona's favor, or at least the guilt of those prefects for their scars. And Azul's too, if he is willing to perform such a service for essentially free.

Once back on land, Azul trades that spectral sensitivity for Jade's ability to identify mushrooms. Floyd's kept Yuu at the Hall of Mirrors, even while their friends have returned to their dormitories. Yuu really is too soft, accepting his offer to escort them and Grim back to Ramshackle.

Yuu and Grim looked unbothered by being in a dormitory haunted by a spirit. They show no apprehension when they return.

The ghost is a moplike blur of a thing, all shadows and trailing spirit. It had last night to enjoy Yuu's company again, but it flies to them regardless the moment they cross the threshold. Yuu and Grim don't notice as it examines them, skeletal hands flitting about, or the way its amber eyes- the only part of its face Jade can see, even with the borrowed skill- stares into them. 

Yuu turns to him, standing on the steps, and the spirit turns too. Those eyes bore into his as its arms tangle around the human in a protective, possessive embrace.

Yuu still doesn't notice. Neither does Grim, though the beast hops free to enter the dorm.

"Guess I'm here," Yuu says, hand raised in a wave. "Well, see you Jade!"

It bristles at him, hair seeming to wrap around Yuu like a web, like a shroud, like an anemone's tendrils around a clownfish. It seems to swallow Yuu's friendly hand, covering it from sight. He imagines how it must have waited there, day after day and night after night while Yuu was at Savanaclaw, until they returned. He thinks of dogs, land creatures known for loyalty amd fierceness, how human culture values such things-

He places a hand over his chest and he tips his head politely. "Goodbye, Yuu. Feel free to stop by at Octavinelle anytime."

The door closes behind them with all the finality of a casket.

When Azul asks how it went, he assures the octomer of Yuu's safety, and that he can't guarantee anyone else's in there, should an exploitative takeover recur. 

He returns the ability, and receives his skill to identify his beloved fungi. He only recalls then, that was some kind of growth in Ramshackle's damp attic that he meant to collect after Yuu returned, only they chose to lodge at Savanaclaw, only things became dreadfully busy-

He wonders if he can still get it at all, remembers that spirit, and the thought of it glaring as he collects samples and spores has him chuckling when he passes Yuu in the hall later that week.

"Whatcha laughin' at?!" Grim snaps.

"Something funny?" Yuu asks more mildly, more amusedly, and with their forgiving nature, he thinks he might have a chance at Ramshackle's attic and all it harbors, one of these days.

Jade only smiles. "Thank you for showing me something interesting, Prefect."

Notes:

One of these days I'll find self-control.

Not necessarily the same ghost! Skully in the other Carriage Blessing, Vessel Nestling stories, but it would be fun to imagine that this is how he was until the painting came in.

Chapter 2: Anemone

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Notes:

Bonus silly of what how Skully would be about all of this After he's got his memories and mind and manners again haha

 

 

Thanks to JDarius, Frappuccino_Liker, Fanfic_Researcher_Serif, 22oups, Jellybeanwizard, and RoseytheRabbit for the comments! Thanks to all who read and kudosed!

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