Work Text:
Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
Yusei groaned and rolled over in bed, slapping at his nightstand for his phone.
Bzzzt. Bzz-
“… hello?” Yusei managed to garble out, his voice partially muffled by his lumpy pillow.
“Yusei, it’s me,” Kiryu’s voice floated from the speaker, electrical interference fuzzing the edge of his words. “I need you to build something for me.” Yusei slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.
“Sure… what do you need?” Yusei yawned, grabbing a grocery receipt from the floor and a carpenter’s pencil from his nightstand dresser.
“I need you to build me a machine that can detect ghosts.”
Yusei blinked. “… a what now?”
Radley woke up to the sound of the front door opening and closing. A pair of soft footsteps rapidly approached his room and Kiryu burst through his bedroom door wearing, quite possibly, the most excited look on his face that Radley had seen in a while. In Kiryu’s thin hands, he held a small box covered in postage stamps. “Radley! It arrived!” Kiryu exclaimed, heaving laboriously to catch his breath. “It’s here!”
“What’s ‘it’?” Radley asked, sliding out of the bed and stretching .
“ The ghost detector!” Kiryu struggled with the thick packaging tape. “ I had Yusei make one for me and it’s finally arrived! My first spectral-o-meter! ” The older man looked over Kiryu’s face. Dark eyebags and bloodshot irises. He’d been staying up late again.
Radley put a hand gently over Kiryu’s shoulder, the reaper stopping his own hand
s
. “Let’s have some breakfast first.”
As the coffee pot brewed quietly, Radley started up the toaster and pushed four slices of bread in. He turned a gas knob on the stove and after a few clicks, bright blue flames appeared under the cast iron pan. Salty slabs of thick bacon sizzled on the hot surface, four eggs joining it soon after. Radley found himself humming a quiet tune as he carefully flipped over two of the eggs and left the other two sunny side up.
In the past, Kiryu would barely eat, mostly subsisting off of cold coffee and the occasional mushy apple. Not anymore since his passion for life was reignited by Yusei Fudo. Radley felt envy well up in his throat every time he remembered it wasn’t him who’d given life to Kiryu. Still, he was grateful Kiryu was doing better and eating properly. After all, he couldn’t have the mayor of Satisfaction Town collapsing.
“It’s a strange sudden interest, this ghost hunting thing,” Radley thought as he turned off the stove. “But it’s healthy to have hobbies. Hell, I think I might need one.” He plated their food and put it on the dining table, setting it for two. “Yo, Kiryu!” the dark haired man called. “Breakfast is ready!” The mayor skidded into the dining room and sat on the worn out chair, his large t-shirt fluttering and settling over his skinny body when he settled down . “Two sunny side up eggs, two slices of bacon, two slices of bread, and…” Radley set a steaming mug of coffee in front of Kiryu. “Coffee.”
Kiryu smiled softly at his roommate. “What would I do without you?”
“Honestly, I think you’d live off of Red Barbaros energy drinks and bread if I wasn’t around,” Radley joked while taking off his apron.
“Hey, I wasn’t doing that badly when I first arrived!” Kiryu groaned, grabbing the butter from the center of the table. “Besides, I was going through a lot then.”
They didn’t usually speak of how Kiryu acted during his time as the Reaper. Though he still retained the nickname, he had long discarded the shell of who he used to be. His life was full with Radley at his side, his old Team Satisfaction friends keeping close contact with him, and the town looking forward to his leadership. And his newfound obsession with ghost hunting.
The younger man crunched down on his breakfast while thinking about when would be the best time to use the spectral-o-meter that Yusei had given him. “Probably at dusk…” Kiryu thought. He took a sip of his coffee . “I read a few threads online that paranormal activities usually happen when the sun’s down. Though…” The mayor glanced up at Radley who was carefully turning his breakfast plate into a sandwich. “Should I bring Radley?”
The graveyard of Satisfaction Town was a short walk from the front gate with thin, scraggly wood fences lining the beaten path. Everyone knew the way there. Because everyone had someone buried there. Kiryu felt a strange energy brimming in his body at the thought of exploring the graveyard with his newfound knowledge on ghosts. The hand gripping his fork trembled, relaxing only after a deep breath.
As if reading his former student’s mind, Radley spoke up, “So… what’s the spectral-o-meter do?”
“It detects the presence of ghosts,” Kiryu began. “Specifically, it has a sensor that searches for unusual cold spots in an environment. Ghosts are, usually, completely invisible to the naked eye. Cameras struggle to pick them up and a majority of mirrors can’t reveal them.” He dipped his toast into the runny yolk of one of his eggs. “I don’t know if you ever noticed but… some rooms are just a little colder in the summer, aren’t they?”
Radley shrugged. “I always thought it was just a random cold spot.”
Kiryu pointed his toast at his housemate. “Yes, exactly! Those can happen in real life due to pressure and weather changes! But the ones we’re looking for are the ones created by the presence of undead!”
“So… how exactly does a cold spot indicate the presence of a ghost?” Radley followed up after stirring two sugar cubes into his coffee.
“The best way to explain it is that we,” Kiryu put his hand over his chest, “are warm because we’re alive. And ghosts are cold because they’re dead.” Radley made a convinced expression, unable to refute any part of Kiryu’s statement. It was interesting to see someone so close to him coming to life in the pursuit of searching for the dead. He sighed happily, idly drinking his coffee while watching Kiryu stuff his face with breakfast.
Was this what some people in the cities called “domestic bliss”? There was something between them. It was palpable when they were within arms reach of one another, a feeling of something that wasn’t quite friendship, apprenticeship, nor romantic in nature. “We’re comfortable with one another,” Radley thought, pouring a bit of milk into his coffee. “It’s not something I ever expected from our relationship when we first met. I feel at ease with him. So at ease, something as strange as ghost hunting is appealing to me.”
As the older man mulled over this, Kiryu leaned back in his chair with a toothpick between his lips. “I was thinking we could go explore the cemetery later tonight.” Kiryu wiggled the toothpick and looked down sheepishly. “If you want.”
“I’d love to, Kiryu.”
Radley flipped through the rather detailed information pamphlet Yusei had written up alongside the creation of the spectral-o-meter. Don’t point directly at an electricity grid. Press “CHARGE MODE” button and charge a minimum of one hour before use. Don’t expose to radioactive material. Normal things to say about untested technology. The spectral-o-meter sat on the dinner table and it looked archaic. It was a thick rectangle of plastic with a chartreuse colored square glass screen covering half of the device and two small buttons at the bottom. One was labeled “ON/OFF” and the other was labeled “CHARGE MODE”.
Kiryu was beside him, packing a small backpack with flashlights, water canteens, dried nuts and jerky, and a first aid kit. “Do we really need to bring that?” Radley asked, pointing at the first aid kit. “The graveyard isn’t exactly dangerous.”
“You never know.” Kiryu latched the backpack closed and slipped his arms through the straps. “Besides, it would suck if one of us fell and got hurt while we were exploring.” The younger man had a point. The graveyard was mostly on flat ground but it was still rocky terrain that hadn’t been smothered in concrete or broken with heavy machinery. “Oh yeah I forgot my ghost capture jar!”
Kiryu opened up the door of their small refrigerator and pulled out a mason jar containing a bundle of rosemary and thyme. Radley blinked. “Is that it?”
“Trust me on this one, Sensei,” Kiryu assured, putting the jar into his backpack. “It’ll come in handy.” No matter how much Radley tried to wrap his head around it, he couldn’t imagine why herbs meant for cooking could capture or lure a ghost.
They stepped out of their home into the growing darkness of dusk. Moths flitted around the electric lamp hanging by their front door. The sky was a bright orange from the setting sun and the warm afternoon still lingered in the air. Radley followed behind Kiryu, walking through the main road of town. Several citizens waved at them from the front porches of businesses that lined the path.
Even though Kiryu smiled and waved back, Radley caught the hidden emotions in his housemate’s eyes. Something was bothering him. “We’re out to have fun. I wonder what’s wrong…” They walked quietly, eventually arriving at the graveyard. Radley felt a twinge of guilt in his chest as he looked over the nearly endless rows of graves that traveled up and through the hilly environment. It was only recently that Kiryu had started replacing the wooden crosses with proper headstones, though not on anyone’s request.
They stopped in front of a random one, Kiryu crouching down to run his fingers over the wilted flowers offered to the dead. With the new energy running through town and the bolstering of its small economy, leaving offerings for the dead went from being a luxury to something anyone could do if they wished to remember someone. He turned his head to look at the dried up offerings on the other graves.
“Do you think we should hire a gravekeeper?” Kiryu asked aloud while standing back up.
“Hmmm…” Radley rubbed his chin in thought. “Well, we do have quite a few idle hands in town. And since there’s so many graves, maybe we should assemble a team? Though, most of the young folk in town really don’t want such a boring job.”
Kiryu pursed his lips while taking the spectral-o-meter out of his coat pocket. “Hm you’ve got a point.” He powered on the device and the screen glowed a gentle green. “Maybe we could make it a voluntary once a week job for a small team?”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.” Radley patted Kiryu on the shoulder. “You’re turning out to be an excellent mayor.” Kiryu stuck his tongue out and the two laughed. The glowing sun set beneath the horizon as they caught their breath. When they opened their eyes, a thick blanket of stars covered the night sky above them. Kiryu’s gaze lifted to the sky, Radley following suit. A hand weakly grasped Radley’s wrist, the older man catching the faint blush on Kiryu’s face.
Slowly, Radley lifted up his hand to lace his fingers with Kiryu’s. The younger man stiffened slightly before relaxing into the handhold. “Hey um…” Kiryu nervously started, “I’d like to keep walking. I want to find a ghost, after all.”
“Right, of course.” Radley started to unlace his fingers from Kiryu’s only for his former student to tighten his grip. Understanding Kiryu’s unspoken feelings, they continued walking between the graves, hand in hand. Kiryu’s cold hand slowly warmed up in Radley’s warm ones. The older man’s heart swelled from their casual intimacy. He wanted this to continue forever, their nightly stroll under the stars.
Suddenly, Kiryu froze up, stopping in his tracks. “What’s wrong, Kiryu?” Radley asked. The mayor slowly raised his hand, pointing directly at a pale apparition just ten paces away from them, hovering over a grave. “Is that a ghost?” The apparition turned towards them, dark eyes boring into their souls. Both Kiryu and Radley took a step back in fear. For the first time in a while, a shiver of fear crawled across Radley’s skin and his hair stood on end.
“Haha holy shit, it is!” Kiryu stammered excitedly. He looked down at the spectral-o-meter, the glass screen covered in the text “Yep, that’s a ghost.” “That’s a real ghost, Radley.” The jar of herbs slipped out of the backpack into his hand and he shoved the spectral-o-meter into Radley’s hands. “I’m gonna capture it.”
Kiryu dashed forward while unscrewing the lid. “Wait, this isn’t Pokemon or something!” Radley exclaimed, running after the brash young man. “Be careful, Kiryu!” The pale apparition faded into nothing right as Kiryu reached it. He clicked his tongue in frustration.
“I was so close…” He moped while closing the jar.
“I’m sure you’ll get the next one,” Radley comforted. “Let’s keep looking. Though, we should use a flashlight. I don’t want to accidentally knock over someone’s grave.” With a flashlight in hand, they continued their journey through the graves.
A comfortable silence settled on them. But a question burned in Radley’s chest. “What’s the real reason behind his sudden interest in ghost hunting?” He parted his lips to try and squeeze the words out but his question remained unspoken.
“Hey, Radley, what do you want done with your body after you die?” Kiryu asked, breaking the silence.
“That’s a really macabre thing to ask,” Radley replied. “Hmmm. I’d never thought about it. Honestly, I expected to end up as another one of Malcolm’s victims in the end.” He glanced at a gravestone that had been placed long before either of them had ever arrived. Though the name had faded away with time, the year of death could be seen quite clearly: 1780. “I guess I’ll get cremated? I really don’t know. I don’t have organs worth donating.”
Kiryu looked up at the night sky once more. “I think I’d want to be cremated. Better than being embalmed and put into a super duper expensive casket or whatever.”
“Why do you ask?”
The mayor swallowed nervously. “I… I started thinking about all the people I’ve sent here.” His hands curled into trembling fists. “I feel so guilty. I want to see their faces. So I can apologize to them one last time.” Radley pulled him into a tight hug.
“It’s okay, Kiryu, it’s okay. You’re trying.” He pulled away from Kiryu to look him in the eye. “It’s worth something that you feel this guilt, that you want to do better for all the people of Satisfaction Town. It means something to me too that you were willing to forgive me and let me join you once more.” Kiryu nodded, wiping away a stray tear. “Let’s go find their graves.”
“Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.” Kiryu walked with Radley towards the higher elevation areas of the graveyard. Gravestones with Duel Disks tied to them lined the area, the disks covered in a thick layer of dust. Out of the corner of his eye, Radley spotted a swaying light approaching them.
“Kiryu, someone’s approaching,” the older man warned, instinctively putting his arm out to cover Kiryu. As the swaying light came closer, the shape of a hunched elderly woman emerged from the dark of night. Her long gray hair was tied up into a tight bun that sat high on her head, a thick woven poncho covered her body, and deep wrinkles covered her tanned visage. A steady, bony hand held an oil lamp and the other held a short straw broom.
“Who might you younguns be?” she asked, squinting at them. “Ain’t seen you two around these parts before. You from town?”
“Er, yes. I’m Radley,” the older man introduced.
“My name is Kiryu.” He waved politely.
“Name’s Amelia.” The old woman let out a sigh. “Yer not graverobbers, are you? I’m much too old to be chasing off the like at my age.”
Kiryu raised up his hands in defense. “No, nothing like that, ma’am. We’re here to hunt for ghosts.” Amelia squinted at them once more.
“Well, I s’pose your lack of spades and whatnot are a good… whatchamacallit… an alibi?” The old woman shrugged. “I ain’t seen a ghost in the forty years I been tending to graves.” Both Radley and Kiryu raised an eyebrow. “What’s with that look, sons? I’m old, what’s with it?”
“I didn’t know we had a gravekeeper already,” Kiryu admitted. “I’m not sure if you know this but I’m the mayor of Satisfaction Town.”
Amelia laughed out loud. “You? A mayor? Yer much too young! No way!” she cried out, slapping her knee while she wheezed. “Yer pulling my tail, Kiryu, but I like ya. I think you’d get along well with my grandkid, Malcolm. He’s still a wee youngun but in no time, he’ll shoot up like a darned beanstalk.” She put her hand out flat by her hip. “He’s about yea tall. You seen him running around the main street, yeah?”
“No, I don’t believe I have,” Kiryu said, rather puzzled. “Radley, is there a little kid in town named Malcolm?”
Radley racked his brain. “Not that I know of, honestly. The last one we knew of is… well… you know.” The two cringed slightly, just thinking about Malcolm.
“Enough of that. You two should leave soon before the coyotes drag yer butts to their dens,” Amelia warned, pointing the business end of her broom at them. “Come on, get moving!”
“Wait what about you?” Kiryu exclaimed as this unusually strong grandmother pushed them towards the entrance of the graveyard.
“I’ve got me an uneasy alliance with the critters here,” she reassured him. Kiryu and Radley were pushed out of the graveyard by Amelia. “And don’t you boys come back till morning! It ain’t safe at night!”
Kiryu was a bit miffed his ghost hunting had been interrupted so early on. But with it being morning once again, he inhaled his breakfast and stopped by the flower shop for a massive bunch of fresh daisies and white chrysanthemums. Radley followed after him, greeting the other early risers of the town that Kiryu ignored, the mayor far too wrapped up in his thoughts to see anybody.
The graveyard, as usual, remained silent. A dusty breeze blew through, kicking up sand and grit against Kiryu’s coattails. He carefully laid flowers in front of each grave with a Duel Disk attached to it, growing more misty eyed with each offering. Radley patted Kiryu’s back. Out of the corner of Kiryu’s eye, he spotted a small wooden shack. “Is that… Amelia’s place?” he asked quietly.
Before Radley could answer, Kiryu had darted off, running up the steep hill to the shack. As he got closer, he noticed how ramshackle the little home was. The window panes had long been smashed in, the front door torn off, the roof covered in holes, and the inside ruined. Kiryu entered nervously. The remains of a rotting bed in the corner along with a rusted safe that had been busted open and emptied.
Something on the ground reflected the sunlight coming from the holes in the roof. Kiryu knelt down and picked up a dusty framed photograph and cleaned the surface with the sleeve of his coat. The sepia toned photo had Amelia, appearing even older than how she looked when they met her last night, standing next to a young boy who barely reached her hip. He squinted and his eyes widened as he recognized the thick eyebrows and confident smirk on the boy.
Radley, finally catching up to Kiryu, entered the shack. Wordlessly, the mayor presented the framed photo to Radley. The older man’s eyes widened in surprise, in shock, in disbelief. “Did we meet a ghost last night?” he whispered.
“… I think so, Radley. I think so.”